Pilates Fit Tips Podcast

So proud of my @MazarsUSA podcast with Tifphani White-King.  Please tune in to hear a day in the life of me, eating well, everything @larabar and my one #fail in life.  I hope you enjoy it !!☺

http://mazarsusa.com/insights/podcasts/fit-tips-with-phyllis-matonte

Be The Best Version of You

I get it – sometimes we wake up feeling downright ugly and out of step with the world.  We just want to put the covers over our head and take a “mental health day”.  Trust me, there is nothing wrong with this, so indulge yourself.  People pick my brain all the time on how I live my life and what I do.   I always say it should not be about unreasonable expectations that are put on us by our society and culture.  It is about being the best version of you.

Going Undercover

The modern bra has been around since the 19th century but most women are wearing it incorrectly. In fact, experts estimate that almost 90 percent of women are wearing the wrong size.

Almost no one is the size they think they are. You can get measured but, until you get fitted, you don’t know exactly what it is you need.  Sometimes women feel they’re embarrassed or ashamed to go for a fitting, so they go years and years wearing the wrong size.  If you’re going to have balance in your body, your breasts need to be up and at ’em -no matter what size you are. Most stores sell a certain range of sizes, and usually carry bras up to size D or DD. Some department stores and specialized boutiques carry a larger variety and more sizes.

The Dirty Secret of Exercise Pants

Women have a dirty secret: Their exercise pants might look good, but they don’t smell good. A spin cycle of odor blame surrounds the surging popularity of athleisure apparel. These garments have synthetic fabric that quickly wicks away sweat, making it comfortable to wear during a workout and then to lunch and maybe even dinner. But, the fabric also makes it difficult to keep them from stinking.

Mission of Mercy

I recently spent some time in San Diego attending my nephew’s graduation from the Naval Medical Center in Balboa Park.  He has really achieved so much in such a short span of time – coming up on his 29^th birthday he is an accomplished Doctor in the Navy practicing Internal Medicine.  Whenever he is put in a “Doctor situation” I am always amazed at the wisdom and compassion that he exhibits for someone of his age.

Wearing Flip-Flops Without Ruining Your Feet

Face it: Flip-flops rock. They keep your feet cool, they're easy to throw on, and they come in a zillion colors and styles that just about anyone can love. They're casual and chic all at once. They're fun. They're friendly.

They're also pretty terrible for your feet.

Yes - it's time for new sneakers

As fall approaches, it’s time to take stock of your fitness footwear.  If you are like me, you have shoes for every activity:  Spin, Zumba, cross-trainers and running shoes.   Sometime we lose track of how long we have actually had these shoes.  You should really replace your sneakers every 6 to 12 months (absolute maximum).  They might look fine outside but remember the insides breaks down and that’s the part you don’t see.   Then the shoe loses its structure and support.

Wrinkles 101 - Targeted Anti-Aging

Those crinkles start innocently enough:  you smile and they appear at the corners of your eyes. Then, seemingly overnight, they stick around long after you stop smiling.  Soon their friends show up – all across your forehead.  You are coming face-to-face with your aging face.  So join the club!  It is possible to fight back.  Read on for a timeline of how your skin ages, plus specific strategies that will shave off the years.

How fattening is your cocktail?

It's misleading to watch fictional characters like Don Draper and James Bond blithely consume drink after drink with seemingly no effect on their enviable abdomens. The truth is that a cocktail can pack just as many calories as a doughnut. Still, not all are equally bad for you—a few aren't much worse than, say, a piece of fruit (hint: your best bet is straight booze on the rocks). Below, we calculated the calorie content for 20 common cocktails—from the diet-friendly Mojito to the fun-but-fattening Mai Tai. Using standard drinks recipes employed by New York City cocktail bars, we broke down the calories per spirit, fruit juice, and liqueur and crunched the numbers. It just might be enough to make you choose more wisely.

We All Scream for Ice Cream

Now that the weather is warm, it's the perfect time for ice cream. What's better than a scoop on a hot summer day? A free scoop, of course. Several ice cream -- and frozen yogurt -- shops offer freebies throughout the year. Some require you to join a club and sign up for e-mail alerts, but others simply give it away.

An Officer and a Gentleman

So, you ask, what is this handsome Richard Gere lookalike doing on Pilates Fit Tips???? Well he is fit, he is an Officer and he is definitely a gentleman.  I am posing with my nephew, James Dominic Haddad, who deserves a shout out after his graduation last Friday.  Best wishes to James and his fellow graduates of Temple University School of Medicine.  James had the honor of receiving  awards from the Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Society and the Gold Humanism Honor Society.  FYI, that means he is pretty smart LOL.   

Spring Potpourri

Tips for Sweeter Sleep

We all lose an hour of sleep when we turn our clocks forward. Did you know that adults need seven to eight hours of sleep nightly? There is truth to the phrase, “Sleep on it.” Studies show that people learn better when they sleep well. An adequate amount of sleep is beneficial for your cardiovascular health as demonstrated by nighttime dips in blood pressure. Sleep can also lower your risk of depression. How can we get the best sleep? Avoid alcohol, lights and caffeine (it can take as long as six to eight hours for the effects of caffeine to wear off completely); environments that are too hot or too cold; and sleeping with pets—all can disrupt your sleep:(

A potpourri of interesting things.......

When I read these I thought, "mmmmm -- quite interesting".  So I had to share and pass them on to you.  You will just breeze by some of them and others will definitely get your attention.  Enjoy!

Frugal Fun Ideas for Labor Day

It's the perfect end to summer and transition into fall -- Labor Day is that one day out of the year we can celebrate our labors. Squeeze the most out of the last carefree days of summer sun by doing something fun and frugal with the family.  Here are some ideas to get you started............

Some interesting things you should know

If you are right handed, chances are you will tend to chew your food on your right side and, vice versa.

Your tongue is germ free only if it is pink.  If it is white, there is a thin film of bacteria on it.

Every Pilates move works the entire body – think about it!