Grace Gavilanes is the Senior Editorial Manager at Vital Proteins®, where she oversees editorial content on Lively. Here, she recounts her experience using Vital Performance™ Protein Bars and TRX every day for three weeks.
2015 Grace was all about fitness. I used to wake up every morning at 5 a.m. to make it to my barre class before work, only to follow it up with a post-work boxing class before knocking out in the evening and doing it all over again the next day.
2020 Grace was different. I traded in my dumbbells for Vanderpump Rules re-runs and late-night takeout. (I'd make collagen smoothies every morning though – does that cancel things out?)
But 2021 is the start of something new. In an effort to move my body more – I was a total couch potato during the majority of 2020, in case you couldn't notice – I tried doing at-home workouts. Extra emphasis on the "tried." It was an already excruciating task that was exacerbated by being back home in Queens, where I was surrounded by family and close friends. Hello, (happy) distractions. That's exactly why I was forever grateful to the TRX team for sending me my first pair of TRX straps! I was looking forward to making at-home workouts easy and bearable – something quick and effective I could do before returning to Zoom happy hours and socially distant hangouts with friends at night.
As someone who considers herself to be pretty low maintenance in all aspects, getting to exercise with just one piece of equipment that can be easily stored anywhere, was perfect for me. I had used TRX straps in the past, but that was just one time in a class setting. I remember first feeling intimidated upon seeing the suspension straps that were suspended from the studio's ceiling. But that intimidation quickly disappeared as soon as the instructor explained how to use it. Instant relief.
This time, on my own, was similar. While I didn't have an in-person instructor this time around, I did have access to on-demand TRX classes, which gave me a lot of different workouts to choose from. I'm talking full-body workouts (my favorite!), as well as different exercises that complement every TRX user's goals – no matter their fitness level. Plus, I kept a Vital Performance™ Protein Bar near me at all times for fuel I can feel good about. I looked forward to every bite!
Starting Out With TRX
I have to be honest: When it came time to jumpstart my fitness journey, I felt intimidated. It had been years since the first time I ever used TRX straps. But to my surprise, the TRX strap set-up was super easy. Since I was feeling antsy from doing everything indoors, I decided to take my workouts outside. I hooked the suspension straps above the door that leads to my family's grilling area. Then, I toggled to the TRX platform on my phone, where I accessed all the workouts I needed to feel my strongest over this three-week period. I didn't want to focus on weight loss, which I know is the obvious goal for many. Instead, I focused on strength from the inside-out.
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So, I pressed play on the on-demand tutorials and got started. The platform is easy to navigate – a benefit I was quick to make note of since I've come across so many fitness apps that, while helpful in their own way, are overwhelming and not very intuitive. But when it came to TRX, I felt more excited than nervous. There are easy-to-follow tutorials that cover everything from the many ways to use the suspension straps to target different areas to specific exercises that vary by difficulty level – all available in an organized manner.
Something else I realized during this fitness challenge: Using the TRX straps look more intimidating than they actually are. It’s a common misconception so many people have experienced as I've read in forums. And I felt it too. I went from, "Oh man, how am I supposed to hold these?" to "Okay, I'm doing this correctly. I'm feeling it in my triceps!" halfway through the session. As the days went by, I felt more confident and that initial hesitation I experienced surrounding my new workout accessory, went away.
I was finally working up a sweat – outdoors, no less! – after months of low-level physical activity, and my new TRX straps had everything to do with that.
