Quick snacks for on the go

Summer is a busy time for all us. Now is the perfect opportunity to make sure you have quick, easy snacks that you can toss in your purse, gym bag, or grab as you head out the door. I am a huge fan of food prep and use the weekends to make sure I'm stocked up for the week.

Try these Raw Peanut Butter and Honey Tarts. They are gluten free, dairy free and refined sugar free. I typically double the recipe and have even used a mini baking tin. You can experiement with the toppings. Pumpkin seeds and cacao nibs are by far my favorite, but you can add whatever you like (almonds, coconut flakes, etc.).


Recipe By: Petite Kitchen
http://www.petite-kitchen.com/2013/12/peanut-butter-and-honey-fudge-tarts.html#sthash.nInJ3vmX.dpuf

Ingredients:
1 ripe banana
3 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
3 tbsp peanut butter
2 tbsp honey, maple or agave syrup
pumpkin seeds and cacao nibs for sprinkling (almonds, goji berries, etc)

Line muffin tin with 6 paper cases

Add the banana, extra virgin coconut oil, peanut butter and honey to a food processor. Blend until smooth, and then divide the mixture between the muffin cases. Sprinkle with the pumpkin seeds and cacao nibs.Place in the freezer to set for at least 2 hours. Makes 6 small tarts.

Running low on time? Grab a KIND bar and a green juice. This KIND bar packs 7g of Protein and the Suja juice is loaded with veggies which is perfect for when you are on the go. 

Nuts and seeds are also great on-the-go snacks. Pack individual baggies to toss in your gym back, purse, office draw and even in your car. You can event spice up a store bought bag of granola by adding in lots of extras to make it count. I added Goji berries, raisins, sunflower seeds, unsweetened coconut flakes, chia seeds, cashews and chopped walnuts to this healthy bag of KIND granola.  

Remember to always have go-to food available. We are a culture of snackers and we also like things that are quick and easy. So make your pantry count as  well & keep whole foods around...make it COUNT!

What are your favorite on-the-go snacks?

Fuel Up Friday

Quick post to kick off your Friday and get you ready for a big weekend of fitness. As the weather heats up and you head out to sweat with all of your friends we want to make sure you not only have the proper fuel, but that you are staying hydrated throughout the day. Here are a few tips and recipes to make sure you are properly fueled.

1. Fuel up before heading out the door with one of Soul Body's favorite green smoothies.

  1 Cup frozen white fruit (peaches, pineapples, mangoes, pears)

  3-4 Stalks of Kale or Spinach

  1/4 Avocado

  1 Tablespoon each of Chia, Hemp and Flax Seeds

  1 Cup Coconut Water

2. Grab a Gundalow Juice for a quick pick-me-up. Great to drink before, during and after your workout. They have some great summer flavors including The Hon, The Oriole, Watermelon Waves and Coastal Cucumber. 

3. One of my favorite water bottles that I never leave the house without is this one by BKR. To sum it up..."It's like the perfect t-shirt, soft and easy, and you absolutely can't live without it"

4. Stay hydrated during your workout by filling your water bottle with a NUUN tablet. Nuun active hydration contains a superior blend of electrolytes without added sugars plus it is light to help promote the consumption of water. Each tablet contains:

• sodium: 360 mg
• potassium: 100 mg
• magnesium: 24 mg
• calcium: 12.5 mg
• vitamin c: 37.5 mg
• vitamin b2: 500 mcg
• under 8 calories
• zero added sugars

5. Post Workout Fuel

So...now you've completed your workout, stretched and are ready to let your body recover. This is one of my favorite post workout shakes from my Performance Paleo Cookbook. Cherries are a great add-in because they help reduce inflammation and muscle pain.

1 cup

Be sure to check out your local places for a fresh, post workout juice or smoothie. Some of our favorites are:

- PlantBar  in Belvedere Square

- Pure Raw Juice in Federal Hill

- Liquid Earth in Fells Point

- Corner Juice Bar in Canton

Are you being active this weekend?

What are your favorite pre and/or post workout fuel?

Why We Love Apple Cider Vinegar and Why You Should Too

Wondering what the rave is about Apple Cider Vinegar (or ACV)? If you haven't heard, there are so many great health benefits that go along with a product that you probably have stashed in the back of your pantry. Apple Cider Vinegar benefits are plentiful and after reading a recent blog post by my ladies over at BMOREtoned, I figured this would be a good topic to touch on. Oh and check out the BMOREtoned blog today. They mentioned the upcoming SoulBody event at Under Armour this weekend and talk about some other great fitness events going on this weekend in Baltimore. It's such a great time of year to get active, enjoy the city and meet some amazing people who share the same passion for fitness. Two of BMOREtoned founders, Kate Rowe and Annie Truax, are also a part of the SoulBody community and currently teach Body Barre at BeachFit Baltimore. You can read more about the amazing BMOREtoned team here. 

Okay...onto Apple Cider Vinegar chat. So why consume ACV? Here are just a few of the many benefits and cures:

• Rich in potassium which is key for growth, building muscles

• Rich in acetic acid which is helps with digestion

• Helps to regulate blood pressure and reduce bad cholesterol

• May help improve bowel irregularity and helps to remove toxins from the body

• It can help clear up skin conditions and blemishes

• ACV helps with weight loss by breaking down fats so that your body can use them 

Another thing to note when buying Apple Cider Vinegar is to ALWAYS make sure you are using organic, raw, unpasteurized apple cider vinegar in order to reap the benefits. I am a huge fan of Bragg. They have some other great products too including salad dressings, seasonings, liquid aminos and more.

 Try this recipe (one of my favorites) first thing in the morning. You can also head over to the BMOREtoned blog for some of our other favorite recipes.

Looking for more ways to use your jar of ACV? Read this great article on the Mamavation blog where she lists the 25 ways in which Apple Cider Vinegar will change your life. 

Have you tried having a daily apple cider vinegar drink for better health?

Cheers!

Ways to Stay Active in Baltimore

Happy Monday ya'll! I don't know about you, but I'm loving this three day weekend and the extra time with family and friends. As you go about your day, remember to take a moment to honor the brave men and women who sacrificed their lives for our freedom. Thank all of the active men and women who continue to serve our country as well as those who have served.



I hope everyone was able to get active this weekend and take advantage of this beautiful weather. There are so many opportunities in Baltimore to stay active throughout the  next few months.

Here are some great ways to get in shape not to mention workouts that will complement your barre workouts.

1. November Project! If you haven't tried a workout with this group, you are missing out. This week was my first week trying it out and I can say that now I'm officially hooked. A community is waiting for you, waiting to hug you, sweat with you, run you into the ground and send you to work longing for next week. Just show up and learn why Baltimore is GREAT! 




Wednesdays: Federal Hill / Rash Field Park, 5:30am & 6:30am

Fridays: Patterson Park, corner of E Baltimore St. & S. Linwood Ave, 6:30am






2. Waterfront Partnership
Lace up those sneakers, grab some water, and head to the Waterfront for free fitness classes taught by local professional instructors. New this year, brought to you by Medifast - free nutritional sessions, product sampling, giveaways, and cooking demonstrations. May 23rd through September 20th every Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday. Register once online to attend all classes in the series.

Here's the schedule. Lots of chances to get active and it's FREE!!!

Sign Up Today: http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=xetrdbqab&oeidk=a07eax75n3s3e73e668

3. Charm City Run; Thursday Fun Runs

Run with Charm City Run Downtown starting at McHenry Row on Thursdays, 6:15 PM

Route sheets from 3-6 miles provided-- all paces welcomed.
 
These runs are FREE and you may show up any Thursday, but registering will ensure you receive relevant updates via email.


Location: Baltimore
Instructor: Deirdre Weadockdeirdre@charmcityrun.com
Check out all Charm City Runs for runs for free run, yoga and even foam rolling events.


4. In Store Yoga at Lululemon Harbor East; Sunday, May 31st

Start your Sunday morning off on your mat with complimentary in-store yoga with Jason Herd.

Location: 820 Aliceanna St, Baltimore, Maryland 21231
Time: 10:00am -11:00am

Learn more about Jason and M.Power by visiting www.mpoweryogastudio.com

Like Lululemon on Facebook to find out about other FREE in-store yoga events this summer. https://www.facebook.com/lululemonBaltimore

5. Charm City Yoga; Summer Solstice Sun Salutation with AVAM

Sunday, June 21, 2015 at 7am, yoga practitioners and novices alike will gather on the eastern slopes of Federal Hill and AVAM’s plazas along Key Highway to celebrate summer’s official start. In partnership with the American Visionary Art Museum, Kim Manfredi will lead the group in Sun Salutation poses, both modified and advanced to accommodate all fitness levels. Bring your own yoga mat, towels and wear your favorite color of the morning sunrise.

The event is FREE, but sign up here: https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/classic/home?studioid=3664

There will be more updates throughout the summer on free events, so keep following the blog and Soul Body social media sites for events going on in the city.

What are your plans for staying in shape this summer?

Have you attended any of these events and free fitness workouts?

#TuesdayTip

Bringing you a Tuesday Tip that you are going to love. Want to know the secret to packing gym clothes? We found just the tip to help solve all of your packing problems...well minus the shoes. Check out this short video to see just how easy it is to get your clothes ready and head to the Barre. 

Read more: The Trick to Packing Gym Clothes | Body | PureWow National 

Step 1: Lay out your workout tank, sports bra, socks, etc. on top of your workout pants

Step 2: Fold the pants in half long ways so the pant legs are aligned

Step 3: Roll everything up in a tight bundle

Step 4: Toss the bundle into your favorite gym tote or maybe your purse

Step 5: Register at your local gym or studio for SB Barre or Body Barre

Would love to know what some of your favorite tricks on packing gym clothes?

Weekend Wrap Up and Why Plank

As the weekend comes to an end, I hope you are all planning your schedules for the week and figuring out which Barre class (or classes) you are going to attend. How often do we just go to class and go through the motions without focusing on improving form and challenging ourselves?  I think most of us would agree that we all could improve in one area or another. Whether it's going one inch deeper in the squat, adding one more pound to upper body weights or just being more aware of our body movements and breathing. One of the best moves of SB Barre (well one of many) is the plank. Since I missed Feature Friday...I'm going to focus on plank this week.

The main reason why we plank in barre class is for building core strength because the pose requires engaging SO many muscles. 

10 Reasons Why We Plank:

10. It develops core strength for everyday activities

9. It improves posture

8. It makes you a more efficient runner or walker

7. It improves stability

6. Increases upper body strength

5. Strengthens hips and pelvic floor

4. Offers modifications making it a great move for any fitness level

3. Increases lower back strength and helps reduce injury

2. Options for progressions are endless

1. It's a move that you can do ANYWHERE

Below are some of the variations of plank that you will see in a SB Barre or Body Barre class. All of these variations can be done on your knees as a modification. 

Proper Set Up:

1. Plant the hands directly under the shoulders. For Forearm plank, your elbows should still be directly under the shoulders.

2. Ground the toes into the floor and squeeze the glutes to stabilize the body (there is no such things as too much squeezing of those glutes).

3. Neutralize the neck and spine by looking at a spot on the floor about 12 inches out in front. Remember to keep your head in line with your back. This is one of the biggest things that I notice while teaching barre.

Forearm Plank:

Straight Arm Plank















Side Plank

This week lets focus on our planks so that we can have better form in order to get the most out of one of our favorite barre moves.

Questions on plank form? Write your questions in the comments or send us a message on the Soul Body Facebook page. 

What is your favorite plank variation?

What is your least favorite plank variation?

Soul Body Heats Up Summer

Happy Hump Day barre ladies! Soul Body is ready for summer...are you? Get beach body ready with Soul Body on May 29th. The Soul Body girls are going to be heating up the UA Promenade with SB Body Barre. Challenge and transform your body with an hour of mindfully intense movement and power. Stay after for fun and frolic with fresh juices from Gundalow Juice! 

 

When: May 29th

Time: 6:30

Where: Under Armour Performance Center Promenade

 

 



Spots are limited so order your tickets NOW. Below is the link.

http://www3.signupgenius.com/mobile/index.cfm?action=signups.signup&URLID=20f0a4ea5ab2dabf58-soul

Also...SB Body Barre Training will be taking place May 30-31st at BeachFit Baltimore. Hurry and sign up!! http://soulbodyonline.com/SBTrainings.html 

Soul Body...Strong Body (from inside out!) Hope to see you there :)

It's Monday; Let's Talk Calories

Happy (belated) Mother's Day to all of the Mom's and Mom's to be out there. I hope you had an amazing day yesterday and got spoiled by your loved ones. I don't know about you, but the these past few weekends have been super busy. Talk about busy. Stacey and Ann Marie were non-stop on Saturday here in Baltimore. Shout out to all of the SB Barre and SB Body Barre instructors and members who participated in the videos filmed this past weekend at both Merritt Athletic Clubs Canton and BeachFit Baltimore. Amazing group of members and instructors made Saturday a huge success and I am super excited to see the videos and action shots.

SB Body Barre - BeachFit

SB Barre - Merritt Canton

 

Spreading the love with some dark chocolate on Mother's Day with some of my Sunday SB Barre ladies at Merritt White Marsh.

Oh and you can even bring your Mom or Grandmom to the club for FREE from now until May 31st. This is a perfect time to try an SB Barre class. Use this link to register.

Talk about being busy...these warmer temps have us all getting excited for summer. Rooftop parties, wine, pool bars, and happy hours seem to take priority which means less time for your sweat sessions. Feeling guilty after that glass of wine or cupcake? No worries...you can easily burn that off in a single barre class. A recent article that I read had people wear heart rate monitors or calorie 

counting devices to barre classes to track the number of calories burn. They reported a range of 300-600 calories burned in a hour long barre class. Believe it or not, barre classes are actually found to be anaerobic. Why is this great? Because you an expect to burn about 100 calories (or more) post-class. Keep in mind that things like your weight, fitness level, gender, age, most recent meal, level of barre class can effect the total calories burned during class. If you are an avid barre go-er, you are on track for getting in some major calorie burn each week so keep it up!!

So...no excuses. Get your booty to the barre and get ready for Summer. 

Have an amazing day!

What changes have you seen after taking barre?

What barre move do you find the most challenging?

Back again for more food talk for 'Feature Friday'.

As the week winds down and the weekend approaches I wanted to give you all some new things to add to your grocery list. With the weather warming up, we often find ourselves looking for lighter, healthier foods such as salads and refreshing shakes. Going back to talking about food, I recently came across some new healthy products that I must share. 

First up is this awesome dressing that is one of my favorites. Ann Marie introduced this to me during the Whole Foods Cleanse in the fall. I recently stumbled across it at The Fresh Market, but I've also spotted it at MOM’s Organic Market.

Check out all of there products here. They have veggies burgers which are also quite delicious. Their products are Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Corn Free, Egg Free, Nut Free, Soy Free, Yeast Free and contain Healthy Fats. 

I am definitely going to be trying this recipe from their website. 

Massaged Kale Salad with Apple Fennel Dressing

Click the picture to get the full recipe.

Next up is this Coconut Almond Quinoa Crunch. This was also something I picked up at The Fresh Market. The Perfect Snaque has a ton of other great snacks too. They have an Apple Quinoa and a Cinnamon Apple. Full details on the website. This is the perfect topping to greek yogurt, oatmeal, smoothies or you can eat it right out of the bag. 

Here is a great smoothie recipe:

Coconut Almond Quinoa Shake 

Ingredients:

1/4 cup of Coconut Almond Quinoa Crunch SNAQUE

1 Banana

1 cup unsweetened Almond Milk

(Optional: add in 1 Tablespoon of your favorite nut butter)

Did you know that you can actually store your banana peels in the freezer and use them in future shakes??

They have a ton more on their website, so definitely check it out. 

What are some of your healthy finds lately?

Do you have any go-to smoothie recipes?

Why Barre?

I don't know about you all, but I'm loving these warmer temps. This means one thing...no more excuses on skipping workouts or not making it to the Barre. Speaking of barre, let's talk about why you should get your booty to the gym to take this class. I get this question ALL the time when teaching barre so figured I'd tough on some of the main points.

I know many of you have been taking barre, but for those of you who don't know, barre mixes elements of Pilates, dance, yoga and functional training. You will sculpt, slim and stretch your entire body in this 60 minute workout. SB Barre takes a more athletic approach than other programs. SB infuses cardio and other muscle sculpting benefits with gliding disks, bands, balls as well as light weights. All of the moves are put in the right sequences that are challenging, good for the body, lengthen, strengthen, and create balance and flow. The flow from one exercise to the next in a seamless sequence is really what sets Soul Body's SB Barre apart from other programs.

The major benefits of barre include:

• Improved posture, muscle definition, weight loss, increased flexibility and reduced stress
• Women (and men too) at just about any fitness level can take barre 
• The strength training and cardio will allow you to burn fat and build muscle at the same time. A lot of times you are doing two moves at the same time to hit multiple muscle groups making it not only challenging, but working multiple muscle groups at the same time getting two (and maybe three) for one
• Dramatically increases your core strength leading to better posture and injury prevention
• Isometric movements are very effective and can often lead to higher strength gains that dynamic training. (Read more on isometric versus dynamic training here
• The time goes by SUPER fast due to the fast pace, variety of exercises, upbeat music 
• I think the most important benefit is that it's FUN. Who doesn't love to have fun when they are working out!?!?!?! 

All of our barre classes are KINDAwesome and if you come to one of my classes I am known for giving out these amazing healthy snacks :)

We also eat Dark Chocolate to keep our hearts healthy and because it's okay to treat yourself after a tough SB Barre class!!!

This is why more and more people are hitting the barre for their workouts, and you should give it a shot, too?

What are some of the reasons why you take barre?

Do you remember what your first barre class was like?

Feature Friday: Let's Talk Food

Happy Friday ya'll. In today's "Feature Friday" I'm going to be talking food. Each week I'm going to be featuring something new. Anything from new products and new recipes to workout gear, barre moves and even local Baltimore restaurants. I might even feature some of Soul Body's amazing instructors. 

Through teaching spin, barre and being a runner. I've learned that nutrition plays a large part in performance. Which is why this first feature Friday is all about food. I'm a huge foodie and love to not only experiment in the kitchen with new recipes, but I also love to find local places around the city that serve healthy, fresh ingredients. I absolutely love The Fresh Market and I recently came across a few things there that have been added to my list of favs, but for the sake of time, I'm only chatting about one today. 

My first find was this Barney Butter. I typically make my own nut butter ever since I purchased my Vitamix, but when I came across this new item I had to try it. The Raw + Chia is my favorite, but the Cocoa + Coconut is not far behind. I'll definitely be purchasing more of these. Not only are they delicious, but they offer so many healthy benefits. Almonds are rich in Vitamin E, calcium, magnesium and potassium. Almonds add a significant source of protein and fiber while also low in sugar. One 23-almond serving packs13 grams of healthy unsaturated fats, 1 gram of saturdated fat and no cholesterol or salt. You can find the Barney Butter at Whole Foods, Fresh Market and even purchase on their website. You can check out more of there products here. 

One of my favorite recipes for nut butter (besides putting it on sweet potatoes) is this recipe from the Soul Body Whole Foods Cleanse. Interested in a cleanse with SoulBody? Sign up here.

CASHEW BUTTER/ NUT & DARK CHOCOLATE CRUMBLE STUFFED DATES

CASHEW BUTTER
Take 2 cups Raw Unsalted Cashews and 1 cup safflower or canola oil and blend in high speed blender until creamy. Add sea salt if desired

CASHEW CRUMBLE
1 cup raw unsalted cashews (can use pecans or almonds or pre-made nut butter)
1/2 cup dark chocolate pieces (can do vegan dark chocolate chips)
1 tsp cinnamon
6 dates

Blend in high speed blender until a crumble

Take about 8 dates, cut in half, remove pit and stuff with Cashew Butter. Then Stuff each one with additional crumble and ENJOY!!

What are some of your favorite ways to eat nut butter?

Are you hitting the Barre this weekend? If so, where?

In good health!