Day Three: 3 Cardinal Rules to Help You Meal Plan and Win

Meal Planning Is Your Friend

One thing is for certain, if you've recently ventured into doing high-impact workouts, which I know some of you have, be prepared for your appetite to increase. Like, voraciously. That was one teensy little tidbit that no one bothered to tell me when I was hittin' it hard at the gym all the time. I had just given up meat and began drinking a lot of protein shakes and Ensure to make sure that I wouldn't slim down too much due to the lack of meat in my diet. Plus, they really helped me cope with those pesky bouts of hunger when I couldn't get to a solid meal fast enough after working out. I can honestly say I've never quite known hunger as brutal as that post workout-I-feel-like-I'm-about-to-faint variety. That's why planning my meals each week became crucial to both having the stamina necessary to work out 4-5 times weekly, while managing my dietary shift into becoming a pescatarian.

Here are 3 cardinal rules I had to learn the hard way:

1.) Always have a post-workout snack on hand. Scratch that. Always have snacks, period. Stash them in the car, in your purse, in your locker, wherever you can. Healthy snacks on deck. Always. When that hunger hits you like a sucker-punch to the gut, you'll be glad for the extra 30 minutes or so a nutritional snack will buy you. 

2.) Don't get caught slipping and still have to go to the grocery store after working out. Especially, if you haven't had aforementioned snack, and definitely not with out a focused plan or a list. That's the surest way to buy up everything you don't need, and possibly make bad choices for a fast fix.

3.) The best case scenario is to PLAN YOUR MEALS in advance.

Hence, today's tip of the day is:  

As long as I played by these simple rules things worked out pretty well and I was thicker than a Snicker bar, lol. Which was exactly the results I was looking for. Even if you're not trying to bulk up, planning your meals is still critical to helping you stay on track with your goals, whatever they are. In my case, the problem with hunger was that it led to vulnerability. Hunger left me susceptible to reaching for stuff I'd told myself I wouldn't eat, out of convenience {and extreme desperation, quite frankly}. 

Freebie Here

Get your free meal planner download in your inbox or in the Wellness is the New Sassy Facebook group when you join the 7-Day Reset or Masterclass.

Meal planning can be as simple as you make it. I typically decide before going to the grocery store on 3-4 meals that have similar ingredients, get a grocery list together and jot down quick notes to remind myself which day I'll cook what. This overview also helps to remind me of key ingredients. I like to let my taste buds decide what I'm in the mood for during the week, and sometimes I may even ask my family for their input if I can't decide. I usually cook every other day (I DEFINITELY believe in repurposing leftovers). After the shopping, I put the plan on the fridge. My fam. loves knowing what to expect to eat from day to day. It really cuts out the guess work.

SO, that's pretty much it... for now anyway. Meal planning, although different from meal-prepping (which is next level bawse), is key. Trust me. Watch the daily wellness chat, get your free Life Map, today's Meal Planner {plus other goodies this week} when you join the Wellness is the New Sassy private Facebook group. 

Day 2: Body your 2018 #BodyGoals Without Going to the Gym

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My Heart Beasts for Fitness Challenges

Even when I used to go hard in the gym, I never was the type to record meticulous notes about each and every set, or what I did on which days. Even back then I always kind of did what I felt was good for me. So after I got burnt out on doing the machines at the gym everyday I figured I had to do something. And since something is better than nothing, I took to watching fitness videos online. It was perfect. I got one on one instruction in the privacy of my own home. All I had to do was flip open my laptop. Everything was going great until the summer I became an instant mom {more on that another day}.

Needless to say, as most parents know, the moment a child enters your life pretty much everything revolves around them and their needs. That didn't stop me from at least trying to stay connected to other things I cared about, like my fledgling at home business. Or clutching to other little luxuries like showering and brunch. You know, the things that matter. I was determined to be the new mom who kept her shit together. All of this was fine and good, until babygirl started teething. Suddenly, 30 extra minutes of sleep was far more appealing than sneaking in an early morning run or risking turning on the laptop and waking the baby. I was slacking and I knew it. I'd break a sweat just getting the baby in and out the car. God forbid I had to lug that damn car seat anywhere. Although, I felt I was exerting myself as hard as ever, my lack of a daily fitness routine straight tanked my energy. I felt my superpowers fading fast. I needed cardio, I needed more muscle. I needed all the caffeine, all day long, for Pete's Coffee's sake. Something had to be done.

{Click to tweet the Tip of the Day:} 

One afternoon when baby was napping and I had an unusual amount of energy on reserve. I must've been bored, because I thought to myself 'Now would be the perfect time to get in a quick workout. But what can I do that'll be quietly effective?' I wondered. So I did what I normally do when looking for bright ideas accompanied by pretty pictures. I jumped on Pinterest and did a quick search for bodyweight workouts and cha-ching! I hit a jack pot of pre-outlined, no equipment or instructor required, instant workouts. I pinned and saved dozens to my Sassy Curves board. 

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The first challenge I selected were squats, because I am vain. Plus, it seemed logical considering all of the heavy lifting I had begun doing just about every day. I thought it would probably be the most functional, dual-purposed use of at least 1 hour of downtime, that also would likely give me a few extra minutes to shower {uninterrupted on most days}. You couldn't tell me I wasn't about be the new MILF on the block.

God bless the gym nerds who not only take copious notes and put together cohesive set combinations {while probably sweating profusely}, but who are also considerate enough to type them out for folks like me who just kinda wing it most of the time. You people are the real MVPs. 

All of a sudden I had something that fit perfectly into my daily routine that I:

a.) Looked forward to

b.) Could be done in a 20 minute pinch, and

c.) Helped build my strength and endurance

...which you apparently need to tote around a kid all day. O' happy day that was. It was an even happier day the afternoon about 2 weeks into my second squat challenge when I noticed those quads were starting to look real righteous. Above are some of my faves that I've done in the past: squats, push-ups, Abs and soon, burpees. That little chunk of time I found and dedicated to myself really made a difference in my endurance. And the best part about it, it didn't take much. The more I did, the stronger I felt and the easier it was to stay motivated enough to add-on other moves and extend my sessions. With the ease of pre-outlined challenges I get clearly defined sets, a slow build up, and the motivation to reach the next milestone. Oh, and crazy, sexy muscles.-- hell-o! 

Like I've said in the past, no fitness thing is one size fits all. The challenge thing has worked for me in the past and until I can get to my Muy Thai classes, I have a couple lined up for this year. However, we all must find our own groove. Youtube, Instagram have loads of freebie classes and tutorials. So, there's no shortage of access. And if you don't mind the gym, you like group classes and you're fortunate enough to live in a city that has Class Pass (which I'll talk about in today's Facebook LIVE broadcast at 3 PM, EST-- so follow @TheSassyNation there for some Facetime), it's another great option to explore different ways to move your body. After all, that's what this whole process is about: Exploring what feels right and works for your lifestyle. Maybe Capoeira or bellydancing will be your thing. Or Barre, or kickboxing. Maybe you're outdoorsy and into soccer or biking. Whatever it is get up, get out and go explore. Find out that which makes you feel alive, vibrant and well.    

Talk back: What do you do for fitness fun? Leave a comment or tweet @TheSassyNation using the hashtag #SassyWellness2K18. 

Love this 7-Day Wellness Challenge and want more? Sign up for the 31-Day Masterclass and invite a friend to join along. 

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Day 1: The Start of a Wellness Evolution

 

 

Welcome to the 2K18 Sassy Wellness MIND, BODY, {Creative} SPIRIT Reset!  

If you've made it here to the blog, congrats on taking the first step towards either a.) committing to doing a few nice things for yourself and your health this year, or b.) re-dedicating yourself to the cause {raises hand}. Either way, SALUTE!  Starting today at 12 PM, PST I'll be broadcasting live tips and dishing on some resources to help you (and I) get back to basics and enjoy some of the simple pleasures of healthy living. I will be chatting with you all on Facebook Live and posting here daily to share some things I've discovered about wellness that have helped me along the way.

And this is by no means meant to be a one-way conversation. I hope that you'll take to the comments here on the blog and during the live broadcasts to share your goals and journey too. It really means a lot to me to have you take part in this reset with me. There really is strength in numbers. 

{Click to share the Tweetable Tip of the Day}

Let today be the (re)start of your wellness evolution! We're takin' it one baby step at a time, baby.

Rome wasn't built in a day and neither are habits, resolutions or any type of long term goals that you want to accomplish. Therefore, be gentle and sweet to yourself-- kinda like you'd treat a baby learning or trying something new for the first time.

A healthy life is meant to bring you joy, not hold you hostage and bully you into doing a bunch of stuff that you don't actually like. Pick out the habits and practices that feel good and use them as your foundation. In time, you'll find that focusing on the parts you find pleasurable will literally create a domino effect in your life and you'll naturally start to pick-up other good wellness habits. 

And while it's great to be disciplined and make good choices, remember-- you don't have to do everything perfectly all at once. Wellness is a process, and it's always evolving, just like you and me, my loves. Today's task is to download and fill out your free life map (available in your Day 01 email when you sign-up). On it are the different aspects of a fully balanced life that we are focusing on during this reset. The life map asks you to set intentions (or goals-- if you want to call them that) plus identify the baby steps you will take to upgrade your:

MIND-- What do you hope to learn this year? 

BODY-- How will you treat your body better? 

CREATIVE-- What inspires you to do your best work? 

SPIRIT-- Where can you carve out more time to tap into your inner power?

Talk to me! Leave a comment, tweet me or join the live chat to talk about what's on your life map and the baby step(s) you've decided to focus on taking over the course of this challenge or in the next year.  

So, go on now... and remember, baby steps! 

Also, if you haven't checked your email yet, be sure to go there to check out this week's outline and the link to our private FB group so you can access the daily wellness chat video; PLUS download this week's FREE life map. It's a great tool you'll want to fill-out and refer back to over the course of your journey. There are additional quick tips and action steps that go along with each daily post and broadcast this week in the daily journal, which you can download here.

7 Rituals to Try Before the New Year Arrives

We're seven days away from the start of the 2K18 7-Day Wellness Reset and 31 Day Masterclass. I'm one of those people who believes that wellness is a journey, and a stream of good choices that lead to other good choices, which, in turn, over time lead to lasting, far reaching change. If you understand the spectrum of good choices that are before you, it becomes easier to make good wellness decisions on your own behalf. 

So, in the spirit of taking baby steps towards our goals, over the next seven days, we have a few suggestions to get the ball rolling and ease you into the New Year. Consider this your "try it out" period when it comes to your specific goals, and use these suggestions as a guide as we count you down to 2018. New Year, new YOU, right? Well, let's get it poppin'! 

Countdown Day 7: Do something nice for yourself. You probably spent most of this holiday season reminding yourself that 'tis the season for giving, doing for others, etc. etc. All of the over-extending, over-eating and socializing that the holidays encourage can be exhausting. So for today, find the time and space to love on you for a change.

Countdown Day 6: Consider your splurges from here on out very carefully. Start setting limits for yourself if you know you've done too much (eating or spending) this holiday season.

Countdown Day 5: Start thinking about and jotting down your goals for the New Year and come up with some incentives for you to keep up the changes you plan to implement. Knowing that you plan to start working towards something new for yourself should help you curb those urges to splurge. But what's even more powerful is attaching goals to habits that you already have, (even small ones) making attaining them much easier-- especially, if you are going to reward yourself in the end. (More on this on IG/FB Live on Thursday to discuss).

Countdown Day 4: Up Your Water intake. Nothing preps the body and mind to run optimally like high quality h2o. Water flushes toxins out of your body, boosts your immune system, increases your energy, plus give your complexion that extra glow.

Countdown Day 3: Try a light work out. Need a mood booster? There's nothing like a work out to get your heart rate up and your endorphins pumping. It can be a roll in the hay or a power walk, we approve of both.

Countdown Day 2: Booze healthier/cut back on the alcohol. Hey, I for one have been on the 'Nog heavy this season. I'll definitely be cutting that out come New Years. But if you're gonna booze there are some healthier alternatives to consider. 

Countdown Day 1: Purge. Dig in the closet, your storage, old files and toss anything that's no longer serving you. Holding onto old, random stuff carries the weight of excess stale energy that you're not using. Lighten you load and make room for the new in 2018.

Leave a comment here or hit me on IG to talk about how you plan to create positive change in your life in 2018. What habits do you have already in place that can help you along your journey?

Sign up for the Free 7 Day Reset, starting Monday, January 1, 2018.

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FREE 7-Day MIND, BODY & {CREATIVE} SPIRIT WELLNESS RESET

The year is coming to a close and for the past couple of weeks I've been thinking a lot about the things that I want to do better or more of in the New Year. Not really one for resolutions, I prefer to think of the start of the year as an opportunity to reset my life--mind, body and {creative} spirit and set some attainable goals.

Transformation doesn’t just happen. It takes a plan and a support system. That's why I created this program. If you're like me and want to live life more fully-- with better health, feeling spiritually aligned with your purpose, have a sharpened mental focus, and brewing with creativity, renewing your commitment to yourself during this reset can help make every year the best ever!

Let's hit reset together, click HERE now!

I truly believe that in order to successfully accomplish our goals it's important to have a good foundation. And for me, that means moving forward with balance and purpose, hence the reason for this reset. Too much change at once-- as with say, lofty resolutions, can be overwhelming. Instead, approach the New Year as an opportunity to reflect on what is working in your life, and the habits or practices that have served you well in the past. Look for opportunities to add more of the rich things that you enjoy to your life rather than detoxing and completely cutting things out forever. When we start out building on a foundation of things that we already do, our chances for successfully implementing improvements increases exponentially.

By filling your life with more of the good stuff, the less desired habits and such won't have space to co-exist. Many of the tips and resources that you will learn are things that reflect The Sassy Nation's core values, and are resources you can use to power your personal transformation and create lasting lifestyle changes.

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I really hope that you'll join me on this total wellness journey. If you do, here's what you'll have to look forward to: 

1. I'll be doing a daily Facebook and IG Live (which you can access in the archives). Plus, be sure to check your email after signing up for your link to our private FB group. That's where we'll be broadcasting from daily so we can chat and share our wins face to face while I share daily actionable tips; plus, identify resources that will help you reset and super-charge your 2018. 

2. Also, each week I'll send out an email that'll outline the plan for the week, including your downloadable tools, and other goodies that I'll be sharing exclusively with my masterclass attendees: Including the 31 Days of Wellness Journal with daily to-dos and affirmations to support your journey.

If you want access to these extra assets, and I think that you will, you can enroll in the masterclass. OR, for a limited time, grab the 31 Days of Wellness Digital Journal for just $1.00 and follow along at your own pace!  

3. A whole new world of opportunity to get right for 2K18... with the whole squad of #Sassy supporters behind you. Together, we're gonna to ROCK this thang! 

Week 1:

Since health is a hot topic come Jan. 1, we'll be talking about ways that we can treat our BODY better, starting with the foods that we eat and our physical fitness habits.

Week 2: 

“Meditation: Because some questions can’t be answered by Google.”

— Someone Smart & Sassy, Obvi.

Getting down to business with Masterclass attendees... 

Get ready to get lifted-- in SPIRIT, that is. This week we'll be talking about various forms of meditation, plus using mantras, affirmations and manifestation journals to help you get balanced from the inside out. Good stuff.

Week 3:

Looking for some mental stimulation? This week is all about places you can go to get your MIND right. We'll be sharing resources to help you find FREE books, podcasts, documentaries, music, dope magazines, newsletters and all things #Smart&Sassy.

Week 4:

Work is such and integral part of all of our lives. This week we'll discuss how to not only bring more balance into your workspace, but also how to tap into the CREATIVE side of life so you can spark up connections and ignite your passions outside of work.

Bonus: Days 29-31

We'll be reviewing what we learned, taking inventory of the things we enjoyed exploring and what new tools we loved and plan to keep. It's time to get real about our goals, what we really hope to accomplish, and re-defining our life map to reflect a solid plan to create lasting change a reality. Learn and cultivate the power of morning and nightly rituals that will set you up for long-term success. So, if you're ready to seal the deal on your new life, just say YES and join the squad!

2K18, we're coming for you-- get ready!

Live mindfully...

Tap into a balanced, healthier and happier you.

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