21 Healthy Thanksgiving Swaps!

It's officially less than a week until Thanksgiving!!  Can you believe it?  I don't know about you, but I feel like the last 3 months of the years always fly by.  And if we aren't careful, our health and fitness is the first thing to go!  Did you know that people on average gain 8-10 pounds between Halloween and New Years?!  Crazy right?  But what if we decided to be more intentional with the way that we treat our bodies the next couple months?  Could we actually end the year in better shape instead of in worse shape?

The answer is of course YES!!  It just takes being more intentional with what we are eating, planning ahead, and making our workouts a priority! Just because it's the holidays, doesn't mean that you are LESS important.  If anything, this time of year it is more important to take time for YOU!!  We are constantly running around, buying gifts, going to parties, cooking meals and if we aren't careful we can get run down.  So I challenge you to give yourself 30 minutes a day to better yourself!  Take a walk, do an at-home workout, stretch, or take an epsom salt bath.  In the morning, practice gratitude, plan your day, and decide how you want to show up in your life.  You guys, don't let the next few months go by without a plan for how you can enjoy.  This time of year is magical if we can just slow down long enough to experience it!

Ok, I digress....you're here for recipes, right?  So like I said when I started this post....most people on average gain 8-10 pounds from Halloween through the New Year.  But what if we could avoid that?  Our holiday meals are filled with extra fat, sugar and calories!  But what if we could make some small adjustments that would make a BIG difference?

That's why I wanted to share these healthy Thanksgiving recipes with you!  They are a variation of your holiday favorites but much healthier!  Plus, it's always great to have some new recipes to share with your families!!  So click on the link below to access the Beachbody blog and see 21 Thanksgiving recipes!!  You will love them!!

CLICK HERE: 21 Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes

But what about your fitness?  Are you ready to be more consistent with your workouts, but you don't know where to start?  I felt the same way a few years ago after I had my first son.  I didn't want to take him to the nasty gym day cares, but I wanted to workout again!  I was so grateful that I found these at-home workouts.  There are hundreds of options I never get bored and I'm always challenged.  There is something for everyone....cardio, weights, pilates, yoga, kickboxing, dance...you name it!  Plus the workouts come with a customizable meal plan and portion control guidance so I have learned to eat to fuel my body!  It has taken all the guess work out of my health and fitness!!

And the best part?  The community of women who in my virtual gym!  It is so fun to have that extra support and accountability even when I'm working out at home!  It has been a game changer!!  Our online gym membership starts at only $11 a month.  I bet we all spend more than that at Starbucks. Ha!   So if you're ready to take CONTROL of your health and fitness this holiday season, click on the link below and I'll help you get started!!  Even if you only dedicate 20 minutes a day, you can start seeing changes right away!  Can't wait to work with you!

CLICK HERE: Start your health and fitness journey TODAY!

3 ways to start living a healthier life TODAY!

Ok, I realize it's November 2nd.  It's a Friday, it's two months before the New Year, and the holidays are quickly approaching!  So why am I talking about starting a healthier lifestyle today?  Why aren't I waiting until things slow down and life gets more manageable.  Because we all know that it will NEVER be easier!  Every single day we can make an excuse for why we aren't living our best life now.  Every day we can continue doing the same old habits that aren't serving us.  And every day we can go further away from our goals.  So that is why I'm challenging you to just start today!!

Did you know that by changing 3 small things in  your daily routine that you can change your life?  I know that sounds dramatic, but I'm telling you it's true.  The most successful people make their health a priority!  In the book, "High Performance Habits" by Brendon Burchard, he talks about why optimizing health has to be a priority.  He has done research that show that exercise improves learning and decreases stress.  Stress actually decreases the ability for our brain to function! Crazy, right?  So not only do you feel stressed, you can't think clearly!!  Exercise can help you pay attention longer, think faster, and improve your performance!  Umm...I can't think of many other things in life that can have that kind of effect!!

I'm going to give you 3 tips to START  TODAY!  3 things that you can do that will increase your overall health.  Are you ready??



1.  SLEEP MORE!

 We are all tired and worn out!  And it's hard to force ourselves to sleep when we have so many demands in our every day life.  But I want you to take a hard look at what you are doing in the morning and night that isn't serving you.  Are you watching a few shows on Netflixs?  Are you mindlessly scrolling on social media?  

There are studies that show our bodies function the best with 7-8 hours of sleep.  You may feel fine getting 5-6 hours, but that's because you have trained your body that that is all it needs.  You have to start training your body to stay in bed for 7-8 hours.  Imagine how much more successful you could be if you gave your body an hour or two more to rest and recharge?

Do you need help going to sleep?  Well first, stop staring at a screen of any type an hour before bed.  The blue light in our devices actually trick our brains into thinking it's day time.  Second, create a bed time routine so your body knows when it's time to go to bed.  We do that with newborns, so why don't we do it with ourselves? And finally, start reading.  Reading helps calm your body down.  But make sure it's a book you can put down...not one you are going to stay up until 2am to finish.  Ha!  ;)



2.  EXERCISE MORE!

Ok, you knew this was coming!  But you NEED exercise in your life.  Exercise improves brain function, improves your overall health, gives you more energy and decreases stress.  Start small.  If you are pretty good health, start with exercise!  Even 30 minutes of exercise 4 days a week can make a huge impact!  And make it easy to be consistent.  If going to a gym isn't easy for you, then start doing an at-home workout.  I actually use our online gym membership with hundreds of options!  I know that is the only way that I can be consistent with my 3 kids at home.  Consistency is key!

Another key thing, find an accountability partner!  You need someone that you can show up for!!  This doesn't have to be an expensive trainer.  Even working out with a friend will increase your chances of being consistent by 87%!  Can you believe that?  And if you don't have someone to workout with, reach out to me!  I host an online fit community full of ladies!  It's a great way to get that support and accountability when you can't go to a gym!!



3.  EAT BETTER!

This is so important.  You can not achieve any fitness goal without locking in your nutrition first!!  And this is especially important for people who are poor health.  Losing weight is often easier to accomplish when you eat better, then going to the gym 3 times a week!  So think about what small changes you can make this week!

Here are some easy tips that I recommend doing.  First, drink water and lots of it!  Aim for 1/2 your body weight in ounces daily! And drink 16 oz before every meal.  Eat 5-6 small meals each day...about every 2-3 hours.  This helps to increase your metabolism and helps you to maintain your energy throughout the day.  Finally, eliminate white sugar and white flour.  That change alone will make a huge difference!  Things like cookies, sugary Starbucks drinks, pizza, donuts, bread, pasta....those all foods that will not serve you!!  So cut them out!!

Most important, START  TODAY!!  Give these things a try....for the rest of the year.  Not just for a day, not just for a week, but for a couple months.  It can take time to adopt new habits!!  So keep telling yourself every day....I'm worth the effort, I'm worth the effort, I'm worth the effort.  Because you are!!

Need help getting started?  Message me at kelliegimenezfitness@gmail.com for your free fitness assessment and workout plan!  Let's do this together!