The Shocking Way That Mary Poppins Can Help You Finally Stop Self Sabotage.
“A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down” 🎶🥄
You might recognize these song lyrics…
from none other than the most well-known and sweetest English nanny of all time, Mary Poppins!
(stay with me + keep reading to see the whacky connection between the lyrics and your own struggle with self sabotage)…
What Mary Poppins was referring to in these lyrics is actually an AMAZING HACK to help boost your willpower and squash procrastination.
(Which I know we all want to do!)
More than just a catchy pop phrase, Poppins is referring to a science-proven method of behavioural change,
which you can use to your own advantage to #SLAY your GOALS and stop self-sabotage in its tracks...
This awesome tool of transformation is known in behavioural science as TEMPTATION BUNDLING.
This is where you pair the INSTANT GRATIFICATION of the first activity that you enjoy (eating yummy sugar) to help you engage in the SECOND ACTIVITY which you really don't like, but know you should do (taking your much-needed medicine).
We can easily apply this tool to ANY habit we wish to encourage in our own lives.
For example, bundling your favourite guilty-pleasure trash TV show (Vanderpump Rules, anyone?!) with your daily workout!
orrrr
pairing your favourite podcast with meal prep!
orrrrr
pairing your delicious morning latte with taking your supplements and water!
orrrr
pairing a phone call with your bestie with a brisk walk outdoors!
Sounds pretty simple, right?!
Here are 3 action steps to actually implement and start to use this life hack to slay your fitness goals, today:
1. Make a list of your favorite activities and guilty pleasures!
What gives you a hit of dopamine, and what would you love to do, if you had all the time in the world to do it? What is relaxing, fun, and purely pleasurable for you?
Think of what entertains you: books you can't put down, TV shows you can't quit watching, your favourite song, favourite drink, the one person you could stay on the phone with for hours on end...
Write down as many as you can think of! :)
2. Make a list of your "should do" healthy activities that you are struggling to stick to.
Is it getting in your workouts? Drinking enough water? Getting in steps? Meditating? Prepping healthy meals? Organizing your calendar to set your week up for success?
3. Look at the lists and see what activities can be "bundled" together!
Which ones can you do at the same time? or back to back?
Link them together and get creative!
The options are endless, if you truly dump your brain onto paper and think of alllll the opportunities to link sugar and medicine!
Thank you, Mary Poppins!!
P.S. Please let me know your thoughts on this! I would love to hear what comes to mind for you that you can bundle to start to see more success in your fitness goals! (or what you already are bundling!)
3 Foods to Avoid If You Want to Lose Weight and Tone Up
Foods you hate
Foods you are allergic/intolerant to
Foods you hate
;)
There is NO FOOD that you need to avoid if you want to lose weight and tone up. Period.
You can include ANY and EVERY food you like on your weight loss journey, and still get results, as long as you are in a caloric deficit.
I do recommend that 80% of your daily calories come from whole, nutrient-dense foods that include high quality protein and fibre—so that you are nourished, full, and satisfied by your meals. With the other 20%, I urge you to include foods you LOVE.
[I say 80/20, but this can look more like 90/10 or even 70/30 to start, if eating 80 percent whole foods is a far cry from where you’re currently at.]
Including “fun” and pleasurable foods in your diet helps to heal your relationship to food, support your mental health, and prevent the endless rollercoaster ride of hell that is the overrestriction--bingeing food cycle.
Is Tracking Food Obsessive?
Is food tracking and macro counting “obsessive”?
My answer is NO.
Food tracking—when properly used—is a wonderful tool that promotes nourishment, balance, and a healthier relationship with your body
Is food tracking and macro counting “obsessive”?
My answer is NO.
Food tracking—when properly used—is a wonderful tool that promotes nourishment, balance, and a healthier relationship with your body.
Here’s 5 reasons WHY:
Food tracking is not a “diet” or a fad. It is simply science. With tracking, you learn what your body requires to thrive (in the form of daily calories and nutrient balance), and you then aim to provide the proper fuel. There are no extremes, restrictions, or rules on which foods to include or omit. In this way, it is as anti-diet as you can get.
Tracking is not meant to be used long-term or indefinitely. It is a tool that is meant to foster greater awareness and mindfulness around food. Once you have a solid understanding of what your body needs, and how to best provide nourishment to yourself, you take a break from tracking or stop altogether. This is not a life raft to desperately cling to, but a swimming lesson to strengthen your skills.
Food tracking removes moral judgement from food. There are no “good” or “bad” foods. Diet culture has convinced us that we need to follow strict rules, deny ourselves cravings, and feel guilt over eating certain foods. Tracking your nutrition puts the power—and freedom—back into your hands.
All foods fit! Ice cream, pizza, beer, bacon. You name it, it fits. You can eat the foods you love and still reach your goals.
Tracking promotes balance, while allowing flexibility. This is why I truly love tracking, and am so passionate about sharing it with my clients. Witnessing my clients’ “lightbulb moments”, when they realize that they can eat chocolate and ice cream, still go out to the movies and have popcorn, or enjoy a beer on a sunlit patio, is everything for me.
What are your thoughts on food tracking ? Have you tried tracking before, and experienced the benefits that come with it? I would love to hear your story below!
5 Steps to Building Your Booty
Who doesn’t love a round, perky booty?
A sign of youth, strength, and thriving health, everyone can benefit from a stronger backside.
Whether you have been wishing you had a rounder booty for years, or are actively trying to build yours at the gym—with no luck and zero results—this post is for YOU.
Who doesn’t love a round, perky booty?
A sign of youth, strength, and thriving health, everyone can benefit from a stronger backside.
Whether you have been wishing you had a rounder booty for years, or are actively trying to build yours at the gym—with no luck and zero results—this post is for YOU.
The great news is: You do not need fabulous genetics or plastic surgery to build a booty you love.
These 5 steps will get you there:
Stop doing the things that don’t work! These include:
too much cardio
not lifting weights
restrictive dieting and not eating enough calories
googling and guessing what works/ “winging it” at the gym
copying social media influencers and hoping that what worked for them will work for you
Invest in a weight lifting program.
You must have a solid, science-backed program to follow in order to grow your glutes to their maximum potential. A good program will focus on compound (multi-joint) lifts and get you STRONGER over time (progressive overload). This does not mean googling a free program. I mean purchasing a qualified strength- based program from a professional, certified Personal Trainer.
Select exercises that target all 3 glute muscles, and perform them consistently enough to stimulate muscle growth.
Sounds obvious, but if you are not targeting all of your glute muscles (gluteus medius, and minimus) on a regular basis, you will not reap the benefits of strong, round, powerful glutes. Your booty muscles need frequent and consistent stimulation, and adequate volume (number of reps/sets) in order to grow.
Use proper form.
The form of your exercises will greatly determine which muscles are targeted, and in turn, which will grow the most. For example, foot placement, torso positioning, and mind-to-muscle connection during a specific exercise, can all impact which muscle groups are activated and challenged the most.
Eat for booty gains (get in enough overall calories, and adequate protein)!
Nutrition matters. You cannot build your booty (or any other muscle group) if you are not eating adequate calories. Muscle growth is dependent on proper nutrition and plentiful protein. While I cannot recommend individual caloric guidelines here, I can suggest you eat at a minimum of1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight.
With consistent effort and patience, ANY body and EVERY body can build an amazing booty.
If you are ready to build a powerful backside that performs well in the gym, and looks amazing in a pair of jeans, my Booty Build Program is the program for you.
Motivation Sucks. Try This Instead.
If you have a big, shiny health and fitness goals, you are likely looking for ways to become and stay more motivated.
I am here to tell you to stop searching for motivation.
The truth is, motivation sucks. You simply cannot rely on it.
If you have a big, shiny health and fitness goals, you are likely looking for ways to become and stay more motivated.
I am here to tell you to stop searching for motivation.
The truth is, motivation sucks. You simply cannot rely on it.
Motivation is a fleeting emotion, that comes and goes, like any other. Waiting to feel motivated or “ready” to make a big change will have you waiting forever—and feeling completely stuck and frustrated.
The good news? You can hack your way through lack of motivation and still CONQUER your goals.
Here’s 5 ways how:
START SMALL.
Whatever your goal is, break it down into the smallest and simplest step possible. Want to completely transform your eating habits? Start with adding one vegetable serving a day.
Once you have mastered one habit, add another. Slow and steady wins the race.
SCHEDULE IT IN.
If your goal is to show up to the gym 3x/week, plan the exact dates and times. Put them into your calendar and be non-negotiable with this time. If you wouldn’t stand up your dentist, why would you stand up yourself? You are the most important person in your life. Prioritize what matters to you!
HABIT STACK.
Pairing a new habit with an old one is a surefire way to take action. Choose something you do every single day effortlessly (such as brushing your teeth), and pair the new desired action directly after it (drinking a huge glass of water). It is important to stack the new habit with a daily routine, and not a time of day (ex: stack a 20 minute walk after supper, not at 7 pm).
CELEBRATE YOUR PROGRESS.
Emotions are intrinsically linked to our habits, both good and bad. When creating a new habit, we need to attach strong positive emotion to our actions. Dopamine hits will then rewire our brains to seek out the repeated action. When you successfully show up to the gym or cook a beautiful, well-balanced meal, be proud and celebrate your progress! (Call a friend to brag, write it down in your journal, do a little victory dance, tell your reflection what a total badass you are.) Take any action that celebrates your hard work, no matter how small it may seem.
CREATE ACCOUNTABILITY.
Share your goals with others, and seek support. This can take on many forms in your life: a coach, mentor, friend, partner, online support group. Find others who share similar goals and can assist you on your journey. Ask for professional help when you need it.
Most importantly, keep #$%^*&& going! Making major life changes takes time and consistent effort. Stay the road, remain patient, and have faith in yourself.
You are much more capable than you imagine.
What’s the Deal with Gut Health?
Gut health is a hot topic, and for good reason!
Recent research has linked the health of our gut to virtually every aspect of our overall health and wellbeing—from digestion and absorption of key nutrients, to skin health, immunity, mental health, cognition and disease-prevention.
Gut health is a hot topic, and for good reason!
Recent research has linked the health of our gut to virtually every aspect of our overall health and wellbeing—from digestion and absorption of key nutrients, to skin health, immunity, mental health, cognition and disease-prevention.
Interestingly, approximately 95 percent of our serotonin, the “feel good chemical” is produced in our gut. When our gut is healthy, our mind reaps the benefits.
70 percent of our immune system cells are also housed in the gut. Getting sick often, and having a hard time fighting infection? Your gut health might be a major factor.
So—what is the deal with gut health? And how do we improve the vitality of our gut microbiome to reap the immense benefits for holistic well-being?
Our gut is home to an estimated 100 trillion bacteria. There are more microbes chilling in our our gut than in our entire body!
When our gut health is compromised, we are compromised.
When our guts thrive, we thrive.
Symptoms of poor gut health to look out for:
digestive issues: bloating, gas, constipation, watery stools
brain fog and impaired memory/cognitive function
skin issues: acne, rosacea, redness, sensitivity
fatigue and chronically low energy levels
autoimmune conditions
mood imbalances, increased anxiety + depression
What negatively impacts our gut health?
Frequent and overuse of antibiotics
Overconsumption of processed foods
Smoking and alcohol use
Chronic elevated stress
Poor lifestyle factors: lack of exercise and too little sleep/stress recovery
Action steps we can take to improve gut health:
Choose a diet of mostly whole, unprocessed foods, with an emphasis on eating enough fiber [25-30 grams is optimal]
Manage stress [ex: deep breathing, meditating, and choosing activities that calm you and bring you joy]
Exercise regularly
Practice good sleep hygiene
Eat mindfully. Slow down, chew fully, and connect to your food. Avoid distractions such as driving or watching TV/scrolling while eating
Pay attention to any signs of food intolerances, such as gassiness and bloating after a meal or particular food
Consider taking a probiotic supplement, particularly after being on antibiotics
Choose prebiotic foods: onions, garlic, apples, asparagus. bananas, oats
Remember, a happy gut = a happy life. Comment below and let me know if you found this article useful, and which gut health action steps spoke the most to you!!