Food/Exercise Journal Guide and Gadgets My Clients LOVE!

Starting a food and exercise journal doesn’t need to be anything complicated and certainly doesn’t need to be fancy. It only needs to be functional and easy to read when you need to look back at it. Remember that the whole point of this isn’t to add one more hassle to your to-do list. It’s simply to help you figure out what is working (and maybe what isn’t working) in your health and fitness journey. Sometimes we may think we had an okay day, only to look back and see areas that really weren’t quite as good as we “remembered”. To many people, the pen and paper version may seem old school and that is fine. The apps and devices out there now are top-notch and can be extremely helpful (see below for some that my clients love!), but for the few that want to do this the old-fashioned way, grab your tablet and chisel, and let’s get started! And for those of you who are into apps and gadgets, there are some things for you here, too!

First, before you write anything, you need to consider your goals. Your goal(s) need to be front and center at the very beginning. Write them where you can see them first thing. In fact, write them on lots of things and place around your house (the refrigerator, bathroom mirror, closet door, etc.). Keeping this end goal at the front of your mind, will help keep you from becoming distracted when “life happens”…because it will. What is your long-term goal and what are some short-term goals you can achieve on your way to the larger goal? Are your goals realistic and achievable? Can you track them easily or are they vague? Be very specific. If you love setting reminders on your phone, use it! It’s a great idea and extremely helpful for keeping your goals at the front of your mind especially when you can set reminders throughout the day to workout or to meal prep, etc. Reminders help us when we are distracted, and if you are like me, it’s easy to get distracted and off course when life happens (which it tends to do).

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Let’s go over an example of setting goals. Maybe your long-term goal is to lose 100 lbs. This is achievable but not in 90 days. Maybe a short-term, realistic goal would be to lose 15 lbs in 90 days. (Since we’re talking about weight, weight-loss is a great goal if this is something you need to do, but be cautious about stalking the scale. Pay attention to how your clothes fit and think about taking pictures so you can see changes even when the scale may not move at times.) Map out how long you need to lose your 100 lbs. and chart all the smaller goals on the way to your larger goal. The specific ways you need to get to the larger goal need to be written down with intention. Congratulations in advance…your chances of success just skyrocketed by mapping out your complete plan!

Every day, multiple times throughout the day, you are going to look at your goals. You are going to see your plan often, and it will remind you that consistency and persistency is the key to getting where you want to be. After all, you didn’t get where you currently are in your health and fitness overnight. It takes time to get out of shape, and yes, it will take time to get back in shape and hopefully even better than you were before!

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As promised, for you techies out there, here are some fitness gadgets that my clients LOVE and perhaps wonder what they ever did without them… (Feel free to leave in the comments your favs or not-so-favs and why! I’d love to hear!) There are lots of different options within each brand as well. The possibilities seem endless as far as variety and function depending on your budget, so I haven’t listed everything here. Oh, and these are in no particular order…

1) Apple Watch – My clients rave about the Apple Watch. It’s sleek design makes it perfect with any attire, but it’s also extremely functional with lots of features. They find that it’s really user-friendly in tracking activity and heart-rate. In addition, being able to text and receive calls is a bonus.

2) Garmin – My clients who run or do long walks, hang on to their Garmin for those things even if they also have another option they wear for other things. But now Garmin has come out with the Vivosmart 4 and the Vivosport that are sleeker and still offer plenty of options.

3) Samsung Gear S3 Classic – I have one client that has this one, and she absolutely loves it and says she would definitely recommend to anyone. It has lots of bells and whistles including tracking sleep, activity and heart rate. It also has plenty of other features and allows you to text and receive calls.

4) Fit Bit – I’ve had clients in the past that used a Fit Bit, but since I don’t have any clients that use a Fit Bit right now, I don’t have a version preference or suggestions so I’m just giving some basic info. There are various options to fit whatever your needs may be and they range in price as well. The Fitbit Ionic and the Fitbit Versa are considered smartwatches. The Fitbit Charge 3 is waterproof, tracks your activity and heartrate and will set you back around $150 or so. Again, happy to hear any comments/suggestions from real-life applications if you’ve tried one.

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Remember, the most important thing about exercise and nutrition tracking is brutal honesty. If you eat it, it gets tracked. ALL exercise gets tracked. This is the best way you will learn what is working for you and what your shortcomings are so you can improve, and that’s what this is all about anyway!

Again, there are loads of gadgets out there to make this paperless for you, so do some shopping around. Each brand seems to offer various options with various price-ranges as well. Would love to hear your favorites!

Here’s to YOUR health!

Crunchy Harvest Kale Salad

Are you bored with what seem like the same meals week after week? Maybe it’s because we tend to fix what we know and just don’t have the time or the energy to learn a bunch of new stuff. Maybe it’s because we know a few easy recipes and those tend to be our go-tos. Or maybe it’s just that we eat what we grew up eating. Whatever the reason may be, if you feel like it’s time for a change….a healthier change, then let’s chat for a moment about what that may look like for you. If you are like most people out there, you could certainly increase your intake of real whole foods and less of the processed junk. I can always see ways to make improvements in my own nutrition as well. Change isn’t always easy especially if it’s a way of life we have always known. But just because it may be a challenge doesn’t mean that it can’t be well within your reach. And you will likely find that once you adopt a new healthy lifestyle, you’ll love the changes you have made to your diet!

What are real whole foods? We’re talking about stuff that isn’t coming out of a box. These are foods that don’t have a long list of unpronounceable ingredients. This is the stuff we want to gravitate towards, right? But you already knew that, didn’t you? We all know this but putting it into an action plan that we will actually do on a daily and weekly basis (long-term) is another story. This is why I try to share a recipe here and there that I like and that is super easy to prepare.

This salad is loaded with plenty of greens and also some other toppings that may seem untraditional but will have you looking at salads in a completely different light. It ditches the croutons, cheeses, and thick dressings and instead is a fresh look at a fall salad that is so light and delicious but completely satisfying at the same time.

Here is the ingredient list you’ll need to make my Crunchy Harvest Kale Salad…

1) Kale
2) Romaine Lettuce (or green leaf lettuce)
3) Red onion
4) Fresh mandarin oranges (2)
5) Pomegranate
6) Pecans (toasted)
7) 1 t. Toasted sesame oil
8) 1 t. Dijon mustard
9) 1/2 t. Honey
10) Cayenne pepper (don’t knock it until you try it!)

We don’t need to get too specific on the amounts, because we all have different tastes, but here are the basics… I used about half of one romaine heart and approx two cups chopped kale for one serving. I like more kale than romaine, and I like to chop it really fine. I’ll eat more when my salad is chopped rather than left in larger chunks. This may just be personal preference, so feel free to prepare it however you’ll eat it best!

The red onion just adds a little something to this so I love the extra kick but it doesn’t take much so just sprinkle a little on top and go by your own taste as far as how much you want to include.

Peel the mandarin oranges. Divide one to use the slices in the salad and the other one you’ll squeeze the juice out to use in your dressing.

Pomegranates are easy to find right now, but they do take a little time to prep, so this is probably something you’ll want to have ready in advance. Sprinkle however much you like on top. I used about 1/4 c. The part you want are the arils which are the seeds with a little juice sac around them. They are the definition of nature’s candy! AND they are a superfood packed with fiber, protein, potassium, folate and vitamins C and K. Delicious on their own, they are a really sweet addition to this salad (literally!) and are part of the “crunchy” you’re going to love.

Speaking of love, I absolutely love pecans in this salad. I used about 1/4 c. in my salad, so about the same amount of pecans as pomegranate. If pecans aren’t your thing then you can replace with walnuts or slivered almonds if you desire. The pecans, especially when teamed up with the oranges and the pomegranate, remind me of fall. If you have a toaster oven, set it at 350 degrees and toast for just a few minutes. They will burn easily, but you’ll know they are done because you will start to smell that awesome toasty aroma. Just watch them closely.

For the dressing, combine one teaspoon toasted sesame oil with a teaspoon of Dijon mustard and a half teaspoon of honey (the pomegranate and the orange adds a lot of natural sweetness already to this salad, so you don’t need much honey and could even choose to omit if you desire) and the juice from a mandarin orange. Add a pinch of cayenne pepper to complete and your salad world will never be the same.

This salad is comfort food at it’s healthiest. I feel like I’m eating a treat more than health food! It’s the perfect solution to your salad boredom, so I hope you love as much as I do. As I always say, make it your own and if you find ingredients you’ve added that are amazing, feel free to share in the comments so others can try!

Here’s to YOUR health!

Your Grocery List: Making or Breaking Your Goals?

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You have probably heard it said that your health is 20 percent in the gym and 80 percent in the kitchen. As a trainer, I would love to tell you that it’s not true and that you can run off your health woes or lift off your sickness…. but I can’t. Obviously, for me to dedicate my life to being a personal trainer, my true passion is in training. At the same time though, I sincerely want my clients (and anyone else who’s life I touch through this blog) to live full, healthy lives! It just can’t be done without a healthy diet.

We really are what we eat. If we consistently put garbage into our bodies, we will see and feel the effects of that. On the other hand, if we feed our bodies with the nutrients it craves, we will feel those affects as well, and it’s awesome.

I certainly have my share of weaknesses when it comes to junk food, but I have to make sure they don’t become habitual. I love sweets especially homemade, and I love to bake, but if I’m consuming chocolate chip cookies more often than the healthy stuff my body needs, then I will feel the ill effects and reap the consequences of my choices.

The great thing is that there are tons of healthy options out there for whatever you are craving! And there are more ways than ever to have healthy recipes only a click away. Check out some healthy meal and snack recipes and even some healthier dessert options on my Pinterest boards. It’s surprising how great food can taste with some real food for ingredients instead of the processed junk we have grown accustomed to. You may find some snack recipes that use pitted dates instead of heaps of sugar, and you may also find that you like it and didn’t realize healthy eating could be so good (and guiltless!).

Let’s chat for a moment about the food you keep at home, because if we have junk in the house, then we will put junk in our mouths. Maybe a quick look at our typical grocery list will help identify easy ways to make some changes. I know that if I buy potato chips, I will definitely eat them. I know that if I have a shopping list and I make the choice to steer clear of the junk and keep healthy items in my house, those are the things that I will eat. For me, I am no different than most people when it comes to preparing healthy meals. I need recipes that don’t require an enormous list of ingredients. I need recipes that taste good and that I won’t get bored with. I need recipes that my family will love. I need recipes that are EASY and QUICK to prepare. Believe it or not, this doesn’t have to be complicated! You just need to explore the things that you like and try to find recipes that are good to your body in addition to your taste buds. Snoop around online, and try a few things that are easy to prep. It’s likely that you’ll realize this wasn’t as hard as you thought it’d be and it’s delicious too! AND, if you’re like me, I need to choose recipes that won’t break the bank either. It CAN be done!

Old habits die hard. You may be set in your ways. You may be used to eating all your meals out of a box or from the drive thru. But you may have also noticed that your health isn’t what it used to be. You may have noticed that you just don’t feel as good as you used to. And don’t just attribute that feeling to aging. We can all live full and healthy lives without feeling like garbage by the time we hit forty. If you are taking mounds of prescription drugs and just have considered this the new norm and that it’s just part of getting older, think again! Although there is a place for prescription drugs for certain conditions, in general, our bodies are beautifully designed to feel great and to function optimally when we fuel them optimally. Think about this…what are your grocery store staples? If you make a weekly trip to the grocery store, what is always in your cart? What are your must-haves? Part of making a change is to identify what needs changing. If your eating habits are really struggling and you know you need some professional help, perhaps a nutritional expert can help steer you in the right direction if you feel that you need a little push in the beginning. If you’re committed to trying this on your own for now and you really, sincerely want to make some changes, let’s start by changing the way we shop. We have so many options now…more than generations before us ever had! Sounds awesome, doesn’t it? Maybe too many options though? Too much convenience has created a culture of dependence on these things, and maybe it’s all we’ve ever known. Ever hear anyone say to shop the perimeter at the grocery store? There is truth to this! All the fresh stuff is there! All the stuff in boxes tends to lurk about in the middle.

I thought it may help to share with you my grocery list staples. These are items I keep at my house at all times, and I never want to run out of them. Some are weekly, like the stuff that needs to be purchased fresh, and some stuff is occasionally, like seeds I keep on hand for my smoothies. I have never claimed to be perfect, but the key here is to make the junk more of a rare treat than a daily one.

Here are items I NEVER want to run out of at my house:

1) Baby Spinach – This goes in my morning smoothie every day. It’s an easy way for me to get in some greens first thing and I don’t even notice it (other than a slight change in the color of my shake!)

2) Broccoli – Steamed, baked, however you like it, it’s packed with nutrients. Did you know it’s a great source of protein, iron, and calcium?! One of my favorite veggies, I always keep on hand.

3) Walnuts – A great source of omega-3s, I throw these in my smoothie every morning as well.

4) Unsweetened Almond Milk – I keep this in my fridge to use for smoothies and usually have some organic soy milk as well. See the recipe for my 6 Ingredient Pumpkin Smoothie here!

5) Assorted Frozen Vegetables – I use frozen veggies in soups and stews but also like to keep on hand in case I need before my next trip to the store to buy fresh. Some veggies are actually better to buy frozen if they are out of season.

6) Frozen Blueberries – I love fresh blueberries, but I don’t have them on hand most of the time in my fridge, because they are only really tasty when they are in season. They are packed with nutrients that have been shown to have powerful anti-cancer effects.

7) Bananas – I never let a banana go to waste in my house. When they start to turn, I peel them and break them into two or three chunks to put in a freezer bag and save for smoothies.

8) Sweet Potatoes – I love baked sweet potatoes, and when you bake them, they are so sweet, you don’t need to add butter or sugars to them. They are their own dessert!

9) Flax Seeds and Chia Seeds – Just to clarify, these aren’t one and the same, but I’m putting them both here because I like to use them for add-ins in smoothies and other recipes, so I always have on hand. In case you have a hard time finding in your local store, I’m including links here. Premium Gold Organic Whole Flax Seed and BetterBody Foods Organic Chia Seeds can both be found on Amazon, but there are plenty of options out there, so shop around and take your pick!

10) Black Beans and other bean varieties – I use for a side dish or for use in soups.

11) Diced Tomatoes – When they’re not in season and I can’t pick straight from my own garden, I still keep some frozen that I’ve put away or buy canned to use throughout the winter.

12) Lettuce – Green lettuce is really low in calories but contains an abundance of phytonutrients.

13) Eggs – I don’t eat eggs daily, but I do like hard boiled eggs with my lunch on occasion or mashed hard-boiled egg mixed with hummus and served with a whole grain tortilla is a good lunch or snack option.

14) Grass-fed Beef – I grew up eating beef, and I buy this locally. I love using especially in my chili in the fall and winter.

15) Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts – It’s so easy to cook and shred to store for meals throughout the week, or to bake and serve with fresh veggies. Plenty of options, so I keep a stash in the deep freeze as well.

This certainly isn’t an exhaustive list. I just wanted to list a few items to keep it brief. There are other fruits and veggies that are fresher during various seasons so I buy as they are available. And there are some things I NEED to keep in my house more often that I don’t always.

If you have healthy must-haves that you’d like to share, please comment!

The main point in this is that we eat what we have on hand, so if we keep bags of chips and junk in our homes, we are very likely to eat them. If we keep sliced veggies and whole raw fruits on hand, they will be easy to grab and snack on as well. Write your grocery list in advance and make sure it is full of only healthy options, and then stick to it! You can do this!

Here’s to YOUR health!