The Importance of Cross Training - Terra Core Review

You all know I'm a runner - I love running. But, would you believe, that I might almost like cross training even more?! I just love the feeling of being able to work my body from all angles, feel my muscles shake, and watch as they grow stronger - it is just so empowering. I love the never-ending variety of cross training exercises and how each day and each workout can be custom tailored to my mood, energy level, or time frame.

I'm also a HUGE supporter of strength and cross training at home. I'm a busy mom or two and I don't want to drive to the gym to get a good workout in. With the Terra Core I can get a hard core, heart pounding, sweat dripping, strength sesh in, quickly and conveniently.

On the Terra Core you are working out on an unstable surface, your muscles are firing and working up to 4x harder than if you were performing the same exact exercises on the ground. Plus, it just adds such a good variety to any strength training moves - it really is a super fun and unique challenge! The exercise options are endless meaning I'll never outgrow my Terra Core - and there are so many ways I can modify or adapt workout moves on them depending on your fitness level. 

It's such a versatile piece of exercise equipment and a must have for any home gym. It's literally like a long, bench shaped balance trainer, that can be used as a stepper and weight bench too. Flip the Terra Core over and that's where the real fun begins! There are four different handles on the underside that allow you to hold a variety of hand positions to take burpees, push ups, and shoulder taps to the next level. Heck, you can even pick the Terra Core up by the underside handles and preform advanced moves like shoulder presses, rows, or squats. You see, the possibilities really are endless with this versatile piece of equipment!

One of my favorite features is that you can scan the QR code on the side of the machine and it will take you to their free app where they will guide you through a series of exercise you can do on the Terra Core depending on what body part(s) you want to work. I love this feature for days when I want to be told what to do instead of designing my own exercise routine. 

The Terra Core is designed to be used on it's own but you can also use it in combination with weights, resistance bands, kettlebells, or booty bands. Traditional standing dumbbell curls only work the biceps. However, if you do standing dumbbell curls on the Terra Core, in addition to working your biceps, you core will fire to keep you upright, your legs and gluetes will shake and engage to help keep you standing on the unit, and pretty soon, a basic standing dumbbell curl will turn into a full body workout - pretty cool, right?

There really are so many exercises you can do on the Terra Core. I love creating full body circuit routines and repeating them three times for a fast paced, full body burner.

One of my favorite circuit routines are:

Jumpsquats

Shoulder Taps

Pushups

Toe Touches

Back Lunges

Mountain Climbers

Do 15-25 reps of each exercise (per side) and repeat the entire circuit 3 times through.

Another sequence I've been loving:

Side to Side Jumps

Squats 

Step Up's

Reverse Side Push Ups

Alternating Heel Taps (laying on top of the platform)

Hip Thrusts

Do 15-25 reps of each exercise (per side) and repeat the entire circuit 3 times through.

End with 25 Bird Dog Extensions.

Really any exercise you can do, you can do on the Terra Cora and get more bang for your buck - you'll sweat more and get in a tougher workout, because if you're going to workout, why give less than 100%? I can't wait to see how much more strength and power I will gain from regular workouts with my Terra Core and how these fitness benefits will translate into not only a stronger physique, but faster race times this Fall. 

What's your favorite strength training move? What about your least favorite, but one that you do anyway, because you know it's good for you?

Our Stay-Cation at Hyatt Place Mesa

What if I told you, that you could go on an amazing vacation without all of the hassle of driving 6+ hours?! You guys, stay-cations are LIFE and after our most recent one, I am SOLD!!! We just got back from the most fun, rejuvenating vacation with our kids (did I just use rejuvenating and vacation with kids in the same sentence - yes I did!) and I am completely sure that everyone needs to vacation IN town at least once during the Summer months.

There are a couple of key things about stay-cations that really take out the stress equation:

1. Packing is so much easier. You literally just throw a swimsuit and a couple of tanks and shorts into a bag for each member of your family and you're good to go! You know what the weather will be like so you don't need 18 million outfit options per day - easy peasy.

2. Much shorter travel time. When your stay-cation time is over, you're home in 30 minutes (give or take!). Coming from the person who had the worst luck on our last drive home from California - TRUST ME, this is a huge deal!

3. You're not a total newbie. I like to be pretty familiar with an area when I vacation, which makes stay-cations such an attractive option! You sorta know the area and attractions, but most likely haven't taken the time to really explore. It's familiarity and adventure rolled into one - a perfect combo in my book!

We recently got back from the most fabulous stay-cation at the Hyatt Place Mesa. We live in North Phoenix, so we were super excited to check out all that this hotel and the East Valley had to offer! 

When we first walked int the hotel we were blown away by how nice it was and how friendly the staff was. Every single time we passed the front desk during our stay, the staff greeted us with a welcoming smile and wished us a great day - I feel like by the end of our stay they knew us all by name!

Our room was super modern and so well appointed too. There was a huge comfy sectional sleeper sofa and a separate sleeping area with two queen beds, that were so comfy that both Adam and I remarked how we both had the best nights sleep there that we've had in a very long time! Our room overlooked the pool and had gorgeous skyline views of the nearby attractions and even Camelback and Pagago Mountain views too - so pretty!

Speaking of nearby attractions, the Hyatt Place Mesa is located in the heart of Mesa River View which is a prime location for shopping and entertainment. We LOVED being able to walk to so many nearby attractions and even dinner one night.

 It is home to the always fun Bass Pro Shop which we had so much fun walking around in and dreaming out one day purchasing a boat!

The Mesa River View Park is less than a mile away from our hotel and so much fun for the kids! Our family absolutely loves playing outdoors and checking out new parks is one of our favorite activities.

 River View Park has some of the coolest playground equipment we've ever seen and such a fun splash pad and even a lake too! One morning I went running in the park and had a blast!

 We were lucky with cloud cover on the morning we spent playing there so we were able to spent a lot of time enjoying the outdoors as a family. 

We also loved checking out Mesa's Pioneer Park. This place has probably the most unique playground equipment I have ever seen - so many creative designs and fun pieces to climb up, slide down, and run through.

They also had a cool life size train engine replica that the kids loved and another neat shaded splash pad area. If your family loves parks like ours, you would love Mesa!

Another fun area attraction we loved was Tempe Marketplace - its only 2 miles from Hyatt Place Mesa too! This is such an awesome place for with so much to do. We spent an entire evening there eating dinner, browsing the shops, playing some games, and then ending it with some frozen yogurt after letting the kids run through the splash pad that's in their center courtyard area. 

As an Arizona State grad, I'm always blown away by how much this area has grown and all of the amazing shops, restaurants, and entertainment options this area has now.

 I have several friends who have an annual tradition with their kids to do a stay-cation the last weekend or two before school starts - a time to reconnect and relax with their families before its time to buckle down. I think it would be really fun to stay at the Hyatt Place Mesa for a long weekend, and with all this nearby top-tier retail, you could also do a bunch of back to school shopping while you're at it!

Even if you don't want to venture out, the Hyatt Place Mesa has a bunch of things to keep you busy at their hotel too. We absolutely loved their resort style pool! It was crystal blue and the perfect temperature and had fun little fountains that spray water into the air.

 I really appreciated that it had shaded lounge areas and misters too - perfect for escaping the sun and taking a breather in-between cannonballs into the pool! They even had a hot tub too that we loved to dip our feet into after the sun went down!

I think my son's favorite part of the hotel was the nine hole putting green. We love when hotels have an in-house entertainment option like a game room or mini-golf. It's something fun to do when you come home from dinner and aren't yet ready to retire to your room.

If my son's favorite part of the hotel was the golf, then mine was definitely the food! I think I could write a whole blog post about their breakfast at the Hyatt Place Mesa - seriously it was THAT good! 

Breakfast is included in your stay and it's incredible. We stayed there two nights and there were different options everyday which I loved.

 There were so many healthy and gourmet options like Cage Free Scrambled Eggs, Rosemary Potatoes, French Toast, Bacon and Sausage, Greek Yogurt, Oatmeal with all the fixings and the yummiest fruit salad. 

The hotel also offered several other 24/7 dining options which was super handy!

 They have a all-day gallery menu that offers many choices for hot or cold meals that you can eat in the hotel dining area, poolside, or in your room, a coffee and cocktails bar, and even a grab and go market with quick bites, drink, and (our favorite!) dessert options. We LOVED their cookies and chocolate lava cake too!

Which is a good time to talk about their fitness center - ha! They had a great fitness center that I took advantage of one morning. It overlooked the pool and was fully stocked with top of the line cardio machines, free weights, and medicine balls.

 I loved that it had runners painted on the wall too - which I forgot to talk about until now - this hotel is actually right at the start and finish lines of the Mesa Phoenix Marathon! So cool right? I had several friends, both from in and out of town, that stayed at this hotel for that race because the bus pick up line is literally right outside the front doors of the hotel. I really need to take advantage of this next time I run that race!

Speaking of taking advantage of something good - the kind folks from the Hyatt Place Mesa have extended a special offer to stay at their hotel for all of YOU! You can save 20% off your stay by using corporate booking code 112324 or clicking HERE will apply the savings for you automatically. Savings are good for bookings now through September 30th on travel dates now through December 31st, 2018.

So there you go friends, if you're like me and a little over summer already - do yourself and your family a favor and book that super fun stay-cation now for a killer deal. I promise you'll have a blast and make some incredible memories too (as noted from my picture overload on this post - sorry, #notsorry!)

Vacation Wardrobe Packing Essentials

Anyone else a chronic over-packer? I tend to stuff my suitcase full and then wear the heck out of maybe five pieces all week long. I wanted to highlight those pieces that worked OT for me, and that I got asked over and over again on IG for outfit deets whenever I posted pictures in them. Hopefully this will help a sista out when you pack for your next getaway!

1. Carefree Tee Dress in Stripe from Athleta
This is a fantastic little number, made from the dreamiest double lined cotton / sustainable lenzing modal blend fabric. Truly my new favorite dress, I wore it to the beach with flip flops, layered it with a denim jacket and sneakers for the farmers market, and dressed it up with sandals for an evening dinner! With pleats, the cutest stripe detail, and cap sleeves, this dress can do no wrong. I'm wearing a size small (which is one size up from my normal XS Athleta size).

2. Road Trippin Shorts from Billabong
These are the comfiest and cutest shorts you will ever own! I love the side detail and the fact that the have an ELASTIC waist (and hello -not pregnant, just enjoy the comfort of a waistband that is forgiving and won't sag by midday!) They are a shorter inseam but don't feel at all exposed. I have these in the olive color and in chambray and am really wanting them in a third color too - I love them that much! I am wearing size small and would say they fit true to size (I'm usually a xs-s in shorts).

3. Ably Luna Cowlneck Pullover in Black
For me sweatshirts are always something I'll throw into my luggage at the last minute and then wear every single day, multiple times a day, all vacation long - it seriously never fails! This cowlneck pullover from Alby is sweatshirt perfection, Fitted and structured, it's polished enough so you don't feel frumpy, but comfy enough that you want to wear it all the time. and since you'll be wearing it all the time, it's so great that it's made out of their signature filium activated fabric that actually repels stains and odors - making it the most perfect vacation pullover of all time. I'm wearing an XS which gives it a more fitted look. If you want a more loose fit or feel then I would for sure size up.

4. Saha Strappy One Piece in Klein Blue
Every fantastic beach vacation needs a fabulous swimsuit and I have found bathing suit perfection in this stappy one piece! It's the prettiest shade of blue, has slight padding on the cups, moderate-full booty coverage (don't even get me started on what teenagers are wearing to the beach these days...) and the most adorable strappy back and shoulder ties! Seriously, my inbox on IG was blowing up asking for details on this suit. I am wearing a size small and would say it fits true to size.

5. Altra Solstice in Black
If you only have room to pack one pair of shoes on your vacation (flip flops don't count!) then pack these powerhouses! The black knit upper and foot shaped design is super comfortable (I wore them all day at Disneyland - comfortable!) but they are also sleek enough to pair with skinny jeans for a day of adventuring! We tend to log a ton of steps while vacationing, I love to stay where we can walk to lots of things, so if you can combine comfort and fashion all in one shoe - I'm sold! They are also incredible running shoes for logging some glorious vacation runs - double duty shoes are my jam. I wear a 9 in these which is my normal running shoe size.

6. In addition to all of the above I'd for sure also recommend packing a pair of dark blue skinny jeans that pairs with everything, a pair of black leggings, and a stack of your favorite tanks and v-necks in shades of cream, charcoal, black, and burgundy. Add in a lightweight oatmeal colored sweater and you should have a ton of versatile options for mixing and matching all vacation long!

What is a I missing that is another vacation packing must-have item? Share with me in the comments below!

Backyard BBQ's, Baseball, Beards, and BODYARMOR

The weather is heating up big time in Phoenix and we are trying to spend as much time outdoors while we still can. We wanted to have a little backyard BBQ, hang out, do a little swimming, grilling, and just relax, enjoy each others company, and also watch the D-Backs game. We were missing a few essentials for our meal and I didn't want to drag the kids into the store, so I used my favorite #MomHack ever - Fry's ClickList.

ClickList is the best thing ever. You order your groceries at home, from your phone or computer, and then specify an hour window of when you're going to pick it all up. When you arrive to the Fry's store, you don't even have to get out of your car - they wheel your groceries right out to you!

We had the most memorable ClickList experience that day because not only did THE Archie Bradley, All-Star Pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks, in his full-bearded glory bring out our load, but an entire news camera crew came a long with him!

To say I was shocked and starstruck was an understatement! 

He was at the Arizona Fry's Food Store because he is an official BODYARMOR athlete and was there to surprise and delight his fans and Fry's customers with personal attention and caseloads of complimentary BODYARMOR.

I have been a big fan of BODYARMOR for a few years now. I love that they are a better for you sports drink, made with real fruit juice and coconut water for optimal hydration. Since I worked with them last, they have launched a few new products that I am super excited about. They have their new BODYARMOR Lyte which is sweetened with stevia, but still has all of the real fruit and coconut water goodness as the original formula, just less calories. 

They also have an Electrolyte Sports Formula SportWater that is amazing for runners. This last training season, I started drinking a full liter of electrolyte enhanced water the afternoon before a long run and I really feel like it helped super-hydrate my body for all the work I put it through the following day. BODYARMOR's formula is made with a proprietary blend of potassium, magnesium, and calcium for maximum athlete hydration. I'm a HUGE believer in electrolyte waters so I'm super excited that my favorite brand BODYARMOR now makes one! I think I'm going to start filling my water bottle with this super hydrating water for all of my summer running excursions to help keep me extra hydrated.

So enough rambling on about how our grocery trip went (although I'm still shaking, thinking, did that really happen?) now onto our BBQ spread!

Adam grilled up tasty chicken sausages and I made a yummy pasta salad that we served up alongside some sweet little apricots (my favorite!). We quenched our thirst with ice cold bottles of BODYARMOR that my new bestie, Archie, hooked us up with too. Oh and the Diamondbacks won and Taylor learned how to jump in the pool so it was a good night for us all!

Have you ever run into anyone famous? If so, who and where were you at? When do you drink sports drinks: before, during, or after a run?

This Post was sponsored by BODYARMOR.

Cool Indoor Summer Activities For Your Kids

Summer is approaching which means the temperatures are starting to really heat up here in Arizona, If you live on the surface of the sun (like us), or just want a handy reference for those rainy summer days, I've made a list of fun indoor activities that I plan on doing with my kids this summer!

I showed this list to my son and he got so excited - and wanted to start doing the things immediately - I hope it's a hit with your little ones too!

Cool Indoor Summer Activities For Your Kids:

Scavenger Hunt
Write a Comic Book
Read a Book
Indoor Bowling with Plastic Cups
Decorate a Cardboard Box
Make Paper Airplanes
Blanket Fort
Tea Party
Macaroni or Cheerios Necklace
Playdough or Homemade Sand
Cook or Bake Together
Handprint or Thumbprint Art
BINGO
Summer Journal
Paint Rocks
Make Roads with Painters Tape for Cars and Trucks
Tic Tac Toe with Paper Plates
The Floor is Lava!
Turn Your Bathtub into a "Pool"
Indoor Picnic
Make Pop-sickles
Goldfish Color Graphing
Tie Dye Shirts
Movie Night (or Day!)
Hide & Seek
Play Store
Finger Paint
Make Recycled Crayons
Dress Up
Make Picture Books
Balloon Volleyball
Learn Origami

Since we do spend a lot of time indoors in the Summer in Arizona, lately I've been all about keeping our home as comfortable as I can. We recently got a Quilo 3in1 Tower Fan and I'm super impressed. We have it set up in our downstairs playroom/media room becuase we spend so much time in there everyday and it is keeping me and the kids so cool and happy!

Quilo is a fan that uses wind and water to cool using evaporation. It blows cooler than a fan and operates much cheaper than a traditional air conditioner. In fact, I read that it actually uses less energy than a standard tablet does while charging - pretty impressive!

Once we fill the water tray, the fan will take warm indoor air, and turn it into cool air with a hint of moistness - filling our room with a fresh breeze which is so refreshing during the summertime! If we want it to be even cooler there is a tray that we can fill with ice to make the air even cooler.

It comes with a programmable timer and a handy remote too! If you ant to learn more about the Quilo 3in1 you can visit their website HERE. What are your favorite indoor activities to help you stay cool in the Summertime?