Happy Valentine’s Day! The day of celebrating the love for that special someone. Celebrating with flowers and roses tells that loved one in your life how much you care and appreciate them. This Valentine’s Day, think of everyone in your life who means so much to you: your family, support group, teammates, friends and let them know that you are so happy to have them in your life.

On the flip side, Valentine’s Day can mean more then a dozen, long-stem roses and fine chocolates. It can be a reminder to take care of you, whether it be getting back into a good workout or controlling the overwhelming amount of stress you have been feeling lately.

So, to help you or to help a friend, here is a list of the best, heart healthy, Balconi picks for this Valentine’s Day.

Valentine’s Heart Healthy Dinner:

Best Dinner for your Heart: Salmon and spinach salad with extra-virgin olive oil

Salmon: Rich in omega-3 fatty acids, will reduce blood pressure

Spinach: Cut risk of heart disease by about 25% (according to health.com) with eating at least 2 1/2 servings of veggies a day

Olive Oil: Lowers bad cholesterol and reduces risk of developing heart disease

Red Wine: Antioxidants may reduce risk of heart disease

Best Dessert for your Heart: Dark Chocolate covered Strawberries

Dark Chocolate: Helps lower risk of cardiovascular disease

Strawberries: Reduce risk of heart disease and cancer

Valentine’s Heart Healthy Gifts:

For Men:

Garmin Forerunner 610 GPS Heart Rate Monitor

http://www.rei.com/product/816864/garmin-forerunner-610-gps-heart-rate-monitor

SPRI Gaiam Exercise Mat

http://www.gaiam.com/product/spri+exercise+mat.do

For Women:

Garmin Forerunner 210 GPS Heart Rate Monitor – Women’s

http://www.rei.com/product/827001/garmin-forerunner-210-gps-heart-rate-monitor-womens

Gaiam Yoga Mat

http://www.gaiam.com/product/68+yoga+essentials+mat.do

In case you did not watch the Grammy’s last night, we have come up with a playlist for your ipods highlighting some of the winners! Here our top winners that would make a great playlist for any run or muscle busting workout.

1. Adele: Rolling In the Deep  (Record of the Year)
2. Foo Fighters: Walk  (Rock Song)
3. Chris Brown: Yeah 3x  (F.A.M.E. R&B Album)
4. Kayne West: Power  (My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy Rap Album)
5. Jay Z and Kanye West: Otis  (Rap Performance)
6. Kanye West: All of the Lights (Rap Song)
7. Skrillex: Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites (Dance Recording)
8. Skrillex: Cinema Remix  (Remixed Rocording, Non-Classical)

Our bodies consist of many many muscle fibers throughout our entire body.  Why not try to train all our muscles during the week, no one likes to be left out:)  Here are some of our tips:  Have Fun!

1.  Perform exercise movements that train more than one muscle at a time.  Sumo squat to a curl to a chest press…

2.  Shock your system:  If you’re a runner, go ahead and change it up to to jump rope for the day.  Or how about swimming some laps?

3.  Respect for other sports:  You like to exercise by playing basketball 4 times a week.  Why not jump into a racquetball game…

4.  Plyo’s with resistance:  Add a little weight like bands to your plyo movements, remember resistance builds muscle!

5.  Max out on body weight:  After a lifting session or even a lifting set, do as many push ups as you possibly can…Oh, that will burn!

Feeling a little sore the day or two after your workout?  This “sore” feeling is actually called DOMS(Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) and it is caused by little micro tears in the your muscles that you created through your new or adjusted workout.  The more intense and/or duration of your workout will be the direct result of HOW sore you will be feeling the day or two afterwards.  Ok, now that we have educated you on DOMS, AKA:  My muscles are SORE!  Here is some tips to ease that love/hate feeling of burning and repairing that is going on inside that lean machine of yours:

1.  Foam roller:  You can purchase one of these rollers at any DICKS, Meijers, Target and even TJ MAXX

2.  Epsom salt bath:  Not only relieves sore muscles but also has been known to ease stress

3.  Active recovery:  A light jog and stretch immediately following your new kick butt work out.

4.  Yoga:  This has been a new and bang for your buck way to reduce some soreness throughout your entire body…and mind

4.  Good old fashion ice bath:  Load up the tub or tin trash can with ice and cold water, then sink and be tough for at least 10 minutes!

5.  Massage:  Creating circulation/blood flow to the torn down muscles will allow a faster recovery.  AND, let’s be real, who doesn’t love a message???

Balconi Top 5 Healthy Super Bowl snacks

1.   Guacamole and cucumbers

* Smash up Avocado in a cup, squeeze a lemon on top, add a bit of garlic powder and sea salt  Cut slices of cucumbers and dip away

 2.  Fresh FETA Salsa and wheat tortilla chips

* Chop up tomatoes, onion, cucumber, red pepper and any other veggies you enjoy.  Sprinkle salt, pepper, garlic and squeeze a fresh lime on top.  Add Feta cheese in the salsa mix and dip away

3.  Greek chicken mix and toasted pita pockets

* Bake chicken seasoned with lemon and pepper.  Shred cooked chicken into a bowl.  Chop up romaine lettuce, kalamata olives and add feta.

* Slightly cover wheat pitas in olive oil or a light butter.  Sprinkle garlic salt on top of pita and cover with foil.  Place in oven until pita is cooked to the way you prefer to serve.  If you want crispy pita’s, open foil.  If you prefer soft pita chips, keep foil closed.

 4.  Sweet and Salty mix

* Mix unsalted raw almonds, wheat chex, lightly salted pistachios and dark chocolate chips.  Mix and serve

 5.  Wheat pizza wrap(or wheat bagel)

* Take a wheat wrap, cover a spoonful of homemade pizza sauce, or spaghetti/pizza sauce in jar over top of wrap.  Place on top of foil and cover the pita with the foil.  Place in the oven 5-8 min and remove pita from oven.  Add fresh mozzarella and/or shredded parmesan.  If you have a lean meat available, add that too!  Keep foil open and place the whole wheat pizza back in the oven for additional 3-5 minutes.

February is the month of sweet treats and it’s the month when people tend to feel the “Winter blues.”  These two punching combinations can take a huge toll on your body, not just physically but mentally and emotionally as well.  Let’s not forget, it’s also Valentines month…and depending on your personal love situation, this may be the 3rd knock out punch that officially knocks you down.  NOW, not to worry!  We are here to teach you how to duck, and swivel around these punches and hit back, yes HIT BACK!  First and foremost; Prepare for the fight.

1.  Write down what punches you expect to take this month.  Is it the sweet treats?  Is it the relationship or lack of?  Is it the cold weather, business task and etc.?

2.  Write down HOW you are going to duck the first punch, second, third and swivel all the punches.

3.  TIME TO HIT BACK:  Now, write down your punches.  For example:  You have a sweet tooth, you ducked the hit(which means you dodged the extra peanut butter chocolate heart at CVS) and now you need to hit back.(Which means, you need to substitute that craving with a “healthier” choice.)  Example:  1 Dove Dark Chocolate with a little peanut butter on top.  OR, strawberries with chocolate syrup on top.  Another Example:  Cold Weather blues, you ducked the second hit(Instead of dragging yourself out of bed and into the shower)  You PUNCHED BACK!  (You bundled up and you took a walk in the AM before anyone else stole your breath away.  You took your first deep breath of FRESH air.)  Good for you!  One more Example:  Relationship or just feeling “blah” about yourself.  OK, swivel this combo hit(No more “thinking” about the problem at hand or “wishing” for solutions)  You are hitting back, (Go into solution mode:  Book yourself a massage, get your haircut, go for a jog to get the endorphins flowing and then buy a new fancy top.)  Create the feeling of confidence and let others witness YOU.

I think always doing a little more will get you the ultimate results you are looking for.  If you want to look, feel and live life at your best; you need to compete and train to be at your best.  It’s not what you do in practice for those two hours, it’s not what you do in the classroom or the meeting room for that hour….It’s what you do after that hour, after that practice.  It’s the EXTRA push ups and squats at night, it’s the EXTRA reading for that class, it’s the EXTRA research for that specific skill that you are expected to bring the table.  It’s the moments in life when no one is making you do anything, it’s simply your inner drive..that passion and “want” factor to do the best you can and be the best you possible can.  So, whatever goal or goals you have in life, long term or short; Find a moment to do a little more and you’ll get there, promise.

We always get asked what is Balconi? Or what is the meaning behind our brand. It is sometimes challenging to express everything that Balconi is in writing. Check out our first video blog with Renee’ Balconi answering the question of what is Balconi?

Top 10 Stress Relief Foods

1. Avocado and Banana: loaded with potassium which keeps blood pressure low
2. Hot Tea: Calming and relaxing feelings from a smooth cup of hot tea
3. Swiss Chard: magnesium helps balance the body’s stress hormone
4. Fish: Omega-3 fats in fish help keep you calm
5. Whole-Wheat Pretzels: carbohydrates offer an energy boots and release serotonin
6. Carrots: munching on crunchy foods help beat stress
7. Milk: relieve tense muscles from b-vitamins, protein, calcium and vitamin d
8. Yogurt: lay off the ice cream and reach for a yogurt
9. Nuts: help boost you immune system from vitamins and zinc
10. Chocolate: dark chocolate may lower levels of stress

A kind thank you to FoodNetwork.com for providing this great information about stress relieving foods! Take a look at the link for images, recipes and in-depth descriptions of these ten amazing foods!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/healthy_eating/top-10-foods-for-stress-relief/pictures/index.html

The Balconi Team just arrived in Salt Lake City, Utah for the Winter Outdoor Retailer Show. We have been busy spreading the word of Balconi at this event. Traveling many miles from home, we have to stay healthy along the way. Here are a few tips for healthy traveling!

1. Pack snacks for the airplane: Don’t get stuck eating fatty foods at the airport, pack some raw almonds, an apple and protein bars for the trip. Snack on those foods until you can get a meal.

2. Stay Hydrated! Drink plenty of water, mostly if you are traveling to a destination with a higher altitude. Either pack your favorite water bottle to fill up, or get one at a store at the airport.

3. If you are staying at a hotel without a gym, find a local gym and see if you can workout at their facility while you are traveling. Some gyms will allow you to workout for free for a week, while some gyms offer an affordable gym guest pass.

4. Bring workout bands with you to get a great workout on the go!

5. Grab a jump rope so you can get early morning cardio.

6. Get relaxed before a big business meeting with yoga in your hotel room with the Yoga Iphone app.

7. Trying to find healthy places to eat out can get pretty tricky. Use this helpful, “Eat this not that,” Iphone app to help make better food choices while on the road!