Hi Friends,

We are busy busy packing over here, but things are running along pretty smoothly! Luckily the lovely Carolyn, from Full On Fit, wrote a wonderful guest post for us today!

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The key is the proper use of yoga.  Any yoga routine must be tailored to the person using it.  A 20-year-old woman may have a wider range of strength and flexibility, and may find a routine with energy boosting poses and stretches greatly beneficial.  Meanwhile a woman who is pregnant will find many poses are inappropriate or potentially harmful, but others help reduce back pain and joint stress.  Older women suffering from chronic joint and back pain can find relief in a tailored yoga routine designed to loosen muscles and reduce stress.  

Many studies have been made on the effects of yoga for various ailments.  It isn't a cure-all and it won't solve every problem.  For instance, yoga has shown no effect on asthma or arthritis.  

Of course, yoga isn't all about pain relief and strength training.  It offers plenty of routines, poses and breathing methods designed specifically for relaxation and stress relief.  These routines can be very relaxing and lead to an overall lower degree of stress and higher standard of living.  

Anyone interested in learning yoga should take the proper precautions.  These precautions include wearing appropriate clothing that allows a free range of motion, avoiding certain advanced poses and stretches as a beginner and taking everything slowly.  Yoga is neither a race nor competition, and taking on too much too quickly is a good way to injure yourself.  Yoga is also not a replacement for medical care.  Chronic back pain may be relieved with a little yoga, but that is in conjunction with traditional medical treatment.

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Yoga classes are offered for all skill levels and virtually any purpose in nearly every city.  Learning with a qualified teacher is a safe and easy way to begin.  It also helps avoid injury caused by trying too much too fast.

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Howdy Everyone,

How was your weekend? Mine was full of football, friends, and running. We went to the Aggie game on Saturday and had a blast watching A&M stomp the Baylor Bears! It was such a fun game. After the game, I went to dinner with a bunch of my girlfriends to celebrate my friend Kelley Smith's birthday. It was so much fun to catch up with everyone since we are spread out all over Texas now. I also squeezed in another 10 mile run on Sunday morning before Eric and I headed out to the flag football field for Eric's two games. It was a lot of fun but my shoulders are pretty toasty now! Yep, I look like a lobster!

Enough with the chit chat, lets get on to the good news. The winner for the Shabby Apple Necklace is ...... comment #1 - Amy!! Thank you all for entering!


Mrs. Amy, if you could send me your mailing address, I will get you that beautiful necklace asap! :)

Since my 1/2 marathon is this weekend, I've been trying really hard to fit in some extra stretching to work out the tightness in my hips. I did this video today and it really helped!




I am off to finish up some homework before bed. I hope you all have a wonderful night!

What did you do this weekend?

Do your hips ever get tight during training?

In health,

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Howdy Everyone,

How is your Thursday going so far? I don't know how the weather is in your neck of the woods, but it has been raining cats and dogs over here in Dallas. We needed the rain so bad! I think the grass is already looking a little greener and my herb garden is definitely enjoying the extra refreshment!

As you can see, my Basil is growing like a weed! I need to find a recipe that calls for some fresh basil ASAP. Unfortunately, my spearamint and cilantro did not surviv my trip to Colorado. :(

I always like taking other instructors yoga classes for new ideas, but sometimes getting to an extra yoga class just doesn't fit into my schedule. So what do I do? Find an amazing yoga video on YogaJournal.com of course! I did this 20 minute video the other day and then used part of the series in my own yoga class. It's a great series when you need a little energy surge.




Let me know if you try it!

Does anyone have any good ideas on how I can use my fresh Basil?

Do you ever do yog videos at home?

Have you entered my Shabby Apple giveaway yet? It's open until Sunday evening at 6:00pm.

In health,

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Hello Loves,

How are you today? Is your week off to a nice start?

My Monday was a little long, but good. I started my day off at 5:00am and got back to my house around 7:15pm. There was a step and strength, a kickboxing and barre, a yoga class, and a whole lot of work in between. Overall, a little exhausting, but petty good! :)

I don't know how the temps are in your neighborhood, but it is dang hot here in the Big D. I mean fry an egg on the sidewalk, get a sunburn in 5 minutes, and sweat in the AC hot!!

Can you say WOAH!!?? Although the heat is a little exhausting, there are some definite bonuses to the warmer weather. Bonus number one is delicious and refreshing little cuties. I pop these guys like skittles in the summer time!


Two other foods I love to eat in the summer are hummus and veggies. The veggies are cool, and the hummus fills you up without weighing you down. I was strolling through Whole Foods the other day (there is really no other way to shop at Whole Foods), when I came across a brand new hummus that looked too good to pass up. It actually tasted too good too; they were handing out samples! ;) It is a black bean hummus made right here in Texas. It's kind of crazy becuase it tastes like a cross between a bean dip and a hummus. Your taste buds get a little confused. I highly recommend it, and check out those ingredients!



At least if you can't find it in your state, you can try to make it yourself. Maybe I will test that out sometime. I have still never tried to make my own hummus, even though I've heard it's not too hard. Have you ever made homemade hummus? If so, want to share the recipe?

I also LOVE the heat because it means Fighting Texas Aggie Football is right around the corner!! I am already counting down the days until the first game. September 4th is kickoff if you were wondering! I purchased these at the Taste of Dallas to prepare for the season! I can't wait to test them out at the first tailgate.


Lastly, I love the heat because it makes me want to do sun salutations. When the sun is shining down on you so brightly, what else can you do but salute it?? Check out this quick video demonstrating Sun Salutation B, and try it out on your mat tomorrow morning and greet the sun in style! (If you are reading this post on an iPhone, and cannot see the video below, click here.)





I hope you all have a wonderful Tuesday!

Q's and A's:
Have you ever tried making homemade hummus?
Do you ever practice yoga at home or do you stick to a class setting?

In health,

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Happy Hump Day!!

How's your day going? It's Wednesday, and I am lucky enough to have the day off (minus the work I did from home this morning). Still, avoiding a 45 minute commute is never a bad thing! I started my morning off by teaching a yoga class (that doesn't count as work) and then came back home to do a little work on the computer. I was hoping to wait until the sun came out to go for my run. Little slivers of sunshine started to peak through my blinds at around 11am, so I decided to head out. It was still a little cloudy but when I looked in the mirror post run, I definitely had a few new freckles staring back at me. :) Don't worry, I put on sunscreen.

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I told you a few weeks ago that I was reading the book The Eat-Clean Diet, and so far I really like it. It is very practical and focuses on eating clean, whole, non-processed foods, avoiding sugar, and eating a combination of protein and carbohydrates at each meal. It also gives you lots of tips on how to stay on track in social situations and when your stranded without your pre-packed cooler of healthy clean foods (I 100% believe in taking your food with you as much as possible to avoid eating out and scary vending machines). Although I try my hardest to always pack my lunch (in my cute hot pink lunchbox) and have healthy snacks on me at all times, sometimes you find yourself starving and without your trusty Larabar to get you through. What are you to do? Panic? Cry? Starve? Have no fear, Tosca shows us the healthiest options at some of the most popular fast food restaurants.

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The Best Fast-Food Choices:

• McDonald's- Asian Salad with Grilled Chicken (without almonds or orange glaze)
• Burger King- Tendergrill Chicken Garden Salad (without croutons, dressing or cheese)
• Wendy's- Mandarin Chicken Salad (without roasted almonds, noodles or dressing)
• Subway- 6" Oven-Roasted Chicken Breast with Vegetables (without suace)
• Taco Bell- Chicken Ranchero Taco, Fresco Style (without cheese or avocado dressing)
• Hardee's- Charbroiled BBQ Chicken Sandwich (without BBQ sauce)
• Sonic- Grilled Chicken Sandwich (without honey mustard sauce)
• Chick-Fil-A- Chargrilled Chicken Garden Salad (without croutons or dressing)
• Jack-In-The-Box- Asian Grilled Chicken Salad (without dressing)

Next time you are faced with the decision to eat fast food or starve (that's a little dramatic), you will know which meals won't derail your healthy eating plan!

Most of you know that I am a huge fan of yoga, especially for runners. Runners are very prone to tight muscles and over use injuries, and yoga can go a long way in preventing these issues. Check out this video from FitSugar on the yoga poses every runner should try!



For more information on yoga for runners, check out this post. If you'd like to watch another video about yoga for runners, click here.

I hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday! If you haven't already, there is still time to enter my Healthy Steps Giveaway!!


Q's and A's:
What's your go to healthy fast food option?
Have you read Tosca's book?
Do you cross train be doing yoga?

In health,

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Howdy Everyone!

How was your Monday? Mine was busy busy! The productive kind of busy that makes you run around all day, and then all the sudden it is 10:00pm and you don't know where the day went! I can't believe it's already March 1st!

Today's workout included a 4 mile run this morning, attending a yoga class at noon, and then teaching my strength training class at 4:00pm. Talk about my ideal workout day! :)

Working at a gym definitely has it's perks. Being able to zip into a yoga class and be back at your desk in an hour and ten minutes is priceless. Unfortunately, a lot of people don't have that luxury, so when I came across this video I knew I had to share! Watch this two minute video and learn how to turn your desk into your own little zen zone! If you are reading this post on your smart phone and can't see the video below, click here.



When I got home from class yesterday at 9:15pm, I was starving! I was craving something a little sweet, but I didn't want to undo all of the calories I burned during my workouts. What's a girl to do? Eat kettlecorn of course! I am in love with Smart Pop 100 calorie pack kettle korn. It curbs your sweet tooth, and the entire bag is only 100 calories. Talk about satisfying!

I hope you have a fabulous Tuesday!

Q's and A's:
Have you ever done yoga at your desk?
What is your favorite healthy late night snanck?

In health,

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According to the weatherman, the snow was supposed to lighten up today. I was really hoping I could get out and about to run some errands and stretch out my legs. However, I woke up this morning to this!


Let me remind you I live in TEXAS! What is going on here? :)

Since I am oficialy snowed in today, I had to keep my workout indoors as well. To the yoga mat I went to do a series I learned in Tara Stiles' book Slim Calm Sexy Yoga.  I added a few extra poses and more sun salutations than I could count. Let's just say my triceps will love me tomorrow.

For lunch, I was craving something warm and slightly spicy, but my options were pretty limited. I went with a southwest egg white scramble. I mixed together 4 egg whites, black beans, spinach and wrapped it all in a whole wheat tortilla. It just wouldn't be lunch without an apple on the side. ;)


I also snacked on one of these guys for dessert!

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Now, I am trying to decided if I am brave enough to follow in this persons foot steps and walk over to the apartment gym. I'm not going to lie, I am a little nervous! EEEK!


What do you think?? When I first sat down to write this post, I was going to talk about healthy eating during the Super Bowl, but then I remembered that fellow bloggers Laury and Emily had already done that for me! They are both super creative and have great recipes! Check them out at:

Laury at The Fitness Dish - 5 Menus Ideas for Your Super Bowl Party

Emily at A Nutritionist Eats - Super Bowl Food

I hope you all have a fabulous weekend, and have fun at all the Super Bowl activities!

Q's and A's:
Are you going to a Super Bowl party? Who are you cheering for?
What is your favorite party munchie?
Anybody else still snowed in?
What is your favorite snow day workout?

In health,

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Hey everyone!!

Thank you so much for all of your comments on the yoga article I discussed yesterday. I love hearing your thoughts and comments! This morning, I woke up and saw this outside of my window:

They shut down work and school for today, so we officially had a SNOW DAY! I was beyond excited especially because yesterday was one crazy day. I left my house at 8am and didn't get home until 10:15pm! It wasn't a bad day by any means, it was just busy. So when they called to tell me school was closed, it was such a nice surprise.

Due to the YogaFit training this weekend, I missed my 9 mile training run I had scheduled for Sunday. Since I had the entire day off, I thought this would be the perfect time to fit it in. There was only one problem - I almost did the splits the second I walked out my front door due to the ice. Since running outside was obviously not an option, it was to the treadmill I went. I must be crazy, 9 miles on the treadmill is ridiculous!! Oh well, I survived and caught back up with my training. Luckily, I had HGTV to keep me company. I watched House Hunter International, and the guy was shopping for a house in Tokyo. He ended up spending $700,000 on a 800sq ft. condo! I am so never moving to Tokyo! Here are a few pictures I snapped on my way to the apartment gym.

The view of the junior college across the street. They were closed down too.

The stairs leading up to the gym. These just scream danger!



This is where I almost ate it!

Can you see the cracks in the ice? Every time I took a step you would hear a crack.  It was probably the most nerve racking walk to the gym of all time. :)

The view from the end of our driveway.

Beautiful, snowy sidewalk!

I'm not a huge fan of snow, but I can make an exception when it results in a snow day! There are so many things to love about snow days:

1. Waking up to beautiful views.
2. Your coffee tastes extra delicious.
3. You don't have to blow dry your hair or put on makeup if you don't want to.
4. Extra time for blogging!
5. Everything looks brighter when the sun bounces off of the snow. :)
6. More time for catching up on your reading. I can't wait to dive deeper into my YogaFit manual from this weekend.
7. You can sleep in until 8am. My alarm was set for 9am, but my body wasn't having it.
8. It's the perfect time to make some baked goodies.          
9. You get to wear comfy sweatpants and fuzzy socks all day long. Don't make fun of me for not matching!
   
                                                          

Probably the least flattering view ever, but who cares it's a snow day!

Lastly, you have time to try out a new yoga download! I am super excited to try out this 30 minute video by YogaJournal.com, especially since the soreness from my time on the treadmill is already starting to kick in. :(



I hope you have an absolutely wonderful day! If you haven't already, don't forget to "Like" the new Fun, Fit and Fabulous facebook page! :)

Q's and A's:
How is the weather in your area?
Did you have a snow day today?
What is your favorite thing to do on a day off?

In health,

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Happy Monday!

How was your weekend friends? Mine was absolutely inspiring. I found out late on Friday that I would have the opportunity to attend a YogaFit Level 3 certification this weekend.



The Level 3 training focuses on introspection and understanding your personality as an instructor. It also dives deeper into the power of meditation, breathing, emotional intelligence and positive thought. I know this weekend helped me grown as a yoga instructor and as a student.

Speaking of yoga, I have raved about how much I love Tara Stiles new book Slim, Calm, Sexy Yoga, and I recently came across an article discussing all of the controversy it has caused in the yoga world. Check it out here. This is what one of her critics had to say:

"Don't even try to sell me on the 'yoga for the masses' excuse; it's pathetic, and, frankly, she should be ashamed for allowing herself to be talked into shilling for this trash. That is, if any convincing was really necessary--somehow I doubt it. But if asked about it, I am sure we would hear the typical higher-lighter-brighter-peace-love-dove-I'm-just-bringing-yoga-to-the-people" talk."

I was frankly pretty shocked when I read this. I know Tara's style of yoga is very "westernized" (whatever that means), but the above seems a little harsh. I love yoga and have seen the benefits first hand not only in myself but in my friends, colleagues and students as well. I believe yoga can and should be for everyone, and just like we all have different preferences when it comes to the clothes we wear and the food we eat, we can all have different preferences when it comes to the yoga we practice. Some people like the chanting, incense and Sanskrit terms that make up what we consider "traditional" yoga, and some people just don't. Just because you do yoga to music with words, don't really like to chant, and call things by their English translation, doesn't make it any less yoga.

To me yoga is about connecting with your body, letting go of stress, building strength, increasing your energy, and improving your overall health. Whether you practice yoga in your living room with a Jillian Michael's DVD or in a temple in India with a 80 year old yoga guru, if it works for you I'm all about it. Yoga is a very individual and personal thing, and no one has the right to tell someone elsenthat their yoga is wrong or not "real" yoga.

Ok.... I'm going to hop on down off of my soap box now. Sorry for the little rant, but that really sparked something inside of me, especially after such an amazing and touching yoga filled weekend. What do you think about the article?

Anyways, after I got home from day two of the certification, I was pooped and starving so I whipped up a veggie pizza. It hit the spot quite nicely, and I was left with plenty for lunch for the next couple of days! :)


I hope you all have a wonderful day, and if you feel stress or worry start to creep into your mind, just remember to breathe!

Q's and A's:
Do you think there is one type of yoga that is "real" yoga?
Have you read Tara Stile's new book? What did you think?
How was your weekend?


In health,

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Happy Monday!

How was everyone's weekend? Did you do anything extra fun? My weekend was jam packed from Friday morning until Sunday evening, but it was great!!

On Friday, I drove down to College Station to attend a Yoga Workshop at Texas A&M. Julz Arney (who I talked about on Friday) taught an amazing power yoga class using all acoustic music. It was so cool!! I am definitely going to have to try this with my yoga class! I usually use instrumental music in my yoga class, so I am a little nervous about what my students would thing about the acoustic music. What do you think?

I hate driving by myself (especially for 3+ hours), so I decided to try downloading a couple of podcasts to keep my occupied during my drive. This was the best idea I have had in a long time!! The drive seriously flew by, and I learned a lot along on the way. I downloaded a couple of different podcasts, but two were by far my favorites.

Nutrition Diva: Quick and Dirty Tips For Eating Well and Feeling Fabulous - From their site: "Nutrition Diva host Monica Reinagel is a board-certified Licensed Nutritionist and a professionally-trained chef. She has authored three books on health and nutrition, developed recipes and diet plans for websites and other publications, and currently works as blogger-in-chief and nutrition guru for NutritionData.com." Monica shares her best nutrition tips and health secrets!
Marathon Training Academy: Inspiring you to run a marathon and change your life - I absolutely loved this podcast! It is done by a husband and wife pair. The wife, Angie, is a marathon machine, but the husband, Trevor, is just starting to find his running stride. They offer sound down-to-earth advice on running, nutrition, sticking to your goals, and living your healthiest life! From their website: "Mission Statement: Marathon Training Academy exists to inspire and empower everyday people to live healthier lives, achieve fitness goals, and reach new milestones by tapping into their marathon potential."

On Saturday, I went to lunch with my family and stopped by for a quick visit with my grandparents before heading back to Dallas while enjoying more podcasts! In the evening, we hung out with a lot of Eric's work friends. I went to bed WAY past my bedtime and paid for in Sunday morning. I usually wake up on Sundays excited for my long run, but not today. Luckily, this was a little bit of a rest week so I was only scheduled to run 5 miles.

After my run, I grabbed some lunch and headed to meet my friend Mallory for a movie. We saw No Strings Attached with Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher. It was really funny, but definitely a chick flick!


I would definitely recommend it! Today, is going to be busy busy, so I am off to work. I hope you all have a fantastic day!


Q's & A's:
Do you think you would enjoy a yoga class set to all accustic music?
Do you find music with words distracting during a yoga class?
What did you do this weekend?
If you listen to podcasts, which are some of your favorites?

In health,

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