FITBlvd

Hey there! My name is Esther and I'm a wife and a mom to two beautiful girls. I'm like most women who try to multi-task her way through life and keep sanity intact for the sake of those in near proximity. One of my main vices to keep sanity in check is to exercise. I don't always want to workout but I do because it makes me a nicer person. Another motivating factor is that I love to eat and to be able to eat a little more is to have muscle mass so I lift weights. I've been weight training since 2010 and I have to say, I see a huge difference in the structure of my body. I turned the big 4-0 in 2012 and I think I look better now than in my 20's and I'm definitely stronger. I do have secret weapon… my wicked trainer. She constantly comes up with creative and fun routines so I'm never bored but always challenged. I'll post her workouts here so you can try them, too… and we can commiserate together. So this is my journey as I traverse down the boulevard of 40-something. I am continually inspired and motivated by others so I encourage your comments and feedback. And if you have a workout you want to share, please do. I love trying out new exercises. Thank you for stopping by FitBlvd. See you soon!

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My new favorite sport bra (no digging even after wearing it all day!)

Hey guys,

I came upon this cool little company in California called Montiel almost a year ago and I've been loving the comfort of their sport bras.  I love you lululemon for leggings, crops and tops but your bras dig into my shoulders and leave deep, painful marks by the end of the day.  

I've been wearing the Montiel Teardrop Bra almost on a daily basis.  No tears at the end of the day and no marks on my shoulders!  Woot!  I'm not big chested so I'm not sure how these bras will support those with bigger chests.  I think it should be okay, though.  

Size wise, I wear a size 6 bra in lululemon and a small in Montiel.  They wash really well which is important to me.  The first bra I got almost a year ago, I wash AND dry and they have held shape.  I'm really pleased with how they've kept up.  They are slightly less expensive, too.  I usually wear the "Free To Be" bra at lululemon and they run around $42- $48.  Montiel's Teardrop is $38.  And if you sign up for their newsletter, they have a lot of great sales throughout the year.

Also check out the Victory Bra (third image).  These run $42 but they are super comfy with the thicker straps.  I don't think you will be disappointed!

Thanks for visiting and until next time...

Cheers!

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Thank you, Healthline.com! (Go Egg White Smoothie!)

Hi guys,

So it's been a long time (again) since I blogged.  Just as I thought, "What am I going to do with my blog?" I received an email this morning from Healthline.com saying that my Egg White Smoothie post from March of 2013 made their "10 High-Protein Smoothies You Can Make at Home."  You can see it here.  I am #8 on the list.  Also, my original post is here. 

Well, that just made me smile.  It shows you that whatever you publish on the internet never dies.

If you haven't tried this yummy smoothie, it's a must.  It is surprisingly addictive.  I alternate between adding peanut butter or almond butter.  I throw in a handful of spinach if I have it.  And I have to thank my pal, Marci, for this wonderful recipe.  

Until next time, cheers! 

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Flagpole... My hubby's still got it! #flagpole #gymnast #icantdothat

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Thank you @jrushjacobs for letting us crash your shoot @larabar. You rocked it on the bike today. My thighs are burning! @snezana1yu @0annmarie0

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Getting ready to film with @jrushjacobs and @jlynnjacobs @larabar @snezana1yu

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Trick or Treat! Happy Halloween. #fitblvd #halloween #goodfriends

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You gotta try this soup! Super easy Spinach "Cream" Soup

Hi guys,

A friend of mine gave me this recipe and when I looked at the ingredients, I thought... Oh my... rabbit soup.  I was wrong.  I am so glad I tried it because it's really, really good and super duper easy.  Perfect for a busy night when you want something filling and warm... and healthy!

Ingredients:

2 leeks, chopped 4 Tbsp unsalted butter (sounds like a lot but it's for the whole soup... use it!) kosher salt and pepper 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth (I use low-sodium chicken broth) 1 bunch broccoli, chopped 1 small russet potato, peeled and chopped 5 ounces fresh spinach sour cream (I omit this... if you want you can substitute with greek yogurt)

How To:

1.  Cook the leeks in the butter with 3/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper in a large pot over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4-6 minutes.

2.  Add the veggie broth (or chicken broth), broccoli, and potato.  Simmer until tender, 18-22 minutes.

3.  Stir in the spinach until wilted.  Transfer the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth.*  Top with the sour cream and black pepper to taste before serving.

*I like to chew my soup so I use a hand held blender instead.  This way, I have control over the texture of the soup.  The last time I made this soup, I used a blender.  Wow, it came out super smooth and creamy.  It was good but I'm going back to my hand held blender and using my teeth to eat this soup.

It's getting chilly out there.  Get your soup on!

Until next time... cheers!

Original recipe from: www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/creamy-broccoli-soup

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Handstand Tuesday with @snezana1yu #fitblvd #handstand

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Push up variation that works the whole body! Challenging but fun. #fitblvd #pushups

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Kelly's super easy chicken burrito or taco

Hi guys,

This is one of my favorite recipes given to me by my dear friend, Kelly.  She came over with all the ingredients one day and made this for me.  It is divine... and the best part is that it's super easy.  You just throw everything in a pot and let it simmer!

The title says burrito or taco but this chicken is very versatile.  Taco salad, enchiladas, nachos... you can basically throw this on top of anything or eat it alone like I usually do when I'm in a hurry.

I'm sure this will be a part of your dinner repertoire.  Kid friendly, too!  Here's the how to:

Ingredients:

4 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs* 1 red onion chopped 1 chili pepper chopped (I've also substituted pablano pepper or anaheim pepper) 1 red pepper chopped

Spices:

2 1/4 tsp salt 1 tsp pepper 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp chili powder 1/2 tsp cumin 3/4 tsp paprika

Combine all in a bowl.

*chicken thighs aren't as bad as you think... read this.

To Do:

Trim any visible fat off chicken thighs.  Put thighs in a dutch oven (or you can even do in a slow cooker).  Throw in chopped veggies.  Pour water just to cover (always go way less than you think... for some reason I always put in too much water).  Sprinkle the spices all over the meat and veggies and stir.  Put on low heat and walk away for 1.5 hours.  You may want to stir once in awhile so nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot but seriously, that's it!  

You will know when it's done because you can shred the meat with a wooden spoon.  

Suggestions:

Taco salad - on a bed of lettuce, put meat, spanish rice, avocado, cheese, pico de gallo, etc.  I always top mine with a dallop of greek yogurt.

Burrito or taco - same as above.  I like mine on corn tortillas.

Nachos - see my nacho recipe.  Instead of vegetarian, add some extra protein by throwing in some chicken.

Enchiladas - who doesn't like ooey gooey cheese? 

I hope you like this dish as much as I do.  It makes a lot!  I've made a "make your own burrito" bar for parties and it was a hit!

Until next time... cheers!

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Good mantra for living a happy life #fitblvd #upliftingquotes

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Lululemon trunk show and the 3 of us showed up in jet crops... unplanned. 😊 From 5'2 to 5'10, jet crop looks good on all heights! #lululemon #fitblvd #matchingoutfits

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Fun with pull-ups. #pullups #fitblvd

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Pre-workout foam roll. #foamroll #workoutbuddy #fitblvd

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Date night outfit... A.P.C. blouse & JBrand Love Story

Hi guys,

I've been into button down shirts lately but after 4 years of lifting, I noticed that my arms and lats have gotten more.... muscular (bigger? man arms? Nooooo!!!!!!).  Most of my button downs are now too tight in the arms and I think it's time I give them away.  I tried layering with a sweater to hide the fabric pulling on the bicep area but it's so uncomfortable that all I can think of when I wear it is to take it off as soon as I get home.  It's equivalent to wearing shoes that pinch!  I've also tried going up a size but the body was too big and long.  I even bought a size up in petite which was a little better but still pulled on the upper arm.

On my last trip to L.A. to visit my parents, I happened on A.P.C. store on Melrose Place.  I didn't think much of the place as it's one of those austere stores with very few items hanging on pretty wooden racks.  Well, I tried on a button down shirt and wow!  It was a revelation.  The arms were generously cut (but not sloppy!) but the body was slim.  A perfect fit... and most importantly, it was comfortable!

This is one of my favorite ensembles... button down with jeans.  It's a no brainer.  And with some cool jewelry and/or different cut of jeans, you can really style it to suit your mood.  Here are the deets of my outfit:

Blouse: A.P.C. Liberty Blouse Jeans: JBrand Love Story Earrings: Candy Pop from Jewelmint Necklace:  from Anthropologie (got it in the summer... love layering gold necklaces) Watch:  Shinola - 'The Runwell' Hairstyle:  See this post - I love braids!

I had a great date night as I was able to concentrate on my husband instead of fidgeting with my clothes.  Here's to comfort!

Until next time... cheers!

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Graduated from heels to sneakers. #vans #equipmentblouse #jbrandshorts #fitblvd

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I'm kinda excited slip ons like Vans are back in style. So cute and affordable. #vans #comfy shoes #fitblvd