New Year, New You: Where To Git Fit & Feel Great In Birmingham

Out with the old and in with the new! I got out my new 2023 paper calendar a few days ago and started organizing this year’s schedule for our family. I like to write down any important dates, events, and trips that I already know right now so my schedule can start to fall into place for the next 12 months. Ever since I can remember, I have used a paper calendar with month-by-month grids to stay organized for the year. I guess I'm “old school.”

With the new year, comes new goals. I also like to write those down, too. Have you figured out what your main goal will be this year? Are you looking to start meditation to become more relaxed? Create a better work-life balance? Do you want to start eating healthier or create a new exercise routine? Have you wanted to start journaling, but never made time? Whatever you decide, just go for it to make it happen! This year is going to be a good one, and it's full of opportunities for you.

If you are looking for some new things to try and incorporate into your life this year to get a little healthier, more active, or to work on your mindset, then I have found some awesome things for you in to try Birmingham! Let me know if you try one, and tell them you found out about the event on Patch!

Please note: Event dates are subject to change or cancellation. We recommend checking with the event host before traveling.

Indoor Rock Climbing

Date: Open 7 days a week
Location: High Point Climbing and Fitness - Birmingham; 4766 US-280, Birmingham, AL 35242
Website: highpointclimbing.com/birmingham/birmingham-main
Are you looking for something athletic yet fun and different that you can do with a date or the entire family? High Point offers bouldering as well as indoor rope climbing for kids and adults. Inside you will find 52-foot-high climbing walls, over 100 climbing boulders, a rappelling tower, over 25,000 square feet of climbing area, a kid zone, and more. You can get daily passes for $22, weekly passes for $129, and monthly memberships for $79; gear rentals for $7 are available.

Experience A Reiki Meditation Class

Date: Thursday, Jan. 12
Time: 5 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Location: Evolve Homewood; 2831 Linden Avenue, Homewood, AL 35209
Website: evolvebham.com
If you're looking for a new way to boost your mood, get better sleep, relieve anxiety, and get relaxed from top to bottom, then you should try this Reiki guided Meditation Class offered in January at Evolve. I have heard Reiki be explained as acupuncture without needles. Reiki is an ancient practice that was originally practiced in Japan and was known as the universal energy force that flows through our bodies. The class is $35 for an hour.

Fight To Workout

Date: Open 7 days a week
Location: Battle Republic; 2800 18th Street South, Homewood, AL 35209
Website: battlerepublic.com
Let’s all channel our inner Rocky Balboa with the Battle Republic boxing classes. Choose a 30-minute or 45-minute high-energy boxing workout class. Each class will have a combination of HIIT and boxing on the bag that focuses on both strength and cardio. If you are looking to burn some calories that come try a class — in fact, the first class is free.

Flying Yoga

Date: Open 7 days a week
Location: Aero Joe Pilates; 2924 3rd Avenue South, Birmingham (Pepper Place)
Website: aerojoepilates.com
Have you ever watched Cirque de Soleil? The strength that these performers have and what they do is amazing! Aero Joe Pilates offers an Aerial Yoga class that will teach you the fundamentals of “flying” on the silk rope, but close to the ground. Beginner aerial classes are offered that use the core roots from classic Yoga and Pilates. You will get a full-body workout —while not even being on the ground with both — but in the Pilates class, the core strength is focused on more. The first class is $19.

Earn The Burn With Hot Infrared Exercise

Date: Open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day
Location: Hot Worx; 790 Montgomery Highway, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216
Website: hotworx.net
Are you ready to slay the calories in your next workout while sweating out loads of toxins? Hot Worx offers virtual classes 24 hours a day. Each class is offered in an infrared sauna with a maximum of 3 people in a class. You can sign up for Hot Yoga, Hot Pilates, or Hot Cycling. The benefit of the Infrared Sauna is that it helps your body detox, helps with weight loss, lets you have better muscle recovery and circulation, increases burned calories, and helps reduce stress. Try your first workout for free to see for yourself!

MLK Day 5K Drum Run - Birmingham

Date: Saturday, Jan. 14
Time: Check-in at 7 a.m.
Location: History Park in 4th Avenue Historic District; 1700 4th Avenue North, Birmingham, AL 35203
Website: mlkday5kbham.com
Gather your friends and take part in the MLK Day 5K and Family Fun Run. As the runners make their way to the finish line, local school drum lines will drum a beat to encourage everyone. Each drum line’s booster association will receive a donation from the 5K’s nonprofit. The race fee is $40, and the fun run is $20.

Experience the New Fitness Formula

Date: Open 7 days a week
Location: X4 Fit Mountain Brook; 900 Lane Park Ct., Mountain Brook, AL 35223
Website: x4fit.com
During each hour-long class, X4 Fit focuses on four fundamental blocks of exercise for your body: capacity, endurance, strength, and resistance. Capacity is bike, ski, row type movements, endurance is running, strength uses weights and resistance uses body weight with the TRX bands. Each class varies, so you don't keep doing the same thing in every class. You are not alone, either — X4 focuses on building a community. Everyone moves forward reaching their own fitness goals together. Try your first class for free!

Join Iron Tribe

Days: Monday - Saturday
Location: Iron Tribe Fitness in Crestline; 13 Dexter Drive, Mountain Brook, AL 35213
Website: irontribefitness.com
Iron Tribe is ranked one of the nation's top workouts, and did you know it started here in Birmingham? Through coaching and accountability, PRIME trainers will help members achieve improved body composition, strength, mindset and energy. Each PRIME member will get an individualized assessment, goal-setting help, personalized programming, holistic training, and re-testing to ensure they reach their goals. Iron Tribe Fitness believes in the PRIME program so much that they’re offering a 100 percent money-back guarantee if members aren’t satisfied.

Experience A Meditative Sound Bath

Date: Friday, Jan. 20
Location: Birmingham Tree House; 1309 19th Street South, Birmingham, AL 35205
Website: birminghamtreehouse.com
A sound bath is a newer practice that I've just learned about after I discovered meditating for my health and well-being, which is a great way to slow down mentally and find ultimate relaxation. The Tree House offers a 1-hour sound bath for $25 that “bathes” you in sound waves made from the vibrations of crystal bowls, while you are either seated or laying down. The calm, ambient sounds help your mind and body relax and recharge. The Birmingham Tree House is a wellness-focused hospitality business that is also a Bed & Yoga. Beyond sound healing, they offer private Reiki and weekly yoga classes as well as private mental health therapy sessions.

Bounce into Fitness

Date: Open 7 days a week
Location: Trifusion; 236 Country Club Park, Mountain Brook, AL 35213
Website: trifusionmethod.com
Do you want to do a FUN workout to make you feel like a kid again? This Bounce Fusion class is it! You will strengthen your quads, calves, and glutes while jumping on your personal trampoline. Just don’t forget your water! Text (205) 383-9979 to get your first class free or sign up online for your first month of unlimited free classes for $99. Trifusion is in Crestline Village and focuses on classes that are cardio, strength training, core, balance, and stretching to help you achieve the body of your dreams while creating balance in your body.

Try A Juice Cleanse

Date: 7 days a week
Location: Clean Juice Lane Parke in Mountain Brook Village; 1081 Jemison Lane, Mountain Brook, Alabama 35223
Website: cleanjuice.com/location/lane-parke
One thing that is on my list to try for 2023 is a juice cleanse. Mountain Brook’s new juice bar, Clean Juice, offers a few. You can order a beginner cleanse 4-pack (which I may need to start with) or you can do a 1-, 2-, or 3-day cleanse (which offers 6 juices per day). These are supposed to be great for your body and remove toxins, provide tons of vitamins to your body and make you feel so much better from the inside out. Download their app HERE to order ahead so all you have to do is swing by to pick it up.

Related: Interested in easy, family-friendly recipes with a focus on whole food and healthy ingredients? Check out laurasilsbee.com!

Transform Your Body

Date: Open 7 days a week
Location: Meta Fitness Studio; 3150 Overton Road, Mountain Brook, AL 35223
Website: metafitstudio.com
Every “body” has a unique need, and at Meta Fitness, they customize a personal plan for personal goals. There are five different approaches you can use with them to achieve your goals. Meta Fitness offers one on one coaching, weight loss plans, a muscle-gain program, sport-specific conditioning (if you're looking to be a better competitor) and nutritional plans. Get a free consultation to see which focus would be the best for you.

Want to know more about what's happening in Birmingham? Check out laurasilsbee.com, and make sure to follow me on Instagram!