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Food, Drinks, Fitness & Campfires – Summer in Balance

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It’s possible, you know. It’s possible for you to have an incredible summer without throwing all of your fitness and nutrition hard work out the window. 

I’ve been talking to a lot of my friends lately about summer and our goal, mine included, was to get as fit as possible, eat as well as possibly until June 30th and then “take the summer off”. I mean, I would never NOT workout, that’s just ingrained in me from childhood. But, I still plan on loosening up my food regimen and I’m definitely lightening up on my drink intake rules.  

But, here’s the problem with personalities like mine. If we give an inch to ourselves, we run a mile…and that mile is filled with wine stops, chips, peanut butter cups, s’mores and a bucket of excuses as to why it’s okay to binge for two months.

“I work hard all year.”
“I’m tired and my body needs a break.”
“I’m camping.”
“I’m just going to have one.”
“It’s too hot out.”
“I need something cool to drink.”
“Oh, are those chips, I never have chips…NOMNOMNOM.”
And so on…

Summer is often a time when we lengthen our leash and permit ourselves to overindulge and get a little more sedentary.

No, not everyone. Lots of people use the summer to go on hikes, or bike rides, etc…and that’s amazing. We do that in our family, too. But, we also camp a lot, we like cold beverages, we adore campfires and all the goodies that go along with our campfires (hello peanut butter cup s’mores, I love you). And, by the end of summer, I’m wearing my “I give up dresses” (think mumu), I have little energy and I generally feel shitty about myself.

But, it’s time to remember that there can balance in the summer. Yes, while we do tend to have treats and more drinks than we typically do over the other 10 months of the year, there is a way to find the balance between “treating yourself” and “overindulging”…for months on end. 

Balancing Fitness

  1. Commit to a certain number of workouts per week. Write it down and tell somebody for accountability purposes. I recommend at least 3 sessions of, minimally, 30 minutes per session.
  2. Try something new. Summer is a great time to get outside and try new active ways of using your body.
  3. Get up and get it done. Summer is hot, hot, hot in most places and the “it’s too hot” excuse is rampant in July & August. So, get up and get moving first thing in the morning. Get it done. Then hydrate and jump in the lake.
  4. Have an accountability group. Sometimes all you need is a friend, or a group of friends, to help you stay accountable. There’s something about receiving a text from a friend who is already done her workout juuuuuust when you were thinking of not doing it. Friends help friends stay fit.

Balancing Food

  1. Prepare. You know summer is riddled with dips, chips and other bonfire goodies, so prepare. Cut up your vegetables and have them ready to go for quick snacks. Same with your fruit. Prepare healthy snacks and take them with you on your vacation.
  2. Try to eat every 2-3 hours, but also have 2-3 hours where you’re not putting something in your pie hole. Summers get busy and for many of us we’re so busy taking care of others, we forget to eat or we just don’t get a chance. So, make sure you have healthy granola bars, apples and peanut, almonds, etc. at the ready so when your two-hour gap of no eating is up, you have something healthy to grab in a pinch.
  3. Substitute snacks. There are many recipes out there for healthy muffins, granola, pasta, etc that can be made healthy by removing sugar, decreasing salt and switching out ingredients. For example, switch to Greek Yogurt instead of your sour cream. Seriously…it’s good. There are ways to change unhealthy snacks and make them more healthy. They may not be considered a “health food”, but they’re certainly better than the full-fat junk you’ve been dreaming about.
  4. Take it easy. You’re allowed to have a few days of silliness and calories. But, you’ll notice a difference in your energy and take that cue from your body to get back on track. Have the chips. Have the marshmallows. And then don’t. You don’t need them for two months in a row. Find the balance between treating yourself and going off the rails.

Balancing Booze

  1. Moderation is key. You knew I was going to say that, right? Just because it’s hot out doesn’t mean you need a margarita or a beer. It really doesn’t. There are many non-alcoholic versions of your fav boozy drinks.
  2. Watch the sugar intake. While bellinis and lime slushy drinks are amazing, they’re also PACKED with sugar, particularly if you get the pre-packaged stuff. So, if you’re going to start up your margarita maker (best Mother’s Day gift EVER), try some from-scratch recipes and use fresh fruit and ice. Put it in a fancy glass and bicketty-bam…a cold, fru-fru drink just for you.
  3. Water. Drink it. For every drink you consume, have an 8 oz glass of cold, refreshing, hydrating WATER. Put some carbon dioxide in there if you want bubbles, or throw in some frozen berries for an icy, yummy treat. You really can spice up your water. I mean…it’s still water, so it’s not super sexy, but it’s healthy and your body will thank you for it all summer long.
  4. Swap out the beer and coolers. Go for hard alcohols like vodka or gin to combat the calorie-packed, sugar-coma-inducing drinks you typically lean towards. 

Listen…summer is supposed to be fun and silly and filled with goodness. But, that doesn’t mean you should let yourself go crazy. Balance is everything. I’m not promoting drinking in this article by any means, but I know it happens. And, I want you to think about the choices you make throughout the summer so I don’t have to pick you up off the floor and go through sugar withdrawals in September. 

Take care of yourself over the summer. Your body deserves that. But balance is everything. Overindulge a few days, sure, but then treat yourself to water, fruit, salads and goodness. Balance, baby. Find your body balance this summer.

If you’re looking for balance, I created Sip & Sweat. It’s a weekly email you’ll receive ALL about balance. I provide weekly recipes for summer cocktails (that’s one side of the coin) AND a workout you can do each week (the other, more balanced side of the coin) to combat your boozy side. So…if you haven’t joined Sip & Sweat:

CLICK HERE!!!

 

Have a great summer, Mamas! I’m here if you need me. Always! 
 

When Sledgehammers Meet Scales, Magic Happens

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How can I possibly capture the emotional moments of women unleashing their strength and power in writing? It’s daunting and overwhelming, but I’m going to try to give justice to the energy and love that was felt during the Hot Mama Scale Bash Celebrations. 

It was last summer that I woke at 3am with the idea of creating a program where I combined fitness, fitness education and self-love exercises to help women learn to accept and love their bodies as they are. I landed on finally calling the “self-love” exercises “Love Yourself More” and they’re an integral part of our 8-week Screw the Scale (previously Screw Skinny) program. It is the combination of fitness and Love Yourself More exercises that make this program completely different than anything you’ve ever tried before.

I also thought it would be ridiculously amazing to offer an event where women could take back their power from the scale by bashing it with a sledgehammer. I wanted to give women the opportunity to smash (literally) a piece of equipment that has more often than not created heartache, self-loathing and body image despair. So, I created our Scale Bash Celebrations where we literally take a sledgehammer to scales and unleash the power we have within ourselves.

I saw a void in the fitness industry and I wanted to create a new, ground-breaking, self-loving fitness program. A lot of people workout to look better, fit into their jeans or lose a designated amount of weight. And, unfortunately, we’re heading into a season where we’re about to be inundated with getting “bikini-body ready”. That kills me. Every time. I needed to change that. 

Think about it: does the fitness program you’re currently on remind you to love your body? I’d hazard a guess that for the most part, that’s not the focus.

So, what about the work that has to go into accepting your body the way it is? Sure, let’s get fit and healthy, but perhaps we, in the fitness industry, also need to provide tools to help you learn to accept your body in its healthy form. That may not look like what the media images show us. That may look jiggly, wiggly, skinny, boney, muscley, not muscley, dimply or sleek. Health and fitness can come in all shapes, sizes, curves and glory. We need to start embracing and loving all silhouettes.

Why are we not teaching that? We were missing the point. 

But not any longer.

When sledgehammers meet scales, magic happens and programs like Screw the Scale can help us move past the numbers and towards self and body-love. The good news? I’m not alone on this mission, I have a band of women teaching this right along with me. 

About 100 women participated in our 8-week Screw the Scale program and I wish I could explain to you how humbling it is to hear how a program that came from my heart has impacted so many women. When I get pulled aside and told that this program helped you become a more patient, more energized, more loving Mother or that you can finally look in a mirror and love yourself, please know I am so grateful for your words. Your words are why I do what I do. Your words constantly inspire me to do more, give more.

Knowing that you’re taking the time for fitness and putting your health and self-love on your priority list is a beautiful thing. Learning that you’re happier, healthier and teaching your kids about the importance of fitness and body acceptance, well, that’s everything to me. So, thank you.

It’s beyond humbling. It’s beyond stunning. It’s beyond all my far-fetched dreams and expectations. 

So, How did the events go? Well…there were sledgehammers, scales, workouts, cheering, laughing, crying. There were so many emotions and so much love at each of the three events, I left feeling breathless, inspired and humbled. 

The energy of women bashing scales is phenomenal. Powerful. Beautiful. Even in the smaller groups, the energy put through the sledgehammer into the scale was exciting and…riveting. It went beyond the physical smashing and many women had a serious cry sesh shortly after. If we can help women step off the scale and learn that they’re so much more than that stupid number, I will celebrate and #dancedammit for the rest of my days. 

Trust me when I tell you that you’re worth it. You have strength. You have power. You are not defined by the numbers on your scale. I will help you raise your sledgehammer to your scale and bash it with the beauty and strength you have inside of you. Screw the scale, Mamas…you’re so much more than a number. 

 

Wanna know the coolest part? Me and my Hot Mamas…well…we’re going to continue pushing you to love yourself. This program will be offered at a franchise near you, just check in with them! And, if you don’t have a Hot Mama franchise near you (you should buy one), our online Screw the Scale program will be launching on May 4, 2017. So, keep watching for the magic…it’s coming.