Monday, January 30, 2012

Springuary

Last winter here in the Northeast we had TONS of snow and most days were well below freezing.  I ended up buying lots of thermal tights, tops and even a pair of Gore Tex, thermal sneakers.  This winter we've had only one snow storm and two days after it landed, it was long gone.

I ran this morning in capris with just a long sleeve tee on top.  Its odd running all winter with no coat, no gloves, etc!  However, I have to say I LOVE it!

However, an odd thing has occurred.  Mentally I was prepared to not be able to run as much this winter and I've made time and space to row, spin, lift weights, and attend yoga class.  Now I barely have time to get running back into my routine!

This morning I went out and parked at the yoga studio, ran a few miles around it, and then headed into yoga class.  I felt a little yucky at first but I'm always sweaty after a few minutes at hot yoga anyway.  My lungs were warmed up and it was a nice way to start my practice.  And I wasn't exhausted afterwards, just starving.

So I'm working on finding balance between everything I want to accomplish in the day, personally and professionally.  Its always going to be a challenge, but a little careful planning is turning out to be my best friend.  I will say I look like a crazy person leaving the house with a bag full of running gear AND a bag full of yoga gear and a crazy layered yoga/running outfit :)

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Fear

Okay I said it before but in case you missed it, one of my New Year's Resolutions is to run a 10k.  I was shooting for one in September up in Maine.  Well the opportunity just presented itself sooner than expected.  My uncle and I have been running races together the past few months and one of his friends told him about a race near our home town of Ridgefield.

The race takes place at a nature preserve and its not just a trail race.  Its one of THOSE races...the muddy kinds.  Its a 10k with three stream crossings (think water up to your neck) a rock face and lots of hilly trails.

Since I moved a few months ago I've been running more and more on roads than trails.  NOW, I need to get back to my trail roots.  And more comfortable in the trail shoes that I haven't even broken in yet.

I read that its a shorts and tee shirt race.  That way you aren't running around in sloppy, large, heavy wet clothing.  Oh and the duct tape on on shoes to hold them on is optional.

So the race entry is a lottery and I do need to see if we're drawn.  And yes, I'm quite excited.  However, I'm also scared to death at the same time.  There are a lot of what ifs here!

But I'm always ready to try something new, so here goes nothing!

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Yoga Fan Review

I was recently given the opportunity to review The Yoga Fan, an easy to carry, instructional "fan" filled with yoga moves.


The fan is made of durable coated cardboard so it can stand up to being read, used, and carried around.

Its divided up into sections of resting poses, inversions, standing poses, etc.  Its a great way to familiarize yourself with poses before you start a yoga routine at home or you head to a class.  I love the way each card has a photo, steps to get into the pose and then further tips about alignment, etc.  For someone who is new to yoga this is a great gift!  Its also a great gift for someone who has been doing yoga for a while and wants to deepen their knowledge base.

Both the laymen's and technical terms for the positions are included on the cards.  There are more than 50 poses pictures in the fan.  Its very affordable too!  Check out here on Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/Yoga-Fan-Jill-Camera/dp/0971245614/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1324957908&sr=8-1

What a great way to start out your New Year's Resolutions on getting healthy!

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Favorite Beauty Products

I will admit I'm not a girly girl.  However, I will tell you there are some things I cannot live without.  I must have them on hand and now I'm going to share them with you.

1.  Dr. Bronner's Body Wash.  Its organic and fair trade and it smells amazing!  You can buy this stuff all over the place now and in all sorts of sizes.  It does all sorts of other things too like double as a shampoo, dog wash, car wash, you name it!


2.  Clinique's Chubby Sticks.  These go on like chapstick, but look like lipstick.  They make my lips feel soft and make them look great.  I want one in every color.

3.  Sweatybands.  These are THE ONLY headband that looks cute and holds my hair back.  I couldn't live without them.

4.  Leave in spray conditioner.  I use Dove brand but I can't find it anymore, but I know there are other brands like that out there.

5.  Oraganix argan oil.  This is a conditioner I put in before my hair is dry.  Its a drug store item.  Inexpensive and works great!


6.  Weleda body oil.  This is the best body oil I have found for daily use.  Hands down.  Winter or summer my skin is soft and moisturized all day.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Nice Things to Do

Its been said that being nice is a lost art.  I couldn't agree more.  So I've come up with a list of nice things that you can do today to make someone's day.  They are inexpensive or low cost.  Let me know what you think!
1.  Tell someone you love them.
2.  Call a friend just to say hi.  Or send an email just to say hello.
3.  Write a hand written note and mail it.
4.  Send an ecard.
5.  Bring the support staff at your office a baked good from home.
6.  Learn the name of the barista who serves you coffee.
7.  Pay the toll for the car behind you.
8.  Do a chore that doesn't belong to you.
9.  Call you mother, sister, brother, father, etc...
10.  Slip a note and a mini chocolate bar into someone's work bag.

Friday, January 20, 2012

Simplicity is Good Fashion

Lately I've realized that I'm only wearing a fraction of my wardrobe.  Since I spend my days helping other clients pair down and make do with less, I stopped and thought about what I needed to do to simplify my wardrobe.

I first stopped and thought about what I wear the most.  And then I thought about WHY I wear it.  I love wrap cardigans, crinkly tunics and comfy shoes.  Of course I also love my running and yoga clothes.
I love these things because they are comfortable to wear and easy to throw on.  So why am I keeping all the other stuff?

Great question.  Just like my clients I realized I was holding onto things because they represented something else.  They were clothes I used to wear were for a corporate job or what I thought I wanted to be.  Thus, I've packed all of them up and donated them.  They are going on to live a better life with someone who will love them more.

Meanwhile, I've found that simplifying my wardrobe makes getting dressed super easy and quick.  I never find myself pulling at my clothes or wearing an itchy sweater half way through the day.  I know that everything I put

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

January Frenzy

Every January the attention turns to getting back to normal, getting healthy and meeting those New Year's resolutions.  While my resolution not too long ago was to loose a major amount of weight, I haven't made any major resolutions since then.

However, that doesn't stop me from stopping to think about dieting and weight loss every January.  This January is no different.

I am still struggling to get more protein into my diet.  Since I really can't say I love meat, its a challenge for me at each and every meal.  Instead of fighting this battle, I've been embracing it and trying more and more vegetarian options.  I have also been paying close attention to how I feel after having vegetarian meals versus animal protein.  The long and the short of it is, I don't think I was designed to eat meat.  However, I'm not going to give it up entirely.

I've been having more veggie burger, meatless breakfast options and even TVP which stands for textured vegetable protein.

I am also focusing more on whole foods again.  While some low fat options taste great, they are just made up of processed foods.  My general rule of thumb is that the ewer ingredients, the better.  And if its a whole food like a banana or grapes, I can have as much as I want.

I'm reinstating my raw smoothies too.  Spinach, frozen strawberries, spirulina and a dash of oj.  They taste great and make me feel great.

I am also upping my coconut water "dosage" to 8 ounces every day. I'm starting my day with it instead of coffee.

So while I haven't made a lot of changes,  I'm tweaking and refocusing for 2012.  That's my diet resolution.

Monday, January 16, 2012

Frozen Fenway

My husband and I recently had the chance to go to something called "Frozen Fenway".  What that means is that in Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox (our favorite baseball team), an ice hockey rink was built!

Although there were lots of different teams playing, the main attraction was the University of Maine (or alma matter) and the University of New Hampshire (their arch rivals).

We spent the day walking around Boston and ate lunch at our favorite Asian restaurant, Wagamamma's.  Its a place my English friends took me to years ago and the US branch is newly opened.  So yummy!  We had LOTS of food and had to walk and shop to burn it all off.

We sat at Starbucks for a while and then walked out to the North End (Little Italy) for dessert at the very famous Mike's Pastries.  So yummy!

Then we took the T over to Fenway.  The T was filled with people heading to the game and wearing Maine jerseys.  It wasn't uncommon to hear Maine chants and our school song.  The park was already packed and food was already open.  We found some friends from college and some other friends too and started having fun before the hockey even started.

The whole thing was very surreal!  To be at Fenway Park, a ball park with so much history and to be watching a hockey game was over whelming.  Our school's mascot, Bananas the Bear danced with Wally, the Red Sox mascot.  It was really cool.

When we bought the tickets in the fall and had accepted that it was going to be COLD at the game.  Last year on January 7th it was 6 degrees out.  So I was prepared with hats, mittens, chair warmers, hand warmers, and a long down coat.  Well, I was over prepared.  It was 50 out!  I never put my coat on during the game!


Maine fans love hockey and always have a great time at games.  This was no exception.  The game was amazing, the atmosphere even better and the time we got to spend together and with friends was the highlight of the night.


Oh and Maine won the game in over time!

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Sheex PillowCase Review

Sheex calls themselves performance sheets.  Well they are correct.  I had no idea what a difference the right linens could make.

I was sent a pair of Sheex pillow cases and I put them on, wondering if my husband would even notice the difference.  He immediately noticed and wondering where I was able to find such soft and comfortable pillowcases.  He was concerned I had spent a LOT of money on them :)

I am a good sleeper, but my husband often has trouble staying asleep.  I fell fast asleep in my Sheex pillow case and was amazed at how much more refreshed I felt in the morning.  I never felt hot or cold over night, just comfortable.  The pillowcase was so soft I kept "cuddling" with it!  

My husband woke up the next day and told me he slept better than he had in ages.  I thought it might be a fluke so I waited a few more nights and every day he told me the same thing, that he slept amazingly well.  I eventually had to change the pillowcases and when I did, he didn't sleep as soundly and we were subject to the temperature fluctuations in the room again.  (We live in New England and its winter here so the heat goes on and off throughout the evening.)

Sheex not only control your temperature.  They wick moisture away from your skin, allowing you to sleep comfortably all night long.  They are also more breathable.  



I can't tell you how soft they are.   They feel like a much pricier sheet set and they get even softer after you wash them.  

These are now my favorite pillow cases and I'm on the hunt for a great deal on a sheet set.  You will love these sheets!  

They are the perfect way be healthier in 2012.  If you sleep better you will have more energy and be able to accomplish more in work and in life.  Of course a better night's sleep means more energy during the day and who doesn't want that?

http://sheex.com/

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Code Blue Review

I'm always thirsty and I know I don't do a great job staying hydrated.  So over time I sought out all sorts of things to try out.  I love Gatorade, and all of those sports drinks, but my favorite has been coconut water.

I recently tried some Code Blue drink and I really also like this.  Its made of all sorts of natural ingredients like ginko biloba, sea salt and milk thistle.  It really has the best of all of the hydration drinks out there.  Its great for hydration and replenishment of nutrients.

The best part is that it has no calories!  And comes in yummy flavors.  Its not something you have to choke down.  While I wouldn't replace all of my hydration choices with this one, I would use this regularly as another option to have before or after my run.  I love that you can use it on either end of a workout and it takes away the need for two specialty drinks.

Code Blue comes in four flavors; strawberry melon, blueberry pomegranate, peach mandarin and mayer melon.  They are all yummy.  I didn't find one I didn't like.

I also loe this drink as a restorative beverage.  When I had a cold I happened to have one on hand and I felt more restored after wards.  I felt as if I was better hydrated from my fever.  I'd also keep these with me on my business travels as those always dehydrate me.  I will tell you this is way better than an anergy drink and all natural.

Take a look at the comparison of drinks:


 Take a peek at their website here:
http://www.drinkcodeblue.com

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Icebreaker Quantum Hood Review

So we all know I love Icebreaker stuff by now right? I just tried a new running piece out and I'm in love all over again.

The Quantum Hood is made for running and has all the bells and whistles you think it should.

Its made of pure, TRACEABLE merino wool (a renewable resource).  I received the black so right away its a very flattering piece.

The front zipper has reflective material on it so you can wear this on the road with confidence.  I love not having to remember a reflective item other than this one.

The material is lined and soft against your skin.  Again, I was cool while running and warm afterwards.  When I say its fast drying, that's an understatement.  It was dry by the time I drove to Target about 5 minutes away.



There are eyelet panels strategically placed under the arms for extra ventilation and prevention of stink.

I love the drop tail hem.  It was enough coverage that it made me feel a little more comfortable wearing this piece with leggings to the store.

The neck can easily be zipped up high or unzipped for temperature control during your run.  I love a high neck like this one to help keep the wind off your face and mouth in the cold winter months.  Of course it also has a hood which actually stayed on my head.

One of my favorite things about this hoodie is the thumbholes to keep the arms in place!

This hood allowed me to forget the reflective bracelets I usually wear, forget my hat and gloves. I was able to be as warm as I needed to be and then take parts off as I heated up.  This hoodie took away the uncomfortable cold part of my run and made it all cozy.

You can buy this hoodie here:
http://icebreaker.com/Womens-Quantum-Hood/IBSB89,en,pd.html?dwvar_IBSB89_color=001&start=1&q=quantum

Sunday, January 8, 2012

New Year's Race Wrap Up

After much debate, I decided to run the New Year's Day race in a local town.  It was 4 miles, and I hadn't been doing any runs like that during December so I was a little concerned.

It was a beautiful, sunny day and the temps were in the 40's.  That's unusual for Connecticut on New Year's Day.

It was also warm last year and I over dressed and over heated.  This year I went with just a pair of capris and a Lulu long sleeve top.  I also wore my tutu :)

Last year I alternated between running and walking and this year I ran the whole thing.  However, a combination of lack of sleep, too many sweets and just general holiday fun led to me feeling like lead.  Instead of feeling like I was flying I felt like a square block trying to roll down the road.

I finished, and I never walked.  My time wasn't what I anticipated.  However, I do now know that I can go for longer distances with a slower pace.

I'm glad I ran.  My husband came out to support me as always and my uncle also ran the race with me.

I do wish I had worn my GPS watch and focused on a negative split like i did at my last race.  However, this time my "slow and easy pace" for the first half found its way into the second half as well.  There were no mile markers or water stops on this course.  Its quite hilly too.  I think I may have psyched myself out a little bit before hand.

I'm headed out again tomorrow for a run.  The temperatures have dropped drastically here so it will be my first real winter run in 20 degree weather.

My next race in a St. Patties Day one in March and I'm already looking forward to it.  Its flat, on the beach and a lot of fun!

Friday, January 6, 2012

Looking Forward/Looking Back

2011 was a big year for me.  I took part in an informercial, graduated with my MBA, ran ten races, started practicing yoga, adopted a dog and opened a second company.  I can't believe it all happened so fast and at the end of it all, I think back to the laughs and the happy times that carried me through the low points.

When we look back on a time in our lives, we often only see the positive.  We don't take photos when we are sad and we don't have parties to celebrate tragic events.  Therefore we are felt with the highlights of our life.  And I think that's how it should be.

This holiday season I was faced with the mortality of my friends and family.  Someone very special to me had a heart attack.  He is recovered now and living a happier healthier life than ever before.  Someone else in my life recently passed away suddenly.  She has always been a part of my life and was a very special friend to my mother.  My heart goes out to her family and friends and know that the world lost a very kindred spirit.

I am guilty of always being busy, on the go and working around the clock.  Even when I'm taking time "off" I'm checking email, reading, etc.  This holiday season I've learned a valuable lesson, to take time to breathe and to enjoy.  You really never have any idea when you won't have the chance anymore to do so.

We're all afraid of being corny or rejected, but its important to tell your friends and family how important they are to you and how much you love them.  Again, you don't know when you may see them for the last time or they may simply not be a part of your life anymore.  Take a few moments to make sure they know how important they are to you.  Take a few moments to have a laugh together and create a memory.

Care more about those around you and do at least one selfless thing a day.  It doesn't have to be big, just send a text saying hello or send an e card with a smile in it.  Although I'm taking time to chat more with my friends, sometimes its short and sweet, but just enough to put a smile on my face.

So in 2012, I challenge you to become a better friend, live intentionally, and with purpose.

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Icebreaker Pocket 200 Hat Review

The Icebreaker 200 Hat is not only cute, its functional.  I wore it today on a hike in 38 degree temperatures with a  strong wind chill.  I was warm and toasty the whole way.  The hat differs from others because it feels quite thin, however, performs like a much warmer piece.



Its adorable too.  I have the Cerise Organic Stripe and its adorable pink stripes on one side and solid pink on the other.

The hat actually is long enough to cover my ears too.  So many hats either ride up while you're working out or don't cover your ears at all.  I was able to cuff this one to fit me perfectly and accommodate my sunglasses.

The hat wasn't itchy at all and the best part was it was so light and comfortable I forgot I was wearing it.  I ran errands after I hiked and I wore the hat around.

Its a great bargain too.  For only $27.00 you will have a cute, functional piece you will love to wear for working out and every cold day in between.

http://icebreaker.com/Pocket-200/IBMD28,en,pd.html?dwvar_IBMD28_color=E74&start=11&cgid=womens-accessories-hats

Monday, January 2, 2012

Lucy Review

We all know I've been a fan of ah-hem, "other" yoga brands for a while.  I've been reluctant to change. I thought I didn't have a choice to find cute workout gear.  I was wrong.

I was recently sent the Hatha leggings and the Power Yoga top.  I tried both of them out today.  I really gave them a run for their money, literally.  I ran in them AND attended a yoga class.


I'll start with the Hatha Leggings.  Although they are form fitting, they are actually quite flattering.  They are compression, so they do a little squeezing in just the right places if you know what I mean.  I'm 5'6" and they weren't too long, or too short.  They met my socks so I wasn't cold when I was out running.  It was quite breezy when I was running and I thought that their lack of wind proofing would be a problem.  My bottom was quite toasty during my whole run.  The leggings didn't twist, ride up or down.  Everything a girl wants when running.  The same goes true for yoga.  They stayed in place perfectly.  They were wicking enough that I never felt covered in sweat and they dried quickly too.  In between my run and yoga I hit the mall and I was dry, comfy and confident in the Hatha Legging.  Oh and these are odor fighting so they won't stink!


The second item I tried out was the Power Yoga tank.  The tank was soooo soft I could hardly believe I was going to work out in it.  It was long enough to cover my booty and make me confident I was going to be exposed.  The neckline was flattering, just low enough.  The arm holes were a surprise to me.  I often find that arm holes are cut too high for comfort.  These were just right.  The straps gaped a little while I was running, but I think I could have sized down after looking at the models online.  I am also not well endowed.  The tank stayed put no matter what I did in yoga class and I felt cool and comfy and well covered.  Again when I hit the mall, I simply threw a wrap over the whole outfit.  I feel like I looked stylish, I was comfortable and although I had on workout gear, I was comfortable doing a little holiday shopping!

These are just a few of their numerous options for running, yoga, weights and just looking cute and being comfy! http://www.lucy.com

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Happy New Year

From my home to yours, Happy New Year!  May 2012 be the year that all your dreams come true!