Are you an Emotional Eater?

Last night, we went on a nice double date with some friends. We ate, we chatted, and then my husband suggested getting something sweet. DQ here we come! I still felt fairly full, and I have been trying to avoid sugar, so I got a mini blizzard. I ate it slowly while we all talked. I am fairly certain it was the first time I hadn't finished a blizzard, let alone a mini! SCORE!

And then we came home. My daughter fought me on going to bed. My house was a mess. I started to clean once she was finally asleep, and then decided to save it for the morning and get back to my Grey's Anatomy (my newest addiction). All of a sudden, I felt hungry. I needed something salty. I wanted movie popcorn, chips, whatever. It didn't even matter WHAT I ate, as long as I was eating. I dug through the cupboards, and couldn't find anything that sounded good. Then, I thought about something sweet, and considered the candy I had set aside for my primary class I'm teaching on Sunday. At that point, I stopped myself, and realized I had hit an all time low. Stealing candy from kids!? I mean, I'm not above that, I've totally eaten my kids' candy. But other kids' candy? That's too far. I was able to stop and see that this was very much emotional eating.

Usually, I know it's emotional eating, but in the moment I don't really care. I just have to get that "fix." But last night, I didn't even realize until I considered eating those kids' little baggies of candy. I probably could have eaten them all! I also realized that I wasn't really THAT upset, it was just that my daughter, in a matter of seconds before tucking her in, had managed to push the right buttons. A trigger. So unless I'm just ultra messed up, surely there are other women, moms, dads, college students, 13 year olds, other people out there like me.

How do you know if you're an emotional eater? I've made a list of things I've noticed in myself as indicators:

1. You cannot watch television, drive, work, watch a sport, etc. without having something to munch on.

When the TV is on, you'll find something to munch on. It's mindless eating, but a little more than that. For me, it's mindless eating any time I'm bored or have the hands to eat. You have an emotional attachment to eating during these times.

2. A few minutes ago you were full, now you could eat a whole cake.

You've just had dinner, but all of a sudden you are ravenous and you will eat whatever is close by. Actual hunger comes on slowly as it takes longer to process and digest the healthy stuff, so unless you had sugary cereal for dinner, you shouldn't really be hungry.

3. You ate a LOT of food in a very short amount of time.

Where'd all the food go? Could I have really eaten all of that by myself? This happens to me. I'll admit it shamefully. You just mindlessly eat a lot more than you planned on eating.

4. You can tell you're full, but you keep on keeping on. 

The biggest lie I tell myself is that I've already bought this ice cream, I need to finish it tonight or I'll screw up my diet tomorrow. I'm stuffed and might puke, but I just gotta keep on eating. Or these nachos are so good, I just want a few more.

5. Food is a reward. 

You've just got the kids to bed, hallelujah! You deserve something delicious. You just lost 5 pounds, here have a juicy double cheeseburger. You got a raise? Here's some cake! You get the point. Food isn't a reward. It should be fuel. No judgement here, I've rewarded myself for cutting my toe nails.

6. Food is a source of happiness.

You had an extremely hard day, and the only thing that will make you feel better is indulging. A lot. In foods high in fat or sugar, or both. When I lost my brother, I ate a lot of candy telling myself it was his favorite, or I used to eat it with him so it made me feel close to him. In all reality, I just wanted that hole to be filled. Food can't do that. And when we do this, usually we over eat because we are looking to feel better.

7. Triggers

I've noticed there are certain triggers that I personally have. The weekends. If we've given ourselves permission to over eat and eat what we want on the weekends, when the weekend rolls around it's time to eat. Holidays. Your kids. As I stated earlier, my kids are definitely a trigger at times. Spouses. It's not necessarily them but maybe something they say to you or their tone at times that could trigger emotional eating. Someone at work. Depression. I know when I'm on a low, I will eat more.

8. You would rather stay home and binge in secret than hang out with family or friends. 

Hey, I've been there. I don't like eating in front of people because I never know when I'm just going to stop paying attention and eat the whole table. I'm also an introvert, so I'd rather just stay home. So staying home and shoving food in my face seems a lot better than hanging out with you, no offense. I've also made plans with myself to go home, get in my pjs, put on the Netflix, and eat everything in sight. This is fun for me. This isn't healthy. 

Now that you've realized you too have an issue with emotional eating, what can you do to break yourself free from this destructive behavior? 

{First, my condolences. Also, I want to remind you if you didn't already know, that I am not a professional. I am not a food therapist. I just have experience of my own with emotional eating.}

1. Become more mindful of your eating. 

Are you really hungry? How long ago did you eat? If you are eating well balanced meals, your body won't get suddenly hungry. Sudden hunger is usually cravings. If you've eaten awhile ago, that could be real hunger. Something that really helps me is a food journal. I write down when I eat, what I eat, and if at all possible, how much I eat. I also record how I feel. If something makes me feel more sluggish, I want to avoid that. If something doesn't keep me full for very long (usually something sugary or lacking nutrient density) I don't want to eat it. 

2. Slow down and enjoy your food

Food is meant to be enjoyed. Savor each bite. Take smaller bites, and chew your food longer. We can also avoid over eating if we slow down our eating and recognize how much we are eating and feel when we are full. Some foods actually start to breakdown in your mouth and need to be chewed longer so that our bodies can digest them properly. 

3. Identify your triggers

Are specific foods your triggers? For example, can you not control yourself around popcorn? Or maybe certain people trigger your emotional eating. Thanksgiving is a terrible time for you because that's when you lost your dog, so you tend to be depressed and eat. Once you've identified what sets off the emotional eating, get down to the bottom of why and find a healthy way to combat those urges.

4. Replace the bad habits with good

Any time you are removing a bad habit, you have to add in a good habit. Otherwise, you'll go back to the old habit. If you have to distract yourself from eating while you watch TV, start doing small workouts. If you're emotional eating is after you've fought your kids to go to bed for an hour, replace that eating with a craft, cleaning or something you love to do.

5. Focus on what the food you eat is doing for you.

This is one that helps me a lot. I have Celiac Disease, so if I focus on what gluten does to my body, it helps me avoid it. If I focus on the nutrients food will give me, I will do better at eating better, more nutrient dense food. You can still over eat the healthy stuff, so it's important to be mindfully eating. Know the correct portions, how much of what foods you need in a day, and what foods make you feel the best.

If you aren't sure how much you should be eating, I know of a great program that has helped me. Being a part of a challenge group has helped me become more accountable for what I'm eating. The portion control system is simple and effective. If you'd like my help, click here.

And if all else fails, get food therapy or seek out a nutritionist. There is nothing wrong with getting help!

Mondays

I've been neglecting my blog! I have been so busy with my kids, coaching, trips, the holidays, our kitchen remodel. I put the blog on the back burner, but it's good to know that I'm still getting people looking at recipes and such.

If you've read any of my past posts, Mondays are hard for me. I lost my brother to suicide on a Monday. In fact, it will be a year exactly tomorrow. I really don't want to make this a sad post, so I'll leave it at that. Mondays can be hard for everyone, though. You get all weekend to relax OR do a bunch of house work and chores. Then Monday comes and you have to get back to work. Or maybe you're a stay at home mom, and you get help from your husband all weekend, and then he has to go back to work Monday. Whatever the situation, Mondays aren't the greatest.

A few months ago, I realized that Mondays are actually just another day. I have the choice to make Mondays hard, or make it the best day I can. It's the first day of the week, and I get a fresh start. No matter what I'm working on that week, getting my workouts in each day, keeping my house clean, working on a project, being a kinder person, Monday is the first day to get to work. Monday sets the tone for the rest of the week, so if you miss Monday, are you going to give it your all the rest of the week? Probably not. I hear a lot of people say, "Well I missed Monday and then this happened Tuesday, so I'll just start next Monday." There are a few things I can start any day and get real excited about it and have enough drive to do from there on out, but most things I do best when I start on Monday.

This week, I am really focusing on balance. I can balance my business, my kids, my house, and my relationships better. Time management is my weakness, I know I can do better on that, and balance is the key. I want to work on gratitude. I also want to work on variety in my nutrition. I get used to the same old stuff, which I'm totally happy to do, but I know variety could help me do better and keep me from getting bored. In every aspect of my life, I could use more balance. So I start today. I know I'll do great because I will give it my all on day 1.

3 Day Refresh

I'm a little late on this post, but better late than never! I struggled, just like the rest of the world that isn't struggling to get food on the table for their families, during the holidays. I was pretty good about getting my workouts in, but as I've said over and over again (for those who are somewhat following me) nutrition is key! I had my shakes every day after my workouts, minus a few on my trip when I didn't have a blender, and then my food choices went down from there. Every single day. I would wake up and say today is different, I can do better. And I'd end the day just as frustrated with myself as the night before. When we got home from our trip January 3rd, I was so ready to get back on top of things. It was the perfect time to try the 3 Day Refresh.

Here's my review of the 3 Day Refresh:

DAY 1

I woke up and had about 8 ounces of water. Shortly after that, I had my first shake. I wasn't sure if I could blend it with ice, so I just used frozen strawberries, water, and the package of vegan chocolate Shakeology. It wasn't bad, but I'm used to blending my shakes with ice and making them thick. 

I love tea, but missed the boat on some herbal tea in the morning. I had been warned about the fiber sweep, so I was expecting it to taste disgusting. The taste wasn't the problem, it was the consistency. I just shook the cup of water with the package of fiber sweep briefly, and then chugged it. It was thicker than I expected for just shaking it, and I'm glad I was warned to drink it right away. Not my favorite thing in the world, but not the grossest thing I've had, either. 

By lunch time I was fairly hungry. I drank my vanilla fresh plain, had half an apple, and celery with some almond butter. I have heard that people really liked the vanilla fresh. It would have been better had I blended it with fruit. Lesson learned, I'll blend it for lunch tomorrow! 

For the second snack, I had a carrot stick and some melted coconut oil. Creative, I know. It wasn't great. 

For dinner, last vanilla fresh and I had the lemon green beans what were in the book. They were pretty good! We are going to start making our green beans this way from now on. I also had a cup of vegetable broth.

For being my first day, I was pretty tired. I had a ton of energy early on, but I did a TON of cleaning. I can't tell if I'm tired from cleaning or having a very small amount of calories. I am glad this is only 3 days long. It feels great though, not feeling gross like I had the last few days before starting. With that said, I was ready for the 3 days to be over with!

DAY 2

My food choices were about the same. I had heard that a lot of people really struggled with the second day, and had a lot less energy. I felt quite a bit of energy. I wasn't as hungry as I was the first day. 

The shake and vanilla fresh are really good with fruit. I would highly recommend blending them with frozen fruit if you have a blender. For dinner, I made the roasted asparagus, those were delicious!

I didn't do much on this day, I was so worried about how I'd feel so I planned an easy day. It really wasn't bad.

DAY 3

This day was a lot like the second. I was ready for it to be over and to eat HEALTHY food. It wasn't like cleanses I had been on in the past where all I could think about was the junk I was eating before. I wasn't full of energy, but I wasn't extremely tired either. All of my food choices were the same except I had a salad with a homemade dressing following the guidelines for lunch, and then the green beans again for dinner. 

I lost 7 pounds on the 3 Day Refresh. 

Ultimately, I feel like the 3 Day Refresh helped me realize how much junk I was consuming. It also helped me focus more on when I ate, maybe I was eating more of boredom than actual hunger at times. I've never really been one to like cleanses. My husband jokes that I turn into a whole different person when I'm hungry I get grouchy, irritated and mean. But now I can appreciate the food that fuels my body in a different way. It really helped me refocus and get back to fueling my body properly.

Would you like to try the 3 Day Refresh yourself? Need help getting back on track, or want to get a jump start on a new program you are starting. Get it here.

Love your body

I've seen it over and over again, the picture that says something like, "I wish I was as fat as the last time I thought I was fat." I remember after I had my daughter, I thought about that a lot. If you've read my previous posts, you know that I had an eating disorder while I was in high school and college. If only I had appreciated my body back then. I would have treated it better, and wouldn't have gained so much weight when I got married and during my pregnancy. I started getting super hard and down on myself again. 

While I was nursing, I had a lot of preconceived ideas of how I needed to eat while I nursed, and I couldn't lose any weight. I felt frumpy and uncomfortable in my skin until I stopped nursing. Then, I started going to the gym for at least two hours a day. I started restricting calories. I beat myself up everyday, and worked myself till I was exhausted. I didn't lose much weight. I didn't feel any better about myself. In fact, I felt a whole lot worse about myself than when I was pregnant with a huge belly. 

I finally found a program that helped me lose weight (basically by starving myself and eating prepackaged foods). I lost the rest of my pregnancy weight, but I still felt awful about myself. I continued to belittle myself. The day I found out I was pregnant was a very hard day. I still hadn't reached my goals, and I wasn't planning on getting pregnant for at least another year. I didn't want to gain a ton of weight again. I decided to make a change. 

There's something about growing a baby inside that makes me feel better about myself. I continued to workout at least 5 times a week, and I watched my body grow in a healthier way the second time around. I didn't love myself yet, but I was starting to. 

Fast forward to a few months ago, I had lost even more weight. I weighed less than I did my junior and senior year of high school. I went and got new clothes. I felt better about myself, but things still weren't feeling right. I was so proud of myself, but I still looked in the mirror and saw flaws. I realized that I will always have flaws, nothing can change that. There is no such thing as perfection. But I could love my body anyway. It really made a huge change for me. It helped me look back and love my body even when I was at my heaviest. I appreciated all that my body had been through. 

No matter what we are going through, where our bodies are at, or what our bodies have accomplished, we should love them. Our bodies are gifts from God. I think about my brother who no longer is with us, and think about how I'm sure he wishes he still had his body. 

What good does it do to beat yourself up? What good does it do to belittle yourself, point out every flaw, and hate your body? It does NO good. Absolutely none. In fact, it makes things worse. Believe me, I know. 

Love your body. Care for it. Eat like you love yourself, move like you love yourself. Make good choices for your body. It will make a positive difference. You will eat better, and workout harder if you do it out of love instead of hate. I promise.

Wishlist

If you're shopping for someone who lives in workout clothes this Christmas, this list might help you out. Or if you don't know what to tell your family/spouse/friends to get you, pass this along. What do you want for Christmas?

What would you add to this list?

Upcoming Holidays and staying on track

I've had so much fun being a coach, and being a mom, I have forgotten my blog! I post recipes here and there, but I haven't kept up on it like I was planning on doing. I've really been stressing out for my customers and friends, as well as myself, for the upcoming holidays. I know how easy it is to get into a habit of eating whatever you want because you're trying to enjoy the good seasonal food while you can. There's nothing wrong with indulging here and there. The problem is that it's so easy to let ourselves lose control. When that happens, it's even harder to break those bad habits. How many times have you lost your self respect because of how much you ate during the holidays, set New Years resolutions to do better, and then made it maybe one or two days? Just me?? Surely not!

That's what happens to me nearly every year. I hate the way I feel when I go to a family get together, tell myself I can have one piece of pie, and end up eating three. Or set a limit on how much I can eat at dinner, and double it when the time comes. Food is good. If it wasn't, no one would have a problem with over eating! Well, that's not true because if we got into emotional eating, that's a whole separate issue. 

So do you have a plan in place? Do you set rules for yourself? You can make the holidays even more enjoyable if you can avoid the guilt of over eating, I am certain of that! 

One thing I am personally doing is focusing on how I eat NOW, to prepare for all those get togethers in a few weeks. If I can control how I eat when I'm on my own, I can control how I eat when I'm around others. If you're like me, eating around others isn't as comfortable. I do this by following my meal plan, watching my portion sizes, eat slowly and chew thoroughly. If I'm mindful of HOW I eat, I'm more mindful of WHAT I eat. 

I am also making my workouts a habit NOW. I workout 6 days a week. I firmly believe in a rest day. My workouts, of course, are 30 minutes a day. Sometimes I have enough motivation to add in a little run with my dog, Lily, but I don't make it an rule. Am I going to beat myself up if I don't workout 6 days a week the week of Thanksgiving? Or Christmas? No. Beating yourself up isn't productive, or helpful! I'll probably get a run in early Thanksgiving morning, but I would also like to sleep in and cuddle with my husband on Christmas morning. It's important to get exercise, as I've stated before, I battle depression, and I feel happier when I workout. The holidays are stressful, and working out relieves stress. It's good for you. 

You can make exercising fun for the whole family during the holidays. One thing we are planning on doing is 10 pushups for every time someone rings our door on Halloween night. Obviously my kids won't be able to do 10, but my husband and I can, and my 3 year old can do at least one! Here's a list of different challenges you can do during the holidays with your family to make fitness fun! 

These are just a few ideas I came up with for the holidays, you can create a whole list for each holiday with your family. Include things even the younger kids can do. We mostly create our list for my husband and I, but my daughter does try to do them with us. You'd be surprised what kids can do. When they see you having fun with it, they have fun with it as well. It doesn't have to become a chore, or a fight, make it fun! 

I'd love to hear some of your ideas and plans to stay on track! Message me what your goals are, and how you're going to achieve them!

10 small changes to help you SHRED that extra weight

I've been doing a lot of research lately into weight loss, and things that I can add into my routine that could help me keep the weight off once I get to my goal weight. I'm finding a LOT more about how to lose weight, so I figured I'd compile a list for you all on the little things we can do to better our health and help us lose weight progressively.

They're not revolutionary ideas, you've probably heard of them before. Combined all together, this list could work wonders.

1. Drink a glass of water before each meal. This helps get your water in, you need at least half of your weight in ounces. It also helps to feel full faster while eating. I was taught growing up to eat slowly and wait 10 minutes before getting seconds, but we never did wait, and we never felt full, so it seemed. Now, I feel full before I finish what's on my plate. I've also read that it's not good to drink during your meal, so this supports that theory.

2. Trade white rice for brown rice, white bread for whole grain, not whole wheat-there is a difference, and pasta for whole grain pasta. Whole grain is a pure form, and the more a grain has been broken down and added to, the harder it is for our bodies to digest. Eating less processed foods is better for you. The more processed your food is, the more sugar and other unhealthy additives are in it. 

3. When picking fruits and vegetables, pay attention to color. I like to get a rainbow of color on my plate everyday. It's more fun, and I get more vitamins and minerals than if I just ate green vegetables or red fruits everyday. Try new fruits and vegetables you've never had before! With that said, don't force yourself to eat something you don't like.

4. I used to eat 3 times a day, like most people. I ate a small breakfast, medium lunch, and large dinner. I'd snack quite a bit after dinner and in the afternoon. This aided to my weight gain throughout my life. Our metabolisms can be so much faster if we are consistently fueling our bodies. I eat every 2-3 hours. 

5. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I don't necessarily believe this, I think all meals are equally important. But I do believe that if you eat a healthy breakfast, it sets a precedent for the rest of your day. I also know that you've gone all night without eating, and your body needs the right kind of fuel to make energy to get to your next meal.  Waiting too long after waking could slow your metabolism .

6. Don't go longer than 4 hours without eating during the day. To keep our metabolism functioning where it should be, we need to fuel our bodies frequently. Think of a car, do you let it run out of gas? Not only is it a pain to have to walk to the gas station and fill up a gas can, and walk back, but it's bad for your car. Our bodies are the same way. Don't let your body run out of fuel.  I added during the day because we don't need to wake up in the middle of the night to eat. Our bodies need rest, which brings us to the next item on our list. 

7. Get 6-7 solid hours of rest. As a mom of young children, I don't always get a solid nights rest. I rarely get a solid nights rest. So I know that other moms of young children don't either. Do what you can to get enough sleep though, whether it's taking naps when your children do, or going to bed earlier. If you don't have young children, and you're getting enough rest at night, avoid naps. We can get too much rest, and I don't know about you, but I hate that sluggish feeling when I've napped for too long. With that said, listen to your body and what it needs.

8. Take opportunities to move throughout the day. Park further away from the store, or walk to the store if possible. I like to sprint up the stairs, it's just something to get me moving, and I get a burst of energy and a few more endorphins. I like to chase my kids around the kitchen table, and we go on walks. If you sit a lot at work, take breaks and walk around, or get up and stand and stretch when you can. There is always more movement we can add into our day. 

9. Find a workout regimen that works for you. I LOVE 21 Day Fix, but I think any of the Beachbody programs are great. If you're a gym rat, go to the gym. Whatever it is that works for you, stick to it and be CONSISTENT. Consistency is the key. I've tried a lot of workouts in my life, as short as it may be so far, and I've quit a lot of things. How do you know a workout is working for you if you don't give it at least 3 months?

10. Eat less sugar. I have a lot to say about sugar. But I'll keep it to two things. First off, did you know sugar is as addicting as cocaine? Second, if you haven't seen the documentary "Fed Up" you need to. Drink less alcohol. I'd go as far to say don't drink alcohol. For religious reasons, I don't drink it, but even if I didn't have the believes that I do, I wouldn't want to waste calories by drinking them. This also goes for soda, juice, and other drinks. 

What did you think of this list? Is there anything you would add?

Losing weight one pound at a time

Losing weight is one of the most frustrating things I've ever done. You have to be patient. You have to work hard. You have to have will power. It doesn't happen over night. You have to eat right. You have to say no. There are so many aspects I struggle with.

When I started 21 Day Fix, I was pumped, and I stuck to it better than any other program I've ever done. I've tried quite a few programs. I lost 7 pounds quickly. I hit a plateau. I pushed through. I lost 4 more pounds. I hit a plateau. I lost a few more pounds. I hit a plateau. You get the point. When I say plateau, I'm talking about doing everything right, and not losing for two weeks. I'm nursing, so my body is holding onto weight like crazy, but sometimes we just get in ruts. I've learned to trust in the process, and keep pushing through. Professionals created this program, and other Beachbody programs. Many, many, many people have seen results. Many people have lost a ton of weight on these programs. It wouldn't be so if they didn't work. But you have to trust in the process.

I have sweat like crazy, I have bled, okay only a little from a popped blister but still!, and I've cried while working out. There are days I would rather sleep in than get up before my kids and workout. There are days I would rather eat candy instead of a salad and grilled chicken. On those days, I remember why I started. Why am I doing this?

I am worth it. My family is worth it. My customers and friends are worth it. This is why I push myself. This is why I cook all of these meals and try to find healthy but yummy meals for my family and for my friends. This is why I sweat and get stinky. This is why I yell at my TV and push on instead of pushing stop and turning the TV off. This is why I won't give up. Because of how much better I feel when I keep going. Because of all of those who are counting on me. And because I AM WORTH IT.

Holidays

Now that Labor Day is over, it's time to get serious about the Holidays coming up! Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years. Before this year, these Holidays were all about the food. Halloween was all about candy. Thanksgiving was all about the huge feast I would get stuffed on, and then magically find room for several different pies. Christmas you get goodies from friends and neighbors, Christmas Eve we have a huge Mexican dinner, you get a stocking stuffed with candy, and then a huge Christmas dinner. New Years we go out to Chinese and have a large dinner, and then snack all evening till Midnight.


This year, when thinking about the Holidays, I'm more excited about watching my kids get excited about dressing up, spending time with family, teaching them about being grateful, teaching them about giving, and starting a new year. Until writing this post, I wasn't stressed out about food because I've had a focus on the important part of this time of year....Then I started writing this post!

To help keep myself, and hopefully help others, I've decided to come up with a game plan, yes THIS early, to keeping me on track during all of the temptation the Holidays bring.

First off, I like to know how far away everything is, and to set goals until they come. There's 8 weeks until Halloween. There's 12 weeks until Thanksgiving. There's 16 weeks until Christmas. There's 17 weeks until New Years. 

If I lose a pound a week (which at this point in my weight loss is a healthy, realistic amount), I could lose 8 more pounds by Halloween. I could lose 12 pounds total by Thanksgiving. If I was to keep going, I could continue to lose up to 17 pounds by New Years. 

How can I make this possible when there is so much goodies, cold weather, and other set backs at this time of year? Here's my top tips for staying on track during the Holidays.

1) Be prepared. Start planning now. Meal plan each week and get into the swing of things, so that you are not starting something new during the Holidays.

2) Set realistic, but detailed goals. Write them down. Don't just write down, "lose 5 pounds." Write down "I want to lose 5 pounds by Halloween." Then write down your action plan. "I will do this by exercising 6 days a week. I will only have 3 small treats a week. I will follow my meal plan."  

3) Set up rewards. Yes, being happier with yourself by Christmas is a great rewards, but plan out other rewards. If money is tight, like it is for most people at this time of year, come up with cheap rewards. A night out away from the kids, or even a night in with your spouse taking the kids to the store while you take a relaxing bath and read a book. I usually set my rewards, depending on the goal met, around $15-20. Of course, I have bigger goals that get bigger rewards. But the smaller, more frequent goals still get a reward. 

4) Don't say no to everything. Make a list RIGHT NOW of things you can't give up. Do you love hot chocolate, and want to indulge once a week during December? Do you have to have your mom's pecan pie Thanksgiving Day? Will you allow yourself 3 small candies on Halloween? Whatever it is, plan ahead. Know right now so you can work hard to earn those treats and yummy food. Know that week so you can limit your treat days accordingly. (I have 3 small treats a week. Not always but this is my max!)

5) Make a list of things you won't waste calories on. Maybe you don't need to do this. But I do. Every single year, I find myself eating candy corn. I don't like candy corn. I've never liked candy corn. But put candy in front of me and I'll eat it. This year, I have it on my "Waste of calories" list. Shortbread cookies are also on this list. Do you have things you don't love, and find yourself asking why you have it every year? Put it on your list!

6) Let your family and friends know of your goals. They can be supportive, and that's an amazing feeling. They can remind you of your goals. They cannot keep you accountable. That's your job. Have you ever told your spouse or friend to not let you have something, and then when they remind you, you get defensive and angry at them, and then eat whatever it is anyway? Yeah, they can't hold you accountable, only you can hold yourself accountable.

7) Invite others to join you! I love having friends and family in my challenge groups. It helps keep me accountable. It makes the journey more fun. It helps them. It helps me. It helps when the people around you during the Holidays are on the same plan as you, they'll cook healthier for you, or be on board when you cook healthier, and they won't tempt you with every treat possible.

8) Make a calendar and cross off each day that you stay on track. Last year, I made a goal to not have dessert from the week before Halloween until Thanksgiving. I drew up a calendar, and crossed off each day. It was so rewarding to cross off each day that I didn't have treats. I crossed off every single day until Thanksgiving. It was amazing to reach that goal!

9) Continue your workouts. Don't make excuses, remember why you're doing this, and then get it done. I like to think of workouts as {my} time. I think of them as my therapy. I think about how much better I feel when I'm done, and then I do it. Holidays are busy. I'll be waking up early Christmas morning and getting my workout in. Am I crazy? Maybe. But I know how much better my days are when I get my workouts in, and I'd like to feel as good as I can everyday, holidays are no exception. Not to mention all the stress that comes during the Holidays, and the fact that working out relieves stress. My goal is to workout 6 days a week from now on until the end of the year.

10) Evaluate where you are once a week. Every Sunday, I measure, I weigh, I look at where I am with goals. This way I'm not just setting goals and then forgetting about them. Make an appointment with yourself every week, and then show up. Check in and make sure you're on track. 

If there's anything I've learned in life, it's that if you're prepared, you can't fail. 

Did you like these tips? Do you feel you need more help and focus staying on track? Let's chat about what I can do for you as a coach.

What to eat before and after your workout

Have you ever felt confused about what to eat before you work out? Or what to eat after you work out? Fueling your body is one of the most important jobs you have, and one of the keys to losing weight. There's a lot of controversy over eating vs. not eating before you workout, and the best advice I have, is go with what you feel best doing. I personally like to get my workout done first thing in the morning, and I don't eat before hand. If I do eat right before a workout, I feel sick and sometimes throw up during my workout. Some people feel the same way when they don't eat, so try both ways, and determine what's best for you. If it is to eat before a workout, try waiting a half hour-45 minutes after eating, to workout.

What should you eat before a workout? Protein and carbs. I'm not talking a stack of pancakes and several pieces of bacon. Look for foods that have carbohydrates in them, like fruits. Lean protein, quality carbohydrates, low in fiber, and low in fat foods. Here's a list of good {small} snacks to eat before a workout.

Make sure you are getting plenty of liquids during your workout. I used to go an entire workout with out drinking water. I drank enough throughout the day, but drinking water during my workout has helped me a ton!

What should you eat after you workout? MORE protein! Not a LOT of protein, just protein in addition to the protein you ate before your workout, if you ate. (Once again, I try to get my workout done as soon as I wake up, so I workout on an empty stomach. Unless of course, I workout later. I always eat around an hour before I workout if it's during the day.)

Your body needs about 10-20 grams of protein after your workout to help your muscles recover. I also find that this helps keep me full longer.

Things to avoid at both times are foods that are fried, greasy, high in fat, high in sodium, high in sugar, large quantities, or even raw vegetables. 

Did this information help you? Let me know! I'd love to hear from you.

Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti

If you haven't tried spaghetti squash yet, you need to. I love squash! We have zucchini or squash at least twice a week. Once a week we have it as a side, and once a week we have it as a pasta. I have Celiac Disease, and my children have some symptoms that I have, so we try not to have very much gluten in our home. Every once in awhile we have bread or something else, but for the most part we get creative.

Zoodles are a fun way to use zucchini. You can use a potato peeler, there's also a tool from the Pampered Chef that works pretty well, too. There's even a cool tool that makes the zucchini into a twisty thin noodle. Microwave it in a glass bowl for 1-2 minutes depending on how much you have (and until the zoodles are soft) and that's it. Once you add sauce, it's pretty delicious!

Spaghetti squash is easy too! You cut the squash, bake it or boil it, and then use a fork to get the squash off the skin.

If you're in a hurry, cut the spaghetti squash into quarters or smaller to fit your pot. Scrape out the seeds and soft "guts". Add water until the pot is a little less than half full. Bring water to a boil, then turn down to medium-low heat, and cover for 20-25 minutes, or until squash is soft, and comes off the skin easily with a fork. 

If you have more time, you can cut the spaghetti in half, scrape out seeds and soft "guts", drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, place upside down on a cookie sheet, and bake at 450 degrees for about 30-40 minutes, or until done.

There's an excellent sauce recipe in the Fixate cookbook, if you don't have it yet, ask me how you can get it!

We used a jar of organic sauce with no added sugar, it's hard to find and I wish I had taken a picture of the jar last night! Next time I'm at the store I'll grab some more and take a picture. If you look at the labels though, and find one that doesn't have sugar added in the ingredients, get it! 

I added ground turkey, Aidell's sausage, and some chopped onion. We also added some mozzarella on top. It was delicious, and even the most skeptics (we had guests at my mom's last night) loved it. 

Try zoodles or spaghetti squash, and let me know what you think!

21 Day Fix Checklist

Are you're anxiously waiting for your package to arrive in the mail? I have some great suggestions to keep you busy and get you started on the right track!

The most important thing to remember is that if you take the time to prepare, you will be more likely to succeed!

You're also given a coach for a reason! Ask questions! Participate in your challenge group. Consider coaching, it's the number one thing that has kept me on track and keeps me motivated.

Here are some pages I find I frequent the most.

Is there anything you'd add to the list? Any other pages you would add? Let me know

Overnight Oats

I can't believe I've gone my whole life without Overnight oatmeal! Like, where have I been? I've always liked oatmeal, and have eaten it nearly every day since 2012 when I had my daughter because oats help your milk supply.

A few weeks ago we went camping and it was a wonderful, much needed break! I didn't have cell reception so I couldn't work, we went hiking, our kids loved being outdoors (it was their first time camping), there were beautiful views.

I was stressed out about food before we left, though. I didn't want to do the normal camping food, hot dogs, marshmallows, chips, and more junk. I planned out all the meals we would need, and packed easy foods, like tin foil dinners with hamburger meat, potatoes, and veggies, lots of fresh fruit and veggies, raw nuts, and overnight oats.

I made the overnight oats shortly before we left our house, and kept them in the cooler until the next morning when we ate them. They were SOOOO good, we ate up both jars pretty quick.

Here's how I made them:

Overnight Oats
1/4 cup oats
3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
honey or maple syrup to taste

Add all ingredients to a jar, shake it, and refrigerate overnight. You can eat it cold, or microwave it for 1-2 minutes and eat it warm.

Shaken vs. unshaken

This is a base for overnight oats, below I will give a wide list of different flavors. For our camp out, I added 1/2 tsp vanilla and 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice.

It was amazing sitting out in nature, reading a book, and enjoying a delicious and healthy breakfast. It's such an easy breakfast, too. I struggle with forcing myself to eat in the morning, and when you're not hungry, you don't want to put a ton of effort into making food. We will be having a lot more overnight oats in my house!

Other add-ins to try:

* 1 cup of apples and 1/2 tsp cinnamon

* 1 cup apples and raspberries

* 1 cup bananas and 1-2 tsp PB2, or all natural peanut butter

* 1 cup bananas, 1-2 tsp peanut butter and 1 tsp cocoa powder

* 1 cup bananas and blueberries

* 1 cup blueberries and 1/2-1 tbsp lemon juice and zest from lemon

* 1 cup strawberries 

* 1 cup strawberries and 1 scoop chocolate Shakeology (or 1 tsp cocoa powder)

* 1/2 cup strawberries and 1/2 cup bananas

* 1 tbsp chopped almonds, 1 tsp vanilla, and any berry

* 1/2 tbsp ground flax seed

* 1 scoop of vanilla shakeology (or vanilla whey powder) and 1 cup of fruit

* 1 cup pineapple and 1/4 cup coconut 

Do you have any add-in's you could add to the list? Leave me a comment!

How to get rid of that obnoxious tummy fat!

Are you bothered with how your stomach looks? Have you had kids, have bad eating habits, sit at a desk all day, or don't exercise? Are you looking to shed some stomach fat?

I am! I have had a c-section, and a VBak, and my stomach needs some TLC! I figured I'd share some research with anyone who feels the same way I do!

Whether you just want to feel better about your stomach, or have a wedding or big event coming up in a few weeks, this is a great way to improve that troubled area! Obviously, for long term improvement, I have an amazing system you can ask me more about!

Tips to help your middle look smaller:

1) To help with bloating-drink plenty of water! Make sure you're drinking at least 1/2 your body weight in ounces. If you weigh 150, you should be drinking at least 75 ounces of water.

2) Cut out alcohol, sugars, and over processed foods. These are some of the top culprits that cause stomach fat.

3) Eat smaller meals every 2-3 hours.

4) Fuel your body with fresh vegetables and fruits, with lots of variety (I think about trying to incorporate as much color as I can). Eat plenty of lean proteins like chicken, turkey, and fish.

5) Incorporate exercise into your daily routine. You don't need to go out and get a gym membership, walk for 30 minutes, do a workout DVD, find a workout routine online.
-You can tone your body, but exercise alone will not flatten your tummy. Nutrition and what you put into your body is about 80% of weight loss.

6) Feed your mind with positive thoughts! Looking great can help you feel good, but being kind to yourself will make you feel even better. You will do even better on eating healthy and exercise when you are loving to yourself. If you want to indulge here or there, don't beat yourself up!

7) Go to bed earlier. Studies have shown that getting enough rest will help your body with functioning properly, including burning those calories! Sleep helps with stress as well, and stress can prevent you from losing weight.

8) Make sure you're digestion is on par. If you are having constant stomach aches, find out what is bothering you. For me, it was gluten. Make sure you have an allergy or intolerance before cutting food you may need out of your diet. Get enough fiber, and if you need to, keep track of bowel movements.

9) Get enough good fats in your diet. Many times, people think they need to completely cut fat out of their diets, but our bodies need fat to help absorb nutrients.

10) Don't eat late at night. It's important that you're fueling your body every few hours, so if you need to stay up late don't go too long without eating. For a normal routine, however, be sure to stop eating within 3 hours of bed time. This can also help with excessive binge before bed. I am definitely one who can put the majority of my food in a day down after I put my kids to bed.

Personally, I have been struggling with the fact that for the most part, I really am loving my body, but my stomach is just not improving as quickly as the rest of me. I've been hesitant to post updated pictures with my stomach in it because I don't feel I'm progressing enough. I've been adding in 10 minute abs nearly every night, and I just get super sore, and then there's still a layer of fat above these awesome abs! I'm definitely going to start making sure I'm completely following my meal plan, and be patient for these last few pounds to be shed from my middle! 

In these pictures, there's a big difference between the one on the left and the one on the middle, but the one on the right I look bigger than the one in the middle. I had started to slack a little on nutrition but I was continuing the work outs 6 days a week, and adding in 10 minute abs almost every day.

I'll work on these 10 tips for myself and update you as I see some progress!


Would you like to see more tips and tricks like this? Let me know!

Tracking your food

One of my biggest struggles is keeping track of how many, or how little, I've eaten. I have the 21 Day Fix Fit tracker (which is only for Iphones right now), but I don't always log in my food. I used to eat WAY too much, and now I feel like I'm shoving food down. When you change your relationship with food from using food for comfort to mostly using food for fuel, you don't want to think through it so much! You wouldn't think it was a problem, but I want to burn FAT not hold on to it. You're body  needs to properly be fueled, frequently, and with the right foods.

I decided to come up with a little system to help me. Maybe it'll help you too!

I got some button magnets and craft paint from Walmart. The magnets were $5.97, and the craft paint was $2.97. This may seem expensive when you can just get a free, or fairly cheap app on your phone, but I will explain why this will help me better in a moment.

 I found some clear nail polish in my bathroom, and laid down some news paper. The paint didn't go on nice and smooth as I hoped, so I put it on thick, and dabbed. It made a lumpy coating, but it looked kind of cool.

I painted all the magnets with the colors I needed and let them sit and dry for about 2 hours, just to be safe.

I added a thick layer of the clear nail polish. It evened out the lumpy look. Then I let them dry another hour. (You may not need to wait this long, I just wanted to make sure they would be dry before moving them to my fridge.)

As you eat a container, slide a colored magnet to the right. You can spread them out on your fridge or keep them fairly close together. Whatever you prefer. 

Why will this work better than an app? Because first of all, I never even logged into the app every day. It's kind of hard to avoid these when they're right on my fridge. I walk past them 1,000 times a day, so I'll be reminded to eat. AND in the evenings, when I just want to keep eating, I have the accountability of those magnets right there stopping me from opening the fridge! 

I'm about to make Jake's set, and I'll keep going and make a set for each of my kids as well. Sometimes we get distracted and don't even know how much our kids have eaten, or what. I can make sure they get in all their fruits and veggies, and feel better about what they've eaten at the end of the day. As they get older, they can learn to keep track of it themselves, and learn to get them in because it's so important.

Is this something that would help you? What would you do differently? Let me know!

Meal Planning

Meal planning is an EXTREMELY important key to succeeding in 21 Day Fix, as well as with saving money. I spent a little time making an example of a meal plan, I didn't add in all the teaspoons I would use, and if there isn't enough greens, it's because at certain times I use 2 green containers for salad.

This is just an example of a meal plan I would follow. I try to use up all that I make, so I have left overs. By doing this, I've found it's so much easier to stick to the program, and I've prevented wasting food by only buying what I know I'll use. When I'm at the store, I buy only what's on my list, and that helps with not buying treats and stuff we don't need. This week I'm trying to be really strict, so I am not doing treat swaps, so my usual weeks look a little different than this, but on regular weeks, I even plan those out. That helps with not cheating all the time, I know I'll have a treat on a certain day, and I can fake a will power! You won't see any shakes on my grocery list, because I use Shakeology , my healthiest meal, everyday.

Tricks I use while meal planning is starting with one category (protein, vegetables, etc) and working my way through the whole day, then week, and then add it to the grocery list. Then start with the next category, until I'm done. Color coding always helps! I save my meal plan in excel, and rotate between meal plans, so I can be a little lazy!

Did this inspire you to meal plan? What would you do differently? Let me know!

Thursday Tips

It's THIRSTY THURSDAY! I'm kidding, I think that has to do with alcohol? I don't know, I am guessing. But, it is Thursday. And thanks to all this mouth breathing I've been doing, because of a cold, I'm thirsty alllllll the time.

So my tip for this Thursday has to do with water! Do you know how important water is for your body? I'm a nursing mom, so I see directly what it does for my body, and what not drinking enough does for my body. It's pretty quick how I can dry up if I don't get enough water. Before becoming a mom and nursing, I never realized how important water was, and the benefits of drinking enough water.

There's been a lot of hype about drinking a gallon of water a day on social media lately. I strongly believe in a gallon a day! I've been doing it for years! And lets just say, people think I'm 16 and I'm 25...so there's something to this gallon a day thing.

Here's some other benefits to drinking water:

1. It's less calories than anything else you could drink! DUH. And please don't tell me you don't drink anything all day. That's gross. And your pee must stink. (Sorry, I'm a mom and deal with pee all day.)

2. Drinking plenty of water helps keep you regular, and as stated above, I deal with this a lot. Like A LOT! My son had a hard time going the other day, and gripped on to me and screamed as he pushed. It was the saddest thing. I've been giving him water all day, and he hasn't had a problem since! (Okay, sorry, no more potty talk!)

3. Water helps your body stay energized. When your muscles are hydrated they can perform better. When they aren't hydrated, they shrivel and you become fatigued.

4. Water helps with the bloat. I don't care if you're on your period, ate something funny, whatever. Chug some water. It always helps me get rid of the bloating!

What can you do to increase your water? Try drinking 32 ounces before 10! I challenge myself to do this everyday! I don't always succeed. But I see a huge difference when I do. Drink at least 16 ounces an hour before you workout, and drink 16 ounces when you complete your workout. Carry a water bottle with you wherever you go. We refill our plastic water bottles and keep them in the fridge for a quick grab before heading out the door. Buy a water bottle you love, and refill it throughout the day.

I just got a new water bottle! It's one of those infused water bottles, so I can add fruit to my water. It's awesome! So far, I've tried lemon, lemon and strawberries, lemon and blueberries, strawberries with lime, and a mix of berries. Google recipes, there's so many different options! Plus, they're cute. Win-win!

My new water bottle from Amazon!

Have you got your gallon in today? Better get drinking!

What'd you think of this tip? Want to see more health tips and tricks on Thursdays? Let me know!