Winter break workouts

Tallying up everything you eat during the holiday season will only result in a cold, nervous sweat. If your family is anything like mine, there will be potatoes swimming in butter, calorie-laden fudge in the freezer and a lot of boozy celebration. Though I’m a member of the “eat whatever you want during the holidays” school of thought and always accept the second piece of pie, I still need to fit into my jeans. Don’t spend your entire winter break on your parents’ couch watching “Jersey Shore.” Carry out that time-honored New Year’s resolution to lose weight, tone up and get super ripped. Here are a few places to check out.
Corepower Yoga — There’s a Corepower studio right in Stadium Village, so don’t even try to whine that it’s too far away. Your first week is free so you can test the waters before deciding if Downward Dog is a position you’re comfortable holding for extended periods of time. Corepower has studios in a variety of locations, including downtown by the Depot, and offers a handful of yoga classes to dabble in. Many classes feature hot yoga, where the room is heated to 100 degrees with humidity for maximum sweat factor. One month of unlimited membership is $89 with a student ID. (An hour of hot yoga can burn 630 calories. That’s more than one slice of pecan pie !)
Flex Appeal Studios — — Pole dancing ain’t just for the girls at Déjà Vu or wasted members of a party bus anymore. In the past few years, the art of the pole dance has become a bona fide fitness craze. Buff blondie Kate Hudson swears by it. Flex Appeal, located on Washington Avenue, is the perfect place to unleash your inner sexbomb. But rest assured that pole dance classes are hard work; the bodies of Flex Appeal’s instructors are sick. An hour-long drop-in class will run you $25. Look out, Sneaky Pete’s! (One hour of pole dance burns about 290 calories, the equivalent of a helping or two of mashed potatoes.)
The Firm — — This downtown studio comes with rave reviews from Glamour and Self magazines and boasts an impressive roster of awards, fashion shows and performances. And it’s legit — there’s something for everyone, from boxing to weight training to spin classes. Your first week is complimentary and a monthly membership to the swanky spot is $99.40, with a $60 initiation fee. Kind of spendy, sure, but the people who frequent The Firm will be eye candy of the highest order. Plus, reviewers and friends who’ve taken Firm classes say they’re so much fun you forget you’re exercising. (An hour of spin class can burn over 700 calories, so feel free to sample the dessert tray.)
Xelias Aerial Arts School — — It’s much more fun to burn calories and tighten your muscles while airborne. Xelias, located on Jackson St. N.E., aims to foster creativity and conditioning with their trapeze-based classes. The studio offers classes for everyone from 3-year-olds to adults and 10 weeks of hour-long classes will cost you $170. (An hour of trapeze burns around 250 calories, the equivalent of a few holiday glasses of wine.)
U of M Fit Pass — — Our very own Rec Center offers a semester-long “fit pass” for $80, and with that golden ticket you can attend kickboxing and cardio dance classes, as well as all sorts of others. Classes start once spring semester begins.