HIGHS & LOWS..

That's what Day 2 of the Fitness and Health Bloggers Conference was like for me.

I started on a very HIGH note with a Kangoo class courtesy of Wendy at Body Dynamics in Boulder. Never heard of Kangoo?? I hadn’t either. Then I watched this video… and I thought, “What the h%*l is that?” followed closely by, “It could be fun…” and since the Conference was offering the class for free I then thought, “Why not?”

Here I am in my Kangoo Jumps (The pic is a little blurry, because it is almost impossible to stand still on those things):

Pretty H-O-T right?

I can honestly say that it was the most fun I have ever had in an exercise class! I am seriously considering buying a pair, although I am not sure if it would have the same affect if it were just me in my living room & would probably freak out my cat...

In a group we all looked crazy together, so in turn no one looked crazy. Plus you can’t help but feed off the smiles of the other jumpers around you. I dare you to try this without smiling the whole time… and if you can do it, you better send me a video, because I don’t believe you! Check the video Anne of fANNEtastic food made here. I am in the back corner and mostly hidden, but I assure you I am there...

In addition to the joy and fun factor, there’s the health and fitness factor (oh yeah, I forgot… we were exercising too). Since the shoes are on springs, there is no impact or stress on the joints, so people with injuries or a few extra pounds to carry can get an amazing cardiovascular workout without the stress on the body. It allows for more dynamic movement than may not otherwise be possible and burns more calories- 25% more to be exact! Kangoo also helps to improve balance and coordination. I’m definitely going to get to some Kangoo in NYC! Apparently this is the guy to see.

So riding my Kangoo High I got showered and changed at Body Dynamics before the first seminar, which I was really looking forward to. Since I was staying with my family who lives nearby, I had taken the car to the conference (Kangoo was at 7am and no one seemed to keen on dropping me off at that hour & I don’t blame them). I went to drop some stuff in the trunk that I didn’t want to lug around all day before I headed out in search of coffee in breakfast. I had budgeted my time perfectly and had 30 min to find them. That’s when it happened… One simple thought changed my state from highest high to lowest low. It went something like this:

“I don’t need to take my whole bad and computer to go find coffee. I’ll just leave it in the car.” With the keys in it… Yup.

In the slam of a Honda trunk I was suddenly plunged into the depths of helplessness, AKA locking the keys in the car. So, naturally, the first thing I did was call my dad to come to my rescue… and naturally he said he'd be right there. He’s good like that. I would like to point out that I did NOT cry… which if you know me well is pretty huge. I tend to freak out over things like this that throw a wrench in my life. I calmly asked the front desk at the hotel for the number of a locksmith, called and explained my troubles. Then, I went to the Hotel Starbucks and got some Coffee and Granola (remember I had Kangoo’d earlier and still hadn’t eaten) and had breakfast with myself on the trunk of the car and waited for Isaac the locksmith.

Breakfast of people who lock themselves out of their car.

Long story only slightly shorter, he came and saved the day!

He was pretty easy on the eyes too, which didn’t hurt. He was also very understanding when I told him that it was necessary for me to document this as I was attending a bloggers conference. (wink)

Even better, I was only about 15 minutes late for the session and still got to hear Toni speak... plus I had a good story!

The “low” was very temporary, which is a good thing to keep in mind, I suppose.

*In the interest of full disclosure, I should tell you that my dad did pay for my blunder, so here is my very public THANK YOU, DADDY!

**In other news, I have decided to become a locksmith, because that is apparently where the money is.

Have you ever had a roller coaster day like this??

FITNESS & HEALTH BLOGGERS...

are AWESOME!

I had an idea of the awesomeness I may encounter at the 2011 Fitness & Health Bloggers Conference, but that idea paled in comparison to the reality...

I have never been in a room full of more open, honest, and giving people in my life. People all working towards a common goal of helping get the fitness & health word out there to the masses. People so passionate about helping others lead a healthy life that there was no room for pride (the bad kind of course) or vanity.

I admit, going into the conference I felt low on the totem pole as a fairly new blogger wanting to learn how to be better. However, when I got there, I realized there was no totem pole, only people just like me who wanted to help me on my journey and also looking for help themselves. The phrase “Everyone had to start somewhere” rang very true and I realized that no one in that room was looking down on me, but rather standing next to me, ready to hold my hand if I needed.

People who I consider “Blogilebrities” like Stephanie Quilao AKA @Skinnyjeans, Ryan Sullivan AKA @nomorebacon and Toni Carey AKA @BlackGirlsRun were following me on Twitter, responding to things I had to say, sitting next me at dinner and calling me their friend. I almost died when Leah Segedie AKA @bookieboo told me she liked my top. Of course like a nerd I said, “Thanks! I like your blog.” I said the last part kinda quiet so maybe she didn’t hear it… (she heard it).

There are a few women, however, who I would like to give a special shout out to… my tribe* if you will.

From left to right:

Kris AKA @Krazy_Kris, who is easily one of the funniest, most open, infectious and caring people I have EVER met. I can’t tell you how fortunate I feel to have weaseled my way into her circle. He he.

Suzanne AKA @WorkoutNirvana, who is not only totally hot and BUFF, but probably as down to earth and honest as it gets. On the road to becoming a Fitness Pro herself, she and I enjoyed so many conversations about fitness, blogging and life in general. I mean I’m not that surprised because she is a CO girl!

Emily AKA @EmilyinProgress who is sweetness personified. Like me she was there to learn and I found her to be incredibly open, honest and easy going... not an ounce of pretension. Plus she is a smarty pants attorney and that is awesome!

Casey AKA @HippieHealthNut, who is so sweet it’s almost unbelievable, but can get snarky when the opportunity arises, which is my kind of gal! We found each other in a sea of people as we stood trying not to look awkward & bonded over our first conference experience and Kangoo!

We are a motley crew for sure , but these women became my buddies. We sat together, ate together, played together, LAUGHED together, and brought out the best in each other if you ask me. I absolutely look forward to cultivating much deeper friendships with them beyond this weekend. You should all be reading their Blogs, following them on Twitter and liking them on Facebook. I’m just sayin…

Rest assured there will be many #FHBC11 inspired posts to come, but this one had to come first. Because what it’s really all about is connections and I feel like I hit the jackpot!

Thanks to Zephyr Adventures, Boulder CO and the 2011 Fitness & Health Bloggers conference for introducing me to this fabulous community!

*I can not take credit for coining "tribe"... That was Kris!

HERE GOES NOTHING...

My exploration in Live Blogging:

1. Jovial Foods
Bringing back ancient wheat...
Product:
einkhorn pasta
- higher nutrition value than whole wheat
- as much protein as an egg
- vegan
brown rice pasta
- gluten free

Holds sauce very nicely
Keeps well

Also make einhorn & brown rice cookies

Products are available at Whole Foods nationwide
Didn't get to taste the pasta today, but I'll definitely let you know when I do!

2. Rudis Gluten Free Bakery
Product:
Gluten Free Mutigrain Bread
Tested over 100 recipes
bread launched last June
Organic
few ingredients
nothing artificial
no preservatives
mullet seed
cornmeal
sunflower seed

Available nationally at Whole Foods and other large chain supermarkets
IN THE FROZEN SECTION since it has no preservatives

I tried the bread and it is fantastic, and for those of you who have a Gluten Intolerance it would be a great bread alternative!

3. Pop Chips
Product:
Air Popped Potato chips
Popped like popcorn
No oil
More chips per serving
Single serve bag is only 100 calories!
Based in San Fransisco
Gluten Free
School Certified

I've seen these before but never had them... Holy Yum! They will defintiely be a staple in my house. Especially since I just won a months supply out of the blue!

4. Recharge
Product:
All Natural sports beverage powdered stick
liquid drinks have been around for years
Sweetened with Truvia
only 10 calories
8 Pack for 3.99
Available in Supermarkets
lemon
grape
tropical
orange
Post or During Workout drink

I tried the orange flavor... It is good, but I am not that big on sports drinks. I don't like to dress up my water too much. If you do like sports drinks however, this would definitely be something to check out.

5. Detour
Product:
Whey Protein Bar
High Protein
Low Sugar
Supports Lean Body & muscle mass
170 Calories
Available nationwide

I tried a cookie dough flavor... I admit that in the beginning it actually did taste like cookie dough... it did have that protein bar after taste though. I don' t really think that is escapable though, so I say they did as good of job as they could to create a tasty whey protein bar.

6. Small Planet Foods
Product:
LARA Bars
2-9 ingredients
gluten free
soy free
dairy free
kosher
vegan

I love LARA BARS! If you haven't tried them you are definitely missing out! Try the Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip...

Also represent Muehr Glenn & Cascadian Farms

7. Casa Noble
Skinny Margarita
Distillery in Jalisco Mexico
Sustainable and organic
age Agaves at least 3 years longer than other companies
aged Tequila in French Oak Barrels which makes the tequila more flavourful
3 ingredients
fresh squeezed lime
Casa Noble Tequila
Agave Nectar
$48/bottle
Available nationwide

Of course I loved this! I am a sucker for a great Margarita, and this is just that! Plus we got to sample some straight tequila afterwards and it's definitely worthy of sipping.

If you want links to the companies see the previous post. Like I said this is live people...
Thanks for being good sports!

LIVE BLOGGING...

As you all know I am here in Boulder, Colorado at the Fitness & Health Bloggers Conference. I promise there will be many recap posts to come, but first... Live Blogging. What is Live Blogging you ask?

According to the conference website:

"Live Blogging is sort of a round-robin, speed-dating style event in which eight or nine companies will each have five minutes to present one food or drink product to a table of bloggers. Bloggers will taste the product, ask questions, and blog, Tweet, or Facebook about the product live on the spot. Organizers will blow a whistle and then the food and drink companies rotate to the next table."

Here are the companies that will be presenting at FHBC11:

1 One Natural Experience
2 Popchips
3 Jovial Foods
4 Recharge
5 Detour Bar
6 Rudi’s Gluten Free Bakery
7 Casa Noble Skinny Margarita
8 Small Planet Foods

I just want to give a little disclaimer saying: I HAVE NEVER DONE THIS! Normally it takes me 1-2 hours to write a post, so this should be an interesting experiment and challenge. We'll see how it goes...

F IS FOR...

-Fun-

Jay and I had an amazing memorial day weekend! We originally planned to go to the jersey shore for the weekend, buy plans changed and we ended up staying here & taking advantage of the Big Apple & it's surroundings.

-Food-

Anyone who knows me knows that I love food. And I love food centered experiences. So you can imagine how excited I was to head to Smorgasburg on Saturday!
It's an all food version of the Brooklyn Flea. I must say it was slightly over whelming, only because I wanted to try everything! After a couple laps, we finally settled on Asia Dog. Jay & I each had 2 (for the record they are small).

We both ordered the Wangding with a chicken dog: Then I had a Sidney with chicken too: And he had the Mash with beef: I liked the dogs. The Sidney was my favorite. I liked the thai flavors. For dessert we had Peoples Pops homemade popsicles. We both got Rhubarb Ginger. Yum! We almost went for the giant doughnuts from DOUGH, but we both decided that popsicles were the better choice on the 80 degree afternoon.
I'm glad we went to check out Smorgasburg, but I think going to the actual Brooklyn Flea is a better pay off. I mean the only thing ether than good food is shopping & good food together!

On Sunday evening we took advantage of our amazing backyard & grill and had some friends over. On the menu: Chicken Drumsticks Lamb Lollipops Corn on the cob Asparagus Potato salad Chips w/ roasted tomatillo salsa I only managed to snap one pic because I was too busy eating...


I assure it was all fabulous. Jay is a great grill master!

-Flowers-

Speaking of our amazing back yard... Check out these babies:



Our flowers have literally exploded with beauty this year. Maybe all that rain we've been having was good for something after all!

-Fitness-

Monday Jay & I took a motorcycle trip up to Bear Mountain where we did a 4 mile hike. It's only 50 miles away from our house! The hike we chose was labeled "challenging" & they weren't kidding... This is my OMG I can barely breathe face:

And another priceless expression... check out the nostril flare:


I love hiking because after all your hard work, you are rewarded with a view like this!


And lastly F is for...

-Freedom-

I don't just mean the freedom we enjoyed from a few days off work. I mean the freedom we enjoy every day because of the brave men & woman who fought & continue to fight for it. After all that's what memorial day is really about, right?

Hope you had a Fantastic holiday weekend too!

I ADMIT IT...

I've been a bad blogger.

One of my favorite bloggers, Teri from A Foodie Stays Fit always says, "When life happens, blogging doesn't." That pretty much sums it up. HOWEVER, I want to be better... so in an effort to beef up my blogging skills I am attending the Fitness & Health Bloggers Conference in Boulder, CO next month!



The best part is, the conference has very generously awarded me a scholarship to attend! I am so grateful to have been chosen & am super excited for this conference for many reasons:

1. It's in my home state of Colorado & I get to spend time with my family.
2. There is an amazing line up of guest speakers & seminar topics.
3. It's a great chance to meet & connect with other fitness bloggers.
4. It will hopefully reignite my passion for this blog and help it reach it's full potential.
5. Did I mention it's in COLORADO?

In an effort to feel like I actually belong at a Bloggers conference, I am going to make an effort to blog as much as I can before June 25th. In my last post (over 30 days ago, YIKES!) I talked about my Keeping it Green 30 Day Challenge. Well, you will be happy to know that I succeeded in that challenge (green drinks every morning!), and I plan to succeed in this next challenge I have set for myself: 30 days of consistent blogging. I am not going to promise a post every day, because that has never been my style.

I will promise 3 posts per week: 1 about Pilates, 1 about food, & 1 fun post.

There it is... I said it and I plan to follow through!

Happy Memorial Day Weekend everyone! See you in a few days...

KEEPIN' IT GREEN...

30 Day Challenge!

Inspired my one of my Pilates & Blogging heroes, Lisa Johnson, and her 30 Day Challenge, I have decided to do one of my own.

At first I had a hard time deciding what I was going to do... I don't really like the idea of giving something up. That mentality has never worked for me. It only makes me want said thing even more. So I thought, what's the opposite of giving up?
Adding in!
I had my answer... For the next 30 Days (and hopefully a lot longer) I will make sure to have SOMETHING GREEN with every meal. In truth, I am already pretty good at this for 1, even 2 meals a day. But every meal will be an interesting challenge...

One way I plan to keep this promise to myself is by making Green Drinks in the morning. Greens aren't the easiest things to add to breakfast, but I have found that drinking them is so easy and tasty!!

Here is the Green Drink Recipe I am loving at the moment:

Big bunch of Kale or spinach leaves- I'm not going to tell you how many to put in, because it's up to you. I will say this: Imagine it is on your plate and you are eating it with dinner. How much would you eat as an adequate serving?
Big handful of parsley- adds some snap!
1 green apple peeled, cored and chopped
Handful red grapes- Blueberries are another good option.
1 banana
Juice of 1 lemon
Water- How much depends on how thick you want the drink. I like mine to be more like Juice so I add quite a bit.
Splash of Soy milk- optional, but I like the texture it gives.

Throw it all in a blender (or use your emersion blender like me) and viola...Yummy Green goodness- which I promise tastes AMAZING!

*This recipe makes 2, so you can have one now and one later, OR share (Jay is on board and really loving the green drinks).

Eventually I want to start experimenting with other green things/veggies to add in to my drinks, so if you have any suggestions I would love to hear them!

Being as it has never been my style to share everything I eat or drink here on this blog, I am not going to be documenting my every green meal. I will however be keeping you all updated on my progress (I'm thinking once a week) and sharing yummy green recipes I come across.

Also, feel free to share in the green goodness and join me on my Keepin' it Green 30 Day challenge!