Lisa's Likes--Travel Essentials (Just In Time For The 4th of July)

It’s official.  SUMMER is here! Hello June, July, August and sun.

But before we get too ahead of ourselves, remember those resolutions that you set back in January? Of course you do (especially when you start to see your hard work pay off as you slip on your swimwear and head to the beach). 

It's important to remember those resolutions and honor your commitments to push yourself to new limits at The Studio (MDR), but what's equally important is taking time to relax and simply enjoy some R&R.  Nothing says "relaxing" like going on a summer vacation, and SimplyStylist.com recently asked our own, Lisa Hirsch, to share the must-haves in her travel bag.

Lisa's picks are fashionable, practical and functional but our personal fave on the list is the Luna Chocolate Dipped Coconut Bar For women.  Lisa admits, “Airports are the worst when I’m trying to eat healthy so I always have a couple of Luna Bars on hand. Chocolate Dipped Coconut are my favorite, especially when I get stuck on an unexpected layover.”

To read the full article, click here.

Strengthen Your Core, Build Up Your Confidence And Conquer Crow Pose With The Studio MDR: A Guest Post

This guest post is contributed by Jaclyn Mullen, a Los Angeles based entrepreneur. She loves blogging, beaching it up and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. As a member of The Studio (MDR) community, Jaclyn has lost 10 lbs and is striving to shed ten more by summer time.  Long, lean muscles. Every woman wants them. After all, we know (thanks to Oprah and all the glossies out there) that the secret to a fast metabolism is in direct proportion to how much muscle we have on our bodies.

Hello Dream Body. I hope to have you....soon enough. Thanks to The Studio MDR, I know I can look like this in MY bikini by summer time.

But there's that word. You know the one most women worry about, the B word. Not "body"......BULKY! Any time we're told to incorporate strength training into our workout regimen, we (or maybe it's just me) teeter totter for the most part.

Am I going to look compact? I'm only 5'6 and a half to begin with. 

But....I want my future boyfriend to be the one with biceps, not me!

Lift weights, for my legs? I want them to look smaller--not bigger!

Thanks to new variations on Pilates (aka The Studio MDR), building long, lean muscles has never been easier or more fun!

And as I've uncovered, strength in all areas of the body is the secret to enhancing not only my physical well being but my confidence AND yoga practice as well.

So here are some lessons I've learned from The Studio MDR.

The metabolism begins in the mind. First comes hunger, then comes calories then comes a cupcake and potato salad. What good is working out to build that lean muscle mass if your body craves food that may not be the best for you overall? How can you learn to reprogram your thoughts around food? My secret weapon has been a combination of yoga and The Studio (MDR). Yoga reduces my stress level and just generally makes me feel good. And the community and team at The Studio (MDR) never shy away from offering advice and alternative food choices so that deprivation is never an option.

I have found that yoga is the gateway for peace of mind, body and spirit. And the mind and spirit are what we program to "let go and live in this very moment" through the practice of breathing, flowing and posing. But yoga helps us in more ways then one. Aside from balance and inner harmony, yoga can also kick your core into solid shape by engaging the abs, back and hip flexors throughout several poses. But The Studio (MDR) takes that up a notch. My classes especially, 'A and A' class (Abs and Ass), have helped me with my crow pose. Thanks plank to pike! (The Studio MDR insiders will get that and if you don't know it, you need to come in and find out for yourself).

The cravings+core+confidence co-relation examined further. Another way to control cravings and carve out that core is working with the proper trainer who can motivate you to make healthy eating choices and ensure that you really maximize your workout. At The Studio (MDR), they've created classes that aren't just about what you do within your 50 minutes of sweating, stretching and strengthening. The trainers want the clients and community to feel inspired, confident and motivated to live healthier lives.

So, my secrets out for all of you to benefit from. If you are in the Southern California area and want to strengthen your core, build up your confidence and even master crow pose, head on over to The Studio (MDR) sooner than later. Bikini season is approaching!

Weight Loss Success Stories From The Studio (MDR): Meet Transformer Lindsay Hallam

If you are feeling a little discouraged about your New Years resolution, you may want to read this story.

When Lindsay Hallam started working out at The Studio (MDR) she had a very big goal: To reduce her body fat by 10 percent and drop 50 pounds. Difficult to accomplish? Sure. But impossible, NO. Not with an exercise routine inclusive of yoga and classes at one of LA's most popular and highly respected fitness studios in Marina Del Rey. Lindsay knew it was time to get busy sweating and start SPX-ing.

"Before discovering SPX, I was really unhappy, insecure, and uncomfortable in my own skin," she says. "I started at 172 pounds and I set milestone goals to lose 10 pounds at a time. Over the course of eight months, I reduced my body fat from 33 percent to 23 percent and have lost 48 pounds."

Were there challenges? Of course. "I struggle with patience," Lindsay said. "When I set my mind to do something, I want to get it done immediately." But she knew that in order to lose her weight and body fat the healthy way, she had to do it slowly.

"I just showed up. Jessi, and Mary gave me what I needed to do the rest." Lindsay also incorporated some pretty big lifestyle changes that helped her transform.

# 1 -- Alcohol. "I decided I wanted to trade the six-pack in my hand for one on my stomach," says Lindsay. "I used to have several drinks a night throughout the week; now I just have one or two drinks every now and then.

# 2 -- Cooking. "I used to skip breakfast and eat out for lunch and dinner. Now, I make just about every meal I consume. I eat fresh and organic as much as possible and while I don't count calories, carbs, sugar, etc., I make an effort to keep them low. I also think it's important not to deprive myself. So, if I have a craving for something, I get it. I just don't do it all the time."

#3 -- Consistency. "The major pitfall I encountered through all of my failed attempts at losing weight in the past is that when I skipped a workout or ate something unhealthy, I would beat myself up and just sink back to my old ways. It became much easier to reach my goals once fitness and healthy foods became a part of my daily lifestyle, instead of a diet-of-the-moment."

If you are second guessing that New Years resolution and your commitment to achieving it, let Lindsay be an example of the rewards that commitment and patience will yield. And if that's not enough, you can use The Studio (MDR)'s mantra for extra encouragement: "Look It+Feel It+Live It."

New Year, New Workout Routine, New Student Special, NEW YOU!

The New Year is upon us and to celebrate, The Studio (MDR) is offering a new student special to kick off your new workout routine!  Get ready to sweat, stretch and SPX in 2012.

According to Marie Claire Magazine, "SPX is basically a combination of different elements of Pilates, cardio and weight training, all using the resistance offered by the beds. To say you'll be sore after your first class is a wicked understatement, but you'll be hooked. Especially after you see how toned your bum and abs start looking."

Our clients would agree--one recently tweeted: My waist is officially 3 1/2" smaller than it was 3 months ago thanks to @TheStudioMDR :-) and I'm about 1,000,000 times stronger!

By making SPX your new workout routine at The Studio (MDR), you will strengthen, tighten and tone your body in an upbeat, fun and supportive environment.  Rest assured the end result is a heart-pumping, muscle aching workout!  And for a limited time only, new students can take advantage of this special  and pay $199 for an introductory unlimited month of Total SPX classes. This limited time offer will end on January 15, 2012 so be sure to act fast and get a jumpstart on your new workout routine at The Studio (MDR)!

Look It+ Feel It+ Live It+ Embrace It in 2012. We're waiting for you.