Ever since I was a child, I loved vegetables. My mother used to call me a rabbit, and I would call her lucky. Granted, I was a bit picky in that I only liked my veggies raw, but still, what mother isn’t lucky to have her kid love vegetables?
As I’ve gotten older, salad continues to be a huge part of my diet. Is a matter of fact, most lunches and dinners consist of at least a salad appetizer, if not a salad entree. So, when people complain to me that salad is not very fulfilling, it is hard for me to understand. When I ask them what they put in their salad, however, it becomes clear why they are unsatisfied: Plain and simple, they are not putting enough nutrition and calories in their salad!
Look, salads are a great, healthy food that can be VERY filling and nutritious. But, you have to stop treating salads like diet food and start treating them like meals. Here are some great ways to ensure that your salad leaves your feeling satisfied: › Continue reading…
If you happen to live in the Northeast, you probably have felt as though you have been mysteriously transplanted to the Northwest. With a good portion of the Northeast plagued by rain for what seems like a small eternity, it is no wonder. This last Saturday, however, we managed to get a day’s reprieve with the sun poking its head through the clouds for several hours. It felt like a small gift from heaven.
Sunny days really do have a tremendous impact on us. We perk up. We feel better. We feel more motivated to be out and about. It feels SO much better to basque in the sun than to hide out from the rain. Granted, too much sun exposure can potentially be harmful in regards to aging and skin cancer, but exposure to the sun also provides enormous health benefits:
Are your beauty products doing more harm than good? Today, there are tons of beauty products on the market, all touting miracle worthy results. Whether the product erases fine lines, plumps lips or makes skin appear younger, you can bet there is a skin care product that promises to take care of those unsightly ‘imperfections.’ Unfortunately, some of the same products that claims these results can also do great damage to your skin and your health.
Truth be told, the FDA doesn’t approve beauty products. And, many beauty products contain ingredients that are less than healthy for you. Many ingredients used by the beauty industry are manufactured, are synthesized in a laboratory or are toxic…none of which are great for your skin.
Although I might not be the biggest proponent of most Dove Beauty products, I am a huge proponent of Dove’s ad campaigns. This one, in particular, is a wonderful demonstration of how the beauty industry can take an already beautiful woman, find her imperfections, and erase them, all for the sake of selling a product. If you thought photographs were simply air-brushed, you’ll be amazed to learn how much manipulation can really happen.
Today, women (and men too), constantly battle with the media’s output of retouched, highly manipulated photographs, and struggle with what ‘real beauty’ really is. In a world where botox, plastic surgery, and fillers are the norm, fake beauty seems to be what people want. Personally, I don’t get it and applaud Dove’s attempt to battle the fake beauty movement.
What do you think about the video? What do you think about fake beauty?
Weekends are, by far, my ’splurge’ time. I really look forward to eating out at our favorite restaurants; enjoying time with friends and family, while indulging in some epicurean delights. That said, eating out at restaurants more often than not can do damage to a healthy diet. This isn’t only true for those trying to lose weight, but also for those trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Fact is, even those dishes that ‘appear’ healthy on the menu, often come with hidden ingredients like butter and oils that can take a seemingly healthy dish and turn it into a calorie and fat intensive meal.
So how can you ensure your choices while eating out are healthy? Here is a quick guide of foods you should stick with when you navigate the restaurant menu: › Continue reading…
If you are in your 30s, 40s or older, you may have noticed that it has become a bit harder to keep off weight. Why? Because our metabolisms slow with age, and for many of us, 30 marks the beginning of that change. In our 30s, we also go through other transformations: we start to lose bone mass, we may start seeing other medical issues pop-up and yes, aging starts to show. Why do all of these changes start in our 30s? Because our bodies start to reduce production of certain hormones that are important in preserving muscle mass…which is KEY to having a higher metabolism and keeping off weight. Further, in our 30s we have more stress and responsibilities, all while having less time to prioritize ourselves.
Ever since I can remember, I was always goal setting. Whether it was competing for first chair in the high school band or getting into the college of my choice or raising funds for a thesis in a third world country, goals have always been a big part of my life. I have always been the type of person who would put my mind to something, achieve it and then would quickly move on to setting and achieving my next goal.
Hmmm…did you notice the ever so tiny missing part of this cycle? You guessed it, there was no step between ‘achieving it’ and ‘then moving on.’ Recently, it has become clear to me that I have never spent much time celebrating my accomplishments. Sure, there is always a little ‘Woohoo!’ expressed or a dinner with a toast, but once the next day arrives, I move on as if nothing special ever happened.
Recently, this pattern repeated itself when I received my architecture license. You aren’t officially considered ‘an architect’ until you get your license, which requires that you first complete a 3 year apprenticeship and then pass all nine torturous registration exams. It took me 14 years. This lengthy, drawn out process wasn’t a result of failing and having to retake the tests, it was more a reflection on the fact that I HATED studying for them, let alone taking them; my career path was extremely non-linear; my schedule was always hectic; and I wasn’t really sure I wanted it enough. Yet, after those 14 long years, I received my license, said a little ‘Woohoo!’ and moved on to set my next goal.
I have to believe I am not alone in this pattern of behavior. Many of us, especially Type-As, have a difficult time acknowledging, let alone celebrating, our accomplishments. I look at my mom, who I admire so much for all that she has done in her life, and I know she doesn’t view her own accomplishments nearly as highly as I do. And, vice-a-versa. Well, I’m ready to stop the vicious, non-celebratory cycle…and if you are in the same boat…so should you. Here is how you can start adding ‘celebration’ into your achievements. › Continue reading…
When we travel, whether for business or for pleasure, a hotel stay can make or break our trip. Traveling in itself can easily throw off our systems, and as a result, getting a good night sleep is crucial to our ability to be productive (as in the case of business travel), to overcome jet lag, to limit stress and ultimately, to stay in balance.
As a frequent traveler, I’m a bit picky about where I crash for the night. I’ve racked up millions of points on various hotel brands, and as a result, have developed the ‘perfect night sleep‘ checklist: › Continue reading…
Every morning, NBC’s Today Show wishes a slew of centenarians a big ol’ Happy Birthday. To do it up right, they slap a picture of each 100+ something on a Smucker’s Preserves Label, with a listing of their name, age and hometown. Impressively, Willard Scott, the Today Show’s Centenarian Birthday Spokesperson, gets many more requests than he can fulfill on the air. OK, never mind the irony in the use of a ‘Preserves’ label to frame the Birthday girl or boy, but this daily episode always gets me thinking: Are we living too long?
There are two things that come into play here…cost and quality of life: › Continue reading…
When I was a child, we ate pretty healthy in our household. For the most part, we had well-balanced meals that included vegetables, fruit, grains and lean protein. However, we also had our indulgences.
Although all of us enjoyed each others’ guilty pleasures, each of us had our personal favorites. If you were to ask my mom, her weakness was Lay’s Potato Chips. By nature, she always craved savory foods over sweet foods. If you were to ask my dad, he probably would have said chocolate ice cream, as he craved sweets. And although I loved chocolate ice cream and potato chips (especially dipped in ketchup – don’t ask), I had a terrible weakness for Double Stuf Oreos and Chips Ahoy cookies with a big glass of milk.
Back then, I could down a whole sleeve of Chips Ahoy cookies (that was 6 1/2 servings of the little devils!) or 1/2 a package of Double Stuf, without much thought. Today, however, those moments of eating a few of these cookies, let alone a half a package, comes few and far between. Here’s why: › Continue reading…
Ever since I was a child, I loved vegetables. My mother used to call me a rabbit, and I would call her lucky. Granted, I was a bit picky in that I only liked my veggies raw, but still, what mother isn’t lucky to have her kid love vegetables?
Weekends are, by far, my ’splurge’ time. I really look forward to 
Ever since I can remember, I was always 
When we travel, whether for business or for pleasure, a hotel stay can make or break our trip. Traveling in itself can easily throw off our systems, and as a result, getting a good night sleep is crucial to our ability to be productive (as in the case of business travel), to 
Every morning, NBC’s Today Show wishes a slew of centenarians a big ol’ Happy Birthday. To do it up right, they slap a picture of each 100+ something on a Smucker’s Preserves Label, with a listing of their name, age and hometown. Impressively, Willard Scott, the Today Show’s Centenarian Birthday Spokesperson, gets many more requests than he can fulfill on the air. OK, never mind the irony in the use of a ‘Preserves’ label to frame the Birthday girl or boy, but this daily episode always gets me thinking: Are we living too long?
When I was a child, we ate pretty healthy in our household. For the most part, we had 
