Posts Tagged ‘Tips’

You don’t have to go far to get some of the best food around. Here are my favorites!

Mexican: The Tortilla Press – Collingswood, NJ
Cuban: Casona – Collingswood, NJ
Chinese: King Wong – Marlton, NJ
Thai: Bangkok City – Voorhees, NJ
Vietnamese: Pho Eden – Cherry Hill, NJ
Korean: Myung Ga – Cherry Hill, NJ
Italian: Carollo’s – Marlton, NJ
Wings: The Pic-a-Lilli Inn – Shamong, NJ
Pizza: Tarentella’s – Medford, NJ
Sushi: Tokyo Bleu – Cinnaminson, NJ and Miyabi – Mount Laurel, NJ
Bagels: Medford Bagels – Medford, NJ
Hoagies: DiVello’s – Medford, NJ
Mussels Fra Diablo: Carollo’s – Cherry Hill, NJ
Crabcakes: Bobby Chez – Marlton, NJ
Water Ice: Leo’s Famous Yum Yum – Marlton, NJ
Ice Cream: Sundae’s – Berlin, NJ
Brunch: Izzie’s – Medford, NJ

Photo by Kevin H.

Years ago, someone told me — DO YOU. I can’t remember exactly who said it, but I’m pretty sure it was a guy I met, of course, at the gym. I must have been telling him about some things I had planned or what I had up my sleeve, and he just said — DO YOU.

I’m sure you’re reading this wondering … what the heck does that mean? Is it a question — like, DO YOU … want to blah, blah, blah? It’s not a question at all. It’s a statement!

It means: Be yourself. Be happy. Do your thing. Don’t hold back.

When you say it to someone, it also means that you encourage them to do follow their passions. You’re not telling them a million reasons why they shouldn’t … or question where their ideas and dreams come from … plain, simple, easy — you support and respect what they want.

My advice
Make “DO YOU” part of your vocabulary. Say it to yourself whenever you’re in a moment of self-doubt, making a decision or setting a goal. Think about what really makes you happy, and keep going with it.
Say “DO YOU” to your friends, family and colleagues and respect the path that they are on, even if it differs from your own.

In the end, Do YOU means you believe in yourself and others. You’re moving forward and you’re getting where you want to be — and encouraging others to do the same. The world would be a more loving, supportive and happy place with a little more “DO YOU!”

Photo by Rayani Melo.

If you’re looking to push yourself a little harder and get “competitive” in a fun and friendly way, workout with a partner! It’s a great exercise approach — especially if you’re used to just doing your own thing.

Two awesome runners, kickboxers and fitness enthusiasts — Tina and Tasha — demonstrate an explosive and challenging partner exercise.

In this photo, Tasha is holding a plank position while Tina executes a side-to-side lateral jump.

Plank: Lie face down with palms flat on the floor, elbows aligned directly below your shoulders. Push yourself up into a position where your back is flat and your weight is in the balls of your feet and upper body/elbows. You can keep your hands flat on the ground or together as Tasha has hers placed. Tilt your pelvis and contract your abdominals to prevent your rear end from sticking up in the air. Hold for 20 to 60 seconds, lower and repeat for three to five reps.

To make the plank more challenging, hold the position with all your weight on one side. Keep one foot on the floor as you lift the opposite leg off the ground and “wrap” your foot closely around your base foot — crossing your ankles. Switch sides. If you are doing a plank without a partner, you may want to lift one leg straight up off the ground, hold, and switch sides.

Side-to-side lateral jump: Stand on one side of your partner, and bend your knees into a slight squat. In an explosive movement, jump over and to the side — landing with knees bent into a squat. Continue jumping from side to side for 10 seconds to one minute.

To make this jump less challenging, stand about one foot behind your partner — and do the same side-to-side movement.

To make this jump more challenging, tuck your knees up to your chest as you move side to side. Also, speed up your time — as soon as you land, explode into a jump in the other direction.

Photo by David Michael Howarth Photography.

It’s been exactly one week and a day since I got let go from my full-time gig. I’m no longer an “account executive” in a marketing department, and I’m no longer in the financial services industry.

“Account executive” doesn’t actually describe the work that I did. I didn’t have an account, but I surely had a lot of internal “clients.” I’d say I was a copywriter. I wrote for the internal and external newsletters … among other things. It was a good experience, and so was my work at my position before that (in a marketing department in the healthcare industry).

At both of these places, I met some of my closest friends — and my two mentors. At both places, I doubted myself as a writer (pushed through it, obviously!), and I was challenged all the time. I loved it! These experiences are what makes me who I am today. I got affirmation about what’s important to me, and clarity on how to live a life with passion.

Here I am
I cried in the car driving away from my old job. I called my fiancé, my mom and my best friend. And, during the hour drive to teach my kickboxing class, I “got over it.” Life is about change, and opportunities are out there for me. I haven’t felt bad about myself or gotten emotional about it since. Why? Because I did my best and have no regrets. It’s like Don Miguel Ruiz says:

Always do your best. Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret.

My current goals
I just want to keep learning and keep myself challenged. I want to meet more people and keep helping others. I want to be creative, energized and do what I’m good at.

I want to teach as many exercise classes as humanly possibleand show off my “Gwenergy.” I want to keep motivating other people to be healthy, and I want to inspire them. I’ll also get a personal training certification from the National Academy of Sports Medicine.

As far as writing, I’ll keep up my blog, write for other blogs and publications and work with as many editors and writers as I can.

From there, I’ll take my time finding work. I want the right thing! Ideally, it will incorporate fitness, healthcare and social media.

I’m not worried
This is all meant to be. I’m happy with what I’ve accomplished, and how things have fallen into place. I’m excited for new opportunities!

Photo by worldmegan.

Yesterday, my fiancé SERIOUSLY asked me if I knew about Imelda Marcos and her shoe collection. Then he told me it must be a Filipino thing. I just looked at him … really? OF COURSE I KNOW IMEDLA MARCOS. We’re Facebook friends, and my parents have been calling me Imelda since the beginning of time!

I love shoes. I have LOTS. But now, I go for comfort AND style. The days of crushing my feet into a size too small — and wearing stilettos for hours are LOOOOONG gone. (No more swollen chicken nugget toes!) I’ve just gotten smarter with my shoe collection … and the shoes I own now are strategic purchases.

Barely heels. I had an ex-boyfriend who was 6′ 5″! When we went out, I swore I looked like his adopted Asian child at 5′ 1″. So I wore ridiculous heels and ran to keep up with his long stride! Of course, I was 24 or so, so my feet could stand the pain.

Comfort brands. I’m all about Privo, Reiker, Keen and anything you can buy at The Walking Company or Benjamin Lovell. They’re more expensive, but they’re worth it. I got into Privos because I used to get pains — pre-stress fractures — in my feet from jumping and plyometrics from teaching kickboxing.

Sports-specific. I invested in good pairs of running shoes from the Princeton Running Company and Haddonfield Running Company. I wear stability shoes — good for most runners, but best for mild to moderate pronators, light or female runners weighing less than 180 pounds and moderate-mileage runners who average about 15-30 miles per week.

Casual always. There’s really no point in getting dressed, right? I wear sneakers as much as I possibly can, and pick sneaks that have a little “give” and aren’t narrow. I love my Sauconys, Asics and Puma.

Good sole. I can’t wear flat flats. I need support! Again, my Privos are the bomb, and I wear them pretty much every day.

My advice is this: Buy what you want, wear what you want … but try not to waste your money on shoes that just “look” good. Get shoes that serve a function and are fashionable! Since you’re standing, walking and exercising, you want to make sure everything — from your nose to your toes — are aligned the way they should be!

Photo by Sarah and Mike …probably.

Sometimes, being “sexy” and feeling “sexy” is a state of mind. It’s true … when you look great — you feel great! In honor of Valentine’s Day, get a little flirty, fun and playful with your workout routine.

Here are some creative fitness moves you can do at home. All you’ll need is a chair, music of your choice and good attitude.

Hip roll, head roll – Stand behind your chair. Roll your hips to the right and to the left. Then, roll your head to the right and to the left for a quick stretch. Keep one or both hands on the chair for balance. Suggested: Do one to two sets of 15 reps.

Long stride, short stride – Take a sexy walk around your chair. Try big steps and work your way around with just five steps. Take small steps and work your way around with 10 or more steps. Suggested: Go around the chair a total of 10 times, alternating your stride (5 steps – 5 times; 10 steps – 5 times).

Close-open, close-open – Sit on your chair and open and close your legs. Make your movements slow and measured to really work your inner and outer thighs. You can also add your own “resistance.” Focus on squeezing your outer thighs with each “open” movement, and squeeze your inner thighs as you bring your knees together. For an extra challenge, keep your feet off the ground and grip the seat underneath you for balance. Suggested: Do three sets of 15.

Flirty kick – Sit on your chair and move forward so you’re on the edge. Lean back and grip the seat underneath you. Lift your legs up, squeeze your abs tightly, keep your knees together and kick — tiny little kicks — to work your abs. Suggested: Do three sets at 30 seconds each set.

Drop it like it’s hot – Sit down on your chair and stand up — to work your quads, hamstrings and glutes. Concentrate on that squat position to make a 90⁰ angle with your lower half and squeeze your glutes tightly as you stand back up. Suggested: Do three sets of 15.

Dip, baby dip – Stand with your back facing the front your chair. Grip the edge of the seat and keep your fingertips facing toward you. Bend your elbows to make a 90⁰ angle and bend your knees to make a 90⁰ angle. Lift and lower — keeping your hips up — to work your triceps. For more of a challenge, do the same arm movement and keep your legs straight and extended. Suggested: Do three sets of 15.

Sexy lunge – Stand behind your chair and push one leg back, squeezing your glutes. Bend your front leg and make sure your knee is on top of your ankle at a 90⁰ angle. Hold on the back of the chair and slowly pull your back leg up to meet your front leg to work your legs, hamstrings and glutes. Suggested: Do this 15 times each side — two to three sets.

Lean back – Sit on your chair backwards. Hold on the back of the chair and lean back to stretch and exercise your back. Shake your head to toss your hair! Do three sets of 15.

Step-up and walk away – Place one foot on the seat of your chair. Push though the heel of that foot and step up to pull yourself up and work your quads, hamstrings and glutes. Step down and walk away. Do this 15 times each side — two to three sets.

Open and up – Lay with your back on the ground in front of your chair. Stretch your arms out to the side or keep them under your hips. Open your legs to be on either side of the bottom of the chair, then bring your legs together to work your abs. Do three sets of 15.

If you want, show your “honey” these sexy fitness moves … and enjoy your night!

This blog was also featured on MrsMosNJ.com. Photo by B G.

Ten fun, cheap and easy things to do together …

1. Cook together. Choose kid-friendly recipes and work together to create an appetizer, entrée and dessert that your whole family can enjoy. You may want to try cooking a special family recipe or your child’s favorite meal.
2. Create a family tree. Map out your family tree on a piece of paper, then work together to replicate it on a large piece of poster board. If you can — add photos, draw pictures and include the birth place of each relative.
3. Be the next “American Idol.” Have each family member dress up and take turns singing their favorite song. Be sure to award prizes for each performance. 
4. Decorate food. Bake cupcakes together. When they cool, decorate them with different types of icing and assorted jimmies.
5. Camp out. Depending on the weather, have an indoor or outdoor camping adventure. Bring sleeping bags and make sure to use flashlights in the dark.
6. Give back to the community. As a family, think of ways you can give back to the community. For example, create a gift box — using an old shoe box — to send to our troops. Or, make a list of the perfect “holiday” meal — then write letters and emails to friends and family asking them to help gather these items for a less fortunate family. 
7. “Hunt” for prizes indoors. Write clues on scraps of paper and lead each family member to an exciting prize — such as a new board game you can play together. You can even have each person “find” items — such as a DVD, popcorn, candy and soda — for a family movie night.
8. Have an indoor picnic. Enjoy a meal on the floor of your family room. Lay out a blanket and serve picnic items such as sandwiches, salads, chips and juice. If space allows, play a modified version of horseshoes or beanbags — by tossing coins onto sofa cushions placed on the ground.  
9. Play with pictures. Go through old photo albums together and tell stories about each picture. Tell your kids a little bit about yourself when you were younger — or their age — and be sure to tell them what they were like as a baby and toddler. If you can, take more photos that night.
10. Have a dance party. Have everyone choose their favorite songs and be sure to include some that are slow and sentimental.  Take turns “fast” and “slow” dancing together. You could even incorporate “instruments” such as pots and pans to bang on — or a box of pasta to shake — and have an indoor concert.

This article was published in South Jersey Mom Magazine. Photo by jek in the box.

Sometimes, I’ll be sitting in the same position at my desk for hours. Usually, I’m pounding away at the keyboard with my heart racing because of deadlines. I’ll look at the clock and realize I didn’t stop to drink water, eat a snack or go to the bathroom — and it’s noon! Ugh, there goes my diet plan of eating small meals throughout the day, and my goal of staying hydrated. On top of that, my back and shoulders are tense and achy. This is all bad!

Well, besides getting a manicure or pedicure, one of my favorite “treats” for myself is massage! Yeah, it’s $59 (plus a tip), but it’s well worth every penny, especially with my lifestyle. I have long days, teach fitness classes and workout a lot and tend to over-commit to everything. I’m beat up. I’m constantly running around trying to save the world and inspire others that I just need an hour dedicated to me.  

So how else do I justify getting a massage? The health benefits! My masseuse and friend, Mandy Urena from The English Touch, in Mount Laurel, NJ, explains how massage is good for you and your body:

Massage …

• Calms the nervous system and promotes a sense of relaxaion and well being.
• Reduces tension and anxiety.
• Improves blood circulation, which delivers oxygen and nutirients to the cells.
• Stimulates the lymphatic system, which carries away the body’s waste products.
• Prevents and relieves muscle cramps and spasms.
• Can help with pain management in conditions such as a arthritis, sciatica and muscle spasms.

Read the rest of this entry »

Here are some ideas for showing your honey, your significant other or BFFs that you love them!

Cook in and stay in. Cook something new and decorate your dinner plates with fresh fruit slices. Serve fruit kabobs for dessert. Drizzle sauces — like gravies or chocolate sauce — in swirly designs.

Get crafty. Get a matted frame from Target, Walmart or any craft store. Insert a picture and write nice things on the matte. For example, places you’ve gone together, favorite memories or private jokes.

Make a gift basket that’s useful. I love when Billy wears Axe Dark Temptation Body Spray. I like when he shaves his face too. A toiletry “basket” with all of his favorite (and my favorite) stuff would be perfect!

Go somewhere. My favorite places are Grounds for Sculpture and the Mutter Museum — admission is really cheap! Oh yeah, the grease trucks at Rutgers University are yummy and fun too!

Act like kids together. Build an indoor fort and hang out underneath the covers.

Keep it simple. Order a pizza and watch your favorite movie and your honey’s favorite movie.

Get nostalgic. Gather all your old pictures, movie and concert tickets, matchbooks, etc. to make a memory box. You can also buy a shadow box at the craft store and add your memorabilia there.

Create a rainy-day fund. Give your honey a piggy bank and make plans for how you’ll spend the bank together when it’s full.

Laugh together. Try to get your hands on some old home movies. Yup, Billy has seen video of me at my 5th bday party, my First Communion and me in the Philippines wearing umbros and a Bartman tee-shirt.

Take a couple’s class together. Cooking? Yoga? Pottery? Do your research. There’s a lot out there! Even if it’s not something you would normally want to do — but your partner would — suck it up and do it!

Photo by weenee.

No measurements here! Just throw it all together and there you go … you’re the party hero!

Meatless Hot Taco Dip
- 1 package of cream cheese – room temperature
- 1 small jar of salsa
- Cheddar cheese – as much as you want
- Mix it up, warm it up in the microwave and serve with tortilla chips.

“Puerto Rican” Cheese Dip
- Munster cheese – as much as you want
- Pressed garlic – as much as you want
- Mix it up, warm it up in the microwave/oven and serve with assorted crackers or tortilla chips. You may want to keep this dip warm in a fondue pot.

Spinach Dip
- Frozen spinach – thawed and squeezed
- Sour cream – 16 oz container
- Mayo – about 16 oz
- Chopped peppers – as much as you want
- Chopped onions – as much as you want
- Good Seasons Italian dressing power – you gotta use this brand!
- Mix it up and serve with assorted crackers.

Photo by Muy Yum.