Celebrate the spirit of Valentines with friends, family, and loved ones by sharing these tips to healthy living!

Get some ZZZs

It wasn’t called beauty sleep for nothing! Sleeping is the bodies time to heal so it’s no surprise that without it, our bodies don’t perform their best. The National Sleep Foundation recommends seven to 10 hours of sleep for a healthy glow and mental clarity.

Begin your day with breakfast

We often forget we spend 6-8 hours ‘fasting’ while we sleep, hence the name break-fast. So it’s important to nourish your body well in the mornings. During this time your body process vitamins and minerals in a more productive manner. The Mayo Clinic recommends a meal with complex carbohydrates, protein, and a small amount of fat as a starter everyday.

Move Once a day

Not only is moving the body good for the overall health of your body, moving is also great mood enhancer! So get up and dance, take the dog for a long walk, or get one of our home gym machines to keep you motivated.

Indulge the sweet tooth

You know how it goes, we want what we can’t have. Instead of excluding certain foods, include a healthier version of it in your weekly meals. There are so many alternatives today to choose from, it’s a matter of taking some time to finding them in your grocery isle.

Keep hydrated

We hear this all the time and with good reason. Hydration plays a key part in keeping your metabolism on track, keeping hunger pangs away, and giving your skin that coveted glow.

Plan

Staying on track with your healthy attitude takes time and effort, a little planning goes a long way. Try to keep a grocery list and menu handy for the week. If you’re on the go, prepare and pack meals the day before. I find having fruits, precut veggies, and juices handy make for easier meal planning.

Try one or all and let us know how these work for you!

Here are some of our faves at WW Active:

The Perfect Layer

The Perfect Tee

The Cozy Sherpa

The Super Soft Fleece

The Walking Coat

The 365 Swimmer

The Comfy Walker

The 'Move' Machine

When thinking of an active plan, the subject of food becomes boring and bland. But food is our fuel, it keeps our body moving, why should it be less than decadent? I find this soup, with it’s whole protein beans and fiber rich greens, to be deeply nourishing. I eat it after my yoga practice or as a lunch that will keep me focused through long meetings at work. Bon Appetit!

Easy Winter soup: White bean and Kale

2 cans of 15.5oz cannelloni white bean or other white beans, rinsed and drained

2-3 inch piece of kombu algae

1 bunch of fresh kale, chopped

2 garlic cloves – minced or ‘grated’ on a ginger grater

½ yellow onion diced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon of ‘better than bouillon’

6 cups of water

Salt, pepper, cayenne, or cumin to taste

1. Soak the beans with the kombu for 20 minutes then bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove any foam that rises.
2. In a separate pan sautee the garlic and onion until onions are translucent.
3. Add the ‘better than bouillon’, garlic, and onion to the pot of beans and simmer for a final10 mins. Taste, add salt and pepper to taste.
4. In a blender  process 3/4 cup of the soup until smooth, return to pot, and incorporate with the rest.
5. Add the kale, cover pot, and let wilt into soup.

TIPS

• You can replace the ‘better than bouillon’ and 6 cups water with 6 cups of low sodium vegetable stock or chicken stock
• Switch from kale to spinach for a softer green
• Add 3/4 cup of cooked rice or large couscous for a complete meal

This week we will tackle one of winter’s woes, dry skin. Living in NYC and spending more than a few months in colder temps I know it can be difficult to keep your skin moisturized and glowing. Here are a few tips I’ve tried and want to share with you.

Moisturize from the inside out, which you can do easily everyday. Drink plenty of water to keep your body at its best and most hydrated.

Pamper your skin by using a heavier body crème during the winter months. Pick one made with natural butter like cocoa, aloe, shea butter. Avoid synthetics like petroleums or alcohol additives, these strip your skin of moisture. Apply the butters right after your showers, while the skin is still slightly wet. Make this part of your daily routine like brushing your teeth, you’ll see a difference in a few weeks.

Get your skin revitalized exfoliating once a week. Use a shower loof or natural sugar scrub to remove dead skin. I suggest scrubbing before getting your skin wet and doing so in a soft circular motion. If you have super sensitive skin, try exfoliating with a warm and damp hand towel. Follow by a deep skin moisturizer.

Care for your skin further by moisturizing deeply. After your weekly exfoliation, use a body oil to keep your skin subtle. Try this DIY blend:

½ cup of Olive Oil or Avocado Oil or Argan Oil

¼ cup of Aloe Vera Gel

1 Teaspoon of freshed squeezed lemon juice

5 drops of lavender essential oil

Blend all ingredients well, in a blender if possible. Let it set and apply to skin with soft massage until totally absorbed. Oil can be kept in refrigerator for 2 to 3 weeks.

These steps leave my skin soft and glowing. I also enjoying the time I use to pamper and care for my body. Hope you do as well!

Hope you are as excited about 2012 as I am! Every year begins with new possibilities and a new set of resolutions.  Today, I would like to share with you 5 WW Active Life tips to help you succeed in your New Year’s Resolutions.

1. Create Enjoyable Goals
Use your personal experience of what you want to improve in your life, not what you want to change. Focusing on improving instead of changing your habits will make your goals more achievable. Also plan for two or three goals per year, it’s about quality, not quantity. Remember, these goals are created to make us happier, healthier individuals.

2. Plan & Track

Your goals should be attainable and measurable. An easy way to do this is to breakdown the goal into smaller ‘mini milestones’ that are incremental. Use a chart or wall calendar to ‘see’ your progress. Outlining your goals and mini milestones will help to keep your commitment to your goal steady. Be creative, use images, words, and materials to make an inspiration board that motivates you.

3. Share the Wealth

Share your goals with family and friends. They are your support system and cheerleaders! They will also help you stay on track. And why not ask them to join you. It makes it a lot more fun when you have a buddy.

4. Get a Gold Star

For every mini milestone, celebrate by getting a ‘Gold Star’ and rewarding yourself. Movies, massages, a new pair or shoes, you name it, I have my eyes set on this fabulous dress from Woman Within!

5. Stick to the Plan

Did you know, it takes 6 months for the cells in your brain to ‘learn’ a new pattern. This means it takes about the same time to turn your goal into a lifestyle change, so stick to your plan, it will be worth the wait. If you slip and slide off your course, don’t beat yourself over it. Change is hard! Instead reclaim your goal and start anew tomorrow. You need time to incorporate change remember, it doesn’t happen over night.

This year, I’m determined to succeed in my 2012 resolutions! What are some your resolutions and how will you keep motivated?