Flex your stuff by following our top tips to build confidence! Credit: SashaW

The following is a post sponsored by Dove Clear Tone Anti-Perspirant/Deodorant. For our sponsored post policy, click here.

One of the reasons we love working out so much is that it builds confidence. When you put your mind to something and do it, you learn to trust and value yourself—and you also begin to wonder, “What else can I accomplish?” Oh, what a powerful question! But just in case you need a few extra ways to boost your self-image (hey, who doesn’t?!), we’ve put together a list of five tips to help. As part of the Move Confidently Dove Clear Tone Anti-Perspirant/Deodorant & FBG campaign, these tips will help you to do just that: move confidently!

5 Tips to Build Confidence

1. Set small goals—and reward yourself. Tackling a big goal is scary. But little goals where you get treats along the way? So much easier. Whether it’s weight-loss, changing your diet or working out, break big goals into small goals and then every few weeks, reward yourself with some good stuff for staying on track. It can be something as simple as a magazine, a workout-music download or even a hot bath. Make it something you look forward to and will work for! With repeated success comes confidence!

2. Stop the comparison trap. We women get really wrapped up into comparing ourselves to others, be it our bodies, careers, marital status, kids, etc. But let’s face it: you’ll never be the best at everything. And even if you could be, where’s the fun in that? Celebrate your imperfections and learn to run your own race—not someone else’s.

3. Dress the part. Want to be confident? Dress confidently. That doesn’t mean slathering on the make-up before you hit the gym, but it does mean wearing clothes you feel great in that show off your best assets. It also means choosing the right deodorant. For instance, Dove’s new Clear Tone Anti-Perspirant/Deodorant is perfect for correcting underarm redness—plus it keeps you dry during workouts and smells good. Made with calendula, sunflower seed extracts and unique Dove moisturizers, this new anti-perspirant/deodorant helps accelerate the natural skin-renewal process leaving you all pretty. That way you can focus on what matters—your workout!

4. Create a feel-good ritual or affirmation. Behold the power of positive affirmations! And, no, they don’t have to be super cheesy, but they do have to make you feel good. Whether it’s enjoying your cup of Joe while reflecting on all the things you’re grateful for or dancing in front of your mirror while doing your best impersonation of this little ball of sunshine, do something every single day where you focus on the good. (Note, we do this in FBG Life, and it WORKS!) It’s easier to be confident when you realize how much you have going for you!

5. Replace perfection with acceptance. So, you may always have your mother’s thighs or feet that are two sizes larger than you’d like—but…so what?! Instead of focusing on what you’d like to change about yourself, celebrate what you love about you. Perfection is for the birds…love what your mother gave you and then work on becoming the best version of yourself inside and out—not to change yourself, but to become more YOU.

Has working out improved your self confidence? What tips to build confidence would you add to this list? Love Dove’s new Clear Tone Anti-Perspirant/Deodorant as much as we do? (Especially the Dove Clear Tone Clinical Anti-Perspirant/Deodorant—we adore!) Do share! —Jenn

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

Protein pancakes are a great way to use your egg whites!

The following is a post sponsored by Egg Beaters. For our sponsored post policy, click here.

We may keep the lid on the junk in the trunk, but we certainly can’t keep a lid on the fact that we love eggs, especially egg whites. And instead of having the mess and inconvenience of cracking eggs, we’re big fans of  Egg Beaters 100% Egg Whites here at FBG HQ. A lean and high-quality protein source with no cholesterol or fat, a serving of them has 25 calories and five grams of protein. Talk about a nutritional home run! And if you thought egg whites were only to be used in omelets and scrambled eggs, think again. Egg whites are great in a number of recipes and dishes, including the below!

5 Fun Ways to Use Egg Whites

1. Protein pancakes. There are a ton of protein pancake recipes out there, but we love this one, and with each serving, you get nine grams of protein. Want to bump it up? Double the amount of egg whites called for. You’ll end up with thinner, more crepe-like pancakes, but you’ll get double the protein! And we promise they’re just as tasty.

2. Smoothies. Forgo the unnatural powders and go with Egg Beaters 100% Egg Whites in your smoothies! The egg whites in them are pasteurized, so they’re safe to eat raw, and unlike many protein powders, they don’t really have a taste. So you can easily mix them with your favorite fruits and veggies for a healthy and filling start to your day. Try this raspberry smoothie recipe to get you up and going in the a.m.!

3. In the microwave—with cheese. It may seem too good to be true, but it’s not. You can make deliciously cheesy eggs in the microwave, in like five minutes. Yea, it’s pretty life changing. See how to make them here, and we recommend getting creative by experimenting with veggies, salsas and dips in your microwaved egg whites!

4. Baking. It’s easy to bake low-fat desserts when you have egg whites! Don’t believe us? Check out the amazing variety of recipes to choose from. White Cake with Berries and Cream…Blueberry-Lemon Coffee Cake…Strawberry Shortcake—the deliciousness goes on and on.

5. “Fried” anything. Like that crispy or fried flavor on chicken or fries? Instead of coating with full eggs, use egg whites! Doing so cuts calories and makes for a light and crunchy batter, no matter if you’re breading or not. Try them in this Sweet Potato Fries recipe—you will not be disappointed.

Now tell us, what’s your favorite way to eat egg whites? Be sure to follow Egg Beaters on Facebook for more fab ideas! —Jenn

The following is a post sponsored by Dove Clear Tone Anti-Perspirant/Deodorant. For our sponsored post policy, click here.

When we first unveiled the Move Confidently Dove Clear Tone Anti-Perspirant/Deodorant & FBG campaign, we promised some fun posts that would help you to, in fact, move confidently, and today we’re here to do just that! We’ve put together a simple yet challenge 10-minute workout that you’ll be able to do confidently—and without sleeves—at the gym or outdoors minus the embarrassment of underarm redness.

Dove’s new Clear Tone Anti-Perspirant/Deodorant is perfect for correcting this pesky underarm issue. Made with calendula, sunflower seed extracts and unique Dove moisturizers, this new anti-perspirant/deodorant helps accelerate the natural skin-renewal process leaving you all purdy. We’ve used it for a weeks now, and can’t imagine our underarms without it. Not to mention that it also keeps you dry during workouts and smells super good. (And if you need the big guns, it also comes in Dove Clear Tone Clinical Anti-Perspirant/Deodorant.)

So what are you waiting for? Put on some Dove Clear Tone Anti-Perspirant/Deodorant, and let’s work that body!

The right foods can help you to lose weight, fuel your workouts and put you in a dang good mood! Credit: pasotraspaso

The following is a post sponsored by Egg Beaters. For our sponsored post policy, click here.

You know that to lose weight you’re supposed to eat less and move more. But what foods should you be eating? And how often? And, goodness, what’s the best thing to eat before and after a workout? Or should you eat before at all? These, my friends, are questions we get all the time. And we’re dedicating a whole hour to answering them!

As part of our ongoing campaign with Egg Beaters 100% Egg Whites to power you up with healthy, clean protein, we’re hosting an interactive hour-long discussion on Twitter about eating for weight-loss and workouts! During the hour, we’ll share our favorite tips, advice and info, and also ask you questions so that you can hop in and share your favorite snacks and healthy protein sources. Then, at the end, we’ll all leave more enlightened and motivated—and two lucky Tweeters will win a free carton of Egg Beaters 100% Egg Whites. Yeah!

Ready to par-tay? Participating is easy. You simply hop on the Twitter, follow us (@FitBottomedGirl), respond to our questions and always use the hashtag #EBProteinPower when Tweeting during the party. Full deets are below!

The Eating for Weight-Loss and Workouts Twitter Party Deets

Date: Monday, May 7
Time: 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. EST
Hashtag: #EBProteinPower
How to follow along: TweetGrid, Twitter Search or @FitBottomedGirl

This one is going to be a jam-packed hour of awesome, so don’t miss it! And if you’re looking for a little healthy eats inspiration now, be sure to check out some of Egg Beaters’ recipes and its Facebook page!

See you Monday night, ladies! —Jenn

The following is a post sponsored by Egg Beaters. For our sponsored post policy, click here.

There are a lot of reasons to love the warmer weather, but one of them is certainly the berries that are coming into season. I picked up a flat of strawberries the other day and, oh-my-goodness, were they good. So sweet and summery! Using them—and our ongoing love of Egg Beaters 100% Egg Whites—as inspiration, we recently whipped up a healthy Strawberry Shortcake recipe. So. Darn. Yummy.

With just 207 calories, 4 grams of fat, 4 grams of protein and 17 percent of your vitamin C needs for the day in just one serving, we think this easy-to-make Strawberry Shortcake is the perfect dish to make whether you’re headed to a barbecue, trying to impress your in-laws or are just craving something a little sweet.

Learn how to make this healthy Strawberry Shortcake in the video below—and even get a few fit ideas on how to spend your time while it’s baking and cooling…

Can’t see the video? Click here to learn how to make your own healthy Strawberry Shortcake!

Easy, right? Just another reason why we adore Egg Beaters 100% Egg Whites! Check out the full healthy Strawberry Shortcake recipe here, along with more fun recipes by following Egg Beaters on Facebook.

Stay tuned in the coming weeks for more fun protein-power recipes and posts, and be sure to hop on the Twitter and use the hashtag #EBProteinPower to tell us about your experience making this yumtastic dessert! Happy eating! —Jenn

How confident are you about showing off your underarms? Credit: lululemon athletica

The following is a post sponsored by Dove Clear Tone Anti-Perspirant/Deodorant. For our sponsored post policy, click here.

Now that it’s spring (and the temps have been crazy warmer than usual), we’ve been breaking out the tank tops for workouts! While this is awesome, the one thing I’ve been less than stoked about is showing off my armpits. While I’ve made peace with the fact that I’ll always be a pale redhead with slightly pink undertones, I refuse to settle with having red marks on my underarms. No way, dude!

And it turns out, I’m not alone. According to Dove Clear Tone Anti-Perspirant/Deodorant, a whopping 32 million women in the U.S. experience similar red and dark marks on their underarms due to dryness and shaving. Ouch! And unsightly! When we work out, we want to feel good and look good, which is why we’ve recently partnered with Dove to create the Move Confidently campaign. Dove’s new Clear Tone Anti-Perspirant/Deodorant is amazing at correcting this pesky underarm issue, which is why we want to tell the world about it!

Made with calendula, sunflower seed extracts and unique Dove moisturizers, this new anti-perspirant/deodorant helps accelerate the natural skin-renewal process. In fact, after using the product for two weeks, nine out of ten women preferred it for more even-looking skin tone. We’ve used it for a few weeks now, and we agree that the stuff just works. Not to mention that it also keeps you dry and fresh during workouts and smells hella good. (And if you need the big guns, it also comes in Dove Clear Tone Clinical Anti-Perspirant/Deodorant.)

Over the next couple of months, we’ll be bringing you all kinds of Move Confidently Dove Clear Tone Anti-Perspirant/Deodorant & FBG campaign content, including a 10-minute workout that you’ll be able to do confidently (read: without sleeves and the embarrassment of redness) and tips on building confidence in yourself. It’s going to be fun!

Oh, and did we mention there’s a giveaway? Comment about your experience with underarm redness below, and in about a week, we’ll select one lucky U.S. reader to try Dove’s new Clear Tone Anti-Perspirant/Deodorant herself! Woot! —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

Could your recipe box use a few new additions? Come to our recipe swap, sponsored by Egg Beaters! Credit: shimelle

The following is a post sponsored by Egg Beaters. For our sponsored post policy, click here.

We hear it time and time again from readers: I need new healthy recipes! Well, dear FBGs, have no fear—a recipe swap is here. As part of our ongoing campaign with Egg Beaters 100% Egg Whites to power you up with healthy, clean protein, we’re hosting an interactive hour-long recipe swap on Twitter!

During the hour, we’ll share some of our favorite recipes with you—including a few from Egg Beaters—and then you’ll have the chance to share your favorite breakfast, smoothie, dessert and egg recipes with us and everyone else at the chat. We’ll also discuss healthy swaps and some fun nutrition facts. Participating is easy, too. You simply hop on the Twitter, follow us and use the hashtag #EBProteinPower during the recipe swap. Full deets are below!

Egg Beaters & FBG Recipe Swap Details

Date: Wednesday, April 11
Time: 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. EST
Hashtag: #EBProteinPower
How to follow along: TweetGrid, Twitter Search or @FitBottomedGirl

Fun and easy, right? We think so! So come with your favorite recipes and let’s get this swap started! And if you’re looking for a little recipe inspiration now, be sure to check out some of Egg Beaters’ recipes and its Facebook page!

See ya at the recipe swap! —Jenn

Golf is great for the core and the mind! Credit: jurvetson

The following is a sponsored post. For our sponsored post policy, click here.

It’s Fit Bottomed Dudes’ Week, and when I think of dudes, I think of my dad, the original Fit Bottomed Dude in my life. And you know what my dad likes to do? Golf. He pretty much takes any chance he can to take golf holidays, trying out golf courses both locally and in all parts of the country. Besides being a great getaway and hobby, golf is a great workout. Don’t believe me? Here are four reasons why everyone should try a golf workout!

4 Ways Golf Makes for a Great Workout

1. It works the heck out of your core. With all of the twisting, pivoting and swinging, golf is a full-body workout that requires your core and lower-body to really power you through your stroke. When hitting a ball, focus on tightening your core to really hone in on building ab strength.

2. It gets you off the couch. Golf may not get your heart rate up too much, but it’s certainly better than sitting on the couch. And with courses that can take you literally all day to play, you spend much, much more time walking and standing than you do sitting, which is always good for your health. Just be sure to skip the golf cart when you play!

3. It puts you out in the beautiful outdoors. There has been quite a bit of research on just how much our health benefits from being outdoors. From seeing green grass and blue sky to soaking up the vitamin D, getting out in the fresh air is good for the body, mind and soul.

4. It teaches you focus. So often we spend our lives and workouts distracted—listening to an iPod, watching TV or simply running through our to-do list in our minds. When golfing though, it takes such incredible focus to hit that little white ball in the hole that we quiet ourselves and really focus on what we’re doing. Golf is like a mental workout, too!

Do you golf? Does a Fit Bottomed Dude in your life golf? Tell us about it! —Jenn