kick it to the Carb!

I had my two week check in today and I am still rocking this challenge! I also noticed something this week.  Though I am pretty good with being consistent I usually have at least one unplanned snack or meal when I am trying to win a competition or hit a goal. It is one the reasons why I can get close to my goal but never quite there UNTIL NOW! This week I had several changes to eat kitchen mess ups, homemade cookies and birthday cake and each time it was an easy no! I think this is for two reasons. 1. I really want to win that trip to Cabo so anytime I was tempted I would just tell myself I could indulge now or I could stay consistent for 28 days and win a kick ass vacation. My reason why for doing this challenge is helping me say no but it's two fold. 2. I have accountability. I am sharing my goal like crazy with my friends, co-workers, family, social media followers and even random strangers. If I don't go all in I won't win. I mean how cool will it...

I am officially seven days into my 28 day challenge. I miss understood directions on day one and thought my post workout meal counted as breakfast since I workout in the mornings and spent most of the day so hungry I thought I was going to throw up. Day two was so much easier though because I got more food, so even though I am still adjusting to not snacking the hunger is way more tolerable than it was on day one. Silver lining! I also accidently went to hard with the workout on Monday. I haven't been lifting heavy these past few months and instead doing a lot of HIIT and silly me thought I could just jump back in and my old high weights. So after several days of not being able to move my neck due to pain from my shoulders up to my head I am ready to get back into the gym and go all in this week!! I am super excited about my week one progress and can't wait to see how far I can do this challenge. I am in it to win the grand prize of a trip to CABO!!!

Building meal plans can be confusing with all the contradictory diet advice out there. There are however six key elements every meal plan should include. Today we are diving deeper into element number two: vitamins and minerals Vitamins and minerals are typically referred to as micronutrients. Just like with macronutrients your body needs these to help build, repair and perform at its optimal level. They are your nutritional safety net and help your body perform hundreds of vital functions. Micronutrients help every system in your body perform and can also help prevent disease and disorders including blindness and scurvy. Getting vital micronutrients can also help with creating strong bones, preventing birth defects and healthy teeth. Vitamins are organic compounds that can be broken down by heat, air or acid whereas minerals are inorganic compounds and hold their chemical structure. This just means it is easier for your body to obtain minerals through your diet thanks to soil,...

I have been enjoying New Orleans these past few days and thought I would share some of my travel tips for having fun and enjoying the trip without beating yourself up about straying from your usual nutrition and fitness routine. Firstly if you are on vacation, loosen up and have some fun. A few days of indulgence won't wreck your progress but if this is a business trip or travel that you would rather not stray to far from your routine here are some tips I follow to both enjoy myself and stay on track. Fitness: Sight See: You may not have time or want to hit the gym but walking around, and climbing those stairs, hills and rises still counts as a workout. So get seeing and get moving. Hit your hotel gym. It may not have your usual equipment but something is better than nothing. Especially if working out is your stress reliever. Run: You can pretty much do this anywhere and it is a great way to get in some sightseeing or scoop places to explore later  See if you gym has any ...

Protein is an important component of our diet because it helps build our tissue, muscles, skin and hair. It is also the only macronutrient not readily stored in our bodies so getting an adequate amount is important. It is important to note that your protein goals will vary and that some people have conditions that make taking in large amounts of protein dangerous and life threatening so if you start feeling off, fatigued or experience brain fog talk to your doctor immediately. People who are more active may also require more protein as they break down their muscles faster through exercise. The general rule of thumb is .36 grams per pound of body weight for a sedentary person up to 1 gram per pound of body weight for active individuals. I like to make this simpler so if you know your daily calories allowance your day should be broken down into: 40% carbs, 30% Protein and 30% fat. These are simple terms and again some individuals may not be able to ingest these amounts of macronutrie...

A few weeks ago I made the switch from meat eater to my own strange combination of vegetarian, flexitarian, vegan (ish). Honestly I was kind of scared it would wreck all my results and be super hard to hit my protein numbers. I have been pleasantly surprised by the results. The back story. Years ago in high school I was a vegetarian for the all the wrong reasons. I wanted to be skinny and saving animals seemed like a noble cause. I didn't lose any weight but I did eat mostly plant based for five years. I say mostly because I still ate meat on occasion in private but didn't tell anyone. Communities around diets and ways of eating can be very mean if you don't follow the plan exactly and even people who didn't eat how I ate would make comments. *Side note if you do this to people stop. It isn't cool or nice. Let people eat how and what they want without comment because these comments can be damaging and create food and public eating aversions that can be harmful.*...

I remember life before I started my health journey. I was frustrated that working out didn't really do anything to make the weight fall off but I wasn't ready to give up my Taco Bell. I found a solution that worked for me. I started my nutrition program and my coach told me to have one colorful meal with a protein, a carb, a veggie and some good fat. So I had Taco Bell for dinner and followed her plan for my other meals and snacks. After all meat is protein, lettuce and tomato are vegetables, cheese and sour cream are good fats and chips and shells are carbs. Full disclosure this is 100% not what my coach meant when she told me to have a colorful meal but I still lost 30 pounds! Then I was hungry for my next result and I was mentally ready to give up the Taco Bell, go to the grocery store and cook my own food. Jump ahead a few years and I began meal prepping and eating super clean. I lost 10 more pounds. There were a lot of meal fails in this part of my journey. Some ...

I am a creature of habit. When I find something that works I stick to it, partially because I love saving time by just repeating the same thing day in and day out to get the result I want; most people call it consistency I call it efficiency. The key to succeeding at your goal is to set yourself up for success. This means having plans B-Z when plan A goes off track. This means having good choices on hand to grab when you are hungry or busy. Your pantry and fridge are either going to be your greatest asset or your hardest hurdle. Stock them wisely. The great thing about this is that I know what I can keep on hand to fit my goals and set myself up for success so here are some of my staples, some I eat weekly, some are kept on hand incase life happens and I need something quick and easy to grab to avoid that drive through line. Breakfast: I always do protein + a carb for breakfast My staples are: Oats, Kodiak Cakes (frozen is best for those in a hurry), eggs or egg whites, 7 grai...

I talk to a lot of people about their nutrition habits and the number one thing almost every single one of them is doing wrong is that they aren't eating enough. Somehow amongst the crazy diet trends we got fixated on a number and decided that number was the holy grail of calories to eat in a day and get AMAZING results.  If you've been around the block you probably already know what that number is, but if you don't it is 1200. Sounds easy enough, eat 1200 calories a day and lose weight but there is a major flaw in this way of thinking. We are all different, we have different calorie needs, different activity levels and different metabolic rates. So for most people 1200 isn't enough calories and you don't lose weight because your body isn't getting enough fuel so it holds on to everything! It always amazes people when I tell them to eat more and they suddenly start dropping pounds. I am not going to make this all sciency for you, because if you're read...