The HerKentucky UK Wildcats Personality Quiz
What does your favorite UK Wildcat say about your personality?
Here in Kentucky, it's hard not to be caught up in Wildcats fever right now.We've got more McDonald's All-Americans than Ole Miss has Miss America hopefuls, and you can't turn on the TV without hearing the question "Can Kentucky remain undefeated?"
If your favorite Wildcat is...
Willie Cauley-Stein:
You work hard and play harder. At work, you're known as the person who bills 80 hours a week and still has time to organize the company's Happy Hours. You probably also play video games while you're on conference Calls. (Click to Tweet!)
Trey Lyles:
People often describe you as "mysterious." Even your closest family and friends don't always know what you're thinking or doing... (Click to Tweet!)
Andrew Harrison:
You're a very loyal person. You stick by an idea or project until it comes to fruition. You may say "I told you so!" a little too often. (Click to Tweet!)
Alex Poythress:
You've had some health problems, but you know you'll be back in The Game soon. People should know better than to count you out just yet. (Click to Tweet!)
Karl-Anthony Towns:
You're intense and motivated. Some call you passionate, others call you explosive. You have huge successes and, often, huge disappointments, but you give life your all. (Click to Tweet!)
Dakari Johnson:
You've got a great sense of humor. People like to have you around, because you make them laugh and you can always reach the items on the top shelf. (Click to Tweet!)
Aaron Harrison:
You're a team player. You get the job done, and people know that they can always depend on you. (Click to Tweet!)
Devin Booker:
Friends, relatives, and colleagues genuinely like you. You get promoted frequently, and your accomplishments are often celebrated. (Click to Tweet!)
Tyler Ulis:
Your nickname might as well be "The Energizer Bunny." What you lack in height, you make up for in energy, talent, and personality. You're usually considered the life of the party. (Click to Tweet!)
Marcus Lee:
People consider you a truly unique individual. You aren't afraid to be yourself or to stand out in the crowd. (Click to Tweet!)
Who's your favorite Wildcat?
Dark Chocolate Truffles
Make your sweetheart something delicious and chocolatey this year for Valentine's Day!
Valentine's Day is around the corner, and what better way to celebrate than to make your sweetheart dark chocolate truffles? This recipe is easy to do in an afternoon, or as a last minute idea-not that you didn't plan anything ;o)
dark chocolate truffles
makes 30 truffles
16 oz dark chocolate (70 percent cocoa), chopped
1/2 cup coconut oil
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Pinch sea salt
1/4 cup cocoa powder, toasted coconut, or toasted nuts, for rolling
- Heat chocolate, oil, and 3 Tbsp water in a double boiler, stirring, until just melted.
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and sea salt.
- Transfer to an 8-inch baking dish and refrigerate until mixture is set but still pliable, about 2 hours.
- Using a 1-inch scoop or spoon, scoop out chocolate mixture and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Coat hands in cocoa and roll chocolate into balls.
- Refrigerate on parchment-lined baking sheet 10 minutes or until outsides firm up again.
- Roll in the topping of your choice--more cocoa powder, toasted coconut, toasted chopped nuts, etc
- Enjoy!
There is also no shame in making these for yourself as a special treat regardless of the time of year! How else do you think these got made? Not that I need much of an excuse to make anything with chocolate!
Jennifer is the chef behind a girl eats world. For more delicious recipes, head over and hang out for a while!
So, What Do You Do in a Barre Class?
What to expect in a barre fitness class.
Before my first b.barre class at b.you last week, I have to say that I was a little intimidated. I'd heard friends and acquaintances describe barre fitness as "life-changing" and "revolutionary", but I didn't exactly know what went on. There were some noncommittal references to yoga, Pilates, and dance, but never anything concrete. And certainly nothing to silence my fear that I'd fall flat on my face.
It turns out that most of barre class comes down to a series of fluid, controlled movements that seek to lengthen and work arm and leg muscles while maintaining an engaged core and neutral spine. There are, indeed, some positions that you'll recognize from yoga (planks and extended child's pose spring to mind) and Pilates (several variants of the 100s). And, even if you're like me and know nothing about dance, you will recognize positions like plié.
The class will start with some very focused arm exercises, using 2 or 3 pound weights (or, if you're on modifications for back injury, as I am, with no weights at all.) You'll work biceps, triceps, and shoulders. The motions are controlled and smooth, and believe me when I say that you can tell the difference even without the use of weights. You'll then move on to a series of leg exercises -- again, smooth and controlled is the key. You're seeking to engage your glutes while keeping your core strong. Your final exercises will include planks and floor work for your abs. It's a full-body workout; don't be surprised to wake up with sore muscles the next day!
I can already tell that b.you's b.barre classes are an excellent aid in rehabbing my back. After only a few visits, I'm already walking with less pain. The emphasis on core strength is literally just what the (Neurosurgeon) doctor ordered to strengthen my back and help to offset the injury to my discs.
Please join me throughout as I embark on a journey of fitness at b.you. I'll be posting every Monday to let you know how the classes are going, and you can keep up along the way on HerKentucky's Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Follow b.you on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well!
I hope to see y'all at b.you soon! They have two convenient locations here in Louisville: one in St. Matthews and one in Springhurst!
{This post is brought to you by b.you Fitness!}
Heart Disease and Me
Know your family history of heart disease!
The women in my family have a history of heart disease.
It sounds innocuous enough when I say it that way. It's a whole lot more real when I say:
"I was three years old when my grandma was babysitting my cousin and me. She was in her fifties. And she had a heart attack. All I remember about that day is that I spilled a gallon of milk. That's long-forgotten, but the day's other events changed the course of my grandmother's health for the remaining 25 years of her life."
"My aunt suffered a heart episode that left her comatose for a week. From the middle-of-the-night phone call alerting us all to the situation until one miraculous day in the ICU at UK Med Center, we had no idea if she'd wake up."
"My mom has a heart condition that has affected her daily life in small ways, but we always know it's there."
Makes it a little more real, doesn't it?
Heart disease is the number one killer of women in America. Here are some scary-assed statistics from the Go Red for Women foundation:
- Heart disease causes 1 in 3 women’s deaths each year, killing approximately one woman every minute.
- 90 percent of women have one or more risk factors for developing heart disease.
- Since 1984, more women than men have died each year from heart disease and the gap between men and women’s survival continues to widen.
- The symptoms of heart disease can be different in women vs. men, and are often misunderstood.
- While 1 in 31 American women dies from breast cancer each year, 1 in 3 dies of heart disease.
The Bluegrass State is pretty notorious for poor cardiovascular health. According to the CDC,more than 1 out of 4 deaths in Kentucky are due to heart disease.
These are very real, very sobering statistics. This February, please stop to think about all the heart logos you see -- the Valentine's Day ads and the Go Red for Women events. Wear red for yourself and those you love. If you're out looking for last minute Godiva at the mall today, participate in Macy's Go Red Campaign. But most of all, educate yourself. Talk with your doctor about your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Make healthier choices in your diet and exercise. These are all changes you know you should make anyway.
It's not just for you. It's for everyone on your Valentine's Day list.
Product Review: UncommonGoods Custom State Pillow
A customized pillow adds a touch of Kentucky to any home decor!
UncommonGoods recently offered me the opportunity to review one of their Custom State Pillows. This is such a fun process; you can choose your state, your favorite color, and your favorite city (over which a heart will be sewn!)
Of course, I wanted to make the absolute perfect Kentucky pillow. I chose this gorgeous shade of turquoise -- Caribbean Surf -- with a heart over Louisville. I waited not-so-patiently for my order to arrive and was simply thrilled with the results! It's a good size for a throw pillow, an office accent, or to add a touch of home anywhere you'd like the reminder! The felt appliques are stitched in contrast threads for a homespun feel. The quality of the felt is fantastic, and this piece really catches the eye!
This piece would be fantastic for a loved one who's headed off to a dorm room or first apartment in another state, as a dramatic accent in an office bookshelf, or anyplace a little touch of home is needed. In fact, UncommonGoods has an awesome assortment of gifts for just about anyone on your list. They have a great array of personalized gifts for just about any occasion. I love the Hand-Embroidered State Pillows and the New Yorker-style personalized wedding posters! With Valentine's Day coming up, you can find fun, quirky, and unique gifts for her (the anatomical heart pendant cracks me up!) or for him. (They have repurposed UK basketball court cufflinks, y'all!)
Thanks so much to UncommonGoods for the pillow, and for introducing me to their fun line of products!
{A customized pillow was provided for review. Thanks to Uncommon Goods for the lovely product!!}
B.Fit with HerKentucky + B.You!
HerKentucky Writer Heather C. Watson gets fit with Louisville fitness studio b.you!
So, last year, I had some back trouble.
Two discs, conveniently located at either end of my spine, were wreaking major havoc with nerve endings. It wasn't very fun, and it was even less fun to treat. After extensive physical therapy, steroid treatment, and a surgery, the proverbial ball is in my court. I've been treated, I've experienced a lot of relief, and now it's time to work on strengthening my spine. It's going to take a lot of hard work, but that's a small price to pay to reduce the risk of further disc degeneration.
As I was searching for a fitness facility to help me on this journey, I kept hearing great things about b.you Fitness. I reached out to b.you's co-founders, Stephanie Bristow and Rashna Carmicle, to see if their fitness program would be a good fit as I worked to alleviate some of the residual pain from my injuries and sought to prevent further degeneration. I am so, so glad I contacted them, y'all!
B.you is unlike any other gym or fitness studio I've ever attended. The classes are a mix of barre, Pilates, yoga, dance, and orthopedic stretching. The more advanced classes even include aerial fitness: you're actually suspended from an aerial silk hammock for the duration of the class!
What I was most excited about, though, was the personal attention I received in my consultation with Rashna and Stephanie. I met with their staff Physical Therapist to discuss how my fitness regimen should be modified to accommodate my injuries. Unlike a lot of gyms, where the mentality tends to revolve around "How much can I deadlift?" or "How far can I run?", the emphasis at b.you is on maintaining correct form and ensuring the correct movement.
Please join me this month as I embark on a journey of fitness at b.you. I'll be posting every Monday to let you know how the classes are going, and you can keep up along the way on HerKentucky's Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Follow b.you on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well!
I hope to see y'all at b.you soon! They have two convenient locations here in Louisville: one in St. Matthews and one in Springhurst!
{This post is brought to you by b.you Fitness!}
Bennett's Beaufort Bonnet
A gorgeous bonnet benefits a very special girl.
Here at HerKentucky, we just love The Beaufort Bonnet Company. We love the classic, Southern style their clothing and accessories lend to the littlest masters and misses across the Commonwealth. We love their owner, Lexington native Markey Hart Hutchinson, who is as charming and gracious as she can be. But, most of all, we love that TBBC cares.
That's why we urge you, if there's a little girl in your life -- if, like me, you have a niece on the way, or if you have a little daughter or granddaughter or basically any little gal who'd like to look pretty while helping others -- please buy the Limited Edition Bennett's Beaufort Bonnet.
Bennett is one of the faces of TBBC. She's a gorgeous little girl who's been a model for TBBC. Tragically, she's been diagnosed with a rare brain tumor which hasn't responded to aggressive treatments. ALL net proceeds from the sale of Bennett's Beaufort Bonnet will go to Bennett's family.
This is a beautiful bonnet with an even more beautiful cause. Stock up on baby presents today at TBBC!
{All images courtesy The Beaufort Bonnet Company.}