FitStyle09

JUNE playlist!

2012-06-01T10:41:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it's JUNE already?! No! No, I cannot! But I love summertime and this month. These songs will make you want to move, so get outside for a long run, some HIIT, or just sweating with friends!

Also, it's my brother's birthday month, so the first song is one of his :)

You probably already know that I am obsessed with surfing. It's an unparalleled joy that I got to first experience with my super cool surfer cousins in Florida as a kid and then have been able to do on vacations and sometimes even in Texas! (I know, crazy). Anyway, surfing is an amazing workout and the conditioning needed in order to surf is intense, too. This mix reminds me of surfing and in order to give you a surf-style workout, I organized this playlist into HIIT, long run, strength training, and cool down so you can get a varied, complete workout from this playlist.
For example, you might do sprint intervals for a HIIT workout and then do a mile of running to If I Could Fall In Love and Everybody Got Their Something followed by some pushups and mountain climbers to Party Hard and then cool down and stretch to Red, Red Wine. Enjoy!

Get Underway - Hank Whitaker (www.reverbnation.com/hankwhitaker) (HIIT)

Starships - Nicki Minaj (HIIT)

Eenie Meenie - Sean Kingston + Justin Bieber (HIIT)

Break it Off - Rihanna and Sean Paul (HIIT)

Cruel Summer (Blestenation Mix) - Blestenation (Blue Crush anyone??) (HIIT)

Cruel Summer - Bananarama

(I put both versions in here in case anyone doesn't like remixes! I get that!)

I Wanna Dance With Somebody - Whitney Houston (HIIT)

And Be Loved - Damian Marley (HIIT)

One Thing - One Direction (HIIT)

If I Could Fall In Love - Lenny Kravitz (Great for a long run!)

Everybody Got Their Something - Nikka Costa

Party Hard - Beenie Man (good for strength training)

Cool down to Red, Red Wine by UB40!

One thing I will say about the order of this list: If you want to use the original version of "Cruel Summer", then don't use it for HIIT. Use it for running or cooling down :).

Love Y'all!

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E-mail: FitStyled@gmail.com

Surprises! Where I Have Been & What's NEW

2012-05-31T14:03:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!
It's crazy that there haven't been any posts since the beginning of April (and for that I apologize)! A couple crazy things were happening in my absence....I finished up exams, have been working, and also GOT ENGAGED!!!!! Needless to say, I've been pretty busy but am back to keeping consistent blogs and YouTube videos. (Engagement Pic at End!)

Here is a link to a video with ENGAGEMENT DETAILS!!!!

Here is a link to a Big Hair Tutorial

WHAT'S NEW

Videos:
I want to give you guys good quality videos, so I have a new camera now that's HD so the videos look a lot better than before! You all give such great feedback and I appreciate the support, the requests, and the love. Thank you all so much for that. I'm looking forward to delivering frequent, better quality videos and posts for you all to further your passions in health and fitness and it makes me so happy when these posts, whether on the blog or on YouTube, make you happy as well. If I can make a positive difference in your lives, then I have done well at my job. Thank you again to each and every one of you for the constant support and feedback :)!!!
Website:
This is one of my biggest announcements (well, besides my engagement ;) ) yet. This blog is in the process of becoming a website! The new address will be www.FitStyled.com and there will be many more surprises as the website develops. I'm SO excited about this next step and can't wait to share more with you about it!! Really, I am SO excited!

Those are my biggest announcements for now, so sit back, relax, and check back often for more posts, videos, and for the new website!

Love you all!
xoxo Sarah
YouTube: www.youtube.com/FitStyle09
Twitter: www.twitter.com/FitStyle09
Email: FitStyled@gmail.com

April Playlist: Spring into Fitness!

2012-04-02T12:19:00.000-07:00

Happy April, everyone! And happy SPRING!

Everything is in bloom where I am, so I'm trying to get outside as much as possible. It's so beautiful!
My challenge for you is to exercise outside, wherever you are, whenever you get the chance. If you live in a place where working out outside isn't feasible, try incorporating this season into your workouts by wearing spring-colored workout clothes! Old Navy has some great, bright options.

So SPRING into FITNESS and start this warm-weather season off right. Tis the season for leg-bearing shorts and dresses and tops that show off your shoulders and arms. So don't just enjoy the benefits of exercise...enjoy them outside with this happy music!

1. Beat It - Michael Jackson
2. Good Girl - Carrie Underwood
3. Fat Bottom Girls - Queen
4. Brokenhearted - Karmin
5. SuperGirl - Saving Jane
6. You Can't Start the Beat - Nikki Blonsky, Zac Efron, John Travolta, Elijah Kelley, Queen Latifah & Amanda Bynes (from Hairspray)
7. What Makes You Beautiful - One Direction
8. Mo Money Mo Problems - The Notorious B.I.G.

California Vacation

2012-03-20T15:30:00.004-07:00

Last Friday I flew to LA to visit my older brother in Hollywood. He’s a songwriter and a composer for a music production company. My parents flew in for part of the week as well and it was so great to see all of them!! My boyfriend came along as well and my brother’s girlfriend is a California native so we all got to be together. We did pretty much everything there was to do in Southern California (that I know of so far): We celebrated my boyfriend’s birthday in Malibu, went to Santa Monica, Simi Valley, Hollywood, and Hermosa Beach. While in Hollywood we did a tour of the Warner Bros. Studio, Universal City Walk, and saw the movies “1000 words” and “21 Jump Street” (HILARIOUS, by the way). We also went to Beverly Hills and window shopped on Rodeo Drive and went to The Grove one day where I ended up on Extra TV on NBC with Mario Lopez!

That was so fun! I wound up winning a big basket of Don Francisco’s coffee and mugs.

There was no way that could fit in my suitcase---so I gave it to my sweet brother for giving us a place to stay and showing us around LA! I had never been to LA except for when I had a 10-hour layover at LAX when I was twelve. Needless to say, this was a better LA visit.

While at The Grove, we bought some skin products that I'll have to review in a video or blog post. One was a salt scrub and one was a facial serum that is essentially a chemical peel but you don't feel anything. Both are from the Dead Sea and I have to say---they both exceeded my expectations beyond belief. The products were from a line called "Seacret." I'll have to tell you more about it because it really was incredible.

It was so fun and exciting to see all these street signs that I had only seen in movies and heard about in songs like Ventura, Sunset, etc. Since it was sort of chilly while we were there, we tried to stay as active as possible in spite of the weather which usually meant a lot of walking and doing abs and pushups at my brother's. We also saw/went in Tracy Anderson's studio and I hope someday I can take a class there with her!

One of the highlights of the vacation was hiking about 6.5 miles to go see the Hollywood sign! Now, you can't get up close to the sign. You can get behind it and that's about it. But it was a great hike that was so beautiful. You could see all of LA (on both sides of the hills) and I hear that on a clear day, you can see all the way to the ocean!

We also saw the REAL Bat Cave from the Batman show in the 1960s. Very cool!

I have to thank Jacey, my Twitter friend who does Tone It Up, for tweeting back and forth with me about where to go there! She led our confused, tourist butts to great places in Malibu! One of her suggetions was Huckleberry Cafe, where I treated myself to a soy latte (I drink coffee black) and my oh my it was delicious! Thanks again, Jacey!

Lastly, we went to Hermosa Beach and played around there for a little bit before hitting up Veggie Grill and Varga. I had never been to a Veggie Grill and was so excited to finally try it. I had the "All Hail Kale" salad and my boyfriend had a cheese-free mac n cheese.

Varga is the cutest store I've been to in my life. I'll have to do another blog post about their clothes because I just love them. I think they have the most flattering jeans in the land and a large assortment of beauuutiful shirts and dresses. I love flowy, "California" tops and got some along with long skirts (a trend I've been afraid of trying).

That's it for now!

Feel free to comment below or email me at FitStyle09@gmail.com and

check out/subscribe to my YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/FitStyle09.

Keep your eye out for new videos and blog posts coming soon!

Wellness Week

2012-03-19T20:09:00.004-07:00

Hey everyone! It’s Wellness Week! You know I love sharing heath and wellness with you…I love all things happy and healthy. And all those mushy, maybe even cheesy or cliché, inspirational quotes? I’m right there with you. I love them all.

So I want to start this post with one of those quotes right now. The point of this is, you can do anything if you believe in yourself J (I’m telling you, cliché is not that bad!)

“Man often becomes what he believes himself to be. If I keep on saying to myself that I cannot do a certain thing, it is possible that I may end by really becoming incapable of doing it. On the contrary, if I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning.” Mahatma Gandhi

That’s the first thing I want to tell you for Wellness Week because your wellness is in your hands. For example, nobody makes you eat what you eat or stands in the doorway when you try to leave and workout. We have a lot of choice in what we do even despite responsibilities like work, school, children, or whatever yours might be. Of course we all are busy and nobody is perfect – that’s reality! But if you take that quote above to heart, you can improve areas of your life. This doesn’t even need to be a dietary change or a change in exercise. Improvements could come in the form of diet, exercise, de-cluttering your home, spending more time with friends and family, or just having alone time.

Whatever areas you feel could use improvements to become “well”, then think that they can! Look at it this way: if you don’t think you can do something, you can’t. Right? That’s what the quote is saying! Before every choice we make and action we take, we decide to do it (which involves thinking) and we envision ourselves doing it (…which involves more thinking)! If you think negatively and think (aka “choose”) you can’t do something, then that’s it. You can’t. Why would you want that? I certainly don’t want that for you.

I hope that all of you take this week to focus on the positive “I can” attitude. With it, all other areas of your life will fall into that “wellness” category.

If you have any questions about how to maintain wellness, nutrition, fitness, or style with a busy lifestyle, feel free to comment below, email me at FitStyle09@gmail.com, check out old posts on this blog or on my YouTube channel, and stay tuned for upcoming posts!

Happy Wellness Week!

Celebration Ideas:

-Spring Cleaning

-Making a favorite meal

-Taking a walk

-Getting some GOOD sleep

-Completing a hard workout you might not have thought you could originally!

-Sitting alone in silence! (Meditation, anyone?)

-Finally doing something you’ve been meaning to do, or were afraid to do

-Laughing! What could be more “well” than that? It's the best medicine!

Interval Playlists: March Fo(u)rth!

2012-03-04T21:23:00.000-08:00

Hey everybody! Did you know today's date has a special meaning? It's the only day of the year that is also a command. Well, I don't like to be bossy, so instead I'd like to challenge you to march forth on March fourth and every other day this month :)

So whether you're marching, running, sprinting, or walking, this playlist will be a good accompaniment to your workout.

1. All I Do Is Win (feat. T-Pain, Ludacris, Snoop Dogg,& Rick Ross) - DJ Khaled

2. Saleswoman of the Month - Hank Whitaker (click here to hear song)

3. Waiting On a Saint - Hank Whitaker (click here to hear song)

4. California Gurls (feat. Snoop Dogg) - Katy Perry

5. Waking Up in Vegas - Katy Perry

6 Songs Like This - Carrie Underwood

7. She'd Be California - Rascal Flatts

8. I Want You Back - Jackson 5

9. Bouncing Off the Ceiling - A*Teens

10. I Wanna Dance With Somebody - Whitney Houston

11. Shoot To Thrill - ACDC

12. Money Talks - ACDC

13. Walk This Way - Aerosmith

14. One Time - Justin Bieber

So Hank Whitaker, mentioned above, is my big brother so that's worth checking out ;). He's a talented dude and is a songwriter out in Hollywood. That's why there are a couple California-related songs in this list --- I'm going to visit Hank soon so this playlist is getting me amped during my pre-California workouts!

I find this playlist really fun and upbeat and I hope you do, too! March forth! ;)

National Peanut Butter Lover's Day

2012-03-01T17:51:00.002-08:00

Hello friends! I hope you’re as excited as I am about today. It’s National Peanut Butter Lovers’ Day! It’s like the creators of this day had me in mind. It’s so difficult to name your favorite food because I’m not sure we all have just one, but if you were to ask me, I’d still probably say peanut butter/almond butter. I eat it on everything. I eat it any time of the day and I eat it on toast, muffins, protein pancakes, in shakes (like this one), in desserts (see below), oatmeal...everything! And by itself :)

So of course I’ve incorporated peanut butter into my diet today in keeping with the holiday.

Many of you have already heard about my love with PB2. If you don’t know what that is, check out their website at http://bellplantation.com/ and my December Favorites video on YouTube. PB2 is powdered peanut butter and you mix it with a little bit of water and then it’s exactly like peanut butter (except it’s only THREE ingredients – peanuts, salt, and sugar, is only 1g of sugar, and oh, only 45 calories compared to Jif which is 190 calories for the same serving size). The idea of “powdered” peanut butter is of course foreign, but I promise you, it’s good. The reason it's powdered is because they press all of the oil out of the roasted peanuts. It can be used in so many things from desserts, drinks, sides, dinners, or you can eat it plain (I do this a lot).

My morning started with a protein shake using cappuccino protein powder, almond milk, ice, cinnamon, and a couple spoonfuls of PB2. Delicious.

I had a spoonful of PB2 at lunch with the rest of my meal.

And this afternoon to appease my sweet tooth, I made one of my default desserts where I throw things into a food processor and make little dessert balls. These treats usually include carob chips and either walnuts or almonds or both, and then I throw other things in like coconut, vanilla extract, or cocoa powder. Today I used carob chips, coffee grounds (I was so sleepy today!), chocolate PB2 and regular PB2, walnuts, and almonds. Ground ‘em up and viola! Easy, yummy dessert. (The balls are also gluten free and vegan and have no processed foods in them).

Carob balls sprinkled with PB2

How did you celebrate this glorious holiday?

Interval Playlists: February!

2012-02-21T14:15:00.000-08:00

I apologize that February is almost over. What a crazy, short month! But you get an extra day of February this month, so why don't we combine some of this month's playlist with March's? Sound good?

Great :)

The theme of this playlist is STRONG. You'll notice three of the song titles are "Stronger" and that's because I have been pushing myself more than usual in interval training and cross training this February. I've been spinning, doing lots of HIIT (high intensity interval training), and much more strength training than I have been doing in the recent past and have liked hearing the word "stronger" as I workout.

So with that being said, enjoy February's playlist!

1. Turn Me On (Feat. Nicki Minaj) - David Guetta - Nicki Minaj
2. Domino - Jessie J
3. Young, Wild & Free (Feat. Bruno Mars) - Snoop Dogg & WizKhalifa
4. Stronger - Kanye West
5. International Love - Pitbull Featuring Chris Brown
6. Stronger - Britney Spears
7. Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You) - Kelly Clarkson

Y'all know that usually I just keep my playlist on shuffle. While the order is ultimately up to you, here are a few suggestions I have for when to listen to the songs:

I think that "Young, Wild & Free" should be either a warm up or cool down song - or definitely when you are on the slower side of your interval training.
"Turn Me On" and "Domino" are faster songs and better for a faster pace.
"Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)" is a great song for the end of your workout because I think the message works well when you're trying to push through and stay strong as you finish your run.

Have a happy and fun workout!

Spectacular, Scrumptious Super Bowl Recipes

2012-02-07T13:07:00.000-08:00

Hey everybody!

What, to you, is most important about the Super Bowl? For me, it's the the 5 Fs: Football, Family, Friends, Fun, and Food. The 5 Fs are often implemented in many of my favorite activities (and probably yours, too!) With a recipe like that, how could you go wrong? Today I'll share some of the recipes I used for this year's game. (See below for recipes).

This year's Super Bowl involved every one of those aspects, but let's talk about the food! This was by far the healthiest Super Bowl I've had yet. While in preparation for planning this year's feast, I ran into some friends at the grocery store. They asked what I was getting and I said just some things for the game. They looked at my cart and then back up at me with confused expressions. "Tofu?" they asked. Yes. My cart was filled with vegetables and other healthy items. Everyone loves soy at a Super Bowl party, RIGHT?

In all seriousness, my party didn't involve tofu. That was for another day. But I did use Gardein brand meatless chicken tenders (per Tone It Up's suggestion) and boy were they good! I also made mango salsa, hummus, sauteed mushrooms, low-fat guacamole, and carob balls that I'll provide the recipes to. On top of that, I set out low-carb tortillas from La Tortilla Factory, cut up some red, yellow, and green bell peppers and some celery, and made some kale chips (because what's a party without chips?) ;)

I thought I'd also include last year's Super Sandwich for the Super Bowl. It weighed 10.0 lbs on the dot and stood about one foot tall. Thank you to my boyfriend for baking bread in my football-shaped cake pan and getting 3 kinds of meats, 3 kinds of cheeses, and different greens and bell peppers to make this edible monstrosity. It took an army to eat it, but it was a well-fed, happy army :)

I hope your Super Bowl was as great as mine was and for those of you reading in future Februaries, I hope these recipes and ideas help you create a fabulous football feast! Enjoy! xxo

Mango Salsa
1 mango, peeled, pitted, and diced (about 1.5 cup)
1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
1 jalapeno chile, minced
1 small cucumber, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
3 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste
(mix together in bowl and enjoy!)

Low-Fat Guacamole (From Womens Health)
1.5 cups frozen green beans, thawed
1 small avocado, cubed
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
3 tbs lemon juice
1 tbsp jalapeno, chopped
2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
(Put all but the last two ingredients in a food processer until smooth, then stir in peppers and cilantro)

Hummus
Lots of flexibility with this one---I threw it together how I saw fit at that moment ;)
Garbanzo beans (amount is dependent on how much you want! Shoot for 1 cup)
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 shakes paprika
1 shake garlic powder
QUICK shake onion powder
(Put everything in a food processor)

Carob Balls on a Time Crunch
Another flexible recipe, and one of my favorites!
1/2 cup carob chips (or however. many. you. want...within reason).
1/4 cup walnuts
1/8 cup almonds
(Put everything in food processor until you make a dough that you can roll balls out of, then stick in refrigerator until ready to eat!)
(There are many variations of this recipe but since I was out of some other normal ingredients for this kind of dessert, like dates, this was the best I could do. And it's still delicious!)

Kale Chips
1 bunch kale
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
(Preheat oven to 350. Rip kale into chip-sized pieces in a bowl. Add salt and olive oil and mix with kale. Put kale on baking sheet and cook for 8-12 minutes).

Interval Playlists: January

2012-01-26T14:52:00.000-08:00

Welcome to 2012, everybody!

I hope your new year is excellent and that it'll be your best year yet. Mine is great! It's January 26th so far and I've been feeling extra inspired as far as working out/health and hope to inspire you to be the healthiest and happiest you can be! It really is a pleasure to motivate you all and I thank you for the positive feedback! It means a lot :)

Part of that motivation, of course, involves MUSIC! Here is my most recent playlist. Most of this month I used my December Playlist that I love, but I find this month's list to be a lot more versatile for strength training, cardio, and conditioning whereas my other playlists were more for cardio.

1. Bananza (Belly Dancer) - Akon
2. Gold Digger - Kanye West and Jamie Foxx
3. Drop it Low - Ester Dean and Chris Brown
4. Crazy in Love - Beyonce feat. Jay-Z (of course, because we all know I love Beyonce)
5. Stronger - Britney Spears
6. Le Freak - Chic
7. Love Will Find a Way - Christina Aguilera
8. Dirrty - Christina Aguilera
9. Electric Avenue - Eddy Grant
10. Unbelievable - EMF
11. Who's That Chick - Heartclub
12. Whine Up (feat. Elephant Man) - Kat DeLuna
13. Saleswoman of the Month - Richard Flemming (my big brother's old band!! Click here & press "see all songs")
14. 4 Minutes (feat. Justin Timberlake) - Madonna
15. Like a Prayer - Madonna
16. Material Girl - Madonna
17. Music - Madonna
18. Don't Tell Me - Madonna
19. Country Grammar - Nelly
20. Break it Off - Rihanna & Sean Paul

So yes, it's a long playlist. But I typically keep my music on shuffle so I don't get 5 Madonna songs in a row (though that's fine if it turns out that way). Mixing up your music/workout/running route keeps things fun. Keep up your hard work and enjoy the music!

Need New Year Advice for Motivation & Tips? Click here for New Year Cheer

New Year Cheer

2012-01-03T23:08:00.000-08:00

Like many of us, I am trying to stick to New Year Resolutions. My resolutions don't stray too much from year to year (they typically involve doing my best in fitness, school, spending more time with family, and being a better human being in general). Rather than getting off track during the year, I do my best to make sure every now and then that I'm keeping up with my goals. Although, I added a new goal to the list: to do my darndest to eliminate procrastination (which is why I finally went to a Pure Barre class after buying a deal from livingsocial.com months ago ;) see here for Pure Barre post). So instead of starting all my resolutions from scratch, the New Year essentially acts as a "keep it up" check-in moment that has to be mandatorily put into place at midnight on January 1st of each year because, ya know, everyone else is doing it, too. (Sure, sure peer pressure is a powerful thing. If your friends jumped off a bridge, would you do it? In my case, yes. But it wasn't a bridge, it was a lighthouse. Picture to follow). I'm joking of course about peer pressure (but definitely not about the lighthouse. That totally happened. And I was totally eleven-years-old).

But I digress...

I enjoy this time of year whether I've kept my resolutions or not. It's sort of like going back to work on Monday after a long weekend or walking in to the first day of school because it's a chance to make sure you're doing your best and I like that. I'm sure everyone setting resolutions does, too! No matter what your goals may be this year, do your best to make them habitual. By doing so, not only will you achieve the goals you set, but by next January you won't need to add that same goal to your resolution list because it will already be a part of your life. They say it takes 30 days to make an action habitual and there are 31 days in January . That means you will already have your goal be a regular part of your life before the month even finishes! Then you're all set for 2012 and for life, right? :) If you didn't keep last years resolutions, now is the time to reassess your goals and tackle them. If you did keep your resolutions, then keep on going!

So be positive and realistic about your goals. For example, if your goal is fitness, don't start by running a marathon. Start by walking, then jogging, then running. And have fun with it! You are probably thinking that this goal will ultimately be pleasant in your life, so enjoy the process of getting there! Have New Year Cheer, not New Year Fear.

Best of luck, everyone! And let me know your New Year resolutions. Have a blast!

As promised, a picture of jumping off the lighthouse. That would be my brother in mid-air while my cousin and I were in the water...seconds before the Coast Guard came ;)

Pure Barre

2012-01-03T22:40:00.000-08:00

It's 5:35pm on January 3rd and twenty-five minutes ago I finished my first Pure Barre class!

What a sweet addiction this is about to become.

This workout is a perfect example of a fun, effective, and difficult workout but not difficult in the sense that you dread doing it. In fact, it's quite the contrary.

My videos mentioning Pure Barre: click here and also here :)

Pure Barre basically is a mixture of ballet and Pilates that exhausts your muscles and then stretches them out, creating long and lean muscles. It's toning without the bulk. The music was upbeat and fun and the classes are small so you don't feel the anonymity of being in a gym. Now, even though this was my first class, I was SO surprised at how hard it was for me. When I first walked in, my instructor told me to use 2 lb dumbbell weights. I politely said I would, but inside I was thinking "oh I'm much stronger than that. I'll go with 5 lbs." I'm so glad I didn't. Lighter was better, but in a week or so, I may attempt the 3 lbs ;). Also, my legs were shaking during this workout and not even towards the end of the class! They started shaking maybe 10 minutes into the workout. It's MUCH more difficult than I had imagined but I haven't exercised to fatigue like that with my own workouts in a long time so it was GREAT to push myself.

Check here to find a Pure Barre near you. I promise you won't regret it! I'm going again tomorrow. And the next day ... :)

Interval Playlists: December

2011-12-05T07:16:00.000-08:00

It's December 5th and that means we have a new playlist out for this month!

1. Upgrade U - Beyonce
2. Countdown - Beyonce
3. Get Me Bodied (Extended Mix) - Beyonce
4. Flat on the Floor - Carrie Underwood
5. The Show Goes On - Lupe Fiasco
6. Super Bass - Nicki Minaj
7. Waiting on a Saint - Hank Whitaker ( Click HERE for Hank's Music! )
8. King of Anything - Sara Bareilles
9. Can't Hold Us Down (feat. Lil' Kim) - Christina Aguilera
10. Dirrty - Christina Aguilera
11. Fighter - Christina Aguilera

I couldn't let Beyonce's songs out of circulation in this month's mix, so "Countdown" and "Get Me Bodied (Extended Mix)" are still here, but I've added Beyonce's "Upgrade U." I'm not sure if they'll stay until January because I want to ensure I don't get tired of these songs!

Lupe Fiasco's "The Show Goes On" was love at first listen with me. I actually first heard Lupe on The Colbert Report when he was the musical guest star and I was impressed. I didn't expect to like his music but I think it's a perfect accompaniment to any running playlist. Especially this song that is all about pushing through hard times. That is why it is strategically placed in the middle of my playlist because the middle of my run is the hardest time to keep going! There's waaay more motivation towards the beginning and the end!

The other songs in the middle of the playlist are just happy songs to me. Nicki Minaj's "Super Bass" always puts me in a good mood, and Hank Whitaker's "Waiting on a Saint"is fabulous. Hank is a songwriter in Hollywood and writes these songs for other people, not to perform them himself, but used to perform with his other bands. His music is really catchy and will put a smile on your face. Plus, did I mention he's my big brother?? (A link to his music is up in the list of songs).

Lastly, Carrie Underwood's "Flat on the Floor" is a song that has been with me through many a workout since it came out in 2007. It's just one of those powerful kick-butt songs, which may be a trend when you see that there are three similarly-messaged songs by Christina Aguilera. Oh, so I guess the secret is out: I really like diva voices. They are strong and when I'm working out, strong is what I want to hear! That's why I picked these three songs by Christina. You can't sit still during something like "Can't Hold Us Down"!

Happy running! For those of you starting exams, stay strong and get some workouts in during the chaos of finals!

Love,
Sarah

Interval Playlists: November!

2011-11-08T14:52:00.000-08:00

I'm starting a new series in this blog about workout playlists. This is the first installment. When I listen to music as I workout, it's usually when I run or dance because I don't seem to need musical motivation while strength training. However, music is always welcome for sit-ups, pushups, squats, or what have you :).

I keep my iTunes on shuffle on my computer. This way I get to hear all of my music because I tend to forget I have some songs until they pop up randomly. I think it's important to vary the music you exercise to, or you could quickly become bored with it. Sometimes I like a song so much that I'll listen to it 2-3 times in a run, but I know better. I'll get bored. The next time I run and hear that song again, I'll probably slow down. Seriously! This happens! If I really like a song, I'll run fast. If I don't, I'll run slower...maybe even want to walk. Long distance running is as much mental as it is physical, so you want music you're into so you keep going!!

This is why I'm creating this blog series: Interval playlists. They may be monthly or maybe even weekly depending on the music, but I want to share the music that gets me so amped during a run with you! SO, here is my playlist for November!

Long story short: Beyonce. OMG. I feel like I don't even have to say anything more. Just close this page, go download all her music, and run out your front door. She's so cool and aside from me wanting to be close friends with her, her music just makes me want to move. Mostly it makes me want to dance, but I find that it's really odd to break out in dance in public, so I opt to run instead. I keep the playlist on shuffle, too, as to eliminate any premature boredom with the playlist. So the Beyonce songs make me feel empowered, as if I'm her or something, and make me want to run forever. When I feel like stopping is usually when "Run The World (Girls)" sneaks on, telling me it'd be lame if I walked during that song, so I keep running. The FOOTLOOSE songs make me want to dance too so it keeps you moving. "Fake ID" reminds me of the new Footloose movie in the Honky Tonk where they do the dance that I so desperately want to learn (watching that scene is like, "I have red cowboy boots...I was born for this! LET ME DANCE"). Plus, that kind of music just makes me happy because of my Appalachian heritage ;). You can't help but smile when you hear "Footloose" and "Let's Hear It For The Boy", and J-Kwon's "Tipsy" is a throwback to like, 2004, which was a great year, so as far as I can see it, good year = good memories = happiness = run faster.

1. Fake ID (Feat. Gretchen Wilson) - Big & Rich
2. Footloose - Kenny Loggins
3. Get Me Bodied - Beyonce
4. Check On It - Beyonce
5. Party - Beyonce
6. Love On Top - Beyonce
7. Countdown - Beyonce
8. Run The World (Girls) - Beyonce
9. Tipsy (Radio Mix) - J-Kwon
10. Let's Hear It For The Boy - Deniece Williams

Add a few of these songs to your playlist and have a blast running to them! Comment below and tell me what music you have on your playlists right now.

Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe!

2011-10-25T22:45:00.000-07:00

No more going to Starbucks. No more overspending for coffee. No more having to wait until October to drink this wonderful treat. You can make pumpkin spice lattes at home now. (Go ahead and re-read that last sentence....this is a big deal). If you continue reading past THIS sentence, then I know you're as big of a pumpkin fan as I am. So, without further ado, I give you the pumpkin spice latte recipe!

1. Make coffee of your choice. I suggest pumpkin coffee, like Dunkin' Donuts ground pumpkin coffee.

2. Make the latte portion
*You can do this with any kind of milk, but I will be using almond milk. To continue making it dairy-free, you can also use rice milk or soy milk*

- 1 c milk

- 1/4 c pumpkin puree

- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice blend

- 1 tsp cinnamon

- 1 tsp vanilla extract

- Sweetness of choice. (Measurements vary depending on what you want to use. If using Stevia, only use a pinch. If using sugar, brown sugar, agave nectar, honey, syrup use about 2 tbsp)

I also like to add a little bit of nutmeg.

Mix step 2 and microwave it for 1 minute if you'd like, or just pour it in to the coffee. This brings us to step 3....

3. Pour 1/2 of the milk mixture into the coffee and save the rest for later! (OR for a refill :D) I saved the other half and surprised my friend with a birthday latte.

This recipe is both gluten free and vegan.

Optional: add whipped cream on top, TruWhip, Cool Whip, or Rice Whip, and then garnish with more cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice :). There's room for experimentation in this recipe. If you aren't crazy about overloading your latte with cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice like I am, then don't! If you want to make it with regular milk, go for it! This recipe is yours to perfect so that you can have your pumpkin spice latte all. year. round.

Enjoy!

Protein Pancakes...In the MICROWAVE!!! ...or Panini Maker

2011-10-10T14:01:00.000-07:00

Everyone, I have some exciting news! We've all been awaiting this day for quite some time now...and now it's finally here. Yes, the day has come when we can make protein pancakes in the microwave. ****(see below for other tip!!)

Some of you may be wondering why this is even remotely exciting when you could make pancakes on a stove but hopefully those reading this who are stove-less (like me!) are just as AMPED as I am! I love protein pancakes and they're such a great meal that keep me full all morning, but it's so sad to miss out on them when all you have is a microwave. But, for those of you with a stove, you too can be excited! This method can save you some time in the morning or if you're traveling.

This project is something I've speculated about for a while now and it took until this morning to attempt. I made the pancake batter as usual (recipe below) and then poured half the mixing bowl's content on to a plate. Since this was my first time trying this, I put the pancake in for 45 seconds. This mostly cooked it, but the middle was still uncooked so I flipped the pancake and put it in for 50 seconds. This made a great pancake! I still had enough batter for another, so I put it in for 50 seconds on both sides. Now the consistency was a little different from stove-top pancakes (they were a little more tough...and a little more dry) but it wasn't anything a little almond butter couldn't fix :)

Some things I'd try for next time:
-Playing around with different cook times.

(45-50 seconds cooked the pancake, but the consistency was a little tough. Maybe 40 sec/each side would do the trick)

-General tip: Spray your plate before microwaving!

(Because your plate = your frying pan. You don't want the batter sticking)

****FOR BETTER CONSISTENCY: Use a PANINI MAKER :)

And here is the recipe for the pancakes. I tend to experiment with it from time to time. Today I didn't use blueberries, yesterday I didn't use banana, sometimes I use a splash of almond milk, and sometimes I use 1 tbs Greek yogurt. And I almost always add nutmeg and pumpkin pie spice and sometimes clove. However you choose to bake them, I hope this yummy default recipe (courtesy of Tone it Up) and this microwave method helps you make your perfect pancake!

Recipe

- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I use Jay Robb's)

- 1/2 mashed organic banana

- 1 tbs cinnamon

- 1 tbs flax seed

- 1/4 cup egg whites

- blueberries

Winning the Food Storage Container Jackpot

2011-08-18T10:41:00.000-07:00

I pack my lunches and snacks a LOT. Packing your food has many benefits. It’s a great way to make sure you’re eating healthy and it helps you stay focused in class or at work instead of being distracted by hunger pangs. I take small containers of food with me everywhere I go. They're helpful while traveling or even in your purse while you're out and about. It saves money, too!

I was at Old Navy for some of their great workout clothes when I found all this food storage in the kids’ section. My initial thought was, “Old Navy sells Tupperware?” This was quickly followed by intrigue as I inspected each kind of Tupperware they sold. It’s probably lame that I felt like I was winning the jackpot while looking at all of these containers, but maybe you’ll see what I was getting at when you look at the pictures.

Here's an overview: On the left is a sandwich container and the one on the far right is just another little container for any kind of snack. The middle three are a bit more impressive, so I explain them in the picture below:

On the left is a container with a removable section that is a little less than 1/3 of the whole container. Attached to the bottom of the removable part is a spoon that you make by sticking two pieces together. This type of container would be perfect for something like yogurt and granola. Put the yogurt in the bottom, the granola in the removable section, and there's already a spoon! Another good combo for it would be vegetables and hummus.

The container at the bottom of the picture is a whole set of eating utensils just like the one I described! BUT, instead of just making a spoon, you can make a spoon, knife, fork, and even chopsticks! To make the spoon, fork, or knife, you put one of the blue sticks with one of the green pieces. To make the chopsticks, you just put all of the blue pieces together. It's great! I also just used this in my carry on while traveling. It worked out so well. I removed the knife part, though. I wasn't sure what TSA would do so I left that part behind.

The container on the left is a lunch cube. It opens up to two sections: one large section where you could put a sandwich or maybe greens for a salad, and another section that splits in to two more sections (if you made a salad with this, you could put vegetables and chicken in the other sections, or put other foods you'd want with a sandwich in it).

I went grocery shopping the other day and found that this same brand of food storage (Sistema) was at my local store. So, I picked up a slightly different lunch cube that would has a place for smaller foods and even a little cup for dressing or hummus (whatever you'd like).

And, no judgement on this last one. But heck, most of this stuff was from the kids' section...

Let me know in the comments if you pack your food, too! Or what you use to pack it. Have a great week, everybody!

Post Booty Call Protein Shake

2011-08-02T18:01:00.000-07:00

Oh, for those of you who don't know what a "Booty Call" is, it's a term for "morning workout." So yeah, once again "booty call" and "working out first thing in the morning" are synonymous. Now that that is cleared up, here's a great recipe for a post-booty call protein shake :)

I made this after my 30 min HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training), abs, and arm session. I did the Tone it Up Arm workout they posted last week (see here)

So, without further adieu, the recipe!

1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I used Jay Robb's)

1/2 cup Unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup coffee ice cubes

Couple shakes cinnamon

A shake of pumpkin spice

1 tbsp almond butter

1 tbsp chocolate almond butter

Put it all in a blender and enjoy! And don't forget your shake dance!

Jamie Eason's Cinnamon Swirl Protein Bread

2011-07-19T20:19:00.000-07:00

I saw this recipe from Jamie Eason, of bodybuilding.com, this morning and was more than excited to try it. I had been craving something like this and finding it this morning via Twitter was perfect timing!

This kind of recipe is perfect for when you are craving something unhealthy. Luckily, with this bread, there's no real cheating involved. If you look at my last post, you may notice that I often improvise when I'm out of ingredients. Well, today was no different!!

I had all but a couple ingredients. The recipe (seen here) called for 2 scoops of vanilla whey protein powder, baby food applesauce, and an optional 1/4 cup of low sugar vanilla yogurt. I had barely one scoop of vanilla whey protein left, so I added some chocolate rice powder because that's the only other protein powder I had and really wanted to try this recipe. I used some Greek yogurt instead of low sugar vanilla and used Stevia in place of Xylitol. I also do not have an 8x8 pan, but I do have an 8in cake pan (which I used to make a hippo cake for BF's birthday...see end of post!) :)! Oh...one more thing...I forgot to spray the pan before adding the batter, but no matter. It was nonstick and it came out perfectly :)

Batter Before Baking

Almost done!

I can't wait to try this recipe again with the actual ingredients Jamie listed because then I'm sure it'll look a bit more like it did in her recipe's picture than it did for me today ;). Regardless, it's delicious!

Hope you try it and have a great week! :)

As promised: hippo cake picture http://twitpic.com/5ssj0v

...BF one-up'd me on my birthday by making a cake replica of my cat: http://twitpic.com/571h7o and a fire engine for his nephew: http://twitpic.com/5euqhm

Quinoa Wraps

2011-07-19T19:49:00.000-07:00

I watched Tone it Up's video with Tenley Molzahn where they made quinoa wraps with collard greens as the wraps! Here is the video that has their (great) recipe: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jji4r7I2WSY

I, however, was hungry and did not have collard greens, avocado, or tempeh. What I DID have was quinoa, romaine lettuce, swiss chard, lime juice, tuna, water chestnuts, cilantro, and parsley!

How to recreate this yummy meal:

1. Cook quinoa.
2. Lay out romaine lettuce (or collard greens or any other kind of green for a wrap) and place some swiss chard on top (optional).
3. Mix the tuna, water chestnuts, cilantro, and parsley with lime juice, sea salt, ground pepper, Jack Daniel's mustard, and red cayenne pepper in a bowl.
4. Place cooked quinoa on wraps and cover with the mixture from the bowl! :)

This was great and it makes amazing left overs!

Make Your Life Better...With a Bracelet?

2011-07-15T13:53:00.000-07:00

Described as basically a Livestrong with brains, the "Jawbone Up" bracelet/wristband is supposed to track your activity, sleeping, and eating activities and make suggestions to better control those areas of your life. It has sensors in it and works in conjunction with your iPhone or Android via an app (that I assume will be known to you when you buy the wristband...likely something to do with "Jawbone").

It is supposed to take a picture of your food and estimate the calories of your meal based on the picture and it also gives you healthy suggestions based on how you are doing in other areas of your life (sleeping, eating, etc). For example, if you did not sleep much, Jawbone Up might tell you to eat a high-protein meal and lots of water when you wake up.

The wristband supposedly comes out at the end of the year and is said to be "affordable", whatever that means. I think this looks like a very worthwhile device for someone like me or my friends on the Tone it Up team. However, I am a bit skeptic about the calorie estimation based on a picture, but with all the technology that's out now, that is something I will just have to wait and see about. I do love the idea of this wristband, though, and I'm really digging the blue color pictured in the article :). Guess we'll just have to wait and see what this is all about later this year! I'm looking forward to it!

See article here: http://www.tuaw.com/2011/07/15/jawbone-up-wristband-sensor-design-for-your-health/

What I'm Loving Right Now

2011-06-18T15:34:00.000-07:00

I think I'm going to do a bunch of these "What I'm Loving Right Now" segments throughout this blog. A lot of them will be about nutrition, healthy snack and meal ideas, and tips. That will be what this one's about, anyway!

Loving: Nutrition

I've always loved nutrition. I was never a picky eater and was also a gymnast, diver, dancer, and still am a runner so I knew if I put garbage into my body, I'd do pretty darn poorly in competitions. Anyway, for years I also wanted to be a nutritionist. I still haven't fully ruled that out yet, but even if I don't become one, I will still use whatever knowledge I have from learning about it to my life.

Mini-Babybel Light: They're these cute little cheeses that you can pick up at any grocery store. They're very good, especially when paired with mustard (I prefer Jack Daniel's mustard---and no, there is no alcohol in it, for those who are wondering. It's just the brand.) Here's a picture of the cheese! Plus they're wrapped in this wax that you easily can take off...and then play with. Or, at least that's what I do.

Laughing Cow Cheese:

I've been eating these for years, and now there are new flavors that I need to try (tomato basil, etc)! I use the plain swiss flavor on wraps or by themselves. I've also recently (I'm talkin' last night) found out that, if paired with fruit or nuts, they make a really tasty dessert! Last night I ate a piece with some blueberries and it was really good. :)

Almond Milk: Don't raise your eyebrows. It's good! I snack on almonds all the time, so I really like this. It's unsweetened and I don't think it has calcium benefits or anything, but it's just sort of refreshing to have a gulp of it. You can also use it in your smoothies, coffee, tea, cereal, etc. Sometimes I pour it over raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries and it's really good. It's low in calories, carbs, and sugar.

Almond Butter/Peanut Butter: At my grocery store, there are these machines that have peanuts and almonds in them (respectively). You flip a switch and the nuts are ground down to butter right in front of you, so they're fresh with no added ingredients. They taste better than any peanut butter I've ever tried. EVER! And I might even like the almond butter more. I flip flop all the time about which is my favorite.

Cinnamon Tea: First off, I love anything with cinnamon. Seriously. And I learned from Katrina from Tone it Up that it can also be a good dessert with some almond milk in it.

Pistachios: If you get the kind that you have to peel open, it's sort of a pain, but it also helps with portion control since you have to work to get the nut out of its shell. I like to get both my jars of pistachios and almonds from Target. They are Target brand (specifically called "Market Pantry") and come in jars that get you a good amount of food for the price you pay.

Green Tea: I've tried tons of different kinds, and recently just bought Lipton brand and it's fabulous (not to mention cheaper than other options). I've tried crosses between green tea and acai (pronounced "ahs-sye-eeee. Sye rhymes with dye) berry tea and green tea mixed with black tea, but even though both are yummy in their own regard, this time I just wanted plain. No fancy-shmancy stuff. Just plain green tea.

That's another thing, I read the ingredient labels a lot. The last time I went back home for a visit, my parents were (and are) going on this major health kick. Honestly, the unhealthiest thing in my house was JIF peanut butter. I've always been one for healthy foods and exercise, so I thought that was pretty cool. And while I was there, I learned a trick that has now changed my approach to eating: READ THE 1ST FOUR INGREDIENTS ON FOODS before you buy/eat them. IF YOU DON'T RECOGNIZE THEM, then don't eat it. When you actually do this on your main, staple foods, you'll be surprised that things you eat normally, like bread, have unrecognizable ingredients. Even foods that are "healthy", such as low carb, low calorie foods, have alien nutrients in their first four ingredients. The reason you read the first four is because ingredients are listed in order of prominence. In other words, they are arranged from most to least. Although, aim for foods that are free of ingredients you don't recognize. Another way of looking at it is to ask yourself, "would I cook with this?" or "would I want someone to give me food that they cooked with this??" If the answer is no, try to find an alternative.

While you're at it, don't get or consume anything with high fructose corn syrup. I'm convinced it's what has lead our country to become so obese. I am by no means a doctor or expert, but doctors and experts do say that (I don't have a link with me or anything, but you can research it if you'd like). And again, watch out for "healthy" foods. Even they'll have that corn syrup hiding in there sometimes. And in my opinion, you don't even really need to eat corn that much considering most meats now are fed corn. Even fish! Yes, fish. When's the last time you saw a salmon swimming around and fighting other salmon for corn in the wild? You haven't. Seriously. Neither has anyone. Basically, all these animals are eating things that they would not eat in their natural habitat and so when we eat cow or salmon and drink cow's milk, then those nutrients they get come into us. So as a word of caution, do your homework about the source of your dinner before you sit down to eat it. It's not as hard as it sounds, and you'll benefit from it.

Gosh that was long. That's it for now!

-Sarah

Refreshing Summer Desserts

2011-06-18T11:12:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! While eating healthy is important, everybody knows that sometimes you just need to have something sweet. That's why this summer, I've been making tasty and healthy desserts that are not only good for you, but so refreshing during the summer months! I'll be sharing three today :)

1) Strawberry Coconut Ice Cream
I got this idea from fitsugar.com via the Tone it Up girls. The only ingredients are light coconut milk, strawberries, vanilla extract, and stevia. If you don't like stevia, you can substitute it for agave nectar. The first time I made this, I used coconut milk from a carton (like regular milk or almond milk) and the consistency was not very good. SO---I highly suggest using the canned light coconut milk. It'll end up more like ice cream whereas my first attempt was more like a smoothie, albeit a tasty smoothie. For the whole recipe plus a chocolate sauce to go with it, click here.

First you mix all the ingredients together in a blender and you will get a concoction like this:

Then you put it in the freezer and stir it every 30 minutes until it reaches an ice cream consistency. For me, it was ready in 1.5 hrs.

And, if you want, you can turn them into popsicles! I found some popsicle molds at CVS for $1. Pour the mixture in there, and then you can take them with you to the pool!

2) Fat-Burning Key Lime Pie Bars
This recipe came from Kim Snyder, a celebrity nutritionist in Los Angeles. I found it on her website and all I have to say is wow. These bars are so easy to make and are even more delicious. Best of all, once you make them, you can keep them in your freezer for a few weeks!

Ingredients: lime juice, coconut oil, honey, cashews, liquid stevia, and water.
First you combine all the ingredients except water in a blender, then mix in the water. Then you pour it in a pan and freeze it for 4 hrs or overnight and then you have DELICIOUS desserts to nosh on for the next few weeks. I think it's brilliant!

The picture on the left is Kimberly Snyder's version. The picture on the right is my attempt. Clearly her presentation is better but myyyy do they taste good! You'll love them!

(link to kimberly's website for this recipe -- scroll down once there)

3) Figs & Mascarpone

I first had this combination for my dessert on Valentine's Day, and I've been thinking of it ever since! My boyfriend wasn't a fan, but he agreed that this combination was certainly my style.

If you've never tried mascarpone, it is actually an Italian mild cheese (you may have tasted it in tiramisu before). Please don't let that description deter you from trying it! It's so good it'll knock your socks off.

Anyway, the picture above had black mission figs, mascarpone, and I believe a brandy sauce. But just the other day I bought some mascarpone and organic black mission figs and I just take a fig here and there, put a little mascarpone on it, and voila! You HAVE to try this!

I use BelGioioso mascarpone (because that's what my mama used to buy) and because it has fewer calories than competitors.

I hope you all have a great weekend and enjoy these recipes!

SUP and Hiking

2011-05-22T12:24:00.000-07:00

While in Hawaii, my family went hiking in Kauai and got to see Waimea Canyon followed by an 8 mile hike to the Na Pali Coastline. 4 miles there and back...and all six of us perceived it to be uphill both ways.

(Waimea Canyon)

The picture above is on the way to the trail for the Na Pali Coastline. Once we got to the trail, we started our uphill trek which, as you might have guessed from before, stayed uphill practically the whole time. Do not let this discourage you if you get the opportunity to take this hike! When it seems like you've been walking forever, you get to the edge of the coastline and it is sooo worth it. The soreness you feel for the next couple days is worth it, too. We had a great time hiking together and my brother's girlfriend, who was an NCAA athlete in college, even said it was a challenging hike. That made the rest of us feel a lot better for having completed it :)

The pictures don't do it justice, but the view is incredible!!!

On our last day there, we went stand up paddle boarding (SUP). I had been excited to do this since I first heard about it last year. Then I saw the Tone it Up (TIU) girls, Karena and Katrina, SUP-ing in one of their videos! I had started doing TIU workouts the week before I left for Hawaii so once I saw the SUP video, I knew I wanted to try! And, it's as fun as it looks and is a great arm workout as well as leg and core workout since you have to balance so much. TIP: if the wind sweeps you far, far away from the rest of everyone else in the water like it did to me, stop standing! Keep paddling, but kneel on your knees instead of standing! You'll have a lot more control over what direction you go :)

Hope you all get to try SUP and get to do this amazing hike!

Surf Craze!!

2011-05-21T13:06:00.000-07:00

For those of you have never been, surfing is amazing. For those of you who have, then you know what I'm talking about. I think it is by far the coolest and most exciting thing I've ever done. Now, I've always been beach-obsessed, so I've always known I wanted to go surfing. However, with the exception of trying once at the age of 10 with my surfer cousins in Florida ---on a day with no waves---my surfing experience was, well,...nonexistent. That said, I was BEYOND excited to go surfing one morning in Hawaii over Spring Break!

I was so excited to actually be doing what I had tried to vicariously feel while watching movies like Blue Crush or watching surfers like Kelly Slater, Bethany Hamilton, or even my cousin Josh. I had also seen pictures of my boyfriend surfing and while I had stood on his board when it was sitting on carpet, standing on a board while on a WAVE was incredible.

Doesn't really count, I know...

It's pointless to tell you surfing is a good workout, but MAN. First you have to paddle out into the water, then once you see a good wave coming, you have to paddle really hard in order to catch it. That was my problem. I've got the balance part of surfing down! Maybe a minor issue there is that I'm goofy foot (meaning I put my right foot forward on the board instead of my left), but standing on the board isn't my problem; paddling is. I had tried "training" for this day by doing a bunch of pushups and arm exercises regularly before we left for Hawaii, but I was SO sore! At one point, I rode a wave in and it took me about 20 minutes just to get back to my family in the water...mostly because my thought process went as follows: "OH! Well here comes a wave, I'll just try to get this one *start paddling...miss wave...try to get back to family...see another wave...try to catch that one, too...miss it...*. Repeat this process a few more times, and that is how I spent a good 30 minutes.

If you look at any surfer though, you'll see that they really need to train for this sport. It requires a lot of upper body strength, but that's definitely not all. You need a strong core and strong everything to get up there and do it well! In fact, here's a link to lots of benefits of surfing...including lots of information about the type of nutrition and cross training surfers eat and do!

And here is a glimpse of one of the best days I have had yet! :D Go surfing!