Summer Seafood at The Optimist

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.

The in house menu was a little different from what was posted online so I had to make some last minute substituions. 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.

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.

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.

Have you tried The Optimist?

What is your favorite combo?

Looking forward to our next dinner out!

Health and Happiness,

Larissa

The Peachtree Expo: A Social Meet Up for Runners and Run Enthusiast

I 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.

Parking

- $15 at the lots near Georgia Workd Congress Center (GWCC )

- print your $5 coupon from your PeachBytes email

- for easy entry pre-purchase your pass using the link in your email 

- parking and traffic is expected to be high, take MARTA instead

Fitgear

- shoes and Peachtree gear from Mizuno, official Peachtree vendor

- accessories everywhere: flip belt, hydration belts, socks, stride glide, visors, sunglasses 

FREE Stuff

- food samples: protein, yogurt, chicken, rice, sports beans

- hydration: coconut water, sports drinks, and even beer samples 

- try it: plenty of op rollers, cold compress, antigravity treadmill, and various sports rehab products.

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. 

(Hey, I know this guy!)

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.

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!

Happy running!

Health and Happiness,

Larissa

2015 Hawks Draft Party

Late last week my sister informed me that "I don't get out much". So when I saw the announcement for the Hawks draft party I knew we had to go! We were not disappointed.

The event was FREE to attend. That is always my favorite kind of event! The had the floor set up with tables and chairs for sitting and socializing along with several bars. They had multiple screens set up along with jumbo tron for pre draft interviews. If you are a member, there was even a special members lounge set up.

There were lots of opportunities for photos around the arena. Including the awesome one below.

We stayed at the event for about 3 hours. Long enough to enjoy some food and drink and catch the hawks Round 1 pick, and hear that we were trading him. That was kind of anti-climatic.

Overall we had a really good time.I would not have usually watched the NBA draft, I am more of a college football girl, but I wanted to be a part of the Hawks experience. It's the arena so the food and drink were over priced, but as I told my lil sis it's all part of the experience. Highlight: the look on that kids face during the Knicks selection during Round 1, if you were watching you know what I'm talking about. Low Light: getting excited over the Hawks pick and then immediately hearing he was traded. You should have heard the crowd cheer after our pick. 

Were you at the Hawks Draft Party? What was your favorite part?

It was very cool hanging out with fellow sports fans and being a part of the Hawks Draft Experience.

Now, is it football season yet?

Health and Happiness,

Larissa 

Superhero Circuit to Celebrate Batman: Arkham Knight

So, Yesterday was the release of "Batman: Arkham Knight"! I am a huge Batman fan, so in honor of this week's game release I put together this superhero circuit.

Here is the break down for the circuit:

10 Jabs Right, 10 Jabs Left

• From ready position, extend right arm and fist forward imagining contact with villains head or upper body
• Bend the elbow to bring arm and fist back to the starting position
• Left elbow remains bent and hand remains high, around shoulder height, to protect the face and rib cage 
• For more power in the punch step forward with the right foot as you execute the right jab.

3 Burpees

• From ready position, bend at the hips and knees, place hands on the ground in a low squat
• Walk, step, or hop the feet back so that you are in plank position
• Walk, step, or hop the feet forward towards your hands into a low squat
• Jump or stand up to the starting position

5 Knee Strikes Right, 5 Knee Strikes Left

• From ready position contract the abs, lift the knee to waist height
• At the same time take both hands from shoulder height towards knee
• I imagine grabbing a pad and bringing my knee into it 5 times on the right side and 5 times on the left

5 Pull Ups

• Grab the bar with palms of hands facing away from you, Contract your abs and pull the shoulders down and back
• Bend the elbows and pull the chest up to the bar, keep the elbows pointed down towards the ground
• Pause at the top when chin gets above the bar
• Keep abdominal contracted as you slowly extend the arms back to your starting position
• Assisted works great too, I only add enough assistance that the 5th rep is hard to complete

*ready position: Feet about hip width apart, weight on the balls of the feet, abs tight, shoulders back and down, hold arms close to the body, fist protecting the head and heart, elbows protecting ribs

I like a 1-2 minute rest at the end of each round. This is repeated for a total of 6 rounds.

Who is your favorite super hero? Comment below with your favorite hero, Batman for life!

Put on your mask and cape, okay maybe just the cape, and embrace your inner superhero for this kickboxing & body weight workout!

Health and Happiness,
Larissa

First Aid: Sprains and Strains

Strains and Sprains are some of the more common injuries we see in the fitness industry. When tendons (tissue that connects muscle to bone) and ligaments (tissue that connects bone to bone) overstretch. A strain is an injury to the tendon and muscle fibers. A sprain is an injury to the ligaments around the bones, maybe you have had an ankle or wrist sprain before. I know I have felt both, neither felt very good. When I 1st started lifting I was doing a light weight deadlift and lost my form on the last lift and pulled a muscle in my back. I felt it as soon as I did it, but I tried not to let it show on my face but it was a radiating pain over my low back and it was all I could do to stay upright.

First Aid for Strains and Sprains:

• Rest, Stop moving, stop using the injured area. Depending on the severity of the injury you may need to revisit the rest step for several weeks. When I strained my back I was out for few weeks.
• Ice, I always put a barrier ( a towel or wrap) between the ice pack and my skin to prevent irritation or damage to the skin. Ice can help reduce swelling and pain in the injured area. Ice can be applied for up to 20 minutes at a time every 3-4 hours.
• Compression, Light compression can help provided support to the injured area and prevent further injuring the body part. Try the 2 finger rule to make sure compression is not to tight; If you can slide to fingers under the compression it is probably a good fit.
• Elevation, Elevation helps get blood flow to and from the injured area and can help reduce swelling. several pillows will usually do the trick.

You May Need to Seek Medical Attention :

• if you suspect a break or dislocation
• if the swelling does not go down - this could be a sign of a break
• if the pain is severe

I always recommend my clients seek medical attention for sprains or strains because I am not a doctor and cannot diagnose or determine the severity of their injury. Plus, as you your trainer I don't want to do anything that could potentially make the injury worse. So when in doubt, go to the doctor.

Preventing Strains and Sprains:

• warm up before you lift
• focus on proper form during every rep of every lift
• lift within the normal range of motion for your joints
• if you are feeling fatigued take a short break
• if you feel any sharp shooting pains, STOP!

What tips do you have for preventing sprains and strains?

Next week is our last week of First Aid tips. Next weeks topic is broken bones and fractures. Spoiler alert - seek medical attention. I'll discuss how I coped with a recent break,

Health and Happiness,
Larissa

Resources:

1. American Heart Association, Heart Saver First Aid, CPR, AED, Student Workbook
2. Green, D.J(ed) (2010). ACE Personal Trainer Manual: The Ultimate Resource For Fitness Professionals (4^th ed.)   SanDiego, CA: American Council on Exercise.
3. Mayo Clinic, http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sprains-and-strains/basics/lifestyle-home-remedies/con-20020958 

#PowerWomenSweat Networking and a Workout, The Perfect Combo

Real world networking is usually a struggle for me. So I started only attending events that included a topic or activity I was interested in, other than just offering alcohol and food. Combining a workout and networking was the perfect combo for me!

Our host Amber did a great job kicking things off with an icebreaker. She challenged us to each meet and introduce ourselves to 3 new people using the prompts she gave us. Breaking the ice can be hard if you're out of your element. Here are 3 of her tips:

• Pay a Compliment, who doesn't like a lil flattery. Plus I usually spend a lil extra time getting cute for a networking event, I'd appreciate the recognition. 
• Do I Know You from .... , we're all so digitally connected, odds are you do know someone from social media, especially in the fitness industry. Quick sidebar, met with a fellow trainer in person at a conference we went to connect online and realized we were already following each other.
• Introduce yourself, it's an oldie but a goodie. You're at a networking event, the expectation is you're going to meet strangers. 

I'm not great at small talk but being at a fitness event put me more at ease. The icebreakers really helped. The hash tag #powerwomensweat made it easy for me to connect with people after the event.

After the icebreakers we were introduced to our co-host for the evening. Lexi, @lexiwiththecurls , Lexi blogs about natural hair, beauty, celebrity hair, fashion, and events and Tahira of @thecutlife , a beauty and lifestlye brand for all the short hair ladies.

Then we prepared to ride!

Coach Tuesday lead a high intensity, high energy rhythm ride for a packed class of entrepreneurial women. I am still modifying most of my cardio, but I was still able to lose myself in the rhythm of the music and get in an intense 1 hour of cycling. These power women did sweat! We sweat hard!

At the end of the event host Amber gave out some great Reebok swag. 2 participants even won shoes!

Have you been to a @powerwomensweat event ? 

I look forward to making it out to one of their other networking events.

Health and Happiness,

Larissa

Festival Foot Steps: Food Truck Tuesday in Smyrna

I enjoyed a nice evening out in Smyrna for the Taylor Brawner Park, Food Truck Tuesday. I didn't even get to enjoy the Food Trucks, but I did get in plenty of steps. 

Lesson learned. Arrive to the park early. I parked nearly a mile away. Between the walk to the park, wandering around, and walking back I logged over 11K steps! A long walk is not always a bad thing.

My client invited me out. She was performing with her band, Thunder Gypsy, and some of her students. She killed it! It was great seeing her rock out in her own element.

I didn't seek out food til near the end of the night, The lines were too long for me by then.

I look forward to sampling some of the yummy food truck goodness the next time I come out.

Did you come out to Food Truck Tuesday? Name your favorite food truck?

Food Truck Tuesday every Tuesday Night during the summer. Check out City of Smyrna Facebook page for food truck updates! Grab a snack, enjoy some music, and get your steps in walking the trail around the park.

Health and Happiness,

Larissa