#OneSwap: 5 Ways to Help the Men in your Life Stay in Top Form

You guys, Father's Day is this Sunday.  Can you even believe that?  It feels like the summer has just barely started, and we are already hitting one of the big seasonal milestones.

With Dad on our mind, I thought we'd chat about ways to help the guys in our life be more healthy. Of course, they are grown adults in charge of their own health, but I have often found that guys need a little nudge towards making healthier choices. And isn't nice to spend a little time taking special care of them? Here are five ideas to help the guys in your life stay in top form.

5 Ways to Help the Men in your Life Stay in Top Form

1.  Lead By Example

Really, the best way to encourage someone close to you to make a change is to do it with them! Every guy is different, but Seth tends to be pretty happy with the status quo (in terms of our health).  He doesn't usually come to me with big ideas about how we should reform.  However: if I say to him, "hey baby I really need to eat better and get into a good routine with exercising, would you do it with me because I need the support?", he is all in.  Even if I don't ask him to participate with me, I have noticed that when I am on track with my own health, Seth tends to take better care of his health as well.  That is gift of marriage, is it not?

2.  Do the Research

The guys in my life have no interest in spending hours researching ingredients in skincare. (In fact, I don't even think the fact that skincare HAS toxic ingredients is on their radar-their Facebook feeds aren't covered with all the "mom warning" articles that fill up mine.)   They don't spend a ton of time obsessively comparing and contrasting healthy living programs.  They pick what is easiest and most readily available, or whatever their friends use  (Your guys may be completely different-I have friends whose husbands are the ones who feel strongly about ingredient policies.)  If we can take all that research off their plates and boil it down to the most important essentials, they are much more likely to make the switch to a healthier choice.

3.  Upgrade Him

If he has no interest in choosing for himself, you can just start replacing his products with better ones! Seth was a very consistent head-to-toe generic bar soap guy until I just stopped buying that toxic junk and replaced it with Arbonne's Men's Face Wash and this bar soap (bonus: I have never met a woman who didn't love how it smells).  He would never eat breakfast until I started handing him protein shakes on his way out the door, and making hot lunches for the farm.  If your guy loves soda, fizz sticks will help him kick that habit.  Sometimes we can get them something that is very familiar feeling-like a bar of soap-that is actually a pretty serious upgrade to his routine!

4.  Make It Easy

Along those same lines, one way to take special care of our guys is to make it as easy as possible for him for make healthy choices!  What if you packed his lunch for him?  What if you could take five minutes and make that dentist appointment for him?  What if you quietly quit buying junk food for the house?  Could you fill his water bottles for the gym every morning before work?  Could you encourage him to sign up for a race with his buddies?  Could you stick a sunscreen in his bag (I need to do that for Seth soon!).  I would never tell my husband how to eat or exercise or take care of himself,  but I CAN make it easier for him to do those things.  The little kindnesses and acts of service we do can make a huge difference when he needs help starting a good habit!

5.  #OneSwap

This Father's Day, instead of buying the dads in your life a shirt or a tie or even great beer, what if you swapped out a gift that supports his health in some way?  If he is trying to lose weight, what if you offer to do a Clean Eating Challenge with him?  If he doesn't take care of his skin, what if you upgrade him to a safe anti-aging men's line?  If he needs to lace up those sneakers more often, maybe you could grab him a Garmin, or a new bike.  Help him make #OneSwap for health!  Isn't that the best gift we could give them?  I know I want my guys-Seth, my Daddy, and my Father-in-Law-to be around (and healthy!) for a long, long time yet.  All three are precious to me.

Have a great weekend celebrating the men in your life!

#OneSwap: Making Time for Fitness

Before I launch in today, I want to tell you how much your words on my last post mean to me.  I know that both abortion and religion are fraught topics, and as always, you guys are amazing at showing love and grace, to me, and to each other.

We are going to shift topics pretty hard today, to a new series that I am calling "#OneSwap", inspired by this post, which I totally relate to.  There is just too much information out there, too many 'MUST DOs or else,' too little actual authority on what is essential and what is optional.  Every article seems to be screaming about how dangerous the world is.

Well, Mama don't play that.  Are there some issues that we will, in 20 years, realize we should have been more careful about?  I'm sure.  Is every single thing out there going to kill our babies, or us? Phhhhh.  Scare tactics.

In that light, in this series, I am going to highlight some topics that many of us struggle with, and suggest one simple swap you could make in order to move toward a healthier choice.  One thing. That's it.  If you have time and energy and interest in doing more, awesome!  I will give five ideas.  If not, we are going to really boil this down to the essentials, so you know what you really need to be focused on.

Today, our first topic in this series is going to be finding time for fitness.

I already gave some tips on staying healthy while traveling, but what if your everyday life is equally jam-packed?

I get that, I really do.  Five little kids, homeschooling, farming husband, my own business....each day has more to do than I could ever do well.  But being a fit and active mama is really important (to me, and many of you too).  Our kids are watching us.  So how can we make sure we are fitting it in?

5 Tips on Making Time for Fitness

1.  Exploit Your Advantage

Whether you work out of the house, or stay at home, whether you have kids or not, your personal situation has an advantage in there somewhere.  Your job is to find that advantage and USE it.  So, let's say you are a working mama.  Could you drop the kids at the sitter early and exercise before work?  Could you workout during your lunch hour while the kiddos are at daycare?  Could you arrange with your nanny to stay late twice a week while you hit the gym?  Don't say "I couldn't possibly".  Really think it through.  Don't be quick to dismiss the possibilities.

If you are a stay at home mama, your advantage is that you have more control over your schedule (whether you feel like it or not!)  Put that sweet baby in the exersaucer next to the treadmill, get a good quality jogging stroller, or make use of that dusty bike trailer.  Which leads me to....

2. Make the Investment

If you have a busy life, the key to being able to fit in exercise is to have all the equipment you need immediately on hand.  Any lack of preparation will derail you indefinitely, and you don't have time for that. What equipment you must invest in will be different for each of us, but some of my most useful fitness investments are: a good treadmill, hand weights, kettlebells, a used Garmin, exercise mat, double jogger, double bike trailer and bike, excellent workout gear, and streaming barre classes.  I couldn't bike ride with my kids before I bought myself a bike and trailer for the littles.  I couldn't run during the day before I bought a double jogging stroller.  I couldn't run in the winter before I bought a treadmill.  I don't have access to exercise classes all the way out here on the farm, so I couldn't do barre before I bought a subscription to streaming classes.

Your investment might be unlimited classes at your favorite studio, a Y membership, childcare....whatever it is, do it now, so that when can squeeze in fitness, you are prepared.  If you only have 30 minutes for exercise today, that doesn't mean you have 15 minutes to find your running shoes, 90 minutes to research jogging strollers, 30 minutes to exercise, and 30 minutes to shower.  In my world, 30 minutes means I have exactly 30 minutes before the baby wakes up and needs to be nursed (those days are finally passed, phew!), or we need to leave for swimming lessons, or my husband needs to leave for work.  Be ready, have all your equipment together, prepare ahead of time as much as possible.  The happy news is: most of this can be purchased used, for an excellent price, if that is a consideration for you.

3.  Have a Plan, But Be Flexible

If you have a truly insane schedule, it can really help to sit down with your calendar and schedule your workouts by week.  In writing.  You will see where you can fit in a lunchtime run versus where your day is so packed that your only option is a 5am workout.  I find that on busy weeks, if I don't do this ahead of time, that means I will not exercise at all.

That being said, the opposite is also true: allow yourself to be flexible.  For a long time, if I didn't manage to get up and workout at 5, as planned, I decided that I missed my chance and I didn't work out that day.  And sometimes that needs to happen.  But just as often, I could have still fit it in somewhere that day, if I had let go of my idea of the perfect schedule.  Last January, I committed to a "no matter what" resolution of exercising every single day, for 30 days.  And I found that even if I did miss my scheduled workout, I could make it happen in another way or at another time.  I could always find 30 minutes of empty time somewhere, even if they weren't ideal.  A couple of nights that meant I walked on the treadmill in my pjs, but it happened.  Try committing to that type of attitude for 30 days, and see if it sparks a new habit.

4. Find Your Passion

Exercise will feel like just another awful adult thing you have to force yourself to do, if you don't take the time to explore what you love.  I really believe there is a form of being active out there that every single one of us will love (or at least not totally hate).  If you can find what you are passionate about, it will feel much easier to squeeze that workout in!  I don't always feel motivated to run in that exact moment, but you should see me if I don't run regularly-my mental health and..um...sweet disposition suffers.  I daydream about running when I am stuck inside.  That's how I know I found my thing.

There are two parts to this:

     1) Becoming proficient.  

It is hard to know if you love a workout if you are still at the beginner stage, where everything feels strange and hard.  Give any activity that interests you a good trial period before you decide you don't like it.

     2) Know yourself.  

Are you super competitive?  Do you need to be alone more?  Do you hate team sports?  Do you love being outside?  Do you have legitimate physical restrictions?  If you are an introvert with lots of little kids at home all day, a loud team sport with a strict schedule is an activity that you will probably dread, not look forward to.  But you could learn to crave solitary hikes.  On the flip side, if you are an extrovert at home with one tiny baby, you may desperately need team camaraderie and some healthy competition.  Maybe a sand volleyball team or Crossfit is a better choice for you.

5. Everyday active

This is especially essential if you really can't dedicate a block of time to exercising on a regular basis. You can make being active a part of your daily life (again, if you have the proper equipment).  I may not be able to ride 20 miles on my bike today alone, but I can convince the kids to ride to the red barn and back, with the little boys in the trailer (and then I will very quickly realize that I have taken on more than I can handle, but consider that the push you need!).  This can double as character training for the kiddos, if you take the time to discuss why staying active is a family value, and how "Wenzels never whine" is a family motto.

This can be true of anything the kiddos do - you can participate and get into it if you are prepared.  I have noticed that I am so much more willing to get really into their activities if I am wearing my workout clothes all day than a real outfit.  That sounds silly, but it is true.  You can burn a ton of calories playing soccer with your kiddos, if you are are all in.  Trampoline?  Get up there.  Playing at the park?  Don't sit on the bench!  Run the tiny park loop around the playground, or use the equipment for a quick circuit of body weight activity.

If you don't already have a fitness tracker, that can be a useful tool to see how active you truly are every day.  Before I had my Fitbit, I would have said that I was moving all day long, so therefore very active.  That turned out to not always be true.  Start with 10,000 steps as your baseline, and see how your day stacks up.  You can compete against friends and see how active you really are!  From there, work for higher step goals.  I have had my days of walking loops around my house to make it happen.

6. Stop Making It So Complicated

So, all this is too much for you.  What ONE thing can you do to make fitness happen?  Start small. Commit to making movement happen, no matter what, every single day for 30 days.  Go buy "Seven", the seven minute HIIT app.  If you are not familiar with HIIT, it stands for "high intensity interval training".  The app will help you, from home, get in a comprehensive workout.  HIIT (also called by other names, like Tabata) has been proven to be an effective method for improving your cardiovascular fitness and lowering your insulin resistance.  If you cannot find the time or motivation for any kind of exercise, HIIT is for you.  Make one swap from the couch to seven minutes per day. You can do it!

Tell us, what is your number one obstacle to working out regularly? Share it with us on in the comments or on social media using #OneSwap!

Clean Eating: Who & What Can It Help?

Now that we've discussed what exactly we mean when we talk about clean eating, let's chat about who this type of lifestyle can help.

In two new studies conducted by a very prestigious medical facility (who I cannot name until they publish the results themselves, but it starts with an "M" :) ), Arbonne's Clean Eating Challenge program impacted several essential markers of health, including weight, waist circumference, fatigue and energy levels, decreased hunger sensations, and improved mental health stats (anxiety, depression, social functioning).  Mental health you guys!  I feel the other stats are awesome, but probably to be expected.  But the ability of clean eating to improve mental health issues is ground-breaking, hence the need to keep the full study secret until the hospital publishes their findings.

So who should try clean eating?

Everyone.  The End.

Just kidding.  But truly, I can't think of anyone who wouldn't benefit from a move toward a whole food-based diet.

Pregnant or nursing?  

Still 100% a great option for you AND baby!  We are just extra careful with you, especially making sure you get enough calories.

Diabetic?  Hypoglycemic?  

As always, check with your doctor to make sure that any lifestyle change is right for your body.  But we have had scores of people with blood sugar issues have truly shocking success on our plan, with many even being able reduce their insulin and medications.  They report back that their doctors are delighted at their blood test results.  One of the reasons I personally became interested in clean eating is because I am hypoglycemic, and I struggled with it even more seriously while I was pregnant and after having children.  Eating carefully within the guidelines keeps my blood sugar very steady, which has eliminated my episodes.

High blood pressure?  High cholesterol?  

Right here.  We have seen excellent results, as seen on blood tests, even within 28 days.

Arthritis and joint pain?  Chronic pain from fibromyalgia?  

While we'll never claim that clean eating cures your disease, we have many Challengers who report a significant reduction in pain.  The best quick explanation about why clean eating can improve these symptoms is inflammation.  These symptoms are exacerbated by chronic inflammation.  By taking down the inflammatory response in your body, your symptoms are improved, often markedly.  Clean eating and encouraging your body towards an alkaline state reduces the inflammatory response.

Migraines?  

Here again.  Many migraines are caused by food intolerances.  It is our mission to help you recognize and eliminate those.  My migraines have dropped to about one a year, since I started clean eating as a lifestyle.

Skin problems?  

Despite the fact that Arbonne has excellent skin care options, if you came to me with chronic skin issues, I would encourage you to try a Clean Eating Challenge first.  Why?  Because you can often heal those issues from the inside out.  Everything from cystic acne to eczema to unexplained rashes can be linked to food intolerances.  By eliminating those first, we can often more quickly and effectively utilize our skincare.

Digestive problems?  Bloating?  IBS?  

A month of clean eating is one of the best things you can do for your digestion.  Like I mentioned in the last post, one of Arbonne's main focuses during a Challenge is improving your gut health.  By increasing your healthy gut flora, and killing off bad gut bacteria, we have seen a huge improvement in these kinds of issues.  Again, this is not a cure.  But it does reduce unpleasant symptoms.

Fatigue?  

So many adults I know are suffering from exhaustion, lack of energy, and just a generally "blah" feeling.  And we just accept this, like it is okay.  NO.  Frankly, when Seth and I first started, I felt like I was already eating very healthy, so I didn't expect a change in my energy levels.  But the change in how you feel everyday is incredible.  Whole30 calls this "tiger blood", and you can expect to feel it from week 2 on.

Stubborn belly fat?  Stubborn ten pounds?  Seriously overweight?  

Yes, this is the place for you too.  Our Challengers see such impressive weight loss results that most continue the program beyond the 28 days.  This becomes a way of life, instead of a "diet".  It feels much easier to sustain after you have been supported and given great scientific information during your first month!

This is by no means a definitive list of symptoms that changing your diet can seriously improve, but these are among the most common problems our Challengers say our program has reduced or eliminated altogether.

Do you still have questions, or would you like to hear personal experiences from Challengers?

Want to try out Arbonne's Clean Eating Challenge? Snag a trial kit from me with everything you need for 1 week! Comment or email me at sodellwenzel@gmail.com.

Clean Eating: What Is it?

There are SO many people out there, both well-educated and decidedly NOT, throwing around the term "clean eating".  I get questions almost every day about what exactly clean eating even means. How can you know a program is a safe, well-researched plan, instead of a waste of your time and money (and possibly even dangerous to your health)?  What do we mean when we say "clean eating"?

First of all, I think the gold standard program for clean eating is Whole30.  While they have written books, everything you need to do the 30 days, from guidelines to recipes to user forums, is available on their website for free.  (There are plenty of "extras" that you do need to pay to access though). Seth and I have done two rounds of Whole30, and I really believe it is life-changing.

That being true, Whole30 is incredibly challenging.  You must make every single ingredient that you eat from scratch.  It is possibly not even feasible for many people, especially those who work long hours without an at-home spouse who cooks, or those who have many obligatory work functions, or who travel for work.  Many people may need more convenience or support and accountability than they offer.  Or maybe you have done a Whole30, and you want more of a long-term maintenance program.  So what then?

If you are looking into other plans and programs to change how you eat, what should you be looking for, to know it is safe?

1) Education

The number one benefit of any plan, the ONE thing that will allow you sustain changes that you make, is knowing and understand why those choices are right for you.  There should be a process in place to get a good, solid education in nutrition.

2) Private, personal coaching  

You should be regularly speaking to a leader who gets to know you and your body, and who is able to give you personalized ideas and advice.  If you are doing a program where you never hear from a leader, or where no one ever checks in to see how you are faring, that can be a sign of poor coaching.

3)  Formalized accountability and support  

It is proven that if you have accountability from others who are participating in the program at the same time as you, you will have better results and stick with it for longer.  There should be a simple format or place where you can regularly ask questions, share ideas, and encourage each other without going through a leader.

4) No fads, no silliness, no dangerous choices 

This is a big one-the plan you choose should never involve anything that you couldn't/shouldn't continue for the long-term, or that you can't easily find reliable scientific research for.  That means no fasting, no pills, no juicing, no wraps, no patches, no odd lemon-cayenne cleanses, etc.  None of that.  Ever.  Any of those things should be a red flag to you that a program is shenanigans.  A whole-food based plan is the only way to go.

5) No counting calories or carbs or restricting.  

When you are eating a very strictly clean diet, you do not need to count points or calories.  You can safely eat to satiety, because your body will naturally stop you at a healthy intake.  (It is really hard to overeat green vegetables, trust me!)

What does a good program usually involve?

1) Removing Allergenic & Irritating Foods 

Many programs, including Arbonne's program and the Whole30, involve removing many common allergenic and irritating foods from your diet for a set period of time.  Doing this allows your system to "reset", and by the end of that period, most people see relief of many negative symptoms.  Then, after that time is over, you will follow the allergy reintroduction protocol and add back in one food at a time, every three to five days.  You will journal through the reintroduction and pay careful attention to how your body reacts.  We know that certain foods are directly related to certain symptoms, so it is easy to catch when your body doesn't love a certain food.  And after that, you decide if those symptoms are miserable enough to remove those foods from your diet for good, or not.  It is entirely up to you!  So what foods are we talking about?  Dairy, soy, gluten, sugar, alcohol, artificial sugar. Basically, the things that you have inkling that you should cut back on anyway :)

2)  Alkaline State

The second really essential component to a good, healthy clean eating program is encouraging your body to get back into a alkaline state.  Acidic states are directly correlated with inflammation in your body.  Chronic body inflammation is associated with pain of all kinds, like joint pain and arthritis, migraines, stomach pain, and a host of other issues, like skin problems, rashes, and allergies and asthma that get worse over time.  Chronic inflammation can also be a precursor to more serious diseases, like cancer.  We encourage this switch by limiting acid-forming foods in the diet, and adding in foods that help alkaline the body.

What about weight loss?

I can tell you that in my experience as a leader, everyone who follows Arbonne's clean eating program loses weight.  Every single person.  That being true, that is not our primary purpose.  Our main goal is to improve your health in measurable ways, and we find that we are very successful at doing that.  We are just also very successful at weight loss.  (Despite having regularly followed the program myself for almost two years, I am down 20 pounds since the beginning of the year, just through being very, very disciplined with the guidelines).

I can't do it.  I can't give up (fill in the blank).

I completely understand, I really do.  When my first friend gave up grains about ten years ago, I thought she was absolutely insane.  Honestly, I thought she might even have an eating disorder (she doesn't).  She was just way ahead of my understanding of food nutrition and intolerances. And what do you know, five years ago I went grain-free myself, as a way of treating my hypoglycemia (and it worked SO well).  If you are not in a place where you are open to the idea that how you eat completely changes everything about how you feel each day, then maybe now is not the time for you to jump on board.  If you are open to the idea, but you think giving up some of your favorites will be too difficult, you will not be alone.  That is why we work in a group, to give accountability and encourage each other when it feels hard.  And it is not forever.  It is only 28 days.  If you want to go back to wine every single day after that, that is awesome with us!  I also love what the Whole30 says about "hard":

It is not hard. Don’t you dare tell us this is hard. Beating cancer is hard. Birthing a baby is hard. Losing a parent is hard. Drinking your coffee black. Is. Not. Hard. You’ve done harder things than this, and you have no excuse not to complete the program as written. It’s only thirty days, and it’s for the most important health cause on earth – the only physical body you will ever have in this lifetime.

So if Whole30 is the gold standard, how is Arbonne different?  And why?

Arbonne is actually a slightly more lenient plan than Whole30, which I think is essential to most people.  The reason why so many people have "failed" Whole30 is because you have to make every ever-loving thing you put in your mouth for 30 days, down to the condiments.  With the Arbonne Clean Eating Challenge, we are majoring in the majors.  No, you may not have bread, but you also don't have to hand cook your ketchup, mayo, and mustard before you eat your homemade burger. Secondly, the Arbonne products that you will get as a part of the plan are HUGE convenience for you.  I always tell people-you can do our entire program without any Arbonne products whatsoever. They are there to help support your goals, and make it simpler.  So, instead of having to get up extra early to cook a hot breakfast, you will have a protein shake.  Instead of trying to suffer through caffeine withdrawal, you can use Fizz Sticks.  And so on.  We have many, many people who continue to follow our program for the long-term, simply because it is so sustainable.  Finally, we also focus very strongly on your gut health.  The research on gut health is absolutely fascinating.  Did you know that it is linked to your immunity, your mental health, and some other pretty major body functions?  If you can improve your gut health for even a short time, you will see measurable benefits.

"But I feel great.  I don't need to change."

Awesome!  That is great, truly!  It is actually fairly rare that an adult likes the way they feel everyday. Most of us are fighting fatigue, headaches, and other pain.  If that is not you, I am SO glad!  That being true, eating a whole foods-based diet is good for anyone.

Also consider that you may have been experiencing certain symptoms for so long that you have stopped noticing them.  Until you remove these things from your diet for a sustained period of time, you will never know if you could feel even better.  My husband and I both thought that we felt pretty good before we did our first Whole30.  But within that four weeks, both of us started to have more energy all day long, we slept more soundly and better, skin issues were gone....the list goes on.  You never know until you try!

Phew!  So that was long, but clean eating is a broad topic.

Do you have questions? Let's talk about it!

Want more information on Arbonne's Clean Eating Program, email me at sodellwenzel@gmail.com!

I'll be on Periscope tomorrow talking about label reading to help decide whether a food is "clean" or not. Follow me and join the conversation @ArbonneVPSWenzel. And on Friday stop back by the blog to learn what symptoms clean eating may be able to improve.

Sugar-free, Low Carb Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Protein Shake

Are you trying to limit your sugar intake?  Staying low carb?  Diabetic?  Just wondering what to do with flavorless protein?  I have had this shake recipe on repeat for the last few days, and I can't get enough.

Chickens in My Kitchen Sugar-Free, Low Carb, Chocolate Peanut Butter Shake

1 1/2 c unsweetened vanilla almond milk (could use other nondairy milk choices as well)
2 T unsweetened cocoa powder (I have been using Hershey's Special Dark)
2 T PB2 (slightly less calories and carbs than regular peanut butter)
1 scoop Arbonne Daily Protein Boost
Half a ripe avocado (to add some healthy fats. Stick with me here, you can't taste it at all, and the texture is AMAZING)
Sprinkle of cinnamon
Liquid Stevia to taste (start with one dropperful, and add from there)

Put all ingredients in good quality blender, and blend well.  Add ice, and blend until ice is your desired level of crushed.  I personally like mine smooth, like a milkshake.

If you are not trying to stay low carb, there are so many yummy add ins you could use: bananas or berries, chocolate chips, coconut.....


SO good, and so healthy.  And as a bonus, this recipe kept me full long past my usual dinnertime.

Proud of you all for moving towards your goals!  Tell us, what is your number one health goal right now? Mine is to stick my clean eating plan.  So far, I am 100% on track since Jan 1 (cliche much? Indeed. But it has always been a successful time for my goal-setting).  I'd love to hear yours...

5 Tips for Staying Healthy on the Road

Since starting my Arbonne business almost two years ago, I have gotten SO many amazing travel opportunities (Virgin Islands, Bahamas, Seattle, Arizona, DC, Miami, Tennessee, NYC, Charlotte, just to name a few).

Charlotte enjoying the Virgin Islands, Arbonne Trip 2015

In fact, I just returned from a great week in Las Vegas for our Global Training Conference (SUCH a great week, but more on that later!).  Through our Clean Eating Challenge program, many of you have told me that sticking to your health and fitness goals while traveling, for work or otherwise, is a big struggle.  Here are a few tips that I use to make sure I stay on plan while I am traveling:

1. Preparation is KEY

Just like when you are eating clean at home, sticking to your priorities on the road will take some good preparation. If you usually spend Sunday afternoon meal prepping, do that exact thing for your trip!   First of all, plan ahead.  Do you need to order anything special?  Ready to drink shakes? Single protein packets?  A blender bottle?  Order those at least a week ahead of time.

Then, think about how you will handle meals, and get your nutrition needs packed up.  For breakfast, maybe pack your blender bottle, individual packets of protein, and any other supplements.  For lunches, consider whether you will be in the car all day (need nutrition bars and individual packets of almond butter, or ready-to-drink shakes to avoid the drive through), or having business lunches (plan what you will choose right now-”I will have a piece of fish and a vegetable”) for lunch everyday.  Put sturdy snacks in your luggage.  Powdered greens are a great safeguard against a no-vegetable trip. This seems obvious, but most of us don't even consider planning our nutrition on a trip.

Next, look at your schedule and plan your workouts.  Commit to how many workouts you will get in while you are gone.  These days, that is much easier than it used to be.    I am so grateful that Arbonne so highly values health that they offer group workout options for us, but if that is not your situation, plan them for yourself!  (In fact, maybe a friend or colleague would appreciate the invitation to join you!  Encourage each other!)

Arbonne charitable workout for Hope for Haiti #gtc2016

Group yoga to benefit Arbonne Charitable Foundation #gtc2016

Running or walking is always a simple option.  It has the added benefits of needing only a pair of shoes, and also allowing you to explore the area!

One of the ways I have been introduced to awesome new workouts is to take every opportunity for new classes.  Are you traveling to a big city?  It is a great chance to try that awesome class that everybody raves about!  Are you in a scenic area?  Ask friends for recommendations for a hiking spot or walking trail.  Are you visiting someone who is passionate about a certain workout?  Let them introduce you to their fav!  That is how I tried a barre class, and it is a regular part of my routine now.

Hiking on trip in AZ

If you know that you will have a crazy trip with little downtime or no good options, consider signing up for streaming workouts.  This is what I do when I am home on the farm.  My personal favorite is Physique57 streaming because they offer a free 1 week trial.  Other great options include Tracey Anderson streaming, or Barre 3 streaming.  All of those choices offer no-equipment workouts that you could easily do in a hotel room.

So how do you fit all this into your traveling schedule?

2. Prioritize

Write down your goals, and commit to sticking to them.

One important way to make sure that happens is to spend the money: pay for the exercise class, the daily gym pass, whatever it takes.  Buy the blender bottle, the single serve protein, the stacking containers, the PB 2.  Why?  Because you need to make staying healthy as easy as possible.  Making small investments in necessary preparation is an essential part of that.  

If at all possible, make it a priority to go to the market when you first arrive and grab clean food that can be kept in your room fridge: hardboiled eggs, precut veggies and hummus, non-dairy milks, water.

If you track your food using a diet and fitness calculator, consider where you want to spend your calories/macros.  Don't stray from that plan except for a truly once in a lifetime treat.  (Airport food ain’t that).   Planning ahead will help enormously here.

For example, here is the difference in Starbucks v Arbonne's Fizz Sticks nutrition:

If you are committed to staying on plan, do you really want to spend THIRTY TWO grams of sugar on one coffee?

Another important way to prioritize is to discipline yourself for what you want the most!  

Leave the party early so you can get up early and squeeze in that workout.  If all else fails, walk laps at the airport.  Ask your business contact or friend to meet you for an active meeting instead of a drink.  I have done this with great success several times lately, and gotten to have some great experiences as a result.

Barre 3 Studio, Georgetown

3. Essential Take Alongs

So what to pack?

For me, these are essential take alongs, and I can fit most of it into one gallon size ziplock.

• Protein packets
• Ready to Drink shakes (for car travel, or ship ahead)
• Fiber (35 g of fiber per day has been proven to help you eat 245 less calories per day without noticing)
• Fizz Sticks
• Greens
• Digestion Plus
• Sleep Spray
• Blender bottle
• Stacking cups
• Nutrition bars
• Complete Hydration

4. Stay Flexible

Let's say you slept through your planned workout this morning. You're giving up on today, right?! NO. Figure out a way to squeeze something in! Walk laps in the airport. Do a 7 minute HIIT workout (there are apps for this!). What if your boss just loves fast food, beer, and general shenanigans? (Well, don't we all?!) Make the best choice you can-check the nutrition info, order a club soda and lime, plead jet lag and get back to the hotel-whatever it takes. Don't let your perfect plan be the enemy of a good alternative choice. Staying on track is absolutely about a "no matter what" attitude than it is about sticking to any one small part of your plan.

5. Tips & Trips

• Packets of single serve protein are perfect for when you are only using a carry on bag. Make sure you have your blender cup and stacker ready to go in your bag for your travel day.
• Ready-to-drink shakes are the gold standard for car trips and checked luggage. SO easy.
• If you will be in one place for more than a few days, consider sending nutrition ahead to the hotel. Most hotels will hold boxes for you at the front desk. That will save you some weight in your luggage.
• Stay on your probiotic, for two huge reasons. 1) Many people suffer from tummy trouble while traveling, and your probiotic is essntial to protecting your digestion, and 2) Do you know that a large percentage of your immunity resides in your gut health? By being consistent with your probiotic, you can save yourself all that crud many of us pick up while traveling.
• Bring your own water bottle. Keep it filled. Enough said.
• Commit to keep using your trackers, especially if you normally do at home-My Fitness Pal will give you nutrition information on most restaurants. Even if you are planning on indulging, keep yourself accountable by tracking everything!
• Write down your goals and keep them with you. WHY do you want to stick to your plan? What is your end goal? Keep these with you to remind yourself when you are tired from travel and feel like diving into a mediocre pizza.
• Try to get a friend to commit with you. If you can chat throughout the day, it will help keep you accountable. Even better if you two are traveling together. It is so much easier and more fun to make healthy decisions together. Encourage each other when one is feeling weak!
• Make the effort. This is key. Work hard ahead of time so that your decisions are easier later. For example, pack food for airport on travel days, don't plan eat fast food and hope you will find something healthy.  Start yourself off on the right foot.
• A quick example of what I ate while I was gone last week:
• Breakfasts: protein shakes made in the room, with fiber, Digestion Plus, and PB2. Prepared and packed in my tote: Fizz Sticks made with Greens
• Lunches: Always protein and a veggie combination of some kind at a restaurant. Made sure to get in a healthy fat (avocado is a good bet)
• Dinner: (admittedly, at 11pm most nights): Again, protein and veggie combo. I even got a beautiful salad from room service one night. And champagne. Because vacation.
• Snacks: bags of almonds, another protein shake, or nutrition bars in my tote. We also keep veggies and hummus, and some meat and cheese in our hotel fridge. Cut myself off coffee before 2 pm, stuck to fizz sticks so that my sleep wasn't disturbed.

May you be encouraged in your efforts to stay healthy while traveling! Tell me, what are your traveling healthy tips? I challenge you to make one healthy swap this week, whether you are on the road or not.