How to Begin Meal Planning

So how do I begin meal planning??  This is one of the most common questions that I hear from my challengers AND patients at the pharmacy when we discuss healthy nutrition. 

When I began focusing on my nutrition a few years ago, I avoided meal planning because I thought that it was a waste of time and that I didn’t need it.  I just didn’t want to take the time to learn about meal planning because I thought that I could handle it all without planning.  This was quite strange because I’m a total planner in most areas of my life.  

When I finally began meal planning – even if it was just a few days at the time – I saw drastic improvements in my eating habits.  Drastic improvements in how I felt.  And of course, I lost weight.

I want to share with you how exactly how I began meal planning with 5 simple tips.  These tips will help you also embrace meal planning and begin yourself!

So let’s get started!

1. Know your nutrition goals.  Know how much you need to eat each day.  How many servings of protein, vegetables, fruits, healthy fats do you need each day?

2. Create a master folder or electronic file with all your favorite recipes and your family’s favorite recipes.  Pinterest is a great way to keep track of recipes – just be cautious of the unhealthy choices!!  Eating the same foods each week IS NOT BAD.  I eat many of the same foods each week – especially breakfast & lunch – it’s simple for me, it’s less that I have to plan and it still satisfies me.  Healthy people often keep the same  foods in their weekly rotation just because it’s simple and they choose nourishing foods that they love.

3. Make a master grocery list of your staples that you need each week (proteins, almond milk, eggs, fruits, veggies, nuts/seeds, whole wheat breads/pastas, quinoa, etc). Then all you have to add to your list are the specific ingredients for what you’ve planned to cook that week.  Shop from your grocey list – if it isn’t in the house, you won’t eat it and you’ll stick to your meal plan.

4. Write out your meal plan – either electronically then print OR write on paper.  Keep it posted in the kitchen.

5.  Do as much prep work as you can on one or two days of the week so that your week is easier!

These tips are exactly how I began and exactly the types of tips that I share with my challenge groups!  

If you’re ready to learn more about clean eating & meal planning…

If you're ready to have a complete nutrition plan with meal plans...

If you’re ready to have an amazing exercise routine that you LOVE and a nutrition supplement that is unbelievable…

If you’re ready for amazing support, accountability and friendships…

And for the first time ever with my challenge groups...I have 2 bonuses for this new Summer Shape Up group!

The first bonus that’s so exciting – you’ll have a private one-on-one phone call OR live skype with me once each week for added support for all of your questions – as much or as little support as you need to be successful.

AND the second bonus – that’s super fun – is access to exclusive PiYo LIVE workouts led by ME, your personal PiYo instructor!  These workouts are available ONLY to PiYo instructors (that’s me!) and you’ll be able to do them from the comfort of your own home!

I want to invite you to allow me the privilege of being your Coach in my next online accountability group.  We begin prep-week on July 25th for Summer Shape Up challenge.  

All you need to do is complete the form right below this post and I will be in touch soon!

Tips to Break Through a Plateau!

I’ve personally asked myself all of these questions a few times throughout my health & fitness journey and I know that I will ask myself many of these questions again.  When I committed whole heartedly to live a healthier lifestyle I knew that there would be ups with downs and good days with bad days.  And I’ve finally grown to realize that this is all OK.  The entire journey won’t be perfect but as long as I keep moving forward one step at the time and continue to progress, no matter how slowly, everything will be ok!

Have you ever asked yourself these questions?

-         Why am I not seeing changes anymore?

-         Why have my clothes gotten tighter?

-         Why am I so bored with my workouts?

-         Why do I feel like I’ve hit a plateau?

-         How can I lose the extra skin around my waist?

What do you do when you stop seeing results?  What do you do when you no longer see changes with your workouts?

I want to share with you my top 5 tips to break through the plateau and begin to see results again with your health & fitness.  These are all strategies that I use to ensure that I continue to progress.

Tip 1 - Take a close look at you nutrition and sugar intake. 

Any time my clothes begin to get tight or I notice weight gain in my stomach especially, being a little more relaxed with my nutrition is usually the case.  So I reign it in, focus on eating clean and limiting my sugar. 

-         These are a few things that I look at when I’m trying to determine if my nutrition is to blame.

·       Keep a daily log book for a week to track every single thing that you eat or drink.  This helps us realize that a spoonful of this or a little bite of that will add up over a week’s time.

·       Determine if you’re eating too little or too much.  This is where my nutrition plans with all of my Beachbody workout programs are SO helpful for me.  I’m able to calculate, based on my goals & activity level, exactly how much I should be eating each day.  I’m not a calorie counter but rather a serving tracker J

·       Determine if you’re eating enough protein.  Again this is where my nutrition guides are so helpful for me and simplify this entire process.

·       Determine if you’re eating added sugars – read nutrition labels on anything packaged, sauces, etc. 

Tip 2 – Track your sleep each night and stress levels.

·       I’m one of the guiltiest people when it comes to adequate sleep – I do not get enough sleep each night!

·       When we’re lacking sleep, our bodies literally are stressed and release the hormone cortisol at higher levels than normal.

·       When we’re actually stressed from life, work, etc, our bodies also release excessive amounts of cortisol.

·       Cortisol is the stress hormone that causes us to crave foods, eat more and store fat in an effort to protect our bodies from the threat of stress.

Tip 3 – Increase the intensity of exercise to break through the plateau and see more results

·       Do workouts that increase your heart rate more than your usual workout.  Repeating cycles of higher intensity followed by lower intensity for short periods of time is very effective!

·       Push yourself a little harder with each workout.  Walk faster, jog faster, lunge a little lower, jump a little higher, do a few more reps of each exercise.  All of these bonuses will compound over time into huge results.

·       If you’re not lifting weights, find a weight program that you enjoy and begin lifting weights.  

·       If you are lifting weights, increase the amount of weight you’re using.

** These are all tips that I can absolutely help you with!

Tip 4 – Change your exercise routine.

·       Muscle confusion will prevent your body and muscles from adapting to the same routine.

·       When we keep our muscles guessing, we continue to see results.

·       This is why you will see me change my exercise program every 60 to 90 days – to keep my muscles guessing and working their hardest!

And one of the most important tips, in my opinion is:

Tip 5 – Find a Coach or accountability partner who will push you.

Each month, as a Coach, I host private, online accountability groups to help encourage, inspire and support you throughout your health & fitness journey.  If you’re just beginning or have already started, no matter your level, my group can help you. 

As YOUR coach, I will help you choose an exercise program based on your fitness level, goals and nutrition struggles.  I will help you learn about clean eating, meal planning and meal prepping.  You will have a complete nutrition guide.  I will introduce you to the absolute best nutrition supplement available.  I will help you discover your why, your motivation and your own strengths.

You will have access to the most amazing tools to help you be successful, to help you see results and to help you FEEL amazing.

The Summer Shape Up group will begin on July 25^th and I would LOVE to walk beside you or run beside you, at your pace, on your journey to being healthier!

It’s time to commit to taking care of yourself!

All you need to do is complete the form below and I will be in touch and we can get started!

The Lowdown on Processed Foods AND Clean Eating FIX Invite

Low fat, no fat, low calorie, sugar free, healthy, smart snack.  If a package had these phrases written on it, a few years ago, I would’ve bought it.  For many years I believed that all of these claims were actually true and that these foods were good for me.  Then 2 ½ years ago I began to learn about nutrition and I realized how much harm these “healthy” foods caused.  I began to learn about nutrition and clean eating and began to pay attention to how I felt after eating fresh foods and processed foods.  

For the last 2 ½ years I’ve adopted the 90/10 rule (and sometimes the 80/20) rule to remove processed foods from my daily diet and replace them with more fresh fruits, vegetables and lean proteins.
Let me talk for a second about processed foods. 

 Processed foods are anything that have been altered from their natural state.  Boxed, packaged, frozen “meals”, basically the foods in the middle of the grocery stores.   And many times, processed foods have been processed so much that they are hardly food at all!  That’s a bit scary, right?!?

So what exactly do processed foods do to our bodies? 
--- This list will awaken a desire to limit & eliminate processed foods from our diets.

Eating foods that are processed and that lack nutrients will cause our bodies to be undernourished and crave more food.  Eating nutrient dense foods should our goal.

1. Processed foods are highly addictive.  Our bodies process these “fake” foods differently and the foods cause an excess production of the brain chemical dopamine.  Dopamine causes you to feel pleasure which in turn causes you to crave and want more junk foods.

2. Processed foods contain phosphates that can destroy organs & bones.  Phosphates are additives used to improve taste, texture and shelf life.

3. Fresh foods are actually cheaper than processed foods.

4. Processed foods cause chronic inflammation.  Studies continue to show that refined sugars, processed flours, vegetable oils and many other ingredients cause inflammation.  Inflammation is a natural process of the body and is the immune systems solution to protect areas that are injured.  Chronic ingestion of processed foods leads to over stimulation of the immune system, chronic inflammation and damage to healthy tissues.  

5. Processed foods ruin digestion.  Because they have been stripped of their natural fibers, enzymes, vitamins and other nutrients, they will cause harm in the digestive system.  Processed foods throw our internal ecosystem off balance and deplete the good bacteria in our gut.  

6. Processed foods destroy your mind.  Studies have linked chronic consumption of processed foods with brain “fog”, difficulty concentrating and difficulty thinking normally.  Nutrient-dense whole foods can help level out your moods, sustain energy levels and leave you feeling more calm. 

7.  Processed foods are loaded with genetically-modified organisms.

8. Processed foods are loaded with pesticides.  Even breakfast cereals have been shown to have pesticide chemicals.

9. Processed foods are not actually food.  Your body will still be hungry and will gain NO nutrients from the processed foods. 

10. Processed foods are loaded with sugars or artificial sweeteners to help the taste of the product.  Once food has been processed and all the actual food, nutrients & fat removed, there isn’t much flavor left – so companies have to add sweeteners back in to help the food be more palatable.  

Here’s the main question that I have for you.
ARE YOU READY TO LEARN ABOUT CLEAN EATING?

*The benefits.
*The basic principles.
*How to begin.
*How to meal plan and prep.
*How to uncomplicated clean eating and make it simple for your life.
*Tips and tricks that I use to stay on track.

If you’re ready for all of these things, my 7 day Clean Eating FIX will be a perfect place for you to begin.  It’s a completely free 7 day, private online group where I will share daily posts and videos to teach the basics of clean eating.

I will also give you 3 complete meal plans with all of the recipes so that you’ll be able to begin clean eating right away.

We will begin my Clean Eating FIX tomorrow, July 11th.

If you’re ready to learn the basics and see first-hand that clean eating isn’t complicated, all you need to do is complete the form below TODAY.  Then I will be in contact with you, I’ll add you into our private group and you’ll be ready to begin tomorrow!

Tips to Get Back on Track After a Holiday Weekend!

My holiday weekend was a little different than most :-)  I worked today, so I chose to celebrate the 4th on Saturday.  The day started with one of my favorite things to do on the weekend.  Hang out with my sisters & nieces at my mom’s!  Then the fun continued with Burney and I going out to supper.  I had planned ALL week for this meal, I had eaten clean and not had any sweets at all so that I would feel like I earned this meal :-)  My treat was prime rib (a piece a big as my plate!), hush puppies (because they are just too good to pass up, a couple homemade onions rings and far too many homemade sweet potato fries.  The real fries, actually fried, not baked!  I decided the fries were a tiny bit healthy, they were fresh sweet potatoes after all!  Oh my how good this meal was!

It’s normal for me to have one treat meal each week – just not usually quite this much!  But I DO NOT feel bad for about foods that I eat.  I choose my treats very carefully and I enjoy them.  I’m always the type who chooses to live a little but still eat clean & healthy about 90% of the time.
So Sunday morning, the next morning, I had a clearly defined GAME PLAN to get myself back on track and to feel my best as quickly as possible.  

1. I never beat myself up over foods or fuss at myself.  I have my treat and MOVE ON.

2. I remind myself how far I’ve come and that one meal will NOT ruin my progress.
  
3. I recommit to my goals and set new goals for the week to ensure that I’m on top of my nutrition the entire week. (until my treat for this week!)

4. I drink water like it’s my full-time job.  Now, I drink a lot of water to begin with, but the day after my treat meal, I always drink more – usually about 4 liters to help flush the salts and whatever else out of my system.

5. Then I plan each meal for the entire week.  Meal planning and preparing foods in advance are my secret weapons to keeping my nutrition in check.

6. I DO NOT limit my foods or starve myself after a treat meal (or cheat day).  I always eat clean and healthy foods just as I normally would.

7. I eat more vegetables!  Then I always have a serving or two of fruit each day.  I also choose my proteins carefully, being sure they are lean protein.

8. I commit to eating no processed foods for the week or sweets with added sugars.  This alone will help me feel a 100% better.

9. I commit to exercising each day of the week.  I make a schedule and know which workout I will do each day and what time of day I will press play.