Last month I had the opportunity to go on a trip of a lifetime. My husband and I have always wanted to go to Europe. Of course with so many countries. You always say which one. We narrowed down our choices to Spain, Italy and Greece. Now.. with only a limited amount of vacation time we had to choose wisely. As serendipity would have it. We got a mailing that talked about a Mediterranean cruise that went to all 3 of those countries. Once we got on the boat we were blown away!!! It was awesome.

Beside being pampered we discovered folks who were living the lifestyle that we’ve always dreamed. When we asked folks where they were from multiple times we heard they lived in multiple locations. These weren’t just retirees these were folks who were still working, but chose not to suck up winter anymore or just liked living in different parts of the US or another country. I was jealous that they found a way to make it work.  Imagine that. How awesome would that be to just pick up every few months and go someplace else. I don’t know about you, but I’ve had big dreams for awhile and just stuffed them in the closet. This cruise caused those dreams to come crashing out of the closet and asking begging me to revisit them and really look at how could I make my dreams come true NOW.

So.. here’s my dream — I want to create a coaching/mentoring practice where I inspire women to not fear fitness. I want to help them to learn how to include health and wellness into their lives without feeling guilty. I also want to help them to feel comfortable looking in the mirror without making judgements or comparing themselves and feeling inferior. I know it’s a tall order, but I think I’m up for the challenge. The best thing about my dream is that I can do it from anywhere’ All I need is a cell phone and a fast internet connection. Never do I want to udder the words —

• My boss won’t…
• I can’t take the time..

I also want to be able to pick and go whenever and I want and not be tied to anything specific. Right now my husband travels to Germany quite a bit and each time he goes I can’t tag along and that pisses me off, because I’m tied to being someplace.

I’ve told you my dream now tell me yours” What would you do if woke up tomorrow and could do anything. I know most of your the first thing out of your mouth would provide I won powerball. Let’s put do both, what would do if you won powerball and what would you do without.  Leave me comments below.

I started this blog in 2008 when I was actively competing as a way to keep me sane =). I also wanted to share the nutrition and fitness information I was getting by competing. I was lucky to find a fitness mentor who was patience with me and answered all my questions. I asked a TON!!! I also wanted to be able to do the same thing through my blog. I get it, I read the magazines and watch the shows and it’s CONFUSING!!! My goal was to bust myths and give clear information about health and fitness.  I also wanted to sprinkle in some of my own stories so you realized that even though I know stuff, I still struggle. To the left is my pic in January — let’s just say I had a great holiday season!! I’m human not an alien!! Yes.. I go on vacation and although I try my best I do give into temptation — aka ice cream and a few glasses of vino!!

Through the years my blog has evolved and my main audience are women over 40 who are looking to get their groove back. You know what I’m talking about. You’ve been a Mom, on the corporate treadmill or just haven’t had the time to take care of you!! One day you wake up and put your pants on and Mother of pearl they don’t fit. I wear gym clothes 80% of the time this past January when I went to put on my dress pants from August, boy was I in for a big surprise. So.. I get I understand when you just look at your body and you are like how the HELL DID I GET HERE!!  My hope is that my blog provides answers as well as solutions.

I just joined a 30 day blog challenge and over the next 30 days I’m going to not only challenge myself in the gym, but I’m going to challenge myself by writing a blog post for the next 30 days.

Thank you in advance for joining me on my adventure. Who knows where it will lead’

The Isagenix Celebration  Blitz is Coming to Boston!

For the past few months I’ve been sharing with you information about a health and wellness company that I have been working with for the past 2 years. They are a 10 year old company based in Phoenix and they are looking to expand here in the Greater Boston area.

Please join me on Thursday, August 29th at 8pm — Four Points Sheraton  Norwood, MA where executives from this company will be here to share product information as well as ways you can add this product line to your current offerings adding an additional revenue stream.

This is a free event. If you’d like to attend,

Don’t live in the Boston area” That’s fine, Isagenix will be hosting them all over the country!! Click to see a city near you.

Here we are can you believe we are already fast approaching the end of summer. You said you would get in the best shape of your life once Memorial Day hit and then again on the Fourth of July and here we are again fast approaching Labor Day and you are no closer to your goals. I don’t say this to make you feel bad, I say this because just like me you’ve looked in the mirror and you said to yourself one of the following statements.

• I’m ready to feel better from the inside out
• I’m ready to step out of your comfort zone to make a change
• I’m ready to find a plan that I can FINALLY stick with

I AM READY TO GET YOU THERE!!!!

SEPTEMBER “BACK TO SCHOOL” CHALLENGE

GOAL: TO Create healthy lifestyle changes that WILL last!!!

***BY ELIMINATING:
-unhealthy habits
-bad food choices
-unwanted inches and lbs
-relying on caffeine and artificial stimulants
-unhealthy cravings
-inconvenience of meal prep and planning

***THIS CHALLENGE Includes:
-challenge launch call
-weekly check-in
-meal guide
-workout guide
-online community support
-eating out guide
-healthy recipes

***Challenge runs from September 8th -October 5th
***CASH PRIZE for best transformation. Before/after photos must be submitted.

I’m ready to take the challenge.

The more complex a joint, the more likely it will get injured in sport. Knees are the most complex. Followed by the ankle and shoulder.

All the synovial joints rely on the integrity of their cartilage for healthy movement. Cartilage is the soft tissue layer on either side of the joint that cushions the ends of the bones. Bones have a slick of synovial fluid between them that lubricates the moving parts and enables them to slide freely.

Sports are tough on cartilage, continually creating rough spots and wearing it out. Sports are also tough on the synovial fluid. Whenever the intensity of your exercise causes the rate of wear and tear to exceed the maximum rate at which you can produce new cartilage and synovial fluid, you get inflammation, pain, and stiffness of the joints (2).

Synovial fluid, a complex mixture that contains a viscous gel.  Hyaluronic acid is the water-holding molecule.  One gram will hold more than a thousand grams of water.  Its gel structure retains the water that cushions nerves and joints, and also provides the shape and form to the human eye and skin. The harder you exercise the more hyaluronan you use. Your hyaluronan acid decreases with aging, and not collagen as frequently claimed, this is the main cause of wrinkles and fine lines.

Science has discovered natural substances that speed the body’s processes of renewing cartilage and synovial fluid, and inhibit their decline. Here are the best of those substances that research shows improve cartilage and lubrication of joints in controlled trials.

1. Collagen- Athletes certainly need the extra collagen in their joints, and should do everything that can maintain it. Athletes can preserve collagen levels in joints by eating a diet high in free-range poultry, wild fish, and shellfish or through supplementation (3-5). I
2. Glucosamine sulfate – Glucosamine taken as a dietary supplement increases glucosamine levels in joints (7-13).
3. Chondroitin sulphate – Taken as a supplement, chondroitin sulfate has been successful in increasing the quality and volume of new cartilage in numerous controlled trials over the last 20 years (13-17). Research recommends that athletes routinely use glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin sulfate daily.  Overall research recommends doubling normal doses of each daily when doing intense training, such as runs longer than 15 miles in preparation for a marathon, or the four weeks before a big game.
4. Hyaluronan- A major component of the synovial lubricating system of joints is hyaluronan. For 50 years, researchers have been using various formulations of hyaluronic acid to determine if it will increase production of synovial fluid. The big problem has been absorption, because hyaluronic acid is usually a whopping molecule, seemingly too big to pass through the gut wall.  So the usual therapy used with patients involves injecting the hyaluronan directly into the joints. Some oral formulations now offer small molecule hyaluronan to overcome the absorption problem.  Recent reviews of the evidence, however, indicate that even large molecule hyaluronan taken by mouth does increase synovial fluid in joints (7). Research recommends supplementation of hyaluronic acid for athletes.
5. Methyl-sulphonyl-methane (MSM) – To make new cartilage, the body also needs a lot of sulfur, which is likely why the sulfate form of glucosamine is the most successful in creating cartilage. Combined with alliums in the everyday diet to increase availability of sulfur, runners have had great success with sulfur especially for knee pain. If you are not getting sufficient alliums, that is onions, garlic, or leeks every day, then you will need to take daily supplements of basic sulfur as MSM.

3 lbs freshly picked asparagus, trimmed
1 bunch green onions
3 cups fresh small cucumbers, scrubbed clean
1 Tbsp fresh parsley
1 Tbsp fresh chervil
1 Tbsp fresh chives
1 Tbsp fresh mint
2 tsp fresh tarragon
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup light olive oil

Fill a large pot with water and salt and bring to a rapid boil.
Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath in a large bowl with ice and water and set in sink.
When water boils, quickly cook asparagus until just crisp-tender, only about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove and quickly put in ice bath to cool and stop cooking.
Drain well and set aside.
Chop green onions and put in large bowl.
Scrub cucumbers, trim ends, cut lengthwise, then slice thin and add to bowl with onions.
Add all the fresh herbs to the bowl and mix together well; keep cool.
Make dressing by whisking together the lemon juice, red wine vinegar, mustard, salt, and black pepper, then slowly start streaming in oil, whisking steadily, until dressing is creamy.
Pour dressing into onion cucumber bowl and toss to combine.
Arrange the asparagus on salad plates and spoon the dressed onion cucumber mixture over the top.
Taste and salt if desired.

Do you find that you are working hard and often but still cant’ drop the weight’ Get in line, many face the same challenge.  A new study from the University of Washington has found that while more people are exercising, the rate of obesity is climbing too.

The findings imply that many people are ramping up their exercise routine with hopes of losing weight quickly.

Let’s do the math.. If you workout 5 times/week and you just do cardio you’ll burn on average 500-600 calories/session. You do that 5 times/week you’ll burn 2500-3000/week. It takes a 3500 caloric expenditure to burn 1 pound of fat.

Weight loss is more about what you put in your mouth rather than the time you put in at the gym.

“Americans are not doing enough to control what they eat,” said the study’s senior author Ali Mokdad in a press release. “They still consume more energy than they burn off through exercise.”

Exercising more is always a good thing, since exercise boosts health in multiple ways—keeping your bones and muscles strong, pumping up your energy levels, and reducing overall risk of chronic disease.  There’s a difference between exercising and over exercising to compensate for a “big weekend” or “birthday cake”.  If that happens, you accept that you fall of the wagon. Dust yourself off and then figure out what caused you to fall apart and start all over again.

Physical activity can rarely compensate for overeating a poor diet. Consider that an average 150-pound person would have to run more than 5 miles just to work off the calories found in a fast food milk shake or a quarter pounder (~600 kcals). Exercising off excess calories daily is not always easy when you are continuously tempted by high-calorie foods.

Sticking with a only they’re finding out that weight loss is more about what you put in your mouth rather than the time you put in at the gym. I tell everyone it’s 80% nutrition and 20% effort in the gym.

Earlier in the program we discussed the foundation for good nutrition and a strength training workout.

Today’s Challenge:
At this point on the 30 day challenge, I want you to revisit between training and nutrition where are you stuck” Are you better with your training and no so much with your nutrition OR better with your nutrition and no so much with your training.  Once you determine that, figure out what you need to do make a change.

Don’t forget Leave a comment below. Write a facebook post on the Fabulous Fit Squad. If you have a personal blog, write a blog post. Make sure you link back to the site so we can cheer you on and hold you accountable.

Just joining now” Don’t worry you can catch up.
Day 1 — Intro the challenge
Day 2 — Getting your mind straight 
Day 3 — Goal setting 
Day 4 — What’s on your plate
Day 5 — Lift
Day 6 — Cardio
Day 7 — Living on your own terms
Day 8 — Rest day
Day  9 — Forming a habit
Day 10 — Just Breathe
Day 11 — Fat loss secrets revealed
Day 12 — Can you pinch an inch
Day 13 — Dedicated and Focused 
Day 14 — Doubt
Day 15 — Rewards and Consequences
Day 16 — Damn Hormones
Day 17 — Pre and Post Workout Meals
Day 18 — Successful Weight Loss
Day 19 — Know Before You Go
Day 20 — Courage and Strength

Let’s face it. it’s easy to get started with any fitness program or health goal. If you’re like many others you probably even get excited about your new lease on life. You go out and buy the right clothing and gear. You have visions of yourself thin and running down the street like a seasoned pro.
Yet, two weeks into your new running or fitness life you start to lose momentum. It’s not as fun as you thought it’d be and it’s tough to get motivated.  What’s missing’ Accountability. When you haven’t created a means to hold yourself accountable for your fitness goals, there’s nothing motivating you to push forward.

1. Set Goals You Can Reach — The biggest reason people fail to achieve their fitness goals is because they either didn’t set any to begin with or they made them too big. For example, you might decide you’re going to run for an hour each day. That’s great.  Yet if you’re fresh off the couch running that hour is going to be extremely difficult on your body and your mind. A more reasonable goal might be to run for five minutes and walk for fifteen. Do this for a week or two and then add time to your run. Start running for ten minutes and walking for ten minutes. You’ll create a pattern of success.
2. Document Your Goals —  Writing down your goals changes them from dreams or wishes to actual goals. It also helps you with the next step. If you journal, then write them down in a journal. If you are more structured, consider creating a fitness goals spreadsheet on your computer. There are fitness apps for your mobile device and fitness journals you can purchase at the bookstore. Use whatever system works best for you.
3. Plan for Them — The next step is to plan how you’re going to achieve your fitness goals. If you’ve decided to run for five minutes every single day and walk for fifteen minutes, when are you going to do it’ What will you do if the weather is bad’ When will you increase your running time’  Plan out the details. It’s okay if you make changes to your plan along the way. The purpose of the plan isn’t to hold you to a rigid schedule. The purpose is so you become accountable for your goals.
4. Announce Your Goals. There’s something very motivating about telling others what you’re doing. You force yourself to be a bit more accountable because these same people will ask you next week or next month, how’s that new fitness program going’ They’ll also notice when you’ve lost weight and begin to look healthier.
5. Celebrate Success. Include in your plan some sort of reward or celebration. You don’t have to throw yourself a party or buy something expensive. Small celebrations work well too.

Once you’ve achieved your fitness goal it’s time to take it to the next level. What can you achieve’ Set a goal, plan for it, and hold yourself accountable. You’re in control of your life.

If there is a mosquito within 100 ft it finds me and treats my limbs like the Old Country Buffet! I will use bug spray but not a big fan.  You don’t have to go all the way to the store and pay a bunch of money for something that doesn’t always work.  Why not try one of these great home remedies to take the itch out and get rid of those bites fast’

• Ice Packs.  This is one of the easiest ways to take the pain out of mosquito bites.  They reduce swelling, numb the area to get rid of pain and itching, and have none of the risks of medications or even natural cures because there’s no medicine involved.
• Vinegar and Baking Soda.  Just add a bit of vinegar to baking soda, rub it into a paste and apply to mosquito bites.  It will sanitize the bite and create a protective seal so the bite can heal.  As an added bonus, this paste can also be used as a safe and effective cleaner all around the house.
• Toothpaste.  The creamy texture of toothpaste, combined with its germ-killing power, makes it a great way to seal up and treat mosquito bites.  Just dab enough to cover each bite.
• Aspirin.  Taking a pain-killer might help to dull the sting of a mosquito bite, but putting it right on the bite works much better.  Just crush up an aspirin tablet and mix it with water until you have a paste.  Plus, just like many of the other cures, it blocks out air and helps speed healing.
• Tape.  If you’re looking for something with a bit less mess, try sticking a piece of tape to help seal off the bite.  Just remember to use a disinfectant first so you don’t seal the germs in.

Whatever remedy you use, remember to reapply it after you shower or swim.  Like any other injury, it will take a while to heal.

While these home remedies may be great for taking away the pain, swelling, and itching of a mosquito bite, they’re not going to reduce your risk of getting the debilitating and possibly fatal diseases you might contract from a mosquito.  While most people know about diseases like malaria and West Nile virus, there are many other illnesses spread through mosquito bites.

The best way to prevent disease from mosquito bites is to prevent the bite from ever happening.  The good news is that there are home remedies to repel mosquitoes as well as treating their bites. Here are two:

• Vitamins.  Some studies have shown that if you take daily supplements of certain vitamins, like zinc and the B vitamin thiamine chloride, mosquitoes will be less attracted to you.  Just remember that it may take months for it to build up enough to be effective.
• Catnip. 10 times more effective than DEET in repelling mosquitoes.
• Citronella. In candles as well as in essential oils.

You know what they are.  Every time you do them you think, “I really shouldn’t be…”  Fill in the blanks!  Drinking this, eating this, smoking this – the list goes on and on.  We all have habits we would be healthier without.  So what do we do about them’  How do we kick the habits for good’  Here are ten tips for kicking unhealthy habits and living a better life.

1. Acknowledge and own the habits.  there’s no sense denying them; they exist, your friends and family know they exist, so own them.  Say aloud, “I need to stop!”  Once you’ve acknowledged it, it begins to lose its power.  It’s certainly much better than ignoring your unhealthy habits or hiding them.
2. Let go of shame.  Don’t be ashamed of your unhealthy habits.  No one is perfect and we’re all striving to improve ourselves.  Everyone has something they need to work on.  Once you stop feeling ashamed of it, you can move forward and take control of your habits.
3. Understand where the habits came from.  One of the great tools to kicking a habit is to first understand where it came from.  For example, if you have a tendency to eat a lot in the evenings it could stem from your breakfast habits.  Once you know the reason behind your habits, they’re easier to change.  In the example of the late night eating, a simple solution may be to develop a resolution to have a good breakfast every morning, rather than trying to stop eating at night.
4. Understand why you want to get rid of your unhealthy habit.  Do you want to feel better’  Have more energy’  Look better’  Extend your life’  When you understand why you want to get rid of your unhealthy habits, it is easier to find the right motivation to help you achieve your goals.  For example, if you’re motivated to look better, maybe an old picture of yourself when you liked how you looked would work as appropriate motivation. 
5. Set reasonable goals.  Lofty goals don’t serve anyone.  If you want to get rid of unhealthy habits, establish goals you are fairly certain you can attain.  That doesn’t mean they have to be easy goals, but it is important that they are attainable.
6. Replace bad habits with good ones.  One of the best and easiest ways to get rid of unhealthy habits is to replace them with new habits.  For example, earlier we mentioned late night eating.  Rather than struggle with cravings while you’re sitting on the couch each night, brew a cup of green tea and change your habit to a good one, one that is healthy and beneficial for you.
7. Seek support.  Sometimes we just need a little help.  We need an extra hand, a little encouragement, or someone to listen to us when we’re having a tough time.  Support groups, friends and family can all be a great resource when trying to kick old habits.
8. Stay positive.  A good attitude is extremely helpful to kicking unhealthy habits.  It helps to be able to focus on more positive thoughts when you’re trying to get rid of habits that are detrimental to your health.  Before you set about accomplishing your goal, it helps to come up with a few methods for staying positive.  Find what makes you happy and make note of it.  When you’re having a negative thought or a tough moment, pull out your happy thought or your happy trigger and use it.
9. Reward yourself.  Reward yourself for accomplishing the small steps along the way and for making it through the tough times.  For example, if you’re trying to cut out after dinner snacks and one particular evening you’re really craving something other than the tea you’ve been drinking, and you manage to avoid the bag of chips on the counter or the ice cream in the fridge, then you could reward yourself by getting your favorite coffee at the neighborhood coffee shop in the morning.
10. Plan your success.  Rather than trying to wing it, it is helpful to plan how you’re going to attain your goal.  If you want to eliminate your habit of getting fast food for lunch each day, or you want to stop drinking coffee in the morning, how are you going to do it’  Break your goal down into smaller, more manageable steps for easier success.  For example you could stop going through the drive-thru four days out of the week but still go with your co-workers on Fridays.  After a week or two of success, you may even find that you’re ordering a salad rather than a burger.

Small successes give us confidence for larger ones. You create a pattern of success and strength.

Summer allergies can be brutal.  While many people enjoy the flowers blooming and the vibrant colors that spring brings, many others are plagued by itchy, watery eyes, coughing, sneezing, rashes, and other annoying effects of spring allergies.  While you may never be able to totally get rid of your allergies, there are ways your can reduce your symptoms and bring back the beauty and fun of spring.

The easiest way to ease allergy symptoms is to stay away from what’s causing your allergies altogether.  By tracking your symptoms, you can figure out what symptoms are caused by what trigger and avoid it.  You probably already know that your allergies are worse when local trees or bushes are flowering.  However, knowing that your allergies get worse for a specific tree or plant will help you avoid specific times and gain more time outdoors that would otherwise be spent hiding inside.  While it isn’t usually very specific, allergy testing is a great tool for figuring out what causes your allergy flare-ups.

Another great tool to avoid allergens is to learn about the pollen count and how to use it.  Some days are just worse than others if you are allergic to pollen.  Many TV stations and websites will post the daily pollen count.  With a quick look, you will learn if you should take extra medication that day or even just plan indoor activities.  It won’t make the allergies go away, but it’s a great way to help you work with them.

Keep outside air outside.  It may help keep down your summer energy bills to open windows and use fans instead of air conditioning, but it doesn’t pay when it comes to your allergies.  Not only are the pollens being brought in the house and into your body, they also can get caught in furniture, carpets and other soft surfaces.

If your allergy medication used to work, but now just doesn’t seem to cut it, try switching to something new.  Many people build up a tolerance to allergy medications.  Switching to a new product may just be enough to keep symptoms away.  You can also try adding an extra allergy medicine, like a nasal spray, when you know the allergens will be bad. My doctor has recommend taking 12 hour allergy meds before you go to bed as allergens are most prevelant in the AM hours.

If your allergy medicine works, but seems to need that extra boost, try giving your body some extra oomph through a proper diet.  Foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids have been shown to reduce allergy symptoms.  Plus, eating these can help you live an overall healthy lifestyle and fight off illness.

If medicines and other alternatives don’t do much to relieve your allergy symptoms, you could look into allergy shots.  These are weekly injections of a small amount of the allergens that cause your symptoms.  By slowly introducing small amounts of these substances, you gradually build up a tolerance.  The catch’  They take several years to fully work and you’ll probably have to take allergy medicine until treatment is done.  Plus you have to have weekly doctor’s visits that your insurance may not cover.

By adding a few steps to your day, you can reduce the pain and suffering caused by your allergies.

Goal setting and achieving is supposed to be fun.  When you reach a goal, whether it is a little one or a big one, why not give yourself a reward!  For example, if your goal is to get to the gym every day, you could break it up into smaller goals.  Start with going to the gym once a week for several weeks.  When you reach your goal of going to the gym once a week, you could buy yourself some workout music.  When you reach the final goal of going every day, well it’s probably time for some new clothes because you’re looking awesome, right’

How are you going to reward yourself’  

Sometimes when all else fails, tangible things can motivate us to reach our goals, even when the reason we’re striving for those goals has nothing to do with tangible rewards and everything to do with getting healthier and living a better life.

Rewards are important to keeping the motivation alive.  However, they can also derail you from your goal if the rewards are inappropriate.  For example, if you’re on a strict no sugar plan and you reward yourself for a week with no sugar by eating a piece of cake,  you could just set yourself back.

However, if you reward yourself with a massage, a night out at the movies or a treat that you would enjoy that isn’t full of sugar, then that is an appropriate reward you can look forward to and feel good about.  Make the rewards fit the accomplishment.  If your large goal is to run three times a week and you’re starting with an initial goal of running once a week, reward yourself for running once a week with something smaller like a new song for your iPod.  And when you reach running three times a week, you could reward yourself with new running clothes or a new pair of jeans.

So what kinds of rewards will motivate you’  Make a list of some items that you can use to reward yourself.  It might be:

• New shoes
• A vacation
• Music for your ipod
• A massage
• Makeover
• Haircut
• New wardrobe
• Dinner out at that restaurant you’ve been dying to go

Make a list of the things you might be motivated by and see how they fit into your goals.  Make certain to not choose rewards that will sabotage you reaching your goal.  For example, if your goal is to lose weight, then a food reward may not be the best solution.  However, a goal that makes you feel good about yourself, like a new pair of jeans to fit your new body, might be an excellent motivational tool. Need some help setting goals — contact me to set up a 15 min goal setting session.  Need a jump start to get going — give the Savage 7 program and shot.