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Debra

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A Few Of My Favorite Things…

Ala Oprah style (without the freebies)

The more I read and learn about health and fitness, the more amazing products and trends I discover. Many of you have been asking, so here is a list of some of my current favorite things:

Green Vibrance
Green Vibrance is the “original concentrated green superfood”. It contains 58 certified organic, concentrated foods and extracts, all of the highest quality, along withan industry-leading 18 billion probiotics per serving. It’s a nutritional powerhouse that improves energy and endurance, strengthens immunity and improves digestion and circulation. According to the package, Green Vibrance has more nutrient density than any other green-food product on the market.

Where to get it: Found the best price on Amazon – but also available at the Summit Health Shoppe on Springfield Ave in Summit (which is one of our sponsors offering Heels To Laces members a discount on products! hint, hint).

Latest version with protein:
I originally used Green Vibrance daily and mixed in my own protein…until Maximum Vibrance came out! Each serving has 23 grams of protein, in addition to the original multi-vitamins, antioxidants, enzymes and probiotics to increase vitality, energy and achieve
optimum health. Maximum Vibrance contains 120 ingredients including 80 plants, 26 antioxidants, 6g of fiber, 7 servings of fruits and vegetables, 7 vegetable based digestive enzymes, 23 grams of protein and is gluten free.

Where to get it: Amazon & Summit Health Shoppe

Whey Factors 100% Whey Protein
I have searched high and low for a pure high quality protein without artificial or added ingredients. And I finally found it:

Whey Factors, 100% natural whey protein powder, is a pure source of high quality whey protein. No GMO, BSE, rBGH or added sugar. No artificial preservatives, colors, sweeteners, starch, wheat or yeast. It is unflavored but still tastes good. It’s perfect to add to a protein shake or smoothie (suggest blending with fruit and/or milk to make it more tasty).

Where to get it: Summit Health Shoppe

Natural Vitality CALM – Anti-Stress Drink
Natural Calm is the most effective, fast-acting, pH-balanced magnesium available. It is a 100% natural, water-soluble magnesium powder of the highest quality. Magnesium is said to have powerful healing properties and most Americans do not ingest nearly enough of this beneficial mineral. It is said to help you:

  • sleep better
  • relax the nervous system
  • elevate your mood
  • build bigger, stronger muscles
  • have better flexibility
  • help with regularity
  • return the body’s natural pH balance
  • hydrate
  • and prevent several health conditions like diabetes

I use it as a natural anxiety remedy – and it works brilliantly. It comes in raspberry lemon or lemon.

Where to get it: In addition to the larger container, The Summit Healthe Shoppe on Springfield Ave sells single-dose packets for $1.00 each. Awesome for travel and convenience 😉

NOW Foods Liquid Vitamin D-3 1,000 IU Dropvitd
I was continually looking for a vitamin D my kids could take since my son couldn’t swallow any pills. I found this vitamin D with a dropper – which lasts forever and is super easy to dispense. The kids love it! And you all know by now after reading our blog how important Vitamin D is.

Where to get it: Summit Health Shoppe and Amazon.

Cruncha ma-me Edamame Veggie Snack salt n pepper
Yum, yum, yum! Salt n’ Pepa here!

Rich in protein (8 gram per bag) same as a large egg, high in fiber (3 gram per bag – same as an apple), gluten-free, non-GMO ingredients and great edamame taste!Perfect filling snack when you need a little somethin’ somethin’. Comes in several flavors including Salt and Pepper, my personal fav.

Where to get it: Kings, Whole Foods & Amazon

Trader Joe’s Reduced Guilt Chunky Guacomole97951-reduced-guilt-chunky-guacamole-di2
I eat it by the tub.

Made with low fat greek yogurt, it has 50% less fat and 40% fewer calories that the regular guac with the same awesome benefits and it is DE-Lish! Simplest ingredients ever: low-fat Greek yogurt blended with hand-scooped avocados, tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, garlic, black pepper, fresh lime juice, and a bit of jalapeño.

Where to get it: Trader Joe’s, of course.

Yurbudsyurbuds
Not gonna lie – our super amazing, young, hip, gorgeous cousin works for the company. She sent me a pair and I loved them. Ergonomically designed silicone ear buds to fit women’s ears. They twist into place so they won’t fall out during the most intense workout and feature water-resistant protection that lets you train in any conditions. Other features:  includes two sizes of enhancers, sweat, water and germ-resistant, “ambient noise awareness” and four-foot cord. And they’re super-cute too. Love the packaging.

Where to get it: They are all over – but found them at Target.

Riondo Prosecco
Pretty sure I wrote about this one before. Perfect summer drink. Cross between white wine, champagne and beer. My husband loRiondo Prosecco-500x500ves it too, so it passes the “manly” drink test. Refreshing and light, not too sweet, and no morning hang-over (even when you drink the whole bottle – for those seasoned drinkers like myself ;-).

Where to get it: I buy it by the case for a 15% discount at A&P Liquor in Summit right off Summit Ave by the Delta gas station (looks like a dive, but it’s a great deal!).

Tabata
Had to include this one. For the past couple of months, I ditched my old-school one-hour workouts and replaced them with 30-minute Tabata classes– a form of HIIT (high intensity interval training).  Tabata has anaerobic and aerobic benefits – it is a perfect combination of cardio and strength training. Most of you know Lisa and I teach Tabata locally and our clients have had tremendous results! At the end of our first 8-week program, our Tabata Bootcamp group lost a total of 41 inches and dropped 7.9% body fat!

I have literally cut my workouts in half and have seen a huge difference.

Where to find it: Summit, NJ with Lisa and Debra. Email us for the latest schedule:  info@heelstolaces.com 😉

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Mind Over Matter

As several of you may have experienced when I teach Tabata, I chant a lot about mind over matter. It’s a proven fact – if you convince your mind you can do something, you can conquer it. It’s also the theme of many of our daily posts on our Facebook page HeelsToLacesFit. One of the most recent being: “It always seems impossible until it’s
done
”.

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There are numerous studies that have shown by controlling your mind, you control your body. This can be applied in so many ways – in times of stress (physical or mental), in your reaction to your environment, in relationships and in the power of healing.

It’s no secret I am somewhat obsessed with Deepak Chopra. In his book “Ageless Body, Timeless Mind,” based on quantum physics, he advises on how to “defeat entropy,” to “believe” enough to control physical changes and to “reinterpret your body” to create renewal. By practicing these philosophies (in addition to fueling our bodies with healthy diets), we can elongate our lives by perpetuating healthy physical reactions within our body, starting on a cellular level.

Our cells renew every day. In fact, 98% of the atoms in our bodies are exchanged for new ones every year.  Chopra’s premise is that the more positive our mind is, the more beneficial the effect it will have on each and every cell we reproduce in our body.

We can mentally control and change our physical reactions. It’s a fascinating concept. You can change your body, and your outlook, simply by changing your perception. It’s how we interpret our external world. If we convince our mind we can physically accomplish the task at hand, our body will follow. If we can replace stress with positive intention we can rid ourselves of the negative reactions that follow…such as aging, damage to our organs and physical ailments.

It goes back to the premise – how are you going to react to what’s in front of you?

– If you believe you can conquer it, mostly likely, you will.
– If you are fearful or convince yourself it’s not possible, chances are, you will have a difficult time and your body will shut down.

Over time, by practicing positive thinking, you will see the positive effect it will have on your body, and in turn, the image you project to the outside world. Spending less time focusing on your obstacles in front of you and more energy on how you are going to succeed effects every aspect of your being.

So I challenge you to predetermine how you will deal with your task at hand. Begin by eliminating the fear and believing you will excel. Convince your mind you are capable…and see how your body follows.

To leave a comment on this article or any other blog entry, please fill in the “Leave a Comment” box under each blog entry on our site: Heels to Laces.

  • Robin Kelley

    Love this post! I think it’s all so true. Just have to remember it when the going gets tough. Great reminder.

  • Michelle

    Changing your perspective is the best thing you can do! Ditto to this whole post. I love that we have the power inside of us to continue to make or break our mindset and if we focus on the positive energy and thinking, we will succeed in ways we never knew before. Thank you for the reminder and encouragement. Rock on!!!!

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Connecting The Dots

Connect-The-Dots-Post Steve Jobs notoriously said, “You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.”

As my life evolves, I find more and more truth to this concept – there is a path you are following in life and it connects to everything else.

I Diagnosed My Own Skin Cancer
In 2001, I got into a disagreement with my new husband of 3 months. I locked myself in the bedroom of our one-bedroom 800 square ft. apartment to stew. Not realizing how bored I would be in my righteous sulking, I picked up Glamour magazine and started flipping through the pages. Finding an ABCD’s of skin cancer guide sheet in the issue, I decided to do a full body scan and found a suspicious mole on my back. That mole was ultimately diagnosed as melanoma and resulted in a large, scary, life-changing surgery. My sun-worshiping, tanning booth, yo-yo dieting days had come back to haunt me. I was not invincible.

Finding Deepak
At the same point in my life, I was a basket case of stress in a fast-paced job at L’Oreal that took every ounce of my energy and produced so much anxiety I ended up in the emergency room (more than once) for anxiety attacks.

Feeling a little lost, I was given a book “Seven Secrets of Success” by Deepok Chopra. It reset my mind frame and made everything seem attainable.  I was always very motivated, but as a new follower (and stalker 😉 ) of Deepak, it became clearer that I can control my life and achieve anything. I quit my job at L’Oreal.

Tackling My Only Fear
As everything in my life flourished, I still could not tackle my fear of skin cancer. At least 35 removals and 5 doctors later, I avoided the sun at all costs, bundled up in 95 degree weather and hid in the shade. You really can’t comprehend how scary it is to be diagnosed with cancer (of any kind), unless you have gone through it. This could potentially be my demise.

My fear lasted up until 4 weeks ago.

During a routine 3 month checkup, my savior, Dr. Wang – the director of Memorial Sloan Kettering in Basking Ridge, NJ (referred to me from a previous doctor who met him at a conference –> dot), told me to Live My Life. He said I would miss out if I continued to live in fear and my mind would eventually convince my body that it was sick and create illness. It was a life revelation for me.

After this eye-opening appointment with Dr. Wang, I randomly turned on the TV one afternoon (which I NEVER do) and Deepok Chopra was on Oprah’s Soul Sunday. He was talking about his book “Ageless Body, Timeless Mind.” His main premise was we can control the health of our body through positive thinking (it’s a fascinating read). By taking care of your body (eating well, exercising, nourishing your mind), you can stop illness and the aging process. He said to “Live Your Life” to the fullest potential.

I felt as if the last 10 years made a full circle.

Dots Continue To Connect
In the last 10 years, being Deepak inspired, I have accomplished so much more than I ever imagined. I have started 3 successful businesses, checked “become a trainer” off my bucket list, started a health and nutrition blog (with an equally motivational partner), learned an exorbitant amount of information on health and nutrition and have practiced what I preach. I have learned and shared with many that you can heal your body from the inside out. My goal was to motivate others in life to be happy and live their life.

I have not had another melanoma in over 10 years.

I realized there’s a good chance channeling all of that positive energy and practicing healthy living over the years ultimately helped me heal my body from the inside out.

The Dots All Come Together
• I find my melanoma • Deepak Chopra inspires me to de-stress and live life up to my potential • I dedicate myself to inspiring others and living a healthy lifestyle • After many, many doctors, I am driven to Dr. Wang, who ultimately teaches me my own mantra • Deepok shows up on TV on a random Sunday to talk to me once again • I realize my healthy behavior and positive energy  has ultimately helped me keep my body healthy • I learn my own life lesson and hope to continue to inspire others.

So I pass on the message to you….look back at your dots and see how they have dictated your future.
And, most importantly… Life Your Life.

To leave a comment on this article or any other blog entry, please fill in the “Leave a Comment” box under each blog entry on our site: Heels to Laces

  • Jenny Heffernan

    Wow Deb – I have chills head to toe! I feel like I just read my own story! I diagnosed my melanoma too and lived in panic for years. I have finally found connections and support in my life that have changed the way I look at everything. Love your blog and of course your reading list is the EXACT replica of my favorite reads! I think we may have been separated at birth. Love the blog! You are an amazing and inspiring woman – I am so happy to have crossed paths with you! XOXO Jenny Hefernan

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