Goal setting, accountability, questions… I know what you’re thinking, “why do I need a coach? I can do this myself.” Really? Then why haven’t you done it yet? Why haven’t you not been able to reach your goals? Ok, maybe there were some serious challenges that have prevented you from reaching your goals, but for the majority of you, I bet you just simply derailed and strayed from the course. Try this: Take out a piece of paper. Write down your goals. Don’t just think about them, write them down. Without writing them down, they are only wishes and dreams. Once you have them written down, take a moment and study them. Are your goals outcome-based or behavior-based? An outcome-based goal is an end result you are striving for without really taking into account the process to get there. A few examples would be, “lose 10 lb” or “do a pull-up”. Those are fantastic goals, yes, but they fall flat when it comes to specific behaviors. That’s where behavior-based goals come in handy. Look at your list again. Are there any specific, measureable, behavior-based goals? These goals describe the necessary behaviors needed to reach your outcome-based goal. If your outcome-based goal was to lose 10 pounds, your behavior-based goal could be something like, “meal prep every Sunday for the work week”, or “go to the gym 5 times per week”. I encourage you to re-evaluate your goal list and set some behavior-based goals for each one of your outcome-based goals. Think of them as the baby steps you can implement to get you closer to your outcome-based goals. What now? Ok, so now that you have your goals written down, how do you keep from simply tossing them aside, continuing on, and feeling miserable? Well, either you’re an excellent self-motivator or, chances are, you could use a daily dose of motivation to keep you on track. That’s where coaching can help. We can help with the accountability portion of your goals. One of the ways a coach can help is by locating your limiting factors and implementing small habits to help you overcome them. Limiting factors could be that you don’t know how to meal prep, you don’t know how to lift weights, you don’t have time to do all of this, etc. We look to help you to take the right steps help to set you up for success. Dealing with new challenges Lastly, as you embark on your fitness journey, questions may arise that you didn’t have before and that’s normal! Your body is adapting and changing through this process. Part of having a good coach is being able to ask questions every step of the way! No question is a dumb question as you continue to learn and grow through this process. So, whatever your goal is, having a good coach can provide you with support, knowledge and motivation every step of the way! Click here to sign up for a FREE 15 minute coaching session with a trained morellifit coach, an offer that is worth $75. Just sign up and we’ll schedule your FREE session.
Brian Johnson is an expert nutritionist from Houston and he has once again joined me at Fresh Box to talk about the benefits of different foods. This time, we talked about what foods you can eat to help you eliminate that afternoon crash and continue to accelerate fat loss. These are two things that most people have tried to accomplish at some point in their lives. The Role of Water The first thing that Brian points out is that the majority of us are actually dehydrated and how water is the number one most underused macronutrient that our body requires. The reason companies like, Monster and Starbucks remain in business is because people are looking for that jolt, but they aren’t staying hydrated. Keep in mind that different types of water do different things and have an affect on the different types of feelings that you get. For example, having alkaline water that is restructured helps transport oxygen more efficiently. When looking to eliminate your afternoon crash, drinking more water is the first thing you will want to do. Water also plays a significant factor in fat loss. To learn more about water, check out our previous blog, on “How drinking water can help you lose weight…” Balance is Key The next thing you can do is to have a balanced nutrition program, like the ones we create with our Custom Meal Plans. Most people end up skipping breakfast and wait until lunch, filling up on chunk food and coffee and expecting it to get them through the day at full speed. The best thing you can do is to get someone to help you create a nutrition program to balance out your proteins, carbs, fats and vegetable intake. This will help with the way you sleep, your energy level, how your hormones function, and your stress levels. Blood Stabilizing Food When you want to avoid that afternoon crash while simultaneously boosting your fat loss, avoid sugar and fruit, as this is not what will best serve you as they will raise your blood sugar levels. Here are some foods you can be eating that will help you avoid the crash, boost fat loss and help keep your blood sugar low: Sweet Potato – This is our favorite choice because it has a protein that is similar to egg protein, the most bioavailable, or perfect protein, that you can use. This protein digests very slow, so it is great for people with diabetes or blood sugar issues. This is such a great option that I am currently working on a book all about sweet potatoes and their benefits for health and fat loss. Beans – While eating beans are really great, it is important that men don’t eat more than two servings of per day, as they have phytoestrogens in them that will slow or lower your testosterone levels. While this isn’t the desirable for men, this makes beans great for women, especially those going through menopause, as it will raise your estrogen levels, which are being depleted as menopause hits. As always, pay attention to how you feel before and after eating so you know what is working for you. Vegetables, such as, brussel sprouts, cauliflower and broccoli: These vegetable are very nutrient rich and very calorically shy, so if you are wanting to drop body fat, with these vegetables you can easily do a little bit more protein. Not eating enough can be just as bad as eating too much and this is where my Custom Meal Plans can help you find that sweet spot, saving you time and energy. Remember, water and staying hydrated is the key to avoiding that afternoon crash and accelerating fat loss and these three foods that are easily found at your local grocery store will help as well. Not only do they help you avoid the crash and lose weight, but they have many other benefits as well. Brian is full of great information such as this, so if you want to hear more of what he has to say, let us know in the comments. Also, don’t forget to ask questions and we will work to answer them.
50 SHARES ShareTweet Once again, I am joined by Brian Johnson at Fresh Box in Scottsdale, Arizona. If you are unfamiliar with Brian, he is a nutrition expert from Houston and has worked with countless celebrities all over the world to help them reverse various diseases. I am asked all the time what type of water is the best and how much people should be drinking to stay properly hydrated, and Brian is here to help me answer some of those questions. Are There Toxins and Acid in My System? Next to air, water is the most important thing that keeps us alive and when we are dehydrated our body becomes more acidic. The same thing applies when we are eating processed foods, breathing dirty air or drinking bad water…our bodies become very acidic. When our bodies become more acidic, all of our toxins get stored within our fat cells. When you begin to drink more water and become hydrated, your body raises its alkalinity levels and begins to push out all of the acidity. When we are toxic, our bodies will store subcutaneous water to dilute the acidity. So right there are some of the benefits of drinking alkaline water. How Does Water Affect My Diet? Depending on how many vegetables and what else you are eating daily basis, you may want to drink alkaline water. Of course, you will want to pay attention to how the water makes you feel. How do you feel before you drink it and how do you feel 30 minutes after drinking it? Water and hydration are very important, and as mentioned, most of us aren’t as hydrated as we think we are. If you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated. Also, our body often times confuses dehydration with hunger. So, drinking more water, especially if you are dieting, can help to curb food cravings, as your body may really be needing water, rather than food. Hacking Hydration: How Much is Enough? We’ve all heard the idea that we should be drinking 8 glasses of water a day, no matter who you are, but Brian and I both agree that the amount of water you need to be drinking varies person to person. It depends on who you are and how active you are. If one day you are more active and sweat more, you lose more water and so it only makes sense that you would have more water to replace than on a day when you weren’t as active. Again, pay attention to how you feel. When you are hydrated, you should notice a difference in your hormone function, how you sleep, and your stress and energy levels. If you found this information helpful and would like more information from Brian, let us know in the comments. Also, let us know if you have any questions and we will work to answer them. If you are interested in making sure you are getting your fill of daily vitamins and minerals, as well as eating for your fitness goals, check out our custom meals plans. If you like what Brian is doing, check out more over at www.thinkgreatloseweight.com. And if you want to get your own nutrition handled once and for all, check out one of our Custom Meal Plans.
17 SHARES ShareTweet I’m back at Fresh Box, my favorite place in Arizona. If you haven’t checked out Fresh Box yet, I highly suggest you do (enjoyfreshbox.com). I have them deliver my meals every day and I love them! Once again, I am joined by Brian Johnson, who is here to unleash all of his tools and secrets. Today, we are so excited to talk about the 5 foods that celebrities eat to help them look and feel ten years younger. Kimchi – How many of you have heard of kimchi? The truth is, your digestion is dramatically important and 85% of your immune system is located in our gut. Probiotics are vastly important to help your immune system and to help your skin stay nice and clean, and nice and young. Kimchi is a form of probiotics that contains ginger, garlic, and fermented vegetables. In fact, the Korean government actually uses kimchi and gives it to its government workers because they know it kills bird flu.Your immune system will thank you if you eat kimchi and so will your digestion. You will notice a difference in the amount of waste you excrete out of your body, which is very important. Less waste means less toxicity and less acidity. Avocado – This is the second highest detoxifier and is vastly important. The omega-9 fats are specifically amazing for our hair, skin, and nails. Cucumber – This is actually your most hydrating vegetable. Cucumber is also your second highest source of silica, which is responsible for reversing the onset of osteoporosis, most commonly found in women. Pomegranate Seeds – These seeds are important because they are your third highest anti-oxidant (açaí being the first and purple sweet potatoes being second), making pomegranate seeds great for your heart and great for your complexion. Broccoli – Your third highest detoxifier, and we tend to throw away the most important part: the stem. The stem is a potent source of glucoraphanin. Make sure you fully cook the broccoli, as when raw, it has the ability to slow down your thyroid, which you want to avoid, especially if you already gave existing thyroid issues. Hopefully, this provides you with the information you can use. These foods are the best of the best and what all of the Hollywood stars are doing to look and feel ten years younger. You can also sign up for one of our Custom Meal Plans and let us take the guesswork out of your nutrition. I have known Brian for a year now and here his why I trust him. Brian Johnson is 38 and began his interest in nutrition when he was 7. He has invested over 80,000 hours in this and works with the best of the best. He teaches people how to integrate nutrition, such as this, into their daily lives, teaching them how to work right, rather than work hard. When you understand why you’re doing what you’re doing, and you understand how to cater these things specifically to your lifestyle and how to integrate them, it’s not a matter of if, its a matter of when. Brain teaches and empowers people to feel good, have amazing energy and to show up at their best. If you liked this information, please do us a favor. Like, share and leave a comment below and we will work gather to answer them. If you want more collaborations like this and want to hear more from Brian, let us know so we can make it happen!
105 SHARES ShareTweet Today we join Brian Johnson here at Fresh Box, in Arizona, which is my favorite place to get meals. Today, we are going to talk about the top 3 detoxifiers that you can get right from your grocery store. Brian is an expert on nutrition, specifically on reversing diseases. He gets to help people with diabetes, Parkinson’s, cancer, AIDS, and all kinds illnesses. His gifts are understanding what foods do, and we’re going to share exactly what you can do from your local grocery store to massively boost your immune system for under six bucks. Here are our top 3 detoxifiers in order of importance: Asparagus – The top detoxifying food. As you’ve probably noticed, when you have asparagus and you go to the restroom, its smells a little bit more pungent and that’s because it is pulling the toxins out of your kidneys and your liver. It is also a diuretic, which means it is going to help you get more water out, so make sure you are staying hydrated. Avocado – This is your second highest glutathione containing food. What most people don’t know about the avocado is that you can take the avocado seed, blend it up in your blender (I recommend a 3 horse power blender, like a Vitamin or Blendtec) and make a powder from it. This seed is one of the most potent soluble sources of fiber that you can use to help with heart disease reversals, by clearing out the plaque, dropping cholesterol and dropping blood pressure. Broccoli – The most important part of the broccoli is the part we most often throw away: the stem. The stem has glucoraphanin, a vital nutrient used to help reverse illnesses. (BONUS) Shiitake Mushrooms – Massively important, as they contain beta glucans, The microphages in our immune system have receptor sites specifically for beta glucans, which can boost your immune system 500-600%. These mushrooms can help to drop your cholesterol and dilate your arteries, so it is great for getting blood flow. Add these into your nutrition program and watch how healthy you feel! I know what you’re thinking. Perhaps you don’t have a specialty grocery store, like Whole Foods or Trader Joes, but these are foods you can get anywhere, such as Albertsons, HEB, or even a farmer’s market, which is the best place. There is nothing exotic in this list, so you will be able to find them wherever you go and nothing is overly expensive. And even though it doesn’t exceed six bucks, how much is your health really worth? Often times, people only start to worry about their health once they begin to lose it and by then it is often too late. And trust me, being sick is much more expensive than the six dollars to take care of your health. If you want help staying on a nutritious diet, check out our Custom Meal Plans and we can get you set up with one of our expert nutritionists who will set up a plan designed specifically around you and your needs. Brian is from Texas, but if you love the information here, we will bring him back as many times as needed. Please don’t forget to share and leave us some comments below. Brian and I will work together to answer them. And as always…be patient, stay the course, and let’s get fit together!
15 SHARES ShareTweet Having gratitude is a sure-fire way to improve your everyday quality of life. It’s no question that gratitude can make you happier and mentally healthier. When stress arises in our lives, it’s easy to lose track of all the good things we have and just worry about the problems at hand. Adopting an attitude of gratitude year round can help alleviate the stress holidays have on us when they roll around. While we all look forward to the holidays, sometimes we know we are also looking forward to a lot of stress. It can be hard to take a step back from the chaos of organizing holiday traditions and remember what the holidays are really about. But holidays are supposed to be a time for giving thanks and appreciating the people in our lives. So how do you do that without losing your mind over all the small things that normally can stress you out and drive you crazy? Adopting an attitude of gratitude year-round, and especially during the holidays can be as simple as practicing a few easy steps each day and turning what could be a house full of woes and worries into something that you can truly give thanks for. Make these adjustments and practice them every day to help you adopt this attitude, not only through the holiday but also throughout your entire life. 1. Say, out loud, what you are grateful for and then write it down. Start your morning by doing this. Being mindful, taking the time each day to actually count all of your blessings, no matter how small, will help you keep them in mind all day. Knowing what you are grateful for is a wonderful way to focus on being grateful. Don’t forget the small stuff either. It all counts. Listing a thank you note you had received, or a chance to spend time with a neighbor you don’t see often is just as important to recognize as the big blessings, like your family or your health. Do this right when you wake up and take a few minutes to do this again before bed. 2. Show your gratitude. Making plans to thank people and show them how grateful you are. Planning to show gratitude makes you more likely to do it, and it also helps with remembering what you are grateful for by thinking about it in depth. Just a thank you or a call to see how someone is doing who’s helped you before can really remind you how much in your life you have to be grateful about. 3. Post pictures of what makes you grateful. It’s easy to push the good things out and focus on the stress in your life when the good things are out of sight and out of mind. Pictures of the people you appreciate and love, as well as the things that make you happy, can be a happy reminder throughout the day to be grateful and appreciate all the good in your life. 4. Make it a habit. Going through the exercises of being grateful will make these practices a habit so that no matter if you’re having a good day, or a bad day that pushes your stress limits to the maximum, you will be able to practice gratitude and be happy through the challenges of life. Adopting an attitude of gratitude is a great way to navigate some of the life’s more trying moments. It can quickly put into perspective the problems you are facing and allow you to embrace them and work through them with a calm that only gratitude can bring. In fact, it’s this attitude that leads to presence, joy, and happiness in your life. Holidays tend to make us forget all of the things we are grateful for while we stress and run around, instead of letting us enjoy all the blessings that we have in our life. Use these steps every day and practice them until they become a habit. Then, let yourself enjoy the holidays, as well as every day your so blessed to have.
Meal prepping for the week can help you save both time and money. Use these top 5 tips to simplify the process each week and give yourself a head start to eating right. Meal prepping works for our custom meal plan customers and helps them get set up each week for success. Even if you do not have a custom meal plan, meal prepping can help you set yourself up for nutritional success. Here are some ways to make your meal prep as time efficient as possible. Sit down and plan out your meals for the week on paper. You can also just refer to your meal plan if you have one. Writing out all of your meals can help you see if your eating a variety of good foods as well as help you in step number two. This will also save you time when you go to figure out what to eat day to day. Construct a grocery list based on your meals for the week. Construct a grocery list based on the menu that you made. This will help you shop and save money by knowing how much of everything you will need. You won’t purchase more food than you need, and that prevents waste. It will also give you a plan of attack at the grocery store so you don’t wander around, wasting time, and picking up junk and putting it into your cart. As a rule, stick mostly to the outer perimeter of the store because this is where most of the fresh food is stocked. Prep vegetables and fruit first, then starches, and finally meats to prevent cross contamination. Prep your fruits, vegetables, and any fresh produce first, and then move onto any meats. This prevents cross contamination and gives you time to clean your workspace and utensils. Always keep your work space cleaned and organized. Clean up your food scraps and put them aside or in a bag. Be sure to clean your knives and cutting boards between each use. Use food scales and measuring cups instead of “eyeballing” for proper portioning. Always use food scales and measuring cups when meal prepping. Just eyeballing things don’t make for good portion sizes. Getting an inexpensive food scale is the best way to do this because it works for meats and produce. It will also make measuring quick and easy. Portion full meals together in to-go containers. Take the time to put all of the food you need for one meal into a container. Portion your protein and sides ahead of time. Having everything ready and available helps you reach for the right foods when you’re hungry and saves you time. You can prep a whole week of lunches, snacks, dinners and even breakfasts using these tips. Remember, depending on your produce you might have to prep fresh produce again mid week, and salads are usually best prepped the day before. These time saving, and money saving tricks will help you as you prepare for your week!
Here is another great workout from Morellifit Coach Taylor! If you enjoyed her last work out and want more, or are here for the first time, this new workout is a total lower body burn. Follow along to work both your glutes and legs. Here is the full workout: Lower Body Burn: Curtsy Lunges with Dumbbells: Squat in between: 20 reps x 3. – Make sure you aren’t compromising form for weight. Pistol Squats: 15 each leg x 3. – Don’t let your knees go over your toes. Hold a heavy weight and put most of your weight on your heels. Side Lunge Squat with weight: 20 reps each leg x 3. – Keep foot faced forward so you don’t stress your knees. Glute Towel Slide. 15 reps x 3. – Put all of your weight on the standing foot. Keep weight in heel. Go as deep as you can. Jump Squats: 30 jumps x 3. Sumo Pulses: until exhaustion: (aim for 30 pulses) x 3. Take this workout with you on your next leg day. If you like this workout, then let us know! Also, let us know below any exercises you would like to see our Coaches work out with!
97 SHARES ShareTweet Vinegar, in several forms, has been around and used for centuries. From food to first aid, this versatile liquid has been used for a wide array of things including a disinfectant and digestion aide. While some of the wilder claims for using vinegar might not prove to be more than old wives’ tales, some new studies have found scientific evidence in support of the health claims. Apple cider vinegar is a vinegar made from the fermentation process using apples, bacteria, and yeast. In a second process, the alcohol is converted, by acetic acid-forming bacteria, into vinegar. When choosing an apple cider vinegar for the health benefits, always choose organic to avoid pesticides that are found in heavily sprayed apples. Also, raw, unfiltered and unpasteurized apple cider vinegar, Like Braggs, is best due to the fact none of the protein or enzymes will be destroyed during the pasteurization process. You don’t have to worry about it being unpasteurized, though because there is no risk of e-Coli in the vinegar due to the fact that the PH is too acidic from the bacteria to survive. Another important factor in the choosing apple cider vinegar is making sure that it has “the mother” in it. This is where strand-like enzymes of proteins form and stay in the vinegar. Using the highest quality of apple cider vinegar will help you reap the most of the benefits it has to offer. So let’s take a look at some of the scientifically backed benefits to consuming it. Apple cider vinegar can aid in weight-loss: A 2011 study showed that consuming apple cider vinegar immediately after a high carbohydrate meal leads to feeling more satiated for a longer time following the meal.Feeling satiated for longer helps control appetite and leads to eating less or not at all between meals. This can help someone, struggling with always feelings hungry or constantly snacking, lose weight [1]. Apple cider vinegar can help control blood sugar: The same study showed that consuming apple cider vinegar directly after a meal could help lower the glycemic and insulin response from the body. Data has also suggested that vinegar can improve insulin sensitivity following a meal in insulin-resistant subjects. Not only can diabetic patients benefit from the improvement in insulin sensitivity, non-diabetic consumers would also see a benefit. Better controlled blood sugar relates to less immediate fat storage when eating [2]. Apple cider vinegar has antibacterial effects: When using apple cider vinegar to sanitize, it has been shown to reduce levels of e cold on lettuce leaves. Even better was the antibacterial action apple cider vinegar shows when combined with sodium chloride and appropriate temperature. This combination showed to be effective in preventing bacterial food poisoning [3,4]. Apple cider vinegar can lower bad cholesterol: In a study, two subject groups were administered high cholesterol diets as well as apple cider vinegar. The study found that the group that consumed apple cider vinegar had decreased triglycerides and VLDL levels compared to the subjects that only consumed the high cholesterol diets. VLDL cholesterol as been associated with the development of plaque deposits on artery walls. Using apple cider vinegar can help lower the triglycerides that lead to higher levels of VLDL [5,6]. Vinegar, in lab studies, has shown to suppress cancer and tumor cells: Several studies have shown promising effects of different types of vinegar on cancerous and tumor cells. Although none of these studies were done on humans, and none with apple cider vinegar, there is hope that the agents responsible for the suppression of these bad cell in vinegar will be studied further [7,8]. All of these amazing pieces of research back the hundreds of years of use that Apple Cider Vinegar has been through. Take advantage of this amazing food every day in moderation. It can be diluted in water, most serving sizes suggest about 1-2 tbsp., and taken anytime during the day. It can also be used in dressings, as a marinade for veggies or even sprinkled over starches. Have a little bit of it every day to reap the benefits of this ancient and healthy food. If you want to try it in dressings, Braggs also makes a variety that you can use to top your salads or marinate different meats. Click here to see our favorite Apple Cider Vinegar dressings. Apple Cider Vinegar works perfectly on any Custom Meal Plan. Just simply add it into your routine to get all of the amazing benefits from it. Our Custom Meal Plans already get real results. No matter what your goals are, Custom Meal Plans can get you there, and by adding in Apple Cider Vinegar, your health results only get better.
Did you ever dream that there was a diet that you could be on that allowed you to eat all your favorite junk food and still be fit? Is that why you’re reading this blog right now? There is no diet like that. This is good news though, because even if you could stay skinny eating like that, your heart and body would be nutrient deficient, your heart would would be fighting disease, and your health would over all be damaged. The good news is that you can eat junk food in moderation at still be a fat burning machine. The key to any good diet is moderation of bad foods, and that applies even when you want to indulge in some junk food. Even too much of a good thing, can still be a bad thing. Consuming over the amount of good foods for your goals can slow progress too. So the idea when consuming junk food is that you consume it with some guidelines. Here are our Top 5 Junk food Choices: Make at home: Rice Crispy Treats Chocolate Chip Dough Balls Homemade Potato Chips Indulgent Granola Bars Mug Brownies Grab on the Go: Rice Crispy Treats – individual to go Kind Fruit and Nut Bars (super sweet or salty and still packed with protein) Vegetable Chips Our junk food list for you to make at home include variations of classic junk food that will still satisfy your craving, but won’t have you eating foods that your body might just want to reject. Putting a twinkie into your stomach after eating lean protein and green vegetables could leave you with a stomachache. Whether making these junk food cheats or buying them, remember the less processed the better. Sweet and salty cheats don’t have to be full of “franken-foods” with unrecognizable ingredients. When choosing a junk food, try and make it yourself so you know what is going into it. The less ingredients the better. While these foods are healthy junk foods, they are still calorically dense and easy to over consume. We highly encourage custom nutrition done by our coaches to help you add in junk food when you need it. If you are one of our 20,000 custom meal plan clients, swap out calories for calories on your plans. Scheduling junk food into your meal plans can help you incorporate them into your week with out going too far off track. Here is our Morellifit Recipe for Sweet Potato Chips: 1 medium sweet potato olive oil salt Preheat oven to 400º. Slice sweet potato thin and try to get them all the same thickness. Place sweet potatoes in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to coat the sweet potatoes evenly then lay in one single layer on a baking sheet. Cook for 20 minutes turning after 10 minutes. Once cooked sprinkle with salt.
