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

Drinking Water is KEY to Weightloss

I run monthly weightloss coaching groups on Facebook and PNP  (contact me if you are interested). In April I am issuing daily challenges for motivation and education. Today's challenge is water since it is KEY to weightloss, developing LEAN muscle, recovery, and avoiding mindless snacking.

I want to give you some good information about why water is important to weightloss. From Caloriesperhour.com I found this information...

• Initial weight loss is largely due to loss of water, and you need to drink an adequate amount of water in order to avoid dehydration.
• The process of burning calories requires an adequate supply of water in order to function efficiently; dehydration slows down the fat-burning process.
• Burning calories creates toxins (think of the exhaust coming out of your car), and water plays a vital role in flushing them out of your body.
• Dehydration causes a reduction in blood volume; a reduction in blood volume causes a reduction in the supply of oxygen to your muscles; and a reduction in the supply of oxygen to your muscles can make you feel tired.
• Water helps maintain muscle tone by assisting muscles in their ability to contract, and it lubricates your joints. Proper hydration can help reduce muscle and joint soreness when exercising.
• A healthy (weight loss) diet includes a good amount of fiber. But while fiber is normally helpful to your digestive system, without adequate fluids it can cause constipation instead of helping to eliminate it.
• Drinking water with a meal may make you feel full sooner and therefore satisfied eating less. Note, however, that drinking water alone may not have this effect. In order to feel satiated (not hungry), our bodies need bulk, calories and nutrients.

I encourage people to drink a gallon of water a day. Personally, I drink more than that because I need it. Build up to it. Use flavorings to get it down but do it. 

Related Articles:

Drinking Water Options

It's All About the Supplements

Energy and Keeping Off the BLT's

 

No Bake Shakeology Cookies: Recipe, Nutrition Information and How to Put In Your Meal Plan

A lot of you love Shakeology and someone asked me for No Bake Shakeology Cookies. I finally just made my own Sparkrecipes link because I couldn't find solid nutritional information on them OR advice on how to put them in your food plan.

I wrote my recommendations on the link: 3 small balls or 1 large is a meal replacement (like breakfast if you love a treaty breakfast) or 1 small with skim or almond milk for a treat before bed. 

My Shakeology No Bake Cookie Recipe

A delicious and SUPER NUTRITIOUS alternative to dessert or a daily shake.

Minutes to Prepare: 10

Number of Servings: 24

Tips

This makes 24 small balls for 115 calories. 12 larger balls for 332 calories. As a snack one small ball with a glass of skim milk. For a meal replacement you can do 3 small balls or one large ball.

 

Ingredients

1 cup of Chocolate Shakeology
1 cup of Natural Peanut Butter
1 cup of Quick Cook Oats
1/3 cup of honey

Directions

Remove rings and wash your hands really well. Combine ingredients in medium bowl. Mix well. Roll into balls (about a heaping teaspoon each).

Store in the fridge on wax paper.

Optional: Roll in crushed nuts, oatmeal mixed with a little cinnamon, whole-grain graham cracker crumbs, or unsweetened coconut flakes. Don't forget this does add calories if you add extras.

Serving Size: 24 small-snack sized balls OR 12 large-meal sized balls

Number of Servings: 24

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user PHITNPHAT.

 

 

Lifestyle Versus Diet: Which is Right?

Lifestyle is the new DIET. What do I mean?

A lifestyle is when you...

• Lose weight incorporating things you love in a sensible way.
• Plan your workouts and work your plan.
• Love yourself enough to say NO when you can't control yourself.
• Understand you need to build a life for yourself that involves health; not tear your life apart with food and thoughts.
• Know you will ALWAYS have to eat healthy and find things that fit that plan. 

There's tons of tips and tools I can give you to help you lose weight. I can teach you all kinds of new habits that make living healthy an easy transition. But, if you BELIEVE being healthy is a DIET that leaves you miserable, hungry, and working out to the extreme you will simply fall back into your old habits of lazy comfort. In your heart and mind you have decided that it takes tricks and that you have an end date.

When you commit to learning how to LIVE you will really have that lightbulb moment. The lightbulb comes on when you are done looking for fixes. You might have to walk around in the dark a bit, scared and confused, but rather than running for the door you look for the switch.

This blog  was written by a PNP moderator and one of my Beachbody coaches. I have a great team!!! And since she posted her week I thought I would do the same. All of us train different but we make it happen in the way that we love. I like racing, lifting, and Tough Mudders so I train to do those things with stuff I enjoy.

Mon - 30 min. run; shoulder training

Tue - 30 min. elliptical cross-training; arm training

Wed -30 min. run; leg training

Thu - Asylum Back to Core; back training

Fri - 30 run with Chalene Extreme abs circuited into the routine; chest training

Sat - Long run of 7-8 miles

Sun - Off and food prep/get the week ready!

This schedule might be light to some and extreme to others but it is RIGHT for me. It's written with the way I love to workout and that's what keeps ME going back for more each day.

And I do the same with my food. I'm working with my coach right now and we agreed to make a menu I love. I"m not competing this year but I want to look my best for an event so I should EAT my best!

B - oats and egg whites
S - salsa chicken, roasted veggie and sweet potato (I ADORE sweet potatoes and can't believe there was a time in life I wouldn't eat them)
L - seasoned white fish with rosemary red potatoes
S - Shakeology with any fruit I want
D - steak, large green salad with veggies, red potatoes
S - salmon and roasted veggie or green beans

Seriously, these are all foods I truly like and I load them with herbs and spices. Now, years ago I didn't eat like to eat this way but I learned how to slowly evolve into this kind of day. I experimented a lot with ways to make them taste devine. Ask and I'll share tips!

But, the key is that right now I have a goal and I'm working toward it. This means I eat very healthy and I do it happily. I know it's right for my goal and my body! Then on occasion when I TRULY want something I have it. It's OK and it's OK knowing it my fun foods shouldn't be a main staple of my "diet." When I weighed 250lbs fun food was the staple and healthy foods I chose rarely. Took me awhile to figure out I can have both if I just let go of what I thought a diet HAD to be.

Are Green Smoothies Good?

If you ask my client, Leigh, green smoothies sure are good! She's been with PNP for a long time but recently decided her vegetable intake really had to improve to get the results she wants. I applaud her because she is like so many of you that she just doesn't "like" them.

Amazing right? Someone who hates vegetables will drink green drinks???

I am CRAZY obsessvie about my PNP members eating their vegetables. When I do food journal review on the member site, I'm constantly on their rears about FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. Not only is it HEALTHY but it makes you feel full. When your body gets the nutrients it wants, THEN it craves craptastic food A LOT LESS.

Leigh started asking me questions in our private forums about green smoothies. I told her about Shakeology  but she was more interested in making her own smoothies to drink with food. 

As you know, I'm a big fan of my shakes because they are loaded with nutrients while tasting like a Frosty, BUT I am a BIGGER FAN of my clients being healthy in anyway they can do it! 

We did some research and developed a nice thread full of information about how to start with making green smoothies. Over the past few weeks Leigh has gone from almost no vegetables to a blending machine! She loves it and I'm so proud of her for taking control of her health.

Here's what she wrote in our Beachbody thread (she's a Brazil Butt Lift girl) and check out this SWEET picture!!!

So I went shopping tonight for green smoothie goodies and I went all out. I haven't figured out exactly how much I need each week yet so I ran out again before the week was over. The lady checking me out wasn't even sure what a couple of them were which I didn't before starting green smoothies :)

Here is a pic to show everyone what I bought because anyone that knows me at all, knows I suck at eating veggies!  Bring on the green smoothies!

Leigh represents someone who doesn't "go from Big Mac to broccoli overnight." She kept trying things and found something she can mix into her life. I hope this inspires you to look at how you can bump your own nutrition a little. Make your own smoothies or try what I drink, Shakeology; it doesn't matter. The point is we all have to start somewhere. 

To top it off, she's even inspired many of us to add spinach to our Shakeology! We got girls blending away on PNP. I bet if we ask nicely she will comment on the blog a recipe or two??? 

 

Energy and Endurance Pre-Workout Formula Review

Since a lot of you are interested in the Energy and Endurance Pre-Workout drink, I wanted to review it here!

You drink it prior to your workout. I typically drink any pre-workout before starting my workout. If I drink it, hit the treadmill for a 10 min. warm-up it's starting to kick-in during the good part of the workout. You need a 20-min. lead time for the juices to be flowing.

What I Noticed...

I didn't get jittery! That's a huge plus. I've used Jack3d, BSN's products, and a host of others and most get me sort of wired rather than focused. This didn't. I just noticed in the workout I started to feel really into it. The only other product I've drank that was an amazing pre-workout was Evogen but it tastes like medicine. Great effect but expensive ($50 a jar) and a whooping bad taste.

I also noticed I was doing more in the workout. My body is still recovering this week from my Tough Mudder and Half Marathon, but I ran three miles today each mile getting faster. Then I did Les Mills Pump and Burn to work with clients. I used the weight the guys were using in the video but I am pretty strong. (Just know the chest is still weak and it about killed me! LOL). Then I hit shoulders with Tony Horton's One on One Diamond Delts. I made myself stop because I was sort of just into my workouts.

Now, I can't say it was all the EE stuff, but I did notice I was just giddy up to workout.

The other effect is it killed my appetite. Now, this might sound great but I'm a big believer in proper eating post-workout. I had to make myself drink my Shakeology and eat my toast and that's a FIRST. I adore my shakes!!!

A few hours later my appetite came back and, true to form, once it came back it I was really hungry because I ended up underfueld. My advice is to just schedule your post-workout shake and meal an hour or two later if you run into the hungries later because you weren't ready to eat.

What I didn't like...

It isn't a fabulous taste but I have honestly never had one that was. This didn't disappoint me. It was more of an FYI - just drink it because you want a great workout and not a devine liquid experience. It's a lemon-lime flavor. It reminded me of lemonade.

That's my review. I think it's a winner! Ask questions if you got them!

Is It REALLY For Your Family?

Just an observation and I'm sure some of you will totally disagree with me but here it goes.

I hear and read a lot about moms making cookies, sweet breads, and other goodies for the "family" and then end up eating more of it themselves than the family does. Often they are doing "clean up" duty. This is simply when everyone else quit eating your homemade goodies and you eat it up at a weak moment in the name of it "needing to be eaten."

It sort of drives me crazy, actually. 

Would it kill you to throw away a few servings that no one else WANTED?

Would it be so bad to just not make that stuff anymore unless it was a special occassion?

Honestly, so many of you tell me a host of excuses...

"My kids won't eat healthy."

"I gotta watch my kids or they are eating sweets instead of good snacks I have available."

"My family insists on having all these things I can't control myself around."

And so on.

Well, let me ask you this? Are you telling me that if YOU can't say no to the homemade baked goods, sugar cereals, cookies, and ice cream that your kids should be more enlightened that YOU??? Hmmm...I wonder where junior learned to mindlessly snack on junk? 

And, I would bet that when you were grabbing a cookie or two here and there you, too, had fresh fruits and vegetables just begging to be eaten.

Oh, as far as demanding spouses and kids, have you ever just tried to FORGET to get a few of the things they "need" each week since you probably do the bulk of the shopping? Start with that crap you can't handle. Maybe if they only have some better options to choose from you can get them on board over time.

I totally believe in a time and place for goodies.

• We made cookies this year for Christmas (TWICE!). I never bake anything but healthy stuff we can all eat but there are a few times a year I do it. You know what? Because it's special I don't have a problem controlling myself. The process becomes fun instead of the eating being a part of frustration or habit.
• I keep a bowl of Halloween Candy put away for when Logan wants a piece (nice and small pieces and I only keep the stuff I don't like). At Valentine's Day and Easter I throw out the old and put in the new. Yep, out of sight out of mind for him and we never eat all of our candy!
• We have treats here but they are REALLY limited because I've taught Logan that he needs to enjoy his healthy foods! Just like Graham Crackers...for special oatmeal I make his regular plain oats with berries, a little plain Kefir, tbsp of Chia Seeds, and then crunch up one sheet of Graham Cracker as a cookie type treat. He thinks that is awesome and calls it cookie breakfast. Guess what? We don't even do that daily!

I have friends who keep a cookie bowl and such and I think moderation is fine. But, unless your kids are eating healthy and you all can practice self-control, then evaluate your motivations to have those things so readily available. If the cookies are for the kids then they should be for the kids. If momma is still digging in a cookie jar and bitching about her self-control - get real.

Like anything, it won't happen overnight but each week when you are re-loading the kitchen think about something that tripped you up last week and don't make it or buy it. When you girls are complaining about stuff you "ate" that was "bad" I'm more shocked that you were willing to put it in your kids body. Not everything but sometimes I'm worried you get upset about the wrong thing!

And, just to give myself a little promo spot...Shakeology is a great way to avoid junk and kids like it! I have several clients whose kids do not eat very healthy and this fills a nutritional hole for them while giving them something treaty to have while weaning off the junk. Check it out!

How To Avoid Holiday Candy!

Here we go! Girls, pretty much on like Donkey Kong with candy and treats from now until EASTER! It never dawned on me how many candy focused holidays we have until someone in the PNP No Candy Challenge pointed it out to me.

Speaking of, I think they need to change the name to No Candy: One Holiday At a Time Challenge!

Here's briefly what I know you can do to minimize the damage.

1. Quit visiting the people or rooms at work that have candy bowls. Walk a different way! If you can't then tell the person you have given up candy for healthy reasons and if they catch you digging they are to slap your hand. Be SERIOUS about it. If they say something like why then tell them you break out into a horrible rash called fat that makes all your pants unable to be worn.

2. Bring a cooler each day and ice down your food if your breakroom is a candyland game gone wild. Pop some gum in your mouth right before going in for reheating of your food.

3. Have a treat you CAN have. I posted on Facebook to take DELICIOUS P90X Protein Bars and cut them into quarters during Sunday food prep. Wrap in aluminum foil and then you have your own, healthy, mini-"candy bars" for 65 calories each. I keep mine in the fridge to eat cold. It's also WONDERFUL chopped up and put into a Shakeology shake. It's like a Blizzard but doesn't leave your butt all insulated. :)

4. The GOLDEN RULE: Thou shall not buy candy for Halloween or any holiday until the NIGHT BEFORE the event. WHY OH WHY do people who can't control candy delusionally purchase a whole bag of candy they know they'll eat WEEKS before the holiday????? And don't tell me you need it in the house for you kids. Really? Your kids NEED candy in the house.

Good God y'all. I have people do it every year and I just want to scream and then make them workout until they puke.

The last thing I want to say...this is also just my opinion...but CANDY IF FOR KIDS and most of you shouldn't let your kids have half the doobage they put in their mouth! Candy is, excuse my language, mostly shit food. Most candy is full of high fructose corn syrup, food dye, transfats all wrapped up in plastic.

Just be careful, navigate the holdidays, and remember that all those little handfuls of treats could be one fine dessert enjoyed at a restaurant and remembered. I bet you don't remember how orgasmic those 10 Skilltes were you grabbed out of the dish last week.

Cheesecake Factory = Skinnylicious!

For all of us who want to be able to eat out and be a "regular or normal" person, the excuses are being taken away from us to eat healthy and delicious.

Today I recieved an email from Cheesecake Factory that they have a new Skinnylicious Menu with over 50 items! Wow and they look really good! Best part is the calorie limit is also posted so you have awareness of what to order.

You know, I lost my weight before anyone was hardly offering DIDDLY and now I feel good I can stay in maintenance since almost anywhere you go these days you CAN eat within a tasty guideline. Ruby Tuesday, Wendy's, IHop, and now Cheesecake Factory are just a FEW of the places we can eat and feel great. 

Check it out! I know a date night be looming!

Skinnylicious Menu

So, now tell me, what IS YOUR EXCUSE? It ain't options! If it's peer pressure I say grow up and decide your health is more important than fitting in...this ain't high school girls.

Back from Vacation

I had a wonderful vacation in sunny Panama City Beach, FL. The weather couldn't have been better, Logan had a great time, and it might be the first time I've been that relaxed in a LONG time.

Internet access was so spotty but it really gave Chris and I down time we just don't get at home. My business is 24/7. At anytime I am checking the PNP site, email, getting a client text, client email, managing the business side of PNP, etc. It is a blessing to have an internet business so you can take it anywhere, but you end up taking it EVERYWHERE. I wouldn't trade anything for it, though, but time down from technology was very welcomed.

The other great thing about this vacation was the health side. I made great choices, ate tons of apples and grapefruit, snacked on protein bars, baby carrots and hummus, cottage cheese and greek yogurt, and then just ate Weight Watcher Pizzas out the wazoo for dinner. We ate most of our meals at the condo mainly because it was EASIER than going out. My MIL is gluten intolerant, my son needs to avoid food dyes and junk as much as possible (so no fast food and such for us), I just LIKE healthier foods, and going out for a long wait and such is not always very easy with a kid who can be overstimulated quite easy.

What I did enjoy was one night we went to a restaurant with seafood nachos. The Queen loves her some nachos dudes. So, I had my raw oysters and Logan wanted the nachos. When he was DONE eating I ate the leftovers. Trust me, I WOULD have eaten the entire huge platter if I got my own so I felt just having leftovers of his was enough satisfaction.

The thing I have learned about me is that I am a member of the clean plate club. When we go out to eat my personal trick that allows me to have some treats without going crazy is to order something extremely innocent and simple for myself and then just have a little of what the boys leave. Most of the time Chris and Logan leave behind fries, a part of a burger, etc., and it's plenty for me. I just don't think I will ever break the overeating habit so I have to work with it or let it beat me.

Exercise wise I worked out most days. Not everyday, but most days. I did what I felt like each day, kept it quick so I could get to the beach most days, and just remembered that I can be active in creative ways so I can enjoy the time with my family. It worked beautifully. One day I went running with my husband, I went to the gym a couple of times while the family slept, hit the beach for a long walk one evening when I was alone, and created my own circuits rather than getting caught up in having a schedule. Active is active!

So, I wasn't going to weigh but soooooo many of you do it anyway when I tell you NO after vacation. We all know our weight can swing WILDLY when we've been drinking (oh...I drank a lot with the king and had wine or beer every night but two), after long car rides and plane rides, changing climate, etc.

I decided when I got up this morning to just do it and use it as a lesson. What comes on fast goes off fast when you get back to business. I was up a tad over 2lbs so I am very pleased! It could've been more had I not ate my usual healthy breakfast, avoided eating junk just because I was away from home, and avoiding eating all day only to go hog wild at night. I also stayed active without worry and giving up because it wasn't what I normally do.

I hear many of you and people have high expectations what vacation will be. Don't do that! Enjoy yourself WISELY. There are times you want the nachos from the special restaurant. Have them! Then there are times you can skip the crap at the hotel breakfast and eat smart. I wouldn't call those mini-muffins and microwave sausage exactly worth it in the long run.

I plan to post more pics from vacation when Chris gets everything downloaded. We took pics with two different cameras but here is one from my Facebook page of Logan and I dancing one night at the nacho joint!

 

Today was back to work. I started with a 15 min. TM run, 3 sets of barbell complexes, 2 sets of dumbbell complexes, 3 sets of an ab circuit, and then 20 more minutes of running on the treadmill. Took about one hour total and I did it at home in the dungeon. As soon as this big storm passes through I'm headed to the store to lock and load! I had enough frozen and such at home to make it through a few meals.

Cupcakes…the Real Deal

I found this article on Eating Well and thought we could all use the information to combat the afternoon birthday party for Susie…you know her! She’s the one in the office you hardly know but you feel honor bound to choke down 300 calories and feel like a failure the rest of the day because she’s turning 28!

 

Show me the numbers! Here’s “what you get” in the EatingWell Vanilla Cupcake with Chocolate Frosting compared to a traditional bakery cupcake and a cupcake made from a typical store-bought cake mix and frosting:

EatingWell Cupcake

Calories: 295
Total Fat: 8 g
Saturated Fat: 2 g
What you get: An ingredient list you can pronounce and half as much added sugar as the bakery cupcake.

Bakery Cupcake

Calories: 585
Total Fat: 20 g
Saturated Fat: 12 g
What you get: Just one of these contains more than half the recommended daily saturated-fat limit.

Store-Bought Cake Mix & Frosting

Calories: 298
Total Fat: 14 g
Saturated Fat: 5 g
What you get: Most cake mixes and frostings contain artificial flavors, artificial colors and trans fats too.

 

Have cupcakes when they are worth it to you…not just because it’s there! And, for all of you who want to make some GOOD WORTH IT cakes for parties, EatingWell had some great ideas. This link will help you find some good choices that are filled with quality ingredients.