French Women Don't Get Fat

In the spirit of my big move to France, I decided to finally read something that has been on my reading list for a while, French Women Don't Get Fat by by Mireille Guiliano. The book was easy to read and contained lots of recipes and great stories. It actually made me really excited to enjoy French cuisine while I'm there.

The tips given in the book are pretty common sense, eat real food, everything in moderation, and drink plenty of water. Although I've completely eliminated things from my diet before and done cleanses, I'm a big believer in enjoying the things that you like, in moderation, otherwise, life can get pretty boring. It's also important to figure out what works for your body. For example, I know that cow's milk makes my stomach hurt and is therefore bad for me. So, I avoid it as much as possible but I'm not afraid to indulge in cheese or desserts once in a while.

The problem in America is that we don't value real food anymore and tend to eat out often. Food is about convenience and taste, rather than quality and nutrition. I learned good habits from my European parents. Almost every meal was home-cooked, we hardly ever ate out, and there was no junk food in the house. We also got our liquids from water and not soda or juice. The habits explained in this book are very consistent with what I grew up with and quite different from what I saw in my friends' homes. I was always excited to go to friends houses as a child because there was so much candy and their parents took us to McDonald's.

Healthy food can taste good with the freshest ingredients and spices. Quality ingredients are more nutritious, taste better, and will keep you satisfied. Remember that investment in your health now will pay off later.

One thing I don't cover enough on this blog is ways to stay active without working out intensely at a gym every day. I do group exercise, crossfit, spinning, and running because I like it, but I understand that not everyone loves to break a sweat. The training and amount of working out that you've seen me post about on this blog is overkill, and I don't need to do it all to be healthy.

French (and European) women don't spend hours at the gym but they do make sure to move all day long by taking walks and using the stairs, for example. There are lots of pedometers and fitness trackers that can help encourage to keep active all day.

Mireille Guiliano has other books too, including a cookbook, that you should check out. I'm excited to get to France and start eating like a French woman!

Friday Favorites - Gyms in Chicago

As I'm wrapping up to leave Chicago for INSEAD, I'm reflecting on all of the wonderful experiences that I've had here. Because of this blog, so many of these experiences have revolved around being active and there is such a great health and fitness scene in Chicago, I'm going to miss it! A lot of times, please ask me where my favorite places to workout in Chicago are, so here's a list! There are way more gyms in Chicago than I could ever hope to visit so these are just a few that stand out to me.

River North CrossFit was my original box in Chicago when I first moved here. I spent many early mornings there and hot afternoons on the track training. The community is like no other!

CrossTown Fitness was a new addition to my fitness routine after I attended Sweatworking there with aSweatlife.com. Every class is different and has a combo of cardio and strength. Plus, they do stand up paddle boarding on the lake on Saturdays.

Not exactly a gym, but my friend Kate Hiipakka has been central to the Chicago fitness community since I got here and she introduced me to both NTC Chicago and Shred415. Check out her blog at The Four Percent.

And finally, the best running group ever, Crew Runs the World! They got me through my second Chicago Marathon and my half marathon PR earlier this year. We have very fond memories of battling polar vortexes, snowy sidewalks, and icy winds along the lakefront (I will not miss those things about Chicago).


Thanks to everyone in Chicago who has motivated me and pushed me to be healthy and fit!

Instacart grocery delivery service

You wouldn't expect to hear this from a health blogger, but I've gone to the grocery store once in the past month. I've been so busy prepping for my move and trying to catch up with all my friends before I leave, so Instacart has been a lifesaver! This app and website is super easy to use. You just type in your address, pick a participating store (Jewel, Whole Foods, and more for Chicago), pick your groceries, select a delivery window (as fast as two hours from ordering), and someone goes to grocery store for you and delivers the groceries to your door. There is a small delivery fee but I think it's worth it because I really dislike going to the grocery store. The best part is that you get free deliver and $10 off your first order with my link!

My orders with Instacart have all come out pretty good. The person calls you when they're in the store if they don't have something you want, you can then choose substitutes and the final price is adjusted accordingly. One time, I got some bread and opened it a day after the delivery only to realize that it was molded. I noted this in my delivery rating to Instacart and they refunded the amount for the bread. So, they work with you if something goes wrong. Good customer service is always a plus.

Another function that is growing on the Instacart site is the recipe center where you can actually browse recipes and add the ingredients directly to your cart. Here's the recipe that I posted for Sweet Potato Hash.

Give Instacart a try and let me know what you think!

Review: Icebreaker Merino

Beach volleyball is one of my favorite things to do in the summer but we haven't had the best weather in Chicago. Warm weather was scarce during the first half of the season and I couldn't wear my usual bathing suit so I opted for my Icebreaker Merino Wool long sleeve and tights instead. 

Icebreaker clothing is made out of wool from the merino sheep of the New Zealand mountains. These sheep live in extreme weather, from the frozen winters to the warm summers, and their coats have to be able to adjust. That's why the merino wool fabric is so versatile. Early summer in Chicago is warm but breezy and the temperature drops at night, so this lightweight clothing has been perfect.

I'm wearing the Flash Long Sleeve Half Zip and the Rush 3/4 Tights. The tights aren't as elastic as I would like them to be but they are soft and comfortable. The long sleeve, however, I can't stop wearing! It's prefect for throwing on on the way to the gym or summer sports. I've worn it during kickball and volleyball and before/after paddleboarding. It's still comfortable even when I have a wet bathing suit on. I also love how lightweight it is because even though the sun is warm, it can be breezy and cool in the shade.

I'm excited to try more Icebreaker merino clothing for my upcoming travels and as the seasons change. It seems very versatile for all weather conditions and different types of activities. You can check out the women's running and fitness collection here.


Have you worked out in wool clothing?

What's your favorite summer adventure?


*Icebreaker Merino Wool provided me with this complimentary outfit in exchange for this review post. All pictures, text, and opinions are my own.

New Vega Bars

You know that I'm a big fan of Vega products and so I was very excited when they came out with the all new Vega Bars a couple of months ago. There are four different bars in a variety of flavors that each have a specific purpose, see chart below. As usual, all Vega products are plant-based and natural and include ingredients prefect for a healthy diet. And these bars are perfect for on-the-go! I'm always finding myself heading downtown for meetings around lunchtime so I pack a Vega Bar and it holds me over until I'm home.

I received some samples to try and the Vega Snack Bar in Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup is my absolute favorite. It's perfect for an on-the-go snack and delicious. It also has nutrients and protein to keep you full. I'm definitely taking these with me when I move abroad. The Vega One bars are also great for a meal replacement and worked for me when I was on my recent trip to Reno and couldn't find healthy food at the conference. The Vega Sport Energy Bar is excellent pre-workout and I would be using it much more if I was marathon training this year. Finally, the Vega Sport Protein bar is great post-workout and can replace your protein smoothie, especially if you're on the go. 

I know that the prices for the Vega bars are more than you would expect for snack bars but you really pay for quality. I think that it is worth it to spend the extra dollars on a bar that you can carry with you in case you need sustenance instead of being tempted to buy a candy bar at a convenience store and risk the side effects that come from unhealthy, sugary food. Remember that investment in your health now will pay off later!

Have you tried the new Vega Bars?

What do you eat when you're on-the-go? 

*Vega provided me with samples of the new Vega Bars to try in exchange for this review post. All opinions are my own.

Review: Mika Yoga Wear

I'm having an action-packed summer with lots of outdoor activities including volleyball, stand-up paddle boarding, kayaking, and just going to the beach. I wanted something sporty but cute to wear in the water this summer besides my usual string bikini. I came across Mika Yoga Wear and thought their separates would be great for both outdoor summer sports and indoor yoga.

First up is the Maya Bra (shown above and below), which is so versatile that I've been wearing it everywhere I can. It fits perfectly and is comfortable. It is supportive like a sports bra but sexy like a bikini. I've gotten a lot of compliments on this one at beach volleyball and in the water.

The Mika shorts are also all amazing! The fit is wonderful with a wide waistband and secure fit. There is also just enough coverage to be used for sports but also just laying out at the beach. I've worn the shorts under regular clothes before heading to volleyball and they are as comfortable as underwear. And I can't say enough about the wide waistband! I have the Meeko, Betty, and Mikaela shorts.

I had my sister wear one of my Mika outfits (above) when she was visiting this weekend. We went paddle boarding with CTF and Chicago SUP on the lake and she also loved the sporty but cute bathing suit. Olivia is wearing the Tula top and Lucia shorts from the Pink Ribbon Collection.

My Mika Yoga Wear has definitely been great this summer for my outdoor activities but I also wanted to try it for it's intended use, hot yoga. I generally wear athletic shorts and a sports bra to Bikram and I could definitely tell a difference with the Mika pieces. They fit better as I was sweating through my clothes an I definitely felt like I could move around. Because the Tula top ties in the back, it was easy to take off after class (usually I'm wrestling with the sports bra).

To sum up, Mika Yoga Wear is awesome for both hot yoga and summer activities. I'm definitely taking it with my on my travels because I plan to be doing lots of fun activities, and especially outdoor water sports when I'm in Singapore next year.


What are your favorite summer outdoor activities?

What do you wear for water sports?

Don't forget to enter my Matcha Green Tea GIVEAWAY!


*Mika Yoga Wear provided me with some complimentary outfits in exchange for this review post. All opinions, pictures, and text are my own.

Recipe: Matcha Green Tea Latte

I am a green tea fanatic but one thing I can't make easily at home is hot green tea lattes that taste good and aren't watered down. Luckily, Kiss Me Organics sent me some Matcha green tea powder along with a recipe book where the first recipe is, of course, a green tea latte! Here's my adaptation.

Organic Matcha is only available on Amazon (and Amazon.ca) and is even better for you than brewed green tea because you ingest all of the leaf. It has more antioxidants and provide all day energy. The taste is bland and I've used it in my morning smoothie. To make drinks by itself, you need some sort of sweetener because it is bitter otherwise.

Ingredients

1 cup almond milk

1 tsp. Organic Matcha

Pure Via stevia sweetener, to taste

Directions

Heat the almond milk to almost a boil. Add matcha and stevia and mix well. You can also add to a  blender to make frothy.


GIVEAWAY!

Win a package of your very own Matcha tea just by commenting on this blog telling me how you currently drink your tea. Then, fill out the rafflecopter app below, let me know in the comments if it doesn't work and I'll add you manually. (Comment is required for entry and I do check!!) You can also get extra entries by tweeting and following me on social media.

Contest ends at midnight on Thursday, July 17. Open to residents of the United States and Canada only.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Kiss Me Organics provided me with a complimentary package of Organic Matcha in exchange for posting this review and giveaway. All opinions are my own.

Pure Via Summer Fit Kit GIVEAWAY

Summer is here which means that I general switch from hot to colder beverages, especially with tea. I like to brew fresh tea and let it cool in the fridge and then drink it on my porch. Of course, iced tea tastes much better when it's sweetened and I'm always looking for healthy alternatives to processed sugar. So, I was excited when Pure Via sent me some of their stevia products to try along with Lipton iced tea powder. I never make teas from powder but I will say it is much easier and this Lipton powder dissolves well in cold water.

Pure Via makes a liquid and a powder stevia sweetener. There are some differences between the two but they are both all-natural made from the stevia plant. The liquid is easy to take on the go and one squeeze is as sweet as a teaspoon of sugar. I really liked it in the Lipton tea and also tried it in green tea. The taste is good and I like that there is no after taste. The powder can also be used in liquids and in any recipes calling for sugar.

Lucky for you, Pure Via is providing one HFG reader with a Pure Via Summer Fit Kit giveaway including the following:

• Box of Pure Via® non-GMO packets
• Bottle of Pure Via® stevia liquid
• Bottle of Pure Via® vanilla stevia liquid
• Container of instant iced tea
• Pure Via mason jar & straw
• Pure Via pedometer
• Pure Via SPF 15 lip balm

All you have to do to enter to win is comment on this post telling me what you would sweeten with your Pure Via. Then, just fill out the rafflecopter app below so I can keep track of entries. If the app isn't working for you, tell me in your comment and I will be sure to enter you manually. You can also follow me and Pure Via on social media for extra entries.

Contest closes on Thursday, June 26, 2014 and is open to U.S. residents only. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Pure Via provided me with the summer fit kit in exchange for this review post and giveaway. All opinions are my own.

CTF Paddle Boarding with Chicago SUP

It's official, my new favorite sport/outdoor activity is stand up paddle boarding! Betina at CrossTown Fitness invited me to check out her paddle boarding class and of course I had to do it. I'm enjoying every bit of the warm weather and #summertimechi before I move to France.

CTF's paddle boarding class is every Saturday this summer at 8 am at Chicago SUP on North Ave. beach. Included for CTF members as a regular class, which is normally $25 per class or less with packages. There are also great specials for new clients, like $30 for 3 classes or only $80 for the whole first month. You can purchase classes and sign up here.

We had a pretty big group show up on the beautiful Saturday morning. We got our paddles and life vests and then headed to the water to pick up our boards. After a short lesson, we were ushered to the water and on our way out to sea! I mean, the lake. I've never paddle boarded before so I really didn't know what to expect and was sure that I would fall in the water immediately when I tried to stand on my board. I hesitated at first, but once I got up, I was really surprised at how easy it was to keep my balance. However, I could definitely feel my core working not only to stay upright but also to paddle.

We were on the water for about an hour. We paddled north along the beach and then back. It was work, but fun work and just felt like a stroll along the water. My arms were definitely sore the next day! My favorite part was how peaceful it was out on the water and the incredible views of the city. The pictures really speak for themselves.

You can wear a bathing suit or workout clothes while paddle boarding but it's better to wear something you can get wet in case you accidentally or purposefully fall in. I'm wearing my new Mika Yoga Wear in the picture, more on that later! Also, don't bring your phone on the board (I had my waterproof camera strapped to my vest).

Stand up paddle boarding is so fun and a great way to kick off your Saturday morning. Sign up on CTF's website and check out Chicago SUP to learn more about other paddle boarding programs.

Are you trying any new outdoor activities this summer?

Friday Favorites from St. Louis and CrossFit Nucleus

Happy Friday! Last weekend, Grace and I drove down to St. Louis to celebrate our friend Jill getting married. With lots of food and drinks at the wedding shower and bachelorette party, we of course wanted to start the weekend off healthy. When searching for crossfit boxes in the area, I found one called CrossFit Nucleus and it was just down the street from our hotel in Belleville, IL! I'm a nuclear engineer so of course we had to check this box out. The head trainer, Mike, was kind enough to let us WOD with them on Saturday morning, and we had a great (hot and sweaty) time. It is way warmer and more humid down south! The workout included med ball runs, push-ups, V-ups, broad jumps, and KB swings. The atmosphere was great and everyone was welcoming. If you're ever in the St. Louis area, be sure to head across the river from downtown and check out CrossFit Nucleus!

Coming into STL!

Grace and I pre-WOD.

What a great outdoor area!

The crew after working out.

Purdue friends at Jill's wedding shower.

Checking out the Cardinals game from Ballpark Village.

Bachelorette Party!!

Selfie with Jill after a long night of bachelorette fun.

What were your favorites this week?

What's your favorite bachelorette/bachelor party destination?

Are you Fed Up?

Last week, I had the opportunity to see the new documentary, Fed Up, which is basically about the affect of food on health in America. To be honest, I didn't learn anything new in the movie and was basically just nodding my head in agreement the whole time. The documentary is a more elaborate version of a paper I wrote on The Obesity Epidemic in grad school. Obesity and related diseases (type 2 diabetes, heart disease, etc.) are increasing at alarming rates in the United States and especially in children. Americans consume way more sugar that the daily recommend amount and it comes mostly from added sugar in processed foods. Since a low-fat diet became popular 30 years ago, more and more sugar was added to food to make it taste good. And the sugar and processed food industry lobbies are powerful and influence our government. School lunches are unhealthy and parents and children are not educated on what they should be eating. The obesity epidemic is very alarming and costing us billions in healthcare. It will also become a national security issue when the next generation is Too Fat to Fight.

The documentary followed the lives of a few obese children and their families, talking about what they ate and how hard it was to lose weight. We often put blame on the victim in this case saying that these children are lazy and have no willpower. But they are victims of a society that markets unhealthy food to children and puts addictive substances (added sugar) into food. Unhealthy options (e.g. fast food, junk food) are much easier to come by than healthy options. There is no proper nutrition education in school and school lunches are awful. As someone that tries to be as healthy as possible, I know that it is really difficult. Turning down tasty food and trying to make meals from scratch is not easy, at all, in this society. I had to educate myself to figure out what to eat to stay healthy, most people won't do that. And it is still very difficult for me to choose an apple over a cupcake if given the option, and I often fail. I can't keep sweets in my house because I will eat them.

I'm always torn on the issue of the government regulating food, such as a sugar tax or limiting marketing unhealthy food to children. I think that people should be free to choose what they want to eat. However, my health insurance premiums are paying for obesity-related diseases and my tax dollars are going to agriculture subsidies. The way our society sees food and how we teach our children about nutrition needs to change. The movement is happening with grassroots efforts. But there needs to be change on a larger scale with the food industry and government working together. Many people, including in this documentary, compare the smoking revolution to the impending food revolution. I think that it is similar, but has a major difference in that not all food is bad. Food companies can create healthier options.

I don't think that there is a perfect solution to making our food healthier but there are some things that you can start doing now to contribute to the healthy food movement, including:

• base your diet on fresh vegetables
• think of food as fuel for your body to work well
• limit processed foods, even if they say they are healthy, organic, low-fat, gluten-free, etc.
• teach your kids about good nutrition and pack their lunches
• pack your own lunch
• Make food from scratch and think outside of the box with healthy recipes (not just salads!)

What steps are you taking now to make you and your family healthier?

Do you think a sugar tax would work to fight the obesity epidemic?

Disclaimer: I received two complimentary tickets to see the Fed Up movie but was not compensated for this post. All opinions and text are my own.

Review: Five Four Club

I usually only post about women's fashion but when I was contacted by Five Four Club to review their men's clothing, I said, why not? I know I have some male readers out there! Ryan was, of course, excited to get some new clothes but not as excited about the modeling part. I think he looks great though.

Ryan received the Henry tee (above), Scott button down (below), and Venice shorts. Everything fit him perfectly which is fantastic. The tee is extremely soft and has a nice heather-gray like pattern. It can be dressed up or down. The button down is high quality and Ryan even wore it to work the next day. Finally, Ryan was impressed by the shorts. He rarely wears shorts, even in the summer, but I think he'll be wearing these quite often!

Five Four is a club website that works by sending you items of clothing each month for a flat $60. You fill out a style profile and then a real stylist matches items for you. You can exchange sizes for free (and free shipping) but not return items. Each package is worth at least $120 in retail value, so you'll get at least 50% off. Club members also get 25% of off the store. You can skip a month as to not get new clothing every month. I think the motto "your closet on auto-pilot" really works here! Click on the banner below to get started! Also, use code AF15SIM to get 25% off or $15 off!




Disclaimer: Five Four in partnership with She Is Media provided me with complimentary product in exchange for writing this review. As always, all opinion and text are my own (and Ryan's). 

BurnThis and Pilates ProWorks

Are you tired of a million different MindBody accounts and trying to keep track of all of your fitness classes? Me too. Well I was contacted by BurnThis to take a look at their new app and try some fitness classes and I must say that I am impressed! BurnThis works with studios to sign up and pay for all of your classes in one place, with one account. You can add classes to your calendar also connect with your Facebook friends and coordinate workouts. As a person who loves to vary my workouts and try new things, this app is perfect! BurnThis also has reviews and tips for each class/studio so you're prepared.

BurnThis is in twelve cities right now, including Chicago! Studios in the app in the Chicago area include Barre Bee Fit, The Bar Method, Sweat on State, Air, Exhale, and Pilates ProWorks. More are coming! Pilates ProWorks is having a great 50% off special right now at just $15 per class, so I decided to check it out!

Pilates ProWorks is a brand new studio in Lincoln Park on Halsted. To be honest, I thought a pilates class would be "easy" so I went last week, two days after my half marathon. Um, bad idea. The class was much tougher than I expected and I was still sore from running and then went to CrossTown Fitness the day after. That was rough, but anyway, I decided to give it another try this week without the soreness and it was still tough but I felt like I could keep my balance better without the leg soreness.

Pilates Pro is way more than pilates because of the FitFormer machine each person uses during class. It contains a suspended carriage with springs and band that allows for a large variety of movements with resistance. In the picture above, you can see that I'm doing a lunge by sliding my back foot backwards and moving the carriage back. There are spring connecting the carriage to the frame that you can adjust for resistance. I think this system forces you to have good form and use your core, because you will lose your balance otherwise, which did happen to me a couple of times. Have you ever done planks sliding up and down with discs under your feet? It's like that but harder. There are many core, leg, and arm/shoulder movements. We didn't do any of the same things between the two classes that I took and thus the 55 minutes went by really fast.

The Fitformer system looks complicated but will only take you 1-2 classes to get the hang of, and the instructors are very helpful (along with all of the mirrors to follow your classmates). I found this great video on YoutTube (below) that explains the class better than I can with pictures and words. Pilates Pro really is the next level of pilates and I think a great cross training option for anyone. My lower abs are sore, which doesn't happen often, so I know I'll be going back!

Pilates ProWorks also has other classes, including TRX, Barre, and private sessions. Like I said, the studio in Lincoln Park is brand new and their current special is $15 per class if you sign up through the BurnThis app. New clients also get a week free!

Do you practice pilates?

Don't forget to enter my Mamma Chia giveaway!

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored but I did receive a complimentary Pilates ProWorks class from BurnThis in exchange for this review post. All text and opinions are my own.

Mamma Chia Review + GIVEAWAY

I've written before about how much I love chia seeds and about how great they are for energy during running, as mentioned in the book Born to Run. Chia seeds are extremely nutritious for their size, with lots of fatty acids, protein, calcium, iron, and other vitamins an nutrients. When placed in water, they become gel-like and thus are perfect for making energy gels for endurance sports. Their water-retaining properties are also thought to help regulate electrolytes and the absorption of sugar. So chia seeds paired with sugar and electrolytes is really the perfect running fuel.

I was excited when Mamma Chia sent me some new products to try. They make drinks, gels, and other products with chia seeds and fruit juice. The drinks and gels taste amazing and go down easy. I actually love the consistency of the Mamma Chia products. And the flavors are great! Coconut Mango in both the drink and the gel is my favorite. The Green Magic is great too because it contains spirulina and kale.

I am really picky with the gels that I eat during running because most of them make my stomach hurt. But I knew that the Mamma Chia gel would be good because it only has natural fruit and chia ingredients. I tried the gels both before and during running and they were fantastic. I even had a gel during my half marathon last week. My only complaint is that the gel packs are quite big and don't fit in a pant pocket. I put mine in my bra and they would probably fit in a belt pack.

Janie Hoffman, the founder of Mamma Chia, also has a great book, Chia Vitality, about how to harness the power of chia seeds to boost stamina, lose weight, prevent disease, and get healthier.

GIVEAWAY!

FitFluential and Mamma Chia have partnered to giveaway an awesome prize pack to one of my readers. You get all of the items pictured above (total retail value of $75):

• 7 Chia Squeezes (varied flavors)
• 7 beverage vouchers
• One copy of Janie’s book – Chia Vitality
• One Mamma Chia T-Shirt

All you have to do is comment below telling me if you already use chia seeds (and how) in your daily diet. If not, tell me why you want to! Then fill out the rafflecopter app below telling me that you commented. If it doesn't work, just say so in your comment and I will enter your entry manually. You can also tweet about the giveaway and follow me and Mamma Chia on social media for extra entries.

Giveaway ends on Thursday, May 15 and the winner will be announced on Friday! Open to U.S. and Canada residents only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: FitFluential and Mamma Chia provided me with free products and the giveaway in exchange for a review post and social media shares. All opinions and text are my own.

CrossTown Fitness and #CTFSweatworking

I got to check out CrossTown Fitness in West Loop a couple of times in the past month and I must say that I am impressed! Betina Gozo (pictured below) is one of my favorite trainers in Chicago. She's the type of trainer that can really encourage you to do your best and makes you feel like you're the only one in class with her individual attention. Betina's smile also brightens up the whole room! 

CTF is a studio gym at 1031 West Madison Street with hour-long classes that involve a variety of movements…you'll never get bored! There is no set program, but each trainer is required to design the class so that is it half cardio, half strength. All of the weights and movements are scalable so you can be a beginner or an experienced athlete and still get a great workout. There are treadmills, pull-up bars, medicine balls, free weights, body bars, kettle bells, resistance bands, and much more. I would compare the CTF workouts to CrossFit without the Olympic weightlifting. Therefore, you don't need an on-ramp class and can just get into it.

I went to CTF for the first time in April for #CTFSweatworking with aSweatlife.com (pictured below). "Sweatworking" is seriously my new favorite thing! Networking usually involves happy hour - as in, not healthy. But sweatworking is networking with a workout, much more productive! We first started with an hour-long workout with Betina involving rotations between the treadmills and body and weight movements. There was little rest in between and I liked the variety to keep things interesting. Afterwards, we networked with each other and a few brands that came by to give us samples. I even won one of the raffle prizes! More on that later. You should attend the next sweatworking event on May 24!

#CTFSweatworking with aSweatlife.com (I'm in the white top on the treadmill)

I went to CTF again this morning and I am spent. I think I should have taken a few more days off after the Indy 500 Mini Marathon because my legs are still sore. But it does feel good to get back to weight training after tapering for a couple of weeks. We did AMRAP rotations today involving 6 rounds of 6 minutes of work each. Rotations involved, running, box jumps + rows, TRX + push-ups, kettlebell swings, pull-ups + burpees, and core movements. It was definitely a full body workout and I liked that I could go at my own pace but still had the 6-minute interval to push me to do as much as possible.

CrossTown Fitness has some great programs going on this summer so check it out! You won't regret it!


40 Days Till Summer Package starting May 12

Includes:
Three 30-Minute Personal Training Sessions
Unlimited High Intensity Interval Training Classes at CTF
CrossTown Fitness Custom T-Shirt

Costs $220 per person, and is available for new clients only. Classes can be booked through CrossTown Fitness’ online scheduling center. Must purchase between May 1-12.

Stand Up Paddle Boarding Boot Camp

Saturdays at 8 AM at North Ave. Beach starting June 7.

Included for CTF members and open to everyone, sign up on the online scheduling center.

I'll be at the first paddle boarding class with Betina on June 7 so I hope to see you there!

Race Recap: Indy 500 Mini Marathon

This past weekend was a blast as some of my friends and I headed down to Indianapolis to run the Indy 500 Festival Mini Marathon. I got a PR and finally beat my high school time and had fun along the way!

Ryan and I headed down on Friday evening and stayed with his parents in the Indy suburbs. Luckily, one of our friends in town picked up our packets so they were ready when we got there. I tried to go to sleep early but it was hard with the time change and race jitters. My sleep wasn't great but I was ready to go when we woke up at 5:45 am, which is 4:45 in Chicago time. I'm not used to waking up that early.

The great thing about events in Indy is that you can drive downtown without traffic and park right next to the start line for $5. Ryan dropped me off at my corral and then he waited for our other Chicago friends to run with the "fun crew." My corral was pretty crowded in the beginning but it loosened up after a couple of miles. I felt pretty good except that I kept getting cramps. I hydrated all week so I'm not sure what was causing it. Even though the forecast said cloudy with possible rain, the sun came out and I was pretty hot. I'm glad I wore a tank top! A lot of people had long sleeves and tights and must have been so hot.

The best part about the mini course is that you run on the Indy 500 track! It's a 2.5-mile track so you're on it for quite a while. Diana and Jess (pictured above) started before me and I caught up to them on the track as they were taking pictures kissing the bricks (start/finish line). I passed by and then Diana caught up to me again in mile 9. She helped me finish the race and I was glad because my legs started seriously getting heavy in the last mile and my stomach did not feel good either. I was glad when we crossed mile 11 and I realized that I had to get across the finish within 20 minutes to get my PR. Totally doable if I just kept running! The last mile was rough but we came across the finish line together and then took the great pic above. Thanks girls for pushing me along in the end! My official time was 1:53:50 with an average pace of 8:41. Like I said, I finally beat my PR of 1:55 which was at my first half marathon in high school, the Naples Half Marathon, over 10 years ago!

The rest of my friends from Chicago run the Indy Mini every year "for fun" and costumes are a huge deal. This year they dressed up as horse jockeys. They had stuffed animal horses, jockey jerseys, and hats with goggles. It was pretty legit! I had been training all winter for this race so I wanted to run it seriously without a costume but I still had fun waiting to see them cross the finish line. They came in about an hour after us and I got the pic above. Right before the finish, the whole crew lined up and trotted across the finish in true Derby style. They were certainly a crowd favorite!

After the race we hung out in the expo for a while. Lots of people came up to us and wanted a picture with the horse group. Costumes are the best! These were created by Cameron, my running friend who introduced me to Bright Pink. She is the best at homemade costumes! I'm trying to convince her to start a blog...

For the rest of the weekend, Ryan and I hung out with our friends above and also some other Indy locals we know from Purdue. On Sunday we went to brunch with his parents and I had a delicious eggs florentine and a well-earned post-race bacon treat. We then saw my friend Jordan and her adorable baby, and husband too. She's the one with the amazing black bean salsa recipe.

Now it's Monday and I'm still pretty sore from the race. I don't get sore from running often so I'm glad that I am because it means that I tried my hardest. My upper back is also sore, I'm not sure how that happened. I've got some strength training workouts coming up this week but I want to take a couple weeks off from running to recover. The bottom/side of my right foot is swollen and I'm really hoping it's not a stress fracture. Anyway, a fun race, PR, and good friends to make a great weekend!

Did you watch the Kentucky Derby this weekend?

Have you ever run a race in a costume?

Fully Function Cookies: The Cookie Department

I have a sweet tooth and am always trying to find healthy ways to satisfy it so when I heard about these "fully functional" cookies, I had to give them a try. The Cookie Department is a new start-up out of California that is bringing you cookies that are delicious and good for your. Each cookie has a specific purpose and is made with all natural ingredients.

The Cookie Department sent me some samples of the Great Full vegan cookie to try and I am a fan! This cookie is made out of sweet potatoes, cranberries, and oats for a delicious twist on the oatmeal cookie. As the name suggests, it is filling and I even found out that it provides great energy for a workout, when eaten an hour before. With this cookie, I can satisfy my sweet tooth in the afternoon and also get energy for my evening workout.

My only complaint is that these cookies still contain quite a bit of sugar and there are some alternative sweeteners that could be used like stevia, honey, or agave. Of course, the biggest battle to making healthy sweet snacks is the sweetness factor. So I say, if you're going to have a cookie then reach for one of these instead and get some purpose out of it rather than just "empty calories." 

The Cookie Department has a great selection of functional cookies (shown above) that you can shop for online of find in DavidsTea stores in the Chicago area. Lucky for you, The Cookie Department is providing Healthy Fit Goddess readers with a 20% discount! Just use code HFG30 in the online store. Hurry, because the code expires on May 31.

How do you satisfy your sweet tooth?

Disclaimer: The Cookie Department provided me with free samples and a discount code in exchange for a review post. All opinions and text are my own.

You don't have to be a Bride to Sculpt!

Last week I got to check out a fabulous new workout in Chicago, Bridal Sculpt! No, I'm not secretly engaged, and you don't have to be planning for the big day to do this great workout. But it is geared for women that want to get in shape to look their best on their wedding day. My friend Jeana from Fab Fit Chicago teaches the class on Thursdays at 6pm so she suggested I try it out. I actually went to the Tuesday 6pm class with Ashley.

The Bridal Sculpt classes are held every Tuesday and Thursday at 6pm at the Dance Center Chicago on Lincoln Ave. I tried to take some pictures during the class but they were blurry. You can see in the pic above that the studio has full-length mirrors which is great for checking your form. 

Ashley led us through a couple of circuits involving body weight movements, jump rope, planks, and strength movements with a resistance band. The class is an hour long but went by fast because we were constantly doing something different by rotating through exercises. Ashley is a great instructor and is able to give individual attention because of the small class size. All of the movements allowed for modification so this class is great for beginners. 

GIVEAWAY!!

Bridal Sculpt is offering one of my readers a 3-class package for free! That's a $60 value! All you have to do is comment on this post telling me what you want to get in shape for, whether it's your wedding, looking good in a bathing suit this summer, or just to be healthy. Then, fill out the Rafflecopter app below letting me know that you commented. (If it doesn't work, let me know in the comments and I will add you manually.) You can also get extra entries by tweeting about the giveaway and following me and Bridal Sculpt on social media.

Giveaway ends on Thursday, May 1st, at midnight and is open to residents of the Chicago area only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: Bridal Sculpt provided me with a free class and the giveaway in exchange for writing this review post. All text and opinions are my own.

Race Recap: CARA Lakefront 10 Miler

First of all, congrats to everyone who ran the Boston Marathon this morning! I'll be logging a run on the Nike+ app later today to support Nike's campaign for the Challenged Athletes Foundation.

Week 8 of Indy Mini Marathon training was light and ended with the CARA Lakefront 10 Miler on Saturday. It was a chilly but beautiful spring morning. Ryan and I drove to Montrose Harbor and got to the starting line by 7:30 am. I love that about smaller races is that you don't have to get to the race an hour or more earlier to get into the corrals. There were about 1300 runners and the course took us north a bit, over Cricket Hill, and then south along the lakeshore. I was cold at the start but warmed up within the first mile. And I'm glad that I didn't wear more layers because the sun was warming up towards the end of the race.

Ryan got this action photo of me (he didn't run). I took it easy for training last week because my ankles and calves have been in pain, and they did hurt during the 10-miler. I powered through the pain and kept my pace under 8:30, which was my goal, and my projected race pace for the half marathon in a couple of weeks. So I finished in 1:24:17 at 8:26 pace! This was a great time for me and a PR by over 10 minutes from my last 10-miler, the Cherry Blossom in DC in April 2011. 

The race was well organized and I really enjoyed it, besides the pain in my legs. The post-race party featured some interesting food samples, like macaroni and cheese and beef on a stick, I gave those to Ryan haha. I ran in to some CREW and RNCF friends and then we headed home, but not before stopping at the Over Easy Cafe for a delicious brunch!

Any tips for easing ankle/achilles/calf pain?

Did you run for Boston today?

Shamrock Shuffle Race Recap

Thanks to The Crew and Nike Chicago, I won a free race entry to the Shamrock Shuffle this year! This was my first time doing the shuffle and it was a blast! It seems like everyone in Chicago does this race to kick off the spring running season. I've been running all winter so this race was just a fun break from the long(ish) runs of half marathon training.

I went to the Shamrock Shuffle expo on Friday afternoon to try to beat the crowd. I decided to get my easy 4-mile run in by running from the L to Navy Pier (about 4 miles roundtrip). I got my packet and walked around for a bit. Tried a couple samples and bought some Nuun tablets because they are cheaper at expos and I love them for travel. I always love the view of the city from Navy Pier.

Ryan and I had some friends in town this weekend so I took a rest day Saturday to hang out and watch basketball with them all day. Eating fried bar food and drinking beer probably didn't help my time on Sunday but hey, it's March Madness! I did go home at a decent time, picked up a burrito and went to sleep early. But of course my friends came home rowdy and so my sleep was pretty interrupted. So I woke up Sunday tired and a bit dehydrated but I took all of my usual pre-run liquids and met Lindsay to head over to Grant Park.

I was in Corral C, which was so crowded that there was spill over to the outside. The first mile was very crowded and it was hard to go fast. I just wanted to enjoy the race and not use up a ton of energy weaving through people and risking injury so I stayed with the pace of the crowd, which was about 8:30/mile. The temperature was great once I warmed up and I'm still glad I wore long sleeve, long pants, and a headband even though I was a bit hot. I even wore some shamrock socks, which you can kind of see in the pic below. The course weaved through the loop and went by fast and before I knew it, we were going up that treacherous "Roosevelt hill" to the finish. I finished in 42:01 with an average pace of 8:27/mile. Not bad for a fun race and it was a PR since this was my first time running an 8k! This time was actually very similar to a 5-miler I did in Florida at the end of last year (post).

After the race I met up with The Crew (above) and we hung out, trying to pretend it was warm in the sunshine. We then headed over to the Resolution Crew Celebration with NTC Chicago. I was in the "get a PR" crew with Kate, since my goal is to get a PR in the upcoming Indy 500 Mini Marathon. We had a 5-week program leading up to the Shamrock Shuffle with running and cross training. I'm going to continue the pace of the program for the next 5 weeks of training! Below is a picture of our crew at Rockit.

Overall, I enjoyed my first Shamrock Shuffle and loved kicking off the spring race season with a fun race. I did skip my 11-mile long run this weekend so I'm trying to figure out if I should make it up this week or not. I already have to run 12 miles next weekend!


Did you run or watch the Shamrock Shuffle this weekend?

Do you make-up long runs if you miss them in a week of training?