"I'll Walk a Little Taller in Some High Heeled Shoes"....Looking good and Feeling Good Go Hand in Hand

Name the song lyric? Read the title.....can you tell me what song that quote is from?


If you guessed Hairspray than you were CORRECT!

Hairspray the musical/movie is a wonderful example of a usually forgotten integral part of living a balanced lifestyle...Treating yourself right! For me, I feel best about myself, when I am dressed in a favorite outfit, with a great pair of shoes, and my hair and make-up are all done.  Now, this doesn't actually mean I need to be in a dress and some high-heels, just as long as it is an outfit that makes me feel confident and spunky!

A Fresh Outlook-Taking Some Time For Yourself.

This is a photo of the sunset on my drive today.  So serene.  

Taking some personal time is an imperative aspect of living a balanced lifestyle.  The past few weeks have been very long and very busy for me, so I decided that since this weekend was a 3-day weekend, I was going to take some "me" time.  I had a work "on-site retreat" Saturday and Sunday, so that ruled out going anywhere too far, or going home, so I decided that Monday I would treat myself.

Eating Healthy Doesn't Need To Be Expensive...and I'll Prove It!

Eating healthy doesn't need to be expensive, and I'll prove it to you! I went to the grocery store today and I was so peeved by how expensive a lot of the typical "health foods" were.   (Ex. Atkins and South Beach bars, Slim Quick system, and other similar products).  But, you don't need to eat those to stay healthy, in fact most of the time, just eating in a healthy manner is much better.

Oh How I LOVED "Love Your Body Week"!

So, this week my posts are more about what is going on in my life, and on my college campus.  I apologize if you are looking for more recipes or fun workouts, I promise those will be back soon! These are all resources you can use as well though!

So "Love Your Body Week" has come to a close on campus! And I had so much fun! Tuesday night Chris Blackburn came and spoke! (Check him out here, http://vimeo.com/54375235).  The Residence Director at the house I live in knows him, so we spoke with him after.  It was a lot of fun! (Photo below). He talked about his time on the "Biggest Loser" and how he went from being winded trying to walk across a room, to now running olympic length marathons....IMPRESSIVE huh?

Wednesday night the Love Your Body Week committee showed the movie "Thin".  The movie follows four women through their treatment at the Renfrew Treatment facility in Florida.  A group of my friends and I went. It is a really unique movie because unlike other films of its type (about eating disorders) it shows their battles before, during and after, and it gives post treatment information on the patients.   You also see real time vitals-checks, community meetings, family meetings, and social time.

My friends and I with Chris Blackburn

I'm so glad that my campus had this program and that I got to be a part of it.  Being aware of the signs of someone with an eating disorder, or if your own eating patterns are becoming disordered or problematic is the only way to help those who need it most.  An eating disorder isn't something that someone just wakes up with one day.  It is something that is festering for months or years.  The patterns are not concrete or the same for every person.  So knowledge is the best power for us to carry.

Healthy and Fun Desserts that the Kids Can Help Make!

Dessert-Everyone Wants It, so EAT it!

Here are my top favorite desserts that are healthy, EASY, and fun to make!


Also, these are a great way to get kids and teens who love to cook involved.  Even inexperienced bakers can handle them with ease!

Kicking Off Love Your Body Week In Style

This week at my college campus is Love Your Body Week.  This is one of my favorite times of the year! This week is all about promoting healthy living and balanced lifestyles.  Today (Monday) kicks off the week with "Chalk the Walk" where students can write inspirational messages on the walkway in front of the Student Center as well as the departments putting on Love Your Body Week are handing out t-shirts to promote the week! I am going to get one in a few minutes.


Tomorrow (Tuesday) Chris Blackburn, a former contestant from the popular TV show, the Biggest Loser is coming to campus to speak.
On Wednesday they are showing the HBO documentary "Thin" which follows patients at Renfrew Center in Coconut Creek, Florida, a rehabilitation facility for individuals suffering from anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.  They are also bringing a panel of experts to speak about the subject of fad diets, eating disorders and the difference between disordered eating and eating disorders.
On Thursday, different local vendors are coming to campus to promote their products.  All the vendors are from companies that promote healthy living and pampering yourself.  So they include spas, hair salons, Bath and Body Works, massages, gyms, etc
On Friday, it is Treat Yourself Day to finish off the week. There will be snacks, non-food treats, and the smoothie bike will be on the lawn as an interactive way to make your own smoothie or milkshake.

I had the opportunity to help plan some of the events and I get to meet the speakers both on Tuesday and Wednesday and I can't wait to hear what they have to say.


Hopefully I will be able to post some photos later this week of me at some of the events this week! But Let me tell you, I am so excited to be a part of this important week on campus and all the advocacy that follows with it.

Top 10 Ways to Make Working Out So Much Fun!

Working out is an integral part of living a balanced life.  BUT....the basic idea of working out can be really boring and a turn off for most people.  Not everyone wants to walk on a treadmill endlessly, and others would rather do that then go outside and run on actual hard pavement.  Some people work out better in groups, like an exercise class or a walking group, while others excel with private workouts.  I fall into the latter category.  I hate working out in a group.  I feel like I always have to stay on a specific pace and only do what the group is doing, so I get bored or frustrated, and then loose interest and motivation.

Baking from a Mix-The Easy Way To Make Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth!

Let's make baking fun and simple! Kids LOVE to help bake, and they love to eat the desserts even more.  So should everyone.  Sweets are an important part of a balanced lifestyle and a good way of creating variety in your balanced diet.  Below are some recipes all made from mixes, which are both healthy, and nutritious.  They satisfy your sweet cravings, while also not making you feel bad for eating them.