Las Vegas Woman Magazine: New Solutions to your Old Resolutions

Lauralie Ezra, Contributing Writer to Las Vegas Woman Magazine

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Another year, another reason to lose weight. If you're anything like me, then you've devised that this year will be the year. Using myself as a guinea pig, I have ventured about town to find new ways to get in shape.

My longtime personal trainer James M. Wong tailored a new cross-dimensional program, Fit in Five. I decided it was my turn to start, and off to the eco-savvy Studio 22 Personal Training Centers I went.

Fit in Five consists of five different workout programs in one package. First: Muay Thai boxing lessons were the beginning of the fun. Next, I attended Pure Barre for movements inspired from Pilates and ballet. I felt like a little girl again! Yoga is part of the deal and classes are included for recovery and flexibility. In the fourth piece of the program, I kept pace with myself from one session to the next in Cross Fit, a high intensity cardio and weight workout.

The fifth workout is personal training. Immediately I was handed odd shaped weights, pulling on resistance bands, balancing on one foot on a BOSU ball and hefting ropes. I'm grunting wile swinging around a 30-pound ball, filled with water, called a Kamagon Ball.

Before wrapping up my workout, I met a man named Rick Baird, who taught me the Bulgarian Bag workout. The bag is shaped like a large croissant. Not exactly delicious, although it helps to think of it as such. The bag is filled with 15 pounds of padding and has two handles they call udders. The workouts with the bag include spins, lunges, push-ups and more.

In 30 minutes, I've accomplished a heart pounding workout specifically designed for my fitness level. I had a great time switching up the same old routine. There are so many options in town and I'm stronger and slimmer for it. Cheers to a Fit 2011!

Lauralie Lee Ezra is a Vegas native and owner of Crowd Siren, an online media PR and branding firm. She can be reached at lle@crowdsiren.com