First Time Mom and Dad: #MondayMotivation

For most of us Northern Hemisphere dwellers, the temps are rising, the birds are chirping and the snow is melting. Meaning, SPRING IS NIGH!

Spring is also the time we start to really notice winter weight gain. This year, instead of freaking out and joining a gym you know you're NEVER going to go to, lace up the shoes and take control of your health, happiness, sleep and fat booty.

Y'all, I've been touting this on my blog every spring for SEVEN years and every year, I get dozens of emails from readers thanking me. With this program, you can lower your heart attack risk, lose weight, add years to your life, sleep better and of course, better your overall health and mood IN LESS THAN 30 DAYS.

Oh, and, it's FREE.

All you have to do is walk. No gym membership, diet or personal trainer screaming at you.

AND THAT'S NOT ALL!

The best part is this program shows results in just two weeks! Seriously, in two weeks you could be sleeping better, reducing your cholesterol and chances for a heart attack, and be down a few pounds, (Some reported SEVEN POUNDS!)

Bottom line: Become a healthier, happier person in fourteen days.

How could you not want to at least try?

So, here is the plan: Walk for thirty minutes a day for thirty days. It's that simple.

You can walk fast, slow, or sprint. You can walk three times a day for ten minutes, twice for fifteen or all thirty in one trip. It's up to you. Just walk every day for thirty days!

Start by making small tweaks to your daily routine:

1. If you take public transportation to work, walk to the next stop or station to catch your ride.

2. At lunch, walk 15 minutes away from your desk, eat, then walk back--maybe even take the long way back.

3. On the weekends go explore a nature trail with the family.

4. New mothers on maternity leave, both your buns and baby will benefit from a daily thirty minute stroll.

5. Only need a couple things from the store? If one is close enough, walk there!

6. Walk the kids to anf from school for the month.

7. On rainy days, clean or organize a closet for 30 minutes, better yet, go to the indoor mall for some retail therapy -- kill two birds with one stone!

8. Set up walk-dates with freinds. Maybe even a different friend three nights a week.

9. Each day walk out of your front door and take a different street or path and see what you find!

10. Park WAAAAAY in the back at the grocery.

Tell as many people as you can you're doing this. Get a support group to help encourage and hold you accountable. YOU CAN DO THIS! 30 minutes for 30 days. It's not hard or an ongoing commitment. This is a challenge that you know you can do.

Don't forget to let me know how you're doing!

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Over the next thirty days, pick a new life hack from the list below or just go in order from 1-30. The purpose is to help you stay mindful of a different aspect of your health, lifestyle, and nutrition over the next four weeks. You can even start today!

By the end of the month, you will have touched on every aspect of your diet and lifestyle, and hopefully, shed a few pounds! See what sticks, what shocked you and what certainly needs improvement. Below you will find a list of thirty diet and fitness tips. Pick one a day, and go with it!

Say no to sweets. For one day, just say no to extra sugar and sweet treats. You can do it. It's only one day!
Find a fitness friend. Walk off the day with a friend. Set the rendezvous, and aim for at least a 20-minute walk. The mall counts! Plus, Retail Therapy is a real thing.
Blast your butt. Wake up five minutes early to blast your butt into shape. Do each of the below exercises, then start your day.
Crackdown on carbs. Whole grain=good. Cupcake=BAD!
Motivate with music-Create a fun, upbeat workout playlist and rock out to it all day. On the way to work. At lunch. On the way home. Whenever. Wherever. You'll boost energy, endorphins and add a whole lotta pep to your step!
Weigh in. While I'm not a fan of scales, if you have one, climb on. Don't beat yourself up. Be accountable. Accept that you are where you are because of choices. Promise to make better choices. Stick to it.
Police your portions. What takes up the most space on your plate? How big is your plate? Are there even veggies on your plate? Put the portions in check.
Clock the Block- How long does it take to walk around the block at home and work? Just think, you could be getting in two easy ten minute walks a day. Tip: listening to a good book or podcast will keep you walking around the block more than once.
Say hello to H20- Drink water from the minute you wake up, until the minute you go to sleep. At all times, keep water close by. Just by drinking water all day, you'll be doing this for your body:
Dance it off- Crank up the music and dance around your house for 20 minutes. This is great on cleaning day. Before you know it, you've gained a clean house and lost a pound. WIN/WIN!
Meditate. Meditation might be the ultimate life hack. Aim to meditate two times for ten minutes each. The morning and before bed are my favorite times. I set my intention for the day, then relax my brain before bed. Tip: download a (free!) meditation app to help you get started.
Skinny snack day. Prepare two mini skinny snacks; One for mid-morning and one for mid-day. The second you feel hungry, whip one out. Chances are, not only will you have more energy through the day, you won't even think about that late day trip to the snack machine! (For a ton of awesome skinny snack ideas, check out my, Skinny Snacks, Pinterest board.)
Say Hi to, Herb! Resist the urge to dump salt on your meals today. Instead, reach for the herbs. Basil, parsley, cilantro, rosemary, thyme, and sage, can, and will, change your life! Herb it up today to get heart healthy.
Eat breakfast- Just do it. It will change your entire day. The energy alone will have you blasting through emails and your to-do list like a maniac on a mission. Oatmeal with fresh fruit and a drizzle of local honey is my go-to.
Blast those Abs- Before sitting down to watch TV, do a few sit-ups and crunches! Just five minutes of ab blasting will boost your metabolism and wake your muscles up. Just think, you'll be burning calories infant of the TV! (Imagine if you religiously did a few crunches before you sat down to watch TV? What would your abs look like?
Maybe Later, Day-Before giving in to your cravings and guilty pleasures, say, "maybe later" and walk away. Your mind has a much easier time processing, maybe later, instead of 'never again.' Kill the craving with a little mind warfare. After all, it really is for only one day!
There's an app for that. Find a fitness app that motivates you. (Many are free!) Talk to friends, read reviews, then download it. For one day, give it your all!
Purge the pantry- Clean out the carbs and cobwebs. Ask yourself this, do I want this to land on my butt or the city dump. You decide.
Have a Healthy Happy Hour. Order a glass of red wine and water. Alternate.
Don't supersize. This is really a NEVER good thing, but skip the extras today; large sides, packets of mayo, bladder buster fountain drinks...
Brave a new class- Ever wanted to try Yoga, Pilates, Barre or Boot Camp? Grab a friend or go alone, but just GO! TIP: Check Groupon or Living Social for local deals. Sometimes you can buy a Yoga class package for the price of one class!
No Nighttime Noshing. After dinner, the kitchen is CLOSED! Pour a large glass of water, turn off the light and stay out!
Find a food substitute. Substitute yogurt for ice cream, fresh fruit for candy and nuts and granola for salty chips. Or just throw all three in a bowl together for a yummy dessert. See if you can find a healthy, delicious alternative to your favorite snacks. I eat rice crackers and hummus when I want nachos. No, it's not the same, but it's delicious and fills me up!
Protein swap- Are you a beef and pork family? Switch it up. Make Turkey burgers, chicken stir-fry or fish tacos. Find fun ways to incorporate lean protein into your family's diet.
Step it up. Walk everywhere! Take the stairs, park in the back parking lot, do laps in your house. Try to take 5,000-10,000 steps today! (Yes, there's an app for that too!)
Stand up. Once every twenty minutes. Even though that sounds like a lot, it's really just 3 minutes out of every hour. Set the alarm to remind you. TIP: Don't turn the alarm off until you are actually standing.
Entertainment free eating- Eat meals at the table, only. Not in front of the TV. Not driving to work. Not at your desk. Not in the kitchen while prepping meals. Eat while sitting at a table only.
Labels: Love it or leave it? Before taking a bite, read the food packaging label. Are there more than five ingredients? Can you not pronounce most of them? Are dyes and dangerous preservatives listed? Decide, should I love this or leave this?
Walk with words. Find a podcast or an audiobook for something you've wanted to read and walk to it. Do not sit, walk. I love to walk to mystery audiobooks, especially, Sue Grafton's Alphabet mysteries. I only let myself listen when walking. Sometimes, I'm so fully absorbed by the story, I walk for two hours! Sometimes, I will go for a walk just to hear the book.I have a girlfriend that walks to a podcast every morning. Try it, I bet you will like it!
BONUS. Of the 30 you just did, pick 5 favorites to work on. Make them your focus next week. The following week, pick five more. The goal is to work up to 20-60 minutes a day focusing on your health and well-being.