What to pack for a Fitness and Health Bloggers Conference?

June 22, 2012 by 17 Comments

I’ve been to many, many conferences in my life. Most of them were stuffy, academic meetings. T-shirts and shorts and Birkenstocks affairs. The only things I really had to remember to pack were my presentation slides (this is back in the day when we actually used slide projectors) and my resume (academic conferences are all about finding your next post).

Today, I’m in Denver at the 2012 Fitness and Health Bloggers Conference courtesy of FitFluential and Refuel with Chocolate Milk. Thanks so much guys for the sponsorship!

I wasn’t really sure what to pack. I don’t own Birkenstocks any more. I’m not giving a presentation. And  I don’t need another job.

Given the weather forecast, I’m not sure I’ll need my Lululemon hoody or new hand knit sweater. (Note that the evening lows are higher than the daytime highs we’ve been having in Vancouver; I will probably melt). But then again, I tend to freeze in air conditioning.

fitknitchick

All I really need to take is comfortable clothing (including workout gear; I believe there will be many opportunities to exercise), my camera and iPad for ‘real time’ blogging, some knitting for the plane ride,

fitknitchick knitting

and a whole stack of ‘blog’ cards to exchange with all the new blogger friends I’m hoping to meet.

What I’m most excited about (besides getting a 4-day vacation from my children) is meeting all of the bloggers that I regularly interact with on Facebook and Twitter IRL (that’s In Real Life)!

Wishing you all a wonderful, movement-filled weekend! Back with a conference recap next week! (Unless I can’t hold off and sneak in a few updates in real time!)

Have you ever been to a fitness bloggers conference?

What was your favourite part of the event?

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Want to meet your favourite health and fitness bloggers in real life? Go to a conference!

March 22, 2012 by 4 Comments

Before I became a fitness professional and blogger, I spent many years as an academic researcher. One of my favourite parts of the job was travelling to conferences to present my research and meet others who shared the same interests and passions that I do.

I recently discovered that conferences are not unique to the academic world. Health and fitness bloggers have them too! I’d love to attend this June’s Fitness and Health Bloggers Conference in Denver, Colorado, in part, because I’ve never visited Denver before, but also because FitFluential will be there to talk about blogging and branding and social media. How fun would it be to meet up with some of my new, online blogging friends!

Even more exciting is the possibility of winning a scholarship that covers the cost of registration to the three-day event! Refuel With Chocolate Milk is graciously sponsoring 40 FitFluential members to attend the conference. Perhaps I’ll be one of them?

On that note, I thought I’d share with you one of my favourite ‘double-header fitness days’  shakes. The one I drink in the hour between my Monday Step & Pump and Spin classes. It’s got carbohydrates to refuel after the first class, protein to stabilize blood sugars, potassium to aid muscle recovery and caffeine to pump me up before I get on the bike!

Fitknitchick’s Chocolate Espresso Energy Shake:

  • 1 cup low fat milk or chocolate milk
  • 1 Tbsp no sugar, no salt added peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup espresso
  • 1 scoop chocolate protein powder
  • 1/2 banana
  • ice

Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth. I like to leave it in the freezer for an hour before I leave the house; by the time I get to drink it, it’s slightly slushy and icy cold!

What’s your favourite way to enjoy milk?

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