by EM2WL | Mar 3, 2014 | Consistency, Fat Loss / Cutting, Motivation, Nutrition
Combining family and fitness
Trust me, as a busy momma of five children I understand that feeding a family, presents its own unique challenges. When you are working towards eating for your fitness goals, that can be even more challenging. And if you throw an food-allergic child or two into the mix, things really get interesting!
For years, I allowed these challenges to overwhelm me to the point that I figured there was no way I could possibly lose weight or become fit. I allowed excuse after excuse to creep in, and eventually just stopped trying. Years later, I came to a point where I realized that my excuses finally caught up to me. I had to make a way to embrace my challenges and succeed in the midst of them.
2010 – I’m smiling, but can remember dreading getting family pictures done because I hated the way that I looked. My life has completely turned around!
I’ve been at this for about three years now. After struggling to lose weight despite being on one diet right after the other, I learned that our whole family needed to embrace the changes that I was attempting to undertake. Fortunately, I am blessed with a great support system in my husband and children. Today, all of us are healthier, more active, and happier. Instead of looking at this like a diet, our whole family’s lifestyle changed.
Over the past three years, I have emphasized eating for different goals including powerlifting performance, weight loss, muscle gain, and fat loss. However, our family’s approach to eating has remained fairly consistent.
Below are a few things I’ve learned along the way…
Ditch the Diet Mentality
This sure doesn’t look like a diet to me! Big breakfasts are something our family loves to enjoy together.
There’s no reason that you should have to prepare separate meals for you and your children.
Even if you’re eating enough calories, preparing separate meals tends to make you feel like you’re on a diet. This feeling of mental restriction may actually trigger binge eating.
With a little recipe tweaking, even kid-pleasing family favorites like pizza, tacos and spaghetti can be included into your weekly meal rotation. Simple tweaks like adding a serving of protein, adding more veggies, or trying out a healthier twist on a recipe can ensure that you are hitting your macros. Get creative in the kitchen!
Have a weekly meal plan and stick to it
This can be as detailed as you want! To begin with, I’d recommend coming up with a list of weekly dinners. It may be helpful to ask for some input from your family as you are coming up with your list. I usually keep a list of meals on the refrigerator, and will sometimes ask my family which meal sounds best to them in the morning.
The good, the bad, and the ugly…a typical trip to the grocery store includes lots of whole foods, and plenty of treats too!
If you’re stuck in a cooking rut, you might check out our Pinterest boards for some healthy alternatives to family favorites. Your local library probably has some great cookbooks that you can check out for some new ideas. Trying out a new recipe once a week can be a fun family adventure, and may lead to coming up with some new recipes!
If you are home all day with young children, it may be helpful to come up with a list of breakfasts and lunches that they can select from. Keep some options for easy meals on hand, and as they get older, allow them some freedom to make choices and prepare their own lunches or breakfasts. It’s a great lesson in responsibility. As a homeschool mom whose kids seem to always be hungry, this has been a huge time-saver for me. Now that my oldest three are 13, 11, and 10, they are pretty self-sufficient and usually select pretty healthy meals for themselves.
After you’ve come up with your meal list for the week, make your grocery list so that you have everything on hand you need for a successful week of cooking (and eating).
Plan a day for food prep
After your trip to the grocery store, it may be helpful to do a little food prep make the cooking process a bit faster.
S
ince you already have all the groceries out, why not take a few extra minutes to think about the meals you have planned for the week ahead. It only takes a few extra minutes after you get home from the store to cut and bag fresh veggies, cook up and freeze some hamburger meat for soups and casseroles, or separate foods into single-serving containers.
I like to do this on grocery shopping day because there are already so many things to put away! I usually prep a few casseroles for the freezer to give myself some quick grab-and-go meals for those busy nights when I don’t have a lot of extra time. I also tend to cook extra meats, rice, potatoes , or vegetables when I am already cooking so that I can re-purpose the leftovers into a whole other meal. Thinking ahead can save a lot of time in the long run!
Don’t keep self-sabotaging foods in the house
At EM2WL, we are all about including all foods into your healthy eating plan. Nothing is off limits! That being said, however, many of us have foods that tend to be triggers to throw caution to the wind. It’s important for each of us to recognize our limits in this department. Keeping a lot of highly processed snack foods in the house “for the kids” may be a recipe for disaster if you are prone to occasional binges. Trust me, the kids will be okay without keeping them in the house. Help them to come up with healthier alternatives for snacks instead! Know yourself and your limits.
Involve your kids in the kitchen
Getting your kids interested in eating healthfully can be as simple as inviting them into the kitchen.
Even my youngest loves brussel sprouts…and dark chocolate chips too…OF COURSE!
Not only does getting them in the kitchen teach them math skills, responsibility, and nutrition, it can also be a fun time spent just with you. Even very young children can help measure ingredients, pour, and stir together a recipe. An older child can be taught to make an entire recipe by themselves and will get tons of satisfaction proclaiming they made dinner “all by myself”! Spending time in the Besides, they are much more likely to try something different if they have helped you prepare it!
Take the time to educate your children about the importance of including all kinds of foods as part of a healthy and balanced diet. These important life skills will serve them well their whole lives!
Don’t completely eliminate treats
Having a moderate and balanced approach to all foods, including treats, is an important part of any successful approach to eating.
Food is fuel, but it is also an important part of our family get-togethers and celebrations. Plan on including some mini-indulgences in your eating plan now and then.
Bake some cookies with your kids. Enjoy a cupcake guilt-free at your little girl’s birthday party. Have a few slices of pizza during family movie night. Enjoy the freedom to pursue your health and fitness goals without sacrificing your sanity! This isn’t a diet, but a lifestyle. Consistency matters! Make choices that allow you to win at consistency.
Becca is a busy wife and homeschooling mother to five children ages 5 to 13. About three years ago, she embarked on a journey to health and fitness that resulted in the loss of approximately 100 pounds. Today, she is a competitive powerlifter and strongwoman who loves ice cream and deadlifts. As an ISSA certified personal trainer, she is passionate about helping women to get started on a lifestyle of strength and fitness.
by Trish Adams | Feb 12, 2014 | Motivation
With all the goal setting exercises, planning and strategizing you’ve done since the start of the year, there’s one tool in your arsenal that shouldn’t be overlooked. It’s the tool to beat all tools. Seriously, it’s the mac daddy of tools and we all have it! It is your mindset. Your mindset, or your way of thinking, will have a significant impact on how successful you are. To be successful with your goal, you first have to believe you can achieve it.
If you say you can or you can’t, you are right either way. ~Henry Ford
To reach your goals you must first believe that they are attainable. You would think that’s kind of a no-brainer,right. However, if you are wavering back-and-forth on whether it’s possible you’ve already opened up the door to self-doubt. During the goal setting process, you evaluated your goals and determined them to be realistic. Don’t waiver on your conviction. Stay committed and follow through.
Ever notice how one small negative thought leads to another and before you know it, it’s grown into some big hairy thing? Negative thoughts can suck the energy out of you and can even result in physical ailments. That’s right, your mind can make you sick!
When we’re rushing about, day to day, we may not stop to think of all the different thoughts that are running through our heads. How we think as we move about our day has an impact on everything from our bodies, to our relationships, to our goals, to our lives. These thoughts, whether positive or negative, have a tremendous influence on our behavior. Your mind will either work for you or against you in your effort to reach your goals.
In order to turn negative thoughts around you need to first become more aware of them. Try this exercise. Make a list of thoughts that run through your mind over a few days. Don’t censor them, just let them flow. Now, review your notes to see if you find any negative thought patterns. If you do, focus on these and begin to challenge them. Are they legit or are they based in fear? Are you being overly critical of yourself or the situation? Is your thought reasonable? Our thoughts are shaped by our perception of situations. Does your perception reflect reality?
Thoughts become things…choose the good ones! ~Mike Dooley
Now, let’s flip the script on negative self talk, the way you communicate with yourself, with positive self talk. For example, replace a negative thought such as “It will take forever for me to reach my goal.” with “I’m making progress.” Or “I just don’t have enough time to work out.” with “I am in control. Working out is good for my body.” And, one that seems to slip in far too easily, “I am fat.” Try out “I’m beautiful, inside and out.” and see how that makes you feel.
As much as possible, maintain a positive attitude. You committed to your goals, don’t let self-doubt creep in. Believe in yourself and your abilities. If you struggle with being positive, make an extra effort to identify negative thoughts and turn them around with positive self talk.
Your hard work can be undone simply for failing to believe fully in yourself and your abilities or with negative thinking. Stay positive and keep moving forward. Be grateful, each day, for where you are, acknowledge how far you’ve come and look forward to where you’re going.
Photo credit: Jennifer, Stuart Miles, jesadaphorn
by | Feb 1, 2014 | Consistency, Life Application: Monthly Calendars, Motivation, Self Acceptance
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Are you still committing to making this your best year yet?
In January, the EM2WL team enjoyed hearing about your 2014 goals. We are celebrating with you when we hear victories of overcoming obstacles. Many of our readers are experiencing the joy of living life while accomplishing their fitness goals.
In the month of February, we will continue working towards our goals in five main areas:
Goal setting
It is worthwhile to reflect upon your short term goals frequently. Remember to continue to frame those goals in a way that is positive and behaviorally-based, rather than results based. Are you making the choices and lifestyle changes that are necessary to see the results you desire?
Reflection
As you work towards your goals, it is important to enjoy the journey. Many valuable life lessons are missed if we are solely focused upon a long-term goal. Reflection challenges will help you to appreciate the mini-victories along the way.
Intuitive Eating
While EM2WL does encourage the use of tracking food and workouts as a way to gauge whether or not you are meeting your unique nutritional goals, this is meant to be an educational tool, not a crutch that you will need to depend upon for the rest of your life. Your ultimate goal should be to learn to eat an appropriate amount of food while listening to your body! Intuitive eating challenges will help you to focus away from the numbers and learn to trust your instincts.
Eat to Fuel
Food is fuel! At EM2WL, we are passionate about using food to fuel our workouts and daily activities to keep those metabolic fires burning! However, we believe you should enjoy this part of your lifestyle. Trying new foods and recipes that fit into your goals can help you to ward off boredom and remain consistent. Who wants to eat chicken, brown rice and broccoli every day? Learning a few new recipes will help you stick to your plan without feeling like you are missing a thing!
Fitness
Fitness challenges are meant to take you out of your comfort zone and teach you some new strategies to have fun, be more efficient, recover better, and maximize your workouts. We believe fitness should be fun!
Are you ready for your best year yet? Join us in the month of February in coming one step closer to our goals!
Becca is a busy wife and homeschooling mother to five children ages 5 to 13. About three years ago, she embarked on a journey to health and fitness that resulted in the loss of approximately 100 pounds. Today, she is a competitive powerlifter and strongwoman who loves ice cream and deadlifts. As an ISSA certified personal trainer, she is passionate about helping women to get started on a lifestyle of strength and fitness.
by EM2WL | Jan 27, 2014 | Consistency, Fat Loss / Cutting, Motivation, Nutrition, Self Acceptance
Many people start their new year off strong, dedicated to the goals they set. In the beginning, when your willpower is strong, it’s easy to make those changes for a happier, healthier and more active version of yourself.
But let’s face it. Life is very rarely a smooth journey. If you live in the real world, there are plenty of road blocks and obstacles along the way. How you approach difficulty is going to make a huge difference in where you are in regards to your fitness goals a month, six months, or a year from now.
Some obstacles are foreseeable. For these, it’s important to have a plan of attack. What will your biggest obstacle be? Do you struggle to find time to get in a workout? Is it difficult for you to remain consistent with your eating? Are you challenged to get enough sleep? Think about your options and write down a concrete plan in your fitness journal. You may decide to wake up early to make it to the gym before the day’s obligations overwhelm you, or spend a Sunday afternoon prepping food for the week ahead. Decide to set yourself up for success by coming up with a concrete plan that will carry you through those times when willpower is fading fast.
1. Redefine healthy eating.
At EM2WL, we emphasize not viewing your life as being “on track” and “off track.” One of the greatest added benefits of fueling to lose is that you are taking in sufficient calories so you can plan for that piece of birthday cake or special date-night dinner. Special treats can and should be incorporated into any healthy eating plan. Rethink “healthy!” Your healthy eating plan should be the one that will help you to reach your goals, taking into account the challenges and obstacles that you face. Taking in sufficient calories to support your activity level and planning for consistency should be a major consideration.
We are inundated with messages and lists of foods that are “good” and “bad.” Let’s be realistic though, no one can exist forever on a diet of coconut oil, kale, and chicken breast. Your healthy eating plan should be such that it accommodates real life-birthdays, holidays, date nights. Food is a part of many of our celebrations and should be enjoyed (in moderation, of course)!
It requires a major shift in your mental paradigm to accept that things we’ve labeled “bad”-things like sugar, carbs, and gluten can be a part of eating for your goals. Instead of focusing on eating less (or eliminating) “off-limits” foods, focus on eating more wholesome, nutrient-dense foods and allow yourself a treat when you genuinely want it.
2. Forgive yourself!
Everyone who has been successful at making health and fitness a lifestyle knows that they can’t be perfect all the time. There will be times you overdo it on sweets, or miss one too many workouts. Do not beat yourself up! If you feel like you’ve veered off track, determine to just move on right from where you are. One or two days that are less-than-perfect are not going to spoil your long-term success, but don’t let a couple bad days turn into a week or a month. There is no reason to stress out over choices you’ve made that are in the past, or attempt to undo the damage. Instead, review your fitness goals and your motivation for making this change. Revisit your plan and stick to it. Is there something you could do differently in the future to prevent future slip-ups? Look at these slip-ups as learning experiences to prepare you for the obstacles and challenges you will run into in the future.
3. Strive for progress, not perfection.
Perfection can be the enemy of progress. Many people look at making healthy changes with an all-or-nothing approach. Too often, a minor slip-up can lead to an all-out binge as you figure, “Oh well, I’ve already blown it.” Perfect adherence to your plan is nearly impossible. Instead, strive to make progress each day. In the end, you will find that small changes are more sustainable over the long-term. Consistency is essential for success.
4. Look at slip-ups as learning experiences.
Slip-ups can be a great learning tool! Not every slip-up can be prevented, and sometimes you truly need to just put the past in the past and move on. But you may be able to look at a situation and come up with a future plan of attack. Are you more prone to binge on sweets when you are overtired? Make it a point to turn off the TV an hour earlier so you can get adequate rest. Lacking motivation after work to make it to the gym? Consider waking up early to get your workout in first thing in the morning. Struggling to make healthy choices on your lunch break? Spend a Sunday afternoon doing some food prep so you can have some easy grab-and-go choices.
5. Remember, it’s a marathon, not a sprint.
In our fast-paced society, its tempting to want to see quick results. Remember that you are creating healthy habits that will change your lifestyle. Be patient with yourself and be committed to trusting the process! This doesn’t happen overnight. Just keep moving forward, and you will be amazed when you look back and discover the healthy habits you have established are about as second-nature as brushing your teeth!
If you are not a part of our Free Online Community, you are missing out on a ton of great support and tips to help you along your journey. Join us Today!
Becca is a busy wife and homeschooling mother to five children ages 5 to 13. About three years ago, she embarked on a journey to health and fitness that resulted in the loss of approximately 100 pounds. Today, she is a competitive powerlifter and strongwoman who loves ice cream and deadlifts. As an ISSA certified personal trainer, she is passionate about helping women to get started on a lifestyle of strength and fitness.
by Trish Adams | Jan 24, 2014 | Motivation
By now, you’ve gone through the process of setting goals, evaluating whether each is realistic, then splitting them up into doable chunks and are ready to focus on making it happen. Here are some things to consider over the coming months on doing just that.
Accountability
If you struggle with executing the plan you set forth, consider getting an accountability partner. An accountability partner is someone that you trust to hold you to the standards that you set for yourself. Having someone who cares about your success and will tell you when you are not staying the course, may help you to stay on track with your goals.
One goal at a time
If you have numerous goals for 2014, consider limiting how many you tackle at the same time. For example, if an overall goal is to improve your health by exercising more and eating better, consider improving one meal like breakfast consistently for a few weeks before moving on to lunch or dinner. By tackling just one task at a time,you will be able to focus all your energy and efforts in one area. Eventually that task becomes a habit requiring less effort. While it may seem like building habits one at a time will take forever to get you to your goal, statistics show that your success rate skyrockets when working on one new habit at a time. So, don’t rush it.
Focus on the little things
While your outcome goal is important, focus your daily efforts on the behaviors you outlined to reach your goal. Take a heads-down, foot-in-front-of-the-other approach, checking in every so often to make sure you are progressing toward your goal. Stay focused on the steps not the outcome.
Tackling limiting factors
A limiting factor is anything that is going to get in the way of your progress. Identify any limiting factors you may have and come up with a plan how to overcome them. If you know checking your weight frequently will have an impact on how you feel and sticking with your plan, put that scale away. If you are looking to improve nutrition, but travel for work, a limiting factor might be access to nutritious meals. Perhaps scouting out restaurants in advance or staying at hotels which provide a kitchenette might be one way to remove this limiting factor.
1-2-3 Go!
This one goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway. In order to reach your goals, you have to get started on them! Many times we’ll put off starting something until a particular event or even just the start of the week. One that I hear often is joining a gym after losing a certain amount of weight first. Say what? Don’t get me wrong, I understand how intimidating the gym environment can be. However, this is about you and no one else. Don’t put off the start date…start now!!
Stay encouraged
Over the year you may find that your progress has stalled. This doesn’t mean your plan is not working, but may simply mean you need an adjustment. Don’t panic. Don’t freak out. Evaluate what you’ve been doing and see what may need tweaking. Resist the urge to change too much at once as you won’t know what may get you progressing again. If needed, ask someone who may have an expertise in the area you’re trying to accomplish.
Along the way you will make mistakes and that’s fine. With each bump in the road you gain a little more experience. Pace yourself and keep moving forward. We’re rooting for you!
photo credit stockimages, stuart miles,
by EM2WL | Jan 17, 2014 | Consistency, Diet Mentality, Fat Loss / Cutting, Motivation, Self Acceptance
A huge key to success is properly framing your goals.
State your goals in a positive manner rather than a negative one. So, instead of listing all the things you’re going to give up (i.e. stop eating processed food), list the things you will gain (i.e. eating more whole foods). Believe it or not, re-framing your goals in the positive can help to remove mental blocks and get you closer to your goal. After all, no one wants to be restricted from doing something.
In our last post in the goal setting series, Trish talked about setting behavior-based versus outcome-based goals. To recap, setting behavior-based goals are specific, measurable actions that you can take to accommodate the results you desire. For example, instead of saying, “I want to lose 5 pounds this month,” you might say, “I will log my food to make sure I nail my macros.”
Today let’s talk about how you frame your goals. It may seem like a silly technicality, but whether we approach our goals in a negative or positive light will make a huge difference in how we approach this journey.
If you begin your journey with a list of things you must not do or must not eat, your fitness life can seem like a very negative and punishing place, full of restrictions. Who wants to live like that? The more that you tell yourself you can’t (or must not, under any circumstances, WHATSOEVER!!!!!!) have something, the more you tend to want it. It is simply human nature to want that which is forbidden.
Think about it. If you’ve ever dieted, you can probably relate to this scenario. You determine you are going to cut out every bit of added sugar to your diet. What happens the first time you have a little slip-up and allow yourself a piece of candy? Are you able to stop at just one, or are you compelled to finish the whole bag to get that pesky craving “out of your system?”
Instead of thinking about the behaviors that you need to stop, or do less of, what behaviors do you need to begin or do more of to accomplish your goals?
Increasing the frequency of healthy, goal-oriented behaviors will automatically crowd out the unhealthy, goal-sabotaging behaviors.
For example, instead of telling yourself that you need to eat less junk food, perhaps you could challenge yourself to try out some healthy alternatives to your family’s favorite fast food meals. Think about challenging yourself to incorporate one new healthy habit each month until they become second nature.
Even if your body is adequately nourished with a proper number of calories, impeccable macros, and sufficiently hydrated, you may feel mentally restricted if you are still telling yourself there are foods you cannot eat. Make sure that you plan to incorporate some of your favorite treats along the way as you progress towards your goals. Unless you have an actual physical intolerance to a certain food, there is no reason why most foods cannot be part of your healthy eating plan, regardless if your goal is to lose fat, gain muscle, or work on body recomposition.
This approach can be applied to your fitness goals as well. Instead of thinking, “I need to tighten up these flabby thighs,” focus on the changes you need to make to see the results you crave. Instead, you might focus on adding 25 pounds to your squat or improving your 5k time. 
Focusing on becoming a stronger individual in the gym will most likely lead to positive changes in your body. However, prioritizing strength and athleticism over physical appearance puts the control in your hands, and you will get to experience the empowerment and satisfaction of setting new PRs and watching yourself become stronger each day!
Enjoy the road ahead! Be kind to yourself as you work towards your 2014 goals. This journey is challenging enough without adding negativity and self-hate.
Keep your eyes fixed on your goals, and enjoy every moment and the lessons you will learn along the way. Here’s to your best year yet!
Photo credit: jscreationz, ambro, David Costillo Dominci, annankkml of freedigitalimages.net
Becca is a busy wife and homeschooling mother to five children ages 5 to 13. About three years ago, she embarked on a journey to health and fitness that resulted in the loss of approximately 100 pounds. Today, she is a competitive powerlifter and strongwoman who loves ice cream and deadlifts. As an ISSA certified personal trainer, she is passionate about helping women to get started on a lifestyle of strength and fitness.
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