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Spray Your Way to a Better Workout
It’s hard to believe it’s been two years since I wrote about how “stripping” changed my fitness routine. On this Motivation Monday, I’m excited to let you know the same company that introduced me to the power of the electrolyte strip has found a great way for everyone to spray their way to a better workout!
Adding a bottle of Bfit Labs Rapid Electrolyte Spray to your gym bag is a great way to stay fueled and hydrated wherever the day takes you. The spray is made by Sportsfood, Inc., the creator of the rapid electrolyte replacement oral thin film strip that dissolves instantly in your mouth. Just like the strips, each spray of Berry Blast of Very Vanilla contains 0 calories, 0 sugars, 0 carbs and 0 food dyes.
In addition replenishing the all-important electrolytes sodium and potassium, the liposomal spray also delivers a shot of vitamins B6 and B12. In addition to drinking water, I gave the spray a try during one of my forever challenging Physique57 workouts: two sprays before the warm-up and two more half-way through class. While I still felt the burn, my muscles didn’t completely give out as quickly and that means I banged out more reps than usual. I can’t wait to see how the spray keeps me moving during my “strictly cardio” days at New York Sports Club and the variety of outdoor activities ahead of us as we march closer to summer. I should mention one bottle costs $19.95 and contains approximately 180 sprays. If you use up to six sprays per workout, one bottle should last you about a month.
One final important note: this is not an “energy” spray – it doesn’t contain caffeine or stimulants. It contains only the electrolytes our bodies need to help maintain water balance and prevent muscle cramps and fatigue along with hits of B12 and B6.
If you’ve been reading this blog for awhile, you know I don’t write a lot of product reviews, but I do like to share fitness or food finds that help me in my own efforts to maintain a healthy lifestyle. I hope that assures you I’m only writing about this particular product because I do consider it a bona fide find for my diet and exercise regimen.
You can find more information and of course order the Bfit Labs Rapid Electrolyte Spray at Sportsfood.com Of course, if you do try it out, I want to hear from you! Sharing ideas on how we stay active and healthy is a great way to stay the course on the never-ending journey to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Bring on Summer!
SO ready for summer!
After an absolutely gorgeous weekend here in New York City, this Motivation Monday has me completely pumped for the official arrival of summer 2014! At this time of year, I’d rather be out doing something active than reading about it. So, today I offer three simple tips to help make the most out of this month and the summer ahead.
1) Stay hydrated: As the mercury rises, we tend to be more aware of getting the right amount of fluids throughout the day. Be sure to drink 16 ounces of water one hour before your workout and keep sipping throughout. I’m also a big fan of the latest addition to my fitness survival tool “kit.” If you haven’t tried Sportsfood electrolyte strips yet, there’s no time like now give them a test run. Click here for a reminder on why I use the zero-calorie, zero-guilt take-anywhere strips. One final note on hydration: Unless you’re an athlete running up and down a court or field for 90 minutes or longer, skip the extra calories in those sugary energy drinks and stick with water.
2) Love The Skin You’re In: ‘Tis the season for short shorts, tank tops, bikinis and all-things skin revealing. Which makes it all too easy to start the self-sabotaging act of comparing ourselves to others. So, here’s an important reminder: no two bodies are built the same. Let other fitness fanatics motivate you to move simply because you want to feel the same endorphin rush they’re experiencing. It shouldn’t be about getting the same “six-pack” abs as the woman who just ran by you in the beach or the same pecs as the guy banging out push-ups on the park bench. If you’re doing all you can to exercise and eat healthy, give yourself a high five and bask in all the positives you experience because of your lifestyle.
3)Mix it Up! Since variety is the spice of life, gearing up for a new season is a great time to mix up your exercise routine. Summer is the perfect time to explore your options beyond the four walls of a gym. Maybe this is the year you try paddle boarding, Saturday morning boot camp classes in the park, Tabatas on the beach or join a social volleyball club in your community. Turn the outdoors into your fitness playground and have some fun!
If you have any tips that add to your summertime fitness fun, I’d love to hear about them! Here’s to another great week ahead filled with lots of opportunities to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Friday Fast Fact: Don’t Drink Your Calories
Stick with good ol’ H20 to keep your health & fitness goals on track!
As I often wrap up the work week with a food-related post, I thought I’d address one of the biggest mistakes I see people make all the time. The good news is it also happens to be a mistake with an easy fix.
You already know the most basic way to lose weight is to slash calories. Studies show the average person can drop a pound a week by trimming 500 calories a day. If you’re looking for an easy way to cut back, here it is: just say no to those sugary drinks!
Here are a few things I urge you to nix right now:
- Soda: You might be saying, “Oh come on, Laura, I only have one large Coke from the deli everyday for a caffeine fix.What’s the big deal?” I’ll tell you. That’s usually a 16-oz serving, which weighs in at roughly 187 calories. Cutting it out means you’re already 1/3 of your way to eliminating those daily 500 calories for weight loss. If you look at the bigger picture, you’re saving 1,2888 calories each week; 5,610 each month and a whopping 68,255 each year!
- Frosty coffee drinks: If your idea of a “light lunch” is “I’ll just have a (insert name of favorite frothy coffee drink here),” it’s time to re-train the brain a bit. Starbuck’ Mocha “Frappuccino” packs 400 calories while a vanilla bean “Coolatta” at Dunkin’ Donuts registers at 440 calories. Considering both have zero nutritional value and will most likely leave you hungry for real sustenance after, it’s easy to see how using these drinks in place of real meals is healthy-eating sabotage.
- Sugary cocktails: I’ve written several posts on how many frosty drinks are more like indulgent desserts thanks to ingredients like syrup, sour mix, sugary fruit juice and cream. Sipping drinks mixed with club soda, diet tonic water and a splash of citrus as opposed to full-on juice can help shave off hundreds of calories.
- Sports drinks: The truth is unless you’re a power or endurance athlete who plays a sport for more than an hour, there’s no need to re-hydrate with a high-calorie option like Gatorade or Vitamin Water. On days when I can can only squeeze in 30-minutes on the elliptical followed by a plank Tabata, I’ll burn approximately 350 calories. If I guzzle a sports drink, I’ll consume roughly 125 calories. So I walk away from my abbreviated workout with only 215 calories burned. That is not the post-cardio high I was looking for!
When in doubt, put down the syrupy beverage and load up on the water. The bottom line is good ol’ h2o will always be one of your best friends when it comes to keeping you on track with your plans to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
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