Workout Wonders

Let’s be honest; you, me, and most Americans have already eased up on the slew of New Year’s resolutions we hungrily vowed mere weeks ago.

Don’t feel bad, research shows that close to 80 percent of resolutions made in the lull of holiday remorse fail – especially that list topper to go to the gym more.

Why is that?

Hitting the “dreadmill” alone and listening to some robot-toned instructor yodel commands over that same old Selena Gomez song loses its charm over time. And while hectic schedules and drained motivation are a few common excuses for forgoing that 5 a.m. class, stale workouts are one of the main reasons people don’t return to the gym.

To counter that, we’ve compiled a list of some of the most fun – not to mention result driven – workouts south of Interstate 635.

Bye Bye Inner Thighs
Pure Barre, Preston/Royal

Perfect for a midday workout, a barre class is one of the least intimidating ways to burn hundreds of calories (600+ for us) without breaking much of a sweat. This specialty ballet-inspired class is 75 minutes of intense pliés, squats, and stretches designed to target the inner thigh, and, if that wasn’t enough, it also gives the abs a killer workout.

Pro Tip: Bring your socks. This is a shoe-free zone.

YogaSculpt
CorePower Yoga, Mockingbird Station

This calorie-torching, high-intensity, high-energy workout isn’t for the faint of heart. With the heater pumping at 90 degrees, expect to be exhausted and dripping in sweat as you fall into downward dog, plank, run in place, and yes, lift weights. This full-body workout will leave you plenty sore the next day, but an added bonus to the hundreds of calories burned, you’ll also flush out a few toxins along the way.

Pro Tip: Bring an extra-large water bottle.

Method 45
Flywheel Sports, Highland Park

Positive energy, fun playlists, and well thought out routines make the time pass by quickly in this 45-minute low impact, high intensity interval training ride. What’s really cool about the class is that it uses technology to measure resistance, cadence, and current, which gives riders an option to see how they stack up to their classmates, and measure their improvement over time. Did we mention that shoes, lockers, towels, and water are included?

Pro Tip: Invest in a pair of gel padded biking shorts.

Sculpt
BURN Fitness, Preston/Forest Village

Led by ex-footballer David Thompson, this 45-minute full-body high-intensity interval training will keep you burning calories more than 24 hours after leaving the gym. And while that sounds intense, the short intervals make it easy to push through any squat, mountain climber, or heavy rope battle.

Pro Tip: Make sure to stretch before and after – you’re going to be sore.

Elevate
Equinox, Preston Hollow

Maybe you don’t live close enough to the mountains for a good hike, but you can fake it with this treadmill mountain routine. In minute intervals, walkers climb up and down the incline – maxing out the machines at a 15. Aside from a toned tush and inner thigh, this workout also targets belly fat.

Pro Tip: Get a good pair of walking shoes.