As much as we know the truth, we all have a small hope that a couple of weeks is where we will see major body transformation. We know it isn't true. To see a transformation as such takes a lot of effort and doesn't happen over night. But what happens when vacation is right around the corner and you haven't done much to meet your goals? Well, luckily there are some small changes that can help make a difference.
I have vacation coming up in 3 weeks and have been prepping my body for the past two months. I've changed up my workouts, what I eat, how much sleep I'm getting, my alcohol in take, a lot of change! I feel great, I look better and I am one step closer to looking my best on the beaches of Hawaii. So what did I do to see a difference? Probiotic Eat more greens Hydrate 8 hours of sleep Workout often Become more conscious of everyday choices Probiotic: I have always suffered from gut issues whether it was bloating or acid issues, it was always something. When I could just have about enough, I turned to a friend who is educated in more holistic remedies and she recommended a probiotic. I picked one up and my stomach hasn't been the same since (in a good way)! Not to get too graphic here but it has helped regulate me completely, brought down my bloating significantly and I don't have that disgusting sluggish feeling every day. Something I thought was just normal for my body really wasn't, I just needed to find a good fit. Eat more greens: Your parents always tell you to eat your veggies, but really you should. If you are not the type to order a salad or have a big side of broccoli with dinner that's okay, there are other options. One of my favorite ways to sneak in some vegetables is in shakes. I make protein shakes and make sure to add at least two cups of spinach. Making eggs? Add in some vegetables and make it an omelette. Making meatballs? Add in vegetables. The best part about a lot of vegetables like spinach, is that it doesn't have a strong taste which means you can add it to just about anything. Hydrate: This one is a biggie! If you aren't drinking enough water a day, your body will look bloated, your skin will break out and your hair won't be as glow-like. We need water in our bodies and when we don't have enough our bodies will hold onto what we do give it i.e. the reason you may be bloated. 8 hours of sleep: I know it can be tough with our schedules to get in that full 8 hours, but schedule it like you'd schedule a doctors appointment. Sleep is imperative. We need that time to allow our body to rest and relax as well as recuperate. When you sleep you do burn calories, and with lack of sleep you are more likely to binge eat, not do your workout because you are too tired and not get through your day as easily. Once I started making my sleep a priority it was amazing how much better I felt. I am not a morning person, but I was beginning to wake up earlier and not feel tired or reaching for a cup of coffee. Workout often: This depends on your goals and your body type. You know your body better than anyone, so usually, you'll know what it reacts best to. I like to mix up my workouts between cardio sessions, HIIT and weight lifting. When I need to lose some lbs my body reacts best to HIIT and cardio sessions like running, so I focus more on those kinds of workouts. Like I said we are all different, so find out what works best for you. My week will typically look like 5 days of cardio and 2 days of weight lifting when I am in my "crunch" time. Become more conscious of everyday choices: This one seems kind of obvious, but maybe it isn't until you really hold yourself accountable. I decided to take my measurements every Wednesday which meant that I was holding myself accountable. I didn't want to go in for a measurement that week and not have lost anything or even worse gained! I actively thought about what I was putting into my body and how I would feel if I didn't get enough sleep or if I sacrificed a workout to do something else. It's the conversation you have to have with your inner self to keep you centered and on point for your goals.
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Losing weight can be tough. It becomes a mental and physical game. You think about every meal you eat, calculate the calories in and out, when you'll squeeze in that workout. It can sometimes feel like another full time job. I get it. I go through it every day. But I go through it because I love it. I love the way my body feels when I eat right and exercise regularly. What I don't love so much, is when the scale doesn't reflect my hard work.
Have you ever worked your ass off for weeks only to see the scale move down by one pound? Or maybe not at all? How frustrating! But the secret in this is to know the full on truth. The scale is never right. And I can prove that. When I was prepping for my bikini competition back in 2015, I had to measure and weigh myself weekly. I would sometimes weigh myself at home, others at my gym or at my trainers gym. It should come to no surprise that all 3 scales gave me different answers. I realized this was no way to track my progress because it wasn't makings sense. Second scenario. I had been losing weight for vacation, noticing my clothes were fitting much better but I still wanted to keep track. So each week, I weighed myself at my gym as well as took down my body fat percentage, and muscle mass. I was having great progress as my fat percentage was going down weekly and my muscle was going up. But my overall weight wasn't budging. I was fine with that though, because the fat was coming off. BUT! I then weighed myself the week of my period. I couldn't understand how my weight went up so fast in only a few days. I had felt so discouraged like all my hard work was for nothing. But again, not true! When we get out periods, naturally our bodies hold onto more water, many women because iron deficient and our hormones are out of sorts. Aka your body isn't on the same schedule its been used to the other 3 weeks of the month. So cut yourself a break. Moral of the story? Don't use the scale! I have heard more stories then not about how depressing it is to see how much you weigh when in all reality that's not the number you need to be focusing on. There are plenty of other ways to measure your success like; -the way your clothes fit -measure your body with a tape measurer -measure by body fat percentage and muscle mass You don't have to torture yourself and step on that scale. Leave your comments below of any scale stories! To some people working out is a chore, so why do it on vacation? To others, it is a crucial part of their daily lives. For me, I need to workout to keep my mind at peace and push my body to the best of my ability. Going on vacation can get in the way of that, but only if you allow it. When visiting Walt Disney World depending on where you are staying, 9 times out of 10 there is a fitness center in your hotel. Which means wake up a little extra early to get your sweat on before you hit the parks. But what if you hotel doesn't offer a fitness center? Like my upcoming trip at Disney's Pop Century. I recently learned that Pop Century, Art of Animation and all of the Value Resort hotels do not in fact have fitness centers. While I don't find this to be much of an issue, some might.
But let's be honest, you don't need a gym to get a great workout. In fact walking through the parks all can be a workout enough. Referring back to one of my first posts, I've walked up to 8 miles a day at Walt Disney World. Regardless, let's say you still want to get a workout in not including all the walking. All you need is you, yourself and I. I'll even give you my secret. Have you ever heard of HIIT? Or body weight workouts? You literally don't need anything but yourself! And speaking from experience, you can put yourself through the ringer with these workouts. You'll be out of breath, sweating and sore. Don't believe me? Try out some of my circuits below! There are zero excuses for hitting your goals, so don't let vacation be one of them! Comment how your hotel workouts go! Day 1 *Repeat this entire circuit 3-5 times* 15 squats 15 alternating lunges 15 push ups 15 leg lifts 30 seconds mountain climbers 30 seconds high knees Day 2 *Repeat this entire circuit 5 times* 30 seconds toe taps 30 seconds high low planks 30 seconds burpees 30 seconds froggies 30 seconds crunches 30 seconds scissor kicks Day 3 *Repeat this entire circuit 3-5 times* 15 jump squats 15 bear walk downs 30 seconds shoulder taps 30 second plank 15 spider man push ups 30 seconds jog in place Day 4 *Repeat this entire circuit 3-5 times* 30 seconds jumping jacks 30 seconds jab cross punches 15 burpees with a push up 30 second wall sit 15 bicycle crunches 15 v ups On days I have the time, I love to cook myself breakfast. It is a form of self love, cooking for yourself. I also love to know that what I am eating is wholesome, where it is coming from since I purchased the items and what goes into the dish. I like to keep it simple, easy and quick so I can get on with enjoying my day.
Ingredients: 1 slice of Ezekiel toast 2 whole eggs 2 sausage patties (Brand of your choosing) When I said simple, you probably didn't realize I meant three ingredients. It really is that simple. I enjoy my eggs sunny side up, so my breakfast is two eggs sunny side over my slice of toast with 2 sausage patties on the side. I put brand of your choosing for the sausage, because it really is up to you. I eat Applegate turkey sausage. I like the taste, I like amount of calories in it and it's better then some other brands out there. I only have one slice of toast because let's be honest, I am always being cautious of the amount of carbs I intake. And to be honest, I used to eat two slices and would find myself throwing the second one out. As for the eggs, no I don't just eat the egg whites. Egg whites are so boring, flavorless and barely keep me full. There is tons of nutrients in the egg yolk as well as protein. According to my fitness pal app, this breakfast is all of 320 calories. Doesn't get much better than that. The magic of Disney has a way of making anything come true. Even weight loss on your vacation. I am beyond serious when I say this, too. I'm going to let you in on my secret that changed the way I vacationed at Disney World. If you follow my steps, I can guarantee you'll have similar results too!
To begin, you must understand something. To lose weight means you have the choice to choose your health over temptations. Temptations like foods lacking nutrients, staying still instead of moving, and allowing your body to rest. I decided that my Disney vacation wouldn't ruin my weight loss journey. I wanted to enjoy my trip, but I also didn't want to come home 5lbs heavier. I had been working hard to lose some weight and inches, so I wasn't going to allow anything to get in my way. Step 1: Pack accordingly In preparation for our trip, I made sure to pack some healthy snacks. You can also plan to purchase these at a local store but for me it was easier to bring it from home. I brought along RX bars, 100 calorie almond packs, and protein powder. Upon arriving to Florida, we went shopping and purchased greek yogurt, lots of water, fruit, and veggie cups for the room. Step 2: Walk, walk, walk It is no secret that the Disney parks are thousands of steps a day. In my highest day of walking I walked 11 miles in total. That's a lot of burned calories! One of the positives about the high amount of walking is that you don't have to feel guilty about skipping your hotels fitness center. In fact, I only went to mine once and it was the first day we arrived. It is far from true that you need a full gym to get in a workout, all you truly need is yourself. Step 3: Track yourself The best way to keep yourself in line is to track yourself. If you have a fitbit, Apple watch, Running app, whatever you have to track your movement make sure you have it on you to log your days. Step 4: Nutrition This is definitely the harder part of weight loss on vacation. You are on vacation so you want to let your hair down and enjoy yourself. Which you absolutely still can. But there are still some foods I'd try to stay clear of. When it came to eating meals, we didn't have a kitchen to cook so we ate out every day. With that being said, it was fairly easy to find healthy alternatives at every quick stop and table service restaurant. My rule of thumb, load your plate up with veggies and protein. Healthy carbs and fats, keep to smaller portions. If there's an item you really want like a Mickey Mouse ice cream sandwich, share it with someone! If you must have something like let's say a Dole Whip, then enjoy yourself and have it. But make sure to track what you eat also, so you know your calorie intake. Step 5: Relax and trust your journey Rest is seriously so important to weight loss. If you aren't giving your body time to rest and enough sleep, your journey will come to a full on stop. It's your bodies way of telling you to slow down. So enjoy yourself and relax. Take a day to lay out by the pool! Sleep in, it is still vacation! And trust your body. Following these five steps, on a 10 day trip I walked anywhere from 4-11 miles a day. I kept my calorie intake to 1500-2000 a day and I allowed my body to rest when it wanted it. So my result? I came home weighing less then I did when I left for Disney! Anything is possible, especially with the magic of Disney. Comment your tips below! Instagram Results Let me begin by asking you this, if you don't value yourself enough to do things you love that make you happy, then how do you expect to grow? I mean really think about it. If you can't find the time to give yourself the love and attention that you need, then who truly will? I have spoke a lot about our relationship with ourselves, in previous posts. It is the most important relationship you will have in your life. But if you don't cherish it, you can lose it.
There has always been one thing I could never compromise on. No matter how much money I had to my name, I refused to give it up. Which is what? Getting my nails done. There is nothing I love more then setting aside the time to get a mani. It might sound small or inconsequential but it's monuments to my life. I love the way my hands look after a fresh manicure. I feel clean, I feel refreshed and rebooted. For me, getting my nails done means I get to sit alone quietly for 45 minutes and get pampered. Sometimes I listen to a podcast or music, and sometimes I merely zone out. I have found that in my hectic, busy lifestyle this is one of the only times twice a month where I am sitting completely still. My hands are occupied so I'm not able to be on my phone answering emails or texting. I am literally forced to sit with myself for an hour. Some people may agree with me that manicures are a time they worship, while others may find it silly. If you find it silly, then I want to know what it is you do that you will absolutely not give up. Maybe its wine night once a month with your girl friends, going golfing with your brother, Monday movie night, something. Anything. We all have something that gives us the feeling of whole-ness. The feeling like we can sit back and relax and not feel the pressures of the world. This is so important when you are on your journey to self growth. To improve yourself you also have to learn when to allow yourself down time. As I sat in my big comfy chair today, getting my nails done, allowing my mind to wander I realized that this was a form of peace for me. There is nothing more valuable then finding places of peace in our lives. I invite you to make a list of "peace places" in your world. My list is full of places I go when my mind is racing, I need some alone time or I want to focus. Peace Places -Library -Nail salon -Sit in starbucks -The gym -Watching a favorite movie in bed What will your list consist of? Comment below! I've heard the term ketosis and the keto diet, but I've heard about a lot of diets. Let's just start by saying that I've pretty much tried them all out to see what works best for me. I've found that moderation is the key to keeping my body in shape, but I still like to try new things and switch up my routines.
The honest reason I decided to try keto was because I heard Vinny from the Jersey Shore talking about it. On their new season Jersey Shore Family Vacation, is body is lean and looks awesome so I thought why not? But there are some rules to be followed. Rule #1:You can't eat any traditional carbs which means, breads, pasta, rice, fruit, and beans. I immediately thought okay so this is like the paleo diet, which I've tried and didn't struggle so much with. But you are basically cutting out a large food group out of your diet, and I'm not crazy about cutting anything out completely. Rule #2: You can have healthy fats and dairy. I already have my fair share of healthy fats in my diet, but dairy is something I have tried to cut out completely. My blood type is O positive which makes it harder for my body to break down dairy. Since it's harder for my body to break down dairy, I have switched to vegan cheese, coconut milk yogurt and almond milk for anything thing else. These two rules I found to be fairly easy to follow since I pretty much already follow them. I knew cutting carbs out entirely would be a bit of a struggle, since the last time I did I recall feeling very low on energy. Which brings me to the con of keto diet, the keto flu. I did my fair share of research before trying out this diet. What I found is that some people feel like they have the "keto flu" the first week or two in starting this diet. It's basically your bodies way of getting used to this new nutrition guide which can result in headaches, low in energy, even worse symptoms like body aches or colds. Disclaimer: I do not mean to scare you and I didn't have these symptoms but it's good to know all the facts first. To prepare for this new diet I knew I'd have to prep for the week to avoid any binge eating. I sometimes work anywhere from 8-15 hour work days so it's easy to head to the drive thru instead of going home to cook. Sunday I prepared a few things. Chicken tortilla soup Ground chicken stuffed peppers Egg quiche Spaghetti squash with shrimp Teriyaki steak with vegetables All of these items were packed with nutrients, proteins and vegetables. I tried to keep any dairy to a minimum by eating vegan cheese. I also tried to keep my salt intake to a minimum because it's easy to increase that with certain seasonings. My results? Well, I thought it was fairly easy. I didn't crave any type of carb until Sunday afternoon when my boyfriend brought pizza home. I had meal prepped all my food for the week so I didn't have to think about buying lunch without carbs in it. I had food prepared so I didn't have to make ramen out of pure laziness. Once my week was up I felt great. As in noticing any difference in my body, it is hard to say since I also began my period the second day of my keto diet which means extra bloating. As for energy, I felt the same as if I was eating carbs. So my recommendation? Try it out! Why not? There are so many people out there looking for the right fit when it comes to their diets. For some people following specific programs or meal plans is what works for them. For others, their bodies respond better to not eating certain food types like dairy, sugar, salt or carbs. I am not a huge fan of cutting something out completely, and I like that the keto diet you can eat about 20-50g of carbs a day so you are not quitting cold turkey! Comment your experience below! I've done many posts on weight loss. We all are looking for that miracle, whether its a pill or a diet or a cream, we just want the extra fat off and want to be the best versions of ourselves. Being in the fitness industry for a few years now I have seen all the fads and I can tell you from experience none of them work. They are nothing more than a fad. What works? Eat well, exercise and be kind to your body.
I am human like everyone else and fall off the wagon often. I allow my work and the chaos of life to get in the way, and don't always put myself first. So in the weeks to come, I am getting back on that horse and putting myself first. I love to write out a plan to follow because I work best with a visual list. In doing so, I thought to myself, how can I lose weight the fastest? But I had to bring myself down to earth, knowing that it doesn't happen over night. I know how my body works and what it reacts well to, so I should just follow that, yet it is human nature to want what you want when you want it. Which is yesterday. So for those of you struggling with the same problem, here is what I write out for myself to follow to keep me on track. Meals: 1- Egg omelet with a protein shake and 1/2 banana 2- Whole wheat bread with turkey and lettuce 3- Bean salad with feta cheese / spinach salad (whatever I'm in the mood for) 4- Protein shake (after my workout) 5- Chicken/fish/beef with vegetables Workout: Cardio 5x a week Weight lifting 4x a week Mental: Writing once a day Meditation every night before bed Do something for myself once a week (get my nails done, get a green juice, hit the beach) After about two weeks of following my own rules, I cannot tell you how fast my world feels back to normal. Like I said before, and in many other posts, its SO common to fall off and go back into old habits. Sometimes bad habits feel comfortable when the world feels so crazy and we revert back. But it's important to take a moment, center yourself and get you back on track. If you want more details on my plans email me at fitnesswithfi@gmail.com If you aren't familiar with meditation, it may be one of those things that you refer to as something a hippy or true yogi does. It's one of those things that because you know nothing about it you make fun of because everyone's afraid of the unknown. I first became familiarized with meditation through a book I was reading. The author spoke so highly on how it changed the way she thought that I thought maybe I should give it a try. As someone who struggles with anxiety I had always searched for the best outlet to ease my nerves. Working out was and is one of my best outlets but I run into situations where I can't lace up my sneakers and hit the gym, so I needed something more.
Meditation, for me, has become a new way of life. It isn't something you have to do in a yoga class and grab a green juice after. You don't need to grow out your hair and become a vegan. Meditation is for everyone, all ages, races, genders and ethnicities. Meditation is a way that you can quiet your mind and let your soul speak. As I stated before, working out has always been my temple. If I was having a bad day or what felt like an anxious one the gym made me feel back to normal. But what if you can't get a workout in? What if you're on your lunch break and feel like you need a pick me up to get you through the day? Well sure a glass of wine sounds nice too, but truly meditation is the key. The best part about meditating is that it's "you" time. I talk a lot about you time with my clients. It is time you set aside for yourself as often as you can, to enjoy moments with your most important relationship, you. In such a chaotic world it's easy to let days or even weeks go by before you have allowed yourself to be still and do something for yourself. Meditation is a form of you time. Just as a spa day or a walk on the beach, even a cup of tea is all considered you time. You can allot yourself minutes even hours of meditation to bring you back to your truth and your resting state. One of my favorite places to meditate, you may ask? In my car. No, not while I am driving obviously! But think about how often you are in your car. Driving to work and back, pick up the kids for school, to pick up take out, I mean we are all constantly going. Your car is a great place to meditate when you need a few minutes to keep your head right. I am typically alone in my car, so right there there's no distractions from others. I simply close my eyes in my parking space or my driveway and put on a guided meditation to block out the noise. Within only a few minutes I feel so much better and am ready to continue on with my day. Meditation 101: How do you do it? When I first started out I listened to guided meditations. I find that listening to someone else guide me into my quiet time is helpful than sometimes trying to block out the world on your own. How long do I do it for? You can truly meditate for however long you'd like! When I feel super anxious I will take a 10 minute break from whatever I am doing, even at work and meditate. If you have more free time and want to get into a deeper state of meditation look for a longer guided meditation to try. Where should I do it? You can literally meditate anywhere! If you are listening to a guided one all you really need is headphones to block out the world. I love to meditate in my car and before bed if I am restless. In fact, I introduced meditation to my boyfriend for the nights he can't fall asleep. He is out like a light within minutes. Where can I find guided meditations? There are wonderful apps you can download just for meditation. You can also YouTube it. Mostly everything is on YouTube and if you like a certain person's guided meditation you can find their channel on their, or their website. My favorite guided meditations are from Melissa Ambrosini. Our world's have become so noisy it is easily forgotten the beauty of silence. When are heads are constantly in our phones and out of present conversations, easily life can feel lonely. We live in a world where busy is glorified and to stay stagnent for more than a moment is less than. But if we never stop going, when does it all stop moving?
If you have ever suffered from anxiety, depression, stress then you know what it feels like to live in that world. You know the feeling of going to bed and waking up with the exact same thoughts that kept your mind racing all night. You know the emotions that come along with it, the stress eating, nail biting, hair pulling, mood changing emotions that make you a different person. Our world is telling us to always be on and never shut off. Do you agree? You may not even realize you're doing it. But when was the last time you did something you absolutely love that didn't involve technology? When was the last time you were outside in nature or sitting around the dinner table with loved ones? No phones, no tablets, no tv's, just being present. Yes we live in a world where all of those things are very much present daily, but it doesn't need to be the only thing we see. I have often felt it myself when going through a struggle where you feel over looked but your partner, family or friends because Instagram is more important. Or in the middle of an important conversation a text pops up. We are forgetting the fundamentals that makes us human. The fundamentals that keep relationships alive, that keep us thriving for more, and even the very things that keep us inspired to keep moving forward. Having a healthy mind is just as important has keeping a healthy body. It's not all about lifting weights and eating salad. It most definitely is not. Your body cannot move and grow in the ways you want it to if you aren't also feeding your mental state. You have heard the term "mind, body and soul" probably from a yogi or someone you think is too hippie for your liking. But that is far from true. Mind, body and soul is for all of us. To be able to lose weight you need your mind to be on board. You cannot commit to something without your mental state ready to rumble. You cannot overcome life battling issues unless all of you is all in. The next time you are out to dinner with friends or in the car with your mom, put your phone down. Put your tablet, laptop aside, lower the television and enjoy each other's company. When everything else falls to the waist side, people and our relationships are all we have left. To be "healthy" is not just getting your nutrients every day, it is so much more. Be proactive in your life and others, and encourage the change. Encourage more time in the present to make the difference in your lives. |
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