Winterize Yourself

It has been really dry and cold here in the Pacific Northwest for the last couple weeks and it is wreaking havoc on my body. Climate changes can have an impact on our health if we don't take measures to offset them.

The winter months being dark and cold can often times make us lackadaisical about taking care of ourselves because we are often tired and less motivated. However, this is an important time to stay on top of your self care to combat that fatigue and inclination to hibernate. So, I've got a list of some easy things you can do every day to make yourself feel better and help your body function at it's peak.

HYDRATE - This one always seems to top the lists of self care. But one thing I notice, personally, is that I tend to be less thirsty in the cooler winter months, however, that does not mean my body needs water any less than it does in the middle of the summer heat. In fact, during these dry times our bodies need to be hydrated even more. If drinking cold water is a challenge for you during the cold months (as it is for me) try drinking more teas or warm, lemon water. Even homemade ginger tea is a great idea! I have been loving this baked cinnamon apple tea from TAZO - add a splash of almond milk - YUM!

DRY/ITCHY EYES - This is probably my least favorite "winter condition". If your eyes are feeling dry, itching, red and painful, make sure you are using a non-medicated eye drops to keep them from drying out.

SWITCH TO BODY CREAM - If you're a lotion user, switch over to body cream during the cool, dry months. Body cream is better for locking in moisture than lotion is and will help help your dry skin and keep it from getting itchy and red. My favorite is Bath & Body Works body butters. They are super moisturizing and last all day! Another alternative to body cream is coconut oil. I use coconut oil all year long instead of body creams and lotions. It's a natural alternative and is very good at locking in moisture.

LIPS - Dry lips curses most everyone. Keep a lip balm or hydrating lip gloss in your pocket or purse with you all the time. Don't let your lips get dry - you may need to reapply often. Exfoliate dry skin off lips gently with a toothbrush.

LIMIT YOUR SHOWER TIME - My least favorite tip for sure because I would love nothing more than to take a long, hot shower on cold mornings. The long, hot shower is one of the worst things we can do for our winter skin. It is extremely drying. Try to limit your shower time and use "warm" water instead. Make sure that you slather your body with body cream or coconut oil immediately after your shower to lock in moisture.

Just because we're covered up in the winter months it's so easy to let these things go, but it's really important to take a few easy measures to protect and keep our bodies healthy inside and out.

The BEST Holiday Diet Advice

Very simply....DON'T.

One of the questions I have often been asked at this time of year is: "how should I eat on Thanksgiving (or other holiday of your choice)?"

First of all, I am not a proponent of "diets" in the first place. Diets don't last and if you want results that last you're going to have to find a program that you can do indefinitely. That said, I don't have a diet to offer you in preparation for the Thanksgiving holiday, nor do I have a diet for you to follow afterwards.

Secondly, you do not need to "earn it." If you go into this week thinking you need to exercise more than usual to burn off a bunch of calories in anticipation of the feast on Thursday, it's another way to set yourself up for negative association between food and exercise. Stick to your normal routine, you don't need to double up on your workouts or anything extreme to offset the increase in calories this week.

If you make it a habit and adopt it as your lifestyle to eat healthy, mostly non-processed foods on a daily basis, then you don't need to worry about indulging a little extra on the holiday. Where people tend to get into trouble is where they "diet" their way to the holiday and are so hungry and deprived by the time the big day arrives that they can't help themselves from overeating and often binging which begins a cycle of guilt-diet-binge-guilt.

On Thanksgiving, focus on enjoying the moment and the people you're spending the day with. The food is nice, but if it's not your focal point, it will be less likely to be an obsession. A few things I urge clients to do just to keep things in check:

• Stay hydrated - drink lots of water this week and especially on Thanksgiving and the days following. This will help to flush out the increase in sodium that you are likely to consume which is partially responsible for the bloating you may feel after the meal. 
• Get moving! Take a walk after dinner or hit the gym the morning after. Movement will alleviate the discomfort of the increase in calories.
• Limit the alcohol. Inhibitions are down when you're drinking, so it can be easier to consume foods you normally would not choose. Alcohol can also lead to dehydration which can make you feel pretty uncomfortable. 

Enjoy your holiday. Don't overthink it and don't stress about it. If you focus on being balanced and not overdoing it, you'll be just fine.

Nighttime Nutrition

Thanks to Oprah, there's a myth that our society has bought into heavily that you cannot eat past 7pm or it will cause weight gain, prevent weight loss, etc. Nothing could be further from the truth. Eating at nigh, eating right before bed, is not what makes you gain weight. And, eating before you go to sleep at night can actually help your weight loss efforts.

Eating a small high protein, moderate fat meal right before you go to bed helps to keep the metabolism fueled during your "fasting" hours while you are sleeping. When you pair a lean protein (I usually opt for a protein powder as opposed to a whole food protein) with a fat source, it slows down the digestion process and gives your body something to metabolize throughout your sleeping hours.

It is also a well-known fact that going to bed hungry can have a negative impact on the quality of your sleep. Hungry people often do not sleep well and/or have interrupted sleep. Eating a small meal before bed will help ward off hunger pangs and late night cravings that are common for many people.

So what should you eat?

Well, like I said, I like to use a protein powder instead of a whole food source, but either one is fine. Casein protein is a slower digesting protein which makes it a good choice for your bedtime meal. A blend will also work as will a whey protein isolate. Really, any protein will do. If you prefer something besides protein powder, low fat cottage cheese, eggs or nonfat, low sugar Greek yogurt are great options as well. Add 10 almonds or a tablespoon of nut butter to your protein source (eggs are all you'll need if you're eating the yolks) to help so down the digestion of your protein.

This is what I've been doing on my busy nights - 12oz unsweetened almond milk, 1 scoop of Siren
Labs Isolate and 1 Tablespoon PB2. I only opted for the PB2 because I can just shake it with the almond milk and protein powder and it's just quicker and easier than real peanut butter. Sometimes, life is busy, we get tired and it's ok to compromise and not be exactly perfect on your nutrition. Don't get obsessed with having to be perfect. Real peanut butter would be better but many nights lately, I'm tired after a long day of running kids around, taking care of kids, working, etc and quick and easy is what I need. If that's you too - cut yourself some slack. Dump some good stuff in a shaker, shake it up, drink it up and GO TO BED!!

My Fitness Motivation

I have been in the fitness industry for over 20 years. I was athletic all throughout my school years and being active as an adult just seemed to be a natural thing for me. I can't really recall a time when I didn't workout in some capacity or another. Over the years my training has evolved from aerobics (hellos 90's!) to long distance running to weight training/cardio and eventually I was introduced to the bodybuilding world around 2007 and started competing in 2008.

Throughout the 6 years I was competing my motivation for working out was always the next competition. I would get feedback from judges and coaches and that would fuel my next several months of training and dieting. There was always a purpose to my training, which kept my motivation high.

Now that I'm no longer competing and just doing fitness "because", I had to stop and think about what motivates me to keep doing it. Habit, sure, but there has to be something greater than habit. I think my motivations will hit home with many people who are busy parents like me, trying to juggle kids, work and some time for themselves. 

Looking Good.

Let's not even pretend that this is not a key motivator in fitness. Most of us do it to look good, look better. For me, it's not about weight loss but keeping up with my fitness keeps my body in the shape I feel best in. Especially as I age, I want to keep looking good and keep looking as young as I possibly can. Exercise is one of the best anti aging medicines there is!

Overall Health Benefits.

With each passing year, I notice that my body gets a little more "cranky." My joints are a little stiffer in the mornings and sometimes I just don't move like I used to. When I exercise, all of that feels much better. Not to mention, regular exercise fights all kinds of diseases and has a number of other health benefits, including stronger heart and lower blood pressure.

Keeping up with the kiddos.

As a mom of 4, I like being able to have the endurance and stamina to keep up with my kids. As they get older they get faster and stronger and it is fun to be fit enough to give them a good run for their money. And it's nice that they are proud to have a mom who is fit. I love being able to hike with them and race my son on the trails.

Better mood.

Because endorphins and serotonin. Both of these mood-enhancing chemicals are released in the brain with regular exercise. It makes exercise the most effective anti-depressant available. As someone who has battled depression, I have found that exercise has been a key factor in keeping my mood elevated which makes it one of the biggest motivators for me!

These are my primary reasons that I exercise religiously. It's a habit and it's one that I'm committed to keeping. Even though my motivators have changed significantly over the last couple of years, they are still more than enough to keep me hitting the gym. If you can't identify your fitness motivators, you will have a more challenging time sticking with it and making it into a habit. Really think about the reasons you do it or you want to start doing it...and it should be for more than aesthetic purposes (weight loss and looking hot). You want to identify motivators that will last for the long haul. 

How Often Should You Change Your Training Plan?

How often should I change my training plan?

This is a question I hear from clients all the time. There's a lot of information available, thanks to the internet, that leads us all to believe that we need to be changing our workouts frequently. I have seen it advised to change workouts as frequently as every 2 weeks. 

People are often surprised when they hear my answer to this question. 

You don't need to change your training plan unless it's not working for you. If it's working, don't change it.

Often times, coaches and trainers will change a routine for no reason other than the client is bored.

Well, that's not a legitimate reason to change a training plan. If your training plan is working fine and you are getting results - well, suck it up buttercup. Boredom is not a reason to change your training plan. 

Often clients will email me and tell me that "I've been doing this plan for 4 weeks now, shouldn't we change it up?"

You need to consistently work your training plan for several weeks before you even know if it's effective or not. Four weeks of inconsistent (even consistent) work is not enough time if you have a solid and progressive training plan. Your muscles do not need to be "confused" (in fact, it's not even possible) to get results. So changing your plan to create something that's not even real is a bad idea. 

If you are consistently working your plan and you are increasing the load (weight) with each passing week, you are on the right track. As your body adapts you can vary the exercises to conquer your boredom and to keep your body progressing. For example: you could alternate dumbbell bench press for barbell bench press. You're working the same muscles but the dumbbells give a much different workout than the barbell due to the fact that each arm has to bear its own load. You can do things like this with almost every exercise. Substitute cables for free weights or machines. The options are limitless really.

It's easy to create variety while not changing the training plan. So if it's boredom you're feeling look at substituting exercises but not changing the way the plan is set up. Once you find yourself hitting a legitimate plateau (meaning you are consistently working your plan and increasing strength and endurance has come to a halt) then it may be time to look at changing things up. 

You can work the same training plan for years and still get results. I haven't changed mine in a long time. If I get bored, sometimes I'll throw in a kettle bell workout or some kind of circuit training just for fun and then I go back to my scheduled plan for my next workout. 

5 Benefits of the "Rise & Grind"

Getting up on a cold, dark winter morning is not always very easy and it does take a few weeks to get your body into the habit of waking earlier and getting moving early but it is worth it for many reasons.

I have been a morning exerciser for many years now and on the days I don't do it, I feel a bit "off" all day. Some mornings the driving force in getting my butt out of bed and to the gym (or my garage) is that I know I will feel better all day - mentally and physically - if I get my workout on early.

The list of reasons to get up and work out is long but these are my personal "Top 5" benefits of the "Rise & Grind."

1. Metabolism Boost - morning is the best time to get moving. Exercise always boosts your metabolism, but when you exercise in the morning it gives you a metabolism boost for the entire day. 
2. Focus - my morning workouts are my time to set my priorities for the day and get myself in the right mindset to have a great day. It helps me focus throughout the entire day when I've had a chance to clear my mind first thing in the morning and really give intention to how I want to shape my day. 
3. More Energy - if I do not workout first thing in the morning, I have noticeably less energy than I do on days when I workout early. Energy begets energy. Getting moving early gets your body and your mind geared up and will give you the energy you need to power through your busy day.
4. Empty Gym - if you've ever been to the gym between 5-7pm you know it is nuts! It's rush hour and it's difficult to get the equipment you want and sometimes it's so crowded it makes it challenging to get your workout done the way you want. Early in the morning the gym is empty. It's a great time to do circuit training, supersets, giant sets, etc. 
5. No Scheduling Conflicts - when you workout later in the day it can be easy for other things to come up - happy hour, unplanned appointments or meetings or maybe at the end of the day you're just too tired and don't feel like working out. When you do it first thing in the morning, it's done and you don't have to worry about it the rest of the day. And it's a great sense of accomplishment. 

If you are thinking about making morning workouts part of your day, I'll warn you, it's tough to get in the habit of getting up in the cold and dark but it is worth it. And I promise that you will find once you are in the habit, you really like starting your day with a good sweat!

Most Importantly, You are ENOUGH

It's become our natural response to get so focused on the results that are yet to come that we forget that right here, right now, we are already enough. No matter what shape or size you are, you are already enough. No matter how much you weight. No matter what you ate yesterday or the day before. You are enough. 

We are so quick to beat ourselves up, to guilt and shame ourselves. We compare ourselves to other people's "social media lives" and quickly find that we don't measure up to their public display of perfection. 

You are already enough. Nothing you can do will add to or subtract from that. You are enough. Seeking self-improvement is wonderful and necessary for a meaningful life but on the way to where you want to be, don't forget that you're already enough. 

Workout Wednesday: Glutes & Hamstrings

Love these pants because they make my hammies 💥POP!!!💥

And since it's #workoutwednesday I figured I would share my glute/ham workout I did. I should preface this by letting y'all know that I am old school when it comes to lifting. Not a fan of crazy shit or useless moves made famous by Instagram. 🙈 Keep in mind whenever you add a new exercise to your program what the PURPOSE of it is. If you don't know the purpose you probably shouldn't be doing it.

🌟Romanian Dead Lifts (RDLs)
🌟Oly bar Good Mornings
🌟Glute Kickback machine (if you don't know how to isolate your glutes don't bother using this machine. It is only effective of you know how to isolate the muscle)
🌟Lying Leg Curl
🌟Single Leg Press on pull up machine

👉I am currently training for "fun." I needed to take a bit of a mental break. I am pretty much tailoring my workouts to my energy levels - both physical and mental. For this workout I did 3-4 sets of each exercise with my rep ranges between 10-15. If you are training for a specific goal your program should always be specifically structures for your goal.

💢Need help designing a program? Contact me about online coaching 📧iriefitgirl@gmail.com

Tis the Red Cup Season

It's November which means it is now the time we have waited for all year at Starbucks...RED CUPS are back! Along with our beloved red cups is the holiday menu with all it's yummy goodness. I love to treat myself to a gingerbread latte a few times during the holiday season, but given the amount of calories and sugars it contains I don't make it a regular habit...it's a "treat." 

But who wants to feel deprived during the holiday season? Not me! Fortunately, Starbucks (along with many other coffee companies) is offering lower sugar, fat and calorie options for those of us who don't want to drink all of our calories. 

So, today I'm sharing with you my seasonal favorite from Starbucks. It is a festive and tasty coffee treat with almost no additional calories. 

I order a grande Americano with 2 pumps sugar free Peppermint and 2 pumps "skinny mocha". I believe the skinny mocha mix has 10 calories per pump or something like that...but it's not very much. You can do more pumps of the syrups if you like. Anything more than "2 and 2" is too sweet for me. I will occasionally add a splash of half & half or nonfat milk. 

Enjoy a guiltless red cup season! 

Listen Now or Pay Later

For such a long time, I never listened to my body. In fact, I prided myself on the fact that when my body told me it needed rest or it needed me not to push it so far, I didn't listen and in my determination I pressed on. 

I pushed my body into injuries, exhaustion, adrenal fatigue, metabolic damage, just to name a few. Yeah, I got those extra reps, the extra plates or the higher interval, but I paid a price. Not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. Was it worth it, you ask? Not even in the slightest. 

But hindsight is 20/20 isn't it? If we know better we do better. I believe I knew better and I chose not to do better. I made the choice to push my body farther than I knew it really wanted to go. I thought that was a noble thing I was doing. I was admired by many and people found my efforts to be "inspiring" and "motivational." (To all of those people, I sincerely apologize) 

After dealing with the repercussions of not listening to my body enough times I have reached a point in my life where I DO listen to my body -above all else, I listen to my body. My body knows things my brain can't even fathom and is not capable of knowing without my body telling it. As a result of my own personal experiences, it is now my mission to teach other fitness enthusiasts to listen to their bodies as well.

Look, we only get one body. The whole idea with fitness is to be healthy. And unfortunately, so much is wrong with the fitness industry today and people are being encouraged and taught to do things that are not healthy physically, mentally or emotionally. Unless you are a professional athlete making millions of dollars, why would you push your body beyond what it is telling you is healthy for it? There is no fame or fortune in fitness. Guaranteed, your followers don't care what you have to deal with as a result of pushing your body to a place it doesn't want to go. 

You are the one that has to live in your body. If you hurt it or damage it, you have to deal with that. So if your body is telling you it shouldn't do something...listen to it. Your intuition is the most valuable voice you have.  Your body and your intuition are anything but "stupid." 

Stop buying into these unhealthy fitness messages. Take care of your body. 

Fall Fitness Tips

I don't know about you, but fall is a really challenging time for me as far as my energy and motivation to be active goes. The urge to curl up with a blanket and take a nap is strong. The daylight hours are decreasing with each passing day and the temperature is dropping. I think it's nature's way of getting us to make some changes to our routine that will serve our bodies well.

• That urge to sleep more - follow that!! I used to fight that desire to rest in the fall and winter months and I would push my body to keep to my regular schedule. As I have learned to listen to my body and take better care of it I have noticed that our urge to rest and sleep is something we need to follow. Most of us don't get enough sleep as it is so these cooler, darker months are perfect time for us to nurture our bodies with sleep. Take naps if you can. Go to bed earlier and wake up later - whatever works for your schedule. Follow that urge to sleep more and don't feel guilty for it! Sleep is critical for a healthy body.
• Most of us are less active in the fall and winter months as a result, this is time to cut back on calories. When you don't have the physical output you don't need the caloric input. Try to resist the urge to eat those fall comfort foods and instead load up with fresh, seasonal veggies and keep the nutrition clean and lean. Pinterest has a wealth of recipes for slow cooker fall meals that are easy, warm and tasty...perfect for staying on track. 
• Get outside! With the natural drop in energy as the days get shorter, getting outside is a great way to get energized. The fresh air is a great pick-me-up and is always so healing to our souls. Take advantage of dry days and do something outside, even if it's just a quick walk. 
• Wake up early! The shorter days make it challenging to get your workout in after work and in the evening. It's dark, we're tired, we want to go home and be cozy. Eliminate that issue by getting up early and getting your workout done. Getting up in the dark takes some getting used to but after a few weeks it will become a routine for your body. Stick with it. 
• Stay hydrated! It's so much easier to remember to drink our water in the warmer weather but it is equally important during the cooler months. Make sure you keep pushing the water as staying hydrated is another way to keep energy levels up. 

What if I told you there's no "finish line?"

I was listening to the radio in my car today and the DJ for a local station is doing promotion for a weight loss company. She was talking about her progress so far and where she hopes to be when she gets to the "finish line." That's pretty typical with weight loss programs - there's a start and a finish. But what if I told you...there really is no "finish line" when it comes to weight loss?

Yes, you have a goal that you will reach but I can guarantee you it will not be your "finish." It won't be the end of anything and if it is, you'll find yourself back at the start line very quickly. That's one of the main issues with diets - starts and finishes. Being healthy is a way of life, you don't get to finish.

When you hit your goal weight, you have to continue to do the work you did that got you to that point. You don't just stop doing what you were doing that got you there. If what you are doing to achieve weight loss is not something you can see yourself doing for the long term, as a lifestyle, it's not going to last. The results will come and just as quickly they will go and you will be right back where you began. And frustrated.

Don't be so quick to jump on a program that offers extreme or short-term results. Most of the time, these kinds of programs have a high likelihood of rebound (regaining the weight and often times more than what you lost). Look for a plan that you can see yourself doing five years from now. Look for a plan that is balanced. Look for a plan that allows you to still enjoy your family and friends. Look for a plan that doesn't require you to eliminate food groups (especially chocolate - anything without chocolate is just wrong!)

Set a goal and meet it but be prepared to do the work that is required to stay there. I promise you one thing: when you look at a fit person, they don't get that way by luck...they work at it every day.

Making it Easy is Hard Work

I was hiking yesterday morning - it's one of my favorite things to do. I love it so much, in fact, I have always dreamed of living closer to the mountains so that I could do it more often. Not practical with my kids the ages that they are, but maybe someday.

The hike I was doing yesterday would be considered pretty strenuous. There is a considerable elevation gain in a short distance. Lots of staircases built into the side of the mountain with frequent switch backs. I train on the step mill almost everyday, so my body is in good condition for this kind of activity. It was challenging, but it was very manageable for me to do without stopping to rest.

As I was making my climb I was actually thinking about how grateful I am to have a body that can do what I want it to do. That, at 40, I can do the same things I could do at 25 and with the same intensity and energy. I was thinking about how glad I am that I made a choice years ago to make this a lifestyle and glad that I continue to make that choice everyday.

As I was climbing I passed a couple of girls who were struggling on their hike. They were chipper, but clearly very tired. I passed them probably 40 minutes or so before I reached the lake (the destination of this hike) where I sat and hung out for about 20 minutes. I passed them again on my way back down the mountain, probably about 20 minutes after I had left the lake. They were still struggling and I stopped to talk to them. Still in good spirits but clearly very tired, they were pressing on, taking frequent breaks. I promised them they would be rewarded with sun and a spectacular view if they kept going.

After I left them and continued back down I realized how grateful I am, not only that I could do this hike but that it was relatively easy for me. But it isn't easy for me (or anyone else) because I'm "lucky", it's easy for me because I put in the hard work and the discipline every day. I choose to make it a priority over other things in my life. Saying yes to being healthy means saying no to things that don't help us meet those goals.

This is about awareness. It's not about making people feel bad. I know how much more difficult it is to do everything things when we carry extra weight. I can do chin ups just fine at my "happy weight" but add 15lbs and it's not going to happen - it makes my shoulders hurt and it's more weight to pull. I'm not as agile, my endurance is lacking and my joints hurt when I carry more weight. I can do more things when my weight is where it needs to be. I can be fit even when I'm heavier in weight, but it's not good for my body - I can feel it. I can run faster, I can breathe easier and I sleep better.

The girls along my path are just an example. As I made my way down the mountain I saw so many people who were having a hard time making the climb. It reminded me how few people actually make fitness a part of their everyday life. Overall health means moving every day, not just on the weekends when your buddies ask you to go hiking. It means sacrificing time watching Netflix (although you can do that while you do cardio!!) or something else that sounds more fun than working out.

We get ONE body. We have a choice if we want to feel as good at 40 as we do at 25. If you choose to take care of it regularly, it will continue to let you do all the things you want to do. Making it feel easy takes hard work but it's worth it.

Rear Delt Blast!

Even if you only have a short amount of time to spend in the gym, you can still make it worth your while. I spend a lot of time training my back and rear delts because they make such a difference in my posture which helps strengthen my core when I stand properly. Most of us spend a lot of time bent over a keyboard or sitting at a desk which causes us to round our shoulders and slouch. It's really common for women to carry themselves with poor posture. But good posture is not only better for your body but it is instantly slimming!

So here's my quickie - 15 minute - Rear Delt Blast! I use minimal rests between sets - about 30-60 seconds. You will feel the burn!

Exercise 1⃣ Rear Cable Flyes
4 sets to failure (high setting)

Exercise 2⃣ Seated Rope Face Pulls 4x10 (really squeeze and hold for a couple seconds before releasing)

Exercise 3⃣ Reverse Pec Dec (alternating grips - inside/outside)
4 (each grip)x 12

The PSL Cleaned Up

It's that time of year...everybody is heading to Starbucks for their PSL Pumpkin Spice Latte...because FALL! And now this year Starbucks has added real pumpkin to their pumpkin syrup for all of those who were flabbergasted and appalled last year that the PSL had no real pumpkin in it. (I'm still trying to figure out why people ever thought there should be real, actual pumpkin in their coffee but...whatever.) It now has like 0.001% real pumpkin. Everybody wins!

Let's get serious now. The PSL is loaded with SUGAR! That's what makes it divinely delicious! Sugar, whipped cream, steamy, frothy milk...yum! If you like that PSL you can definitely find ways to build it into your weekly nutrition intake with moderation. I certainly wouldn't recommend having one every day but certainly treating yourself once a week would be just fine. If, however, you are like me and prefer to eat your calories but want to indulge in a tasty drink that's going to allow you to leave room for the pizza or M&Ms later (because life is all about choices) then read on for my tricks.

This is my favorite "make at home" version of the PSL:

1 cup Starbucks coffee from my Keurig (I usually do the small cup setting so it's stronger)

1/2 cup MuscleEgg Pumpkin Spice Eggwhites OR 1 scoop NDS Nutrition AmplifyXL Vanilla Flex

1Tbsp sugar free Pumpkin Spice Creamer

Now, some days I want it to be a little creamier in which case I add 1 cup of steamed So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk. Coconut milk is pretty thick so this makes the drink really rich. You could do unsweetened almond milk as well. This drink will give you 12g of protein and 0-2g carbs if you use the coconut milk. And we're talking less than 80 calories! 

Here's a quick breakdown of the Starbucks PSL of just a few examples (this information is direct from Starbucks)

At best: short, nonfat, no whip = 130 calories, 0 fat, 25g carbs (24g of which are SUGAR!), 7g protein

A grande, nonfat, no whip = 260 calories, 51g carbs (49g of sugar), 14g protein

At the very worst: venti nonfat with whip = 400 calories, 4.5g fat, 66g carbs (64g sugar), 18g protein (it could be a good post workout drink if you are a powerlifter or elite bodybuilder)

You can find more information on the Starbucks website under their nutrition section. I went off a spreadsheet they gave me that gave details for each drink but I'm obviously only listing a few here for you. 

As I said earlier, it is absolutely NOT a problem if you want to build the PSL into your nutrition plan as a treat. You just want to make sure that it's not something you do with great frequency. It's easy to overlook the calories we drink but the fact is, they can make a huge difference in our progress when we're trying to maintain or achieve a healthy weight. 

Need help with a nutrition plan that's right for YOU? Contact me HERE

You Don't Have to Count Everything to Get Results

Something I hear frequently from followers, clients and even friends that often pick my nutrition brain..."I really don't want to count everything I eat. I'm not really interested in adding up my calories/macros all day long. Do I really have to do that to lose weight?"

Short answer: NO.

Let me remind everyone - there used to be a time, long, long ago, when we did not have apps on our phones or websites where we could log every morsel we put into our mouth. It made it much more difficult to obsess over the minutia of our daily nutrition. Yet, somehow, our society was healthier back then than it is right now. Go figure! "Back in the day" we used paper and pen to log our foods (I'll let you in on a secret: when I did competitions, all my foods were logged with pencil and paper).

I actually think that the constant logging, calorie counting, macro counting and analyzation of one's nutrition can actually be detrimental. Let me explain: before you started your meal plan with your Instagram "Macro coach", you weren't obsessed with how many grams of carbs, fats and proteins you took in each day. If you ate 140g of carbs one day and 200g the next, you didn't even know and more than likely, it didn't hurt you any.  But after working with your IG coach that has 100k followers (therefore, must be credible) you can't eat a meal or drink a beverage without pulling up your My Fitness Pal app and searching the database to find out exactly the macro breakdown of what you're about to eat. And if it doesn't fit into what you're supposed to eat that day, you feel like you blew it. You've failed. There's no way you're going to tell your IG coach about this. Perhaps instead you do extra cardio in the gym or you skip a meal to make up for it.

This is not a healthy mindset. This is not something you can sustain long term. If you are not a competitive physique athlete...STOP COUNTING EVERYTHING!!! Write down what you eat if it helps you be more mindful but you don't need to analyze it. A handful of M&Ms (raises hand!!) is some sugar and fat. You don't need to count it but if you need to write down "handful of M&Ms" so you acknowledge that you ate it, fine.

So let me tell you what you DO need to do to get results:

• Portion control: if you don't already know, educate yourself on proper portion sizes. Learn what 4oz of chicken breast "looks" like. You don't need to weigh and measure it. If you're in the ballpark, it's fine. 
• DO measure things like salad dressing, mayonnaise, nut butters, butter, oils, sauces and dips. These are the kinds of things that are easy to over-do. The portion sizes are not very big so check the label and do you measuring.
• Log it if you need to. It is helpful to keep track of what we're eating especially if you have a tendency for mindless eating, which we all do at some point in time. When I'm PMSing I can easily put away a whole batch of chocolate chip cookies if I'm not careful.
• Get a nutrition plan that is easy to remember and easy to follow. Need help with that? You can contact me HERE
• Once you learn what food combinations work best for you, stick with those. Most people find what works and repeat all week long. Build in a few "fun" meals that are different from your daily meals to add variety and keep you on track the rest of the time. 

Many people struggle with the OCD mentality that can come from overanalyzing their nutrition. I guarantee, you do not need to do this to get results. Remember...we all lived without these tools for a very long time. Let yourself off the hook and keep it simple!

Fitness For The Fun of It

What if I told you that fitness is supposed to be fun? What if I told you that taking care of your body, getting regular activity and sweating is actually supposed to be enjoyable? Many people think that idea is crazy. But it's not.

I love fitness. But there are some fitness activities that you won't ever catch me doing. It's not because they're ineffective, it's simply because I do not LIKE them. They're not fun for me. They're not even remotely enjoyable. And I don't force myself to do them. I don't want to get into a place where I'm forcing myself to do something I hate and dread. There are plenty of options that will give me the same results that I don't have to force myself to do something I can't stand.

Last night I had a dream I was doing some group class (classes is also something I really do not like, so that was the first strike) and the instructor had everybody get down on a mat and start doing crunches. Everybody but me. I stood there in protest. When the instructor confronted me I said, "Sorry, I don't do crunches." I also don't do planks. I don't do burpees. Just to name a few. I don't like them and if I was forced to do them, I am stubborn enough to walk out in protest.

I've seen a lot of people posting on social media lately about how "not fun" fitness is or even the current FitFluential campaign of #dowhatyouhate. What the what? I get that in life we have to do many things that we don't like and don't want to do, but fitness is not and should never be one of them. You might be able to buy into that mentality for a time but it will only be temporary. Trust me on that. If you don't at least like it a little, forget about it!

On my client intake form two of my most important questions that I take into consideration when I build custom training plans is:

• What exercises will you absolutely not do or cannot do due to injury?
• What exercises would you like to make sure I include in your program?

There is so much diversity in fitness that the possibilities of things a person can do are almost endless. There is enough out there that you should never be doing something you really hate (I'm not talking about competitive athletes-sometimes they have to suck it up "for love of the game.")

Taking care of our bodies is a privilege. Every day that I get to move my body however I want to is a day I am grateful. As I get older I realize how important it is to take care of my body and I'm glad that I've been this way all of my adult life. Sure, there are many a morning when  I really would rather stay in bed than go hit the gym. But I know that if I didn't get up and get it done, I would regret it the rest of the day. I wouldn't have as much energy, my joints would be creaky (it's called 40) and I wouldn't feel as invigorated and focused to do what needs to be done. Yes, it takes time to make that a habit and the dedication to persevere through the transition phase.

If you hate it, if you don't have any fun doing it...you haven't found the right fitness activity for YOU! Keep looking, it's out there.

Social Media and the #FitGirl

Have you ever searched pinterest for "fit girl?" 

The images and links that come up are often demotivating, unrealistic and embarrassing (see image below). There are a ton of different types of fit girl images that I could speak on but for today's rant, I'm going to go with the one here. And I get that it's supposed to be humorous, but the fact is...it's gone beyond funny and unfortunately is a reality for many ladies.

Fit girls and food: Cheat meals. Donuts. Pizza. Pop Tarts. Nutella. Peanut Butter. Cupcakes. 

The images depict "fit girls" as women who go crazy with crappy food. Cheat meals are fine, I'm totally in agreement with that. But the kind of obsession with food that many of the (primarily younger) ladies are posting on social media is disturbing. Why?

It is not healthy to be fixated on food. It's not healthy to be like a junkie waiting for your next donut. If you are truly eating in moderation and have a balanced diet (where you are fully fed and you are not depriving your body of nutrients) then you shouldn't be so hard up for your cheat meal.

Deprivation leads to obsession. I am very "anti diet." You should never be "on a diet." Diets are just a cycle of lose and gain. No one is going to be "on a diet" for life. Find a way of eating that allows you to be balanced and not living for your next donut. And please, if you have daughters....this is not healthy behavior to teach them. (one of the reasons I stopped competing...didn't want to show mine the cycle of deprivation...not good.)

Pumpkin Spice Protein Pancakes

I love me some protein pancakes. So quick and easy and packed with PROTEIN! This particular protein pancake is my favorite nighttime, low carb snack that is on the sweet side. And it's super easy to make. No wacky ingredients.

1⃣ 1/2 cup Pumpkin Spice Muscle Egg, Egg Whites
2⃣1/4 cup fat free cottage cheese
3⃣ 2Tbsp pumpkin purée
4⃣1 scoop NDS Nutrition AmplifyXL Vanilla Flex
5⃣a few shakes of pumpkin pie spice
6⃣1tbsp sugar free Mrs Butterworth's

Throw it all in a magic bullet or blender, pour into pan, flip like pancake, EAT!! I didn't calculate the macros but it's around 30p and not much carbs or fat. (Sorry, I don't count stuff anymore.) If you want more protein you can increase the cottage cheese and/or AmplifyXL. 

Max Out Your Stepmill Experience

Okay, maybe the word "experience" is not going to quite cut it for you. Maybe it's survival or torture for you. I personally, love the step mill. There is something about the repetition of stepping that I find particularly soothing. Call me crazy.

The step mill is, in my opinion, the best piece of cardio equipment in the gym (or my garage, since I'm lucky like that). It is a great lower body and cardiovascular workout all in one. Although, please note, the step mill does not replace your lower body weight training. If you work the step mill properly, you can really maximize your time on it.

One thing I see on the step mills almost every time I'm in the gym is people doing it incorrectly: hanging on the hand rails, grasping the monitor and pulling on it, stepping only with their toes. The other thing I see is ladies who think doing some sort of leg kick back is going to help with glute development. It does not. And usually they are flinging their leg back which does absolutely nothing and because they often have to hang on the machine to keep balance, we have a lot of issues that are making the entire workout ineffective.

So how should you maximize your time on the stepmill?

• Do NOT hang on the handrails
• Stand up straight and do not bend over the machine
• Put as much of your foot on the step as possible
• Press through your heel to activate the glute muscles and really squeeze as you step through
• Don't go so fast that you can't focus on the muscles
• Do not "slap" the step with your feet. Your feet shouldn't make a ton of noise when they hit the step.

I took this video this morning during my stepmill time to demonstrate what proper stepping is. Obviously this is only from my "looking down" perspective so you can't see my posture but do take note of my foot position and that I'm placing as much of my foot on the step as possible. And there is no "pounding" of the feet. I almost always feel soreness in my glutes from my stepmill workouts.

Give these tips a try and see if you notice the difference in the way your body feels. And soon you will see the changes in the way your body looks too. Be consistent and be patient.

Ready for Change?

Are you ready to feel better, to have more energy, to rock whatever outfit you want? Fall is a perfect time to make lifestyle changes and create new habits that will give you lasting results. As summer winds down and we get back into our routines this time of year is a great time to commit to getting healthy and fit!

My online coaching programs are all completely personalized to the individual client, taking into consideration schedule, lifestyle, goals, etc. All programs include a custom nutrition plan with supplements recommended as desired by client. No supplements are ever required for my clients. Nutrition plans focus on eating whole, non processed foods and plenty of them! You will learn balance and portion control and how to work treat meals and social events into your fit lifestyle.

Training plans are also completely personalized to the client based on goals, current fitness level and, most importantly...enjoyment! If you don't like it, you won't do it long term. Let's find something you can enjoy!

All programs include a weekly check in and plan tweaks and changes. Premium coaching includes unlimited email access.

For more information and pricing contact: iriefitgirl@gmail.com

To Cleanse or Not to Cleanse?

I'm just going to say this right up front so you don't scan down to the last paragraph to find out how I feel about cleanses...I think they are the biggest scam and waste of money!!! Keep reading if you want to know why I feel this way and why it is my professional and educated opinion that you should not cleanse.

Think about it: health and fitness people make a ton of money by convincing you that you need to cleanse your system to get rid of toxins and lose weight. You need to do a cleanse so that all your internal organs, you digestive system all function optimally. They always...ALWAYS, every time...neglect to tell you that your body is already equipped with everything it needs to "cleanse" itself.

Your liver, kidneys and lungs are the primary organs that your body relies on to rid itself of toxins and harmful substances from our unnatural lifestyles (high intake of processed foods, alcohol and chemicals that we add to make things taste good). If you have a particularly unhealthy lifestyle in which you do not get much activity, you're not adequately hydrated and you're consuming "crappy" foods and beverages, then it's likely you are requiring your body's natural "detox" system to work harder than it should be.

This is not a complicated and expensive fix. It's quite easy, actually. You don't need to buy yourself the latest "cleanse" you see on Facebook to rid your body of the toxic things you've put into it. What you need to do is make some lifestyle changes. I know many people who do cleanses on a regular basis in an effort to minimize the effects of their bad habits that they remain unwilling to change.

If you're ready to start making some new habits into lifestyle changes that will help your body perform better and help your internal detoxification system function optimally, here's what you can do:

1. Hydrate! Drink at least 64oz of water each day, more if you can. I always encourage my clients to drink at least a gallon a day. It usually takes some time to build up to this and make it a habit, but once you do, your body will require it and that makes it easy.
2. Eliminate the processed crap! It doesn't have to be all-or-nothing, but it should be something that you only do on occasion. Your diet should be primarily made up of whole, non processed foods: lean proteins (like chicken, fish, shellfish, lean beef, egg whites), healthy fats (nuts, eggs, EVOO, coconut oil, avocado, salmon), whole grains, fruits and vegetables. 
3. Get active...SWEAT! Sweating is our body's natural way of detoxifying itself. Giving your body the opportunity to sweat on a regular basis is critical for eliminating toxins from the system. It is good for the skin, the immune system, the heart....and on and on! 

All or Nothing?

I was having coffee with a girlfriend this morning and she is working on getting back into her gym routine after some injuries. She's been struggling with finding the time in her schedule to get her workouts in. As we talked about her scheduling challenges she admitted that she felt unless she could spend 2 hours in the gym it wasn't worth her while. She had the "all in or all out" mentality.

Many people feel this way...or use this as an excuse why they can't get a workout in. But the reality is: something is always better than nothing. In fact, some of the best workouts are when you're on a tight timeline and you have to train with intensity and focus. You can get a killer workout in as little as 20 minutes. (If you don't know how to do that, hit me up for training programs)

Unless you are an athlete training for an event or a physique competitor preparing for a competition, you don't need to have the all or nothing mentality. Life is about being flexible and rolling with the punches. As all of us know, some days can take twists and turns we didn't expect and didn't schedule. That doesn't mean we have to allow it to derail us completely.

I highly recommend having a back up plan for a short, intense workout that can give you big bang for your buck. Often, when I have to get in and get out quickly, I get a lot done, I don't chat and I feel accomplished. Many of my training clients train 30 minutes or less, 5 days a week and get incredible results. Because they push hard and stay focused. There's always more than one way to do something.

Be flexible in your approach. Have several workouts that you can pull out for a variety of circumstances. And most of all, if you are going to be short on time, don't skip the gym altogether - just go hard and go home (or wherever you have to go!)

Pumpkin Pie Protein Bars

I'm trying really hard not to jump on the pumpkin bandwagon just yet but even though it's technically still summer, the cooler nights are setting in and it's starting to feel like fall. Today I was really craving my favorite clean eating fall dessert. Okay, these are not completely "clean", but they make a great substitute for a "naughty" dessert. This is the recipe exactly as I made them, with the exact brands and macronutrient breakdown for those products. If you use a different protein powder or use regular milk the breakdown will likely be different. I used Almond Breeze Almond Milk instead of regular cow's milk to drop the carb count for the recipe. These only last a few days in the fridge so eat 'em up fast and share with friends!

Ingredients:

Crust:
1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 Cup Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Butter, chilled & cubed

Blend ingredients in food processor or by hand until clumpy. Press mixture into greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 for 12 minutes.

While crust is baking...Bring to boil the following:
2 Cups Almond Breeze Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
1 Tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 Tsp Nutmeg
1 Tsp Cinnamon

Combine Milk mixture with:
5 Scoops Vanilla Flavored Protein Powder (Siren Labs Isolate)
3 Eggs (beaten)
2 Cups Pumpkin Puree (I used Organic canned pumpkin...Thanks Elaine!)

Pour pumpkin mixture over hot crust and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. Chill for at least 2 hours. Cut into 12 bars and serve! A little fat free Cool Whip is really good on top! ;)

Calories: 235
Fat: 10g
Carbohydrate: 23g
Protein: 14g

Keep It SIMPLE!

For the love of fitness, PLEASE, keep it simple!

The rise of #fitspo and the #fitfam is twisting fitness into this weird animal that it never needed to become. Every time I am in the gym I watch people doing weird exercises that are totally unnecessary and usually very ineffective, making them a complete waste or time...save for the calories burned.

All over social media you have fitness accounts displaying strange looking exercises that are said to get you into the shape of the bikini model demonstrating the exercise. And in gyms all over the world, you've got fitness enthusiasts and physique competitors mimicking these exercises.

First of all, it's great that they're doing any kind of exercise. That is always first and foremost. Anything that gets you to move is great. But many of these people are coming up with these weird exercises and then "selling" them through their online coaching programs. And the problem with that - they are not results based exercises.

The other problem is that these strange, and usually complex, exercises can be discouraging because

people don't know if they're doing it properly or they're worried about looking strange in the gym. After awhile they may give up in frustration and quit altogether.

The thing about fitness is this: It's SIMPLE. It's really simple. Don't overthink it. Don't overcomplicate it.

When you're doing cardio, you don't need to do weird little kick backs on the step mill or lunge on the treadmill or carry hand weights while you walk. I mean, you can, but it's not all that effective so it's entirely up to you. Some people get bored if they're not "cardio multi tasking"...so do what you gotta do.

When it comes to sculpting/shaping your body, that's what the weight room is for. Strength training exercises are often rather simple and there are a variety of reliable databases that can demonstrate proper execution of most exercises. My favorite site for this is bodybuilding.com. Focus on working big muscle groups and working multiple muscles with one exercise. The squat & press is my favorite example of this as it works almost every muscle in the body and can be done with bands, dumbbells, barbells...or soup cans.

The main point I want to drive home is that you don't need some complicated program to get results. You need a program that is manageable and fits into your lifestyle. You need to move and focus on big muscle groups. A simple strength training program with cardiovascular conditioning added in will get you great results. Don't fall for the latest "fitness gimmick."

Crock Pot Tortilla Soup

This is so perfect for fall!

I absolutely love crock pot cooking...throw a bunch of stuff in the crock pot and a few hours later you've got meals for days!

This is a family favorite and it always turns out a little different every time depending on what I throw in it.

2lbs Chicken Breasts
2 cups fat free, low sodium chicken broth
1/2 jar tomatillo salsa (the green stuff)
1 can diced jalepenos
2 cans fire roasted tomatoes
1 can black beans
1 can corn
1 packet taco seasoning
Juice of 1 lime
Corn Tortillas cut in small pieces - I usually use about a dozen small corn tortillas. My kids like it thick like a stew.

Throw everything in the crock pot and set for 4 hours on high. After 2 hours, add corn tortillas. At about 3 1/2 hours I remove the chicken breasts, shred with a fork and toss back into the crock pot for the remaining cooking time.

The kids like crushed tortilla chips on top. Garnish with cilantro, avocado, sour cream, etc.

How Bad Do You Want It?

As a former figure competitor, my social media news feeds are filled with other physique competitor and coach's fitness accounts. With the fall contest season in full swing, I am seeing a lot of posts about "not wanting it bad enough." It's a unique mentality and now that I've got a little distance from competing I see it with a new perspective.

Once upon a time, I shared the mentality that if you aren't willing to do the work, then you don't want it "that bad." Competing is a very big commitment and requires great sacrifice and dedication. It's not for everyone. And it shouldn't be for everyone. Competing requires giving up most of your social life and free time in exchange for training, eating, sleeping and posing. It is draining physically, mentally and emotionally. It is a selfish hobby that requires one to completely focus on themselves and their physique. Been there, done that...20 times.

Well, yesterday I was in the gym doing my usual Wednesday leg workout and my body was tired. There was no "go" in me and in the midst of that workout I was relieved that I was not in training for anything specific and if I wanted to walk out of the gym at any given moment, I could. As I was thinking about this, I recalled the social media comments about "not wanting it bad enough" and I realized that this kind of mentality from coaches gives people who are just wanting to be more fit, stronger and healthier, the feeling that if they give anything less than 100%, they don't want it bad enough. (Side bar: ironically, many of the coaches saying this are those who use and advise their clients to use physique enhancing drugs...that's another post entirely.)

How discouraging!

I was contemplating how the rest of my workout was going to go down - would I cut out early, would I do a little light cardio or would I push myself through it because "I want it bad enough?" I do want it bad enough and I have learned that listening to my body is far more important than listening to the voice that says I have to keep pushing if I am going to be great. Greatness is not something you get by forcing your body to do things it doesn't want to do. All of that pushing and extreme training/dieting can have severe repercussions. (Trust me, I know!)

So how bad do you want it? How bad do you want balance? How bad do you want to be healthy? How bad do you want to be in good condition as you make your journey through life? How bad do you want to feel good in your own skin?

If you "want it that bad" you need to be smart. You need to listen to your body and not the voices of people who haven't yet dealt with the cost they will have to pay from pushing their bodies to the extreme. For what reward? No one else really cares what our bodies look like. You have to live with and in your body. Be smart.

Yesterday, I wanted rest. And let me tell you...I wanted it "bad enough" to leave the gym early. Not a single regret was had and I feel fabulous today.

Siren Labs Protein Pancakes

Protein pancakes are pretty popular among fitness enthusiasts these days. There are so many different concoctions you can find out there these days. I think I started making mine about 6 years ago. One of the things that I see a lot these days with protein pancakes is they lack whole foods and are primarily made up of special order products filled with lots of artificial crap. Yes, it's crap...but that's another post.

The best thing you can do for your metabolism is make it work by giving it real food that requires more energy to digest.

The great thing about these pancakes is that they are loaded with protein and aside from the protein powder, all other ingredients are whole foods.

6 egg whites (I crack 'em)
1 scoop Siren Labs Vanilla Ice Cream Isolate
1/2 cup dry oats
1/4 cup fat free cottage cheese
1tsp baking powder
1Tbsp CapTri MCT Oil
Dash of Costco's Saigon Cinnamon - nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice would be good too

The batter is pretty runny, so it makes crepe-like pancakes, which I
happen to LOVE, so it was all good with me. If you prefer a thicker batter, you can add more oats or reduce the egg whites to 4. This recipe made 4 plate-sized pancakes. I used sugar-free maple syrup on top. YUM!!!

New Beginnings

My favorite thing about fall is that it has always seemed like a time of new beginnings. 

As a child, it was the start of a new school year....new teachers, new friends, new school supplies (c'mon, you know that was one of your favorite things). Now, as an adult and mom, it feels quite the same. New routines, new habits, new beginnings. 

When my kids go back to school I feel like it's a great time for me to set new personal goals, new GOOD habits that I had excused away all summer. 

Fall is a great time to embrace routine and structure to make new habits and lose bad habits. If you've been wanting to start that new workout program, start eating breakfast, quit drinking wine every night, be more active, get more sleep...

The best time for new beginnings is NOW!!