Thanksgiving workout, keep fighting the holiday bulge

Hey all,

With Thanksgiving tomorrow I thought I would help you stay on track and beat that holiday bulge! Try this out, there is no equipment needed so you can do it everywhere and anywhere, with anyone! Get the whole family involved!

Enjoy and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

xo 

Ready to Succeed this Holiday Season! Free 5 Day Clean Eating Challenge!

Alright folks it's time to #jumpstart those #resolutionsit's time to say that you reached your #fitness #goalsand then beat them! I'm hosting a COMPLETELY FREE 5 day clean eating challenge starting Dec 1st. It will give you all the tools to #succeed including a #grocerylist day to day #mealplan daily #motivation and a #community to help you stay on track! I am only excepting 10 people and 2 slots have already been filled. Please message me or write your e-mail below.

Quick and healthy snack that you can take anywhere with you

Hey all you health addicts,

I hope you are gearing up and preparing for battle with these awesome holiday parties and of course Thanksgiving coming up. All those yummy treats and awesome dinners your families will be making. I have already posted some tips that can help you stay on track with your fitness goals, today I want to share with you this awesome snack that I have found.

This quick, easy, and healthy snack is called Shakeology! I have been using it for about two weeks now and I am loving it. I am always on the go and when I get home to walk my pup I'm starving, but I know that I'm going to eat dinner soon with my man. I don't want to eat anything too big so this is the perfect amount of nutrition and calories!

Let me tell you more about the product! It helps you lose weight, it helps you detour from junk food because you will feel full and satisfied with this one drink, helps increase your energy, and improves digestions and regularity.

It does this because it is loaded with 70 super nutrients:

• Proteins, vitamins and minerals which help reduce hunger and cravings.  
• Antioxidants and phytonutrients that help to detoxify and protect the body against free radical damage. 
• Adaptogen herbs to help increase and combat stress
• Prebiotics, probiotics, fiber and digestive enzymes to help with digestion and promote regulairty

This drink will make you feel fuller for longer and this means that you will be less likely to snack. This also means feeling more energized for your day! :)

I have tasted plenty of shakes in my day, and let me tell you this one actually tastes good! I have the chocolate vegan, and it is so yummy! Not all of the flavors are vegan, but I prefer it when given the choice. Also, the site offers tons of recipes that I can't wait to try. This is now a part of my daily ritual! My family and friends are excited to try it out and I think that it makes for a great christmas present as well.

I am always trying to think of healthy gifts to give. I want to spread health and fitness and this is a great way to do it! If you have more questions or want to try it out please visit my website.

This is such a wonderful product and I am so happy to be a part of it! I hope that if you are having troubles trying to make a healthy snack or are always on the go and don't have time for it that you will give this a shot!

Until next time..

Pistols..Out xo

11/12 Leg day, HIIT, and Abs

Hey everyone,

I hope you are doing great and sticking with those fitness goals. I know with the holiday season it can be hard. You just have to stay focused and be firm about your goals. If you missed it, I did a post on how to keep the weight off for the holidays check it out!

Here is my workout for today, feel free to try it out! That is why I post! :)

HIIT training: 6x

• Thrusters 30 sec 
• Rest 1 min 
• Jumping Lunges 30 sec 
• Rest 1 min 

Abs: 

• Bicycle 30 sec 
• Rest 30 sec 
• Sit up V 1 min 
• Rest 20 sec 
• Spiderman climber 30 sec 
• Rest 30 sec 
• Plank Fail 

Legs: 

• BB Squats 3x10-12
• Hex Bar Squats 3x8-10
• Leg Press 4x12-15
• Lying leg curls 4x10-12 
• BB Box step up to curtsy squat 3x10-12 

How to keep the weight off during the holiday season

Hi everyone, 

I hope you had a great weekend and you are well rested and ready for a new week! The holiday season is rapidly approaching and the next time you blink it will be here. For most of us we know that the over eating is about to come in the form of a huge tidal wave. It is cold outside, we are jolly, surrounded by family and friends that we feel completely comfortable around. 

During this time of the year the average person will gain 7-10 pounds. Not a good way to go into that new years resolution, you keep repeating every year hoping that this year will be different. Instead of waiting for January 1st to begin your new path, to a sexier version of yourself, why don't you start right now?! 

I want to help you get through these holiday festivities and stay committed to your health. Below are 7 tips that can help you. 

1. Choose Success 

If you think you can do it, you will do it. Our will power is so strong you just have to want it badly enough. Good thoughts are followed by good actions. You need to make a consciously decision to remain fully committed to your fitness plans through the holidays. Don't even contemplate failure, the second you give in it can end up leading to a downward spiral, and next thing you know you have downed 6 chocolate chip cookies and are about to start on the peanut butter. You have to think it, own it, and stick to it. 

This is a choice you are making, how badly do you want to reach your fitness goals, or simply how happy would you be if you came out at the end the same weight you are now! Choose carefully, and think who you are doing this for, the most important person you know, YOURSELF! ;) 

2. Never Attend a Party Hungry

Arriving at a gathering with many tempting food choices when you are famished is dangerous! In order to not over indulge or be stuck eating some processed garbage you don't really want to be eating, plan ahead.  Make sure you are eating 5-6 small, healthy, well-balanced meals each day. Make sure you eat one of those small meals or have a protein shake about 30-60 minutes before attending a holiday get-together, even if the get-together is a meal! This will help you eat less, and become fuller faster! :) 

The idea here is that you will be far less likely to overindulge and you won't be inclined to eat everything in sight. With both your appetite and conscience in check, you'll find greater enjoyment and satisfaction in the modest amount of food and drink that you do consume. 

3.

3. You Can't "BANK" Your Calories 

This is not a thing, and this is not how your body works. You simply CANNOT starve yourself all day, planning on eating whatever you want at the party you are going to that evening, and expecting there not to be any consequences. Your body is a machine and it needs fuel! If you starve yourself in anticipation of overindulging, you'll ENSURE storing every single morsel as the horrid three letter word..... FAT. Make sure you are intaking those 5-6 meals everyday, and again if you need to just grab a protein shake before you head out. 

4. Find the Real Food (aka Fruits and Veggie trays) 

Every holiday spread includes some kind of fresh fruit or vegetable tray. Locate these yummy and nutritious foods and fill your plate up first with veggies and then on your next round fill up with fruit. Oh yeah and if you are wondering about that dip, just stay away. The bulk and water in the veggies will quell your appetite and you will be less able to eat as much "junk."

%5

5. Hydrate with H20

Before grabbing an alcoholic drink OR make a beeline for the buffet table, get a glass of good ole H20 and sip on that first.

Good Rule Of Thumb: For every glass of wine or holiday "treat" that you consume, drink one glass of water.

The water will keep you rather full and will definitely curb your desire to over-indulge in food or drink. Just make sure that you locate the restroom early in the evening!

6. Bring Eucalyptus

Yes, you read that correctly, I said Eucalyptus! It's true... if all else fails and you're having a hard time making good decisions at a party, suck on a sugar-free Halls Eucalyptus drop. I can assure you... absolutely NOTHING tastes good after having that flavor in your mouth! Especially cheesecake.

7. Keep Your Eye on the Prize 

Plan your training sessions every week! You can even try a new plan, there are plenty of classes, gyms, challenges you can join. You can even workout in the comfort of your own home! Check out this site for awesome deals on at home workouts. Treat your workouts as a regular appointment that you cannot and will not miss. Book yourself in your calendar, with an alarm. If you remain consistent with your training, you will enjoy an elevated mood and have MUCH more energy for holiday shopping and happy gatherings.

Finally, January 1, 2007 WILL Arrive... and I can promise you this: It will be much harder to get back into your training routine after the New Year, than it is to remain committed right now. Your personal fitness goals need not be a casualty of the season. 

Alright team! Now it is up to you! I believe in you and you can do it! Let's all work on it and you will be happy knowing that you have a team of people behind you, supporting you! Keep on training, plan ahead and be reasonable. 

Until next time...

Pistols...Out! xoxo

Flu Fighting Foods

Hello Everyone, 

Hope you are all doing well! I've been super busy with my new move, things are still a little crazy and we have no internet so I haven't been able to blog as often as I'd like, but I'm trying to get them in. None the less... are you trying to keep it healthy this season?! Check out these awesome flu fighting foods! 

Mushrooms 

Mushrooms used to get overlooked as a health food, but they possess two big weapons you need this flu season: selenium, which helps white blood cells produce cytokines that clear sickness, and beta glucan, an antimicrobial type of fiber, which helps activate “superhero” cells that find and destroy infections.

One of the best ways to ward off any flu is to build up your overall immunity. Dave Grotto, author of "101 Foods That Could Save Your Life," reveals 9 foods in addition to mushrooms that provide top doses of the vitamins and nutrients you need to protect and defend against illness. Click the arrows above to see more.

Fresh garlic 

Strong-smelling foods like garlic can stink out sickness thanks to the phytochemical allicin, an antimicrobial compound. A British study found that people taking allicin supplements suffered 46 percent fewer colds and recovered faster from the ones they did get. So start cooking with it daily — experts recommend two fresh cloves a day.

Wild-caught salmon 

In a recent study, participants with the lowest levels of vitamin D were about 40 percent more likely to report a recent respiratory infection than those with higher levels of vitamin D. Increase your intake with salmon. A 3.5-ounce serving provides 360 IU, and some experts recommend as much as 800 to 1000 IU each day.

Tea 

Researchers at Harvard University found that drinking five cups of black tea a day quadrupled the body’s immune defense system after two weeks, probably because of theanine. Tea also contains catechins, including ECGC, which act like a cleanup crew against free radicals. Grotto suggests drinking one to three cups of black, green or white tea every day.

Yogurt 

The digestive tract is one of your biggest immune organs, so keep disease-causing germs out with probiotics and prebiotics, found in naturally fermented foods like yogurt. One serving a day labeled with “live and active cultures” will enhance immune function according to a study from the University of Vienna in Austria.

Dark chocolate 

Nutrition experts agree that dark chocolate deserves a place in healthy diets, and a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition says it can boost your immunity, too. High doses of cocoa support T-helper cells, which increase the immune system’s ability to defend against infection. Sweet!

Oysters 

Zinc is critical for the immune system — it rallies the troops, or white blood cells, to attack bacteria and viruses like flu or cold. One medium oyster provides nearly all of the zinc you need for a day, while a portion of six gives you over five times the recommended amount.

Almonds 

Heart-healthy almonds provide the immune-boosting antioxidant vitamin E, which can reduce your chance of catching colds and developing respiratory infections according to researchers at Tufts University. You’ll need more than a serving of almonds for your daily dose though, so try fortified cereals, sunflower seeds, turnip greens and wheat germ, too.

Strawberries 

Even though vitamin C-rich foods (hello, oranges!) are probably the first thing you think of when you feel a cold taking hold, Grotto says the illness-preventing power of that antioxidant is debatable. That said, some studies show it can reduce the intensity and duration of cold and flu, so it’s worth a try. One cup of strawberries provides 160 percent of your daily needs.

Sweet potato 

Beta-carotene improves your body’s defenses. It’s instrumental in the growth and development of immune system cells and helps neutralize harmful toxins. Sweet potatoes and other orange foods like carrots, squash, pumpkin, egg yolks and cantaloupe are top sources.

 Enjoy and stay healthy! 

:)