The 25 Days of Christmas Challenge

Like in any training program you begin to gradually add to your workouts, nutrition, endurance and training. In the next 25 days we will gradually eliminate bad foods from our diets, build core strength and increase resistance & endurance. With gradual improvements we will beat the holiday weight gain & feel great brining in the New Year.

I want your full commitment!

Today is our first day of our 25 days to Christmas & a new you in 2012

Every day I will either add a very simple exercise or eliminate a bad food from our diet. I will also give you a replacement to the unhealthy food we are eliminating.  Simple steps will bring us to great results:

As for day one we will

1.       Eliminate Ice Cream & Frozen yogurt and or replacing it with a homemade healthy fruit Popsicle, (please see recipe below) or a store bought fruit Popsicle.

Also today we will start our push up routine. Every day you will do one push up adding one more a day. If you can’t do a pushups correctly or comfortably drop to your knees and do them that way. 

My Easy Healthy Popsicle

Ingredients

• 2 cups strawberry or  raspberry yogurt (or you can combine frozen fruit  about 2 cups with 1 small Greek yogurt & 1.5 Tbls honey)
• 1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or ¼ cup fresh orange juice
• 1.5 medium ripe bananas, mashed
• Optional- for some extra nutrition you can add ½ cup spinach of kale

Directions

• In a blender, combine all ingredients and blend until smooth.
• Fill popsicle molds; insert sticks & freeze.  If you don’t have Popsicle molds you can use smoothie freezer cups.

Happy Holidays

The holidays are here, we all tend to go a bit overboard during holiday meals. Try to take control this year & feel great about yourself in doing so. Here are a few easy tips to stay fit and not put on excess weight during the holidays.

1.    1. Plan your workout J you’ll feel better eating your holiday meals after that workout.

2.    2. Eat slowly, try to converse and take your time at the table, this way you’ll realize you are full without stuffing yourself.

3.   3.  Bring one or two dishes that you have cooked to the table – this way you’ll at least know what’s all in what you have prepared.

4.   4.Portion Control.  Try to fill your plate once with all you would like to eat, look at your dish and examine if you have gone overboard.

5.    5. Encourage your friends & family to be active. Go on a group walk/run. Head out to a yoga class, or go out skiing. Try a fun activity including everyone this way you have not spent your time away from family and friend while exercising.

6.   6. Don’t weigh yourself. Stressing out a pound or two is not going to help.

7.  7. Most Importantly…. DRINK WATER & Have FUN!

Support System

We all have them, sometimes stronger than others, and sometimes we don’t even realize they are there. When things get rough you realize that there are many who love and care about you. Families are very important, but also friends are. I have made some great friends along the years, some who I haven’t seen for years and still know they are as close to me as family. When you need them, they are there. They understand who you are internally and who you aspire to be. They see the best in you & when you need someone to cry to, they are there.

It’s wonderful to realize how strong your support system really is. Sometimes the circumstances, in which you have to find these things out, aren’t the best, but good things do come from struggles & hard times. Always remember that there are a least 10 people out there who truly love you and care about you. Recently I was lucky enough to spend some time with my sister and dad and all it reminded me is how much love I have for my family and how no matter what they love me unconditionally. Regardless of distance every time we meet we pick up right where we left.

Maybe it’s time for you to let the people you care about know that you love them and that you are their support system.

Today is a New Year...

New beginnings are great, because we get to look ahead, plan ahead and change the course we are on. Mondays, birthdays & New Year’s seems to be the most popular reset buttons we think of. Yet we should wake up every day and think today & this moment is a new moment in my life, make it the best.

Life is a choice, try and make a happy loving productive one… My new choice is in 2012 I hope to have completed an Ironman.

Choose well, choose wise and most importantly, chose.

You are number one! Choose yourself then you can choose others - till you can help yourself you can’t help others. It’s like being on a flight and the flight attendant saying” in case of an emergency, adjust your oxygen mask & then help others around you” because if you are dead you can’t help anyone else! Remind yourself  -  I am number 1