by Jessica Wilson, LMT
Ever since I stopped cycling on a daily basis for transportation a few years ago, I have not had a consistent workout regimen, and it is very much evident. Over the past two years, I have gained 60lbs, which is a hard thing to admit, but it is true. I have tried to get a handle on it from time to time, but never committed to something fully, for various reasons. Some of those reasons were emotional due to a breakup, which I am sure a lot of people can identify with. Things have definitely turned around for me and I have found myself in a much healthier and happier place. So much so, I am getting married in October to the love of my life. This has been the biggest motivation so far to lose the weight and get back to recognizing the person looking back at me in the mirror. In an attempt to feel beautiful, confident and comfortable on my wedding day, I have taken on the challenge to work out at Orange Theory in Washington Park.
My first day at Orange Theory, I attended a noon class. I registered for the class only a couple of hours beforehand and was happy to find out that I could attend at such short notice. I was greeted immediately when I walked in. After I filled out a short intake form, one of girls at the front desk took me on a tour of the facility. She showed me the lockers, bathrooms, changing rooms and shower rooms. I was surprised by how many rooms and accommodations they have for such a small space. After I was shown around, she gave me a heart rate monitor and instructed me on how/where to place it, and I got started.
If you're wondering if Orange Theory is actually orange, it is. The entire gym has an orange glow. There was something about how dark it was, and even the orange glow, that felt comforting; there weren't any bright lights that threatened to shine on to my physical ineptitude. I started my warm-up on the treadmill, and soon after, the trainer made her way over to me and introduced herself, asked what my goals were, and explained how the heart rate monitor worked. There are television screens placed around the gym that tell you what your heart rate is and what "zone" you're in. There are five zones (the "Orange 60") that you will go through in a 60 minute workout. These five zones are color-coded from grey to red, with grey being the resting rate and red being your max. The trainer explained to me and another newbie afterwards that the ultimate goal is to stay in the green and orange zones. The green zone is the fat-burning zone where your heart rate is up, but it is relatively easy to maintain. Their real goal is to push you into the orange zone where you get the "afterburn" effect. This is where you continue to burn calories even after leaving the workout.
I found it encouraging and challenging to monitor my own heart rate during the workout, and push myself harder when I was falling out of those zones. It was an interval workout, so we alternated between rowing, treadmill and weights, which is exactly my style; I stay more motivated with small intervals. I felt like I got a really good workout, and shortly after leaving, I received an e-mail that outlined my stats for the workout, what zones I was in most, and how many calories I burned.
Overall, my first experience there was extremely positive! Collette, the gym manager, and her crew were warm, welcoming, encouraging and attentive. It left me excited for the next workout!! I'll explain more about this whole Orange Theory theory in my next blog, so stay tuned!!
Washington Park Chiropractic is the only practice in Denver, Colorado specializing in Sports Chiropractic, Prenatal Chiropractic and Pediatric Chiropractic. Our Wash Park Doctors are expert certified and trained in Sports, Pediatrics and Prenatal Care including massage, acupuncture, Webster Technique, Graston Technique, Laser, K-Laser, Kinesiology Tape, RockTape and Normatec