Celebrity personal trainer Valerie Waters, the maker of my beloved Valslides, says,

“You are one workout away from a good mood.”

You know what?

She’s right.

So, if you’re feeling as cuddly as a cactus, or as charming as an eel over the holidays (or any day for that matter) do your co-workers, your family, your friends, your dog Max, and yourself a favor and go workout. No matter how busy, stressed out, grouchy, or worn out you are, take the time to exercise because I’d hate to see the Grinch steal your fitness. Not only will a good workout improve your mood, studies show you could end up with the strength of ten Grinches plus two!

Now I really must go workout, grab a can of Who-Hash, and trim up the tree because it’s beginning to look a lot like fitness!

I do not belong to Lifetime Fitness, but by the looks of the outdoor water park attached to the gym, it looks like fun. Which, by the way, is part of the reason I affectionately call the place Funtime Fitness.

That, and when Lifetime Fitness built it’s first gym in my neck of the woods all of the cool kids made a mass exodus from my gym and went there, taking all of the fun with them (right, Carrie, Sabrina, Sarah, Jen, Heather, and Kristen?)

While I am not a member of Lifetime Fitness, I recently discovered I can get a piece of their fun, or at least a piece of their minds, by reading their magazine Experience L!fe.

I first grabbed a copy of their magazine that was left behind in a waiting room a few months ago and I picked up my second copy at my local grocery store this week. Who knew it was a mainstream magazine?!

Why am I telling you this?

I’m telling you this because I want you to Experience Life (arr, arr.)

In all seriousness, if I was handing out an award today, I’d Experience L!fe the Fitness & Spice Seal of Approval.

Experience L!fe is not packed full of fluff, workouts that I would never do, or recipes that I would never eat. But what it is packed with is sound advice, articles written by reputable sources, the latest gear that I’d actually use (and some that I’m already using like Lynx Performance Grips and Valslides!), and food that I will be eating later this week.

Be on the lookout for Experience L!fe on magazine racks where you shop, consider a subscription, or take a look online and while you’re there, check out their blogs. There’s even a blog over there titled “Pumping Irony”…now why didn’t I think of that!?

Now I really must go quit having so much fun and go see what’s happening over at 48 Hour Fitness and Rural Inactive!

I used to travel a ton for business and I swear I had more food packed than clothing. Not only did it keep my nutrition on track but it kept spending down, too.

Here’s what I typically lugged around in my carry on bag:

• Protein Powder and a shaker. Shocking, I know! But 9 times out of 10 I can get water and ice (free of charge) at an airport snack bar or food court and whip up a quick shake on the go. Sometimes if you ask nicely you can get some places in the airport with a blender to actually mix up a shake for you.

• Tuna packets and plastic forks. Tuna is great to top an airport salad or straight out of the pouch for some quick protein. Just please don’t eat tuna on the plane…it stinks!

• Salad dressing. Yes, I’m one of those people that asks for dressing on the side and then whips out a packet of my own salad dressing.

• Tea bags and packets of Starbucks VIA for hot or cold fuel on the run!

• Homemade granola bars…great for the plane or meals on the move.

• Oatmeal and soup cups that just need hot water for a quick meal.

• Almonds and dry roasted edamame for a little cabin crunch.

I just got back from an amazing trip to California, thanks to Chad and Angela. I packed a lot of these things plus a few of my workout essentials like my fitbook and my ValSlides. What I should have packed were comfortable shoes, huh, Carrie?

Now I really must go hang out in the first class…at the gym!

Congratulations, Amanda! You are the winner of the Valkit which includes a set of Valslides and a Valband. You’re going to love this kit for home, travel, the gym…anywhere really!

If you did not win, no worries, just pick up your very own Valkit right here and put them under your fitness tree!

I have not left my house in two days. TWO DAYS! There has been a ton of snow in my neck of the woods. Schools are closed, restaurants are closed, and gyms are closed (gasp)!

So, besides lounging around in my pajamas, doing a lot of pacing, and hanging out with a lot of flakes, I also squeezed in a few home workouts.

Lucky for me I have a few pieces of workout equipment to get me by on days when I just can’t make it to the gym. Here’s what I did yesterday…

4 sets of 9 reps of the following moves:

• A1 Single leg deadlifts
• A2 Barbell rows
• B1 Close grip push ups
• B2 Band rows
• C1 Alternating dumbbell shoulder presses
• C2 Crunches
• D1 Dumbbell hammer curls
• D2 Dumbbell reverse lunges on Valslides

And, speaking of Valslides, I have one more Valkit to giveaway! To enter the drawing simply tell me what you do when you have a case of cabin fever in the comments section below. Enter by 11:59 P.M. on Saturday, December 12th and the winner will be announced back here on Sunday.

Now I really must go get out of these pajamas and slide into some real clothes in case What Not To Wear decides to stop by.

I’m going to start a group called the Stay At Home Shoppers (SAHS). The benefits to the members of this club include: No crowds, no traffic, no lines, and you can shop in your pajamas.

Over the next few weeks I’ll be sharing some of the things I’ll be giving (and hopefully getting, hint, hint) for holiday gifts. We’ll start our first secret SAHS shopping spree with a few things you can find online and will want to order soon so they arrive just in the St. Nick of time. And, now Fitness & Spicers, I give you the first five gifts on…

THE FIT LIST

fitbook: This is the best little fitness journal on the market. I know, I have one that is packed full of my workouts, my nutrition, and my goals. And, for those of you that are wondering, I NEED ANOTHER ONE.

You might buy fitbooks for: Your clients, your personal trainer, your fit friends and your not-so-fit friends, your teacher, your coach, yourself.

Support this small business by shopping fitbook before November 30th and save $1 per fitbook and an additional $1 will be donated to the Estado 29 orphanage to feed the children this holiday season. To take advantage of this offer, go to www.getfitbook.com and use promo code givethanks at checkout.

fitbook junior: Junior is a journal especially fit for, well, Junior. It is a fun way to teach children the importance of balancing healthy food, fitness, and fun into their everyday lives so they create lifelong habits and grow into future Fitness & Spice readers.

You might buy fitbook junior for every kid on your list including: your kids, your kids-kids, your neighbors kids, your carpool kids.

Go to www.getfitbook.com and use promo code givethanks at checkout for that very special offer I just mentioned.

Mix My Granola: Personalize your own blend of granola and give it a name of its own. I made a batch of Fitness & Spice granola a few months ago and my mom made something clever like Joanna Made Me Do It. Nevertheless, it really is fun to order and even better to eat receive!

You might buy Mix My Granola for: Your neighbor, your Uncle Frank, health nuts, the person on your list that has everything, or anyone who wears Birkenstocks (kidding!)

Customize your granola, pick from Mix My Granola blends, or pick up a gift card at Mix My Granola.

Gift Card Kits: Get creative with your gift card-giving by including a few little extras in the package like this golf course example. Another idea? You could pair my, I mean, a fitbook with a Starbucks gift card or a massage gift card…take your pick!

You might buy Gift Card Kits for: Your brother,  your Dad,  your teenagers, your girlfriends, your boyfriends, your hair stylist, your teachers, or your favorite blogger.

The Quarry Oaks golf course gift card kit just happens to be available at my brother’s course in Nebraska, so if you know someone in the area, you are in luck! Just shop for the gift card package pictured here at www.quarryoaks.com.

Lucy Activewear: Lucy has a great line of sportswear and accessories for women. Find great gifts and stocking stuffers in one spot.

You might buy Lucy Activewear for: Your sister, your mom, your friends, your trainer, your gym instructor, or me.

Shop www.lucy.com for gifts and gift cards galore!

That wraps up the first 5 items on the Fitness & Spice approved Fit List.

Now, I’m off to round up some more Stay At Home Shopping ideas because I have to admit…it’s beginning to look a lot like fitness!

Remember when the Griswold’s went on their first family vacation to Walley World and when they got there, they heard this:

Remember how disappointed the Griswold’s were after driving all that way only to find the amusement park was closed? That’s how I feel when the gym is closed for holidays like, I don’t know…THANKSGIVING!

Here are a few things you might do to fit in a workout on Thanksgiving if:

• Your gym is closed, too
• There’s no gym at Cousin Eddie’s
• You’re trapped in a hotel with a gym smaller than your broom closet
• You want to overdose on carbs
• You want to fit in your clothes the next day

From what I understand there are all sorts of Turkey Trots going on all over the globe so if you are someone that believes “fun” and “run” belong in the same sentence, you might join the other turkeys for a wobble. If you missed the registration deadline, simply draw a starting line on your driveway with sidewalk chalk and run around your neighborhood for awhile and you’ll know you’re done when you cross back over that line when you return home. The best part about that is it’s free!

Last month, when the Mair’s went on their annual California Vacation my friend Sheila asked me for ideas for hotel room workouts. Here’s what I suggested (just be sure to check with your doctor and your roommate before starting any workout program…who knows, they just might want to join you):

Full Body Workout
5 sets of 10 reps

1A Prisoner squats (hands laced behind your head)
1B Push ups (Options: traditional push ups on the floor or feet on the bed hands on the floor)
1C Step ups onto a sturdy chair or coffee table (10 reps on each side)
1D Single arm rows (grab a small suitcase and load it with items like a phone book or a Bible for added weight. A purse or a briefcase works well, too)
1E Mountain climbers (10 reps each side)

Lower Body Workout
4 sets of 12 reps

1A Squats holding a light suitcase or phone book (like you’d hold a plate to your chest)
1B Reverse lunges (with Valslides)

2A Bulgarian split squats (back leg on the coffee table, front leg on the floor)
2B Towel hops (fold towel in half jump over the towel and repeat without stopping for 30-45 seconds)

3A Glute bridges (lay on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor push your glutes off the floor, squeeze, repeat. You can also do these with your feet on the coffee table)
3B Single leg deadlifts (using body-weight only or grab a suitcase for more weight)

4 Jumping jacks for 30 seconds

Upper Body Workout
4 sets of 12 reps

1A Push ups (see variations above)
1B Dips with hands on the coffee table and feet on the floor (you can also put your feet on the sofa)

2A Single arm rows (see weight options above or use a Valband)
2B Overhead press (grab a suitcase and lift overhead)

3A Overhead tricep presses (with a suitcase or phone book)
3B Single arm shoulder presses with a purse or briefcase

Full Body Workout
50-100 reps of 6 exercises (rest for 10 seconds when your form breaks)

1A Push ups
1B Squats (add resistance using a Valband)
1C Bent over rows
1D Single arm shoulder presses
1E Reverse lunges
1F Glute Bridges

Other Cardio Moves
Air jump rope
Butt kicks
High knees
Burpees
Jumping jacks
Run stairwells

The same types of workouts can be applied if you’re doing a workout at home or at your Cousin Eddie’s. Load plastic or canvas bags of potatoes or apples (before they are baked or mashed) and use them as weights if you don’t have access to gym equipment. I’d skip putting your feet on the coffee table because in my experience, not all hostesses appreciate that very much.

Now, I really must go tell MizFit she was the winner of the Valkit for Travel and to see when the Griswold’s and the gym go on their Christmas Vacation!

I bought The Valkit for Travel well over a year ago when I was on the road quite a bit for business. My Valslides and Valband have been to a number of cities including Boston, Chicago, Las Vegas, Miami, Denver, San Diego, Orlando, Knoxville, Hagerstown, New Port, and they’ve even been on a cruise (or two).

And, to my delight they work quite well in my home gym, in front of my television set, and even in my bathroom. Yes, that’s right, even the bathroom, a girl can get in a few sets of lunges in while drying her hair you know.

What is a Valslide? The Valslide is the creation of celebrity trainer, Valerie Waters, she trains people like Jennifer Garner and I (well, she’s not technically my trainer and I’m not technically a celebrity, but I do train with her equipment).  The Valslide is a piece of specially formulated plastic and non skid foam that with your muscle tension slides in a controlled manner to activate the muscle. Valslides can be used on your hands or your feet depending on the exercise. And, boy are these suckers effective!

Here, take a look at this video to show you what I mean:

Sometimes I use Valslides using my body-weight and sometimes I’ll add dumbbells. If I happen to be in a hotel room, I’ll grab some luggage for makeshift weights.

The Valkit for Travel also comes with a mini resistance band, called the Valband, that can be used for all sorts of moves like squats, one-arm rows, and my favorite…around the knees when doing clams. Valerie includes a great little workbook to show you other ways to use this equipment and she has videos on her Web site and on Youtube, as well.

Who can benefit from a Valslide and a Valband?

• People who belong to a gym and people who don’t
• People who travel on business and people who mind their own business
• People who go on vacation and people who need a vacation
• People who are new to exercise and people who are experienced exercisers
• People like the readers of Fitness & Spice

In fact, one lucky reader is going to WIN a Valkit for Travel. Just enter the drawing by telling us one exercise you can’t wait to try using the Valslide or Valband AND one place you’d use them. Enter by 11:59 P.M. on Tuesday, November 24th and the winner will be announced on Wednesday.

Now I really must go, I have to go hit the red carpet, er, I mean the red chair.