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How to Stick to Your Diet at a Buffet

If you are like me you have a love hate relationship with all-you-can-eat buffets.

On one hand you love having 500 choices of food items. But on the other hand you realize how awful you’ll feel if you eat too much, especially if you are on a diet. 

It’s tough to visit a buffet and not overeat. Some would say it’s darn near impossible.

With all of the options and temptations sometimes I feel like it’s a miracle if I come out without a belly ache and being able to walk upright with my pants still buttoned.

Some may think that because I’m a virtual fitness coach that eating out is easy for me. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. I LOVE food.  I love to eat.  Sometimes it’s hard, even for me not to over do it.  

I’m going to share my secrets on how to stick to your diet at a buffet, because I want you to succeed and meet your fitness goals.

Buffet This Way

• Don’t go often. The best way to survive the temptation of a buffet is to not step foot in one in the first place. This tip alone can save you from some unwanted pounds. When going out choose places that have smaller portions. I recommend not visiting a buffet more than once a quarter. 

• Use small plates. Usually there are dinner plates, salad plates, and desert plates. When making your meals go for the medium sized plate. This tricks your brain into thinking you are eating a lot more, when you are actually eating the perfect size. 

• Start healthy.  In a study at Cornell University, those who began with healthier options (think yogurt, fruit, salad) ended up serving themselves 1/3 less overall than those who went for more decadent food items.  When making your plate put healthy food options on it first, you’ll eat less food by the end of your visit.

• Check it out.  The first thing you should do before even picking up your plate is to walk around the entire buffet. Scout out the healthier options and go for those. People who take a look around the buffet first usually eat less than those who don’t, and they make better food choices. Sure you can pick a decadent item, but just pick 1-2. 

• Share a sweet.  If you have a sweet tooth like I do, share a dessert plate with your man. Let him pick 2 mini treats, and you pick 2 as well. Most buffets have mini desserts so split them in half and enjoy.  You’ll enjoy a “taste” of everything and not feel like you’ve missed out on anything.

• Drink plenty of water.  You’ll already be loading up on calories with the food, so don’t add extra calories with your drink. Ask for a water cup and tell your server to keep it coming.  Not only will you save money but you’ll also be filling up your tummy with a calorie free drink so that you’ll have less room for the other calorie rich foods at the buffet. 

Remember that this is one meal. It doesn’t have to blow your diet. Drink plenty of water, share your treats, use small plates and chew slowly. Think of it as a regular restaurant where you can’t get refills. Have a game plan going in.  If you start by scoping the buffet for the healthy options and putting them on your plate first you’ll have a much better chance at coming out pleased with yourself. 

Bounce Back to Healthy After a Holiday

July 4th just passed and I can tell you that I didn’t hold back. I ate ribs, tri tip and Uncle Dave’s bleu cheeseburger, along with mac n’ cheese, baked beans, and potato salad.

As if that wasn’t enough, later that evening I had a surprise inside red, white, and blue cupcake and a helping of my famous spicy peach cobbler. Boy was I feeling it that night.

Thankfully I completed a sweat dripping 45 minute Turbo Fire kickboxing workout in the comfort of my mom’s living room that morning with my sister which registered at over 3 miles of punching and kicking on my Fitbit.

If you are like me, the day after a holiday is just as bad as the holiday itself because you have leftovers, and try everything you couldn’t fit on your first or second plate the day before.

Lucky for us all, today is a new day! And we can get back on the road to healthy whenever we decide. For me, today is that day.

How to Bounce Back to Healthy After a Holiday

1. Shake it up.  After a holiday I like to start my mornings by drinking a meal replacement drink. Something with a great taste, plenty of vitamins and minerals, and chock full of super foods and protein is what I go for. Personally, I drink Shakeology, but find one that suits you. Look for a shake with low sugar, no extra chemical junk added, and a calorie range of 150-300 calories this will help you to not overeat.  

2. Go Green.  Another trick of mine is to eat tons of greens after I splurge during a holiday.  Loading up on greens will help to regulate your system, and push out the junk you indulged on. You’ll feel light and energized.  I go for a huge salad full of veggies and a light homemade dressing for lunch for about 3 days straight after big holidays.

3.  Water Down.  This is probably a no brainer, but it never ceases to amaze me how little water people drink. When you are detoxing your body from the shock you put on it during a holiday you must drink plenty of water. For me, that means 2-3 liters (or even 1 gallon, which is a ton so be careful, you can over do it).

4. Meatless Monday.  Usually I start my cleansing process on a Monday, and I make it a meatless day. You read all of the different meats that my body had to try to digest this holiday weekend. My system is taxed, yours probably is too. Give it a break by having a few meatless meals.

5.  Move it Lady!  At least 30 minutes a day this week get your body moving. Whether it’s for a walk, swim, or if you pop in a workout video like I do, you must move your body. The combination of eating well, drinking water and working out will help your body bounce back and get you moving in a healthy direction again.

As always, I’m here to help. Feel free to ask me questions below or on Facebook @Get Fit With Annett.

 

7 Step Tank Top Arms Workout

Summer is already upon us, can you believe it?

What does that mean?

Swimsuits, shorts, and tank tops!

My husband loves for me to wear tank tops because he loves my shoulders.  But, when I’m not physically fit I can’t stand to wear tanks because if I’m not in shape, I cannot hide my flabby arms. 

So what’s a girl to do?

Get them ready, now!

7 Step Tank Top Arms Workout

As with any workout, talk with your doctor before beginning. You don’t want to get hurt. Know your limits, and don’t go beyond them. Safety should always be first. Be smart.

Equipment Needed:

• Sturdy chair or bench
• 3-15 lb dumbbells or light and medium bands
• timer

How Many to Do?

• 3 sets of 8-15 repetitions for each exercise

Exercises:

Military Push-Up:  Place your hands a few inches away from the sides of your chest. Start in a plank position with your arms in a straight almost locked elbow position, and your body as straight as a board (your feet no more than 12 inches apart).  Keeping your elbows tucked in towards your body, lower down as far as you can go before pushing your weight back up. You can do this on your knees until you are strong enough to be on your feet.

Chair Dips: Place the heels of your hands at the edge of a sturdy chair or bench. You should also push that chair/bench against a wall so that it doesn’t slide when you workout. Sliding your butt off of the seat, your weight will be placed on your hands. Keeping your feet at a 90 degree angle on the floor, your body should still look as if you are sitting in the chair, with your body as close to the chair as possible.

Bend your elbows back, and slowly lower your butt towards the floor. Your elbows must remain tucked in.  Your back/body should just clear the edge of the seat. Use your arms only to push back up to the starting position, almost locking your arms. That cycle is one repetition.

Side-Arm Raises: Hold a light dumbbell (3-5lbs) in each hand resting them against your sides with your arms straight and elbows locked. Keeping your tummy tight and engaged, slowly raise both of your arms out to your side stopping when you reach the top of your shoulders, then slowly lower again. That’s one rep, then repeat. 

Front-Arm Raises:  These are the same as the side-arm raises, except you will raise your arms in front of you. Your palms should be facing the ground. Raise your arms slowly up to shoulder height, then slowly lower them down again for one repetition.

Bicep Curls:  Hold a heavier dumbbell (5-15lbs) in each hand with your palms facing up towards the sky and both arms down by your sides.  Keeping your abs tight bend your arms at the elbows until your arm makes a 90 degree angle, then lower again.  Repeat 8-12 times.

Triceps Press: Use light (3-8lb) dumbbells, one in each hand.  Place your right foot in front of your left in a runners stance, with your upper body slightly leaning forward bent at the waist (as if you are going to take off running in a race).  With your tummy tight, start with your arms in 90 degree angle and your hands in a vertical position. Straighten your arms by pushing them backwards as if you are trying to touch someone in back of you with the weights. Then bring them back to the bent starting position, and repeat.

Punches:  Hold your 3lb weights, one in each hand in a vertical position, having your arms bent at 90 degrees close to your sides.  Press your arms forward as if you are punching someone, but DO NOT lock your elbows.  Gently punch and pull them back in to your sides. Alternate punches. Keep your abs tight the entire time.  Punch for 30 seconds, and do 3 sets, resting 30 seconds to 1 minute between sets.

Comment: How do you get summer ready?

What to Eat to Get Swimsuit Ready

Summer is fast approaching isn’t it?

Are you ready or are you still a bit worried about putting on your swimsuit?

Don’t worry, with a plan and some dedication you can start shedding pounds this week!

Upon completing my career as an Olympian and Pro Beach Volleyball player, I’ve become a virtual Beachbody fitness coach helping tons of people drop pounds and more importantly get healthy. I’ve found that it’s a LOT easier than you think. 

I have tons of personal experience of gaining an extra 10lbs during the winter and having to lose it all to get into bikini shape for the summer, and I’d love to tell you some of my secrets.

Here’s my tips to dropping weight quickly, and keeping them off. 

Get Swimsuit Ready Now!

1. Drink water!  This is an easy one.  Replace all your drinks during the day with water. Sure you can drink 1 coffee a day (without all of the extra sweeteners, and creamers without the chemicals in them), or you may have herbal tea as well (without sugar). Drink at least 1/2 your body weight in ounces a day.

2. Drink your Breakfast.  This may sound a little weird. But, as a homeschooling mom of two, busy and on the go often, drinking my breakfast works for me. Some mornings I go with a green smoothie.  But, most days I drink Shakeology which is a superfood packed meal replacement shake in which I get most of my daily vitamin needs. By drinking my breakfast I ensure that I get the most important meal of the day checked off, and I am more apt to eating better the rest of the day since I began with a healthy choice.

3. Salad for lunch.  After having a healthy smoothie or shake for breakfast, a HUGE green salad will fill you up for lunch.  Prepare a salad with 2 cups of mixed greens (not iceberg lettuce), 3-4 oz of lean protein (chicken, tuna, salmon, turkey, even lean sirloin steak sometimes), tons of veggies (carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, fresh herbs), 1 TBS of seeds and nuts (pepitas, sunflowers, walnuts, almonds),  and 2 TBS of a homemade oil and vinegar based salad dressing.

4.  Green snack only. I have two favorite snacks – a green juice or veggies and hummus. Either will do when getting swimsuit ready.  A plate full of chopped veggies served with 2 TBS of homemade hummus (which takes seconds to make in a blender) or a tall glass of green juice is your go to snack. You can even start your journey with a 3-day juice cleanse.

5.  LPVG for dinner.  What’s that? It’s easy. Lean protein, veggies, and greens with the occasional grain (if you aren’t sensitive to them).  Dinner doesn’t have to be difficult. Just prepare a lean protein (fish, chicken, turkey, or lean beef sometimes) and make sure the other three-quarters of your plate is colorful. I love to have two veggies, or a veggie like steamed broccoli and a green perhaps kale or garlic spinach to round out my meal.

Another tip to make sure you get more greens and veggies into your day is to have another small mixed salad with your dinner. As for other ‘sides’, quinoa, brown or wild rice, beans, whole wheat couscous are all good choices, just keep your portions down to about 1/2 a cup per.  Use as many fresh herbs as you like, cut back on the salt (I use pink Himalayan sea salt) and you’ll have delicious flavorful food.

It’s really not as difficult as you may think to eat clean and drop pounds. This simple formula should have you swimsuit ready faster than you think. Don’t forget to fit in 5 days a week of exercise, and you’ll be golden! Let me know if you have any questions, or need help. I love to help.

I’d love to hear below, what do you do to get swimsuit ready?

 

Why Your Health Food is Making You Fat

I have a love/hate relationship with food labels.  On one hand they can offer great information about the nutrition within. But, on another hand they can be tricky and misleading.

Today manufacturers know what’s ‘hot’ and you better believe that they are going to write whatever they can on their label to make you want to purchase their product.

Gluten free, low-fat, no sugar, fat-free, low carb, all-natural, all of these names are written on food products to lure us into buying their item over another.  On the surface everything sounds great but beware it isn’t.

Could your ‘health’ food be making you fat?

Well it’s a strong possibility.

Gluten Free

Just because something is labeled ‘gluten free’ doesn’t mean that it’s healthy. You can have a sugar filled cake that’s gluten free. In fact, there’s a gluten free cookie that when you eat just two you would have consumed as much saturated fat as 10 chicken McNuggets! And, those same two cookies contain a whopping 220 calories and 16 grams of sugar.

There’s also a gluten free bagel on the market that contains 440 calories for 1 bagel, and you get to enjoy a whole 16g of fat with it as well. That’s more fat than 3 scoops of some ice creams. Lucky you! So beware. Just because it’s gluten free doesn’t mean it’s healthy for you.

Diet Soda

One of the first things that soda drinkers think they should do when they go on a diet is to switch from regular soda to diet soda. On the surface it seems like a smart idea because most diet sodas have low to no calories, and they are made without sugar. Again, don’t let the manufacturer fool you!

What dieters don’t know is that for some people diet soda can actually make you more hungry! They get the opposite effect of what they want.  Now this doesn’t happen for everyone, but why take your chances. Even though some people may lose weight while drinking diet soda, it’s most likely because the dieter is changing other food habits which makes a huge difference. Who wants a bunch of chemicals in them anyway.  It’s not worth it.

Organic Snacks

If you stroll down your local grocery aisle you’ll find tons of organic snack options. Are they any better than normal processed foods? Well think about it. Sure they have organic ingredients in them, and that’s great, but they are still processed foods. Lots of organic snacks still have a ton of sugar and salt, which is still bad for you.

What’s a girl to do? Stick with whole ‘real’ foods that don’t come in a box.  One of the best words of advice I ever heard was that if it doesn’t come from the earth or if you can’t pronounce what’s in it, don’t eat it! Another tip is to try to stick to things with 5 ingredients or less, or straight from the ground, and better yet not in a box.

Granola

I love it when my friends show me their ‘healthy’ snacks.  Because I’m a virtual fitness coach they want to hear my opinion of their food.

Granola is one of those things that a lot of dieters gravitate to when they start dieting because it’s one of those foods that they’ve always thought of as being healthy.

It’s not that granola is bad for you, it can be a great treat if you are hiking or doing a tough workout.  But, what isn’t healthy are most of the granola bars that you see lining the supermarket shelves. These are usually loaded with excess sugar, fat, and oil – a dangerous combination. Again, the best solution is to make your own (you can swap out agave for honey and use 1/4-1/2 cup only)!

Comment:  What foods did you think were “healthy” that you are going to now swap out?

Which Foods Can Help Save Your Memory?

If I were to write a list of things I was afraid of–losing my memory would be towards the very top.

Being an extremely happy wife, and a mother to a couple of amazing children, having something like Alzheimer’s disease and forgetting who they are scares me out of my mind. 

For years I watched my beautiful grandmother Mama Juanita go through the trials of Alzheimer’s. 

Each time I saw her she would look more and more lost, until finally besides seeing her face, I could hardly recognize her myself. It was a long slow, and extremely painful process.

Though there is no guaranteed safeguard against dementia, there are things that we can do to help prevent or delay it.

I’m all about doing everything that I can to prevent disease, what about you?

Studies show that diets that are high in saturated and trans fats can increase your chances of developing memory loss as you age. LDL cholesterol can not only damage your heart, but now research is showing that it can also adversely affect your brain.

If we want to stay “happy” and remember our families, we need a diet shift to help keep our memories going.

In fact, a Mediterranean diet, which is comprised of foods that are high in healthy unsaturated fats (olive oil, fish, and nuts) has been linked to lower rates of Alzheimer’s and dementia. 

Benefits of a Mediterranean Diet:

Olive oil, fish, vegetables, and fruit improve the health of your blood vessels, which reduce your risk of a stroke that could cause memory damage.

Omega-3 fatty acids help improve your vascular health. Fish is high in omega-3′s, so eat up. Having fish twice a week should be your new goal.

Drinking red wine once a day has also been shown to help heart health in women.

Which Foods Can Help Save Your Memory?

• fish
• olive oil
• limit your red meat
• lots of fruit and vegetables
• whole grain bread and cereal
• moderate consumption of red wine (one glass for women per day)

Basically, everything above are the wonderful foods of a Mediterranean diet. Studies have shown that those who eat mostly this way have a lower chance of suffering from memory loss. Stick to these heart and brain healthy foods and you’ll have a much better chance of keeping your memory intact.

Comment below: Which of these foods will you add to your diet?

5 Valuable Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Next Workout

Just like a car should be warmed up on a cold winters day before putting it into gear and driving off, you should properly prepare yourself for your workout.

Often times we get to the gym or press play on our DVD player to workout without taking any time to get ourselves really ready.

Sometimes because of we are in such a rush we can cause strains, nausea, dehydration, or worse.

There are several things I suggest you do so that you can make sure you are ready from head to toe.

Note that not everything I write below will be true for you, but take what you think will work for you and try it out for a better workout experience.

How to Properly Prepare for a Workout

• Hydration is important prior to exercising. Make sure you are getting enough fluids daily so that your workout won’t suffer. When you aren’t properly hydrated you will be sluggish during your workout which will give you sub par results.

 

• Eat a light snack or meal prior to your workout if you are prone to nausea. Some people like my husband can workout on an empty stomach which is great if you can do that. But for me, having a light snack gives me the energy I need to power through my workout. Try half a whole wheat bagel with a tablespoon of almond butter, or a banana with peanut butter.

• Proper workout gear is one of the favorite tips of my clients who enjoy shopping. It’s not just so you can look cute for your man, but it’s really important for your body.  Having proper shoes is your first priority. Back and knee issues can often be alleviated with proper footwear. If you are working out at home I highly recommend getting a good workout mat to ease the blow on your bones and joints. Get a great support bra, and you’ll be good to go!

 

• Prepare your mind.  This could be the most important thing you do before you begin your workout.  Without the proper mindset you can cheat yourself by cutting corners and not pushing yourself as hard as you should.  Don’t allow your mind to wander, instead focus on each and every exercise for maximum results. Go in determined to not give up, and do your best.

 

• Warm-up before your go full force.  It’s important to warm up your body so that your circulation slowly increases, your heart starts pumping, your body gets moving so you can properly do your exercises. A proper warm up will not only help you avoid injury, but it will also help to enhance your workout performance.

What do you do to prepare for your workout? Which tip will you try?

 

How to Get Motivated to Workout

On any given day a married woman can have 1001 things on her plate.  When you have a job to do, kids to attend to, home to clean, and a husband to enjoy, life can be quite busy.

I often describe my life as a circus where I am the juggler that has to keep all of the people and activities in my life up in the air long enough so that they (and I) don’t crash.

Since life is so full of important things that matter, exercising can often get left off of our to-do list.

Not only is it tough to schedule our workouts, but after doing a hundred other things, being tired and overwhelmed with life, it’s sometimes difficult to get motivated to workout.

If you need help getting motivated to workout keep reading I have some of my best tips for you!

How to Get Motivated to Workout

1.  Make it FUN!  When helping my clients choose their workouts I always try to find out what they naturally enjoy.  Whenever you pick a fitness program pick something you absolutely LOVE!!

There’s no need to go swimming if you hate it. If you love to dance – take Zumba. Love to ride bikes? Take a spin class or ride through your town.  Don’t like to jump around, but love a calm peaceful atmosphere? Try a yoga class. I guarantee you there is a workout for everyone! If you need help finding something right for you, just ask me.

2. Compete.  Some people, like my dear husband, love to compete. It’s often difficult for him to find the motivation to workout without dangling a carrot in front of him. The carrot that tends to work the best is a competition.  My man is so competitive that he decided to do an Ironman when he turned 40.

Giving yourself something to work for, a deadline, a goal like competing in an event (especially one that you must pay in advance to enter), or competing in one you could win is a great motivator. In order to do well you must train often and hard to succeed.

3.  Treat Yourself.  Gamification is the use of game thinking in a non-game context. Making up mini-games along the way can help you reach your goals. For instance, you can make a game to see how many workouts you can get in a week. Give yourself 1 point for each workout you complete. When you get 20 points you can give yourself a non-food treat. Think – new workout clothes, new shoes, a trip to the spa, whatever you decide.

4.  Partner Up.  Sometimes you need a little extra help and accountability to get you going. Your husband can help you reach your fitness goals. Ask him to be your workout partner.  Getting in shape together can be one of the greatest things you can do to prolong your relationship (literally).

5.  Stickk it!  When all else fails this next tip may be your last resort.  There is a site called Stickk.com where you can put your $$$ where your mouth is. You set your goal, set the stakes, get a referee, and add friends for support. When you set the stakes you can pick an anti-charity, friend or charity to support if you fail at reaching your goal, your money goes to them.

For example, if you don’t reach the goal of let’s say working out 5 days a week for a month then your money you put up in advance would go to that anti-charity. What’s an anti-charity? It’s a charity or cause that you HATE! For instance, if you are against guns then the anti-charity would be a charity that supports guns. If you didn’t want your money to go to that charity, then you had better reach your workout goal.

How do you motivate yourself to workout?

Should I Juice or Make a Smoothie?

These days juicing is all the rage. Juice shops are popping up in cites just like yogurt shops did a year ago.

In a world where Starbucks is on every corner, grabbing a smoothie or fresh juice sounds like the better thing to do.  But is it?  And which one is better?

It would seem like grabbing a smoothie would be an obvious choice over a sugary frappacino. But, that’s not always the case. Sometimes a smoothie can have more calories than a cheeseburger!

In fact, Jamba Juice has a chocolate peanut butter smoothie that has 480 calories, 10 grams of fat, 83 grams of carbs, and 72 grams of sugar in it!!! Wowza!

When going to a smoothie place make sure you check their nutrition guides. All smoothies aren’t created equal. Smoothie does not equal “good for you”.  A lot of problems with the smoothie joints is that the drinks have way too much sugar! Sure it’s natural sugar, but too much of even a good thing is still too much for you.

When it comes to smoothies look for low sugar options on the menu. Some smoothie shops have started adding fresh veggies as well to their smoothies (go for those). 

If you are at home, again the more greens and veggies you can add to your smoothie, the better.

But, what’s better for you, making a smoothie or juicing?

Well their are two camps who fight over this question and to be honest, I’m right in the middle. I believe that if you can blend up greens and veggies and drink it great! If you like juicing up your veggies and greens instead good on ya!

For goodness sakes you are doing something great for your body either way!

People who love to blend (make smoothies) say that when you juice you lose fiber. Sure, but you poop out most of the fiber anyway, and your body works harder to get it through your system than if you just juiced.

People who juice say that the juice absorbs into their system more quickly, but if you blend it will absorb into your system too.

Is there really a wrong way to go here?  In my humble opinion, NO!

The only way you can go wrong with juicing or blending is if you only juice or blend a bunch of fruit all the time.  Even though you would be drinking natural sugars, too much sugar is never great for you.

Whenever you juice or make a smoothie make sure you have more veggies and greens than fruit. If you do this you’ll always have something great for your body.

Here’s one of my favorite personal recipes! (It’s a juicing recipe.)

Green Machine Alkalizing Juice

1 cucumber
4 stalks celery
1 handful of green (spinach, romaine, chard, kale, etc)
1 handful of another green
1/2 lemon peeled
1 granny smith apple (or pear)
1/2 inch ginger
10 parsley stems

Throw in your juicer and enjoy!

 

For more great recipes check out my 3 day juice cleanse.

 

 

3 Things You Should Never Do at the Gym

Many women love to go to the gym.  Personally, even though I’m a world class athlete, an Olympian, it’s funny but I hate the gym.

I prefer working out at home. My home gym never closes, it’s free, and there’s never a line for my equipment.  But, that’s just me.

Friends of mine absolutely love working out at the gym. They like people watching, taking classes with big groups of people, and getting out of the house.  I completely understand.

This post is for people like you.

As an athlete with over 20 years experience working out in the gym, and now as a virtual fitness coach, I have learned how to have a successful workout in the gym.

More often than not, I see men and women trying to lose weight who have been at the gym for years having zero success.

Why?

Because they just don’t know any better. I’m here to help you out, so you finally can reach your goals.

3 Things You Should Never Do at the Gym

1.  Cardio, Cardio, Cardio! 

This is a BIG no-no especially for women.  I can’t tell you how many times I go to the gym and see women hop on the treadmill, bike, or elliptical machine and hop off and leave the gym. It makes me want to scream, “Get over here Missy, there’s an entire world here that you’re missing!”  Everyone needs to condition their heart, to get their blood pumping, sure, but we also need to included strength training.

The number one question I get asked is, “If I lift weights, will I get big? Will I bulk up??” NO! You’ll gain lean muscle, you will not bulk up (99% of the time). Not only will you decrease your chances of osteoporosis, strength training has many other benefits. When you do a cardio workout, as soon as you stop, your calorie burn stops. But when you weight train, your body continues to burn calories well after you put the weights down. That’s reason enough isn’t it?

2.  The Same Old Thing!

Most people tend to be creatures of habit.  When they go to the gym they tend to do the same exercises over and over again.  Sometimes it’s because of lack of knowledge (being afraid to try new things).  Other times it’s because they truly just love what they are currently doing.

You never want to go to the gym and do the same old thing. Why? Because your body gets used to it. Variety is not only the spice of life, it makes a difference when trying to reach your goals.  Mix up your workouts for optimal results.  One day do upper body strength training, another day elliptical, the next day lower body exercises, and finally a day of Zumba, for instance.  The next week do something radically different. Maybe try yoga, a boot camp class, and of course 2 strength training workouts that were completely different from the week before.

3.  Leave Your Mind At Home!

Sure your time at the gym can be your little getaway from reality, an escape, “your time”.  But, if you aren’t fully invested you won’t get results.  Being at the gym with friends is fun, but if you can easily carry on a conversation with your girlfriend or husband while you are on the treadmill you are not working hard enough.

You must never leave your mind at home.  Not only should your body be engaged, but your mind also.  When you are lifting weights you should be thinking through the correct positions of the move, focusing on your muscle. While on the yoga mat, your mind should be engaged thinking through the positions, making sure your poses are as close to perfect as you can get it.  Same with other workouts.

If you remember one thing from this post remember this…

The magic happens just outside of your comfort zone. 

Right outside of your comfort zone is where transformation takes place. This is the place you want to be physically and mentally when you are in the gym.  If you aren’t in this place, you may as well stay home, because you are wasting your time.

Next time you go the gym be fully engaged, try new things, and add strength training to your routine.

Make it a Healthy Day-

Annett Davis -visit me @FitMomsFitKidsClub.com

 

 

6 Tips to Help You Reach Your New Year’s Weight Loss Goals

New Years Resolutions are very popular.  I bet you can guess what the number one resolution is?

Yep, you guessed it!  Weight Loss!

Less than 1/2 of the people who make these resolutions keep them up longer than 6 months.  Even worse only 8% actually achieve their goal.

I bet every year you have told yourself, “This year I’m going to stick to my New Year’s weight loss goal!”  Well let me ask you, did you? If so, congratulations! If not, why not?

It isn’t easy to reach your fitness goals, but the wonderful truth is, it isn’t impossible.

6 Tips to Help You Reach Your New Year’s Weight Loss Goals

1. Be Specific.  A lot of times we say that our goal is to lose weight. That goal is too broad. Think about what you need to do in order to lose weight and make more precise goals. For instance, I will eat whole foods and no processed foods, I will workout 4 days a week for 60 minutes at home using my DVD program, and I will journal the food that I eat in my phone app daily. 

2.  Less is More. Having a year long goal is too long! Make smaller goals as checkpoints throughout the year like 30, 60, or 90 day goals. Once you hit lets say 60 days of doing a certain workout routine, make a new 60 day goal for yourself. Having shorter goals throughout the year will help you make it through the entire year without feeling overwhelmed.  You can see the finish line as it will always be pretty close.

3.  Mix it Up.  Sometimes we stop working out because we get bored.  Don’t let boredom stop you from reaching your goals.  Mix up your workout routine either weekly or every few months.  For instance, one month you can take a spin and yoga class. The following month take water aerobics and kickboxing. This will vary how you use your body parts and touch your muscles in different ways. This is the best way to condition your body for weight loss and toning.

Personally, I workout at home.  Every 60-90 days I start a new DVD workout program that keeps my attention for that time frame. When I’m done with that series, I’m excited that I actually completed something, and I’m eager to start a new program that will work my body in different ways with a new trainer. It makes working out exciting and fun!

4.  Log it.  In my workout accountability group that I run, this is probably the thing my clients hate to do the most, but it’s the number one thing that helps them succeed.  Logging your workouts and your food intake into a journal or phone app helps you to stay on track.  If you miss a day or two you know you are heading in the wrong direction.  You can see what progress you made, or how you can improve. 

Medical studies have shown that keeping a food journal DOUBLES your weight loss success! I use a free app via computer and phone called My Fitness Pal. 

5.  Grab your man.  What better person to help you stay on track and to help you keep accountable than your man!  My husband and I always joke around and say that “the couple that works out together lives longer together”.  It’s no secret that diet and exercise is the secret to longevity.  Since we love our men, let’s do something together that will benefit us both.

There are many fun things that you can do as a couple, hiking, biking, lifting weights, rock climbing, skating, and more.  A healthy lifestyle begins in the kitchen.  Start making healthy meals to get you both headed in the right direction. 

6.  Just Do It!  So many times laziness can get in our way.  Do you think that the fit folks you see with ripped muscles at the gym are lazy?  Heck no! It takes time, it takes hard work, and it takes dedication to be fit.  Don’t look back on 2014 and think where did it go? Don’t look back and still have 10 or more pounds still to lose. 

Do something about it. Don’t start tomorrow. Start now! Make a decision and write your step-by-step plan on how you are going to make it happen.  If you need help, I’m always available to help you navigate through it, just message me or get in touch via Fit Moms Fit Kids Club.

Have a Healthy 2014!

 

3 Secrets to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

The holidays are here and it’s in full swing around our house. We’ve already attended 3 holiday parties, and we have 2 of our own coming up!

I’m a baker, and this time of year is the most dangerous time of year for me. I love to make brownies, cookies, cakes, pies, and candy for our family and friends.

It can be a slippery slope.  Some reports say that people gain anywhere from 5-10lbs during the holidays!!!

What’s a girl who’s watching her weight to do?

Last year was the first year that I didn’t gain weight over the holiday season. Here’s how I did it.

3 Secrets to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

1.  Get Moving!! 

The last thing you want to do is sit on the couch and do nothing. Make sure you workout 3-6 days a week during the holidays.  Not only will you have more energy, you’ll have room for a special treat here and there.

Notice I said, here and there, not daily.  When we workout we naturally desire to eat better which is another perk of exercise. You’ll want to do your body right.

2.  Enjoy a Mini-buffet!

At a party you’ll have plenty of choices. Walk around the room to see what’s available before you start putting food on your plate.  Next, put the healthiest foods on your plate first.  After that, you can choose a couple sweet treats that you’ve been dying to taste.  Take a sliver, not an entire piece (especially if it’s something like cake or pie).  The taste of a couple of different desserts will keep you satisfied.

3.  Don’t Waste It!

Calories are one thing you don’t want to waste. If you taste something from your party that isn’t up to par, toss it! Don’t waste those valuable calories on yucky junk, when you could save them for something else.  I LOVE food, and when I taste something like mac and cheese that doesn’t taste good, instead of wasting 500 calories, I leave it on my plate, and eat something else instead. Who said you have have to be a member of the “clean plate club?”

This tip alone saves me hundreds of calories at parties over the holidays.

For more tips, check out my 25 Holiday Health Hack Series over at FitMomsFitKidsClub.com.

What are your secrets to keeping the weight off during the holidays?

How to Stick to Your Diet at a Buffet

If you are like me you have a love hate relationship with all-you-can-eat buffets.

On one hand you love having 500 choices of food items. But on the other hand you realize how awful you’ll feel if you eat too much, especially if you are on a diet. 

It’s tough to visit a buffet and not overeat. Some would say it’s darn near impossible.

With all of the options and temptations sometimes I feel like it’s a miracle if I come out without a belly ache and being able to walk upright with my pants still buttoned.

Some may think that because I’m a virtual fitness coach that eating out is easy for me. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. I LOVE food.  I love to eat.  Sometimes it’s hard, even for me not to over do it.  

I’m going to share my secrets on how to stick to your diet at a buffet, because I want you to succeed and meet your fitness goals.

Buffet This Way

• Don’t go often. The best way to survive the temptation of a buffet is to not step foot in one in the first place. This tip alone can save you from some unwanted pounds. When going out choose places that have smaller portions. I recommend not visiting a buffet more than once a quarter. 

• Use small plates. Usually there are dinner plates, salad plates, and desert plates. When making your meals go for the medium sized plate. This tricks your brain into thinking you are eating a lot more, when you are actually eating the perfect size. 

• Start healthy.  In a study at Cornell University, those who began with healthier options (think yogurt, fruit, salad) ended up serving themselves 1/3 less overall than those who went for more decadent food items.  When making your plate put healthy food options on it first, you’ll eat less food by the end of your visit.

• Check it out.  The first thing you should do before even picking up your plate is to walk around the entire buffet. Scout out the healthier options and go for those. People who take a look around the buffet first usually eat less than those who don’t, and they make better food choices. Sure you can pick a decadent item, but just pick 1-2. 

• Share a sweet.  If you have a sweet tooth like I do, share a dessert plate with your man. Let him pick 2 mini treats, and you pick 2 as well. Most buffets have mini desserts so split them in half and enjoy.  You’ll enjoy a “taste” of everything and not feel like you’ve missed out on anything.

• Drink plenty of water.  You’ll already be loading up on calories with the food, so don’t add extra calories with your drink. Ask for a water cup and tell your server to keep it coming.  Not only will you save money but you’ll also be filling up your tummy with a calorie free drink so that you’ll have less room for the other calorie rich foods at the buffet. 

Remember that this is one meal. It doesn’t have to blow your diet. Drink plenty of water, share your treats, use small plates and chew slowly. Think of it as a regular restaurant where you can’t get refills. Have a game plan going in.  If you start by scoping the buffet for the healthy options and putting them on your plate first you’ll have a much better chance at coming out pleased with yourself.