Me, Ali Vincent and Dawn with University of Missouri Health Care after the event!

The following is a post sponsored by University of Missouri Health Care. For our sponsored post policy, click here.

Remember how I said I’d be introducing Ali Vincent for a special event in Columbia, Mo.? Well, it happened, and let me tell you, it was AWESOME.

First, I’m a Mizzou alum, so coming “home” to speak was truly an honor. Second, although I was super nervous for it, once I stepped on the stage to give my 15-minute talk on willpower and habits (which I’ll be doing a more in-depth version of tomorrow night online for free!) all the butterflies were gone. The audience—full of Ali Vincent fans—was amazing. I expected to have to pump them up a bit, but they were already amped and ready. I told them to stand; they stood. I made them do something goofy; they goofed it up. They even high-fived each other without me having to tell them twice. My kind of people.

Third, Ali is such a joy to be around! She’s just like you’d expect her to be—upbeat, funny, encouraging, down to earth and a hugger. She loves her fans and loves to help others, and if you ever have the chance to see her speak, DO IT. Her presentation about her time at The Biggest Loser ranch and her weight-loss journey is as inspiring as it is funny. (Also be sure to check out her TV show!) Fourth, the University of Missouri Health Care people I’ve been working with on this project have been amazing. They know how to put on a show, have a fantastic new blog, and I am super-duper excited to run their Go Girl Run 5K soon.

Which brings me to the topic of training…while I’ve been running twice a week for about two to three miles, I haven’t done nearly as much speed-work and hill-work as I’d planned. And Columbia is a hilly, hilly town. Seeing that I’m less than two weeks out from my race? Well, let’s just say that training isn’t the kind of thing you can cram for. In fact, you sort of do the opposite of cramming by doing the hard work early and then making sure your body is well rested so that you can push it to its max come race day.

With that said though, the last time I did a race my legs weren’t nearly as strong as they are now, as I hadn’t been working out three days a week at this place doing lunges, squats and deadlifts galore. So, I’m sticking with my goal to do this 5K in less than 30 minutes. And Dawn (who’s pictured above) is going to do it with me. Get ready hilly Columbia…we’re coming!

Any advice or pointers for us as we break the 30-minute 5K barrier? I’m all ears! Running Go Girl Run, too? Let’s meet up! Love Ali Vincent? Tell me all about it! —Jenn

So my daily walk isn't this exotic, but it's equally beautiful to me. Credit: Magnus Bråth

This week FBG is celebrating its four-year birthday! Dang, we’re old. To help with the festivities, this week each FBG is focusing on the number “four” by answering the question: What four things could you not live (and be healthy) without?

So you already know my three favorite healthy foods, so just assume that I can’t live without those, okay? Because seriously. I can’t. I would shrivel up and become a sad shell of a person without them. Or a very nutritionally sad person, at the least. But as far as four other things that I couldn’t live/be healthy without? Well, they look a little something like this…

4 Things I Couldn’t Be Healthy Without

1. My hands-free dog leash. I guess this could read “any leash” but I’m particularly a fan of this hands-free leash from SPIbelt. I wear it every time I walk or run with my dog, which is almost every day. Not that holding onto a leash is a big deal, but it’s nice to walk or run naturally without it. And certainly my daily quiet time outside with the pup is key to me being active and burning off stress. Every day, my four-legged buddy demands one. And I happily oblige. Walking through older neighborhoods with massive towering trees with leaves blowing in the wind and birds chirping is one of my favorite parts of the day.

2. My husband. Yes, it took us 11 years to find a workout to do together, but Ryan is essential to my healthy lifestyle. Sure, I’d be healthy if he wasn’t around, but with him around, it’s just so much more fun. He likes to cook, pushes me to be my best and calls me out on my B.S., thereby making me a better person. Oh, yeah, and he’s funny. And laughter is definitely key to a healthy life.

3. My Fit Pit Membership. So, I’m kind of cheating with this one because it incorporates weight lifting, cardio exercise and SO MUCH MORE, but I really couldn’t imagine my life without The Fit Pit. I work out less than I did a year ago and yet I’m fitter and stronger. That, my friends, is a beautiful thing.

4. My Big-Ass Salads. Again, I cheat. Because in these Big-Ass Salads are a ridiculous amount of veggies, lean protein and healthy fats. Like I’ve said before, it’s the perfect meal with the perfect dressing. And it makes me feel AWESOME.

A close fifth? This site. My number one pursuit is to be healthy for myself to be happier and more confident, but this place certainly keeps me motivated, passionate—and entertained. What four items would make the cut for you? —Jenn

Where the sidewalk ends, my embarrassment begins. Credit: scott*eric

For this edition of Question of the Week, each FBG is recounting her most embarrassing moment when it comes to working out. Buckle up…these should be fun!

I like to tell myself that my most embarrassing fitness moment isn’t exactly unique. That every runner trips—HARD—at one time or another during training. After all, when you’re preparing for a marathon, you run oh-so many miles. You’re likely to misstep eventually, right?

I probably trip almost every single time I run outside. Whether it’s on a trail or around my neighborhood, I sometimes get so into the groove of running and jamming to my favorite workout tunes that I apparently lose control of my muscles or, more likely, my surroundings become less clear to me. And trip I do. Boom. Usually, I do that really awkward falling thing where your arms jut out and your face goes all wonky and you make that weird scream/embarrassed-laugh sound. And then, just before face-planting, I catch my balance, take a quick look around to see if anyone saw my spaz-out and get on with my run, face red from the embarrassment (even if no one is around, my own clumsiness is embarrassing to me most days).

But, I don’t always catch myself. Like was the case with My Most Embarrassing Fitness Moment Ever. About half a mile into an 18-mile marathon-training run, I was already SO into the running groove and feeling great. The weather was beautiful, and I was super happy to be out running in it. And then, suddenly, my toe clipped an uneven sidewalk and without me even having time to do my usual spaz-out, I was down.

WOMAN DOWN.

And I hit hard, folks. Although I somehow avoided total face-plant, my knees took the brunt of the fall and were all scraped up and bleeding. It apparently looked bad enough—and here’s where this fall becomes My Most Embarrassing Fitness Moment Ever—that a guy driving by in a giant red truck (the fact that he’s in a truck really has nothing to do with the story, but it’s one of those little details that I remember super well for some reason) screeched to a halt in the middle of the street and jumped out to make sure I was okay. Like, I didn’t-need-to-go-to-the-hospital okay. Of course, in the commotion, other cars stopped to gawk, too.

Now that’s embarrassing.

I told him that I was just a little scraped up, and was fine. I was just going to, you know, go ahead and run the rest of my 17.5 miles. And that I did, swollen knee, stinging sensation, little bit of blood and all. Because I’m apparently too proud to run home for a Band-Aid. Or let a big dude in a red truck know that “Ouch, mo-fo that HURT.”

While I doubt many of you have stopped traffic because of a misstep, please tell me I’m not the only one who has trouble running outdoors… —Jenn

Who's really the teacher here? Credit: by Shermeee

The joke goes that those who can’t do, teach. And while I’m not going to agree with that entirely for obvious reasons (although I do think that in many ways we’re drawn to things that we love and want to do better), I will say that one thing is definitely true: those who teach, learn. Like big time. Since I’ve started teaching FBG Life, I can’t count the number of times I’ve sat down to “teach” with the intention to educate, motivate and inspire others, only to leave the virtual classroom uplifted and enlightened myself.

It’s amazing and fulfilling to give out what you know can be life-changing information, watch as others digest it and—this is the really fascinating part for me—begin to interpret it and apply it to their own lives. As they do so, they rephrase and expand upon the original idea, giving it their own personal meaning. They ask questions. They challenge things. They share their successes and get support when things don’t go the way they expected or intended. In all, even though I’m sitting in the virtual “teacher’s” chair, they’re all teachers and we’re all students.

I love this site because we do have such a great community, and we do have robust discussions in the comments. But, in many ways, writing posts is a one-way conversation. We say what we want or what we feel, put it out there and then you respond. But in the virtual classroom? It’s all in real conversational time, baby.

Unlike my teaching experiences of the pre-FBG past where I’ve put pressure on myself that I have to “look” or “act” a certain way, I walk into all FBG Life classes with—as cheesy as it sounds—an open heart, a willingness to help and the goal to be my 100 percent imperfect self. Only with honesty and vulnerability can real change occur. And when you show your true self, others are more likely to do the same.

And isn’t that the point of all happiness? To be yourself and love? I think so.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. Not only because we’re starting a new FBG Life session in June, but also because next week I will be addressing about 1,000 people before this event. I’ll essentially be the warm-up act for Ali Vincent, whom I adore. It’s a serious honor, and I’d be a liar not to admit that I’m scared shitless. That’s a lot of people, people. But having the experience of teaching under my belt, and knowing that I’m seriously blessed to have 1,000 people’s attention for 15 minutes to say what I think is important? Well, it’s something that I’m scared of—in a good way.

We’re all in this healthy living thing together. Hell, we’re all in life together. We’re all in different stages and going through different things, but we’re really all the same deep down. We want to be healthy and happy. And we can learn so much from each other if we just open up, be it in a formal learning environment or just a simple conversation.

How are you a teacher? How are you the student? How are you both? —Jenn

My girls Nicole (left) and FBG Tish (middle) and me, all wearing our hats!

Music festivals are fun. And Coachella in sunny Indio, Calif.? Well, it’s a hippie love-fest of good tunes, sunshine and interpretive-dance opportunities. Unlike when FBG Tish and I went last year, which was in the 90s, this year the temps soared past 100 degrees. In fact, on day three of the music festival, the high was 107. Do you guys know how hot that is? Even with the dry heat in the desert, it’s BLAZING. So, instead of just generally talking about how Coachella 2012 was (for the record, freakin’ awesome—and Tish will share a few of her fave bands and songs for working out next week), I thought I’d share a few lessons learned. You know, lessons that kept me from being an overheated, sunburned mess.

Health Lessons Learned from Coachella 2012

I still can't believe how delicious this tasted at 3 p.m. at Coachella.

1. Drink like a mo-fo. And by “drink,” I don’t mean alcohol. Actually, you’ll want to avoid alcohol like the plague, as it’ll dehydrate you and the name of the game is Stay Hydrated. I had a mimosa before going into the festival on day two, and pretty much regretted it as soon as I stepped on the sunny festival grounds. I found a rotation of drinking water, then a sports drink and the occasional coconut water to be best. Oh, and be sure to hydrate plenty before and after you’re at the music festival, too. If you can start and end your day hydrated, you’re much better off for that day and the next one.

2. Pack a bag like your mom would. Each of us brought a bag full of essentials: a bandanna (to get wet and place on head—a lifesaver), extra toilet paper and hand sanitizer, a sheet to sit on, camera, Coachella schedule, phone, ID, cash and copious amounts of sunscreen. But more on that in my next point…

3. Love the sun. But don’t be an idiot. Yes, it’s so hot that you’d rather not wear clothes at all, but we saw some badly sunburned people that just looked painful. Cover yourself with sunscreen—the spray kind worked best for me, as it wasn’t impossible to put on when you were sweating—wear a hat and grab shade when you can. A number of the bands who are damn good play off the main stages and under tents at Coachella. These tents not only allow you a more up-close-and-personal show, but also feel-good shade.

An organic tempeh and beet salad. Coachella loves the healthy foodies out there!

4. Eat healthy if you can. But just eat. Being that it’s Cali and all, I found a number of good, healthy options. There was gluten-free and vegan Indian food, tofu, freshly pressed organic juice, fresh fruit and even salads to eat. So you can eat pretty darn healthy when you’re there. Although, I’d say the major thing to remember is just to eat…something. When it’s that hot, it’s easy to skip a meal, which is exactly what you don’t want—passing out from the heat and lack of energy! So eat regularly!

5. Dance like no one is watching. For me, the best part of Coachella 2012 was listening to good music, gazing at the mountains and dancing like crazy. That’s part of what makes Coachella so endearing—just about everyone is dancing a fool. So don’t worry about what others might think of your dance skills (believe me, they’re probably too high to notice or are staring at the half-naked chick dancing a few rows back); move to the rhythm and enjoy it! Also, if you’re going to a music festival as a vacation like I did, consider this your cardio. I managed to squeeze in some push-ups and lunges at the hotel, but dancing and walking the festival grounds was pretty much my activity for three days!

Anyone else go to Coachella 2012? Any other music festivals? What tips would you add to my list? —Jenn

Nothing makes me happier than a Big-Ass Salad!

Not to brag, but I can make a mean salad. Like a salad the size of your face. Or your small pet. A gloriously enormous salad that can be described no other way but as a “Big-Ass Salad.” And not in the sense that it makes your butt big—in fact, it does quite the opposite! But, boy, does it fill you up and, man oh man, does it make me happy.

Over the years, I like to think that I’ve perfected Big-Ass Salad-making. So I’ve created a step-by-step foolproof plan for you to make your very own. Why? Because the world is a better place when you eat Big-Ass Salads.

How to Make the Perfect Salad

1. Get the right bowl. First, you need the right bowl. Preferably, the largest you can find—I like these or the giant mixing bowls I inherited from my grandmother (she used them to make dough for her amazingly delicious homemade rolls, so the yummy history of the bowls is a sentimental bonus for me). No matter what bowl you use, choose one that makes you smile. Half of the eating experience is the presentation!

2. Mix your Big-Ass Salad ingredients. For a truly yummy salad, I find a mix of organic baby spinach with chopped veggies, a little cheese, some nuts and some protein is the perfect combination that gives you enough crunch, a ridiculous amount of nutritional variety and a beautiful meal.

Here’s a rundown of what I always have in my Big-Ass Salad (add or subtract, depending on your tastes):

• Baby spinach
• Cup of Trader Joe’s Healthy 8 Chopped Veggie Mix (a delicious mix of red and green cabbages, carrots, broccoli, jicama, bell peppers, radishes and celery—and the chopping is done for you!)
• Half a cup or so of chopped broccoli, cauliflower or zucchini
• Half of a red, orange or yellow bell pepper, chopped (I’m obsessed with these lately)
• Handful of cherry tomatoes
• Quarter cup of broccoli sprouts
• Some fruit—either half of a chopped apple or a handful of dried plums (for sweetness!)
• Chopped sliced turkey, a salmon burger, chicken sausage or tempeh (don’t skimp on this—the veggies will fill you up, but the protein will help you stay full!)
• Quarter cup of nuts—almonds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds or a mix (they all rock!)
• A sprinkling of goat cheese or feta
• Freshly cracked black pepper to taste

When I make my own dressing, I lather it on, baby.

3. Make the best dressing EVER. Your salad is already pretty from the fresh veggies, but this is where the magic happens. If I’m in a pinch, I’ll simply drizzle some extra virgin olive oil or walnut oil over my salad along with some balsamic vinegar and call it a delicious day. But if I have the time? I make a Creamy Orange-Almond dressing in my Vitamix that is LIFE-CHANGING. You simply blend one peeled orange, one tablespoon of rice wine vinegar and one tablespoon of almond butter. The result is a creamy, slightly citrus-y and savory dressing that is filling, clean and ridiculously good for you.

Making salads for more than one? Simply double, triple, etc., the dressing recipe for each Big-Ass Salad you’re making. Note that “one serving” gives you quite a bit of dressing to use, so that every leaf and chopped veggie is covered. The only downside of the dressing is that you need to eat it pretty much as soon as you make it—but that just proves its freshness! I haven’t tried making the dressing in anything other than my Vitamix, but I imagine most blenders could handle it as long as you had a pretty juicy orange that was broken down into sections. Try it. It’s so worth the extra step.

4. Toss your salad. Aside from the dirty jokes here, it’s important to get in there and really toss your Big-Ass Salad. Whether it’s with tongs, a giant fork and spoon, or your hands, get it mixed so that every bite is a delicious harmony of everything.

5. Bless your Big-Ass Salad. This may seem silly, but take a moment to look at it before you chow down. Look at all of the bright colors, and think about all of the amazing vitamins and minerals you’re about to put into your body. Be proud of yourself for taking the time to make such a nutritious meal for yourself. Then…CHOW DOWN and enjoy every damn bite.

It may seem like this is a lot of work for a “salad,” but like I said, this is no normal salad. You can’t get this at Applebee’s…this is a Big-Ass Salad that will fill your belly and fuel your life. Yes, it’s massive, but I promise if you eat one of these every few days, your body will feel amazing inside and out. I’ve been doing it for a few years now, and they taste so good that I crave them if I go more than a day or two without one. Try it!

Do you make Big-Ass Salads? What’s in yours? Will you try my Big-Ass Salad dressing? Do tell! —Jenn

Why are all of the FBGs discussing green fitness stuff this week? Because it’s Fit Bottomed Earth Week, silly!

Not to get all hippity-dippity on you again, but—okay, I’m going to get all airy-fairy on you. I love the outdoors! I love Mother Nature! I love the Earth! I am one with the universe!

Okay, now that that’s out of my system. Let’s get to the real point of this blog: how working out in the great wide open (go ahead and sing the Tom Petty song if you wish) makes me a nicer person. No, really, it does. Each year I start to get a bit antsy if I don’t see the mountains. Yes, I have plenty of natural beauty around me with flowers and big trees and fields and my garden, but there’s just something about the mountains that makes me feel all ahhh inside.

I think part of it is being reminded of how small—and yet how magnificent—we really are in the grand scope of things. Standing in the shadow of mountains makes me feel the power of nature, and climbing mountains helps to remind me of what I can do when I put my mind (and legs) to it. I love my job of writing and blogging and connecting with all of you daily, but there’s something simply magical about powering down all of the electronics, quieting all the problems in my head and just being.

Plus, I tend to embrace my inner hippie child when I’m in nature for more than an hour. I gleefully do yoga on rocks.

And stage ridiculous “photo shoots” with llama finger puppets.

And, yes, I think that both happy yoga and finger puppets make the world a better place. So, therefore, getting my green fitness on makes me a better person. When I’m refreshed and goofy and limber, my body feels better, my mind is alert and refreshed, my inner child is ready to play and I just feel more like me.

I haven’t been out to the mountains for almost a year now…guess who’s planning a summer trip?! And tell me, are you the same way? Do you love to get outdoors and love you some Mother Earth, too? It certainly makes for a more fit Earth, methinks! —Jenn

My dog and me, frolicking amidst the joy of spring and kale.

We’re hungry! And talking about food for this round of Question of the Week, which asks each FBG, “What are your three favorite healthy foods?” Tough one…

Three? I just have to pick three? Honestly, I could probably list 300 healthy foods I simply adore. Between almost every fruit and vegetable on the planet (minus beets; I cannot get into beets no matter how much I really, really want to), I’m a huge fan of chocolate, red wine, buffalo, fish, quinoa—again, I could go on and on. But if I absolutely had to narrow it down to three uber-healthy foods that I’m obsessed with…well, here they are:

My 3 Favorite Healthy Foods

1. Kale. The fact that I bought an “Eat More Kale” T-shirt pretty much sums my obsession up, I think. No? How about that I can’t stop writing posts about it, buy three bags at a time at Trader Joe’s, and it makes an appearance in the Sh*t FBGs Say video.  It might also have something to do with Erin trying it, chip-afying it, too. Oh, and it’s DELICIOUS and makes me feel amazing. Need I say more? I think not. Color me kale-obsessed (and happy about it).

2. Eggs. I don’t care how you cook them—scrambled, poached, over-easy (on top of a bed of kale is best, by the way, if you like them that way)—I love them all. Whether it’s a smoothie protein-ed up with egg whites as a snack, a frittata with asparagus and garlic for dinner, an omelet for breakfast or a couple of hard-boiled eggs to tide me over, eggs are versatile, easy, cheap and so-freakin’ tasty. I love them.

3. Nut butter. Yeah, I’m cheating on this one. Asking me to pick a favorite nut butter is like asking your mom to pick between you and your brother as to who is her favorite. It’s just not fair. Peanut, almond, cashew, sunflower—you are all beautifully delicious to me and oh-so fabulously filling. And I love you on celery, carrots, apples and straight out of the jar with a spoon. Or my finger. Don’t judge.

If you had the tough task of narrowing your favorite healthy foods list down to three, what would your top picks be? Similar to mine or totally different? I’d love to hear! And you’ll probably remind me of a few faves… —Jenn

The following is a post sponsored by University of Missouri Health Care. For our sponsored post policy, click here.

Want to hear something crazy? I haven’t run a single race since I completed my marathon in 2010. Okay, I did walk a half marathon last spring, but I had the flu and honestly spent most of the time just happy that I was able to put one foot in front of the other. But that’s all about to change! Because I have a new race on my calendar: Go Girl Run in Columbia, Mo.! And, dude, I am so pumped.

I will be running my little fit bottom off in the 5K on Saturday, May 26, with hundreds of other women in Columbia’s first all-women’s half marathon and 5K Run/Walk event! Go Girl Run was created to celebrate women, health and fitness, and ultimately support several women-centered charities, including Susan G. Komen, March of Dimes, Girls on the Run, Ronald McDonald House, Rainbow House and Children’s Miracle Network. Plus, I’m a Mizzou alum (Tigers, what, what!), so I get to run in what feels like my second hometown. Yeah, it’s going to be awesome, and I’m already setting a personal goal to do it under 30 minutes. I CAN DO IT.

And if that wasn’t cool enough, to further boost health, University of Missouri Health Care (the sponsor of Go Girl Run) has launched HealthyU, a combination of education and engagement to help people better understand, strive for and maintain good health through fitness and nutrition. Hello, that’s what we’re all about! HealthyU recently started a blog, of which I’ve been putting my two cents on since it started. If you’d like to see the posts I’ve written, go here.

Over the coming weeks, I’ll be sharing how my training is going and a little bit more about HealthyU and the race. Including—big tease here—how I’ll get to introduce the one and only Ali Vincent on Wednesday, May 9, and how you can chat with little ol’ me the day before the race during packet pickup if you’re around.

So the only question is, who wants to do this 5K with me? Either in Columbia or virtually on Saturday, May 26? You guys know I’ll Tweet my progress! The more the merrier! —Jenn

Sometimes, you just know that you need a day, or three, off. That's intuitive exercise! Credit: Perfecto Insecto

Over the last 10 years I’ve gone from regimented eater to intuitive-eating devotee. I’ve written about it before, but without consciously realizing it, I’ve also become an intuitive exerciser.

Back in my pre-FBG days (oh, what a confusing, insecure time for me!), I’d eat when I wasn’t hungry, not eat when I was and work out NO MATTER WHAT. Getting over all that and “seeing the light,” was what led me to the content that you’re seeing on FBG today: that life is about more than counting calories, pounds lost and gained and punishing yourself with workouts you hate because you ate a stinkin’ donut.

With that said, it wasn’t until the last year or so that I really started to trust my body completely when it came to working out. Of course I’d stop if there was pain and I’d take one to two rest days a week, but I still felt a twinge of guilt when I’d unexpectedly have to miss a workout. And, honestly, sometimes it’s hard to know if it’s your brain or your body that needs a day off from exercise.

What I’ve learned though? Sometimes they both need a day off—or three. And that’s okay. In fact, that’s totally what you should do. If you can sink down below the mental chatter that plays a ping-pong game of “yes, you should work out” and “no, I don’t want to work out” in your head and ask yourself: Self, what is best for me today? Not what you should do or need to do but, but what your self would benefit most from. The answer might surprise you. Like it did me this past week.

After confessing my undying love for this place, I got a little too gung-ho and admittedly pushed it too hard for too many weeks. A twinge here and an ache there isn’t that big of a deal, unless you just keep pushing right through them, addicted to the confidence high of doing more and doing better—until all of sudden you aren’t feeling good and doing better. It was a lesson I’d learned before, but apparently needed a refresher on.

So last Monday, feeling tired, crabby and generally lackluster after a workout, I made a point to reconnect with the part of me that really knows what I need. I embraced my inner intuitive exerciser. And in doing so, I traded my usual workout routine for sleeping in, doing easy yoga and going for leisurely walks with my dog. By last Friday? I felt as good as new again. Excited to push it hard and physically ready to work out, I had fun at my next workout. No aches or a dragging fit bottom—I was back.

So what did this all teach me? That my true self has never lead me astray, so I should listen to that broad. She’s smart. Also? Intuitive exercise is the way to go. Totally the way to go.

Would you call yourself an intuitive exerciser? Would you try it? Struggled with it? Tell me! —Jenn