June 24, 2013

Weekend Sunshine_6.24.13

June 24, 2013/ sherri d'alessandro

Happy Summer! What a beautiful weekend to kick off SUMMER... my favorite season. Sunshine, beaches, boats, ocean... rinse, repeat.

This weekend kicked off with the Boston JP Morgan Corporate Challenge. The "race" is a complete disaster as the first mile and a half is a walk/jog/sprint due to the thousands of participants. That being said, it is one of my favorite events! I love it when companies encourage their employees to GET ACTIVE. And, I LOVE the camaraderie.

Saturday night, I headed out with Rachael and Leanda. Roofdeck cocktails, Bruins game, & dancing. It was a much needed fun night out.

Nothing like watching the sunrise on a morning run.

Remember... Where there is a will, there is a way. Set your goals and do everything in your power to achieve them.

Yesterday, my family gathered at my Uncle & Aunt's house in Lakeville (where I grew up :)) to celebrate my cousin being home from the Marines for a short week. It was so nice to have (almost) the whole D'Alessandro clan together. We don't do it often enough. Here I am with my mom and brother. All smiles.

Have a great week! xo

June 22, 2013

Fotos & Favs of the Week

June 22, 2013/ sherri d'alessandro

A few of my favorite moments and photos from the past week. (click image to see description)

Worth reading...

1. Mass residents: It's your right to know what's in our food via Move On.org.

2. These foods are BANNED in other countries. How many do you have in your kitchen? Via Buzzfeed.

3. A healthy smoothie for every day via Dr. Oz.

4. Tips for running in the heat via Women's Health.

If you haven't already... sign it. We deserve to know what we are putting in our bodies.

8 foods we eat in the US that are banned in other countries.

Have an AWESOME weekend. Go B's!

June 20, 2013

Bikini Beach Prep Part 3

June 20, 2013/ sherri d'alessandro

Summer officially starts on Friday - WHOO HOO! Bikini season is in full force! I'll have tips all Summer. Parts 1 and 2 you can find here and here. Onto the next...

1. Interval Training: Sure, you feel like you're doing your part by going for a run, bike ride, or churning that elliptical. Eventually though, your body gets used to the same old routine. An easy way to mix it up is to add in some interval training. Not only does it increase your cardiovascular health - it also has been proven to burn fat more efficiently.

Here are a few easy ways to incorporate interval training into your workout:

a. On the Treadmill: Run/Jog at a comfortable pace for two minutes, sprint for a minute, run/jog for two, sprint for one. Repeat this for a half hour.

b. Outdoor Run: Run/Jog to one telephone pole (or tree, or house, or whatever else), sprint to the next, run, sprint.

c. On the Elliptical/Bike: Move at a medium pace for one minute, then turn up the resistance (you'll look and feel like you're moving in slow motion - that's ok) do that for two minutes and repeat cycle for a half hour.

d. At Home or Outside: Run up a flight of stairs 5-15 times (depending on your level) walk or jog for a minute repeat until you finish the set of 5-15.

Tell me how different you feel at the end of this workout compared to your regular routine.

2. Quit Eating Processed Foods... For Good.

Here's the deal. Processed foods are laced with flavor enhancers (glutamates - or almost anything on the label that ends in -ATE). Studies have shown that these flavor enhancers BLOCK your leptin hormone (HUNGER HORMONE) which is why you keep eating and never feel satisfied when you eat these foods. Crazy, right? More on this subject here.

3. Don't Ignore Cravings, just be Smart about it

This is something that took me a long time to learn. If you are craving chocolate or chips or something else that you don't think you should have while you're trying to get in bikini shape, ignore the craving for the day. If you are still craving it the next day, have a small portion of whatever it is - the real version - not the fat-free-preservative-laced-gross kind. You'll feel satisfied and will have a clear head. Being healthy isn't about punishing yourself or depriving foods you love. Everything is ok in moderation, just watch your portions.