Healthy Chicks

Happy Thursday everyone! I am off to a great start to the day as I got my butt out of bed for yoga. Yoga mornings = the best kind of mornings. Today, I gave Karma Yoga in Harvard Square a shot for my first time. I took a super energizing Vinyasa flow with Rachel Barringer, who gave the perfect balance of challenging postures, breath work and good ol’ fashioned humor. I really enjoyed her class and give her big props for starting my day off on the right foot.

Speaking of yoga, today’s feature on Healthy Chicks in the Community is a yoga teacher as well, and she’s far from ordinary. In addition to yoga, she teaches Barre & Soul and even aerial yoga. Plus she’s a wonderful writer and all around amazing woman inside & out and someone who I have the pleasure of knowing personally. I’ll let Andrea take it from here! (I think you’ll enjoy what she has to say, especially her message at the end!)

NAME/AGE: Andrea Isabelle Lucas/33

BLOG/TWITTER: Fit Feminist / Barre & Soul /@barresoul

CURRENT CITY: Boston

PHOTO TAKEN: by Lucie Wicker during my Barre & Soul class at Lexington Power … Read More!

#1: Hug The Boy – ‘nough said. I try to squeeze in some a.m. snuggle time and tell him how much he means to me each and every day.

#2: Stretch, breathe & say a mini thanks of gratitude – this can be anything from being grateful for my freedom to feeling extra-lucky to have a great man in my life. Expressing my gratitude allows me to see the positive side of things every time.

#3: Splash My Face with Cold Water & Gently Rub with Jojoba Oil – lately I’m loving my very own homemamde jojoba oil moisturizer mixed with lavender essential oil for a relaxing, calming effect great for both sensitive skin and/or those prone to breakouts.

#4: Sip On Warm Lemon Water – I started this morning ritual a few months ago and can’t get enough of it. Simply boil 1 c. of water and cool until warm. Then squeeze the juice of half a lemon and sip slowly. Not only does this help hydrate, but it also energizes, cleanses and detoxes the body. I can say yes to that every day!

#5: Brain Dump – I take a look at my master to-do list … Read More!

Remember when you were a little girl and everything revolved around playtime? From make-believe weddings to Polly Pockets, fort-building to dream-building, a day never went by without a good dose of play, imagination and fun.

I still remember how trying to get my sister and I to sit down for family dinners was a job in itself. We’d be running around free outside (catching fireflies, building forts, or sharing secrets) and that ever-so-recognizable dinner bell meant playtime was tragically over. We’d even take mini breaks throughout our meals to skip, laugh and goof around.

The thing was: we weren’t even really that hungry. You see, we’d “fill up” on other things in life (you know, the precious things like love, hugs, laughter, and movement) that we didn’t “need” food to fill us up. In other words, as children, we didn’t rely on things like lasagna, Vodka Tonics and ice cream to make us feel better. Sure, mom’s  meals tasted delicious (and she’d surely try her hardest to get us to finish our broccoli “trees”) but we didn’t need food to make us happy.

As adults, so often we use and abuse food to fill some other type of void in … Read More!

As women, we’re constantly comparing ourselves to our friends, acquaintances, co-workers, siblings, business partners, fitness idols, you name it. While being inspired by someone or looking up to someone is perfectly fine or normal, it’s when the comparisons set it that things can get a little messy. This typically leads to feelings of jealousy, resentment, judgement or straight up “not good enough” which can be extremely harmful to your personal wellbeing.

While I still struggle from time to time to resist my ego and natural inclination to compare myself, I’ve realized it does no one any good. Here’s why you should stop comparing your plate, pant size, paycheck, yoga posture and everything in between:

1. You don’t know their full story. Often times when we compare, we wish we were *just like* the other person OR we judge the other person. The truth of the matter is that we don’t know their full story, and we may never know their full story. Pay attention to your own story instead.

2. Bio-Individuality: Everyone is different and what works for one person may not work for another. This is why some women swear by vegan diets, and others thrive on lean … Read More!

This past weekend, I attended a Business Conference for Wellness Professionals in NYC—HMBA Live: Step into Your Spotlight—that literally changed my life. I can honestly say the past three days have been among the most fulfilling days of my life: eye-opening, fun, and transformational all in one.

I cried, laughed, danced, sang, ate, wrote, learned, reflected and heck, even spoke in front of a room full of 400+ people….on a microphone.  In addition, I networked, made new friends, and relished in a community bursting with positive energy.

And while all of those things were life changing in and of itself, one of the most eye-opening “A-Hah” moments I had was when we started talking about money. More particularly our relationship with money. Just bear with me here…

I never really took the time to explore my relationship with money, although I certainly knew it wasn’t a good one. In fact, it was toxic, to say the least. I say was because all of this is about to change…starting 48 hours ago.

However, up until now, money and I just didn’t jive. We were heading straight to a break-up and boy was it going to be a nasty one. … Read More!

Do you ever feel like you’re lacking that glow? In a funk? Tired of the plain old mundane routine? Need some extra spark? Want to shake things up? Like you’re living in a giant cloud, and it seems like you’ve been waiting for the weather to clear for too darn long?

Well, do not fear my lovely lady. I’m here to tell you that first of all, you are 100% utterly & completely normal. In fact you are more than normal. I’ve been there, and I can guarantee any girl you talk to has been there too. And secondly, this little rut you’re going through is reversible; you can transform your life (more importantly your mindset) after all! Perhaps you don’t need anything spectacular, shiny or crazy expensive. Perhaps all you need is a little extra sunshine. Start now with these 5 simple tips and you’ll be feeling rejuvenated, hot and maybe even a little sun-kissed in no time!

1. Take a Special Someone Out On a Date (and Treat Them): I know, I know, you’re the one that’s in a funk, so shouldn’t you be the one who’s getting treated like a Princess? While it’s always nice to get … Read More!

It’s no lie I love writing. I love sharing my thoughts with the world, note-taking, blogging and quite possibly my favorite form: journaling. Unfortunately, the only type of journaling I did in college (i.e. my years of dieting) was counting calories in Calculus class while pretending to take notes. Not very comforting or journal-esque if I do say so myself. Food consumed my thoughts, actions and overall social life and, well, I let it.

All I could think about was my next meal, the calories in my lunch, where we were going to go out to eat, what I would order at dinner, or what would happen if I “cheated” and fell off the “band-waggon.” My thoughts were filled with guilt, shame and defeat and I had no one to share these thoughts with (or so I thought) and therefore I filled the void with dieting and self hate…my form of control.

After I quit dieting once and for all, I threw away the rusty scale, my calorie-counting notebook and any negative restrictive thoughts I had about myself. I decided it was finally time to wake up and live! For Real. Because what I was doing…was not living. It … Read More!

If you know me or have been reading my blog for a while, it’s plain to see I’m big on goals. I love creating goals for myself (both big and small), holding others accountable for their goals via health coaching, and am a sucker for vision boards (even as a teenager apparently). I’m a “Goal Junkie” if you will.

And this past year, I’ve come a long way with many of these goals. I’ve landed a part-time job of my dreams with sweetgreen (and have been loving every minute of it), I launched my innovative health coaching programs (including my Healthy Supermarket Tours), I greatly expanded my freelance writing, and I made big strides in my relationship and even moved in with The Boy (my very first living-with-a-man experience).

But, while I’m a pretty avid goal-setter, sometimes I get ahead of myself by creating too many goals at the same time, turning my dreams & visions from inspirations to one, big overwhelming mess.

That’s why when I was invited to lululemon athletica Prudential Center’s “B.H.A.G. Yourself to Greatness” event yesterday evening, I gladly accepted in a hot second. What’s a B.H.A.G. you ask? Why it’s … Read More!