So.. this morning at work we had a long discussion about Thanksgiving side dishes.  Here are some of the conclusions we came up with, but I would love to here your thoughts.

1. Macaroni and cheese
   • should not contain onions, bread crumbs or Velveeta or American cheese!
   • SHOULD contain — real cheese, milk, eggs and macaroni
2. Sweet Potatoes
   • should not be sliced
   • SHOULD BE whipped or mashed and baked in a pie, served as a side dish or if you need the extra fiber baked and served in the skin.
3. Stuffing
   • this was a VERY controversial issue! Some were all about it, and some were just say no! I am of the school that stuffing is nothing but WET BREAD would you eat wet bread on any other day’ Then why would you do it on Thanksgiving.
4. Cranberry Sauce
   • another controversial one
     • some were all about the chunky cranberry sauce
     • others were shake it out of the can with can marks and all
     • me.. it’s ALL NASTY and just say no!

So.. talk me what are you thoughts on side dishes, have a missed any, please share!!!

This week, I had an opportunity to see Suzy Welch speak. She opened her speech by saying that she can’t do it all. I repeat she said she can’t do it all and she doesn’t even try. Instead she picks what’s important and moves on. What a freeing way to live.  So, if you can’t get to it, you don’t dwell on what you didn’t do’ AMAZING. That statement felt like the glowing box in Pulp Fiction.  Since that day I’ve been really thinking about what she said and then yesterday I read a great post from Lululemon about what are you going to stop doing.  It stopped me in my tracks, because as women we are always trying to figure our how we can do more!! You know we have 24 hours in 1 day and how I am ongoing to do a million and one things to make everyone happy as well as achieving my own goals.

So now I thinking, I don’t have to it all, so what am I going to stop doing!!!

1. Stop being afraid. Yes, I know I me, afraid, but I am! I have been procrastinating on taking this test because I am afraid I will fail. Guess what if I fail I can take it again. So stop talking take ACTION!
2. Stop spending more than 30 minutes on Twitter and Facebook. I love you all, but I need to get focused on taking my test and growing my business
3. Stop purchasing things and not using them. Now this is going to be tough! I have purchased so many things that still have the tags on them or books that I haven’t even cracked the spine.
4. Stop wanting everything to be perfect. If I doing something just okay. That ‘s fine. At least I’m taking steps.
5. Stop feeling like I always have to do something. Say what…It’s a rare day that I can just sit and relax, so take more time to sit and relax. I think about my grandmother, she is 88 years old and I don’t think I’ve seen her sit down for more than 10 minutes at a time. So I don’t want to look back in 48 years and say that I haven’t sat down!
6. Stop multitasking!! That’s right I’m a professional multitasker, if I’m not doing 5 things with my hair on fire I feel like I’m standing still. Moving forward I will set an old fashion kitchen timer and work on 1 thing at for 30 minutes before I move on to the next activity.

So tell me what are you going to stop doing’

So, I’m going for one of my goals. I have been thinking about running a half marathon for about 10 years. I stopped running because of the pain in my ass. I started working with a great posture guy and I was able to run the Falmouth Road Race (7.1 miles) 2 times without pain. So now I’m going to go for it.  The race is on Sunday, January 31st and my half marathon training starts on Monday!

As I begin my half marathon journey I will keep you all updated on how I’m doing. Today was a rare warm November day in New England.  I decided to go for  a little mini run (4 miles) and right now I feeling like seriously, am I going to make it 4 miles were tough! Here is my training schedule for this week.

• (more…)

Just kidding! Here we are on the cusp on Halloween and you trying to build your courage and willpower. I get it, you live in a neighborhood where there are a ton of kids and if you don’t buy a truckload of candy your house will get egged or on November 2nd you are going to walk in to find your office filled with candy landmines. Hear are 4 tips to avoid that’

1. Buy candy you don’t like. That way you are less tempted to nibble between trick or treaters
2. Can you go candy free and not the be the weird house in the neighborhood’ Could you have out granola bars or snack packs of nuts
3. Don’t buy loose candy. Trust me I love me some candy corn, but if I buy a bag it’s going down!!! As my coach would say jackass behavior is going to happen.
4. Heading to a Halloween party, how about bring the healthy appetizer or entree to share.
5. Just stay away, because they are small doesn’t mean that don’t pack on the calories. To find out how many calories, check this out.
   

Have you purchase an item specifically because a portion of the proceeds went to a breast cancer’ According to Cone Research 79 percent of consumers would likely switch to a brand that supports a cause, if all other things are equal. I’ll raise my hand I have done it each year I purchase a lunch bags from Lean Cuisine. The bags are great and I get a ton of compliments on them, and I feel good about buying them because money is going to breast cancer.  I look forward to every October so I can get new lunch bags. Well this year Lean Cuisine decided not to do them because they felt with the current economic situation they felt folks wouldn’t be inclined to purchase these lunch bags. Seriously… now more than ever people are bringing their lunch to work and the recycle bag is HUGE!  That’s just my humble opinion. This is how I felt until I read an article in last week’s Pink Overload on Yahoo.

Some cancer survivors and patient view October not as breast cancer awareness but breast cancer reminder month and some are outraged that companies are making money off of other pain and suffering. No other cause marketing has been as profitable as breast cancer merchandise.

Did you know that:

• a product with a pink ribbon is 74% more profitable than a product that doesn’t have a pink ribbon
• the use of the pink ribbon is unregulated
• a company can put a pink ribbon on its product just to “raise awareness”
• in MA you must give an update of total gross revenue generated from “cause marketing” — many companies don’t (shocking)

I am know that I am in conflict, I had a breast cancer scare and was grateful that it was just a scare and I’m glad that money is being raised for a disease that effects 1 and 8 women for when its not just a scare. So tell me below what you think’

Related posts.
Why I Wore Lipstick To My Mastectomy

On Wednesday, the TV show Cougar Town premieres on ABC. When I first heard about this show and let me take a step back, when I heard the word COUGAR I would get pissed off. I thought because a women is strong and goes for what she wants, why does she have to be a called a cougar. When a man goes for what he wants, he is called DRIVEN, DETERMINED or SUCCESSFUL.

I found a site the helped me change my mind about the term cougar.  A Real Cougar is a woman who is strong, confident, independent, sexy and proud to be past 35.

When I read I said this definition, I embraced and finally came to terms with the word cougar. Taking a look back at myself in my 20s, I remember discovering who I was in terms of my career and the woman I wanted to be living on my own for the first time. Many women work DAMN hard to discover themselves in their own terms. So I ask you ~ why does the term COUGAR have be a bad thing. Go ahead and call me a cougar. I am in the best shape of my life and living my best life with no regrets.

If you know who you are and you are not afraid to show it, embrace your cougar pride!  The Fabulous Fit Squad is all about empowerment and going for it.  So embrace your inner cougar and GO FOR IT!

Let me clarify for a minute, when I say go for it, I’m not saying put on your best push up bra and head to your nearest bar. What I am saying is look in the mirror and ask yourself are you living your best life’ Are you:

• taking a stand and making things happen
• thinking age is nothing but a number
• done listening to other people and finally tuned your inner voice ~ positive talk only please
• working out and staying healthy and active
• financially independent or working towards that goal

Don’t be afraid start living your life to its full potential.  In the comments right below tell me how your embracing your inner cougar.

When you are sick, moderate exercise is permissible. In fact research shows that people who exercise regularly a get sick less frequently, but there does come a time when you are too sick to workout.

• We’ve all hear the above the neck  rule — stuffy nose, scratchy throat, headache– you are okay to workout if you feel up to it.
• If you have a fever, congestion or feel achy stay home! It may be
  something more serious than the common cold

If you do decide to keep working make sure you stay hydrated, over the counter drugs and/or prescription drugs may leave you dehydrated and a little light headed. Be extra careful and make sure you are wiping down machines before and after using and be sure not to touch your face.  Keep your eye on your activity level, now isn’t the time to push it.

Urban myth alert — There is no evidence that you can run or sweat out a cold.

5 ways to avoid catching a cold.

Since last March all we have heard back is the SWINE! Swine flu, this and swine flu that. So winters coming and flu season will be upon us,here are some steps to avoid catching it and/or spreading the flu

1. cover your mouth when cough or sneeze — use a tissue or cough/sneeze into your shoulder
2. wash your hands frequently with hot water and soap
3. avoid contact with anyone who is sick
4. if you are sick STAY home
5. make sure you are eating and sleeping

Top 10 things you need to know about the swine

I have had sciatica pain since for the past several years. I couldn’t drive more than 30 minutes without pain shooting down my right leg and running an activity that I thoroughly enjoy was PAINFUL. So I started stretching and STOPPED running. This year was my 15th anniversary and we decided to run the Falmouth Road Race, there is that word RUN.  So … if I was going to run 7.2 miles I would need to get rid of my sciatic pain for good.
So I sought out a posture specialist, Aaron Brooks of Perfect Postures to help treat my sciatica. Why did I go to a posture specialist, my hips have been tight my hold life and so I felt that my sciatica was caused by a muscle imbalance that through sciatica exercises I could fix it fingers crossed for good. So. I went to go to my first visit. I basically a paid a man to check out my ass. Yes, I walked back and forth for about 10 min so he can study the bio-mechanics of my glutes ass. He conclusion, my right ass doesn’t fire. So he gave me some exercises do every night to help wake up my ass.

It’s been 1 month and I will tell certain muscles have come awake that have been dormant. I was doing deadlifts the other day and felt my inner thighs turn on for the first time in YEARS. I’ve been running regularly and my sciatica has acted up by not nearly as severe as it has in the past.

The morale is if you have stopped living an active life because of pain, STOP and figure out what is causing your pain. Everyone has a right to live actively.

I was reading the blogs that I keep up with regularly and read the Orlando Sentinel’s posting about fitness bucket list and it got me thinking.  I love being active and challenging myself so, that article got me thinking.

These are not written in any particular order.

1. Consistently run the Falmouth Road race in August with Philip, my husband. It’s a 7.2 mile race on the Cape, that allows 10,000 people to run in it and its a lottery to get a number. So fingers crossed we get a number consistently.
2. Run a half marathon, I would like to find one that is fun and interesting through the entire way so if someone knows of one, Holla.
3. Beat my times in next July’s Women’s Tri Fit competition. Fingers crossed my husband decides to compete in it as well.
4. Learn to kayak — this is interesting as I never go in the water past my waist.
   
5. Learn to swim — yes, I’ve gone all this time without learning how to formally swim! Basically if I want to kayak, I think I should learn to swim first, just saying.
6. Organize/promote a fitness competition — I’ve been is so many that, don’t focus on the details. I would love to do one that focuses on the details.
7. Practice yoga consistently — I love yoga, but its always the first thing I dump when I get busy prepping for a fitness competition.
8. Relearn to squat — I lost it and I want it back!
9. Do a handstand — ever since I watch Nadia Comaneci score a perfect 10. I have been obsessed with gymnastics.

What’s your fitness bucket list’ comment below

I have been avoiding finishing up my wellness coach certification. I took the 13 week class last November and have exactly 1 year to:

• take a written exam
• complete a oral exam
• chronicle 3 clients

Well here we are at almost August and I am no closer to the certification than I was last November. I continually ask myself, why haven’t taken any steps to complete this exam’ Am I afraid of succeeding, is it because their really isn’t hard goal.  I know that I am not a good test taker so am I psyching myself out by thinking that I stink at test so why rush to take the test. So I am setting a hard goal for myself.

I will take my written exam on or before 11/1.

I will take my oral exam on or before 12/1.

I will have completed 3 practice clients on or before 2/1.

1. How do I stay in shape’ I LOVE variety. During the off-season I will workout 4-5 times per week and each day I like to do something different. For cardio workouts I will do the elliptical, stairmaster, kettlebell workouts or run outside if its nice. Also I like stringing intense bodyweight workouts together to create great interval cardio and strength training workouts. I lift 3 times a week by doing a full body workout including core training. Every 4 weeks I mix up my strength training workouts to keep my body guessing.
2. What is my fitness philosophy’ I believe anyone can get fit and you don’t’ need to spend hours at the gym. Working out alone isn’t going to give you the body that you want. You need to watch what you eat. 80% of my weight results come from my diet. Also you need to commit, the perfect body doesn’t come without hard work! If you are willing to be in the work like I said anyone can get fit!
3. Supplements’ Just say no!! Most women only need a good multivitamin and calcium. All weight loss supplementation should come from a good diet! Like I stated its commitment. Your perfect body does not come in a bottle!! You earn your perfect body with hard work! If you feel that you need to take something, please seek medical advice from a medical doctor.
4. How long do I work with clients’ I love introducing people to fitness and helping them meet their fitness goals. I want to be clients to be independent so feel that they can workout on their own without my assistance.
5. How many times a week do I work with clients’ I let me clients make that determination. When you are a beginner exercisers some need that extra push and want to workout 2xs/week while other just want a weekly touchbase to help them stay on track.
6. Why did I become a personal trainer’Like many of you I had a 40 plus hour a week job, I flew 100k miles per year, eating out 80% of my meals. Guess what I gained weight. Although worked out when I could I couldn’t get a handle on my weight. Then I meet a great personal trainer who become my mentor, Mike D’Angelo. Each training session was like a learning session , I asked him a million questions during our workouts that he said why didn’t I become a trainer. So here I am.  Taking my passion and turning it into a career.