In the past couple of months, I became increasingly aware of the calories I was consuming every week from all my nomming. Because I was heading for Asia, I wanted to avoid hearing that I had gained weight from errr… everyone I know, so I decided to up the workouts. My doctor also suggested exercising every day to prevent sleep deprivation and stress. She said that when the mind is racing, it is difficult to sleep. However, if you work out every day and do some yoga, then you’ll be too tired to think when it’s time to sleep. Since I starting working out two to three times a week, I’ve been sleeping better and I’ve also gotten leaner.

Circuit of Change: I am obsessed with the Zen Bootcamp class at this studio. Brian, Derek, and Olga teach an hour-long ass-kicking class that combines boxing, gymnastics, yoga, and Pilates style abdominal exercises. If the classes were cheaper, I would go five times a week but they are $27 per class or $69 for three classes.

Yoga To The People: This donation-based studio in St. Marks is perfect for those on a tight budget. Anyone can join their power yoga class, but I would let the instructor know if it’s your first time practicing. The teachers encourage students to make noises and hum- I personally find this to be over the top and unnecessary-but hey, who can complain about a free class that will make you sweat. You can also borrow a mat for $2 and buy water for $1 if necessary.

Exhale Bootcamp Core Class: I tried this class out because I had a three-for-one coupon for their SoHo studio. The barre class was not at all my cup of tea, but I decided to sign up for their core bootcamp class. I was delightfully surprised to find that the class was fantastic. Of course, each class can vary because of the teacher, but I loved the use of the medicine ball and weights combined with cardio and core-building exercises. For some reason, my arms and thighs were sorer than my abs the next day but I highly recommend this class if you are not on a budget!

Now that I’m in China and far away from these beloved classes, I found a great alternative while traveling, especially if there isn’t a gym around. I’ve been using the Nike Training App for months and I love it. Two of my friends and I even have a little Nike Training group going on at school every other day. The App contains tons of options at the beginner, intermediate, advanced levels and you can do 15 minute, 30 minute, or 45 minute workouts. I usually do the 30 minute workouts that consist of a different circuit (weights, medicine ball, abs, cardio) every minute. You can play videos to see how each circuit is done and a Siri-type voice advises you on how to do the circuits throughout the workout. Every time you finish a workout, it shows you (see picture below) the approximate amount of factories burned, your total amount of training time, and the amount of workout time you have to complete before you unlock your next “reward”.