Tips For Fitness Success

Whether you’re following a routine for the first time (or for the first time in a long time) or just refocusing your efforts in the New Year, here are some of my favorite tips on what to keep in mind as you get started. These tips will help you stick with it when you’re feeling grumpy or tired or frustrated or hungry.

DO: BEFORE YOU START, LOG YOUR WEIGHT, YOUR MEASUREMENTS, AND TAKE YOUR PHOTOS.
DON’T: FREAK OUT OVER WHAT YOU SEE.

No one likes their Day 1 photos or measurements. But, by capturing all of the basic information (how much you weigh, how big your waist is, what you look like shirtless or in a bikini), you’ll establish a starting place. Then, when you take down all this information again (we usually recommend taking them every 30 days), you’ll see how much you’ve changed.

“I can’t tell you how many times one of our Success Stories has told me that their ‘before’ picture on the fridge saved them at some point along the way,” says Steve Edwards, Beachbody’s VP of Fitness & Nutrition.


Need some motivation and adivce for how to take your photos and measurements? Check out these videos:


How to take your Before & After Measurements


How to take your Before & After Photos

DO: WEIGH YOURSELF ONCE OR EVERY OTHER WEEK
DON’T: WEIGH YOURSELF EVERY DAY

Your weight can fluctuate every day based on how much sodium you consumed the day before, how much you sweated during your workout, whether you went to the bathroom, what time of the month it is, etc.

If you’re the type who could get discouraged from seeing your weight go up a pound or two (or more) in 24 hours, then I recommend weighing in approximately the same time each week. It’ll give you a better overall sense of the trend your weight is heading in. Just keep in mind you might gain a few pounds during the first few weeks of beginning a program. We explain why – and when you should see the numbers drop – here.

DO: EAT FOR THE BODY YOU WANT – NOT THE ONE YOU HAVE
DON’T: CUT OUT ALL OF YOUR FAVORITE FOODS

If you really want to be miserable and set yourself up for failure, cut out everything you like to eat. If your diet is really bad, a lot of stuff you like might have to go. Soda, fried food, super sugary coffee drinks…Think of this new journey as a boot camp. You’re training for the body you’ve always wanted. So feed that body with the food it needs. Lean proteins, complex carbs, and lots of nutrient-packed vegetables.

Think about your diet as an 80/20 split. 80% of the time, eat “clean.” The other 20% of the time, don’t stress about it. If you really want that beer or that cookie, have it. One cookie or one beer, isn’t going to be your downfall. If you need help tuning up your diet, consider joining one of our health programs

DO: PLAN YOUR MEALS AND ORGANIZE YOUR KITCHEN
DON’T: WAIT UNTIL THE DAY OF TO FIGURE IT OUT.

By planning your meals, you make it easier to eat healthier because you don’t have to think about it every day. You just grab your breakfast and/or your lunch and go.

DO: PUSH THROUGH THE SORENESS
DON’T: PUSH YOURSELF TO THE POINT OF INJURY

Whenever I start a new fitness program, I assume I’m going to be sore for the first two weeks. Even if the soreness doesn’t last that long, it helps my mind get in the right zone. Soreness is a right of passage, but it’s still difficult to deal with. Don’t go 100% on day one, and ramp things up each day based on how you feel. If you do get sore, back off but don’t stop. Doing a workout at 50% is a lot better than nothing. It will also help your soreness fade quicker.

DO: EXPECT TO BE A LITTLE HUNGRY AND MAYBE A LITTLE GRUMPY IN THE BEGINNING.
DON’T: FALL BACK INTO OLD BAD HABITS.

No matter what change you’re making – whether it’s a new fitness routine or a cross-country move – there are bound to be growing pains. Change is uncomfortable. Prepare to feel a little out of sorts – you might be hungry, you might feel sore, you might be a little grumpy in response – and it’s more likely you’ll have an easier transition into your new lifestyle. Soreness and hunger go hand in hand. When you’re sore you’re broken down and that incites hunger to repair your body. They’ll subside together. To speed things up, consider targeted nutrition or supplementation. The right food and the right time will minimize your desire to over eat.

DO: FOLLOW YOUR WORKOUT CALENDAR
DON’T: DON’T WAIT UNTIL MONDAY TO START AGAIN IF YOU MISS A WORKOUT.

If you missed a workout because of sickness or travel or you just didn’t feel like doing it, don’t worry. Just get back to it.

DO: GET BACK ON PROGRAM IF YOU FALL OFF.
DON’T: DON’T BEAT YOURSELF UP, FEEL LIKE YOU’VE FAILED, OR WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT DAY/WEEK/MONTH TO START OVER.

No one is perfect. Not me, not you, and not our trainers. Everyone has an unhealthy meal sometimes or misses a workout. Don’t let that define your day, your week, or your month. Just get right back on track. You’re on a journey and along the way, there are going to be a few misses. If you pick yourself right back up and keep going, you’ll get there.

DO: SHARE WHAT YOU’RE DOING AND FIND PEOPLE WHO WILL KEEP YOU ACCOUNTABLE
DON’T: LISTEN TO THE HATERS.

If you share what you’re doing with those around you, there’s a greater likelihood you’ll succeed because you’re creating a social support system that you’re accountable to. There might be people who pooh-pooh your journey, but ignore them. They have their reasons for doing so (usually the reasons stem from jealousy or fear), so just stay positive and reach out to your support system when you need help. We’re here for you, so don’t hesitate to reach out!

In fact, we have an on-going support group for people who've done a program with us that you can interact with on a daily basis to help keep you feeling motivated and posiitve

HERE’S WHERE TO GET EVEN MORE SUPPORT DURING YOUR JOURNEY.

* If you have questions for our fitness and nutrition experts, schedule a consultation so you can get some one-on-one support, all first time clients get a FREE 30 minute phone consultation to find out if working with us is right for you

* If you need more peer support, consider joining our next health and fitness challenge to be a part of a group of others working on their fitness journey. You get access to our nutrition expert as well as our private online support group.

* Josey Fish Fitness can also be sound on our social channels on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram* If you need a little extra motivation that day, tag me in your photo on Instagram (I’m @JoseyFishHealth).


Good luck and I can’t wait to see your after photos!

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No-bake Protein Brownies

The classic flavors of chocolate and peanut butter (or any nut butter of your choice) meld together in this brownie-like treat.

Total Time: 3 hrs., 10 min.
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cooking Time: None
Yield: 8 servings, 1 bar each

Ingredients:
1 scoop Vegan Chocolate Shakeology
½ cup gluten-free old-fashioned rolled oats
1 scoop Vega Sport Protein Powder, Chocolate. Vanilla, or Mocha Flavor
½ cup organic nut butter of choice
½ ripe medium banana, mashed
Nonstick cooking spray

Preparation:
1. Combine Shakeology, oats, and Vega Protein Powder in a large bowl; mix well.
2. Add nut butter and banana; mix well with a spatula or clean hands.
3. Place in an 8 x 8-inch pan that is lightly coated with spray. Cover with plastic wrap and press down to flatten into pan. Freeze for 3 hours.
4. Cut into 8 bars.

Remember to keep track of your macros if you are counting!

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Music May Help Your Exercise Results

Music May Help Your Exercise Results because it has a very powerful effect on the brain. Studies have found that certain songs can stimulate memory and emotions. The studies have also found that both  reactions may also be directly linked to the lyrics.

If music can make you feel certain emotions, is it possible that Music May Help Your Exercise Results? Absolutely! 

A study done at Fairleigh Dickinson University followed a group of moderately obese women for six months. Half could choose their music when working out, and half could not listen to music. The women that listened to music lost an average of 16 pounds, and were much more likely to adhere to their workouts. The women who could not listen to music lost an average of 8 pounds, and were only 68% (as compared to 98%) adherent to their exercise routine. Though the numbers aren’t dramatic, the results are still significant.

From this study you can say Music May Help Your Exercise Results. We also may say that music is effective at distracting the participants from the negative elements of exercise, such as muscle fatigue, heavy breathing, and sweating. Music also helps the time go by. Since music is typically associated as pleasurable, listening to music when you exercise may stimulate the brain onto pleasurable thoughts.

Another study, published in the Scandinavian journal of medicine and science in sports, studied a small group of male cyclists and found that the degree of effort they exerted correlated with the speed of the music to which they listened. You may have noticed this when you are taking a spin class, or biking and running outside.

The correct Music May Help Your Exercise Results by setting the pace, and making you push yourself a little harder without even noticing.

Since Music May Help Your Exercise Results, here are some music suggestions when doing cardio, lifting weights, or practicing yoga.

CARDIO EXERCISE

Brunel University professor Dr. Coastas Karageoghis discovered that when runners listened to music they liked, their performance increased up to 15%.

What type of Music May Help Your Exercise Results when doing cardio? 

Cyclers could start with songs with 100–120 beats per minute (bpm). Runners could start with songs 150–170 bpm depending on your pace. Dial the tempo up or down to find what works best for you. That is why CIZE It Up is such a great program. You are exercising and don’t even really think about it because of the music and the moves. Your brain is engaged and you are moving and grooving.

WEIGHT LIFTING

When weight lifting you want music that’s more intense and invigorating. Another key factor in your choice is to choose music with lyrics that get you and keep you pumped up. A study from York St. John University found that when listening to music with uplifting lyrics, participants were able to hold a 2.4-lb. weight out in front of them for 10% longer. P90X and other weight training programs often have music that is set to 128 bpm. This type of music will keep you in a rhythm for lifting.  You also don’t want music that is too fast either. This could cause you to move too quickly, and the distraction could cause injury.

STRETCHING, BALANCE WORK, AND YOGA

Cool downs or programs like yoga call for slower music. This more moderate rate allows the heart rate to sync with the body for proper stretching. When you are trying to relax, you want to decrease the amount of beats in the music below 120 bpm. When doing meditative type yoga or stretching, you want to bring it down even more and use songs that are between 60–90 bpm.

No matter what songs, genres, decade, or source of music you select, just remember Music May Help Your Exercise Results if you choose well. So find your favorite songs that fit each style of exercise and bring on better results

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Gingerbread Protein Pancakes

There are few things better than waking up to the smell of pancakes on a wintry morning. But, when you’re trying to get fit, pancakes are rarely on the menu. That’s why you see so many Protein Pancake recipes like this one. They’re light and fluffy like regular pancakes, but thanks to the addition of whey protein, they also pack a high-protein punch. And, since they’re made without wheat, they’re gluten-friendly too.

The spice mix of cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg creates more than you’ll use in the pancake batter, but you can save it in an airtight container and use it on top of oatmeal or in a smoothie to infuse it with that classic gingerbread flavor.

Gingerbread Protein Pancakes

Total Time: 20 min.
Prep Time: 5 min.
Cooking Time: 15 min.
Yield: Makes 3 servings, 2 pancakes each

Ingredients:
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 pinch ground cloves
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I use either Shakeology or Vega Sport in my recipes)
⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt
4 large egg whites (½ cup)
¼ cup gluten free old-fashioned rolled oats
2 Tbsp. coconut flour
1 tsp. spice mix (see below)
½ tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. blackstrap molasses
Nonstick cooking spray
¼ medium pear, cut into bite-sized chunks (optional)

Preparation:
1. To make spice mix, combine cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg in a small bowl; mix well. Set aside.
2. Combine protein powder, yogurt, egg whites, oats, coconut flour, 1 tsp. spice mix, baking powder, and molasses in a medium bowl; mix well.
3. Heat large nonstick skillet lightly coated with spray over medium heat.
4. Ladle about ¼ cup batter for each pancake; cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until bubbles form on top. Flip. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.
5. Repeat until all batter is used.
6. Serve two pancakes topped with pear, if desired; serve immediately.

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5 Easy Fixes to Keep You on Track with Nutrition

The average length of time that people actually stay on a healthy nutrition plan with making 5 Easy Fixes to Keep You On Track with Nutrition is about 19 days. By day five, about two-thirds of people have already cheated.


Whatever the time frame, whether five minutes or five weeks, the point is many people have a hard time sticking to healthy nutrition plan. Why is sticking with a healthy nutrition plan so hard? More importantly, what can you do about it? You actually can do a lot. Here are 5 Easy Fixes to Keep You on Track with Nutrition to keep you choosing healthy nutrition more often than not.

1. Make Your Nutrition Plan Fit Your Lifestyle:

People often look at changing their nutrition as a point A to point B venture. The thing is, it is not this way. Changing your nutrition is about adopting a plan that fits your lifestyle. You have to develop a plan that fits the time you have to spend on meal prep, not have too many restrictions.

Rather than trying the latest “diet fad”, focus developing a nutritional lifestyle change that can truly be long term. If you don’t have time to cook or don’t enjoy it, seek out recipes that are quick and easy, and learn how to look for healthy options that you can enjoy when at restaurants, use a balanced nutrition plan that is easy like the Portion Fix Nutrition Plan, or seek assistance from a nutrition specialist.

2. Be Realistic with Your Expectations:

Don’t set high expectations for your weight loss when you are just starting to make nutritional changes. Remember that healthy weight loss is 1-2 pounds per week (with no cheating or missteps in your nutrition) and getting 45 minutes of exercise daily. So be real with your expectations.

Recognize that you’re just starting to establish healthy new habits. It’s natural to slip once in a while, and that’s okay. Be realistic and know that a diet slip doesn’t have to mean diet fail and just giving up altogether. Learn from your mistakes and move forward.

3. Change Your Environment:

Your environment has the biggest effect on your eating. Think about what you keep in your refrigerator, freezer and cupboards, snacks that are stashed in your desk, or the fast food places you pass on your commute every day. Temptations are all around if you are not taking charge of your environment.

Clear tempting, high-calorie foods out of your house. Rather than a jar of candy on your desk or a bag of cookies on your kitchen counter, put out some fresh fruit or healthy protein snack bars. Cut up some fresh veggies and put them in a highly visible spot in your refrigerator. Stock your freezer and pantry with healthy staples. Out of sight, out of mind. If the only thing you can grab when you are hungry is healthy food, then that is what you will eat. Change your commute route so you don’t have as many fast food places to pass. This is truly changing your environment.

4. Eat Regular Meals and Snacks:

Most people think the quickest way to lose weight is to eat as little as possible. WRONG! Skipping meals and snacks leaves you hungry, tired and cranky. Deprivation also triggers sugar and caffeine cravings and people tend to overeat at the meals they do consume.

Establish a regular eating pattern to keep from getting overly hungry. The best plan is to eat every 3-4 hours. This equates to three meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), plus mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks. This pattern makes it easier to control your portions and teaches you to eat just enough versus overeating. Though this doesn't mean you have to make yourself eat every few hours either, but it's good to plan to have healthy snacks around just in case you find yourself wanting them.

5. Only Eat for Hunger:

Don’t eat when you are emotional, tired, or bored. Eating for these reasons makes a negative brain connection that may carry over into other areas of life.

If you get emotional or bored and feel the need to eat, take a moment to stop, acknowledge the feelings you are having, and what you are doing. If you find yourself eating when you’re not really physically hungry be sure to track this in a log. This will help you overcome this habit. Secondly, find an alternative activity when you find this happening (i.e. go for a walk, dance, read a book, etc.). Plus, exercise is one of the best mood-lifters.

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Meal Prep for The Master’s Hammer and Chisel: Week 1 Plan B (1,500-1,799 calorie bracket)

Starting on January 4th, thousands of people will start The Master’s Hammer and Chisel together, and will support each other through the 60-day challenge on The Master’s Challenge Facebook group. And, as part of that group, you'll get exclusive tips from The Master’s Hammer and Chisel celebrity trainers Sagi Kalev and Autumn Calabrese! Don’t miss out! Click here to join the group.

While it’s crucial to give it your all during the workouts, it’s equally important to eat right if you want to lose fat and tone up or build muscle. Creating a weekly meal plan and prepping all your food for the week at once is a smart way to make sure you eat right every day. And it will save you a lot of time.

The team over at BeachBody created an awesome meal plan that happens to follow the calorie bracket that I'll be eating in, so I'm going to give it a go with a few small tweaks to suit my particular diet and needs. (You can see the original post here)

There are a few things in the meal plan that I don't eat (like eggs and dairy), and I wanted to add in Shakeology and the supplements that I take daily since a couple of them count as a part of the containers so it's important for me to add them in to my plan.

Namely, the fish oil I take counts as a daily teaspoon as does the coconut oil (or sometimes this raw coconut) that I like to put in my coffee in the morning, the brazil nuts I eat count as a part of a blue container (I eat 4/day for their selenium content), and I like to add in the Collagen Peptides to my Shakeology to boost the protein and help keep my hair, skin, and nails looking fab. I also substitute in the Vega Sport Protein for the red portion of the parfait instead of the yogurt found in the meal plan (again, I can't eat dairy). I also subbed in oats for the quinoa because I LOVE doing overnight oats because it's so easy.

The other recipes come from the nutrition guide that's a part of the program, so all the recipes can be found in there. I can't reproduce the recipes here...sorry! It's against copy write laws so if you want them you'll just have to buy the program :) 

According to the calculations I'd technically fall in the Plan A or 1,200-1,499 calorie bracket, but I've tried that bracket before when I did the 21 Day Fix and it is not enough food for me...or most people really. If you're doing the workouts daily you NEED to fuel your body properly. Doing the lowest bracket for three weeks is ok to see some results fast, but your body will quickly feel like it's in starvation mode and you'll stop seeing results and likely feel like crap.

The next bracket up leaves me feeling full all of the time (some days I can't finish all the food!!) and its the right amount of food to still see results. It's also the amount of calories I try to stick to the rest of my life, so doing it during a program is a great way to teach yourself how to properly portion your meals for everyday life.

If you want to loose fat (and you will, trust me!) then it's ok to do that plan for a little while, but listen to your body, do it for no more than three weeks, and go up a bracket when you need to. It might be a good idea to try going lower at the end of the program for a few weeks to shed the last few pounds if needed instead of starting out in the lowest bracket and running the risk of feeling hungry and tired.

Now on to the plan!

This is what my week will look like:

(You can click the photo or CLICK HERE to get a PDF version you can download)

I will use the portion containers that come with the program to measure out all of the foods in advance when I do my meal prep on Sunday.

Here's a shopping list to make life easy on you:

(You can click on the photo or CLICK HERE to get a PDF version to download)

P.S. I realized too late that I mis-spelled 'dry' before the quinoa in the shopping list...sorry!

A trick I use to save money is to buy frozen berries and frozen spinach for the smoothies, not only is it cheaper, but it saves room in your fridge, stuff is less likely to go bad, and you don't need to add ice to your smoothie to make it cold.

I hope this makes your life a bit easier if you're already doing the challenge, and if you're not hopefully this will inspire you to give it a try! 

As soon as you buy the program you get access to the workouts and program guide online so you don't have to wait for it to show up in the mail, you can get started right away.

Warning though, I've started the workouts already and they aren't for beginners, so you may want to go with the 21 Day Fix if you're just getting back in to exercise, this meal plan can be used for that program as well.

If you need to go up in calories from this plan, simply add more of each of the designated foods to each meal (and don't forget to buy more food at the store too!)

If you have any questions or want some support around making healthy lifestyle changes then make me your coach and then please get in touch so we can talk about your goals!

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Yoga Poses to Detox Your Body

Life gets crazy sometimes, and it can wear on us. If you notice that you are feeling tired and weighed down by stress, a lack of motivation for exercise, and are making poor food choices, it is time to think about giving your mind and body a reboot. This reboot doesn’t always have to come from a nutritional detox. It can come from a physical detox too.

What do we mean by physical detox? You can detox through yoga. Yoga Poses to Detox Your Body will leave you feeling cleaner on the inside and more energetic on the outside.

Try these Yoga Poses to Detox Your Body and see and feel the benefits for yourself.

Chair Pose

This is one of the Yoga Poses to Detox Your Body that most people can do with very little practice. Bring your feet either hip-width apart or together (depending on your comfort level). Bend your knees as if you are sitting on a chair. Make sure your knees are aligned with the center of your feet. Bring your hands together at the heart center and bring one elbow to the opposite knee, pressing your palms firmly together. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and open your chest wide.

Detox Benefits for Your Body: Improves the health of the spine and vertebrae, and also stimulates the liver, spleen, and digestive system to improve the elimination process.

Eagle Pose

For the Eagle Pose stand with your feet together and arms by your side. Draw your left foot upward, bending the knee as you lift it. Wrap the left foot around your right leg as you rest the back of your left thigh on the right thigh. Cross your arms at the elbows, left over right. Join the palms of your hands together keeping the fingers pointed upward. Inhale and hold the posture for the duration of the inhaled breath. Be sure to hold then release, and repeat on the other side.

Detox Benefits for Your Body: Besides that, it stretches the ankles and calves, thighs, hips, shoulders, and upper back, it creates deeper circulation which may help flush out the blood and lymph system.

Sage Twist Pose

Start by sitting on the floor with both legs straight in front of you. Bend your left leg towards your chest. Rotate your torso toward your left knee. Wrap your right arm around the left knee, positioning the knee in the crook of the right elbow. After holding the pose for 30-45 seconds, switch to the other side and repeat.

Detox Benefits for Your Body: Helps stimulate digestion and remove the impurities of the body. Also stimulates the kidney and liver for more blood flow to the organs.

Forearm Wheel

This move is a reclined position on your back. You then slowly press up, gently placing the crown of your head on the mat. Come onto your forearms one at a time both forearms on the mat. Slowly press up into a backbend, opening through your shoulders.

Detox Benefits for Your Body: Chest-opening exercises are wonderful to release stagnation and congestion in the body. This also can help activate your metabolism.

Eagle Headstand Pose

Begin this pose by kneeling on the floor. Lace your fingers together and set the forearms on the floor, elbows at shoulder width. Roll the upper arms slightly outward, but press the inner wrists firmly into the floor. Set the crown of your head on the floor. Inhale and lift your knees off the floor. Carefully walk your feet closer to your elbows, keep your heels elevated. Actively lift through the top of the thighs, forming an inverted “V.” Firm the shoulder blades against your back and lift them toward the tailbone so the front torso stays as long as possible. Exhale and lift your feet away from the floor. Take both feet up at the same time, even if it means bending your knees and hopping lightly off the floor. Place the right thigh over the left and either stay there in a half bind or wrap the foot around the calf in a full bind. Press the thighs into one another.

Detox Benefits for Your Body: Headstands typically improve cardiovascular functioning by reducing strain on the heart. This can help people suffering from a depressed immune system and allergies. It can also increase digestive fire and body heat, which can increase the function of the endocrine glands, especially the pineal and pituitary glands.

Shoulder Stand Pose

Begin by lying on the floor. Draw your legs back over the head, coming into a plow pose. Bring your hands to either side of the spine and slowly bend both of your knees and press your feet up into the air. Draw the belly toward the spine. Concentrate on your feet, and lower to plow on your way down and return to your first position.

Detox Benefits for Your Body: Inverted poses help drain accumulated lymph fluid from the legs and upper body. This pose helps the body be oxygenated and cleansed.

Some of the moves we mentioned are for beginners and some are advanced. We always recommend that you do some formal practice of these moves with a program so you obtain the greatest benefit while decreasing your chance for injury. Some great programs to look at are Tai Cheng and PiYo, as well as the yoga day offered in 21 Day Fix, P90X, P90X2, and P90X3. These programs offer the opportunity to learn and enjoy yoga, while allowing you to obtain the benefits from physical detox.

If you want to add a nutrition detox during your physical Detox, it is recommended to do the Ultimate Reset. This program is a comprehensive nutritional detox that detoxes your body down to the cellular level. Another option is to do a Three Day Kickstart to reset your system over a weekend.

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Tips to Leave the High Calorie Holidays Behind

Okay, the holidays are about over. It is time to leave the high-calorie holiday world behind. Here are Tips to Leave the High Calorie Holidays Behind and get back on track to fat loss and a healthy body.

These Tips to Leave the High Calorie Holidays Behind will help you get on the fast-track to results, but in a way you can use for the entire year as you implement all your health and fitness strategies to a healthier lifestyle.

Plan, Shop, and Prepare a Meal Plan

Plan, shop, and prepare is a MUST. I don’t just mean planning what you are going to eat for dinner. I mean planning what you are going to eat for every meal for the next 2 weeks.

Your schedule might go like this:

• Pre-exercise – Energize
• Breakfast – 2-3 eggs, 1 apple, Green Tea or coffee (if you do a post workout recovery drink use half an apple and only two eggs)
• Snack – 1 oz raw almonds, 1 pear, Green Tea or Shakeology
• Lunch – Grilled chicken, fish, or black beans with a spinach salad, onions, peppers, etc., a banana or bowl of cherries, 2 cups unsweetened iced tea with lemon
• Snack – Raw vegetables and hummus
• Dinner – Protein, vegetables and fruit… Steak, chicken or fish, a sweet potato, your favorite vegetables, and a bowl of your favorite fruit for dessert.

Once per week you can have a slightly larger meal of your favorite foods – whatever you want. Just remember there is NO binging or eating into a food coma.

Sticking to this for 14 days could cause weight loss of 5-11 pounds in 14 days.

Use High Intensity Workouts

You really have everything you need to get started. Most programs don’t need any equipment, or they need something as easy as a resistance band. Check out INSANITY Max30 for workouts that are only 30 minutes. Yes, done in 30 minutes.

Let nothing stand in the way of your workouts except real emergencies! Switching to High Intensity Workouts will burn more fat than the usual walking,  jogging, or elliptical sessions.

Be sure to check out On-Demand Fitness for the best workouts available for at home use.

Write Your Way to Fat Loss

Writing and journaling about what you are doing is good for the mind, body, and soul.

You must also carve out 15 minutes to write out two outcome goals and three process goals for the next 2 weeks. Write down EXACTLY what you want to accomplish for the outcome goals (i.e. lose 6 pounds), and then three process goals (action steps) so you can achieve your outcome goal (i.e. drink Shakeology each day, do all 21 Day Fix Workouts per the Calendar, and drink 10 cups of water each day).

Next write a letter to yourself how you will do these action goals every day or else. Each day before you start in your journal write the action goals for that day (i.e. drink my Shakeology, do 21 Day Fix Dirty 30, Drink 10 glasses of water). At the end of the day, journal how your day went, how the exercise and nutrition went, and whether you completed your goals.

Recruit an Accountability Partner

Research has shown that recording your nutrition in a food journal, and having someone review and or do it with you increases your chances of reaching your goals. A third study found that even having an accountability coach online increased your chances of success by 70%. This is why I'm dedicated to being your coach because I can help you reach your goals, and you can participate in a Challenge Groups to work with a group and get results faster.

Journal Check-In and Cheat Meal

When you have made it seven days and can truly go into your journal and say I accomplished seven days with success. You can have a cheat meal (meal, not day). Be honest. If you truly didn’t do what you needed to do, then be honest.

This cheat meal doesn’t mean gorging. It simply means having a normal meal of your favorite foods to give you a mental break from your plan. When the meal is over, don’t go back for seconds. Get right back on track.

Mental Performance Review

Since you will be reviewing your journal you may want to take a weekly Mental Performance Review. Write down all obstacles that are still in your way of success, and then develop two solutions that can help you overcome each of them. Get some help from your accountability partner, coach, or challenge group. The more you and your group shares solutions, the more weight loss you will all accomplish.  

Using these Tips to Leave the High Calorie Holidays Behind should be used on a two-week basis. Once you have completed two weeks’ review and start the process again. In the first two weeks if you use a coach, sound nutrition plan, and a high quality workout program, I bet you will lose 5-10 pounds of fat, have a good start on developing healthy habits that you could stick to for life.

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Day 24 Macro Meal Plan update

I'm starting to feel frustrated a bit.

Somedays I feel like I've made progress, my skin feel tighter, I don't feel like I have as much fat in certain areas, but then some of the major areas I'm trying to get at (my lat's) haven't changed at all.

My husband says he's noticed a difference mostly in my lower abdomen area, which is one of the areas I've been concerned about, so that's good, but I haven't seen any change in my numbers or in my photos.

I've been really good about tracking everything I eat in the MyFitnessPal app, but I think it's not the best way to do things...there are so many different options for the foods that who knows if I'm actually sticking to the macros laid out for me.

As far as workouts go, I've been very consistent with daily workouts, but not in the exact format given to me. I've typically been doing some kind of T25 workout for cardio, perhaps with the lifts worked in that I'm supposed to do, or I'll do them right after, and then take my dog for a walk.

Last night I started to feel like this whole thing was taking over my life and that it wasn't worth it, I was stressed and all I wanted was a glass of wine or something else to help me feel more calm, not the 20 more grams of protein I was supposed to eat.

If I'm being totally honest with myself, even though I've made lots of changes to how I eat, I haven't been following the plan as it was laid out for me, and I think it's why I'm not seeing the results I want.
I like doing two workouts in a day, if I have the time, but things have been so busy this time of year with work that in the evenings I always have something I have to do, so a second workout wasn't an option.

However this next week I have less to do and I'm going to focus more and get to following the designated meal plan instead of the DIY style I've been doing to see if it makes a difference.

As silly as it is, I feel like the meal prep containers would be really helpful to get me mentally prepared because then I wouldn't have to measure and portion everyday, but I have SO MANY containers that I can't justify buying more...and especially plastic ones...I hate plastic :(

So long story short, I haven't been sticking to the plan as much as I probably thought I was, so it's time to get back to it.

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Day 23 Macro Meal Plan Update

This past week has been tough.

Between all the Thanksgiving dinners and the family vacation I just went on I KNOW I've had more 'cheat' meals than I was supposed to, simply because I was eating out and had little control over what was in the food.
Each time I actually tried to stay as close to what I was supposed to be eating for the day as possible, sticking with lean protein options and veggies, but it's hard to really know what you're getting.

I've been great about getting in exercise most scheduled days as I was already habituated to it.

Typically I've been doing a T25 video in the morning for cardio, and if it works out well, doing the lifts I'm supposed to do for the day during the video or right afterwards.

Some days I've taken my dog for a short run and then done the lifts later in the day, and I actually really like this way of doing things, as does my dog :). However I have a hard time pushing myself when I run as I've had issues with my lungs in the past where I end up coughing blood when I push myself too hard, with no explanation available from doctors, but it never seems to happen when I'm doing any other kind of intense cardio (like T25!), so I tend to stick to that, or when I am on a run I give myself permission to stop and start as often as I feel I need to.

I also came across the idea of Rest Based Training from the Metabolic Effect people and really love the style of training. The concept is basically to Push until you can't, Rest until you can, so it ends up creating a personalized interval training style of cardio.

They are also big proponents of walking for an hour or more a day, especially if you can do it right after a workout that is more 'metabolic' in nature as they say it helps to circulate and burn up any of the stored fat that you may have just mobilized. It's also helpful for reducing stress levels, which I know is personally a HUGE factor for me when it comes to where I hold my extra body fat....stress is weak point for sure.

Overall I LOVE being able to do some cardio in the AM and then doing some heavier lifting in the PM as I feel the best during both workouts when I do it this way. It's hard to have energy for both the weights and the cardio in the AM if I'm doing them fasted, I find I'm not as strong for lifts and that's always annoying when I know I can lift more than I am. But having the time to workout twice a day is not always possible for me, so I do the best I can and try not to stress about it (because more stress isn't obviously not good!)

I've found the MyFitnessPal app to be the BEST thing ever for helping me track what I'm eating because at almost no point in time have I actually followed one of my designed days that was created for me, but I have tried to stay within the guidelines (my macros) created but I wonder if I've been doing it right. I've for sure reached 140g or more of Protein each day as I've been very intentional to do that (and it's way more protein than I've ever eaten before!), and typically I'm somewhere around 140g of Carbs, but I since the MyFitnessPal app makes you choose your macro % in increments of 5 for the free version, I've been ending up somewhere around 60g of Fat each day (I put in that I'm supposed to be eating 1700 calories/day) and I wonder if I"m not eating the correct ratios of the macros.

I wish there was a way for you to see my food journals on the app each day!

My goal for this next week is to prep according to the meal plan you gave me and NOT go off-roading like I have been and see how it changes things for me.

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Protein Gingerbread Balls

It’s easy to overindulge during the holidays with tempting treats like eggnog and gingerbread.

Luckily, you can create healthy recipes for all of your holiday favorites. These no-bake gingerbread balls are a surprisingly delicious way to enjoy the spiced flavor of gingerbread cookies. With only 58 calories per serving, these treats will satisfy your sweet tooth and keep you off Santa’s naughty list.




Yield: about 18 servings, 1 ball each

Ingredients:
¼ cup almond flour
¾ cup dry old-fashioned rolled oats, gluten-free
1 scoop Vanilla protein powder (I use either Shakeology or Vega Sport in my recipes)
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. ground cloves
1¼ cups pitted dates, packed

Preparation:
1. Place almond flour, oats, Shakeology, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves in a food processor; pulse until mixture is the consistency of flour.
2. Add half of dates; pulse until well blended.
3. Add remaining dates; pulse until mixture forms a uniform dough.
4. Shape dough into eighteen walnut-sized balls; place in airtight container.
5. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

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Thanksgiving Macro Counting (Day 11)

Super excited to check in today because even though yesterday was Thanksgiving I feel like I did really well staying on track. I got up in the morning, did some cardio and some lifting, then ate two small meals before leaving to go to the first dinner at 3pm.

The only things I could eat at the first dinner was the ham and the sauteed greens my sister had cooked, so it was easy enough to not over do it on all the different dishes. I had made my own dessert and put it in the MyFitnessPal app and calculated it out so I was able to keep pretty good track of what I was eating. I did end up have two glasses of some really good expensive scotch that my dad's friend had bought, so the no alcohol thing went down the tube, but it was totally worth it this day.

At the second dinner I was sad because there were literally no vegetables and it's the only thing I wanted at that point in time, so I ended up with potato chips and coffee...kinda the opposite but I was hungry!

Overall, because of the limited food choices I didn't really go crazy, but I do know that it was likely more fat than my current macros allow for but that's the way of things on Turky Day.

This morning I woke late after getting home at 1am and did not in anyway feel like doing a fasted workout, but I drank more coffee and got it in anyways since I knew it would make me feel better about my potato chip binge the day before.

Today's meals have been spot on and super easy because of the leftovers I got to take home.

I'm thinking I want to switch up my workout plan a bit and just do some fasted cardio in the morning and then do my lifting later on, doing both in the morning feels like it may be too much on an empty stomach...perhaps it's why I've been feeling so unmotivated to workout at all in the morning when I'm usually excited about it.

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Healthy Holiday Eating Strategies

The holiday season is a time to celebrate with family and friends. Unfortunately, it’s also a time when any people eat too much and gain weight. Of course you can control whether you overeat or allow yourself to gain weight. Research has shown that the American on average gain 3-5 pounds during the holiday season. Without implementing a healthy lifestyle throughout the year, over the course of five years, holiday weight gain can really add up. So why not start by implementing some Healthy Holiday Eating Strategies that can help keep that 3-5 pounds off your waistline.

The holidays don’t have to mean weight gain. If you focus on these Healthy Holiday Eating Strategies you will be have a healthy balance of food, activity, and fun. By implementing these few Healthy Holiday Eating Strategies you can stay healthy through the holiday season and be better off and more likely to really hit your New Year’s Health and Wellness Goals.

1. Be Real! Don’t try to lose weight during the holidays. Have your focus be on maintaining your current weight.
2. Plan and schedule time for exercise. Exercise will help prevent weight gain, but also is the best holiday stress reliever. If you get in 30-45 minutes of exercise a day during the holiday season, you will have less stress and keep weight gain at bay.
3. Don’t skip meals. Eating your three meals and two snacks a day is important every day, but even more so during the holiday season. This pattern can keep you from overindulging at parties. Eating light snack like raw vegetables, a piece of fruit, drinking a total nutrition shake, and drinking a large glass of water before parties can really make a difference.
4. Eat until you are satisfied, not stuffed. Savor your favorite holiday treats by eating small portions of each rather than full portions of everything. Sit down, get comfortable, and enjoy.
5. Be aware of beverages. Alcohol can lessen inhibitions and induce overeating; non-alcoholic beverages can also be full of calories and sugar. Start yourself off with a large glass of water, and go to the party with the thought of only two drinks. After the large glass of water, have one drink, then two glasses of water before your second drink.
6. Bring your own healthy dish to a holiday gathering. Offering to bring a healthy entrée to the party or gathering can ensure you have something that fits your plan. With the greater emphasis on healthy nutrition in recent years, more than likely there will be other more healthful items available that you can also enjoy.
7. Practice Healthy Holiday Cooking. Preparing favorite dishes with lower unhealthy fats and excess calories helps promote healthy holiday eating. Incorporate some of these simple-cooking tips in traditional holiday recipes to make them healthier.

• Gravy — Refrigerate the gravy to harden fat. Skim the fat off. This will save a whopping 56 grams of fat per cup.
• Stuffing — Use a little less bread and add more onions, garlic, celery, and vegetables. Moisten or flavor with low fat low sodium chicken or vegetable broth.
• Green Bean Casserole — Cook fresh green beans with chucks of potatoes instead of making the traditional green bean casserole.
• Mashed Potato — Use pureed cauliflower made with low sodium vegetable broth.

Enjoy the holidays, plan a time for activity, incorporate healthy recipes into your holiday meals, and don’t restrict yourself from enjoying your favorite holiday foods. In the long run, your mind and body will thank you.

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Day 6 Macro plan update

DAY 6 THOUGHTS

Yesterday was a tough day.

I felt like I didn't sleep well again and had a really hard time motivating to workout. My quads were really sore and it made doing leg lifts really tough, so I coped out a bit and did some Brazil Butt Lift exercises instead. Overall my workout was very sub-par. I also could not motivate to do my workout fasted, so I had my morning shake first and then exercised, which helped...I think I was just feeling really run down.

My eating was spot on otherwise though! I like using the MyFitnessPal app a lot, though I'd prefer if I just got my shit together and did a big meal prep day and got everything laid out for the week...such is the life on an entrepreneur! No days off to do such things :)

But despite that I'm still finding myself staying within the guideline because I know how important the nutrition part is.

Eating all the carbs and reducing the fat is still messing with me mentally a bit, I can tell I'm craving more fat but I'm not sure if it's just mental.

I am loving how much vegetables this is making me eat...I always eat veggies at every meal but now that I'm including more dense sources of them to help reach my carbs it is more than I would be eating otherwise.

I didn't enjoy eating the 4oz of smoked salmon all that much, I normally LOVE smoked salmon but somehow that one day it felt like WAY too much salt for me so I may sub that one out for some other things.

This morning I'm having my coffee black for the first time since starting...I'm supposed to drink it this way but I didn't want to give up my coconut milk (which I started to measure on day 1 and have been using 1tsp. in each 12oz I have...which turns out is the perfect amount). Yesterday I got some coffee from a coffee shop and had it black and it tasted WAY better than what I make at home so I think I need to clean my coffee pot and get some better coffee.

I'm going skiing on Monday and I'm a bit nervous about how I'm going to bring all the food I need for the day but it will be a good test!!

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Giving The Gift of Health and Fitness

Finding the perfect holiday gift for your friends, family, and loved ones is paramount. Giving the Gift of Health and Fitness can be popular since many people have self-imposed deadlines of January 1st as the unofficial day of fitness redemption. Whether the recipient is a diehard fitness enthusiast, a novice exerciser, or a weekend warrior, Giving the Gift of Health and Fitnesscan be exciting to see when gifts are exchanged.

Check out the suggestions below to help you with your search for the perfect fitness gift that will bring Joy to the recipient, but also you for Giving the Gift of Health and Fitness.

Workout Clothes

You can’t go wrong with fitness clothes, just make sure you get the size right. Fitness clothing has come a long way. There are hundreds of options offering their unique twist on comfort, technology, and convenience. A lot of the clothing also offers options for carrying phones, cash, and keys.

At Home Fitness Programs

Time is the biggest excuse as to why people don’t workout. Using at-home fitness programs can take away the time factor and make it possible. Especially if you are using high quality programs like P90X3, 21 Day Fix, Insanity Max30, 21 Day Fix Extreme and more. These programs provide workouts that can be completed in 30 minutes or less, and provide guaranteed results.

On-Demand Fitness Programming

Again going back to time. With on-demand programs you can work out anywhere and anytime. The best value for On-Demand Fitness is Beachbody On-Demand. For only $12 a month you get over $3,000 worth of fitness programing, nutrition plans, workout and nutrition tracking, and so much more. Plus, it gives the recipient the ability to save 10% on all other product that they decide to purchase.

Trigger Point Roller

Trigger Point Rollers are great therapy for people who work out frequently or are just starting out. It will help them to massage their muscles enabling them to move more freely and efficiently, while improving overall performance.

Performance Nutrition Supplements

Having performance nutrition products will aid in getting the best results from each workout, and a lot of times helps keep people going by reducing soreness. Using high quality performance nutrition can help people get through the toughest workouts and crush their goals. The Beachbody Performance Nutrition Line is taking the supplement industry by storm…and turning it on its head. If you want to give the very best performance nutrition this holiday season you will want to give Beachbody Performance Nutrition.

Wireless Bluetooth Headphones

This is a super cool gift for the novice to the experienced exerciser. No more wires running down your side or back as you are trying to be active. Plus, all wireless headphones sync to android and iPhones, as well as other mp3 devices. This is a great gift idea for all fitness levels.

Shakeology

Not everyone is ready to hit the New Year running with exercise. Some people you have on your list will want to start with just some simple nutrition changes. Shakeology is a total nutrition shake that has been clinically proven to aid in weight loss, lowering cholesterol, lowering blood sugar levels and more. It is not only for people who need to lose weight. This shake is everyone’s daily dose of dense nutrition. Give the gift of total nutrition with Shakeology, which comes in four flavors, and two vegan flavors.

Stocking Stuffer Ideas

Stocking Stuffer ideas can include athletic socks, water bottles, shaker cups, lip balm, headbands, yoga mats, sports bags, gift cards and so much more. Remember, little things mean a lot.

Giving the Gift of Health and Fitness is not only just about giving gifts, it is about giving what’s really the most important thing you could give… Health. Without our health we don’t have anything. Plus, you can always start a family and friends’ accountability group to keep everyone going all year long.

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