I had a blast at the Celebrity Red CARpet Safety Pre-Event with Saarah Samadani of Beauty Momme and Actress/Host Ali Landry. Saarah and Ali are The Co-Founders of the Celebrity RedCARpet Safety Event and they are advocates for child safety.

So the Pre-Event took place at Barre Belle in Los Angeles on La Brea with their amazing Founder and Instructor Marnie Alton. Marnie was so sweet and gave us the workout of our lives. As many of you know I’m very much into working out, but this was by far the BEST and most challenging workout I’ve ever had. I have never taken a barre class before and if you haven’t either then I’ll do my best to describe it to you. The class was like a combination of Dance, Cardio, and Core-Strengthening (similar to Pilates) all in one. It was upbeat and fun, but at the same time had very Zen moments of Meditation, like you would find in Yoga. I don’t know if that’s typical of most Barre Studios, but at Barre Belle it was, and I absolutely loved it and I highly recommend that you check it out. This 60 minute workout is the COMPLETE REAL DEAL. It will burn fat, increase your flexibility, raise your heart rate, and it will target your entire body. You don’t have to be a dancer to take it either and if you’ve never taken a barre class before (like I never had), don’t fret, it’s for all levels and a very friendly, fun, and non-intimidating environment. So you MUST absolutely go check it out. To schedule a class go to labarrebelle.com.

Now we were all Barre Belle working out for a good cause and that was to benefit the wonderful organization Baby2Baby, as well as raise awareness about child safety, particularly, Car-Seat Safety for children. Now this Pre-Event is leading up to the main event, which is Step2’s 7th Annual Celebrity Red CARpet Event by New Bloom Media, which also benefits Baby2Baby during September’s Child Safety Month. It takes place on Saturday, September 22^nd from 10:30am-4pm (10:30am-1pm VIP reception and 1-4pm for ticket holders). 

The Celebrity Red CARpet Event is a fun-filled, educational, inspiring and engaging event for parents and kids!  The event aims to help spread awareness about Car Seat Safety as well as other areas of safety (Activity Safety, Car Seat Safety, On-The-Go Safety, Home Safety, Body Care Safety, and Kitchen Safety) that affect parents and their precious loved ones.  New highlights this year include a new seasonal category at Step2 full of classic holiday favorites, Diono’s next generation of luxurious Rainier and Radian convertible car seats, award-winning super-compact Traverze Stroller, Carus Complete 4-in-1 Carrying System with Detachable Backpack, NEW Tableware Hero Products and a car seat that converts into a stroller.

Discover many of the best safety products for maternity, baby and toddler from national and local companies such as event sponsors Step2, Diono, Munchkin, Nuna, Cybex, UPPAbaby, Babyganics, and OXO Tot as well as a sneak peek into some of the latest innovative products yet to hit the market.  And on top of inspiring lectures, seminars and, demonstrations from renowned experts in the world of family and parenting, there will be fun activities like sensory play, arts and crafts, fun on our mini up & down roller coasters, playhouse fun, cookie decorating, indoor play and carnival games!

Tickets are around $300 for VIP Tickets (some include car seats and others include carriers) and $20 for a basic family ticket.  For additional information and tickets, visit: http://www.celebrityredcarpetevent.com/

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No, I haven’t been unfairly blessed with a hot bod that requires zero maintenance (those days sunset when I turned 27).  I just get bored, lose interest, and make excuses as to why I can’t hit the gym and move forward aimlessly on a machine (e.g., I have to work, find a babysitter, catch up on my Netflix DVDs, make shredded chicken in the Crock-Pot, lay on the couch, the list goes on and on and on). The well-documented health benefits and guaranteed shedding of pounds aren’t even enough to make me do it either. I guess twenty years of dance and team sports ruined my chances of becoming a gym rat.  I need an exercise regime that keeps my mind engaged and requires some level of thinking, concentration, and hopefully choreography.

So, what got me off my a@*?

To be honest, I got sick of hearing myself complain about the state of leftover baby jiggle.  I think I said it reminded me of the Marshmallow Man’s sister or something along those lines.  And then there was that incident with the exterminator.  The guy hired to spray for ants, gasp, asked me if I was preparing to have a baby.  Yup, dude, I just gave birth to a two year old!

I also wanted to reclaim some time to myself.  I wanted something that was convenient, affordable, and promised results.  Then, I found Cardio Barre, a studio offering ballet-inspired cardio classes in my ‘hood.  Major bonus: they offered free on-site childcare. Un. Heard. Of.  And if that didn’t extinguish my excuses, Living Social offered a $40 ten-class pass that my friend also purchased.  Bye-bye jello, hello J.Lo.

The hour-long classes are fast paced and move from one balletic pose to the next. The movements are tight and controlled but repeated to give you long, lean muscles (I will no longer have a reason to get a butt lift if I keep this up).  The choreography and transitions between movements were not as fluid as I would have expected, but I have to remember that it is an exercise and NOT a dance class.  Overall, the class was challenging enough for an out-of-shape mama like me; it proved hard enough to make it feel like I was working, but it wasn’t so physically demanding that I worried about keeling over on the spot. I need a towel if that’s any indication of the kind of workout.  The instructors are super positive, too, which is likely why women of all ages and sizes come back each weekend.

If you can’t make it to a Cardio Barre studio, check out these Cardio Barre and Pure Barre DVD workouts that you can do in the comfort of your own home where you can channel your inner Jennifer Beals or Natalie Portman too.

This post was adapted from a piece first written for Salt & Nectar.

Image by Cardio Barre.

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The post From Jello to JLO: Cardio Barre, Hollywood’s Hottest Workout! Written by The Other Sarah appeared first on Michelle Rivera Lifestyle.