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FitYaf's 1 Year Blogiversary

6/20/2014

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FitYaf's 1 Year Blogiversary
Tomorrow marks the first day of summer, which is also my 1-year Blogiversary (check out my first blog post ever)! Although my blogging has been a little sporadic lately, I thought I'd update you all on how things are going over here at FitYaf!  I first started this blog after running a "100 days till summer" Challenge Group.  There were so many great things that came out of the challenge - I wanted a place to share it beyond my group.

What has my fitness been like lately?

When 2014 rolled around, I set myself some fitness goals for the year.  I was very happy with everything I achieved in 2013, and was looking forward to what 2014 had in store.  I also had some personal (non fitness related goals), and if you follow be on Instagram or Twitter, you might already know that my husband and I are expecting our first child in October of this year! While I planned to be (and to this day still am) very active throughout my whole pregnancy, I quickly decided that maybe this year was not the year for these goals.  After talking to my doctor, I got the go ahead to continue exercising (and teaching fitness classes), but as far as pushing myself beyond my current fitness level - I just didn't feel comfortable doing that.  I did manage to hit one of those goals about a week before I got pregnant, so I can check off "run a 5k in under 25 minutes".
FitYaf's 1 Year Blogiversary
FitYaf's 1 Year Blogiversary
Once I found out I was pregnant, I was a little scared to keep up with my workouts, specifically running.  My running workouts were typically completed in the early hours of the morning, and while I was very lucky in the "morning sickness" department, I still didn't feel great in the mornings.  At first I did try to keep up with my "1000 miles in 2014" goal, running 91 miles in January, 84 miles in February and 74 miles in March, but tracking the miles was putting a lot of pressure on me, so I decided to save this goal for 2015.  As it turns out, at around 14 weeks, I developed some pelvic pain that has pretty much stopped all running for the time being.  I was able to run the Philly Love Run in March, and although I didn't train to hit my "under 1 hour and 50 minutes" goal, I finished the race (came in at about 2 hours and 10 minutes) and felt AMAZING!
Not running has given me more time to try out other workouts, or spend more time doing the workouts I was already doing. I'm spending more time with Insanity (about 2 times/week) and Melissa Bender workouts (about once/week).  I've also been able to continue teaching 3 classes/week (boot camp, Bodypump and step aerobics).  Sometimes it takes a little extra creativity to motivate the class when my own energy is dragging, but I'm up for the challenge.  I'm also BEYOND excited to start Chalene Johnson's BRAND NEW AT HOME PiYo workout program.  I just ordered mine yesterday, and I think it's going to be a great way to add some variety to my fitness.  PiYo is an amazing workout that previously was only available in select gyms, but now you can order your own at a HUGE discount (while supplies last).  This program is a mix between Pilates and Yoga and helps build lean muscle!  Think - fast hot yoga but with the air conditioning on and awesome music playing!
 
FitYaf's 1 Year Blogiversary - PiYo
FitYaf's 1 Year Blogiversary




So for now, I'm still working out about 6 times/week and loving this whole pregnancy journey.  I'm taking it day by day without any expectations.  I'm trying my best not to worry about every workout or every pound gained, and I look forward to revisiting my 2014 goals next year!

What have I been blogging about?

Over the past year, my blog posts have covered topics from recipes to healthy habits to workouts and more!  Below are my top 5 blog posts:
  1. Confessions of a group exercise instructor
  2. Everything you need to know about P90x3
  3. Friends of FitYaf - How I Became a Fitness Blogger: Melissa Bender Fitness
  4. Working out with friends & 7 other habits of highly fit people
  5. FitYaf's Fitness Friday Low Impact HIIT Workout
FitYaf's 1 Year Blogiversary
My readers come from all over the world, but here are the top 5 cities where people love FitYaf:


  1. Philadelphia
  2. New York
  3. Chicago
  4. Minneapolis
  5. Los Angeles
Picture
And finally, here are the top 5 blog posts that people find through searching on Google:
  1. Everything you need to know about P90x3
  2. Philadelphia Art Museum Workout
  3. FitYaf's Fitness Friday Low Impact HIIT Workout
  4. Life Fitness Synrgy360 Training @ Pottruck - training in all planes & asymmetric loading
  5. FitYaf's Fitness Friday BOSU workout

What is coming in the future?

In the immediate future, I have two Challenge Groups starting soon: a Shaun T boot camp and a PiYo boot camp.  You can email me if you have any questions or if you're interested in joining on of these.
FitYaf's 1 Year Blogiversary
I do have some exciting product reviews, giveaways and recipes, coming your way this summer, and I'm going to be posting some more Fitness Friday Workouts.  I'm not signed up for any races, and I don't plan to race again until next year.  I look forward to the second half of my pregnancy and of course meeting my baby fitness guru in October!
What do you want to see more of on FitYaf.com?  Have you had experience working out through a pregnancy?
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BondiBand Review and Giveaway

6/2/2014

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FitYaf's BondiBand Review and Giveaway
If you've got long hair and/or you sweat a lot when you workout, you probably are constantly searching for the perfect headband to keep your face dry and hair-free during your workouts.  If you're anything like me - you're convinced your going blind the moment your sweat drips into your eye.
I do have a couple brands of go-to headbands, but I'm always looking for something new.  That's why I was so excited when BondiBands sent me some to try out.  Not only are these headbands fun and functional with great wicking capabilities, the company also donates 10% of all profits to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts.
There are headbands of all colors and sizes, and even ones with fun sayings on them.  These are the ones I was sent to try out:
FitYaf's BondiBand Review and Giveaway
I tried these bands out for both a high intensity cardio workout and a weightlifting session.  The bands staying in place and were able to wick-away all of the sweat from my forehead (which can be A LOT during those high intensity cardio sessions).
FitYaf's BondiBand Review and Giveaway
FitYaf's BondiBand Review and Giveaway
Here are a few facts about BondiBand:
  • Their products are unisex.
  • They are 100% American made.
  • They can be worn on their own or under other hats, helmets, and visors.
  • They are made of stretchy, breathable material which allows them to fit virtually every head size and shape.
  • Their fashion lycra fabric is fun and perfect for every day.
  • In warm weather the "No Slip, No Drip" moisture wicking headbands are great to wick away sweat, keep hair back, and keep ear buds in ears.
  • In colder weather, they are great to keep your ears warm.
  • Bondi Band donates 10% of pretax profits to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
  • In addition to the headbands they offer armbands, wristbands, wicking hats, wicking ponytail hats, wicking pigtail hats, wicking neck gators, wicking sweat towels, and even items for your children and dogs!!!
  • They offer customized products.
But don't take my word for it - try it out on your own.  Enter below to win your own FREE BondiBand!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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My Race Ragz Review and Giveaway

5/13/2014

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If you know me personally, you know I like to make my own shirts when I run marathons.  Unfortunately, I'm not that skilled, don't put too much time into it and wind up ironing something on to a cotton T-shirt.  While I don't hate running in cotton as much as most people, it's certainly not ideal.
FitYaf's My Race Ragz Review and Giveaway
FitYaf's My Race Ragz Review and Giveaway
I was recently contacted by MyRaceRagz about trying out one of their custom made tech T-shirts.  I got to pick the style of the shirt and upload my own design onto a microfiber performance polyester shirt.  While I don't have any specific races coming up that I could design a shirt for, I've been dying for a shirt that says "I run this city" and a picture of downtown Philadelphia - they ALWAYS seem to be out of these by the time I get to race expos.  So, I took to the computer (and PicMonkey.com), and designed my own shirt!
FitYaf's My Race Ragz Review and Giveaway
FitYaf's My Race Ragz Review and Giveaway
My Race Ragz is a custom apparel company that offers printing and embroidery services.  One of the unique things about My Race Ragz is that they will do your printing with no minimum order.  The printing is done through a dye sublimation process where the dye is applied directly to the shirt. This ensures that your shirt retains its sweat-wicking properties and that the design never peels off (however this does limit the shirt color to white only).

My Race Ragz offers a wide range of styles for men and women and three fabric types: a 100% Microfiber Performance Mesh, a 100% Smooth Performance Microfiber, and a stretchy 88% Microfiber/12% Spandex blend. The My Race Ragz website has a variety of standard designs available, but you can upload your own design if you want!

Creating my custom shirt was easy. I went to the “Create” tab, uploaded the art, placed it where I wanted it, and submitted it!  
The shirt itself is excellent. It’s a nice quality, a normal thickness, and wicks well.  I went with the men's T-shirt style, because that's what I prefer to wear while running.  There are a variety of styles to choose from, including tanks and short sleeve shirts - both fitted and loose.  I can't wait until I can custom design a shirt for a specific race!
Want to win your own custom My Race Ragz shirt?  Enter below!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
FitYaf's My Race Ragz Review and Giveaway
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What's playing on my iPod - Winter 2014

1/16/2014

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It's time for another round of "what's playing on my iPod!  Check out these tunes straight off my brand new 2014 running playlist!  I'm still rocking my Fall 2013 playlist too - I can't get enough of Katy Perry's Roar!


  1. Timber, Pitbull Featuring Ke$ha 
  2. Bounce That, Girl Talk
  3. Wake Me Up, Avicii
  4. Mike Will Made It, Featuring Miley Cyrus, Wiz Khalifa & Juicy J 
  5. Royals, Lorde
  6. Shoes for Running, Big Boi
  7. The New Workout Plan, Kanye West
  8. Run the World (Girls), Beyonce
  9. Radio Stereo, Duck Sauce
  10. On Top of the World, Imagine Dragons
What's playing on my iPod - Winter 2014
What's your favorite song to run to this season?
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FitYaf's 2014 Fitness Goals

1/6/2014

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FitYaf's 2014 Fitness Goals
Happy New Year everyone!  I took a break from blogging over the holidays, but I'm back and ready for a great year!  I wasn't really planning on setting any goals for the year (I tend to think more in the shorter term when it comes to goals), but last week I attended a New Year's run at Philadelphia Runner (which wound up being a 5k in the snow), and as part of the after party, we declared our 2014 running goals.  I had some running goals that I've been thinking about for a while now, so I decided to declare them loud and proud (and throw in some extras for good measure).  After all - sharing goals with the world is one of the best ways hold yourself accountable, right?  I bring to you both my running AND fitness goals for 2014!

1. Run a 5k in under 25 minutes

I'll be doing a modified version of this workout 2-3 times/week: How far can you run in 30 minutes? (doing the workout three times before going to the next level).  I'll also throw in some speed workouts for good measure.  This goal is a little bit of a "cheat" goal, since I'm already pretty close!
FitYaf's 2014 Fitness Goals

2. Run a half marathon in under 1 hour and 50 minutes

I'm hoping that my weekday training (goal #1), will help me meet this goal.  I haven't had many long runs since the Philly Half Marathon, but starting this week, I'm going to change that.  I'm signed up for the Philly LOVE Run on March 30, so this will be my first chance to tackle this goal.  It'll be 3:25 off my last half marathon, so it's a little bit of a stretch for me, but dream big, right?
FitYaf's 2014 Fitness Goals

3. Run 1000 miles in a year

I came up with this goal, on the fly - after saying it out loud, it sounded crazy, but after doing the math, I realized it's really not THAT daunting of a goal (on average less than 3 miles/day).  With my commute to work, I do walk quite a bit, so I am also going to keep track of my walking, in case I need to steal any of these miles to hit my total!

4. Do 5 pullups in a row

Last year, I was able to complete my first unassisted pullup EVER!  It felt amazing, but I haven't really focused on my pull ups since.  Every once in a while, I'll check in with the pullup bar to make sure I still can do a pullup (I can), but I want to work more on this so that I can do 5 in a row!

5. Consistently use 10kg total for the biceps track in Bodypump

Every time I run a challenge group, I make it a goal to do a bodypump bicep track with 5kg weights on each side.  Each time I meet this goal, my arms feel like they might fall off, and I drop my weight when the challenge is over.  I'd really like to strengthen my biceps to the point where this weight selection in the "norm" for me.  It's going to involve some strength training outside of Bodypump, so I'll start with my favorite P90x workout - shoulders, biceps and triceps.
FitYaf's 2014 Fitness Goals
What are your health and fitness goals for 2014?
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DiscIts review and a GIVEAWAY!

12/19/2013

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What are DiscIts?  It's okay, I didn't know what they were either, but a few weeks ago, I received two free pairs of DiscIts to try out.  I'll admit, they sat on my kitchen table for a while because I had to find the time to "install" these no-tie laces into my running shoes.  It took a snowed-in Saturday evening and a little reminder from Tom (a DiscIts employee) for me to finally figure it out.
The next few days, I took my running shoes, now sporting DiscIts, to the test - and they were great!  While I only got to test these on the treadmill, I look forward to taking these out in the rain and snow, which is always when my running sneakers tend to come untied!
DiscIts review and a GIVEAWAY!
 DiscIts review and a GIVEAWAY!

Who would benefit from DiscIts?

  • runners (no more retying your shoes)
  • triathlete (speed up those transition times)
  • gym rat (easy on and off, great spin or yoga classes getting in & out of shoes)
  • youth athletes (great for soccer)
  • kids in school/camp on their everyday shoes

Pros

  • Obviously, no more stopping your activity to tie your shoes!
  • Low profile compared to other no-tie laces
  • No dangling or fraying of laces
  • Can be worn in casual mode for a "relaxed" fit
  • Comes in many colors to match all of your favorite sneakers!

Cons

  • You need to watch a video to learn how to install them, making installation take about ten minutes (but once you learn how to do it, future installations should be quicker - even the second shoe was quicker than the first)
  • Although they claim to be transferable from one pair of sneakers to another, I haven't done this, and it seems complicated.
The people at Discits want YOU to try out their no-tie laces, so they're giving away a pair to three lucky readers!  There are many ways to enter, and you can enter once/day from now until Monday.  Use the widget below or follow this link!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Why do you want to try DiscIts?
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Observations made while running in marathons

11/20/2013

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As I mentioned in my Philadelphia Half Marathon race recap, I never really felt like I could get to my max pace. Luckily, this allowed me to take in some of the scenes that I normally would have missed.  Wow, do you see some weird things while running a marathon?!  I'll spare you the details of some of those things, but below I share with you some observations I've made while running in marathons.  I'm sure you have some of your own, so be sure to comment below!
Observations made while running in marathons

People love running in costume

When I run, it's all about comfort.  I don't like things bouncing, rubbing, etc.  But for some reason, people love to run in costume.  I don't think I could ever do it, but never say never, right?  Either way, it's very entertaining to watch!
Observations made while running in marathons
Philadelphia Marathon
Observations made while running in marathons
London Marathon
Observations made while running in marathons
My friend Emily & her brother
Observations made while running in marathons
Tokyo Marathon

There is no gold standard for a "funny" marathon sign

I get it - it's the "worst parade ever".  I want to see a sign that I haven't seen before - bonus points if there is some pop culture reference!  I'm a sucker for a good race sign, but clearly there are different kinds of "funny".

Marathon spectating can be almost as exhausting as running the race

Marathon spectating is no joke.  I don't know from experience, but from what my friends tell me, it can be exhausting!  You trek around town, hold up signs, run with your friends - you deserve a recovery massage too!

Downhill can be more painful that uphill

Running hills is challenging, there's no denying that.  But once you've reached double digits in the miles, downhill can actually be more painful than uphill.  Your quads might even feel like they're on fire!!  Also, a "hill" is a relative term - it also depends on how you train!
Observations made while running in marathons

Men run faster marathons because they don't have to stop at the port-a-potties

How many places can a women pee on a marathon route?  Probably about 10, and there is usually a line.  How many places can a man pee?  The options are endless.  This is why men have faster marathon times than women, right?

Every runner running in sandals has a friend running in sandals

You see all kinds of footwear in races, from full support shoes to barefoot running, but those who choose to run in sandals always have friends with them.  I've yet to see a sandal-runner running solo!
Observations made while running in marathons

Everyone is fighting their own battle

If you take time to look around during a marathon, you see all sorts of inspirational messages and motivation phrases - on t-shirts, on signs, on stickers, on the ground - everywhere!  When you take the time to read them, you realize that everyone has their own race to run.  We all run for different reasons, but we're following the same path.

There is a new level of acceptance when it comes to social habits

Marathon runners will spit, blow their nose, run into people, pee in public (see above) and a whole slew of things that would otherwise seem unacceptable.  Going for a stroll in the park?  You would never even consider doing any of these things (I hope).  But, if you're running in a race, it's totally okay!

Running makes people happy

If you take a look around at people's faces, you'll see some people struggling for sure, but you'll see a lot of happy faces.  And I mean A LOT.  It's not the just the runners, but the spectators too.  Happiness comes when passing another mile marker, when seeing your friends and family or when seeing complete strangers holding up awesome signs.  As Elle Woods taught us - exercise releases endorphins and endorphins make you happy.
Observations made while running in marathons
coachjoeenglish.wordpess.com
Observations made while running in marathons
infobarrel.com
What are some observations you've made while running in races?
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The 2013 Philadelphia Half Marathon

11/18/2013

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Yesterday, I ran my first half marathon - the 2013 Philadelphia Half Marathon!  I got into this whole racing world in a weird order, having already run two full marathons, so while I'm "on a break" from full marathons, I decided to give the half marathon distance a try. Training for the half marathon distance gave me the opportunity to really focus on speed.  To prepare myself for the half marathon, I did a speed workout or a 30-minute training run three times each week, with a long run on the weekend.  The long run would range between 6 and 13.1 miles, depending on how I was feeling that week.  My training wasn't very structured, but I could tell I was getting faster, which was the end goal (since I already knew I was capable of running the distance).  I had a great training with two 13.1 runs below the goal time (1:55) I set for myself at the start of training. 
The 2013 Philadelphia Half Marathon
Heading into marathon week, I was feeling prepared and ready.  Then, on Thursday morning, my little pinky toe got caught on the suitcase I left out because I had gotten home late from a work trip the night before.  It was one of those moments where the pain was terrible, and you were just waiting for it to pass.  But it never did.  By then end of the day, my toe was swollen and sore.  Over the next few days, I was convinced the toe was broken - I iced it and buddy wrapped it, but I honestly didn't know if I would be able to run.  On Saturday, it felt slightly better, so  I decided just to go for it.  And it's a good thing I did!  By Sunday morning, the pain wasn't as bad (maybe it was a sprain and not a break afterall), and I was going to run this race!
The race itself was great - it was about 55 degrees (close to perfect running weather), and the energy was HUGE!  It was the 20th anniversary of the Philadelphia Marathon with 30,000 runners. Also, my husband was running the race with me (his first race since cross country team in high school), and although we didn't plan it, it was also the 13th anniversary of when we started dating!  The first words out of his mouth when the alarm went off at 4:15am were, "this seems like a bad idea," but I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate 13 years than with 13 miles!  We lined up at the start line, took in the scene, and before we knew it - we were high-fiving Mayor Nutter!  I was in the 2 hour corral, so I knew I was going to have to get my way to the front to maintain a pace somewhere around 8:35.  What I was unprepared for was how long this would take and how many people there actually were!  It was about 3 miles before I really could settle into my pace, and since I already felt "behind", I was going about 8:20 to catch up.  It felt good, so I went with it.  I was able to hold the pace on and off for a few miles, but then I got stuck behind a pacer group.
 
The 2013 Philadelphia Half Marathon
For the rest of the race, I just didn't feel like I could get up to pace.  I was weaving a lot, when I could, but I was also getting stuck behind people (which I embraced through the hills).  This really stressed to me the importance of starting in the correct corral.   In the end, I had a really great race - maybe I could have done a little better, but I felt great and there will always be more races.
I would love to see my miles splits, but my Nike+ app didn't upload my run - how rude!  I do have this nice official race time of 1:53:25 - I'll take it!  The highlight of the race was our personal cheering squad - Kerry and Jackie.  They are both runners themselves, but are new to spectating.  I think they did a great job - don't you think?  Kerry even pulled out my full nickname for the occasion!
The 2013 Philadelphia Half Marathon
The 2013 Philadelphia Half Marathon
The 2013 Philadelphia Half Marathon
The 2013 Philadelphia Half Marathon
The 2013 Philadelphia Half Marathon
The 2013 Philadelphia Half Marathon
The 2013 Philadelphia Half Marathon
My next race?  The Philly Love Run - a brand new spring half marathon in Philadelphia.  I'm looking forward to keeping up with my training and running with friends!

Where was your first half marathon?
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    Jillian [FitYaf]

    fitness enthusiast.
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