Super Bowl Week

Super Bowl Sunday is one of the great American traditions. In the middle of a long, cold winter sits a day of joy and festivities. A day when men and women have only one thing on their minds. Football. Whether you're watching the game for the game itself, the commercials or the halftime show, the Super Bowl is can't-miss television. The crew at the Neon Vibe wanted to get in on the fun. Here are our score predictions for the big day: 

Chad: 17-14 SEAHAWKS
Breanne: 27-17 BRONCOS
Chase: 34-30 BRONCOS
Addison: 14-13 SEAHAWKS
Tijs: 27-24 SEAHAWKS
Kate: 21-21 DRAW (uh...)
Collin: 31-24 BRONCOS
Micah: 27-17 BRONCOS

Leave your predictions in the comment section below! Any perfect predictions will win a free hoodie!

Now, just because you're going to be sitting in front of a TV for 5 hours doesn't mean you have to compromise your healthy eating habits you've worked so hard to establish. Here are a few healthy food alternatives to normal game day snacks:

FIVE BEAN CHILI (Credit Men's Fitness)

Ingredients: 

1 cup corn (frozen or fresh)

1 cup chopped sweet onion
2 14.5-oz cans diced tomatoes
1 14.5-oz can each cannellini, pinto, black, and light red kidney beans. Drained and rinsed. 
1 40.5-oz can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 28-oz can whole tomatoes
1/4 cup taco seasoning
1 tsp chili powder

Directions:

1. Sauté corn and onions in a skillet for 6-10 minutes.

2. In a large crockpot, combine all ingredients. Simmer on high for 4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours. Don't have a crockpot? Combine all ingredients in a large soup pot, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer on low for 45 minutes. 

Makes: 12 1-cup servings

Nutrition (per serving): 180 calories. 1 g fat. 36 g carbohydrates, 9 g fiber, 7 g sugar, 11 g protein. 

BONELESS BUFFALO WINGS (credit womenshealthmag.com)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup nonfat buttermilk, divided

1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
1 cup panko
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup flour
1 lb chicken tenders or chicken breast sliced into strips
Wing sauce and/or sriracha (or both) to taste
Carrots, sliced into sticks

Directions:

1. Mix 1/2 cup buttermilk and blue cheese crumbles, season, and set aside. In a pan on medium heat, toast panko in olive oil until golden, about 5 minutes. 

2. Place panko in one bowl, buttermilk in another, and flour in a third. Season chicken with salt and pepper, the dredge in flour, then buttermilk (drain excess), then in toasted panko to coat. Place on a wire baking rack and set inside a foil-lined baking sheet. 

3. Bake at 475 degrees for 10 minutes. Pour sauces into a bowl and add chicken. Use tongs to toss. 

GUACAMOLE (credit allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:

3 avocados - peeled, pitted, and mashed

1 lime, juiced

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup diced onion

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2 roma (plum) tomatoes diced

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 pinch ground cayenne pepper (optional)

Directions: 

In a medium bowl, mash together the avocados, lime juice, and salt. Mix in onion, cilantro, tomatoes, and garlic. Stir in cayenne pepper. Refrigerate 1 hour for best flavor, or serve immediately.

Preparing for a 5K

At the Neon Vibe we encourage people of all ages and all fitness levels to participate in our events. There's nothing better than chatting with participants and finding out our run is a stepping stone in helping that person reach his or her fitness goals. Come one, come all! We invite everybody to participate and feel the rush of neon flow through your hair...literally. Hopefully these tips for training will help some of you prepare for the next Neon Vibe 5k in a city near you.

ESTABLISH A PRE-RUN ROUTINE

We can't stress enough how important it is to stretch. Do butt kicks, high knees and really stretch out your hamstrings. As you continue to become more flexible your muscles and joints will get stronger and your risk of injury will decrease. Let's face it, the older you get the more important healthy stretching is. Take the time now to establish good habits with 5 solid minutes of getting loose. Also, drink plenty of water and avoid eating anything that spurs indigestion.

WORK ON YOUR BREATHING

Here's a few tips to help you breath easier while running:

1. Take deep breaths. Remember, your lungs are only slightly smaller than your rib cage. When you focus on breathing deep you're able to expand your lungs, press down on your diaphragm, causing your abdomen to fill with air completely. If you're able to learn to breath deeply you will avoid getting light-headed and nauseous. Breathe to your full capacity.

2. Find a breathing pattern. Try synchronizing your breaths with your footsteps. Inhale with every step with your right foot, and exhale on every step with your left foot. If this doesn't work for your, try every other step. Experiment with different patterns until you find the rhythm that's right for you.

3. Breathe freely! There are so many articles online about whether you should breath through your nose or your mouth, but honestly, it really doesn't matter. Though breathing through your nose helps warm the air more efficiently than the mouth, once you're running at a decent speed it gets very difficult to push that many liters of air through your nostrils. The only time breathing through the nose is significantly more important is when the temperature and humidity are extremely low. Nose breathing may be OK for yoga, but when you're running it is more important to be comfortable and consistent.

CREATE AN EXERCISE PLAN

Exercise plans need to be personalized to each person's athletic abilities. Focus more on the time of each workout, For those of you that are just starting your journey to get healthy, here is a simplified 8 week exercise plan to get ready for any Neon Vibe running event:

Side note: Each session is intended to be done 3 times a week. You should begin each workout with stretching and a brisk 5 minute warm up walk. 

Exercise is empowering. The time to make the change is now. We can't wait to have you at the next Neon Vibe event!

The Neon Vibe in the Hawaiian Islands

Aloha!

Mahalo to all those participants that came out to the event on January 3rd at Aloha Stadium! We had an amazing time. Hawaii is a beautiful place with incredible people. Our trip was way too short!

One of the best parts about organizing Neon Vibe events is the opportunity to work with each area's local children's hospital through the Children's Miracle Network. For this event we got to work with the Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women & Children. We worked mainly with their Children's Miracle Network representative Stacy and her
staff. They were so helpful and made our event in Hawaii a breeze. Thank you Stacy for all your hard work and dedication to our event. Stacy provided several marketing opportunities and was a very generous host on Neon Vibe's first visit to Hawaii.

We held the packet pickup in the parking garage of the hospital. That may sound strange, but it actually worked out very well. We had plenty of space and the runners showed up in droves. The best part of holding packet pickup at the hospital was the chance we had to throw a neon party for some of the kids that evening. The Vibe Tribe really put on a show under the lights, and the kids seemed to really enjoy the dancing.

The actual event was held at Aloha Stadium. We want to give a special shout out to the Assistant Events Manager Ryan, and the Parking Manager Wes for their extended help with setup. Ryan was even generous enough to give us a tour of the tunnels and field of the stadium afterwards. For the men of the group, it was quite the treat. You and the rest of the staff at Aloha Stadium were absolutely amazing--we couldn't have asked for better facilities. From prepping the lights
to cleaning up after the event--you all were great!

The run was absolute insanity! The people of Oahu REALLY know how to have a good time! There were over 3,000 brightly dressed participants and plenty of creative costumes. Multiple news outlets covered the event and we even had a showing from Miss Hawaii. We want to give a huge thanks to all the runners that came out to the event. You are the reason we're able to do what we do. We can't say enough about how great the people of Hawaii are. We had so much fun! Thanks for coming to the party!

After the run the Neon Vibe crew was able to stay a few extra days on Oahu. Some of the highlights of our stay included:

- Shark cages in Hale'iwa
- Visiting the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor
- Hiking through the jungle to a discrete water fall and fresh water pool near Laie
- Matsumoto's Shave Ice and the coconut shrimp at Kahuku Grill
- Getting destroyed by the huge waves at Waimea Bay
- Golfing 18 holes at Leilehua Golf Course
- The Luau at the Polynesian Cultural Center

Hawaii is a beautiful place and we can't wait to head back. Mahalo for everything and we hope to see you all again soon!

Holiday Gifts for the Neon Enthusiast

It's been a busy holiday season, filled with shopping trips and visits from the in-laws. It's time for the Neon Vibe to make your holiday shopping just a bit easier. Here's a list of unique gifts for those neon enthusiasts:

GLOW-IN-THE-DARK RUNNING SHOES

These synthetic, rubber soled sneakers are perfect to wear for a Neon Vibe event. Not only are they comfy and cozy, but they have reflective glow-in-the-dark accents that make it safe for you to run at night. If you want to be the hippest person at the run you can find these on amazon.com for $79.95 - $89.99. Warning, they're probably not the best shoe to wear while playing hide-and-seek.

 

BLACK LIGHT REACTIVE NEON MUSTACHES






If you want to look sophisticated while running, neon mustaches are a quick way to class it up. Don't be afraid to rock these elegant facial decorations on AND off the course. The best part about these chic lip brows is when they turn neon, they instantly become unisex. Buy them here for $4.99.






NEFF DIGI WATCH NF0203

Take a trip to the 80's with this timeless masterpiece. For only $31.99 you can be the proud owner of Neff Digi Watch NF0203! Click here for this, and many other color options of this vintage watch. Neff watches have a way of making classic designs trendy and hip. Keep your dignity by rocking this unique and colorful fashion statement.








NEON WIGS

Do you want to hide your identity? Do you want to look like Lady Gaga? Do you want to stand as the most ritzy show stopper at the next Neon Vibe event? If the answer is yes to any of those questions, the neon wig is for you. Disguise yourself and let your inner oddball come out! Sometimes you need to throw caution to the wind and let your hair, err...wig down. Click here to buy one of these sleek hair styles for $21.






HATS WITH BLINKING LEDS

Hats with blinking LED's will automatically make you the life of the party. If you're looking to stand out in a crowd, run a 5K, or conduct an important business meeting, this hat will demand attention. Don't be shy, decorate your beautiful head with a sequin-covered, light up fedora, and watch the eyeballs gravitate in your direction. You can be the proud owner of this swanky lid for only $9.99. Are you confident in your green fedora? Buy in bulk for even better prices. Own it.

Squats for Tots

This past Saturday the Neon Vibe sponsored a charity workout called "Squats for Tots". We want to give a special shout out to Brad, the owner of Cache Valley Strength and Conditioning, for allowing us to use his awesome cross fit facilities for our event. We had a great turnout and were able to raise over $600 to help families in need this Christmas. The funds raised will go directly towards gifts and meals.

Participants competed in a round of Death By Squats. At minute one each participant was expected to do 10 full-depth squats. At two minutes they did 11, at three minutes they did 12, and so on and so on... Roy, a local cross fitter won by making it to minute 29. Roy did a total of a total of 735 squats! Our female winner was Kate, who made it to minute 28, completing a grand total of 666 squats! Congrats to all the participants and thanks to all who came and made it a special year for our sponsored families.

Here are pictures of the event:

5 Power Foods

You can exercise as often as you want, but if you're not putting the right things in your body you won't see nearly as many results. Replacing the usual burger and fries with healthy alternatives will give you the boost you need for a workout and speed up your metabolism.

Here's a list of power foods we recommend for runners:

DARK CHOCOLATE

In small doses, dark chocolate is good for your heart and brain. It increases blood flow and prevents the formation of clots in the arteries and veins. There are chemicals in dark chocolate that improve your mood, including phenylethylamine (PEA), which is the same chemical that is released in the brain when you're falling in love. Dark chocolate also contains caffeine (much less than a cup of coffee or energy drink), which is a mild stimulant. It's also loaded with antioxidants and other vitamins and minerals.

Even though dark chocolate has many beneficial flavanoids, it also has a lot of sugar, calories, and fat. Eat sparingly--overindulging will undo the aforementioned benefits.

FISH

Fish provides a great source of omega-3 fatty acids--something our bodies do not produce on their own. Omega-3's are found in all fish but they're especially present in salmon, tuna, trout and sardines. We need omega-3 fatty acids for several bodily functions such as preventing clotting and building membranes in the brain. It protects you from heart disease and stroke and can contribute to healthier skin and hair.

Not everybody is a fish lover, and for those of you that aren't, almonds, walnuts, and flax seeds are great omega-3 replacements.

POMEGRANATE

Pomegranate is an amazing fruit filled with antioxidants and punicalagin--similar to acai berry juice and green tea. It has high levels of vitamins C, K and B5, which fight sickness, supports bone health, and helps the body metabolize. Pomegranates limit your risk for certain diseases such as prostate and breast cancer. They protect your cardiovascular health and because of all the vitamins and minerals (niacin, folic acid, potassium, calcium, iron, and fiber) it can even aid in pregnancy.

Pomegranate also has beauty benefits. It will slow the signs of aging, regenerate cells and protect you from the sun.

The biggest problem people have with pomegranates is getting the seeds out to eat. Watch this video--it will change your life!

AVOCADO

Avocados are one of the most versatile fruits, packed full of healthy fats and nutrients. They're a great source of fiber, potassium and vitamins C, K, folate, and B6. Eating half an avocado provides you with 160 calories, 2 grams of saturated fat and 15 grams of heart-healthy unsaturated fat. When making healthy meals, replace the butter or spread with avocado for a delicious alternative. Not only do avocados have all sorts of healthy fats and oils, the mono-saturated fat in avocados helps your body absorb other fat-soluble minerals from other foods.

CLICK HERE for an awesome recipe for Garlicky Shrimp Avocado Sandwiches.

NUTS AND SEEDS

Eating nuts and seeds between meals is extremely filling and satisfying--and healthful. We're not talking about sugar-coated and candied nuts you can buy at a kiosk in the mall--we're talking natural, raw and un-salted nuts. Eating raw nuts and seeds will decrease your risk of many diseases such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Eating nuts will inhibit those hunger cravings you may get in the middle of the afternoon, and in turn help control your weight.

Adding some chopped almonds to oatmeal, walnuts to your salad, or chia seeds to some peanut butter toast will give you an extra protein boost and burst of flavor. For a list of the healthiest nuts and seeds CLICK HERE.

There you have it, 5 power foods recommended by the Neon Vibe! Start eating a bit healthier and sign up for a race near you!

Making Exercise a Priority

One of the best parts about working for the Neon Vibe is watching rookie athletes reach their fitness goals. So many of the participants at our runs are new to the running scene. We have a lot of runners tell us things like, "This was my first 5K ever", or "I beat my previous time!" We love having beginning runners at our events! It's not easy to leave the warm comforts of a couch and head out the door for a jog or trip to the gym. Sometimes potato chips and soda sound more appealing than pushing your body to its physical limits--but it's all about mind over matter. It may be difficult at first, but you'll never regret bursting the barriers of your comfort zone and pushing yourself to exercise.

Here are few tips on getting your training started:

1. Shoes. Find shoes that meet the needs of your specific foot type. Everybody is different. Go to shoe store and try on several different styles. That being said, wear comfortable clothing. Running in jeans is "no bueno".

2. Start slow. Numerous studies recommend training sessions to last between 20 to 30 minutes 3 times a week. Begin by alternating between a brisk walk and a slow jog. Don't be overly concerned about the time or distance you go. Concentrate on pushing yourself each workout and staying consistent. Consistency will get you fit and your speed will increase as your heart and bones get stronger.

3. Music playlist. Build yourself a playlist of some of your favorite songs. Blast "Eye of the Tiger" and get running! Listen to music you enjoy! If you're somebody that likes running on a treadmill or going to the gym, go when you're favorite TV show is on. Feel free to watch a movie on your phone or tablet as you run/walk.

4. Don't be afraid to strengthen the rest of your body. The weaker your muscles are, the more prone to injury they will be. Many people are afraid weight training will make them too bulky. Unless you're aggressively taking supplements and lifting heavy weights every day, you should be fine. Targeting your major muscle groups a couple times a week is a great way to lose weight and lean up.

5. Stay flexible. Stretch before and after every workout. Click here to review tips on safe stretching.

6. Don't give up. You're going to have your good days and your bad days--stay with it! Get out there and push yourself! We'll see you at our next race!