Try These Super Simple Ways To Beat Holiday Weight Gain Before It Beats You

I LOVE the holidays... the food, family and friend togetherness, presents, cozy weather, and of course, the traditions. And by "traditions" I mean, Halloween candy, Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas cookies.

What I don't love is how every year at the end of December, some asshole elf sneaks into my closet and shrinks my fu*king clothes.

In other words... It's time for a 30/30 Challenge!

So what is the 30/30?

Spending 30 days (in a row) being mindful of your health and physical activity.

Why do it?

In 30 Days you can lower heart attack risk, lose weight, add years to your life, sleep better and of course, better your overall health and mood. Don't believe me? Here's the actual clip from the Doctors Show:

How much will it cost?

NOT A DAMN THING! 

I love that the 30/30 Challenge requires no gym membership, diet or personal trainer screaming at you. No excuses. Just you and a short 30-day goal focusing on a problem area or areas.

Just think... in two weeks you could be sleeping better, reducing your cholesterol and chances for a heart attack, losing weight, and become a healthier, happier person. How could you not want to at least try?

Where to start?

For a FULL mind, Body and soul makeover, do the 30/30 walking challenge. It's the ultimate 2019 weightloss resolution jumpstart. All you have to do is walk for 30-minutes for 30-days in row. 

The key is to find a way easily incorporate 30-minutes of walking into your day- You can walk twice for 15-minutes or 3 times for 10 if that's eaiser. That will help make the walking stick after the 30/30 is over.

TIPS:

1. Take public transportation to work? Leave 15 minutes early and walk to the next stop or station. (I know, for those non-morning people this is a stupid suggestion)
2. At lunch walk 15 minutes away from your desk, eat, then walk back--maybe even the long way back.
3. On the weekends, go explore a new (historic) town or nature trail with the family.
4. New mothers on maternity leave, make it a point that this challenge is CRUCIAL for you. Go for a walk by yourself every evening when your partner gets home.  Of course, you can take the baby, but getting out for some alone time will kill two birds with one stone for you!
5. Only need a couple things from the store? If one is close enough, walk there!
6. Walk the kids to school for the month.
7. On rainy days, clean or organize a closet for 30 minutes, better yet, go to an indoor mall for some retail therapy--Again, kill two birds with one stone!
8. Go walk through an outdoor mall.
9. For a week straight, walk out of your front door and take a different street or path and see what you find!
10. Download an awesome mystery ebook to listen to while you walk. TIP: Only let yourself listen to the book when walking, this might get those walks stretched out well past 30 minutes.

Once you decide to commit to the 30/30 Challenge, tell as many people as you can that you are doing this to add accountability.  Get a support group to help encourage and hold you accountable!  YOU CAN DO THIS!  It's just 30 minutes for thirty days.  It's not hard, or an on going commitment.  This is a challenge that you know you can do.

     YOU CAN DO THIS!

Don't need a full body workout, but have problem areas? Try a 30-day targeted challenge for but, thighs or abs. Below are a few of my favorites!

If you want to target more than your butt and core, the following 30-day workouts will give you all over results, inspire you to work out every day and only take a minute a day!

Want a Brazilian Butt?  Try this:

 Thighs keeping you down? Try this:

Do your abs make you sad? Try this:

 Are your arms causing your self-esteem harm? Do this:

Butt AND Gut have you in a rut? Never fear, help is here!

Looking for a whole-body 30-day tone every ounce challenge plan? Look no further...

If you already have a workout routine, here's a more advanced program that starts Day-1 with higher reps. 

or, this one:

Here is a four-month plan you can follow each month, or combine into one month:

If you have injuries or physical limitations, and none of the above will work, here is a 30-day food challenge. If it's too restrictive for you, break it up and try to avoid one-or-two foods for the day or week... 

Don't forget to Pin or print your favorite challenges!

                                

Too Much Comfort Food This Winter? 5 Tips To Get Clean For Spring...

I am of the school of thought that the word "DIET" is a filthy nasty word. One that is is not allowed to be used in my house. EVER!  I think diets are gimmicks that trick people into thinking that it will be the answer to their poor nutrition and weight loss prayers. NEWS FLASH: Diets are pure bullshit! What happens when they end? Because all "diets" end. All I ever learned on a diet was that they turn me into a starving raging bitchface, and even though I lost a few pounds of water weight, I usually gained it back in real fatty-fat-fat pounds binge eating once the diet was over. Total. Bull. Shit.

I also think diets help to breed food-obsessed people. If you spend every minute of your day starving and obsessing about food, then eventually that will completely consume you. No. Bueno! That's why this month is all about learning healthy nutrition and preparing meals and snacks that will make you feel full and energized for more than 30 seconds. 

Here 5 things that will get you clean for spring...

1. DRINK MORE WATER!  This is the MAIN challenge. I truly believe just drinking 8 glasses of water a day will make you lose 5 pounds this month! Along with gaining great skin and better sleep! Seriously. Those 8 glasses a day are going to change your life. Promise. I'll tell you why on Tuesday...

2. Make at least one NEW healthy meal for dinner each week.  I do this on Sundays since I have time to prep and follow the recipe. By the end of the month that will be four great meals, almost a week's worth... who knows, maybe you will keep up the habit until that is ALL you cook for dinner!

3. Stay active. Hopefully, last month's challenge helped teach you to incorporate some sort of movement into your day, even if it was not a full-blown workout. 

4. Visit a healthy lifestyle website/Facebook page/ Pinterest board/ magazine at least once a week to learn a few "who knew" facts about nutrition and exercise.  I LOVE SELF Magazine the most. (No one paid me to say that, I have had a subscription for YEARS!)  There is also Shape, Fitness, Women's Health, Men's Health and for us moms, Fit Mom Diet is a website full of inspiration from other moms sharing their stories and healthy recipes. I know a few of you out there are Gluten-free, check out their recipe for Gluten-free pizzas! For the kids check out the greatest website, from the American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org! Knowledge is POWER.

5. Think of your body as a fine-tuned machine.  Everything you put in has to be good for the machine, or it will fall apart and stop working. The same goes for your family. Make healthy choices.  Carrot chips instead of Lays. Grapes instead of gummy worms. Choose a healthier cereal this month.  Clean out those pantries. I think you will be shocked to find healthy choices are cheaper than you think. You can get two bunches of bananas or a pound of grapes for the same price as a bag of name-brand potato chips! 

Your mantra for the month is: If I eat like Crap, I will Feel Like Crap!  

To learn more about the 30/30 Challenges 

CLICK HERE!