If this Holiday season is proving too tempting for you, just ask yourself "Can I put in some time?". If you answer, "no" (or any variation of HELL NO) then you should not be indulging yourself. If you answer "yes" (per chance HELL YES) then you need not feel as shameful as a Kardashian at the altar. Just get a movin'. Start out simple, if you're new at this.
Survey says - working out at least 3 days a week for a minimum of thirty minutes is the way to get your engine revvin'. EVERY single BODY needs at least this. What you choose to do on top of this is completely your call and will benefit you even more!
Don't misunderstand, simply because you walked a leisurely pace for thirty minutes Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday will NOT give you a green light to eat like you've lost your damn mind Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. This is a common trap foodies fall into.
What I'm suggesting, is to give yourself a (mental) break if you just cannot resist some extra Holiday trimmings. Just make sure you are getting your behind up off that couch and fighting the urge to take just one more little cat nap in front of the tele.
Some benefits of being physically active:
Helps you sleep better
Releases endorphins in the brain (the hormone that makes us feel good)
Alleviates stress and anxiety
More muscles, better metabolism
Keeps 'ya away from the garbage some people consider sustenance
If you cannot keep your paws off the pecan pie with a whopping dose of ice cream, or the turkey with the loaded potatoes, or the hot totties...it's ok. It's all good. Just tell yourself, "If I can't do the time, I won't do the crime." Gobble Gobble
Alright guys and gals...it's that time of the year, yet again. Time to bust out 'Joey's Thanksgiving Day pants' and step up to the trough of gluttony. You may be one of the people who often claims, "I'll resolve to do better next year, but for now give me that pie/cake/donut/cocktail/extra gravy/mile high mashed potatoes!!!!" Any of this sound familiar?
Honey, I'm not judging. I'm exposing the mentality that we all have, or had. It's the Holiday Season, so whoop dee do and pack on the pounds!
What this leads to is some serious regret. If you limit your Holiday 'sins' to two days (Thanksgiving and Christmas days) you'll probaby be ok. But for most of us, this is our 'get out of jail free' card and we like to play it for two solid months.
Peppermint mocha? Don't mind if I do!!! Holiday themed hostess cupcakes? I mean, HELLO they only come around ONCE a year. Cocktail parties every weekend? CHEERS!!! And can we get a great big HIP HIP HOORAY for fudge covered double stuffed oreos? We're a Hershey's kiss away from fat pants.
You're not alone! In fact, you're in a crowded sea of foodies. Everybody wants to sell you some type of pill, weight loss secret or miracle cure for over indulgence. ESPECIALLY this time of the year. It's crazy...CRAZY!!!
Follow these savvy foodie principles now and throughout the new year...trust me they'll save you ;)
Pack your breakfast with a healthy dose of protein - This helps to keep us feeling fuller longer. Less temptation for a "brunchy" (the time between breakfast and lunch) snack. It also helps to stabilize blood sugar levels and we won't feel 'starving' afterwards.
The first bite is the sweetest - We all love a tempting sweet something. Have a bite or two and then be done with it. Seriously, the rest of it is just fat and calories decorated in Holiday tinsel.
Rev up your metabolism - Sorry to any gym phobics, but you've gotta get to a gym and pump some iron, do some push-ups and make your fat cry (i.e., SWEAT). By getting a circuit program together and minimizing rest periods to no more than 30 seconds...you'll spike your metabolism and not your punch! But don't think once is enough, you've got to be committed to feeling the burn at least 3 times a week in order to let your metabolism do some butt kicking while you're at rest.
Close your kitchen early - Eat your calories EARLY and don't open the fridge again after 5 or 6pm. I know, you may feel like a blue hair at Denny's, but they've got it right. Our metabolism slows to a crawl at night so it's super important to splurge early and stop late.
Question your hunger - Before indulging simply ask yourself, "Do I really want this?" Stop the mindless eating dead in its' tracks!!
Don't leave the table until your veggies are gone - Start with your veggies first! Give yourself a generous helping. Watch for one's covered in butter. Stray away from anything with a cheesy topping, too. No silly, green bean casseroles don't cover it. If you know your host/ess won't have organic veggies at the party, bring your own! You might be THAT savvy foodie, but you'll fill up on yummy nutrion instead of fat laden dead veggies.
GoodWill your fat pants - This will keep you honest. If you usually reach for your sized up, elastic waist band pants during the Holiday season...get rid of them. Let your skinny jeans be the ONLY pants you'll wear this season.
Be cool with hunger - I'm not suggesting you starve yourself...quite the opposite. But trust that during this revolution, you may find yourself less stuffed. It's all good.
Grab a glass of water - When you feel hungry. 9 times out of 10 we're just dehydrated and not hungry.
Save yourself - Set up a cheat meal! Reward yourself and prioritize your calories. If french fries are your weakness, indulge once. Get your fix and then move on.
Be nutty - Grab unsalted almonds, walnuts or pistachio's to get a serious fix. Break up with peanuts...not a healthy nut.
Education is power - Read your labels and ask yourself if you're even eating real food!
Pump up the playlist - Christmas music may not be your thing, so make a gym playlist. Pepper it with energy boosting jams so you can get your sweat on.
And finally...stay away from ANYTHING with the words 'Limited Edition Holiday' to help you gain perspective. Just dressed up processed CRAP!
Put your armor on and don't be one of the mindless Holiday foodies, it'll be the best present you give to yourself...HEALTH!
I was in a spin class the other day and the instructor was trying to keep us positive as we tried to 'break through' the challenge. He said, "Just know there is something in the universe that is always trying to hold you back from obtaining your goals." Well smack my butt and call me Sally...he is completely right. Nine times out of ten this 'thing' holding us back is fear. Fear is a hologram, of sorts. Some of us are so afraid of failing that we don't even try.
Run? Yeah right, I'll ruin my joints. Cycle? I'll go flying off the darn bike. You want me to stand on my head? I'll fall and break something. Dance for an hour? Are you kidding? I'll twist an ankle or hit someone in the head. Give up fried foods? But I love french fries so much. Make time to work out? I'm afraid I'll be too tired and waste money on a gym membership.
If we get right up to the very thing that is holding us back, we push ourselves to the limit and realize that fear is just an illusion. Unless you are into death defying feats (i.e. jumping off cliffs or out of planes) most of us will not perish by switching things up and facing our fears. You get right up to the hologram of fear and realize its power is fictitious.
There may be some pain involved in adjusting our lifestyle. If you're a perpetual couch potato, you most likely will not take well to moving your booty more often. If you're a 'go-with-the-flow' eater (meaning you eat whatever you like and throw dietary caution to the wind), putting restrictions on yourself will be nothing short of irritating. There will be something in the universe challenging your commitment to honoring your health and well being, trust me.
The old me hated:
sweating
washing hair too frequently due to sweating
push ups
running
weight lifting
eating vegetables
not eating mac n'cheese
not eating french fries
gyms
skipping desert
not baking
The new me loves:
sweating
standing on my head
standing on my hands
push ups (even though I'm still working on doing a real man's push up without knee assistance)
free weights
veggie/fruit juice
veggie smoothies
not putting cream and sugar in my coffee
gym
baking once in awhile and sending the treats off with my hubby to work
feeling and looking soooooo...much better!!
So you see, the pros outweigh the negatives. If you're not having fun, you only have yourself to blame. I make my exercise fun while I'm doing it. I love going for bike rides with my savvy hubby. I love taking my pups for a morning walk. Going to the gym is something I look forward to because I have found a variety of classes that keep me motivated and excited to see what I can accomplish next.
Life is a challenge, no doubt. My savvy friend recently joined a gym across the street from her work. She and her husband have planned their schedules to accomodate gym time. They have a little guy at home so they take turns going. I think she's super savvy because she only takes it one week at a time. Life does have a way of 'getting in the way', so they have a plan that ebbs and flows from week to week. She plans her meals, her workout gear and her office attire the night before. So when her 6am alarm rings, she already knows what she needs. That's half the battle right there! She's never stressed and she's looking and feeling great!
I think it's brilliant to plan ahead. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. These are words I live by. So plan out your meals, plan out your gym days and don't be afraid to change it if something comes up. Just promise yourself that you will not let fear hold you back. Make it work!
Remember being in school as a kiddo, what was the best part? For me, it was recess. A time which allowed me to do what I wanted. This usually involved talking to my friends and playing. It was the best part of the day because I was able to decide what I wanted to do.
Fast forward to being a working stiff, recess looks more like a lunch break. The only time of the day, for some, when you are in charge of your activities and not the boss. Is it any wonder when we have some free time we do not want to 'eat right' and 'exercise'...we like breaks! For most of us, it's completely natural. But if you're anything like my savvy hubby, breaks only happen when he goes to sleep. We're terribly opposite in this regard. I like free time.
So when we get our free time - what do we do? If we're not used to being savvy foodies or if the word 'exercise' is seldom uttered, guess what...it's going to suck changing our patterns. If free time is spent doing nothing, eating without caution or just veggin' on the couch lets shake things up, shall we?
How long will it take, you may be asking. Most experts believe it takes roughly thirty days to break a habit and adapt a new one. THIRTY DAYS...doesn't that sound ridiculous? My attention span barely lasts thirty minutes. How in the world am I supposed to give myself a month to get rid of my old ways? Calm down and keep reading ;)
I have the answer, but it's going to cost 'ya. You can make your checks out to 'savvy foodies' and mail them to, KIDDING!!! The cost is perseverance! That's it! You will have to wrestle with your ego and challenge your body and mind.
Here are a few tips:
- Knowing me, knowing you. Hi, I'm Amy. Well nice to meet you, Amy, I'm Amy. Sounds corny, right? Well I've had 33 years to get to know myself and guess what...I'm still learning my patterns. What I do know is I'm a morning person. I work out in the morning and at night I crash and burn. So if I don't go to the gym in the morning, it won't happen. Working out at night is NOT an option. Perhaps, you're a night owl and working out after work pumps you up. Getting to know when you are able to best perform is half the battle.
- Add before you subtract. Being a savvy foodie takes effort. It also takes simple arithmetic. Before I take something out of my diet, I must put a healthy and satisfactory substitution in so I won't feel deprived. Deprivation is the key to failure. Don't let it happen.
- Make your body happy. If you love to dance, go to classes that allow you to shake what your mamma gave you. If you consider a workout to be complete only if you sweat your brains out, try a boot camp class. Maybe you like to compete, find a running group to motivate and inspire you. If you like going for a dip in the pool, don't judge water aerobics until you shake it under water. Try different forms of exercise to see what your body responds to.
This is my favorite -
- Get comfy. I live in yoga pants. They are the most ridiculously comfortable pants in the world. I also swear by LuLu Lemon. The prices are nuts, but I live in their clothes. Once I'm in my work out gear, I'm more apt to exercise. I also swear by my Brooks sneaks, so anytime I've got them on I never sit down.
- Eliminate pressure. For goodness sake, it's a marathon not a sprint. Accept there will be days when, quite frankly, you won't feel like going for a jog/walk/bike ride, whatever. You're only human. Just make sure you get back on your horse.
- Read Savvy Foodies. Keep reading for ideas, tips and tricks.
- Watch the pounds fly. Best part of switching things up, you are on your way to health! Best part, period. Once you've committed to changing your old unhealthy ways, positive things will happen. It's not going to happen over night, I can promise you. But once it becomes habit, it's going to be so rewarding.
These are just a few tips that I have found helpful. It has taken me a year of dedication in order to get to a spot where I'm pleased with my results. It's not always easy, but it's only my health. No big deal, again I kid. If you don't have your health, what do you have? So next time you have some free time, what will you do?
I have been taking reformer classes since the beginning of the year and the transformation is undeniable. This AMAZING workout engages your core with every move.
At first glance, the reformer looks like a torture device...and honestly, it feels like one at times. The most important element while working on the reformer is keeping your back 'imprinted' on the carriage (that's the part their feet are on in the picture above) when doing work that keeps you on your back. My trainer goes around to each student and tries to get her fingers underneath our backs. If she can slide them under, we're not fully engaging our core. If she cannot get them underneath, she compliments us and tells us we are 'very strong'. No one EVER used to tell me I was strong! It's better than being chic ;-)
What this class has done for me in three months, no other form of exercise has been able to do. Also, I'm so excited to get strapped into my reformer and challenge my core to 'up' the tension.
The reformer works on a series of different colored tension springs. During various exercises, the tension is adjusted. I'm not always willing to push myself to the max and my trainer can usually tell. But on days when I'm kicking my own booty, she'll up my tension.
These moves appear to be simple enough, but such is not the case. It's all about control. When lowering yourself from a supported shoulder stand one is not allowed to simply PLOP down. You lower 'one vertebrae' at a time. This works your core as if you were preparing to be punched in the gut by a crazy fool. It's insane. Also, not every move uses the strap. For our challenging days, we'll keep one leg in the strap and one out. We move our legs simultaneously (i.e. we'll do the lower half of a snow angel) with one leg out of the strap. OH MY GOD!!! It's torture.
So aside from getting a killer core, this form of exercise also provides some of the most sensational stretches. I feel like a bowl fully of jelly after some workouts. It's almost better than a massage for some muscles.
The classes are usually not included in most gym memberships. I pay $25/class at my gym. It may seem excessive, but I have never felt so lean and strong. It's worth skipping a few pairs of shoes, etc.
I do not have a single bad report about the reformers. They're also great for seniors, folks with physical therapy needs and people looking for something new in their workout. You do not need to be incredibly flexible or limber. All you need is some extra cash and an open mind.
If you have access to one, get on it and start challenging yourself. Your body will thank you for it!!
Do you ever remember a time when you were NOT 'on a diet'? I have heard of the few random people out there who are trying to put weight on, but for the rest of us mere mortals...we're always watching what we eat.
With the exception of the occasional weekend cheat feast or a Holiday free-for-all, if you're reading my blog chances are you've considered yourself to be 'on a diet'. My definition of a savvy foodie: a smart-minded individual making good choices about the food they put in their mouth. Guess what else I define as being savvy...diet free foodies! Can I get an AMEN?!?!
The word 'diet' is a four letter word and should be banished from everyone's vocabulary. Every time you say the word, you owe me a quarter! Current research is proving diet products can be useless. I hear the word and shudder. I equate it with deprivation. I have lots of savvy friends who say things like: "Tomorrow my diet will start" or "I'll get back on my diet after this meal". It's heart breaking! These words translate into failure. Feelings of guilt usually follow. Food is meant for us to enjoy and be nourished. So you know what I say...to hek with it! Who needs to feel deprived in a world that is already stressful enough. Stop the madness and quit your diet, TODAY!
Stop being a slave to guilt. If you want to eat a cheeseburger and fries and you're fairly convinced you'll die if you don't eat it...GO FOR IT! There are ways to be savvy about your passion for greasy goodness. When you get the burger and fries skip the bun, use half the ketchup, have a few french fries and eat slowly. If you think you won't be able to resist temptation you can ruin the rest. I tried this with a piece of pie and my grandmother nearly fainted as I poured pepper over the pie we were not going to consume. She wasn't used to trashing uneaten food, but it certainly kept me from mindlessly consuming added calories.
Here's the thing, you have to carefully select the meals you want to splurge on. Plan ahead! If there's an event that you know you won't want to be as savvy as you usually are, maybe skip the greasy meals that week in preparation for the upcoming splurge.
If you order wine with dinner, don't get desert. If you have an appetizer with your savvy spouse, perhaps you can split your dinner entree. This takes some compromise on both parts so it's best to figure it out before hand.
A savvy foodie also knows the importance of being physically active. If I know I'm not liking the way I'm fitting in my jeans, and I refuse to eradicate my cheeseburger, I'll make sure my butt is at the gym as much as possible. Go to a class and stay for the full hour. Do an activity that you know you enjoy, otherwise you'll fall off the exercise wagon.
There are ways to have the food you truly enjoy and still maintain a healthy lifestyle. The two are not incompatible. It simply takes some planning ahead, dedication, will power and a large pepper mill always at hand!
Here are some of the tricks this savvy foodie employs:
Skip what you really can do without
Plan ahead and omit some portion of the appetizer, dinner, desert and wine
Think about your week in advance so you can plan a good cheat meal (or two) ahead of time
If you know something is coming up, get your booty to the gym
Eat slowly so your tummy can fill up in time with your brain to say 'STOP EATING'
If you don't like something, for heaven's sake don't eat it
Pack a lot of veggies into your mealS. Veggies are rich in fiber and fill us up with yummy goodness, not just senseless calories
QUIT YOUR DIET
Go out there a live your life! Enjoy what you love and before you know it you'll be a savvy foodie, without even thinking about it!
Confession: when I'm in the kitchen I usually have music on. Sometimes I tango with the celery or cha-cha while I make a smoothie. I'll put my iPod on random and dance around while cooking. You should see me when I uncork a bottle of vino!! I'm digressing, my point...Jordin Sparks 'Battlefield' came on and I had an 'AHA' MOMENT in the kitchen. I did a twirl and sang into my spoon!
Replace the word 'food' instead of love and suddenly this Savvy Foodie has a theme song! Why does food always feel like a battlefield? Guess you better go and get your armor!!!
I don't want to give the impression that I'm crazed about everything I put in my mouth, not the case. But when one is trying to eat sensibly, it's as though all the crap jumps out at you. Maybe I'm just more susceptible during certain times of the month...thank you Aunt Flo!
Food is meant to be nourishing, it's not meant to be warfare. However, we live in a world where time is money and most of us don't have much of either. We don't have time to cook so we reach for the pre-packaged goods. Or worse, we stop by a fast food chain to get something hot and cheap (kind of sounds like a bad date!!!). I'll admit, produce can become VERY costly if not consumed immediately. I've had to toss so much of it if I don't cook/eat it the day of purchase or the very next day. But pre-processed goods...hek those suckers last forever and are cheaper!
This battlefield is very real. My armor is education. I know these fast and cheap meals will bring me down. I'll be fighting the battle of the bulge. I'll wrestle with guilt. I'll try to justify my defeat with sayings like, "Ah well, I'm on vacation", "Just this once", blah blah blah. I'll also have long term consequences for giving in. Diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, achy joints, lethargy, acid reflux, high blood pressure and cellulite are just a few of those consequences. The answer is so friggin' obvious!
Food doesn't always have to feel like a battlefield. One defense is to make sure I fill up on protein to keep the hunger cravings at bay. Load up on fruits, veggies and nuts instead of sugary snacks. Another line of defense is exercise. Once I added in strength training to my routine, those cookies/fries/cake/cheese burgers, etc., began looking a lot less appealing. I work too damn hard to just chuck it all down the drain. If anyone ever tells you going to the gym is fun, they're either lying or they need a life. It's not fun, but it's rewarding.
Arming yourself with knowledge will help you make peace with your food. Work your butt off at the gym and in the kitchen and the battle becomes less apparent.
Suddenly this song will become a new theme song...you'll be ok.
