Health

  • Health, Personal

    What is holding you back from losing the weight for good?

    I get asked a lot how I stay motivated. How do I keep going day after day, week after week, year after year. How have I stayed on track, kept the weight off and still remain positive. The secret lies in accountability. And in this one action, human nature is displayed in full effect. Pride is the original sin. 

    What is holding you back from losing the weight for good?

    Let Me Explain

    As a health coach, one of the tools in my bag is ACCOUNTABILITY. Not to be confused with babysitter or hand holding.  My story is 7 years it took me to lose 50 pounds.  I remember it was April of 2017 I created my Instagram account as a means to stay accountable. I figured someone somewhere would notice if I didn’t post that day and call me out. I needed that level of support to keep me going.  It is hard work doing it alone. I had no friends on the weight loss journey I was on, I had no weekly meetings to attend or someone to talk to. I was alone.  But somewhere I thought I could do it on my own, without help, my way on my terms. How hard can losing weight really be?  HA HA HA, I have to laugh at myself IT IS FRIGGIN HARD WORK! 

    I talk all the time about online accountability groups I host. And in 2018 I found out for the first time what this is. I was excited that I wouldn’t be alone on this journey. I had other people all with the same end goal. GET HEALTHY & STAY HEALTHY.  Virtual cheerleaders from all over the country supporting, encouraging, being there for me. It was wonderful.  I talk about this all the live long day as it’s a great tool. But it saddens me when I invite a woman who immediately says NO. I used to take it personally, but then I have to remember where I was just a few short years prior. 

    What is holding you back from losing the weight for good?

    I was listening to a live call the other day from a fellow lady on her health journey.  And she was sharing her story from unwell to health.  She started with these tools back when all the programs were on DVD’s. And the coach that was assigned to her ( you get one free when you purchase a product) invited her to join an accountability group she was hosting. This lady, said NO.  Looking back she said it was because she was afraid of failing with someone knowing. She was afraid of falling of the wagon (again) and being ashamed. If she was going to fail, she wanted to do it on her own terms.  She realized one day that her pride was standing in the way of her achieving great things. Her health being #1. When she got out of her own way. Said yes to the accountability, yes to being open, honest & willing to support other woman along the way – well that is when change happened.  And here she is today, healthy, maintaining her health & earning an income for her family. 

    I see this all too many times myself. Some how we think we can do it alone, but we aren’t telling ourselves the real reason. We are letting our pride stand in the way of us being all we can be. Pride is the original sin. 

    When I was carrying around that extra baby weight that would not come off. I was ashamed. I was embarrassed. I would hide under layers of clothes to hide the rolls, I would only show my head in photos not my clothed body.  I hated that people saw me as over weight. I hated the judgement I THOUGHT they were projecting onto me. Oh she over eats, she is lazy, she is…blah blah blah.  NOOOOO, that was all me. My thoughts, my negative self telling me that is what people were thinking.

    Ladies, if you are carrying extra weight I will bet you dollars to donuts it’s not because you are over eating.  Let me tell you my story in a nut shell:

    My Story in a Nutshell

    I had my last child spring of 2010. I was cleared to lose the “baby weight” at the 6 month post partum time frame. I had a challenging recovery.

    From Fall of 2010 to spring of 2017 I did all of the following to lose the weight:

    • all the cardio
    • counted calories
    • joined Weight Watchers (I gained 15lbs with them)
    • Joined Curves & worked out every business day for a whole year (only lost the 15lbs I gained on WW)
    • I wrapped myself in wraps to lose fat
    • I used every fat burning cream I could get
    • I did diet pills, fat burners
    • I think I even tried the Special K cereal diet
    • I tried Slim Fast
    • Meal replacement shakes & starvation

    I DID IT ALL. I can’t count how many times I tried, failed & tried again. I was almost at my giving up, breaking point when I found ACCOUNTABILITY. My story is true that pride is the original sin. Our Pride, our ego’s always hold us back from great things.

    The weight came off & has never returned. It’s a lifestyle.

    What is holding you back from losing the weight for good?

    So, the next time I invite you to join me. It’s not out of judgment or shame. It’s because I see my old self in you. It’s ok to be lost. It’s ok to have tried everything. It’s ok to rest.  Accountability is what has kept me going since 2017. The weight hasn’t come back, I have some great new friends in my life, an online community that motivates & inspires me daily. If it weren’t for them I might have quit. But I had to get over myself. Admit doing it on my own isn’t working as well as I had hoped and that I needed help. 

    When you hang out with eagles you will learn to soar! Trust me.

    Work with me Today
  • Health

    Eat Those Veggies

    Eat Those Veggies

    I don’t know about you, but I am too old to yo yo diet anymore. I want my body to pick a weight that is healthy and stay there.  The secret I found to maintaining my healthy weight. is to eat those veggies.  YES, eat them everyday, with every meal and even at snack time. YES EAT THOSE VEGGIES!

    Our bodies require, NEED nutrients. This is how we stay healthy, this is how we stop the yo yo dieting and live our lives. And vegetables are the most nutrient dense food on the planet. They are clean, whole & 100% awesome.

    Let’s talk the good, the bad and the ugly of veggies. NOT all veggies are created equal. I found this out the hard way when the extra 50lbs I was carrying would not leave me.

    Vegetables are the only food that we could live on 100% and not die. They are that nutrient dense. And in learning how to fuel my body I realized there are 3 categories of veggies: good for you, only sometimes good & eat very rare.

    eat those veggies and lose weight the easy way

    Different Kinds of Vegetables

    Let’s break it down further: root veggies, fruits pretending to be veggies & all the others. 

    ROOT veggies – the ones to stay away from. HIGH in starch which is converted to glucose and stored as FAT in our bodies. These are veggies that grow in the ground – Yams, beets, parsnips, turnips, rutabagas, potatoes, carrots, yuca, kohlrabi, onions, garlic, celery root , horseradish, daikon, turmeric, jicama, Jerusalem artichokes, radishes, and ginger. I rarely will eat a root veggie. The starch count doesnt work for me. IF I do eat a root veggie I always pick from the colored ones first. ( carrots, beets ) And use the seasoning ones sparingly like garlic, onions, tumeric. If you are a low carb eater then root veggies are a great way to carb cycle or carb up as it’s still a natural source of nutrients. 

    The next category which I will eat from sometimes is fruits thinking they are vegetables. The ones with seeds – tomatoes, peppers, squashes, zucchini, cucumbers, peas, corn, beans, egg plant – anything with SEEDS. Fruit is HIGH in sugar and so are these ones… our bodies don’t care where the source of sugar comes from (natural or processed) – it’s treated all the same, if it can not be used as fuel immediately its converted to glucose and stored as fat. So a good time to eat these ones is 2-4 hours before you are going to work your body. That way you enjoy the great taste and your body will use the fuel before it can store it.

    A little trick to bring down the macro count is do not eat the seeds – so pick them out and eat the remainder of the plant. And the one fruit pretending to be a veggie that you should never ever eat EVER is corn. A farmer will feed his cattle, pigs, chickens corn to fatten them up so when he goes to the butcher he gets more $ for his animal. If corn is meant to fatten up an animal just think of what it is doing to you!! so put down the cob, and run away. lol  

    And that leaves all the other veggies – fill up on them!! The leafy ones like all the lettuces, spinach, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, cabbage, and so forth. These are ones I sneak into a lot of different foods and they fill me up!! If I make a salad I will use 80% of these veggies then sprinkle with the fruit ones and then an oil based dressing. 

    So if you are a veggie eater already and the weight isn’t coming off as easily it’s time to look at what types of veggies you have been eating.

    eat those veggies

    How to Eat Those Veggies

    Now I encourage you to try a different way of preparing, cooking, roasting veggies. Example is I can’t stand boiled Brussels Sprouts. YUK. But cut them in half, sprinkle with olive oil & roast them at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes and I will eat them all up now. So if you have tried a certain veggie and thought it was gross, I encourage you to try a new way of preparing them. And as we age our taste buds change too so never dismiss a veggie.

    And then lastly, sneak in veggies into weird places through out your day to get the most in.  What I mean is this. I use frozen cauliflower rice in my protein shake instead of ice cubes. There is no flavor change and I’m getting in a whole serving of veggies. Avocados are a great one to mash up and put in anything, fresh baby spinach leaves too – blend them in your shake, cut them up and put into pizza sauce, use as leaves in a salad & more.

    So my closing point, add a serving of a vegetable to each of your meals. Get those nutrients in! Your waist line will thank you.

  • Health, Personal

    What is a Challenge Group: Everything You Need to Know

    Challenge Group Formula is: Fitness + Nutrition + Support = Results

    You have all heard the phrase, there is strength in numbers. And that is true. You never want to face the school yard bully alone, a new mom always takes someone with her for her child’s first set of vaccinations, you always take the girls wedding dress shopping and we ladies go to the washroom in packs. Yes, there is strength in numbers in almost everything we do so why not find that strength in your health & fitness journey with friends. And this is where a Challenge Group comes in. I know, you are wondering what is a challenge group, well I am here to give you the inside track.

    What is a Challenge Group

    If you have followed me for a while you know I invite constantly to challenge\ accountability \support groups. But what is that?

    A challenge group is an online group, run by a coach (me) to support others through a specific program or help them reach a goal. And they are gaining popularity because they work!

    It’s the secret no one wants to tell you about! Life is busy, kids, animals, jobs, spouses, sleep – where do you fit it all in? When do you have time for YOU? In walks a challenge group! A group of like minded individuals where they come together to feel supported by others who have real struggles, busy schedules and just want to feel more comfortable in their own skin. Everyone is welcome.

    And the cherry on top of the sundae of awesomeness is they are virtual – that means you can live anywhere in Canada, USA, the UK & now France and check in on YOUR TIME during the day. Easy as pie. ( yes I like food ).

    That’s because camaraderie, goal setting, and daily support all play a huge role in helping you stay accountable and ultimately reach your goals… whether your goal is eating better, working out more, losing weight, or a mix of all three.

    That’s why I always invite you to my Challenge Groups — I want to help.

    The #1 secret to success with any fitness and nutrition program is staying accountable to your health and fitness goals — and that’s exactly what Challenge Groups help you do. Challenge Groups are led by Coaches, like me and are comprised of people just like you who have all committed to getting healthy and fit.

    NUTRITION TALK

    We address, talk and share about Nutrition, Whether you’re a meal-prep pro or you’ve never cooked a thing in your life, I am here to answer any questions or concerns you may have about the nutrition part of the challenge. And if you hate kale, I won’t make you eat it, I promise.

    Of course fitness is a big part!!

    Challenge Groups often focus around a  fitness program that you choose. All the programs include a workout calendar developed by certified fitness professionals. The goal of the program is to help you get the best results while also building in recovery time.

    One of my roles as your coach is to guide you through the workout calendar, show you how to stream your workouts instantly  and check in on your progress throughout your journey.

    ALL ABOUT THE SUPPORT

    Support is key to staying accountable. That’s why us coaches, and often your fellow challengers, play a major role in helping you reach your health and fitness goals.

    Throughout the duration of the challenge, I will check in on you daily, start conversations, and share tips to help you make it to the end all through our private app where the group is hosted.

    Why Challenge Groups Work

    Studies have found that weight-loss programs that involve a third party that holds you accountable, as opposed to you going it alone, may significantly improve your chances of reaching your goals.

    Research by the International Journal of Consumer Studies also found that social-networking groups provide four main types of support: emotional, instrumental, informational, and affirmation.

    Emotional
    Trust and empathy are often huge factors in a person’s weight-loss journey. My goal is to help create a safe, non-judgmental environment for you to ask questions and provide emotional support along the way.

    As a result, Challenge Groups are great for both beginners as well as those who never miss a chance to work out.

    Coaches provide their challengers with assignments, worksheets, and tools to lead them to success. Challengers are encouraged to actively engage with the group on a daily basis by uploading post-workout selfies, meal-prep photos, and more. We have had theme weeks, we have wear it again Wednesday’s, one month we focused on planks, intermittent fasting, meal plans & more.

    Informational
    With over 70 workout programs there’s sure to be at least one that will fit your fitness needs and preferences. My job is to give you the information you need to not only understand the program you’re following but also to help you select the program that’s right for you to reach your specific goals.

    Affirmation
    Sticking to a challenge takes dedication, and participating in a Challenge Group gives you the affirmation you need to keep going. Missed a workout? Didn’t stick to the meal plan for a few days?

    Your Challenge Group and your ME, can & will help give you the motivation you need to pick up where you left off. Once you’ve completed the Challenge Group, your Coach can help you choose your next program so you can maintain your results.

    In a world with countless distractions, a Challenge Group is a place where you can focus 100 percent on your goals and feel supported as you strive to reach them.

    How to Join a Challenge Group

    You need that accountability, you need that support so open up your inbox and shoot me an email at heathersrunningdiary@gmail.com and let’s plug you in.  Also check out my Wellness page on this website too

    Snippets of this post were taken directly from Beach Body’s blog on this very same topic.

  • Health, Personal

    Why Do You Keep Starting Over?

    YES! Every time I talk with someone, the story is the same. Always starting, Always quitting and always starting again. It gets tiring and I can get why you are deflated and hesitant to start again. But what would you do if I told you I had a secret, a tool that if you stick to it could mean this would be the last time you would have to start as there would be no quit line in sight? Keep reading. Trust me!!

    Why Do You Keep Starting Over?

    What if I just don't break this promise?
    Rachel Hollis
    Author

    For 7 years I tried to lose weight, get my life back. 7 years of trying this diet, and that diet, doing that exercise and that routine. 7 long years! The secret to finally making May 22, 2017 my day 1, the tip of the ice berg that has kept me going strong and not falling off the wagon. You ready? – it’s simple…here it is. ACCOUNTABILITY.

    That’s it. YES! Something so simple, yet it works. So if you have tried to start over numerous times but you always put back on the weight and have to start over again, my question is what do you have in place to keep you accountable?

    I started my Instagram account as just that for me, I had no clue that support groups & accountability friends were out there. I would post every day, a workout or what I ate and I found new friends who literally held my feet to the fire. Accountability is the WHY I have been able to stick with it. 2 years this spring, 2 years and going strong! And since then I have found support & accountability with a team of ladies who I have connected with via online and we do just that. Accountability for each other!

    Yes you still must show up, do the things, eat the food and show up in the group. Just reserving your seat is not enough. BUT my group of ladies crushing their goals is there for you. You are more likely to succeed when you are not alone. It’s a proven strategy for crushing your goals and sticking to your plan. There is incredible power in partnership, and people have such a better chance to succeed if they’re not starting alone. Accountability partners dramatically raise the odds of success.

    Why Do You Keep Starting Over?

    So what have you got to lose? Nothing, let’s make today your Day 1 

    If you need an accountability partner then hit up the wellness link in the menu at the top!

  • Health

    What’s Up with All the Shakes?

    If you have followed me on social media enough you will know that I enjoy a shake a day to top up my nutrition and how tasty it is. But what confuses people is the why , what, when, macros and all that that goes along with that shake.

    So let’s debunk some myths, tell some truths and shed some light on my daily dose of dense nutrition.

    What’s Up with All the Shakes?

    First of, I do not believe in weight loss shakes. If something is marketed as “weight loss’ please run away, fast. Usually a weight loss shake is intended to be a meal replacement, which means you learn nothing about proper nutrition. What happens when you hit your goal weight? You gain it back because you have not been taught how to eat properly, you just been taught how to replace actual food with a calorie deficient shake. That’s it. So, please put down the weight loss shake.

    Next up, this is not a protein shake. We are not protein deficient. We eat WAY too much protein. Did you know if you have too much protein your body converts it and stores it as fat. So unless you are body building, put down the protein shake. You get enough through normal eating of food, both plant based & animals.

    Whats with all the shakes

    What my shake is, is my daily does of dense nutrition. I can not get all the nutrients my body needs every day in just what I eat. Doing this will put me WAY over my calorie intake for the day, which means weight gain.

    So I take my shake with my lunch or use it as my afternoon snack. It does not replace real food, EVER.

    Now… what’s in my shake? Here is the low down… with over 70+ nutrients, this is the hole filler in my daily eating.

    • Premium Protein and Amino Acids
    • Antioxidants and Super-Fruits
    • Phytonutrients and Super-Greens
    • Adaptogenic Herbs and Botanicals
    • Probiotics, Prebiotics, Fibre, and Digestive Enzymes
    • Vitamins and Minerals

    As a low carb, healthy fat eater this totally fits into my macro count. How could proper nutrition not fit into any macro/calorie counting system?

    Fueling my body with proper nutrition actually keeps me fuller longer, cuts down on crazy out of control cravings and helps me not only lose weight but maintain a healthy lifestyle once my goals are met!

    My husband began having a shake as an afternoon snack every day, and in less then 3 weeks, lost 13 pounds of fat from his body! He has said he is full and doesn’t feel the need to snack anymore. BINGO! This is why proper nutrition is important!

    Whats with all the shakes

    And what is cool, is the shake I drink comes with a 30 day, 100% money back guarantee. YES, you don’t like it you get your money back! And what is awesome is you use this as a base, the recipes to make the most delicious shake are endless, I like to crush ice cubes with diced up spinach and almond milk. Sometimes I add berries, or a spoonful of peanut butter. make cookies, or pudding or just mix with water and go! There is no one way to drink for everyone.

    Now… price. Yes we have to talk money. Most people shop for a shake based on price alone. Please don’t do that. You truly get what you pay for, you pay cheap you get cheap. Now with my shake, I am not buying chips, pop, cookies, donuts and junk as much as I don’t need to eat that stuff, so my shake budget replaced the money I spent on junk in a month. Add up your monthly coffee shop trips, donut sneaks, fast food breakfasts, how many take out pizzas, hamburgers and cake did you eat this month? I bet all that cost 3 times more then a 30 day supply of awesomeness?! So stop telling me you can’t afford proper nutrition. You can. you are buying 30 shakes up front instead of one at a time. Trust me, it’s worth it!

    So… you ready to try? 2 formulas to choose between – whey or vegan and up to 5 different flavors. The only downside is you must live in somewhere in Canada, USA or the UK and be over 18 years to enjoy.

    I want you to email me right now, heathersrunningdiary@gmail.com and let’s get you hooked up with your daily does of dense nutrition today!

  • Health

    Do at Home Workouts Really Work?

    keto beach body coach

    Yes, in short at home workouts work! The 2 images above are less then a year apart. And I workout from home maybe 30 minutes a day. Let me break it down.

    Do at Home Workouts Really Work?

    do at home workouts really work

    When my knee blew out and running was on the no no list, I turned to a stash of old workout DVDS that I had. However doing the same workout day in and day out got boring fast. So a friend hooked me up with an online catalog of workouts, think netflix but all workouts! I was hesitant. I thought for sure I would get bored, yeah that was a year ago and I am not bored yet.

    My first program I decided to do was only 21 days long. It promised
    Simple Fitness. Simple Eating. Fast Results. In just 21 days . It came with a meal plan, recipes and options. It was amazing and as you can see above I lost 4 inches off my waist in 21 days. I was hooked!!

    In the last year I have gone on to complete 4 different programs. One I have actually completed 3 times as it is just that amazing!!

    The perks to working out from home:

    • one time low fee that gives me 365 days access $99 for the year ( 30 cents a day!)
    • no gym membership/registrations fees
    • no having to wipe down sweaty machines to use
    • top world trainers direct in my living space
    • modifiers provided for each program in case you need it
    • complete meal plans, prep & recipes included
    • I workout on my time, not when the gym is open, i can include my kids or wait for nap time or school time
    • no commuting or extra money spent ( workout clothes, smoothies, fuel & parking fees)
    • I can stream on any device that has wifi/internet
    • over 70 different programs offering 1000’s of hours of workouts

    Do at Home Workouts Really Work?

    So now you have a choice. If you are skeptical you need to sign up for free week! Once a month, every month I open up a group for free. You get 7 free workouts to try, meal plans and recipes and me every step of the way! So reserve your spot in my next free week now!!

    OR you can sign up for your year right now and join my virtual gym and get results this month!!

    I can’t wait for you to get the results you have been dreaming about, and all from the comfort or your home, on your time and for less then 30 cents a day!! Just shoot me an email at heathersrunningdiary@gmail.com or fill out the forms in the links above and we will get you started!