AWESOME ALERT: Free Fitness Classes This October with Just Salad and DavidBartonGym

Bikini season may be gone, but that doesn't mean you should stop being kind to your body. Just Salad is partnering with DavidBartonGym to help you stay fit on the cheap by offering free fitness classes every Saturday in October! The #JustMove Fitness Series will feature Just Salad samples and swag after each class.

The class, aptly called "Shredded," will feature loud and aggressive music and a full out mix of barbell, dumbbell, and bodyweight exercises. Advance​d​ sign-up ​is ​required here and classes will be offered at all NYC DavidBartonGym locations at 12 and 2pm every Saturday in October--except 10/31, because that's when you're supposed to stuff your face with candy​. The best part is that all classes are FREE!​ 

Limit one class per person and you must be a local NYC resident to participate.

Free Fitness and Health Fun This Week at the West Side Y

The 15th annual National Women’s Health Week kicked off on Mother's Day, and the West Side Y (5 West 63rd Street) is celebrating with a week of fun health and fitness related activities that are free and open to the public!

Check out their offerings here for fitness classes such as yoga, pilates, Zumba, boot camp, total body conditioning and more through May 17. They are also hosting multiple workshops for women, including Telling Women’s Stories – a writing workshop for women; a culinary wellness workshop with opportunities to get hands-on in creating healthy and nutrient dense meals; and stress relief workshops. Visitors and members will also enjoy giveaways and free chair massages throughout the week.

Additionally, Komen NYC will be sending the Scan Van to the Y to give free mammograms. Duane Reade and Walgreens will be providing blood pressure screenings throughout the week.

Sweat Through the Weekend

Put away the silk shirts and stilettos and take out something you can sweat in! Two events are happening this weekend that will give you so much more than a plain ole workout (or for that matter, sitting on the couch eating your recently acquired Girl Scout Cookies) can.

Sweaty Saturday

"Get fit. Give back." is the motto for Sweaty Saturday, a second-year collaboration among close to 50 NYC fitness studios and Partnership for a Healthier America, a non-profit organization dedicated to ending childhood obesity. Studios including Barry's Bootcamp, Alycea Ungaro's Real Pilates, Cyc, Pure Barre, and SLT will be offering different classes throughout the day with a portion of the proceeds going directly to the cause.

Well + Good's Sweat Series

Speaking of Barry's Bootcamp, Well + Good is kicking off their Sweat Series this Sunday at Athleta Flatiron (126 Fifth Avenue, at W. 18th Street) with a free Barry's Bootcamp class with instructor Layla Luciano. Doors open at 9am for the 9:30-10:30 class, but it's limited to 30 people so get there early! The event will feature free post-workout treats from Drink Mercy elixirs and one attendee will win a $100 gift card to Athleta. Future events will feature BariMacro, Power Yoga and Barre3.

Shape Up Your Face at SPACE.NK

Living in the city, your skin comes in contact with, let's face it, all sorts of nastiness throughout the day. Standing next to a heavy breathing subway rider, urban pollution and stale office air, and plain old winter weather can take a heavy toll. Because of all this, I was psyched when SPACE.NK apothecary, a fancy-pants beauty store originally from London, invited me in to try a facial peel from famed Manhattan Dermatologist Dr. Dennis Gross.

While waiting for my aesthetician Salvatore, I had a lot of fun watching a customer's dogs frolic throughout the store. Not to mention the fact that the larger one was an exact replica of my mom's dog at home, any experience for me is made better when there are cute canines to cuddle.

Salvatore explained to me that the line of products offered by Dr. Dennis Gross is clinical strength, but vegan friendly and paraben-free. All products are multi-functional and good for all ages and skin-types. He is most known for his Alpha Beta Peel, a combination of 5 Alpha and Beta Hydroxy Acids plus retinol, ubiquinone, resveratrol and a host of antioxidants, vitamins and soothing botanicals, which is what I tried. It was designed to brighten the skin while eliminating scarring and sun damage as well as any wrinkles if you happen to have them. 

My skin was cleansed and Salvatore started a 3-step process of applying different products to my face. The first two tingled and almost burned, but they weren't too uncomfortable. He likened the sensation after the second product to what happens when you mix baking soda and vinegar - at first there is a drastic reaction, but then it slowly fizzles down. The last one was very soothing and immediately stopped all the burning. 

Immediately after the peel, which normally costs $225 in-office, I noticed some of my acne scarring (darn teenage years!) had gone down significantly. Several days later I still notice a difference, and had no adverse reactions on my skin, which can often be sensitive.

If you don't want to shell out the big bucks for an in-office peel, I'd recommend checking out the daily Alpha Beta peel packets. You can do them at home and BONUS! Good Morning America announced a special 50% off deal on several products from Dr. Dennis Gross. You can view the deals here, but know that they are only good through tomorrow 2/21 3am EST.