3 Holiday Themed Workouts to Get You Through The Holidays

Welcome to the latest edition of workout Wednesday when each week I share a strength or running workout. Since we have just six weeks left in the year (Wait. What?!?) I thought I would share some holiday-themed workouts that you can squeeze in between your holiday parties, baking and wrapping. If you want to stay active this holiday season this is a great way to get in some movement while staying in the holiday spirit.

3 Holiday-Themed Workouts to Get You Through The Season. Save to Pinterest for Later!

THANKSGIVING PUMPKIN WORKOUT

You can do this pumpkin workout then bake a pie with your equipment. It's called balance. The Great Pumpkin Workout.

The Great Pumpkin Thanksgiving Day Workout. Save to Pinterest for Later!

12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS WORKOUT

These days it's never too early to start celebrating Christmas. I saw a Christmas tree in my neighbor's window the day after Halloween. Don your favorite Santa hat and get to work. 12 days of Christmas Carol workout.

The 12 Days of Christmas holiday-themed workout. Save to Pinterest for later!

NEW YEARS COUNTDOWN WORKOUT

If you are anything like me and you can't quite stay awake long enough on New Year's Eve to watch the ball drop, you can do your own ball drop workout to celebrate in your own way. Drop the Medicine Ball Countdown workout.

Drop the Ball Countdown workout to celebrate the new year. Save on Pinterest for later!

I wish you and your family a safe, happy and healthy holiday season. Stay active and enjoy this special time with your friends and family.

Like this post? It helps me when you share with your friends and followers.

Tweet

Coach Lea

Why Diets & Meal Plans Rarely Work for Long Term Fat Loss and What To Do Instead

As a nutrition coach people often come to me and (think they) want me to tell them exactly what they should eat. That's not my job. In fact, it's outside my scope of practice as a coach. The truth is that telling people what they should do is rarely an effective strategy anyway. No one likes being told what to do (or what not to do). It's human nature. It may sound like it is easier to have someone else dictate a diet or meal plan that you just follow exactly, it rarely ever works in the real world. 

If I gave you a meal plan and told you exactly what and how much to eat for every meal of the day, then what happens if I assign a food that you don't like? What if you have lunch plans with a friend? What happens when your family doesn't want to eat that meal plan? What happens when you get bored eating the same thing over and over again? What happens when you crave certain foods? What about the holidays? What happens if you have a life? The bottom line is most people are not able to stick to a strict meal plan over the long term.

Why Diets & Meal Plans Rarely Work for Long Term Fat loss and What to Do Instead. Save to Pinterest for Later!

Short-term strategies provide short-term results. My rule of thumb is that if it is not sustainable over the long-term, it is usually not worth my time. 

If you do need a meal plan for a medical reason, it's imperative that you work with a Registered Dietitian. I can suggest a great RD for you if you live in Fort Worth.

Most people who want to make nutrition changes in order to lose fat, feel better and improve their health will find success by working with a nutrition coach in order to improve their nutrition habits as opposed to trying to follow a diet or meal plan.

"YOU'RE NOT THE BOSS OF ME"

You're in charge of you. On some level you already know what works for you and your body. You know what makes you feel good and what makes you feel crappy. I function as your guidepost. I can help you decide what healthy habits you want to try, help you track & measure, hold you accountable, help you overcome roadblocks and the natural human resistance to change.

We work together to brainstorm ideas for improvement. You ultimately decide what is most important to you. You decide what works best for your lifestyle. If there is something you don't want to change (even if it feels like it is something you should want to change) then you don't have to change that right now (or ever).

Sometimes when people start working with me they tell me that they are concerned that I am going to take away all their favorite foods or they are worried they will have to miss out out dinners with friends and family. I've had clients tell me they ate all their favorite foods in the days leading up to our first appointment because they were sure I was going to tell them to give it all up. Nope. That's not what I do. 

You are still the boss of you. The nutrition coach/client relationship is not a dictatorship. I help you decide what healthier choices you want to make that fit inside your lifestyle, preferences and goals. I never give people strict rules about what they can and can't eat. I don't follow strict rules for myself, why would I dictate them to you? I don't know your body like you do. Strict rules leads to all-or-nothing thinking and all-or-nothing thinking rarely leads to long term fat loss success.

YOU'RE AN INDIVIDUAL

Everyone is different. What works for me, might not work for you. What worked for your co-worker might not work for you. We can start some nutritional experiments to find your own personal sweet spot of sanity and sustainability. What do you enjoy? What can you sustain? What is realistic? What are the best choices for your lifestyle? 

A big mistake that people make is that they try to change all their bad habits at once. I still fall into this trap sometimes. Hey, I'm not perfect either! We all already know from countless New Year resolutions that the change-your-whole-life-in-one-day method rarely works beyond a couple of weeks. We get overwhelmed, bored or distracted and go back to our old ways. It's not a lack of motivation. It's not a personality flaw. It happens to literally everyone.

ARE YOU READY, WILLING AND ABLE?

That is just not how humans work. We're not robots. We can't just flip a switch. Change takes time. First we have to want to change. Then we have to be ready to change. Then we have to be able to change. Then we can start making changes. Making changes slowly over time is the sustainable way that won't drive you crazy. It's not a quick fix. You can't cut corners to success.

You don't have to change your whole life around to live healthier and get results, you just need to figure out how to make healthier decisions inside the life you already live. It's not an overhaul. It's healthy habits built over time. We can work together to find the best path for your individual needs.

I am not suggesting it is easy. Behavior change is hard. Accepting that it is going to be hard is the first step. The willingness to keep trying when things get rough is the difference between failure and success.

I know a lot about nutrition and fitness that I can share with you but you're the expert of your own body. When we work together we can make the kinds of changes that yield permanent results.

Sound good? 

Looking for a sane and sustainable approach to nutrition? I have six openings in my online nutrition program going on sale for Black Friday. Limited time offer for 50% off six months of the program for qualified candidates. Reach all your 2018 goals with nutrition habits coaching. Learn more!

NOT READY TO WORK WITH A COACH?

If you're not ready to work with a coach but you want to start working on healthy habits on your own, here are a few places to start. Small changes can lead to big results. Tackle one habit at a time, work on it until it becomes second nature. Once you've mastered it, move on to another habit. If we worked together, these are some of the things we would likely tackle together (depending on your goals, preferences and lifestyle, of course). If you find you need more guidance and accountability, I am here for you. 

1. Mindful Eating
2. Eat More Protein
3. 10K Steps a Day
4. Create a Sleep Ritual

Questions? I'd love to help.

Like this post? It helps me when you share with your friends and followers. 

Tweet

Coach Lea

10 GIFT IDEAS EVERY RUNNER WILL LOVE

I don't mean to freak you out or anything but there are only 45 days left until Christmas! Where the heck did this year go? It was January, I blinked and now we are 45 days away from Christmas! It's time to start making our lists and checking them twice. 

If you love a runner or if you are a runner, I put together a list of holiday gift items that any runner will love. This also may be a thinly veiled personal wish list (hint hint friends and family).

This post contains affiliate links. That means if you click on a link in this post and make a purchase, I make a small percentage of the sale with no additional cost to you. No one is getting rich here, it just helps with the running (pun intended) of this blog. Thanks, as always, for your support. 

10 Gift Ideas Every Runner Will Love. Save to Pinterest

FLIPBELT ZIPPER

Runners need a place to stash their keys, ID and phone (and food) when out for a run. A FlipBelt is a sleek alternative to a fanny pack. It's big enough to hold an iPhone, it doesn't bounce when you run and all your belongings are safely zipped away. If you don't buy this for your favorite runner and they lose their keys on a run, it's kinda your fault. Live with that guilt.

COMPRESSION SOCKS

Some runners wear compression socks for recovery after a long and tough race and some runners wear them as a fashion statement. If you're thinking that you're pretty sure the runners you know already have a pair of compression socks, let me assure you that a runner can never have too many pairs. Choose wild colors for best results. Works well as a lucky charm. You can take credit for their next personal record.

RUNNING CLOTHES

Funny running shirts always go over well with runners. I chose these two since I have another blog about running with my dog. Insert funny running saying on a shirt for a gift that any runner will love.

DAILY RUN CALENDAR

It's the gift that keeps on giving. Give a daily running calendar to keep your runner motivated all year long. 

PONYTAIL HEADBAND

This is literally the best invention ever. We runners don't let pesky things like cold and wind keep us from running. This headband will help your favorite pony-tailed runner brave the cold weather to keep running towards their goals. 
 

RUNNER'S MEASUREMENT WINE GLASS

Wine and running seem to go hand in hand. Your favorite runner will love this wine glass to help them drink in moderation. Hah. 

MEDAL AND BIB HOLDER

The only thing a runner loves more than running is talking about running. Let them display their race accomplishments with pride. Then every time you visit they can recount all their race stories mile by mile. Sounds like fun, right? 

RUNNING JOURNAL

If perhaps you have grown tired of hearing your favorite runner talk about running all the time, buy them this training journal so they can write down all their training runs, races, goals and achievements so you don't have to hear about it.

WIRELESS EARBUDS

Any runner would love these JayBird wireless earbuds so they can jam to their favorite running playlist to drown out the chatter of life and maybe their running partner. 

GPS WATCH

The ultimate running gift is a GPS watch so your favorite runner can track every step, mile & pace improvement. They can save their music right to the watch and sync those new wireless headphones for a great running experience. You will win Christmas with this gift. 

Like this post? It helps me when you share with your friends and followers

What's on your Christmas wish list? Did I give you any ideas? Did I miss anything awesome. Are you taking notes? Someone print this for my husband. 

Tweet

Coach Lea

Challenging Interval Track Workout to Increase Speed

Welcome to latest edition of workout Wednesday when each week I share a running or strength training for runners workout. This week we are heading out to the track for a challenging but fun interval track workout! Let's go!

INTERVAL TRACK WORKOUT

A track is like a highway, the left lane is the fast lane. If you are not running fast, yield to the faster runners and move over to the outside lanes. A standard track is 400 meters or a 1/4 mile from the inside lane. Four times around the track in that lane is one mile. This workout will challenge you through 2.25 miles including a warm up and cool down.

I recommend this dynamic warm up before beginning any running workout. 

Use the rate of perceived exertion chart to determine your effort level as you complete the workout. The intensity goes up as the distance of the interval goes down. The shorter the distance, the harder you are working. Recover with a brisk walk or jog for the same distance as the work interval.

400 meters around the track one time with a light jog to get warmed up
400 meters around the track one time with a hard effort, but not so hard you can't maintain it
400 meters around the track one time with a light jog or brisk walk to recover
200 meters halfway around the track at an extremely hard effort
200 meters halfway around the track with a light jog or brisk walk to recover

That's one mile. Congratulations. 

100 meters 1/4 of the track at an all-out effort on the straights
100 meters 1/4 of the track at a walk to recover on the bends
100 meters 1/4 of the track at an all-out effort on the straights
100 meters 1/4 of the track at a walk to recover on the bends

200 meters halfway around the track at an extremely hard effort
200 meters halfway around the track with a light jog or brisk walk to recover
400 meters around the track one time with a hard effort.
400 meters around the track one time with a light jog or brisk walk to recover

Two miles. Done and done. 

Go ahead and take a victory recovery lap. You're done!

Hard workouts like this one should be followed by a day or two of recovery days or easy runs. Never attempt interval workouts on back to back days. Remember that you get stronger and faster during recovery, not during the workout. For maximum results, always allow your body time to recover and rebuild from tough workouts. Most athletes will benefit from just one or two hard effort workouts per week. 

Give it a whirl around the track and let me know how it goes!

Like this post? It helps me when you share with your friends and followers. 

Tweet

Questions? I'd love to help!

Coach Lea

5 STRATEGIES TO MAINTAIN & NOT GAIN OVER THE HOLIDAYS

Welcome to the most wonderful time of the year. It seems that the day after Halloween, Christmas explodes all over us. It's time to start thinking about holiday parties, gifts and celebrations. It's a wonderful time to spend with family and friends and to show our love & gratitude. It's also the time of the year that most people shift their focus away from health and fitness with a self-promise to start over again in January.

Just when you finish up the last piece of the leftover Halloween candy, the cookies show up daily at the office, the neighbors send edible gifts, the holiday party buffet is abundant with dedicant treats and the drinks are overflowing. It's hard to avoid this time of year. 

You don't have to accept holiday weight gain. You don't have to start over in January. You can start right now. Being mindful over the holidays can help you maintain and not gain (and even lose). 

"But Lea," you scream. "Don't you know how crazy my life is? I don't have time for health and fitness right now. I promise to focus on it more in January when things calm down."

Life rarely ever calms down. The beauty of healthy habits is that when you cultivate them throughout the year, you're already on healthy auto-pilot when life gets crazy. It is not about changing your whole life to live healthier, it's about learning to live healthier inside your crazy, busy life. If you only practice healthy habits when life is calm, you'll only learn to do healthy habits when life is calm. Get it? You can be healthy and crazy busy. 

5 STRATEGIES TO MAINTAIN & NOT GAIN OVER THE HOLIDAYS

THE 80/20 RULE

It's not the Thanksgiving dinner or the holiday parties that are the problem. It's the choices we make the other 300 days a year. Special occasions are just that, special. If you practice daily healthy habits then what you do on special occasions doesn't matter. If you've made good choices all week then you can go ahead and have the pumpkin pie, no guilt.

A good rule of thumb is to eat 80% of your calories for the week from whole foods from nature, then the other 20% can be for the special occasions, Grandma's favorite pie and any other treats that you savor and enjoy. 

Food is fuel, yes, but food is also how we bond with other humans. Bonding with people we love is part of living a healthy lifestyle. There's a balance. 

MINDFUL EATING

The biggest mistake a person can make over the holidays is to decide that they aren't going to think about health and fitness at all. While there is definitely room for dedicant meals and holiday treats it is shouldn't be an excuse to overindulge. 

One strategy you can try is to eat slowly. Take your time and enjoy that indulgence. You could scarf down a 1/2 dozen cookies because they are in front of you or you could savor a cookie or two by eating them slowly and mindfully. Chew your food. Think about the texture, the taste. Take a drink between bites. Eating slowly can help you control your calorie intake and you may even find you enjoy it more when you slow down to savor it. 

Mindless eating can lead to holiday weight gain, mindful eating can help keep it under control.

KEEP MOVING

Make it a family affair. Take a daily family walk. Challenge your friends to walk one mile a day every day from Thanksgiving until the new year. Sign up for a Turkey Trot or a Jingle Bell 5K. Do pushups against the counter when you're waiting for the microwave to ding. Do lunges as you vacuum. Park farther away in the parking lot when you go grocery shopping for your Thanksgiving dinner. Take 10 minutes to do a daily body weight routine, do it twice in the day. Structured exercise is great when you can do it, but every little action counts.

It's not an all-or-nothing choice. If you don't have time for an hour long exercise session today, then what do you have time for? Great. Then do that. Something is always better than nothing. 

The habit of daily movement goes a long way in maintaining your weight. 

HEALTHY SUBSTITUTES

Try making healthy substitutions in some of your holiday dishes, I bet your family won't even notice. If you're going to a holiday party be the person that shows up with the healthy dish, that way you'll know there will be at least one healthy option there. Volunteer to bring a chopped veggie tray, a fruit salad or a healthy casserole. A quick search on Pinterest for healthy holiday substitutions returned hundreds of delicious options.

PRIORITIZE PROTEIN & VEGETABLES

Never show up hungry to a dinner or party. When you build your plate at the buffet or the dinner table, prioritize protein and vegetables first. Turkey is a great source of protein. Fill your plate up with mostly protein and veggies, then allow smaller portions of whatever is left. Fill up on the healthiest foods first, eat slowly, then if you still have room, have a few bites to try the other dishes. 

In the end I think we should all enjoy everything that the holidays have to offer: family, friends, food and fun. We can be mindful and have the best of both worlds. Then when January rolls around and everyone is just starting to make their new year resolutions, we'll already be well on our way to reaching all of our health and fitness goals. 

Looking for a sane and sustainable approach to nutrition? I have six openings in my nutrition program going on sale for Black Friday. LImited time offer for 50% off six months of the program for qualified candidates. Reach all your 2018 goals with nutrition habits coaching. Learn more!

Like this post? It helps me when you share with your friends and followers. 

Tweet

Coach Lea