52 Healthy Habits: How to Set Your Day Up For Success

Welcome to another edition of 52 healthy habits when each week we tackle a new healthy habit. This week we are talking about preparing for a healthy day. With a little planning and preparation we can set ourselves up for success. So when your boss asks you to stay late, your child remembers at 7pm he needs 36 cupcakes for school the next day or your dog's stomach disagrees with his new food (gross), you'll have the tools to manage stress and make good decisions, despite the things going on in your life. Because let's face it, life is always crazy. If we plan for success only on days where everything goes smoothly, we wouldn't stand a chance. 

That's where healthy habits come in. The beauty of habits is that once they are practiced and developed they become automatic. They are the behaviors that we lean on when we have more important things to worry about. You're probably never too busy to make your morning coffee, brush your teeth or take a shower (you somehow always manage to find time). Your habits (good or bad) are how you live your life on autopilot. Taking the time time to develop healthy habits will serve you when life gets in the way of your best intentions. 

IT ALL STARTS THE NIGHT BEFORE

MEAL PREP

Meal prep doesn't necessarily mean 21 tupperware containers with each meal for the week perfectly portioned, carefully measured and weighed. Meal prep isn't an all-or-nothing scenario. Anything you can do to set yourself up for success by preparing in advance counts as meal prep.

It can mean taking the time in the evening to chop vegetables for a salad or snack the next day.
It can mean packing your healthy lunch a day in advance. 
It can mean deciding on what meals you will make during the week, buying the ingredients and having them prepped and ready to go for meal time.
It can mean doubling a dinner recipe so you have leftovers for lunch the next day. 
It can mean cooking three pounds of boneless skinless chicken breast on Sunday afternoon.
It can mean hiring a meal prep service. It's about what works for your lifestyle.

I like to spend some time on Sunday cooking meals in the crockpot, meats in the oven or on the grill so that I have cooked protein ready to go at any time. (ok, truth: hubby does the cooking part.) He cooks a few pounds at a time and freezes what we won't use in the next several days. It is a lifesaver for quick healthy lunches and dinners. 

Try these mason jar salads to prep salads for the week.

Anything you do in advance to prepare and plan for healthy meals and snacks is meal prep. You don't have to start big. Chop veggies, wash fruit, bag up raw nuts for a snack on the go. Every little thing you do in advance will help you make better decisions when you're stressed, scattered or in a hurry.

SLEEP

If you are running on five hours of sleep it makes it harder to make good decisions. I know it may seem like you get more done when you stay up late and get up early, but most of our body's recovery processes happen during sleep. Your body has work to do while you sleep. Poor sleep can disrupt appetite regulation and cause you to feel hungrier during the day. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep every night. Create and follow a bedtime ritual to set yourself up for success. I know it is easier said than done. If you are getting less than seven hours a night, start by going to bed just 15 minutes earlier. Every little bit will help. You'll make better decisions when fully rested and restored. 

MORNING RITUAL

DRINK WATER

Drink a cup or two of water before you gulp down your coffee in the morning. It helps rehydrate your body, it supports feeling alert and may help with appetite control. 

15 MINUTES OF MOVEMENT

Schedule some movement in the morning: a 15 minute walk, 15 minutes of body weight exercises or a 15 minute Yoga or stretching sequence. You don't need to run a 10K or join the local CrossFit box for their 5am WOD. Just start with some light movement to energize you for the day. If you end up not having time for your regularly scheduled/structured workout, at least you got in 15 minutes of movement. It will give you a boost of endorphins and the feeling of accomplishment all before you make it out the front door. If you don't have time for 15 minutes, do 10, or 5 minutes. Whatever you can fit into your lifestyle is a great place to start. 

PLAN AND EAT A HEALTHY BREAKFAST

Eat a healthy breakfast with protein, carbs and fat and you'll know that whatever life throws you that day, you'll at least have had one healthy meal at home. I like to eat two eggs, cottage cheese with berries and a piece of fruit. It can all be cooked/consumed in under 10 minutes. Don't have 10 minutes for breakfast? Try prepping hard-boiled eggs for the week or throw together a healthy protein shake for the road. Healthy can be quick and convenient too.

THE DAY

SET EXPECTATIONS

No day will ever be perfect. The best we can do is aim for better choices, not perfect. Healthy living isn't about perfection, it's about making the best choice of what's reasonably available to us. That means if you packed your lunch for work but there turns out to be a mandatory lunch meeting that's catered by a chain restaurant sandwich shop, just make the best choice possible. You don't have to be perfect. What's reasonable? Even with a less-than healthy meal in front of you, you can still pay attention to portions, try to fill up on protein and stop eating when full. If lunch didn't go exactly as planned, you always have dinner to make better choices. I don't get too caught up in the meal to meal decisions. One meal will not make or break your health or progress. I try to make the best choice I can with what's available to me and I move on. Don't obsess.

MORE MOVEMENT

I know. It doesn't seem like it would matter much, but a lot of little movement throughout the day adds up. You body doesn't know the difference between incidental exercise and intentional exercise. Park in the farthest spot away from the front door at work or school. Do the same at the grocery store (and return your cart back to the store, not the closest stall). Take the stairs. Use the restroom on another floor. Pace while you're on the phone. Take a short brisk walk after you've finished lunch. Walk to talk to your co-workers rather than emailing them. Go the long way. It all adds up. If you have time for a regular exercise session during the day, then great. Find an exercise that you enjoy and aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days a week.

THE EVENING

DINNER

If you planned your meal ahead of time, you're more likely to make a healthy choice. Try to eat dinner at a consistent time at an actual table (no, the coffee table doesn't count). Eat most meals at home. If you can put away electronic devices, turn off TVs and actually talk to your family/housemates during dinner, that is the best case scenario. (I'll admit this is a hard one in our house.)

Eat slowly. Chew your food slowly. Pay attention to fullness cues and stop eating when you've had enough. Even with slow eating, we can usually eat a dinner in our house in about 15 minutes. Hubby is the cook, he has mastered the quick and healthy dinner. Most dinners take 15-20 minutes to prepare, are delicious and healthy. He calls himself Chef Boy Russ G. Maybe he needs a guest segment on the blog to show us some of his favorite recipes. What do you think? 

THE WIND DOWN

Turn off electronic devices 60 minutes before bed. Relax with a book or magazine, or talk to your family/housemates about their day. Take a bath, call a friend, journal your thoughts. Take a little bit of time away from electronics for some self care at the end of the day and you'll likely fall asleep faster and more soundly. If you don't have 30 minutes before bed for self care, take five. Start somewhere. 

If it all seems like common sense, it is. The problem is the common sense doesn't seem so common anymore. The messages from the fitness industry tell you that you have do more, be perfect, eat organic, eat clean, lift heavier, run farther, work harder...when the truth from my point of view is that we just need to develop healthier habits, cultivate environments that enable us to make better choices, spend time with people who encourage and empower us, move a little more doing the things we enjoy and love ourselves a lot more. 

You don't have to do everything at once. Tackle one thing at a time and work on it for a few weeks. Grow a little each week. Get better each month. Become a little healthier each year. A healthy lifestyle is not a 21 day challenge or a 12 week solution, it's a journey for the rest of your life, you might as well enjoy it. 

Have questions? I'd love to help. 

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How to Stay Motivated Through the Dog Days of Summer

I live in Texas and make no mistake, the triple digit temperatures of summer have officially arrived. It's hot y'all. (I'm from Pennsylvania but I can say y'all because I live in Texas now. My y'all only comes out when I talk about the heat.) The heat can make us feel sluggish and lazy. It can make us want to watch a Netflix marathon (or three) rather than train for a real one. 

The dog days of summer are here. It's hot. The heat and humidity can wreak havoc on our best intentions, but our motivation can rise with the temperatures with a little summer planning.

HOW TO STAY MOTIVATED THROUGH THE DOG DAYS OF SUMMER

LIMIT OUTDOOR WORKOUTS

As the temperatures rise it is a great opportunity to focus on weightlifting, group fitness classes, swimming and other indoor activities. I use the summer to focus on strength training, since I can take advantage of the cool air conditioned comfort of the #shredshed, our backyard gym. I limit runs to early morning, late evening or on the treadmill. It's a good idea to alter our workouts with varied training cycles and the weather gives us the perfect opportunity to shake up our regular exercise routine. 

GET ON A SUMMER SCHEDULE

Summer can mess with our regular schedules. School's out, kids are home, vacations are planned and hotdogs are on the grill. Our best defense against summer slacking is establishing a summertime routine. Take the kids for a walk every morning or get your workouts in after lunch every day. Our schedules may be a little more varied than during the winter months, so establishing exercise and healthy eating routines can keep us on track. 

FOLLOW THE 15 MINUTE RULE

When you really don't feel like you have the energy for a workout, follow the 15 minute rule. Commit to doing a 15 minute workout. The hardest part of most workouts is getting started. After 15 minutes, you can stop if you want, but most likely once you get going you'll want to keep going. Even if you stop at 15 minutes, it is better than not working out at all. 15 minutes every day is still 1.75 hours of workouts for the week, not too shabby. 

HYDRATE EARLY AND OFTEN

Whether your workouts are indoors or out, hydrate early and often. Dehydration can make us feel lethargic and fatigued. Drink up to eight glasses of water a day and add more if you working out and are spending time outside in the heat. No, a cold brew doesn't count. Hah.

Ready to run! ha ha

DRESS FOR SUCCESS

Avoid cotton clothing and socks in the hot weather. Cotton absorbs water (aka sweat) and can cause blisters, rashes and embarrassing sweat stains. Stick to technical fabrics that wick moisture away from the body. When out in the sun wear light colored, loose fitting clothing and of course, plenty of sunscreen to protect your skin. Nothing kills motivation like a blisters and a sunburn.

SLEEPY SUMMER

If you're getting up early to beat to the heat, make sure you are going to bed earlier as well. Sleep is one of the most important things you can do for your health, so you're not doing yourself any favors if you get up 2 hours earlier to run and lose two hours of precious sleep. Aim for 7-8 hours per night of sleep to ensure proper recovery from those summertime workouts. When you're properly recovered you'll feel more inclined to get in that next workout.

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52 Healthy Habits: The 5 Minute Habit

Welcome to the latest edition of 52 healthy habits! Each week we tackle a new healthy habit because habits are the building blocks of a healthy lifestyle. If we try to rely on willpower or motivation to meet our goals we won't get as far because well...we're human. The secret to success is building healthy habits slowly over time. Once a healthy behavior becomes a habit, it's just something we do without having to think about it, no willpower needed.

Focusing on daily habits is a much more sane and sustainable approach to healthy living. We don't have to change all our habits all at once, just one thing at a time slowly over time. It doesn't matter if you are brand new to healthy living or have been at it for decades, there is always room for incremental improvements. I know I am personally always looking for ways to improve.

If you've been following along you know we've been tackling new habits for the last 20 weeks. (Wow, time flies when you're having fun.) This week I'd like you to come up with your own five minute healthy habit to work on. The beauty of a five minute habit is that it takes so little time there will likely never be a legitimate reason to miss it. However, five minutes a day of consistent action can be just what we need to develop a new habit. It's less about what you choose for your habit and more about developing the habit of developing habits. (hah). A five minute consistent action for two weeks can be the catalyst to real change. Five minutes a day can lead to long term success. What are you willing to tackle for five minutes a day?

What to choose? When I first did this, I chose flossing my teeth. It was one of those things that even though the dentist lectured me every six months, I only did sporadically. A healthy mouth and healthy gums are a huge part of a healthy lifestyle. It is important and it takes less than five minutes a day. Need some ideas? Here are some ideas to get your brain churning and turning. Choose one of mine or choose something that is meaningful to you and your goals. Brainstorm some of your own ideas then choose one.

FIVE MINUTE HABIT IDEAS

Run for five minutes a day
Walk for five minutes a day
Do bodyweight strength exercises for five minutes a day (one minute squats, one minute push ups, one minute lunges, one minute tricep dips, one minute plank. BOOM!)
Spend 5 minutes writing down what you're thankful for every day
Take a multivitamin or fish oil with a tall glass of water every day (takes less than five minutes!)
Read for five minutes every night before bed
Spend five minutes a day connecting with a friend in real life (on the phone or in person)
Chop veggies for five minutes every night to prepare snacks for the next day
Floss your teeth
Five minute meditation or prayer practice
Five minutes of Yoga
Five minutes of stretching or foam rolling
Five minutes of journaling
Drink two bottles of water a day
 

The possibilities are endless. Choose whatever you like. What do you want to improve on? Start with five minutes. You have the rest of your life to build on it. 

My new habit is five minute of ab exercises every day. It's so easy, but five minutes a day is 35 minutes a week! 

If you've never worked out before and want to start, then making exercise your five minute habit increases your chance of long term success over committing to hitting the gym for an hour six days a week for the rest of your life. It doesn't mean you can't do more than five minutes, of course if you want to do more, then do more. The idea is that you're only committed to five minutes. You can't fail.

When you're successful, you build confidence. When you build confidence, you feel ready to take on a little more. When you take on a little more you continue to progress forward. Your five minutes a day, eventually turns into 10, then 15, then 30 minutes a day. You build up slowly over time. It works for exercise, it works for almost any new habit you want to develop. It sounds counterintuitive, but focusing on less can help you achieve more. 

TIPS FOR THE 5 MINUTE HABIT

• Choose one habit at a time. One thing only. Master it, then build on it or choose something else.

• Make it so easy that you can't fail. Success builds confidence.

• Choose something measurable. You should easily be able to tell if you did it or not. Check the box every day.

• Be consistent. Do it daily.

• Expect setbacks. $hit happens. Move on. Do the best you can.

So what five minute habit will you chose to better your life, five minutes at a time?

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52 Healthy Habits: Overcoming Negative Thoughts

Welcome to the latest edition of 52 healthy habits, when each week we tackle a new healthy habit. Healthy habits are the building blocks of a healthy lifestyle. If we tackle one habit at a time, we can improve our lives one small step at a time. No matter where you are in your journey, from the newbie to the expert, there is always room for incremental improvements. I am always looking for ways to make better choices, have a healthier mindset and improve my fitness. It doesn't have to be a whole life overhaul, we can do it together, one small thing at a time. 

This week I want to talk about mindset, specifically overcoming negative thoughts because it something that I have been struggling with lately. It seems the more I step outside my comfort zone, I more try to expand in this world, the louder those negative thoughts get. Is it just me? Of course not. It happens to the best of us. Especially the best of us, because the best of us are the ones pushing outside of our comfort zones.

As I try to do more in this world to grow and help others, those voices get louder. You know them. We all have them. I am working on overcoming negative thoughts by actively addressing, ignoring or reframing them. 

We are what we think. The problem is when we think negative thoughts, they can lead to negative actions (or inaction) that can sabotage our best intentions and limit our impact in this world. 

We sometimes don't think about mindset as a habit, but it is. We can find ourselves in a negative mindset habit loop. Learning to recognize neagative thoughts for what they are is a skill we can work on and master. 

RECOGNIZE THAT THOUGHTS LIE

You don't have to believe every thought that passes through your mind. The truth is that your thought lie. When I get a thought that tells me I'm not good enough, not smart enough and doggonnit people don't like me (reference) I evaluate those thoughts. Are they true? Are they helpful? Can they be changed or reframed? Most of the negative thoughts I think are simply not true, just my own insecurities creeping in. 

“The truth is that your thoughts lie.”

— Lea Genders Fitness

START WITH GRATITUDE

I've found coming from a place of gratitude in everything first helps with negative thoughts. Find a reason to be thankful. Challenges provide opportunities to grow. Difficult people are opportunities to practice compassion and patience. It's a work in progress for me. I do best when I acknowledge the thought, try to find a way to be grateful (or at least think about the things I am grateful for) and then practice controlling my reaction. I am nowhere near perfect but focusing on what I am grateful for goes a long way in overcoming negative thoughts. 

JOURNAL

I don't recommend keeping all negative thoughts stuffed deep down inside while portraying a Polly-Anna personality. I've found that expressing negative thoughts, concerns and worries in a healthy manner, like in a journal, helps me process my thoughts and evaluate what's real and what are my own insecurities. When I write it down with old fashion pen and paper it clears my head better than thinking about it, talking about it, or even typing it. 

SUPPORT SYSTEM

Surround yourself with positive uplifting people. It can be all too easy to find a negative person to share life complaints. It may feel good in the moment, and can even feel like bonding with that person, but complaining is unproductive, especially when it's about the same thing over and over again. Surround yourself with people who help you focus on solutions to problems, not just complain about them. Spend time with people who uplift, encourage and push you when needed. We all can pursue our dreams to the fullest, it helps when the people around us believe in us, even when we struggle to believe in ourselves.

MOVING MEDITATION

It's no secret that exercise can improve mental wellbeing. When I'm upset or stuck in a negative mindset, I often find that a run, a walk or time at the gym (aka #shredshed) can help me untangle those thoughts and clear my mind. I don't usually think about my problems while exercising, it is a healthy temporary escape from them. Negative thoughts don't go away after an exercise session, but I usually feel more equipped to deal with them.

Let's tackle this together. Push forward. Don't let negative thoughts get in the way of living your dreams. 

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52 Healthy Habits: Week 19 Update

Welcome to the latest edition of 52 healthy habits, when each week we tackle a new nutrition or lifestyle habit in order to improve our lives. Healthy habits are the building blocks of a healthy lifestyle and we can make major improvements one small step at a time.

This week in our 52 healthy habit series, I want to review the habits we already covered and see where we stand. It's a good idea to look back and see how far we've come. It can also be easy to work on a new habit, then get side tracked or distracted by something new. (ooo. squirrel!)

So far in the series we've covered everything from drinking more water, improving our sleep habits and increasing protein intake. Let's see where we've been, how it's going and what still needs some work. 

You can follow along with my habits each week, or choose your own. Thinking about your habits, recognizing bad habits and implementing and improving good ones are the first steps. What can you tackle next? 

Need to catch up on the 52 healthy habits series? 

52 HEALTHY HABITS SERIES

week 1: Early to Rise

Getting up early has always been a struggle. It is something that my husband and I work on together and we either support each other like rockstars or we enable each other. At the time of the original post, we struggled, but eventually got on track and were getting up early. Now that a few months have passed, we have fallen back into the bad habit of turning off the alarm all together. Sleep is essential so when I get up early it is important that I commit to going to bed earlier, so I don't lose the necessary sleep to feel my best. With summer right around the corner, it makes the most sense to knock those workouts out early in the morning, before it gets too hot. We have the alarm set for Monday morning, so at the time of this post, I should be up and kicking ass. Hold me to it, OK?

week 2: Track calories

I believe in tracking calories when I am trying to reach certain goals. If I got too lax in my diet and need a drop a couple pounds (who, me?) I may go back to tracking for a few weeks to get back on track. If I am training for a race or event, I may track to make sure I am getting enough calories. Tracking calories is a tool I use to establish a baseline when I am working to meet a specific goal. 

week 3: Macro cycling

I just started macro cycling again last week. Again, it is something I do occasionally when trying to meet specific goals. I have six weeks until the IDEA World fitness convention and BlogFest in Las Vegas, so I've decided to get back on macro cycling leading up to my trip. 

week 4: Morning pages (journaling)
 

I'd argue that journaling is probably one of the most productive things I could do with my time. When I write out my thoughts, worries and dreams on paper, I am able to clear my head and work through all kinds of issues. But since we haven't been getting up in the morning, I've not found the time (slaps my own hand). I need to work on this habit again, because the growth is exponential. This is a great example how we can work on something, do well, but eventually fall off and forget about it all together. Reviewing my habits helps me stay focused on the things that are important.

week 5: Stop the scrolling (reading instead of social media)

I've been reading a lot more at night instead of social media scrolling to unwind. I am big into non-fiction and really enjoyed a few of the books I read lately, like Shoe Dog, a memoir by the creator of Nike. I will admit, I still scroll quite a bit, but I am balancing it better. Always a work in progress. What are you reading? I'd love to hear your non-fiction recommendations. I am thinking of adding a book review section to this blog. Would you be interested in that? 

week 6: Be a good student (take time for learning) 
 

I am happy to report that I kicked butt on this one. I wrote this post while I was studying for my Precision Nutrition Level 1 Sports and Exercise Nutrition Certification. I completed the course and passed with flying colors. My nutrition coaching program started this month. While success in this course means a great deal to me, the overall theme of this habit is to take time for learning. Never stop learning in life.

week 7: Strength Training 15 minutes per day   
 

I've been doing the Runner's World run streak, where you run at least one mile every day from Memorial Day to Fourth of July. I wrote a post about how to stay safe and sane during the streak. I've been doing great (even when traveling) but the running has taken over my exercise routine. I haven't been out to the #shredshed since it started. Since I am the strength training for runners coach, I better get my butt back out there next week. I've committed to more balance in my program next week which will include strength training at least 20 minutes per day as I follow my own strength training program.

week 8: Eat more protein
 

Once I started monitoring my protein intake and I got an idea of how much I needed to consume, I've stayed on track since I developed this habit. It is a great habit to tackle if you are not getting enough protein for your activity level. Aim for .5 to 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight, depending on your goals and activity level.

week 9: Take a coffee break (break from caffeine)
 

Once a quarter I go off caffeine completely for a week or two in order to reset my caffeine tolerance. While I suffer caffeine headaches for a couple days it goes a long way in keeping my my caffeine intake under control. The first week in July is my next reset. Will you join me? Or do you think I am crazy for even attempting such a thing? 

week 10: Mindful eating
 

I am always working on my mindful eating. Some days are better than others, but the important thing it is something I try to think about at every meal. It is a work in progress and I am always trying to improve. When I eat slowly, pay attention to my hunger and fullness signals and eat to 80% full, I feel my best.

week 11: Create and follow a sleep ritual

Are you getting 7-9 hours of sleep a night? If not, you may be short-changing yourself. Develop a ritual to get to bed and maximize your sleep. It's a game changer. 

week 12: 10 Easy ways to eat more vegetables 
 

Since I've been working on this habit, I've added more colorful veggies to my daily salad like red and orange peppers, added mushrooms and look for ways to add in extra veggies at dinner and breakfast. 

week 13: A rant 
 

It was week 13 after all, so was it strange I used this 13 to go on a out-of-character rant? I think not. Spoiler alert: I'm no doctor but I say it's OK to eat your grapes and bananas. 

week 14: 10K steps a day 
 

One of my favorite topics, 10K steps a day! I love my FitBit and have been crazy-consistent with my daily steps. I think (in addition to proper nutrition) daily movement outside of traditional exercise is the key to weight loss and maintenance. Try it, you might like it. Are we FitBit friends? Find my email address here to follow me on the FitBit app.

week 15: Drink more water
 

Are you drinking enough water? Check out the strategies you can follow to make sure you are getting enough water.

week 16: How to self-assess your food journal
 

A food journal, like calorie counting or macro cycling, is a great tool to self-assess your current nutrition and look for ways to make improvements. I walk you through how to do it in this post.

week 17: 52 Healthy snack ideas

Yum. snacks. Check out my ideas for healthy snacks. Do you have anything to add to the list? 

week 18: Summer Run Streak

Running coach tips (from me) to stay safe and sane on the summer run streak. It can be a healthy habit to lace up those shoes and run at least one mile a day, but be careful of the potential pitfalls of running every single day. At the time of this post, we're on day 15 out of 37. 

week 19: Overcoming the All-or-Nothing mindset

This is a habit that I will have to be mindful of for the rest of my life. I am a recovering all-or-nothing thinker, so I work on balance all the time. If I catch myself straying too far in either direction, I have to work to bring myself back to center. Can you relate? 

Have you been following along? Do you have a habit that you would like me to tackle next? What's your biggest health, fitness or nutrition-related struggle? Let me know. I'd love to help. 

Need help with your nutrition strategy? Tired of dieting? Want help developing healthy habits while staying sane and balanced? Looking for long term results? My nutrition and lifestyle coaching program is a 12 month habit-based system expertly designed by Precision Nutrition for people who are tired of quick fixes, empty promises and willing to put in the effort to make lasting changes.

I am offering a limited number of new clients to try it out for 3 months at only $25.00 per month to start (one time $75.00 payment). After the three months, you can opt out, or choose to continue the program at regular price. Once you get in, put in the work and start seeing results, you're not going to want to quit. 

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