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Summer salads! 3 seasonal sensations that are simple and crowd-pleasing

This time of year, with the abundance of seasonal veggies and varietals, it’s such a no brainer (and treat!) to eat salads throughout the day. With the fresh ingredients, the cooling effect on hot days, and the fun and easy ways to adapt/incorporate whatever ingredients you have on hand in fridge or in garden, it’s no wonder everyone loves a good summer salad. Here is a round-up of 3 of my standing favorites, with direct inspiration from the contents of our own humble little garden that is producing in plenty.

I hope you’ll take a moment to comment and share your family’s favorites in the comments below–it’s always fun to mix things up.

This year with lettuce and kale and spinach growing abundantly right outside my window, I’m getting daily inspiration for salads, and if you’re growing greens, they are crying out for fun new variations. For the last recipe, it can be made even heartier (lunch status) with added quinoa, or left on it’s on as a dazzling side. Enjoy–let me know which ones you make, and tag me if you share pics of these at all your summer bbqs and gatherings!

Beet, Goat Cheese and Fresh Lettuce Salad

*Note: this requires some time for cooking the beets, so you may want to do it in 2 stages, roasting earlier in the day, and then prepping salad at dinner time or when the guests are around*

Ingredients—simple!

  • 4 farm fresh beets
  • 2-3 medium heads of fresh lettuce–the variety is up to you and what you have around–I prefer the crunchy green variety
  • 1 small log of goat cheese-organic
  • Extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper

Directions–also simple:

Wrap the beets in tinfoil (individually) and roast at 375 for 1-1.5 hours, depending on size. After an hour, check them all and some of the smaller ones may be done, the bigger ones may take up to 1.5 hours to get to where you can easily cut into with a butter knife. You’re going to want to let them cool, then peel them with your fingers by gently tugging on the skin, it should come off easily, and then you can trim any tough spots and cube into small cubes.

Prep the lettuce–wash/dry/tear to your desired size. Dump the beets into the salad and crumble half of the goat cheese log. Toss the EVOO, balsamic in and salt/pepper to taste, it does better to toss the full salad rather than doing it serving by serving.

You can adjust quantities depending on how many people you’re serving, we tend to have this last us for several salads (storing the prepped beets in a bowl for easy assembly)…and believe me, just because it’s stupid simple, doesn’t mean this isn’t one of the tasty things you eat this summer. Don’t believe me? Try it!

 

Watermelon, Mint and Feta Salad

This one is to die for. And I bet you have many of the ingredients readily available during these summer days. I highly recommend planning an entire BBQ or family taco night with chili corn, etc around this dish–it’s so memorable.

The lime zest dressing is fun, but totally optional: the 3 flavors stand together so perfectly on their own that often I just serve it that way–it’s up to you–have fun with it!

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Ingredients:

  • One whole organic watermelon, cubed (on the small side)
  • 6 oz feta cheese (may not use the entire container)
  • 3-4 generous sprigs of mint, fresher the better–roughly 1/4-1/2 cup when finely chopped
  • Freshly ground salt and pepper
    • Optional dressing:
      • 1 tbsp lime juice
      • 1 tsp lime zest
      • 3 tbsp EVOO for drizzling

Directions:

Cube the watermelon, toss into a large bowl, add the cheese and chopped mint. Season as you see fit. Enjoy. It will last for up to 48 hours (gets more liquidy but holds flavors well) so make big batches and enjoy often!

YUM. Enjoy that and see how long it sticks around when you make a batch. I find myself eating it with every meal when it’s in the fridge.

Finally, a throwback classic from a few years ago on my other food blog, this is an all-time favorite, and while it takes a bit more work than the 2 above, it lasts well in the fridge and works well for lunches and accompanying any sort of BBQ dishes, like meats. Just trust me, you have to try this.

Massaged Kale Salad with Roasted Tomatoes and Sunflower seeds

Kale is a bandwagon many have jumped on, with good reason. I love that the massaging of the salad makes easier to digest and brings out all the great enzymes and flavor of the kale, and it will last well for several days, so make a weekend batch and enjoy!

Ingredients:

  • Small tub of cherry or grape tomatoes
  • 1 bunch kale (lacinato or curly)–this year I’m growing purple kale in my garden, and its fun for added color
  • 1/2 cup red or white quinoa
  • few handfuls of chickpeas
  • Red onion chopped and roasted with the tomatoes
  • 1/4 – 1/2 cup grated pecorino cheese  (I was fine without having this…it’s up to you)
  • 1/2 cup roasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds

Dressing:

  • 1-3 cloves garlic
  • juice and zest of 1 lemon
  • lemon olive oil if you have, or regular olive oil works too
    • honey balsamic is a wonderful, though not essential addition–mellower than traditional balsamics but gives it the edge you need…

Now go for it:

Preheat oven to 400F. Cut tomatoes in half, along with diced red onions, place in baking tray lined with aluminum foil, pour over a little olive oil, salt and pepper and pop in the oven for 20-30 minutes until soft. On a separate tray, roast sunflower or pumpkin seeds for about 8-10 minutes until brown.

Rinse the quinoa well to remove the bitter taste, and prepare as the package instructs you:)

Rinse kale and then tear up the leaves into small pieces. Remove stems…Emma really wanted them in the salad so they did end up in it again at the end…thanks for the extra fiber, lovey.

For the salad dressing: crush 1-2 cloves of garlic with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add the lemon juice and whisk all together adding the oils and vinegars to taste.

Then have some fun massaging your kale with the dressing! In a large boil, combine the kale with the salad dressing.  Massage/rub the leaves with the dressing vigorously. You’ll notice the leaves start to soften and wilt. Then add the cherry tomatoes, onions, chickpeas and quinoa and mix it all up. Top off the salad with the roasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds.

*Note, quinoa can be omitted if you’re looking for more of a side salad with a meal, but with the quinoa it stands alone as a healthy iron and nutrient-filled lunch.

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Women’s Health month: Thriving at every age

As women, we know all too well what can happen when we don’t prioritize our health–from stress and overwhelm, to unwanted weight gain, sleeping issues, fertility challenges and more. Because of our important roles in our family and society, we’re called to form healthy habits and self-care practices that allow us to be at our best, and to give our best in the situations of work and family that we find ourselves.

Personally–I’ve had to learn the hard way, just what an effect that stress, lack of sleep, and a lack of self-care routines in motherhood can have. (You can read more about that in the about me pages and throughout the blog). Thankfully, that crisis moment was 6 years ago, and the journey that I have taken subsequently has been an incredible blessing–discovering personal tools for non-toxic living, and a brand partner that allows me to always choose a holistic solution to the many many different needs women have. I’ve only lived into my 3rd decade so far, but I’m very aware just how much our health needs change from year to year, and decade to decade, especially as women.

Here are some wonderful summaries of healthy living for women of all ages, that I wish someone had shared with me a decade or 2 ago, as well as some tools that have supported so many of my friends, family and clients, I’m so grateful to share and hope that you’ll feel inspired to share with the women that you love.

You can also find some incredible stories and inspiration related to women and their health in this post, here, also in honor of women’s health month.

I always like to frame and start things with WHY. Why does this matter? When we create thriving, healthy foundations for living, we’re able to give a gift of self that is richer, more abundant, and not depleting of us. We learn to care for self, and accept forms of care, while in turn serving and loving everyone who is in our daily path and our larger call to impact.

HEALTHY HABITS ESSENTIAL FOR ANY AGE

No matter what decade we’re in, these habits matter.

Daily movement–find things that you love–walking, gardening, yoga, barre, running, chasing kids at the playground, whatever it is, be sure to move 30 minutes daily for optimal health, and with our fitness trackers, we can now see just how active or in-active we’re being, and create habits that make that easier to accomplish.

*Additional fitness recommendation for healthy bones: weight bearing exercises are suggested for optimal bone health, starting in 20’s/30’s to build the foundations of a lifetime of strong bones. Don’t be intimidated by weight lifting–have fun, experiment, get a trainer to help you feel confident, or just get in there and make friends and learn as you go. Some gyms offer classes specifically for women looking to learn about and use weights.

Nutrition: “Eat food, not too much, mostly plants”. Michael Pollan’s simplistic words have a wonderful appeal to them, in an age of overcomplications, fad diets, fad nutritional theories and people dogmatically telling you about how you need to go Keto. Every one of us is built to have different nutritional needs; a foundation of healthy supplementation, regular cleansing (through whole foods cleanses like we offer), and more will allow us to trust our body and to understand what it is we most need–ie, our cravings can teach us what our daily eating should be, in the realm of “intuitive eating” which is my hope for every woman, along with body confidence, and a freedom from emotional eating or eating issues. We all know just how challenging all of this can be to navigate–reach out if you want to connect or share what you’re in the middle of. See also my blog post about “why one diet doesn’t fit all” and theory of bio-individuality. It’s ultimately so freeing.

Supplementation: This is critical, and something many of us learn late or take for granted. When you realize that folic acid stores for example, take months to build up, women need to be eating healthy, iron and folic acid rich diets long before they are conceiving or trying to conceive. Similarly with balancing hormones and eating for balanced fertility, which is something many women bring up to me in our work together—well, the key is also to be aware of the larger picture, to work hard to create a non-toxic lifestyle–meaning all skin care, home other products, remove toxins and endocrine distruptors from our lives, and even our plates, and so many of these issues will go away. I really believe that everyone should be taking the vitalizer–a best in class women’s multi that provides balanced amounts of IRON (absorbable) and all the tools for strong bones, and healthy digestion, skin, nails, hair and energy–during those critical pre and childbearing years (it also doubles as a pre-natal, and post-natal, how convenient). After using this daily for 6 years, and I really do feel younger and more energized and balanced than I did 10 years ago in my early 20’s…I know that the whole picture is important, but what we choose to put in our body can be one of the key pieces. Do you research and see just what makes sense for you. I love the rave reviews I get from women ages 18-45 who take this as part of their best life.

Managing Stress: this one is certainly applicable for women across decades. Especially in our fast-paced daily lives that often leave little time for un-winding and being aware of our stress levels–and managing them properly. Some tips are: Identify stressors, schedule personal relaxation time, get good nutrition, exercise regularly (this is the most important one for me!), sleep more, and you can also try botanical support via ashwaganda or L-Theanine, found in our Stress Relief complex and our Energizing tea, among other things.

 

It’s powerful to reflect on the ways our health needs and bodies change, so we can thrive and enjoy the beauty of each season for what it is.

And our non-toxic lifestyle brand partner even has specific nutritional tools to make sure you are getting exactly the targeted solutions you need for thriving in each decade.

And don’t forget about rounding out the non-toxic lifestyle with clean beauty. This line is free of 2500 harmful chemicals and ingredients–some of the safest stuff around. We might as well look younger longer, since we’re going to feel younger longer.

Cheers to an amazing rest of women’s health month, and start to this summer! Can’t wait to take this journey of healthy womanhood with you–and share your stories and inspiration–those are what encourage and inspire and really lift up the other women in our lives…reminding them of how much their own health and happiness should be valued.

See more stories and inspiration for women’s health here. 

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Women’s Health Month: Stories and Inspiration

May is Women’s Health Month. A time to celebrate the incredible gifts of women, and the ways that their contributions to the world shape it for the better, every single day, in unfathomable ways.

And that’s what I believe we celebrate and hold up when we single out women’s health month. I really think there are no better folks to address this topic than the powerhouse women who are contributing in today’s blog their thoughts and reflections on what it means to prioritize and value health as a woman.

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SAMANTHA

Hi, My name is Samantha, and I am a born and raised Jersey girl 😉 (not the jersey shore kind of gal though) lol. I grew up in a small town outside of Philadelphia. My parents still own the farm that has literally been past down from generation to generation. Hard work, dedication, and compassion towards others (humans and animals) have been some of the core values my parents instilled in our family. I am still the happiest when I am outdoors, whether it is running, picking fresh herbs from the garden, or sunning myself on the beach.

Working in the healthcare field, I see how detrimental poor health and illness can be to the body as well as the mind. I am thankful that I have the ability to move and live the active lifestyle that I choose, as it allows me to live my best life for my family and closest friends.

I have been involved in athletics my entire life, and was very competitive at the high school and college level. I now enjoy running, a mix of cross training, and yoga.

One of the biggest changes to my health (physical and mental) was the addition of a yoga practice. I found yoga one of the years in college. At the time, it served as a place to quiet my crazy college brain while I was finishing up my doctorate. I came to find out that it has been something that I started to lean on a lot. Yoga got me through college, through a breakup, through a move to the Big Apple, through a new job, and through a move back home. Currently, I am making meditation and a daily prayer journal a part of this whole practice.

Some of the most important elements of my day that help me be at my best are when I take time in the morning to write, read or meditate. I have struggled with a daily gratitude journal, but I know when I make it a habit I feel better going into my day. My mind is sharper and it just sets me up to be at my very best. I also try to have a healthy breakfast. Sometimes it’s just on-the-go oatmeal, but I know for me to feel energized and fueled, I need to start my day with a powerful meal. Lastly, I try to get in some kind of movement for the day. It may be a morning run or evening at the gym, or it may just be a Sunday afternoon walk or some easy yoga poses. I feel getting out in the fresh air is rejuvenating and its important to take time out of our busy days for moments like this.

I think health and wellness as a whole has been ingrained in me since a small child. Growing up on a farm blessed us with our own free range grass-fed beef and pork, as well as a full garden of vegetables in the summer months. My mom home made almost all of our meals, and growing up in a family of 7 I now understand the value in cooking at home versus eating out(monetary value too). I am very thankful to have a mother who prioritized healthy meals for her family. I am inspired everyday by any and all moms. I seriously cannot fathom how it’s done. Maybe one day I will understand, but right now you guys rock ☺

One of the biggest lessons that I have learned in my adult life is the power of forgiveness. Not only forgiveness for others but especially forgiveness in ourselves. I have really spent a lot of time in prayer on this, and then one day it clicked. For me to move on and let go, I really had to find that forgiveness in myself. For me to allow happiness and joy into my heart I needed to forgive, and to know that I have already been and will allows be imperfectly perfect just the way I am. I think one of the most powerful things we as women can do is too forgive ourselves. It is also one of the most difficult things to do. But to be able to move on, take on new challenges in life, and experience life to the fullest we need to first start with our own forgiveness.

You can find Samantha sharing her yoga, running, inspiration and balanced living on Instagram @samanthadesimone

KATIE

As a native of the Pacific Northwest, I will always be a tree and mountain lover at heart, but I’m living the SoCal life for now. 🙂 I’m an achiever and strategic thinker, but I have a deep love of the beauty that is evident when all things connect and work together in harmony. I’m passionate about helping things grow to reach their truest, most beautiful, and most authentic form — whether that’s myself, people who trust me with their hearts, or the little organic herb garden on my kitchen windowsill.

As I’ve grown to know myself better, I’ve learned just how critical my daily habits are in the big picture of my health. My non-negotiables include:

  1. Time boundaries. They add balance and help me keep my priorities in the midst of the demands of 21st century life. For example, my mornings are sacred — I set aside at least 15 minutes for reflection, prayer, meditation, and/or journaling (and more time if I’m feeling particularly unbalanced that day or season). I also know that I need to be realistic with the amount of rest and sleep (which aren’t the same!)  I need in order to function well in all parts of my life.
  2. A diet that’s right for me. I’ve learned the hard way what does and doesn’t work for my body, and I’m learning self-mercy and acceptance of my limitations in the process. I make sure I take my multivitamin, I don’t buy foods that don’t agree with me, but I don’t let my diet become my #1 focus. I keep in mind that maintaining a healthy body is just one part of the bigger goal of being a healthy person in every aspect.
  3. Embracing outdoor time. Reading, running, whatever I can do — surrounding myself with nature (regardless of weather!) fuels my soul and hits the reset button on my mind and body when I’m overwhelmed.

I’ve had a few health crises over the years, from broken bones and bad breakups to times of intense anxiety and panic. When I was less aware (and less accepting) of my individual needs, I would just react in any way I could order to cope with the challenges. Too little sleep, too much work and TV, being around toxic people, or just indulging in distractions — these were all poor coping mechanisms that I turned to. I finally reached a point that I realized and accepted that I needed help in caring for myself, and in addition to opening new resources to me for healing and thriving, it freed me of the burden of thinking I had to do everything myself. I monitor my thoughts and actions more closely now (daily even) to make sure I’m not just “coping”, and also not expecting myself to be God when I should be embracing and loving myself as a human person.

One of the best things I’ve done for myself as a woman is to learn how my cycle and hormones effect — and are effected by — the other aspects of my life, including diet and nutrition, sleep, and stress. I began using the Femm app to track the different phases of my cycle as well as my emotional health on a daily basis. A daily check-in like this is something I recommend to every woman from high school on through adulthood. It is so enlightening and so empowering to know how and why our bodies work the way they do, and it provides a look into a side our overall health that’s so often overlooked and undervalued.

One of the biggest lessons — and greatest graces — of my adult life has been seeing the importance of community. None of us can do this life alone, and we were never meant to. I’m so grateful to have amazing sister-friends in my life who encourage me, speak truth to me, and constantly teach me more about the beauty of being a woman and being whole. It’s a blessedly long list of names, and I make it one of my priorities to foster those special friendships — they’re the treasures of a lifetime.

Katie can be found sharing beautiful captures, reflections, and worldwide adventures at @ciaokaedo on Instagram.

CLAIRE

I am a Pacific Northwest native, living my best life through love of God and self-care. I am on a mental health journey and love sharing my story and tips with others suffering from mental illness. I am the most content if I am outside enjoying the sun and the beautiful natural world with family and friends!

The most important aspect of my health is having the mental clarity and stamina to be with people I love. When I have mental clarity and stamina, I can fully engage with my surroundings and the people around me, and this makes me happy and content!

In college, I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety and immediately put on antidepressants. After a few years of unsuccessfully trying different doses and medications, I decided enough was enough and I would try a more natural approach to my mental health. As I set out on the journey, I didn’t know much about natural medicine or how to get better going the natural route but deep down I knew this was the right way for me. I started with exercise as this was familiar to me and I did know that every healthy person was active. I decided to go big and challenge myself in an extreme way and train for a marathon! I am so glad I did! It set the groundwork for my mental health journey by showing me that nothing can be attained without hard work and dedication.

I recently started slowing down my mornings (I am NOT a morning person and tend to snooze for too long then rush out the door) and make time for morning prayer. I make my bed when I get up.  It is one small accomplishment to start the day and makes a soothing and visually calming sanctuary to come home to after a crazy day at work. Last but not least, I make daily exercise and healthy eating a priority. The foundation of any healthy journey whether mental or physical (or both) is diet and exercise. You can’t do one or the other or neither and expect to be healthy. Believe me I’ve tried!

My Mom was ahead of her time as far as healthy eating habits! She would always say “we must have a salad with every meal” especially if it was the rare take out pizza! She would often refer to Westin Price, and we always knew the nutrition content for every vegetable. She inspired my love of gardening and we were spoiled as children by being fed from her large vegetable garden. My sister, Emily, is another great inspiration in my life. Her dedication to healthy eating and exercise with four small children is admirable. Her calm and reasoned approach to life has gotten me through my toughest times, she has saved me more than once. My best friend, Maddy, inspires me daily with her unflagging encouragement, she is the best cheerleader and friend a girl can have! Her faith in me and my journey is what has pushed me to continue my journey by helping others! I wouldn’t be where I am with these three amazing women!

Find and follow Claire on Instagram at @onefingeroutofwater and cheer her on as she launches her website next month, promoting holistic approaches to mental health challenges and sharing her journey. We’re so excited for the ripple effect you’re already making for many women.

VALERIE

I am so excited to be a woman of today who has the ability to understand the importance of health, nutrition, commitment and fellowship. I am lucky to have been exposed to the principles of hard work, determination, and commitment at an early age and having the ability to apply them in all faucets of my life. I have been exposed to ALL challenges of life and I truly believe that without daily exercise, attention to nutrition and the support of a few good friends, I would not be where I am today; healthy in mind, body, and spirit! I work as a mental health and substance abuse counselor, and running a dog business.

 WHAT I VALUE MOST ABOUT MY HEALTH AND HOW IT ALLOWS ME TO LIVE MY BEST LIFE:

 I VALUE MY HEALTH!!! All components of it! My health allows me to attend to all the requirements the demands of a busy life place on me. My health allows me to be available to my family, my job, my relationships, but more importantly to myself! I love life! My health ensures me that I will be able to live the best life that is afforded to me with enthusiasm, excitement, and zest! I feel blessed that I have been graced with the knowledge of the importance of good health and the ability to accomplish all that I have as I know there are those that have not been so lucky. I have been committed to helping other women endorse this knowledge of the importance of health for a long time and will continue to do so.

 AN EXAMPLE OF A HEALTH CHALLENGE:

I was raised in a family where there were multiple physical health and mental health issues as well as battles with addiction. Through the struggles to overcome these issues I have discovered the importance of daily attention to my own personal health. With daily exercise, attention to proper nutrition, and a healthy relationship with a strong network I have been able to develop a positive perspective regarding healthy living and the importance of a daily regiment of the proper vitamins and supplements.

 The two top health habits that ensure that I am at my best are: daily exercise and proper nutrition.

 I would love to give a “shout out” to Madeleine and Latisha for the commitment that they have displayed with my introduction to Shaklee and all of their products. Although I have maintained my regime of supplements, nutrition and exercise, I saw a tremendous improvement in my overall health, physical performance and strengthening of hair, nails and skin after the addition of Shaklee to my routine. I feel blessed to have met these two ladies and will continue to use them both as positive role models

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I have always believed and understood that there is nothing so fierce, so powerful, so purposeful, as a woman who knows her mission on this earth, and who knows her true worth. This worth stems from her understanding of herself, in right relation to God, to her friends, family, vocation and so much more. But this worth also starts within, when we are able to love ourselves with the  recognition of just how special we are.

Of course, none of us are without our challenges, struggle, health concerns and setbacks. That’s what makes us human. But we are tremendously encouraged when we see other women valuing self-care, their holistic—physical, mental, emotional and spiritual—health, and that ripple effect spreads beyond each of us when we make a personal commitment to health and fulfillment.

A happy Women’s Health month to you all! For a bit more sharing about some of the beautiful tools available to support women in every decade of their healthiest life, go here.

And feel free to share this article with a women who inspires you or who could use some encouragement. We’re in this together–and we rise by lifting others.

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Spring Race Recap: Reflections on Endurance Training and How It Shapes My Life

Dedicating this post to the amazing friends who’ve supported me on my journey of falling in love with training and running races; and who’ve witnessed to me with their own lives the power of this process in creating motivated, goal oriented phases that benefit and shape lives in so many ways. Specifically: Samantha, Mary, Claire and Annie, who’s also editing this for me. Truly, deeply grateful. And thanks to all of you who checked in on me and made sure I was excited and motivated and felt good–it was so touching, and I know I needed it!

Yesterday, I completed another half marathon!! The sight of the finish line has truly never been sweeter, and I was even more grateful this time to be able to run and take on this challenge, seeing another training cycle to completion.

Today, I’m going to try to touch on the overview/prep I did for this race and give a little race day recap. But before I do that, I need to share my musings on why I feel strongly about setting fitness goals as a part of creating a happy, successful and productive life–moving us towards the goals that matter to us–in all aspects, not just in fitness.

I get asked all the time–but WHY do you like running half marathons? And the answer really lies in something that I’ve discovered and continued to uncover along the way. Namely, I become a better version of myself through testing my mental and physical limits in these ways (within reason, of course, and with a strong support team making sure I stay injury free and enjoying it all).

Brendon Burchard, in his book High Performance Habits, says: “If the demands of your job or life require you to learn fast, deal with stress, be alert, pay attention, remember important things, and keep a positive mood, then you must take exercise more seriously. If you care about your contributions to the world, you’re care for yourself.”

Sounds like most of our lives! And what a straightforward solution, right?

And deep down, many of us know this to be true. Now, I am a huge fan of in home workouts, regular routines, gym classes that you can fit around your schedule, etc, but it’s also powerful to test oneself and one’s limits, both physically and mentally. That’s what endurance sports and events represent to me. After all, isn’t that what life often demands of us, whether we’ve trained or not? And with energy and positivity, what can’t we focus on and handle?

For me, as I came to half marathon training after becoming a mother (my first one was done when my eldest daughter was 2), it was also about witnessing to myself and to my family just how strong I could be, for myself and for them. And in the process of facing the challenges, the ups and downs, highs and lows of a race training cycle, I would face and conquer hidden fears, learn about myself, and be prepared to face other parts of life with more discipline, focus, gratitude (for strength), and an understanding of how to make progress towards those bigger life goals we have.

Now, for some people, swimming might be a smarter, low impact sport, my dad is an endurance cyclist and I’ve always admired folks who were into that as well. For me, running as been my passion, and not without challenges to continue—since in the past 5 years I’ve run 4 halfs and had 2 babies–I used to just say if I can run a half after/between each kid I’ll be happy with that–and so far that’s proven to be a good focal point for my overall fitness habits, postpartum recovery etc–more on that in an entirely seperate post. I’ve been able to run up to 34/35 weeks pregnant with my 2 most recent babies (shorter distances) and that has helped so much with regaining strength and motivation for recovery afterward.

Distance running is a form of meditation and mindfulness. Sure, I like to track my stats and set goals, negative splits and all of that, but it’s important to be able to just run for the sheer joy of moving, of celebrating life, humanity, an act of gratitude and prayer. I find that I can come back to my kids and my life my grounded and grateful after a long run–especially in nature. When the going gets tough, I’ll often turn to forms of prayer–rosary, etc–for perspective and pacing.

Training for a half is like any stretch goal in any area of life. It can seem super daunting on paper, and we need to show up with our base level of fitness/functioning…but then break down the goal into bite sized chunks, weekly mileage goals and a training plan with incremental increases/growth, and all of a sudden, it becomes simple as can be.

Often, once we’ve broken down the goal to manageable chunks, it really becomes a mental game. Can we talk ourselves into or out of our goal, the process, the enjoyment of it, the testing of ourselves with grace. This year, I was facing sub zero temps when I needed to be training, and a month before the race, I ran a 9 miler in mid 30’s weather. That was tough, but it reminded me of just how often we find reasons why the goal doesn’t matter, or can’t be met.

And sometimes we just have to let our commitment to the goal, and to ourselves, be stronger than any of that.

As I think about it: so much of life is about playing for a long game and an end goal that is not close by. Mothering for example–talk about a marathon, not a sprint! Like an 18 year marathon 🙂 And with owning a small business, I often have to look at my growth and focus on the future in large/stretch goal terms, and then break down those big goals into bite size pieces to figure out how we will get there (and you all have been AMAZING as we’ve built this biz and brand).

I’m sure you can all give great examples from your own lives, of how these skills of patience, perseverance, mindful goal setting and more can come in handy. I get a huge rush out of completing the goal that I’ve worked towards, and even more so when I can model it for my kids and remind them that with proper planning and hard work, amazing things are possible.

Racing with Kids:

Tying into all that I shared above, I have found that the past few years, its been wonderful to include the girls in doing their own kids event on race weekend. The races we’ve done down on the Jersey shore with friends, and this local one–wisely– have a kids fun run tied into the weekend activities, and it really works on several levels.

First, it helps us all to be excited and counting down: we talk about what I’m working toward with my race, and we do some mini running sessions with them beforehand (nothing major) to build confidence and get them excited. Secondly, we can all inspire each other. Their enthusiasm and stick-with-it ness when they are racing inspires me in my running, and they get to stand at the start line (and finish line) and see their mom facing her fears and going for something that matters to her, and it makes all of us enjoy it more!

It SO helps to have a very supportive spouse–my husband does enjoy running shorter distances, but often sacrifices in terms of managing the kids on race day so we can all be together–for that I’m so grateful, and this year having it be a local race just down the road, helped so much! But destination races are fun too! The organizers who run the race events are getting smarter about making it a very family friendly experience.

I want my girls to enjoy challenging themselves, setting goals, moving with joy, and caring more about what their bodies can do than about what they look like. We’re exposing them to a lot of different sports right now–swimming, running, tennis, soccer–you know—things they can do their whole lives–as well as gymnastics and more. I just want them to be able to always come back to the deep level confidence that being healthy and competing against yourself and the clock can bring!

Training Backstory:

I LOVE the discipline and focus of a good training cycle, I’ve been doing that pattern now for 4 years: 3 halfs and 1 5-miler when I was 17 weeks pregnant with Ambrose ;). Spring races on the calendar  help motivate me in those early days of the year. In this case, I was waitlisted for this race because it’s small and very popular, and I had almost given up on the idea, but then I emailed the guy and made a last ditch, eloquent explanation of us as new to the town, and excited about the race–unaware of the crazy fast sell out on Jan 1, etc. He wrote back right away and said yes, of course, he always saves a few spots for newbies to town (the race attracts mostly from outside/even other states)…and just like that I was in…and facing the decision and opportunity on March 23rd for doing a race exactly 6 weeks later!

My baseline had been 5 miles for a few months, so my training cycle shown below would not be recommended for first timers/newbies or anyone worried about injuries–I kept a close eye on things with the amazing support of my reflexologist a and PT!

This was my rough training plan…I followed it pretty much exactly. And did yoga, pilates, stretching and an occasional short mid week run (3 or less).

Race Day Recap: May 6, 2018

After a fun and gloriously sunny and warm First Communion day on May 5, with many family and friends celebrating with us, the 6th was cold and drizzly–the kind of Sunday morning that you really wouldn’t mind staying in bed for ;). Joel and I roused the kids and threw on their race gear, and I fueled up with breakfast and my hydrate/energy tea combo, and then we drove the less than half mile to the farm where the events were taking place.

The girls had been complaining about getting out of bed so early but when we pulled into the farm and saw the cows, the finish line, and all the excited runners, they became all smiles and energy! Corinne insisted on running with her cow bell and her piglet stuffed animal (swag), and I loved her for it. We headed up to the barnyard and they did a prompt 7:30 start–we were off!

The kids’ race was entirely on the farm property, a half mile distance of rolling hills–I let them pace and little sis was out in front, with older sister worried about getting a side ache (she’s gotten them before) and we just encouraged her to keep going at a steady pace, and even though she got a tiny one, it was in the final downhill and she was able to push through it–and she didn’t want Corinne getting too far away from her either! That served as my perfect warm up jog, and we had so much fun with grandma and papa waiting at the finish line too before they took off for home.

My race started out on the farm as well, and when we reached the first sign that said “Hill 1 of 15” we all got that excited and sinking feeling–“here goes nothing!” Since I live right next to the course, I’ve trained on it, and that helped in some regards–but definitely more fun with a nice group of runners (it’s a small race, they cap it well). Apparently, Joan Benoit Samuelson, famous for winning the first Olympic Gold the year they introduced women’s marathon running, was with us–I saw her cap in the front when someone pointed it out to me.

At mile 1 or so, the rain started. These are the beautiful, scenic, winding roads that I love in this town, and it was so fun that the race took us on some I drive or run often, and also on back roads that I’ve never before discovered! I didn’t take many photos during this time–I was trying to keep my phone dry.

Around mile 5, I decided to start chatting with some folks who were pacing with me. See, I know from experience that miles 5-9 can be the most challenging mentally (and therefore that can translate to slower speeds, or being unsure of whether you’ll “make it”)–by mile 9, I always know–OK, I’m gonna finish, and get an extra boost.

Well, I started making small talk with a nice guy named Keith, and with a lady Melanie, and then later with Jah who was also the pacer for my ideal finishing time–so I was motivated to keep her in my sights! Those rainy, mostly flat miles really few by, and then around mile 8 the rain stopped, and then the hills started! I think that there were 7 hills—ranging from short to long–in the final 5 miles of the race. It made it pretty intense in terms of wondering how much you had left to give, testing the edge, and then on the downhills, working to stride well and make up times lost on the uphills.

We also wound into the beautiful town state park, had a water station there, and ran right up to the beach in Topstone Park. That was a fun change of pace, and a lot of runners rushing by in both directions make for a nice energy boost. I had finished my electrolyte drink, had part of a snack bar, and then grabbed some jelly beans from this station–which give that nice rush for the final miles. I also turned on my music which I don’t always run with, but I had a feeling it would be key for the hilly miles 10-12…and sure enough, it helped. I listened to my MIKA radio station on Pandora and then we had some great sideline support on those final hills–folks cheering for us and saying “you’re almost done”…amazing how much you need that when you’re in the last reserves and I was trying to pick up my pace and do some negative splits at the end too…Which I did for miles 10-12.

When the final sign–Hill 15 of 15 passed and we thought that it was all down hill to the farm finish, there was a feeling of sheer joy—but I know the race organizer enough to know that he thought it would be funny for there to be one more tiny uphill—so yes, on the other side of that we could see the turn in to the farm and we were pumping down to the barn yard and around the corner to the fun finish line.

I just checked the total elevation gain and it was 979 feet. Woah. So of course I’m convincing a few friends, my dad, and others to do it with me next year (and there’s a 7 mile option too!).

I knew the hills would be tough, the rain added an extra layer of mental challenge, but at the end of it, the finish line was SO sweet, and I felt on top of the world. Not to mention the flowers, fun medals, free massage and PT right at the finish line, and local places offering us coffee, donuts, pizza, and some fun finish line tunes.

The best part was probably being able to walk home from the finish line (less than half mile away) carrying a box full of fun race food for my fam, and the girls had run a hot bath for me….heaven.

All in all, a great race day. I didn’t win in my age group, or even close, but that wasn’t my goal. I felt strong, focused, amazing and injury free. So grateful that I can enjoy this sport of running after 3 kids–and will continue to encourage family and friends to challenge ourselves, knowing the journey is just as important as the end goal!

I often get asked what tools and support and tips I have for others who want to start training for runs–especially moms (yep, I’ve done the past few half marathons while breastfeeding;))-so that info is here in another post. I would love to discuss what is inspiring you and how you too might be able to set a stretch goal that is right for you, and see it to completion!

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I’m working on my next important post: some reflections/over-arching themes of postpartum fitness, from my own journey (vulnerability overload, you’ve been warned), and sharing in what others tell me are their unique joys and challenges. I do believe being a mother encourages us to find strengths that we never knew we had, and this avenue for testing and reminding ourselves of that strength is indeed a great gift. It will look slightly different for every person, but we all have ways to continue testing our physical and mental limits, for the development of ourselves as humans.

Thanks for reading to the end, and I hope you’ll share below your own stories of the races you’ll always remember, and the people you became along the journey to the finish line.

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Half Marathon Training Tips and tools: from my experiences

So, I need to preface this that while I do have several years of experience with training for and running half marathons, especially postpartum, I’m by no means an expert or a coach. I do have some amazing friends who are running coaches, so if you read through this and want to seek out additional support and training help, I would happily refer you to them.

I started running halfs after I had my first child, and had faced my lowest part of life in terms of stress, lack of energy and self care. I thought I was destined to just feel miserable and be exhausted all the time as a mother of young ones. Well, I had also not really thought about long distances as possible for my body, and I had always gravitated towards shorter distances when I was younger…in track and field days I did the 50 yard dash, and shied away from the 440 and other longer distance. I tried running cross country in highschool and wasn’t that into it. Perhaps I had yet to learn the value of patience, perseverance and sticking with something before seeing results.

BUT since I’d always played competitive soccer, I did have the stamina and enjoyed the feeling of being able to run all game (playing midfield)…and when my soccer career wound down after highschool I took up running as an easy way I could stay in shape literally anywhere I was. I think I actually started the habit while living abroad with my family, with not too many options for local gyms, etc. So I ran some 10Ks and other fun races with my dad and brother, but hadn’t taken on anything longer than lets say an 8 mile run. I was intimidated by the fueling/hydrating aspect needed for those distances, and just left it alone, but I always admired and appreciated endurance athletes. I could tell they were tapping into a part of the human spirit that I deeply love–of testing our real physical and mental limits, and then showing us what happens beyond those limits!

So when Emma was one and a half, I had a small health crisis which I talk more about in the about me page–and that led me to a deeper focus on self-care, proper nutrition for me, handling and cleansing from my life long sugar addiction–and then, on the other side of it, with my new health tools that summer (2012), I felt AMAZING and found myself wanting to run longer and longer distances! So I signed up for an October half marathon in DC (near my family) and proceeded to training–in the final hot weeks of summer. It was tough, but I realized, as I realized every time, that it’s a largely mental game…and its about preparing your body properly, but also convincing yourself that you can do this, you’ve got everything you need, and bringing in the proper support both in the areas of nutrition, accountability and support from friends and family, and even the other holistic support for your body as you build these new habits–for example, physical therapy has been huge for me in running races after my births (and with history of back/pelvic challenges), and recently, reflexology (obsessed!) and massage have become an important part of the process…as well as–lots of yoga and stretching! Approaching it as a priority and habit that will pay dividends in other areas of life also helps my husband and I when we start me into a new training cycle–the sacrifice of time is real, but most things in life of value do require that delicate re-balancing and re-prioritizing, and it all comes back to WHY.

Nutritional baseline and changes for training

Here are some of the nutrition tools I use for my half training. and adjustments I make to my “usual”. Being a health coach and all, I certainly like to consider some of the details that will enhance the experience, especially being injury free and enjoying the process without alot of mental energy towards it (3 kids will do that to ya). Building up strength and endurance properly is an art that can be learned. Especially, for beginners, the temptation is to overtrain and thus to tax your muscles and joints to the point of pain or injury. I purposefully do a less aggressive training (mileage) schedule and make sure my base fitness is in place, and work alot on core, stretching, alignment and some fast twitch muscle strength through HIIT etc. Some people like to swim for cross training (lungs, low impact) and others do more low impact exercises like pilates, yoga and barre. Mix it up and see what works best for you…keeping in mind that the mental game of knowing your body can run the miles on race day (with lots of added adrenaline) is just as important as the physical component of the training.

Make a training schedule that makes sense for your life and commitments…and go from there. Tons of resources out there–I consulted some good friends who had experience, and there are many many online programs—but I can’t vouch for any of them–if you have ones you recommend–comment below and I’ll add them to a recommended page/roundup.

In addition to the runs and the other cross-training, the other two main areas to focus on would be nutrition and sleep.

If you’re like me and you tend to eat lower carb normally, you’re going to need to increase your carb intake for training, and balance it with lots of healthy starches—making sure these are making an appearance especially before long runs and on recovery days! I’m also breastfeeding, and have been for my past 2 training cycles so it changes what you need as well:) I have some nice weekly meal plans geared for runners  with various nutritional profiles/needs, so msg me if you want me to share them.

Examples of my favorite training cycle healthy starches and carbs:

(background, I primarily eat gluten free, but I’m flexible about it as needed–yay for a healing gut, overcoming some sensitivities that aren’t fun to live with).

*Sweet potatoes, roasted

*Brown rice (stir fry lover over here!)

*gluten free crackers, rice cakes (usually loaded with almond butter or avocado)

*gluten free/paleo pancakes 🙂

*Some kinds of seed bread or GF bread—Dave’s we like, and a few other brands that care the source of their grains.

*Quinoa—especially with veggies/protein or mixed in a big salad

I also add in more sugars than I normally have in my paleo-ish (intuitive eating) lifestyle—more on that in another post for sure-I’m not a macro counting girl, and I’ve tried all the strict diets and found them to not be helpful for me (mentally)….so I go with an #intuitiveeating philosophy, mostly clean, not too restrictive, and also do (and suggest) regular cleansing so I can really trust what my body is telling me…probably worthy of another post so I’ll write that one up soon, and there’s some more thoughts here.

ANYWAY, keep the sugars healthy, from fruit etc, when you can, and make sure you’re getting lots of veggies–fiber, and protein. I like the life shakes for quick and easy protein after long runs (rebuilding muscles). There’s a formal BCAA in the sports nutrition line but I don’t tend to use it as often since it’s whey based…but it’s very high quality (grassfed) and my friends get great results with it. To each his own 🙂

Sleep!

This is probably the hardest area for me right now to stay disciplined in (getting enough—since I love staying up late, AND getting up to use the morning hours)…but I found the PM recovery below to be a huge help with getting super deep/restful sleep, and in the midst of this training cycle my husband and I agreed it was time to get my 18 month old to sleep longer stretches at night so we worked on that, and I really worked on getting away from screens an hour before I wanted to be asleep, and getting myself into bed as close to 11 as I could (though usually later, and reluctantly:)) But being tired out from training runs does help for getting good sleep patterns in place—I’m curious what others have done, and I hope you’ll share!

This is my favorite way to relax my muscles after a long run and makes for a nice night time ritual even when not training—magnesium and lavender promote a very restful and deep sleep. Perfect way to end any day. I like this brand that has vitamin C and chamomile too.

Baseline and Sports Nutrition tools

From my favorite brand partner. I’ve used these for each of my 4 half marathons in recent years, and they really do make all the difference in that extra energy, overall support and recovery when doing a training cycle that demands more of you. Feel free to do a personal health consult first if you’re not sure where to start….or reach out to me if any of these catch you eye!

This is the vitalizer strip I use daily. It helps with complete nutrition covering all the bases so I know I’m covered for omegas/ joint and bone health, energy, probiotics for healthy gut, and much more. It’s truly a best in class supplement and after 6 years using it, I know I’m never going to be without it–my husband and I both notice if we ever skip a day…that’s how powerful the sustained energy and effect is.

This is my other key product that I can’t imagine training or living without (ok, well all of them are really)…this is your natural electrolyte drink that is low calorie/sugar, and so much healthier for you than gatorade (gag). It comes in lemon lime and orange. We drink it daily around here and the kids get it whenever they want–they call it “shaklee juice” and it’s covering so many important bases for all of us with balancing electrolytes before, during, after workouts and in just daily living that involves summer sun, sweating and more. Try it if you’re intrigued!

I love alfalfa for so many reasons—but in this case it’s a powerful energy source (think horses eating alfalfa for stamina), and a super green, it reduces inflammation and even pain, and helps alot with my recovery time after a workout.

So this pm recovery product is less than a year on the market–and it might be my biggest game changer…I often will take it for better sleep, even if I didn’t do an intense workout.

I ran my half, came home to a long magnesium and lavendar bath, but was still hobbling around with soreness yesterday. Then, I took 2 of these at bedtime, fell into a deep sleep (the tart cherry is known for that) and woke up not sore at all! (just a little tightness in a calf that I walked out). Truly incredible and everyone who uses it says the same thing. I don’t track my sleep, but those with the REM cycle trackers have noticed a big change in their level of deep sleep and getting into the cycles faster…pretty cool.

This is your perfect pre workout boost (or even for a generally busy day). It’s quite a buzz (very little caffeine but lots of green tea and B vitamins in it), so be prepared! Love that it’s totally natural and it mixes well with the hydrate too. I’ll use the chews version to carry in my pocket for races too, for late in the game energy boosts.

OK, the energizing tea is one of my daily products for energy and overall balance–but I definitely pack it into my water bottle for race day–and blend it with the hydrate for all my long runs. It is sweetened with stevia, has amino acids that feed your brain…for alertness without a caffeine crash, and I also love it (when not running), with chia seeds for a super healthy and awesome midday pick-me-up.

Finally—it’s good to invest in a foam roller as well when training, as you can do a quick massage/release of tight muscles, especially helpful for IT bands, calves and glutes, to prevent injury.

There are a variety of them out there…you can read reviews on amazon and pick the ones that make most sense for your needs.

It’s been such a gift to be able to learn how to do training for endurance sports. I know for me the effects are in all areas of my life, which I write about over here. With the right tools, baseline health, support team and motivation, so many folks can do more with their bodies in terms of fitness and lifestyle goals…and I hope that my own journey inspires even just one person along a path to a healthier and happier life.

Let me know what you’re preparing for, or if you’re inspired and a bit more motivated- this time of year—or after reading how this mom decided to just start becoming an endurance athlete.

I’ll cheer you on, whatever your goals!

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Every day is Earth Day around here!

I have come to appreciate Earth Day more and more each year. As I get older, my awareness of how much the season changes and our connection with nature really affect us in all aspects, and this year, celebrating Earth day with our own little plot of trees, grass, sun soaked yard, and welcoming warmth. There is such an important lesson in being grateful for this beautiful world we live in, and considering how to leave a legacy of care, gratitude, sustainability and hope for the next generation.

So 6 years ago today…

A bottle of non-toxic cleaner arrived at my doorstep. Drumroll….

Really? Is that all?

Well, that one bottle, started a process of something that changed our lives…in so many ways.

You see, I was at a crossroads in life…trying to figure out how to balance a career I loved, with having children, and my heart told me that being a mom needed to come first. But, we were living in Brooklyn, I was in the midst of job searching in the finance and non-profit accounting realm, having recently lost my high paying but super stressful job in that field. Emma was 1.5 years old, and I found myself, unexpectedly, spending my days with her, on the playgrounds, with friends, in coffee shops, and taking a hard look, with my husband, at what we wanted our family, future and my career to look like in the years ahead.

My dear friend Melinda was a health coach, and during this time, she told me, “I’m starting a partnership with this great company, I want to share some of it with you.” And I remember being like “oh, ya, vitamins, whatever. I have those, I pay lots for them at GNC, I take them (most days), and I don’t feel any different.” (Ha! What a surprise I was in for–many posts on that here on the site). BUT, I did fall in love with the concept and what she shared with me about the green cleaning line. So I decided I wanted to buy a bottle of the Basic H2, which I later learned is an official earth day product and all this…but at the time, I was just looking for a way to clean my home without guilt. See, I KNEW the stuff under my sink was bad for us, it gave me a headache sometimes, I used to have my husband clean the shower when I was pregnant (Sorry Joel), and then I would every once in a while break down and hire a cleaning lady to come in with her bags full of chemical laden cleaners–and we’d clear out (go to the park for a few hours)…when we came back, it always look good and smelled “clean” but something told me my daughter playing on the floor and touching all the surfaces, deserved better. Yes, I’d tried other natural cleaners, but I always felt they left residue, and didn’t work as well. SOO….I trusted my friend Melinda and agreed to buy a $10 bottle of basic H, intrigued by the idea that it was concentrated so it would last me a while, and would replace several of the plastic bottles I was eager to get rid of.

Best decision ever.

You see, this is the bad news. We do live in a toxic world.

And we need to be conscious of what we bring into our homes–with cleaners being a primary concern.

And then when I fell in love with the cleaning line–I began to realize just how many different toxins and chemicals I was accepting into my life–in food (scary!), in my personal care/skin care, and so many aspects of life! Did you know that many supplements are tested only to find they are sawdust and full of fillers that aren’t even on the label!? That’s crazy. So this brand that is doing the right thing by the earth, by it’s constituents, and that has a legacy of green that stretches back 60 years, with the first official Earth Day product (Basic H), and this incredible environmental legacy as the first company to become carbon neutral in 2000, and to be leading the way, showing other companies how to walk the walk when it came to green living–and more–I knew I had to make the switch over, in the other areas of my lifestyle too!

Then, next thing I knew, a few crucial soul-searching months later, I was on a path to becoming a certified health coach and LOVING helping hundreds of other families make the switch, and clean up many areas of life–because holistic living is a wonderful way to reach thriving and to live in harmony with nature.

It’s been such a gift and I’m thrilled that it all started this way. I always tell myself, my kids and my clients–little changes really do add up. Do you believe that?

What changes are you ready to make in your non-toxic lifestyle? Would you like to link arms with us and help plant some trees while greening up and cleaning up our own homes?

Well here we are,  6 years later, and we’re still finishing up that SAME, First bottle! Wow. Best $10 spent. Ever. 

 

 

And through that change, to our laundry, dishwashing, cleaning, habits—we literally started breathing better, felt confident having our children clean with us! (Such a great thing!) and when I’ve had housekeepers, etc they’ve always used these products and LOVED the results. For a fresh clean smell we’ll use essential oils in them (lemon, peppermint and on guard being my favorites). And through these simple changes, not only are our clothes brighter, our home toxin free, but it also inspires us to continually make more and more choices that serve our planet–and our lives–better. It’s that ripple effect–when we feel better, we do better.

 

Get yours here!

 

After all, shouldn’t our homes be the cleanest places on earth?

And is it possible that the small act of scouring the sink, can be the giant act of changing the world?

Now for some testimonials and tips! These amazing women share what this Earth loving change has meant to them! As well as some of their quick cleaning tips to inspire us as we all green up and clean up!

Martie Ryland:

 

I’m Martie Ryland– wife to Chris, mama to Glyn, writer, gardener, and lover of all types of four-legged critters. We live on a farm in Arkansas where we stay very busy!
You can find me on Instagram @s_c_gyspy
Martie’s Top Cleaning Tips!
1- Keep a cleaning rotation going. Just a twice weekly wipe down of countertops, bathrooms, and light dusting keeps you from having to deep clean nearly so often. I pick one room a day, and it takes me 10 minutes or less!
 
2- Let the kids help. Since the Get Clean line is non-toxic, I can let my 1 1/2 year old help me without worrying about him being exposed to any harmful chemicals. I hand him a rag, and let him go to town. I get more done if he’s occupied and doesn’t feel excluded. 
 
3- Add essential oils to the mix if you miss that “cleaner” smell. Any kind you want, really. I love using lemongrass or orange. 

Robin Neely:

“Before and after! I spilled juicy blueberries on this wood countertop a few weeks ago and thought it would be there forever. This morning I thought I’d try Scour Off. Took about a teaspoon of it and some elbow grease, but this old counter looks clean!”

(You can find Robin and her inspirational vegan and bunny loving lifestyle on instagram @penny_parsnip)

Newelle McDonald:

“Before I found Shaklee all I could do to help save the planet was to wash and reuse my plastic bags. NOW, I’ve prevented more than 829 plastic bottles from going into landfills EACH YEAR! I can’t possibly calculate the chemicals that have not gone into our waters. I’ve been doing this 15 years. You do the math… I can look Mother Earth straight in the eyes and say, “I’m here for you Momma!””

Newelle can be found sharing holistic insipration  at www.newelle-ness.com

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Spring Lifestyle upgrade—cleaning up health, home and skin!

Well I don’t know about you all, but we’re finally getting spring weather here in CT!! As soon as the weather gets above 60 and the sun is shining–I get two strong and conflicting desires—one to purge, organize and deep clean everything in the house…and the other to get out, lay on a blanket in the sun, play badminton with the kids, and generally just forget about chores for a bit.

I’ve been in the second mode for this weekend, and Earth day was a perfect and glorious day, reminding us of just how lucky we are to have green space and a little patch of earth to love, care for, and to be nourished by in so many ways.

What’s your favorite part about spring? Are you a clean first, play later type? Or a balance of the two?

I think the spring wardrobes and bare toes in the grass might be up there as my fav…oh, and the seasonal fruits and veggies coming back in–locally! We’re in a flurry to plant our garden quickly from last frost to summer–it’s gonna feel like a shorter season, but last year we moved in and planted in late May and it ended up working out well. Share what you’re enjoying about your cleaning and spring refresh!

I love to look at all my habits and hit the refresh button–from exercise, to making the lighter mornings count, to getting rid of winter clutter and even mindsets that aren’t serving me any more. I LOVE that we can use this lifestyle brand to CLEAN up many of the aspects of home, health, and skin…not to mention mindset and business with fresh perspective and goals! Wondering what to do with that nice tax refund? Invest in all areas of your life AND earn a check/write off your product bundle through the success packs–these are the biggest discounts on getting connected with non-toxic lifestyle tools at once–cleaner skin, cleaner homes, and cleaner health, through the supplements and the healthy cleanse kit!

Currently, through April 30th, the get clean kit includes FREE Shipping (Up to $20 value!) And they will be planting a tree in your honor; 1 tree, 1 kit. I love that. I replaced everything in my home with these cleaners 6 years ago, and we’ve never looked back! Been breathing easier, letting the kids help us clean (yay!) and more. You can find a whole article on this topic here.

What an amazing way to welcome spring!

And then I’ve read articles pointing to something I’ve instinctively understood/learned–that tidying up your kitchen and organizing it better can help with weight loss or health goals. (I’ll post link below).

And certainly finding ways to be more intentional and organized bring a peace and underlying rhythm to a season that starts to get very busy with events, etc. I know alot of people like to do a spring cleanse and to refresh their energy and habits. Consider that a seasonal gift to yourself; our bodies naturally hold on to weight in the winter months, especially cold weather climes, and it’s great to be able to shift our metabolisms and reset energy levels just in time for spring!

We have a great group lined up to start with us next week–but if you happen to be reading this later on and want to jump in, we’ll have several groups in early to mid May, and can do a personalized cleanse experience for you as well-it’s all about what you need!

More on that in another post, but this really is a complete non-toxic lifestyle, and as budget allows if you start going through and cleaning up/replacing all the areas of life with these tools, you’ll be AMAZED at the difference. Do you think changing brands can change lives? It certainly can and we’ve seen it time and again in the people around us who commit to the aspect of long term use—-after all–even though we like the idea of a quick fix, we know the ultimate goal is a sustainable, balanced, intentional and totally toxin free lifestyle, and that’s what this brand provides.

So thrilled you’re on the journey with us! Happy spring from my family to yours!

Article mentioned above:

Tidying Up Around the House Could Help You Lose Weight

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Real athletes, real results

It’s Spring! And a moment when many of us start thinking about new workout habits and routines as the weather warms, motivation is higher, days are longer, and summer is on the mind….

So, after talking about why we workout a few weeks back, I wanted to share with you some stories of women who take their passion for fitness seriously, who inspire, who live on their edge, who don’t let their fear of failure keep them from trying new things and challenging themselves.

These ladies have been building in some extra natural nutrition supports for their endeavors in 2018, to give these nutrition supports the real athlete “test.” Now, it’s time to share their feedback and some initial results. I can’t wait for you to hear about these amazing women and connect with their stories and inspiration!

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Alyx 

Bio: “Hi, I’m Alyx and I work for a mouse” 🙂 (Best bio ever!)

Alyx works for Disney! And lives in Florida with her doctor husband and her furry family. She’s run many of the Disney themed races around the country, and started this season with a Love Chocolate Run half marathon in Savannah before tackling some races closer to home.

Here’s Alyx’s detailed record of her race experience:

So I wanted to write you about my Shaklee Savannah plan! This was my first race using Shaklee so I wasn’t to sure how it was going to go. I packed Energize, Hydrate, and the PM recovery pills. I packed Hydrate in my running belt along with my Cliff Shot Energy Gels. My race plan is typically to take a gel at mile 4/5 and then again at mile 8/9.

I made a water cup of hydrate for breakfast. The race wasn’t until 9am so it’s also the first time I’ve had a race start so late. I used hydrate at 730/8am with breakfast. I then made an Energize to have right before the start of the race.  

I have to say the Energize was great! I didn’t feel the need to “goo” until mile 7. I really felt it kick in around mile 2/3 and I reminded myself that I had hydrated well and energized before the race so I was good to go.

As soon as the race ended, I used a Hydrate in the water they passed out and felt great. I was a bit dehydrated during the race probably due to the mid 60s and humidity and the lack of water stops (4 total on the course). I took another Hydrate later in the day around lunch time and capped the night off with nighttime recovery that evening. I also took nighttime recovery on Sunday and Monday nights and felt like I got great sleep Sunday and Monday night.

It’s Tuesday and I feel refreshed and recovered. Ready to tackle my 10k next week! I will be adding Hydrate into my pre-race plan as well as Energize!”

Since then: Alyx went on to do a few other amazing spring races, including a LIFETIME PR 10K on Sunday, March 10–snagging 2nd place in her age group with a time of 56:48, a full 3 minutes faster than the Princess 10K race she had run 2 weeks before (59:07). Impressive!

So love seeing how the performance improvements add such an edge to the season…we’re excited to hear how your next half (in Hawaii!) goes! She even has her husband, who also races with her, enjoying the Hydrate and Energize boosts to race weekend!

You can follow her at:

Instagram: @alyxreinhardt

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Jess 

Bio: By day, I am a market researcher in NYC where I uncover consumer insights that improve my company’s product offerings, customer growth, and subscriber retention. Outside of work, I have a passion for fitness and nutrition, which helps me to feel my best.  I grew up playing soccer, dance, and track, which turned into triathlons and marathon running. Several years ago, a friend introduced me to CrossFit and I never looked back- I’ve been competing in CrossFit as well. I love seeing the results from a proper nutrition and exercise regimen in getting fitter and stronger!

Here’s what Jess shared about her experience:

I am an avid CrossFit athlete, exercising at least 5 days a week and competing on occasion.  I started incorporating Physique Build into my regimen as a post-workout supplement to aid with muscle growth and recovery.  The shake had a watery texture and was palatable. The results were excellent- I was hardly sore after tough workouts and had more muscle tone.  In fact, friends I hadn’t seen in awhile told me that I “looked jacked” and a new gym member asked how often I workout because I “look strong and hard as a rock”.  I’m looking forward to further developing these gainz with Physique Build!

Currently, Jess shared that she’s also using the PM recovery, but finding it works better on nights when she can sleep more than 6 hours!

She finished her final round of a several week CrossFit competition this weekend, and is waiting on the results–send her some good luck vibes and well wishes!

You can find her at:

Instagram: @jtwong8

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Sophia

Sophia is a birth doula, midwife-in-training and placenta specialist, who lives in Sunny California (near San Francisco). She’s been using the baseline nutrition tools of vitalizer and shakes for several years, and starting in 2018, she dove in with the 7 day healthy cleanse, had amazing results for body, mind and spirit—and then continued with the Vitalizer as a grounding, energizing element of a new training program. She’s an amazing example of someone who is embracing a new year, new habits, new life!

Vitalizer had given me the extra boost I needed to cover the mental ground that told me I could not do this. As a vegan, a complete nutrition program is crucial and Vitalizer leaves nothing to be desired. It has enabled me to thrive and conquer nerve damage and other hurdles. The journey is just beginning!

You can find and follow her at:

Instagram: @wildandwisebirth

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wildandwisebirth/

I get daily inspiration from these ladies, and I know that many of you may be inspired by this post as we head into spring–taking the opportunity to set new fitness routines, goals and linking arms with others who will help us to enjoy the process, set our sights high, and most importantly, cheer us on through the tough moments that are part of any journey of self-improvement. When we remember why we started, we become truly unstoppable.

The products mentioned in this post are linked wherever mentioned…and there’s a special offer on the pure performance pack for athletes trying it out! Reach out to us with questions and to get yours! (madeleine.pidel@gmail.com)

Fitness pack: For the casual/short interval athlete: low sugar content in all the products.

Endurance pack: For the long distance biker/runner, or intense/endurance athlete…focus on balanced carbs/electrolytes and sugars in the products/recovery.

Also, I don’t know about you, but the Olympics always give me such inspiration; when hearing about the athletes and how they persevere in the sight of their goals…I’m still on a high from those. Here’s an amazing summary of the results of the Shaklee pure performance team, athletes who turn to this brand because purity and safety matter so much. 28 athletes and 7 medals, from athletes representing countries around the globe! I’ve been known to say—if it’s good enough for Olympians, it’s good enough for me and my athletic performance.

I can’t wait to hear what your pure performance stories will be!

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Feeling lucky? Green muffins w/ brand new *powdered greens*

I feel lucky to be alive, and very lucky to be IRISH as we head into St Patty’s day…and let’s be honest…we’re all Irish for 24 hours!

And, this year, I feel extra lucky that this fun new GREENs booster was just launched by Shaklee in time for me to make all the green muffins! It’s a tradition that goes back to my childhood. My mom would always make us green pancakes, green eggs, even our orange juice was dyed green for the occasion–so fun, right?

Well, the tradition lives on, and now we are sneaking in some extra powerfully healthy green veggies thanks to Shaklee’s new powdered greens, just released this week!!

PS…less than $1 a serving is SO affordable for organic greens!

I just got mine yesterday and I’m having fun putting it into everything! My girls love their shakes to be pink. If I add the right amount of these powdered greens, with some strawberries and raspberries, they barely taste it and it’s still pink, BUT they are getting 1-2 cups organic spinach, kale and broccoli. Sounds like a win, right?

I’m the first person to say that fresh greens are best…heck, I grow kale and spinach and arugula during the summer in my garden! But in the winter, high quality greens can be harder to come by, and let’s be honest, sometimes as moms we have to be a bit sneaky about it. (This also applies for those adults who don’t want things to look too green, but still want to get their veggies!).

Here’s the first fun muffin recipe I made up, adapted from a fun recipe from my partner meal planning service That Clean Life (check them out, so cool! I’ll be offering some freebies in the coming weeks for you to get your hands on!).

My kids loved these and were dipping fingers in just the batter and couldn’t get enough! May want to make 2 batches so you can store and freeze some, they will probably go fast!

Green Smoothee Muffins

(Gluten free, can be dairy free if you leave out eggs and yogurt, reduce oats to 1.5 cups, or substitute sugar for 4 dates to be sugar free!)

  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1/4 cup raw sugar
  • 2 ripe bananas
  • 2 scoops Shaklee’s powdered greens booster
  • 1/2 cup vanilla life shake
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup almond milk
  • (optional: small container vanilla greek yogurt…)
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups organic oats
  • 1 tsp baking powder

Blend wet ingredients, plus booster. To do this, I used a KitchenAid mixer. Then, stir together in a separate bowl the dry ingredients. Gently blend together, and evaluate how green it is (we ended up adding a bit of natural food dye to make it a brighter green, rather than brown). Fill 12 lined muffin tins and be sure to lick the spoon! My daughter exclaimed…”Mom, this tastes like an amazing green smoothee…”

Bake at 350 for 18-20 min.

Cool, serve, enjoy!

(Kid tested…and approved!)

Have a super lucky and wonderful St Patty’s day!

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Why workout?

Dear friends,

It’s a true pleasure to connect with you this way, and I hope you’ll drop me a comment below with your thoughts about this very important subject for the end of January…What’s motivating you to keep going with fitness after the excitement of the new year dies down?

And then my 5 tips for getting into a workout routine…or back into one if the holidays and first weeks of the year threw everything off for you and you’re finally ready to hit the ground running!

I think that when we know WHY we’re doing something, it makes the HOW and the WHAT much easier to bring into focus. So this post has 2 parts…

First, Why do we workout?

And then secondly, once we’ve discovered that deep drive and motivation, how can we get ourselves to make the motivation into a habit, something we do day in and day out?

To start with WHY, we can ask ourselves–what kind of person am I seeking to become? And how does fitness fit into that goal?

My workout motivation stems from needing to be energized for my kids, to have mental focus for my life as both business owner and momma, to have a place to sweat and relieve stress, and a way to ensure I can be not only fitting into my pants, but growing in the strength that God desires for me. Funny story; my name means “Tower of strength”…Over time, it’s become more and more about gratitude, moving in gratitude for this body that is mine. 

(Please, it’s not supposed to be about fitting into the pants…but that’s for another post at another time.)

I was reflecting on this during my first bootcamp class in early January, when all of us were bemoaning our days off from our exercise routines, and the holiday indulgences were making us feel the burn.

But in this moment, in this workout, I discovered another, almost deeper motivation. I come to workout because I need the discipline. All of a sudden, I was faced with the fact that it’s hard. You want to stop doing the reps, your body is yelling–”no thanks, I’m good, let’s wrap up” and your mind is saying “10 more, 9 more…”.And in my life right now, I need to flex that muscle. Sometimes the balance of my life demands all that I’ve got (always blessed, but sometimes stretched). And the discipline is what makes the bridge between joy and productivity/patience for me.

I realized another current motivation that is very strong for me. At other moments in life, I’ve been the queen of home workouts for periods of time, because of baby nap schedule and just squeezing it in here or there. But in this exact season of my life, I’m motivated by the social aspect. I love the community I’ve found. I want to have friends texting me “see you at the gym” and to walk into a class knowing that I know not only the instructor but some of the others who are showing up week after week to give a better and better version of themselves to it. And I know that because my days can be very full, sometimes the discipline of just showing up, smiling at friends, means that the workout will happen, it’s scheduled and I can’t (well, less likely to!) just walk out of it once I’m there, and Ambrose is happily playing with buddies in the child room, etc. The faces, the people, committed to their own processes, pull me deeper into my journey. 

So, I ask you. Putting all of what I just shared aside. What’s your WHY for working out? What are your deeper reasons? Are they strong enough for you to commit to it and keep showing up for yourself?

If not, spend time with a journal and dig deeper. Of course there will always be excuses or reasons why this is not the season in life to prioritize this. I do get it. I’ve even had short seasons of life like that (a month when we were moving, for example). But in general, working out is such a fundamentally flexible thing to fit into a schedule–from 10min to 60 min workouts, 1 to 2 times per week, up to 7 times per week….that it’s good to look at what other things are taking precedence, and whether the energy and focus we get from working out might not indeed help us in those other areas of life…that we claim need all our attention.

Are you with me? What’s your Why for 2018? Are you bold enough to share below? I’m so curious. 

Now…let’s chat about the HOW.

How do we make starting up a new workout/fitness routine easy and fun? Or if you’re 3 weeks into a routine and starting to flag…how can you re-energize your commitment to it?

5 Tips for Starting or Reviving a Workout Routine

(Why do all my posts offer 5? Because it’s more than 2 and less than 10…there. solved.)

  1. Schedule it in. This is the one that’s most obvious, and yet most people don’t actually do it, and then wonder why the day goes by and the workout didn’t happen! Grab your planner–look at the week ahead, see what pockets of time you have, and decide not only that you will workout, but also select what type of workout you’ll do. A lunch hour could hold a yoga session down the street. An early morning timeslot might be for a walk or run. An evening session might be weights at the gym, or maybe there’s one zumba or pilates class that you plan around and make sure it happens because you like the class. If it’s in your schedule, there’s a much better chance you’ll show up and make it happen. I have to adjust workout plans based on my toddler’s nap schedule and the school schedule of my girls, but it’s a non-negotiable that there will be 3-5 workouts, it’s just a matter of when.
  2. Find a fitness buddy from your real life (or make a new friend at the gym!). Accountability is key, especially while the habit is forming. Do you have some friends who will work out with you? Great. If not, do you have a long distance friend who you know is also a runner and you can check in on each other to make sure you did your training runs? Do you have a fitness tracker/app or phone feature (clearly, happily clueless over here), and do you get accountability from that community? Whatever it is, get that buddy system going and watch how your commitment and motivation soars. I started chatting with some moms coming in and out of the childcare center at my gym. Now we have each others #s and we text and plan which classes we will go to. Our kids are becoming buddies too. I’m a lot more motivated thanks to that simple tool.
  3. Figure out what you enjoy doing, for your Mindful Movement. Some people are made to do yoga 6 days a week; they love it. Others, like me, would go on a run whenever possible. Still others say “I hate working out, but I love zumba”. Voila. If you love it, you’re much more likely to get excited, to show up, to talk it up and get other great people involved. It’s a ripple effect of a passion for healthy living.
  4. Arrange positive feelings around the experience. That could include–but is not limited to—get some brand new workout tops and outfits to get excited about putting them on and using at the gym. It totally changes my commitment to sweating when I have some of the right gear! Or give yourself a reward (preferably non-food), such as a chance to sit with tea and read the book you want to read—after your workout, of course. It’s all about re-training your mind and calendar to welcome and accept this as a fundamental part of your schedule. Do things need to be adjusted some times? Of course!
  5. Finally, set up a schedule with carved out rest, nap and stretch days. What I learned last year the hard way is that you can over-extend and really wear yourself down, even doing more than a couple hard workouts per week. It’s time to welcome and value the importance of balance and since this is a marathon not a sprint–in all ways–you want to make sure you’re pacing yourself day and week in and out, to allow these habits to energize and transform you, not burn you out. We don’t want to over-produce cortisol, it will be counterproductive to our goals.

And finally–check out some amazing workout nutrition tools–pre, during, post–yep, it’s all be thought out and designed…and with a clinical trial and 3rd party study or 2 to back them up with some nice nutritional science. Email me to find out how you can get your first fitness pack at 50% off! (madeleine.pidel@gmail.com).

That’s it folks–1 or 2 deeper reasons WHY, some fresh new ideas to take your fitness plans from paper to reality. Let’s make 2018 a year of amazing fitness habits! When we feel better, we do better, and the promising new year and your life needs YOU at your best. And as I always like to remind myself, let’s enjoy the journey!

Maddy

Love this graphic reminding us of all the non-scale benefits of working out.