But, just because the new year is here doesn’t mean that the party’s over. Never one for major New Year’s resolutions, I do believe in reasonable goal-setting to keep myself motivated through the dead of winter.

So, I’m dedicating 2015 to moving forward.

STRENGTH+Sole is getting a new look and we’re busy behind the scenes now, making your experience even better. That means: easier search, bigger images and more weekly fitness and fashion content. Stay tuned–it’s coming your way by March!

If you’re shopping for a new gym, take a look at David Barton‘s just-opened Chelsea location. Formerly, the raging, all-night dance club The Limelight, it’s now a haven for sweating of a different sort. With Life Fitness treadmills, ellipticals and weight machines tucked into dimly-lit, dreamy spaces and the original stained glass windows all around, this gym is proof that in New York, everyone–and everything–is always being reinvented.

Here’s to the power of positive change.

The entire class is done on a machine called the Megaformer, an über version of the traditional Reformer, timed to a pumped up, pop playlist.

Equipped with adjustable springs, stirrups and straps, I found myself hanging from and twisting on the Megaformer in ways that I didn’t know were possible. Moves like the Mermaid worked our obliques, Scrambled Eggs targeted the outer thigh. Plus, there were many, many planks.

This is my instructor Emily, showing off her best side plank. (I love her look, especially the girly toe socks.)

Mixed with high intensity cardio like cycling and running to shed fat, I can definitely see how SLT would deliver on its promise. And, you know me, I’d rather be sore than sorry any day.

SLT Flatiron opens next Monday, 11/3. Find a class here.

For me, the source of my equipment intimidation has always been weights machinery that seems too complicated to figure out and use by myself.  So, I decided to make a date with my fear and scheduled an appointment to work out with trainer Gary Peters at Equinox, who took me through a fast-paced, lower-body focused routine that I would definitely not do on my own. 

From squats with a barbell to chin ups assisted by a HOIST, these moves were challenging and out of the ordinary for me, and, an hour later, I could definitely feel the difference in comparison with my usual resistance training. The day after, I couldn’t sit or walk down the subway stairs, so, I know that it was effective! I can’t wait to go back for more. I also made a point of taking note of the settings and sequence of the moves on my iPhone, so that I can repeat the routine on my own.

So, next time you’re inside the studio or at the gym, don’t let a seemingly complicated Schwinn or a group of grunting guys stop you from mixing up your workout, surprising your body–and seeing major results.

Want to train with Gary? Find him here: gary.peters@pt.equinox.com

At my office, there’s theClub, a pay-for-play gym with a full class schedule and full-time instructors, a greenmarket in the cafeteria on Wednesdays and blood pressure testing around the clock. The new meaning of “stress test”? My boyfriend’s company goes even further, offering a standard “uniform” (tee, shorts, socks and undergarments) for guys and girls who forget their clothes (or just hate doing laundry), in addition to equipment and personnel. They also sponsor race registration and help make it all happen with post-training parties and transportation to and from out-of-town destinations.

While out on the west coast, I toured Clif Bar’s HQ and took an insider peek at how the (lucky) crew behind my favorite energy bars make the most of their workdays–and make a difference in the community.

The Clif Bar athletes’ wall offers gym-goers a little last-minute motivation. I mean, if they can do it…

Bored with your cardio or weight training routine? There’s always rock climbing.

A conference room overlooks the garden with employee bike “parking.” (Even bikes are zen here.)

Look up and you’ll see more bikes…

…plus, skis and snowboards.

Coffee (or a puzzle break?) to spark afternoon creativity.

And, community: employees are encouraged to volunteer on company time for causes that they care about (provided that their office work is done). Onward and upward.

How do you make time to work out before, during or after work? And, what health & wellness benefits does your company offer or would you like to see at your office?

In addition to instructors and studio founders, the “Fit Icon” series is now expanding to include industry insiders like my friend Daina Falk, founder of The Hungry Fan®. At 5’10”, she’s a great example of a woman whom you might assume has always been thin and has never worried about her weight, despite the fact that her job is, literally, all about food. Read her story below. It’s inspirational, informative and really simple–all things that can help us grow stronger in the day-to-day experience of building–and maintaining–our healthiest, happiest bodies.

Enjoying Food Sensibly
by Daina Falk, The Hungry Fan®

We all eat to live. I also live to eat. I launched a company called The Hungry Fan®, which is centered around food—and not the healthiest of foods. I make what I call “sportsfood,” what you would eat or serve at a Super Bowl party or at a stadium or arena during a game. And I think we can all agree that this kind of food is comforting and downright yummy.

When I started this sportsfood concept, I tried to make recipes that were healthy spins on sportsfood classics because I stick to a healthy-eating lifestyle. (I’ve been obsessed with kale for over 8 years.) “Healthy” can be a vague term that covers a lot of adjectives, so, let me define healthy food for you as food that comes from a combination of clean, organic ingredients and is as low in calories as possible without getting into chemical/crap/non-food substitutes.

My healthy spins on the classics are totally tasty and I’m proud of them. But, let’s be honest. On gameday, you want to let yourself go. You don’t want to worry about calories. So I say, go for it! Watch your diet 6 days a week, but on the 7th day (gameday), you get a pass. And you know what? According to my favorite Nutrition Science professor in college, more people die from stress each year than they do from being slightly overweight. So why fuss over calories at the ballpark? It’s stressful, ruins the experience and is likely more dangerous to your health than that hot dog you’re eyeing (assuming that you eat sensibly the rest of the week).

Who am I to tell you this? Let’s start here—this is me today:

Would you believe that I was 196 pounds about 8 years ago? Well you should, because I was. I was always pudgy even though I played sports and I worked out. My main problem was that I ate garbage from the time I was a young kid. I grew up on Doritos, multiple sodas a day, tuna fish salad, and Oreo cookies. Those were my dietary staples. Damning from the start.

But then I moved to Los Angeles after college, cut soda and high fructose corn syrup out of my life, along with the majority of the gluten I was eating (just because, not due to health issues), and I started incorporating into my diet tons of farmers-market-fresh veggies and produce along with lots of clean, grass-fed, wild-caught, and organic protein. In about 3 years, I gradually (and sustainably) lost 60 pounds. That’s basically a fourth grader! I had to re-learn how to play tennis (my collegiate sport) because I could move so much faster around the court! But then again, so could you, if you weren’t carrying the weight of a small child on your back (and knees).

After about seven years in Los Angeles, weighing in at 136 pounds, I moved to New York. Since then, I have put back on about 10-15. Uh oh! Yo-yo, you ask? Nope. When I moved here, I was a size 10. I am now a size 4-6. The new 10-15 pounds is lean body mass, aka: MUSCLE, my friends (said as I flex my sweet guns).

This easily segues to a great lesson for anyone concerned with body, body mass, and appearance:

Do not judge yourself by what you weigh (as muscle weighs more than fat). Judge yourself by how you feel and how you fit into your clothes.

Now, to be fair, as most women can attest to, clothing sizes often vary quite a bit by brand. But, how do your clothes of one particular brand’s size fit you? Jeans feeling a little more snug than usual? Maybe you should cut your caloric intake a bit.

And how do you feel? Are you sluggish and cranky? Or do you feel energized, able to get through a long day, and rest well at night? I may wake up cranky because I’m not a morning person. But after a trip to the gym, I feel reinvigorated and ready to begin my day. Exercising and getting on a good sweat truly brightens my mood. And I have found that finding fun, engaging classes at the gym have improved my ability to keep that “buzz” going throughout the week. For instance, I take hip hop dance class on Sunday evenings and I come home so happy, pumped up, and ready for a great healthy dinner and a good night’s rest. And I awake Monday morning feeling fantastic; ready to start my week!

My total body transformation has made me the person I am today. I’m happier, more confident in myself, and I have way more energy than when I was younger. I attribute this change in part (80%) to my food choices and in part (20%) to my exercise. Here’s what I have learned through experience and can tell you:

At the end of the day, when all is said and done, gaining and losing weight boils down to the calories in vs. calories out equation. If you want to maintain your weight, eat no more and no less than what you burn (at the gym and simply by being alive). If you want to lose weight, burn more than you eat. And if you need to put on some pounds, eat more than you burn (but keep the calories nutritionally-dense).

I am not a registered dietitian. But, I am essentially a professional eater and I work on-camera. These tips and tricks have worked for me for years and allow me not only to feel good and appear well, but to also indulge on gameday without guilt or stress. I am the original Hungry Fan, constantly in search of delicious gameday grub, but, I’m also a woman who wants to look good and live a long, healthy life. If you find we may have something in common, then maybe these tips will work for you as well.

Check out Daina’s recipes at TheHungryFan.com and follow her @TheHungryFan.

Welcome to “The Project: IMMERSIVE FITNESS” by Reebok and Les Mills, the global mastermind behind popular group fitness and team training programs like BODYPUMP (weights), BODYCOMBAT (martial arts), RPM (indoor cycling) and LES MILLS GRIT (30-minute high intensity interval).

Combining cinema quality video projected onto studio-sized screens with instructors who cue moves synchronized with exactly what’s in front of you, it’s the most high-tech way to get into the “zone” whether you’re riding through a kaleidoscopic cosmic explosion or stretching out under a sunset sky.

Recently debuted in London, The Project: IMMERSIVE FITNESS is on the road in Europe.  Stops include Stockholm, Berlin, Amsterdam, Paris and Milan, for any of you with international travel plans.  And, sign up to stay tuned, because it’s coming our way next year!

So, get ready for your turn in the spotlight.

And, the best part is: you don’t even have to go on a single audition.

WATCH THE PROJECT: IMMERSIVE FITNESS VIDEO HERE.
And, follow on Instagram.

The next level of fitness is here. IMMERSIVE FITNESS™ surrounds participants with cinema quality video content projected onto screens of a purpose-built studio.  Exercise moves synchronize perfectly with music and graphics, creating a truly immersive fitness experience. Learn more!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Les Mills. The opinions and text are all mine.

Tonight, it was alive and in action in front of the iconic Flatiron building, where a few of the city’s hottest instructors and fitness bloggers gathered for the official #NYCFitWeek selfie.

The brainchild of She’s the First, a non-profit dedicated to girls’ education, and Emily Cook Harris, founder of EMpowered personal training and Racked Hottest Trainer in 2013, NYC Fit Week is rallying boutique studios and fitness fans to pay it forward by sweating for the cause.  100% of proceeds from 16 classes at many of NYC’s most popular studios including 305 Fitness, Flywheel, The Fhitting Room and Uplift Studios this week will go toward helping girls around the world become the first in their families to graduate.

The fun is already underway, so book now!  And, show us your sweaty selfie in front of the Flatiron or around town after class by tagging #NYCFitWeek.

Featured in photo, clockwise: Emily Cook Harris (EMpowered NYC), Julia Avery (The Fhitting Room & average2athlete), Dyan Tsiumis (SWERVE), me and Jaclyn Sklaver (FitmissNYC).

I recently took a few weeks off from hard core exercise (speed walking, which was allowed, doesn’t do it for me) and now that I’m approved to really get moving again, I couldn’t wait.  But, I also felt a little hesitant.  Should I have scheduled my session after I’d had the chance to get in a few solo runs or straightforward elliptical?  In any case, the appointment with BSF’s founder was set and suddenly, there I was–lunging while gripping a 30-pound duffle bag filled with water.

But, let me start from the beginning.

Body Space Fitness was founded two years ago by Kelvin Gary, an NYU Stern MBA grad with an engineering background. Like many people in fitness, Kelvin started in the corporate world and ultimately decided that he could put his skills (hello, chemistry!) to better use helping others do what he loved most.

The BSF concept is largely based around semi-private training where a small group of clients work out together for team spirit, but, each performs a personalized program designed by Kelvin to meet his/her pre-defined goal, whether that’s weight loss for an event, race training or all-around muscle tone. Programs are centered around functional fitness, so, you’ll work with kettlebells more than free weights, for greater range of motion, and spend a lot of time pushing, pulling and planking.

On the morning that I was there, a pretty ripped woman in her 40s was wrapping up her prep for her daughter’s Bat Mitzvah, while designer Rebecca Minkoff was on her way out after a typical bi-weekly workout (she’s a long-time client and Kelvin fan). I spent my session using TRX ropes, doing speed drills, pushing and pulling the infamous sled and of course, lunging with Kelvin’s pink aqua bag.

When I caught my breath 45 minutes later, I decided that what I liked best about Kelvin’s approach is that it’s very real. His workouts make sense. And, he’s super intelligent about the way our bodies work, especially when it comes to diet–one of the most important factors when you’re simply fine-tuning vs. trying to lose a lot of weight.  Based on natural body type, Kelvin can rattle off the percentage of carbs, protein and fat that will help shed those last few pounds and reveal the muscles that you’ve been building underneath.  And, if you’re looking to make excuses for abandoning the routine while traveling for business, forget about it.  Kelvin informed me that we can all source salads, chicken and yogurt in any U.S. airport.

As for me, I worked out 4 of the 6 days that followed my session at Body Space Fitness.  Which means that I’m back in the game.  And, soon to be better than ever.

Here, pics from Thursday’s press party, where a select few of us made it through the early morning master class led by NYC’s fittest: Sadie Kurzban – ((305)) Fitness, Erica Giovinazzo – BRICK CrossFit, Daury Dross – The Fhitting Room, Brandon Goodman – FlyWheel & FlyBarre and Lauren Imparato – I.AM.YOU.

Because it’s always chic to sweat, especially for the cause.

The final contenders: posing with our amazing instructors, the Mio Skincare girls and Neda Talebian Funk, the co-founder of FITiST.

Product provided by Sweaty Betty & Mio Skincare; all thoughts/assessments are my own.
Photos by Willy Somma.

In place of promotional signage and a wall of merchandise, you’ll find a projector screen with riders’ names and performance numbers, the weekly schedule on a gigantic chalk board and stacks of magazines like Competitor and Women’s Running. No frills, but, totally authentic.

The technology behind T2 is the CompuTrainer, which delivers real-time results as you ride. Whether you bring your own bike or use one from the studio, everyone is plugged into the system, showing the “road” and our individual numbers (watts, distance, calories burned, etc.) on flatscreens.

After inputting my height, weight & age and selecting my virtual outfit colors, my bike was waiting for me, so, I hopped on and started getting familiar.  While I’m a huge indoor cyclist, I’m less experienced with riding outdoors on anything more complicated than a Citi Bike, so, my only challenge was shifting gears.  Otherwise, it was very simple–each rider followed his/her personal pane, showing our course and metrics (I was bottom left).

My neighbor, whom I jokingly nicknamed “the guy,” was a tall, hardcore triathlete and international finance type whose output was consistently through the roof: he hit 375 watts vs. mine, which ranged between 100-140 during the 90-minute class.  I was more than happy to follow his tips and tricks, which he happily offered throughout our ride.

Meanwhile, all around us, there was a lot of sweating going on.

Things to know before you go:

• Bring a slim water bottle that will fit into your bike (mine’s Klean Kanteen); refills provided.
• As with any cycling class, if you have shoes, wear those, otherwise, baskets are available so that you can rock your sneakers, too.
• Eat something light but substantial before you ride: a banana with peanut butter or small bowl of high protein cereal with almond milk.
• And, there are showers, if you’re headed to brunch with friends afterward.

It’s always easy to zone out on an elliptical and call that a workout. So, one of the things that I’ve loved about writing STRENGTH+Sole is pushing myself far from what was once my usual routine.

Next week, I’m back at T2 for another class and my FTP (Functional Threshold Power) test, which will give me an accurate sense of where I am now, performance-wise, and help set my training goals.

And, ya never know, you just might see me this spring in Central Park, dressed in head-to-toe spandex and riding alongside “the guy.”

Are you with me?  Try T2!  Log on to T2NYC.com and use promo code STRENGTH for 25% off a single class or any class package through February 28, 2014.

Stay tuned for more from my FTP test and a special giveaway, coming soon.

Photos by Jeanne Meyer.
This post is in partnership with T2; all thoughts/assessments are my own.