If you are SERIOUS about Losing Weight in 2018... This is for you!!!

Are you SERIOUS about losing weight in 2018? 

New Year’s Resolutions. How many times have you made the same resolution to achieve a fit and healthy lifestyle? Year after year, I would make the same ones: lose weight, exercise more and eat healthier. Maybe you’re considering a gym membership. Maybe you’re considering an extreme diet plan. I was in the same boat, until I found a LIFESTYLE change that worked for me.

After I made my resolution, I would set big goals. Some of my goals were about family, some about personal development, some concerning the growth of my business, but one of the BIGGEST goals I set for myself was about the number of individuals & families I wanted to help to reach their HEALTH & FITNESS GOALS!!

What I eventually learned is that change in fitness and nutrition comes at a slow and steady pace. I knew this in my mind, maybe you know it too, but I needed to experience it.  So now I'm offering you a chance to finally regain your health back, working with me(NASM Certified Personal Trainer)..... taking no excuses.. No Ifs, Ands or Jiggly Butts in this group.   NO GYM NEEDED. 

So what's in it for you:

• Meal Plan Ideas focusing on portion control

• Daily workouts

• Motivation, Support and Accountability

• Access to Private Online Group

• Optional Weight and Measurements done by me (private)

• Private Goal Setting Session(Can be done via Skype or in person)

I will push you even when you don’t feel like it, and I will support you for as long as you need. Being surrounded with like-minded people and striving for the same goals is what makes our challenges successful.

COST: $29.99

There are limited spots open and they will fill up fast!!   You'll be added to the private group and will receive a confirmation from me after you sign up using the PAY NOW button above!!!

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Healthy Eating Meal Plan

With New Years right around the corner, I wanted to share a good clean eating meal plan from a Blog (Homemade for Elle).

I've seen many healthy eating plans, and frankly I just want something with normal food.  Nothing fancy, nothing time consuming, just something I can put together quickly and keep on track.

Here are 5 days worth of ideas.  Dinners are made for 3-4 people.  The idea is to work on eating whole foods, nothing processed.  Use any or all of these ideas to help you get into a healthy eating routine.  Enjoy!

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How to Get Back on Track after the Holidays

And here we are, Christmas is over in what seems like a blink of the eye. You've tried to follow a routine, but office parties, Christmas parties and whatever else Life has thrown at you these last few weeks, can make it hard to get back on track and stick to a routine.  Let's face it.  It's much easier to sit in our chair with our hot cup of coffee than to force ourselves to get up and get moving!

Now that we are suffering from sugar coma, it's perfect motivation to get going again! After all, you've worked so hard up until the Holidays, don't quit!!

Here are some tips to help you get back on track:

1) Don't Beat Yourself Up. You don't need to mentally abuse yourself with negative thoughts about how you should have done things differently. There is absolutely nothing positive that will come of this behavior. Change your thinking and focus on the positives, like how you are looking forward to getting back on track and not feeling so bloated and sluggish.

2) Don't Weight Yourself. If you feel sluggish and/or bloated, you know it. The scale is only going to tell you the same thing but will more than likely put you in a bad mood and maybe even make your behavior spiral out of control and send you into a binge. You know how you feel and how your pants fit, weighing yourself only to find out you've "gained" five pounds on vacation will do no good. Speaking of, most of the "weight" you gain will be in the form of water weight.

3) Drink More Water and Less Alcohol. It will help flush out the sugar and processed junk in your system and help you feel less bloated.

4) Get Back to that Exercise Routine. Start TODAY and pick up where you left off with your exercise routine. It will help you get back in the habit and help you reach your goals quicker.

Need More Accountability?  Really ready to make that change and form better eating habits?  Stay tuned for my 21 day private group starting in January. 

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New Monday - New Week - New Goals

Thanksgiving break is a magical time of food, football and fun. After you’ve gorged on casserole and slept off the turkey coma, it’s easy to wallow in the fridge of leftovers and elastic pants. The results of a study by the Calorie Control Council concluded that the average American could consume as much as 4,500 calories and 229 grams of fat on Thanksgiving Day.  According to USA Today, that’s equivalent to seven Burger King Whoppers or 15 Dairy Queen hot fudge sundaes.  (Oh MY!)

Too many carbs, too much sugar, too much booze.......

But it’s important to get back on track with healthy eating after the day of splurging and stuffing, especially before the stress of Christmas hits you. Getting back on track is easy with these simple tips:

1. Keep Positive. Beating yourself up over a day of bad eating will not help you get back on track. Remember, when you have thoughts that are negative, mad, sad, hopeless or helpless, your brain releases chemicals that make you feel bad. Conversely, every time you have a thought that is good, happy, hopeful, kind or loving, your brain releases chemicals that make you feel good. Don't let the "stinking thinking" sabotage your attempts to get back on track.

2. DON'T Skip Meals. Don’t try to make up for the extra calories by skipping meals the next day. That just leaves you hungry. Plus, skipping meals can trigger your metabolism to slow down and can throw off your hunger/satiety hormones. Instead, focus on eating lean protein and lots of fresh vegetables, while avoiding sugar. The protein and fiber in the vegetables help to slow digestion, which will help you feel full longer, and keep your metabolism churning.

3. Get Moving. Exercising is a great way to get back on track. But don’t do a mega-workout to try to burn off all the calories you just ate. Just get moving. This helps control cravings, burns calories and helps to balance your mood and blood sugar. Go for a long walk (walk like you’re late), or maybe do some lunges, squats and crunches while watching your favorite holiday movie. Exercise will induce sweating out excess salt and helps you regain your sense of what a healthy body feels like.

4. Do What You Say You're Going To Do (No Matter How Small)  The single best (and most effective) way to get yourself in your flow is to say you are going to do something--and then do it. For example: You say you're going to wake up early tomorrow morning, so actually do it. You say you're going to start your day by reading 10 pages in a book, so actually do it. When you make promises to yourself and keep them, you are ingraining in your subconscious that what you put your mind to, you will get done.

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So Called "Healthy Food Choices"

With school back in session and the holidays near, most of us find our days hectic. Adding to that, we are all trying to "manage" what we are eating, at least as healthy as we can. Let's say we aim to eat around 1400 calories a day. With today's marketing "sneaks", we might realize our so-called food choices are sabotaging our healthy eating.

Most have us have good intentions with our healthy eating, but in reality most of us struggle with always choosing the best option. Take a quick calorie quiz from HMR Weight Management here to see how you’d do selecting “healthier” options when dining out.

So, let's take a look at what might be a typical day.

We stayed up late last night watching a ball game or Christmas movie, so our morning starts out with lots of caffeine coffee to reboot our fog-filled brain. Flavoring it with a little sugar and half and half is more calorie-friendly than those coffee shop drinks, we think

• 6 ounces black coffee
• 2 tablespoons half-and-half
• 2 packets sugar

Now, it's time to get this kids something to eat, so they pour a sugar coated cereal into their bowls with some milk. We decide you want something a little heathier so decide to eat granola with skim milk.

• 1/2 cup granola
• 1/4 cup skim milk

After getting the kids out the door and we arrive at work, and immediately tackle the pile of work left on our desk from the night before. Next time we look at the clock, it's almost lunchtime already. We had intended to pack a lunch the night before, but never got around to it, so let's head to the cafeteria to see what healthy choices we can find. There, we spot the chicken Caesar salad, which consists of chicken strips on a bed of romaine lettuce with various salad toppings, all tossed with Caesar salad dressing. We know that's the ticket—low calorie and nutrient rich. For a beverage we opt for a soda, figuring just one little splurge won't hurt since our other food choices so far today have been carefully planned.

• chicken Caesar salad
• 16 ounce soda

In the afternoon, someone has brought in "goodies" to celebrate someone's birthday in the office. There are so many yummy foods, we struggle to resist. Finally we get some cheese and crackers, thinking that's a better choice than the brownies and chocolate chip cookies.

• 6 crackers
• 3 cheese cubes

Finally, we get home and decides it's pasta night because we're tired and don't want to fuss with a fancy meal. We choose whole wheat pasta because we've read it's better than white pasta. To go with the pasta, we top with a basil pesto sauce.

• 2 cups whole wheat pasta
• 1/4 cup basil pesto sauce

Most of us feel the need for an evening snack. (I do!) We really want ice cream, but decides to go for the healthier frozen yogurt.

• 1 cup frozen yogurt

We head of to bed thinking, I've done pretty well today with my eating. A few more days like this, and I might actually lose a pound.

What would you guess our calorie intake was for the day?

A. 1,389
B. 1,845
C. 2,417
D. 3,321

C Is the Correct answer!!!

Coffee:

6 ounces black coffee = 4 calories
2 tablespoons half-and-half = 40 calories
2 packets sugar = 22 calories

• Total = 66 calories

Breakfast:

1/2 cup granola = 210 calories
1/4 cup skim milk = 21 calories

• Total = 231 calories

Lunch:

chicken Caesar salad = 793 calories
16 ounce soda = 208 calories

• Total = 1,001 calories

Afternoon Snack:

6 crackers = 80 calories
3 cheese cubes = 207 calories

• Total = 287 calories

Dinner:

2 cups whole wheat pasta = 348 calories
1/4 cup basil pesto sauce = 263 calories

• Total = 611 calories

Dessert:

1 cup frozen yogurt = 221 calories

• Total = 221 calories

TOTAL for the DAY = 2,417

In today's calorie-filled food environment, it doesn't take much to go over our daily calorie allowance. We made a conscious effort to take in only 1,400 calories for the day, but was actually 1,142 calories over our goal.

So what can you do? An easy way is to write down everything you eat. Using an app like MyFitnessPal is a great tool. Portion control is a great way to keep your calories in check. You can buy portion control containers for less than $10.

Stay tuned and I'll share more tips on how to survive Thanksgiving and still eat some of your favorite foods without getting offtrack.

*Source: SparkPeople

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November Healthy Living Challenge

For November, I decided to do a healthy living challenge. I’ll be sharing small daily challenges to encourage healthy behaviors – everything from trying a new exercise to trying out a new healthy recipe. I’ll be participating along with everyone else and I’d love to have you join us.

The reason I decided to run this challenge in November was to go into the holiday season in the healthiest place possible. December tends to get busy with parties, preparations. and the holidays. It’s easy to let working out and eating healthy go to the wayside, when really that’s the time that we need it the most. The holidays can bring with them a lot of stress, which is much easier to handle when you’re making healthy decisions.

I’ve created an email list just for this challenge (you can sign up here) to ensure everyone will get the daily challenge versus my Facebook page. (Most people are not seeing my daily posts).  While being on the email list isn’t required, you will get the daily challenges a few days earlier as well as exclusive workouts only available to November Healthy Living Challenge subscribers. Those not on my email list can view the daily challenge ideas on my Facebook page. 

I'm looking forward to a Healthy November with everyone!!!

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Tips to Fall back into Fitness

Welcome to the “no excuse zone.”

Summer is a great time of the year - vacations, time relaxing by the pool.   However, the problem with summer is that the old, lazy habits creep back in. We procrastinate, we indulge a little bit more, we eat ice cream. We go on vacation from our work and also from our fitness routines. We have fun all summer long and then fall hits us out of nowhere and the reality of daily life starts to set back in.

The Labor Day holiday closes out the season of barbecues, lounging by the pool and overindulging during summer vacations. As you embark on a new month and a new fall season, you have an important choice to make. Are you going to jump on the train to a healthy and fit lifestyle or opt for a layover until the New Year’s resolution season rolls around?

Fall is the perfect time to use this window of opportunity to get back into the healthy habits that you may have abandoned during the summer months. It’s time to bust through your excuses and fall back into a routine that will get you the results you want.

It's tough to get back into that fitness routine. Here are some tips to help you make that transition back to your workout as smooth as possible.

Positivity
Maintaining a positive attitude is key. Try not to be harsh on yourself as you will only make it harder. So, take the view that you have had a wonderfully fun few months and now you are just as excited to adopt your healthy lifestyle once more!

Sleep: You should be sleeping seven to nine hours a night. Now I know most of you will be leaning more towards the seven; that’s fine. Sleep is a great fat burner and an extremely overlooked component of health and wellness. In my opinion, this trumps everything else. Very simply, sleep and resting help your body repair and recover. Our hormones will function more optimally which means an overall better you.

Find an Accountability Partner:
Having a friend or family member join you on getting back in to the swing of things can be a great idea. Someone to hold you accountable sometimes is the deciding factor for getting up for an early morning workout or skipping the bowl of ice cream before bed. We all have friends and family who are in the same boat as us so finding that person can sometimes make the process that much easier.

Join a group fitness class.
Not only are they a fun way to incorporate fitness, but in many cases, class attendees become like family, since these members will hold you accountable to show up to class, much like coaches or players on an athletic team.  Most of you know I teach many different group fitness classes in our area.  Ask me about my classes in Waverly and Owego.

Move Your Body Daily! 

You should never ask yourself should you work out today. The answer to that question is almost always yes! You should always try to do something every day to move your body. It doesn’t need to be a challenging workout in the gym everyday but could be as simple as a 30 minute walk after dinner or on your lunch break.

Cut Out Processed Junk Food 

This can be a hard one for most people but if you can remove products such as fast food, chips, candy bars, and pastries, you can quickly start to feel better. A good rule of thumb is to purchase the majority of your groceries on the edges of your grocery store and minimize your purchases in the aisles. Go for fresh!

You have the power to do whatever it is you want to do. So how bad do you want it? The choice is yours.

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August 2017 Wellness Challenge

Summer is going quick and I don't know about you, but I've been slacking during July with my exercise and eating too much sugar at night.   I love 30 day challenges but get bored with the usual squats and crunch challenges.

I created another fun 30 day challenge that focuses on health and wellness, not just the exercise aspect.  Join me each day over on my Facebook Page ( CPH Fitness ) for support and accountability.

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Chocolate Protein Brownies

As a chocolate fan, I'm always searching for a healthier way to get my sweet fix in.  I have lots of protein powder always on hand, so I decided to experiment. 

2 scoops (1 cup) chocolate protein powder 
2 eggs
1/2 cup all natural peanut butter 
1/2 cup raw local honey (I used wildflower honey)
1/2 tsp baking soda
Splash (tablespoon) unsweetened almond milk

I softened up the peanut butter in the microwave for 30 seconds and added honey and mixed well, add the rest of the ingredients and put in an greased 8x8 square pan.

Baked at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Came out fluffy and cakey – and even better, it tasted great. 

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How to Keep on Track when Life Gets in the Way

Everyone will tell you the most important thing to living healthy is plan ahead:  our meal, our workouts, our grocery lists, self-care, even to go as far as scheduling it on your calendar like any other appointment. 

Sometimes, despite our best planning, life will get in the way: Kids are sick, you are sick, hit the snooze button too many times, you end up babysitting grandchildren at the last minute, your aging parents need you to take them to Urgent Care.  

So what happens to our commitment to healthy eating and living a healthy lifestyle when life gets super busy?

In the past, I would let my busy schedule be an "excuse" to fall off my healthy living wagon.  I'd go back to picking up fast food or processed foods because I didn't have "time" to deal with planning a healthy meal.   And Exercise?  Well, if I wasn't teaching a class, the exercise didn't happen. 
I recognize those signs now and realize a busy life does not have to result in weeks of fast food, no exercise, and a general lack of concern for all things healthy.

One thing I've learned is NOT to let any excuses keep me from my goals.  Sometimes, we have set-backs, but it cannot turn into a permanent one.  I have learned that any excuses:  busy times, rainy weather, stressful situations – will NOT keep me from my goal.  I'm going to tell you committing is the hardest thing to do.  It will feel easier, when stressed, to go back to the bad eating habits and letting our exercise become completely non-existent.  

So what can you do when life happens? 
1) Plan ahead as much as possible.  Look ahead to your week and make time to get some exercise and eat as healthy as you can.  Many places have grab-and-go salads to make dinner plans easier.  Even if you can't get as much exercise in as you normally do, every little bit helps!!!


2) Remember you don't have to exercise in the gym.  Great workouts don’t have to happen in the gym. Can’t make it to the gym, but have a big hill in your neighborhood? Awesome, take a walk up that hill.  Weather is bad and you’re stuck inside all day? Well you can do a workout without equipment inside the comfort of your own home.

3) Create a Routine.  Get in the habit of working out at the same time every day. If you consistently workout or go to the gym at the same time it will be much harder to break that habit when things start to get busy. If you make exercising as ingrained into your daily routine as brushing your teeth every morning and every night you are unlikely to skip it. You don’t skip brushing your teeth when life gets busy. If you start building up your exercise routine now, you won’t feel like skipping that either once life get hectic.


4)  Know Your Why.  Because your WHY will give you the extra push you need when you feel drained, or aren’t seeing the results you want.

5) Have someone who expects something of you.  Having my trainer voice inside your head can help motivate you to keep moving.  but sometimes that's not enough. I've offered free sessions and opened up my workout timeslots to those to come workout with me, yet that hasn't happened only by one person.  We need some skin in the game.  You know what happens when you have trainer who expects you to be at sessions you've paid for upfront? You show up.  Having a personal trainer is not a luxury, sometimes it's a necessity to keep on track with your goals. 

Get Back on Track

Change can be hard. In the beginning, your healthy habits might take two steps forward and one step back.  Anticipating those backwards steps can make all the difference in the world. Develop a plan for getting back on track and recommit to your routine as quickly as possible.

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What is Spiritual Fitness?

When I turn on my TV at night to relax, my TV guide is full of paid programming for health and fitness products: fitness equipment, nutritional supplements, health food, fitness programs. 

I'm not arguing our physical health is very important.  Our life depends on it!  In the passage below, Paul reminds us the importance of spiritual fitness as much as physical fitness. 

So what is spiritual fitness?  God's word is meant to feed our souls every day and help us meet the needs of others.  Many of us can be intimidated by the Word, it takes real effort for me to read God's Word alone. My mind can get distracted by so many other things, especially if I'm struggling to understand His meaning.  Just like our physical fitness, it takes small, consistent effort to improve our spiritual fitness.  

Think about this.  We are trying to live for the Lord but we are starving our souls. Religious people may attend church regularly but not take time to read and meditate on God's Word.  

Earlier this year, I created a Wellness Planner to help focus on the three most important things in my life:  Faith, Fitness and Family.  If you haven't gotten a chance to use this planner, click HERE to download your copy to use this week!

With a daily diet of God's Word, we can stay spiritually fit.

In Christ's Love,
Colleen
xoxox


1 Timothy 4:8
For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.

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Organic Celery - Some things I won't cheap on

I am the most frugal woman you'll meet. I hate to spend money, especially on food.  But one thing I don't cheap on is organic celery.   Why?  Celery stalks are very porous, so they retain the pesticides they’re sprayed with.  According to Health.com, 
when researchers at the Environmental Working Group (EWG) analyzed 89,000 produce-pesticide tests to determine the most contaminated fruits and vegetables, celery topped the chart.  WOW!  I'm sold.  Thankfully, we have several Aldi's near us to help save on buying organic.  I purchased this today for $1.99 for the same brand you would pay in the grocery store for twice that. 

Reap the benefits and enjoy the peace of mind of eating meals free of pesticides and additives by shopping for healthy ingredients when it counts the most.

In health and fitness,
Colleen 
xoxox

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Unprocess Your Diet - 7 day Jumpstart Meal Plan

Warmer weather is coming soon, I hope.  I don't know about you, but I'm ready for warmer temps and lots of sunshine.  Our coal stove has been running 6 months now and I'm ready to open up my windows.   

I created a simple meal plan to help give you a jump start back into a healthy eating routine.  Ditch the processed stuff and let's get ready for Spring!!!

**You can download a copy of the meal plan HERE**

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Post-Stella: Finding our Exercise Routine Again - 3 Simple Tips

Life happens and sometimes we get off track.  With record setting snow last week, Stella got me completely off track.  Most all of my classes and trainings were canceled last week and my exercise routine consisted of shoveling.   But sometimes life happens for any reason and can get us off track.  Family commitments, sickness, and working late can all wreak havoc on our best made plans to workout.  I understand completely what it's like to have a really good routine and then something happens.  A few missed workouts can turn into a rut.  So what can you do to get back?

If you've found yourself a little off-track, here are some tips to help you jump start your routine:

1)  Commit to Five Minutes
Just start with five minutes.  Five minutes is less daunting than committing to a full workout.  Start with five minutes and keep building.

2)  Remember How Good it Makes You Feel
Sometimes we focus on the effort, instead of the outcome. Remember how great you felt after you did your workout.

3)  Get an Exercise Buddy
That's why group fitness classes and personal trainers really work. It's accountability and motivation.  If you can't get to a group fitness class and haven't hired a trainer(As a plug, my rates are VERY reasonable), grab a friend, co-worker or family member to workout with and help keep you accountable.

Remember habits are created by the consistent daily activities we chose to put our time towards. So the more consistent you are with your exercise routine, the easier it is to form healthy habits. Once it’s a habit, you just go on autopilot and exercising is part of your daily life.

Love in health and fitness,
Colleen   
xoxox

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FREE Healthy Living Checklist

Everyone has their own idea about what how to live a healthy lifestyle and how to go about doing it. If you aren't sure where to start, this FREE checklist will give you a great jump-start.  I challenge you to print 4 of these and use these each week for the next 4 weeks.  Once you have finished, CELEBRATE and repeat.

I have always been a visual person.  In my professional life I always have checklists in every part of my business.  It helps me keep my goals in check.  Funny how we are so dedicated in our work lives, but our personal lives tend to be optional in keeping our goals within reach.

Here is my checklist to help you start making your own personal life goals reachable.  If you would like to set up a FREE one on one with me to discuss how to tailor this checklist to your lifestyle, click the "Let's Talk" so we can chat!  I love helping people with their health and fitness goals.

Get your FREE Healthy Living Checklist HERE

Love in health and fitness,
Colleen xoxo

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