Water Benefits!

Water Benefits

Drinking water is so important.  When I started my fitness journey I gave up all those terrible pops and sugary drinks and MAN did I see a change!! I gave up my pop habit cold turkey and while it was hard a first I honestly believe it was 100% worth it.  I

My body started to crave water! And it felt gooooood.  

I did not realize how terrible all those other drinks really were.  Why are we putting all of this crap into our bodies?! No need to add in extra calories and extra additives. Water has so many great benefits and you can make it work for you.  Its not just about weight loss -- its so much more.  

Why Should You Drink Water?

• Water removes dangerous toxins from our bodies
• Water cushions our body's joints
• Water helps aid in weight loss/regulation
• Water helps to suppress your appetite
• Water will reduce your cravings
• Water aides in digestion
• Water transports oxygen and nutrients to the cells in our body
• Water helps to regulate body temperature
• Water defends against blood clots
• Water will relieve that "bloating"
• Water helps fight headaches
• Water helps keep our skin clear and healthy
• Warm water stimulates the immune system
• Cold water reduces inflammation
• Water helps energize muscles

So ladies and gents --- Drink up!! Who would not want all of these amazing benefits of water!

How Much Water should You Drink?

If you take your weight and divide it by two, that is the number of ounces you should be drinking! 

Coffee and pop do NOT count in that water intake, and these should be kept to a minimum. Caffeine and artificial sweeteners are toxins and do not do ANYTHING for your body. 

In taking artificial sweeteners only makes you crave it more, so kick the habit and get rid of it altogether!

Tips to Drink More Water

1) Add in some flavor for variety 

Be sure to use something natural and not those store bought flavors.  Try adding in watermelon chunks, mint, orange slices, lemons, berries, and the list could go on.  Find something you think that will make you want to drink the water! 

2) There's an app for that! Use your phone to help you. 

Try Waterlogged for iPhone or Water Your Body (for Android and iPhone)

**Not big on apps? Just set a few alerts on your phone throughout the day to remind yourself to hit the water cooler.

3) Keep the water close by

If you’re stuck at your desk all day or on the road traveling for hours, you’re not going to make it a priority to go get water very often. The fix: Always keep a big tumbler of water on your desk or a water bottle in your bag so you have no excuse. And if you work at a desk, leave the cup in plain sight so you’re constantly reminded. On the go, keep your water bottle next to you every time you hop into the car, or buy a package of bottled water to keep in the car. Whenever you're driving about, your water will be within easy reach from your car's cup holder. Think about other places you can stash some water bottles (under your desk, next to the couch, in your purse, and more).

4) Snazzy water bottle
Splurge on the perfect reusable water bottle. Whether it's your favorite color or a unique design, the more you bond with your bottle, the less likely you'll be to lose it. Slap an inspirational sticker or image onto it, or even write on it with a permanent marker. Now you're ready to drink from it throughout the day—don't forget to refill it as soon as it's empty.

--My Favorite Water Bottle: Contigo 

I need ICE COLD water in order to drink it.  And my contigo can 

keep my water very cold.  Not the plastic ones (I find they sweat) but the metal ones.  It keeps ice in my water bottle all day long through at least 2- 3 refills while I am at work.  

-->Marked water bottle you say?

Mark the bottle at one hour interval
Every hour, you should drink about a glass of water (200 ml)
At the time marked on the bottle, your water should be at that level
(e.g by 2 pm the water should be at the 2 pm level)
Finish one whole water bottle -- Refill it! 
The marking serves as a visual reminder encourage you to drink water and allow you to see your progress

5) Sip up/Straw
Gulping all that water can seem daunting. So get a package of straws to slowly sip it instead. You can even pick up a water bottle with built-in straw.  You’ll drink more water with a straw, and you’ll drink faster. Win-win

6) Transitions

Have a big glass of water at every transitional point of the day: when you first get up, just before leaving the house, when you sit down to work, etc.

7) Fight those cravings 

When you have a junk-food craving, down a glass of water immediately. You feel full quickly and avoid the calories, and it lets time pass till the craving fades.

Not a tip -- but good to know.  Might be a little personal BUT what color is your urine? 

If it's colorless or very light, that's a great indication that you're hydrated. If it's dark in color (close to an amber shade), you know you need more water! 

Have I convinced you to drink more water yet?!?! 

DO IT! I seriously drink water ALL the time now.  

Water, water, water! and maybe a little treat ;) (I cant give it all up) now and then.  

Your body will thank you for it, you only have one body so nourish it and help it keep you living longer, better, and healthier! 

Importance of Sleep

Importance of Sleep

We all know how much we LOVE to catch some zzz's right? -- but sometimes we forget how important it sleep is for both the mind and the body.

First I will be sharing with you some great information on sleep and how to figure out if you are getting enough sleep. Second, I will share some great tips on how to get more sleep.

This is my fur baby catching some serious zzz's.
He knows all about sleep and its importance. 

Why is sleep so important?

Most people don’t think about sleep right along with the nutrition and working out. Nobody really wants to go on a diet or exercise more than they already are -- ok well maybe some people do -- but most people would love to find a way where they can reduce their body fat and not have to just drastically change their lives and sleep is one of the ways you can do that. Sleep is seriously under valued ladies and gents!

Sleep times varies for different age groups but adults need about seven and a half hours but sleep, but ideally eight to eight and a half is perfect when we’re talking about body fat and focus -- which are pretty important.

Also its not just the number of hours of sleep do we get but it’s the consistency over time that affects our body fat. So if you think you’re pulling the fast one by going sleep deprived for two or three days, and then by making it up the other couple of days per week, that it all works out -- NOPE! A study found that in particular, women who have an inconsistent sleep pattern have a much higher body fat percentage even if we change nothing else. You can exercise the same, you can eat the same but if you’re not sleeping consistently each night, you’re body fat goes up.

So, to think...well I can pull a cat nap here and there, and catch up is actually not true. You need consistent hours of sleep because it’s the REM sleeping that makes the difference. And it happens in bursts, about two hours a night, usually beginning about sixty to ninety minutes after you’ve fallen asleep and it’s that sleep that really restores us. You don’t get strong while you’re in the gym, you get strong during rest and the body really resets and gets strong while we sleep. Sleep is really part of the process, it goes right along with nutrition and exercise. Plain and simple -- you have to get your sleep!!

How much sleep do I need?

We need sleep to help us solidify and consolidate memories, restore and rejuvenate, to grow muscle, repair tissue, and synthesize hormones.

Hourly Breakdown:
Newborns (0-3 months): 14-17 hours
Infants (4-11 months): 12-15 hours
Toddlers (1-2 years): 11-14 hours
Preschoolers (3-5): 10-13 hours
School-Age Children (6-13): 9-11 hours
Teenagers (14-17): 8-10 hours
Young Adults (18-25): 7-9 hours
Adults (26-64): 7-9 hours
Older Adults (65+): 7-8 hours

Am I suffering from sleep deprivation? 

Here are some guidelines to help you decide: 

• The biggest and most obvious feeling is that you are  tired
• However, it's not just feeling tired BUT also if you feel like --Why am I having a hard time focusing, or what did you just say?
• Having a difficult time remembering short term information
• Taking more than fifteen minutes to fall asleep, 
•  If you are falling asleep within the first couple of minutes, you are also likely sleep-deprived
• In general, it should take you about ten minutes of relaxing, shutting your brain down to fall asleep and if it takes a lot longer than that or if it takes a lot less than that -- it’s likely you are sleep-deprived. 

News alert!! Studies say that driving sleep deprived is the equivalent of having enough alcohol to make you legally intoxicated. NOBODY wants this!!
Also we know about sleep deprivation its that it makes you crave comfort foods. It makes you crave carbohydrates and high fat foods -- we don't NEED that!

Tips to help you get more sleep: 

1) Put down the phone and turn off the TV
Let your brain relax -- don't try to engage it in something else.  Also the basic notion is that all those magnetic waves and glowing screens mess with your circadian rhythms and distract you from sleeping.

2) Body Temperature
Our brain has a wake-sleep cycle that’s very closely linked to our body temperature and that’s why during the summer, you can feel like restless, like you can’t sleep well and it’s because the body flow mechanism that transfers our core body heat to the skin. Ideally, you want to turn the temperature down.

3) Darkness
You need a really dark room to help you fall asleep. Studies have shown that even just the red lights on our digital clock like those little tiny luminous rays from like a clock or the buttons on your cable TV, those in fact can disrupt sleep cycles. Even though you are not fully awake, it doesn't completely wake you up, it might not allow you to fully go into REM sleep or you have to switch the brain off.

4) No caffeine in the afternoon 
Even if you think -- caffeine doesn't bother me. I can have a cup of coffee at lunch -- but are still feeling tired each and every morning....yo are suffering from interrupted sleep patterns. So you really should not do any caffeine in the afternoon.






I really hope you have found this information useful,  I know my mind was opened when I heard it for the first time laid out like this on the Chalene Show, which is a podcast that I listen to daily (more or less).  It is such a great podcast.  If you are into podcasts and would like to check it out -- follow the links I left below.
Chalene's Podcast Website

Chalene's Podcast in iTunes 

Sleep away my beauties! 

21 Day Fix Approved Pickles

21 Day Fix Approved Pickles

I am a serious dill pickle lover!! Sign me up to munch on them anytimeeeee -- honestly! 

But here is the thing.....there is one heck of a lot of salt in them -- and as much as I LOVE salt, I really don't want to be guzzling it down.  

So when I found this healthy alternative over at geniabeme.com, I was thrilled.  

Sign me up for some clean eating, delicious, make my own PICKLES! :) 

Ingredients: 

• 1 whole cucumber 
• water
• white vinegar
• coriander seeds
• dill
• garlic powder 

*Optionals: black pepper, chili peppers, any spices you want! 

Directions: 

1. Cut cucumber into slices
2. Place them in a small container or ziploc baggie 
3. Pour in/measure equal parts water and white vinegar until most of the cucumbers are covered
4. Add in coriander seeds, dill, and garlic powder (no exact measurements here -- I just eyeballed it) 
5. Place in fridge for a couple of hours and -- ENJOY!! 

*Note: I am a fan of pretty sour pickles and if you do the equal parts they are going to be sour! If you would like more or less sour, just adjust the amount of vinegar up and down to your liking :) 

If you love this idea you could always try it with other veggies :) 

Hope you loved this recipe as much as I did.  Feel free to comment below and let me know your thoughts.  

Be the Example

Be the Example 

You never know who is watching

There are so many reasons why leading a healthy lifestyle is important.  Not only do you need to do it to take care of you, your body, your family, your health, and the the list could go on and on.....
But sometimes you never know who you are helping.  It may be someone who you would have never suspected would be inspired by you.  

Over the holidays, I was reminded that eyes both big and small are watching you.  Check out this picture of many of the little people in my life who were watching me and even joining in on my workouts.  

I am not a mommy and did not think little eyes were watching me as I got up each morning and did my workout, but those little eyes asked at the end of some holiday celebrations if we could work out together one night -- so a double day it was!! And then more little eyes joined in and we had our very own live class {ok not really but it was crowded}!! While I knew my family is watching and supporting me, I did not realize the little ones in the family were included in this and it was totally unexpected.  I was surprised and oh so excited -- I never thought I would inspire a group workout with the nieces and nephews.  It was so much fun.  It made me excited to seem them so excited and enthusiastic about exercise.  It does not need to be this terrible, scary, negative thing for them.  They can embrace it from the start -  if they see the adults in their life leading by example they will join in.  After all -- kids want nothing more than to grow up like the adults in their life and be just like mom/dad/auntie/uncle/grandma/grandpa, so why not show them how great it is to be a happy, healthy person! 

This group workout just reminded me that people are watching and you may not even realize who is watching, but you can't give up even when you feel like you are doing nothing.  Someone, somewhere knows the hard work you are putting in and is appreciating you!! It may be your family who is saying it loud and proud.  It might be your neighbor or friends cheering you on.  OR it just might be a random friend on Facebook who you didn't even think was watching, but is inspired by you.  You give them the push to keep on trying and keep going.  KEEP after it!! 

While sometimes I think, oh boy here I go again posting another workout picture that people are going to be annoyed with I remember that I may not know who is watching and they might just need a little inspiration to go on that extra walk today.  To know that someone else is struggling with the same things they are and to just keep trying.  Sometimes people will be loud and proud and cheer you on with shouts, but there will be silent cheerleaders who will cheer you on and be proud of you -- just not so loudly or boldly.  

So this is me -- even if you think I am not watching -- telling you that you are doing great!! Keep on going!! Be the example for someone in your life.  I am proud of you! Don't give up! Just keep pushing.  Be the best version of you that you can be for you  and all of the people in your life!! People are looking up to you and I know you will not let them down! :) 

Pizzadilla

Pizzadilla

Who said you have to give up the food you love when you eat clean?! -- NOT ME!!

I LOVE pizza. If I could manage to eat it everyday, I would so be there! Fortunately I have found a way to work pizza into my healthy lifestyle and embrace it with clean eating.

Best part -- well there are a lot of great things about this but -- its quick, easy, and even kid approved!!

Ingredients:

• Whole Wheat Tortilla
• Pizza toppings of your choice
• Great place to get in some veggies
• 1/3 cup Shredded Cheese
• Pizza Sauce

Directions:

1. Cut up toppings you want.
2. Place 1/2 of the cheese on half of the tortilla shell. Place other toppings on that and then put the rest of the cheese on top, fold tortilla in half.
3. Heat skillet with medium heat.  
4. Cook Tortilla on heat until cheese melts and is browned, make sure you flip it after a couple minutes.
5. Remove from heat, cut with pizza cutter. 
6. Dip slices into the pizza sauce! (We like to warm the pizza sauce in the microwave a bit, but that's optional) 
7. Enjoy!!!

This recipe is my go to on the weekends when I am feeling like I am going to give into some pizza cravings but still want to stay on track.  Even the hubby will ask for it on the weekends!! :) 

Crockpot Chicken Tacos

Crockpot Chicken Tacos

Okay, ready for a great busy day meal?!?! Stay tuned for this! 

I seriously LOVE using my crockpot to cook anythingggg.  If I know I am going to have a busy day, this recipe is my go to.  Crockpot meals are honestly something I love -- just so nice to come home and not have to think about making dinner, right?  This one is a house favorite and so easy.

There are so many options for this yummy recipe that I tried in my first challenge group.  

These are great served as a regular taco on either a soft whole wheat tortilla shell or even on a hard shell taco. They are great made into a quesadilla and it tastes wonderful served over a bed of lettuce! You can have some leftovers for lunch the next day.  Put it on a salad, sandwich, or use it as a dip with some chips!  Whatever way you decide to make it, you won't be disappointed!

Here it goes: 

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. chicken breasts (I use boneless, skinless)
• 1 can of organic black beans
• 1 container of fresh salsa
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 1/3 cup water (only use water if chicken is thawed)
• 1/3 brick of cream cheese

Directions: 

1. Put all ingredients except cream cheese in the crockpot 
2. Cook on low for 5 - 6 hours or high for 3- 4 hours 
3. You can use frozen or fresh chicken breasts. But remember, if you are using frozen, omit the water :) It makes it really runny if you use the water with the frozen chicken.
4. *Shred the chicken before serving 
5. 20 minutes before serving stir in the cream cheese until melted
6.  Top with greek yogurt in place of sour cream, cheese, lettuce, or your favorite Mexican toppings
7. ENJOY with tortilla shells or over tortilla chips

*I shred my chicken quickly and easily using two forks --- pulling the chicken apart. 

--> Picture coming soon <-- 
~we gobbled this up so quickly I forgot to snap a picture~

Hope you love this recipe as much as we do at my house! 
Let me know your thoughts! :) 

Shakeology Chocolate

Shakeology Chocolate 

Do you have a sweet tooth?! --- but don't want to ruin all the hard work you have been doing in the kitchen and on your fitness? Then this is for you!

I am OVER THE MOON excited about this.  I love sweets and treats and have a hard time resisting them so finding this recipe is a lifesaver!! 

I have been working to cut sugar (*working* being the key word).  It's hard work but I am trying because it is so addictive and the more I eat the more I crave it! This means less sweets and treats in my meal plans but --- never fear ---- Shakeology chocolate to the rescue! 

I saw another coach mention that she was going to try this and I HAD to give it a whirl too!! 

The recipe is SO simple 

• 1 scoop of Chocolate Shakeology 
• 1 spoon of coconut oil melted

Here's what'cha do: 

1. Stir it together
2. Spread it on a sheet of wax paper
3. Put into the freezer until solid
4. Break or cut into chunks 

.....and enjoy!!

Just had myself a chocolate bar with zero guilt. :)  nom nom!! 

21 Day Fix/Fix Extreme Portions: 

1 spoon of coconut oil is a good fat 

1 shakeology serving is 1 red

*So I counted it as a red and as a spoon. 

You could add all sorts of deliciousness to this recipe if you wanted.  Think about adding in some peanut butter, PB2, or other nuts to give it some variety! 

I am so excited to stay on track and still have chocolate!

-->get out there and try it, you will not be disappointed. 

Then let me know your thoughts in the comments below! 

If you want to try it and don't have shakeology contact me for the details on how to score you own!!