Dear Socialite with an Appetite,

I know the past few weeks have been difficult. Trying to create better habits, find time for yourself…to eat and workout. Thinking about going to the gym versus actually going to the gym has been extra challenging, but you’re doing it. And I’m proud of you for that!

Eating at home has been a game-changer. After a few weeks of eating clean, you’re cravings aren’t as severe and your will-power has increased, making it easier to resist canapes and hors d’oeuvres at parties and events. Sometimes you’re not even interested in socializing or going out. You’re not sure why. Who are you?!

Something is different.

What’s this? You’re starting to think about what’s really important? You’re starting to pay attention to that little voice. The one that knocks oh so softly but keeps you up at night if you let it. Seems there may be a paradigm shift happening within. I don’t know but when the 30 day challenge ends next week, don’t think of it as an end. Think of it as a beginning to something else. A healthier more meaningful you…

Cheers,

From one Socialite with an Appetite to another

This streak of amazingly beautiful weather has inspired me to share a few of my go-to items for a warm weather work wardrobe. This summer, I’ll be wearing…

#1: A Safari Style Shirt Dress
I absolutely love a cotton shirt dress for summer! The fabric breaths so well, and wearing it in a neutral color means you can rock all of your bright summer accessories! Pair this with red flats, a chunky belt and a few bangles for an easy, breezy summer outfit.

#2: A Printed A-Line Skirt
I’m sure I’ll find myself wearing this piece all summer long. Paired with a neutral blouse, it makes a simple chic outfit for work. Or wear with another color/print for a fun ensemble that can take you right into happy hour post 5.

#3: A Lightweight Blazer
We all know Seattle’s warm weather can be fickle, so it’s smart to have an extra layer to throw on if it gets chilly. Instead of carting around winter’s heavy wool blazer, consider updating your closet with a linen or cotton version like the one below.

What are you go-to items for summer dressing?

Images 1, 2, 3

In every situation we’re trying to put our best foot forward.  And one of the most important things we need to remember is we have to carefully manage our image. We must take care of ourselves; inside and out.  If we take care of ourselves on a fitness level, we’ll be much happier and we will radiate feelings of goodwill which will benefit us and those around us.

This also works in the business arena, whether we’re promoting our skills as an entrepreneur, technician or social catalyst; we’re essentially working every single day to attract more attention.

A positive outlook comes from a place of self-confidence and well-being and it is a very powerful attraction. Can you remember a time when someone contacted you because they really liked your personality?  Maybe they said that you gave off a good vibe?  Well, that’s your positive self-image shining through.  You were radiating and people were attracted to that.  Who doesn’t want to be around someone who’s happy about life or passionate about their work?  Everybody is.

It’s easy to let our self-confidence slip once in a while, but a little bit of happiness can go a long way.  So it’s up to us to get our daily dose of happiness or “vitamin H” by kicking up our fitness routine.

I’ve been working with Adriana at Fuerte Fitness for about two years and in the last couple of months I’ve been following some of her personal workouts.  And let me tell you, if I make it through a session with Adriana, I’ve earned my vitamin H and the rest of the day I’m good to go!

Last week I went to hot yoga with Adriana and I didn’t want to go.  I’d had a bad morning; things weren’t going my way but, she won’t take no for an answer.  So, she suggested hot yoga. Well, when they say hot yoga,  they mean HOT.  I was so hot that my eyelids were sweating.  I felt like there was a furnace blasting me in the face and my body just couldn’t do all the contortionist moves with any dignity.  In my moments of greatest despair, I’d look over at Adriana and she’d just smile at me.  We weren’t supposed to speak, so I soldiered on

Adriana Medina @ Fuerte Fitness

As the minutes ticked by and the sweat poured out of my body for an hour-and-a-half I thought about nothing in the outside world except for maintaining my body positions, drinking water and breathing.  And you know what?  At the end of all that misery I emerged from that yoga studio with a smile on my face and with a much happier outlook.  (Mostly because I survived!)

Later in the day, as I went about my business, I had a big smile on my face and lots of people said, “Hello” to me.  That’s when I realized I was presenting a healthy mind and body to everyone that I met.  It was subtle,  nobody really knew what was going on, but I could see the impact.  They were attracted to me because of my healthy glow and positive outlook.

In those moments, I was presenting my best self to the world, a sense of well-being and honesty.  I was living in the moment and it felt good.  (That’s when I forgave Adriana for dragging me to hot yoga.)

As you go about your day and your workouts, try to concentrate on the moment.  Think about centering yourself and taking care of your personal fitness.  Remember that no matter where you go and who you run into, you’re presenting your best self to the world and if you can do that by radiating a positive mental attitude; you will see a change in you and the world around you.

Have a Fuerte Day!

www.nancytreder.com

www.http://nancytreder.wordpress.com/

Hey everyone, I am Chef Kirsten representing Team Feel Good for the 30 day Fit & Fab Challenge. We are closing in with only 8 days until the big event to celebrate the final day of the challenge on Thursday, May 24^th!

I see so much great stuff going on over on the Girl Power Hour Facebook Group page! Goals are being set – attainable goals that lead to lifelong health as well as weight loss – I love it! People are sharing their successes, challenges, tips and questions. Have you checked it out yet? You can find the group here.

I wanted to share a bit of my own personal story with you to hopefully help create your “aha” moment. That is what I call the moment where I FINALLY got it.

Most of us go into a diet program focused on LOSING weight. Losing what is “bad”. Losing that gross, horrible, unattractive stuff attached to us. We see ourselves as not whole until we do. Not a success until we reach the goal we have in mind, until we look “perfect”.

When we start a diet with this negative thinking we are really setting ourselves up for failure. Instead of focusing on a short term goal, or seeing ourselves as looking “perfect” in a bikini, think of the bigger picture. This is what finally clicked for me – and many others like myself who have struggled most of our lives being obese but now have healthy bodies.  Perfect? No. Healthy? Yes. “Perfect” in the eyes of the media  and Hollywood usually involves bodies that are deprived and actually unhealthy. I had to change my mindset from “skinny=beautiful” to “HEALTHY=BEAUTIFUL”.

For me my “aha” moment was when I was watching my daughter play. She was a little over 2 years old and I remember just feeling so in love with her, I couldn’t imagine not seeing her get older. I wanted to see what an amazing woman, mother, grandmother she would someday grow up to be. The way I was living my life, being so heavy, I was destined to a life of diet-related – and completely controllable – disease, as well as likely early death. I was already pre-diabetic and had high blood pressure. I had a vision pop in my head of myself in my 60’s. In a hospital bed, obese and unhealthy, living my life on pills and hardly being able to move. Right then and there I made a decision that I was going to live a healthy life. I wanted my daughter to have a healthy life also and it was my responsibility to do everything I could to ensure she would have the healthy childhood she deserved as well as teaching her how to live a healthy life when she begins making her own choices.

From that day forward my focus was on health and living a long, vibrant life. No longer did I worry about weight loss. But it happened naturally! When you live a healthy life it helps you achieve natural weight management. You eat the foods we are meant to eat in proper portions and move our bodies like they are meant to on a daily basis. I give my body what it needs and enjoy life to the fullest. This includes healthy foods that protect my cells and help my body function as it should, as well as enjoying treats or small indulgences from time to time and celebrating life with family and friends. Going for walks and bike rides to treat my body to daily movement as well as taking a fun class or working harder at the gym or on a run because it is fun to challenge my healthy body to see what I can achieve! If I have a couple of days where I have been indulging a bit too much (too many birthday parties, work meetings with fabulous treats, etc.) I quickly get myself in check. Do I feel guilty? NO! Do I think that I had enough and enjoyed every bite but need to give my body only what it needs for several days? Yes. No big deal. No guilt. No giving up.  I lost over 100 pounds living my life this way, I’ve kept it off for over 5 years and I will NEVER go back to a life less than I deserve to live.

I urge you to create a healthy vision of yourself in the future. This can help serve as your motivation to continue on living a healthy life. My visualization is this: I see myself as an older woman, in my 80’s or so. I am fit, healthy, vibrant, running around my backyard picking up my grandchildren and playing with them. I am making choices on a daily basis that will help me live as long as I can, as healthy as I can. It feels great to live life this way and to know that my children are going to be as healthy as they can be also.

What is your healthy vision of yourself? Share and let us know! Help inspire each other.

Here is a delicious breakfast recipe that can help you start every day fresh, healthy AND deliciously!

Double Grain – Gluten Free Breakfast Bowl

Makes approximately 6,  1/2 cup servings

1/2 cup quinoa

1/2 cup steel cut oats – gluten free

2 1/4 cups water

Fresh or frozen berries or chopped peaches or apples (about ½ cup per serving)

Chopped pecans, almonds, etc., optional

Cinnamon, stevia, pure maple syrup, honey to taste

1 tsp ground flax seed, optional

Place the first three ingredients in a large microwave safe glass bowl, stir to combine. Pop in the microwave for 10 minutes at 80% power. That’s it! Take 1/2 cup serving at a time, top with your fruit and toppings of choice (my favorite is frozen blueberries, cinnamon and stevia OR apple/pecan with a tiny drizzle of pure maple syrup), add about 1/4 cup milk – regular/almond/soy/rice and microwave to reheat and let it get creamy, about 1-2 minutes. Enjoy!

The teams (Team Feel Good, Team Hustle and Team Make It Count) are offering great tips, motivation and special offers. We are here personally for Darnell, Corrie and Zong, yes – but did you know we are also here to help YOU? Many of us have great specials to help you reach your goals or are around just to ask a question. Please, take advantage of us! Most of us have websites, Facebook pages, gyms, training options, weight loss coaching, recipes, programs, etc. that we would all LOVE to share with you! To help you now or in the future. Bookmark these great sites and please, reach out and connect! Let us know how we can help you!

Kat Kim, Founder and CEO of Revolution Self Image - www.revolutionselfimage.com, and follow Kat on Facebook and Twitter to receive daily doses of empowerment and inspiration that will help you look and feel good from the inside out!

Kirsten Helle – Owner and Chef at Mesa de Vida (Table of Life) Personal chef/nutrition consultant Sharing healthy recipes, tools and tips on living a vibrant lifestyle at Mesadevida.com as well as on her Facebook fan page (facebook.com/mesadevida). Kirsten lost over 100 pounds and wants to help you reach your goals – deliciously – too!

Nancy Treder, Media Relations Consultant and Photographer  Website: www.nancytreder.com | Twitter: 4togra4 | Email: nancy@nancytreder.com

Minh-Hai Tran, Owner of Mindful Nutrition Seattle | Coaching Darnell Sue (Socialite with an Appetite) Web:www.mindfulnutritionseattle.com | FB: MindfulNutritionSeattleProCoach | Twitter: @mindfulRD | Email: mh@mindfulnutritionseattle.com

Caryn Lavin, Owner of Calorie Inc. | Coaching Corrie Westmoreland-Vairo ( Modern Day Maven) Website: www.calorieinc.com  | FB: CalorieInc |  Twitter: CalorieInc | Email: caryn@calorieinc.com

Lara Dalch, Dalch Wellness – Food and Fitness for Fast People | Coaching Zong Her (Fast Moving Fitness Fiend) Website: www.dalchwellness.com | FB: dalchwellness | Twitter: laradalch | Email: lara@dalch.com

Hilary Paris, Owner Active Wellness Web: www.activeinseattle.com | FB: activeinseattle | Twitter: @ActiveinSeattle | Email: hilary.paris@gmail.com

Adriana Medina, Owner and Founder Fuerte Fitness Web: www.fuertefitness.com | FB: FuerteFitness | Twitter: @fuertefitness | Email: adriana@fuertefitness.com

Samara Donald, Owner and Creator of The Gym Coach Web: www.thegymcoach.com | FB: TheGymCoach | Twitter: @thegymcoach | Email:Samara@thegymcoach.com

About Dove’s “Show Us Your Skin” Campaign: By uploading a photograph of themselves, each participant will be featured in a Dove ad for their “Show Us Your Skin” campaign, including online ads, a digital gallery, and an interactive billboard in the world-renowned Times Square.

About Jenn Falik: Jenn is an authoritative expert on everything fashion and beauty who has honed her skills at predicting and interpreting trends by working with many of the most influential behind-the-scenes trendsetters (from makeup and hair artists to dermatologists to clothing and accessories designers, stylists, and buyers). A frequent guest on “The View,” “The Today Show,” “The Rachael Ray Show,” “Tyra Banks,” and “E! Entertainment Television,” Jenn uncovers beauty bargains, decodes the latest wacky skincare ingredients, and reveals her sought-after secrets for making even the most daunting fashion and beauty trends wearable.

For much more information on Jenn, please log onto her official website www.jennfalik.com or follow her on Twitter @jennfalik.

For as long as I can remember I’ve heard people state that pets aren’t the same as children.  When I was explaining to my boyfriend why it was important for me to adopt another dog, he didn’t understand.  I used the analogy that he wants to spend more time with his son, I want to protect and love.  “It’s not the same thing,” he said.  But to me, it is.

I don’t have children; I was born a dog lover

I don’t have children so I have no first hand experience about the bond between parent and child.  But I do know about the bond between a dog and his owner. When our dogs come crashing into the house, they immediately start looking for me.  When we go outside to play, I sit in the grass and watch them play with each other.  I can join in if I like, but it’s not necessary.  They just want to be near me.  Many people become dog lovers.  I was born this way.

I’ve never had the desire to have children.  I thought that I should, because that’s what we do, right?  But the timing was never right and I wasn’t heart broken when I reached 40 and then 41 without having given birth.  But the idea of never caring for another dog breaks my heart.  No, I didn’t give birth to these wonderful creatures, but they crawled into my heart immediately and I recognized that I was being gifted with the opportunity to raise amazing canines.  It’s what I do.

To those of us with hearts that beat for dogs, our dogs are just as important to us as your children are to you.

Logically, I know that there is a difference.  There are many differences.  But my heart only knows that I love my dogs just as passionately as people love their children.  Maybe I’d see the difference if I had children.  But since that’s not going to happen, please keep one thing in mind…

To those of us who call them fur kids, it’s because they are just that, our kids.  Don’t discount our bond with our dogs, because they walk on four legs instead of two.

We’re switching things up over here at Chasing Harmony, folks. Though I love talking to you all about work/life balance, it’s come to my attention that I really don’t know that much about such things, or at least not much more then what I’ve already written on here. So what’s a blogger to do? Change her topic. What did I pick? BOOKS! After talking to Darnell about this new direction, she introduced me to her friend Jennifer Worick, author of 20+ books, including the upcoming Things I Want to Punch in the Face. A few days ago, Jennifer was kind enough to chat with me about the book, her writing career, and what she felt like punching in the face at that very moment (and don’t worry, it wasn’t me).

Thing I Want to Punch in the Face started as a blog. How did you come up with the idea behind it? 

I had a really bad eight days a couple years ago. I had an unexpected break-up, followed by having to put my cat to sleep. Then three days after that, my book manuscript that I had just turned in got cut because of budget cuts, and then two days after that, I had surgery. At that point, the surgery was the least of my problems.

You know when you’re stressed or upset and everything gets on your last nerve? I’d cut into an avocado, and it would be rotten, and I would have a disproportionate reaction to that. I’d be out for breakfast, and the waiter would come and top off my tea or my decaf with regular coffee and I’d be like “I just got that the way I wanted, with the cream and the sugar, and you just came and disrupted the whole thing!” All that stuff just kind of builds up.

So one night, I was sitting on the couch, probably crying, watching American Idol or something and I thought, “I need to turn my frown upside down.” I got the idea of writing this black humor blog, and I thought it was the most brilliant idea ever. I was like, this is going to catch on! It didn’t get hundreds of thousands of people following it, but it did end up finding it’s audience.

How did the blog turn into a book?

I did a book proposal, and I really spent a lot of time trying to work the social media connection by commenting on other people’s blogs, getting on blog rolls and things like that. I wrote a coffee-related post one day, and a friend of mine posted it on Facebook. Her friend is a publisher who contacted me, and now I’m doing the book with this publishing company in California. The book is coming out this fall, and I’m really excited about it.

How do you use social media to market the blog (and now the book)?

All the entries are mine for the most part, but it’s fun to give people a platform to just let it rip, and it really helps build a community. I have a Things I Want to Punch in the Face Facebook page, and there’s not a lot of bells and whistles on it, but I do try to keep the audience engaged by asking them questions. “What’s chapping your hide on this hump day?” or “What is the worst movie you’ve ever seen?” Stuff like that where it gives people a chance to start a dialogue with each other. It’s great when you see people interacting. You’re kind of the cyber hostess. You give them a platform to discuss something and then let them talk, and you can just walk away.

You’ve written a number of other books on a variety of topics. Which ones were your favorite to write? 

I would say The Prairie Girl’s Guide to Life and Nancy Drew’s Guide to Life, which are both competely different and have different formats, but those were just such a pleasure to write. I love when I get in that zone, and I find the right voice for a project, or when I can go back and reread it, and I still feel really good about it. I think anybody has this about any work that they do. And I’m really excited about Things I Want To Punch in the Face because it’s a whole different voice for me, and it’s totally MY voice. So I would say those three. These books were just completely generated by my own interests and concepts.

Why should people pick up your book when it comes out this fall?

Punching things in the face figuratively will make them happy. You’re not a bad person if sometimes you gripe about some sort of ridiculous traffic thing, like the overly polite motorists who can’t make up their mind at the 4-way stop sign about who should go first. It’s a cute, gifty book, and it will make you happy to know that there are other people out there who get you, plus you can get happy for a pretty moderate price.

If you could punch anything in the face right now, what would it be?

I guess I would punch my belly bloat because of the conference I’ve been at this week. My skinny jeans are a little constricting. I might say that, or my cowlicks, which are something that I have punched in the past. My brothers growing up, they used to call me “Heffer Head,” which was not the nicest nickname. I also want to punch my lack of a housekeeper. I do not want to spend the weekend cleaning. And I have a headache, so I’ll punch my headache too.

You can pre-order Things I Want to Punch in the Face now, or make sure you pick up a copy on October 1, 2012

Congratulations to our Founder Darnell Sue who was selected as a Glambassador for Glamour Magazine for the 5th year in a row.

Glambassadors are a select group of well-connected and influential women across the country that receive the latest fashion and beauty products to test, share their thoughts
, receive VIP access to private industry events
, appear in advertorials in the magazine
, co-host events and more.

Way to go Darnell!

If you’d like to get all the insider perks, freebies and more from Glamour Magazine, be sure to check out Glam Alert!

What do you offer at work?

What do you do outside the specific skill set needed to your job?

Are you as valuable to your employer as you think you are?

That last question is a tough one.  We all want to feel valued for our work.  It gives us a sense of accomplishment and security, but in this highly competitive economy it’s hard to know when you’ve done ‘enough’ to be valuable.

Before the panic sets in, and you start wondering how many more tasks you can accomplish today, I want to suggest a new way to show value without adding to your to-do list.  Let’s increase your value by improving your communication skills.

You can do this any number of ways and get results, but this month I want you to focus on your ability to make small talk and put people around you at ease.  So often these days technology does the heavy lifting when in comes to communication.  You know, all the emails, text messages, Facebook posts, Twitter updates…  There’s nothing wrong with any of it – unless it’s taking the place of actual conversations.  Business requires personal interactions and the better you are at them, the more value you offer and the greater your leverage.

Here’s where the Talk Sporty piece of equation comes it.  There is a large segment of the population that considers themselves sports fans.  If you can relate to them or at least strike up a conversation you’ve put yourself in a good position to put them at ease, build rapport and get business done.

And before we go any further, let’s be clear about something.  This is not about trying to be one of the guys, or placating the sports fans in your office.  This is about you taking full advantage of all the business tools available.  Sports conversations are a huge asset in business. 

With that said, here are a few things sports fans are talking about this month.

NBA – The playoffs have reached the conference semifinals.  I’ll be watching the series between the LA Lakers and Oklahoma City Thunder.  It’s tough to watch the Thunder after covering them as a reporter when they were the Sonics, but it will be a great matchup between the leagues two top scorers – Kevin Durant and Kobe Bryant.  In addition to the storyline provided by Meta World Peace (formerly Ron Artest) when he viciously elbowed OKC’s James Harden at the end of the regular season.

NHL – The Stanley Cup playoffs are in the conference final round.  The winner of the New Jersey Devils and NY Rangers series will play the winner of the Phoenix Coyotes and the LA Kings in the Finals.

Both the NHL and NBA playoffs will wrap up in mid June – so keep that on your radar until then.

MLB – Baseball is now an everyday occurrence.  The best way to follow baseball is to pick one team or one player and check in on the scores two or three times a week.  If you love baseball then watch all that you can handle, but it can be very overwhelming at first.  If you check in on the score of your favorite team or the headlines in general, you’ll get a pretty good idea of what’s going on.

Right now, fans are talking about the hot bat of Texas’ Josh Hamilton. He’s on a torrid pace right now, something that LA’s Albert Pujols is likely jealous of.  The Angel’s big bat has hit just one home run so far this season, which is not what fans are used to seeing from Pujols.  Looking for another hot-button baseball topic – how about Josh Beckett and the Red Sox.  Beckett missed his last start after hurting himself during a round of golf.  Then he angered fans by snottily commenting that he could do what he wanted to on his days off.  Drama?  Absolutely.

That’s enough to get you up to speed this month.  Remember taking a quick glance at headlines on a daily basis will help you stay up to speed and allow you to become a valuable conversationalist at work.  Engaging in small talk is the first step toward building stronger relationships and those allow you to get more done each day.

Next month I’ll show you how to make the long baseball season work to your advantage – especially if you’re in sales and trying to secure new clients.

Resting on the warm, white, sandy beach, you can hear the sound of waves gently crashing. Suddenly, a loud noise jolts you and, in a blink, you find yourself standing naked, exposed in a crowded room. Everyone else is clothed and staring at you. Waking up to your own horrified screams, you look at your beeping alarm clock to realize you are now forty-five minutes later into your morning than planned.

You may be fortunate enough to find yourself not woken up by a naked party dream. The more familiar scene is the morning time-crunch that sends you racing through the house, splattering coffee into your to-go cup and scrambling out the door. Hurried mornings without eating a healthy breakfast will leave you groggy, irritable and utterly unapproachable by lunchtime.

Eating something to kick-start your day is important for your mind and body. But what you choose to eat at this crucial A.M. hour can make a big difference in the morning. If stopping at the local pastry shop on your way to work has become a wake-up call rather than a satisfying morning meal experience, at least you aren’t in the habit of skipping food altogether. Give the morning meal the respect it deserves, by altering the venue and/or making food choices that can carry your body and mood through lunch and even to late afternoon.

What you give your body in the A.M. can make a big difference on how alert and vibrant you feel all day long. A breakfast full of fat, sugar, and starch may satisfy an immediate hunger pang, but, in less than an hour, it can turn you into a walking zombie! I’m sure this is not the effect you were going for. On the flip side of that syrup-coated hotcake, a breakfast that treats your body with respect can really rev you up for an energized day.

Skipping breakfast or unbalanced eating in the morning may not faze you until late afternoon when you find your energy at a lull. Fasting through a busy day will only slow you down in the end. Breakfast signals a wake-up call for your brain and muscles whether you realize they need it our not. If you choose not to eat or eat something unbalanced, you could be short-changing yourself the entire day.

Time is usually a factor in the morning, so planning ahead is important. Set out your fixings the night before, while you are preparing dinner. You can whip up your morning energizer in less than ten minutes or carry it with you to eat at work while reviewing your day’s agenda.

To prevent getting bored with repetitious eating behaviors and as a time-saver, make a list of foods you can reach for during the week. Having this list will give you quick alternatives and variety. Your list might include: yogurt, muesli, smoothies, breakfast or nutrition bars, apple slices on cinnamon toast, peanut butter banana sandwich on whole wheat bread, low-fat oat scone, glass of milk, nuts, rice porridge, grapefruit, hard-boiled eggs, sliced cheeses.

A respectful breakfast could look like this: instant oatmeal with a sprinkling of nuts, seeds, and dried fruit topped with a dollop of honey, accompanied by an invigorating citrus fruit such as a grapefruit or a tangerine.

Mix and match foods from your list to come up with many healthy, convenient foods to eat over the course of the morning. And, just as you opt for a casual Friday, venture off your list and try something new or occasionally revisit an old favorite morning treat, even a single glazed old-fashioned doughnut can be uplifting, if eaten only once in a while.

“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” It may be the oldest cliché in Mom’s book, but she’s right about this one!