February 2013

Healthy Chicks in the Community: An Avocado-Crazy, Weight-Lifting College Sweetheart

24 Comments / Healthy Chicks in the Community /

Welcome back to another week of Healthy Chicks in the Community. For those of you who are new to my blog, every Thursday I spotlight a standout woman who embodies what it means to be a “Healthy Chick.” This week, I am thrilled to introduce you to Meg, an adorable Canadian college student whose innate passion is making people feel good about themselves. With a similar passion myself I know her and I would get along perfectly! I’ll let Meg take it from here…

NAME/AGE: Meg Doll/21

BLOG/TWITTER: A Dash of Meg (http://adashofmeg.com)/@ADashofMeg

CURRENT CITY: London, Ontario, Canada

PHOTO TAKEN: In my backyard on my deck in Yorkton, SK, Canada where my parents live year round. I’m snuggled up to my dog, Cuddles, who passed away this summer a few days after this photo was taken.

WHAT YOU DO FOR WORK: Currently, I’m a student at Brescia University College, which is an affiliate college to the University of Western Ontario. In June, I will be graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Food and Nutrition. From there, I plan to use my education and passion for food and nutrition throughout my future and career. I’m not … Read More!

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Healthy Chicks in the News: Featured on BU’s Sargent Choice

2 Comments / Health & Wellness /

I didn’t have a post planned for today, but wanted to share some exciting news with my readers! I was riding home on the T after a rather rainy coffee date with a friend, and was pleasantly surprised when I looked down at my phone. Boston University’s Sargent Choice Nutrition Center has recognized Healthy Chicks as “Best of the Food Web.”

When I saw that I’d been featured, I quickly head over to their site to read more. As I read every last word, my body filled with warmth, chills and gratitude as their words really touched my heart. That right there is exactly why I choose to do what I do, and it means the world to me to be recognized for that.

As you all know, connecting with my readers & clients, and helping other women lead happier, healthier more vibrant lives (without dieting) is what I live for! It’s my “natural high,” my purpose, my calling. If I can make someone smile a little bigger, feel more comfortable in their curves or question what they’re putting into their bodies, I have done my job.

I encourage you to go out and read the article… Read More!

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Boston Bloggers Meetup at Scampo: A Blogger Roundup

13 Comments / Lifestyle /

Last night, I attended a Boston Bloggers Meetup hosted by the lovely Alison and Kate through Eventbrite. (Big thanks to Sara from Boston Eventbrite for taking part!) The event was held at Scampo, a tasty upscale Italian-inspired restaurant inside the Liberty Hotel.

While the wine was lovely (I changed it up with a refreshing Pinot Grigio as opposed to my usual red), the food was delectable (um, can you say sausage-stuffed bacon wrapped dates and mini Endive salads?) the best part of the night hands down was mingling with other positive, fun, like-minded bloggers!

What I love most about these kinds of events is you get the chance to meet people in all different walks of life, with many different passions! Being a healthy living blogger, I find it fascinating to meet fashion, travel, lifestyle, arts & crafts, and even beer bloggers. It completely blows my mind how many talented, created people there are out there with one big thing in common: writing it out & sharing stories.

READER ROUNDUP

Here’s a little snippet from some of the fascinating people I mingled with last night…

Abigail, The Fabulous Life of a Natural Disaster: Spunky, adorable and sweet … Read More!

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Roasted Beet, Toasted Cashew & Arugula Salad

11 Comments / Food & Recipes /

Confession: I used to be afraid of beets. The color and texture just freaked me out. I was afraid of beets in the same way I was afraid of mushrooms and tomatoes: I didn’t think I liked them so I simply steered clear. My grandmother would constantly ask me growing up, “How do you know you don’t like it if you don’t try it?” And so I would. I’d try everything.

I owe much of my appreciation for food to my grandmother, who taught me to be willing to try new things and appreciate the different flavors. Now there are only a handful of things I don’t like: salami, most beer (shocking, I know!), and chopped liver. That along with most packaged/microwavable meals because they simply freak me out.

This weekend, inspired by a recipe I found in Clean Plates Cookbook, I decided to play with the ingredients I had on hand and crate a fun salad full of color and fresh produce. And the star ingredient is, you guessed it, beets. Beautiful, glorious, naturally sweet beets. Think of ’em as nature’s candy!

Roasted Beet, Toasted Cashew & Arugula Salad

This salad was adapted from Clean Plates Cookbook’s “Mustard … Read More!

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Friday Flashbacks: Counting Calories

16 Comments / Health & Wellness /

Good afternoon lovelies! Today I am excited to announce a new weekly feature on the blog: Friday Flashbacks. As I’ve mentioned time and time and again on this blog, while it may look like I have it “all together” health-wise that was not always the case. And for those who know me I am far from perfect; I’m a real girl.

But back in my late teenage years and early twenties I reallllyyy struggled with the scale, dieting, counting calories and everything in between. I have been there, there as in a place I never want to be again, a place many of you may have been (or may be now).

Friday Flashbacks will take you along with me back on a journey in time to peak at what my lifestyle/mindset was back then and how I’ve grown. I want you to know that I’ve gone through a lot to get to a place of self-love and that undoubtedly YOU CAN TOO.

COUNTING CALORIES

The first time I started counting calories was sophomore year in college. College was one of the first times in my life that I truly felt pretty because I finally got down … Read More!

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Healthy Chicks in the Community Week 7: A Fun Foodie Who Likes Her Cocktails Strong & Her Workouts Sweaty

6 Comments / Healthy Chicks in the Community /

Good afternoon Healthy Chicks! Today’s spotlight on Healthy Chicks in the Community is a twenty-something lady who loves her cocktails strong and her bread hot & fresh straight from the oven. I’ve actually had the honor of meeting Caitlin in person at a local coffee shop in Connecticut and she’s just as sweet as she sounds on paper. I’ll let Caitlin take it away from here!

NAME/AGE: Caitlin Croswell / 23

BLOG/TWITTER: www.caitplusate.com / caitplusate on twitter

CURRENT CITY: Glastonbury, CT

PHOTO TAKEN: On the Lawn at Castle Hill in Newport, RI…a recommendation I got from a fellow blogger Tina, author of one of my first blogs I ever found – Carrots N Cake!

WHAT YOU DO FOR WORK: I work full-time in the sales department of a small engineering and manufacturing firm…while fulfilling my passion for blogging on the side!NUMBER ONE PASSION: Spreading love and happiness

NUMBER ONE PASSION: Making others feel confident, and less hard on themselves!

I FEEL MY HEALTHIEST SELF WHEN I AM: Eating the foods I crave (which means not depriving myself when those cravings aren’t necessarily for “clean food”) and doing the workouts I enjoy (aka not running…even though it seems at times

… Read More!

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A Special Valentine’s Day Tea Tasting With Flowering Rock Tea

4 Comments / Food & Recipes, Lifestyle /

This Valentine’s Day, we celebrated with love letters, sushi lunchboxes, Pad Thai takeout, red wine, Cacao Covered Strawberries, and most special of all: a private tea tasting with Flowering Rock Tea.

A former boss and professional colleague of mine introduced me to this Boston-based startup, as he knows how much I adore speciality, all natural products. And if you read my blog, follow me on Instagram or have looked inside my kitchen cabinets, you know how much I’m in love with tea.

Flowering Rock Tea is not your everyday household tea, as they produce all-natural herbal Botanical collections inspired (and sourced) in Greece. After our lovely sushi lunch in Brookline, The Boy and I head on over to their pop-up location at 70 Charles Street in Beacon Hill (where they’ll be until the end of the month) to check it out for ourselves!

When we walked in, we were greeted by the lovely couple and Founders of the company, Natasha and Konrad Makowski. Immediately, we were drawn in, not only by the fresh herbal aromas but also by their warm, welcoming nature. Seriously, we could have stayed all evening chatting with these two. (In fact, we pretty much … Read More!

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Please Send this Healthy Chick to B-School with Marie Forleo

2 Comments / Lifestyle /

Good afternoon ladies! As most of you know, this year has been a whirlwind of excitement growing my blog, expanding my health coaching services and narrowing down my niche. It’s been fun, tiring, enlightening, crazy, wild, and life-changing all at once!

While I live and  breathe my Healthy Chicks brand, I want to share my story with the world, and help as many young women struggling with body image issues, dieting and finding their inner zest for life! But I can’t do this all alone, at least not just yet.

That’s why I’ve entered to win a scholarship to Marie Forleo’s B-School, to help take my business to the next level…with a bang! This is something I’ve been working long and hard on, and I 100% believe Marie can give me just the kick-start I need.

It’d mean the world to me for you to view, like or comment on my entry video on Youtube. Your support means everything to me! Also I owe a HUGE thank you to The Boy for putting up with me for hours last night and this morning during filming, while keeping his cool and utmost patience. I’m one lucky, thankful Chick!

XoXo,… Read More!

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Healthy ChickLit: Treat Every Day as a Clean Plate

5 Comments / Uncategorized /

How many times have you told yourself, “Screw it, I already had one brownie, I may as well eat the whole batch!” “I completely ‘over did it’ last night so I’m just going to starve myself all morning”, “I skipped the gym for two days in a row. There goes that plan!” or even  “I destroyed my diet. I am a complete failure!”

Sound familiar? Trust me, thoughts like this pretty much consumed me all throughout my college years, leaving me completely miserable. I felt worthless, FAT, and downright exhausted. These beliefs not only mess with our overall wellbeing (body image, weight loss efforts, positive outlook on life) but they simply aren’t true. They are just little lies we tell ourselves to protect us from taking action.

Next time you hear yourself throwing a negative pity party or drowning yourself in guilt, I want you to stop yourself in your tracks. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and remember that you don’t need to be perfect 100% of the time to be 100% healthy & happy.

No matter how many slices of pizza you ate or how many workouts you skipped out on, the good news is you have … Read More!

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Healthy Chicks in the Community Week 6: A Sweet Southern Spinach-Loving Gal

2 Comments / Healthy Chicks in the Community /

Good afternoon ladies and Happy Valentine’s Day! You can check out my thoughts on Valentine’s Day & 40 Days of Gratitude Project here. But in the meantime, I’ve got this week’s spotlight for Healthy Chicks in the Community, a sweet Southern gal who hearts yoga and sweaty workouts. I’ll let Sara take it from here…

NAME/AGE: Sara, 26

BLOG/TWITTER (If Applicable): fitfunfemme.com / SaraWiles on twitter

CURRENT CITY: Atlanta, GA

PHOTO TAKEN: Maui, Hawaii

WHAT YOU DO FOR WORK: Corporate Event Planning

NUMBER ONE PASSION: Spreading love and happiness

I FEEL MY HEALTHIEST SELF WHEN I AM: Sweating lots and eating good, clean foods.

BUT I AM ALSO A REAL GIRL & SOMETIMES: I eat copious amounts of cheese. I.LOVE.CHEESE.

TOP THREE KITCHEN STAPLES: Spinach (I throw it in everything…eggs, salads, sandwiches), Olive Oil, Dark Chocolate.

NUMBER ONE GUILTY PLEASURE: Macaroni and Cheese

EXERCISE THAT MAKES YOU SHINE: Yoga

FAVORITE COMFORT FOOD: My mom’s creamed spinach topped with Vermont sharp white cheddar.

MESSAGE YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE WITH OTHER HEALTHY CHICKS: Know that Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither was a happy, healthy lifestyle. Read wellness blogs, learn healthy recipes, and try new workouts. Slowly, you’ll find … Read More!

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