Hard to believe how fast this whole process is going!! I am starting day 3 and down 3 lbs already!

Day 2 meals were so filling! On day one after shocking my body with not eating cookies, coffee, or junk food at all I was a little fatigued but I am really starting to feel better. My body just feels "cleaner", not sure if that makes sense to you guys but hey!

Also, this program is really teaching me different ways to eat and to cook. While the purpose by the end is to be gluten, meat, and dairy free, the recipes are very flavorful and make the idea of being a vegan or vegetarian a bit easier to handle for the time being (sorry guys I LOVE my chicken and turkey).

The other new thing is no matter what I need to have the right amount of energy for this whole process to work. So at first the not working out thing was a huge issue but with a sprained ankle you can't go too wrong with staying off of it and focusing on nutrition. And honestly, thank God! It hurts so much so focusing on this distracts my mind.  Besides not working out getting plenty of sleep is crucial. Usually I can get by with 5.5-7 hours and be functioning etc. However, the UR will not work right if you do not let your body rest and heal. So now I am getting at least 7 and listening to my body for when it says you need more sleep...hence my 9 pm bed time haha!

At any rate..so far so good!! One last thing I need to go to the store tonight so I am going to draw the rest out one day so I can make sure I follow the food guidelines 100%. so sticking to the recipes today that I have and skipping supplements until tomorrow!

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?

Lately I have gotten a lot of questions on what I consider a cheat meal (I did a post a few weeks ago on cheats and why they can be good/bad too!) so I am here to show you what that is and how often I allow these!

For me a cheat meal is anything that I do not normally eat in my clean eating lifestyle! You can see some of those "normal foods" on my what I ate Wednesday posts as well! I will start taking some pics and displaying more cheat foods so you can see...I am of course human too!

So cheats/treats that I usually eat are pizza, french fries, Yogi Castle (froyo!), anything with white flour (pasta, bread, cakes etc) or excessive sugar (too much fruit, cakes, cookies, candies, etc). Some people get other cravings some don't but these are what I usually want!

How often? I keep it to a max of 2 things a week!
for example: Last weekend I had a bowl of ice cream and some pizza (2 different days) but those were my cheats and treats for the week!


The key is just getting back up and moving forward--I never feel guilt for these meals because I know a) it's a lifestyle and b) I know how to "damage control" it the next meal or day with healthy foods! I will say though since I cut sugar down to 35g a day (even natural) I get these cravings a lot less and usually during bouts of boredom!

What do you usually crave?

Soooo this is where I was at the start (day 1 of the program --post P90x2 which I need to do my review of!! SO sorry guys!)

Start weight 132
Height: 5 ft 8 in

So as you can refer to below I have been sticking to the schedule with the exceptions of with the intensity of these workouts, I have decided to stick with Live Fit a little more and take weekends off. Trust me much needed and I have still been active other wise!

Goals: To add more muscle to my body and work my way to my first competition (I need to figure out when exactly but I am thinking Spring!) and photos! YAY!

After vacation I cleaned up my diet again, back to 35g or less of sugar per day (that includes natural from fruits), and other wise following the live fit meal plan!! (Go to the recipes section and try some!) YUM!

I am tracking my calories with myfitness pal (add me :-) emsimpler). I try to eat anywhere from 1500-1700 daily! As you can see the clean eating makes the biggest difference in the stomach!

I will say this I am SORE!! I haven't exactly like this before so I am really enjoying it and learning sooo much about it!!

Favorite part of Live Fit: lifting for sure...I have done a variety of programs in the past but the intensity and style of this workout is amazing!! I can already see my body changing and I love how I feel! The hardest part is taking the rest sets and rest days!!

Favorite part of Turbo: this is my "soul mate workout" my absolute favorite form of cardio so I love all aspects!!!!

Supplements I take:
-shakeology (chocolate)
-vanilla whey
-BCAA's


Tips:
-Make sure you eat enough calories!! Eating too little is just as bad as too many!
-Stay the course!! Consistency and following the guide is really key!

Stay tuned and check back for more recipes!

Have you tried either of these programs? What did you like the most?

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!!

The other day I was babysitting a friends young kids (ages 3 and 6), we watched them jump, run, tumble, and everything else a young kid could possibly do, things that many of us only wish we could still bend and move that way! And I thought why are we not nearly as durable as we age and then it hit me: flexibility gone!

I know personally this is an area I struggle with, heck I never did yoga or pilates until 2 years ago...and I HATED IT! Why? It was hard. Point blank. And it was different (no one likes change myself included). BUT afterwards I felt like a million stretchy bucks! Going from someone who could barely touch her toes to someone who could comfortably place both elbows on the ground in a runner's lunge was a HUGE deal for me. And at about that point I started enjoying it because I knew it was working! I was more bendable, more durable, and what I newly learned is I had increased my muscles strength potential!

WHAT? Yep, it's true! People who do yoga have more muscle strength potential than those who don't! So you get more durable, life get's a little easier in the day to day, and able to lift more? UM okay I get it! So not only am I practicing every week, I tend not to dread it as much...still not my favorite but I have grown to love it! Not to mention it's one workout you can never be perfect with! You can ALWAYS get better!

Why yoga recap:
flexibile
life is easier!
durable
less prone to injury
MORE STRENGTH POTENTIAL!

Beginner plan:
Yoga 1/week
Stretch 10 minutes after your workout when you are the most warm and pliable!

Protein intake is crucial to supply the amino acids, the building blocks for the formation of new muscle. But not all dietary proteins are equal! The two major types are from milk protein whey and casein. Whey is fast digesting and casein is slow digesting.

·        Whey protein- stimulates muscle growth through protein synthesis

·        Casein protein-is insoluble and slow digesting and helps with protein balance. It is also the most abundant.

These are the most common types of protein; there are of course other types! First and foremost, your nutrients should come from your foods (lean meats, eggs, your foods (lean meats, eggs, yogurt, whole grains, and plant proteins). But many people, especially those looking to lose weight, gain muscle, or lean out, supplement with protein powders as well, to get more protein in their diets.

Supplementation can change your training and your body composition but why? Well for starters it keeps you full for longer periods of time. The amino acids within protein take longer for the body to digest, and thus leave you feeling full longer!

How much? The number various from person to person but an easy trick to figure it out is this

There are a few formulas but this is the one I have found most useful!

= 1.0 or 1.5 g protein (others may use .5 or .8) X every lb of your body weight = protein intake

From there you divide that by your amount of meals for the day and voila!

For supplementation: it is crucial for your body that you just don’t by “any old protein” just because it’s cheap!! So what do I use and recommend? Shakeology!
Check out this video for more info!
http://youtu.be/4zgPEEVxyz0

Many times people believe they are helping themselves with skipping meals, eating too little, skipping breakfast, and a lot of other "diet downfalls."

Are you making them?

Are you causing fat gain:
~Skipping breakfast breakfast
~Going more than 4 hours without eating!
~Low-fat
~Condiments!!
~Binging on junk
~Eating off your kids plates
~Improper serving size

These are all very common issues that many people do and do not realize they are sabotaging themselves!!
To solves the problems?
~Eat every 2-3 hours
~keep junk out of the house
~do not eat off your kids plates (allow someone else to clean up!)
~Read your labels!!! check the sodium, calories, ingredients, sugar levels, as well!!
~Measure your portions!
~Go light on condiments or make your own for healthier recipes!

I talk about this stuff all the time, heck there is a whole tab about it on here; but what is it?!

Shakeology is the healthiest thing you can put in your body each and every day! If you need to lose weight, if you want to take a protein supplement, or if you just hate vegetables this is for you!! Why? It has over 70 ingredients including pre/pro biotics, protein, as well as a ton of other healthy ingredients!

Why do I love it? I like everyone else, struggle with eating healthy and enjoying those foods BUT with this it's easy! I make a promise to my body each and every day to take care of it and fill it with healthy and wonderful foods! I have lost 25 lbs doing turbofire and drinking shakeology so it works!!

Results? Check out hers >

So no matter what you need to lose or not this is for you! Want more details? Check out the tab above or message me more for more info or if you want to try a sample!! [email protected]