Live Like the City Gals

Leave a Comment / Uncategorized /

So, for those of you that don’t know, I will be moving to Boston this Wednesday to start the next chapter of my life i.e. “the real world.” While I am a little bit nervous and anxious, I am ultimately ecstatic about the whole situation of starting something new, and am looking forward to the many experiences I will have.

But, that’s merely background information. The real reason for this post is that while moving some of my stuff into my apartment yesterday in Boston, I noticed how active and healthy everyone seemed to be around there. Seriously, the majority of people I passed on the street were either walking, biking or running along the sidewalks.

Immediately, I got a jolt of excitement. After all, healthy people inspire me and it made me all the more excited to move there in two days!

While city-life sometimes gets a bad rap, most of the time it’s the city people who know how to do things right. Look at  New-Yorkers for example. Every time I go to New York, I admire the healthy, strong woman I see walking down the street. Even in business attire and heels, they all just seem so … Read More!

Live Like the City Gals Read More »

Italian Herbed-Style Tofu

Leave a Comment / Food & Recipes /

I invented this recipe because I am absolutely obsessed with Whole Food’s Mediterranean Herb Tofu, and wanted to attempt making it…Lets just say, it came pretty close to the real deal and it’s absolutely delicious. This protein-packed recipe is great for both vegetarians and meat lovers alike!

Ingredients:

-1 package extra firm tofu
-2-4 TB extra virgin olive oil
-1 TB oregano 
-1 TB rosemary
-1 TB basil
-1 TB parsley
-1/2 TB garlic powder (or one clove fresh garlic, crushed)
-Pinch of Salt & Pepper

1. Blot the tofu well with a paper towel, getting as much water out as possible. (This will make it more firm, and less soggy when cooking) Once it is well drained, chop the tofu into mini 1 or 2 inch squares so they are bite size. 

2. Mix all the ingredients together, including the tofu, in a large plastic bag. Shake it all up and zip the bag shut.

3. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours, and have the oven preheated to 350.

4. Bake for approximately 30 minutes on a sprayed baking sheet, or until the tofu looks firm and slightly golden. 

5. Let it cool for a bit, and enjoy as … Read More!

Italian Herbed-Style Tofu Read More »

Healthy Tip of the Day: De-stress Your Bod

Leave a Comment / Uncategorized /

Don’t let stress get ya down! Rather, use it to your advantage. If you’re having one of those PMS-enduced, want-to-punch-something kind of days, do something about it! Don’t sit there and sulk, even if you had a huge blowout fight with an employee or your boyfriend dumped you or you’re just plain pissed off. Trust me, sitting there and thinking about it isn’t going to help the situation one bit. 
Instead, make use of this steamed energy! Get outside for some fresh air, go for a swim, or a nice, long run on the treadmill. Trust me, you’ll feel great afterwards!
Take my sister for example. Last week, she came home from work in one of those moods. You know, steaming with anger and nothing anyone said could help the situation. But, instead of sobbing and complaining, she went to the gym and was able to run 30 straight minutes on the treadmill, harder than she ever had before. And when she came home, she was glowing with happiness (and healthiness), as if nothing had ever happened.
So, go out and get some good endorphins and you’ll feel so much better instantly. Trust me : )
… Read More!

Healthy Tip of the Day: De-stress Your Bod Read More »

Healthy Tip of the Day: Love Yourself!

Leave a Comment / Uncategorized /

Learn to love and appreciate your bod just the way it is! We’re so used to dishin’ out compliments to others, but what about the most important person: Y-O-U? Build your confidence today by acknowledging something you love about yourself, whether it’s your strong, sexy arms or the fact that you finally hit your 5-mile running goal.Trust me, it’ll feel great ‘n’ boost your mood to give yourself a little credit every now and then!… Read More!

Healthy Tip of the Day: Love Yourself! Read More »

Diet Over Exercise?

1 Comment / Uncategorized /

I read an article in TIME Magazine the other day called “Why Exercise Won’t Make You Thin,” and it really got me thinking. 

Wait a minute, won’t make me thin? Exercise won’t make me thin? Then why do people, including myself, spend hours and hours at the gym each week, running our butts off? 

Sceptical at first, I continued reading the article to find out more. After all, this article came from TIME magazine, not some no-name magazine known for beauty and weight loss scams. 

And after reading the article word for word, I couldn’t agree more with the fact that diet plays a much larger role in weight loss/weight maintenance than exercise in the grand scheme of things. 

I immediately started going through everyone I know, examining their exercise routines. Take my dad, for instance. He runs 5 to 10 miles a day, even more sometimes, and comes back in a full blown sweat, and he isn’t losing weight. Now, if my dad, who works out much harder and much more than the average human being isn’t even losing weight, how is someone supposed to lose weight by just going to the gym a few times a week? 

It’s … Read More!

Diet Over Exercise? Read More »

Put Leftovers to Use!

Leave a Comment / Uncategorized /

You know those days when you just make a bit too much food for dinner, or you just can’t seem to finish that delicious entree you ordered at the restaurant? Well, good news for you: you can put those leftovers to use…and more often than not, they taste even better the next day.

This morning I made an egg white omelet using the roasted vegetables we had for dinner last night. I know this may sound like a strange concoction, buy my omelet consisted of chopped sweet potatoes, green beans, Vidalia onions and broccoli, and was absolutely delicious!

It was refreshing (and scrumptious) to add some new flavors to my same old run of the mill omelet for a change! 

So lesson learned: Be creative with your leftovers and you never know what you’ll create in the end. Hey, it could be a new favorite recipe!

Share some of your crazy, delicious creations you’ve put together with leftovers!… Read More!

Put Leftovers to Use! Read More »

M-O-T-I-V-A-T-I-O-N!

Leave a Comment / Uncategorized /

It’s happened again. You’ve let yourself slip, whether it was taking a way-too-long “vacation” from the gym, or eating just that one extra French fry or chocolate chip cookie…every day for the past two months.

While it may seem like you’ve fallen off the deep end and that it’s nearly impossible to go back, you absolutely CAN! And all you need is a large dose of some good ol’ motivation!

Yup, that’s right. Motivation is the one surefire way to keep you going and bring you one step closer to your goals, because when you’re motivated (and I mean truly motivated) you won’t want to give up!

So, here is a list of ideas to ingrain in your head that will help you keep going and stay motivated throughout the day. If you follow this positive mindset, you’ll never even have to think about getting to that low point ever again.

1.  “I can look like that again”:

So many people I know reveal pictures from months, or even years, ago, saying that they’d only wish they could look like that again. Well you can, that is if you think you can and really, truly believe in it. By looking … Read More!

M-O-T-I-V-A-T-I-O-N! Read More »

Summertime Pasta Primavera

1 Comment / Food & Recipes /

This is a pasta dish my mom swears by in the summer months because it’s easy, healthy and super fresh! Try it out tonight for dinner, either cold or hot (we serve it hot!) and be creative if you want, substituting different veggies and pasta varieties. Enjoy!


Ingredients:
-1 box whole wheat pasta (Use rice pasta if you have a gluten sensitivity)
-1 large tomato, diced
-2 zucchinis, chopped and steamed
-1 cup baby spinach, chopped
-3-5 fresh basil leaves, chopped well
-2 garlic cloves, crushed
-1/4 to 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (optional)
-2 TB pine nuts (optional)
-1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
-dash of black pepper 
-dash of cajun seasoning (optional)

1. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box, and drain but don’t rinse. Pour into a large bowl. 

2. Steam the zucchini 6 to 8 minutes, and add to the pasta, along with all of the other veggies and herbs. 

3. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese and pine nuts (both optional) on top and then mix those in as well.

4. Serve and enjoy! 

Serving suggestions: This tastes grate alone, as a nice, light summer dinner or paired with an arugula salad made with … Read More!

Summertime Pasta Primavera Read More »

Healthy Tip Of the Day: Power up with Protein!

Leave a Comment / Uncategorized /

Everyone puts so much emphasis on eating something quick and carb-filled before a workout toh have enough energy. But it’s also just as (if not more) important to eat post-workout! 

Make sure you eat a protein-rich snack after those long hours working hard at the gym. This not only will refuel your energy but also helps to repair muscle tissue. Eat something quick ‘n’ easy like a banana with peanut butter, tuna on a whole grain wrap or a hard boiled egg for ultra benefits. And remember to drink lots of water too!
… Read More!

Healthy Tip Of the Day: Power up with Protein! Read More »