Healthy Chicks

This weekend I was lucky enough to attend Institute for Integrative Nutrition’s Live Fall IINto Action Event in NYC. The event was absolutely amazing, with inspiring speakers like founder Joshua Rosenthal and mind-body expert Deepak Chopra. Throughout the weekend, we discussed everything from leadership and marketing to raw food, going vegan and the obesity epidemic in America.

One of the discussions on spirituality and faith really stood out to  me, and I’d like to share one of the quotes with you that really struck a chord.

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This afternoon, I got a message from a friend.

“Dear Healthy Chick,I need some suggestions for caffeine boosts to get me through my day. As you know, coffee is a NO but I find myself in a groggy mid-afternoon slump and need SOMETHING to keep me chugging through the day. I’ve been trying to force myself to drink diet soda but I’m not a big fan and would prefer something else. Is there anything you know that will help me? Thank you, -Trouble Staying Awake”

I think many of us can relate to this scenario, especially as young working business women. So here are my top 8 suggestions for you when it comes to staying awake, the au natural way.

1. Try taking B vitamins, which are great for energy especially in women. According to this article in Psychology Today, B vitamins can fight fatigue, irritability and lack of concentration. Might just be the key to afternoon slumps, after all!

2. Eat healthy protein/carb combo mini snacks throughout the day. I recommend keeping a variety of go-to snacks at your desk like raw almonds, apples, string cheese, and peanut butter for tasty pairings.

3. If … Read More!

Happy Friday ladies! I’m one happy girl, as this will be the completion of one week living in the North End of Boston. So far, so good. I really don’t think living could get any better… Anyway, it’s Friday and you know what that means; time for Friday favorites. Here’s what made the cut this week:

1. menage a trois: No, not a threesome, silly! Rather, a blend of three red wine varieties. This week, I chose a California Menage a Trois blend with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and red Zinfandel. It was fabulous, and made for the perfect pairing with my homemade gluten free pizza.

2. The Charles: Living in Boston the past 2+ years, I’ve realized I don’t take enough advantage of what the city has to offer. Take the Charles River for example. While I’ve gone on a few runs/walks/journeys to the river in the past, I never made it part of my regular routine. Now that I live closer to everything, I’m starting weekly runs on The Charles in preparation for the Newport Half Marathon. This morning, I went for a long, slow 8 mile run along the river and it couldn’t have been more … Read More!

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Yesterday, my yoga instructor said something to the class that really stood out for me. He was comparing our worries and anxieties to the clouds in the sky. They aren’t always there, but when they come they can clutter the clear blueness (i.e. clarity) of what’s really there. He challenged the class to let go of all those thoughts, anxieties and concerns and simply slow down; pause between thoughts and just concentrate on one thought at a time. In doing this, you will soon find clarity and feel more like yourself, rather than your distorted “cloudy” self.

I took his words of wisdom to heart, and am trying to carry them with me throughout the rest of the week. Although it is difficult to press “pause” on your life and simply slow down and let go, it’s something that comes with great gratification.

Slowing down to me means many things, both literally and figuratively. It means walking down the street a little bit slower, finding beauty in what surrounds you. It means looking at your watch/Blackberry/pager a little less often, and looking at the smiling faces of passerby a little bit more.

Slowing down means forgetting about … Read More!

To me, there’s nothing so relaxing (and yet oh so gratifying ) as taking the time to create a delicious dinner for yourself. Add a bottle of red wine and some soothing music in the background and call it a party. Last night I had my very own gluten free pizza extravaganza with me, myself and I, and let’s just say it was quite the experience.

I started off my evening with some Ingrid Michaelson on Jango, playing various artists like Snow Patrol, Cold Play, The Beatles and Cat Stevens as well.

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As I prepped the ingredients to make the pizza dough using Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix, I opened up a bottle of a California Menage a Trois Red Wine. Although I am embarrassed to admit, this was the very first bottle of wine I ever opened. Let’s just say, I completely attacked the cork. However, I managed to pull through and the wine tasted absolutely fabulous nonetheless.

[next time I’ll leave the corking to my sister or The Boy]

Once the wine started kicking in, I began to prep the ingredients for the pizza pie! I chose to split the dough … Read More!

you’ll be sure to feel the burn with these mountain climbers

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As you know, I’m a huge fan of trying new things. As long as it won’t kill me, I’m usually willing to try something new. This morning, I decided to take advantage of my membership at Exhale Spa and give Core Fusion Cardio a go. So far, I’ve tried Core Fusion Open, the Body Sculpt DVD, Thighs & Glutes, and Bootcamp but I had never dabbled with Cardio.

Let’s just say, it was definitely worth my while. I highly recommend this upbeat, sweat-inducing class to anyone who’s looking to challenge their body with a little extra spice! With everything from kickboxing movements to weighted lunges to hundreds of mountain climbers, your legs, thighs and arms will surely feel the burn.

I’m now going to dedicate every Tuesday morning at 7 a.m. to this heart-pumping cardio class. You can hold me to it.

I dare you to try something new today. What’s one new thing you’re looking to give a shot?

XoXo,

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[we had a blast at the wedding this weekend, but now it’s time to get back to reality (and clean eating)]

Good afternoon ladies ‘n’ those few ‘gents who read my blog! Sorry I’ve been missing for a few days, although I promise you I have a good excuse. I’ve been road tripping the past few days with The Boy visiting grandparents, mini golfing and attending a friend’s wedding up in upstate New York. Needless to say, we had a blast enjoying one another’s company, dancing the night away laughing our faces off, and um, eating our faces off. Correction: eating and drinking our faces off.

Yes, I consider myself a healthy gal 90% of the time, but if you think I’m the type of girl who’s going to pass up a good weekend for iceberg lettuce and sugar-free, calorie-free cocktails, think again. That’s where the other 10% comes in, the “leeway” or wiggle room if you will. And let me tell you, that 10% is pretty generous. It lets me indulge in one too many glasses of wine, 10 too many slices of cheese, and an extra chocolate truffle. It allows me to savor my delicious chicken, potatoes and … Read More!

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I have a confession: I don’t stretch nearly as much as I need to. Scratch that. I barely stretch at all. Sometimes I’ll go for my long runs, and hit the shower before I even think to stretch out my hamstrings. Not good, not good at all. I know we hear this all of the time, but stretching is vital, especially for those who are physically active.

Not only does does stretching help prevent injuries, but if often improves our athletic performance along with many other benefits such as flexibility. Maybe that’s why I can barely touch my toes without bending my knees, and to think I used to be The Queen of sit-and-reach in gym class when I was younger. Hm, maybe it has a little something to do with the lack of stretching, don’t ya think?

The other day my hamstrings were so tight from running that I could barely lift my legs up during Core Fusion class, when the rest of the class made it seem like a piece of cake. I was ashamed, but tried not to get too down on myself. It’s simply a matter of fact: I need to stretch more. … Read More!