If checking your heart rate is something you only have done at an annual check-up, maybe it's time to look into the "theory" behind one of the nation's hottest fitness brands -- Orangetheory.

Grounded in research that shows the "after-burn" effect of high-intensity, cardio-blasting workouts (read: high heart rates), Orangetheory promises "strength, more energy, and more life." But does it live up to its promises?

Today's episode features Katy Widrick -- group fitness instructor, multi-media producer, blogging genius and personal friend of the show. Katy has made Orangetheory a dedicated part of her fitness journey and is sharing with listeners why. In the show, we discuss:

• The premise behind the "zones" of Orangetheory workouts
• Why the class is so much more than a "cardio" class
• How the class is structured and how newbies can best orient themselves the first time they go
• Why Orangetheory is so effective in a short amount of time, but not the place to chat with friends
• What it feels like to gain functional fitness as a working mom to two small children
• Why Orangetheory is customizable for every level, but not for the casual fitness seeker. It's serious business.

To close out the show, I'm sharing a few updates and follow-ups to The Eyelashes Episode.Our most popular episode to date, this show continues to live beyond the podcast on the This Unmillennial Life Facebook Group .Through that group I learned about an alternative to prescription serums -- castor oil (<- affiliate link). I also share my experience trying out another "over the counter" (read: buy it easily online at Amazon <- affiliate link) eyelash growth serum, GrandeLASH-MD. 

If you've been listening to the show for a while or are a new listener and have thoughts about what you like/don't like, I'd love for you to share them with me through this very brief LISTENER SURVEY. Thanks for your feedback! 

And as always, you can either  Tweet Me @ReganJonesRD, leave me a voicemail, join the This Unmillennial Life Facebook Group OR submit a show idea here! 

Thank you for listening and sharing with a friend! Just this last week a listener shared with me that this podcast feels like a chat between friends. Please tell a friend about the podcast so she can listen in, too! 

Thanks for subscribing. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review!

Until next time,

~Regan

Never miss another episode! This Unmillennial Life is available each week via iTunes, NPROne, Libsyn and Spotify.

This week’s episode is sponsored by HealthyAperture.com — the web’s first and only dietitian-curated recipe discovery site.

Musical support provided by Ben Williams at Kudzu Studio. Website support provided by Katy Widrick at MakeMediaOver.com. Additional support provided by Robin Plotkin of RobinsBite.com.