Fit for the Holidays...

For most people this is often the most challenging time of year to get and stay healthy. Whether it's the holidays themselves, holiday parties, co-workers so "kindly" bringing in goodies to share, grabbing food on the go while out shopping, going out of town, short days, etc... It's easy to fall off the wagon when temptation is all around. 


BE STRONG! It's tough I know. I struggle with it too, but I'm here to share some tips on how you can stay healthier for the holidays. You will have all the tools to start your new year off ahead of the game! As hard as it is to resist temptation at times, when you do it makes you feel empowered!. (At least for me it does. I will share a little story at the end.) When I give in I feel weak and guilty mentally, and physically the results aren't great either.  Others have told me they feel the same. Of course it's okay to indulge every once in a while if you've earned it (I don't necessarily recommend naughty food as a reward though. How about a new shirt!), but during the holidays people start making indulgences a habit. You know who you are you daily eggnog latte drinkers!


Since food seems to be the main culprit I will cover nutrition first. SET GOALS and HAVE A PLAN! When you set goals you have a reason to stick to your plan. Without them you will find yourself eating mindlessy and before you know it you have racked up a bazillion extra calories. Ask yourself, should I eat this? Have I already had my fair share of treats? Will this make me feel good? Will eating this put me closer to my goals? Am I willing to put in the extra effort to burn off the damage? It's usually pretty obvious what the answer is. 


So, what should you do when hitting up all those holiday festivities? Eat something clean/healthy before you go. You aren't as tempted when you have a full tummy. Maybe just allow yourself something small at the party, or opt for the healthiest option on the table. 
What do you do about all the homemade goodies at work for all to share? Always have healthy snacks on hand so when you walk by that plate of pumpkin bread or sugar cookies you can pop some cinnamon sprinkled almonds in your mouth instead or some fresh fruit to help that sweet tooth. I find that different flavors of gum can help, too. 
What do you do when going out of town or someone else's home for the holidays? Pack some easy on-the-go snacks/meals like protein powder, oats, almonds, fruit, veggies. When going to someone else's home offer to bring a side dish or two and make it a healthy one. Then you can be sure to have a clean option. 
One last tip that helps is drinking water when having a craving. It makes you feel full and many times dehydration is what triggers those cravings. Try water with lemon or cucumber for a hint of flavor.

It's true that you are what you eat, mentally and physically it shows. Nutrition plays the biggest role in getting and maintaining a fit and healthy bod.  It takes a little extra effort, but it's worth it to feel and look better! 


Now to staying active/exercising during the holiday season. It's really as simple as you either do it or you don't. You make time or you don't. Whether it's your priority or it isn't. Your health should always be your first priority. Here are some pointers to keep you going: 
- Find a buddy with similar goals. You guys can hold each other accountable and it makes it more fun. It's also a great way to spend quality time to catch up.
- Hire a trainer. Not only will he/she hold you accountable and give you a good butt kicking, but when you are spending your hard earned dollar chances are you are going to make the most of it.
- If you are going out of town or don't have a gym around, no problem! If the weather is decent go for a brisk walk/run. Otherwise, always take with you a jump rope and bands which take up very little room in your bag. There are endless workouts you can do with a jump rope and bands. If you don't have those items opt for some body weight or plyometric exercises that don't call for any equipment that will surely get you sweating.
- Round up your family/friends for a game of flag football. This is a fun way to burn calories without feeling like you are working out, and it get's everyone else active too.

Now you don't have an excuse not to stay on track. Well, maybe you have a million excuses, but they are just that...EXCUSES! I have faith in you. You CAN be fit for the holidays. I will commit myself to doing the same so I can set a good example.

Thanks for tuning in. Until next time, happy training and healthy eating to you!!! :)

Happy Holiday Season (Christmas, New Year, etc...)


The short story I promised you:
I had made some nutritional choices over a couple day period that I wasn't very proud of, so back on the wagon it was. That very day my husband decides to invite a couple of friends to get lunch at a place that only offers burgers, fries and beer. Very delicious burgers and fries might I add. I said no way. I definitely have not earned that meal. I made a bet with my husband that for a half hour massage (that he has yet to give me) and a pedicure (by a professional, not him) that I would not give in. Not a single bite of anything. He was hesitant at first, but then he must have remembered how much I LOVE french fries and soon doubted my will power. It was a bet! We get to the tavern with our friends (after an entire morning of intense cardio and working out), they order their food and I order my water. Out comes the the yummy burgers with special sauce and hot, greasy, fresh-cut french fries. It smelled so good sitting right there in front of my face. Mark was even so kind to hold the burger up to my mouth and ask if I wanted a bite...evil! I didn't do it. I was strong. Not a single bite. With the bet in place it was actually pretty easy not to give in. I had to prove a point and I did. I have to be honest, before going I even questioned if I could/would stay strong. I left feeling proud. Mark admittedly left feeling irritated that I won, hehe!

The moral(s) of the story:
-If you have to make a bet to make healthy choices, DO IT! It works.
-Having a plan and sticking to it feels good.  Makes you feel strong and proud.

~Colby

One of my favorite meals!

I got this recipe from the Eat Clean Diet website. I make it a little different every time. I don't usually follow the exact recipe/measurements, but I use pretty much the same ingredients. It's so delicius and SIMPLE. It's one of Mark's favorite meals also. Tonight I'm eating mine over green beans with a little avocado on top, but it's very good over brown rice or quinoa (or the pasta version of those 2). 

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 lbs jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1 red bell pepper, sliced thin

• 4 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated

• 1/2 cup cilantro

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• kosher salt

• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (to taste)

• 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes

• 14 oz can light coconut milk (50% less fat)*

• 1/2 lime, squeezed

Instructions

In a medium pot, heat oil on low. Add red peppers and sauté until soft (about 4 minutes). Add scallion whites, 1/4 cup cilantro, red pepper flakes and garlic. Cook 1 minute.

Add tomatoes, coconut milk and salt to taste, cover and simmer on low about 10 minutes to let the flavors blend together and to thicken the sauce.

 Add shrimp and cook 5 minutes. Add lime juice.

To serve, divide equally among 4 bowls and top with scallions and cilantro. 

Tips & Bonus Information

Calories: 260 Points: 5.5 pts I also added "scallops" to this, you could probably add any seafood, or even subsitute with chicken! mmm mmm

YIELD: 4 servings

Eating clean with creativity...

People often ask me how to eat clean without getting bored, or how I am so creative with my clean meals. I never really thought I was that creative with food, because I pretty much eat the same or similar foods day-after-day, week-after-week. When in my off-season from competing I do experiment a lot more with different foods and have more variety. I think more than anything I'm just creative with mixing and matching the same foods.

I keep myself very busy most of the time so all of my meals are SIMPLE!. They look good and taste good with using only a few ingredients. I'm no gourmet chef, and I'm sure there would be many people who would not care for my cooking...it tends to be on spicy side (I put hot sauce in and on everything), but my family and friends seem to think it's pretty good.

If you were to go look in my refrigerator/freezer/pantry at any given time you will always find the following foods: chicken breast, ground buffalo, eggs, tilapia, chicken sausage, shrimp, canned albacore tuna,  plain greek yogurt, bell peppers, spinach, onions, cucumbers, frozen berries, frozen green beans, broccoli, romaine lettuce, bananas, pineapple, rolled oats, sweet potatoes/yams, brown rice/brown rice pasta, quinoa/quinoa pasta, nut butter, avocado, ezekiel bread/wraps, protein powder and almonds.  Condiments you will often find include: Sriracha hot sauce, spicy/flavored mustard, Walden Farms salad dressings and sugar free syrup, pesto, and SALSA! This is really what I live off of. Occasionally you will also find turkey bacon, cottage cheese, ,turkey breast, almond cheese, granola, other types of fruit and veggies, steak, salmon, almond milk, hummus... So here is a clean grocery list for you. Get shopping and get cooking!

When preparing/cooking food. I like to grill as much as possible. It gives a great flavor without having to do much to it. Otherwise I usually bake it or use the crockpot (simple). I love the magic bullet for making shakes and smoothies. I cook in large quantities so I always have something ready to eat. I also tend to make single dish meals, meaning I throw all of my food together. Similar to a stir-fry but I do it with almost everything. For those of you who like your food separate and not touching, my style is not for you. I rarely follow recipes, but I will start posting some of my favorite meals so you can give them a try.

It's really about experimenting and finding what you like and what works for you!

Happy clean eating :)

Welcome to my blog!

Thank you for visiting my new blog. I will be using this as a vehicle to share with you workouts, nutrition tips, recipes, motivation, do's and don'ts, local events that promote being active, trendy workout attire, upcoming bodybuilding/figure/fitness/bikini events, my personal journey, inspiring stories, my client success stories and more! I hope you enjoy :)