#WellnessWednesday #WorkoutWednesday – WOO HOO I met my goal!

This was not an easy month for me on my transformation journey. I was at two conferences back-to-back which meant totally different workout schedules and a much harder to control environment with respect to my eating. At the first conference, I did not have access to a gym facility so I turned to longer walks and even some jogging. I am so not a runner. Think of the tortoise and that’s me, but I did it.

At the second conference, I had access to a gym and with my trusty roommate, I managed to get in some aerobic exercise almost every day. However, I was sitting more than usual and the last two days were difficult in light of various meetings that involved food. Mostly carbs. YIKES!

Despite that, I managed to meet my goal of losing another five pounds in July. I actually lost an additional .6 pounds. Since April 1 when I first started sharing my journey, I’ve lost 27.2 pounds! WOO HOO!

At the last conference, a number of people asked how I did it and so I’m here to share some wellness and workout tips!

On the wellness issue, I’ve virtually cut out diet soda and all fake sweeteners. I use a minimal amount of sugar in my coffee. I hydrate by drinking lots of water and thanks to my Sodastream, carbonated water and one diet soda with dinner.

I’ve cut out carbs like pasta and bread and instead have more fruits and vegetables. I keep my meat portions to between 4 and 6 ounces depending on the nature of the protein.

My daily goal for calories is between 1200 and 1300 and I do allow myself a sweet snack after dinner, usually chocolate or some kind of “thin” cookies. My favs are the Cranberry Almond Thins and Oreo Thins.

As for my workout regimen, once I reach Penn Station I walk to my office in the morning and back at night. That’s almost three miles of walking right there. I also make it a point to get up from my desk every hour and take a short walk around the office, usually to drop off papers.

At night I head to my local Y. Two nights a week I do cardio, usually the elliptical for 40 or so minutes. The other two nights I do strength and balance training. I am a real clutz and need all the help I can get and I am much more balanced and I feel much stronger.

Friday is a free night to just be a couch potato.

On Saturday and Sunday, I take long strolls along the boardwalk, usually one in the morning after a writing marathon and another in the afternoon or after dinner. I confess that sometimes we go and get ices or ice cream on that walk, but usually something small. Moderation is key.

So that’s it! That’s how I’ve been transforming myself and getting healthier and stronger. If you want to do it, you can too!
Caridad's Transformation

#WednesdayWisdom – Connie and Smelling the Roses

I’m my mother’s daughter and that has it’s good and bad parts. The bad part is that I’m very driven to achieve which is why I identified so much with Connie Reyes, the heroine in WHAT HAPPENS IN SUMMER. Much like me Connie wants a partnership in a New York City law firm and much like me she finds herself stonewalled at a key point in her career. For me the salvation was my family and my writing. For Connie it’s finding herself tossed together with Jonathan Pierce again. Jonathan is almost as driven as Connie, but he also knows how to have fun and balance life and work. I really enjoyed putting them together so that they could both heal the wounds of their past and find a way to stop and smell the roses together!

I hope you’ll take a moment to check out WHAT HAPPENS IN SUMMER which is now available for pre-order and releases on June 5. Also, don’t miss the free downloads of ONE SUMMER NIGHT, #1 in the At the Shore series.

You can purchase WHAT HAPPENS IN SUMMER at these retailers:

Amazon Kindle: http://amzn.to/2y6hi4h
Amazon Paperback: http://amzn.to/2y92UIQ
B&N: http://bit.ly/2BJNcov
GooglePlay: http://bit.ly/2hKg3BW
iBooks: http://apple.co/2hKgP1J
Kobo: bit.ly/koboWHS

ONE SUMMER NIGHT is now free until June 11

Amazon Kindle: http://amzn.to/2krMwfE
B&N: http://bit.ly/2kNuo0p
GooglePlay: http://bit.ly/2ik8EfG
iBooks: http://apple.co/2qsqdwx
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2fuEphL
Smell the roses

Discover THE LOST Energies: Seeking Your Balance

Yesterday we started talking about the energies within us which most of us just don’t tap for a variety of reasons. Probably one of the first reasons is stress. We are always on the go, hung up on things in the past or worrying about things that might happen in the future. We are sometimes so worried about the past and the future that we forget about the most important thing: the NOW.

So today’s talk is about seeking balance in order to restore some of THE LOST energies within us. It’s about stopping to smell the roses.

Just one thing before you start: Make sure that you check with a physician before engaging in any form of activity or exercise and make sure that you undertake this balancing activity in a safe environment.

The first step involves a concept known as “Earthing”.

Go outside (somewhere safe) and take off your shoes and socks. Grass, earth, sand or the ocean are perfect places, but standing on concrete will work as well. Wood, not so much since it’s such a poor conductor. You can walk around or just stand there, but the important thing is to allow your naked feet to keep contact with the Earth. Those who practice Earthing believe it will help transfer natural electrical energies that have been lost back to your body.

Take it a step further. Stand there, legs slightly apart. Try to clear your mind of all thoughts about the past and future and just think of the NOW. The cold, crinkly feel of the grass beneath your feet. The slight damp. The grittiness of sand sifting between your toes. The screech of a seagull. The NOW.

Then take a slow deep breath while raising your hands above your head gently. This is not a stretch, just a simple raise your hands on the deep inhale. Then drop your hands and bend at the waist (until comfortable) while you exhale. Do this by bending toward your right leg, then the middle, then the left leg, then the middle, etc. Inhale/Raise, Exhale/Lower. Slowly and without pushing your physical boundaries. Not too long since this isn’t about endurance or exercise, it’s about finding balance.

If you can’t do the arm raise/bend, just do the deep breathing, slow and simple for a minute or two.

I actually do this bending/inhaling exercise during long stretches of writing. Why may you ask? Well first of all, sitting too long is never good.

Second, this Sympathetic Breathing exercise taps into your Autonomic Nervous System which in stressful lives is sometimes stuck in a “fight or flight” response to the detriment of the “rest and digest” portion of the system. Sympathetic breathing exercises help restore the balance to your ANS.

So on this Fun Friday, see if you can do these exercises and if you feel more peaceful, more in the NOW and more energized. If you do, you’ve taken the first step toward find THE LOST energies within you (or maybe join the ranks of the SIN HUNTERS by finding your natural affinity!).