tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56775384150279704592024-03-12T22:53:24.998-04:00Certified Fitness GeekSharing my experiences and experiments in fitness, healthy eating, and health promotion. Join me! We’ll increase our fitness intelligence one experience at a time.Larissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14731198614554949685noreply@blogger.comBlogger214125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677538415027970459.post-20751006632333135622016-10-04T22:40:00.000-04:002016-10-04T22:40:47.213-04:00If Girls Ran the World: Week 1 FundraiserI am participating in the @ifgirlsranworld #IfGirlsRanTheWorld virtual run and fundraising event! Oct 1-31 I am joining thousands of women to raise funds for charities that empower girls. Be on the lookout for specialty webinars, workouts, and other services this month as part of my fundraising!<br />
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This week's fundraiser is a $25, 30 minute, Health and Fitness Consultation. What you get: 30 minutes Q&A with a certified fitness professional, science based strategies to help you meet your goals, a discount on future services, and your entire fee will go towards supporting programs that empower girls - Girls,Inc. I will only be scheduling 10 people at this specialty price. Register now below! You will receive a confirmation email letting you know your session has been scheduled. All sessions must be completed by Oct 31st.<br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/goog_431975718"><br /></a>
<a href="https://goo.gl/forms/n48akKg7vZ6w7zd32">Register for a 30 minute Health and Fitness Consultation</a><br />
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Health and Happiness,<br />
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LAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05061987443081596771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677538415027970459.post-68298678192693172192016-10-01T02:08:00.000-04:002016-10-04T22:48:33.671-04:00October GoalsI am 6 weeks postpartum! I hit some major milestones this week:<br />
- I drove!<br />
- I climbed the stairs!<br />
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The problem with recovering from a c-section is that it is major surgery! You spend weeks trying not to pop a stitch and having zero core support. The doctors recommend you don't drive for at least 6 weeks and that you avoid using the stairs.<br />
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On exactly the 6 week mark I climbed the stairs and went into our sons nursery for the 1st time in 6 weeks! Luckily we had enough foresight to setup an in bedroom nursery before my due date: bassinet, changing table, daiper disposal, laundry basket, and all the newborn clothing. But, if I needed anything from the nursery diapers, swaddles, or toys the husband had to fetch them. I finally climb the stairs to get our skip hop tree friends tummy time mat, Zero pain! It felt great. 1 step closer to independence.<br />
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This weekend I drove to Publix. Oh the freedom to be able to drive. I have spent 6 long weeks confined to the house. Luckily I have friends and family with flexible work schedules so me and baby O got lots of visitors. But, if I need anything someone had to pick me up, deliver it, or chaufer me. It was a simple 10 minute drive to grabbed some game day food, but it felt so very liberating.<br />
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My next big milestone will be getting cleared for physical activity. For a vaginal birth you are generally cleared at 6 weeks, but for us c-section mommas it is more like the 8 week mark. I go in for my check up this week and hoping I get cleared. I have been doing my gentle pelvic floor work: kegels and transverse holds, but I am ready to get the okay to progress without fear of popping a stitch or delaying my healing process.<br />
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My October goals are simple:<br />
- properly hydrate<br />
- 150 minutes of cardio a week<br />
- 2 days of total body conditioning<br />
- daily core stability exercise<br />
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What are your goals for the month?<br />
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Health and Happiness,<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05061987443081596771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677538415027970459.post-61050791570994140022016-06-05T22:35:00.000-04:002016-06-05T22:35:16.421-04:00Third Trimester: I Finally Made the Maternity Investment<div>
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I officially entered the 3rd trimester last week! Finally looking pregnant. Which means the belly has popped and the only things that fit are yoga pants, tank tops, and sports bras. I haven't worn a real bra since the end of the 1st trimester. I decided it was finally time to make the maternity investment.<br />
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So I grabbed my Mother's Day gift cards and my mom and we headed out to buy some clothes that fit. Mission 1: Properly fitted maternity bra/nursing bra.Mission 2: Shorts, it is already hot hear in Georgia I need at least a good pair of shorts. Mission 3: Dresses, a good maxi or sundress will grow with me and keep me cool through the summer. Our destination Lenox!</div>
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<b>Mission 1: Maternity/Nursing Bra</b></div>
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It's kind of crazy to think I have gone 33 years without a properly fitted bra. During this pregnancy my chest grew before my belly did so it was time to take control of the situation. I called ahead to Macy's maternity department to see if they perform fittings, Whoohoo they do. </div>
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The selection was overwhelming and I had no idea where to start. Luckily associate Cynthia was more than happy to help. She did quick bust and rib cage measurements then she began putting together a selection of bras for me to try. More than 10 different bras in varying sizes, styles, and coverage: with inserts, without inserts, heavy support, light support, underwire, no underwire, lacy, jersey, silky. She helped me adjust the straps for the best back support and helped me select the right cup size for my growing bussom. There were so many to choose from.</div>
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After giving them all the goldilocks treatment I settled on my favorite fit and style. 2 Motherhood bras in black and beige. They have nursing snaps for when baby is here, but they provide great support and coverage until baby arrives. I also purchased an extender, just in case. </div>
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The Peas in a Pod version were a close contender. But, the Motherhood bra was the better value for me. Also, if you're looking for a bra Macy's had a "Buy 1, Get 1 50% off" deal on their maternity bras.</div>
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Stop number 2 was Old Navy and TJ Maxx at Lenox. Well TJ Maxx did not have a maternity section, but they did have a great infant section. They carried Carter's, Infantino, and other quality brand clothes and gear. Anything we don't get at showers, we could definitely find here.</div>
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<b>Mission 2: Shorts</b></div>
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Old Navy had everything on sale! I went straight to the clearance section and found a pair of shorts for $6.49. They weren't maternity shorts but they have a stretchy waist band and tie. I think they'll grow with me. </div>
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<b>Mission 3: Dresses</b></div>
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Dresses were also on sale, $15 or 40% off. Just last week I came in dress hunting. Didn't buy because I hate paying full price. The sales gods were in my favor this time. I bought several jersey dresses to stretch and grow with me through summer and fall.</div>
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So fellow fitgeek mommas how long did you wait to make your 1st maternity purchases? </div>
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What are your maternity must haves?</div>
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I'm still a fan of just buying stretchy fabrics that will grow and shrink with me. But, the bra was a must have.</div>
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I'll be sharing more of my pregnancy journey every Sunday til I pop. Check in on Friday's for babyfitgeek fitness talk.</div>
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Health and Happiness,</div>
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Larissa </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05061987443081596771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677538415027970459.post-80376964766571900992016-05-29T21:39:00.000-04:002016-06-05T22:29:21.818-04:00Mother's Day as a Mom to BeHappy Mother's Day to all the Mom's and Mom's to be.<br />
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I wake up earlier than my husband so I treated myself to a yummy breakfast of waffles, chipotle chicken, guac, and eggs. </div>
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I later found out he was planning to get us breakfast. Ooooops, I'm pregnant, I wake up hungry. I could totally do second breakfast too.</div>
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Then we headed out to CineBistro for lunch and Captain America. I actually have a pretty bad track record for dine in theatres on Mother's Day. I am now 0-2 in good experiences. I ordered a burger, well done, with bacon, caramelized onions, no tomatoes, no lettuce, with fries. What I got was a burger so pink I could see it in a dark theatre, no bacon, lettuce, and tomato. Messing up a hungry pregnant ladies meal, on Mother's Day is not a good idea! By their 3rd attempt they got it close enough to right for me to eat it. But the movie was great and the rest of the day was much better.</div>
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It has become a Mother's Day tradition to get takeout and eat in the comfort of home. Olive Garden is our go to. Their online app is great. </div>
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I was able to order 3 meals with specifications during our drive from the theater to the restaurant. Our food was sooo good. I highly recommend the takeout route for holidays. No wait and no hassle, and you get quality food</div>
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We spent the evening eating and looking through the baby book and family photos.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">top left: my baby book, top right: photo of my mom and me in her belly, bottom: our formal KFC Mother's Day dinner</td></tr>
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Check out the cute gifts my husband and sister got me.</div>
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The hubs got me a beautiful charm </div>
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He also got the cutest matching charms for our moms. 2 gold booties set with the August birthstone.<br />
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My sis got me the cutest cookbook</div>
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I might have teared up when I opened it.</div>
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How did you celebrate Mother's Day?</div>
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Does your family have any unique traditions?</div>
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Health and Happiness,</div>
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Larissa</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05061987443081596771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677538415027970459.post-42689068670038352932016-05-01T21:34:00.000-04:002016-06-05T21:37:56.215-04:00Baby FitGeek is Coming!We made it Facebook official at the beginning of April.<br />
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Baby Brown is coming!</div>
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We found out just before the new year, December 31st to be exact. My hubs birthday, I think that is a pretty awesome gift! We decided to keep the news to ourselves until we hit the 3 month mark. But, we decided to confide in my sister so that we could share our excitement with someone.</div>
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Then we invited the moms and my sis over for game night in February. We decided to reveal our news using one of our favorite games, Scrabble!</div>
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Did you notice the magic word, TOT! </div>
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The moms were so excited. They danced, laughed, and happy cried. It was pretty awesome.</div>
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Then in March we found out the sex of the baby. I like secrets so I was okay with not knowing, but the hubs really wanted to know. <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">We invited a few family members over for a "Sex Reveal Party". </span></div>
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I was super excited for my Gamete Game. All the cups represent an egg or an X and the balls represent an X or Y sperm. Combine the 2 and make a Girl XX or a boy XY. Team Boy, people who thought the baby was a boy used the Y ball and Team Girl used the X ball. We used water because pregnant women drink sooooo much water. It was really fun watching my BigMa chug water.<br />
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After the game we revealed the actual sex of the baby!</div>
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We will be adding a baby boy to our team in August!</div>
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Now I'm just trying to stay fit and healthy in preparation for the baby. I connected with OhBaby! Fitness to learn as much as I could about prenatal and postnatal fitness. I'm Still training and teaching until I pop.</div>
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Did you workout during your pregnancy?</div>
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Did you keep teaching group fitness and training? For how long?</div>
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We are excited and anxious about this new journey in our lives. I'm looking forward to a knew lil workout buddy.</div>
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Health and Happiness,</div>
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Larissa</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05061987443081596771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677538415027970459.post-36237584764152180492016-04-30T22:00:00.000-04:002016-05-09T22:59:55.703-04:00Oh Baby! Fitness: Certification Exam<i style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Disclaimer: I received access to the Oh Baby! Fitness Certification in exchange for promoting their program and classes on social media. All opinions are my own.</i><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">After hours of reading, a LIVE hand on workshop, and another 48 hour review, I finally felt ready to conquer the Oh Baby! Fitness online exam.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><u><b>Preparation</b></u></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">The OBF website estimates it will take approximately 16 hours to get through the online manual. That is actually pretty accurate. I tried studying 2 ways: PDF and online course modules. I pulled the PDFs and save them to my laptop so that I could review the content anytime and I had the option of printing it off if i wanted to or highlighting directly on the PDF. It turns out using the online modules was much easier. The content is broken down into digestible chunks and the creator do a geat job of highlighting key elements during the chapter and at the end of each section. It took me about an hour per section. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Attending the live workshop really helped me to retain the most pertinent information. I highly recommend attending the live training in preparation for the exam.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><b><u>Taking the Test</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">You have 2 hours to complete a 50 question, multiple choice exam. You must pass with at least an 80% to be eligible to receive your certification. You do have the ability to navigate to other questions through out the exam and you can go back and change your answers if you need to. I recommend writing down the number of the question your unsure about on scratch paper, that will make it easier to go back and update your answers at the end of the exam. It took me 60 minutes to get through all 50 questions. I spent an additional 35 minutes going back through each answer and making sure I didn't make any marking/selection errors.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><b><u>Post Test Results</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">I passed! 94% </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"> <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rGCiJs9NQZs/VzE-384nb5I/AAAAAAAAB-Y/WRCN62sy0RI/s640/blogger-image-386640694.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rGCiJs9NQZs/VzE-384nb5I/AAAAAAAAB-Y/WRCN62sy0RI/s400/blogger-image-386640694.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">You will get a results analysis where you can review any content you missed. 2 of the 3 I missed were my interpretation vs the way it was actually presented in the text. But, I'll take my 94 ;-)</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">After you complete the test save your results and forward it to the OBF training email. I am awaiting my certificate suitable for framing :-)</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">I am actually teaching my 1st Prenatal class next week as part of an 8 week series with a corporate client. I look forward to following up with OBF and hopefully teaching some classes at their locations here in Atlanta.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">I highly recommend attending the OBF training if you are interested in Pre/Postnatal fitness. They use the most up to date <a href="http://www.acog.org/">ACOG</a> (American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology) guidelines to create a curriculum that is in depth, safe, and client centered. I have a background in exercise science and multiple certifications, but I believe when you are working with special populations it is always worth while to get specified training for that population. Combining what I already know from my degree program and ACSM with what I have learned through OBF gives me the confidence that I can lead safe and effective prenatal and postnatal classes.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">If you are interested in learning more about the OBF certification comment below or use the following <a href="http://larissa4fitness.blogspot.com/2016/02/new-cert-alert-oh-baby-fitness.html">link</a>.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Or if you want to try one of their classes use the following <a href="https://www.ohbabyfitness.com/pregnancy-classes">link</a>.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Health and Happiness,</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05061987443081596771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677538415027970459.post-64542965844595642702016-04-16T22:00:00.000-04:002016-05-09T22:58:59.846-04:00Oh Baby! Fitness LIVE: Atlanta<div>
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<i>Disclaimer: I received access to the Oh Baby! Fitness Certification in exchange for promoting their program and classes on social media. All opinions are my own.</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Oh Baby! Fitness is a certification to help people interested in prenatal and postnatal fitness develop their expertise. You can complete the class the completely online, at your own pace. Then you have the opportunity to attend a LIVE workshop, meet the founders, and apply what you have learned. You can learn more about the Oh Baby! Fitness program in my <a href="http://larissa4fitness.blogspot.com/2016/02/new-cert-alert-oh-baby-fitness.html">previous post.</a> I was so excited for the opportunity to meet the Oh Baby! Fitness founders and have the opportunity to apply everything I learned online. </span><br />
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<b><u>Building Community</u></b><br />
One of the core values of OhBaby! Fitness is creating an environment where women can feel comfortable and build a community. We kicked off our day with intros, among us were a labor and delivery nurse from New Orleans, 2 new moms - sisters from Tennessee and Virginia, an Oh Baby! Fitness pilates instructor, an OBF Yoga instructor, a mom to be/fitness enthusiast, me, and founders Kathleen and Clare. If you have not read their stories you should, <a href="https://www.ohbabyfitness.com/our-story">OBF founders</a>. They both have amazing stories and are so passionate about creating a supportive community for moms.<br />
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<b><u>Prenatal and Postnatal Key Points</u></b><br />
We covered all the benefits of exercise during pregnancy, psychological changes, physiological changes, possible ailments, recommended modifications, and goals for each trimester. Here are a few highlights from the workshop.<br />
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<b>Benefits of Exercise During and After Pregnancy</b><br />
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<li>relieves common pregnancy complaints</li>
<li>quicker recovery from labor</li>
<li>less postpartum depression</li>
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<b>Physiological Changes</b><br />
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<li>increased hormones</li>
<li>changes in weight</li>
<li>postural changes</li>
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<b>Psychological Changes</b><br />
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<li>adjusting to pregnancy</li>
<li>fatigue</li>
<li>changes in mood</li>
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We had the opportunity to ask questions and get clarification on any of the subject matter that was new to us. The founders did a great job elaborating on some complicated physiological changes and using examples that we could easily relay to our clients. All of the information was very specific no fluff, they taught us exactly what we would need to know to feel comfortable assessing clients, educating clients, and providing modifications.<br />
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<b><u>Practical Application</u></b><br />
Let me just say I love hands on learning. It can be intimidating to be put on the spot in front of a room of people you just met, but that is the reality of teaching classes too. Kathleen would present symptoms of 1 of the conditions we had discussed and we had to assess the possible condition, educate the client about what was going on physiologically, and provide appropriate modifications. As she went around the room to each participant I would listen to here present a symptom and practice how I would asses, educate, and modify. When it was finally my turn to go I was surprised by how nervous I was, but we did such a thorough job reviewing the material I was able to recall most of the information immediately. Each person was able to practice at least 3 times during the practical, we covered more than 15 possible conditions. Everyone was very supportive and if we missed anything in our assess, educate, modify demonstration Clare, Kathy, and fellow classmates provided additional prompts. It was a very supportive environment. It was great practice for what we would be expected to do during an actual class.<br />
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We also practiced self assessing and partner assessed diastasis recti. Diastasis Recti is abdominal separation occurring along the rectus abdominus. It is fairly common in pregnancy and occurs as the baby grows and your abdominal muscles reach the limit of their elasticity. Detecting this separation can help you determine appropriate modification for abdominal exercise.<br />
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Kathleen also demonstrated a few Mom and Me exercises that we could incorporate in a postnatal fitness class.<br />
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<u><b>What's Next</b></u><br />
There are many ways to incorporate your new found knowledge. Apply what you have learned and incorporate it in your own fitness routine. Combine your new knowledge with your group fitness or personal training certifications. Become a licensed Oh Baby! Fitness Instructor. Here is more information on the licensing process if that is something you're interested in pursuing, <a href="https://www.ohbabyfitness.com/start-your-own-biz">Oh Baby!Fitness License</a> . For me, I'm incorporating my new found prenatal expertise into my personal training, group fitness, and health coaching. Oh and for making sure me and baby have a happy healthy pregnancy.<br />
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Are you a prenatal/postnatal fitness specialist?<br />
I would love to hear about your experiences in the field.<br />
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I look forward to the new doors this experience will open for me.<br />
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Health and Happiness,<br />
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Larissa</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05061987443081596771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677538415027970459.post-51544123609664865122016-02-06T20:11:00.000-05:002016-03-21T20:17:04.483-04:00New Cert Alert!: Oh Baby! Fitness<div>
<i>Disclaimer: I received access to the Oh Baby! Fitness Certification in exchange for promoting their program and classes on social media. All opinions are my own.</i><br />
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Excited to announce I have chosen my first Certification of the new year, Oh Baby! Fitness. The majority of my clients are women. Some of my clients took a break from training when they got pregnant, most were unsure what was safe pre/post natal. Now many of our friends are having kids, and as the resident fitness geek they come to me for tips. I knew a little and I knew where to find the info when and if I needed too, but I never felt fully confident in my ability. So now I have decided to expand my knowledge on the topic, and Oh Baby!Fitness was the perfect opportunity.<br />
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<b>Why I Chose Oh Baby!Fitness(OBF):</b><br />
They are local and they offer a hands on training. Those were 2 huge selling points for me. Their curriculum is all online so I can go at my own pace and can access the info whenever I need it. They are also local with locations in Georgia and Texas. So I can drop in on a class and see the format in person if I need to. They host periodic live trainings so I can also get my hands on experience as well, That is really important to me. I retain more information and learn faster when all of my senses are engaged.<br />
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<b>Classes Offered:</b><br />
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OBF offers classes during pregnancy and post pregnancy as mommy and me classes:<br />
- Pilates<br />
- Prenatal Combo Classes<br />
- Toning<br />
- Water Aerobics<br />
- Yoga<br />
- Pushing<br />
So there are so many opportunities to teach at all levels. What a great opportunities for fit mamas to find community and support.<br />
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<b>The Process:</b></div>
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I have received my access code and I have started navigating my online modules. On site they estimate the entire course could take around 16 hours. My goal is to test for my exam at the end of March, before the live training in April.<br />
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Wish me luck!<br />
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Are any of you teaching pre/post natal specialty classes?<br />
Tell me about it in the comment section below.<br />
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Health and Happiness,<br />
<br />
Larissa</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05061987443081596771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677538415027970459.post-73597326958098581142016-02-01T10:00:00.000-05:002016-02-01T22:03:51.246-05:00My Atlanta SoulCycle Target Experience<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
SoulCycle and Target teamed up to offer FREE classes around the US!</div>
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An opportunity to try 1 of the biggest fitness trends for FREE? You know I was in!</div>
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About a week before the class a registration link is activated for your city. You set up an account and choose a date and time. I was on right at 3PM! I chose 3 times just to be sure I would get in. Then I impatiently waited to find out if I got in.</div>
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Then on Monday I got my reservation. I was in!</div>
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<u>The SoulCycle Experience!</u></div>
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Arrive early is the advice I got from friends who had already attended. So I got there 30 minutes early, perfect timing. I was able to choose a bike in the front row, bike 8! I strapped on my shoes, sipped on some water, and waited for the show to begin.</div>
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Then the curtain opened. One by one they led us in to dimly lit room. It was all about the ambiance. I don't usually clip in when I ride so I had one of the SoulCycle assistants set me up on a bike. Shortly after our instructor Selena Watkins came in and introduced herself to those of us who were already set up. Then a few minutes later the ride began!</div>
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The instructor was motivating and so was the music! Loved. loved, loved the music. The beat was easy to follow and the cues were clear. The workout included sprints, hills, rhythm work, and some upper body conditioning. I loved that I could feel the changes in the music and the transitions to next phase of the workout.<br />
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At 1 point during the workout we used 3 pound weights for some upper body movements while still cycling. We weren't maintaining a fast enough speed to really get a cardio benefit, so I'm not sure why we stayed on the bike for this part. A 3 pound weight is not enough stimulus to get the sort of results I would want from weight training, anything heavier would be unsafe while trying to maintain balance on a bike. I'll just get in my weight training on my own.<br />
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The finale for the ride was great. We moved into a hill that included really powerful lyrics, followed by a down hill sprint, and finished with 1 more rhythm ride. The perfect end to our workout.<br />
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SoulCycle and Target did a great job creating a fitness "experience". They even had goodie bags waiting for us on our way out. A cute SoulCycle tote, KIND bar, and Suja Juice. I was so glad to have that KIND bar, I managed to leave my protein bar on the counter at home, so I was in desperate need of post workout fuel.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyDgvvF1kD6amAdih64GGKoESdE1wj9-hDqUeJOZQgjgJxpJbptY9wQJ6UuRqKekvAvUPMxtgWtU2WxT8nlJA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Overall, I enjoyed my first SoulCycle experience. I am not a cycling junkie I am more of a weight training girl these days. So I like my weights heavy and my cardio has to be fun. If you prefer a pure road ride this is probably not the class for you. Appropriate for beginners, not sure, during this sample class there weren't any options or modifications offered. But, if you are healthy/injury free and enjoy dancing along to the music while cycling, you might give SoulCycle a try. I would try it again, I was completely unfamiliar with the SoulCycle brand prior to this and I would be interested in trying some of their other instructors styles.</div>
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Have you tried SoulCycle? What was your experience like? Comment below</div>
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Til <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Next time,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Health and Happiness,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">L</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05061987443081596771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677538415027970459.post-19012491950754348902015-12-31T20:00:00.000-05:002016-01-01T11:28:05.847-05:00Accountability Calendar for January 2016Helping my 2015 clients get ready for 2016. Created a monthly calendar for 1 of my clients, now she can check off her goals daily. She loved it and I loved it so I made 1 for myself. Do you need a January calendar to help you hold yourself accountable?<br />
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<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8MMliPKFA3KcHpkZ0ZQNFNRVmM/view?usp=sharing"><img border="0" height="255" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-eLpwyxUWdqo/VoaoODxLqiI/AAAAAAAAB44/vLf_8_Fj1xs/s320/blogger-image--1449522914.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The calendar includes check boxes for cardio, flexibility, water, and resistance training. Don't forget to pick at least 1 day for rest and recovery.<br />
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In the borders you can find a spot to write in your total cardio, your resistance goals, and any other notes.<br />
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Get you FREE printable January calendar <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8MMliPKFA3KcHpkZ0ZQNFNRVmM/view?usp=sharing">HERE</a><br />
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Health and Happiness,<br />
<br />
LarissaAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05061987443081596771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677538415027970459.post-85336693212766786352015-12-13T18:03:00.001-05:002015-12-13T21:01:37.275-05:00Resolution Solutions 2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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Join me this Monday and get ready for a fit and healthy New Year! </div>
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<a href="http://goo.gl/forms/ikYrHoHZWP"><img border="0" height="396" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KZDMLpTqMxk/Vm35QfLmdGI/AAAAAAAAB3Y/Fy1_2oQk7zI/s400/blogger-image-1340328502.jpg" width="400" /></a><span id="goog_1488110419"></span><span id="goog_1488110420"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a></div>
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I am hosting a FREE 5 day web series to help you set your 2016 health and fitness goals. This FREE series includes 5 different topics and science based strategies to help you shape a resolution that is strategic, attainable, and personalized to you! </div>
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<ol>
<li>Setting SMARTer Goals in 2016</li>
<li>How to figure out your nutrition needs and macros</li>
<li>Selecting the best cardio program to meet your goals</li>
<li>Selecting the best weight training program to meet your goals</li>
<li>How to maintain your progress throughout the year</li>
</ol>
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Register now and receive messages via our private Facebook group or choose to get tips sent directly to your inbox.</div>
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Register Here: </div>
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<a href="http://goo.gl/forms/ikYrHoHZWP">I Want to Get Fit and Healthy in 2016!</a></div>
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I look forward to helping you make 2016 your healthiest year!</div>
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Health and Happiness</div>
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L</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05061987443081596771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677538415027970459.post-35650843853240820482015-12-12T09:34:00.000-05:002015-12-15T09:35:21.397-05:00Thousands of Lights and Thousands of Steps at Garden Lights<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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Last year we were rained out on the last night of Garden Lights at The Atlanta Botanical Gardens. This year it was a beautiful night to explore the lights! <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I was excited about the lights but I have to admit I was even more excited to see how many steps I could complete.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b><u>Parking</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We paid waaaay too much for parking. If you time it correctly you can get $10 parking onsite. Parking clears out in waves, when we drove by it was full, by the time we walked back the lot was open again. You can try and find street parking but this event draws a pretty big crowd, street parking is scarce. But, I'm not too mad, the walk from the lot started our night out with +2K bonus steps.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b><u>Walking the Garden </u></b></span></div>
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The light displays were gorgeous, my 2 favorites were the "Ice Goddess" and the "Orchestral Orbs". The "Orchestral Orbs" were synchronized to all of my favorite holiday songs. I could have sat and watched the Orbs all night long.</div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The garden seems huge. Every turn we take I want to double back and make sure I haven't missed anything. There are trains, a smore's station, music, and moving lights. So much to take in.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Ice Goddess, Festive Drinks, and Group Photo</td></tr>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Mom and Anthony sipped on hot chocolate, I went a lil more festive with the "Rudolph": champagne with a splash of cranberry and fresh cranberry garnish. That kept me warm the rest of the night. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">+2K steps to Garden, +3K steps through Garden, +2K steps to the car</td></tr>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b><u>Fitgeek Features</u></b></span></div>
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<li>Beautiful lights</li>
<li><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">90 minutes of leisure activity</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Fun with family</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">More than 7K total steps</span></li>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">We saw thousands of beautiful lights and we logged thousands of steps in the process. A great way to combine family time, the holidays, and some physical activity. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">What is your favorite way to mix fitness and the holidays?</span></div>
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Health and Happiness,</div>
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L</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05061987443081596771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677538415027970459.post-43578521286174135612015-11-02T18:30:00.000-05:002015-11-07T10:48:17.874-05:00Halloween with the Browns 2015Halloween is my favorite holiday! Scary movies, treats, and time with the fam!<br />
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The night before Halloween I gathered the candy and lined up my favorite DVDs for viewing throughout the day.</div>
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What is your favorite movie to watch around Halloween? I always watch "It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown" and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow". This year I added "Hocus Pocus" to the line up!</div>
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My moms neighborhood doesn't get trick or treaters and my lil sis was hitting a party in the evening, so I started a new tradition! Halloween Brunch!</div>
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I made my 1st attempt at a frittata and it was sooooo good. </div>
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I made a turkey sausage and mixed greens frittata. I substituted egg whites for 2 of the whole eggs and I used whole fat Greek yogurt instead of milk. This reduced a bit of the fat and added a lil more protein. And it's brunch so we sipped on spiked apple cider while we ate.</div>
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After our meal, pumpkin carving and "Hocus Pocus". </div>
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Mom went home, Then we watched the <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">painful UGA vs FL game.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Then it was time for a costume change.</span></div>
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Alicia handed out candy while I prepped dinner. Every year we bet on the most popular costume. I chose "the minions", Alicia chose "witch", and Anthony chose "Elsa"(my pick last year). Alicia won! There were 6 witches before she left. She gets bragging rights until next year.</div>
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A new recipe for the night, <a href="http://larissa4fitness.blogspot.com/2015/11/cooking-with-pumpkin-pumpkin-sausage.html">pumpkin, sausage, and sage sauce</a> over pasta.</div>
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<a href="http://larissa4fitness.blogspot.com/2015/11/cooking-with-pumpkin-pumpkin-sausage.html"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8gw-LrfydfU/Vj1tt19yXQI/AAAAAAAAB2A/-1CLZZitdjo/s320/blogger-image-92968738.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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After dinner and handing out the last bit of candy we had part 2 of our night. Treats and eats with the neighbors. Then an uber trip to our friends place for scary movies and treats.</div>
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A fun night was had by all!</div>
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I hope you had a Happy Halloween!</div>
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Health and Happiness,</div>
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L</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05061987443081596771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677538415027970459.post-72195277787179164502015-11-01T21:32:00.002-05:002015-11-01T21:32:49.302-05:00Cooking with Pumpkin: Pumpkin, Sausage, and Sage Sauce<div>
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Wrapping up harvest season with this easy sauce recipe. I only had to make a special grocery run for the sage. Everything else was in the fridge or pantry. I like to make a themed recipe for Halloween. This year I decided to try pasta with pumpkin sauce. </div>
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<br /></div>
Ingredients:<br />
<div>
- puréed pumpkin</div>
<div>
- 2 Tbsp olive oil</div>
<div>
- 1/2 c red onions</div>
<div>
- 1/2 c full fat Greek yogurt </div>
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- 1 large clove of garlic, minced</div>
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- 1/4 tsp salt</div>
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- 1 sprig sage (4-7 leaves)</div>
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- 1 c water</div>
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- additional salt and pepper to taste</div>
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- 3 links fully cooked ground turkey sausages</div>
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<br /></div>
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Instructions:</div>
<div>
Heat oil in pan. Add garlic and onions sauté until tender. Add 1 can pumpkin purée. Stir in 1/2c full fat Greek yogurt. Slowly add in water as needed to achieve desired sauce consistency. Add sage and salt. Heat til warmed, about 5 minutes. Add cooked sausage. </div>
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<div>
Mmm, this dish was loaded with flavor and fairly easy to prep. I used whole wheat pasta, but I would love to try it with spaghetti squash. A simple savory sauce with high protein turkey sausage and a fiber boost with whole grain pasta.</div>
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I also tried to use all of my pumpkin this year:</div>
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Carved a Jack O Lantern</div>
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Roasted and puréed the shavings</div>
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Toasted and seasoned the seeds</div>
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What is your favorite way to use pumpkin?</div>
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I am thinking I'll thin out the sauce and serve it as a hearty soup for Thanksgiving.</div>
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Health and Happiness,</div>
<div>
L</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05061987443081596771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677538415027970459.post-29632206017637264572015-10-30T18:32:00.001-04:002015-10-30T18:32:47.919-04:00Guest Post: The Beauty of Online Workout Videos<div class="MsoNormal">
If you have never tried online workout videos, you are
missing out on one of the best ways to exercise and make a habit that sticks.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve been using workout videos regularly since rediscovering
them in 2010 (I loved my mom’s Jane Fonda tapes when I was a kid). Videos have
played a pivotal part in transforming me from a sometimes exerciser into a
daily exerciser. Exercise has become my coach, my therapist, my meditation, my
friend, and my muse. I dedicate 2 days a week, religiously, to using online
workout videos.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Here are the top 6 benefits of using online videos!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-wNWHiC2jYw0/VjPvAfoHclI/AAAAAAAAB0M/LAz5Jf0iz0M/s640/blogger-image--883631834.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-wNWHiC2jYw0/VjPvAfoHclI/AAAAAAAAB0M/LAz5Jf0iz0M/s400/blogger-image--883631834.jpg" width="397" /></a></div>
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<h2>
1. Online Videos are Incredibly Convenient<o:p></o:p></h2>
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When it comes to finding time to work out, truly nothing is
more convenient than working out from home with a video. But even if you travel
frequently, online workout videos are incredibly accessible. With videos,
traffic is never an issue. Neither is parking. Or weather. Or a crazy schedule
– after all, the web gives you 24/7 access to online workouts - you can do them
whenever you want. You only need a small space. And your shower is RIGHT there
when you finish!<o:p></o:p></div>
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So if you have the will, there is a way. Once you stop
letting external obstacles get in way of your workouts -- because let’s face
it, meetings, sick kids, and better offers will always find a way to derail
even the best laid workout plans -- you’ve laid the groundwork for developing a
really strong, consistent, and rewarding exercise habit.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<h2>
2. It's Not All or Nothing - That Day’s Commitment is Up to You<o:p></o:p></h2>
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With online workouts, you are not committed to a particular
time or effort on any given day. Sometimes it’s great to work out for an hour
and pour sweat, but some days not so much. When you depend on getting to a
class, it's all or nothing. You may have to psych yourself up to get there, and
if you don't make it, you end up with nothing in the way of activity that day.
Nothing but guilt and beating yourself up.<o:p></o:p></div>
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With online videos, you have the ultimate flexibility in
choosing what to do based on your energy level and your time frame. If you put
on a 20-minute video because you don’t have the drive that day to move for an
hour, that’s still a success. You’re going to feel so much better after 20
minutes, no matter what. And you may just feel good enough to watch another
video, because endorphins are funny like that, once you get going. But it’s
your call: no judgment, no slinking out of a class.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And you can have it both ways. When you feel like going to a
class and seeing your awesome instructor in the flesh, do it! And when you
don’t, a workout video is so easy to substitute. It’s still a win for the day.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<h2>
3. Online Workouts Offer Tons of Variety when You Want to Mix It Up<o:p></o:p></h2>
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<br /></div>
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<b>The wonderful thing
about the Internet is the sheer breadth of variety at your fingertips.</b>
Chris Anderson, former WIRED editor, calls this “the long tail.” Brick and
mortar places like a physical gym offer a fixed inventory of classes because
they have only finite resources like the amount of studio space, and the people
available to teach or attend a workout at a given time. The web has no such
constraints - it allows for the creation of vast digital archives with very
little extra overhead. Digital assets take very little space, and can be
accessed whenever, even globally. Fitness video platforms offer on-demand
access to a huge variety of pre-recorded workouts, whether from DVDs or
live-taped classes, across space and time. Access to the long tail gives the
consumer so much more choice.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>The Internet gives
you access to an incredible diversity of instructors. </b> The best instructors may live far away from
you physically and you would never cross paths in real life, but online,
they’re right there in the room with you. You get unprecedented access to
literally some of the finest, most sought after instructors in the world.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Two of my favorite
growing trends are dance workouts and fusion programs.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b>Dance
workouts have been growing like crazy in popularity.</b> Have you tried one
yet? Dance tends to feel more like fun than exercise, so it really lends itself
perfectly to a home workout format for many people. Zumba may be the one you’ve
seen in your gym, but there are many more dance workouts available online,
everything from Bollywood workouts, to ballet-inspired videos, jazz, hip hop,
you name it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b>Fusion
workouts are a really fun area to explore online.</b> Fusion (or Hybrid)
workouts pull together influences from multiple styles of fitness to create a
unique blend. Fusion styles are incredibly engaging, mixing the best elements
together from different genres, and they offer a great way to get your first
exposure to other workout styles. Examples of fusion workouts include yoga
&amp; weights, barre & kickboxing, dance mixed with high intensity
intervals, pilates combined with yoga, cardio circuits with mixed martial arts,
just to name a few. The sky is truly the limit with these combinations. They
are fresh and interesting.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<h2>
4. Online Workouts offer Familiar Comfort Too<o:p></o:p></h2>
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Variety is great for those times when you want to do
something new, but if you’re like me, most of the time you want to do something
familiar: take a class with one of your favorite instructors, revisit your
favorite workouts. There’s comfort in a known entity, when you know just where the
tough parts of the workout are, just where the fun parts are, just how much
you’ve progressed since the first time you did it. For workouts with
choreography, like dance videos, once you’ve gotten through the learning curve
to get to know the routines, revisiting them is just pure fun. You can work on
adding flair and technique once the basic muscle memory is in place.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I personally try not to do any single workout video more
than twice a month, except if I’m learning choreography. That way I avoid
plateaus, I never get sick of a video, and I get to revisit a lot of my
favorites. If you’ve ever heard the term “muscle confusion” -- the idea of
continually shifting the muscle groups you target to keep your body constantly
adapting and to give you a wide range of functional fitness -- I like to say my
muscles have been confused since 2010. That requires both variety and
familiarity.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<h2>
5. Online Workouts are Incredibly Cost Effective Compared to Gyms, Studios,
and Trainers<o:p></o:p></h2>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Online workouts are truly the most cost effective workouts
out there, short of exercising outside for free (running outside, walking,
etc). Considering the quality and variety of the workouts you can get online,
this is just practical, economic value.<o:p></o:p></div>
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There are several different membership models available for
you to choose from online.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b>Netflix-style
memberships:</b> Unlimited streaming for a low monthly subscription fee (typically
under $10/month, with the most expensive still under $20). Membership subsidizes
the cost of creating and licensing videos, so most sites in this category are
completely ad-free. Examples of this include <a href="http://www.gaiamtv.com/">Gaiam</a>,
<a href="https://www.gigabody.com/">Gigabody</a>, and <a href="http://www.fitfusion.com/">FitFusion</a>.<b> </b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b>Freemium
services:</b> In this model, you get
access to some content for free - likely with ads, plus there are additional
upsell features like premium content you can choose to pay for on a monthly
basis. <a href="https://grokker.com/">Grokker</a> is an example. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b>Pay per
video - rent or buy: </b>Some sites let
you pay per video, either to rent for short term access or to buy your own
digital download copy. This is a great option if you really want to own your
favorite DVD in digital form, or you want to try before you buy. Many
individual instructors offer digital downloads on their personal websites. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b>Free with
ads:</b> In the completely free category, Youtube is king. You can get free
access to all sorts of content, though it can take some digging to find the
good stuff and you’ll have to watch ads as well as see them overlaid on videos.
You may have heard the phrase, if you’re not paying for it, you’re the product
being sold. There’s always a tradeoff when it comes to free access, but sometimes
that price is right. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Across the board, online workouts provide excellent value when
compared to <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->studio classes
- which can run $10-$75 per class<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->gyms -
averaging $58/mo per <a href="http://www.statisticbrain.com/gym-membership-statistics/">StatisticBrain</a>,
not counting setup fees<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->one-on-one personal trainers - averaging $50/mo, but <a href="http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/finding-personal-fitness-trainer?page=2">varying
widely</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Given the low price of online workouts, you may be able to
afford both online workouts and workouts with a studio or trainer. Assuming you
make use of a service you pay for, an investment in your health is always a
sound investment.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<h2>
6. Online Workouts Give you Ultimate Privacy<o:p></o:p></h2>
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Last but not least, privacy is an under-rated benefit of
working out online.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->You can wear whatever you want. Or not. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->You can dance like no one’s watching because
they’re not. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->You don’t have to brush your hair, or your
teeth. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Whatever jiggles, whatever wiggles, it doesn’t
matter. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Your space is yours. There’s no guy in stinky gym clothes on
the next bike. You don’t have to worry about bending over and feeling exposed
in your yoga class, or wearing clothes that make you feel uncomfortable.
There’s no body shaming or embarrassment in the privacy of your own space. <o:p></o:p></div>
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So what are you waiting for?
Let’s workout online!</div>
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Valerie Lanard</div>
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Guest Blogger: <span style="background: white; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;">Valerie Lanard is the Founder of online workout
service </span><a href="https://www.gigabody.com/"><span style="background: white; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; text-decoration: none;">Gigabody.com</span></a><span style="background: white; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;">. She is an avid skort collector, a lover of wearables,
working out, running self experiments, and building things with computers.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05061987443081596771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677538415027970459.post-41913688029219998162015-10-26T21:41:00.000-04:002015-10-29T21:57:00.551-04:00This is Health Education: GASOPHE Reminded Me Why I love Health Education2 days of networking and collaborating with passionate health educators. That is what I was able to expereience at the GASOPHE conference.<br />
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<u><b>Day 1: Health Communication & Social Marketing Workshop</b></u><br />
I was really excited to learn that I was already performing many of the strategies used in Health Communcation & Social Marketing. In Social Marketing we apply marketing concepts to promote social ideas and actions. Dr. Jorgensen gave a great overview social marketing principles, planning, and social media. We reviewed the 4 Ps of marketing: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. In public health our products are: ideas, health products, services, and behaviors or practices. we have to show value in our product, minimize effort involved to access/use product, and we have to create engaging products.<br />
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Here are some of the insights I was able to share with the class and my "Blogging"group.</div>
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<b><i>How Bloggers can help spread your health message</i></b>:<br />
- they have direct access to your community<br />
- most bloggers have a specific audience/niche (narrow-casting): food, fitness, mothers, etc ; we can help you expand your reach in our specific niche.<br />
- invite a blogger to be a VIP and allow them access to your event for some free marketing and publicity<br />
- help hosting a giveaway<br />
- my highest interactions come from sharing blog posts with my facebook community, promote across all of your channels<br />
- help managing social media accounts; most of us are pretty tech savvy and are managing multiple social media accounts already<br />
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Have you ever partnered with a blogger to promote you event or help spread your health message? Bloggers have you ever partnered with a health agency?<br />
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Blogging is health promotion. I am excited to use what I learned to package my message in a way that aligns with National Physical Activity, Obesity Prevention, and Diabetes Prevention programming. Collaboration is key for chronic disease prevention!<br />
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<u><b>Day 2: Fall Summit</b></u><br />
I started Day 2 just after lunch. I had a few classes I had to teach prior to getting my geek on. I got there just in time for lunch.<br />
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During lunch I did some light networking and started mapping out my classes for the day. My goal was to choose classes that covered topics I had less experience in. I got more than I expected, my options were a bit overwhelming, but I gained so many great resources!</div>
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<i><b>Developing Strategies for Evaluating the Impact of Policies on Community Health</b></i><br />
Evaluation is so important in determining effectiveness and documenting your process. In my physical activity programs there is always pre and post testing, how else would clients know they have made progress. Why wouldn't the same strategy be applied to programming.<br />
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We used a case study to practice our evaluation skills. We reviewed the inputs, outputs, and outcomes in a logic model to help us evaluate our case. We discussed free resources for evaluation, specifically the <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/eval/framework/">CDC Framework</a>. What tools do you use for evaluation? I was glad to speak with some professionals who specialize in evaluation, at least I have some contacts if I am ever looking for a good framework.<br />
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<i><b>Using the Community Readiness Model to Activate Communities</b></i><br />
This workshop provided plenty of hands on experience and resources. We walked through the process of identifying the issue, defining your community, and choosing key respondents.Then we reviewed sample CRA interview questions. Then we practiced scoring the various dimensions of awareness: community knowledge of efforts, leadership, community climate, knowledge of issue, and resources related to the issue. I have never used the community readiness model but now at least i have a deeper knowledge of the protocol and its application. I love learning!<br />
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<i><b>Chronic Disease Prevention: Policy, Systems, and Environmental Change</b></i><br />
This session was a really great example of how collaborations and health policy create change. Ms. Warren discussed current collaborations with American Heart Association, American Planning Association, Women Infant and Children services, Society for Public Health Educators, and Directors of Health Promotion and Education; <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dch/pdfs/making_life_easier_no_final.pdf">Partnering4Health</a>. Their goal is to collaborate to educate, support the community, and promote initiatives. Ms. Gibson discussed success with Tobacco Policy in creating smoke free spaces through Savannah. I always thought if I were to go back to school it might be in the area of Health Policy. Policy/laws impact all of our work. It was great to hear collaboration and policy success stories.<br />
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Key Takeaways</b></u><br />
- Blogging is Health Promotion!<br />
- There are so many FREE resources for programming and evaluation that I could be using<br />
- Collaboration is key for chronic disease prevention<br />
- We are all learning as we go<br />
- This is my tribe<br />
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The participants at the conference were all at different stages in their careers. I have expertise in social marketing, health communication, physical activity, and program implementation. Other people at the conference were experts in evaluation, data assessment, and policy. I was reminded how big the Public Health world is. There is room for everyone. It was refreshing to be around such passionate colleagues. They reminded me why I got into this field and why I love health education. Passion, variety, and ability to make huge changes in peoples lives through programming and policy.<br />
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Health and Happiness,<br />
<br />
L<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05061987443081596771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677538415027970459.post-67658713612855934062015-10-25T14:08:00.000-04:002015-10-25T21:49:31.284-04:00#UNSTINKABLE Event Athleta: Body Weight Circuit with Atlantic Station<div>
<i>Disclosure: I was invited to host a workout as part of Athleta's </i><i style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">#UNSTINKABLE top promotion. I </i><i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">received an Athleta top as part of my participation in the promotion. All opinions are my own.</i></div>
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Athleta hosted company wide workouts to promote their Unstinkable tops with Polygiene. What makes these tops different? "Natural silver salts in the fabric stop odor-causing bacteria from raising a stink. Less laundry for you and more time doing what you love" - Athleta. I sweat so much when I workout and teach, so a top that can hold up to that would be great. So I kept my top on for several hours after I led my my workout still no funk. So far so good. As always the tops are stylish and high quality.<br>
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I had a blast leading the Body Blast workout with the Athleta Atlantic Station! We went through an 8 exercise circuit working the entire body using just our body weight, no equipment necessary! Here is the circuit we completed:</div>
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1. Squat Thrust "Burpee" (Cardio - Total Body)</div>
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<li>From standing squat down and place hands on the ground slightly wider than shoulder width apart </li>
<li>Extend the hips and hop or walk the feet back until you are in a plank position</li>
<li>Flex the hips and hop or walk the feet to the hands</li>
<li>Extend the hips and stand or hop up to standing position</li>
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2. Speed Skate (Cardio - Total Body)<br>
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<li>From standing neutral position, lead foot takes a lateral side step or leap, other foot crosses behind</li>
<li>Front arm swings across the body</li>
<li>As opposing limbs move the obliques activate during rotation</li>
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3. Lateral Squat w Hip Abduction to Calf Raise (Lower Body)<br>
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<li>From standing neutral position, lateral side step and lower into a wide stance squat</li>
<li>At the top of the squat abduct leg lifting laterally and away from the body</li>
<li>Adduct leg bringing it back to the center, plantar flex lifting the heels off the ground into a calf raise</li>
<li>Drop heels and return to neutral standing position</li>
<li>Repeat on the other leg</li>
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4. Rear Lunge w Hip Extension (Lower Body and Core)<br>
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<li>From standing neutral position, extend one leg back, keep other foot planted on the ground</li>
<li>Bend both legs, flexing at the knees</li>
<li>Lift back foot off of the ground extending at the hip</li>
<li>Extend arms forward and extend at hip until arms and leg form a straight line from fingertips to ankle and chest is parallel to the floor (advanced progression)</li>
<li>Engage core and slowly bring leg back to the ground, bring arms down to the side, return to standing neutral position</li>
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5. Inchworm to Side Plank (Core and Upper Body)<br>
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<li>From standing neutral position flex at the hips and bring hands to the ground in front of or to the outside of the feet</li>
<li>Walk the hand forward until the hips are extended into plank position and hand are directly under the shoulders</li>
<li>From plank position rotate through the hips, opening the chest, and extending 1 arm toward the sky. Forming a straightline from extend arm to supporting arm in side plank</li>
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6. Lateral Walking Plank (Core and Upper Body)<br>
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<li>From plank position abduct shoulder and legs moving laterally across the floor</li>
<li>Adduct shoulders back to neutral plank position</li>
<li>Repeat left and right covering as much space as you have</li>
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7. Triceps Push Up (Core and Upper Body)<br>
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<li>From neutral plank position or kneeling plank with hands positioned directly under the shoulders</li>
<li>Flex at the elbows lowering the chest to the ground</li>
<li>As the elbows bend keep them as close to the body as possible to </li>
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8. V-Sit w Knee Lifts (Core)<br>
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<li>From a seated position, flex the knees, plant feet on the floor, flex a the hips so the body forms a V</li>
<li>to prevent roudning of the upper back, roll shoulders back, press the chest forward, to create flat back</li>
<li>From the V-sit position lift 1 knee towards the chest while the other foot stays on the ground</li>
<li>Alternate knee lifts</li>
<li>Bring opposing elbow to knee, alternating knee lifts (advanced progression)</li>
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We performed each exercise for 45 seconds with a 15 second rest between each exercise. I included a 10 minute warm up, 2 minute recovery between each round, and 10 minute cool down. Each round was 8 minutes of work and 2 minutes of recovery, for a total of 10 minutes per round. We repeated the circuit 3 times, 30 minutes of conditioning. Total workout time 50 minutes. If you're doing this workout at home you could shorten the warm up and cool down to meet your time limits. In 20 minutes you could get in a total body workout!</div><div><br></div>
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Did you participate in an Athleta workout this weekend? Comment below and give a shout out to your local Athleta! Thank you Athleta Atlantic for inviting me to participate in today's event!<br>
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Health and Happiness,</div>
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L </div><div><br></div><div><i>Updated 10.25.2015 at 9:45PM</i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05061987443081596771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677538415027970459.post-83498550872955408432015-09-25T20:56:00.000-04:002015-11-02T17:00:45.763-05:00#FitGeekFallFitChallenge<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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Fall is officially here! Have you declared a goal for October yet? I have:</div>
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10K Steps in the 10th month of the year!</div>
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<b>Would you like to join me ?</b></div>
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This month I am hosting a Fall Fitness Challenge on Instagram! For $10 you can invest in your health and join me for cardio, consistency, community, and accountability. There will be weekly giveaways and anyone who completes all 31 days will earn 1 week of online Bootcamp!</div>
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<b>The Challenge </b></div>
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Complete 10K steps everyday for the month of October. If you are already crushing 10K steps this challenge is a great way to motivate others. If you have been struggling to meet 10K steps this is a great way to get consistent with your steps. You can use any device, even your phone to track your steps. Take a photo of your progress and share it by tagging me @certifiedfitgk and using the hashtag #FitGeekFallFitChallenge . Make sure you do both so that your daily entry is counted.</div>
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I'll be sharing my progress daily on Instagram @certifiedfitgk . Every Sunday you will receive an email notifying you of the week's giveaway, winner, and tips to meet your step goals!</div>
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<b>The Prize</b></div>
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Track your progress for 31 days and instantly earn 1 week of bootcamp! Prizes will be announced weekly! To be eligible for the grand prize be sure to start tagging your photos Oct 1st, registration for the Grand Prize is open through October 3rd. After that you can still register and be eligible for weekly prizes. If you miss a day you are still be eligible for weekly prizes. <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1GHd0KW0vNb-o1-nhX8hEwR4yP713C0BgzXWoQVRJz6E/viewform"> Sign up now</a> and start earning days towards your grand prize! </div>
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Are you ready to join the 10K challenge?</div>
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<a href="http://goo.gl/forms/8sHHx7SLgy">Contact me here</a> to join and stay moving and motivated in October!</div>
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Share with your friends and community!</div>
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Health and Happiness,</div>
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Larissa</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05061987443081596771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677538415027970459.post-16941312157161940372015-09-22T21:56:00.000-04:002015-09-22T21:56:43.371-04:00Exercise Testing: 1 Repetition MaxWe have 1 more week of baseline testing with my weight training group. We are finishing up Leg Press and Chest Press max testing this week. Then the last 3 weeks of the semester they'll learn and test Bench, Deadlift, and Squat. Some of my students are bored by the process, but baseline testing takes time and it makes programming so much more effective.<br />
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<u>1 Repetition Max</u></div>
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The 1 repetition max is the test used to measure muscular strength in a muscle or muscle group. Strength is generally identified as the amount of external force that can be generated, or resistance lifted in pounds(lbs) or kilograms(kg). Strength is usually determine between 1-5 reps. The 1RM represents 100% muscular effort through full range of motion with good posture.</div>
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<u>5 to 8 Rep Max Tests</u></div>
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When I do my own testing I use a 1-5 repetition max protocol. But, when I'm dealing with new exercisers or unknown abilities I'll use the 5-10 RM. Most of my new exercisers are comfortable with a higher rep range and they are more likely to complete the reps through full ROM and with good posture. You can memorize the table below to easily convert your 5-10RM to your estimated 1-RM. The highlighted rep ranges are the ones I usually use.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4p3k7v-J5Ro/VgFpFTh3f9I/AAAAAAAABv0/Rd0HpWvYfw8/s1600/1RM%2B%2525RM%2BTable.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4p3k7v-J5Ro/VgFpFTh3f9I/AAAAAAAABv0/Rd0HpWvYfw8/s1600/1RM%2B%2525RM%2BTable.PNG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adapted from <span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Green,
D.J(ed) (2014).</span><i style="line-height: 115%;"> ACE Personal Trainer
Manual: The Ultimate Resource For Fitness Professionals</i><span style="line-height: 115%;"> (5</span><sup style="line-height: 115%;">th</sup><span style="line-height: 115%;">
ed.). SanDiego, CA: American Council on Exercise.</span></span><br />
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<u>How do I use my 1-RM</u></div>
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Based on my fitness goals I use a percentage of my 1-RM to design a more effective workout.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pweyHG4g-kk/VgFtnY7NedI/AAAAAAAABwA/xvwnAhAomjA/s1600/Est%2B1RM%2BFormula.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pweyHG4g-kk/VgFtnY7NedI/AAAAAAAABwA/xvwnAhAomjA/s1600/Est%2B1RM%2BFormula.PNG" /></a></div>
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I usually work at 70% or 8-12 repetitions. Working at no less than 70% 1RM should provide enough resistance to promote increases in size and shape (hypertrophy).</div>
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Here is another handy table you can use to choose the %1RM to meet your goals<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o7gba1cHOFM/VgFlzW6_K4I/AAAAAAAABvo/u8g6A5UZWYc/s1600/Performance%2BBased%2BResistance.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o7gba1cHOFM/VgFlzW6_K4I/AAAAAAAABvo/u8g6A5UZWYc/s1600/Performance%2BBased%2BResistance.PNG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adapted from <span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.5in;">Baechle, T.R. & Earle, R. W.
(eds)(2008). </span><i style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.5in;">Essentials of Strength
Training and Conditioning </i><span style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.5in;">(3</span><sup style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.5in;">rd</sup><span style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.5in;"> ed.). Champaign, IL: Human
Kinetics</span></span><br />
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That is why I love baseline testing. You could go into every session guessing how much weight you should be using and progress slowly. Or you could know your numbers at conquer your workouts with precision and get faster results.</div>
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Is strength testing part of your fitness program?</div>
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Try adding a strength test to your routine and retest every 4-8 weeks and see how you're progressing. If you need more hands on assistance with testing or programming you should <a href="http://www.larissa4fitness.com/contact-me/">work with a certified fitness professional</a> to get you started. </div>
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Health and Happiness,</div>
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L</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05061987443081596771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677538415027970459.post-65391675705114605982015-09-17T23:45:00.000-04:002015-09-20T03:47:39.885-04:00What is in the Box: Bulu Box Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<i>I was provided a <a href="http://bulubox.com/">BuluBox</a> subscritpion as part of my partnership with <a href="http://fitapproach.com/">Fitapproach</a>. I was not compensated but was provided a Box for an honest review. All opinions are my own.</i></div>
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-B3TsO1JzWOc/Vf5cxMtSSPI/AAAAAAAABuc/YCxEow6qdcY/s640/blogger-image--396664771.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="396" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-B3TsO1JzWOc/Vf5cxMtSSPI/AAAAAAAABuc/YCxEow6qdcY/s400/blogger-image--396664771.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<u>What is Bulu Box?</u></div>
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Bulu Box is a subscription service that share. Each month subscribers receive 4-5 vitamin, supplement, and healthy snack samples. If you love your sample you can purchase the full size product in the Bulu Box shop. BuluBox also offers a rewards program. Take a survey about the box you received and earn 10 rewards points. Every 50 points is $5 toward the purchase of any full sized products on BuluBox.com .</div>
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<u>What Is In My Box</u></div>
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-l0St1GEv4sw/Vf5cwHPXgZI/AAAAAAAABuU/uPtmPnyf64M/s640/blogger-image--303326815.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-l0St1GEv4sw/Vf5cwHPXgZI/AAAAAAAABuU/uPtmPnyf64M/s400/blogger-image--303326815.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<li>A Healthy Snack</li>
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<li>Fusion All Natural Jerky, Lemon Pepper Chicken. A great on the go snack. Perfect for after the gym, or when I forget to pack a meal</li>
</ul>
<li>Supplements</li>
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<li>MovIt Energy Gummies. I have used sports beans during run training so I feel comfortable sampling the gummies. They have to taste better than sports beans and who doesn't love gummies!</li>
<li>Runa Tea, Ginger-Citrus Guayusa Tea. I love ginger so I am looking forward to trying this blend.</li>
<li>Simple Being Nutrition. I think this is a weightloss supplement. I don't do a whole lot of supplements anymore. So I'm not sure if I'll use this part of my box.</li>
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<li>Other</li>
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<li>Earth's Care Anti-Itch Cream. This sample seemed a little random compared to everything else in the box. But, I am sure I'll be able to use it at some point. I'll keep that in my bag just in case.</li>
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<u>Pro/Con of the BuluBox Subscription</u></div>
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My favorite part of my Box was the Jerky. I love Jerky, but I don't really try a big variety of brands. Bulu Box gave me a chance to try something I would not have sampled on my own. I also like tea, so I am excited to try RUNA. The Gummies will be a nice pick me up on long days too. I probably won't try the dietary supplement until I have done some thorough research and feel comfortable with my results. I am into food and fitness, but other supplements aren't part of my routine anymore. If you enjoy a low cost sampler, BuluBox might be right for you. As far as subscription boxes go I think I prefer knowing what I'll get or getting something via referral versus a grab bag style sample. </div>
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Have you tried BuluBox or another subscription service?</div>
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Use the code SWEATPINK and get 50% off a 3,6,or 12 month subscription! </div>
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Health and Happiness,</div>
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Larissa </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05061987443081596771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677538415027970459.post-78211353103060697622015-09-03T23:00:00.000-04:002015-09-04T17:17:06.656-04:00Be Well: Our Stay at Westin Hilton Head Spa and Resort<u>Why We Choose The Westin</u><br />
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My husband spent 2 weeks trying to get me to choose a resort for our anniversary trip. I had been preoccupied with preparation for the new job and new semester. We eventually came up with our list of must haves.</div>
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It needed to be:</div>
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- nearby, driving distance, preferably under 8 hours</div>
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- located on a beach, the hubs required sun, sand, and spirits </div>
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- internet, I had just accepted a new position and I needed to be reachable</div>
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- affordable<br />
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<a href="http://www.westinhiltonheadisland.com/">The Westin</a> fit all of these requirements and bonus, a fitness center, walking trail, and gear lending program. </div>
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qmXDK2EAYUY/VekG0woNqsI/AAAAAAAABrM/vsFG78g6gQg/s640/blogger-image--332240172.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qmXDK2EAYUY/VekG0woNqsI/AAAAAAAABrM/vsFG78g6gQg/s640/blogger-image--332240172.jpg" /></a></div>
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<u>Beach Well: The Venue</u></div>
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What a beautiful resort! You walk in and the lobby smells sweet, fresh, and tropical. There was a bit of a wait at check in, we picked up all our hotel info and made our way to the room. </div>
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-GnWgsdUIrGk/VekUXPx7O2I/AAAAAAAABsg/cZQMemu8pT8/s640/blogger-image-1292684700.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-GnWgsdUIrGk/VekUXPx7O2I/AAAAAAAABsg/cZQMemu8pT8/s400/blogger-image-1292684700.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The room was huge. We had a king sized bed that was so comfy it was like being wrapped in a warm hug. Their Hevenly Bed lived up to its name. We had a partial ocean/pool view and woke up to the relaxing sound of waves every morning. We also had a couch, table, and desk. A great set up for business travelers.</div>
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<u>Eat Well: The Food</u></div>
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You know I loooooove a good meal. We sampled meals from every restaurant on site</div>
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The breakfast buffet from the Carolina Room included a variety of meats, breads, fruits, omelette bar and fresh juices. I am a big fan of buffet style breakfast so I can portion my plate to my needs. The buffet also included their fresh squeezed juices, I sampled:</div>
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- Celery, cucumber, line, & coconut water</div>
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- Lychee, banana, pineapple, & vanilla smoothie<br />
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I ate from the menu too, the crab cakes Benedict was light and very tasty.</div>
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For faster breakfast service eat our doors in the View 32 seating. The outdoor are serves the same menu as indoors, buffet too. If you don't mind some sunshine and a cool ocean breeze, it is the faster option.<br />
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We celebrated our anniversary with an upscale meal at </div>
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3 spreads for out breads:</div>
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-uAPuRfqD4_U/VekKCy_WebI/AAAAAAAABrw/RcRDU9X6aRc/s640/blogger-image--1197584795.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-uAPuRfqD4_U/VekKCy_WebI/AAAAAAAABrw/RcRDU9X6aRc/s640/blogger-image--1197584795.jpg" /></a></div>
(olive tempanade, oil & herb, orange truffle butter)<br />
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Shecrab soup appetizer </div>
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8r_cKFbkw5g/VekKFHz5j5I/AAAAAAAABsA/9GwOdEhxiag/s640/blogger-image--2138478156.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8r_cKFbkw5g/VekKFHz5j5I/AAAAAAAABsA/9GwOdEhxiag/s640/blogger-image--2138478156.jpg" /></a></div>
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Salmon with artichoke hearts and roasted vegetables </div>
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VStT5M7ANM0/VekKGHemiQI/AAAAAAAABsI/ILzTsWqUyQc/s640/blogger-image--1506269166.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VStT5M7ANM0/VekKGHemiQI/AAAAAAAABsI/ILzTsWqUyQc/s400/blogger-image--1506269166.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
(Crispy Skin Atlantic Salmon with roasted lentils, artichokes, and poppadew coulis)<br />
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The hubs got fish and potatoes</div>
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-m7bOpDs1s_Y/VekKHU3cOmI/AAAAAAAABsQ/rz0kC5RgSSU/s640/blogger-image--1423429637.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-m7bOpDs1s_Y/VekKHU3cOmI/AAAAAAAABsQ/rz0kC5RgSSU/s640/blogger-image--1423429637.jpg" /></a></div>
(Garlic & Herb Crusted North Carolina Trout with potatoes)<br />
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Most expensive meal of the trip, but probably our healthiest meal too.</div>
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We eventually made a trip off site to "<a href="http://www.hhbackyard.com/">A Low Country Backyard Restaurant</a>". A fun relaxed atmosphere with live music, delicious food, and fantastic moonshine cocktails.</div>
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This spot is very popular. When we arrived there was a 45-55 minute wait, or first available at the bar. We went with the bar and had a seat in less than 5 minutes.</div>
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My husband started with a moonshine cocktail, but I'm a purist so I went with the flight. 4 varieties of local and regional moonshine. If you have never sampled moonshine before I highly recommend trying the flight: Apple & Maple, Peach, Honeysuckle, and White Lightning</div>
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The food was really tasty too. My husband got Shrimp and grits, I ordered the flounder,grit cakes, and collard greens. Yum!</div>
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Our bartender Kim was great! If you get a chance check out <a href="http://www.hhbackyard.com/">A Low Country Backyard Restaurant</a>. Sit at the bar for faster service and a great seat to enjoy live music.</div>
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<u><br /></u>
<u>Move Well & Feel Well: Fitness & Spa Amenities </u></div>
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I was really impressed with the variety of offerings at Westin. They have an <a href="http://westinwellbeing.starwoodpromos.com/move-well/move-well-expert/">online exercise library</a>, perfect for a quick in room workout. </div>
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They also have a <a href="http://www.westinhiltonheadisland.com/workout">small fitness center</a>, enough for a full body workout and some cardio.</div>
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A mapped outdoor trail<br />
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And they offer a<a href="http://www.westinhiltonheadisland.com/new-balance"> gear lending program with New Balance</a></div>
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If you forgot you fitness gear, or opted out to make room for other items Westin and New Balance can help you out. For $5 you can borrow a top, shorts, sports bra, socks, and shoes. They were out of shirts in my size, so they let me try the gear for free. </div>
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We got off site again and got in my first kayak trip, on our second attempt. On our first attempt it was super windy, I have never kayaked, our tour guide recommended we come back the next day and hope for better weather. The next day was windier than the last. But, we had a larger group and there were only 2 of us that were inexperienced, so he said we could give it a try, if the water were to rough we'd stay in the calm parts. </div>
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I'm in love with kayaking! It was on of the most beautiful and peaceful outdoor experiences I have ever had. Steering was a challenge and I would really like to learn to be more efficient with my stroke. It was so much fun and a outdoor recreation is great way to sneak in a workout. We took the 2 hour Guided Kayak Tour with <a href="http://www.outsidehiltonhead.com/hilton-head-kayaking/two-hour-tours">Outside Hilton Head</a>. Our tour guide was fun and knowledgeable, he did a great job keeping us safe, informed and entertained.</div>
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Our last day at the resort we treated ourselves to hot stone massage treatments at the spa. This was my 1st time with a hot stone massage. The treatment included placing and massaging hot stones over the body to relax the muscles followed by light traditional massage. It was very relaxing, but I prefer a deeper style of massage.</div>
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Our stay met all our needs:</div>
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- relaxing</div>
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- beach venue</div>
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- memorable</div>
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- variety of fitness options</div>
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- great food and drink</div>
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Have you stayed at the Westin Hilton Head? What should we checkout the next time we are in Hilton Head?</div>
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Healthy and Happy Travels,</div>
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Larissa</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05061987443081596771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677538415027970459.post-64045416839047649612015-09-01T23:00:00.000-04:002015-09-02T20:19:23.255-04:00Best Moments From August<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
I<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> know I have been a bit off the grid during by the month of August. Life has been been really exciting this past month. Here is a look at the highlights.</span></div>
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<u>4 Year Anniversary Trip to Hilton Head</u><br />
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We celebrated our 4 year wedding anniversary on the 13th. This year we changed it up and took a trip out to Hilton Head, South Carolina. It was our first time to Hilton Head and we loved it.</div>
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The hubs started the weekend with a beautiful bouquet of my favorite flowers.</div>
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Then we made our way to the Westin Resort & Spa.</div>
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We sampled each of the restaurants and I tried out all the fitness amenities. I tried their NewBalance gear lending program, fitness center, walking trail, and spa. </div>
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Full review on the blog Thursday.</div>
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<u>Lecturer for APPH 1050</u><br />
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I can add Lecturer to my list of skills. I taught my 1st class as an instructor for APPH 1050 at Georgia Tech. I was up all night reviewing and editing slides. I was so anxious in the hours leading up to my 1st class. But, once I was in front of all 150 students, I found my groove. I felt so comfortable. I know the content, the challenging part will be finding creative ways to present the information to the students. Challenge accepted!</div>
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A first year said I made the class really comfortable and thanked me. Day made! Looking forward to this new journey. Being a fitness geek has its perks! </div>
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<u>Move It Monday Ambassador </u></div>
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I became part of the <a href="http://moveitmonday.org/">Move it Monday</a> family. Move it Monday is an international movement to encourage our communities to move more, beginning on Mondays. Excited to be part of this motivational group of fitness geeks.<br />
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What were your highlights for the month of August?<br />
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Looking forward to a great September. Football season is here and classes are in full swing. Ready for Fall!<br />
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Health and Happiness,<br />
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Larissa</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05061987443081596771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677538415027970459.post-75178412940040827122015-08-07T22:30:00.000-04:002015-08-08T20:35:41.487-04:00What's on My Plate: Plated Jerk Red Fish & Pork Tonkatsu<div>
It has been about 3 months since my last Plated delivery. I missed the order for the squid ink and crab claw menu, laaaaame. I honestly forgot I had a meal scheduled, then after several email reminders I chose a menu that looked fun and tasty.</div>
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<b>Meal 1: <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Jerk Redfish with Chayote Squash, Tomatillo, and Scallion Sauté</span></b><br />
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The updates to the menus include novice vs pro prep time. With those additional parameters I decided to treat my kitchen like a cooking reality show. After unpacking all of the items and laying out all my prep tools I set the timer for 50 minutes and went at it.</div>
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My prep time is still a little long. My chopping skills are getting better each meal, but still take the majority of my time. My new ingredients for this dish were redfish and chayote squash. The Chayote Squash resembles a pear and has a similar texture but took on the flavors of the food it was cooked with. At the 50 minute mark the fish was seasoned and cooking, the veggie sauté was ready to go, and I was pouring lime sauce over the fish.</div>
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The next 7 minutes were dedicated to me plating the food. The fish cooked in about 6 minutes. I was able to plate the squash and fish before the 10 minute timer went off. </div>
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Loved this dish. The jerk fish was a nice mix of sweet and spicy. The squash and tomatillos sauté was tart and tender. The 2 parts balanced each other really well. This created a light, flavorful dinner.</div>
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Total prep time was 57:35. Next goal is to hit the novice time of 50, then the pro time of 40.<br />
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<b>Meal 2: <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> Pork Tonkatsu with Yuzu Cherry Salsa and Mizuna</span></b></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OG0E3FzI5XI/VcYpeEko8xI/AAAAAAAABoQ/tHFec3mZryY/s640/blogger-image-1724404388.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OG0E3FzI5XI/VcYpeEko8xI/AAAAAAAABoQ/tHFec3mZryY/s400/blogger-image-1724404388.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The goal for this meal was 40 minutes, yeeeeeah, not in my kitchen. The hardest part of this prep was pitting the cherries. I chose to cut them free and thatt was fairly time consuming. Everything was chopped and prepped at the 40 minute mark.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">I added 15 minutes to the clock to finish everything. I was able to prep and cook the pork at 10 minutes. The last 5 minutes was plating the Mizuna and Pork Tonkatsu. With an additional 15 minutes I was able to cook and plate everything. Total prep time: 55 minutes</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">The 2 new ingredients for this meal we're the Yuzu juice and Mizuna. My favorite part of this dish was the Yuzu Cherry salsa. I looked up Yuzu, it is a citrus fruit from east Asia, it was tart but thicker than a lime or lemon juice. The salsa was a tasty blend of sweet, spicy and tart. </span>Another new ingredient for me was the Mizuna. This tiny green was packed with tons of flavor, tart and very fragrant. I should have decreased the soy sauce in the salad, it was too salty for me. But, when I put the salad and pork together it balanced the flavors. The Yuzu Cherry Salsa added tons of flavor to the pork and balanced out the bitter and salty taste of the Mizuna salad.</div>
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Loving cooking with Plated. Have you tried any of the home chef delivery programs? What is your favorite meal you've prepped.</div>
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Cooking with plated allows me to explore new flavors and ingredients while preventing food waste. Each menu provides the portions you need to serve a perfectly plated meal. If there are any left over seasonings I save them for slow cooking and broths. Fun, tasty, creative meals in the comfort of my own home. Taking my home cooking to a whole other level.<br />
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Health and Happiness,<br />
Larissa<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05061987443081596771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677538415027970459.post-83816011935276200482015-08-02T19:30:00.000-04:002015-08-02T22:07:59.414-04:00Summer Seafood at The Optimist<div>
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Had a great night out with the hubs and our friends dining out at The Optimist off Howell Mill in Atlanta . A seafood and oyster bar that gives you the feel of a beachside restaurant in the city. Natural woods, putting green, and a live band greeted us. What a cute spot.<br />
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The in house menu was a little different from what was posted online so I had to make some last minute substituions. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">To start, We split an appetizer of Spanish Charred Octopus. I was expecting the consistency of squid, but I was pleasantly surprised how tasty the octopus was. It was tender and meaty, closer to the consistency of crab meat. It was well seasoned, I don't usually enjoy spicy, but it wasn't overwhelming just the right amount of spice to make it flavorful.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">I followed that with my main dish, the SwordFish with corn, cherry tomatoes, and brisket. Cooking a steak style cut of fish can be tricky, but this was prepared perfectly. Firm on the outside but tender on the inside. I was excited to see how brisket was incorporated, it was a garnish, I was hoping for a lil more brisket. We also shared a side of chilled asparagus. A light and tasty combo for the evening.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">I am use to bodybuilding sized servings, but I was satisfied because it was so tasty. Our friends got the Crispy Fingerling Potatoes, it looked really good. When I dine out I still try and get a good mix of protein, veggies, carbs, and fat. Next time I would definitely pair my veggies with the potatoes for a more filling meal.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Have you tried <a href="http://theoptimistrestaurant.com/">The Optimist</a>?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">What is your favorite combo?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Looking forward to our next dinner out!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Health and Happiness,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Larissa</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05061987443081596771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677538415027970459.post-12662785979640728242015-07-03T10:34:00.001-04:002015-07-03T16:51:14.801-04:00The Peachtree Expo: A Social Meet Up for Runners and Run EnthusiastI took a quick trip through the expo yesterday to officially transfer my number. I am really disappointed I won't be participating in this year's Peachtree Road Race. I decided I would choose to miss the race, let my toe fully heal, and get back to my regular hardcore routines rather than take a bad stride and further injure my toe. But, since I was already at the expo I decided that I would do a quick walk through and provide you some tips to help you get the most out of your expo experience.<br>
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- $15 at the lots near Georgia Workd Congress Center (GWCC )</div>
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- parking and traffic is expected to be high, take MARTA instead</div>
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Fitgear</div>
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- shoes and Peachtree gear from Mizuno, official Peachtree vendor</div>
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- accessories everywhere: flip belt, hydration belts, socks, stride glide, visors, sunglasses </div>
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FREE Stuff</div>
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- food samples: protein, yogurt, chicken, rice, sports beans</div>
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- try it: plenty of op rollers, cold compress, antigravity treadmill, and various sports rehab products.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-p4GTQGgsg-s/VZb1wJ4wGHI/AAAAAAAABl8/J68bB7eKLU0/s640/blogger-image-1566063199.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-p4GTQGgsg-s/VZb1wJ4wGHI/AAAAAAAABl8/J68bB7eKLU0/s640/blogger-image-1566063199.jpg"></a></div></div>
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Give yourself at least 2 hours to fully enjoy the expo experience. Remember to stop at the MARTA booth on your way out to pick up your Breeze card. </div>
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One of the staff members will help you out. It will make life so much easier on race day, the lines for MARTA are epic on race day.</div>
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Come to the expo and hangou with yor fellow runners and fitgeeks, pick up some last minute accessories, and take a few pics with family and friends.1 day til race day!</div>
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Happy running!</div>
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Health and Happiness,</div>
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Larissa</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05061987443081596771noreply@blogger.com0