Keri Lynn Ford

Hello, hellooo IgniteGirls™!

Did you have a good weekend? Even though I was out of town, I made sure to get in my 2.61 miles of cardio on Saturday morning before the beach. That was the view at the gym, lovely isn't it? It always feels good to start the day with a workout, and I used last week's Empowerment Playlist to get my booty moving. Register for The IgniteGirls™ 5k Run!

The long-awaited Pavement & Pearls workout tank in MINT is finally here! We've been receiving requests for more sayings, but we thought it would be great to have a runner's tank that we could all wear on race day paired with your favorite pearl jewelry! After all, an IgniteGirl is both athletic and girly ;) You can order your very own P&P tank on Keri's Shop! ♥

And even more fun stuff... here is your Week 3 training schedule!! <---Just click the link to download it to your phone or print it out.  Register for The IgniteGirls™ 5k Run! You can hashtag us at #ignitegirls5krun (or #ignitegirls) before and after your 5k workouts! You can also tag us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Checking in online is great for: 
√ Accountability to me! 
√ Sharing the fitness fun!
√ Meeting other IgniteGirls™!

Now that you have downloaded your new workouts, how do you know you are really, reeeeally giving it your all? Make sure every workout counts! Read Coach Keri's article from The Huffington Post called "5 Ways You Can Tell You're Having a Good Workout". 

Rock the week, IgniteGirls™! We can't wait to hear how your training has been going! Check in with me online! I'm here to help!
~ Coach K 

Happy Thursday, IgniteGirls!

While you are busy training for the IgniteGirls 5k Run, I thought it would be really fun to put together a 15-Song Empowerment Playlist! These are tunes that definitely make me feel strong, powerful and they get my booty moving in the gym. In fact, I get myself ready to go to workout by listening to music! I hope you love these songs as much as I do! :) And if you haven't already, make sure to register for the 5k. All of the workouts are free, and I will send you race-ready goodies, exclusive apparel discounts and all of the latest announcements!

1) My Body, Young the Giant
2) Run the World (Girls), Beyonce
3) Do it Like a Dude, Jessie J 
4) I am Woman, Jordin Sparks
5) That's Not My Name, The Ting Tings 
6) #thatPOWER, will.i.am (feat. Justin Bieber)
7) I'm Getting Ready, Voodoo Serano
8) Battlescars, Lupe Fiasco & Guy Sebastian
9) Till I Collapse, Eminem & Nate Dogg 
10) Miss Independent, Kelly Clarkson 
11) Don't Hold Your Breath, Nicole Scherzinger
12) Sexy & I Know it, LMFAO
13) Pretty Girl Rock, Keri Hilson
14) Commander, Kelly Rowland
15) Hollaback Girl, Gwen Stefani 

Sweet Bubble Tea (aka Boba!)
What exactly is Boba? Boba, or tapioca pearls, come from the starch extracted from the cassava root. It is sold both as a flour or as pearls. The pearls become large, soft and gummy upon boiling. Their gelatinous texture makes for a fun, low calorie drink that is filling! Some of these drinks are blended slushies made with ingredients like taro, coffee, fruit, honey and cold tea, while other drinks are served more like a tea latte with ice, creamer and sweetener. I struggled to find a healthier version of this made with skim milk and agave nectar, as most of the places that serve drinks only had pre-mixed teas, made with the addition of heavy syrups and cream loaded with fat and sugar. 

• Uncooked large black or colored tapioca pearls
• Tea, steeped and chilled in the fridge
• Stevia or raw turbinado sugar
• Agave nectar or honey
• Unsweetened almond/coconut blend or organic skim milk
• Crushed ice
• Oversized straws
• Optional: sugar-free Torani syrups (ie: Mango, Coconut, Brown Sugar Cinnamon)

Boil hot water for the tea flavor of your choice. I prefer a black, chai or green tea flavor. Steep. Add in agave nectar, milk and Stevia/sugar to taste. Shake to thoroughly to mix. If you are using a sugar-free Torani syrup mix this in as well (check bottle for ratio of syrup to tea). Cool in fridge until thoroughly chilled.

To cook the tapioca pearls, use a 7 to 1 ratio, water to tapioca pearls. Boil water in a large pot (the tapioca will expand in size as they boil and soak) and add in the tapioca pearls to boiling water. The tapioca pearls should float. Boil with a lid for 15 minutes stirring often. Then turn the heat off and let the tapioca sit for 15-20 minutes, or until entirely clear or soft. Rinse the cooked tapioca pearls in cool water and drain.

In a large drinking glass, measure about 1/4c cooked tapioca pearls to the bottom of your beverage. Re-shake the chilled tea mixture until frothy and pour over crushed ice. Serve with an oversized straw.

You could also try 1 cup of fresh strawberries (or other fruit like mango, peach), 1/2 cup of almond/coconut milk and 1 cup of ice blended together into a milkshake consistency poured over boba. Another variation would be Starbucks VIA instant coffee blended with 1/2 cup of almond/coconut milk, 1 cup of ice with a sugar-free Torani syrup.

xoxo
~ Coach Keri 

How has your first week of training been, IgniteGirls?

I ended up teaching two spin classes and a bootcamp class, so I counted spin as my cardio last week. I can't wait to do this week's workouts with you though! And if any of you know me, I am not a runner. I attempted track in high school, but mid-season I developed shin splints and even had a stress fracture one season. And I was never the fastest. It will be fun to train together! :)

Here it is!! Download your second week of IgniteGirls™ training homework! Your packet includes workouts, your weekly training schedule and we will be adding to it each week! You can hashtag us at #ignitegirls5krun (or #ignitegirls) before and after your 5k workouts! You can also tag us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. It will help keep you accountable! Race day is June 15th, 9:30am EST. Register for The IgniteGirls™ 5k Run!


If you travel a lot for work or you are on vacation, you can print your 5k workouts out from anywhere, or just download it to your phone and take them with you. In fact, you can stay on track when you travel anytime! If you want to find out what is in my healthy survival kit, you can read my latest article on SheKnows.com. The article includes lifestyle-friendly travel tips, energy-revving on-the-go snacks, questions to ask your destination hotel, my advice on eating out and the perfect packable workout gear!

Have a great week! We can't wait to hear from you!
~ Coach Keri 

Hello IgniteGirls!

After a great weekend in New York City, I am catching up on some work and excited to give you your first week of training for the IgniteGirls™ 5k Run! Anyone can register for this (free!) "virtual" race that will be run at the exact same time, wherever you are located, from Australia to California! Once you register, I can send you emails with your training goodies, discounts on apparel and other race day tips. We are in this together! I am so excited to train with you! :) Race day is June 15th, 9:30am EST. Register for The IgniteGirls™ 5k Run! Race day will be here in less than 9 weeks! Download your first training packet below!

We also have regional IgniteGirls™ 5k Ambassadors popping up all over! They will be there to answer any questions you may have, organize local training runs and get a fun group together to run the race together on race day! Who is going to join me in Atlanta?

 Regional IgniteGirls™ 5k Ambassadors:
♥ Atlanta, GA // Coach Keri, keri@kerilynnford.com
♥ Baltimore, MD // Melissa Lentz, cmdopti@me.com
♥ Long Beach, CA // Tanya Roberts, tanya.roberts33@gmail.com 
♥ Charlotte, NC // Bett Anthony, banthony71@gmail.com
♥ Jacksonville/Camp Lejeune, NC // Emily Rogers Matthews, emily.matthews.8401@gmail.com
♥ New York City, NY // Hannah Van Campen, hannah_elisabeth1@yahoo.com
♥ Chicago, IL // Nicole Plati, nicoledplati@gmail.com

It's here! Download your first week of IgniteGirls™ training homework to your phone or print it out! You can hashtag us at #ignitegirls5krun (or #ignitegirls) before and after your 5k workouts! You can also tag us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. It will keep you accountable during your training, and it makes training together really fun!

Our new Pavement & Pearls racerback will be available for order within the next couple of weeks on Keri's Shop. We want you to wear a pearl bracelet or necklace on race day, along with your IgniteGirls tank! IgniteGirls™ are athletic, yet girly ;) Register for The IgniteGirls™ 5k Run!

In the meantime, keep hashtagging us at #ignitegirls or tagging us in those healthy, wholesome meals for accountability. Love to see what you are eating! If you need a little help or guidance getting started, you can download our 7-Day Summer Skinny Plan for $5. The entire grocery list is color-coded, plus you get a bonus workout with a mini exercise glossary, Summer smoothie recipes and we will tell you exactly what to eat each day! Can't wait to see your results of this mini detox!

Hello from my new home IgniteGirls!

The past week has been filled with moving, unpacking, cleaning and painting. I'm relieved that I made the kitchen such a priority, so I could cook healthy meals as soon as possible. Being out of your routine certainly makes you appreciate being back in one! Hooray for clean eats and a stocked refrigerator!


Onto our exciting news - The IgniteGirls™ 5k Run event! Anyone, from anywhere, can sign up for this event for FREE! Don't worry, we will be training together! Make sure you keep checking our blog for more details after you register for The IgniteGirls™ 5k Run! You will need your weekly training homework, downloadable workouts and other tips to get you ready for race day.

When does it take place? The IgniteGirls™ 5k Run will take place on June 15, 2013 at 9:30am EST. If you are located in California, for example, your race time will start at 6:30am PST. (Sorry, Cali, but it's too hot in HOTlanta to start running past 10am!)

Where does the race take place? IgniteGirls™ from all over will be running this event outside from wherever they are located! No travel or lodging costs, because you are already at your race location!

Who can sign up? Anyone! The more the merrier. The IgniteGirls™ 5k Run was created so you can work towards a goal, with no registration fee and no travel costs! Training and racing with friends, co-workers and family makes accomplishing your goal even more fun. We will also have a few IgniteGirls™ 5k Run Ambassadors in different regions too!

What is an IgniteGirls™ 5k Run Ambassador? An Ambassador is someone that has volunteered their time to help answer questions about race day, organize group training sessions for locals leading up to the event and they will be spreading the word to get their region involved. If you are interested in being an ambassador for your area, email keri@kerilynnford.com! 

How do I sign up? Register here for The IgniteGirls™ 5k Run! Once you register (for free!!!), we will be able to send you goodies that will help you train, such as your downloadable workouts, exclusive discounts on IgniteGirls™ workout tanks, your weekly training homework and more :)

How many miles is a 5k? A 5k is 3.1 miles. Whether you are a beginner or a more experienced runner, don't worry. I will be there to help you along the way! You can do it! 

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Prior to beginning our training for The IgniteGirls™ 5k Run, try the 7-Day Summer Skinny Plan (only $5)! We can do it together :) Loving the color-coded grocery list and fun smoothie recipes! This plan is for anyone looking to tighten and tone in a week's time, or for those of you looking for a mini-reset from your daily grind! Make sure to hashtag us at #IGsummerskinny or tag us on social media.

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3 Ingredient Ice Cream Bites

• 6 vanilla wafers
• 1 tbsp all-natural peanut butter
• 1/3 frozen banana

Take 3 vanilla wafers and spread peanut butter on the bottom. Lay them top down on a plate. Next take your pre-frozen banana and put it into a small bowl. Mash it until smooth with a fork. Scoop a spoonful onto each peanut butter-coated vanilla wafer. Take the other 3 vanilla wafers and place them bottom-down on top of the banana ice cream filling making a sandwich! Enjoy immediately or store in freezer to enjoy later. Makes 1 serving of bites.

Nutrition Facts
Calories 256
Fat 11g
Carbohydrates 33g
Protein 6g
Sugar 16g

* To save 105 calories, 3g carbohydrates and 8g of fat, omit peanut butter. PB adds 4g protein. Note that 40 calories, 10g of carbohydrates and 5g of sugar is from the banana. 

Have a happy Tuesday! & stay tuned for some more fun things coming your way!
- Coach K