The Fit Habit

  “Resistance is proportionate to the size and speed of the change, not to whether the change is a favorable or unfavorable one.” ~ George Leonard Said another way, the more you try to change all at once, the faster and harder you will fail at all of it. When it comes to behavior change, less is more. As a fitness coach, I think this is possibly the most critical message I can convey to any client. Just like our bodies have a set point weight that it’s comfortable at (whether this is a point you desire or not), your mind has a similar comfort level. And since your mind drives your behaviors and behaviors determine things like health outcomes, it’s fair to say that fitness and weight loss is all in your head. So with this in mind (no pun intended), and armed with the knowledge that less is more, how will you now go about getting to your desired fitness and health goal? The right answer is - as slowly as humanly possible. This may not be the answer you’re looking for. It will not help you lose 10 lbs in 3 days, but it’s the truth and once you’re ready to accept it, it’s going to get you where you want to go. Slow and steady is the only way to lose this weight race. Now, you might be thinking that this is not the case with the transformation stories that you hear about on Biggest Loser or the latest diet program that you’ve been investigating, but guess what you don’t see? The after-after picture. That’s the picture that’s taken 6 to 12 months after the first “after” picture where said transformation has magically transformed back to it’s “before” shape. I encourage you to Google what happens to the Biggest Loser contestants after they leave the show. It’s sad. The irony is that weight loss can be the easiest thing to do in the world if you tackle it at the slowest possible pace and focus on changing one tiny little behavior at a time. What do I mean by tiny? Habit 1 - instead of 2 teaspoons of sugar in your coffee, do one teaspoon of sugar and one sachet of stevia. Repeat for 2 weeks or until taste becomes normal for you. Then replace the other teaspoon of sugar with stevia as well. Habit 2 - instead of having a coffee and a snack at 2 pm every day, have a chocolate superfood smoothie. It will keep you fuller longer so you’ll eat less at dinner and you still enjoy that sense of having an afternoon “treat”. Habit 3 - when watching tv, take one commercial break to do 10 air squats. The following week, squat during 2 commercial breaks. Keep building on that habit every week. You see how small these behavior changes are? The key is that they are so small, you literally cannot get frustrated with them and quit (which is the primary reason we fail to reach our goals). Or at least, it’s really hard to fail. You might forget to do them, but if you set up some accountability and social support to keep them top of mind, that won’t happen. So think of some small, inconsequential behaviors that you know you can do without too much trouble and just work to make them habits. Then build on that. Just don’t do too much all at once. Remember - resistance is proportional to the size and speed of the change, so less speed and less change = less resistance. So who’s with me on the path of least resistance? PS - if you want support and guidance like this for the whole year (which is plenty of time to work on building lean body behaviors), work with me in my private coaching group. The opportunity to work with me for the whole year, with at-home workouts, meal plans, coaching and accountability for $199 ends Feb 28th. Price goes up March 1st. Apply here.

After speaking with a client about this, I thought it was worth talking about as I hear it a lot.  Many of us spend our time and energy gaining and losing the same 10 or more pounds every year and every time it gets harder to lose the weight, and easier to put it back on. There are few risks here, not the least of which is extra strain on your heart and joints, but it’s also emotional energy wasted because you’re never getting past the same hamster wheel.  You also gain more loose skin as your body expands and contracts, not to mention the metabolic damage you’re doing to yourself. So how does one actually get off the wheel of crazy? Ask yourself  - is what you’re doing right now working for you?  If you’re unhappy with your results, then probably not.  Then ask yourself - what is that trigger that makes me go downhill?  What is it that flips the switch from losing weight to gaining weight? Is it stress?  Lack of time? Support?  Motivation? The key thing you need to consider if you want to stop gaining and losing the same however many pounds, is to focus on adding habits to your life that are supportive and healthy and engrain them in your brain so that when you hit your trigger point next time, you won’t be compelled to fall back on bad habits. What habits should you focus on?  These need to come from you, as only you know what you’re ultimately willing to stick with.   Think small, like switching out sugar in your coffee for stevia, walking for 16 mins a day or taking stairs instead of elevators.  If you’re open to workouts, build a home gym or start jogging a mile a day.  You have to start where you are and be reasonable with your incremental habit development. If you’re looking at weight loss solutions, like shakes, gyms, coaches, personal training or meal prep services, make sure whatever you chose will help you develop healthy skills and habits.  Investing in your health and fitness is great, but there has to be a sustainable element to it or the minute you stop paying for whatever product or service your using, you’ll revert back to your old ways again. If you’re looking for help building new habits, I can help.  If you want a more immersive experience, I also recommend the  Precision Nutrition Coaching program.  If you need a more DIY approach, I recommend the book Lean Habits For Lifelong Weight Loss: Mastering 4 Core Eating Behaviors to Stay Slim Forever.   Georgie Fear (the book author) and I were both trained by Precision Nutrition that values behavior change over a specific diet protocol. Have you experienced this issue?  Tell me what your triggers are and how you’ve dealt with the weight loss/gain cycle?

I listened to a short video today that talked about how our personal narrative determines how we evolve and who we become as people. It’s also a frighteningly accurate measure of how successful you’re going to be at pretty much anything, including: Career Romance Health and fitness Finances I actually did my master’s thesis on the development of personal identity through blogging. How and what we share in social media can influence who we are because we become what we focus on, but we can hinder that process if we don’t truly believe we’re worthy or capable of becoming that what we desire. In my own life I’ve struggled with every aspect I’ve listed above. I was never a good student so I felt as though I wasn’t destined to be much (and I’m pretty sure my parents felt that way as well). It wasn’t until I went back to school as a mature student did I surprise myself by actually being academically inclined and a gifted writer. I never thought I’d find a quality guy, especially when I was much younger and heavier. I was never treated well by men, and I gave too much of myself because that’s what I thought I had to do to be loved. I am sad to admit, I was well into my 30’s before I learned my own value and power in romantic relationships. On a more positive note, I’ve been happily married to the same wonderful man for close to 10 years now! Finances was a tricky one for me to learn because growing up we didn’t have a lot. I never knew what living a comfortable life meant, and I often still struggle with the idea of having more than enough financially. It’s been a lifetime of work believing that I’m worthy of the money I make and the things I’ve accumulated. I am still a work in progress on this one, as I still tend to seek out the cheapest options, hoard things that are on sale, and obsess over saving money for fear of being out on the street someday.  Weird, but true. But health and fitness has been the journey of internal narrative transformation that has taken me the longest to get through. From being an overweight teen who NEVER wanted to do sports, I had a narrative that I just wasn’t athletic from a very young age. It’s taken me years to overcome this idea. I was also a smoker, binge drinker, over 200lbs for a long time and ate the crappiest food I could find. That took 20 years to fix. It didn’t have to, but I’m a slow learner and I didn’t have the personal development, social support or role models that I have now. From where I stand now, I’m a completely different person. I’m healthy, fit and I prefer good food over junk. I choose to take care of myself because it’s my preference, not my obligation.How did I get there? Literally, one step at a time. Here’s what I’d recommend if you simply don’t’ believe you can change (and you know who you are). Take any action you can – take a walk, buy running shoes, read fitness blogs like this, follow three new people on social media who emulate who you’d like to become (and don’t make you feel bad about who you are right now) and go to bed early tonight. None of these things are going to move the needle much at first, but anything you can do to start adopting the behaviors of a fit person, (or whatever person you want to be) is going to start to accumulate. Eventually, no matter how unnatural it feels to behave in these new ways, you will eventually lean into it. The key here is baby steps!! If you do too much at once, you’ll snap back to your old internal stories quickly. Find a supportive community. This probably won’t be in your immediate circle, because they clearly haven’t influenced you to grow yet, but it’s not as hard as you think to find a new tribe. Facebook groups are awesome. Search groups on Facebook that reflect where you want to go. Running for low carb eaters? Weight lifting for vegans? It’s all out there. Just search for it. Invest in something. Put your money where your mind is. If you want to grow, find a coach, take a class, join a group, buy some new clothes, sign up for a race. If you invest money in your desire, you’re 10x more likely to stick with it. We don’t walk away from things we spend our hard earned money on because we perceive it as more valuable. Set your expectations lower than you’d like to. Stretch goals are great, dreaming big is awesome in theory, but if you set your sights too high, you will be disappointed, and likely give up before you’re ready to. Don’t do that. Set small, immediate goals. Don’t think about losing 50lbs in 6 months, break that down and think about the 2lbs you need to lose this week in order to reach that goal in 6 months. It’s far more tangible and urgent and you will be more likely to make changes in the moment. Write a note to your future self. Let her (or him) tell you what you need to know right now. Write as though you’ve already accomplished your goals and become the person you want to be. That future self will be able to tell you what’s most important, what to watch out for, and what to do in moments of weakness or doubt. I can tell you that stuff too, but it’s way more powerful when it comes from within. I did this exercise today and it really impacted my thinking. Expect to be always evolving. When you climb a hill, very often you think you’re approaching the summit, only to find that there’s another peak in the distance. Our personal growth and internal narrative is no different. As your impression of yourself improves, your projection of your future self will change. As you see what you’re capable of, your goals will be set higher and you’ll continue to achieve new levels of confidence and belief in yourself. That doesn’t mean you don’t take moments to reflect on how far you’ve come, but it does mean that your idea of success and achievement will continue to be a moving target (at least, it’s like that for most of us). Just commit to loving yourself in the moment as you continue to gently push yourself forward. Good luck!

Motivation is a tricky thing.  You have to find a reason to do hard things, and it has to be a good enough reason to get you through the lows.  Because the lows suck, and that’s where we all want to quit and believe me - no one escapes the lows.  No one. So if you’re looking at a weight loss goal in 2017 and you’re thinking - “oh, I just want to get healthy”.  Well guess what.  The first time you don’t feel like getting a workout in or choosing a salad over french fries, You’re. Going. To. Fail. Why?  Because what does “getting healthy” even mean?  There’s zero emotion in that goal.  There’s no visceral attachment to getting healthy.  It’s arbitrary and vague. You know what’s not vague? I want to get into the best shape of my life because my ass of a husband left me after 15 years of marriage and 3 kids because he found someone hotter.  I will show him what hot looks like.  I want my evil “friend” who is always putting me down to eat my sparkle dust this year.  She thinks I can’t lose weight.  That I’ll always be big and I should just “be okay with that”.  I will show her what I’m capable of. I want to find a man and be in a relationship where I don’t feel like a welcome mat.  Where I don’t feel like I’m just a last resort because he couldn’t find better.  Where I’m a-okay being naked and feeling sexy in my own skin.  These may seem like some deviant and pretty fickle goals, but who cares?  If it gets you to make the right choices, then big deal if they are shallow AF.  If it works for you, then it’s the right goal.  So know what moves you and keep it front and center in your mind.  Meditate on that shallow goal and let it be your mantra. No one else needs to know it’s seeded in revenge.  You do you. Meanwhile, here are a few other ideas to keep you moving in the right direction. Schedule your workouts in your calendar.  The rest of your world can revolve around what you need for once! Partner up with a frienamy - that gal who’s never quite happy about your success.  She will be a way better motivation than your dear sweet cheerleaders friend who will love you no matter what.  Put skin in the game.  Yes, take out your wallet and pay for that goal.  It will mean something and you’ll be 200% less likely to quit because no one likes to waste money. Make the process as easy and doable as humanly possible.  At the end of my podcast I share a solution that I think it hands down, the best (and most doable) way to get in shape for ANYONE in 2017.  You’ll be hearing more about that in my next email, so get on my list if you’re not already. On that note - I want to hear what holds you back.  Why are you not where you want to be yet?  What’s the hang up that keeps you from moving forward?

I’m the first to admit that goal setting is not something I’m great at. Actually, I’m really good at setting goals and writing them down, but I’m also equally proficient at putting those goals in a file folder somewhere and promptly forgetting about them. ??Now, oddly enough, about 50% of my goals DO materialize anyway. Sometimes that’s dumb luck, and sometimes it’s because they’re just important enough to me that I make sure it happens. An example of a dumb luck goal was finding the job I have now where I’m well paid, love the people I work with and it’s actually work I like doing. That was a goal I wrote down when I decided to end An example of a dumb luck goal was finding the job I have now where I’m well paid, love the people I work with and it’s actually work I like doing. That was a goal I wrote down when I decided to end Procakes, and it happened quite by accident (or so I think). Meanwhile, there are other things I’ve accomplished that have 110% come from my own stubborn determination, like competing in a fitness show or a half ironman. These are things I thought about quitting on an hourly basis, but I never did. Then there are the goals I write down every year and that shit just never happens. Like being 15% body fat. I write that arbitrary number down every year, and I know it’s unlikely I’ll ever reach it because I know that I’m pretty miserable at 18% body fat and it’s near impossible to maintain without wanting to kill someone, so 15% is just never going to happen for me. I have about 46 other goals just like that one, too. Then there are the goals I write down every year and that shit just never happens. Like being 15% body fat. I write that arbitrary number down every year, and I know it’s unlikely I’ll ever reach it because I know that I’m pretty miserable at 18% body fat and it’s near impossible to maintain without wanting to kill someone, so 15% is just never going to happen for me. I have about 46 other goals just like that one, too. So my first thought about setting goals is being really honest about what you’re willing to put your time and attention into. Sure, I’ll probably continue to put that 15% body fat goal on my list every year, but now it’s more like the goal equivalent of an “elf on the shelf”. It’s more about tradition and decoration than execution. Looking back at 2016, I’ve accomplished about 50% of what I set out to do. Maybe that’s a hack - aspire to do so much that you’d be happy if you only got 50% of it accomplished. Genius! But to be honest, this coming year, my goal list will look much different than it has in the past. Maybe it’s age, or maybe it’s acquired wisdom, but I don’t feel the need for Looking back at 2016, I’ve accomplished about 50% of what I set out to do. Maybe that’s a hack - aspire to do so much that you’d be happy if you only got 50% of it accomplished. Genius! But to be honest, this coming year, my goal list will look much different than it has in the past. Maybe it’s age, or maybe it’s acquired wisdom, but I don’t feel the need for improvement based goals this year. Instead, I aim to stop the self-development cycle and simply embrace and own the woman I’ve worked hard to become. For example: I don’t have weight loss goals this year. I’m happy with the body I have (although I will continue to build strength through weight lifting). I don’t have career goals this year. I like the job I have and I’ll continue to do the best work I can, but outside of that, I simply want to enjoy writing my blog, practicing my photography skills and perhaps doing less in social media. I’m also going to dial back on the coaching this year to make more time for my personal life. I don’t have relationship goals in the sense that I’m no longer actively trying to expand my network or meet new people. This year, I want to focus on the relationships I already have and cherish. I want to be a better friend to the friends I’ve already collected rather than always trying to make more and more. I don’t have travel goals this year. In 2016 I traveled a lot, and I’m not done yet. Next year, I’ll avoid planning a big trip and just see what life presents. I could see myself taking smaller, more local trips or even just enjoying a few staycations. If there is anything I want to grow and improve, it’s my connection to my friends, family and readers, spend more time with creative expression and well, I’d also like a new master bathroom (the current one is hardly bearable). But other than that, I just want to enjoy the life I’ve worked so hard to create. For me, 2017 is the year of enough and being content with what is. How about you? Any goals? I hope that doesn’t come across as smug or self-righteous. I just feel as though I’ve spent many years trying to become something, and a part of me just wants to get off the hamster wheel and enjoy the progress I’ve made. Either way, I am going to take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy holiday season. Enjoy your time with family and friends, or even just enjoy some time alone. There’s no shame in wanting to spend the holidays under a blanket with nothing but a bunch of Netflix consumptions goals. Rock on party girl! XOXO

One thing I think is super important to understand is that the perfect diet for anyone is not so much about low carb, high protein, gluten free, paleo or vegan. It’s about compliance before anything else. I can write you a meal plan that is so perfectly balanced it would solve all your problems, but unless you were able to adhere to it, it would be worthless. Same goes for workout programs. I partner with Beachbody - because I think their programs are outstanding (and I say that as a personal trainer and a user). But a brilliantly programmed workout regimen is just a DVD unless it’s consistently followed through on. So we have to start with compliance which starts with knowing who you are as a person, and what you’re willing to tolerate. I know for myself, any meal plan that makes a little sugar-free chocolate and wine completely off limits, is not something I will adhere to, because I love those things. So I have to negotiate and say to myself, okay, I’ll make a little room for wine and chocolate, but I’m also willing to give up potatoes and bread so that my carb intake doesn’t go off the rails. This is why success should be slow and methodical. Because you’re discovering and negotiating what you can get away with, rather than white-knuckling through a program you have every intention of ditching after 8-weeks because it’s near impossible to follow and enjoy. Start with enjoyment and work backward. Negotiate what you’re willing to give up, consume less of, or alter. Then see what your results tell you. By the way, if you’re interested in getting some help figuring all this stuff out, consider joining my online fitness groups.  They’re 3 weeks of support, training and kick-ass recipes to help you rock an awesome body in 2017!  Want in?  Drop a comment below and I’ll give you the deets.

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think about the Christmas holidays?  Your weird uncle Fred?  Mall madness?  Or food?  Seriously, eggnog, cookies, and crappy holiday party food is everywhere you look!  No wonder people joke about gaining 5 to 10lbs over the holidays and then feel like crap on Jan 1.  Sound familiar? The key to long-term success is adopting a lifestyle mindset. Accept that you’re not on a diet that has a start and an end, but that you generally (not always) chose foods that help your goals, not hinder them.   You’re eating for a way of life and doing so means being able to incorporate holiday eating into your plan. There’s no doubt that the holidays present a unique set of challenges with all the delicious holiday baking and boozy parties.  And I bet you feel pretty badly about yourself when you over indulge.  But here’s the thing…  unless you’re out there night after night, diving face first into Christmas goodies, you’re going to be okay.  And if you’re looking to make fitness a lifestyle, then you need to make a little room for the things you love, or you’ll be a miserable cow that will poop all the parties you go to. Speaking of party poopers – have you ever seen this video???  F*&king hysterical. I digress….. So here’s my advice to you for getting through this festive season and still be able to fit into your pants in January. Control the meals you have control over. Stick with your plan for the meals you can.  That means prepping meals for lunch, making sure your breakfast (if you have one) is healthy and when your dinner is planned to be a festive one, be intentional, but not maniacal with the food that you chose to eat. Control the portion sizes of the meals you can’t control. A common mistake is not respecting the fact that quantity trumps quality when it comes to calories. So, even if you’re enjoying some indulgent food, how much of it you eat will be the biggest determinant of the effect that indulgent eating has on you. Get MORE sleep than normal.  Yes, we’re all busy over the holidays, but scrap the malls this year, buy your gifts on amazon, then put your phone down and be lights out by 10pm every night!  I know you guys are sick of me talking about how important sleep is for fat loss, but it’s true. Continue to get your workouts in 100% of the time.  Now is not a time to say to yourself that you don’t have time to get to the gym, because that becomes a slippery slope into not workouts and lots of bad food choices.  No time for the gym?  Workout in your bedroom.  That’s what I do, and it works. Say no to events that don’t appeal to you.  If you’re invited to a party that you don’t want to go to, then say you have another commitment and you’re done.  No drama. Be realistic about the expectations you place upon yourself.  If your intention is to not have ANY wine or dessert, but everyone around you is raving about the cabernet and flourless chocolate cake, and you LOVE wine and chocolate, then you’re going to be a miserable cow with impeccable eating habits.  Let me know how that works out for you. Get support.  I have an accountability group starting Dec 17th to address that feeling of being all alone (and miserable) because everyone around you is enjoying the Christmas goodies, but you’re trying to stay on track (and we know they’ll be feeling crappy in January). Our group will be focused on practicing the 80/20 principle - 80% on track, 20% Christmas goodies.  Join us! But, but, what about your goals? A few meals here and there aren’t going to do anything to negate the results of all your hard work. Especially if you’re paying attention to the size of your portions and how much you’re eating as I suggested above. It’s the constant partaking in large quantities of holiday treats that’ll catch up to you. And you end up there only when you allow yourself to, by ignoring the choices you are making and the impact it is having on you physically and emotionally. Give yourself permission to enjoy yourself. When it’s well thought out and logical you’re less likely to overeat as when you feel as if you’re actually caving in and cheating and doing something forbidden. Maybe your intention should be to simply maintain over the holidays. If you typically put on a few pounds of fat over the holidays, then even this is a huge victory for you. Keep active with your workouts, spend most of the time eating what you’re supposed to be eating, and then factor in some extra off-plan food. Factor it in. Don’t try to be perfect over the holidays, because it’s an unreasonable expectation and it will make miserable. Don’t poop the party. XO

Greetings from Palm Springs!! OMG, I love it here.  It’s a little cooler than I’d like it to be (low 70s) so I’m sitting here in the late afternoon in yoga pants and a sweatshirt, but it was warmer earlier, so I did manage some sun time in Honestly, I’m just so grateful to have flexible work that affords me the ability to do these little trips.  It’s so nice to just rent a house with a pool, somewhere warm with a huge backyard and let the dogs have a blast.  This is seriously my kinda vaycay.  I’d take this over a resort in Cabo any day.  But that’s the hermit in me Anyway, suffice to say, it was worth the 9-hour drive to get here!!  Speaking of 9-hour drives, someone on Facebook asked me about thermos recommendations for healthy travel and just toting food to work.  Here’s a few of my must-haves for travel.  The cooler pack is not the same as mine (it’s better) and it already comes with the little travel containers, so it’s something that might end up on my Christmas list as I bring breakfast and lunch to the office with me every day.  I just wish it came in pink <3 I was given these by a friend who got them as a sample - MUST FIND THEM!!  So awesome! Anyway, if you can, check in with me on social media this week as I’m sharing all kinds of low carb, gluten free thanksgiving menu ideas.   I also sent some ideas to the gals on my mailing list.  Are you on that yet?  It goes out weekly and it rounds up cool stuff that’s going on.  This Friday I’m also sending out a Black Friday Sale Roundup. Have a great week!!! Favorites items for healthy travel Thermos Stainless King Food Jar with Folding Spoon, 16 ounce, Midnight Blue Meal Prep Bag 17 Ounce S’well Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle My Favorite Flavor of Quest Bar Contigo 18oz Shake & Go Tumbler A few travel tips. Here’s a quick video covering what I packed for our 9-hour drive. Make soup in advance of the trip and bring it in a little thermos.  I made this soup and it was crazy simple to do! Make (and peel) hardboiled eggs.  So easy and so good. Have an audio book (or my podcast) downloaded and ready to listen to on the drive.  You might as well use this time to learn something new! Nap if you can.  Bring your pillow if it will help you get comfortable. Wear leggings - but I’d recommend you do that regardless of what you’re doing because I freaking love leggings Happy Travels guys!!!

First, you need to know that nutrition is always going to “trump” your workout program. You can’t work your way out of a poor diet. That said, “abs are made in the kitchen” is all true. Here’s what I think (feel free to disagree)… optimize weights and do as little cardio as you can get away with. Unless you truly LOVE cardio for mental reasons, in which case, do what floats your boat because it’s giving you benefits beyond weight loss. If you’re doing it JUST for weight loss, it’s a futile effort, so stop the madness. Do as little as you need to do to reach your goals and not a minute or mile more. Because here’s the thing, cardio breaks you down - weight lifting builds you up. This is the critical difference between these two work out modalities. The biggest issue is with cardio is that the body adapts very easily to what you’re doing and then you have to do more, to get the same level of results. That blows. It also elevates hunger levels which means, you’re eating more, and therefore you’d need to do MORE cardio to negate the extra calories (and the math never works out). Cardio is not a tool or punishment for erasing bad food choices. When it comes to weight-bearing exercise, you can lift weights or just focus on bodyweight exercises. The choice between those two options is largely dependent on your goals and your body type - ectomorphs should lift heavy weights, mesomorphs could get away with just bodyweight workouts. Body weight workouts I recommend Core de Force P90X3 - does require some weights. Piyo Pure Barre Physique 57 Weight workouts I love 21 Day Fix 21 Day Fix Extreme Body Beast A Few Nutrition Notes Be smart with your carbs - if you’re going to eat starchy carbs, eat them around the time of your workout. Have protein and fats in the AM. Leave your carbs for your workout period. Don’t have 5 to 6 small meals a day unless you like doing that. Otherwise, do 3 square meals a day like your grandparents did, and limit snacking as much as possible. Focus on veggies, proteins and healthy fats. After a workout, eat a carb and a protein (or Shakeology is perfect for a post workout meal) to get glucose into your muscle as soon as possible. Aim to eat 30 grams of protein per meal. You need healthy fats for muscle repair, healthy hair and nails. Sleep is critical to muscle repair! Get at least 7 to 8 hours a night. Got questions? Feel free to leave them below. I’ll do my best to answer them and as always, thanks for listening to the podcast!! ??Xo

I grew up with some pretty bad habits. Partying, smoking, not sleeping well and eating all the wrong things. It showed. I was over 200lbs until my early 20’s when I finally did something about it. It wasn’t until I moved to California when I was 36 that my life really shifted. I found better social influences, I tried new sports, and I pushed myself out of my comfort zone, time and time again. That was the catalyst that I needed to go from party girl to sporty-spice. According to James Clear: Environment is the invisible hand that shapes human behavior. We tend to believe our habits are a product of our motivation, talent, and effort. Certainly, these qualities matter. But the surprising thing is, especially over a long time period, your personal characteristics tend to get overpowered by your environment. Bottom line, if you want to create a better environment for yourself, you have to make good behaviors more convenient, make bad behaviors less convenient and be consistent enough to make the good behaviors, habitual. Here are some ideas to consider with your own environmental setup. What can you do to make your good behaviors more accessible and the bad ones, more inconvenient? Get your groceries shipped to you by amazon fresh or similar.  You’ll be less tempted to buy crap. Autoship things like supplements, meal replacement shakes etc.  You’ll know if you’re slacking if they start to pile up and you won’t let that happen. Create a home gym (can do in a very small space) Make going to bed inviting.  Wash your face and brush your teeth before you get too tired.  Have a GREAT book on hand. Invest in the best bedding you can find. Sleep in your workout clothes MEAL PREP!!!! Have smoothies in the AM Hard boil all the eggs Always have a quest bar on hand Don’t keep wine in the house - buy bottles as you need them Don’t center your vacations around loafing around and eating food.  Center them around hiking, or exploring a new city or a spa Wear workout clothes as much as possible - invest in cute stuff Have rules - no food on the couch, no carbs before noon, etc. Have a pair of walking shoes at your desk at work (and use them) Want more great tips on living a fit life?  Come over to The Fit Habit and sign up for my weekly hit of awesome.  It’s typically 3 to 5 of my favorite recipes, workouts, athletic wear and more from around the web. See you there!

Love the podcast?  Sign up for updates at The Fit Habit and be the first one to know when new episodes are uploaded. I’ve been thinking about doing this for a while now. I mean, I don’t eat a ton of gluten anyway, but at least once or twice a week, I’m eating a “healthy” pizza, dipping into the breadbasket at restaurant, or dipping my sushi in soy sauce (yes, soy sauce has gluten and a shit ton of sodium). I find that I when I do indulge, the same things generally happen - I get stomach cramps almost immediately and a little bloating, but then the next day, my “#2” is not normal (I’ll leave it at that and you’re welcome) and I’m in a funk/fog for the rest of the day. It’s like I get a bread hangover and I’m just a little dumber for the next 24 hours. The other thing about gluten is it promotes visceral fat (read Wheat Belly for the deets on this) and I for one, don’t need any more help in the belly fat department. I’m all good there, thanks much. So if you’re curious about whether or not you may have a sensitivity, take a look at this self-test, or just watch how you feel 2 hours and 24 hours after you eat something with gluten in it. Not sure what has gluten? I’ll post a non-exhaustive list at the bottom of this post. Want to ditch gluten but you’re not sure where to start? Well, you can listen to the podcast I just created. When you’ve covered that, here are a few more resources for you to explore. Do you think you have a gluten intolerance?  I pulled this from Celiac.org.  You might be surprised to know things like soy sauce and lip gloss contain gluten.  Read on! Gluten-Containing Grains and Their Derivatives Wheat Varieties and derivatives of wheat such as: wheatberries durum emmer semolina spelt farina farro graham KAMUT® khorasan wheat einkorn wheat Rye Barley Triticale Malt in various forms including: malted barley flour, malted milk or milkshakes, malt extract, malt syrup, malt flavoring, malt vinegar Brewer’s Yeast Common Foods That Contain Gluten Pastas: raviolis, dumplings, couscous, and gnocchi Noodles: ramen, udon, soba (those made with only a percentage of buckwheat flour) chow mein, and egg noodles. (Note: rice noodles and mung bean noodles are gluten free) Breads and Pastries: croissants, pita, naan, bagels, flatbreads, cornbread, potato bread, muffins, donuts, rolls Crackers: pretzels, goldfish, graham crackers Baked Goods: cakes, cookies, pie crusts, brownies Cereal & Granola: corn flakes and rice puffs often contain malt extract/flavoring, granola often made with regular oats, not gluten-free oats Breakfast Foods: pancakes, waffles, french toast, crepes, and biscuits. Breading & Coating Mixes: panko breadcrumbs Croutons: stuffings, dressings Sauces & Gravies (many use wheat flour as a thickener) traditional soy sauce, cream sauces made with a roux Flour tortillas Beer (unless explicitly gluten-free) and any malt beverages (see “Distilled Beverages and Vinegars” below for more information on alcoholic beverages) Brewer’s Yeast Anything else that uses “wheat flour” as an ingredient Foods That May Contain Gluten (must be verified by reading the label or checking with the manufacturer/kitchen staff) Energy bars/granola bars – some bars may contain wheat as an ingredient, and most use oats that are not gluten-free French fries – be careful of batter containing wheat flour or cross-contact from fryers Potato chips – some potato chip seasonings may contain malt vinegar or wheat starch Processed lunch meats Candy and candy bars Soup – pay special attention to cream-based soups, which have flour as a thickener. Many soups also contain barley Multi-grain or “artisan” tortilla chips or tortillas that are not entirely corn-based may contain a wheat-based ingredient Salad dressings and marinades – may contain malt vinegar, soy sauce, flour Starch or dextrin if found on a meat or poultry product could be from any grain, including wheat Brown rice syrup – may be made with barley enzymes Meat substitutes made with seitan (wheat gluten) such as vegetarian burgers, vegetarian sausage, imitation bacon, imitation seafood (Note: tofu is gluten-free, but be cautious of soy sauce marinades and cross-contact when eating out, especially when the tofu is fried) Soy sauce (though tamari made without wheat is gluten-free) Self-basting poultry Pre-seasoned meats Cheesecake filling – some recipes include wheat flour Eggs served at restaurants – some restaurants put pancake batter in their scrambled eggs and omelets, but on their own, eggs are naturally gluten-free Distilled Beverages And Vinegars Most distilled alcoholic beverages and vinegars are gluten-free. These distilled products do not contain any harmful gluten peptides even if they are made from gluten-containing grains. Research indicates that the gluten peptide is too large to carry over in the distillation process, leaving the resulting liquid gluten-free. Wines and hard liquor/distilled beverages are gluten-free. However, beers, ales, lagers, malt beverages and malt vinegars that are made from gluten-containing grains are not distilled and therefore are not gluten-free. There are several brands of gluten-free beers available in the United States and abroad. Other Items That Must Be Verified By Reading The Label Or Checking With The Manufacturer Lipstick, lipgloss, and lip balm because they are unintentionally ingested Communion wafers Herbal or nutritional supplements Drugs and over-the-counter medications (Learn about Gluten in Medication) Vitamins and supplements (Learn about Vitamins and Supplements) Play-dough: children may touch their mouths or eat after handling wheat-based play-dough. For a safer alternative, make homemade play-dough with gluten-free flour.

Breakfast: I do a shakeology superfood smoothie every morning with 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk, water, ice, and 2 tablespoons of nut butter or coconut oil.  Approx 350 cals, mostly fat and protein. Lunch:  Fill large containers with bagged lettuce.  Done In 3 smaller containers put your salad fixin’s including cherry tomatoes, olives, cheese, and protein (chopped chicken, flaked tuna etc).  Bring dressing in a tiny container, or do what I do, and keep a bottle of olive oil at your desk at work. Snack:  portion 2 hard boiled eggs into a container or in a baggie.  Best grab and go snack ever.  Chop small cucumbers and sweet peppers as well. Dinner:  Roast 1 spaghetti squash and make a few different meals out of it.  Bake some protein like chicken or salmon (6 servings) and use this for your lunch and dinner. When you get home at night, you have the spaghetti squash that makes great spaghetti and meat, or if you have a few more minutes, this lemon pesto shrimp dish is awesome and it’s really easy to make Done. Grocery list 3 bags lettuce 1 container of cherry tomatoes 1 container of small cucumbers 1 bag of sweet peppers 1 dozen free range, organic eggs Bagged shredded parmesan cheese 1 or 2 spaghetti squashes protein (your chicken, fish or whatever) unsweetened almond milk Olive oil olives (for salad) tomato sauce for spaghetti squash coconut oil nut butter avocado nuts (raw, unsalted) Organic cheese sticks plain single serve yogurts Boom!  Done.  Really, this is my food plan and it works! What do you think?  It would take you longer to wait in line at Starbucks than it would to prep these meals. I’m all about easy peasy and healthy!

Many of my clients and readers come to me because they’re in their 40’s and they notice everything is starting to fall apart on their bodies and their waistlines are getting bigger and bigger.  All of them ask me for the same thing - a meal plan and workout program that will fix the problem and make the fat go away (preferably forever and ever). While I get the frustration (been there, done that), I always tell them the same thing (which is not always appreciated, but it’s the real deal) - all the squats and kale in the world is not going to fix your problem if the problem isn’t food or nutrition. There are several variables that impact sudden or gradual weight gain.  Yes, some of it is about food and nutrition, but a lot of it is also about sleep deprivation, stress and exhaustion - something most women are dealing with on the regular. If you are stressed out about work, family or money, that’s having an impact on your weight (I know, something else to stress about).  If you are sleeping less than 7 hours a night, you can be sure, that it showing up in your increasing dress size. I could go on, but I talk about it all on the podcast. The takeaway here is that there’s a much broader issue to address when looking at losing weight and looking and feeling your most awesome self (for like, ever).  I want you to see the bigger picture which is why I blog, podcast, share stuff on social media and do my fitness challenge groups.  It’s about getting healthy, but it’s also about the steps you need to take to get there. So stick with me.  I can help you lose those 10 or 20lbs, no problem, but I want you to get to a place where that’s never an issue for you again, and where you don’t have to suffer through the journey.  You just start to live better, little by little, day by day. That’s the difference between wellness and weight loss. Tell me what you think!  Does this make sense, or does it frustrate you?  It’s okay to be honest if it’s not resonating with you.  I’m here to help! Head over to the blog and let’s connect!  xo

Most people that look at my life think I’m a total health nut.  They’d say I’m not normal because I don’t eat bread or because I workout every day.  They’d be mostly wrong though (okay, except maybe with the whole “normal” thing…) But I’m not a health and fitness freak.  Not even close. Truth is, I just know exactly how much I can get away with in terms of indulgence, and still look good in a pair of skinny jeans (at the ripe old age of 46).  And you know what?  That ratio is about 20% wine and cheese (which I love and won’t ever give up) and 80% healthy stuff like morning runs and kale salads. But the key to this being totally doable and never a problem for me to sustain is that I like the 80% part (almost) as much as I like the wine and cheese!  I’ve built my life so that the workouts I do, give me the right amount of energy and happiness while not draining my mojo (which is why I NEVER workout in a gym) #DreamKiller. Here’s the (very cliche) philosophy that seems to work really well for me - take an 80/20 approach to life.  Give yourself that 20% room to enjoy your life and REALLY indulge, but do it consciously.  Totally enjoy it.  Be present with it.  Really be there in that moment.  Set yourself up with the other 80% to be routine, pleasant or at least neutral and  definitely automated.  Kinda like brushing your teeth. I fully believe that you HAVE to enjoy your life and all the rosé moments that come with it, even if you have health and fitness goals you’re trying to attain as well.  There’s room for all of it, as long as you know exactly what works for you!   Why are balance and focus so important?  Because this journey to a healthier, stronger, more amazing you, never ends.  It’s not a deadline that once you’ve achieved a certain body weight you can let it go.  It has to be a part of your daily existence until you no longer exist.  So make it enjoyable.  Make it sustainable so that you never WANT to give it up.  You can’t put your health on a deadline.  You can’t have a goal that’s so rigid that if you don’t achieve it in a certain timeline that you’re just going to give it up and let yourself go.  Living well doesn’t work that way! So how can you maintain focus and balance for yourself? Here are a few things that work for me.  If you want the full list, you’re going to have to listen to the podcast (while you workout preferably!  xo) Find things you LIKE to do.  Don’t “white knuckle” your way through workouts you hate or foods you don’t enjoy.  Ask yourself how you can make this experience more enjoyable and fun Find people who inspire you to move forward when things get hard (because the will!) To be continued on the podcast….

I’m not going to add much to this episode because I think it speaks for itself.  I talk about some personal successes and failures, and what’s worked for me in order to push through hard times (because I’m a pro at giving up). I hope you find some value here for your own life and how to approach your own definition of success.  The real takeaway is to define it on your own and know what works for you in terms of managing your own expectations and riding the wave of sucky parts (because those always come). Want more insights light this?  Head this way.

In 2012 I asked myself what the heck had I gotten myself into when I signed up for a bikini competition. It was hands down the hardest thing I’ve ever accomplished, and the only reason I followed through was that I made myself accountable. Had I not taken that step - I would never have made it to the end. My willpower is just not that strong. Can you relate? Here’s an interesting tidbit - a study from Dominican University compared two groups of goal setters - one with accountability partners, and one group without. Turns out that 70% of the people who reported progress on their goals (daily) to their accountability partner, actually achieved them versus 35% who didn’t have accountability. That’s pretty significant. The secret to achieving goals is to set them so they are: Just outside your comfort zone (the sweet spot) Measurable and specific (have a date and a metric to achieve Compelling enough that you won’t lose momentum Want to make sure you follow through? Then make sure you: Put yourself on the hook - be public, tell everyone. Put some skin in the game - invest $$ in your goal because we’re motivated not to squander money. Don’t promise to do things that you don’t think you’ll follow through with. It chips away at your own sense of self-worth. Know what your why is. What’s the driving you to accomplish this goal, and is it strong enough to carry you through hard times (because there will be hard times). Have a roadmap to get yourself where you need to go, but be willing to adjust your strategy if it’s not working. Goal setting is an important way to move you forward in life and kick you out of stagnant ruts. My online fitness groups help women achieve their weight loss and health goals by keeping them accountable, actionable and focused for a specific time period. Interested? Get the deets here. ?Got goals? Tell me about your Big Audacious Hairy Goal (BAHG) in the comments. Go ahead… put it out there!

Want more info on Intermittent Fasting?  Head to the website for deets and links! If you’re holding down a corporate job, raising kids and generally trying to manage some semblance of a life, I trust you’re very busy.  Probably too busy to prep meals, eat 4 to 6 times a day and hit the gym after work.  Story of your life?  I’ve got something you might find interesting! If you’ve never heard that term before, it’s basically decreasing the window of time that you eat in a day to typically 8 hours a day or less.  You don’t necessarily eat less calories, you just eat them in a shorter period of time, perhaps say between noon and 8pm.  So in that scenario, you wouldn’t skip breakfast, but you would hold off on eating it until lunch time.  Then you could eat whatever you typically would, until you hit a hard stop at 8pm.  (The timing of your window is entirely up to you.) This may sound very familiar to your typical habits.  Or maybe this is something you did in the past, but changed that habit because consumer health experts insisted that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so you started forcing yourself to eat before your left for work in the morning. Before I go on, I will say that for some, breakfast IS the most important meal of the day, and without it, they feel sluggish and tired.  In his book, The 4 Hour Body, Tim Ferris recommends eating 30 grams of protein first thing in the morning to control leptin hormones (your internal hunger barometer) and Dr Sara Gottfried suggests it calm the adrenals.   Even with intermittent fasting (IF) you can eat when you first wake up, but you better be all good with eating 5pm blue-haired dinner specials because you’ll be fasting pretty early on in the evening. But there is ample research to support not eating breakfast.  Many health experts, including Mark Sisson of Mark’s Daily Apple, practice this approach and typically do their workouts in a fasted state as well, leading to a better fat-burning effect and greater human growth hormone production. How will intermittent fasting make you lose weight? Well, the short answer is that it improves hormone balance, insulin resistance and fat oxidation, but it also controls overall caloric intake because you just have less time to mindlessly graze without accounting for calories.  If you want more scientific explanations to these points - Mark Sisson has pulled together a great deal of research here.  If this is something you think would work for you, particularly if you’re not one to crave breakfast or find you’re too busy to eat 3 meals a day (with IF you can eat all your food in one meal, or spread it out however you like in your eating window), then it might be worth giving it a try.  To be clear, I’m not an expert in this protocol, but here’s a great resource from a trusted source on the evidence-based approach to intermittent fasting from Precision Nutrition that I would highly recommend checking out.  Just a few caveats before you head off on your fasting adventure.  IF is not for everyone, and more particularly, it’s not always the best choice for women.  It can cause hormonal fluctuations in some women which can lead to weight gain, instead of loss, and it’s also not advised if you’re pregnant, nursing or have a history of eating disorders. Clearly the downside of this practice is that you may push your hunger too far and end up in an uncontrollable binge which is obviously not the goal.  However, if you’re someone that can ease through a good part of the day without eating, IF can also increase mental clarity and focus, free up a lunch hour to do other things, as well as being an awesome fat-burning technique. What are my thoughts on Intermittent Fasting? I’ve been experimenting with this protocol for the past few weeks, but I feel I need to give it a bit more time before I share my thoughts on the fat burning effectiveness, however I will say that I do find I can get more done in the morning and enjoy a more alert state of mind while fasting.   Beyond that, I’ll let the research speak for itself until I’ve given this process enough time to show results.

I hope you found today’s podcast on carbs and counting macros to be eye-opening about how fat loss can be largely influenced by what you eat not necessarily how much. Here’s a quick breakdown of the 3 major macro groups. If you want a full video tutorial to give you the full view, shoot me your best email and I’ll get that right over to you. It’s about 20 minutes long, but it’s very helpful to put everything into applicable context. So here’s the macro breakdown Carbs - 4 calories per gram Non-starchy are the BEST!! Eat these with abandon. They are highly fibrous, made with mostly water and are packed with vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. Starchy carbs - potatoes, rice, grains, etc - you have to earn these, so if you’re not doing intense workouts, stay away from them (if fat loss is your goal). Processed carbs - sugar, bread and baked goods, and food-like products like Pop-Tarts. I have no words for these other than stay away. Protein - 4 calories per gram Found mostly in meats, dairy, and eggs but also in supplements and veggies. Go for quality over quantity here! Organic, free-range meats, eggs and dairy and quality supplements like Shakeology or Vega is great, too. Fats - 9 calories per gram Healthy fats are great!! Aim for 50% of your diet as fats. Opt for avocado, egg yolks, olives and olive oils, coconut, full fat, organic dairy and fatty meats like salmon. Macros - I explain them all right here. Want the 20 minute tutorial on how to put this all together? Shoot me your best email and I’ll send it over to you.

Wow - this book really punched me in the gut!  If you want some wisdom nuggets, listen to the podcast, but DO get the book as well.  It was life changing! Jon really made me aware of a few important areas where I’m playing average (and shouldn’t be).  Areas where I could be doing SO much more, but I’m not either out of fear of judgement or perhaps even fear of success (yes, this is a thing). That said, I don’t think it’s critical or even possible to play “awesome” in all areas of your life, because only the truly important things need your absolute attention.  The rest can be average (or below average if you can tolerate it).   Certainly for me, that’s my house cleaning and I’m a-okay with that.  I have a maid that comes bi-weekly to get the place back into shape and I’m happy to let it go to ruins in the meantime.  My focus is too important to think about toilet bowls and dust bunnies. Food for thought, but meanwhile, I’ve got a bunch of great notes from the book on my blog.  Go check it out!

A cold and an injury forced me to slow down and limit my workouts to yoga and walking.  What I wasn’t expecting was the increased happiness and continued leanness that new routine delivered.   Some of my favorite online yoga classes: Ali Kamenova - some free classes and also a membership site.  Very challenging classes and she has a unique style you may or may not love. YogaGlo - great line up of instructors and class levels.  I think it’s $18 a month for a membership. Beachbody On Demand - LOTS of yoga classes as well as every form of workout from hiphop to weight lifting of varying lengths and levels (try P90x yoga classes).  You can get a free 30 day trial for this platform and after that it’s $2.99 a week. Yoga Today - great classes and they do offer a free version every week.  Membership is $15 per month. Get connected for more great info!