Nutrition Baby Steps - Get Rid of Fast Food

While writing my post explaining my Nutrition Baby Steps, I really wanted to elaborate on each each but knew that my post would become way to long to digest. So I thought I would take some time with each step. 

The first step in my Nutrition Baby Steps is to ditch the fast food. As stated previously, there will be occasions in which you need food and the only option is to eat at a fast food establishment, however this is not what I am referring to. What I am referring to is the habit of regularly eating fast food for your breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I know that there are some healthier options these days but most of these meals still have a large amount of calories and fat, with very little fiber. High in fat and not so high in fiber usually results in the food moving through you rather quickly, causing an upset stomach and not providing you with much nutritional value. Additionally, sometimes these "healthier" options really aren't that much healthier. For example, most of the salads from McDonalds have just as many calories, if not more, than a double cheeseburger. 

Furthermore, because fast food establishments have to serve food in such large quantities, for such a low price, you can pretty much guarantee that the quality of the the food is not that great. Cheap ingredients, filled with who knows what, does not make for a healthy staple in anyones diet. 

What to do instead:

• Gas Station Breakfast - Cliff Bar and a banana or Yogurt w/ almonds and a banana.
• Gas Station Coffee Drink - Instead of a sugary coffee drink mix equal parts Muscle Milk with plain black coffee. This provides your caffeine with some flavor and loads of protein.
• Grocery Store Lunch - 1/2 lb high quality lean lunch meat (turkey or chicken) to make lunch meat roll ups and carrots with hummus. Or stop at a store that has an awesome deli counter or salad bar. Just be careful of creamy dressings and stay away from heavy foods (think mac n cheese and fried foods).
• Quick and Easy Dinner - Instead of pulling in for a burger and fries, make yourself some scrambled eggs and chicken or turkey sausage. Breakfast for dinner :) Another option is a rotisserie chicken and quick steamed veggies OR a part of a thin crust frozen pizza loaded with veggies and a salad. 

Here is an example of lunch that I grabbed from a grocery store on the way to the beach. Works the same for a work week lunch too, just leave out the beer :)

If you must eat fast food:

• Take a look at the restaurants nutrition information and choose wisely. Look for meals high in protein, low in fat and preferably with some fiber. If a salad and a burger have similar nutrition then pick which ever one you would like at the moment. Just remember that heavy foods make you feel heavy and lethargic, so keep that in mind.
• Places like Subway and Chic-fil-a tend to have more healthier options, but that doesn't mean everything is healthy. Again, look at the nutrition information. 
• Use your Lose It App. There is a place to look up nutrition info from this app which make these decisions a little easier. 

Long & Twisted Core Workout

This core routine uses three exercises that incorporate long hollow shapes and lots of twisting to get the entire front of your core.  Be sure to focus on pressing your low back into the ground throughout all of the hollow shapes and to sit up tall when twisting. 

Three rounds of this circuit will result in a great intermediate to advanced core workout. 

Be sure to subscribe to the Mint Condition Personal Training Youtube channel for tons of workouts in one place!! 

Trail Mix Oatmeal

When I first started trying to eat healthier I found myself eating a lot of instant oatmeal. I loved it because it kept me full a lot longer than any other breakfast. What I began to not like about it was the processed aspects of eating this on the regular. Don't get me wrong, I still always have a box of Quaker Oats Weight Control Oatmeal in the cupboard for emergency meals. I'm not sure why I always assumed that making homemade oatmeal would have been challenging, but it really isn't. I make this version regularly and it kicks the pouch oatmeals tuchus.

Trail Mix Oatmeal:

• 1 Cup Coconut Milk (any kind or water will do)
• 1/2 Cup Oatmeal
• 1/4 Cup Trail Mix (any kind - my favorite has dark chocolate, dried cherries, and nuts)
• 1/2 Tablespoon Chia Seeds
• 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon (you can add more or less)

1. Heat the milk in a small pot.
2. Add Oatmeal and reduce heat to simmer for 5 minutes (I like a little liquid still in the pot)
3. Add all of the fixin's and stir.

Its that simple. Basic oatmeal is a blank canvas so get crazy and make any flavor combo you like. Here are some of my other faves:

• Frozen Blueberries, Cinnamon and Walnuts
• Frozen Cherries and Vanilla Extract
• Peanut Butter and Jelly (Or any fruit I have on hand)

The Trail Mix version, according to my Lose It app, comes in at around 400 calories and almost 10 grams of protein and 10 grams of fiber!! Let me know of any awesome flavors you enjoy. 

Nutrition Baby Steps

Cleaning up your diet is not as easy as cleaning out your fridge. Making healthy changes is a learning process and takes time. Slowly incorporate these baby steps and get clean and lean in no time.

1. Get rid of fast food. I understand that in some emergency situations fast food is the best option, but if you are trying to clean up your diet fast food must go. If you forgot to bring your lunch and are in dire need of a meal or a snack, you're better off stoping at a grocery store, health food store or even a gas station to find a better option. 

2. Stop drinking your calories. Put aside the fact that water is fantastic for your entire body and calculate all of the calories that you are drinking throughout the day. Caffeine fix each morning (flavored coffee drink or soda, cringe), sweet tea or more soda with lunch, another caffeine fix in the afternoon, a sports drink during your workout, and a cocktail (or 2) after work or with dinner. This can total an extra 500-700 calories per day, which unaccounted for can lead to a one pound gain each week!!!!!!

3. Have breakfast every morning. Yea, yea, yea... most important meal of the day. While some may argue that the timing of your meals does not matter, starting your day with a balanced meal provides energy and allows you to focus on tackling your to do list. It gets your metabolism started and prevents random binge eating on bagels and donuts at the office. Focus on protein, whole grains, and fiber!

4. Start reading food labels. Becoming a label snob has never really been my style (except for really wanting Jenko's and Doc Martens in high school), but checking out the label on your food needs to become second nature. Blindly eating what ever you grab will keep you far from a healthy and happy body. Even if you don't know what you're looking at, start with the ingredients list. If it is filled with a ton of random complex and scientific looking ingredients, see if you can find one with more real ingredients that you recognize.

5. Eat real food throughout the day. Again, there are some in the fitness world that believe timing your meals is not as important as ensuring that you are consuming that proper amount of macronutrients (grams of carbs, protein, fat, and fiber). No matter what school of thought you have about meal timing, managing your hunger levels will help you stick to your plan. If you are "starving" you will be more likely to ditch your healthy plan and eat the next thing that comes your way. Try and mix in "real" food, food in its most natural and unprocessed form.

6. Learn how to curb your cravings. As you begin to focus on making healthier food choices, you will start to recognize your specific cravings. No matter what they are, salty, sweet, creamy, or crunchy, you will need to find replacements for your cravings. Greek yogurt with honey instead of ice cream. Pistachios instead of potato chips. Dark chocolate squares for sweet. Sometimes you can even use activities to distract you from "boredom" cravings, like painting your nails or reading a book. A good place to start is with a big glass of water!

7. Keep a Food Journal. Keeping a food journal is just like balancing your check book and just like balancing your check book there are now tools that make food journaling a lot easier. Not knowing how many calories you are regularly consuming can make reaching your goals rather difficult. This does not have to be a 24/7 habit but until you have a handle on what your typical portions should look like, food journaling is important. My clients and I love the Lose It app!

8. Make healthy meals ahead of time. As you travel along your healthy food journey you will start to recognize that preparing healthy meals does take time. You will also recognize how easy you can make your life by taking a little time each week to prepare some meals or snacks ahead of time. My top priorities are breakfast and dinner. Check out the Mint Condition Pinterest page for ideas.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Smoothie

I love peanut butter! It has slowly replaced chocolate in my life. I use to have serious chocolate cravings but now when I need a quick "sweets" fix, I just eat a spoonful of peanut butter and all is good. So when I get a chance to add peanut butter to my breakfast I am a happy girl.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Smoothie

While you need to be careful of the amount of sugar in your peanut butter, you do not need to be careful of what's in this smoothie!

• 1 Cup Coconut Milk (you can use any kind)
• 1/2 Cup Oatmeal
• 1 - 2 Scoops of Protein Powder (vanilla or chocolate) *optional
• 1 Cup frozen Strawberries
• 1 Heaping Tablespoon of Nut Butter (almond, peanut, cashew, sunflower, any kind)
• Water for desired texture

Toss all the ingredients into the blender and whip up tasty and filling breakfast. By adding the protein powder this smoothie turns into a meal coming in at around 400-600 calories depending on the powder, so make sure you eat this early in your day and follow it up with some sweat inducing exercise! If you want to leave it out or only add one scoop, go for it. Peanut butter jelly time!!!

Why a gym membership isn't your answer.

At most gyms, especially the big box gyms, once you purchase your membership no one cares if you continue to show up. Gyms will make their money whether you show up or not because they are not invested in your results. Ultimately, you will have to get to a point in which you exercise because you are investing in yourself, but everything in life becomes easier when you have someone that is invested in your success. This is why teachers and coaches exist, to help individuals reach their goals, and in turn providing value by helping you to succeed. Even personal trainers have coaches, in the form of our own personal trainers, nutritionists, lifting coaches, yoga instructors and even business coaches. This is because we understand the value that having a coach can bring to our lives and businesses.

If you have been working towards a health and wellness goal but not making much progress, it may be time to recruit some professional guidance. We hire coaches for things like our finances so why not for our health? Who cares how much money you have if you don't have your health? Change your mindset from "How much will that cost?" to "What will I get from this investment?".

Well, when it comes to personal training, here is what you will get:

1. Motivation that leads to consistency.
2. Education that leads to better decisions.
3. Knowledge that leads to efficient exercise.
4. Fresh ideas to prevent boredom and get better results.
5. Someone to correct your form and prevent injuries.
6. Someone to vent to when no one else will listen (and in some cases a good friend).

If a personal trainer isn't in the budget other options include:

• Find a friend with similar goals that will support you and call you out when you start to slack.
• Join a running club or a triathlon club.
• Use apps like MyFitnessPal and Lose It! to help you stay on track
• Purchase a Fitbit or pedometer.

Please understand that I am not saying to get rid of your gym membership and to no longer bother going anymore. What I am saying is that a gym membership should be a tool that you can use but should not be the only tool. Investing in yourself will not only enhance your well-being, it will allow you to thrive in all areas of life.

Work on yourself

Everyday Ab Workout - Level 1

No matter who you are or what your fitness level, a strong core is a must. Most aches and pains, and injuries stem from having a weak core. Every movement starts with your mid-section so it only makes sense to make sure that it can handle all of the movement we do on an everyday basis, let alone with sports and fitness activities. Here is a workout that is aimed at beginners, but it will challenge everyone if done correctly. It focuses on quality of movement, not quantity. It takes about 10 minutes to complete so it is a great option to every morning.

Subscribe to my Mint Condition Personal Training YouTube page for other workouts and Quick Combos to add to your workouts.

If this is waayy too easy, here is an Everyday Abs Level 2!

Anywhere Workout

Need a quick workout that can be done anywhere? Look no further! Below is a Lower Body Workout and an Upper Body Workout that cane done separate (3-5 Rounds) or back to back (3 Rounds). No excuses now, do these workouts before you start your day for all day calorie burn. One round of either would make a great 15min Morning Movement workout!!

Air Squats - Keep the weight in your heels. You should be able to wiggle your toes at the bottom. To modify use a chair and practice sitting and standing without using your hands.

Jumping Jacks - Standard jumping jacks. To modify you can do big side steps instead.

Birdfeeders - The technical name of these is a SL Deadlift. Standing tall, tip forward on one leg while allowing the other leg to lift up behind you. Reach forward and down as far as you can while maintaining your balance. Start small!!

Lunges - You can actually do any lunge variation you would like: forward lunge, reverse lunge, side lunge, or curtsey lunge. Keep your knees from traveling to far over your front toes no matter which you choose.

Kick Backs - Standing up tall and while balancing on one leg, kick the other leg back in a controlled manner. You can place one hand on the back of a couch or a countertop to allow for complete control during the lift.

Bridges - Lying on your back, bend your knees up and place your feet flat about hips widths apart. Press through your heels to lift your buns off the mat. 50 pressing up and down, then hold at the top for 60 seconds!

If you want the total package, keep moving right into the Arm Workout.

Small Arm Circles - With your arms out to the side in a T position, make small circles with your arms. Alternate directions with each set.

Mountain Climbers - In a high push up position, bring one knee in towards your chest. From that position jump and switch knees, bringing the opposite knee up and in! To modify simply slow the movement down, no jumping. Or just hold the high push up position for 20 seconds.

Plank Shoulder Touches - In a high plank position, transfer the weight to one arm and take the free hand up to your opposite shoulder. Slowly switch sides trying to minimize any hip movement. To modify perform from a modified push up position on your knees.

Push Ups - Push Ups are no joke. Start with your hands on an elevated surface, such as a couch or counter top. Slowly make your way to the ground and start from your knees. No matter which option you do, make sure your belly button is tucked in as well as your tush!!

Tricep Chair Dips - Start seated on a chair or couch. Place your hands right outside your hips. Slowly lift you buns of the chair and move slightly forward so your hips are up and out front of the chair. While keeping your hip as close to the chair, bend your elbows and lower your hips towards the ground. Level 1 will be with 90 degrees in your knees, progressing until your legs are completely straight.

Field Goal Supermans - Lying on your stomach with your arms in a field goal position, lift your legs and chest off of the ground while pulling your elbows towards each other behind your back. Keep your gaze down as to not kink the back of your neck.

Low Plank Hold - Same as a push up position, but on your elbows instead of hands. Squeezing your belly button to your spine and tucking your hips under, hold for 60 seconds.

Keep your fitness simple.

Something isn't quite working out in the fitness in industry, pun intended! Why is it that people don't start working towards fitness goals because they don't know where to start? Why is it that social media leads people to think that you have to be ripped in order to enter a gym? Why is it that new clients are hesitant to get started due to a fear of what's to come?

With nearly 70% of the US adult population suffering from being overweight or obese, something isn't quite clicking.  While the numbers seem to be stabilizing, the rates are still through the roof (www.stateofobesity.org). Although changes need to happen in the industry as a whole, I'm not going to wait for them!!

HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND

If you have been thinking about starting a new fitness program or have tried but got lost in the confusion of what to eat, what not to eat, how to exercise, how long to exercise, or what order to do all of the thousands of exercises that you see in magazines, websites, YouTube, or Instagram, let's just stop the madness right now.

Here is what I want you to focus on - KEEP IT SIMPLE!

1. Drink water all day long - Don't go overboard but make sure you always have access. If you have water on hand you will drink it instead of other calorie filled beverages and you will stay hydrated while drinking your morning coffee.
2. Eat 5 Meals A Day - By spreading your meals throughout your day you keep your metabolism burning and burn more calories. Even if you eat the same foods you will burn more calories. Its a no brainer. Easiest trick is to split your lunch into 2 portions and pack a snack. Voila, you now have 5 Meals!!
3. Eat Real Food - Look at ingredient lists and put down food that has a list a mile long. Fill your body with natural things that it knows how to digest and stay away from stuff that needs artificial flavors and colors, gross. I understand that sometimes you will have to stray from the real food road, but slowly try to make your diet consist of as much natural, local food as possible.
4. Move Everyday - I have said it before and I will say it over and over again, I DONT CARE WHAT YOU DO JUST DO SOMETHING!! Walk your dog, walk up and down your stairs 3 times before getting ready for work, get on your pogo stick (my dad gave my brother one for Christmas when we were kids and if this is your choice of exercise I congratulate you, it is no joke), do the 3 yoga poses you remember from your last class, anything. Everyday you are consuming calories and quite frequently consuming more than necessary so why not make sure you burn extra each day. Aim for at least 15 minutes per day. As 15 minutes becomes easy move up to 20, 25, 30 .....
5. Don't Be Scared of the Gym - If you've paid for a gym membership and feel you need to get the most of it, go in and get on a stationary bike. They are the least scary when it comes to machines. While you're on the bike look around and understand that everyone out there was where you are right now. Also realize that some still have no clue what they are doing. When you are ready to step onto the fitness floor and start weight training, find a friend that you trust (I will be your friend), a staff member/trainer, or even someone in the gym that looks like they know what they're doing and ask for help. The gym is filled with egos. If you tell someone "you look like you know what you're doing in here, can you show me how to use this machine?", I almost guarantee that they will bend over backwards to help you.  

     Make sure you learn these 3 machines for the most basic Total Body Routine:

• Lat Pull Down - works your back and biceps.
• Chest Press - works your chest and triceps.
• Leg Press - works your lower body.

If you implement these 5 rules I guarantee that you will be well on your way to meeting your fitness goals. When this is your new "normal" then you can begin branching out to add in other forms of exercise and further cleaning up your nutrition.

LAST RULE

The right personal trainer will make you feel at ease. You will trust that they will comfortably work you into your workout regimen. If you are ever feel like you are being rushed into something communicate that to your trainer, if they do not respond in a way that comforts you, give me a call! I've been deemed the "Nicest Personal Trainer", but this nice trainer also gets results!!

Please share this with anyone that may benefit. Stay happy, get healthy!!

ADVOCARE, Why I'm on Board!

When it comes to getting fit and staying fit, the key is to focus on a diet that is as clean as possible. What do I mean by clean? I mean ideally, you would only want to eat foods that were grown organically and without any added hormones or chemicals. In a perfect world, we would all grow our own food, ensuring that it was made with our health in mind and not how much money it would make us. Like I said, in a perfect world...

SOMETIMES WE JUST NEED A LITTLE EXTRA HELP

Life is crazy sometimes and we all have a lot on our daily to-do list, some more than others. Things that pay the bills and keep our families running smoothly tend to be at the top of the list, while spending extra time at the grocery store, farmers market and in the kitchen tend to fall towards the bottom. While it is my goal as a personal trainer to help you move those tasks higher up the list, I completely understand that sometimes we just need a little extra help in the area of nutrition. This is why I have chosen to join the Advocare Team. They offer a wide variety of products from multivitamins and their 24 Day Challenge (a comprehensive supplement and nutrition plan) to protein powders and skin care products.

SUPPLEMENTS vs MAIN SOURCE

PLEASE UNDERSTAND that these are supplements, meaning that they are intended to supplement a clean and healthy diet. They should never be relied on as the main source of anyones diet. For example, I keep a shaker and a meal replacement on hand at all times for those instances in which it is a better option than pulling into a fast food chain or eating the pizza that was provided at a group lunch.

BECOME A LABEL SNOB

It is important to research the ingredients in the products that you use regularly and beware of any known side effects. For example, the Spark Energy Mix contains sucralose (Splenda). This is known to cause headaches and stomach issues in some people as it is an artificial sweetener, and in MY OPINION should not be your main source of energy. Green tea with lemon would be a much better option on a regular basis. But having a Spark packet on hand for those times that you can't muster the energy for a workout or as a better option than the artificial syrup filled flavored coffee is perfect.

FINAL NOTE...

Now that all of my "disclaimers" have been expressed, I want to say that I am very excited to be able to incorporate these products into my clients regimens. In the end, we are all looking for results and if a 24 Day Challenge will get you on your way to reach your ultimate goals, I support it 100%. As long as they remain a supplement to your diet and in the end they are used to fill in any gaps that you may have, you are using the products properly and will have great success. Now who's down for some Pumpkin Spice Meal Replacements? Who hoo!!

Please visit my Advocare Site anytime to browse products and NEVER hesitate to contact me with any questions!