With Thanksgiving just about a week away, I've been trying to prepare my clients as best I can to enjoy Thanksgiving without the guilt of having to loosen their pants after dinner. THIS IS CRUNCH TIME to help yourself continue healthy eating habits throughout the holiday season!
Yes, it's the infamous "pumpkin" time of year-pumpkin lattes, pumpkin bread...PIE, lots and lots of pie! American's will eat an estimate of 21,846,525,434 pumpkin pies on Thanksgiving, with the average person eating 2-3 slices, with roughly 325 calories in each slice...not including everything else we indulge in on Thanksgiving, we consume just about 650 calories in dessert alone!
We don't think about everything we eat on Thanksgiving because we're enjoying the meal with family and friends, but this is something we need to think about! Be conscious about what you're putting into your body! Now, I'm not saying don't enjoy the meal at all, but be aware of how much food is on your plate! Be aware of your portion sizes! Ideally, a popular brand of stuffing mix, contains 107 calories per serving...and a serving of stuffing is 1/2 cup. You can avoid loosening that belt buckle after dinner by having smaller portion sizes on your plate. THIS IS KEY.
Enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner, but don't go overboard, it really is common sense. Anything with a cream sauce, try not to eat a lot of it (small, SMALL portions), don't overload the gravy, stay away from anything fried, watch the mashed potatoes and stuffing, either pick one or the other, or have smaller portions of each.
Now I understand that we want to enjoy this meal and indulge a little bit. But think about this, you know that you're more than likely going to be eating leftovers for quite a few days after Thanksgiving, so you don't need to eat like it's your last meal! Take your time between bites, take small bites and eat slowly, and WATCH YOUR PORTIONS.
Thanksgiving is NO EXCUSE to throw nutrition out the window, and even though a lot of people will skip their workout on Thanksgiving as well as the day after Thanksgiving, keep active! Play with the grandkids, or go out for a walk after dinner instead of falling asleep watching the game on the couch.
And keep this in mind, what is Thanksgiving all about?
We have so much to be thankful for. We have our family and friends, a roof over our head, a car to get us around from place to place, and we have our health. This is one of the most important things we have to be thankful for. You're alive, you should be thankful, not everyone can celebrate Thanksgiving with their families.
Don't take your health for granted anymore. If you're really thankful for your health-PROVE IT. Stop doing things you know you shouldn't be doing, because in reality, your body is the most valuable things you own, and you should be taking better care of it. Thanksgiving shouldn't be a cop-out for your training, it shouldn't be an excuse. Be smart about what you're doing-and be thankful for your health.
"To keep the body in good health is a duty...otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear" -Buddha
Monday, November 18, 2013
Sunday, October 6, 2013
My Story
I work every day with people who want to get in better shape for their lives, it's something I have such a strong passion for, I live for this. I love what I do, and there's nothing better than loving your job. I ask people questions every day about their lives, and get to know these people on a personal level, I build relationships and bond with these people, and maybe it sounds weird, but we're all like a little family.
I feel like I get to know my clients, and yes, my clients know me, but only bits and pieces of me. They know I'm married, I have an adorable little dog, and small details like that. However, my clients don't really know my story...where I came from as far as fitness goes, and why I'm doing what I'm doing. Well, here's your chance, this is my story.
I was always active growing up, and involved in every sport imaginable (except soccer, I never seemed to get into that). When I got to college, school became the number one thing in my life. I still had a passion for fitness, but it seemed to take the back burner, school was so busy! I'm pretty sure I underestimated just how crazy college could be! Well, let's speed through four years of monotonous lectures and all-nighters and fast forward to graduation.
I gave into the whole college diet. My freshman year I lost 10lbs, mainly because I REFUSED to gain the freshman 15...however, that caught up with me by my senior year. My Freshman year going into college I weighed about 120lbs, pretty average for someone my height and build. But after graduation, and by the time of my wedding I weighed about 153lbs. Yes, that's a 30lb gain in 3 years. Now, some people may say that this isn't such a big deal, but for someone who was in tip-top athletic shape, and at the top of their game, this was a BIG DEAL. I still "worked out", but let's face it, I didn't push myself at all. I did enough to make me feel like I actually did something, and then quit. So yeah, I wasn't in completely horrible shape, but I sure wasn't where I needed to be.
Here's my success story:
My starting weight: May 13, 2012 was 153lbs.
My moment of clarity came after graduation when I started looking at certification requirements for being a personal trainer. This was something that I had wanted to do my whole life, help people become the best versions of themselves...and I realized, how could I possibly do this, if I myself, was no where near the kind of shape that I should be in? I knew I needed to change my life, in order to help other people change their. It was time to practice what I preached. I needed to get my life into shape, and I needed to get serious about it.
My biggest challenge was my own insecurity. Even though I was a great athlete in high school, I lost all that confidence that I had. I knew I didn't look the part of that athlete I once was, and it showed whenever I worked out. I was winded before I knew it when I was running, and I knew I had lost a ton of strength that I had previously. I let my insecurity follow me everywhere I went. I wore baggie clothes, nothing form-fitting, EVER, and when I came to the gym I ignored the weight floor, and focused on the treadmills, always staying in the back row so no one could see me walk after running for two minutes. I didn't want anyone to see me working out in the gym, I wanted to be invisible. But I overcame them, but kicking myself in the rear, and finally asking for assistance, and researching things. I asked for help (which for me was a huge piece of humble pie), and as soon as I knew it, I was working out in PUBLIC, where people could see me, and doing things I never thought I would do.
I was especially proud of myself when I finally began to see the results that I have been working so hard for in my mirror. As a trainer, we're surrounded by mirrors all the time at the gym, and I always would look at them as I passed and wonder if my body was actually changing because I could never tell, and I began doubting myself. Then, I made the decision not to obsess over looking in mirrors. I would pass them, looking straight ahead, and ignore their presence completely. Then, one day, weeks after not looking in one, I finally did it, and looked in the mirror, and finally started to notice definition in my arms, my legs, and my midsection, my abs were coming back! WOO!
I fell, but I didn't fail when I started getting intimidated by some of the other women working out in the gym. These ladies were cut, and I mean, CUT. Definition, tone, the whole "look", I mean, they looked like beauty queens! I wanted to be these women, I wanted to look like them, and then I'd look in the mirror and see myself, yeah, okay, I guess I'm pretty lean, but nothing like these women. I started questioning myself, maybe I was taking in too many calories, maybe I wasn't working out hard enough. I even overheard two ladies talking about me in the locker room, mentioning how my workout clothes were frumpy, my hair was gross, and I was fat. Yes, they called me fat, and thought I couldn't hear them because I had headphones in...but I wasn't listening to anything. This crushed me. I felt like I was starting right at square one again. But I got myself together. I'm doing everything I need to be doing! No, it's not going to happen over night, it's going to take time, and I thought about how far I had come since May of 2012, surely these ladies didn't get this way over night, and neither would I, but I will get there somewhere, and I can't let these women throw me off, especially these ladies that were talking about the way I looked. I mean hey, at least my makeup doesn't run off my face when I'm at the gym...thankfully I don't have this problem because I don't wear makeup anyway, so, HA!
My favorite story of someone helping me along the way, was my husband (caution, SAPPINESS ALERT!) He's so incredibly supportive, and always told me that I was perfect just the way I was. I mean, what girl doesn't love to hear that they look beautiful, especially on days when we're sporting sweat pants, dirty, messy, hair, and no makeup! My man's awesome, he always knew what to say. And one of the best ways he helped me was by telling me not to worry about those girls at the gym that were talking about me in the locker room because if we're being realistic, "they're just there to get guys to look at them and that's it, I'm sure all the cocktails and margarita's will catch up to them in five years" (thanks babe). I wouldn't wish that on anyone, but at that moment in time, I needed to hear someone say that even though I wanted to be better, I wanted to be the best version of myself, that I was still beautiful, and still the girl that he fell in love with.
Something important that I learned about myself was that I'm capable of so much more than I every thought possible. I never thought it would be possible for me to do an entire Battle Rope workout without dying at the end of it, and I never thought I would be able to increase my squat weight so fast (right now I'm currently at 120lbs, hoping to be at 135lbs by the end of the month)! I learned that my body is AWESOME, and that I absolutely love everything I do with my clients, and how awesome they are (seriously, you guys make me love my job).
My goals for the future are to be able to squat 200lbs by the end of the year, and to run in a mud run, like the Spartan Race or Tough Mudder. But more than that, I want to be able to help out as many people as I can with their weight loss challenges, and not just with weight loss, but with an entire life-style change. I want to make everyone that I come in contact with fall in love with fitness and health, because I've fallen in love with it. I want to help people live longer and become the best version of themselves that they can be. Ultimately, I want to change lives.
My ending weight, as of right now is 125lbs. I've got about 5lbs more to lose before I hit my goal weight, and let me tell you, I'm on my way there.
It's going to be a good year.
Let's do this together.
I feel like I get to know my clients, and yes, my clients know me, but only bits and pieces of me. They know I'm married, I have an adorable little dog, and small details like that. However, my clients don't really know my story...where I came from as far as fitness goes, and why I'm doing what I'm doing. Well, here's your chance, this is my story.
I was always active growing up, and involved in every sport imaginable (except soccer, I never seemed to get into that). When I got to college, school became the number one thing in my life. I still had a passion for fitness, but it seemed to take the back burner, school was so busy! I'm pretty sure I underestimated just how crazy college could be! Well, let's speed through four years of monotonous lectures and all-nighters and fast forward to graduation.
I gave into the whole college diet. My freshman year I lost 10lbs, mainly because I REFUSED to gain the freshman 15...however, that caught up with me by my senior year. My Freshman year going into college I weighed about 120lbs, pretty average for someone my height and build. But after graduation, and by the time of my wedding I weighed about 153lbs. Yes, that's a 30lb gain in 3 years. Now, some people may say that this isn't such a big deal, but for someone who was in tip-top athletic shape, and at the top of their game, this was a BIG DEAL. I still "worked out", but let's face it, I didn't push myself at all. I did enough to make me feel like I actually did something, and then quit. So yeah, I wasn't in completely horrible shape, but I sure wasn't where I needed to be.
Here's my success story:
My starting weight: May 13, 2012 was 153lbs.
My moment of clarity came after graduation when I started looking at certification requirements for being a personal trainer. This was something that I had wanted to do my whole life, help people become the best versions of themselves...and I realized, how could I possibly do this, if I myself, was no where near the kind of shape that I should be in? I knew I needed to change my life, in order to help other people change their. It was time to practice what I preached. I needed to get my life into shape, and I needed to get serious about it.
My biggest challenge was my own insecurity. Even though I was a great athlete in high school, I lost all that confidence that I had. I knew I didn't look the part of that athlete I once was, and it showed whenever I worked out. I was winded before I knew it when I was running, and I knew I had lost a ton of strength that I had previously. I let my insecurity follow me everywhere I went. I wore baggie clothes, nothing form-fitting, EVER, and when I came to the gym I ignored the weight floor, and focused on the treadmills, always staying in the back row so no one could see me walk after running for two minutes. I didn't want anyone to see me working out in the gym, I wanted to be invisible. But I overcame them, but kicking myself in the rear, and finally asking for assistance, and researching things. I asked for help (which for me was a huge piece of humble pie), and as soon as I knew it, I was working out in PUBLIC, where people could see me, and doing things I never thought I would do.
I was especially proud of myself when I finally began to see the results that I have been working so hard for in my mirror. As a trainer, we're surrounded by mirrors all the time at the gym, and I always would look at them as I passed and wonder if my body was actually changing because I could never tell, and I began doubting myself. Then, I made the decision not to obsess over looking in mirrors. I would pass them, looking straight ahead, and ignore their presence completely. Then, one day, weeks after not looking in one, I finally did it, and looked in the mirror, and finally started to notice definition in my arms, my legs, and my midsection, my abs were coming back! WOO!
I fell, but I didn't fail when I started getting intimidated by some of the other women working out in the gym. These ladies were cut, and I mean, CUT. Definition, tone, the whole "look", I mean, they looked like beauty queens! I wanted to be these women, I wanted to look like them, and then I'd look in the mirror and see myself, yeah, okay, I guess I'm pretty lean, but nothing like these women. I started questioning myself, maybe I was taking in too many calories, maybe I wasn't working out hard enough. I even overheard two ladies talking about me in the locker room, mentioning how my workout clothes were frumpy, my hair was gross, and I was fat. Yes, they called me fat, and thought I couldn't hear them because I had headphones in...but I wasn't listening to anything. This crushed me. I felt like I was starting right at square one again. But I got myself together. I'm doing everything I need to be doing! No, it's not going to happen over night, it's going to take time, and I thought about how far I had come since May of 2012, surely these ladies didn't get this way over night, and neither would I, but I will get there somewhere, and I can't let these women throw me off, especially these ladies that were talking about the way I looked. I mean hey, at least my makeup doesn't run off my face when I'm at the gym...thankfully I don't have this problem because I don't wear makeup anyway, so, HA!
My favorite story of someone helping me along the way, was my husband (caution, SAPPINESS ALERT!) He's so incredibly supportive, and always told me that I was perfect just the way I was. I mean, what girl doesn't love to hear that they look beautiful, especially on days when we're sporting sweat pants, dirty, messy, hair, and no makeup! My man's awesome, he always knew what to say. And one of the best ways he helped me was by telling me not to worry about those girls at the gym that were talking about me in the locker room because if we're being realistic, "they're just there to get guys to look at them and that's it, I'm sure all the cocktails and margarita's will catch up to them in five years" (thanks babe). I wouldn't wish that on anyone, but at that moment in time, I needed to hear someone say that even though I wanted to be better, I wanted to be the best version of myself, that I was still beautiful, and still the girl that he fell in love with.
Something important that I learned about myself was that I'm capable of so much more than I every thought possible. I never thought it would be possible for me to do an entire Battle Rope workout without dying at the end of it, and I never thought I would be able to increase my squat weight so fast (right now I'm currently at 120lbs, hoping to be at 135lbs by the end of the month)! I learned that my body is AWESOME, and that I absolutely love everything I do with my clients, and how awesome they are (seriously, you guys make me love my job).
My goals for the future are to be able to squat 200lbs by the end of the year, and to run in a mud run, like the Spartan Race or Tough Mudder. But more than that, I want to be able to help out as many people as I can with their weight loss challenges, and not just with weight loss, but with an entire life-style change. I want to make everyone that I come in contact with fall in love with fitness and health, because I've fallen in love with it. I want to help people live longer and become the best version of themselves that they can be. Ultimately, I want to change lives.
My ending weight, as of right now is 125lbs. I've got about 5lbs more to lose before I hit my goal weight, and let me tell you, I'm on my way there.
It's going to be a good year.
Let's do this together.
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Clean Eating 101
As we end the month of September and October eerily creeps up on us from around the corner, we're reminded that the holiday's really are just around the corner! It may not seem like it, but Thanksgiving and Christmas will sneak up on us sooner than we realize...and what comes with the holidays? FOOD.
LOTS and LOTS of FOOD.
Even Halloween! Just think about all the candy that is surrounding us and bombarding us, especially in the week before and after Halloween.
This is where self-discipline comes into play. There's going to be a ton of temptations coming up in the next couple months, and it's going to be difficult to say no to some of them, especially when you have a plate of Christmas cookies under your nose. But one of the best ways to work on your self-control to prepare yourself for the holiday's is to start NOW. Yes, NOW. I'm not kidding! You may be able to think that if you cut out sweets and junk food, and all that "bad stuff" the day before you go to a party that you'll be fine, well, not to burst your bubble, but it's going to be extremely difficult. So one of the best ways to prepare for these parties with the lavish sweets, breads, and alcohol is to start cutting back NOW!
No, it's not easy, but it's worth it! Seriously! Here's a couple of ways to start working on that self-control!
1. No Junk/Processed Foods! AT ALL!
How often to we actually look at the ingredients on a package of food in the grocery store? Have you actually HEARD of all of the ingredients in that food? Can you even pronounce all the ingredients? A number of ingredients are inserted by food companies to hide an odor/flavor, add color, sweeten, texturize, or preserve the food. These ingredients are also tied into a number of autoimmune diseases and are LOADED with sodium, refined sugars, and trans fats which rain on your parade as far as weight loss is concerned. Foods that should be avoided completely are: sodas, fast food, baked goods like cakes, cookies, pies, etc, candies, processed meats and dairy, anything white (white rice, bread, pasta), and high-sodium canned foods. If anything starts with the word: hydrogenated DO NOT EAT IT. And finally, avoid ANYTHING that says "enriched"!
2. Drink your water! Hydrate!
We need to regulate water and sodium consumption in our bodies. Too much sodium in our body can increase blood pressure and decrease our metabolism, and sodium...IS EVERYWHERE. Basically how it works, when you consume sodium is excess is distributed under the skin (where it attracts water) and it's retained in your cells this is why we feel bloated, or puffy for lack of a better term. This isn't something for you to lose sleep over, but we need to be aware of what we're putting in our body. One way to do this is to eat fresh foods, stay away from processed and pre-packaged foods, and go easy on the table salt, soy sauce! Be conscious about what's going into your body! Something I use to replace a lot of condiments that contain a ton of sodium is the Mrs. Dash seasoning! There's a ton of flavors and they're all salt-free! Now, as far as water is concerned, DRINK UP! Men should generally drink about 120 oz a day, and women should have around 80 oz a day. Sometimes even, I tell people to drink half their body weight in ounces a day! Yes, you may find yourself running to the bathroom a bit more than usual, but it's a small price to pay for a healthy body!
3. Cut out the Booze
No one particularly likes this rule, and I'm not suggesting that you cut out alcohol for life. But alcohol is a tall glass of empty calories. When you consume alcohol, you're causing your body dehydration, mineral loss, and water loss. When you lose minerals like potassium, magnesium, zinc, and calcium, you're losing the minerals that are very important to fluid balance in the body, fat metabolism, muscle contractions and relaxation. When you have alcohol in your system, it releases estrogen into your blood stream, which it turn, promotes fat storage, and restricts muscle growth. Not to mention that fact we all know, it vastly decreases your inhibitions, will power, and increases your appetite causing you to go through fast food at 1am reaching for a burger and large fries. Seriously? Try cutting out alcohol for 30 days and tell me you don't feel better at the end of the month. I'm not even joking.
4. Keep a food journal.
It's almost like a contract with yourself to eat clean. This helps keep you accountable to yourself because you're forcing yourself to see what you're putting in your body every single day. This also helps to keep your mind on your weight loss goals. Keep track of what you eat throughout the day! It's not that hard! Jot it down quickly as you eat throughout the day. Seeing what you actually put in your body will give you small reality checks, you may find out that you don't eat as healthy as you think you do! Plus, being honest with yourself about what you're eating, may help you make some healthy changes in your diet. But the key to this is, being honest with yourself! Don't cheat yourself out of this, because in reality, the only person you're hurting is yourself.
Start following some of these rules and I promise, if you actually stick to it and be honest with yourself, you'll start seeing changes, not only in how you feel, but in how you look as well :)
Here, I'll even help you out! Here's a couple of recipes that are healthy, and actually taste good!
Broccoli, Turkey, & Cheese Lunch Wrap
*Serves 4
Ingredients:
3/4 cup broccoli florets
1/4 cup (2 oz) light cream cheese
2 Tbsp fat-free Italian dressing
1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning
6 slices low-sodium turkey breast
1/3 cup bottle roasted red peppers chopped
4 round whole wheat/whole grain wraps
1. Steam broccoli, for about 5 minutes or until it's crisp/tender.
2. Combine cream cheese, dressing, and Italian seasoning in a bowl
3. Combine broccoli, cream cheese mix, turkey and bell pepper in a medium skillet, cook turkey mix over med-high heat until it's thoroughly heated.
4. Spread mix over wraps, roll, and enjoy!
Spinach & Ricotta Chicken
*Serves 6
Filling:
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/3 cup reduced fat parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 (10-oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
1 large egg
Chicken:
6 (6oz) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup dry white wine
1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Combine all filling ingredients
3. For chicken: place each chicken breast between 2 sheets heavy-duty plastic wrap, pound to 1/4" thickness. Divide and spread filling over chicken breasts and roll-up, tuck in the sides, and place the chicken seam side down, in a 13x9 baking dish, pour wine over chicken, and cover dish with foil.
4. Bake for 30 minutes, basting chicken with wine every 10 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes until/until chicken is done. Remove chicken from the pan and strain the wine mix through a sieve over a bowl and throw away the solids, and serve the wine mixture over the chicken.
*Michaels, Jilliam, Making the Cut, Three Rivers Press; New York, 2007
LOTS and LOTS of FOOD.
Even Halloween! Just think about all the candy that is surrounding us and bombarding us, especially in the week before and after Halloween.
This is where self-discipline comes into play. There's going to be a ton of temptations coming up in the next couple months, and it's going to be difficult to say no to some of them, especially when you have a plate of Christmas cookies under your nose. But one of the best ways to work on your self-control to prepare yourself for the holiday's is to start NOW. Yes, NOW. I'm not kidding! You may be able to think that if you cut out sweets and junk food, and all that "bad stuff" the day before you go to a party that you'll be fine, well, not to burst your bubble, but it's going to be extremely difficult. So one of the best ways to prepare for these parties with the lavish sweets, breads, and alcohol is to start cutting back NOW!
No, it's not easy, but it's worth it! Seriously! Here's a couple of ways to start working on that self-control!
1. No Junk/Processed Foods! AT ALL!
How often to we actually look at the ingredients on a package of food in the grocery store? Have you actually HEARD of all of the ingredients in that food? Can you even pronounce all the ingredients? A number of ingredients are inserted by food companies to hide an odor/flavor, add color, sweeten, texturize, or preserve the food. These ingredients are also tied into a number of autoimmune diseases and are LOADED with sodium, refined sugars, and trans fats which rain on your parade as far as weight loss is concerned. Foods that should be avoided completely are: sodas, fast food, baked goods like cakes, cookies, pies, etc, candies, processed meats and dairy, anything white (white rice, bread, pasta), and high-sodium canned foods. If anything starts with the word: hydrogenated DO NOT EAT IT. And finally, avoid ANYTHING that says "enriched"!
2. Drink your water! Hydrate!
We need to regulate water and sodium consumption in our bodies. Too much sodium in our body can increase blood pressure and decrease our metabolism, and sodium...IS EVERYWHERE. Basically how it works, when you consume sodium is excess is distributed under the skin (where it attracts water) and it's retained in your cells this is why we feel bloated, or puffy for lack of a better term. This isn't something for you to lose sleep over, but we need to be aware of what we're putting in our body. One way to do this is to eat fresh foods, stay away from processed and pre-packaged foods, and go easy on the table salt, soy sauce! Be conscious about what's going into your body! Something I use to replace a lot of condiments that contain a ton of sodium is the Mrs. Dash seasoning! There's a ton of flavors and they're all salt-free! Now, as far as water is concerned, DRINK UP! Men should generally drink about 120 oz a day, and women should have around 80 oz a day. Sometimes even, I tell people to drink half their body weight in ounces a day! Yes, you may find yourself running to the bathroom a bit more than usual, but it's a small price to pay for a healthy body!
3. Cut out the Booze
No one particularly likes this rule, and I'm not suggesting that you cut out alcohol for life. But alcohol is a tall glass of empty calories. When you consume alcohol, you're causing your body dehydration, mineral loss, and water loss. When you lose minerals like potassium, magnesium, zinc, and calcium, you're losing the minerals that are very important to fluid balance in the body, fat metabolism, muscle contractions and relaxation. When you have alcohol in your system, it releases estrogen into your blood stream, which it turn, promotes fat storage, and restricts muscle growth. Not to mention that fact we all know, it vastly decreases your inhibitions, will power, and increases your appetite causing you to go through fast food at 1am reaching for a burger and large fries. Seriously? Try cutting out alcohol for 30 days and tell me you don't feel better at the end of the month. I'm not even joking.
4. Keep a food journal.
It's almost like a contract with yourself to eat clean. This helps keep you accountable to yourself because you're forcing yourself to see what you're putting in your body every single day. This also helps to keep your mind on your weight loss goals. Keep track of what you eat throughout the day! It's not that hard! Jot it down quickly as you eat throughout the day. Seeing what you actually put in your body will give you small reality checks, you may find out that you don't eat as healthy as you think you do! Plus, being honest with yourself about what you're eating, may help you make some healthy changes in your diet. But the key to this is, being honest with yourself! Don't cheat yourself out of this, because in reality, the only person you're hurting is yourself.
Start following some of these rules and I promise, if you actually stick to it and be honest with yourself, you'll start seeing changes, not only in how you feel, but in how you look as well :)
Here, I'll even help you out! Here's a couple of recipes that are healthy, and actually taste good!
Broccoli, Turkey, & Cheese Lunch Wrap
*Serves 4
Ingredients:
3/4 cup broccoli florets
1/4 cup (2 oz) light cream cheese
2 Tbsp fat-free Italian dressing
1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning
6 slices low-sodium turkey breast
1/3 cup bottle roasted red peppers chopped
4 round whole wheat/whole grain wraps
1. Steam broccoli, for about 5 minutes or until it's crisp/tender.
2. Combine cream cheese, dressing, and Italian seasoning in a bowl
3. Combine broccoli, cream cheese mix, turkey and bell pepper in a medium skillet, cook turkey mix over med-high heat until it's thoroughly heated.
4. Spread mix over wraps, roll, and enjoy!
Spinach & Ricotta Chicken
*Serves 6
Filling:
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/3 cup reduced fat parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 (10-oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
1 large egg
Chicken:
6 (6oz) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup dry white wine
1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Combine all filling ingredients
3. For chicken: place each chicken breast between 2 sheets heavy-duty plastic wrap, pound to 1/4" thickness. Divide and spread filling over chicken breasts and roll-up, tuck in the sides, and place the chicken seam side down, in a 13x9 baking dish, pour wine over chicken, and cover dish with foil.
4. Bake for 30 minutes, basting chicken with wine every 10 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes until/until chicken is done. Remove chicken from the pan and strain the wine mix through a sieve over a bowl and throw away the solids, and serve the wine mixture over the chicken.
*Michaels, Jilliam, Making the Cut, Three Rivers Press; New York, 2007
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
The most feared four-letter word in the English Language: DIET
Weight loss.
Ask anyone how to lost weight and they'll tell you the same thing.
Go to the gym. Workout for an hour. Go home. Eat well.
Eat well. Okay, simple enough right? Have a salad now and then, cut back on the burger and fries, maybe cut it down to one soda a day...that should do it right?
Um.
No.
Not even close!
When it comes to weight loss, a lot of people have this fantasized idea that it's 80% exercising, and 20% diet. Well....sorry to burst your bubble, but when it comes to weight loss, it's more like 40% diet, 60% exercise. Now, that may not be the exact statistic, but it's pretty darn close if I say so myself.
Now, diet. This four letter word has a crazy effect of people. It's probably the most terrifying word in the feminine language! Let's face it, no one likes to use it, I don't either. When it comes to "dieting" as far as weight loss is concerned, it shouldn't be a "diet", it should be a lifestyle change! When you're on a weight loss journey, you really are changing your way of life whether you realize it or not. You're making a commitment to yourself to change the way you were living your life before! You were unhappy with yourself, lacked confidence in the way you looked (and maybe even in other aspects of your life), and you ate like a 7 year old. Yes. YOU ATE LIKE A CHILD. We've all done it, even I've done it. I'm not kidding! Up until I was about 19 years old, I ate like a 5 year old. Sure I ate my veggies and whatnot, but I was in college, my fridge was packed with SNACKS. That was my downfall, snacks! But I changed my ways and started eating like an adult. When it comes to this lifestyle change, we need to start eating like adults, and when we do, we quickly realize that eating this way is mostly for function. Now, I'm not saying that we only eat things that taste like cardboard. No, I get enough of that being gluten free, but you can eat for taste as well, just make sure it's not an entire pack of twizzlers or a giant burger from your favorite fast food place.
We need to come to the realization that if we're going to jump on this lifestyle change, and REALLY, I mean REALLY change our life, we need to start eating PROPERLY. So, about this whole eating properly thing...how is it done? Well, that's a whole other ball game!
I'm not a big fan of counting calories. Yes, smartphone apps like MyFitnessPal are great apps for keeping track of your caloric intake, and it's a great idea to keep track of what you're eating! I encourage all of my clients to keep some kind of food journal to track what they put into their body every day, and I keep one myself. This is a great way of keeping yourself honest about what you're putting in your body! When you actually SEE what you put into yourself, it becomes more real, and a lot of people have their "Aha!" moment when they finally see what they eat like, that is the moment where they choose to make a change, and stick to it!
I've tracked down a couple of places that go into some awesome detail about portion size (this is also VERY important for weight loss!). When you start to control your portions you'll quickly realize how much our nation has INCREASED the amount of food that we take in just in one meal!! So I encourage every single one of you to really look into these sites and figure out your portion sizes!
http://www.webmd.com/diet/healthtool-portion-size-plate
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/portion-control/NU00267&slide=2
Now, your homework.
Look at those two pages above and read about portion sizes, and get a food journal, and BE HONEST ABOUT IT!! The only person that you're hurting and cheating out of a healthy lifestyle is yourself. So let's do it. Get that journal, be honest with yourself, and eat like an adult!!
Ask anyone how to lost weight and they'll tell you the same thing.
Go to the gym. Workout for an hour. Go home. Eat well.
Eat well. Okay, simple enough right? Have a salad now and then, cut back on the burger and fries, maybe cut it down to one soda a day...that should do it right?
Um.
No.
Not even close!
When it comes to weight loss, a lot of people have this fantasized idea that it's 80% exercising, and 20% diet. Well....sorry to burst your bubble, but when it comes to weight loss, it's more like 40% diet, 60% exercise. Now, that may not be the exact statistic, but it's pretty darn close if I say so myself.
Now, diet. This four letter word has a crazy effect of people. It's probably the most terrifying word in the feminine language! Let's face it, no one likes to use it, I don't either. When it comes to "dieting" as far as weight loss is concerned, it shouldn't be a "diet", it should be a lifestyle change! When you're on a weight loss journey, you really are changing your way of life whether you realize it or not. You're making a commitment to yourself to change the way you were living your life before! You were unhappy with yourself, lacked confidence in the way you looked (and maybe even in other aspects of your life), and you ate like a 7 year old. Yes. YOU ATE LIKE A CHILD. We've all done it, even I've done it. I'm not kidding! Up until I was about 19 years old, I ate like a 5 year old. Sure I ate my veggies and whatnot, but I was in college, my fridge was packed with SNACKS. That was my downfall, snacks! But I changed my ways and started eating like an adult. When it comes to this lifestyle change, we need to start eating like adults, and when we do, we quickly realize that eating this way is mostly for function. Now, I'm not saying that we only eat things that taste like cardboard. No, I get enough of that being gluten free, but you can eat for taste as well, just make sure it's not an entire pack of twizzlers or a giant burger from your favorite fast food place.
We need to come to the realization that if we're going to jump on this lifestyle change, and REALLY, I mean REALLY change our life, we need to start eating PROPERLY. So, about this whole eating properly thing...how is it done? Well, that's a whole other ball game!
I'm not a big fan of counting calories. Yes, smartphone apps like MyFitnessPal are great apps for keeping track of your caloric intake, and it's a great idea to keep track of what you're eating! I encourage all of my clients to keep some kind of food journal to track what they put into their body every day, and I keep one myself. This is a great way of keeping yourself honest about what you're putting in your body! When you actually SEE what you put into yourself, it becomes more real, and a lot of people have their "Aha!" moment when they finally see what they eat like, that is the moment where they choose to make a change, and stick to it!
I've tracked down a couple of places that go into some awesome detail about portion size (this is also VERY important for weight loss!). When you start to control your portions you'll quickly realize how much our nation has INCREASED the amount of food that we take in just in one meal!! So I encourage every single one of you to really look into these sites and figure out your portion sizes!
http://www.webmd.com/diet/healthtool-portion-size-plate
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/portion-control/NU00267&slide=2
Now, your homework.
Look at those two pages above and read about portion sizes, and get a food journal, and BE HONEST ABOUT IT!! The only person that you're hurting and cheating out of a healthy lifestyle is yourself. So let's do it. Get that journal, be honest with yourself, and eat like an adult!!
Monday, September 16, 2013
That big scary thing in the gym: the weight room.
Recently, it's come to my attention that a lot of women are intimidated by the weight room. Now, don't get me wrong, I used to be in that club as well. I wouldn't touch the weight room if I didn't have to. Cardio and body weight training fix everything right?
Wrong.
Although I incorporate a ton of body weight training into the programs I use with my clients, it's important to incorporate weight training into your program as well! This is where a lot of women go wrong in their weight loss journey, no offense ladies, but it's time to cowboy up and get in there!
I get it, there's a lot of big guys grunting, with veins popping out of their neck, who are chiseled to perfection, it's intimidating. But there is a plus to weight training.
First, weight/strength training increases your metabolism for an entire hour while your body works to help your muscles recover after training. Having this spike in your metabolism helps burn calories, almost as much as 25% more than you would by just doing cardiovascular training (in cardiovascular training your heart returns back to it's normal resting rate after your exercise is complete and ceases to raise your metabolism). Many people believe that cardio training is the best way to lose weight, and yes, while it's true that if you go from being a complete couch potato to running for 10-30 minutes every single day, you'll lose a few pounds, but eventually within at least 4-6 weeks, your body will plateau and you won't lose any more weight.
Another reason why we women won't go for weight training is because we don't want to be huge. I mean, what woman wants to walk around looking like the Hulk? No, we want to be slim and slender, we want long lean muscles. Honestly, weight and strength training is the best way to do this! You won't get "big" unless you intentionally train to get big! But women have a harder time any way getting big mainly because of the testosterone in our bodies. Don't worry ladies, genetics is on our side in this one: you won't get bulky if you don't want to! If anything, including weight and strength training into your workout will help you develop those sexy lean muscles that we want to have.
Ladies, cowboy up and get your butts into the weight room! It's nothing to be scared of! Go grab that dumbbell and do some curls! I know you have to walk through the land of testosterone to get there, but just hold your breath and do it!
For a little more information on this, check out this stellar article, and then when you're done reading it, give me ten push ups! :)
http://www.livestrong.com/article/421082-weights-vs-cardio-your-guide-to-the-perfect-body/
Wrong.
Although I incorporate a ton of body weight training into the programs I use with my clients, it's important to incorporate weight training into your program as well! This is where a lot of women go wrong in their weight loss journey, no offense ladies, but it's time to cowboy up and get in there!
I get it, there's a lot of big guys grunting, with veins popping out of their neck, who are chiseled to perfection, it's intimidating. But there is a plus to weight training.
First, weight/strength training increases your metabolism for an entire hour while your body works to help your muscles recover after training. Having this spike in your metabolism helps burn calories, almost as much as 25% more than you would by just doing cardiovascular training (in cardiovascular training your heart returns back to it's normal resting rate after your exercise is complete and ceases to raise your metabolism). Many people believe that cardio training is the best way to lose weight, and yes, while it's true that if you go from being a complete couch potato to running for 10-30 minutes every single day, you'll lose a few pounds, but eventually within at least 4-6 weeks, your body will plateau and you won't lose any more weight.
Another reason why we women won't go for weight training is because we don't want to be huge. I mean, what woman wants to walk around looking like the Hulk? No, we want to be slim and slender, we want long lean muscles. Honestly, weight and strength training is the best way to do this! You won't get "big" unless you intentionally train to get big! But women have a harder time any way getting big mainly because of the testosterone in our bodies. Don't worry ladies, genetics is on our side in this one: you won't get bulky if you don't want to! If anything, including weight and strength training into your workout will help you develop those sexy lean muscles that we want to have.
Ladies, cowboy up and get your butts into the weight room! It's nothing to be scared of! Go grab that dumbbell and do some curls! I know you have to walk through the land of testosterone to get there, but just hold your breath and do it!
For a little more information on this, check out this stellar article, and then when you're done reading it, give me ten push ups! :)
http://www.livestrong.com/article/421082-weights-vs-cardio-your-guide-to-the-perfect-body/
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Strong vs. Skinny
Time to get down to it. There's parts of your body that you don't like. I'll admit, there's parts of my body I don't like. We're human, that's how we think. But deep inside, you want to make a change. You want to be happier, look better, FEEL better. It's possible. It's not an unreachable dream-you can do it!
We're hard on ourselves, we're our worst critic, that statement is completely true. For years I've been my own worst critic and I still am. But when I workout, I give it everything I have and leave it all on the gym floor, my blood, sweat, and tears. It's the only way I know I give it my all-and when I do that, I know that I had a good workout that day.
Maybe you're just a beginner, or maybe you're a seasoned athlete, but in all, I'll bet you're hard on yourself...and everyone is hard on themselves in a different way. For me, I know a couple years ago, I believed that every workout I did wasn't good enough. I dreamed of being that skinny little girl that was in all the magazines, but I came to a realization that this girl wasn't me-and more importantly I didn't want to be her. I didn't want to be that skinny, with no shape-I didn't want to be like the girls in those magazines because (spoiler alert here) THEY DON'T EXIST. Every girl that looks that way is usually edited. Who wants to be an edited picture?! No. I decided from then on that being strong was more important than being skinny. Even now, I'm not a tiny little thing, but I AM strong. I feel it in my core, my legs, my arms, I'm not skinny but I'm strong, and THAT my friends, makes me like I'm at my best.
So which do you want to be? A skinny edited magazine dream? Or a strong, healthy person?
If you want to be strong, here's a couple of my workout tips:
If you want to get in a core workout (which will help you feel the burn) but don't have a ton of time, try these exercises:
1. 25 Crunches
2. 25 Left knee touch crunches (lead your right arm to your left knee, but lead your with your armpit)
3. 25 Right knee touch crunches (same thing, but lead with your left arm to right knee)
4. 25 Reverse crunches (keep your legs together, ankles crossed, and lift your legs up in the air slightly lifting your butt off the ground, your legs should stop at 90 degrees towards the ceiling)
5. 25 Toe Touch Crunch (lift legs off the floor, hold towards ceiling, then perform a crunch)
6. 25 Mountain Climbers
7. 1 minute plank (DO NOT ARCH YOUR BACK! KEEP IT FLAT!)
8. 30 weighted Russian Twists (my favorite exercise!) if no weights, then to 40-50 *one complete rotation counts as 1 twist
Do this set of exercises at least once and tell me you don't feel SOMETHING!!
We're hard on ourselves, we're our worst critic, that statement is completely true. For years I've been my own worst critic and I still am. But when I workout, I give it everything I have and leave it all on the gym floor, my blood, sweat, and tears. It's the only way I know I give it my all-and when I do that, I know that I had a good workout that day.
Maybe you're just a beginner, or maybe you're a seasoned athlete, but in all, I'll bet you're hard on yourself...and everyone is hard on themselves in a different way. For me, I know a couple years ago, I believed that every workout I did wasn't good enough. I dreamed of being that skinny little girl that was in all the magazines, but I came to a realization that this girl wasn't me-and more importantly I didn't want to be her. I didn't want to be that skinny, with no shape-I didn't want to be like the girls in those magazines because (spoiler alert here) THEY DON'T EXIST. Every girl that looks that way is usually edited. Who wants to be an edited picture?! No. I decided from then on that being strong was more important than being skinny. Even now, I'm not a tiny little thing, but I AM strong. I feel it in my core, my legs, my arms, I'm not skinny but I'm strong, and THAT my friends, makes me like I'm at my best.
So which do you want to be? A skinny edited magazine dream? Or a strong, healthy person?
If you want to be strong, here's a couple of my workout tips:
If you want to get in a core workout (which will help you feel the burn) but don't have a ton of time, try these exercises:
1. 25 Crunches
2. 25 Left knee touch crunches (lead your right arm to your left knee, but lead your with your armpit)
3. 25 Right knee touch crunches (same thing, but lead with your left arm to right knee)
4. 25 Reverse crunches (keep your legs together, ankles crossed, and lift your legs up in the air slightly lifting your butt off the ground, your legs should stop at 90 degrees towards the ceiling)
5. 25 Toe Touch Crunch (lift legs off the floor, hold towards ceiling, then perform a crunch)
6. 25 Mountain Climbers
7. 1 minute plank (DO NOT ARCH YOUR BACK! KEEP IT FLAT!)
8. 30 weighted Russian Twists (my favorite exercise!) if no weights, then to 40-50 *one complete rotation counts as 1 twist
Do this set of exercises at least once and tell me you don't feel SOMETHING!!
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Make it Happen
Okay, let's just get down to the nitty-gritty. You want to lose weight, you're tired about the way you look, you want to make yourself better. And then comes the "but".
But I don't have enough time, but I'm too tired, BLAH BLAH BLAH.
STOP COMPLAINING.
STOP MAKING EXCUSES.
AND JUST DO IT!
Think about it this way, working our for at least 1 hour a day, 1 HOUR, is only 4% of your day. That really isn't such a big deal. However, I'll be realistic, you've got a job, maybe you have a family to come home to, you have to make dinner, and pick up the house. Yes, daily life happens. However, there are small ways to get a workout in during your normal daily lives. It would be fabulous if everyone, everywhere could take an hour out of their day and hit the gym to get a great workout in. But not everyone can get to the gym, and not everyone has a full weight set in their house. Nonetheless, there are certain exercises you can do in order to get a workout in to your day.
For example, everyone vacuums. It's inevitable, our floors get dirty. Next time you vacuum, do a walking lunge to work out your quads!
If you sit for long periods during the day, get up every half hour or so and do some squats, and some simple stretches!
At night, when dinner has been eaten, and the kids have been put to bed, while your watching television, whenever a commercial comes on, do a set of push ups, run in place, do squats, do some crunches. MOVE!! It's all about moving! We're so stationary during the day, we honestly just need to get up and get moving! And instead of grabbing another cup of coffee, or a candy bar during the day, eat your vegetables! Have a cup of green tea (a fabulous replacement for coffee, and gives you a great pick-me-up during the day!), eat a cup of fruit, or Greek yogurt! It's all about knowing your options. There are so many healthy options to grab during the day, at work, and at home! And starting to incorporate a daily workout routine into your life will start to make you see results.
YOU need to start making changes in your life. It's okay to be selfish when it comes to your health. How are you going to set a good example for your family, friends, or your children to live a healthy life if you aren't living a healthy life?? It's time for you to make it happen. Seriously consider getting a membership to a gym! Most gyms have a trial time when you get a pass for $15-$20 to see how you like the gym for a few days! Take advantage of this! If gyms aren't really your "thing" or you don't feel confident going to a gym just yet, get outside! Go hiking, walking, running, skiing, anything! Sign up for a dance, yoga, or Zumba class! It's all about getting out there and making it happen. Purchase some exercise equipment for your home, a yoga mat, some dumbbells, kettlebells, or medicine balls, and start slowly. In all honesty though, you'll get better when you push yourself out of your comfort zone. That's how you got to be where you are now...you got too comfortable! So push yourself out of it! Get out there and start changing your life!
Be selfish, it's YOUR health.
Get active.
MAKE IT HAPPEN.
But I don't have enough time, but I'm too tired, BLAH BLAH BLAH.
STOP COMPLAINING.
STOP MAKING EXCUSES.
AND JUST DO IT!
Think about it this way, working our for at least 1 hour a day, 1 HOUR, is only 4% of your day. That really isn't such a big deal. However, I'll be realistic, you've got a job, maybe you have a family to come home to, you have to make dinner, and pick up the house. Yes, daily life happens. However, there are small ways to get a workout in during your normal daily lives. It would be fabulous if everyone, everywhere could take an hour out of their day and hit the gym to get a great workout in. But not everyone can get to the gym, and not everyone has a full weight set in their house. Nonetheless, there are certain exercises you can do in order to get a workout in to your day.
For example, everyone vacuums. It's inevitable, our floors get dirty. Next time you vacuum, do a walking lunge to work out your quads!
If you sit for long periods during the day, get up every half hour or so and do some squats, and some simple stretches!
At night, when dinner has been eaten, and the kids have been put to bed, while your watching television, whenever a commercial comes on, do a set of push ups, run in place, do squats, do some crunches. MOVE!! It's all about moving! We're so stationary during the day, we honestly just need to get up and get moving! And instead of grabbing another cup of coffee, or a candy bar during the day, eat your vegetables! Have a cup of green tea (a fabulous replacement for coffee, and gives you a great pick-me-up during the day!), eat a cup of fruit, or Greek yogurt! It's all about knowing your options. There are so many healthy options to grab during the day, at work, and at home! And starting to incorporate a daily workout routine into your life will start to make you see results.
YOU need to start making changes in your life. It's okay to be selfish when it comes to your health. How are you going to set a good example for your family, friends, or your children to live a healthy life if you aren't living a healthy life?? It's time for you to make it happen. Seriously consider getting a membership to a gym! Most gyms have a trial time when you get a pass for $15-$20 to see how you like the gym for a few days! Take advantage of this! If gyms aren't really your "thing" or you don't feel confident going to a gym just yet, get outside! Go hiking, walking, running, skiing, anything! Sign up for a dance, yoga, or Zumba class! It's all about getting out there and making it happen. Purchase some exercise equipment for your home, a yoga mat, some dumbbells, kettlebells, or medicine balls, and start slowly. In all honesty though, you'll get better when you push yourself out of your comfort zone. That's how you got to be where you are now...you got too comfortable! So push yourself out of it! Get out there and start changing your life!
Be selfish, it's YOUR health.
Get active.
MAKE IT HAPPEN.
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Can You Handle the Truth?
Our country has a problem. A BIG problem, an OBESE problem. How much more obvious can I make this? We're a nation of fake, fat, processed food-and it's EVERYWHERE. Think I'm joking? Ask yourself how far you would have to drive RIGHT NOW to get to any kind of fast food restaurant. Ask yourself, is it easier to drive two to five minutes and pick up a giant, juicy burger with crispy fries and a soda large enough to split between a family or to make yourself a grilled chicken salad?
People want things that are convenient, fast, and satisfying. I get that. I'm busy myself and sometimes I don't feel like cooking dinner. But then I think about what I'm actually putting in my body...and suddenly that chicken breast doesn't become so hard to cook.
We look for the easy way out. It's true! Everyone's done it, including me. But think about the bomb of chemicals we're putting into our body when we eat processed and fast food. Our bodies weren't made to eat things like that, you're body doesn't know what to do with that little goody bag of artery-clogging "goodness", but over time our bodies have adjusted to all the chemicals we've been putting in our body. But ask yourself this question, what does that "adjusting" really mean?? What it means is, obesity, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, stroke high blood pressure, DEATH. I don't know if anyone else has noticed, but the obesity rate in our nation has risen DRAMATICALLY. Not just in adults either! We're passing our "not-so-great" habits to our children, and causing them to be worse off than we were at their ages! Kids that are ten, eleven, and twelve years old are being diagnosed with a form of early on-set diabetes! We're committing our kids to health problems long before they should even have to start thinking about things like that! It all comes down to the example we set for our kids. We feed them what we eat, and what are we eating? Crap. We're eating crap. So, our kids eat crap.
I guess it's important for people to understand what a processed food really is, basically to sum it up, it's anything that's been, "canned, frozen, dehydrated, or had chemicals added in to make it last longer, texturize it, soften it, allow it to sit on a shelf forever" (Michaels, 93). Seriously. SERIOUSLY. If you have a bag of chips that's been sitting on your shelf for two months and you EAT them, put that crap down right now and throw it away-that's not right on any level. This stuff is horrible for your body. You wouldn't feed your dog poison, so why would you eat it yourself?! GET RID OF IT.
In all honesty, go organic. No, not the organic where you turn into a vegan, swear off shoes, grow your hair out and down to your butt and bathe once a month in a lake with no soap. No. Going organic doesn't mean you'll never eat meat again or be thrown back into a bad 60s time-warp. Simply put, going organic means that you care more about your body and want the best for it. Yes, it is a little more expensive, I get that. TRUST ME. I'm a recent college graduate who just moved and got married. I understand it's expensive. But that's where self-control comes in. Cut down on some of your other spending, like going out to eat, or not buying snacks at the movies (you shouldn't be eating that crap anyway...), cut back on some luxuries and start taking care of yourself. I mean, what's really important here, buying that new shade of nail polish that matches those coral shoes perfectly for that cute spring outfit you can't even wear yet because it's too cold...but it just matches, or losing a couple pounds by switching from your usual milk to organic milk. Or cutting back on the drive-thru meals and buying some organic chicken breasts or organic ground turkey and having a healthy turkey burger? People would be amazed at how much money they save by not going to the drive-thru, or ordering pizza or Chinese food. It's worth it.
For example, I found out I had a gluten allergy in September of 2012, not that long ago. I ate a relatively healthy diet even before I found out about my gluten allergy, but after I discovered this allergy, something clicked for me. My husband and I began buying a lot more organic food-turkey, chicken breasts, lettuce, onions, milk, yogurt, fruit, fresh caught fish instead of the frozen stuff, everything really, even ice cream (which was a special treat). To be honest, since buying more organic food, and incorporating that into my diet, I noticed in a matter of days really how much better I felt! I had more energy, was more alert, had an easier time studying, I was able to keep my focus more, and I slept better (that was a huge deal for me, due to an insomnia problem I had been struggling with since my sophomore year of college). Don't be scared to try going organic. It's one of the best things you can do for your body, I'm serious. My husband and I are both living proof of it. One of the best things you can do for your body is to start eating organic and whole foods.
It's all about taking baby steps though. Some people aren't big into changing their diet suddenly. I get that. My husband was not all for cutting things out cold-turkey. Some people just need to be weened off certain foods. One tip I could give you is to make it a priority to eat breakfast every day. EVERY DAY. And no, I don't mean grab a cup of coffee and go, or grab a "protein bar" and go. No, no, no, no, no. I've heard all the excuses-I don't have time, I'm not hungry, I'll get sick if I eat breakfast. I don't want to hear it. MAKE TIME. Make it a priority, it's important for your health. Numerous studies have shown that eating breakfast is one of the best ways to get a healthy weight and to "keep your glucose and insulin levels steady" (Michaels, 154). It's been proven in fact, that "women who don't eat breakfast are four and a half more times likely to be obese than women who do. People who never eat breakfast are also the most likely to develop type 2 diabetes" (Michaels, 154). Eat like a King at breakfast, make sure to get in your complex carbs, like oatmeal, or a high fiber cereal...even an omelet with some vegetables in it! One of my favorite things to have for breakfast, especially before a workout is peanut butter toast, with berries, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries....ALL BERRIES, and a banana. We need this energy in the morning, it's one of the best things you can do for your body.
If you've gotten anything out of this entry, I hope you realize that buying organic doesn't make you a hippy, it means you actually care about taking care of your body, and EAT YOUR BREAKFAST. It's a great way to start your day and it helps give you that boost of energy that is necessary for your body to function properly throughout the day!
Want more tips on eating right? Want to know what gluten is, or where it is in your food? Then ask! I'm more than happy to answer questions!
Reference used:
Michaels, Jillian; Master Your Metabolism, Three Rivers Press, NY, 2009
People want things that are convenient, fast, and satisfying. I get that. I'm busy myself and sometimes I don't feel like cooking dinner. But then I think about what I'm actually putting in my body...and suddenly that chicken breast doesn't become so hard to cook.
We look for the easy way out. It's true! Everyone's done it, including me. But think about the bomb of chemicals we're putting into our body when we eat processed and fast food. Our bodies weren't made to eat things like that, you're body doesn't know what to do with that little goody bag of artery-clogging "goodness", but over time our bodies have adjusted to all the chemicals we've been putting in our body. But ask yourself this question, what does that "adjusting" really mean?? What it means is, obesity, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, stroke high blood pressure, DEATH. I don't know if anyone else has noticed, but the obesity rate in our nation has risen DRAMATICALLY. Not just in adults either! We're passing our "not-so-great" habits to our children, and causing them to be worse off than we were at their ages! Kids that are ten, eleven, and twelve years old are being diagnosed with a form of early on-set diabetes! We're committing our kids to health problems long before they should even have to start thinking about things like that! It all comes down to the example we set for our kids. We feed them what we eat, and what are we eating? Crap. We're eating crap. So, our kids eat crap.
I guess it's important for people to understand what a processed food really is, basically to sum it up, it's anything that's been, "canned, frozen, dehydrated, or had chemicals added in to make it last longer, texturize it, soften it, allow it to sit on a shelf forever" (Michaels, 93). Seriously. SERIOUSLY. If you have a bag of chips that's been sitting on your shelf for two months and you EAT them, put that crap down right now and throw it away-that's not right on any level. This stuff is horrible for your body. You wouldn't feed your dog poison, so why would you eat it yourself?! GET RID OF IT.
In all honesty, go organic. No, not the organic where you turn into a vegan, swear off shoes, grow your hair out and down to your butt and bathe once a month in a lake with no soap. No. Going organic doesn't mean you'll never eat meat again or be thrown back into a bad 60s time-warp. Simply put, going organic means that you care more about your body and want the best for it. Yes, it is a little more expensive, I get that. TRUST ME. I'm a recent college graduate who just moved and got married. I understand it's expensive. But that's where self-control comes in. Cut down on some of your other spending, like going out to eat, or not buying snacks at the movies (you shouldn't be eating that crap anyway...), cut back on some luxuries and start taking care of yourself. I mean, what's really important here, buying that new shade of nail polish that matches those coral shoes perfectly for that cute spring outfit you can't even wear yet because it's too cold...but it just matches, or losing a couple pounds by switching from your usual milk to organic milk. Or cutting back on the drive-thru meals and buying some organic chicken breasts or organic ground turkey and having a healthy turkey burger? People would be amazed at how much money they save by not going to the drive-thru, or ordering pizza or Chinese food. It's worth it.
For example, I found out I had a gluten allergy in September of 2012, not that long ago. I ate a relatively healthy diet even before I found out about my gluten allergy, but after I discovered this allergy, something clicked for me. My husband and I began buying a lot more organic food-turkey, chicken breasts, lettuce, onions, milk, yogurt, fruit, fresh caught fish instead of the frozen stuff, everything really, even ice cream (which was a special treat). To be honest, since buying more organic food, and incorporating that into my diet, I noticed in a matter of days really how much better I felt! I had more energy, was more alert, had an easier time studying, I was able to keep my focus more, and I slept better (that was a huge deal for me, due to an insomnia problem I had been struggling with since my sophomore year of college). Don't be scared to try going organic. It's one of the best things you can do for your body, I'm serious. My husband and I are both living proof of it. One of the best things you can do for your body is to start eating organic and whole foods.
It's all about taking baby steps though. Some people aren't big into changing their diet suddenly. I get that. My husband was not all for cutting things out cold-turkey. Some people just need to be weened off certain foods. One tip I could give you is to make it a priority to eat breakfast every day. EVERY DAY. And no, I don't mean grab a cup of coffee and go, or grab a "protein bar" and go. No, no, no, no, no. I've heard all the excuses-I don't have time, I'm not hungry, I'll get sick if I eat breakfast. I don't want to hear it. MAKE TIME. Make it a priority, it's important for your health. Numerous studies have shown that eating breakfast is one of the best ways to get a healthy weight and to "keep your glucose and insulin levels steady" (Michaels, 154). It's been proven in fact, that "women who don't eat breakfast are four and a half more times likely to be obese than women who do. People who never eat breakfast are also the most likely to develop type 2 diabetes" (Michaels, 154). Eat like a King at breakfast, make sure to get in your complex carbs, like oatmeal, or a high fiber cereal...even an omelet with some vegetables in it! One of my favorite things to have for breakfast, especially before a workout is peanut butter toast, with berries, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries....ALL BERRIES, and a banana. We need this energy in the morning, it's one of the best things you can do for your body.
If you've gotten anything out of this entry, I hope you realize that buying organic doesn't make you a hippy, it means you actually care about taking care of your body, and EAT YOUR BREAKFAST. It's a great way to start your day and it helps give you that boost of energy that is necessary for your body to function properly throughout the day!
Want more tips on eating right? Want to know what gluten is, or where it is in your food? Then ask! I'm more than happy to answer questions!
Reference used:
Michaels, Jillian; Master Your Metabolism, Three Rivers Press, NY, 2009
Monday, February 4, 2013
What am I training for? Life.
I've noticed throughout my life that a lot of people only workout when they're training for something. A sporting event (a basketball game, a track meet, etc), a big 5k, a marathon, a lifting competition, swimsuit season, a high school reunion, I've heard it all...
I'm not saying that this is a bad thing. Heck, who wouldn't want to show up to their high school reunion looking FANTASTIC and shoving it in everyone's face? Nevertheless, I was up early a couple of days ago, and decided to get my workout in during the morning. So, I laced up my shoes, filled my water bottle and headed to the gym. I walked in, turned on the lights and loved the fact that I was the only person there-I find it refreshing to be the only person in the gym sometimes...it really let's me be myself...I mean, not everyone wants to be around some 23 year old white girl belting out Eminem's "Lose Yourself" or "Cinderella Man" at 6:30 in the morning...and I don't blame them, although...they are missing a fantastic show. But I digress...
So, I walked in, was all alone, stretched, and headed over to the weight machine. I sat down, preparing myself to completely own my leg-extension sets, setting up my ipod, and putting Eminem on, when suddenly, the door opened.
A giant guy walked through the door, and I'm pretty sure his thigh muscles were bigger than my head...it was impressive. My heart sank a little as I gave him the "whats-up" nod and put my headphones on. He came over to the machine next to me, adjusted his weight and started blowing away sets like they were nothing. Okay, I definitely felt a little intimidated. But hey, I'm all for friendly competition, so I started working on my sets (even though I knew this guy was clearly in phenomenal shape, and since he probably had at least 100lbs on me that I should probably stick to my little leg-extensions and keep to myself...). I got so curious though, he was working HARD, and I mean HAAAARD! Yeah, I love to get my sweat on, and I'm all for kicking butt in the gym, but I just kept growing more and more curious as to what the heck this guy was preparing for! He got up from the weight machine and made his way over to the treadmill, and like a little lost puppy, I followed him, and got on the elliptical right next to his treadmill. He looked at me like I had three heads...but hey, I was curious!
I took my headphones out and stared at him for a second, having a conversation with myself...and then apparently, he felt awkward, and asked me, "Is there something I can help you with?" Feeling like a complete idiot, I caught myself staring at his monstrous calves just being amazed with the amount of work this guy was putting out, when I finally blurted out, "What the heck are you training for?? Are you getting ready for a marathon or something?"
He laughed and shook my hand asking me the same question. I told him, "well, I'm a personal trainer, so it's kind of my job...that, and swimsuit season is coming up...and I guess just my health in general", but I asked him the question again. He looked at me and just answered, "life". I continued asking him if he was a fireman, a police officer, any occupation I could think of that would require something like that. No, nothing. He simply was doing it for his life. He didn't have any kind of life-threatening illness, he wasn't fighting obesity, nor had he ever been obese. He simply did it because he wanted to live the fullest life he could, by being in the best shape he could be in.
We talked for a few more minutes and eventually parted ways. I got back to belting out Eminem, embarrassingly loud, and getting my sweat on, when it finally hit me. He was right, in every way possible.
Why do we only try to get in shape for big events, reunions, swimsuit season...all that? Shouldn't we be getting in shape for the biggest event ever? LIFE? We should not only want to be in good shape to look good, but to feel good, in all ways. Shouldn't we be taking better care of our life in general?
I guess it's just something to think about for the week. What's the main reason you want to be in shape? Is it really for that high school reunion? That cute little bikini for the summer? Or is it for your life in general? With that comes commitment though....a word many people are afraid of. One must be committed in order to make this change, and it's a change we should make for the rest of our lives, not just a couple of months or weeks throughout the year. Weight loss and healthy living is a lifestyle. Not a fad.
I'm not saying that this is a bad thing. Heck, who wouldn't want to show up to their high school reunion looking FANTASTIC and shoving it in everyone's face? Nevertheless, I was up early a couple of days ago, and decided to get my workout in during the morning. So, I laced up my shoes, filled my water bottle and headed to the gym. I walked in, turned on the lights and loved the fact that I was the only person there-I find it refreshing to be the only person in the gym sometimes...it really let's me be myself...I mean, not everyone wants to be around some 23 year old white girl belting out Eminem's "Lose Yourself" or "Cinderella Man" at 6:30 in the morning...and I don't blame them, although...they are missing a fantastic show. But I digress...
So, I walked in, was all alone, stretched, and headed over to the weight machine. I sat down, preparing myself to completely own my leg-extension sets, setting up my ipod, and putting Eminem on, when suddenly, the door opened.
A giant guy walked through the door, and I'm pretty sure his thigh muscles were bigger than my head...it was impressive. My heart sank a little as I gave him the "whats-up" nod and put my headphones on. He came over to the machine next to me, adjusted his weight and started blowing away sets like they were nothing. Okay, I definitely felt a little intimidated. But hey, I'm all for friendly competition, so I started working on my sets (even though I knew this guy was clearly in phenomenal shape, and since he probably had at least 100lbs on me that I should probably stick to my little leg-extensions and keep to myself...). I got so curious though, he was working HARD, and I mean HAAAARD! Yeah, I love to get my sweat on, and I'm all for kicking butt in the gym, but I just kept growing more and more curious as to what the heck this guy was preparing for! He got up from the weight machine and made his way over to the treadmill, and like a little lost puppy, I followed him, and got on the elliptical right next to his treadmill. He looked at me like I had three heads...but hey, I was curious!
I took my headphones out and stared at him for a second, having a conversation with myself...and then apparently, he felt awkward, and asked me, "Is there something I can help you with?" Feeling like a complete idiot, I caught myself staring at his monstrous calves just being amazed with the amount of work this guy was putting out, when I finally blurted out, "What the heck are you training for?? Are you getting ready for a marathon or something?"
He laughed and shook my hand asking me the same question. I told him, "well, I'm a personal trainer, so it's kind of my job...that, and swimsuit season is coming up...and I guess just my health in general", but I asked him the question again. He looked at me and just answered, "life". I continued asking him if he was a fireman, a police officer, any occupation I could think of that would require something like that. No, nothing. He simply was doing it for his life. He didn't have any kind of life-threatening illness, he wasn't fighting obesity, nor had he ever been obese. He simply did it because he wanted to live the fullest life he could, by being in the best shape he could be in.
We talked for a few more minutes and eventually parted ways. I got back to belting out Eminem, embarrassingly loud, and getting my sweat on, when it finally hit me. He was right, in every way possible.
Why do we only try to get in shape for big events, reunions, swimsuit season...all that? Shouldn't we be getting in shape for the biggest event ever? LIFE? We should not only want to be in good shape to look good, but to feel good, in all ways. Shouldn't we be taking better care of our life in general?
I guess it's just something to think about for the week. What's the main reason you want to be in shape? Is it really for that high school reunion? That cute little bikini for the summer? Or is it for your life in general? With that comes commitment though....a word many people are afraid of. One must be committed in order to make this change, and it's a change we should make for the rest of our lives, not just a couple of months or weeks throughout the year. Weight loss and healthy living is a lifestyle. Not a fad.
Monday, January 28, 2013
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