Summer will be over before we know it. It’s traditionally a time for vacations, even for those who don’t have kids in school. My wife and I recently added a little adventure to a family trip.

Last week we went to visit my parents in Hackettstown, NJ. We decided to make the 700 mile drive part of the adventure and took our mountain bikes. Not surprising to those of you who know us.

Two of the three days we carved out two hours to explore Kittatinny Valley and Allamuchy State Parks. Located near the Poconos in Northwestern New Jersey, Allamuchy Mountain is home to some of the most challenging mountain biking I have ever done. The new terrain was engaging, lots of basketball sized boulders to negotiate and steep climbs to endure.

Before we knew it we were back visiting my folks, playing dominoes (I was the champ) and Wii bowling (my mother got lucky). And the Garden State lived up to its nickname as we enjoyed melt in your mouth Jersey peaches, melon, corn, blueberries, kale, butter lettuce, pflamenkuchen and lobster.

Even if you can’t take a rack of bikes with you consider adding a hike or two to your itinerary. Whether it’s a mountain, a beach, or a park, find a way to make your trip more active, and make it fun! Building fitness into family vacations just takes a little bit of planning.
Steve Smith

I recently returned from surfing at Witch’s Rock Surf Camp in Tamarindo, Cost Rica.  It is a great place to learn how to surf, and I highly recommend this specific school.

Being a mid-westerner, I’d never surfed a day in my life, but I really wanted to try something completely new and different  as a way to shift my focus from my current life and routine. Wow…It is a difficult sport.

I was able to get up on the board, I learned a lot, and eventually was able to ride for small increments of time.  The group of beginners I was with did a great job of encouraging each other, sharing our frustrations and our small victories.

Every day rain or shine (it is their rainy season right now), I “battled” the surf for about 90 minutes, and also received some dry land instructional time. The instructors were passionate about their sport, helpful and friendly.

At Fitness by Design, I’m proud to say our trainers are also passionate, helpful and friendly.  They are also knowledgeable on a variety of topics as we have triathletes, du-athletes, mountain bikers, past collegiate football players, soccer players, and a golfer.

Never competed in a Triathlon, but always wanted to?…shoot us an email and we will connect you to someone who can answer some questions for you and point you in the right direction.

We are here to help.

Summertime parties, picnics, and cookouts present challenging situations to those trying to eat right. Don’t despair! Try these 12 tips to successfully stay slim throughout the summer season.

1.  Make the menu. When you’re hosting an event, YOU have the advantage! Make/ask your guests to bring food selections that you’re willing to eat. If you don’t need it, your guests don’t either!

2.  Don’t go hungry. You are more apt to overeat or make unhealthy choices when you are famished and are faced by many non-healthy options.

3.  Strive for balance & a variety of food groups on your serving table and plate. Serve a variety of grains, fruits, vegetables, and proteins.

4.  Take small amounts of food. Use what you’ve learned about portion sizes at home, and apply that to the foods you put on your plate.

5.  Eat fruit as a dessert.

6.  Don’t hang out by the food and beverages.

7.  Plan lower calorie meals leading up to the event, to leave yourself caloric “leeway”.

8.  Decide BEFORE you go out how many alcoholic beverages you’ll allow yourself.

9.  Don’t let what others do at the event affect your decisions. Stay committed to your plan and gain pride in yourself and your ability to maintain self-control.

10.  Attempt to stick to a meal and snack schedule to keep your blood sugar, energy and moods stable.

11.  If you are traveling, pack a cooler for a better selection of foods instead of being limited to the choices at convenience stores and roadside restaurants.

12.  Stay hydrated! Drink lots of water, and add a slice of fruit for flavor if you’d like.

Kara Paris, Personal Trainer

Most people who know me know I’m in to biking. Recently, I was asked how I got started.

When I was a kid my yellow Huffy with banana seat was my ticket to freedom. I could ride to the “candy” store or pizza shop without my parents. In college I had a knee injury and riding a stationary bike was the only thing I was allowed to do. I soon saw the benefit of the bike to get around campus so I bought a used one from the Michigan State Bike Auction. I’ve been hooked ever since.

For me, it has been a great way to relieve stress. There is something about the rhythmic churning of the pedals that propel me to ride 100 miles down in Chattanooga, TN, or mountain bike with my wife at Stony Creek in Michigan. The satisfaction of knowing that my body is the engine brings great satisfaction.

I like to ride on my own, but group rides cultivate a competitive spirit in me. There is instant camaraderie when at least two bikers meet. Drafting, pulling, communicating, encouraging…working as a team to finish the ride together. Getting dropped, hitting the wall on a group ride, is humbling, but is the fuel for trying to improve.

I rarely go out of town without the bikes and am proud that I can fit 3 bikes on the roof and 2 in the backseat of my Toyota Avalon.

Steve Smith

Slide boards aren’t just for Pacers and personal trainer. We also added them to our youth fitness classes. Here’s some video of the boys putting their best foot…to the slide.