Pure Barre Overview

I had a few emails asking me how I thought Pure Barre was so I thought I'd recap it on the blog. If you missed the confessions of a Pure Barre first timer, check out visits 1-10. The Homewood, Alabama girls were really great and helpful throughout the entire month. I would probably keep going if it wasn't so expensive!

Overall, Pure Barre was an effective toning workout.  Becky and I were heading to change after work one day when she commented on my tone arms. Hmm..."yea, I guess they are"...I said as I studied the reflection. That's when I drew my conclusion that Pure Barre was great for toning my arms and legs. I don't think it provided enough cardio (which it never claimed to). Even the front desk clerk said she runs and does Pure Barre. I noticed a lot of the women had great arms and even saw some morph into tone arms over the month, but most of them kept their soft middle with little change. I would encourage you to mix the routine up with some cardio days during the week. Think running, walking, biking, swimming...Especially if weight loss is your goal.

So, could Pure Barre work for you? Keep these tips in mind to make the most out of the experience.

• Take a friend. Like many exercise classes, this was way more fun {and less embarrassing} with a friend! 
• Be consistent. Pure Barre is expensive. I jumped on the chance to try it for free, which meant I had to complete 20 out of 30 classes in a month. Becky and I went almost daily for an entire month and I think that is why we saw such results.
• Add in Cardio. The downside to going 20 out of 30 days was I had little time to run. Try adding cardio at least 2-3 times a week for about 30-40 minutes each time for weight maintenance and 60-90 minutes for weight loss. Figure out a good Pure Barre/Cardio schedule and stick to it!
• Eat well. Many people who start an exercise routine find that they are hungrier than they were before. Don't replace the calories you burned with poor quality calories. Eat fruits and veggies that are high in nutritional value but low in calories. Pair them with lean proteins to help keep you full!

Do you have any tips for getting the most out of Pure Barre?