10 Simple Tips to Stay on Track Over the Holidays

The array of holiday treats that becomes available between Halloween and Christmas can make a person become overwhelmed quickly if they are trying to stick to an eating plan.  Here are a few tips to help you manage during the eating craze and stay on track without feeling deprived.

1. Set aside 1 serving of your favorite treat to enjoy during the festivities.  Fully depriving yourself is only going to lead to wanting it more later.  For example, choose 1 or 2 of your favorite dishes and have a sensible portion. For me, it's mashed potatoes and pumpkin roll.
2. Eat healthy meals throughout the day.  Eating 4-5 small, balanced meals throughout the day will help stabilize your blood sugar and appetite, making it easier to enjoy small portions and stay on track during parties. 
3. Eat a snack with complex carbs and protein before going to an event.  Examples would be an apple with almond butter, cottage cheese and strawberries, carrots and hummus.
4. Focus on the people, not the treats.  Events are about enjoying time with family and friends, so focus on enjoying the quality time to have fun together.
5. Practice mindfulness.  Mindfulness is all about being in the present.  Start by noticing small details- how cute and innocent your child looks in his or her costume, all of the colors of the leaves, the details of the decorations on houses, etc.  Take a deep breath and be in the moment.
6. Drink water.  Dehydration can lead to hunger, headaches, mood swings, and bloating.  Make sure you drink water throughout the day to stay hydrated.  Take a water bottle with you during parties, as it is easy to forget to drink water without having it readily available.
7. Exercise. Don't skip exercise just because you think cleaning the house or party prep is enough of a workout.  Exercising helps minimize stress, provides clarity, and sets the tone for making good choices.  Bonus points if you can workout first thing in the morning.
8. Stand away from the snack table.  Don't make your hangout near the snack table, or munching becomes inevitable.  Grab a small portion of healthy snacks and your treat, and move away.
9. Minimize alcoholic drinks.  Alcohol tends to lead to dehydration and mindless snacking.  Enjoy your 1 glass of wine and then stick with water.
10. Start each day fresh. Overdoing it for one holiday isn't going to undo your progress and effort.  If you feel like you didn't quite stick to your plan, start fresh the next day and don't try to overcompensate by starving yourself.  Get back to exercising and making good choices and don't look back.

Microwave Pumpkin Bake

Tasty and filling- eat as a snack or dessert.  Even counts as a green (veggie!) container on the 21 Day Fix!

Shrimp and Avocado Salad

I have been looking for new recipes that are clean and easy.  With two small kids, if it requires a lot of prep time, it isn't going to happen.  This recipe came from Giada De Laurentiis' book "Giada's Feel Good Food."  I love Giada and was so excited that she had a book with healthy recipes.  This is the first one I've tried.  It was pretty easy, and very tasty.  The best part it that it was clean and I didn't have to modify much.  I did slightly change it based on what I had on hand, so it varies mainly in the amount of each ingredient (specifically shrimp and avocado.  I decreased the shrimp based on what was in my freezer and added more avocado to make up for the lack of shrimp.) I also changed out minced garlic for garlic paste and added some ginger paste.

Salad

1/4 cup plus 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp ginger paste
Grated zest of 1 large lemon
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
12 ounces of peeled, deveiened, precooked shrimp (thawed)
1 medium zucchini cut in half, lengthwise
2 avocados cut into 1/2 inch pieces

Dressing
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 table spoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon light agave nectar
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper

In a medium bowl, combine 1/4 cup olive oil, soy sauce, garlic paste, ginger paste, lemon zest, parsley, chives, salt and pepper.  Add shrimp, toss until coated, and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Heat grill or skillet to medium-high heat.  Brush 1tsp. olive oil on zucchini halves and cook until tender- 4 to 4 minutes each side.  Transfer to cutting board.  Cook shrimp until pink and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes each side.  Transfer to cutting board.  When cool enough to handle, cut zucchini and put into a medium bowl with shrimp and avocado..

In a small bowl, whisk together oil, lemon juice, agave, dijon, salt, and pepper until smooth. Pour over shrimp, zucchini, and avocado and todd until coated.

Serve in butter leaf lettuce, or over quinoa or brown rice. (I used Seeds of Change packets, a blend of quinoa and brown rice.)

Gooey Shakeology Oatmeal Bars

Chocolatey, healthy treat.  Perfect to pack for a quick snack.

Makes 12 servings, 1 bar each

Total Time: 3 hours, 10 minutes

Prep Time: 10 minutes

4 Scoops Chocolate Shakeology

3 cups rolled oats

1 tsp. cocoa powder

1 dash ground cinnamon

1 cup skim milk

1/2 c. natural nut butter (I like to use sunflower seed butter)

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Nonstick cooking spray

Combine Shakeology, oats, cocoa, and cinnamon in a large bowl; mix well.   Add milk, nut butter, and vanilla.  Mix well and place in 8x8 pan, that is lightly sprayed with cooking spray.  Cover with plastic wrap and flatten into pan.  Refrigerate for 3 hours.  Cut into 12 bars.

Piyo After Baby Progress Reviews

Day 1- I finished Round 1 of 21 Day Fix and am on to PiYo.  I had my daughter about 10 weeks ago and am feeling pretty strong from the Fix workouts and incorporating some 5K training.  I have to be honest and say that I am a bit nervous about starting PiYo.  I haven't had a lot of love for pilates or yoga (except for hot yoga, which makes me feel like I did some fat melting.)  I tend to get bored and just have a hard time slowing down. Guess what that means?  I NEED it!  The workouts that are the most difficult for us are usually the ones that we need to balance out our bodies and fitness.  So, with an open mind, I ordered this new program, and hope for the best.  Who could go wrong with Chalene? She is one of my two favorite trainers. (Shaun T being the other.)  I started today with Lower Define, which is 25 minutes.  During the warm up, I was thinking about what other workout I was going to do to feel like I accomplished something.  That changed pretty quickly.  It's only 25 minutes long, but I was sufficiently challenged and 1 hour later, my arms and legs feel like I did a lot of weight lifting, which is a good feeling to know I challenge myself without weights.  I think I will still need an open mind, but I'm pretty happy with Day 1.  As a cardio junkie, I will continue my 5K training and/or Turbofire to complement PiYo and burn some extra pregnancy fat.

Day 15- Two weeks of Piyo down and I have to say I disliked it a lot at first, but I am loving it now.  Core and Sweat are pretty challenging, but I feel like I worked out for hours when I am done.  I am already noticing changes in my arms, abs, and upper legs.  I will still admit, I'd rather be doing Turbofire, but I think Piyo has some great things in store for me.  I haven't done a lot of weighing on the scale, as I tend to become overly concerned with it, but I did a quick measurement and lost 1/2 inch on my waist and 1/2 inch on my hips.  It will be interesting to move into week 3, as the beginner workouts are phasing out into more challenging workouts.  Bottom line so far? Worth the time by far.

Day 30-  1 month of Piyo down.  I hated it at first, but now (most days) I really like it!  I have noticed definition in my arms and abs, and my legs feel so much stronger.  The gains I am seeing go far beyond the scale and the measuring tape.  I can now do tricep push-ups on my toes throughout a whole workout.  I am able to hold most of the moves now.  I have posted a progress picture with this post.  I would say that my diet leaves something to be desired, but despite that, I am still losing inches.

There is an option when you use the workout calendar: You can do the traditional workout, or the Strength workout.  I chose the Strength workout to challenge myself, not realizing that there are two workouts in the Strength series that aren't in the basic kit.  So, I ended up ordering the upgrade DVD, which comes with a yoga mat and Piyo slides.  The Strength workouts (Full Body Blast and Strong Legs) incorporate the slides for added resistance, and they are TOUGH workouts.  Quite honestly, Full Body Blast is my favorite so far because I feel like everything has been seriously worked in 30 minutes.  My other favorite workout is Core because it works your core so much differently than doing a million crunches.  I am excited to see what the next month brings.  My commitment now is to clean up my diet a bit more (specifically, doing away with the afternoon munching on junk) and doing more planning to get clean meals and snacks ready to go so I can just grab something without having to think about it long enough to make a poor choice.

Learn More or Order Piyo Today

*Disclaimer- I am a Beachbody Coach and do get commission off of my referrals (does your hairdresser or favorite restaurant offer you that?  Beachbody is a top notch company by allowing customer to earn money off of the products Beachbody pays to market!)  However, I am honest in my reviews (see my Brazil Butt Lift review if you want some honesty!) and will tell you my opinion on the programs.  We aren't all going to like the same eating plans or workouts, but at least you can get a feel for the program beyond the promo videos.  I am always open for questions on the program if you are unsure.

21 Day Fix After Baby Progress Update

Welcome to my 21 Day Fix After Baby- Round 1 journey!  Here you can find progress updates, and at the end of 21 days, I will post my results with pictures.  (You can also follow updates on facebook- facebook.com/kellikornhealthandfitness).

Basics- 21 Days following the meal plan, and daily 30 minute workouts.  The program comes with an eating plan book, colored containers to teach proper portions, and workout DVDs.  There is a checklist in the book, but you can download more blank checklists from the Beachbody site.  This is key to keeping tracks of your meals and making progress. (You do have to be a Beachbody member, you can sign up for a free account at teambeachbody.com.)

Day 4-  I have just come back from vacation where I didn't go completely crazy, but I did have a Coke everyday and we went out for ice cream a few times.  (Keep in mind I am also nursing, so I kind of just let myself eat as I was hungry.)  I expected to have vacation withdraw, craving Coke and sugar.  I have been surprised that I haven't had any cravings!  I've actually really been happy with the meal plan and even look foward to my meals, although they don't include a lot of carbs, which are my fave!  I have stuck to a pretty similar meal plan each day, because nursing a baby and having a toddler takes a lot of time and variation is too difficult for me to keep up with.  I am trying not to get on the scale too much except for weekly weigh ins, but I did get on the scale and have lost 2 pounds- not to shabby in 4 days!

Here's what my day of eating looks like:

Meal 1: Oatmeal with a peach, coconut oil mixed in, 2 egg whites
Meal 2: (before workout); Energy and Endurance (after workout)- Shakeology with skim milk or water, Results and Recovery formula
Meal 3: Cottage cheese, carrots and hummus, turkey (or a double serving of cottage cheese), cherries or strawberries, rice crackers
Meal 4: Shakeology or whey protein shake
Meal 5: Lean steak or chicken, spinach (my version of a salad) with vinegarette and parmesan sprinkled on top, watermelon, cottage cheese
Meal 6: Cashews, greek yogurt, carrots
(I add in an extra protein and a few extra rice crackers to account for the extra burn from nursing.  I want to make sure I don't mess with my milk supply.  I also drink a TON of water!)

I have survived Total Body Cardio, Upper Fix, a
nd Lower Fix (I am sore!  I've been doing T25 and completed Alpha round, but I can tell I took some time off of strength training when I was on bed rest, because these workouts arechallenging for 30 minutes!)  Today is Pilates Fix- not a huge fan of pilates and yoga because I like to be moving more, but I know my body responds well to the lengthening and strengthing benefits of pilates.

Best surprise so far?  I had bought some white chocolate lemon bread at our farmer's market before I started this, and I haven't wanted any at all.  I had a taste and the white bread just wasn't that good.  I actually prefer whole wheat after just a couple of days on this plan!

So far- I'm pretty happy and 21 days is very doable!  I actually can see myself making this more of a permanent habit, but let's check in again in a few days about that ;)

Day 10- I am down 5 pounds so far.   This is pretty amazing because my diet fell apart over the weekend.  Since we went to friends' to watch the World Cup, I just kind of let go and ate whatever I wanted, and it was more than just one treat! After the 5 pound loss, I have lost all of the weight from baby #2 in 8 weeks.  (I pretty much lost it all within 2 weeks, but had about 5 pounds lingering.)  I now am working on the 10 pound I never got off from my first pregnancy.)

I got right back on track on Day 8, and again, I haven't had cravings, so as long as I don't keep junk food immediately handy, it isn't an issue.

The workouts are difficult, but I have a love/ hate relationship going on because I love how I feel when I am done and already notice a difference in my strength. (Plus, I realized I have a lot more energy if I drink E&E beforehand.  Call me crazy, but I will take any edge I can get right now.)  I have been adding in a daily walk/ jog/ 20 minutes on the elliptical just to get a bit more cardio in.

Day 21- Completed 21 days! I didn't do it quite as effortlessly as I'd like, but that's life, right? I lost 5 pounds and 2 inches of my waist, 2 inches off my hips.  I feel a lot better, have started running during my 21 days, and have made much better food choices pretty easily.  The biggest perk is that I gave up my Coke habit, even when going out.  That is pretty big considering when I started the Fix, I just just returned from vacation where I had a Coke daily.  I may still have it as a treat here and there, but I haven't missed it at all, so maybe this is the start of soda free life!

The workouts were always challenging, although I could tell pretty quickly that I was getting stronger.  I also started to add in 1 mile workouts on week 2, to train for a 5K.  I even started to enjoy some of the workouts- my favorite was Dirty 30 and my least favorite was Total Body Cardio.  (I usually enjoy workouts, but these were really challenging.  Great results though!)

Next up?  Piyo.  Reviews to come.  I have a Challenge group starting, and a Piyo test group that I will be joining along with my Challengers.  E-mail me if you are interested!

Starbucks Stand In- Mocha Shakeology

I love Starbucks.  In fact, Starbucks used to get all of my money before Shakeology helped me kick the cravings.  I still enjoy a treat day now and then, but this recipe fills my need for a Mocha Frappuccino 90% of the time.  It's great in the morning, or as a 3 pm boost.

1 Scoop of Chocolate Shakeology
1 part cooled coffee (I use 4 oz)
2 parts skim milk or unsweetened almond milk (I use 8 oz)
optional- 1/2 packet Stevia
ice cubes


Blend until well mixed and enjoy!