Our Little Tip for Keeping our Energy and Motivation Up: Crystals

 

 

Happy New Year Ms Fits!  We wanted to share our unique tip to help keep you motivated toward reaching your New Year goals….Crystals. Crystals have been used throughout history for their healing and energy capabilities and were considered sacred in many ancient civilizations. It would take the span of many books to cover crystals, the hundreds of different types, and their many uses, roles in traditions and rituals, place in healing and meditations, history, and the many different beliefs that surround their “powers,” so for simplicity I am just going to share a few of my favorites types (specifically the ones that just may help support new goals for 2016).  Wearing or carrying crystals is a very simple tool for adding a little positive boost to your energy and motivation!
I have had quite a few impactful experiences with crystals and now they are always around me. In the years since incorporating them into my life, I seem to continually meet many new “crystal people” and healers, and it is so fascinating what I have learned from them, specifically how differently people’s reactions can be to different stones. For example, some people will feel a heat, others will feel a coolness, vibrations, exaggerated heaviness, etc.. I even met a woman from New Zealand whose crystals shattered after they were done “doing their job” of removing negative energies. Many healers claim the crystals choose you, not the other way around. There is even a crystal for increasing fertility, like the chrysanthemum crystal (I have given this one to so many of my friends trying to get pregnant. Warning: So far, all have had babies).  I have also heard this many times, crystals seem to have a way of disappearing or moving on to other people that need them.

 

Crysanthemum Cyrstal

I know this might sound a little odd or new age to some, but crystals are simply known to have higher vibrations that work to boost energy, heal, increase spiritual connectedness, and help release negativity. My house is covered in them, I wear them a lot, I always seem to have a few on me.  I also have a crystal essence that was made for me by a dear friend that I spray everywhere. I use them in hopes to surround my family with positivity and create a space in my home with a healing “pure” energy. You can easily create this by placing quartz crystals in the four farthest points in your home (creating a energy parameter).

There are hundreds of crystals, but here are just a few for healing, to boost energy, motivation, and help release negative energy:

Carnelian Stone

Carnelian Stone –  This is a power and motivation stone. Increase physical energy, ambition, and drive.  Said to bring a surge of life force and boost creative energies.  Supports courage, strength, vitality, increases enthusiasm. Helps to awaken one’s talents and aids in moving forward on a new path. The carnelian stone is considered a career stone and great to carry on you during interviews. Also protects against negative energies.

 

Golden Apatite

Golden Apatite – Increases motivation and builds up energy reserves. The yellow Apatite crystal is used for mental clarity, improved will power. Also said to increase creativity, confidence, aids in manifestation of one’s dreams, and even used to stimulate the metabolism for weight loss.

 

Red Jasper – Increase physical energy, vibrancy, and vitality. Said to enhance strength and energy and useful in generating muscle tissue, can enhance the effects of exercise. Overtime, Red Jasper can increase the amount of Chi, or energy force, in one’s energetic field.

 

Sun Stone

Sun Stone – This is another energizing stone, stimulating leadership and will. It carries the light and happy energy of the Sun. Physically said to increase metabolism, digestions, and vitality. Sun stone can kindle the fire of leadership within those who carry or wear it. It is also a very healing stone of personal power, strength, and to bring in blessings.

 

Clear Quartz

Quartz (clear) – Amplification of one’s intentions, used for healing, cleansing, clearing of negative energies. Can assist in any type of healing, and generating prosperity. Also used to amplify the energies of other stones.

xxJ

New Ms Fit Feature on New York Times Best Selling author, Lyn-Genet Recitas

Lyn-Genet Recitas, Executive director of The Plan, Owner of LGKitchen

 

We are so excited for this new feature on bestselling author and creator of The Plan, Lyn-Genet Recitas. Not only is Jessica now studying under Lyn-Genet to become a health coach, Alisa has just finished the book and is preparing to start doing The Plan. In case you missed Jessica blog yesterday, she explained how The Plan has had a huge positive impact on her life and Jessica is now in the process of becoming a Plan health coach

One of Jessica’s favorite thing about the plan is she feels it gives her the tools to keep on track with her health and weight goals, especially when it comes to the mental, shall we say “drama”  that we put ourselves through over deiting and weightloss. Some of us can feel tremendous stress about knowing we have a busy and demanding week coming up, or it’s the holidays,  or the million other reasons that makes of feel out of control at times of our weight and health.  Now, Jessica explains,when she is up a pound,two, or three, or has a stressful week coming up, no big deal, she has the tools from The Plan that she knows works to get through it or get those pounds right off. This is the reason we wanted to share this before the holidays, to help anyone who, like us, has that stress that “oh the holidays are coming and with it that extra weight”. We hope sharing about Lyn-Genet will help you have a “plan” and the tools to get through the holidays as stress-free as possible and start the new year.

 

WHAT IS KEEPING YOU BUSY THESE DAYS?

I am so excited to be finishing up my 3rd book The Metabolism Plan. The Metabolism Plan (TMP) is going to help you understand how your body responds to exercise, just the way The Plan helped you understand that your weight and your health are just your chemical response to food.

 

When you exercise too intensely you can actually gain weight and slow your metabolism! Many of us are exercising too intensely which attacks thyroid function , our master gland for our metabolism. Then we have the flip side, people aren’t exercising at all because you think you have to work out 60-90 minutes a day to have an effective workout regimen.

TMP shows you how to find the balance that works best for your body. I easily have women losing 6-7 points of body fat in a month. Of course on The Plan you lose 9% of your weight in a month until you reach your set weight.

WHAT ARE YOU LOVING IN FASHION RIGHT NOW?

I just bought the cutest 70s style mongolian curly lambs wool jacket, when it’s cold I have to go over the top bcs I find winter so depressing- that with my floppy fedora and some high heel boots and I feel so Faye Dunaway.

The Plan, New York Times Bestseller

PLEASE TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR BOOK THE PLAN:

The Plan is a method of finding the healthy foods that can cause inflammation, make you overweight and hasten the aging process. Wait- healthy foods make you fat? I know it’s counterintuitive, but it’s true. Healthy, low calorie foods like green beans, Greek yogurt, salmon, turkey or oatmeal can cause one to two-pound weight gain which is crazy but true!

A food that doesn’t work for YOU can trigger an inflammatory response. This inflammatory response triggers a domino effect that ultimately affects your immune system. That “healthy” spinach and egg white omelette may be prematurely aging you, expanding your waistline and cause health issues.

What you need to know is that you are chemically unique and hat aging is a state of inflammation. Systems start to slow down as we get older. Your body just can’t repair as quickly as it did in your teens and twenties. The foods you used to be able to break down easily when you were in oyur teens and twenties are just harder to break down in your thirties, forties and fifties and beyond.

When you find the foods that work for you? The weight flies off, all while eating over 2,000 calories a day. And as you know, Jessica Diaz, wine cheese and chocolate are part of the diet!

Here is a link to a great video by Lyn-Genet that I highly recommend if you are interested in learning more about how the plan can help you you reach your best health and best weight.

 

 

Lyn-Genet was so nice to share a few recipes with us from her cookbook that make great editions to any menu this Holiday week:

 

The Plan Cookbook

 

The Plan’s “So Rich You Could Die Chocolate Pie”

Pie Filling:

12 oz Valrohona chocolate, finely chopped; or 12 oz semisweet chocolate chips

1 Cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup Silk Coconut milk or Rice dream

1 tsp Vanilla

Almond Flour Pie Crust
This delicious pie crust is the perfect match for our Plan-friendly Pumpkin Pie recipe and Raw Chia Pecan Pie.

1.5 Cups Blanched Almond Flour
1/4 Cup softened butter
2 tsp Honey
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp cardamon
Place all crust ingredients into the food processor and blend, Combine dough into a ball and roll out between 2 wax paper sheets. The dough will keep for 2 days in the refrigerator.
Before cooking, place crust into 8-inch spring-form pan and cover the bottom of the pan.
Yield: 8

Combine chocolate, whipping cream, coconut milk or rice dream in a medium bowl and microwave for 1 minute. Stir to blend and then microwave for another 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Stir in Vanilla.

Pour chocolate filling into pie shell and chill in refrigerator for 2 hours, until firm to the touch. If you like serve with fresh whipped cream  or The PLan’s Coconut Whipped Cream.

Whipped Coconut Cream

1 (14-oz) can of full fat unsweetened coconut milk ( chilled in the refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight).

optional: 1 to 2 tbsp agave nectar

optional: 1 tsp pure vanilla extract.

Open the chilled can of coconut milk without shaking it. Separate the cream on top from the liquid and transfer to a large bowl; discard the liquid. Add the Agave and vanilla to the cream, if desired. Using a hand or stand mixer, whip the coconut until forms creamy peaks, about 3 minutes. Serve immediately

Makes 4-6 servings

Lamb Shepherds Pie

 1 lb ground lamb

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp cayenne

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 zucchini, chopped into 1-inch cubes

1 head kale, deveined and chopped

1 medium potato, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 medium butternut squash, cut into 1-inch cubes

1/2 cup ( 1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1/2 can full fat unsweetened coconut milk

Optional: 1 tsp dried sage or other herbs of choice

1/4 coarse gran sea salt

 Preheat oven to 400 F

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add lamb, onion, garlic, and spices and cook, stirring, until lamb is browned about 6 minutes. Add zucchini and cook for 5 minutes. Add Kale, cover, and remove from heat. Let steam for 5-6 minutes, until kale is thoroughly cooked. Stir when done.

 

Meanwhile, in a steamer basket set in a large pot with 1 inch of simmering water, layer the potato cubes, then top with squash cubes. Steam for about 8 minutes, until tender. Transfer potatoes and squash to tow separate bowls. Add half the butter and coconut milk to the potatoes and half the squash. Mash each until creamy. Season with sage or other herbs, if desired, and salt.

Layer a 10×10-inch casserole dish with the mashed potatoes, then the lamb-kale mixture, and then the mashed squash. Bake for 15 minutes, until top is crispy brown.

Makes 6 servings

HOW CAN WE LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PLAN AND KEEP IN TOUCH?

www.lyngenet.com

 

https://www.facebook.com/TheLynGenetPlan/

 

 

@lyngenet – twitter

 

@lyngenetplan- instagram

 

Lyn-Genet on the Dr. Oz show

Beauty and Health Tips I learned at Town and Country’s Beauty and Wellness Event:

Ms Fit For Society is all about sharing! So when we were invited to attend this lovely beauty event hosted by Town and Country Magazine  yesterday, I jumped at the chance! Not only were valuable health and beauty tips revealed,  the room was full of influential people, and I also got to dine on a amazing lunch, desserts, and teas at L’Espalier. This makes for a pretty awesome Wednesday!

Here are just a few of the things I learned from this brilliant and gorgeous expert panel:

 

T&C panel of experts: (from left) Jasmina Agonovic, Soo-young Kang, Jaime Rosen, Dr. Tina Alster, and Heather Costa.

 

 

Jasmine Agonovic, president of Mother Dirt.

 

Jasmine Agonovic is the president of Mother Dirt. Mother Dirt offers products that restore your skin’s natural microbiome and work to nurture the good bacteria of the skin. Jasmine pointed out how people have become used to talking about healthy bacteria in our gut and stomach with the popular use of probiotics. Her company and products look at the healthy bacteria of the skin, and how those healthy bacteria can help keep our skin looking and becoming healthier.

Jasmine wants us to rethink what clean is, for a long time, she says people have thought of clean as “sterile.” She says what she is learning is that sterile isn’t necessarily healthy for your skin, that we need some healthy bacteria to to get our skin healthier.

Jasmine also pointed out to be aware that even using some of the healthy natural soaps can be really harsh and drying on your skin.

Dr. Soo-Young Kang, director of research and product safety for Living Proof.

 

Dr. Soo-Young Kang shared some really great tips for keeping hair healthy. She points out that as we age we don’t grow new hair so it is important to take care of the hair we have.  She also talked about some trends in hair-care products and how we are going to see new technologies developing in the industry.  That technology is looking now more to nature, instead of trying to “out- do” nature to see how they can enhance and use new technologies and chemistry to work with it and develop great new products.  Dr. Kang also talked about how many of the current treatments we have on the market for  processes like perms and coloring haven’t changed much in decades and continue to be pretty damaging on hair. She will hopefully see improvements in these processes and treatments in the near future.

Dr. Kang also warned against over-washing and over styling.  Apart from being a true expert in hair, if you saw her hair you would try any thing she said ( I was admiring her hair the whole event). She said you can use dry shampoos to keep your hair looking clean instead of washing, drying and styling daily. I am definitely going to give the Living Proof dry shampoo a try. Another thing Dr. Kang recommends is night treatments. Our bodies are naturally in a state of repair and recovery at night. She has seen improvements in her own hair by incorporating a night routine with repair products.

 

Dermatologist, Dr. Tina Alster

Dr. Alster is a skin health expert and also one of the very first to begin using Botox. She shared some great tips and answered many questions about this growing industry. Her biggest tip was sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen! Sunscreen is the best thing you can do to prevent skin aging and prevent against skin cancer. She recommends a sunscreen with an SPF of 35 or higher.

A question was asked (and this is something I have wondered about as well)… If your foundation has sunscreen in it, does that really offer enough protection? The answer is yes, if the foundation has an SPF you are getting that level protection from the sun.

Dr. Alster also shared about the trend she is seeing in her industry that women today are taking more of a “middle-ground” when it comes to looking youthful. She is seeing that women today don’t want to look to over done with botox, and fillers, but are more comfortable and open with sharing that they do a little Botox or other non-surgical treatments to reduce the appearance of aging and fine lines.

 

Jaime Rosen, Beauty Director of Town and Country Magazine

 

Jaime Rosen is the Director of Beauty for Town and Country Magazine. She asked the panel of experts some great questions giving us all insight into their worlds of beauty and health.  Jaime also shared some great tips of her own.
A really important point she made about relying on adequate sunscreen in our foundation or tinted moisturizes  (which I have been doing) is that we often times don’t use enough or cover our entire face with the foundation. She recommends  to be fully protected from skin damage we may want to add in a real SPF underneath our foundation.

Jaime also answered one of my questions and gave me great advice. I asked how I can cover my greys  (oh yes! It feels like they are coming out non-stop these days) without damaging all my hair by using an all over hair-dye. Jaime suggests using a root covering products like color wow that can help camouflage greys.

 

Heather Costa, owner of Boston’s Revolution Juice.

Heather Costa owns Revolution Juice and gave some really interesting insights into juice cleansing and the direction she sees the world cleansing going in…and I loved it! I agree with what she said that relying entirely on just juice to loose weight and detoxify is not always the best solution for improved health. I love her approach of working with her clients to combine nutrient packed juices with whole organics foods to obtain good health. Revolution juices offers more than that just juice, you can order smoothies, sorbets, daterorate, soups, coffee, tea, power bars, popcorn, and they are working one expanding their menus.

Heather also predicts that more and more juice cleanse will incorporate more smoothies that contain healthy fibers needed by the body . Learn more about her approach to health and juices on her website.

 

New Ms Fit Feature: Sarah Combies

So thrilled that Sarah Combies, owner of Charlestown Cycling Club (CCC) took a moment out of her busy schedule to share with us and be as our newest Ms Fit. Sarah not only founded, teaches, and runs CCC she is also a tax accountant. It has been so fun watching Sarah grow her amazing cycling club these past few years ,including growing into her new and bigger location in City Square. More and more I hear friends, locals, and my barre students rave about her classes and that invigorating cardio rush one can get from this type of workout.  Congratulations Sarah for your accomplishments and thank you for helping our community continue to get healthier! If you haven’t tried a class at CCC, go for it, your first class is free.

 

Sarah Combies, Owner, Charlestown Cycling Club

WHAT IS KEEPING YOU BUSY THESE DAYS?

Work, work, work, no play….almost! Currently I balance my responsibilities at the studio with a full-time job as a tax CPA at RSM US LLP. Thankfully everything is in Charlestown and I’m a good multi-tasker. I am really excited for the holiday season, my favorite time of year, and want to focus on having fun and healthy community events at the studio to recognize our loyal clients, promote other local businesses and charities, and overall have a little bit of fun in betweem the craziness that this time of year brings!

WHAT ARE YOU LOVING IN FASHION RIGHT NOW?

Slip-on sneakers anyone? These look great to and from the gym with tights or crops and also look cute and sporty with skinny jeans. Slip-on is key when you’re always on the go and the prints, fabrics, and options are endless so hoping to build up my collection this fall. Also very excited to wear plaid scarfs and cute knit hats with the big fur pompoms as the weather gets colder! They look adorable on everyone!

Charlestown Cycling Club

HOW DID YOU BECOME A SPIN INSTRUCTOR AND WHAT WAS YOUR INSPIRATION FOR OPENING  YOUR OWN  SPIN STUDIO?

I started spinning in college almost 10 years ago. It was the first time I was really exposed to it. I loved the intensity and the high energy of the classes and continued being a student until 2012 when I finally got certified. My best friend at the time was an instructor at another boutique studio in Boston and after going there for a couple of years I realized it was something I thought I could be good at. It’s an amazing feeling to be able to coach others and see the work that your students put into every class. That satisfaction motivated me to open here in Charlestown, a neighborhood I have known since 2006, and bring more health and fitness options to this growing neighborhood. I am an entrepreneur at heart and never thought I’d get to live my passion for fitness everyday, but CCC and the awesome Charlestown community has made that possible!

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE NEW  SPINNING AND NEW TO YOUR STUDIO?

Go. At. Your. Own. Pace.   Spinning has such a stigma for being hard, intense, and advanced, but the best part about it really is that is completely accommodating to ALL fitness levels. Everyone should definitely try it at least once and see if it’s for them.   Whether you shed 100 calories in class or 1,000, we are here not just for the burn but also for the community.

HOW CAN WE KEEP IN TOUCH WITH YOU AND FIND YOUR CLASS SCHEDULE:

www.ctowncycle.com

fb: Charlestown Cycling Club

IG: ctowncycle or scombies

twitter: @ctowncycle

New Ms Fit Feature: NECN Meteorologist, Nelly Carreno

Nelly Carreño, three time Emmy Award winning Meteorologist.

“I hope 2015 brings you lots of sunshine, or whatever weather makes you happy….for now get ready for a quick storm this Saturday night into Sunday that could bring us a wintry mix & some rain…oh yeah & watch NECN”.

What is keeping you busy these days? 

Winter is the busiest time of the year for a Meteorologist (especially in New England) so my work keeps me busy. Broadcasting for New England Cable News, I forecast for six states… so even if it is quiet in Boston, it is snowing somewhere in New England!

I’m very excited about 2015 because I’ve been asked to do some weather reporting for our sister station-Telemundo -here in Boston. I’ll be able to forecast all types of weather for New Englanders now in English AND Spanish!

I hope 2015 brings you lots of sunshine, or whatever weather makes you happy….for now get ready for a quick storm this Saturday night into Sunday that could bring us a wintry mix & some rain…oh yeah & watch NECN.

 

What are you loving in fitness and fashion right now? 

My new health obsession is “Juicing”. My family got me a NutriBullet for Christmas and I just about throw anything I can get my hands on in there…Every morning I make a new concoction with different fruits & vegetables and it actually tastes good! I’m also trying to be better with my workouts. HD Television can be very unforgiving & it really adds ten pounds, so I try to stay active as much as I can. My favorite fashion APP on my IPhone is called “Wardrobe Journal” . Every day I log what I wore, with the name, description and picture. The App let me know how long it has been since I wore each outfit so I don’t repeat it too often. I usually don’t wear the same thing for about 2 months ( I have a few favorites that I rotate in a few more times).

 

How can we keep in touch and learn more about you? 

http://www.facebook.com/NellyCarreno.Meteorologist
http://twitter.com/nellyNECN

Instagram: nellycarreno

Fit-Inspired Gift Ideas… Must-Haves for the Fitness, Wellness Lovers

Fitness, wellness, fit-fashion, has never been more popular…which means there are just so many amazing things to buy to be workout ready.  I am sharing a list of some of my favorites fitness things. Here are a few great gift ideas for the fitness lovers or just great items to get for yourself to help you get ready to spring into a healthy 2015:

 

I fell in love with this Barrewear top and tunic from gwenyth last Christmas and since then have accumulated a small collection. Not only is this top fabulous, the owner, Michelle, has been so wonderful to work with and has been so supportive of Ms Fit For Society and everything I am doing in Barre. Even so much so, she is offering 20% off of her Modern Classic for our MsFits as well as donating $5 of the purchase to the American Stroke Association and Teddy’s Team, a charity near and dear to our hearts. Click here to access this special offer link and then use promotion code: musejessicaholiday2014 (offer good through the end of December).

 

The Modern Classic in Mocha Grey, $88

 

Hands down, Splits59 is one of my favorite activewear lines. Not only because for a workout line, their clothes have such awesome style, but also because the company is made up of such a wonderful group of people.   Splits59 is always inspiring us to be healthier and “cooler”.  I wear a ton from them, so it’s hard to pick my favorites. But, these capri pants are what I’m really loving right now (use my name jessicadiaz at chekcout for 15% off your purchases at Splits59).

 

 

Nova Racer Performance Capri by Splits59 $98

 

I love anytime I see someone who can rock a one-piece:

Without Walls High Shine Romper, $98

 

 

Loving this really cool holiday Fit-Fashion Kit for Women and Men from Outdoor Voices. These gift kits includes sweatpants, warm-up leggings, hoodie, sports bra, tote bag, and more:

 

Outdoor Voices Holiday Kit, $300

 

A favorite of my yoga friends:

 

Maduka Go Free Yoga Backpack, $108-$120

 

 

Fitsporation – Need a little fitness-inspiration in your wardrobe. Here are a few of my favorites:

No Limits. Wide Shoulder Girly Sweatshirt, Firedaughter Clothing $38

 

 

Passion is Everything pullover by GoodhYouman, $68

 

 

With All Your Heart, inspirational Barre Socks, on Etsy $20

 

For those of you that like to stand-out and shine at the gym:

 

Leatherback Leggins in Chrome Gloss by Carbon38, $135

 

LuLu Lemon Shine shorts, $48

Keeping the shine going…these are number one on my Christmas list. I need these and I am going to add the sparkle accessories piece that can be mix and matched:

 

Oil Slick and Black Headphones from We Are Frends, $199

 

Bauble Bar Gold and Black Cap accessory, $49

 

For head-to-toe sparkle:

Nike Free Flash 5.0, $150

 

On the sweeter side:

Ballet Beautiful Belle Wrap, Net-a-porter, $108

 

Ballet Beautiful Classic Leg Warmer, $54

 

Sweet and local to Boston:

 

 

Crane & Lion Original Tight in Quicksilver, $90

 

 

Crane & Lion Wrap Sweater in Wan Blue, $100

 

Healthy and local:

I am loving the idea of a gift certificate to our favorite juicery in town, Mother Juice, to add some extra health to your diet. Also a  great gift idea for yourself or someone you know that might love to give juice detox a try!

Mother Juice, 100% organic, cold-pressed juice & raw vegan snacks. Gift Certificates available

 

Lastly, give the gift of health  awareness by donating to the American Stroke Association. I am sharing my personal donation page here . The money raised for the Stroke Association goes directly to fund research, education, advocacy both locally and nationally to help reduce disability and death from stroke.  The Stroke Association has been such a wonderful support for me and I am so happy to be a part of helping to raise awareness about the importance of knowing the signs, symptoms and ways to reduce your risks of stroke and heart disease. To learn more about why I am such a supporter of the Stroke Association you can read my story at www.heart.org

 

 

Happy and Healthy Holidays!

xJessica

December is the New January… Why Wait?

This year I am going to start in December! As of today, I am starting my plan to take it to that next level now instead of waiting for January 1^st. I want to start 2015 already in-progress. For me, health and fitness these past six months (post-surgery) have been pretty up and down.  I had to take some “time off” because of recovering and some health issues and have since let myself use “recovering” as excuses to let myself  ease up on the routines that I know make me feel my best, eg. keeping a regular exercise schedule, trying new things here and there (which I love to do), and eating the ways that make me feel my best.

I am not being hard on myself, I took the break I needed.  I took the necessary time to recover and get healthy again, but now it is time to kick things up a notch and get back to the point where I felt I had more strength and energy. One of the biggest things I am feeling since slowing down on workouts and healthier routines is my endurance levels. I have noticed even after a moderate/slow paced workout that I tire easy and get out of breath. I also don’t recover as well. And something that has a huge impact on me, I am not sleeping as well either.

I am not even going to mention my jeans! I try not to let gaining a few pounds bother me, but if I am being honest.. IT TOTALLY DOES! Haha.

Not feeling my best has a spiraling effect on me. Working out and eating healthy go hand and hand for me. Post-surgery, I started to let the foods I ate in moderation ( 80/20) sneak into more of everyday, every-other day (50/50) type arrangement. This equals, not feeling great!

Typically, I would  say that I pretty much take December off of exercise. I just end up not exercising and telling myself I don’t need to because I am going to start January 1^st. Obviously! So that means I get to eat and celebrate and take a break for December. But not this year!  My challenge to myself, as of the beginning of this month, is to start to get my health and fitness routines on track now. How am I going to do this?  I have a strategy!!

My strategy for doing this is.. plan, plan, plan. I am not very good at planning more than a week ahead of time. But the good thing about December is that people know how busy this time of year is, so they tend to make plans ahead of time. So as of today, I pretty much know exactly what I am doing for the next 21 days. Totally perfect for me for my “taking it to the next level now” commitment.

Phase 1 of my strategy:  I sat down with my calendar, put in all the commitments I had, and then added in my exercise as appointments around those (in red, meaning I cannot miss it).

Phase 2 of my strategy: More planning. Food planning. I went to the grocery store and stocked up on all the things I know I need to keep myself on track. And also, partly in my head, and partly in my phone notes, I scheduled what I am going to eat for the next couple of days.  Food planning and having the right foods in my home really helps me resist those last minute easy/quick solutions that usually aren’t as healthy. If I over indulge, no problem, I know I have all my exercises scheduled for that week as “damage control”

Phase 3 of my strategy: Keep it fun. The easiest way I find to take it to that next level, is to keep it fun. Maybe this means, trying new things. Or scheduling a workout with a friend or both.  I never stray far from Barre. It is my foundation. But I do love to try new things. So today, I took a Soul Cycle class by myself, and just booked another class this time with a friend. SO fun! If you already have a class/routine you love, challenge yourself to give it even more in your next class. We all know the difference between how we feel (and how we look) when we’ve left a workout; giving it our all versus just getting through it.

Phase 4 of my strategy: Visual and Audio Motivation.

Audio: I love making my workout playlists for myself and for my classes. Sometimes great music can be the greatest motivations. If you don’t have your own, you can listen to mine on Spotify, here is my latest: Dec. is the new Jan.

Visual motivation: This might sound silly, and it is, a little bit, but I find having a visual motivation also helps as a reminder to keep myself on track. Maybe it’s a picture of where you are going on vacation and need to be in a  bikini, maybe it’s a picture of an outfit you want to fit in to, or maybe of your good friend  who just posted a picture of herself today with insane abs ( Karly Treacy). Or maybe it’s a picture of yourself when you felt in a healthier place. Here is mine pre-surgery:

Me Pre-Surgery. I am so going to rock these white Splits59 Raquel tights again!

 

I just shared my challenge for myself. Now, my challenge to all of you MsFits is to do the same!

Make December the new January. For the next month, hashtag #msfitforsociety or send us a photo on Facebook. A  photo of you “taking it to the next level”. This is so individual, it can be of you working out. It can be of you making a healthy recipe, a sports activity, an exciting new outfit, goal setting. Anything at all!

To motivate our amazing MsFits, we’re going to be giving away one of my favorite pieces from Splits59, The Ashby Tank. Send us those photos and you’ll be automatically entered into a drawing to win!!! 

In the New Year, I will post a gallery of our collective efforts so we can see how great it is for us to be starting 2015 “already in-progress.”

HASHTAGS:

#DecemberisthenewJanuary    #msfitforsociety

 

Happy December MsFits!

~Jessica

 

 

 

 

“It Is Never Too Late to Reinvent Yourself” Laura Baldini, Mother Juice

Mother Juice
100% organic, cold-pressed juice & raw vegan foods

We were thrilled when Laura Baldini, Co-founder of Mother Juice agreed to share an update on the success of her new business endeavor, Mother Juice. What makes this update so cool is not only has she achieved such success and praise in such a short amount of time, but also, learning that delving into a life as a business owner could bring her such personal growth and joy really inspired us.  It’s so awesome to see someone rise from a difficult time,  channel all of their energy into creating something so healthy, not only for herself, but for all of us juice lovers.

Thank you Laura for being so open in sharing this experience with us. You are a MsFit that totally rocks!

 Laura:  

What a year! 2014 has turned out to be my most favorite year of my life.  It had a very rough start, if you had asked me 8 months ago if I could have envisioned being where I am in my life now I would have said “no way!” I am truly the happiest I have ever been…ever.  My business partner, Ellen Fitzgerald and I hatched the idea to open our first brick and mortar Mother Juice last winter and at that time, it was just a concept. Going through the process and opening our doors, creating our menu and seeing the public reaction to us has been a surreal experience. We do cold pressed organic juices (we have 7 different kinds), smoothies, breakfast bowls (overnight oats & chia seed pudding topped with fruit, sun butter, local jams) and amazing rice and quinoa bowls and salads. My favorites are The “Forbidden Rice Bow” – we toss black rice in a lime & siracach tamari dressing that we make here, and top with green onions, cashews, cilantro and red and yellow peppers, its soooo good!!  I also love our “Raw Pad Thai” –  we spiralize carrots and toss them in our house-made almond lime dressing and top with red peppers, sliced almonds and green onions.  All gluten and dairy free and 99% vegan, (only our gluten free bread that we use for avocado toast isn’t vegan).

Really what we are doing at Mother Juice is making things we would make at home, we come up with new stuff almost every week. We both never feel like we are “at work”, I think its because we both love our shop so much. We are opening our second shop this spring in Boston and putting our food truck back on the streets too. What’s amazing is that neither of us have ever run or opened a restaurant before…we had no clue , just an idea that we executed.

Mother Juice co-founders, Ellen Fitzgerald and Laura Baldini

What 2014 has taught me is 2 things: The first is it’s never too late to reinvent yourself, the second is, happiness comes from within. I spent a month in California in March working on me, I came back to Boston and all of a sudden my whole world fell into place. It took having my whole life fall apart, like really fall apart, for me to be able to change the way I saw the world and what was important to me and what wasn’t.  And, the strangest revelation for me was, all the things that I thought were going to make me happy turned out to be the opposite from what makes me happy now.  Happiness truly (for me) now isn’t coming from external things: shopping, a guy, losing those last few pounds, money or being at every party/event. Now it’s about being healthy, eating clean, sleep, family, my closest friends and mind, body, spirit. Once my focus changed, everything changed. There is that saying “if nothing changes, nothing changes,” I have learned that to be so true… so I changed everything. Since April, I executive produced an indie movie called “The Dust Storm” with some friends from LA that is hopefully going to Sundance, I started and opened a brand new business and I consult for Limited Brands. I’m at our shop sometimes 13 hours a day and I love it, it just doesn’t feel like work to me. I still do gyrotonics and I have zero toxic people in my life.  We all only have one shot at life and time passes so fast, there is no time to waste being unhappy. The moral of the story: break out of your comfort zone because you have no idea of all the magical things that can happen if you do 🙂 ~ Laura

Cold Pressed Juices

Mother Juice now offers more than just juice. We love their unique, healthy and delicious menu. You can grab or have catered their organic smoothies, breakfast bowls, salads, juice cleanses and other raw food snacks:

MJ’s Raw Pad Thai-carrot noodles tossed in an almond lime dressing. topped with red bell pepper, green onions and almonds.

Forbidden Rice Bowl – black beans topped with red and yellow bell peppers, cashews, green onions and cilantro, tossed in a tamari-lime dressing

 

Gluten-free breakfast toast, topped with avocados, baby tomatoes and sea salt

 

 

About Mother Juice:

Mother Juice was born out of a love for farmers’ markets and healthy, delicious food. Founded in 2012 with a simple mission and a big dream by Ellen Fitzgerald and Laura Baldini in Boston, Mother Juice started as a food truck and quickly became a welcomed addition to the city’s beloved alternative dining scene. The use of local, seasonal, and organic produce to make fresh juices and smoothies quickly gathered a loyal base of customers and newcomers alike.

In September 2014, we opened our storefront shop at 625 West Kendall Street in Cambridge. The shop reflects the rustic elements of Mother Juice’s commitment to local and organic farmers, but also the tech-forward personality of its Kendall Square neighborhood. Enjoy our cold-pressed, organic juices, smoothies, and raw vegan snacks at both our indoor seating and outdoor seating in the large courtyard.

Our menu continually evolves to feature the most healthful and flavorful ingredients of the day. We offer a nutritious and delicious addition to the city’s healthy, organic and alternative dining community, connecting Bostonians to their neighborhood farmers with every product we make and sell.

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MsFits, stop by Mother Juice, tell us about your favorite goody there, take a pic and tag #msfitforsociety and #motherjuice!

And, if you have an inspirational story you’d love to share, we’d LOVE to hear about it! Send us a note!