Tired of hopping on the weight loss wagon only to fall off three days, weeks or months down the road?  I know how frustrating that can be because that was my LIFE for almost 2 years straight.

I would become fed up with how I felt, start or restart a diet, then fall off…HARD!

The fall was ALWAYS worse than the diet, because I struggled for twice as long to get back to my feet.

But here is what I was missing.

I was FAILING because I was pushing myself to extremes. I failed because I expected unrealistic terms of myself. I forced myself to live inside a box (A diet) that was unsustainable, and that was SOLELY why I failed.  It was NOT because I, myself, was a failure, though it sure felt that way. It was the method I was using to reach the goals I strived for.

How do you stay on the wagon? You REMOVE the wagon entirely. It is about BREAKING the belief that there is an on/off switch of when you follow your diet or begin a workout routine.  Take away the exit door,...

Maybe you were a competitive athlete in high school, but haven't trained in a few years. Maybe you have been doing home exercise programs for a while and need to  switch up your routine.

Regardless,  hitting the gym can be intimidating to say the least.

I didn't see the inside of a gym until my freshman year of college, and even still I stuck to the group fitness room and the back row of treadmills. The goal was to just get in and out and avoid public humiliation. If someone asked me, “Would you ever be a personal trainer, fitness instructor, or have no problem walking into the gym and making a fool of yourself.” I would have said, “NO WAY!”

Over the years, though, I have picked up a trick or two when maneuver the gym scene and have built up the confidence to go alone. Today, I want to share FOUR of the biggest strategies that helped me overcome the intimidation factor and get comfortable in the weight room.

1.  Go at an OFF Hour.

If...

I never saw the appeal for coffee, maybe it was the smell or the taste that I couldn't get past, regardless I still to this day haven't had a cup.  I have, however, always been a fan of green tea, so when I came across Match, I found my morning GO-TO. You may just want to check it out once you hear all the incredible benefits of this extremely popular green drink!

So, what is Matcha? Matcha is powered form of green tea that comes from the Camellia Sinensis plant. The leaves are ground up once the stems and veins have been removed and the resulting product is known as Matcha. One of the most beneficial aspects of the process of creating this tea is the abundant amount of nutrients obtained from utilizing the entire tea leaf, and the resulted increased amount of caffeine and antioxidants produced.

High In Antioxidants

Matcha is extremely rich in antioxidants, about 137x the amount of a regular cup of green tea. Not to mention just 1 cup of this...

When I was first attempted to lose weight and burn fat I immediately began with counting my calories. Looking  up "How to lose weight" online and the advice mainly says it's calories in versus calories out, a simple, easy to understand method. Burn more calories than you eat and bam…you will lose weight.  Unfortunately it is NOT that simple. Assuming that you can alter the amount of calories you consume, and then your body will respond with linear weight loss is well...one-dimensional.

Concentrating solely on the calories excludes two CRITICAL components that can have an effect on many areas related to our metabolism and weight - our personality and hormones.  One food that may cause inflammation for one person may not for another. Food that makes you feel full and satisfied, may lead to cravings for another friend. Every person is different and unique to their own wants, needs and desires. Our bodies, metabolisms, DNA, family histories, personal preferences,...

We've all been knocked down a time or two, but the worst thing we can do is stay there and wallow in self pity. Today, I want to share 3 key steps necessary to turn that experience around to propel you forward!

Step 1.  Understand it has nothing to do with your capability as a person.

Sometimes, events just happens! You get knocked down, the cards are stacked in someone else's favor, you make a mistake and you immediately start to beat yourself up about it. The first step is stop feeling sorry for yourself and accept it happened. It's okay to take a few days, or however much time you need to grieve or experience whatever the situation calls for, but once that wave of emotion is past, it's time to get back to work.

Step 2.  Review the Situation

Regardless of what happened, I truly believe there is a lesson in even the most painful of experiences. Once you have spend the time necessary to move through the pain of the situation, talk to family and friends,...

I get it, you want things to be done well, you go the extra mile, you have an all or nothing kind of personality. I’m the same way.  One huge lesson I had to learn, however, was that MESSY action is better than NO ACTION. In many cases, our efforts to be “Perfect” are the exact reason we aren’t seeing the results we desire.

Let me explain. Have you ever tried to go on a diet, you threw out all the junk food in the house, told your family, “This is it, starting tomorrow no more sugar,” then attempted to follow the plan to a T? You’re not alone.

Here is something not many coaches talk about. The PERFECTIONISM mindset that is HOLDING YOU BACK.

Why?

The moment you let your guard down, and proceed “Off plan,” you likely feel as though you have failed and before you know it eating becomes a free for all.

For Example: Instead of just having one cookie to sooth the craving, you binge on 12 of them because you...

Real results come from getting CLEAR on what it is you're working towards. Sure you can say "I want to lose weight," or "I want to be leaner," but at the end of the day, those are simply words. What you need is an action plan, so let's create one together! 

Habits are created from CLEAR goals.

How do we set clear goals? By getting SMART about our intentions!

Smart Goals stands for goals that are:

1. Specific (What EXACTLY do you want to achieve?)

2. Measurable (Put a concrete number or feeling with the goal, something measurable.)

3. Attainable (Ask yourself, is this a realistic goal I can achieve? Reach for the stars, but keep one foot on the ground.)

4. Relevant (Is this goal what you genuinely want to achieve? Does it makes sense to go after it NOW?)

5. Time - Based (Pick a date at which you aim to hit specific milestones. Even if you do not achieve them exactly as planned, you are actively making progress forward; which is still a success!)

...

Did you know that when we eat sugar we have the same brain response as activities linked to addiction? It's true!  When we consume sugar the brain releases dopamine which is a neurotransmitter associated with reward, pleasure, and happiness. It increases our motivation, including the motivation to seek out foods which give us a sense of happiness. HELLO SUGAR CRAVINGS!

When we think of sugar, sure we think of sweets and candy, cakes, pie, and baked good but sugar is more common than just in your morning doughnut or afternoon ice cream treat!

Below is a list of common places sugar is HIDING in your daily routines:

1.  Drinks

Sports drinks, energy drinks, smoothies, juices, sodas, sweet teas, fruit drinks.

2. Candy and Desserts

Cakes, cookies, pies, and baked goods such as pastries, doughnuts, brownies etc.

3. Cereals and MANY Breakfast Foods

Pre-make flavored oatmeal, frozen muffins, pancakes, waffles, yogurts and other dairy products.

4. Protein/Granola Bars, dried...