A-Team Intro: SEAF HARTLEY - the dancing queen

Hi Everyone! My name is Seaf Hartley and I’m a freshman at The Archer School for Girls. I turn 15 in April and am the daughter of Clabe and Thea Hartley, owners of the local Venice coffee shop, The Cow’s End Café.

Through the years I’ve trialled multiple activities but have always resided with my first love; dance. For almost 12 years I have been a dancer working with a variety of styles, from flamenco to modern to hip-hop and tap to ballet. Presently, I focus ballet as my base practice and contemporary and modern as my other practices. Every summer since I was 8 I would leave California to work for three to six weeks. After this past summer at the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago I found that I wanted to make myself a bit more versatile and part of the process was adding an additional element to my training.

In order for me to reach my full capacity in regards to my potential in dance, it is absolutely crucial for me to sculpt my body in order for my technique and artistry to be polished. I wanted something that would lengthen my muscle and provide me with definition in both existing and foreign places.

The Studio MDR seemed like the perfect place to provide me with all of these results. Since August 1st I’ve been coming in every week after school and before my dance training to work hard and fulfill my goal. Recently I have decided to “step it up” and come to The Studio four times per week not only for the intensity but for a chance to see all of the wonderful people that make up the MDR community. Being able to familiarize faces and have normality amongst the instructors and the other members is ultimately what shapes the bond that differentiates this program from other places.

Words cannot describe how excited I am to see The Studio (MDR) grow… mentally, physically, and virtually!

Connect with Seaf: Facebook, Instagram

A-Team Intro: ASHLEY SNODGRASS - encourages you to commit!

Hello fellow warriors! For those of you who don't know me, let me introduce myself. I have been at The Studio (MDR) since October of 2012 which makes me new enough to appreciate the transforming results of this work out and enough of a veteran to know this is truly a life changing fitness studio. Outside of the studio, I am an architect by day and spinning instructor by night. I am an all around fitness enthusiast, mother to the best dog on the planet (seriously), lulu guru, graphic artist, coffee addict, outdoors(wo)man and lately, a serious Pinterest pinning machine! I hail from a small farm town in Illinois and I moved to LA to become a USC Trojan and never found a reason to leave. Enough about me...

As we get into March, It's time to reevaluate our resolutions for 2013. February 7 was statistically proven as the most common "drop off day" for new year's resolutions. By March, almost 50% of us will have ditched our resolutions. Good news is, if you make it to the 6 month mark, you are extremely likely to endure the rest of the year!

If you are sticking with your resolutions at this point, job well done - stay strong! If not, maybe you need to put more purpose behind your goals or find motivation elsewhere. Don’t think simply: "I want to lose 5 pounds" or "drink more water every day" or "go to 4 classes per week instead of 3". Work towards these goals by putting the benefits in front of the absolute resolution. Think instead: “I want to lose 5 pounds because the fashion options in my existing closet will greatly improve” or “I will feel more energized by drinking more water every day” or “I really want to feel powerful and accomplished by conquering a killer workout 4 days a week rather than 3”.

What will it take for YOU to commit (or recommit) to your goals for the rest of the year? Figure out what it will take to "make your move" and make March your month to do so. After all, bikini season is right around the corner!

Commit to yourself and your health and live with these wise words - “Both tears and sweat are salty, but they render a different result. Tears will get you sympathy; sweat will get you change.” – Jesse Jackson

Connect with Ashley: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter

A-Team Intro: BEATA CZECHOWSKI - shares her diet secrets

I moved to LA about 6 years ago, work in the music industry, have a little dog that is the center of my universe, and an obsession w/ heath and nutrition. I spend a good amount of time looking for the best workouts (The Studio MDR), food choices, supplements, or things for my mental health. I also LOVE food and enjoy finding fun new restaurants or recipes and trying different types of cuisine. For fun I run about ten ½ marathons every year.

I figured I would share one of my diet staples - Over the last year I’ve added a daily protein shake (Whey) after I exercise. Since, I’ve actually noticed more energy and I feel I’ve gotten stronger and recover faster. The CDC recommends that the average person gets 46-56 grams of protein a day. For people that do resistance training this number actually increases depending on the type and intensity of your exercise program. Getting 56+ grams of protein from just a food source can be a little difficult – so adding in a shake w/ 26 grams might be a good option. Don’t worry you wont bulk up, which is what most people believe. Below I've listed some of the benefits and the 4 main sources/types of protein. Of course whenever you add a supplement to your diet you should always check w/ your doctor.

Besides being easily absorbed and digested, protein powder provides these benefits:

• Helps the body to recover from intense workouts;
• When used before exercise, provides the body with energy to power through a workout ;
• Helps maintain lean body mass;
• Boosts immunity
• Helps stabilize blood sugar levels;
• Increases energy;
• May aid weight loss

And here's some info about the different types:

Whey Protein found in milk, fast absorbing and easy to digest, good supplement after intense workouts and is also a “complete protein”. Assuming you have no dairy allergies or intolerances, whey doesn't seem to have any side effect. (more info)

Casein Main protein in milk, slow absorbing, in your body longer, great as a meal replacement. To take advantage of casein proteins effectively, you need to use them at the optimal times of day. Casein protein is the best and only protein to take before going to sleep. Since casein breaks down steadily over time, it will continue to allow the body to absorb muscle-sparing protein throughout the night. (more info)

Brown Rice It provides a convenient source of protein nutrients for vegetarians and others who follow restricted diets. Since brown rice protein powder is considered hypo-allergenic, it may also make an excellent choice for individuals with dairy, soy and/or gluten allergies. (more info)

Soy Packed with fiber and antioxidants, soybeans are also a rich source of protein. Soy provides a wealth of health benefits, from reducing the risk of COPD, to preventing colon cancer. However, controversy has also surrounded the use of soy, since it's also been associated with autoimmune thyroid disease and lower sperm concentration. Soy is a plant based source, is as digestible as other sources of protein, and known for antioxidant capabilities *However, isolated soy protein may also contain isoflavone, a substance known as a phytoestrogen, which can affect hormone levels. (more info)

Connect with Beata: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest 

A-Team Intro: CHRISTINE AUDISH - talks transformation

Hello Beautiful people!!!! For those of you whom I haven’t yet met, let me introduce myself! First off, I will admit, the athletic gene somehow skipped me in my family, so I don’t have any crazy or exciting stories in that department. I do, however, make a great cheerleader and sports fan (Go Chargers!!)! I was born and raised in Los Angeles, and love the energy and variety of the city life... the beach, discovering new restaurants, being outdoors... but have always wished it had the sense of community and humility the country has to offer. You know, where everyone knows your name?!?  Well, last July I stumbled upon this chic little hot pink studio in hopes of getting myself back in shape, and ended up finding an extremely supportive, positive, and fun community as well! To me, this combination of an intense full-body workout and amazing support system, is the "X-Factor" of the Studio(MDR); the reason for my and so many others’ complete transformations. In seven months, I have not only transformed my body, and my lifestyle, but most importantly how I feel!

The best part is, you don’t have to be an athlete to experience the transformation, you just have to be committed to yourself. Show up, be present, give it 100%, and take advantage of the community. We are all here to support each other, and trust me we need it, especially after those bungees! The more you become a part of it and the more support you give and feel, the more likely you are to stick with it. For me, this sense of community gave me the confidence to believe in myself. Next thing you know I’m holding a 5 minute plank! 

Working my body to this maximum level, made me aware of the fuel that I was putting in my body and ignited a passion for nutrition that’s changed how I live and feel. I started out by making small changes to my diet, such as drinking more water, and limiting my alcohol intake, and then as time went on, I noticed a big difference in how I felt and decided to make more changes. A couple months ago I invested in this crazy blender called the Vitamix, and have been obsessed ever since!!! For anyone like me that lives a very “on the go” lifestyle but still wants some healthy, easy, and fun options, this is a must have!! I am now one smoothie making machine!!!

I am so excited to share some of my favorite recipes with you all and do my part to give support back to a community that has made me a transformer :)

Connect with Christine: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram

A-Team Intro: ADRIANA JAMET - The MegaMama

I never realized that being part of such a loving and amazing community such as The Studio (MDR) could have such a positive impact on my everyday life. I have made some wonderful friendships with so many of my fellow warriors, that coming into class is not thought of as a 'workout' but more like hanging out with my friends (except some of us are shouting to fight thru an intense session). The close relationships I have with each teacher is unheard-of, I trust them with my life and more importantly I trust Lisa with my most cherished secrets. I've been coming to (MDR) since June of 2011; I walked in terrified and left invigorated and assured that my 'beautiful body' would make a huge transformation. And boy did it ever! My husband and I were given the title of "The Transformer Couple" last April, and we are both extremely proud of our hard work and honored to be able to show the rest of the world what we all know: that The Studio (MDR) changes lives.

And now I am in the middle of another huge transformation and feel blessed to have The Studio supporting me and keeping me strong: I'm pregnant with our first child! Although this is super exciting and we are thrilled, this has been a big challenge for me both mentally and physically. I was incredibly sick my first trimester and had to fully surrender to the fact that I have no control over my body. My Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays for many months were faithfully spent with my favorite 'classmates'; it was heartbreaking for me to have to let that go. But with the reassurance of Jessi, Natalya and Lisa, I adjusted my class schedule to a time that my body was able to perform at and have been able to resume my three classes a week. Granted, since I was so sick I am not nearly as strong as I once was so I've had to modify many moves to accommodate my changing body.

I'm thrilled to be able to share my love of (MDR) as well as this new journey with all of you. If you are new to our community - welcome! I am always happy to help in anyway and make sure you have a friendly face to talk to.

For those of you who don't know, I'm an avid runner (love half marathons) and last year competed in numerous triathlons. I'm competing in my last long distance event this weekend, the San Diego Hot Chocolate 15k (9miles) Run before I hang up my laces (well, to be honest, I just won't be running the longer distances anymore). I'm excited to run one of my first races where I won't be pacing myself to PR - my goal is to simply finish in as long as it takes me with this little passenger on board!

Connect with Adriana: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram