Easy cinnamon roasted sweet potatoes

Easy cinnamon roasted sweet potatoes

Dice and peel 1-2 sweet potatoes.
Coat with olive oil and sea salt in a bowl.
Pour onto wax paper-lined cookie sheet and sprinkle with cinnamon.
Bake at 450 for 25 minutes.

Enjoy,
Coach Steph

Top 7 Tips for Weight Loss

I've maintained a 75 lb. weight loss for nearly four years.  These are my top 7 tips for weight loss.

1. Eat every 3-4 hours
While the science isn't exact, this works because it keeps blood sugar stable.  Not only does it keep the body fueled for activity, it also prevents simple carbohydrate binges, which happen when you go too long without eating and your body craves the simplest form of sugar it can get. 

2. Eat food in its whole form.
You've probably heard about shopping the perimeter of the grocery store.  In addition to that, beans, nuts, whole grains and essential oils (olive and coconut) are key components of a balanced nutrition plan. Fruit, vegetables and lean protein are the basis of any healthy diet.

3. Do exercise you enjoy.
Forget the latest exercise craze.  Do what you love!  As you start to do physical activity on a regular basis, you can explore a more well-rounded exercise plan.  So, if you love to walk, get moving! 

4. Drink water.
Simple enough, right?  Did you know that most people need half of their entire body weight in ounces of water per day?  Depending on your activity level and how much you sweat, a good place to start is to take your body weight and divide it in half.  That's how many ounces of water you should drink a day. 

5. Find what works for you.
There are a lot of great nutrition programs out there.  Find one that speaks to you, that supports your goals and lifestyle, and start there.  A little bit of structure goes a long way. Educating yourself about nutrition is the best way to ensure success in the long run. 

6.  When in doubt, hire a pro.
Don't wait until you've tried everything.  If you're serious about weight loss and improving your health, seek the services of a certified nutritionist and certified personal trainer.  Your physician is a great place to start for help with a nutritionist.  Look for a CPT with a national certification: NASM, ACE, ACSM or NSCA. Ask questions before you hire and make a financial commitment.  A professional should have no problem answering questions about their qualifications or experience.  

7. Take the focus off of weight loss.
Wait, did she just say that?  Yes.  Focus on healthy habit changes.  Weight loss is a byproduct of healthy and balanced living.  Fix your habits.  The weight loss will follow.

Jumpstart your metabolism with apple cider vinegar

We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But what you may not know is that there are other things you can do first thing in the morning to jumpstart your metabolism, your digestive system and your circulatory system.   Below is my recipe that I start my day with every morning. I drink it all at once.

Jumpstart your metabolism with apple cider vinegar 



Here are some other benefits of apple cider vinegar and raw honey.

The taste takes a little getting used to, but the lemon and honey help and give you an added nutritional boost.  Best of all (in my opinion), if you aren't regular in the morning, about 20 minutes afterward you should be! (I'm convinced a good BM will fix anything.)  There are many benefits to drinking warm water first thing in the morning!

Try it out and leave your comments below!

Yours in health,
Coach Steph

Healthier breakfast alternative for your meat and potatoes man

What do you do when you're trying to eat healthy and prepare clean meals for your family and your husband and only wants meat and potatoes?  If your significant other is like mine, he's not going to drink a smoothie or eat an egg white omelette! So, instead of trying to change him, I just try to prepare the healthiest version of foods that he loves. 

This is my recipe for an alternative to him swinging through the drive-through and getting a breakfast sandwich every day because he wants a hot meal.  I don't get up early to make him one, and these can be stored in Ziploc bags and reheated for grab and go.

Healthy breakfast alternative for your meat and potatoes man

Drop biscuits:

4 1/2 c Bisquick all-purpose baking mix

1 1/3 c skim milk or plain almond milk 

1 c shredded cheese

1 lb all natural pork or turkey sausage (I get our pork from the farmers market, and it's farm-to-table.  No nitrates, fillers, hormones or antibiotics. I used turkey sausage for a long time. Just read your labels so that you're not giving something that's full of preservatives)

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees and grease a cookie sheet with butter or cooking spray.

Mix the Bisquick and milk in a large bowl, then fold in the cheese. Add browned sausage (cook it first) until all is mixed evenly. 

Use a serving spoon or a cookie baller (one size up from a melon baller. Pampered chef has a good one if you're looking) to drop the biscuits onto your greased cookie sheet. I do 4 to a row so I can bake 16 at a time. Bake for 10 minutes and let them cool on a baker's rack or paper towels.  

Once cooled, I package them into sandwich bags for easy serving. My husband eats three at a time, but you can figure out what you need. One batch makes 30-32 biscuits depending on how you measure them. This gets us a little over a week of breakfast.  To reheat, wrap the biscuits in a damp paper towel for about 20 seconds. 

Lower in fat, preservatives and calories than any biscuit from any fast food restaurant and much cheaper. All the ingredients cost us about $5 for 8-9 meals! Your man will be eating something  yummy, semi-healthy,  and you can feel good about what he's eating and not spending at the drive-through.  I love feeding yummy food to my family,  and I know he appreciates the little bit of effort that I put into making sure that he gets a hot breakfast in the morning. Happy baking! 

What does healthy mean?

To many of you, this may not mean much.  But these numbers have helped me redefine my own meaning to the question, "what does healthy mean?"

Flashback to July 2012: I was 28 years old and weighed the most I ever had in my entire life, 270 lbs. Aside from the weight, my blood pressure was 140/90.  My fasting blood glucose level was 120.  The number above represents nearly 4 years of hard work including exercise, a complete overhaul of my eating habits, and most importantly, a mental shift in the way I think about health and fitness.

I, like most people, always determined how healthy I was based on two numbers: my weight on the scale and my BMI.  I'm not saying you shouldn't pay attention to those numbers, but I want to challenge you to add a few more into your health profile.

Do you know...

• your resting heart rate?
• your fasting blood glucose level?
• your blood pressure?
• your body fat percentage?
• your heart rate recovery time?

If you answered 'no' to any or all of the above questions, I challenge you to seek out your health care provider and a certified personal trainer to help assess what your numbers are.  Getting a total picture of your overall health includes all your numbers.  

When you are armed with information and knowledge, you can start to form a plan as to how you want to improve your health. Your number one goal shouldn't always be to lose weight.  Fat loss is a bonus by-product of living healthier.  When you know your numbers, you can begin to define, "what does healthy mean" for yourself.

Yours in health,

Coach Steph

Leave Kim Kardashian Alone!

Did I get your attention?  Let me clarify: I'm not a Kim K. fan.  However, I do think she is a beautiful and intelligent woman.  Building an empire on no talent?  That takes a brain!  But, I digress.  That's not the point of this post.

Leave Kim Kardashian alone!

Why, you ask?  She had a baby four days ago;  a beautiful boy named Saint West (I'm embarrassed I know that). After FOUR days, the media is already circling like sharks after blood in the water: WHEN WILL SHE LOSE THE BABY WEIGHT?

It's been FOUR FREAKING DAYS!! 

Photo of Kim from her Instagram account on the day she gave birth.

In case you didn't know, she should be focused on bonding with her baby, nursing, sleeping (haha), snuggling and just enjoying her little miracle (all babies are blessings).  Yet, the media is salivating over the photos of her post-pregnancy figure and speculating when (or if) she'll be able to slim down.  They are comparing this pregnancy to her last one; commenting on how much weight she gained with baby Saint as compared to baby North.  

Are you kidding me????

According to the March of Dimes, the leading authority on maternal and infant health, new moms should focus on healthy eating and adequate sleep postpartum.  They also recommend to follow the advice of your physician before beginning an exercise program.  Additionally, if you're breastfeeding, your nutrition is twice as important.  Now, I don't know Kim K's plans on breastfeeding, but right now, just like every other new mom, she should  be focused on self care and baby bonding, not throwing herself into extreme dieting and frantic exercise.

Quoted directly from the March of Dimes website:

Many of today's Hollywood moms get back to their original figure in record time. When you see how great they look, you may feel pressure to drop the baby weight quickly. But it's not a race to the skinny jeans. Focus on living a healthy lifestyle, and the rest will fall into place.

Exactly my thoughts! Listen up ladies, I'm going to get real specific here:

A healthy of lifestyle of balance is your best strategy for long term weight management. Additionally, it's not all about the scale.  Your body fat percentage, how you feel, measurements, blood pressure, resting heart rate and blood sugar are all great ways to measure progress with any program, whether your goal is to lose or gain (muscle, fat, strength).

You heard it straight from a certified personal trainer with a long roster of healthy and happy clients: focus on balance and everything will take care of itself.  

Additionally, loving your post-baby body, no matter how it looks, is very important.  It's going to look and feel different.  But, you carried life and that is a miracle.  Rejoice! Thank God for your baby.  Don't dwell on the superficial.  Just focus on taking care of that baby and yourself.  As a woman who has struggled with fertility, I would trade all my workouts, runs and deadlift sessions to hold a healthy baby in my arms.  Embrace your body.  Love yourself.  Don't stress out over the pounds and don't shame or pass judgement on other women.  We need to lift one another up and encourage each other.  Be kind, and you can start by telling the haters and nosy reporters to LEAVE KIM KARDASHIAN ALONE!

Yours in health,
Coach Steph

Where do I start?

Congratulations! You've decided to start a fitness/eating/healthier living program.  But you're probably asking yourself, "Where do I start?"

"Where do I start" is the number one question I get as a personal trainer and coach.  Here's a few tips to get you started.

1. What are your goals?
Why are you doing this?  What do you hope to accomplish?  Having a clear vision of your goals is important.

2. What will happen when you reach your goal?
You have a clear goal - great!  What will happen when you get there?  The number one reason people gain weight back after reaching a goal is because they didn't think about the 'after.' What would happen when you met the goal?  Remember, this is the rest of your life.  Don't be shortsighted.

3.  Start small.
Small, consistent habit changes that you can adhere to are the keys to longterm success.  Focus on one habit at a time.  If you don't eat breakfast, work on eating breakfast everyday until that becomes normal for you.  Some habits will take less time to achieve than other.

4.  Celebrate the small victories.
You passed on seconds at dinner because you were satisfied and didn't need anymore food.  Pat yourself on the back!
You did 10 push-ups in a row. Last week you could only do 8.  Celebrate!
You packed your lunch every day for work and felt good about it.  Great job!
Whatever it is that makes you proud for continuing on this journey, celebrate it.  Remember, consistently doing the right things add up to big results.

5.  Create a support network.
Tell people you love and trust what you are doing.  Tell them you need their support when you want to quit.  Tell them to remind you of your goals.  Having the right support will make all the difference.

6.  Keep the negative nellies at an arm's length.
Change is hard.  Sometimes it's even harder for the people in our lives than it is for us. When you decide to make a change in your lifestyle, some people in your life may become negative or downright mean.  Your desire to change is highlighting their decision not to.  That's ok.  Just protect yourself.  Your support network will help you.

7.  Create a mindset of success.
You can do this.  You are worth it.  You are enough. You're doing this for you.  Repeat these things every day in the mirror.  Say them until you believe them.

8.  Get professional help.
There are a lot of trainers and health professionals who are in the business of helping people get healthier.  Do your research.   Ask for referrals.  Interview them.  They are a part of your team and you need to be comfortable opening up and being honest with them so they can help you.  All trainers, nutritionists, dietitians, physicians and health coaches are not created equal.  A true professional will have no problem complying with your need to gather information before you make a decision.

9.  Make a decision.
Your gut is usually right.  If your gut tells you that your trainer, coach, nutritionist, etc is a good fit for you, then go with that.  Do your research, but trust your intuition.

10.  Love yourself.
Self worth and self esteem start at the core with loving who you are, right now, whatever you look or feel like.  If you think losing weight or getting more fit will make someone else like you or love you more, you're wrong.  Loving you, flaws (we all have them) and all is the key to happiness.  When you love you, everything else falls into place.  Love yourself enough to take care of your temple.  It's the only place you have to live.

Reach out if you need more help.

xoxo,
Coach Steph

Comparison is the Thief of Joy

Teddy Roosevelt was a pretty smart guy.  "Comparison is the thief of joy." I feel like this applies to so many areas of our lives.  Specifically, I'm going to speak to fitness and weight loss.

I coached a personal training client yesterday on this topic.  She was finishing her post-workout cardio and cooling down on the treadmill when she asked me, "so how much progress should I be seeing right now?"

This is such a loaded question and I HATE IT!

Do you know why I hate it?  Because no two people are the same.  Because no two bodies metabolize food the same way.  Because no two bodies respond to exercise and weights the same way.  Get the idea?

Comparison is dangerous.  It can take you down a scary path where you start to look at your life and someone else's and decide that their life is better or easier.

When you compare your fitness progress to someone else's, you can take yourself out of the game or delay your success.

I know it's tough not to compare; when you see those amazing 'before and after' ads for weight loss. My company even has a weight loss challenge and we use testimonials to show people what's possible.  That's the key, though.  Be inspired by other people's success.  Don't compare.

Honestly, shows like 'The Biggest Loser' or 'Extreme Weight Loss' don't help either.  Those people are in completely controlled environments with expert help 24/7.  That's just not reality.  Most of those people go home and gain the weight back because they didn't gradually learn how to adopt a new lifestyle.

How can you overcome the desire to compare?  Track your progress! Not just your weight and measurements.

• Take photos - Progress photos, wearing the same clothes, in the same pose at the same time every week.  Put the photos side-by-side.  You'll start to see changes.
• Celebrate the NSVs - Non-scale victories.  How do your clothes fit?  Can you do something you couldn't do when you first started?  Has your health improved? I always recommend clients do a physical inventory when they first start.  What hurts?  What is physically hard to do? What are you unable to do because of your physical condition?  Revisit that list every 4-6 weeks and track your progress that way.
• Track your vital signs - Record your resting heart rate and blood pressure when you first start.  Check them every 4 weeks.  When they improve, that means you are getting healthier.  Yay for you!

These are just a few ways to show yourself that your exercise and healthy eating plan are working.  Be kind to yourself.  Change takes time.  How long had you been eating unhealthy food?  How long did it take you to gain the weight?  It's going to take a while for your body to reset and return to its home state, its homeostasis.  Do you know what homeostasis means?  When internal conditions remain relatively stable and constant. That's balance. When your body is balanced, you will be able to lose or maintain your weight.  

Need some help?  More accountability?  Someone to just listen? I'm here.  Reach out.  I'd love to chat.

Check out YouTube for my video summary on this topic.

xoxo,

Coach Steph

Smoothie for breakfast? Make it filling!

One of the first questions I get asked as a trainer from new clients is, "what do I eat?" My answer (insert sarcasm), "FOOD!" Just kidding.  Kind of.  

Remember that food is fuel for your body and activity.  It sustains you and gives you energy to do all the activities life has to offer.  Don't make food the enemy or let it become and obsession.  

Think about it this way.  Your car requires gasoline to go.  How far can you get with the wrong grade of gas or with none at all?  You can't. 

Your body is an amazing machine that requires proper nutrition to function at its peak performance.  The best advice I can give you is that when you eat food in its most whole form, i.e. the way it came into the world/least processed, the better nutrition it will provide to your body.  

Getting started on a path to better eating is not easy.  I always recommend to not try to make drastic changes all at once.  If your goal is to start eating breakfast, do that for 21 days and it will become a habit.  If you go too long between meals, set a timer to remind you to eat a serving of almonds or have a cup of yogurt (preferably plain greek yogurt with your own fruit).  It is about the habits that we create that will help us transform our eating longterm (lifestyle change). 

As always, if you need individual help or coaching to make these changes, please reach out to me here through my blog or Facebook.  

My favorite smoothie recipe:
Blend the following ingredients until smooth. I like to freeze the blueberries because they act as the "ice."

8 oz coconut water
1 tbsp organic, unrefined coconut oil
1 tbsp flax seeds
1/2 c strawberries
1/2 c blueberries
1 c kale

This recipe will give you a meal replacement (meals should ideally be between 300-400 calories, depending on your individual caloric needs).

Why You Have to Set Mini Goals

I just finished my weekly Skype call with one of my SPX clients (we'll call her Amy). Amy told me she had good news and bad news to report. I asked for the good news first. She said that she went to the gym 2x this week. (Amy HATES the gym and has anxiety about working out in public due to her insecurities with her body.) I was so proud! Then she said, "but I didn't really do much..." 

I stopped her right there. Anytime you make time for exercise, CELEBRATE! Going from a sedentary lifestyle to a regular exercise routine takes time. It will not happen overnight.

Make a list of all the things you want to do to live a healthier lifestyle. As you accomplish each one (an accomplishment is doing it on a regular basis, most of the time), cross it off your list. So if you make it to the gym 2x/week for 3 weeks, cross it off your list. You are now a regular exerciser!

You have to set mini goals or else your end goal will seem to big to reach. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. How do you fully transform your lifestyle, one mini-goal at a time.

Be well! What do you want to celebrate?

Yours in Health,

Coach Steph

My Name is Stephanie, and I Overeat...

Even coaches and trainers have "off" days.  I have maintained a 60 lb weight loss for almost two years.  I'm a runner and currently training for my second 15k.  I love to bench press, squat and dead lift. I am a certified personal trainer and gym owner with a long roster of happy clients.  And I'm an overeater.


Yep, you read that right.  For reasons that have nothing to do with hunger or properly fueling my body, I sometimes overeat.  Because the food tastes good.  Because overeating is familiar and comforting to me.

I'm not sure I'll ever "outgrow" this, but I am conscious of it.  I don't beat myself up, but I do acknowledge when it happens.  And then do you know what I do?

I move on.

Tomorrow is a new day with new food choices, new chances to work out and new experiences.  My overeating does not define me, but it does play a part in my journey. Without acknowledging when it happens, I'm doomed to fall back into overeating cycles.

Awareness is very powerful.  Being aware of your patterns and habits is the only way to break them (if necessary) and form healthy ones.  The key to a life of balance is awareness and self-love.  Don't beat yourself up over a meal or a whole day of food choices that are not congruent with your goals.  Recognize when it happens, AND MOVE ON.

xoxo,
Coach Steph

Inspiring Woman #1 - Real Women, Real Struggles, Real Inspiration Series

It's here! The first in a series of four blog posts about real women taking control of their self-image, fitness and health.  Every other week I'll bring you a story from a woman just like you and me who is just trying to love her self, be healthy and take back the notion that we have to be "perfect" to be fit and healthy.

Meet Brittany Arroyo:

Brittany is a nationally certified personal trainer (ACSM) out of Viera, FL and has been dedicated to changing her body and self-image through heavy weightlifting. 

Brittany has a history of eating disorders and being unkind to her body.  Through her fitness and wellness journey, she has been at war with the most powerful "muscle" in her body: her mind.  

Brittany counsels clients, friends and family members about health and fitness issues and has shared what she herself and others deal with.  She also gives her personal philosophy on coaching clients with diet and exercise.

Below is Brittany's personal and candid narrative of these trials and triumphs.  

Disordered Eating/Body Dysmorphia 

"I have a long past of disordered eating and body dysmorphia. While I am much healthier now, I find myself constantly berating myself (too fat, too many calories, not strong enough, not pretty enough, the list goes on). I say things to myself that I would never imagine saying to a loved one or client,  and yet since I've started working in the fitness industry, I've heard many women (and some men) say these things aloud about themselves. Most of the time it's in a joking manner, but I recognize the hurt and pain behind it, as it is my own. 

My struggle is with myself; how do I preach body love and acceptance when I don't accept and love my own body? On the flip side, how do I encourage healthy living and weight without creating unhealthy thought patterns and habits in the process?

I don't remember a time when I've felt comfortable with my body. I stopped eating in high school.  It got to a point where my parents intervened.  They said, 'get better or we're getting you professional help.'  I did go to therapy, but I wasn't ready to deal with it.

People pass judgement that mental health is internal.  As a society, we're bombarded with images and media. Appearance is important. I was raised in a loving home with supportive parents.  I was always comparing myself to others.  I think about it everyday.

I have a PT client in her 50s.  She's really fit but wants to look better.  She told me she's had liposuction and cosmetic surgery.  She only weighs 120 pounds yet still sees a fat person in the mirror.  I want my clients to accept and better themselves.  I want them to stop seeing unmet unrealistic expectations as failure. 

I need to find balance. I'm working on that and self-awareness.  I didn't even acknowledge the problems and the thought process until 1.5 years ago.  People want to train with me because of the knowledge and experience I have.  It's funny the way other people perceive us is not how we see ourselves.

Unhealthy Patterns on Nights and Weekends

"I struggle with not falling into the binge/restrict cycle. I eat super clean on weekdays, all day long and then night-time or the weekend rolls around and I lose my dang mind. I struggle daily to find a balance between being 'on' or 'off.'" 

Teaching Healthy Habits

"Tracking and calorie counting can lead to obsessive behavior.  'Cheat days' can be very detrimental.  I give general guidelines that will work for most people.  2-3 meals a week, eat whatever you want.  I try to screen people and be aware of triggers or red flags with clients.  I keep track and find out the WHY behind why people want to lose weight or get fit. 

I feel like disordered eating is very common.  We've come to accept strange habits as normal.  Juice cleanses, restrictive food habits and 'trendy diets' are all accepted as normal.  Hollywood perpetuates them.  Every person is a personal trainer and expert.  There's so much misinformation on the internet. I only read articles with scientific notation.  If there's no study to back it up, it's just conjecture.  I give resources with legitimate professionals in the industry."   

Working Out is 'All or Nothing'

"I am fairly good about this one.  My clients and friends, not so much. I find many people think they need to workout 7 days a week for an hour or more or else it's useless and they might as well do nothing. I try to emphasize that something is always better than nothing and more is not better but better is better when it comes to fitness.

Most of my clients think that if they can't do the perfect workout, then they shouldn't bother.  Effectiveness of your workout is more important than how long it is.  I give clients at home workouts to do in their off days.  Quickie workouts to create a habit. 

Set a minimum amount of days to workout, whether at home or they gym, and stick to it.  2-3 days at a minimum is my recommendation."

Brittany's Biggest Epiphany

"Lift weights.  Nothing will change your life more than to put weights on a barbell and lift. Lifting weights is the key to looking better, feeling better and thinking better.   I'm most proud of being able to deadlift 1.5 times my body weight and squat over 200 lbs.  I feel strong and powerful."

---Brittany Arroyo, ACSM Certified Trainer
Like Brittany on Facebook 

Committed to continuing education. PT is a science and exercise changes all the time.

Thank you to Brittany Arroyo for your candid testimony and advice to women and men.  Trainers are people too and no one is perfect.  When we stop comparing ourselves to others, we can start to achieve balance.  

Please join us in two weeks for our next profile of and inspiring woman.

Inspiring Woman #2

Perri G - Wife, Mother and Full-Time Chauffeur

Perri became a mom at age 40.  Blessed beyond measure, she struggles with having time to workout, eat well and achieve balance with her mom, wife and work duties.  I think a lot of people can really relate to Perri's story.  She and her husband are trying to be good examples of self-love and healthy body image to their son.  I hope to help Perri find solutions for her busy life, and in turn, help you make exercise and meal planning a priority in your own life.

Thanks for reading my blog this week.  This project is really important to me. I think we need to be talking about our body and food issues.  The only way the rhetoric will change is if we demand it to.  Love your body.  Love your exercise.  Love yourself.

Yours in health,
Coach Stephanie
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Are You Eating Enough?

When sitting with a new client for a nutrition consultation, I always ask them to keep a 3-day food journal of what they eat and drink for three consecutive days.  One of the things most of my clients who are struggling with weight loss have in common is that they DO NOT EAT ENOUGH.

Yes, you read that right.  You have to eat to lose weight.

Your body requires fuel.  It is a magnificent machine.  But, you have to feed it right to get the results you want.

I did a phone consultation with a weight loss client today.  She told me she had hit a plateau and was no longer losing.  I asked her what an average day looked like.  She gave me this food journal entry:

Breakfast - granola bar, 140-150 calories, 32 oz of water
Lunch - Salad with greens and grilled or baked meat, 400 calories
Dinner - anything I can get my hands on.  I'm starving.

Anyone see the problem here?  My client isn't eating enough. By the time dinner rolls around, her blood sugar is so low and her body is starving, so she eats the most satisfying, quick food she can get - simple carbohydrates.

Most women are afraid to eat.  Afraid that 300-400 calories at a meal will make them fat.  WRONG.  What's making you fat is you're starving your body. Be good to it, feed it, and you will start to see the scale move.

Food journaling is a very effective tool for weight loss.  Simply writing down in a notebook what you eat each day will help you see trends in your habits.  There are also apps for smartphones and websites that help you keep track.  Whatever helps you keep yourself accountable, do it.  Don't go crazy obsessing over calories, but keeping track of what you eat will make you aware of how much you're actually consuming.

Mayo Clinic has a calorie estimator on their website.  Your daily caloric needs depend on your height, weight, sex, age and daily activity level.  As long as you eat close to your calories needed per day and moderately exercise, the scale should move.

Keep these tips in mind too:

1. Never go more than three hours without eating. When you eat a snack in between your meals (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner), it helps your stabilize your blood sugar and will help you avoid binges that happen when you wait until you are starving to eat.

 

2. Use fruit as fuel for exercise. Best time to eat fruit: first thing in the morning with protein or 30 minutes before a workout for fuel. Fruit is very good for you and full of nutrients, but it is a sugar and when not paired with a protein, it can spike your blood sugar and leave you unsatisfied and hungry an hour later.

 

3. Explore new vegetables. One of the main complaints people have when starting to eat better is boredom with food. There are so many vegetables and countless ways to cook them.

So be adventurous, visit your local farmer's market and try something new!

 

4. Stick to proteins and veggies at all of your meals. Vegetables are a great source of carbohydrates and are very nutritious. Simple carbohydrates (potatoes, white bread, white rice, pasta, sugar, corn), when not used as a fuel, turn to fat in the body when not used as fuel. Your best bet is to eat simple carbs sparingly.

 

Along with a healthy diet, all-natural, healthy supplements can accelerate your weight loss.  I have a lot of clients who take Nutri-Thin, Nutri-Cleanse and Sea Veg as a part of their weight loss plan.  Check them out for yourself.  

 

I'd love to help you reach your goals.  Follow me on Twitter, Like me on Facebook, or shoot me an email. 

Yours in health,

Stephanie

 

What will you gain when you let go?

September will mark a major anniversary for me.  It will be two years since I got off of the "diet" roller coaster and decided to change my LIFESTYLE. I know it sounds cliche, but it's the truth. Two summers ago a light bulb finally went on in my head.  I realized that in order to reach the goals I had for myself, I had to make permanent, lasting changes.  Physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.  It all fits together.

Let me give you a little background:

After receiving some upsetting news at my annual exam in June 2012, I was referred to a specialist.  While I was excited to finally have a diagnosis for all the symptoms I had been dealing with, I was nervous about what my treatment plan would look like.  I was diagnosed with PCOS, a common endocrine disorder that affects about 10% of women.  If left untreated, it could affect my fertility and lead to other scary things like cancer.

One of the first things the doctor recommended was to change my diet.  GREAT! I wanted to get pregnant so badly that I would've stood on my head and sang show tunes if he told me to! The next 4 months were full of drugs, hormones, injections, cycle tracking and some other TMI details I won't share with you.  When my 4th fertility treatment didn't work, I broke.  I cried.  I was angry.  I had lost 15 lbs, started exercising, overhauled my diet, and followed all my doctor's orders.  Why wasn't this happening yet? 

In the middle of all this, I was also dealing with a very stressful job and contemplating a major career change.  I had been praying for a year for God to bless me with a new job.  I interviewed at jobs I was more than qualified for and would get right to the end, only to lose out to another candidate.  But I stayed faithful, kept praying and believing God had a plan.  Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine He would lead me where I am today.  After an exhausting and maddening conference call, I ran into my good friend (and future business partner) in the parking lot of our office.  We literally scratched out a loose business plan on a scrap piece of paper.  It was the start of an amazing journey.  

I became a business partner in my fitness company in January 2013.  Originally, my role was to do more operations and HR, streamline processes, get our financials on track, etc.  A bonus was that I now had access to more exercise time, trainers and an environment to motivate me and keep me accountable with my new lifestyle. I had always been active as a child, teen and college student, but after getting married and settling into my career, my health and fitness had been put on the back burner. But now I was co-owner of a fitness company.  I had to walk the walk.

What started as a means for me to reach a short-term goal has turned into my life's work and mission.  Everyday I look for opportunities to be in service of others and let my little light shine. God has blessed me infinitely in ways I never imagined.  We're in this world to help others, and that's what my fitness and wellness journey has taught me the most. 

I now have several personal training clients, teach boot camp and am an Official Personal Trainer and Wellness Coach for the SPX Nutrition 90-Day Weight Loss Challenge.  All of this started with a desire to be healthier.  It took me a whole year to lose 50 lbs because of all the emotions and trials that go along with weight loss.  Plus, I strength trained 2-3 days a week for a whole year, along with cardio.  That made the weight come off slower, but I built a lot of lean muscle which permanently raised my metabolism.  I've maintained that loss for a year, with a healthy diet, exercise, self-love, and my favorite supplement on the market, SPX Nutri-Thin.

I truly believe I am doing God's work through my career.  What will happen when you start your journey?

When I started my lifestyle change, my doctor put me on two prescriptions.  I was content with that.  I thought, if you need it, take it.  As I started to educate myself more about pharmaceuticals, I realized they are a bandage on a bigger problem.  Long-term, I had to address the root of my problems and the need for a healthier diet, more exercise, spiritual balance and more rest.  When one part of your life is off, it can throw other things out of whack, too.

I made a personal decision to no longer eat processed foods (as much as possible, I'm not perfect), choose organic meat and vegetables (when I can) and move everyday.  Additionally, eating meat free of hormones is good for my PCOS, so for me that was a big deal.  I also realized that I would have to eat a copious amount of nutrient-dense food in order to get what my body needed.  I found a product called Sea Veg that replaced the synthetic, lab-created vitamins my physician had prescribed for me.  I cannot say enough about this product. I took it back to the reproductive endocrinologist, and the nurse asked me, "where did you get this?" I was so proud that I had found a natural alternative that was ok'd by my doctor. 

I also had begun to ovulate on my own (what the other drug was for), and no longer needed that prescription as well.  All my blood work came back glowing.  My husband and I decided not to pursue any more fertility treatments for the time being. My doctor said everything looked great, and in his opinion, it would only be a matter of time. I knew that already because I stopped worrying, focused on my health, and gave it to God. He's got this!

People always ask me, "where do I start? I have so much weight to lose." 

When beginning your lifestyle change, I recommend starting with one small thing that you want to improve. As you start to feel better, gain confidence and get a handle on why you overeat, don't exercise or eat too many nutrient-poor foods, then change something else.  You don't have to do it all at once.  Just make small changes.  

This is not a race, it's your life.  Don't put pressure on yourself to do it all too fast because you'll just set yourself up for failure. Remember, adopting a healthier lifestyle takes time.  Being to restrictive with your food and exercise is not sustainable long-term.  If it's not something you can live with forever, you won't stick with it. 

If weight loss is your goal, for whatever reason, I have an amazing program and line of supplements that can help you get there, along with dietary changes and exercise.  I'd love to help you.  Please visit my nutrition website for more information.  My contact info is there as well.  Please let me know how I can help or any questions you have.  

You can also like me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter. Thanks for reading my post.  I hope learning more about my journey helps you on yours.  Have a blessed day!

Yours in health,
Stephanie Lippincott
Wellness Coach and Certified Personal Trainer