by | May 11, 2011

Celebrity Fit Club, Part II

Since three workouts in one day clearly wasn’t enough for our friends in Santa Monica, we agreed to do three more the following day as well. Oh geez!

Day #2 of our celebrity training trip kicked off with an outdoor “Train Anywhere” routine with celebrity trainer Christopher Lane, who works with people like Valerie Bertinelli and Sara Rue. We grabbed our mats and a Pro Gym in a Bag, (from GoFit) and headed to a park by the beach. Christopher took us through a total body circuit, using the resistance tubes in our GoFit Kit (perfect for traveling, by the way) and basic body weight. We did plyometrics, like jumping jacks, jump lunges, and jumping rope, with lots of upper body moves mixed in between—all in the fresh, ocean-filled air. The sun wasn’t out yet, but we still felt like exercising beside the beach was a pretty awesome way to start the day.

Getting set up for our outdoor circuit. Christopher says he does a lot of the same moves with his clients.

Group shot with our trainer for the morning (in white, four in from the right)

Right after our morning wake-up call, we headed to the Westwood Equinox to attend a Spin class led by group fitness manager Justin Rubin. And, man, did he bring the energy! None of us really knew what to expect, but as soon as we adjusted our saddles, we knew it was ON. Justin’s playlist was amazing, and his positive energy was totally contagious. He had quite possibly the best phrases for a Spinning instructor ever, too. For example: “Breakaways are just like relationships. You have to fully recover from the first before you jump right into the next one.” Or “Add some pepper to it, turn it up.” Talk about excuses to smile in the middle of a grueling workout session. The 45-minute class was over before we knew it, but we sure were shweaty enough to show for it.

Lunch was waiting for us when we got back to our hotel, Shutters on the Beach. Then it was off to a serious, butt-kicking  Movie Action/Stunt Workout at the International Sports Performance Institute. Owner of Training Adventure, trainer Paul Vincent, who works with celebs like Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes and Victoria Beckham, would be guiding us through the routine. Little known fact: Paul ran with Katie Holmes, guiding her to the finish of  the ING New York City Marathon in 2007. We performed some crazy total body circuits, and then we got to complete an obstacle course, just like we were in the movies. We jumped over big cubes, climbed ladders and ropes, ran on the wall, rolled on the floor and performed roundhouse kicks. What a fun way to work everything head-to-toe. By the end we couldn’t tell if our abs hurt from laughing so hard or exercising, but considering they were still sore the next day, we’re pretty confident it was all Paul’s fault, in a good way.

Scenes from our obstacle course—climbing, swinging, kicking galore

Token end-of-class group shot, with our fabulous trainers

Leave a Comment

Filed under Fun, Gyms, Lodging, Outdoor activities, Travel, Workouts

by | May 7, 2011

Celebrity Fit Club

Hopping on a flight at 6:50am just two days after my marathon was perhaps a bit ambitious, but as soon as I (Lindsey) landed in L.A. on Tuesday morning, surrounded by sunshine, I knew that I had made the right decision—a heavy dose of Vitamin D was totally what the doctor ordered. Now working out for the next two days straight? That was another story. I was in Santa Monica for a celebrity training event hosted by Asics, and the thought of doing lunges, push-ups and squats for the next 48 hours kind of made me want to cry. I could barely walk along the beach at a normal speed, how was I ever going to make it through six intense workout sessions?

But then I remembered what Jessica Biel looks like in a bikini. And I knew that if I was ever going to look like that, I was gonna have to suck it up and work. it. out.  Ha ha—just kidding… I will never actually look like Biel (or Jennifer Aniston or Angelina Jolie, for that matter), but I could be a fitter version of myself if I started to train a little more like her. Plus, it’s always fun to meet new trainers and try out their techniques.

Day number one started off with yoga instructor Kirschen Hagenlocher, who works with celebs like Reese Witherspoon and Julia Roberts. She even traveled with Roberts while she was shooting Eat, Pray, Love (so cool!). Kirschen, a former competitive runner, led us through a gentle, yet challenging Hatha Flow class at our hotel, Shutters on the Beach. Her positive energy was pretty infectious, and truth be told, stretching out all my sore muscles felt great. One stretch in particular, which we coined the IT asana, really helped loosen up my super-tight IT bands. I left the room feeling relaxed, loose and in a good mood: Maybe I’d make it through this experience after all!

morning yoga, asics-style...

Next up: A sunny hike in Temescal Canyon led by celebrity trainer Michelle Lovitt, who works with celebs like Courtney Cox, Yvonne Strahovski and Eve. When I saw this listed on our itinerary, I wasn’t too worried. I mean, I live in Oregon after all—this girl can hike! But much to my surprise, the ball of amazing energy leading our way, Michelle, was taking us on a HIKE. I’ve seriously never seen someone pump her arms so fast. It was hot, and we trucked it uphill for the first 1.5 miles. At times, I had to jog to catch up. Umm, ouch. And while the uphill battle proved to be difficult for me (my legs were sore, my breathing was heavy), the downhill portion that followed was actually worse. It definitely felt easier, aerobically, but my already-shot quads and calves were not happy. However, the views were awesome, and nothing beats being in the middle of the woods right beside a big city. Plus, Michelle earns major points for being one of the most encouraging, badass trainers we’ve ever met.

A view from the top of our hike

Group shot at the top

Our last Bikini Body workout of the day was with Valerie Waters, who works with celebs like Jessica Biel and Jennifer Garner, at The Ritz-Carlton. She introduced us to her Valslides, which are similar to Gliding Discs, but plastic, smaller and cushioned. They’re a great tool for fit travelers, allow you to move faster and more freely, and can be used both for burning calories and sculpting at the same time. We focused primarily on our abs and butts with Val, and I was definitely feeling it.  Nothing like some fast side lunges to remind yourself that you did in fact run 26.2 miles two days ago!

Getting ready to get our slide-on!

Much to my relief, spa time was up next. We headed to The Ritz-Carlton Spa for some relaxation and a manicure. It was beautiful and calming, and our treatments were the ideal way to end a high-energy, exercise-driven day. If getting your nails did and your workout in in all the same place is what being a celeb is all about, sign me up!

Day two’s fitness festivities coming soon!

2 Comments

Filed under Fun, Gyms, Lodging, Outdoor activities, Random, Spa-relaxation, Travel, Workouts

by | May 6, 2011

Bend or Bust

With less than six weeks to go before Beth’s due date, we’ve been doing our best to fit in a few last-minute excursions. Last weekend, we met up in Eugene, where Lindsey ran an awesome marathon. This weekend, we’re piling into the Subaru with Eddy and Darrell (and Beth’s pups Oscar and Millie) to make the 3.5-hour drive to Bend, OR.

The town has been on our must-see list since we moved here last summer. There’s recreation galore, good restaurants, and awesome breweries—in other words, it has The Fit Trip written all over it. Between the great skiing on Mt. Bachelor, loads of hiking and biking trails in the foothills of the Cascades, and bunches of activities along the Deschutes River, our only problem is going to be fitting in everything we want to do in two short days.

A couple of things we’re sure we’ll do (and are wildly excited about):

  • Staying at the McMenamin’s Old St. Francis School: A Catholic schoolhouse in a former life, this hotel has all the perks we’ve come to expect from McMenamin’s properties: a heated soaking pool, a movie theater (free to overnight guests!), an onsite brewery, and loads of character.
  • Eating at The Sparrow Bakery: There are so many mouth-watering things on the menu, we have a feeling we’ll need to make at least two trips. Warm, flaky croissants one morning, breakfast sandwiches another, Croque Madames for lunch…ok, maybe three trips…
  • Testing some of the local brews: We just read that Bend has more breweries per capita than Portland—and that’s saying a lot. We’re especially excited to visit Deschutes Brewery, where you can take in some pretty insane views of the Cascades while you’re sampling their latest creations.

Stay tuned for updates on our trip. And if you have any Bend suggestions, we’re all ears!

1 Comment

Filed under Food, Fun, Lodging, Outdoor activities, Restaurants, Travel

by | May 3, 2011

Speed Racer!

Lindsey is modest about her stellar running abilities, but since Beth is writing this post, let’s just be totally honest: She’s a rock star! Rain or shine (or, since we’re talking Portland, rain, then shine, then more rain), she’s out there logging miles, sometimes toward a specific goal, sometimes just because she loves to run.

For the past few months, she’s been training for the Eugene marathon, and man did all that work pay off! Not only did she finish with an awesome time (3:51:45), but she positively sailed through the end, even overtaking another runner just before crossing the finish line.

That's Lindsey in the yellow shirt!

Seriously, she had so much energy that if we didn’t know she had just run 26+ miles, we would have thought she was just out for a fun little morning run.

Here she is just after crossing the finish line. 26.2 miles, and still smiling!

Beth, Darrell, and Eddy cheered her on from the stands (the Eugene marathon ends at Hayward Field, the University of Oregon’s track & field stadium) and then greeted her with a bunch of Gatorade, a couple of bananas, and a homemade sign.

Our Fit Trip hero!

Congrats on a job well done, Lindsey!

5 Comments

Filed under Races

by | April 29, 2011

Fit for a King

Note: Reading this post with a British accent will most definitely make it more amusing…

We were all counting down the hours until the royal wedding began. What would Kate wear? Who would be in attendance? How hot would Prince Harry look? The dresses! The jewelry! The hats! Oh my! So much formal, fancy, goodness to look forward to. And now that it’s all over, we must admit, Prince William and Catherine Middleton did not disappoint.

In honor of the most beautiful, celebrated wedding of the century (so far anyway), we thought we’d share a few fit lessons we’ve learned from the royal fam.

1. It’s always best to be bikini-ready. Kate Middleton first caught Prince William’s eye when she was modeling a barely-there dress during a school fashion show. Check out Lindsey’s Bikini Boot-Camp workout in this month’s Fitness magazine for some great do-anywhere, head-to-toe toning moves.

2. Hats are hot. Okay, so maybe working out in a top hat is not super practical, but covering your head while you sweat in the sun is highly recommended. We like the Asics Women’s Everyday II Run Cap—there are no feathers, but it’s lightweight, breathable and helps prevent glare.

3. Volunteering is a healthy habit. Both William and Kate spent time volunteering in Chile during their gap years, between high school and university. Looking for a place to donate your time? A few of our favorite active non-profits are Girls on the Run, Right to Play, She Jumps, 88 Bikes and Project Snow.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Fun, Gear, Random, Workouts

by | April 27, 2011

Way to go, Jamie!

We’ve been huge fans of chef Jamie Oliver ever since he came out with The Naked Chef in 1999. At first we loved him for his fun, accessible, completely unpretentious approach to cooking. (Ok, we kind of loved him for his awesome accent, too.) Now we love him even more for all the work he’s done to improve school lunches, first in the U.K. and now here in the U.S.

If you’ve watched (or read about) Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, you know all about his crusade. School district by school district, he’s determined to get cafeterias to take a good look at what they’re feeding kids and, in many cases, completely overhaul their system. Every time watch, we’re appalled by two things: what the schools are calling food (boxes and boxes of pre-packaged stuff that’s full of preservatives), and how much resistance he faces when he tries to swap out, say, actual potatoes for the creepy reconstituted powder-y stuff. Crazy.

Thankfully, despite all the initial resistance, Oliver usually manages to make big progress in every school he turns his attention to, and his most recent feat is particularly huge. He teamed up with parents and students in the L.A. County school district to get the cafeteria to stop serving flavored milk. This may sound minor—any milk is good milk, right? But chocolate- and strawberry-flavored milk actually has more sugar per ounce than a can of soda. A glass every now and then is totally fine, but we all know kids aren’t exactly great about moderation. Given the option, they’re going to go for the sugar-y stuff over plain day after day. With childhood obesity rates higher than they’ve ever been, all that extra sugar is the last thing our kids need.

Well, yesterday the new superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District  went on Jimmy Kimmel with Oliver to announce that he’s officially eliminating flavored milk from every school cafeteria in the district. Nice! We have a feeling other school districts will be quick to follow. It may be just the first step, but it’s a big one. Way to go, Jamie!

Leave a Comment

Filed under Food, health

by | April 27, 2011

Trouble, with a capital H

Sometimes, even something healthy can be hazardous to your health…

You already know how we feel about S’mores. Basically, they’re delicious. What’s better than melted chocolate and gooey roasted marshmallows crammed between two crunchy graham crackers? Exactly—nothing. This is why we knew we were in trouble as soon as these new Halo bars from PROBAR arrived on our doorstep today.

Four tasty flavors to choose from

Deciding which bar to devour first—Honey Graham, Nutty Marshmallow, Rocky Road or S’mores—was tough. But clearly the S’mores won out. And now we know why they’re promoted as “The Sinfully Healthy Snack.” Yum, yum and yum!

As with all PROBAR products, Halos are certified organic, all natural and 100 percent vegan. They’re also only 150 calories. Each flavor has varying nutritional info, but the S’mores bar in particular contains 4.5g fat, 25g carbs and 3g protein. It’s light and healthy and satisfies your need for something sweet no matter where you are. It’s like a chocolate chip granola bar, only better (and fresher)!

The trouble, in case you’re wondering, is that once you try these, you’re going to want to eat them all day long, which could lead to a lot more calories (trust us, we did the math)! Just remember: Good stuff in moderation is golden.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Food, Travel

by | April 26, 2011

Mango-Mania

Growing up in Missouri (Beth) and North Carolina (Lindsey), neither of us ate a lot of exotic fruits as kids. Apples, oranges, grapes, and bananas were staples, but things like lychees and passion fruit never even graced our local grocery stores, let alone our kitchens. In fact, Beth is pretty sure she never even ate an avocado until she was in college.

Maybe that’s why we’re such big fans of mangoes. With their multicolored skins that look like something out of a Renoir watercolor, and their juicy, sunset-yellow interior, they make apples and pears look about as appealing at plastic fruit. We love to eat mangoes straight, but we also love them in smoothies with bananas and pineapple chunks, in salsas with red onion, cilantro, avocado, and jicama, and in all kinds of salads. And we jump at any recipe that gives us a chance to try them with other foods, so we were thrilled to see them featured in an article in the New York Times today. Not only did we learn that they’re often referred to as the “king of fruits” in other parts of the world (who knew?), but we also learned yet another awesome mango recipe that we can’t wait to try.

The name of the dish sounds like something out of a 1950s Tiki-bar cookbook, but don’t let that turn you off. The ingredients are fresh, the process is simple, and the final product sounds absolutely delicious.

Strawberries in a Mango Sea (from the New York Times Health and Nutrition section, April 25, 2011)

2 large or 4 smaller ripe mangos

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons sugar

2 pints ripe, sweet strawberries, hulled and quartered

Fresh mint leaves for garnish

1. Peel and pit the mangos: cut down the broad side of the fruit from stem end to tip end, slightly off center, with the knife following the edge of the pit. Cut down the other side of the fruit in the same way. Cut the flesh from the sides of the pit, cutting as close to the pit as possible. Lay each half, skin side down, on your cutting surface and score with the tip of your knife in a crosshatch pattern, down to — but not through — the skin. Lift each mango half, and press on the skin with your thumbs to turn the half inside out. Slice the cubes away from the skin. Repeat with the other half. Cut the strips from the sides away from the skin. Discard the skins.

2. Place the mango in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add half the lime juice and 2 teaspoons of the sugar. Puree until smooth. Scrape into a bowl, and set aside. You should have about 2 cups puree.

3. Toss the strawberries with the remaining lime juice and sugar, and let sit for 15 to 30 minutes, in or out of the refrigerator.

4. Spoon about 1/4 cup of mango puree onto each dessert plate or into wide dessert bowls. Place a spoonful of strawberries, with juice, in the middle. Garnish with mint and serve.

Yield: Serves eight.

Advance preparation: The mango puree will keep for a day in the refrigerator.

Nutritional information per serving: 80 calories; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 20 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 2 milligrams sodium; 1 gram protein

Leave a Comment

Filed under Food, Recipes

by | April 22, 2011

We need a Spa, STAT!

Not sure how you feel coming into spring, but we’re feeling a bit beat-down. Winter definitely did a number on us this year—we’re sore, tired and in desperate need of some high quality spa time. It’s been way too long since our last massage! And this morning we received an email about a new treatment that sounds like heaven: the all-natural Tata Harper Facial at The Spa at Equinox.

“The 60-minute facial begins with a gentle exfoliating cleanser to rid skin of impurities. Then, handmade steam sachets filled with calendula and other herbs from Tata’s organic Vermont farm are applied to soften the skin’s surface. Next, dull and blemished skin cells are eliminated with a clay mask. Afterward, a floral spray is gently misted onto the face, followed by the application of an anti-aging serum and eye cream. Tata Harper’s Replenishing Nutrient Complex completes the treatment and restores skin’s elasticity and tone, by rejuvenating and rehydrating damaged, dry and aging skin.”

We’ll take two!

This got us thinking about what else was out there, and we were surprised at how many spa deals you can find online these days—no matter where you are (Thank Goodness!). Sometimes (like right now, for example), you deserve to be pampered. So go ahead, score yourself a discounted facial, massage, mani-pedi or any other relaxing treatment that you desire with these sites:

* Travelzoo: We usually use this site to find cheap flights, but it’s also got an entire “local deals” section that offers specials on spa services, performances and events all over the country. Sample deal: $39 for a 60-minute massage at Old City Boutique Spa in Philadelphia (regularly $90).

* Living Social: Sign up for daily emails from this website, and they’ll hook you up with deals on spa packages and all kinds of other social activities, like concerts and wine tastings. Sample deal: $42 for a haircut and blowout at Jeunesse Spas for Life at Lincoln Center in New York City (regularly $85).

* Spafinder: If you’re looking for a luxurious spa experience or a deal on a destination spa vacation, this is your place. Sample deal: Save 30 percent on accommodations and get a free, 60-minute spa service at the Acqualina Resort and Spa on the Beach in Miami.

*The Dealist: Submit your email address and location on this site, and they’ll send you deals on all kinds of activities in your city. They name the price, and you can bid on each deal until it disappears. Sample deal: $39 for a 30-minute facial, mani-pedi, parrafin treatment and wine at Vada Spa in NYC (regularly $79).

2 Comments

Filed under health, Lodging, Spa-relaxation, Travel

by | April 20, 2011

Not ready to race? Volunteer!

One of the coolest things about doing a race in another city is the excuse to travel. Sure, you could stick to the events in your own town, but it’s so much more fun to do them in other places. You get all the benefits of the race, plus the added bonus of exploring a new city. One of our first stops on our two-week road trip last summer was Columbus, Ohio, where we ran a 5K through the state fairgrounds. Talk about a taste of local culture! And in less than 2 weeks, Lindsey is headed a couple of hours south to run the Eugene Marathon. (Beth and her ever-growing belly will be cheering her on from the sidelines!)

Of course, doing a race during a trip isn’t always in the cards. Maybe you weren’t able to train, or you are, you know, 7-plus months pregnant. No worries! Not actually running/biking/walking the race doesn’t mean you can’t get involved. Pretty much every race needs volunteers, and you can often sign up to help right up until the day of the race—just go to the event web site and look for the Volunteer section.

This goes for everything from quickie 5Ks to full marathons and multi-day cycling tours. In fact, the reason the topic is even on our minds is because we just saw that Amgen, the largest cycling event in North America, still needs volunteers for this year’s tour (which just happens to begin in our beloved Lake Tahoe!). Helping out the world’s top cyclists in one of the country’s most gorgeous settings? Yes, please. If you’re planning to be in Lake Tahoe—or if you just want a good excuse to visit from May 15 to 22—and would like to volunteer, sign up here. Just promise you’ll send us a postcard. We miss that crystal-clear lake and those towering mountains!

Leave a Comment

Filed under Fun, Races, Travel