Change of Plans :)

So after a few weeks of debating with my inner self, I have decided not to compete in the May 30 show.  I have had several life changes in the last few weeks that have and will continue to put strain on my contest prep.  The most challenging is the new job that I will be starting in 1 week.  The job itself is going to be awesome but the 9 weeks of training are is going to be a challenge and take up a lot of my time.  I will be sitting in an office from 8-4:30, then of course I will be rushing home to my 3 kids to get homework done, dinner made and just general household chores all of this will leave little time to get my workouts in.  Anyone who has gone through contest prep knows you have to be diligent with your workouts and prep workouts are long you have to dedicate a good 2 hours daily.  So could I get it all in??  Probably, but it would require me to either get up very early or stay up very late or maybe even both.  I fear that I will be come exhausted and miserable from the lack of sleep and the stress of my new job and getting everything done.  I don't think it would be fair to my family because this will be a situation for them also.  So am I sad? Well yes actually I am.  I was really feeling in the zone and my body was changing nicely.  Up until this weekend I was going to keep at it and take it one day at a time, but the more I thought about it the more selfish I began to feel so I decided to step down.  So what's next??  I am going to stick to my meal plan and stay as close to my training plan as I possibly can.  I want to continue to lean out some so that when I pick a new show I wont have as much work to do.  There is actually a plus to being at the office all day...I have to eat my meals that I pack and no temptation from the kids snacks ;-)  So the dieting should actually be easier. 

Time will tell and I will share my journey as I progress through the next few weeks.  Wishing you all a very happy Spring!!!

Jamie


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Trigger Foods

What are trigger foods?  In short they are addictive foods that affect us both mentally and physically.  Usually they set off a pattern of bad behavior such as binge eating.  Have you ever known someone who can easily polish off a bag of candy or chips with out realizing how much they are eating until its gone?  I know I do, and being honest I've done it before many times.  That's what made me do some research, I needed to know that this was a real thing and that there are ways to avoid this cycle. 

The first thing you need to do is become aware of what you are eating.  If you find that you have cravings for certain foods, or that you binge on something you need to make a note of it.  After awhile you will notice a pattern.  For example, you know 1 or 2 french fries won't blow your diet so you decide to eat 1 just to "enjoy the taste" next thing you know a whole plate of fries is gone.  French Fries might be a trigger food for you and you should probably avoid them while following a meal plan.

Things to remember are, most trigger foods are high in fats or sugars or even both.  These chemicals set off a reaction in the brain that actually makes you crave more.  I've never met a person who binge eats celery sticks :)


To help you get started I'll share some common trigger foods.  Chocolate, cheese, ice cream, cookies, pretzels, crackers, icing, alcohol, candy, bacon, cereal, bread. 

Once you can determine your trigger foods, I would suggest removing them from your house.  If that's not possible because of other people in your house, put them all in the same cabinet or drawer and set that drawer off limits.  You should replace those trigger foods with healthy options like fruits and veggies.  Remind yourself often that removing these foods from your diet is a good thing and not punishment.  It's important to maintain a positive relationship with food even when we are struggling.  We need food to survive and to nourish our bodies to be be the best possible version of ourselves.

Hope this helps.  As always feel free to drop me a line and let me know if this post helped you, or if you have any questions :)



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Tex-Mex Chicken Tenders

4 Servings

Ingredients:
1 lb chicken breast cut into strips
1 Pkt (1.25 oz) reduced sodium taco seasoning mix
1 tbsp. oil
1 can (14.5 oz) no salt added diced tomatoes, undrained
1/3 cup sugar free apricot preserves


Coat chicken with seasoning mix.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat, add chicken and cook until lightly browned.

Add diced tomatoes and apricot preserves. Reduce heat and simmer, covered 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.


* Serving suggestion...serve over your favorite rice.

Gluten Free Lemon Cake

2 Eggs
1/2 cup honey
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. baking powder
3 cup almond flour
1 cup fat free plain Greek yogurt
Juice of 1 lemon

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray cake pan with cooking spray.

Combine baking powder with almond flour set aside.

Combine wet ingredients, yogurt, eggs, honey, vanilla and lemon juice in a large bowl.  Slowly add the flour mixture and mix well.

Pour into prepared cake pan and bake approximately 45 mins.

Serving suggestion...top with fresh berries and a dollop of whip cream ;-)
 

Treadmill Workout 2

Here's a workout to do on the treadmill that burns a ton of calories. 

Warm up for 3-5 mins walking at 0% incline 2.5 -3 mph

Increase incline to 3%
1 minute walking lunges 1.5 mph
1 minute walking 3.5 - 4 mph
30 seconds sprint as fast as you can
1 minute walking 3.5 - 4 mph

Increase incline to 5%
1 minute walking lunges 1.5 mph
1 minute walking 3.5 - 4 mph
30 seconds sprint as fast as you can
1 minute walking 3.5 - 4 mph

Increase incline to 8%
1 minute walking lunges 1.5 mph
1 minute walking 3.5 - 4 mph
30 seconds sprint as fast as you can
1 minute walking 3.5 - 4 mph


Increase incline to 3%
1 minute walking lunges 1.5 mph
1 minute walking 3.5 - 4 mph
30 seconds sprint as fast as you can
1 minute walking 3.5 - 4 mph

Increase incline to 5%
1 minute walking lunges 1.5 mph
1 minute walking 3.5 - 4 mph
30 seconds sprint as fast as you can
1 minute walking 3.5 - 4 mph

Increase incline to 8%
1 minute walking lunges 1.5 mph
1 minute walking 3.5 - 4 mph
30 seconds sprint as fast as you can
1 minute walking 3.5 - 4 mph

Cool down 3-5 mins walking at 0% incline 2.5 -3 mph

Feisty Turkey

1 Pound lean ground turkey
1 Cup Salsa
1 Tbsp Mrs Dash Fiesta Citrus
Cooking Spray

Coat skillet with cooking spray and put over medium/low heat. Add turkey to pre heated skillet and sprinkle with Mrs. Dash.  Use spoon to break up meat as it cooks.  Cook until no longer pink.  Add salsa to meat, turn heat down to low and simmer 5 minutes.

Serve over brown rice or pasta.

Enjoy!!

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New Month, New Start.

So how are those New Years resolutions coming along?  By now more than half of those who set weight loss resolutions have already given up.  Why?  Well in most cases its because they set goals but didn't take the time to build a plan.  Think about it, you wouldn't jump in your car and drive to another state with out directions. Sure you would most likely get to your destination but your going to waste a lot of time taking wrong turns.  Successful weight loss and maintenance requires a plan.  Not just a meal and/or exercise plan but a game plan for how you are going to handle all of the challenges and obstacles that are guaranteed to show up.

For me it wasn't until I did my first bikini prep diet that I realized how important this game plan is.  Anytime you decide that you are going to change your habits you have to accept that you will be around many people who didn't change and that's ok.  Just know how you are going to handle difficult situations, such as going to a birthday party.  Here's where your game comes in. Before you get there decide... are you going to indulge in party food but cut your portion sizes?  Are you going to bring your own healthy food?  Are you going to let yourself eat whatever you want and get back on your plan for the next meal?  None of these are wrong, as long as you plan ahead and stick to it.

I hope this helps you reach your goal.  If you would like help creating a personal "game plan" I do offer private coaching sessions.

Good Luck!
Jamie

www.livewellbefitcoach.com

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