With summer winding down and the impending arrival of cooler months (that can’t seem to come soon enough), pants are a very real thing in my future. Since I want to fit into them when the time comes, I’ve started going to spin class, eating one less cookie, and walking Tully an extra time each day … but I thought I’d call in the big guns. Meet Melissa Rountree, a friend that, when we met, I was immediately jealous of her because she was incredibly fit. Well, turns out, when you sweat your butt off in your workouts and eat right, you can be fit. (Who knew?)
I asked Melissa to take some time out of her busy day as a mom, realtor, fitness instructor, and business owner to show me some of her go-to moves to help me kickstart my workouts. In return, I introduced her to a healthy (and delicious) cocktail.
KOMBUCHA MOSCOW MULE
6oz Salty Dog Kosmic Kombucha (or whichever you choose)
2oz vodka
1tsp agave
CitrusCombine all ingredients over ice, squeeze in a wedge of citrus, and stir. (Yeah … this one is that easy.)
So why kombucha instead of ginger beer? Kombucha* has beneficial elements like probiotics, antioxidants, and amino acids that are meant to be good for your digestion and liver function (WOOOHOOO). We chose Kosmic Kombucha’s Salty Dog with citrus (Vitamin C), ginger (inflammation), sea salt, and agave (deliciousness).
And why Bellion Vodka? It’s the world’s “first functional vodka” thanks to some magical element called “NTX Technology”. While it’s super mysterious because the FDA hasn’t approved their claims, they say that the technology protects your liver. I’ll take it.
Now for the less delicious, but very important part … the workout. Melissa walked me through a few exercises that she uses in her fitness classes–maximum results for minimal effort.
Side Lunges are a great way to stretch your inner thighs while gaining strength in your glutes and quad muscles. Start in a standing position and take a wide step out to the left and then back to standing. Do 10 times on each leg.
Kneeling Seat is a way to stretch and open up your hips while defining your seat muscles. Start on your hands and knees. Raise your right knee up to hip height and back down to kneeling. Use your arms to support your balance. Do 10 times on each side.
Pro Tips
Push-ups: Lead with your chest and keep breathing. Do them slowly to increase the challenge in your upper back and arms.
Crunches: Keep them small. Large range crunches can be hard on your back. Raise your upper body high enough to feel your abs and then make small movements from there.
How long have you been a fitness instructor? Off and On since college so most of my life.
Is there anything you do daily that changes your whole day? I have to break a sweat everyday to relax my mind. I also love stretching because of the flexibility it gives me.
Tell us about your line of activewear, and where can we find it? It’s a limited edition brand. Currently it’s available at The Bar Method as well as online at level3active.com.
What makes your activewear stand out? All of our prints are in small quantities so you’re always going to stand out in the gym instead of wearing the same thing everyone else is wearing. Plus they’re all designed to work out or wear in your daily life.
What’s your favorite healthy meal? I am a huge fan of quinoa salads with tomatoes and cucumbers.
MELISSA ROUNTREE (Fun, Fashion, Fitness)
level3active.com
Instagram: @funfashfit
Twitter: @MelissaRountree
Pictures by Madison Mentesana.
*Kombucha is a fermented tea made with yeast and bacteria that grows on top of the tea throughout the fermentation process. “After a short period, fermentation yields raw kombucha, a lightly effervescent tea with unmistakable notes of vinegar.” – Kosmic Kombucha