Health & Wellness

Friday Favorites And Popchips Giveaway!

36 Comments / Health & Wellness, Lifestyle /

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Happy Friday all! Since it’s the end of the week, I figured I’d share some of my current favorites of the week, as you know there’s always something new I’m lovin’.  Here goes:

1. Core Fusion: Boot Camp – Usually I stick to Core Fusion: Body Sculpt (my go-to workout DVD as you know) but last week I got my hands on both the Boot Camp and Thighs & Glutes to change it up a bit. I still have yet to try the Thighs & Glutes but let me tell you Boot Camp is absolutely incredible! You can really feel the burn, in a good way of course. From pushups and burpees to squats and lunges, there is never a dull moment in this fabulous DVD. HIGHLY RECOMMEND to anyone looking to shake things up a bit. Oh, and your bod will love you too.

2. Strong Coffee – Usually I’m a fan of the lighter or medium roasts, but this week I’ve been craving strong, baby! It’s been a really tough week on my family and I (we lost our beloved Papa George) but strong coffee has been, well, keeping me stronger. The other … Read More!

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Get Pumped: Tis The Season for Outdoor Running!

6 Comments / Health & Wellness /

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Oh my goodness. When I just looked at the seven day forecast two seconds ago, I thought I must have seen it wrong. Did I remember to put my contacts in this morning? But I definitely saw it right, and boy oh boy am I ecstatic. The temps are going to hit 50s today and 60s (YES 60s) tomorrow! I feel like a little kid on Christmas…that’s how excited I am.

No, not just because of the fact that spring is near and I can actually go outside without 500 layers on looking like a puff-ball, but the fact that I can RUN outside. You don’t understand how long I’ve been waiting for this day. Sure I’ve made peace with the treadmill, but there is nothing quite like a long, sweaty outdoor run to really get me movin’. When I run outside, I feel alive. I can zone out, unleash my stress and think…about everything in my life that’s bothering me or simply on my mind! Running outside is the bomb. And that’s just a plain truth.

Now that my half marathon is coming up soon, these outdoor runs are going to be absolutely critical to … Read More!

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Happy Friday: The Most Amazing, Kick-ass, Sweat-Inducing, Extreme Workout Mix EVER

5 Comments / Health & Wellness /

So on Tuesday I let you in on my little running secret: the fact that music is the only thing that gets me through tough runs. I also promised you all that I’d post the playlist of all playlists today, and with the help from all of your tweets, Facebeook comments, and in-person suggestions (yes, I have real life friends too), I think I’ve nailed it. So here goes; work your little butt off at the gym today and enjoy!

My Half Marathon Training Playlist:

1. Let Go, Frou Frou

2. Send Me on My Way, Rusted Root

3. Sweet Disposition, Temper Trap

4. Such Great Heights, Postal Service

5. Dog Days are Over, Florence + The Machine

6. Kids, MGMT

7. We are Who We Are, Ke$ha

8. Marry You, Bruno Mars

9. Secrets, One Republic

10. Firework, Katy Perry

11. Goodmorning, Kanye West

12. Jump, Van Halen

13. Be OK, Ingrid Michaelson

14. Start Me Up, Rolling Stones

15. Back in Your Head, Tegan and Sara

16. Cold Hearted Snake, Paula Abdul

17. Heartbreaker, Mariah Carey

18. Hold On, Wilson Phillips

19. Sexy Bitch, David Guetta

20. Shooting Star, Young Boss

21. I’m in Miami Bitch, LMFO… Read More!

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The Secret to a Killer Workout: Killer Workout Music, Of Course!

9 Comments / Health & Wellness, Lifestyle /

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I have a confession: Just ’cause I’m training for a half marathon doesn’t mean I’m a runner. Well, I mean now I am. But I’m not one of those girls who was born lean and fit with sneakers on…a perfect pony tail…ready to run. I’m also not one of those girls who felt going out for a “nice short 3 mile run” could ever be enjoyable. But that has all changed my friends. You want to know one of the biggest secrets that gets me through? My kick-ass iPod running playlist. It’s called “Half Marathon Training” and the second I press play, all thoughts of hesitation disappear. This playlist brings my inner runner out.

In fact, it brings it out so much that I actually enjoyed…I repeat enjoyed my five mile run on Sunday, followed by a back-to-back four mile run yesterday. I felt sweaty. I felt energized. I felt alive. Oh, and the music (oooh the phenomenal music) made my 47+ minutes of running on the treadmill go by in a snap. When I saw the distance tracker hit 4.9 miles, I thought “Only .1 to go? I’m sprinting this baby to the finish line!” … Read More!

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If I Had to Live off 10 Items For the Rest of My Life: Must Have Diet Essentials

17 Comments / Health & Wellness, Lifestyle /

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Good afternoon all! Hope you are all well recovered from last night’s Superbowl binge. Let’s face it: I totally ate like a man. Yup, sucked the chicken wings from the bone and dug into that cheesy bean dip like a champ. I count the Superbowl as a holiday, a cheat day of sorts. Oh, not ’cause I’m so into football…just because it’s what you do. You watch the game. You laugh at the commercials. You stuff your face with not-so-healthy yet oh-so-tasty food. It is what it is.

Anyway, I started the day right with some organic Orange & Carrot Juice with Omega 3’s I found at Trader Joe’s, a banana, and a gluten free waffle. Oh and loads of water of course. I had to flush out all that cheesy goodness somehow. Speaking of cheese, this morning over breakfast I started thinking about my must-have diet essentials. If you know me, cheese is totally number one. Then I got to thinking what if I was forced to only eat 10 items for the rest of my life? First of all, that would be a terrible thing. But for the heck of it, I decided to … Read More!

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Friday Favorites and Super Sweet Chobani Greek Yogurt Giveaway!

81 Comments / Health & Wellness, Lifestyle /

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Good morning all my Healthy Chicks out there and Happy Friday! Since it’s Friday, I figured I’d share a few of my favorite things of the week with y’all, ’cause trust me: every week there’s something new I begin to love. Here’s this week’s roundup:

1. The Treadmill: I know, I know. Trust me, I never thought I’d say it either. But ever since I’ve been training for my half marathon – and forcing myself to run on the treadmill due to all the blizzards here in Boston – it’s grown on me. Once I hit my first five mile run EVER on that stupid little machine, I began to have a newfound love for it. All I can say is THANK GOODNESS, ’cause it doesn’t seem like the snow is-a-stoppin’ anytime soon.

2. GO FISH: I’ve been working really hard this week to add more fish into my diet. I love fish so darn much, but it tends to get neglected. The other night I made baked salmon marinated in OJ, tequila, lime juice and habanero sauce with The Boy, and tonight we’re thinking of making almond-crusted tilapia. I’ll keep ya updated on how it … Read More!

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Dinner for Two, Please: Team Work in the Kitchen Makes for a Wholesome, Tasty Meal

19 Comments / Food & Recipes, Health & Wellness /

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Usually, I cook for just one in my tiny 2×2 single lady’s kitchen, but ever since the Sig-O came along – ha, I saw that word the other day and just had to use it – we’ve been attempting to cook together and let me tell you it’s quite a good time. Who knew team work in the kitchen could be such a fun bonding experience?

Maybe it’s just because I love that I can do my thing without him nagging at me for “doing it wrong.” I wouldn’t dare step inside my Grandma Mary’s kitchen while she is on a roll; the kitchen expert would rip me into pieces when she saw the way I held the knife or sliced the meat the “wrong way.” Then I’d probably get slapped with the wooden spoon…I kid…sorta.

But when you’re cooking with your boyfriend (or best friend/sister/brother/mother/lover) the two of you can do your own thing, then combine your talents to create something amazing. Take Tuesday night, for example. We were snowed in together so we bought ingredients to make salmon and roasted cauliflower. I made the salmon – marinated in orange juice, tequila, garlic, pepper, lime juice … Read More!

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The Dirty Dozen: 12 Foods You Should Always Buy Organic

6 Comments / Health & Wellness /

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It seems like everywhere you go these days organic is plastered onto everything. It’s like the new “reduced-fat” or “low carb” in the supermarket world. Do I really need to buy my kids organic lollipops, and will organic milk really make a difference? It sure as hell sounds good, but what will it do for me, more importantly my body?

Sometimes I just buy organic for the heck of it. After all, it can’t hurt. When I see the label 100% organic, free-range blah blah blah I just feel as if what I’m eating is safe. Other times I don’t give a crap. I like my chocolate chips, cheese and wine the way they are. Do I really need to go organic?

I’m sure many of you all have the same questions running through your head every day. After all, the world of the organics can be a bit overwhelming. It’s not like we had class lectures on the topic while growing up. This is all new to many.

Turns out, there is a group of twelve foods – the Dirty Dozen – that you should always, always buy organic as they are more susceptible to … Read More!

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Oof, I’m All Backwards: How to Plan Wholesome, Healthy Meals So You Can Feel Great All Week Long

4 Comments / Health & Wellness, Lifestyle /

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Oof, I feel all backwards today! Upside down, out of whack, all discombobulated. You know…something just feels a bit off. Luckily, I know exactly what that something is this time. You see, I’ve been away since Friday morning on a New Hampshire getaway with my family and The Boy. We had a wonderful time relaxing in the steam room, sauna and pool, drinking my cousin’s killer margaritas along with some specialty hard ciders that the boy got me into (they’re gluten free!), hiking in the snow, and eating our little hearts out.

Why am I feeling all backwards then, you ask? Well, it was most definitely the eating part. I ate completely backwards – or would you say upside down? – than I normally do. Back in my tiny Boston apartment, where I cook most of my meals for myself, I have a pretty structured diet: a humungous, nutritious breakfast,  a good-sized lunch and a smaller dinner followed by a little “treat” and a cup of tea. I rarely eat any other way, as this daily menu makes me feel my ultimate best – inside and out!

It usually goes like this: half egg white omelet … Read More!

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When a Healthy Chick Loses Control of Her Diet

13 Comments / Health & Wellness /

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Have one too many of these today? You’re not screwed just yet…

Yesterday was one of those days where my diet was absolutely out of whack. I ate like I was hungover: careless, confused and thoughtless. It seemed I had absolutely no sense or control over what I was eating; I simply moseyed my way through the day munching and daydreaming away. You see, I slept over the Boy’s house the night before and we sorta overstayed our morning in bed. (Hey, it was cold out!) So by the time I left to rush for a meeting, I didn’t even think to eat breakfast. [mistake #1: skipping breakfast, only the most important meal of the day] I mean, what do boy’s have anyway? Probably just OJ and sugary cereal. No thanks.

As my tummy grumbled and my hunger pangs got the best of me, I couldn’t help but resist diving into frothy coffees and some kind of carrot-cake tasting dessert balls that were served on a platter once I got to the meeting. [mistake #2 & #3 : waiting until your stomach is growling to eat/ eating sugary things first thing in the morning, hence craving sugar … Read More!

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