Sellychan Fitness Banner

Sellychan Fitness Banner
Showing posts with label planning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label planning. Show all posts

Thursday, January 15, 2015

How To Plan Healthy Meals (Part 2 - 01/15)

Aloha readers!

As promised, here is part 2 of how to plan healthy meals. If you missed part 1, click here to read it. 

5. Plan your meals of the week ahead of time. Ever come home from work and not know what to eat, then end up ordering a pizza? Me too! But this can be avoided by planning your meals out ahead of time. Planning your meals - whether it's one meal or all meals for the day - it can help you with planning your grocery shopping too. Knowing what you need to know in what amounts will help prevent food wasting and buying un-needed things! 
(http://imgarcade.com/1/weekly-menu-planner-6-meals/)

6. Try not to see certain foods as off limit. Moderation and balance is key! Restricting yourself completely from foods you enjoy can lead to cravings - resulting in overeating / binging on the restricted food, or worse, on all foods in general. 

7. The more colorful, the better! When you're choosing your veggies, aim for a mixed variety of colors. This will increase the nutrient variety and content in your meal. Instead of just broccoli, add cauliflower and carrots. Instead of white potatoes, have sweet potato instead. 
(http://inherchucks.com/2013/05/)

8. Prep your veggies ahead of time - a bunch at a time. Knowing that things are prepped and ready to be cooked when you get home will reduce the likelihood of eating out. Prep your veggies so that you can take them with you as snacks on-the-go. 
(http://www.andreaswellnessnotes.com/2013/10/weekly-food-prep.html)

9. Buy portion-sized tupperware. If you're new to portion sizes, portion sized tupperware may be able to help. Be careful when buying them, and do some critical thinking when you're browsing. If the portion don't fit the guidelines mentioned in part 1, or according to your meal plan, then it won't work! 
(http://lazytrainer.tumblr.com/post/73752899672)

Leave a comment below and tell me what you do / plan to do to make healthy eating easier for you! 

Cheers! 
xoxo


How To Plan Healthy Meals (Part 1 - 01/15)


Aloha readers!

I mentioned in my last post that planning meals and eating accordingly to a healthy meal plan has been a struggle for me, so I did some searching and put together some helpful pointers for planning healthy meals. This topic is a lengthy one, so I am going to split it into two posts. If you're reading this now, be sure to check back later on today for part 2!

1. Be aware of overall portion sizes. Studies have shown that choosing larger plates or bowls consistently led to putting more food on the plate and consuming more food. Choosing smaller plates can reduce overfilling your plate and stomach, as we often feel obligated to clear our entire plate. 
(http://steadystrength.com/7-unbelievably-easy-ways-to-decrease-portion-sizes/)

2. Portion out your plate. As you're putting dinner together, think about how you're going to fill up your plate. Fill up on non-starchy veggies first, and this should take up about half the space on your plate.
(http://goodcheapeats.com/2011/06/portion-control-and-a-typical-dinner-whats-on-your-plate/)

Next, add on the protein sources. Opt for lean protein sources, like lean beef and turkey, chicken breast, or salmon. Protein takes longer to breakdown and digest, and will make you feel fuller for longer. 
Lastly, top off your plate with carbohydrates, preferably complex carbs. Complex carbs are composed of many sugar molecules connected together, rather than just 1 or 2 molecules (simple carbs). Complex carbs take longer to break down, helping you stay full for longer, and reduce those high sugar and insulin spikes. 
To make the switch from simple carbs to complex carbs, have mashed sweet potato instead of white potatoes. Have whole wheat dinner rolls instead of white dinner rolls. Eat brown rice instead of white rice. 

3. Learn your body's cue for when you're hungry. This sounds easier than it actually is, as we often mistaken boredom for hunger. Waiting to eat when you've reached the point of starvation will cause you to make poor food choices - often something fast and over portion sized. If you know you won't be home until past dinner time, or you might be stuck in traffic, pack healthy snacks to take with you, or keep some non-perishable ones in your car. 

4. Stock up your pantry with non-perishables. Although I don't recommend living off of canned foods if you can afford the fresh produce, there are a handful of things you should have stock up in your pantry. Having some essentials in your pantry can help prevent you from ordering in when you can whip together something in 15 minutes or less. Some things I reckon you have in your pantry include: canned beans (one kind or mixed varieties), canned tuna (look for low sodium options), some canned veggies like tomato (for chili), corn (for soups), and peas and/or carrots. You can also buy frozen veggies too! 

----
Don't forget to check back later today for part 2 of planning healthy meals! 

Cheers! 
xoxo

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

What's In Your Planner? Planner Addict Post (01/06)


Aloha readers! 

I wanted to share with you guys something that's very dear to me that is not as fitness related. Planning. 

I like to plan things out, plan them out ahead of time, plan out little events, get-togethers, or a series of "events" for something ie. blog post writing. I take pride in it, because the organization, the clarity, and the neatness and various colours I can use in my planners make me feel relaxed, proud, and accomplished. 
I've just planned out how my next day or two will run, in order to help me be efficient at getting things done, in order to get me closer to my goals. 

A snapshot of the planners I've used/use in the past/present 

These 4 planners were used in the span of 3 calendar years, from left to right. 3 years ago, planners didn't have the same meaning as they do to me today. They used to be just another notebook for me to write down my homework assignments in. Then I grew up - became a big girl. Realized all the things I need to and want to do, and took planning a little more seriously. 

My personalized planner in the bottom right corner is one of my favourite planners. I've used it the past school year, and it has REALLY helped me keep track of assignment and exam dates, what I should be studying on different days, when to go to the gym and what kind of exercise I did. Most importantly, I started using the hourly planning guide - planning my day out by each hour. This helped me plan out what I would do throughout the day, and if I ever got off track, I can always look back at it to figure out what I should be doing. Best thing? I get to see the loves of my life on the front cover every time :) 

The Passion Planner - My newest planner for 2015 

I love everything about my personalized planner, with the exception of choosing a size that was a little too small than I needed. But everything else is customized, and I love everything about it! 
I recently came across this Passion Planner when my friend shared a link about it on Facebook, and from Day 1 I was hooked. 

This planner is not just a planner. It's so much more, and it will change your life. It has played a big role in developing the planner-guru inside of me. 

Inside the Passion Planner 

I won't bore you with details on WHY the passion planner is a life changing planner, but you can read more about it here. This is an insider look of what my upcoming week will look like with school resuming. Each day of the week is nicely laid out with plenty of room to write and schedule in your appointments and commitments.  

Crazy sticker shopping on Etsy 

With the discovery of the Passion Planner, I also went on Etsy for the very first time and bought a bunch of personalized stickers and other stickers for this lovely planner. Each day of the week runs from 6 AM to 11 PM, allowing you to thoroughly plan things for the entire day. 
One thing I am trying to do more in the year of 2015 is to plan more time for myself - I call it quality time. These lovely royal baby blue stickers will be placed on different days of the week as a reminder to myself :) 

Quotes found in the Passion Planner 

Another cool feature about the Passion Planner is the different inspirational quotes placed on each week. They all inspire you do to something new, or out of the ordinary to help you keep moving forward. You know what they say - You have to do what you've never done before to achieve something you've never achieved before. 

Hopefully after reading this post you'll realize how much FUN planning is :D and how it can be an important component in helping your prioritize your life in general, including health and fitness related priorities! 

Off to do some more planning now :) 

Cheers! 
xoxo





Saturday, December 20, 2014

How to Set Attainable Fitness Goals (12/20)

Aloha readers! 
The end of the year is quickly approaching, and too often we find ourselves inspired by a sudden rush of motivation and want to get active the moment we feel the rush. That often leads to setting up goals that are unrealistic, or not attainable in a short period of time. We ned to make S.M.A.R.T goals if we want to be successful! 
What is S.M.A.R.T goal setting? It stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely.
If you're starting to plan your new fitness goals, take a read below! 


1. Specific - Don't be vague about your goal. Define exactly what it is you want to achieve. Rather than just "I want to be fit in 2015", be more specific, such as "I will be physically active for 15 minutes each day". The specificity of your goal makes you more motivated, and easier to define when you've reached your goal! 
2 . Measurable - Set a goal you can measure your progress against. If you're concerned about your body weight, setting a goal such as "I want to lose 10 pounds in 3 months" will be more realistic than "I'm going to lose 50 pounds in 3 months". This doesn't have to be a number goal on the scale - it could be being able to run for X number of minutes on the treadmill, or doing X number of push-ups continuously. The important thing is to have a standard to measure it against. 

3. Attainable - Break your big goal into smaller goals. If your ultimate goal is to lose 20 pounds, start by setting a realistic deadline. The recommendation is to lose no more than 1 pound a week, so telling yourself you want that weight off by the end of the month probably isn't realistic and attainable. 

On the contrary, 4 months is a reasonable amount of time for the 20 pounds to come off with consistent efforts in both fitness and nutrition aspects. By setting smaller stepping stones towards your big goal, such as 1 pound a week, will help you stay on track and not get discouraged! 

4. Realistic - Don't set yourself up for failure by setting goals you know you can't reach. If you're new to working out, setting a goal to hit the gym daily is probably not very realistic. A goal such as hitting the gym twice a week, or being physically active twice a week, may be more realistic. 

I once made a plan to do 2 workout programs simultaneously, and need I say I failed to complete them. I set myself up for failure because I scheduled myself to workout every day for a couple hours on top of my other commitments, and that's unrealistic for me. 

5. Timely - As previously mentioned, a due date should be assigned to your goal. A timeframe too short can cause you to feel frustrated and discouraged for not reaching your goal, and an endless time frame can make you lose motivation and lose sight of your goal. Make sure the timeframe is reasonable, and can be completed based on your own schedule. 

If you've found this guideline helpful in setting your goals, leave a comment below and share with us what your new goal is! I love hearing from everyone :) 

Cheers! 
xoxo


Friday, September 19, 2014

Organizing for a Fresh, Clean Start (09/19)


Greetings readers :) 

So after the many thoughts that were flying through my head wednesday night, I decided to take some time last night to clean my desktop. It was partly inspired by a couple of my instagram fitfam members (posting their desktops and how it inspires them, how it's their temple, and where all their work is done). 

I like to be organized, but I am by no means the most organized one. 
I have to admit that my desk was getting a bit out of hand! Books were everywhere, crumbled up paper, coffee cups (guilty). 
So I put on one of Chalene's podcasts, and started cleaning away! What I kept myself looking forward to at the end of the cleaning was that I got to open my Indigo package that arrived earlier that night. 

The aftermath:  


I'm going to slowly work on a Vision Board to put up on the blank space above my desk area. I have yet to figure out exactly what I want to really do :\ so I'm holding back on making the board. 


Inside this lovely package was the following:
(laptop not included! hehe) 


I cracked open the Essentialism book, along with my "Do What You <3" mug, and instantly got hooked on it! I even snuck some reading time to my barely in-existant lunch break :P 


Even though I already have a customized personal planner, this new 2015 planner will be dedicated to my clients training times, program writing, consultations, assessments, etc. Very excited! 
It's a bit smaller than I expected, but still very classy! 


It's late into a Friday night as I'm posting this, so for the rest of my evening I'll be enjoying another cup of tea while I read Essentialism, and then the weekend will be planned out for much needed studying, a fair minimal work on my online business, and a date night with my handsome boyfriend (I can't wait!!) 

Have a great weekend everyone! 
Cheers! 
xoxo