Slow and steady or Easy off, Easy on?



Which one are you looking for?

Here's the deal, "slow and steady wins the race" isn't something that someone just came up with to sound cute. It's actually true in many aspects of life...(and not true in others, I know.). But for fat loss we can't expect to win the race of life with a 5 day cleanse, a 7 day or even a 25 day period of time.  Life is much longer than that and it takes many months (even years) of making good choices to really turn your health, your habits and your life around. You may lose fat or inches in a short amount of time but the faster it comes of, the faster it can come right back on!
I just don't like when trainers or "coaches" feel the need to push these marketing brands that sell quick weight loss bars, shakes or meal replacements (frankly, I don't want my meals replaced!) Do they not TRUST their instincts and education or their own ability to teach people the right way (not the easy way)?  

Getting a "jump start" is certainly good but learning how to do it so you're happy and not craving things should be the way to do it not craving and waiting for the ## days to be over till you can eat *insert favorite food here*. You want something that you don't need to keep taking just to maintain you weight loss. Or something that will lead you to believe that fat loss is in a bottle or package and it's easy. It's not.  So do your research, start eating right, start moving more and find your patience! Fill your plate with veggies and protein, do it right and you will be happier with the end result! But if these products help you get your mind right, get you on track and going towards a lifestyle...then great. But it's not often it ends up that way.

Supplement
s are fine (I take things to boost my health, multivitamin, protein powder, fish oil, iron, vitamin d)  and they help for things that you may be lacking but "tricks" like pills and shakes aren't for everyone and shouldn't be relied on. Rely on hard work and healthy lifestyle. 

Why not learn it the right way and make it a lifestyle rather than a period of time. Don't look back, change your ways and you won't need tricks, you'll eat yummy food and stay fit and healthy.

Want to make it a lifestyle? chose things that fit in with your life...for example. I signed up for a virtual 5k because I was never available for the ones around town. But these type of events got us out and going. So this time around I chose one I can do with myself or with friends on my own time. I didn't want to...because you all know I'm not a runner! But It was something I paid for and committed to...so I did it. You need to find something that gets you going, gets you committed and gets you do do it. Garden, walk, fun, hike, swim...whatever, but make it part of your day. Lunch breaks, cancelled appointments (that's when I did mine!), random free hour. Just make it fit. You can do it, I know you can!
Side-note: I fell in love with the top picture that I got from FitNix on Instagram, I was having a conversation about this topic when I scrolled right over this pic...couldn't have been a coincidence... she's also on facebook She is a good source of info too. (I don't know her...just met her at the Arnold one time...but I love see her posts :) )

We don't eat the same?!

I get many questions about nutrition but the one that I get most come from the women that are trying to get their nutrition on track is that they have to deal with feeding a family or husband on that meal plan! The dilemma is how is Mom supposed to eat when she has kids don't eat what you eat and husbands that tend to eat way more than you eat.  Think of it this way, your kids are growing and run everywhere, they don't even comprehend how to walk through the house, they play sports and are jumping up and down in place because its annoying...I mean...fun. Your husband is, well, a man, and typically he's bigger than you, or taller than you and his metabolism is different than yours. Our needs aren't the same as our husbands' needs.

Here's my situation...my husband is a "hard gainer" meaning, he can pack away 5,000-7,000 calories a day and maybe gain a few. He walks around with a 6-pack because he is so naturally lean, it's really just not fair...some may say he's thin, some say lean, whatever it is, the guy needs to eat more than he does. When he gets on a workout kick (which is few and very far between) he needs even more calories since he's burning some.  I blame this on years of high school and college wrestling requiring him to diet down from small to smaller (we're talking 3%-5% bodyfat at best), so now, he can just "forget" to eat (what?! how does that even happen?)

We went on vacation for 6 days and he gained 7 pounds...he weighed at the doctor, same scale same time of day 10 days apart....the man doesn't gain weight on my food for months! Clearly I need to cook with more oil and fats because that's what we ate all week and that's what he needs. Wait, did I mention his fitness goals are to gain weight? that might make more sense...to those of you whose mindset tends towards the losing weight scenarios.

So back to our nutrition issues.... how does a woman eat when she has a hungry man in the house and maybe even some growing little ones to feed to?  We have always been told that "mom is not a short-order cook" but what if you were, for you? Then you can cook what they need and still eat what you need. That is exactly what I tell my nutrition clients whose biggest complaint is that they can't get the small amount of good food they need because they are always cooking and eating what the rest of the family wants.  I have made it through baby weight-loss, competition prep and normal life now by figuring out how to incorporate what THEY eat and what I eat into one quick and easy cooking process.  It is pretty much an "overlap". We all need veggies, check. We all need a protein, check. We don't all need a filler/carb...so I cook everything together that I can and they get more of the filler (quinoa, sweet potato, brown rice, noodles...) and that would be my measured out portion of what I need or I just don't eat it and I make sure I measure or weight out the portion I need of the chicken/fish/ground turkey....

Here is a meal that I cook often:  (what you don't see is the Amie's GF/organic veggie chili I popped in the microwave for 2 mins. In this case the protein of the meal is different because I didn't want bean/veggie chili so I whipped up some scrambled egg whites...an awesome go-to!)
sweet potato puffs and Brussels sprouts
all cooked on the same pan!
caramelized some onion (totally optional)
and scrambled some egg whites while waiting for oven stuff.
Toddler gets this because she loves
sweet potato puffs and we make her eat the rest

Husband gets this massive pile of SP puffs (almost whole bag)
Brussels sprouts, plus chili and onions

I get this, 4 egg whites, enough puffs to satisfy
 and all the Brussels sprouts I want
See, easy-peasy. Just "overlap" your food so you aren't cooking two different meals. Eat the same healthy, lean protein (and if not then whip up some egg whites for your self, they go with everything!). It is perfectly fine to be a short-order cook if you are doing for your own benefit and health. It won't feel as bad either since you are doing something for yourself. You're eating healthier, smaller portions, keeping food cooking to a minimum and keeping cleaning low because you are using all the same pans.

I will do this with everything...I may have some more suggestions in a few days so keep checking here and Facebook for more meal ideas!

Happy, Healthy Day Friends!

MY version of Fit

These are my thoughts lately. As I'm not seeing fast enough changes, or changes that I'd like to see in my self I have to remind myself of these things:

I lift heavy weights. 
I eat well.
I overeat sometimes. 
I stay active. 
I'm lazy at times. 
I workout 5-6 days a week. 
I take extra days off to be with my kid.
I stay
My version of fit.
My fitness inspirations have a lot of muscle. I have more than I have ever had. I would love more and am working towards those goals. Genetics play a large role and hard work plays a large role. Life circumstances are factors.
But no matter where I'm at in my journey...I will ways be#MYversionofFit. I want you to strive to by YOUR version of fit. One of my fitness idols (Brooke Erickson) puts it best...you are #goodenough




It is important to remind yourself why you do things and what you are doing them for....double check yourself too.  And when you figure it out put it out there into the world, post it on my facebook page or comment here. I'd love to see what YOUR version of fit is...post your pictures on my facebook page with the hashtag #MyVersionofFit

Happy and healthy day, friends!