Tag Archives: health

Workout Woes: 3 Feel Good Moves When You Just Aren’t Feeling It

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We all know exercise is beneficial not only for our body (who doesn’t love a little extra glute-toning), but for our mental health as well. Many women track hours at the gym, have a strict running routine, or even take several group fitness classes (such as core fusion) in one day. But what’s a girl to do when she’s simply not feeling it? Do we really need to be so strict on ourselves?

Let’s face it, we are only human. While many of us strive to be superwoman at times, even the fitness fanatics among us have their “off” days. And guess what? That’s totally OK and get this…normal.

I know what it’s like to feel guilt for skipping a workout. Heck, I even skipped my 6:15 a.m. Core Fusion Cardio class this morning because the gloomy weather was a huge turnoff, and well, my need for a good night’s sleep was much more important to me. I had a busy week, I was tired and I needed some good old-fashioned beauty rest. Old me would have beat myself up over this for days, but new me simply let’s it go. Now I don’t skip my workouts every day, but when I’m not feeling it I don’t force myself to go.

Anyway, I’ve got some good news for all of you guilt-prone ladies out there. There are little moves you can do that’ll help you to be a little less hard on yourself, while not feeling like a bump on a log.

1. Make it a Clean Day: Just because you’re skipping the gym doesn’t make you “fat” or “unhealthy” at all. If you’re letting this guilt get to you, why not make it a clean day in the kitchen? Eat a hearty breakfast filled with whole grains and protein, like rolled oats with flax seed, almond butter and sliced banana or peaches, or maybe a cage-free egg white omelet  like this Vegetarian Farmer’s Omelet filled with sauteed veggies and a slice of Ezekiel bread.

Then drink lots of water throughout the day to flush your system of toxins, and get rid of any extra belly bloat. For the rest of the day, fill yourself up with lots of green leafy vegetables (think kale, spinach, or collard greens), healthy fats like olive oil or coconut oil for cooking,fresh fruit,  and lean proteins like antibiotic-free natural chicken or fish. As I always say, the more real and simple the food is, the better so try to avoid anything that comes from a package especially items that have dozens of ingredients.

2. Move It Along: Just because you’ve made the decision to take a break from that whole working out thing  doesn’t mean you have to sit around and eat pizza on the couch all afternoon, although we all have those kinds of days too and that’s completely OK.

If you’re feeling up for it, why not go for a walk with a friend around town? As you chat away, you won’t even realize you’ve walked nearly 3 miles around the city! If you’ve been running like a maniac lately and have really been feeling it in your knees, a local yoga class may be a good alternative for you. Maybe it’s just the weather is what’s keeping you from going to your favorite class. Whenever this happens, I chose to do an at-home workout DVD or On Demand exercise instead so I can still start the day on the right food, and get a mini sweat session in.

3. Relax Alright, so you took a day (or even a week) off from running and you’re feeling a little blue. Did you ever think that maybe, just maybe your body needs that break? Have you been to hard on yourself lately? Did you find yourself in a workout rut where you become angry instead of excited to take a class? These are all signs that maybe your body is craving a mini vacation from strenuous exercise.

When you find yourself feeling this way, it’s best to just take some time for yourself. Cuddle up after work with some peppermint herbal tea and a good book. Close your eyes for ten, even five minutes and just breathe. Meditate. Take a long bath or shower with some aromatherapy oils. Taking care of our mental self is just as important as taking care of our physical body, so try to give yourself a little leeway.

If you’re prone to guilt when you skip a workout, find it hard to relax and be at peace with yourself, or are looking for a way to revamp your diet without going on a diet, I may be able to help you. As a health coach, I work with women who are looking to get that “zest” back into their lives & escape a lifestyle of yo-yo dieting. To learn more you can visit my website here or schedule a FREE initial health consultation with me today.

Have a wonderful day,

Let’s Get Back to Basics!

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I have an admission to make… I have been slacking since December.  "Slacking" as in I’ve only been exercising sporadically, I’ve barely logged my food, and my walking is way way down from where it should be.  What’s my excuse?  Oh, ya know… I have plenty of them that I feed my own self-criticism.  "I’ve been so busy with moving!", "I’ve been sick all winter and the prednisone is adding water

12 Lessons Learned From My Parents

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I came across a post on the Internet about lessons learned from my parents, written by a young female like myself. I don’t know how I stumbled upon it but I did and it was incredible. It got me thinking what a HUGE influence by parents have been in my life and made me realize they have truly shaped me into the person I am today. I am so grateful to have amazing parents, who after 3o years are still so in love, happy, and have such a zest for life.

Without adue, here are 12 things I have learned from my parents

Never go to bed angry I grew up in a household where my parents rarely got in big arguments. Sure, they had their quarrels here and there, but I rarely saw them fight. I know people argue and get in disagreements, and I am a HUGE believer in open communication. No relationship will ever work if the people involved cannot share their sides of the story or opinions on the given situation. I used to be in a relationship where fights would happen, he would leave and then come back like nothing happened. That does not fly with me. Successful relationships begin with communication and honesty and throwing an issue underneath a blanket is no way to deal with things. So, I was taught to ‘never go to bed angry’ meaning, no matter what…if there is an argument no matter how big or small-it should be addressed that same day. Sit, talk, hear each other out and work it out. Before the next day. I will always carry this with me and think it is the greatest advice. Ever.

Travel
I would call my parents quite the world travelers. If I had to describe their relationship, it would involve something about a trip they have taken or a a souvenir in their house that they got from when they traveled.  Exploring new and different parts of the world was always something that intrigued my parents and they made it a priority to make sure my brother and I grew up learning other cultures, languages, visiting different countries and taking in what the world has to offer. Every winter vacation we went away, usually somewhere different. Some of my most vivid family memories are those when I was out of the country. The world has so much to offer, and so much I have yet to see. Travel is such an important hobby and interest of mine and it is something I will forever have a special place in my heart for.

Don’t Be Ordinary.
This is somewhat of an inside ‘family joke’ yet it reigns so true in all aspects of life. This is something my dad would say to my brother and I every single day when we were younger “Have a great day at school…don’t be ordinary” At the time I always thought it was silly and even got embarrassed at times that he ALWAYS said this to us. Then as I got older, I realized what he was saying. Be yourself. There is no one else like you on this planet, and show it off to the world. Don’t just follow the path, but create a new one; one that makes you happy, makes you thrive, one that you can work hard and be yourself.  I will forever hear these words and think of my dad “Don’t be ordinary”

Drive Stick Shift
I have an older brother (2 years older) When he was able to drive, he was going to get a car that would eventually be mine when he went away to college. SURPRISE-its stick shift. “Here’s a car for you and your brother. Its stick shift. Learn to drive it and its yours!”  You should have seen the look on my face when I realized I had to learn to drive this thing. The months leading up to my license were quite interesting. They involved time spent in open parking lots, banging on the wheel, stalling out, tears, yelling and frustration. Learning to drive a stick shift is NOT easy. Once I finally mastered the skill of driving a stick shift car, I couldn’t imagine driving anything else. Not only this, but all of the boys at my school were extremely impressed that me, a ‘girl’ knew how to drive stick. I felt confident and in control of the vehicle. I know that I can travel the world and anywhere I go, I will be able to rent a car and be safe and comfortable. This is one of the most important things I have learned from my parents for sure. 

Pursue What You Love
My parents never cared what my brother and I did for a living or even what we wanted to study in school. What mattered to them was that whatever it was we were working towards, it was something we truly enjoyed. When you find something you enjoy, it never feels like work, right? I grew up taking voice lessons-I wasn’t a ‘singer’ by any means, but I had a (not to toot my own horn) a very good voice. My father has a very musical background so this made him so happy that I had taken on singing as a hobby. The thing was, I never truly enjoyed it. Sure, I went to the voice lessons each week, even performed in a few concerts, but I never really saw myself pursuing this as a passion. When I finally told him that-I was oddly surprised on how relaxed and non-chalant he was. I thought by telling him I was not going to pursue singing as a ‘career’ this would devastate him. Nope, it was the complete opposite. I was told to do what I love. I would be successful, happy and confident if I followed the path that I wanted to follow. Now that I am in the health and fitness field, having studied it in college and have it consume my life…I love waking up to emails and notes containing great health related articles or important info from both of my parents. They know what makes me ‘tick’ and couldn’t be happier.

Its Just ‘Information’
There have been people I have come across, had to work with or met in my life that I simply do not get along or ‘mesh’ well with for whatever reason. It could be that we have different points of view on a specific topic or that we just don’t ‘mesh’ I would sometimes come home when I was younger and vent to my mom about the ‘mean girl’ or ‘way someone said something to me’ at school or even at college. My mom would always tell me to take a deep breathe and she would say “Naomi, this is just information” what she meant by this is that  everyone has baggage and opinions and everyone was also brought up differently. When I was angry or frustrated with someone, I would always just know that this was ‘information’ about them that I knew and always kept in the back of my mind. I had a friend who was extremely unreliable. I would base my day and plans around her on more than one occasion and then last minute she would always cancel. I was always disappointed, yet it kept happening again and again. After a while, I realized I knew this trait about her. It was simply ‘information’ and I no longer planned my whole day around her. It took a whole level of stress off my shoulders when I didn’t make her a priority. I learned to make other plans, or not base my day around her because I knew this ‘information’

Never Show Up Empty Handed
It didn’t matter where I was going, when I was invited over someone else’s house, I always had something in my hands for the host and/or hostess. It could have been anything from something I cooked (or my mom cooked) a housewarming gift, a bottle of wine, or even a card. I never showed up empty handed. To this day, I feel uncomfortable walking into some one’s home for a dinner or gathering without a little ‘something’ for the host/hostess.

Importance of Religion
I was brought up in a Jewish home and although I am not extremely religious, Judaism is a huge part of who I am and has shaped me to the person I am today. It is important to me to keep my religion alive with a family of my own one day. I respect all religions and cultures and love meeting people from all over the world who celebrate different holidays and traditions. I know where my roots are and I want to forever be ‘connected’ to my heritage. 

Be Independent (especially with money)
This is in every aspect of life and especially when it comes to money. My parents (father especially) always made it a point to help my brother and I understand how to manage our funds. We kept track of our allowance on a graph that my father had printed out in our kitchen. My parents always believed it was important to understand where money comes from, where I am putting it towards and how to save it. I was taught to be deal with my own money. I never want to be dependent on another person when it comes to my money, so therefore I think this is one of the most important and practical items on this list. At the time, when my mother and father would sit me down with my checkbook and teach me how to balance it, I wanted to run as fast away from the table and go put on “Full House” but you know what? I could not be more thankful for them taking the time to invest in showing my brother and I how to feel 100% comfortable with our money.

Read the Paper
My mother taught me to have an avid interest in the events going on in the world and in business. When we are together we always watch the Nightly Business Review, the local news and the national news on TV.My father would always come downstairs in the morning and the first thing he would say is “lets see what happened overnight” He always made it a point to not only watch the news but read the news. We had the Boston Globe delivered to our house every single day and he would always ask my brother and I to take a part of the paper and read some articles. When we would be slacking he even offered some bribery. We would read an article and write up a brief summary of the story. My dad would read it and ask some questions and we would get some money for it. It seems crazy, I know…bribing kids to read the paper BUT it worked. And not only this-he never made us do it-it was merely an option. From then on, I always took an interest in knowing what was happening in the world beyond where I was living. Current events and reading the paper had made their way into my routine and I was so happy about it

How To Cook
This is more my mom’s doing for this bullet point. My mom is a fabulous cook. Incredible actually. I used to crave her cooking when I went away to overnight camp. I remember writing letters home before I would be home telling her exactly what I wanted when I came home for my first meal. She always involved me in the kitchen and to this day I am so incredibly grateful because one of my favorite places to be is in the kitchen stirring up something new and unique. My mom often makes something and I will ask where I can get the recipe. She looks up at me and says “I don’t remember! I made it up” She often takes the base of a recipe but always makes it ‘her own’ She has such a creative eye and taste when it comes to food and I am so happy that she has passed this on to myself.  I love cooking for others and it a hobby that I will always have with me
This is my mothers actual “cookbook” I use that term loosely because well, this thing needs a serious makeover. 
It is separated by category and there are recipes in this book passed down from generations as well as new ones that she makes up or finds in magazines. It is quite the compilation of ‘stuff’
Here is a marinade that she made up, and as you can see not everything is listed in exact quantity. This is how my mom does it. She ‘eyeballs’ many of her recipes and somehow they always turn out fantastic!

Look Around
My parents own a small boat and named it “The Look Around” This is a saying that they always had said and continue to say and it reigns true for almost anything. Look around. Take it all in. Be grateful for what you have and always smile. Just Look Around



This July my parents will celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary. 30TH! I can only hope to be married to my best friend for that long

QUESTION:
What have you learned from your mom, dad, grandma or anyone important in your life?


Redefining Health

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Over the past few months, my meaning of health and fitness has come into question a great deal.  In my opinion, I was healthy.  I ran, I ate “right,” and was a suitable weight.  I did not restrict my food, ate a sizable amount, and exercised to “optimal” fitness.  I ate a good combination of foods and gave my body what it needed.  To me, healthy meant balance- ice-cream when I wanted it, Chobani other times.  Fruits and veggies and proteins too came into play.  I just did not worry much about it.   I was happy & healthy, or so I thought…

 Vegas Half Marathon December 2011


Ever since that first doctor told me to sit on the couch and eat french fries, my definition of health has come into question.  The more I read and the more people I talk to, I realize that this doctor might have been getting at something.  Interpreted a different way he could have said (and probably did but I was not listening) you need to eat more fats, gain a bit more weight and body fat, and let your body rest more.   From that vantage point, it does not sound too bad, but what it could mean for me and for many other women struggling with Hypothalamic Amenorrhea (HA) is drastic changes to life as we know it.  Put simply it seems to mean…

Instead of running for hours on end, restrict your workouts to 30 minutes a day, 5 days max and that does not mean 30 minutes of speed work.  Instead do pilates, yoga, take a stroll in the park, go on a Slllloooowwww jog.  

Flying while running, no go. Take it down a notch..


You may be at a healthy weight, but what is another few pounds – Eat more and not just anything, include the F word, FAT (and proteins too)!  Don’t forget more cholesterol.  Hormones need them to grow.  You can eat healthy fats & proteins- peanut butter, almonds, salmon, olive oil, avocado.  Also you might want to try some whole milk products – real ice-cream, fat-filled yogurts – you know the drill.  Don’t be shy about eating a hamburger and french fries or some pizza.  It is good for you.

Yup, there is an Oreo in my Chocolate Chip cookie, because why the hell not!


Relax!!! Stop trying to DO, DO, DO.  Don’t control everything.  Just relax and things will happen.

Who me, a control freak? No, I am just running for fun…



And maybe my personal favorite, 48 hours before ultra-sounds make sure you cut out anything you remotely used to think was healthy – nothing with fiber including fruits, veggies, whole grains, cereals, nuts, you name it. 

Poptart for snack because the only other non-Whole Grain thing we seem to own involve previously mentioned cookies and because Poptarts are good people, really. 

So reading this over, I know the above sounds a bit cynical but I think it also displays my feelings and mood and  I try to keep it pretty real here so  I decided to just leave it as is.

I have been struggling over the past few days to find my happy medium and to redefine health.  I am determined to take HA by storm and to beat this thing.  I am, at this point, prepared to sit on my butt and eat French Fries because french fries rock people and you know it.  Right now, that is what I am doing until my next ultrasound on Monday.  No working out. At All.

However, my nutritionist has told me that it is ok for me to do the light 30 minute workouts and that if I am not hungry, that I can eat less and not gain weight as that is for women who are underweight while I am not.  I have been doing a lot of researching, talking with others, and thinking and I am just not sure.  I always want to do the right thing and make the right decision.  I always want control.  People have given me their opinions and have mentioned that even at a healthy weight and BMI, that I may and they too have needed to gain.  It just seems so…up in the air.  Everyone is pretty much in favor of the light workouts but I am still not 100%.  I know I need to not over think this and RELAX, but alas I find myself ruminating about what the correct path is for me only to once again realize there is not one correct path.

In the meantime,  I am contemplating the idea of these 30 minute workouts.  Gone are the days of speed workouts and hills, of training plans, and long runs.  This is very hard for me and it is very sad.  But it is only temporary and I – Will – Be – Back!  Instead, I spent sometime today on Netflix finding some good workout videos to try…

I am setting the mood
*Source

I am also thinking about some walking or running at a slow pace with Aaron.  I am not going to make a schedule.  I am just going to go day by day and do what my body wants.  This is scary for me.  I like my schedule, I like having a plan and checking it off, but I have got to work on this re-liquishing control thing anyway, why not start here.  I am also going to try and trust my body on this whole food thing.  Intuitive eating has never been something I am very good at.  I have a plan, I stick to it.  I add calories for running and that is that.  We do not truly know if I really need to gain or not, but more fats and proteins will not hurt.  So I am going to stick on my normal plan and not shy away from that carton of ice-cream or extra cookie.  I am going to try and eat intuitively and honor my hunger.  Again, this is scary for me.  But it is well worth it.

Or I will just keep eating at Robin’s house and she will take care of this for me

Is all of this what many would consider healthy?  Not in the world I am used to.  This is very much counter to all I know, but in some ways maybe it is not so different.   This is just what is healthy for me right now and that is O.K.  So I will try to stay true to myself, honor my body, and remember my goals as we march forward.

Aaron is running his 4th race ever tomorrow. I am determined to be the best cheerleader possible!

Have you ever had to redefine your meaning of health or slow down your training?  How did you do it?

SPECIAL FEATURE: My Stylist Marcus – All Natural, Organic Hair Care Guru in Boston

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[source]

“All around the hair is healthier, I’m healthier and my clients are healthier.”

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of meeting with Marcus Sederstrom, the face behind My Stylist Marcus, at Salon Red on Newbury Street. With his impeccable style and witty charm, Marcus may seem like an ordinary Boston stylist at first glance.

However, once the conversation begins to flow, one realizes that there is quite the story behind that charm. While Marcus has been in the hair industry for 15 years, he just recently came back from a five-year leave while battling Lymphoma (cancer of the lymphatic system).

During recovery, Marcus realized that he desperately missed his days as a stylist and interacting with clients, but didn’t want to work in an environment filled with toxins and chemicals all day long. Right then and there, he decided he needed to make some changes for his health, and his clients’ health.

Now Marcus proudly provides his clients with natural, certified organic cleansing, styling, color and even keratin treatments. “It’s the cleanest of the greenest products available,” he said with a smile. “All around the hair is healthier, I’m healthier and my clients are healthier.”

While describing the products to me, Marcus had me hold out my hand and poured a little bit of shine serum, prompting me to rub my hands together. Within seconds, the residue was gone and my  hands felt silkier than ever.

That right there is the difference between certified organic products with real ingredients versus the kind of products we find at most salons and stores today. Think, when was the last time you saw ingredients like almond oil, olive oil, wheat protein, coconut or aloe in your hair products? Real, pure ingredients that you can feel good about putting onto your hair, scalp and hands?

Heck, even the organic lightener (alternative option for bleach) that Marcus uses smelt like fresh flowers comparatively. It was absolutely mind-boggling and fascinating!

Sound too good to be true? Here’s the skinny on the products Marcus uses:

  • Certified Eco-Friendly
  • Certified Organic by the United Kingdom Soil Association
  • 100% Ammonia free
  • non-carcinogenic
  • no plastics or parabens
  • PETA recognized as vegan
  • No Volatile organic compounds
  • No Phthalates, mercury or Resorcinol
  • GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms) free

Yes, these products really are just THAT pure. I’ll let Marcus take it over from here to share everything from why he got into the hair industry to his personal specialty…

RC: How long have you been in the hair care industry and what made you choose that route?

MS: 15 years. I kind of fell into it. I was working as an auditor at the time,and my friend who was in hair dressing school told me I should give it a try, so I did. I love it. It’s my passion now!

RC: I know organic is what you pride yourself on. Why organic? Can you explain your background?

MS: I was in the business for 10 years and took five years off because I had lymphoma. I wanted to work in the business but not with the dangerous products. So I spent three months researching online, particularly on Great Britain’s products which are the cleanest and the greenest. I wanted something healthier for me that would give a healthy option to people, and be nice to the earth. So I went green, offering certified organic cleansing, styling, coloring and keratin treatment.

RC: How do your clients respond to this?

[note: while asking this question, I also learned Marcus has nothing lower than 5 stars on Yelp and on his website; that says something!]

MS: People love the products. My clients are organic farmers, personal trainers and their wives, restaurant owners, mothers, people who live an organic life, or pregnant women. People who are looking for an option. You know, people go out and eat organic and then get their hair dyed!

RC: What’s your favorite product or styling technique?

MS: Hair color is my forte. The {organic} line has such beautiful reds, beautiful browns, and the health of the hair is better. People think because it’s organic they won’t get results but you get amazing results and the shine is better.

[Marcus takes out his color flip book to show me the variety of shades, including everything from golden browns to plum. He then points to a beautiful golden honey shade. "I love these for Jennifer Lopez highlights!"]

—

Visiting with Marcus really opened my eyes to the importance of living a healthy lifestyle, not just by how many times you exercise or what you eat, but also what you are putting in and on your body. We often don’t realize that many of our favorite products – from our perfume to our makeup –  are filled with harmful toxins and parabens, and I myself have been a victim!

Of course, we all can’t be perfect 100% of the time, but being aware and cautious of the kinds of products we use is a first step! And it’s great to see that people and businesses are catching on to this trend.

Interested in learning more? You can visit My Stylist Marcus here and book an appointment right online!

XoXo,

Fighting Carpal Tunnel: Ways to Prevent It

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Carpal Tunnel can be really painful, but you can get rid of it

I’ve been feeling the very beginnings of carpal tunnel, some aching in my hands and wrists.  Normally I ignore little nagging pains but I’m not going to mess around with this at all.  I’m taking action, immediately.

It came on during a huge writing week.  I wrote something like 10,000 words on my trusty laptop and that, I fear, is the problem.  Slouched on a couch, bad wrist angle … my keyboard is a source of income for me, I need to be smart here.

Here’s what I’m doing …

Ergonomics.  Moved to a table to straighten wrist angle helped right away.  You want the line from the top of your arm to be straight flowing through the top of the hand with the knuckles curving down towards the keyboard.  This keeps the wrist straight so the nerves traveling into the hand don’t get constricted or pinched in any way.

Writing smart.  I can plow through a lot of writing in a short amount of time, so I’d set aside a day and just write and write and write.  Now I’m spreading it out and taking break.

Being careful with social media.  I can hangout on social media for hours, some of it is work related now but a lot of it is just me chatting with folks.  Unfortunately I’ve had to curtail that a bit to give my hands a break.

Yoga.  Yoga is the only exercise I found that has any clinical studies linking it to improvements with carpal tunnel.  So a few downward dogs and planks in the morning seem to help a lot.

Stretches.  The physical therapists recommend this and I’ve been doing it, it definitely helps.  Bend the top of your hand back towards your elbow.  I’ve been doing this up against a wall, or just be grabbing with my other hand and pulling.  Hold for 30 to 60 seconds (or longer) until you feel it start to release.

Traumeel.  A homeopathic salve I discovered during my hiking trip over the summer.  It saved my knees from brutal mountain trails and it’s helping my hands and wrists now.

Doing Other Things.  Unstrapping from the computer and doing other things helps a lot.  My wrists always loosen up when I cook or clean or do Pilates or even Spinning.  When I’m not working, everything feels better.  Since I’m in start up mode with my social media company this is easier said than done.

Here’s what I firmly believe.  Carpal Tunnel is totally preventable.  If you wind up with it, you did it to yourself.  I know the pressure of getting work out the door and that it simply has to get done, but there are ways you can mitigate and the biggest thing is to NOT ignore those early tingles.

Hope this helps other people, if you’ve gotten carpal tunnel and have some ideas to share please do. I’d welcome the help!

Cheers,

Lisa

Fat Loss Tips: The 2nd Installment

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One of the most common topic of questions I get have to do with fat loss. This topic never seems to get old, especially with so much new information about diet and exercise changing day to day. I have already touched upon some of my personal fat loss tips from a post back in August, 2011.


Nowadays we constantly hear things such as, “The paleo diet is good, the paleo diet is bad, intermitten fasting is the way to go, no carb is the way to go (WHAT?!) wheat is good, wheat is bad, Lift heavy weights, running is the best form of cardio” There are so many controversial topics in this field, it is hard to know what really works. What you need to remember is there is no one ‘way’ that works. So your friend has a gluten allergy (diagnosed from her Doctor) and stays away from wheat. She loves how she feels, so you get rid of wheat as well. Why would you take something out of your diet without knowing what is best for your body? You actually could be hindering fat loss for all you know.

Bottom line: Different tactics will work differently for every individual, however with this said, there are certainly some tips that can help you to accelerate fat loss significantly.  If you are one of those people who is still concerned about a number on a scale, you have no business reading on about these tips because weight loss and fat loss are two very different things.
(source)
Just because you are losing weight does not mean you are losing fat. This is a struggle that some fitness competitors deal with because the goal is to maintain their lean muscle close to a show, while leaning out. An individuals metabolism will become much less efficient when a loss of muscle occurs.  

You want weight loss? This is easy…simply stop eating and spend 2+ hours a day doing cardio. Sure you may drop some weight, but you will also damage your central nervous system and lose muscle in the process. Fat loss on the other hand, focuses on fat loss exclusively, while maintaining lean muscle mass.

Get Rid of Counting Calories: If I had a dime for every email I got asking how many calories I eat a day, I would have a nice chunk of change in my pocket. I have never and will never be a ‘calorie counter’ This is not to say it won’t work for you, but my advice would be to stay away from it and more so-be in tune with your body. Take note on how you feel after you are done eating a meal. If you are counting calories, and used up your ‘calories’ for that meal but are still ravishingly hungry… that’s a sign you need to be eating more. Our bodies will hold onto fat if you deprive yourself. By staying in tune with your body and staying consistent, this in turn will result in eating fewer calories without having to ‘work’ at it.

Also note that foods differ in how efficiently they are digested and absorbed in the body. 100 calories of grapes (about 1/4 C) is way different than 100 calories of raisins (about 2/3 C). The efficiency our bodies digest these two foods is hugely different. The 100 calories of grapes will be a bit more satisfying than the raisins and any individual is more likely to eat more of the raisins in one sitting. Foods also differ in how efficiently they are digested and absorbed. 

Keep Intensity HIGH: With clients of mine who are strictly looking for fat loss or physique changes, I love to throw in some plyometrics and full body metabolic workout  into the mix. Using plyometrics and metabolic cardio,  strategically can really help with those stubborn body parts. I vary intensity by using different reps, sets, loads and frequencyy. I may have a client perform a set of heavier front loaded squats and then go right into 10 jump squats with no rest. The combination of this heavier exercise with a plyo exercise of similar style really helps to get those legs shedding fat
  • Plyo + Cardio Routines
    • Feel the burn leg and cardio workout
    • Tabata
    • Valentines day leg scorcher workout
    • Getting back glute focused workout


Watch The Alcohol Intake: Yes, I too love my wine and cocktails, but the number one thing I cut out prior to a show: alcohol. If you are serious about fat loss, cutting out alcohol should be very high up on your list. The calories found in alcohol are metabolized as fat storage in the body and can greatly hinder your progress. About 98% of alcohol is consumed in the liver. The amount of alcohol in one drink will take about 10 hours to process in the average human body. Alcohol intake puts the stop on fat oxidation and can increase water retention. I am not suggesting anyone cut out drinking for good-heck I would never do that (We all have to live a little) However, for a temporary period of time, cutting out alcohol can be a great choice if fat loss is your main goal!


Lift Something! I feel like a broken record for saying this so much, but I cannot stress enough how important it is to LIFT WEIGHTS if you want to accelerate fat loss. Ladies, you will not get bulky! get away from this mentality and just LIFT something…(Sorry Tracey Anderson) Challenge your body and go for something heavier than 3lb dumbbells.  Lifting heavy and performing more full body compound movements will create a much greater hormonal response and be your key to unlocking fat loss. The only thing that may happen by you lifting weights is faster metabolism, tighter physique and more defined body. Sounds good to me! Next time, you see a picture of a woman with a large amount of muscle mass just understand that a minimum of about 10 years of vigorous training and dieting went into that body (maybe with the help of other supplements) and unless you want to strive to make that same kind of commitment, then you have nothing to worry about



Stop Running for Distance and Start HIIT. Excessive running/cardio increases the stress hormone, cortisol which in turn causes the body to hold onto fat. It gets into a “fight or flight’ situation where it becomes ‘scared’ to let go of any fat. Excessive cortisol levels will not only effect your overall health, but greatly hinder any fat loss goals. I don’t just want to point out running here, either. I am talking any long duration cardio; spin class, zumba, elliptical, cardio kickbox class etc. Maybe once you start, you will see a quick loss in weight, but a few months in, your body will stop responding and hit a plateau.  The more cardio you do, the more accustomed your body becomes and your body will respond less over time. This simply means you will have to do MORE cardio in the long run in order to maintain your physique


Get Rid of Artificial Sweeteners: Plain and simple; artificial sweeteners will greatly inhibit fat loss. These include saccharin, aspartame, sucralose, acesulfame potassium and neotame. You will find these in most packaged goods labeled “low fat, fat free, reduced fat” as well as most diet sodas and most “low carb, sugar free” foods. When artificial sweetners are consumed, the body releases more glucose than normal levels and this gets converted into fat. The insulin levels in your body may be heightened and thus promoting fat storage as well


Eat Often:  I mentioned the hormone, cortisol earlier when I talked about doing too much long duration cardio. When we avoid food that same hormone increases in your body, causing the body to store fat. The “eat less” approach will not get your body where you want it to be if fat loss is your main concern. When you drastically cut down calories or skip meals, this will lead to a loss in muscle, slowing of metabolism and possible weight gain in the long run. Of course, you want to be aware of your body, listen to its hunger signals and cues. Personally, I  aim to eat every 2-3 hours  (combination of complex carbs, protein, fibrous veggies and healthy fats. Low sugar fruits as well) I find that this works for me–This is not to say it will work for everyone, but eating smaller portions more often keeps my blood sugar levels stable and keeps my metabolism going 


Stop Eating Processed Foods: When looking for fat loss, your best bet is to avoid all or most processed foods. Quality, REAL food will fuel quality workouts.  


Here are some simple switches that you can make from a seemingly healthy diet more towards a fat loss diet.


Instead of: Kashi Go lean with 1/2 C skim milk, 1 small banana
Try: Oatmeal or Oatbran with 1-2 eggs, 3 eggwhites, 1 tsp all natural almond butter, blueberries


Instead of: Deli turkey on whole wheat bread
Try: Large salad of greens and other veggies, 1/2 large sweet potato, 3-4 oz grilled chicken, olive oil and balsamic vinegar


Instead of: Whole wheat pasta with 93% lean ground turkey meatballs, peas
Try: 5 oz lean steak, greens (such as green beans, asparagus or kale) olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing


Some mischellaneous foods I like to enjoy, even when fat loss is coming into play:

  • Unsweetened cocoa powder
  • Salsa (low sodium)
  • Spicy mustard (Not honey mustard)
  • Balsamic vinegar
  • Stevia (sparingly)
  • Spices such as cinnamon, garlic powder, italian seasoning, basil, oregano, TJ’s 21 salute seasoning, nutmeg etc
  • Tea (fruity flavors are my favorite)
  • Coffee (Try to limit 1 cup a day-grande size)

These are just a few more FAT LOSS TIPS that I wanted to share with all of you. Of course, some of these tips will not apply to everyone. I write these posts to be informational and based on my own experience. Always be in tune with your own body! 


CLICK HERE to read my first installment of My Personal Fat Loss Tips (written in August 2011) In this post, I covered:

  • Lift Heavy Weights
  • Incorporate HIIT (specifically sprints!)
  • Load up on protein
  • Eat fruits and veggies at every meal
  • Eat fat to lose fat
  • Slow down when you eat
  • Incorporate variety
And Now…For FUN!

What is one fat loss tip that has worked for you or a tip that you have heard about?

Valentine’s Day Special: Story of The Boy & Three Hot, Little Ideas

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Good afternoon ladies, and Happy Valentine’s Day to you all! This morning I decided to make a special breakfast for The Boy inspired by this recipe I found on Pinterest, and also my coworker’s story of her girlfriend surprising her with breakfast in bed.

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Yes, heart shaped “Eggs in a Basket.” Well, due to my lack of any art skills whatsoever, my variation definitely didn’t come out as pretty to say the least. My heart cut-out was not nearly big enough, so the egg kind of just exploded over the toast. Therefore, there will be no pictures of Rachel’s remake on my blog today. The Boy didn’t care though, and it still came out super delicious. We drizzled ours in some salt, pepper and hot sauce to spice things up bit!

We enjoyed our heart eggs with kiwi & sliced apple wedges served with nutella, and the leftover heart cut-outs (from the inside of the toast) spread with peanut butter. I also made The Boy some oatmeal with flaxseed, blueberries, raw maple syrup, cinnamon and peanut butter since his appetite’s a little bigger than mine. And you bet I brewed a pot of coffee (Creme Brulee flavor today), which we topped off with some organic almond milk and a little bit of pure vanilla that The Boy had bought for me on his vacation.

Speaking of The Boy, since today is Valentine’s Day in all I decided it’s finally time to “reveal” him. After all, we have been dating for a year and three months now, so I suppose it’s time.

His name is Jason, and kinda, sorta like him a lot.

He’s a 27-year-old entrepreneur who enjoys health and cooking almost as much as I do.

Our last names both end in “ski,” we’re both Polish and on our first date we  had some major chemistry.

Speaking of our first date, while I don’t tell many people this (since I get embarrassed), we actually met online. Yup, we can thank Match.com for our “success story.” I joined out on a whim November 2010 after I got fed up being single (my whole life) and meeting creepy guys at bars. I was on Match for a week, he was on it for a year. The rest is history.

I have to admit I was skeptical of “online dating” at first, but really it’s been one of the best things that ever happened to me. Hey, can’t knock it ’til ya try it. So for all you single ladies out there; here’s a special treat: a free 3 day trial with all the perks including email access. [Disclosure: I will get a small commission if you do end up signing up, but either way three days for free is totally fun if you're up for it.]

Ok, ‘nough about that. Now onto three special little treats anyone can enjoy this Valentine’s Day…

1. EAT IT – – Not Your Sugar Mamas‘ “Be Sexy” Chocolate

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These local ladies (based in Martha’s Vineyard) whip up real, raw, organic chocolate that’s actually good for you. I tried it for the first time the other day, and have to say my favorite was the “Be Sexy,” a powerful mix of cacao, coconut butter, agave, spirulina, maca, vanilla and sea salt with an added boost of “love potion” (that includes rose hips and extra maca) for an aphrodisiac effect. Watch out ladies and gents; this chocolate works wonders for your love life! Find out more about these chocolate-crafting gals here.

2. DO IT – – Get a massage! Taken? Take your sweetie to the local spa for a couple’s massage to experience a powerful bonding effect. You’ll both feel relaxed, centered and closer by the end of the massage. Single this Valentine’s Day? Buy yourself a massage for an amazing detoxification & rejuvenating experience for your body. You’ll feel high on life and ready to embrace the day!

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3. EMBRACE IT – Love yourself a little extra today. Embrace your body (curves and all), write in a journal, and know that it’s ‘OK’ to treat yourself. A little extra  chocolate isn’t going to kill ya, and the gym will always be there tomorrow. Take this day for YOU.

Much Love,

Reliquishing Control – Amenorrhea Update

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Have you entered my CEP Compression Sweepstakes here or checked out my audition post here?


Did you know that blogging is actually just a cheaper version of therapy?  It is kind of exactly like journaling, except for the fact that everyone else reads it (minor detail, right?)   So here is hoping that I get in a good therapy session with this post.  Tomorrow, I promise I will talk about running, ok? Deal.

These past few days I have been working on acceptance, and it has not been easy in the least.  Whether it is running or “real life,” I am just a little Type A, can you tell?  I want to be able to control everything!  If there is a problem, I want to be told how to fix it and then I can simply take the steps to do so.  In law school, this was problematic.  I wanted my professors to give me exact answers, they could not.  They would try to tell me to see the forest instead of the trees, but I was just so darn fixated on those trees; they are important too, right?  That is kind of what this journey has been like thus far.  I want to control everything, I want answers, I want to know if I do X, Y, and Z, then everything will fall into place, but I cannot know that and that is really really hard.

But I still made it through Law School, so I can make it through this, right?

So let’s back up.  As I mentioned previously, my nutritionist and I spoke about decreasing the workouts and increasing food intake by about 200 calories.   I thought that was going to be easy and so far the workout decrease has been fine.  The food increase has been surprisingly hard.  It should be easy, but, in all honesty, it has not been.  I find myself fixated on the right foods to eat and reexamining my diet at every turn.  Am I eating too many carbs?  Do I need more dairy fats? Just more healthy fats? How much proteins?

Nutella or Peanut Butter, you tell me.

This is exhausting and while I hope to meet with my nutritionist this week, I know that part of all these thoughts are just symptoms masking my anxiety and that I have to deal with the real issues.   On top of all of this is the underlying comments and opinions that people have said.  Some say I am at a healthy weight and do not need to gain countered with those that think I do need to gain is troubling.  And to put the cherry on the sundae,  this week none of my clothes seem to be fitting right and are much more snug.   I have been off Provera for three weeks and only a minor increase in food for one week, it just seems…weird.  I feel uncomfortable and uncertain in my body.

O.k. enough of the brain dump now an actual update (feel free to skim).  I went to a new Reproductive Endocrinologist yesterday and I loved her.  She was so wonderful and spoke to us for a long time wanting to know everything about me and my history.  I am really excited to work with her.  But what exactly does she think and what is exactly the issue is, she is not sure yet.  When I asked her if she thought my plan of decrease exercise increase food was a good one that would help, she said she was not sure since I had never tried that before.  She sent us for an ultrasound and to meet her associate who we would work closely with (who btw thought my weight was  fine and to give the cardio a rest).

Now, the way I understand it (and I really don’t), there could be two issues I could be dealing with here that are causing me not to ovulate and not get my period (and don’t quote me on this, I was never a big Bio fan).  The first could be the issue of  Hypothalamic Amenorrhea without going into too much detail; it is mainly an issue with the hypothalamus in my brain not producing any or enough of the hormones needed for ovulation.  This is often treated through changing lifestyle factors – exercise and potentially weight gain.  The other, and my knowledge is weak here, has to do with polycystic ovaries (but not the syndrome).  The associate doing the ultrasound told us this information.  It is all a bit fuzzy but my main take away was that about 25% of women have this and we could likely get me to ovulate with Clomid (a drug used to induce ovulation).  But right now overall, no actual plan has been set.  First on Tuesday, I am going to have have this all day test where they draw my blood every 10 minutes and that will tell them a ton more of how we should proceed.  Apparently, what this really means is on Tuesday I will be stuck in a chair for 10 hours and am free to Tweet, read blogs, catch up on Daily Mile etc., so make sure to keep me company please!

So there you have it, all the technical stuff.   But for me it all comes back to the fact that I have NO control here.  I do not really have any complete answers and don’t know if what I am doing will work. Put this on top of the random weight and bloating issues and it is unsettling, to say the least.

I really like control.  Just ask Brenna who is cool enough to race in pink tights!

Today, I am working hard on acceptance.  I am working to relinquish control.  I am working on being happy.  This is hard stuff.  It has made me a bit sad.  But writing can be therapy right?  So, I am resolving to take on a challenge for the rest of the afternoon.  I am going to fake it until I make it and I am going to try and give myself a few hours off to just enjoy myself and let the process be what it is.  I trust  my doctors and my team and I need to relax.   So for now that is what I am going to try and do just that.  No more weeping at this moment it is time to go enjoy the weekend and relinquish the control I want to have.

I like to let go by cuddling on the couch…how else?

How do you let get?  Happy Weekend All!