I’m talking about the absolute biggest roadblock standing in your way.

There are so many to choose from:

• Not having enough time
• Lack of support
• Not knowing what to do
• Your genetics
• Pizza
• Wine
• Fear of failure
• Fear of injury
• The list goes on and on

😲But what if I told you that none of those things are actually your enemy? 

That’s because… drumroll… the #1 thing standing in between you and your goals is:

YOU.

Look, you already know this, right? I can’t even count how many times I get in my own way when I’m trying to accomplish something. Here are some of the reasons why:

• You haven’t made reaching your goals a true priority. This means you let your healthy habits slide when you’re stressed/tired/something more fun comes along.
• You have imposter syndrome. You don’t think you are worthy of your goals, which makes it easier to quit.
• You haven’t set yourself up for success. It’s super easy to get discouraged and quit when you don’t have a plan, support, accountability, etc. Here’s an example: You want to eat healthy, but you haven’t prepared anything healthy and/or you way too much ‘naughty’ foods around.
• You think you don’t have the willpower. EVERYONE (and I mean everyone) struggles from time to time. But when you know WHY your goal matters to you, it’s easier to overcome those struggles. And here’s something else: It’s not willpower that helps you reach your goal. In essence, willpower is the ability to resist short-term temptations to reach long-term goals. This is a limited resource and it will be depleted, so there’s nothing wrong when each choice gets harder. Decision fatigue is real!
• You let one “slip” derail you. No one is perfect 24/7. The people who reach their goals get up after a slip-up, dust themselves off, figure out what went wrong, and get back at it.

Those are just a few off the top of my head. There are dozens more.

💡BUT… knowing yourself and being aware of the ways that YOU tend to get in your own way, will help you to become even stronger.

What would happen if the next time you sabotaged yourself, you took some real time to think about the reasons why – without beating yourself up for it?

“Know that you are your greatest enemy, but also your greatest friend.” – Jeremy Taylor.

Your mindset makes all the difference! 

Taking some real time to explore it – whether you do it by journaling, working with a coach, or talking with a trusted mentor or friend – can help you reconnect with the reasons your goals matter to you.

Because when your mindset is right, you can overcome just about any obstacle that is standing in your way.

Do you agree? Disagree? Let me know in the comments. ⬇️⬇️⬇️

Here’s a question for you: Have you ever gone through a time in your life when you felt “in the flow”?

It’s like you get lost in a project, to the point where you are paying zero attention to anything else. You’re completely immersed in whatever activity you’re doing. It often happens when you’re doing something you enjoy. Something creative or even mindless.

What flow does for you is

• Increase your energy
• Better sleep
• More productive
• Greater fulfillment
• Greater intrinsic motivation–This means you’re motivated for internal rewards
• More creativity
• Improved performance

Plus? It feels good, doesn’t it? To be able to shut out everything and focus on one thing.

According to the psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (!)I have no idea how to pronounce that), there are factors involved in getting into your flow:

1. Doing something that is intrinsically rewarding to you
2. Being totally focused on the activity and not the outcome
3. Feeling in control in a world gone mad (my words, not his)
4. Feeling calm and serene
5. Lack of awareness of physical needs (like, when was the last time I peed?)
6. Experiencing a sense of timelessness. It’s fun to lose track of time – when you have the time

Those are just a few things you might experience when you’re in the flow. 

Chances are, one big reason was that your body was running in its natural rhythm – basically, following your body clock. And it turns out there’s nothing woo-woo about it.

I have a quick and powerful tip to get back to that feeling if you’ve lost it.

But first, it’s important to remember that we crave routine. Especially healthy routines…seriously. I’m not making this up. 

When you’re NOT following your body clock, you can feel fuzzy, unfocused, and tired. 

You can also feel hungry … even when you’re not. 

Over the long run, it can spell disaster for your health. It can affect:

• Your heart health
• Your metabolism
• Your digestion
• Your skin
• Your body’s ability to repair DNA damage, and
• So much more

Plus… disruptions in your body clock (aka circadian rhythm) are linked with obesity, diabetes, and mental health issues.

This month, we’re going to talk about how you can upgrade your daily & nightly routines to feel more “in the flow’ … and get those results you’re working so hard for.

And if you’re not working hard for them yet … it can help you finally find the energy to make them a reality.

First, some tips for getting into the flow:

1. Set specific goals: If you know what you have to do and know you can do it, you don’t have that stress and anxiety monster telling you you’re doing it wrong. You know what you’re doing.
2. Get rid of distractions: I don’t know about you, but I’m constantly checking my email, social media, etc. Turn them all off. Clean off your desk, if you’re working. Create an environment that supports you instead of stressing you out.
3. Choose something you enjoy: This isn’t always possible, but if you’re doing something you hate, flow will not make an appearance. For example, I love making diamond paintings. I don’t know why. I don’t even do anything with them, but it’s relaxing.

But, for now, I want to start with ONE TIP that can go a long way toward helping your body clock get into sync. 

Your body’s “clock” is actually located in your brain’s hypothalamus, right above where the nerves of your eyes cross. 

It’s made up of thousands of nerve cells that sync your body’s functions and sleep-wake cycle through hormones and other signals.

→ One MAJOR thing that affects it is LIGHT. (A clue we’re meant to sleep at night: we don’t have night vision like most nocturnal animals.)

Light and darkness trigger a LOT of different actions in your hypothalamus.

So … the tip is to GET SOME NATURAL LIGHT during the day.

GO OUTSIDE. And even better, while you’re out there, go for a 20-30 minute walk … which is another way to help tune up your body clock.

And this is just the start … I’ve got great strategies coming your way soon on how to accelerate your results by tapping into the power of your own body. 

Go get some light, y’all.

If I left my house right now, I could hit about 11 different smoothie and/or juice bars. I know this because I just Googled it.

I have never actually been to a juice bar, but they have exploded over the last few years. Even the grocery store I go to has a juice bar. I’ve never really been a fan of smoothies because I like to chew my food but, in the last couple of years, I’ve made the switch.

I was tired of the yogurt, fruit thing and I was done with cereal and, really, I don’t want to spend a lot of time making a big breakfast unless it’s a brunchy kinda thing. With Mimosas.

Hold the orange juice.

Enter Smoothies.

Let’s start with some basics.

 How to Make a Smoothie

 1. Pick a liquid (4-8 ounces)

Water
Unsweetened Almond Milk
Soy Milk
Hemp Milk
Iced Green Tea
–you can also use Greek yogurt, in which case you don’t need any protein powder

2. Pick a Protein Powder (25-50 grams or 1-2 scoops)

Collagen
Casein Protein
Rice Protein
Pea Protein
Hemp Protein

3. Pick a Veggie (1-2 Handfuls)

Dark leafy greens (spinach, swiss chard, kale)
Pumpkin or sweet potato
Beets/beet greens
Cucumber/Celery
Powdered green supplement
Frozen Cauliflower (you can’t taste it, y’all)

Veggie Tips:

You can’t taste spinach at all, so this is good for picky eaters.
Pair canned or roasted pumpkin with vanilla
Pair peeled roasted beets with chocolate
When you use celery or cucumber, you’ll need less liquid

4. Pick a Fruit (1-2 handfuls fresh or frozen)

Apples
Bananas
Berries
Cherries
Dates (these are very sweet – buy the pitted version)
Pineapple/Mango

5. Pick a Healthy Fat (1-2 thumb-sized portions)

Walnuts
Flax, hemp, or chia seeds (chia seeds absorb a lot of liquid – never eat them dry because of this crazy story)
Cashews
Almonds
Peanut & nut butters

6. Pick a Topper

Coconut
Dark Chocolate
Yogurt (if you want a smoother texture – a little goes a long way)
Oats/granola
Cinnamon
Ice (if you’re using fresh fruit)

Okay, so you can totally mix and match now that you have some options, right? And making your own smoothies at home with this smoothie guide means you’re drinking something healthy – no added sugars or whatever additives might be in store-bought smoothies.

The Benefits of Smoothies

• They’re really simple to make
• They help you get more servings of fruits and veggies
• You can add superfoods like hemp or chia seeds without even noticing
• All of these nutrients can reduce inflammation and improve digestion
• It may increase your fiber consumption
• Can help with weight loss if you don’t overdo it

Smoothie Hacks to Save You Time

1.  Put your greens (I prefer spinach) in a blender with some coconut water and blend it up. Pour it into ice cube trays and freeze. Put 2-3 cubes in your smoothie. This saves time and you can do this when your spinach goes bad, which it probably will.
2. Cut bananas into slices and lay them flat in a freezer bag. Freeze and then you can grab a handful when you’re ready for your smoothie.
3. Prep your smoothies by doing this: Take out 5 freezer bags and put in all your frozen ingredients: Spinach, banana, and a cup of frozen fruit. Seal ’em up and stick them in the freezer.
4. When you’re ready to make it, pour in your liquid, add your protein and then dump your frozen ingredients right into the blender.

It will take you less than 3 minutes, y’all. You can have them for breakfast, as a meal replacement (make sure you get enough protein) or as a snack. Enjoy!

Bonus: 3 Really Good Smoothie Recipes 

Tell me your #smoothiesecrets

As I write this, we’re in a pandemic. Maybe you’ve heard of it?

I’ve gotten a lot of questions from readers who can’t or don’t want to head back to the gym yet and want to know about working out at home. For sure, if you don’t already workout at home, it’s a very different prospect than going to a gym for a variety of reasons.

Not only do you have figure out what equipment you need, but where do you even get it at this point? How do you make your own workouts? How do you motivate yourself to head down to the basement workout space that maybe isn’t as appealing as, say, the couch and some Netflix?

Those are all good questions and there are answers, but what I want to talk about today is one way you can boost the intensity of your home workouts and, just maybe, have a little more fun? Well…fun is a relative term, right?

The Weighted Vest

When we talk about working out at home, there are a few basic items that are worth buying, from dumbbells to an exercise ball, but maybe a weighted vest is something to think about if you just want that extra edge to your workout.

A weighted vest may seem like a weird addition to your workout but, if you want to add some intensity to your workouts without adding impact, this is a great idea and here’s why:

Have you ever seen someone walking and carrying hand weights? Or maybe they have ankle or wrist weights? If so, then you should stop that person and tell them they’re risking an injury doing that. Or just keep it to yourself, since they might not want your opinion.

Lots of people want to make their walks or workouts more intense, especially if running it out of the question. A weighted vest is a great option because it distributes the weight at center mass, leaving your joints free from injury. Carrying weights can lead to repetitive stress injuries and no one wants that.

Here’s the other good news about weighted vests. Studies have shown that using one increases the metabolic cost of your workout, increases intensity and it also increases the load on your bones. That’s not only good for burning calories but it’s great for strong bones.

Now, you don’t want to just throw on a 30-lb vest and go for a 10-mile jog or anything. Like any new exercise, you want to take your time and work up to using a weighted vest in your workouts.

Choosing Your Weight

Rule of Thumb here: Start Small – Say about 5 percent of your body weight. It’s great if you can find adjustable weighted vests so you can add weights when you’re ready. In fact, you’re going to get the benefits even if you just stay at 5 or 10 percent of your body weight.

It also depends on your goals. If you just want to add some intensity, keep it light and just add it to one or two workouts a week to see how your body responds.

When looking for a weighted vest, keep these thoughts in mind:

• Something adjustable – Now this can be tricky, especially if you’re a woman. Lots of adjustable weighted vests are made for men who want to increase muscle and strength so they tend to look like some kind of weird straightjacket. This weighted vest by GoFit is adjustable from 3/4 lbs to up to 20 or more, but it’s one-sized fits all so it may not work for all body types
• Something breathable – This will probably be the norm for most vests you buy, but if you’re working out outside, you definitely don’t want to feel sweaty and confined.
• A good fit – Again, this can be hit or miss. I have this weighted vest and it works fine for low impact, but if I try to do any kind of jumping it moves around all over the place. It really does depend on your size and, as a women, well, your boobies.
• Weights that are evenly distributed – I do think most vests these days are already compliant with this, but you don’t want extra weights hanging out somewhere that might cause injury.

You Shouldn’t Use a Weighted Vest If…

You have any kind of joint issues with your knees, hips, ankles, etc. Any added weight may put more stress on your joints and that’s exactly what you don’t want.

Weighted Vest Exercises

You can use a weighted vest while lifting weights, walking, running, or doing other types of cardio. I like to use mine for lower impact activities to make them a little more intense.

Here are just a few exercises you can do with a weighted vest that will help you get a little more out of your low impact exercise.

Knee Smash

With the arms overhead, weight on the right leg, bring the left knee up while pulling the arms down. Lower and repeat, really using the upper body and core. Repeat for 30 seconds on each side.

Puddlejumpers

Take a giant step out to the right bringing the arms out wide, like you’re stepping over a giant puddle. Go to the other side and keep going, as fast, low and wide as you can. It’s a big puddle! Repeat 30 seconds

Ice Breakers

Begin in a squat position and come up on the toes or jump in the air, circling the right arm around and down into a chop as you land. Jump/come up on the toes again, this time chopping down with the left arm. Repeat for 30 seconds.

Side to Side Punches

Turn to the right, stepping the left foot straight back and bending the right knee while punching with the left arm. Step back and repeat on the other side, lunging to the left and punching with the right hand. Repeat for 30 seconds.

Rear Lunge with Kick

Step back with the right leg, touching the floor if you can. Stand up and bring the same leg forward as you stand and do a front kick. Repeat for 30 seconds on each side.

Step Outs

With the weight on the right leg take the left leg out to the side. Touch the toe to the floor and bring the leg back in, touching the toe. Repeat for 30 seconds on each side.

Clean and Press

Knee Punches

With the left leg back at a diagonal and arm straight out, bend the knee and pull the arm back in as the knee comes up. Punch out as the leg goes out. Move as fast as you can with good form. Repeat for 30 seconds each side

Hamstring Curls

Step out to the side and jump (optional), bringing the right heel towards your butt. Repeat on the other side, jumping as high as you can (or lift on the toes) for 30 seconds.

Side Knee Side Kick

Take right arm up and shift the weight onto the left leg. Bring the right knee and take the right elbow towards the knee. Bring the right leg down and kick out to the side with the left leg. Repeat, moving as quickly as you can. Alternate each side for 30 seconds.

These are just some examples. Always take your time, work on your form and if you feel anything going sideways, take the vest off and take a break. Got questions? Leave a comment or email me!

References:

Macadam P, Cronin JB, Simperingham KD. The Effects of Wearable Resistance Training on Metabolic, Kinematic and Kinetic Variables During Walking, Running, Sprint Running and Jumping: A Systematic Review. Sports Med. 2017;47(5):887-906. doi:10.1007/s40279-016-0622-x

Puthoff ML, Darter BJ, Nielsen DH, Yack HJ. The effect of weighted vest walking on metabolic responses and ground reaction forces. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2006;38(4):746-752. doi:10.1249/01.mss.0000210198.79705.19

Picture this for a second….

You’re at a holiday party. You’re surrounded by your family, friends, or coworkers and are having a great time.

Drinks are flowing and food is everywhere. And it’s delicious. In fact, you’ve already indulged in some of your favorites, in moderation of course 😉

But then your friend asks you to have another drink, and then someone else asks you to try that amazing casserole they made. Or maybe a plate of cookies has caught your eye.

Even though you’re full, you can feel yourself about to give in to those temptations –
and break the commitment you made with yourself not to overdo it.

Ever been there before? 

I know I have.

Here’s something that can change EVERYTHING for you:

Take ONE big breath, remind yourself of your goals and your WHY …

And then ask yourself this simple question: How will you feel tomorrow if you break that commitment?

Will it be worth it?

Will you feel rested, energized, and be able to live your day to the fullest?

Will you be happy with where you are on your wellness journey?

I know that when I overindulge, I don’t sleep well. My stomach gets upset, I’m usually a little moody, and I basically feel like I’m dragging my body around for the entire next day.

For me, having those extra drinks or piece of cake isn’t worth the way I feel afterwards.

It also sets me up for cravings.

But when I ask myself, “How will I feel tomorrow?” or even more immediately, “How will this affect my sleep tonight?”…

It’s 1000x easier to follow through with my commitment to myself.

It also creates a powerful mindset shift because it turns a negative (feeling deprived) into a huge positive (feeling energized, stronger, and empowered).

And check this out…

In a study back in the 1960s, kids were left in a room with one marshmallow on a plate.

They were told they could eat that one marshmallow immediately, or wait 15 minutes and get two marshmallows.

Those who waited scored higher on standardized tests, had better health, and were less likely to have behavior problems. I know – what a weird study, right? Who thinks this stuff up?

Studies continue to show that people who keep their goals in mind and put off their immediate “wants” in exchange for a more desirable “end result” will generally do better in their relationships, careers, health and even with their money.

Remember- moderation is the KEY to success. I hate that word, too, but it’s that middle ground where we make the most progress.

So while you’re at having fun at your holiday parties this month, give this strategy a try when you’re facing temptation from that extra piece of homemade pie!

Also, I’ve got some good news.

I’ve got something really cool coming in January that will start of your new year with a nice little boost. Stay tuned and leave a comment if you have any tips for staying on track during the holidays.

REFERENCE:

www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/your-emotional-meter/201712/the-benefits-delaying-gratification

Okay, we’re hitting the middle of November and the holidays are coming. We canNOT stop it and, for a lot of us, it’s one of the busiest times of the year.

Before everything ramps up … let’s take some time to get prepared now.

A little bit of effort now will help you cruise through the holidays without the stress. Okay, we can’t really get rid of all the stress, but we can tone it down a little.

It all starts with taking care of YOU.

When life gets hectic, one of the first things to drop off our to-do lists is our self-care routine. Which is ironic, since taking a little time for yourself each day will help you do everything else better.

Here are some tips to stay ahead of the game:

1. Try to make a simple meal plan each week during the holidays, so you can avoid too many on-the-go meals. Holiday treats are notoriously high in salt, fat, and sugar, which will just leave you feeling bloated and blah.

But more importantly, eating sugary foods affects the good bacteria in your gut (that helps you fight off cold and flu viruses), which obviously can have a negative impact on your immune system.

What are some easy meals you can throw together at the last minute? My go-to’s are turkey burgers and veggies, scrambled eggs (yes, even for dinner!) and sweet potato, pre-roasted veggies with some grilled chicken. 

Search “sheet pan recipes” on Google if you want to find some quick and easy meals that won’t take a lot of time!

2. Don’t compromise on your exercise time.  Keep your immune system happy and get in at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise (like a brisk walk) most days of the week.

One study found that women who walked for a half-hour every day for a year had 50% fewer colds than those who didn’t. That’s because regular walking appears to lead to having more infection-fighting white blood cells.

Not only that, but exercise can help you fight stress. When you work out, your body releases more feel-good, mood-boosting hormones.

3. Make a list (or three). If you have a hectic holiday schedule, start planning now so you can do as much ahead of time as possible. Running around at the last minute trying to get everything done is the absolute worst!

Put together a checklist of everything you have to do, and then do it (even better, delegate it if you can).

4. Relax. Make time for family and friends, and enjoying old traditions or making new ones.

Let go of expectations of how you think things “should” go, and enjoy them as they are! It’s often the things that happen out of the ordinary that we look back on with a smile.

If you’re going to be alone or working over the holidays, make time to mark the occasion! Watch a movie, eat a special meal, or treat yourself to a spa session.

Keep an eye on your inbox, because I’ve got great recipe ideas and stress-free holiday tips coming your way over the next few weeks.

REFERENCE:

www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/cold-guide/exercise-when-you-have-cold#1

Okay, guys…as I write this it is November 8th, 2019 and it is 30 degrees, but feels like 22 degrees.

Even for the native Chicagoans (of which I am not one, but I live here cuz I have to), this is Very Cold for this time of year.

So, I’ve decided as many of us do the deep dive into the artic, we need a treat.

Wine.

The end.

Okay, pour your wine and then dig into this other treat. It’s a delicious recipe that is destined to become one of your regular go-to’s because not only does it taste amazing, but you can change it up to reflect your (or your family’s) likes/dislikes and use ingredients you have on hand.

Plus, it’s really easy to make extra AND it tastes even better the next day.

Need more reasons to love this recipe?

It’s gluten-free, paleo, and it can even be vegan if you’re so inclined. You can eat a bowl as-is, or you can top a salad with it, or use it in tacos or over rice. It can be prepared on the stove but if you have the time, it’s also great made in a slow cooker.

OK, enough of the buildup. I’m going to include the basic recipe with suggestions to switch it up below, but honestly you can experiment with it any way you want.

The Amazing “Anything” Chili

Ingredients:

1 to 1½ pounds of ground meat: beef, turkey, meat alternative (such as Beyond Meat products)

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 tbsp olive or coconut oil

1 large onion, diced

2 stalks celery, chopped

4 carrots, peeled and diced

1 bell pepper (red/yellow/orange are sweeter than green, your choice!), diced

2-3 medium summer squash, diced

2 tbsp chili powder

1 tsp salt

1 15-ounce can tomato puree or tomato sauce

1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes with liquid

(Optional: up to 1 cup water/chicken broth as needed to thin out consistency if the chili is too thick)

Instructions:

In a large skillet or pot, brown your meat over medium heat, adding garlic about halfway through so it doesn’t scorch. Drain off the fat and remove from the skillet.

In the same skillet, add the oil, onions, celery, carrots, bell pepper, summer squash, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and salt and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure everything cooks evenly.

When the veggies are soft and the onions are starting to caramelize, return the meat to the skillet and add the tomato puree and diced tomatoes to the pot, stirring well. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Eat immediately, or keep it simmering on low for later, or put it in the fridge for later.

Slow cooker alternative: Cook the meat and then the veggies in a skillet, then move to the slow cooker and add the rest of the ingredients, and cook on high for 1 hour and low for 3-4 hours.

Substitutions: Instead of (or in addition to!) carrots, add chopped butternut squash or sweet potatoes. Looking for a more “earthy” flavor? Experiment with parsnips or rutabaga.

Additions: Black beans or white beans, broccoli, spinach or cauliflower. Or you can add a jar of salsa for an extra kick! If you add beans and are using a slow cooker, wait till the last hour or so before adding them so they don’t turn to mush.

This is easy to make, it’ll keep you warm, it’s healthy and if you have wine with it, you may just get through this weather.

Give it a try and let me know what you think.

What’s your favorite chili ingredient? Leave a comment!

When it comes to worn-out health and fitness terms, the words ‘Cheat Day’ have definitely had their day in the sun. Or shade, as the case may be.

You can find umpteen articles about whether having a cheat day is a good thing or a bad thing, but it really depends on YOU.

So, I once worked with a client who regularly complained that she would have a cheat meal…which led to a cheat weekend… and then it’s like starting all over.

I think there’s this mentality where you’re like: “Well, I already ate half the pizza…might as well go all the way.” And we also think – “I’ll worry about it tomorrow or Monday.”

Yeah, been there too many times to count.

After going through this with my client,  I was inspired to share a SIMPLE shift that can help you break out of that cycle FOREVER. 

In fact, it’s so important to understand… and it’ll make a massive difference in your long-term success and happiness.

Here it is: You are only ONE WORKOUT or ONE CLEAN MEAL away from being back on-track.

“Starting all over again” doesn’t have to be a big production. All you have to do is eat a healthy meal (whatever that looks like for you) or make it to your next workout.

That’s because if you adopt the “one workout or meal away” mindset, you are never “off” or “on” a program … you are simply living a fitness/wellness lifestyle.

Your “cheat” meals suddenly aren’t “cheats” … they simply are meals that contain foods you don’t normally eat. They are no big deal! That’s because you know that the next meal or the next workout, you’re back to your regular scheduled lifestyle.

Not only that, but you can finally stop feeling guilty if you eat something that’s not on your plan.

Guilt is a complicated emotion. In small doses, it can keep you on track. But too much guilt will poison to your mindset, results AND your happiness.

Guilt can make you literally feel heavier and make it harder for you to make decisions… will zap your energy AND your ability to concentrate. 

The worst thing of all: guilt can tell you that you aren’t capable of achieving your goals and make you feel like you aren’t worthy of good things. (when that couldn’t be further from the truth).

Here’s the thing – Too much guilt is not motivating. In fact, it’s the opposite. Guilt makes me want to eat pizza and drink wine (well I always want to drink wine). And missing a workout or eating something considered a ‘cheat’ is not worth your guilt.

You’re human. It will happen. And we all have to learn how to shrug it off and say, hey. I did that. But…remember

You are never more than ONE MEAL or ONE WORKOUT away from being right back on track.

And then just make sure that next meal or that next workout is a good one- even if you don’t feel like it. 🙂 You’ll thank yourself later, of course. 

So there is your one simple strategy for lifelong success.

Do you have a strategy that helps you when you feel like you’re off track? Leave a comment!

Salad.

I know it has 5 letters, but it’s a 4-letter word for all of us at one time or another. I sometimes feel that all I eat are salads, but if that were true I probably wouldn’t struggle with my weight as much as I do.

So, how do you make salad more…interesting? Here’s an idea: Chopped Salad.

Wait, don’t leave yet. I have some good stuff for you. Just hang with me.

Yes, chopped salads take a little more time to make, but they are so good it kind of feels like a treat. Yes, I said that. And that’s what it’s all about when it comes to weight loss – Making small changes and feeling like you’re not giving something up.

You don’t have to use anything elaborate for this salad – get a mix of your favorites and make sure they are fresh.

Here are some ideas:

Fresh dark leafy greens
Carrots, celery, colorful bell peppers
Cucumber
Tomatoes
Cooked uncured bacon
Fruit (apples and berries are great additions)
Fresh grilled chicken
Almonds, pecans or walnuts
Avocado
Goat cheese
And if you want to jazz it up, pumpkin seeds and roasted butternut squash are also great this time of year!

Before you assemble the salad, make sure your produce has been cleaned and then thoroughly dried. Chopping can make them more watery than usual, which can affect your salad’s texture.

Toss all your ingredients except avocado into a salad bowl … and then dump it back out onto a chopping board.

Using a large, sharp knife, chop your ingredients into bite-sized pieces. When your salad has reached the perfect consistency, put it back in the bowl, drizzle it with your favorite dressing and top with avocado and cheese if you’re using them.

You can also use a food processor, which I totally do because I’m lazy and a bad chopper who always cuts herself. I just hit the button a few times and voila! Done. Use your time wisely, people.

My favorite salad dressing is a homemade olive oil & apple cider vinegar combo with Himalayan salt and fresh pepper.

It’s really easy to make. It’s basically a 1:3 ratio of vinegar to oil. So if you’re making 1 serving, put ½ tbsp of apple cider vinegar and 1½ tbsp of oil into a mason jar or other covered container and shake it till its combined. Taste and adjust the vinegar if you want more. Mix it into the salad and it’s time to eat!

This is a really fast and easy salad that you’ll actually look forward to. Try it and let me know what you think. What do you like to add to your chopped salad?

BONUS RECIPE!

Here’s a chopped salad you’re going to love. You can totally meal-prep this one:

Rainbow Chopped Salad Jars.

How do we do what we do each day? The alarm goes off and we got up and do our thing – Workout, brush your teeth, shower, feed and walk the dog…even if you don’t feel like it, you do it. Part of that is just plain old habit (and I do care about my dog and my teeth, so walking and brushing are necessities as far as I’m concerned).

Some of it is discipline, too. And some of it is just – This is what I need to do to take care of myself.

Building healthy new habits is NOT easy. We’ve already got so many in the first place, how do we add more when it’s hard enough to do the ones we’ve already practiced for so long?

One way to look at is is this: Rather than feeling overwhelmed when it comes to creating healthy habits, what if you felt comfortable? At ease? I know…it seems impossible, doesn’t it?

So, why not come at this in a different way? It always seems like with diets and healthy habits and such, we’re always trying to take things away…the foods we like (no more chocolate!) or the things we like to do (turn off the Netflix and get moving!). Taking away is always a depressing thing, which is why I propose something simpler:

What if instead of trying to toss your old, not-so-great habits (i.e., snacking on candy during the afternoon, grabbing that bagel for breakfast, etc.) or completely overhaul your lifestyle, you focused on UPGRADING your existing habits?

By that I mean, trade “up” in your choices.

This shift in your thinking – and your actions – makes change a lot easier. That’s because you aren’t trying to “undo” something.

Rather than feeling deprived, it will feel like you’re treating yourself (because you are – and your body will appreciate it!).

Here are some examples of what I’m talking about.

If you normally eat a muffin for breakfast, upgrade it to a sprouted-grain bread topped with almond butter and natural strawberry preserves.
If you scroll social media during work or lunch breaks, you could upgrade that by heading outside to take a walk instead.
A cookie can be upgraded for a cup of your favorite fruit.
Try a grass-fed beef burger instead of hitting the drive-through.
A sandwich at lunch can become a chopped salad (seriously, have you ever had a chopped salad? Deliciousness in every bite.).

Your assignment: think of at least one habit you’d like to upgrade (get more exercise, eat more veggies, etc.). Then, think about your current actions and what you’re going to “upgrade’ it to going forward.

What’s ONE upgrade you’re going to commit to during the next few weeks?

Leave a comment or Share your upgrade over in our Facebook Group.

​​​​​​​​Did you know that there is a nutrient in your food that can keep you feeling full, doesn’t have any calories, and also help you live longer?
 
Most of us don’t get enough of it. No it’s not wine. Sorry.
 
It’s fiber, and it’s definitely worth taking a look at your intake since most of us don’t get enough.
 
Spoiler alert: I’ve got a delish fiber-rich recipe below that you definitely are going to want to try.
 
Before we get to that, though, let’s talk about how much fiber you need to get every day. 
 
According to the Institute of Medicine, men under the age of 50 should aim for 38 grams of fiber and women under 50 need 25 grams. Meanwhile, if you’re over 50, men need 30 grams and women need 21 grams.
 
There are two basic kinds of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Your body can’t absorb either, so it passes through your body (which is why it makes a good food choice to keep your internal plumbing humming).
 
SOLUBLE FIBER dissolves in water and forms a gel-like material as it moves through your system. It can help lower your blood sugar levels and cholesterol. It’s found in oats, apples, chia and flax seeds, citrus fruits, carrots, peas, beans, barley, and in psyllium powder.
 
INSOLUBLE FIBER is especially good for people who tend not to have regular bowel movements because it helps move waste through your system. It’s found in nuts, legumes, some veggies (cauliflower, potatoes, green beans), and if you aren’t gluten sensitive you also can get it in whole wheat flour and wheat bran.
 
Both kinds of fiber are incredibly good for your health. Here are some things that a fiber-rich diet helps with:
 

So, how do you know if you’re getting enough? It’s worth taking a couple days to track your fiber intake – you can do this by reading labels, but since many fiber-rich foods don’t actually come with food labels, it’s a lot easier to use a food tracking app or website (there are hundreds available, but two reliable ones are myfitnesspal.com or cronometer.com). 
 
Note: When you start tracking your fiber, try not to suddenly load up on fiber-rich foods if you’re not used to eating them. There’s a chance your digestive system might rebel a little. You can save yourself some misery if you gradually increase your intake over a few weeks. 🙂 
 
OK, now for the recipe.
 
I really like this because you can customize it any way you want. To boost the fiber (along with antioxidants and other micronutrients), you can add nuts and/or berries or other fruits. A dash of cinnamon will add even more blood-sugar-stabilizing effects!
 
This recipe will keep in the fridge for several days.
 
Make-Ahead Chia Pudding
(makes 2 servings)
 
¾ cup dairy-free milk (choose your fav)
¼ cup chia seeds
½ tbsp honey or maple syrup 
½ tsp pure vanilla extract
 
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. Cover and place in the refrigerator at least 6 hours, until it becomes thick and pudding-like. Sometimes the chia seeds clump together at the bottom of the bowl, so you might need to stir the mixture to ensure they fully absorb the liquid.
 
Taste and adjust sweetness as needed. Place in a serving bowl and add the optional nuts/fruit.

Enjoy!

Reference:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/fiber/art-20043983

Junk food. Most of us love it because it’s got All The Things that keep our brains and bodies ‘happy.’ Sugar, fat, carbs, hydrogenated megazonium (I made that last one up).

And it’s interesting because I came across a study about ultra-processed foods (aka junk food) and how they make us want to eat more.

It’s Not Just Calories In/Out

Here are the basics of what they found in this study: people who eat a diet of “ultra-processed” food take in more calories and gain more weight than people who eat less-processed food – even when they are given meals containing the same calories and macronutrients (fat, protein, and carbs).

The study was conducted by the National Institutes for Health and published in the journal Cell Metabolism.

Scientists had 10 men and 10 women check into a clinic for a month, and fed them a controlled diet. For two weeks they were given meals consisting of ultra-processed foods, and then for another two weeks they ate a diet of minimally processed foods. They could eat as much of their meals as they wanted.

As an example, an ultra-processed breakfast was a bagel with cream cheese and turkey bacon, while a whole foods breakfast included oatmeal, bananas, walnuts, and skim milk.

When they were given the “ultra” processed diet, the study subjects ate their meals faster AND consumed about 500 more calories a day… not surprisingly, they also gained an average of about 2 pounds.

Meanwhile, they lost about 2 pounds on the minimally processed diet.

This is the first study to ever show a direct relationship between processed foods and weight gain when other factors are controlled. Even so, it’s something we’ve kind of known over the years, right?

But here’s the kicker: processed foods are filled with things that make us want to eat more – salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats. So not only are they linked with eating more, they ALSO contribute to chronic health problems.

When we eat MORE of those foods, we’re taking in yet more things that are not good for us. (Other studies have suggested that junk foods are engineered specifically to make us want to eat more.)

Here’s another thing “shocking-not shocking” aspect of the study: the processed diet was actually much CHEAPER (by almost 50%!).

Scientists estimated the weekly cost to prepare 2,000 calories a day of the ultra-processed diet at $106, while the minimally processed diet cost $151, based on the prices at a nearby supermarket.

Here’s my personal takeaway on this one. The food you eat is SO MUCH more than just “calories.” It has a powerful effect on your health and well-being… and eating a healthy, whole-foods-based diet makes a strong statement to manufacturers when it comes to our food supply.

“Over time, extra calories add up, and that extra weight can lead to serious health conditions,” said one of the scientists in a press release about the study.

How can you save money when it comes to eating a healthy diet? Buy in bulk, shop sales, and use your freezer as much as possible.

Get a head start with Meal Prep Veggie Bowls.

So, let’s talk electronics. Specifically – Computers.

Remember this guy?

That was me this week.

Here’s the thing. For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been getting an error message every couple of days letting me know that my computer was experiencing heavy memory usage and I needed shut some stuff down and/or get more RAM.

Like many warnings I get, I ignored it.

It’s kind of like what I’m going to call the Paint Can Phenomenon. Whenever I get out a can of paint to touch something up, do I get a drop cloth or something to protect the floor? No. And you know what else I don’t do? I don’t put the top of the paint can in a safe place.

I’m doing a touchup. NBD. Nothing’s going to happen.

Except every single time I’ve done that, I’ve forgotten the top of the paint can was right there and, yes – stepped in it, on it, dropped my husband’s wallet on it, accidentally flipped it over and got paint on the floor, got paint on the cat’s whiskers…you name it.

Yet, my brain is still like – This is only going to take a second…who has TIME for this? I’m just going to do this one little area and…well, damn. I did it again.

So, I ignored my computer because I really didn’t have time for it’s obnoxious little warning and, for awhile, I would just shut a couple of things down things seemed to work again.

Yet, it keeps happening again and again because I’m running about 10 different apps in the background and I have 3 different browser windows open and about 20 tabs open in those and, when my computer warns me I’m like:

I do NOT HAVE TIME FOR THIS.

Then it froze right when I was writing something amazing. Something that I couldn’t save or take a screenshot of or even a decent picture with my phone (which I tried). I mean, it wasn’t like the amazing “I Have a Dream” speech but I was on a roll and any writer knows how awesome that is.

And there it went…the spinning rainbow wheel, spinning and torturing me and I was like if I just WAIT things will go back to normal, right?

Oh, dear Paige. Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of my life (I miss watching Days of Our Lives).

So I looked up what I needed to do to fix it which involved, first, shutting it down and, after that installing more memory (not really a big deal) and uninstalling old stuff and my brain decided IT was simply out of memory.

I got so fed up that I shut everything down. EVERYTHING. Like my computer, modem, router, that other thing that’s on my desk that does something I forget.

Then I took the dog for a walk. I breathed. I listened to a podcast about the Bachelorette (I’m not embarrassed to admit that. My brain was THAT fried) and a little later, I turned everything back on.

Voila. Things were working – At least for now.

“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” – Anne Lamott

So there it is. There are signs you really do need to just shut down and reboot, especially when you feel like you’re running so fast but can barely keep up.

Sometimes stepping out of the race (temporarily) is exactly what you need to do to find your power to keep going.

Our society rewards pushing hard and never giving up. And both of those things are super important – nothing gets done unless someone actually DOES the work.

But there is also another saying:

“To every thing there is a season …”

Basically, if you push hard, you also need to make time to rest just as “hard” so you can power back up again.

Taking time to rest has absolutely NOTHING to do with being lazy or unproductive. In fact, it’s a KEY part of being a productive and healthy person.

Often when you unplug, you come back more inspired, with fresh ideas to make improvements, and with more energy to take on your day.

What are some ways to power down? It doesn’t mean vegging on the couch and bingeing an entire season of a show on Netflix (although it might).

For some people, it might mean doing something fun, like playing softball or tennis, going skiing or swimming, or hitting a flea market to poke around for unique finds.

Here are some everyday ways to unplug:

• Take a relaxing bath
• Get a massage or other spa treatment
• Read a book (preferably not one about 10x-ing your productivity)
• Go for a walk or getting outside for some fresh air
• Play with your kids of pets
• Do something creative: play music, woodwork, cook, anything crafty, etc.
• Go to a movie
• Work in the yard
• Rent an Airbnb for the weekend and get away for a bit (even somewhere local!)
• Take a nap

This isn’t rocket science – it’s more about giving yourself permission to just BE. Doesn’t that sound amazing?

If you’ve read this far, leave a comment and let me know if you’re going to do something intentional to disconnect and recharge. I think we all need it these days.

Here’s something I’ve noticed recently – Not only is it hard to keep healthy habits by the end of the week, it’s also much harder after just a day. Just think how hard it is to have any willpower when you’re stressed or have had a long day at work or with the kids?

It doesn’t have to be “bad” stress, either – your willpower can lag after an awesome day spent sightseeing, shopping or doing something else that you love.

The reason this happens is because of something called “decision fatigue.” 

Studies show that the more decisions you make over the course of a day, the harder it is to use your willpower or self control. 

For instance, after a long day you might not feel very energetic… and feel like skipping your workout. Saying “no” to junk food can also become harder. You might procrastinate on chores, and if you go shopping, you could end up spending a lot more than you planned. 

Here’s a weird fact: even your ability to do basic math equations can be affected! 

This doesn’t mean you’re out of luck when decision fatigue kicks in. Instead, now that you know it’s a real “thing,” you can head it off at the pass.

Here are some things you can do to avoid decision fatigue in the first place:

• Plan and prepare your meals ahead of time. When you have healthy food ready to go, that’s one less decision to make!
• Before you go to bed at night, prepare yourself for a successful next day. Remember how you planned before your first day of school each year? You had your outfit ready and your timeline set so you be ready on time and get off to a great start. This is huge!
• When possible, time block your schedule so you have more control over how you spend your time. This way, instead of thinking about what you need to do next, it’s already planned out for you!  Don’t forget to make time for your to-do list, workouts, grocery shopping, and spending time with family and friends! 

And, when decision fatigue DOES strike, it doesn’t mean you’re out of luck. Instead, now that you know it’s a real “thing,” you can head it off at the pass.

The best way thing you can do is to show yourself a little TLC!

You can burn off the stress with a workout (you’ll feel better once you get going!) or eat a healthy spicy meal (studies show hot foods boost endorphins, the feel-good hormones).  

If that seems like too much work, how about brewing a cup of herbal tea and finding a quiet spot to chill out with a good book?

Or wine. I’m not picky.

Another great way to battle decision fatigue is by having a support network. Having a strong team around you is a HUGE part of being successful. Your team can keep you on track and focused.

If you need some of that support, join my Private Facebook Group or shoot me an email. I’m always here to help!

This post is all about a very simple (but super powerful) philosophy in business that improves efficiency, creates steady long-term growth, and basically helps you to crush your goals.

But the power of this philosophy goes way beyond business. It also can make a HUGE difference in living a better, healthier and more fulfilled life.

It’s fueled by one simple principle:

Do 1 percent better every day.

This falls under the philosophy of kaizen, which is the idea of doing 1% better every single day. It’s all about small, continuous improvements. When you add them all up, they lead to mind-blowing changes. 

What’s even more amazing is that the changes created this way actually “stick.” That’s because they didn’t require any major lifestyle overhauls. Instead, they were built up over a period of time, which means you learn to manage and maintain them along the way  – no torture required.

And that’s exactly what you want, right? Results without torture.

Let’s say you want to make improvements in your diet. Instead of changing everything about how you eat, what if you went for the (food pun alert) low-hanging fruit? By that I mean, gradually changing the things that are easiest for you to change? 

—> You could swap out your afternoon cookie for a piece of fruit. Your chips could become a handful of almonds. Instead of eating a grab-and-dash granola-bar breakfast, you could blend a protein smoothie.

Not all at once. Just one change at a time, over time. Can you see how before long, as you fold these new habits into your life, they will add up to a HUGE transformation in your life?!

There are lots of great books on the subject. One of the latest that breaks it all down with actionable tips is the bestseller ‘Atomic Habits’ by James Clear. 

It can be tempting to go for the quick fix – and it’s true that you may see some results in the short-term.  But you’re not looking to yo-yo your way through life. You’re looking to make real change that LASTS. 

So when it comes to changing your mindset and building new habits that stick, studies show that making smaller changes can be more helpful. 

Give the 1% method a go leave a comment telling us how it went. What one thing could you improve today that would make things just a little healthier?

We often think that the only way to get the heart rate up is with high impact exercises – Jumping jacks, jump roping, squat jumps, running, etc. Those are great exercises, but not everyone’s joints are thrilled with all that pounding, making it tough to find moves that really challenge you.

The good news is, there are plenty of challenging low impact exercises that will really get your heart rate going without actually doing any cardio.

I know that many of my clients really don’t like cardio, but using weights and total body movements allow me to sneak in that cardio factor without them realizing it. I’m tricky that way.

If you feel the same here are 5 moves that will get your heart rate up with zero cardio.

Pivot Squat Curl

Put your left foot on a Gliding Disc, towel (for hardwood floors ) or paper plate (for carpet). Hold a weight in the right hand and squat, curling the weight up. Pivot on the Disc to the back of the room, lowering the weight and going into a squat. Pivot back to start and repeat for 12 reps on each side.

Squat with an Arnold Press

Hold weights at chest level, elbows bent and step out to the right into a side squat. As you step back together, rotate the weights and press them overhead. Do the same to the left and repeat for 12 total reps (one rep is to the right and left).

Squat Curl – Squat Press

With the feet wide and weights in hand, hands facing each other, lower into a squat. Stand and curl the weights up. Squat once again, lowering the weights and as you stand, pivot on the feet, rotating to the right as you press the weights overhead. Repeat, rotating to the other side for 12 total reps.

Clean and Press

Begin with the weight in the right hand. Squat, taking the weight to the floor (if you can). Stand and, as you do so, raise the weight up to chest level (as in an upright row) and in a smooth move, flip elbow down and weight up so that it’s over the shoulder. Press the weight up overhead and lower back down, flip the arms back to upright row position and lower. Repeat for 12 reps on each side.

Triceps Kick

Hold a weight in both hands straight overhead and kick straight up with the right leg. At the same time as you kick, straighten the arms in a triceps extension. Repeat for 12 reps on each side.

Have you said “bye bye” to sleeping through the night?

Are you feeling exhausted or “running on stress hormones” all day?

Have no fear, y’all, because I’ve found some great tips and? A new recipe for you to try.

The science of sleep is fascinating, complicated and growing

Sleep is this daily thing that we all do and yet we’re just beginning to understand all of the ways it helps us and all of the factors that can affect it.

Lack of sleep affects just about everything in your body and mind. People who get less sleep tend to be at higher risk for so many health issues like diabetes, heart disease, and certain types of cancer; not to mention effects like slower metabolism, weight gain, hormone imbalance, and inflammation. And don’t forget the impact lack of sleep can have on moods, memory and decision-making skills.

Do you know that lack of sleep may even negate the health benefits of your exercise program? Seriously – that sucks.

OMG – What aspect of health does sleep not affect???

Knowing this it’s easy to see the three main purposes of sleep:

• To restore our body and mind. Our bodies repair, grow and even “detoxify” our brains while we sleep.
• To improve our brain’s ability to learn and remember things, technically known as “synaptic plasticity”.
• To conserve some energy so we’re not just actively “out and about” 24-hours a day, every day.

Do you know how much sleep adults need? It’s less than your growing kids need but you may be surprised that it’s recommended that all adults get 7 – 9 hours a night. Yep. That much.

Skimping on sleep can leave you, well, sleepy to say the least.

(Don’t worry, I have you covered with a bunch of actionable tips below.)

Tips for better sleep

• The biggest tip is definitely to try to get yourself into a consistent sleep schedule. Make it a priority and you’re more likely to achieve it. This means turning off your lights 8 hours before your alarm goes off. Seven. Days. A. Week. I know weekends can easily throw this off but by making sleep a priority for a few weeks your body and mind will adjust and thank you for it.
• Balance your blood sugar throughout the day. You know, eat less refined and processed foods and more whole foods (full of blood-sugar-balancing fiber). Choose the whole orange instead of the juice (or orange-flavored snack). Make sure you’re getting some protein every time you eat.
• During the day get some sunshine and exercise. These things tell your body it’s daytime; time for being productive, active and alert. By doing this during the day it will help you wind down more easily in the evening.
• Cut off your caffeine and added sugar intake after 12 pm. Whole foods like fruits and veggies are fine, it’s the “added” sugar we’re minimizing. Yes, this includes your beloved chai latte. Both caffeine and added sugar can keep your mind a bit more active than you want it to become evening. (I have a great caffeine-free chai latte recipe for you below!).
• Have a relaxing bedtime routine that starts 1 hour before your “lights out” time (that is 8 – 10 hours before your alarm is set to go off). This would include dimming your artificial lights, nixing screen time and perhaps reading an (actual, not “e”) book or having a bath.

So how many of these tips can you start implementing today?

Recipe (Caffeine-free latte for your afternoon “coffee break”): Caffeine-Free Chai Latte

Serves 1-2

1 bag of rooibos chai tea (rooibos is naturally caffeine-free)
2 cups of boiling water
1 tablespoon tahini
1 tablespoon almond butter (creamy is preferred)
2 dates (optional)

Cover the teabag and dates (if using) with 2 cups of boiling water and steep for a few minutes.

Discard the tea bag & place tea, soaked dates, tahini & almond butter into a blender.

Blend until creamy.

Serve and Enjoy!

Tip: You can try this with other nut or seed butters to see which flavor combination you like the best. Cashew butter anyone?

References:

http://www.thepaleomom.com/gotobed/
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/hacking-sleep

If you’re heading outside, don’t just go for your usual boring walk or run. Spice things up with interval training. It’s been proven to burn more calories, increase your afterburn and make you skinny. Okay, maybe not skinny but it’s more fun than just going the same pace.

Use This Perceived Exertion Chart to figure out how hard you’re working.

Riddle me this: What’s one of your least favorite exercises? If you said PUSHUPS, I don’t blame you. Pushups are hard, especially for women because we usually don’t have as much upper body strength as men do. And they’re just hard, right?

BUT, pushups are so, so, so good for you. They work everything in your upper body as well as your core, giving you a huge payback for not too much work. I mean, there’s some work there for sure.

In fact, if you’re not doing any exercise, I would say – just do some pushups every day because that, my friends, counts as a workout.

Now, we often take body measurements and other assessments to keep track of progress, but fitness tests are also a good way to actually FEEL your progress. Fitness tests are a great way to measure where you are and the pushup test is a favorite of personal trainers because it’s a simple way to measure your endurance and upper body strength.

How to Do the Pushup Test

Take the test to establish a baseline for muscular endurance and upper body strength. Once you’ve gotten your score, take the test again every 4-6 weeks
to track your progress.

By adding pushups to your regular workout routine and working on your upper body strength, you can increase the number of
pushups you can do over time.  If you’re not able to do the pushups described below, I’ve got some modifications for you to try  and you can work your way up to more challenging versions.

Wall Pushups

Stair Rail Pushups

Hands and Knees

1. Begin with 5-10 minutes of cardio to warm up the muscles
2. For men: Get into a pushup position on the
   hands and toes. The hands should be about shoulder-width apart, back straight and the head up.
3. For women: Get into a pushup position on the hands and knees. Your hands should be about shoulder-width apart and your back should be straight with your head lifted.
4. Lower into a pushup, bending the elbows and lowering down until the chin touches the mat. Your back should be straight and stiff throughout the movement and your belly should not touch the mat. If this is too hard, just go as low as you can! It’s all good.
5. Push up to a straight arm position.
6. Continue doing as many pushups as you can with good form at a consistent pace.
7. Stop the test when you’re straining or if your form is slipping.
8. Use the table below to find your score, which is based on the number of pushups you can do consecutively without rest.

Table: Pushup Fitness Test Results

_Source:

_{American College of Sports Medicine. (2006). ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription. Baltimore, MD: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.}

Kettlebell training has tons of advantages – You increase your aerobic capacity, strengthen your entire body and reduce lower back pain. Here are 5 killer kettlebell moves to get your heart rate up and metabolism going.

1. One Arm Swing

Hold a KB (8-20 lbs) in the right hand, feet hip-distance apart. Begin a warm up swing to get used to the movement, tipping from the hips to take the KB between the legs and powering the hips up as you lightly swing the weight to about hip level. Take the left arm out to the side for balance. Once you get comfortable with the movement, swing the weight to shoulder level, always using the hip-thrust movement to get the weight up.

Stand with a kettlebell on the floor and squat, hands to the floor. Step or jump the legs into  a plank position. Step or jump the feet back to start, pick up the kettlebell and do a double arm swing.

3. High Pulls

Hold a medium kettlebell in both hands, feet hip-width apart. Tip from the hips, keeping the arms straight, the torso upright and the abs braced. Power the hips up as stand while drawing the kettlebell up and bringing the elbows up and above the shoulders.

4. KB Renegade Row

Get into a plank position, on the hands and toes (or knees), keeping the core braced and the body in a straight line. Hold a kettlebell or weight in one hand and pull the elbow up to torso level in a rowing motion. Lower the weight, lightly touching the floor.

5. KB Windmill

Hold a medium kettlebell or dumbbell in the right hand, turning the right toes out and the left toes forward, almost like you’re standing on a surfboard.  Take the left arm straight up and lean to the right, kicking the left hip out and bending the right knee as you lower the weight towards the floor.  Keep your eyes on the extended left arm.

If you’re running out of ideas for gifts, don’t worry. I’ve some good ones for last minute fitness gifts for the exerciser in your life. Or? For yourself! I won’t tell.

Adjustable Kettlebell/Softbell

This is genius!  A way to have a ‘kettlebell’ using the softbells and adding on until you get the weight you want.

Resistance Band Kit

These kits are so perfect for travelers or for this time of year when you’re squeezing in exercise whenever you can.

Fitness Towels

These microfiber towels are absolutely perfect for anyone who showers. I’m sure you know at least one.

Wireless Earbuds

Class Pass

Now they can access classes all over the place instead of going to the same boring gym all the time.

iPhone Arm Band

I can’t stress enough how much I use my armband. Great gift for the walker/runner or even for someone who just listens to music or audiobooks.

Flip Belts

Next best thing to the arm band? The FlipBelt. It does NOT look like a fanny pack…I promise.

Times are stressful these days. We have a constant stream of information in our faces, ears, eyes…everywhere. We’re getting older, we’re gaining weight and there are a lot of problems in the world that we have no idea how to solve.

Here’s the thing though: Stress is killing us. It’s making us drink more, eat more, sleep less, gain weight and feel tired all the time.

We have to deal with it.

These gut-wrenching times call for a serious intervention. If you’re feeling stress, no matter where it’s coming from, I can help you. 

Go through the list below and pick one thing. Set an alarm for every hour and do that one thing (well except drinking wine…at least wait until an appropriate time).

1. Breathe
2. Pet something soft and furry (an animal…get your mind out of the gutter).
3. Go outside and breathe again. Look at the sky where there are no politics, computers or kids or dogs or cat puke or anything remotely resembling stress.
4. Put on your favorite song and sing it at the top of your lungs.
5. Sit quietly, close your eyes and picture your favorite place in the world.
6. Watch this
7. Pick one drawer in your house or office and clean it out.
8. If you have a smartphone, send yourself a text describing how you feel using only emojis. (see below for an example)
9.  Drink wine (at the appropriate time, of course, which is 5:00 but, as we all know, it’s always 5:00 somewhere)
10. And, finally….exercise! You can’t be surprised that this is on the list, right? Take a walk, do some stretches, just move your body and get out of your head for a bit.

Make it a habit to do one or more of these things every single day and you may just find yourself losing weight naturally.

👎🤷‍♀️😵💩

Oh my gosh – nutrition and diet info is everywhere!

And each expert and association tries to lead you in their direction because they know best and their advice is going to help you. Right?

Well, maybe…

Everyone has heard (and maybe lived through) the intense focus on how much you eat. This has gotten way too much attention because while this does affect your weight and energy level, it’s certainly not the “holy grail” of health.

Let’s focus a bit more on the often overlooked (and proven) benefits of what you eat and drink and how you eat and drink it.

Click here to read the full article.

Two things happened recently that reminded me of this:

We can’t always be moving forward.

What reminded me of this was, first, a neighbor of mine was frustrated because she was only able to do 15-minute workouts. Her house was under construction, her kids were going back to school and life was like a box of chocolates – that had melted into a gooey mess.

I was actually surprised she was working out at all, considering the chaos in her life. My advice to her was this: Sometimes you can do hour-long workouts. Sometimes you can’t.

It’s this thing called life, y’all.

Deep. I know.

I was thinking about her as I was trying to get out of my neighborhood, which has become increasingly difficult due to all the damn construction going on. Here in Chicago, they say there are 2 seasons: Winter and Construction.

Right now? We’re deep into construction.

Every day there’s a new road closed or blocked or backed up with cars and it feels like I’m not getting anywhere, kind of how my neighbor felt with her workouts.

But as I was sitting in a small-town traffic jam, I thought about all this construction. They’re resurfacing, rebuilding, reinforcing. In the end, we’ll be glad they did all that, right?

And sometimes, that’s what we need to do for ourselves.

There’s an ebb and flow to life. Sometimes we’re ON – We’re working out, we’re cooking dinner, we’re taking care of the house, the kids, the yard, the everything.

Sometimes we’re OFF – We’re sick, tired, someone else is sick, someone’s in your kitchen knocking down a wall, or you’re just tired.

The thing is, we are constantly under construction. We build ourselves up and then we get a little torn down, just like all the roads around here (which I am convinced are made of tissue paper).

The important thing is to recognize when you’re in an ebb-cycle and let it happen. We all need to hunker down sometimes and some things may need to get pushed to the bottom of the priority list.

Like for my neighbor – Just do the 15 minutes. It’s temporary and things will get back to normal, whatever normal is. And the best part? She can get an awesome workout in 15 minutes. I made her one. You can try it to.

Killer 15-Minute Workout

The next time you’re frustrated with your lack of progress or some other aspect of your life, ask yourself where you are and where you need to be. Can you afford some time to sit back and regroup? Giving yourself that time may be exactly what you need to start moving forward again.

Walking is a great exercise – You can do it pretty much anywhere, you get to be outside and you don’t need any special skills to do it.

That’s all well and good, but it’s also easy to turn your exercise walk into more of a stroll. That’s fine if that’s your goal, but if you really want to burn calories, it ain’t no walk in the park.

Make Your Walks WORK

There are ways you can make sure you get the most out of your fitness walks:

1. Use your arms. I know, people may look at you, but they’re just jealous that you’re exercising. Swinging your arms gets your momentum going. Your elbows should be bent at 90 degrees, arms swinging straight, not across your body. Periodically flip your palms up and you’ll get your arms going in the right direction. Pay attention throughout your walk and notice if your arms start to flop. That probably means your speed has dropped too.
2. Use good form. Land on your midfoot, not on the heel or the toe, with the foot right under the hip, not in front. This makes your walk more efficient and you’ll feel less tired. Keep your shoulders and face relaxed and your chest up. Pretend I’m watching you the entire time. There – you look gorgeous!
3. Watch your speed. You want to walk fast like you’re trying to catch a bus but you can’t run because you’re in 6-inch heels (hey, it’s pretend). Check in every few minutes to make sure your pace hasn’t dropped. You want to be just out of breath, but still able to talk in short sentences.
4. Use hills to get your heart rate up. When you find a good one, walk up as fast as you can and then recover on the way down. Repeat 3-5 times for a great interval workout.
5. Use a good playlist with a beat you can walk to. Here’s a Walking Playlist you can try on Spotify.

You can also use walking poles, which have been shown to help you burn more calories. How to use walking poles.

Now, if you really want to do it right, try this:

Walking Interval Workout

You’ll go through a variety of intensities for a workout that will burn more calories and keep you from getting bored.

Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Portion Control.

The scariest words out there, right next to, “Honey? We need to talk.”

The bad thing about portion control is that you have to actually pay attention to what you’re eating. The good thing? We live in a time where there are tons of great tools that make controlling our portions easier than ever.

Below are my favorites. Be sure to leave a comment if you have any favorites too.

Tools to Help With Portion Control

Meal Measure 1 Portion Control Tool 

21 Day Fix Portion Control Containers

Meal Trax Portion Control Plates

Apps that Make Tracking Your Food a Snap

• BiteSnap Photo Food Journal. You just take a picture and the app does all the work for you. If you don’t have an iPhone, try MyNetDiary for androids.
• Pertinacity – This app makes portion control really easy. You basically measure your food by your fist. For example, if you eat a sandwich that’s two fists, you just hit the little plus button. You can also set goals. Pretty nifty.
• See How You Eat – This is a neat little app that allows you to take pictures of what you’re eating as a way of tracking your meals. Just seeing what you’re eating sometimes can be eye-opening.

There are plenty of other apps out there but these are some of the easiest to use. Be sure to leave a comment if you have any ideas.

There are times in your life when you’re in sort of exercise hibernation mode. Like you have to approach your workouts like a scared kitten you’re coaxing out from under the bed…

“Come here little guy…I won’t hurt you if you won’t hurt me…”

Then there are times when you need to reach under that bed, grab that cat and…okay, never mind.

You should never, ever, reach under the bed to grab a feline without some serious protection.

The point is, this time of year brings tons of energy and we can use that energy to take control of our workouts.

To that end, your mission should you choose to accept it is to set some challenges for yourself. Pick 5 consecutive days and set a goal for yourself each day – Something that pushes you a little out of your comfort zone.

Some ideas:

Daily Challenges – Pick Your Poisons

• How many minutes can you exercise? – How many minutes of exercise can you accumulate in one day? My minimum is 30 minutes, so I’m going out on a limb to say I’ll get in 60 minutes at least one day in the next 5. How many minutes will you get?
• How many steps/miles can you walk? – If you use a tracker, you have this information available but, if not, you can simply use distance. For example, could you walk 1 mile one day this week? Could you walk more? Set a goal and do it.
• How many calories can you burn? – If you use a tracker like a FitBit or Apple Watch, you probably get a summary of how many calories you burn each day. Mine, for example, is 400 calories. My goal is to burn at least 450 calories one day this week. What’s your goal?
• How many exercises can you do in 10 minutes? – For this, pick a series of moves – Wall pushups, squats, lunges, step touches, crunches, bicycles – Any body weight moves (see some examples here). Write them all down and do 20 reps of each one. Keep repeating for 10 minutes.
• How many times can you stand up? – For this one, pick a day, set a timer and stand up as often as you can. Keep track of how many times so you can see how awesome you are. Bonus: Do some stretches or walk around during your breaks.

Those are just some ideas…what about you? What would challenge you? Leave a comment and let us know!

There’s nothing Americans love more than creating trends. Because I’m old, I think about the things I begged my mom to get me – Parachute pants, Tretorn shoes, the Barbie Dream House…or, remember the Easy Bake Oven?

I had one and, thinking about it, I probably baked more when I was 6 than I do now.

Exercise is its own category and there have been some weird trends over the years. The Thighmaster, that ab chair thingee where you basically do the same motion that used to happen when your lounge chair buckled underneath you…so many ab thingees.

Fast forward to 2018 and we have a whole slew of trends, some that are interesting and some that are just plain old weird.

• Plogging – I’m guessing that millennials made this one up because they seem so much more socially conscious than my generation. Plogging is also known as ‘Trash Running,’ which means the purpose of your run is to pick up trash during your jog. It’s a great idea, but I think I’ll leave them to it.
• Aerial Yoga – This, if you don’t know, is when you’re suspended by this sort of hammock-type material and you do yoga poses. It kind of looks like some sort of suspended ballet…both weird and fun. I think if I had a class nearby, I’d probably try this one.
• Peleton – This involves having a spin-bike at home and you can follow spin classes on the connected screen. Now, there’s a part of me that wants to try this. But then I remember that Spinning is just plain old hard. Oh and there’s a $2000 price tag for the bike, so that does help one decide on this one.I think hardcore spinners and cyclists with cash on hand would like this one the best.
• Goat Yoga – I get it – goats are cute and baby coats are even cuter. Do I want to do yoga with them? I actually get plenty of animals all over me with my cats, so I think I’m good on this one.
• Aqua Mermaid – Okay, when I was a kid, I did what was called water ballet. I guess that eventually turned into synchronized swimming…and then mermaids? Just thinking of wearing that tale makes me claustrophobic.
• Orange Theory Fitness – This is part of the whole High Intensity Interval Training frenzy everyone seems to be in right now and I actually tried it, so I can at least give my impressions. The idea is that you have a heart rate monitor and you can see your heart rate on screen as you do through different phases of the workout – The rower, treadmill, TRX and weights. You try to get your heart rate into the ‘orange’ zone for a certain amount of the workout. The idea here is fine, I just got bored with the workouts. Even though they change, you still use the same equipment. Also, I injured my shoulder..too much HIIT almost always causes problems.

What do you think? Would you try any of these trends? Have you ever tried something really weird? Do tell!

Lunges are never far from any personal trainer’s mind and never are we more excited than when we learn a new one.

Today’s version is kind of like a curtsy lunge, which involves stepping back and across into the lunge. In this version, you’re actually crossing over in the front, which makes it more challenging. Rotating the upper body with straight arms is like the cherry on top.

There’s a lot going on with this exercise and the one thing you want to avoid is tweaking the knee.

The idea is to try and keep the knee over the toes, although you’ll find that adding the rotation will naturally pull your knee to the side a little. Watch out for that and skip this exercise if you feel anything bad happening in your knee.

Do it right: With the arms straight out in front of you, step the right foot across your body to the left into a lunge, pausing to make sure the shin is straight and the knee is over the toes. For added intensity, rotate the torso to the left, taking the arms to the side as far as you can. Step back to start and repeat for 1-3 sets of 8-16 reps.

Do you ever get on the treadmill at home or at the gym and throw a towel over the display so that you can’t see how much longer you have to go?

And then you lift the towel and go, “I’ve been on this thing for 3 MINUTES?!”

Yeah. The towel thing doesn’t really work. But, what does work? Is mixing things up with a little interval training.

The great thing about intervals is that you only have to concentrate on one segment of your workout at a time, which means you’re not thinking about how long the workout is, but just how long that interval is.

It’s kind of like tricking your brain into working out.

I’ve got a great interval workout that will make your next treadmill workout fly by. Or, if not flying, maybe walking at a brisk pace?

Give it a try!

30 Minute Mixed Interval Treadmill Workout

The other morning, I rolled out of bed, put on my workout clothes and looked in the mirror where I said, “Let’s crush this workout!”

Okay, not really.

What I actually did was put on my workout clothes and then proceed to NOT actually workout.

We all know the hardest part is putting on the workout clothes…not working out after said task is slightly disgraceful.

It often comes down to motivation, an ugly word. A word that should make the list of the 7 words you can’t say on television (RIP George Carlin).

I actually have some secrets to finding the motivation to exercise and that lies in finding its value in your life.

Yes, exercise can be for weight loss but if that were motivating 100% of the time, we would all follow through with our workouts 100% of the time.

Which many of us don’t.

I actually have 3 relatively painless ways to help you find value in working out every day.

Warning: The workouts themselves may not be painless. But that’s up to you.

3 Ways to Find the Value in Exercise

Because it’s the holidays, I have to post something about healthy holiday alternatives to the usual calorie-laden fare. I’m pretty sure this is actually part of the Personal Trainer Constitution and I’ll be kicked out if I don’t.

I’ve decided to focus my efforts on the one area I love the most about the holidays:

Drinking.

There’s a lot of drinking this time of year because that’s just what we do.

Booze does a lot of things including helping you relax a little, getting people loosened up so they’re having more fun and, if you don’t overdo it, making things generally more palatable.

Overdoing it is usually where the trouble comes in so I’m going to remind you of the things you already know. Try to hydrate since dehydration is what causes crazed behavior and hangovers.

Now on to the good stuff. Here are 10 cocktails you can enjoy this holiday (almost) guilt-free. I say almost because some of you will feel guilty no matter what. I recommend you save that for January.

1. Boozy Skinny Hot Chocolate – This one is so simple, even I could make it. Plus, there’s BOOZE in it!
2. Healthy Hot Toddy – What I love about Hot Toddies is that you don’t only have to drink them at Christmas. As one of my drunken relatives assured me, you should also drink them whenever you have a cold. Bottom’s up!
3. Port of Call Punch – This is more of a sweet kind of drink if you’re into that. It should lubricate the party pretty quickly.
4. Lemon Drop – This is one of my favorite cocktails…the lemon gives the vodka a nice tart little kick.
5. Cherry Whiskey Sour – I’m from the south where they put Jack Daniels in our baby bottles. I’m kidding, of course. They actually just put it right in our baby food.
6. Pomegranate Rosemary and White Sangria – This one just looks like Christmas.
7. Gimlet – The ‘Gimlet’ is just a fancy word for a whole bunch of alcohol with a splash of lime. As the writers mention, this cocktail was orginated as a way for sailors to avoid scurvy. Great side benefit!
8. Rose Champagne Spritzer – Just having the word ‘spritzer’ in the name makes you feel healthy, doesn’t it?
9. Vodka and Cranberry – This is a classic and, as you probably know, cranberries are rich in antioxidants. See how healthy you are?
10. Wine – Honestly, this is my favorite one, requiring almost no work at all, unless you have an actual cork that must be removed. Does removing a cork count as exercise? I say it does.

Stay safe this holiday season, y’all.

Cheers!

I know that all these new-fangled electronics are supposed to make life easier, but I think it makes us all just a little bit crazier, too.

How many times do you automatically reach for your phone to check for messages or emails? If I counted how many times my husband does it during one meal out, I would have no time to actually eat.

I am, of course, a perfect angel and I never do such things.

And then there’s all this other stuff – Everything is online so you’re staring at a screen all day and then there are the holidays and everyone is trying to make you buy the ‘perfect gift’ and you fall down that Internet Black Hole where you end up just watching kittens sleep just to save your sanity.

There are plenty of ways to de-stress and I have one that’s so easy, anyone can do it. And you really will feel better after.

3-Minute Total Relaxation

Set a timer for about 3 minutes or, if you have time, just go with the flow…it’s not like it’s a law or anything.

1. Lie down in a quiet place and close your eyes.
2. Begin by tensing and contracting your muscles starting with your feet.
3. Curl your feet and toes, then hold that as you move up and squeeze the calves, then the quads, then the glutes.
4. Hold the lower body and feet very tight and move up, contracting the abs and then the arms, curling your hands into tight fists.
5. Keep holding everything tight as you squeeze your shoulders up towards your ears, clench your jaw and squeeze your eyes shut tight.
6. When everything is tight and tense, hold it for 5 seconds, feeling your muscles start to burn. Then on a long exhale relax everything, letting your muscles melt and your body sink into the floor as the tension drains away. Repeat and continue relaxing and breathing for at least one minute or longer.

I know, that’s a bold statement but stay with me.

In my latest article, 2 Reasons Exercise May Just Save Your Sanity, I present to you your very own Fairy Godmother.

I know…you didn’t know you had one, did you? Well, you do and she isn’t anything like you thought. In fact, when you really see what she is, you might think I have betrayed you in the most underhanded way…but I haven’t!

In fact, I’m doing this for your own good. If you really want to get through the holidays and keep your sanity, you’re going to need her.

Just trust me on this.

I have to say I’m very grateful for all of you…Thank you, thank you, thank you! And Happy Thanksgiving.

Learn more about your Fairy Godmother in my new article.

We often think that the only way to get the heart rate up is with high impact exercises – Jumping jacks, jump roping, squat jumps, etc. Those are great exercises, but not everyone’s joints are thrilled with all that pounding, making it tough to find moves that really challenge you.

The good news is, there are plenty of high intensity, challenging exercises that will really get your heart rate going and this goblet squat with a rotation is one of them. The squat, of course, targets the hips, glutes and thighs, but where the intensity comes in is where you press up, rotating to one side and taking the weight overhead.

The exercise is shown using a kettlebell, but a dumbbell works just as well. To keep the move safe, make sure you send the hips back as you squat, keep the weight close to the body and pivot on the feet as you rotate to protect the knees.

Do it right: Hold a dumbbell or a kettlebell by the horns at your chest and lower into a squat, going as low as you can and bringing the elbows towards the inside of the thighs. As you stand up, take the weight overhead and rotate to the right, pivoting on both feet. Lower and repeat for 1-3 sets of 8-16 reps, alternating sides.