My At-Home Barre Setup

This post is for the fellow Bar Method enthusiasts working out at home and trying to figure out an optimal setup! As I mentioned in my last post, I recently upgraded what I use for livestream classes. Before this, I was MacGyvering with whatever I had around the condo: a chair instead of a real barre, throw pillows instead of risers and mini mats, an old yoga mat that wasn't cushy enough for my joints. That was okay for the short term, but over time these improvised solutions didn't support me in trying to get into my best form. I could feel myself holding back (not great for maintaining strength and trying to get stronger), and the limitations of my equipment were starting to create bad muscle memory habits and imbalances. The new gear definitely helped me achieve a more intense burn in tilted seat, a more balanced posture in foldover and arabesque, and a deeper ab contraction in curl work.

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3 Muscle Pain Roll-Ons To Try Post-Workout

January is almost over—how are you doing with your fitness goals? I have to admit, between my New Year's cold and a week of unexpected snow, my intention to exercise fell by the wayside. But all that is about to change when February 1st hits and the Bar Method Fitness Challenge kicks off! 40+ classes in 90 days can take its toll physically, which is why I'll be relying on the three pain relief remedies in today's post. Together with my trusty foam roller and some stretches in the evenings, they'll get me through the worst of the muscle soreness.

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Best Beauty & Wellness Items Of 2019

Happy holidays everyone! The past couple weeks have passed by in a blur of parties, work, and squeezing in a barre class whenever I can. At the same time, the slower pace of the season has been getting to me too—think sleeping in, eating shortbread, lounging in PJs, watching movies, and taking naps. Now that we are now officially in the twilight zone between Christmas and New Year's, I wanted to wrap up the year with a couple of final posts, including a look back at the beauty and wellness items that made the biggest difference to my 2019 routine. If I could sum up this year's beauty MO in one statement, it'd be "Makeup minimalist, skincare maximalist, and athleisure-y AF." Let's take a deep dive, shall we?

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Drugstore Delight: Cover Girl Lash Blast Active Mascara

Athleisure beauty is a growing category as more people look for high-performance products that allow them to sweat and look good at the same time. Personally, I avoid makeup during my workouts because I don't want to clog pores and trigger breakouts, but if I'm going to a barre class right after work I'll leave my brow makeup and mascara on. For the latter, I've been hooked on the new Cover Girl Lash Blast Active Mascara ($9.99 at London Drugs) lately, which supposedly stays put without smudging or flaking for up to 24 hours, no matter how much of a sweat you work up.

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Product Review: Rocky Mountain Soap Company Sport Massage Butter

I've been hitting Bar Method often since returning from Paris and eating all the food. This uptick in exercise has been great (yay muscle tone!) and not so great (hello pain, particularly in my left tricep and elbow). Thankfully the new and improved Rocky Mountain Soap Company Sport Massage Butter ($17), which I received as a PR sample in June to test and review, promises to be the perfect remedy for all my body's aches.

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My Winter Wellness Bucket List

Despite what Instagram might have you believe, September and October were not all good times and husbands bearing Tiffany earrings. I hit a few snags with my mental and physical health and there were days here and there where I didn't feel like myself at all. As we close out 2018, I'm trying to focus on my well-being by following the self-imposed rules in this list. The holiday/winter season can be stressful, busy, overindulgent or all of the above, so why not have a simple list of rules to ensure you're taking care of yourself despite all that? Pretty ingenious idea if I do say so myself. What would your list look like?

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What's In My Barre Beauty Bag

After 3 years and 250 classes, I've come to adore the ritual of the post-barre class shower. Working out hard, washing away the sweat, letting the hot water take the ache out of sore muscles—it's just the best! The kit I currently bring to barre contains natural and free-from skin and body care in travel-friendly sizes; they're products that are easy and quick but pack a bit of pampering into what's otherwise a straightforward post-workout shower. Now that I've committed to attending 36 classes over the next 90 days as part of the Fitness Challenge, I'll be toting this round-up of essentials to the studio much more often.

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On Bar Method As An Investment

The other day, I got an email from Bar Method congratulating me on my 249th class and notifying me that the next class would be my 250th. This was definitely an exciting milestone, but it also led me to do some quick mental math and arrive at a couple of shocking numbers. In the past 3 years, I've spent 250 hours tucking, squeezing, and sweating—and approximately $6,000 in membership fees. That's a lot of time and energy, and as for the money, twenty-something me would've been appalled that thirty-something me has spent the equivalent of a Chanel bag or a trip to Europe on boutique fitness classes. So has it been worth it? Yes, as it turns out, because this small fortune has been an investment in much more than just workouts.

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Bar Method Post-Surgery (Plus An Intro Offer For You!)

Exactly two months ago I underwent a minimally invasive laparascopic surgery, but let's face it, even minor surgery is still surgery. Thanks to Bar Method though, the 4-6 week recovery process was quicker and more painless than expected. You've probably heard me talk about Bar Method on the blog time and again, and if you haven't tried it yet (or you tried ages ago and haven't been back since) I have an amazing offer for you at the end of this post!

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Solo Lisa Tries: Pur Water Filter Pitcher

Drinking more water helps your health in more ways than one: it replenishes fluids in muscles and tissues throughout the day and post-workout; it satisfies your thirst, which can sometimes be mistaken for hunger and cause you to inadvertently eat more than you need; it alleviates signs of dehydration like fatigue, brain fog, and headaches. I'm lucky to live in a municipality with great-tasting, safe drinking water straight from the tap, and there's filtered water at the office and the barre studio. But if that's not the case where you live, getting your required eight glasses a day becomes more challenging. The solution? Perhaps something like the Pur Water Filter Pitcher ($29.99 at London Drugs).

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Bar Method 2.5 Year Check-In

Water bottle | Workout clothes | Natural deodorant | Cleansing cloths | Face cleanser | Lip balm | Grippy socks

As of June I'll have been going to Bar Method for 2.5 years, and although I'm not the gym selfie type, I do enjoy reflecting on my fitness journey and documenting my progress on the blog. It still boggles my mind that when I started, I was so out of shape I couldn't hold a plank during the warm-up portion of class and I had to mentally pep-talk myself into completing 3 reps at a time during leg work; now I can do push-ups on my toes and the instructors are calling me out to go lower in leg work! I posted progress updates a couple months into doing Bar Method regularly and a year in, and I'm happy to report that I'm still seeing physical, emotional, and mental changes, which is pretty amazing. Here's where I'm at right now.

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Product Review: Saje Pocket Farmacy

Ever the skeptic, I was doubtful I'd be using Saje Pocket Farmacy ($59.95) that much when I received it in my Pure Barre goodie bag months ago. How could a little case of 5 roll-on aromatherapy vials treat all sorts of ailments ranging from headaches and indigestion to stress, muscle pain, and cold and flu symptoms? But fast forward 6 months and Saje Pocket Farmacy has become an indispensable part of my everyday routine. I've since had many opportunities to test each and every remedy in the zip case multiple times and I can attest they really do work.

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Bridal Style: Seriously West Coast Stagette

There comes a time in every young woman's life when her idea of a good time shifts from stumbling around downtown hotspots to a quiet evening at home, from free shots lined up at a bar to a glass of wine in an upscale lounge. That shift happened for me right around my 25th birthday, so I knew for my stagette I didn't want to do anything too crazy, just enjoy laid-back and fun quality time with my favourite girls. My maid of honour more than came through by planning a weekend getaway to Bowen Island. Just a 20-odd minute ferry ride from Vancouver's Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal, Bowen Island feels a world away from the city. Here's a little look at what we did, in case you also want a decidedly more chill bachelorette party.

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Solo Lisa Tries: A Pure Barre Vancouver Fitness Class

Readers of this blog know that in the last year I've become a diehard Bar Method devotee, but last week I found myself cheating on the Bar Method to try the newest barre fitness studio in Vancouver, Pure Barre. This is Pure Barre's second location in Canada and its first in Vancouver, and in trying out the 55-minute class, I learned that not all barre workouts are created equal. So how does Pure Barre compare to my regular Bar Method classes? All the details are in an in-depth review after the jump!

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Solo Lisa Tries: A MELT Method Class At The Dailey Method Vancouver

I used to do hatha yoga when I wanted physical activity that was slow, restorative, and relaxing. But now that I've upped my barre classes and salsa dancing—and I'm logging long hours at work and on the blog and planning a wedding at the same time—yoga seems to have fallen by the wayside. For all of these reasons, the invitation to try a stress-busting MELT Method class at The Dailey Method Vancouver in early February couldn't have come at a better time. But what was the MELT Method exactly? I was about to find out along with my BFF, whom I'd invited to try the class with me.

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10 Changes I've Seen Since I Started Bar Method

Water bottle | Sports bra | Grippy socks

One of the best things I did for myself in 2015 was sign up for Bar Method. My attendance waned during the fall with night school, admittedly. But now that that's done, I'm so psyched to join the topknot-wearing, grippy-sock-sporting denizens at the Yaletown studio. 2-3 Bar classes a week (or 10 times a month) is my goal, and if I lose motivation I'm going to return to this list of positive changes that have resulted from Bar to give myself a much-needed push.

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The Bar Method: A Progress Update

Back in January, when I tried the Bar Method for the first time in 5 years, I was so out of shape I couldn't even hold my plank during warm-up. It was a humbling experience, to say the least. After that class, I kept returning thanks to the $80 one-month-unlimited new client special Bar Method had gifted me (blogger perk FTW!). When it expired, I bought a monthly membership.

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The Bar Method Revisited + Giveaway

When the Bar Method opened its first studio in Vancouver five years ago, I tried a class and wrote a glowing review afterward: "The workout definitely lived up to its reputation for being tough and effective. Over the next two days, soreness lingered in my upper arms and quads, and my abs ached a little whenever I coughed or sneezed. But was the Bar Method such a scary workout that it would intimidate beginners? Probably not." Well, I still stand by that glowing review. The Bar Method is the same tough and effective workout it always was, combining exercises inspired by yoga, pilates, and ballet. When done in intervals in quick succession, these small, precise movements isolate and strengthen key muscle groups.

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Back To The Gym We Go

I started exercising more often over Christmas break because I had more time on my hands, and because I needed to offset all the eating and drinking. (Why put off until tomorrow what you can do today, right?) The extra salsa dancing and elliptical sessions felt great: I'd forgotten how much more energy I had, how my mood improved, and how soundly I slept when I was moving my body instead of sitting at a desk all day.

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The Bar Method Comes To Vancouver

Despite doing some salsa dancing here and hatha yoga there, in reality I'm a major fitness and workout phobe. So when BeautyMark invited me to accompany them for a free preview class at the new Bar Method studio, I hesitated. If someone like Erin--a former member of the national softball team and a brilliant athlete--complained that her legs were completely numb post-workout, what chance did I have?! And she wasn't the only one--numerous people have said that the workout is tough. In the end, my curiosity got the better of me and I agreed.

One of the studio rooms

For those who are unfamiliar with it, the Bar Method is a workout program that combines exercises and movements derived from ballet, yoga, and pilates. Much of it involves small repetitive motions intended to isolate, tone, and lengthen muscles as well as strengthen your core. During class, the instructors made us do exercises with light weights that worked our biceps and triceps. We also did exercises at the barre for our calves, quads, and glutes, then moved on to pilates-inspired moves on the ground for core strength. Some exercises were definitely tougher than others. During the leg exercises, I was shaking from muscle fatigue at the barre and I wasn't the only one. Some of the BeautyMark folks later said their legs "were shaking like Elvis."

The instructors (pictured here at their media launch event) did a lot to motivate students, correct our postures, and keep us going when we were about to call it quits.

The workout definitely lived up to its reputation for being tough and effective. Over the next two days, soreness lingered in my upper arms and quads, and my abs ached a little whenever I coughed or sneezed. But was the Bar Method such a scary workout that it would intimidate beginners? Probably not. I don't consider myself to be particularly coordinated or fit, but I could follow along well enough, and the instructors are very helpful throughout the class in case you don't get it.

Oh, and did I mention the grade A facilities? Not being a gym-goer, I don't have much to compare it to, but the ladies locker room and studio are spectacular. New fixtures, fluffy towels, a sauna, and shower stalls equipped with Aveda toiletries. The studio floor features soft plush carpeting and the entire place still has that "newly renovated" smell.



The only drawback to the Bar Method is that the classes are relatively expensive compared to other fitness/recreational classes. Depending on whether you buy a class package or a monthly membership, the price per class can range from $5 (if you're a new client paying $100 for your first month, and you go 5 times a week) to $22 (if you do a single drop-in class). Their website breaks down the pricing schemas in further detail if you're interested.

I'd love to see the Bar Method work out a deal with neighbouring Yaletown businesses and offer their employees a discount. After all, the studio's location would be very convenient for Yaletown people leaving work. I might go back for a few classes at a time, but because of the cost and because I'd be taking the classes on top of yoga and salsa, I don't think this is something I can continue to do long-term.

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