How to Stay on Track this Thanksgiving

So with the holiday cheer comes the ho ho ho muffin top!  With the holidays comes, wine, cocktails, pumpkin pie, sugar cookies, lattes, and more holiday goodness!  While I will be completely honest I do allow myself a few holiday treats.  I still try to make good choices 99% of the time.  Honestly I enjoy sweets a little to much but I definitely have learned self control and focus.  So what can you do to have a healthy holiday that doesn't leave you with those extra pounds.  I'm going to give you a few of my favorite tips!

1.  Workout:  I still get my workout in even when my amount of responsibilities and social calendar is jam packed.  I don't let the holiday hustle and bustle cause me to make excuses to sleep in and skip my workout.  I still schedule my workout like a meeting with my boss that I wouldn't cancel.  It's on my iPhone calendar every day.  So for example if you are an evening workout woman and someone asks you to go out for dinner or an event.  Decide if you legitimately have time to get that workout in somewhere else or do you really need to stay on track.  If you can say to yourself, "I really should do my workout."  Then that is your answer.  Go and do your workout and then meet up with friends later or another day!  Taking to many unscheduled rest days during the week throws off your flow and progress. So don't take unscheduled rest days unless its on the calendar for your workouts!

2.  Thanksgiving day:  Just because it's a holiday doesn't mean you can't workout.  Especially if you have been saving up for that feast why not get in a good sweat session?  I still get up at the same time, maybe an hour later but I still do my workout.  I know that I am about to have a great dinner and I want to get my metabolism fired up and my feel good endorphins in check so that I can confidently enjoy my meal.  Insanity will sure get me fired up and burning lots of calories.  Then, I still eat a normal breakfast which for me is  egg whites, a apple with pb and flaxseed. Then, I have my typical snack 2 1/2 to 3 hours later followed by lunch.  Then, I enjoy thanksgiving dinner!  I don't starve myself all morning to save calories for dinner. I will just follow proper portion sizes from the 21 day fix. Yes, I will be taking my containers with me to momma-in-laws and my moms house. You can follow portion control too.  

 Follow the palm size portion for lean protein (turkey),  have 1 cupped handful of potatoes (starchy carbs) and  pick between potatoes and corn since they are both starches.  Then, load up on veggies (ask for no butter). But  stop there!  Don't have green bean casserole, scalloped potatoes, stuffing, corn, corn soufflé  and pumpkin and apple pie. Pick and choose what you want to spend your calories on!  Choose the foods that you truly want vs the things that just taste ok but you eat them because they are in front of you!   Make sense?  Next, drink lots of water!  Still aim to drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces each day so that you don't confuse thirst with hunger and your metabolism is fired up!  

3.  If you are hosting or going to a Thanksgiving dinner bring a healthy dish.  I am a little sneaky on this one.  I always bring something that I can eat a lot of!  So usually it has a protein in there like quinoa or beans so that just in case there is NOTHING healthy (which this happens to me a lot) I have a back up plan.  Now I don't go shouting it from the rooftops that there is nothing to eat.  I just quietly get my plate, fill it with what I brought, grab some veggies and fruit and call it a day!  Then, I always have my protein powder stashed in the car for afterwards if I need something more to eat.  Remember it's all about will power and balance.  Just because there are no healthy options doesn't mean you eat it anyways.  You pick and choose what matters most.

Quinoa Salad

4. Traveling:  Pack your cooler and healthy snacks for the road.  Honestly, you would be surprised at how easy it is to take your snacks and food along with you.  The company thirty-one makes some great insulated totes that can hold Apples, almonds, protein bars, veggies, meatloaf muffins, and fruit. When I travel I even portion out little baggies of 1/2 cup servings of oatmeal mixed with 1 scoop vanilla protein powder and some dried fruit.  Then anywhere you go you can find some hot water to mix it with! Voila instant oatmeal without the hidden sugars that you would get at Starbucks and McDonalds oatmeal.  Trust me, it's worth it because there are a lot of hidden stuff in there!!!

But most of all, be thankful for the things in your life. Enjoy this time with your family and friends. Happy Thanksgiving. 

Famous Failures

How many times do you hold back from doing something that you really WANT to do because you are AFRAID that you might fail, or that you will look stupid or make a mistake?!  How many times do you say NO to an OPPORTUNITY that could of been the game changer for your future?  

I truly believe that sometimes you just need to know that someone believes in you.  Knowing that someone out there will lift you up if you crash into the wall is comforting.  The one thing that I know for sure is this,  if I would of waited until I had all the information, learned all the facts and finished the training before I started my business and fitness journey then I would still be sitting here 30 lbs heavier and broke!  So take that leap of faith and build your wings on the way down.  

Next, when it comes to overcoming fear there are a few things that you can do to help you really step out of your comfort zone and take fear by the hand and lead it out of your life!

1.  Awareness:  Before you can begin overcoming your fear, you have to know that it is causing havoc in your life.  It's easy to get so attached to your thoughts and feelings.  You begin to think that the fear you are feeling is all that exists.  And that my friend is the furthest from the truth!  

2.  Identify:  Get specific about the thing that you are afraid of!  Look at the pictures that you have in your mind regarding the fearful situation. What is happening in those pictures?  What are you really scared of?  Become an observer of your inner space!  Write it down!

3.  Curiousity: Get curious as to why you are generating these fears?  Is it your past life experiences?  Is it someone around you who keeps putting you down?  Is it the fear of what others will think?  Where do you feel this fear? How do you react to it?  Again, be an observer of what is going on around and in you!

4.  The Now:  What are you LACKING RIGHT NOW.  Not yesterday or tomorrow but right now!!!  Accept yourself as you are right this very second!  

Now make a list- be aware of your weaknesses.  Sit down and journal everything that you feel is holding you back.  We will use this again!!!

5.  Talk:  this is a no brainer right!!!  Find someone, either a friend, family member or co worker that you can talk to about your fears.  Someone you can be honest and open with.  How often do we hold in the negative things in our life because we are afraid of how others might react!  Get it off your chest, get empowered and move on!  Make sure you are talking to someone who adds value and doesn't feed into your negativity!!

6.  Read:  I am a HUGE proponent of personal development.  A good book on your specific fear can open new doors on how you can get rid of them.  I suggest you start reading something that is specific to the topic you are dealing with.  Google and Amazon are my best friends when it comes to finding the best motivational and inspirational books.

7.  Take ACTION:  This is my #1!!!  So we talk about all of this and you say "YES YES I GET IT"  but then you do nothing!  Or you read the book but do not implement a single thing.  You feel like a failure!  WHY?!  Because you didn't actually take action.  The minute you start to take action and tackle that fear it starts to become smaller and smaller.  The thoughts in your imagination begin to become unrealistic.  The confidence begins to step forward and the strength you possess shines through.  Take ACTION NOW!  Build your wings on the way down!!!

8.  Positivity:  Whenever fear strikes, flip it over.  Instead of thinking that something bad is going to happen, think of something positive.  What's a positive outcome of your fear?  If you're thinking about public speaking, imagine yourself being wildly successful.  Everyone in the room stands to give you a standing ovation.  Think of yourself right now as the successful person that you wish to become.

9.  Perspective:  Overcoming fear is all about putting your negative thoughts in perspective.  We tend to focus way to much on the negative!!!  So by looking at the options you often realize that you are making a big deal out of nothing.  There are so many things that can happen that it is impossible for you to predict!!  We are not PSYCHIC!!!  

10.  WTWTCH.  What's the worst that could happen?!?!  If you are afraid of public speaking, imagine yourself on stage with everyone laughing at you.  How do you feel afterwards?  You are still alive right?  Life GOES ON!!!!!

But what if you get up on stage and you change someone's life?  You Save a marriage with your story?  You help someone who is in a deep dark place?  You help someone lose weight so that they can play with their kids again?  Think of the possibilities!!  Think of all the people you could impact if you chose to keep fear out of the equation!!!

My assignment for you is this:

Sit down and make a list of everything I mean EVERYTHING that you are afraid of!

Then, circle the one thing that is the biggest fear of all!

Tell me, how does this fear hold you back in life?

How has it helped me in the past?

What would be the benefit of overcoming these fears?

Share it in the comments below!

But this is your time to shine!

Go out there and BE ON THE PATH THAT LEADS TO AWESOME!!!  You are destined for great things.  Fear will not get you down!!!!

Whether this pertains to your fitness journey or your own personal life I am here to help!  If you want more support then contact me by clicking the box on the right!  It's my passion and calling to help you achieve a healthy and fulfilling life!  However I can support you just shout me out!!

Now is your TIME!!  Fear will not define you!

Whether it is in your fitness journey, your career or your family life you deserve to live a life that is fulfilling!  I hope that this inspires you to dream bigger!  You DESERVE IT!!

Tips to Improve Body Confidence

So body confidence is always a subject that is on every womans mind!  We are constantly comparing ourselves to others, wishing our boobs were bigger, butt was smaller and that are abs were firmer.  Why is it that we have this ability to turn any compliment that is given to us into something negative! 

We constantly set ourselves up for failure by the negative self talk that we use each and every day.

So today I want to arm you with some really great ways that you can help to get rid of that Debbie Downer mentality about your body.  It is a gift and you should celebrate it, even if you aren't quite where you want to be just yet!  It will happen and it will take time.  Keeping a positive outlook in the meantime is key to your emotional well being!

1.  Redirect talk about dieting or body bashing with your girlfriends. When body bashing comes up as a topic of conversation, you have several options. You can change the subject. You can find someone else to talk to. Or you can kindly say, “Talking about dieting makes me a little neurotic right now. Can we talk about something else?” By speaking up, you may find an ally, a source of support.

2.  Avoid looking at fashion magazines or catalogs that endorse emaciated women as the beauty ideal. If you’re an alcoholic in recovery, it makes sense to limit your exposure to alcohol. Similarly, if looking at skinny, airbrushed women makes you nuts, let them go for now. You can add these back in your life as you are feeling more confident.

3.  Weigh yourself less. When the number’s up, you feel bad. When it’s down, you feel good. Constant weighing can create obsession and breed anxiety.  Plus the scale is actually the worst measure of progress. There are so many different factors that determine your weight each day.  These factors include horomones, water weight, sodium, that time of the month and more.  The scale is actually the least accurate measure of progress.  So stop tying yourself to a number.  It does not define your worth and should not determine whether or not you have a good day!

4.   Eat until you’re satisfied. It’s hard to be your best self if you’re starving.  Dieting can lead to food obsession, depression, eating disorders, and a negative body image. Don't use the excuse, "Oh well I binged last night, so I'll skip breakfast and lunch and be back on track!"  Don't do it!  That only slows down your metabolism, makes you grouchy and can lead to further binging.  It actually does you more justice to get back on track with your 5 to 6 small meals a day and work through the slip up.  When you are not eating consistently through the day with quality food it leads to irritability, lack of attention and fogginess.  So never ever starve yourself, you only make matters worse.

5.  Buy clothing that fits. Have you, like me, bought something a size too small, because you don’t want to buy a larger size and admit you’ve gained weight? Or buy a smaller size with the intention of dieting to fit into it? If you’re wearing clothing that pinches, you’re going to feel fat. Period. Be kind to yourself, and wear flattering clothing that fits the body you have today.

6.  Ignore the latest fad diets. There’s something magnetic about the women’s magazine at the grocery store checkout line that proclaims, “Lose 10 pounds in 10 days.” Resist taking a peek. A constant drive for self-improvement is one way our egos keep us away from the present moment, separated from the love and appreciation we feel for the body we have today.

7.  Focus on your body’s abilities instead of its size. I know I feel more loving toward my body when I am enjoying its physical pleasures:  going for a run, or taking a walk with my children. View exercise as a chance to move and play, as honoring your need to move.  Think about the progress you have made.  The fact that you can walk up the steps without being out of breath or the 1 push up you can do now vs the failed attempts last week.  Celebrate your successes in other ways than the scale!

8.  Limit mirror exposure. If you are constantly checking your appearance throughout the day, you will most likely end up obsessing about your weight — or negatively comparing yourself to other women. Looking at your butt in a mirror doesn’t make it any smaller:  I know. I’ve tried.

Lastly, plug in for support!  If you or someone you know struggles with weight loss, body confidence or finding the motivation to make a lasting change then get support!  I mentor women just like you each and every day!  We work to identify the problem, set goals, and introduce exercise and clean eating into your lifestyle.  My goal is to give you a fit family to help you make it through the ups and downs of body transformation.  It's not an easy job and yes there are days when you want to quit.  But when you have someone there on the other side telling you it is going to be ok and that you can do it.  It honestly makes a huge difference!!!

My 3 Day Refresh Results

Summer can be hard to stay on track. I was still eating healthy but I was adding in a few Iced Coffees, mints, ice cream and so on. It was starting to really hurt my results. You can not out exercise a BAD diet. And with my wedding 8 months away, I want to be in the best shape. To be healthy and to rock that wedding dress. Ekk, so excited and cant wait.


Last month at Coach Summit in Las Vegas, the 3 day refresh was released. I have done the 3 day Shakeology cleanse before and had good results, but this was not created by Beachbody. This was created by a coach. I was not getting the important fats, fiber and proper nutrition. 

What comes in your kit

Hubby and I decided we would try it so we can get back on track and get a fresh start on things. Plus, I also wanted to do this and pass on my results to my challengers. I didn't want to talk about it to my challengers and let them do it. I did this so I can HELP my challengers if they wanted to do this. 

**The number 1 question I am getting, is "Will the weight stay off after the Refresh?"*** My results and answer to this question is at the bottom of the page. 

What is the 3 day refresh?
So the 3 day refresh is designed to give you fast, clean, and efficient weight loss.  You can quickly drop a few pounds, break a bad habit and get back on track!  It's 3 shakes a day, a fiber drink, plenty of water, fresh fruits, veggies, and healthy fats so that you keep your energy and  your metabolism going.  It is not a juice or fasting diet but a healthy diet that is going to give your body nutrition vs starvation.  

3 Day Refresh Breakdown

The meals are easy to prepare, simple food that tastes amazing. I was able to cure my sugar habit. The mental fog cleared, I felt clean and energized. 

Result time

I lost 2.2 lbs
1 inch off my waist
2.5 inches off my hips
The weight was not important for me. The number on the scale didn't matter. I just wanted to reset my body. Since this, I have continued to eat clean and have lost 5 more pounds. My last day of the refresh was 1 week ago.

Hubby didn't take his measurements but he lost 9.5 lbs!!

Looking to get back on track, break a plateau, or loose a few pounds before a special event? Contact me and I will help you with your 3 day refresh.

Click HERE to order your 3 day refresh

21 Day Fix Grocery List

I can honestly say that I might be in love with the 21 day fix meal plan!  Well ok I will be totally honest I AM IN LOVE WITH THE ENTIRE PROCESS.  Lets face it, it's easy, its simple, its basically fool proof.  If you stick to the things on the list of approved foods and you keep it basic you can't go wrong.  Plus I really dislike counting calories so the fact that I can tally up my containers and check it off each day is much more my style.  Now 4 rounds into the fix I don't even use the containers anymore.  I can see very clearly what a proper portion size should look like on my plate.  My body really has a much better system of regulating my feelings of fullness and I truly do have energy.  

The thing that I really like is that it perfectly aligns with clean eating!  I still follow the exact same guide of having a protein an a complex carb at each meal.  

So I get asked questions all the time about what a grocery list should look like.  While I can't tell you to go out and buy EVERYTHING on this list, I am going to give you an idea of the general things that you are going to be using on a daily basis for the fix.  The quick reference guide below really helps as well.

Proteins

So when you hit up the store stick to lean proteins like

Fish- Salmon & Tilapia

Fresh Chicken Breast

Turkey Breast

Eggs

Lean Ground Turkey

Pork Tenderloin

Flank Steak

Protein Powder

Veggie Burgers

Honestly I stay away from red meat, processed lunch meats, turkey bacon and ham slices.  I know it's on the list but when it comes to clean eating and nutritional value the things I have listed above are much better options.  Turkey bacon, lunch meat, and ham all are higher in sodium and can cause you to retain water.  

Fruits 

Apples

Pears

Berries like Strawberries, Blackberries, Raspberries

Oranges

Watermelon

Cantaloupe

Kiwi

I honestly stayed away from bananas, mangos and grapes during the fix because they are still a good source of natural sugar but they also tend to be on the higher side.  So if I do have one of those I only do 1 per day.  As you get closer to your weight loss goal this becomes very important to shedding those last few pesky pounds.

Vegetables

Green Beans

Celery

Asparagus

Broccoli

Cauliflower

Spinach

Peppers

Onions

Tomaos

Squash

cucumbers

Lettuce

I also typically do not eat carrots because they are also higher in sugar.  I stay away from corn as a vegetable and if I eat it then it goes into the starch category.

Complex Carbohydrates 

Brown Rice

Quinoa

Oatmeal (not instant in the packet) Rolled Instant Oats

Sweet Potatoes

Red Skin potatoes

Black Beans

Pinto Beans

Couscous

Ezekiel Bread

Whole Grain Tortillas

I know that on the complex carbohydrate list there are bagels, toast, pancakes, waffles and other breads.  But what I can say is this, from a nutritional standpoint even whole grain still turns to sugar in your stomach, it will not keep you full and offers little benefits.  Think of food as fuel.  Quinoa, sweet potatoes, ezekiel bread are great sources of whole grains that are very natural and will give you fiber, fullness and nutrients where a waffle or piece of toast is more of a filler.  Again, you can pick and choose and yes it is allowed but its up to you to decide how you want your results to play out.

Blue

Unsweetened Coconut

Raw Unsalted Almonds

Raw Unsalted Cashews

Hummus

Goat Cheese

Feta Cheese

Avocado

This is definitely a category that I used to go way over!  I used to eat hummus, almonds and cheese all in one day and it was totally killing my progress.  I actually eliminated cheese from my diet and saw that I was less bloated and more lean during that time.

List of other ingredients that I used frequently:

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Coconut Oil

All Natural Peanut Butter, only ingredients are peanuts and a little salt.

Almond Butter

Almond Milk if you want that for your Shakeology

Chia Seeds

Sea Salt

Pepper

Chili Powder

Onion Salt

Garlic Powder

Garlic

Seltzer Water

Green Tea

Honey

Greek Yogurt

Cinnamon

Slivered Almonds

Chocolate Covered Banana Oatmeal

I love oatmeal- LOVVEEE!! Like I could probably eat it everyday- actually I DO eat it everyday. And as amazing as it is by itself, it's not a completely nutritionally balanced meal. Plus- ok...I can admit that it can get a little boring. BUT! This recipe is absolutely delicious and tastes like dessert! 

Ingredients:
1/3 c oats
2/3 cup water
1/2 banana, mashed
2 tsp Walnuts
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 scoop Vanilla Protein Powder
1 scoop Chocolate Protein Powder or Shakeology
1 tsp flaxseed oil

How to Prepare
Mix oats and water in microwave-safe bowl and microwave for approximately 90 seconds, or until oatmeal is fully cooked.
Add mashed banana, walnuts and cinnamon. Mix with spoon until well blended. 
Add cinnamon and protein powder. Mix well with spoon until smooth. 
Just before eating, drizzle the flaxseed oil on top (you want to do this right before you eat, as heating the flaxseed oil would destroy the efficacy). 
Eat up and ENJOY!