Fab Fit Squad

The first week of the new year is almost over. How are you doing with your resolutions? Are you still making them? If your resolution this year is to lose those last 10 pounds or to get into or back into shape I have a few tips that may help you get there this year.

1. You need a strategy — just hoping and praying isn’t a strategy. Think of your fitness plan as planning a trip. Would you just hop in the car and hope you end up a destination. No.. you would punch it into your GPS and follow the route. Getting back into shape and losing weight is the same thing! Your action for right now is to say — I am going to ________. I’m looking for an exact number, if its not exact you can’t measure how you are doing.  For example, by February 17 I will lose 10 pounds or I will run/walk 1 mile each day for the next 30 days.  So.. what’s your action item to get you toward your end goal?
2. Yes, write it down — you have you strategy, it’s not good enough to have it in your head, you need to write it down and put it someplace where you can see it each and every day! I recommend you tape it in multiple locations — your bathroom mirror, your nightstand, your refrigerator, your car’s sun visor, your cube at work. The more you see it the more you will be reminded of your goal and your actions will start to reflect where you want to go. Your action item — write your goal for the next 30 days and put it in multiple locations.
3. Don’t go hungry — when people start to diet the first thing I hear is I’m going to skip meals. Nothing makes me more crazy than when I hear that. Okay the other thing that makes me crazier is when I see people walking/running on a treadmill and holding on for dear life. Unless you came in using a walker or a cane there is no need to hold on. Pump your arms and use your core! Off my soap box, now back to meals. You must fuel your body every 2-3 hours.  You must keep blood sugar levels even, this is what signals the brain for food. The more even your blood sugars levels the less likely you are to go on a bender. Think about this.  How many times have you skipped lunch and then headed home after work and just ate everything sight or you planned on eating the right things and your hungry mind took over.  I know that never happens to you guys. =) If you are reading this and its been a few hours –EAT SOMETHING! Your action item — what snacks can you put in your desk drawer or in the car that you can eat?
4. Get support — You can’t do this alone! There will be times when you need a shoulder to lean on, a kick in the pants or just an ear when you need to vent. Ask someone to be your accountability partner. When you have this person you are less likely to fall off the wagon. I highly recommend you find that friend, co-worker or whomever that isn’t afraid to be hard on you.  Your action item — find and ask someone to be your support person?
5. Share your goals with the world — The more people who know what you are doing you are more likely to do it. No one wants to look like a fool. In this new world of social media — post your goal(s) on your Facebook wall, tweet about them on Twitter.  You’d be surprised how much support and encouragement you’ll get from others who maybe trying to reach the same goal or this is where you may find your accountability partner. Your action item –post your 30 day goal on your Facebook wall, tweet about or tell someone in person.  You can even leave your comments on my blog! I have no problem being that kick in the rump!
6. Pick one thing to change — Many of you feel you need to change EVERYTHING right away. I’m all for that BUT… if you aren’t that kind of person. Don’t do it!  I recommend you pick 1 habit this week and work on changing that. If you are addicted to diet soda — work on reducing the number that you have in a day or go cold turkey.  Action item — What is the one thing you will change this week?

With these 6 tips in hand do you feel like you have a nice blueprint to help you forward towards reaching your fitness goals this year? If you would some formalized help. I still have a few spots open for my F.R.E.E 30 day wellness coaching program. Just shoot me an email to learn more.  I really want to know how you are doing. Leave me your fitness goal in the comments below.

These past few weeks, we may have been eating more than we typically do during the rest of the year. Come January 1st, many of will list losing weight as your primary New Year’s Resolution. So what do you do? You head to the gym and hit the cardio machines, take a few group exercise classes and maybe lift a few weights. The question that remains is what are you eating? Jack Lalanne is the godfather of fitness and his famous quote is~ Exercise is King, nutrition is Queen, put them together and you’ve got a kingdom. Most people forget to think about the food.  Once you get your nutrition in alignment you will find that workouts come a little easier and you fit into those skinny jeans just a little faster.

Over the next 5 weeks I going to give a number of challenges to help you kick off the new year with a bang!

This week I challenge you to keep a food journal! This food journal doesn’t have to be anything fancy. I use Fitday to track my food. They have a free online version as well as a paid version. You can also just write it down on a piece of paper. Why do you need to write down what you eat? When you write down what you eat, you get an up close and personal view what you are putting into your body. This exercise will be very eye opening. Care to share your journal with me? I’ll do FREE 15 min nutrition review.

PS — Feel like you need a little more help and want to do a cleanse to detox the holidays? Let me know my client Kjerstan did and lost 7  pounds in one week! Shoot me an email for me details.

This year instead of making a resolution I’m make a themes for 2012. My first theme for 2012 is EXPRESSION!!! This year I will be stepping in front of the camera and doing more video blogs so that I can demonstrate exercises that you should incorporate into your fitness routines, show you some of my favorite recipes and I want go my readers a more of an one on one experience.  I’ve been writing this blog for almost 3 years and it’s time for me to get a little more personal.  The best thing about my theme is it has a THEME SONG!!! I know it’s old school, but it works!!! What are your theme’s for 2012?  Do you need some help setting those themes? The week after Christmas I’m having 15 min goal setting appointments. If you are interested, please shoot me an email.

Why is that during the holidays we make all sorts of excuses not to follow our diets and keep up with our workouts. I say — Why put off till tomorrow what you can do today!!!  Did you know that it takes 3500 extra calories to add one 1 pound? So.. during the holidays the average person gains 3-5 pounds because they are eating an extra calories and not moving enough.  How do you stop it? Here are 10 ways to stop the holiday bulge.

1. Watch your portion size. During this time of year it seems as though there is always food and drink around. We all seem to use this time of year as an excuse to eat and drink what we want! But all those little treats add up especially you aren’t exercising. Fill your plate with 50% veggies and lean cuts of protein. Before you attend a party have something to eat, don’t go on an empty stomach. (more…)

It’s that time of year, when we are asked to make our holiday list or perhaps you’re scratching your head trying to decide what to get for all of your fitness-minded friends.  Here are a few suggestions.

• Ty-she Gym towel  –This towel wraps around your waist covering your butt and has convenient pockets for your IPod, keys and ID.
• Words to Sweat by — Need some motivation while you are working out? These handy little personal sweat towels having truly inspiring words to really funny mantra that keep you plugging through your workout.
• The Body Shield towel — Want to create a true barrier between YOU and the machines at your gym?  Check out The Body Shield, its antimicrobial, odor free, and come with an elastic band that lets you attach the towel to equipment without it slipping off.
• The Blender Ball shake mixer – Most shaker bottles contain a plastic mesh cap that is “supposed” to help blend the powdered protein shake with the liquid.  This doesn’t always give you a clump free shake, enter the Blender Ball shaker. It has a wire whisk ball that makes your shake taste like it was but through a blender – okay almost =)
• Sandbells/Waterbell – Dumbbells, Medicine balls and kettlebells aren’t portable, hurt when you drop them on your feet or hands and can be expensive to have all of them in your home gym arsenal.  Sandbells combine all 3 and then some! You fill these stretchy neoprene bags with sand or water.  You can use these bags at home or bring them with you to add strength to any outdoor workout.
• Valsides or Gliding Discs — Works your lower body as well as your upper body with these little devices.  They may be small but they will leave you feeling the burn!  Both of these little pieces are portable so you can bring them with you to the gym or throw them in your suitcase and create an ultimate travel workout.
• Monster bands — Are you someone who travels or know someone who travels a bit.  Do they go to the hotel gym, see pink dumbbells, and think how am I going to get a good workout?  Maybe you’re a new mom who has a challenge getting to the gym.  The typical bands you find at your local Target or sporting goods store may not provide enough resistance.  You can purchase these monster bands – you can use them in a variety of ways.  They are lightweight, portable and can add versatility to most exercises. http://www.roguefitness.com/rogue-monster-bands.php 
• Vitamix — This is a blender on steroids.  You can blend partially anything with this blender.  It takes a lickn’ and keeps on blending.  I’ve had mine for over 15 years and it’s still going!
• Magic Bullet — Not quite ready to step up to the Vitamix?  Check out the Magic Bullet.  It’s perfect for travel and it’s a little friendlier on your wallet.
• Sweaty Bands – This is a cute way to keep the sweat out of your eyes and it won’t slip.
• Mini Exercise Ball — Use this ball to upgrade your ab workouts.  This little ball will have you feeling every muscle in your abs.  Just put it under the small of your back extends your arms and try lifting your feet.

If you don’t like any of these ideas, you can always send them to Lululemon to get you a cute outfit or a bag.  Have any other suggestions, leave me a comment below, I’d love to hear them.

The average American will consume up to 3,000 calories during the Thanksgiving weekend. You don’t need to be a statistic. Here are a few weeks to beat the Thanksgiving weight gain. Here are few tips to help you stay on track.

• Instead of using the ladle to put gravy on your plate, using a soup spoon instead
• Hold the stuffing and you’ll save over 200 calories.
• Watch your sugar intake this means baked goods,  both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks
• If someone asks you to bring something how about you bring some nice healthy veggies — sauteed green beans
• Slow down and eat! Eating too fast doesn’t give your brain a chance to register that you are eating.
• Fulling full? Take dessert to go or have it late night — give yourself time to digest.

Don’t let this or any holiday be your “exception”. I’m not saying don’t enjoy yourself, but make sure you keeping your eye on your long term goal weight loss.  Having a big meal can easily derail your hard fought progress.

Need some more tips — check out my posts from the last few years.

You heard right we are clearing out the 2011 weight, we need to make room for the 2012 healthy life. We need to make room for the healthy person that is inside of us that we have been waiting to meet!

The time is now we only have a few weeks to make it happen. If this was the year you were going to loose weight, fit into those skinny jeans or look hot for the holidays in the little black dress. Your time is NOW. Join me in my year-end fat clearance. My client Kjerstan did this and loss 7 pounds in the first week!!!

I am doing a 30 day cleanse.  I’d love for you to join me. My goals for this cleanse are really simple jump start my 2012 fitness goals.

This isn’t your traditional starve yourself or drink a crazy combination of maple syrup and cayenne pepper. We aren’t going to dance around our backyards with a chicken and rabbit’s foot during a full moon. We are going to infuse our bodies with quality nutrients that ensure optimum health leading to safe weight loss.  During this cleanse we are going to get our bodies back into balance while releasing toxins and impurities that have accumulated in each of our bodies over time.

Why you should join me on this year end clearance? You’ll:

• jump start your 2012 resolutions and actually meet them
• increase your energy levels
• experience reduced cravings
• accelerate healthy weight loss
• improved digestion
• sleep better

I will be with you every step of the way going through the cleanse with you. When you join me on the year end fat clearance you will receive:

• step by step instructions
• daily motivational emails
• a grocery list
• unlimited support via email

Let’s get our weight loss goals off to a fast start. Join me for the year-end fat clearance. To join me on this challenge just shoot me an email and I’ll give you all the details.

The path to success is to take massive, determined action — Tony Robbins

So many people say the WANT to _______, you fill in the blank. Lose weight, build muscle, fit into their skinny jeans or the little black dress. And then you hit the wall of LACK! You know what I’m talking about, you can’t hit your goals, because you lack this, that and any other excuse you can drum. Below you will find 5 Lacks that you can turn around to make your weight loss/fitness goals a reality.

1. Motivation — you have a goal, but it doesn’t inspire you. It doesn’t cause you to take action.  Turn it around. What will inspire you to take action — is it telling someone? Is posting your goals all around the house? Is it taking your jeans up on your wall so you can see them each and every day? Whatever it is, needs to motivate you to take ACTION!!!
2. Accountability — you’ve set the goal, but you haven’t told anybody what it is, so if you don’t do it guess what it doesn’t matter because no one knows. Turn it around — TELL SOMEONE! You have no one to tell. Tell me — shoot me an email and I’ll hold you accountable. This accountability person is the person who holds your feet to fire and encourages when you get down or gives you the swift kick in the tush when you need it as well.
3. “Life” (you get busy) — these days are all “busy” running a million miles away, here is how you turn it around! Planning, planning and more planning.   Here’s how it works. Every week sit down and decide what you are going to do this week and put it in your calendar. I mean EVERYTHING — when will you prep your meals for the week, when will you workout.
4. Support — everyone around isn’t living a healthy lifestyle or will test your willpower. You can have just one can’t you? Well don’t let those crabs get you down. Turn it around by spending time with like minded folk. I know its hard to pull away from people, but its all about toward something versus remaining stagnat. To be successful at living a healthy life you need the support.
5. Results – you’ve gone down this path before and your results didn’t come as quickly as you would have hoped for. So.. you gave up, it wasn’t going to work any way, right. Wrong — most people give up right before they reach the tipping point the point at which change is about reach its boiling point.  I also want you to remember that change takes MASSIVE ACTION for MASSIVE RESULTS to be acheived. Are you ready to turn it around and take that MASSIVE ACTION.

I know that this is a total mind shift. You need to get your head moving from a place of what you lack into a place of what you don’t lack and how you can use those tools to push you toward your goals. One of the biggest ways I’ve been able to reach my goal is through the support of people, both online and offline. If you would like to brainstorm ways to turn aournd your fitness goals, shoot me an email. I’d love to hear from you.

PS — please join me for a pre-thanksgiving fast. I will be starting my 9 day cleanse on Tuesday, November 15 and breaking my fast on Thursday, November 24th Thanksgiving day. If you’d like to join me, please shoot me an email. My goal is to release 5 pounds from my body.

For those of you who don’t play golf, a mulligan is a do over. You hit a bad shot and then you get to do it over again.  Well here we are coming off a long weekend filled with fun activities that may have included lots of food and alcohol.

You wake up today look in the mirror reflect on your weekend. You say to yourself,  I’m going to the gym and hit the weights the little harder, do a little more cardio or skip a meal or to to make up for all this past weekend’s bad behavior.

Do you think it will help?  Sorry to inform you, but no. I tell my clients that you need to live the 80/20 rule. Eat cleanly 80% of the time and have some treats 20% of the time.  If you go over that limit then there is no make-up.  You need to step up and take responsibility for your actions. If you eat you own it!

The lesson is before you eat or drink it. Think about it. Are your actions moving you toward your goals or away from you goals.

It’s the first big weekend of the summer, you’re staring at the invitation thinking how can I do this AND keep to my lifestyle. Guess what YOU CAN! Offer to bring side dishes or part of the main course. With a grill there are so may choices grilled veggies, lean meats and great salads.

Here are a few dishes you can give a try.

Roasted chick peas – (2) cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans) drained and dry with papertowel. Put in a bowl and season with 1T chili powder, 1t kosher salt 1T olive oil. Place on cookie sheet coated with non-stick cooking spray. Cook for 30-40 min keep you eye on the for the last 10 min to make sure they don’t burn.

Grilled citrus shrimp –1 to 1 1/2 pounds of uncooked medium shrimp peeled. Squeeze 2 medium oranges and 1 lime in a mixing bowl. Now add 1/4 cup olive oil and 1 t kosher salt. Like it a little spicy add in crushed red pepper flakes. Put shrimp and marinade in a ziplock bag and refrigerate for  at least 30 minutes.  Grill about 2 min/side or until shrimp turns pink.

Hummus cucumber cups — Cut 4 cucumbers into thick 1 inch slices. Using a melon baller, scoop at the seeds (careful don’t break through bottom) and add in hummus. You can use store bought. I like the garlic lovers.

Here’s a marinade to give a shot.

1/2 cup cilantro leaves, 1/2 c parsley, 1/2 c olive oil, 2 limes squeezed, 2 garlic cloves, 1/2 t salt and 1/2 t crushed red pepper and 2 T red wine vinegar . Mix together using a food processor or hand mixer.