I am a big believer in the buddy system. In fact, it’s one of the ways I stay on track in a number of areas of my life from business to healthy-living. Angela, God bless her, wears both hats when it comes to keeping me on track to achieving my goals.

Each Sunday Angela and I email each other our goals for the week and then we talk, Twitter, and email each other throughout the week to make sure we’re staying on track. And, it works. If you don’t have someone like this in your life, FIND ONE. I’d suggest finding someone that has a similar (or better) training style and work ethic that you do, that way you can help one another set and achieve realistic, yet challenging goals.

Week 4 of the BetterU program focuses on the importance of creating social support…the two legged or the four legged kind. In fact, in our lesson this week they reminded us that:

Research shows that dog owners who walk their dogs are more active and have a lower Body Mass Index (healthy weight for height) than people who don’t own or walk their dogs.

I have to say, I’m pretty lucky to have Ang and my dog, Bella, in my life to keep me on the fast track to a BetterMe!

Now I really must go take Bella for a walk and call Angela for a pep talk!

Last night was date night. And by date night I mean my 16 year old niece, Ali, and I made homemade Larabars…with dates.

When I read the ingredients list for a Larabar Cashew Cookie bar, I was pleasantly surprised to read they contained: Cashews and dates. That’s it! Real food. And then I thought, surely I can make them since I had the recipe. And I was right. So Ali and I decided to go nuts and go on a…

Double Date

• 2/3 cup Dates
• 1/3 cup Cashews
• 2 T Chocolate Chips
• 1 T Vanilla Extract
• 1 tsp Cinnamon

Place dates and cashews in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Remove mixture from the food processor, place into a small mixing bowl and add remaining ingredients. With your clean hands form the mixture into a ball and then place between two pieces of plastic wrap. Press mixture into a rectangular shape. Enjoy!

We had so much fun making the first batch of bars so we decided to go…

Nuts About Chocolate

• 1/3 cup Dates
• 1/4 cup Natural Almonds
• 1/4 cup Cocoa Almonds
• 2 T Chocolate Chips
• 2 T Chocolate Protein Powder
• 2 T Water
• 1 T Vanilla Extract
• 1 tsp Cinnamon

Place dates and almonds in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Remove mixture from the food processor, place into a small mixing bowl and stir in vanilla and cinnamon. In a separate bowl combine protein powder and water and then add to the date/nut mixture. With your clean hands form the mixture into a ball and then place between two pieces of plastic wrap. Press mixture into a rectangular shape. Enjoy!

Ali and I were quite pleased with the results of our homemade snack bars. Not only were they easy to make they tasted fresh and fabulous, too.

Now we really must go grab another snack bar and find another recipe to bring up-to-date.

I think I will feel better if I get this off my chest:

JUST BECAUSE YOU WENT TO THE GYM DOES NOT MEAN YOU WORKED OUT!

Going to the gym is one thing. Actually working out is another. Am I right or am I right?

Sure, I get that some days you’re just not going to be into your workout, but when you’re consistently slacking off and you are constantly complaining about your lack of progress, that’s another story. Here are 6 signs you probably could have worked out a little harder when you went to the gym. For example…

You might not have worked out if…

• Your jaw moved more than your body
• You spent more time in the locker room or shower than in the gym
• You spent more time watching me workout than working out yourself
• You read a book while you worked out. I’m going easy on all of you who can read magazines because SOME of you look like you’re actually getting a workout…I’m just jealous because I simply cannot multi-task when I do cardio
• You talked on your cell phone while lifting weights
• Your legs were moving on the elliptical machine but you didn’t even turn the sucker on

I like to give people the benefit of the doubt when I see them doing anything on this list, because I’m nice like that. For instance, I sometimes think positive things like:

• “Good for them for just being here!”
• “Maybe they’re recovering from an injury and they’re just getting back into the swing of things!”
• “Maybe they ran a marathon yesterday and they are taking a break from their training!”

And other times I think, “Save your money, you can take up space at home!”

End rant.

Now I really must go get off my soap box and go WORKOUT!

Congratulations, Betty Gibson for winning the Eggland’s Best drawing!

Betty won 6 dozen eggs, an egg poacher, and a spatchula from Eggland’s Best!

Looking for ideas on what to make with eggs? Look no further than all of the great Fitness & Spice readers that entered our contest!

Before I announce the winners of the So Delicious drawing I have to tell you about the amazing Coconut Protein Shake I’m drinking right now. I replaced the water with So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk in my vanilla protein shake tonight and it is heavenly!

Ok, enough about me…

Congratulations to Alex, Teri, and Juliana for winning 3 FREE So Delicious products.

I am So Jealous!

My trainer suggested I add in 1/3 cup light coconut milk into my diet two days a week. According to Krista coconut milk is great for the digestive system and is “very high in GLA which is a fatty acid that makes fat more available as a fuel source.” Sounds good and tastes good to me!

This weekend I made a fabulous cup of Hot Coco(nut milk) by mixing 2 tablespoons of vanilla Protein Freeze with a little water until smooth. Next I heated up 1/3 cup So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk and then stirred in the Protein Freeze mixture. All I can say is you’re welcome.

I’m really loving the So Delicious line of products as they offer a great variety of milks, creamers, ice cream, and cultured products…aka yogurt. If you like your food cholesterol-free, lactose-free, and dairy-free, you’re in luck….this stuff is free of all of that kind of stuff.

And speaking of FREE, 3 Fitness & Spice readers are going to WIN 3 free So Delicious product coupons just by telling us what makes your life So Delicious! Enter your answer in the comments section by 11:59 P.M. EST on Wednesday, February 17th and the winners will be announced on Thursday.

Now I really must go grab a coconut almond ice cream bar…it is So Delicious.

I positively love each and every one of the entries in the Positivity bracelet contest. And, I appreciate all of you who took a second to respond. You guys inspire me everyday!

Congrats to Cindy Otto and  Ashley for winning the drawing! Please send an email to fitnessandspice@gmail.com and I’ll send your bracelet right away!

Now go forth and be positive. Pass it on.

To workout

or not to workout,

that is the question.

Yesterday I woke up feeling achy. Like the start of a cold kind of achy. But after a hot cup of tea and a hot shower I started to feel better, not perfect mind you, but better. After spending way too much time debating whether or not I should go to the gym or skip it all together, I ended up going.

I always tell people to stay home from the gym if they’re feeling sick. For goodness sakes, we have the rest of our lives to workout and skipping a day is not the end of the world, right?

One day I will take my own advice.

Do you workout when you’re just starting to feel under the weather? Do you flip a coin? Do you risk it and go anyway? Or do you take a day of rest? I’d love to hear from you!

Now I really must go flip another coin…to nap or not to nap, that is the next question!

I’ve never subscribed to Sports Illustrated magazine. As a result, I totally missed the Rick Reilly era, which, in all honesty, was my error.

Thankfully, my brother let me borrow one of Reilly’s books, Hate Mail from Cheerleaders and Other Adventures from the Life of Reilly.

This book is a collection of columns from “The Life of Reilly,” first published in Sports Illustrated. Reilly says this about his style…

“I don’t write about sports. I write about people who happen to be in sports. I write about human joy, sorrow, religion and politics as it weaves itself through sports.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself. His stories make my eyes, and, in some cases, my heart smile. On more than one occasion, I’d finish reading one of his columns in this book, grin and say, “good one” out loud. My brother and I recommend checking out this book (right, Joe?). Or, at the very least, reading Reilly’s June 20, 2005 column, Strongest Dad in the World, if you haven’t already.

He’s a clever one.

I suppose I should start reading ESPN now since Reilly is writing over there. I wouldn’t want to miss out on another word from “one of the funniest humans on the planet,” according to the New York Daily News.

Now I Reilly must go check my mail and see if there’s any hate mail from cheerleaders or (gasp!) Fitness & Spicereaders!

If you’ve ever slept funny, had a desk job, had a rough workout, shoveled too much snow, played too much golf, had a stressful day, or spent too much time in front of the computer, then read on.

A few weeks ago, the beautiful people at Yoga Tune Up® told me about their self massage therapy ball program. When they sent me a sample of this program, I popped in the CD and followed right along. I wasn’t expecting to receive a deep tissue massage in this kit, but that’s exactly what I got!

Yoga Tune Up therapy balls are high grip rubber balls that unlock the knots and the stress in places like your neck, shoulders, back…you name it! Just by using your own body weight against the therapy balls, these little miracle workers are able to reach your neck and shoulders where a foam roller just can’t.

Yes, I’ve tried rolling around on tennis balls trying to massage a sore shoulder on more than one occasion, but there’s something different about the size and structure of these tools that really help loosen up tight muscles. Plus, the founder, Jill Miller, walks you through an audio program to help you connect with just the right trigger points.

I just did the program targeted for the upper back and neck, but they offer other programs to reach other parts of the body, too. I liked it so much that I might go back for the mini-series.

Want to WIN a set of Fitness & Spice Approved therapy balls from Yoga Tune Up? Then just tell us what part of your body could use a Tune Up! Enter the drawing by Friday, January 29th at 11:59 P.M. EST and the winner will be announced on Sunday.

Now I really must go give my back a quick Tune Up so I can have a namaste.