Virtual Trainer

Let me start off by saying that I've been a Shape magazine subscriber for about 3 years.  Love it!!!  Taking the time to sit and read through it is something I consider one of my simple pleasures in life.  I love checking the mail and seeing my new subscription every month...nice change from the envelopes of bills!

To be honest, because I read the magazine, I typically don't visit their website.  I decided to check it out the other day because I saw in their magazine that they have a "Virtual Trainer".  Well, since I'm still hanging in there to lose 8 lbs., I thought it would be good to freshen up my workout routine with some new ideas.  What I found was amazing!

Their Virtual Trainer is an online tool that helps you to keep a food diary, calculates your calories burned from workouts, and tracks your progress.  If you've ever used Weight Watchers online, it's actually pretty similar.  I had great success with Weight Watchers, so I was psyched to find Virtual Trainer.  The best part...IT'S FREE!  The downside, I will admit that a few times when I've tried to log in, the site was down.  But otherwise, it's a great tool!

If you're on a budget and looking to lose some weight, check it out!

Food Diary

I heard recently that more people than ever are finding that they have food allergies that they were never aware of.  Isn't it funny that we pay attention to medicinal allergies, or allergic reactions to bee stings, etc., but we never really pay attention to whether the foods we eat are making us sick?  I'm not just talking about over-indulging in some cake and feeling bad...which, I'm not proud to say, I've done myself!

Food allergies can come in obvious forms such as rashes, but they can also come in more subtle forms, such as stomach aches, gas, and bloating.  Most people might blow this off, but it might be a sign of an allergy.  Maybe you don't realize how badly certain foods make you feel, but you keep on eating them because you don't know that your body is responding to something is considers a toxin.

A food diary is a great way to find out if you might have a sensitivity to certain types of food.  Just jot down the foods you eat and take note about how your body feels afterward.  It's a small investment of time to find out if the reason you don't feel well is because of an allergy.  After a month, review your food diary and see if you notice any patterns, then of course, you may want to consult your doctor.  Maybe you find that you don't feel well after eating eggs, which is a common food allergy.  But what else did you eat that contains eggs that made you feel bad?  Cake?  Bread?  I know that eggs don't come to mind when I think of those foods!

This is just a thought to remind us to pay attention to how we're feeling.  I invite you to join me in doing this.  I'm going to try keeping a food diary for a month and see if I come up with anything.

Teenagers Need Their Moms!

As a mother of a 16 year old girl and a 12 year old boy, I'm at that point where I don't feel as "needed" anymore.  The kids are more independent (which is great!), they're building their circle of friends for suppport, and they definitely don't come to me anymore for every cut and scrape that needs a band-aid and a kiss.  Like most mothers, there are days when I'm conflicted because I still want to be needed, but I want the kids to grow up strong and independent.

What I've come to realize is that my role as mother has changed.  I will still be there for them anytime, anywhere,   and while I'm not needed in the typical ways that children need their mommies, I'm needed in different ways.  My kids need me to be understanding.  They need me to let them grow.  They need me to let them make mistakes.  They need me to trust them and the job I've done with them.  They need me to continue loving them unconditionally.  They need me to give them space.  These are all things we've done along the way as mothers, but some of these things need to be done in less obvious ways.

I'm still a safety net for my daughter and son, but they don't always need to know that because that's how they learn the lesson of consequences.  I will admit that as small children, I have been guilty of being a "helicopter mom", but the greatest gift I can give them as a teenager and a preteen is room to fly.  I'll still catch them when they fall, but in order for them to soar, they need to fly.  That's what my kids need from me.

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Journey to Being a Happy Chic

Let's face it...as women, we deal with a lot.  We're multi-takers, mothers, employees, wives/girlfriends, daughters.  For most of us, we put so many others first.  While there's nothing wrong with that, I've found myself running on empty for what feels like most of my life.  And I'm sure many of you out there feel the exact same way.

The fact of the matter is, life is a journey, and I've decided to re-route myself to make mine a happy one.  I'm not saying to look out only for number one, but if we're going to be any good to our loved ones, we need to be good to ourselves.  And the good news is that you don't have to do anything extravagant to do that!

I'm saying let's limit toxic guilt...you know what I'm talking about.  Learn to say "No".  (I'm still learning that one myself!) It's when we lower our boundaries to make someone else happy even if it means sacrificing our own comfort or happiness.  I'm saying let's do a little something for "us" each day.  Maybe it's treating yourself to a bubble bath or your favorite food (even if it IS high in calories), manicures, pedicures...whatever floats your boat!  And let's be a little more forgiving of ourselves if we can't do it all.  Nobody can...and it's okay.

These are things that I've struggled with for years that I've decided to end here.  I know so many other women out there that struggle with the same thing, and while it's easier to tell someone else, "It's okay,", we fail to say it to ourselves.  So, for you ladies out there, just know that it really is okay.  This is the first step in my journey to be a happy chic!

Say Cheese!

I'll be the first to admit that I have a love/hate relationship with food.  I love it, but sometimes it does NOT love me.  So like most people, I try to eat a little healthier, make smarter choices, and watch fat intake and calories.  I have to say, there are a few things I just can't go low fat on...mayo and sour cream!

The plus side is that I recently tried Laughing Cow Blue Cheese, which is one of their new flavors.  I loved it!  I could eat a cheese wedge all on its own, spread on crackers, or broken up into a salad.  If you like blue cheese, this definitely is a must-try!  It really captures the sharpness of real blue cheese, but at only 35 calories a wedge, you can't beat it for flavor!

I haven't tried the other new flavors yet, but I plan to try a new one each week until I've tried them all.  Man, what a tough assignment I've given myself!  Stay tuned for next week's evaluation on Laughing Cow Sun Dried Tomato and Basil!  If you've tried it, I'd love to hear from you!

Friendship - Something that Should Never Be Taken For Granted

Recently, I found out that a friend of mine that I had met in fourth grade had passed away from cancer.  The news came as a shock because I hadn’t been in touch with her for years, about 10 to be exact.  My high school is in the process of planning our 20 year reunion, and with the help of social networks such as Facebook, the committee is able to communicate news, plans, and requests easier than ever before.  While I was reading one of the latest updates, I saw that pictures of “fallen seniors” from the class of 1992 were being requested to honor them at the reunion and the list included my friend’s name.

I couldn’t believe my eyes!  I responded to the person heading up the committee to see if she knew what happened.  She told me that my friend had passed away a few months after giving birth to her 4^th child, which was about a year ago.  I was filled with regret.

I had sent my friend a Friend Request on Facebook months ago, but hadn’t gotten a reply back.  Although it didn’t seem like her to ignore a friend request, I didn’t put too much thought into it.  I figured she was busy, or someone had hacked into her account and she had abandoned it.  It never occurred to me that she might be gone.

The last time I saw her was 10 years ago when she came to my house to invite me to our 10 year reunion.  I told her that I was not going to be able to make it because I had been very busy with kids, work, a new relationship, and life in general.  She was disappointed that I wasn’t able to attend, but she understood.  I told her that I would try to make the next reunion and that I’d keep in touch with her.  Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.

I’m here to tell you that many times, we don’t get a second chance.  It’s so easy to get wrapped up in the day to day stuff that we put things off, banking on the idea that we’ll have another chance to do it.  To my friend, I’m sorry that I didn’t touch base with you sooner and that I missed the opportunity to thank you for be-friending me in fourth grade when I was the new girl in class and no one else cared to talk to me.  Your bright smile and contagious laugh will be missed, and your spirit will live on in your four boys forever.