Fit Reserve, the unique multi - gym membership pass

Fit Reserve, the unique multi - gym membership pass

Vic, Sabrine and I have impatiently been waiting for the final pictures of our photoshoot with Fit Reserve and they are finally here! Plus we have heaps of updates to give you about this awesome concept, so if you are based in Suisse Romande, it's time to listen up.

If you haven't heard of Fit Reserve yet, here's a quick recap:

The idea behind Fit Reserve is a multi-gym membership that allows you to discover hundreds of the best studios in Suisse Romande, all with just one pass.

The price of the pass is CHF 99.- for half a year (valid from March 1 - September 1), which includes two classes for only CHF 10.-  at every studio that Fit Reserve has partnered with. After that, classes cost whatever the usual price is at that particular studio. Which is a pretty sweet deal, because you get a buuuunch of classes at a reduced price (individual classes usually cost up to CHF 30.-) while trying out many different studios. For even more info, check out this description and for a full FAQ, look at this. You can also look at my previous blog post for even more info and some cool behind-the-scenes pictures.

Functional Training at My Private Gym | Geneva

Functional Training at My Private Gym | Geneva

A couple of weeks ago Vic and I had the pleasure of trying out My Private Gym in Geneva, a gym that offers personal training, group training, functional training, boxing classes, while also having cardio and weight lifting equipment that members can use depending on the type of membership they have signed up for. One of the four owners, Paola, is actually an IIN graduate (where I'm currently studying to become a health coach), so it was awesome to meet her and connect over our common passion.

We arrived a bit earlier to have a chat with Paola and were then introduced to Morgan, our trainer for the day. His first comment was that he's looked at our Instagram accounts and knows that we're fit, so he created an especially hard workout for us. "Damn it, showing off on Insta just totally backfired!" Let's just put it like this: we pretty much got our boo-tays handed to us on a silver platter.

The workout that Morgan created for us was based around functional fitness, one of my newest favourite ways of working out. Not sure what it is? Here's the lowdown:

Behind The Scenes Of Fit Reserve

Behind The Scenes Of Fit Reserve

The decision to seal the deal with a new gym subscription is not taken lightly. Oftentimes you have to commit for a minimum of six months and you have to be 100% certain that you're not going to throw in the towel after a couple of sessions. Joining just one studio seems limiting, but joining more than one becomes expensive.

Have you ever found yourself thinking about trying new fitness routines, or do you cringe at the thought of signing a 1-year contract with your local gym? Then the soon-to-launch Fit Reserve may be for you.

I've already shared with you guys on Instagram that Vic, Sabrine and I are ambassadors for Fit Reserve & I'm beyond excited to introduce you to this new concept (and show you the awesome behind-the-scenes pics from the photoshoot). Let's take a closer look.

BBG Bootcamp in Berlin with Kayla Itsines

BBG Bootcamp in Berlin with Kayla Itsines

So...this just happened. I can't believe how quickly the day went by and that the BBG Berlin Bootcamp is already over! About two years ago I started using Kayla's guides (see my initial review) and here I find myself training with queen K herself. How crazy.

But let's go back a couple of steps...Vic and I have been planning on doing a weekend city trip for a while, so when we heard that Kayla was coming for a BBG bootcamp to Berlin, we didn't think twice. We bought our tickets instantly without wasting any thought on how to get there, where to stay and if we even had time on that day. But there was simply no way we were passing up the opportunity to work out with our favourite personal trainer in person! Berlin is only a short 1 hour flight from Switzerland and we had been thinking of doing a weekend city trip together anyways, so it was perfect timing.

When I first started Kayla's BBG guides, I was hoping to get stronger and look fitter (take a look at my progress pictures here and here), but never in a million years  did I expect to make a best friend along the way. Did you guys know that Vic and I went to the same university but only met because she found me through a #BBG hashtag that I was using and recognised the gym I was taking selfies in?! Thank god for Instagram & thank god for the amazing BBG community.

Must Visit for Natural Chics: Pretty and Pure in Zurich

Must Visit for Natural Chics: Pretty and Pure in Zurich

A couple of weeks ago I organised a little juice tasting at the organic beauty department store Pretty and Pure in Zurich as part of my job for Fit 'n' Tasty. (Yes, I have the best job ever.)

Pretty and Pure is one of the first all natural beauty concept stores in Zürich and opened it's doors in the summer of 2015. I took the opportunity of spending the day at the store to take a closer look at their brands, their spa offer and to chat to the owners about their personal path to natural cosmetics.

The two women behind Pretty and Pure opened the store out of conviction. Sarah, a professional make up artist with over ten years experience in the field and Nadine, a beautician trained in natural cosmetics have both been on their own journey of discovery that led them to realise they no longer want to support the million dollar cosmetic industry. After educating themselves they slowly changed their cosmetic products to natural, organic and cruelty-free products and also adopted their diet to a more unprocessed, plant-based approach. Holistic wholesome living, baby.

Wellness Me In Montreux: A Spa Of A Different Kind

Wellness Me In Montreux: A Spa Of A Different Kind

Yesterday Vic and I had the pleasure of experiencing the newly opened Wellness Me in Montreux. The 600m2 spa centre in hilly surroundings of Montreux is a luxurious wellness oasis like no other. All treatments are located in individual rooms for complete privacy of use, and boy were Vic and I spoilt. We got the private spa (which is available for 290 .- CHF for 1 ½ hours) all to ourselves and got the full attention of the lovely owner, Michelle, as she guided us through the facilities to introduce us to the different treatments.

While they do offer traditional manual massages , you can also find funky sounding treatments like cryotherapy, Iyashi Dome, Aquafit cycling and Hydrojet massages on the menu. Huh, what? That's what we thought as well at first.

We were asked to look at their offers beforehand and decided to give the cyrotherapy and acquafit cycling a go. We didn't really know what we were getting ourselves into, but hey, let's give it a try, shall we?

The first vegan restaurant in Lausanne - Veganopolis

The first vegan restaurant in Lausanne - Veganopolis

With my move from Lausanne to Bern in September last year, I haven't been around Lausanne a lot lately. But when I heard that a fully vegan cafe opened it's door, I couldn't resist and go check it out myself. Vic and I went to go try out the second we had a chance.

Open since the beginning of autumn 2015, the Veganopolis café has become the new place for healthy foodies to try out. Not that there are many alternatives, uhmm... The Veganopolis collective was already hosting Les midis vegan and the Vrunch,  two vegan pop up take aways in Lausanne which were both hugely successful, so this café was only a natural extension of their already successful business.

When Vic and I arrived, we were both starving after a killer leg day and all we wanted was food, ASAP! So it was to our advantage that their menu is rather simple with a narrow selection of vegan burger and pasta dishes. The only caveat: there was not a single gluten free option in sight. Vic and I usually don’t eat gluten, but given that we were super hungry and didn't have a lot of time, we opted for a half-wheat, half-rice burger bun. It was only until later that we read about their gluten free days on Wednesday and Friday. Lesson learnt.

Savoury Buckwheat Wraps with Peas, Spinach and Broccoli

Savoury Buckwheat Wraps with Peas, Spinach and Broccoli

It's been snowing like crazy in Switzerland, so I can safely assume that you are probably thinking about the weekend already, and about how you will snuggle up on the coach with a blanket and tea the moment you get home (or hit the slopes!)

Am I right or am I right?

Enter these savoury buckwheat wraps. Gluten free.

If you have never cooked with buckwheat before, you're in for a treat. Be it sweet pancakes or savoury galettes, buckwheat can be used in so many ways and is a nutritious grain option that I've recently discovered for myself.

Contrary to what you may think, buckwheat is not actually wheat but rather a relative of rhubarb. Who would have thought. And for those who are sensitive to gluten, buckwheat is gluten-free. But even though it's not a wheat, it's still pretty heavy in starch. Out of all the grains, buckwheat has the longest transit time in the digestive tract and as a result is the most filling. Yay for filling foods.

Quick 'n' Easy Veggie Noodle Bowl with Teriyaki Sauce

Quick 'n' Easy Veggie Noodle Bowl with Teriyaki Sauce

Now that I'm working while sending out job applications for a new position and studying at IIN at the same time, I find myself relying on quick and easy recipes more than ever. People will often say they don't have the time to eat healthy because the cooking takes so long, but I think that's just a lame excuse. Healthy dishes can be some of the easiest to throw together, you just need a bit of practice to get into a rhythm.

For example, for a smoothie literally all you have to do is throw all the fruits and veggies into the mixer, press the start button, wait 5 seconds and voila. Now that's what I call fast food!

I know we don't all live off smoothies all day long, so that's where this warming veggie noodle bowl with a homemade Teriyaki sauce comes in handy. Noodle bowls are awesome because you can customize them any way you like – a total clean out the fridge kind of meal. Take whatever veggie looks like it's best days are over (brownish kale, I'm looking at you), throw it into a noodle bowl and see it come back to life. So go ahead and customize this noodle bowl with whatever you have left in the fridge.

Why you should give TRX a try in 2016

Why you should give TRX a try in 2016

No doubt by now you’ve seen the iconic yellow and black TRX ‘straps’ hanging at your local gym and wondered what the heck they were for. All the while unaware of the amazing workout you were missing out on. Let me tell you: When I went to my first TRX class (this was after about two years of regular exercising) I felt like a 300kg overweight 80-year old women. Wearing ankle weights. That had never stepped into a gym in her life.

WHY YOU SHOULD GIVE TRX A TRY IN 2016

TRX, also called Total Body Resistance Exercise, is so challenging because it is a full body workout that trains your body in a completely different way than most of us are used to. You'll know it's a full body workout when the next morning every single part of your body is in pain! It basically is a movement-based training which uses gravity and your own bodyweight to build strength, balance, flexibility, endurance and core strength. It's a more dynamic alternative to normal weightlifting using dumbbells or machines and what I especially love is that you are in control of the intensity of your workout. Simply by changing the distance of your feet from the TRX anchor point you can make the exercises easier or more challenging.

Wholesome Stef Goes To Wholefoods

Wholesome Stef Goes To Wholefoods

Number 1 on my to-do list during my recent visit to London was a shopping spree at Whole Foods. While others might want to splurge at Harrods & Co., for me the endless aisles of fresh organic produce and funky new health brands are way more appealing. When I lived in London four years ago I was still in the midst of my eating disorder, so shopping for healthy food wasn't really one of my priorities. So, this time around I was beyond excited to visit the store with a new sense of appreciation and a health - conscious mind.

Every health foodie I know raves about how amazing Whole Foods is. Seriously, think about heaven and then think about Whole Foods; they're basically the same. From the moment you walk in, the colors, smells and jam packed fresh produce aisles automatically make you feel healthier just by being there. Unfortunately, it can also make you incredibly broke. The prices are definitely not what you are used to in normal grocery stores! I had to reeeeeally control myself to not run through the store like a super excited kiddo on christmas day leaving a path of destruction behind me throwing everything I can find into my cart

Vegan Christmas Mince Meat Pies

Vegan Christmas Mince Meat Pies

As I am writing this I am sitting in the car on my way to Austria where my family and I will spend the christmas holidays. I have to say the view is quite concerning. What normally is a jolly drive towards snow covered alps that ups the excitement to finally start the ski season is now replaced by the sober view of grass, green bushes and the grey asphalt of the highway. There's no snow in sight yet and judging by the car's temperature indicator, there won't be any snow coming soon. In fact, the weather forecast for the next week predicts constant sun between 9 to 11 degrees celsius. There goes the dream of a white christmas...

I find it a shame because to me one of the best things about christmas is cozying up with a blanket and a cup of almond milk hot chocolate by the fire with people I love. Give me a good book to read on top of that and I'm one happy person.

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