So my 21 day meditation challenge started off great… until Day 5 when I went to New York City with friends. Then I fell off the cliff and never went back. I am not giving up though. Now I am thinking of checking out Calm.com. The website offers 2, 10 or 20 minute free guided meditations to the sounds of forest rains, lapping tides or chirping birds, etc. (your choice) as a very soothing voice guides you through a series of breathing and visualization exercises. The iPhone App offers free meditations or premium content for $3.99.
According to PureWow, “thanks to Calm.com, meditation can be as easy as popping on your headphones and sitting at your desk.” Maybe even I can do it and stick with it?!
Are you manipulated by Marketers? No? Check this out: 
According to this post on Ezra Klein’s Wonkblog Sarah Kliff called “Want to sell a candy bar as healthy? Use a green label” and this study in Health Communication, more people perceive the candy bar with the green label as healthier.
“Schudlt came up with two other labels that replaced the green color with a red one. He then ask study participants, viewing the two different colors, how healthy they thought this candy bar was compared to other offerings. On a scale of 1 to 9, the candy bars with a green label ranked as healthier than those with a red label, despite all other data (the picture, the nutrition information) being held constant.
“A candy bar was perceived as healthier when it bore a green front-of-package calorie label than when it bore a red calorie label, despite the labels displaying the same calorie information,” he writes. Although the choice of green labels over white or any other color may appear to be a purely aesthetic one, the present results suggest that green labels carry a health halo that encourages consumers to see a relatively poor nutrition food (a candy bar) as healthier than they otherwise would.”
Something to think about next time you see a green label in the grocery store.“
Check out some labels and see if this holds true for you! Thanks to Don for sending this one along. Definitely something to chew on – pun intended.Here is some more cool stuff from Strong Inside Out: Rowve Bags and The Jump For Joy Project. Learn more about these awesome women and their projects HERE.
Want to be a part of Amy’s story moving forward? Check out her 30×30 Project tour dates. If you are in Chicago, she will be teaching a free bootcamp class at 6:30 PM on 4/4 at Lululemon on Rust Street followed by a meet-up at Tempo Cafe. More information can be found HERE.Despite hiding out and trying to avoid being the butt of April Fool’s jokes, I found some good deals!
> Best April Fool’s “deal” from Zozi:
> Get 30% off on great exercise gear from Ellie with the code GOSPRING.
> Hey Chicago Runners – Fleet Feet Chicago has buy one get one free on Swiftwick socks (which are awesome!) until 4/19 if you mention seeing it on their blog post.
> More good stuff from Gilt City!
National:
– Last Day for BLISS! Check out deals at Bliss spas in NYC, Chicago, LA, San Fran, Atlanta, Scottsdale, Boston, Dallas and South Beach. Extra savings for new customers!
In Chicago:
– Save 46% off dinner for 6 in your home cooked by a local chef from Kitchit! (I may need to find an excuse for a dinner party!)
– But first save over 50% on housecleaning from HomeJoy (They get good ratings on Yelp!)
In NYC:
– (Andrea L – this is for you!) Pay $25 for a $50 credit to use during the Elie Tahari sample sale, April 12–21, 2013. Get up to 70% off women’s collection, men’s collection, accessories, shoes and handbags
– Check out awesome deals on cycling classes from Pablo Fitness in Midtown
> Bloomspot has some great stuff this week, too!
– Pay $20 for $40 of all natural beauty products from Yes to Carrots. $5 shipping is extra.
– Pay $25 for $50 credit for fun accessories by Alex and Ani.
In Chicago:
– Get 50% off on crepe, paste or creme brulee/dessert classes at Flip Crepes for 1 or 2 people. (You can read Rachel’s very funny and generally favorable guest post and review HERE.)
In NYC
– Last day to save 55% to 65% on hot stone or aromatic massages and facials at Supple Spa in the Flatiron District.
