So Hot in Herre

July 3, 2013 by beewhobabbles

It’s been an exciting week at our house; Little Dude is learning how to crawl! I guess my new cardio is going to be running the vacuum, and chasing after him.

A baby’s first year is filled with so many milestones; first smile, rolling over, crawling, first word. For the mother, there are almost as many firsts. Since he is baby number three, there weren’t as many “parenting” milestones (that he can pee on me when he’s WEARING a diaper was a new one though), but I still celebrated my first run, my first outing with three kids, our first date night, and last Saturday, my first hot yoga session.

We have an amazing yoga studio nearby; Orlando Power Yoga, where they practice the style of power vinyasa yoga. The classes are fast-paced and performed in a room heated to about 90 degrees. I took classes before I got pregnant, so I was eager to get back to it.

Sara and I arrived early enough to get a good spot in the middle of the room, and once the door closed, I was in my own little world.

This type of yoga is the first with which I’ve really connected. It’s quick enough that I feel like I’m getting a good workout; and between the heat, the sweat and having to concentrate on my breathing to hold the postures, my mind really does clear. In other yoga classes, I would think about my grocery list, or what I wanted to do later. I felt like all that ommmmming and sighing was pretty silly. Not so for this class! I have to focus on my breathing. The sighing? Amazing. It truly feels as though I’m releasing toxins and stress and finding inner peace.

I could tell that my work with Trainer Jen is paying off. Postures that require more upper body strength were easier for me than they’ve been in the past. I actually held crow for about 2 seconds, which has never happened before! I can’t wait to go back.

Hot mess mamas after yoga.

My other first this week was an early morning run. Like, before 6am early. Dude doesn’t sleep through the night yet, and my middle girl is an early riser, so I am usually up at 6. With coffee, the news (Facebook), and my couch, that is. Getting up an hour earlier to exercise was a bit of a challenge, but it felt terrific to sit down for coffee at 8am and realize that my run was done.

Sara wrote about her first hot yoga experience and offered some yoga etiquette tips on her blog, The Classy Crafter. Check it out!

Any firsts for you this week? Where do you like to stand for group fitness classes? The front, middle or back? Have you tried power yoga? Are you are early morning runner? Any tips for me?

edited to add (by Mer):

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeZZr_p6vB8&w=480&h=360]

runDisney’s 2014 Tinker Bell weekend, now with 10k!

July 2, 2013 by Meridith

Anyone who knows me knows that I love the 10k distance. Therefore, when I first started catching wind about the additions of 10ks to the already awesome runDisney weekends, I got excited.

Cam, Vic and I ran the Tinker Bell half this past January in California’s Disneyland and it’s a race that holds a special place in my heart. I met some really cool people at the 2013 meetup and I hope to make my way back to the West coast to run Tink again at some point. (Jess, next time, you’re doing it too!)

We fairies need to stick together!

So today’s announcement from runDisney about the 10k to the Tinker Bell race weekend lineup was happily received!

I know that some people might think it’s crazy to fly across the country for different races but this is honestly what keeps me going, it gives me purpose and reason (especially when a training run isn’t going the way I’d hoped).

If you want to check out more about the Tink Half 10k, definitely hop on over to runDisney’s blog post regarding it. I’ve already said that I can’t swing getting myself to the Glass Slipper challenge in 2014, which I’m super bummed about. Maybe I can get out my pixie dust and fly across the country for the Tink Half/10k? Hmmmmm.

Let’s chat about runDisney races! Which have you done? Which do you want to do? I’ve been fortunate enough to take part in the Princess half (2012), Castaway Cay 5k (2012), and Tink half (2013). Coming up? Wine and Dine!

ENERGYbits review and giveaway

July 2, 2013 by vfreile

I’ve been hearing about ENERGYbits for months, but I really wasn’t sure what to expect.

I knew the bits are 100% Spirulina algae – and a power food with more than 60% protein. In short, it means consumed ENERGYbits quickly turn to glucose after taken…. And as a result give you a steady stream of energy sans chemicals.

I knew they were completely natural – organic, vegan and gluten-free. All of which really appealed to me since so many seemingly healthy products add chemicals or sugar to the mix.

And I knew people raved about them.

Enter the ENERGYbits social media team, who were kind enough to provide me a sample to try and a second sample FOR ONE LUCKY READER! (More on that below.)

My sample tin contained enough bits for two tests.

ENERGYbits in my hot little hand

I decided to test two scenarios – a long run and at the start of a potentially long work day. After all, these would likely be two scenarios I’d be using said bits.

I tested both out last week, and I wasn’t disappointed.

A serving size of ENERGYbits is about 30 tabs. Each bit is a speck smaller than an Advil. They went down pretty easily for me when chased by water. I split them into two handfuls.

On the run
I swallowed a handful of bits at about 30 minutes before my long run last weekend, a hilly 6-miler in Mendon Ponds Park in suburban Rochester, NY. Since this was my first attempt in swallowing bits before exercising, I was a little concerned they might not stay down. (They did, for the record.)

I knew I’d need a little extra oomph as I ran Saturday since I tackled rolling hills with my running pal Traci and a large community running group. For me, it was the first week of my fall marathon training plan, hence the short mileage.

We headed off and I felt great. I was chatty, which as my running pals know, is a sure sign that I am feeling strong.

As we hit the halfway point of our route, I was still feeling fantastic! I was strong, steady and on a mission. I actually passed our group’s pacer twice. He politely reeled me back in with some wit and a smile.

Once finished, I was still feeling good. Yes, of course I felt like I ran 6 miles, but I felt as though I could keep running. Since the skies were about to open up, we drove back home. And the skies opened up moments later.

I had an abundance of energy though, so I ran errands!

On the job
I ate the bits at the start of what ended up being a rather long work day. I’d love to tell you I has super strength and laser-like focus all day, but I’d be fibbing. I DID however, not feel tired or interested in a second cup of coffee. I also didn’t snack all morning. I felt very full, which is not my norm.

Ask my colleagues, I’m a snacker.

So… score two for the bits.

A tin of bits, hanging on my keyboard

I was pleased with my test experiments and am definitely planning to buy more ENERGYbits. The lone drawback is the price. It’s $115 for a bag of 1,000 tabs. That said, that settles out at 33 servings of bits for about $3.50 per serving.

When I do the math it seems way more reasonable.

Plus, discount codes are aplenty. For a 10% discount, type BLOG into coupon box at checkout.

Still too rich for your blood? The company offers a sampling program. Just reach out to them via Twitter and tell them of your interests (and that the Scoot A Doot chicks sent you). Or send a note to Jonathan at jlevitt AT ENERGYbits.com and he’ll share the details.

The giveaway

One lucky reader will receive a sample tin of ENERGYbits. Just click on the Rafflecopter image below to enter.

Click the pic to enter

Scoot a Doot’s ENERGYbits giveaway begins 7/2/13 and ends 7/10/13 at midnight. Winner will need to provide their name, address and email to us so we may pass it along to ENERGYbits.

What do you eat for fuel before a long run? Have you ever tried eating algae? Tell us in the comments!

The Power of Words

July 1, 2013 by bec2point0

Two weeks ago, I sat down and wrote a post. It was a candid, no holds barred look into my life as a morbidly obese woman. Those words were hard to write. Every one of them was a little piece of me, bared to the world, encapsulated on a screen. My fears. My regrets.

My weight.

Those words were meaningful to me, and based on the tremendous amount of supportive responses I got, they were meaningful to other people as well. I had to have Meri actually publish the post for fear I wouldn’t be able to hit the button. I wanted to erase the words, to take them back, as if doing so would make it less real, would make it all go away.

It wouldn’t have. Those realities don’t go away. They will change, when I change them, but they will never cease to be exactly where I was on that day.

The response was incredible. As soon as the post was published, my phone immediately starting buzzing. Tweets, emails, blog responses, Facebook notifications, texts, IMs from people in my office who I am FB friends with.

I couldn’t look right away. I didn’t know what the words coming in were, but I knew they would be too much. And when I did look? They were too much. Wonderful, kind, empathetic… but overwhelming. I cried more times than I can count. It took me days to fully process all of the messages, and days more to respond in a manner befitting the words that were given to me.

I’m so grateful to each one of you that reached out. I’m so touched that people found inspiration in that post, or solace at the idea that they were not the only one with those feelings. I’m so incredibly lucky to have such wonderful people in my world.

I gave myself a few more days to process how I was feeling, and then I started to ask myself some questions.

That is where I am, how do I get where I want to be?

I could sit here wishing I’d done things differently, wishing that I’d had the courage to face my demons years ago, but it wouldn’t change anything. I could blame the people in my life that failed me, blame the diet industry and the food industry for making me fat and keeping me that way, but it wouldn’t change anything. I could sit on my couch with my buddies, Ben and Jerry, crying about how hard it all is, but it really wouldn’t change anything.

Or I could build a bridge and get over it.

How am I going to change habits that are twenty eight years in the making?

I can change, but not without help. I am a prideful person, independent, and I hate needing help. But I need help. And my very wise lifelong best friend gave me some words this morning.

“If you need help, get help.” Right. I love you, Jen.

What diet do you try when you’ve tried every diet?

It doesn’t matter. Some are better than others, some are truly healthier than others, but at the end of the day, this isn’t about the diet. It’s about my commitment to doing what needs to be done, and about knowing that when something isn’t working, you find something else that will. It’s about me making the decision to change my life and my health. (I spent the better part of the last week trying to decide what was the best way to go about this, and I have a plan…you all know how I LOVE a plan. I’m not ready to talk about the plan just yet, but I have one.)

So, I’m going to get help and work on forgiving myself. I’ve made a commitment. And I’ve got a plan.

Where do I start? How? When?

Old Chinese Proverb: The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time is now.

Okay, then. Now works.

Recipe Box: Green Smoothie

June 29, 2013 by beewhobabbles

My husband loves to buy bottled smoothies. You know, the ones with 27 grams of sugar per serving? They make you think you’re drinking something healthy, because there’s some fiber content and a bunch of fruit on the wrapper and maybe it even says “FIVE SERVINGS OF FRUIT” or something crazy on the front of the bottle. And they taste really good. And, hey! Fruit! Five servings, even! And as much sugar as five cookies.

I asked him if I could make some healthier smoothies at home, hoping I’d find one or two that he liked better, or at least almost as much, as his store-bought drink. He agreed because he loves me and he knew I was going to make him try them anyway.

Luckily, I quickly found one that we all love. This smoothie is so versatile- I’ve used greek yogurt to up the protein and I even added peanut butter the other day (which was DELISH). I’ve used kale when I didn’t have spinach, and sometimes I skip the honey if my bananas are very ripe. J drinks it for breakfast; I love it after a workout; the girls have it as a pre-dinner treat.

photo(24)

Green Smoothie
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

2 cups vanilla almond milk
4 cups fresh spinach, packed into the measuring cup
2 bananas
1 tablespoon honey

DIRECTIONS

Place all ingredients into blender and puree on high until smooth. Serve!

Very slightly adapted from Weelicious

Do you make your own smoothies? Share your faves with me!

Road Tested: FrogFuel

June 28, 2013 by scootadoot

Chicks Cam and Mer are always down for trying new things so when Mike from PartnersHub sent out the signal to try FrogFuel, we said, “Red Rover, Red Rover, send FrogFuel on over!”

And they did! Cam and Mer each received three FrogFuel protein shots and a FrogFuel sticker. FrogFuel was created by Navy SEALS, Alex and Jeff.

Now, let’s be perfectly clear, the Chicks are nowhere close to being Navy SEALS. However, FrogFuel is now being geared for the “everyday athlete” and we do fit into that category.

FrogFuel currently has its patent pending. It boasts 15 grams of liquid protein with no banned substances, sugar, fat, carbs, gluten, or lactose. So what’s in those little packets? Amino acids, including Taurine, which is said to help muscles rebuild faster so that you have quicker recovery.

Let’s see what Mer and Cam experienced with FrogFuel!

Mer:

Tuesday and Thursday mornings I’m up by 5am and out the door soon after. When I started working with my trainer last year, I needed to eat something prior to going there or risk fainting from hunger about halfway though my two hour session. Usually it was a banana or apple sauce.

However, my body has since adjusted to the more demanding workout and lately I’ve been lax about fueling prior to working out. I know, not the best plan of attack. And since I need to basically shut my mind off and get my workout done once I’m at the gym, thinking about fuel while I’m there isn’t really an option. Therefore, FrogFuel works well in regards to both time and what it can do for my body.

I took my “shot” at 5:16. The taste reminded me a bit of medicine (which might be why I have an aversion to berry flavored supplements and gels) but nothing that I couldn’t handle.

Headed to the gym and did my warm up on the elliptical and stretching. After my trainer arrived it was continuous “fun” for the next hour and fifteen minutes.

Five sets of twenty tire jumps (which I just recently conquered, thank you very much), twenty pushups and parking lot sprints. 80 crunches, 70 legs raises, lat pulldowns, squats, rows, deadlifts, lunges, burpees, non-stop action.

I felt good throughout! Recently I’ve been pushing myself with the amount of weight I use. For my lat pulldowns I’m easily able to do a set of 20 at 55 pounds; if I want to push it, I go up to 65-70 pounds. This time I was able to do all three sets at 65 pounds. I’m not sure if that’s a testament to the FrogFuel, my strength improving, or at little bit of both. Let’s go with both! I repeatedly reminded myself that I was using a supplement created by Navy SEALS. They are superhumans! Therefore, so am I.

I finished up at 7:21, as seen by my lovely car clock. (TAPE? I’m not sure why it says that. Does anyone still have tapes? Apparently my car has a player if you want to sent me a mix tape.) Took another FrogFuel once I got home and before I got in to my much needed shower. FrogFuel can be taken before, during and after a workout and be beneficial. I’m a fan of benefits!

Cam:

I’m not good with routine. It’s kind of my nemesis. I try to stick to a good fitness regime but I tend to slack off right when I get a good stride. And summer is the best excuse to slack. Let it be known that I have not adequately stressed my muscles in three weeks. Unless walking from my beach towel to the shoreline counts. I’m pretty sure it doesn’t.

This week, however, I’m back in the swing. I FrogFueled on Tuesday before my Boxing/Boot Camp doubleheader. My classes are in the evening, so I had all day to prepare my body with good nutrition. I started off the day with juiced veggies and oatmeal. And it was all downhill from there. Movie theater popcorn and Sour Patch Kids for lunch was a bad decision. I knew this workout was going to be a beast. Luckily, I had a nifty little secret weapon in my purse!

FrogFuel literally saved my ass. I took the supplement about 15 minutes before beginning the first of two very strenuous workouts. It’s not tasty, but I’ve yet to find a supplement that satisfies my palate. I did like the consistency, though. Much lighter and easy to swallow. And I definitely felt energized, despite the poor food choices. After sixty minutes of jump rope/sprint/crunches circuits, shadow boxing and sparring, and three, 3 minute rounds on the bag, I was dripping with sweat and ready for the next class.

Boot Camp started out heavy. 10, one minute exercises, followed by one quarter-mile lap. Times three. By the second round of Super Burpees, I was definitely burping up my FrogFuel. I finished the session, but with great difficulty.

Given my poor food choices and lack of practice, I think FrogFuel came through in a pinch. I want to try it again, when I’m back in my stride. I liked how easy it was to drink due to its thin consistency and I found it comparable to other supplements I’ve taken in the past. Given the TWO Ragnars I have coming up, I may be switching out past favorites for the FrogFuel. Like I said, routine is my nemesis! I’m always in the mood for something new.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=zS6iZBWxPMA]

What do you use to fuel before a grueling workout? Have you tried FrogFuel before? Talk to us in the comments!

Disclosure: We were given FrogFuel samples to try. All opinions are our own and we were not compensated for this post.

We are Family

June 27, 2013 by vfreile

My cousin Kristen and I are a decade apart. But as we grow older, we also grow closer.

Our mothers are sisters, and like Kristen and me there’s a large gap between them — 8 years. But as they aged, their bond has strengthened.

Kristen and I have much in common — our hair color, posture, body type and other family traits. Our love of Harry Potter, dark chocolate, hiking and good wine are also not to be forgotten.

But most importantly, we’re family. We share an unconditional love that sees one another through tears and laughter. I often describe Kristen and her brother Keith as my younger siblings rather than my lone first cousins.

Opening Christmas gifts with Kristen in 1989.

Hiking with Kristen in 2003.

With Keith and Kristen at my 2005 wedding. (I look tired.)

Kristen turns 21. Kristen, Keith and me toast with a legal drink (2009)

Hiking in 2011 with Keith’s wife Laura and Kristen

Cousins, 2013

We tease one another and confide in each other. We spar, we hug, we cook and eat (a lot) and we travel together. We share the good and bad, even when we feel alone.

After all, who else understands what it’s like to head to our grandparents’ house for Easter dinner where succotash and sliced ham are divvied with military-style precision? And who else comprehends a family throwdown mid-vacation that ends by baking bread then breaking bread?

And of course there’s the family tradition of stuffing the fridge to the gills, mainly with freshly-picked veggies from the garden.

We do.

Kristen was actually born while I celebrated my 11th birthday with friends at a roller rink. I was thrilled to share the day with her and even more excited to meet her several weeks later.

Last weekend, our family gathered in Bethlehem, PA to celebrate Kristen’s wedding. She married her best friend Erik and we welcomed him to our slice of insanity with open arms. Kristen was a stunning bride – confident, happy, gracious and glowing.

Aunt Martha, my mother Barbara, me and Kristen

We don’t see each other as often as we’d like. But when we do gather, we have a great time.

I feel so blessed to have such incredible, strong and loving women in my family. Sure, we all trip and make mistakes, but we learn from those errors. We evolve, we grow, we become who we are today.

What’s the last family gathering you attended? Are you like me, with a close family that lives far away? How do you cope?

Rocking the socks – The Sox Box Giveaway Winner

June 26, 2013 by scootadoot

Or should we say WINNERS?

Yes, we should go with the plural. But we’ll get to that in a moment.

The response to the giveaway for these socks has been tremendous! We’re guessing it’s because you all love words on socks just as much as we do. Perhaps it’s because 20% of each purchase at The Sox Box goes to the Independence Fund, for wounded military veterans. Or maybe it’s because you know these socks are Made in the USA.

All good things!

In the comments, the run away favorite socks were…

Chick Jess picked these as we often refer to ourselves as “hot messes” and many of you can relate to that!

These RUN quadruplets were also big faves among the Scoot readers and we definitely understand why.

We’re thinking it would be fun to get a whole slew of socks and then switch them up. Mix and Match anyone?

HOT COFFEE

RUN TIME

ZOOM FAST

The possibilities are endless!

The Sox Box folks were great to work with and have graciously said we can award not one, or two, three, four but FIVE pairs of socks. Awesome!!!

Our winners are:

Congrats Cassie, Katie, Ramona, Cherie, and Jeffrey! We salute you! The Sox Box will be contacting you soon with all the deets on your free socks.

As a special thank you to our readers, use the coupon code SCOOTD10 to get 10% off at The Sox Box, now through July 15th. What are you waiting for? Scoot on over there!

Pink Sweat

June 25, 2013 by bec2point0

I am such a girly girl. I love sparkle and shoes and bags and makeup. And I love PINK. Anything Pink. The first time I saw the #sweatpink hashtag over on Twitter, I thought ‘well, that sounds AMAZING.’

So now, I am delighted to tell you that the Scoot A Doot Chicks have been asked to be Sweat Pink Ambassadors. How cool is that?

Does this mean when we go bust our tails running or working out, our sweat is actually pink?

Sadly, no.

What it does mean is that the fine folks over at Fit Approach think we are a great representation of what it means to ‘sweat pink.’

On their Become a Sweat Pink Ambassador page, they ask the following questions:

Do you have a passion for inspiring others on their journeys to health? Do you believe that strong is the new skinny, pink is the new black, and that a positive attitude and whole foods are a healthier route to happiness than self-loathing and 100-calorie snack packs?

Yes. Yes! And YES!!

And this is their mission.

We believe that kicking ass is best done in pretty shoes. We’ve learned that real women sweat, and sweat hard. We know that assertiveness, strength, and ambition are the ultimate feminine qualities. We concede that sometimes it takes hours to get ready, but we’re also no strangers to just rolling out of bed and going. We’re convinced that we run faster in pink shoelaces. We believe in pushing ourselves, and we believe in giving ourselves a break, too. We’re all about the rush of endorphins and the thrill of the challenge. We’re all for looking great and feeling even better. We’re committed to finding our best fit, and making it stick.

Totally rockin’.

I think it’s clear which color station Bec liked best at last year’s Color Me Rad.

And we’re tickled pink (insert cymbal crash) that they asked us to be part of their Ambassador crew, because all those things? That is what we’re about. Our resounding YES was a total no brainer.

This isn’t about being the strongest athlete in the world. It’s about being the kind of athlete each of us is, and pushing ourselves to be better.

This isn’t about being in the best shape. It’s about the journey we’re all taking to be in the best shape we can be.

This isn’t about being perfect when it comes to diet and exercise. It’s about being tireless in the pursuit of our own personal health and fitness goals.

And now, it’s about kicking butt in shoes laces up with pink shoelaces. (And for me, it’s about adding being able to fit into a Sweat Pink tank to my fitness bucket list… SO CUTE).

Bec, sweaty in Pink!

So, our sincerest thanks to Fit Approach for selecting us to be ambassadors for your awesome mission. We think your fab, and we give you our biggest, sweatiest, PINKEST hugs of gratitude.

BOB’s Your Stroller

June 24, 2013 by writeitdownjess

Actually, BOB’s my stroller now. Or it will be once it makes its way from Chick Meri’s house in New Jersey to mine in California. What started as a conversation with me whining about the cost of jogging strollers and how much I wanted one but dude, expensive, turned into Meri shining up her much-loved but no-longer-used BOB Revolution jogging stroller.

That’s right, people, this beauty is about to become mine all mine for the cost of FREE (plus shipping).

Do you know how stoked I am about this stroller? I am designer-handbag-on-super-sale stoked! I can’t wait to get this bad boy in my greedy little hands and take it for its first spin on the West (Best?) Coast.

As I’ve blogged about ad nauseam, I’ve yet to really get back into the swing of running. Part of it is that I’m tired and out of shape and kind of lazy and someone is stealing all of the hours in my days. But the other part of it is that I’ve got a kiddo at home who I don’t get to see a ton during the week. And with our weekends often filled with laundry and errands and family and tummy time – his and mine – I just haven’t been able to fit running into the picture.

But now that I’ve got a jogging stroller, all of that is about to change. Because now I can take the kiddo with me. Now I can take Mister Jess with me! The couple who runs together actually runs, I’ve found. I know that I’m more motivated to get out there when I have someone poking me in the arm about it. Mister Jess is a great arm-poker.

All of this means I’m officially out of excuses. I have to run now. And I’m super excited about that (who am I?). In fact, I’m already planning some of our dates. We’ll go to Crissy Field:

Maybe run along the Embarcadero (stopping at Gotts Roadside for breakfast sandwiches, of course):

We’ll just generally explore the streets of San Francisco:

Er. Maybe not all the streets.

Regardless, I can’t wait for my new (to me) jogging stroller to get here. It’s had a great life in New Jersey and I hope it’ll have a great one here, too.

Hey, BOB? I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Any stroller aficionados out there want to give me tips on how to get started? I’d love advice, even if it’s just “Strap Bug in and GO, Jess!”

Scootadoot

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