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Review: On Cloud Workout Shoes

written by Parita Leave a Comment

I’ve been meaning to share about these On Cloud workout shoes for a while now. In all honesty, I can’t believe I haven’t yet because since I’ve been using them, I’ve had zero knee pain.

Before I go into detail about the shoes, let me share a little context…

My shoe history

Depending on what my exercise regime has looked like, I’ve gone from wearing whatever sneakers I had on hand to getting fitted for shoes.

Up until our move to Chicago four years ago, running was my primary form of exercise. Somewhere along the way, my knees started hurting. I even got an MRI at one point because we didn’t know if I had done some real damage.

Last March, I joined a local gym and started taking classes (HIIT, strength training, spin, etc.). At first, my knees still hurt every now and then, but after seeing how committed I was to these classes, Vishnu suggested I get a pair of On Cloud shoes because he’d read so many positive reviews.

I was hesitant at first because of the price tag, but Vishnu insisted, so I gave in! I ended up getting the Cloud X shoes, which are now only available in red. After using these particular ones for over a year, I wouldn’t hesitate to try the other varieties.

In terms of sizing, I got a 7.5 which is actually a half a size smaller than what I get in running shoes. 7.5 is my true size in other shoes (sometimes I can go down to 7). If you like having a good amount of toe room, I recommend going a half a size up, but otherwise, your true size should be fine.

Pros of On Cloud (Cloud X)

I’m so glad Vishnu convinced me to get these because they saved my knees. I can honestly say that I have yet to experience knee pain like before after working out. And I’ve done some pretty intense stuff over the past 15 months or so.

They don’t have a ton of cushion, but they provide a ton of support. For example, in a lot of the classes I took, we’d be jumping in one way or another for a lot of the class. These shoes took the shock of all that jumping without impacting my joints. The proof is in zero knee pain, people!

Additionally, On Cloud shoes are extremely light weight and comfortable. There’s no bulkiness, which a lot of running shoes have.

Speaking of, On Cloud shoes are pretty stylish. I didn’t think the would be, but I actually love the way they look. A nice little bonus!

Cons of On Cloud (Cloud X)

The only real con I see is the price tag, BUT I do think it’s justified now that I’ve worn and used the shoes almost every day for the past year +.

Final thoughts

Honestly, you guys, these shoes are bomb.com. I can’t tell you how awesome it is to exercise and not feel any pain in my knees. Something I got used to for years.

If you’re in the market for new workout shoes, I highly recommend checking out On Cloud. I guarantee you won’t regret it. And your joints will thank you (and me!).

Let me know if you have any questions (in the comments)!

Written on July 9, 2020 Related:Fitness, Running, Uncategorized, Workout

Kayla Istines Bikini Body Guide – Weeks 1-4

written by Parita Leave a Comment

To be quite honest, I never thought I would actually attempt and stick with Kayla Istines Bikini Body Guide (BBG) workout plan.  It looked too hard.  Too intense.  And like something I wouldn’t be able to get through in one piece.

Well, I’m happy to report that while it was hard and intense, I got through weeks 1-4 in one piece.  Hardly, but I’m here to tell the tale!

Kayla Istines BBG

My overall thoughts

  • These workouts are no joke.  They will make you super sore.  After completing the week 1 abs/arms workout, I couldn’t sneeze or cough or move without some pain.  Oofta!
  • The high-intensity nature of the workouts is what makes them effective.  Even though I knew this, I modified some of the moves to feel more comfortable.  One of my biggest fears going into this whole thing was injury.  I’m happy to report that by understanding and listening to my body I’ve been able to not only stay injury-free but also ward away my semi-regular knee pain.
  • The workouts are designed to be completed in 28 minutes.  At first, I thought, this is awesome…short and sweet!  But yeah…it takes me 35-45 minutes at least.
  • I know I’m making this sound like a miserable chore, but it really isn’t!  I’m the kind of person who enjoys having a plan of attack ready to go, so in this way, it’s perfect.  And it’s totally doable.  You may have to modify and go at your own pace, but you can do it!

Weeks 1-4 results

  • My body doesn’t look different, but I feel so much stronger!  I’m able to complete most every rep with some leftover energy.  And the soreness wasn’t quite as intense as the weeks progress.
  • On a side note, I’m pretty sure I’ve gained some weight because of the steroids I’m only for my allergic reaction (will share more later).  This gives me more reason to keep truckin’ forward with these BBG workouts.

What I plan to do differently for weeks 5-8

  • For one, I plan to keep going with the three weekly BBG workouts.  The schedule works well for me!  I do want to add two lower intensity workouts to the weekly lineup.  The other day, I went for a 45 minute walk and it felt so good.  I loved not having an agenda and just moving.
  • The second thing I want/plan to do differently is improve my food choices.  It’s not that I’m making horrible decisions left and right.  However, I know myself and know I could do better.  And not that it’s an excuse, but the steroids do apparently make you hungrier, so I’m hoping to see an improvement once I wean off this week.  We shall see…

And that’s BBG weeks 1-4, my friends!  Wish me luck with weeks 5-8…it’s gonna get tough(er)!

Written on May 2, 2018 Related:Fitness, Uncategorized, Workout

Year-long workout challenge spreadsheet

How to Get Your Butt to the Gym Consistently – Join a Year-Long Fitness Challenge

written by Parita 9 Comments

The truth of the matter is I’m no longer waking up at 4:30 am to squeeze in my workouts.  With Kaiden waking up every 2-3 hours EVERY night for the past few months, I decided to prioritize sleep over exercise.  This is not to say I’ve stopped working out altogether.  Even though I don’t love evening workouts, I found a way to get to the gym (or do Barre3 Online!) a few times a week after Kaiden went down for the night…errr…few hours.  I’m also choosing to walk to work on the days I go into the office instead of taking an Uber or the train.  Unless the temperature is in the teens, you’ll find me making that 1.2 mile commute by foot.

Now here’s the thing, my workout standards are A LOT lower than they used to be.  Lately, I’ve been reading old MIS posts, and even though I didn’t feel this way back then, I’m amazed by how dedicated to exercise I used to be.  Again, this isn’t to say that I don’t love it anymore or that I’m not motivated, but time/sleep/sickness all play a much bigger role in my life than they used to.  And sometimes exercise falls to the bottom of the priority list.

So what are my standards now?  Well, for one, workouts max out at 30-35.  And two, my goal is to fit in 3 maybe 4 workouts a week.  I try to make each one count, but sometimes, the goal is to solely move in whatever way feels good and makes sense.

Other things I know a lot of people, mamas or not, struggle with when it comes to exercise are time, guilt, motivation, etc. Been there, done that with all of those plus some…

…insert the brilliant idea to host a year-long fitness challenge!

Now, I can’t take credit for the idea at all.  All the credit goes to our friends Kartik and Rathna.  Back in October, Rathna sent an email to a bunch of people and asked if anyone was interested in joining a year-long fitness challenge group.  Of course, I immediately replied with an enthusiastic yes!  This is exactly what I needed to get my butt to the gym consistently.

Year-long workout challenge spreadsheet

Our group’s challenge works in the following way (taken from Rathna’s original email)…

Challenge – Workout 12 times a month (even if you do multiple workouts a day, you only get credit for one) for a minimum of 30 minutes.

Results – If you hit the 12 workouts (or more), great!  If you don’t, you owe $10 to each person in the group who did.

What’s a workout? – Moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity. This can include a run, weight training, a fitness class, yoga, outdoor activities such as hiking/biking/walking.  It has to be a solid workout for at least 30 minutes.

How is it tracked? – Via a Google spreadsheet where everyone inputs their workouts using the honor system.

Fun fact #1 – If I recall correctly, I’ve already made $40 by being a part of this challenge!  Ha!

Fun fact #2 – I read Rathna’s initial email so quickly (in true Parita fashion) that I missed the whole part about this being a year-long challenge.  I thought it was only for the month of October.  It took someone commenting on me doing this as a new mom for me to pull up the email again and read it again…carefully.  Ha!

If you need a little extra motivation to workout, I highly recommend starting a challenge like this one.  The idea of losing $$$ only because I didn’t work out kills me, so I don’t let it happen.  Also, I like being the newish mom in the group who gets her 12 (usually more!) workouts every month!

Your turn – have you taken part in a fitness challenge like this?  Would it be enough to keep you motivated?

Written on March 15, 2018 Related:Fitness, Uncategorized, Workout

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