orange and black usb cable on brown wooden surface
Get the perfect equipment for your home and travel gym in this week's update. Photo by Kelly Sikkema

DAOFitLife Weekly Update – August 11

RECIPES AVAILABLE HERE  Customizable DAOFitlife Meal Plan and Grocery List Links Customizable DAOFitlife Meal Plan and Grocery List Template Google Sheet Downloadable DAOFitlife Meal Plan and Grocery List Template Excel DocumentPrintable DAOFitlife Meal Plan and Grocery List Template PDF Exercise Template Links Customizable DAOFitLife Exercise Plan Google Sheet Template Downloadable DAOFitLife Exercise…

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Read more about the article DAOFitLife Weekly Update – July 28
Galaxy has experienced firsthand the experience of overtraining. Do not forget rest days!

DAOFitLife Weekly Update – July 28

RECIPES AVAILABLE HERE  Customizable DAOFitlife Meal Plan and Grocery List Links Customizable DAOFitlife Meal Plan and Grocery List Template Google Sheet Downloadable DAOFitlife Meal Plan and Grocery List Template Excel DocumentPrintable DAOFitlife Meal Plan and Grocery List Template PDF Exercise Template Links Customizable DAOFitLife Exercise Plan Google Sheet Template Downloadable DAOFitLife Exercise…

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woman in red jacket walking on road between trees during daytime
One good tip for staying cool is to find and memoraize the shady areas where your usual routes are. Also the O2 from the trees will cool you down! Photo by Stanislav Vlasov

The DAO of hot weather walking

One of the few silver linings of this pandemic was that it made walking cool again. Power walking was no longer just for the neighborhood grandparents; it was THE way to get cardio and regain our sanity. And surprisingly, lean out! I could not believe what a huge difference walking made in my ability to feel less stress. Within 6 months, I had lost 7 pounds WITHOUT the gym. Walking is an incredible exercise for even strengthening all those little joints and ligaments that you may not even be aware of and how all of the muscles of your body are truly working in unison to move your body through space—- and it is low impact, low equipment, and free! 

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Read more about the article DAOFitLife Update – Week of July 21
Playing with your pup can lower cortisol. Be sure to catch my article on that!

DAOFitLife Update – Week of July 21

This week, I am going to focus on summer snacks! Given how hot it is outside, I think sometimes we just want to have a satisfying snack rather than a whole sit-down meal in the middle of the day. RECIPES AVAILABLE HERE  Customizable DAOFitlife Meal Plan and Grocery List Links…

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Galaxy
CEO of DaoFitLife Galaxy is flabbergasted by the possibility of collagen already being baked into a green tea matcha drink. No more clumps!

Week of July 7 -DAOFitLife update

This week, I talk about what I am obsessed with, from morning collagen Matcha to fitness themed shows and good workout soundtracks. What I’m obsessed with this week  Foodwise, I am obsessed with my “powerhouse” matcha collagen blend. I mix Vital Proteins Matcha Collagen Latte, 1 cup of almond milk,…

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Read more about the article Week of June 30 – DAO Meal and Exercise Plan Update
Galaxy, our CEO, has requested that each of my weekly roundups include a cute pic of her as the face of our brand. I wasn't really in a position to argue, even if she's not exactly a beacon of motivation for getting to the gym.

Week of June 30 – DAO Meal and Exercise Plan Update

This week, I have completed my shopping list collection for now with my Safeway and Costco guide. One way I love to get NEAT in is to grocery shop in person (no delivery, not online). I love to make it a family or a friend affair. It’s a type of…

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woman exercising indoors
Did you know crunches are one of the worst ways to get a six pack (and can even harm your spine)? Read on to find out how to get that definition safely. Photo by Jonathan Borba

The DAO of Abs*

So let me ask you some questions. How many articles do you see that say, get a six-pack in 30 days? How many people do you see on the stretch mats on the gym doing a bajillion crunches, or flailing around doing some painful looking twisting exercise. Are you that…

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pic of solidcore
The [solidcore] studio in the West End, Washington DC.

[solidcore] explained

Commonly referred to as “Pilates on Steroids,” [solidcore] is a cult favorite you may only hear of through word of mouth. This post explains [solidcore] – what to expect, how to get the best out of class, and why it’s become a must try workout.

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Orange Theory, explained

If you are looking to get back into the swing of challenging workouts or just to try something new, Orange Theory is a good choice. This post will explain what it is, what the experience is like, and help you figure out if it is right for you.

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woman leaning on wall while sitting on bed
Rule #1 of bouncin back: Relax and take it easy! You don't have to take over the world every day. Photo by Kinga Cichewicz

How to bounce back from that post – wedding post-graduation weekend hangover

In my last DAOFitlife update I talk wed about going to a wedding this past weekend. When we checked into the hotel, I noticed that there were lots of people clearly going to weddings and graduations… and of course, it’s the season! But this season is unlike any other because we are all like lions being let of our COVID cage. And as I discovered , I was ravenous for life – and food. And it was EVERYWHERE.

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Read more about the article Week 13 – DAOFitlife Meal and Exercise Plan
A good way to get HIIT: Sled push.

Week 13 – DAOFitlife Meal and Exercise Plan

This week I am focusing on split training that is the type of training where you focus on certain muscle groups at a time as opposed to doing full body strength training. The advantage of this type of training is also that it decreases the amount of total training time. So, for example, when you do a split with upper body lower body push and pull you can be in and out of the gym in about half an hour including the warm-up. And that makes things really efficient during work “busy seasons”, which we are all familiar. In my role, every day is busy season but right now there is a heightened energy and rush which is like running a daily marathon. I am sure you can relate!

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Read more about the article Week 11 – DAOFitlife Meal and Exercise Plan
A good choice at Italian restaurants for a main course is Branzino.

Week 11 – DAOFitlife Meal and Exercise Plan

Here is my weekly update of my meal and exercise plan. First, here is a roadmap of all the documents I update. Ideally you will want to use a personal gmail account to access the google sheets. Otherwise, you can also download the documents in PDF or excel format if…

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Soul Comparison
In SoulCycle Santa Monica in 2014, and in SoulCycle Union Square in Washinhton, DC, in 2021.

Put up a parking lot…for your Soul

What my first post-pandemic SoulCycle class was like Pre-pandemic Soul journey My experience at my first post-pandemic live SoulCycle class was one for the history books. I was under a tent. In a gravel parking lot. with no mirrors, candles, or darkness. But I still had a blast. Eight years…

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Read more about the article How to get Michelle Obama arms
Photo courtesy of Shutterfly

How to get Michelle Obama arms

The weather is already summer like in many places on the east coast. And we all know what that means. Lighter clothing, particularly in the upper body area. Thanks to former First Lady Michelle Obama, it is now acceptable to show some bicep. Her arms weren’t just on display for…

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Read more about the article Week 10- DAOFitlife Meal and Exercise Plan
Taking progress pictures can help you stay on track. To the left: me at Equinox pre-pandemic; and then post-pandemic in May 2021. Notice how the exact same locker room changed, too!

Week 10- DAOFitlife Meal and Exercise Plan

Here is my weekly update on my meals, exercise, and recipes. RECIPES AVAILABLE HERE (UPDATED FOR WEEK OF MAY 6) Customizable DAOFitlife Meal Plan and Grocery List Links- Week 10 Customizable DAOFitlife Meal Plan and Grocery List Template Google Sheet (updated for week 10)Downloadable DAOFitlife Meal Plan and Grocery List Template Excel…

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Week 9 – DAOFitlife Meal and Exercise Plan

Week 9 of DAOFitlife meal and exercise plan has a few new twists. This week I have tweaked my diet in two ways:

I am starting to eat a little early breakfast before my workout. I do this by either eating a few bites of my oatmeal mix half an hour before my workout, or eating a date and a few nuts beforehand. A Medjool date is fairly big and good for a burst of instant energy. In my article on pre and post-workout nutrition, I outline the pros and cons of eating before the workout. I am going to as an experiment see how much my workouts actually benefit from eating a little beforehand.

The other major tweak to my diet has been NO SUGAR SUBSTITUTES. That means not just no artificial sweeteners, but also no “natural” zero sugar products like Stevia or Monk Fruit. This is purely a theory that I am testing, but I believe that these substances are robbing my body of energy I need from actual carbs and making me crave the sugar that I am not getting. In my post on protein bars, I rave about the “fake sugar” and its effect on our insulin sensitivity. Even though at first glance stevia and monk fruit may not have the same effect on insulin resistance, I believe that they are having a “sugar fake-out” effect on me.

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Read more about the article Why Down Dog is now my favorite fitness app
This is the HIIT feature of down dog. There are more customizations you can make based on type of body workout you want (upper body, core, legs, back, etc.).

Why Down Dog is now my favorite fitness app

During the pandemic, I have probably tried free trials and paid for subscriptions of no less than 50 fitness apps. Yes, this was mostly research for the blog – mapped out in my Fitness app decision tree.

But it was well worth the investment, because after countless hours of planks, burpees, and squats, developing a decision tree, and slogging through unbearably annoying instructors and lots of freezing issues, I have done it. I have found the holy grail.

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assorted-color pebble lot
We all know Easter eggs aren't just for kids! I plan to sugar detox during week 8. Photo by Tim Gouw

Week 8 – DAOFitlife Meal and Exercise Plan

Note: Please consult a physician before pursuit of any exercise or meal plan. This is solely intended as a meal and exercise diary, and is not prescriptive. T-1 month until I am a bridesmaid in a wedding. This is mainly post-Easter remorse, but I am doing a sugar detox -…

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