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@JCPenney’s New Year, New You with DWTS’s @Karina_Smirnoff
About a week ago, I told a friend that I was going to jot down a New Year’s plan (I say “plan” because I’m not really into the whole “resolutions” thing). And she asked in surprise, “Isn’t it a little late to be making New Year’s resolutions?”
The answer is NO.
First of all, I still get to call my plan a New Year’s plan because it’s only January. I mean, give me a break! But even if I wanted to write such a plan in, say, March that would be perfectly fine, too. Fact is, every day you wake up is a new opportunity to be a “new you” or to aspire to a new goal. Heck, you can make a fresh start right in the middle of the day if you want.
It’s all about setting a goal, making steps to execute it and sticking to it (and not beating yourself up if you happen to fall off track).
Last week, I attended JCPenney’s New Year, New You Fitness Event at their showroom in SoHo. The event showcased products and apparel from JCPenney, along with ideas to help you make a fresh start for 2014. Just my luck, this fit in perfectly with my New Year’s plan.
Goal #1 in my New Year’s plan: Get to the gym more consistently
I’m a (semi) regular at the gym and I want to become more consistent about not breaking gym days.
We got to pick a workout outfit from JCPenney’s Xersion and CityStreets Activewear lines. My current workout wardrobe consists of random leggings and tank tops, so just putting this on got me pumped. It’s not just that it looks great; it’s also specially designed for sweating and moving your body. Can’t say the same for my all-purpose leggings.
We put our workout gear to the test during a dance class led by the event host, Dancing with the Star’s Karina Smirnoff. Fortunately, she kept the moves easy-to-follow for us. It was a blast and Karina looked fab in JCPenney’s Xersion and CityStreets Activewear lines.
Goal #2 in my New Year’s plan: Eat healthy
I like to eat healthy, wholesome foods, lots of fruits, veggies, fiber and protein. I love making smoothies, which makes it easy for me to down all the good stuff in one cup. For the New Year, I want to do more of this and less of falling into a takeout rut.After the class, Karina juiced healthy treats with JCPenney’s Bella High Power Juice Extractor and Magic Bullet Blender. Celebrity nutritionist and chef Melissa Petitto was also onsite creating delicious and healthy juices and smoothies with JCPenney’s national brand juicers to quick our thirst.
We took home the Bella Rocket Blender for ourselves. I already used it and I’m hooked. It’s so much easier and convenient that the standard blender I’d been using.
Whatever your plans (or resolutions) are for the New Year, you can’t go wrong with staying active and eating healthy. Just try to spend a little time on your goals each day and you’ll be where you want to be in no time!
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Detoxing…..not just for weight loss!
Being a sugar addict, caffeine junkie and fast food queen, it was all catching up fast. I needed and wanted to rejuvenate my body. I came across Hacienda Del Sol Yoga and Detox Retreat in Costa Rica http://www.haciendadelsolcr.com/ on the internet. Next day after bragging to my friends and coworkers about the cleanse I booked to lose weight they were astonished. They couldn’t believe I would use my vacation time to detox in the middle of the jungle with a daily schedule of juices, 2 colonics, and hours of mediation, just didn’t seem fun to them. A month later I was off to Costa Rica. As I arrived we jumped right in to detox mode and I’m given coconut water, (of course my mouth was watering for a fountain Diet Coke)….so I drank the coconut water. It was truly thirst quenching!
The first night we were served raw lasagna. It was the best raw food I had ever had, well to be honest the only raw food I have ever had. Made with a spinach walnut pesto, fresh tomatoes, zucchini and other goodness, it was simply delectable! First day was tough and some of the juices you just had to shoot like tequila.
Mediation and being in silence daily was very peaceful and the colonics….well do I need to go there? After the third day I did hit a wall and wanted to leave I was crawling out of my skin without pinterest, Iphone, and my Starbucks. After crying, kicking and calling United to check on flights nothing panned out. I was stuck. The Universe knew I needed to stay and walk through the healing process. From that day forward I gave 110% of my energy (well the energy I had left after my daily colonics) to the trip that was going to change my number on the scale. As the days passed I found myself building relationships with people from all over the world, becoming content in my own skin, feeling vibrant, and looking at life in a different light. I went to lose a few extra pounds and lay out at the beach but instead received a life changing experience! I will be booking my next trip soon to Hacienda Del Sol…..and yes I did relapse on coffee.
