Get out there and enjoy your Memorial Day with some exercise! Credit: SIUE Campus Recreation

There are some holidays that are made for sitting on your butt, stuffing your face and not moving except to unbutton your pants. Sunny month holidays are opportunities for the opposite: put on your shortest shorts, head outside and don’t stop moving except to grab another beer.

Memorial Day is the kickoff holiday of outside BBQ fun, and full of ways to spend the day burning off the BBQ calories as fast as you consume them. So this Memorial Day, gather your friends and family, plan some of the below activities and together everyone can get in a great day of exercise while celebrating our nation’s finest. You’ll be surprised how many calories you burn because you are having so much fun!

5 Calorie Burners for Memorial Day

1. Swimming. Not only is swimming a great way to cool off on a hot day and show off your slammin’ bod, swimming is a great cardiovascular workout perfect for burning mass calories. Move the party to the pool and splash around to burn 273 calories per hour.

Make it harder: Up the intensity by swimming with your kids on your back. Get everyone involved with some relay races. Hold a contest to see who can tread water the longest; if you make it an hour you’ll burn up 680 calories. The more you kick and paddle, the more calories you will scorch.

Yep, this is pretty much how these links make us feel: happy! Credit: Lululemon

Hey, hey, hey! We think these links are worth smiling about. So check ‘em out!

How to make your own almond milk at home! —Green Lemonade

For those who like a little healthy competition… —Konkura

Our nation’s sweet addiction. Like whoa. —The Skinny on Obesity

One word: Ferrigno. —Online Schools

Our thoughts on why we’re all so into celebrity workouts. —SouthSource

Simply amazing. Imagine doing this the next time you go out for a jog. —The Endurables

Think you can’t do something? Watch this—so inspiring! —GodVine

Oooh, healthy goodies delivered straight to your door each month! —KLUTCH Club

Because everyone loves a good deal. —Lucky Chic

A killer 45-minute workout to try on the treadie. —FitSugar

What links made you happy this week? Share ‘em! —Jenn

Mangoes are as pretty as they are delicious! Credit By: joyosity

I’d just like to take a minute or two of your time to share with you my love of a fruit. Fruits get a bad rap in some circles. The high amount of sugar…blah, blah, blah. I say we skip the sugar-scare for a moment and consider the awesome, nutritional benefits of a food group that is oh-so-good for our bods.

I’ve always loved mangoes, so when I moved to Cali, I went a little ape shat over the darn fruit. Then, after reading this awesome article, I fell in love with the bulbous fruits even more! I love the darn fruits so much I’m willing to pay $1.69 a piece for ‘em. (That’s HUGE, considering I’m a cheapskate and then some.)

And according to one of my favorite apps, Locovore, I can enjoy cheaper mangoes for another month because they’re in season. In celebration of everything mango, here’s a little video where you can watch a little mango love in action…hehe.

Mangoes for Tishy! Mangoes for all! Do you love mangoes as much as I do? Let’s share our mango love in the comments! —Tish

Just one of the fun parts of the Fitness magazine bloggers' event in NYC. Photo by Steven Meyer and courtesy of Fitness.

This post is written by our NYC contributing writer Margo Donohue, who’s a fitness professional and blogger at Brooklyn Fit Chick. Since Margo lives in the Big Apple, she’ll be helping us cover events every now and again—just like this recent Fitness magazine event!

Fitness magazine hosted its inaugural “Fitness Blogger Meet & Tweet” (#FitBlogNYC) right here in New York City, and I was lucky enough to be there with so many interesting, fit-minded people. The energy was fantastic throughout the daylong proceedings, which started with a “Hello, bloggers!” and introduction by Fitness magazine Editor-in-Chief Betty Wong.

Betty greeted the 120+ crowd who was enthusiastic about all of the day’s presenters that included several of the top editors of Fitness—plus soccer star Mia Hamm (who was just named Fit Bottomed Girl of 2012!), author A.J. Jacobs, nutritionist Keri Gans, author Tanya Zuckerbrot, trainer Joe Dowdell, Pilates guru Alycea Ungaro and fit bloggers par excellence—Kelly Olexa (@KellyOlexa), Carla Birnberg (@mizfitonline), Tina Haupert (@carrotsncake) and Julie Fagen (@pbfingers).

Panel topics covered the gamut from eating to exercising to beauty to how to run a blogging empire of your own, and all the seats were filled with eager bloggers. In fact, The “Fitness Blogger Meet & Tweet” pulled off that nifty trick of being both fun and informative—which is not easy. So kudos to Fitness for keeping us all entertained while we got out collective learning on!

Do you rely on willpower to get you out the door to work out? Credit: mikebaird

Woot! Woot! Two exciting things we want to tell you about today, ladies…

Don’t Forget! Free Online Class About Harnessing Willpower

First, a quick reminder that TONIGHT is the free live online class we’re doing that’s all about willpower and how to harness it. It’ll be a great 30-minute class with tips that you can use starting today, followed by time for questions if you guys have them. Class starts at 8 p.m. EST, so join us! (And if you can’t make it live, register anyways so that you can watch the recording.) Get more details and register here!

Win a Scholarship to the FBG Life Healthy Living Program

Second—and we think this is even more exciting—is that the summer edition of FBG Life starts June 3! This online weight-loss and healthy living program is all about helping you to live the FBG life and feel fit inside and out, whether you have lots of weight to lose, a few pounds to drop or simply want to ditch the diet drama for good. Now, we know not everyone has $120 to spend on the program, but we know that there are some of you who really, really want to do it—and we don’t want finances to be a barrier for those who are ready for change. So, for the first time, we’re offering three scholarships to FBG Life. Meaning that you can take the six-week summer program that starts on June 3 for free!

Instead of doing a boring application that you have to fill out, we’re going to do something a bit more creative to award the FBG Life scholarships…and we’re leaving the creativity part up to you! In one way or another—through video, a series of Tweets, a blog post, a comment, a piece of art, a song, a poem…the sky’s the limit!—tell us why you want to take FBG Life and why you’re the best person for the scholarship. We’ll look at all of the entries (please tell us what you’re doing in the comments, tag us where applicable (@FitBottomedGirl), and if it’s something super personal, email to contact@fitbottomedgirls.com with the subject “FBG Life Scholarship” in the subject), and next Monday we’ll announce the recipients.

Good luck to all! Here’s to living the good FBG Life! —Jenn

First of all, it’s a stability shoe made for the overpronators of the world. Luckily, I have a fairly neutral footstrike, so I can get away with wearing just about any kind of shoe (lately I’ve been digging on the minimal ones, although I’ll admit that they’re not ideal for longer runs). However, I do have a teensy-weensy bit of overpronation wear on the soles of my running shoes, meaning that a little stabilization would probably help me out when I’m strictly running. However, I generally stay away from stability shoes because they feel so heavy. And—yes, I’ll admit—aren’t always cute. (Hey, I know “look” is a minor thing when it comes to comfort and preventing injury, but it’s a serious bonus when you actually like the look of your shoes!) But these stability shoes? Well, they’re a far cry from the orthotics you usually see.

Lighter and more flexible than most stability shoes, the Puma Faas 800 is actually cute. With a high medial sidewall plus flex grooves, these shoes help your feet land where they’re supposed to, and they kind of propel you forward when you run, which is nice. With a higher, snugger fit in the heel, I did tend to have a little blistering on the back of my foot, although I chalk this more up to me not fully needing a stability shoe than anything else. (However, if you’re prone to getting blisters, you’ll definitely want to try these on in a store to see how they feel for you. Everyone’s feet are different!) I also really liked the mesh upper and the suede (the pink on the shoe)—fun, comfy and breathable details.

So, if you’re in the market for a new stability running shoe check these out. And let us know if they make you faaster, faaster, too! —Jenn

These fit bottoms are fake. There is a surprising lack of butt art out there. Credit: bradleygee

I can’t believe it’s been four years of Fit Bottomed Girls. In some ways it seems like just yesterday that Jenn and I were on the phone, excitedly hashing out ideas for the site and what we wanted to cover. But then I realize that in the four years since, I’ve moved cross country, bought a house, had two kids. I also lost my full-time job and gained a full time-plus job with the kids, plus still working on FBG and dedicating most of my time to Fit Bottomed Mamas.

It hasn’t been easy. First, balancing a full-time job with this labor of love at night and over weekends. Then balancing the demands of family (slave drivers, the under-two set!) and still having the energy at nights or on the weekends to crank out a post or two—and a BOOK. And although it’s a challenge to “do it all,” I’m in too deep now to walk away. I love this job.

There is no doubt that I’m a healthier and more well-rounded person because of this site. Fit Bottomed Girls has brought super-fun fitness experiences my way, from visiting Nike HQ to pushing me to try new and different classes to taste-testing (and loving) various new healthy foods. I love the positivity of our readers; you gals are really inspiring to us as well. Thanks for helping to make FBG what it is today, and thanks for making it such a great place to come to work.

Cheers to many, many more FBG birthdays! —Erin

Believe me. It's even more impressive in person. Credit: Reebok

If someone had asked me what the first thing that came to my mind was after hearing “Reebok” a few weeks ago, I probably would have said those high-top white aerobics shoes from the 80s. But now what would I say, after spending a full day at Reebok HQ on behalf of FitFluential? Well, I’d say “bad ass,” or “I want to work there.”

Reebok had a group of bloggers flown out to their headquarters in Canton, Mass., for a full day of what Reebok is all about: fitness. We got to learn about its 10-year deal as CrossFit’s official partner (dude, the sport of fitness HAS arrived), meet with its top shoe designers, hear about its latest apparel and footwear (including some top-secret stuff you’ll get to learn more about in the coming months—whee!), see how they make models for their shoes, and so much more. It was seriously quite the fit day.

Trying Reebok CrossFit

A lot of thought and research goes into these Reebok shoes, folks!

While we’ll be reviewing much of the gear from the day soon (preview: we loved this shoe so much from the get-go that it won a Fittie!), today I wanted to share a few photos from the event and talk about the workout that Reebok is all over: CrossFit. In fact, they have a huge “box” (what the CrossFitters call a gym) at Reebok and offer classes multiple times a day for their employees to take.

Oh, and it’s staffed by Austin Malleolo, who is just one of the best CrossFit athletes on the planet, along with other super-talented peeps. Can you imagine? “Hey, co-worker, want to take a break from these TPS reports and go do Fran with a guy who can do it in 2:14?” Um, yes, please.

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

A lot of my gal pals with weaves, perms—basically any hair style that is allergic to sweat—complain to me about the dilemma of working out and the hairy consequences. A lot of us gals can’t wash our hair every day unless we don’t mind dry, brittle coifs, so we forgo the runs and push-ups. Because of this stress, I was more than happy to try out actress Nicole Ari Parker’s GymWrap. She was on the right path. Her headband boasts a revolutionary (patent-pending) Edge Control Technology that minimizes the sweat absorption into one’s hair through a unique blend of material that allows heat to escape while letting cool air in. Basically, it promises to wick much like our workout clothes do.

My first reaction: Are you kidding me?! Had this angelic woman actually created a contraption that could end the hair/workout excuses for good?! I was more than happy to test one out.

So one day, I straightened my hair, and then I put on the headband. I felt like a bad arse for sure.

First, I couldn’t get the darn thing to stay on my head. I decided to take a cardio weight class to ensure I’d sweat. I had to stop jump-roping three times to retie the darn thing. One perk of the headband, no matter how tight you tie it, it will not hurt your noggin. After the class, I raced to the locker room to see if it had worked.  

Don’t know if you can tell or not but that’s mad curly rat’s nest on my head. It didn’t work! Oh, the agony! I swear I’m not a sweaty beast. It takes me awhile to even work up a sweat, but even with my wussy sweat glands I was still able to sweat out my hair. You don’t know how sad I was.

At the very most, it keeps the sweat off of your forehead and it’s mad comfortable to wear, but don’t think you can visit the salon and then head straight to the gym. It retails for $24.95 ($29.95 for the Full Triangle version) which isn’t bad if you’re looking for a comfortable sweat band. Can you tell I’m bummed though? I promise on my fit bottom that I WILL find a product that actually keeps my ‘do in tact. Promise!

Does your hair keep you from working out? Found anything that helps? Let’s discuss! —Tish