Happy Valentine’s Day, friends!

This morning I started my day off right, with a little love for myself and for the 20+ people who showed up for 6am class this morning!

I know the picture has dark lighting, but I like to keep the lights dimmed a bit in my Thursday class.  We’re still waking up after all!  Check out the Valentine’s Day themed playlist I used in class this morning (and on Tuesday):

Super fun, right?  It alternates between love songs and anti-love songs for Vday haters.  We needed a fun playlist to get through that upper body pyramid work, courtesy of Best Body Bootcamp!

50 Health & Fitness Loves

In honor of Valentine’s Day and all things LOVE, I thought it would be fun to post about my personal favorite health and fitness “loves.”  I tried posing this question on Facebook and Twitter to see what you guys would say.  I only got a few responses on this one, but those that did answer – you are all spot on!  Am I that easy to read?  Anyways, here you go!  In no particular order, 50 of my health and fitness loves:

1.  Planks.
All kinds!  I love finding new ways to do this exercise.  PLANKKKKK.  (Jen, remember when I said it like that?!)

2.  Nut Butter
Peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, you name it.  Yum.

3.  Gym Friends
You guys ROCK.  There’s just nothing else to say.

4.  Butternut Squash
Delicious and nutritious.

5.  Burpees
Well, this is probably more like a love that I love to hate, but that’s okay.

6.  Group Exercise
Teaching group exercise, running group exercise, trying new group exercise classes – I love it all.

7.  Chobani
My favorite yogurt everrrrrrr.

8.  lululemon
If only I could afford anything in there!

9.  Quinoa
Gotta love a protein punch that’s perfect for leftovers.

10.  Tabata
Four minutes of WORK and SWEAT.  Love.  I also love Ryan Gosling.  He’s healthy.

11.  Mania
As Lauren says, it’s the happiest place on earth.

12.  Circuit workouts
So many options, keeps things interesting, effective.  What more could you want in a workout?

13.  Pumpkin
The healthy living blog world’s fall obsession.  Might be mine all year round.

14.  “Healthifying” Recipes
I love taking classic or comfort meals and trying to add a healthier twist to them.  Check out my Recipes page (recently updated) for more!

15.  Two A Day Tuesday
My favorite weeknight with my gym friends!

16.  Healthy Living Blogs
Slight obsession?

17.  H.I.I.T.
Right up there with circuits!

18.  Cottage Cheese
Some people say ew, I say yum.  It’s my “go to” weekday breakfast!

19.  Squats
My favorite lower body exercise.

20.  Best Body Bootcamp
Because it’s nice to not plan my own workouts, it’s nice to get new fitness ideas, and it’s nice to have someone else kick my butt for once!

21.  Workout headbands
Can’t get a good workout without one.

22.  Oatmeal
Love a good and warm comfort breakfast.

23.  Themed workout playlists
Call me a loser, but I get extra excited to teach when there’s a themed playlist involved.

24.  Seeing results and feeling stronger
There is NOTHING more motivating than that.

25.  Dynamax
Probably my newest love, and Monique’s too!  Looking to get certified soon.

26.  Motivational quotes
Cheesy, but I like a good dose of inspiration.

27.  Clif and Luna bars
My go to pre-workout snack for days I exercise for 2+ hours.

28.  Kickboxing
So fun, so sweaty!

29.  Relaxation time
Because part of being healthy is knowing when to slow down and sneak in some me time, relaxation, and sleep.

30.  Sweet potatoes
Right up there with butternut squash and pumpkin.  I’m a sucker for fall flavors.

31.  Big salads
I love ordering a ginormous salad when the cravings hit.

32.  V-Sits
One of my favorite core exercises!

33.  Protein pancakes
Another breakfast favorite.

34.  The Biggest Loser
Can’t stop crying at this season!  It’s so inspiring.

35.  The feeling after an awesome workout
There really just isn’t anything better.  How many things have I said that about?

36.  Motivating others
The reason I am a personal trainer, group fitness instructor, promote work site wellness and staff development full-time, and write in this blog everyday.  So rewarding.

37.  Bananas
I go through so many a week.  And also love baking with them!

38.  Almond milk
A tasty substitute for regular milk.

39.  The Oak Square Y
My second home.

40.  Stretching
Feels so good!

41.  Bootcamp
Love teaching it, love taking it, love reading about it, love coming up with different bootcamp games.

42.  Foam Rolling
Kinda like stretching — hurts so good!

43.  Worksite Wellness
Because why not encourage healthy living ALL day long, not just before and after work?  Everyone should get to work in an environment that encourages a healthy lifestyle!

44.  Bodyweight Exercises
Because they are the counter-argument to the too often used excuse of not having time or money to get to the gym.

45.  Yoga
Because it’s so humbling for me, opens up my hips, and helps me relax.

46.  Gliding discs
Have you ever used these things?  If not, I suggest you try.

47.  Fairs & festivals
Any kind of wellness related event?  Sign me up!

48.  Smoothies
Awesome summer drink/meal.

49.  Stability balls
Not only for core exercises, but as chairs too!

50.  Splurging
…on chocolate, wine, beer, chips and salsa, cupcakes, coffee, and FETA (in moderation of course) because I make #’s 1-49 a priority in my life.

What are your health and fitness loves?  I would love to hear them!

In honor of Valentine’s Day last year, I wrote a whole post on making sure to love yourself too.  If you missed it, check it out – we could all use that little reminder every now and then!  I’m off to enjoy dinner by Tim and dessert by me tonight.  Hope whatever you are doing tonight, no matter who it’s with, is filled with love and happiness.  See ya tomorrow!