Competition Gator Shake

Spring is here! It's time to take our workouts outside.

Here is a great shake that you can make at home and drink after you have worked out. This smoothie is taken from "The Ultimate Smoothie Book" and is considered an "antioxidant rich electrolyte replacer". If you dilute it with water it's almost like drinking your favorite sports drink-only healthier!

Make sure that if you are going to use bottled juice, that you use a kind that is low in sugar or has no sugar.

1/2 cup Orange Juice (2 Oranges juiced)
1/2 cup apple juice (1 apple juiced)
1 lemon juiced
1 lime juiced
1/2 teaspoon ascorbic acid (vitamin C powder)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon stevia or 1 tablespoon honey
8 ice cubes

Pur the orange, apple, lemon and lime juices into a blender and add the ascorbic acid, sea salt, sweetener and ice. Blend on high speed until smooth. Serve immediately, store in refrigerator or transport in a thermos.

Let me know what you think?

What is your favorite drink when working out?

An Athlete and an Icon

My favorite fitness role model is Serena Williams. Serena and her sister, Venus, have changed the way that people view tennis and tennis players. She is definitely not the first African-American woman tennis player, but she is the first to really make the world sit up and take notice. Not only has she been a dominant player, but she has done it with such flair and style.

Serena was featured in the March issue of Shape magazine. (Julia Louis-Dreyfus is on the cover.) In this issue, she demonstrates six exercises that you can do at home or at the gym.

You can also get fit with Serena by downloading a 40 minute workout from Shape's website with upbeat, motivating music in the background. (Oh, did I mention that this workout is free?)

We have watched her grow up. I love her style and her enthusiasm. When she is interviewed after a win, she just seems so happy. She giggles like a little girl. I love to see this. She is a great role model for our girls.

What do you like most about Serena?

The River Front Revolution

Are you looking for an event to help you jump start your fitness routine? Well, why not join another revolution?

The Vibrant Health and Wellness Foundation, in conjunction with the Prince George’s County Health Department, is hosting a new event, the Riverfront Revolution, aimed at promoting the health and wellness of the people of Maryland, and the Washington DC metropolitan area. The Inaugural Riverfront Revolution is a 10K, 5K, 1 Mile Fun Run, and Health & Wellnessfest at the New National Harbor.

The course combines the elegance of the National Harbor’s luxurious resort with panoramic views of the Nation’s Capital. Race course extends throughout the grounds of the National Harbor Waterfront and surrounding area. The race features a scenic, hilly, rolling course which runs through historical sites around the Oxon Hill area of Prince Georges County at the crest of the Potomac River and the premier National Harbor boundary with a scenic view of the Potomac River and overlooking the Washington metropolitan landscape.

The Riverfront Revolution takes place on Saturday May 9th, 2009.

The 2009 Spring Cleanse Week

Cleanse Week is your answer to boring meals, bloated bellies and feeling like your energy has to come from a cup, a can or a bar. Wait until you see what life is like without artificial ingredients. We know that it is sometimes difficult to get a "real" meal in, let alone a healthy one. You're pulled in tons of different directions and it can often feel like everyone wants AND needs something from you all of the time.

For one week, how about we focus on taking care of you? Learn more and register for this great event that will give you a jump start on working on your summer body and help to change your attitudes about eating healthy!
http://springcleanse09.eventbrite.com/

Read more for information on how The 2009 Spring Cleanse Week can help expectant and new mamas. http://hotmamacleanse.eventbrite.com/

The White House Gets a Garden

Not only are the President and First Lady setting a good example by exercising together in the morning, they are also setting a good example by showing the importance of eating healthy. Michelle Obama is going to plant a garden on the South Lawn near the fountain, hoping that the White House will become a place of "education and awareness."

"We want to use it as a point of education, to talk about health and how delicious it is to eat fresh food, and how you can take that food and make it part of a healthy diet..." she says.

Hopefully, many other families and communities will follow her lead and begin to plant gardens and incorporate fresh vegetables into their diets.

I wish I could grow asparagus out on my balcony. Right now, that is my favorite vegetable and I eat it (steamed) all the time.

Read more about the White House Garden.

Do you have a garden? If so what do you grow?
What are your favorite fresh vegetables to eat and how do you prepare it?

The First Family Sets an Example

In a 60 Minutes interview that aired on March 22, 2009, President Obama revealed that he and his wife, First Lady Michelle Obama, share morning workouts on most mornings during the week at 7 am after the girls have left for school. Afterwards, they have breakfast together.

One thing that I always suggest to my clients is that they find a workout partner. It doesn't matter if your partner is your husband, boyfriend, neighbor, coworker or dog, you will be more likely to stick with your workout routine if you know that your workout buddy is waiting (and depending) on you.

If you can not find a reliable workout partner among your current set of friends, try joining a group on Meetup.com or posting an ad on Craigslist. (I personally believe that you can find anything that your heart desires on Cragislist.) You can even mention it on your Facebook or Twitter status and see who is interested.

Just make sure that the buddy you choose is just as motivated to change their life as you are.

Who is your workout buddy?

Take a Hike

I went for my first hike of the year on Sunday. I knew the weather was going to be awesome the day before so I started calling around (ok, texting around) to find someone to go hiking with me. This was not easy to do since (shocker) not many of my friends like to hike. But I got my cousin Jasmine (who loves to rock climb) to go.

We went out to Great Falls (the Maryland side). It doesn't take long to get there from the city. They have trails through the woods and more "man made" walks along the water. The hiking is not difficult, so it is a good place to go if you are new to hiking. The views along the water are great!

And guess what! It's free!

Get to Steppin

The Express Paper Fit Section featured articles on how to use stairs to take your workout to increase your heart rate and tone your body this past week. Incorporating stairs will really help to take your workout to the next level.

Any staircase will do. You use the stairs in your house, walk the escalator at the metro or office building or run the stairs at your local high school stadium. The Express Paper names three famous staircases in DC that you can use. I love the stairs at Meridian Hill/Malcolm X Park.



The weather is starting to get nice. This is a great time to find your favorite local staircase and get to steppin.

Tell us where your favorite staircase is!

Less Weight and Less Popular?

It seems as though funny man and actor, Seth Rogen, star of Knocked Up and other comedies, feels as though he is "selling out" and letting down his fans as a result of losing weight for his role in the upcoming film, The Green Hornet.



Have any of you lost weight and have faced criticism from friends, family, coworkers or strangers? If so, how do you deal with it?

Do you ever feel pangs of jealousy when you see that others are losing weight and you are still struggling to do so? How do you deal with that?

Let us know!