#ThankYouMiami How-To: Staying Fit With Your Pet

As winter approaches, it is our duty as Miami-ans to find new, innovative ways to stay fit. After all, its almost a requirement for residency to maintain a bikini body year-round. The good news is that the weather cooled down this week, finally making it pleasant to go for a run outdoors. This afternoon I did a 6-mile jog from my place to the South Pointe Pier. It was glorious.

During my run, I saw a ton of people jogging with their pets and I got majorly jealous. I've been contemplating bringing home a dog or a cat to keep me company since my move. Unfortunately, my frequent travels and hectic work schedule have been two major and valid deterrents. Nevertheless, in moments of weakness I still hopefully peruse local adoption listings and sites like PuppySpot that connect responsible breeders with people like me that are searching for a new pet.

#ThankYouMiami Fitness Picks: CycleBar Doral

There is this magical land that opened up earlier this year out west called CityPlace Doral and in this magical land is a brand spanking new cycling studio that you need to visit ASAP: CycleBar Doral. In fact, there couldn't be a better time to visit than right now while you need to burn the billion-and-one calorie prix-fixe menus you're annihilating courtesy of Miami Spice.

#ThankYouMiami How-To: Running Miami Beach Like A Local

Earlier today 23,000 runners tackled the Miami Marathon despite freezing, rainy conditions. Guess who ran along side them for the entire Miami Beach portion? Your favorite born-again-runner-slash-Miami-blogger, of course! You see, every Sunday morning I get up early and go for a long run either through South Pointe Park and over the MacArthur or up the beachwalk across the Venetian Causeway. The exercise and the views are my surefire way of preventing the Sunday blues from kicking in.

This morning I left for my run to the horde of marathoners running past my doorstep, down my go-to routes. As I watched them pass by, I was reminded of when I ran the Key West Half Marathon two weeks ago and set a new personal record, finishing in 2:02:43. The memory of my accomplishment and the enthusiasm of the spectators—I especially credit the guy chanting in the white robe and the guy strumming a banjo on Ocean Drive—gave me major FOMO. I desperately needed to be a part of the action and, since I was headed their way anyway, I decided to run the Miami Beach portion of the course.

This was my second time running the Miami Marathon. The 2012 Miami Marathon was the first half marathon I ever ran, inspiring me to run 4 more since. And, while today's participation was informal, it was an electrifying experience nonetheless. I can't stress how lucky we are to live in a city with routes so scenic people traveled from 82 different countries to race here. Whether you're an experienced runner or just getting started, Miami Beach is the perfect setting for logging those miles. What are your favorite routes? I share my top two, along with photos from today's adventures, below.

1. Venetian Causeway Loop

Spanning the Venetian Islands and connecting Miami to Miami Beach, the causeway offers beautiful views of the city while being surrounded by the pristine waters of Biscayne Bay. There's nothing like the salty breeze and the views to get you going. The loop from the Sunset Harbour public parking garage to the Venetia on the City of Miami side and back is approximately 6 miles. Pro tip: There are no water fountains along the way so bring your own. Restrooms are available on the Miami side on the 9th Floor of the Venetia (next to Mike's at Venetia).

2. South Beach Loop

The beachwalk that runs along South Beach's east coast is an ideal place to run both northbound and southbound. For my 8-mile runs, I like to immerse myself in the action of Lummus Park, around the beauty of South Pointe Park, along the MacArthur Causeway and back. The best part is running to the end of the South Pointe Park pier and back, which I hit twice during this route. There are plenty of restrooms and water stations (at 6th Street, 3rd Street, and at South Pointe Park), making this loop ideal for longer runs. Pro tip: The MacArthur can be daunting because there's nothing to separate you from Miami's terrible drivers, so tackle it early in the morning when it is less trafficked and keep a watchful eye for cars.

#ThankYouMiami Fitness Picks: RedBike Studios Brickell

For over a year, ClassPass has been our fitness lifeline. After three straight years of aiming to run one mile per day, we experienced some serious exercise burnout and, therefore, excitedly welcomed the variety that a ClassPass membership offers. But, after trying what feels like every boutique studio from Miami Shores to Homestead, we are happy to have found a groove alternating between yoga, spinning, and Miami-style twerking (here's looking at you Vixen Workout).

One of the best finds from our first year with ClassPass is RedBike Studios. Our first RedBike experience was before a rare morning meeting in Brickell, which gave us an excuse to check out a ClassPass studio in the area. We were hooked as soon as the instructor explained that, at RedBike, you pedal to the beat of each song and adjust your resistance accordingly. Plus, she mentioned there would be "choreography", which turned out to be synchronized arm and ab sculpting bobs also delivered on beat. So, basically, RedBike turned out to be the best of spinning combined with the best of dancing—a party on a bike, if you will—and we've been obsessed ever since.

Our favorite instructor is Gabi. Our friend Vanessa clued us in to her killer 7 a.m. classes on Thursdays and, while we can rarely make it because Brickell is "so far", her class is our absolute favorite spin class in Miami. Accompanied by a healthy mix of Top 40, techno, and hip-hop songs, Gabi blends high resistance rides with high speed rides, which for us is the perfect combination. We also love that we always come out with a new favorite song, like Martin Garrix & Tiesto's "The Only Way Is Up" which we've had on repeat since we heard it in her class four months ago.

For those of you who prefer more of a high resistance class, we recommend going to RedBike founder Albert's classes. We have it on good authority that his "climb" is no joke. We took his class for the first time last night and our legs are still shaking, which is a great sign considering we're currently training for an upcoming week of skiing in Colorado. Whether you're training, like us, or you're looking to have fun while staying fit, RedBike Studios is watcha want. Oh, and pro tip, if you place your smoothie or bowl order before class, it will be waiting for you when you're finished. So much yes.

Have you been to RedBike? What did you like most? Who was your favorite instructor? What do you order at the smoothie bar? What are some of your other Miami fitness picks? Leave a comment below or send us a tweet @ThankYouMiami!

#ThankYouMiami for Fashion (And Function) - Withings Activité Pop

Today on our #ThankYouMiami for Fashion column we're talking about arm candy-worthy fitness and health trackers. Plus, we share how we went from aiming to be a career "hot mom" à la Jessica Alba to bailing on our workouts for just a few more minutes of sleep to choosing the stairs over the elevator. And, for those of you like us need accountability, we're giving away a Withings Activité Pop! Read the excerpt below, click on the photo for the full feature, then come back and enter for your chance to win. Happy health-ing!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

How do you keep active? What do you need to feel fit and healthy? What is your favorite workout? What do you like best about the Withings Activité Pop? Why do you need one? Leave a comment below or send us a tweet @ThankYouMiami!

#ThankYouMiami for Locally-Inspired Workouts - Bellatone

Bikini season is back with a vengeance and, this year, we were a little too lax with our preparations. Now, with five pounds left to lose and absolutely no muscle tone, we're scrambling to get fit at the very last minute. Lucky for us, working out is getting more fun by the minute and the suite of workout options is ever expanding.

Just last week Crunch Gym launched Bellatone, their Miami-born workout of latin and belly dancing-inspired dance moves, on Crunch Live. We've had the option of partaking in this dance fusion workout for a while at our local Crunch Gym, but this news is a game changer for people who, like us, are dance challenged or shy. Now that the video is available in the Crunch Live library, we can try this super fun workout in the privacy of our own home. No prying eyes, no judgements, no shame - just burned calories and a rush of endorphins.

Check out the video preview of Bellatone below to get a taste of how we're working on getting killer abs. If you want to join us, you can try Bellatone at the Crunch Gym on Washington Avenue or sign up for Crunch Live!

How are you staying bikini-ready? What is your favorite workout? Your favorite Miami-inspired workout? What is your favorite Miami gym? Your favorite boutique workout studio? Leave a comment below or send us a tweet @ThankYouMiami!

#ThankYouMiami Welcomes ClassPass

So you followed our advice, ate your way through half of your Christmas gift cards, and ended up with a few extra pounds - #sorrynotsorry. Most likely your outings ended with a delicious meal, lots of laughs, and a new-found love for Miami. Plus, those extra pounds will disappear in no time thanks to ClassPass, a worthy investment for the remaining half of your holiday gift cards.

For $99 a month, this creative work-out service gives you unlimited access to a network of boutique studios in Miami, including our favorites: Green Monkey, Vixen Workout, Barre Motion, and Exhale. While you can take unlimited classes per month, you can only visit each studio three times a month. This policy encourages you to try new studios and vary your work-outs. As an added bonus, with ClassPass Flex, you can explore studios and book work-outs in any ClassPass city!

We're not ones for resolutions, but we are always up for a challenge. We look forward to starting the new year by incorporating krav maga, crossfit, and spinning into our more passive exercise routine. Find your new year's challenge on the ClassPass website and book your next class via their newly launched iPhone app. Our readers can skip the wait list and join now. Which classes are you most excited to try as a new ClassPass member?

Enjoying outdoor yoga at Exhale in downtown Miami. Photo credit: I Heart Miami 305.

After a tough Vixen Work-Out for the first Racked Fit Club.

Enjoying a barre class for the second Racked Fit Club at Barre Motion in South Beach.

What is your favorite way to stay fit? What is your go-to Miami fitness studio? Is there a class that you do not like? Do you have any health resolutions for the new year? Leave a comment below or send us a tweet @ThankYouMiami!