Lifestyle

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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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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how to get sh*t done in a modern world

2 Comments / Lifestyle /

Ever since I started to hone in on my entrepreneurial ways and follow my own path, I’ve had to really focus on getting sh*t done. Without coworkers, deadlines and mandatory meetings, all that’s left is yourself to keep you motivated. I won’t lie: it isn’t easy. Some days you can feel lonely, confused and even a little lost.

But one thing that’s helped me push through is learning to better manage my time so I can actually do what I say I’m going to do. (Gotta love that procrastination that creeps in!) Here are some simple tactics that have helped me tremendously along the way:

1. Be Realistic: As a dreamer, it’s easy to get caught up in big ideas. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing…dreams are what keep us inspired after all! But it’s important to have a healthy balance of visions and realism. Set intentions that challenge you, but are realistic to achieve. This will help you gain clarity and focus, as you work toward taking one step closer to your desires.

2. Set Your Own Deadlines: Maybe Boss Lady isn’t shouting deadlines down your throat, but that doesn’t mean you need to toss … Read More!

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It All Starts with Love (Not Weight Loss)

5 Comments / Health & Wellness, Lifestyle /

Alright, I’m about to get real REAL over here on the blog. While I absolutely love all my fellow fitness professionals, coaches, yogis, etc. out there, I think lately there’s been a bit of a mixup when it comes to the whole body love thing.

Here me out. I see a lot of this:

“I lost those stubborn 15 pounds, and was able to finally love my body!”

“Work with me so you can lose the weight and then feel proud of who you are when you look in the mirror!”

“Look at my body!!!”

I also see a sh*t-ton of “body selfies.” And girl, more power to you if you’re able to get that 6-pack or you love the way your arms look when you flex. But is that really what it’s all about?

Is this really depicting body love?

Personally, I think we’ve got it all backwards.

For me, I wasn’t able to lose the weight (let alone transform my skewed relationship with food) until I gained some self-respect. I could run for miles & miles, and nosh on kale all day, and still look in the mirror and think I was fat.

You see, it wasn’t until … Read More!

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Soul Sisters Island Getaway: An Empowering Day of Yoga, Journaling, Crafting & Bliss

Leave a Comment / Lifestyle /

This past Saturday, Kelley & I hosted our first Soul Sisters Day Retreat. Destination? Spectacle Island. For those of you who don’t know, Soul Sisters is a monthly retreat for women looking to escape the city, reignite their passion and re-connect with their soul’s truth.

Our first official retreat (away from the city!) could not have gone any better, and I think I can speak for anyone who was there that it was purely magical. The theme of our mini island getaway was empowerment & bliss, and we let that shine through in everything we did throughout the retreat.

Here’s a quick recap of our beautiful day:

11 a.m. The women joined us at Long Wharf to check-in and meet everyone. Upon arrival, they were given energy squares from Organic Living Superfoods and an organic, cold-pressed juice, courtesy of Cocobeet! Big thank you to Onur from Cocobeet for keeping us hydrated & rejuvenated all day long…my favorite juice was Green Genes, but other creative hits were Kickstart, Watermelon Quench, Forbidden and Black Rose. I think it’s safe to say the snacks were a huge hit! We also gifted the ladies vegan lip balms from Hurraw! Balm (my absolute fave) … Read More!

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So, you wanna be a health coach? {My Personal Experience with the Institute for Integrative Nutrition & all your qs answered}

6 Comments / Healthy Chicks in the Community, Lifestyle /

So, what’s a health coach, anyway?

What was your experience like at IIN?

I want to be a health coach…where do I begin?

What’s a day in the life look like for you?

Is health coaching right for me?

As a Certified Health Coach through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN), these are the types of questions I get each week both online, and in real life. While I love a good ol’ coffee date and certainly don’t mind typing emails, I figured it makes more sense to have all this good, juicy info in one place: here on the blog.

My journey all began back in the Summer of 2011. I was jumping from part-time job to job (everything from barista to spa concierge), searching for my purpose. I had all the passion in the world, but couldn’t figure out how to turn it into my career.

At the time, I was regularly blogging here on Healthy Chicks, and had just gone through some major body breakthroughs. That year, I learned that I didn’t need to count calories, go on restrictive diets or give up bread to be healthy. I learned that nourishing your body (through good food … Read More!

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11 Valuable Takeaways from The Art of Living Happiness Program (To Bring Into Your Daily Life)

7 Comments / Health & Wellness, Lifestyle /

Last week, I took part in “The Happiness Program,” a  5-day meditation course run through the Art of Living Foundation. It was quite a whirlwind of an experience, filled with 24+ hours of breathing, meditating, team-building, yoga, and even an impromptu “Iron Chef” cooking competition!

At times, I was exhausted, uplifted, emotional, and energized, and I left the whole thing feeling incredibly enlightened. While I learned a great deal about meditation (like how to practice Pranayama breathing and the art of the Kriya), I think the most valuable of all were the little lessons I picked up along the way that I can take into my daily life. Alas, I want to share with you — my beautiful readers and friends — some of the advice I took away!

1. Talk Less, Listen More: Are you listening? You know, I mean really listening? I know for me, listening doesn’t come as natural as talking does. Often times, I find myself thinking of what I am going to say next or in my own head when someone else is talking (which not only is rude, but also takes away from being in the present. )

During the course, … Read More!

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When I Get__________, then I am Happy…

3 Comments / Lifestyle /

What do you need to be happy? When will you be happy?

These are two questions we were asked during the Art of Living Happiness Program, a 5-day meditation course that I’m participating in. There were an array of answers from the group, everything from finding a soulmate to career success to financial stability.

I often ask these sorts of questions to my clients during my coaching programs.  Their answers usually look something like this:

“Once I lose 5 pounds, then I am happy…”

“Once I tone my arms, then I am happy…”

“Once I get skinny, then I am happy…”

“Once I get a hot bod, I will find my dream man and then I am happy…”

“Once I stop eating ‘bad’ food, then I will lose the weight and alas finally I am happy…”

Sound familiar? So often in life we prevent ourselves from moving forward and experiencing happiness in the now because we are waiting on something outside of ourselves — be it the dream bod or the high-paying job.

During our “Happiness Program” course, one of our instructors had us do something so simple, yet so profound. Once we completed our list of “When I … Read More!

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Soul Sisters Island Getaway {Day Retreat}

5 Comments / Lifestyle /

Are you feeling exhausted? disconnected? bogged down? stressed? stuck? passion-less? like something is missing?

Are you looking to connect with other women in a deep + meaningful way? re-ignite your inner spark? get your glow back? make time for PLAY?

We’ve got you covered!

Join the Soul Sisters for a blissful Day Retreat to Spectacle Island on August 15th, to escape the city and re-connect with yourself (and other fabulous women!)

Myself & fellow Soul Sister Kelley will take you on a soulful, mind-body journey, where you’ll leave with a new found sense of self + awareness. There will be yoga, journaling, crafting, deep chats, meditating & oh so much more!

What’s included:

  • round-trip transportation to & from Spectacle Island (meet Long Wharf North at 11:00am)
  • a late-morning snack of Organic Living Superfoods + fresh, organic juice from Cocobeet
  • a 60-minute summer core flow
  • a home-made seasonal vegeterian lunch made with local + organic ingredients (specially crafted by our in-house Healthy Cooking Specialist Kelley)
  • Mindfulness Meditation + journaling exercise to help you dig deeper + gain clarity
  • Signature Women’s Circle where Rachel + Kelley will help you unlock anything that may be holding you back + indentify your deepest desires
… Read More!

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