Clean Your Apartment & Workout Too Part 1

This post was supposed to simply be a workout that you can do at home, while you clean your place. Harmless, right? As I started writing, my heart opened up to another issue and that is really sticking with something, even if day by day the results seem small. I've seen so many examples of this with people I know recently, and apparently my heart needed to release it. Part 2, is an actual workout you can put into practice to make cleaning your house/apartment/whatever, fun and workout beneficial!

Often, I hear the excuse, "I don't have time to exercise." I myself often find myself thinking, "I don't have time, energy, etc to clean my space."

The truth is, we all have time. Maybe we don't all have 90-minutes a day, but we all can find 10-20-30 minutes a day to exercise and on somedays longer, if needed to hit your goals.

We can find the time.

But, you have to want it. You see I want to keep my car, purse, apartment, kitchen, bathroom, closet (need I go on?) clean, but the truth is, if I don't set this as a priority or treat it with importance, it happens infrequently. Yesterday, I dumped out my purse on my bedroom floor (in the middle--because ideally this means I'll pick it up faster). For me, this is how I force myself to clean, create an even bigger mess that has to be taken care of. Today I pulled out all the change and put it in a cute box and stacked up the dozens of receipts that had given my purse the resemblance of a trash bag....change needed!

So the above is a funny example, but how often do we treat our bodies and health this way?

"I'll start tomorrow." (no--tomorrow doesn't exist now--today is it)

"I ate a banana today (and kept all my other crappy eating habits). I was healthy today!" (be sure not to kid yourself)

Is your health/weight/food choices/workout decisions/stress management techniques/etc/etc/whatever you need to make yourself better, a priority? Or is it something you only handle when it becomes so severe, like the receipts flying out of my purse, that you only take action at crisis?

No matter what it is: moving your body more, stopping your ice cream binge, halting an addiction, speaking up for yourself more, believing in yourself, training for that half marathon you've always wanted to run, taking that dance class you've been terrified to sign up for....

Whatever it is for you, you CAN do it. You CAN step up and say, I'm all in to hit my goal.

You may need support.

I believe as humans we are designed to be in community and help each other.

Let someone step into your life and encourage you, challenge you and uplift you.

Do you need to dump so trash (old receipts) on your bedroom floor and day by day pick up the pieces? The trash represents past failures, negative people, your situation if you are unhappy with it.

Dump it all out and start fresh today, even if the changes seem insignificant right now. In my opinion, any change that you make for the better, is significant. I don't care how small it is (or how small you think it is). If you are trying to save up money and you put away $5 a day for 30 days, does it look significant? Not really. But if you weren't doing that last month and you continued to do this for 90 days, you'd have $450 (the cost of an iPad mini and some accessories!)

What if you did the same for your health? Just using exercise as an example, let's say you ran for 15-minutes a day (literally just a random example kind of/sort of equivalent to putting away $5 a day!). Let's say in 15-minutes, you expend 125 calories. In 90-days, you would have run 10,800 calories or 3 pounds. Maybe that's not a huge deal and maybe your goal is bigger. But look back 90 days, did you hit your goal of losing weight?

This example can be applied to any goal you have. Let's say you want to be able to do a pullup. If you start from zero and practice several times per week, over time you'll get to your goal--but it may take time.

Stick it out and know that the other side is positive and empowering!

By the way, this is soo not what I was about to post about, but it was on my heart. Part 2 is a workout that you can do, at home, while cleaning up your space!

In health & prosperity,

Monica

Monica's Pre-Race Food Tips

Next Saturday, I'm running the Rock n' Roll Half Marathon with 3 of my friends! I can't wait to do this race, because it will be the first race I've done since the life changing MCM in 2011! I did zero races in 2012 after running a marathon at the end of 2011, although it doesn't feel like it's been that long. Anyway, today I got this question from a friend who's running it too, and I thought it could be helpful for you, if you are looking at running a half or a full marathon in the near future. 

Question: What Should I Eat the Week Before the Race?   

Answer: Eat normally throughout the week, with foods that you know are neutral to your digestion. This week I've actually been eating a rather plant strong diet with lean proteins, like salmon or ground turkey breast. I like this type of diet because it makes me feel lighter, which helps running.  In general next week, I would say to stay away from foods that drag you down, like super cheesy/high saturated fat/fast food type stuff, but eat normally. 

The most important eating day is the day before the race. You'll want to drink extra water throughout the day and eat a dinner that is generous in healthy carbs. Whole grain pasta with veggies and a meat is a great way to go. My go-to the day before race day is actually Chipotle, because it's easy, no thought, and will give me a good sized portion of the right types of food.  I do brown rice, beans (sometimes), peppers, chicken, tomato, corn, and a little bit of sour cream and cheese. This preps me and gives me energy, but I would recommend eating it at least a couple hours before you go to bed, so that it can digest right ;-) On race day morning, I drink an XS (for the B-12 energy), a big glass of water and make myself a 2 egg, whole wheat bread, spinach and tomato breakfast sandwich with an apple. I also usually bring a ~200 cal protein bar to eat 30-min or so before the race starts. I find that because we are eating breakfast so early to get to the race, I am usually hungry by the time the race starts, which is not a great way to start. You may not need that extra bar, but it's good to have it on hand in case! 

This is how I eat, and what I've figured out for myself after a few higher distance races. You may be different. Figuring out what's best is all about trial and error.

The key with the pre-race diet, is to not eat anything new the day before or morning of, and really if you can help it, a couple days before. You don't want to find out on race day that your body doesn't digest "x" like you thought it would. Same thing goes for sports drinks, energy cubes or energy shots. I would recommend not experimenting on race day! Runner's diarrhea is a real thing :) 

You may want to run with water, but experiment with your method, before race day. I don't like to run with anything extraneous on me. I find that the water stations come up enough, but I know some like to have it when they want it. 

This is my non-scientific method for eating before a distance race. Feel free to comment with your experiences! 

In health & prosperity, 
Monica

Advice from the Naturally Unorganized--how to tackle your space!

If you are unorganized by nature, hear me.. so am I! I stopped reading organizational articles and spontaneously buying magazines with articles that promise an organizational solution a long time ago. Usually, in my experience (and please direct me if otherwise!), they are written by organized people! What?

Ok,  although my organizational skills get better and better everyday (this is a positive mindset insert), I still struggle with this issue daily.

For me, the common culprits are (in no particular order) are:

1. The constant everyday need to do dishes...seriously...

2. Laundry that goes from the dryer to being dumped on the bed to the floor and then gets stepped on for a week

3. The random sock that is under your coffee table... or in the kitchen...or sitting on your dining room table

4. A bathroom counter filled with non-daily used products, a toothpaste container that is out of control and a sink that could use some green cleaning spray and a turbo application of the paper towel

5. A desk that has anything piled on top from (and this is just my today view of it): bills, jewelry, products to sample or sell, slippers (this is unusual), gum, and a Christmas stocking (which may possibly definitely house my receipts--for tax purposes--for the month of January 2012)

6. Your car. Oh my. I don't get how the car can turn into a locker room, a kitchen, and a bedroom all at once. This week for me, was the most extreme. I won't go into details (but if you want to know call me!).

7. Your purse (or your backpack, or brobag...whatever you carry). It gets so crazy that you have a tough time finding your wallet, your lip gloss,  your smartphone, or anything and everything else that you pack in there.

Do we relate yet? If you're shaking your head, yes, keep reading. If you're confused or disgusted, stop reading, you're already organized (no offense--those who are going to keep reading might possibly envy you!)

We can't point out all the above craziness, without some solutions to take action on immediately. Let me be clear. I didn't google and find the above examples. I have lived them (and am definitely not giving you the full story!). If you are working on getting more organized as a naturally unorganized person...keep reading (then apply what makes sense to you)

Step 1: List it!
Walk around your living space and in each room write down everything that needs to be picked up, organized or fixed. And I mean Everything. No matter how miniscule it seems, if it pops in your head, write it down.

Next, do the same with your car. Write down things like, clean out the trunk, wash the floor mats, etc.

If you are self-employed or have an office or work space, do the same thing.

Step 2: Start with your living space!
While you may spend a lot of time in the car, if your living space is a mess, bringing things in from the house is only going to make that mess worse.

Look at your list and tackle the surface items first. For example, clear off your desk, do the dishes, sort your mail, dust your end tables and coffee table, etc.

Next, tackle what's on the floor. Just pick it all up and put it where it goes.


Step 3: The Car!

Option 1: Put trash in a plastic bag and throw away. Put everything else in the car in bags, bring it into your house, and leave it there for a month or two. If you don't remember/haven't needed anything from the bags in the last month or two, throw it away. This is the extreme way to deal with clutter and it's my favorite!

Option 2: If you are more conservative, do the same thing listed above, but then sort through the bags either all at once, or one per day for a couple days and put things where they belong.

Next, vacuum out your car, and clean off the dash and the console. If you must store things in the car (like me), buy cloth bins or a gym bag to house what you need and keep it in place. 







Personally, I've become bored with this by now (and I'm guessing if you're like me, you have too!). Start here. This process could take you a day, a week, or a month. Go at your pace. Keep going and master these projects, before moving on the other organizational tasks!

Would love to hear feedback from those who take this and put it into action!

Wake Up Well Workout & Goal Setting

By nature, I'm into setting extreme goals, like I'm going to run 5-miles every morning, only eat fruits, veggies and lean protein, read for an hour a day, pray for an hour a day, pick up a new client everyday, volunteer everyday for 4 hours, put $200 into savings every week...starting all at once...ready go! 

But... the more I learn and experience and practice, the more I understand that to move forward it's a matter of setting small, reasonable, achievable goals.  Why set a goal that is so ridiculous, you set yourself up to lose? Goals are meant to stretch you, but they are also intended to be hit. 

Many times, I have set up one of my extreme plans, only to falter on day 1 and really never move much past that. To move forward, you must set small, sometimes seemingly insignificant goals, and do the action consistently. 

Recently, I created a habit in my business of educating myself and taking action toward helping others achieve their goals, daily. It took me about 3.5 rounds of a 21-day challenge to become consistently consistent. Some days I accomplish way more than others, but the point is, I accomplish something everyday or am very aware of the fact that I didn't. 

Keeping this same criteria in mind, I decided to set a 21-day health goal. My plan is to start every morning with a green smoothie and the workout pictured. Now, I may have another green smoothie throughout the day, and 4-5 days per week, I will be doing my regular work out (right now training for a half marathon). But the point is to start my day healthy and active. 

Today is day two. This morning it was early and cold and I really wanted scrambled eggs. There is nothing wrong with scrambled eggs for breakfast, but that isn't my goal right now. I can have scrambled eggs for breakfast number two or even for dinner, but my goal is to start the day with a green smoothie. I made a delicious smoothie with spinach, a banana, mixed berries and a tablespoon of almonds. It was delicious. Already on day two, I almost compromised my morning workout, because I am running 8-miles later. But..I did it anyways, truthfully in the middle of writing this post. How can I write about this, if I'm compromising my own goals! 

Top Tips for Goal Setting

So the key is, set yourself up to do something doable. 

Make it something you can do regularly. 

Put the goal in front of you. 

Figure out why you are doing it and put a picture of that goal in front of you. 

Find a way to hold yourself accountable. 

Take action daily. 

Remember that you may not be perfect at first, but each day to renew and get better and better, until your goal becomes a habit as easy as putting shoes on before you leave your property.

Great books on this topic are: 

The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson

Imagine Big by Terri Savelle Foy (pre-order for May 15, 2013)

Single on Valentine's Day?

I admit, Valentines Day is not my favorite day of the year. Whether I'm single or dating on the day, I'm not a fan. I'm also not a fan of being negative, so don't worry, this turns positive soon! To me, Valentine's Day has become a crazy, commercialized, overhyped, and forced holiday. 

In my opinion, it puts pressure on couples (especially new couples), and I honestly believe it puts a ton of pressure on men, to prove through dozens of roses or expensive dinners out how much his woman means to him. In my opinion, its phony and forced, and not a true testament of love (if it's not done other days of the year too!) 

On the flipside, for single people who don't want to be single, it's an in your face reminder of your relationship status (including a constant pictorial of hearts, flowers, teddy bears and all things pink and cuddly!)

These have been my feelings on the holiday since I could spell Valentine's Day :)

This post was inspired by my good friend, Debra Floyd, a fellow entrepreneur & personal shopper, who this year decided to focus her attention for Valentine's Day to single people and the concept of Pamper Me. Debra wishes to encourage single people to treat themselves to something nice on Valentine's Day, whether it be a massage, a new gadget, a new watch or piece of jewelry, or simply a set of new body lotions. I love this idea! Debra is taking it a step further, using her personal shopping skills & expertise, and helping ladies and gents who are single, find the perfect gift for themselves for Valentine's Day!

Loving it (way more than anything else to do with Valentine's Day!)

So single people, I invite and encourage you to do yourself a favor for Valentines Day & treat yourself to something nice :) If you need help figuring something out, email me (I already know what I'm doing!)

In health & prosperity (and to my only post on Valentine's Day),
Monica

21 Day Challenge

How many times have you heard that it takes 21 days to create or change a habit? How many times have you heard that and been frustrated. Yeah..me too!

But can I tell you, it's true.

There is something about committing to an action for 21 days that is manageable and doesn't feel like something that's necessarily a life change (even if deep down we want it to be). I mean 21 days is less than a month, it's only 3 weeks. You can do anything for 3-weeks right?

Right!

Your 21-day challenge can be anything! It could be:

I'm going to wake up every morning and tell my spouse I love you and then drink a huge glass of water

I will exercise 30-minutes a day, no matter what

I will eat fish 3 times per week

And on and on and on.

There are so many goals, I cannot begin to delve into all the options available for you.

The key is pick something that works for you!

If you'd like a specific guideline that I have been sharing with several friends, click over to Workout Foodie (my food blog) and read the specifics for a 21 day exercise and simple food plan that anyone can follow!

Comment or send me an email if you are participating!

6 Ways to Up Your Veggies without Going Crazy!

I'm avoiding the obvious ideas in this post, like eating a big salad once per day or  gnawing on celery instead of chips. You know this already. I want to help you find ways to include veggies in your diet that you may not have thought of..

We all know veggies are important right? But do you really get enough every single day? It can be tough if you are just getting in the habit, but I tell you...once you do, you will miss your veggies if you don't get them! 

Not sure how much is right for you? Check out CDC's calculator for your recommended fruit and veggie intake based on your age, gender and activity level.


Here are the top 6 ways I have used to increase my fruits and veggies: 

1. Buy veggies! I know this seems obvious, but seriously...have you ever filled up your basket without going through the produce section? Start in the produce section and pick simple veggies to prepare or eat, like green or red peppers, broccoli crowns, baby carrots, baby spinach, or tomatoes. If you're not into veggies, buy something to dip them in, like hummus or a low-calorie dressing.

Frozen veggies are a-ok too. Next time you make a soup or chili, throw in some edamame, spinach, okra, or frozen peppers and onions. When making pasta or rice, throw in a handful of veggies.

2. Make smoothies! Now if you don't like veggies, I know the idea of a green smoothie sounds nasty, but trust me, you can't taste the veggies if you mix in the right stuff.

Start with 1 handful of any greens and a handful of shredded carrots and a 1/2-3/4 cup water in the blender. Blend! Then add in strawberries, blueberries, or pineapple, along with a scoop of yogurt or 1/4 of an avocado. Add in a smidge of your favorite extract like vanilla, almond or orange. Blend and enjoy!

3. Make pasta sauce! I find that veggie "haters" are often pasta lovers! Make your sauce into a 1-3 servings of veggies, without sacrificing your pasta. Using your trusty blender, combine 1 tomato, 1 handful or spinach or kale, 1 handful of fresh parsley and the juice from 1 lemon, along with garlic, 2T parmesan cheese, and pepper. Blend until chunky or smooth and serve over pasta!

4. Get it through juice! A good friend and colleague of mine,  happens to be the Registered Dietitian for BluePrint Cleanse, a rockin' company that purely manufactures juices from raw and organic ingredients. It's ridiculous. She has been giving me all sorts of positive info on the benefits of juice, and while I was once a skeptic, I am now a believer in the benefits! Their green juice contains 6 pounds of produce and it feels like you are committing food sin when you drink it! It's delicious. If you truly hate fruits and veggies, try drinking 1 green juice a day. You can get BluePrint at your local Whole Foods.

5. Snack on 'em!  Seriously, it's so easy to snack on veggies! You just have to buy them at the grocery store! These days, even if you hate chopping, you can buy pre-cut veggies at your local supermarket...there are no excuses! My favorite ways to sneak veggies in is: carrots or sliced peppers with hummus, a quick saute of spinach and olive oil, or a quickly blended gazpacho made with tomatoes, tomatillos, cukes, vinegar, oil and spices.

6. Supplement! Now a fruit and veggie supplement is just that...it augments your healthy diet. I do not recommend taking a fruit and veggie supplement and not eating vegetables. This is a way to ensure that you are getting all the nutrients you need, as you consume a healthy diet. This is the one I recommend!