Your Fittest Week Ever

Posted on January 19, 2015 by CHIORGANICGIRLS

Don’t give up on those resolutions yet! Chicago land is popping this week with low cost and free fitness workshops, health and nutrition seminars and fun events. Oh and it’s nice-ish outside so you could attempt to brave the outdoors…so, take that winter!

Wednesday Jan 21

Speaking of running, isn’t it more fun with a pack? Join other lady runners at Fleet Feet Lincoln Square for Chick’s Night. Runners and walkers are welcome and routes range between 3 and 6 miles. Can’t do a Wednesday? Run clubs are also available on other weeknights through Fleet Feet.

Thursday Jan 22

“Shake and pop. Shake and pop.” Do you ever imagine you’re dancing at a club during your cardio classes? Your dream is now a reality! Join Flirty Girl Fitness, live DJs, 3 different dance instructors, back up dancers, lights, sound, and fellow cardio heads at the first ever Club Cardio Concert at Sound Bar. Tickets are only $15*, cheaper than the usual drop in, and drinks are available for purchase. This is for the grown and sexy so 21+ only allowed.

Are you trying to explore food allergies or gluten free living? Bountiful Eatery is hosting a gluten free meetup from 7-9 pm on Thursday. Holistic Health Coach, Joy Duginske, and Gluten Free Mom, Tiffany Hinton, will share tips and thoughts on gluten free lifestyles. Attendance is free! RSVP here.

Friday Jan 23

Do you ever tip toe around your living room pretending to be the Black Swan? Ok, maybe that’s just us. Aspiring adult ballerinas and hip hop heads can take free classes at the Joffrey Ballet (GASP! So exciting) at Free First Friday.

Free First Friday

Joffrey Ballet, 10 East Randolph

12:00-1:00 pm Keep Fit Ballet with Kim Sagami
1:15-2:15 pm Pilates with Zineb Chraibi
6:30-8:00 pm Intermediate Ballet with Lynne Alberding
6:30-7:30 pm BeMoved with Jennifer Edgcomb
7:00-8:00 pm Hip Hop with Dantriell Houston

Saturday Jan 24

Whew! You made it to the weekend. Now chill and enjoy the fine art of meditation at 9 am with Hamsa Ayurveda and Yoga founder, Monica Yearwood. No need to register! Just show up and experience the brain changing power of meditation.

Free Meditation Group
Saturdays, 9 am (open and ongoing). Hamsa Center, 3807 N. Lincoln Avenue.

And then hype yourself back up with free and intense cardio from CrossTown Fitness at the South Loop Lululemon store. Join Kailee Martin at 3 pm at the Roosevelt Collection. You must register online to attend.

Sunday Jan 25

2015 is a year for dancing! Learn some Latin moves for free and heat up your winter at the South Shore Cultural Center with Chicago’s Winter Dance.

Winter Dance, South Shore Cultural Center, 7059 S. South Shore Dr.

2-3pm – Lisa “La Boriqua” Latin Street Dancing (salsa lesson)
3-5pm – Viva! Marc Anthony Tribute Project (live salsa band performing two 50-minute sets)

Pure Barre Lincoln Park: Fit Review

Posted on December 5, 2014 by CHIORGANICGIRLS

10 brave women made it out in the cold after a appetizer, sides, and pie holiday to get their fitness on this past Sunday at our first ever private Chiorganic Girls class at Pure Barre Lincoln Park, an admirable feet given the tendency to want to sleep off the lingering food coma. We were grateful for our motivation to attend as we got a kick a*@ workout that toned and tightened to reset the good habits and prepare us for the back to work grind.

Lincoln Park Pure Barre is a brand new workout hot spot that just opened November 4th. Ashley Gertz, owner of the newly opened Pure Barre in Lincoln Park, opened the location because of her personal love of barre classes and keen business sense. She welcomed our group with a tour and an overview of what Pure Barre has to offer. Ashley, a former marathoner and avid runner, found that cardio didn’t promote toning and strength so she joined the River North Pure Barre and was hooked.

Marguerite, our teacher, gave us the overview of common moves of Pure Barre and then we got cracking with an immediate plank set (WHYYY??). Bubbly pop music as well as giggles from class participants offset the strenuousness of the miniscule muscle movements. We rolled through abs, arms, legs and ended with (sigh*) more abs and a bridge set to tense up the tush.

After class, we took our shaky legs to the lobby area for complimentary Kashi and Luna snack bars as well as raffle for 2 lucky participants.

And now, we are sore…very pleasantly “can’t walk up the stairs so well” sore, evidence of a real workout. Wanna check it out? Pure Barre Lincoln Park offers new students a very affordable unlimited month of classes for $99. If you join now, you can also compete in the Jingle Tuck challenge (15 classes in 30 days) for prizes and the ultimate win, a retreat at a spa in Arizona.

Run Life: Must Have Gear for Newbie Runners

Posted on August 2, 2014 by CHIORGANICGIRLS

Chiorganicgirls may have briefly fallen off the face of the earth due to Kate’s wedding festivities but we are back…and better than ever due to the lack of wedding stress! How did we survive and de-stress during all the bride and maid of honor hub bub this summer? Exercise, of course!

We took it to the mild weathered streets of Chicago and stretched our running legs along park and lake paths. One of the big problems we face with outdoor running is where the hell to put your keys, wallet, run jams, snacks, mace and so forth. Your sports bra is an option for hiding stuff but, dang, it sure gets sweaty in there.

Then comes a product that frees your arms, and bra and shoes (guys you know what I’m saying) from the burden of keeping your stuff secure while you bounce about.

The DBelt! Okay so the name is funny but what it does is D-liteful!

Kate snagged the DBelt and never let go (as Monica didn’t want to wear Kate’s sweat anyways). The DBelt is a wide cotton-spandex blended belt that sits comfortably around your hips or waist (depending on your preference). Includes 2 zip front pockets, and a velcro closure, there is plenty of room for multiple credit cards, keys and your phone. Not only did the DBelt travel around Kate’s waist to multiple 5k practices and the big show, the Energizer Night Run, but it also made it’s way to her honeymoon in Costa Rica and on the EL train to yoga class. Quite the world traveler! The DBelt is a must have fitness fashion item but also makes a nice purse alternative and a sneaky way to hide your valuables from robbers!

And care is quite D-simple…ok we stretched on that one.

Handwash
Do not dry in heat
Do not dry clean
Do not iron

See! You don’t have to use that stupid iron…and we kinda perm press washed it on accident and it came out ok (shhh…).

Is your interested Deepened? Well Dive in! (Sorry about all the D jokes…we had to do it).

You can purchase your DBelt online here!

Or if you are a lucky person who lives in Florida, then you can get it at POWER HOUSE gym, 6900 Okeechobee Blvd, West Palm Beach FL 33411.

So let’s go lie on the beach in Florida with our Dbelts!! Who wants to buy our flights?

Bound 2 Get Fit 4 NYE

Posted on December 27, 2013 by CHIORGANICGIRLS

Not sure if your family baked you 3 tins full of holiday cookies and marble cakes, but ours did. We are so over sugared from this past week that a fridge full of carrots seems like a refuge. Luckily, you don’t need to wait til the new year to strengthen your resolve and boost your healthy habits. Chicago seems to know we all probably overdid it (in true Midwestern style) and has some limited time hot deals to get you back on track even before you even squeeze into your NYE digs.

Addicted to Glazed and Infused Donuts?

Groupon is offering a limited time only deal of a 3 or 7 day juice cleanse for our fave freshy-fresh juice bar, Peeled. Info on the efficacy of juicing research is mixed but proponents say it clears toxins from the body, delivers vitamins instantly and eliminates cravings. We haven’t tried the cleanse but love their made-to-order smoothies, juices and raw foods. Try the Bright Pink juice, with dazzling pear, pineapple and ginger, for a first taste. Must haves: Motivation to say goodbye to solid foods!

Peeled Juice “Bright Pink”

Are you a Challenge Hound?

Bar Method may look like a dance in the park but we have seen our male friends quiver in the class. If you have never stepped up to the Barre, you can join the Bar-lution Challenge. Take 21 classes in 30 days from January 6th through February 4th to win! Prizes during last year’s competition included Bar Method socks, tanks, DVDs and a membership for one faithful attendee. Beyond the goodies, your body will look fantastic. We lost inches, gained flexibility and strength during our challenge foray last year. Must haves: grippy socks, knee length pants and a steely determination. Hot tip: The Wicker Park Bar Method has free parking for you driving folks.

Looking to Beat the Treadmill Blahs?

Consistently voted as one of the best gyms in Chicago, i.d. gym has a small personalized environment and a schedule chock full of original exercise classes. Ever flown in the air in a hammock during yoga? How about pushing a tire around to get a pre industrial revolution physique? Classes like Fly Yoga and the Caveman Workout may renew your fitness fire. I.d. gym is running a membership special until the end of December so hurry up and lunge in to the deal.

For those who want to get back in touch with their naughty side now that Christmas is over, Flirty Girl Fitness, an all women’s gym with a focus on bringing sexy back, has class packs on sale as well that could mix up the boring basics of gym rat life. Getting a mani pedi with your package ain’t half bad either!

i.d. gym fly yoga

Overwhelmed by Health and Fitness info?

Personal training may be a way to wade through the mass of fitness trends out there. Score a deal on a free consultation with our North side trainer extraordinaire, Sabri Xhaferi, to get the feel for it or jump right in with a package deal.

Sabri Xhaferi, certified personal trainer

With all this sweating, what about a swell new workout outfit to make you feel footloose at the gym!? We just discovered a cut and affordable spot for just such a task, vfish. What else do we wanna try in 2014? TRX, HIIT, Bollywood Groove, Pure Barre, Cheerobix and more to test out just for you!

vfish designs gripsocks!

Chi Organic Girls

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