Run Like Ellie Goulding

January 26, 2012 | Leave a Comment

Ellie Goulding is a hugely successful English pop singing artist with a passion to run.  The video below was filmed, in collaboration with Nike Running, while Goulding was training for a half marathon with Nike+ that took place in London in September 2011. This marathon training/video also took place while on a busy tour schedule in the U.S. and in London.  Check out the video for a jolt of inspiration.

Inspired by her love for running, Ellie has also released a 30-minute mix that syncs perfectly to the rhythm of running which is titled “Run Into The Light“, now available at Amazon.

You can see the singer-songwriter-runner’s marathon race results at http://runtothebeat.nikerunning.com/race/211.

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Posted by Julie | Filed Under Blog, Celebrities, Fitness 

Martina McBride: Raising Awareness For Breast Cancer

October 13, 2011 | Leave a Comment

Country singing star Martina McBride stopped in her home state of Kansas this week (and, luckily for me, in my home town) during her cross-country tour to promote her newest album, “Eleven” , and to raise awareness for breast cancer. 

McBride arrived by Amtrak train, dressed in sweet (not too flashy) casual-style clothing, almost as if to say to her fellow Kansans … “I’m just one of you.”  And when she spoke to the crowd of fans who gathered to get a glimpse of her, she said: 

“Wow!  Look at all of you.  This is awesome!”  . . . “It’s so appropriate and so cool that I get to come home on the day of my album release.” 

But as I watched her manuever around the crowd before re-boarding the train heading to its next destination of Kansas City, I saw how much she seemed to love and appreciate her fans and I couldn’t help but think to myself, “Martina, you yourself are awesome!”  

In August of this year, Martina McBride released a new video, titled “I’m Gonna Love You Through It,”  through which she provides inspiration to people who are currently battling cancer.  This is a beautiful video which features celebrities and others who have either struggled with cancer themselves or have provided support to loved ones who have struggled with cancer.  And it was quite noticeable that that inspiration was received by many who were in the crowd.  I personally found it very heart warming to see Ms. McBride signing autographs for women who were wearing pink scarves on their head, indicating that they were in fact cancer survivors.  In an effort to not leave anyone out, as security personnel kept trying to lead the talented singer back to the train, she just kept signing as many autographs as possible before she finally had no choice but to board.   

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month.  Check out Martina McBride’s inspiration video below.

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Posted by Julie | Filed Under Blog, Celebrities 

Peggy Fleming: Raising Awareness For Our Heart Health

January 20, 2011 | Leave a Comment

It was in 1968 that Peggy Fleming first won our hearts, as a gold medalist in the Olympics, with her beauty, gracefulness, and athleticism on the ice.

Now, over 40 years later, she aims to protect our hearts with her inspiration and her continual hard work and dedication to encourage women to take responsibility for their health.

Peggy Fleming … figure skater, author, and cancer survivor …  is also a health care advocate raising awareness of the benefits of CoQ10 in its most advanced form, Ubiquinol.

CoQ10 (Co-enzyme Q10) is a compound naturally produced by our body.   We need it in order to convert energy from fats and sugars into cellular energy.  In addition to providing our body with energy, it is known to:

  • act as a powerful antioxidant
  • be effective in slowing aging
  • aid in heart attack prevention and recovery, and
  • aid in weight loss

Before we can reap the benefits of CoQ10, our body must first convert it to another form so that our body can absorb it. As we age, though, our body makes less CoQ10 and the ability to convert it declines dramatically. Therefore, in order to receive any benefits from CoQ10, it may become necessary to take supplements.

However, there are some drugs, such as statins which are used to lower cholesterol, which block CoQ10 from converting to the proper form necessary for our body to absorb it.  Thereby the CoQ10 levels in the blood may become depleted.  People who take statins and CoQ10 supplements may not be receiving the benefits of CoQ10 which they are expecting.  However, Ubiquinol has a positive interaction with statin drugs.

Ubiquinol is a preconverted form of CoQ10 so that your body does not need to do the converting for you.  And this makes it easier for your body to absorb.

Listen to Peggy Fleming’s thoughts on the subject and please share your thoughts on CoQ10 as well.

Click here to buy Ubiquinol CoQ10 from The Vitamin Shoppe.

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Posted by Julie | Filed Under Blog, Celebrities, Health, Wellness 

5 Easy Core Exercises That Absolutely Work

May 23, 2010 | Leave a Comment

Here are some simple core exercises from Chalene Johnson that will make you stronger in just a few minutes a day. No, you don’t have to get on the floor and do those boring crunches that so many of us hate. These are fun exercises you can do right in front of your TV that will give you amazing abs! And these exercises will burn calories too.


A strong core will help your body age well, so it is crucial to start working on it now. So, give these a try and let me know what you think. Have you already been doing these or similar exercises, or are you still doing sit ups?

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Posted by Julie | Filed Under Blog, Celebrities, Fitness, Strength Training 

Roller Derby … For Women Who Want To Feel Powerful

September 14, 2009 | 4 Comments

Official poster for Whip It
The main reason why I choose extreme kickboxing as my main form of exercise is because it makes me feel powerful and strong. But I don’t think there are too many sports for women that will make one experience more power than what is experienced with roller derby.

Roller Derby is a “going for the gold” type sport.  In this sport, the skater is moving at amazing speed putting up a fight to get through the Pack which may result in anything from bruises to pain and broken bones to the feeling of strong inner strength.

An American-invented contact sport, according to the Derby Dolls website (a roller derby league in L.A.), roller derby was created in 1935 by Leo Seltzer.  A match is composed of two teams with five players each … four Blockers and one Jammer … which face off against each other.  The Blockers skate together to form a Pack.  A Jammer from the opposing team fights her way through the Pack scoring points if she succeeds plus earning more points when she laps the team.

In the 70’s, roller derby was played to sold-out crowds across the U.S., and it has made a comeback in recent years.  But with the movie Whip It coming to theaters on October 2 with Ellen Page (Juno) playing the leading part, I expect the sport will take off even more so.  Director Drew Barrymore … yes, besides playing a role in the movie, she was also the director … has shared these motivational thoughts about the leading role in Whip It:

“I believe that girls can do it all.  . . . finding your inner strength, believing you can do what boys do, and figuring who you are along the way.”

In case you think this is the sport for you (remember it is extreme), Derby Dolls has provided on their site a list of roller derby leagues.  Hopefully, you can find one in your area.

I think it would be a blast to watch the Derby Dolls live in real action, but for the time being I’ll have to settle on YouTube.

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Posted by Julie | Filed Under Blog, Celebrities, Sports, Strength Training 

Kelly Clarkson Works Out With Crossfit

August 17, 2009 | 1 Comment

What do pop singer Kelly Clarkson and I have in common?

No, I don’t have a beautiful voice from which I can establish a huge following of fans.  And I have never met Simon Cowell. But rather Kelly and I both do an intense boot camp-type workout regimen.

Yes, Kelly Clarkson recently told Self Magazine (September 2009 issue) that she attends Crossfit, a strength training and cardio program used by police academies and military special operations. Clarkson tells Self about her workout that increases her energy:

“I love it.  It’s like boot camp.  You never work out more than 35 minutes, but it’s so intense. It makes me feel like G.I. Jane. It’s very empowering. I feel like I can whup ass!” “I do it totally for my psyche,” she told Self. “I’m much better when those endorphins are going. It’s a release. And I also love food, so there’s a payoff!”

And don’t forget about the health benefits, Kelly!

With Kelly Clarkson doing Crossfit, she just might be a great example for any skeptics out there who think that women cannot do a serious strength training workout and still retain a feminine look.

While Crossfit trains elite athletes worldwide, people who train with Crossfit range anywhere from housewives to Olympic athletes.  You set your goals. Click here to find a Crossfit affiliate in your state or workout on your own by watching Crossfit’s videos or by following their Workout of the Day (WOD).

On a side note, there is a lot of controversy about Self retouching the cover photo to enhance Kelly Clarkson’s looks.  But while Kelly’s weight has fluctuated up and down in the past, there is no doubt that she always looks fabulous!  Take a look at the above recent video of Kelly Clarkson’s performance on Oprah.

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Posted by Julie | Filed Under Blog, Celebrities, Strength Training 

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