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Hey fam! I wanted to share with you all my most recent “personal journey” I have embarked upon, 100 days of Yoga. I did something similar in the past that I referred to as 100 days of happy. When I began 100 days of happy is when I began a gratitude journal. Journaling every morning is something that has completely shifted my mindset and created great change in my life. Now, I cannot imagine beginning my day any other way. As of recent I have been thinking, “what else can I incorporate into my wellness journey that can cultivate rewarding benefits? ” Well, I have decided to see if yoga may just be that answer. I have incorporated yoga off and on over the last year, but by no means has it been practiced consistently (even when I had the greatest of intentions). This time around incorporating a session everyday will be a priority.

If you know me at all, you know that I love Science. Don’t think for one second that I didn’t log into my school’s library to read scholarly journals supporting the benefits of yoga based on scientific studies. To begin, I immediately went for the articles regarding yoga and its benefits for greater muscle strength and endurance, flexibility and cardio-respiratory fitness (of course), but then my mind was blown away with all of the benefits in so many other aspects of life. I really didn’t know much about yoga. I knew that it was great for flexibility and I was aware of the strength it requires, but other than that I have never expanded my mind and read about its many benefits. I won’t go into the details here but I encourage you all to read about its benefits (those far beyond the mat). These things encouraged me to add another 100-day journey to my list, and I am stoked to get started!

As far as where and when I will practice, it will be varied depending on scheduling. I have followed along with friends using apps and YouTube, which have been great previously at being descriptive and easy to follow, but having an instructor in a classroom ensures expert guidance. I have several friends here in Vegas that teach so a good mix of both is the plan- whenever I can get it in.

Today, being that it is the beginning of a new month, marked day number 1. I followed along with a beginners yoga video from Youtube this evening with basic (and familiar) movements that allowed for an easy and relaxing introduction to my journey.

 

After my first session, I took it outside and worked on inversions. Headstands and handstands have been something that I have incorporated into my training since my CrossFit days first began. I love being inverted and overhead strength and mobility have always been my strong point (although I still can’t handstand walk to save my life, a fear I really need to work out).

Views from inversion 🙂
Upside down hamstring stretches 🙂

 

I find when I incorporate yoga, mobility sessions, lengthier warm-ups, make more time for recovery, and better nutritional choices my body appreciates the acknowledgment, and less pain is the reward. It seems so basic right? And really it is. It doesn’t require science to understand the why’s, but it does require mindfulness: being mindful of how my body feels and reacting accordingly. My hope is that incorporating the practice of yoga into my daily routine will bring more awareness to my present moments. Whether it be being more mindful of my physical well-being, or simply create another moment in the day to unplug, I embrace the journey.

Follow along as I journey 100 days in search of another amazing shift in my life.

If you are new here, hello and welcome! Thanks for stopping in! Please check out my “about me” heading to grab a quick introduction.

 

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Hey, fam! Well, it’s been 8-weeks since I checked in with you all, and the F45 8-Week Challenge has officially wrapped! In celebration, I met up with everyone for kickball in the park yesterday. It was such a beautiful day and we couldn’t have had more fun! I will brag about our team winning because let me tell you, it was a hell of a game and we earned bragging rights! What made the day even greater, my 8-week challenge team won as well!! My team brought it throughout this challenge, and two of my challengers won overall and another took third place. Everyone, however, felt they had made great improvements in their fitness, and gained a better understanding of nutrition, so win-win!

Personally, I feel I met some personal goals with this challenge as well. I challenged myself at the beginning to make it a point to workout more alongside my teammates, as opposed to only coaching them. This approach not only helped me build better personal relationships with my teammates, but with all of the gym members. Another bonus, all of the extra class time helped me drop a few LB’s as well.

 

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Hey guys! The F45 8-Week Challenge is back!!! Our gym decided to shake things up this time around and create challenge teams, so I volunteered to lead one of the teams, which should be a great deal of fun!

Since coming back from vacation (a good two months now), my workouts have been on point. Clarissa and I are still smashing CrossFit Metcons, following program, and hitting up  several F45 sessions each week. My back pain and elbow pain still flare up a good bit, so weights at times are kept a bit lower, but the intensity is always there. While my nutrition has been fairly clean, the weekends have been quite the free for all, so leading this team is great motivation to maybe dial it in a bit more, and attend more classes alongside my team members.

Monday began day 1. While this 8-weeks isn’t about weight loss for me, I had my In-body scan completed along with updated photos, to share with you all where I  am currently in terms of body fat and aesthetics.

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I am currently sitting at 19.7% body fat. Tell the old me these numbers and I might just have a mini-meltdown; however, nowadays I am not so much caught up in the “totals.” While I do have a little layer of cushion going on, I still feel good. I look in the mirror and I am absolutely okay with what I see. We are only halfway through summer though, so if leaning out a bit more over the next 8-weeks is reward of leading a team, I can handle shedding a couple of lbs,

The F45 Challenge offers an incredible meal plan with calorie suggestions; however, I will continue to macro-track. This is the approach that I prefer for my clients and works best for me. Not a whole lot will change with my diet. I am using this challenge as more of a platform to build greater relationships, but it does help create more mindful eating patterns for yourself when those around you are being a bit more strict.

Below I have given you a rundown of what a typical day for me regarding nutrition looks like. My breakfast is consistent: shredded potatoes mixed with riced cauliflower and bell peppers, a side of egg beaters topped with avocado and hot sauce, and a green smoothie.
For my smoothie I use almond milk, yogurt, spinach and Super Greens. The challenge calls for no caffeine the first 2-weeks (this is part of the 2-week detox), but for me- cutting back from 3 cups a day to 1 with breakfast is considered great progress!

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Lunch is typically broccoli or bell peppers mixed with a starchier carb such as rice or potatoes: beans or fish for protein: and avocado for fat.

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Dinner is usually determined by lunch. If I have fish for lunch then I will skip the salmon and opt for eggs or edamame. If I have potatoes for lunch I will have rice instead (or vise Versa), and fats almost always come from olive oil for sautéing.

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As for snacks, I have about 3 green smoothies a day. I have one with breakfast and two scattered throughout the day that includes protein powder. If it’s a pre-workout smoothie, I will include BCAA’s and if it’s a post-workout smoothie, I will include coconut water (or tropical fruit).

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Thanks so much for taking the time to stop in. I invite you to subscribe and follow along throughout my wellness journey.

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Hey guys! Jumping right into today’s post, I want to address some questions that I frequently get asked regarding my vegetarian journey.

  1. Do you eat any meat at all? What type of vegetarian are you?
    Technically speaking (giggles), I am considered to be a lacto-ovo-pescatarian. That’s a mouthful, and that is why I just deem myself “vegetarian” unless someone wants specifics. This means that I eat some dairy (yogurt, cheese and the occasional chocolate milk following a workout), eggs, and fish.
  2. How long have you been vegetarian?
    It’s been a fairly slow and steady process over the last few years. I cut out red meat and pork a couple of years ago, and I decided to cut out all other forms of meat 13 months ago.
  3. Do you ever want to eat meat? Have you had any slip ups or “surprise” meat dishes?
    I have had chicken probably a total of 5 times over the last year. This was by choice, and not necessarily because I had a “meat craving,” but because my body felt extremely fatigued, and I was having excessive bruising. This led me to believe that I was lacking in iron, and unfortunately spinach, seeds and lentils (typically good sources of iron), weren’t doing the trick.  I found however I didn’t enjoy the texture or the flavor of chicken once re-introduced. I did have a huge craving for red meat just about a month ago. I actually planned on eating a Five Guys burger for my birthday when on vacation, but ended up passing.
  4. Why did you decide to become a vegetarian?
    I think people often assume it has to do with a love of animals. Don’t get me wrong, if I had a pasture of cows, or a yard full of chickens, I probably couldn’t feed them, see them everyday, and then turn around and serve them up for dinner; however cruelty to animals wasn’t my first deciding factor. I cut out pork years ago because of the mere fact that I think pigs are disgusting animals (I am absolutely certain that someone will DM me with lots of kind words over that one), but that is my truth. The real deciding factor for me came about when I was doing research for school. Most of my followers know, but if you’re new to my blog (hello, welcome, and thanks for stopping in), I am a dietetics student focusing on sports nutrition, and am obsessed with the power of food. After numerous studies, I decided that a vegetarian diet may be a good suit for me. I have had sensitivities to numerous foods over the years and once I adjusted to this way of eating, it seemed to work well for me.
  5. Do you think that a vegetarian diet would work well for everyone?
    You have to ask yourself the most important question when it comes to determining  if this lifestyle would work for you, “do you love vegetables?” I mean really. love. vegetables. If you would have asked me this question 7 or 8 years ago my answer would have been completely different than what it is now. Personally, yes, I love vegetables! I mean I really. love. vegetables: broccoli, zucchini, cauliflower, eggplant, carrots, sprouts, asparagus, peppers, and the list goes on. All of it. I love all of it. I think people often get the misconception that vegetarians fill up on carbs in the forms of breads, fruits, and pastas. While yes, I do occasionally include these within my meals, people often take for granted that vegetables are carbs too.
  6. What are your forms of protein? Do you find it hard to get in enough protein?
    I mostly rely on eggs (primarily egg whites), and fish. I eat eggs every single day, usually twice a day (at least), and I allow for fish about three times a week. I eat a lot of rice and beans, which most people don’t know make for a complete, well-rounded protein. Many vegetables contain a lot of protein as well. If I were under the age of 30 I wouldn’t worry so much with adding in additional protein, but now that I am at an age where protein intake is extremely important, I typically have 1-2 protein shakes  per day.
  7. Do you find that you get bored with a vegetarian diet?
    In fact, for me it’s the complete opposite. I feel that my choices are endless; however, this leads back to the fact that I love vegetables.
  8. Do you eat Tofu, veggie burgers, and imitation meat products?
    I will occasionally eat Tofu if I order out, but I haven’t mastered cooking it myself quite yet. I recently saved some recipes on Pinterest for the air fryer, so fingers crossed I can find some tasty methods. I love Veggie Burgers! Again, this is when dining out though. I have found that most sit-down dining restaurants (at least in Vegas), offer a veggie burger of some kind. I typically choose this option if available on the menu, but I don’t usually prepare them at home. When I first transitioned into this way of eating, I did find myself eating frozen veggie patties, imitation chicken, and soy burgers; however, over the last few months I have cut these things out. The taste was great, but the sodium content was usually insane.
  9. Is it hard to find vegetarian options when eating out?
    Luckily, I live in Las Vegas where more healthier options are available, compared to other locations across the map (for instance when I headed down south to Alabama). Dine in restaurants sometimes offer some sort vegetarian option, but I can almost always create vegetable plate out of a menu’s side options. Unfortunately, fast food is where it gets tricky. A non-vegetarian diet is a bit easier for fast food. You can almost always find a grilled chicken sandwich on the menu, but a veggie burger isn’t usually an option. A lot of fast food joints offer salads, but more often than not, they are made up of Iceberg lettuce, and (if you’re lucky) will have a couple of grape tomatoes and a cucumber slice. Not my idea of a complete, well-balanced meal.
  10. Is it hard to go to social gatherings that include eating or pot-lucks?
    It can be, sure. I will usually take something that I feel everyone will like as well, but also something that I know I can depend on if there aren’t more options. You can almost always count on someone bringing a veggie tray, or a fruit tray. Bottom line, this is a way of life that I have adopted and it works well for me. I am not the type of person that will put a damper on someone else’s plans because the menu doesn’t cater to my lifestyle.I really enjoy the foods that I eat. I feel satisfied, I feel adequately fueled, and I feel better than I have ever felt. Will I follow this approach to eating forever? I don’t know. It works well for me now and that’s what I have to go by.

    Thanks for stopping in! If you have some banging veggie recipes, feel free to shoot them my way!

     

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Hey guys! Today marks one week since being back from vacation, which means my summer shredding series has officially wrapped! I wanted to share with you all what our cross country road trip looked like: the foods, the workouts, and the indulgences.

One can only eat so healthy while on the road without packing a lunchbox of prepped meals. Here are a few snips of some of the on-the-go snacks I had on our drive.

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coconut clusters paired with a iced latte (almond milk and sugar-free vanilla) from Starbucks, kale chips with a sugar-free Monster, hard boiled eggs and a veggie cup (tomatoes and broccoli)

While I was never a big fan of Subway when I was a meat eater, I’ve found that since turning to more of a plant-based diet, I do occasionally enjoy a good veggie sub; fortunately, there are more subway restaurants attached to gas stations than any other on-the-go eatery. Needless to say, Subway was my go-to. I took along a bag of corn tortillas as well, and would eat half of the sub on bread, then toss the bread and opt for tortillas for the other half.

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Finally, after driving 2000 miles, we found our way to the beach.

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I always get asked what I drink when I have a night out. In this case, a day out. Seeing that we were at the beach, I did indulge in a skinny margarita that paired perfectly with my mahi tacos (minus the tortillas and rice). Typically, I only drink vodka and soda or Prosecco, but when at the beach, one must indulge a bit.

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The highlight of our trip to Florida was definitely seeing my bestie. She and I trained together religiously before Wes and I left Florida to head to Korea. She recently began coaching as well, and while I would loved to have taken her class, Florida was all about chilling and celebrating my birthday!

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You can’t really tell by this photo of her and I, but I was swollen like a giant puffer fish. The day before was my birthday, so I ate anything my heart desired! I began the day with biscuits and gravy from IHop, had a mega burrito from Tijuana Flats for lunch, and almost an entire pizza for dinner (not to mention the birthday drinks). Hey, it’s only your birthday once a year, indulge a little!

After Florida, we made our way North to Alabama to see my family. Although it rained literally the entire visit, it was nice to have some down time. My favorite part of visiting home is sitting around the kitchen table with my mom. We will drink coffee and kiki for hours and hours. They finally got to meet Jack, and of course they were obsessed with our little muppet.

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Immediately upon waking our first day in Bama, I found a gym and got a pass for the week. Every morning began with a quick 30:00 workout, followed with 20:00 on the treadmill.

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While we did eat out almost every evening, my cravings for anything salty and processed (after my birthday splurge), had almost completely subsided. I was eager to get back on track. Our first night out, we went to a local diner called “Woodys” with plenty of vegetable options, so I opted for a veggie plate (sweet potato, broccoli, & okra) and side salad. The following morning we went to a breakfast buffet and I did have a little splurge. I had another biscuit and gravy (can you tell this is my favorite breakfast cheat), eggs, grits, and potatoes. Later in the evening we went to Ruby Tuesdays, and since I had a little splurge at breakfast I chose to have a plate of green veggies (broccoli, green beans, & zucchini), along with the salad bar. It’s all about balance when on vacation. You should enjoy those little extras (like the white chocolate Oreos my mom always has waiting for me in the freezer), but integrating healthier choices as well.

After a few days in Bama, we continued north to Indiana to see Wesley’s family. We did have a couple of nights out, and I stuck to vodka and soda for my drink of choice. We ate out for every meal, but thankfully nowadays most restaurants have options that cater to a healthier clientele as well. Sure, I will nibble on chips and salsa when they bring out the appetizer, but I actually enjoy healthy food. People often assume that when I’m eating salad or a plate of fibrous veggies that I am restricting myself, or it cannot possibly be as satisfying as the unhealthier options. No, I truly enjoy the foods I eat, and most of all, I hate the way I feel when I eat greasy, processed foods.

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I didn’t go to the gym while in Indy, but I did manage to go for a run every morning and squeeze in some yoga.

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Throughout our trip I was somewhat stressed regarding the fact that we were driving back cross country, and I had to be back to coaching immediately upon arrival. My sweet husband bought me a plane ticket to fly home so I could have a couple of days to recover before returning to work, which left him driving back cross-country solo (well, Jack was his wingman).

While walking through the airport I was trying to decide what to eat when I stumbled upon the Farmers Fridge. Is this for real? Can I really get a salad loaded with chickpeas, grapes, apples, cashews and avocados from a vending machine, and it be fresh and crisp?! Oh my God, yes please! It was absolutely delish!

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I had a straight flight back to Vegas, and landed just after midnight. And just like that, vacation is over- that’s a wrap. While my physique was nowhere near what it is when competing (nor was that the goal), I was happy with the results from my mini-cut. I think to feel comfortable in a bikini and walk the beach with confidence is any woman’s goal when it comes to summertime.

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Thank you all for following along through this series. So, what’s next? Monday begins a new series! Check back and see what its all about!

 

 

 

 

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Good evening guys and happy Sunday!! I hope you all have had an incredible weekend! Mine was low key and mostly spent at home, and that is okay with me!

I am going to dive right into today’s blog topic, which refers to something that I get asked about a lot…a typical day of eating.

To begin, I am an early riser. I am up by 3am (4 at the latest), and begin my morning with about 16 ounces of water. Most of us are dehydrated upon waking, so immediately downing some water kickstarts hydration, digestion, and coats the belly for the oh-so acidic black coffee that usually comes next. I like to get in a sweat first thing, so I either hop on the eliptical at my house, or if time permits and I want added intensity, I will head to the gym just down the road and sweat it out on the stairmill. Although I take in BCAA’s (brach chain amino acids) while completing my cardio, by the time I am finished, I’m ravished. Breakfast for me is always one of two meals: either oatmeal and egg whites topped with Texas Pete (the best hot sauce ever), or riced cauliflower mixed with shredded potatoes, bell peppers and egg whites with a side of fruit. The first option is usually on days when I am in a bit of a hurry, or am working out within an hour of eating. The second option takes a bit longer to prepare and takes longer to digest, so this breakfast choice I save for days that I train later in the day.


Three days a week I coach the early classes at F45, which leaves me getting ready and heading out immediately after breakfast. When coaching in the am I typically cover three classes, and am done by 9:00. My calorie expenditure is always at least 200 cals per class, so by the end I am more than ready for meal two. I try my best to have something prepped and waiting for me at home, or at least something that I can fix up relatively quick; this way, I’m not tempted to drive through and scoop something up on the way home. A typical lunch for me includes pre-prepped veggies of some sort (the last two weeks has been broccoli and red potatoes), a protein source (a veggie patty or egg whites), and a fat (almost always avocado or olive oil).

 

Once my lunch settles, the pup and I will take our am neighborhood stroll. Our walks are divided into two sessions now that it’s getting warm, so we’re back home within 15 minutes. I use the next couple of hours of the day to take care of my “to-do’s.” By noon I’m munching on my pre-workout snack, which almost always includes some sort of fruit, whether it be on top of oats, yogurt, or mixed within a smoothie.


On a typical training day I’ll spend about 60 to 90 minutes in the gym depending on my programming. I try to make certain that I eat within 1 hour of my weight training (for optimal recovery). My post workout meal always consists of a faster absorbing carb and a protein. Protein pancakes with fruit is a top choice!


If most of you are like me, I find that I have a good amount of energy for a couple of hours following my workout. After my post-workout meal the pup and I will either take another short stroll, or take it to the backyard for a few minutes of play time. My afternoon’s are spent completing client check-ins, studying or taking care of things around the house. I go to bed fairly early, so I am usually prepping dinner around 4 or 5. I find (like most), I am much hungrier in the evening. In order to feel completely satisfied, I load up on fibrous veggies: broccoli, okra, eggplant, green beans, zucchini and cauliflower are my usual go-to’s.

 

There is no rule stating how many meals one should have per day, nor is there enough evidence stating that meal timing is detrimental to training; however, for me I find that 4 to 5 meals spread throughout the day works best. Some individuals may react better to 2 to 3 larger meals. Bottom line, the foods you choose to eat are far more important than when you eat them.

Cheers to an incredible week ahead and staying on track!

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Happy Tuesday Fam!!

This last week was so busy that I haven’t been able to blog a single day. I volunteered  to coach at our second F45 location in Henderson, Las Vegas for a couple of days (in addition to my already loaded schedule), so it has been, go-go-go-  Segueing into todays’s blog topic..eating on the go.

The key to staying on track on days that you don’t have time to stop and cook your food, is to prepare in advance. We have all heard the saying “fail to prepare, prepare to fail.” Well, it couldn’t be more true! Meal prep is key when it comes to staying on track, particularly when calorie restricting for something such as summer shredding.

Below, I have given some of my favorite on the go meals along with some tips that seem to help me stay on track.

For breakfast, overnight oats seem to be a big hit with a lot of my clients. These can be prepped in larger quantities so you can have several days planned in advance, or simply prep an individual serving the night before and it’s ready to go in the morning. Overnight oats can be eaten cold straight from the fridge, or popped in the microwave for a quick minute, and served warm. Below I have given my most recent prepped oats with the macros included. Any fruit that you traditionally combine with oats will work as well: strawberries, blueberries and bananas are some of my faves. For additional fats and fiber, chia seeds, almonds or walnuts would be a perfect addition, and when trying to bulk, I would add in some nut butter.

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Another great on-the-go breakfast, smoothies. Simply blend up your favorite fruits and veggies and any add-ins that you wish (protein powder, collagen, etc), and freeze in individual servings. I personally use ziplock baggies. When morning comes, I grab one from the freezer, pop back into the blender, give it a quick spin and its good to go. You can also toss the baggie into your gym bag, and by the time you have finished your workout its unthawed to a perfect slushy texture. Simply dump into your blender bottle, give it shake (its partially separated at this point), and down the hatch it goes.

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For lunch, I find that sandwiches and wraps work really well for most; however, if you  prefer to avoid breads and grains all together, alternatives are available as well. When prepping your sandwich (or wrap), preparing the night before is perfectly fine. I suggest adding any condiments (mustard, hummus, etc) just before eating. This prevents the oh so gross, soggy sandwich. I suggest using the little 2 oz plastic cups that come with a lid. These can be purchased at just about any store, and make for perfect condiment/dipping containers. Sandwiches will hold up for a couple of hours at room temp, but I suggest an insulated lunchbox anything beyond that point. My favorite sides to pair with any sandwich or wrap are celery, bell peppers, apples, cucumbers, broccoli, and carrots. Again, fill your 2 oz cup with a dab of hummus or yogurt based dressing for a dipping sauce for your veggie/fruit of choice. If you aren’t a sandwich or wrap eater, you can simply prepare your desired lunch in a compartmented lunch box. These too, can be prepped the night before and tossed in your work bag on the way out the door.

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Dinner, for many is a meal that they can prepare at home, or at least put a few extra minutes into; however, it’s a good idea to have the foundation of the meal prepped and ready to go. Spaghetti squash for example is a big hit among my clients. Two squash can be prepared on meal prep day and for four days you have the “shell” of your dinner ready to go. Spaghetti squash can be stuffed with chicken (also prepared on meal prep day), cheese, chopped peppers and onions, chickpeas, corn, beans, veggies, the list goes on.

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If eating out, or picking up fast food on the go, it is much easier to track nowadays thanks to the FDA’s Menu Labeling Requirements. My favorite salads are from Panera Bread, Chick-Fil-A, and Jason’s Deli. While all offer low-fat dressing options, I prefer to take my own. Yes, you heard right. If I know ahead of time that I am having a salad while out and about, I will fill up one of my little 2oz cups with a yogurt based dressing. Your girl here has been known to take the whole damn bottle in her purse. If I have to stop and grab a bottle on my way to the restaurant, I will. Salad dressing can be detrimental when eating out.

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My other go to option when dining out is usually Mexican. Mexican restaurants will almost always have corn tortillas, which pair perfectly with sautéed peppers and onions (fajitas).  You can add chicken or steak, top with salsa and guacamole, and you have a healthy, balanced meal.

Meal planning and meal prepping isn’t always easy, but it’s key when aiming for specific goals.

 

 

 

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Hey you all! Happy Thursday! Here I am halfway through the week, so let’s catch up!

I ended last week with a kickball game on Sunday with my F45 fam. Y’all, it was so much fun!! The weather was perfect, and I couldn’t have been in better company. Oh, and my team won (btw).

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This leads me to today’s topic…treating yo-self when summer shredding. I have been asked repeatedly since beginning this series, “Do you have a cheat meal when summer shredding?”

I decided throughout this series that I will allow myself a little treat here and there. Take Sunday for instance, I celebrated with a beer following our game (blue moon for those with inquisitive minds), but my snack plate was full of fruit and raw veggies, and I brought a protein shake in my bag. Fast forward to today, and while grocery shopping after my workout, I bought myself one chocolate covered honeycomb. I kept looking at the bulk section where they have all the yummy extras, and decided, why not. The five minutes it took for me to figure out how to weigh this 30 gram piece of yumminess was worth every second and all .36 cents. I sat in my car with the air conditioning blowing and enjoyed every single bite (well it was a small piece, so it was only two bites), but it was delish!

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Throughout the week I typically have three to five meals a day, which consist mostly of whole, non-processed foods. I stay away from sugar (hence why that honeycomb was so delectable), drink lots of water, and aim for 20-25 grams of fiber.

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I am typically in a fasted state for the first 3-4 hours of the day. There is no reasoning behind this approach, other than I am just not hungry when I wake. I am up at least four days a week no later than 4 am, and usually eat around 8 or 9.

So to wrap up today’s post…
I think its important to remember that having a full on “cheat meal” can stall progress; however, some people plan a cheat meal the last day of the week as a reward, or something to look forward to. While this may work for some, other individuals find that a cheat or treat will send them into full on binge mode and opt to avoid the temptation all together. Bottom line, I think it’s important that each person finds their own approach and what works best for them.

Cheers!

 

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Happy Sunday y’all! Here we are approaching the end of summer shredding, week 2!!
In today’s post I want to focus a bit on food balance.

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Above, I have shared a weeks worth of breakfast choices. While each breakfast is a bit different, they all contain almost identical calories and macronutrient totals. I am a creature of habit and could eat the same breakfast almost everyday of my life; however, I find this approach does not work well with clients. People don’t necessarily like change in general, but when it comes to food, most like a variety. This is where macro tracking comes in handy. Take the above for example: you will see some of the photos show clementines (baby oranges), which are mostly made up of carbohydrates, and others do not. On days that I have orange slices, I will not add fruit to my green smoothie, instead I opt for yogurt, almond milk and spinach only. On days that I have avocado which is considered mostly a fat, then I will skip the oil when cooking my peppers or egg whites.

Every meal needs to have a balance of protein, carbohydrates and fats. If you are having two slices of bacon, then you should choose egg whites as opposed to whole eggs to pair it with, due to the fat found in the bacon. I love, love, love shredded potatoes (aka hash browns), but I know that potatoes are strictly carbohydrates, so on days that I want to add fruit to my meal (or my smoothie), I will substitute half of my potatoes with riced cauliflower (which contain half the carbs of potatoes). This allows me to hit my suggested macronutrient totals, without going over on my carbohydrates.

I also want to make it clear that not everyone has to follow macros. I haven’t tracked macronutrients consistently in over a year. I am now because of summer shredding, but otherwise I like to eat intuitively. Macro tracking is perfect for individuals that need and appreciate discipline, and have specific goals in mind. For those that are looking to simply live healthier lifestyles and eat a more balanced diet, intuitive eating is absolutely fine. Intuitive eating means listening to your body, eating when you are hungry, and being mindful of what is on your plate- striving for balance. Not all of my clients are macro trackers. For those that track macros, I have them tracking and weighing each and every piece of food that they put in their mouth; where as, my intuitive eaters begin by creating their plates using measuring cups and spoons. After a few weeks they are able to “eyeball” each portion size. This approach allows people to become aware of what they are eating and how to pair foods together to create overall balance, eventually leading to a healthier way of eating.

I challenge you all to be more aware this week of creating balance on your plate.
If you choose whole eggs for your protein, then avoid any other fatty foods (bacon, avocado, cooking oils). If you choose egg whites, then enjoy a couple of slices of bacon, or some avocado, or use cooking oil to sautĂ© your veggies. If you choose a banana then skip the potatoes and opt for riced cauliflower. If you are an on-the-go breakfast type, have a smoothie that includes a balance of each: almond milk with a 1/2 tbsp of nut butter (fats), paired with your carb of choice (any fruit), and a protein- this could be in the form of greek yogurt, liquid egg whites (they are pasteurized you won’t die), or protein powder. While you’re at it, toss in some spinach (a multitude of vitamins and nutrients). The taste is masked by the other ingredients!

Creating a healthier, more balanced lifestyle doesn’t happen overnight. It takes small steps that will eventually generate greater health and wellness.

Thanks for continuing to follow along as I share my tips and personal journey throughout 8-weeks of Summer Shredding.

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Good morning you all! Today I am halfway into week 2 of summer shredding. It is currently 5:15 am and I am sitting here working on coffee no.1. I have a fairly open morning, so I wanted to share my day (yesterday) with you all before jumping into today’s post.

On Tuesdays I coach the first three classes of the day at F45, which makes for an extremely early wake up call! I was up at 3am, and out the door by 4. The morning started off great! My classes were loaded, the energy was hyped, and it was a great way to kickstart the day.

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By the time I left the gym I was beyond hungry! As soon as I got home I whipped myself up some breakfast: riced cauliflower mixed with shredded potatoes and bell peppers, sautéed in olive oil- a side of break free liquid eggs topped with Texas Pete, a nibble of avocado- and (of course) my favorite mug filled with black coffee.

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Most of my day was spent online getting work done. I added a couple of new clients (which is always great), and caught up on some reading.

Mid-morning I had myself a big bowl of proats (protein and oatmeal) topped with apples, blueberries, almonds and cinnamon.

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Jack and I spent lunch in the backyard so we could soak up some sun. I had zoodles topped with organic pasta sauce, chickpeas and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese- a side of mini bell peppers grilled in olive oil- and I had a protein shake as well, but that would have ruined my Instagram worthy food photo!(ig:tiffanymitchellmull/tiffanydietetics)Screen Shot 2019-04-03 at 6.53.38 AM.png

I took the day off from training yesterday due to such an early wakeup call, so the remainder of the evening I piled up and watched Shark Tank. Due to taking the day off, I had a fairly light afternoon snack: Lettuce wraps made filled with zucchini noodles, chick peas, yogurt based ranch dressing, hummus, and crushed red pepper.

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I ended yesterday with my favorite tacos (hello, taco tuesday): Yellow corn tortillas topped with hummus, grilled shrimp, sautéed onions and bell peppers, shredded lettuce and topped with fresh squeezed lemon.

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So now, fast forward to the rest of today.
Once I finished up my coffee, I got in a quick 20 minute yoga session. After, I had breakfast which I believe looks almost identical to yesterdays.

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Just after breakfast Jack and I were out for our typical neighborhood stroll.

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A quick 15 minute stroll was a perfect warm up for today’s upper body workout, which focused mainly on rear delts.

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Following my workout I had my usual post-workout smoothie made up of coconut water, greek yogurt, almond milk and banana. Soon after I had lunch: a veggie patty, zucchini noodles, broccoli and carrots with a side of yogurt based ranch dressing.

 

Just before heading out to the gym to coach my afternoon class I had a bowl of quick oats mixed with protein powder.

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On Wednesday, F45’s training is high intensity cardio. Although I am not taking the class, I am constantly jumping in with members knocking out sets just to keep them pushing- so my calorie burn can get quite high. Today’s total caloric output was 365 calories! So, since Wesley was off early today, I skipped cardio and headed straight home after coaching. I scooped up some sushi (raw salmon and tuna rolled with avocado and white rice), and the evening will be spent piled up watching Hulu.

So far, week 2 of summer shredding is off to a great start!