Fitness Classes in Charleston

Image The Everygirl

If you’re a regular follower around here, you understand by now that I have a passion for good food and cocktails. I often get asked “Do you actually eat all the things you post?” And “how do you eat all of that and stay so small?” The answer is yes. I do eat all the things I post, which means I must make time for the gym. I try to be disciplined when it comes to physical activity during the week. It really helps having a group of friends to work out with to hold each other accountable. 

I’ve been a member at Pivotal Fitness since I moved to Charleston, which has been about seven years now. The classes are great and the excellent trainers keep me coming back. Side note, if you are looking for a personal trainer, Tiffany Dennis is the best in the business and the reason I can do the things I do today! You can read a recap of some of my past workouts I posted about here. However, when spring weather rolls around, I do find it challenging to drag myself indoors when it’s so nice out. I begin to lose the urge to workout, but there’s no time for that, especially with bikini season right around the corner. 

Charleston is full of options when it comes to working out and staying fit. My girlfriends and I decided to change things up a bit over the last few weeks in order to avoid the burnout of our regular gym routines. And I must admit, it has been so refreshing. I thought it would be fun to give you all a rundown of some of the new things we’ve tried and share my thoughts. 

HYLO Fitness

HYLO Fitness is a brand-new facility that opened last month in Mt. Pleasant.  They offer small group training classes, one with a high intensity focus and the other is low impact. Both of which are necessary to incorporate in your daily fitness routine. I signed up for their free 10-day trial they were initially offering and I’m so glad I did. The facility is beautiful; the staff is friendly and the workouts were great. 

The HY classes can best be compared to red zone and orange theory, for those of you that are familiar with those high intensity workouts. The classes in involve time on the rowers and bikes, and utilize weights and the TRX, assisting with fat loss and muscle development. Once you’re finished with your heart racing workout, you can head upstairs to the LO class for a cool down that involves balance, flexibility and recovery. I found this class to be the most challenging when taking it after a HY class. Personally, I didn’t get quite enough out of it when I took just the LO class by itself. I do a lot of high intensity training on a regular basis and felt that I needed to take the two classes together, which is what this  boutique fitness studio is all about - balanced total body fitness.

Locations: Mt. Pleasant, SC

Hours: Monday 5am-8pm; Tuesday-Thursday 5am-8pm; Friday 5am-7pm; Saturday 7:30am-12am; Sunday 8:30-12pm

Cost: Month to Month Memberships $159-189 per month*

Workout duration: 50 minutes for each class

Cycle Bar 

I’m not going to sugar coat this one. I’ll be the first to admit that when it comes to cycling, I’m just not that into it. I don’t know if it’s because my legs are too short and I feel like I can never get the bike adjusted just right, or maybe because it’s because I get bored being stationary. However, Cycle Bar did alter my love hate relationship with spin classes. A new studio just opened in Mt. Pleasant so my girlfriends and I decided we had to check this place out as well. It all goes down in the cyclebar theater which holds up to 55 bikes, has two flat-screen TVs, personal data monitors, and audio, video, and lighting technology, creating a multisensory experience. These things together assist in distracting me from the sweat and suffering behind the workout. Spin shoes available and they prefer that you wear them during class or wear your own if you have them. They have lockers to store your belongings while your in class and fresh clean towels can be founded waiting for you on your bike, which needs to be reserved ahead of time. Once your ride is over, your stats are immediately emailed to you, to help assist in tracking the progress of your fitness journey. You can check in on your heart rate, calories, power, RPM, and more at any time online if you’re registered. The best part, on Wednesday’s there’s wine, after class that is!

Local Locations: Mt. Pleasant, SC and various other states.

Hours: Monday - Sunday 5am-9pm

Cost: Monthly unlimited recurring packing with auto pay $149.00

Workout duration: 50-minute ride

Rooftop Yoga Series

Adrienne and I after Buti yoga

Yoga is a class that I definitely need to incorporate more in my regular workout schedule. It’s so important to allow time during the week for stretching and to give your body a break with a lower intensity workout. With that being said, I’m terribly at making myself go, but outdoor classes make it a little easier. I was so thrilled to see that rooftop yoga series sponsored by Lululemon Charleston was back again this year. You can't beat a yoga class, outside on the rooftop overlooking historic Charleston on a comfortable spring evening. These rooftop classes are offered every Wednesday of the month during the Spring and summer evenings, weather permitting. And each month a new local studio and teacher is featured. Make sure to bring your own mat, towel and water bottle. The good news, this class is FREE! Another perk- there is a rooftop bar next door offering the perfect spot to reward yourself after the workout. If you’re local to Charleston, I highly recommend giving it a try.  Follow along on Instagram tomorrow for rooftop views of the next class!

Locations: Rooftop of the Restoration Hotel, Downtown Charleston

Hours: Every Wednesday of the month (Spring and Summer)

Cost: FREE *Must register online to reserve a spot

Workout duration: 1 hour

What classes do you take to stay motivated?

Life Lately | F is for February & Food

Lately I've been feeling like there's not enough time to get everything done that I would like. I haven't had much time to devote to my blog, chores around the house, cooking, planting my spring flowers, the list goes on. It gets especially harder as the weather gets nice and all I want to do is spend my free time doing fun things outside. I can't complain though, life has been busy, but in a good way. And my robust calendar is by choice. I've been enjoying attending events, spending time with friends and family and just staying busy socially. With that being said, I thought I would share a look at what February looked like for me through the lens of my iPhone. There were too many fun things that took place not to share. 

First and foremost, we now own a boat! Boats in Charleston are like taxis in New York, they are everywhere. It was around 40 degrees the day we got it, but that didn't stop us from taking it out. 

We reminisced on the old college days at a Corey Smith concert at the music farm. The only difference in then and now is we were much less intoxicated and made it home much earlier.

Whit and I had the pleasure of attending an amazing event called Outstanding in the Field. The full recap can be read  here. 

Cru Catering hosted a fun Chinese New Year event at Harborside East. 

 There were plenty of strong cocktails, delicious eats and fun entertainment.

And this amazing view, which the photo doesn't do justice.

Whit and I celebrated Valentine's the way we know best — Mellow Mushroom pizza! If you haven't had the holy shitake, you're missing out!

And the traditional Krispy Kreme donuts for the Mr.

I went to The Royal American for the first time for a casual happy hour with coworkers.

A group of us spent the afternoon at the Sewe festival in Charleston. There are several events that go on throughout the festival, but we chose to go to the dockdogs event at Brittlebank park.

I changed up my workout a bit and went to a pop up Barre Evolution class at Loft. I also did a little shopping afterwards.

I'm on new kick of trying out different local coffee shops instead of always just turning to Starbucks. Vintage Coffee Cafe is so adorable and their avocado toast with tomato-onion marmalade is delicious! They also have the perfect outdoor seating to enjoy a snack and your caffeinated beverage of choice.

Another awesome guest chef event in the books! Chef Michael Toscano of Le Farfalle prepared a few delicious bites for us at the office. 

Who needs to travel all the way to New Orleans for Mardi Gras when you can celebrate Folly Gras at Folly Beach.

Lots of fun things packed into a short month!

24 Dresses to Wear to a Spring Wedding

I have a bad habit of feeling like I need to buy a new dress for every wedding I go to. I'm not the only one, right? I have a closet full of dresses but sometimes it just feels good to put on something new. Last weekend Whit and I traveled to Jacksonville, Florida for a wedding and this was one of those times where I wanted something new. I had ordered a dress I loved a few weeks ago and unfortunately when I tried it on, it just didn't do anything for me. So last Friday night before we left to go out of town, I found myself in a dressing room, frantically trying on dresses. I found several gorgeous ones, but not all of them fit my petite frame and others were out of stock in my size. But I did find not one but two, that I really loved. Needless to say, my dress mission inspired this post. I figured if I couldn't buy all the pretty dresses, I could at least share them with you all. The one I'm wearing in this photo is linked the below. So if you're in need of a dress to wear to an upcoming Spring wedding, I've got you covered. 

New Orleans Travel Recap | Part 3 + Top Places to Dine

I'm sharing part three of my New Orleans trip a bit later than planned, but better late than never I suppose. If you're just tuning in, you can find part one here and part two here. I didn't intend for this recap to be this long, but there were so many good things to share, I didn't want to leave anything out. 

We spent our last full day exploring the city by foot, starting with breakfast in the neighborhood we were staying in. I loved all of the cute colorful houses that lined the streets.

We had a quick breakfast at Elizabeth's Restaurant, a small dining spot with quirky local art covered walls, serving country classics with a little something extra.

This French Toast burrito is the perfect example. Scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage stuffed in a french toast battered tortilla, topped with powdered sugar and syrup  — a winning combination!

After breakfast we headed to the Garden District to explore more of the historic area. And to be quite honest, we also heard there were some celebrity homes in the area as well. Like this charming Victorian house below that belongs to Sandra Bullock. Too bad she wasn't home.

 We added a quick pit stop at Cochon to our itinerary as we made our way back. 

The appetizers were amazing! I can only imagine what an entire meal would have tasted like. We ordered the fried alligator and the wood-fired oysters. There was so much flavor in both of these dishes.

I'm almost embarrassed to admit that after we left there and got back to Bourbon Street, we went back for another round of charbroiled oysters at the Bourbon House. It's all the guys wanted to do, and that was fine by us.

 Best. Charbroiled Oysters. Ever!

We did a little afternoon shopping for souvenirs which was successful until we later realized that evening we had left all of our things in the cab we took to dinner. We were so bummed. The entire trip we had beein taking uber everywhere, which would have given us a record of the driver. Of course, the one time we decided to take a cab and pay cash this happens. #fail

The wine before dinner may have contributed to our forgetfulness. 

We enjoyed our last meal at one of my favorite places in New Orleans, Pêche. I had the pleasure of meeting the chef a few years ago at a guest chef event at my office. I was completely blown away by the food he prepared for us and was thrilled when I got the chance to eat at his restaurant last year. I just knew that we had to have our final meal here so that our friends could get a taste of all the hype. We went a little overboard with ordering, but it was worth it. 

Pictured above, delicious bite size shrimp toast and a warm bowl of classic gumbo.  Below, a plate of hushpuppies, because we were told we needed to order these. 

This steak tartare was the dish I fell in love with when Chef Prewitt came to Charleston. This is seriously the best I've ever had. An enormous amount of flavor packed into the heaping piles of steak, drizzled with oyster aioli on top of crispy, toasted bread. That's the stuff dreams are made of.

These crawfish rice croquettes were also really good. I definitely began to change my view on crawfish after this trip. You can't go wrong when you add cheese and rice to the mix.

By the time our main entree made it's way to the table, the food coma was starting to set in. I'm glad we didn't throw in the towel because the baked drum with mushroom broth and cala was incredible. 

An awesome dinner and a great way to end a wonderful trip! 

I can't say enough about how much fun we had. Most of the trip was spent eating our way through the city and that's why New Orleans was the perfect place to visit. Good food is always better when shared with great friends. I'm looking forward to planning our next adventure!

If you're looking for a new dining destination, the Big Easy has it all. Here's a list of my favorites from my past two visits. I  promise they're worth the trip.

Breakfast/Brunch:

Ruby Slipper Cafe- This fried chicken eggs benedict is amazing. 

Café Du Monde- You can't visit New Orleans without having a few beignets!

Bywater Bakery- Grab a breakfast "go" cup, coffee and something sweet.

Lunch:

Willa Jean: This place should be on the brunch and lunch list. Beautiful space and delicious food. Don't leave without having a milk money latte.

Acme Oyster House- Sit at the oyster bar and watch them shuck away. 

The Carousel Bar & Lounge-  Liquid lunch...I can't speak for the food, but go for a cocktail.

The Bourbon House- This place will fulfill all of your charbroiled oyster dreams. Plus plenty of po boy amazingness. 

Dinner:

Pêche Seafood Grill- The steak tartare is a must.

Luke - amazing shrimp and grits

MOPHO- a little further out, but definitely worth the drive! Brussel sprouts, Mopho Tom Sam Salad and the slow roast lamb in green curry, so good!

Brennan's- A great place for happy hour outside in the courtyard followed by dinner in the restaurant. 

La Petite Grocery- romantic setting and great food.