That D*MN Goal Board

Posted by Natalie on February 08, 2010 - Posted in News There are 2 comments, Add yours!

So last month...my goal....was to do something about that goal board.  And yet...here we are already into February...and there the board sits.  Same as it was in January...and December....and the last 7 months.  But today is the day. 

TODAY the goal board was erased.  We are all starting with a clean slate.  We have lots of new faces, lots of life changes (baby anyone?), and lots of new skills to work on (can anyone actually spell front plange?).  So--grab your favorite color dry erase maker---and make a statement.  Maybe you want to get into the Level 1 class....or do more then 3 kipping pull-ups...or just make it through your pregnancy and not lose your status of captain of the handstand army.  The options are limitless....so start thinking about where you want to be in 6 months....and then commit to it and make it public for all to see!

New Classes in February!

Posted by Natalie on February 04, 2010 - Posted in News There are 12 comments, Add yours!

We’ve got some great schedule changes happening in February! 

Starting on Monday, February 8th, we’re adding a 6AM Elements class to our morning schedule.  On Thursday, February 11th—we’re shifting the 4:30 Level 1 class to the more popular 6:30 PM time slot.  The Thursday Level 2 class is also adjusting, and will be held at 5:30 instead of 6:30.  Come check out the new classes—we make changes in our class schedule based on client demand...So if you like the new time slots—keep us posted!

Other things to mark on your February calendar:  Nutrition Talk, Tuesday, February 16th at 7:30 PM, and our Paleo Potluck on Saturday, February 27th. This will mark the end of the 2010 Paleo challenge.  Come ready to take your fabulous after pictures and start thinking now about what Paleo dish you are going to bring to share!
Check out Becka…doing a little training for my Handstand Army!

First On-Ramp 2010…..Complete!

Posted by Shawn on February 02, 2010 - Posted in News There are 15 comments, Add yours!

Let me start by saying WOW what a January!!!  We successfully completed our first evening on-ramp for 2010 with some pretty impressive numbers to say the least!

I would honestly say the group as a whole had great movement, although after praising them as a whole I was told “I bet you would tell a kid that placed last in everything that he’s doing Great!” I laughed, then said to myself “it’s obvious they don’t know me.” After getting to know the group we had lots of fun, everyone had a great personality and positive attitude. I really enjoyed the fact that anytime Natalie said “I will walk them through the movement” it meant I had time for a nap.  I would like to personally thank all of you for putting up with us and staying late (every night).....Thanks Natalie!  I hope to see you all in an element class in the near future and hope you all had a good time.  Great job to all of you!

The Final Squash!

Posted by Natalie on February 01, 2010 - Posted in Recipes There are 2 comments, Add yours!

I have finally gotten around to cooking the last squash from my original post. My Kabocha squash didn’t quite hold up for the duration--but luckily client Mike S. happened to have a Kabocha variety growing in his garden and brought it in for me!

This variety looks more like a pumpkin--and the Kabocha is sometimes referred to as a Japanese pumpkin.  It is chalk full of beta carotene, iron, vitamin C, and potassium and has a mild flavor--which means it can be used in a variety of recipes.  I found soup, roasted, and mashed recipes--and chose to go with a whipped pumpkin with a few mix-ins!

Whipped Kabocha
1 Kabocha squash, peeled and cubed
Olive Oil
8 slices fried bacon, crumbled
1/2 cup toasted crushed walnuts
2 tbsp butter
salt and cinnamon to taste
Drizzle of honey
small handful of dried cranberries

Cut the top off of the squash and cut in half.  Scoop out the seeds and cut in quarters.  Using a vegetable peeler, take the peel off of the quarters and then cube.  Toss the cubed squash into a glass roasting pan and drizzle with olive oil.  Bake at 400 for 30-45 minutes or until very tender.  Let cool, and then place cooked squash in blender, add juices from pan, butter, honey, and seasonings.  Blend/whip the squash and place in serving bowl.  Mix in crumbled bacon, crushed walnuts, and dried cranberries.  Serve with a little more butter and honey to taste!

I served this with green beans and pork loin.

February On-Ramps…Right around the corner!

Posted by Natalie on January 29, 2010 - Posted in News There are 2 comments, Add yours!

January flew by and we’re just finishing up with three on-ramp classes. 

We’ve got two scheduled On-Ramps for February. We have a M/W/TH class starting next Wednesday, Feb. 3rd at 6:45 PM.  The following week we have our M/W/F 7AM On-Ramp class starting on Feb. 8th!  Both classes are 12 sessions--and are designed to introduce you to our movements and training protocol.  These classes will help to ramp up your fitness level--and prepare you for our group classes. If you’re interested in enrolling you can sign up on-line--or contact to schedule at Fitness Consultation today.

Check out our AM On-Ramp classes hitting the workout this morning!

Spice up your Chicken!

Posted by Sarah on January 27, 2010 - Posted in Recipes There is 1 comment, Add yours!

We all have our favorite go-to chicken recipe...it’s easy...we always have the ingredients on hand...and everyone in the family eats it!  Here’s one my favorite ways to get dinner on the table quickly--and it has a little ethnic flare that makes it just different enough to please everyone’s tastes!

Moroccan Chicken

4 cooked and diced chicken breasts
1 head broccoli chopped
1 bag of baby carrots chopped
Handful of green olives or garlic stuffed olives sliced
Small handful of raisins
A big splash of chicken broth
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cumin
Dash of cayenne pepper
Two pinches of sea salt
Generous amount of coconut oil

Cover the bottom of a sauté pan with coconut oil.  Sauté broccoli and carrots until crisply tender and add chicken.  Cover chicken with cinnamon; add ginger, cumin, and a dash of cayenne pepper (more if you like it really spicy), a dash or two of sea salt, and stir.  Once the chicken and veggies are covered with the spices add the sliced olives, raisins, and chicken broth to create a sauce.  Simmer until all the flavors meld together (about 5-7 minutes) and serve!!

What’s your favorite way to make a chicken dinner?  Share your favorite paleo chicken recipe in the comments!

Paleo Challenge Week 3 – Facing Change Courageously…

Posted by Sarah on January 26, 2010 - Posted in News There is 1 comment, Add yours!

Change can be scary.  We often avoid change because we find comfort in routine, even if that routine is unhealthy.  As we enter week 3 of the Paleo challenge, I urge you to continue forward – and continue forward courageously! 

It takes courage to make a change, and when we find that courage, other unplanned or unexpected moments in life become easier to handle.  I remember as a little girl being faced with the possibility of moving from my childhood home in the country to a home closer to town and I felt scared, unhappy and miserable. My mom sat me down and explained to me that life is all about change and that I must face change courageously.  She told me that those who live in a constant fear of change never truly experience life.  That message has stuck with me over the years and I now realize that by avoiding change, we avoid life!!  So, what’s the moral?  The moral is - YOU have decided to make a change.  YOU have taken on a challenge to better your health, performance, and appearance.  So, kudos to you for having the courage to change! Post your comments about how you’re facing change--head on!

Trader Joe’s to the Rescue…Again!

Posted by Natalie on January 25, 2010 - Posted in Recipes There are 5 comments, Add yours!

Not too many weekends go by that I don’t drop in to Trader Joe’s to do my weekly shopping...but for whatever reason (perhaps the dreary rain, or a mad game of indoor HORSE at the Gower’s, or...best reason yet ... a nap), I didn’t get my shopping done!  So---come Monday AM, I was short on food, low on time, and had a late night at the gym...but never fear...Trader Joe’s and my crock pot will save the day.

Here is a quick chicken soup recipe.  All the ingredients came from TJs...and it all gets tossed into the crock pot for a few hours while you find better things to do (nap?).

Chicken Tortilla Soup (tortillas optional!)

1 32 oz carton Organic Chicken Broth
1 14.5 oz can crushed or diced tomatoes
1 package “Just Chicken”....or 2 cups of shredded cooked chicken
1 package frozen red, green, yellow bell pepper slices
Season to taste...(chili powder, Lawry’s seasoning salt, garlic salt, smoked paprika....be creative!)

Toss in the crockpot and set on low for 5-6 hours.  I added avocado...and if you so choose....crush a handful of tortilla chips on top, and a sprinkle of grated cheese.  Enjoy!

Lou Mars Drumming Marathon Aftermath

Posted by Nicki on January 22, 2010 - Posted in News There are 2 comments, Add yours!

Check out the footage of the Live interview with Lou Mars and the support staff that helped him make it to 108.5 hours of his quest to beat the Guinness Book of World Records drumming marathon.  Thank you to everyone who helped make this event the success that it was.  We could not have gotten him as far as we did without ALL of your help!  You can also check Robb’s blog for his personal account of the event.

Part 1 of Live Interview:

Part 2 of Live interview

Dinner Tonight!

Posted by Karina on January 21, 2010 - Posted in Recipes There are 5 comments, Add yours!

Admittedly, under the crazy context of this past weekend, food intake was either non-existent, poor quality, or both.  Lack of sleep, high stress, and loud drumming.... that is a perfect storm for bad food decisions!  If you were part of this mayhem...get back on track and start eating right (and feeling better!) TODAY.  Here’s a great squash recipe to make tonight! Enjoy.

2 jars of your favorite paleo friendly Italian red sauce, aka- spaghetti sauce
1 can of tomato paste- the small one
1 14 oz can of diced tomatoes
1-1.5 lbs grass fed ground beef, or ground turkey
1 lb of favorite sausage, whether it’s links or ground
14 oz can of olives
1 tbsp fresh ground garlic
Healthy dash of Italian seasoning

Noodles-

1 spaghetti squash

Directions-
Heat oven to 375-400 depending on how your oven cooks. Poke holes in spaghetti squash all over like you would a potato. I use a knife because it is such a hard, thick skin. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Cut in half long way. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Now use a fork to scrape out the “noodle” like filling. If you find your noodles are hard and lumpy when you use your fork then place the whole squash back in the oven with each cut open part facing the top of the oven. Continue to cook for another 10-20 minutes. When fully cooked the noodles will come out effortlessly and place them right into your serving bowl. Cover with tin foil to keep hot.

Brown the meat for the sauce while the squash is cooking. When done, brown and let sit for a few minutes. Add all other ingredients to large sauté pan and mix thoroughly, and then add browned meat. Cook to a boil and then turn on low while squash continues to cook.  When the squash is finished place sauce over noodles into serving bowl and serve!