Spring Break Detox: Jump Start Summer Health & Fitness Goals

This post is sponsored by adidas, however all opinions, comments and enthusiasm remain my own!

Spring Break has come and gone for most of us, sigh. Whether you were celebrating with no responsibilities on a beach somewhere fabulous or partying down with the kiddos at an amusement park, chances are you probably overindulged on food and drink and short-changed yourself on sleep among countless other possible indiscretions (!) Now worries though, life is about balance and it’s easy to get back on track with your health and fitness goals with my holistic “Jump on Summer” Spring Break Detox.

jennifer thefitfork adidas Spring Break Detox

When most people hear the phrase “detox” in a health and fitness connotation, they immediately think strictly a DIET detox, maybe to the extreme like fasting or just drinking juices. But, I’m not really a fan of such food-restrictive detoxing – while my “Jump on Summer” Spring Break Detox incorporates getting back into a clean-eating routine (but not starvation mode), it also attends to the other parts of our lives that may need a gentle (or hard) reset. In addition to eating nourishing foods, focusing on hydration, sleep, meditation, exercise and optimizing free time are all other areas where you can detox and get a fresh start for the remainder of spring and summer. Continue reading

Healthy Living, Fitness & Cookbooks to Read Now

Ahhh, it’s time for me to share with you what I’ve been reading to kick off the fall season — my pile is growing pretty high. I’m loving all these healthy cookbooks (with great ideas for meal-prepping), a handy  how-to guide on how to tape up troubled muscles and joints, along with some page turning books for fitness inspo on this never-ending journey called life!

Healthy Cookbooks and Fitness Reads -

Read on to get this month’s fitness, wellness and healthy recipe book list.

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What Running for 30 Years Has Taught Me

I was thinking about all the things that running has taught me over the years, and I tried to capture the most important in this post. I wasn’t a child prodigy runner, nor was I on the school XC team. But, I HAVE been running for 30 YEARS and it has blessed me with so many amazing experiences. What Running 30 Years Has Taught Me - Jennifer Fisher, thefitfork.com

These experiences have included running marathons all over the country and even representing Houston in the Athens Marathon; pushing myself and meeting new friends on overnight 200 mile relay races; missing an Olympic marathon qualifying time by seconds, but getting to run with the Torch in the 2002 Olympic Torch Relay; setting event course-records at the mile distance and the half-marathon distance while being in my 40s; and most recently, winning the RCAA 10 mile Texas State Championship in the “Super Master” division last year . .  probably my favorite distance of all time. Oh, yeah, and running has given me the confidence and “I can do anything” mindset that allowed me to take up Spartan racing at an elite/competitive level at age 48 through today! But, this laundry list is just a bunch of achievements, running has brought and taught me so much more, read on to find out:   Continue reading

Procrastinator’s Guide to OCR & Spartan Training

Save 20% on spartan race code: UBST24-TK88D27

Soooo, you signed up for a Spartan race — or other obstacle event like Warrior Dash or Tough Mudder — and now race day is looming near. Your date with destiny is coming up as quick as those breakfast tacos scarfed down before running to the gym in a last-minute panic.  Whether you’ve put off training as a passive-aggressive act, life just got in the way, or you’re a newbie who’s now just been “filled in” by so-called friends, the down and dirty news about your procrastination isn’t so discouraging. While you might not win the race, there is still time to lock in some mental and physical training that will get you to the finish strong and having fun! The Procrastinator's Guide to Spartan Training

Check out The Procrastinator’s Guide to OCR & Spartan Training, for all my 11th hour advice and also use my Spartan coupon code FFRAN to save 10% on any race.

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5 Ways Balance Fitness and Life + #prAnaSpringStyle

5 Ways to Balance Fitness & LifeIt’s now unofficially spring, how are those New Year’s goals progressing? Whether it’s general health and wellness, getting in bikini shape, or nailing a specific fitness goal on your list, I bet there has been hurdle or two in the road. Or, at least there has been for me!  Work obligations, family duties, a defeatist attitude and even the weather are obstacles that can get in the way of accomplishing your daily workout. Thankfully with the temperatures warming up, we can all get outside and move when and where we like and enjoy the feel-good mojo some good old-fashioned, natural vitamin D sunshine!  So, if your fitness good intentions have been waning loately (or weren’t even there at all), get back on track with these

5 Ways to Balance Fitness & Life.

1) Be Efficient: Have a game plan, don’t just show up at the gym and wander around aimlessly trying to decide what to do. I’ve seen focused people get a more solid and productive workout in 20 minutes than lollygaggers do in 2 hours.  High intensity activities like running, CrossFit, interval training, and rowing can all get you big gains with low time commitment.

 2) Be Sneaky: Use little bits of down time to fit in fitness. For example, do a few isometric exercises in the car while you wait for the light to turn green or close the office door and bust out some burpees.  Even if you pass up your after work run for a marathon of the latest television show, don’t fast-forward through the commercials – get up and move for the duration. Everything adds up and something is better than nothing!

3) Be on a Schedule – Don’t just “pencil” your workouts in, use permanent ink! While that may not be completely realistic in light of the constantly changing demands of life, it is good to have a general idea of when and where you are going to accomplish a sweat session.  When an activity is “on the books,” there is accountability and it becomes much easier to arrange other obligations around the workout or say “no” to things you deem less important.

4) But, Be Flexible – I’m not talking flexible as in bendy (although that’s good too, so try some yoga!), but as in adaptable when fate doesn’t seem to want to allow for a run or workout.  Sometimes “the schedule” gets put in total override; so view your workout as not “lost forever” but temporarily postponed and/or altered. Instead of running 5 miles in the morning, climb the stairs for 5 minutes every hour at work or knock out high-intensity intervals (like burpees, jumping jacks and air squats) while your kiddos are finishing up piano lessons.

5) Be Ready:  Because squeezing in workouts can sometimes be unpredictable, I always wear clothing that allows for a wide range of movement and is moisture-wicking. If your lifestyle doesn’t allow for wearing yoga pants or running shorts all day (haha), then keep a fully-stocked gym bag in the car at all times. Don’t forget your athletic shoes, swimsuit, sunglasses and yoga mat – you never know what opportunity will arise!

jen and lucy prana

I also wanted to share about prAna,  one of my all-time favorite brands that fits with my healthy, active, fun-loving lifestyle (and what you’ll find on my bod or in my bag to meet Tip No. 5). I feel so lucky that my “job” doesn’t require me to wear stuffy suits and high heels, another benefit of being your own boss! I’m on-the-go all day, from fitness class to famer’s market to coffee-shop client meeting and need clothes that are functional, but also fabulous and free-spirited. PrAna meets all my look-good-play-hard needs, plus all the pieces I own can be tossed right into the washer and dryer.

Kara Jean at prAna.com use discount code PSSS16TFF to save 15%For example, these Kara Jeans may just be the best pair of jeans I’ve ever owned – they fit true to size, are flattering, have a bit of stretch to accommodate the daily leaping, lounging, lifting and impromptu yoga poses in my life. Plus, they come in 11 different colors and patterns!

 

Kara Jean at prAna.com use discount code PSSS16TFF to save 15%

Another reason to love prAna is their mindfulness to where and how their beautiful clothes are made. Their creations are made with organic cotton, wools and hemp – and even recycled polyester and repurposed down feathers. They are stalwarts of sustainability, traceability, and fair trade practices and, since 2012, have partnered with bluesign® to ensure that the materials in the clothes I’m putting on my body meet the highest human safety and environmental standards.

Cali Sundress from prAna.com use discount code PSSS16TFF to save 15%I also added another prAna sundress to my spring wardrobe, I already have four or five of their dresses, they are just so very cute and versatile.  This one is the Cali Dress and it’s available in a variety of solid colors and prints (mine is Safari Guava) – I can’t wait to wear it and feel warm rays on my shoulders!

Whether you are a yogi, climber, runner, traveler, suburban mom or urban warrior, you’ll discover must-have clothing that helps turns any day, every day into the BEST DAY and gears you up to fit fitness in wherever you may be! Check out the new #prAnaSpringStyle for yourself! You can use my Discount Code PSSS16TFF to save 15% at prAna.com plus Free Shipping on orders $99 or more .

Five Ways to Balance Fitness and LifeSo, how are you balancing fitness and life? What is your biggest obstacle? Have you ever found a skinny jean that is perfect? What is your favorite yoga pose? Share any or all in the comments below – XOXO, Jennifer

This post was sponsored by Fit Approach on behalf of prAna. All opinions and enthusiasm are my own.