Trainer Tip Tuesday: What's the Deal with "Healthy Eating"?

So many phrases become BUZZ PHRASES, and no one actually knows what they mean.  Today I want to clear things up about "healthy eating" because frankly it has been a bit misconstrued.  I read this awesome article about nutrition and I want to share the basics with you so we can all stop making this "healthy eating" thing so incredibly complicated and burdensome.

The article, by Ryan Andrews, is entitled "Healthy eating: Just what were you expecting?" and it goes into great detail about what "healthy eating" is NOT in order to convey what "healthy eating" is.  I summarize the key points of the article below; if you would like to browse the full article, please let me know and I would be more than happy to forward it. :)

1. Healthy eating is NOT perfection; it’s doing your best with what you have.

2. Healthy eating is NOT calorie expertise; it’s paying attention to natural hunger and fullness cues.

3. Healthy eating is NOT science overload;  It’s keeping things simple, following basic guidelines, and using common sense.

4. Healthy eating is NOT an escape; it’s fuel — no more and no less.

5. Healthy eating isn’t always delicious; it tastes good, sometimes.

6. Healthy eating is NOT a new identity; it is a authentic, gradual lifestyle change.

7. Healthy eating is NOT easy; it does get easier though. 

8. Healthy eating is NOT endless food preparation; it is an efficient, investment in yourself. See my recent Facebook post about this.

9. Healthy eating is NOT restriction; it is integration and moderation with no feeling of deprivation.

So, do you feel a little better about "healthy eating" now?

Trainer Tip Tuesday: Spring Cleaning

This week is the Vernal Equinox!!  And that means it is the perfect time for a little spring cleaning.  Spring brings with it a renewed energy, spark, and excitement, so take advantage of it!

During winter, I tend to hibernate, wanting to stay in my PJs, cuddled up and cozy, eating comfort food and watching movies or reading.  I have to drag myself out from under the warm covers and force myself to leave the house, especially when it is cold and rainy.

During springtime, however, I am filled with inspiration and have more energy to achieve my health goals, and I am fairly certain you do too! We’re more active, more creative, and more apt to stick to our health/fitness routines.

An amazing way to supercharge the spring season and take advantage of this new energy is with a little spring cleaning, a detox!  I’m not talking pills and powders from a box; I'm talking lots of greens and whole foods.

Spring is the PERFECT time to do a detox because you can take a good look at habits and make a revised plan. It’s a time to set goals whether it is cooking more at home, working out, or simply taking more time for yourself.

Warning: Detoxing may cause increased bouts of energy, eliminate your cravings, lose weight, reduce bloating, get rid of belly fat, improve mental clarity and focus, and elevate you mood.  

Now doesn’t that sound freaking amazing!? Let’s get some of that!

6 TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL DETOX:

1. Eat whole foods: Do a gentle, clean food-based detox. The first step is to eliminate foods that have barcodes, yep barcodes. This means no foods that come in a can or box.  Also, stick to organic fruits and veggies for your cleanse, or if that is daunting, at least keep in mind the dirty dozen and clean fifteen. 

2. Add green goodness:  Spring greens consist of dandelion greens, spinach, parsley, watercress, asparagus, peas, fennel, and mustard greens. You can also add in additional dark leafy greens such as kale, Swiss Chard, and collards. Getting the greens in gets the goop out!

 

3. Eliminate irritants: Added sugar, dairy, alcohol, caffeine, wheat/gluten, eggs, animal protein, corn, and soy are allergens and should to be eliminated while you are doing a detox. Keep things as clean as possible.

4. Move your body:  Believe it or not your body craves movement!  Practice gentle yoga, walking in nature, stretching, and body weight exercises. You probably don’t want to run twelve miles during your cleanse or attempt to PR your deadlift because your body is working hard to get rid of toxins, and needs to rest to restore during the detox period.  

5. Take time to breathe and meditate:  Stress is one of the top causes of inflammation so do all you can to take a few steps back and calm your mind.  This time is for YOU. Sit still for at least 10 minutes a day, breathing in and out. Either be in silence or listen to a guided meditation.

6. Determine the length of your detox: I have seen detoxes as little as 1 day and as long as a few weeks.  If you have never done one before, I suggest doing either a short one (3 or so days) or starting slowing and building up to one, possibly by eliminating one irritating food at a time while adding more of the good stuff.  Keep in mind your body needs time to adjust to eating differently, getting rid of toxins, and establishing habits. So a cleanse less than 10 days might not give you the full results you desire. 

If you are interested in doing a serious, guided detox, let me know because I have an excellent one that I can recommend that I have seen great results from and is easy to follow.

#OptOutside

This weekend, I had the opportunity to spend some time outside with a very good friend of mine, hiking some of the cliffs in at Mori Point in Pacifica.  I was reminded how important it is to spend time in the outdoors, especially now that the weather is improving.

Mori Point, Pacifica CA

If I was a betting woman, I would bet that you are familiar with REI's #OptOutside campaign that was launched in response to the craziness that has become Black Friday.  If you are unfamiliar with it, I urge you to do a little research, but basically, REI closed it's doors on the busiest shopping day of the year and paid it's 10,000+ employees to spend time outside instead of slaving away.

When asked why, REI CEO Jerry Stritzke, said “As a co-op, we share a simple belief that time in the outdoors makes us healthier and happier –- as individuals and as a society."  And he is absolutely right, there are tons of reasons why spending time outside is beneficial including: cleaner air, a dose of vitamin D, and exercise for your body and mind.

A lot of the times, especially when I worked a desk job, I struggle with getting outside enough, but I immediately notice the benefits of it when I do!  Here are some tips on how to spend more time outside:

1.  Eat your lunch on the patio or at a nearby park
2. Take your weekend workout to a park, the beach, or the mountains
3. Walk your dog instead of having your spouse or kids do it
4. Walk or bike to work (or part of the way there)
5. Make your next vacation or weekend getaway a camping trip

Have any sneaky ways of your own to get some more outside time into your hectic life?  I would love to hear about it!  

Trainer Tip Tuesday: Are you using WHY power?

When going after a fitness goal, we hear a lot about WILLPOWER.  The problem is that willpower is fleeting.  Sure, we are strong for awhile.  We pass up that candy at the office.  We make it to the gym at least 4 or five times a week.  We drink our recommended amount of water (which is ½ your body weight in ounces of water by the way!).  We choose salads over the pizza we really want.  For awhile.  And then, then something happens and we fall off, maybe we fall off a little or maybe we fall off the deep end.  Either way, often willpower is not enough to keep us on track OR get us back on track.

So, what do you do?  You need to tap into your WHY POWER!

Your WHY is the thing(s) that keeps you so connected and engaged with your actions that you cannot fail.  Your WHY is something you have taken time to think about, journal about, meditate on, pray for, cry over etc.  It is the thing you may have never repeated out loud to anyone.

Your WHY is uniquely yours.  It both motivates and terrifies you; it is likely your deepest desire and greatest fear coupled into one.  When you know your WHY it is simply a matter of changing patterns, practices, and habits to achieve your goals.

Truly knowing WHY you are doing something is infinitely more powerful than just thinking you “should” do something.  You can “should” yourself to death and never reach your goals.  If you never connect with you goals in a sincere way, you will not make sustainable progress or get lasting results.  If you are only eating clean because your doctor or significant other or coach or trainer told you that you need to, it will never stick.  You have to do things because YOU want to, because YOU need to.  
Know your WHY, get emotionally connected to it.  Journal it.  Pray on it.  Post about it.  Email it to me if you are so inclined to share it.  Dig into it, really dig into it and discover what drives you; make an active choice instead of checking boxes.

When I started on my weightloss journey, I never intended to lose 100lbs.  In fact, my why had nothing to do with weightloss at all.  I had run my immune system so far into the ground that I got mono and was sleeping 20-22 hours a day for months.  When I finally could stay awake for more than a few minutes at a time, I KNEW something had to change.  My why started out as getting over mono and becoming human again; to live instead of just exist.

My WHY has changed over the years.  It started with disease recovery.  It morphed into a control issue.  Then it became about changing careers.  And now, now it is something else entirely, but much more connected to the original WHY of disease recovery, this time just more in the form of prevention.  My WHY changes, and that’s normal. So will yours.  But as you see, I still go back to the original one, to really LIVE.  It’s the strongest one, it’s the scariest one.

Fitness, like life, is always transforming.  But the things that make you come alive inside with equal parts joy and fear will guide you to your success if, and only if, you acknowledge and connect with them.

My guess is that you pretty much already know what your why is – it is that first thought that you had when you started reading this that you very quickly shut down, or shoved aside, no wanting to deal with it.  But if you are having trouble uncovering your WHY, answer the following questions (ideally written out):  If you were to accomplish your physical health and fitness dreams...
•    How would your health improve?
•    How would you feel about yourself?
•    What could you do that you can't do now?
•    What would you look like?
•    Why are these things important to you?
•    What is it costing you right now to NOT have these things?

When you have your WHY, write out 10-15 reasons why you want it.  By the time you finish doing this, you will have absolutely zero excuses and your WHY will be completely engrained and your choices will become what you do to get your WHY instead of a constant struggle.

If you want to share your WHY with me, I would LOVE to hear it.  And if you are having trouble uncovering your WHY, I would love to help guide you to it.  I am just an email, text, or call away. 

Book of the Month, March 2017: food: the good girl's drug

Calling on top psychiatrists, nutritionists, and fitness experts, author Sunny Sea Gold offers real advice to a new generation fighting an age-old war. With humor and compassion from someone who's seen it all, Food: The Good Girl's Drug is about experiences shared by many women-whether they've been struggling with compulsive overeating their whole lives, or have just admitted to themselves, that yes, it's more than just a bad habit.

CLICK HERE to order your copy!