I always sign off from my blog post with "be kind to yourself". But it seems like maybe I need to be encouraging people to be "be kind to others" as well!


The other day a man at the gym cussed out my husband for taking "too long" on a machine. 


A girl at the gym came up to me with tears in her eyes because some of the other women in the zumba class we took made fun of the way she was dancing. 


You know what? The thing that makes you the most beautiful is a smile. When someone makes eye contact with you, really how hard is it to smile? Don't just look away! Your smile could be just the thing that makes that person's heart feel better. It could be the encouragement someone needs. And it's one size fits all! No matter how physically fit you are, a smile should be the first thing you put on in the morning! 


And if someone is mean to you, cusses you out 'cause you took too long on a machine, or makes fun of the way you dance, well... something I am teaching my 5 year old is that if someone is mean, they are probably hurting. They are punishing YOU for how bad they feel about themselves. Confident, lovely, happy people don't go off on others, do they? So just walk away from those people. Say a little prayer for them. Put a smile on! 



You will never, ever regret being kind. To yourself, or others! 

It's been quite awhile since I last posted a blog. The truth is, I've been feeling a bit uninspired. My workouts are the same, my eating hasn't been great, and I've feel an overall ho-humness about fitness in general. 


Life gets like that sometimes doesn't it? You work so hard to achieve something, and once you are there, it's like "what's the big deal?" 


What shook me out of it was a small, shall we say, discussion, with my husband. See, the town I live in is very, very hilly. And I live almost at the tippy top of town, on a huge hill. So when I do my outside runs, I run mostly downhill, and ask hubby to pick me up at the end of 5 miles. Yes, I am running downhill for the most part. But I AM pushing myself and 5 miles is 5 miles. Well, darling hubby was giving me a hard time about always running downhill and never running back. And I was pissed. I mean PISSED. Because 22 months ago I could barely run 1/4 mile. I was nearly 70 lbs heavier. So I gave him a good old fashioned piece of my mind, letting him know EXACTLY how far I've come, and that I can and will continue to set goals for myself but running straight uphill isn't on my agenda for right now! 


It's a shame that it took this spat with my hubby (who is really very supportive and cool about my working out and the healthy food I make him eat) to help me realize how far I've come. I've lost 10 inches from my chest and hips and 3 inches off each thigh. I've lost a lot of weight.  I've gone from being considered "obese" to being considered "healthy". I have made and will continue to make changes and challenges to keep me healthy, inside and out. This is something to be proud of, to look at myself and say "good job, girl! Work it out!"


Whatever road you are on, stop once in awhile and look behind you. See how far you've come. Every small step forward is a step in the right direction. Maybe you've become a kinder person. Maybe you've become a more patient mother. Maybe you've taken steps to eat healthier or be more fit. Whatever you've done to make yourself better, I am so proud of you. And you should be proud of yourself as well. Don't let yourself get into a rut where you feel bored with your achievements. There is nothing wrong with giving yourself an ego boost now and again to remind you that YOU ARE AMAZING!!  Keep pushing yourself to be your very best. And if you get a little ho hum about life, try not to pick a fight with your hubby! ;)




This recipe has quite a bit of sodium from the seasoning packet, but it's a marinade so most of it doesn't stay on the chicken. 


California Chicken Club
boneless skinless chicken breast (enough for your family)
ranch dressing seasoning packet
1/4 cup non fat plain greek yogurt
juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon olive oil
whole wheat Mediterranean flat bread (Trader Joe's) 1 for each person
spinach, tomatoes, avocado and red onion sliced thinly
turkey bacon (1 slice for each person), cooked well and crumbled (OPTIONAL!)


In a large bowl, mix together the yogurt and ranch season. Reserve about 2 tablespoons. Add in the olive oil and lemon juice. Add chicken to bowl, tossing to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1/2 half hour, longer if you can. 


Grill the chicken on the barbecue. While the chicken is cooking, cook the bacon if using. Slice the tomatoes, avocado and red onion.
 put the flat bread directly on the rack in the oven, heated to 350. Heat for about 5 minutes. 
Once chicken is cooked through, let it rest for a minute or two and then slice. 
Top each flatbread with some of the reserved ranch. Top with chicken, spinach, tomatoes, avocado and red onion. 


I usually serve this with a side salad, fruit salad or veggie :) 




I really really really love to hear your comments! If you have any ideas for a blog post, let me know! Be kind to yourself!

My Next Goal

Yesterday I was talking to my best friend about fitness, and health (BIG props to Megan Tooker! She's running her first full marathon next week and I am SO proud of her!). We were talking about how proud we feel that we have achieved some of the goals we set out for ourselves. And I shared with her something that I still struggle with, that I would like to get over. 

See, I'm not skinny. I never have been, I never will be. I'm not fat... I'm fit, I'm healthy, I look and feel pretty good. BUT. When I'm at the gym, I'll be working out, and feeling pretty good and then BAM! A girl smaller than me will come in. And I'll feel jealous. I'll see her talking on her phone while walking slowly on the treadmill, while I'm doing sprints at an incline behind her and I'll think "Good Lord, this is so unfair!" 

It kind of goes off my last post. I have this mental image of what is beautiful (basically, what the media has shoved down my throat) and since I don't measure up to that with my flat chest and big booty, I must not be as beautiful. Right? C'mon ladies, say it with me: WRONG!

So I've posted some picture of gorgeous, strong, fit, not skinny women. Women I can look at and say "yes, I CAN look like that!" These women are just like me, and maybe just like you. 

I'm not saying there is anything wrong at all with being small. God made us in all shapes and sizes. If you are blessed to have a small frame, girl, enjoy it! All I'm trying to say is that those of us with bigger bodies need to feel just as beautiful and strong and sexy as our smaller sisters. Amen. 

So here you go, my friends. Please don't compare yourself to them. Be inspired by them!  Don't say "it's not fair I don't look like that", say "if she can have that amazing shape, I can too!" This isn't meant to be de-motivational! It's meant to show HEALTHY is beautiful and sexy, not any particular shape or size! 

be kind to yourself!

YOU LOOK DAMN GOOD!

I saw this today...


I just wanted to take a moment to address a story about my recent weight loss that began circulating today. This story led people to believe that I shed 25 lbs (pounds) by not eating, which is completely ridiculous. “I am a mother of three young children, two of whom are girls and I’m trying to raise them with a healthy body image. It’s taken me almost a year to lose close to 25 lbs and I did it through healthy diet and exercise. So yes, I’m a bit smaller, but still curvy and 100% healthy and proud of my body and the time it has taken me to undergo this personal journey for myself. “I’m not one of those ‘superstar moms’ who lost all their baby weight in a week. So, yes, I’m upset about the innuendo because I just can’t win. In the past year there have been numerous rumors about my weight – first I was attacked for being a size 10, now I’m anorexic? “I’m a real woman and I represent real women. I believe that people are beautiful at any size, color or weight. The way this article was promoted is unfortunate – what a silly way to sensationalize a story, especially when you know young people will be reading it. There must be more accountability in reporting, especially considering the far reaching impact on girls and young women who are exposed to this kind of misleading information on a daily basis. What kind of example is that setting for them?”  Kimora Lee Simmons




OK... let's be real. Celebrities, on average have about 10% body fat (according to a celebrity trainer I saw on TV :) ). Healthy body fat percentage for women is in 20-33% range. So these already under fat women are then photoshopped, dressed in the most flattering clothes money can buy and for some reason, we real life women, who don't make any money off looking good, compare ourselves to them. I have to ask... what the hell is wrong with us?! 


When did it become sexier to be scary skinny than healthy? Why do we hurt ourselves by either over or under eating because we don't look a certain way? 


When I started getting healthier, my friend asked me what my goals were. My number one goal was to be healthy to set an example for my daughter. I never, ever want her to look at herself and hate what she sees. I never, ever want her to be defined by the size of her jeans or the number on the scale. I wanted my daughter to see me being healthy and have that just be what we do in this house. And I truly believe having that as my goal, not wanting to be skinny, or sexy, or look like Jennifer Aniston, has been what has kept me focused. 


I hate that it seems like hardly any woman I know can look at herself, no matter what size she is and say "I look DAMN good!" Because we are all so beautiful! We are mothers who give 110% of ourselves ALL the time! We are wives who build our husbands up and carry their burdens on our shoulders! We are sisters that love each other through cancer, and raising children, and the deaths of siblings, and substance abuse and pain and yet we KEEP ON GOING. We keep on LOVING. And ladies, no matter what you look like, no matter how much cellulite or juggly mama belly you have, I gotta tell you... YOU LOOK DAMN GOOD! 


Give your children, nieces and friends the legacy of health. Set an example of loving yourself. Eat right, excercise, and don't compare yourself to celebrities. If you ever feel unpretty, think about what your best friend or sister would say about you. I bet the last thing that would ever come out of her mouth would be "fat" or "ugly", right? Love yourself the way your best friend loves you. She sees the beauty in you, inside and out. And if your in doubt, shoot, give that girl a call, tell her to come over for a cocktail and a pep talk! And give her one in return!

God bless you today and be kind to yourself!

no such thing as free

I want to briefly talk about "free" food... as in Fat Free, Sugar Free and any other Free you can think of. 


Food companies aren't stupid. They also aren't, shall we say... moral. They know we want to keep eating yummy stuff, but want to do it without the guilt. So they slap a label on the bottle or box saying "FREE" and know we are gullible enough to take the bait. 


Here's what they don't tell you: when you take something out, like fat or sugar, you have to put something back in to make it taste the same. This comes in the form of chemicals or sodium. If it says "sugar free" it is probably has aspertane or splenda as a replacement, both of which have been tested to cause cancer and tumors. Really really gross. 


I've said it before, I'll say it again. DON'T  buy processed diet foods. They are so bad for you!! It makes so much more sense to indulge in a good quality, short-list ingredient ice cream occasionally than to eat an ice cream full of poison every night! 


Trust me, I love sweets as much as anybody. Here are a few ideas for a sweet treat: 

mix together a little honey and unsweetened cocoa powder. Use it to dip strawberries or frozen bananas in it. 

mix together honey and a little almond butter and dip frozen bananas in it. 

buy a good quality chocolate bar and have 1 square of it with a small glass of sparkling wine 

place a grapefruit under the broiler for about 5 minutes. Top with a little honey. 

If you have any other ideas, I'd love to hear them!!


Now I want to talk about the world's most delicious food: PIZZA! Oh, Lord I hadn't found a way to make pizza healthy I wouldn't have been able to stay on track. My family actually prefers this pizza to take out now. I hope you will too!


All items purchased at... TRADER JOE'S
preheat oven to 425 degrees


whole wheat pizza crust
1/3 of a bottle of pizza sauce
kalmata olives
feta cheese 
salame
1/2 a red pepper, diced
4 sliced mushrooms




cut the pizza crust into 4 equal parts immediately after taking it out of the package. let rest for 20 minutes, then spread out with your hands. place each piece on a cookie sheet sprayed with olive oil cooking spray. Top with sauce and all toppings ( I don't put the salame on mine, but the rest of the family loves it. Just put about 4 slices on each piece, you don't want to overdo it as it has a lot of fat). Put in oven for about 15 minutes. Serve with a green salad. YUM!!!



Be Kind To Yourself!! 

Fritatta Recipe

Hello all,
Hope you are enjoying this lovely Sunday! I am bringing you my new favorite recipe, frittatta. I LOVE it because it fits all my criteria: fast, easy, healthy. Not only that but you can make it about a zillion different ways.  It's great to use at the end of the week when you have all those odds and ends left in the fridge. Throw in mushrooms, bell pepper, zucchini and mozzarella cheese for an Italian frittata. Or some black beans, corn, jalapeno and cheddar for a Mexican frittatta. 


This recipe used what I had on hand this week and it was so yummy!


A bowlful of frozen spinach
1/2 a red bell pepper
about 6 crimini mushrooms
frozen hash browns (a generous hand full)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 yellow onion
4 eggs
splash of milk
sprinkle of feta cheese


You are going to want to use a well seasoned cast iron skillet. If you don't have one, you can use a non-coated (a non stick pan won't work, for example) skillet, just wrap some foil around the handle for when it goes in the oven.


Set your oven to broil and place the oven rack about 4 inches below the flame. 


On your stove top, heat the oil in the cast iron skillet. Add hash browns and heat until cooked through. Meanwhile, heat the spinach in the microwave with a splash of water for about 2 minutes, or until heated through. Drain spinach well by placing the leaves on a few layers of paper towels and squeezing out the liquid. 


Once hash browns are cooked, add onion and red pepper. Cook a few minutes, until onions are softened. Add mushrooms, and once they are soft, add spinach.


Whisk together eggs and splash of milk. If you like, add in some garlic powder and black pepper. Pour evenly over veggies in skillet. Add the feta on top (just a sprinkle, the cheese is the only thing that is fattening in this dish so go easy!). Cook over medium heat until the eggs start to lift away from the pan on the edges. 


Place pan in oven and cook under the broiler for about 4 minutes, until the top looks puffy and golden brown. Cut into wedges and serve!


Be Kind to yourself!

No Excuses

Have you been watching the Biggest Loser this season? The theme is "no excuses". I'm totally motivated by this show... If you haven't watched it before, give it a try! 


I like the idea of no excuses. This morning, my son threw up in the car on the way to the gym. It was the perfect opportunity for me to say "oh, well. I guess I can't work out today". After all, I couldn't take my kid in, so what  could I do? 


What I did was go home. I got my son (and the car seat!) cleaned up. Then I put him in the jogging stroller and went for a run. Was it the workout I had planned on having? No. But I burned a lot more calories pushing a stroller 2 miles than I would've if I had just come in and watched TV. 


3 months into my decision to get healthier my sister took her life. At this time, my son was still not sleeping through the night. Because of open spots at work, my husband was working a ton of overtime, which meant that he was home about 1 day a week... not 1 day a week, coming home at night, one day a week PERIOD. My life was literally falling apart around me. It would've been the perfect time to climb into bed and just try to get by. Who could blame me?


But I didn't do that. I kept working out, kept eating healthy. I kept pushing myself, even though it was so, so hard. 


I'm not saying this to toot my own horn or to say" look how amazing I am". I'm saying this because we ALL have obstacles every single day. We all have things that can stand in our way of eating the way we're supposed to and working out. I'm no different than you. I AM you. If I can do it, YOU CAN TO!!! 


No excuses. This means that if you have an injury, you modify your exercise. If you work all day, you get up early to get a run in. If you can't afford a gym membership, you pick up some weights on craigslist or a yard sale and you get your work out at home. If you can't afford childcare, you find a jogging stroller (again, craigslist, yard sales... I got mine at the Moo La La Boutique for $20!) and you take your kids for runs or walks. If you're too tired to cook at the end of the day, plan and prep your meals in advance. 


Please don't get me wrong. I remember about 4 months after my son was born someone telling me that if working out was important to me, I would find a way to do it. I'm basically telling you the same thing now... but I was getting up 6 times a night with my son, and my husband was rarely home to help me. I was being hard on myself for not running a few miles a day when I could barely function due to lack of sleep. Sleep was more important to my brain function. There ARE times when you need to balance. BUT notice I say balance, not give up. I could have balanced myself by going for walks a few days a week or by asking for help (gasp!) with the kids so I could take a nap and have the energy to work out. 


Balance means ordering a pizza once in a while because you're too tired to cook... not ordering a pizza once a week because it tastes good. Balance means not working out for a few days when you're sick.. not stopping  your workouts all together because you're too tired. 


Everyday is a new opportunity to be a better you. More kind, more compassionate. You can be more generous. You can worry less and pray more. You can laugh more and yell less. You can take the opportunity of this day you've been given to be healthier in every way. You can put the cookie down and pick up an apple. You can push yourself a little bit harder at the gym.  As long as there is breath in your body, you serve a purpose. Be the best you can. Do the best you can. After all, there is only one you! Why shouldn't it be the very very BEST you??

Be kind to yourself today and always!

Cleanliness is next to Fitness

A few weeks ago we talked about what goes onto our plates: 50% veggies, 25% grains and 25% lean protein. If you have started doing that, congratulations! I'm so proud of you for taking steps toward healthier eating. Now I'd like to share with you what it means to eat CLEAN food. 


Just because food has passed an FDA inspection doesn't mean it's good for you. I'm not here to gripe about the government, but I do believe that the government is controlled by lobbyists, and that they care a lot more about money than our health. It's up to us to know what we are putting into our bodies and not assume that just because it says "healthy" on the label, that it actually is healthy. 


I'd like to encourage you to do your homework and read a few books and watch a movie. The books are Master Your Metabolism by Jillian Michaels and Skinny Bitch by Kim Barnouin.  These books also have cookbooks that work with them. Now, once you read these, you may feel a little overwhelmed. They recommend an entire lifestyle change. I personally, don't believe it's realistic to make huge changes like that, but you absolutely can make small changes (I've listed a few below) and work towards the bigger changes (I also don't believe in Jillian's thoughts that eating pineapple and papaya are wrong... you don't see anyone sitting at Weight Watchers saying "I just can't stop eating pineapple!).  The movie I'd like you to watch is on Netflix and it's called Food, Inc. 


All of these things will give you some insight into the billion dollar food industry. You will be shocked at what we unthinkingly put into our bodies. No wonder we are sick!


I'd like to encourage you to try taking on a few of these changes. They are simple changes! Remember that in our goals to become healthier we have to keep continually moving forward, doing more for ourselves and our families!


-Here is a list of the foods that contain the most pesticides and should be bought organic every time; and the ones that contain the least and don't need to be organic
12 Most Contaminated

• Peaches
• Apples
• Sweet Bell Peppers
• Celery
• Nectarines
• Strawberries
• Cherries
• Pears
• Grapes (Imported)
• Spinach
• Lettuce
• Potatoes

 

12 Least Contaminated

• Onions
• Avocado
• Sweet Corn (Frozen)
• Pineapples
• Mango
• Asparagus
• Sweet Peas (Frozen)
• Kiwi Fruit
• Bananas
• Cabbage
• Broccoli
• Papaya

You may notice that grapes are included on the dirty list. If you drink a lot of wine daily I would recommend switching to an organically grown wine. 

I realize that organically grown products are more expensive than standard items. Which brings me to my next challenge...

-Stop eating out so much. Just cutting back once twice a month will save you around $40 a month. Put that money towards your organic items! 

-Trade one meal a week (breakfast, lunch or dinner) for a vegetarian meal. As a nation, we consume a lot of animal protein. Other protein sources are beans, legumes, tofu... the Skinny Bitch cookbook has tons of great recipes (and I got mine for $6 off amazon!). These other sources are usually lower in calories and cheaper to purchase organic. Plus, you don't have to worry about knowing if your meat has been humanely treated. Which brings us to our last challenge...

-TRY to have an idea of whether or not your meat has been humanely treated. I'm no PETA activist. I do stay away from pork and beef but I'm not a vegetarian by any means. BUT as a massage therapist, I have noted that muscles that are put under stress are full of lactic acid. An animal that is being abused will have muscles (which is what we eat) full of lactic acid. Words you should look for are "free range" "grass fed" and "organic". You will have the best luck at Clark's. You can also try and find a local butcher but I haven't had much luck with that route (if YOU do, please let me know!!) These kinds of meats can be pretty pricey. If you can't afford to go that route (I personally can't!) than the next best thing is hormone free, nitrate free and nitrite free (you will find nitrates and nitrites in lunch meats and hot dogs. A good brand to try is Boar's Head, found at Gerrard's and most local delis). 

And then I have one challenge for you regarding overall health. Try and change your goal. Everyone says "I want to gain/lose about 10 lbs". Try and narrow your goal down a bit. 

I want to run a 5K race (and sign up for one!)

I want to do weight training twice a week to gain muscle

I want to play more actively with my kids

I want to run a 8 minute mile

By giving yourself a reachable goal, you take the focus off of what you AREN'T (skinny, fit, whatever) and put the focus on what you CAN do. You will feel proud for every step you take. Checking the scale everyday will only make you feel bad on those days you're off (have you hidden yours yet???)

Remember that you can ask me any questions and if I don't have the answer, I'll find someone who does!!! 

BE KIND TO YOURSELF!!

Spaghetti Recipe

TIP: Eating healthfully is incredibly scary at first. It's so hard to give up the yummy foods we love! I've learned that taking small steps keeps me on track. I think one of the simplest ways to incorporate healthy foods is to simply add more veggies to your every day meals. For example, if you eat mac and cheese, throw a handful of frozen peas or broccoli into the boiling water. Or layer a few roasted red peppers in the bun with your hot dog or burger. Adding just a few veggies to your normal meals will give you additional nutrients, as well as adding fiber, which will make you feel full faster. 





Easy Spaghetti Recipe
 (all ingredients found at Trader Joe's)


1 package Sweet Chicken Sausage
1 Jar Tomato Basil Spaghetti Sauce
1/2 package whole wheat pasta
whatever veggies you have on hand: bell peppers, mushrooms, onion, zucchini, spinach... chopped.


set a pot of water to boil for the spaghetti and heat a deep pan over med-high heat. Cut casings off the sausage and cook in pan, breaking up larger pieces. Cook until no longer pink. At this point, the water should be boiling for pasta. Put the pasta in to cook, and pour the spaghetti sauce over the sausage, turning heat to low. In another pan, heat about a teaspoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add veggies, in order of what takes longest to cook (onions and bell peppers first, then add mushrooms, zucchini, etc, adding spinach last. 
Once pasta is cooked, drain. When I make this, I don't give myself any pasta, I just serve the sauce over the veggies and give Andrew and the kids the pasta with a little veggies mixed in. Serve with Parmesan cheese. 


I have some good news!!! My registered dietitian friend Alyson has agreed to let me shamelessly abuse her. So if you have any questions regarding nutrition, please let me know! Anything that I can't answer, she can! 


Be Kind to Yourself!

Building Blocks

In my efforts to be healthy, I have spoken with many trainers and people who have been working out for many years. I wanted to know what we ALL want to know: how do I get maximum results? The key is to eat healthfully (my biggest hangup!) and to work out consistently.


Working out seems to be the biggest trouble for most people. It can be difficult to work in the time for it, especially when you work and/ or have kids.


The truth is though, there is no way around it. Our bodies were designed for labor. We need to work our bodies to be healthy. So if you are ready to begin working out, I have a few tips for you. I know how difficult it can be to say "I'm ready to take this step... I just have no idea what to do". I'm going to outline the basics, what each thing is and why you should do it. There are many links online to show you proper form and training tips. Try to remember that YOU DESERVE to have 90 minutes a day to devote to your body. There is not other things more important. YOU ARE IMPORTANT! Your health is important! You deserve this! 


Cardio. Cardio work outs use your cardiovascular system, your lungs and heart. You burn the most calories during cardio excersize. Interval training burns the most calories the fastest. Interval training is getting your heart rate up to a maximum safe level, dropping it off a little, and quickly getting it back up. This can be done by jogging/sprinting, step aerobics, biking on hills, hiking... it would differ from distance running, walking, or swimming in that those forms usually keep you at a consistent heart rate.
Purchasing a heart rate monitor with a chest strap can help you stay on the right track with this. You'll be able to see at a glance how long you have had your heart rate at maximum level.
Here is an example of interval training. This is a good place to start for moderate exersizers, it may be a bit intense if your brand new to it. I recommend doing this twice, with some strength training in between.

Intervals don't need to be done everyday, or even at all if you don't like them. Like I said, they are the quickest way to burn the most amount of calories. I do interval training on the treadmill about twice a week, with strength training. I also take a step class and run 2 miles once a week, go for a long run (4-6 miles) once a week and take a zumba dance class with at least a mile run once a week. But I'm a hard charger since I don't eat perfectly! If you eat better, you don't have to work quite so hard. 

Strength Training: Strength training is SO important to physical fitness. We want our muscles to be nice and dense, with little fat. Muscle burns more calories than fat and is more dense than fat as well. Here is a photo of what 5 lbs of fat vs 5 lbs of muscle looks like:

You can see how the muscle is smaller in apperance, and smoother than the fat. That's what we want under our skin! Cardo burns fat, but strength training makes that lean, smooth muscle. 


You can do strength training with weights or with resistance. I like to alternate weekly. As I said, you can find a lot of really good links on form online, or get a personal trainer or work out with me sometime! (NOT that I know everything, just that I know SOME stuff!) Muscles work all the time... they will work while you're sleeping to burn fat. And don't worry about bulking up. Females don't have enough testosterone to bulk up like men do. And don't worry about looking Madonna-esqe either. If you keep your body fat percentage inline (meaning keeping a healthy amount of fat on you, here is a link with percentages and how to figure it out:http://www.bmi-calculator.net/body-fat-calculator/body-fat-chart.php) you won't look like her either 


Stretching: Stretching is the last building block of fitness and I think the most overlooked. As a massage therapist, I know a thing or two about muscle. When you work out, lactic acid is released in your muscles. If you cool down without stretching, that acid just sits down in your muscles, causing tension knots and tightness. Muscles are similar to rubber bands; if you take a rubber band and stretch it, its nice and soft, pliable without losing it's density. But if you stretch it tight, then tighter, then tighter... it takes very little to snap that rubber band. Same with muscle. 
Take about 10 minutes after your workout to stretch. Below is a series of yoga moves called the Sun Salutation. It will stretch your entire body. Aim to go through it twice, holding each stretch about 30 seconds. 


If you have any questions, please let me know! If I don't know the answer I will do my best to find it for you. I really hope that this info will help you get started on a routine that works for you! Once you get started, you will feel so good and accomplished! I promise! 


Be kind to yourself! 

Numbers

I've been thinking a lot about the numbers that go along with weight loss and health. Calories in, calories burned... the size of our jeans... BMI and fat ratios... and the biggest number of all. The number on the scale. 


About a year ago, my friend Terah started a healthy living group. I joined as my birthday gift to myself: I was turning 30 and I was going to finally get my body into the shape I wanted it to be**. Terah came over and measured my waist, arms, thighs. She weighed me. She used a machine to determine my BMI (body mass index, the amount of fat vs everything else). The plan was to repeat the process every month to check my progress. 


But something weird happened: The first month I lost the most of everyone in our group. (YAY!!) The next month, I gained. Everywhere. I had been eating healthy. I had been working out. And yet I gained in fat, not muscle. I'll never forget what Terah said to me. She put her machine away and told me that she was not going to measure me again. And that I  needed to go home and either have my husband hide our scale or bring it to her house. 


The purpose of the group wasn't just for weight loss. It was for a healthy balance. I hadn't realized how much I relied on my scale. I would step on it first thing in the morning, and that number determined not only how much I weighed, but who I was as a person. If the number was higher... I was fat. A horrible mother, a disgusting wife. A lousy friend. An incompetent sister. I was defeated before the day even began. 


Getting rid of my scale was the most important thing I did in making healthy changes. It freed me. I no longer depend on that number to say what kind of a person I am. Because how can a number ever really define us? That number doesn't reflect tears your best friend cried on your shoulder. It doesn't show the gentle touch you give your kids. It doesn't see you building up your husband after a tough day. It can never determine who you are, how important you are, how beautiful you are. 


I know where my scale is now. I weigh myself about once a month, just to see what's up. But I don't let that number determine my day. 


If you need to drop your scale off at my house for a while, I'll take it for you. If you need to cut out the labels of your jeans, do it. If you need to be free of the numbers, let them go. Health isn't about driving yourself crazy counting calories, weighing, measuring. It's about being able to feel good about the choices you make. You never feel guilty after you eat veggies and run an extra mile. Trust me! 


Be Kind to Yourself. 


**By the way, I've changed my idea of what my body is "supposed" to look like. I've had babies, I'm a big German girl. There is no way I'm going to look like Jessica Alba. But that is a post for another day :)