Hi friends! How’s the week going? I hope you’re having a lovely morning. I’m so excited for today’s podcast episode because it’s with someone I genuinely admire as a fitness professional and instructor: Lauren George! She is a powerhouse instructor and posts the best new barre and strength combos on IG. I always check out her page when I need inspiration for classes!

Here’s what we’re talking about today:

Tips for fellow fitness instructors and how to launch your own program

Home workouts – what equipment do you need?

Tips for getting the most out of home workouts (and not getting distracted by chores and social media)

Her tips for being Healthy in Real Life

and so much more!

134: Getting more out of home workouts with Lauren George

Here’s a bit more about Lauren and her background:

With more than 16 years in the fitness industry, Lauren George has created multiple fitness formats and educational workshops, run group fitness programs at large health clubs and university campus recreation centers, and trained thousands of new instructors. She is the creator of Pumped Up Strength, The Musicality Method, co-creator of Barre Above, a program specialist for Balletone, Balanced Body certified Pilates instructor, consults on numerous fitness projects for other companies, and is adjunct faculty for Non-Profit Leadership at Clemson University. Additionally, Lauren has launched multiple businesses including Clemson Fitness Company, a boutique fitness studio in Clemson, SC, the Fit Biz Club, PulsePointe barre, and the LG Fitness Virtual Studio and app.

Connect with Lauren on Instagram and through her website. Try a Pumped Up Strength workout here!

More resources from this episode:

I’m still obsessed with my sauna blanket – use the code FITNESSISTA15. This is one of my favorite ways to relax and sweat it out. I find that it energizes me, helps with aches and pains, I sleep better on the days I use this, and it makes my skin glow. Link to check it out here. You can also use my discount for the PEMF Go Mat, which I use every day, and the red light f

Sharing some tips on how to maintain your fitness and activity levels even with a broken toe. 

Hi friends! How are ya and how was the weekend? It was a great one over here. The Pilot was originally supposed to leave for a weeklong trip on Mother’s Day, and as he was driving to the airport, his flight was canceled! He ended up getting to stay home, which was a gift in itself.

We had a lovely brunch at Hacienda del Sol with madre and nana, dropped off plants for my nana and stepmom, and then had an amazing family dinner + swimming at madre’s. I hope that my friends who were celebrating enjoying a beautiful Mother’s Day! Mother’s Day can also be a difficult day for many, for various reasons, so if it wasn’t your favorite day, I’m sending you a big hug and holding you in my heart.

How to work out with a broken toe

For today’s post, I wanted to talk about something I’ve experienced too many times: working out with a broken toe. I’ve broken the pinky toe on my right foot countless times – the Pilot said at this point, they should just amputate it – and for the first time ever, I broke my left pinky toe. It was exactly two and a half weeks ago, and I was running around the house getting things ready to film Fit Team videos. I raced into the living room and WHACK. I hit my foot in between the wooden chair leg and immediately fell to the floor, moaning in agony.

Usually when I stub a toe, it’s a few swear words and I move on with my life, but this one. Wow. I knew I really hurt it. I lied on the floor writhing in pain for at least five minutes. Then, I used pure adrenaline to film the 6 Fit Team workout tutorials (whew!), it throbbed all night, and the next morning, my foot was completely bruised and swollen. I got it good.

Because my foot was alarmingly purple, swollen, and hurting so badly, I actually went to urgent care to see if I truly damaged something. (Usually I know a toe is broken, buddy tape it, and let it heal.) They wanted to do an X-ray and sure enough: oblique fracture. The treatment doesn’t change and they just buddy tape it, so that’s my destiny for at least 2 more weeks.

The good news is that the doctor said I could work out as long as it feels ok. I can’t flex hard at my toes (no lunges, and definitely no high impact) but I was surprised to see that I can still do a LOT even with a broken toe.

In today’s post, I’m going to share some ideas and some of the things I’ve been doing! A broken toe doesn’t have to sideline your fitness goals. With a little creativity and some modifications, you can stay active and keep that body moving.

Talk to your doctor and make sure you’re ok to work out

First things first, safety always comes first. Make sure to consult with your healthcare provide

Spring Slim Down 2023 Winners!

350 pounds in JUST 6 WEEKS! Spring Slim Down 2023 is in the books and, phew, this one was insane! Our team was in constant awe of the progress, both physically and mentally we were seeing throughout the challenge. We wanted to bring back the intensity with this challenge- in our workouts, our nutrition, our prizes, and most importantly, our grand prize (a free trip to Miami, FL just to jog your memory *winky face)! We brought back Accountability Groups to connect members with each other & lean on each other for support during the 6 week challenge. We introduced 6 new videos in the MOVE app, all focused on specific areas of the body to really feel that burn. We also re-introduced weekly giveaways for our #teamlsf community who remain the most loyal and supportive fitness community to exist!

Now, if you couldn’t tell, we brought the HEAT to this challenge and so did our members! Based on JUST the members who submitted their story, we lost nearly 350 pounds in this 6 week challenge! I can only imagine how much bigger that number is from the other thousands of members who did the challenge! If you haven’t taken the chance to tell us your story yet, we’d love to hear from you! Feel free to submit your story here.

Follow Team LSF on IG to see more! Everyone finished this 6 week challenge stronger than ever and I am so proud!

Now it’s time to shout out our SSD23 winners! These women stayed dedicated and consistent with their 7 Day Slim Down Meal Plan, Hot Body Meal Plan, and MOVE app workouts!

These inspiring women, not only have incredible transformation photos but the most heart warming stories!

6 WEEK TRANSFORMATION | GRAND PRIZE WINNER

Ashley (@love.shine.wellness) – Marshall, Michigan Total pounds lost: 13

“This challenge taught me consistency over intensity.”

Cacao-Nut Protein Balls

You are going to go NUTS over these protein balls! I have been loving these as a post workout snack or an after dinner treat! Once you try these you will be wanting more, trust me! My other favorite protein balls recipe is in the Guiltless Nutrition & Recipe eBook!

You won’t even be able to tell you are eating such a healthy snack because they are just THAT good! These little protein balls are packed with 4 scoops of my LSF Plant Protein and I know you are going to be just as obsessed with them as I am!

Cacao-Nut Protein Balls Ingredients

makes approx. 24 balls 

• 3 cups Medjool dates pitted

• 1 1/2 cups almonds

• 1/2 cup water

• 2 tbsp cacao powder

• 4 scoops LSF Plant Protein (Vanilla or Chocolate)

• 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

• 1/2 cup coconut flakes unsweetened

Instructions

1. Add almonds to a food processor and process until it’s more of a flour texture. It can be coarse. 

2. Add dates and water, cacao and protein powder and process until well combined.

3. Add chocolate chips and hit pulse a few times to combine.

4. Use a spatula to remove mixture from the processor into a bowl. Then use your hands to roll even spoonfuls into small balls.

5. Pour coconut flakes onto a large plate or bowl and gently roll the balls to cover in the flakes.

6. Store in the fridge or freezer in an airtight container.

Craving More?

Find more delicious recipes like this + all of our favs here!

The post CACAO-NUT PROTEIN BALLS appeared first on Love Sweat Fitness.

Tips for setting up your Peloton bike (or any spin bike) with seat height, seat position, handlebar positions, and how to clip and unclip your pedals.

I’ve been participating in an exciting Instagram advice mission lately: helping reader friends set up their Peloton bikes. I’ve had the bike for two years but have taught cycling classes for 11 years now (WHAT), so quite a few people have reached out to me for help on how to set up their bikes. (One week, I helped four people set up their bikes via photos and video!) I feel like Peloton does a lot of things right, but when I first got the bike myself, I was so thankful that I was an advanced spinner because otherwise I would have felt lost with the initial process. I didn’t feel like the setup video was very thorough or helpful. They breezed through a lot of the details but thankfully, I was easily able to set it up myself.

I thought I’d make a video here for my friends who have recently purchased a Peloton or another spin bike or need to adjust their current settings.

The right settings can make such a huge difference in how your ride feels and can also help to protect against common issues like injury and pain in your knees, ankles, wrists, and low back. As always, be smart when you’re setting up any type of fitness equipment. Ask for someone to help you if you need it!

How to Set Up Your Peloton Bike (Or Any Spin Bike)

First, you’ll want to plug in the bike and get it connected to Wifi. From here, you’ll create a profile or log into an existing profile. This part is pretty easy! Next, you’ll need to personalize your bike settings by adjusting the seat height, position, and handlebars.

Watch the video for all of my tips on how to adjust the Peloton bike (or any spin bike) here: