Fit Chick in the City » balance

Celebrate Good Times

Jess — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:42:18 +0000

Teaching bridal boot camp the past few weeks has been a bit of a flash back. Its fun to hear about the girl’s wedding plans. People often ask if I lost weight before my wedding. The answer is no. Could I have lost a few pounds probably, but the advantage of living a healthy lifestyle is that you don’t have to worry about fitting into a wedding dress.

Today is my 3 year wedding anniversary. Since, we won’t be celebrating until next week I thought I’d celebrate here with you. We got married at our favorite place in NYC, Central Park. I’m not too keen on tradition, so it was a small ceremony for just us and our family. That night we hosted a “cocktails and cupcakes” party in a gorgeous loft space.

The husband had all of his favorite foods.

Here’s one of my favorite photos from that day.

Lots of women vow to get in shape when they become engaged. In fact many women get into the best shape of their life at this time. It can be a great catalyst for a lifetime of change. But, why wait for a proposal or waste time dreaming about how good of shape you were in when you got married? We should always be at our healthiest. We shouldn’t wait for a life event to propel us into positive lifestyle changes.

What propels/propelled you to make a healthy change? Have you been able to maintain those healthy changes?

My answer: No one specific event, but a series of events occurred that made me realize that “perfect” eating and exercising isn’t something I have to achieve. I had a “no tolerance zone” for what I deemed “bad foods” and missing workouts. I learned that balance equals perfection in my books. For the most part I have been able to maintain balance. Of course there are times when I have to re-adjust, but isn’t that what balance is all about?

Restorative Hike

Jess — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 14:14:25 +0000

If you follow me on twitter you heard that I missed restorative yoga on Friday. I need to get back to following my own advice so that I can actually workout in public without smelling. The only thing that beats going to a restorative yoga class is a restorative hike.

On our way to the hiking area, we got a little lost. We asked some hikers on the side of the road for directions. Clearly they were fellow New Yorkers, as they were beyond annoyed that we asked them a question. They swiftly pointed and said, “its were all the cars are parked.” All the cars were parked literally a 20 minute drive from we were. New Yorkers hear my plea, when out in the country hiking can you pretend to not be New Yorkers and be nice??? It kinda dampens the spirit of the day when you continue to be rude outside of the city.

We went on a little adventure around a lake. There wasn’t exactly a trail, so we had a little difficulty with navigation. At one point we actually ran into three teenage boys carrying machete’s. No joke. Rejuvenation ended at that time, as I mentally began to review my newly learned self-defense skills. Nothing happened, but still there is no need for weapons. Its not that far from civilization.

I think I found the next spot for my next set of hill-repeats. Anyone want to join me? Next time I head out to Rockland County I’ll have to consult Rosey Rebecca. It turns out she grew up here and her parents live near Bear Mountain. There are tons of hiking trails with in an hour of NYC.

Normally, I prefer a much more strenuous hike than the one we found yesterday, but sometimes my body craves rejuvenation. Note to self: Not every workout has to be hard. I don’t have to pant every time I do physical activity.

What did you do this weekend to rejuvenate?

Lavender

Jess — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 12:31:38 +0000

Good Morning! Thank you for all of your well wishes last night. May fever is gone this morning. I googled “fever after a long run”. It turns out that a fever after a long run can be an indicator of dehydration or over training. I’m not sure that 10 miles is considered a “long run” but I definitely could have been dehydrated. I’ll also cut back my workouts this week in an effort to avoid overtraining.

I think I could use a little more of this:

Last week after my massage my therapist suggested that I take a lavender infused Epsom salt bath. This led me to do a little research on lavender. Its impressive what this plant is capable of doing. (all of the articles I read state that more research is to be conducted.)

Its been reported to help with:

Acne
Alopecia
Depression
GI disorders
Inflammation
Insomnia
Migraine Treatment
Low Back Pain

Who knew it could do so much?

The MTA should consider adding a little aromatherapy to the subway trains because according to Medline Plus it has been shown to improve agitated behaviors.

What’s your favorite type of aromatherapy?

Cake ???

Jess — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 14:37:33 +0000

I am a believer in eating cake. Trust me that’s not the question. I work in a gym. I’ve worked in various different gyms for the last 10 years. I’ll never forget my disappointment when at my first ever staff meeting…gasp….they served pizza and cake. When I first entered this industry, I was enthusiastic about sharing my love of fitness, but I was also excited to work with like minded individuals. This may have been the first time I was served unhealthy food at the gym, but it certainly wasn’t the last.

Do personal trainers eat cake? Well this one does… just not at work. I have a strict “no eating cake at work rule”. I strongly feel that when I’m at the gym or around my clients that I am to be an example. They look to me for encouragement to make healthier choices. Yes, I teach balance. I let them know that despite being a vegetarian, I eat everything else in moderation. However, what is this message being sent? What if you walked into a gym and saw a bunch of trainers standing around eating cake?

Should personal trainers and other gym staff be eating cake on a monthly basis in the gym? Is this an encouraging way to show balanced eating and moderation or is it a “no no”?

Flexibility

Jess — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 15:45:00 +0000

Due to unforeseen circumstances, today’s long run has been postponed until tomorrow.

Our friends, Scott and Amber organized a wine tasting party. Guests were asked to bring a bottle of wine for a wine tasting showdown. The bottles were placed in a paper bag, assigned a number and then passed around for a taste test. We scored each wine based on 5 factors. Then, the wine with the highest score was crowned the winner and the person who brought it was given a fancy wine journal.

We had a really great night! We didn’t leave the party until after 1 a.m. way, way passed my bed time.

It seems the person behind the camera was struggling to take pictures after tasting 15 different wines.

One thing I did in the past while training was miss out on social events. There was no balance in my life, only training. I promised myself that this time I’d be flexible enough with my training schedule to allow for this type of activity. Not doing your long run on the planned day, does not mean skipping it all together or getting bent out of shape. It just means doing it another day. A simple lesson thats been hard to learn.

This type of night isn’t our normal weekend thing. I’m so happy I decided to fully join the party instead of having one foot out the door the entire night. Mondays have been my usual day for long runs, and I guess its gonna stay that way.

How do you balance a demanding training schedule with your social life?

Its normal…

Jess — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 03:32:21 +0000

to gain a few pounds from time to time. I don’t know about you, but when I gain a few extra pounds my negative self talk increases tremendously.

Well guess what? Its completely normal for your weight to fluctuate. When we are under more stress than normal something has to give. That something is usually the thing that is best for us.

However, this week I am taking solace in two different articles featuring two fiercely strong and talented women. First a fitness hero of mine confessed to gaining weight during busy times in the July issue of Self Magazine. Then today in The New York Times a celebrity foodie, who is notoriously fit, also confessed that she too gains weight during stressful times.

The first article features, my fitness hero, Jillian Michaels.

The article is somewhat surprising. Her usual tough trainer image is no where to be found. She opens up about her own struggle to maintain her weight while working on the set of the Biggest Loser.

“I try to start the season in the best shape possible.”
“Then, during the season, I’m so exhausted that it’s hard for me to work out, so my body will change on the show. I get 8 to 10 pounds heavier.”

The second person that inspired today’s topic is Padma Lakshmi of the infamous show Top Chef. Her job requires her to taste food and yet she looks amazing! The article posted in today’s New York Times states the following:

“Each season, Ms. Lakshmi, 38, keeps two dress sizes on the set for when the weight starts to pile on: she is 5-foot-9 and typically she puts on 10 to 15 pounds a season.”

In the article she is quoted as saying “I just try to cut myself a break — I know I’m going to gain weight,” she said. “In my job, I eat the most when I’m working the most.”

Ladies, lets cut our self a break! If Jillian Michaels and Padman Lakshmi gain a few pounds during their busy season then we can too… without guilt. The key is to stop beating yourself up and get back to business. These women also say that when the filming of the show is complete, they get back on track by eating healthy and working hard in the gym.

Fit or Flop?

Jess — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 15:55:15 +0000

The Fitflop™ proclaims they are flip flops with a “built in gym.” I am officially intrigued, however $50 flip flops are not in the budget.

Often at the end of a long summer day my feet ache from playing in NYC with $10.00 flip flops on my feet. I confess, I’m beginning to feel the aches and pains that come along with being in my thirites having been so active my entire life. Due to this I was ready to whip out the credit card to pay the $60.00 for a sparkly pair of fitflops. As not only do they claim to be a gym for your feet, but also to provide great support.

Short of buying orthopedic shoes, I thought this might be a better option. Really, $60.00 for shoes I’lll only wear while running errands? Luckily, a dear a co-worker introduced me to the TheraSandal. Feet say “hello” to K-Mart? Yes, K-Mart.

After reading online reviews claiming that these two shoes were comparable, I rushed to my nearest K-Mart to purchase a pair…make that three pairs. The total cost for three pairs $29.97!!!

Okay so what’s the catch? There is no way these can compare to the $60.00/ per pair version. Right? WRONG! I decided to hike up to Tip Top Shoes for a little comparison shopping. The soles feel exactly the same. The uppers, specifically the thong portion of the sandal don’t feel exactly the same. However, not a big enough difference to justify the hefty price tag.

What you really want to know is are the claims true? Will they get your rear in gear and will they rid you of cellulite?

I can tell you that my feet were sore and tired after walking around in them for an hour. (In full disclosure, I have weak ankles due to multiple strains and improper rehab.) As for the shoes, they activate said body parts, including the muscles of the foot and ankle. Try on a pair and stand on one foot for 30 seconds. You’ll feel your ankle and foot working to stabilize your body. It kinda reminds me of riding the subway without holding onto a rail or using the dyna disc at the gym.

Therefore, the answer to your question is - YES! They have the potential to contribute to getting your rear in gear and to help rid you of cellulite. Remember its the little things you do everyday that help you live a fit life.