Category Archives: Nutrition/ Diet

Cut the Crap!

Nutrition/ Diet, Weightloss, , , , ,

I’ll shoot you straight.  There’s no “short cut” to weight loss.  It takes consistency and hard work!  One of the questions I get asked most from clients is “What are some easy things I can do to lose weight?” You’ll still need to work hard in the gym and stay consistent with a clean diet to really change your physique, but here are some simple ways you can “cut the crap” and make minor changes that will save you hundreds of calories that can add up to some major pounds dropped!

1.) Rethink your coffee—did you know that most flavored coffee creamers have 20 (up to even 50 calories!) per a 2 tablespoon serving?  Not to mention that they’re packed with sugar and fat too!  Most coffee drinkers probably use more than two tablespoons (basically a shot glass) in just one cup of their morning joe!  That adds up quick—upwards of hundreds of calories and a day’s intake of sugar!  I’ve mentioned in previous posts that a typical Starbucks latte has upwards of 300 calories!  Don’t get me wrong—I LOVE coffee, and I love mine with a creamy delicious flavor to it!  Your better option is to get the SUGAR FREE coffee creamers—unfortunately they don’t come in a ton of flavors, but they save you lots of calories and (hooray!) have no sugar!!  I love Coffeemate’s Sugar Free French Vanilla, Caramel, and Hazelnut flavors and it is a HAPPY HAPPY DAY when the sugar free seasonal flavors of Pumpkin Spice and Peppermint Mocha come around!!  You can also opt for fat free half and half (20 calories per 2tbs, no fat, no sugar) and some Splenda or Stevia instead of real sugar.  That’s my other go to!  You can also use the Torani sugar free syrups too!  You can find those at World Market or Amazon, and they also are great in egg whites or oats or plain Greek yogurt!

2.) Juice and “regular” soft drinks and sweet tea are NOT your friends— read the nutrition label, pay special attention to the sugar content and the ingredients.  SUGAR is the enemy here.  Absolutely no nutrition value, and those calories add up super quick!  Fruit Juices are laden with added sugar—you’re much better off just eating an orange or an apple instead of drinking the juice of them!  Coke, Dr. Pepper, Sprite, Root Beer, etc. a large fountain drink of one of those will easily put you at close to 500 calories and 50 grams of sugar!!  That’s two days worth of sugar and easily almost a third of an average female’s daily caloric intake.  NOT WORTH IT FRIENDS!  If you have a die hard soda habit, cut it down as much as you can and swap it for sparkling water or tea (unsweet, but you can use Stevia or Splenda).  You’ll feel better and will be more hydrated too!  Those bottled and fruit smoothies can go in this category too—tons of sugar in those too!!

3.) Candy, cookies, cakes, JUNK—If you’re not around it, and it’s not in your house, you won’t eat it!  I can guarantee that if you portion out these sweet treats and enjoy them once or twice a week in moderate amounts, you will ENJOY them so much more!  A sugar craving is hard to kick, but you’ll never truly be successful with weight loss unless you can get it under control.  Pay attention to how you’re feeling when you reach for candy or chips or cookies—ask yourself if you’re eating it out of hunger or cravings or because of your emotions.  If you’re truly hungry, try to pick a more healthy, satisfying option!

4.) Fruit—I love fruit!  Especially when it’s fresh and in season!  Honeycrisp apples are my JAM, but I also love bananas and berries and pineapple!  Fruit is GOOD for you!  It’s packed with vitamins and nutrients, and even fiber!  But it also has a lot of natural occurring sugars, which can make it high in calories.  Try to keep your fruit intake to 1 or 2 servings per day.  If you’re really serious, keep it to half a serving to one serving per day.

5.) Alcohol—I LOVE wine, and margaritas, and craft cocktails just as much as every other lady out there.  BUT, when it comes to weight loss, alcohol is the absolute enemy.  Yes it’s delicious, it helps you unwind, and it often leads to fun times and good memories, but that comes at the expense of hundreds (even thousands!) of calories!  A bottle of wine easily packs a 500 calorie punch—that’s three large glasses!  A frozen drink?  You’re looking at 400 – 600+.  Even just a light beer comes in at around 150.  It adds up!  And most alcohols have tons of sugar too!  That’s where the calories come from!  If you consume several alcoholic beverages a week, you’re without a doubt offsetting the work you’re putting in in the gym.

Nothing worth having comes easy.  Like I tell my friends and clients all the time—this “being healthy” thing is a lifestyle.  It doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy treats or sweets or wine any more at all, but it does take being cognizant of your intake!  3,500 calories burned equals one pound of fat.  Small changes that save calories add up to big results!  You can do this!!

 

Till next time,

-Mere

2018—Get it Started on the Right Track!

General Fitness, Living the Fit Lifestyle, Nutrition/ Diet, , , , ,

 

I can’t believe we’re already coasting through January!  I hope you all enjoyed the holidays and your 2018 is starting off well!  We’ve all heard it.  New Years comes with a ton of promise.  January is full of resolutions—people wanting to do better, feel better, get better, etc.  The number one New Year’s resolution?  You guessed it—losing weight!  Here are my top tips on how you can get your year started on the right track to make some major changes and lose those last few pounds for good!

1.) Awareness.  The first step in making changes in diet and fitness is being AWARE of what you’re eating.  It means paying attention to portions, labels, skipping meals, behavior patterns, etc.  The first thing I typically make new clients do is keep a food log or journal for EVERYTHING they ate and drank for at least 7 days, including times and amounts.  Most people don’t really pay attention to what they’re eating, and that’s where problems start.  If you don’t know where you start point is, then it’s really hard to figure out a gameplan.  Pay attention to emotional eating, alcohol intake, eating out, even those little handfuls of snacks here and there at the office and at home add up, sometimes even to hundreds of extra calories a day.

2.) Activity.  Not every gym rat came out of the womb a gym rat.  It sometimes takes years to develop behavior patterns that result in spending multiple hours a day in the gym.  What I always tell my clients is to find a form of activity that you ENJOY and ultimately you will be more motivated to do it!  It’s NOT going to be easy, especially when you’re first starting out or have a lot of weight to lose, but every bit of activity is a step in the right direction.  Maybe it’s just a walk around your neighborhood, or a yoga class at the Y, or just parking a few spaces futher out at the mall.  Aim to be active as much as you can every day.  Make a list of active things that you enjoy— I promise you that you will look forward to doing those activities!  It doesn’t even have to be the gym (although obviously that’s what I recommend the most!!), it can be hiking, the zoo, running, bicycling, dance lessons—you name it, there’s a TON of ways all around you that will give you an opportunity to be active and burn calories!  You can even go with a friend and it will make it that much more enjoyable!  Just get out there and get moving!!

3.) Consistency.  There’s a saying that it takes 4 weeks for YOU to see your body changing, it takes 8 weeks for your close friends and family to see, and 12 weeks for the world to see your changes.  Rome wasn’t built in a day!  True weightloss and transformation comes from being CONSISTENT with nutrition and exercise day after day for several weeks.  Can you have pizza or a cheeseburger every now and then, OF COURSE!  But at the end of the day, it comes down to making healthy choices on a daily basis.  You can’t expect to see major changes in just a couple of weeks.  In fact, most doctors and nutritionists advise against losing any more than 1-2 pounds per week!  If you have 20-30 pounds to lose (which is most people just starting out) then do the math!

4.) It’s a LIFESTYLE.  Newsflash: There’s not a pill, a 21 day fix, a pink drink, a wrap, or a shortcut that will help you have true, lasting, successful weight loss.  It may work in the short term, but unless you truly begin to understand what it means to have a healthy lifestyle, I guarantee you’ll succumb to a lifetime of yo-yo dieting.  THOSE THINGS DON’T WORK!!! You can’t expect to do the “whole 30” for thirty days, or eat clean for 21 days, or drink a pink drink or Shakeology when you remember to, and go right back to your old habits and not gain the weight back.  You have to make true changes in how you approach choices in what you’re eating and the activity that you’re doing.

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I’m here to help!  I love working with people to educate them on how to be healthy and fit!  We all start somewhere.  I’m taking clients on a part-time basis right now and would be honored to work with you and help you start your fitness journey.  Feel free to email me at meredithlynchfitness@gmail.com, or message me for more information.

Thanks for spending a few minutes with me reading this post today.  Cheers to a wonderful 2018!!

Till next time,

-Mere

Meal Prepping for Cheap!!

General Fitness, Living the Fit Lifestyle, Nutrition/ Diet, Weightloss, , , , , , ,

Hi friends!

Hope you all are doing well and you had a wonderful Valentine’s Day!  I know it’s been a while between posts, but I’ve been a busy girl studying for my NASM Personal Trainer test!  Can’t believe I’m finally taking it in two weeks!!

One of the biggest misconceptions I’ve seen and heard out there about meal prepping is that is expensive.  I’m here to tell you that that is so far from the truth!  If you really think about it, eating out multiple times a week at $6-10 a pop minimum quickly adds up!  Although you may not realize it, hitting up drive thrus and restaurants frequently can add up to hundreds of dollars a month.  Shane and I didn’t realize it at the time, but several years ago, both of us ate out for lunch nearly every day of the week.  You figure $15-20 for two people a day times 4-5 days a week, for 4-5 weeks a month, that equates to $250-$500 a month!  Unbelievable!!!  And that’s just lunches out, we’re not even talking dinners yet!  Not only can eating out sabotage your budget, but you have very little control over the nutrition of your food when you’re eating out, so it sabotages your fitness goals too. Here are some easy ways to make meal prepping (or preparing your meals ahead of time) cheap and easy!

  • Buy in bulk! Costco, Sam’s Club, or something similar is your friend! These warehouses typically cost $50 a year to join, but it pays for itself in savings!  Personally, I’m a Costco girl!!  You’ll see from my Instagram posts, that we’re huge fans of their chicken and egg whites!  Liquid egg-whites are an excellent source of protein, and they’re safe to drink because they’ve been pasteurized.  Costco sells 6 small cartons for 8 dollars!  That’s super cheap!  You can get chicken for about $3 a pound.  One 7-8 pound package costs about $21 dollars and will feed the two of us for a week, supplemented with maybe turkey, fish, or ground beef to mix things up.  You can catch chicken on sale at your grocery store, but the quality and price of warehouse clubs are hard to beat.  I’ll also buy boiled eggs, almond milk, Greek yogurt, oats, rice and potatoes here too.  All of the staples J  And warehouse clubs are GREAT for cleaning products and household goods too!
  • Salsa + Chicken + Crockpot= delicious chicken for days! This recipe could not be easier!  Take a small jar of salsa, about 3-4 pounds of chicken, and cook on low in your Crockpot or slow cooker for about 8 hours.  I use a spicier salsa (Joe T’s Medium is our favorite) and like to add about 4 tablespoons of low sodium taco seasoning.  Once it’s done, you shred up the chicken and you’re ready to go!  The salsa and seasoning don’t change up the macros that much, and this version of chicken is easy to serve over rice or lettuce for an easy meal.  You can also sub out Buffalo sauce for salsa.  It’ll keep in the fridge for 4-5 days.  See—cheap and easy!
  • Baked potatoes and rice—carbs are super easy and cheap to prepare ahead of time. I’ll make a cookie sheet of sweet potatoes) and a few baked potatoes (spray them with oil, sprinkle some salt, and roll in foil) and bake them all together at 450 for 90 mins.  Rice is also really simple to make ahead of time.  AND CHEAP.    
  • Frozen vegetables—personally I prefer fresh veggies, but from a nutrition standpoint, frozen is just as good! They are really inexpensive too!  Typically you can find pretty much every vegetable for $1-$2 a bag, which has several servings.  I should point out, however, that you want to make sure that you’re getting PLAIN vegetables—there are several brands that add in sauces, cheeses, and seasoning—steer clear of those!  They pack a ton of sodium and fat.  Frozen veggies are also found in bulk at your warehouse clubs!
  • Spices—Variety is the spice of life! Spices are really inexpensive—typically $3-5 for a jar—and are probably the easiest way to change up flavor profiles on protein, carbs, and vegetables.  Penzy’s Spices (penzeys.com) has an excellent assortment to choose from, and you can buy them in all different sizes!  Flavor God seasonings (www.flavorgod.com) are also delicious, low sodium options, but they are a little more expensive.  They keep for a long time, and you will get several uses out of one jar.

 I tell my clients all the time that starting out meal prepping isn’t easy.  You have to put some effort into it, and it takes PREPARATION.  You will have to get comfortable and used to eating a lot of the same foods.  It takes some time to adjust and get used to it, but I promised you’ll see the positive payoffs in your waistline, your energy levels, your stress levels, and your pocketbook!

Till next time!

-Mere

17 Tips to Make 2017 Your Best Year Yet!

General Fitness, Living the Fit Lifestyle, Nutrition/ Diet, Weightloss, , , , , ,

Happy New Year friends!

I hope you all enjoyed the holidays and your New Year is off to a wonderful start!  I love New Year’s Day.  It’s a fresh start, an exciting opportunity with a whole year ahead of new adventures, challenges, and experiences ahead.  Isn’t that great?!  January 1st is also a day when a lot of us recommit to health and fitness, to a “new you”.   Resolutions can be an excellent way to set goals and challenge yourself.  In that spirit, I wanted to share my 17 tips on how you can make 2017 your best year yet!

  1. Be realistic. All good things take time. Especially major weightloss or physique changes.
  2. Start with small changes. What are small changes you can make in your life today that will have an impact on what you’re trying to achieve?
  3. Be consistent. Success is built on consistency.  Stay the course!
  4. Find your why. We all have different motivators, but only you can find out what yours is.
  5. Set SMART goals. Smart, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-line driven.
  6. Have a game plan. This is huge, and perhaps one of the most important on this list.  If you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail.
  7. Surround yourself with support. Birds of a feather flock together friends! Lifestyle changes aren’t easy.  You need people around you to support you, and help keep you accountable.
  8. Challenge yourself. This is the fun part. It’s you vs. you.
  9. Measure progress. And NOT just by what the scale says! (see number 16). Record your workouts.  Pay attention to your food choices.  Take progress pictures!  It will get easier, and you will get better.  Progress can also be a great motivator.  When you see how far you’ve come, it’s so encouraging to keep pushing forward!
  10. Rest is part of the program. Listen to your body.  Sleep, rest, hydrate.
  11. Practice mindfulness. This is one of my favorites. It’s so easy to just go through the motions with the minutiae of life.  Mindfulness is a practice of being present and paying attention.  Be mindful of your spirit. Of what you’re eating.  Of how you’re feeling.  Be present friends!
  12. Remember to have fun. You won’t stick with anything that isn’t fun!  When you’re having fun, life is more enjoyable!
  13. Reward yourself. Not necessarily with food, but with little perks that will keep you motivated and excited!
  14. Be nice to yourself. Your mind can be your best friend or your worst enemy. If you can keep your attitude and mindset in check, the rest will come.
  15. Balance is KEY. Life is too short to not enjoy it! Everything is fine in moderation.  Have the wine, eat the cupcake, get some tacos!
  16. The scale isn’t everything. Especially as women, it’s so easy to tie our progress and attitude to what the damn scale says.  Remember this is a lifestyle, as your physique changes, the scale will change.  That’s why it’s so important to look at progress in every area.
  17. Take one day at a time. Honestly, take it one day, one meal, one workout at a time.  Rome wasn’t built in a day.  Be nice to yourself and enjoy the process!

I don’t know about you, but I am so excited to see what this new year holds!  I’m finishing up studying for my NASM Personal Training certification, and can’t wait to partner with more clients to help them in their fitness journeys.  Happy New Year everyone!

Cheers!

-Mere

My Top 5 Tips for Losing Weight!

General Fitness, Living the Fit Lifestyle, Nutrition/ Diet, Weightloss, , , , , , ,

Happy Monday everyone!  It seems like people are always asking me how to lose weight.  Once the find out I’m a gymrat, or that I compete, or that I’m a “trainer in training”, that’s usually the first question they ask.  My answer pretty much always starts off with some form of—“it’s definitely a lifestyle” and “it matters more what you EAT the other 23 hours of your day, than what you do for the 1 hour in the gym!”.  Whether you’re looking to lose 5 pounds or 50 pounds, here are my 5 TOP TIPS for losing weight!

  • Eat out less. It goes without saying that restaurant meals have a ton of hidden calories and fat.  Although they’re delicious, those meals can pack on the pounds quick!  When you cook your own meals at home, you have so much more control over what you’re eating, and the amount you’re eating.  Plan ahead, grocery shop, and make most of your meals at home.  Try eating out for lunch just once a week instead of every day.  I promise you’ll start to lose weight, and your bank account will appreciate it too!
  • Read nutrition labels. How many calories, fat grams, sugars—the information is all right there at your finger tips. If you only pay attention to one or two of the numbers on a label, pay attention to the sugar content and carb content.  You’d be SHOCKED to see how much sugar comes in foods with a nutrition label!  Also, have you ever thought about how a lot of “whole” foods (i.e. produce, fruits, most meats, etc.) don’t really have a nutrition label, and if they do, they usually have less than 5 ingredients?
  • Avoid processed foods. I know y’all have heard me say this so many times—if it comes in a package, has a bunch of ingredients, or is anything frozen that’s not a vegetable, it’s probably not something you want to eat a lot of.  Processed foods are right up there with restaurant foods in terms of having a ton of added calories, sugars, and fats.  Their bright colored and appealing boxes, bags, cartons, and packages all cover this up, so it’s best just to avoid them or eat them in small amounts.
  • Avoid drinking your calories. Whether it’s alcohol,  a  daily 3pm Dr. Pepper,  your favorite smoothie, or your venti frappucino/latte/can’t live without it Starbucks creation, those calories are empty!  Most people don’t know how many calories are in alcoholic drinks, sodas, coffee beverages, even smoothies!  These tasty treats can pack a punch of hundreds or calories, and lots of sugar.  Just start paying attention to how often you imbibe in a high-calorie drink.  If it’s more than once a day, what can you do to change that?
  • Pay attention to portion control. This one is huge.   Challenge yourself to really pay attention to how much food you’re eating on a daily basis.  Keeping a food journal, or using a food tracking app like My Fitness Pal, will really help you see exactly what you’re taking in on a daily basis.  It’s important that you’re not getting too many calories, and also that you’re eating enough calories to really keep your metabolism burning strong.

So that’s it!  It was hard to narrow down to my Top 5, but I think this will definitely get y’all headed in the right direction!  If you would like some extra help or coaching on fitness or nutrition to help you reach your goals, I would LOVE to help you!  Feel free to message me, or email me at meredithlynchfitness@gmail.com.

Till next time!

-Mere

Spring Clean Your Diet!!!

General Fitness, Living the Fit Lifestyle, Nutrition/ Diet, , , , , , ,

I don’t know about you, but I love when seasons change, particularly winter into spring and summer into Fall.  My allergies might disagree, but Spring for me is a time to bring in freshness, tidiness and renewed energy.  The weather gets warmer and bikini season is right around the corner!  I thought I’d take some time this week to revisit some ideas on how to bring about freshness and “clean”-liness into your nutrition!  It’s time to shed that winter coat and get ready for Summer!

I get asked all the time by acquaintances, gymgoers, strangers, you name it, ways that they can clean up their diet and lose weight.  I’ve said it a million times—weight loss starts with nutrition!  You simply can’t out train a bad diet.  No matter how much you work out or what you’re doing in the gym, what you’re eating will make or break your progress.  You don’t have to be a bodybuilding competitor or professional athlete to take steps in the right direction towards better nutrition and health.  With Spring here, I encourage you to challenge yourself to really take inventory of what you’re eating.  How much are you eating?  How healthy are the foods you are eating?  Are you making food choices that will help you meet your overall weightloss goals?  So many of us have events (a graduation, reunion or wedding, perhaps?) or vacations, or special things coming up over the next few months—why not challenge yourself to take the next 30 or 60 days to make your health and fitness a priority so you can look and feel your best?

Here are some easy tips I thought I’d share on how you can CLEAN-UP your nutrition and diet!

  • Have a goal! But make it realistic. Maybe it’s to fit into that dress you haven’t been able to wear in a while.  Maybe it’s to feel better in a swimsuit before your cruise, or to look better in pictures with loved ones, or drop the 5 pounds you gained over the holidays.  Regardless, set a goal for yourself!
  • Make it measurable. When I first started working out and eating clean, I tried to keep track of how many times a week I stuck to my workouts.  It helped that I had paid for them ahead of time and was less likely to skip out, but I also liked seeing exactly how many times I could log a workout in my calendar over a period of time.  It’s pretty motivating!  I also logged my food in My Fitness Pal, and could see when I was within my calorie goal.  If your goal is to lose weight, keep in mind that a healthy weight to lose for most people is 1-2 pounds per week.  Anything drastic where you’re on a liquid diet, or cleanse, or quick fixes like that where you’re losing more than that are not only aren’t very healthy, but they won’t lead to LONG TERM results.
  • Don’t focus on what you CAN’T eat—a core principle of clean eating is essentially cutting out anything that’s not plant based or animal based, staying away from processed foods and sugars. Instead of moaning and groaning about the wine or cookies or cheese you “can’t” have, focus on all of the fresh, healthy options you have in front of you.  The more you think about what you’re cutting out, the more likely you’ll be to succumb to cravings.  You can still have the wine and cookies and cheese, just in MODERATION.  More on that in a later post.
  • Keep it easy. Plan to eat 5 small meals a day- Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner, and a mid-afternoon and mid-morning snack.
  • Go grocery shopping! Pro-tip: If you don’t bring crap home, you won’t eat crap.  That means that the cookies, chips, candy, and junk don’t make it home with you!  Stick to the perimeter of the store, take a shopping list with you, and stock up on healthy options!
  • Log your food. Research has shown that if you hold yourself accountable to log exactly what you’re eating that it can really help motivate you keep you consistent.  Check out the My Fitness Pal app, or the Fitbook (available on Amazon).
  • Try not to eat out as much. This one is difficult. You can still have a social life and not eat out all the time!!  See if you can keep restaurant visits or takeout to once on the weekend, and once during the week.
  • Challenge yourself just to cut back on alcohol (having just 1-2 drinks per week), soda, and sugar, and to get just 3 30-minute workouts in a week. Do this for just 1 MONTH, and I promise you that you will see results!!!  These are all easy things you can do to help get your diet on the right track.

It’s not easy.  Even after years into it, I still struggle some days.  We all do.  If it were easy, everyone would be a lot “skinnier” and the obesity epidemic wouldn’t be as outrageously out of control as it is.  I can tell you that with CONSISTENCY and DEDICATION that you will finally get the results you’ve been looking for.

I’m not an expert, and I’m not a trainer, just a girl that loves nutrition and fitness and wants to help others as much as she can.  As always though, let me know if you have any questions!!

Till next time,

-Mere

The Secret is in the Routine

General Fitness, Living the Fit Lifestyle, Nutrition/ Diet, Weightloss, , , , , , ,

Hi guys!  I cannot believe I’m already halfway through this Prep!  Between working full-time, training, eating, and life, it’s been a while since I’ve updated all of you!  We posted an older entry as well, but hopefully now that things have settled down a bit I can get back in the habit of updating the blog more frequently!

The secret is definitely in the routine.  I love the structure and discipline that comes with Prep.  There is so much dedication, focus, and intention around the routine.  I still focus on taking things one day, one meal, one workout at a time.  I give each one 110% and move through each one each day, and the days slowly turn into weeks, and the results are slowly coming.  It’s such an amazing process, but the secret is definitely found in CONSISTENCY in the routine.

Everyone loves a locker room selfie!
Everyone loves a locker room selfie!

Don’t get me wrong, things are still really different this time!!!  So far so good, but man, this time just feels a lot more I guess calm??  It’s really weird.  First off– I’m slowly seeing changes week by week, but the scale has barely moved!  Coach says not to worry though, that I’m right on pace!  ….I’ll take it!  My diet hasn’t changed all that much from offseason, so the biggest difference I’ve noticed with this prep compared to last year, is that I’m not craving things nearly as much.  Honestly, it seems easier!!  I guess mainly because this has been a “lifestyle” for me for a whole additional year for me, so it’s really not a big deal.  Eating clean and eating six times a day, is just how I eat!  It’s been almost six weeks since my last cheat meal, but all I really want is a vodka soda with lime and maybe a cupcake.  Hilarious, right?  This time since I’m doing so many shows back to back, I’ve been a lot more focused on how I feel—I know now to expect low energy on my low carb days, and have structured my rest day so that it falls on a low carb day, and know to REST!!!  My energy levels so far have been pretty on point, up until this week—we upped my fasted morning cardio to 45 minutes (way more than last year! Lol!) and my low carb days, I’m only doing 25g of carbs.  A ½ cup of oats in the morning with breakfast, and that’s it for 24 hours!  On Tuesdays and Thursdays at least.  Needless to say, I’ve learned that low carb day + leg day is a shitty combo, and I won’t make that mistake again!  Also now that I’m working from home 100% of the time, it’s been a lot easier to get my cardio and training in than last time.  That’s such a blessing—Prep is hard regardless, but it would be so much harder with a demanding job and crazy schedule!!  Shane has been amazing as always, encouraging me and supporting me in this journey.  I’m so lucky to have him by my side!!  I’ve got such an incredible support system of friends and family surrounding me, that I really just want to make everyone proud and enjoy each day as much as I can.  As I write this, I’m making a mental note to focus more on this journey as an individual one, instead of constantly comparing it to last year.

Date night--he gets wings, and I get celery!
Date night–he gets wings, and I get celery!

Outside of just pushing myself in my weight training, I’ve also taken up my cardio a notch from last year, incorporating more sprints, running, and track workouts to help lean out my legs.  It’s working!  We’ve also added a topical fat burner called Vasoburn (like IcyHot without the icy) which is also really helping.  That said, though, I’ve only lost 3 pounds since I started this Prep almost 8 weeks ago!  WTF.  Again, the scale is just a number— progress pics tell so much more.  You can see in these two pictures how much difference a year has made.  I’m still up about 25 pounds from stage weight last year, so we’ll see how the next 7 weeks go!  In terms of muscle mass and added size ALONE, we know I’ve made significant changes to my physique this past year.  I’m back to training with my Coach and posing once a week, which helps me stay focused and structured with my routine.  Cardio, Eat, Work, Eat, Train, More Cardio, Eat, Sleep, Repeat.

I’ve also realized that I feel more confident in this process and myself and what I can push myself to do than I did last time.  Today at least.  It’s very easy to look on Instagram at other competitors getting ready for national level shows, or their progress pictures, etc., and become really discouraged.  I try to just remind myself to compare me to me.  That’s all I can do!  When you give your best, and work hard, and do that day in and day out, the results will come.

I wouldn't be @Lipglossandlifting without some cute lipgloss on my way to the gym, right?
I wouldn’t be @Lipglossandlifting without some cute lipgloss on my way to the gym, right?

We booked another photo shoot for two weeks before the first show, which also happens to be my 31st birthday weekend, and this time it’s with a different photographer which will be fun.   My custom suit from Tamee Marie and custom bedazzled, BEAUTIFUL shoes from the Shoe Fairy are coming soon, so the excitement is building!!

On another super exciting note, NICOLE WILKINS (a.k.a. my Figure competitor HERO/IDOL) will be here in Dallas hosting one of her Fitness Phat Camp Bootcamps March 18th – 20th and I can’t WAIT to go!!!  It will be so fun to learn from her, gain new insights into fitness and nutrition, and meet new Fit Friends!

 

Stay tuned for more frequent updates!

Till next time,

-Mere

Eat This, Not That—a Fit Girl’s Guide to Eating Out!

General Fitness, Living the Fit Lifestyle, Nutrition/ Diet, Weightloss, , , , , , ,

I’m excited about this post, and I think a lot of you will be too!  Let’s face it, as much as we try to meal prep and plan our meals, sometimes we are in a pinch and need to eat a meal on the road or away from home.  Maybe you have a job that has a lot of dinners and lunches with clients that you wine and dine, or travel a lot, and that requires a lot of eating out.  I thought I’d share some of my favorite tips and tricks for making healthy choices when eating out.

I’ll preface this by saying that when you are really trying to be mindful with your nutrition, lose weight, build muscle, etc., you should avoid eating out as much as you can.  Not all restaurant meals are unhealthy, but when you eat out you cannot really control what and how much you are eating as well as you can when you prepare and cook your own meals.  With that said, we all like to get out of the house and enjoy a meal out with our friends and loved ones.  Live a little!!

Here are the parameters I try to follow when I am out (NOT ON CHEAT MEAL NIGHT!) and looking at what to order:

  • Stay away from fried anything— fried chicken is certainly delicious, but it’s not healthy!
  • Salads are a good option, but leave off the croutons and cheese if you can. They are nothing but empty calories. Stick with vinaigrette dressings and always order dressings on the side.
  • Stick with grilled lean proteins—fish, chicken, etc.
  • Avoid creamy sauces, cheese, and butter sauces. These usually add hundreds of calories.
  • Avoid pasta and rice dishes. They are chock full of of added butter and SALT and have way more carbs that you probably need.
  • Send the chips and bread back.
  • Look at menus and nutrition facts ahead of time so you are prepared and will be less tempted to order something off your “plan”.
  • You can always ask for your food to be prepared without butter or ask to have things grilled.
  • I will almost ALWAYS order a side salad instead of the rice/fries/potato option

 

I also thought I’d share some of our go-to meals we’ll order when we need to eat on the run:

Chipotle—

Order the burrito bowl with chicken, ½ as much brown rice, or no rice at all.  No beans, no cheese, no sour cream.  Pico, hot sauce, a tiny bit of corn, and lots of lettuce!  Guac on the side.

Chick-Fila—

Grilled nuggets with a side salad.  Vinaigrette dressing on the side.  Their market salad is a good option too but doesn’t have a lot of protein.

PeiWei—

Did you know you can get ANY of their bowls steamed with the sauce on the side?!  I love this option, and will get it with the spicy sauce on the side and use just a tiny bit to dip my veggies in.  Watch how much of the rice you eat, though, and order brown or white rice, but not fried rice.

Ghengis Grill—

I can almost eyeball my protein amount and can get a ton of veggies!!!  The healthier sauces are usually spicy, but try to avoid the sweeter ones to save calories.

Jason’s Deli—

The Turkey Wrap is your best option outside of the salad bar.  The soups are pretty much salt licks, and don’t even look at the nutrition facts for the sandwiches.  To save even more calories, order the wrap with no ranch dressing or on the side.

Rock Fish/ Seafood places—

Stick with grilled white fish (no butter) and grilled or steamed veggies with no butter. You can also do boiled shrimp or crab!  YUM!!!

Breakfast / Brunch—

Go with egg-white and veggie omelets or scrambles, and plain oatmeal. You can add Splenda and cinnamon to your oatmeal!  Avoid biscuits, pancakes, pastries, waffles, bacon, sausage. and pretty much all the good stuff. L  Brunch is another one of my favorite cheat meals!!

Mi Cocina/ Mexican Restaurants—

We love the Mico Rico salad from Mi Cocina!  Again, leave off the cheese and bacon but otherwise you’re pretty set.  Chicken fajitas and chicken fajita salads are probably your best choice if you can’t find grilled options on the menu.  Just watch the rice/beans/chips.

Sushi / Asian Restaurants—

Sushi is usually a pretty clean meal, especially if you’re not ordering rolls with sauces or tempura batter.  Sashimi is a great option as well.  Asian restaurants will usually give you the option to get your entrée steamed, so try that as well.

Pizza—

Seriously, just save this for a cheat meal.  Anything else will be disappointing!  If y’all have ideas on how to make restaurant pizza a clean meal, let me know, I’m all ears!!

American / Bar Restaurants—

A grilled chicken salad can be found almost anywhere, but again look at the toppings and dressing choices.  For example, most of Chili’s salads have a RIDICULOUS number of calories, but appear to be “healthy”.  I will sometimes do a grilled fish, or turkey burger as options too.

DRINKS—

Sidenote: Alcohol is almost entirely void of any nutritional value.  You want to lose weight quickly?  Cut out alcohol for two weeks and see what happens.  That said, I love the occasional cocktail, so here are my favorite “skinny” options:

  • Skinny Margarita
  • Vodka soda (NOT TONIC) with extra lime
  • Wine
  • A light beer
  • Diet Coke with vodka or Malibu and lime
  • Avoid frozen drinks, craft cocktails (those are my favorite), sweeter cocktails, and blended drinks

Stick to your guns!  It’s not easy to start or stick to a lifestyle of clean eating.  If it were, everyone would do it.  However, I can promise you that every healthy choice you make will give you more confidence and motivation to keep making more of them.  Your body will thank you and you won’t feel guilty for sabotaging all of your hard work in the gym.  Keep working hard!  Remember, I’m always listening and willing to help, so feel free to email me at Lipglossandlifting@gmail.com.  I just started a Facebook page, too, so give it a like (search for Lipgloss and Lifting)!

Till next time,

-Mere

I’m hungry…I need a snack.

Living the Fit Lifestyle, Nutrition/ Diet, Weightloss, , , , , , ,

We’ve all been there. Those 10:30am stomach gurgles when you’re starving and just can’t wait till lunch. Or worse, 3:30 or so in the afternoon when fatigue or the munchies set in and you head straight to the office vending machine. What do you need? A SNACK!

Believe it or not, snacks are just as important as your 3 square meals a day. Our bodies need fuel, and eating just three times a day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner just isn’t enough. This is particularly true if you are working out or maintaining a high activity level. Your metabolism will burn through your food supply, and you need to keep eating every 2-3 hours to keeping fueling it. More importantly, however, eating in between meals keeps your blood sugar steady, and gives you the energy you need to get through your day. I hoped in today’s post to give a brief overview of what I feel to be some downfalls for snacking habits, and provide you with a few nutritious options. Who doesn’t love a yummy snack?!

Cellucor Red Velvet Whey, literally the best tasting protein that you can buy!
Cellucor Red Velvet Whey, literally the best tasting protein that you can buy!

I read an article yesterday (and actually shared it on Facebook) from Bodyrock.tv that talked about 12 so called “healthy” foods that in actuality weren’t healthy or nutritious at all. It fascinates me how food propaganda and marketing screams “healthy” “low calorie” “low fat”, etc. everywhere you look. It should be easy to find “healthy” snacks, but if you read a label closely, these “healthy” foods are leaden with salt, chemicals, and SUGAR. A few usual culprits—granola bars, trail mixes, prepackaged snacks, flavored yogurts, and even PROTEIN DRINKS. Have you checked the label lately on a Kind bar or a Lara bar? Told you, all sugar. Even those Special K protein drinks are loaded with it! What’s a girl to do?!

If you choose wisely, there are lots of healthy snack options.
If you choose wisely, there are lots of healthy snack options.

You all have heard me talk time and time again about the importance of clean eating; eating whole foods that have as few ingredients as possible. When it comes to snacking, you should ideally aim to have one snack mid morning (in between breakfast and lunch, duh) and a second snack mid afternoon (between lunch and dinner). I also typically do a casein protein shake or egg whites as my 6th meal an hour or so before bed. Portion control is HUGE here. A snack should not be the same caloric intake as your meals. Avoid temptation to graze (or eat mindlessly) by portioning out your serving, rather than eating the food directly out of the box or container. Additionally, you should definitely incorporate protein into your snack. Some of my favorite snacks are plain Greek yogurt (flavored with crystal light drops or stevia), whey protein shakes, tuna, and ground turkey lettuce wraps. Try to avoid prepackaged snacks like chips, candy, snack mixes, cookies, etc. Essentially anything on what you’d find on what I call the “lunchbox aisle” of the grocery store. I love goldfish crackers, but they aren’t a very healthy snack choice unless you’re looking to eat a bunch of processed crap and still want to be hungry in 15 minutes. An apple or fruit is a good option, but keep in mind that it still translates as sugar to your body. A protein and fat should keep you satiated and hold you over until your next meal. Good combos include—tuna and avocado, turkey and avocado, yogurt (UNFLAVORED—there’s that darn sugar again) and almonds, you get the idea. Veggies and hummus are another great option. You could also make a dip with greek yogurt and your spices of choice for crudités. And I LOVE Quest Bars. Or hard boiled eggs! Refer back to my earlier posts about protein and fat sources if you need more ideas.

Honestly, just try to avoid foods that have more than 3 ingredients. Really. It’s that simple. If it wasn’t around when your great grandmother was, then it’s probably not real food! Remember to prepare ahead of time and bring snacks/food with you to work, school, or on the road so that you don’t have to rely on a less healthy option in a pinch. I don’t buy junk food at the grocery store so that it’s not in our home to tempt us. I don’t even crave junk food now, but in the beginning of my journey I found it was much easier to avoid it if it wasn’t in the house altogether. If I didn’t have access to plate of brownies on the counter or chips in the pantry, I wasn’t going to eat it, plain and simple.

Quest Bars are amazing. Buy them now. You won't regret it!
Quest Bars are amazing. Buy them now. You won’t regret it!

I should also mention that it is equally important to not skip snacking! If you find yourself starving between meals, you likely aren’t eating enough calories to fuel your body for your respective activity level. Also, if you’re famished come meal time, you are likely to give into cravings or over eat. We all know that can cause some serious damage. I touched earlier on how important it is to watch for added sugar in the foods that you eat. I cannot stress this enough—if you look at one thing on a label, make it the sugar content! I promise you will be surprised. If you have to eat packaged food, aim for those with a sugar content of 5g or less per serving, a low carb, and high fiber content. As you become more accustomed to eating clean foods, you will rely less and less on prepackaged items. Just remember, take it one day, one meal, one workout at a time.

Greek yogurt is a great source of protein.
Greek yogurt is a great source of protein.

I hope you all are enjoying the summer! I LOVE answering questions, so feel free to email me at lipglossandlifting@gmail.com.

Till next time,
-Mere

The Most Important Meal of the Day

General Fitness, Living the Fit Lifestyle, Nutrition/ Diet, Weightloss, , , , , , ,

How many times have you heard the old saying, “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day”?  Well friends, I’m here to tell you that it is definitely true!!!  Eating a healthy, nutritious breakfast will not only help power you through your day, but it will also help boost your metabolism and keep hunger at bay throughout your day as well.

The Most Important Meal

Let’s start with why NOT eating breakfast is really bad for you.  It’s called BREAKFAST because you are breaking the fast that your body endured while you were sleeping.  Your brain and body need food to function.  On an empty stomach, you’ll be battling your blood sugar, and won’t have the energy to get you through your day.  Coffee alone isn’t enough!  I used to think that a (flavored) Yoplait yogurt, or a packet of Quaker flavored oatmeal was enough for breakfast.  And now I know that I was eating no where near enough protein for that first meal of the day.  I’m also a big believer that starting your day with a healthy, nutrient packed meal will help you make healthy choices the rest of the day.

Heres a typical breakfast for me: Oats with strawberries, eggs, egg whites and coffee!
Heres a typical breakfast for me: Oats with strawberries, eggs, egg whites and coffee!

Many people eat breakfast, but I would venture to say that most aren’t eating the right foods for breakfast.  Who doesn’t love a giant stack of pancakes, a waffle, or a fluffy omelet?  Or BISCUITS!!!  Can you tell I love carbs? And don’t even get me started on Shane’s undying love for bacon…  I’m no stranger to big breakfast—I even asked my coach if I could do Sunday Brunch as my cheat meal instead of dinner Saturday night! LOL!  As awesome as these all sound, a great breakfast should have both protein and complex carbs, and a small bit of healthy fat to keep you fueled.

Here are some of our favorite breakfast staples:

  • Oatmeal
  • Egg whites
  • Whole Eggs (be careful your fat content with yolks)
  • Protein pancakes
  • Cheerios
  • Berries or some banana in with my oats
  • Egg white and veggie scramble or omelet
  • Sweet potato hash
  • Ezekiel bread and turkey sausage/ turkey bacon are healthy options too

And of course, no morning for me is complete without COFFEE!!  I take mine with a splash of half & half or fat free / sugar free creamer (but, during prep I take it with a splash of almond milk or black).

This list is in no way all inclusive, but here’s my list of foods to AVOID for breakfast:

  • Starbucks drinks that are full syrup / calorie—these can average 400 calories plus (some Frappuccinos even hit 1,000 calories!) and are full of sugar and fat
  • Breakfast sandwiches and burritos from anywhere with a drive thru
  • Bagels with cream cheese (simple carbs will spike your blood sugar, and the cream cheese will pack on a TON of calories and fat with little nutritional value)
  • As much as I love them, pancakes and waffles shouldn’t be an everyday thing
  • Believe it or not fruit juice is a terrible choice; it’s loaded with sugar, carbs, and calories.
  • Most cereals are completely laden with sugar and chemicals; you should avoid them.
  • Pop-tarts, toaster strudels, and all of their boxed friends are horrible for you. Pretty much anything like that will keep you full for about 5 minutes.
  • Muffins, danishes, cinnamon rolls, donuts, etc. Try to avoid white breads and pastries at breakfast too.  They won’t stick with you and are almost completely void of any nutritional value.  Remember complex carbs are your friend, that means oats, rice, sweet potatoes

Here are two of my favorite recipes for a quick and easy breakfast.  Give ‘em a whirl—they’ll make your morning!

 

Easy Microwave Egg White Oats (I eat these probably 3 times a week!)

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup of egg whites
  • ½ a cup of oats
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • About half of a banana mashed (or a handful of berries)
  • A few drops of liquid stevia
  • 1T natural peanut butter or chopped walnuts

Directions: Mix everything but the peanut butter together in a larger microwave safe bowl.  Microwave for 1 minute 15 seconds.  Stir.  Microwave again for 2 minutes stirring every thirty seconds.  Then mix in the peanut butter after it’s cooked.  Delish!

 

Veggie Egg White Scramble

Ingredients:

  • About a cup of egg whites
  • A large handful of spinach
  • Veggies—use whatever you like. We usually go for chopped bell peppers, mushrooms, jalapeños, or onions
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Sauté the veggies on medium high heat for about 5 minutes.  Add in the egg whites and spinach and cook for about 5 minutes until everything is cooked together.

Hopefully you all are excited to get a head start on your day with a great breakfast tomorrow morning.  I know I am!  Thanks again for reading!

Till next time,

-Mere