They call it Sabotage!

Sabotaging Your Weight Loss?

It may be time to check yo'self befo' you wreck yo'self!!!! 

So if you are just starting an exercise program and kicking your buns into high gear to TRANSFORM yourself, make sure you change how you fuel your body so you can hit your goals! We all know the common nutrition mistakes, but do we actually take them to heart and MAKE CHANGES. Some common nutrition mistakes are drinking your calories OR eating too much post workout; these could be the reasons you can't lose the weight or inches you have been working so hard at! Don't get me wrong, getting fit and healthy isn't all about the scale or inches, BUT it is still an important factor! 

SO let's break down FIVE of the most common problems that WE are facing (because I struggle just as much as the next fitness journey!)-- and lets also figure out how to fix them! My hopes are that TOGETHER we can make the proper changes and CRUSH our goals and get on track to the results that we desire. 

Problem 1: You have no idea how many calories you're really eating

I commonly think that I can eat more on the days that I work out. More exercise = more calories right? BE CAREFUL! YES it is true that your body needs more fuel on the days that you are burning TONS of calories, but don't let that be your excuse for shoving food down your throat. If you are trying to lose weight, you may be adding on as many calories as you are burning -- or more! "Think about the food tat you are eating to FUEL your workouts and ask yourself hot it fits into your total calorie allotment for the day, " advices Felicia Stoler, MS, RD, a nutritionist and exercise physiologist. Don't you SUPERSIZE on the days that you hit the cardio hard?? Most of us have no idea how much we are really eating! I suggest having a food diary, not only for your intake of calories, but also how the food makes you feel before and after you eat it! Be honest with yourself, learn about your triggers and how foods make you feel after consumption. Every few months I revisit MyFitnessPal on my iPhone and track my caloric intake and output. I do this to remind myself about portions, what foods ruin my day, and this gives me a check up! I don't enjoy counting calories, and I do not intend to live my life counting every thing, BUT it is good as a reminder from time to time :) TRY IT!

Problem 2: You're hydrating with a sports drink

Sports drinks contain about 50 calories per 8 oz., and 14 grams of sugar (about 3.5 tsp.). Your body will most likely burn through all that in an hour long workout, BUT you will not be mobilizing your fat stores as much. YES, sports drinks will restore your electrolyte depletion but I highly recommend drinking a recovery drink instead of Gatorade. You are better off staying away from these sugary, processed drinks and sticking to water. Something that I have been experimenting with is Results and Recovery Formula from Beachbody. This post workout supplement will benefit you and your goals by:

         - replenishing your glycogen (energy storage) depletion 

         - Helps with muscle resynthesis with a high protein efficiency ratio 

         - AND has vitamins and antioxidants that will help with muscle soreness and repair and growth!

Problem 3: You're addicted to that pre workout snack

If you are getting enough balanced calories in your diet, the average person should have all the glycogen stores they need to get through an hour long workout, even at the butt crack of dawn! BUT eating something beforehand might give your performance a little boost. Skipping this pre workout boost though can help to teach your body how to mobilize fat stores for energy. There is an exception, you can run out of glycogen or blood sugar partway through your workout and lose energy. If you fee like you just ran into a brick wall, yeah that is what I am talking about!! If you need a little boost of energy half way through your workout, try eating 50-100 calories of simple carbs 10 minutes before you start. Half of a banana is your best bet! OR two great ergogenic aids would be a strong cup of coffee  OR E&E Energy and Endurance from Beachbody (I am currently drinking this while typing :) getting ready for my workout!). Eating right before a workout does not work for everyone, so play around with some different pre workout snacks! I know that my body does not work well if I eat within an hour before my workout so I opt for E&E as my boost. 

Problem 4: You're eliminating all carbs

I am in no way a fan of eliminating all of something, unless that something is processed and unhealthy foods, then definitely a fan!! hahaha Our generation is such a fan of Fad Diets that tell you to cut out something completely from your diet. This works if you have an allergy or you prefer to not eat meat. But your body needs a balance!! Balance is key in my life, in fitness, business, and pleasure. So many exercisers try to eliminate starchy carbs - whole grains, starchy veggies like potatoes- when they are attempting to shed some weight. BUT you aren't losing fat when you do this, just water weight! This strategy can back fire terribly… When you deplete carbs from your diet it means that your body has to tap into your lean protein stores for energy. Ultimately this can decrease your lean muscle mass! This comes full circle because your muscle is CRITICAL for upping your metabolism and burning more calories even while sitting down! In the end you will have a weight plateau. SO my lovely people, the lesson here is to not be afraid to incorporate whole grains and starchy veggies, IN MODERATION! 

Problem 5: You're not working out hard enough

PUSH HARDER!!!!!!! :) A recent study in the International Journal of Obesity looked at sedentary and overweight men who either worked out at a moderate pace for 30 minutes of completed a high-intensity interval workout for the same amount of time. Those who did the intense interval exercise ate LESS at a subsequent meal, as well as the next day. 

Ever come home from a run or jog to find that you are noticeably hungrier, consider upping your intensity in that run!! Not every workout should be an intense interval session, BUT fitting in one or two a week can help turn down that crazy appetite of yours! 

SO don't give up just because you are not seeing the results that you desire! Every body is different, and everybody will have to try different things to find what works for their body. Just know this: if you are eating clean and working out daily, you are doing AMAZING things for your body and you will see this compound over time. SO many times I gave up after 3 weeks of working out because I didn't have a six pack! HA! My exceptions were so high and my efforts were so low. 3+ years later, I still don't have a six pack….. BUT I have a better grip on who I am, what I am doing, and how to reach my goals. I hope this was helpful, any suggestions or recommendations would be amazing! COMMENT BELOW!

xoxo

Heally 

Resources: 

http://www.teambeachbody.com/about/newsletters/-/nli/297#326213425

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23835594

PS Please feel free to reach out to me if you need help with support, motivation, health and fitness. It is my goal in life to help others find their beautiful potential within <3 

Natural Remedies for Sore Muscles!

So sore that all you want to do is lay in bed all day watching Netflix? Me too!! 

I just got back from an amazing weekend of snowboarding. This is only my second weekend this season and 4.5 days total, so that means I am falling a lot, hurting myself, and using muscles I never knew existed!! My body is in some pain but mostly muscle soreness.

Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE feeling sore. Feeling sore makes me feel accomplished, makes me feel like I am changing, like I am STRONG. If I workout and don't feel sore, I know I am doing something wrong. The kind of sore that I don't enjoy though is debilitating soreness. The soreness that makes you NEVER want to do what got you there again :)

SO how do we nurse our muscles back to health without giving up our goals? Well here are some natural ways to relieve your muscle soreness.

Arnica

Arnica Montana is a yellow flowering her, it is often used to treat muscle pain, bruising, and sprains. I used to use an Arnica supplement as a child and now as an adult for my muscle pain. I am always amazed at its fast acting relief!

You can make your own Arnica balm, purchase it in gel form, or use homeopathic Arnica.  

Massage

Just writing this makes me want to go splurge on a full body massage!! OR make my boyfriend do it in exchange for making dinner AND doing the dishes… seems fair to me! ;) 

Massage feels good, no if and or buts about it! BUT it is also good for your sore muscles on a cellular level! Massage reduces certain compounds that cause inflammation. It also stimulates mitochondria, which aids in cell function and repair, according to this article from the NY Times Blog. 

If you cannot find someone to give you a free massage and you don't have the mull to get one whenever you are sore… who does?!?… then try giving yourself a massage! Another great tool for self massages is a FOAM ROLLER!! This has been my saving grace lately for my muscles and spinal health. Also, try giving yourself a massage with essential oils, this might blow your mind!

Magnesium

Magnesium can be found in Epsom salt or magnesium chloride flakes. You can add these salts or flakes to  a nice bath to soak your muscle soreness away :). Magnesium is a mineral essential for the body and a deficiency can cause a wide variety of symptoms including sore muscles! Who doesn't like a nice long bath after a hard day and a high intensity workout? Try making your own bath salts here….

Essential Oils

I am just starting to learn more about essential oils and the WONDERS they can have on your body and health! My mother always has her essential oils ready to go for WHATEVER you need, I always thought it was weird but I am now starting to retract those thoughts :D

Essential oils you can use for sore muscles include:

Birch: Analgesic (pain relief), reduces inflammation

Lavender: Analgesic, relaxes tension

Peppermint: Analgesic - avoid during first 4 months of pregnancy!

Marjoram: Relaxes tension - avoid if pregnant

To use - put 1 tbsp of carrier oil like coconut oil or jojoba oil in a small bowl, add 3 drops of essential oils. Use one oil or make a COMBO! Use this recipe to massage your sore muscles, VOILA, a natural way to ease your pain. 

Kombucha

BOY DO I LOVE KOMBUCHA!! We are currently attempting to make our own kombucha at home to save money and have it everyday. 

Kombucha is a fermented beverage with tons of benefits! Kombucha is a great detoxifier and helps to ward off lactic acid build up that causes sore muscles. This is a little bit of a pricey option but it isn't too hard to make yourself… What you will need is tea, sugar, and a SCOBY (the culture that ferments in the tea). Try this recipe here!

Movement

So when you use your muscles in a NEW way, your muscles get a surprise workout and they are not used to it. When you step outside your normal routine, or start from scratch when your body is used to sitting at your desk all day. You WILL feel it the next day, and in most cases even worse the day after that. Soreness at the beginning of a new routine can sometimes discourage a lot of people to quit or push back the next workout. THIS WE CANNOT HAVE!!

We must PUSH past this initial soreness because if you let soreness get in the way of your progress, you will NEVER change. One way to remedy this pain is to KEEP MOVING! It might not feel like the right thing to do, but it can actually HELP your muscles to loosen up and feel better faster. Just remember to move slowly, maybe do an extra stretch or yoga session that day. 

Ice

Ice can help reduce pain and inflammation. Sometimes, ice can be helpful for sore muscles. When you ice a sore muscle, be sure to put a barrier between the ice pack and your skin, like a thin towel! You should only keep the ice on for about 10 minutes at a time. Wait until your skin returns to its normal temperature before icing again. Repeat as needed for a few days! 

Rest

Sometimes the best thing to do is just REST. Don't beat yourself up for taking a rest day when your body needs a break! I am not saying to use this as an excuse every time you are sore, BUT please do listen to your body. This rest time can give your body time to heal so you can resume your activity. You want to push your body to change, but at the same time if you push too hard you can cause injury and really set yourself back from your goals. 

Be sure to ease back into using that muscle(s) slowly so you do not hurt yourself again. 

Today I have tried massage, movement, ice, rest, AND Kambucha and I am feeling the difference! :)
Another great option that I use daily is Beachbody's Results and Recovery Formula. When recovering from a high intensity or weight lifting program your body NEEDS vital nutrients to help you bounce back.

Beachbody's Results and Recovery (R&R) Formula is a Dextrose-blend formula for optimum glycogen replenishment….. in English that means it is replenishing the natural sugars in your system. R&R offers a high Protein Efficiency Ratio (PER) blend to provide the critical building blocks for rapid muscle resynthesis, AKA rebuilding the muscle fibers that break down during a workout. R&R is filled with vitamins, including antioxidants, to help reduce muscle soreness and assist in repair and growth! I drink it every day, within an hour of the end of my workout…. I wanted to test out the product to see if it ACTUALLY helps reduce muscle soreness, and it truly does. Check out more info on Results and Recovery Formula HERE!

Good luck with your sore muscles, I know your pain!! BUT HEY, no pain no gain right??

The pain you feel today is the STRENGTH you feel tomorrow. For every challenge encountered there is opportunity for GROWTH.

What are your favorite ways to reduce muscle soreness? Post or comment below!


Inspired by http://www.diynatural.com/natural-sore-muscle-relief/ << great blog for DIY natural cleaners, food, health and beauty!