Why I don't believe in New Year Resolutions....AND my solution to reach your goals!

It's that time, where everyone starts to think about New Year's Resolutions. And I simply don't do them. I don't believe in New Year's resolutions...mostly because I never stick to them. Just being honest...And why set yourself up to continue down the same cycle over and over again? What I do believe in is finding something that works over time. Something that you can stick with and that is a lifestyle change. Not a quick fix.

I always get asked how I got the results I did. The truth. I showed up everyday. And still do. Some days are better than others, some months better than others, but each day I have a plan to follow. I have tools that I have learned and motivation from my coaches and clients to keep me going.

I share this because it's not a 3 day program, a 15 day program or a 28 day program. Its the mindset that you want to be healthier and the ability to get up each morning to try. That is it.

What can you do to be successful this year?  Follow the P.A.S.T. approach. 

1) PLAN. Come up with a plan for the next month. If that seems too overwhelming make a plan for the next week. Take it one step at a time. Even if you have to do it day by day. 

2) ARRANGE YOUR ENVIRONMENT. Having a space to execute your plan is key. Clean your office. Set out your workout clothes the night before. Move your alarm to the other side of the room...and clean your room. Decluttering and organizing will help you get motivated and stay motivated. 

3) STICK TO ONE THING. Don't take on the world. Even though you can, you will be more successful trying one thing at a time. Maybe it's getting up 10 minutes earlier. OR doing 3 workouts a week instead of 7.  Set yourself to be able to achieve your goals.  For me, its having a space to workout out in at home as well as 30 minute workouts. Nothing more. 

4) TOO EASY TO FAIL.  Make sure you don't fail. Period. Find an accountability partner. Share you progress. Write things down.  I am using the "Goal Getter" journal to keep me on track and my fitness group to keep me accountable. We check in everyday. No excuses. 

My most important tip is to know where you are in life. It's OK not to run a marathon, or have a color-coded meal planning sheet. Do what makes sense for you. Maybe its a simple as eating more vegetables. Or taking a walk daily. Make your goals what you need. 

Hope you have a happy New Year!!

5 Tips for a Healthy Holiday!

Happy Holiday week! I can't believe Christmas is THIS week! Here are my top 5 tips for staying healthy this holiday!! 

1) Remember Christmas (and New Year's) is one day.   Not one month. Try to plan your week around the holidays so you can enjoy them! (And stick to your goals at Holiday Happy Hours!) 2) Create some new "healthy" traditions mixed in with your classic ones. (My cookie makeover recipes are up on the blog!)  3) Allow yourself some downtime. (I am reminding myself this as a type this.) It's important to enjoy the moment. I have been doing yoga once a week and on days when I can't fit in a workout do a quick 10 minute session. (You can access a full  month yoga routines here for free!) 4) Be real. Saying you are going to lose 20lbs in 2 weeks or completely avoid all sugar is not realistic. The more you deny yourself, the more likely you are to eat that entire plate of cookies the next day. Even out your cookies with some crunches or better yet some crunches and carrots! (Sneak in some simple holiday vegetable side dishes!) 5) Have a plan.  If you know me well, you know I am a planner. So I have my workouts planned the next two weeks AND I have my January plan in place. So I can celebrate now and not have to worry about what I am going to do come January 2 later! (Check out the Health Bet details for more info!) A PERFECT, easy plan, that pays you to reach your goals!!! I hope you and your family have a happy and healthy holiday!

3 EASY No Bake Holiday Treats!

Not sure about you but I can't believe Christmas is less than a week away! Because our schedule has not let up, I discovered some easy, no bake healthy holiday treats.  I managed to whip these up in less than an hour (probably less if you take away 2 toddlers...lol...There may or may not have been a peppermint extract incident all over the floor!!!

Coconut Oat Power Bites (I put these in the freezer for a mid-afternoon treat!)

Chocolate Peppermint Power Protein Cookies (These cookies freeze well also. Add a little extra water at the end to make them stick!) I made them into balls but you can flatten them to give a more traditional cookie look. 

Coconut Delights (These are undecorated in the pic but you can drizzle chocolate and sprinkles for a festive treat!) No sugar. No dairy. No gluten. Yes!

Happy baking!

Holiday Wish List --> The "FIT" List!

Better late than never. For all of you that are out shopping this weekend, here is some "fitspiration" for you or your loved ones that want to start the new year off right! These are some of my personal favorites and go to healthy inspiration!

1) Fitbit - I recently got one of these from work and its AWESOME. I love that it tracks your heartrate the most...but honestly it also tracks your sleep...which is great, but it tells me I need ALOT more!

2) Old Navy Graphic Tanks - These have been my go to tanks lately. They are super cheap ($8 bucks or less) and have all kinds of sayings. They switch them out all the time!

3) New Kicks - These were in one of my Nordstrom carts a while ago but I coudn't justify the price. Now they are on sale! Happy Holidays to me!

4) 100 Days of Real Food (Family Style!) - Our family loves the first cookbook in the series. All the recipes are SUPER easy. I can't wait to try this one!

5) Swell Water Bottle - This is the cadiallac water bottle. It holds your beverages hot or cold for 24 hours. No excuses to get that water in!

6) Spiralizer - We make zoodles all the time with this. Super easy and very reasonably priced.

7) Fringe Fighter Head Band - For those days when you really need a good hair day!

8) Old Navy Compression Pants - Old Navy again with the compression pants. They are AWESOME. Fit amazing and usually are under $20! They have super cute styles too!

9) Motivational Workout Socks - Of course Target would have these. Give you morning workout a kick!

10) Personal Coach + 350 Streaming Online Workouts! This is the gift that changed my life. (I actually used my birthday money and not christmas to try these workouts...) Fast forward a year and a half and I have never looked back. The best part. Try the workouts for 30 days for free. Personal training + coach + 350 workouts. Its like Netflix for your favorite ab moves, cardio days and even yoga and pilates! Give the gift of fitness to yourself or a friend!  (Oh and p.s. you can stream it on your smart TV and sync it with your apple watch!!!)

Holiday Wish List --> My Favorites! 🎄

Happy Holidays! I am not sure about you but the spirit of the season is in full swing! I am kicking off my holiday wish list guide with some of my personal favorites! I'll be sharing my toddler pics and fitness favorites later this week so make sure to check back! I hope this inspires you for some awesome gift giving! 

1) Goal Getter Fitness Journal - This journal is great for your fit friends, or those who just like a really cool calendar. I hope Santa brings me this one!

2) Snack Bowls - I am a sucker for cute dishes. These have a holiday flare but are great all year round. (And at $3.95 a piece, they are even better!)

3) Mantra Band - I give my superstar coaches these and you can never have too many. I just love the sayings. Great for stocking stuffers or a good friend. 

4) Best Black Pants Ever - My best friend bought these to trek around Japan in and they held up amazing and are super cute. Black pants are the staple to everything! And those pockets!

5) Paleo Kids Cookbook - We try to be as clean as possible when it comes to eating. This cookbook is jam-packed with fun and easy kid friendly recipes that won't break the bank and that you can make on a weeknight.

6) Kendra Scott Earrings - I pretty much just love these. They come in all different colors. Perfect for winter, spring, summer, and fall!

7) Find your Happy - Daily Mantras - Lately I have been very into my morning routine and focusing on setting a positive attitude in the morning. These daily mantras and inspirational stories will give you the jump start you need.

8) Zella EveryDay Leggings - You knew I would have leggings on my list, right?!?! Zella is awsome. Very reasonable and durable.

9) Fit Bit Band - I recently got a new Fit Bit HR2 from work which I love. The cool part is they have very fashionable exchangeable bands that you can collect so no one even knows you have a Fit Bit on. Rose Gold please!

DIY "Sugar Free" Holiday Advent Calendar 🎄

Hello December! As a kid we used to always grow up waking up on December 1st with an advent calendar from my Grandma. I was so excited to continue the tradition with the girls this year now that they are a little older....I wanted to the tradition to be a mix of fun and a little bit of "giving back" for the season so they grow up understanding that it's not all about gifts and candy. I came up with this "sugar free" version that is 100% customizable every year!

MATERIALS NEEDED:

- Scarf hanger from Ikea (similar)

- Gift tags (mine are from Target)

- Sharpie (or permanent marker)

- Small ornaments

INSTRUCTIONS:

Start with the gift tags and number them 1 - 25.  Then on the back create your custom message or activity for the day. Mine were a mix of holiday traditions and some new "giving back" themes. 

Then simply tie the tag onto the scarf hanger with your ornaments. Each day we turn over 1 tag and one ornament. Pretty easy right? The best part is you can use this year after year OR change it up with different messages and ornaments. 

Here is to a happy and healthy December!!