I can see in myself and those around me, how easily it could be to slip really far away from our normal health/wellness and self-care routines right now. Our once busy lives of running all around, meeting friends for workouts, or coffee, fitting in self-care like massages, facials, manicures, making time for wellness visits to doctors/acupuncturists/therapists/healers has all been abruptly stopped. We are now asked to stay home, all the time. All appointments cancelled. I feel that there is more at risk here than just getting the corona virus, but also losing the routines many of us keep in place that we need to function optimally. In this new “normal” way of living while staying home, I think it is even more important than ever to stick to a wellness routine even if it looks very different than it used to. I think a tool to managing the stress and anxieties of today’s world means maintaining a semblance of our “old” schedules and not letting our health routines get too far derailed. Here are three of my tips on what I recommend people do during this challenging time:
Read moreMindful Movement
One of the most successful strategies I have been using with my students and clients who are already regular exercisers, but not seeing results they want is by encouraging them to embrace more mindful approach to their exercises and fitness routines. By mindful, I don’t just mean trying to be more present, more in the moment, more breathing, but this is more about incorporating the same type of balanced approach to exercise that most people do with their eating habits. For example, most people don’t eat the same foods every Monday, every Tuesday, every Saturday etc. etc.. year after year. Yet, when I hear from many of my students, I often hear a similar story like this “I spin on Mondays and Wednesdays, boot camp Tuesdays, Barre on Fridays, and Yoga on Saturdays. This has been my cross-training schedule for 5-10 years”. The type of exercises doesn’t really matter, it is the more the emphasis on a routine that people are following month after month without getting the results they are looking for. I hear this all of the time that people find a fitness routine that fits their schedule or, or a list of favorite instructors they follow, and they will stay with this exact plan for a long time, even if they are not seeing the results that they want, and even if it is not necessarily making them feel good.
Read moreVegan Bolognese A la Barneys New York
Vegan Bolognese
I love cooking with only vegetables and I am always looking for new recipes that are delicious and has healthy as can be. This Vegan Bolognese recently topped my list because it is so delicious and seriously packed with so many different vegetables and flavors. I also love it because it is as satisfying and filling as a traditional meet bolgonese but without the heaviness I used to feel from eating a pasta with meat sauce. I served this over vegan pasta and with a simple green salad on the side. The best part...My husband and kids ate it too.
Read moreThe Unexpected Way I found Purpose
Testifying in front of the Joint Committee on Health and Public Service and the Massachusetts State House
As I stood testifying at the Massachusetts State house last spring in front of the Joint Committee on Health and Public Service to help influence improvements in the system of care for stroke survivors, I had this powerful sense that this was exactly where I was meant to be. This felt like my purpose in life and I realized then, that maybe my stroke wasn’t just this horrible thing that happened to me, but maybe a gift. I began to look at my situation differently. What initially had felt like an obstacle, I could see now as an opportunity. I realized I was lucky to have experienced and recovered from a stroke, and now can share that experience to help others. More importantly, I had realized that my stroke had set me back on a life path I thought was gone.
Read moreWhat Is The Ideal Exercise?
I get asked this question all of the time... My answer is, “barre, obviously..." No, but in all seriousness, I do feel that the type of barre classes I teach do come pretty close to hitting the three key components of fitness that I believe are necessary to being fit and healthy. The goal is also to keep people healthy in order to complete every day activities: Cardiovascular health, resistance training and flexibility. How you combine these three components may vary depending on your health and fitness goals, the time you have, and the intensity at which you workout. So after being asked this question “what is the best workout,” I decided to do more research to support my answer that barre comes pretty close. We all are always looking to find the "perfect workout” that helps us reach our goals as fast as possible. It is important in this quest that we think about how we can be exercising as “smartly” and effectively as possible, as well as staying in that balance between over-exercising and what is good for our bodies. For example, for runners, a recent finding published in an article in the Journal of Physiology showed that just three 30 minute sessions of SIT (spring interval training) were as effective as five hours worth of steady-state exercise. That is a huge time saver! However, the study also shows that doing too much SIT and too intensely, becoming over demanding on your body, can actually slow your progress. So finding the balance is key, and determining that balance can take some time - which requires the ability to pay attention to your body. My gauge for myself, is post workout. I want to feel challenged, but still energized and not depleted, and eventually want to see results (sooner rather than later). If you have a workout that you love, but seems to wipe you out, look for ways to cut down the intensity and duration, or reduce the number of times per week you do it.
Read moreThis is How We Roll...Out Pain
I posted a quick picture about the book Melt Method, by Sue Hitzmann a few months ago but now feel that it is in need of a real blog post to do it justice. Melt stands for Myofascial Energetic Length Technique. I never thought I would actually stay focused for 293 pages of a book just dedicated to a foam roller, but I sure did! And happily. I actually found this book fascinating and also truly helpful in reducing pain (and in some areas) actually resolved pain. For example, if you are someone with shin splints.. WOW, give it a try on your shins.
Read moreFinally Sharing Them...My Before and After after Photos: Bouncing Back Post-Baby
I often get asked from people who have known me pre, during, and post pregnancy: What did I eat to lose the baby weight after having my two children (I gained almost 80lbs .. twice) and how did I get started back into exercising? There are no short answers to these questions and I have no formal education in nutrition, but I love sharing what worked for me. Note: I had a really hard time finding pictures of me post-baby. I would never let anyone take any pictures of me. All of these are of my daughter or son 4 months old or older. Looking back that is just so silly. Every pound was worth it. I would do it a million times over. I just wish I could say that extra weight didn't bother me during such a happy time, but it did. Especially since the weight didn't start coming off until I got serious about my eating and exercise plan once my daughter was 9 months old.
Read moreLife Isn't a Sprint..It's a Marathon
Boston Marathon and the intense motivation the thousands of marathon runners must have to challenge themselves to running 26.2 miles. I mean, that’s pure motivation, drive, spirit, endurance, strength, will, bravery and passion… that’s moving two legs just one step, one pace, one mile at a time to achieve one single goal. Motivation is an amazing force. It can take you from one place in life to somewhere you never imagined in your wildest dreams.
This really got me thinking about the role motivation plays in each of our lives. What is your motivation? Do you have any? Is it easy for you to find it or is it a constant battle? Is it to drop a few lbs. (or 60), lose an inch, run a mile (or 26.2), increase your strength, get a new job, get out of bed, get over someone or something? All goals, no matter how big or small, how easy to realize or out of this world they may seem, have to start somewhere.
Read more
