Phit-N-Phat...Making Fitness and Weightloss a Lifestyle

Making Healthy Plans for 2012

It's always an exciting time at the first of the year because everyone feels ready to work. For me I'm sort of gearing down. I have the toughest weekend of my life coming up in January. I'll be doing the AZ Tough Mudder (12.5 mile endurance run with obstacle course) one day and then doing the Phoenix Rock and Roll Half Marathon the next day. And, I get the pleasure of doing it with a fellow PNP girl, Kathy. My good friend Jane and husband will be there for the half portion so a special weekend.

I'm excited because I've trained HARD for all of this. I'm running, doing Insanity, doing Chalene Extreme, and mixing in my own outdoors obstacle course training. Last weekend we took these pictures.

Logan was my trainer and coach through the outdoors stuff. That kid can climb and do monkey bars like nobody's business. I watch him and try to duplicate how he uses his body. Of course, I don't have his core and upper body strength. Little dude is STRONG!

Lately, I've been reflecting on what I do in my silly athletic adventures. I love them and although I am never going to be paid, place, or great at them, they do a lot for my mental health and self-esteem. As a young, over-weight girl I couldn't even dream of this stuff. Now these events help me overcome my constant fear of gaining my weight back, worries about body image, and give me moments at the finish line where I celebrate finding my life.

It's still amazing to me this day the things I do. I hope all of you know, regardless of what shape you are in today, that you can accomplish a lot of amazing things. Don't sell yourself short. Find the things that excite you and do more of that.

The new year is offering you a chance to change your lifestyle. Not go on a diet or do workouts you hate. It's time you find a method that works to make you satisfied, happy, but slowly evolve. And, this past year I have lots of girls that might not be at goal yet but they spent a year getting into better shape, redefining how they live, and are healthier than ever before.

Over at PNP we are gearing up for a huge kickoff to 2012. The girls have worked hard during the Holiday Hustle Challenge to not have extra weight to lose when January rolls around.

We are all geared up to start the New Year with groups forming on Facebook and PNP. For 30 days you get me coaching you depending on the challenge you want. I have people doing Beachbody videos on Facebook and PNP, my own training programs, girls working in a select group to do Shakeology for weight loss where I'm providing menus and tutoring on food prep, etc., and some people are allowing me to coach their own Beachbody Biggest Loser  groups on Facebook! You can email me for more information on that and I'll help you set up a challenge with your circle of influence.

Oh How My Clients Have Changed

I was reading through the forums today getting caught up on all my PNP ladies and SEVERAL of them are travelling this weekend and next week. Some are coming to my house for Phat Camp, some visiting family, others taking business trips.

It made me smile and chuckle because I read so many posts that went like this...

I am going to pack oats and peanut butter. When I get there the first thing I'll do is go by a store and pick up some fruits, vegetables, and easy but healthy things to snack on. Of course I'll have some protein bars just in case and I've already made sure I can have a fridge or microwave access. Not sure about my regular workouts but I know I can always do a hood workout or do a walk/jog at the hotel...

Who are these people??? Seriously, I've been with most of these ladies for years now. One thing about PNP is that most people who join stick around. That allows me to just watch them grow into healthy women.

When I started my own journey through weightloss I remember how novel it was of me to actually plan ahead on my first trip. I blogged it because I simply didn't know anyone who went on any kind of trip and brought healthy food. I just figured when you travel you gain weight, eat out, and start over when you get home.

Now I bring all kinds of stuff and so do my clients! In fact, today I uploaded our Travel Phit guide to the private members. If you are interested in buying the Travel Phit Guide, just email me (corinne@phit-n-phat.com) for more information.

It's gratifying to me to see how they have changed into such healthy individuals. At times I forget that this isn't just about losing weight, looking lean and mean, and being a hot woman. It really is about living a long life, learning how to make it til you are 100 years old, not suffering from lifestyle diseases in your 40's and 50's OR younger, and setting a postive/healthy role model for your children/loved ones. 

I feel so inpired by my girls as I read all the effort they put into being their BEST. On the days I get deep into answering questions, reviewing workout/food logs, mailing samples, and all the not-so-fun maitenance duties when you run web-based businesses and media it is difficult to see all the wonderful things people are accomplishing. And, to me, it's the little behaviors that bring me pride.

As for me, I've changed a lot in the past three months as I have been setting goals and trying to work off daily to-do lists. In the beginning it was sooo hard. I just felt overwhelmed by all that I wanted to do. Narrowing it donn was tough. 

This month I finally feel the momentum kicking in. I look around and notice how much we (along with the help of my wonderful mother-in-law) have done to the house. I've hit some big goals I didn't think I could. And I've knocked out some of those dumb tasks I hate but were weighing on my mind. 

Here's a look into my October goals.

Business: I have two software installs this month to streamline some of my work. Have to learn these and do the setup. Talk to Beachbody coach prospects who expressed interest in working on my team. 100% of the 90-day challengers still posting Nov. 1. Design the end of year challenge for the site to get us through the holidays as In and Out wraps.

Personal: Run 15-20 miles per week starting 2nd week of October. Read Bible daily. Set up dungeon more effectively. Organize office. Flower beds finished. Logan's birthday party. Work my Chalene Extreme system. 

I have measures in place for these and steps but don't want the whole blog spent on that!

The last few days I've already taken care of some of these things. And, I'm really enjoying Chalene Extreme. I did the Burn Intervals today and Burn It Off. Wow! I loved it! Tomorrow I'm hitting Burn Circuit #3 so I can get back into groove with my 90-day challengers. Trying to get to working out around there same schedule for those doing CEX. The way they keep talking about Insanity I might have to order it!

How Many Calories Should I Eat?

I get this question a lot. In my custom training programs I give women their calories and guidelines for menus and in my PNP purchaseable training programs like In and Out the Gym I give standard guidelines.

Women still will ask me and often people find me frustrated because they seem to blow their "diets" or calorie ranges often. Some people will tell you that's just a matter of weakness, etc. I agree if you are on a deadline to lose weight that is the case. You can't afford to "blow it" and often must be hungry, etc.

But, my average client doesn't have a sporting event they are getting super lean for. My clients are in this to be healthier and feel good. Feeling good means not obsessing about the next meal because they are starving. It also means having control over their impulses so that they aren't feeling horrible the next day over a bad sugar binge.

I'm giving you an answer to one of my www.phit-n-phat.com members who emailed. She weighs a little over 200lbs and has not been able to lose weight for a long time. She's very active doing videos, running, etc., but has a problem with "doing good all day then it coming apart in the afternoon/evening." Sound familiar.

Before I post my answer I want to note the following things:

• You are probably not allowing yourself enough calories each day.
• You might be WAY undereating the first half the day when you are distracted and busy.
• When you get home to loads of food options, your adrenaline will release, and the hunger kicks in feeling UNCONTROLLABLE.

Babe, you have been hungry all day. You were just too busy to listen to the subtle clues your body gave you. When you get home the body decides to scream and toss a tantrum like a three year old because we ALL know that will get your attention and cause you to do anything to shut them up!

Now for my answer.

If you weigh over 200lbs and you are eating 1500 calories then you are eating what someone who weighs 150 should eat to lose and feel mildly hungry. You should eat based on what you CURRENTLY weigh; not what you want to weigh. The body doesn't respond well to that. It still has organs and functions to carry out and needs the fuel to do it. It will also have nowhere to go when you get smaller because you already ate in the low end of "dieting."

At your weight if you were a client I would multiply your weight by 9-12. That would be your range and you would follow menus for that based on hunger levels each day.

Body Weight (BW) x9 are the days you are busy, sleep late, go to bed early, or just so full of veggies you don't need more.

 

BWx10 is your wheelhouse. Pretty much eat this most days and re-do the x10 every 10lbs you lose.

 

BWx11 is when you need that extra snack. You might be PMS'ing, having a special day, tired, munchy, salt is low, etc. It's your guilt free way of having something extra WHEN YOU NEED IT.

 

BWx12 is your super active and super hungry days. You don't eat here very often. It's really for days that are high in activity or a day where you know you will just eat your arm off and staying at 12 will save you.

 

AS you get smaller, move to 10-12 and around 160lbs stop x9 anymore. The goal is always to eat as much as you can and lose. Not the other way around. I like girls to eat more, exercise hard, and settle for a solid pound or 1.5lb of FAT each week (not muscle and fat and be in the 2lb range every week). 

The big thing is get in your range. Eat it faithfully with HARD execise and see what happens after TWO weeks. You should lose. If you don't lose, drop the all ranges by 100 calories and try again for two weeks.

If you have to drop the range after four weeks I would examine how hard you are working out. You might need more intensity and heavier weights.

One important thing to remember, though, you must be 95% in your range and 95% with your exercise for two weeks. If you are less than 95% then the problem isn't the calorie range; the problem is you are not working your plan. I see too many people blame the exercise schedule and the calorie range when they need to examine their habits.

I hope this helps you find a calorie range that allows you to keep those habits clean and strong.

Breaking Out of My Own Chaos

I will say I'm very good at making time for myself to pursue my interests and keep me sane. But what I'm not good at is balancing ME with my business and the world. For days I've wanted to blog. DAYS. I haven't had time to just sit and mind dump...I've been doing that all over the Phit-n-Phat boards.

If you haven't seen or heard, we're in the middle of our biggest CHALLENGE ever: In and Out the Gym. It's too late to enter but the teams are doing great and you can read what they are discussing and buy the training program. From all the talk of soreness it is pretty fabulous!

Today, though, was therapy day and between the low I feel after and being in hyper business mode I'm whipped. I told Chris this evening I just felt like I was running all day and yet I wasn't. On the inside things are going 90MPH all the time. In therapy I told her I don't rest. I don't. My mind just won't shut down and it's been years since I remember it actually not processing a to-do list, ideas, and what not.

And in therapy I broke down with her about this. Logan and I are probably a lot alike. I imagine how I feel on the inside (the racing thoughts, extreme creativity, and things moving super fast) probably is the way he feels. It's chaos but the difference is that I am good at handling it. I am fast, can optimize time like nobody's business, and super efficient or I wouldn't get all that I do done.

Not Logan. That's where I started BAWLING. He's trapped in this head noise like me but is in slow motion on the outside. It just scares the crap out of me that he might feel like this. I never wanted to pass this onto him, let alone, not give him the skills he needed to handle it.

Maybe I'm being dramatic...I'm sure I am. But this is my blog and I earned the right to be a diva committing to it.

The interesting thing about all of this is that I have watched myself change the last few months as I started realizing I got freaking issues! In the lifestyle department I've let small BLT's work their ugly way into the mix, my food prep is what I would call a minimalist does, my training is actually pretty good just not what I am used to (this means it's uncomfortable for me), and we eat out more than we ever have. Oh and I'm having wine with Chris 3-4 x's a week. How's that for a tarnished crown and total accountability?

One thing I do know is I shouldn't stress it weight wise. I ended up sneaking a scale addiction and I'm back to my comfy 145.6. But as always the number isn't what makes me happy. I'm just as boo-hoo here as I would be 4-5lbs up in weight.

What it does stress is that inviting a lot of "loosening of the belt" makes me feel more chaotic because I'm having to think about what I'm going to eat, what can I grab running out the door, and will this make me feel good tomorrow. I just don't think I need that right now. Although my choices have been fine it's the stress of dealing with all the choices wearing out my nerves!

The habits of organization, planning, execution, and knowing what you are doing each day is what produces a happy Corinne. When my course is mapped out I feel great and in the zone. Just like the goal setting for the year, month, week, and day have worked I want to get back to the same structure with what goes in my mouth. Besides, I'm working too hard with this running to be scrambling to fuel right and look tight!

When I return from Dayton Phat Camp this Sunday I will make a menu, do a nice food prep where each meal is cooked, and cut out the BLT's. I don't need to eat 6-8 meals of meat and greens. I'm not saying that at all. Frozen dinners can stay for emergencies. I'll have my Shakeology twice a day because it is easy, quick and good, make a plan that includes all the healthy eats for othe meals, but have a plan that is well executed. 

Right now I need my lifestyle more than ever. I need that reliability it gives me so that I conquer and work on the other more important things in life. My food just isn't that important. My son is. My husband is. All the PNP girls are important. I have plenty in my life that needs me at my best. And that's what I am working on...returning to what took me feeling my best. What a process this therapy is!

For workouts...I'm at the tail end of a lifting cycle. Next week will be my last week on a four day split very similar to the In and Out Challenge Program. That allowed me to workout at home most days. I'm thinking of starting Chalene Extreme or P90X to carry me through until the end of our half marathons in December. My main goal is the running and quality races. By using the videos I can save time working out at home, get in a good workout, and just keep the muscle I have. I am never going to add muscle running this much and eating maintenance level calories so it makes sense to do something fast and effective...most importantly something I don't have to plan. Man I miss having my own trainer! Tony was the best! But for now running is my passion. Bigger muscles have to wait.

Well, I'm off to a fitness camp this weekend with some lovely ladies at PNP. I always get very motivated at these things and I love sharing my life with them. I may not be perfect but through the ups and downs I do hope my struggles help you avoid a few tough times. It's worth sharing all of this imperfection if some of you know you aren't alone. :)

How To Order P90X2

Here is information for the new P90X2. I bet some Queen is going to be doing this program at the start of the new year so if you think you will be ready - pre-order is ON. You can pre-order through me and you will not be billed until the product ships in December! Please be sure I am set up as your coach when ordering. If not, let me know BEFORE ordering and we will fix it! Use the coach name Corinne Crabtree and my screen name is phitnphat.

 

What Experience Do I Need?
You need to have completed a cycle of P90X, Insanity or Asylum, Turbo Fire, or one of my PNP schedules that is plyo heavy. This is an athletic style workout and your fitness level should be intermediate to advanced.

I also recommend that if you have joint problems you make sure you can handle one of the other systems FIRST. If you had trouble with knees in one of those videos I advise you not to order this one. I know many of you will want to a do a New Year challenge with me and I promise if you can't do this one we will find something you CAN DO!

  

What Do I Get By Ordering Now?
1. Free Shipping (Up to $45.00 in savings on your product.)
2. 2 Free Workouts from Tony's One on One Training Series (Lower Body and Upper Body Balance)

3. Anyone on Pre-Order will be entered to win weekly prizes through Beach Body.

4. Grand prize winner gets their product delivered by Tony Horton.

 

Tell Me About the Kits...

Base Kit: 12 disc program and one called "Bring It Again", Fit Guide, Nutrition Guide, 90 Day Calendar

Cost: 119.85 DVD or $149.85 Blu Ray Discs

 

Deluxe Kit: Everything in the Base Kit plus a stability ball, 2-8lb Medicine Balls, Foam Roller

Cost: $239.85 DVD or $299.85 BR

 

Ultimate Kit: Everything in the Deluxe Kit plus Tony's Push Up Stands, Pull Up Assistance Band, 2 extra DVD's

Cost: 299.85 DVD or $359.85 BR

 

Any Information on the Nutritional Plan?
If you have any of the other Beachbody plans you know you get a planned menu to use with each program. This one has more verstaility to it, a new VEGAN option, VEGETARIAN option, and GLUTEN FREE option. You'll get 27 eating plans in all.

 

What Workout Discs Do I Get?
How to Bring It (Intro Session)

X2 Core

Plyocide

X2 Recovery and Mobility

X2 Total Body

X2 Yoga

Balance and Power

Chest/Back and Balance

X2 Shoulders and Arms

Base and Back

PAP Lower

PAP Upper

X2 Ab Ripper

 

Extra DVDs: V-Sculpt, X2 Chest/Shoulders/Tris

 

What is PAP Training?

Post-activation potentiation - this is simply what some of you see in my own PNP style training. It's where you do some weighted work like a DB Squat then you move right into an explosive, plyo type move like a pop squat! It's a good way to work on speed, balance, and power all in one workout!

Breaking a Weightloss Plateau

If you are stuck with your weight loss then try these things first:

1. Be honest with yourself. You lose the right to complain if you aren’t eating what you are supposed to. We all know when we are letting BLT's and the little things sneak in without REALLY counting them.

 

2. Quit drinking booze. If you want to lose weight, already eat in a low calorie deficit, and can't make things happen you have to quit drinking. Limit to 1-2 nights a month you have a couple of drinks. Those calories in a low budget take up too much of your daily fuel and lead to your body storing fat.

 

3. If you lost weight eating a few refined (processed) type carbs and you are not losing, it might be time to dump a few more treats. The less you weigh the harder you work to keep losing.

 

4. Change up exercise. So many of us will start with a great program of cardio! We eventually hit the wall where just running or the elliptical is working against us no matter how far, long, or hard we go. Time to mix it up with new stuff. Step out of your comfort zone if you want a new comfort zone that is wearing a size 8.

 

5. Don't be afraid to work really hard in a workout. Most of us work hard for awhile then that becomes sweaty but doable. Once it doesn't feel miserable it's time to up the game. I have books and workouts for all of you. Just ask me if you don't know where they are and I'll give you something to kick some booty into losing weight.

 

6. Lift some weights! People who lift weights without sacrifice rarely complain of plateaus. If you are lifting maybe you need to lift heavier, one more day a week, or you need to re-check #1 before you change what you are doing!

 

7. Make sure you exercise enough. Some people have to work out more than four days a week with a solid eating program to keep losing. Eventually you can't eat less but you can workout a little more. Add a few minutes each day or an extra day to the schedule.

 

Home Challenge (Metabolic) Workout

So many of my clients are stuck at home during this winter storm without good weights, videos, and such to get in what they consider a great workout.

You know what? I'm feeling extra giving today so I'm giving you a workout all of you can do at home or away from home. A couple of exercises have a dumbbell option so if you have weights then use that. If not, bodyweight for you Missy!

The way this works is simple. You will do exercise #1, rest 10-20 seconds. Do exercise #1 and then exercise #2, rest 10-20 seconds. Do exercise 1, 2, 3, rest 10-20 seconds. You keep adding on the exercises until you do ALL eight exercises. Should be pretty hard but enough to keep you going through the weather or even while on vacation.

1. Step Ups (per leg):10 reps

2. Pike Walks or DB Punches: 5-8 reps or pike walks or 20-30 total DB Punches

3. Pushups (knees or toes): 10-15 reps

4. DB Deadlift to Rows or Bearcrawls: 15-20 reps

5. Mountain climbers or Rock Climbers: 40-60 reps

6. Dips: 15-30 reps

7. Plie Jumps or regular squats: 20 reps

8. Scoot and Move: 20 reps and move a DB for added intensity

 

This is the type of full body cardio routines I design for my private member programs and for my online personal clients. With ALL of my programs I work hard to push you outside of your comfort zone but I also provide a wide range of exercises to suit your physical needs. So, if you try this and it's not hard enough, I can amp it up in the comments. If you try it and you can't do certain things, ask me and I'll give you a watered down exercise to get you ready for this level.

This is also the kind of cardio I like to do. It's not always just about being on a treadmill. Bootcamps, body weight cardio, and metabolic challenges are great ways to exercise and reshape your body.

The key is keep moving!!! Y'all it's the 2nd week of the year and the gyms are already emptying because our first big roadblock came in the form of ice and snow. No excuses ladies. No excuses!

Losing Weight Online SUCCESSFULLY

Yesterday I discussed the new Weight Watcher (WW) Points Plus Program and my initial thoughts. Today I want to discuss how I have found people WIN the weightloss battle online in conjunction with programs like WW.

The first is a COMMUNITY of people who think, feel, talk, and share your struggles and wins. I have my own website, PNP, but there are lots of them out there. Look for online communities that have interesting, frequently updated information, reliable people giving advice, and you should feel as if you belong.

Some sites have forums and message boards but rely solely on members to give advice. That's OK except you have no clue if what these "experts" say is true. This is why I am HANDS-ON with PNP. There is rarely a day that I am not posting or texting a moderator to post something for me when I can't get to my computer!!!! I love my girls to help each other but I am also quick to correct anything I disagree with...lovingly of course. :)

BTW...thanks to all the PNP girls who voice my thoughts when I go on vacation. It's much appreciated.

The more you participate in the community the more successful you tend to be. When I look at my own site, the vast majority of people who are at or near goal, the ones losing weight, girls finishing first time races, learning to run, learning to lift weights all have something in common: they post.

Some of them journal what they do which helps others get ideas on what to cook, eat, workout ideas, etc. A bunch of them only post to discussion threads when we talk about bras, black and white thinking, recipes...all of these came up just this week alone!

Tying onto people who journal and post is those who "stalk" and lurk the information. I know some of you just want to read and absorb and that's fine. Be sure you follow people who are like you BUT are also WINNING the battle. PNP is fortunate to have all kinds of people in the private forums with journals. For those with FREE membership you can often follow the challenge teams and learn a ton about the lifestyle I preach.

If you aren't going to post you need to be a frequent visitor of your site of choice and take in all the information you can. Throughout my weightloss one thing that helped me immensely was filling my head with information to losing weight successfully. I read positive blogs, reputable exercise sites like Runner's World, posted in the Weight Watcher forums, etc. Even now one reason I am so successful keeping my weight off is that I live in our PNP forums. It doesn't just help my clients but it helps ME TO STAY ON PLAN.

The other avenue to online success is personal coaching. I cannot tell you how close I am to my PNP girls. They are my friends, my clients, and the people I look up to when I need motivation. There are lots of great online trainers these days and for many of you in order to lose the weight you need someone in your corner, listening to you, holding you accountable, and being your friend.

I might be wrong on this but I know my job isn't just to give you a tough workout and look at what you eat. Too much of the struggle with weightloss is YOU believing in YOU. I had to overcome that so I understand it and find that coaching has a lot to do with helping you think and live different. I'm good at that and proud to say it. I might not help you win a race but I've helped many a girl cross finish lines they never dreamed they could be it a half marathon or scale number.

I do it several ways, too. I post to our free members general guidance, I work with my private members on the mental game and strategies to make my PNP programs work for them, I guide people through the Beachbody videos if they like to do those, and I do custom one-on-one training online.

My goal today was to help you find support. 2010 is closing which means some of you will wait until 2011 to get started. You don't have to, but if that's you then you need to plan now what you are going to do. Weight Watchers, free or private member of PNP, my custom personal training, videos, or whatever you choose I hope you find support to help you get to those goals.

Winners Always Fail

We just wrapped up our Fire In My Belly eight week challenge at PNP and we had some awesome RESULTS! The top ten girls who won jewels from me lost over 100lbs in the eight weeks. They worked their butts off and deserve a lot of applause for sticking with it for the eight weeks.

Our winners of MONEY were...

• Deedra - 1st place and 12lbs lost

•  
• Tiffany - 2nd place and 11.9lbs lost (deedra took it down with the inches!)
• Meadow - 3rd place and 10.9lbs lost

We tracked inches, pictures, and weight. It was neat to see some girls really change their inches and shape. Look at Becca...she was in the top 10. She had a very visual change because she had awesome inches lost with AVERAGE weight loss; 1 lb a week. Her abs from the side really show the great changes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I want to tell you why I titled the post WINNERS ALWAYS FAIL. Not a single one of these girls had a perfect life through the challenge! They all had oops moments, days they didn't exercise, and fought with themselves on negative feelings.

The constant is their willingness to keep the goal in check and just keep working. They didn't let life be an EXCUSE. People please! Your life is to live and enjoy; you weren't given this life to use it as an excuse to fail.

Now we are doing the 6-week Christmas Treat challenge and teams are underway. I know they are learning already how to support each other, plan for the holidays, enjoy life, and work hard with my quick workouts.

This is a collection of quotes from my clients on what they learned with this training cycle with me. I watch those forums like a HAWK and drop my wisdom all over their heads. ;) You are missing out when you don't get in on some of these challenges!

 

A Change in Lifestyle Thinking

I've learned that my entire life has been spent either dieting or bingeing and I have never figured out how to eat at maintenance. It's a cruel reality that all those healthy foods I eat when I lose weight still need to be a regular part of my maintenance diet. I cannot eat whatever I want, whenever I want and expect the weight to stay off. I have to change my mentality that a dinner of brown rice, chicken and roasted broccoli is not "diet" food, it's "lifestyle" food. - LR

The best part is that I am eating clean and drinking my gallon of water daily. I don't even think about it; I JUST DO IT. Such a huge change for me. I feel good, feel healthy and energized. I want to feel like this all the time; not just a fad. Friends are asking me what are you doing? Before I use to say I’m on a diet. NOW  I say "I'm  changing my lifestyle!" -NS

I have learned through this challenge is that when you set your plan for the 8 weeks, go into it knowing that there are obstacles around every corner that can derail you IF YOU LET THEM! All or nothing IS NOT the way to look at your lifestyle, there are days you just have to do what you can, quit feeling sorry for yourself and MOVE! Stay out of the fridge and pantry when you are feeling emotional...it just makes you feel WORSE after you eat it, even if it is healthier food, feeling stuffed doesn't get you closer to your goal, it just pushes in the other direction! -PW

I love my husband.  This challenge has been so good for our marriage.  I'm empowered and he's so thrilled...that cute man can't keep his hands off me :-)  He's supportive and our new lifestyle is something we are doing together.  We have something positive to talk about that isn't the usual kids, dirty dishes, why isn't the laundry done and bills crap! -MB

Every choice counts. It doesn't matter where I am, or who sees me. Even if I can't have a "perfectly clean" meal, making the best choice is going to help me to reach my goals. Throwing up my hands and turning off my brain will never get me anywhere. -CP

Vacation Weight

I have loads of clients traveling who experience the dreaded weight gain coming home. Before leaving, I prepare them for it AS BEST I CAN. IT'S FREAKING VACATION! This is why you work hard at home so you can live a little while you relax.

There are some general tips and rules I have found apply. Is this science? Nope, but it's my personal experience based on going to Vegas a jillion times and watching girls for the past few years go every where all over the world.

You'll Gain - Get Over It
Rare is the person who can go on a trip and not gain. Even if you stick to your plan and exercise daily you are likely to bloat from riding in a car or flying in an airplane.

Don't WEIGH When You Get Home
Why do it to yourself? I say wait a week and THEN see what's left. You might still be up a bit if it was a long vacation but I know the day you get back it is going to be nothing but a distraction. You need to be focused on getting back to the healthy lifestyle, hitting the store, scheduling your workouts, and prepping food - NOT EYEBALLING AN INFLATED NUMBER!

The Longer You Travel the Longer You Have to Wait to Get Back to Normal
Multiply your days on vacation by 2-2.5. That's how many days of clean eating, water, and exercise you can expect it to take to normalize. Heck, you might even just skip weighing until the end of that period to know what you are dealing with.

The More Sugar You Eat the Tougher It Is to Bust Off the Weight
Don't make every meal a junk fest! Pick and choose the ones you want to enjoy and then be smart on the other ones. When I travel I rarely eat a bunch of sugar, sugar drinks, white breads, etc. I do love my french fries, wine, steaks, and nachos. I have found, especially the older I get, that when I splurge on things without a sugar dump on top of it I can keep in my weight range MUCH EASIER.

Vacation Doesn't Equal BLT's
Again, eat when you want but don't just nibble and rack up the crap calories. That's just stupid. Have an experience and not just a restart of ugly habits.

Exercise
Yep. Drag your butt out of bed and do something. Walk, run, hit some weights, do circuits, and earn you some extra calories to use for the day.

Have Fun
The more you stress the more you will weigh. Promise.

Water
Drink a lot while on vacation. More than you think you need. You'd be surprised how many people eat crazy just because they aren't on top of their water.

For a plan, menu, workouts, and tips you can also order the Travel Phit book we wrote based on our experiences at PNP. Trust me, they work because I've done them! We have ideas on vacation to work travel so use it!

BTW...I'm off to Vegas next week for a whole week. I got this!