My favorite meal of the day is breakfast! I don't know why it just always has been since I was a kid. I love that it can be sweet or savory--so many options! I've been getting crazy in the kitchen lately and I have some yummy recipes to share with you! As you may know one of my favorite things to do is take an unhealthy dish and spin it into something delicious by replacing ingredients. I get so much satisfaction when it turns out! Sure it may not be AS good as the original version but I enjoy it 10 times more because I feel ZERO guilt!

Chocolate Shakeology Protein Pancakes with PB Drizzle
This might be my new FAV! No doubt it's making it's way into my belly at least once a week--it's basically dessert for breakfast! Or if you're having a crazy chocolate craving whip them up for dessert! This was inspired by my friend Jessica's version of this recipe which is on her blog.

Ingredients:

• 1 Ripe Banana 
• 1/4 Cup Coconut Flour 
• 1/4 Cup Unsweetend Almond Milk 
• 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract 
• 1 Tsp Baking Powder 
• 1 Cage Free Egg
• 1 Cage Free Egg White 
• 1 Scoop Chocolate Shakeology
• 1/4 Cup of Water

• Egg Whites 
• Broccoli 
• Red Bell Pepper 
• 1/2  cup cooked Quinoa 
• 1/2 Tsp Salt
• 1 Pinch Pepper 
• 1 Tsp Red Chili Flake 
• 1 Tsp Garlic Powder 

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

I'm taking my training to the next level! I've always wanted to know how many calories I'm actually burning and the only way to do that is with a heart rate monitor.  I started researching which brand would be right for me and it was overwhelming! The price range and features offered are all over the place.  I didn't want to spend a fortune but wanted something quality and reliable. After way too many hours on the internet reading reviews I settled on the Polar FT60.  I really hate online shopping because I like instant-in my hand-gratification when I spend money.  So I paid a little extra for the overnight shipping and BOOM it's here in time for the weekend! I'm really excited to get an actual reading of what's going on when I'm busting my ass! Perceived exertion can be deceiving, so this monitor will help me understand how hard I'm really working.



Actual Calorie Counter-
The only way to really know how many calories you've burned is with a heart rate monitor.  Your heart rate combine with your age/weight and gender gives you an accurate figure.  It takes a deficit of $3,500 calories in one week to lose a pound(or 500 calories a day).  With this heat rate monitor I can make sure I'm on track to reach my weight loss goals!

Training Zones-
Based on all my personal info I plug into the monitor it tells me which heart rate zone I'm in.  This is helpful because each zone creates different results.  Some days I want to work on my endurance and aerobic fitness(Zone 2). Other days I want to work on my max threshold which will translate into being able to spring harder or charge up steep grades on my bike(Zone 3).

Here's a breakdown of the zones-
Zone 1 (65-75% of HR Max): Cool Down, Warm Up

Zone 2 (76%-85% of HR Max): Most training will take place here.  You can run/spin with broken sentences if you try to have a conversation.

Zone 3 (86-95% of HR Max): Hard-Max effort when you are sprinting or performing intervals.

Photo By Dan Goodman

My little gadget should be a great addition to my gym bag.  Anything to help me take my fitness to the next level and keep me pushing is an asset.  Whatever it takes to get you out there and working out is worth the money! Maybe for you it's a new pair of shoes, new lifting gloves or new headphones. Summer is here and I'm working my ass off to get bikini ready just like you! Let's do this:)

XO,
Kristin