It feels appropriate to be writing this blog on my busiest day of the week (and probably my busiest work day so far this school year). But self-care is just as important on our busy days (arguably more so), so here I am…

Let’s talk about walking!! You might expect me to pop on here on a Wednesday and talk about Workout Wednesday. And while I ALWAYS encourage a good sweat session, I think it’s more important to take the stress away from exercise and focus on movement…especially on our busy days.

Today I worked two jobs. I rushed around getting the kids ready for school this morning, trained clients, and worked at 3 different schools throughout the day. Then pick up, baths for the kids, dinner, bedtime routine…you get it.

So today I didn’t get a workout in. But I did commit to fresh air and movement, walking between school buildings during the day and a quick walk with my son after preschool pick up. It was COLD and crazy windy here, so I did have to convince myself to do those walk…maybe a few times!!

Was I glad I took a break from the never ending “to dos” to move my body and get some fresh air???

Sure was!!!

Did I feel happier and more energetic because of it???

Sure did!!!!

I’m not here to tell you about the NUMEROUS health benefits of walking those 10,000 steps a day. Hopefully everyone knows that by now.

What I am here to say is that, no matter how tired, anxious or overwhelmed I feel on a given day, the gift of fresh air and movement does not escape me. And, like the ADAPTOGENS I wrote about last week, walking is a non-negotiable part of my day that truly makes a difference.

Pic of my two favorite waking partners…from sunnier days, of course!!

In the spirit of my self-care/stress reduction tips on here this month, I want to focus on one of my daily habits that helps me mediate the harmful effects of daily stress: ADAPTOGENS

Adapta what??

Adaptogens are herbs found in nature that help modulate the physical effects of stress, such as increased heart rate, rush of energy and increased blood pressure. These responses are produced in our bodies in response to acute stress, but when the stress hormones that produce these reactions are in overdrive from chronic stress, the effects can be harmful.

And chronic stress is such an epidemic in our lives…these days more than ever. A few years ago I finally decided to add a botanical adaptogenic drink to my daily routine (after doing a good amount of research), and fell in love right away!

Better sleep!

Better energy!

Improved workout recovery (cortisol levels are elevated post workout)

Immune support

I’ve seen adaptogens getting a lot of buzz right now in mainstream media and I’ve seen for myself what a difference they make.

I’d love to hear if you’re a fan too!

I haven’t written on here as much as I hoped to these last few months, for many good reasons. Like so many of you, I’ve been focusing on one day at a time, trying to stay present and trying to take care of my own physical and mental health. And amidst all that is going on in the world right now, that seems like the right place to place my priorities.

I hope all of you are prioritizing self-care as much as possible these days as well. Whether it’s a good workout, a good book or even a good cry in the shower, we all need some “me time”, some easy lifestyle hacks to add to our day and some moments to just breathe. And some accountability to make it all happen.

So this month, I’m going to be focusing my posts on easy things you can do to focus on self-care. Because, when so much of our world is out of our control, let’s focus on what is…

Stay tuned!!

Work demands ✅

Taking care of all the kids needs ✅

Getting in that Peleton ride or early morning run ✅

Sleeping 8 hours a night?? Ummmm….I don’t have time!

This is a topic on self-care that is always on my mind. Mostly because I’m a busy, working mom and I GET IT! I struggled with insomnia and the effects of lacking sleep for many years. And because I have so many clients, family and friends who are struggling with this too, I feel it’s super important to address.

But first, let’s delve into WHY we need sleep-

Sleep is an integral process in the body. It:

• AIDS in cognitive functions
• Regulates emotions
• Boosts immunity
• Balances metabolism
• Balances hormones
• Regulates blood sugar and blood pressure
• Combats fatigue
• Suppresses cancer cell growth

Lack of sleep has been connected to heart disease, diabetes, obesity, Alzheimer’s, depression and cancer.

Now, before we start getting worried about what our late night work emails or Netflix binges might be doing to our bodies, let’s just take this one step at a time. Like any other sustainable lifestyle change, your not going to drastically improve your sleep overnight. It’s a process and grant yourself the patience and room to make it a process. Pick 1-2 changes from the lost below to implement each week, and add on only when one habit has become more automatic:

Lifestyle modifications to improve sleep:

1. Find 1-2 pockets of your day to meditate. It can be for five minutes at a time, but make sure you make room in your schedule to do this consistently.
2. Exercise daily! This can be a traditional workout, yoga or a walk. But daily movement is essential.
3. Keep your sleep and wake times consistent, even on the weekends. (Easy if you have two young kids like me. But important for all of us).
4. Remove those LED lamps, laptops and televisions from your bedroom. (When we moved from our apartment to our house five years ago, we moved the tv from our bedroom to the family room. I swear to you that was the start of my improved sleep patterns!)
5. Always sleep in your bed. Not the couch as your watching tv late at night. And hopefully not on your kids floor as I find myself doing some nights…
6. Keep the temperature in your bedroom around 65 degrees.
7. Don’t hit the snooze button!! I mean, I always New this, but recent research taught me this new fact…”Jolting” awake multiple times a morning affects the cardiovascular and nervous system. Yikes.
8. Eat a primarily plant bases diet (yet another point for plant based!!)
9. Don’t shoot the messenger for this one- try to stick to one caffeinated drink per day, and finish it entirely 10 hours before bed.

• Be mindful while eating (another tough one for us moms, amiright?!? I mean, when was the last time I ate my food warm and didn’t get up at least ten times per meal to fill cups, clean spills cut food or quickly stop the baby from dumping her entire plate on the floor??)
• See what I mean…I’m not gonna implement all of these strategies overnight and either are you. But I will keep adding no a few at a time and I’ll get there.

This week, I’ve been working on:

• Not hitting snooze! I was so good about this pre-pandemic, but anxiety and stress made it hard to have my usual morning energy. But honestly, it’s been feeling SO good to get up early, before the rest of the house.
• Stop drinking coffee by noon. This has been easier than I thought… I’ve been sipping on cold brew hibiscus tea all afternoon instead of another cup of coffee and I love it.
• Daily meditation-twice a day when possible.
• Hope this article gave your all some good tips. Remember that all that other self-care stuff doesn’t work if you’re not getting enough quality sleep.

Tell us, what tips will you be trying this week…

(And here’s the cutest reason I didn’t sleep for eight months this year…)

I may be a Health Coach, but I’m just as overwhelmed as all of you by the number of activity trackers out there. I’ve tried a few and currently love my Apple Watch, but there are tons of other great options. Which is why I’ve partnered with ConsumersAdvocate.org to share information about what research is out there on trackers. Here’s a summary of their latest research findings:

Assuming you haven’t been living under a rock for the past 10 or so years, you’ve probably seen fitness trackers evolve from a fad into more than just a trend. By all accounts, it seems as if they’re here to stay; especially when looking at data from Gallup’s annual Health and Healthcare survey, which reveals that 1 in 5 American adults use wearable trackers or health apps to complement their fitness routine. 

Whether you’ve considered getting one in the past or are just curious to learn more about the different models and what they exactly track, this guide crafted by the folks over at ConsumersAdvocate.org has more than enough information to help you find one that suits your needs without breaking the bank.

Here are some of their top picks:

Xiaomi Mi Band
Best for: Affordability

Usually, if things sound too good to be true, there’s usually a catch. But in this case, we’re hard-pressed to find a better fitness tracker than this one for just $40. To top it all off, the Mi Band doesn’t only cost less than its competition, but it offers just as many apps and features, including smartphone notifications, sleep quality and heart rate monitoring, inactivity alerts, reminders, and music streaming. 

The Mi Band is slim-fit, easily adjustable, and is made up of surprisingly durable materials like aluminum alloy and thermoplastic elastomer (try saying that fast 3 times). Unlike other fitness trackers, it even has a locator option within the mobile app so that the band lights up if you ever lose it (think FindMyiPhone).

While the exact cost of the Mi Band isn’t listed on its website, consumers can still locate and purchase it from several online retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and eBay. 

Fitbit
Best for: Motivation

Boy, Fitbit really took the “tracker” aspect to heart with this one. Their devices are designed to track almost every part of your day and show you how even the smallest change in your routine can make big changes to your overall fitness goals (parking further away, taking stairs vs elevator, etc). This type of micro-tracking is meant to appeal more to those who aren’t usually fitness geeks and keep motivation levels up by measuring how those little victories count towards the greater goal. It’s like having your own personal trainer on your wrist, in a sense.

If you’d like to go a bit more hardcore than that, the Fitbit Ionic offers on-screen workouts and memorizes over fifteen exercise modes to keep things fresh and constantly challenging. On the flip side, those who plan to integrate their fitness trackers into their general, day-to-day lifestyle will probably benefit more from the Fitbit Versa 2 – this one offers Fitbit Pay for on-the-go payments, voice commands, Amazon Alexa, and more practical features that make certain things easier for daily use.

Polar
Best for: Athletes

If you really want to take off the kiddie gloves, the Polar A370 is specifically designed to appeal to the most demanding fitness nuts out there. For $150, this tracker can last up to four days on a single charge and includes GPS tracking, phone notifications, sleep tracking, and 24/7 heart rate monitoring. Oh, and you also get access to a whole suite of stats and graphs that chart your progress with clinical-like accuracy. If you really wanna splurge, you can get the hybrid smartwatch version with even more applications and granular tracking features for $100 more.

However, because this brand caters to more serious fitness nuts and committed athletes, all the available bells and whistles may seem overwhelming to more casual users. The training log is very detailed, which is nice but isn’t really necessary for the average person who just wants to get off the couch and feel good about themselves. After all, there is such a thing as too many spreadsheets.

There’s no excuse to stay on the couch

Yes, we know most people are still social distancing themselves and it’s way easier to just hit play on the next show on Netflix rather than to actually stay committed, but it’s this type of technology that can make things a little easier to stay on top of your physical and mental health during such chaotic times. The good news is there’s plenty of ways to get moving at home and there’s a good chance you’ll find a model that suits your specific needs, so there’s never been a better time to try new things and find new ways to stay motivated.

Check out ConsumerAdvocate.org’s best fitness tracker guide here if you want the full breakdown of the rest of the reviewed models.

On this #wellnesswednesday, I’m so grateful to have my article featured on the BU Alumni Network’s page. In this time of uncertainty, really commiting to my own self-care routine and helping my clients do the same has become more important than ever.

Hope you all enjoy this article…and all the other awesome reads in there!

https://www.bu.edu/alumni/2020/07/15/self-care-in-the-real-world/?utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=social_bualumni&utm_term=blog&utm_content=self_care_blog

I know I’ve been MIA lately, but I’m just having the most AMAZING summer with my little guy. And guys, the busy life of toddlerhood is no joke…there’s trips to the park, yoga and swim classes and LOTS of outside time. And the transition from two naps to one was an eye opener… I thought I had no time to get stuff done before, but now the struggle is REAL.

But it is nap time (for the time being, anyway), and I just don’t feel like doing laundry or dishes. So here I am, making a quick appearance to talk to you about something clients ask me ALL the time: what the heck do I eat in a day?? Do I only drink shakes??? Do I eat cookies ever or drink wine????

Answers as follows:
1. We’ll come back to this.
2. Definitely not, but I do LOVE my superfood shakes
3. Definitely and most definitely (in fact, we’ve been baking a lot of 🍪  lately)

I do appreciate clients asking me this though. I think it’s important that people realize life, and food, is to be enjoyed. But that if you have specific wellness and fitness goals in mind, what you eat makes all the difference. So let’s get back to #1…

I think I’ll just run you through a typical day.

6 AM: This might seem early for some, but this Mama has already been up and gotten ready for my day. So right about now I sit down at my desk, write in my gratitude journal and sip this adaptogenic tea. When I drink this regularly, I notice the biggest difference in my mood, sleep and energy levels.

8 AM: After training a few virtual clients and getting my son ready for the day, I’m ready for breakfast. Almost every morning, it’s this superfoods shake: 

If I have some extra time, I’ll make scrambled eggs with veggies and fruit or whole grain toast.

11 AM Time for a snack! This is probably the hardest thing for clients. But I’ll say this – DON’T SKIP YOUR SNACKS. I also practice protein pacing, so I make sure every meal and snack I eat has some healthy protein paired with some healthy carbs or fats. I’ll usually go for some berries with raw nuts or string cheese. When I’m really in a rush, it’s half of my favorite protein bar.

1 PM: Lunch! ALWAYS my superfood shake. I actually crave it so much that I brought my blender on vacation with me!!

4 PM: Here I go, snacking again…super important to keep your metabolism going. Veggies and hummus or homemade roasted chickpeas are a recent favorite.

7:30 PM:

• Toddler asleep (well, in bed atleast…)
• Time for dinner with my hubby. We do some vegan meals, we LOVE the Instapot and once a month or so we indulge in a week of our favorite home delivery meal service. But my favorite meal to make is quick and easy: maple glazed salmon, black rice and roasted brussels sprouts. Such goodness right there!
• And yes…sometimes a glass of wine

9 PM: If I’m not getting ready for bed (don’t knock it, I get up early), I may have a Greek yogurt (I always read the labels closely to check for low sugar and NO artificial sweeteners). Protein before bed helps build those muscles!

And THAT is how you keep up with a business and                                                                       VERY energetic toddler!

Tune in again soon…with Summer winding down, I’ll be making a few more appearances 🙂

Is it halfway through March already?? You wouldn’t know it, with 2 feet of snow outside my office window, but Spring really is around the corner…I swear!!

Now, March isn’t really my favorite month, I must confess. BUT, I do LOVE that it’s National Nutrition Month!! A time to reflect on something that I am SO passionate about, and hopefully inspire a few of you to love your nutrition just a little bit more too.

I was talking to a client last night about our nutrition philosophies, and I realized just what I think this healthy life thing is all about. I mean, I’ve been a trainer and health coach for 13 years now, so I’ve definitely seen a lot of fads come and go, and have certainly tried a few myself. But mostly, I’ve stuck to a routine that works for me…and, thankfully, I feel better now, at 33, than I did at 20. It’s been 13 years of slowly adopting healthier habits that stick over time, finding what works best for my body, learning to NOURISH my body instead of just feed it, learning that life is too good to avoid entire food groups, and making consistent choices MOST of the time to fuel my health, my energy and my fitness. I think I live the 80/20 rule without having to consciously plan for that. We love cooking in at home, and we now know how to cook some veggies and grains that I didn’t even know existed 10 years ago. I eat mostly plant-based diet, but I enjoy fish and dairy sometimes. I practice protein pacing so that I can continue to get stronger in my workouts. I utilize nutritional cleansing to support long-term health and a healthy weight. I don’t skip meals, I enjoy wine and cookies, I check my macros every once and a while to make sure I’m on track. Oh, and I eat chocolate. Cause no one should live without chocolate.

And the best part…none of this feels hard to me. Ever.

All of these changes didn’t happen over time. 13 years people! But I made the decision in my 20s that, if I was going to help others achieve better health and fitness through my work, I better take some of my own advice. I’m not perfect, but I’m healthier, stronger and more energetic every year. And so are my clients.

Change doesn’t happen overnight. Real, sustainable change takes time, initial effort, patience and persistence. But it’s always worth it.

How are you celebrating National Nutrition Month??

  
A few weeks ago, I had the honor of returning to my Alma Mater (Go BU!) to be one of the alumni guest speakers for current students entering various health professions. It was such an inspiring night, to network with other Alums who have made amazing strides in their careers, and to speak to students who I know will do the same. I think it was good for me also…to have to reflect on my career over the last (almost) ten years, because it’s been a whirlwind, to say the least! One of the questions I was asked a few times was how to achieve work/life balance. Which made me wonder: “do people think I have work/life balance??” 🤔

(Heh. At least I can pretend well, I guess?? )

But the thing is, I actually do have balance. And you probably do too…definitely more than you think you do. Don’t get me wrong…most days I don’t feel balanced. I often wonder if I should be doing more in one area of my life, or I just feel downright disorganized sometimes. But the advice I gave to the students is what I know I put into practice, even if I’m not always aware of it: 

Not every day is balanced. Some days I focus more on my Personal Training/Health Coaching business. Some days on my career as an Occupational Therapist. And some days, I say forget it all, and I just enjoy playing blocks and baking cookies with my baby boy. Some days I get the dishes and the laundry done, and some days it piles up. I meal prep like a maniac on Sunday, and then I don’t feel like cooking for a week. But what I do know is that, at the end of the week, we are all fed and we’ve eaten on clean dishes (huge props to my husband also…if you know us, you know he’s really the chef around here). I’ve showed up to work and managed to write out my workouts for the week. I’ve made beautiful memories with my family, I’ve been present as a mom and wife and a friend as best I could. Not every day has been balanced, but over the course of a week, I have done something to address every area in my life that is a priority (notice…I didn’t mention vacuuming or ironing. I definitely neglect some things!). And if I haven’t, there’s always next week. Just like I tell my clients, I’m always striving to make progress, but as long as I’m heading in the right direction, I’m not looking to be perfect. 
I’m not sure what made me write this post, but it could be the upcoming crazy busy holiday season. I hope you all stay kind to yourselves when things start piling up…we could all use a little more of that 🙌

Believe it or not, there was a time when most people’s daily accessories didn’t include some colorful band that tracked their every step, breath, movement and calorie. But there was also a time when humans weren’t so generally sedentary, and when maybe we didn’t need that feedback. But everywhere you go now, you’ll see fitness trackers of some kind, and new ones are constantly being released. I, for one, am a fan of this trend. In general, we don’t move enough. Technology, long commutes and even longer work days mean that we are moving a lot less than we used to.  “Sitting is the new smoking” has never rung truer.

I love my Fitbit Charge. I’m not saying I believe every single thing it tells me, but I’m grateful for the little buzz I get when I reach my 10,000 steps per day, and even more grateful for the consistent habits it has created for me. Instead of immediately sitting after dinner these days, I often take a quick walk around the block. Instead of driving to the post office, I put the baby in the stroller and walk there. Whether I log 8,000 or 10,000 or 18,000 (that was a good day!) per day, I’m enjoying the movement and fresh air that I’m getting each and every day.

If you’re thinking about purchasing an activity tracker, it’s always a good idea to do your research. There are so many options out there, and you want to make sure that your money is well spent and the tracker is tailored to your individual goals. Here’s a great review of many (87!) of the options out there…

http://www.reviews.com/fitness-tracker/