Ultimate RESET!

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Summer BBQ's



It's that time of year again, barbecue time!!

Hot dogs, hamburgers, baked beans, macaroni salad, ribs & beer!! What are we healthy eaters to do?

I have a few solutions to this "problem" that comes around every year.

Most of us aren't going to avoid the barbecue's just because we are trying to lose weight and get healthy. So we have to be prepared for all the summer time cook outs that are ahead.



Here are my barbecue tips:

-When hosting the BBQ, offer healthy choices. Use whole wheat buns in place of white, cook grass fed lean beef for your hamburger meat, you can also you ground turkey for your burgers, if hot dogs are something you can't live without at a BBQ then choose organic nitrate free all beef or all turkey hot dogs. If you're more of a chicken fan then grill up marinated chicken breast instead of thighs, legs & wings. When it comes to sides you can offer a healthy green salad, pasta salad with whole wheat pasta & veggies, cut up veggies and hummus, chips & homemade salsa & guac... the possibilities are endless with side dishes because most side dishes can be made into a healthier version of the original.

-When you are a guest at someone's BBQ, try to choose the healthiest options, and ask the host if there is anything you can contribute (like a side dish) then if you're are able to bring something, bring a healthy side dish. Not only with this ensure you have at least one healthy option but this might get other's interesting in eating healthy when they realize how delicious it can be.
If you don't see any healthy options and the host has declined your offer to bring a dish, then choose the best you can. Try a burger with 1/2 a bun or no bun. Steer clear of condiments, pile the lettuce & tomato on your burger. Portion control the rest. A little spoonful of pasta salad and maybe a slice of watermelon.

-Never go to a BBQ hungry, always have a little something before you go. It's less tempting to pile your plate high when you're stomach isn't growling.

-Drink water! Hydrate & fill up on water! It's my biggest tip of the summer! If you want to indulge in a beer or a glass of wine, increase your normal water intake by a glass for every alcoholic beverage you consume.

Most of all HAVE FUN and don't feel like you can't be part of the summer festivities because of your healthy lifestyle.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Exercising with Kids



Finding time to exercise when you have kids especially if you stay at home with them, can be challenging but not impossible.

Stay at home parents have many hats to wear. Cleaner, chef, mommy, doctor, wife... the list goes on and on. Often they fall to the bottom of that list including their health & exercise. I'm here to tell you, that unless you are putting yourself at the top of that list then it will eventually come crashing down. It's such a tough thing to be selfish enough to put yourself ahead of your family, but unless you do, you will find that it all suffers without you at your best. When you take care of yourself, physically, nutritionally, emotionally and mentally then you are better at taking care of your loved ones.

Finding time to exercise when you're a busy parent can be hard. Try to get your kids involved in your exercise. If you have an infant or toddler, you can either workout at home by using an exercise video or taking a walk or jog with a stroller. As your kids get older, have them ride a bike as you walk or jog. You can have family walks after dinner as well. You can ride bikes with your kids as they get older.

Don't let your children be your excuse for letting your good health fail.
Let them be a part of your healthy life. Teach them healthy lifestyle skills and habits.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Snacks- Don't over think them!

I get a lot of emails regarding snacks. How many to have, how much to have & what to have.

I'm here to tell you, you're probably over-thinking your snacks. It's important to plan ahead but snacks do not need to be elaborate meals.

Snacks are to fill the voids between meals. They are to keep your metabolism running at full speed and to make sure you're getting enough healthy calories.


Simple snack ideas:

Light string cheese
Cottage cheese
Fruit
Nuts
Air popped popcorn
Hummus & veggies
Nut butters & fruit or veggies
Whole grain wrap & nut butter
Small smoothie
Yogurt
Kefir


This is just a small example of simple snacks that you can keep on hand.

Don't forget to snack, it's what keeps your body out of starvation mode & your metabolism running high.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Ultimate Reset UPDATE

It's been over a week since I blogged about the reset. I had to throw in the towel. I had dropped too much weight (I know, boo hoo). I am already at my goal weight, give or take a few pounds so when I dropped way below even with adding an extra meal or two, I knew it was time to give in. I am still eating the meals (DELISH) and drinking a lot of water but I went back to my normal supplement routine and up'd my meals to 6 a day. I feel GREAT!! It was an awesome experience and I'm glad I did it!!
Enjoying my Shakeology again is a HUGE plus!! I'm back up to my goal weight and feeling SO energized!

Thanks for everyone that followed my journey and cheered me on!!

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Ultimate Reset Day 3

I'd like to crawl in a hole and SLEEP for DAYS!!
They were not lying about day 3! I was fine this morning. I had a nightmare (super unusual for me) and woke up around 5:45 this morning. I felt pretty good, had energy. As the day progresses, I am feeling beat up. I am dizzy, my neck, head and muscles hurt. If I didn't have my little guy running around, I would go to bed...for the day!

I am not even hungry at this point, I just feel like I have a mild flu. I am looking forward to getting through this hump. I know it will get better. This is the part where my body is really releasing some toxins and getting ready to be restored. I will have energy again!
I am hanging in there, although I've wanted to quit and eat some chocolate and go to bed. Thanks to an awesome support system, I will continue to push through.

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE: I am down 2.5 lbs!! yay!

Looking forward to next week!!

Friday, May 4, 2012

Day 2 of The Beachbody Ultimate Reset

It's mid-afternoon and I'm feeling pretty good. Last night I had some cravings, really wanted chocolate, but stayed strong. This morning I was CRAVING a Starbucks latte. I will confess, I went and purchased a chocolate milk for my son and a latte for me. I was about 3 guilty sips down, when my stomach started grumbling and a itchy rash developed on the side of my face. I threw it away immediately and flushed my body out with water. Let that be a lesson for tomorrow. :)

I am feeling much more full today. I had a nice sized breakfast, and a filling wonderful lunch. I know that day 3-5 seems to be the most challenging for people, so stay tuned for tomorrow's update!

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Day 1 of The Beachbody Ultimate Reset

Day 1 is in the books! It was good. It will take a little getting used to when it comes to taking the cleanse supplements, but for the most part it was easy to stay on schedule. What I did find difficult was less food. I am an EATER! I love to eat 6-7 times a day, and to cut it down to 4 was a little difficult. I found myself extra hungry at dinner but when I sat down to eat dinner, I ate WAY less than I would have normally. I was much fuller, much faster.

I drank a TON of water today, and it wasn't as difficult as I would have thought. All in all, it was a really good day and I'm feeling great!!

Looking forward to day 2!!