Hey Nice Nails!

"Nice nails.  Are those yours?"

"Yep, they're mine."

"Ugh, I'm so jealous."

Don't be jealous, I drink kale everyday.  Ever since I have started doing this I have had nails of steal (and my hair grows like a weed.)  I also take pretty good care of them.  Well, I have two kids so good is relative, but I try to keep them filed and painted.  I change the polish at least once a week and try to wear gloves when doing dishes.  I take a really good whole food supplement everyday and I eat really well. AND I EAT KALE EVERYDAY, and something else green at every meal.  Usually I have a kale and almond smoothie in the a.m.  At lunch I always have at least half and avocado and some sort of fish, and for dinner right now I love okra!!!

So don't be jealous drink Kale ;-)

I (heart) Cincinnati

So, I just got back a few days ago from a trip to my home town, Cincinnati.  It is amazing to watch a city change from afar.  I must say that it is changing for the better, not worse.  There are some amazing things taking place in our city, that I wish were more prominent when I was younger, but I am happy to see things on the up and up.  Every time I go home I am reminded why Cincinnati is not as bad as I though it was, when I fled and vowed never to move back in 2000.  

Now I have kids, and when we return to visit family I am amazed at the abundance of things there are to do, and the ease at which you can do them.  We live in Philadelphia now, nothing is easy here, traffic plagues this city and hinders a lot of fun.  Cincinnati may not be the pinnacle of city living but it is manageable with kids, and who doesn't want to make raising your children as easy and fun as possible.  

What to do in Cincinnati if you have young kids:

1. The Zoo 

2. Kings Island

3. The Beach

4. Downtown Cincinnati river festivities

5. Downtown Fountains

6. Check out the local food... Skyline, Big Boy, LaRosa's

7. The Museum Center

8. The Art Museum

9. Shopping... Downtown, Kenwood, Rookwood

10. If your are lucky enough to have a Grandpa like ours, you will spend as much time on the river and lakes as possible with the watercraft of your choice.

Adults, there are also casinos and riverboat cruises. 

There is a ton of more stuff to do, but those are just a few of my favorites.

When stuck in the car for 10 hrs... Stretch it out!

So, summer is here and that is the time for the epic road trips. I think it is safe to say that at some point it starts to hurt to sit that long. Whether your on an airplane or minivan there is a way to hang lose.

This is mini stretch-arm routine while stuck in the car to keep shoulders, arms, neck, and hips lose. It can be a life saver if there are no rest stops in site. 

...1- start by rolling your shoulders forwards and backwards. Shrugging them up and down in big circles. Then alternate each one, like they are riding a bicycle. 

...2- put your hands on your hips and roll around your waist. 

...3- put your arms in front of you with your elbows out to the side and roll your fists like a bad hip-hop dance, both directions. 

...4- put you hands out in front of you with your arms extended like you're getting ready to dive, put your palms together and then stack them on top of each other alternate this quickly like your are clapping, them turn your palms up and keep alternating quickly.  Roll your shoulders out. 

...5- chicken wing. Put the back of your palm in the small of your back. And with the other hand pull your elbow forward. This should feel really good. Repeat on other shoulder and finish with rolling them out. 

...6- put the palms of your hands together and your elbows. Raise your elbows to eye level and rest your hands on your head and gently pull your head down. 

... 7- while sitting lean forward and touch your toes. Extend one leg at a time, finish with a roll from the waist. 

...8- raise an arm above your head and reach to the other side stretching out your side. Repeat on the other side. 

...9- intertwine your hands and place them palms down on the back of your head and look up

...10- sit on your hands and stretch your neck/head from side to side. Roll out shoulders. 

...11- take one foot place it on top of your knee and crank your foot up like you are trying to look at the sole of your foot. With the same arm as leg that is up push down on your knee with your elbow, bend forward from the waist.  Repeat on the other side. 

During travel I always get really dehydrated mainly because I think it's annoying to stop and pee constantly. But I always pay for it later. Make an effort to drink half your body weight in ounces of water. 85% of headaches can be prevented with proper hydration. 

Have a safe trip!

Body Hobby... How Am I Doing?

I lost an inch!!!

I don't know how much an inch weighs and I'm not interested.  Notice I did not give you my weight last week and I don't think I ever will, to me that's not what is important I just wanna look the way I want!

So how did I lose that inch?  Well, I have been eating lots of healthy fats, exercising, and relaxing.  I don't eat gluten in the first place so that was not an issue, but the biggest difference is I have stopped my wine habit and resolved not to replace it with ice cream, which is a big challenge.  It has been a bit of an up hill battle to replace those calories, not all of them but some.

The exercise it beating me up a bit.   I forget how fast my body burns food and I have had to check out of a few workouts early because I have not been eating enough protein.  This upsets me a bit, but I just have to give myself some adjusting time and I know I will build my endurance and find my way.

So what can you do?  Get out there.  I do much better working out in a group, and if you miss your workout make sure you get it in at home.  It doesn't have to be fancy,  push-ups, sit- ups, and crunches can go a long way when you are starting out, and going for a long walk or a jog counts too.

Start slow,  I have to remind myself this all the time.  I do better when I go slow and I have more success.  So I encourage you too start if you haven't, and do a little every day until you can reach your goal!

May I Introduce the Queen of Budgeting

About a year ago I crossed paths with a cool chick by the name of Emily Levenson.  It was on of the best things that happened to my blog, but besides that I learned a few things.

She is a fellow health coach and one of her specialties happens to be budgeting. I, trying to incorporate more organic foods into my diet and discovering the fact that I was very sensitive to gluten, was definetly in need of a budget. Not only was I spending willy-nilly I was wasting a crap load of food and my kids were snacking all day long...all day everyday.

I was spiriling into food budget guilt and as soon as I decided I needed to find a solution Emily popped up with her Project:Food Budget. I have to admit, I was not that good; I was on and off, in and out. But I learned a lot about myself and my shopping habits and what my family actually likes to eat. I also learned how to work around a food sensitivjty without blowing my pocketbook to pieces.

Now available for you all, she has written a book packed full with information about how to achieve budgeting success.  Not only do you learn about budgeting, but also why meal planning is so important and how to do it. You also learn about the pros and cons of coupons which I have always suspected, but am very glad to actually hear someone say it.

I had a blast participating in Emily's project and I urge you if you are looking for ways to save money to download her book and let her give you the 411. She definetly knows her stuff.

You can find her here at emilylevenson.com

**Reflection**

Tears.

Joy and sadness.

Am I brave or stupid...?

Baby#1 + Baby#2 + Mom Passing + Fragile Marriage = 30 lbs. I dont want!

This is all my husbands fault and my big mouth. It all started like this...

"Hey, babe."

"Yeah."

"You should do a fitness competition."

"I should?"

"Yeah, I have a friend that just placed fourth.  I think you could do something like that."

"Yeah, I could."

A few hours later in a different location the conversation picks back up...

"I don't understand why you don't do stuff for yourself.  Like your body, you should make your body your hobby."

"Ha ha, body hobby, Hobby Lobby"

"Yeah ha ha,  lobby body... Body Hobby!"

And there it was birthed.

Then I opened my mouth and shared and somehow now I am posting this online for all to see.  And I'm letting you all watch as I tone up.   I may have lost my mind!

Welcome to Body Hobby... the physical side of Ignite Your Life.

Wednesday will be BodyHobby day a new pic of where I am, bits and pieces of how I got here, what I am doing to slim down, tone up and a whole lot more.  Stay tuned.

Gotta go.  This is all the exposure I can take for today!

Oh and...

Left thigh  24”

Waist  37.5”

Hips  40”

Bust  37.5”

Left upper arm 12”