Huge Spartan Holiday Savings + Free Registration Giveaway (closed)

Spartan Beast Dallas Sand Bag CarryI’m going to keep this post short and sweet! Even though Cyber Monday is officially over in a couple hours, you can still sign up, gear up and save up for 2016 Spartan Races. Here’s the deal, from now until midnight on 12/2/2105 use these discount codes:

Save 20% on spartan race code: UBST24-TK88D27
Celebrating with friends at the end of Spartan Race.

Okay, and here’s the best part — I’m also giving away a free Spartan Race entry good for any open heat (non-confirmed start time) in any Spartan Race in the continental US. AROO!

GIVEAWAY CLOSED To enter, just follow the Rafflecopter app instructions — while the discount code Expires 12/2/15 11:59 pm ET my giveaway will be open another week! Good luck!

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How I Wormed my Way to a Turkey Trot Win + Giveaway

The Original Worm - Rolling Body MassagerI’m just sharing a day from my Thanksgiving – it’s all good and I’m giving thanks and feeling blessed!  The morning started with a run – the Thundercloud Turkey Trot (5 miles) in downtown Austin. Well, let’s back that up, it actually started with a worm – The Original Worm. The Original Worm is a massaging body roller that provides trigger point release to combat stiffness, pain and stress in muscles and joints – I’m hosting a giveaway and one of you will win your very own — so keep reading on!

Forearm Stand Variation - TheFitFork.omSo, why might I need to worm? Ha, have you looked at my Instagram profile! On Tuesday I was at the gym, and after my workout I thought I’d wind down with some yoga – it didn’t go as planned. While up in a forearm stand variation, I was taken down my a writhing, hideous calf cramp –  I was trying not to howl and cry in public and after it passed, it felt like I had pulled the muscle. Plus, my hammies and glutes were still super tight from an 8 x 800m marathon workout two days prior.

Thundercloud Turkey Trot 2015 - Jennifer Fisher

The Original Worm GiveawayThe early bird gets the worm –and I’m not kidding. I’ve been putting my way-too-early mornings to productive use with this therapeutic tool – it’s like cross between a foam roller and tennis balls wrapped up in neoprene (pink or black).  At first I was a little freaked out I wouldn’t be able to run the Turkey Trot on strained calf and tight glute. But, after rolling, whacking and a little wiggling, I was able to get rid of all my kinks before lining up on the start. In the end, the Turkey Trot went pretty well despite some rain and muggy conditions – out of a field of 20,000 participants, I trotted away with 7th overall female and 1st overall Master – and my calf kink is gone.

Of course, The Original Worm is a great recover aid too, and worming after a race or intense workout is a preventative measure for stress out muscles. It comes in a carrying pouch and both sizes are small enough to stick in a gym back, but big enough to get the job done.  Just look at all the things The Original Worm can do!

worm collage

So, if you run, Crossfit, yoga, rock climb, parkour, obstacle course race, play basketball, soccer or football, you definitely need one of these WORMS – it’s like having a massage therapist on hand at all times. Also perfect for travel – I use it for relief on plane flights or when stuck at a standstill in my car during rush hour! Oh, and this company is Austin-based which makes me love it even more!

Enter to win your own Worm via the Rafflecopter app below. Also, check out The Original Worm website to get the specs on the two sizes, colors, care instructions, more uses and such. Enter by Dec. 11, 2015! In the meantime, order a few to give as holiday gifts to your fitness friends!

Also, I have another giveaway going on right now for a $25 Visa Gift Card, check that out too – that one ends December 3, 2015.

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5 Ways to Get Teens’ Taste Buds to Grow Up + Visa GC Giveaway

Even though my family eats (mostly) a healthy diet, I’ve been encouraging my teenagers to break their monotonous meal preferences and try new dishes with exciting flavors. As they move through high school and college there are so many diverse and cultural eating experiences that will be missed (along with a wider array of nutrients) if they are dead set on having turkey meatballs, plain brown rice and an undressed salad for dinner (an all-too-common menu). That’s why I was excited to hear how Birds Eye Veggies is on a mission to redefine the way we all eat our vegetables with their Birds Eye® Flavor Full line of bold and exciting veggies that can be enjoyed as a side dish or the main course!  Keep reading down to the end of the post for the Gift Card Giveaway.

Birds Eye Flavor Full Veggies - Buffalo Cauliflower

This got me to thinking. Can picky eating-children change, or do they just grow up into adults who are ultra finicky about their food? There are valid reasons why a young child may avoid certain foods at all costs — did someone say “temper tantrum”?!  Factors that contribute to a picky eater include all the legitimate sensory things you’d connect with food aversions like texture, temperature, taste and flavor. Picky eating is also encouraged by parental response as well as peer pressure when kids get a little older. Allergies, too, can play a welcomed defensive role in picky eating, a way your body tells you to say away from a certain harmful food – but I won’t get into that here.

I believe that with the right opportunities and encouragement, most kids can join the adult world of eating as they move into their ‘tween, teens and early twenties. One reason is that as we age, taste buds dwindle away from an average of 10,000 working taste buds in small kids to only 5,000 in adults – simply put, things start tasting less intense and we naturally seek out more flavor. To support this, a 2005 study published in the Pediatrics journal reports that most children do not like bitter tastes (often found in vegetables), while adults do not find offense.

Birds Eye Flavor Full Vegetables

Always funny or philosophical, this kiddo says “Potatoes are the ‘gateway’ vegetable”

Another interesting study conducted in 2012 at the University of Copenhagen reported that when children move into their teens, they have a decreased interest in sugary tastes and a higher sophistication to distinguish between tastes – however, they are often more resistant to trying new foods than toddlers! This is why, we as parents, need to set a good example by eating a balanced diet filled with a variety of colorful, nutrient-dense whole foods.

Here are some tips to encourage the teenagers in your family to become veggie lovers and also try out other exciting new flavors. Of course, if your teen is not eating because of control issues, an eating disorder, real or perceived allergies or other concerning reasons, please see a medical professional as soon as possible.

5 ways to get your teen's taste buds grown up

  • Get teens cooking: Not only does teaching your older children how to prepare meals create self-sufficiency; it also creates a more adventurous attitude about eating as they master various skills.
  • Host international night: Once a month, prepare a meal that features cuisine from a different culture – for example, Indian, Korean, Thai, or Italian (no pizza!). To keep everyone happy, every family member gets to select one recipe to be included on the menu, but has to eat at least three bites of every other dish. Have them invite a friend over who may just announce “ooh, I love curry” – and suddenly your son or daughter will too!
  • Focus on vegetable variety: As teens lose their taste for sugar (allegedly it’s a real thing!), support their savory side with more and more vegetables. Look past buttered green beans and toward more exotic or bold tastes, like Buffalo Cauliflower! Filling up your plate with a rainbow of vegetables is the easiest and tastiest way to optimize health, in my opinion.
  • Educate and relate: Share online resources for healthy and clean eating with your children. Older kids are smart enough to understand that eating vegetables and a variety of foods is best, but are sneaky when it comes to actually eating what you serve – just think of all the Brussels sprouts “dropped” on the floor or yogurt and berry parfaits swapped for pink cupcakes at lunch. I always share the story of how I traded my celery, peanut butter and raisin “ants on a log” for Ding Dongs at lunch and quickly lost my get-up-and-go for gymnastics practice in the afternoon.
  • Role model without pushing: No one likes a pea pusher, and even worse so if it’s your own mother or father. With most teens, realize that the more you “strongly suggest” you eat your vegetables or try new dishes, the more likely they are to rebel by absolutely doing the opposite. They are teens, they will come around – just keep the message honest yet low-key, the most important thing you can do is be a role model for clean eating.

Birds Eye Flavor Full Veggies - Buffalo Cauliflower

As I hinted, I’ve been using Birds Eye Vegetables in my covert parental plan to encourage my teens to embrace new foods. The line of Birds Eye® Flavor Full vegetables transforms plain veggies with bold and on-trend flavors – it makes eating healthy side dishes so much fun. Plus, I love the convenience of the Steamfresh packaging – you just heat up in the microwave right in the bag. When my kids are making dinner, having one less dish to clean up is a major selling point! The unexpected but utterly delicious flavors include Buffalo Cauliflower, Ranch Broccoli, Sour Cream & Onion Potatoes, Teriyaki Broccoli, Barbecue Sweet Corn, Sweet Chili Carrots, Wasabi Peas and Fiesta Lime Corn.  Check here for a product locator.

Head over and get a $1.00 off coupon that is good for 30 days once downloaded (but must be used by 12/31/2015).

Win a $25 Visa Gift Card at TheFitFork.comEnter to win my giveaway for a $25 Visa Gift Card — you can spend it on vegetables for your teens, or whatever you please. Although I really hope you get some cauliflower and beets!

Follow the Rafflecopter app directions to enter now through Dec 9th.

 

 

 

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5 Tips to Carry Fitness Motivation Through Winter + Compression Sock #Giveaway

5 Tips to Carry Workout Motivations Through WinterIt’s only the beginning of November, but between dwindling daylight hours and cooler temperatures many are already wondering how to stick with a fitness routine when it’s time to move indoors from outdoors. Both professional and recreational athletes alike complain that seasonal weather swings, along with hectic holiday schedules, can contribute to fitness fallout. Don’t let your workouts get sidelined this fall and winter– these suggestions will keep you motivated and on task until the return of sunny skies and warm weather.  Oh, and don’t forget to enter my giveaway at the bottom of this post to win a pair of VIM & VIGR Compression socks – cute new gear is ALWAYS one of the ways I stay motivated to workout.

Rowing indoors during winter makes good running alternative.

Embrace Cardio Equipment: Take your heart-pumping workout to the treadmill, stationary bike or row machine. While logging loads of miles without physically moving forward poses a mental challenge, the monotony of machines can be overcome by incorporating intervals, hills or other challenging elements that keep you pushing buttons and pushing the pace. For example, runners can sprint a ladder of eight 400 meters intervals with each getting successively faster.

Consider Gym Alternatives: While it may be too dark or dangerous to participate in your favorite outdoor activity, look around and you can probably find an indoor comparable at the health club.  Obstacle course racers can hone skills at rock climbing gyms or CrossFit boxes while hikers can jam it out on the Jacob’s ladder machine or stationary stair climber while listening to nature-inspired music. Get creative!

Widen Workout Net: Keep your interest up by trying out new classes; the fall and winter are the perfect time to challenge yourself with new skills. Plus, working out in a group setting offers the motivation and structure many need to succeed. Mix it up and try a fitness class you’ve never done before like yoga, TRX suspension training, trampolining or even indoor surfing! A Class Pass or similar service is a great way to exercise within a large network of fitness studios without having to have a membership to each.

Build a Bootcamp: Recruit your family, friends and neighbors to join the workout fun by organizing a boot camp. You provide space in a basement, garage or den with the couch scooted to the side and attendees provide the on-the-spot comradery and encouragement needed to get the job of burpees, pushups and squat jumps done. To keep things fun and fresh, take turns writing up the workouts or start a friendly “challenge” style competition.

Reward Your Hard Work: A pat on the back for busting your butt in the gym is nice and all, but sometimes a more tangible incentive is in order! List out short and long term goals for your fall and winter fitness and then pick a few rewards – maybe something smaller for the short term rewards, like a new pair of compression socks or new music downloads and something bigger like a snazzy new GPS watch or fancy sunglasses for the season-end goals.

If you’re into compression socks like I am, then you’ll love to reward yourself with a pair or two from VIM & VIGR. If you’ve seen me running and hand-standing my way through Instagram, you’ve most likely taken note that I am partial to knee-high compression socks – and the brighter and more patterned, the better! Compression socks keep my legs feeling fresh when running fast or long, they keep me warmer when the weather cools down (cold is under 75 degrees to me), and they facilitate muscle recovery by keeping blood circulating. Compression knee-high socks also keep my shins from getting scuffed up doing dead-lifts, box jumps or rope climbs.  They are also excellent for traveling or days when I have to stand all day working at a conference or cooking demo.

Vim & Vigr Compression Sock Giveaway

VIM & VIGR has to be the most fun, most hip and most happy brand of compression socks around – for both gals and guys. This is the only brand I will wear now, and I’m not just saying that because I’m a lucky-duck ambassador. The fit is great, the “squeeze” is just right, and the styles are modern and fun and begging to be shown off!  There’s not a day that goes by when someone doesn’t tell me that “they love my socks”!  You need to enter the giveaway below – three of my readers will each win a pair of their choice!

Visit VimVigr.com and let me know which pair of compression socks you like best! Share in the comments below. And don’t forget to enter via the Rafflecopter app below for more ways to enter! XOXO, Jennifer

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Jalapeno Havarti Cheese Bombs + Movie Night Entertaining #UnlockYourChef

I don’t know if I’m swooning more over creamy, velvety Castello cheese or the new Bradley Cooper movie, Burnt, that opened in theaters nationwide on October 30th. Which would you prefer, a hunk of Havarti or a sizzling hot chef?  I say YES to both!  Oh, and in addition to the movie night entertaining fun, there’s also a fabulous sweepstakes to enter – read to the bottom for details.

Bradley Cooper in Burnt

Castello® cheese is ready to “Unlock Your Inner Chef” and help you make everyday occasions delicious, indulgent and special. Bradly Cooper can do that too, but I think it will be easier to get your hands on Castello® cheese – it’s available in the fine cheese section of a variety of retailers nationwide.  Making cheese since 1893, Castello brings both innovation and tradition to the art of cheese making – Havarti, Blue cheese and Crème cheese are their specialty.

Castello Havarti with Jalapeno Cheese

Plan to go see Burnt movie on your next girl’s night out, that way you can drool at all the yumminess (and I don’t just mean food) without offending your date. In the meantime, I created a delicious appetizer recipe that will heat up your movie night entertaining at home – Jalapeno Havarti Cheese Bombs.

Jalapeno Havarti Cheese Bombs

close up gavartiThis recipe uses the Havarti with Jalapeno Castello® cheese. The mild, butter taste of Havarti is kicked up with spicy jalapenos and is yummy served on a cheese board in cubes or ooey-gooey and marvelously melty in my easy appetizer recipe.

 

The Jalapeno Havarti Cheese Bombs are super simple to make and take only five minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to bake.  Basically, by the time your “coming attraction” previews are over, these melted cheese stuffed rolls are ready to serve.

Jalapeno Havarti Bombs

Jalapeno Havarti Cheese Bombs Recipe

  • 6 ounces (approximately) Havarti with Jalapeno Castello® cheese, cut into 10 cubes
  • 1 can refrigerator biscuits, 10 per package (regular size, not “grand” size)
  • 3 Tablespoons butter
  • 1/3 cup crushed tortilla chips
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, chopped fine in a food processor or mini-chopper
  • 1 teaspoon dried cilantro
  • 10 jalapeno slices

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 F degrees.
  2. Slightly flatten each biscuit with fingers. Place a cheese cube in the middle and wrap the biscuit dough around the cube, sealing the edges. Roll between palms to make uniform ball shape. Repeat with remaining cheese and biscuits.
  3. Roll the cheese wrapped dough with your hands to make a ball shape. Complete this step with all the dough and cheese before going on to the next step.
  4. In a small bowl, melt the butter in the microwave, approximately 20 seconds. Set aside.
  5. In another small bowl, combine the crushed tortilla chips, Parmesan and dried cilantro.
  6. Roll each cheese bomb in butter and then roll or dip in the crumb mixture
  7. Place each cheese bomb on the baking sheet approximately 2 inches apart. Lightly press a jalapeno ring into the top of each
  8. Bake on the center rack for 14 to 16 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
  9. Makes 10.

Castello and Burnt SweepstatkesVisit the Castello & Burnt site for more delicious inspiration and recipe ideas inspired by the film Burnt — and also to enter the Unlock Your Inner Chef sweepstakes for a chance to win great prizes. Prizes include a private cooking class for two and a year’s worth of Castello cheese.

So, what is your favorite thing to snack on during movie night at home? Who is your favorite hunky, heart throb actor? Please share in the comments below – XOXO, Jennifer