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Fire truck Santa almost spoils the day

Every year on Christmas Eve the local volunteer fire department puts a decked out live Santa Clause on top of a fire truck and parades around the neighborhood.

When the kids were little they used to get excited to watch Santa go by waving to everyone. So when I heard the Christmas music blaring and the fire truck sirens, I got excited.

I called the kids to come watch with me. But they were less than enthusiastic.

And you know what?

I almost let it spoil my day.

Then I made them snowman shaped pancakes and they got all excited. Ha!

Mom will keep them little as long as possible.

Things change. Kids grow up. Parents grow old and we go through different changes in our lives.

All the more reason it’s so important to take care of health.

That’s why I created Fit For Sanity. To help you take better care of your health.

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The Angels Are Bowling

When I was a little girl, whenever there was a thunderstorm, my mom would say, “The Angels are bowling.” She had a way of calming us during the storm.

She was born in Ukraine and grew up on a farm. Where they were taught not to waste food and use every bit of fat possible. Even going as far as to use bacon grease for cooking.

Delicious, yes. Healthy?

Not so much. As you can see in my mom’s picture, she was overweight. She suffered from Type 2 diabetes and died when I was only twenty.

Lack of exercise, unhealthy eating and being overweight increases your risk for diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancer and death.

Which is why I started this blog. To share my experiences. To encourage you to live a healthier, longer and happier life.

Now when I get stressed, the thing that keeps me calm? A good run. Making healthy food choices. And sometimes a little chocolate.

Yoga, a spin class, a run, a walk around the neighborhood or any form of exercise will help you reduce stress. Avoid debilitating diseases, taking medication and can help you live longer.

It heals the mind and the body.

Eating Healthy Can Change Your Attitude

When you eat healthy and take care of your body, your whole attitude changes.

Making healthy choices helps you deal with day to day stress. I feel happier and I am able to react to things in a more positive way. Sometimes I even feel like…

I can conquer the world!

That’s what eating healthy and incorporating daily exercise into your life, can do for you.

Wouldn’t you like to face the day feeling like you can conquer the world? Don’t let the hectic day to day stressors get you down. We all have hectic lives that are filled with deadlines, appointments, running errands, sick family members to take care of. Just to name a few.

Our To-do list never ends.

Eating healthy, getting enough sleep and exercise not only reduces stress but they are the KEY to living a happier and healthier life.

Aren’t you worth it?

Discover how you can squeeze in more exercise (even on the busiest days) and eat healthier here.

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Kindness Is Contagious

This morning I found out that my friend’s father passed away on Friday. Actually, he was more than just my friend’s dad. He was the father of my first “real” boyfriend and my first love. I only have fond memories of this wonderful family during the few years I called them my family too. Because that’s how they made me feel. Always welcoming me with open arms.

Frank Shaughnessy was a kind wonderful man. He raised eight amazing children and was married to one of the kindest women I’ve ever met. He was also a deacon and Pro Life advocate devoting his life to helping others.

My fondest memory of Frank was on Christmas morning. I was invited to spend the night at their home on Christmas Eve. This way the whole family could wake up together on Christmas morning. My mom had died the year before so I welcomed such a loving invitation. I lived alone in my own apartment at the time, so it felt a little strange for me to wake up in a house bustling with excitement on Christmas day.

Honestly, I was really sad over the loss of my mother. So I kind of just wanted to be alone. I remember sitting on the couch in the family room sipping a cup of warm tea. I was crying. Frank saw me and came over to sit next to me. He had such a warm comforting manner about him. I can’t recall the words he used. But I remember the moment and how he made me feel. What he said to me on that Christmas morning was healing.

The rest of that day is kind of a blur. But I do know that it was a happy day. Those kind words changed my entire day and made Christmas enjoyable despite the grief I was feeling.

Kind words can change a person’s day. And the chain reaction of those words can change the course of many people’s day. Because smiles and kindness are contagious.

Christmas time is filled with crowded lines and people hustling to get everything done in time. But just remember to be kind. You might encounter a grumpy sales associate or someone cuts you in line. Of course, you’re in a hurry to get back to work or pick up the kids from school. But just be kind. You never know if someone is going through a difficult time. Maybe they can’t find the strength to put a smile on their face. Those kind words can change a person’s day. And maybe even change their life.

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Cure The Chaos

Every day I drop the kids off at school in morning. Well, most mornings anyway. And the drop off is usually chaos. There really isn’t a set system.

Unlike the elementary school where they used to go, where teachers directed traffic to move parents along. Plus memos went out on a regular basis to remind us that 6 cars pull in, drop off, then pull out. Of course you have the occasional newbie who stops right in the middle, helps their kid out of the car, puts their backpack on, kisses them goodbye, all while parents are anxiously waiting, worried they’ll be late for work.

*Sigh*

It’s not their fault. They just don’t know better.

Just like this morning. Someone was taking up two spots to drop off his kid and he was parked there for a while. So I pulled up behind him, now blocking the crosswalk for the kids, and beeped. He got the message and pulled up. It’s not his fault. He just didn’t realize.

Of course I gave him a thank you wave. But some days I’m just not so nice about it. But I woke up feeling good, ready to tackle the day. Which is why I created Fit For Sanity. To help other busy people like me, feel better.

Anyway, the best way to cure the chaos is to take care of yourself. If you eat healthy and exercise you just feel better about yourself. It changes your whole attitude and how you react to others.

Alright enough droning on. Down to business. Despite the fact that I have been squeezing in exercise here and there all week, I have not had a really good hour workout all week. So today I’m going to set aside 1 hour, just for me. No phone calls. No checking emails. Alright, I might check in between sets of pushups, but I am not responding until after that hour.

And you know why?

Because I’m worth it. And so are you. No excuses. You deserve to feel good today. So do what you can but if possible, block out some time just for you.

That’s it. I hope you have an amazing day!

 

 

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A Pot O’ Gold

This morning I read an article called “100 Reasons You Should Work Out Today”. Talk about a Pot O’ Gold.

My work is done for the next 100 days.

Just kidding…

But this is what I do. I have been reading articles like these since I was a teenager. I guess you could call it, my passion?

So like the article, my brain feels kinda like a Pot O’ Gold too. I can’t take full credit for it though.

I’ve been learning these things from certified nutritionists, health & fitness experts and writers like me; who just want to share what we’ve learned with others.

Who’ve turned their passion into a career. Because you should spend most of your time doing something you’re passionate about.

Because it makes you happy.

That’s what Fit For Sanity is all about. Helping others live a healthier, happier and more sane life.

Oh and before I forget, out of the 100 reasons you should exercise today, here’s my favorite: “Because the only workout you ever regret is the one you skip.”

 

 

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5 Ways To Motivate Yourself To Exercise

One of the biggest challenges I hear from people trying to lose weight, eat healthier or who just want to be more toned and fit, is lack of motivation.

When you exercise, the rewards of feeling good and losing weight become a motivator in itself. Seeing results causes a chain reaction that leads to more exercise and healthier eating. So motivating yourself becomes your motivation.

There are certainly days when working out becomes a challenge. Whether it’s my schedule or I’m feeling a little off. Sometimes I just don’t feel like it. But I know that I will feel better afterwards because I always do. Not just physically but I feel better psychologically too.

Here are 5 ways to motivate yourself to exercise:

1. Remind yourself how good you feel after a workout. Whether it’s the feel of your heart pumping, a runner’s high or the feeling of accomplishment, you always feel better after exercising.

2. Reward yourself. Allow yourself a treat after a workout. It doesn’t have to be something unhealthy. It could be a delicious protein shake or a healthy salad with shrimp and avocado. The thought of that delicious treat will not only get you out the door, it will make you work out a little bit harder too!
3. Put on a cute exercise outfit. When you look good, you feel good. If you don’t have a cute outfit reward yourself with a shopping trip. You’ll feel great as you try on the tight workout clothes after dropping a few pounds.
4. Do something you enjoy. The options are endless. If you absolutely hate running find something else. Try a yoga class or Pilates. If the you don’t like group classes and prefer working out at home, try a YouTube video. Let’s face it, if you hate it, you’re not going to do it. So find something that’s fun.
5. Visualize your goal. If it’s that bikini you want to look good in, hang it up next to your mirror where you will see it every day. Or hang a picture of an ideal fit body on your refrigerator. It will act as a motivator and encourage you to choose an apple instead of that piece of cake in the fridge.

We all have different goals and motivators. The important thing is to find whatever works for you and keep doing it. If your routine becomes boring try something new, find new music to listen to or find a friend to work out with. Just don’t quit.

 

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A Chain Reaction Leads To The Mafia

A couple of weeks ago, I was talking to my daughter over breakfast.

She was telling me about a dream she had. In her dream, she was on an airplane going on vacation when suddenly she realized she forgot her luggage.

Talk about a stress dream, right?

Anyway, this led me to remember a time when I was having dinner with some people. I’m actually going way back.  During dinner one of the women was boasting about how she called the airline after she got home from vacation, to report that her luggage was lost. She was going through her suitcase piece by piece as she told the airline representative what was in the *lost* suitcase.

Needless to say, these aren’t people I associate with anymore.

I was telling my daughter the story and how I thought her husband was related to the mafia or something. Which led us to talking about the mafia.

Which then led to my daughter telling me about the mafia game, which I had never heard of.

You get the drift. It caused a chain reaction.

And so it is with exercise and healthy eating.

When you begin to lose weight, you start to feel better about yourself. You begin to *want* to eat healthier.

You wake up in the morning and jump on the scale. Woohoo. You’re a pound lighter. Your clothes feel a little bit loose as you get dressed.

So instead of eating a bagel heavily laden with cream cheese, you opt for half a grapefruit instead. You order a salad at lunch instead of getting a burger and fries.

Therefore, creating a chain reaction.

Are you ready to create a chain reaction?

“Fit For Sanity” is a monthly newsletter designed to do *exactly* that.

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Sliding Doors

One of the coolest movies I’ve ever seen is a movie called “Sliding Doors,” starring Gwyneth Paltrow.

A young woman goes to work on Monday morning only to get pulled into her bosses office to get fired. She’s a bit of a mess as she races to catch the train on her way home.

Meanwhile, her live-in boyfriend is shagging someone else in their apartment. The movie depicts two scenarios. In the first scenario she misses the train and gets home just after the woman leaves. But in the next scenario, she catches the train and finds him in bed with her.

Don’t worry, no spoilers here. I won’t give away what happens.

But the cool thing is that it’s crazy how one little thing, like missing a train, can change the outcome of everything else that happens to you.

I often think about this when something happens to me. For example, let’s say I’m running late because a call came in that I had to take. I could beat myself up for taking the call and being late.

Or I could take a more positive approach. Like maybe I diverted a car accident which would have been way worse than being a little late for an appointment.

Or if someone cuts me off on the road. I could yell or use sign language. You know what I mean…

And sometimes I do. But when I’m feeling good about myself and have a positive attitude, I think, maybe they’re rushing to the hospital because someone is dying. It happens right?

Anyway, I don’t know if this helps you or not. But taking care yourself,  by eating a healthy, well balanced diet and exercising regularly will help you have a positive attitude too.

 

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Are You Ready To Crush Some Goals?

This morning was the annual fun run at my daughter’s school. My daughter runs it every year and all the proceeds go to the American Heart Association. Cool huh?

My daughter was super excited because she won a third place medal in her gender and age group.

It’s funny because when she started running a couple of years ago, she couldn’t keep up with me. But a few weeks ago, we went for a run together and she literally kicked my booty.

Also, she isn’t one of the fastest girls on her cross-country team but this year she made team captain!

Alright, I’ll stop now. With the boasting that is.

Here’s my point…

She sets goals for herself and she achieves them. Through hard work and determination she has increased her speed and improved her performance.

And so it is with goal setting.

Especially when it comes to health and fitness goals.

Setting daily, weekly and monthly goals can help you stay focused. It’s really easy to fall off your plan sometimes. But setting goals makes it easier to get back on track.

If you’re serious about improving your health, a great way to start is by setting a new goal to read my monthly newsletter. 🙂

“Fit For Sanity” is a monthly newsletter designed to help you live a healthier, happier and (more) sane life. Hence the name.

Here are some of the topics I’ll be covering:

*How to stay motivated
*Latest Fitness Trends
*Delicious healthy recipes
*Expert tips and advice

Speaking of goals. I crushed this one. I am SOOO excited to be finally launching my newsletter!

You can learn more by clicking the “Fit For Sanity” link in the menu at the top of this page.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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To Detox or Not To Detox

Do you ever feel bloated?

I know I do. And it’s not fun. So I’ve found a way to prevent bloating and even cure it fast when needed.

One of the latest *health* trends is the Detox Cleanse. They claim to detoxify your body by flushing out toxins, while giving you more energy, making you feel less bloated and help regulate bowel movement.

So why the controversy?

Some of these detox cleanses suggest fasting during the cleanse. Which is basically just another way to starve yourself to lose weight.

Hmmm. Well. I eat my vegetables and I get pretty grumpy when I don’t eat, sooo I’m not really all about it. Plus there are way better ways to lose weight (even quickly) without starving yourself.

But on the other hand, quite a few of these *Detox* drinks that are not a cleansing fast, do act as a natural diuretic to prevent bloating. Well. now we’re talking.

And I have a *secret* for you…

Some of these detox drinks are just water.  With fruit.

Various fruits and vegetables when added to water act as a natural cleanse. Plus, it makes the water taste good. This promotes drinking more water and staving of the craving for sugary sweet drinks like juice or soda.

A win win in my book.

I’ve tested quite a few of these detox water recipes.and found quite a few yummy ones. But since my creativity in the kitchen prevents me from sticking to any recipe, I just had to create my own.

If you’re feeling a little bloated or simply want something healthy and refreshing to enjoy download the recipe now.