I’m on DailyBurn365

Back in the early 90s, I was a beginning exerciser—the classic couch potato determined to change her life. I stocked up on workout videos on VHS, closed the curtains, banned everyone else from the living room, and slowly learned how to move my body and work up a sweat. After a few months of suffering through the workouts, a transformation started, and I was shocked to learn I actually loved it. I looked forward to my workouts each day, and I pretended with each cue, handclap, and breathless rep that I was on a workout show.

Last week, the silly daydream became a reality.

I was invited to be a guest on the DailyBurn365, and my episode of the 30-minute workout show—with an interview about delicious Paleo Thanksgiving recipes and a really tough circuit workout—will air on Thanksgiving morning on DailyBurn.com. DailyBurn is an online fitness site with a library of 100+ workouts plus the DailyBurn365, a 30-minute, full-body workout that airs every day at 9:00 a.m.—no equipment required!

We taped my episode in New York City last week, directly on the tail of my trip to California and Austin—and just before my week-long visit to Pennsylvania for Thanksgiving. In November, Dave and I will have spent only five nights in our own bed; that’s very unusual for us, and I’m feeling the strain.

But the DailyBurn was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down, especially because it scared me a lot. I wasn’t worried about the interview or the workout, but I did feel very vulnerable about the current state of my body. I’m heavier than I’d like to be and the stress of releasing the new cookbook has taken its toll; I’m definitely not in optimal physical condition. So I was worried about what I was going to wear to workout so publicly, and the show promised a hair and makeup artist, which also kind of filled me with terror. What about my black eyeliner?!

But I don’t want to be a person who waits until she’s thin or perfect to have adventures, so I meditated. I focused on how my interview on the show might help other people find their way to healthier eating. I talked to the people I trust the most about my fears so I could find the way to be brave. And when it was time, I just focused on the workout and talking from my heart.

It was an exhilarating experience, and I’m very grateful to the cast and crew for their warm welcome. Without exception, everyone I talked to was enthusiastic about their work while taking the time to be ridiculously kind and friendly to me. Here are a few snaps from the day; details for how to watch my episode are below.

Once upon a time…

I was invited to be a guest on the DailyBurn365.

But before I could sweat in the studio, I had to make two batches of Velvety Butternut Squash. The crew was cooking up my Mashed Cauliflower, Mustard-Garlic Brussels Sprouts, and Maple-Pumpkin Coconut Macaroons, but because of some quirky reasons, I was on the hook for the butternut squash. Which I made on one our one day home between the mini book tour and leaving for NYC. Then I put it in a box and took it on the train. As you do.

Happily, Dave, the squash, and I all arrived at our hotel room intact.

When I arrived at the studio, I met a slew of awesome people whose faces are etched forever in the “nice people” category in my brain. My first stop was the makeup chair where a variety of powders, creams, and potions were applied to my naked face to make me look smooth and pretty under the studio lights.

And I got some totally fierce French braids.

I met JD Roberto, the host…

… and we did a quick rehearsal to talk through how everything would work. When we did the mock interview I totally blew my first question. Like, TOTALLY. Like, train wreck. Like, I forgot how English works.

But when it was time for the real thing, I took Dave’s advice: I focused on JD as a human, forgot about the camera and the audience, and just answered his question. After that, it felt pretty comfortable.

That is, until the workout started. I have a lot of confidence in my workout abilities, and I wasn’t worried about the class, but that routine was no joke. The order of the moves is a blur now, but I know there were pushups, shadow boxing, squats and lunges, and at the end, a tabata sequence.

After the workout, we talked turkey… and Brussels sprouts and mashed cauliflower and macaroons and butternut squash.

My final task was to record a recipe segment in which I got to say, “I’m Melissa Joulwan, and this is your Meal Prep Monday.” It made me feel very fancy.

Dave and I celebrated with my awesome crew from the Brooks Group PR with a delicious paleo lunch—that I didn’t have to cook!—at Hu Kitchen.

This is a pretty accurate summation:

The next day, after a luxuriously restful night’s sleep, I made my pilgrimage to The Morgan Library & Museum to see the exhibit “Charlotte Bronte: An Independent Will” where I saw Bronte’s handwritten manuscript for Jane Eyre and her tiny dress and shoes. (This is a very big deal for me.) Charlotte was just 4’9″ tall—but she had a spirit and imagination that defied her diminutive stature.

How To Watch The DailyBurn365

To tune in to the DailyBurn365, you need to be a subscriber. The DailyBurn offers a free 30-day trial which gives you full access to DailyBurn’s library of videos, articles, and nutritional information. If you cancel your DailyBurn trial before the 30 days is up, you won’t be charged, but you do have to supply credit card info to get the 30-day trial. If you decide to remain with the program, you’ll be charged $14.95 per month. The workouts can be viewed on your laptop, mobile, tablet, and TV devices like Roku, Xbox, and more. For all the details, go to DailyBurn.com.