Health & Wellness

Managing Overeating & Finding a Healthy Balance

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It’s fall and while the weather’s getting a little cooler ‘n’ the leaves are a-changin’ colors, you’d rather your body not change as well (for the worse). But we’ve all been there. When it’s colder outside and sweatpants become your go-to get-home-from-work outfit, it’s so much easier to finish off that leftover pasta or have just one more slice of pizza or only a bite of the melt-in-your-mouth cookie (which quickly turns into eating 4). Trust me, I know how hard it is, and how easy it is to get a little off track when you no longer have to worry about public trips to the beach in you teeny-weeny bikini. You find yourself letting go and giving up on your exercise routine because it’s just soooo much easier (and more fun) to cuddle up on the couch with a good movie and some sweet treats. 

My good friend came to me with such problem the other day. Being a nanny by day (God help her, she’s a champ), she’s constantly surrounded by “kid food” i.e. frozen pizza, leftover birthday cake, extra-frosting cupcakes, and chicken nuggets. Thankfully for her, the mother of the family is rather … Read More!

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Happy National Coffee Day: Embrace Your Coffee Addiction!

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Happy National Coffee Day! Yes, today is indeed a day devoted to the drink we all know and love–the one that cures a bad hangover, gets us out of bed in the morning, and gives you that afternoon kick when you’re having one of those days at work! Why yes, it’s a day dedicated to coffee. Ahhh…coffee. Just the sound of it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. It’s funny because when I was a little kid I used to yell at my dad when he drank coffee; I thought that it was some kind of terrible drug or poisonous substance like-god for bid-beer. What was I thinking? 

Now, a decade or so later, I am the absolute coffee queen. I love everything about it. I love it hot, I love it iced, I love it creamy with soy milk and I love it black when I need extra energy. It got me through college exams, lazy days at work and afternoon slumps. It’s there for me no matter what, through thick and thin, whether I make it at home with my high-tech coffee-maker, grab it on the go at Starbucks or DD, … Read More!

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Boston Local Food Festival THIS Weekend: Beer, Healthy Eats 'n' Fun!

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Calling all local-lovers, environmental enthusiasts, health freaks, foodies and hungry people alike. This Saturday, Oct. 2nd is the First Annual Boston Local Food Festival.  No, this isn’t just your everyday Farmer’s Market or rinky-dink fair; this is a one-of-a-kind festival to remember! The delicious outdoor festival will take place at Boston’s Fort Point Channel from Congress St. Bridge, the Boston Children’s Museum up to the Moakley Bridge at Northern Avenue. Did I mention that there’s FREE admission? Yup, not cost to come!

Still not convinced? Well I’ll let you in on some insider highlights that’ll have you drop your Saturday cartoons and lazy couch potato lounging in a jiffy. Not to mention, I am one of their featured bloggers (take a peak) and am also volunteering on the day of the event, so you should definitely come say hi! 

Some hot highlights of the event: 

1. Prime location: Yes, you saw the directions. That means a whole afternoon filled with waterfront fun…can’t beat that. Shop, eat, and laugh the day away with your friends and family in the midst of the lovely Boston fall scenery! 

2. Budget-Friendly: You heard that right. Not only do you get to sample delectable food … Read More!

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Impatience is Not Pretty

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This morning a side of me I don’t like came out: impatience. Blah. Impatience. It’s both unnecessary and unhealthy. It even sounds unhealthy. I would say in the grand scheme of life I’m a pretty patient girl, but this morning I was far from patient, and I don’t like to be that way. I don’t know if I woke up on the wrong side of the bed or what, but something was up. It may have been the fact that my mother woke me up at 7:30 a.m. and tried to have a conversation with me while I was half asleep (sorry mom, it wasn’t really me). Anyway, my not-so-patient mood increased when I was informed that UPS was indeed not going to redeliver my package I missed on Saturday, and that I had to go pick it up. Grrr, I don’t have a car. They expect me to walk? Why can’t they just bring it to me? (impatience getting the best of me in my head. They are busy too. I’m not entitled for royal treatment). 

Once I realized that I was not going to win this battle and that the package was not … Read More!

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There is More to Life Than Calories & Weight

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Do you know that there was a time when all I thought about was calories and my weight? It was downright tiring but I simply couldn’t get it out of my mind. I’d count calories in everything I ate, even if it was just a tiny yogurt, an apple or a small salad. I’d weigh myself every day (sometimes five times a day) and beat myself up if the number on the scale went up at all (even .5 pounds). I’d exercise obnoxious amounts in order to burn off everything I ate and so I’d feel “skinny.” It was downright self-sabotaging and every time I look back on my former self, I can’t believe that this negative inner “weight talk” consumed an entire 4+ years of my life. There is so much more to life than that. 

While it’s sad to realize that’s how low I used to think about myself, I couldn’t be happier about the person I am today. Four years later, I’m now a happy, confident, determined young woman who doesn’t think an ounce about calories or stress about weight gain. I’ve finally come to the realization that there is so much more to … Read More!

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A Glass is Half Full Kind of Week & The Power of Lists

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So last week, I was in a very bad, blah mood. In fact I wrote about it here. But for some reason, no matter what I did I couldn’t shake off the bad mood. I’m not going to lie: I was acting very glass is half empty and that’s not like me at all. I’m humiliated to admit that in fact, but it is indeed true. I was one of those people, a Debbie Downer of sorts. 

However, this week my mood has changed drastically and I’m absolutely high on life. Yes, even though my legs still kill from my 10 K, I am getting over a terrible cold (bad case of the sniffles) and am PMSing (sorry for TMI), I am still having a positive, happy week. I can’t pinpoint just one reason for my change of heart (er, attitude) but I think the #1 factor is that I set myself up to have a good week from the beginning. (And I guess it doesn’t hurt that I’m seeing all my  best college girls this weekend in NYC.) You see, late Sunday night, after I had finished my 10 K and was exploding with endorphins, … Read More!

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The Ripple Effect: Women Motivating Other Women

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I received an email from my mom this morning saying how proud she was of me for running my first 10K. Then she said something that really got me thinking: “You are motivating many!” She went on by saying after I ran the race, it motivated her and two of her friends to run their first 5K (maybe even next weekend)! And that just felt incredible. The fact that a simple act like running a 10K can motivate other women (including my mom) to run their first race is absolutely amazing.

The funny thing is I had been motivated by my friend Megan to sign up for the race in the first place. She told me about it and I was weary at first (“Am I ready for this?” “Will I be able to finish it?”), but then I continued to be motivated by family members, friends and other women in the blogging community. Everyone had such inspirational, positive comments to say and that helped me pump myself up enough to finally sign up. I honestly don’t think I’d have gotten enough courage to go ahead and do it without all the wonderful support from others. You see, … Read More!

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First 10K=a SUCCESS: 10 Inspirations for Your First Race

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So I completed my first 10K this morning. Yup, the girl who couldn’t even run two miles a few years ago, cried in the middle of a 5K once and has never ran more than five miles ran an entire 6.2 miles today! The best part? I couldn’t have felt more alive, energized and motivated during the race, and feel absolutely amazing now! (Well…my legs could use some hardcore hot tub time, but other than that life is good) Oh and I beat my goal time of 60 minutes…59:34 baby! Anyway, I know first-time races can be a little scary, intimidating and a heck of a lot of work, so I put together a little list of inspirations to get you through your next race. Whether it’s your first 5K, your first 10K or your very first run EVER, these little mental motivations got me through the race today and hopefully work for you too: 

1. “I’m going to pace myself and go at a rate I feel comfortable with and know that I can maintain. If I get tired, I will slow down. If I feel good, I will speed up.”

2. “It’s just me and the road. Everyone … Read More!

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Gimme S'more Nella: Fresh, Local, Wholesome Pasta (Did I say Tasty too?)

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As you know, I’m a huge fan of all-natural, fresh ingredients…especially ingredients that you can pronounce.  Yes, it’s true that I used to be a calorie-counter and low in calories meant it was good for me. But that all changed when I went to Italy four summer’s ago. I remember before I embarked on my journey I was SO nervous I was going to gain tons of weight while abroad: loads of pasta, pizza and bread, what am I going to do? Needless to say, I had a minor panic attack. However, when I got back from my two month trip and stepped on the scale, the exact opposite was true: I had lost five pounds. Yup, that’s right. I lost five pounds with my only exercise being walking to school and the local markets every day, and  while eating lots of fresh pasta, breads, cheeses, fruits, veggies and even a serving of gelato daily. 

It’s no miracle as to why I lost the weight. You see, what they serve in Italy is completely different than the “Italian” food you see here. It’s unbelievably fresh (god take me back there now), local (I bought everything I ate from markets on … Read More!

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6 Non-Trends I'm Loving Right NOW

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I’ve never been too much of a trends girl. In fact, if we’re talking fashion I’m farrrrr from “trendy.” I wear what I think looks good on me and what I feel comfy in. Yes, I have a pair of Uggs and no, I don’t think they look cute by any means. I just think they are the most comfortable things to prance around with in the winter. If people are raving about a certain restaurant or bar, I don’t fall for it until I try it myself, and I thought the whole hot yoga thing was ridiculous until I took a class. BUT, I do make my own trends and there are a few things I’m absolutely loving right now that I thought I’d share with you. Trendy or not, here goes:

Dog Days are Over: Yes, the song. If you watched the VMA’s then you surely saw Florence and the Machine’s performance of this absolutely amazing song. Seriously, it’s so inspiring and motivating, making for the absolute best song to run to. If you haven’t heard it yet, listen to it now. Just don’t blame me if you want to start dancing crazily around your apartment (or … Read More!

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