mid terms!

okay, nerds. let's lay it out for you. i know it's summer, but that doesn't mean it's time to slack off! in fact, all of your spare time should be spent doing everything you complain about not having enough time for in the fall/winter/spring! for TheFitnessNerds, we're preparing for mid terms!

--- wait, what? we have mid terms? i never signed up for that!
--- sorry to break it to you, but we do!! & our first one is coming up quickly!

on june 9, TFN & some other cool cats will be running the color me rad 5K & we're making sure we're fully prepared so we can pass with flying colors!! lololol... okay i know. bad joke.... but anyway! fitness is something you can't "cram" for. you have to study your behind off (literally) & make sure you're not falling behind in the weeks/days leading up to your main event. whether it's a 5K, 10K, marathon, or just being fit in general, there's no last-minute cheat sheet that'll give you those final results you want. to be honest, we've never been huge fans of running, but with the weather being absolutely phenomenal, we can't think of a better way to get outside & enjoy it! that's why we're dusting off our running shoes & hitting the track, trails, sidewalks, escalators, alleyways, or any runnable surface, trying to get our legs in shape for this 3.10686 mile race.

now, what's the point of these mid terms? besides the fact that color me rad is going to be freaking AWESOME (who doesn't want to run around with friends & strangers whilst being hit with colored corn starch, thus staining your bright white shirt that you'll never wash in hopes of never losing that victorious rainbow of a souvenir?), it's also a way to make sure we're staying on track for finals.

--- hold up... i already graduated college & you're telling me we not only have mid terms...but there's a final too?!

that's right! in less than 3 very short months, TFN will be running in the mother of all tests of physical fitness...TOUGH MUDDER!!! & while 3 months seems far away, it seemed even further away 3 months ago when we registered & now we're halfway closer to the main event.

so that's it! there's no way to cram for these exams (unless you enjoy the thought of multiple pulled muscles or drowning in a pool of mud due to exhaustion...) so that's why we're strapping on our iphones, turning on our running apps & hitting the streets (as opposed to the usual corners...) to get our butts into gear for our first-ever mid term!! who's joining us?

follow our progress on instagram, twitter & this blog to see how our preparation is going.
as for you...keep studying!!
xx TFNHQ

it's a shake & share event!

hey nerds! this week we have our first of many live events coming up & we want you to join us! you may have seen our pictures of shakeology on our profiles, but how do you know what it really tastes like? well, we want to show you! if you live in the pittsburgh area (or even if you don't...we love road trips!) come to our very first shake & share event & try out all the flavors you want! we'll have a variety of different recipes for each of the 4 flavors & if you're lucky, we might even fulfill on-site requests ;) check out the details below, read more about the shakes on this website & we hope to see you there!! oh & we'll have vegan flavors too!!

keep studying!
xx TFNHQ

lauren's before && after.

well, nerds. we have what you wanted! our official Ultimate Reset before/after pics are in & we're shocked! you know you're feeling better & your jeans fit a little looser, but we thought it was because they hadn't been washed yet! the truth is, the reset worked & we look better than we have in a while! check out the first of our transformation stories with before/after pics below & see for yourself! email us at fitnessnerds@gmail.com if you have any questions about how you can try the ultimate reset!

LAUREN'S RESET TRANSFORMATION

for me, the reset was a great way to learn discipline & self-control. i was always the type of person who would eat food just because it was there. bored? eat food. up late? eat food. standing around at a party? eat the snacks! why not? just a few handfuls won't hurt! well, even though that's true, if you're really trying to lose weight or eat healthier, the hidden calories & choosing WHAT snacks you eat are the main issues to overcome. there's a difference between eating 10 chocolate pieces & 10 carrots. not only are the carrots bigger, but they're so much healthier for you. with my IBS, i find myself needing to eat more than just 3 meals a day. now that the reset got me into the habit of eating lots of fresh fruits & vegetables on a daily basis, i'm much more inclined to grab a clementine as a snack instead of the bag of chips. in addition, i survived 3 weeks without any caffeine, alcohol, soda, processed sugar & meat. things that i'd eat too much of on a daily basis were suddenly removed from my routine & i was able to do it! so now, with the addition of a consistent exercise routine, these items in moderation will still allow me to get more fit without depriving myself entirely!

a favorite outcome of the reset is that i've developed the habit of cooking food for myself & enjoying the prep time. it's now time i can devote to meditation, thinking about what i've done so far that day & what else i can do to make it the most productive day so far. i've become more patient after getting home from work, understanding that i'll be more satisfied with what i eat if i know that i prepared everything myself & knowing each ingredient i eat. another reset outcome favorite is that i'm not dependent on caffeine anymore. i still haven't had a caffeinated drink since ending the reset, but it doesn't mean i don't indulge in my favorite starbucks latte! it feels great to be able to wake up in the morning, feel refreshed & be able to function without the need of any stimulants. but if i want that little place in my heart to be warmed up, i'll grab a decaf soy sugar-free latte & enjoy it for the taste, rather than the caffeine-rush i used to use it for before.

lastly, my body feels like a well-oiled machine! if i eat too much of something, or something my body isn't really used to & probably shouldn't be exposed to, my body let's me know! i don't mean to be TMI...but it feels good to know that my body is finally understanding what i've known all this time. it enjoys fresh or steamed vegetables as opposed to french fries. it also knows how to tell when i'm full, if i'm hungry, or if i'm simply thirsty. drinking water more is definitely the #1 habit i'll take out of the 21 days. it curbs my hunger more than anything & it's helped the most with my IBS. FUN FACT: no one should ever feel thirsty at any moment during the day!! that obviously means you're not drinking enough, which may also mean you feel hungry at times when you really aren't, thus eating unnecessary calories. food is fuel! it's not a source of any type of emotion. once you realize this, you'll look at food a completely different way & you can start having more control over your health, thus living the life you always wanted :) well, that's my spiel!! thanks for reading & i hope there were some inspirational tidbits along the way! my free ultimate reset shirt will be arriving on monday so look out for those posts on instagram! i know i'm super excited to have completed my very first beachbody program & i can't wait for the next one!

keep studying!!
xx TFNHQ

day twenty-two.

so kiddies, it's day 22 & you know what that means? the ultimate reset is OVER! we did it!! we survived 21 days sans alcohol, processed sugars, meat, caffeine & all those other bad-for-your-body toxins out there! & you know what? we feel great! if you've been reading our previous posts about the reset, you've seen some of the food we've been eating & besides last night's dinner (avocado-cucumber soup...sounded promising but...not quite) all of the food was super delicious & we'll definitely be incorporating the recipes into our post-reset life. we'll even develop our own versions of some meals & post them for you all to try yourselves!

we've kept track of our progress & the final numbers are in! TheFitnessNerds have lost a total of 24 pounds & 36 inches in just 3 weeks!! that's only between two people so...those results are amazing! & even more than that, we feel more energized & rested without the need of caffeine & our tummies feel calmed & soothed, even after going through the detox! we've both lost at least one pant-size & we can't wait to see how this reset changed our lives by teaching us how to look at food differently, which is something we desperately needed.

the main thing we learned is that there's a time & a place for food. now don't get us wrong, we love splurging with cheat days just as much as the next person! & food is on our minds...a lot. but what we found is that if there was food around us, we felt the urge to eat it. not just at lunch or dinnertime, but throughout the day. if we passed by a bowl of candy, hungry or not, we'd constantly want to reach for just an m&m or two. but what we didn't realize is that if you pass that bowl 10 times throughout the day, you've eaten 20 m&m's that you haven't considered part of your food intake, so for dessert you also eat a brownie or two. cutting out those little added calories are one of the reasons for the drastic weight loss without doing any exercise more demanding that brisk walking. another great habit we gained from the reset was planning out our meals. no matter how tired we were at the end of the day, we had our menus set & we stuck with what we planned. if we weren't doing the reset, we would have been too lazy to think up a dinner & would've either ordered out, gone through a drive-thru, or eaten a bunch of random items from the kitchen that added up to a poor-nutrient meal. same with lunch! having our lunch made & brought with us, we didn't find the need to get some junk out of the vending machine that we'd hope would fill us up until we got home. having everything planned out also made us spend less time during the day thinking about food. instead, we were able to concentrate, actually concentrate, on what was happening around us or on things we've been putting off for weeks. case & point, we even had time for this blog! we've tried to make blogs in the past that have slowly withered away & died from lack of attention. but with the time it took for veggies to roast or water to boil, we were able to fit in a blurb or two on here & even a pic on instagram, which not only helped us with our accountability but hopefully helped you as well!

but i know what you're thinking. now that the reset is over, the nerds will go back to their busy lives & forget about the blogosphere & all of their numerous followers ;) but NOPE! that would be wrong! we've finally & officially completed our first team beachbody program & because of the incredible results we both see, there's no stopping us now! & now that we're allowed to eat whatever we want, there's nothing holding us back from trying out & sharing recipes for every meal of the day, including the most favorite "snack time". so, stay tuned!

sorry for the long post! just so much to talk about! but lastly, if you're interested in trying out the reset for yourself, email us at fitnessnerds@gmail.com!! we'd be happy to answer any questions regarding how to get it, where to get it, what it costs, what it smells like, what it sounds like & anything else you could ever imagine! now that we've outwitted, outlasted, & outplayed the reset, we can't wait to share our knowledge with anyone interested! also, we'll be posting more fitbits, as well as before/after pics soon!

keep studying!!
xx, TFNHQ

ps. look out for a special pic once we receive our free ultimate reset t-shirts from beachbody! we'll be super excited to show off our proof that we survived the reset ;)

& the winner is...

we have a winner for our very 1st TFN giveaway! head over to our instagram profile to see if you're the winner! & what did this follower win? well, he or she is very lucky because this very first giveaway includes not only a sample packet of beachbody's chocolate shakeology, but also a headband from lululemon! (okay...so you might guess that the winner is a "she" but...you might be wrong?)

congrats to the winner & keep coming back so you know when the next giveaway is! lots happening at TFNHQ so stay tuned (:

keep studying!
xx TFNHQ

food fact #1: the avocado attraction.

okay nerds. so let's get down to business. we have a problem at TFNHQ that we really feel like we should share with the class before we go any further with this journey. the fitness nerds are...completely obsessed with...avocados. okay. there...we said it! it feels so good to get it off of our chests! we can't get over our avocados! we LOVE avocados! in fact, if it wasn't for the fact that they're so darn expensive, we'd easily eat one with every meal! so this is why, my young pupils, we will be doing our first food fact on one of nature's most wonderful creations:

the avocado.

DESCRIPTION
- aka: alligator pear
- while some varieties have bumpy, lizard-like skin, others are covered with smooth, slender skin
- despite the outside color & shape, all avocados only ripen off the tree & their fat content increases as they ripen

BUYING & STORING
- push the skin to determine the ripeness
      - if it's hard, it'll take the avocado 2-6 days to ripen at room temperature
      - if it yields slightly to gentle pressure, it's ripe & good for slicing or dicing
      - if pushing gives way to a small dent, it's very ripe & good for mashing
      - if there's a large dent, it's overripe, probably discolored & you should introduce it to your rubbish bin
- ripe avocados can be refrigerated loose in a crisper drawer for up to 5 days

PREP
- to prevent discoloration, squeeze lemon or lime juice on the flesh of an already cut avocado
- cover a mashed avocado with plastic wrap pressed snugly on the surface to press out the air
- some people also contend that placing the pit in the mashed avocado mixture also helps prevent discoloration

USE
- eat avocados raw or use as a garnish on warm dishes
- add to salads, sandwiches & hamburgers

NUTRITIONAL INFO
- 1 cup of avocado is a good source of vitamin C, folate, vitamin B6 & potassium

TIPS
- no mayo! substitute avocado for mayo on sandwiches or burgers
- blend avocados & use in salad dressings

well, nerds! you've now been schooled on one of TFNHQ's favorite fruits (yup! it's a fruit!!). you best believe that we'll be posting plenty of recipes with your new best friend in the coming future! we even have a lead on "avocado ice cream" that we're both excited & scared about. we'll wait till we try it before posting because everything on this blog comes from our very own experience! so keep a lookout for these updates & get those recipe cards (or your new, all-the-rage pinterest accounts) ready!

keep studying!
xx TFNHQ

*DISCLAIMER: all of the information from today's food fact comes from TFN's newfound obsession: "melissa's great book of produce" by cathy thomas. it's on loan from a fellow nerd & we can't wait to read through its colorful pages!!

giveaway time!

hey nerds! we have some exciting news at TFNHQ! it's been 21 days since we officially went public & we have over 100 followers on instagram!! this makes us nerds very excited & because we're in such a great mood, we decided to have a giveaway!! now, this is only for our instagram followers, so make sure you head over to our page & either like or comment on our giveaway picture (posted below) & you'll be entered into our drawing! do you live outside the US? no worries! everyone's included :) so enter & we'll announce both the prize & the winner this weekend!

i know...some of you without instagram are sad you can't enter but we'll be having another one when we reach 100 likes on facebook! so get going on your extra credit & that'll happen sooner than you think!

lots happening at TFNHQ that we're extremely excited about. so...STAY TUNED!!

keep studying!
xx TFNHQ
@TheFitnessNerds