Are Your Kids Already Bored This Summer?

12 Fun & Healthy Ideas

to Beat The Boredom!

1. 1. Participate in the Great American Campout on Saturday, June 24^th – Grab a tent and head to your backyard for a family campout.

1. 2. Have a picnic lunch or dinner – Go to a local park with your basket and blanket or set up a picnic in your backyard. Your kids will love the change!  Pack a healthy picnic with turkey and cheese pita pockets, veggies with a yogurt ranch dip or hummus and fruit salad. Google a healthy dessert recipe and make it together for the picnic outing.

1. 3. Take a summer beach break – Take the kids to a nearby beach, play in the surf and build sandcastles or search for shells. Nothing beats the beach for a day of family fun.  You will also receive plenty of Vitamin D soaking up the rays, with sunscreen, of course!  

1. 4. Go to a local farmer’s market – Take your kids with you to the farmer’s market and let them choose a fruit or vegetable they have never tried.

1. 5. Make a healthy meal together – Get your kids involved in the kitchen and prepare the fruit or vegetable they found at the farmer’s market in a healthy recipe or find a healthy recipe that everyone will like and have the kids help you prepare it.

1. 6. Go to a local museum – Spend the day at museum that you have never visited. The kids might even learn something new during their summer break.

1. 7. Go bowling or skating on a rainy day – Kids going crazy in the house on a rainy day? Bowling or skating will be fun and let them burn their energy. Parents will get some great exercise too!  

1. 8. Host a dance party – This is another great rainy day activity.  If you have older kids, they probably already have a playlist ready to go. Ask them to show you their latest moves. I also like the Just Dance video games.  You can challenge your kids to a friendly dance competition.

1. 9. Sign up for a family 5K – Teach your kids the importance of exercise by having them join you in a local family 5K.  Research your favorite local family 5K and join in the fun!

1. 10. Host a lemonade stand – My kids love hosting lemonade stands to earn some extra spending money. This is a great way to teach them about entrepreneurship.

1. 11. Play miniature golf – Go to a local miniature golf course or include this activity on your family trip. It’s a fun, healthy competitive family game.

12. Go boating – This is my personal favorite and something our family does as much as possible during the summer months.  If you don’t own a boat, rent a boat for the day.  The family can tube, swim, ski, etc.  We bought some inflatable kayaks from Amazon and the kids LOVE kayaking around the cove. It’s a great way to spend quality relaxing time with the family.

Wherever your family’s adventures take you this summer have a great time making memories with your loved ones. The kid’s summer break will be over before you know it and everyone will back to the school routine.

Healthy Regards,
Stacy

5 Tips

to

Help You

Think

Faster

Did you know it’s possible to train your brain to make decisions even faster?
Here are five simple ways to tone up your brain:

1. 1. Get Moving – You can start moderate aerobic exercise at any age to protect your brain health. Peter J. Snyder, a professor of neurology at Brown University states, “Recent research has shown that a regular program such as fast-paced walking for 30 minutes, three times per week for only six months leads to the growth of brain cells and their connections in parts of the brain that are critically important for learning and memory.”

1. 2. Trust Your Gut – The longer it takes you to make a decision may make it more likely that you choose the wrong one according to Columbia University researchers. Make a pros and cons list to help you find the right decision.

1. 3. Your mantra – Say “I can do better!” World-class athletes use this trick for mental motivation. Silently repeating this phrase can help your brain’s reaction time.

1. 4. Yawn – Believe it or not but yawning actually cools down your brain, leading to better mental efficiency.

5. Think on Your Feet – Some studies conducted at A& M University have shown that working at a standing desk  improves our brains’ time management, fact retention and comprehension skills.  Shifting from sitting to standing may also break up boredom and refocus our attention in a new way.

Of course eating a healthy well-balanced diet focusing on several different colored plant based foods and getting at least 7 hours of sleep a night for adults and more for children, depending on their age, is also very important for our brain health and will also contribute to faster thinking.

Healthy Regards,
Stacy

Source: 12 Ways to Think Faster, Parade Magazine, February 5, 2017

Trying To Lose

Weight?

5 Tips Why Eating Real Food

Will Help You Reach Your

Weight Loss Goal

If you conducted some research you would find a connection between the rise in convenient highly processed food and the rise in obesity in America. Processed food is filled with calories, refined sugars, fat and sodium.  Processed foods are also low in nutrients and eating too many not only causes us to gain weight, but they also increase your risk of developing many diseases such as Type II diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure and heart disease.

As I’ve mentioned before we are a quick fix mindset type of society and we all love to grab something out of a box and run out the door on our way to work or  to our kids’ activities. We have also become accustomed to running through the drive thru of various fast food places with our busy lifestyle.

It really is possible to eat much less of the fast foods and highly processed packaged foods and eat real foods.  You might be thinking, what is considered a real food? Maybe you think that the fast food and food you pulled out of the box is real food, because it’s food.

Real foods are defined as single-ingredient foods that are rich in vitamins, lack chemical additives and are mostly unprocessed. A few examples of real foods include: Apples, brown rice, sweet potatoes, berries, broccoli, almonds, and flaxseeds.

Here are 5 reasons why eating real foods can help you lose weight and maintain your weight loss:

1. 1. Real Foods are Nutritious – whole, unprocessed plant and animal foods are packed with vitamins and minerals.  Nutrients in whole foods also tend to work together.  This is called food synergy.  An example of food synergy is sautéing tomatoes in olive oil.  The olive oil actually brings out more of the lycopene in the tomatoes. Eating real foods helps us obtain the vital nutrients and vitamins and can help improve or prevent nutritional deficiencies and reduce hunger.

1. 1. Real food is Packed with Protein – Although I have never been an advocate of the Atkins Diet, protein is very important when you are trying to lose weight or even maintain weight. It is the #1 most important nutrient for fat loss. It helps increase your metabolism, reduce hunger and affects the production of hormones that help regulate weight. Real food sources of protein include lean cuts of meat, eggs legumes and nuts

1. 1. Real Foods do not Contain Refined Sugars – Highly processed foods are sugar bombs. As a society, we should be as concerned with limiting added sugars as we are with saturated fat and sodium. Fruits and vegetables contain natural sugars, but also provide other nutrients such as fiber, vitamins and water, which are all part of a balanced diet. >>>Refined sugars are often added to processed foods. The two most common types of added sugars are high fructose corn syrup and table sugar.  I recently attended a conference talking about holistic ways to prevent and treat cancer and the expert called white cane sugar, “white death.” That’s a pretty powerful statement. Cancer feeds off sugar so the more sugar in our system the greater our chances for developing cancer.  >>>Refined sugars are found in some of the tastiest foods such as cakes, cookies, ice cream and candy. If the cancer scare wasn’t enough to limit your intake of these tasty goodies, besides doing little to keep you full, refined sugars can actually increase the production of the hunger hormone ghrelin and dim the brain’s ability to make you feel full. This is the obesity link for having a diet that is high in refined sugars.

1. 4. Real Foods May Reduce Sugar Cravings – This tip might just convince you to give up your favorite cookie. If you intentionally start eating more real foods, you just might not crave those sugary foods. Fruits like berries and stone fruits like peaches provide a healthier sweet fix, helping you satisfy your sweet cravings when you start reducing your sugar intake. >>>Eating more real foods may help your taste buds adapt and your sugar cravings may decrease over time or possibly even disappear. Google some recipes for fruit without adding any added sugars to the fruit.  With summer around the corner it’s a great time to grill some different fruit for a healthy dessert.

5. You Can Eat More Food and Still Lose Weight – This has to be the best tip yet! For all of you foodies out there like me that absolutely love to eat this is a good thing to know! Real foods contain a good portion of air and water which are calorie-free.  As an example, ½ pound of pumpkin contains about 45 calories and would take up a greater portion of your plate than a single slice of bread containing 66 calories. That single slice of bread will not be nearly as filling as the ½ pound of pumpkin.  Foods with fewer calories and more volume can fill  you up more than foods with more calories and less volume. They stretch the stomach, and the stomach’s stretch receptors signal the brain to stop eating. The brain then responds by producing hormones that reduce your appetite and increase your feelings of fullness. Some food choices that are high volume but low in calories pumpkin, cucumbers, berries and air-popped popcorn.

I can’t recommend enough for the whole family to just eat more real foods.  Take some time over the weekend to prep snacks and meals for easy grab and go convenience.  You will not only be healthier, but you will save money by not stopping at the nearest fast food joint or restaurant.

Happy Eating & Healthy Regards,
Stacy

Source: Authority Nutrition- 11 Reasons Why Real Foods Help You Lose Weight

Adaptogens:
The Mysterious Healthy Plants Explained

Okay, maybe you haven’t even heard the word adaptogens, so I’m going to school you a bit if you haven’t heard of these magical plant compounds. Adaptogens are compounds found in certain plants that magically figure out what your body needs most and then delivers it.

According to Dr. Frank Lipman, the founder of Eleven Eleven Wellness Center in NYC, adaptogens regulate your adrenal system.  This system manages your body’s hormonal response to stress.
In a nutshell, incorporate these adaptogens into your healthy lifestyle and you can help fight fatigue, improve your focus and reduce anxiety. Adaptogens can also have a calming effect.  Are you ready to find out what magical plants are considered adaptogens? Here are four (but this list isn’t all-inclusive so you might want to research adaptogens further) super healthy adaptogens and how they improve your health:

1. 1. Ashwagandha  – Weird name but this super plant was shown in a study in the Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine to significantly lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol when just 300 milligrams were taken twice a day for two months. Research also shows it helps people shed pounds likely due to elevated levels of cortisol having been linked to belly fat.

1. 2. Schisandra – this is actually a berry and research shows it can do everything from increase exercise endurance to improve concentration. This would be a good one to consume if you are participating in a marathon or are working on a major project at work or school.

1. 3. Corydyceps – this is a type of mushroom and is a favorite among athletes. It can help you use oxygen more efficiently so that your muscles are able to work harder for longer. You might look for a supplement that contains this mushroom if you want to get more out of your workout.

4. Rhodiola – this compound can help you stay strong. It also has anti-inflammatory effects and can help you recover faster after a tough workout. Many people combine this supplement with Schisandra to increase their athletic performance so it would be a good choice for anyone participating in a marathon.

I think we can all benefit from having less stress in our lives and if something is completely natural and plant-derived why not give it a try. You can find these super plants in various supplements and in some drinks such as Shakeology. It contains Ashwagandha, Schisandra and Cordyceps in this healthy protein drink.  It’s one that I drink on nearly a daily basis. Shakeology also contains the adaptogens Astragalus, Maca, Maitake and Reishi.  If you want more information on how those help you, just ask me.

I would also be happy to place an order of Shakeology for you to try for one month and then see how you feel. For me it has really increased my energy helped my cravings for sweets and I have felt calmer since I started consuming adaptogens.

Whatever form of these super healthy adaptogens you try, I hope they bring you a little bit of Zen!

Healthy Regards,
Stacy

Source: Supernatural – Shape.com – March 2017

Rest And Relaxation:
It Does Your Mind & Body Good!

This week is Spring Break for my kids. They were lucky enough to go to Cocoa Beach, Florida with my mom who came to town to visit and take a trip with her grandkids. My husband and I will meet up with them over the weekend in Savannah for our mini-trip to watch our 11-year-old play some soccer games there.

Wouldn’t it be nice if we had several mandatory scheduled breaks while working in the real world?  Of course, if you’re a teacher, you get to take the breaks with the kids, but most of us have other occupations and we may get anywhere between 1-4 weeks a year of vacation time.

Many people don’t even use all of their vacation time. I’ve never understood the concept of feeling like I couldn’t leave a job for a few days to relax and feel rejuvenated. When I was working in Corporate America, I never had enough vacation time.  When I would start with a new company, I would have maybe 2 week’s vacation time and have to work there at least 5 years before I would ever earn the 3^rd week.

In the school system that my kids attend, it’s called a balanced calendar and they get a week off about every 6-9 weeks until their summer break which is 8 weeks long. They will have quite an adjustment when they are out of school and working in the real world.

My kids will probably start feeling restless at work and need a break mentally every 6-9 weeks just to increase their productivity levels. I can already tell that they are very accustomed to their frequent school breaks and start to get quite antsy right before their next break.

There is something to be said about taking frequent breaks to relax and rejuvenate.  There is even science to back up the notion that we can all benefit from relaxing regardless of our age. If we never take time to relax, we will constantly feel stress and that is not good for our minds or our bodies. Some would argue that in our society, stress is the biggest health concern, since studies have linked it to so many other complications, from heart problems to dementia.

Another societal problem is our lack of quality sleep. I have suffered from lack of a good night’s rest on many occasions! When I was working in Corporate America, I routinely only slept between 5-6 hours a night because I am naturally a night owl and my alarm would go off and 5 a.m. Monday-Friday for my busy day to begin.

I know I am not alone in this battle for more sleep. Now, I do sleep between 7-8 hours a night and I can’t even describe how much better I feel and much clearer I think.  My energy level is through the roof too!
Getting the correct amount of quality sleep is essential to your ability to learn and process memories. Sleep also helps restore your body’s energy, repair muscle tissue and triggers the release of hormones that effect growth and appetite.

The amount of sleep you need depends on your age.  As a general guideline, The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute recommends at least 11-12 hours for preschool-aged children, 10 hours for school-aged children, 9-10 for teens and 7-8 for adults.

Quality of sleep also matters. REM (rapid eye movement) sleep is the most restorative sleep and should account for one-fourth of the time you spend sleeping. Therefore, if you are an adult who sleeps 8 hours in a night, 2 hours should be REM sleep.

Here are 5 tips to conquer your stress and get your necessary R&R:

1. 1. Take a vacation – yes, actually leave your 9-5 job and take a trip somewhere. Take your family or just a trip for you and your spouse/significant other, if you could use the time to reconnect.  Once you return home, you will feel refreshed and you will be quite surprised how much more productive you are at work, just taking off for a few days.

1. 1. Plan a date night – This can be a family date night playing mini-golf, going indoor rock-climbing, a night of cosmic bowling or skating at the local skating rank. It could be a date night with your spouse to go see a local band, symphony, theatre,  a bowling night,  I think you get the point the possibilities are endless!  You can also plan a date night with one of your children.  Pick one night a month and do something with just the two of you that both of you enjoy.  Give each child a date night each month. I bet they will look forward to the one on one time with mom or dad.

1. 1. Try a new exercise/sport – Have you been dying to try ariel yoga like me? Well, that might be more of a “me” thing, but if there is a new workout or even a sport that you enjoyed playing as a kid, check out the fitness class or sign up for an adult league.  You might even make some new like-minded friends.

1. 1. Go to a theme park – As a child, this was pretty much the only type of vacation my family ever took. I have seen more theme parks across the country than National Parks or anything else for that matter. I guess that’s why I’m a huge roller coaster buff.  I love screaming at the top of my lungs as I’m hurdling down a tall hill or being flipped upside down on a coaster. Theme parks are a great way to relax and be a kid again.  Bring your whole family or your spouse/significant other.  Hey, I just gave you yet another date night suggestion. 

5. Have a game night – I for one am super competitive and I really try to win if I’m playing a board game. Grab a bunch of board games that the family likes and have a great time competing against one another. Card games are also a lot of fun and you can get the family involved too.

However you decide to relax, do something that makes you feel refreshed and ready to take on whatever life throws your way.

Happy Relaxing,
Stacy

Sources: 1-mentalhealthamerica.net/conditions/rest-relaxation-and-exercise;
2-huffingtonpost.comstress-awareness-day-relaxation-benefits_n_1424820.html

The Juggling Game:
The Joys of A Stressed Out Overscheduled Mom

Ok, let me start off by saying that there is absolutely NO JOY with being a stressed out overscheduled mom. I’m writing this blog today as a self-help article for myself. I know that all of the other stressed out overscheduled mama’s out there that are feeling my pain, can benefit from the tips I will share and then promise to start incorporating the tips I’m not currently already incorporating myself.

You might be asking why am I a stressed out overscheduled mom? As some of you reading this are aware, I switched careers a year ago and obtained my certification as a health coach. For the past year, I have been building a new business while still running the household. I can say that after leaving corporate America about 3 ½ years ago, I now have a new appreciation for stay-at-home moms.

I’ve never been a stay-at-home mom. Both of my daughters were in daycare after 12 weeks when I had to return to my full-time job.  Even after I left corporate America to gain some sanity in my life and have more time with my family, I was building a business related to my previous career as a Paralegal.

I began working on a contract basis with sole practitioners as a Virtual Paralegal.  It gave me the freedom I so needed to take care of my family, but I was never going to be able to make the income that I made while working at large corporations and large downtown law firms.

It has been a dream of mine to either work in the health and fitness field or to own my own business for many years. I didn’t want to take the time and expense to obtain my master’s degree to become either a Dietitian or Nutritionist.

The health certification was a very affordable option and I was able to complete it entirely online. It also gave me the freedom of being my own entrepreneur. Hey, I just accomplished both of my dreams at once!

I can honestly say that this is the first time I have enjoyed working since having my daughters. Whether I’m giving a free presentation, writing a blog, or working with a client, nothing feels like I’m actually working.

I’m realizing that it took me entirely too long in my life to really figure out what I should have been doing probably the past 16 years.  I’ve also discovered this past year that I’m absolutely in love with writing! I love writing blogs, I’m making my final revisions for my first e-book and I have ideas for a few other books.  I feel that the creative side of me is on fire!

Ok, I’m rambling today and I still haven’t answered the question yet as to why at this very moment do I feel like a stressed out overscheduled crazy insane mom.  Here is what I’ve had on my plate this week, three “coffee” meetings (for those of you reading this that aren’t entrepreneurs, these are meetings with people you want to follow up with to get to know them and their business better), one client meeting, four networking meetings, parent/teacher conferences for both of my daughters, taxi driver/carpool services to my 11-year-old’s math tutor and my girls soccer practices.

Now, I’ve also tried to keep up with laundry, ran several errands so that we had food and necessities, cooked a healthy meal every night (most nights we were all able to eat as a family) and I put together a rather impromptu summer intern program which will be an unpaid position for some lucky graduating Senior interested in the fields of Nutrition/Exercise Science, Marketing, Business Management/Entrepreneurship.

This summer internship idea came together after I recently offered to be a part of a career day at a local high school. When asked if I had any job openings available, if I could mentor a student or had an internship available, light bulbs went off in my head! I quickly put together a summer internship program of several areas where I could use some assistance, so I can focus my time on writing and networking to grow my business.

Did I mention, I’m writing this blog late on a Friday afternoon and I’m looking at a very busy weekend filled with 5 soccer games over just 2 days?  I couldn’t imagine having more than 2 kids!!!!  Tomorrow both of our daughters have games at 1:30 p.m. and their games are about 75 miles apart.

Have you heard enough to make your head spin? I have a feeling many of you reading this had a very similar crazy busy week too.  I’m actually quite frustrated with myself this week because I’m the one who put all of the meetings on my calendar. I already had the parent/teacher conferences on my calendar and knew all the errands and sports activities I had to do with my girls this week, yet somehow also scheduled way too many business tasks.

Here are 5 tips (I swear I’m going to live by all of these from this day forward) to avoid being an overscheduled stressed out mom:

1. Find time for you – I actually do find time for myself everyday – it’s called my workout.  Absolutely nothing gets in the way of me and my scheduled workout for the day. That’s just what I like to do for daily “me” time. Your “me” time may be a cup of coffee and a good book in your sun room or treating yourself at your local nail salon to a mani-pedi.  If the kids are driving you crazy, you might need a little Zen and take 5 to 10 minutes to meditate. Whatever you like to do to chill out, should be done on a daily basis.  I consider this part of self-care.

2. A spotless house can wait – The dusting and vacuuming can wait until tomorrow if you child wants to spend some quality time with you after a long day of working. Of course, you can ask if they would like to help you with the household chores, but if your kids are like mine, that would get a huge “NO” response.

3. Carpool – If you have friends or neighbors whose kids are involved in the same activities, try to coordinate schedules and work out a carpool plan. My youngest daughter is currently on a soccer team with her friend that is our neighbor, so I do get relief one day per week when it’s her carpool day to soccer practice.

4. Ask your spouse/significant other/kids for help – I have a story here. Just today at a networking luncheon I attended, I was talking to a fellow entrepreneur and I could hear the frustration in this lady’s voice on this very subject. She mentioned that she had been a stay-at-home mom for 15 years raising her child while her husband traveled quite a bit for his job.   She now has a small business of her own, but her husband asked her to stay home today and not attend the networking meeting because she needed do their taxes.  She also mentioned that she has to do everything at home. Good for her for not listening to him and getting out to meet people to grow her business! Now, she just needs to ask him to get a CPA to take care of the chore of the taxes.

My husband never complains when I ask him to help out around the house, but I had to call to his attention just this week that we have full laundry baskets in our bedroom closet (I’ve already separated everything by color in several different baskets) that he could just pick up and throw everything from the nice color separated baskets into the washer and then when it’s done put it in the dryer. I forgot to mention that my husband works from home, unless he is traveling and he only travels maybe twice a year.

My husband and I also made a deal when we got married that whoever cooked dinner the other one would clean up and we continue that tradition today. We ask our kids to help out in this area too, but most of the time they act as if it’s torture just to put their dirty plates in the sink. Yes, we are working on getting more cooperation from our girls with the family chores.

5. Make and Freeze Meals/or Use Your Slow Cooker – If you have time on the weekend to make a week’s worth of healthy meals and then freeze them for easy prep on busy weeknights, then I highly suggest that you do this instead of going through drive-thru or eating at a restaurant. I’m a big fan of my slow cooker, since I don’t have time on the weekends to prep healthy meals and freeze them.  I use my slow cooker sometimes three times a week when I know I’ll be on the go quite a bit.

Well, look at that, the stop work alarm I have set at 5:00 p.m. everyday just went off and I’m actually getting ready to attend the fourth networking meeting I mentioned earlier. My goal from now on is to stop overscheduling myself. Balance between work and family life is key. I made sure that I didn’t schedule as many meetings next week, so I can have more in-office time to get through my growing to-do list.  Less stress for me next week and I wish the same for you every week.

May we all be destressed, sane and happy mamas!

Healthy Regards,
Stacy

Can Your Mindset Effect Your Chances of Losing Weight and Keeping it Off?

I was working with a client recently and one area she wanted to explore was her self-discipline when trying to stick to a weight loss plan. We explored her mindset to determine her barriers to her perceived lack of self-discipline.

Mindsets are beliefs about yourself and your most basic qualities. Carol Dweck, a Stanford University psychologist and author of the book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, says there are two different types of mindsets: fixed or growth-oriented.

People with a fixed mindset think talent alone creates success. When faced with a challenge, they tend to take the easy way out to avoid failure and embarrassment. This is a psychological principle known as self-handicapping.

People with a growth mindset believe they can improve their abilities and create successes by working hard, practicing, and learning. They take on challenges even at the risk of failing. They embrace failure because they know they will learn valuable lessons from it.

Given these two descriptions, which one do you think you lean towards?  If you think you fall into the fixed mindset category you can begin to change your mindset. The first step is recognizing this mindset, accepting it then reframing the negative fixed mindset to a growth mindset.

For example, you can reframe your thoughts from making excuses not to exercise to taking out your calendar and scheduling your workouts. Next step is to actually begin the workouts. As another example you can change your mindset towards diets by saying that you’ll take it slow and make eating healthy your lifestyle and not even refer to this new way of your life as a “diet.”

Take action to change your fixed mindset by keeping a journal or planner and writing down your thoughts, embrace learning and by taking calculated risks. Think of your mindset like a muscle.  The more you use it to both learn and focus on positive thoughts, the stronger it becomes.

Professional weight loss coaches Greg Hottinger, MPH, RD and Michael Scholtz, MA offer unique strategies to help you deal with fixed mindsets towards weight loss in their book Coach Yourself Thin.
Here are 5 strategies you can use to help overcome a fixed mindset towards a healthier lifestyle:

1. 1. Beware of the quick-fix mindset – We are very much a quick-fix society.  We hear an advertisement that we can lose 30 pounds in 30 days and it we like how much weight we can lose in such a short period of time.  Then you have to stop and ask yourself, “Is this healthy and can I sustain this quick weight loss?”We are also a quick-fix society when it comes to taking medications at the least sign of discomfort or resorting to diet pills or invasive weight-loss surgeries without making any lifestyle changes.

1. 2. Drop “Diet” Thinking and Take the Coach Approach – For example, diet thinking tells you that certain foods that the awful “carbs” should be avoided at all costs. The coach approach is that there are no good foods or bad foods. You’ll learn to say “yes” to yourself without guilt, and what you want to say “yes” to will become healthier as you leave the guilt behind.

1. 3. Create a Support Team – If you are trying to lose weight and do not have a support group to hold you accountable, create your group. Think of your family, friends, and co-workers and identify those who you can count on to unconditionally support your healthy lifestyle. This group of people will become your “inner circle,” and they will help you overcome any obstacles in your path  You can also search Facebook groups to find accountability partners or seek out a health coach to hold you accountable.

1. 4. Invest in Yourself – Do you find grocery shopping, cooking, and then cleaning up the mess as drudgery? Revise your thinking that you are taking the time to invest in your health instead of running to the nearest fast food chain or restaurant to avoid shopping, cooking and cleaning up. Another idea is to redefine the kitchen clean-up task as “exercise” rather than “work.” Those calories you burn cleaning up the kitchen count just as much as those burned during a brisk walk.

5. Rejuvenate – In the book Coach Yourself Thin the authors refer to rejuvenation as one of the four key areas of fitness. Some active ways to refresh and renew include:

• • Breathing exercises

• • Pilates

• • Stretching

• • Tai chi

• Yoga

Some passive methods of rejuvenation include:

• • Baths – warm for relaxation and an ice bath for recovery from a workout

• • Heat packs

• • Cold packs

• • Hot tubs

• • Meditation

• • Saunas

• Sleep

Don’t understate the importance of sleep when losing weight. That is the #1 passive method of rejuvenation and something we generally lack in our fast paced world.

If you fall into the fixed mindset category, I hope this article helps you try to redefine your thinking to get you on the path for successful weight loss and weight maintenance.

Healthy Regards,
Stacy
Sources: https://healthhabits.ca/2014/01/31/use-your-mindset-to-lose-weight-get-fit-and-be-healthy/
http://www.prevention.com/weight-loss/weight-loss-tips/weight-loss-tips-coach-yourself-thin

5 Tips for Surviving the
Superbowl Food Frenzy

First of all I have to say that we here in the ATL are very excited about the Superbowl this year. Rise up! Go Falcons! Okay, I had to just get that out of the way. So here we have yet another overeating day of the year.  You can still cheer on your team and have a great time without adding to your waistline or drinking a little too much and really feeling it on Monday morning.  Here are 5 strategy tips for staying on your weight loss plan while watching the big game:

1. Guest of a Party? If you are attending a Superbowl party, then you can bring a healthy dish to the party and seek out other healthy options such as the fruit and veggie tray. Also, your best choices for staying on track while at a party are to have only 1 slice of pizza or a bowl of chili.
2. Hosting a Party? You as the host have the ultimate control and can serve all healthy fare. Substitute turkey chili for beef chili or turkey or veggie burgers for beef burgers. You can also substitute Greek yogurt for mayo in various dips and serve a variety of colorful veggies with those lower fat healthier dips.
3. Don’t Be Too Comfortable: This might be a day that you wear your tightest jeans to the party. You won’t be able to eat too much without feeling miserable. I’ve used this strategy a time or two myself when I knew I would be really tempted by the buffet of party food.
4. Choose Your Alcohol Wisely: Of course, you want to have an adult beverage during the game and your best choices are either a light beer or a glass of wine.  To keep that hangover at bay and to remain hydrated (*remember all alcohol dehydrates you) drink a glass of water between each alcoholic beverage.
5. Remember that Monday is a New Day: Okay, you totally had the best intention of eating healthy and drinking in moderation for Superbowl, but then your team was losing and you lost your willpower.  No worries, pick yourself up, dust yourself off and continue your normal healthy eating and exercise routine on Monday.

Enjoy the game and may those Falcons beat the Patriots!

Healthy Regards,
Stacy

4 Tips to Stick with Your New Year’s Resolution Wellness Goals

You read the blog in my first newsletter this year and have decided to make 2017 the Year You Make Health Your Hobby. You have been totally committed to eating healthy and exercising this month and are really impressed with yourself with how well you’re doing.  I’ve very proud of you too! Now, how do you stay committed to your new lifestyle changes past January?  Here are 4 tips to help you keep your wellness goals:

1. PLAN, PLAN, PLAN!!! If you didn’t create an exercise plan in your calendar in January, here is your chance to create one going forward.  Plan out your weekly workout schedule as you would your business meetings and meal plan for the week. For healthier eating, a meal plan is just as an important as an exercise plan. If you come home from a long day at work and have no idea what to fix, you’re more tempted to pick up fast food or a greasy pizza on your way home than try to figure out what you can whip together when you are already exhausted.

2. USE THE BUDDY SYSTEM It’s always easier to stick to your plan if you have a friend that is exercising with you.  Find an accountability buddy and workout together or decide to play an organized adult sport together that you both will enjoy.

3. SLOW & STEADY If you are just starting out on your wellness journey, don’t feel like you have to workout 6 days a week. You will have more long term success if you set a reasonable goal for yourself of maybe starting to workout 3 days a week for 30 minutes a day.  Start slow and work up to increasing days and adding additional time to your workouts. To eat healthier, you may decide to only eat out with the family one day per week and also take your own lunch to work.  This will also save you a ton of money over the course of the year.

4. BE REALISTIC Set a realistic goal for yourself.  Don’t set a goal by saying you want to lose 30 pounds in the next 3 months or a goal to be able to run a marathon you have been thinking of completing, if the marathon is only 3 months away.  Build your foundation of fitness and healthy eating and before you know it this new way of eating and working out has become a habit for you and it’s now your new healthy lifestyle.

I hope your 2017 is off to a great start!  If you need any help holding you accountable to your wellness goals, I’m always here for you.

Healthy Regards,
Stacy