Food Freedom: overcome emotional eating, make better food choices, lose weight & feel great!

I struggle with emotional eating, mindless eating, secret eating… the hardest part for me with these bad habits is that I know they do not make me feel good about myself, yet I still find myself resorting back to them over and over.

Good news: there is FINALLY a program available to help overcome these bad eating habits.  And even better, it's simple, affordable and won't make you miserable!  This program is called 2B Mindset.

2B Mindset that was co-created by Ilana Muhlstein MS, RDN (Registered Dietitian Nutritionist) and Beachbody.  2B Mindset is a video-based weight-loss program that will change your mindset about food, your body, and losing weight. I’ve already gotten through most of the lessons in the program and have been putting the practices into play this week and so far it has helped me to make better food choices.  There have been food temptations, emotional eating urges, and just some odd cravings here and there.  I’ve been mindful of the mindset, principles, and strategies of the program and have mostly been able to avoid eating all together in these situations.  This is really impressive because I have been STRUGGLING to get back on track and STAY CONSISTENT with my nutrition. 

2B Mindset is not focused on what you CAN’T EAT.  Instead, it was designed to take on a simple and easy approach to focus on what you CAN EAT so you feel full, satisfied (never hungry or deprived!) and in control — without ever counting calories, points, cutting out food groups or even exercising if you don’t want to.

“You can lose weight happily,” says co-creator Ilana Muhlstein, who lost 100 pounds herself — and kept it off — using the 2B Mindset principles. She’s helped thousands of others lose weight through her private practice in Beverly Hills and a clinic at UCLA, and now she is able to help all of us achieve our goals by attacking the ROOT of the problem when it comes to our bad eating habits.

I'll be running a private support group for anyone who would like to lose weight and gain freedom from unhealthy eating habits, using the 2B Mindset.  I am so excited to continue on this journey myself and am even more excited to see what’s in store for all of you who join this FOOD FREEDOM movement! 

The support group will run from June 4-July 3.  Anyone who wishes to join must have me assigned as your free coach and have purchased the program by May 29th.

Interested?  Email me ASAP if you’d like to reserve your spot in the group or want more info!

Spring CLEAN WEEK

March is a pretty exciting month for me.  March 2013 was the month my son was born, and March 2014 was the month when I had a little rebirth of my own.

After having my son I definitely put my self-care on the backburner and I really lost myself.  I wasn't eating healthy, exercising, or sleeping well.  I struggled daily with anxiety.   I hated my body and had very low-confidence...  It was not the happiest of times.  I desperately wanted to lose the weight and feel like myself again.  Every Monday I had a grand plan to start a diet and exercise and I could never make it through a full day with hitting my goals.  This went on and on for months.  The frequent failed attempts to lose the baby weight were causing me more harm than good, because I would feel so guilty about my failures that I would go on and binge on more unhealthy food as a way to deal with my emotions.

But everything changed on that one momentous Monday:  March 10, 2014.  This was the day I started 21 Day Fix.

For 4 years now I have continued to use Beachbody programs and Shakeology as two of my most critical self-care tools.  They're effective, affordable and convenient.  To quote the legendary Choice Is Yours rap by Black Sheep " You can't beat that with a bat!"

My results go far beyond the scale.  Yes, I have transformed my body.  But I have also transformed my mind, my attitude, and quality of life.  This has benefitted my family greatly because we eat MUCH healthier, and mom has MUCH more patience, energy, and confidence.

SPRING CLEAN WEEK CHALLENGE!  

To celebrate my 4-year anniversary, I'm going to be hosting a special 7-day SPRING CLEAN WEEK challenge from March 19-25. 

It's going to be 7 days of clean eating and exercise. If you've been too unsure or intimidated to try a Beachbody program or try one of my accountability groups - this is the perfect way to dip your toes in to test out the waters.  It's also a great option for those who have fallen off track with healthy habits and need a little sumthin sumthin to get motivated again.  There is zero cost to join the challenge, however, you can upgrade for a small fee if you'd like to get a 7-day Shakeology sampler to enhance your Spring CLEAN WEEK experience.

Email me if you'd like to join the challenge or have any questions.  And feel free to pass along the invite to your friends - the more the merrier!

My Top 3 Time-Management Tips that will help you finally "find the time"

Have you ever been guilty of putting your health on the back burner?  Have you ever thought "I just don't have the time" when it comes to taking care of yourself?  

After I had my son, I put my health on the back burner for almost a year.  My lack of self-care caused anxiety, insomnia and a raging case of low self esteem.  It brought me to a low point physically and mentally, and my whole family had to deal with the consequences.  Almost 4 years ago, I decided to make a change.  Since I started this self-care journey back in March of 2014, I've been lucky enough to help many others in transforming their health and lifestyle.  Today, I want to share with you my top 3 time-management tips that can help you finally "find the time".  

1.  Do a Time Audit
The is the first step because it's the most important.  The reason why I say "find the time" in so-called quotation marks is because you'll never actually find more time.  You need to make the time!  And you can't successfully make time for new activities until you've got a clear picture of how you are spending your time.  This is where the time audit come in.  For 3-5 days, live life as your normally would and track how your spending your time each day.  This means from the moment you wake up to the moment you fall asleep, you should be tracking EVERYTHING that you do (showering, eating, cleaning, working, watching tv, social media, email, driving, etc.)  I know, it sounds like a real pain to do this but I promise you it's worth it.  Once you are able to look over what you're doing each day, you'll likely see that there are some pockets of free time and/or things your wasting time on. Here is the link to the time audit spreadsheet I made when I did my time audit.  You can use this for your own time audit, or any other tracking method that works for you.  

2.  Prioritize
Once you evaluate your time audit, you should have a clear picture of the MUST DO activities and the time suckers/wasters.  You need to add your own self-care into the MUST DO category and in order to add in something new, you need to make room by cutting back (or cutting out) some of these unnecessary activities.  Think outside the box for ways that you can save time by combining activities, reducing frequency and setting time limits.  If I was able to make the time to do this (working full time, commuting 3-4 hours PER DAY, and caring for my family) ANYONE can do this!   

3.  Schedule
You've done all the hard work now, so this one should be easy!  Schedule your self-care time every day.  You cannot leave it to chance, otherwise it will not happen!  Just like you schedule work, appointments, and chores - you have to schedule your ME time.  Consider your self-care an important appointment that cannot be missed.  Even if you can only schedule 15 minutes a day, it's enough to make an impact.  Once you start building up some consistency with getting your ME time in, you'll likely be motivated to re-work your schedule so you can increase the time.  

Bottom line:  Having no time can feel like a legitimate excuse.  But remember, we have no guarantees on this beautiful life that we've been given.  Take advantage of the opportunity to improve your health and quality of life now - while you have the chance.

February Fitness Specials that you'll LOVE

Are you looking to make improvements to your fitness and/or nutrition?  Are you looking for a convenient and simple to follow system that will help you get great results, but won't break the bank?  If so, you're going to LOVE these exciting promotions that are being offered in February!  

Join NOW and SAVE!
Beachbody is running a special $10 discount off all Challenge packs purchased in February. If you're looking to make some improvements to your health, fitness, and nutrition, there is no better time than now to get started!  

Back in 2014, when I decided that I HAD to start prioritizing my health, I decided to give Beachbody a try.  it was clear to me that the Challenge Pack was the best value because it bundled all of the tools that I needed to improve my fitness AND nutrition - at a discounted price.  It worked wonders for me.  I saw incredible results in just a few weeks:  I lost 10 lbs, had more energy, stopped taking meds for my insomnia and anxiety, and finally felt like the ME that I was before I had my son.  It was one of the best investments I ever made!  

I've been supporting others for years as a Beachbody Coach, and I can assure you that the people who get the best results (and keep them) are the ones who start with a Challenge Pack and join a challenge/accountability group.  

In addition to the Challenge Pack discount, I'm also running a contest for a$50 Amazon gift card!  

In order to be eligible for the prize, you must have me assigned as your coach and: 

A) Purchase a challenge pack, or be a current BOD member WITH an active order of Shakeology in February.

B) Join my next accountability group. The group runs from February 12 - March 11.

C) Log at least 5 workouts and 5 Shakeology each week, throughout all 4 weeks of the group.

You know what they say about summer bodies being made in the winter? Well, there are only 16 weeks left until Memorial Day, so it's time to get to work!! Nothing can beat the feeling of good health and body-confidence. That is the BIGGEST reward you'll get... but the discount and contest will make it a little more enticing! 

Click here to order your Challenge Pack

Questions?  Email me at fabfitfunjen@gmail.com

Healthy Super Bowl Recipes and Tips

Are you planning to partake in some Super Bowl festivities this Sunday?  I sure am (I wouldn't miss out on watching the Pats in the Super Bowl followed by This is Us!) but I want to make sure I stay on track with my health goals so I don't totally blow it and wake up feeling like crap Monday morning.  

So, here's my GAME PLAN (pun intended) for Sunday.  If you're also trying to be healthy(ish), I think you'll find these tips helpful!  

1.  Prep with intermittent fasting and lots of H20
Sometimes on Sundays, I like to eat "normally" along with my family.  Since I will likely be eating later than usual this Sunday, and I want my body in fat-burning mode as long as possible, I'm planning to continue my intermittent fasting for Sunday.  My goal is to keep my eating window under 8 hours so I will choose a time where I will STOP eating, which then tells me I'll open my eating window.  I am planning to stop eating by 8pm so that means I'll open my eating window at noon or later.  Throughout the day I will ensure that I am keeping hydrated so that I hit my daily water goal of 90oz BEFORE the game starts.  Dehydration often feels like hunger to the body, so I don't want any false signals telling me to eat more than I should.  

2.  Prioritize and plan healthy snacks
If you're at home, this one will be a lot easier since you have control of the menu.  But regardless of where you're going to be watching the big game, you have to drill it into your head that you have to limit the unhealthy stuff.  There are tons of recipes out there on Pinterest, Facebook and Google for healthy game-day snacks.  Plan to make at least 1-2 healthy options so you know you'll have some healthy food to choose from. If there are delicious treats and/or decadent desserts that you just can't live without having, you don't have to feel totally deprived.  Choose 1-2 indulgences and limit your portions... and leave it at that!

If you need some ideas to start with, here are two of my favorite CHEAT CLEAN recipes: 

• Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
• BBQ Chicken Pita Pizza

3.  Make a plate
This one is REALLY helpful for me:  no mindless munching!  It's amazing how much more food I will eat when I'm mindlessly grabbing snacks and finger foods.  When I actually make myself a plate I have a clear understanding of how much I'm eating so I don't overdo it.  Plus, I actually feel it's much more satisfying and enjoyable when I'm eating my food from a plate than I do when I'm mindlessly grabbing food while walking/talking.  

I hope you found these tips helpful!  Just remember, you have goals that are more important than a football game.  You can enjoy the action, the great company, and yes, even the game day snacks — without overdoing it!  

6 Tools I'm Using to Crush Goals in 2018

I've set my health goals for 2018 and I have high hopes for what's to come in the year ahead.  My health goals this year are a bit "softer" than years past since I'm not focusing on obtaining a measurable achievement (i.e. lose ___ lbs, get to ___% body fat, complete ____ program, etc.).  This year I'm focusing on improving my physical and mental wellbeing.  Some examples of my health goals for 2018 are: decrease stress, do more yoga, be more mindful/present,  eat more plant based meals and further experiment with intermittent fasting.

I'm feeling excited about tackling these goals HEAD ON.  But I won't be doing it alone!  I am going to be using the following tools to help me achieve my goals and become HEALTHIER and HAPPIER:

1.  Commit30 Planner
This is my second year using the Commit30 planner.  I just LOVE it because it combines everything I need: a simple day planner with separate life and work to-do sections,  annual goal/vision mapping for all aspects of life,  monthly goals along with 30 day "challenges".  I'm one of those people that has always set WAY to many goals for myself (I'm an optimist!) and it was very discouraging to see how "little" I was accomplishing.  The Commit30 planner only allows one goal per month, which you break down into action steps and one action that you commit to doing for 30 days.  It may not seem like much, but those commitments add up to big results over time! 

Visit the Commit30 website for more info.

2.  Beachbody on Demand
I've been using Beachbody workouts for about 4 years straight.  I just love the trainers, the quality and variety of the programs, and the convenience!  Beachbody on Demand (BOD) has been the best thing ever because it gives me access to EVERY program ever created by Beachbody, along with loads of new exclusive workouts.  Since my only option is to workout at home, it's extremely important for me to have access to both quality and a variety of programs.  BOD offers both of these things so I'm always able to challenge myself with new styles of exercise and I NEVER get bored!
The workouts are streaming (think Netflix, but for your fitness) so I'm able to workout anywhere, anytime, and from any device. Traveling?  No problem!  I can still do my workouts by streaming them from my mobile device or laptop.  Son takes over the TV room with his toys?  Not stopping me!  I just grab my laptop and move to another room!  BOD really makes it possible to say NO EXCUSES when it comes to fitness.

Interested in trying BOD or getting more info?  Click here to learn more and to activate your free 14-day BOD trial.

3.  Fitbit
I admit it.  I'm a Fitbit addict!  I love my Fitbit because it really helps me to get moving more during the day, which is important since I'm behind a desk for 8 hours a day.  I never realized how little activity I was getting until I started wearing a Fitbit.  It's so bad for your body and your health to be stationary for so long!  I have my Fitbit set to remind me to move every hour, so my activity has definitely increased and it forces me to take a "mental break" from work when I get up to move - which is also very refreshing!

I am constantly in challenges with my friends through the Fitbit app, which is a fun and competitive way to further motivate yourself to get more active.  Also I love using my Fitbit to track my quality of sleep (I have the Fitbit Charge with heart rate monitor).  Getting enough sleep is an important priority for me since sleep is such an important factory for physical and mental health.  Now that I can track my sleep with the app I can easily see if I'm not hitting my sleep goal so I can take steps to catch more zzz's.

Click here to visit the Fitbit website.  If you have a Fitbit add me as a buddy!  My account is listed under the email fabfitfunjen@gmail.com.

5.  Shakeology
I started drinking Shakeology in March 2014 and have been hooked ever since because I immediately noticed it made me feel great, improved my digestion, curbed my cravings and overall helped to expedite my results.  For years, I always had my shake for breakfast because it was healthy, convenient and kept me full through the morning.  However this fall I've really fallen in love with intermittent fasting so I actually don't eat "breakfast" anymore.  Usually my first meal is between 11-1pm so I often start my eating with my lunch meal.  My hunger has greatly reduced with intermittent fasting so I could actually go without having my shake... if I were using it to manage my hunger and/or lose weight.  It DOES help with that, but since I'm beyond those challenges, my main goal for having my daily shake is for the health benefits.  I consider Shakeology as my daily vitamin.  I make sure I have it DAILY because it delivers massive amounts of nutrients, antioxidants, prebiotics, and digestive enzymes - all in one easy to make and delicious shake.  And best of all, these awesome nutrients and minerals are coming from the whole food ingredients.  So there's no added (and synthetic) nutrients and minerals added in any of the Shakeology formulas!  To understand why this is so important, listen to why this doctor loves that Shakeology is derived from whole foods: click here for video.

To learn more and/or purchase Shakeology (included a 7 day sampler package) click here to visit my Shakeology site.

6. 10% Happier App
I have been using the 10% Happier app to help me further develop my mindfulness skills.  I love this app for it's simple approach to meditation.  The tag line for the app is "meditation for fidgety skeptics", and that is truly what it is!!   I tried meditation on and off for years and I always hated it.  I felt like my skin was crawling just trying to sit still and insisted my mind was "too busy" to be good at meditate.  The awesome meditations in 10% Happier help taught me that meditation is not about clearing your head, it's about becoming more mindful and present... which results in having more control over thoughts, behaviors and emotions.  Since I started consistently using this app over a year ago I've become very comfortable with meditation.  Even though I'm hardly ever able to "clear my mind", I've noticed benefits from my practice such as becoming more mindful and present, controlling bad habits such as emotional eating, and having better control over my thoughts and emotions.

You can get a free 7 day beginners meditation course in the 10% Happier app.  Search your app store to download 10% Happier and learn more.

I'm confident that these tools are going to help me achieve my health goals for 2018 and beyond.  What are you using to help you achieve your goals this year?  Share in the comments below!