Healthy Habits with Nicole

Brews before I do’s 💍 this weekend was a blast 💕 @ Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Looking back on the last 10 years is pretty fun;

*traveled abroad for a month with a family I had never met
*attended the prom
*graduated highschool
*Decided on the 4-year college that would mold my adult life
*played collegiate softball
*gained some (much needed) weight
*moved abroad for a year with my best friend
*passed organic AND physical chemistry
*graduated college/landed a job
*went through breakups
*bought a car
*questioned if I was on the right path (many times)
*traveled the country
*rented an apartment
*learned how to use a can opener (finally)
*maintained friendships that started before the start of this decade
*started new friendships
*ran a marathon (and 10 half marathons)
*met the love of my life (can’t wait to start off the new decade marrying him 🥰)
*roasted a turkey

This decade came with a lot of lessons, loss, and mistakes to learn from. But it also came with laughs, new beginnings, and a lot of love 💕 here’s to the next 10 years 🤗

2 weekends in a row at the pumpkin patch, but I’d still pick you 🍂🍁

Got a sweat on searching for the perfect pumpkin, but it’s finally starting to feel like fall 🍁🍂

Making a change takes baby steps.

Identify one new habit you want and spend a few weeks focusing just on that.

When you’ve got that down, then you ADD an additional habit.

So many people give up on their health journeys because they try to do too much all at once.

I’ve been on my journey for a year and I still take baby steps when I need to.

Phase 1: consistent morning workouts✅

Phase 2: back on the nutrition game ‼️in progress‼️

How can I help YOU make a baby step today towards your health?

It’s time to address the difference between yo-yo dieting and the natural roller coaster pattern of weightloss.

Last night I was beating myself up over the 10lbs I gained back this summer.

“Am I really just a yo-yoer in disguise?”

“How can I inspire others to reach their goal body when I’m struggling with my goals myself?”

“How did I ‘let’ myself gain back this weight?”

Last nights workout started with a few tears. But then I pulled myself together and got it done.

I can tell you my excuses as to why I gained weight....or I can tell you my justifications as to why my summer season wasn’t spent focusing on weightloss goals.

I spent my summer on several trips, several busy weekends with loved ones, many many memories made 🤗❤️

Could I have lost weight in this season? Probably not 🤷🏻‍♀️ there were too many breweries to try 😉 pastries to try ☺️ and it was my off season from running.

Could I have maintained my results during this season? -Absolutely-

I can in good faith justify why I didn’t LOSE weight this summer. I can not justify why I was unable to maintain my weight this summer, that would just be excuses.

And yet, I won’t beat myself up over it either. I made memories this summer that will last a lifetime;
-flooded out of our camp site and sleeping in a car
-drinking a world award winning beer (or 3 😂) on cannon beach
-house parties
-Caribbean cruise with my soon to be in laws
-countless weekends spent with friends experiencing new foods

If your weightloss graph would look more like a rollercoaster than a steady downgrade.... you’re not alone. That’s most of us.

You are not a yo-yoer practicing unhealthy weightloss patterns. You’re learning how to balance health and fitness with spending time with loved ones and living life 💕 do not beat yourself up over living your life.

Flex Friday 💪🏼 or Flow Friday 🧘🏻‍♀️

Did you move yet today?

Get rid of your flip flops!!!
I do a fair share of rehab work with my clients and one thing that constantly comes up is the need to correct a boatload of problems that arise from wearing flip flops. Yes, flip flops. Some people are aware of the damage that high heels do, but flip flops are considered good to go. Well, they are not and if you wear them frequently you too will suffer the consequences. Let me explain.
There are two typical compensation patterns that the body comes up with when wearing shoes with no heel strap. First, instead of opening the toes as in normal gait pattern, it will flex them down in an attempt to hold on to the shoe itself. That changes the very first contact with the ground, changes completely what functional lines get recruited upstream and it leads to a very tight arch.
After a while, body gets very tired of clamping on the flip flops with the toes and it will shift into external hip rotation (duck feet) in order to drag the shoes along instead. Overtime, this will lead to your adductors acting as hamstrings and glutes. Subsequently, glutes will atrophy, lower back will take a beating and everything upstream will pay the price as well.
If it does not seem like a big deal to you, it is probably because your baseline of performance is not that high and you think that running around with no glutes is totally fine. But in reality it leads to all kinds of problems, injuries, aches and pains, surgeries and replaced joints from premature wear and tear. Everything is training and if you pretend to be an athlete for an hour a day at the gym, but condition your body to perform a dysfunctional movement pattern for the rest of the day, guess what method will win?
My recommendation, having dealt with an astonishing number of issues with clients that stem from wearing flip flops is to ditch them completely. Throw them out if you truly care about your health and performance or you will wonder why everything hurts and the hips, back and shoulders don’t work very well anymore. Opt in for shoes with a heel strap and you will be much better off.
Hope that helps, respect 🙏🏼🔥👊🏼
~ Greg Mihovich

I took this photo Saturday morning. I hadn’t weighed myself all week because I was traveling and the hotel gym had no scale.

I wasn’t eating according to my meal plan. And honestly by the second day of it I could tell. Stomach cramps and lethargy and just that “blah” feeling after dinner.

My body just wanted some good ole veggies 😂

So I knew I was “heavier” cuz my body felt heavy and dense. But I put on that outfit and was feeling it! (Portland weather wasn’t so bye bye crop top 😂)

But when I got home yesterday and saw the number on the scale my attitude changed. Seeing that “heavy” feeling numerically justified crushed my mood.

In less than 24 hours I saw my body completely differently.

The scale can be a great unit of measure, but It should not define our worth. And it certainly doesn’t decide the confidence we bring to an outfit.

Don’t let the scale set your mood for the day. There are SO MANY more important people and things in your day than a number on the scale ❤️

10 lbs heavier on the right, and no it’s not muscle weight.

I am very proud of the work I put in last summer and fall. I was able to lose 20lbs by modifying my eating (meal prepping with only one off plan day a week), working out, and running.

I have zero regrets about that season of my life. I’m so proud of myself and my will power around tempting foods.

But I’m also proud of the photo on the right. I gained back some weight. I’m in a season of flexibility.

A season of weekends away from home (making meal prep difficult), a season of friends getting married (uhm cookie tables anyone 🙋🏻‍♀️), and tailgates and bbqs.

Yea, I could’ve been stricter this season. But that’s not what I want. I want the homemade cookies (some, you know I’m not a sweets person 😂). I want the beers at the tailgates. I want the Mediterranean food from the new ma and pop restaurant down the street.

The number on the scale went up but guess what. My cats still love me. My family still loves me. Eric still loves me. I STILL LOVE ME.

Your weight is NOT your worth babe ❤️

If you’re in a strict season, you go boo, I won’t be bringing over any of my white claws when we hang out 😘 but if you’re in a flexible season, feeding yourself healthy when you can but giving yourself grace when it’s easier/you just want the fried chicken sandwich from Chic fil a. Well call me up and I’m there with ya sister!

Do what feels right for you and your body right now. Your journey is yours alone. Keep your goals in mind and don’t worry about what your neighbor is doing ❤️