What does the New Year mean to you? Have you ever asked yourself that question before?

Unfortunately in the midst of Special K commercials telling us we can “lose 6 lbs in 2 weeks” and every single gym yelling at us to get back into shape and start this new year “right,” I think things have become a bit confusing.

Between advertisements, Facebook, magazines, and television, it seems like everyone else wants us to lose weight and be our “fittest selves ever” but is that what you want?

The other day, while perusing Facebook, I read 15+ statuses about getting back to the gym before it’s too late, making this the year about weight loss and being motivated, cleaning up your diet once & for all, and finally losing those last 10 pounds…just like last year…and the year before.

You know what I say? I think that’s all kinda crap.

How about making this year the year of YOU? The year to explore what YOU want. And if that so happens to be getting into shape so you can have more energy to be a better lover/mother/fill in the blank so be it.

But it doesn’t have to be.… Read More!

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This past month, the lovely people from Sports Club/LA Chestnut Hill gifted me with a club membership. Since I had an amazing experience when visiting their space downtown, I was ecstatic to give their new club a try.

Chestnut Hill is totally blowing up lately with healthy offerings! Plus it’s close enough to my Brookline apartment for me to easily commute via public transportation.

The Amenities

Upon walking in, as expected, I was in awe of how beautiful the space was. The locker rooms alone deserve a separate post in itself! They have everything you could possibly need post-workout from lotion to hair dryers to deodorant. Their showers have all the essentials including razors, shaving cream, and high-end yummy smelling shampoos & conditioners. I absolutely adore the brand of beauty care they use by (MALIN + GOETZ) utilizing natural ingredients that are good for your skin.

Not to mention the roomy sauna and eucalyptus-infused steam room that totally blew my mind! I won’t lie: one day I took the trip just to give myself a mini “spa day” at the Sports Club/LA women’s locker room that is. In my defense, I was feeling a little stuffed up … Read More!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! We just had our first big snowfall in Boston, and I’m feeling all warm & fuzzy inside.

Before I head out for the Sowa Holiday Market to finish up some gifts for friends, I wanted to share with you 5 must-have holiday gift ideas for the Healthy Chick. Enjoy!

For the Creative Soul: the universe knows journal

All your creative, writing gals will love these inspirational journals from the universe knows. Great for both late-night journaling and creating your food/mood journal, these babies are a must for the Healthy Chick. They come in a variety of bright colors with various messages like “live with passion” and “cherish the journey.” Plus today, Sunday the 15th they’re only $10!

BUY NOW

For the Yoga Chick: Harmony Yoga Mat By Jade

Every yogi needs a mat, and what better way to make your favorite yogi’s day than by gifting them with a brand new one? I’m one of those girls who needs a new mat, so I asked my friends in the Twitter world what they recommend. My yoga-loving friend Jen recommended Jade, so you bet it’s going on my list this year. Not … Read More!

In Emotional Eating Expert Geneen Roth’s book Breaking Free From Emotional Eating, she refers to foods as either “humming” foods or “beckoning” foods.

Humming foods? What the heck is that, you ask? Why it’s exactly what it sounds like; humming foods are foods that sing (or “hum”) to you, that light you up and make you feel good. They can change day-by-day depending on how you are feeling, what time it is and even who you are with. But you know it when you see it.

The most important part about humming foods is that they satisfy you both emotionally and physically. “When you eat a humming food, you don’t go looking for more food fifteen minutes or an hour later. After eating a humming food, you forget about food,” Roth writes. “You know those people who actually think about things other than food during the day? You become one of them.”

To me, eating the foods that “hum” to you means eating according to what your body wants & needs, rather than eating what you think you “should” be eating. It’s listening to your body at its best. On the other hand, beckoning foods are those that … Read More!

The other evening, I nearly fell off my chair when I read my friend & fellow health coach Kendall Covitz’s Facebook status:

“A trainer looked me up and down and said ‘I can make your butt smaller and shrink you.’ I didn’t say anything since I was working for another company. What would you have done?”

Yes, I was mortified this happened to her but the reason I was shocked is that the SAME EXACT THING happened to me the day before. (You’ll read all about my story below in a minute) Was this a new trend? I had to reach out to her to tell her my story. We quickly realized that not only did this happen to the both of us just two days apart, but it was the same trainer.

After making each other giggle and realize what the woman said to us was pure hogwash (we both know each other are beautiful even if that means we’re not stick thin models), we knew we had to do something about it.

You see, as holistic health coaches, Kendall and I both work specifically with women to help them feel beautiful in their own skin by eating … Read More!

#LaceUp365

Last month, I was invited by the lovely folks at New Balance to participate in the launch of their Lace Up 365 program to celebrate their 25th anniversary of their partnership with Susan G Komen.

To honor those who have been affected by breast cancer, Lace Up 365 was born so supporters could dedicate their workouts to breast cancer survivors (featured on New Balance’s site daily) simply by hash-tagging #LaceUp365.

And to kick off this fabulous, feel-good campaign, New Balance invited bloggers to participate in some of the newest & hottest workouts all around the city of Boston: Barry’s Bootcamp, November Project, The Handle Bar and Yoga at NB Fitness. Sweating it out for a good cause? I’m IN!

Before the event, I was sent a pair of pink New Balance sneaks, a pair of pants and some shirts with the Susan G Komen Race for the Cure logo. I absolutely love my super-bright pink sneaks, which I wear proudly & think of someone to dedicate my workout to every time I sport ’em!

Each event started with a special gathering where we heard from a New Balance representative, as well as the beautiful & inspiring … Read More!

With Thanksgiving Day coming tomorrow, I’ve been thinking a lot about gratitude lately. I’m a firm believer that expressing your gratitude & feeling thankful is the #1 key to a happy, love-filled life. Next time you’re feeling down or particularly un-grateful (like “HOW COULD THIS EVER HAPPEN TO ME???!), I encourage you to get cozy & jot down everything you are grateful for right now.

Here’s my list:

1. My family
2. Having a sister
3. My lovely fiancé Jason (even though the word still sounds kinda silly to me)
4. My writing
5. My blog
6. Love
7. My cozy apartment
8. Cuddling
9. Hot tea
10. Heat
11. My college girls
12. My best friends
13. Child’s Pose
14. Fresh-brewed coffee
15. My job
16. Good food
17. Our New Hampshire condo
18. sweetgreen salads
19. Fuzzy socks
20. Fuzzy blankets (especially “Pinky”)
21. My in-the-works e-book
22. My health coaching
23. Making people smile
24. Helping people see themselves in a more beautiful light
25. Helping people ween off dieting, deprivation & self-hatred
26. Real food
27. My future wedding – 10/24/14
28. Mom’s chicken noodle soup
29. Mom’s chicken divan
30. Dad’s Thanksgiving Day turkey
31. Thanksgiving
32. Grandma’s homemade…everything!
33. Running
34. Yoga
35. Meditation
36. Essential oils
37. Savasana
38. Vision Boards
39. #BostonStrong
40. My mac
41. My dog Sunny (who we had to put down last year but who was my “brother” growing

The other day, a colleague of mine posted this status on her Facebook page that really got me thinking:

“I am meeting SO many women entrepreneurs who have spent a ton of money on coaching programs when internally there’s a boat load of fear and other internal gunk that’s resulting in little return on investment. I hope for the day when we can all wake up and realize that to cultivate financial abundance externally, you need to feel abundant internally.” – Stacy, ZenConnect

When I first read this, I got defensive almost -But  I’m one of those women who have in the past spent a boatload of money on something I thought would “fix” me! After pausing for a moment to soak this in, I realized she’s 100% completely spot on.

To me, it all comes down to one thing: you can spend thousands and thousands of dollars on the best _____ (nutritionist/business coach/health coach/school/relationship guru, you name it) but if you aren’t invested in yourself first that money is going to get you squat.

And when I say invested in yourself, I mean really freakin’ wanting it. Being willing to learn & grow. Being OK with stepping outside your … Read More!