Health & Wellness

The Weekend Has Come: Half Marathon Prep!

6 Comments / Health & Wellness /

80% pumped, 20% nerves

I can’t believe that there is now less than 24 hours until I cross the start line and embark on my first half marathon – the More / Fitness Magazine Women’s Half Marathon! It truly seems like yesterday that I wrote this post announcing my crazy feat, that is the 13.1 miles I would run in 2 1/2 months. Well now 74 days later and a whole lot of running in between, the day before the race has finally come! I won’t lie if I said I wasn’t just a teeny bit nervous, but I’m actually more excited than nervous. I’d say it’s about a 80-20 ratio. (80 being the excitement) Plus, it’s natural to get a little butterflies before a big day, whether it’s a hot date or a half marathon. Nerves are nerves, and they are inevitable my friend.

What I’ve realized these past few weeks is that everyone has their own running methods that work for them. As you train and become in tune with your body, you learn what works best for you. That is something I have enjoyed these past couple of months: learning my own body and what it … Read More!

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Tuesday Talk: The Power of Motivation

2 Comments / Health & Wellness, Lifestyle /

[source]

Motivation. By dictionary definition is means the desire to do; interest or drive. But to me, it means much more. I’ve been thinking a lot about motivation, and the act of getting yourself motivated, these past few days. After all, it is quite the powerful force.

Motivation is what gets you out of bed in the morning even when you want to crawl back into your cave and sleep forever. Motivation is the thing that helps you go that extra mile while running even when your legs feel like JELL-O and you just want to stop. Motivation helps drive you to take that extra plunge, take a chance and fight to the finish to reach your dreams.

And what better coach than yourself to help motivate you to get what you want out of life? This week motivation has taken me far. I motivated myself to stop crying and feeling sorry for myself, and rather score a part time job at an adorable little cafe. So what if it’s not my dream job in a magazine agency, but it’s a start. I motivated myself to run 10 miles a few days ago in preparation for my half … Read More!

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Friday Faves and 10 Miles!

5 Comments / Health & Wellness, Lifestyle /

Happy Friday lovely readers! Hope everyone has some phenomenal events planned for the weekend. As for me, I’m heading up to our condo in NH with the fam and The Boy for a little R & R. I absolutely can’t wait…NH retreats are the absolute best.

I also have some more great news in the home front: I ran my first ever 10 miles this morning, and not only did I survive, but it felt absolutely amazing. I won’t lie; there were points I just wanted to STOP but I kept telling myself, “You Can Do It”… “Only 5 more!”… “Only 3 more” and then suddenly I was done. It amazes me that just two years ago I could barely run 3 miles. I actually bawled my eyes out during my first 5K that I ran with my dad, and now look at me. I’m like Ms. Running Machine! This just goes to show that anyone can do what they set their mind to do…you just have to work at it and stay with it.

Anywho, it’s Friday so it’s that time again for FRIDAY FAVES:

My Forerunner 305 Garmin: I made the purchase for this bad ass GPS watch … Read More!

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Turn that Frown Upside Down: Two Feel-Good Carby Meals for Morning and Night

Leave a Comment / Food & Recipes, Health & Wellness /

It’s no doubt carbs make you happy. That’s probably why my two years spent on the South Beach Diet led to many mood swings and blah days. No carbs = less smiles. The scientific reasoning behind it is that carbohydrates raise our serotonin levels (something women are lacking anyway) and in turn makes us feel good, less irritable and of course less moody.

So when I woke up this morning feeling a little poopy, I knew it was going to be a carby breakfast. Not just any carby breakfast though. No. It had to be my ALL TIME favorite carby breakfast, and that my friends is good ol’ fashioned pancakes.

I made gluten free pancakes due to my wheat sensitivity from Cherrybrook Kitchen boxed mix. The first time I whipped up these babies, I was a bit hesitant. Can gluten free pancakes really be that good? Well, I must say that they were just as good if not better, and my family couldn’t agree more! I then changed up the recipe a tad…

For 7 pancakes (3 for now, 4 for later):

-1 c. pancake mix

-about 2 tsp. canola oil or equivalent in applesauce

-3/4 c. vanilla almond … Read More!

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It is Officially Spring: 10 Inspiring Reasons to Eat Well and Exercise and It Has Nothing To Do with a Bikini

12 Comments / Health & Wellness /

spring has sprung. literally.

It’s officially, utterly and completely spring as of yesterday. I mean, the calendar said so, but I could also smell it in the air. Plus I saw the first flowers of the season budding through the ground. That made be happy…overwhelmingly happy. Not to mention that I spent the entire afternoon day-drinking in honor of South Boston’s St Patty’s Day parade. I have to say that took me back to college block parties in a heart beat. I even wore my green platform heels in honor of the day – and the season. Springtime is my excuse to wear open-toed shoes and flip flops…every day.

Anyway, many people also use this season as an excuse to go on crash diets, lose 15 pounds, cut out dessert, go bananas at the gym, deprive themselves of yummy treats, and rip apart every little “flaw” on their body. It breaks my heart really because I used to be one of those girls. I’d elliptical my ass of at the gym and eat bland greens with a slab of dry chicken for dinner and call it a feast. And I did this all so I could “lose the … Read More!

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Why Nutella is Worth it: On Enjoying Every Little Bite and Listening to Your Body

2 Comments / Health & Wellness, Lifestyle /

[source]

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!

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That Thing You Do: 6 Little Habits that are Totally OK, and Healthy Too!

6 Comments / Health & Wellness, Lifestyle /

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!

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5 Realizations: Thoughts of a Twenty-Something

4 Comments / Health & Wellness, Lifestyle /

Good morning everyone! Now that I’m finally in Miami after a very long, hectic trip I can finally relax. Ahh it feels good. This is my first time in Miami and I must say I am absolutely loving it so far. I did forget it was also coincidentally Spring Break, so it may be like a little college flash-back for me as well.

Anyway, here are some thoughts I’ve been having these past few days:

1. Some People Never Change: This can be good and bad. In my case, it’s GOOD. I haven’t spent time with my roommate and best friend from college in quite a while, and we were finally reunited last night. It’s always kind of weird to see someone you haven’t seen in months, or even YEARS. Will it be the same? Will things be strange? But some people just never change. The second I saw my friend, we gave each other the biggest bear hug in the world, and then it was as if time hadn’t passed at all from the college days. I can’t believe I graduated college TWO years ago. It’s crazy to think about, but I’m glad that certain friendships will forever be … Read More!

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Friday Favorites: On Coconut Oil, Restaurant Week Boston and More!

4 Comments / Health & Wellness, Lifestyle /

Happy Friday everyone. Hope you all had a good week, or at least managed to get by. Since it’s Friday and on Fridays I share my favorite things of the week, here goes!

Coconut Oil: Ever since The Boy sifted through my hundreds of perfumes and lotions and told me how bad for my skin/body they are, I’ve been extra conscious of reading labels. Do you know how many toxins are in that stuff? I get most of my creams from Bath & Body and Victoria’s Secret but was clueless as to what was in it and how many ingredients they contained. If I wouldn’t eat something bad for my body/with ingredients I can’t pronounce, then why the heck would I put it on my skin? Big no no in the health realm.

Anyway, I discovered the two tubs of coconut oil I’ve had in my cabinet forever, and decided to have a little fun with them. First I hit up Google to research the benefits of coconut oil, and was amazed at how many there are! From being used as an eye makeup remover and moisturizer to hair conditioner and a digestion aid, coconut oil is THE BOMB … Read More!

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A Tasty and Fat Free Recipe: 7 Ingredients for a Great Day

2 Comments / Health & Wellness, Lifestyle /

[it’s the little things in life like this heart-shaped foam in my latte]

Yesterday was just one of those all around great days. You know, one of those days where everything just seems to be going your way…like the universe or astrological signs or whatever are on your side. It was nice seeing as though I had my fair share of “blah” days the past few weeks and thought it was due time for the opposite.

First of all, things are starting to look OK in the unemployed realm, as I’m pretty sure I scored myself some means of income. Then I found out that my younger sister got into grad school – her #1 choice – IN BOSTON! I couldn’t be more proud of her…she definitely worked hard for this, and couldn’t be more deserving. Plus, we are going to be roommates next year. Get ready for TWO Healthy Chicks in the kitchen.

Yesterday I also booked a “me vacation” to MIAMI from Sunday to Friday to visit an old friend from college and work on my tan. Hey, when the room is already paid for and your dad can use his miles on cheap flights, how could a … Read More!

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