TIP #3 on SURVIVING the holiday season: Keep Working Out

TIP #3 on SURVIVING the holiday season:

KEEP WORKING OUT
As the holiday season approaches, I want to encourage all of us to continue our workouts. Our eating may waiver (A LITTLE), but working out should remain consistent. Our bodies need that 30 minutes a day for more than just to lose or maintain weight; we need it for our health. We have talked about exercise for weight loss, but let me give you a few other benefits.

REGULAR EXERCISE
1. Helps you sleep better
2. Causes you to continue burning calories AFTER you exercise (specifically as you build muscle)
3. Improves mood
4. Puts “the spark” back in your marriage (if you get my drift…LOL)
5. Reduces stress and anxiety
6. Improves energy and endurance
7. Helps you meet new people
8. Decreases chances of many health conditions and diseases


Over the course of the holidays, consider changing up your exercise routine. Pick up some weights. Try a hula hoop! If you’ve been walking, pick it up a little by jogging a block. Try to be as active as you can with the family. Instead of sitting on the couch watching football after your meal, invite the family outside for a backyard game of football. (I have wonderful memories of playing football in the backyard with my family).
We are all probably going to be eating more than usual over the next few months, even if we make it a priority to be careful. Remember that you can’t undo what you eat through exercise. However, if you eat more and stop exercising, you will almost certainly gain the weight back and feel sluggish, tired, bloated, and probably horrible.


Finally, try to think of simple ways to incorporate exercise into the busy holiday season. Park farther away at the mall. Dance around the living room with your kids to Christmas music. ( I actually just did this with Jonah and made a point to do squats and throw him up in the air. I was totally winded and sweaty by the time I was done!) Sign up for a Turkey Trot. (One of my best friends does a turkey trot every year as a family tradition). Go for an evening walk and look at Christmas lights.



Don't give up on your workouts this holiday season! Make it happen, Captain!!!

(Ideas from WebMD were used in this post)

Tip #1 on SURVIVING the holiday season- Maintain 80/20 Eating

Tip #1 on SURVIVING the holiday season:

MAINTAIN 80/20 EATING

We have mentioned 80/20 a lot in this group, but some of you may still be foggy on what it means exactly. The rule is pretty simple: 80% of the time you eat totally on track with clean healthy meals and correct servings sizes, 20% of the time you are free to indulge as you please.

I have adopted the 80/20 rule, or so I think I have. But as I thought about it, I wanted to get a little more specific as to what that looks like, so I did some math. Here is what it boils down to:

-If you eat 3 meals a day (21/ week) (which I hope no one is doing) -4 meals per week can be “cheat meals”

-If you eat 5 meals per day (35/week) -7 of your meals can be “cheat meals”

-If you eat 6 times per day (42/week)- 8 of your meals can be “cheat meals”

That breaks it down a little bit more for me. At first I was thinking, “Wow, 8 meals per week can be cheats,” however, I still have to look at myself and be honest. That only refers to if I’m eating six portion controlled, balanced meals per week. So….the handful of cereal I grab-cheat, the 5 chocolate chips I grab-cheat. I have a tendency to use this rule to mean, “I mostly eat healthy but sometimes I don’t”, and I think that way of thinking is too vague. Now that I know the actual numbers (and you do too), hopefully we have a clearer understanding of what the means.

The rationality behind this rule is that trying to eat completely healthy 100% of the time is virtually impossible and let’s be honest…BORING! It’s a good way to find yourself binge eating jars of peanut butter and Oreos in the middle of the night.   Eating healthy is a mental game. If you tell me I have to eat healthy always and I can NEVER have a treat, I’m out. BUT…if I know that I need to skip the Dunkin Donuts that pop up 3 mornings at work this week, but I can go out for my favorite ice cream Friday night, I’m all in. They key with 80/20 eating is to be honest with yourself. Are you really eating 80/20, or is it more like 60/40…or even 50/50?

Here is something else to consider. 80/20 eating probably isn’t going to make you lose. It may at first, especially if you have a lot of weight to lose, or if you weren’t really watching at all, you will lose on 80/20 for awhile. But once you get down to those last pesky pounds, you are probably going to have to go really strict for a short time to get the weight off. 80/20 is a LIFESTYLE rule and it is perfect for maintaining a
healthy weight, a healthy body, and a healthy mind knowing that you can still indulge on occasion.

On a side note, 80/20 is my goal for the holiday season. I’m not going to make myself miserable by not allowing myself any of the yummy treats that only come around a few times a year. However, if I see the scale start to creep up, or my pants starting to feel a little too snug, I know it’s time to reign it in a little and go a few days at 100% clean and portion controlled. Listen to your body and figure out how it responds to certain foods. Following the 80/20 rule is a great goal for surviving the holidays without ruining your progress!

IT's ‪#‎MotivationMonday‬.

Those College Jeans..

For my #MotivationMonday, I have to post my “college jeans picture” THOSE JEANS...

These jeans are my all time favorite jeans. I bought them in college when I was running 40-50 miles per week on the xc and track teams. I wore them throughout college and for about 2 years after college and slowly but surely, they ended up moving towards the back of my closet as they got a little more snug each year. Finally, they didn’t fit at all. But I just couldn’t get rid of them. Getting rid of them meant defeat and I wouldn’t put up the white flag. Not yet. So…they hung in the back of my closet for F.I.V.E. Y.E.A.R.S. After having Jonah, I remember almost getting rid of them because I thought there was no way I could ever get back into them.

But then things changed. I started eating clean and exercising smarter instead of harder. I recently pulled them out and thought, just “what if?????” I nearly cried when I put them on. Not because I think I look great, (mom bod never quite looks the same:-) but because I have literally put blood, sweat, and tears into reaching my goals. I don’t post this to say , “Look at me.” I post it because if I can do it, so can you, and I want to help you get there. 30 minute workouts and clean eating. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it. What is hanging in your closet that you just can’t quite get rid of? Today ask yourself, just “what if” I could put those jeans back on again.

I would love to come along side of you and help you get back into those jeans hanging in the back of your closet. I'm accepting new members to my 21 Day Challenge Group starting Oct. 26.

*30 min/day workouts
*clean eating
*recipes
*sample meal plans
*support and accountability from other people going through the trenches along with you
*daily devotions
*option to replace 1 meal per/day with Shakeology

You have one life. Why not take the step to be the person you want to be? Contact me via Facebook or sign up on my website:


www.beachbodycoach.com/LESEYLER
(Click the link, then click "join") 

Taking the Leap

A lot has changed in my life over the last year. After having my son (a first child just about changes EVERYTHING about life), last September, I had a chance to stay home with him for a year. It was truly the most amazing experience of my life filled with sleeping in, all day in my pajamas, reading, snuggling, nursing, late nights, and L.O.V.E. It was definitely a year full of love for me.

 With just one child, and being home by myself a lot, I had a lot of extra time on my hands.  People say life with a newborn is crazy, but I didn't find that to be true. Life slowed down for me more than it ever had that year. I had a chance to spend time doing things I really loved. On top of spending time with my husband, Joe, and son Jonah of course, I spent  a LOT of time researching health and fitness, working out, experimenting with clean eating, and researching Beachbody programs and coaching. You can read more about my weight loss journey under the "My Story" tab. This post isn't about that. This post is about taking a leap of faith, in the hopes that I might even be able to fly.

Sharing my love of fitness, especially as a Beachbody coach is something I have been scared about for a long time. What will people think? Will they think I'm just trying to sell them something? Will they think I'm obsessed with my weight? Will they get sick of my posts like I get sick of other "salesy" posts?

I questioned and so I prayed. I believe that when God plants a desire inside of me, I owe it to Him and myself to at least walk. Walk through the door he opens. Take a risk. T.R.Y. Truth is, I'm not in this to make money. I have a good job, so I don't really care if people think I'm trying to sell them something because I know in my heart I'm not. I joined Beachbody because I LOVE their programs. I've seen results with their programs. I love health and fitness. I've, more recently, come to love clean eating. I'm happier, and more passionate about this than I've been in a long time. It's my hobby.

Before I became a parent, I use to wonder how/why parents would post and share so many pictures and videos of their child doing the simplest things. "Oh wow, your child smiled, or "Oh wow, your child ate food and is covered in food. Disgusting," I'd think to myself.  But then I had my baby Jonah, and I got it. When you love something so much, you can't help but share it. It actually just bubbles out of you. I get it now, and when I see those pictures or social media posts, I smile and celebrate right along with those parents. Coaching is like that for me. I love it so much that I have to share it in the hopes that I might be able to help even one person on his or her journey to physical and/or spiritual health.

So here I am. Taking the leap. Who knows? Maybe I'll even fly.