Category: Summer

Vanilla Peanut Butter and Banana Ice Cream Recipe

7/30/2014

Did you know July is National Ice Cream Month? Who knew that was even a thing? In honor of this fabulous month, I'm sharing with you a Beachbody recipe for Vanilla Peanut Butter and Banana Ice Cream. Who knew eating healthy could taste THIS GOOD?!

Total Time: 4 hrs. 5 min.
Prep Time: 5 min.
Cooking Time: None
Yield: 5 servings, about ½ cup each

Ingredients:
1 cup nonfat milk (or unsweetened almond milk)
2 scoops Vanilla Shakeology (or whey protein powder)
2 medium frozen bananas (cut into chunks before freezing)
2 Tbsp. all-natural smooth peanut butter (or make peanut butter using PB2 and water or almond milk)

Vanilla Peanut Butter and Banana Ice Cream Recipe

Preparation:
1. Place milk, Shakeology, bananas, and peanut butter in high-powered blender (such as a Vita-Mix); cover.
2. Blend on low for 5 seconds; increase power to high and continue blending for 30 seconds until smooth.
3. Pour mixture in a large glass bowl; cover.
4. Freeze for 4 hours, stirring every 30 minutes, before serving.

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The benefits of staying hydrated and a Nalgene product review

7/11/2014

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One of my biggest pieces of advice to anyone who is looking to improve their health and nutrition is to DRINK MORE WATER. Water does amazing things for your body! Sometimes we even confuse thirst for hunger and many people are dehydrated without knowing it. If you feel thirsty at all, you're already pretty dehydrated. To estimate how much water you should be getting, divide your weight in pounds by 2 and drink that many ounces (more if you're working out)! Thank you Taralynn McNitt at Undressed Skeleton for this great post of how to mark your water bottle so that you can check in throughout the day and make sure you’re getting it all in! If you want to add a little flavor to you water, try a squirt of lemon, a squeeze of lime, a few sprigs of fresh mint or a cucumber or orange slice. You can even add a few berries or watermelon. What ever gets you to drink it up!

The benefits of staying hydrated and a Nalgene product reivew

The benefits of staying hydrated - 10 reasons to DRINK MORE WATER!

I like to carry a water bottle around with me, so I always have water on hand - that's why I was so excited when Nalgene reached out to me to try their products.

Nalgene has come a long way since their original shatter proof water bottle. They are now ALL BPA-free and leak proof (and still SUPER durable)! They are dishwasher safe and some are even graduated (so you wouldn't even need to mark your bottle as pictured above - it's already marked for you! They come in a variety of sizes as well as cap shapes, so great for sippers and chuggers! There are even sizes specifically to fit in cup holders and bike cages, so it really doesn't get much more convenient than that! They also have food storage containers (pictured on the far left). They've really thought of it all!

My personal preference is the "on-the-fly" style (pink bottle pictured above) because of it's easy flip-open design. It's great for carrying around and doesn't spill in my gym bag. Take a look a the variety of bottles they have and try one out for yourself! You'll love all the water you're drinking and how you'll feel afterwards!

What's your favorite water bottle?

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FitYaf's 1 Year Blogiversary

6/20/2014

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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".

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!

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:

My readers come from all over the world, but here are the top 5 cities where people love FitYaf:

Philadelphia
New York
Chicago
Minneapolis
Los Angeles

And finally, here are the top 5 blog posts that people find through searching on Google:

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.

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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FitYaf's Summer Fitness Challenge with Shaun T

6/5/2014

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With summer coming up and some AMAZING deals on Beachbody workout programs, I'm so excited to announce my upcoming Fitness Challenge Group, starting JUNE 23! This Challenge Group is specifically for anyone who wants to start a Shaun T fitness program or add Shaun T workouts to their current routine. If you already own one of Shaun's programs, you can dust that one off and use it, or if you're looking for something new, you can get a brand new program from Beachbody's June promotions or SUMMER SALE (this includes discounts on Insanity, Asylum, Hip Hop Abs and Rockin' Body).

FitYaf's Summer Fitness Challenge with Shaun T

How long is the fitness challenge?

The fitness challenge will last for 21 days, as it takes about this amount of time to form a new habit.

What will participating mean for me?

The challenge will take place in a private Facebook group, where you'll check in daily and post updates about your goals. You can participate by following one of Shaun T's exercise programs or incorporating some of his workouts into your own workout routine.

What will the workouts be like?

The workouts will be at your own pace - even if you're a beginner doing Insanity, you will approach each workout from you own fitness level. I will help anyone come up with modifications, such as low-impact options if necessary.

What sort of nutrition program will I be following?

This group will focus on cleaner eating - we will share recipes and tips for helping you meat your health and fitness goals. You will also have the chance to buy discounted Shakeology for the 21 days (purchase of Shakeology NOT necessary to participate).

How do I sign up?

You can email me with any questions or if you're interested in signing up, OR you can head on over to my Facebook page and send me a message there!

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Friends of FitYaf - Ali gets "Insane" and gains confidence [An Insanity Review]

10/7/2013

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I met Ali through her sister Jackie, who teaches at Penn's gym with me. Jackie always described her sister as someone who was full of energy. When I heard that Ali was looking for a new fitness program, I just knew Insanity would be a good "fit" for her! Ali joined me for the live version of the Insanity workout one day, and she was hooked! Read below to hear about her 60-day experience with Insanity!

In early May, I decided to try Sean T’s Insanity 60 Day Program. Let me tell you, the program is aptly named. The only way I could describe the workouts were by using the word, “Insane.” However, I survived the 60 days and can now be officially be called “Insane” (though I’ve been called that unofficially for various other reasons long before).

What were your goals before starting the program?

I chose Insanity to get ready for summer and to challenge myself physically. Also, I was in one of those exercise ruts where I needed a change of routine. I learned that before officially starting the Insanity workout plan, Insanity has you complete a fit test and record your results. This test will be repeated 4 more times throughout the 60 day program. You are given a minute to complete as many reps of various cardio and strength moves as you possibly can. I recall being overconfident and considering skipping the fit test and diving in. I’m happy I took the fit test because it gave me quite the reality check. My goal then became to get through the fit test without slowing down or stopping during the minute intervals. Also, the competitor in my wanted to have more reps logged than Sean T’s "teacher’s pets" that were featured on the DVD.

How did you enjoy the workouts?

The workouts and I had a love-hate relationship, which for me is what I need and crave. I loved feeling accomplished when I completed the challenging workouts. Then I despised how out of shape they initially made me feel. Though Sean T reminded you to go at your own pace, I felt the need to keep up with him, which was not possible for me for some exercises. The workouts would repeat throughout the weeks and the exercises that I dreaded did become easier to complete as I became conditioned to the program and what it demanded from your body. The workouts all begin with a 10 minute cardio warm-up and are followed by a 7 minute stretch before starting the circuits. In the beginning of my Insanity journey the stretching segment felt too long for me as I just wanted to keep my heart rate up and power through the program. As the DVDs got progressively harder, I looked forward to those long stretches. I really enjoyed Sean T’s different ways to work your abs. Without any crunches, he gets the job done. All in all, I enjoyed the workouts.

What was the most challenging part?

The most challenging part of Insanity for me personally was the push-up component and the power jumps. The push-up sets were part of plank circuits, so your arms are already screaming before you get to the push-ups. Sean T’s push-up speed was also much faster than mine so I was really pushing myself to get faster. Additionally, the power jumps were tiring but also difficult for me because I had to really focus on my form. I tend to have lower back issues and had to really remember to tighten my core and land gently.

Did you meet your goals?

I did meet my goals of feeling better about my body for the beach, and I certainly challenged myself. I also was able to crush my original fit test results while catching up and surpassing Sean T’s featured exercisers.

Were there any unexpected benefits?

I really felt accomplished at the end of completing Insanity. Of all my athletic feats, I felt the most proud of myself after completing the Insanity program. It was also fun to hear people’s reactions when you’d mention that you do Insanity. They’d look at you in awe. I actually took a celebratory picture of myself in my sports bra. I’ve always been very self-conscious of my body and Insanity gave me needed confidence.

Have you ever tried the Insanity workout program?

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Summer Fling HIIT Fitness Friday Workout

8/9/2013

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A summer fling doesn't last that long, and neither does this Fitness Friday workout. In today's society, we pack our schedules full and barely have the time to fit it all in, but that doesn't mean you have to skip your workout. Check out this full body high intensity interval training (HIIT) workout that you can do in just 30 minutes!

Notes about this workout:

This workout alternates high energy cardio with some resistance training. If you are working out indoors and don't have access to a treadmill, substitute high knees for the sprint.
Some of the moves in this workout are high-impact. Please feel free to modify the workout to make them low-impact if necessary.
This workout is designed in a '2 minutes ON/30 seconds OFF' format. When you are ON, you want to give the exercise EVERYTHING you've got. When you're OFF, grab a drink, wipe your sweat, but walk around and keep your feet moving. The OFF section of the workout comes after each 2 minute block of work.
Be sure to stretch at the end of the workout. Check out some post-workout stretches from Health.com.
The first part of each set is 2 minutes of pure cardio. The second part of each set is broken up into 4 exercises - do them for 30 seconds each, as fast as you can (with proper form), with no break in between.
If you're unsure about any of the movements, check out the videos linked to the name of the exercise or google them before you start the workout. You want to be able to do this workout all the way through without stopping to look something up.

Summer Fling SET 1

2 minutes

SPRINT (or substitute high knees)

30 seconds each (no break)

Push-ups
Body weight squats
Tricep dips
Calf raises

Summer Fling SET 2

2 minutes

SPRINT (or substitute high knees)

30 seconds each (no break)

Shoulder tap plank - hold yourself in plank position and tap your left shoulder with your right hand, then switch
Alternating forward lunge
Crab reach (alternating)
Wide sumo squat

gritbybrit.com

Summer Fling SET 3

2 minutes

SPRINT (or substitute high knees)

30 seconds each (no break)

Burpees (with or without a push-up
Body weight squats
Push-ups
Narrow squat

womenshealthmag.com

Summer Fling SET 4

2 minutes

SPRINT (or substitute high knees)

30 seconds each (no break)

Shoulder tap plank
Tuck jumps
Knee tap plank - stant in plank position and lower your knees to tap the floor, then bring them back up to plank
Jump squats

enjoyyourhealthylife.com

Stretch

What did you think of this workout?

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Road trip snacks that are easy on the waistline

7/24/2013

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The car is packed, the kids are happily occupied in the backseat, and you're ready to hit the road. But, when stomachs start rumbling, what's the plan? To stop you from making a pit stop at a greasy spoon or swinging through a drive-thru, we've pulled together a list of 15 road trip foods that will keep those hunger pangs at bay--and your car not full of detritus. And, most of them can be taken on a plane as well!

Summertime is for sun, water, relaxation and sometimes a ROAD TRIP - anyone taking a road trip this summer? The car is packed and you're ready to hit the road, but, when stomachs start rumbling, what's the plan? Fast food is an easy choice, but is it the best one? Check out these wasitline-friendly snacks you can keep in the car that will keep those hunger pangs at bay. Taking a flight somewhere? Most of these can be taken on a plane as well!

Waistline-friendly road trip snacks

Road trip snacks that are easy on the waistline

FRUIT
Fruit's fiber and high water content will help keep you full and hydrated as you travel. But, unless you want a messy car, it's best that you either choose fruit that doesn't have a stem, a pit, or an outside covering, or prepare fruit ahead of time and place it into containers.

Calories per serving: 85–105

NUTS
Nuts are highly caloric, but they're also high in healthy omega-3 fats and travel well. Choose raw, unsalted nuts like almonds or walnuts that don't require you to dispose of a shell.

Calories per serving: 85–105

VEGGIES
Veggies also have a high water content the will help keep you full and hydrated as you travel. But, same thing goes for the mess - it's best that you prepare these ahead of time. Add some hummus for extra flavor!

Calories per serving: 20-30 (add about 30 per tablespoon hummus)

POPCHIPS®
This is probably the least healthy option on this list since they're made with potato flour and not whole potatoes, but you could do a lot worse. Plus, they're a Tony Horton–approved road trip snack. You can feel like you're snacking on chips without loading your body up with who knows what.
Calories per serving: 120

SHAKEOLOGY®
Want to take your Shakeology on the road? Just mix a single-serving Shakeology packet (available in Chocolate, Vanilla, Greenberry, Chocolate Vegan, and Tropical Strawberry) with water and shake!
Calories per serving: 130-170

SEEDS
Though high in calories, seeds are high in heart-healthy magnesium and protein. Plus, cracking pumpkin or sunflower seeds open will keep your hands (if you're not driving!) and your mind busy while you're on the road. They can be high in sodium, so just take a look at the sodium levels or consider roasting your own.
Calories per serving (1/4 cup): about 160

HOMEMADE ENERGY BARS
The bulk of prepackaged bars sold at gas stations or convenience stores are loaded with sugar, preservatives and empty calories. These homemade bars can be made in minutes and contain only good-for-you ingredients like fruit and nuts.

Calories per serving: 124

and my all-time favorite go-to travel AND waistline-friendly snack:

PLANTERS NUT•RITION
This one is a combination of some of the already mentioned suggestions, but it's easy, convenient and fits in your purse (well my purse at least)! There are a bunch of flavors, so check the ingredients to stay away from added sugars. They also come in single serving packets. My friends who know me best know that I would never travel without it!

Calories per serving: 150-200

What's your go-to travel snack?

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The lightning that was too electric for the Philly Electric Run

7/22/2013

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Last summer, I ran the Color Run in Philadelphia. It was a TON of fun, but a HUGE mess too. I highly recommend it, but I wouldn't do it again. This year, I was so excited to sign up for the Electric Run - all of the fun of the Color Run, but NO MESS!

The hype leading up to the run was great - The Electric Run Facebook page kept posting great pics from other races, and I couldn't help but plan the perfect photo ops along the route. Philadelphia had a major heat wave last week, and although they were calling for rain on Saturday, there was not a drop all day.

My friends and I started the night out at Derek's in Manayunk (a favorite of mine) for a pre-race dinner. At around 7:00pm, we headed over to the park to light ourselves up and see what this Electric Run was all about. The race parking was at the Mann Music Center, where there was also a concert going on at the same time, so it was a little hectic getting through the traffic and finding the right place to park, but by 7:45pm, we were parked and snapping our glow sticks, glow necklaces, glow bracelets and even glow earrings and glasses! It was still super hot and sticky, but there is always something about a huge race crowd that gets me pumped up.

We walked around the race area a little, met up with a few more friends, and made our way over to the start line. Since this wasn't a timed race, you just lined up, and the race officials were letting you go in waves about every minute. We were inching our way towards the start line as we saw the first strike of lightning. Nervous about the soon-to-be torrential downpour, we continued to inch our way forward.

At around 9:15pm, there was an announcement over the loudspeaker that the City of Philadelphia has shut down the race! We couldn't really hear the announcement at first, and didn't really believe it, but after the turned off the music, we knew it was true. Feeling defeated, we made our way back to our car. Luckily, since we were so close to the start line, we were some of the first to find out about the cancellation and consequently some of the first to get back to our car. We didn't have too much trouble getting out of the parking lot, and we were back in Manayunk, sipping on some white sangria before the rain hit! The Electric Run posted to their Facebook page that we should "stay tuned" to details about rescheduling the race. Although we were incredibly disappointed about the cancellation, we understand that safety comes first. It would have helped the crowd if there was a better way to make the announcement - I just hope I'm in town for when the race is rescheduled!

Have you ever showed up for a race that got cancelled just before you were about to cross the start line?

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Philadelphia Art Museum Workout

7/19/2013

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I grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia and lived there until I left for college. A few years ago, I returned to Philly where I now live and work. Although I've never seen ANY of the Rocky movies, it's crazy to believe that after 30 years, I also NEVER ran up the art museum steps. With a busy teaching schedule this summer, I don't often have time to get my own workouts in, but earlier this summer, I got together with a group of friends and we made our way to the art museum area - home of the famous Rocky steps. I couldn't believe it - it was a Wednesday afternoon, around 6:00pm and it was like an outdoor fitness center. We were part of about 100 people working on their fitness. At one point, the mummers even stopped by and put on a little performance - never a dull moment in Philadelphia!

I did some research ahead of time and found out that if you run up and down the steps 12 times, it's equivalent to 1 mile, so OF COURSE that was going to work it's way into our workout. If you live in Philly or anywhere where you can run steps (high school stadiums are GREAT for this) - try out this workout! The fountains on either side of the steps are great places for box jumps and tricep dips!

This workout is great to do alone or with friends (although you're never 'alone' at the Art Museum) - be sure to take pictures and tweet them to me - @FitYaf! Start with the warmup, complete each circuit 3 times, challenge yourself with the bonus round and finish with 6 more laps on the steps. Don't forget to take in the view too!

Philadelphia Art Museum Steps Workout

Warmup: Run up & jog down steps (x6)

Circuit 1 (x3):

Tricep dips (x20)
Box jumps (x20)
Squats (x20)

Circuit 2 (x3):

Split lunge - right foot forward lunge, left foot on step (x20)
Jump up 2 steps, down 1 step for one flight, then jog back down
Split lunge - left foot forward lunge, right foot on step (x20)

Circuit 3 (x3):

Alternating side plank with leg lift (x10, R&L count as 1 rep)
Burpees (x20)
Crescent planks (demo at 6:03 in video) (x20 each side)

Bonus round: Incline pushups – Start with your hand on the first step and do 5 pushups. Go up to the next step and do 5 more. Keep going until you're not tall enough to go any higher!

Finish: Run up & jog down steps (x6)

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What's playing on my iPod - Summer 2013

7/18/2013

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I used to think that people who ran without listening to music were CRAZY! But, this summer, I'm training for the Philadelphia half marathon with my husband, so I ditched the iPod for some conversation. Unfortunately, my husband told me that MY talking slows HIM down.

So, I've recently reconnected with my iPod and I'm loving it! I truly believe that a great running song can help you stay at a certain pace, and a not-so-great song will slow you down. My taste in music is constantly changing, but I'm sharing with you my current top 10 running songs. Try them out and see if they give you a boost!

With the exception of the last song (my ALL TIME FAVORITE RUNNING SONG -check out the pic of the shirt I wore to the Pittsburgh Marathon), my playlist is constantly changing - adding new and current songs, as well as dusting off some old favorites from 'back in the day'.

What are your favorite running songs?

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<<Previous

Vanilla Peanut Butter and Banana Ice Cream Recipe

The benefits of staying hydrated and a Nalgene product review

The benefits of staying hydrated - 10 reasons to DRINK MORE WATER!

FitYaf's 1 Year Blogiversary

What has my fitness been like lately?

What have I been blogging about?

What is coming in the future?

FitYaf's Summer Fitness Challenge with Shaun T

How long is the fitness challenge?

What will participating mean for me?

What will the workouts be like?

What sort of nutrition program will I be following?

How do I sign up?

Friends of FitYaf - Ali gets "Insane" and gains confidence [An Insanity Review]

What were your goals before starting the program?

How did you enjoy the workouts?

What was the most challenging part?

Did you meet your goals?

Were there any unexpected benefits?

Summer Fling HIIT Fitness Friday Workout

Summer Fling SET 1

Summer Fling SET 2

Summer Fling SET 3

Summer Fling SET 4

Stretch

Road trip snacks that are easy on the waistline

Waistline-friendly road trip snacks

The lightning that was too electric for the Philly Electric Run

Philadelphia Art Museum Workout

Philadelphia Art Museum Steps Workout

What's playing on my iPod - Summer 2013

Jillian [FitYaf]

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