Sneaky Snacks

Changing my "why?"

Why did you start your fitness journey? Or why haven't you started your fitness journey?
This question has or will undoubtedly come up at some point along the way.

When I started my fitness journey, I wanted to loose weight. That was my end game. Literally, I thought I'd loose weight and start living an ideal life. In my mind, loosing weight would change everything including my love life and income.

While that mind set got me started, I quickly learned there was no real end to weight loss if you want to maintain it. I had to change my line of thinking as well as my way of eating. It was a real mind f*ck. Smaller pants did not manifest a loving partner or a better job. Believing in myself did.

Losing weight is more of a mental game than anything else because losing weight isn't a final destination. It was not until I got where I was going did I realize that the real work was just beginning.

Committing time to workout, to meal prep, to pass up on the things I want to eat and choose to eat the things that will fuel me is a daily struggle. Not allowing myself to think of food as "good" or "bad" or to feel guilt after eating something high in calories is a constant battle.

My reason "why" had initially been to loose weight. Then my "why" was to keep the weight off.  My "why" now is to remain comfortable in my skin while maintaining my health. My workouts might not be as intense as they once were but I still make an effort. I listen to my body and rest when I'm tired, go hard when I can and appreciate the freedom to move without limitations.

I call it a journey because of what I learned along the way.  Everyday is a chance to choose health. Some days it's easy. Some days I want to stay on my couch with a bag of Doritos. I take it one day at a time and give myself the balance I didn't initially understand.

How Slim is Your Kitchen?

It's been proven that certain paint colors can make you hungrier, happier, more relaxed etc. 
So it would make sense to think that the layout of your kitchen can have a positive or negative effect on your health goals.

If you can check off seven of the ten questions below, you're doing great! If not, what can you change?

Obtaining Those New Year's Resolutions

New Year, New You, right? That's the plan for most people. I think the #1 New Year's resolution has got to be to have a healthier approach to the year ahead.

While I think a healthier lifestyle is always a great idea, how realistic are you about your goals?  If you haven't prepped food before, been to the gym in a while and generally avoid kale - you might need to ease into your new approach to health.

 

I think the vast majority of people tend to get excited about an idea, make a rough outline of their goals and jump in with both feet without considering obstacles.  When they hit a road block, and we will, many people throw in the towel and go back to a more comfortable way of living. Usually that way involves a Seamless account.

 First and foremost, get rid of the idea that foods are categorized into "Good" and "Bad."  There are foods that aren't beneficial to your fitness goals or health in general, but they aren't bad.  They haven't bullied so called, "good" foods or vandalized your refrigerator.

Having a healthy relationship with food is an important step to having a healthier life.  Once you get the idea of "good" food, "bad" food, out of your head you'll have a better shot at success.

 

Why? Well, remember those road blocks I mentioned? They’re real and they come in the form of after work happy hour, birthday cake, Sunday Funday etc. In other words, life. We can't stop living or put our social lives on hold while we shape up, only to pick up where we left off three months down the line.  That's why so many people fail.

Balance is key, as I’ve stated before, and this is where it comes into play.  If you have that slice of birthday cake, don’t throw caution to the wind and eat the whole damn cake. Or just as bad, chain yourself to a treadmill for 2 hours.  Enjoy the slice of cake and move on with life. Have a lighter dinner in anticipation of said cake. Punishing yourself won’t undo the caloric intake and it won’t make you likely to stick to your plan.

I think the best and most reasonable approach is to start small. Set small goals, attain them and then set slightly larger goals.  When I signed up for a half marathon a few years ago, I didn’t lace up my shoes the morning of and hit 13.1 miles in an effortless run. I worked my way up over the course of several months. I ran 3 miles, then I ran 5 miles, then I ran uphill, then I did intervals of sprints. You get the point.

I mapped out a plan, set small goals and put in the time to achieve my ultimate goal of a half marathon. It was incredibly difficult and incredibly rewarding.

If you’ve never prepped meals before, make a promise to yourself that you’ll bring lunch to work at least twice this week.  Working your way up to a week of homemade lunches.  The idea is more daunting than the task itself, I promise.  Cutting up veggies for salad add-ons or grilling chicken in advance isn’t difficult or time consuming.

Think of your fitness as a marathon, not a race. Break it down and make it happen. It might not be easy at first but before you realize it, it’ll become habit. A habit you’ll want to carry into the following year.

Last Minute Fitmas Gift Ideas

The NutriBullet aka the kitchen gadget you don't know how you lived without

If you still have some shopping to do, consider a gift that will make someone's 2016 healthier.

I got the nutribullet last Christmas & have used it everyday since.

Some less pricey options :: 

• monogrammed lunch bag
• headphones
• homemade almond butter
• heart rate monitor
• subscription to a health or fitness magazine

Or an assortment of kitchen gadgets for the food prepper in your life. 

I love my avocado keeper & pitter/cutter, individual can strainer, mini cutting board, colorful knives & we all know I live for my vegetti! Happy Shopping! 

Consistency

Staying Consistent

It's not a diet, it's a lifestyle.

It took me a LONG time to realize changing my appearance meant changing my habits.
A lot of people think Advocare, the 24 day challenge or the 10 day cleanse are quick fixes or fad diets.

Why should you try it? How is it different?

It's different because it's not a "diet." It's a tool to TEACH you what you need to do to make a difference in your health. I think of it as groundwork to a new, healthier, fulfilling lifestyle.

The pic on the right was taken the last week of November. No challenge, no cleanse. I've just been monitoring my macros and taking the Advocare supplements that work for me. .

The pic on the left is after my 24 day challenge in May of 2014. The middle pic is from July of 2015 when I finished my 10 day cleanse.

As you can see, my weight HAS NOT yo-yo'd. I didn't put everything I lost, and then some, back on. I stayed consistent! .

Advocare gave me the tools to make better choices and live a healthier lifestyle. Hence the reason I continue to use their products & why I am an adviser.

Why not try it? Why not give yourself a chance to make a change? You have nothing to lose but bad habits :) I made the choice to change & am so glad I did!

Click Here to read my weight loss story 

I'm Calling Bullsh*t!

I've watched a thousand and one infomercials growing up. Our upstairs t.v. only got 13 channels, one of which was almost always broadcasting a pseudo - celebrity hawking something we didn't need. But that didn't stop me from trying to get my mom to order whatever item said celeb was selling.

She must have given in at some point because we ended up with some very intense Tony Little workout VHS tapes. If you don't know who Tony Little is, please look him up, you won't be disappointed. I don't know what kind of crazy he had pumping through his veins but I couldn't get enough of him.  If you don't know what a VHS is google it, kid.

Really?

Like any exercise program, you only saw results if you put in the work. Which let's be honest, a lot of us don't. If we did there would be a lot less infomercials.

Point being, we know when we are being sold a bill of goods

Instagram has its own version of infomercials in the form of bogus accounts promoting miracle weight loss, bigger booties and my most recent favorite, bigger boobs.

Yes, according to one account, there are specific foods that will grow your breasts.

I am not a medical professional but I know a thing or two about boobs and it is safe to say that there are no foods that will grow your breasts. Not like that above picture is promoting at least.

It's easy to get carried away and fall into the photographic glamour of some of the stuff we see on Instagram. I've bought excessively priced coconut butter from an account I followed because it looked so appealing. It was good, not $50 good and it was impossible to spread. 

I did purchase a necklace from another account I followed. It has a great message that means a lot to me and I wear it almost daily. So like anything, you get the good with the bad.  It's just important to be able to decipher the two. End rant. :)