Emily Long Strong
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A pursuit of strength.

"Everytime you 'save' yourself from experiencing the pain of growth,
you prevent yourself from experiencing the FULLNESS of life."


Thanksgiving Challenge

11/23/2015

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First of all, I am thankful for YOU! For those who are looking to grow,  improve, change and always move forwards. For encouraging and supporting me, and for be willing to challenge yourself. I am inspired by all of you!!
So for Thanksgiving this year, I thought I would pass along some valuable tips that will help you thoroughly ENJOY your Thanksgiving day without guilt! If you implement a few of these simple tips, you'll feel like you weren't strict, but in control...

BODY-WEIGHT SLIDING WORKOUT (5min)
*Sliding Lunge (10 alternating, 5 each side)
*Plank hold w/ X slide (10 reps)
*Brazilian Crunch (10 alternating, 5 each side)
*Sliding Side-stepping squat  (5 each direction)
x3 -- Approximately 5 minutes long!!! Everybody has time for that!!!

THANKSGIVING NUTRITION TIPS
Here are 5 simple tips to give you freedom to ENJOY Thanksgiving without going nuts!

1) Skip the appetizers that you can eat anytime.
Examples: mixed nuts, chips and dip, high fat veggie dips, bread with oil, meatballs, etc.
Although everything listed is delicious, it's stuff you'll see again at other parties, and it's not worth it on Thanksgiving!
Alternative: Munch of raw veggies before dinner time. It will keep your mouth and your brain busy so you won't have a chance to think about being hungry. And there's no guilt involved because you know you're just minutes away from a feast!

2) Skip the Alcohol until during/after dinner.
If you stick to water before dinner it will work the same way as munching on crunchy raw veggies. It keeps your mind busy and satiated so you're not filling up on calories from egg nog or wine.

3) Start with the protein and veggie.
Since you're going to fill your plate twice (HELLO! It's Thanksgiving!!!) be intentional about how you do it! Start with loads of turkey (if you love the dark stuff, who doesn't, do half white and half dark), and add all the green veggies. Once you're finished with that, add the sweet potatoes, stuffing, and mashed potatoes to your plate. That way you'll enjoy every bite, but you won't overdo it since you're already loaded with protein!

4) Choose the equivalent of 2 slices of pie for dessert.
That means if Aunt Betty made 6 different pies to choose from, you'll take a sliver from each that measures out to no more than 2 slices of pie. You'll find it's MORE than enough, it takes longer to eat, and you feel like you just pigged out (but you didn't).

5) Don't eat what you don't love.
This is a big mistake many people make. If you kinda like it but don't LOVE it, don't eat it! That leaves room for more of what you love! Don't eat it just because it's there. Think about each choice intentionally before you add it to your plate. If you love it, enjoy it!

BONUS: It's not the end of the world if you stuff yourself on one day. You know what sabotages people about the holidays? It's actually the days BETWEEN the holidays! If you eat 4,000 calories on each holiday but go back to a healthy diet and exercise the other days, you will likely not gain a pound. That leaves room for A LOT of enjoying yourself. So don't bring the pie home, pie is not breakfast. Decide what you're willing to do and stick to it!

FIT TIP
Start your mornings with 5 minutes of movement. Not everyone can workout at 5am, but everyone can squeeze in 5 minutes of movement. You will be shocked to find that just a tiny bit of intentional movement in the morning will improve your mood, reduce stress, encourage healthier eating and more movement throughout the day.
I know it sounds crazy, and maybe even pointless, but if I'm right about even just ONE of those benefits I listed, it's worth it, isn't it? Give it FIVE mornings and then tell me if you don't feel even a little bit better.
Here's the irony... the workout video attached to this email is FIVE MINUTES LONG if you follow it exactly. So now you really don't have any excuses! :)

Here are the keys:
1) Try to do it without interruptions. For me that means making sure my son is either sleeping or preoccupied.
2) Set an alarm. It's just FIVE MINUTES. Don't make it a project or you will not continue to do it.
3) If you set your alarm and then feel like you have another 5 minutes, go for it! But only COMMIT yourself to 5. Anything above and beyond that is just a bonus!
4) Have FUN!

Much Love,
Emily




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    EmilyLongStrong.com is all about the honesty,  vulnerability, transparency, struggle and process of becoming as mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually strong as I possibly can. Every idea I share is something I've learned (probably the hard way). Thanks for joining me on this journey!  

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