Aging Beautifully

One thing I have realized as I've gotten (a-hem) older ;) is how I eat and what I eat really matter. I've learned that I'm not really ready to give up all my favorite foods. So, I've made it my responsibility to research and learn from others how to make healthier versions of all my favorite things.  I'm such a foodie! Here are a few of my go-to faves!  First things first--I LOVE BREAD! As I began aging and noticed the pounds don't shed as readily like they used to, I honestly thought "There goes bread!" But NOT SO! I've learned to make my own bread in different grain combinations which I mill fresh the day of baking. And my favorite way to have bread is of course warm out of the oven with cold-pressed olive oil.  My secret in keeping my portions under control (it's HARD to control myself with bread--just gonna put that out there) is with mini loaves and single rolls. If you want to know more about portion control and learn my method of perfect

{sing to the tune of Fresh Prince of Bel-Air} ♭♭♮♯🎵🎵Now this is a story all about how my life got flipped-turned upside down, And I'd like to take a minute, Just sit right there, I'll tell you how I decided to re-decorate with flair. In New Jersey is where I was raised, Looking through magazines was where I spent most of my days,  Chillin' out maxin' relaxin' all cool, I was working on a home economics project for school, When a couple of guys in my group were up to no good, Started making trouble and challenged me to create the best decorating project I could, I got in one little scissor fight and my teacher got scared, She said "Lisa, you lead this group--you're the best prepared!" ♭♮🎵🎵 OK LOL that's a bit far fetched but seriously, who else's "life got flipped-turned upside down" over the last couple months with the "COVID-19 Quarantine"? This quarantine has taught me many things! Many positives came from this ti

I know this is NOT an important topic in the face of what individuals and families are in the midst of with the current COVID19 pandemic. With that said, there's a certain sense of feeling like we may need a temporary "pick-me-up" as women when it comes to appearance. After spending a WHOLE LOT of time in my pajamas lately (more than I'd like to admit), it feels good to throw on a little makeup and spruce up my hair and nails. In my corresponding YouTube video here , I give you a VERY SIMPLE step-by-step demo on how to keep those grays from getting out of control until we are able to get back out into the salon. My secret weapons to get these "fresh hair" results can be found at www.crunchi.com/lisadudash  As far as freshening up your nails (if they are like mine and in desperate need of a fill-in), the FIRST STEP is to file down the top coat of polish on your nails, clip and shape as desired. Then the SECOND STEP is to choose a non-toxic nai

Ok, ok, ok....."true confession" time ;) Here are a couple facts about me that hurdled me headlong into navigating how in the world do I support my body during this chapter of my life? #1 I never expected to go through menopause at age 47. I thought I had a good 10 years left of my perimenopause years (Actually, I'm very thankful perimenopause did NOT last that long. In my experience, perimenopause was MUCH worse than menopause is for me and I think it's all because of what I am going to share with you. #2 Because I never really gave much thought to what I was putting into my body until I was forced to at age 35 (more about my 6-year run with doctors every 3 months in another blog post)--but let's just say that I thought I could live on Ramen Noodles, Chinese take-out (Mu-Shu Pork can be addicting--just sayin'), and chocolate frosted Entemann's doughnuts (do they even make those anymore?) during both of my pregnancies and beyond while plopping myself d

If you enjoy shopping with your girlfriends while sipping on some coffee or shopping while in your comfy pajamas on the couch, this post is for you--If you love a great deal while shopping, then you won't want to skip a word! Maybe it's the "thrill of the hunt", but my preferred way to score those designer handbags, dresses and shoes (even jewelry) is on consignment or by thrift store hopping. You will also see me in the big box stores in the "clearance" section and also supporting my girlfriends who sell amazing high quality clothing and accessories at affordable prices online.  Most of these women are your neighbors, coworkers, children’s teachers, etc. But how do you know you're getting authentic good quality (even luxury items) at the very best price? Read on.... First, you might enjoy a little "thrifting trivia". The word "THRIFT" originated from the word "THRIVE"--(No wonder I like it so much!) Here's a qu

Honestly, I COULD NOT wait to write this post and have a chance to share my Barre class experience with you here in this video  . In the video, you may have heard me say that I made the transition to Barre. Well, to give you a little background: as a young girl middle school through high school, I was IN LOVE with dance! My favorite was Jazz-Ballet. I grew up just outside of Atlantic City where I had a dance instructor who was a leading star on stage at one of the casinos in Atlantic City. Then I moved further north closer to New York City and continued my dance classes with some friends. I loved it so much that I decided this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Well, that dream didn't grab hold of me. This was mostly because it was time for college and I decided on switching up my career (more on that in another blog post). All that to say as an almost-49-year-old-girl-at-heart, Barre class is "MY ADULT VERSION OF MY DREAM" ;) where I get to plie, pirouett