Dare You To...

A few weeks ago, I was invited, as a FitFluential Ambassador, to attend a fitness class led by celebrity trainer Brett Hoebel.

Brett Hoebel, also known as "El Capitan," is the founder of Hoebel Fitnessand a trainer on NBC's The Biggest Loser season 11.  His online bio explains how his "mind-body" approach comes from his experiences in both Eastern and Western disciplines, combining his educational background (dual major in psychology and biology, plus biomedical science courses) with his martial arts training in capoeira and Muay Thai kickboxing.  With 15 years in the field, he's become an expert in group fitness, weight loss, and personal training.


We met at a New York City 24 Hour Fitness for the evening class.  As a small aside, I have to mention how impressed I was with the 24 Hour Fitness facility.  It was clean and spacious--two things I've learned not to expect from NYC gyms.  Definitely a place I wouldn't mind traveling to to work out!

Downst…

These are a few of my favorite things...This Friday, instead of featuring interesting articles, I'm sharing some things I've been loving lately,A through E.  

Apples
I used to snack on these all the time. Why did I stop?  Apples are the perfect snack!  They're portable, stay well in or out of the fridge, and are ridiculously satiating thanks to all that water and fiber.  Last month, I started stocking up again.  These are now a staple, once again, in my home and work refrigerators.

Banana Chobani
Ah, Greek yogurt, my love.  I was comfortable in my plain Chobani groove for a while, until the end of January, when I received an awesome package.


Inside, I got samples of the new Chobani Bites, cute little 100-calorie snack cups, with a flavored yogurt and mix-in, to boot.  The Fig with Orange Zest was interesting, for sure. I do love figs!


What I fell for even more than the "Bites" was the 6-oz Low Fat Banana.  I usually buy plain Greek yogurt, with the occasional vanil…

I first heard the expression "dynamic stretching" early on in my fitness career, back when my only workout was a Jillian Michaels video, viewed for free on Exercise TV On Demand.  My limited exercise experience before that included playing soccer and softball, as well as gym class's dreaded Mile and occasional weight room rotations.  Suffice it to say, I didn't know much.

What Jillian Michaels taught me in her 30 Day Shred was that we warm up the body with movement, throughdynamic stretching.  That is, we open up our joints and wake up our muscles by moving our bodies through a range of motion, rather than holding a static stretch (like those we did in gym class) before our workout begins.  Save those static stretches--holding a pose over many seconds or longer--for when the workout is complete.

I still hear Jillian's voice like it was just yesterday...  Here's an example from a different, more recent video of hers, but the idea is the same:


You get the idea.

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It's FEBRUARY!  Aside from my birthday month, it's also Heart Health Month.

Today, I dare you to celebrate by hanging loose, relaxing, de-stressing.  Take note of the constant pressure you put on yourself, your body, and your heart.  Where can you ease up?  Where can you lessen the load?  What is really important? What can others help you with?

MOMentumNationbrought Heart Health Month to my attention.  They're focusing on heart health all month long by sharing helpful tips, information, and critical facts for YOU and your ticker.  Check out the website for daily heart health tips from Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum and other heart-healthy fitness and health-related content.

For example, they've got advice on getting heart-smart using your technology, a list of 3 ways to love your heart, and a run-down on what you need to know about women's heart health.


While food and fitness choices do play a vital role,chronic stress is one of the biggest heart disease risks for women.  …

Some quick "Friday Features" for you -- some articles and posts from the recent past that I found interesting, and hope you do, too!

Jill Coleman of JillFit.com dares you toTake Action by using a simple tool: "The Alternative".  By considering the alternative, you may find the motivation to stand up and make a difference!

Are supplements really necessary? Chris Kresser answers: Yes and No. This actually makes a lot of sense. Dare you to learn how.
Sarah shares running tips for beginners.  My favorite?  "If you have time to run, you have time to stretch."  So true and so important!

Chef Katelyn considers the ways that CrossFit has Changed Her Life.   This goes way beyond fitness, so give it a read!
Just one month in, are you looking for some sane, healthy, productive, and possible resolutions to work into your 2013?  Carrie Brown has some great suggestions.  Some are on my list already; what can you add to yours??

The New York Times addresses going Gluten-Fre…