One of my friends asked me if I could write a blog post on meal ideas for kids who are fussy eaters and I was more than happy to oblige! As moms, I think we’ve all been there. We work so hard to put together meals with different combinations of foods that are healthy, nutritious and also meet our fussy kids’ needs around texture, taste and color…only to have them complain and reject the meals time and time again. It definitely can be frustrating and challenging, but here are some tips and meal ideas that have worked relatively well for my three and six year old boys, who are fussy eaters in their own right. That said, please take into consideration any food allergies or sensitivities to nuts, gluten, lactose,

It’s been a little while since I last blogged…life has been really busy lately and I’m in the midst of a major career transition as I’ve left my 16 year corporate career and job at Google to become an entrepreneur and follow my lifelong passion and dream of launching my own health, wellness and fitness company called Passion Fit! Right now, I’m putting my nose to the grindstone and am working hard on all the preparations to officially launch my company within the next month. Therefore, my blog post today is about my dream, my story and my journey so far to get there. I hope it will inspire many of you to also follow your own dreams if you haven’t had a chance to do so already. If you get to the

Today is June 21st, which marks the first official day of Summer, 2014 and the Summer Solstice…so exciting! That means fun in the sun, beach time, pool parties, summer camp for the kids, lazy days of vacation, warm summer nights, the smell of fresh flowers everywhere, the feel of a warm breeze on your skin and new memories to create with your family and friends that will last a lifetime. 🙂 It also means it’s time to kick your workouts into full gear so you can have the energy to enjoy this glorious time of year and look and feel your best while doing it! Here are some ideas to help you keep your fitness levels at their peak this summer. Create the perfect playlist for your iPod: Here are

I’m constantly amazed by the level of energy and determination children can have. My husband and I have two little boys, ages six and three and they have more energy and determination than both they and we know what to do with sometimes! However, they’re blessed to be extremely athletic kids and really inspire me when it comes to their sports and fitness abilities. Our older, six year old son, tried out for the MVLA private soccer club this past week. He’s been playing soccer since he was two years old, starting in Kidz Love Soccer for three years and then moving up to the AYSO league the last two years, where he was coached by my husband. Therefore, we thought the time was right for him to try out

I wanted to give you all something to think about when it comes to your emotional wellness…finding your own voice. This is a topic I’ve thought a lot about, especially as my own voice has been louder and softer at different stages of my life. Growing up as the youngest of four children in my family and being a first generation born Indian-American, I’ve had my successes as well as struggles in finding my own voice throughout my life. Since I’m the baby of my family, I’ve always been the one who everyone wants to protect and take care of. While I love and appreciate that so much and am so thankful to have such an incredibly loving and supportive family, it also has made it challenging at times to

This week’s post isn’t about exercise, nutrition or stress management tips…but don’t worry, there will be plenty more of that to come in the future. 🙂 Rather, this week’s post is a little more raw and little more personal…it’s about conquering your fears. And I’m writing this post for all of you as much as I’m writing it for myself. What is fear anyway? According to Merriam-Webster Online, fear is defined as follows, “to be afraid and worried or to expect or worry about something bad or unpleasant.” While we all have fears and worries in life, we have to be able to separate the things that really warrant them and the things that are really just us getting stuck in our own heads…and for anyone who knows me well,

Everyone is extremely busy these days in this very technologically focused, interconnected world we all live in. Therefore, our time is limited, especially when it comes to working out. So how can you get the most bang for your buck in a short amount of time? In my opinion, the answer is a combination of interval training, strength training and cardio. Now, many people feel cardio is king and effective workouts should be all about high intensity levels, burning the most calories possible and sweating like crazy. While all of that IS very important and should be a significant part of your workout regimen, it is also equally important to mix up high and low intensity levels in order to take your heart rates up and down and include strength

Stress. It seems to be a topic of discussion everywhere these days and quite honestly, I feel like it is becoming an epidemic. Technology is causing us to be connected on our laptops, smartphones and tablets 24-7. Companies across many different industries ranging from high tech to management consulting to financial services and more, are requiring employees to produce and achieve faster and better results. Academic standards and testing for students are becoming harder and more competitive every year. Kids are getting over-scheduled with one too many after school and weekend activities. The expectations and standards for parents (or should I say the ones we place on ourselves and each other) are reaching an all-time high. On top of all this, with the economy, employment rates and real estate rates

The core has become a very popular buzz word in the fitness world over the last decade and you’ll often hear fitness instructors (including myself) telling their classes to “engage your core!” What is the core and why is it such a big focus when exercising?  The core basically consists of the entire mid-section of your body that spans from the muscles in your abdominal wall (including the internal and external obliques and rectus and transverse abdominis), to the muscles in your back and spine and everything in between. This is the section of your body that you tuck in and squeeze. It’s also often referred to as your “power house,” as it protects your lower back, centers you, gives you balance and allows you to unlock your full potential

When it comes to nutrition, there are so many different and often conflicting statistics, research studies and fads out there, that it can be confusing to know which path is the most sensible one to take. Each individual ultimately needs to determine what makes the most sense for himself or herself based on taste preferences, weight management needs, lifestyle, food allergies and other health concerns or factors.  When it comes to my nutrition preferences? I travel to the Mediterranean! What that means for me is lots of: 1. Fresh fruits such as strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, bananas, oranges, grapes, apples, kiwi, pomegranates, watermelon, pineapples and avocados (yes, avocados are technically fruits…and the most perfect food on the planet in my opinion :))  2. Fresh vegetables such as kale, spinach, arugula, broccoli,