Health & Wellness

21 Ways to Give Back to Yourself this Holiday Season {Plus a Giveaway!}

12 Comments / Health & Wellness, Lifestyle /

‘Tis the season of giving — gift giving, family commitments, giving love, putting in some extra hours at work to hit that deadline, you name it. But just as important as giving is receiving, or better known as giving to yourself.

There’s no better way to practice than some good ol’ self care. Here are 21 quick & easy ways to put yourself first this holiday season!

1. Plan a me-cation.

2. Book a massage.

3. Look in the mirror + tell yourself “I love you.”

4. Set your intention for the season.

5. Take a nap (and don’t feel guilty about it).

6. Play hooky.

7. Buy those pair of fabulous boots you’ve been eyeing all season.

8. Cook a homemade meal for one in the crockpot (and relish the way the scent fills your home).

9. Pick one room in your house to re-decorate.

10. Meditate upon waking.

11. Write in your journal before bed.

12. Sleep. For 8 hours or more.

13. Buy yourself a bouquet of wild flowers & put them in a pretty vase.

14. Be “bad.” Eat the darn chocolate chip cookie.

15. Host a wine + cheese night with your gal pals.

16. … Read More!

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10 Fabulous + Practical Takeaways from The W.e.l.l. Summit 2015 in Boston

5 Comments / Health & Wellness /

I was fortunate enough to spend this past weekend at The W.E.L.L. Summit in Boston, a two-day curated event featuring the best of the best in the wellness community. There were top-notch speakers (like Latham Thomas, Kristen Arnett, and Ksenia Avdulova), passion-filled breakout sessions, drool-worthy goodie bags, and a joyous farm-to-table welcome dinner.

Needless today, I was in my wellness heaven. While many folks have now gone back to their home (from New York City to Mexico!) and all that remains from the welcome dinner are the memories, a full tummy, and one candle-lit photo on instagram, I wanted to share with you the many bits of wisdom I took away from my weekend. Enjoy!

1. Build your following by building your tribe: Desperation and trying to be like everyone else will do nothing for your popularity when it comes to social media. In order to grow your following organically, Breakfast Criminals powerhouse Ksenia recommends first building a community i.e. your tribe. Two must-dos? 1.) Share the love by connecting with like-minded folks in the industry and commenting/liking their photos and 2.) Get clear with your vision. If you want to be known in your industry, you … Read More!

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Bostonians Get Rewarded for Making Healthy Choices {Via The Blue Box Truck}!

4 Comments / Health & Wellness, Lifestyle /

As you know, I’m a big fan of making small, simple changes toward living a healthier lifestyle. I don’t believe that you can look at someone and decide if they are healthy or unhealthy; rather it’s the little things you do every day which add that extra chunk of change to your “wellness bank.”

You know, like taking the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator at work.

Going for a peaceful walk on your lunch break.

Adding some organic, chopped veggies to your lunch wrap.

Hitting up the farmer’s market.

Cooking…from scratch…with your family.

Setting your alarm clock for 6:00 a.m. so you can squeeze in that yoga sesh.

You see, when you incorporate simple, little acts of wellness, you feel better all around and you become healthier. Oh, and you can afford to skip the gym or have that extra margarita once in a while…you deserve it. After all, being healthy isn’t about being perfect 100% of the time. It’s about doing what works for you and makes you feel good…most of the time.

Who’s with me on this?

Great! For my fellow Boston-based Healthy Chicks (and Guys!), you may have gotten to experience this first-hand last month. … Read More!

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So you got your 6-pack…but are you happier?

6 Comments / Health & Wellness /

I’m not gonna lie, I’m kind of sick of people posting their diet tummies, full body selfies and before-and-afters on insta, and feel it’s sending a bit of a construed message.

Yesterday morning, I poured myself a mug of pumpkin coffee and browsed through instagram while I finished waking up. Immediately, I was bombarded by several body shots boasting extreme weight loss, 6-packs and ridiculous before-and-afters. (Trust me, your “before” picture looks just fine!)

I felt angry. For myself (I’ve been there) For other women struggling with body image. For those who are vulnerable + often compare themselves to other people’s bodies. For those who still believe that being thin is everything.

Sure, you can do the insane juice cleanse or 21 day “fix” and then maybe just maybe you’ll get a flat tummy, 6-pack & all you ever wanted. But is that really all you ever wanted? Are you happier? Do you feel good? What did it do for your soul?

And why the need to post your body shot publicly — is it for you?

Do you truly think it’s inspiring other women? (Ahem, it’s not.)

Don’t get me wrong; there’s nothing wrong … Read More!

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My Journey to Reach the Beach with NBGirlsRunBeta {Full Recap}

2 Comments / Health & Wellness, Lifestyle /

As you know, last week I officially Reached the Beach on New Balance’s media team #NBGirlsRunBeta. I couldn’t be more proud of myself doing something that scares me, and really stepping (well, running!) outside my comfort zone.

You can check out this super-sweet video to get an idea what it was like to spend 48 hours in a van running 200 miles with my teammates. It was pretty freakin’ fabulous if you ask me!

Here’s a full recap of the action-packed, energizing 3 days I spent with my team:

Tours of New Balance HQ + Factory {all day Thursday}

I woke up bright & early Thursday to kick off the incredible weekend of go-go-go! First stop: New Balance’s brand new Headquarters in Brighton.The team recently moved down the street, and their new office is absolutely stunning (it’s part of the brand-new Boston Landing Development.)

Their offices are fully equipped with a show-room, cafe, coffee shop and everything you could ask for! After munching on some egg sandwiches & organic cold-brew coffee, it was time to set out to to our next step.

We squeezed into our van, and set out to tour the NB factory in Lawrence!

While there, … Read More!

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Feel the Seaonal Shifts: 7 Ways to Cleanse Your Mind, Body & Soul This Fall

5 Comments / Health & Wellness, Lifestyle /

Fall is finally in the air, and I couldn’t be more excited! Along with pumpkin lattes, hayrides, and sweater weather also comes a major seasonal shift. During this transition, it’s the perfect time to kick your wellness into full gear!

No, you don’t need to go on any crazy juice cleanses, diets or workout regimes. Instead, try these simple tips to cleanse your mind, body and soul this fall.

1. De-clutter Your Space: Out with the old, in with the new! Fall is the ideal time to let go of anything that isn’t serving you – both physically and emotionally – so you can make room for positive, seasonal shifts!

2. Set Your Fall Intention: New Year’s resolutions are so over-rated. Rather, it’s more productive (and enjoyable!) to set intentions throughout the year. Spend some time alone & ask yourself what you truly want to manifest in your life, and then get clear about the WHY behind it.

3. Fill Up on Seasonal, Whole Foods: Eating with the seasons not only makes sense, but it’s also good for your overall wellbeing. After all, our bodies naturally crave what’s in season. This fall, load up on seasonal fruits … Read More!

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8 Lessons I learned Running 2015 Reach the Beach Relay with New Balance {Team #NBGirlsRunBeta}

14 Comments / Health & Wellness, Lifestyle /

This past Friday, my alarm went off at 5:30 a.m. to kick off Reach the Beach weekend! Our first runner was about to begin her first leg, and our team woke up bright & early to cheer her on at the start of the race!

For those of you who don’t know, Reach the Beach is a 200-mile relay race, starting in the Bretton Woods ski area and ending at Hampton Beach. A traditional team is made up of 12 runners, where each teammate runs 3 legs of the relay. I was lucky enough to be a part of New Balance’s media team #NBGirlsRunBeta with 11 other fabulous bloggers and editors.

15.1 miles run, 2 vans, lots of peanut butter, hills galore, 11 new friends, loads of laughs and 200 total miles to the beach later, I’m now back in my Boston apartment recovering and reminiscing on one of the best weekends I’ve had in a while! If you’re considering running a similar relay race or perhaps want to participate in Reach the Beach next year, here’s what you should know. (Stay tuned for a full recap on the blog soon!)

1. Pack more than enough outfits! Seriously, you are … Read More!

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All Natural Beauty Roundup {Products I love}

2 Comments / Health & Wellness, Lifestyle /

Living well isn’t just about what you put in your body; it’s taking some time to think about what you’re putting on your body. Crazy enough, a law hasn’t been passed in the U.S. regulating what goes into our personal care products since 1938. Yup, that’s almost 80 years ago!

Once I began to read the ingredients and learn what I was using on my body, I started to get real freaked out. It’s crazy to see that kind of crap that goes into things like deodorant, lip balm, sunscreen and even kids bath products! When I first started dating my husband, I remember him telling me that my perfume was like “poison” and while I laughed at him then, I now couldn’t agree more.

While I started with little things like switching my toothpaste, I am now pleased to say most of my beauty cabinet is filled with prodcuts I can feel good about — and that work! I’m not perfect, but it’s a start. Here’s what I’ve been crushing on of late:

Best Deodorant: Meow Meow Tweet Baking Soda Free Deodorant Cream, Grapefruit

Best Shampoo: Acure Organics Lemongrass + Argan Stem Cell Clarifying Shampoo

Best Conditioner: Acure … Read More!

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I Dare You To: Create Your Healthy Avatar, Get Organized & Keep Your Heart Healthy!

Leave a Comment / Health & Wellness /

Why hello there, Healthy Chicks…hope you’re all off to a wonderful week! I just got back from a week-long vacation to sunny San Diego with my dad. We had an absolute blast downing fish tacos, enjoying the 0% humidity 80-degree weather, taking in the scenic beach views, and enjoying the occasional margarita 😉

But the #1 thing I loved about San Diego was how health-conscious the community is! Everywhere we went, there were dozens of people biking, walking, running, roller-blading or swimming…and everyone seemed so alive & full of life. I also loved the fact that there were TONS of healthy cafes, juice bars and clean dinner options! It made sticking to my healthy habits on vacay super easy.

Speaking of health, I’ve got some fun news for you guys…

Remember the other month when I dared you to improve your skin health for summer? Thanks for all who participated for a chance to win big prizes!

Didn’t get the chance to submit your dares? No worries! I’ve partnered up with UnitedHealthcare’s “We Dare You to Share” campaign again to bring you a whole new round of dares for the month of September.

Each month, they post … Read More!

I Dare You To: Create Your Healthy Avatar, Get Organized & Keep Your Heart Healthy! Read More »

Stepping Outside My Comfort Zone: I’m Running New Balance’s Reach the Beach Relay!

6 Comments / Health & Wellness, Lifestyle /

The past couple of months, I’ve been working on stepping outside my comfort zone in all aspects of my life.

I took part in a 5-day meditation course where I didn’t know a single sole.

I took some risks with my career….and wasn’t afraid to speak my mind.

I hosted my third New Balance Girls Night Out event in June, where I spoke in front of 75+ women.

I said no when something didn’t feel right.

And I said yes to running Reach the Beach on September 18th.

Yup, you heard that right!

What is Reach the Beach, you ask?

It’s a 200-mile relay race, starting in the Bretton Woods ski area and ending at Hampton Beach. A traditional team is made up of 12 runners, where each teammate runs 3 legs of the relay.

The funny part is my dad has been running this race for years, and I’ve just never mustered up the courage to try it myself. But what better time than now?

I won’t lie; when New Balance first approached me about this exciting opportunity, a part of me wanted to say “No.” “I’m too busy.” “Maybe next year.” “I’m not quite ready.”

But I … Read More!

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