Healthy by Habit

Find yourself falling into a little "home fitness" rut? Managing to still sneak a workout in even with kids hanging off of your legs and emails piling up, but feeling there's gotta be an easier way? This Precision Nutrition article gives a really fresh approach on how to work small bouts of activity into your day that equal a big fitness return.
I find it really takes the stress off to know that even if you can't (or simply don't want to) devote an hour at one time to exercise, fitting small, 5 minute pockets of movement in throughout the day can be just as- if not more effective!
If you're struggling at all with feeling like you're not moving enough during the day, or are floundering at home when it comes to fitness, please please give this article a read! I'd love to hear your thoughts too!
https://www.precisionnutrition.com/trigger-workouts?utm_source=marketingcloud&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=042320-AllContacts-TriggerWorkouts

This home workout experiment could transform the way you exercise. Whether you’re short on time or want to try something new, “trigger workouts” might be just what you’re looking for.

One thing I’ve realized through is that when my days (and I) feel chaotic, adding an equally chaotic feeling workout...super fast paced, lots of movements, working against a clock, pushing beyond comfort, etc. doesn’t serve me very well. Exercise, especially now, should help us feel better, more energized, and uplifted...vs drained, exhausted, beat up or run down. Sometimes this might mean switching up your usual routine and experimenting with some new options. Personally, slowing things down and incorporating a few days of traditional weight lifting has felt really good. Focusing on controlled breathing and movement patterns allows my brain to calm down a bit and breaks up the “always on” feeling I otherwise have right now. Lesson: there’s more than one way to take care of yourself...keep listening to your body, and be open to trying different things when life is tossing some pretty different circumstances your way! Also noted: a good dose of hair band rock music, can only make things better!😆💪🏻 🎶

Big shout out to my running buddy today! 3.5 miles of smiles with this guy!

Let the boys be in charge of programming today’s workout...Mine includes a 3000m row. 😳 Mom’s back in charge tomorrow!!

One of my favorite reads lately!! Takes typical fitness, nutrition & self care advice a huge step forward by explaining how each of these areas improve your brain health by literally changing its physiology & function. We literally have the power to change our brains (and overall health) with a few healthy habits! If you struggle with addictions (food, technology, etc), mental health/depression/anxiety or even inflammation...OR...If you just like to know the “how” or the “science” behind the “what’s & why’s” this is a must read!! Bonus: I found it 😄 📖🤓

Seriously guys, why are we letting 3 little numbers make or break our days, moods, and spirits?? I’ve been busy over here momming, coaching, training for a 1/2 marathon, eating cleaner than ever and for some reason stepped on that darn machine today and saw I gained 2 pounds! . Old me would have let thoughts of inadequacy run rampant and crush my spirit for the day...and possibly the week. But then I remembered that I’ve felt physically better in the past month than I have in over 2 full years...my digestion, mood, energy, skin & sleep are vastly improved...and I have a lot of s**t to do today...and don’t have time to waste figuring out where 2 damn pounds came from. Don’t let those numbers have power over your thoughts or actions for the day. Listen to your bod, take care of it, and it will take care of you! Who’s with me??!! Feel free to steal my breakup letter too!😉

Today is a big day. When I first started coaching, my mission was “to be a force for good in an industry filled with fads & filters.” (That’s really on my website!). It’s been an INCREDIBLE journey, but I’ve been getting pulled to want more. Though I’ve been approached numerous times, I’ve never felt there’s been a product or brand I could 💯 % commit to, trust, or whole-heartedly support and promote to my friends, family & clients. Until TODAY. Until the most AMAZING opportunity found me! I’m over the moon to announce I’m officially a consultant for A brand whose mission is “to get safer beauty & personal care products into the hands of everyone.” I LOVE this, ALIGN with this, and can’t wait to see where it leads! More to follow, but be sure to click the link in my bio to learn more & shop my safer beauty site!

SOOO EXCITED to announce our & Stick to Your Guns challenge winner: Jenn V!! She started strong, and was unstoppable 4 weeks in a row! Super proud of her hard work, and all of the CFB athletes who put the time and effort into bettering themselves through the month of February. Now the real “fun” begins...can you continue on with the healthy habits you created now that the tracking is done?? If you need help figuring out how you can keep the momentum going- just ask!! Also, pretty pretty please take a minute to fill out the challenge feedback survey that was emailed today!! This helps us help you!

High fives all around to my friends who stuck to their guns all 29 days of February and worked hard to improve their health & fitness! Please have your trackers updated tonight so I can tally points, announce our winner, and send you some closing thoughts tomorrow!! 🙌🏻💪🏻

When you really want to bail on the last round of your workout, but then Thunderstruck comes on, and you get magical powers!😂💪🏻👍🏻🏋🏻‍♀️

Here we go Stick To Your Guns challengers!! Week 3 Leaderboard Update! Jenn V is killing it, but the crew “in the hunt” is literally from 1-5 points behind! Sooo close!! Finish strong! 💪🏻. AND for those of you who might not have stuck to your guns quite as much...GET BACK ON BOARD!! This isn’t all about the final point tally- it’s about making YOU a better version of YOU! I’m challenging you to make the most out of the next 3 days. Can you roll into the weekend feeling proud of what you can accomplish in a few days, or will you pass the opportunity by, and hope there’s another? It’s your health- you decide!

Happy Donut Day! YES- we celebrate that in our house!!😋. We are a house divided though (vanilla vs chocolate) so, a half batch air-fried glazed for Patch & Brett, and a half batch of Gluten Free Glazed Chocolate for the rest of us! Sooo delicious and mostly guilt free!😉🍩🍫

What I wouldn’t give to have all 3 kids eat the same dinner...I try to at least find one common denominator and build on it if possible...some days it works, others, not so much. At least they’re getting their “grams” in!🤷🏻‍♀️🍎🍓🥒🥕

First time making risotto!! Used Wild Mushroom Risotto recipe and it was super easy! Great flavor, texture & dairy free! To get some extra veggie power, I stuffed it into a roasted portobello mushroom, and of course paired it w/ arugula (bc I eat EVERYTHING w/ arugula!) 😋. Grilled chicken on the side for the 💪🏻💪🏻

From 10 miles on palm tree lined streets last week, to 11 on snow covered, mountain lined roads this week...Happy to be getting the training in and getting closer to next month’s 1/2 marathon!

After only about ohh...2 or 3 years of saying I “need to do some yoga”...I finally did some today!! Thanks to my NordicTrack bike & iFit I can do some pretty fun workouts (that I wouldn’t normally try) right at home, while Brett has imaginary sword fights and ninja battles behind me!😂 🧘🏻‍♀️ ⚔️

Here’s your weekly update Challengers! It’s a tight race at the top, and how you perform after the halfway point is what can make or break you!! Stay positive, and keep that energy up!! Two weeks down, two to go!!

HUGE Shoutout to ALL of the Crossfit Bear Stick to Your Guns Challengers on crushing Week 1!! 💪
Here's our top 10 (as of points entered last night, in no particular order!)
Jenn V
Krirk
Jason G
Quinn
Wayne
Katie P & Ty
Maria
Lea
Tina W
Courtney A
Remember to update your tracker if you haven't already!! Points are TIGHT!!!! Everyone is still in the game and can pull ahead at any time! Keep up the great work, and send any questions my way!

Congrats for making it through the first few days of our Challenge!! Wanted to share a few great questions that popped up, AND some reminders & tips for the ahead!! Keep up the awesome!!💪🏻💪🏻

Hey Crossfit Bears!! Wanna get your paws on this handy-dandy guidebook detailing exactly WHY is running the “Stick to Your Guns” challenge, and how each of its components are designed to help you be a better athlete?! Be sure to sign up for the challenge ASAP, and it’ll be delivered straight to your inbox! All the nit-picky details about how to earn & track points are included! Can’t wait to get the fun rolling- Challenge starts this MONDAY!!!

IT’S THAT TIME AGAIN!!! Time to put your 💵 where your 👄 is and commit to the “Stick to Your Guns” Challenge This challenge has components related to fitness, nutrition, and recovery & revolve around things we can all get better at: 💪🏻Workout accountability, 🤔Eating mindfully, 🥩🍎🥬🌶 Protein & Plants, 🥗🍷Cleaner weekends, 🧘🏻‍♀️ Getting centered & 😴 SLEEP! Sounds like a lot, I know...but trust me- YOU ARE WORTH IT!!! Sign up with a friend or fly solo, but get registered this week!!

A telltale sign that the extra holiday to-do’s, pressure and touch of stress are taking up too much brain power: You (without even realizing it) add beef broth to your oats instead of almond milk!!😖🤢. In my defense, they are the same exact size/shape container. Full disclosure- I ate it anyway! Lesson 1👉🏻 Savory oats are good too...just probably better without cinnamon!🤪🤣
Lesson 2👉🏻 I need to start working some more mindfulness practice into my life!

Yikes! Thanksgiving break has officially begun! 🦃
As we steamroll into the holidays, you may be expecting “lightened up” versions of seasonal foods, or tips to avoid holiday weight gain, burn off extra calories, yadda...yadda...🤦🏻‍♀️🙅🏻‍♀️

If you want the recipe for fat free mashed potatoes 🥔, keto stuffing, vegan turkey🤢 or need to know how many burpees it takes to burn off pumpkin 🥧 you can surely scroll on to find that, as we’re inundated with pressure and tips to slim down our celebrations daily.

My healthy holiday message this year is one of anti-obsession, guilt free, yet mindful enjoyment. 😊

I’m all about healthy balanced meals on the REGULAR, BUT holidays aren’t regular days, and should be about creating memories, sharing, and engaging with loved ones. As humans we do that with food 🍗🍖🥔🥖🥗🥧☕️🥂
One of the most beautiful bonuses to eating well, and leading a healthy lifestyle the majority of the year is it allows us the flexibility and right to wholeheartedly participate in special days when they come around- without it derailing your fitness aspirations!
I believe that if we let ourselves fully experience the special moments, we can also come to embrace the structure and balance of daily living. Gorging on pie and stuffing EVERYDAY would make it way less pleasurable....just like watering down Thanksgiving dinner with a table full of substitutes or stressing over macros would dull the experience.
My advice for a Healthy holiday season?
👍🏻Keep normal eating & exercise routines as much as ya can on days surrounding holidays
👍🏻Drink plenty of water always!
👍🏻Eat protein & veggies in all meals, especially those that bookend holiday meals
👍🏻Pay attention to how you feel when eating! Eat the foods you want, but when you cross the line from satisfied to stuffed honor that and step away from the table!
👍🏻Get some damn sleep
********************************
👎🏻Put down the phone, and give macros/logging a break for the day
👎🏻Refrain from feelings of failure or needing to “work off” foods you ate.
Macros, workouts & routines will ALWAYS be there to resume. People and time together may not. Be kind to yourself & enjoy the day!😘

Opinion | I Was the Fastest Girl in America, Until I Joined Nike Mary Cain’s male coaches were convinced she had to get “thinner, and thinner, and thinner.” Then her body started breaking down.

If I could stress one point about nutrition, it would be THIS!!! If you’re waiting around for life to present the “perfect” conditions to improve your nutrition, JUST. STOP. IT. AND...START DOING SOMETHING!!! Posted • 🤔 Let’s accept that life has no pause button — that there's never a magical "right time" to begin something.⁣⁠⠀
⁣⁠⠀
👉🏽 Do you know what's better than pressing pause and doing nothing? Doing something!⁣⁠⠀
⁣⁠⠀
💥 As we like to say, "The 'all or nothing' mentality rarely gets us 'all'. It usually gets us 'nothing'".⁣⁠⠀
⁣⁠⠀
👊🏾 That’s why we propose a new mantra: ⁠⠀
⁣⁠⠀
▶️ Think of your fitness and nutrition efforts as a dial. Instead of pressing pause, simply adjust the dial.⁣⁠⠀
⁣⁠⠀
🎚 There are times when you may want to dial your efforts up, and times when you want to dial them down. But never turn the dial off completely.⁣ [SWIPE LEFT for examples of what a nutrition dial could look like.]⁠⠀
⁣⁠⠀
💥💥 There’s a big difference between tuning your dial to 3, 2, or even a 1, and turning the whole thing off.⁣⁠⠀
⁣⁠⠀
🔑 And when you realize how doable — and effective — channels 3 and 2 and 1 can be, you see that there’s never a good reason to hit “pause”.⁣⁠⠀
⁣

Roasting these beauties after pumpkin carving last night...made the whole house smell like fall. Please don’t toss those powerhouse seeds! They are packed with healthy fats, protein and magnesium...and couldn’t be easier to make! 👉🏻 Separate seeds from pumpkin “guts” and rinse well to remove any leftover pumpkin. 👉🏻Place seeds in a pot of boiling water (about 2-3inches covering seeds) and simmer for 10 min. 👉🏻Drain & dry seeds completely ⭐️ This is important to ensure crispy seeds! 👉🏻 Place dried seeds in a bowl and drizzle with 1/2-1 Tbsp of avocado or melted coconut oil, and sprinkle with your favorite spices & seasonings! Bake at 325 for 25-30 minutes or until crisp. 👉🏻Get creative! I did one batch with sea salt, everything bagel seasoning & a dash of old bay, and one batch with sea salt, cinnamon, and a pinch of brown sugar! I’m also going to pick up a bar of high quality dark chocolate to melt and drizzle over the sweet seeds!😋😍🍫. Awesome, healthy ways to satisfy your seasonal salty & sweet tooth!🙌🏻

Don’t let this happen to you!!! For some reason all of the healthy habits and routines we follow so rigorously during the week seem to disappear before we can say TGIF! If your weekend food quality takes a major nosedive, you could literally be undoing an entire week’s worth of progress toward your goals. Good food really can taste good, and can fit seamlessly into your weekend plans- you just have to CHOOSE to include them. Ohhh...yea...there’s a little bit of that uncomfortable self control/ownership stuff involved. 🤯 Good thing I’m on your side and got your back! Swipe for one of my favorite ways to eat veggies- buffalo style! Perfect addition to any tailgate, potluck, or party! Enjoying your weekend without completely abandoning your health goals is possible! You just have to decide to do it- and ask for help if ya need it!!

Ask and you shall receive!! After the pumpkin cookie post earlier this week, I had a request for a pumpkin drink recipe...Enter this in a glass!! Super easy, protein packed & portable! Fun way to enjoy your pumpkin and hit your nutrition goals!!

Where are my pumpkin spice people??!! Here’s a fast, fun little recipe I mixed up last night that can help you get your PS fix in without all the added sugar and other funky (in a bad way) stuff typically added to your seasonally flavored faves. Tip: these could definitely fill the whole grain/carb portion of a balanced breakfast! 😋