Keep Calm...Dammit!

It's been awhile since I've stepped on a scale. I'm pretty sure I've made it known that I don't like the scale and it doesn't tell an accurate story of what's going on with your body.

I normally just use my measurements and how my clothes are fitting as a guide and I adjust things from there. Well, today I stepped on the body mass calculator, in order to log all of my numbers for the official start of the Focus T25 challenge group that I am running with a friend, and the number wasn't pretty.

Now in the rational part of my brain, I know why there was such a jump in the number on the evil little piece of bathroom equipment, but the rational part of my brain was abruptly over thrown by the irrational part of my brain when I saw the number. I immediately began to freak out and wonder how this could be. I mean, yeah, I haven't followed a program for a while and yes, I've been a slacker with running...but I've been okay with my eating and I have been active. Where did I go so wrong? How could my clothes still fit well if there was such a jump?

Then I took my measurements and laughed at myself. They are all the same except for my thighs...they went up quite a bit and I always had a flat booty but that is no longer the case since I started running and squatting. THAT is my answer right there. I have built a lot of muscle in my lower body over the past few months. Now I know not all of it is muscle, the time of day as well as the month plays a role in a woman's weight and I know there is room for improvement with my diet, but once again, measurements told some key plot points to the story.

It's scary how quickly the rational part of my brain shut down and how upset I got over a number on a scale. I believe part of it has to do with how I refuse to go back to were I came from. It's actually a big fear of mine, so knowing I've been off my normal routine and not as good as I should be with nutrition, teamed up with a weight spike, freaked me the fuck out!

On the bright side, I feel a little clearer on my goals, know that my nutrition is key and I'm truly looking forward to getting to know those participating in the challenge and seeing what a full 60 days with this program can result in!

Have you ever experienced a moment like this? Where you know better but your emotions just take off and leave common sense behind?



 

{Recipe} Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Chicken Thighs

We are a week into the August Clean Eating Accountability and Yoga Challenge and I'm loving it!

I've been following a good 80/20 rule with my eating and even that 20% has been full of smarter choices. A new challenge always means new recipes for me, so I hit Pinterest and started searching for Clean Eating and Whole 30 meals that looked good to me...then I put my own spin on them.

The recipe I'm about to share is a combination of two recipes I found on there. One was a stuffed chicken thigh and the other was a bacon wrapped chicken thigh. Both sounded delicious and I couldn't choose which one sounded better so I decided to merge them together, make a few changes to the stuffing and the results were delish!!

Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Chicken Thighs

• ¼ cup cashews
• ½ medium onion
• 1 clove of garlic
• small handful of basil
• 1 cup baby spinach (kale would work too)
• boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• Cajun seasoning, to taste (I use Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning)
• nitrate-free bacon

 Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. In a food processor, combine the cashews, onion, garlic, basil and spinach. Pulse until it forms a thick paste with no large chunks in it. (If needed, add a little water or vegetable stock to thin it out so it doesn't get stuck - but don't make it runny.)
3. Open the chicken thighs and lay them out flat. Sprinkle with your seasoning, then spoon some of the mixture into each thigh. Roll it up and then wrap with a slice a bacon. Place each thigh, bacon seam down on your baking pan.
4. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads the proper temperature, between 165- 175 degrees.

These were really easy to make and they tasted amazing! I served them with some roasted sweet potato and zucchini.

As for yoga, I'm REALLY loving this series and I'm so happy I stumbled upon it on YouTube! Having a quick, program that is beginner friendly has been key to me sticking with daily practice.

I'm also happy to report that I have started running again! It felt good to get back out there and while my legs are really sore right now, I didn't lose that much progress, which was a pleasant surprise.

Have you tried any new recipes since starting the challenge? Please be sure to share them with the rest of the group and if you Instagram or Tweet a photo, use the hashtag #EatCleanWithNikki

If you are hearing about this for the first time, please join us over on Facebook for daily accountability, recipe and snack ideas and of course, the daily yoga video!

Refocusing

More often than not, I seem to be refocusing. I refocus on workouts, nutrition, cleaning schedules, and priorities in general. Life seems to be a constant juggling act, and more and more items keep getting tossed in. It's hard not to drop something from time to time.

Running is the item that got dropped a while back and you know what? I miss it.

I set a goal for this year to hit 500 miles and I stalled out at 250 due to illness, frustration and then the heat. Frustration and heat are excuses and I know it. I know that you have to push through frustration and I know that there are ways around the heat. The time has come for me to stop making the excuses and start logging miles again. I'm a happier person when I run and I'm tired of feeling like a quitter.

This past week I started to refocus with Focus T25. The amount of sweat my body produces in 25 minutes with these workouts, is both amazing and gross. I'm hoping to build my cardio back up with this routine, so easing back into running will be a little smoother.

The next part of my refocus plan is an August "Clean Eating" accountability that I will be running over on the Facebook Page. I'll be posting the basics of clean eating, shopping guides and recipes over there each day. My eating has been pretty good, but it took a nose dive during Mike's vacation this past week. I'm hoping that as a group, we can stay accountable, help each other find new recipes and form new, healthier habits. I've always had success while working in groups and I'm hoping that those participating will too.

As well as the clean eating accountability, I plan on sharing a daily yoga workout on the Facebook page each day. If there is one thing I've learned during my fitness journey, it's that no matter how badly I suck at yoga, it is important to my routine. I'll benefit from a stretching/muscle recovery aspect as well as mentally with meditation/stress relief. I always feel better after doing yoga, yet I always manage to skip it...I clearly make no sense and need to fix this.

Ultimately, life happens, and our grand plans don't always work out as planned. As long as you take a moment to stop, see where things went wrong and refocus, your goals can still be reached.

Are you ready to refocus with me? What aspect of your routine do you need to focus on?

I'm A Rugged Maniac!

Back in March, I was participating in the #FurtherFasterFurther badge challenge and feeling like a total badass. I was on the top of my game  and achieving things I never thought I could do. One Saturday I was scrolling through Groupon and found an amazing deal on the Rugged Maniac mud run, so I obviously bought it and felt instant happiness! Poor Mike.

Fast forward to July 14th....race day. I had fallen off the running wagon, my cardio wasn't close to where it should be and I was now nervous as I drove to the event with Mike. I didn't know if I could hack the obstacles that were waiting for me, but thankfully we were doing the race with Mike's childhood friend, Irwin and his two kids, Jess and Ryan... and this wasn't their first mud run!

We arrived early to park, pick up our race packets and hang out for a bit. We were in the first wave for the day, and I was grateful for that since it was going to be in the upper 90's!

Top: Hanging out before the race - Bottom Left: Let the fun begin! - Bottom Right: 1/2 mile run. *Special thanks to Lisa for taking these photos!*

Our first obstacle was a wall that you had to jump in order to get to the starting line. I honestly felt a little intimidated by it, but I made it over on the first try, and I felt the doubt wash away and some confidence kick in. The first stretch of the course was a pretty easy 1/2 mile run before we hit our first obstacle, which were two A-frames that we had to climb up and over. From there, we headed into the woods and were greeted by ankle to knee-deep mud (which smelled awful) and some 5 foot walls to hop, like the one at the start gate. These were a little trickier to do because my feet and the wall were slippery with mud, but I made it over all of them on the first shot, which made me feel kinda badass again. From there it was more mud and then a football style tire run with swinging tires that you had to push through. Our reward for making it through was a water station, which ended up being the only one on the course!

 

Top: A-Frames - Bottom Left: Tire carry & hurdles - Bottom Right: Sprint to the Finish              *Special thanks to Lisa for taking these photos!*

After our water break we headed onto around the motocross hills and toward the barbed wire obstacles. Thankfully the barbed wire wasn't as low as I was anticipating, so I was able to crawl under it without army crawling. The downside to crawling? I wore shorts and didn't have knee-pads so my knees got really cut up! Lesson. Learned. The next obstacle I remember was the slide! Nothing like sliding into a lake of muddy water to cool off!

 

Left: Fire jumps - Top Right: Barbed Wire - Bottom Right: Sliding into muddy water.                 *Photos taken by Rugged Maniac Photographers*[/caption]

I honestly don't remember the order of the rest of the obstacles. I think the drainage pipes were next and I skipped that one. I'm EXTREMELY claustrophobic and didn't feel like having a panic attack if I had a hard time making my way back up the second pipe. I think it was this obstacle where my teammate Jessica's hair got stuck in the barbed wire while making her way between pipes....OUCH!

 

We're Rugged Maniacs!!  (Ryan, Irwin, Jessica, Mike and Myself)

Thankfully there were lots of sprinklers along the course so you could wash mud off your hands and out of your eyes. Although the one time I needed a sprinkler I couldn't find one. I lost my traction going down a small mud slide and ended up going completely under the muddy water at one point. I wasn't expecting it so I didn't have time to hold my nose and ended up with mud in the my eyes and up my nose....talk about gross! I had to skip the obstacle after that because I couldn't see.

A big thank you to the volunteer who offered me a clean spot on her t-shirt to wipe my eyes!

From there it was the fire jumps and then off to the final obstacle which I failed at. Between the mud in my eyes and the amount of mud on the wall, I just couldn't pull myself all the way up. I was pissed I couldn't make it to the top and across the cargo net, but I achieved a lot and I was proud. Mike and I waited for our teammate on the other side of the wall and then we sprinted to the finish line (and Irwin's kids who ran off ahead racing each other to the final obstacle and finish line. I loved the competitive nature between them)!

 

Before & After

The finish line had a water table which was a welcome blurry site. I grabbed two bottles and started rinsing out my eyes, while rehydrating. From there we showered off, headed to the truck to change and then went back to the after party for our post race beer, music and snacks!

Overall, the course was challenging but not awful. I loved seeing all of the team-work going on around us as well as all of the laughter. I can't wait to do another mud run with this team....they were awesome!

 

Cheers!

Have you ever completed a mud run? Which one and what did you think of it?

Changing Course...Again!

One might say that fitness program ADHD kicked in, another might say I gave up, but I'm saying it sounded better on paper than it actually played out in real life...and it happens!

If you follow me on twitter or know me in real life, you might have seen me posting that I was doing Insanity AND Body Beast. I started Body Beast out of curiosity with Mike and I had been wanting to do another round of Insanity. In my head, doing both together seemed like a good idea and I've pulled doubles before. I wrote out a schedule, figured I'd be done with the whole Insanity program by the start of the final Body Beast phase and hopefully I'd gain back some of my cardio endurance while building some more lean muscle. Sounds great right? Yeah...well...introduce the kids being home on summer vacation and the never ending list of things I've been working on and time gets kinda slim. I was also super sore from Body Beast and found that I was dogging it in the Insanity workouts due to that. Sigh...

After a brief phone call with my coach to discuss the Body Beast program, he confirmed that I had indeed lost my mind by attempting both programs together and I decided to back off. I also decided that my days are too strained for time during the summer with the kids home so I've just been focusing on my July Challenge.

In the past I would have beat myself up over a decision like this, or kept pushing myself to prove a point. Thankfully, I have grown by leaps and bounds since I started exercising and I now just listen to my body and do what works for me.

The other day Mike and I were talking and we decided to get the new Shaun T program that just came out, called Focus T25. It's a 25 minute workout, 5 days a week with a full rest day plus a stretch day. I definitely have 25 minutes a day to workout, without having to cram it in somewhere, so we are really excited about it.

Here is a video that shows what the program is:

I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of results I can pull from this workout since it's only 25 minutes a day. I know that I have to give it my all for those 25 minutes and that there will not be any breaks, so I'm a little nervous, but excited. I also know that I need to clean up my nutrition for maximum results as well.
Do you think this is a program you would want to do? If it is, comment below or contact me on my Facebook page. A few of us are planning on starting a "Challenge Group" on August 12th for Focus T25, and I'd love to have you join us!

{Fitness Friday} July Challenge

I can't believe that July is already lurking around the corner! It's crazy how quickly the months are flying by, right?!

At this point, everyone doing the June Challenge only has two more days to go (if you haven't already completed today's workout) and I am so proud of you all! I figured since everyone is going strong and loves to hate me, I'd keep the momentum going with a July Challenge!

Oh stop groaning...you know you're excited!

This month has less moves since I know the summer can be super busy. It's very similar to the May Challenge I found on-line, but since Jac and I had such great results doing it, I thought we would revisit it, with a twist.

 

Click to View Full Size

Plank this month is for time, instead of a set time for each day. Some people will only be able to hold for about :30 seconds, others for over 3 minutes. I want you to compete against yourself this month. Write down your time for each day and try to beat it by a few seconds the next day. Push yourself to new limits here and make sure you hold the pose until you physically can't anymore! I'll be sharing some tips to holding plank pose over the Facebook Page, so make sure you "LIKE" it!

For those who are more advanced with their fitness, feel free to add weights to your squats! Remember, your lower body is very strong, but we are doing lots of reps, so don't go too heavy. I don't want anyone to hurt themselves! I will most likely being adding heavy weights and breaking the squats into sets with rest in-between, as we get further into the challenge. The most important thing is proper form! You'll get better results with proper form than you will trying to impress people by going heavy. Always listen to your body and if you can do them in front of mirror, it's best so you can check your form every rep.

As always, I'll be doing check-in's over on the Facebook page, so don't be shy and join in on the conversations!

Enjoy your Fourth of July...stay hydrated and let me know if you'll be joining the squatastic fun we'll be having this month!

{Fitness Friday} Man of Steel Edition

As I mentioned earlier this week, Mike and I went to see Man of Steel in IMAX. While watching this movie, you can't help but notice the physique of Henry Cavill  (if you can, you're blind) so of course we became curious as to what he did to prepare for this role. Mike found this video and passed it along to me, so of course, I'm passing it on you!

I love that they talk about the mental and emotional side of fitness in this clip. With quotes like "He has opened my eyes to seeing past what I thought were my limits." and "...you come to a point where your mind allows you to break through your physical boundaries, and takes you to places you never thought you could go to." this clip really hit home for me.

I am 100% in the mental part of fitness right now. I know that my body is capable of things, but my mind holds me back many times. It's funny because in the beginning, I was scared that my body couldn't handle what I mentally wanted to do...and now it's reverse. You would think by this stage of the game I would have it all figured out, but I don't. I struggle and I fail just like everyone else, but I pick myself up and I keep pushing forward.

If you are interested in seeing the workouts that trainer Mark Twight did with Henry Cavill did to prepare for his role as the Man of Steel, watch the two videos below (they teach you how to get proper form) or go to the Soldier of Steel website where you can print them out in .PDF form.

Soldier of Steel Workouts...

I hope you enjoy these videos as much as I did. While the moves in this may not be for you, I hope you at least walk away with the tips on proper form and apply them to whichever workout you decide to do!

Brett Hoebel Took My Flywheel Virginity

A few weeks ago when I was at #FitBlogNYC, Brett Hoebel was one of the speakers there. At the end of his lecture, he told us that he would be returning to NYC in early June to teach a Flywheel class, and if we were interested in joining to tweet at him. Of course I tweeted at him despite having no idea what a Flywheel class consisted of. As the days went by, I totally forgot about the class, until I received a tweet from Brett with a link to enter a drawing for the class. I filled out the entry form, said a little prayer that I would be selected and went about my day.

Two days before the class date, I received an e-mail saying that I was selected to attend Brett Hoebel's inaugural ride at the Flywheel Flatiron location!! I was super excited and then panicked because once again, I was sick. I haven't had much luck in the health department the past two months, but I was on day three of antibiotics so I responded that I would be there and started looking at which train I would need to catch.

The day of the event, I was very nervous. I had never attended a spin class before and I really didn't know what to expect. I did a little research on Flywheel the night before so I knew it was stadium seating cycling, I knew that the room is kept dark to help you focus on making the ride your ride and I knew that there would be loud music and that I shouldn't be afraid to ask for help when first setting up my bike. Ok...sounds good to me!

I caught my train into NYC and knew that I would be early so I packed lunch with me and upon arriving in the city, headed over to the Flatiron District. One of the my favorite buildings in NYC is the Flat Iron building so it only made sense to me to walk over there, grab a bench in Madison Square Park and just enjoy the view.

After lunch, I headed over to the Flywheel Flatiron location and signed in. I was given a special pair of spin shoes, shown where the lockers are and I grabbed a bottle of water and a towel.

On my way to the lockers, I saw Brett in the room we would be using talking to a few other people, so I popped my head in, said hello and snagged a picture of the bike set-up.

After stowing my stuff in a locker, I headed up front, said hello to few fellow bloggers and then it was time for class. I felt my nerves kick in as I selected a bike in the back and I was grateful to the gentleman in front of me who taught me how to snap my fancy spin shoes into the pedal. A girl who worked there came around and helped me adjust my bike, only we didn't adjust it correctly, and I didn't find that out until the class was already in full swing. Oops!

After Brett explained the bike display to us and how to adjust the torque, the room went dark. Only the instructor stage and bike's display screen are illuminated so you can focus on the workout, and not everyone else around you, which I really liked. The class is a mix of fast, sprint intervals and slow climbs, which help to build endurance and muscle while burning a ton of calories. There is even an upper body segment to the class which really gets you sweating!

The music playlists for each class are created by the Flywheel instructor themselves, which I think is awesome. Instructors choreograph their own classes, syncing their rides to the beat of their songs ensuring a new experience every time you take a class. I loved Brett's music selections since I'm a big fan of BPM on Sirius XM radio.

My favorite song from the workout was "Fade Into Darkness" by Avicii:

 Brett guided our workout, suggesting resistance levels and RPMs, but ultimately it's your ride, so you decide the pace of things by spinning the knob for more or less resistance on your bike. I had to dial it back a few times due to my seat issues but I still got breathless and had a crazy sweat going on.

Overall, this was one of my best fitness experiences in a group setting. Brett Hoebel is an amazing instructor. He is truly inspirational and it's like he's in your head as you're doing this workout. Every time I felt like dialing back, slowing down or saying "I can't do this" he would say something to ignite that spark within myself and I found the strength to keep going.

The class lasted about 45 minutes and we did a light stretch at the end of it, which was much needed.

As everyone was headed out of the studio, I snagged a moment with Brett to say hi again and to thank him for giving me such an amazing opportunity.

This was honestly the toughest thing I have done since week one of Insanity...although I didn't curse at Brett like I did at Shaun T! I will definitely need to keep eye out for Brett's return to NYC and try to catch another class. He truly is a phenomenal trainer!

After changing into dry clothes and collecting my belongings, I enjoyed another stroll through NYC, to catch my train back New Jersey. As I returned home I was filled a feeling of joy and gratefulness. I've been given a lot of amazing opportunities the past few weeks and each one has been an amazing experience.

Have you ever taken a Flywheel class? What did you think of it?

{Semi Wordless Wednesday} Halfway There

Yesterday I hit the halfway mark on my journey to 500 miles. It came a month later than I thought, I almost got hit by a falling tree branch on the trail and I apparently didn't lace up correctly, because I ended up with a killer blister, but I did it!

FitBump Almost Makes Me Wish I Was Pregnant

No, no, no...there is no baby on the way here, or in the future. This mama is done with that road in life, but let me tell you... If you are expecting and are into fitness, you have to check out FitBump!

I had the pleasure of meeting the founder of FitBump, Kira Kohrherr, as well as her PR rep Liz Graham a week ago, while attending The Brooklyn Baby Expo. At the time, I didn't realize that Kira also designed a full line of maternity fitness apparel, but as soon as I saw it, I was in love!

This line, which is due out in July 2013, is full of fun colors and cute prints, plus it sports flattering silhouettes that celebrates the bump, while the active-chic styles easily transition from the gym to everyday wear!

One of the things I hated most while pregnant, was constantly having to buy new clothes to fit my ever growing belly. With FitBump's revolutionary design you don't have to, because it expands over nine months and then retracts as your post-baby body gets back into shape. How awesome is that?!

Seeing this line almost made me wish I was pregnant, but then reality hit me, I heard a room full of fussy infants and I remembered how much I love to sleep.

FitBump just launched their new website about two weeks ago, and it was created as a one-stop-shop to help wellness-focused women make mindful, educated decisions throughout their pregnancy and beyond.
Their site offers a community with advice from wellness experts and real moms. There are also categories you can browse including Fitness, Nutrition & Recipes, Mommy & Baby Care, Style, Holistic Health, and Green Living.

FitBump doesn't stop there! They also offer products to make living a healthy life easy and fun. One of the services they offer is called Thrive Foods, which is a specialty meal delivery service. It provides nutrient-dense dishes for moms-to-be and new moms. This farm-to-table option is delivered in 5 or 7 day meal plans. The plant-based, gluten-free meals are prepared in Oxnard, CA and shipped overnight in sustainable, recyclable packing. Nothing is frozen and an air-lock system keeps food fresh and healthy. Click here for more information on this service.

As you can see, FitBump has a lot offer to mom-to-be, so make sure you visit their site, check out the amazing fitness apparel and maybe even give this Total Body Workout a shot!

If you order something from their maternity fitness line, I would love to hear what you think about it, so be sure to stop back and give me a full report!

Also, a big thank you to Kim and Nicole from A Child Grows and Melissa Chapman for allowing me to be a part of the #BklynBabyExpo!

Who's Ready For A June Challenge?

I can't believe that May is almost over! I swear my birthday was just the other day but that was in the beginning of the month. Wow! 2013 needs to slow down just a little.

With the closing of May, comes the end of the May Challenge that I was doing with Jac from Nora & Jac. The challenge was all about squats and planks and we really held each other accountable all month. Of course as the end of the challenge approached, we began to wonder what we should do for June, so I came up with a challenge that will work our arms as well as our core strength. I've really become a fan of the these monthly progressive challenges and I think that doing another one will be perfect during June, which tends to be a crazy and hectic month for me. I like that they are quick yet effective workouts and that I can see results without devoting a ton of time.

 

Click For Larger Version

I tried to change things up a bit each day, so we wouldn't get bored. Here are some tips if you are worried about the moves listed above.

• Push-ups can of course be done from your knees if you can't do a full push-up yet, but really push yourself to reach the goal of doing full push-ups. Even if you can only do one or two before switching to your knees, it'll help you improve and slowly work your way to doing more full reps.


• Chair Dips can be done in different ways too. Beginners can start with their knees bent to give added support. As your tricep strength increases, try putting your legs out straight in front of you so can get more resistance from your body weight. If that becomes easy, lift one leg or put your legs up on a chair too!


• Military Push-ups are done with your hands lined up directly under your shoulders. As you lower down into the push-up, your elbows stay back and tight to your body. These are still difficult for me, so don't worry if you can't go down very far. It'll come with time!


• Wide Fly Push-ups are exactly what they sound like. You place your arms out in front of you in a wide push-up pose. These tend to be easier, at least for me.


• Mountain Climbers begin in the top of a push-up or full plank. You'll then alternate pulling in your left and right foot...kinda like running in place. They are fabulous for building core and shoulder strength.

If you are unsure of the other moves listed her, please let me know and I'll be happy to explain them or provide links to "how-to" videos.

I'm really looking forward to another month of teaming up with Jac and keeping each other accountable. I also just started DDP Yoga (I'll talk about that soon in a separate post) and I hope to get back into running this month using the technique I posted about on my Facebook page last week.

So who else would like to join us for this challenge? We'd love to have you!

Stars & Stripes Workout

A Day In NYC for #FitBlogNYC (Part Two)

Welcome to Part Two of my #FitBlogNYC recap! I hope you found some helpful info from my first post about the amazing speakers who FITNESS lined up for us! If you somehow missed it, please take a moment to check it out here: A Day In NYC for #FitBlogNYC (Part One)

After our information packed morning of seminars, FITNESS provided lunch for all of the bloggers in attendance and an opportunity to visit all of the sponsor tables that were set up inside of the Mercedes Club. When we arrived at the event, we were given a program and on the back of it was a list of all of the sponsors. We had to use this as a sort of passport and collect stickers from each vendor in order to earn an amazing swag bag!

First up was Saucony, since we encountered their table immediately upon going inside. They had a table set up with amazing running shoes, in bright, fun colors. Looking at the array of colors just made you instantly happy, so you could image how I was about to burst with joy when I found out that we were all receiving a pair of them!! The shoe being featured were the Kinvara 4's and they are simply #Kickassimus and will help me #FindYourStrong!

For specs on the Kinvara 4 running shoes click here.

Next up was the Athleta table. They had a table full of swimwear on display for us to check out and two racks full of different athletic wear. While taking everything in, we were told about an Instagram contest they were running. We were to pick out an outfit we liked from the rack and Instagram a photo of it with the hashtag #PowerToTheShe. A winner was selected at midnight based on who had the most likes. Obviously, I did not win, but it was fun anyway!

From there we moved over to the Marmot table where we met Paige Claassen who is a Professional Climber. She will be taking part in the Lead Now Tour, which is a global tour to inspire people through rock climbing. While speaking with her, I learned that she will be traveling the world for year during this tour and that she is most excited to visit South Africa, which is where the tour kicks off.

For more information on Paige and Lead Now, click here.

The next table I visited was sponsored by Tonalin. I had never heard of them before, but learned that their products are used for reducing body fat and are sourced from natural safflower oil. Tonalin CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) is natural and environmentally sustainable. I don't know how much I buy into supplements like these, but if you have ever used them and have seen good results, I'd love to hear about your experience.

From here I moved on to the Reebok table and it was fabulous! They had a great display of their CrossFit sneakers set-up for us to check out, along with some of their new #LiveWithFire apparel! There was also a photo-op set up here. We got to write a catchy phrase on a white board, along with our blog/twitter information and have our photo taken. Later, we found out that Reebok had also given us all a pair of their SubLite Train 1.0 sneakers (not featured in this photo) to try out! Score!

For more information on the SubLite Train 1.0 sneakers, click here.

Vichy Laboratoires was the next table I visited. Upon arriving there, we were presented with an iPad and earbuds so we could watch this funny video, which is part of their #celluliteconfessions campaign:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CX3Dc35HN4&w=560&h=315]

After laughing for a while and joking with Violet Zaki (Fitness Expert, Owner of ZakiFitness and Equinox Instructor), we were introduced to CelluDeStock and their new Capital Soleil Lightweight Foaming Lotion SPF 50, which smells amazing and doesn't leave that gross sunscreen feeling on your skin. Vichy was kind enough to offer us a full size bottle of each in our swag bags, so I'm sure I'll have more to offer on these products soon!

Our next sponsor was Smart Balance and they had a very fun set-up for us. First, we were offered a little snack made with Smart Balance peanut butter, of course! They were No Bake Peanut Butter Cocoa Cookies and they were yummy! They were also kind enough to have the recipe printed out for us to take home, so I figured I'd share with you, too!

Smart Balance No Bake Peanut Butter Cocoa Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Smart Balance Fat Free Milk and Omega 3s
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 2 Tbsp Smart Balance Blended Butter Sticks
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 1/2 cups oatmeal
• 3/4 cup Smart Balance Rich Roast Chunky Peanut Butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

• Boil the Smart Balance Fat Free Milk and Omega 3s, cocoa, Smart Balance Blended Butter Stick and sugar in a small pot for two minutes.
• Remove from heat and add oatmeal, Smart Balance Rich Roast Chunky Peanut Butter and vanilla.
• Drop by heaping tablespoons onto parchment paper or way paper. Let cool for at least 1 hour before eating.

Nutrition Fact: Serves 40. Nutrition per serving: Calories 72, Fat 3g, Saturated Fat 1g, Poly Fat 0, Mono Fat 2g, Trans Fatty Acids 0g, Cholesterol 1mg, Sodium 29mg, Carbohydrates 9g, Dietary Fiber 1g, Protein 2g.

They also had a fun aspect to their table. There were headbands for us to wear with the hashtag #BalancedBlogger on it and we had to attempt to do a fun pose on a Bosu Ball while wearing it. It was an interesting couple of minutes as I tried to balance on one leg for a photo. Luckily the representative taking the photo caught it right before I fell off. Good times! For our efforts we earned a jar of their peanut butter in our choice of chunky or creamy. If you Instagramed and tweeted the photo, you also earned the chance to win free Smart Balance peanut butter for a year.

The final sponsor we visited before giving into our hunger and breaking for lunch was Crystal Light. They had a table set-up with cups of water and a few sample flavors of their new #CrystalLightLiquid flavoring. We had a choice of trying Blueberry Raspberry, Pomtini or Strawberry Lemonade, which is what I opted for. I liked that you could control how much flavor was added to your water and that it wasn't overly sweet because of that.

From here we took a break to grab some food and head back outside to socialize and enjoy the gorgeous weather NYC was having that day.

I wish I had taken more photos of the bloggers I met during the event, but it complete mental overload and I was honestly more into socializing than documenting by this point. It was nice to meet up with Jen (@MomsGottaRun) since we went to High School together and it had been years since I'd seen her.

After lunch we headed inside to visit the final sponsor table, which was brought to us by Ford Fiesta and their #FiestaMovement. They had a fun photo booth set up so myself, Sylvia (@Frolic_Life_Syl) and Susan (@SusanFishback) participated together.

To view our video as well as others from this event  click here.

Our final event of the day was the group workout. Those of you who read my blog regularly already know we had a choice of three workouts. A Cardio Dance Party, Yoga or a Group Run. I chose the run so I quickly changed into a tank top and met my group. The run was being sponsored by Saucony and was being lead by Dorothy Beal (@MilePosts) who is a marathoner, mom of 3, cover model and running coach. Our group wasn't very big, but it was full of some runners who know their stuff and could easily do the 3 miles we set out to do. I felt great at first and was keeping pace with some of the newer runners, like myself, but as we continued our run along the Hudson River, I suddenly felt the familiar tightening of my chest... the one that has driven me crazy since I was Derailed By The Plague back in March.

I was starting to have an asthma attack and I didn't have my inhaler with me. Awesome! I slowed down and walked, tried to run again to catch up and then realized I had to walk if I wanted to make it back to the venue. I instantly felt like I failed and tears began to stream down my face. I called my husband to vent once my breath returned and he tried to reassure me that it was okay and I didn't fail, but it's hard to accept in the moment. I felt embarrassed and I felt like my body let me down. I eventually came to terms with what happened but it still sucks.

Upon returning back to the Mercedes Club, many of the bloggers had already grabbed their swag bags and were leaving. I quickly changed my shirt and headed over to claim my bag awesomesauce before meeting a few of my new blogger friends for a drink and some snacks.

 

Photo Credit: Susan Fishback

 

My bag full of Awesomesauce! (Ignore the mess behind it)

This was hands down and amazing event and I hope I am lucky enough to be invited to attend next year. I promise to share more information about what was in this amazing bag as I use the items, but the brands include Saucony, Reebok, CamelBak, Vichy, KIND, SparklySoul Headbands, Smart Balance, Marmot, Goody, Pure Barre, Three Jane, Athleta, Julep, Bliss Labs and many, many more!

 One quick item I'd like to feature is Sugarfina.

They gave use a beautifully packaged, delicious box of dark chocolate covered Goji Berries that even my kid liked!

They are offering our readers 20% off their antioxidant collection until May 31, 2013. Just visit Sugarfina.com/antioxidant and enter the code FITNESS at checkout!

A Day In NYC for #FitBlogNYC (Part One)

This past Thursday, the day I had been waiting for, finally arrived.... FITNESS magazine's Meet & Tweet, also known as #FitBlogNYC!

I woke up bright and early to catch the bus and head into Port Authority. From there, it was a quick walk over to the venue and the meeting spot where some of us had agreed to meet. We grabbed some coffee, exchanged business cards and just chit chatted before heading over to the Mercedes Club, where the event was being held.

 

Some of the amazing bloggers I got to meet before the event. To name a few @ExSoyCise, @SusanFishback, @TreadmillRunway, @weightsover, @MsHealthyWife, @BlondesRun, @DianaAntholis and @Frolic_Life_Syl who was kind enough to be my buddy for the afternoon. I know I forgot a few people here, but my brain is still in overload, my apologies.

Upon arriving, we headed upstairs to check-in. We received our ID badge, an awesome Camelbak water bottle and there were morning snacks/refreshments for us. After grabbing a muffin and some juice, we headed outside to the rooftop patio where the speakers would be presenting.

First up, were introductions by FITNESS magazines Editor-in-Chief, Betty Wong (@FITNESSBetty). She introduced us to the lovely Heather Muir (@PYTbeauty), who is the Beauty Director at FITNESS as well as Sarah Lucero (@stilaPROartist), who is a celebrity make-up artist and Executive Director of Global Artistry for Stila Cosmetics, as well as a Stage 3 Breast Cancer survivor.

 

Top: Betty Wong telling us about the day in store. Bottom: Heather Muir (L) & Sarah Lucero (R)

During their seminar on "Insider Beauty Secrets to Get You Glowing", they discussed ways to get pulled together in a flash, even when it's 95 degrees outside. Their top tip? Less is more when it's hot out!

• Match the weight of your make-up to the weight of your clothing.
• Use waterproof/water resistant beauty items.
• Always carry blot papers with you as well as a refreshing mist.
• Use sheer foundation - Don't try to cover up every little imperfection!
• "PowerPout" is hot this season! Use a punchy orange to achieve the look.
• Use vibrancy in your lip & eye color by using neon or pastel colors.

We also learned Sarah's Top 3 Beauty Secrets:

1. Make sure you get enough rest (8-9 hours of sleep per night)
2. Use a good moisturizer or balm that is multitasking and color correcting.
3. Wear the same color tone on your check and lips.

"Believe in the Beauty of the Future"

Our second seminar featured, FITNESS magazine's Senior Editor, Lisa Haney (@FITNESS_Lisa) and Jennifer Ashton, M.D. (@DrJAshton), who  is an ABC News Senior Medical Contributor, ob-gyn, triathele and author of the book, "Your Body Beautiful: Clock Stopping Secrets to Staying Healthy, Strong and Sexy in Your 30s, 40s and Beyond" as well as "The Body Scoop for Girls" - which I plan on picking up for my daughter.

 

Lisa Haney & Dr. Jennifer Ashton, speaking about being "Healthy, Strong and Sexy in Your 20s, 30s and Beyond"

They hosted a seminar on "Healthy, Strong and Sexy in Your 20s, 30s and Beyond". Dr. Ashton gave her down-to-earth advice on a holistic approach to health and why you need to be able to talk to your doctor as if they were BFF.

Some of the topics covered and take away points included:

• Angelina Jolie's recent mastectomy.
• You need to treat the whole person, not just the symptom.
• Your body needs to move, rest and be nourished.
• Size and body weight does not matter. It's about the type of fuel you put into your body.
• Bad carbs in excess are not our friends.
• Alcohol increases your risk of Breast Cancer
• Follow a 5/2 diet. Eat healthy 5 days a week & enjoy the weekends. This will help to curb the unhealthy food cravings over time.
• 2.5 servings per day of fruits and vegetables can help reduce your risk of Breast Cancer
• Birth Control pills can reduce your risk of ovarian cancer, which is why Dr. Ashton prescribes them for her gay patients, despite not needing the birth control aspect of them.
• Grapefruit juice interacts with many medications!
• You can Google "Drug Drug Interactions" to check if you have any. Make sure you include all supplements you are taking, even OTC!

"Life Is An Olympic Event and We Have To Train For It"

Our third seminar was one I was looking forward to! It featured FITNESS magazine's Digital Director, Christie Griffin (@ChristieGriffin) - who is one of the sweetest people ever! - Dana Weiss, Possessionista (@Possessionista), Deb Perelman, Smitten Kitchen (@SmittenKitchen), Jill Hanner who is a Ford Fiesta Agent and YouTube guru (@JillHanner) and last but not least, Erin Whitehead from Fit Bottomed Girls (@FitBottomedGirl) discussing their unique success stories and how they turned their passions into profit, during "My Blog Is My Business"

 

L to R: Christie Griffin, Dana Weiss, Deb Perelman, Jill Hanner and Erin Whitehead[/caption]

Some of the biggest take away points from this seminar where:

• Don't blog for money. Blog, then make money. - Dana
• Make what you want to talk about the center, then make money. - Deb
• Have a strong message and know who you are! - Erin

Don't Waste Your Time:

• Worrying about what other bloggers are doing.
• Comparing yourself to other bloggers.
• Obsessing over numbers or followers.
• Give too much weight to negative comments you may receive.
• Ignore search engine optimization offers.
• NEVER pay to rank in a search engine.

Tools They Love:

• Skimlinks: It's Dana's "Magical affiliate fairy" and allows her to focus on content, instead of links.
• Make sure you auto-redirect if you change your RSS feed! - Deb
• Google is Erin's best friend. She uses Google Docs, Analytics and more.
• Jill is also a fan of Google but mainly uses Instagram and Twitter as her tools.

How To Pitch Yourself to Companies:

• Email links of your work with other companies when reaching out.
• Make sure you be yourself!
• If you are offered a book deal, make sure you write a proposal.
• Be passionate with your blog. It'll bring new followers and eventually bring money.

Other Tips They Offered:

• For Pictures - Use a DSLR camera with a 50mm lens. It allows for a good photo, even when less lighting is available.
• On YouTube - Lighting and Sound are key! Also just like with your blog, BE YOURSELF!
• BlogAds is a site that sells ads for you and can formulate a starting price based on readership.
• Should I blog for free? - You bring value to these companies. Make sure you know your value, however, if you would write about them anyway, don't push for more money.

"Don't Blog For Money. Blog, Then Make Money."

Our fourth seminar featured  FITNESS magazine's Deputy Editor, Mary Christ Anderson (@FITNESS_Mary) and Celebrity Trainer Brett Hoebel (@bretthoebel), Founder of Brett Hoebel Fitness, featured trainer on The Biggest Loser season 11 and creator of RevAbs.

 

Mary Christ Anderson and Brett Hoebel discussing the Extreme Fitness Trend.

The topic of discussion here was "The Extreme Fitness Trend: Should You Try It?" They discussed how going to extremes is the new thing in fitness today...but does it work? We learned how and why 20-minute workouts can get the job done better than long, all-out sessions.

First off they discussed CrossFit:

• CrossFit took fitness and turned it into a sport.
• CrossFit is competitive but has a strong community base.
• CrossFit is AMRAP (As Many Rounds As Possible) or Time Based.
• Shorter means it must be tougher!

Then they moved into the Tough Mudder trend and how many people where doing them for social media bragging rights. Brett's advice was to "Know what you're getting into when doing Tough Mudders".

Programs like P90X and Insanity were also discussed, since they are also extreme in nature. The subject of lack of time being the biggest excuse when it comes to not working out was discussed, too. Brett said that 20 minutes is the magic bullet for many busy moms and people who are short on time. It allows you do a few rounds of moves with maximum benefit, but you HAVE to get breathless while doing it!

When asked about his thoughts on TRX, Brett responded "I thinks it's amazing!"

"If Want Results In A Short Amount Of Time,You Have To Get Breathless!"

Our fifth and final seminar was all about food, and you guys know how much I love food and cooking! It was hosted by FITNESS magazine's Executive Editor, Pam O'Brien (@FITNESSPam), along with Rocco DiSpirito (@roccodispirito), who if you don't already know from Food Network, is one of FITNESS's favorite celebrity chefs, author of "Now Eat This! Italian" and star of the AOL web series "Now Eat This! Italy".

 

Pam O'Brien and Rocco DiSpirito discussing how to Eat What You Love - and Lose Weight!

In this seminar, they discussed how to "Eat What You Love - and Lose Weight", and Rocco revealed secret ingredients for speedy, healthy meals, as well as cooking tricks that slash the fat, but keep the flavor!

Some of the advice given to us during this segment were:

• Eating healthy doesn't have to be expensive. (Check out this link, from his tweet above in the photo, for 10 Healthy Foods Under $1)
• Always say no bread at restaurants.
• When eating out, split meals to go, when ordering, this way you won't be tempted to over-eat.
• Make sure you are eating 100% whole wheat or 100% whole grain foods.
• Juicing is good, but blending is better. Blending keeps all of the fiber from fruits and vegetables

Items to keep on hand in the kitchen:

• Non-fat Greek yogurt
• Non-fat cottage cheese
• Parmigiano Reggiano - Tip: Use a micro plane to grate instead of a box grater! A little goes a long way.
• Low calorie, Stock in a box
• Herbs and Spices. These are calorie free/guilt free and big on flavor.
• Vinegars
• Dijon Mustard - Only contains 7 calories per tablespoon!

Two of Rocco's favorite ways to prepare Spaghetti Squash are with garlic and oil - OR - with butter and parmigiano reggiano.

As you can see, the morning was full of amazing and informative speakers. I feel so lucky to have been invited to this event and to have listened, met and spoken with so many inspirational and wonderful people.

I will be sharing information on the wonderful and generous sponsors from #FitBlogNYC in my next post ....so keep an eye out for it!

CLICK HERE FOR PART TWO!