Hello everyone! I just got back from the pet store. I went to go pick up some accessories for the pets to help ease their stress for our big move this month. Has anyone had to travel long distances with pets before? This will be my first & I want it to go as smooth as possible. I picked up a Thunder Shirt for Maya, a car harness, & some “calming treats” for both the cats & dog. I’ve read good things about the Thunder Shirt & even though Maya has no problems during car rides now, I want her to feel comfortable over 3 days of traveling in the car.
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The Thunder Shirt is supposed to provide a constant compression to help ease anxiety. It’s like they’re getting a constant hug, which I think it awesome. I think it makes perfect sense & have heard a lot of positive feedback about it. I even remember Julie doing a post about it & her success with it. Do they make these for humans? Hhmm…. 
Breakfast
I woke up with pancakes on my mind this morning and ended up using Tina’s recipe for protein pancakes & added a little dash of salt and cinnamon. They were awesome! I added some peanut butter & blackberries to top them off.
Shortly after breakfast, I went to a spin class! I really need to be consistent about going to spin more often. There is nothing like jamming out to loud music while dripping sweat. Also, I burned about 800 calories! Such a good workout. I warmed up a little bit before class and ended up covering 21 miles in 56 minutes. Awesome! I definitely need to get my leg strength up though so I can up my resistance for hills & pedal faster through them….it’s hard to motivate yourself to up the resistance even more with the same RPM when your quads & hamstrings are burning. But it burns so good….I really liked the instructor today. She was super helpful, nice, and very motivational. I once had a spin teacher that walked all around the room in between the bikes and would literally scream at you to push harder….he was seriously a drill sergeant!
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I am by no means an expert in spinning but it can be intimidating. Also if you don’t know how to set up your bike properly, your workout can be pretty miserable. Here are some tips to help make your first spin classes the most enjoyable:
1) Show up 10-15 minutes early. This will give you time to not only find a good spot in class but also to speak to the instructor. It is SO important to talk with the instructor & to get your bike set up just right. Sometimes instructors will recognize the newbies and will offer to help but sometimes they don’t…so don’t be afraid to ask! Tell them this is your first class, or like I did today, tell them you never remember what settings your bike is on They will look at your form, have you pedal a little bit, and make adjustments on your bike as necessary so you have the most comfortable ride. I went to a spin class a couple months ago & made the mistake of not getting my bike properly adjusted before hand. It hurt my sit bones so bad & it was so hard to do the workout with the discomfort I was feeling.
2) Ask about modifications if necessary. If you have had any injuries lately or any leg/back/arm pain that you think will affect spinning at all, let your instructor know & he/she can advise you on any modifications you may need to do. Also make sure they show you how to completely brake the bike, how to adjust resistance, & what to do if your foot falls off.
3) BRING WATER & A TOWEL! If you really push yourself in the class, you will get drenched in sweat. So a towel is super helpful! Also, I would recommend at least 24 oz. of water. It is a hard workout, especially if your instructor has you doing a lot of hills Keep hydrated! I only had about 20 oz. with me today and wished I brought more.
4) Stay for the cool down & stretch more if necessary. My legs are beat after this class & the stretching is really helpful at the end. Often times, I feel like I need to do more stretching so don’t hesitate to do more after the class! Also drink LOTS of water throughout the rest of the day so your legs don’t cramp up.
5) Be prepared to feel sore. And not just in your legs. If you’re not used to spinning, your pelvic bones/bum will feel sore the next day. This will go away with time & the more you do spin classes.
So there ya go! If you haven’t tried spinning, you should! It’s super fun & I hope these tips will help with you have a great first experience! Also if you’re a runner, check out this article on how cycling makes you a better runner.
Post-workout
I got home & quickly refueled with a green monster (kale base) with blueberries, Tera’s whey, & maca.
Looks gross, tastes amazing!
Then Maya and I went for a 2 mile walk. She is so weird sometimes. If she sees people coming up behind us, even if they’re a block away, she stops & waits for them to pass by. She usually just sits but sometimes she lays down…like she did today….
Silly dog
I love walking by all the pretty flowers lately…
Have you traveled long distances with pets? Any advice would be much appreciated 
Have you been to spin class? If so, is it a regular part of your workout routine?
When living in nyc, I’d spin once a week. I love the day-after soreness — makes me feel like I’ve really applied myself
Definitely! Post-workout soreness is oddly extremely satisfying! Sometimes I get frustrated if I’m not as sore as I expect to be the day after a hard workout..haha!
What excatly is Maca for? What are the benefits?
Besides being high in vitamins, minerals, and fiber, maca supports hormone levels, your adrenal glands, and your libido surprisingly! I love it after stressful workouts to helps my adrenals not produce too much cortisol and help my body recover better!
Where do you purchase it? I tried looking at Sunflower Market but didnt find it :/ How much does it usually cost?
I get mine on iherb, here is the link: http://www.iherb.com/Navitas-Naturals-Organic-Maca-Powder-Raw-Maca-Powder-16-oz-454-g/8260. It’s $20 but you get 90 servings out of it! If you’ve never bought anything off that website you can use the code DAX100 to get $5 off your first order! And orders of $20 or more have free shipping. I’ve seen the same maca powder at Whole Foods but it was much more expensive.