TAMING OF THE BUBBLY

by Christine Lusita | | Lifestyle

Here’s what we know about our favorite drinks: they taste good! They taste good because they have sugar (moonshine, frankly, isn’t that tasty), and sugar sure helps the medicine go down. Plus they feelgood, which leads to more alcohol, major snacking, poorly played pool games, loudly voiced opinions, and . . . more snacking.

Nevertheless, there are ways to fend off poor alcohol (and related) choices. My tips:

Go skinny. You can get light varieties of vodka, champagne, red wine, and beer.

Avoid the mixers. Use muddled fresh fruit and seltzer to dilute alcohol instead, and try a wine spritzer instead of straight wine.

Avoid frozen. Frozen daiquiris, margaritas, and piña coladas have way too many food additives and sugar. Plus you’ll have to consume more to get the buzz you’re looking for!

Water before wine! Always rotate in a glass of water for every glass of alcohol. Not only will you consume less alcohol, you’ll stay hydrated for a proactive metabolism.

Drink slowly. Slowwwwwwly.

This is an excerpt from The Right Fit Formula

Express gratitude

by Christine Lusita | | Meditation

Expressing gratitude is how we check in and know that we are deeply okay. Believe me, that was a very uncomfortable practice at first for this New York girl, taught to detect every kind of rip-off and to believe the worst until shown otherwise. But as I started to treat myself better, I noticed things in the world I hadn’t seen before. I saw a smile from a stranger. I paid attention when a car let me go ahead. I’d take it in when a client said, “thank you.” The more I chose to support my best self, the better the world got.

So gratitude is now a conscious and daily ritual. I prefer to practice gratitude with my morning coffee; it helps energize me to reflect on what I enjoyed yesterday and what I’m already thankful for today. Others prefer a gratitude reflection at the close of the day. But what’s great about gratitude is that it’s always at hand, and it always works! Even in the middle of a hot, smoggy, Friday rush hour (especially at rush hour) I can be grateful for a great song on the radio, the memory of a friend’s visit, or that hike I’ll be doing tomorrow with my dog. And that’s the kind of feeling that keeps me from reaching for the ice cream when I get home.

This is an excerpt from The Right Fit Formula

Pumpkin Smoothie Bowl

by Christine Lusita | | Recipes

This pumpkin smoothie is not only delicious, but it’s healthy too!

  • 2 oz. fresh pumpkin or pumpkin puree
  • 1 frozen banana, chopped
  • 1 c. plain yogurt
  • 1⁄2 c. almond milk
  • 1 tsp. maple syrup
  • 1 tsp. raw honey
  • Pinch of cinnamon
  • Pinch of ground ginger

If using fresh pumpkin, steam for 5–8 minutes; let cool 5 minutes. Blend all ingredients until smooth. Pour into a bowl and top with desired toppings. Best served chilled.

This recipe is an excerpt from The Right Fit Formula.