New Year’s Resolution for the pups

New Year’s Resolution for the pups

  January 25, 2019    Pratik Bandagale

---

This post is sponsored by our friends at Pet Plate. If you want to treat your pup to this delicious, fresh-cooked healthy food, use this link to get 50% off your doggo’s first box.

I’ve definitely been in resolutions mode since the start of the year, maybe even more so than previous years. It’s not like I want to make these huge sweeping changes, but, I feel more goal and action-oriented than I have in a while. It felt really good to sit down with my planner and write everything down that I want to accomplish this year. While I was scheming and scribbling away, Bella started pawing at my legs – wishing for a bite of my chicken salad.

It was that moment I realized I make huge goals for myself and our family, but sometimes neglect the poor pups. I feel like now that the girls are older and things are a bit easier, we can shift our focus to the dogs some more. I want to be a better mom for our human kiddos and our fur babies.

While the dogs have everything they really need: lots of cuddles, food, clean water, and a warm cozy couch or fresh laundry to sleep on, there are three areas I wanted to make some changes for them this year:

1) Give them walks more regularly. (We go through streaks of time where we do amazing with walks, and then other weeks…not so much.)

2) Book their dental appointments. It’s been two years since their last visit and while it can be ridiculously expensive, it’s so invaluable for their health.

3) Switch up their food for a fresher, healthier option for the golden years. This is where Pet Plate comes in!

When Pet Plate offered to send Bella and Caroline some of their fresh dog food, I was excited to check out the website.

Here’s a little bit about Pet Plate:

– The meals are designed by a veterinary nutritionist and contain all the nutrients your pups need

– The meals are pre-cooked and pre-portioned in a recyclable, resealable container

– It is supposed to be incredibly tasty, as they use USDA-certified meat, fresh fruits and veggies, and a proprietary supplement blend

I requested the Chompin’ Chicken and the Tail Waggin’ Turkey flavors, and couldn’t wait to see what Bella and Caro thought when the package arrived.

How cute is the packaging?!

I let a couple of containers defrost in the fridge, and when they were ready to serve, I scooped out some portions into their bowls.They ate like they’ve never had food before.

They LOVED it.

I was kind of nervous because when I introduce new dog food to the pups, I’ll usually mix it into their regular food so they don’t have tummy trouble. Pet Plate does recommend transitioning your pups over to their formula slowly, but we were out of our old dog food, so I decided to go for it and crossed my fingers. Their stomachs did not get upset AT ALL, which I can’t say about other brands we’ve tried.

While I was super happy that the dogs loved their new food, I have to say that one of the biggest selling points for me is that it’s healthy, balanced food that’s ready to serve. Our previous dog food had to be mixed with warm water and then sit for 3 minutes to rehydrate. The ingredients were good, but it always felt like a pain to make. I’d make it in large batches and always dread when we would run out.

Also, the dogs didn’t eat their old food nearly as well as they’ve been enjoying Pet Plate. When Bella gets hungry, she’ll adorably scoot her bowl over to me and whine. As I scoop the Pet Plate into their bowls, they literally jump at my feet, waiting for their food. Their old food would often sit in the bowl until they felt like eating it.

I’m so excited to share a special discount link with you if you’re looking to up your pup’s food game in the New Year. Click here to get 50% off your first shipment! We received our first box for free, but are paying customers now that the dogs love it so much.

Please let me know if you give it a try!

Any special New Year’s resolutions that you’re setting for your pets this year?

xo

Gina

Sponsored by Pet Plate

Photography by Jacquelynn

The post New Year’s Resolution for the pups appeared first on The Fitnessista.

from The Fitnessista http://bit.ly/2sNaKXq

Read More

Hanger Bombs – Perfect Snack Recipe

Hanger Bombs – Perfect Snack Recipe

  January 24, 2019    Pratik Bandagale

---

Get a snack and be happy again

The post Hanger Bombs – Perfect Snack Recipe appeared first on Love Sweat Fitness.

from Love Sweat Fitness http://bit.ly/2Ucpg6D

Read More

027: Cultivating healthy relationships with Silvy Khoucasian

027: Cultivating healthy relationships with Silvy Khoucasian

  January 23, 2019    Pratik Bandagale

---

Our personal relationships with friends, family, and our partner can dramatically impact how our mental health. I’m so excited to be chatting with Silvy Khoucasian today all about healthy relationships: what they mean, and how to build stronger, lasting connections.

Some of the things we discuss in today’s episode:

– The #1 reason why relationships fail

– The 5 love languages and how they can change over time

– Beating the 7-year itch and how to keep things exciting

– Tips for dealing with anxiety

– How huge life events can impact our relationships

and so.much.more

Please check out this one! It’s a good one, and listening to Silvy’s beautiful calming voice is worth it alone. She shares so much incredible information in this episode and I really hope you love it.

Here’s a little bit about Silvy:

Silvy Khoucasian has a Master’s Degree in Psychology (Marriage and Family Therapy) and has has dedicated herself to helping individuals and couples heal from trauma, create healthy emotional boundaries and establish real and lasting connection within their relationships.
Silvy has always been fascinated by culture and has extensively studied the way human beings behave in group settings. Growing up in the USA as a young immigrant from Armenia, Silvy has personally experienced how much culture plays a huge part in the roles we take on both in society as well as in our own family system.

Silvy also has a long history in the theatrical arts, where she has witnessed immense healing through the art of performance and role play. She uses drama therapy to help clients discover parts of themselves; parts that are difficult to access or that may have been suppressed for various reasons.

Find her on her site, on Instagram (she shares valuable info and great content in her stories) and on Facebook.

Thank you so much for listening and for all of your support with the podcast! Please leave a rating or review if you enjoyed this episode. If you leave a rating, head to this page and you’ll get a little “thank you” gift from me to you.

You can listen and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play.

The post 027: Cultivating healthy relationships with Silvy Khoucasian appeared first on The Fitnessista.

from The Fitnessista http://bit.ly/2Ue7jER

Read More

How to Reduce Cellulite

How to Reduce Cellulite

  January 22, 2019    Pratik Bandagale

---

My top three tips that WORK

The post How to Reduce Cellulite appeared first on Love Sweat Fitness.

from Love Sweat Fitness http://bit.ly/2CBd20h

Read More

Fitness trends and predictions for 2019

Fitness trends and predictions for 2019

  January 22, 2019    Pratik Bandagale

---

Hi friends! How are ya today? Hope you’re having a lovely morning! I’m catching a short Peloton class and we’re heading out on our trip. I’ll be sure to share lots of adventures on IG if you’d like to follow along the fun.

In January, I always think about fitness trends and my personal predictions for the new year. It’s a prevalent time for creating new goals and changing up class routines, so I always wonder what will be hot that year and what will be… not so hot.

Here’s what I think we’ll see more of in the fitness industry in 2019:

– Focus on restorative and mobility classes. I see more and more studios offering stretching classes, foam rolling classes, and mobility workshops. I feel like the old fitness mentality was “no pain, no gain,” but now participants are learning that the key to longevity and avoiding injury is to include a balance of rest and work. When our muscles can move through their full range of motion, we’re less likely to experience movement compensations, muscle imbalances, and injury.

– Meditation. It makes me excited to see meditation become so trendy over the past couple of years. Apps like Headspace make this practice more accessible and your favorite yoga studio may be offering a meditation workshop or class in the coming weeks/months. I definitely suggest checking it out; even 5 minutes can make a huge difference. (And this study indicates that meditation can positively affect the composition of our brain! Bananas.)

– Express classes. Over the years, sports medicine has evolved and we’re learning that workouts don’t have to be super long to be effective. I think the trend is moving more towards 30-45 minute classes, which to me, is the ideal length for a workout.

– More cardio-focused classes on the treadmill or rowing machine. These have become more popular in the bigger cities, so I’m looking forward to when it makes its way down to Phoenix/Tucson.

– Bootcamp workouts focused on a variety of equipment, like TRX, medicine balls, slam balls, plyo boxes, rowers, Skillmills, etc. These classes are perfect for those who get bored doing the same thing at the gym or taking the same classes. The workout is always different and many studios offer a solid muscle training split so you can plan your life. (So, if you know Monday is legs day and you want to take a barre class on Tuesday, you’d probably skip Monday’s workout and do the arm-focused class on Thursday.)

– At-home and streaming equipment and class options. Studios are starting to realize that for many people, it’s very hard to make it to the gym or to a class. Commuting, childcare and job schedules are significant factors, so when you can get in the same studio workout at home, it’s wins all around. There are a ton of streaming options out there (my faves are Peloton, Physique57, barre3, and Les Mills on demand) and new home equipment is popping out. How sweet is this mirror?!

– Cold workouts??? I’m not sure if this is here to stay, but the thought of this BRRRN class in NYC makes me want to put on a parka and hide.

– Boxing. I think boxing workouts will have the biggest growth in 2019. It’s an opportunity to learn a new skill, sculpt chiseled arms, burn calories, and get out some aggression. High fives for that.

Still growing or remains the same:

– Orangetheory and similar bootcamp workouts. I think these workouts are here to stay, especially since they’re always evolving and adapting (like when OTF finally changed their heart rate zone formula) and adding new workouts. I feel like the community aspect of these workouts is a huge reason why they’re so popular, too. I’m SO thankful for all of the amazing ladies I’ve met at the Telos gym here in Tucson!

– Cycling studios. I feel like cycling will never die and that makes my heart happy. While Peloton is extremely popular and more and more people are purchasing their own bikes, the fact that it’s an expensive purchase is what keeps cycling studios full.

– Yoga and Pilates. I feel like this is another workout (which is more of a lifestyle) that will last forever. I mean, yoga’s been around since like 3000 BC, so I think it wins for staying power. I love that yoga and Pilates classes can evolve and change with what’s popular at the time. Hot yoga, room temperature yoga, restorative classes, power classes, etc. I also think it’s very smart that Pilates studios often offer hybrid classes (like 30 minutes on the spin bike, 30 min of Pilates) so you can get cardio + Pilates in one class.

Saw its peak already:

– Barre. I don’t think barre is on the way out, but I think we saw it’s most popular era unless something majorly changes. I still love barre and will continue to teach it and take classes, I just don’t see a huge upswing in barre enthusiasts this year. The die-hards will always be there with their Toe Soxx on, ready to go.

– CrossFit. I think the same thing goes for CrossFit. The people that love it and are devoted to it will still be there, but I don’t see it trending towards people jumping up and down to join a CrossFit box.

So, tell me friends: what is your fitness trend for 2019? Are you doing something you’ve always done and loved, or trying something new? Have any new classes or studios popped up where you live?
xo

The post Fitness trends and predictions for 2019 appeared first on The Fitnessista.

from The Fitnessista http://bit.ly/2S4r0kY

Read More