Health & Wellness

Monday Inspiration: What Nourishes Your Mind, Body & Soul?

4 Comments / Health & Wellness /

Do you know what nourishes you, you know those things that truly fill your soul & makes you feel your very best self? This is likely not a question you ask yourself very often, but I encourage you to do so.

So often, we eat what we’re told are the “right” foods to eat, do what we believe we “have” to do, and think the way we’re expected to think. I challenge you to stop right there and look beyond the expectations and rules we have for ourselves. Truly look within and ask yourself point blank: What makes me feel nourished?

Then take things a step further by writing it out:

These are the foods that nourish my body…

These are the activities that nourish my soul…

These are the thoughts that nourish my mind…

What came up for you? I encourage you to take a good, hard look at your list and fill yourself up with those things that nourish you most.

Here’s a hint: when we fill our life up with nourishment, we no longer need to use food/drugs/self sabotage/fill in the blank to “feel better.” That’s why talking about food is only a portion of my … Read More!

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Event Recap: New Balance NB Fitness Club & Anue Yoga Apparel Review

6 Comments / Health & Wellness /

This past Monday I was invited to a special yoga event at New Balance’s very own NB Fitness Club in Brighton, MA. It was my first time experiencing the club, so I was excited to check out the space for myself first-hand!

I was impressed by how open and clean it was, especially the ladies’ locker rooms. You don’t always see that at gyms these days, so it’s always a pleasant surprise.

Once we got settled in, all the ladies were lead to the group fitness room where we got to experience a 45-minute yoga class with Dina Ivas, a NYC-based yoga instructor. I loved Dina’s energy and enthusiasm, as you could definitely tell that teaching yoga is one of her greatest passions. Her class was both restorative and challenging at the same time, the perfect way to start a Monday morning!

{Anue Review}

After class, Anue (New Balance’s yoga collection) was there with a special pop-up shop offering great deals — up to 75% off — on their apparel! I also had the chance to talk with the beautiful designers behind Anue, Andrea and Rachel, who totally walk the talk and embody their brand.

{Designers Andrea Cinque-Austin … Read More!

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Friday Flashback: Why Confidence Plays a Role in Your Weight Loss Journey

3 Comments / Health & Wellness, Lifestyle /

Good afternoon lovely ladies, and Happy Friday! This week’s Friday Flashback has to do with something that’s  been on my mind a lot lately: confidence.

To me, confidence means trusting your inner self to guide you & feeling certain that things will work themselves out. It’s knowing that, even though things aren’t perfect just yet, everything is going to be OK.

Often times, confidence gets a bad rap, mistaken for cockiness or being arrogant. But today I’m going to talk about the other end of the spectrum…when you let your confidence (or lack there of) hold you back and prevent you from living your greatest potential.

Back when I was dieting and in a pretty messed up relationship with the scale, my confidence level was about a 2 on a scale of 1 to 100. While I went about my day all smiles pretending everything was “perfect,” in the inside I was struggling.

I felt unhappy with my weight, weighing myself 2, 3, 5 times a day hoping that a drop in numbers would make me truly happy, only it didn’t. Every time the scale went up a pound, my confidence (and self-worth for that matter) would take a … Read More!

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Healthy Chicks Beach Essentials (Plus a Food Should Taste Good Giveaway!)

32 Comments / Health & Wellness, Lifestyle /

Good afternoon ladies! Hope you are all having a lovely Memorial Day Weekend. Since this past week was chock-full of events for me, I’m making sure to squeeze in some quality R & R this weekend. That being said, I do have a trip to the beach with some friends planned for tomorrow afternoon to ring in the holiday. I lieu of Memorial Day Weekend, I wanted to share with you my top 10 Beach essentials!

Healthy Chicks Top 10 Beach Essentials

1. A bottle of natural sunscreen like Alba Botanica for both body & face

2. A big eco-friendly bottle of water (that you can re-fill while there!)

3. A super cute, extra-large beach towel

4. Some good tunes – bring a radio or load your iPod up with beachy tunes like this song!

5. Fresh pre-sliced fruit like strawberries, watermelon and pineapple! (P.S. Did you know both watermelon & pineapple are great for reducing  belly bloat?)

6. Your best friends / people who make you laugh and feel your very best self!

7. GAMES! (a frisbee, deck of cards, football, and ping pong  paddles all work nicely)

8. Raw nuts (My faves are almonds and walnuts)

9. … Read More!

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My Morning Wellness Ritual: 7 Things I Do Every Morning To Start My Day Off on the Right Foot

4 Comments / Health & Wellness, Lifestyle /

#1: Hug The Boy – ‘nough said. I try to squeeze in some a.m. snuggle time and tell him how much he means to me each and every day.

#2: Stretch, breathe & say a mini thanks of gratitude – this can be anything from being grateful for my freedom to feeling extra-lucky to have a great man in my life. Expressing my gratitude allows me to see the positive side of things every time.

#3: Splash My Face with Cold Water & Gently Rub with Jojoba Oil – lately I’m loving my very own homemamde jojoba oil moisturizer mixed with lavender essential oil for a relaxing, calming effect great for both sensitive skin and/or those prone to breakouts.

#4: Sip On Warm Lemon Water – I started this morning ritual a few months ago and can’t get enough of it. Simply boil 1 c. of water and cool until warm. Then squeeze the juice of half a lemon and sip slowly. Not only does this help hydrate, but it also energizes, cleanses and detoxes the body. I can say yes to that every day!

#5: Brain Dump – I take a look at my master to-do list … Read More!

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Play More, Stress Less (And Perhaps Lose a Few Pounds Along the Way)

7 Comments / Health & Wellness, Lifestyle /

Remember when you were a little girl and everything revolved around playtime? From make-believe weddings to Polly Pockets, fort-building to dream-building, a day never went by without a good dose of play, imagination and fun.

I still remember how trying to get my sister and I to sit down for family dinners was a job in itself. We’d be running around free outside (catching fireflies, building forts, or sharing secrets) and that ever-so-recognizable dinner bell meant playtime was tragically over. We’d even take mini breaks throughout our meals to skip, laugh and goof around.

The thing was: we weren’t even really that hungry. You see, we’d “fill up” on other things in life (you know, the precious things like love, hugs, laughter, and movement) that we didn’t “need” food to fill us up. In other words, as children, we didn’t rely on things like lasagna, Vodka Tonics and ice cream to make us feel better. Sure, mom’s  meals tasted delicious (and she’d surely try her hardest to get us to finish our broccoli “trees”) but we didn’t need food to make us happy.

As adults, so often we use and abuse food to fill some other type of void in … Read More!

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5 Tips for Healthy Eating Made Simple Plus a Bestowed Box Giveaway

40 Comments / Health & Wellness /

I’m a huge advocate for living a healthy lifestyle, but not when it has to be so darn hard. That’s why I like to keep things as easy and pain-free as possible when it comes to food. Here are my top 5 tips for simple healthy eating for you to incorporate into your day now. Plus, I’ve got a pretty sweet giveaway for you! Read on, my friends…

1. Keep it Real: Eat Real Food. Period. I know it sounds silly, but if you truly strive to eat real food (food that you can recognize and clearly tell where it came from), everything else just falls into place naturally.

2. Don’t compare your plate to everyone else’s: Eat what makes you feel your best self.

3. Be Adventurous: Explore new foods (even those you used to HATE as a child), experiment with new recipes and keep an open mind when it comes to what you put on your plate. Whether it’s going out for Thai food or buying a funky new vegetable you’ve never tasted before, find a way to be daring! You’ll never grow bored this way, and you can keep healthy eating fun!

4. Know Your Body: … Read More!

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5 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Compare Your Plate, Pant Size, Paycheck or Yoga Posture

8 Comments / Health & Wellness, Lifestyle /

As women, we’re constantly comparing ourselves to our friends, acquaintances, co-workers, siblings, business partners, fitness idols, you name it. While being inspired by someone or looking up to someone is perfectly fine or normal, it’s when the comparisons set it that things can get a little messy. This typically leads to feelings of jealousy, resentment, judgement or straight up “not good enough” which can be extremely harmful to your personal wellbeing.

While I still struggle from time to time to resist my ego and natural inclination to compare myself, I’ve realized it does no one any good. Here’s why you should stop comparing your plate, pant size, paycheck, yoga posture and everything in between:

1. You don’t know their full story. Often times when we compare, we wish we were *just like* the other person OR we judge the other person. The truth of the matter is that we don’t know their full story, and we may never know their full story. Pay attention to your own story instead.

2. Bio-Individuality: Everyone is different and what works for one person may not work for another. This is why some women swear by vegan diets, and others thrive on lean … Read More!

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Why Your Relationship with Food is Directly Connected to Your Relationship with Money (& My Big Self Discovery)

4 Comments / Health & Wellness, Lifestyle /

This past weekend, I attended a Business Conference for Wellness Professionals in NYC—HMBA Live: Step into Your Spotlight—that literally changed my life. I can honestly say the past three days have been among the most fulfilling days of my life: eye-opening, fun, and transformational all in one.

I cried, laughed, danced, sang, ate, wrote, learned, reflected and heck, even spoke in front of a room full of 400+ people….on a microphone.  In addition, I networked, made new friends, and relished in a community bursting with positive energy.

And while all of those things were life changing in and of itself, one of the most eye-opening “A-Hah” moments I had was when we started talking about money. More particularly our relationship with money. Just bear with me here…

I never really took the time to explore my relationship with money, although I certainly knew it wasn’t a good one. In fact, it was toxic, to say the least. I say was because all of this is about to change…starting 48 hours ago.

However, up until now, money and I just didn’t jive. We were heading straight to a break-up and boy was it going to be a nasty one. … Read More!

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