The biggest blogging convention event of the year, Blogher 2010, is fast approaching (August 6 and 7th) and we’re so, SO excited that I’m going.  Well, I’d be even more excited if Sian was coming, but as she’ll be with her family, she’ll be living vicariously through me this time. Drat!

But anyway, New York, New York! What can I say but that it is one of the BEST cities in the world and definitely in my top three faves to visit.  So I’m excited to be returning and looking forward to meeting up and mingling with a gazillion other bloggers and – of course – going for a run in Central Park.  (Especially if I run into any hottie movie stars!)

But there’s always a sacrifice and my oh my…it is the price of travel.  Double drat.

So to help defray the costs of my flight and hotel room, we’re seeking a sponsor to help out. (fingers crossed!)

If you are interested in enthusiastic thank you’s, loads of advertising exposure on our website and in our newsletter in exchange for sponsoring the trip, please contact melanie(at)girlgetstrong.com.

And since this isn’t a regular, fitness related blog post, I’ll leave you with some fun words for the weekend….hopefully they motivate more than just your funny bone!

Weekly Fitness Plan

• Day One – Beat Around the Bush
• Day Two – Buckle Your Shoes
• Day Three – Drag Your Heels
• Day Four – Jump on the Band Wagon
• Day Five – Shop Til You Drop
• Day Six – Pave The Road to Hell
• Day Seven – Toot Your Own Horn

On Alternate Weeks, you may employ this program:

• Day One – Jump To Conclusions
• Day Two – Push Your Luck
• Day Three – Run in Circles
• Day Four – Grind to a Halt
• Day Five – Throw Fuel on the Fire
• Day Six – Put Your Foot in Your Mouth
• Day Seven – Lift Your Spirits

SN Sports club/ website

What does it take to get the GGS girls out to a grand opening of a fitness club?

Free food? Champagne? Hot sports stars?

The newest Steve Nash Sports Club offered all that and more at their VIP reception yesterday during their official Grand Opening of the new Morgan Crossing location, but that’s not what brought us girls out.  Nope, it was the fact that the fitness centre is a true shrine to all that is fit and healthy (That’s our story and we’re sticking with it.)

Yes, I’m a convert…and now a paying member, too.

Sparkly new equipment gleams among the vast and still fresh-smelling facility (thank goodness, ’cause who wants to drink champagne and OJ in a stinky room?).

/SNSC website

The last time I was in that room I saw my life flash before my eyes as I hyperventilated and my lungs threatened to explode (yup, it was their “Maxed Out” Class and I’d wandered into it thinking it was a credit card support group…boy was I wrong).

No strangers to fitness, Vancouver Canucks’ Hockey stars Mason Raymond and Darcy Hordichuk got in another type of workout – with their pens poised and grins flashing, they obliged the throngs of young and not-so-young fans that asked for autographs and photos. It was all Sian and I could do to restrain ourselves from body-checking the children hockey-style in our eagerness to get photos with the NHL stars.  Instead, while we waited we stuffed our faces with the lovely catered nibblies supplied – tons of fresh fruit and a smattering of cheese and crackers. YUM!

Loads of fresh fruit...and enough cheese and crackers to ensure you'll come back to SN to work out.

…and soon it was our turn for a photo op… Double YUM!

Vancouver Canucks hockey stars Darcy Hordichuck, left, and Mason Raymond, with Melanie and Sian.

Steve Nash Sports Club is a full service fitness facility offering tons of machines, free weights and classes, massage therapy, childminding, personal training and much, much more. If you’re lucky enough to live by one, go check it out.

See you there!

Everyone enjoyed the munchies at the grand opening!

Elle.com contacted us to post this fantastic article about the celebrities Pre-Award Weight Loss plans, which the GGS crew thought our readers would enjoy.

Oscars 2010: Oz Garcia, nutritionist to the stars, reveals Hollywood’s slimming secrets By Emily Hebert 

 Hollywood’s leading ladies never fail to dazzle the night of the Academy Awards—but don’t be fooled: Their svelte silhouettes are the result of highly regimented exercise and eating habits. “Everybody thinks there’s a shortcut but there isn’t,” says Oz Garcia, PhD, the nutrition specialist behind Heidi Klum’s post-baby body and Hilary Swank’s famously lean muscle in Million Dollar Baby. “You should alwayshave a healthy lifestyle, but there are temporary fixes that will help.” Here, Garcia reveals the pre-Oscar guidelines he sets forth for clients like Swank and Klum.

ONE MONTH BEFORE
Detox Responsibly Though Garcia doesn’t recommend doing the Master Cleanse—the decades-old detox that’s based on a pepper, water, and lemonade concoction—he does suggest doing more nutrient-rich alternatives and intermittent fasting prior to a red carpet event. “I think a two- or three-day juice fast through a program like Blueprint Cleanse or Organic Avenue is a safe and healthy way to detox,” says Garcia, adding that, “There’s a lot of information that indicates intermittent fasting and cleansing is also great for preventing heart disease and diabetes.”

 Garcia himself fasts once a week, eating only nutrient-dense, low calorie fruits and veggies—a practice that makes the body more sensitive to insulin and, as a result, can normalize blood sugar levels and raise the rate of metabolism. If you lack the discipline of Garcia, however, a day of fasting could cause you to overeat the next day (or make a beeline for your favorite fast-food chain).

Given the inability to determine a celebrity’s reaction to a cleanse Garcia says he always recommends doing one at least a few weeks prior to a red carpet event: “Are you going to feel better or are you going to have withdrawal? You just don’t know what can happen when on a cleanse.”

Read more for the days coming into the main event and to find out what the celebrities are exactly eating….

Girl Get Strong’s Holiday Gift Guide

Giving the Gifts of Health and Fitness

Fit Family Edition

It can be a challenge keeping ourselves fit, let alone thinking about the rest of the family. But who needs family fitness when you can play together?

Here are a few gift ideas – both low tech and high tech  – that will keep your family moving…and best of all, having FUN!

The patent-pending Whiplash™

What kid would not love this?

It’s a self-propelling, revolutionary new ride is part scooter, part Wave® (caster board) and totally fun.

Centered around the award-winning design of The Wave’s® unique caster design and  Torsion technology, Whiplash’s™ flexing deck and handlebar fuse together to provide riders with a cool, side to side, whip-like ride. This product is great for girls and boys because it provides core strength training, balance and constant movement

Swinxs

Swinxs, the hottest innovation in family-friendly games consoles has hit U.S. shores.

The portable screen-free entertainment console engages kids in physical, creative and educational play (including musical chairs, tag and relay) by using its voice in combination with sounds and colors.

Designed for ages four and above, Swinxs talks and explains games, recognizes players and even referees.  Each player wears their own colorful wristband that communicates with Swinxs allowing it to recognize, interact and monitor players.

Swinxs is available nationwide on Amazon.com, priced at $150.  For more information, please visit: www.swinxs.com

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Grandpa’s Stilts

Have fun and develop balance and coordination with Grandpa’s patented adjustable stilts.

Grandpa’s Stilts are made of quality straight grained hardwood and will last for years. Battery free, made with real, natural wood, right here in the USA, real adventure, real fun!

These rubber-tipped stilts have easy to grip handles for all ages six and up, and come in heights from 9to 24 inches to challenge everyone’s sense of daring!

Kids and teens will have a blast, and the adults will too!

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BSkinz

www.bskinz.com has a line of  spandex/compression shorts and leggings aimed at young girls, teens, and adult female fitness lovers.

The nylon/spandex blend stays put during your fitness routine or game (like volleyball, soccer), not riding up or falling off.  They keep you nice and warm during winter workouts and yet let air in and out.

They are also a great alternative to the boring plain black spandex worn during workouts, with patterns from tie-dye to animal print, to preppy polka dots and solids, there is a pair of BSkinz for every woman, no matter what their style.

BSkinz are available as shorts starting at only $20, capris style for only $24, and ankle-length for $28, so it is a very budget conscious and versatile gift.

Most importantly, BSkinz are fun and the funky patterns can help motivate young girls and women to stay active, healthy, and fit.

Need more ideas? Check out our other gift ideas here.

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It’s that time of year again….

….shopping time!

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This year why not show your loved ones how much you really care and give them the gifts of fitness and health?

We’ve put together a series of fab finds with the coolest books, dvds, gear, gadgets, clothing, equipement, footwear and…well, you get the drift!

As we publish each post, we will add the link here so you can find them all in one easy place.

And don’t forget, when you’re done your gift buying, make sure you treat yourself to a little something special too.  You deserve it!

• Last Minute Stocking Stuffers
• Workout wear that will WOW you
• Books to help you bust a move
• DVDs that’ll get you going
• Flab-ulous Fitness Footwear