HOW TO: be consistent in the winter

it's getting cold and it's the holiday season and it gets really difficult to keep on track with eating well and workout schedules get thrown off and it's dark ALL THE TIME so it feels impossible to get out of bed. 

so HOW ON EARTH are you supposed to stay on track with all that happening?? well, i got some ways to help you keep up your on your nutrition and fitness! 

1. Cut yourself some slack! 
   1. Seriously. Life gets busy and some days getting a workout may just not happen. If it gets to overwhelming to diet, get into maintenance mode and don't stress about tracking everything cause honestly it may be difficult to track food at family meals and work potlucks. 
2. Focus on mindfullness
   1. eat slowly and drink SO MUCH water. you can (and SHOULD) and enjoy all the friend and family get togethers, but that doesn't mean you have to over-indulge and feel bloated the whole holiday season. listen to your body and enjoy your holiday treats. just take it slow, and don't feel like you HAVE to eat any of these treats people are offering you.
3. Get your workouts in when you can. 
   1. let's be real, you likely won't have access to your home gym every single day of this holiday season. and that is OKAY. if you want to workout still, there are plenty of ways to still get movement into your day during the holidays. doing bodyweight HIIT workouts is a great way to get moving with minimal space and equipment. and don't be afraid to just get outside and get walking or hiking with your family. And beyond that, don't feel obligated to workout so you can enjoy your holiday feasts. 
4. Make your next meal a good one. 
   1. That means, yes, enjoy the hell out of your tasty holiday treats, but try your best to make your meal or snack following that something nutritious. eat the cookies or cake or whatever, but try to make your next meal or snack something that has a little more nutritious. there's almost always a veggie tray... grab something from there when you go back for a second helping. 
5. Keep yourself accountable.
   1. You know that this time of year means everything can be a little bit crazy, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't keep yourself on track. there are always a lot of excuses and more so this time of year, but that doesn't mean you should let yourself go wild. this is YOUR life so you gotta take responsibility and stick to your routine as much as you can, get up even if its dark, do some bodyweight workouts when you're on the road, and make sure movement is part of your day no matter where you are and what your day is like. 

There ya have it. :) Life is always gonna have obstacles and excuses and you're always going to have to overcome them to be successful in whatever you're doing. Keep on moving and you'll thank yourself later. 

Need a little extra help to keep yourself accountable? I am running a Black Friday/Cyber Monday deal for online training! Send me a DM on instagram or facebook or send me an email at tiffnessfitness@gmail.com to get the details! limited spots so don't miss out on this great deal!! 

HOW TO: "survive" thanksgiving

it's the holidays!! it means family and fun and so much food! which is great, but for someone trying to losing weight, trying to stick to a diet, or trying to be healthy in general the holidays can be overwhelming and stressful and just all together not fun. 

BUT it doesn't have to be like that. you can (and SHOULD) enjoy your holidays with your families and enjoy all the fun food that comes along with it!

first things first, don't stress about your calories on thanksgiving. seriously. it's one day. i know we have goals and you want to hit them but you don't need to be tracking every bite to be successful. (promise!) 

and on top of that, any weight you may gain the  next day is most likely going to be just water weight that'll disappear in just a couple of days! (seriously, don't weigh yourself on friday it'll just make you crazy). 

and there's a lot of posts out there saying just don't worry about it, but that's easier said than done, i know, cause i've been there. so it's nice to have a plan for the day so you don't feel overwhelmed by all the food and family. cause, tbh, it is A LOT. a lot of people (usually), a lot of food, and a lot of people asking you way too many questions about your life, health, weight, job, and/or anything else they can think of. 

so here's what you can do to have fun and not be stressed out and feel all bloated at the end of the day:

1) put the non-fried veggies and lean proteins on your plate first! then add all the fun fried foods!  (there are lots of tasty and usually lean options available in thanksgiving! turkey and/or ham and veggies all over the place) 

2) eat slowly and enjoy the fuck outta your food! (it takes time for your stomach to catch up and realize its full, so eat nice and slow and really enjoy your foods) 

3) wait 20-30 mins before you go back for seconds. (like mentioned before, it takes time to for your stomach to catch up)

4) eat your mashed potatoes, casseroles, pies, and cakes without stress!! (seriously!! stress doesn't help anything ever. enjoy TF out of all the food you eat on thanksgiving, pie included!) 

that's it. don't stress about your food and enjoy your time with your family and/or friends. when you look back on your holidays, you want to have happy memories, not remembering the food anxiety or some sort of other negative feelings. 

it really is only one day and it really won't ruin all your progress. promise! don't let nutrition and stress control your life. 

have such a wonderful thanksgiving everyone! 

HOW TO: get over your fear of the gym

gyms and the entire fitness industry can be highly intimidating, especially to those of us who haven't done the whole exercise thing before.

But the gym has become this really scary place for people just starting out there fitness journey. A LOT of people are genuinely terrified of going into the gym.

But why???

I've heard a few different reasons. 

1. afraid of people judging/watching them

2. not sure what they're supposed to do at the gym

3. just don't want to go to the gym 

SO how do we get you into the gym despite all of that?

Here's what you need to know: 

1. No one cares what you're doing at the gym. I know, that seems insane because everyone seems to be very concerned about other people watching and judging them. But, everyone is just there to get their shit done and get outta there. Promise. To be honest, the people who are watching everyone else the most are the people who are the most worried about people watching them. For real. I work at a gym that has body builders,power lifters, and bikini physique competitors and those people are just focused on their workouts and that's all. they do not give a crap what anyone else is doing. 

2. Most people don't know what they're doing. I swear. You know the whole, "fake it til you make it" saying? probably the most true at the gym. it does take time and practice to figure out the gym, so just know that not knowing is part of the process. so many people are just trying stuff out and hoping for the best. 

Here's what you can do: 

1. Take the gym up on their free first personal training sessions. Basically every gym i've walked into has offered a free first session. It may be framed as a fitness consultation or a free workout or orientation or whatever, but those sessions can be whatever you want it to be. if you do that session and tell the trainer you want to learn how to use some equipment or some sort of exercise, that's what those are for. take advantage of it and learn the lay of the land that way. 

2. make a plan. you don't have to wander around the gym aimlessly, and that seems to be a fear for most people. write it out, make a note on your phone, follow a bodybuilding.com program, or hire a trainer (hi!! i'm available, btw) so you can have a plan or program to follow while you're at the gym and not just going from random equipment to random equipment with no rhyme or reason. figure out what you want to work on for each day you're going into the gym and make it happen. 

3. get gym buddies or go to workout classes! if you're wary of doing the gym on your own, get a friend to be a gym buddy so you can workout together. And if you don't have a friend who will workout with you, go to classes and find a bunch of people who will be your gym buddies while also learning a bunch of great workouts to do on your own! every gym i've ever been to offers some sort of classes and they are a great way to get acquainted with the gym!

4. don't let what other people may think of you stop you from doing something you want to do. (and don't hold yourself back!)  if you just don't want to go to the gym, figure out WHY. if you are afraid of people are judging you, fuck those people. go get your gym time in and hit your goals be the badass you were meant to be.

STILL pretty wary of the gym? If you're in my area (El Cajon/ San Diego) hit me up! Especially if you're a 24 Hour Fitness member, cause I can go to any of those and show you around and help you out! And if you need help making a plan/program contact me on facebook or instagram or email me at tiffnessfitness@gmail.com!