Happy "Thankful Thursday"! Today I am Thankful for the ability to BELIEVE that anything is possible! My philosophy in life is "If you Believe in it, you can Achieve it'! Believing in something applies to all aspects of life whether it be health, fitness, career, relationships, dreams or desires. Five years ago I believed I could start my own business, I did it. Recently, since fitness and health are a way of life for me, I believed I could start a blog to share my experiences, knowledge and passion with the ability to captivate an audience, I have. Thank you for reading!! Remember if you dream of it, believe in it and you can do it!

If you would like to share your own fitness success story for "Thankful Thursdays", please email me at jennifer@getfitsd.com. I would love to feature you! Also, please share what you are THANKFUL for today below.

That's right, It's time to Zumba with Bootique Fitness!! Loving fitness as I do, I am always game to mixing up my workouts and fitness fun! My friend Jaylin Allen, Founder of Bootique Fitness and Zumba Instructor recently invited me to join in on her Thursday night class at the Mind, Body, Soul Dance Studio. Zumba is an exhilarating, effective, easy-to-follow, Latin-inspired, calorie-burning dance fitnessthat is designed for everyone. As Jaylin says "Zumba is a great way for dancers and non dancers to come together for pure cardio that is so much fun." No experience is necessary when it comes to Zumba. At the beginning of each song the instructor will show basic moves and as the musics beats catching on is easy. The key to Zumba is to keep the legs moving for a pure cardio workout. Zumba not only helps build cardio endurance, but also works your core and arms. By the time I was done with the hour long dance party shaking my bum, I could feel the burn in my quads, hamstrings, and abs!

Bootique Fitness is an outdoor boot camp geared towards women of all ages and fitness levels with 5 locations in San Diego: Mission Bay Park, La Jolla, Balboa Park, Scripps Ranch and Downtown. I have taken their boot camp class on many occasion and absolutely LOVE it. The instructors are very personable, giving participants an beginners, intermediate and advance way to perform each workout, paying special attention to form and safety. This allows each participant to perform each exercise at an intensity level they are comfortable with. To learn more about Bootique Fitness and to view their class schedule please visit their website.

Happy "Thankful Thursday"! Today I want to share how Thankful I am to have HEALTHY ADDICTIONS like eating healthy, working out and enjoying life! Living an active and healthy life is very important to me so naturally I am addicted to anything fitness or health related. The gym is my drug of choice while fueling my body with foods high nutrients and protein is key to maintaining my very active lifestyle. Addiction is naturally view by society as a negative thing, however, if your addiction is living a healthy well balanced life through exercise and healthy eating, then I believe this is a GOOD thing. Regular physical exercise boosts the immune system, helps prevent heart and cardiovascular disease, reduces depression and stress, gives you energy, helps with self-esteem and maintaining healthy relationships. Life is full of choices so make the right choice! XO

If you would like to share your own fitness success story for "Thankful Thursdays", please email me at jennifer@getfitsd.com. I would love to feature you! Also, please share what you are THANKFUL for today below.

I must say, I absolutely LOVE when my mom comes to visit! My mom is so creative when it comes to cooking, she is always making me new dishes! Today she whipped up a delicious Lentil, Spinach and Bok Choy Stir Fry full of flavor. This dish is vegetarian or you can add protein like chicken/fish as desired. I decided to saute two chicken breast (diced) in olive and spices. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 Cup Lentils (dry, uncooked)
2 Cups Baby Spinach
3 Stems Baby Bok Choy (remove stems and slice in half)
1/2 White Onion (chopped)
2 Garlic Cloves (chopped)
1 Package Uncle Ben's Cooked Long Grain Rice & Wild Rice
1Tsp Cumin
1 Tsp Coriander
1 Tsp Cinnamon
1/4 Cup Golden Raisins
Vegetable Broth (optional, as needed)

DIRECTIONS:
1.  Fill sauce pan 1/2 full with water add Lentils, bring to a slow boil and cook for 4-5 minutes.

2.  In a 10-12 inch skillet, saute onion and garlic in 2 tsp of olive oil for 2 minutes or onion is translucent. Add Spinach and Bok Choy, cook on low/med heat for 5 minutes (stirring occasionally).

3.  Sir in cooked Lentils and Rice to mixture. Add Cumin and Coriander. At this point you may add vegetable broth if desired for flavor. Cover and cook on low/med heat for 10 minutes. Make sure there is enough moisture in pan at all times (water can be added as needed).

4.  Stir in Raisins and Cinnamon. Turn off heat and let stand for 15 minutes covered before serving.

Happy "Thankful Thursday"! For today's Thankful Thursday I would like to express how Thankful I am to have PASSION for fitness, health, my business and my relationships (friends, family, colleagues). Without passion we lack determination and strive. Passion is what fuels us to succeed and is also what keeps us going. Having passion helps in our overall health and happiness in life. If you love what you do and why you do it, there is no better feeling in the world. I wake up every morning excited to enjoy my first cup of coffee before I get my fitness routine in, followed by happiness and fulfillment in my passion for my career choice. Plus, how can I forget my PASSION in writing this blog for you all! XO

If you would like to share your own fitness success story for "Thankful Thursdays", please email me at jennifer@getfitsd.com. I would love to feature you! Also, please share what you are THANKFUL for today below.

I woke up this morning sore from the intense leg workout I put myself through yesterday, so I decided to skip my usual am workout. Instead I decided to get creative for breakfast. I found this recipe on a fellow fitness trainers Facebook Fanpage and thought I must give it a try! This Egg Whites Pancake stuffed with Cottage Cheese is easy to make, full of protein, and quick so you can get your day started right! I decided to add half of a grapefruit to as well. Grapefruits are low on the glycemic index, low in calories, good source of dietary fiber, rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, beta-carotene, and lycopene.

INGREDIENTS:

4-5 Egg Whites (1/2 Cup)
1/4 Cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
2 Tbsp Wheat Germ
1/2 Cup Cottage Cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Combine egg whites, almond milk, and wheat germ in a bowl, whisk together. Pour mixture into small pan (Use Pam Spray if needed). Cook on medium heat for 4-6 minutes (like a pancake) then flip over and cook for another 2 minutes or until done. Fill with cottage cheese seasoned with a pinch of pepper. Enjoy!

NUTRITIONAL FACTS:
198 Calories
2 grams of Healthy Fats
13 grams of Carbs
32 grams of Protein

For today's "Thankful Thursday", I want to express how Thankful I am to have FOCUS and MOTIVATION! In life we are presented with opportunities and forced to make decisions on a daily basis. At times we cannot control the things that are happening around us, as I always say "Life Happens". It is up to us to stay focused on what motivates us. Having focus will help you reach your fitness, health, personal, and career goals. Remember if you believe it, you can and will achieve it! XO

If you would like to share your own fitness success story for "Thankful Thursdays", please email me at jennifer@getfitsd.com. I would love to feature you! Also, please share what you are THANKFUL for today below.

Get Fit, Get Featured Business in the Spotlight is AIRE Urban Fitness, located in downtown San Diego. AIRE brings a new twist to personalized fitness with their contemporary design, sectioned floor layout, sleek yet bright decor, state of the art equipment and more. AIRE is a gym that offers a complete fitness experience to help reach your goals. AIRE features a 1,650 square foot group exercise room, 1,500 square foot strength and cardio center, Pilates Reformer and Cadillac studios, state of the art CompuTrainers and full-service locker rooms with showers. AIRE offers a wide range a fitness services from Group Classes, Personal Training, Pilates, Yoga, TRX, Spin and much more. AIRE Owner and Personal Trainer, Jen VanderSanden, has assembled a team of professional trainers who bring both an educated and experienced level of knowledge for fitness, health, exercise and physiology. Each team member is dedicated to helping clients achieve their overall fitness and health goals. San Diego Residents get a Week FREE when you sign-up with AIRE. Enjoy the video above of AIRE Personal Trainer Keli Garrett taking me through a 5 minute TRX Blast!

For today's "Thankful Thursdays", I would like to express how incredibly Thankful I am to live in such an amazing city like San Diego! With the near perfect weather, San Diego provides us with a Fitness Wonderland full of outdoor activities for the enthusiasts and hobbyist. This morning I was able to meet a fellow gym owner and personal trainer for a "Walking Meeting" on the boardwalk. Perfect way to mix business and fitness! So go outside and enjoy this beautiful city we call home!

If you would like to share your own fitness success story for "Thankful Thursdays", please email me at jennifer@getfitsd.com. I would love to feature you! Also, please share what you are THANKFUL for today below