As someone who has struggled with my weight for the last few years, I can honestly tell you that it is very challenging to find a fitness plan that works for you. While I was very athletic when I was younger, I have only been mastering the elliptical and stationary bike since an injury limited my ability to participate in contact sports. At times, it can be very defeating when you put in 45 minutes on the elliptical everyday but see no visible results. Recently, I tried the increasingly popular HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) craze in the form of InsanityLIVE. It was, well, insane. The problem was, this class was offered only once a week at my school. Enter fitness guru Cassey Ho. Cassey is the creator of POP Pilates and PIIT (Pilates Intense Interval Training). For beginners, Cassey offers “Calendar Workouts” on her Youtube channel: Blogilates. I began by following her monthly calendars and found myself enjoying the short but effective workouts. My dog Zoey and I would start every morning with our pilates workout and it would make us feel better for the rest of the day.
The one downfall of going home for Winter Break is the inevitable doctor’s check-ups that come with being home for an extended period of time. You all know the worst part of doctor’s appointments are not the booster shots, but that inevitable weigh-in. *Cue The Biggest Loser music.* It was then that I decided that I needed to make a change. And Cassey Ho was going to help me do that.
Cassey offered a sale on her PIIT28 and 28 Day Reset package just before the New Year, and I took the plunge. PIIT28 is a 28-day workout schedule including videos, an inspirational forum, and an Instagram challenge. Cassey understands that the reason most people do not exercise is because they are not in love with their workout, and because they do not have time to dedicate to working out. Her solution: a 28 minute and 40 second workout, 6 days a week. With PIIT28, you have the option to follow along with Cassey’s videos, use her handy Blogilates timer, or follow the GIFs of each exercise. I like to check out the GIFs ahead of time to see what I’m in for a day ahead. Each round consists of seven moves, focusing on one area of your body and overall fat burn. What I love about doing the four rounds of PIIT is that once a do one round, I can tell myself that I only have three more to go. And Cassey motivates me in the video the entire time!
At the beginning of this semester, I also started Cassey’s 28 Day Reset. This clean-eating lifestyle aims to clear your body of toxins by eliminating dairy, gluten, processed grains, and added sugars in a 28 day omission challenge. Personally, I am allergic to dairy, and eat mostly gluten free anyway, so this challenge really isn’t so much an omission challenge as a gateway to clean eating. I love Chinese food, I love PANCAKES, and I love chocolate. Of course, nothing is the same as authentic, greasy Chinese food, but Cassey does include many Asian-inspired recipes in the Reset. Also, there are several PANCAKE recipes. One of my favorites so far were the Turkey Bacon Pancakes. Yes, you read that right, BACON and PANCAKES! Oh, I love pancakes.
Cassey has truly helped me to begin changing my body, and I hope to continue to become the best version of me, both physically and mentally. She is relatable: her videos aren’t flawless, she isn’t afraid to make fun of herself, and she is always smiling. Here’s to the next 28 days!