The recent Fitness Health Bloggers Conference (FHBC) was held in Denver, Colorado. I live in Santa Barbara, California. So of course I decided to drive 1,200 miles, each way, rather than fly. And I discovered it is possible to stay somewhat active while driving, just not simultaneously (although I do tend to finger dance to good music on the car radio).
I brought along my 15 year old son. By definition, he does not drive. I hate driving. But I do like traveling. And saving money on airfare. My solution: make lots of stops to get out of the car and take photos with my new iPhone. Yup, oddly enough, having Instagram (an app that lets you take photos and send them out via social media immediately) motivated me to get out of the car and move.
Santa Barbara to Denver via the I-15 & I-70 - Lovely except for HOT Nevada
Any time we spotted a viewpoint or something interesting along the road (yeah, Hwys. 15 and 70 are both major interstates with shoulders just wide enough for me to pull over and not get “whoomped” by the draft of 18-wheelers passing by), I’d careen carefully pull over to the side of the freeway, get out and take some pics. I even took my poor, long-suffering kid on a few short hikes, trying to get the “best” shot. FYI, I am not actually a photographer, I was just determined to get my kid moving.
The long, hot route from Denver to Santa Barbara. Scenic though!
There has been so much research lately about the detrimental effects of sitting too long that I wanted to be sure and move, both while on the road and at the conference.
I also wanted to be sure and eat healthfully, as good eating habits sometimes get tossed out the window (along with fast-food trash) during road trips.
See for yourself whether I met my movement and food goals.
If you read our post “Lose 2 Pounds in 2 Days,” or our other conference-related post “3 Excuses You Can Use When Mountain Hiking,” then you already know that we went to the conference to speak about blogging and learn about the latest research in the health & fitness field. The attendees were a combination of fitness industry pros and enthusiasts; what we all had in common was our love of fitness and social media. And food. Um, yeah! Food!
This is the section where I tell you about the amazing brands that sponsored the conference (and my fabulous fashion choices). I say “amazing” because they treated us extremely well. Not just well; extremely well.
Anschutz Health & Wellness Center
goodnessknows
Cherry Marketing Institute
Attune Foods
Rockin’ Refuel
Chipotle
Driscoll’s Berries
Love Grown Granola
Western Dairy Association
Adora™ Calcium
TechnoGym
Quebec Maple Syrup
Better Whey of Life
My gear:
Black Jacket: Qignition
Presentation pink outfit: Aventura Clothing
Orange backpack/ purse: Overland Equipment
Totally comfy wicking socks for the hikes: Goodhew
Hat that protected me from the sun and sweat: Headsweats
Fabulously awesome, fit body: My parents (no link haha, although you can see our mom in this posture video)
Disclaimer: Thank you to Refuel with Chocolate Milk for providing us with a scholarship for the conference registration, and to FitFluential for making it possible for us to be panel speakers and moderators. All opinions, silly faces and poorly lit pictures are my own!
Hi Alexandra,
I love road trips:) Really great pictures you have there, the views were amazing. And it sounds like a very interesting conference as well.
Mariella Lombardi recently posted..30 Women With Sexy Abs Dance Around Me
Hi Mariella, I also love road trips, but I hate sitting in one position for a long time. Thanks for the compliment about my pictures; I had 180 of them, but who wants to see that many?!
AlexandraFunFit recently posted..Fitness Health Bloggers Conference: Staying Fit While Traveling
I LOVE road trips!!! Hoping soon I can do the what 3000 mile trek from fl to ca!
Tara burner recently posted..Dew it…ColdPlay, Bruises and more
That looks like a great conference and what a wonderful sponsor list!
Tesa @ 2 Wired 2 Tired recently posted..Fun Photo Flashback – Silly Headbands
I love road trips!! Sorry you think my city (Las Vegas) is lame! You must have went to the wrong places
Love all of your great tips. We are big fans of road trips too. We make a lot of stops to get out and stretch. I also thinking packing your own picnic lunch is a great way to save money but also eat healthy too!
So glad you had a great trip!
Carrie with Children recently posted..What I Saw This Weekend… Hot Weather!
Just did a shorter road trip than yours and there’s nothing like getting out of the car and stretching. Looks like a fantastic conference. Congrats on the scholarship!
ConnieFoggles recently posted..Embassy Suites Family Friendly Hotel
LOVE that Rockin’ Refuel that you mentioned! It’s the only chocolate milk that I let my kids drink, and I have heard it’s SO tasty! (I don’t drink milk)
Becca – Our Crazy Boys recently posted..I Need To Know I’m Not Alone In This.
I love road trips! The longest road trip I’ve taken was as a kid to Disney from NYC. Usually when your on a road trip to a given destination, you want to drive as long as possible to get there quicker, but awesome job getting in some movement during your trip!
Sylvia @ Frolic Through Life recently posted..Southwestern Quinoa Salad
Getting out of the car makes a road trip! Sure, you want to get to your destination, but there is so much to see in between there and here, you just have to hop out and look around! Looks like it was an extremely great conference!
Calla Gold
Looked like a fun bonding with your son over a road trip. I would love to do that with my son too. Great topics on the conference, mytravelfitness.com
MyTravelFitness.com recently posted..Cooking Classes in Chiang Mai, Thailand
Seriously, I just collapsed in a fit of giggles watching your video.
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