A few months back I enrolled in an 8 week Custom Nutrition Audit through the online virtual fitness trainer, Elevate Mobile Fitness. To be honest, I didn’t know much about virtual training and a little hesitant. However, I am so happy I did! If you aren’t sure what a virtual fitness/nutritionist is and you’re looking for an extra push to shed some pounds, then read on. I still implement some of EMF’s tips Every. Single. Day.
EMF’s approach is long term but realistic. Personally, I enjoy wine on the regular, eating out and sampling alllllll the foods and coffee life has to offer. This 2 month program does not make you change your lifestyle. It works with it.
If you are a busy body (like me) and enjoy going out on the regular, these 14 tips will be your best friend!
14 TIPS TO LOSE WEIGHT AND STILL PAINT THE TOWN RED!
- Set a consistent two-hour time frame for breakfast, lunch, and dinner each night this week and make sure you get a full meal sometime within each of those time frames
- Drink one full Le Croix water every night at dinner before having alcohol.
- Limit white flour and white carbs to one serving per day (includes white bread, pizza dough, white rice, buns, pasta, crackers, and pastries). Substitute multigrain or whole wheat items the rest of the day. Reason: Simple, refined carbs spike insulin and cause the body to store it right away as fat. (Hint—if you can’t avoid white flour, eat some veggies or other high-fiber food with it to slow the overall glycemic index of the meal.) We love this Cauliflower Pizza Crust recipe
- Consume at least 10 grams of protein before 10 a.m. (for example, two eggs, 1 cup of cottage cheese, 1 cup of plain unsweetened Greek yogurt with berries, turkey bacon or Morning Star breakfast sausages, a protein shake—I like Garden of Life RAW Vegan Protein Powder, etc.) Reason: It’s important to not let yourself get too hungry in the morning, but carb-heavy breakfasts (even good carbs like multigrain toast, to some degree) can lead to feeling hungry again right away. Protein will boost your metabolism and make you feel full.
- Order a big stash of Chocolate! Lily’s no-sugar stevia-sweetened chocolate bars to be exact. Sold on Amazon and Whole Foods. When they arrive, throw out or give away any other candy in the house. Reason: Lily’s chocolate bars are sweetened with Stevia, a natural zero-calorie plant product, and doesn’t cause spikes in insulin which leads to immediate fat storage. Having a good-tasting treat will help you feel less deprived, and eliminating candy from the house will help ward off temptation.
- Avoid alcohol within 1 hour of bedtime. Reason: Alcohol can interfere with sleep patterns, and going to sleep right after consuming alcohol means it won’t be metabolized optimally
- When you’re at the grocery this week, buy a bulk bag of nuts and a package of snack-sized Ziploc bags and portion out a small handful in each when you get home to always have healthy snacks. (It’s okay to get salted for now, just steer clear of anything sweetened or any trail mixes.) Reason: Having pre-made, on-the-go snacks will deter you from grabbing whatever you see that may not be healthy.
- Limit alcohol to no more than three glasses per day/night including weekends. Reason: More than 1 drink a night can lead to increased risk of chronic disease, so we’ll work on at least getting you down to a few. Plus the more drinks you have, the more you’ll crave unhealthy foods and feel less resolved against avoiding them. NOTE: I can do this during the week, but the weekends not so much 😉
- Try switching to almond milk in your iced coffee or cappuccino for one full week. I went from Whole Milk Cappuccinos to Almond Milk without a problem. I am obsessed now! (Can return to regular milk next week if you don’t like it.) Reason: Limiting dairy products when you can’t tell a taste difference is gentler on your digestive system, and if the almond milk is unsweetened then it’s lower in calories and doesn’t contain lactose (milk sugars) like regular milk. (Hint: Stick with real, full-fat cheeses though. They’re worth it in moderation!)
- Create a hit-list of healthy foods you’d like to always have on hand and have him/her pick these up every week. Reason: You’ll be more likely to eat healthy food if you have it on hand, and you’ll be more likely to have it on hand if you don’t have to invest extra effort in picking it up each week. (Hint: PayPal offers a debit card you can order in your assistant’s name and deposit money as needed into it directly from your PayPal account.)
- Pick two days a week to avoid alcohol altogether. (Do not have to be consecutive days.) Reason: You’ll learn to detect the difference between drinking because it sounds good, and drinking because it’s a habit. You’ll also give your liver a chance to detoxify more fully before the next time you indulge.
- Aim for two servings of vegetables every day this week (that aren’t sautéed in butter—a little olive oil is okay). Reason: More veggies equals more vitamins and minerals, better digestion, less waste product build-up, and more collagen in you skin!
- Aim for 8 glasses of plain or sparkling water every day this week. Reason: Now that we’ve stepped up from 6 to 8, you’ll be getting the adequate recommended daily intake of water.
Not bad huh?! Chocolate, wine and good food? Key to my heart. Even Sean enjoyed it. We now drink La Croix’s like it’s going out of style!
So how does it work? Glad you asked. First you track each meal, beverage, and snack in your downloaded Nutrition Journal for one week. You fill out every field every time you eat or drink anything (including water).
I must preface: if you want to make real changes forever, that actually work, this is for you. If you are looking to lose 20 pounds in one month temporarily, then you are barking up the wrong tree.
After 7 days, return your completed food journal for review by Mariah. She will then analyze your habits and send you 3 customized goals every week, for 8 weeks (aka 2 months).
There are tons of FREE BONUSES throughout the program, along with inspirational videos. Plus recipes and solutions for “not having time” to cook, grocery shop, etc. Guilty!
GIVEAWAYS!
The best part? Mariah is offering every single one of you TWO special surprises! Given she specializes in fitness and nutrition for busy professionals, she is giving you…
- A FREE trial to her new Boss Body Boardroom Program. Sign Up Here!
- AND a FREE 2-week trial of the Custom Nutrition Audit. (this is what I did!). Get it right here and my favorite part.
Do you have any tips for staying healthy on the go? Keep snacks in your purse? Limit your alcohol? Etc.? If so, I’d love to know!
{Image 7 by Christina Slaton, All remaining images by little ‘ol me!}
Nicole, you are rocking your new habits! Even better that it’s now been a little while since you finished…that means you’re gonna be healthy for life!
Great tips and I love your approach of limiting drinks and days vs. saying no altogether – it’s much easier to change habits in the way you suggest! Also, your pictures are beautiful!