Health & Wellness

Blast from the Past Series: Post 1 on Healthy Living

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Good morning my lovely blog readers! If you’ve been keeping up with my latest posts, you’re probably aware I’m flying to Florida this afternoon with The Boy. I’ll be there for a few days, then will be road-tripping up the east coast to drive his grandparents car back up to NY for them. It’s kind of surreal because when we first met (almost 6 months ago), we did the reverse trip – drove the car down and flew back – and now several months later we’ll be doing the opposite. Anyway, I’ll be gone a week straight but don’t worry: I won’t leave you blog-less for a whole seven days. Instead I’ve decided to do a blast from the past series, re-posting an article a day on something I’ve written in the past. If you are new to my blog, it’ll be a good way to catch up, and if you’ve been reading forever, it’ll be a fun way to reminsice. Here is Post # 1 on Healthy Living. Enjoy & stay tuned in…

[this post was originally published March 21st as “It is Officially Spring: 10 Inspiring Reasons to Eat Well & Exercise and It Has Nothing to do … Read More!

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The Little Things in Life: 21 Things to Smile About Right Now

3 Comments / Health & Wellness, Lifestyle /

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I love making people smile. It’s just something I love to do. Normally I’d give you a hug or tickle you or attempt to tell you a funny joke or outrageous story about my life, but since I can’t do that, I figured this is the next best thing…Here, 21 reasons to smile now. Why 21? Because it’s my family’s lucky number and was also my grandma Carol’s lucky number and I’ve been thinking about her a lot lately! Grandma, this one is for you <3

1. iced coffee season!

2. spring-y dresses

3. wine & cheese…outside on the porch

4. it’s that time…you know the time of the season for loving

5. flip-flop weather…a gal can never own too many flip-flops!

6. little colorful surprise post-it notes left on your desk, mirror or lunch box

7. lots of upcoming wine & food fests like the Spring Wine Fest this weekend

8. SoWa Open Market starts this weekend & so do lotso’ local Farmer’s markets (helllooo fresh veggies)

9. having a lucky streak & believing it was fate

10. waking up to birds chirping ‘n’ sunlight

11. ending a long, stressful day with a soothing yoga … Read More!

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Monday Motivation: Getting Back on Track

8 Comments / Health & Wellness /

I don’t know about you, but I pigged out yesterday. Scratch that. I pigged out this entire weekend. Not to mention the fact that I didn’t work out…at all. When you’re a broke gal living in the city, going home is like heaven. It’s free food galore, and I simply can’t help but reap all the delicious benefits of it. Friday and Saturday I behaved mostly, and was healthy 75% of the time, which is good in my book. As you know, I am a firm believer that being healthy is a lifestyle with room to go a little off track from time to time. Having that “wiggle room” is what keeps us sane, after all.

But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t go just a little overboard on Easter Sunday. It definitely doesn’t help when you come from a large Polish family with a grandmother who loves to cook, not to mention is an excellent cook. A family who serves what normal people eat as a main meal as “just the appetizer”, and that by the time dessert comes everyone is holding their stomachs as if they just ate Thanksgiving supper…twice. Yes, that is pretty much my … Read More!

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Home Sweet Home and Friday Favorites

3 Comments / Health & Wellness, Lifestyle /

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Good evening all of my lovely blog readers! Sorry I’m so late with my Friday Favorites post, but I promise I have a good excuse. I’ve been out and about all day perusing my future neighborhood in the North End with my dad, sister and The Boy. Not only did I get to show my younger sister our super sweet new apartment (which she absolutely loved – thanks for trusting me sis!), but we also got to explore the North End. We dined at Bella Vista, browsed the waterfront, trekked to Faneuil Hall, sipped on tasty cappuccinos and gelato and walked our little butts off. It was an incredible day indeed! So yes, that’s why I haven’t been at my computer all afternoon. Oh, and after I checked out my soon-to-be-home (well, not ’til September 1st), I am now home sweet home in Connecticut for the weekend.

As for Friday Favorites, here’s what made my top 5 this week:

1. Chunky Jewelry: Ever since I became a Stylist for Stella & Dot, I’ve been really diggin’ chunky jewelry that makes a statement. Lately, I’ve been rocking an oversized gold & green flower ring and I absolutely love … Read More!

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Thoughts from a Born Again Yogi: Why Practicing Yoga Regularly is an Excellent Workout for Your Mind and Body

1 Comment / Health & Wellness /

In yesterday’s post, I touched briefly on the fact that I want to start getting into yoga again, and that I love the way it makes me feel. Today, I wanted to go into a little more detail as to what exactly I’m talking about what I refer to this “feeling.”

You see, I used to practice yoga quite regularly and then sort of fell off track like we all do at certain times in our life. The road to my  born again yogi-ness all started Tuesday morning, when I asked my friend Jen (a yoga lover & relationship expert) over at Blonde Bronzed Twenty-Something if I should take a yoga class or spinning class that evening. “Yoga, 100%” she said. At first, I had trouble banking on a yoga class for my workout, rather than a sweat-inducing, fast-paced spinning class. I was doubtful, highly doubtful.

Then she went on to tell me how amazing and focused I’d feel after the class. “Plus, it’ll be a great workout for your core and strength.” With a little more convincing on her end, I was sold. After all, Jen was right…and I owed it to myself to dedicate 75 minutes to … Read More!

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8 Feel-Good Inspirations to Get Yourself to The Gym!

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If you’re like me and many women I know, getting yourself to the gym/yoga studio/running path is the hardest part. Once you are there, the workout is a breeze. It’s the getting there that’s the tough part.

They’ll be days where I absolutely dread working out and would much rather sit on the couch in my comfy Victoria’s Secret sweats with a good book and some Sex and the City sodes and call it a day. But the second I drag myself to the gym and get my heart pumping, it’s as if there was never any doubt in the first place. All of that “But I don’t want to go to the gym!” “I’ll just go for a run tomorrow!” talk simply vanishes, as it doesn’t even matter any more. I am now IN THE ZONE and there is no stopping me now.

So what motivates me to get my ass off the couch and turn off those Sex and the City sodes? Read on… and hopefully you’ll be out the door and in your running sneaks in no time!

1. Endorphins: There is nothing like feel-good endorphins to get me going on those lazy days. … Read More!

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The Boston Marathon and Getting Tingles

1 Comment / Health & Wellness, Lifestyle /

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I have a confession: Whenever I experience something emotional, I get tingles all over my body. Goosebumps of sorts. Whether it’s from that first magical kiss, running my first half marathon, watching a sappy romantic movie, graduating from college or looking back on old photographs, the feeling is the same. Now, I am quite an emotional gal and I’ll be the first to admit it, so this feeling tends to happen quite often.

This morning, I’ve been having that feeling ever since I woke up and turned on the TV. I’ve been watching the Boston Marathon news, and it’s really been one of the most inspiring things I’ve watched on television in a long time. We’re so used to hearing terrible, TERRIBLE events on the news, so it’s refreshing to wake up to something so amazing, so feel-good.

I mean, c’mon, what’s more inspiring than hearing about thousands of men and women (off all shapes, sizes, backgrounds and paces) run 26.2 miles? Mind you, many of them who are running for a great cause, be it in memory of a loved one they lost to cancer, or a charity they’ve raised thousands of dollars for. These interviews … Read More!

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Tuesday Thoughts: Favorite Song of the Week

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Lately, I’ve been really into empowering, unique songs. Sure, I love my rap but there’s nothing like running to the tunes a deep, thought-provoking group. The Shins, Postal Service, Florence & The Machine and Mumford and Sons tend to come to mind. Today I had a fabulous workout, and not once did I put on my “Workout Baby” playlist. Instead, I changed it up with my “Let it Go” playlist to really sweat it out, think ‘n’ get myself in “the zone.” You know, the point where you don’t even feel like you’re working out. I love being in the zone.

Speaking of new songs, my roommate Morgan recently shared her obsession with this song called “Home” by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes. Ever since I pressed play, I simply can’t stop listening to it. If you haven’t heard it yet, check it out…

… Read More!

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Food and Your Mood: What to Eat to Increase Your Sex Drive, Make You Happy and Calm Your Nerves

3 Comments / Health & Wellness, Lifestyle /

 

As I mentioned yesterday, I came home to CT for a cousin’s baby shower. I always love coming home because that means good food…good free food. The key word is FREE. It’s nice to take a break from the tight budgeting for a weekend. Last night my parents and I went over to a good family friend’s house for a home-cooked meal. We had a nice large salad with chives, diced apples and avocado, fresh bread, flank steak with mushrooms & onions, and a side of roasted asparagus.

As expected, while taking my morning pee I noticed that smell (Sorry for the TMI). You know, the smell your pee takes on after eating asparagus. Who knew it’s actually because the ever-so-tasty veggie contains a sulfur-containing compound called methyl mercaptan. And in order for our body to metabolize this very strange compound, it must break them down which in turn leads to the smell. This little incident got me thinking about how different foods affect our moods and actions. I browsed the web and did my research (what I do best), and this is what I came up with. So next time you want to “get in … Read More!

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Quotable Sunday: A Little Running Inspiration

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This quote has never meant so much to me than it did today. This morning I ran my first half marathon with my sister, cousin, and a friend. We all have different paces and finished at different times, but I couldn’t have been more proud of us! The fact that we finished simply amazes me. And the fact that 10,000 women all of shapes, sizes and backgrounds finished simply blows me away.

I have to say I got a little teary eyed crossing the finish line; not because I was in pain but because I was overwhelmed with so many feelings: those of joy, accomplishment, strength, victory, relief, and euphoria. No matter what time you finished, you get that feeling – the feeling of “I did it. I finished. All by myself.”

What are some feelings you get at the end of a race? I’ll post a more in-depth recap of the half marathon/weekend in NYC tomorrow!

XoXo,

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