Blasts of Light

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Are you ready to get fit!? Want to develop an AMAZING habit of getting your body moving EVERY DAY?! Well, I did and that is why I decided to embark on my #40DaysofFitness challenge! For the next 40 days I am pledging to get some sort of exercise for at least 30 mins a day, if not more. Why? Well it’s so easy to get busy and forget how important physical fitness is to both our mind and our body! I know I’m totally guilty of it, I love my yoga but when I have a ton of things going on sometimes it slips to the bottom of the list. When we’re busy and stressed is actually when we need to get moving the most! Why 40 days? Well it takes about 40 days to really make something a habit, a ritual, something you just do. And don’t we all want being active for at least 30 mins a day something that we just do? Join me! Comment below to make your pledge and start tweeting + instagraming your #40daysofFitness! Follow me at @gosweetandskinny on insta and @gosweetnskinny on twitter – hashtag away and let’s do this together!

These past six months have been wondrous to say the least. It’s truly been incredible to watch the Go Sweet and Skinny crew go from a group of people who went to school with me at some point or knew me through some NY social circle to a much larger group of amazing people determined to lead happy, healthy, inspired lives from all over the country! YAY! I am so happy to have you all joining me on this journey and feel so grateful to help provide you with the tools to living an amazing, vibrant, healthy life. It’s an interesting observation that I had I tonight though, because the bigger it grows, the larger my desire to stay personal is. I feel like more than ever I am writing super specific and intimate posts about what I’m going through because whether you actually went to high school with me or you happened to stumble upon my book on amazon, I want you to KNOW me, really know me and feel like I’m just that health nut girlfriend that gives you really awesome tips and killer recipes when you’re in a bind! My close friends get such a kick out of my youtube videos on GoSweetandSkinnyTV because it’s just like actually talking to me, I’m that ridiculously myself in them for you and that makes me really happy to hear.

So anyways, I know you’re wondering what in the world I meant by “sharing my brownies”, am I doing a vegan brownie give-a-way?! Sadly, no, but maybe at some point in the future if there is a big enough uproar I will. I was listening to an incredibly inspirational seminar by Fabienne Fredrickson and she gave a really touching antidote that really tugged on some strings for me and I just felt like I had to share so that you guys could really feel where I’m coming from. Forgive me for butchering it, Fabienne, but here’s my spark notes version of it:

Imagine you’re hosting a dinner party and all the guests are in the living room while you are baking brownies in the kitchen. The aroma of the baking brownies is seeping through the house and guests happen to wander in and out of the kitchen asking what you’re up to. Now let’s fast forward to your brownies being done, all cut up, cooled and put on a plate. Guests are coming in to see what’s going on but you are just huddled in a corner with your plate of brownies and you are not letting anyone else eat them!

Seems pretty ridiculous, right? Why would you bake delicious brownies and then not share them with ANYONE!? Well Fabienne used this to compare to those of us with service oriented businesses being afraid of marketing our services. Safe to say, it really hit home. When Go Sweet and Skinny started to take off and I saw the need for individualized guidance, offering up one on one assistance to help my amazing followers on their own specific path to a happy, healthy, AMAZEBALLS life was a total no brainer!

AND THEN I STARTED HOARDING MY BROWNIES!!

I got so worried that people might think I was forcing them to buy something or trying to “sell” them on coaching that I was very hush-hush about it. I offered it when people came to me specifically looking for guidance and touched on it here and there without making any huge waves. Fabienne made realize that not only was I totally incorrect in my assumptions but that I was depriving you of the amazing services I have to offer by not even letting you know that I offer them! And that’s when it really hit me.  Not to mention, of course, I received some very loving emails saying that they saw a post about my FREE 30 minute breakthrough sessions and had never even known that I offered an one on one counseling package despite being avid followers of my facebook and blog. Whoa! Thanks for the re-enforcement universe!

Well, it worked, I am here and I am happy to say that I WILL NOW BE SHARING MY BROWNIES!  I will share my brownies with love and a smile from here on out! If I can help someone by offering my support one on one as they embark on their journey towards a life and body they love  – I want them to know about it! So be prepared to hear a bit more from me on this now. I’m talking LOUD + PROUD now. Of course, the recipes, tips and inspiration will always be the foundation of everything GSS but I’m really excited to be able to guide people individually on their specific path to health and happiness! It can be really hard and confusing at times to make massive change all by yourself and we all have different areas in our life we could use a little reinforcement in to help us push through to the next level. I’m here for those people who are ready and willing and need a partner to help them climb up the rest of the mountain to healthy body bliss because it’s so much easier when you have a guide who’s been there and done it and knows the path.

On that note, if you’d like a FREE 30 minute clarity session with me to get a taste of what we could accomplish together and set you off in the right direction, email me at gosweetandskinny@gmail.com to request a date and time. I’d love to meet you!

 

HOW CAN YOU SHARE YOUR BROWNIES TOO!?

Well it’s not just me that needs to share my brownies, you’ve got a plate too!! A great, easy way to start sharing your brownies is to start spreading the love, inspiration and tips you find on GSS as well as your other favorite healthy living blogs. Share healthy recipes or inspiration posts on facebook or twitter, instagram healthy food pics or motivational quotes. You don’t need to be an authority to pass along the brownies! If you’ve found some delicious stuff, take a little for yourself and then spread the love!! Not only will it make you feel amazing but you are helping other people have a chance to enjoy them as well. So go on my darlings, let’s make sure all the guests at the party of our life get a chance to indulge in a brownie!

 

metime

Feeling stressed, drained and just, well, not taken care of!? Well honey, I have some good and bad news, the BAD is that it’s your own fault, and the GOOD is that since it’s your own fault, YOU CAN TOTALLY CHANGE IT! Whether it’s our friendships, our work relationships or our significant other, all too often we let ourselves take the backseat to outside priorities. Of course, we think we’re doing the right thing when we’re putting others before us but we don’t realize that not only are we cheating ourselves out of some quality, much needed “me” time, but we are cheating them out of getting to hang with our best, most AMAZING self!

Too often I have heard the story, “I don’t have time to go to the gym because after I come home from work I just want to hang out with my boyfriend” and on and on insert your own excuse having to do with too much work, too many social obligations or your romantic partner. I have definitely been guilty of the same! Especially when you’re in a relationship, you get in to a routine, your schedules are crazy enough, you feel guilty stealing time away to go to the gym or to cook yourself a healthy meal, or even to meditate. When work gets crazy, yoga class seems to fall by the waste side and we give in to carb loaded, sugary treats to deal with the stress. Even friends can stand in between our own self-care if they’re insisting on you going out every night and skimping on sleep to indulge in alcohol and late night snacks.

Well first off, FORGIVE YOURSELF! That’s right, take a deep breath and let it go. It’s over, it’s the past, you are not doing that anymore! From this day forward YOU are putting YOU first and let me tell you why that will be the best decision you ever made in your life..

When we put our foot down and say “HEY! I have to take care of ME right now!” not only will people around you listen but gosh darn it, they might even respect you more. Crazy, huh? A funny thing happens when you start making yourself a priority, people are attracted you, they actually want to be around you MORE. Why? Isn’t it selfish not to put the needs of your company, significant other or friends first? NOPE. Obviously, I am not telling you to be an insensitive jerk right now, so don’t go cold hearted on me but within reason you need to make taking care of yourself a priority.

By putting your self-care first, you are going to be an even better employee, partner or friend! When you are HAPPY, stress free and healthy, you are in ideal form to be your most wonderful you for all the people you care about in your life. Honestly, even if your boyfriend or boss give you a little trouble at first when you carve out that gym time, spend a little extra time preparing a healthy meal, or sneak off to meditate for a couple minutes, let them. It’s only a matter of time till they realize how much that time really helps create a more optimized YOU! The best thing you can do for everyone in your life is to be happy and healthy. SERIOUSLY. When you are happy and healthy you do everything in your life with more ease, you’re more enjoyable to be around, you’re more stimulating to work with and boy, oh boy, will you be more attractive to your man. Oh wait, did I mention that YOU’LL BE HAPPIER AND HEALTHIER?! You get a pretty big bonus out of this added “me” time as well and there is nothing to feel guilty about there!

So take a moment, reflect on your schedule right now and ask yourself if you’re dedicating enough time to YOU. Where are you compromising to appease someone else in your life? I challenge you to take back some of that time RIGHT NOW. Literally, schedule in some “ME” time. You can start small if you’re a little nervous about it and increase steadily each week. Trust me, you will want to because you’re going to love what an amazing effect this has on your life! Pick something you would like to do for you, maybe a yoga class or some group work out, maybe gym time, maybe just taking the extra time to make yourself a healthy dinner every night. Whatever it is, commit to it and tell the people you care about in your life that it’s important to you and you will be unavailable during that time each week or day. Rest assured, they will understand, even if it takes a little time for some of them. You are important! Your body, your health and your happiness is absolutely paramount to leading an extraordinary life and you deserve the “ME” time it takes to maintain it!

Feel free to comment below and let me know what you are committing to do for your ME time this week! 🙂

In honor of my ebook #Juicespiration launching on Amazon.com, I’ve put together a whole series of Juicespiration videos! The fourth video tackles the question “HOW DO I PICK THE PERFECT JUICE CLEANSING PARTNER?” Juice cleanses can be fun with the right friend but pick them wisely for the best results! Want to know how to pick a winner? You’ll have to watch the video to see my answer! 😉

Feel free to check out my book as well on amazon at http://ow.ly/nwj4z

In honor of my ebook #Juicespiration launching on Amazon.com, I’ve put together a whole series of Juicespiration videos! The third video is here to answer another one of my most frequently asked questions!! CAN I EXERCISE ON A JUICE CLEANSE?! Well you’ll have to watch the video to see my answer! 😉

Tonight, I had a particularly rough commute home to where I grew up in NJ and somehow it managed to turn into quite the metaphor for life along the way and I couldn’t resist going home and immediately telling all of you about it! So bare with me, this how the night began, I was heading home to my parents’ house because one of my girlfriends from high school is getting married tomorrow. I took the not so lovely NJ transit and the bus driver decided to end his route about a town away from where I grew up. Nope, didn’t get on the wrong bus, got on the same bus I always get on to go home but NJ Transit sucks major balls, pardon my language. Thank god I’m a New Yorker now! Anyway, he drops me off at this bus stop and tells me to just wait there and eventually another bus will come and take me through the rest of the route and get me home. Now, I know NJ Transit and that bus could not come for another hour OR WORSE. Sometimes they just don’t even run! It’s a total crap shoot. It was already dark, I’m not in a well lit area and I have three bags and a back pack that weighs a ton and has my most valuable possession, this laptop, in. I stood there for about ten minutes, seeing if there was another bus close behind, called two friends before my phone died and then I made an executive decision.

                I decided to just start walking. Standing there and waiting for a bus to come and just hoping it will, it’s just not my style! I need to be constantly moving forward. I need to take action, and although the road ahead might not be pretty or easy for that matter. It does lead to my final destination and I’m sure as hell more likely to get there faster if I start walking towards it that if I wait for someone to come pick me up and bring me there.

So as I was walking down this dark, scary road, with cars blasting down one side of me and creepy bug noises coming out of the forest on the other side of me, I just kept my focus ahead of me and kept my mind occupied along my journey. At some point along the way it actually occurred to me the possible higher significance of all this and then it suddenly all made sense!

In life, so many times we land at a crossroads, where we can make one of two choices, we can sit where we are and wait for something to happen to us, for that bus to come and take us home at some undetermined future time or we can make the choice to start off in the direction of what we want. We can start taking baby steps down the path that might not be so easy or so pretty but down the path we know will lead to where we ultimately want to end up. Whether it’s in your relationships, your career or your health. Don’t wait for prince charming to trip over the dog your walking one day and realize your the love of his life! You have to get out there, you have to go on blind dates, let your married friends set you up with people, maybe even, GASP, try online dating. Come on, don’t wait for that bus! If it’s in your career, are you waiting for someone to discover your art one day while your plugging away at your desk job? Or are you waiting till someone gives you a million dollars or you marry rich to start your business? PLEASE. You have to take steps, even if they’re tiny, every day to work towards your goals. Even the people who became successful off something as silly as American Idol had to go put themselves out there enough to let that success happen to them! No ones searching for the next American Idol in the cubicles at some office building, buddy. How about your health? Oh, don’t even get me started on this one! You know the kind of buses that happen to your health? They’re called heart attacks, diabetes, and other serious conditions caused by a toxic body. Nothing good ever comes from “waiting” to start moving towards a healthy, fit body, let me tell you. People find out they have a disease or have a heart attack and then turn their life around and start eating healthy and getting in shape, and I applaud them, I do. I am so blessed to have never had to experience that in my life but what if NO ONE ever had to?! Seriously! If we all start walking down the road to health right now, maybe none of us will get metaphorically hit with that kind of bus.

I’m home now, safe, showered and proud of my journey. I have made that walk for health, for sanity, even for my love life and I’m walking down that path for my career every single day, and there is no other place I’d rather be walking. I hope I can inspire you to start walking with me, whether it’s for your love life, your job or your body, how about we all stop waiting for things to happen to us and go start happening to things? If you know what your goal is and the direction you want to go is, start walking today and I promise if you don’t turn back, you’ll surely get there.

In honor of my ebook #Juicespiration launching on Amazon.com, I’ve put together a whole series of Juicespiration videos! This first video kicks off with me divulging THREE insider juice cleansing tips! Enjoy!

Feel free to check out my book as well on amazon at http://ow.ly/nwj4z

latte                                  It’s five in the morning and I’m in Chicago, lacing up my running sneakers and putting on my fitbit for BlogHer’s 5K. It’s been almost 4 whole weeks since I broke up with my favorite addiction, the latte, and I need to confess, it has not been easy. I attended a pretty amazing panel yesterday for health bloggers and some of the speakers brought up a really interesting point, sometimes were TOO POSITIVE! Whaaaaaat?!! I pride myself on being motivating, positive and a constant source of good vibes for you guys, but they had a point.

LET’S GET REAL.

I’m human. I have bad days, too. GASP. To be honest, because of my meditation practice and dedication to treating my body well, they are a lot less frequent than they used to be. I do still want to be that source of positivity and encouragement for all of you but I think I’m going to start incorporating some of my struggles in here too. I want you to know your not alone. Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither is the most AMAZING, kick ass mind set or wonderful SUPER healthy eating habits! We are all a work in progress, myself included and the most important thing we can do is show up for our assignments and give it all we got!

On to coffee, I miss coffee. If you haven’t gathered from my instagram, twitter and facebook feeds, I am a crazy busy person. I am always on the go and sometimes I  don’t get nearly as much sleep as I really need. This wasn’t news to me but I guess it hit me like a ton of bricks once I gave up my “life juice”. I used to joke around that I was running solely on green juice and coffee, my miracle combination. Well my Sonny has lost it’s Cher and it’s a little rainy over here in paradise. I have stayed true to my guns, I’ve been replacing my java with some english breakfast tea when times are hard and getting through it. However, I did want to come clean to you and let you know it hasn’t been a walk in the clouds.

Of course, the fact that I’ve barely gotten 6 hours of sleep any given night this week, is not helping. So learn from me and please, if your ready to take the plunge, be prepared! Treat yourself really well! Make sure you can get enough sleep and maybe even plan on sleeping a little more than normal to be safe. Resisting coffee is not half as bad when you are fully rested, I promise. I’ve also been weening myself down slowly and drinking a lot of black teas with nut milk. For me, a nice english breakfast or oolong tea with coconut almond milk really fills the void that coffees left. In general, any tea is good, especially green and white teas, which are extremely healthy for you!  A lot of the time we are missing our “clutch”, we miss having that in between meals hold-me-over cup or just the oral fixation of constantly drinking something during the day or to get through a really long meeting. A little unsweetened cocoa powder and nut milk heated up can do that trick as well.

Well stay strong my loves! If you have begun your coffee-less journey, please tweet, comment, facebook and instagram me so I can keep up with you! I’d love to hear what kinda things your drinking in place of coffee and what struggles you having! Just #gosweetandskinny on instagram or twitter so I can see them!

Ever wondered why some people stick to their fitness and diet routines and others flake out? Have you wished at some points that you had your own personal cheerleader and motivational coach? There are many reasons to get a health coach and there are even more questions I get about health coaching! I hope this video will clear some of that up for you so that you can decide once and for all if you need a health coach!

If you decide you do, take the next step and visit my COACHING page or email me directly at gosweetandskinny@gmail.com for a consultation! Can’t wait to meet you!

I gave up coffee three weeks ago and have gotten A LOT of questions as to why! So in this video I answer your question, “Should I give up coffee?” as well as tell you a little about my personal story and what pushed me to make the leap into coffee-free land! Enjoy!

Have you ever looked at someone with a body you would kill for and let yourself get frustrated and fed up? Hey, it happens! I know what your going through but here’s a better way to look at it that will actually get YOU in better shape! 😉