Tag: eat clean

Stay on track even when dining out

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Headed out for dinner? Here are some tips that can help you stay on track with you fitness lifestyle goals!

One tip I use when dining out is to order half my meal. Just ask the server to box up half for you before you get it.
You’ll be surprised how much food half is, and you trick your brain because when you clean your plate you won’t feel terrible afterwards!

Another tip I use is to always get the side of vegetables! Fries have zero nutritional value, just don’t get them -you’ll be OK I promise!

You know you can order those veggies dry? They won’t be raw but they won’t use a half a stick of butter when sauteing them.

This is half of my dinner from the other night

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I got a chicken caprese sandwich with a side of zucchini and squash. That doesn’t look like half a meal does it? Portion sizes are outrageously large in restaurants and often times our eyes are way bigger than our stomach! Go to the restaurant with the mindset to order half and you’ll get to enjoy your meal without the guilt! PLUS you get leftovers!

Need a workout program? Start today! Email maketimeforfit@gmail.com for a free consultation to get your personalized workout program!

Self Love is the Best Love

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Here’s a little hump day break that I hope will encourage you to take a few minutes and reflect how great you are. We are so critical of everything and the most critical about ourselves! Constantly comparing, critiquing our minds and bodies to “fit in.” Before the days of social media you could just enjoy yourself and not be constant bombarded by pictures and posts about this and that. Sometimes I need to remind myself, that if you can’t love yourself, it’s impossible to love anyone else and fully live your life. You aren’t conceited or cocky because you love yourself, you are treated yourself the way you deserve to be treated; with love and respect.

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Here is are 30 Ways to Practice Self-Love from lifehack.org

So do yourself a favor, take a deep breath, give yourself a little hug and start practicing the following:

  1. Start each day by telling yourself something really positive. How well you handled a situation, how lovely you look today. Anything that will make you smile.
  2. Fill your body with food and drink that nourishes it and makes it thrive.
  3. Move that gorgeous body of yours every single day and learn to love the skin you’re in. You can’t hate your way into loving yourself.
  4. Don’t believe everything you think. There is an inner critic inside of us trying to keep us small and safe. The downside is this also stops us from living a full life.
  5. Surround yourself with people who love and encourage you. Let them remind you just how amazing you are.
  6. Stop the comparisons. There is no one on this planet like you, so you cannot fairly compare yourself to someone else. The only person you should compare yourself to is you.
  7. End all toxic relationships. Seriously. Anyone who makes you feel anything less than amazing doesn’t deserve to be a part of your life.
  8. Celebrate your wins no matter how big or small. Pat yourself on the back and be proud of what you have achieved.
  9. Step outside of your comfort zone and try something new. It’s incredible the feeling we get when we realize we have achieved something we didn’t know or think we could do before.
  10. Embrace and love the things that make you different. This is what makes you special.
  11. Realize that beauty cannot be defined. It is what you see it as. Don’t let any of those Photoshopped magazines make you feel like your body isn’t perfect. Even those models don’t look like that in real life.
  12. Take time out to calm your mind every day. Breathe in and out, clear your mind of your thoughts and just be.
  13. Follow your passion. You know that thing that gets you so excited but scares you at the same time. The thing you really want to do but have convinced yourself it won’t work. You should go do that!
  14. Be patient but persistent. Self-love is ever evolving. It’s something that needs to be practiced daily but can take a lifetime to master. So be kind and support yourself through the hard times.
  15. Be mindful of what you think, feel and want. Live your life in ways that truly reflect this.
  16. Treat others with love and respect. It makes us feel better about ourselves when we treat others the way we hope to be treated. That doesn’t mean everybody will always repay the favor, but that’s their problem not yours.
  17. Find something to be grateful for every day. It’s inevitable that you are going to have your down days. This is fine and very human of you. It’s especially important on these days to find at least one thing you are grateful for as it helps to shift your mind and energy around what’s going on.
  18. Reach out to family, friends, healers, whomever you need to help you through the tough times. You are not expected to go through them alone.
  19. Learn to say no. Saying no sometimes doesn’t make you a bad person, it makes you a smart person.
  20. Forgive yourself. You know that thing you did one time (or maybe a few times) that made you feel bad, embarrassed, ashamed? It’s time to let that go. You can’t change the things you have done in the past but you can control your future. Look at it as a learning experience and believe in your ability to change.
  21. Write it down. Head swimming with so many thoughts it’s giving you a headache? Write them all down on a piece of paper, no matter how crazy, mean, sad, or terrifying they are. Keep it in a journal, tear it up, burn it, whatever you need to do to let it go.
  22. Turn off and inwards. Grab a cup of your favorite tea, coffee, wine, whatever your choice of drink, and sit down for a few minutes on your own. No TV or distractions, just you. Think about the wonderful things that are happening in your life right now, what your big dreams are and how you can make them happen.
  23. Give up the need for approval from others. “You can be the ripest, juiciest peach in the world, and there’s still going to be somebody who hates peaches.” – Dita Von Teese
  24. Be realistic. There is no person on this earth that is happy every single moment of every single day. You know why? Because we are all human. We make mistakes, we feel emotions (good and bad) and this is OK. Allow yourself to be human.
  25. Get creative and express yourself in whatever way you like. Painting, writing, sculpting, building, music, whatever takes your fancy, and make sure you leave your inner critic at the door. There are no right ways to be creative.
  26. Let go of past trauma and wounds. This can be a really tough one and it may be one of those times you need to turn to others for support. The truth is though, when we let go of things that have happened to us it’s almost like a weight is lifted off our shoulders. We don’t have to carry that around with us anymore. We deserve better.
  27. Find your happy place. Where’s the one place you feel totally at ease, calm, happy, positive, high on life? Go to that place when you are going through hard times, or imagine yourself being there. Think about how it feels, what it smells like, what it looks like.
  28. The next time you are feeling happy and on top of the world make a list of your best qualities and accomplishments. It may sound a little corny, but it can be a wonderful reminder when you are having a day that’s less than amazing.
  29. Get in touch with your inner dialogue. If it’s anything less than loving, encouraging and supportive, it’s time to make a change. You deserve to be spoken to in the same way you would speak to your best friend, sister, brother, daughter, or son.
  30. Have fun! Get out there and do the things that light your fire. Enjoy them, enjoy being you and enjoy your incredible life.

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If you want to start, continue or revamp your fitness journey email maketimeforfit@gmail.com for your personalized workout program!

Do you foam roll?

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I’m sure you’ve seen them at your gym. People rolling and contorting their bodies on this foam cylinder, and you think “what does that even do?”

A foam roller is a very helpful tool that helps your body recover and can help to prevent injury. When you use the foam roller  it digs into muscles to release tension, specially Self-myofascial release. It a massage technique that require longer low pressure on a muscle until it releases and the mobility and tissue are restore to their proper form. A foam roller allows you to have this type of massage by yourself.

Benefits

  • Increased blood flow throughout the body
  • Better movement and increased range of motion.

Ideally foam rolling should be down both during your warmup and your cool down. It’s so important to get your body prepared for a lift and to stretch after a workout!

Now why does it hurt?

Now if you’ve tried foam rolling and feel like you are almost forced to tears, chances are you are doing it right AND you really need it. Similar to the pain you get while stretching. It should be uncomfortable, but not unbearable, and when you release you should feel looser.

How do I do it?
I like to start with my calves and work my way up to my hamstrings. Then I move to IT bands (which usually hurt a lot because I hold a lot of tension in my hips). When I find a spot that’s tight I hold in place and bend my knee to increase the pressure. Then I move onto my quads and then inner thigh. Then the other leg – IT band, quad and inner thigh. After that I sit on the foam roller rolling over my glutes sometimes crossing my leg putting my ankle to my opposite knee to dig in deeper, switch sides. At the end I lay on the foam roller in line with my spine and up my arms up like a touchdown signal and am just still for about a minute (which is actually really long time to be still). I usually feel my shoulder and neck tension release and a great sense of calming to do nothing for a minute.

This is just my routine. There are many ways to foam roll you can what works for when you consistently include foam rolling into your workout regime.

Here are some pictures!

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I promise after a week or two of consist foam rolling your body will recover faster and your muscles will be looser over all!

references here and here

How do you make spaghetti squash?

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Lot’s of hype on spaghetti squash – but how in the world do you make it? It’s actually very very easy!

What you need:
1 spaghetti squash
Casserole dish (microwavable)
Knife
Water

What to do:
Cut lengthwise the spaghetti squash in half
Clean out seeds – don’t mess with sides just scrape the seeds from the middle
Place halves face down in the casserole dish
Fill with water about .5 to 1 inch so that the face of squash is covered
Microwave for 12 minutes – rotate dish half way through if your microwave doesn’t spin
Now when it’s done it will be VERY hot.
Let it cool and remove from dish and flip the squash face up on a plate. Using a fork, pull the inside of squash to the center and it will come off in little spaghetti strings!
Move these to your bowl and top with whatever you want!

Suggested toppings:
Spaghetti squash and your favorite protein
Garlic & butter
Butter
Butter & brown sugar (yes this makes it less healthy but it delicious! )

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Start today! Email maketimforfit@gmail.com for your personalized workout program!

Move of the Day – Bent Over T-Bar Row

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I love working my back in different ways. There is the T-Bar machine so it’s really preference because that will get a great workout as well. I like using this set up because I can easily change grips. In the picture I’m using a rope attachment from the cable machines but there are many other ways to do similar moves. You could use a triangle grip attachment or a wide bar attachment or you could place your hands close together and make a more narrow row – the possibilities are endless. I like using the rope attachment because it really engaging not only my back and glutes to keep my back straight and supported but also by biceps are flexed during the move. Be smart when lifting up weight for back exercise – you need to use your legs to get into the proper form – improper form can lead to injury and you won’t be lifting anything for a while!
Try doing this at a weight you can get 10-12 reps for 4 sets!

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Get Better Daily

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It’s Monday – dreaded Monday. How about changing the way you look at Monday? Yes, the weekend is over and you have to back to work but hey at least you have a job – simple things we take for granted someone is wishing for. So take this a little reminder that everyday is a opportunity for growth! Embrace each day as a opportunity to get better, big or little just improve something. It can be as little as taking the stairs instead of the elevator, reading a few chapters of a book or getting to work early to get ahead on a project. There are going to be bumps in the road but take this a little reminder that no one is perfect and it’s through our failures that we grow! Take advantage of each day a push yourself to grow physically, emotionally, spiritually or mentally. Days will come and go so today try be the best version of you!

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Make a grocery list!

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Often times you hear, eating healthy is so expensive, organic foods are just too much.  Well I’m not going to sit here and tell you that’s not all true but I am going to say there are ways to be a smart shopper! Eating in general is going to cost you, whether you buy food at a grocery store, a restaurant or a fast food place, you are going to spend money.  It may take a little longer on the front end but taking a few minutes to look at the ads you get in your weekly paper for discounts can really add up!

I live less than 2 miles from three grocery stores and no I don’t go to different stores for different things every week, but I check just to see what the prices are to make sure I’m aware of the going rate of tomatoes, zucchini or chicken. Grocery stores compete and you are the winner because get the best deal, so my advice is to just take advantage of it! Honestly 15 minutes and your list will be complete! Plus you can plan ahead of what you will make for lunch and dinners which will keep you on track and eating healthy with minimal effort!

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Start your fitness journey today! Email maketimforfit@gmail.com for a FREE consultation for a personalized workout program!

Finding Balance

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Often times we are over do it, whether it’s putting in too many hours at work, spending to much time on facebook (pinterest, twitter, instagram), watching an entire series on Netflicks and even fitness.

It’s natural to over do it – we are human but when your hobbies are begin to run your life there is a problem.

Exercise should enhance your life not run it. Don’t punish yourself for a missed workout or if you eat something you probably shouldnt have – it’s about moderation. Make healthy decisions most of the time but don’t forget you are human not a machine! One missed workout won’t hurt you just like one workout doesn’t give you the end results your working towards.

Finding the Middle Ground

If you want your life and fitness habits to work in synergy, then you need to find the middle ground.

The middle ground is where you can enjoy a piece of birthday cake without worrying about how it will make you look. It’s where you can miss a workout and not sweat it. It’s where you can go a day without weighing yourself.

But of course, finding the middle ground is no easy task.

Finding the middle ground isn’t so much about finding the perfect workout or diet as it is about forging the right mindset.

We all make mistakes. We all fail.

The most important thing to remember is how you failed. You must learn from your mistakes as cliché as that sounds.

Find out what triggered you to overeat. Was it stress? If so, what’s causing that stress and what can you do to fix it?

Locate the root cause of your slip-ups and do your best to correct them.

Find what works for you and live a life that promotes health and fitness but remember you run your life!

Email maketimeforfit.com and I help you make time for fit  with personalized workout plans and help you reach your goals!

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Excerpt credit 

FIVE tips to get you to the gym

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If I don’t go to the gym in the morning it’s hard for me to get the energy to go after work.  But getting up in the morning isn’t always easy. Here are some tips that I use that will help you get out of bed and into the gym in the morning!

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1. No snooze button
Get out of bed when your alarm goes off the first time. When you hit snooze you may delay just enough to talk yourself into skipping the gym.

2. Lay out gym clothes
The less thinking you have to do in the morning the better! Set out your clothes the night before so you can get up and get dressed!

3. Pack your gym bag the night before
Looking around for your makeup bag or curling iron wastes precious time in the morning. Pick out your outfit [and shoes don’t forget your shoes] and everything you need so come morning, you just need to grab your bag and go.

4. Have a plan
Write a workout plan before you get to the gym. Walking in the gym without a plan can make for a slow start not know which machine to use or what you want to work on that day. Having a plan guides you with directions right when you walk in so you can maximize your time there.

5. Don’t talk yourself out of it!
Things can and will go wrong, that’s just life but remember your goals. Remember your why and talk yourself INTO the gym not out of it.

Good luck! Happy lifting!

For a workout program customized to your goals email maketimeforfit@gmail.com!