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Fitness Pro Travel

Fit Bodies, Inc. and Kid’s Yoga at Now Jade Resort & Spa

Nov 22nd, 2010
by Lisa Marie.
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This fall debuted Kid’s Fitness programming at Now Resorts, currently including Now Jade Riviera Cancun and Now Sapphire Riviera Cancun in Mexico. The fitness classes range from Kid’s Yoga, Mommy & Me Yoga, Daddy & Buddy Bootcamp and further vary based on the skills and teaching talents of the instructor currently booked there.

I had the privilege of teaching Kid’s Yoga at Now Jade the week of Nov 8 – Nov 13 during Fitness Magazine getaway week at Now Jade. Fit Bodies, Inc. very own Suzelle Snowden and Denise Cox helped to host the bootcamp, conducting the morning run and aqua class sessions. Other activities included a snorkeling trip and bike ride to Puerto Morales. Many fitness activities all while leaving plenty of time for guests to enjoy the great food, service, friends, family and laughter. Now Jade was a perfect resort to host the event due to their large, smooth beach and flawless entertainment staff.

Fit Bodies, Inc. conducts beach bootcamp for Fitness Magazine

Fit Bodies, Inc. conducts beach bootcamp for Fitness Magazine

Families came out for Kid’s Yoga at 11 A.M. Also the children signed into the Adventure Club came over for class, too. Children practiced taking big breaths of air and moved in and out of yoga poses imitating animals and shapes. The kid’s favorites included triangle pose, cat/cow stretch, downward facing dog, and reverse table pose, which we now know as “crab” pose! All the while their parents watched, photographed and videotaped in complete enjoyment in watching their children in a yoga class on vacation.

Children LOVE yoga class!

Children LOVE yoga class!

After staying at Now Jade for a week, I highly recommend it as a teaching vacation destination. It is a fun, energetic property with classy style. Nice restaurants with excellent food, wonderful beach, large rooms, lots of pool area and very clean. I will definitely return again!

Fit Bodies, Inc. is pleased to have added the NOW Resorts to the luxury line of family resort’s hosting qualified and certified fitness instructors to teach and vacation. View available dates to teach at Now Jade and Now Sapphire Riviera Cancun by logging into your account at FitnessProTravel.com. Creating a travel account is easy and free of charge-Giving you many options for your next travel destination whether your fitness specialty is tennis, yoga, group fitness, pilates or personal training.

To your health,

Lisa Owens

Travel to the Caribbean and bring some wellness home

Jul 23rd, 2010
by Lisa Marie.
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Fruit Smoothies: I  have always been in love with fruit. Local fruits like apples, strawberries and melons grown from the garden or orchards are my favorite. In the Caribbean, there are tons of fruit, much of it grown locally and organically, flourishing in the constantly warm island soils of Jamaica, Mexico and the Dominican Republic.

Bananas grown at Samasati Nature Retreat

Bananas grown at Samasati Nature Retreat

Recently I enjoyed the smoothies at Secrets Sanctuary, where I vacationed at while teaching yoga as a Fit Bodies Inc. professional. At Sanctuary, they know breakfast is king, and I will come forth and be that queen!! Breakfast proliferates with fresh fruit, juices and smoothies made to order. In Costa Rica, at the yoga sanctuary in Puerto Viejo, very talented sisters prepare breakfast delights in a vegetarian dining environment. There at Samasati, the entire daily menu is delicious. Then again, breakfast is my king and among the treats my favorite sits the fresh juices ranging from papaya, pineapple, watermelon and my most favorite; mango. You can’t buy mangoes so good here in Northern Kentucky and so I cherish each bite and sip.

Mango smoothies are full of vitamin C and taste like the Caribbean!

Mango smoothies are full of vitamin C and taste like the Caribbean!

So I eat my breakfast like being on a Caribbean vacation everyday when I’m at home, too. Especially during the hot and humid summer days, a fresh smoothie fits the bill. It’s all-possible now with my “serious blender” blender.

Here are some of my favorite smoothie combinations. If your blender isn’t so serious, just cut the fruit into pieces that your blender can handle. The ingredient amounts are not very strict, so use what you have around, trying new creations all the time. Fruit smoothies are a wonderful way to supply your body with a proper supply of fruit each day. I suggest the fruit be properly ripe, or slightly over-ripe. (If a fruit looks a little too ripe to eat, then it’s probably perfect smoothie material.) And if each smoothie isn’t the best new creation ever you have every come up with, do not worry- just try again next time!
Rewarding your conscientious eating habit by providing yourself local or organic fruit. Frozen fruit is good in place of ice in smoothies. I suggest organic frozen fruit for best results.
Have fun smoothie-ing your creation and live a strong day!

Summer garden smoothie. Use this combination with whatever is ripe at the moment in place of the watermelon.
1/3 cup ice
Couple mint leaves
Couple stevia sprigs
2 cups watermelon

Morning Go Time. Great breakfast. Light and fluffy yet sustains the body and mind until lunch.
1 banana
1 cup frozen strawberries
1/3 c vanilla almond or vanilla hemp milk
1 Tablespoon ground flax seed
1 Tablespoon wheat germ

Morning Go Time with Extra Protein.
1 banana
1 cup froz. Strawberries
½ c vanilla almond or vanilla hemp milk
2 T peanut butter
1 Tablespoon wheat germ

Orange machine
1 cup cantaloupe
1/3 cup baby carrots, or cut them smaller
1 clementine, mandarin or about ½ of an orange
About ¼ cup water
2 teaspoons of agave nectar
A few mint sprigs

Fruit in the Caribbean

Fruit in the Caribbean

Activities Galore at Dreams Punta Cana

Apr 30th, 2010
by Lisa Marie.
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Dreams Punta Cana activities are never-ending!! It’s difficult to know where to begin!
Activities begin at 9 A.M. with the Fit Bodies Inc. guest instructor teaching stretching, then aerobics, both on the stage facing the ocean.The Core Zone for teenagers is outstanding and if you travel here with your teens you may never see them. Not to worry, adults are welcome there, too! The Core Zone includes: billiards, archery, a batting cage, a climbing wall, a mechanical bull, snacks, Wii, Playstation and practically whatever you can name, they provide. General activities oriented for teenagers are stretching, Spanish lessons, soccer games, water polo, water balloon fights, ping-pong and volleyball tournaments. Some nights is also a teen disco.

Explorer’s Club is children only, aged 3-12, and activities are from 9 A.M. to 8:30 P.M. Once a week there is a camp-out for the kids, too. There are no parents allowed and they will give you a cell phone in case you need to be reached. There is a Kid’s Club for children under 3 for part of the day as well. The resort’s staff is CPR and Red Cross first-aid trained. On today’s Explorer’s Club schedule is a bike tour, Earth day celebration (they plant trees) with a picnic, water polo, a giant Connect Four tournament, bottle painting, a face painting competition, dinner, movie and a mini-fashion show. The activities vary everyday.

We spotted flamingos and peacocks-Beautiful birds!

We spotted flamingos and peacocks-Beautiful birds!

For the kids of all ages, the activities are as non-stop as my flight into PUJ. Despite all the activities, your experience can be as simple as the pool, beach, cold drinks (top-shelf liquors, by the way), and naps. For more engagement, there are the fitness activities, Spanish lessons, Bocce ball, beach volleyball, horse shoes, Olympic game competitions and even more activities. The activities change everyday. Right now there is excitement just outside our patio door as the pool volleyball matches continue. Coming this summer is paintball! Tonight is the beach party and I know the limbo competition will be fun and hilarious! I cannot wait!

The spa appears fantastic! There is a huge koi pond and some are very big and fun to watch. The prices for spa services are very fair and a huge variety of services are offered with specials everyday. Above the spa is the fitness center, open daily from 6 A.M.-8 P.M. and it is big and clean. Three treadmills, free weights, brand new nautilus equipment, stair climbers, elliptical; you name it, they have it. This is a well equipped gym. The gym use is included for everyone’s use. There is also a Wellness Center within the spa and this includes sauna, plunge pool, hot tub, steam room, really neat massage shower but this is not included in the all-inclusive package for guests. The cost is $30 for one day or $85 for a weekly pass. Many spa services include an hour of Wellness Center time.

There are additional activities off the resort, from dune buggy tours, Segway tours, horseback riding, and scuba excursions. You can also tour more areas of Dominican Republic from the resort, such as traveling to Santo Domingo (the first city of the new world discovered by Christopher Columbus), The tour staff here are more than happy to help you plan your outward excursion.

Again, this resort has the best entertainment I have ever seen!

To learn more about traveling to teach your fitness specialty of yoga, pilates, group fitness, tennis or personal training visit Fit Bodies Inc.

These fish are always hungry!

Every morning is a beautiful morning for yoga