Banana Puddin’ Protein Shake!

October 21, 2015

I’m super excited to share this recipe one of my favorite vegan mom’s uses for a quick family breakfast!

I have slightly modified her recipe adding a protein powder to really boost the protein content! And of course I used unflavored so it did not change the flavor of her shake. However, vanilla would taste wonderful with this mixture also.

You can check out her recipes as well as new mom tips and hilarious stories HERE on www.postmodernhood.com!!

So lets get down to business and make this delicious concoction!

INGREDIENTS:

Ripe banana
1/2-1 cup original almond milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp flax seeds
1 tsp steel cut oats
1 scoop of unflavored whey isolate protein powder

DIRECTIONS:

Blend all ingredients and done! I used 1 cup of almond milk to really thin the shake out so I could sip it through a straw 🙂

Enjoy!

And a special thanks to Brittany for sharing this awesome recipe!

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Halloween Treats That Are Not Candy!

October 16, 2015

Halloween is always the start of what I call the JUNK-FOOD-EVERYWHERE season. It starts with Halloween, trickles through Thanksgiving, slides into Christmas, and crosses the weight gain finish line on New Years. Every month, a new struggle will arise.

How do we avoid this horrible trend?

We must start the season strong!

With some people, they can purchase Halloween candy they don’t like, and it won’t be touched by anyone but the trick-or-treaters.

For others, all candy is considered too much temptation.

So I’ll share some of the things I am passing out this year for Halloween in hopes of encouraging a little less candy consumption.

Glow Sticks

This one is so much fun for the kids, but also a great idea for safety. I bought little glow sticks that came with connectors so I can make glow bracelets for the kids in my neighborhood. This way if they are trick-or-treating after the sun goes down, they will be spotted by cars more easily… especially while crossing street. And not to mention the fun that comes along with glowing in the dark.

Bubbles

All kids love bubbles! We want to encourage these young ones to stay outside and play. Especially while the weather is crisp and cool. So at my local dollar store I found wedding favor bubble sets that are plain white… six bubble sets for $1. This way I can write things on them or tie them up with ribbon!

According to the National Retail Federation, the average American spent more than $77 on Halloween. We all know how expensive Halloween candy is… One bag alone can cost almost $10. By the time everyone in the house passes the bowl and grabs a piece, and with trick-or-treaters ringing the bell for their share, how much money will have been spent on candy?

Halloween Pencils and Erasers

This one was really exciting to come across because every parent seems to stress about the expense of school supplies. So why not help them out?

I found tons of Halloween pencils, Frankenstein erasers for the tips of the pencils, and larger hand held erasers in the shapes of pumpkins and bats. This may motivate kids to use these things and be more creative or to get that homework finished.

Halloween Toys

There are lots of neat toys you can include in your goody bags or treat bucket. Glow in the dark vampire teeth definitely made my goody list. I also passed tons of plastic bugs, ghost rings, and orange yo-yos in the dollar store. Plenty of fun to keep the little ones entertained.

I hope this helped you mix up your Halloween treat bucket even if it does contain some candy. Sometimes it’s nice to find something other than sugar to give to the little ones ringing our doorbell.

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The Benefits of Quinoa

October 9, 2015

Quinoa comes from South America around Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador. Humans began cultivating it around 3,000-4,000 years ago. These seeds are high in protein (for a grain) and contain essential amino acids that are beneficial to our health.

Quinoa can be found in many colors, but there are three common colors you’ll see in most grocery stores. An earthy white color, a rich clay red color, and black. I’ve been asked, “what are the differences in red/white/black quinoa?” So here is what I have noticed.

White quinoa is very susceptible to heat. It tends to swell quickly when cooked and can become mushy fast. I would prefer to let it soak in water to soften and use in cold dishes.

Red quinoa is my favorite. It tends to hold its texture and form when cooked. It also adds a nice color to the dish.

Black quinoa can be a bit sweeter when cooked and will still maintain its texture and form.

Personally, I prefer the red quinoa due to the color contrast it adds to my dish and how well it holds form when cooking. Plus in my local grocery stores and health food stores, I can only find red, white, or tricolored mixtures. So I tend to stick with red.

The nutrition content is very similar among all quinoa no matter the color. So lets take a look at what it contains.

QUINOA

SERVING: 1/2 CUP

CALORIES: 111

PROTEIN: 4 g

CARBOHYDRATES: 19.7 g

FIBER: 2.6 g

FAT (mostly poly/mono): 1.8 g

*Contains: Potassium, Calcium, Iron, Zinc

If you would like to add more quinoa to your diet, try out my new quinoa soup recipe HERE!

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Lemon Chicken Quinoa Soup

October 7, 2015

Since it is getting cooler outside, people are starting to cozy up and make soups in their crock-pots. Most soups can be high calorie and make you feel like hibernating after eating them… so here is how we avoid that feeling by boosting the nutrients in our soups!

Most people assume you need noodles, rice, or potatoes to have a soup… but you can actually use quinoa instead! Find out why quinoa is one of my favorite grains HERE!

So here is my recipe for one of our favorite fall soups made in a crock-pot.

INGREDIENTS:

4 organic chicken breasts, whole
2 containers of organic chicken broth
3 stalks of organic celery, chopped
1 organic leek, chopped
5 organic carrots, sliced
1 cup organic red quinoa
1 organic lemon, sliced
1/2 tbsp. organic dill weed
salt/pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Place all chicken and broth into your crock-pot. Add celery, leek, carrots, lemon, and dill to your crock-pot and let cook on high for 5-6 hours or until chicken is done.

After adding all of your ingredients to your crock-pot, place your quinoa in a bowl of water off to the side to soak as shown below. I will also add extra water to the crock-pot depending on how much broth I have. Here I used both containers of broth and about 1 cup of water.

After your chicken has finished cooking, take out all chicken and shred chicken with a fork. The chicken should just fall apart as you scrape it. Once shredded, put it back into your crock-pot.

Strain water from your quinoa and add quinoa to your crock-pot 30 minutes before you plan to eat.

**Note: I always use red quinoa because it does not get mushy.

Please feel free to salt/pepper to taste. And 30 minutes later, voila! You have a healthy and flavorful soup!

I hope you’ve enjoyed this blog post and please feel free to share using the social media icons below!

Five Things To Do To Avoid Food Temptation

October 5, 2015

With the holidays approaching, I feel that this blog post is extremely important to start practicing with now!

One culprit that causes weight gain is temptation. Sometimes foods are so enticing, we don’t have enough will power to say no!

So what can we do to help build that will power and keep us from those situations arising in the first place?

Here are 5 tips you can follow to avoid food temptation!

1. Make your home your sanctuary.

If you have junk foods or trigger foods at home, it will be nearly impossible to stay on track with those treats dancing around in the back of your brain. Make today the day you grab an empty box, open that pantry, and carry a load to your local food bank! This way, if you have a strong craving for something unhealthy, your only choice is to throw on shoes, jump in the car, and go purchase it. And no one wants to do that in the middle of the night. This will also help with mindless snacking on junk.

And before you say, “But the kids really like ____, I can’t just get rid of that…” think about their health. Is that a regular food you want them to grow up eating? Or should that food really be a treat for them?

2. Remove yourself from the situation or find a distraction.

When choosing a healthier lifestyle, you must allow yourself time to go through sugar/salt/fat withdrawal. Yes, we can be addicted to these substances and sometimes it is just as bad as drugs/alcohol. When looking at brain scans, our brain can light up like a Christmas tree when eating these foods in a stressful state and shortly after, we feel calm and relaxed. This was something we discussed during a food addiction seminar I attended. What is happening is actually a serotonin (our feel good hormone) release. And if habits like that have been practiced too long, we can now be addicted and must allow time for withdrawal.

So if its evening time, the tv is on, and you reach for something to munch on while you relax, ask yourself, “before I take this bite, am I truly physically hungry? Or am I looking for something to do?” If you are not physically hungry, this is a great time to remove yourself from the situation you are currently in, or find a good distraction.

By distracting the mind from temptation, you are currently in the process of breaking a habit. It takes almost a month to break a habit, so stay strong. Find something that can relax you at the same time whether its a craft, hobby, or going for a walk.

3. Eat slowly.

This is an extremely helpful tip. The slower you eat, the faster you fill up. Once you are no longer hungry, you will be less inclined to have dessert or a late night snack.

Asking for a to-go box immediately when ordering your food is also a step in the right direction. When you remove half of your meal from your plate, you are eliminating that temptation of eating the full serving. Always give yourself 10-15 minutes after completing a meal to determine if you are satisfied or not.

The last suggestion when it comes to social gatherings, restaurant celebrations, or holidays, is that you can always eat before you go if you don’t think you will have full control. Now this doesn’t mean I believe you should never have “cheat meals” or something unhealthy occasionally… But if this is a gathering you are attending recently after a cheat meal or it happens to be a place serving trigger foods for you, it is a great idea to eat ahead of time and just enjoy the social aspect of the event.

4. Don’t buy it!

If you do not purchase this food, you cannot eat it! Practicing the word NO is really important.

5. Avoid tempting aisles at the grocery store.

You always want to shop the outskirts of the grocery store. This will keep you around fresh produce, protein, and dairy products. Anything within the aisles will always revolve around processed foods. If you have a specific trigger food, AVOID THAT AISLE!

One grocery store in particular has really helped some of my patients by doing an online ordering system! You can order all of your groceries online, pay online, and schedule a pick-up time! How awesome is that? This way you don’t have to look at the junk on sale at each end cap or smell the aromas from the bakery.

SUMMARY

These are just some of the things I practice with my patients to make sure temptation is not going to be an issue while living healthy. I do believe in moderation, but for some people, if they fall off track or even have a cheat meal, they may throw in the towel because they already feel that they have failed. So these are some easy tips to work on to make sure you avoid temptation and stay successful with your healthy lifestyle.

Things to Know When Planning Your First Century (100 mile) Bike Ride

September 30, 2015

This weekend was our first attempt at a century ride with our road bikes. My boyfriend and I have been riding a few years now and we love going the distance. We have both gone as far as 50 miles on our bikes and hoped to achieve a century one day. So this past weekend, we decided to check this off of our bucket list!

So we loaded up early in the morning, picked up my boyfriend’s brother (who also rides), and the three of us set off to Anniston, AL to start our ride on the Chief Ladiga trail. This trail is about 33 miles long and will come to the AL/GA state line. It will then change into the Silver Comet trail, ending in Smyrna, GA, which is right outside of Atlanta. Totaling right around 100 miles.

So during our ride, there were many things we learned traveling this amount of distance. Here are 10 things you should know when preparing to do a century ride.

PRACTICE

This is definitely something you need to train for. You have got to prepare your leg muscles and cardiovascular system. There are lots of questions to consider and you just won’t know the answer until you ride for a while.

How do you do on hills? Can your legs push you through? Can your knees hold out?

You also need to get a feel for what it is like to sit on a bike for long periods of time. The pedaling position is not like a comfort bike. It takes some time to build up the appropriate muscle to be able to sustain this position comfortably for hours on end. Our ride lasted from 8:30 AM to 7:00 PM (of course this allotted for breaks, lunch, and tire changes). This gives you an idea of how long you’ll be on that saddle.

Practicing on your bike also allows you to move through gears repetitively which will let you know if your bike needs any tune-up or maintenance.

WEATHER

Check the forecast! And even then, you will be moving a distance of 100 miles so the forecast may change. So it is best to have a plan for all types of weather.

During our ride it rained/sprinkled about 70-80% of the time. We definitely got filthy from each other’s spray flying up in the air which is something you just have to expect. But one thing about rain, is once you stop for a break, you lose your warmth if you stay stopped too long. We had shell jackets which helped cut the wind and prevent us from being too cold until we began pedaling again.

Also, if you are carrying a book bag or pack of any kind, make sure you have a pack cover for it. I forgot mine so some of the things inside that pack did get wet.

Food/Water Breaks

We really only stopped for quick stretch breaks and snacks about every 15-20 miles. And sometimes we ate while pedaling.

I would highly recommend eating something carbohydrate loaded every 15 miles. The snacks we packed were things like high protein granola bars, mini bagels to dip in pre-portioned cups of peanut butter, chocolate Belvita cookies, dried apricots/mangoes for the potassium content, and Gu packs.

While riding, I could definitely tell if I had gone too long without a snack because I would feel weak and sometimes a little dizzy. And sure enough I would check our current mileage and we would have passed the 15 mile mark since my last snack.

When it comes to water, it is very important to make sure you have two bottles and two cages on your bike. Check out your course map and make sure you have pit stops along the way for water refills every 20-30 miles.

CLOTHING AND SEAT

Bike clothing is extremely important when doing a distance ride. The bike shirts are great because of the pockets they have in the back. This is where we kept phones for photos and of course snacks. This way we could reach around and grab a granola bar without actually having to stop.

The bike shorts… THEY ARE A MUST! Definitely make sure you wear bike shorts because you need the padding under your tail bone. They also need to fit you properly by making sure the padding is protecting the right area. Not too far back and not too far forward. You can always go by your local bike shop to try shorts on and then sit on a seat to make sure they fit properly.

The seat will also be a big key. My boyfriend and I just swapped out our factory seats to Terry seats before this century. A 30 mile test ride confirmed that these seats were way better than our factory seats in regards to cushion.

One thing we did not realize regarding the seats until speaking with a bike shop employee was that the seat location can really affect your ride… Whether its too far forwards, backwards, or tilted. If you find yourself moving from your tail bone to soft tissue, you may need a seat adjustment. Local bike shops usually offer a fitting session if you have trouble finding a comfortable spot.

When it comes to clip in shoes, I can’t really say how important they are for a ride. I’ve never had them and I was still able to bike this amount of distance fine. It may be worth it to have them, but you definitely do need them to do it.

Gloves are extremely helpful if your handle bars are not very padded. I would highly recommend gloves for any distance ride to prevent any blisters from occurring.

SORE BUTT

I always get the question… doesn’t your butt hurt riding distances like that? And my answer is yes. You really want to make sure you have the appropriate shorts and a good seat to avoid this. But during a century ride, you are seated on this bike for 8-9 hours. So no matter how you sit or what you wear, you’re going to feel it. The best advice is going to be practice which we have discussed above. The more time in the saddle, the more used to it your body becomes. But there is also a product called Bordeaux’s Butt Paste. It is a product for babies that helps prevent rash and irritation. People who run or bike long distances usually keep this product around. Try experimenting with it to see what may work for you.

MEDICATIONS/FIRST AID

During a distance like this, you really want to make sure you have a small first aid kit in case of a crash and Ibuprofen for inflammation or pain.

Once we stopped around mile 45 for lunch, I noticed my knees were aching. Knowing how much further we had to go, I took some Ibuprofen to pull through.

Luckily none of us crashed, but we did have a few close calls. With consistent sprinkles throughout the ride, it sure did make things slick. In case anyone does go down, you want to have an appropriate stock of medical supplies in a saddle bag or backpack.

FLAT TIRES

Prepare to have a flat tire. If you don’t experience this, you’re lucky! Between the three of us, we went through 4 tire tubes. Three being flats and 1 tube malfunction. No matter how careful you are, there may be things on the trail/road that you cannot avoid. You can never have too many tubes. For any long distance like this, I will always have about 2-3 tubes on me.

SUNSCREEN/EYE PROTECTION

Even if your forecast is cloudy with a chance of rain, those clouds may part for an hour and you don’t want to burn. Like I previously mentioned above, weather is unpredictable especially over a 100 mile distance.

Eye protection can help protect from the sun, rain drops, or even bugs. We carried contact solution with us because we’ve had rides where we’ve gotten bugs or dirt in our eyes. Luckily during this ride we didn’t need it, but during previous rides, we have.

BACKPACK

This can be a great idea, but also a horrible idea. It was a learning experience for us. Our thought process was to have a pack and carry first aid, snacks, and our shells (jackets) in it. Little did we realize, the extra weight would put more pressure on your tail bone and shoulders.

Luckily as we kept eating, the pack continued to get lighter which was great. But overall, I would’ve loved to use saddle bags hanging off the bike instead of the pack.

Between the three of us, we passed off the pack about every 30 miles. So rotating the extra weight really helped.

MAP

Always map out your ride and know where your food/water/rest stations are going to be. If you are hydrating well, you will still need to use the restroom. Look for a location about halfway through your ride to stop and eat lunch, and you will still want to make sure there are places to get off the bike and stretch.

The trail we rode from AL to GA was well marked with mile markers and had portable restrooms at each trail head. We also traveled through towns that allowed you to stop for a bite to eat.

SUMMARY

I hope this post has been helpful if you are getting ready to experience your first century ride. We had such a blast challenging ourselves in a way we never have. Hopefully all the information discussed above will help your ride go smoothly so you can enjoy the scenery!

High Protein Parmesan Basil Dip

September 29, 2015

Some times we just want a veggie dip or cracker spread that isn’t loaded in fat! So I came up with a new concoction today that had a yummy Italian flare!

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (2.75 g protein)
1/4 cup 2% cottage cheese (6.5 g protein)
1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 sprig of fresh basil (about 4-6 leaves)
2 pinches of Parmesan cheese flakes

DIRECTIONS:

Add all ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth. This should provide about 3/4 cup of dip and ~9.25 g protein!

Enjoy!

Please feel free to share using the social media icons below!

Tighten That Core!

September 24, 2015

Yesterday Kendra and I designated our entire workout to core alone! This workout will give you 4 movements you can do at your gym to get a serious abdominal workout.

Let’s start with rope crunches on the cable machine.

Grab some knee pads and the rope attachment for the cable machine. For the first set, you may not want to add weight so you can get the proper movement down.

You’ll start with your head between the rope and fists by your ears. As you pull down into the curl position, you want your hands and arms to stay in the same spot (by your ears). Your core needs to be doing all the work, not your arms.

You want to pull with your core all the way to the floor. The more rounded your back is, the more you target your lower abs. If your back is arched, you may only hit the top part of your abs.

You’ll want to continue this motion for 15-20 reps and do 4 sets. If you don’t feel the burning in your abs past rep 10, you should up your weight.

Next we’ll do the cable side bends to target your obliques.

Make sure you are standing straight up with one arm behind your head or on your hip for balance. This is another movement you want to be very careful with so you DO NOT use your arms to pull. You want to use those obliques.

So stand up straight and begin to lean away from the cable machine.

Keep feet together and legs straight. Keep the core tight and the movements controlled. The slower you move, the more it will work the muscle.

Shoot for 15-20 reps and do 4 sets. If you don’t feel the burn after rep 10, up your weight.

On to decline weighted sit ups!

If a regular sit up is boring to you or you want more of a challenge, do that sit up on a decline bench. And if you’re feeling even more adventurous, grab a plate to keep on your chest! We used a 10 pound plate here.

Once you feel secure on your bench, begin your set.

Lift yourself all the way up while keeping that plate tight against your chest. The slower the movement, the more you work the muscle. Shoot for 15 reps and do 4 sets.

And last but not least… The trusty ole plank!

During a plank, you want to keep everything tight and squeeze. Feet should be together and your back should never be arched. Do it in front of a mirror if you need to check your form. You can feel this in your core, shoulders, and legs. What you want to do is hold this plank position tightly for 30 seconds and then relax. Do this 4 times.

These are just a few of my favorite core exercises you can do on your next day at the gym. They are movements that can continue to challenge you. Whether its adding more weight, or holding that plank for a longer period of time.

I hope this core workout has been helpful! Please share using the social media icons below!

Cocoa Coffee Protein Shake

September 24, 2015

There are many reasons people may need to boost their protein intake. It’s not only for the ones who want to build more lean muscle in the gym.

I’ve worked with bariatric patients, dialysis patients, post surgical patients and the elderly in long-term care settings… And I’ve had plenty of moments where I thought, if only I could sneak more protein into their morning coffee… But how do you make it taste desirable??

Here is a super simple recipe to have a cocoa coffee!

INGREDIENTS:

1 scoop chocolate whey protein isolate
8 oz coffee
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 ice cubes

DIRECTIONS:

Blend all ingredients and done!

This is perfect for the morning coffee lover that can’t seem to find time to make breakfast or needs that mid morning pick-me-up.

Enjoy!

How Do I Hold Myself Accountable?

September 22, 2015

One thing you will notice in the dieting world, is that healthy eating and exercising only last for a short period of time. Why is that?

I believe it is the lack of accountability (or motivation) before the lifestyle actually becomes habit. And then later on, when a slip up occurs, there is a lack of accountability to assist that person in jumping back on track.

So how do we find this so called “accountability”?

Through my practice with weight loss counseling and through experience on my own with trying to stay accountable, I have come up with a list. So here are 10 things that I believe are important when holding yourself accountable

1. Log all foods, fluids, and exercise.

When you keep a record of what you’re taking in, you start to notice EXACTLY that. How many sweet or salty treats are actually coming into my diet? How many glasses of wine am I REALLY having during the week? This helps you realize just how much food or drink is really being consumed. Same with exercise. I believe it is important to look at a weekly average of what energy is being consumed and expended.

2. Get active with a workout buddy.

There is nothing more motivating than knowing someone is depending on you. It comes with a responsibility of sorts. You become a support system for someone and the last thing you want to do is be known as an unreliable buddy or a bad support system. This is also a great opportunity to help someone stay motivated on days they don’t want to be active so that they can then return the favor on your less motivated days. I know with my workout partner Kendra, she keeps me motivated when I just don’t feel like working out. But afterwards, I am so glad that I went.

3. Purchase a gym membership.

This one may or may not work for all. But I can tell you why it worked for me. Firstly, I am cheap… and if I am going to pay for something, I am going to use it. I end up going 4-5 times a week because I want to get my money’s worth. Second, I can go rain or shine. I have no excuse. Especially during the winter time. Before I got my membership, I would have no problem pushing off a run due to sprinkles of rain or the cold evening air. Now, I never have that option.

4. Prepare meals ahead of time.

Meal prep is such an important part of accountability. You are investing in a day or week’s worth of meals. This means you either waste your money and let the food go bad while purchasing food elsewhere, or you take advantage of the convenience of prepped food while saving money at the same time. Breakfast is one area I have trouble with and I know better than to think I might get up early and cook a high protein breakfast. Instead, I will meal prep Egg Burritos or Egg Muffins. Having a plan, making a grocery list, and shopping makes all the difference in staying on track or falling off.

5. See a dietitian.

Luckily for me, I am a dietitian that also has a dietitian as a very close friend and gym partner. But some people are not so lucky. I believe in what we do as dietitians because I know the level of accountability that we provide. When you do a weekly or monthly check in with a nutrition expert, you learn more about foods, fluids, and exercise. You’re provided with a promising plan instead of a “quick fix”… And not to mention, knowing someone is following behind you to see all the choices you’ve made can put the pressure on. This helps promote new healthy habits over the long term.

6. Wear a pedometer.

A lot of times we think we move more than we really do. (This is one reason I am loving the Fitbit right now. For a dietitian, it provides all the right information and will actually link up with food log apps.) Once you have an average of steps you take during the day, you can begin to challenge yourself by slightly increasing your activity. This way you begin to look at your day differently. For example: Knowing you need to achieve 1,000 more steps today, you may look for every opportunity as a chance to tick that number upwards… take the longer route to the bathroom, park further away, walk 10 minutes of your lunch break, run errands one at a time during your work day… etc.

7. Set goals.

I am a big believer in setting small goals to achieve an ultimate goal of overall health. If you begin setting big goals such as losing 100 pounds, running a marathon, or competing in a lifting competition, you may feel overwhelmed. But if you start small by trying to achieve a five pound weight loss goal, jogging every other minute during your walks, or strengthening muscle with resistance bands, you will eventually achieve the overall goal without feeling like it is millions of miles away.

8. Weigh weekly.

When you have a weight loss goal in mind, never weigh daily. Too many factors affect weight such as fluid and the time of day. And if you see that scale go up a pound or two after working so hard, the feeling of defeat may feel too strong and cause you to throw in the towel. I see it happen all too often. When you have a weigh in once a week, that gives you enough time to make the progress necessary without the frustration.

9. Eliminate the temptations from home.

If there are tempting foods at home, chances are, you are going to indulge in them more than you would than if they were not there. And by following #1 (food log), you may notice how often the indulgences happen, which will lead you to this step. Most of the time when we have a craving in the evening or want to snack out of boredom, we would not leave the house to go purchase those snack foods… But if they are sitting in the cabinet, your brain knows, they are sitting in the cabinet.

10. Be an inspiration.

This is where social media or online support groups can be helpful. When you are on target with your diet, post pictures and share the recipe of what you made. When you are on target with your exercise, post about what you did and how you did it. This is a great way to encourage others to be healthy too. I do not see this as “rubbing it in” as some would say. I would see this as someone being proud of their accomplishments and encouraging others to get started.

And if you fall off track or have a cheat meal, it’s okay to talk about that too. Because we are all human and we could all use each other’s support. Anytime I see someone working their butt off at the gym, I tell them they’re doing an excellent job. Anytime someone posts they are 20 pounds down of Facebook, I like it, and anytime someone tells me they are struggling with a diet I provided, I will call or email to check in and make sure they know I’m cheering them on.

We need to inspire each other and encourage each other. If we know we have others cheering us on, it keeps us motivated to keep going and keep working hard. So be that cheerleader… that motivator. And you’ll be surprised at how much support you’ll receive in return.

Accountability is so important when it comes to a healthy lifestyle. We know ourselves well. There is no sense in lying to ourselves and deteriorating our health. Sometimes we have to decide what is important to us. Do we want to see ourselves grow old? Play in the back yard with grandchildren? Or even hike through all 7 wonders of the world? If so, we need to stay accountable. It’s never too late. Start today.