Friday Favourites: My Daily Blog List

I hope you had a fantastic week and are gearing up for an even better weekend.  I know I am . :)

Today's favourites came about from a question I been asked a few times:  With so many blogs out there covering a huge range of topics, how do I decide which ones to visit on a daily basis?

Friday Favourites: Online Workouts

The blogosphere has become a fantastic resource for finding fun and creative ways to workout.  From pilates and yoga to tabata and interval training, there is certainly something for everything.

This week, I have rounded up a few great ones for you to try.  Just click, print and get moving!

As always, check with your doc before you start any exercise program.

Getting ready to burpee!  Learn how here.

 

Friday Favourites: Posts Worth Sharing

Looks like it is going to be a wet weekend in Toronto.  They called for a snow storm, we got rain instead.  I am headed up to the cottage this weekend so I hope the weather is better up there.

Today's favourites are a little bit different.  Many bloggers like to make it habit of sharing some of the wonderful food, health and fitness posts that they stumble across every week.  I love it as it leads me to reads that I may not have discovered on my own.

Today, I decided to be one of those bloggers.

5 Reasons Why You Should Start a Blog

I know what you are thinking. 

"Who really cares what I have to say about ___________ (food, fashion, fitness, etc.), I am not an expert?"

"Why would anyone read my ______________(sports, recipes, mommy etc.) blog when there are so many others out there just like it."

"What if no one ever visits or comments?"

I hear you loud and clear. Blogging can be intimidating and downright scary.

In fact, there are many good reasons not to blog (unable to commit, not interested in blogging, don't want to invest the time and the list goes on).

You will notice that the reasons above are not on the list.  People do care what others have to say and they will read your blog.  There are 1000's of bloggers out there and you could be one of them.

You just need a little patience, some great ideas and few hours a week.

Friday Favourites: Healthy Recipe Blogs

Happy Friday, my friends!

I have been feeling under the weather the past few days and am looking forward to getting things done this weekend.  Maybe a workout or two, enjoying the sunshine and doing some baking.

I often use other blogs as an inspiration for many of the makeovers I do and there are quite a few bloggers out there who do healthy cooking extremely well.  These ladies consistently post sweet and savoury dishes that will tickle your taste buds while being kind to your waistline.

Without further ado, here a just a few of those bloggers who share delicious and nutritious recipes.

 

Friday Favourites: Halloweeen Blogs

I love Halloween.

It has been my favourite holiday since I was a kid.  Dressing up, parades at school and getting candy.  Yes, please! I went trick-or-treating well into my late teens and am darn proud of it. :)

I am breaking from the norm today and going to share with you a few fantastic Halloween blogs. Yes, blogs that are dedicated this holiday all year long!.  What could be better, right?

If you are looking for some last minute costume ideas, crafts or treats, these blogs are right up your alley.

How to Make Your Business/Blog Stand Out

There are hundreds of healthy living blogs out there.  If you are running a business, I would also bet that there are at least that many like-services acting as your competition.

So, how do you make your blog/business stand out from the rest?

While there is no surefire way to guarantee that you will get thousands of followers, there are a few things you can do to make your brand/business/blog the best it can be.

Source

9 Rules for Connecting with Brands

I had every intention of blogging from the She's Connected Conference yesterday, when my laptop decided it did not want to be connected to the Internet anymore. (Love the irony.)

Sometimes you just have to roll with the punches, so here I am with a Saturday post!
(Friday favourites will be back next week, I promise.)

At the conference, I made some fabulous new friends, learned from some amazing brands and bloggers, and got some pretty cool swag.

Katia, Morgan, Danna, Me, Megan

The main focus of the conference was to learn how bloggers and brands can work together to form mutually beneficial relationships.  This could include sponsorships, product reviews and revenue for your blog.

The last session of the day involved a discussion of some the main themes of the conference.  It really hit home for me and I thought it might for you too so I wanted to share.


9 Rules for Connecting with Brands

1. Be authentic, be relevant, be you.
2. Align your personal brand with professional brands that fit in with your values.
3. Understand how brands value your service.
4. Leverage your connections and your community.
5. Be proactive.
6. Have patience, work hard and be persistent.
7. Learn as much as you can about the brands you would like to work with.
8. Brands must be a part of the conversation.
9. Follow the golden rule.

Do you work with any brands?  How did you form the relationship?

Stay Healthy,
Tracy

P.S.  Don't forget to vote and tell me your favourite way to stay connected!

My 3 Favourite Blogs for Moms (By Moms)

It has been a few weeks since I have featured some of my favourite bloggers on a Friday and I think it is time that I show some love :)

Since I train quite a few clients who are busy moms (or moms-to-be), I have been finding myself venturing into new blog territory and reading stories about women who manage to stay fit while juggling work and a family.

I have just recently starting reading all three of these blogs and I have to tell you, whether you are a mom or not, these ladies are determined, fun and inspirational.

How to Promote Your Blog

A few nights ago, we had a great discussion on Fitblog Chats about blogging.

I have posted about how blogging can help you build your brand as a fitness pro (or any other pro, for that matter) and how you can to build a better blog.  Today, I wanted to talk about some of the specific things you can do to spread the word about your blog and connect with the community.

My 3 Favourite Gluten-Free Blogs

Many of you know that I embarked on the Hormone Diet Detox and discovered that I am a little bit sensitive to gluten.  While I have not totally banished it from my life, I try to limit my intake as much as I can.

I sought out to find bloggers who talk about gluten free living to help me learn about how these intolerances can affect other people.  I also wanted to find new ideas for recipes for my own cooking and baking.

Here are three of my favourites that I have found on my journey.

My 7 Links

Following in the footsteps of my friend Amber @ Girl with the Red Hair, I have not actually been "nominated" to participate in this, but I thought it would be fun to share :)

THE GOAL

To unite bloggers (from all sectors) in a joint endeavor to share lessons learned and create a bank of long but not forgotten blog posts that deserve to see the light of day again.

THE RULES

1)     Blogger is nominated to take part (Ooops)

2)     Blogger publishes his/her 7 links on his/her blog – 1 link for each category.
This shouldn’t take you long to do – don’t over-think it!

- Your most beautiful post
– Your most popular post
– Your most controversial post
– Your most helpful post
– A post whose success surprised you
– A post you feel didn’t get the attention it deserved
– The post that you are most proud of

3)     Blogger nominates up to 5 more bloggers to take part.

My 3 Favourite Weight Training Blogs

Many women shy away from weight training.

I have heard all of the reasons.  "I don't want to get bulky."  "Cardio is better to help me lose weight."  "I don't have time." And the list goes on.

The truth is that we ALL need to incorporate strength training into our workouts to increase our metabolism, increase our muscular endurance and decrease our risk of injury.

Here are a few of my favourite bloggers who offer fantastic weight training advice and workout routines for women of all ages and abilities.

My 3 Favourite Running Blogs

I have finally admitted that I am a runner.  However, I have found myself looking to other activities lately to add some variety to my workouts, like Turbo Fire and Aqua Fitness.

I still like to run, just not as often as I used too.  I go through phases when it come to exercise and I am sure the time will come when I will be running more often.

That being said, I still like to read blogs about running, training and races.  Here are a few of my faves for your reading pleasure.

My 3 Favourite Blogs for Fitness Professionals

Happy Friday, friends!  It looks like it is going to be a beautiful weekend.

I a heading up north to the cottage again (I am a lucky girl) to celebrate my neice's birthday.

Over the last few weeks, I have been giving some love to my fellow bloggers and sharing some of my favouites.  Today, I wanted to feature some blogs geared towards fitness professionals.

These sites give great advice on how to build a better business.  (Even though they are fitness focused, some of the information could apply to any brand or business, so check them out :)

My 3 Favourite Fitness Bloggers

Today, I wanted to showcase a few bloggers who not only post about health and nutrition, but regularly feature fitness advice and workout plans.

It was really tough to narrow this one down, but here are just a few of my favourites.