In all reality, we all know there's no quick fix for weight loss. Although we all know that, we still try everything to help us drop some lbs. before a special occasion. Typically weight lost last minute is mostly water weight and not very sustainable if you're just doing it for an event. With all that being said, we still try anyway! Haha! So, I have come up with a cleanse that I find to work to at least help with some bloating and maybe minor issues. You won't lose 20 lbs. in a week on this but you can use it for two reasons.
1: A cleanse to do a few days before a vacation or big event to help with bloating. 2: A cleanse to jump start your new journey in health and fitness. If you're doing it for the second reason (which I recommend more) you'll see more results in the long run. This is a perfect cleanse to start with before starting a meal plan or a new type of eating style. It'll help jumpstart your metabolism, clear you out of toxins, decrease some bloating, and begin your weight loss journey. The Cleanse Breakfast: Juice Snack: Vegetables or fruit Lunch: Juice (Optional carb) Snack: Vegetables or fruit Dinner: Lean protein (fish, chicken, turkey) with vegetables There really isn't much to it, which is the point. You are eliminating all dairy, carbs and anything processed. I find that around lunch time I typically need a pick me up so if I am not feeling great or feel tired I'll have a 1/2 cup of brown rice, quinoa, oatmeal or a slice of toast. Like I said before, this is definitely not an everyday way of life or diet. If you typically eat breakfast on the go and/or lunch on the go as well, it shouldn't be too difficult to adjust to for 3 days. What's in the juice: Start with a leafy green like kale or spinach. Add in vegetables of your choice; typical in juices are carrots, cucumber, zucchini, celery Add in some fruits; typical in juices are apples, lemon, orange, grapefruit, strawberries Extra add ins include chia seeds, coconut water, almond or coconut milk, protein powder Example of my juice for breakfast: Spinach Cucumber Strawberries Chia seeds Vanilla protein powder Coconut water Example of my juice for lunch: Spinach Cucumber Zucchini Celery Carrots Orange Coconut water Example of my dinner: White fish Brussel sprouts with garlic and lemon Example of a snack: Sliced yellow pepper Sliced apple
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There are some days I just can't make it to the gym. Like most people getting a workout in your day is sometimes hard to schedule. Yet I don't want to let the day go by without getting my sweat on. Solution? Workout at home. Sure it's easy to look up a guide or go on Instagram to see what the models are posting but I always love going back to the basics. Short, sweet and to the point. Oh and did I mention burning, killer and exhausting? All you need is 5 pound dumbbells are you are set. Or grab two jugs of milk or water and you have your weight. This is always my go-to when I can't get to the gym or don't really want to go. Blast your music, get on your sports bra and bang it out. 4 Sets of each circuit, 1 minute of each exercise. Ready, set, go!!! Circuit #1: Squats Toe taps High knees Lunges Circuit #2: Push ups Shoulder press Bicep curls Jab cross w/ 5lbs Circuit #3: Plank Mountain climbers High-low plank Leg lifts Thank me later :) Our words are powerful beyond measure. The way we say a word can make all the difference. That's why texting can cause such stupid fights over a one word answer. There are so many ways you could be saying "okay". When speaking we sometimes don't realize the power of what is coming out of our mouths. Have you ever made a comment and immediately wanted to take it back? I'm sure, we all have. Where you say the wrong thing at the wrong time and it's just like open mouth and insert foot.
I find it so interesting that to complete strangers or people we don't even like we can force ourselves to put on an act. We can act nice and pleasant but when it comes to our loved ones or even ourselves all bets are off. Obviously because we feel more comfortable with our loved ones that our guards go down. But think about the conversations you have with yourself. Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror and started to completely ridicule everything you saw looking back at you? Or when someone gives you a compliment and you can barely say thank you because you just cannot believe it to be true? The way we speak to ourselves is so important. Talk about power. What follows "I" will find you. Meaning that whatever you put out into the universe will eventually come back to bite you in the ass. I used to speak to a therapist after my first boyfriend (first love, first everything) had cheated on me at the age of 17. I thought my life was over, no one could ever possibly love me and I was broken. I can recall her saying to me that if that is what I truly thought and kept repeating those thoughts to myself then yes, I was right. I thought, so I am right and there is no fixing this? Of course not. I was wrong. I was wrong in that I didn't understand that I could change the way I thought and change the conversation I was having with myself. I thought that because of one man's mistakes and shortcomings that I could no longer live my life and move forward. But when I changed the conversation in my head, I changed everything. The relationship we have with ourselves is just as important as a relationship with anyone else in our lives. You must cherish it just like all the other people in your life that you cherish. The difference between those relationships and the one with yourself, is that you are never going anywhere. You can move to a different country, lose weight, change your hair color, but at the end of the day your relationship with you is still there. So maybe you're thinking okay I agree but how do I change my relationship with myself, for the better? Well like anything in your life, it starts with making a commitment to try. Some of my favorite rituals make and made a huge difference in my life when I wanted to change how I spoke to myself. 1- Give yourself alone time 2- Allow yourself time as often as you want to do something that you love 3- Feed your body with nourishing, healthy food 4- Move your body. Exercise, go for a walk, take a yoga class 5- Cancel out a bad habit with a new positive one 6- Give yourself down time. It is important to rest 7- Less screen time and more in the moment time (computers, social media, tv) 8- Stay hydrated 9- Keep reminders close to you (on your phone, taped on your mirrors) of love, happiness and light 10- Seek a therapist, life coach, or friend. It is important to talk about the negatives in your life as well as the positives. If you feel like you want to make a difference but need the help, reach out. Allowing yourself a cheat meal here and there is manageable, but what happens when those cheat meals happen every day? Then maybe multiple times a day? Now you're at the point where you're not even motivated to workout. So you're basically eating poorly, not moving your body and BAM you've fallen off. We have all done it where we just care less. Life gets in the way and becomes way more intense then usual. You begin to feel tired all the time, sluggish, unmotivated, bloated, any of these sound familiar?
I have fallen off my game many times, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I may find every excuse in the book as to why I have again, but at the end of the day I know the deal. It all starts and ends with me. No one is force feeding me or stopping me from exercising. I make all of my own decisions which is sometimes a blessing and a curse. This past "fall" we can call it, I fell hard. I stopped eating healthy altogether, along with my workouts. When I had enough of my pity party and was ready to put in the work I got clobbered with a cold that knocked me right back on my ass. Once I started to regain my strength and breathe out of my nose, I needed to make a new plan. I'm pretty sure everyone's New Year's resolutions is to lose weight and be healthy. But without a plan your goal is nothing more than just a wish. I refused to let this time around be like the others. It's easy to order in a pizza when you don't feel like cooking or snuggle up on the couch during these winter months instead of hitting the gym. But easy isn't so easy after awhile. After awhile you start to gain weight, you don't feel great and in the end you'll still have to put in the work to get rid of those extra lbs. So what was my plan? Well, as a certified personal trainer and nutrition specialist I obviously knew what to do. I had all the knowledge from my certifications and experience with my own trials and my clients. But I still needed to make a new plan. If an old one didn't work, why would I try it again? That is the definition of madness; doing the same thing again and expecting a different result. Our bodies change which means our regimens need to change with us. First I made a list of bad habits I had adopted to switch out for some new ones. Bad vs. Good No breakfast vs. Cooking breakfast at home Latte vs. Black coffee Buying lunch vs. Prepping lunch at home White pasta vs. Brown rice / Whole wheat pasta Crackers/Chips vs. Fruits/Vegetables Cheese/Mayo vs. Hummus Skipping meals vs. Green drinks Taco shells vs. Lettuce cups Taco/Burrito/Nachos vs. Make it a salad Margarita vs. Tequila w/ Soda & Lime Protein bars vs. Home made energy balls I had adopted other poor habits that had nothing to do with eating and everything to do with my mind, body and soul. Bad vs. Good Staying up late vs. 8 hours of sleep Messy bedroom vs. Cleaning and doing laundry Social media scrolling vs. Reading books Watching TV vs. Writing (My favorite hobby) Elevator vs. Taking the stairs Putting errands off vs. Allotting time each week for errands Small changes make a big difference. It's hard to quit everything cold turkey but small steps lead up to big goals. You have to start somewhere. This is how my clients and I start after a downfall: -Start prepping on Sunday -Start on Monday to intergrade your routine in with your work/daily life schedule -Buy a calendar to track your daily progress -Always have water and a healthy snack with you -Meal prep enough for the week so you don't miss a meal and binge on bad foods -Don't make dinner plans for at least two weeks; get yourself in a healthy routine before you interrupt it -Purchase a workout guide, hire a trainer, workout with a friend or get back into your previous workout routine -Keep healthy food in the house (try to get rid of all negative temptations) -Take pictures of yourself as a reminder to see how far you've come *Have fun with it! Becoming the healthiest version of yourself shouldn't be a chore. Your body deserves the absolute best nutrients you can give it.* Booty gains are the craze of this past year. The figure everyone aims for is that small, snatched waist and some curves. Being a personal trainer, I know its much more than just squats and crunches. To grow a certain muscle group takes hard work, dedication, practice and persistence. And while you can't target certain areas like just wanting to lose weight in one area, you can definitely focus on certain muscle groups to better develop them.
Something I often do is give out free advice since I love helping others. While I am working on my own ebook I decided that giving away some workouts and tips are helpful for those just starting out. Here are some of my favorite circuits for the booty. Circuit 1: 15 reps for 5 sets Sumo squats Jump squats Good mornings Circuit 2: 15 reps for 5 sets Walking lunges (15 reps each leg) Curtsy lunges Hip thrusters Circuit 3: 15 reps for 5 sets Donkey kicks (on mat or with cables) (15 reps each leg) Fire hydrants (on mat) (15 reps each leg) Step ups holding weights (on bench or anything sturdy) (15 reps each leg) Circuit 4: Band Work 15 reps for 5 sets Walking squats with band over your knees (15 reps each leg) Standing kickbacks with band around ankles (15 reps each leg) Standing side kicks with band around ankles (15 reps each leg) My booty before and after below! There's always the common excuse that eating healthy is so expensive. True and false. Eating all organic can have a hefty price tag but that doesn't mean its all organic or nothing. As a recent college graduate I definitely can't afford an all organic diet at the moment. But there's also nothing wrong with that nor do I neglect taking care of my body because some foods aren't organic.
I typically meal prep for my week and have ready to go snacks to bring with me to work. I found that there are a bunch of ways around the expensive budget of buying healthy food. Check out the list below: 1. Dollar Tree : I love the dollar tree, I literally swear by it. They have actual name brands and everything's a dollar. Question me all you want, I've gotten the following; coconut oil, canned tuna, olive oil, oatmeal, pistachio nuts, peanuts, peanut butter, whole wheat crackers, popcorn, coffee, tea bags, beef jerky, yogurt, water jugs, eggs, and list keeps going. I've spent less than $10 on food that I eat almost daily that's typically double or triple the price in a typical food market. 2. Bjs or Costco : Purchase in bulk. Yes you are paying a little bit more up front but it's worth it in the end. If you are eating salad every day, putting lemons in your tea, making fish/chicken daily, or basically any meal prepping you're saving money in the long run. 3. Coupons : It might sound like something only your grandma does, but it makes a difference if you're shopping on a budget. Get your local circular or go online and print out coupons for your usual purchases. Every bit helps. 4. Plan ahead : Make a list of items you need to purchase before going food shopping. A list will keep you from purchasing anything unnecessary. 5. Thrive Market : I discovered this gem a year ago. It's a healthy market online that you can subscribe to, to get discounted prices on healthy items. I first subscribed because I found avocado oil mayo that I preferred over regular. This gets shipped to your door and often has sales and promotions that can be cheaper from your regular food market. 6. Circulars : Keep an eye out for circulars for stores like Target, Walmart, CVS, and Walgreens. All of these stores carry typical items like snacks and now offer produce. We all do it. It's the holiday season and it's easy to put your health second. From Thanksgiving to New Years I always find myself a little less strict with my usual regimen. For a decent five to six weeks it feels like life is more chaotic than usual, but not in a bad way. There is nothing I love more than the holiday season. I love shopping for others and the gift of giving. But that should also not be the reason I don't prioritize myself. It's just as easy to get back on your schedule as it is to fall off. Holiday parties with drinking and catered food, family parties and just the nonstop chaos of the holidays keeps you in constant motion. Here are a few ways to keep you on track and aligned with your goals this holiday season. 1. Always have water on you. Keep yourself hydrated through out the day as your body needs it. 2. Always keep a protein bar in your bag/car. With the constant shopping and running around, sometimes we forget to eat. Don't let yourself become "hangry" and binge on something you may regret. 3. Have your caffeine. For me I love either green tea or black coffee. It gives me energy, curbs my appetite a bit and is a natural diuretic. 4. When eating out or at a party, eat something before hand. Have a protein shake or a small meal so you aren't completely famished going into an event that may not have food you want to eat. 5. Also when eating out, if you don't have the option to eat before hand- think more consciously before you dig in. Remember the balanced plate you should have during every meal. Load up on vegetables, proteins and healthy carbs (if you can find that). Or get creative if it's slim pickings. 6. Alcohol can be tricky since you're literally drinking your calories. Pick your favorite liquor (for me its tequila) pair it with seltzer and a bunch of fruits like lime, lemon, orange, whatever the bartender has to offer and muddle it in. It tastes delicious and the calories are few especially compared to something like a margarita. 7. Keep your stress level down. I know this one can be tough with the overall stress of the holidays. Between your regular day to day life plus shopping for gifts, cooking and so on, a lot can pile up quickly. My suggestion is do online shopping and get it all shipped right to your door step! (If this is something that stresses you out, of course). My other biggest suggestion is make time for yourself. Give yourself alone time everyday, whether it's your tea time in the morning, taking a fitness class, or simply watching your favorite tv show. You need to give yourself time to unwind. 8. Keep only good food in the house. If you aren't the person who does the food shopping for your family make a list of things you want to be able to snack or make for meals. If you are the one food shopping don't tempt yourself by purchasing the foods that will make you fall off the wagon again. 9. When you're making your list of foods to cook for the holidays whether you host or just bring a dessert, make it healthy! Pinterest is my go to for healthy recipes. There are so many alternatives to classic dishes that still taste amazing and delicious. Plus everyone enjoys a healthy and delicious dish. 10. Enjoy the holiday! Life comes and goes so quickly. Just enjoy yourself. Enjoy shopping, cooking, spending time with family and friends. After all the holidays are all about spending time with your loved ones. Sure, we all know photoshop exists. It used to be one of those things you saw in magazines, before social media. You knew looking at the model on the front cover wasn't actually a waist size triple zero but you still drooled in aw of how amazing she looked. Fast forward to today's society photoshop is way more relevant. Something that you were used to just seeing in print ads or billboards is now literally everywhere you turn. Photoshop or simply fixing an image is now easier than ever. There are hundreds of apps that are free or a small price that can completely change the way you look within seconds. Scary right? Or maybe not. Some people love the fact that they have these tools at their finger tips. You see, social media has become that platform where you can be literally anyone you want. You can even become the most perfect version of yourself, with little to no cost. While I can't be the one to criticize because I have done it myself, like fix the dark spot under my eyes or make my teeth look a little whiter in photos, some have taken it to an all new level. Completely changing and editing the way their bodies look all for what? Followers? Likes? DM's? Is it really worth it? When we all know the moment you step outside your social media bubble you don't actually look that way? I thought long and hard about this post before actually writing it. I was hesitant because sure I use filters too and have done the minor editing also. So who am I to judge right? But have I changed the way my body looks to sell my fitness plans? No. Have I edited my before and after photos to sell more nutrition guides? No. I'm all about the term "fake it till you make it" but not when you're lying for an audience, or an income. I am just like any other typical 20-something year old girl. We are all impressionable and gullible to an extent. It's hard to see other people on social media whom you might look up to or compare yourself to, yet they don't even look like that. Our society is teaching us to fix all of our flaws, make ourselves look perfect and sell that image to anyone who will listen. Terrifying, right? I know I have a gorgeous body (not to sound cocky) and I love who I am. Are there things I want to change? Absolutely. Would I love it if I could have insanely ripped abs? Yes, the real question is who wouldn't? And for me, I know I will get there the right way, the healthy way. But that little voice comes creeping back in while I scroll through my Instagram feed. The little voice nagging at you instantly telling you that you don't workout hard enough or you don't eat clean enough or you don't drink enough water. "You're not enough". Which isn't true! Don't let the insecurities of others become your own. What I mean is, if someone is so drastically changing their own photos they must be struggling within themselves to think others would accept them just as they are. And you shouldn't adapt those feelings either. We are all made unique in our own way. Some people are as skinny as a pole and some have curves. If we all looked the same there would be no diversity, nothing interesting in this world. My point being- stop taking social media so seriously. Surround yourself with positive vibes. Follow people who speak the truth. Look at things that motivate you to do better, not to bring you down. In a world that is constantly telling us we aren't good enough and that there is a quick fix for all our flaws, say no. Say no and love yourself for who you are and who YOU strive to become. Not someone the world is telling you to be. Self love. Love yourself and love others. Love is what makes this world go round, not photoshop! XO Before I blow your mind, let me just say this. We all stress. We all have different stressors in our lives and some that we can't control. But some that we can. For a long time I knew I was suffering with a large amount of stress that just never seemed to go away. I was exercising almost 7 days a week because it was my escape and I ate extremely clean. But I didn't understand why my weight and body wasn't changing. Then I read this.
"When you have stress, your body releases certain "fight-or-flight" stress hormones that are produced in the adrenal glands: cortisol, norepinephrine and epinephrine. When you first get stressed, these hormones kick into gear. Norepinephrine tells your body to stop producing insulin so that you can have plenty of fast-acting blood glucose ready. Epinephrine will relax the muscles in your stomach and intestines and decrease blood flow to these organs. Once the stressor has passed, cortisol tells the body to stop producing these hormones and to go back to digesting regularly. It's normal for your cortisol levels to go up and down throughout the day, but when you are chronically stressed your cortisol level goes up — and stays there.When your stress and cortisol levels are high, the body actually resists weight loss. Your body thinks times are hard and you might starve, so it hoards the fat you eat or have present on your body. Cortisol tends to take fat from healthier areas, like your butt and hips, and move it to your abdomen which has more cortisol receptors. Hello ab flab! In the process, it turns once–healthy peripheral fat into unhealthy visceral fat (the fat in your abdomen that surrounds your organs) that increases inflammation and insulin resistance in the body. This belly fat then leads to more cortisol because it has higher concentrations of an enzyme that converts inactive cortisone to active cortisol. The more belly fat you have, the more active cortisol will be converted by these enzymes — yet another vicious cycle created by visceral fat." I couldn't put it any better. It is true and was true for me when I realized what was going on with my body. My "muffin top" wasn't even because of my diet and exercise. It was due to my emotions and feelings from my everyday stressors. So I thought how can I change it? I can't just up and quit my job. I can't just go after all the things I really want and leave this crappy reality behind. But why can't I? So I made a list. A list of things that helped me feel better when I was stressing and a list of things to change to get me out of environments that weren't good for my soul. 1- Job hunt. I knew I wasn't doing what I wanted to and I knew the job was out there for me somewhere, so I hunted until I found it. 2- Cut yourself some slack. I would get so wound up if I missed a workout or a meal, but I had to learn to be more gentle with myself. I'm only human after all. 3- Write. For me writing is what I love, it's my passion and it clears my mind. Find something you love that releases those tensions and do it often. 4- Nature. Get outside. Even if its a freezing cold day in the middle of winter. Your body needs fresh air. Go for a walk, and let the sun warm you. 5- Talk about it. Sometimes we keep everything in and it feels like with a hug we will burst. Talk about what's going on with a friend, family member, therapist, whomever. Don't feel like you're all alone, there is always someone there willing to listen. When I was younger I used to hate if my foods on my dinner plate touched. Like hated it so much my mom purchased a plate that was divided in three parts to avoid the food run-ins. As I got older I got over it, but the plate we never got rid of. As an adult who is certified in all health, wellness, and fitness endeavors I always found that preparing meals ahead of time and portioned out was a great way to stay on track. And it is! There is nothing easier than grabbing a container of food thats already made for you and being able to eat it instantly. Which is also why so many of us love fast food! Although I've pretty much always meal prepped I never believed in measuring out my foods. I knew portion control was a thing- but I was never eating an excess amount of cake or chips (or usually). What I didn't realize was that portion control isn't just about the bad foods we eat but the good ones too! For example, I love avocado toast and I mean who doesn't? But I would eat two slices of toast with a half of avocado on each. It was delicious and way better than grabbing a pop-tart but it wasn't aiding towards weight loss. Yes I was eating whole grain bread and a healthy fat but I was starting my days off with already way too much. I began to think back to that plate. It wasn't just so my food wouldn't touch but it had the perfect size for your protein, vegetable and carbohydrate all on one plate. If you look at any diagram when it comes to eating a balanced meal its exactly that. Or you'll hear your protein should be the size of your fist and fat the size of the top of your thumb. Who has time to measure it out like that? Doesn't everyone have different sized hands? There must be a more accurate way. So I began to change my ways. With my program that I always follow it has ounces, cups and tablespoons. That's how I measure it all out. And maybe you think it sounds completely anal to do so, but try this. I used to buy organic long grain brown rice from Trader Joe's. It came frozen and you can heat the bag up in only a few minutes. So I'd make that with chicken and vegetables, put a little bit of sauce on top and I was good to go! When I started to measure, I measured out this exact meal. I was eating almost a cup and a half of rice in one sitting. I was eating way more protein than my body knew what to do with, so it was excreting it (aka not absorbing and literally coming out of my body) and the sauce that I felt was only a little bit, was a lot! Interesting, right? Even if you are eating completely clean, you can still be over eating. I have a good friend who loves peanut butter. She used to eat it all the time and would say but it's good for you. Yes it is good for you, but she didn't realize the excess amounts she was eating. It's a great healthy fat and protein but too much of anything can always have a negative side effect. Once she started to measure out how much she was eating she was still able to enjoy her favorite snack, without all the extra calories. Don't let your eating habits get in the way of reaching your goals! Tweek the bad habits and keep the great ones! |
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