How to Get the MOST from your Workout (and you DON'T need a personal trainer!)

Here's a question I get A LOT... How do you push yourself to your max so you get results... especially when it's so easy to press that pause button? No one would know, right?!

While that may be true, pressing that pause button or lifting a little lighter today because you've had one tough day at work isn't doing you any favors. Quite honestly? Results are embedded in what you choose to do when you're tired. Think about those moments when your brain is telling you to stop because you're uncomfortable. Do you listen? Or do you push through it? If you choose the latter, THAT'S when you'll see those results. The stubborn belly fat starts to disappear. The last few pounds melt off. Those abs/biceps/quads start popping.

Here are some tips that can help you in the war between your body and your brain:

1. Have a goal, and post it where you can see it during your workouts (and maybe even in your kitchen as well). Why? Not only are you giving yourself accountability, but you are visualizing your WHY when the going gets tough. You are giving this workout/meal/MOMENT purpose. Envision that goal, and how it will feel once you've accomplished it!

2. Reverse engineer that badboy. Goals are great, but you've got to have a plan of execution. Otherwise, your goal is just a wish. What are you going to do first? Second? What happens after you've reached your goal? Do you stop? Part of what I do as a coach is help people make those plans, and keep them accountable throughout the journey.

3. Keep it interesting. You need to switch up your routine every now and then. Not only for your mind, but for your body, too. Your brain loves routine. In fact, your body will adapt to the same movements pretty quickly. It's called muscle memory. Challenge yourself to go faster, jump higher, lift heavier. Try different workouts. Make it a game.

4. Don't forget about the food. Fueling your body with the nutrients it needs to perform at it's peak during these workouts is CLUTCH. You want to make sure you aren't setting yourself up to fail! What you put in your body can literally make or break your results. Need a little pick me up? Get a great pre-workout to give you some extra go-juice. I have a few recommendations that I love. Feel free to email me or comment if you're interested in my opinion! Nutrition is literally 75-80% of the battle.

Keep those eyes on the prize, my friends! I'm here for motivation and accountability if you need it. I run accountability groups all the time, and they are a blast. If you find yourself needing that extra little nudge (or push :) ), I'm here for you.

xoxo,
Alison

Crockpot Creation... HEALTHY QUINOA CHICKEN CURRY BOWLS

So I've been on the hunt for some healthy crockpot recipes now that we're getting into fall, and I came across this one from blogger "Pinch of Yum." I'm planning on putting this in next week's dinner rotation to see if it passes the ultimate test... getting husband approval! :D

HEALTHY QUINOA CHICKEN CURRY BOWLS
Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup diced onions
1 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs (breasts are also good)
2 tablespoons curry paste
2 teaspoons garam masala (cumin or roasted coriander are also good)
1 tablespoon ginger paste
3 cloves garlic
2 cups tomato puree
2 cups chicken broth
3 cups diced eggplant (peel removed)
3 cups diced fresh tomatoes
1 cup uncooked quinoa
toppings: crushed almonds, rice, noodles, cilantro, green onions, almond butter

INSTRUCTIONS
Dump everything in the slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8. Delicious!

Enjoy, and share with a friend! :)
xoxo,
Alison

A Spoon in one Hand, and a Jar of Peanut Butter in the Other... Sound Familiar?

I don't know about you, but I have definitely been THAT girl. You know, the one who stands in front of the pantry in the kitchen with a giant spoon and a jar full of Jiff just going to town like a ravenous she-wolf. #thestruggleisreal.

So why do we "fit chicks" (or aspiring fit chicks, I should say) crave peanut butter so badly? I did a little research into this, because seriously... it's a thing! So here's what I found out...

You're craving those spoonfuls of delicious peanut butter because:

1. Your eating plan is low in carbohydrates. I've experienced this scenario first-hand. When I was doing the 21 Day Fix Extreme "Countdown to Competition" eating plan (which is AMAZING for getting primed for a special event, by the way... crazy results!), there were days cycled in that only allowed for 1 carbohydrate portion. This wasn't every day, but it was usually 2 days back-to-back, with a regular 21DFX eating day (with more carbs involved) in between. It was almost like the less carbs I ate that day, the better the peanut butter tasted. Right? Have you experienced that? Moral of the story? Whenever there is ANY kind of imbalance in your diet whatsoever... be it not enough carbs, not enough fat, etc... there will be weird cravings.

2. Your eating plan is extremely low in fat. Word to the wise... FAT IS NOT THE ENEMY! In fact, a proportionate amount of healthy fats can help you LOSE weight and stay healthy. Think of your body as a well-oiled machine... you need the oil! With that said, not all fats are created equal. Make sure you're not pounding sticks of butter, and you'll be ok. You want to stick to things like avocado, natural nuts (almonds, cashews, etc), coconut or olive oil, and yes... you said it... PEANUT BUTTER! Nut butters are GREAT in moderation. If you're on a low fat diet and you are craving PB like a mutha, guess what... you should eat it! Try adding in more healthy fats to your diet, and those cravings should become less severe.

3. You're stressed! You can be stressed from a variety of things... work, traffic, your kids/spouse/boss/mom/sister... or maybe you aren't getting enough sleep, or you were so busy you had to skip lunch that day. Wherever the stress-er lies, know this: our bodies tend to crave foods that are high in fat and calories. Guess what I learned? Peanut butter actually has a compound that FIGHTS stress! It's called beta-sitosterol, which can normalize high levels of the hormone cortisol, which is released in your body when you're stressed out. It's also a hormone that signals to your body (especially women) to hold on to some of those pockets of abdominal fat for later in case you might need them.

So what do you do about all this? Listen to your body! Cravings are there for a reason. However, this doesn't give you license to just down a jar of peanut butter with abandon. Put some thought into the WHY behind your craving. Try adding a little more healthy fat and a little more carbs into your diet. Don't be scared of the carbs... and remember... like fat, not all carbs are created equal. Try a little sweet potato, or some fruit when you're feeling a little punchy. Reflect on your habits and try to pinpoint any sources of stress. Are you getting enough sleep? Are you taking any "me" time to relax during the day? What does the rest of your diet look like? How are your relationships with your co-workers? Family? Spouse? Kids?

Remember, life is all about BALANCE.

So, don't punish yourself for your peanut butter binge. Instead, understand the causes, and make some small adjustments to alleviate that next pantry attack.

xoxo,
A

Crap! I Cheated on my Diet! What do I DO?!

As a coach, I literally get this question ALL the time. Hell, I've even wondered what to do myself. Long story short? You're human. It happens. It'll happen to you, and it certainly happens to me. The most important thing to do? Forgive yourself, don't dwell in the moment, and move on. Don't make that cheat meal a cheat day... or (gulp) a cheat WEEK. Simply enjoy it for what it was... a treat, and keep moving forward.

Now that you've read that, take a deep breath. Here is something else you need to consider...

Don't use the scale as a measurement tool. There's NO WAY you did enough damage this weekend for you to gain 5lbs worth of fat. You'd have had to eat like 40 slices of pizza last night ON TOP OF your normal calorie intake for that to happen. You didn't, did you? I'm pretty sure that's physically impossible, anyway. :)

Chances are the number you're seeing on the scale is reflecting fluid retention from all the salt... OR you've been eating at such a caloric deficit as part of your nutrition plan that your muscles were starved of glycogen when you decided to indulge... thus increasing your glycogen stores (not a bad thing!) and perhaps altering the number on a scale a bit.

This has definitely happened to me before. When I was doing the Countdown to Competition eating plan with 21 Day Fix Extreme, I was operating on very little carbohydrates. When I was finished with 3 weeks of that, the next day I definitely had a cheat meal (or two). Did I see the scale change a little? Yes. Did I freak out? No. Why? Because the very next day I jumped right back into a maintenance calorie bracket and continued with my healthy eating, and everything evened itself out.

So what's the bottom line? Although you should definitely try your best to stick to the nutrition plan that corresponds with your program and fitness goals, an OCCASIONAL slip won't derail all of your hard work and progress. The important thing is to make sure your slip doesn't turn into a landslide.

Keep up the great work, everyone!
-A

Skinny Mac and Cheese? YES PLEASE

So this recipe is one I adapted from Skinny Taste, and it's REALLY delish. Mac and Cheese is one of my favorite "comfort foods" by far, and any way that I can "healthify" it at all, I'm all about it!

Here's what' you'll need:

• 12 oz elbow macaroni (I use gluten-free quinoa pasta)
• 1 1/2 tbsp butter (Kerry Gold is my fave)
• 1/4 cup minced onion
• 1/4 cup almond or coconut flour
• 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
• 1 cup fat free, low sodium chicken broth (vegetarians use vegetable broth)
• 8 oz (2 cups) reduced-fat sharp cheddar 
• salt and fresh pepper to taste
• 12 oz fresh broccoli florets (I used pre-cut bag)
• 2 tbsp grated parmesan
• 1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• cooking spray

Here's what you'll do with it:

1. Cook pasta and broccoli together in a large pot of salted water, according to package directions for al dente (or slightly under cook 2 minutes). Spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. In a large, heavy skillet, melt butter. Add onion and cook over low heat about 2 minutes, add flour and cook another minute, or until the flour is golden and well combined. Add milk and chicken broth and whisk, raising heat to medium-high until it comes to a boil; cook about 5 minutes or until the sauce becomes smooth and thick. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Once the sauce is thick, remove from heat, add cheese and mix well until cheese is melted. Adjust salt and pepper to taste, add cooked macaroni and broccoli and mix well. Pour into prepared baking dish. Top with grated cheese and breadcrumbs. Spray a little more cooking spray on top.

4. Bake for 15-20 minutes, then broil for a few minutes to get the breadcrumbs golden.

Enjoy, my friends!!