Tag: work

Morning Rise & Shine Ritual

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Snooze. Roll out of bed. More coffee. Scramble through your to-do list. Count down the minutes until you can leave the office… Sounds miserable, no? Here’s a super simple daily exercise anyone can (and should! ) use to rise, shine, and set yourself up for success, with a smile!

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  1. Write down three things that you’re grateful for today.
  2. Write down three things that you would like to get done today.

That’s it. Now, you’re centered, thankful, positive, and motivated, so go seize the day!

One Healthy Breakdown: nothin’ like a big cup of joe inspo in the morning!

Step It Up

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Let’s step it up. Move more. Burn more. Sweat more. Sit less. Feel good.

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  • Take the stairs
  • Park far away
  • Trade the car for the bike
  • Get a jump rope
  • Do the yard work
  • Jog with your dog
  • Laugh a lot
  • Wash your car
  • Play some ball
  • Clean the house
  • Play outside
  • Rearrange the furniture
  • Go for a hike
  • Sit up straight
  • Cook a meal
  • Just dance
  • Do the dishes
  • Walk the farmer’s market or grocery store

One Healthy Hamptons: ready, set, step it up!

 

March’s Tiny Change: Notice Your Subconscious Thoughts About Food

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*This post is part of Kale and Chocolate’s year-long #12tinychanges challenge. Each month, we’re implementing one small, super doable change-over a year it really adds up! Read about all changes here and share your progress on Instagram with the hashtag #12tinychanges. (Did I mention that there are lots of theme-related GIVEAWAYS each month?! Read on!)

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For the last six months, we’ve been making teeny, tiny, totally doable changes in the direction of creating and sustaining healthier lives. So far, we’ve talked about how we fuel our bodies (eating breakfast every day, trying plant-based foods, cooking at home, and moving and resting our bodies.) But a perfectly fueled, well-rested body won’t do us any good if it’s home to a negative, pessimistic, self-critical mind.

Have you ever found yourself having unkind thoughts like these?

“I can’t believe I ate all that pasta. Gross. I’m so weak.”

“How do I keep screwing this up? I told myself I wasn’t going to overeat and here I am, stuffed, unhappy, and guilty. I should be better than this.”

“I know that dairy upsets my stomach, but I just ate half a pint of ice cream. I’m so bad.”

I recognize them myself because this is something that I struggled with for ages. If I ate too much, I’d say mean things to myself. If I didn’t eat enough vegetables, ate mindlessly, or if told myself that I wasn’t going to finish the rest of the hummus and then when I did—I’d berate myself.

This food-related stress and anxiety isn’t just emotionally unhealthy: it’s physically unhealthy. Marc David, my mentor and founder of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, explains that our thoughts quite literally affect how our bodies function. Guilt and other negative, stress-related emotions trigger the release of cortisol, which can cause us to store more calories as body fat.

Thinking negative, stress-inducing thoughts after a meal impacts our digestion and nutrient assimilation and removes any pleasure we might have experienced while eating the food. To put it simply: the thoughts we think about the food we eat instantly become the reality in our bodies via the central nervous system.

By now, we’ve heard “you are what you eat,” but you are also what you think! This month, let’s commit to stopping unkind thoughts before they even start. We can rewire our mind to be more positive. Here are three steps to help you release negative food and body chatter, once and for all:

1. Take note of when and how you say these things to yourself.
For many of us, these unkind thoughts are mental background noise. We’ve heard them so many times, playing on repeat in our heads, that we don’t even notice them anymore. Whether we are aware of them or not, they affect our self-esteem, our choices, and the chemicals in our bodies. Noticing these thoughts is the first step to healing our relationships with food and our bodies.

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2. Speak to yourself the way you’d speak to a young child or a dear friend.
We would never, ever tell a friend that she was “weak” for having a second serving of brownies, but for years I’d say things like this—and worse!—to myself. When I finally realized that my negative self-talk was a problem, I struggled to find positive, supportive things to say to myself. If you’re in the same boat, talk to yourself the way you’d talk to a dear friend or a young child.

“You’re doing your best.”

“You made the most of a tough situation.”

“You’re doing a great job—keep it up!”

“I’m proud of you.”

When we give ourselves the same amount of love and attention that we give other people, our internal dialogue begins to shift. This can feel a little awkward at first, but keep the conversation going! Training a new behavior takes time, and once it’s ingrained, you’ll have swapped a harmful, unhealthy, and counter-productive habit for a positive, uplifting, healthy one. Using kind, supportive language in your conversations with yourself will help ease the food stress—and more!

3. Remember that you are the creator of your thoughts, so you can change them.
When we tune into our inner dialogue, it’s easy to feel out of control. It can seem as though we’re being forced to listen to a radio station where a mean (or even spiteful!) DJ isn’t taking requests.

But it’s important to remember that our thoughts—both good and bad—originate from us. We are the creators of our thoughts, so we are capable of changing them. I can say to myself, “That’s how I was for the last XX years, but I don’t want to be like that any more. This changes now.”

Your mind is a one-person radio station—and you are the only one who gets to choose the playlist. Believe it or not, it’s all up to you! You can even try this trick for re-routing your internal monologue: The next time you start to hear the same unkind chatter that plays on repeat, I want you to actually think (or say!) the words: “Stop. Change the station.”

Imagine reaching out toward the knob on your car radio and turning the dial. Or imagine pulling the headphones out of your iPhone and being greeted with glorious (and peaceful!) silence. Try it. You won’t believe how effective this can be!

Changing the way you think is a journey that requires a lot of focus and effort. Be gentle with yourself during this process and try not to get down on yourself when and if you have those negative thoughts again. They’re bound to resurface occasionally. Awareness is the first step here!

To help you have kinder & more loving thoughts, I’ve teamed up with some incredible partners to give you awesome and supportive tools for this month’s challenge. Simply join the conversation #12tinychanges on instragam and tag @kaleandchocolate and @hamptonskiley.

One Healthy Breakdown: What you think is just as important as what you eat. And the only person who can change your mind is YOU.

March Madness – Lucky Lunges!

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Guess what…we’re lunging right thru March and stepping into spring! Here’s how to lunge: Stand up tall. Keeping your upper body straight, take a big step forward with one foot. Lower hips and bend front knee to a 90-degree angle. Repeat on the other side. Lunges work the entire leg and core, especially the glutes, hamstrings, and abdominals. Focus on these muscles when executing each lunge to maximize benefits. Some people like to place their hands on their hips and others like to hold them in front of them for balance. Commit today and print or pin the calendar below. Complete each set on BOTH legs (so, when it says 3 lunges, that’s three lunges each side for six total!)

Lucky Lunges Monthy CalOne Healthy Breakdown: Happy March, let the madness begin!

One Healthy Mud Runner

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Introducing Candace Couper, a childhood friend of mine through horseback riding. When Candace’s posts about paleo recipes and mud runs appeared on my Facebook feed, I couldn’t wait to hear more about her transformation. I could feel Candace’s inspirational energy through her words, enjoy!

10353566_10202324567615865_2086178525415640473_n1. Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did ‘life as you know it’ come to be? How did you get into your profession? How did you get into mud runs?

I’m Candace. I’m from Boston and I currently live in Denver, CO with my awesome dog, Bruin. I came out to Denver for undergrad then ended up staying for graduate school and have been unable to leave.

I grew up horseback riding and have always loved animals. I got into social work during a high school internship. I originally chose the internship because the woman I wanted to work with was a massage therapist (and that’s what I wanted to do at the time) who also worked full time as a behavior counselor at a middle school for high-risk youth. After accompanying her to the middle school daily, I became passionate about helping at-risk youth. I decided to get my masters degree in social work when I learned about University of Denver’s animal-assisted therapy program. I thought it would be a great opportunity to combine my love of animals with my passion for helping people (and it was!)

I got into mud runs in May of 2013. I had done a few fun runs and 5ks previously and decided – on a whim – to enter the Rugged Maniac. I thought it would be a fun way to keep myself motivated. I thought I was in pretty good shape as I was running quite a few miles several times a week and riding at the time. However, Rugged Maniac kicked my butt. I was so sore afterwards that I couldn’t move for a week and was covered in bruises. Then, I happened to see a deal at Fitness Together (a personal training studio) for introductory sessions and I decided to go for it. I haven’t looked back since! This was the start of a complete lifestyle change for me. I’ve learned so much about exercise, nutrition and all around being healthy. I’ve lost quite a bit (weight, body fat, bad habits, etc.) but have gained so much more (strength, empowerment, courage, self-confidence, and more!) I’ve since participated in eight fun/mud/obstacle runs including the Tough Mudder!

9201924_race_0.5178423625966894.display2. Is there any overlap in your profession and your values for health, wellness, and challenging yourself? Do you ever combine the two? In what ways?

Yes! I’m currently working for an after school program focused on movement, nutrition, and mindfulness, which overlap quite a bit with my own core values. Within the social work profession, I am personally very interested in alternative therapies. I’ve utilized equine-assisted therapy, community agriculture, and food justice work with at-risk youth. In the future, I hope to combine my passion for health with my profession by using fitness as a form of an alternative therapy. It’s one of the best methods out there!

3. What is your favorite workout? Favorite weekend activity?

I go back and forth; I was doing a ton of HIIT, (high intensity interval training) which is great for cardio and strength in one and utilizes very little equipment. While HIIT is a very effective workout, I recently switched back to strength/weight training. My original goal when I first joined the gym, and committed to changing my lifestyle, was to get stronger, which is one of the many benefits of weight training. My favorite weight training exercises are squats and deadlifts. I love the feeling I get after a hard weight training session – I feel accomplished, strong and confident.

My favorite weekend activities are hiking and walking my dog. There are so many great hiking areas close to Denver. This past summer, I spent most of my weekends training and doing Mud Runs, including the Manitou Incline and hiking my first 14er (we actually did two/three in one day!).

4. As a young woman, hard worker, and athlete, how do you maintain balance in your life?

Balance has been one of the hardest aspects for me, especially while I was still in school. However, I’m a firm believer that if something matters to you, then you can make some time for it…even if it means going to the gym at 6am on a Saturday. Combining multiple aspects of my life is another great way I’ve found balance. For example, when my family came out for my graduation, I convinced some of my family members to do a mud run with me which was super fun!

5. Any great healthy/balance tips for other young woman?

Keep it interesting and find what you like! This applies to everything – fitness, nutrition, work, and your personal life. If you aren’t enjoying what you’re doing or if you’re bored, you’ll become miserable and less likely to stick with it. Figure out what works for you, (I like working out with a trainer and prefer to work out by myself. Some people work better when they have the support of a buddy or group classes) do it for yourself no one else, keep healthy snacks on hand, (I keep a bag of washed baby carrots in the door of my fridge so even if I’m mindlessly snacking, I am more likely to grab something healthy.) and be patient – with the process and with yourself.

6. What food items do you always keep in your house?

There are so many food items I always have in my apartment – being prepared makes cooking and eating healthy meals so much easier. I always have a wide variety of fresh and frozen produce (frozen is great for emergencies and frozen fruit is one of my favorite desserts.) I always have some sort of precooked protein on hand for nights when I don’t feel like cooking or I’m short on time. Other things I always have are eggs, chicken, nuts, and homemade snacks.

10629590_10202906037232242_5330012433469019646_n7. What is your favorite indulgence?

I’m a huge chocolate hoarder, especially when it comes to dark chocolate.

8. How do you make health a priority in your life?

Being healthy is somewhat of a new priority for me. At first, it was really difficult to stick with it, but I’ve discovered that being healthy really is a lifestyle. Meal prepping has been a huge help when it comes to eating healthy. In terms of fitness, thankfully, I live in a great place that emphasizes living an active lifestyle and a lot of my friends enjoy being active as well. That makes it easier and more enjoyable to make health my priority.

9. What is your FAVORITE thing about mud runs?

There are so many things about mud runs that I love. I love the physical and mental challenge. One of my favorite aspects, though, has to be the camaraderie. Every mud run I’ve done has focused on helping out fellow participants; there is always someone to lend a hand if you need it whether it be a fellow participant or a volunteer. Participants at mud runs tend to be so supportive and encouraging of one another, which lends to an amazing environment.

10. One Healthy Breakdown: Candace is one tough mudder we can all learn from! Whatever we’re working through in our lives, put health and yourself first!

Crunching Cravings

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Thanks to Elise of Kale & Chocolate, for sharing her chewy story on One Healthy Hamptons!

Recently, one of my awesome clients came to me with a situation:

She nourishes her body regularly with vibrant, nutrient-dense meals. Fitness is a fun part of her daily regime. When it comes to her health, she feels better than ever.

Except…

photo(194)Every night, during family time, her husband heads into the kitchen to pop a huge bowl of movie theater popcorn. You know—that caloric bomb swimming in salt and mysterious bright yellow butter.

And, every night, that bowl of popcorn would seep into her senses. And before she could stop herself, her hand was digging in—over and over.

I knew this smart, savvy, health-conscious woman wasn’t actually craving that kind of popcorn. She usually makes the right choices, and truly prefers whole foods over processed & fat-laden options.

So, what was she really craving?

Together, we dug deep and went through a roadmap to discover her cravings, peeling back the layers and looking for any emotional triggers, too. We still couldn’t crack the crunchy code.

She filled up on nutritionally balanced smoothies for breakfast. Lunch was usually a big vibrant bowl of veggie or lentil soup, and she was enjoying dinners that included some combination of fish (or other protein), sweet potatoes and sautéed leafy greens.

She told me that when the popcorn appeared each night, she wasn’t hungry. She felt satiated, and noticed that her energy levels were sky high. So, what was ultimately the problem?

She was missing the CRUNCH. While her meals were nutritious & delicious, her smoothies, soups and softer foods weren’t cutting it with her urge to crunch.

Craving the crunch is quite common. When we’re stressed from a long day, we subconsciously clench our jaw. Chewing a crunchy food in your mouth releases this tension. And when you don’t satisfy your need for crunch in your meals, then you’re much more likely to turn to the less healthy options in between. (Hello chocolate chip cookies!)

When we think of balancing our meals to prevent cravings, the “protein-fat-carbs” macronutrient trifecta is at the top of our minds. (And it should be for steady blood sugar levels.) But, we don’t often consider the importance of balancing texture to keep us satisfied & satiated.

In the spirit of recognizing our craving for crunch (minus the calorie-laden, nutrient-deficient chips, popcorn & pretzels), here are my favorite ways for you to munch & savor crunch as part of your meal or for a mid-day snack.

Crunchy Meal Toppers:

For a creamy smoothie or an extra thick smoothie bowl, top it off with nuts, trail mix, homemade granola, seeds, cacao nibs, coconut chips or chopped up apples, pears, or frozen fruit. (If you haven’t checked out Breakfast Criminals yet, you should! I’ve been totally inspired to step up my breakfast game with some pretty creative smoothies & toppings.)

For a satiating meal of oats or quinoa, put walnuts, almonds or any combo of nuts and fruit to add more texture.

For beautiful salads in a bowl or mason jar, think about including the crisp vegetables like carrots, red pepper, cucumber, cabbage, celery, jicama, and broccoli. Then, sprinkle some kale chips, nuts, seeds or roasted garbanzo beans as a finishing touch.

For that piping hot bowl of soup that will warm you up from this inside out, pair it with flax crackers or a side of carrots & cucumbers.

crunchy-wideCrunchy Standbys:

Kale Chips (or sweet & spicy here)
Pumpkin or sunflower seeds
Nuts—almonds, walnuts, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, cashews, pistachios
Trail Mix
Roasted Chickpeas
Raw veggies
Apples, pears
Frozen grapes
Homemade Granola
Cacao nibs
Chocolate (Keep it in the freezer for that extra snap when breaking off a square.)

Just in case you’re curious, my client now happily enjoys a crisp apple and a handful of almonds while her husband still eats his popcorn. She feels amazing and completely satisfied.

One Healthy Breakdown: A little crunch goes a long way.

*Elise Museles is an attorney turned Certified Eating Psychology & Nutrition Expert. She helps women stuck in a motivation-to-frustration cycle adopt a more joyful & positive approach to nourishment that starts with the food on the plate, but ultimately extends to all areas of life. Enter a delicious world full of freedom, ease, and fun at Kale & Chocolate. For daily inspiration, join Elise on Facebook and follow her on Twitter and Instagram @kaleandchocolate.

Spring Cleaning. It’s Happening.

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Spring has sprung! Now it’s time to clean out the winter left-overs and lighten the load!

household cleaner with rubber gloves bucket and sponge..I’m just going to be totally candid with you here: one of the main motivations of this post is totally selfish. I practice what I preach and I need to practice spring cleaning…in a big way…immediately. So, here are my top cleaning tips/note-to-self:

1. Don’t go crazy. You don’t have to get it all done at once. Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither was a good spring cleaning. Make a list of priorities and a plan of attack. Personally, I’m dedicating a whole day just to my closet. Sadly, it needs it and I’m not going at this task half-assed. It’s go big or go home. And we’re going big.

2. Go au natural. Slowly but surely, replace things as you need them with more natural products. This has been huge for me. One by one, when I’m out of something, (from household cleaning products to makeup, food to face-wash, sheets to shampoo to shower curtain, etc.) instead of just replacing it, I evaluate, read some labels, and do a natural upgrade. Eventually, you’ll have a natural collection of products you can really feel good about using.

3. “Springify” your closet. First, take out the winter stuff. Those chunky sweaters will clear up lots of room to replace with your spring and summer wardrobe. Then, it’s out with the old and in with the new. This goes for both winter and spring. As you put your winter wear away and take out your spring clothing, (in an organized fashion) go thru it one-by-one. If you haven’t worn it in a year, put it in the donation pile and don’t look back (note to self: don’t go thru donation pile with last-minute re-considerations. Begone. Good riddance. Ciao.) Once you’ve weeded through the closet and lightened things up, think about a way to best organize and get to it. This involves a little bit of careful consideration and individuality. Do what makes sense to you, establish a system you’ll keep up with, whether it’s by category, color, how you get dressed, or your own creative system. Then, keep it up.

4. Possibly most important to living a cleaner, neater, free-er life: De-clutter. The kitchen, the desk, the night-table. Everything is better when it’s simple, when you can find it. As soon as you get the mail, throw the crap (excuse my french) out. Go thru these spaces weekly to do a small clean-out before it builds and builds to justify a large, time-consuming, clean-out (due to losing something really important on the bottom of the pile…)

5. Lastly, enjoy it! Make your home feel like-new and embrace all of your hard work with a little reward. Fresh-cut flowers, a new pillow or accessory, fresh cleaning products, and open windows will fill your home with spring goodness and can make you feel reborn and rejuvenated.

One Healthy Breakdown: Ah, the magic of a clean house after a LONG winter hibernation!

How to Make Taxes Fun

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Two businessmen jumping and celebrating on the beachOk, so the only bad thing about the spring season (other than this RIDICULOUS winter weather – have I mentioned I hate the cold?!) is that it happens to commence with tax season. Thankfully, here are some ideas on how to make taxes fun (ok, that’s an exaggeration.)

How to make doing taxes suck less:

1. Listen to fun music.

2. Have a fun snack.

3. Make a fun drink.

4. Commiserate with a fun friend.

5. Start your taxes before April 14th.

6. Break up the work.

7. Take fun breaks.

8. Reward yourself with something fun when all of the fun’s over.

9. Don’t be afraid to wear your suit to the beach.

10. Appreciate the fact that taxes usually means we have a job…and jobs are good.

One Healthy Breakdown: don’t have toooo much fun this tax season!

Body Flow. Love Thy Flow.

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I try a LOT of workout classes. Like, a lot. Some I love, some I don’t. Some I stick with, some I don’t. Year after year, I just keep coming back to Body Flow. Body Flow is Les Mills’ low-impact, low-intensity, highly-relaxing combination of yoga, Pilates, and Tai Chi that’s sure to warm-up the body, heart, and soul.

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Similar to yoga, Body Flow centers and calms the mind while working the body. The 55 minute class, like most Les Mills’ classes, is divided into eight tracks. Class commences with a rhythmic Tai Chi warm-up to loosen the muscles and focus the mind on less rigid movements and more flow.

photo 4Following tracks vary between yoga and Pilates, from sun salutations to balance, an intense core track, all while stretching and toning each major muscle group. Every move to every track is choreographed to the music and the method.

photo 5While Body Flow is based on yoga, it is unlike a typical vinyasa in that the music and movements are constantly changing, keeping you on your toes. What’s not low-intensity? The ab track, that’s for sure. Les Mills doesn’t joke around when it comes to abs. Luckily, there are modifications for everything. You’ll burn some cals and widdle that middle.

The last track of any Body Flow class, possibly the most beneficial, is meditation, which reduces stress, increases relaxation, absorbs the movement, and focuses the mind for the rest of the day. These 10 minutes are immensely valuable, especially for people like me who have every intention of setting aside time each day to relax and reflect, however, life often gets in the way. I have a feeling you can relate? When I plan to attend a Body Flow class, I feel like I’m setting aside “me time” and I show up, always happy I did.

Everyone, from athletes to first-timers, yogis to non-yogis, male, female, younger, older, and everyone in between, can benefit from Body Flow. Regardless of your current ability, Body Flow’s poses, stretches, and moves will create suppleness, flexibility, focus, and rejuvenation. It’s the perfect compliment to your existing fitness routine and will strengthen balance, flexibility, and most importantly, mental relaxation. And the best part is that this class is available throughout the week at BOTH Hamptons Gym Corp and Studio 89 Fitness, taught by fabulous instructors, like Zivile and Yvonne featured.  IMG_2718(1)

One Healthy Breakdown: Work the body, center the mind at Body Flow!

February HUGS Challenge

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Get ready to hug it out this month! Print, pin, or save this calendar and HUG your way right through the shortest month of the year! A hug is done from the side plank position. Bend top arm under body, hold for one second, and return upright. Repeat according to the day and then do the same on the other side. Once the number of hugs becomes more than 16, you may start dividing your hugs into sets if need be. Share with your family and friends to spread the love…and the burn! You’ll feel these throughout your core: abs, obliques, shoulders, and more…enjoy!

Feb Hugs Cal

One Healthy Breakdown: brought to you with love, these hugs may burn!