While this time of year is the easiest time of year to throw in the towel, now is the most important time for you to keep yourself on track and getting at least 20 minutes a day!

As I have said before this time of year is very well known for weight gain and the eating holidays, but not for you!! Even if you don’t lose weight if you can get through these days without gaining that is still a huge accomplishment!

Even if you are busy here are some ideas for non-traditional calorie killers!

If you are shopping…

·         Carry the basket and do not push the cart

·         Park far from the entrance

·         Eat before you go

·         In line…(yes people may look at you funny but worth the booty of your dreams!)  squat and lunge while waiting

Getting ready/cooking…

·         Lunge while going from various places around your house

·         Squeeze in a HIIT (High intensity interval training workout) while the food cooks

·         Squat while you brush your teeth/shower

·         Plank every time you do _____ activity.

·         Make a game out of it!

Etc…

·         Stand and wrap gifts

·         Lunge while you vacuum/clean

·         Drink your shakeology in place of one meal to curb cravings

·         Water, water, water!

·         Get in your veggies

I lol'd at this and it just seemed so fitting!

Unsurprisingly with all the treats and fattening foods this time of the year is notorious for weight gain! How much you may wonder? 7-12 pounds!! Yikes that is as much as a new born child! Now maybe your goal is more maintaining your current weight or maybe it is losing more either way you can still enjoy the holidays and stay focused on these! The key is moderation and knowing the difference between hungry, cravings, emotions, and peer pressure!

Refer to http://fitandhealthywithbeth.weebly.com/1/post/2012/11/cravingshow-do-i-handle-them.html for help with cravings!

As far as the holidays go, you best bet is to have a plan of attack, the holiday parties and events will happen and you will have 2 choices, to indulge or not!

Here is your game plan:

·         Decide what holiday foods are non-negotiable then allow yourself to enjoy just a little! If your gam- gams makes your favorite pie then by all means have a slice, just not the whole pie!!

·         Plan ahead- we all know the types of foods and goodies to expect at family and holiday parties right? Okay so plan your plate, ½ proteins, ¼ veggies, and ¼ carbs and sweets (see just a little not the whole table!!). Why? You can fuel up on healthier options and still enjoy just a touch of your favorites.

·         If there will be absolutely zero healthy options then either bring some or eat before hand!

·         Pack emergency foods- we all get stuck somewhere and rather than starving or giving into junk foods carry some minor foods to hold you over! (EX: almonds/nuts, apples, protein bars)

·         Get your sweat on that day…not only do you burn off calories but you keep cravings subsided.

·         Sit or stand away from foods tables

·         Go easy on booze and sugary drinks

·         Wait a while between different plates…allow yourself to process the food and then go back in for more if you are still hungry.

·         Eat slowly!! Your brain takes about 20 minutes to realize you are full and you could easily over eat otherwise!

·         Don’t beat yourself up over what you ate..move on!

·         Track it…if you are conscientious of what you eat, you are likely to stay on track more easily!

·         Wear clothes that are a little snug…if you are aware of your body and what you are putting into you will be also less likely to over eat!

·         And lastly…just throw the junk food in your house away!

 
So what is your plan of attack?

With the weather and times changing for most of us I know this time of year is an easy one to start slacking on workouts and eating healthy BUT trust me you do NOT want to do that!! This is the time of year most people pack on an average of 10 pounds with all the eating, not working out and just being plain old tired! Not only those things to keep in mind BUT cold and flu season are bearing down…these all increase your chances of illness as well!!

Avoid it:

~Workout most days of the week (shoot for a minimum of 3-4)

~Drink your shakeology! With all the nutrients and vitamins in it you are adding a nice little immunity booster into your life!

~Schedule the workouts so you do not have a chance of skipping them

~Find healthier alternatives to some of your favorite recipes

~Buddy up! Keep each other on track and make it fun!!

I hear this one a lot..what time is best for me to work out? Morning, afternoon, night time?

The biggest thing to remember is that there is no right or wrong time of the day to workout...the best time is the time you will get your work out in!

If you are not a morning person and cannot switch up your schedule, chances are trying to force that habit is not going to work well.

My tip: schedule your workouts like any other appointment you have (doctor's, hair appointment, etc) and make it non-negotiable.

If someone asks you if you are free say NO! This is your dedicated work on self time and we need it! Don't feel guilty, you scheduled it!

Workout when you have the most energy and are the most excited to throw on those work out clothes and move your booty!!

So I have had this come up a lot lately so I figured I would explain and go over this!

Meal prepping- different for everyone I suppose but for me this means setting one day (usually a weekend day or a day off) and cooking in bulk most of what I will need for meals during the week.
    *Includes: meats (chicken, extra lean ground turkey, lean beef on occasions etc.), cutting up veggies for ease, baking protein bars, cooking any pastas/rices etc.

Why?
We are all SO busy...eating should not be stressful nor should it be unhealthy. Living a busy life should not prevent you from having a lean and clean body! So writing out a grocery list, meal plan, and prep list for the weeks helps keep  me on track and from grabbing junk foods! It's just easier that way other wise I am likely to reach for one of my boyfriends cookies/pretzels/ other junk I should not eat (he has the metabolism of a 12 year old boy).

This keeps me on track, meeting my goals, and it sure as heck saves money at the store knowing what to grab!!

So what do you do?
I decide what I need for the week and then measure and portion it out so that I can just grab and go with my meals!

Next step...
decide what you want to eat and what you can prep ahead of time, prepare, package, enjoy :-)

What do you cook in bulk?

Well you guessed it we are moving!! We found our dream home and have decided it was time to "get domestic" (ahhaha just kidding) thus the moving begins again!!

So last time my plan was to eat healthy and workout no matter what...well like most I did fall off my plan some. However, thankfully this was a much shorter duration and a bit easier of a transition. This time I was committed to not making those mistakes so here is what I did and plan to do while traveling this weekend!

1) Pack options for healthy snacks so you aren't tempted!
    For me this includes Egg puffs (See breakfast recipes), almonds, protein bars (JUST IN CASE), fruit, shakeology, Greek yogurt with pumpkin, fat free cottage cheese with cinnamon, endamamme, carrot/peppers and hummus. These are pretty easy to transport and will take up the in between meals.
        I eat 5-6 times a day depending on the day!

2) TRACK EVERYTHING! I know this can be challenging and sometimes a bit of a pain but trust me if you want to know what not to do this is a good way to go about it!
    I like www.myfitnesspal.com
    Add me and see what my days are like!! emsimpler is my ID!

3) Pack workout gear and dvds! Easily transportable and convenient with my lap top!!
    sneakers, workout clothes, resistance tubing, dvds. NO EXCUSES!

4) Make a plan! As unpredictable as trips and moving are have an action plan! I get up wayyyy before everyone else to ensure I still get my workouts in! Even if it's a quick one, something is better than no workout at all!!

5) Make smart take out choices! It won't be perfect of course but if you smile and ask nicely modifications can be made at almost any restaurant! Look up the menu/calorie choices ahead of time so you know (these are not always accurate but are a better way than just ordering at random).
    steer clear of: bread baskets, alcohol, sugary drinks, pasta, white rice, oils, battered

    opt for: plain, grilled, baked, broiled, no butter, brown rice, egg whites, fruit for dessert

And remember no one is perfect but preparation allows for more control and more knowledge of what you are eating!!