Commit Yourself to Working Out with these 3 Tips!

1. Work out in the morning.  Don't think about it.  Lay the clothes out, download a good playlist and GO!  Know what you're going to in the morning, whether it's the gym, a yoga studio, a crossfit center or a barre class.  Reframe the mind into believing it's a treat!  And make sure it's something YOU love.
2. Pay for it ahead of time.  If you put down hard earned cash on a class, you will be more enticed to go.  Don't cancel it, you might still get charged.
3. Don't be a-g-g-r-e-s-s-i-v-e.  On days when you only want to walk, freakin' walk!  You don't have to put yourself through an intense workout when you feel like taking it easy.  Chances are, you'll talk yourself out of everything and do nothing.

Want more tips?  

Spring SALE!

$75 for one hour of health coaching

Original price: $150

Offer ends April 4th.

Email me: walkntalkwellness@gmail.com

Check out the website: walkntalkwellness.com for more.

Which Diet Should I Choose?

How the hell are you supposed to figure out which diet will work specifically for you?  I'm going to break it down in my own words.  Please feel free to comment and share your thoughts.

Paleo - Low Carb + High Protein.  This way of eating is essentially for meat eaters, but there are ways around it for non-meat eaters.  Nuts should be okay too.  If you have an allergy, things can get a bit more complicated in terms of the nut flours and nut meals you use for recipes.  A ton of cross-fitters love this diet and I can see why!

AdvoCare - 2 phases.  First phase, the 10 day cleanse phase.  Herbal cleanse with fish oils, amino acids, 21 vitamins and minerals, probiotics and a meal plan that sets you up to eat every 2-3 hours.  Low glycemic carb + protein + veggie X3 per day, Fruit + Healthy Fat x2 per day.  Pretty simple.  Phase 2, the max phase.  Now the body is cleansed and ready to absorb all the good stuff.  The toxins are gone and the body is able to receive the nutrients it needs.  This is my plan and it is the easiest thing to follow.  I love it.  I lost 22 pounds more than a year ago and haven't gained anything back.  I don't restrict, I drink a lot of water and I eat more than I ever have in my life.  YAHOO!

No Sugar Diet - I noticed on the no sugar diet, there is still molasses and honey and coconut sugar.  This wouldn't work for me because I'm prone for high levels of candida.  They use natural sugars for recipes, but I don't know.  You can have granola or oatmeal with blueberries, instead of dried fruit and/ honey because fruit is so naturally sweet and if you are buying store bought granola, it's usually already sweetened.  Either way, this diet has some great benefits for serious sugar addicts.  I was a sugar addict but quit candy and all that junk two years ago.  Depression and anxiety lifted, along with serious mood swings!  Quitting sugar is a good idea, but never deprive, that's when the issues arise.

Atkins - I did this my senior year in high school and lost 4 pounds in one week.  I was freakin' starving and could think of nothing but carbs.  I wasn't even a carb addict...okay, so chips and salsa were a 3 x's a week thing, but bread never sounded so good after I cut all carbs out.  For some, this kind of diet causes a restrict and binge issue, but for others it works.  I know people lose weight quick, I'd suggest slowly reintroducing gluten free carbs.

Weight Watchers- I tried this during gymnastics season in high school and I learned portion control but I became obsessed with counting points and calories.  I've heard things have changed a lot since 2003, but again, this is based on my experience.  I lost weight but it became about the number on the scale every week for weigh-ins and not about learning how to eat healthy.

Jenny Craig - Packaged food that you have to eat for every meal?  Talk about raking in the sodium.  Geez.  And as soon as you stop ordering Jenny Craig meals and eat real food, I've heard that weight that has been lost is regained and then some!  I've never tried it, but customer reviews speak loudly on the internet.

this picture has nothing to do with Jenny Craig, it's just funny.

J Mauss

IIN Health Coach Graduate + Yoga Alliance Instructor

Founder of walkntalkwellness

http://www.walkntalkwellness.com/

Social Media for the Next Generation

This rambling moment brought to you by reading a headline to a news story..."Her last text message before she took her life."  I can't believe that we can get our hands on something so personal, so intrusive and share it with the world.  It's a sad, sad thing to me.  Now don't get me wrong, I understand that everything written on the internet can and will be shown, at some point, to someone, shared with so and so and read by ____.

I am in the gap generation.  The generation that still remembers having a pager, than a cell phone and when Facebook came out my freshman year of college in 2003.  I can think back to going to a party and no pictures were taken when things got out of hand.  Or wearing the same thing two days in a row when I went out on the town because the only evidence would be from my own camera.  Or my friends and then we made photo albums, real ones.  Or scrapbooks of memories, things we could touch, flip pages and laugh about.

It's weird and it's cool at the same time.  The generation after the upper-twentysomething's will suffer.  No doubt about it.  Hard, cold facts right hurr.  They only know instant gratification.  It's a generation of "I deserve it quick."  Not, "I worked really hard for this and feel I've earned it."

The depression & anxiety rates are increasing at a freaky speed and it's because we are so disconnected.  I say this as I've sat home all day working from my computer.  I usually have 2 days a week where I hang out by myself or with my boyfriend and we read, cook and watch tv.  Enjoying the day for what it is and just doing nothing.  It's amazing.  And yet, I still feel guilty, I feel that itch to check my email and respond immediately.  I love looking at instagram for all the pictures.  I LOVE PICTURES.  2 hours go by and I think, "Shit!  How did that happen??"  So I plug my phone into the charger in the bedroom and hangout in the living room.

Seriously, unplug.  Detach.  Stop looking.  Stop checking.  Put your phone away.  Keep it in your purse or your car and be present.  It feels so good.  I promise you.  You won't be wondering if your pocket vibrated, you wont be anticipating a phone call, email or text.  You will be too busy just being.

EASY Gluten Free Quest Bar Cookies!

Pictured Questbars: cookies & cream (are you serious?)

& Chocolate Chunk (nom nom)

Craving cookies??  Me too.

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat oven to 350.

• Cut favorite flavor questbar into 4 pieces.

• Bake 6 minutes.

• Press flat with spoon.

• Take a bite out of an essentially sugar free cookie!

• Smile 

Nutrition INFO per bar:

• Less than 1 gram of sugar

• Gluten Free

• High Fiber

• Low Carb

• High Protein

• Tastes Awesome.

Best place to buy is GNC.

Pay $10 for a membership.

You get emailed a $10 gift certificate.

Enjoy heavenly discounts buying Questbars.

Gluten Free, Dairy Free Quinoa Pizza Bites!

Makes 10 Delightful Pizza Bites!  Adapted from Chocolate Covered Katie's Blog!

• 1 cup cooked quinoa (1 cup quinoa, 2 cups water, 1/2 tsp salt, bring to boil and simmer on low for 18-20 minutes)
• 1 cup canned white beans
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 2 tsp dry basil
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp xylitol/stevia
• Daiya (in the middle)

Preheat oven to 350 F and grease 2 muffin tins then set aside.  I used Olive Oil Spray.

In a medium bowl, mash the beans completely or use your magic bullet. Stir in all remaining ingredients. Drop a big spoonful into each muffin holder, then add a couple pinches of cheese—and add another spoonful of mixture.  Fill 10-12 muffin cups.  Cook 25 minutes then for a crispy outer shell, broil 5 minutes at the end.

About 40 calories each.  I ate 2.  My guy ate 4.  We had them with dinner, but you could easily eat some for dinner/snack/lunch/whatever your heart desires.

http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2014/01/27/quinoa-pizza-bites/

Tribute to Dad.

The weather is blah.  Thank God I have my Dad.  He is my motivation for getting to the gym in the early morning.  We meet 3 times a week at 7AM to warm-up on the treadmill, row machine or bike and then play 30 or so minutes of racquetball...

yes, racquetball.  The old man sport that proves my Dad is a real athlete.  The man has skills.  Mathematical whiz.  He knows where the ball is going to end up based on the way his racquet is positioned...Unfair advantage? I think so.  He's also in his sixties and murders me on the court.  He reminds me how old he is after every win as he's grinning.  "Old age and treachery, " is his favorite comment whenever he adds a little spin to his serve.  It's like nails on a chalkboard.

What started out as a personal project last year to help Dad lose some weight evolved into something much greater.  Now, he makes it to the gym 5 TIMES A WEEK!!!  With or without me, he's there.  Clocks in a minimum of 2 miles and goes on with the rest of his day.  He just needed a little nudge.  In addition, he started the 24 Day Challenge right after I completed my first one and stayed on Spark, Meal Replacement Shakes, Catalyst and ThermoPlus.

Since May of last year, he's lost 16 pounds and kept it off!!  The doctor took him off a medication and reduced others, which Dad should be really proud of because it was his hard work.  I want him (and of course my Mom) to be around until I have grandchildren.  Yep.  I said, grandchildren.  So they might be in their 100's, but a woman turned 117 yesterday, so it could happen.

Stop the Jealousy!

You can hear it in someone's tone or the way a picture is critiqued on Facebook.  Thoughts turn negative in your head and start to spin into a sarcastic tornado.  You start comparing yourself to what you see.  You either don't measure up or you laugh at their expense, out of jealousy.  Either way, comparing only leaves you feeling empty.  All of a sudden, you aren't good enough and nothing you've done amounts to anything.  All your hard work and what's to show?

I felt myself falling deep into this rabbit hole of self-destruction.  But this time, I stopped midway, gave myself a little love slap and forged onward.  The mind is a powerful tool, your choice, truly, whether to use it for good or bad.

I trained my mind in that instant to stop comparing and start celebrating.  There are things I was graced with and things I wasn't.  I have the gift of empathy and understanding.  I know this.  And I know how unique and special it is.  What I don't have is laser beam focus.  There is not ONE thing that I can devote all my time and energy to because I am interested in everything!  And I celebrate people who rise to the top because of their tunnel vision.  I admire these people and try to learn from them.

Last night, I got to hang with the girls.  And for 3 hours, we did nothing but eat snacks, drink a little wine and talk about our latest rendezvous.  It was heaven.  As I listened, I glanced around the room and noticed how different our lives were, but how we were the same.  Despite our daily activities and our job titles, we are women, just trying to do our best to live rich, full lives.

One, a Qi Gong Instructor & CFO of Uplift Yourself.  Another, a Senior Donor Relations of the MS Society.  The other two were involved with social media, analytics and marketing, they spoke in a foreign language...search engines and secretly disguised advertising lingo.  I loved it.  I soaked in the difference and thought, what a great group of girls.  I sat there as a Yoga Teacher, Health Coach and small business owner and listened to all the qualities bouncing around the room.  These women were real, honest and open.  We didn't take a picture and post it to Facebook or Instagram.  We just lived.  We talked.  We laughed.  We commiserated.  We left.  And I woke up today feeling inspired.  A change is a comin' and the change starts with a loud BANG!  It's my internal drum, starting to celebrate.