My Top Health Tips

Whether you have been into fitness and health for a long time or are just starting out, there are a few things I have found worked for me to be successful and stay on track.
If you can develop a consistent routine your chances improve greatly!

1. Start your day with a warm glass of lemon water to improve digestion and wake your body up. It's an easy thing to do with amazing benefits! Read this article for more information:Warm Lemon Water
2. Schedule your workouts, and have a fitness game plan in mind. It always helps to have a goal set with a measurable time to reach it and to put it on your calendar each day. You can track your progress and see how far you've come.

3. Plan out your meals for the week. Even if it's only dinner, you then won't have the struggle of worrying about what to eat. You can shop for your food on the weekend and even prepare things ahead of time for busy days.
4. Love your body! You are unique and made the way you are for a reason. Don't try and be like you think you should be, strive to be the healthiest person you can be for yourself.
5. Have a coach or accountability partner. Having someone to check in with is huge for motivation! You can share your struggles and triumphs and get guidance. Connect with me here for coaching!
I hope this helps get you started or helps get you back in the game. You are worth it and deserve to be healthy and happy!

5 Ways To Break A Weight Loss Plateau

You're tracking calories, working out each day, then bam! For a week or two, the scale refuses to budge...and you realize you've hit a dreaded weight loss plateau. Now what?

Even though it's completely normal to hit a snag in your fitness journey, a perceived setback like this can send even the most dedicated dieter off course, away from healthy eating and toward cookies, cake, and pizza. But you can be strong and start getting back on the weight-loss track again. Try at least one of the following techniques, and there's a good chance you'll burst through your plateau in no time. Here is an article I really wanted to share from Justine Holberg at Beachbody.

Here are five important things to know about hydration and exercise:
1. Zigzag your daily calorie intake.
In theory, you've got to eat less to lose more, but this isn't always the case. Sometimes you just have to shake things up. Here's one way to do it: If your average daily intake is 1,400 calories, try dropping to 1,200 one day, going up to 1,800 the next day, and then dropping back to 1,400. The idea is to keep your metabolism guessing. There's no magic number that works for everyone, so you'll have to experiment until you find the right calorie levels for you.
According to Beachbody Director of Results Steve Edwards, what happens when you zigzag is that you force your body to choose how many calories it needs to recover from the rigors of your exercise program. "Most people who hit a plateau are undereating. If you are indeed undereating, adding calories for a few days, then lowering them again, will help you force your body into a hormonal response that will not only help you break out of a plateau, but—as you learn to recognize the signals—will teach you how much food you should be eating."

2. Switch up your exercise routine.
If you do the same workout each day, eventually it can start to become less challenging, and (unfortunately) less effective. If you push yourself to new levels of strength or exhaustion, you'll almost certainly see a shift. Here are some ways you can challenge your body:

• Swap your jog for a bike ride.
• Try weights with your cardio routine. (ChaLEAN Extreme® or RevAbs® can help you do this.)
• Add intervals of high intensity to really make you sweat. (INSANITY® is a great workout for this.)
• Drop to the floor for 10 push-ups right now!

The idea is to try something different. According to Edwards, "The better you get at something, the easier it becomes. That's why we're always telling you to add more weight as you get stronger, and to move faster and jump higher as our programs progress. But it's also why all of our programs have phases of training. As your body adapts to stimulus, you need to change that stimulus in order to keep results happening."

3. Eat some almonds.
Almonds are a great snack, plus there's some research that indicates that they can help you burn fat. That's because they contain fiber and fatty acids—the good kind of fat that helps you lose weight. A study published in the International Journal of Obesity compared two groups of people who ate a 1,000-calorie-a-day diet. As part of their daily diet, one group ate 3 ounces of almonds every day. The other group ate a mix of complex carbs. What happened? The group that ate the almonds lost more weight.

So next time you grab a snack, try a small handful of almonds, or as Edwards says, "Any nut, really. While almonds are one of the better nuts, all of them have a similar nutritional profile and make excellent snacks. That research probably would have turned out similarly if they'd used walnuts or filberts or whatever."

4. Get more sleep.
This may seem like the opposite of number 2, but the truth is is that you could be training too hard, which is about the quickest way to hit a weight loss plateau, because an over-trained body holds on to weight as if it were starving to death. There's no better way to test this than to try and sleep more. The reason is that your body recovers much more quickly from exercise while it's asleep, and if you're burning the midnight oil while trying to do INSANITY, you could easily plateau from lack of recovery time.

In a recent study at the University of Chicago Medical School, researchers found that during a period when study participants were deprived of sleep, they metabolized glucose less effectively. Additionally, they had higher levels of the hormone cortisol, which has been shown to impair memory, increase insulin resistance, and slow recovery in athletes. "There's a good reason why five-time Tour de France winner Eddy Merckx said, 'The Tour is won in bed,'" says Edwards. Your body's recovery response during deep sleep is only rivaled by performance-enhancing drugs. When you're on the borderline of overtraining, getting more sleep is the first thing anyone should try."

5. Relax.
Believe it or not, the one big thing besides diet and exercise that can cause you to plateau is stress. When you're stressed, your body sends out higher levels of the hormone cortisol that, as stated in number 4, can encourage your body to hang on to fat. "Cortisol is actually a performance-enhancing hormone," says Edwards. "But it's gotten a bad rap because we've begun living our lives at too high a volume. Cortisol is released at times when the body is in an emergency state. It increases performance, but only over a short period of time. When cortisol is released and forced into action at regular intervals, it causes your body to wear down and switch to more drastic means of survival, like holding on to excess amounts of body fat. Your life shouldn't feel like one big emergency. As a society, we need to learn to be more tranquilo, as the Spanish say."

We get stressed for many reasons, almost all of which are influenced by the society around us. One of the best ways to combat stress is to get some alone time to chill. If you're the type who can't let go, try some forced relaxation techniques, of which yoga seems to be one of the most effective. There's something special about the mind/body interaction of yoga that forces a relaxed state even from the most stressed of us.

If you feel you need a lot of help, dig into an intense course, like P90X Yoga X. For others, something lighter, like Yoga Booty Ballet® Pure and Simple Yoga, will do the trick. If you're not into yoga, then consider at least adding some stretching into your schedule. Most of Beachbody's programs have at least one stretching session. TurboFire® even has two!

Tips To Drink More Water

Water!! So you've heard the benefits, you know it's crucial for your health, but are you still finding it hard to make drinking water a habit?
Here are a few fun tips that may just get you going.

1. Use a straw
2.Buy a pretty bottle
3.Set an alarm every hour to remind you
4. Add fruit or cucumber
5. Have 1 cup before each meal

6. Have 1 cup every time you go to the bathroom
7. Have 2 cups before bed
8. Compete with a friend
9. Fill a 64 oz bottle and finish it every day
10. For every non-water beverage you have, drink 2 glasses

I hope this helps you! Sometimes just changing up our normal routine and adding something fun and different is all it takes. Drink away!! If you'd like help with this as well as healthy eating choices or fitness, fill out my support group application here:
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21 Day Fix Group For Summer

Ready for Summer? If you're like me, you'll have a few trips, and lots of outdoor fun! You may be wondering how to stay fit and eat right without alot of worry, counting and long workouts.
I'm so glad to be able to share with you, The 21 Day Fix. It's an exercise program and nutritional guidance with easy portion control. The workouts are 30 minutes long and last for 21 days.
Simple, attainable and flexible for your summer plans!! Who wouldn't love this!
I am starting an exclusive summer support group on June 30th. It's a private Facebook group where you'll have me as your coach every day!

Nutrition can be the hardest part which is why I love The 21 Day Fix so much! The color coded containers correspond to food groups. So you just choose the foods you'd like to eat and use the containers as your portion control. This comes with Shakeology and a shaker cup as well. Shakeology is  Superfood drink with 70 amazing and healthy ingredients, all without sugar or artificial sweeteners.

I would love to have you join me! You can do 21 days! I even have 5 GIVEAWAYS++++ for the first 5 people who sign up for this special group. So gather your friends, neighbors and family and do it as a team! You'll feel healthier and be able to enjoy your summer. Please fill out this application and we'll get you all ready to go for June 30th.

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A Day As A Health And Fitness Coach

We all have different goals, different passions in life and don't we all truly want to be doing those things we love?! I can say, for me, I am doing it right now. 

I have been blessed with a wonderful husband and 4 beautiful boys. This bring me joy and I always wanted to stay at home with my kids and be a mom and wife. I also have had quite a health journey with digestive problems and have developed a passion for healthy eating, which is ultimately what healed me from my sickness.

Fitness is something I've always loved! I have been an active person through my life and it has never stopped. I worked out with my pregnancies as well and am fitter now than before my boys.

About 6 months ago I was given the opportunity to become a Beachbody health and fitness coach and work from home to help others with what I have learned and stay home with my kids. I jumped at the chance!! I wanted to see people live a healthy life and feel their best the way that I had. I also wanted to show other moms they could do what I do, from their homes, with their family.

A typical morning for me would be:

• waking up and working out
• getting my kids off to school
• playing with my 2 year old
• checking in with my customers and fitness groups
• checking emails/responding to messages
• a blog post or making a video
• reading personal development  

Then I'm off to enjoy the rest of my day with playing, errands, school pickups etc. I couldn't ask for anything more! It makes me happy and I can't even believe it's a job. It never feels like work to me. Helping and serving others is a blessing :)

Have you thought about doing something new? Are you doing what makes you happy and are you achieving your goals? I want to invite you to see about what being a coach can do for you! I also want to invite you to think about your health and fitness, is there an area you'd like to work on but didn't know where to start? I can help you with both of these things. I have included two applications at the bottom of this, one for becoming a health coach yourself and one to be part of a fun health support group. I am part of the #1 team in all of Beachbody and I want to share all of that with you!!

Fill out my form! for coaching on the Dream Team
Fill out my form! for joining my next support group

Salmon Burgers

Now that the Spring weather is here and we have some nicer days, alot of you may think of burgers. This healthy recipe gives you just that plus a dose of Omega-3s to help with your healthy eating lifestyle!!

Ingredients:
1 pound wild salmon fillet, skinned
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion or scallion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, or canola oil

Directions:
1. Chop salmon using quick, even, straight-up-and-down motions
until you have roughly 1/4-inch pieces.

2. Transfer to large bowl and gently stir in onion/scallion, cilantro,
ginger, salt and pepper, being careful not to over-mix.

3. Divide the mixture into 4 patties, about 1 inch thick. Chill in the
refrigerator for at least 20 minutes (or up to 2 hours) before
cooking.
 
4. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the
burgers and cook until browned on both sides and just cooked
through, 4 to 6 minutes total.

Enjoy!

How To Start An Exercise Program

Healthy living isn't easy. For some, it comes naturally, but for others it's tough to get started. A lot of the activities that other people just pick up without trying are either impossible or feel like death. High Intensity Interval Training? Hot yoga? Insanity? Crossfit? Even jogging? You've got to be kidding. It's not those workouts don't work. It's just that doing them when you're a beginner, can be a ticket to hating and giving up early, and feeling ashamed for ever having bothered to try. 

Before You Begin: Cut Yourself Some Slack

This may perhaps be the single most important tip to ensure your success:Approach everything you do from a place of self-compassion.

Popular weight loss stories on TV almost always start with someone "fed up" with their looks or health problems. While those things can be triggers, they're never motivators that stand the test of time. Dismiss the people who'll tell you to "just go to the gym," or "just put down the fork," or that it all boils down to "eat less and move more." Soundbites don't keep you motivated. Focusing on your clothes size, waistline, reflection in the mirror, and so on are all short-term motivators that don't adapt with you. Relying on them guarantees any stumbles you have along the way will make you feel horrible about yourself and set you back to square one. Instead, concentrate on the long term benefits. In short, make your fitness plans because you love yourself and want to be the best, most healthy possible you that you can be—whatever size or shape that involves.

Healthy Living Is a Skill You Improve At, Not a Thing You Just "Do"The next thing someone to remember is that a healthy lifestyle is a skill you work and get better at—not a thing you just get up and start doing one day. If you expect to just hop on a stationary bike, start lifting, or turn your diet upside down without challenges or setbacks, you're setting yourself up for trouble. Approach your health and fitness goals like you would any other skill that you're learning.

Most people don't expect to be able to do difficult things without training, whether it's a new job, playing the piano, or learning a language. There's no reason to expect that when it comes to exercise, diet, nutrition, or any other element of healthy living. Remember, the goal is to make positive changes that stand the test of time. Short term weight loss plans, bursts of exercise, and fad diets have been proven over and over again to be ineffective.

Find Something You Enjoy Doing, and Start From There

Getting into the right mindset is only half the battle. The rest, obviously, is actually putting your plans into motion. If you're already struggling with your weight, or if you have no idea where to start, this can be one of the biggest hurdles to get over. What kind of exercise should you do, and how much? How can you tell if it's working? How can you get the biggest bang for your diet and exercise buck, as it were? P

Frankly, the best response to all of these questions is to ignore them. If you focus on results out of the gate, or think in terms of optimal benefit instead of building habits, you're already on the wrong track. I've known people who took up running or spinning because they thought that's what they had to do. They hated it, but kept going until something happened and they missed a day. It may have been the holidays, a late meeting, or illness, but whatever it was, that was all it took to get them off the horse. Instead, seek out exercise that rewards you mentally and emotionally as well as physically. Find things you enjoy doing, at any activity level. Don't get caught up in the "all or nothing" mindset, where you think you have to buckle down and do an hour of cardio or strength training every other day for the rest of your life—start slow with something you know you can do, even if it's once a week. It's more important, especially when you're getting started, to focus on what you can do and step up from there.

Don't Do It Alone: Track Your Progress, and Get Others to Help

Finally, whatever you do, don't do it on your own. You'll have much greater success if you work out with the help or support of friends or loved ones. There's something to be said for keeping your goals private so you don't feel bad when you have setbacks (and don't have to announce your setbacks publicly), but having a support network around you is extremely beneficial. Enroll a personal cheerleading squad, whether it's online or in person, and start tracking your activities. Don't use tracking as a way to obsess over results though. 

This is where I can come alongside and help you with that much needed support!! I'd love to hear about you and your goals and struggles. Please fill out my application below and let's work together to get you started on the right path!

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Eat More Fat

Now, most people don't think of guacamole as a fat-burning snack because it's very high in fat, but avocados are actually one of the healthiest, fat blasting foods around.  In fact, the notion that eating fat makes you fat couldn't be more wrong, as eating fat, and lots of it, is a critical part of achieving the

optimal health you want. Nuts, oily fish, coconut oil, and olive oil all fit the bill

Why?  Here are 8 great reasons:

1.  When added to a meal, fat slows gastric emptying and helps to stabilize blood sugar levels in response to a meal. 

2.  Like protein, fats keep you feeling full and satiated much longer than carbs do.

3.  Due to the above fact, eating fat also helps you avoid carb cravings (which is the real contributor to increased body fat levels).  

4.  Fat helps to optimize your hormone levels as fat is a major player in your endocrine (hormone) system.

5.  Fat,  contributes to healthier skin, hair, and a more youthful appearance.

6.  Fat also plays a critical role in your nervous system, giving you energy and keeping you alert.   If you want a healthy brain, make sure you're getting plenty of healthy fats every day.

7.  Given the same calorie intake, by introducing more fat into your diet you'll automatically reduce your carb intake. 

8.  There are even certain types of fats, like CLA found in grass fed beef and organic dairy products, that have been shown to boost metabolism.

When it comes to LOSING fat, EATING fat is king!

My P90X3 Journey

I have been documenting my workouts with P90X3, you may have watched me! Every day I have marked off my calendar, pushed play and got it done. I have not missed one workout! It has been tough but so rewarding. I am the strongest I have ever been.

 It is a 90 day program broken into 3 blocks. Each with a specific design. There is a calendar, meal plan options and videos for the workout and to explain everything to you.I opted to use an exercise band over the door instead of a pullup bar. I was worried it wouldn't be tough enough, but let me tell you if you do it correctly, it works! There were 4 options to choose from for a plan: Classic, Lean, Mass or Doubles (two workouts a day). I chose Classic as I wanted to see what the basic program was designed to do. It has an amazing mix of cardio, plyometrics, yoga and strength. I am not a yoga lover per se, but this has tested my balance, back and core to the max!!

 I made my meal plan each week, 3 meals and 3 snacks each day as well as Shakeology every day as my post workout fuel.

 I used a variety of equipment, the bands, pushup stands and weights. It can all be done with body weight and exercise bands though. It would still be very tough, they always show modification options, which is awesome. You could be at any fitness level to start. I would consider myself advanced due to the years of working out I have under my belt, so for sure I wanted to see if this would test my body! I am really excited to say it certainly has! If you are advanced or brand new, there is a place for you in this program. I would love to share it with you. Have you been considering it but weren't sure what it would be like? I hope this gives you a glimpse into this amazing program. If you would like to do this workout with some support and guidance along the way, that's what I'm here for! You can be part of a private fitness group with me. We'll set you up with your goals and your specific needs, then go through it together. I'd love to hear about you, would you fill out this application below? Take that first step today towards good health.Fill out my form!

What is the 21 Day Fix?

What is the 21 Day Fix?

It is a brand new and amazing 21 day workout and healthy eating program! It is for any fitness level and is comprised of all the components of living healthy that you need! There are cardio, resistance and stretching workouts all only 30 minutes.

There is also a very creative and effective meal planning system. One of the biggest struggles people have is portion control. In this program there are portion controlled measuring containers so you can learn how to put your meals together! Amazing!!

It is all broken down day by day for 21 days. You can keep track of your progress. You will be feeling better and on your way to a great change for better health at the end of only 21 days!

Are you interested in making a change and starting a new fitness program? It takes 21 days to form a habit, and anyone can make a go of it for 21 days!!

Fill out this application so I can get to know you and your goals and let's get you started. It is available now, so don't wait to make a new start.

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Principles of Clean Eating

Clean Eating 101
This is such a huge passion of mine! It has literally saved my health and given me a new way to think about food and how it works in our bodies.
What does a typical day of eating look like?
7:00 meal #1 or breakfast
10:00 Meal #2 or mid morning snack
1:00 Meal #3 or lunch
4:00 Meal #4 or mid afternoon snack
7:00 meal #5 or dinner
10:00 meal #6 or snack
These times will vary depending on your own life schedule, but it's a glimpse. If you are hungry you may want to eat every 2 1/2 hours as opposed to 3. Our bodies are all different and so are our activity levels.

Principles:
1. Eat more! Six small meals
Sounds crazy huh? Starving yourself will only slow your metabolism! You need to keep the "fire" burning by fueling your body every few hours. This also prevents you from getting too hungry and making bad choices.

2. Eat breakfast within an hour of rising
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day! So often said but so very true. It revs up your metabolism and has been proven to keep you from over eating the rest of the day. It also improves brain function. If you are going to work out in the morning, eat 1/2 your breakfast before and 1/2 after. Such as Shakeology and oatmeal with fruit and nuts.

3. Make your last meal 3 hours before bed, unless you are truly hungry then have meal #6.
It doesn't really matter when you eat but night eating has been a problem for many and often is mindless snacking in front of the tv on junk.

4. Eat lean protein and complex carbohydrates at each meal
Timing of meals is important but what you pair together is key. Nutrient dense foods keep you satisfied, and you keep your blood sugar level even by combining these. Proteins such as fish, chicken, and lean beef and carbs such as fruits, veggies and whole grains and starches will feed your body right.

5. Eat healthy fats each day
Fat does not make you fat, sugar does! Our bodies need these fats for brain function and energy. You will notice better skin and less belly fat also. Nuts, seeds, avocados and oily fish will do the trick. Bad fats are trans, saturated and man-made such as margarine.

6. Drink 2 to 3 liters of water every day
Water should be your drink of choice. Our bodies are actually 75% water! Your brain, organ, joints and digestion depend on water. People often mistske hunger for thirst so reach for a glass before grabbing food!

7. Carry a cooler packed with clean food everywhere
This requires planning ahead, but once it's a habit you will be so glad you did it. You no longer will have to fret about what to grab when you're out. You will know you are armed and ready.

8. Depend on fruits and vegetables for fiber, nutrients and enzymes
Eating clean is not just about losing weight, it's also how you will gain a powerhouse of nutrition in your daily diet. These keep you full and prevents many health ailments.

9. Adhere to portion sizes
Protein should be roughly the size of your palm. Starches should be the size of your hand cupped, and fruits the size of two hands cupped. A fat serving is 1 tablespoon. Vegetables are unlimited.

10. Stick to foods that have not been processed
In other words, whole foods that know where they came from. A banana is a banana, not something made in a factory. Real foods give you a huge bang for your buck.

The bulk of it? 80% of your results come from the food you put in your body while 20% com from exercise!