Disclaimer- you might be a little shocked by these images. I WAS! But I kinda love them.

I wanted to share this champign with you guys to see what you all think. Equinox almost always pushes the envelope and this New Year ad campaign is definitely no different. Can you say provocative? I do however like what they stand for —

“Equinox is about commitment, we are obsessed with it, and we challenge our members to know who they are and what they want,” -Carlos Becil, Equinox’s chief marketing officer.

(Photos by Steven Klein- kind of genius in my opinion!)

Commitment is a word I like to use a lot when it comes to fitness. Commit to whatever path you choose is my mantra. While everyone is seriously fit in these images, they aren’t talking about working out. Umm can we talk about the controversial breastfeeding in public pic? The concept of dedication if a powerful thing.

What do you guys think?

xo, Jenna

 

It’s that time again. The first of January, the start of a new year, and a new beginning. As I sit here and write my resolutions for the year, I’m super excited for a fresh start. Personally, I felt like this past year just skated by. It was unbelievable- starting a new job in beauty/cosmetics which is a truly a dream come true, continuing to commit to health and fitness (and finding what works for me), continuing my journey in San Francisco and celebrating 5 years with my other half. Its been a great year, but I’m ready for you 2016.

Ready to push myself out of my comfort zone.

Ready to take a leap of faith.

Ready to practice more patience.

Ready to crush my fitness goals.

 

It’s really hard to start fresh. I know a lot of you have health and fitness at the top of your list of resolutions. Want to loose 10 pounds? Want to run your first race? Want to cut out sweets from your diet? All not an easy task. You may have heard these tips before, but they’ve helped me reach many goals and am hoping will help you on the path to success!

Start with realistic goals and nothing to drastic. We want to allow ourselves time to adjust and not feel overwhelmed. Instead of telling ourselves that you want to loose 20 pounds (seems overwhelming) say we want to hit the gym 3-4 times a week then slowly build to 5 days a week. If you’ve never been a runner but want to run a marathon, start with a 5k then build up to a half marathon. So many of us give up so quickly because we exhaust ourself before we have the chance to see change. Start small before feeling overwhelmed enough to give up.

Change takes time so be patient. Especially this time of year we tend to be “gung ho” about getting back in the gym. We’ll work hard day after day but give up because we expect fast results. Be patient. Find a routine that works for you and makes you happy. We have a whole NEW YEAR to reach our goals, so dont feel like it has to be done in the first 3 months. It takes time to make a lifestyle change, especially one that you love.

Reward yourself. When you reach a small goal, reward yourself with something you love other then food. Buy yourself new running shoes, or new workout clothes…a few of my favorite things. 🙂

Be consistent. Eating healthy 3 days and junk the other 4 most likely won’t help us reach our goals. Your hard work in January may not show up until February, so stay consistent. That doesn’t mean we can’t eat a cookie every once in awhile. I find that what I deprive myself of, I want even more. Have that cookie then get back to your healthy eating. It’s all about balance and consistency and not deprivation.

I saw this on instagram and it totally resonated with me. (Cant remember who posted this though- comment below if you know so I can give credit!)

DECIDING changes everything and nothing changes until you DECIDE to take action.

DECIDE you are ready to be your best you.

DECIDE you will make better choices starting now.

DECIDE to move more.

DECIDE to surround yourself  with positive people.

DECIDE you will eat foods that are good for you.

DECIDE you are done with excuses and will look for solutions.

Once you DECIDE, your world will start to change.

Happy 2016!!

Thank you so much for reading 🙂

xo, Jenna

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let’s not lie. A lot of people hate running. And it’s hard to start something that you once thought you hated. I remember absolutely dreading that 1 mile run in middle school PE class. It was the worst! It’s funny to look back at those memories now that I consider myself a runner and couldn’t imagine my life without running. If you’re new to running, you may be a bit overwhelmed by all the information out there. Don’t feel discouraged! Here are some tips that may help you along your journey.

Running tips I wish someone told me when I started: 

1. Invest in a good pair of running shoes. The shoes make all the difference, let me tell you! Do not skimp on running gear. And that also includes a good supportive sports bra! I would suggest going into your local running store or Nike and get on a treadmill so they can assess your foot and the way you run. I have a very narrow foot with almost no arch which means I need a more supportive running shoe. Personally, I love running in Nike Air Zoom Pegasis, but make sure to get the best shoe that’s right for your feet to avoid injury and discomfort. Also your shoes should be replaces every 300-400 miles.
2. Join a running group or find a running buddy. Let’s be real, its so much more fun to run with a friend! I do also like my alone time once in awhile but long distance runs are easier with a group pushing you forward. Set a distance goal with a friend and hold each other to it!
3. Set small goals and build slowly. The last thing you want to do is do too much too soon. I have been guilty of this! If you are just starting your running journey, don’t worry about pace. I would suggest starting off at a “conversational” pace. It should be easy to breathe and carry on a conversation. This will prevent injuries and avoid over training.
4. Stretch! Don’t forget to start with a warm up and end with a cool down and stretch. You will most likely be sore from your new venture so you want to be sure that you take good care of your body during this time. After a long run I also like to take an epsom salt bath to ease muscle pain and fatigue.
5. Learn proper upper body form. My body is ultra-sensitive and can instantly feel when something isn’t right. When I run with my shoulders high I put a lot of stress on my neck which in turn causes headaches. Try to keep your hands at the level of your waist, shoulders down, arms at a 90 degree angle with elbows at your sides. Keeping your posture straight will help your comfort levels which will enable you to increase your distance. 🙂
6. Concentrate on your breathing. Breath through your nose AND mouth to get the most oxygen to your muscles. You will be less out of breath and ready to go the distance. This is no joke. It’s really important to keep an even breathing pattern which will also help your body from overheating.
7. Don’t forget to take rest days. Rest is just as important as getting exercise. Your body needs it! It seems crazy, but once you fall in love with fitness its hard to take a rest day. Your body needs time to recover so just do it. 😉
8. It gets easier!!! Don’t give up! I promise it will get easier with time. It will be hard. You will want to stop. But running will only make you stronger. If you can convince your mind, your body will follow.

xo, Jenna

 

Happy Tuesday loves! Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! I wanted to share a guide to vitamins because I think they are so so so important to your health and especially important now with cold and flu season in full swing. I don’t want to jinx myself, but I rarely get sick (& not only because I get a flu shot every year…thanks for the reminders Dad). I am one who truly believes that exercise, supplements and eating an abundance of healthy foods is why my immune system can fight off anything that comes my way.

Pure Encapsulations is a supplement company which I recently came across because the company reached out to me review the product. The more I read, the more I liked what I saw. I have been taking each of the below supplements for about a month now and love that these in particular do not contain any wheat, nuts, artificial sweeteners, egg or hydrogenated oil.

So here’s the round up:

Multivitamin– this one is a must for me. Includes vitamins A, B, C, D and E. Supports optimal health in one dose.

Magnesium-Supports metabolism and utilization of nutrients, energy production, and also essential for bone health and cardiovascular support. Magnesium is #2 on my list of must haves for me. Here is an interesting article if you want to read more- 10 signs you need more magnesium.

Omega– 1000 mg of EPA & DHA from fish oil (2x potency of other fish oil supplements) and omega 3 fatty acid support. What does this mean? Encourages cardiovascular health, important for joint function and helps promote hydration and elasticity for smoother looking skin. LOVE! Omega 3 fatty acids are also found in a lot of fish (salmon and tuna) which is great to incorporate into your diet as well.

B12 5000 liquid– for nervous system health, neurological function, energy and immune system health. “The energy vitamin.” Lord knows that I can use a little mood, memory and energy boost every once in awhile. 😉 This doesn’t taste too bad either!

D3 liquid– good for bone, breast, prostate, cardiovascular, colon and immune health. Living in San Francisco, I don’t see much sun so I always like to supplement. Also, vitamin D levels decline with age naturally so a vitamin supplement or vitamin D enriched foods will do the trick.

Best-Rest Formula– This works great to promote relaxation and a good nights sleep. I don’t take these every night, but I have taken them the past few nights and have fallen right asleep and sleep through the night. I like these especially because they don’t make you feel groggy in the morning. They don’t smell great but they do work for me without being habit forming.

I also like to take a lot of Biotin and Zinc which is not captured above. Biotin is great for hair and nail strength and Zinc is good for your immune system and helps fight colds.

I do want to mention that you can get a lot of these vitamins naturally in your diet, but I have found it extremely beneficial to incorporate these supplements into my routine. I don’t usually take all at once, and I do sometimes skip days, but like to make sure I take at least a multivitamin each day.

So that’s the roundup! Hope you find this helpful!

For more about Pure Encapsulations: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

xo, Jenna

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Pure Encapsulations but all opinions are my own.