Tag Archives: fitness

Meet Bulu Box

I’ve written about a few subscription boxes in the past, and recently I got the chance to review a fitness one!  Meet Bulu Box.

Bulu Box is a monthly subscription service specializing in new vitamins, supplements, and other healthy products on the market. You get sent some samples along with special discounts and coupons, and each month you’ll receive different stuff. As an added bonus, you can write a review of your box and it’s contents for rewards points, which can be applied to purchasing a full size product of your choice. Pretty cool huh?

meet bulu boxHere’s a rundown of what was in my Bulu Box:

  • Quest Protein Powder – admittedly, I’m not a huge fan of the bars but the protein powder was great in a smoothie. Plus, peanut butter flavor is always a win in my book.
  • MovIt Energy Gummies – I normally use Honey Stinger chews on my long runs, but these were a nice way to change it up.
  • Earth’s Care Anti-Itch Cream – I got this box just after getting bit by a few mosquitoes so this cream arrived at just the right time!
  • Mediterra Bar – I hadn’t tried a savory bar before, and I really liked it! It was sundried tomato and basil and made the perfect afternoon snack.
  • Yerba Prima Fiber – This was my least favorite of the box. Fiber supplements just aren’t my thing.

Now the fun stuff. For a short time only, get 50% off a 3-month subscription to Bulu Box with code SWEATPINK.  That’s only $15 for 3 months, which I consider to be a steal!

As a Sweat Pink ambassador I was given a free Bulu Box in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Things I learned from my first Crossfit Competition

This past weekend, the Englishman and I participated in our first official crossfit competition hosted by our own box, Crossfit Vibe.  We “technically” participated last year, but had to do the workouts in advance as we were in Maui on our honeymoon on the day of the event.  It was an awesome, humbling and exhausting experience.  And while we finished nowhere near the top, we both felt proud at the end that we made it through.

Here are some things I learned from my first crossfit competition:

1. Prepare to be humbled.

first crossfit competition

photo cred: crossfit vibe

We registered for the “fun” division, and while I know I’m not the best crossfitter out there, I was incredibly humbled by all of the amazing athletes in the fun and RX division.  The way they flew through the movements with ease when I was struggling through my front squats was crazy.  I definitely have a lot to work on.

2. Doing 3 WODs in a day is hard.

crossfit competitionNormally at crossfit we do 1 WOD (work out of the day) at 6am and then we are done.  This was 3 WODs broken up over the course of a day and while all of them were quite short (12 min or less) it was still challenging to gear up to do your final workout at 1:30PM when you are used to working out first thing in the morning.  Not to mention by that point you are pretty sore!

3.  Resting and refueling is key.

crossfit competition

photo cred: crossfit vibe

When I run races, they are always first thing in the morning so normally I don’t each much and then refuel after.  When you are doing a crossfit competition, it’s an all day event so you have to time your eating in between workouts.  The Englishman and I still have a lot of work to do on this, but we experimented with protein shakes and easy digestible foods like eggs, granola bars and some fruit.  I don’t like having a ton of food in my stomach when working out so it was definitely a bit tricky.  Plus, in between cheering for everyone you had to make sure you were resting/warming up for the next event.

4. Having a good partner is crucial.

crossfit competitionI feel so lucky that the Englishman and I could compete together as a team.  We were able to brush off nerves and just have fun with it.  Communication was key during some of the workouts so we set up a game plan ahead of time so when we were in the thick of it we could just power through.  Also: coming up with a good team name is important (ours was Titus Andromedon).

5. The crossfit community is awesome.

crossfit competitionI was so inspired by how many people came out to cheer us on.  It was awesome to have the support from our own friends and box, but to have other people cheering for us during the workouts was great.  And fun!  It’s truly a great community and it’s so nice to know that people have your back, regardless of if you finish first or last.

So there you have it! Our first crossfit competition is in the books and it was a great learning experience overall.  Fellow crossfitters: have you competed before?  Any tips and tricks for competition day?

EKAM Yoga

I’ve had a complicated relationship with yoga over the years.  I always loved yoga and my body definitely reaped from its benefits, but I had a hard time finding a studio that I could call home.  When I lived in LA, Liberation Yoga was my go-to for a while but when I moved to back to Orange County 5 years ago, I found myself bouncing from studio to studio but never really feeling a connection.  Until I stepped into EKAM Yoga.

EKAM YogaEKAM Yoga is a small studio located off PCH in Newport Beach.  The studio is small with just one room to practice in, but the warmth and friendliness you feel when you walk in can’t be beat.  One of EKAM Yoga’s main objectives is to foster a strong sense of community in all of their classes which I love.

When I practiced yoga in the past, I always would go maybe once a week, maybe skip a week here and there and then go again, but since I started taking classes at EKAM, I’ve been craving my weekly yoga sessions.  I’ve even been going 2-3x as week, which is totally unheard of for me.  But honestly, I feel SO much more grounded and relaxed after practicing at EKAM, which I love.

EKAM Yoga AsanaI also think that yoga has been a great compliment to running and crossfit.  I love the intensity of those workouts and I think having yoga to balance that is great.  Besides, a lot of the vinaysa classes have been kicking my butt!

If you are an OC local, I can’t recommended EKAM Yoga enough.  The instructors are lovely and the classes are appropriate for anyone at ANY level (believe me, I’m not flexible at all and I feel comfortable there).  And if you are not in OC and haven’t found your “yoga home” yet, keep looking!  The right studio is out there and when you find it you’ll be so grateful that you did.

Class Pass

Have you heard of Class Pass?  It’s an online fitness membership that gives you access to a variety of fitness studios for a monthly fee.  You can check out as many studios as you want, and can attend each one up to 3x each month.  Class Pass just started in Orange County and I recently had the opportunity to try it out for a month.

class pass One thing I noticed right off the bat was how easy it was to schedule and book your classes.  You can filter by date, location, or class and then just click schedule on the one you want.  Class Pass will automatically add a reminder to your Google calendar, and you have up to until 12 hrs before class to cancel (canceling any time after that will result in a $20 cancellation fee).

Since I already do a lot of crossfit and running, I wanted to use Class Pass for things I wouldn’t normally do like yoga, barre, and spinning.  Here are the classes I took:

Spinning at YAS:

One of the things I liked about YAS was the fact that it you didn’t have to rent shoes or pay for any extras which was nice.  However, I found the class to be a bit lackluster and the instructor not the most motivating, so it was a bit of a disappointment.

Vinyasa Flow at EKAM Yoga:

EKAM Yoga

I’m definitely NOT a yogi, but I love the way my body feels after a good yoga class.  The environment at EKAM yoga was warm and inviting, and I loved how my legs felt looser after the class.  I’m definitely planning on returning to EKAM Yoga in the future for some more classes.

Spinning at Full Psycle:

class pass full psycle

I’ve taken Full Psycle classes in the past and LOVED them.  I don’t spin there too often due to budget, but every time I go to class I get a killer workout.  The leaderboard can be a bit intimidating at times, but all the instructors are super motivating and deliver a kick-ass workout.  Plus, I love how they send you your stats after each class.

Pure Barre:

A few years ago I was all about the barre, attending classes 3-4x a week.  Then I got more into running and crossfit and barre kind of fell by the wayside.  It was fun to return to a barre class and revisit that all-too familiar thigh shaking feeling when you are pulsing in low squats.

Overall I really enjoyed my experience with Class Pass!  In the future I’d love to give it a go again, mainly because it got me back into yoga again which was much-needed.

Interested in checking out Class Pass for yourself?  Here are a couple of ways:

You can try a 1-week trial of Class Pass for only $10.

OR

You can sign up for your first month for $100*.

If you are interested in checking out new fitness studios or just looking to shake up your routine, then I highly recommend Class Pass!  It’s the perfect way to start spring off on the right note.

*Affiliate links included.  Thanks for supporting Sweet Potato Bites!