Fitness in Balance

Get ready for my 4 week core program!

This program will be a 4 week course that can be done on your own schedule. I’ll be there each week to guide you, check-in and educate you!

Program will launch in August or September!

If interested in getting on the list please message me or comment and tell me your preference for August or September 😊

Send me DM”s with questions!

Everyone talks about Protein and Carbs, but what about Fiber?

Eating Fiber Rich foods is key for women as they age.

Are you eating enough fiber daily?

🤩Aim for getting 25-35 grams of fiber daily.

The average American woman is getting about 15 grams of fiber per day. With some very easy dietary changes you can make sure to get 25-35 grams everyday!

Here’s why:

✨Fiber helps control appetite and cravings, satiety, gut health and weight.

✨Fiber can help reduce unwanted belly fat and weight gain.

✨Fiber also helps balance blood sugar- which affects hormonal balance.

Your basic fiber rich foods are nuts, veggies, fruits and whole grains.

Here’s some of my faves I’ve been eating daily👇🏼

Avocado- has 10 grams of fiber and healthy fat

Edamame- has 9 grams of fiber and 20 grams of protein

Nuts- 9 grams of fiber

Berries- blackberries, blueberries and raspberries have about 4 grams of fiber and lots of antioxidants

Vegetables- eat a variety of veggies everyday. The more variety the better! Each serving provides about 4 grams of fiber. Eat the rainbow 🌈 because each color contains a variety of antioxidants.

Wanna be a powerhouse?

Eat adequate protein and fiber everyday 💪🏻

Swapping out my snacking on crackers and chips to this savory healthy snack 😊

Olives and buffalo mozzarella cheese or you can use feta cheese. Add some olive oil and herbs for extra fat or simply go without!

Olives are powerful antioxidants and you get a little boost of protein from the cheese.

This snack is void of sugar, which means no glucose spikes and it’s low carb.

So often eating better comes down to eating Whole Foods and swapping out the processed stuff.

What foods could you swap out to feel a whole lot better?

Tell me in the comments👇🏼

My Holiday Survival Game Plan 🎄💪🏻

The holidays can definitely make people feel overwhelmed and a bit out of control when it comes to staying on track with their wellness.

The weeks before and after Christmas can be a challenge if you don’t have a game plan.

The good news is that it doesn’t need to be! I’m gonna share my tried and true game plan for feeling good and staying on track during the holidays.

1. The holidays are special so enjoy your favorite foods on that day! We shouldn’t be stressing about what to eat for 1 or 2 days- it’s how we eat for the entire month and months leading up to the holidays that we should be focusing on.
2. Set boundaries for yourself for the weeks before and after the holidays. Limit drinking and treats for the special day- it will be more of a treat when it’s not overly consumed the weeks beforehand.
3. Set a minimum of exercise when weeks get busy. Make a promise to yourself to do at least X amount of training. For example, you may set a minimum of 3 days of training if you usually train 5-6 days per week. Plan for it and set the minimum amount you will exercise rather than not exercising at all.
4. Use the 80/20 rule ALL of the time. 80 percent healthy nutritious foods and 20 percent can be the not so healthy foods. For example, if you eat 4 meals per day/ 28 per week/ you can have about 5 not so healthy foods per week. (Single portions please)
5. Prioritize protein and fiber rich foods (nuts, whole grains, vegetables and fruits)
6. Set boundaries with yourself and others about when and how you want to indulge.
7. Go for a 10 minute walk after a big meal- this helps lower blood sugar and aids in digestion after a meal.
8. Drink your water!
9. Enjoy your small treat (like a piece of chocolate or a cookie) with your meal to curb glucose spikes
10. Remind yourself that the holidays are always better when you take care of yourself and prioritize your own wellness.

Take what you need from this post, discard what you don’t and implement 😘

Psst…

If you are thinking about it- It’s Time!

Motivation comes after you take that first step.

You don’t need to be perfect. You don’t need to be good at it. Just start.

It’s not a secret, but
there are no short cuts to being healthy and fit.

It all works from the inside out.

While there are definite aesthetic perks (like muscle tone and a smaller waistline as you age) you are most importantly 👇🏼

✨Building bone density

✨Improving glucose and insulin levels

✨Improving blood pressure

✨Improving cholesterol

✨Increasing brain health

✨Strengthening your heart and lungs

✨Building and maintaining lean muscle

✨Improving balance and mobility

You know what’s NOT doing any of that?

👉🏻Pills, potions and cosmetic procedures.

There. I said what I said.

Keep going… Do the real work first

Because we all want the Oomph!

Say no to the habits that don’t serve you and yes to habits that will!

It’s time to prioritize ♥️

Can you gain weight from not eating enough?

Yes and no.

Here’s the deal. Weight gain comes from a surplus of calories, lack of movement and sometimes hormonal changes that are impacted by lifestyle.

By not eating enough, white knuckling it through a diet or restricting foods to the point that you end up hungry, WILL lead to overeating at some point. The over eating will then lead to weight gain and the cycle continues 🤦🏻‍♀️

I learned this the hard way when I trained for triathlons. Now at 48 I can say I’ve never had to diet again because I learned to fuel my body properly and I learned that cravings and hunger lead to over eating.

Do you want to get out of this cycle and never feel like you are “dieting”?

Follow these golden rules my friend, you’ll be so glad you did♥️

1. Keep your Hunger, Energy and Cravings (HEC) in check by dialing in how you feel after each meal. What you eat or don’t eat WILL impact hunger, energy and cravings that day

2. Get your protein and fiber in! These foods keep you satiated. Build your main meals around protein and veggies

3. Make a protein and veggie packed stir fry at least once per week. It’s easy meal planning and easy to cook. You can also have this as a leftover meal later in the week

Finding peace in the beautiful moments.

I feel like this is a life skill that we should have been taught a long time ago, but here I am at 48, learning a new skill to help me weather the storm.

I preach about exercise and diet as integral parts of a healthy lifestyle and for longevity, but there is also a very important aspect of your health and that’s MINDSET.

Running on empty and running on high stress is a good way to wreck your hormones, gain unwanted weight and stay in a cycle of feeling physically horrible.

We can’t be healthy if we don’t address our mindset. So here’s the good news, it costs nothing to practice gratitude and find a little time for peace each and everyday.

Instead of killing ourselves with hours of exercise, filling up on junk food, clinging to a restrictive diet or repeating negative self talk about our imperfections, we need to:

♥️ Believe in ourselves in times of uncertainty

♥️ Trust ourselves more

♥️ Get out of our own way

♥️ Find gratitude

♥️ Take small steps forward every moment we can

Remember, our health is built of both our Mind and our Body

Hold onto your hats ladies…

Serious talk deserves a serious expression 🤣

Menopausal weight gain is NOT inevitable! Yes, genetics and hormonal changes can affect menopause BUT lifestyle has a HUGE influence- we are talking 80 percent influence.

This is good news!

Starting to make shifts in your eating habits and exercise habits well before menopause can greatly affect how your body goes through menopause.

More good news, even if you are in menopause and are dealing with stubborn weight gain these 5 lifestyle habits can help you with stubborn fat loss.

Start doing these things consistently- like, everyday 😜and watch how your body responds 👇🏼

1. Eat at least 20-30 grams of protein at every meal

2. Lifts heavy weights 3-4 days per week

3. Stop the snacking. Once you eat 3-4 balanced meals a day you won’t need to snack

4. Seriously limit alcohol. 1 drink a day is NOT limiting alcohol nearly enough. Sorry, save alcohol for special moments

5. Learn your calorie budget. As we get older maintaining your weight can seem harder. Caloric needs change as we age and depending on our activity level

6. Enjoy your “fun foods” in moderation and make them a conscious choice not a habit or a way to deal with stress

Aging ain’t easy, but you’ve got this!

Need more one on one guidance? Let’s talk about my 8 week Metabolic Reboot! Message me to chat 😃

One of my favorite lower carb high protein meals

Mexican Ground Turkey Bowl

This meal is delicious reheated and eaten for lunch or dinner. You’ll get a whopping 54 grams of protein from this meal and you can add whatever veggies you’d like.

My go to meal is ground Turkey cooked with a taco seasoning. Add in sautéed veggies: onion, zucchini, red and yellow peppers, corn and black beans.

Top with lime juice, avocado and cilantro. Add cheese if you’d like!

Find this recipe and other amazing recipes

Just a reminder that It’s going to be okay.

Difficult times are uncomfortable, but keep working through.

Patience and consistency… you’ve got this!

The struggle you feel is simply a call to action.

This is a time for growth. Without the struggle there is no growth.

When you feel the struggle it’s time to take action.

If you want to be successful with your actions you need to start here and ask yourself these questions 👇🏼

What are the doable, repeatable actions you can take everyday?

It’s all about ex*****on and action. You can’t just think about it. You have to be very specific and repeat those Doable, Sustainable, Repeatable actions daily- even in your daily, busy life. Especially in your busy life!

These repeatable actions will gradually transform your health and life and create sustainable change.

Bored with your meals?

These are some of my latest seasonal meals. They are super easy and healthy to make in a snap!

1. Fish tacos- my favorite white fish is Mahi or Halibut. Season fish with olive oil and your favorite spices (I love Trader Joe’s Chili Lime seasoning blend). Cook in oven at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Chop up avocado, cilantro, red cabbage and toss in lime juice and sea salt. Add some siracha Mayo to your tortillas and fill with ingredients.

2. Baked portobellos- Roast with olive oil, feta cheese, sun dried tomatoes and arugula or spinach. Drizzle with balsamic glaze. Season with sea salt and pepper. Cooking time is about 20 minutes at 350.

3. Cowboy Caviar- I use boxed beans or soak my beans instead of using canned products that have BPA. I use black beans, black eyed peas and pinto beans. Add corn, onion or green onions, red and yellow peppers, cherry tomatoes and cilantro.

There are 2 types of dressing you can make that are really clean.

1. Fresh lime juice (2-3 limes), chili powder, cumin and garlic powder and a splash of olive oil and sea salt.

2. Apple Cider Vinegar with a little olive oil and 1-2 teaspoons of honey

Some truths to make change happen👇🏼

1. You’ll have to work diligently for a transformation

2. Change will not be possible if you can’t see what needs to be changed

3. Change takes lots of practice before it sticks

4. When you implement change make sure you give it a fair trial and stick to it for at least 2-3 weeks so you can assess if it’s working. You can’t asses a method if you quit when it gets difficult or challenging

5. Adopt the mindset of: No one and no situation will stop me from moving in a new direction

Book mark or screenshot this for a reminder when you need it ♥️

This is a game changer for everybody, but especially if you are a woman 40 or older!

Drumroll please…

💥Eating enough protein and managing glucose spikes.

What do glucose spikes feel like?

💥A burst of energy and a heavy crash later in the day

💥Feeling really hungry

💥Craving sugar and carbs

You can usually identify your response to glucose by assessing your: Hunger, Energy and Cravings after every meal or snack.

Glucose spikes can cause weight gain, fat storage, inflammation, aging and type 2 diabetes.

Here’s my Go To ground Turkey recipe that I live by!👇🏼

Cook ground turkey in a skillet with olive oil and spices. I use cumin, oregano, sea salt, pepper and garlic salt. I also add in lemon juice near the end of cooking. Toss in some spinach (if you’d like) and cannellini beans. If you want a higher carb option you can add in some cooked brown rice too.

I eat this for lunch when I am really busy and it’s always a great energy day when I do!

Imagine…

If we obsessed about the things we loved about ourselves ♥️

Do you struggle with having the time or motivation to eat better and live a healthier lifestyle?

I get it. That’s why I want share a Simple structure that takes out so much decision making and best of all it works!

When eating becomes routine, less healthy foods will
no longer be worth the short term pleasure.

You’ll eat better, reduce decision fatigue and get better at meal planning.

The key is to follow the structure as best as you can. When you can’t follow the structure, be flexible and don’t stress. This is not about being perfect. It’s about eating better 80 percent of the time. The other 20 percent is about enjoying all foods and living life.

1st Meal: Your first meal should be protein based and have at least 20-30 grams of protein. Even if you don’t eat your first meal until 10 or 11 a.m.- make sure you start with adequate protein.
A low glycemic breakfast will curb cravings for the rest of the day and reduce the afternoon crash.

2nd Meal: Protein and veggies and a healthy carb if needed. Fruit is a great option for some carbs.

3rd Meal: Mini Meal or snack of a healthy protein source with fiber

4th Meal: Healthy Protein and veggies and a healthy carb if needed. Think half the plate is veggies and then your protein and one serving of a healthy carb

*Create a routine of eating at the same time everyday and meals should be spaced apart 3-4 hours.

*Allow yourself a “treat” food of anything up to 150 calories per day. This eliminates the feeling of being deprived. You are choosing to eat well and choosing whatever you want as a splurge food. If you find that treat spirals you into cravings or you crash with low energy then choose a different food. You want to limit refined carbs and sugars, but one serving a day is minor enough to get you results!

*Meals can be interchangeable so you can swap dinner and lunch. Or have your carbs at lunch or dinner.

👈🏼Swipe to check out some meal examples!

A Sunday well spent brings a week of content.

How are you gonna turn the world down a bit and turn YOU up a bit more?

♥️

Can we simplify our eating?

Let’s take the overwhelm out of eating healthy.

Today I had smoked salmon on whole grain toast with onion, capers, lemon juice, feta and some micro greens.

I chose this quick lunch instead of a bagel with cream cheese. My main reason for choosing this is because I always feel horrible after I eat bagels. I’m all for enjoying and splurging on foods that are tasty, but it’s no longer worth me feeling sluggish, hungry and off kilter for the rest of the day. So…. I made a better choice for myself. I chose a lunch that provided healthy Omega 3 fats, antioxidant packed veggies, fiber and protein 😃

Keeping nutrition basic and reducing the stress of eating well comes down to some simple strategies 👇🏼

1. Eat similar foods at similar times of the day. This takes the stress out of decision making and planning

2. Limit snacking outside of mealtimes- constantly eating is not the best for your body. Your digestive system needs breaks. Give yourself a 4 hour window between meals and snacks.

3. Eat essential Whole Foods:

Lean protein
Eggs
Fruits
Veggies
Cheese
Nuts
Healthy grains
Yogurt

4. Aim to eat healthy foods 80 percent of the day and save 20 percent for the other foods or treats

It’s that simple. What are 3 balanced lunches you can plan to eat weekly?

That’s right DO IT- Don’t Quit!

Just do the damn thing and follow the plan before you even think of giving up. Truth is that you will never know if it works until you actually commit to and follow the plan.

Diet, Fitness, Behavior Change- they all require a period of real commitment before you can quit and tell yourself it didn’t work or it wasn’t for you.

If you are not ready to follow the plan completely then you are simply not ready to start. There is no kind of doing the plan. At least, not at first.

You will save yourself a ton of time and energy by committing to the plan instead of spinning your wheels by kind of sorta doing it.

In my opinion, this is why most folks fail.

Committing fully to the plan allows you find out if the plan actually works for you. Adjustments can always be made, but it’s pointless unless you have followed the plan.

Once you have really done the plan and can say it didn’t work, then you can make adjustments- but you certainly DO NOT QUIT.

My golden rule is to start with a structure and plan and follow it for at least 2-4 weeks (give exercise plans more like 2-4 months)Assess your results and determine if adjustments need to be made or if the plan is working

When I feel out of alignment or overwhelmed by life I’ve finally embraced prioritizing myself.

This is a game changer! At 48 years old, I’m a firm believer that my NON-NEGOCIABLES have helped me keep my metabolism healthy well after the age of 40.

Wanna know my secrets? 👇🏼

🥗 I step up my nutrition game and avoid fast food and extra sugar and highly processed carbs.

🏋🏻‍♂️I get in good quality workouts even if means only 20-30 minutes

💤 I prioritize my sleep over social media and tv

🙏🏻 I prioritize reflective quiet time, which calms the nervous system, with journaling

💧I prioritize staying hydrated because that’s an easy thing to control during busy times

As you get older, NOT prioritizing yourself during stressful times will wreak havoc on your health. Your body is not going to bounce back or adapt when you keep putting it last.

I finally know that things will always fall back into line and tough times are temporary. So take care of yourself during these times!

Remember that character is built through challenging times and this is how we grow. Keep showing up and meeting your challenges. Quick results and only showing up for yourself when life is easy won’t build lasting healthy habits.

You’ve got this!

Now go make a list of your non-negotiables for when you have some of those challenging days!

Don’t doubt yourself for a second.

Sometimes you just need a little nudge ♥️

I know, I know those holiday bells are jingling and your stress level may be increasing by the moment. So much to get done.

You’ve got a list of s**t to do, but guess what?

The list will still be there after you prioritize yourself and take care of yourself on the daily!

This means weekly exercise 🏋🏻‍♂️daily nutrition 🥗 and hydration 💧 should be your top priority over all of the holiday frenzy this time of year.

YOU first, the other stuff later.

Repeat after me: I deserve to be healthy year round ♥️

Not everyday will be perfect and some days you will revert to old patterns. This is actually part of change. Over time, you will adopt new habits and revert to old patterns less and less.

However, to create new habits and create change you have to actually start.

Sometimes you need to get tired of your own bulls**t! You need to find the courage to get out of your own way.

Ya wanna to know how to stop spinning your wheels?

Make a plan and start!

💪🏻Want to see better results in the gym?
Get a training plan or a coach

🥗Want to lose weight or eat better?
Create a meal plan

🤩Want to bust out of an exercise plateau?
Add a new training plan into your routine

An individualized plan helps you improve self belief which will help you with discipline ♥️

You deserve it.

Ready to take the plunge to feeling better?
I have 3 spots open. Schedule a chat and we can see what plan would be a good fit for you!

Good bye October and HELLO November…

I adore this time before the holiday mayhem settles in. Fall is a wonderful time to reflect on how you will navigate the holiday season.

You can choose to be swallowed up by the endless “to do” list and put your health on hold OR you can take the reigns and make a plan to navigate your health through the holiday season.

It is absolutely possible to practice healthful habits all year round. Consistency is about finding a balance all year round.

And guess what?

You will feel a whole lot better come January- Mind, Body and Soul! And you’ll probably enjoy the holiday season a whole bunch more when you are taking care of yourself and prioritizing yourself.

Your health is a long journey (if you are lucky) and you need to practice moving through life’s ups and downs with consistency and self acceptance.

Understand that you are building something great and this will take time. There are no quick fixes or fast results nor is there a “good time” to start.

No better time to start than right now.

You’ve got this!

Protein Packed French Green Lentils

This was absolutely delish and you can serve this with salmon or chicken or have them on their own.

Lentils provide at least 12 grams of protein per 1/2 cooked cup and the chicken broth and goat cheese add an extra 5-10 grams. Serve it with protein and you have 20-40 grams of protein and some good fiber.

This was also easy and relatively quick to make.

If you want to eat better you gotta plan better!

Thank you . Check out this account for recipe inspo 😉

The core of change starts with self belief.

The pounds on the scale, your waist and butt circumstance, the definition of your muscles doesn’t mean s**t unless you believe in the power of yourself!

Your super power is all of the things that make you YOU! Embrace those qualities and don’t let your insecurities weaken your super power.

A lot of folks chase the diet or the fitness program to feel better about themselves and improve their feelings of self worth. But the fact is: you gotta build self worth before embarking on the physical attributes.

Self improvement largely depends on self acceptance. Believe you are worth it and start from there.

Let’s normalize setting fitness goals that involve Strength, Resilience, Gratitude, Balance, Flow, Well Being and see where that takes you.

When the fitness goal is solely to shrink your body or get a six pack you miss the opportunity to improve your inner network of health and happiness.