PURE GIVE

This weekend, something big is happening in Pasadena...

Need some reasons why you should head over to Pure Barre Pasadena this Saturday and participate?? Don't worry, I have PLENTY...

All the regular classes for the day will be donation based only! That means it's the PERFECT opportunity to try out this incredible workout if you haven't already, or to save your already purchased classes for another day.

There's an extra class added to the schedule for the day - that makes 6 opportunities to come join the fun!

All the money raised will be donated to 3 amazingly deserving local charities: 

South Pasadena Educational Foundation (SPEF)

Pasadena Ronald McDonald House

California Philharmonic

There will be free coffee, tea, and snacks provided... yes, that means treats... delicious delicious treats!

Everyone who comes into the studio for Pure Give will be eligible to enter the raffle! Raffle, you say?? That's right my friends...and the prizes are way better than a gold star sticker.

3 lucky winners will be chosen to receive a week of unlimited free classes at Pure Barre Pasadena!

Last, but certainly not least...

I'M THE PURE GIVE COORDINATOR!! 

That means I'll be at the studio all day long giving away free hugs, lots of enthusiasm, Pure Barre testimonials and so much more!

I hope to see each and every one of you there. 

YAH, YOU... YOU THERE... AND YOU... AND THAT GUY NEXT TO YOU! 

See you Saturday!

Do It, Review It - Stand Up Paddleboarding

I'm constantly looking for fun new ways to get outside, be active, and enjoy each and every loved one and day in my life. That, coupled with the realization that we're now knee deep in the month of August, made me hungry for an adventure.

This Saturday, my appetite for such an adventure was satisfied when my three amazing, active, and fun loving friends and I decided to get our day started early with a trip to the Newport Beach, CA to test out the water and try stand up paddleboarding (or, stand up paddling or SUPing as some prefer to abbreviate).

Tiffany, Connie, Emily & I enjoying a wonderful day on the water!

I've gone SUPing once before (last summer), when Tiffany and I bought and redeemed a LivingSocial deal for a one hour lesson at Stand Up Paddle Co in Laguna Beach, CA. The lesson was great and mostly taught us the valuable basics. Stand up paddleboarding is done in the water while you stand on what looks like a larger than usual surf board - you use a paddle like you would in a kayak, except this one just has a paddle on one end and a handle on the other. We learned how to get in and out of the ocean, along with how to start on our knees and work our way up to standing. It was a mellow day on the water, so learning to tackle the waves wasn't too challenging. Our instructor was a sun-kissed, very easy on the eyes, not from California kind of friendly surfer dude who was a nice addition to the "sorority big sis-little sis" chit chat and giggles while we paddled around. The thing I remember the most, though, was the feeling of absolute peace and quiet on the water. Even in our group of three, the water offered endless amounts of space and tranquility for "me time." I loved it!

This time, four of us (pictured above) met up in Newport Beach, CA to try out Adventures Boat Rentals and paddle around Newport Harbor. The weather was perfect - sunny with a slight breeze, and overall, the place was really great. The staff was friendly and helpful, the prices were incredibly affordable (we spent $20 per person for an hour and a half rental), it had pretty good accessibility, and getting in and out of the water on the docks wasn't as challenging as I worried it might be. Not only that, but exploring the boats' bedroom and passing by all the fellow paddlers, kayakers, boaters and beyond was very pleasant!

The four of us all transitioned swiftly from our knees to standing on our paddleboards and I felt at ease going from standing to sitting to laying down to standing again. I kept thinking I must have improved since this same level of movement last summer would've landed me straight in the water! We even spotted a group of SUP Yogis (aka: people who do Yoga on paddleboards in the water) and tried copying them... we didn't get far but it's the attempt that counts, right??

As far as the workout aspect of SUPing goes, it seemed to differ for everyone in our group. Between the four of us though, we seemed to have almost every body part accounted for in the soreness discussion that followed our session. I found the best core/abs move (for me) occurred with I made sharp turns on the paddleboard (by holding the paddle firmly in the water on one side to turn the board in that direction - I hope that wasn't a terrible description).

Summary
SUPing is super fun, can be done without breaking the bank, and provides a refreshing workout in the beautiful outdoors! With or without tons of company, it's a peaceful break from the fast paced world we're immersed in and it's well worth an hour of your time! Take a break, grab a paddle, and get moving!

CoacHELL(Y)A [recap]

Peace, Love, Coachella

After a weekend of living young, wild and free at Coachella 2012, I'm exhausted, but feeling surprisingly well! It was an invigorating and lively 3 days full of bouncing to the beats, walking the Empire Polo Fields,  laughing with friends, exploring new music and having an unforgettably wonderful time. To my delight, there were lots of health and fitness highlights throughout the weekend... and in the end, I think it's completely possible to lead a fit life while enjoying fantastically fun adventures like a music festival. 

Grubbing Guide

I experienced 2 main kinds of eating at Coachella:

(1) Off-Time Eating:

This is the eating you do when you're not at the Empire Polo Fields getting your groove on. Whether you're camping, staying in an RV, house or hotel, or otherwise, you'll likely be eating sometime before and/or after you're at the fields. I was lucky enough to go with a group of amazing women who also maintain healthy lifestyles, so bringing a variety of good snacks was surprisingly easy! Granted, I finished pretty much an entire bag of peanut butter M&M's in addition to a variety of healthy treats, but I'm only human, right? Some of the stuff we had on hand and enjoyed was:

Turkey Burgers

Apples and Bananas

Quinoa Salad (homemade by the incredible Brooke Merlo @mizmers)

Mixed Bean & Veggie Salad  (homemade by the incredible Brooke Merlo @mizmers)

Granola Bars

Trail Mix

Whole Cooked Chicken

(2) On the Scene Eating:

This is the eating that you do while at the polo fields enjoying a long day of music and madness. Luckily for you and your fit life, everything is a complete rip off, so it's easy to avoid overeating if you're watching your money at all. Same goes for alcohol... don't want to drink too much? Don't bring so much cash! I love simple solutions! In terms of the food choices themselves, I was most excited and impressed by the wrap options! One day I got a Tofu Wrap and another day I got a Tempe Wrap - yum!

In Motion

Oh man did we get a workout outside the gym this weekend! Between getting from your resting place to the polo fields, standing for endless amounts of time, and dancing until you can't dance anymore, I'd say Coachella is a pretty great way to get exercise. If I make it there again next year or any other, I'm going to wear a pedometer just for fun. After all the dust settled, I counted at least 9-10 hours a day for 3 days straight of intense walking, dancing, and general movement... beats sitting behind a desk for any number of days, that's for sure!

Hydrate & Rejuvenate

It's no secret that staying hydrated is critical. Thankfully, our group fully understood and embraced the hydration requirement and kept a cooler full of water bottles next to our cooler of alcoholic beverages. Not only that, but we also brought refillable water bottles to the fields with us and filled them up at every opportunity possible. It doesn't stop there though! In addition to hydrating, we all took our vitamins, which helped us wake up each morning feeling fresh and ready to go! 

Letting Go

Letting go and having fun was by far the best health feature of the weekend. I often get caught up is the hustle bustle of life, and forget the importance of balancing all of that out with a good time. I never want to get so extreme into eating right and working out that I forget to have fun and let loose. Yes, you should indulge in moderation and keep yourself in check to some degree, but you owe it to yourself to live and feel YOUNG, WILD & FREE!

...until next year...

Happy Coachella!

Fun Time Friday

CoacHELL(Y)A

...is coming...

Coachella is coming – in 20 days to be exact. After a lot of back and forth and not really caring to go but then realizing I did really want to go and then not getting a ticket and then maybe having a ticket and then not having a ticket again and finally confirming and getting a ticket this week, I am beyond excited. I love music, I love hanging and lounging outside, I love the group of INCREDIBLY FABULOUS women I’m going with, and I love being adventurous and trying new things… thus, CoacHELL(Y)A = perfect amazing yes please right now. As a realistic planner type though, this means a lot is going on in my head. Coachella is several days of being in extremely hot temperatures, longer than usual entertainment and excitement, travelling, and so much more. Accordingly, this fit life lover is going in eyes wide open and fully prepared for whatever comes my way!

The Hot Bod Factor

Yes, I am revving up my workout engine for the next 2 weeks in preparation to prance around looking and feeling beautiful, toned and confident. What's my plan, you're wondering? Well, you know me... I don't like to commit to specific workouts on exact days of the week but I can tell you that I'm focusing on 30-60 minutes of exercise 4-6 days per week that will include a variety of classes, cardio and weight training. 

Healthy, Hydrated & Ready to Rumble

Staying hydrated is a BIG one for me. I get dehydrated really easily so I need to keep that in mind and hydrate very well (pre-Coachella and throughout) so I'm in tip-top shape for spending several days in the hot sun while dancing my heart out! Some other big focus areas for me are making sure I'm eating right, paying attention to what I’m feeding my body and when (aka: listening to my body), taking my vitamins, and getting enough sleep - giving these items enough attention will help ensure that I'll be strong, healthy, amped and ready!

Mind Over Matter

More often than not, success comes down to mind over matter (I think). I'm thinking positive thoughts, remembering to squeeze in my meditation sessions to keep my mind clear and ready, and practicing having fun while pacing myself to have a stellar time!

Penny Pinching
Now that I'm OFFICIALLY going to Coachella, I have to pay even closer attention to penny pinching for a bit. However, I always find times when penny pinching is required to be very advantageous for my fit life because I go out eating/drinking less often, I focus more on free exercise methods (often outdoors which is wonderful), and I spend more time planning and reflecting on my fit life progress. 

...20 days and counting...

Fun Time Friday

St. Patty's (Non)Fatties

Tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day - don't worry, Love Fit Life is here to help you have fun while hanging onto your fit life goals. Plus, the great news is, St. Patrick's Day is the day of green goodness...so OBVIOUSLY all you're going to do is eat veggies, RIGHT?? HAAAAAHAAAAA... just kidding.

Here's some tips to remember:

Going out?

• If you're ordering a full meal, remember the half it trick we talked about in this week's Tasty Thursday - half everything on your plate and immediately box up one of the halves. Not going straight home and worried about carrying around leftovers? When I'm in that situation I give my half box to someone on the street in need (or someone drunk at the bar if you're in an area that hides the homeless) - they get a meal, you feel great for helping out, win win situation.
• Choose a meal or appetizers that you can share with a buddy! Suggest the healthier options to share too... I find that people are surprisingly open to it (especially after a few drinks or when not paying close attention).
• Ordering something like a sandwich, burger, hot dog, or anything else surrounded by bread? Just remove one of the bread borders and you'll be in much better shape.
• Worried about buying too many drinks and/or too much food? If possible, just bring cash - not using your credit card helps a lot because you have a limit!
• Pretend you're a leprechaun and dance around all day (not kidding).

House Party?

• Try to take some control of the food options! For instance, I'll be house partying it up tomorrow and insisted on bringing a fruit platter and veggie platter - that way, even if there's a bunch of terribly unhealthy food choices, I'll have something to fall back on!
• Commit to filling your plate a set number of times. For example, instead of just hanging around the snack table, get a plate of food and stick to it. Maybe even give yourself some wiggle room and commit to 2 plates... whatever works to stop the constant munching.
• Red cups around? Set a drink limit for yourself and grab that number of cups to stack up while you drink... throw each one away as you finish that drink and you'll know when to stop when you get to the last cup in your stack.
• Pretend you're a leprechaun and dance around all day (still not kidding).

Regardless of Your Plans...

• Play the CHUG WATER CHALLENGE! (see this week's Tricks and Tips Tuesday if you're like, ummm... what is that?)
• Be the leader of the pack and suggest something active like a walk, throwing a ball around outside or a leprechaun dance party!
• Be in control of yourself and your food and alcohol consumption. Don't want to fill up on 20 beers? DON'T or bring your own drink of choice! Don't want to eat out all day? Eat a good meal before you go! Don't want to feel like a fat slug after celebrating? Squeeze in a workout before heading out the door!
• Remember to be strong, think about your goals, have fun in moderation, and YOU CAN DO IT!

Also...check out these other great resources:

St. Patty's Day Recipes:

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/collections/st_patrick_collection_1

Slimmed-Down St. Patrick's Day:

http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=1091&sc=3046

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Fun Time Friday

REALITY CHECK - IT'S THE WEEKEND!

OK people, let's get real.... it's Friday and all you want to do is get out of school, work, etc as quickly as possible and have a good time. Is there anything wrong with that? Absolutely NOT! As you've probably learned by now, maintaining balance is a vital component of Love Fit Life - so go out, live a little, and most importantly, learn how to balance a fit life with letting loose and splurging in moderation.

 

Lights, Camera, Action

Planning to hit the town tonight and get a little saucy? If so... have fun, be safe, and remember that hangovers are not a good excuse for missing a workout or eating an entire pizza by yourself (don't worry, I've TOTALLY done that and as delicious as an entire pizza tastes, you feel like a triple H: huge heavy hippopotamus). Also remember that choosing your alcohol beverages wisely will go a long way - depending on what you drink and how much, you could be adding a lot of unnecessary calories to your day and doing a lot of damage to your fit life goals.

Since I began calorie counting and paying closer attention to my alcohol consumption, drinking has become more frustrating. Yes, I want to go out and drink sometimes; No, I don't want my night(s) out to undo all of my progress. Lucky for me, I was recently turned onto flavored Vodka by my amazing friend and die-hard Raspberry Vodka fan, Emily Adams. Since my proper introduction to flavored Vodka, I've been sticking with Raspberry Vodka (or any other flavor that the bar has for that matter) and Soda. The flavor in the Vodka accomplishes what I would normally turn to Cranberry Juice, OJ, or a soft drink for, but without the extra calories....and soda (soda water/seltzer) is a whopping 0 calories. Yup, that means 1 drink is only 100 calories (according to the Calorie King).

Happy Drinking!

Take a Detour

When I really began adopting a fit life, I realized something... friends are friends, and the people who will only hang out with me or talk to me if I'm getting wasted with them and living an unhealthy life are lame and not worth my worries. Don't have the desire to go put on a black mini skirt and drink tonight? Great! Explore other options and find fun healthy ways to entertain yourself... there's a million options to choose from.

Don't believe me? My wonderful friend Katharine Ballas (who has also been a fitspiration to me for practically ever) and I recently traded in our happy hour dates during the week with walking/running dates around the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. As it turns out, talking, catching up, and having a great time together is NOT something we can only accomplish while sitting at the bar while sipping wine and snacking on hor d'oeuvres. You rock, Katharine, and let's plan another Rose Bowl date soon!