lemme get a snack
I’m coming off a fun girls weekend with my friends from home . . . . and it got me thinking about something very important - snacks! 😛
Over the years I’ve noticed that oftentimes when ladies gather, they eat food suited for rabbits. Veggie trays, chips and dips, and other cute treats are nibbled on throughout the day.
And while I love a good charcuterie board just as much as the next gal, a snack is not a meal.
Even if you choose “clean,” protein-rich, low calorie snacks . . . . they’re still not fueling you properly. Yogurt is not a meal, a protein bar is not a meal, fruit is certainly not a meal.
I’m not saying there’s anything inherently wrong with snacking, and sometimes a meat stick in your purse can really save you! But if you’re snacking all day every day, it could be negatively impacting your fitness.
If your constant snacking is:
leading you to binge later in the day because you’re SO HUNGRY
putting you in a caloric surplus because you’re going overboard on the nibblers
making you a hangry, miserable human at the end of the day because you’re malnourished
You need to eat more MEALS.
Again, snacks have a time and place and I’m not discouraging them completely. But if snacks make up the bulk of your diet, I highly encourage you to start eating well-balanced, nutrient-dense meals throughout the day. Your energy, mood, and social circle will thank you.
DON’T LET YOUR WEEKENDS DERAIL YOUR PROGRESS
Spring is in full effect! Warm weather got you ready to partaaaaaaaaaaay?
beach trips ✅
drinks on the patio ✅
pool days ✅
This time of year makes it difficult to stay on track. Perhaps you find sticking to your fitness/healthy eating routines attainable Monday-Thursday, but then Friday starts a 3-day indulgence extravaganza that leaves you feeling like @ss on Monday morning.
Sound familiar? No judgement, happens to the best of us.
There are a couple things that are likely happening here.
YOU'RE BEING TOO RESTRICTIVE DURING THE WEEK
Most people only have so much self control. If you're not allowing yourself certain foods during the week - especially foods you love - there is a strong likelihood that eventually you'll binge TF out of them. For example: you love dessert but don't allow yourself any during the week because you're being "good." Then Saturday night one bowl of ice cream turns into an entire tub real quick.
You'd be better off eating a small bowl of ice cream every night. That way you avoid eating so much at once that you feel ill, inside and out.
YOU'RE DRINKING TOO MUCH
Sorry, I said it. And I'm not judging you - I love a good cocktail! But if you're drinking multiple days per week, it's going to be really difficult to meet your fitness goals.
While drinking obviously adds extra calories to your daily intake, it's not just that. Most people's eating habits change drastically while they're drinking and of course the next day. Do you come home and indulge in some late night broccoli? Is your go-to hangover meal grilled fish, rice, and vegetables? 🤢 I think not.
YOU’RE BEING INCONSISTENT
In order to continue progressing in your fitness journey, your body needs consistency. Consistently getting to the gym and consistently nourishing our body.
Under-eating Monday through Thursday then blowing it out of the water Friday through Sunday will probably result in an overall caloric surplus (which can cause weight gain) AND probably leave you feeling like crap for about half the week. If you feel like crap, you probably won't have the best workouts . . . . or might even miss them altogether.
And that my darling, is not what I want for you.
I want you to reap all the benefits of working out, I want you feeling your best all day every day.
“THERE’S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN KNOWING THE PATH AND WALKING IT” – MORPHEUS
"There’s a Difference between Knowing the Path and Walking It" – Morpheus (The Matrix)
The fact that this quote comes from a fictional character doesn’t make it any less profound. In fact, it directly applies to why many people struggle in achieving their health and fitness goals.
For example, if I asked you, “What do you need to do to get into great shape?” You would probably list some common advice, such as: exercise 3-4 times a week, eat 3-4 well-balanced meals per day, get ample sleep and stay hydrated. These are all correct answers and great ways to maintain your health. In fact, you could probably even lay out a solid plan for how to do these things, which brings us to the big question: if we are armed with the right information, why aren’t we all in peak health? For most of us, we know the path, but walking it is another story altogether. Fortunately, this is where coaching comes into play.
Coaching isn’t just about introducing new exercises or pushing you outside your comfort zone. Working with the right coach creates a culture of accountability, which is crucial to achieving success. Without accountability, the path to our goals can become lost in life’s day-to-day challenges and before we know it, our health has been pushed to the bottom of our list of priorities. Accountability can mean the difference between just knowing the path and walking it so that you are always taking steps towards reaching your goals.
Show me someone who is thriving in any area of life and 99% of the time, you will find a mentor, coach, family member, or friend who has helped that person stay the course on their road to success. Instead of trying to go it alone, why not enlist the right help and create a support system? Sometimes stepping back and saying “I could use some help” is all it takes to get on the right path and stay on it for good.
5 COMMON NUTRITION MYTHS DEBUNKED
1. Foods labeled "natural" are healthier
Unfortunately, there are practically zero regulations that prevent manufacturers from labeling their products as “natural.” Do not assume that this label is accurate or that it equates to "healthy.” If you want to be guaranteed that your product is unadulterated, then buy organic. This label requires products to meet a very clear set of guidelines.
2. Egg yolks are to be avoided
Egg yolks have more protein, healthy fats, and vitamins than egg whites. More importantly, the myth that eating yolks will raise your cholesterol is completely unfounded. While egg yolks do contain cholesterol, there is no connection between dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol. In fact, your body needs dietary cholesterol to function properly. So, eat your yolks!
3. Fat free and sugar free products are a good way to cut calories
The short version as to why this isn't true is simple.: when manufacturers remove natural fats and sugars from foods they almost always replace them with chemicals and other processed garbage. Junk food is junk food, and it's important to know that diet soda or sugar free cookies are not doing your body any favors. Golden rule: the less processed food you put in your body, the better.
4. Fruits and vegetables are interchangeable
Fruits are a part of a healthy, nutritious diet if consumed in reasonable portions, but generally speaking, vegetables pack a much larger punch in terms of nutritional value. Many of your favorite fruits (bananas, apples, grapes) are loaded with sugar and over doing it on fruit can lead to excess fat storage. Ultimately, sugar IS sugar, no matter what the source. Veggies, especially greens, reign supreme over fruits and should be prioritized much higher in your diet.
5. Soy products are safe and healthy
Soy should not be a mainstay in a healthy diet because it contains endocrine system (hormone) disruptors. While excessive amounts of soy can cause a variety of problems, the most common side effect is abnormal estrogen levels. On top of that soy is 99% Genetically Modified and contaminated by more pesticides than almost any other food.