How to Not Gain Weight Over Thanksgiving

1. Eat a healthy breakfast

Start your day with a healthy breakfast, such as two eggs and whole-grain toast and a side of mixed greens, or any combination that’s high in protein and fiber. Add a  smoothie to your healthy breakfast and you’ll be less likely to inhale your plate at the main meal.

2. Don’t go overboard on appetizers

It’s easy to consume 1,500 calories before the turkey even hits the table. But instead of skipping the baked brie altogether, fill most of your plate with vegetables and healthier choices, then leave just a little room for a taste of the indulgent snack. An average serving of dip or cheese is one ounce, roughly the size of your two thumbs.

3. Watch your portion sizes

The average plate is 14 inches wide, and we tend to finish 98 percent of the food on our plate. No wonder it’s easy to eat too much on Thanksgiving! To trick your brain into thinking you’ve eaten enough, use a smaller plate and/or fill half a normal plate with salad. (Just go easy on the dressing!)

4. Enjoy your favorite dishes

One of the best things about Thanksgiving is the memories and traditions of the day. Don’t limit yourself from enjoying your favorite dishes, but only have a small scoop of those that are less healthy. Another option is to practice mindfulness while you’re eating. Don’t munch mindlessly — slow down and really savor and enjoy what you’re eating. Don’t eat out of bags or bowls — put your food on a plate.

5. Try new, healthier versions of your favorite recipes

A trainer I know and her brother created an incredible menu of Thanksgiving recipes for their cooking show that are healthy versions of your favorites. From Green Bean Casserole and Cranberry Sauce to stuffing and Pumpkin Whoopie Pies, they’ve got you covered. 

6. Cook a better bird

Find a recipe that results in a more flavorful turkey, or cook a different protein — ham, fish, or chicken — that you’ll enjoy on its own, and have only moderate portions of the heavy sides.

7. Get everyone involved

Take some of the pressure off yourself and ask guests to bring a healthy side dish or dessert.

If you think they might be stumped, you could even provide them with a list of healthy side dishes they could make. Going to someone else’s Thanksgiving dinner? Bring a healthy side dish of your own.

8. Go easy on the booze

Limit yourself to one drink before or during dinner and one drink after dinner. Drinking too much alcohol can increase your craving for salt and may set you up to eat 30 percent more than you intended. Get tipsy at dinner and all your inhibitions will be down by the time dessert comes. Two pieces of pie, a couple of cookies, a scoop of ice cream later… and you’ll need a forklift to get you off the couch and a cab to take you home.

9. Forgive yourself

Did you read this and still overeat? Don’t beat yourself up about it; it happened, now move on. Get up and encourage someone to take a walk with you. If it’s too cold for a walk, break out a game of Twister or another fun family workout. Getting moving will ease some of your guilt and also start the digestion process.

10. Remember why you’re there

Between the football game and your sister’s amazing pumpkin pie, take a moment to pause and reflect on what you’re thankful for this year. As tasty as the dishes are, nothing compares to the people we share it with!

For ideas on seasoning your turkey, healthier versions of your holiday favorites or what to do when you read this and still ate too much, leave a note in the comments.

Eating healthy doesn't mean starving myself!

Pssst...Hey... yeah you..Lean in, there’s something I want to share with you ...

Eating healthy doesn't mean starving myself! It just means eating whole foods that are good for me and finding the right healthy ingredients.

God knows it’s not always easy. Learning how to listen to my body and feed it what it needs instead of giving in to emotional eating is how I was able to get amazing results on this program. It’s a slow but steady and healthy way to control my weight without depriving myself!

I did it by following a certified nutritionist-led program that showed me how to eat to fuel my body so I could lose weight happily. I joined a success group where others are on the same journey and where we encourage each other to reach our goals. My coach inspired me to start my own group using this program that has helped me get great results.

When I decided to order my success kit, here is what I got:

🥗Permanent streaming access to videos, including: 
🍲21 short videos that teach the basics of the program. 
🥗5 videos that help address the most common challenges to losing weight and establishing a healthier relationship with food
🍲15 recipe videos where my nutritionist shows me how to cook her favorite time-saving, delicious and satisfying meals…in no time

🥗The Getting Started Guide

🍲My Go-to-Guide, a handy resource that accompanies the videos, featuring food lists, grocery shopping lists and more 

🥗My Recipes booklet

🍲My Tracker, a 90-day journal 📓 I use to track my meals, progress, and all the daily inputs that can influence my weight loss journey and success

🥗A special 30 oz water bottle that helps get me drinking more water with motivational sayings to keep me on track

🥛A shake to supplement my nutrition with the daily recommended vitamins and minerals as well as superfoods that helps me stay on track as I continue my healthy living journey 

🍲 I have access to a Nutrition+ App that lets me view all the videos (and program materials) on-the-go, and gives me a place to track my meals and my progress, right on my iPhone 📱 or iPad 

When you join my group, you get all of the above and my daily support as well. That’s the best part of the whole experience is working together with others on the same journey and achieving our goals together. Comment “GOING” to eat well and live well without deprivation and JOIN THE NEXT GROUP STARTING AUGUST 6TH! Hurry! Spots are filling up QUICK!

New Coach Alert!

Happiness is waking up and discovering someone you truly respect and admire joined your team! 

Iris started becoming an inspiration to others while still on her own fitness journey by forming a little group on Facebook and asking others to join. I was honored to receive an invitation and blessed to see her go to work being an inspiration to others as she shared her living story. (Looking good girl!) She has helped so many with tips on how to live a healthier life. She would share resources on nutrition, fitness work outs and anything else that added value to her group all while she shared her journey.

Iris is a hard working, Army mom, who is driven and determined to be the best she can be! She is dedicated to helping her community and I am blessed to call her friend and business partner. Please help me congratulate and welcome Iris Vanessa Delgado to the Fierce and Fabulous Team!

Open a business? For less than cable? YES YOU CAN!

If someone offers you an amazing opportunity but you are not sure you can do it, SAY YES, then learn how to do it later. ~Richard Branson, Founder & CEO Virgin Group, Ltd

Nothing gives me more satisfaction than when someone I helped get started in fitness and in business tell me she is getting amazing results.  I am literally overjoyed for her! It’s not easy when you are a working mom to balance work, home, a budget, cooking healthy meals for her family and being able to afford to do so. Spending time with our kids that we adore seems to be luxury reserved only for the rich and famous. As parents, it seems we sacrifice time with our kids so that they can have the life we never did. Unfortunately, we sacrifice that TIME we need to build our relationship with our kids because we work 2 and 3 jobs just to keep food on the table and the lights on!  Me and my team have discovered a better way!

Who are we

Team Fierce and Fabulous is a team of Beachbody Coaches laser focused on creating a healthier life for ourselves and everyone around us.  We do this by aligning with a company that is committed to designing fitness programs for every level of fitness and proven nutritional supplements guaranteed to provide optimal results.  When we enroll people who want and need to live a healthier life on our team, we mentor those individuals by providing support through tips to develop healthy habits and nudges of encouragement to do the things that help them reach their goals.  As Coaches, we also encourage each other to stay on point with our own health and wellness.  We also mentor others who join the team to meet their business goals.  It is a collaborative effort that each of us invest in everyday to lift each other up so that we can be our best selves and leave a legacy of healthy living to our kids who we treasure more than anything.

Why we do it

Most importantly, THIS BUSINESS GIVES KIDS THEIR MOMS AND DADS BACK!  So many are living their best lives by helping others get healthy and stay healthy. The best part is being able to be home with our kids and be a part of what is important to them, soccer games, dance recitals and band assemblies.  Those were the best when my daughter was growing up. We get to set the example of healthy living for our kids.  We want to have more, be better and most importantly, be present for our kids while we still can  They grow up so fast and before you know it, they are out the door living their own  lives, getting on the hamster wheel of paycheck- to-paycheck themselves.  We want better for them.  So we're breaking that cycle together by building a business around health and wellness. We are committed to beginning a tradition of building wealth upon a foundation of good health and for once, live a healthy, more fulfilling life.

Become part of our Community

Make an investment in your future and our kids’ future!  When you join our team with a challenge pack, you will receive all of the tools tailored to excite you about becoming a new Team Beachbody Coach and about CHANGING YOUR LIFE! I will teach you actionable steps so that you can form the building blocks of a solid business.  When you sign up as a Coach on Team Fierce and Fabulous, you will receive amazing BONUSES that include:

• Exclusive training provided on an app, completely FREE of charge, designed by a Team Beachbody Founding Coach (and our upline, YAY) with over a decade experience in health and wellness coaching
• The Basics of the Fierce and Fabulous Life which is a 30-60 day training provided by yours truly exclusively to new Team Fierce and Fabulous Coaches
• Weekly team calls offering additional training and best practices by successful coaches who offer their best tips and tricks to running a successful business to help you succeed as a new Team Beachbody Coach on this Fierce and Fabulous Team
• Exclusive access to Beachbody Corporate Facebook groups which provide the latest information on new products and also feature experienced Coaches sharing their best practices so you can leverage several ways to succeed as a new Coach
• 25% Discount on all your personal Beachbody purchases and,
• 25% Commission from purchases made from your customized branded website

The kind of training and resources that are available to you as a Team Fierce and Fabulous Coach is phenomenal.  As trends change, we share it with the team. As we learn more, we share more.  Other lifestyle coaches can charge tens of thousands of dollars for these resources.  When you join our team, you will receive all these resources completely FREE.

There are no guarantees but we are here for you*

Now we can’t guarantee what your business will look like only YOU can do that.  Here some questions to ask yourself before you make the decision to go ALL IN on your future:

• What are your goals? 
• How hard are you willing to work to to accomplish your goals? 
• What would your life look like if you were successful in this business?

 As your Coach, I can promise this. If you want to crawl, I’ll crawl with you.  If you want to walk, I’ll walk with you. If you want to run, I’ll run with you.  Basically, I will match your effort. I will always share my knowledge and you will always have access to what I have access to but YOU will have to put in work.  I will show you what that work is and the effort that is going to be required based on what you want to accomplish. No doubt? I will help you get there. 

Nobody does this business alone…not when you join a Fierce and Fabulous Team. Are you ready?

*Team Fierce and Fabulous and Team Beachbody do not guarantee any level of success or income from the Team Beachbody Coach Opportunity. Each Coach's income depends on his or her own efforts, diligence, and skill. See our Statement of Independent Coach Earnings for the most recent information on the actual incomes of all our Coaches.

Taking Action is the force that engenders confidence!

I have noticed that whenever I have to do or learn something new or trying to make a positive change in my life, I will stare at it for a long time before I start get started. I will procrastinate and get in my own head and spend a lot of time wondering if I will be successful at this new thing. Will I learn what I need to learn in order to implement it effectively in my own life? Will I get it right? What if I fail? Blah, blaah, blah…Intellectually, I know better, but I still have moments where I serious doubt myself.

In my business, one of the things that you have to do, is engage in personal development. This basically means that if I have areas of my life where I know I need improvement, I need to invest in tools, resources and time to improve in those areas so I can be more effective to the people I am trying to serve. One of the primary areas of my life that needed improvement was my health. The truth is, when I finally plugged into the resources that I knew would help me reach my goals, I had to stop asking questions that only served to fill me with more doubt and DO ME! Whatever that is, I just needed to be true to myself. During my journey, I had to realize that living a healthy lifestyle is not perfect. I am going to backslide. I am going to have that piece of cake at a birthday party or enjoy ribs at a barbeque. And you know what? That’s okay! I still managed to realize a lot of success and definitely more than everyone else sitting on the couch!

The improvement in my overall health took place, first, in my mindset! I started asking better questions like, “What is it that I want to accomplish? “Lowering my blood pressure?” “How about my cholesterol?” “Could I be borderline diabetic?” “What needs to change in my diet that could help in all of these areas?” Maybe I just want to lose weight to improve my respiratory function so I can play with my kid.” These were definitely better questions I could ask myself that could help me live a healthy lifestyle. I realized that whatever my “WHY” was I needed to do it because I recognize the value of living a healthy lifestyle. I needed to do it because I know it will help me have a better quality of life…more energy, less constipation (haaaaaH) more stamina (aaaaaoooooowwwww!) I had the power within me to make the changes I need to make because I want to change for the better more than I want to stay the same. It’s definitely not about being perfect all the time! It’s about taking action every day to see the change I want to make in my life. It doesn’t matter what anybody else thinks or says about what I am doing. I know I am doing a good thing for me. I am not competing with anyone outside of myself! I am only competing with the person I was yesterday. I AM DOING ME! DO YOU! As long as you are not intentionally hurting anyone else, do what makes you healthy and happy!

You get what you make time for

It's interesting to participate in discussions where folks complain about not being able to achieve their goals because they don't have time 😭 to do the work required to get them where they want it to go. Been there done that (got the tshirt, coffee mug, writing tablet and pen to match) and I promise you it's not about time it is about your mental capacity, will power and discipline to make good choices that align with your goals. Harsh but true!

If you want to lose 50 lbs, you can trade the time you spend binge watching reality 📺 for 30 minutes of exercise. You can also TAKE and MAKE the time to meal prep on your day off so you can make sure you are eating balanced meals during the week instead leaving eating to chance. If you always had a dream of achieving something big in life, you can also do the research to learn how to be successful in that thing. Oh and don't forget to implement what you've learned. Knowledge is power 💡 but you ain’t doing nothing but burning electricity if you are not putting that knowledge to work!

Yeah, this stuff takes time and hard work! I'm not saying it's easy I'm just saying it's gonna take work and you have to be committed to it! But I got a question...what is your reason for change? Is your Why even strong enough for you to intentionally create the change you want to see in your life?

One thing you can't do is complain about your quality of life if you have no intention of doing anything to change it. Well, I suppose you can but nobody cares😳 At the end of the day, you get what you make time for. Das it 😊

Reflection and Renewal

Whenever I feel discouraged in any particular aspect of my life, I think about that scene in The Day After Tomorrow when Jack wouldn’t give up on finding his son in New York after a cataclysmic storm hit that sent the entire northern hemisphere into an ice age.

During the dangerous journey to find his son, Jack lost 1 of the 2 colleagues (and best friends) that was traveling with him when he fell through the roof of a shopping center that the group was hiking across in the frigid cold. In spite of this tragedy, time was running out for Jack to find his son Sam. Jack had every intention of not only finding his son but finding him alive and well.

Finally, after several days, Jack and the younger friend walked probably 200 miles before they reached the New York public library where Sam had been since the storm hit. When they got where they thought the library should be, Jack's friend told him that the library must have been overtaken by the storm and gave Jack a look that all but said there was no hope! But Jack wasn’t giving up on his son. He ran a little farther and saw the roof of the library! He proceeded to climb down into the library from the roof and yell that place down until he came to a door with a light shining underneath it. He cracked open the door and found a small group of survivors. He desperately looked to see if his son was among them. Sure enough, he was. They embraced and the rest, as they say, is history.

A lot of people would have given up before reaching that door 🚪 A lot of people would have listened to his friend who wanted to say, “I’m sorry Jack” when they we standing on a snow drift that towered the library. But not Jack. He was determined. He was not giving up!

That scene is so profound in so many ways. It speaks to the unrelenting power of the human spirit. When you lean into challenges and face fear square in the eye and act with intent on your goals and dreams in spite of all of it, no one can stop you. Obstacles have no space, nay sayers have no voice only the power of your conviction stands on solid ground. That👆🏼is what makes anything possible! That👆🏼 is what made Jack find Sam! That👆🏼is what is going to make you manifest your dreams into reality.

Resolve to Start Now

By now, another new year’s resolution to be healthy once and for all is all but forgotten and you have already given up. You’re thinking you’ve tried everything to be healthy and finally get to your goal weight and nothing is working. Why not just drink on the weekends, eat what’s not so great for me and enjoy life, right? But you are miserable and deep in your gut, you know there has got to be a better way. No matter what you are thinking about your progress so far, I'm here to tell you, it is not too late. Resolve to start now, TODAY, and learn how to do it different this time!

I have learned over the last several years that lack of peer support and the right tools are the missing links to why people don't succeed in leading a healthy lifestyle. The truth is, no one can do it alone. When I started my journey, I was 50 lbs overweight, aging and dealing with all of the issues associated with all of that. I needed help. So, I joined a group of people who were working out with me, supported me and held me accountable to my goals. It wasn’t easy but in a little over a year, I lost 35lbs, had more energy and felt better than I had in years. It was the soul of the accountability group that helped me achieve my health and wellness goals and now I want to pay it forward by helping you do the same.

Why spend $100s of dollars on personal trainers, nutritionists and gym memberships you don’t use? Do something that is more fun, gets results, you can do in the privacy of your own home (or take it with you) and WORKS!

I am about to start a 30 day Fierce and Fabulous Fit Camp soon that will be designed specifically for beginners and those who want to recharge their fitness journey. In this group, you will be provided with all the resources you need to begin your new healthy lifestyle without spending a fortune!

Your tool kit will include the following:

*Streaming workout programs designed for the beginner to the athlete led by a certified personal trainer

*A 30 day supply of superfood nutrition to help you power through your workouts

*A meal plan that guides you through healthy eating with meals that are delicious and simple to make

*Peer support led by yours truly in an online environment filled with people just like you who will begin this journey with you so you never have feel alone

This could be an amazing beginning to a fantastic lifestyle that you will never regret starting... like right now! LEARN MORE and get a free full presentation of what you can expect when you join a fit camp! Time is of the essence because we start tomorrow! So make the decision to START TODAY!

Get Back On Your Feet with Exercises for Foot Drop | Saebo

Get Back On Your Feet with Exercises for Foot Drop | Saebo: Foot drop (sometimes called drop foot or dropped foot) is the inability to raise the front of the foot due to weakness or paralysis of the muscles and nerves that lift the foot. Foot drop itself is not a disease, it is a symptom of a greater problem or medical condition. You can recognize foot …

Looking back to where I started my journey, I’m astonished at how far I’ve come.

At first, becoming a Coach was about getting a discount on a new strength-training program. As the years went by, I realized that this, live healthy and get fit “thing” actually had some merit. I started to see the differences in my overall health and realized that now is the healthiest I’ve been in like….ever. So, I wanted to share this phenomenal transformation with anyone who would listen.

When I started my own journey in weight loss, I was 50 pounds overweight in a medically induced menopause and a failing marriage. I was in pain most of the time and was seriously contemplating whether I would spend whatever time I had left in this state of despair. There came a day when I became sick and tired of being sick and tired and actually considered ending it all.

There came a day when I became sick and tired of being sick and tired and actually considered ending it all.

Then out of nowhere (as Divine intervention would have it), this bubbly little blonde woman dancing and kicking on my TV talking about kickboxing to house music will help you get to a healthy weight and have fun while working out. I was like Whaaaaaat? Got up off the coach started dancing to the music and said to myself, “Wait a minute, girlfriend said this is a workout”. So I stopped crunkin’ and sat down and started to pay attention to what this new “thing” was all about. But I also cried a little because my hip started to hurt and I realized that all the nightmares I heard about menopause was starting to come true. But I also thought maybe, just maybe this program would be the thing I needed to get the kinks out. Maybe this was my last chance to get the vibrant, fully functioning body that I had as a younger woman in my 20’s. So, I ordered the program that was offered... and everything that came with it. From there, I started on my journey to be fit and healthy and guess what? I am not stopping! Besides having my beautiful daughter, becoming a Coach and using this lucrative means to spread the word about health and wellness as a real, viable lifestyle, was the best decision I have ever made. NO REGRETS.

I started on my journey to be fit and healthy and guess what? I am not stopping!

Although Coaching has proven to be a lucrative business for many, by sharing workouts, nutrition and support, I intend to show that adding these things to your life will improve the quality of it. The company I work with has provided an excellent platform through which sooooooo many people can have the life they have always deserved-(1), to be healthy and fit, and (2), to be able to create a livelihood helping other people do the same thing.

My testimony is simple- I was once overweight, aging and suffering from all the ailments associated with both. But since I started making fitness a foundational part of my life, to this day people do not believe I am a 48 year old mother of a 23 year old who, by the way is my biggest supporter and cheerleader in my quest to do my part to create relationships, create change and rebuild lives. I am sharing my story because it has changed many lives but there is still work to do. I am committed to doing the work. I know now that helping people create happy more fulfilling lives for themselves, is what I was put here to do.

This is my story, but it’s nowhere near over! My lifestyle change is a lifelong journey and I’m looking for others to join me. If you want to start your health and fitness journey with me and learn how you can create a business helping others do the same and creating a life by your own design, leave your e-mail address in the comments.

Turn Up Tuesday-How fitness geeks celebrate

Don’t you love a good success story? How do people turn their life around by focusing on their health? The discovery is nothing short of amazing when you find out that focusing on fitness improves other areas in your life. Well here is Briana’s story. Briana lost 53 lbs. using full, comprehensive programs that she did at home!

“I used to overeat every day and binge on junk food after a long day at work. I also hardly ever exercised. I had gained weight steadily over the past few years because of these bad habits. I was ashamed with how I looked in the mirror and clothes never fit me the way I wanted. I had lost self-love for myself and all confidence with the way I looked.

I was inspired to change my life and begin my transformation journey because I’ve always said I will look my best at 25 years old. So when I hit 24 I knew I needed to do something to get my body back in shape and lose the weight I had gained over the past few years. People around me that ate healthy and looked fit inspired me. I wanted to look like them and feel good again. I knew that if I made the effort to eat healthy and exercise that I could do it in a year.

I was inspired to change my life and begin my transformation journey

My greatest challenge I faced was staying committed to any type of program. But because of the motivation, support, and accountability that I received from my Coach, and people within the accountability groups online, I was able to stay on track.

Over the last year, I did a few different at-home programs which all incorporated a mixture of weight lifting/strength training and cardio - to reach my goal. I really liked this because you get the advantages of both types of exercise.

I have lost 53 pounds and upwards of 45 inches off my body. I am now strong enough to do push-ups, many bodyweight moves, and my heart is strong enough to endure intense cardio. But I am most proud that I am healthier, stronger, and happier than I have ever been in my entire life.”

Has this story inspired you to change your life? There are many ways to get started on your own transformation journey and I can help you along the way. I know the thought of doing something new is scary but what do you have to lose by starting today except never living out your true potential? You have to ask yourself, are you okay with that?

Get fiercely fit while becoming obsessed with balance

Can I just say it has been a struggle to keep balance between work, home, relationships and everything else that matters to me over the last year or so? In fact, I have discovered that it gets harder every day to keep myself at a healthy weight the older I get. But now, it is time to get seriously committed, no, more than that. It’s time to get OBSESSED, utterly, ABSORBED into taking care of my physical health and watch as everything else falls into place…just like I did before! Would you join me? Cuz I don’t want to do this by myself. I need to surround myself with people who are ready to GET IT! So… Are you ready to become OBSESSED? About your fitness? Your well-being? Your financial health? Your mental health? Well I got a something I want to share with you!

For the New Year, I am starting a group that I want to fill with Fierce and Fabulous individuals that are ready to Get Your Life in all the ways that matter, once and for all! This group, which will be focused on fitness, will feature a certified personal trainer that will teach us how to train our bodies for strength and endurance while showing us how to eat to fuel our bodies in the best way to get the best results. It won’t be long before we are also making better decisions about how and when we move, what we eat, how we spend our money and discovering new priorities. It could mean an amazing transformation not just in our bodies but also in our peace of mind, how we cope with stress and how we function in our relationships. I’m not gonna lie … It is going to be hard and it is going to require a shift in priorities. It is going to take serious commitment, physically, mentally and yes, financially. Yeah, I know, I am going to have to shift things around in my budget to make it work but #YOLO! I have been working on a strict budget for a few months now so I think I am a little ahead of the game. So, I’m ready. Are you? Are you Fierce? Are you Fabulous? Are you ready to Get Your Life? Then let’s get OBSESSED about our health together! Give me a shout in the comments so we can do this together!