Count Down to Thanksgiving! Tips for a Successful Day!

So here we are, the week of Thanksgiving. Time for planning and prep. Now it should be real easy. Just do what I do each week. So thanksgiving is just one meal. It sounds simple but for some it might not be as simple as it sounds. You may have family coming in from out of town, you may be traveling, the kids are home from school, lots of activities are going on, many of which seem to be focused around eating.. Lets talk about some tips to get you through the week and the big day. 

 There is no reason why you can't stick to your workout schedule.  This week add a few extra workouts in. I know that I am going to shoot for an hour at least 3x this week vs my normal 25 minutes of T25. If you are traveling and are staying at a hotel you can take your laptop and do your workout in your hotel room.  If you dont have a laptop, improvise, go to the gym and make sure to get in a sweat session. Workout early in the morning and get it out of the way. Invite a family member to workout with you. 

Make sure to eat breakfast!! This week I am going to make sure to get in more protein and veggies. Shakeology will be breakfast or lunch on thanksgiving day, I want to make sure that I eat as I normally would during the day. I will have my morning snack, and lunch at home before heading out. By doing this I am less likely to overeat on appetizers at my sisters. The one change is that I will hold off on any carbs until my Thanksgiving meal on that day. 

Hydrate --  drink plenty of water throughout the day.  When you are traveling it's easy to not drink your water.  Make sure that water is still your main drink of choice and that you are focused on 1/2 your body weight in ounces each day. That is the key to keeping hydrated, full, and not over eating.

Will cocktails be on the menu? What are the best options?  I recommend vodka and soda ( I love Lacroix water) with a lime. OR a glass of wine. But remember that that those drinks are carb servings. On those days I make sure to load up on veggies during the day

While you’re giving thanks and spending time with the people you love  DON’T be like the average American and pack on unneeded pounds – you’re better than that.I know you’re probably going to eat more on Thanksgiving than you would on most Thursdays. And, I understand. It’s one of my favorite holidays too! I want to eat all my favorites (sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie…), but I also don’t want to have the stuffed uncomfortable feeling when the meal is over or have the gulilt the next morning and feel like I’ve undone my progress. Of course, if you’ve been exercising and eating right, one day won’t undo all the work you’ve done. 

This year do something different. Start with the Veggies first. Put those on your plate before you add all the other favorite fixins.  Think of food as fuel not as comfort. Just because it is the holidays,  I still stick to the plan and eat every few hours.  Here are some great tips from Autumn Calabrese for how to make your plate on thanksgiving. 

If you know the menu think about it before you arrive. Vision what your plate will look like. Know before you sit down what you will and will not eat. What can you go without. For me I will skip the roll. There are other carbs that I would prefer to eat. DO NOT go for the second plate. I know that it all tastes so good but you don't want to end the evening STUFFED and miserable. I know that I am not going to skip the Crustless Pumpkin Pie (I make a fabulous Clean version !! ) so I need to save a little room for that. 

I wish you a healthy and happy Holiday!!!!  

NOTE:  I am going to be starting a holiday survival guide group December 1st through 31st.  If you want some tips just like this to staying on track for the month of december and that extra level of accountability then make sure to join here!

The requirements are 30 days of Shakeology, Fitness Program optional, option to start with the 3 day refresh and or the 21 day fix!  Think about it this way!  Don't wait until after the holidays to get started.  You can actually lose an average of 2lbs a week between now and Christmas! Think 10 lbs gone before the ball drops on 2015!  

Holiday Survival Guide

The Holidays are fast approaching. They are going to be here before we know it. How are you going to handle all the extra temptations this year? 

The way I look at it you have 2 choices: 

1. Do Nothing about it and be uncomfortable, bloated and guilty for eating to much. And continue to tell yourself that you will just start at the beginning of the year.

2. Make a conscious effort to make some changes that will leaving you feeling good about yourself and may even help you drop a few pounds along the way. 

I know that this can be much easier said than done. This is my hardest time of the year as I LOVE to BAKE and I LOVE all the sweets and treats that the Holidays bring. But lets make a deal this year, I want you to focus on one day at a time, one meal at a time. 

Your going to be tested and more than once.. There will be holiday parties, that are flowing with amazing spreads of food and delicious cocktails. It is the season of giving so, everyone will be exchanging chocolates and Cookies. 

Stop me here if this is not what you have ever experienced. :) 

On average, most people will put on 5-10 lbs over the holidays, and I admit in the past I have been guilty as charged. The stresses of the holidays alone can be a big part of the binging and overeating. 

Well who's up for a change ??  I want to share my tips with you so that WE can stay ACCOUNTABLE this holiday season. Yes I said WE -- I to need reminding and I need to set goals for myself to stay on track. ( I can be easily distracted by a tray of Cookies) The key is to learn to stay on track and enjoy meals but to NOT OVER DO it. 

November/December health and fitness goals:

1. Lose 5 pounds. This is my big goal! I am currently doing T25 until  the new MAX 30 workout comes out in the beginning of December. I am super excited to really push myself and want to follow it exactly. 
2. Workout 6 days/week! I know that I personally need to be active to reach my goal of losing 5 pounds and working out sets my tone for the day. 
3. Drink one gallon of water every day! I have a Gallon jug that I have been taking with me everywhere and by seeing that in front of me it really gives me that reminder to keep filling up. This helps keep me full so that I don't reach for something else.
4. Watch my Carb intake - This is the area that I struggle so I am making an effort when I am meal planning to don't sneak any extras in this category. I will reach for a fruit, veggie or protein snack instead. 
5. Hydrate with my alcohol intake. I'm not going to lie here, I am not going to give it up. I truly enjoy having a night with some wine or a Vodka & LaCroix water but I will make sure that I am upping my water intake to keep myself hydrated, ** Make sure to drink a full glass of water for each alcoholic drink ** Try and stay away from all the heavy liquors like baileys and kahlua etc. I know that there are some tasty recipes to try but this year take a different approach. Try something lower in calories. 
6. Drink my Shakeology before a party  - When you know that you are going to be tempted by things that may interrupt your progress, take some steps ahead of time to set yourself up for Success. This year my goal is to prepare a Shakeology and drink it on my way to a Holiday Party. This will allow me to be full not hungry when I arrive and therefore I will not be tempted to graze over the food tables. 
7. Prepare a Healthy Dish to bring - when I am bringing a dish, I always make something that I know I can eat. That way when I am ready to snack on something I know that it is a better choice for me.
8. Get some REST - with all the extra activity going on I tend to forgo sleep. Well when I do this to much, i end up hitting a wall. I don't want that to happen this year so I am going to do some better planning with may activities, so that I can get the sleep that I need each night. I know that is is equally important to keeping me healthy and sane!!  

I am determined to make this my healthiest holiday season ever. I am going to have more energy, and life to devote to my family and friends and really focus on all of the things I have to be thankful for!

What are your health and fitness goals for this month? 

Staying on Track for the Holiday Weekend !

Staying on Track for the Holiday Weekend

So today starts the Memorial Holiday Weekend!!  I am excited to go to the lake with my family to wrap up another great summer, however I know that this brings many temptations towards some bad choices, I don’t want to fall back into my bad habits. I work too hard during the week to undo the progress that I have made.  Who wants to constantly take 2 steps forward and one step back? NOT ME, not anymore!!  I don’t have time to try out-exercise a bad diet. So what will I do?? Here are some tips to stay the course!!

1.    KEEP MOVING – The weekends are a time to RELAX – NOT NECESSARILY, keep those exercise dates that you made with yourself not just during the week but carry them through to the weekend. I don’t always stick to my specific plan but I love to use the opportunity to take in the outdoors going on long walks/runs with my pooch and my nieces when they join me. This will help you stay motivated and on track. It will also keep your metabolism in check and working up to par thru the holiday festivities. I try to get it done first thing in the morning so the rest of the day is free’d up to spend hanging out with the family.

 2.    PLAN AHEAD : It is easy to pack for convenience (chips and packaged foods), but take a few extra minutes to make it fresh !! I’ve made my list and pre prepped some foods. I have a bunch of fruits and vegetables to cut up to take out on the boat and have for snacks.  I know that I am going to want a sweet treat so I have made some CLEAN brownies to take so that I don’t snack on something that I shouldn't.  The better you plan your meals and snacks, the more successful you will be to stay the course.  

3.    MODERATION: I know that self-control can be hard when you are surrounded by mouthwatering delicious looking foods. Think about Portion Control! The AMOUNT is actually MORE IMPORTANT than what you actually CHOOSE so if you must indulge in less than nutritious food sources, enjoy reasonable amounts and avoid going back for seconds. OR Try the three bite rule: take 3 bites of whatever it is you're eating, and then wait 5 minutes. If you still want more, have three more bites. If you are just eating for the sake of eating, then the 5 minutes might be all you need to break that cycle.

4.    STAY FOCUSED. Remember all the reasons that brought you to the decision to start eating right and working hard to achieve your goals. Is the plate of nachos or the cookies that are out worth taking that step backwards?  In some cases, your answer might be yes. But don't let it become a habit, or rework will become a habit too... and you will find yourself stuck in a vicious cycle of  2 steps forward and 1 step back? Be mindful of your choices, it is OK to splurge every now and again, but stay true to your goals.

      5.    GET SOME ZZZZZZZ’s . I tend to stay up way too late on the weekends, and this can lead to some negative impacts. Unfortunately, much like alcohol lowers your inhibitions when it comes to late night snacking and making poor food choices, lack of sleep can do the same! When you're overtired or sleep deprived, your body isn't producing enough of the hunger-blocking hormone, leptin to counteract the hunger hormone, ghrelin. This means that you're more likely to confuse your lack of sleep for hunger and then reach for a bag of Doritos. For the love of god, get some rest!

      6.    HYDRATE /Especially WITH COCKTAILS: Drinking alcohol is definitely a social thing that we all love to do on the weekends!  Unfortunately, it is not easy on the waistline!  Alcohol is full of empty calories and sugar.  It will sabotage your weight loss in no time at all!  When you drink you are also more likely to over eat because your guard is down and you’re not thinking clearly!  So if you must have a drink then I tell you that you MUST have 1 glass of water for every alcoholic drink!  That way you will at least stay well hydrated!!

Whatever your plans may be this weekend, remember this. This is a lifestyle, not a diet. Choose healthy, use portion control, and keep your eye on the prize and you can't go wrong.