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Happy Healthy Fit Guide

Jun 24 2014
10 Best Luxe Products For Your Gym Bag

10 Best Luxe Products For Your Gym Bag

Categories: Healthy | Posted by: Suzy Shulman

0bbb011ee42eb2149ea986e7426f4b821. Darphin INTRAL Soothing Cream

I discovered this face cream several years ago during the cold dark dry winter. My usually clear complexion had gotten very red and irritated. I went to one of my favorite local beauty boutiques and this cream came highly recommended. It was love at first application. It has only the faintest smell, clean, and not in a toxic Tide kinda way. My face went back to its happy place and regained its even skin tone. I use it in both summer and winter. This would be a good pick for either fair skinned ladies and gents who’s faces get red during a work out and those with acne prone/ sensitive skin.

 

bc371aa79e3ddcd5b9476c7993e32bb62. Patyka Milk Cleanser, Rosewood

I was introduced to this brand several years ago by a good friend. After doing some research I discovered this brand was ridiculously clean and shared my common interest in organic and ethically sourced ingredients.I stopped by my salon recently to buy shampoo and lo and behold everything from Patyka was on sale. I yelped and without even looking at the price tag bought a bottle. I am so in love with this creamy, velvety face wash. My sweat drenched skin, which will from time to time gets whites heads around my hairline and on my forehead (damn you running in a hat!) was clean and soft and somehow more glowy.

 

 

80fb079f84d52d1325f4a3bf7113cbdb3. Soap Walla Deodorant Cream

Listen to me when I say that you will never find a better natural deodorant.

I stopped wearing chemical deodorants some time in my very early 20’s. I hated them, they smelled so fake and I really don’t  think its a good idea to assault your lymph system day in and day out with such harsh chemicals. So began my search for a natural deodorant that worked. I searched and searched and searched. I tried different combinations of powders and deodorants, and yet nothing worked. That was until the fateful day I came across this gem.

OH MY GOD.

It worked so well I was like, this can’t be natural. Thats when I enlisted my hunk of man meat to test it out. He’s a big boy with big smell, if it was gonna fail it would fail on him. He nearly fainted when at the end of test day one not only did he not smell but he smelled good, in a natural kind of lavender kind of way. Within a week he demanded I buy several more so that we will never run out. Finish reading this post and go buy some.

 

51fa8d85d023ec0e716e198679e62d354. Dr.hauschka Body Silk

I know, you’re probably like who the eff needs luxe body powder? This girl. I’m gonna get personal, I chafe. On my thighs and where my tank hits under my arm when I run. I’m a delicate flower. With ingredients like diatomaceous earth and silk powder you can’t go wrong. It relieves chaffing, keeps your body dry, works amazingly to absorb oil and smell from your hair and in pinch could be used as a face powder for oily skin. I love it and can’t live without it. Its unbelievably expensive($34) and I definitely can’t always afford it but when I can I buy 2 at a time and put it all over myself.

 

766f72d74bb31f0c1461f2358c2800b25. Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan oil

My older sister had purchased a huge bottle of this and found out that it made her skin breakout like crazy. She was visiting me and offered it to me if I liked it.

Best. Oil. On. The. Market.

Its clean, has basically no smell(as anyone knows some argan oils can smell really awful), is ethically sourced and easy to apply. Skin is left hydrated and not slimy or oily. Just soft and hydrated. It is a multi purpose item for me, for my face before moisturizer in winter, for my body after too much sun and on the ends of my hair overnight. Everywhere.

 

 


e30eab45c8ccd636f27980731764c4266. PHYTO Phytoneuter shampoo

I have used this clarifying shampoo for close to 10 years. I thought about not putting it on my list because Im not sure I want to share its awesomeness. It has the kind of scent that tells you it is working to do something amazing; slightly medicinal, slightly herbaceous. I don’t wash my hair very often. Usually 3 times a week. If its the dead of summer and I’ve worked out like crazy, I might wash it more than that, maybe…  This workhorse makes it all ok. I wash, I rinse, I have awesomely clean manageable hair. And most importantly my scalp isn’t itchy.

 

 

774dc8be42008d402a926bf487804a047. Bumble and bumble Super Rich conditioner

Here it is short and sweet, this is an all around great conditioner. Its heavy enough to give some weight to my wavy thick hair but doesn’t weigh it down. Decent smell and price point. I use it every time I wash my hair. Sometimes I leave it in for my entire shower and it makes my hair like silk.

 

545de887d415edd899bc9db29729e7f38. PHYTO Intense volume mousse

This is another product that I have been using for close to a decade. Easy to use, smells great and the ingredients are halfway acceptable. I will layer this with either a curl cream if its humid or some oil if its very dry. My hair is never crunchy. I love that it keeps my frizz in check and doesn’t weigh down my strands.

 

 

d950edb62c652b1d83256a76542403949. Cartier Declaration D’un Soir

I have a deep love of perfumes and colognes. I really believe I could have been a perfumier in another life. I like that different smells can create different moods. There’s something intriguing about the play between masculine and feminine. I love how the right sandalwood mixed with right rose can set off an olfactory overload and send you to another time and place. I tend to wear several different perfumes at different times of the year. At the moment I am mostly obsessed with this one. Its light enough for summer and has some serious balls in its dry down. This is not a scent that you leave behind when exiting a room. This is a scent that begs you to get close to somebody. Its the scent of skin, only better. Its good on men and even better on women.

 

 

072450e6b884e0e1aed60920da1fe71810. Pre de provence Bergamot soap

Awesome all around MVP of soaps. Men, use this after working out and women will flock to you like crazy. I started using bergamot soap years ago when my celiac disease had not been diagnosed and I was covered in  a rash( I now know it was Hereptiformis dermatitis). I did some research and discovered that bergamot had all sorts of medicinal uses. Its Antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antidepressant, anti-infectious, anti-parasitic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, digestive, hormonal support and sedative.  Antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antidepressant, anti-infectious, anti-parasitic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, digestive, hormonal support and sedative. The soap eased my discomfort and I love the smell. It leaves the skin clean and fresh.

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Jun 19 2014
9 Ways to Embrace Change

9 Ways to Embrace Change

Categories: Fit, Happy | Posted by: Suzy Shulman

9 ways to Embrace change

1. Get a support network. One that knows you, loves you, and will be honest and direct with you. Have at least one person in your life who is a voice of support.

2. Find exercise and movement that drives and excites you.

3. Eat food(s) that supports your goals. Find food that fuels and satiates you and ultimately makes you happy.

4. Read books and blogs written by people who share your ideals and goals.

5. Identify what’s driving behaviors you’re not happy with, and set realistic goals around modifying them.

6. We don’t have to read magazines. If they make you feel crappy, read something else. 

7. Stop attaching emotion and feeling to everything you do. Listen to your inner command and execute.

8. If you need help, than get help. Hire a personal trainer, therapist, life coach, personal chef, or find a knitting group. Whatever it is, do what you need to make it happen

9. Do some yoga. I know, if one more person tells you to do yoga you’re gonna scream. Seriously though, having a yoga practice gives you an amazing opportunity to explore your body and mind. Yoga gives you space, and that’s a special and sacred thing.

 

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Jun 05 2014
I don’t want fixes for anything that jiggles

I don’t want fixes for anything that jiggles

Categories: Fit, Happy, happiness in life, Happy | Posted by: Suzy Shulman

Between teaching classes and seeing private clients, I have plenty of downtime to research the latest and greatest in fitness and what diets are trending and what’s falling out of favor. I spend an inordinate amount of time on social media sites like Facebook and Pinterest (in addition to reading NYT and LAT wellness blog like it’s my job, which I guess it is). These are invaluable sites for me because they give me a greater understanding of what people are looking for in terms of weight loss and fitness.

 

The problem with a lot of the stuff out there, especially on places like the Health and Fitness board on Pinterest, is that many women believe that the images looking back at them are what they themselves are supposed to look like. Even I have fallen victim to this multiple times. These sites remind me very quickly that my body doesn’t measure up. I am clearly too short, too thick, and far too large to possibly represent what a woman in the fitness industry should look like.

I stare at my computer screen and wonder: if I, who LOVES my body and is PROUD of what it can do, can fall victim to such images, how do women who have lower self esteem deal?

 

Reading widely has also shown me that most people want to reap huge rewards from spending as little time moving as possible. Recent headlines include things like “Drop 10 LBS by Friday,” and the post was from Wednesday evening. Other favorites include: “How to have a better butt in 3 min, 6 fixes for anything that jiggles, get killer abs by doing nothing at all!” (This was actual headline from a magazine that I will let remain nameless.) It seems to go on and on and on.

 

I think about my journey into the fitness world, and  why I started to work out. It was  of a pure desire to change the external (only to learn that I needed to change the internal voice before I could possibly enjoy the external image). I actually believed some of things that I read. More important, I believed that the pictures staring back at me were accurate depictions of what truly fit women’s bodies look, and that I, too, would look like that.

 

Here’s the cold hard truth: I will never look like them. I will never have long, lean limbs. My strong, thick thighs will gobble up shorts that get in their way, no matter how many inner thigh exercises I do. I will not weigh 120 lbs.  The more I exercise, the more muscle I gain. I will not get “skinnier” if I run more.

 

I don’t want fixes for anything that jiggles. I want exercise moves that turn me on and makes me feel good. I want the internal and external to both be happy. My body will always have curves.  I will fluctuate in weight and will still love what I see in the mirror. I will do more than 3 minutes of exercise because I love to move and want to do more than that.  I want to think, breathe, and sweat.

What I really want is an accurate depiction of fit women. Long, short, thick, thin, brown, black and white.

What helped me to quiet the voice that is so strongly affected by these images? Im lucky, I have an incredible ego. Seriously, no joke, I have always really liked myself, even when I have been a different size and shape.

My self worth is defined by my inner dialogue. Outward appearance is a by-product of a strong mind and set of deep seeded morals and ideals that I own and make work for me.

If you are having trouble hearing that voice than listen to mine. I will tell you that I love what stands before me. You are a force that takes up space and its awesome.

 

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May 28 2014
Eat, Move, Breathe, Love and Giggle. Also a Killer Recipe for a Salad.

Eat, Move, Breathe, Love and Giggle. Also a Killer Recipe for a Salad.

Categories: Healthy | Posted by: Suzy Shulman

Last week I wrote about what it takes to make fresh food happen every week, regardless of what else is happening in your life. Many reached out and were like “can you please give me a recipe?!!!!?!!!?!” Yes, yes I can. Let me know what you think! Experiment, play with different flavors, and most of all have fun.

I have a running group of foods that I always make. Roasted Japanese and Garnet sweet potatoes in coconut oil with black volcanic salt and chili flakes, roasted cauliflower with garlic and salt, roasted carrots in either avocado oil and maple syrup or balsamic vinegar (I’m really into roasting things), and always some kind of meat, maybe duck and or, most likely, chicken.

I always have fresh greens on hand. In Winter its organic mesclun mixes from the grocery store and in Summer its tender baby kale and local greens from the Farmers market.

To keep it interesting I like to try one new recipe that either I’ve designed or that I’ve read about. About half the time these recipes work, though more often than not they’re not great. I try not to let it bother me, which is hard because I’m more sensitive than I will ever let on. I recently tried a recipe that seemed simple enough – mushrooms and asparagus cooked in vegetable broth served over polenta. Umm, well, the most I can say is that it was edible. But that doesn’t mean that this coming Sunday I won’t try again.

This week I’m thinking of THIS.

I’m gonna be honest. I have an affinity for large salads, nay, its a love affair. I like them with an array of unusual ingredients. Their easy, nutritious and delicious. I live for my ridiculously easy to make Roasted Sweet Potato and Parsnip Salad. Seriously, ask my partner, we eat several different iterations of it a week.  Its just so easy to make. Listed below you’ll find the recipe.

So if your wondering where this stream of conciseness is headed, it is this: Living a healthy life is more than just gong through the motions. You should want to create delicious things for yourself and those around you(maybe). This is not limited to cooking.

Eat, Move, Breathe, Love and Giggle. A lot.

 

 

Roasted Sweet Potato and Parsnip Salad

Ingredients

2 Garnet sweet potatos

2 Japanese white sweet potatoes

4 to 5 medium sized parsnips

Raw or roasted sunflower and pumpkin seed

Baby kale

Mesclun greens

Currants

Chèvre

Coconut oil

salt and pepper

Red chile flakes

Making it happen

Pre heat oven to 385 degrees

Wash sweet potatoes and parsnips, resist peeling either vegetable, they are so many nutrients found in the skin and they add lots of  flavor

Cube all veggies and place in a large roasting pan, warm 2 tablespoons on coconut oil in the microwave

add oil, salt, pepper and chiles to taste (roughly about teaspoon and a half of chiles)

Make sure veggies are well coated

Roast for about 45 min or until tender

In a large salad bowl, put equal parts baby kale and mesclun green, add all other ingredients and give a good toss

When sweet potatoes and parsnips have cooled add to salad  (note that this should be served almost immediately, the greens wilt quickly and start to look real ugly)

Chèvre is last and is also optional, add as little or as much you like

I often don’t put a dressing on my salads, I like being able to taste all the different flavors from the the mixture of veggies.

Try this simple and delicious dressing for an even more amazing salad

3 tablespoons Tamari (or soy sauce if gluten isn’t an issue)

1 tablespoon avocado oil

1 to 2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

2 tablespoons raw unfiltered honey

1 teaspoon grated Fresh ginger

garlic powder to taste

Add all ingredients to a bowl and emulsify

 

 

 

 

 

 

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May 22 2014
You Can Have It All. Eat Right Without Being Chained To Your Stove

You Can Have It All. Eat Right Without Being Chained To Your Stove

Categories: Healthy | Posted by: Suzy Shulman

Oftentimes I don’t get home until well past 7pm.

I am often ridiculously tired and the last thing I want to think about is making dinner for myself and my partner. This isn’t because I don’t love to cook or that I’m lazy, it’s that almost 98% of the food I eat is homemade. It’s not just because I believe that the path to health and longevity is through whole foods and movement, but because I also suffer from extreme food allergies and sensitivities.

I don’t cook from a box and I order take out very, very infrequently. I cook. Not just when it’s convenient, not just when I have unlimited time to play and design, but every fucking day.

When I’m tired, when I’m overwhelmed, when I’ve been up since 4:30 am and it’s fast approaching 8 pm and I just walked through the door.

I cook.

I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one trying to stay healthy while working long hours for what often feels like not enough money. Trying to pull off Gwyneth Paltrowesque feats of culinary enlightenment after a 16 hour day is, well, just not what I want to do. So I’m gonna be honest – it’s just not happening, at least not exactly.

We, the mere mortals, have to take a different approach.

 

The answer is simple: planning in advance

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Setting aside 1-3 hours, on the same day every week, will allow us to come home late without having to worry about whether there’ll be something nutritious for us and our families to eat.

Eating delicious food that makes us feel good also gives us a little bit of pleasure, and a little bit more time to relax.

Sunday is usually my cooking day, when I see my last client at 2 or 3 and I’m home by 4ish, but you have to pick the time and day that works for you. I am fortunate that my amazing partner has done the arduous task of going to 5 different stores to buy all the different foods I need (very honestly, I’ve had partners before who do not help out in this way, and it makes the process about 50 times harder and longer.)

 

So, all in all and by and by my message is this

You can have the life you want, with the foods you want to eat and the time to make it all happen. It’s about planning and prepping (and having a partner or a family to help is even better).

 

Here’s an easy 3-step guide:

1. Have a running list of foods you and your family like to eat. Keep a dry erase board on your fridge and as foods run low or out, right them down.

2. Everyone has at least 2 favorite meals that they can make in bulk, make sure to keep your fridge and pantry stocked with these ingredients. In my house we always have frozen organic chicken thighs and ground bison.

3. Figure out a schedule and stick to it. Routine will make everything better.

 

Tune in next week when I talk about some of my favorite recipes!

 

 

 

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