So, I know I’ve been that girl. Not Marlo Thomas, but that girl who has been blabbing about her upcoming wedding. It’s hard not to when having a stripped-down wedding seems to still create like 9,567 tasks. However, I’m finally starting to get to the fun parts…namely the Bachelorette parties. Yeah, I said “parties.” That’s right. I had two amazing weekends with some of the most awesome friends a lady could ever have. I had a tiki gnome-led scavenger hunt around NYC with the Ladies and Gilded Age extravaganza in Newport with The Gents.

We laughed about old times. I got a little toasted from the cocktails as I got roasted about my past misadventures. Remarkably, one thing that came up BOTH weekends was my past love of marshmallow fluff. Jerome the Tiki Gnome and his bevy of Ladies gifted me a jar of Fluff in front of my old Lower East Side apartment. (There always was a jar of fluff in that place.) The Gents used to hope for an “Empty Calorie Fabulous” wedding theme.

What can I say? I wasn’t born a health coach. My transition has been a work-in-process. It still continues to evolve.

What I can say is: I grew up with a grandmother who would make me little graham cracker & fluff sandwiches served on her midcentury Lu-Ray Pastel dishes. Over the years, I ate fluff when I needed some comfort. I ate fluff when my life was a tad too bitter. Some days I was too impatient for The Swiss Miss to visit with her warm chocolate concoction. So, I just ate it out of the jar with a spoon. I even double-dipped. Ew.

I have one more confession.

I pulled out a spoon last week and dug into the jar that has been face-height in my cabinet for about two weeks now. I know, I know…not very plant-based for someone who just graduated from a Natural Kitchen chef training program. I ate two giant spoonfuls. (I double-dipped again.) I knew what was going to happen, but that sweet, white Siren is alluring. Our relationship had changed though. She was cloyingly sweet. Two bites were two bites too many. Within about 20 minutes, I was parched, headachy and unable to focus. No grandmotherly love. No Lu-Ray plates. Just a tooth-rotting, chemical sugar high. Lesson learned.

Do you have a food that makes you weak in the knees? C’mon, be honest. I’d love to hear your funniest stories here. Post them in the comments below.

Shedding the Sugar Shackles – 10AM, Saturday 11/5 at Forbes Library, Northampton

Have you ever seen someone eat a cupcake in front of you only to find yourself daydreaming about it afterwards? (Some days, me, too.) Despite its sweetness, sugar is a powerful substance that can wreak havoc on your physical health and mood. Come to this free, interactive workshop to learn more about sugar, its effects on our bodies and moods, and some strategies to curb your cravings without starvation, deprivation, or tribulation.

Hope to see you at one or both of these events!

After a summer filled with change…and some painting, I’m so delighted to announce that vital corps in Northampton is open! It’s a comfortable haven for those of you who want to stretch & strengthen with Pilates or integrate some healthy changes in your life. vital corps features the time-tested Gratz apparatus (based on Joe Pilates’ original specifications). Contact me for an appointment. I just can’t promise that you’ll find me coaching in my acid-washed overalls from high school. You win some; you lose some, people.

As a thank you for reading, save $25 on your private Pilates session with Kara when you mention this blog post from now through Halloween. C’mon, Pilates is SO much better than candy.

Don’t forget that sharing is caring. Please help spread the word about vital corps’ new location on facebook and twitter.  Many thanks to all of you for your support and encouragement.

Do  you think my partner, Craig, likes homemade pesto?  Super easy way to  get some greens in your belly. I just whirled some basil, kale, garlic,  walnuts and olive oil in a food processor. (A blender works, too.)  It’s the most versatile stuff ever! Toss it over vegetables, grains or pasta. Use it as a spread.  Yum.

As a special offer, Brianne is offering a free AromaTouch essential oil kit to anyone who places a $100 product order with a new wholesale account. The value of the kit is $133. The location is being finalized. Contact me to get on the guestlist.

When: Thursday, April 21st at 7pm

Where: vital corps, 86 Chambers Street (b/w Broadway & Church), Suite 704, NYC 10007

Please RSVP to kara@vitalcorpswellness.com.  Space is limited!

For those of you health and fitness professionals, therapeutic grade essential oils can be a great asset for your practice.

In last month’s newsletter, we had a little chat about the importance of sleep.  You know it.  I know it.  The researchers know it.  C’mon, it feels great to do it! However, what doesn’t always feel so great is waking up, especially for those of you who aren’t getting the recommended 7-9 hours of Vitamin Z.

Knowing that I love my iphone as much as I love the quaint & quantifiable, a friend recommended an app called Sleep Cycle.  Basically, it uses the technology in your iphone that senses movement to approximate how you cycle in and out of the dream state known as REM-sleep.  (See chart above.)  It calculates the optimal time to wake you up based on your sleep pattern, so you wake up feeling less groggy. It also tracks your average amount of sleep.  (7:27 per night = not too shabby)

PROs: Waking up has been significantly less jarring.  Accurate when I’ve been awoken by boyfriend coming to bed or street noise. Variable snooze function seems to sense when you are just starting to fall back to sleep. Allows me to wake up to Arcade Fire’s “Wake Up” every day (or anything else on my device).

CONs: Battery will run down if not plugged in.  Must use airplane-mode if you are a person who gets a lot of calls/texts at night.  Alarm is not really, really loud.

Being the skeptic, I set the app on my ipad on the couch for a few nights. It basically charted like a death slumber except for when I walked past it on my way to the powder room during the night and in the morning.

While the app is not an exacting lab full of scientists, it is illuminating to get a glimpse of your own sleep habits.  Now, I know for a fact that some of you pay $5 every, single morning just to pry one eye open with caffeine, so why not spend $1 on an app that makes waking up not so hard to do?

When you stop by, sign up to win a free Pilates session at vital corps in Brooklyn. See you then!

This year, I challenge you to stay fit and stay sane through the holidays…and beyond.  Let me support you.

Join me for this 90-day group teleclass starting Monday, November 29^th.  We’ll explore ways to stay energized, incorporate healthy foods, manage cravings and nourish yourself at a time of year that can often leave you spent.  All you need is a phone and a couple hours per month.

Because I like October Treats better than Tricks, I have a treat for you.  Register before Halloween and save $75.  Email kara@vitalcorpswellness.com or call 646.926.2577 to sign up today!

But seriously, nearly 30% of the American population is obese.  People, who are surrounded by quick fixes, processed foods and fad diets, are thoroughly confused.  Health coaches can help educate people, integrate sustainable lifestyle choices and eradicate diseases like Type II diabetes that are linked to obesity.