One of the things I love most about blogging is connecting with others who love fitness and health as much as I do! A couple of weeks ago TribeSports, an athletic apparel company, reached out to me about attending a fitness event here in San Francisco.  I have to be honest, I hadn't heard of the brand before but after a quick look at their website I was super excited!

The event was the first annual NFC Fitness Challenge.  NFC is the National Fitness Campaign which is a social enterprise that promotes fitness for all by building outdoor Fitness Courts across the United States.  Recently one of the Fitness Courts was installed at the Marina Green, which was the location of the Fitness Challenge.

SO Gorgeous!

I wasn't quite sure what to expect but I knew this event would be a great opportunity to network with others in the fitness industry! When I arrived I met with someone from TribeSports who gave me one of their Tech Tees to try out.  The first thing I noticed when I put it on was how great the fabric felt! It was so soft, stretchy and comfortable.  The color was great too-total bonus!

The event kicked off with a circuit lead by Trainers from Barry's Bootcamp.  With the DJ spinning we did push ups, lunges and lots of other plyometric and bodyweight exercises.  It was great seeing people of all ages and fitness levels participating! After that we all gathered around the fitness court to watch a group of 16 Personal Trainers from San Francisco compete.  I was really excited to see that there were three or four trainers from the gym I workout at, Studio Mix(best gym in SF, just sayin')!


Before the competition started I was fortunate enough to meet a wonderful group of people who were there to support their friend who was competing, Cyrus, AKA Mango Man! They noticed I was there alone and were nice enough to let me hang out with them--so sweet! Their energy was infectious and I quickly found myself chanting "Mango Man, Mango Man!!"

The MangoMan Crew!

The competition was intense! The crowd stood around the fitness court and cheered as they watched the participants grimace and sweat trying to win the grand prize of $1,500 and a BIG ego boost. Mango Man didn't end up winning but the comradery between all the trainers was so great to see! Lots of hugs and high fives were shared after the grueling 7 exercise circuit.

Overall, this was such a great experience! I loved being around other people that are so passionate about fitness.  It was truly an uplifting and motivating event!


Once I got home I was excited to learn more about TribeSports.  Come to find out, TribeSports actually began as an online fitness community.  It was a place where athletes of all types could gather, share their triumphs and gain motivation. That eventually progressed into a clothing line after realizing there was a need in the market for more affordable, quality gear(isn't that the truth). They take their design cues and recommendations on technical specifications from the athletic community-genius! They gather all this feedback and manufacture high quality apparel for athletes of all types.  The best part is that they have stayed true to their vision of creating a community that encourages each other to workout through what they call Sweat & Save.  Each month they create fitness challenges and for each successful completion you get a discount! So the more you workout, the more you save.

Selfie in my new TribeSports Shirt! ($41)

I am really happy I took a couple hours out of my Saturday to be a part of this great community event! I got to see some of the best trainers in SF compete, meet some new friends and try out some awesome new gear!  I'm not going to lie...I think I could compete with those trainers! So next year, watch out...I might just be a competitor!

Thanks again to TribeSports for the invitation and the great shirt! You can check them out on their Website or on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram!

P.S. This is not a paid post so all of my feedback is 100% honest and unsolicited.

XO,
Kristin

Want to begin working out again and don't know where to start?  Well fret no more! I have created a routine that is perfect for those who are just starting to work out and are looking to build a sexy lean body.  I'm going to be doing this workout right along with you for the next 4 weeks! This routine will prepare your body for Phase 2 where we will be adding more weight.  This phase is all about balance and stability--getting those muscles and ligaments more flexible and stronger.  Perform this workout anywhere from 2-5 times per week...obviously the more often you do this quicker you will see results but listen to your body! Start with 2 days and work up to 3-4-5. But no more excuses, today is the day!

Photo By Dan Goodman

• Plank-until exhaustion x 2 
• Side Plank-30 sec each side x 2
• Cable Lift/Cable Chop-2x15 (Alternate between the 2. Ex: Cable Lift on Monday, Cable Chop on Tuesday)
• Single Leg Balance Reach-2x8

• Ball Dumbbell Chest Press-2x15
• Push Ups-2x8
• Standing Cable Row-2x15
• Single Leg Overhead Press-2x15
• Single Leg Dumbbell Curls-2x15
• Triceps Dips-2x15
• Bosu Ball Squat-2x15 
• Ball Hamstring curl-2x15

Take those Progress Pics!! GO GIANTS!!

It's been a little over a week since my 30 day Paleo challenge began and it's been harder than I thought! BUT I do have to say that I feel more lean and energetic!

I went on a road trip last weekend with my family and being on vacation always makes eating healthy harder.  My mom and I packed some food in a cooler for the road though--there's really no other way to stay on track! We brought hard boiled eggs, BBQ chicken breast and celery to snack on during our 5 hour journey to Oregon. If it weren't for that stuff I probably would have broke down and got the chips at the gas station--phew!

Road Trip!!

The hardest thing to give up so far has been peanut butter(huge sad face).  Who knew that a peanut is a legume not a nut!!??  This is one thing I'm not sure I can give up for good...might have to integrate that into "my" paleo diet! I'm sure most of you are thinking, "just eat almond butter" but it's just not the same.  Peanut Butter-I love you!

This might be the only way I would give it up!

I've been trying to cut back on drinking because...well...it's just not the best thing for ya! BUT I'm all for balance so you have to let loose here and there.  I did some research on what alcohol is Paleo friendly and one big no-no is beer. Beer is made from grains(hops, barley etc) so that's a no go.  I do like beer but I'll live without it! Wine on the other hand is acceptable--yahoo! I LOVE a nice glass of red wine with dinner and I indulged on a few this weekend. The area we visited in Oregon is a big wine growing region and the people we visited make their own wine so I had to try it out--duh! 

Red Lily Winery was GORGEOUS- It felt like we were in Napa!

Another hurdle I'm facing is protein powder.  I drink whey protein which is a dairy product and therefore not a part of the Paleo way.  I decided that if I was sticking to the rest of the Paleo principles that I would let this one slide for now.  I'm going to look into getting egg white protein powder but in the meantime I'm still drinking the CytoSport Whey Protein.  I'll keep you posted on this!

I'm not going to lie...I did have a handful of tortilla chips(eekk) but other than that I've stayed on track! None of us are perfect and I'm not going to punish myself for one moment of weakness. One week down, three to go!

Salmon with kale and cucumber salad-boom!

Spaghetti squash with marinara, chicken and asparagus -YUM!

Most of my posts are about fitness and all that fun stuff but today I wanted to share a bit about what's happening outside the gym! My inner devious side has been in full effect lately and I'm loving it! It's funny how the older you get the less you care about others thoughts and judgments about you.  It's really freeing to just walk your own path and express yourself however it feels good, right!?

I had the idea to shave part of my head for a while before I walked into Chris's shop.  One day I met this girl with her head shaved like I wanted and that sealed the deal. My brother came into town shortly after and he encouraged me to do it! So with him by my side the clippers touched my virgin scalp.  My barber Chris has this amazingly calm energy so I knew I was in good hands. The artwork that Chris can create with clippers is UNREAL so I knew my simple little shave would be a walk in the park for him. The moment I stepped outside and the wind hit my scalp it was such a liberating moment. Hair is a part of our outward beauty, so for me removing it is a gesture of letting go of my inner ego--that piece in all of us that's seeking acceptance and love from others based on our outward appearance. Ahhh...such a feeling of relief letting go of what anyone else thinks!

If you live in SF and want an awesome barber, check out Chris. He just opened up his own shop! Here's a link to his IG...check it out! @crevm

My tattoo flowed just as organically.  I was visiting with one of my dearest friends and as always we began talking about Yoga.  She teaches Yoga now and was telling me how at the end of her class when they say "namaste" she often thinks of me...so touching! Namaste is a beautiful word chalked full of meaning.  The most simple description is "The divine light in me honors the divine light in you".  This one word has so many layers of meaning and the sentiment is beautiful.  About a week later I was laying in bed and it suddenly dawned on me--that's going to be my first tattoo! The traditional way to gesture when you say Namaste is bringing your hands together in front of your heart, so I had it placed on my forearm to be visible when I perform this gesture.  I decided to have it written in Sanskrit which is an ancient Indian language and the language of yoga.

To my surprise it has been quite the conversation starer! I 'm thrilled when people ask what it means because then I have the opportunity to share a moment and hopefully spread a little love and light!


Don't be afraid to express yourself and be an individual! We only have a limited amount of time on this earth so why waste it being anything but your authentic self.  What would you do if you didn't care what anyone else thought?  Get a piercing? Quit your job? Dye your hair?  DO IT! Be liberated and free--there's nothing better!

Love and Light,
Kristin