Midnight Moves
When the clock strikes midnight, most of you are probably snuggled deep beneath the covers of your duvet and dreaming the night away.
If you are a night owl, like me, you might be doing crazy athletic events that involve a bike, thousands of people, a great cause and an amazing city skyline. Just this past Saturday (ahem..Sunday morning!) I had the honor of participating in L.A.T.E. Ride 2010. Proceeds from this one of a kind bike ride benefitted Friends of the Parks, Chicago’s only citywide parks advocacy group.
So what was it like riding in the early morning hours?
Let’s Get Visible: Guess what, it’s dark out. Guess what, people can’t see you on your bike. Guess what, go and get a light for your bike. It’s best to have lights on the front and back of your bikes. Bike lights can easily be found at a sporting goods store near you. In true L.A.T.E. Ride spirit you could also don your glow lights and battery powered Christmas lights for full late riding effect.
“I can ride my bike with no handle bars..no handle bars”: Umm unless you are the Flobots who sing this awesome song, no you can’t. Make sure you have full control over your bike and are alert of your surroundings.
Midnight Suit: Get yo’ gear right. You might look amazing in black, but that car behind you might not think so when it hits you! Look for a quality reflective vest or jersey with reflective strips. I even suggest bike shoes with reflective strips.
Helmet Head: This goes for day time riders, too. Protect your head and make sure you wear a helmet at all times. The hard concrete doesn’t care about your hair, doesn’t care about the lines it leaves on your forehead. So be safe and wear one.
So, keep these tips in mind the next time you gear up, night owls!
Riding late at night was certainly an experience I will never forget, including the big reward of a beautiful, picturesque sunrise over Lake Michigan.
Urban Girl Fitness Quote of the Day:
Most people do not consider dawn to be an attractive experience - unless they are still up.” ~Ellen Goodman
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Itsy Bitsy Bikini Time
The heat index is rising and so are the nerves for anticipation of donning that hot new bikini you just bought. A little thigh jiggle, arm jiggle and butt jiggle can keep anyone from hitting the beach with confidence.
Looking for a speedy solution, ladies? With these quick tips you will have your beach bags packed, flip flops flopping and the only thing you need to worry about is what summer beach music to put on your iPod and which new summer read to bring.
Suit Up!: I’m not talking the TV show “How I Met Your Mother”, I’m talking a bikini that accentuates your best features. If you have thick legs, skip the boy shorts. Wear solid colored shorts and a print top, so eyes will immediately be drawn upward.
Green with Envy: Sip on some green tea and you will feel confident strutting your stuff whether it’s poolside or beachside. Green tea helps rid your body of extra fluid, helping you feel less bloated.
“Yoga” Get It Girl: It takes just one class to feel the difference. Not only does it help tone and help you shape up, it leaves your mind and body rejuvenated ready for to soak up the sun.
Tan Your Butt Off: Get the glow and you are ready go. I highly suggest going with a faux tan before your strut your stuff so as not to blind the beach crowd, a tan also tends to hide all those little imperfections (cellulite, stretch marks, oh my!)
Posture Makes Perfect: When you carry yourself well, you look amazing. So stand tall, shoulders back and tuck in that tummy. Try not to slump in your beach chair creating those extra rolls — and no, not the good kind.
Urban Girl Fitness Quote of the Day:
A bikini is a thoughtless act ~Esther Williams
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Who Ya’ Gonna Call..Holiday Stress Busters!
The weather outside may be frightful..but don’t let your mood go that direction, too!
Last minute shopping, long lines, a burnt attempt at Christmas cookies, Christmas card paper cuts, a strand of holiday lights that don’t work..fa la la la..it’s enough to make anyone go crazy with anxiety.
It’s important to take a step back, breathe and relax. Yes, it may be easier said than done, but Self.com has come up with a day by day guide that will soon put the step back in your jingle bell rock.
Day 1: Instead of driving around to take in the sites of the holiday lights, take a walk instead. Just twenty minutes of exercise can increase seratonin–the key factor to your mood!
Day 2: Don’t make attempts to avoid the Salvation Army buckets this season, it feels guilty and giving even a little money to charity will reward you with an amazing feeling of helping.
Day 3: Don’t fret the small stuff. Ok, so you ate the sugar cookie..stop hyperventilating..you will be okay. It’s not worth the stress to fret over every calorie, so enjoy it. Your overall well-being will thank you.
Day 4: Take a deep breathe. No really, do it. Breathe in for four counts and out for eight. This small step lowers your heart rate and relaxes your entire body.
Day 5: Surrounded by busy, frantic shoppers, heavy bags knocking into you left and right and not a perfect gift in sight. The mall is breeding grounds for anxiety and stress. Find an oasis. Stop into the nearest Bath & Body Works or favorite department store and use some of the hand lotion samples. Any lavender and ylang-ylang scents provide an instant stress-relievaer.
Urban Girl Fitness Quote of the Day:
A perpetual holiday is a good working definition of hell. ~ George Bernard Shaw
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Drum Roll Please…..this Urban Girl is Baaaaccckk!
Alright ladies..I admit it.
I’ve fallen off of the fitness bandwagon..
Let’s take this as an experiment, as it’s something we’ve all gone through at some point. Bogged down with life and long days, it’s often hard to choose between the treadmill or a warm, comfy couch, sweatpants and a glass of vino.
Well, after almost three months, I’m getting back in the game of fitness. Sorry for abandoning my Urban Girls, but don’t fret, I’m back b%tc#@s.
Here’s the game plan:
1..Reconnecting with my long lost love: First stop is the gym tomorrow. The gym bag is packed and the iPod is loaded, so hello treadmill here I come. It may be hard, I may sweat and potentially cry..but it will be good to get back!
2..After sticking my hand in a greasy bag of popcorn this evening, popcorn that I had the guilty pleasure of melting my own butter to drizzle on the crispy kernels, I realized I have hit rock bottom. Yes, the holidays may be upon us, but it’s certainly no excuse to eat like you’re preparing for hibernation. I vow from here on out to read the labels and eat fresh. Buttery is not better.
4..Baby it is cold outside. Would I rather stick my head under the covers in warmth? Yes. Do I want to look like a hot mess? No. I vow to face the cold to hit the gym and pump up the heat!
3..No more excuses!
5..No crying!
6..No whining! (Well..this is fitness for the urbanite who loves to shop, dine and whine..who am I kidding!?!)
It’s good to be back ladies, let’s do this thing!
Urban Girl Fitness Quote of the Day:
My motto was always to keep swinging. Whether I was in a slump or feeling badly or having trouble off the field, the only thing to do was to keep swinging. ~Hank Aaron
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Burnin’ Up: Calorie Roasters
The equation is simple, if you burn 500 more calories than you consume each day you are bound to lose one pound a week.
One pound a week!
There’s good news–that doesn’t mean you have to live in your gym, day in and day out.
Here are some fun activities that will have you burning calories in no time and you won’t even know it.
Activity Time to roast 500 calories (thanks to www.shape.com):
Fore!: Golf, 1 hour and 45 minutes
Walk It Off: Race-walking (4.5 mph) 1 hour, 10 minutes
Five, Six, Seven, Eight…: High-impact aerobics, 1 hour, 5 minutes
Row, Row, Row Your Butt: Rowing, 55 minutes
Jump Around: Jumping rope, 45 minutes
Feet to the Pavement: Running (6 mph), 45 minutes
Spin Me Right Round: Group cycling, 45 minutes
On the Rocks: Rock climbing, 40 minutes
Throwing Punches: Boxing, 40 minutes
Full Speed Ahead: Elliptical trainer, 40 minutes
Urban Girl Fitness Quote of the Day:
I keep trying to lose weight… but it keeps finding me! ~Author Unknown
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It’s Official: Fabulous Frugalista Week
With Discovery Channel’s Shark Week coming to a sad end, what are we to do!?! There’s no doubt that our economy is in the dumps. Although recent reports claim the worst is over, most of us are still in frugalista mode. So here’s to kicking off Urban Girl’s Official Fabulous Frugalista Week. Keep your Hobo bags shut, Coach clutches closed and funky Fossil change purses sealed.
In t-minus two days tune in for tips on how to be fit, fun and fabulous all on a frugal budget. I’ll cover everything from recessionista manicures and pedicures, frugal fitness, healthy budget meals, cheap fashion finds and all of my favorite economista sites.
Frugal is the new black dress, wear it well ladies!
Urban Girl Fitness Quote of the Week
A nickel ain’t worth a dime anymore. -Yogi Berra
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Cereal Killers
It’s lurking in the cabinet.
The dangerous box peeking out from the darkness.
Those two words echo throughout your kitchen, saying eat me! Eat me!
It’s a cereal killer, a massacre of the most essential meal of the day. Breakfast.
As we get older, sure we dump the pop tarts and Lucky Charms to the wayside, however, cereal has been and will always be a main staple in the world of breakfast foods. It’s fast, convenient, easy and in the words of Tony the Tiger “they’re gr-r-reat!”
According to Women’s Health Magazine, here are some cereal killers and cereals that come to the rescue..
Cereal Killer: General Mills Basic 4. Basic 4’s partially hydrogenated oil (trans fat) increases your risk of cancer, diabetes, and other chronic diseases.
The Rescue: Make the switch to Kashi Heart to Heart Oat Flakes and Wild Blueberry Clusters. No trans fat and just 0.5 gram of saturated fat per generous 1 1/4-cup serving.
Cereal Killer: Kellogg’s Raisin Bran. It has raisins so it must be healthy, not! It would be healthy if it weren’t for high-fructose corn syrup, which jacks the sugar content up to 19 grams, landing Raisin Bran alongside Lucky Charms. Yikes!
The Rescue: Make the switch to Whole Foods Market 365 Everyday Value Raisin Bran. There’s no extra bad stuff, plus fewer calories, sugar and sodium. And the healthy protein remains. Whew!
Cereal Killer: Post Fruity Pebbles. Even the fiber’s fake with this one containing polydextrose, which is mostly sugar and keeps the pebbles from crumbling. Not to mention it contains hydrogenated oils and artificial ingredients. Yabba dabba eww!
The Rescue: Make the switch to Kellogg’s Frosted Mini-Wheats. The whole grain fills you up and the frosted side satisfies your sweet tooth. Each 200 calorie, 24-biscuit serving also provides a quarter of your fiber RDA and 6 grams of hunger-fighting protein. This happens to be a favorite of mine, try the blueberry muffin flavor. Yum!
Cereal Killer: General Mills Honey Nut Clusters. This is simply a quick fix for hunger. Your body’s enzymes don’t have to spend much time breaking down this lightweight cereal, you will be hungry in no time!
The Rescue: Make the switch to Health Valley Real Oat Bran Almond Crunch. This crispy heavyweight packs five grams of fiber and six grams of protein to keep you full all morning.
Urban Girl Fitness Quote of the Day:
I won’t eat any cereal that doesn’t turn the milk purple. ~Bill Watterson
