Sitting quietly to meditate is not something that comes naturally to me. When I first decided to try it, during a personal crisis that was causing me untold pain, I was skeptical that meditation could make a dent in my suffering. The whole idea of quieting my mind and concentrating on … nothing? How is […]
What do you do when the people you count on the most for support are actually trying to undermine your success? This happens more often that we’d like to admit. To give them the benefit of the doubt, let’s assume that these folks are unaware of the destructive nature of their behavior, possibly because they’re […]
There’s a theory among leadership guru types that if you wear the cloak of success (empowered body language, confidence, a can-do, optimistic mindset) you can sort of “fake it till you make it.” I’ll confess, I never really put much stock in this concept until recently. In the last two months I have taken on […]
A couple of my closest friends started Whole30 this week. I just ran into another friend who told me she ordered the 21-Day Fix system to lose weight. And every seat’s taken in my favorite spinning class. Seems everybody’s renewed a commitment to healthy living recently! In many ways it doesn’t even matter what program […]
We’re up to our eyeballs in food traditions this time of year. Just today a “Christmas Kringle” arrived on my doorstep, a much-anticipated annual gift from a longtime family friend. A Kringle is a Danish pastry filled with a variety of delectable goodies, from apple-cinnamon to salted caramel cheesecake. This exclusive holiday edition is cranberry-nut. […]
I may not technically still be a “big girl,” but frankly I’m pretty muscular so I’m definitely on the bigger side of average. In our skinny-obsessed world, bigger isn’t necessarily considered better, even when bigger suits our body-type. I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to be a “big girl” lately. In this […]
Yes, I know it’s October 31st, not December 31st. Don’t worry, I don’t have my calendar on the wrong page. It just that, a couple of years ago I started celebrating my “new year” on my birthday rather than in January. Since my birthday was last week I invested some time deciding what my goals […]
I have a love/hate relationship with my to-do list. On one hand, making that list each morning helps me feel focused and organized. My work is purposeful and prioritized, so I feel accomplished at the end of the day. On the other hand, I have occasional days when my inner 4-year-old rears her obstinate head, […]
October’s a HUGE birthday month in the McKenna household. Of the six of us, three of us have birthdays in October. Rob’s is the 1st, mine’s at the end of the month (Ask me how many Halloween-themed birthday parties I had as a kid. Yeah, a lot.) and Connor’s is this coming week. And this […]
I hadn’t been feeling well for days. Couldn’t put my finger on it, but something was off. I had some heartburn and lethargy, but I’m a pretty busy girl, so I mentally pushed it aside and pressed on. Yeah … turns out, sometimes the universe bashes you over the head to get your attention. Wednesday […]
With darkness settling in earlier and earlier these days I’m tempted sometimes to just crawl under the covers and wait it out till spring. Well, that’s not gonna pay the bills, so I’ve gotta come up with a new plan. Time for some cozy time by the fire. Yes, it’s only 7:30pm and I’m already […]
There’s something that takes me back to childhood when I crack open a new book. The sound the spine makes when it’s opened for the first time. Skimming through the pages as I take in the typeface, photos and read about the author. And the smell! Oh, how I love the smell of a new […]
I gotta come clean: I’ve been in a cooking rut for a while now. Oh sure, I cook pretty healthy meals and snacks for my family and myself, but my repertoire of recipes has started to seem ho hum lately. Typically we start eating heavier dishes in the colder months – often with more calories. […]
A couple of weeks ago – without warning and with no explanation – the yoga studio where I’d been practicing for nearly five years shut its doors. My yogi friends and I were stunned. We met for coffee in the aftermath, to discuss our plan for finding a new yoga “home.” We’re hot yoga devotees, […]
Many of you know, I spent a lot of years – 17 in fact – in the role of political spouse. Rob and I are both so grateful for the people we met and the experiences we had along the way. (If you haven’t been to the Ellensburg Rodeo, put it on your bucket list. […]
You can almost feel it in the air, can’t you? Summer is winding down. At our house, we’ve already done the back-to-school shopping to restock supplies and buy new shoes for my son’s feet that seem to grow overnight. This weekend we’re on our last family excursion of the summer, enjoying nature’s beauty at lovely […]
When you hear “let’s get it on!” (if you’re of a certain age, anyway) you probably hear the sultry Marvin Gaye song playing in your head. Apparently I’m of a certain age, because that’s exactly what I hear. As I sit at my desk, stewing in my uncertainty, it takes on a different meaning. The […]
Even though I crave the heat (hello, hot yoga!), more than a few days of 90o+ temperatures and I’m looking for a little relief. We’re in the middle of a heat wave in the Pacific Northwest, and unless you live in the southern hemisphere, you’re probably experiencing the same.These dog days of summer can leave […]
“Go ahead, take the summer off!” Don’t you wish somebody would say that to you??? Like maybe your boss? No such luck, I’m afraid. And I couldn’t in good conscience advise you to take the summer off from healthy eating and exercise. After all, we’re coming up on the halfway mark for the “100 days […]
You’re probably familiar with high intensity interval training (abbreviated HIIT). It’s a way to build conditioning by interspersing high intensity cardio into a low to moderate-intensity workout. Typically these short bursts of intense cardio are done for 30-60 seconds between lower-intensity “recovery periods,” done for 2-3 minutes. The point of HIIT is to build endurance […]
Who knows what triggers it – too much to do at work, the end of the school year (let’s be honest, it can be hard on us parents), a looming milestone birthday. Whatever the source of the angst, sometimes we find ourselves settling in to a malaise. Maybe nothing in particular is wrong, things just […]
The other day a friend posted the gorgeous photos you see above on Facebook, along with an excited announcement that she was harvesting the first of her garden for dinner that night. Already in early June she’s got young lettuces, peas, and broccoli ready to pick, and the strawberries and zucchini won’t be far behind. […]
Have you been following the “100 days of awesome!” all week? The final part of “100 days of awesome” is a commitment to spending those 100 days eating more greens. And stop right there for a sec, because I know what you’re thinking: “Ugh, not another salad! I get so sick of rabbit food. It makes […]
100 days…six key components…are you ready to count down to awesome?!? The ubiquitous “30-day challenge” is everywhere – at the gym, the yoga studio, and even my favorite juice bar. And depending on what it is, 30 days can be a good way to build new habits. But we’re right on the cusp of summer […]
…and in it you’re wearing a Polar FT4 heart rate monitor. If you haven’t entered my giveaway to WIN a FREE heart rate monitor then today’s your lucky day! This is the same monitor that I wear for all of my workouts, and it’s the greatest thing since … well, I don’t eat sliced bread, […]
So, what does get your heart racing? Watching a scary movie? Getting whipped around on a roller coaster? Maybe the adrenalin rush of driving fast does it (though most certainly not on I-405, which almost always moves at a snail’s pace). In this case though, I’m talking about exercise. If you’re trying to lose weight, […]
If you’re a mom … or if you have a mom … or if you’ve ever screamed “MOM!” when you couldn’t find your soccer cleats, then you know how important moms are and how much they deserve to be celebrated this Mother’s Day weekend. Last weekend I had the opportunity to hang out with my […]
Earth Day was this week so I decided to “go green” and recycle a bunch of old posts on the website. Hahaha! I’m joking. (Sort of.) I did go back into the archives to find a great video I did a while ago on my favorite calorie tracking app. If you’ve never used one, take […]
A new Chick-fil-A restaurant opened in my hometown this week. By the look of the line there isn’t another one between here and the moon. Last Saturday my 15-year-old son asked me to take him there to meet up with some friends for lunch; we couldn’t get within three blocks of it due of traffic […]
“Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears…” Quoting Shakespeare always makes me feel smart. In this case, my motive is a little less noble than Mark Antony’s was in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. I’m hoping that you’ll lend me your ears long enough to listen to some of my new podcasts that came out this week! […]
Shhhhhh, I’m gonna let you in on a little secret, but you can’t tell! I’m delivering this fruit bouquet to my tech guys who just accomplished a complete overhaul of my website. Have you had a chance to look at it yet??? It just gorgeous! The design itself is the work of Melissa Hansen who […]
Like a ninja, stealthily moving in the shadows, I’ve been sneaking into the KIRO radio studios in Seattle each week to record a new podcast. (I’m kidding; they invited me.) My new podcast channel is now up and running both on MyNorthwest.com and by subscription on iTunes. There are currently three podcasts available – on […]
Can you feel it? Change is in the air! We’re springing forward with our clocks this weekend, flowers are peeking up out of the cold dirt and I’ve even heard some birds chirping. When I decided to change my lifestyle forever and lose weight – all those years ago – I knew that meant change. […]
There seems to be no end to the challenges – and even setbacks – that come up along the way as we strive to live a healthy lifestyle. For two weeks I’ve been living out of a suitcase as we travelled to Spokane and then to the east coast. We finally arrived back home to […]
Winter’s certainly coming on strong this year! Depending on where you live, you could be up to your eyeballs in snow and ice, or battling wind-chills below zero. Brrrrrr! I spent the week on the east coast and the freezing temperatures meant all of our activities were driven indoors. That’s just fine with me though, […]
Hitting your “sweet spot” means you’ve found a perfect balance. In the realm of healthy living it might mean you’ve found the right combination of go-to healthy recipes for busy weeknight dinners, a fitness routine that works with your schedule and makes you happy, and you’ve achieved a healthy weight that you can maintain comfortably. […]
Maybe the enthusiasm you felt on January 1st for your New Year’s resolutions has worn off, or maybe you didn’t make any because you’ve been down that road, only to be disappointed when you couldn’t stick with it. For all those years that I was obese, I’d draw a line in the sand: “From now […]
If you’re ready for a fresh start, I’ve gotcha covered this week! Ready to dip your toes into a running program? In an all-new video, watch me explain how to start a running program, no matter what your current level of fitness. It’s easier than you might think! Did you make a New Year’s resolution […]
‘Tis the season to take stock and possibly to change directions as we make improvements to our health. If you’re trying to do an about face in your own life there are some ideas from this week’s blogs you might find helpful. If you’re feeling indecisive about which weight loss path to follow, start with […]
“I’m sick and tired of feeling sick and tired,” is a familiar lament. If you’re feeling a little bit of that yourself, you’re not alone. After watching the documentary “Fed Up” the other day I was dismayed to learn not just the shocking statistics that surround the obesity epidemic in our country – by the […]
Sadly, this guy seems to have gone a little overboard the last couple of weeks. Looks like he could use a little rest and recovery. If you know the feeling, let me offer up a couple of suggestions. Try my favorite metabolic detox tea first thing in the morning. It’s an energizing way to fire up […]
The current refrain in the popular media is that “diets don’t work.” We’ve all heard it; the idea being that calorie restriction and eliminating whole food groups leads to feelings of deprivation. It’s unrealistic, too difficult to maintain and we fall back into our old eating habits. But that concept has always bothered me; just […]
If there’s a theme to this time of year (besides the obvious yuletide merriment), it’s madly rushing around trying to get all of the extra things done, on top of our already busy schedules. We’re left feeling overwhelmed, exhausted and downright un-merry. And while I’m sure your name doesn’t appear anywhere on Santa’s official naughty […]
Do you have a friend who, every time to see him (or her), is full of energy and enthusiasm for whatever his latest passion is? His dynamic personality commands attention whenever he’s in the room. His exuberance is practically contagious. I have one of those, too. My friend’s name is Seth Landau, and he is […]
Having a hard time losing weight? So was Cami. Cami participated in the 10-Week, 10-Pound Challenge over the summer, and in fact, she was the Challenge grandprize winner of the Kindle Fire. But what’s most compelling about Cami – besides her charming personality – is what she revealed to me in an email the other […]
