Hot topic alert today! It’s all about getting a GREAT NIGHT OF SLEEP.
 
One of the top things that can get in the way of your health and fitness results … is getting enough quality sleep. It can affect your mood, stress, appetite, and recovery … among many other things!
 
In keeping with our “clean it up” approach to sleep, I want to talk about simple upgrades you can make to streamline your nighttime routine that can actually help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer!
 
Here are some science-backed tips from the National Institutes of Health:

• Keep your evening routine simple – go to bed and get up at the same time every day. Your body loves having a regular daily rhythm and routine!
• Don’t work out within 2-3 hours of bedtime. This can leave you feeling “revved up” and make it harder to fall asleep.
• Don’t eat close to bedtime, and steer clear of alcohol after dinner....

I just HAD to share this with you, because when I read this, it completely blew my mind.

Have you ever … 

• Attended a virtual meeting while you scrolled your phone for the latest headlines (or, ahem, checked your social media notifications)? 
• Juggled two work projects at the exact same time because you thought you could do them in half the time?
• Listened to a training/course/book while folding the laundry, cooking a meal, and/or caring for a family member?
• Checked your email or phone several times in the middle of a project?

 
It might seem like you’re streamlining your to-do list by tackling several things at once, but you can actually be cluttering your brain. 
 
This can lead to more mistakes, retaining less info, and actually changing how your brain works (not for the better).
 
In fact, multitasking on projects that require a lot of thought can make your IQ score dip the same way it does for people who stay up all...

Has this ever happened to you?

You’re driving home from work or the grocery store and when you get home, you can’t remember part of the trip …

Or you’re in the middle of a great movie on Netflix – and you look down and have no idea how the entire bowl of popcorn is gone …

Or you go into the kitchen to get something and you can’t remember what or why?

These are all signs you need some MINDFULNESS in your life!

“Mindfulness” is super trendy right now - and for a VERY good reason! It can teach you to get you out of your head and into the present...

Which can have amazing benefits for your health (and results): 

• Less stress
• Better memory
• Lower emotional reactivity
• Improved focus
• Flexible thinking
• And even increased immune function!

Basically, it increases your “chill” factor.

Plus, you probably already know that having too many stress hormones in your system can make it harder for your body to metabolize fat...

This month we’re zeroing in on RESULTS and what you need to do to make your goals a reality.
 
I have some SERIOUS motivation for you today.
 
It all starts with a time-tested truth that dates all the way back to the year 350 BC (give or take a year or two!).
 
That’s when the philosopher Aristotle delivered his famous quote …
 
“Through discipline comes freedom.”
 
It sounds like an oxymoron, right? Isn’t the idea of freedom to be FREE of discipline?
 
But it isn’t.
 
Example 1: if you want more free time, you have to be disciplined in the way you spend your time.
 
Example 2: If you want financial freedom, you have to be disciplined with how you handle your finances.
 
Basically, it’s about taking 100% ownership of your actions AND the results they bring you.
 
Your actions directly lead to your results – good, bad, and neutral!
 
When it comes to health and fitness goals, it’s your...

Sticking to new habits can be super hard! My brother, Ron Vereggen, is a habit coach. And he recently designed an app called The Habit Lab. I LOVE this new app! 

From The Habit Lab website, Ron says: Habits can be a struggle ...

8 out of 10 people fail at making the positive changes required to achieve their goals.

When we take these setbacks personally, we blame ourselves and end up feeling like a failure.

Which erodes our self-confidence and sabotages future attempts at positive change.

... but it doesn't need to be!

So true, isn't it? Both Ron and I want to help people stick to their goals as we know that is what will bring them the results they want.

It's a super easy to use app to help you stick to your habits. I have attached a video of Ron and I going through how the app works and how to use it. 

We are launching the use of this app with my three new programs I am offering:

• 12-week Walking and Running program - has everything you need to...

How would you describe your morning routine? Hectic, calm, nonexistent … ?
 
I’ve got a fun checklist for you that may help power-up your mornings and get your day off to a great start with an energy boost.
 
The best part is, you can do everything on this list and not add any extra time to your routine!
 
In fact, everything on this list will make your existing routine more enjoyable.
 
1 - Wait 30 minutes before scrolling your phone. This sends a strong message to your subconscious. It tells it YOU are in charge of your day, and not your phone or what’s happening in the news or on social media.
 
2 - Splash your face (or entire body, via a shower) with cold water. Cold water can boost your energy. It results in dilating your blood vessels, increasing your heart rate and circulation.
 
3 - Drink water BEFORE caffeine. Your body has been without hydration all night long. Being even a little dehydrated (just 1-2%!) can sap your...

Are you reading this article on either your phone, tablet, or laptop? Of course :)
 
It’s time to do a quick check … Is your head tilted down in order to see?
 
If you spend a lot of time in this position (and who doesn’t these days?!), you are actually at risk for developing something called “text neck”.
 
Text neck happens when you spend a lot of time with your head forward, shoulders rounded, and your back hunched. Many of us are in this position upwards of 4 to 5 hours a day!
 
When you spend a lot of time in that position the muscles, tendons, and ligaments in the front of your neck/shoulders get compressed and tight – while the muscles, tendons, and ligaments in the back of your neck and shoulders get long and overstretched.
 
You can see how over time, this can potentially cause imbalance, pain, and real problems.
 
Especially since for every inch your head juts forward, it puts an extra 10 lbs of pressure on your neck!
...

Diets don't work. Clients may lose weight initially, but diets don't get to the root of the issue. The main issue concerns your habits. 

Focusing on changing habits is much less painful than starvation diets where you have to rely on pure discipline and willpower.  

40-45% of your decisions actually come from your habits. A problem emerges here because most of our habits are autopilot. Habits are more powerful than conscious thought and willpower. 

We can use habits for positive or negative ends. We have "bad" habits (we can break those with skillful strategies); however, we can use this autopilot habit feature to create "good" habits too. 

Many of our current habits help us feel safe and secure. When we feel stressed a certain part of the brain is activated which then gives us a powerful urge to do something to relieve that stressful feeling. When the distress is relieved, our brain relaxes and it remembers that habit for next time. 

For...

Most of you don't know that my older brother is a really cool guy and we have the most interesting conversations (some of you know my older sister as she comes to my classes and she is awesome too). My brother Ron is a Mindful Habit coach. If you are interested he wrote 100+ Habits of Great Leaders. 

Habit change is super important for exercise and nutrition. If we can master our habits, then we have the ability to get the body and health we desire. But as we all know, incorporating and sustaining healthy habits can be very challenging. 

I enjoy the way James Clear of Atomic Habits describes habit change. I have summarized his main takeaways below:

Clear says "your entire day is a summary of your life's habits." Powerful stuff to ponder!

He says "what you repeatedly do ultimately forms the person you are, the things you believe, and the personality you portray."

Clear has broken the process of building a habit into 4 steps: cue, craving, response, and reward. 

The cue...