Girls on The Run Greater Boston Gala + Giveaway

Leave a Comment / Health & Wellness, Lifestyle /

The first time I felt self-conscious about my body was when I started developing acne around 14 years old. This was followed by years of dieting, obsession with the scale and hating my thighs all throughout high school and well into my 20s.

While I’ve certainly come a long way and have learned to fall back in love with my body and discover joy around food, the journey wasn’t always easy. In fact, even I still have my off days from time to time where I don’t feel 100% confident with my body.

Because I’ve been there, I now make it my mission to empower women to break free from dieting and discover joy around food. A lot of this has to do with a woman’s overall confidence — inside and out.

While most of the woman I work with are in their 20s and 30s, it pains me to see that many young girls start feeling insecure about their bodies in some way as early as ten years old — or earlier! At my cousin’s 11th birthday last year, one of the girls was afraid to take off her shorts when she went swimming in the water … Read More!

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5 Simple Ways I’m Working to Optimize & Nourish My Thyroid Health with Hashimoto’s

Leave a Comment / Health & Wellness /

Hey, friends! It’s been a while since I updated you on the latest and greatest with my thyroid journey, so I figured I’d check in to share what’s going on right now. (You can read Part 1 and Part 2 here to learn more about my journey with Hashimoto’s Disease and what’s been working well for me.)

Anyway, a lot has changed since I last checked in and I’ve hit some tricky setbacks along the way. For one, when I found out I was pregnant in July — which unfortunately ended in an early miscarriage — my thyroid hormones kind of went a little crazy. While they had been stable for months and actually improved drastically (my TSH dropped to a 2.66 in June!), my TSH shot back up to a 4 the week I found out I was pregnant. I’m not 100% sure it’s related, but in my gut I’m thinking it was.

Given my situation and the fact that your TSH should ideally be below a 2.5 during the first trimester, my Functional Medicine Doctor through Parsley Health prescribed me on a low dose Nature Desicated Thyroid hormone. I’ve also been working to maintain my stress levels and … Read More!

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Late-Summer Reading List For Women + The Magic of Going to the Library As An Adult

Leave a Comment / Lifestyle /

During the last seasonal self-care challenge I led, one of the challenges was to take a field trip to your local library, and scoop up a book to read throughout the rest of the program.

Remember when the library used to be such a magical place as a kid, filled with endless stories, secrets and enchantment? It’s time to bring that youthful joy back!

Not only are libraries a magical place, but reading is such a great way to relax, take time for yourself, melt away stress, boost your brain juice and oh so much more.

I listed a few book ideas below, but I encourage you to browse the library and pick something that really speaks to you! I starred the books I’ve read / am currently reading for you.

Healthy Chicks Summer Reading List

1. White Hot Truth, Danielle Laporte*
2. Big Magic, Elizabeth Gilbert*
3. Love Warrior, Glennon Doyle Melton
4. The Universe Has Your Back, Gabrielle Bernstein*
5. Eat Pray Love, Elizabeth Gilbert*
6. The Help, Kathryn Stockett*
7. The Art of Racing in The Rain, Garth Stein
8. The Red Tent, Anita Diamant*
9. Buddha’s Brain, Rick Hanson
10. Anatomy of the Spirit, Caroline Myss… Read More!

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Weekly Healthy Chicks in the Community Feature: Chantelle Davis-Gray

Leave a Comment / Healthy Chicks in the Community /

Happy Friday, babes! First and foremost, I want to thank all of you for your sweet words and support this past week. Since I published the story on my early miscarriage, I’ve been flooded with so much love from women in my community — through private messages, comments on my Instagram, texts and phone calls. I am beyond grateful, and this has been an enormous part of my healing journey so thank you.

Alright, moving on to this weeks feature on Healthy Chicks in the Community, a weekly series highlighting rockstar Girl Bosses doing their thang in the wellness community and beyond.

I am so deeply honored to introduce you to my beautiful friend and Graphic Designer Chantelle Davis-Gray. I first connected with Chantelle through SheBreathes, when I reached out to have her help design my Spark Your Bliss affirmation cards. She was so fun to work with, and I love her eye for detail and simplicity with a pop of color. It’s been even more fun getting to know Chantelle outside of work, and her passion and mission to work with small wellness-minded businesses (small businesses with big hearts as she puts it) is truly inspiring. I’ll

… Read More!

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A Story on Love, Loss & Gratitude {A Personal Reflection on My Early Miscarriage}

9 Comments / Pregnancy /

“New beginnings are often disguised as painful endings” – Lao Tzu 

It was the Fourth of July, the day before my 30th birthday, and I was with my family celebrating and watching the fireworks at our happy place in New Hampshire. Beautiful colors burst through the dark sky forming different magical shapes — my favorite being the “weeping willow.” My mom reached over and held my hand tightly, and said “I was just thinking 30 years ago today I was in the hospital watching fireworks about to give birth to my little girl.”

My eyes began to swell with tears, not just because of what my mom said but also because I knew this would be the month — the month we were pregnant. We had been trying for five months now, and I just knew this was it. I felt it.

The next morning, I got up bright and early on my 30th birthday so I could sneak into the bathroom and take a test while the rest of the family was still asleep. While hubby showered, I sat their on the toilet waiting for the long, slow three minutes to go by. At three minutes, I lifted the … Read More!

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(Fish) Taco Tuesday with Slaw & Avocado Mint Lime Sauce {Gluten Free, Dairy Free}

1 Comment / Food & Recipes /

Happy (Fish) Taco Tuesday, friends! With summertime in full swing and hot, hot, hot weather, there’s nothing quite like Taco Night that gives me all the feels (especially when paired with a fresh-squeezed marg. 😉 )

These gems are made with pan-seared cod, scratch-made slaw and a to-die-for avocado mint lime sauce for the perfect amount of zesty cool-down. Enjoy!

Fish Tacos with Slaw & Avocado Mint Lime Sauce

  • 1 lb. fresh or frozen cod (may use other white fish of choice)
  • 1 lime (1/2 will be used for the sauce, other half for fish)
  • 1 package slaw mix (I chose one from Trader Joe’s with organic carrots & cabbage)
  • 1 avocado
  • handful fresh mint leaves
  • 1-2 cloves garlic
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1-2 TB Apple Cider Vinegar
  • corn tortillas
  • cilantro, optional
  • Sir Kensington’s mayo (I love the original or avocado oil)
  • salt & pepper
  1. Cut cod into bite-sized square chunks. Heat skillet with olive oil on medium heat, and add the fish. Stir, then add seasonings of choice. I did salt, pepper, cilantro and the juice of 1/2 lime. Stir until fish is cooked through and flaky. Cover and set side.
  2. In the meantime, blend together avocado, garlic, fresh
… Read More!

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Weekly Healthy Chicks in the Community Feature: Rachael Lynsey Rubin of Beauty PaRLR

3 Comments / Healthy Chicks in the Community /

Happy Friday, ladies! I’m celebrating my way right into 4th of July Weekend and my 30th birthday (on the 5th!) with a bang. But before we all take off for fireworks, BBQs and family fun, it’s time for this week’s spotlight on Healthy Chicks in the Community, a weekly series highlighting rockstar Girl Bosses doing their thang in the community.

One of my favorite quotes is, “She believed she could so she did.” It’s simple yet so powerful and I like that it shows what you want is ultimately up to you. Framingham MA resident Rachael Lynsey Rubin is the epitome of this quote — she had a dream, went after it and made it her reality.

I’ve followed her story along for a while, and it’s been so beautiful watching her go from makeup artist to Boss Girl/Photographer/Studio Owner/you name it in the matter of a few years. I’ll let Rachael take it over from here; perhaps she’ll inspire you too to go after something you believe in, and take it by the horns (or makeup brush and camera in her case).

NAME: Rachael Lynsey Rubin; RLR; Rach; Rachie

DESCRIBE YOUR BUSINESS/LINE OF WORK: I am the … Read More!

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Summer is Not About Getting That “Bikini Body”

1 Comment / Health & Wellness /

All the magazines and trainers are talking about losing 10 pounds for the summer and getting that “Bikini Body,” and quite frankly I find it super annoying. Meanwhile, I’m over here like, “How can I FUEL my mind, body and soul this summer?”

Don’t get me wrong, I get it and didn’t always have such a carefree attitude about summer. I used to live a life of deprivation, where I counted calories, avoided bathing suits like the plague and restricted myself from having “too much fun” by skipping margarita night and going out with friends.

Blah. Is there even such a thing as too much fun?

There comes a time when dinner parties with friends, adventures to the beach and seeing how many minutes you can hoola hoop without it falling to the ground becomes so much more gratifying than obsessing over cellulite, the calories in your Caesar salad and how many minutes you can squeeze in on the elliptical.

This past weekend, I went camping, hoola-hooped my butt off (and was actually really good, and seriously now want one for my 30th birthday), ate salmon straight off the grill and sipped on a vodka seltzer in a pink … Read More!

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Healthy Chicks in the Community: Grace Brinton {Boston’s Meal Service & Recipe Fairy}

Leave a Comment / Healthy Chicks in the Community /

For my job, I spend much of the day perusing social media. Fun fact: aside from being a writer and Health Coach, I also manage social media for several small local businesses! While this comes with its ups and downs, for the most part I feel inspired by all the amazing women I get to connect with online and many of the times IRL (In Real Life).

Grace Brinton is one of those super cool ladies I’ve connected with through instagram, and I was immediately drawn to all her beautiful photos of food. Aside from posting pretty, drool-worthy foodie pics all day long, Grace also launched a sustainable Meal Delivery Service here in Boston, prioritizing nutrient-dense, organic and pasture-raised ingredients. Not to mention, everything she whips up is free from gluten and dairy, and many of her recipes are AIP-friendly which is great for those with an autoimmune disease like me who are navigating the AIP diet.

Clearly I’m a super fan girl of what Grace is doing, and couldn’t be more happy to feature her on the blog today!

{photo credit: Lucie Wicker Photography}

NAME: Grace Anna Brinton

DESCRIBE YOUR BUSINESS/LINE OF WORK:  I run a … Read More!

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Happy Summer: Our 14-Day Summer Self Care Challenge Is Now Open For Registration!

3 Comments / Health & Wellness /

Happpppyyy Summer! Can you tell I’m excited? Summer is hands down my favorite season — for many reasons. Not only is my birthday coming up (I turn the big 3-0 in a couple weeks!), but it’s also the season of fireflies, cookouts, campfires, outdoor concerts and beach days. I love going outside without a jacket, longer days filled with sunshine, picnics and farmers markets.

Bright, colorful produce is finally in season like watermelon, zucchini, peaches, cucumber, blueberries and tomatoes, and life is simply buzzing with good energy.

In the midst of all the marketing telling us we need to drop 10 pounds to get that “Bikini Body” (which is a load of crap), summer is the perfect time to prioritize self-care by taking care of YOURSELF — mind, body and soul.

Join myself & fellow Certified Health Coach / Yoga Guru Kelley Abatzis for a 14-day Summer Self Care Challenge focused on putting yourself 100% first. Our signature self-care challenge is back by popular demand, with themes of body love, self-expression, and creating more time for play and fun in your life.

THE PROGRAM BEGINS MONDAY, JULY 17TH + INCLUDES:

1. Daily morning dose of positivity + clear action steps … Read More!

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