THE WEEKEND SURVIVAL GUIDE: 10 TIPS FOR A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE ALL WEEK LONG

It's Friday! Another long week is on the books and I am ready to enjoy the weekend! I've put together some tips to help you enjoy the weekend while maintaining your healthy lifestyle (and your sanity). Spoiler alert: It's not about dieting and exercising all weekend long. 

I often say I wish I was independently wealthy so I could quit my corporate job and live according to my own terms. That sounds great and all, but the corporate life provides something that helps me stay on track in my healthy lifestyle: Routine.

During the week I know if I don't get up in the morning to work out, then I likely won't have time to get it done that day. It forces my hand with a now-or-never decision. I know that if I want to eat a healthy lunch I will have to bring it from home, so I pack a daily salad. I go to bed early to make sure I get plenty of sleep so I can get up early again the next day. Then the weekend comes...

I may stay up too late on Friday night since I know I don't have to be up early on Saturday. I may plan to workout, but a lot of times I just keep telling myself that I'll do it later, until later never comes. That healthy salad? There are too many other options. 

My limited schedule and options during the week actually helps me stick to a healthy routine. I find on Saturdays if I have an appointment in the afternoon, I am more likely to get my workout done early. Now-or-never can be a strong motivator, because it forces you to confront your true intentions. If you don't do it now, you're not doing it. You can't lie to yourself about some future fictional plans.

While my weekends don't have the structure of the weekdays, I do my best to stay on track, even if I miss a workout or a healthy meal here and there. A healthy lifestyle isn't about perfection, it's about doing the best we can in the moment, no matter the circumstances. Weekend circumstances sometimes means birthday parties, chauffeur duties, friends and errands. We can still let loose a little on the weekends without it all falling apart with these 10 tips.

THE WEEKEND SURVIVAL GUIDE: 10 TIPS FOR A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE ALL WEEK LONG

1. Go to bed and get up at the same time on the weekends. It may not be the same times as during the week, but establishing a bedtime and wake-up time can help you establish a healthy weekend routine.

2. Work to get at least eight hours of sleep. If you have a little more time on the weekends take advantage of it. Sleep is so important for health, performance and weight loss.

3. If you have plans to eat out at a restaurant, look at the menu ahead of time and decide what you will order. It doesn't have to be the healthiest option on the menu, but it should be well thought-out and intentional. Think of food on a continuum, rather than good or bad. Ask yourself, in what small way can I make this just a little bit healthier? Not perfect, just a little better.

4. Prepare and eat meals at home when possible. If you currently eat all your weekend meals outside of the home, make a goal to eat just one meal at home this weekend.

5. Schedule a workout. Make plans to meet a friend for a class, hike or run. Put it on your calendar. Make a commitment and stick to it. Try to avoid, "I'll do it later." Even a quick 15 minute workout at home will suffice. Make deliberate movement a part of your weekend routine.

6. Give yourself two or three weekend healthy living goals. Whether it is cleaning out the kitchen pantry, getting in at least one workout, meal prepping for the week or planning your upcoming week, have clear goals and work to accomplish them.

7. If you weigh-in weekly, schedule your weigh-in day for Monday morning. It can help you stay on track over the weekend. (But remember the scale is only one small piece of the puzzle.)

8. Don't save all your nutritional splurges for the weekend. If you allow yourself a few treats during the week, you'll be less likely to overindulge with a "last-hoorah" mentality on the weekend. If you know you can occasionally have a treat whenever you want, you may not feel the need to over-do it on the weekends. All-or-nothing thinking leads to an unhealthy cycle of deprivation and over-indulgence.

9. Don't over-indulge in alcohol, especially when fat loss is your goal. Alcohol has seven calories per gram, which is more calories per gram than protein and carbs, but without any nutritional value. Enjoy a drink if you want (a healthy lifestyle isn't about deprivation), but like anything else, drink in moderation.

10. No matter what happens, how busy you were, what workouts you missed, or what foods you ate, never give up and make yourself a promise to start over Monday (or any future date). There is no need to wait for a new week or a new day. A few slip ups does not ruin a whole weekend. Perfection was never the goal! Do the best you can in the moment. If you didn't make a good choice, no worries, try to make a better one at the very next opportunity.

Ready to tackle the weekend? Let's not just survive, let's thrive! Have a great one. We'll catch up again on Monday. 

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Coach Lea

The Healthy Lifestyle Guide for Busy People (aka Everyone)

Raise your hand if you're busy. Yep. That's just about everyone. We are all busy. If you want to live a healthier lifestyle, the good news is that you don't have get up at 5am to exercise for two hours a day and survive on kale and skinless chicken breast. You don't have to change your whole life to live healthier, rather you can find success by fitting healthier habits into your current (already busy) lifestyle.

5 WAYS TO SET UP YOUR ENVIRONMENT FOR BETTER HEALTH

Whether we like it or not our environment has an impact on our decisions. We can control our environment to a certain extent. We can stay out of bars if we don't want to drink alcohol. We can clean out our cabinets so that only healthy foods are within arm's reach. We can try to spend more time with friends who want to eat healthy and exercise with us.

However, there are always going to be factors that we can't control. Our husbands and kids may not want to eat healthier and beg us to order pizza. We may be chained to a desk eight hours a day while our co-workers try to push us to have that piece of cake. ("Oh, come on, you know you're just going to run it off later anyway"). The healthiest choice in the vending machine is organic Doritos. Spoiler alert: not healthy. 

I am not suggesting that you get a divorce, quit your job and give away your kids. We can't always control our environment (and we happen to love those darn kids) but we can learn to navigate it to set ourselves up for better health. It's not about being perfect all the time. That would be impossible. It's doing the best we can in every situation in the life we are already living. 

1. ATTACK THE SNACKS

The best defense against poor choices is planning ahead. When you're starving and rushed, you're more likely to hit the drive through, vending machine or deep dive into the ice-cream aisle. I try to keep healthy snacks close at hand. If I always have nuts, seeds, a piece of fruit or a protein shake nearby, I'm less likely to make poor choices because I am hangry.

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2. THE IDEAL MEAL

How and where you eat your meals has an impact. We usually eat the amount of food that is served to us (or we serve ourselves). I am always reminding hubby of proper serving sizes because he thinks nothing of filling half my plate with buttery sweet potatoes. While I love buttery sweet potatoes, I don't need a half plate of them. I use Precision Nutrition's cupped hand portion serving size as a general guide. Not complaining about hubby cooking and serving dinner though.

If we use smaller plates, we tend to put less food on them and naturally control our serving size. If we finish eating, then wait 15 minutes or so and still feel hungry, we can always eat more. The idea is that we are not mindlessly eating just because it's there. If we serve food on smaller plates, eat slowly and stop when about 80% full (this takes practice) we solve most of our food portion issues.

Sit at an actual table (not of the coffee variety), turn off the TV and put away the phones so you can savor and enjoy your meal. If you work outside of the home during the day, pack a lunch and eat it away from your desk. Sometimes just the act of slowing down and paying attention can yield big results. 

3. YOUR KITCHEN MISSION

Clean out your cabinets and remove any foods you have trouble maintaining control over. I usually have to keep salt and vinegar potato chips out of my house. It's not to say you have to get rid of all unhealthy foods, because there is definitely room for treats in your diet. Only keep the foods around that fit within your goals. If you have to get dressed, put on shoes, find your purse, comb your hair, get in your car and drive to the store to buy it, you're less likely to indulge in it when you have a craving a 9pm. Just make it a little harder on yourself to get those types of foods. You can have them when you really want them, just don't make it so easy on yourself.

Sign up for a CSA box so that fresh, healthy produce and/or meat is delivered to you. In Texas (and other states, I hear) we have Bountiful Baskets, a co-op where you can pick-up fresh fruits and veggies for $15 a week that have a retail value of around $50.

Spend time on the weekends prepping and cutting meals and veggies. If necessary, buy pre-cut veggies. If you don't have time to meal prep, sign up for a healthy meal delivery service.

4.PRACTICE BEING ACTIVE

No matter how much or how little you workout each week, you can set your environment up to get more activity in throughout the day. Remember, it all counts. It doesn't have to be structured exercise to have an impact.

Park your car in the farthest spot away from the entrance of school, work and the grocery store so that you have to walk. Ride your bike or walk instead of driving to places that are nearby.

Do squats while you brush your teeth or incline pushups against the kitchen counter while waiting for the microwave to ding. Do a four minute tabata workout when you get out of bed in the morning to kick your day off on the right foot. It all counts. I promise.

5. FIND FIT-MINDED FRIENDS

Join a run club or active social group to find a workout buddy. Find like-minded people who are interested in their health, fitness, and nutrition. Ever hear of November Project? Just show up. Organize your social events around being active; go for a walk, run or hike instead of meeting up at a restaurant or bar. Find friends to sign up for an obstacle race or fun 5K with you. Join an adult soccer league. Whatever floats your boat. Hey, good idea. Go swimming off of a boat! When exercise hour becomes social hour to catch up with friends, the more likely you'll do it. 

A four-legged furry fit friend can be the best kind. Get a dog that needs a daily walk. Can't have a dog? Borrow from a neighbor or volunteer to run with shelter dogs. I guarantee they will love you for it.

You don't have to overhaul your whole life to live healthier. Use this healthy lifestyle guide to help you incorporate new healthy habits into your busy day. You're never going to be less busy, start making small changes today. 

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Coach Lea

52 HEALTHY HABITS: STAND UP STRAIGHT!

Welcome to the latest edition of 52 healthy habits, where each week we tackle a new healthy habit in order to improve our lives. Healthy habits are the building blocks of a healthy lifestyle. When we work on improving our habits one at a time, a healthy lifestyle emerges. It takes time, but it's worth it when willpower and motivation are no longer needed. I invite you to follow along with my habits each week, dig into the archives to work on a past habit or make one up of your own. Pick something you want to work on and get started. 

Some weeks in the 52 healthy habits series I give you ideas of healthy habits you can work on. Some weeks I tell you about the things I am working on. This is one of those weeks. 

Speaking of healthy habits, I got a massage last weekend and I had an interesting conversation with the massage therapist.

"Your shoulders are rounded forward. This happens from sitting at a computer all day, looking down at your phone, even driving."

"I do all those things at least 10 hours a day, probably more."

"That's the issue. But it's no problem. We can work to correct it, but you need to work on your posture throughout the day. Push your shoulders back and down and hold your neck neutral whenever you think about it during the day, set a reminder on your phone if you need to. You can't correct it in a day, a week or even a month, but if you make an effort to improve, make this small posture change repeatedly on a daily basis, over time your body will respond." 

It struck me that he was talking about building a habit of good posture. It's exactly what I teach here week after week. Make an effort at the small things that seem insignificant and big results will follow.

It's funny he mentioned it because it was something I noticed myself just a week earlier. I am working on body composition improvements so I asked hubby to take some "before" pictures so I could note visual changes as the weeks progress. (I know better than to rely solely on the scale when working to increase muscle because the scale is a damn liar.) I was shocked when I looked at the first side view picture. My shoulders were hunched over visually but I was standing normally. 

Left: anterior rotation of the shoulder. Right: shoulders back and down, neck neutral. Note to self: comb your hair next time. Hah.

Now I have something new to work on. Just like any other healthy habits we talk about here, it's the small incremental changes that lead to big results over time. You don't notice the difference in one day, one week or even in a month. When you eat slowly, drink more water, sleep more hours, eat more vegetables, eat more protein, you won't notice the changes right away but changes are happening.

Just like my rotated shoulders. It didn't happen overnight, but the cumulation of my bad habits (slouching over a computer, looking down at my phone scrolling Instagram, not paying attention to posture while driving) added up over time. It works both ways. We don't notice the small things, but it's the small things that make a big difference. 

Standing up straight or working on posture seems like a small insignificant thing. The small things are easy but they are also easy to overlook or skip. Do the small things to make big progress. 

AWARENESS

Awareness is always the first step. Now that I am aware of my shoulder rotation, I can work to correct it. How many years did I walk around slouched over, blissfully unaware? Now I know better and can work to improve. That's the first step. This applies to anything you want to change. Understanding that you need to make a change and a willingness to work on it is the first step in the right direction

ACTION

Even the smallest action will move you forward. I'm not going to fix my shoulders overnight, but the actions I take today will pay dividends in the future.

SHOULDERS BACK AND DOWN

Shoulders back and down when walking. Every time I stand up to walk or when I walk my dog (Hi, Ollie!) I would make a conscious effort to keep my shoulders back and down. 

FOAM ROLL & STRETCH

The massage therapist told me to lie on my back parallel to the foam roller with my head hanging off the end. He said not to roll, but to press my back into the foam roller, then lift my shoulders up, then press them back down for scapula retraction. Do 12-20 reps. This felt amazing. I am adding it into my daily workout. 

He also showed me some stretches to release my tight pectoralis muscles which is part of the reason my shoulders are rounded forward.

foam roller and skull leggings for the win!

In our current environment, rounded shoulders is a common problem. We are looking down at our phones, spending hours in the car and in front of computer screens. Working to correct posture is a healthy habit that can be cultivated and built into our daily routines. 

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Coach Lea

5 SMALL HABITS FOR BIG CHANGES IN FAT LOSS

Welcome to the latest edition of 52 healthy habits, where each week we tackle a new healthy habit in order to improve our lives. When we make the decision to live a healthier lifestyle, we often make the mistake of trying to change everything at once. We decide to eat "clean," workout six days a week, give up wine (gasp!) and then inevitably get overwhelmed and go back to our old ways. A more sane and sustainable approach is to tackle one habit and build on it slowly over time. It's not a quick fix but it is an effective long-term solution to a healthy lifestyle. When healthy behaviors become habits, then no willpower or iron-clad motivation is needed. 

But where do you start? There a million things you could do and as we discussed, doing too much at once is usually not an effective solution. We want to tackle the things that will make the biggest impact when working to achieve our goals. Here are the first five habits I recommend when prioritizing fat loss. These five small habits will yield big results over time. Take one at a time, cultivate it until mastered, then build on the next one. 

PRIORITIZE PROTEIN/VEGGIES AT EACH MEAL

Fat loss starts in the kitchen. Make sure every meal has a serving of protein and veggies. Protein helps you maintain muscle, which is very important to ensure that you are losing fat and not muscle when you lose weight. Protein and the fiber from veggies help you feel full. 

When you want a snack, look for a high protein snack, like cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, protein shake or a tuna packet. Focus on what you can add to your meals to make them healthier, rather than what you have to take away.  Learn more about adding protein and veggies in these blog posts.

When I'm in an environment where I am not in control of the food being served: at a restaurant, at a dinner party or a work function, I always fill my plate with the protein and veggies first. It's a smart strategy to make the best decisions possible in any circumstance. We can never be perfect, but we can always strive to make the best choices possible. 

EAT SLOW

When you gobble down your food in five minutes flat you don't give your stomach enough time to send the signal to your brain that it's full. I am as guilty of this as anyone. A great fat loss strategy is to eat your meals slowly. Set a timer for 20 minutes and stretch it out. Chew your food slowly (20-30 times!), put your fork down between bites, take a drink of water between bites, talk with your family. Slow it down. Pay attention to fullness signals and stop eating when full. You'll digest your food better and likely eat less, which is ideal for fat loss. You can learn more about mindful eating in this blog post.

WALK FAST

A great habit to cultivate for fat loss is a power walking routine. No, I didn't say you have to join CrossFit or sign up to run a marathon. Those things can be great (if they align with your goals and preferences), but if you are just starting out take 15-20 minutes every day and walk a mile as fast as you can. Walk with purpose, like you're late for the start of Game of Thrones. Take your dog. Don't have a dog? Borrow a dog. They'll love you for it. Do it twice a day if you can. Little changes can make a big difference. Here is more on how to make exercise a daily habit.

SLEEP

Sleep is so important for fat loss that I would say if you could only do one thing on this list that you choose to prioritize sleep. It's the most overlooked activity in our modern environment but the most important. Create a sleep routine and aim for 7-8 hours of sleep a night. Yes, it matters for fat loss. Before you think about taking supplements or trying the next "fat loss secret" make sure you have the basics covered. I go into more depth on creating a sleep ritual in this blog post. 

REPLACE ALL DRINKS WITH WATER

If you replace all soda, juice, energy drinks and sugar-filled drinks with water (or seltzer water) you'll cut hundreds of empty calories a day. In order to lose fat you need to create a calorie-deficit, which means you consume less calories than you burn in a day. An easy way to do this without depriving yourself is to cut out those empty calories from sugar-filled drinks. Water can help you feel fuller and more energized. Dehydration causes all kinds of problems like fatigue, lack of energy and headaches. This is easy to fix with regular intake of H20. I cover some strategies to increase water intake here.

Need help with your healthy habits? Join my online nutrition habits program!

Coach Lea