5 Things: Hi Def vs. Sculpt, CBD oil, a lip sleeping mask, & more!

Good morning, friends! Today is a new type of post that I’m testing out… and I’d looove your feedback! If you’ve been following me a while, you know that I do my best to respond to each and every one of your comments and DMs, listen to your questions, and take your suggestions to heart. That being said, not everything you ask about makes it to the blog or even to my stories! For example, I promised you guys a review of the Hi Def class at Studio Three last week and I still haven’t done it. Woops!

As I noticed it continually get pushed farther down on my to do list each day, I realized that maybe the topics you guys ask about a lot should go in a quick little roundup like this! That way, you don’t have to worry about missing it in my stories, and I can also share some other fun things I’ve been loving that isn’t ready (or honestly not interesting enough ?) for an entire blog post on it’s own. Let’s dive in!

Hi Def at Studio Three

A few weeks ago, Studio Three opened in Lincoln Park and I was invited to come try a few classes. I had only ever been to one spin class in River North, so I was really excited to check out this new location, especially because it’s only a short Brown Line ride away from me! Convenience is everything, right?!

First of all, every bit of this place is GORGEOUS. It’s bright and welcoming, and there is so much space in the locker room (so nice). Plus, the yoga studio is huge and flooded with natural light. DREAMZ. Since I hadn’t tried any of their classes in the yoga studio, I thought I’d try the Hi Def class… but a few of you said it’s a lot like Sculpt. Uh oh.

It made me laugh that a few of you remembered that I hate Sculpt at CPY. I tried to like it so many times because I was such a hard core Corepower fan. Seriously, I even did my teacher training there! But for some reason, Sculpt classes always left me feeling dehydrated, drained, sometimes nauseous and dizzy… it was terrible. As I got more comfortable with weights, I’d go back thinking I was stronger so I’d be fine – and I’d still feel the same way. Finally I realized that it’s just not for me. The combination of the movements, pace, weights, cardio, and overwhelming HEAT were too much for my bod. I want workouts to leave me feeling invigorated, not like I can’t breathe!

Needless to say, I was slightly nervous going into Hi Def. But as soon as I got in the room, I appreciated that it was warm, but not stifling-can’t-breathe hot. Then class started with a lovely yoga flow, followed by some circuits including weights and cardio. I kept waiting for it to get miserable, but I loved all of it. I felt strong, I had chances to catch my breath if I needed to, and while I was sweaty, I wasn’t completely drenched. They also have 45 minute versions of the class, which is pretty awesome if you’re busy or intimidated. We can all psych ourselves up for 45 minutes, right?!

All in all, I can’t wait to go back and try more teachers! In the meantime, I encourage you to give it a shot, even if it’s not normally your thing.

My Kindle

I got the new Kindle Paperwhite for Christmas (Thanks Jennie, Jimmy, David, and Ali!!) and I’m completely obsessed. I’ve also gotten a bunch of questions about it whenever I share peeks of it on my stories, so I figured it would be fun to chat about it here.

Now that I’m solely focusing on Lake Shore Lady and trying to de-stress my life, reading has become a priority for me again. But as I started buying books, I realized that once I finish one, it just sits on a bookshelf collecting dust. Why should we waste paper when we live in a world with technology?!

So I put the new Kindle Paperwhite on my Christmas list and I’m so glad I did. First of all, it weighs NOTHING. Second, it’s waterproof which is pretty awesome if you’re a bath person or you’re going on vacation. And third, it reads like paper – no backlight, blue light, or anything damaging to your eyes. It also only has internet capabilities to buy books. No email or texts allowed!

I seriously can’t recommend it enough. I’m reading Becoming by Michelle Obama right now (loving it!), and already have a few other books downloaded and ready!

Lip Mask

Another Christmas gift! My sister-in-law got me this lip sleeping mask because she swears by it, and now I’m hooked. It is the BEST winter product EVER. I don’t know about you, but I get super chapped lips in the winter. It’s inevitable. But any time I’ve felt them start to chap since Christmas, I’ll just put this on before bed and wake up with perfectly soft lips. Gone are the days of compulsively putting on chapstick every 5 minutes!

CBD/Hemp Oil

I know there’s a lot of interest around this topic, and I promise I am going to do a full blog post about it. I’ve just been waiting until I can do more research and really understand what I’m talking about. Because this is a very trendy health/wellness topic, I’d like to provide as much actual information as possible, instead of just telling you that you need to jump on board without anything to back it!

That being said, I’m on board. Guilty! So far I’ve tried both Charlotte’s Web and Populum and I see the most benefits in both of them at night. It can be hard to shut my mind off at night when I have a lot going on with work. On the flip side, it can also be just plain old anxiety keeping me up. If I watched anything remotely scary that week, I’ll get nervous when I hear a noise that doesn’t sound familiar. Haha not proud, but true.

I actually tried Charlotte’s Web Mint Chocolate flavor because it’s available on Thrive Market and the 30 mL bottle is super affordable. Populum is definitely more expensive, but I’m not sure why – so right now I’m probably recommend CW first. Do any of you guys take CBD/Hemp oil? What are your experiences? (PS. You can get 25% off your first order on Thrive Market by clicking here!)

Casino Night Fundraiser

In addition to Snowball 2019, there’s another really great charity event coming up! On February 9th, The Juvenile Protective League’s associate board is throwing a Casino Night Fundraiser! The event will be held at the Chicago Cultural Center under the Tiffany glass dome. SO pretty! There will be an open bar, food stations from restaurants around the city, casino tables, silent auctions, and a dance floor.

All proceeds will go to the JPA, which works to improve the social and emotional well-being of vulnerable children, so they can reach their fullest potential. They do this primarily through therapeutic counseling services for at-risk children and families. Pretty awesome. If you’d like to attend, use the code “LSL” for $25 off your ticket!

Do you like these kinds of posts?

Should I do them more? Do we like them on Fridays or should this be a weekend thing? Let me know all your thoughts in the comments!