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Soldier of Steel™ Transformational Workout Plan

June 18, 2013 · by Ari ·

The following post is sponsored by FitFluential LLC on behalf of Soldier of Steel™. All opinions are my own.

Have you guys seen the new Superman movie MAN OF STEEL™??? I haven’t gone yet, but I’m actually really looking forward to seeing it. I don’t always love super hero movies, but you know, I made Steve go see Fame in theaters, so sometimes I have to take one for the team and go see a boy movie, and the super hero ones I’ve actually been really enjoying lately!

Not only does the movie look entertaining, but ummm…those men look GOOD. There have been so many times where I’ve looked at celebrities and said things like “Oh I could look that great too if I had a fancy celebrity trainer”, so of course I was so excited when I saw that celebrity trainer Mark Twight was offering a one month training plan! Not only did he train those muscly men of steel, but he has also trained National Guard Citizen-Soldiers!!

I’ve actually been really worried about sticking with my strength training while I’m away for the summer with no gym. I was thrilled to see that 80% of the workouts require absolutely no equipment, and the ones that do are easy to modify. This plan could not have come at a more perfect time! I started off this morning by heading to the park with Mac and Amber to try out day 1.

soldierofsteel (1)You guys. It was no joke. My legs were total jello by the end, but it was a lot of fun! It was a quick and challenging full body workout that got my heart rate going, and I definitely plan to continue through this first month plan! Mac asked me how I felt the second we finished, and it was kinda like this…

soldierofsteel2

I’m tiiiiiired.

But then I decided to climb a tree because I was feeling like a total champ.

soldierofsteel1

Want to check out the workouts for yourself? Visit the Soldier of Steel™ website! There is an entire month long plan developed by Mark Twight with really great explanations and photo tutorials of all of the movements here. There are even fitness training webisodes! Also, make sure to check out this teaser video to get a sense of what it’s all about.

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized · Tagged: fitfluential, fitness, soldier of steel

WellnessFX

November 2, 2012 · by Ari ·

Recently I had the amazing opportunity to work with WellnessFX through FitFluential. WellnessFX is a web-based platform that essentially enables you to be more informed about your health, and to use that knowledge to take control of your life. I did the WellnessFX Baseline.

How it works:

First, you purchase the package. Then, make an appointment for a blood draw, and within a couple of days, you will receive an email notification that your results have been posted to your account. Once your results have been posted, you receive an extensive list of health care professionals with different specialties, and choose the one that looks like the best fit for your consult. When it is time for your consult, you simply call in and speak to the health care professional–all you need is a phone and internet service to be able to view your results. Following the consultation, the notes from the consult will be posted in your account, and you can view them any time. Lastly, you are able to track your progress as you make lifestyle changes, and see them reflected in your personal account.

My experience:

I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but you know I am always excited about an opportunity to learn more about my body, and what I can do to live a healthier life style. I made an appointment at a lab just minutes from my house.

Does anyone else feel like they never know what to do when they pose for a picture alone? Apparently, I went back to the 90’s and went with a thumbs up….

Unfortunately, the whole blood draw thing happens way too often for me, and I’m not a fan. Sad to get poked, but excited for the information it will bring!

They literally called me in within 5 minutes of my appointment time (my doctors could stand to learn something from these guys!) and I would say I was in and out of the lab within 10 minutes! It was so easy, and the staff were super friendly. I feel like that is a requirement when you work with needles. Required: Pleasant disposition, good sense of humor, daily showers. Oh, and I guess a degree 😉

Within 2-3 days, I received an email that my results had been posted to my account. I have to admit, I had a little bit of anxiety–“WHAT IF I’M DYING?!?!?!”–but, shockingly, my results were mostly great!

You can see here that everything looks good (thank you WellnessFX for the AWESOME color coating that made everything so easy to understand!) except my Apo B (protein in LDL) and hs-CRP (general inflammation marker). The inflammation was no surprise–I am training for a marathon, but the Apo B had me a little concerned, because cholesterol problems run in my family.

Here, everything is looking good except for the ALP. I believe they told me this was linked to my vitamin D being low, if I remember correctly. You can see that even my TSH is in balance!! Hooray! It’s been a long battle, and I never get to see my actual lab results, so it was nice to see that my meds are still working properly. Thank you, Endo!

This section gets an A+ 🙂

Womp, womp. So much orange. Really, it’s just telling me that my vitamin D is low, which is very common. Low calcium is an other thing that runs in my family, so I was happy to see those counts were good. You can see how detailed of an evaluation they give you. I was thrilled to have access to so much of my medical information! I definitely spent some time googling things before my consult, because I’m impatient like that 😉

The consult:

I spoke with Rachel, an RD who specializes in endurance athletes. That’s why I chose her 🙂 The day before my appointment, I received a reminder email from WellnessFX (great for forgetful people like me!). That day, I simply called in at my scheduled appointment time and enjoyed being able to speak to a health care professional from the comfort of my own home, and actually getting to speak on time rather than waiting for hours in a waiting room. It was great! She asked what a typical day of eating was like for me, and then we moved on to my blood work.

  • Apo B: She said this is most likely related to my thyroid disease (I have Hashimotos AKA Hypothyroidism), and not to be concerned with it since all of my other cholesterol levels are good.
  • Inflammation: Typical for training for a marathon. She recommended fish oil and vitamin C, and suggested a more concentrated dose where I only have to take one pill.
  • Vitamin D/ALP: She said to have low vitamin D is very normal, and asked where I live. I don’t think it’s quite as normal for someone who is constantly running and biking in sunny Phoenix, however since I don’t eat a ton of dairy, it is likely that my body is having a difficult time getting vitamin D from nutrition, so she recommended a supplement.
Rachel was very nice, and asked if I had any further questions, but she covered just about everything I could think of, then uploaded the notes to my account. Easy.
Now what?
I purchased a vitamin D supplement, as well as a new fish oil.

The vitamin D in teeny tiny, and the fish oil has a special coating that prevents the fish burps that anyone who has ever taken fish oil can attest are the WORST part!

I can’t wait to see some improvement (hopefully) in my vitamin D, ALP and inflammation moving forward!

Would I recommend the WellnessFX Baseline program?

Heck yes! For someone like me who is fascinated by numbers, specifics and the way my body works, it was perfect! It helped me realize where my health could use some improvements, and hopefully making those changes will lead to a better quality of life. I feel like for all of us, there is so much to be gained in knowledge alone. The knowledge that your blood sugar or cholesterol are in the read could be the kick you need to change your diet, and refocus your health. I absolutely loved the convenience and ease of the whole process, and I would 100% recommend it.

FitFluential LLC compensated me for this Campaign. All opinions are my own.

 

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized · Tagged: #optimizehealth, fitfluential, health, wellnessfx

What I Did On My Summer Vacation

June 18, 2012 · by Ari ·

Hello from Ashland, OR! Tons of exciting things happening right now! Yesterday, I left Phoenix for the next 7 weeks. I’m on a little bit of a vacation for the next few days visiting my friend Mandie, then teaching/directing/choreographing in Portland, then off to Maui for my (late) honeymoon. Whew. Can you imagine packing for that many things at once? It was a little ridiculous. Even Clementine thought so.

“Mom. I think you’re forgetting something. If you don’t pack me, who will run circles around your neck and nibble on your nose all summer? Huhhhh???”

It’s definitely going to be a challenge to be away from Steve for the next 6 weeks. Before I left, he took me on the best date ever. This guy. He is amazing. It started out with my first trip ever to the baking supply store!

Then dinner at Bandera.

They have the bessssst cornbread!

Yummmmm.

Baking store and bread? Clearly, he know the way to my heart. 😉

I arrived in Ashland late last night, and pretty much went straight to bed. I can’t stay with Mandie because she has a cat, but she put me up in a super cute hotel down town! It kind of reminds me of a fancier hostel. There’s a shared bathroom, but private rooms, and the rooms are super cute and homey looking.

I woke up bright and early this morning. Of course. Why would my body ever possibly let me sleep in? Actually, it wasn’t bad, though. I looked at my phone, and it read 52 degrees, and I looked outside and saw clouds, and felt a beautiful breeze. I couldn’t wait to get outside, get my workout in, and explore the city! Today is the first official day of my marathon training. I had high hopes that my body would be like “OMG marathon training!! ALL BETTER!! Run all you want, Ari!” You can call me silly, but I prefer idealistic 😉

The truth is, running still hurts. Almost immediately. But it’s okay. I had surgery less than 2 weeks ago, and as much as I would love to wear a cape and stuff, I’m not super woman. The good news is it’s so early that this won’t set me back, and the mileage is really low, so I can walk my training plan until I’m back to normal. I actually forgot how great walking can be! I walked around downtown Ashland before finding Lithia Park that Mandie had mentioned to me when we drove in last night.

This park was absolutely gorgeous!! I really wished I had brought my camera with me, and not just my phone. I will definitely have to go back before I leave. I did manage to capture a bit of it on the android, though.

This beautiful creek runs all the way through the park, and there are tons of benches, and places to sit, as well as little paths down to the water. If I lived here, I would be here every day. The road started off paved, then turned into a trail.

I just kept walking, and let myself kind of get lost in there. I had been so excited to get out this morning, I hadn’t even thought to grab my ipod, and I ended up being really glad to be out there without it, and just be with nature. I saw lots of other walkers, a few runners (jealous face), and even some people doing yoga! Everyone was super friendly. In fact, I am kind of obsessed with this town. If I never make it back to Phoenix, you know why…

I have this thing for water. Maybe it’s because I grew up in the desert.

And the coolest part? I saw DEER!!!!!

I was walking by, and I heard rustling. The next thing I knew I was 3 feet away from these deer, staring them in the face. They weren’t the least bit frightened of me. How cool!!! Speaking of, I don’t know if I ever mentioned the time Nicole and I went on a driving adventure in Tempe, and saw a zebra in someone’s back yard?

Not quite as cool as the deer, but definitely interesting, haha. Can you imagine owning a zebra? Anyway, now I’m sitting at Starbucks enjoying some hot coffee.

Ohhh, how I’ve missed you. Grande bold coffee, 2 pumps sf mocha, 1 pump sf caramel, steamed soy.

Also, I have some really exciting news! A couple of weeks ago, I finally did something that I’ve wanted to do for quite some time, and I applied to be a FitFluential ambassador. I never thought in a million years that I would be accepted, but last night I received an email inviting me to join the team, and I am BEYOND thrilled!!! What an amazing opportunity to be a part of a community I value so highly with other bloggers that I admire. I am a lucky gal!

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized · Tagged: ashland, bandera, clementine, fitfluential, friends, marathon training, restaurants, starbucks, steve, travel

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