5 Healthy Tips to Survive Halloween

We all know just how FUN Halloween is for our little ones. They get to get all dressed up, go from door to door to get candy, come home and enjoy their plunders! We, on the other hand, have to deal with all the leftover Halloween candy (and by “deal with,” I mean try NOT to eat all of it) But no matter how hard you may try to avoid those sticky, sugary, chocolatey goodies, they still manage to just be wrappers on the floor, table and couch. And YOU end up with a tummy ache. How do these little devil spawns (aka candies) end up in your tummy without you even realizing it?!! 

 

Oh Halloween, as much as I used to love you as a child, I am now grown. My metabolism has slowed down, my body is no longer growing and these sweet treats MUST stay off my hips. So, how do you avoid it when it’s all around you? Well, short of completely banning it from your home (which I’m sure the little ones would not appreciate very much!) here are some fun tips that will help you save those extra calories from making your jeans too tight come Monday.. 

 

#1. Eat a healthy, protein-packed breakfast. 

                I know, I know… Breakfast? The Most Important Meal of the Day! Well, yeah, it is. And here is why it will help you avoid that binge. If you skip that healthy breakfast you are likely to consume MORE calories during the day (research has proven it!) Breakfast is essential for jump-starting your metabolism. It is called breakfast for a reason. It “breaks” the “fast.” If you do not eat this amazing meal within an hour of waking, your body is likely to start storing extra fat because it feels that it has been too long since you last ate and that means there must not be food available. So it panics and thinks, “OH NO!! Starvation is coming! Hey, it’s ok man, I got you!” And then those jeans are feeling a little snug just a few short days later... I promise. (I know from experience.) And the reason it is necessary to make sure you meal is protein-packed is because it will fill you up with LESS food and that full feeling will last LONGER! (Amazing, right?)

 

#2. Snack! Snack! Snack! 

                Sounds amazing, right? Well, sure you SHOULD snack a little throughout the day. But be strategic about it! Make sure that you are snacking at the right intervals. Your meals and snacks should be planned out in 2 ½ - 3 hour intervals.  For example, 2 ½ - 3 hours after you eat your breakfast, you should have a smaller, healthy snack. For me, this looks like apple slices and almond butter, or Ezekiel toast with almond butter and sliced banana. These are just a couple of examples of a healthy snack. You should have at least 2 small, healthy snacks throughout the day, between your meals. This will also prevent you from feeling snacky later when all that candy is in your hands, slowly being dropped into the bags of those adorable little trick-or-treaters. 

 

#3. Water Down!

                I’m sure you expected this one, especially if you know me at all. (I am a water FREAK!) But this is really important! Water is essential to our bodies. Every day that you do not drink enough water, you are depriving yourself of all the great benefits! Drink up! It will curb those darn cravings, help you drop that bloated look you’re rocking, and detoxify your body (there are many more benefits too, like clearer skin and weight loss!!) I find that the days that I am snack-y at night when I get home are the days that I have not had enough water. Here is an easy way to see just how much water you really SHOULD be consuming per day: Your Weight / 2 = Ounces of water you should be drinking! I mean, sure it may seem like a lot, but remember, your body is made up of mostly water, and you are constantly losing water throughout the day in tears, saliva, sweat, etc. Fuel your body, the calorie-free way!

 

#4. WORK IT OUT!

                No matter what it takes, no matter what happens… work out! Find some time in your day to get your fitness on! Either walk with the kids while they trick or treat, go to the gym before the dreaded doorbell begins ringing, or fit in some crunches. Do SOMETHING to get active. Studies have shown that those that work out during the day are less likely to eat extra calories or crave sugary treats. Even if it’s just a few jumping jacks or running in place, any work out is better than no work out. Just be active. Your body will thank you, I promise. 

 

#5. Drop the Zombie Look.

                Meaning, get some SLEEP! First of all, it is not flattering having those bags under your eyes,  caked up with concealer. No one looks good or feels good when they are tired. We all KNOW this already, but seem to forget it with “Shark Tank” is on or we have access to Netflix. I am guilty, too. I could sit on the couch and watch every episode of “Grey’s Anatomy” until dawn breaks. But especially tonight, while we are all trying to avoid the dreaded candy dish, sleep is important! If you go to bed just an hour earlier, you will be less likely to eat too much candy (or any at all, if your willpower is Herculean!) But think about it, there are multiple benefits here. You technically can’t eat candy in your sleep and you are also helping your mind, body and soul with an extra hour of sleep. Trust me, just try it. 

 

 

So there you have it. 5 Simple Tips to help you avoid those evil treats tonight. Enjoy! I hope this was helpful! (And don’t beat yourself up too much if you have one or two delicious, sweet treats.) Happy Halloween!! 

 

 

               

What Keeps You Motivated?

“What keeps you motivated to work out or eat clean?” This is a question I hear often. Well, honestly, there are many reasons I want to continue doing these things. The main reason, though, is that I want to be my best self every day.

                How often do you wake up and feel bloated? You slowly walk into the bathroom to look in the mirror and see the damage done by this weekend’s indulgences. As you glance at your own reflection you see a pimple the size of Mt Everest on your chin. What more could possibly go wrong today?

Well, realistically it isn’t the end of the world? It can be undone. But why start ALL OVER AGAIN? I don’t like to wake up Monday morning and feel sluggish and gross. I want to wake up and have energy. I want to walk into the bathroom and look at my reflection and feel confident in how I look and feel for the rest of that day.

                I know from much experience that the days after I over-indulge in sweets and rich foods, I feel crappy. I know that if I didn’t work out I will feel tired and motionless. I know that if I didn’t drink enough water I will feel puffy and my jeans won’t fit comfortably. Knowing all of these things, I know that I have to make the right decisions for ME. I know that I need to stay active, hydrated and healthy.

One thing that many people don’t think about every day is that without their health, they wouldn’t have anything. My theory is that, although it may seem selfish to others, I am taking the time necessary to care for me so that I can continue to be the person that others know and love. I take time to take care of myself to be able to take care of my son. I take the time to take care of me so that I can be the best ME I can be.  

So what motivates you? What inspires you? Is it bikini season? That cute dress you haven’t been able to wear yet? Your kids? I would like to know! Comment below!

Thank you for reading!

My Story, My WHY!

A few years ago, I was struggling with body dismorphia and anorexia with a few bouts of bulimia and binge eating. (I know, I know... Another young girl with eating disorders!) But for me, it was my life. I was so afraid to be "too fat" or "ugly" because there were some people in my life that made me feel like I was just not good enough. It started out with a lot of working out and I told myself that I was eating healthier and less because it was better for me. I convinced myself that I was being "healthy." 

I began losing weight quickly and one of my friends told me that the tragedy of a break up I went through was suiting me because, even though I was starving myself, I was looking great. I was at my "goal weight"of 120lbs. I fit so well in a dress I wore to an event with some friends! I felt great. (A bit dizzy, but thin.)

         Well after that my mind and body was addicted to "healthy" fitness and food. I was cutting my calories to 300-500 calories a day! (This is real life! I have a journal where I wrote all of this down to track it each day!) There was even a month where I only ate every other day and only 400 calories on those days. 

         Even though people were telling me I was getting too thin and I looked unhealthy, I ignored it. In pictures or in mirrors, my arms looked fat, legs were jiggly, etc. But that wasn't the case. I got down to 103 lbs and said to myself, "Oh my gosh! I am finally almost below 100 lbs." Thats when I realized I had a problem. I am 5'7" and should never be that tiny! 

          It took me almost 2 years to recognize it, but even then I struggled to make myself eat. Food actually SCARED me. I knew the calorie content of everything you could imagine! (I even once made a list of things that start with the letter "C" because they were all unhealthy... Cookies, cakes... Etc and swore those items off my "acceptable foods" list.) I was taking diet pills and "holistically" trying to lose weight. I was taking almost 30 pills a day to help "boost my metabolism" and cure my energy issues, fix the "real reason" I was too "fat," etc. Can you imagine taking that many pills per day? 

                Now, I know it sounds absolutely ridiculous to most people. I mean, how tough is it to want to eat more. Most people struggle with eating less. For whatever reason, I told myself that I just had to keep going with it because I just wasn’t going to be good enough until I was “perfect.” 

                To be honest, I never was “good enough” for those people that were in my life then and I never have been because, although I never knew it, I was TOO good for them.

                But in all of this, I had supportive friends and family that helped me see that I was sick and that I needed help. My boyfriend at the time, someone who has always been very important to me and will always be, helped me get out of this terrible place in my life. I know I wasn’t always good to him even though he did so much for me. I know that he could have left me a million times for a trillion different reasons, but he never did. He stuck by me and he saved me from myself. He helped me to see that I was worth MORE than I thought. You know what he did that helped me the most? (This is actually pretty funny when I think about it now..) He would come home almost EVERY night with a pint of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, in all the flavors that I just couldn’t resist before this all happened to me. When he started doing this, at first, I just yelled at him and told him that he should know better than to bring that stuff into the house because I just couldn’t eat it and quite frankly, it scared me! OH THE CALORIES! But when he would go to bed at night, and I would stay up watching Grey’s Anatomy on Netflix, I would sneak into the kitchen, grab the pint and eat the WHOLE THING!! That was about 1250 calories or more in one sitting! I justified it for a while by waking up early to run a couple miles and then hitting the gym late at night. Then I started into the bulimia and the binge eating. But eventually, my body and mind got with the program! (Thanks!)

                When this whole journey, if you will, began I was 135 lbs (healthy range BMI for my height and age.) When it ended I was 103lbs (very unhealthy BMI.) However, someone that goes through this never fully lets go of the emotional and physical damage that was done. My mind still, to this day, goes back to counting calories and feeling guilty when I eat a full meal. I have discovered Shakeology and all of it’s health benefits. I drink one everyday and it helps control my tendency to binge eat and my tendency to restrict my calories. My battle with food has ended and now I have a healthy relationship with food. Now, I know how to rationalize with myself and tell myself that I am worth more than that! I can consume 1200 calories in a day and not have to work out for 3 hours to compensate or feel guilty. 

                I am now a VERY healthy mother to a beautiful baby boy. I am planning my wedding for next year! And I am living life on MY terms!  I am a Beachbody Coach now! I get to help coach people to live healthier, happier lives EVERYDAY! How much better does it get? I know that all of this has happened to me for a reason and I know that the reason was to give me experience and confidence to be what I was meant to be and do what I was always meant to do. 

                Eating disorders are REAL and they effect many people of all walks of life EVERY single day. It is not something to laugh about and it certainly is not something to just brush off. If you are struggling with eating disorders, I advise you find a GOOD therapist and confide in those that care for you and love you. I couldn’t have made it to where I am today without all of the people that saw me killing myself and knew that they had to step in. They know who they are… thank you! And thank YOU for reading my story. If you connected with this story or just enjoyed the read, please SHARE! 

This was before I started losing my mind in eating disorders. 

And this was when I was about 108 lbs. 

And here I am NOW. Healthy and happy.