Five Rules of Holiday Fitness

Don’t be that person who puts fitness goals on the back burner this holiday season. You can enjoy the holidays and crush your goals by following the Five Rules of Holiday Fitness!

Everyone always seems to have the same concerns when the holidays come around. We all want to attend as many events, dinners, and ugly-sweater parties as possible, but we don’t want our health and fitness to suffer as a result.

You would think that through the years people would have figured out how to have their cake and health and fitness, too. The reality is that some of us have, but too many of us have not. The answer should not be about desperately doing everything you can do from January to November for your health and fitness and then just see what happens in November and December. You need a new approach.

The Five Rules of Holiday Fitness could single-handedly be your turning point and finally teach you to learn to love the holidays and maintain your health and fitness levels throughout!

So, let’s take a look at the old way most people do things and the new rules that will help.

FIVE RULES OF HOLIDAY FITNESS

OLD WAY: Try (AND FAIL) to stick to a split program through the holidays

NEW RULE #1: Do Full-Body Workouts during the holiday season.

Things come up during the holiday season all of the time.  If you are doing split workouts, you will be so scattered that you will be missing some body parts and over-working others.

A few missed workouts does not mean you should throw in the towel until next week or next month. Instead, consider following a program of full-body workouts that use resistance, cardio, and yoga or stretching will keep you moving forward even if you miss a day or two.

Since time is valued this time of year, it’s a great time to look at At-Home Workouts. Working out at home saves time and money because you won’t have to drive to the gym. At-Home Workouts doesn’t mean your workouts will be easy. If anything, they may feel harder! Many At-Home Workout Programs incorporate supersets, cardio bursts, or other compound movements to elevate your heart rate and maximize your time. Trust me: you won’t lose any ground. Honestly you will more likely gain ground and see results, and the gym may be something you do once in a while after the holidays.

OLD WAY: Allowing Events and Workouts to Compete for Your Time

NEW RULE #2: Good Morning Workout!

The holiday season typically makes everyone’s schedules more jam-packed with events after work. This can also be a time that many plan to workout. So which do you do? During the holiday season the holiday events typically win.  There’s no reason to waste time figuring this out. The decision is “Good Morning Workout”.  

Doing your workout first thing in the morning keeps you on track and never missing a beat. Plus it lowers your stress because you are not thinking about having a workout when the unexpected event comes up, because yours is already done.  If you are gym person, then load up your gym bag the night before to save time and give yourself enough time to eat, get to the gym, clean up, and off to work. This again is where At-Home Programs can ease the stress of time. It can save you 45-60 minutes of time in the morning which could be used for extra sleep.

OLD WAY: Don’t consume all the decadent treats and sweets

NEW RULE #3: Try to eat only the treats and sweets new and appealing, don’t just gobble all the old favorites. Have a small portion of your favorite seasonal treats, and skip the things you can get anytime of the year.

FIVE RULES OF HOLIDAY FITNESS

Most people fail miserably at this one, so set yourself up with an incentive. Maybe it’s money in a jar for every time you skip something you can have anytime or have already had this season. Whatever incentive works for you, try it and do it.

Keep in mind that sugary treats can be found everywhere you look, so be mindful. Mindful means if you want the pumpkin pie or egg nog, scrap the Oreo cookies in the breakroom or a cafe mocha on the way home. You don’t want to ride the blood-sugar high all New Year’s and have to make resolutions that you would have never needed to make.

OLD WAY: Try to resist the urge even if you are starving.

NEW RULE #4: Plain and simple… Don’t let yourself get to the point you are starving!

Planning ahead becomes crucial and staying hydrated is important. Being prepared for the unexpected during the holiday season (or anytime) is important. Pack protein bars, raw almonds, apples or other fruit, or packets of total nutrition Shakeology.

Having these extra healthy snack options will help get through the day and are necessary before going to an unexpected holiday event. A healthy snack prior to your event will help you stick to the plan of not eating whatever throughout the night.

Drinking a 12-16-ounce glass of water prior to going to the event will also help you feel full when you arrive. Keep drinking water throughout the event.

OLD WAY: Training all year with hopes that people notice during the holidays

NEW RULE #5:  Invite friends and family to join you for your workouts, whether at home or the gym.

The holidays are often times when you see people you haven’t seen for a while.

It’s normal to secretly want to shock those people, and have them give you the “Wow” compliment! Or the “What have you been doing?” “You look great!” So instead of being secret and looking for your compliment, why not help inspire them to embrace the fit life. It is always better to give and inspire.

Make a workout date with a friend, family member, or coworker this holiday season. It will help hold both of you accountable for getting your workouts completed and provide a more natural platform for fitness questions and conversation, should any arise. Give the gift of health by inviting them and giving them an At-Home Fitness Challenge Pack to keep them going after the holidays.

Also remember to go for walks after big dinners and do things as a family like skiing, snowshoeing, hitting the beach, or going for a hike, depending on your climate.

Whatever you do, do it with friends and family. Inspire versus go for the compliment. Give the gift of health and fitness.

The bottom line is the holidays come once a year, but they still occur every year. So lower your stress and stay healthy and fit through the holidays by dumping the old ways and implementing these Five Rules for Holiday Fitness.

Finish the year strong!

Tips to Make Creamy Shakes

I've been a smoothie junkie for about a decade, and I was absolutely convinced  that I had THE most nutritious combinations of ingredients in my smoothies.  I actually paid MORE sourcing my ingredients... and was missing the some of the adaptogens and probiotics that have made a profound difference in our immune function and recovery from huge workouts.   I go for simple mixtures like those suggested here ... nut milks, frozen berries and ANY flavor Shakeology. It  makes for the most nutritious meal of the day, in NO time - right out of the gate!
http://www.gettingfittogether.com/tips-to-make-creamy-shakes/#!60

Tips to Make Creamy Shakes

Most of us have tried making nutrition shakes that taste amazing and are creamy and smooth. Most often, however, we end up with shakes that are too watery, too icy, too thick, or too just not right. Let’s put an end to disappointing shakes. It is time to learn the Tips to Make Creamy Shakes.

TIPS TO MAKE CREAMY SHAKES

The first of the Tips to Make Creamy Shakes is to use a shake product that has no artificial ingredients. Artificial ingredients they tend to be grainier in texture than natural ingredients. Shakeology is one shake that provides a daily dose of nutrition but has no artificial ingredients so it makes a nice smooth shake, even when mixed with liquid by itself or with other ingredients.

The ingredients listed below are the key Tips to Make Creamy Shakes, plus they add more nutrition to your natural shake base.

• Use frozen fruit or vegetables. Frozen fruits or vegetables allow you to cut down on the ice. Ice waters down flavor and can create an undesirable texture. The best source of frozen fruits and vegetables is to buy fresh fruits and vegetables and freeze them yourself.

• Use fruits that are higher in soluble fiber. Soluble fiber dissolves in water and adds to shake thickness. Soluble fiber also keeps you fuller longer, helps lower the risk of heart disease, helps control blood glucose levels, helps reduce high cholesterol, and helps boost the body’s immune system. Some examples of high soluble fiber foods are apples, avocados, carrots, and pumpkins.

• Seeds and nuts. Chia is a real powerhouse seed. Chia has more antioxidant activity than blueberries and are a great source of plant-based omega-3 essential fatty acid, which plays a role in heart and artery wall health. Chia Seeds are also a complete protein with nine amino acids which can help digestion, blood sugar levels, energy levels, and more.  

TIPS TO MAKE CREAMY SHAKES

Nuts and seeds are a great way to make shakes creamy. To get the most benefit from your nuts and seeds you should soak them for a minimum of 10 minutes. Soaking increases your body’s ability to take in the nutrients and you don’t want to miss out on those healthy fats and additional nutrients that aid the cardiovascular system, metabolism, and help with weight management.

• Organic Nut Butters. Nut butters will make your shakes creamy and smooth. Buy organic nut butters that do not have added ingredients. The ingredient list should include only nuts. You could also make your own nut butter. Soak the nuts and grind them up in a food processor. If you want, you can add a ¼ teaspoon of coconut oil to make them even smoother.

• Coconut Flesh (Frozen or Fresh). Coconut flesh adds flavor, slightly sweetens, and significantly boosts the nutritional content of shakes. Coconut flesh is rich in iron, phosphorus and zinc plus it has a naturally high concentration of electrolytes and more potassium than a banana.

Not only will you have amazing smooth and creamy shakes, but you will have complete nutrition when you combine these Tips to Make Creamy Shakes  with Shakeology. Enjoy!

Awareness + Small, daily changes in behavior + Support = Success.  

You cant change what you're not aware of, and surrounding yourself with others who are discovering easy and successful ways to change lifestyle ensures greater success.

http://www.gettingfittogether.com/mistakes-that-keep-millions-overweight/#!60

MISTAKES THAT KEEP MILLIONS OVERWEIGHT

Two-thirds of all American adults are overweight. More than 110 million Americans are on weight loss diets. The average person makes four or five attempts to lose weight each year! One percent of all attempts actually create long-term weight loss. What are the Mistakes That Keep Millions Overweight?

Weight loss really isn’t about looking good. Weight loss is and should be about health and wellness. If your only motivation for weight loss is to look good and be attractive to other people, you are destined to fail. This is typically the first of the Mistakes that Keep Millions Overweight. You have to tap into the true reasons for wanting to be healthy first and foremost.

There is truly no greater endeavor where so many people collectively are trying so hard, and having so little success than weight loss. Clearly there are many Mistakes That Keep Millions Overweight. Think about it… What if fewer than 1% of people who enrolled in college actually graduated? This would mean that 99% spent billions of dollars only to drop out and re-enroll four or five times a year. This sounds ridiculous, don’t you think? It is time to stop wasting money on mistakes and start spending that money on ways that truly improve your health.

MISTAKES THAT KEEP MILLIONS OVERWEIGHT

The biggest and greatest mistake that keeps millions overweight is simply that they rely on willpower! People achieving lasting weight loss are not just using willpower or desire. They are creating an environment that instills habits. They are associating with people who help move them in the direction they are going. They work on their mental habits by instilling the thought process of “I Need to Choose My Health”.

The second mistake that keeps millions overweight is enrolling in programs like Weight Watchers or other similar programs. These programs don’t change and teach people how to truly establish healthy lifestyles by their choices. These programs teach people to be on the program. Creating a healthy lifestyle with nutrition should utilize a nutrition program that teaches balance, healthy food choices, and portion control where the person is actually having to seek out the food and portion their food for themselves. This creates changes within the brain body connections which instills a greater adherence to healthy habits.  

The third mistake that keeps millions overweight is how they approach exercise. Many people go to the gym and use a machine or machines not giving any real thought to what they are doing or how they should be doing it to create weight loss. Plus, many usually go at it too hard too fast, and then either get injured or fizzle out because they are too sore or don’t know what direction to go. Hiring a personal trainer, going to classes taught by a trainer, or using a top-rated at home program with the right exercise progression and set up properly to create weight loss is the best plan of action.

MISTAKES THAT KEEP MILLIONS OVERWEIGHT

The last of the Mistakes that Keep Millions Overweight is the quality of the food that people are eating. Quality of food makes a huge impact on whether or not people lose weight.  Highly processed foods, foods that contain harmful chemicals, preservatives, artificial ingredients, artificial colors, artificial sweeteners, hormones, or pesticides can cause weight gain, stifle weight loss, and actually stimulate the body to hold onto unwanted fat. When you really pay attention, you will discover that most foods are laced with the aforementioned weight gain factors. If foods are advertised, it is almost certain they are not healthy. When was the last time you saw a commercial advertising fruits and vegetables?

Buying whole, organic foods, and cooking from scratch will reduce your sugar consumption, lower your chances for chemicals, hormones, preservatives, and all the other mentioned precursors for weight gain and issues with weight loss. The root cause of insulin resistance and weight gain is the things mentioned previously. If you eliminate those foods, and add in healthy fresh foods your body will stimulate itself to push toward being the weight it should be.

Stop making Mistakes that Keep Millions Overweight, and start making your process a journey of learning and healthy living. Implement slow changes, and have fun along the way. Eating clean and getting the right exercise doesn’t have to be a struggle.

Put on Muscle with P90X, P90X2, or P90X3

We know that guys have a thing for large muscles. When many guys are young they dream of fast cars, playing football, and wanting to look like muscle bound superheroes. Most men think that this can only happen by spending countless hours at the gym, and that is just not true. You can Put on the Muscle with P90X, P90X2, or P90X3. No more countless hours spent driving to and from the gym, or hours in the weight room. Customize one of these programs and you will be on your way to your muscle bound body.

To know how to Put on Muscle with P90X, P90X2, or P90X3 you need to understand exactly what mass is. Mass means size. Mass doesn’t necessarily have to mean “massive”. If a program is designed to target mass this really only means one thing: muscle growth. So you can have a lot of it, or some of it. Your choice!

The P90X series when used with its classic original design is not meant for mass. The series is designed for overall fitness. This means that all areas of fitness are targeted, including speed, strength, flexibility, and muscle growth. Ultimately this is the preferred method for overall superior health and fitness, but we all know that sometimes size matters and you can do it with these programs. With that said, it is still in a person’s best interest to look at creating an overall fitness foundation prior to going with just bulk.

Fitness foundations can easily be created with all three of the P90X programs. Before embarking on a mass-specific program you want to train all of your body’s energy systems to get them efficient, which will increase your body’s ability to do well, and help create greater results for mass.  It’s best to complete a round of P90X, P90X2, or P90X3 with the original design prior to starting your mass-building program.

PUT MUSCLE ON WITH P90X, P90X2, OR P90X3

Time to Build and Put Muscle on with P90X, P90X2 or P90X3. With mass as your goal, you need to have the right resistance equipment, right program periodization, appropriate progressive overload, and proper recovery.

Equipment: A set of dumbbells, 5-50 pounds’ minimum, and a bench will be key. To make mass gains on body weight exercises you will need to make your body fail after given number of repetitions. To make this happen more effectively add weights, bands, or devices like ankle and wrist weights, or a weighted vest to add resistance to the movements.

Periodization:  Part one of Periodization is starting with your foundation of doing whichever P90X program you choose as its classic version to have a stable Foundation. The program is written in a way that periodization is built into the calendar. Part two will be stepping into the program using the guidelines provided in the schedule for mass. Part three would be going back to the classic or moving onto another P90X program from the series and starting with the classic and moving back into mass.

Progressive Overload: Mass happens with progressive overload. To create muscle growth, you must keep stimulating the muscles during each workout. This requires that you add weight as necessary to create failure at the desired number of reps. Make sure you have enough resistance that you don’t exceed your targeted number of reps. Even better if you can do enough weight to cut the amount of reps into three sets because you are lifting heavier, then you are creating more opportunity for mass. If you have to push the pause button to make it three sets, then do so.

Complete your repetitions slow and controlled with proper form. Speed is for power, not size. Focus on perfect form and only add weight when you can do each rep with great form and when it becomes easier to hit the overall rep count.

PUT MUSCLE ON WITH P90X, P90X2, OR P90X3

Recovery: P90X series mass schedules have a lot of active recovery and flexibility work and very little intense cardio. Therefore, you will spend more time recovering during each training block and taking fewer periods focused solely on recovery. This allows for overall muscle growth and proper recovery.

Nutrition is also important for you to Put on Muscle with P90X, P90X2, or P90X3, just as it is with any program. You won’t be burning as many calories as you would during the classic schedules. If you eat the same amount, you may gain more mass, but you’ll also gain more body fat. If you want mass, then you need to eat enough for your body to put on weight, but the right weight. Clean eating balanced with carbs, proteins, and fats will be key. You will want to be at the higher level of the nutrition plan, but will also have to listen to your body and see how it is responding.

If you use the mass calendars, with the other suggestions on mass you will Put on Muscle with P90X, P90X2, and P90X3. Results will come if you pay attention to your nutrition, cycle with periodization of the mass, and classic calendars, and use the proper resistance.

Really helpful tips for staying on track with goals while eating out! I love the planning ahead ideas- going to use these on my 'dates' ;-)
http://www.gettingfittogether.com/nutrition-tips-for-staying-on-track-when-youre-dating/#!60

 / NUTRITION TIPS FOR STAYING ON TRACK WHEN YOU’RE DATING

Nutrition Tips for Staying on Track When You’re Dating

Many people gain weight when they start dating because they will go out to eat more often and drink more often, especially when they are first dating someone. The weight gain doesn’t have to happen if you follow a few Nutrition Tips for Staying on Track When You’re Dating. Whether you order at restaurants or prepare meals at home, it is equally as important as how much you are consuming. You don’t want to be the person that is always ordering a house salad and water as an entrée. You also don’t want to just compromise your goals and order beer-battered fish, or deep fried Twinkies and destroy the balanced nutrition plan that keeps you healthy. To help keep you on point while starting your new path to love and a relationship, use these simple Nutrition Tips for Staying on Track When You’re Dating and you will be set.

NUTRITION TIPS FOR STAYING ON TRACK WHEN YOU’RE DATING

1. Ask How a Dish is Prepared: If the food is buttered, braised, creamed, or pan-fried, it most likely will not be the best choice. These meals are often packed with a high amount of sodium, saturated fat, or oxidized fat. Your best bet is to look for foods/meals that are baked, broiled, grilled, roasted, steamed, or poached.
2. Easy on the Condiments: Keeping Condiments in check will help keep your sodium levels down, plus some condiments are very high in fats. Condiments that are filled with sodium are ketchup, pickles, relish, sauerkraut, sauces like soy, steak, teriyaki, and honey mustard. Plus, extra sodium will have you retaining unwanted water weight. Condiments that are higher in fat are mayonnaise and dressings. Herbs, spices, vinegars, or lemon juice are healthier alternatives.
3. Plan ahead: Most restaurants post their menus online. Take a few minutes before you choose a restaurant to see what healthy dishes they offer before committing to a place. If they have healthier fare then you are good to go, or find a restaurant that has food you may be able to alter, to make it healthier. Most restaurants are pretty accommodating.
4. Choose a Chain Restaurant: Though it may not be your favorite it can help. The Food and Drug Administration requires chain restaurants to list the calorie counts on their menus.
5. If You Don’t Do Chains, then Choose a Local Restaurant:Independent or family-run restaurants often prefer to buy fresh, local products to help their food stand out from the competition. Menus that feature locally grown produce also give chefs the opportunity to create a wider variety of unique and healthy recipes centered around in-season ingredients. The same suggestions from above on food preparation apply.
6. Order Appetizers as your Meal: Appetizers offer smaller portions and can be healthy when they’re veggie-, seafood-, or chicken-based. For your starter, get a salad with a balsamic dressing on the side and ask for the salad to have no croutons, bacon, or cheese, and then have the appetizer brought to you as your entrée. You can also share a bunch of small plates with your date. Either way helps keep portions manageable, plus sharing can create a bit more intimacy.

NUTRITION TIPS FOR STAYING ON TRACK WHEN YOU’RE DATING

7. Side Substitutions: Dump the Onion rings, French fries, mashed potatoes, and pasta. Swapping them for steamed veggies will bring your sodium, fat and calories down. If the restaurant offers no substitutions, then ask your server to leave the unhealthy foods off of your plate, and order the vegetables separately.
8. Skip the Beer: A typical beer has about 150 calories or more depending on the size you order. Gin or vodka, straight up or on the rocks, or red wine would be better options if you need to have an alcoholic beverage. Drink with moderation, too much alcohol can hinder muscle growth, lower testosterone, and pack on a lot of unwanted calories.
9. Skip the Desert: Desert is a lot of unnecessary sugar, fat, and calories. If a desert is a must, then stick to a bite or two and share. Best advice is to skip it, or make it a choice between an alcoholic beverage or dessert for the night.
10. Cook at home: Offering to cook not only puts you in control of what goes on the plate and how it’s prepared, but it tells your date that you’re willing to put forth an effort to please them. Plus, it’s the perfect way to get the person into your home.

Dating can have its ups and downs, so you don’t need to add the ups and downs of your healthy habits to get in the way. Use these few Nutrition Tips for Staying on Track When You’re Dating and you will have fun with your dates because you won’t be worrying about your nutrition.

What do YOU think ...Diet or Exercise?

I can personally attest, from decades of trial and error ( and trying to outwork an out-of-control diet... ) that nutrition (both quality and quantity of choices) is THE 80% variable that determines success. Exercise is of course vital to overall health, but alone wont result in nearly the success of a comprehensive plan involving BOTH!

http://www.gettingfittogether.com/diet-or-exercise-which-is-better-for-weight-loss/#!60

YOU ARE HERE: HOME / HEALTH / DIET OR EXERCISE: WHICH IS BETTER FOR WEIGHT LOSS?

Diet or Exercise: Which is Better for Weight Loss?

Diet or Exercise: Which is Better for Weight Loss? The truth is you need both!

Only using exercise will definitely make it harder to lose inches and pounds. Can it be done? Sure, but it will happen very slowly and most likely won’t last. Only about 1% of people will keep weight off when they just use exercise.

If you only lose weight through diet you will end up skinny, but most likely still carry excess fat. Yep, without exercise your body retains fat. This is called being skinny fat and it’s often retained in the belly. In addition, people who only use nutrition for weight loss have about a 10% possibility of keeping the weight off.

So, if you’re wondering, Diet or Exercise: Which is Better for Weight Loss? The answer is truly both. Together they turbocharge your body. When you combine the two you also increase your chances up to 60% for keeping weight off.

DIET OR EXERCISE: WHICH IS BETTER FOR WEIGHT LOSS?

We can’t stress enough the importance of combining diet and exercise versus worrying about Diet or Exercise: Which is Better for Weight Loss. A Healthy Diet really means healthy, balanced, portioned, and clean nutrition and proper hydration.  When you are truly eating healthy your body will shed fat, gain muscle, and maintain a healthy weight. What you put in your body is your diet. Your healthy diet should include whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, lean proteins, and lots of water. A diet that includes all food groups is healthy nutrition!

Important Aspects of a Healthy Diet:

• You’ll be Happier and More Productive

Your diet has a huge impact on how you feel. Eating the right foods including complex carbohydrates, and foods rich in iron and high in omega-3 can increase serotonin and energy levels. This is why Shakeology can have such a huge impact on energy levels, because it contains that exact combination of foods. Research has also revealed nutrition that has low omega-3 levels, too little iron, and high amounts of sugar and simple carbohydrates may be correlated with depression.

• Your Digestive System Will Run Better

When you provide your body with fruits and vegetables you’ll have the proper fiber intake which will aid the digestive tract. Couple that with proper hydration and your digestion will be happy.  When you are eat a healthy diet, your digestive tract runs like clockwork and when it runs like clockwork this will aid in weight loss and muscle gain. For those who are not big on fruits and vegetables, then you need to look at Shakeology.

• You’ll Get to a Healthy Weight

No matter how much you work out, you cannot work out enough to beat poor nutrition. When you see people who workout every day and their bodies are still the same, the cause is poor nutrition. Poor meals or too many drinks can undo the positive effects of exercise.

DIET OR EXERCISE: WHICH IS BETTER FOR WEIGHT LOSS?

Important Aspects of Regular Exercise:

• You need to exercise.

Whether you are at your goal weight or not, you need to exercise 5-6 days per week. The best programs include both cardiovascular (aerobic and anaerobic exercise) as well as resistance training (weight lifting). The best and most efficient way to make sure that you are getting the proper amounts of each exercise is to use Beachbody Programs like 21 Day Fix, P90X, and others. Check out Beachbody On-Demand for free to see all the different programs that you can use to get the right exercise. As humans we are made to move. If we don’t move we fall apart. I am sure you have heard “if you don’t use it, you lose it”. This is true when applied to exercise!

• Less Stress and Greater Happiness.

Exercise has been shown to reduce the amount of the stress hormones in the body and boost serotonin levels. When this happens we are happier.

• Improved Sleep

Better Sleep equals better recovery. When at rest the body recovers, muscles heal, and performance-enhancing hormones are released. The body’s leptin levels recover. When this hormone is at proper levels it makes it easier to make better food choices.

• Helps with Weight Loss and Muscle Gains (Toning and Bulking)

Exercise burns calories. When you are creating a greater deficit in calories you will lose weight. Exercise can also helps you gain muscle. The more muscle you have the more calories you will burn during and after exercise.

Diet or Exercise: Which is Better for Weight Loss? By now you should see the greatest benefit comes when you eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly. Combining the two is a must. Numerous studies show the synergistic effects of combining exercise and with a healthy. When this is done, 1 + 1 = 10!

If you are not sure how to put this all together, you can obtain a FREE Coach to help you get started.