My favorite part about the holidays is getting to hang out with my family and socialize with old friends from my hometown. My second favorite? The food! The thousands of gatherings and celebrations associated with my holiday experience can present bountiful opportunities to over-indulge, under-exercise and end up feeling guilty and sluggish. Here are a few tips for sticking

• Indulge freely and moderately. Let’s face it, there are just too many temptations and delicious foods around the holidays to pretend we won’t indulge, as we normally do. Instead of setting an unrealistic expectation that this year you will not have any of Aunt Maria’s famous pecan pie, give yourself the permission to have a slice. The intense feelings of guilt and defeat that come with eating “outside your diet” can often ironically promote compulsive eating. Instead, allow yourself to satisfy an urge guilt-free and notice how you’ll feel more emotionally and physically satisfied with just one slice. Maintaining positive thoughts around your eating experiences during the holidays will also make it more likely that you will stick to your normal, every day diet during the non-party days.

• Make an exercise plan. Make it a point to stick to your fitness routine this winter by planning before the holidays start. “Actually write down your days off from work, your trips, and other events,” says Chuck Bartlett, who coaches more than 100 runners in the Seattle area. “Figure out when you’ll likely be able to run and when you definitely won’t be able to run.” Then you can pencil in workouts on days you know you’ll be around and schedule days off to coincide with travel days, family visits, and the like.

• Pamper yourself. Staying emotionally fit is important for keeping a trim tummy. And pampering yourself is one fool-proof way to elevate your mental well being! Try taking time (and a little money) for things you normally put off or think of as “luxuries.” For example, meditate or take a class in relaxation and stretching techniques, like Tai Chi or Yoga. Get a massage – it can be beneficial for the mind and body. And give yourself the easiest luxury of all: rest! Take a nap mid-day or attempt to get an additional half hour of sleep at night than you normally would. The “small stuff” makes a difference!

While we are bound to experience some level of stress, holiday burnout or anxiety that may lead to overeating, make sure you’re paying attention to what your body, mind and soul need! Take proactive steps to fight the physical and emotional “bulge” before the anxiety and fatigue settle in.

Co-written by Rob B. and Shadiah

So let me just throw a shout out there to all the Crazy Guys who get caught up in the moment with the right girl, and perhaps go just a little bit overboard with wanting to spoil/shower their loved one with expensive gifts and fantastic pleasures. No doubt you want to impress her, treat her and romance her to a world of riches and goodness. But let’s be honest. Unless you’re made from money, that type of treatment can only last so long…and you need to start getting creative. Quick.

Getting creative is an opportunity to shine and open up your world to your loved one. But even the most creative minds have difficulty crafting the ultimate romantic getaway on the cheap. This is where we are going to help out and hook you up with some crowd favorites. (And no worries…we totally expect you to steal and adopt these ideas.)

Gentlemen, pay close attention. Don’t just read the bold-faced bullet points. It’s all about the delivery and details.

Shadiah’s Crazy Girl Favorites:

• Go on a Picnic – What better way to delight a Crazy Girl than to whisper sweet nothings into her ear, kiss her, and feed her grapes over a blanket on a sweet, summer day? Crazy Girls love the romance and spontaneity of a simple getaway to the local park or beach. And best of all for the money-conscious Crazy Guy, you could probably get away with throwing a very respectable picnic party for around $15 and one trip to the nearest Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods. (Crazy Girl tip: If at a park picnic, remember to find the most secluded spot – otherwise, keep the kisses and embraces at a PG rating!)

Continue reading our guest post on Kaneisha’s Dream Catcher!

I imagine myself becoming a household name one day. While joining Congress, taking off as fashion mega-entrepreneur and maven, and even becoming the Latina wellness guru all top my list of ways to become famous, I’ve recently turned my focus toward becoming a TV personality.

I can point to three main events that were crucial in building my confidence for owning this passion and dream:

1. My Vagina Monologues Performance: As The Woman Who Loved To Make Vaginas Happy in February 2009, I rediscovered the joy of performing on stage (the first time was as a scantily-clad Midas Touch Girl in 2001 for my high school musical, The Bells are Ringing). While many of my gorgeous and talented stage-mates were somewhat reluctant and shy with the microphone, I loved, loved, loved how empowering the mic felt in my hand, projecting my voice into every nook and cranny of that theatre. Performing before a live audience stirred my creative whiles and reminded me how much I love shining in social settings.

2. Being a LIVE Local TV Host: From the first minute I went live on The Psychic Fashion Show, I realized I love the camera and the camera loves me! I appear regularly on the show now and am getting to know some great people at CCTV (which, incidentally, was named #1 public access TV station in the US this year). Remember to tune in and call the number on the screen – I’m on most Thursdays at 8pm (ET) or 5pm (PT), channel 8 if you’re in Cambridge, or via LIVE webstream.

3. Putting my Passion to Work at Work: Recently, my job asked me to host a live, webstreamed interview with one of the company’s top female executives. The 1-hour webcast was viewed by over 1,000 employees and gained me a small circle of admirers! While the interview went great and I received much praise for seeming “like a natural,” I learned that I don’t enjoy scripted work as much I enjoy impromptu performances, convincing me that am destined to become more of a Kelly Ripa than a Diane Sawyer. (Though a Rachel Maddow type gig would be a great happy medium!)

Next Steps:

I am taking acting classes in the fall. While I’ve never really had a penchant for acting, I may just discover a hidden talent that might open up interesting opportunities. At the very least, I know acting classes will help improve my public speaking and self expression skills. Also, I know I’m bound to meet some whacky people there – bonus!

I’ve also recently joined forces with two cooky, hiliarious guys to form Caught You Picking, a sketch comedy group. We intend on filming short comedic episodes and perhaps doing some live or stand up work. I am keeping my options open – just get me on stage!!

Imagining myself as a full time entertainer makes my heart leap. I’m not even afraid of having a TV job that requires I get up at 4am every day for hair and makeup! Everyday I feel like I have a sense of direction and purpose, and it is such a liberating feeling. I am owning my desires and transforming them into a powerful source of direction, motivation and passion!

Crazy girls like to think they’ve found their true soul mate every time they start dating someone new who gives them even the tiniest smidgen of stomach butterflies. But a promising bond can easily spiral out of control into the dreaded state of implosion if one or both partners are smothering the relationship with a dose of “too much, too soon”…

Continue reading my guest post on Kaneisha’s Dream Catcher!

Last week I ran into a fastastic piece of “installation art” that made me laugh and smile inside and out. Wheel Questions invites passer-by’s to drop a question — any question — only to have it answered by Johny Monsarrat, the founder of this creative social cause, or by one of many “life coaches.” The goal is to answer 10,000 by end of summer!

If you’re in the Boston/Cambridge area, check it out! It’ll be displayed throughout the area the whole summer (check out the website for locations). I promise you’ll have a great time reading others’ Q/A’s,  thinking up your own witty/funny/ridiculous question, and gaining a really positive, upbeat and deep perspective on some of life’s most pressing questions, such as: “Does size really matter?” “Where should I be a year from now? “Will I die alone?” “Is Jeremy my soul mate?” “Are redheads really the devil?” “Why do they put chocolate chips in cookies?” “How do I kill bedbugs? Kill them dead? and one of my personal favorites:

I don’t think I’ve never appreciated the sun as much as I have during my past three years in New England.

In my pre-Boston days, I used to spend summers waitressing out on a restaurant patio, frolicking about the serene Pomona College campus (instead of doing my research projects), working at a camp in beautiful Wellesley College, or walking endless miles exploring the New York City landscape. Last year I spent my summer in gorgeous, hot Mexico “rediscovering” not only my birthplace, but the other half of my family as well.

This year, I am stuck in a recycled-air office with no window, five days a week, 8-9 hours a day. Oh, to have a real job. Not that I’m missing out on that much, anyway. It has rained nearly EVERY SINGLE DAY in Boston for the past four weeks and this June has been declared the gloomiest, cloudiest June in a century. People are really starting to resent the fact that the rain has eaten up one third of our precious, fleeting summer, and the mood is heavier than the typical 80 percent humidity June day.

The beauty of getting sunshine (in measured doses, particularly for us fair-skinned folks) is that it really, truly makes you feel more cheery and positive, and it gives your body much-needed Vitamin D! (By the way, I read somewhere that Vitamin D is actually a hormone, not a vitamin.) Research has found that “those with the lowest vitamin D levels have more than double the risk of dying from heart disease and other causes over an eight-year period compared with those with the highest vitamin D levels.” So, as soon as you notice that sun peering out from underneath the clouds, do yourself a favor and take a stroll down the Charles or into your favorite square, or choose to walk home instead of taking the T!

And of course, the perfunctory disclaimer: I try to take care of my skin and use sunscreen on my face every day and wear it on my body whenever I know I’ll be in the sun (and yes, I know sunrays exist even on a cloudy day, so I should theoretically be wearing it then, too, but I don’t). I aim to use at least an SPF 30 when I’ll be out in the sun for longer than 15 minutes, and anywhere between SPF 45-60 for longer spells (and reapply at least once every couple hours – and yes, I’m sure this is still not enough).

Check me out this Thursday LIVE at 8pm ET (5pm Pacific)!!!

I recently started appearing on my landlord’s (Steve) Thursday night local TV talk show. The format is very basic: anything goes. We normally discuss very mundane stuff, from fashion and love to arts and music, but I happen to think the talent is worth watching!

Check me out this Thursday LIVE at 8pm ET (5pm Pacific) at:

http://www.cctvcambridge.org/webstream

Find the video stream by scrolling down the page. Then enjoy the show! And don’t by shy: call in and chat with us!

I am really excited to be back in Boston for the summer. After a brief stint in Hartford, I have come back to a city I love, except I no longer have the same built-in friend base and activity-packed calendar that my graduate school days used to offer. As someone who moved on average once or twice a year as a kid, I am no stranger to the delights of meeting new people or the rush of bravely trying new things on my own.

I look forward to sharing with you how I stay happy, engaged and energized in the Boston summer!

Check me out this week at MakeMamaProud.com!

Make Mama Proud profiles successful young professionals and graduate students who serve as models for college students and recent graduates looking for something more than a 9-to-5 desk job. Their readership approaches the post-graduation world with the many options enjoyed by ambitious and intelligent students. Make Mama Proud helps them pick their first steps in career tracks that promise the greatest rewards: from social change, to intellectual challenge, to financial benefits. To do this, they bring together stories and insights from a diverse and accomplished group of recent college graduates who have all found ways to Make Mama Proud.

Yoga can be a powerful tool for combating stress and stiff joints. Most people have misguided ideas about what yoga is, imagining a Zen Buddhist sitting cross-legged for hours or a woman contorting into really weird, painful poses. In reality, depending on the type, yoga can be a super engaging, fun and challenging way to stay physically and mentally fit. Trust me, friend, you try any of today’s popular yoga classes and you’ll be sweating within 2 minutes.

There is a multitude of yoga techniques out there. Some rely more heavily on meditation while others give you a vigorous physical experience. But what is true for all of them is that they all engender an incredible level of mental satisfaction. My favorite type is Ashtanga, also referred to as Power Yoga, not only because it’s a great work out, but because it truly connects your body to your will, forcing you to think through every pose and master it before moving on to more difficult variations. This website gives concise descriptions of the most popular types.

Also, I want to highlight one particular yoga practice and studio I frequented in Hartford, Connecticut. Justine Fuller of Fuller Movement Center has combined some great yoga techniques, her distinctive sense of spirituality and the only circular mat to create her very own brand of yoga: Fuller Yoga. I fully expect her to be famous one day for this.
With some online yoga help, I’m breaking down some of the more popular types of yoga for you:

• Ashtanga (Power Yoga) –  The preferred choice for athletes, Ashtanga yoga is light on meditation but heavy on developing strength and stamina. The poses are more difficult than those performed in other styles, students move quickly from one pose to another in an effort to build strength and flexibility.

• Iyengar – A  classical style of yoga, Iyengar is softer on the body and is perfect for beginners and those who haven’t exercised in a while. It uses props like chairs, straps, blocks and pillows, and even sandbags, to compensate for a lack of flexibility, which is helpful for anyone with back or joint problems.

• Bikram (Hot Yoga) – Traditionally done in a room 100°F (38°C) or higher (to replicate the temperature of yoga’s birthplace in India). Focus on 26 postures performed in a certain order. Very physical, high intensity.

• Hatha – This mellow form of yoga focuses on simple poses that flow from one to the other at a very comfortable pace. Participants are encouraged to go at their own pace, taking time to focus on the breathing and meditation in their practice. This yoga is ideal for winding down at the end of a tough day.

• Kundalini – Incorporates mantras (chanting), meditations, visualizations and guided relaxation. It focuses on healing and “purifying” the mind, body and emotions. Kundalini yoga is designed to activate the kundalini energy in the spine.