8 Stupid Simple Ways To Stop Snacking After Dinner

Last week I shared a quick tip on my Facebook page on how to prevent snacking after dinner. It was one silly trick that actually works and I had several people try it out! Over the past few days, I’ve come to realize I have many of these little tricks that I do on a daily basis. For some reason, we tend to get the late night munchies after dinner so I’ve come up with 8 stupid simple ways to stop snacking after dinner. Seriously, anyone can do these! Check em out below 🙂

1. Close the kitchen 
   Right after you’re finished eating, do all the dishes, put everything away, and shut off the light. We all know how easy it is to quickly run back in and grab a quick snack though, right? Don’t make it easy for yourself! Get rid of all that junk and if you do have something easy to get into (like peanut butter) place it on the top shelf out of the way. Out of sight, out of mind!
2. Take a walk
   Taking a walk after you eat dinner distracts you from wanting to snack. It used to work out perfectly because I’d have to take my dog out for a walk at this time anyway but unfortunately, my pup is now afraid of the dark and won’t go out in the evening.
3. Drink green tea
   Did you know that drinking green tea before bed promotes calorie burning while you sleep?? Just one of the many benefits! If you feel like you just have to have something after dinner, go for the green tea instead.
4. Track your food
   I don’t always track my food but when I do, I get super serious about it and track EVERYTHING. Once I have everything logged for the day in My Fitness Pal, I don’t want to go back in and have to add anything and mess up my numbers. Seems silly but it really does help me  cut back on the extra snacks. Guess it’s one area where my laziness pays off!
5. Brush your teeth
   You know that gross taste you get when eating something after brushing your teeth? Use it to your advantage and brush your teeth right after eating dinner so you don’t want to eat anything and get that grossness. This also keeps your teeth nice and healthy too 🙂
6. Stay busy
   I don’t know about you but I often snack when I’m bored and after dinner is my down time. Instead of staring at the TV at this time, do something more productive and keep yourself distracted. You can even get a workout in at this time!
7. Drink water
   Sometimes when we feel hungry we’re really just thirsty. When you get the urge to snack, determine whether you’re really hungry or not by drinking a glass of water first. If you really are hungry, snack on something healthy like some almonds or berries.
8. Go to bed
   If all else fails just go to bed! You can’t snack while sleeping 🙂

Since we are all so different, I can’t guarantee these will all work for you but I’m sure at least one will! Try a few out and let me know the one that helps you prevent snacking after dinner. Just drop a comment below 🙂

Good luck snackers!

5 Guilt Free Ways To Enjoy A Cheat Meal

Have you ever had a cheat meal and felt terrible after it? Not only do you have that junk food hangover but you’re also kicking yourself for letting it happen in the first place. I totally understand because I have been there! In the past, I’ve had a really ugly relationship with food. I let it control my life. Every time I gave into my cravings, it turned into a massive binge eating session and I would feel so down and guilty with myself all week. Lately I’ve been working on my self control so I could actually enjoy my favorite foods without acting like a crazy lady eating everything in sight. It all started by getting rid of my GUILT! I don’t think any of us should feel guilty from slipping on our diets a little. We’re human and it happens! It’s actually all in your MINDSET. It may take awhile for you to switch your way of thinking but I’ve put together 5 guilt free ways to enjoy a cheat meal (because I think we all really need them in our lives!) that have seriously helped me. Read on to totally change your thoughts on cheat meals.

1.You won’t destroy your progress

Let’s be realistic here. I know that when you indulge in a cheat meal you may not feel your best. You may end up feeling bloated and icky especially if you’re used to eating super clean and it’s been awhile since you’ve treated yourself. But just ONE MEAL will not destroy your progress. Trust me on this. Even if you do see the scale go up a little, don’t freak out. You’ll balance out as the week goes on. The only thing I would warn against is letting your cheat meal get out of hand. Be careful not to let it go on for the whole weekend. That often leads to a cheat week and before you know it you’re so off track and that makes it extremely difficult to get your healthy habits back. But keeping it to just one cheat meal is totally fine! You have to live life and enjoy your favorite foods every once in awhile and with all your hard work throughout the week, you can afford a little treat if you want it. 

2. You can always get right back on track

Enjoying a cheat meal actually motivates me to push myself even harder. You let loose and now it’s time to get your head back in the game by getting super serious about reaching your goals. Use your little treat to go at it full force the next day. Allow yourself to brush it off and start fresh again. Forget about the slip up and DO NOT feel guilty about it. The more guilty you feel, the more of a struggle it will be to get back on track. I know for me, that’s one of my triggers. I figure that I cheated one day, feel terrible about it and that negative feeling causes me to binge eat. I’ve told myself never again! I am in total control of the food I put in my body. I choose to enjoy sweets every once in awhile and I choose to get right back on track. This all has to do with your mindset!

3. You are human

You are not a robot. Life happens and you will go off your perfect plan. You will have a wedding to attend and cake will accidentally end up in your mouth. There will also be days that you miss out on your workouts because that’s just how life goes. You cannot be perfect, no one is. There have been times I ate way too much junk as part of my cheat meal. One particular time comes to mind when I went to a Chinese buffet on an empty stomach after months of not cheating at all. It did not end well for me! But we pick ourselves up, learn from where we went wrong and continue on with life.

4. Get it out of your system

If I’m craving a particular food (mostly chocolate, ice cream, and pizza) and I just cannot get it out of my head, I know the best thing for me to do is just give in and get it out of my system. The body needs that cheat every once in awhile! I know if I don’t do this, my cravings get worse, I turn into this nasty unhappy person (for real! I’ll throw temper tantrums like a 5 year old!), and in the end I end up going way out of control and binge eat everything in sight. But if I just get it out of my system, I can just move on without turning into a psycho. Trust me, your family and friends will thank you for it 🙂

5. Practice self control

I’ve been using my cheat meals as practice to gain self control. In the past I had no self control whatsoever. I didn’t know how to stop. But now I use cheat meals to gain that control back. For instance, I’ll pick up a pack of cookies and only allow myself to eat two. This is dangerous and I don’t recommend doing it until you’re ready for it. Having the rest of the cookies in the house is really tough to ignore but I’m getting better about it. It sounds torturous, doesn’t it? But I want to be able to go to a BBQ and have a cupcake without completely blowing the rest of my day (I would normally consider the day a lost cause after that one cupcake and go home to have some ice cream and brownies later). So basically, my cheat meals are actually HELPING me!

I honestly believe that cheat meals are essential in living a healthy and balanced life. They aren’t easy to control but if you change your mindset, you can take back control. Remember that life happens and you’re human. You can always get back on track the very next day and a little treat will not destroy your progress. In fact, it could HELP you gain that self control. Don’t make too much of a big deal over your cheats. The more guilt you feel over it only makes it worse. Loosen up and enjoy life every once in awhile!

Tell me, how do YOU cope after a cheat meal?

Coach Summit 2016: The EXPERIENCE

 

The past two weeks have been absolutely CRAZY!! My hubby and I were in Nashville for the big coach summit 2 weeks ago and when we got home I was on fire, totally pushing myself in my business like never before. I have so much to share with my team as far as the announcements and all the workshop training goes but first I want to share a little bit of the EXPERIENCE. I think that’s so important. The Beachbody culture is like no other. Being in Nashville with all the other coaches was like finally meeting up with 26,000 of my best friends. We’ve been talking online for the past year and a half and we finally got to meet in person. It was incredible! I’ll get into all the event details but first let me tell you about my journey just getting to Nashville..

My hubby and I woke up at 1:30 AM to make our journey to Alabama with our pup to drop her off at my mother-in-law’s and then head right to Nashville from there. We were expecting a 12 and a half hour drive total. But before we even got out of Florida we got stopped in traffic for 6 and a half hours!!! Luckily my pup does really well in the car but I still felt super bad for her 😦 We finally made it to Nashville at around 8 PM, immediately showered, picked up a pizza and went to bed.

Me at 1:30 AM with my Shakeology!

We ended up staying in this little guesthouse abut 15 minutes from downtown that we found on AirBnB. This was seriously the cutest place ever with all these rustic decorations. She even had bottled water waiting for us in the fridge and a ton of k cup options for us to choose from. It’s those little things that really make a difference. The only downside to the stay was that the DVD player did not work. If you know me, you know that I live off my morning workouts on DVD. That’s my life. But it all worked out because I was able to create my own resistance band routine that I was able to do in the small space I had available. And I wrote it all down on the pizza box from the night before… Vacation life at it’s finest 🙂 (If you want a PDF of this “vacation routine” please let me know in the comments. I’m in the process of perfecting it!)

The really cute guesthouse we stayed at

My pizza box workout routine 🙂

After eating our leftover pizza for breakfast, Justin and I hit up Nashville to explore the city! Let me just say, Nashville gets HOT in the summer!! Like Florida hot. We walked up and down every street stopping at every single shop there was to get out of the heat. The first store was really cool with all the tourist souvenirs but every single one after that had the same exact stuff. After the several hours we spent wondering the streets of Nashville, we came to the conclusion that it’s not the city for us. It was definitely nice visiting but we wouldn’t move there. If you like country music and drinking, then you would love it! But that’s just not us. Well we may consider the area just for the food. The food in Nashville is any foodie’s DREAM! While downtown, we ate at Street Taco and the nachos were to die for!! Later that night we met up with a few coaches from the team and had Nashville Hot Chicken Salad from the Hard Rock with some girls on the Sweat Nation Team. If you go to Nashville, you’ll have to try the hot chicken. Apparently that’s what the city is known for.

Street Taco was seriously the BOMB!

Ok so let’s get back to the actual coaching part of the trip.. I could not believe how many coaches were roaming the streets of Nashville!! They were seriously everywhere and the city was ready for us too. They had these HUGE “welcome coaches” banners everywhere. It really made us feel special. Most everything at Summit took place in one main building. We explored the entire building on that first day. They had huge banners with every coaches name on it grouped by their level of coaching. They had every top coaches picture hanging in this red carpet lines hallway that led into a GIANT Beachbody store with a ton of apparel with different sections for each program. There was one section where they had a bunch of the top trainer cutouts so you could take your picture with them. Shakeology booths were around the building, every TV screen had Beachbody info, there were bins of free stuff that coaches could grab like fat % calipers and CIZE socks, and there was a large banner with the 2016 theme “Stronger Every Day” where coaches could sign. I think I got all the details in, there was a lot going on!

Having fun with Tony Horton hehe

So Justin tagged along with the girls that night and while we were waiting to meet up with them trainer Sagi from Body Beast walked right past us! I’ve done Body Beast and Justin was currently do that program so it was so amazing to see him in person. Unfortunately, we didn’t get a picture of him because he looked busy 😦 Once the girls showed up, we stood around and watched the top coaches walk by as they were going into their special ceremony. It was like watching celebrities walk by. They were all dressed up and looked so pretty! And of course, we were so star struck since we watch these coaches do training videos all the time. They’re actually normal people just like us and it may seem strange to an outsider but these are our role models! Anyway, we went to dinner and as we walked through the city back to the car, I noticed Nashville really come alive. There was live music everywhere and it was definitely a really cool atmosphere.

The Tinkham’s in Nashville!!

The next morning was super rainy so all we did was go out to breakfast and then come back to take a nap. Later that night we had the opening ceremony and big announcements but before I get into that, let me just tell you about this breakfast we had.. I am a huge foodie, remember? So we went to the place downtown called Biscuit Love. Do I need to say more? 🙂 Hehe so anyway, it was pouring, there was a long line, we had to pay for parking (and had to during our whole trip everywhere we went), and we were soaked. But it was all worth it for this biscuit with gravy and fried chicken. Seriously the BEST food I ever had in my entire life!! We also acted as fat kids and got a plate of Bonuts (biscuit donuts with lemon cream and blueberries). These things were to die for! I’m actually drooling a little now just thinking about them. We also had to get a magnet while we were there that said “resting brunch face”. We collect magnets and that one was a must! So after all that, a nap was in order!

Breakfast at Biscuit Love ❤

That evening was the opening ceremony which was held at Nissan Stadium. First we met up with our team leaders Kim and Kalee. It felt like we had known each other for ages!! And then I got to know some other coaches on the team as we walked over to the stadium over this huge walking bridge. When we got there, all the top coaches sat on the field and the rest of us were in the stands. The opening ceremony kicked off with some recognitions. The 1-4 star diamond coaches came running out onto the field and there were actual fireworks celebrating their success! I just thought that was so cool. My office job doesn’t do that when I do something good! Then there were more recognitions for various categories including the Million Club (coaches who have made a million dollars with Beachbody). I really want to be in that club. I know I will make it one day! The came the announcement with new Beachbody On Demand stuff and a new program. I won’t get into all the details but it was all really exciting. They even had the trainers for the new program come up on stage and give us the inside scoop. Of course the CEA Carl Daikler was there pumping us up about the theme for the year and the company in general. He even gave us a challenge to start and finish a program this year and drink Shakeology every day. Sounds easy enough but us coaches tend to have program ADD and jump around from one thing to another. Oh I almost forgot! In the very beginning of the ceremony, they had Autumn come out and show us a little Country Heat (her new program that just launched). There was a band and everything. I think the most exciting thing about the opening ceremony was the huge announcement of where summit will be held next year. I heard rumors that it would be Nashville again so I didn’t think it would be too exciting but they brought a band out and really got us pumped up. Then finally “New Orleans” flashed across the huge screen and we all went crazy. I cannot wait for summit next year. I’ve always wanted to go to New Orleans and now I have the perfect excuse thanks to Beachbody. So leaving the stadium was absolutely nuts, there were so many coaches everywhere. I usually get really frustrated in crowds but the weird thing is all of these coaches seemed different. They were all so nice and happy and easy going. There was literally no frustration in the crowd.

STRONGER EVERY DAY!!

The Sweat Nation girls at opening ceremony

On Friday morning I was up at 4:30AM. I didn’t get back to the guesthouse the night before until around midnight because of all the Nashville traffic then I was so pumped up about the opening ceremony and had to tell my hubby everything. I also had to jump online and order my 2017 summit tickets because those things sell out fast!! On top of all that I was so excited for my LIVE workout with my favorite goofy trainer Tony Horton (P90X and 22 Minute Hard Corp). I’m not gonna lie, this was the one thing I was looking forward to most. So I got like 10 minutes of sleep that night or at least that’s how it felt. I got there early so I wouldn’t have to be in the far back and scored a spot in the middle. He was just as much of a goofball in person as he is in the DVDs and in his book “The Big Picture”. In fact, he even had us yell out “Zoink” on some reps instead of calling out the number. I was really excited when he jumped down from the stage and started walking back towards me. Unfortunately, he didn’t make it back to me. After the 45 minute long workout we were able to take pics of Tony and his crew which included Bobby Stevenson and Traci Morrow (if you know P90X, you know these people 🙂 ). After the workout, I headed over to CORE (which was the huge Beachbody store I mentioned) and immediated bought workout shirt for me and my hubby. A Body Beast shirt for him and a Tony Horton tank for me with his famous saying “Tip of the day: Don’t smash your face”. Again, if you’re a P90X fan, you’ll understand!

My super early live workout with Tony Horton

The next two days were full of workshops from 9:30 to 12:30, a break for lunch, and then again from 2:30-4:45. Workshops included a lot of top coach speakers (they are the same as anyone else! They are seriously no better than anyone else in summit except for the fact that they are working hard and killing it in their business!) as well as top trainers (Chalene Johnson and Shaun T), social media expert Gary Vee, Carl Daikler (Beachbody CEO) and many more. We had a few different options as far as lunch went. First off, there are a TON of restaurants in Nashville that you could have eaten at. Although that can be a little risky considering there are so many people and you really want to arrive in your next workshop ahead of time to get good seating. I wouldn’t want to risk being late. They also had the main strip where we were having our workshops closed off and a bunch of food trucks lined up for us. From what I heard the food truck food was really good and had a lot of seafood. Your other option was to get the boxed lunches provided by Beachbody. You had to sign up for these when you registered for your workshops and pay for them in advance. There seemed to be a huge line to get them and they just looked ok with a sandwich and maybe an apple or something. Or you can do what I do and sprint back to your car and eat the snacks that you packed ahead of time. I figured I would save money that way. Just a head’s up, you couldn’t bring food and drinks into all of the workshops. You could bring an empty water bottle in and fill it up once you got inside but that was about it. Also, the Dunkin Donuts line to get coffee was the longest line I have ever seen. There were stations that were selling water and coffee but they ran out of coffee quickly!

Ready to learn!

Shaun T was one of the many incredible speakers

Friday night was the Billy Idol concert and 80’s party. This party was for coaches who made success club for (I think) 3 consecutive months. I didn’t make the cut but was actually invited to go as Kalee’s guest. This was a concert put on just for us coaches by the way! Before the concert started the top coaches actually got to meet up and mingle and I believe the top trainers were also there hanging out with them. It was fun getting all dressed up, meeting up with the girls and taking a bunch of pictures. We all looked so good!! I thought it was pretty cool that Tony Horton was the one who introduced Billy Idol since Billy Idol was actually one of his first clients. Tony Horton worked with a lot of celebrities! Our team hung out at the concert for a little while but wanted to get to know each other a little better so we headed over to the restaurant across the street. I didn’t get anything to eat since Justin and I hit up this little burger joint called Fat Mo’s (we had to go since our cat is named Moe and I always pick on him for being fat) and devoured a big burger, fries, and a cherry vanilla milkshake. Anyway, it was nice talking to the girls on the team and brainstorming some business ideas together.

Having fun at the Billy Idol 80’s party!

Same dealio with getting home late that night and waking up at 4:30 AM for another early morning workout. This time it was to work out with the other 26,000 coaches on Broadway downtown. The shut the entire street down for us!!! Just so we could get all sweaty together. It was seriously incredible. They had these huge screens up every block so we all could see the trainers. There were so many people that they even flowed into some of the side streets. We were all crammed so tightly together and kept bumping into each other but we didn’t care. There were helicopters catching us live and everything. So this workout was an hour and a half long, there were 6 workouts (about 15 minutes each)and 7 trainers who switched off so quickly that you really didn’t have much time to rest. This was the most intense workout I have ever done but also the most fun. Oh and after Tony Horton’s 22 Minute Hard Corps workout, they filmed part of the infomercial there! So if you ever catch a huge group of people sweating it out in the infomercial, that was probably us! I don’t think I have ever sweat that much in my entire life!! Can I say this was my favorite part of the whole trip? I think I already said that about something else.. probably that Biscuit Love place 🙂

There we SO MANY people at the super workout on Saturday!

There was so much going on at summit and so much excitement. I was absolutely exhausted and didn’t end up going to the closing celebration but from what I hear, I didn’t miss much. I’m sure it was fun and exciting but no huge announcements or anything like that. I believe they gave away a bunch of money away to two people for their weight loss journey. I’m sure there were probably more recognitions and fireworks and all that too. We still had to pack everything up to leave the next morning and my body was screaming for rest so I went back to the guesthouse and prepared myself to leave. I think I cried on the way home. I was so depressed to have to go back to my office job after all that excitement!! But the whole summit experience has made me want to push harder to make this business work so I can finally focus on it full time.

Leaving Nashville STRONGER than I was before

If you are a Beachbody coach and unsure whether or not you want to travel to New Orleans next year for the 2017 summit, you really need to! It has already helped my business tremendously just by posting on Facebook my experience. People are excited by what I’m doing and now they want to join me. It has gotten my team pumped up about the business and they’re really to crush it this year. And the trainings and motivation you receive are just priceless. If you are not a coach but are excited about this opportunity, I strongly encourage you to join our team. It has changed my life as well as many others. Plus you’ll get to take on New Orleans with us next year!! 🙂

COMMENT below and let me know if you’d like to join our team. You can learn more about the coach life HERE!

10 Things you need to have on a road trip

It’s 4:30 am and we’re on the road on our way to Nashville for the huge Beachbody summit. Sound early? We were actually up this morning at 1:30 am!! It’s so much better with traffic that we always leave this early for road trips. It’s a 12 hour drive to Nashville which sounds long to most people but considering our 18 hour trips to PA, this is nothing! You may be wondering why we drive rather than fly. It’s simple.. we save a ton of money and we actually really enjoy our road trips. But there are certain things that are a must to bring on a road trip. Here are 10 things I always bring.

1. A really good playlist – you can put one together on Spotify

2. Healthy snacks – healthy is key so ypu stay alert and feel good!

3. Lots of water – I like to pack water bottles in mini coolers that I keep in the front seat.

4. Coffee or in my hubby’s case, energy drink to stay awake.

5. Hoodie (my hubby freezes me out with the AC)

6. Magazines – I prefer these to books because the articles are short and easy to read. I can even share fun facts with my hubby. (By the way, he almost always drives)

7. Car phone charger. I love Instagraming my journey so keeping my phone charged is a must!

8. Deodorant, perfume, lip gloss and anything else to help you freshen up at pit stops.

9. Garbage bag to throw your trash in as you go. You can always dump it out when you stop at a gas station.

10. Cash! For tolls and quick stops at convenience stores.

Road trips can be fun if you go prepared. Be sure to bring things to keep you entertained, comfortable, and alert! Tell me, where are you vacationing this summer? Will you be driving or flying??

 

4 Unexpected Ways Personal Development Can Change Your Life

When I started my coaching business a little over a year ago I was so embarrassed that I didn’t know what personal development was. I saw that it was one of our 3 vital behaviors as a coach and I actually had to Google it to figure out what it was! If you’re as clueless as I was, don’t be ashamed. They don’t teach us this stuff in school (which they totally should!) and we live most if not all our lives never discovering how we can work on ourselves. That’s what personal development is. It’s all about working on yourself to become the best version of yourself you can possibly be. You can do this through books or podcasts. There are many different areas of your life that you may want to improve on so the type of personal development you choose to focus on can vary and it may change from time to time as your priorities and skills shift. For example, if you desire a stronger marriage, that’s where your focus should be – strengthening that bond with your spouse. If you lack confidence, there’s a book out there for that too! You seriously can find a book in just about every area. You may be thinking right now “That’s great for some people but it won’t help me in my life”. Or maybe you just don’t have time for it. Before you totally dismiss it, hear me out. Here are 4 unexpected ways personal development can change your life!

1. Improved Health

What does reading a personal development book have to do with your health??? Um, how bout everything! Having a positive mindset and improving your skills in an area you’re lacking will make you a happier person and reduce your stress. With less worry, you’ll start sleeping better. You’ll have more energy. You’ll begin to w ant to take care of your body more and live a healthier lifestyle. Trust me, I’ve seen it happen before! It’s incredible how a shift in mindset can change everything, including your health.

2. Increased Income

No, I’m not exaggerating here. Working on yourself shows you that there’s more in store for you. You’ll discover your passion. You’ll have the confidence to reach for the stars. Maybe start your own business like I have. You’ll be living with purpose, loving what you do, and improving your skills in every area of life. Once you find yourself where you belong in life, being successful comes easy.

3. People will like you

Who wants to hang out with a total downer?? Not very many people. Once you start working on yourself, you will SHINE! You will become an inspiration to others. You’ll start to lift others up instead of pulling them down with you. You’ll be happier, friendlier, and full of joy. People will want to hang out with you. You’ll start attracting other positive people in your life. Even if you don’t consider yourself a people person, you’ll begin building strong relationships with those around you. You’ll make lifelong friends and relationships that last.

4. Your dreams will come true

Once you start putting your priorities in line, you’ll find that your dreams  (the crazy things you never actually expected to happen) are now PLANS that really will happen. You’ll start setting goals, get organized, understand what you really want in life, and take action so you can have those things. You’ll be going on exotic vacations around the world, buying that beach house, or having that first book published. Anything is possible when you start working on yourself.

Of course, these 4 things only work if you do. You can’t just read the books or listen to the audio without really thinking about the message and taking action. It takes work but you CAN life the life you have always dreamed of. You can live a life of purpose and love what you do. It all starts with a mindset change, a positive attitude, and the belief that you can do it. All of this you gain from personal development.

As with health and fitness, it helps to be surrounded by a group of supporters. They push you to go further and keep you on track with your goals. If you don’t know where to begin with personal development or just need a few more positive friends in your life, join The Positive Mindset Book Club. It’s a free Facebook group where we do book discussions as well as share motivation and encouragement. We would love to have you in our community of positive thinkers! ❤

How to change your entire life TODAY

So many times I see people put their life dreams and goals on hold because the timing isn’t right. Their life is too hectic, they don’t have enough time, they want to first reach some of their other goals, it’s too late.. All these are are excuses!! Stop it! I’ll tell you what it is. You’re scared of change. I get it because I was once in your shoes too. But guess what? Your life won’t improve, you won’t become happier, and nothing will change unless you’re willing to make a change.Sound like you? You can change your entire life TODAY by doing this one simple thing right now.

GET STARTED!

You’re not too old. It’s not too late. It’s not too difficult. And yes, you do have time. When it comes to your future, you can make time. Whether it’s losing 50 pounds or starting your business, you can do it! But it all starts with that decision to get started. If you don’t jump on the opportunity NOW, it will pass you by. You’ll say “I’ll think about it later” and you blink and it’s 5 years later and you’re in the same exact position and nothing changed.

Your big goal may seem scary and it should. That’s exactly what you want. The bigger and crazier the goal, the more of an impact it will have on your life. Here’s what you do to overcome that fear. Take BABY STEPS. You don’t have to rush into it today. All I’m asking is one thing from you right now and all it takes is a mere second. It may be the most difficult thing you do in life but it could change everything for you.

Make the decision.

Write on a piece of paper “I will [insert goal here]”. That’s it. That’s day #1. That’s all you have to do. Your plan can come later. The important thing is that you realize you’re unhappy in life and you make the decision to make a change in order to be happier in the future.

Simple enough, right? I Made that decision about 5 years ago when I decided to lose weight. From that one decision, I became a totally different person (for the better) and now own my own fitness coaching business. Various other things can sprout from the decision you make today that can have an incredible impact on your life. Why waster your precious time being unhappy when you can work on being the person you were born to be??

❤ Yes you can! ❤

5 Steps To Finding Peace In The Kitchen

I used  to hate the kitchen. Especially when I didn’t know how to cook. Then as I was learning, I would stress out over burning things or just not doing things right. If you’re not used to cooking it can definitely be a learning curve. As I got the hang of it and started experimenting in the kitchen things got better. I started to enjoy being in the kitchen and it’s even become my place of peace and happiness. All I did was change a few minor things I was doing to create this zen like experience and you can do it too! Read on for how to find peace in the kitchen with 5 simple steps.

1. Organize

One thing that stresses me out to no end is a messy kitchen. I can’t stand coming home from work to find clutter all over the counters. I hate feeling scared to open the cupboard to have everythjng fall out on me. I’ll be the first to admit that I am the least organized person but I recently got my kitchen in order and it feels so much better! I actually enjoy spending time in there now. I got rid of so many things I wasn’t using which made room for the appliances that were sitting on my counter. Now I have plenty of room to prep and prepare meals. This whole organizing process is a pain (which is why it took me so long to do!) But this is where you need to start in order to find peace in your kitchen.

2. Have a plan

Planning is the key to success so go into it knowing exactly what you’ll prepare in the kitchen, what ingredients and tools you’ll need, and how much time it will take. I always like to give my recipe a once over the night before so I know exactly what to expect when I get to work in the kitchen.

3. Allow plenty of time

The trickiest thing with preparing a meal is making sure everything gets done at the same time (main dish and sides). You want everything to be hot and ready to go when it’s time to eat, right? Allow yourself plenty of time to make the meal so you aren’t rushing around at 9pm trying to eat before rushing to bed. Know that sometimes even with planning out your time, things don’t go according to plan. Sometimes your dish may take longer than expected. That’s why you always leave yourself plenty of time and plan your side dishes accordingly so everything finishes up at the ame time.

4. Clean as you go

A messy kitchen stresses me out even during the cooking process. I’ve picked up the habit of cleaning as I go which makes after dinner so much more relaxing too. I put ingredients away as I use them, wipe down the counters as I go, and work on washing dishes as I ait for dinner to cook.

5. Get focused

When I’m in the kitchen, I’m not thinking about all the other things I have to do. I’m only thinking about the task at hand. If you do this, it’s a great way to totally clear your mind of everything else going on in life. Sometimes I listen to a motivational podcast or some music (calming or happy) but most of the time I prefer cooking in silence. My time in the kitchen has become my happy place simple by allowing myself to get in the zone.

The kitchen shouldn’t be a scary and stressful place! As we know, eating heathy makes us feel incredible. Shouldn’t preparing those healthy meals make us feel good too? Give these 5 steps to creating peace in the kitchen a try and see how it can transform the way you feel about  the kitchen.

I feel my best in the kitchen but not everyone is like me. Tell me, where’s your happy place??

How to reach your fitness goals like a boss

How many times have you started a fitness routine and fell short before reaching your goals? Something came up one day, you had too little energy after work the next day, and it all went downhill from there. Or maybe you were just bored with your routine and thought exercise just wasn’t your thing. I’m here to tell you that you can reach your goals this time. I’ve realized that in order to see success, you must do 5 key things. Here’s how YOU CAN reach your fitness goals this time around like a BOSS!

1. Have a plan

   The very first thing you must do (after defining your fitness goals) is to have a fitness plan. What types of workout will you do? Will you work out at home or in the gym? Will you focus on cardio or weight training? If you have no clue where to begin and if the gym totally overwhelms you, I suggest starting a workout program right at home. All the fitness DVD programs I do require very little equipment and are under an hour long (most are only 30 minutes!). For more information about the various programs, drop a comment below and I’ll help you find a program you’ll absolutely LOVE which is key to success.

2. Make a schedule

   In order to get in the routine of working out you must have a set schedule for yourself. If you’re going to the gym, have it marked on your calendar which areas you’ll work on for each day and long long you’ll dedicate to exercise each day. This is where my DVDs come in handy. They all come with a complete schedule so I know exactly which workout to do each day. I literally just have to press play and get started.

3. Get your nutrition in line

   80% of your physical results will come from the foods you put in your body! We often forget this step because we tend to think we can eat as much as we want when we burn a ton of calories in our workout. I know I thought this which is why my results stalled and I wasn’t reaching my goals! As with your exercise, have a set PLAN is a must when it comes to your nutrition. I start every day with a super nutritious shake. It’s super easy to throw together before work and I don’t have to think twice about getting my nutrients in for the day. Plus it powers me through my workouts. You can get this shake as part of a challenge pack if you decide to go with a fitness DVD. Each program also comes with a nutrition plan so you know exactly what to eat throughout the day to see maximum results.

4. Find an accountability partner

   I started my fitness journey on my own without any type of accountability at all. My progress was very slow and drawn out. I didn’t know what I was really doing and had no motivation to keep going when I felt like giving up. Once I joined an accountability group with other ladies just like me going after their weight loss goals, everything changed for me. I was checking in daily with my food journal for the day which stopped me in my tracks from late night snacking. Now I’m hosting challenge groups on Facebook every month. We all start a new fitness program and drink Shakeology daily. I provide daily tips and encouragement to keep the group on the track to success. We also have fun daily tasks to check in every day with the group and get to know each other a little better. It’s incredible what can happen when we support and push each other towards our goals. Challengers always have a lot of fun in the groups, lose pounds, gain energy by eating right, and even make new friends.

5. Work on yourself

   The fifth element of reaching your fitness goals is working on yourself OUTSIDE of fitness. Reaching your goals will totally change you life in more ways than you can imagine but you can take that to the next level by working on other areas of your life. What other big goals do you have? Have you always wanted to start your own business? Do you want to improve your relationship with your hubby? I always like to encourage challengers to also read a personal development book through our fitness challenge groups to improve in other areas.

Yes, you CAN finally reach your fitness goals this time. I know you’ve tried in the past and life got in the way and interrupted everything. But not this time. This time you will get there! Remember to start with a plan, make a schedule, work on your nutrition, find an accountability group, and continue to work on yourself. Believe in yourself and don’t give up!

Would you like to join us in the next challenge group where we’ll be starting a fitness DVD program, drinking Shakeology, checking into an accountability group daily, and working on our personal development? Fill out this application to join!

6 Simple Steps to Planning your Meals for the Week

The best way to success when it comes to your nutrition is PLANNING!! By not planning your meals for the week, you’re setting yourself up for failure. By not knowing what’s for dinner or not having your lunches ready to go, it’s far too easy to stop at McDonald’s for a greasy burger and fries. Get out of that habit!! Planning for the week doesn’t take much of your time and will help you reach your goals. And trust me, I know what it’s like to be on a budget too. Healthy eating seems to cost so much more, right? But don’t let that stop you. I’ve learned how to find the best deals AND a simple way to plan. Here are my 6 steps to planning your meals for the entire week on a budget.

1. Check what’s on sale 

   When on a budget, it’s super important to check what’s on sale at your local grocery store. This is how I always get the best deals. When first starting out, compare the circulars you get in the mail with a few different grocery stores. Over a few weeks of comparing, you should be able to tell which one you’ll save the most money at. For example, I shop at Winn Dixie because they tend to have great deals in their meat department and that’s the main thing I typically buy. You should be getting your store flyers mid-week. I like to browse through it real quick when I get it in just to get an idea of what they have on sale for that week and I keep that in the back of my head as I look up new recipes I want to try. I go back to the circular on Thursday night and jot down on my grocery list the items on sale that I plan to pick up. I mostly focus on the meat and produce that’s on sale and if they have a lot of BOGO meat, I know it’s time to stock my freezer. When I’m stocked up on meat for the week, my grocery list only consists of produce and other essentials which saves on the bill for that week. So one week I may spend more money (when I stock up on meat) and the next week I hardly spend any money. It all balances out so don’t freak out on a large grocery bill one week as long as you got some great deals!I should mention that when produce is on sale, you can also stock up on that and freeze it! Depending how far away your local farmer’s market is (consider gas money) you may end up doing better there for your produce and save some money.

    

2. Put your staple items on the listThere are certain things I get every single week no matter what like eggs for my crock pot frittatas and milk for my hubby’s protein shakes. These are typically a no-brainer but they need to go on your list just in case you forget about them. Think about certain things you like to stock your kitchen with. I always have to have tuna in my pantry in case of a lunch emergency. I also always have frozen veggies as a backup. Go through your kitchen and see what your inventory looks like. Even check your paper towel, toothpaste and laundry detergent supply! I know those things have nothing to do with your meal planning for the week but they’re important to include on your list so I didn’t want to leave them out!
3. Look up recipes you want to try 

   Once I have the sale items and my must-haves on the list, it’s time to have some fun. I love to look up healthy recipes on Pinterest and try new things. The recipes I choose must have a short and simple ingredients list with most of the items ideally things I already have in the kitchen and they must be super quick and simple so I can throw them together after work (crock pot recipes are the way to go). I also look for recipes that make a lot of food so we can use them as leftover for at least two days. Of course, you don’t have to try new recipes every week. Just plan out a few dinners that you haven’t had in awhile or are in the mood for. I do recommend mixing up your dinners so you don’t get bored and pick up fast food on the way home instead!

4. Pick 1-2 things for breakfast and lunch 

   I like to keep my breakfast and lunch for the week super simple. In fact, I eat the same thing every day for these two meals. It helps me stay consistent, is easy to meal prep, and I don’t have to think twice about it. Pick one or two options for your breakfast and lunch for the week and add those things to your shopping list. The same thing goes for snacks! Keep those consistent throughout the week too. I usually like to do almonds, hard-boiled eggs, and berries as my snacks.

5. Meal prep 

   By this time, you basically have your meals for the week planned out. You picked out one or two different breakfast and lunch options and chose which dinners you would like to have throughout the week. Now it’s time to meal prep. I could go on all day about my numerous meal prep tips but let’s save that for a different post. The idea here is just to prep what you can before the week starts to make your work-week a little easier on you. I like to prep my veggies (wash, chop, and store them) and my lunch, breakfast, and snacks for the week. It doesn’t matter how much meal prep you do, every little bit helps!

6. Plan your meals around your schedule 

   Ok so there’s one more step in the meal planning process and that’s to schedule your meals. I know it sounds really lame but it does help when you’re short on time. Take a look at the dinners you plan to prepare for the week and how much time each takes. You don’t want to plan a certain meal that takes awhile if you have something going on after work. For example, if I plan to cook a ham which usually lasts several days for us, I’ll make that on a Sunday since I don’t have several hours for it to sit in the oven after work. If I have a crock pot recipe I’m making, I plan to get everything thrown in the crock pot the night before so all I have to do is turn it on the next morning. You don’t have to write each meal on your calendar unless you want to but it does helps having an idea in your head of what night you’ll be making each dinner.

So many of the excuses I hear for not eating healthy is either not enough time or not enough money. But guess what, sales on healthy foods DO exist and spending just an hour prepping and planning your meals for the week actually saves you a ton of time. Remember to find the best deals on meat and produce in your area even if that means heading to the local farmer’s market, find quick and simple meals to make for your family for the week, be consistent with your meals (breakfast, lunch, and snacks), and prep as much as you can before the week begins. Feel free to start slow. you don’t have to become an expert on these things overnight. For now, just scope out your local store and see where you can find the best deals.

Tell me, what is your BEST meal planning tip?? Comment below 🙂