How to Stay on Track

Today's post is going to be about how to keep your eye on the price. One of the biggest issues I have had in the past is staying on track. It doesn't matter what your fitness goal is, it could be to compete or to lose weight, or to just be healthier...IT'S HARD. I have struggled in the past with restricted eating habits and would binge eat, which would lead to a whole host of other problems. So I did some introspective work and looked at how I could be better. How could I learn to be happy with me, my life, me me me?!? So I have been thinking about it and here is my list.

1. Create a plan: Have you ever heard "fail to plan, plan to fail". That's exactly true. You want to create a plan. I like a schedule...but different folks, different strokes. Creating a plan should be the first step. This will keep you focused and then you won't be running around like a crazy person. I like creating a dinner menu and then taking leftovers for lunch. I posted my family menu in the last post. Another thing about creating a plan, is that you want to write it down and keep it visible. It's just like a goal, having it written down makes it much more likely to get accomplished.

2. Allow for indulgences: One of the biggest problems people have when trying to be healthier is that they cut all "bad" foods from their life. They say "I'm never going to have another cupcake". A week later they are in a bath tub surrounded by cupcakes :-O. One thing that I learned from competing is that you need to have a "cheat" every once in a while. This is so that you don't binge later. I like giving myself a treat or two a week. Usually after dinner. I try to make healthier choices, like a Skinny Cow ice cream sandwich instead of a pint of Ben and Jerry's (but hey if you have control than go for it ;-) ). I am not a huge salty person, I love sweets so I give myself a little something every now and then. I also believe in the 80/20 diet...and if there is cake at a staff meeting you best believe I will be there :-) (I'm literally eating a brownie as I type this!)

3.  Make healthy swaps: Just like a said above, just because you are being healthy doesn't mean you have to eat baked chicken and broccoli every morning/noon/night. Make a list of your favorite foods and take some time to come up with alternative recipes. I love tacos, so I make healthy turkey tacos. I use ground turkey meat, pico de gallo, lettuce, and greek yogurt instead of sour cream. I love being able to be creative and try new things. It doesn't always turn out yummy, but that's how life goes! Another great thing is that you have access to the internet which has a million and one ways to create new and exciting foods!

4. Take it one day at a time: Not everyday is a good day. Remember to be present in the day that you are in. If you start to feel discouraged because you aren't seeing progress, focus yourself in this day. Focus on doing the right thing today. Don't give up because you feel bad. I always try to get to bed time and still feel "ok". If I feel hungry, I eat (I also try to actively decipher between hungry and bored). But I try to set small goals everyday to stay focused in the present. If you focus to much on the future (or the past) you'll miss out on all the wonderful aspects of the present day.

5. If you slip up, move on: Listen...I'm not sure if you're aware, but you are a human being. You will make mistakes...we all make MISTAKES! You will go out to dinner one night and go a little over board....oh well. Start over tomorrow. Now don't go crazy and eat everything in sight...but don't badger yourself. Don't guilt trip yourself. Learn from the mistake. So this night that you went over board, maybe you had a busy day and didn't eat your snack. Maybe you didn't drink enough water. Maybe you ate to fast. LEARN. Be present in the moment in which the mistake happen and use it as a learning tool. And try again. Don't give it. If you have to create a mantra to get over the issue say this to yourself "Oh well, that's life, tomorrow is a new damn day" Boom!

6. Set goals: Similar to the first helpful hint...set a goal. Why be healthy? Do you want to run a race? Do a triathlon? Do a competition? Having a goal will also help you stay focused and help with your overall plan that I said before. It doesn't have to be a profound goal, even something as simple as drinking more water is moving in a positive way.

7. Eat to live not live to eat: I have struggled with food for a long time. I go between saying "F it" and "God why can't I be better". Recently I have focused on eating to live. I don't eat if I'm not hungry, I only eat to feed my body. I also learned that I need to love myself and love my body. When I started reminding myself of that I started to feed my body to fuel it. I started to look at my body as priceless, a perfectly flawed priceless piece of wonderfulness.

8. Emotional eating: Many people use food as a coping skill for their emotions. Think about it, food is used for happy moments, sad moments, depressed moments, anxious moments, ALL sorts of moments. You want to be able to decipher between hungry and emotional eating. There are other coping skills that should be employed when you are experiencing an increase in emotions, eating should not be one of them. I work with substance abusers and one of the things we tell them is about HALT - hungry, angry, lonely, tired. These are the times that people fall back into bad habits. It should be these times you focus on setting good eating habits, but just an alcoholic would not drink, you should not eat.

9. You're not on a diet ANYMORE: I was reading a book about binge eating disorder. And one thing of the many things that stood out to me was an experiment that happened between WWI and WWII. The government was trying to learn how many calories that average, healthy male needs in order to function on the battle field. They took healthy (physically and mentally) young men and had them eat low calorie diets for a certain period over time. The researchers were blown away by their findings. It showed that these men (who previously had no body issues and/or food issues) started having body dysmorphic disorder symptoms. They became obsessed with food. That is all they would talk about, they would do calorie restriction and they binge eat, they had serious mood swings, all sorts of horrible things. Things that most people attribute to a woman just "being a woman". Could it be that society has put women on such a tight line that even from early ages girls worry about weight and food. Its like being on a diet all the time. With this being said, you are no longer on a diet...strip that word from your vocabulary. I like to refer to it as my nutrition, or my lifestyle. I like to eat healthy food, not because I'm on a diet, but because I am trying to be healthy.

10. Enjoy life: Listen, you only get one shot at life...so try to enjoy it. Have some cake, drink some wine. Live people! Everything in moderation!

I hope these 10 tips have helped. It's hard to stay focused, but with these things in mind it may be a little easier. Please leave comments about things that have helped you!

Motivation...Where do I get some of that?!?!!!

Hey Guys!! I hope you are having a fabulous start to your week. I am feeling good, I am on track with my diet so my energy levels are great, I'm sleeping well, and I am having great workouts! But...this isn't how I feel all the time. Sometimes I think we get caught up in the "hoopla" of other people and become discouraged. We see that "so and so" is always happy, always thin, always motivated and we get angry at ourselves for not feeling this way all the time.

I'm going to be real with you guys...sometimes I just want a big cookie, ice cream, brownies, and a glass of wine and sit my happy butt on the couch! I won't pretend that I have good gym days, or that I don't mess up on my diet at times. I won't pretend that I am always happy, but what I can tell you is that I work for those things constantly. I already talked about my views of happiness...it was a pretty good post if I don't say so myself, go and have a gander.

So the question becomes...how to do I keep my motivation up when I feel it going down. WOW what a GREAT question ;-)

I once had a client ask me about motivation...so I obviously gave them the definition...the act or process of giving someone a reason for doing something : the act or process of motivating someone (Merriam-Webster). But what does this actually mean? How can we increase our motivation so we stay focused and on task even when we don't want to...well I'll help you out with a few of mine (and with the help of another blog, you can check it out @ http://zenhabits.net/get-off-your-butt-16-ways-to-get-motivated-when-youre-in-a-slump/).

1. Set one goal - often times we get ahead of ourselves and set lots of goals. Unfortunately the human mind and body rebels against a lot of change at one time. Take one goal and make it your primary focus. For example most people set the goal to get healthy for a New Years Resolution. That's great...but being healthy encompasses a LOT of stuff. So set one goal, maybe get active 3 days a week or eat health 5/7 days, or not eat fast food. Once that becomes a permanent change (2-3 months) create another goal.

2. Find people that inspire you - you can do this is lots of ways. Social media is amazing (and not so amazing) with connecting people of similar mind sets. When I started my fitness journey I followed every fitness model/bikini pro/gym rat I could find...if they were out there I followed them. They helped me with new and different exercises, recipes, and motivation. I eventually weeded out some and only followed people that really inspire me. If you have Instagram, you can follow me @fitcassie_88 you can also look at my page and see the people I follow. :-)

(One of my faves, Amanda Latona is an IFBB Pro Bikini Athlete)

3. Think about it Daily - When you want sometime bad enough you should think about it all the time. Goals are meant to challenge you, that being said you want to find one that you have to think of new and creative ways to crush it. I haven't been doing the same fitness routine for the last two years...I change it up...challenge my body. I read articles and magazines everyday to learn more about fitness and nutrition. I talk with my friends everyday about it...probably to the point that they want to shoot me in the foot :-P But doing this makes it your primary focus.

4. Support - you want to have people around you who inspire and help you through this time. Whatever your goal may be, it will be challenging, you will want to quit, be with people who will force you to stick to it. I have a friend that I talk about prep with...she isn't doing a competition, she doesn't have the same fitness goals, but she pushes me and gives me that nudge when I don't want to do something (cough cough cardio).

5. Start small...super duper small - I know what it is like to have a big dream. Problem with big dreams is that sometimes getting there can be overwhelming and we eventually give up. It's better to start off small (with a larger goal/dream in mind of course) and celebrate small successes. Say you want to lose 25 pounds...wow that's a lot of weight...for anyone. Instead of focusing on the 25 pounds all the time...focus on 1 pound, keeping one pound off, keeping two pounds off...etc. That way you are happy with progress you have made and don't become discouraged by not reaching your 25.

6. Lastly...think about the benefits - being healthy is hard. I won't lie...it was so much easier to be fat and unhealthy. I didn't think about the food I was eating, I didn't care about how much weight I could squat, I didn't really care about calories...problems is I was unhappy...probably bordering on depressed about my weight. I had poor self esteem. Being healthy makes me happy on the inside and outside :-) it has pushed me to try new things. I have made new friends, pushed myself to get a new job, and to get on stage in a tiney tiny bikini in front of hundreds of people!! It may be a pain to weigh/measure all my food and exercise 5-6 days a week...but it's MUCH BETTER than the alternative!

(Progress pics for week 2)

Nutrition 101: Carbs :-O

Carbohydrates:

When talking about food most people will divide it up into macro and micro nutrients. Macro nutrients include protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats. Micro nutrients are smaller like vitamins and fiber. It is important to know the significance of all of these nutrients in order to use them effectively. So what I want to focus on first is carbohydrates. I think that carbs get a bad rep because of the way most people consume carbs.

***Carbs are extremely important for your diet and need to be consumed daily.***

So why do carbs get a bad rep?? Well because of things like pop-tarts, candy, and white bread. These things are what we call fast digesting carbs and beyond that have very little nutritional value. Carbs can be divided into three different categories; slow, medium, and fast digesting carbs.  Examples of different types of carbs will be later on, don’t you worry :-)

Carbs are important because they are vital for energy produce and muscle replenishment. Different body types will use carbs differently, but mainly carbs are for energy. When you ingest carbs they are converted into sugar (aka glucose), which in turn gives you energy. If you ingest fast digesting carbs you will have an insulin spike which will make your body store that energy as fat. Slow digestive carbs give your body the ability to store those nutrients as energy in your muscles to use later.

When I put together a meal plan I like to make sure I have a well balanced meals. I also like to consume mainly “whole” foods. I think to eat things with very few ingredients, and if it has more than a few I like to make sure that I know what they are. Some of the things people eat these days is crazy, and if you look on the box you can’t pronounce half of the ingredients! So when putting together your meal plan…look for carbs that are as close to whole and natural as possible!!

Examples of Slow/Medium/Fast Digesting Carbs

Slow – sweet potatoes, wild rice, beans, red potatoes, and fruit

Medium – banana, potatoes, brown rice, oranges, orange juice, whole wheat pasta

Fast – white bread, white rice, cold cereals, rice cakes, fruit juices

Carbs are needed in any diet and all of these types of carbs can be used on a regular/semi-regular basis, you just have to know the appropriate times.

 - Slow digesting carbs can be taken in at any time. Good to take in at all three major meals. These carbs are going to keep you fuller longer because they take your body longer to digest.

- Medium digesting carbs can be taken right before a training session. As you work out your carb storage from early will start to deplete, so taking in these carbs right before a session will help maintain a steady blood sugar throughout your workout.

- Fast digesting carbs should be taken immediately after a training session. You always want to make sure that you are refueling you body after working out. Your body is in prime mode to effectively use and storage fuel at this point. Use fast digesting carbs and protein for maximum benefits. These types of carbs do not have to be ingested, one could use medium digesting carbs after a workout…it is simply the best (and only time) to take in these types of carbs.

Examples of carbs for meals – (these are some of my faves :-D)

Breakfast: oatmeal, Ezekiel bread, sweet potato hash

Lunch: brown rice (or wild rice), sweet potatoes, black beans

Post workout: brown rice or sweet potato

Dinner: brown rice, rice pasta, sweet potato

One thing to remember…that veggies are the best carbs! The more and more veggies you eat the better. Veggies not only are low in carbs, they are full of fiber and other micro nutrients that help you feel fuller longer without throwing your diet off a bridge! 

I usually take in about 1/3 cup of any carb and then 1-2 cups of veggies. Some of my favorite veggies are green beans, spinach, and broccoli! 

Look for my nutrition 101 to come! 

Makin' Groceries :-)

“Failing to prepare is preparing to fail”

Food prep day - (top) lunches for a week, (bottom) calliope food prep clean up crew, (right) homemade almond butter. :-)

One of the biggest things that I have learned in my prep to be healthy is that you are a lot less likely to cheat if you have worked hard to prepare healthy meals. With that being said, people a lot of times wonder what does healthy meal prep look like. Well I am here to help

1. Make a grocery list. Going to the grocery store can be an exciting time when first starting out and you’ll want to buy everything! Problem is that if you buy to much then a lot will go to waste, not good. So be honest with yourself and make a grocery list of the things you need. I eat about ½ dozen eggs a day, so I will need about 5 dozen to get through a ten day period. I like to make as few grocery trips as possible so I will load up on things that I use everyday as well as things that don’t go bad, like frozen veggies.

2. Make a menu. It is a lot easier to make a grocery list if you have an idea of what you are going to make for meals. I usually like to have two different lunches as well as two different dinners to alternate every other day so I don’t get bored.

3. Stay on the perimeter of the grocery store. I try to avoid the middle isles in stores because that is where the majority of the processed food is located. I once was told that 80% of your grocery cart should be foods that have one ingredient ( i.e. vegetables, fruits, oatmeal, rice, etc.). Going into the middle isles you may be tempted to pick up things like macaroni and cheese or chips, avoid these!!!

4. Have a budget. I remember when I first started eating healthy I would go crazy and buy all this “healthy” food. Unless you’re a millionaire, which I am not, its good to have a budget to stick too. This will also help with not buying things you really don’t need. I will buy some things that are more expensive, like natural peanut butter or Ezekiel bread, but the majority of the stuff I will look for the cheapest brand.

5. Organic vs. Not – this is a personal decision. Some people do not have the ability to buy organic food because it is significantly more expensive. Don’t feel bad! Buy healthy food and if you want some organic apples go ahead. If you can afford organic food go for it! I usually spend more money on things like antibiotic-hormone free meat. Some times we have to make tough decisions but as long as you are trying to be as healthy as possible I applaud you!

6. Pick a day to do all your prep. Prepping for a week is a job. It takes time and not taking the time means you are more likely to not do it correctly or not do it at all. I like to meal prep on Sundays. This is the day where I don’t work and I have the ability to clean my house, do chores, and meal prep.

7. Buy Tupperware! Some people prep in plastic baggies some put it in Tupperware, do what you want but have a system. I like Tupperware because then I can put it easily in my lunch box and come home at night, wash and reuse.

8. Create “staple” items that you must always have. I got through a lot of things on a regular basis (i.e. eggs, peanut butter, turkey bacon, sweet potatoes). These items should always be on your list. Make sure that you have enough to get through a week.

9. Only prep one week at a time. I have tried to prep for two weeks at a time, but by the end of the first week I look at the food and it looks old or I just don’t want to eat it. Changing things up is important, so only prep for a week. I usually alternate between some of my favorite meals. Like week 1 and 3 I’ll make the same dishes and 2 and 4 will be the same. But I do them a week at a time.

10. Have fun! People look at the grocery store as a chore, don’t do this! This should be exciting. I LOVE going to the grocery store. I love creating new foods and trying new spices. The grocery store is where it all begins! So have fun, make it an adventure!

Ok so those are my ten things you need to think about before grocery shopping. So here is my “typical” grocery shopping list. I hope you all have a great time shopping and prepping!!!

Eggs

Avocado

Unsweetened coco powder

Oatmeal

Peanut butter

Splenda/truvia

Turkey bacon

Almonds

Green tea/chamomile tea

Hot sauce

Frozen veggies

Sugar free maple syrup 

Chicken

Rice

Mrs. Dash seasoning 

Ground turkey 

Onion

Fish

Bell peppers

Tomatoes

Sweet potatoes 

Oatmeal: From Flab to Fab

Have you ever gotten bored with your food? Ever think that you are literally eating the same thing over and over again? One of the major problems that people have with eating healthy is that they think it has to be “bland” food that takes like cardboard! Well I am here to squash that myth! One of my favorite things to do is to look for new and exciting ways to make food. I love looking up recipes and trying new things! One of the things that I had a hard time with in the past was oatmeal.

Oatmeal is a great complex carb that keeps you full and satisfied, but it can be very “boring”. When I first stated prepping I would make my 1/3 cup every morning and force myself to eat it! My coach then told me about oatmeal pancakes…talk about heaven! The only problem was that making them every morning was a chore so I decided to improvise!! I wanted a way that I could get my oatmeal in every morning but make it fast. I was on Pinterest and I see that they put everything in muffin tins, what a great idea! So I decided that I was going to make oatmeal “muffins”. I eat two every morning with some sugar free maple syrup, yummmm! So here is the recipe, I hope you all enjoy!

 

Ingredients:

2 cups of rolled oats

1 2/3 cup of water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Blend oats until they are a “semi-flour” consistency

Mix oats in bowl with water

(can put pam in muffin tin, or line with cupcake wrappers)

Fill each slot up about half way with the mixture

Yields – 12 ½ muffins

 

I eat two in the morning because that is about 1/3 cup of oats. You can add other ingredients to make it fancy as well. I usually like to add cinnamon (helps aid a faster metabolism) or puree pumpkin is something that I have always wants to try. Basically you can add anything in them that you would add in your regular oatmeal.

Picture of breakfast, they look boring but they are totally delish!!! :-)