Great Mother's Day Gifts for the Fit Mom

Mother's Day is just around the corner, are you ready? These gifts are just a few things that the fit Mom's you know will love. Heck, I think almost anyone would love almost everything on this list! Mother's Day, Father's Day, your step-cousin's birthday- covered in one swoop. The best part is that these fit gifts run the gambit of fitness levels and interests. What are some of your favorites on the list?

1. Manduka eQua Hand Towel ($20): This towel is a dream come true for all those hot yogis out there. It is thin but super absorbent and can be used as a yoga towel or hand towel, depending on your preference. The towel also comes in enough colors to make every Mom happy.

2. Jillian Michaels Body Revolution ($89.98): What woman does not like Jillian Michaels? This pack is the holy grail of Jillian Michaels workouts. For real. Included is 15 DVD's, a meal journal, meal plan, 30-membership online, and the 7-day kickstart diet.

3. Digital Cordless Jump Rope ($18): Jump roping has come back in a big way. It is no longer solely for 5-year old girls or those stuck in the 90's. Jump rope is a great cardio workout that can be done anywhere. These digital cordless varieties are great for travel and can reduce that pesky tripping over the rope part.

4. Nike+ Sport Watch GPS Powered by Tom Tom ($240.99): Welcome to my new favorite thing and the Cadillac of HRMs. This thing is crazy. First off, it is stunning and comes in tons of color options. Second, this watch does everything you could think of and even has a USB on the band for easy uploading. Track time, distance, pace, and see your route. All of this can also be done when on the treadmill. Best. Thing. Ever.

5. Hard Tail Slouchy Top ($62): This shirt may seem a little pricey, but it's multiple purposes make it more than worth it. Yes, it was made for working out, but this shirt is as comfortable in the gym as it is on a night out. And really, what Mom does not like a two-for-one?

6. Empower 3 in 1 Kettlebell ($39.99): One of my least favorite things about being a home gymer is the workout equipment. I have been holding off on getting multiple kettlebells because I just did not want to find a place to store them. For once, my laziness has paid off! This kettlebell can be 5 lbs, 8 lbs, or 12 lbs depending on the weights you add. That equals less than $15 per kettlebell!

7. Wahoo Blue Heart Rate Monitor for iPhone and Android ($49.99): I cannot decide which is cooler, the Nike+ watch or this HRM that connects to your Android, iPad, iPad Mini, or iPhone. It also works with most running apps, like my favorite, Run Keeper. This little guy will give you a full sum-up of your workout delivered straight to your smart device.

8. Trigger Point Performance The Grid Revolutionary Foam Roller ($36.95): This foam roller is not your usual set of tennis balls taped together; it is any workout enthusiast's dream. The foam roller uses a higher density foam and also has a grid system with different levels for different uses. No matter where you are sore, this foam roller will help you roll it out.

The Pros and Cons Orange Theory Fitness

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Last week I was able to try Orange Theory Fitness for the first time. If you are not familiar with Orange Theory (which I was not, until they moved in next door), it is an intense cardio and weight fitness class that uses treadmill, rowing, and varying floor work. They are also the ones responsible for all those orange bikes you may be seeing around your town.

Right now, Orange Theory is offering the first class for free, which is totally how they got me in.

After our try at Barry's Bootcamp, my cousin was telling me how similar it was to Orange Theory; this made me want to try it. Now, two months later, I tried it for the first time. Really, it is quite similar to Barry's, but with a few key pros and cons.

Pros

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Orange Theory was a great workout, that would have to be pro number one. One of the things I absolutely loved about it was that ever person wears a heart rate monitor and has their current heart rate displayed on screens throughout the workout room. Trainers tell you what zone you will want to be in for each segment and all you do is watch for your heart rate to be in the corresponding color. This was fantastic for every workout their was. It is ridiculously easy to stay in the right fitness zone when you are able to 1) know what zone that is and 2) watch it on a screen the entire time.

Another thing I loved about this class and the reason I would recommend it to anyone, no matter their fitness level, is that everything changes up so fast that you have no idea where the time goes. Our class started out with interval treadmill workouts mixed in with rowing. Both of these were massive cardio workouts that burned a lot of fat while massively killing my bum. Seriously, my bum was sore before this class and after, I thought walking would never happen again.

Next up was floor work where we did four sets of alternating workouts from kettlebell swings to jumps and lunges. We used balance balls, weights, and resistance bands. It was pretty fantastic! To make it even better, the end of the class is summed up with seeing the time you were in each heart rate zone during the entire workout.

Cons

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Honestly, I did not find a lot of cons in this class. Everything went by fast, the workout was for toning and fat burning, and my heart rate was in the appropriate zone the whole time. Scores on all points. The biggest, and really, the only downside was the amount of leg work there was compared to abs or upper body. Rowing machines are my newest frenemy and, like any frenemy, there are pros and cons. I loved the bum work that the rowing machine gave me, but it also did a lot in my shoulders that I was not so sure about. As a girl with broad enough shoulders already, the idea of working them even more does not sound like the most fun thing ever.

On another note, a lot of the workouts were massive thigh workouts that missed the mark on arms and abs. Sure, I like thigh work as much as the next girl, but I also want to keep my thighs looking svelte and not like I'm going for a body building championship.

Overall though, it was a fantastic workout that I only wish was a bit more even in the areas that it worked. This class did not seem quite as intense as Barry's and could be better for those who are not a peak athletic form but want to work hard and get healthier. Hopefully, my next few classes will even things out because, yes, I did get a membership.

YouTube Bum Workouts

Hello short shorts and bikini bottoms, would you mind if I hit the "snooze" button on those for a bit? My bum is surely not quite ready for bikini season. Although I still want to be running as much as possible, there are times where varying my workout is necessary. For all those other girls (and guys) out there who have the same bum sentiment, you are not alone. Now, let's get together and do some workouts that will that!

These YouTube workouts can be done in the comfort of your home with your pajamas still on. Do these in the morning when you wake up for a great kick to your day! All of these workouts are short enough to get done quick and do your usual workout routine, but will also pack a major punch.

Blogilates Booty Sculpting

XHIT Daily's Best Butt Workout

Amanda Russell's Butt Workout

This one was on the blog way back in the beginning days, but I love it enough to share it again. It will take 15-minutes and leave everything sore.

This Week in Workouts: I Conquered Everest

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Happy May the Fourth! Today will be another lazy day for me since yesterday night was the Expedition Everest 5k Scavenger hunt. The race was great, but that is all I will say for this week's workout sum-up. I promise not to hoard this info all to myself though, trust me, there will be a blog post all about it in the next few days.

As for this week, things were pretty awesome. I tried my first ever Orange Theory class, which you will also hear about in an upcoming post, and got in some massive workouts. Ha, I am not sure why, but the day that I did the Orange Theory class, I woke up with the most sore bum ever. What is really odd about this is the day before was a rest day. Must be all that running catching up with me. Pun intended. Now, let's talk workouts. 

Sunday: 4.5 mile jog

Monday: Rest day

Tuesday: Orange Theory and a randomly sore bum followed by a 15-minute AMMAP treadmill workout. This AMMAP was simply, run as many miles as possible in 15-minutes. I ran 1.75, sore bum and all. 

Wednesday: Rest day

Thursday: This Ali K. yoga flow with the hubs. It is great for intermediate yogis and has some fantastic core exercises! 

Friday: Walked around Disney!! And tried to get over being so ridiculously sore. It's like every part of me was hit by a train. Note to self, drink more water. 

Saturday: Expedition Everest 5K obstacle course followed by a scavenger hunt and late night partying!!! It was so fun and I cannot wait to talk about it on the blog this week.