Blog Posts by Lucy Danziger, True to my SELF, SELF Magazine

[Ed note: Meet Lucy, the Editor-in-Chief of SELF magazine, a mom of two and a woman who is taking the plunge into surfing. I think you're going to love the spirit, commitment and courage Lucy describes here as she paddles out to deeper waters on her family vacation adventure. And don't these pics make you want to book a trip to Costa Rica immediately?!]

Fun, rustic, mountainous rain forest and ocean beaches that stretch forever and are totally uncrowded. I found out two things about myself: One is I am happiest when moving, not sitting. I find it meditative to hike in the lush green surroundings, among wild animals like monkeys and all sorts of colorful birds, and jog along a beach or...drum roll: surf!

The second, related fact is that I am a sea creature, like the ones that emerged from the primordial ooze. (Perhaps this means I haven't evolved, but I like to think it means I am a natural being. We all are.) I read a study about how the air near the ocean is slightly different,

Read More »from Costa Rica...Learning to surf

Saw Rocco DiSpirito in the Bertolli ad during the Oscars and thought: He didn't get that fit being a pasta lover. He is a triathlete-he's been training in Central Park with a coach I worked with last summer, and in fact showed up at one of our group workouts. Didn't recognize him from the days of The Restaurant and being on the air as a chef. He is truly fit, to the point of looking more like a pro athlete. Just shows that you can change your body and it doesn't take that much time. Though I don't know Rocco's workouts, I can only imagine he's cross-training, as I am, and that is how you really change your body.

For me the workouts are simple: a toggle switch of Spinning and running, and here is my schedule:

Tues, Thurs, Sat: SPIN
Sun, Mon, Wed: RUN

Because one day or another I always end up needing a day off, I generally get one, either because of travel or an early meeting or some other engagement (such as a TV appearance), and I chill on those days. Sometimes, if

Read More »from Pasta vs. push-ups

I get the Athleta catalog in the mail and look through it for fun and to get inspired for summer. I actually drool over all the fitness-inspired fashions: the tankinis and the cover-ups, the dresses made of swimsuit fabric (which dries quickly) and the skirts to wear over bikinis to the beach as a way of looking sporty and cute, and being covered up. The sporty clothes and the beachy, surfer-girl, relaxed vibe, all makes this catalog my spring-fever stoker. I just want to be that girl, in those clothes, on that beach, contemplating the waves and feeling the gritty sand under my feet. It's a fantasy, but I can buy one or two of the items and prolong the presummer anticipation, and practically smell the beach scent already.

Check out the Bohemian tank and the Five Palms Rashguard, the Surf Side Kurta cover-up and the Sunset dress that is easy to throw over a suit when you're doing errands after a day at the beach. The Coastal Kaftan makes me want to hop a yacht and go sailing. Want toRead More »from The Athleta Catalog

Not long ago I told you how I wanted, originally, to get in better shape to do better at my sport (triathlon), and then I lost twice as much weight as I'd set out to lose (about 20 pounds), and that I was looking forward to race season.

Well the true season isn't till summer, but I ran a little warm-up race yesterday, a 3 miler that scoots north of the Armory at 168th and Fort Washington, dusts the southern edge of the Cloisters and loops back to the start. Just 3.1 miles but it feels like a mini New York Marathon, because at every half mile there's a band. And whether it's the salsa and steel drummers, the marching band from the local high school in their uniforms, the cheerleaders with pom-poms or the Irish bagpipers, the whole thing is a total blast. It's called Coogan's Salsa, Blues and Shamrocks 5K Run, and I think it started out of a bar by that name in the neighborhood. It's been run for 10 years and I've been in it about three of the past four, but yesterday was by far

Read More »from Who Knew It Would Really Work

I know that a great blogger is supposed to post all the time and I apologize that my posts are intermittent. Doing my best, but this has been a busy week.

Here are a couple sample days:

Monday up at 6 to run, was at my first appointment at 7:45, and made it to the office by 8:30 before racing off to the American Society of Magazine Editors to help oversee the judging of the online categories in the coveted awards the editors try to win each year. Then back to the office for lunch with my boss, then another stint at ASME till about 5:30, at which point I zoomed back to the SELF offices for the purpose of reading pages that are shipping to the printer. These pages will make up the huge, gorgeous and inspiring May issue, packed with photography and stories that remind me that summer is coming. It's our biggest issue ever and there are pages and pages of SELF's informative and motivational editorial content to read, edit, review. I am so proud of it and of the amazing team that put

Read More »from New Biggest and Bests...Busy!