Happiness is Adidas 3-Stripes & Polyester Track Suits

I realized that I no longer lived in a Valley.

LIVING #itsalifestyle: Debra

Carly and I are the first back to back Daughter-Mother feature on this blog! This is me – unplugged – honest – real. Thank you Brittnei for the opportunity to share.

Today we have our first mother/daughter back-to-back special. Our LIVING #itslifestyle feature from yesterday, Carly cited her mother as her inspiration and guide for how to live her healthiest life- today we have her mother, Debra as our expert feature.

Debra is a wellness and health professional and entrepreneur, and brings us an inspiring story of life-long health and intentional living to support graceful aging. Fun Fact: She has shared her wisdom with us in a previous volume of #itsalifestyle as well, if you care to venture a peek you can find it here.

What does #itsalifestyle mean to you?

#itsalifestyle means just that; living my life in a manner [style] that embodies all 7 determinants of wellness:  spirituality, higher intelligence, satisfying occupation, social, emotional, environmental, physical (this includes nutrition).  This is how I live, living healthfully is my natural default.

What/Who informs your wellness habits?

I have been healthy my entire…

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LIVING #itsalifestyle: Carly

Hey parents! Remember when you gave and gave and gave and your kids would ignore you, eye roll and basically turn their noses up at you? Once, one of my daughters told me she hated that I wore my hair in a pony tail! Wished I was like other mom’s who didn’t have to be “Fitnessy”! Her words!! Well, I just got paid back.

It really ISN’T WHAT WE SAY … and it really IS WHAT WE DO Model well because they are always watching and listening. Even with noses turned up, way up.

From health through laughter, to an honest and compelling appreciation for Nature, Carly shares a snippet of her #itsalifestyle with ya’ll today!

What does #itsalifestyle mean to you?

Healthy, lifestyle, living… it has a different connotation to each individual. Allowing you to enjoy routines, regimes and habits that are completely unique to you. 

What/Who informs your wellness habits?

My mother, having over 25 years of experience in the health and wellness industry. It’s always been a common dinner topic at my family’s table.

What is your favorite way to MOVE?

Dancing or a long, scenic walk

How do you schedule your healthy habits?

I look at my calendar and I think about how I want to plan my workouts/see which classes I’m excited to go to. My goal is to go at least 4-5 times a week, but also not punish myself if I have to tend to something that…

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What is the Best Diet for 2017?

Instead of the usual one size fits all approach to your health, ask yourself “Is this sustainable?”

Source: What is the Best Diet for 2017?

What is the Best Diet for 2017?

Instead of the usual one size fits all approach to your health, ask yourself “Is this sustainable?”

Bathrobes and Sunglasses

She learned from the best teacher. Me. I am not proud especially when I can relate 100% to every word my beautiful outgoing daughter wrote. You inherited my strong, curvy body shape, my shapely shoulders, and strong legs. I gave you my thick, slightly curly hair that is a blessing in winter and a hot, frizzy mess in summer! We share big eyes, feminine hands, long fingers, long nail beds and a quirky sense of humor. Only with you can I speak with an accent and you’ll answer me back in the exact same way.

Sadly, I also gave you my social anxiety and a mind that will not shut off. I showed you that being at home in jammies is the best way to spend an evening and I will still stand by that but not every night. Watch me now dear daughter. Follow my lead as I nurture all my new and amazing friendships. Trust that once you are surrounded by the loving energy of your friends, that overwhelming desire to retreat fades and you enjoy yourself and it really doesn’t tax your energy, it fills you up.

We are never too old to learn. When we stop learning and trying – we become old and stop living. I will model healthier behavior and I will watch and follow you too. But let’s not totally give up the jammie and Netflix nights — they are as special as a hang-out. Let’s just use them to rejuvenate from being out with our amazing networks! Love you so much.

Monkey Brain

Listen, I have a lot of friends and I’m not craving attention. The reason for my title because it’s all things I’m responsible for. The biggest tease I make is the fact that I have no friends when the reality is, I have a lot of friends! Lovely friends, amazing friends, silly friends, bat-shit crazy friends, annoying friends, are-we-acquaintances-or-friends friends, bad friends, good friends and everything in between.

Why don’t I have friends? Because I don’t choose to see them. It’s not because I don’t want to – I love you guys! You’re beautiful individuals that I feel so blessed that we have a connection. But I can’t see you. And then I don’t have hang outs, I miss out on parties, I’m not on Snapchat stories; the bonds get stronger as I fade away on my couch. And I like it that way. To some degree…

These reasons are…

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Shhh, Don’t Tell Them It’s Healthy

A soft, chewy and slightly pumpkin pie spicy protein bar that is nutritious and versatile. Breakfast, snack, morning or night – Nut-free so good for the kid’s lunches at school and programs.

Oh bla di oh bla da …

 

I am a health and wellness professional and entrepreneur.  I live, breathe and exude healthy.  I have an answer for every excuse that I hear as to why one cannot live a healthy life.  Don’t use a bad day to binge on sugar … why make bad worse?  Basically, I am a pain in the ass and because I walk my talk, I have the chops to take on any criticism.  Until today …

When you are an entrepreneur you quickly realize that your true character comes out on the bad days.  On the good days, everybody is happy and flying high.  Dreams are allowed to grow even larger, energy is high and you almost welcome the naysayers.  Hit me with your best shot … fire away!  Today has been challenging and I won’t bore you with the details.  Pardon my gross language but if shit rolls downhill then I feel as if I am at the bottom of Everest.  My business partner was doing her very best to keep me positive even when the mechanic pulled out a 4 inch screw, nut and all, out of one of my tires.  She validated all my efforts with potential clients that went no-where with words of encouragement and I love her for it.  Did I tell her that?  Probably not.  Too busy having a pity party.

She could have bought me a new puppy and tap danced down Yonge street and I would not have cracked a smile.  But thinking about that earlier statement I thought – So you didn’t have any wins today.  In fact, with a flat tire, no sales, you LOST money today.  Are you going to give up and throw in the towel just because things didn’t go your way?  KEEP IN ACTIVITY.  You are a fighter.  Debra never gives up.  And so I am not – instead I have taken a slight detour and made a fresh batch of Vegan Gluten-free Hermit Cookies.  I needed to have a win.  I wanted to accomplish something today to lift my confidence and a workout was not going to cut it!  Only wholesome, chewy, sugary treats can turn a bad day around.  These cookies have magical, almost unicorn-like properties.  You only have to eat one to feel wonderful.  How could you not?  Cinnamon, pecans, chocolate and raisins mixed with a gooey centre, hot out of the oven equals N I R V A N A.

Sorry I can’t stay and describe every delicious morsel but I have a business to run and I need to get back into activity.  You will just have to make them yourself and don’t wait until you have a bad day!

Vegan Gluten Free Hermit Cookies

• Time: 1hr 20min
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

Every bite gives you a mouthful of happiness and no two bites are alike.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup coconut oil, room temperature (do not melt)
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 “flax” eggs or use egg-replacer
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups all purpose gluten-free flour*
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp allspice
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips
• 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans
• *I use a mix of gluten-free flours that already has xanthan gum mixed in appropriate amounts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. In a standing mixer on medium speed, cream together coconut oil and brown sugar. Add “flax-eggs” and beat until mixture is pale and thick – about 2 minutes. Beat in vanilla.
3. Mix all dry ingredients together and using a whisk ensure that they are well blended.
4. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg. Incorporate raisins, chocolate chips and nuts with a wooden spoon.
5. Drop cookies by tablespoonfuls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake 10-12 minutes, until edges are set but centres still appear moist. Cool on baking sheet 2 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
6. Store in an airtight container (up to 10 days) or freeze on a flat surface then transfer to freezer bags to store up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.
7. Makes approximately 4 dozen

Caramel Apple Upside Down Cookie Tart

This is poignant and very touching essay with a kick-ass recipe attached to it! I could make it GF with a few modifications and it would be divine. Vegan – replace the butter with coconut oil. Oh, and by the way, I, too, was a Debbie until 32!!!

deb's pots

“What would you do if you lost your favorite thing”? I still remember exactly where I was sitting, in health class in my sophomore year of high school, when the teacher asked that question. What I thought was: I’d just keep searching until I find it. And then the teacher said, to a class of 30 or so teenagers, “Most of us would sit down and cry, but Debbie [I was Debbie until I was 18] would keep looking until she found it.”

Trust me. It was an antisemitic diss. This woman was a bubby, blond, gym teacher. Her name was still Debbie, at 35. She had bouncy hair and bouncy breasts, and was a former cheerleader. She was the one who told us that Jewish women get breast cancer because of eating matzah balls. Not kidding. She didn’t like me. I was mortified.

I remembered that antisemite cheerleader mortification…

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Could the Best of Summer Be the New Weight Gain Threat?

Your body creates both inflammatory and anti-inflammatory chemicals called “prostaglandins” from nutrients in the food that you eat. Disproportionate amounts of good versus bad nutrients in your diet can lead to the formation of unnecessary amounts of inflammatory prostaglandins, which fuel your body’s inflammatory response.