If you follow me closely on Instagram, you know I've been hard at work at Equinox Seaport with my trainer Niles Sturtevant and it's been paying off. When I originally started this series back in January I had three goals:

Increase lean muscle mass
Target a more well-rounded diet
Balance workouts to include strength and conditioning

Since my last update in April, we have been focusing on toning and conditioning with the addition of some new exercises (some of which I love and some of which I 'love to hate') but all together they have really transformed my body, especially my abs! This is probably the happiest I've been with my overall health and weight in years and as a former athlete and someone who has exercised consistently, that's saying a lot.

One of my favorite new additions to my workout is boxing. In the past, I boxed at different gyms and missed having that as a part of my routine. In my opinion, it is the best combo of strength and conditioning but also really good stress relief (especially when you get to punch your trainer). Niles has been incorporating boxing into circuit work by including 2 minute rounds with different combos. This, in addition to ropes and sled push variations, is a killer circuit that will hit every area while also getting some cardio in.

Running has always been a part of my workout routine prior to joining Equinox. I ran track in high school so sprint work isn't new to me. What is new to me, is running on the curved treadmill. Unlike other treadmills, this one is self-powered so it requires you to create the momentum to turn the treadmill belt. This uses more muscle groups in the body when compared to a traditional treadmill (a.k.a. it's a lot harder). We've been incorporating sprint intervals (all-out for 10 seconds at a time) over the course of 2 minutes. This is great for cardio and if you're competitive like me, fun to try and push your speed each time.

When I mentioned there were some new exercises that I loved and some that I loved to hate, this one is definitely one of my 'eye roll' exercises. However, I've come to learn that when I'm not a fan of something that Niles adds in, it ends up being the best for me and probably has the most impact. As many of you have asked, this annoying weight called a ViPR is part of the reason my abs are looking a little more defined these days. The exercise below is technically called an "ice skating transverse lunge" but in simple terms, holding the 10 lb ViPR, you jump from side to side while moving the weight across your chest to the opposite hip with a small twist at the end to engage your core. Doing this for 30 seconds is almost a full workout in itself but worth it. Another exercise we've been doing with this weight is a plank position where you drag the ViPR with one arm across your body, from side to side, switching arms. Both are so good for the core and for toning your arms.

It's honestly hard to believe it's been almost 8 months into my fitness journey with Equinox Seaport and even harder to believe what a difference I've seen since I joined in January. As I've said in my previous posts in this series, everyone's fitness path and results are different but I can honestly say I don't think I've seen more of an impact from my workouts than training with Niles and keeping up with regular sessions at Equinox. After the initial 'this sucks' and 'I can't do this' feelings fade when you're just starting out, comes the 'what can I do next' feeling. I'm so happy I stuck with this and finally feel like I've reached my fitness goals.