February has really been amazing! First the start of #YU30, a plant-based healthy eating lifestyle challenge. Next, my parents came into town for a visit. Then SF Giants fan fest! This last weekend was just the best of it all. 

My parents came down for a vacation from Oregon to get away from the store (they own a running shop) and enjoy some California sunshine. On Friday after my super tough workout at TRX I headed down to Half Moon Bay to meet up with them and enjoy an afternoon at the beach. Of course Churro came with me, he’s the biggest beach dog I know! It was such a beautiful day down there, very nice people and great little restaurants. And yes, I kept up with the #YU30 challenge! I wasn’t tempted by the sourdough clam chowder bowl on the menu.

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On Friday I was invited by Pete Holman the inventor/creator of the Rip Trainer by TRX to come in for a workout. It is now Monday and my quads are still sore! The Rip Trainer is a piece of equipment that works every bit of your body with 3-D movements. The workout included cardio, strength and balance. Three important things everybody needs to live an active lifestyle. 

Our workout started with basic skills and technique on the rip trainer.  We used squats predominately, lunges, skipping movements and pivots.  If you have never played baseball, lacrosse, or football let me tell you it can be a little awkward! However, that’s coming from an ex-swimmer aka water child. I started to get some of the technique right and figure how to really pop the rip trainer to make explosive movements. Well, I at least thought I did! 

As the workout progressed Pete made it more challenging with even more explosive movements, quick turns and some static exercises. For some reason the planking movement just set me off with a little dizzy spell and made my skin a little clammy. It could have been the random breakfast I had that morning or this workout was the hardest workout I’ve had in a long time (Yeah, I’m still sore). This was the first time in a long while I had to sit down and eat some PocketFuel Naturals just to get my blood sugar back up during a workout. I may have ended up on the floor otherwise. I was saved by  PocketFuel and able to bounce back up within 5 minutes and continue on with the workout! But man did I feel like a floozy and super wimpy. 

We ended the workout with what Pete calls “sexy” moves because they require a little more strength and technique. We did ‘pitchforks’, ‘samurai swords’, and ‘paddle strokes’. It was super fun and I really can’t wait to get a Rip Trainer for my backyard! Best workout I’ve had since collegiate swimming. I WANT MORE! I just can’t get over how amazing it was and that it made me that sore. (Please don’t let the soreness scare you off!)

I highly recommend checking out the Rip Trainer if you are looking for some change in your fitness world or are even looking to get started living an active lifestyle. It’s great cardio, awesome strength and conditioning, and balance. You can make it as easy or hard as you like. It works for beginners on up to elite athlete’s. Check out this video so you can see some of the exercises we were doing. 

Thanks again to Pete Holman and TRX for an eye opening workout! I’m beyond hooked on the Rip Trainer and hope to come back for a certification soon! And of course I must give a big thank you to PocketFuel for providing a product that got me back up and moving again! 

This photo was taken at the US Open in Long Island, NY in 2001 just shortly after 9/11. I was 15 here and a swim meet I will never forget! Here I am with my teammates Christina, Liya and Danielle. I’m in a full-body Speedo fast skin. 

On Tuesday my parents and I headed over to TRX headquarters in San Francisco, CA.  My parents sell TRX products in their running store located in Hood River, OR. They were invited down to come check out the office and to take photos. So of course I had to tag along! 

TRX has won several awards as one of the best places to work and my-oh-my is it an awesome office! They have a workout room for their employees to workout with a noon instructor led workout. They use bosu balls as work chairs and have great places to hang out. Including a roof-top location to workout, BBQ and enjoy some sunshine (when it’s not foggy of course). 

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Drink lemon water.

Ok, I cheated on my #YU30 challenge. Ugh…. My parents are in town and we have been eating out way more than I had planned during my #YU30 challenge. This isn’t to blame them for anything, I love my parents and couldn’t be more excited that they are in town! We have just been out and about doing stuff and all restaurants are not particularly organic, vegetarian or vegan for that matter. 

I’ve had some cheese, I had a bowl of clam chowder and I had bread. I was plant strong for 7 days (I started the challenge early) and to be honest, it was a lesson well learned in consuming those foods. My energy levels dropped, I was grumpy and overall my body is just not happy with me. It’s amazing the differences I felt once consuming those foods. Plant powered diets really fuel and energize our bodies in ways that are sometimes un-explainable. 

Plant powered is back on today. The parents left for a one night stay in Half Moon Bay which will allow me to re-collect myself and organize my foods again. I’m frustrated with myself for letting it happen but kind of glad in that I can now see and feel the differences when I’m not on a plant powered diet. I am SO READY to eat plant based foods again.

I hope all my fellow #YU30 challengers are doing well and conquering this plant-based diet!

Cheers!