Healthy Chicks

Good afternoon lovely ladies! I hope everyone is having a wonderful week so far. Lately, I’ve been feeling wonderful inside and out, mostly due to these three little new habits of mine:

1. Going to bed earlier (and waking up earlier) which makes morning workouts that much easier and more powerful!
2. Getting back into running. I start training for the Newport Half Marathon this week! I can’t believe this will be my third half…boy does time fly by. I’m torn between using Hal Higdon’s Novice 2 or Intermediate training program, which mixes in Speedwork.
3. Shutting down completely (no phone, no iPod, no computer, no TV) an hour before bed for some pleasure reading. Currently I’m reading Bright Side Up: 100 Ways to Be Happier Right Now by Amy Spencer.

On other notes, my business Zesty Living will be hosting a workshop on craving control next Thursday, July 26th from 5:30-7 pm. at Oficio on Newbury Street, Boston MA. You may read the details below & register here. I am running a promo from now until Friday at 5:30 p.m.! Simply enter promo code summerfun50 for 50% off your tickets.

Event Details

Are you a stress eater who craves things like salty french fries and cheesy pizza? Or maybe you’re the type who absolutely needs to have a bowl of ice cream or a bar of chocolate after dinner?

No matter what type of food you crave, there’s usually a deeper meaning behind those cravings.

Join Rachel Chemerynski, Health Coach and founder of Zesty Living, for an interactive workshop that’ll help you understand the underlying causes of your cravings and little tricks to prevent overeating and emotional eating that often go hand in hand.

During the workshop, Rachel will teach you how to deconstruct those cravings, asking your body, “What do I want and why?”

Get ready for a great conversation, Q & A, and lots of laughs with a group of like-minded ladies!

Each attendee will be provided with a healthy goodie bag to go home with at the end.

Register now or learn more: http://getrealaboutcravings.eventbrite.com/

[Big thanks to best friend/inspirer/other half Marybeth P. for designing my logo]

Happy Friday ladies! Remember a few weeks ago when I laid out my Life “Wish List” goals? Well, I’m happy to say that many of them are coming into full affect, particularly my business-related goals for Zesty Living.

I’ve been really focusing on networking, reaching out, and putting myself out there lately (even if that means writing and working on business ideas at the local coffee shop instead of at my apartment in my PJs.) It’s amazing how many  opportunities and inspiration you can find from other like-minded passionate people; the world really is a big place filled with many, many ideas!

Well, partly due to my positive vibes and vision board (I’m certain this is part of it), things have really been picking up lately. In fact, I’m hosting my very own healthy eating workshop all by myself (eek!) in mid-June , with another speaking engagement at the end of June (details to come).

Here are the ins & outs of my “Get Real (About Food)” workshop on June 14th at Oficio on Newbury Street:

Join Rachel Chemerynski, Health Coach and founder of Zesty Living, for a healthy, casual Girl’s Night Out on Newbury Street.

Forget about non fat, sugar free, carb-free, diet-obsessed living! During this interactive workshop, you’ll learn how to incorporate a variety of flavorful foods made with real ingredients that actually taste good (and are good for your body too).

During the workshop, Rachel will touch upon deceiving marketing gimmicks (including a list of “healthy” foods that aren’t), analyzing food labels, and how to maneuver your way through the supermarket without having a mental breakdown in the baked goods aisle.

Oh, and be sure to bring your appetite! You’ll be provided with delicious drinks and all-natural appetizers to complement the discussion, as well as a healthy “goodie bag” for each attendee to go home with at the end.

Get ready for great conversation, delectable eats, and of course lots of laughs with an amazing group of like-minded ladies!

To learn more about my workshop, check out the event details on Eventbrite here.

Have a wonderful weekend,

The Event Deets

Last night, I was lucky enough to be invited by Sara Steele-Rogers, the Boston Event Evangelist for Evenbrite, to attend a Boloco Burrito + Samuel Adams Beer Pairing. The event was hosted by Boston Marathon runner  Danielle Pillon to raise money for Jumpstart, a national early education organization that helps children develop adequate language and literacy skills in order to be successful in school.

It couldn’t have been a lovelier evening in Boston for the event, which took place at the Boston Society of Architects Space on Congress Street. And what a wonderful idea to pair delectable burritos with refreshing beer, especially on a perfect spring night. Even better, the head chef and cofounder of Boloco, Jason Hutchinson, and Director of Consumer Relations at Sam Adams, Todd Bellomy, were there to offer their expert knowledge.

Everything was extremely organized with a low-key vibe, which is totally up my alley. Upon walking in, we were promoted to simply grab a paper plate and a cup and let the tasting begin! Before I dived into the fun, I entered the raffle to win a dinner for two on the Odyssey, which would be my dream evening for sure (fingers crossed). They were also raffling off a Boloco card filled with goodies, and a Sam Adams Bottle of Utopias.

Tasting Party

[Sorry for the blur! Check out all the tasty burrito + beer combos]

I loved how everything was labeled including exactly what went into the burrito, along with the suggested Sam Adams beer to pair it with.  As you know, I’m a huge fan of being aware of the ingredients in a meal, and essentially what’s going inside your body.

[take a look at the variety of burritos & brews!]

I started off with the Tika Masala Burrito, consisting of brown rice, Masala sauce and grilled chicken all wrapped up in a mini flour tortilla and decided to pair it with the suggested brew: Belgian Session. The Tika Masala was my absolute favorite of the evening, as the sauce had a savory, Indian flare to it which I simply couldn’t get enough of. Also, coming from a gal who typically doesn’t care for beer, I was presently surprised by the refreshing, spicy finish in the Belgian Session.

[Slowly becoming a beer connoisseur...]

Next, I decided to give the Boston Lager burrito a try (Boloco rice, steak marinated with Boston Lager, mushroom confit and arugula) but this time I changed it up with the beer and went for the East West Kolsch. With sweet lemon, fruit and flowery notes, this beer was number one on my list, a perfect spring brew if I do say so myself especially in combination with the arugula and mushrooms.

[Cheers!]

Portion Control:

The best part about the pairing to me was the perfect portion sizes. I love that Boloco offers “customizable mini burritos” which you typically can’t find at a Mexican food restaurant or chain around here. If you aren’t in the mood to indulge on a gigantic larger-than-life burrito, the mini is for you as it’s perfect for a hearty snack, or when paired with a smoothie or salad for a light, satisfying meal.

Better yet, Boloco offers a nutrition calculator on their website to add up exactly what you’re eating, and modify any existing menu items to cater to your dietary needs. They even include Weight Watchers points for those utilizing the program. Who knew?

Sam Adams did a wonderful job with portion-control as well, as Todd poured small cups of brew so guests could enjoy the flavor without overly indulging or getting sick of just one beer; instead you could sample several to equal one beer which worked out perfectly for a beer-newbie like myself. I even snuck a mini “taste tester” of the Cherry Wheat at the end of the evening just to say I tried it!

As my motto goes: forget deprivation and choose everything in moderation! While I had quite a few savory eats yesterday evening, I left feeling happy, satisfied and most importantly, good about my body.

In my book, it’s perfectly OK to eat “forbidden” foods like pizza, beer, burritos, nachos, you-name-it if you do so with a conscious mindset, in moderation, and without guilt.

Thank Yous & Eventbrite News

A big thank you to Boloco, Sam Adams, and  Evenbrite for throwing this fabulous event. If you need to plan an event in the future or are just looking for things to do in your area, I highly recommend using Eventbrite, a great source to discover events in your city, as well as create online registration and ticketing for your own events. If you’d like to learn more, simply attend their Eventbrite 101 online “event” here.

It’s so wonderful to see a company that helps organizations, charities, aspiring entrepreneurs and everyday people plan an event of their own with confidence. I myself am participating in Eventbrite Boston’s “Week of Wellness” for my business Zesty Living where I’ll be teaching a class on Eating Real Foods Plus Natural Health & Beauty Secrets. Stay tuned for more info, as I’d love to have you there!