Healthy Chicks

Many of us live on a schedule, and make choices based on habits. Most of the time, our decisions are based on what’s right or in the norm versus how we’re feeling.

We eat the boring iceberg salad with fat-free dressing because we’re trying to slim down, even though we may really want the juicy, grass-fed burger. We sign up for 5 cardio classes in one work-week to stay in shape, even though we may really need some yoga (or heck, even a nap.) We do what’s right and punish ourselves for being “bad” when we do what we presume to be wrong.

How is this behavior showing up in your life?

This week, I’ve been lacking on the fitness front and old me would have beat myself up about it. New me realizes my body needed rest, nourishment and replenishing. Instead of ignoring my body’s signals by forcing myself to run it off on the treadmill for hours (old me), I now understand the beauty of looking within and taking a break. And this morning’s 7 a.m. Vinyasa flow at Back Bay Yoga with the lovely Cara Gilman totally hit the spot.

After all, our bodies are smart, and … Read More!

It’s no lie I love writing. I love sharing my thoughts with the world, note-taking, blogging and quite possibly my favorite form: journaling. Unfortunately, the only type of journaling I did in college (i.e. my years of dieting) was counting calories in Calculus class while pretending to take notes. Not very comforting or journal-esque if I do say so myself. Food consumed my thoughts, actions and overall social life and, well, I let it.

All I could think about was my next meal, the calories in my lunch, where we were going to go out to eat, what I would order at dinner, or what would happen if I “cheated” and fell off the “band-waggon.” My thoughts were filled with guilt, shame and defeat and I had no one to share these thoughts with (or so I thought) and therefore I filled the void with dieting and self hate…my form of control.

After I quit dieting once and for all, I threw away the rusty scale, my calorie-counting notebook and any negative restrictive thoughts I had about myself. I decided it was finally time to wake up and live! For Real. Because what I was doing…was not living. It … Read More!

If you’re new to my blog, each and every Friday I post a Friday Flashback, taking you on a journey back into my past life. Why? Well, because I’ve been there and can totally relate to body image issues, dieting struggles and all the other things in between.

This week, I want to touch upon how we treat our bodies. During my prime time of diet-obsessed living and calorie counting, I completely disrespected my body.

I filled up on toxic, chemicalized “diet” foods that promised to make me skinny (at least, according to all the magazines and advertisements) and ate or drank my feelings away. I abused myself in the mirror (telling myself I am fat, I am not pretty enough, I am not good enough) and abused myself in the gym by overworking it and forcing myself to exercise (even when I didn’t want to or when my body was saying “No! Enough!”) I listened to what the number on the scale said, instead of what my body was telling me loud and clear.

I remember being so hungry: for real food, for love, for the answers. Unfortunately, I was starving myself by loading up on … Read More!

You know when you get so caught up in life that you forget to just pause and breathe? Well, I was having one of those weeks. In between training for a half marathon, working, starting my own business, planning for my event tonight and MOVING (tomorrow!) things got a little crazy, needless to say.

So yesterday I decided to break my perfect go-go-go routine and simply be, imperfect that is.

Instead of forcing myself to go a training run when my body was saying “please, no!”I packed. A lot. I cleaned the entire kitchen, put stuff into storage and got my room ready for the move out. Cleaning and packing felt surprisingly refreshing.

Instead of working another three hours on blog/business stuff, I treated myself to a massage from Exhale Spa. I don’t remember the last time I felt so relaxed. I literally melted into the massage table.

Instead of rehearsing for my event (even when I know I do best when I act naturally and don’t plan), I decided to be BAD and go shopping for a dress for a friend’s wedding this weekend. I got the most adorable purple dress that I feel like a Pretty Princess … Read More!

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Once I got back to Boston last week, and the half marathon was over I got a a really weird feeling. You know, that feeling you get when the holidays end, when you went back to school after prom or on the flight home from an incredible vacation. I can’t believe it’s all over. Now what? It’s an odd thing going from running nearly every day, plus long runs on the weekends to nothing. And I have to admit, now that I’m not training for anything I haven’t been very good about keeping up with my exercise, let alone running.

The other day, I decided I’d end this mood I was experiencing. Even though I knew I wasn’t quite ready to run again, I laced up my sneakers and hit the gym. After a light cardio workout on the elliptical, I hopped on the big, bad treadmill. I ran a mile and ran it fast. Then it hit me: my right shin / knee were in major pain. I had to stop, and at first felt defeated in a way. Last week I ran 13.1 miles, and now I can barely do 1? I was angry.

But … Read More!

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We listen to our heart…Why not listen to our body?

As I’ve talked about many times on my blog, my summer trip to Italy about four years ago was one of the happiest times of my life. Before Italy, I used to fear food. I thought it was an evil substance that would make my thighs even bigger, my pants even tighter and the number go up, up, up on the scale. To put it simply, throughout college, food (and calories) was all I thought about. I wasn’t ever able to enjoy food because I was too busy calculating calories, planning out my “meals” and exercising my little butt off. It was unhealthy. Now I adore food. It makes me all warm and fuzzy inside, and I love trying out new restaurants and exploring decadent flavors I’ve never explored before. Now I am happy, though it took a long time to get there.

When I went to Italy, the country made it difficult for me not to enjoy food. Everything looked oh so fresh,  beautiful and mouth-watering. So I ate. I ate it all. The fresh-baked breads from the corner cafe that you could smell from … Read More!

It seems as though doctors, and society in general, continuously change their minds about what is “good” and “bad” for you. One week soy milk is the miracle milk, another week it causes cancer and makes you gain weight. Everyone has their opinions, and everyone’s opinions are always 100% different. Some say coffee is a terrible toxin that stunts your growth, and some people (like me) think it’s a daily necessity and without it many people would be Oscar the Grouches. Anyway, today on my morning run I got to thinking – when am I not thinking? – about all these little “bad” things I do that are actually 100% OK, and healthy too. Hopefully you can find comfort, or at least a chuckle, in knowing all those little, weird “unhealthy” things you do are completely OK in my book! [Side Note: I’ve been reading Melissa Nibbles blog for a while now, and every Friday she posts a similar “It’s OK” series (kinda like a spin off on Glamour’s). Anywho, it cracks me up every week and you should totally check it out! I definitely don’t have her humor nor her wit, however!]

1. To be Utterly Addicted to … Read More!