Man’s Best Friend, and Motivation???

Hellllllo Healthy People!!!

It’s 1:30am. 30 pages into my 35 page capstone paper.

THIS IS HOW I FEEL RIGHT NOW

I am distracting myself from my paper by:

A.) Posting to my blog….

B.) Planning my ZUMBA class for tomorrow:

and C.) searching for a dog to adopt once I graduate! YIKES. My dad says that it’s definitely a good idea to have a dog if I plan on living on my own. #biggirlstatus woooo!So of course I was curious as to which dogs would be the best running companions…

I found this article on Runner’s World with a chart describing which dogs would be good for each type of run. I’m currently talking to an owner of a baby husky they are trying to get adopted so looks like I’ll only be running with them in the cold…

So check out the article, and maybe think about adopting a new running buddy!

Happy Eating and Exercising!
xoxo,

Jess

A Breed Apart

Can your dog go the distance?By Christie Aschwanden

Image by Getty ImagesFrom the September 2010 issue of Runner’s World

CLICK on RUNNER’S WORLD to read the actual article!!!

BEST FOR		BREED		KEY TRAITS
Long, Steady Runs (More Than 10 Miles)	• Weimaraners • Goldendoodles • German shorthaired pointers • Vizslas • Jack Russell terriers	A medium build, well-muscled hind quarters, not too heavy
Brisk Shorter Runs (Less Than 10-K)	• Greyhounds • Pit bulls • English setters • Beagles • Golden and Labrador retrievers	A muscular and lean build, and a mind for sprinting rather than slogging
Going Fast (7-Minute Miles or Faster)	• Vizslas • German shorthaired pointers • Weimaraners • Greyhounds • Whippets	A medium-size, lean build, and a mental aptitude for running
Long, Slow Runs	• Catahoulas • Labrador retrievers • Standard poodles • Dalmatians	A bigger body that can handle the distance—if you go slow
Running in the Heat	• Rhodesian ridgebacks • Vizslas • Airedale terriers • Fox terriers	A long nose, a short, sleek coat, and a svelte body
Running in the Cold	• Malamutes • German shepherds • Swiss mountain dogs • Siberian huskies	A thick coat and a stockier body type
Running on Trails with Obstacles	• German shorthaired pointers • Vizslas • Weimaraners • Border collies • Belgian sheepdogs	Sure-footed and quick to react (such as herding and hunting dogs)
Most Obedient on Heavily Used Trails	• Golden and Labrador retrievers • Standard poodles • Labradoodles • Border collies	Nonaggressive, people-oriented, and obedient; has a calm personality

Baked Zucchini Sticks from another blogger!

Hey Healthy People!!!

I am currently absorbed in my Capstone Paper right now so instead of being super awesome and writing my own post I’m going to share another bloggers recipe for baked Zucchini Sticks. Mhmm…

This is probably what I look like after staring at my computer for so long…

And when I turn this paper in….

Here’s a preview of the Zucchini Post:

Baked Zucchini Sticks with Caramelized Onion Dipping Sauce

Yesterday in Boston was BEAUTIFUL. Made me glad that I’m holding on to summer with all that I have. I’ve definitely moved into the late-summer produce. We’re getting a lot of squash and potatoes in our CSA box instead of the corn and tomatoes of a few weeks ago… Luckily I really like squash and potatoes and they don’t scream fall (at least not to me).

Click on Beantown Baker to be taken directly to the post and see the recipe!!!

I hope you are keeping up with this week’s challenge!!!

Happy eating and exericising,

XOXO

Jess

Weekly Challenge 4/22,”I love food more than I love people”

Helllllllo Healthy People!!!

You have one night left of jumping jacks and planks before you brush your teeth (last week’s fitness challenge) …since this was a fitness challenge this week we are going to change and do a health challenge.  It seems someday’s after the weekend in particular we wake up and feel like this the next day:

How did that happen? Ha. Well specifically on the weekends we tend to let ourselves “cheat” on our diets more-so if we’ve consumed a few alcoholic beverages.  I know especially for people in college they say the weekend is the most difficult time to keep a healthy lifestyle like they do throughout the week.

This is where I propose…we are going to journal. No no no not like I’m your Dr. Ashley Psychologist…but more so just to record anything and everything you consume.  So here’s the plan…you can either carry a small journal around with you and log what you eat and drink throughout the day. That includes that finger dipped in icing….you know what I mean 😉

So literally record everything for a week. If you don’t want to write it down, simply take a photo of everything with your cameraphone and that will serve as a record that you can look at later. This will challenge you to be more aware of the things that go into your mouth (insert dirty joke here…) and you’ll also gain a sense of the times of day you are most hungry, the times you are bored and snack instead of exercising for instance and the days you were strong and aware of what you were consuming. Don’t let yourself be a trashcan. Eat clean.

Not like Patrick:

grossssss

And even if you are this guy, you can still take part in this challenge…just make sure you are consuming healthy foods that are good for your body and soul (and remember portion sizes!):

I hope you have a wonderful week!!! I will be posting some new exercise ideas soon 🙂

Happy eating and exercising!

XOXO,

Jess

PS Like my FB page here!

Namaste Cycle, not as “zen” as usual.

Hey Healthy People!!!

HAPPY WEEKEND woo!

Time to relax:

BUUUUUT if you feel like this:

Don’t listen to your mind. Don’t cave into the little lazy non exercising devil on your shoulder! Get up, go out for a bike ride or a hike or a kayaking trip with your other half ❤

This morning I taught my last Namaste Cycle class at JMU which was a little bittersweet. It is one of my favorite classes to teach encompassing an hour and 15 minutes of cycling and yoga fused together! Best combo in my opinion because you get a great cardio workout and then a nice strength and stretching session.

But unfortunately today reminded me of something I need to let everyone know! You should ALWAYS have some type of food before you work out! I had a participant in this morning’s class that after the 40 minutes of cycling (granted it was a hardddd class…) needed EMS as she was feeling extremely faint.  She did not eat any breakfast and basically rolled out of bed before the class began. So please, be aware of your bodies at all times and never push yourself farther than you need to go! It’s good to push somewhat but be mindful. And remember always to drink lots of water and eat before a class.

Ideas for easy/quick breakfast options in the mornings:

1.) Granola Bar

2.) Yogurt

3.) Toast with peanut or almond butter

4.) Piece of fruit

5.) Handful of nuts.

6.) Trail Mix

7.) Dried fruit

8.) Cottage Cheese with pineapple

9.) quick cup of oatmeal

10.) Chewy Bar (my favorite for long runs)

These are all light options you can eat 15-30 minutes before you work out and not feel sick during your exercising.

SO GET UP AND GET MOVING PEOPLE!!! I hope you have a wonderful Saturday!

Happy Eating and Exercising!!

XOXO,

Jess

P.S. ONLY 2 more days left of the FITNESS CHALLENGE!!! You can do it people, jacks and planks…remember form!

PPS LIKE my FITfloridian facebook page!!!

Remember when we had snack time at school?

Heyyy Healthy People!!!

I hope everyone had an awesome Thursday! I wanted to blog about SNACKS. Remember when it was so much fun to hang out during snack time in our grade school years? Pass the snacks, trade your mom’s cookies for someone’s mom’s other type of cookies. HA.

Well tonight I wanted to blog about VEGAN snacks since that’s what I have been eating and I think it would be great even if you don’t want to become a vegan to eat vegan option from time to time. Or maybe a way to transition into a more vegan focused lifestyle. Have you seen Forks Over Knives? You can rent it on Netflix and it’s a MUST see.

Here’s a few:

ANDDD for all of you non-vegan’s I hope your face isn’t like this:

1.) Veggies and Hummus…mhmm (I like to add fresh chopped up Garlic to my hummus)

2.) SOY Yogurt!!! Check it out: I get the vanilla and love to add frozen raspberries to it, SOOO good!

VEGAN!

3.) Handful of pretzels

4.) OREOS?? WHO knew these were Vegan?? Pretty cool/full of sugar so eat in moderation!

5.) Edamame!

6.) Vegan Trail Mix (Just look at the ingredients or buy at a specified vegan section, a lot have yogurt bits and chocolate etc…)\

7.) Rice Cakes…you can spread Natural PB on them or add garlic powder!

8.) Nuts and Sunflower Seeds

9.) Granola Bars or Protein Bars (just double check the ingredients, no eggs, dairy, butter etc etc etc)

10.) Organic Applesauce

11.) Banana Chips

12.) Any fruit Obviously!

13.) Or veggies mhmmm

14.) Smoothie!

15.) Veggies with  goddess dressing

16.) Dried fruit such as dates, mangos, raisins (beware a lot of these have added sugars)

17.) Popcorn! You can top it with nutritional yeast! (make sure it’s air popped, everything else has butter on it!)

18.) Banana or organic apple with Peanut Butter

So these are just a few options but you can get fun and creative with vegan cheeses and dressings and stuff! The whole idea is to not go hungry and have everything be tasty and satisfying!

As this week finishes I have exactly one more week of classes in my undergraduate career. Seems crazy to me how fast time has flown by! I look forward to moving back down to Florida and Working at my new job at Athletic Edge in Bradenton, FL. But I will miss JMU more than I can probably even imagine at this point. So blessed and thankful for all of these experiences and opportunities.

Have you been keeping up with this week’s fitness challenge?

Don’t forget to head over to my FITfloridian Facebook page and like it!!!

Enjoy your day tomorrow.

Happy eating and exercising!!!

XOXO,

Jess

H.I.I.T…not the Chris Brown Version!

Heyyyy Healthy People!!!

Hope life is good. Happy hump day. Phew this week is almost over!!! How’s the fitness challenge of the week going? Keep at it, don’t cheat yourself!

So I wanted to post for a while about this whole H.I.I.T workout theory…and let you know how you can incorporate it into your workouts…sooo I made a video since I haven’t made one in a while….

Also Check out this Website for more info on HIIT: http://www.gymboss.com/hiit-workout.php

Elliptical Workout:

30 Minutes Total (continue to make it longer though!)

5 Minutes warm up, easy to moderate

3 minutes at a normal work speed and resistance…(Resistance or level between an 8-12)

1 Minute pushing as hard as you can go (Resistance between 16-22)

3 minutes at a normal work speed (the same as before or increase a level…don’t drop down)

1 Minutee pushing as hard as you can go again!

(CONTINUE THIS…as many times as you want. You can also do this for a 10-15 minute break up between two solid runs at a constant resistance and speed to add some flavor.

HIIT on the Treadmill...lol jk

Treadmill Workout:

5 minute jog at 5mph-ish to warm up

3 minutes between a 6 and 7

1 minute between an 8-9

3 minutes between a 6-7

1 minute between an 8-9

Continue to repeat as long as you want! I like to end with one fast straight on 7 minute mile to end the set!

You might feel like this after a HIIT fitness session:

But keep at it, soon you will automatically add it to your workouts! You’ll notice that this will naturally increase your speed and distance on your normal runs too!

Please like my Facebook page here for more motivational stuff and other posts!

Happy Eating and Exercising!

XOXO

Jess

ZUMBA Playlist!!! Slash rock out and dance with your hairbrush music…

Hey Healthy People!!!

My life is sakdjfsjkdf–> or at least there really isn’t a word to describe how it feels! I have less than two weeks left of my college career left and I’m doing my best to cherish these last moments but could it possibly be any busier? Nope.

Me writing my 35 page paper all I can think about is:

I cannot wait to have my booty on the beach with Luke Bryan music blasting and all the time in the world to relax and work on my tan 🙂

I have SO many things on my mind that I’d like to post about…thanks to soem readers for your great ideas (Sam, Katie, Lauren, Jess..etc etc)! I really appreciate it.

But wait! You know what today is? The 17th!…MY VEGAN MONTH CHALLENGE WAS over on the 12th…and I didn’t even know. So I’ll be posting about this soon because who knew I would actually want to keep the challenge going???

 

 

Tonight’s Zumba Class was SO much fun. I needed it to release some stress with all of the school work and demand of the next couple of days. Moooove your booty!

The Playlist:

1.) Shake Senora Remix by Pitbull Ft. T-Pain, Sean Paul and Ludacris

2.) Call Me Maybe? by Carly Rae Jepsen (thanks to a few friends for choreographing this in my living room Friday night…this was popular!)

3.) Que Te Pica by Notch (fast feet ohhhh yeahhh)

4.) We Found Love by Rihanna Ft. Calvin Harris (hammer up, in out in, step right/left walk walk walk 3skis, shoulders—athletic part…aka died this song and the next…these are choreogrpahed based on STRIDE which is a blend oh hip/hop and athletic conditioning/plyo moves that I learned at a Fitness Expo.)

5.) Evacuate the Dancefloor by Cascada (you will be soooo sweaty here, water break after!)

6.) Pegate by Grupo Treo (one of my faves–jersey shore anyone?)

7.) Shawty Got Moves by Get Cool (Sexual…)

8.) Pa’arriba by Descemer Bueno (new one, kumbia rhythm…might of did improv choreo on this one…woops! 😉

9.) Rain Over Me by Pitbull Ft. Marc Anthony (show me attttitude)

10.) Rompe Remix [edited] by Daddy Yankee (cardio, knees galore)

11.) Fuego by Kumbia Kings (everyone sings the chorus and I LOVE it ❤ )

12.) Mueve La Booty by Raul Acosta y Oro Solido (move your booooty)

13.) La fiesta Ya Se Encendio (merengue)

14.)  Bon, Bon by Pitbull (How low can you go?)

15.) Jai Ho! by A.R. Rahman and the Pussy Cat Dolls (clearly a classic)

16.) Boyfriend by Justin Bieber (this song is sexy and Justin is an adult now right…?? haha jk)

17.) Come Away to the Water by Maroon 5 (Coold down/hunger games discussion)

How’s the fitness challenge of the week coming? Click here if you need a reminder!

I hope you all have a fantastic day tomorrow…reminder…not sure how you could forget but it’s WINESDAY! Celebrate Wednesday Wine Night, it’s a tradition 😉

 

Happy Eating and Exercising!

xoxo,

Jess

I will pay you to write my capstone paper….

Helllllllo Healthy People!!!

Congratulations I hope you feel accomplished after tonight with last week’s NO SUGAR challenge!! I am currently at the library working on my 35 page paper…so far I’ve done basically 5 hours of pure research and no writing…

This was me when I started at the Library:

This is how I feel now:

So anyways here I am blogging on my mini break.  I hope you all had a happy and healthy weekend!!!

I’m going to keep this short so I can go back to studying/writing/school owning my life…. (Graduation is so soon…)

Oh yeah that reminds me…my senior photos are complete woo:

The famous J MADDY Statue!

And the serious one… HAHA. I seriously cracked up when I saw these photos. I think it’s weird to get your photo taken by yourself. But the rest of the photos can be found on FB at Mikaela Hamilton Photography or her blog http://www.mikaelahamilton.com/ which is fantastic by the way. Definitely check out her work. She is a phenomenal photographer, and a friend of mine since freshman year of college. Best luck to her with all of her dreams.

why so serrrrious??? mwahah

ANYWAYS. Now that that’s over with… on to THE HEALTH/FITNESS CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK….!!!!!

Your face right now is:

SO here’s the plan. Last week we did a health challenge. This week we’ll do a fitness challenge.

STARTING tomorrow Morning and for the duration of the week each time BEFORE and AFTER you brush your teeth you have to do 50 jumping jacks and one 30 second plank. So if you brush your teeth in the morning and evening you will end up doing 200 jumping jacks and 2 minutes of planks!!! CAN YOU DO IT????

Please don't have this form...Elvis... hunk of burning love

Come on people it’ll be so easy.

Wanna up the ante even more? IN ADDITION: Double this before you shower: 100 Jumping Jacks and 1 minute plank.

WOO so technically if you brush your teeth twice a day and shower once a day you will have completed:

300 Jumping Jack and 3 Minutes worth of planks! Woo this will be great on your metabolism and your energy!

Safety note: On jumping jacks make sure your heels are coming down on the way…change them to power jacks to add intensity or modified side step jacks to lower intensity. On planks, if you are in the full plank keep form by creating a long straight line from heels to head. Hips shouldn’t be in the air or dipped too low, you will know the feeling when your abdominals are engaged properly. Also feel free to always go into the modified position if form is ever compromised. Form is more important than the intensity of the move. If you do it right, the results will come.

YOU CAN DO IT!

Remember to be safe and have a wonderful week!

Happy eating and exercising!

xoxo,

Jess

P.S. Don’t forget to like my facebook page please, click FITFloridian!

Top 25 healthiest Universities in the United States…JMU??!!!

Good Morning Healthy People!!!!

A recent study came out about the top healthiest universities throughout the United States.  Pretty awesome consideration to evaluate in my opinion.  It seems that for obvious reasons academia is always prominent in the statistic world for colleges…but what about health?

All I can say is JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY made number 10…which I am so proud of! It makes me so happy to go to a school where health and fitness is interwoven into the culture here.

Me when I found this out:

I have attached a preview to the article for you to read written by Kelly Fitzpatrick.  Take a second in analyzing why each school made it onto the list. Definitely something to take into mind when deciding where you or your student attends college.. Although I will always say JMU is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

It’s a place that attracts a student body that will literally give you the shirt off of their back. One of the most welcoming communities I have ever been to…we like to call it “the national door holding campus” …because it truly is.

This place is where I found my family away from my family, and learned who I was and where my passions lie, ultimately in health and fitness. So as you can probably precict this article holds a lot of meaning to me. I am proud to call myself a Duke. A forever Duke!! Way to go University Recreation and especially group fitness. I could not have more pride for this university.

Enjoy the article! and GO DUKES!

Happy Eating and Exercising!

xoxo,

Jess

P.S. It is THURSDAY!!!! We are sooooooo close to finishing the challenge of the week: NO SUGAR! Hang in there you are doing a wonderful job!

Don’t forget to like my facebook page 🙂

Here’s a preview of the article click to be directed to the “Greatist” site!

The 25 Healthiest Colleges in the U.S.

by Kelly Fitzpatrick · 3 days ago · Health

Right around this time of year, high school seniors are making some tough decisions — in just a few short weeks, it’ll be time to fill out those enrollment forms. Before picking out dorm décor to suit that new college’s colors, check out our list. We’ve found the 25 schools that create the best environment for leading a fit, healthy, and happy life. For more deets on how we ranked the schools, scroll to the bottom.

1. UCLA

Photo: Stephanie Diani/UCLA Newsroom

We can only assume UCLA students never go inside. The school offers an impressive outdoor rec center (in addition to a traditional indoor one) with a team-building ropes course, pools, kayaking, and picnic areas. And if all that relaxing gets too strenuous, students will appreciate the health center (ranked number one by The Princeton Review), which offers acupuncture and massage therapy. There’s also nutrition programming from the health center and the comprehensive FITWELL program with fitness classes, online educational resources, mind and body workshops, and even chair massages.

2. Stanford University

Photo: Linda A. Cicero/Stanford News Service

Some of the happiest students in the country are at Stanford, according to The Princeton Review, and we can see why. Students give the food here an A+ at College Prowler, and many dining options include late night dining ’til 2 am. Meanwhile, the gym is open until 1 am, so studying will never get in the way of a sweat session. Not to be outdone, the health center is also ranked in the top 25 by The Princeton Review. There are several student athletic groups, and the three-step BeWell program with resources for assessment, planning, and executing health and fitness changes.

3. University of North Dakota

Photo: Chuck Kimmerle/University of North Dakota

Students aiming to eat healthy will love UND’s “guiding stars” rating system, which serves as the yellow brick road to healthy dining options. And for the price of $4,000 per year, students get unlimited access to the dining halls, which support local North Dakota farmers. (For the record, the national average for the cost of dining in 2009-2010 was $4,300, which doesn’t necessarily include unlimited meals.) Recreation facilities are even more highly rated on College Prowler — as well they should be. The $20 million gym, opened in 2006, was a gift from the students, who voted to up tuition for six years to pay for it. The gym offers a huge array of free fitness and health assessments and just about all the equipment we could ever want. Our favorite thing about UND, though, is its 7 Dimensions approach to wellness, which includes often-overlooked factors like emotional, environmental, and spiritual health.

4. Colby College

Photo: Jesse Goldman ’12/Colby College

Tabata training and CrossFit classes at the fitness center are perfect for students who want to work out outside the box (pun intended), and the fitness complex also boasts a pool, indoor track, and ice rink. The health center has convenient hours, including weekends, and an emergency response team of volunteer EMTs that serve the campus community. Colby embraces sustainable dining, harvesting some food straight from its thriving campus garden. And dining services’ hard work is rewarded with an A+ score on College Prowler.

5. University of Georgia

Photo by Dot Paul

UGA gets major points for its highly-rated food, plus the school offers nutrition consultations and smart-eating courses with a dietitian. The University of Georgia was also one of the only schools we found with 24-hour dining during the week, so even after a late-night study session students don’t need to resort to fast food. The school’s gym offers a Biggest Loser program (with prizes!) and several other wellness programs. The health center has dental, dermatology, and vision care, plus cooking classes and wellness workshops.

….. See ALL 25 ranked schools at “GREATIST” 

10. James Madison University

Photo Courtesy of James Madison University

Students who can’t stand an overcrowded Zumba session will love JMU’s approach to fitness classes. Students must register online in advance to secure a spot in class, and the gym offers a huge range of class options (with video clips online for timid first-timers). The rec also offers a huge range of programsfrom outdoor adventures to nutrition classes.

Again to link to their website click here http://www.greatist.com/health/25-healthiest-colleges/

I would like to thank GREATIST for doing a wonderful job with their website, their mission and this article!

7am Cycle Fitness…Favorite class

GOOOOD Morning Healthy People!!!

When I teach morning spin classes… I have a 5:00 am wake up call… Something I actually volunteer for, call me nuts.

Even though I wanted to lay in bed like this…

I was ready to go and happy to give everyone a great morning workout. Here was the playlist we used:

1.) Boyfriend by Justin Bieber (don’t laugh this song is good lol)

2.) Jet Lag by Simple Plan feat. Natasha Bedingfield

3.) Where Have You Been? by Rihanna

4.) Rain Over Me by Pitbull feat. Marc Anthony

5.) Free by Graffiti6

6.) Lights (Bassnectar Remix) by Ellie Goulding

7.) Enough is Enough by Avicii

8.) Epic by Sandro Silva and Quintino

9.) Glad You Came by The Wanted

10.) Cinema (Skrillex Remix) by Benny Benassi

11.) What is Love? -Reloaded by Haddaway

12.) Show me Love (club mix) by Michael Mind

13.) Waiting for Tonight by Jennifer Lopez

14.) Drunk on You by Luke Bryan (favorite song right now, reminds me of summer)

15.) Come Away to the Water by Maroon 5 (aah the Hunger Games soundtrack….)

This playlist is great for running, cycling or working out in general!!!

Disclaimer: whatever you do please refrain from dancing like this:

It is Hump Day today so get your workout on. Remember to keep up with our no Sugar Challenge of the week and don’t forget to like my facebook page for extra motivators 🙂

Happy eating and exercising!

xoxo,

Jess