Healthy Holiday Tip #3

Ouch!  This is a little tough love.  Be mindful and keep the 80/20 rule in check.  80% of the time you eat clean and healthy, you drink lots of water and you get your workouts in.  That leaves 20% for all the indulgences and festivities this time of year brings.  You will feel less guilty, you'll be able to enjoy your favorite food and cookies and beverages.  You can't feel deprived this time of year.  It only leads to overeating and then throwing all the good habits out the window.  Don't do it this year.  Keep these good habits in check and you'll start the new year off right.

~Christina

Healthy Holiday Tip #2

You know when you stand around where all the food is, you just keep reaching your hand into that bowl of candy or reach for the cheese balls and crackers or nuts and chips.  You are having a great time, chatting and sipping your wine or cocktail and you just can't keep that hand away from all the goodies.  Grazing and chatting....having "just one more" a thousand more times. Before you know it, you've overindulged in food and drink and feel like a busted can of biscuits when you get home.
 
So be there and be really present with your friends and family.  Focus on your friends and family not the food. Find out what's going on in their lives and what's coming up for them.  Relive memories you have together, talk about the coming year.  Try to learn at least 3 new things about them.  It's about spending time with our loved ones right?  

Now, don't get me wrong...I'm surely not saying you can't have any of the treats at the party.  Just be mindful.  Get a small plate and have what you want.  You'll see how much you are eating that way.  Don't just stand there and keep reaching for more.  You'll never realize how much you had at the end of the night.  If you have to grab a plate each time, you'll notice it more.  

Out of sight is out of mind.  If the food is out of sight, it will be less tempting.  So either move away from the kitchen or food table or chat with people with your back to the food.  If you don't see it, there will be less temptation.

And remember Healthy Holiday Tip #1.  Don't go to the party hungry.

~Christina

Healthy Holiday Tip #1

Before you head out to that party, be sure you eat a little something.  Have a protein shake or some soup.  Have a little bit of chicken and some veggies.  It doesn't have to be a lot.  By doing this you won't be absolutely starving and grab anything and everything in sight to eat.  You can be more purposeful about what you choose.  The cocktail or glass of wine won't affect you as quickly and you will feel more in control of what you are eating and drinking.

Pumpkin Bread Transformation

Before & After:

Pumpkin Bread Recipe

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Original article from Team Beachbody

It’s October already! This is a popular month to justifiably go crazy with pumpkin-flavored everything. Before you head out and pile on the seasonal treats, take a step back and understand what is really in the “treats” that can make them more like “tricks.”

Let’s look at a fall favorite: pumpkin bread. Pumpkin bread might seem like a good idea because it isn’t advertised as a muffin or cake, but in most instances, it’s a pumpkin-flavored sugar fest. We decided to give the typical pumpkin bread you would see in most bakeries/stores a Beachbody makeover so we can save the flavor and say good-bye to the junk!

BEFORE:

  

This is the nutritional info and ingredient list for one Starbucks Pumpkin Bread slice.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving:

• Calories: 410
• Total Fat: 15 g
• Saturated Fat: 3 g
• Cholesterol: 55 mg
• Sodium: 500 mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 63 g
• Dietary Fiber: 2 g
• Sugars: 39 g
• Protein: 6 g

Ingredients:

sugar, pumpkin, enriched flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), egg, soybean oil, enriched flour (wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), water, pepitas (pepitas, safflower oil, salt), food starch-modified, sea salt, spice, baking powder (sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium bicarbonate, corn starch, monocalcium phosphate), baking soda, soy lecithin.

As you can see, even with “enriched” flours, the ingredients still consist of sugars, processed wheat flours, and something called “food starch-modified.” One slice also brings in a whopping 63 g carbohydrates, 39 g sugar, and 500 mg sodium (on top of the 410 calories for a slice)!

AFTER:

Shakeology had an intervention with this slice of trickery and came up with this recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup almond flour
• ¼ cup coconut flour
• 1 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
• ½ tsp. sea salt (or Himalayan salt)
• ½ tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• ⅓ cup coconut oil, melted
• 2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
• ¾ cup pure pumpkin puree
• Nonstick cooking spray

Nutrition Facts Per Serving:

• Calories: 156
• Total Fat: 13 g
• Saturated Fat: 7 g
• Cholesterol: 62 mg
• Sodium: 104 mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 7 g
• Dietary Fiber: 3 g
• Sugars: 3 g
• Protein: 5 g

We were able to switch the enriched processed flours with almond and coconut flours to reduce the carb and sugar count. We also used a small amount of pure maple syrup to bring out the sweetness of the bread without the crazy sugar spike. We also did you a solid and gave you the recipe so you can make this yummy treat yourself!

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Combine almond flour, coconut flour, pumpkin pie spice, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon in a medium bowl; mix well. Set aside.
3. Combine eggs and oil in a large bowl; mix well. Add maple syrup and pumpkin; mix well.
4. Add flour mixture to egg mixture; mix until just blended.
5. Place batter in small loaf pan that has been lightly coated with spray.
6. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

It was so good, we made extra! A few pro tips: Use a smaller loaf pan so it cooks evenly throughout. You could make pumpkin muffins out of these by using a muffin pan.

How to kickstart your willpower

How 3-Day Refresh Strengthens Your Willpower

Beachbody has worked “jump start” micro-diets into our programs almost since the beginning, and with good reason. Starting off a prolonged series of workouts with a short boot-camp-style nutrition plan is more than just a way to shed a few pounds up front; it’s a powerful motivational tool. Not only are you training your willpower to take on harder tasks ahead, but with that dip on the scale, you’re affirming that you can do whatever you set your mind—and body—to do.

With this in mind, combining 3-Day Refresh with a workout program is the logical next step. This whole food and supplement-based program is intended to break the cycle of bad eating habits, and act as a challenge to put you in the right mind frame to succeed. In fact, Beachbody customer surveys indicated 73% of respondents felt the Refresh helped to break their bad eating habits. It can help you adjust to clean eating before you make a daily commitment to exercise.

The key to breaking these types of habits—or achieving any other goal—isn’t what you’re capable of doing as much as what you think you’re capable of doing. It’s called “mastery” or perceived control. In his book The Marshmallow Test: Mastering Self-Control, psychologist Walter Mischel describes this as “the belief that you can be an active agent in determining your own behavior, that you are able to change, grow, learn, and master new challenges.”

If that doesn’t ring a bell, you may also know mastery from the Little Engine’s mantra: “I think I can. I think I can.”

So adding a shorter challenge to the front of a longer challenge is a good opportunity to see that you have the right stuff. You knuckle down for three days and are quickly rewarded for your efforts. Maybe it’s not quite the challenge you’ll face in [INSERT PROGRAM HERE], but it’s a challenge nonetheless—and an opportunity to see what you’re made of.

And, in all likelihood, taking on a “mini” challenge like the 3-Day Refresh doesn’t just inspire you. It very well could be strengthening your willpower on a deeper level. Research has established that willpower works like a muscle in the sense that it gets fatigued when you push it too hard. With this in mind, it’s only logical that willpower can be strengthened—again, just like a muscle. In Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength, Roy F. Baumeister and John Tierney discuss the notion of “willpower workouts,” citing endurance artist David Blaine, whose stunts include fasting for 44 days and holding his breath for 17 minutes. He works up to these feats by, well, working up to them. “Getting your brain wired into little goals and achieving them, that helps you achieve the bigger things you shouldn’t be able to do,” Blaine told the authors. “It’s not just practicing the specific thing.”

Affecting positive change in your life is hard work. If it weren’t, you probably wouldn’t need to change to begin with. So it’s important to be strategic in your plans. Starting your fitness program with a kickstart like the 3-Day-Refresh not only preps your mind and body for the weeks of hard work ahead of you; It also shows you that you have the power to do anything—even hold your breath for 17 minutes. (Although you can always opt for healthy weight loss and improved fitness instead.)

Is there truly such a thing as life balance?

Just another edition of my "thoughts from the bus stop."  Let me know what you think about this life balancing act thing. And seriously no one can stop by until after this weekend. Seriously...

Can you find anything wrong with this?

This says it all! Can't find anything wrong with this right? Regular exercise improves all areas of your life...mind, body and spirit.

Blessings,

Christina

P.S. - visit me for daily tips and inspiration on Facebook!

Weekend tips to help you stay on track but still have fun!!

Woohoo!! It’s time for another weekend! You are not going to erase all the hard work you put in this week right?

It's okay to relax a bit of course, but too many people loosen up just a little too much, only to feel bad on Monday and have to start all over again.  I've done it too!

Here are some tips to help us stay on track.

1. Set your alarm. Just because it’s the weekend doesn’t mean you need to sleep in really late. Sleep in a bit of course if you want to.  If you really want to make the most of your day, start your day off bright and early. Get your workout out of the way and enjoy the rest of your day!  This is why I love teaching Insanity at 7:30am on Saturday mornings.  No, I don't always want to get up and go, my warm, cozy bed wants me to stay there.  But I'm always glad I did it.  Helps me keep on track Friday night and get to bed at a decent time and makes sure I get up and out and get my workout in on Saturday morning too! 

2. Plan one activity that requires you to be on your feet. Kids sporting events, walks with the family or friends, fun runs, festivals, shopping, arts and crafts booths, etc.

3. Eat before you go out. If you want to keep on track, plan ahead. You can even do this before going out to dinner, or going to a party, so you can just nibble a little once you get there instead of being too tempted to overeat.  Have a small protein shake before you head to a party where there will be plenty of cute little appetizers that seem so innocent until you've eaten 12 pigs in a blanket.

4. Limit or avoid alcohol. This is a hard one for me.  I like to have a glass of wine or two when I'm out.  However, it's way too easy to blow a lot of calories on excessive drinking over the weekend. If you like to have a drink when socializing, trade it for a non-alcoholic beverage – or drink one water for every glass of alcohol to cut calories. Stick to lower calorie cocktails too. Instead of a martini like a lemon drop or cosmo which has a ton of calories and sugar, drink a flavored vodka with soda or water and muddled fruit. Still lots of flavor, but you lessen the sugar and calorie damage. Truth is, it wouldn’t kill you to completely go without, but if you are going to have one, keep it simple.

5. Beef up your cardio. If you know you’re going to a party or eating out, make room for the extra calories by getting some extra cardio in. Most people typically have more time over the weekend to exercise, but they are less likely to actually make the time. Fight being lazy and convincing yourself that "you've earned it" from all the hard work you put in over the week.  Going out to eat?  Check out this blog post for some extra tips on how to do your best there too!

Working out is not work, it’s a luxury, and it makes you feel better – and THAT’s something you deserve!

Need a Holiday Hall Pass? I've got yours here!!

One Easy Way to Avoid the Holiday Weight Gain

 

Every holiday season, you try the same old drill. Stuffing? Don’t need the extra carbs. Eggnog? No amount of nutmeg can hide all that fat and alcohol. Pumpkin pie? Too many calories… delicious, creamy decadent calories. Nope, this holiday season, you’re going to stick to your nutrition goals!

But have you ever been successful in doing that? How many times have you gazed miserably at the dessert table, avoiding it like the Plague, only to eventually give in? Come January, you’ve eaten everything you said you wouldn’t – and then some.

You’re not alone. The average American ate 32% more over the four-day Thanksgiving weekend alone. Despite your best efforts to keep unhealthy food out of your line of sight, with all of the social events, candy corners at the office, and tasty sabotages (i.e. gifts, from friends), you simply cannot control your environment as well as you can during the rest of the year. Regardless of all the oaths and intentions, most of us still gain weight during the holidays.

So how do you stay 100% committed to your nutrition plan during the holidays? You don’t! Trying to stay completely on track during the holidays may be the exact thing that causes you to gain weight.

There are several possible reasons for this. The first is the Forbidden Fruit Effect (or Theory of Psychological Resistance). You always long for whatever it is you can’t have. The deprivation itself makes holiday food all the more tempting. Your brain also perceives that you’re being punished and you end up in an battle between the side of you that has promised to stay in control and the side that wants no part of the food restriction. Guess which side typically wins?

The second cause is the Law of Dominant Thought, which says the focus of your thoughts will affect your choices, behaviors, and achievements. There is a reason why health experts recommend you clean out your cupboards of unhealthy foods. Out of sight, out of mind right? Unfortunately, during the holidays, indulgences are constantly in your sights—and therefore at the forefront of your mind. When you spend the day obsessing over not snacking on peppermint bark, you can’t be surprised when you go through the whole tin in one sitting. Where your mind goes, energy flows. Constant exposure to unhealthy foods, combined with the alcohol that often flows freely at holiday events, can make you more likely to overeat.

The third culprit that contributes to holiday binging is stress. The planning, cooking, decorating, and managing schedules of the holidays may push you to crave comfort foods – anything high in fat, sugar and/or salt – that temporarily calm your nerves. But, in the end you end up more stressed from the disappointment of not being able to fit into your “skinny” jeans.

So, now you know what’s going on in your head during the holidays. So how can you overcome all of these influences and keep off added holiday pounds?

The solution is the Holiday Hall Pass. This sweet indulgence allows you to make the most of the holidays, with five safeguards to prevent you from getting too crazy. These safeguards—let’s call them holiday helpers—create an environment that evokes positive emotions that calm the negative ones you experience when you attempt to deprive yourself.

Holiday Helper #1: Exercise a little bit every morning

The first little helper is a pre-performance morning exercise routine. Spend at least 20 minutes doing anything active: T25, PiYo, walking the dog, whatever it is that you do. During typical weeks, fitness experts recommend one day of rest, but during the holidays, it’s best to be active every single morning to stay consistent. It can be an all-out workout or a simple physical activity to create a positive tone for the day, helping you keep off the stress.

Holiday Helper #2: Keep a journal

If you simply write down what you do and feel throughout the day, you’ll become aware of your choices, causing you to continue to make good ones. Through writing, you bring a little logic back into the equation, which helps you overcome your emotional tendencies.

For maximum results, journal immediately before you show up to a holiday event. Write down what you’ve already eaten that day and how your choices have made you feel. If you’ve already chosen to eat unhealthily throughout the day, the awareness you bring through this journaling process will help you to create a plan of action for the upcoming event. It’s not about saying to yourself “Well, I’ve already ruined this day so I’ll start again tomorrow,” but rather asking yourself what one positive thing you can achieve at this event to feel good about yourself and the choices you made.

On the other hand, if you have been eating healthily so far and are energized and proud of yourself, bringing those thoughts and feelings to the present moment will enhance your opportunity to be mindful about what you choose to eat at the holiday event.

Holiday Helper #3: Don’t let yourself get hungry

You should graze every 2-3 hours. Whether it’s a full meal or just a light snack. Keeping your metabolism up and your stomach satisfied will prevent you from becoming too hungry. You won’t end up with plates of food you have to haul away with a forklift if you aren’t starving when mealtime finally rolls around.

Holiday Helper #4: Set holiday indulging intentions for yourself

Remember, this isn’t about denying yourself anything delicious; your intentions simply set the scene for an enjoyable-yet-controlled feasting experience. You can choose to allow a small indulgence with each meal, whether it be one piece of cake or a few little cookies. You can also choose to go ‘all out’ for one special night. Also use attentional cues—pre-made questions pre-programmed and scheduled in your smartphone to help you stick to your intentions. Some examples of attentional cues are: Are you proud of your food choices so far today? Would the people who want you to succeed be happy with your choices? Are you giving all the effort you can to following through on your plan? Does this food taste better than how your body looks/feels when you’re healthy?

Holiday Helper #5: Be easy on yourself

Feeling guilty about indulgences only amps up the stress, leading you right back to the second and third serving of turkey and cranberry sauce. Enjoy your holiday and indulge without beating yourself up.

Original article posted here:  http://www.teambeachbody.com/teambeachbodyblog/nutrition/avoid-holiday-weight-gain

Presence or presents?

Please, please read this. It's so, so easy to get caught up in all that you need to do this time of year instead of enjoying every single moment of what this time of year, this season, is truly all about.

It's not about the perfect picture with Santa, the perfectly trimmed tree or Pinterest decorated house. It's filling your home and your life and your children's minds with love and amazing, wonderful memories.

Fill your home with the real meaning of the holiday….sharing, showing and spreading your love, good will and cheer.

Presence instead of presents….I love that line in this article.

This article comes from a fabulous blog I just found called AHA Parenting.  I am in love with it and keep finding more and more things that are helping me out right now and giving me many of my own "aha" moments as a parent.   

Parents' Holiday Survival Skill #1: Manage Yourself

"My memories of Christmas as a child are of stress. My mother wanted everything to be perfect and got so worked up trying to do it all that it made the rest of the family crazy. I remember my dad comforting me when I was about 8 years old, I was crying and said “I hate Christmas” and he said “I do, too, honey. We just have to get through it.”

So for my kids I try to be relaxed and fun. We make ornaments for friends and family in December and give them out as we see people — gets us into the giving without thought of receiving. We take time to see the lights around town, to decorate and appreciate our tree. We talk about the other festivals of lights and remember that feasting and gifts are to make the darkest, coldest time of year merry. We celebrate the return of the sun. We relax and play and laugh and appreciate each other.” - Amy

The most essential skill for parents, at the holidays and every day? Manage yourself so you can stay calm and loving with your child.

Picture from Aha Parenting

Remember that the holidays aren't just stressful for you, they're actually stressful for children.  So much desperate longing gets stimulated (just like for us.)  So much excitement gets triggered, which needs an outlet somewhere. All the school and community events mean that families are busier. Parents get more stressed, more snappish, which makes children act out. Schedules are disrupted. Sleep is interrupted. Children get anxious about whether they're good enough, given all their "naughty" impulses (and that Elf watching their every move!) 

Children depend on us, both to regulate their environment, and to help them regulate their moods. If you’re out of balance, you won’t be able to help your kids stay on an even keel. In fact, if you’re anxious about everything you have to get done, I promise you that your child will begin to act out. 

Your kids don’t need a magazine-spread holiday. They need you, in a good mood, living the spirit of the season and spreading love and good cheer.  How?

• Give up on perfection and accept that real parents get reality holidays, complete with messy kitchens, cranky kids and events that you can't get to because somebody needs a nap.
• Pare back your schedule to do only the essentials. Just say no to whatever doesn’t bring you joy. 
• Make sure you nurture yourself and stay in balance. Start by getting enough sleep.
• Focus on family connection, rather than shopping or events.
• Just say No to comparing yourself to anyone else. You can't see inside their family; you can only do what seems right for your family in this moment, and that is more than enough.
• Be sure your own expectations of the season are reasonable. (What makes you think your difficult relative will suddenly be less difficult this year?)
• The minute your mood veers from loving to frenzied, stop. Hug your children and regroup.
• Count your blessings and say thank you for everything good in your life, every day.
• Find ways to laugh at what will inevitably go wrong.
• Pat yourself on the back and congratulate yourself on a job well done, not just in December, but all year long.

None of our December holidays are about shopping or instagram. They're about the transformative power of faith, love, and light. So fill your home with the real meaning of your holiday by focusing on presence, instead of presents. Which means keeping your own cup full, so you can fill everyone else's.

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Consistency is the key!

Boy, I so needed to read this and let it sink in tonight. Time to take back control and get back to my daily, consistent actions. I feel so much better when I'm doing what needs to be done each day instead of feeling guilty or making excuses. It's so much worse to not do what you know you need to do than to not do it. The emotions you go through when you don't do it is definitely not worth it. You feel so much more confident, have better self-esteem and can handle so much more in a day when you are doing what needs to be done. You just feel on top of the world don't you? When you are consistent in one area of your life it spills over into all the other areas.

"Are your actions consistent with the person you desire to become? Actions are what will make your dreams come to life.

Is it your desire to become financially independent? Then, act like it. Would you like to be in great physical shape? Then, act like it.

The actions you take will create the reality of your life. Those people who have achieved financial independence have done so by acting in a certain way. You can do the same. Wishing will not make it so. Complaining will not make it so. Your actions will make it so. Every moment of every day you have the opportunity to mold your life by virtue of the actions you take.

Are your actions leading where you want to be? The moment you start to think and act like a winner, then you are a winner.

Your actions are your tools for creating the life you want. Who do you want to be? What do you want to have? How do you want to live? Act like it and it will happen for you, because..... You have GREATNESS within you!" ~ Les Brown