About

The Blog

Smile out loud–that’s an order, not an option! Smile as though your happiest moment is right now. Smile like you are glowing from the inside to the outside. Most importantly, smile because you mean it.

Smile Out Loud (SOL) is a space to share my endeavor to live a vibrant life that is, not coincidentally, also healthy and active. You are an important part of making that happen, so please feel free to share your ideas, reflections, and inspirations with us all on SOL. I love to read your comments!

If our lives could have more peace, more enjoyment, and more energy, why settle for what we already have? We deserve to give ourselves so much more. So try it, right now–smile out loud. Show your joy to the people around you and it will spread. That’s what it’s all about, right? 😀

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Life

My titles: yogini. runner. gourmet microwave chef. blissologist. body image warrior. lululemon diehard. Jack Bauer wannabe. transcendence in training. flipflop lover. food/yoga blog devotee. violinist. beach girl (Massachusetts). city girl (Manhattan). ex-ballerina. feminist/equalist/Amazon? (why not). Whole Foods addict. green tea freak. Unitarian Universalist. pink peony enthusiast. stock market extraordinaire (I’m working on it). scrabble buff (I wish).

Or, to elaborate, my name is Rachel, I am a 20 year old college student in New York, NY, and SOL is a snapshot of what’s running through my mind. Basically, I am willing to try anything when it comes to attaining a sound mind and a sound body. Ya, I’m pretty much Indiana Jones 😀
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Food

To be honest,  I love ice cream as much as the next guy, if not more 😀 Generally, though, I stick to a low-fat, high-protein, non-processed diet. Vegetarian and vegan are too strict for me (Give up shrimp? You’ve got to be kidding me!), but the vast majority of foods on SOL are vegan-friendly. It’s not that I am anti-animal… just more pro-plant. I may eventually go vegan, but I consider that to be a long process. For now, my personal guidelines are:

1. Eat mostly whole foods, especially green stuff, everyday.
2. Eat as much as your body needs, and no more.
3. Drink a lot, lot, lot of water, even if it means people start comparing you to a mermaid 😀

Finally, I do not like to waste time, so all SOL recipes will be *quick* (total prep and cook time = less than 10 minutes).

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Yoga

I practice vinyasa and bikram. I started yoga two years ago to relieve my muscles from running, but now I’d rather do yoga than run! I love taking advantage of classes that are outdoor, candlelit, or at lululemon 😀 When I cannot attend class, I follow yoga to the people podcasts (awesome music!).

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Quotes

Everyday, I read things, I hear things, and I see things that I want to remember and share. As for now:

• Begin here
• Begin now.
• Begin as you are.
• Begin by doing what you can.
• Begin with those who are closest to you.
• Begin by looking for new questions.
• Begin with little regard for where your path may lead.

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Contact

You can reach me anytime at smileoutloud.wordpress@gmail.com with questions, comments, or inquiries. I hope you like SOL. Thank you so much for reading 😀