Healthy whole foods do not need to be boring and plain. Keep my top 5 everyday sauces and condiments on hand so you can always add flavor, texture and variety to your meals without loads of excess calories.
Yellow Mustard
Monk Fruit Granulated Sweetener
Sugar Free BBQ Sauce
Dill Pickles
Hot Sauce
Looking for ways to make all your healthy and homemade meals flavorful? Click here to learn more about my E Cookbooks. “The Art Of Meal Prep For Sustainable Living Volumes 1 and 2” are dedicated to meal prep and to eating well without sacrificing enjoyment or flavor.
Learn: What circumstances preceded the events that led to it?
Plan: Is there a way to make it easier for you to stick to your goals in the future?
Keep Going: Consistency not perfection. It’s what you do most of the time that matters.
Don’t be discouraged if you fall off track. Everyone does. The only way to discover your potential is if you keep going.
Remember, a fitness journey lasts a lifetime.
Reflect- Learn- Plan- Keep Going
You’ve got this!
Use these steps to help you reach your fitness goals and to help you maintain your hard earned results long term.
If you have thought about having me as your coach to support you along your own fitness journey check out the Online Fitness Coaching page on my website for more info and how to inquire about my online fitness coaching service. Receive customized activity and nutrition plans, monthly virtual calls, and weekly email check in’s.
You may see my transformation below and think I have iron clad will power. This is not the case. I can and do succumb to tasty treats and have indulged in excess.
If this is the case, then how did I transform and how do I still maintain my results? There are a multitude of reasons, but one of them was learning how to deal with trigger foods.
What are trigger foods?
They are usually ultra processed and extra tasty foods that hold themagic combo of sugar, fat and salt. They are low in protein and low in fiber and you know the saying, “bet you can’t eat just one?”
Next are the 5 best strategies for successfully navigating trigger foods.
Don’t Buy/ Don’t Make: You can’t indulge in something that is not available.
Out Of Sight/ Hide It: Constantly being reminded that a tasty treat is available makes it so much harder to exert willpower. Hide them from yourself.
Swap it: Make an alternative (but similar) treat Instead that is higher in protein, fiber and nutrients. My E Cookbooks are full of swaps.
Pair It: Enjoy a smaller portion along with an otherwise high volume, high fiber, high protein and nourishing meal.
Not First: Fill up on fruits, veg, and protein to start your meal. Eating foods first that are designed to be as tasty as possible will make other foods incredibly lack luster by comparison. In addition, if you eat these types of foods while hungry, it will easily lead to overconsumption. If you are going to include these foods, save them for last.
Use these strategies to help you reach your fitness goals and to help you maintain your hard earned results long term.
If you have thought about having me as your coach to support you along your own fitness journey check out the Online Fitness Coaching page on my website for more info and how to inquire about my online fitness coaching service. Receive customized activity and nutrition plans, monthly virtual calls, and weekly email check in’s.
Here I share a real world example of how my family of 3 created an easy fit family meal using the same meal prepped foods (chicken, potatoes, hard boiled eggs and salad dressings, along with fresh salad veggies, spices and condiments) and created 3 different meals by making small adjustments to accommodate our own unique goals, taste preferences, and portion needs.
Do you ever feel like because the members of your household do not have the same fitness goals as you that you struggle to stay consistent with your own nutritional goals?
Or that you have to cook an entirely separate meal for yourself which can be time consuming and exhausting?
It’s okay and completely normal to have different goals, taste preferences, and portion needs as the other members of your household. You can still eat well without additional time and hassle and reach your fitness goals by making small adjustments.
These meals are also pictured above.
Meal Option 1: Roasted chicken and potatoes seasoned with sugar free BBQ sauce, mustard, hot sauce, and spices without added oils. Big salad with light ranch dressing and a whole hard boiled egg.
Meal Option 2: Olive oil roasted chicken and potatoes seasoned with regular BBQ sauce and spices and a mayo dipping sauce on the side. Small salad with vinegar and olive oil dressing and a hard boiled egg yolk.
Meal Option 3: Chicken and cheese quesadilla w/ ketchup. Sliced veggies and light ranch dressing. Hard boiled egg white with mustard. Olive oil roasted potatoes lightly seasoned.
Need loads of fun and delicious recipes perfect for meal prep to help you reach your goals? My e- cookbooks are available! Click below for details.
“What can I do today that adds value to me tomorrow.”
It’s easy to succumb to short term convenience and comforts when we are tired, hungry, stressed or overwhelmed. Especially at the end of a long day or week.
Most of us do not deviate from our action plan when things are easy. We veer off track when things get hard, inconvenient, or require more effort than we expect.
When this inevitably happens. Shift your mindset and REMEMBER that your long term goals are valuable and hold a greater purpose than how you feel in this fleeting moment.
Stay true to what you know you should do. Keep the promises you made to yourself. Your tomorrow self will thank you that you persevered today.
Every week I have the opportunity to hear how my 1 on 1 clients stay consistent to their long term goals despite their circumstances and about the rewards and benefits they see because of their previous consistency.
We call these Non Scale Victories and I have all my clients share at least one with me each check in.
Next are a few non scale victories that were shared with me recently.
Eating well and nailing their full body resistance workouts while on full time kid duty and a husband out of town. This includes a very active, nap skipping toddler!
Keeping to their nutritional goals despite the stress of moving halfway around the world, starting a new job, finding a car, and a new home.
Getting to play in the snow and keep up with their kid for sled riding.
Having someone comment about how buff their arms are now.
Seeing noticeable quad growth while waist measurements stay the same. Lean Gains!
We all lead full and busy lives.
It’s easy to get lost in the chaos of the moment.
Hold strong.
We are all more capable and resilient than we realize.
On your own fitness journey pay attention to your many non scale victories.
Victories such as:
Increased strength, endurance and mobility
Increased self confidence and self efficacy
Less anxiety around food
Better Sleep
More ability to cope with negative stressors and less overall stress
More energy for daily tasks
Less joint and muscle aches or pains
Allow these victories to help you remember that making your fitness a priority is always worth it.
If you have thought about having me as your coach to support you along your own fitness journey check out the Online Fitness Coaching page on my website for more info and how to inquire about my online fitness coaching service. Receive customized activity and nutrition plans, monthly virtual calls, and weekly email check in’s.
Healthy whole foods do not need to be under seasoned and plain. Keep these basic spices and seasonings on hand so you can always add flavor to your meals.
Sea Salt
Cinnamon
Garlic Powder
Black Pepper
Smoked Paprika
Looking for ways to make all your healthy and homemade meals flavorful? Click here to learn more about my E Cookbooks “The Art Of Meal Prep For Sustainable Living Volumes 1 and 2” are dedicated to meal prep and to eating well without sacrificing enjoyment or flavor.
When I was a teen and in my 20’s I lost and gained weight more times than I can count. Each time I repeated the cycle I regained even more weight. I felt hopeless and broken as I tried to do what I thought worked. Restrictive diets and lots of cardio. Always with the focus on weight loss.
What changed? I had to switch the paradigm in my mind and habits that had me focused on weight loss. Instead I had to focus my mind and habits on BUILDING MUSCLE.
Eating for muscle, training for muscle, sleeping for muscle, hydrating for muscle, reducing stress and recovering for muscle.
When I focused on muscle: I lost fat, built strength, increased my endurance and drastically improved my overall health markers: blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose management, and triglycerides.
To go on an empowering fitness journey I suggest this. Rather than focusing on losing weight, adjust your perspective and start focusing on building muscle.
The habits and behaviors needed to build healthy skeletal muscle will yield incredible results in overall health and physique development.
It does not mean that the process is easy and will happen without effort.
But those efforts, WORTH IT!
If you have thought about having me as your coach to support you along your own fitness journey check out the Online Fitness Coaching page on my website for more info and how to inquire about my online fitness coaching service. Receive customized activity and nutrition plans, monthly virtual calls, and weekly email check in’s.
Foods rich in healthy dietary fats promote hormonal function and are dense with energy. They also help make your meals delicious and satisfying. But remember, a little goes a long way!
Next are my top 5 healthy fat sources and portions. Include these in your cart on your next grocery shop so you always have the ability to create amazing and health promoting meals.
Chia Seeds– 15g 75 calories 5g fat
Olive Oil– 15g 135 calories 15g fat
Avocado– 50g 90 calories 7.5g fat
Dark Chocolate– 15g 80 calories 5g fat
Natural Peanut Butter– 15g 91 calories 7g fat
2 basic guidelines for enjoying healthy fats for overall health and wellness.
We should aim for a minimum of .8g of dietary fat per kg of our total bodyweight. (or .4g per lb)
10% or less of our total calories should come from saturated fat.
Looking for ways to make these healthy fat staples a delicious addition to your meals? My E Cookbooks are loaded with recipes and meal ideas to put these ingredients to good use. Click here to learn more about me E Cookbooks “The Art Of Meal Prep For Sustainable Living Volumes 1 and 2” dedicated to meal prep and to eating well without sacrificing enjoyment or flavor.
When it comes to making any fitness or activity goal happen day in and day out without fail it’s imperative to be open and creative. If we think the only way to reach a step goal is time on a treadmill, think again.
What happens if you can’t get to the gym? Don’t own a treadmill?
Do these obstacles mean you need to skip getting in your daily steps?
Of course not. You have choices.
Next are a few creative ways to increase your daily step count without access to a treadmill.
Walk outside. Personally I dress for the weather rain, snow, or shine and make it happen. Daily outdoor light is a must and why not combine the time with a walk. Enjoy a podcast, talk to a friend on the phone, or meet up with someone and make the time enjoyable. My daughter is my step buddy. We love our walks and talks together.
Walk inside. Pace around the house. Take more laps through the isles in a big box store. Mall walk. Take the stairs. When tidying up at home take several trips instead of one and rack up a few more. Every extra bit of activity counts.
Walk in place. This is my secret weapon and I’ve done it for years and years. This has been the way I make sure to never miss my daily step goal. I walk in place while watching a show, studying, reading, talking on the phone, and even in between sets during my workouts. Yes, at the end of a long day I have been known to walk in place to ensure I have those last few steps before diving head first into bed. Lol!
Make realistic goals, commit, be creative, and then make them happen. You’ve got this!
If you have thought about having me as your coach to support you along your own fitness journey check out the Online Fitness Coaching page on my website for more info and how to inquire about my online fitness coaching service. Receive customized activity and nutrition plans, monthly virtual calls, and weekly email check in’s.
It’s the new year and that means many of us are keen to make our health and fitness a priority.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of wanting to do all the things, all at once, and to expect immediate results.
This approach is not sustainable. What if this year you tried to become consistent with a few basic healthy habits first?
Next are 3 habits you can start today to jump start your sustainable fitness lifestyle.
Create a daily step goal and make it happen everyday. 8-10k is a great goal for long term health. It doesn’t need to happen all at once. It’s actually better to include light movement and walking throughout the day.
Make your first meal of the day (breakfast) contain at least 30g of high quality protein. Starting with a high Protein breakfast helps you to feel fuller and more satiated for longer. This means you are less likely to overeat later. Great protein sources include whey protein, greek yogurt and eggs/egg whites.
Remove trigger foods and ultra processed convenience foods from sight. Think chips, ice cream, candy, cookies, etc… Either don’t buy these items in the first place or stick them in a cupboard so it’s not the first or even second thing you see when you walk into your kitchen. Put the food you know and should eat front and center. Hiding the treats and placing a bowl of fresh fruit on the counter, plus veggies, grilled chicken, and greek yogurt ready to eat (and staring you in the face when you open the fridge) will make it a lot easier to make better food choices.
Make realistic goals, commit, and then make them happen. 2024 let’s do this!
If you have thought about having me as your coach to support you along your own fitness journey check out the Online Fitness Coaching page on my website for more info and how to inquire about my online fitness coaching service. Receive customized activity and nutrition plans, monthly virtual calls, and weekly email check in’s.
