A Winning Monday

Today is the day. 
Let's just cut to the chase. The winner of October's Sickeningly Sweet Music Mix Giveaway is #44 Stacy from "Ben and Stacy"
She said...

I love this idea! It probably appeals to me because I wear black all the time...anyways...Congrats Stacy email me at megolina21 at gmail.com and I'll get you your tunes!

Happy Monday to every one! I'm feeling unusually optimistic for a Monday. Maybe it's because I got in a great workout this morning? Maybe it's because I'm very happy that it isn't snowing? Maybe it's because I'm wearing my new colored jeans which makes me feel like a kid again (we were all about the colored Gap denim at my house) Maybe it's because my b-day is on Friday? Who knows. It doesn't matter; I'll take the optimism.

Monday's Workout:

30 mins of intervals on the elliptical

Lifted legs & Shoulders
3 sets of each alternating between exercises

Set #1
12 squats with leg press on sled 270 lbs (If you aren't doing these, start now. One of THE BEST exercises in my opinion. You engage SO many muscles, burn LOTS of calories, load up the weight, and tone a million things at once.)
alt with
single leg balancing front raise with 25 lb plate

Set #2
12 step ups with an overhead press with 15 lb db's
alt with
12 step ups just holding db's
alt with
12 single leg reverse lunges on physio ball with right leg
alt with
12 single leg reverse lunges on physio ball with left leg

Set #3
15 Squat throws with a 18 lb med ball (I. LOVE. THESE. just ask my clients)
alt with
20 Med ball throw downs (working the core and shoulders)
alt with
12 Upright row to a dead lift with 20 lb db's

20 more minutes on the elliptical...called it a schweaty day.

Can I just bring up something real quick...Since my Ipod is out of commission (may it rest in peace) I am at the mercy of whatever music the gym happens to be playing while I lift. I can use pandora on my phone as I do cardio, thank goodness. However...while I lift I get whatever is on. Today this song came on...

I'm sorry...Maybe "private eyes, watching you" wasn't a creepy term in 1981, but I feel like I'm not alone in saying it is now. Maybe we have Hall and Oates to blame for all the crazy peeping toms born in the 1980's? No?

Anyways...GUESS WHAT? I have another AWESOME contest/giveaway to announce today!! Two of my FAVORITE things in life combined. Wahoo!

I hope your Monday is looking as optimistic as mine is! :) xoxoxo

Beautiful Saturday's and Delicious Sundays

Yesterday was an absolutely beautiful day. Having the sun out gave me some energy to get a good workout in. 

I started out with sprint intervals on the treadmill. Try this...it's killer. You can up the speed if you need to.

5 min warm up jog

Interval Set #1

minute 1 - walk on 4 mph

minute 2 - run on 6.7 mph

minute 3 - run on 6.7 mph

minute 4 - run on 8.7 mph

minute 5 - run on 8.7 mph

Interval Set #2

minute 1 - walk on 4 mph

minute 2 - run on 6.7 mph

minute 3 - run on 6.7 mph

minute 4 - run on 5.7 mph @ 8.0 incline

minute 5 - run on 5.7 mph @ 8.0 incline

alternate between both interval sets 3 (or more times)

cool down jog 5 minutes

Chest & Triceps

3 sets of each/alternating between exercises

Set #1

12 Chest flies w/20 lb DBs

12 Triceps Skull Crushers w/30 lb bar

15 Ab Roll Outs on physioball

Set #2

12 Single Arm Chest Press R&L w/20 lb DB

15 triceps dips on bench w/feel on ball

Set #3

15 Triceps pull downs w/cables 30 lbs

15 Push ups

20 mins of intervals on the ellipticals

Later that afternoon I was determined to go up and look at the fall leaves, and so of course I drug some friends up to Sundance with me. 

 

Isn't that so pretty?? I have some willing subjects too...

 Aren't they just darling? Unfortunately it started to get too dark...

 We then headed up to Park City to meet up with some friends.

 Followed by a viewing of the new Footloose...awesome.

Definitely a fun Saturday! I just love fall activities. I KNOW there is a lot more where that came from.

Speaking of fall...today I made some healthy Potato Corn Chowder and some Homemade Wheat Bread for my friends for dinner, and I forgot to take pics...dang it. I was really in the mood for something fall-ish, and it hit the spot. Try it if you need a dinner idea for this week!


Are you seeing seasonal changes and loving it? I hope so! So pretty!

Don't forget...tonight is your last chance to enter the October Sickeningly Sick Music Mix Giveaway!

Looks can be decieving...All In a Day's Work

I always joke with the people that know me well that those who don't know me very well think that I do nothing all day. My schedule is so opposite of everyone else's that people tend to not see what I am actually doing all day, which I think leads people to make up their own ideas. I would. ;)

Instance #1: I work as early as 5:45 AM some days, and I usually work until 10 or 11 AM. This means that I am gone and back from half of my work day before some of the people I live around even wake up. A lot of them will see me get home or see my car at home once I am there and just assume I'm chilling at home all day.

Instance #2: I LOVE Elevate, the gym that I work at, and sometimes if I have a break between clients I will workout there. However, as I have expressed before, most the time I go to the Gold by my house on my way home. I know it's weird. I work at a gym, and I pay for a gym pass, BUT it is somewhat therapeutic to me to go somewhere other than work. You get that, right? Well the same crowd of people tend to always be there at the same time as me...around 10-11, and I'm pretty sure they think I just rolled out of bed and finally made it to the gym.

Instance #3: I go back to work in the afternoon usually around 4, and so in the middle of the day my car will be home. I am also a freelance writer on the side, and so when I am at home in the day I do my writing. Those who live around me will often come stop by because they see my car and I'll be in the kitchen working on my computer...I'm fairly certain they think I'm just facebooking.

Instance #4: People see me in gym clothes always...which unless they actually know what I do they often equates to...oh there is the girl who never gets dressed. So lazy that girl.

So, what many individuals see is....
Megan rolling out of bed at 10 or 11 to get to the gym and then she sits home and Facebooks in her sweats. Ummm, I wish? ;) (Not really, but maybe the rolling out of bed at 10?)

When in reality...it's more like
Roll out of bed at 5.
Train until 10 or 11.
Write, write, write until 4.
Back to work...

I guess sometimes what we see can be deceiving, no? 

(This is Colston...he doesn't like to be deceived!)

Sometimes the foods we think are, "healthy" at restaurants can be just as deceiving...

Eating out and making healthy choices can be tricky...

Some prime examples?

Applebees Oriental Chicken Salad
1310 calories
93 grams of fat


Blimpie Veggie Supreme (12”)
1,106 calories
56 grams of fat (33 grams saturated fat)
2,831 mg. Sodium

Quiznos Chicken Caesar Flatbread Salad
1,020 calories
69 grams fat
2,120 mg sodium 

Macaroni Grill​’s Seared Sea Scallops Salad
1,320 calories
91 g fat (25 g saturated)
2,860 mg sodium

Cheesecake Factory French Toast with Bacon2,494 calories
71 g saturated fat
3,542 mg sodium
182 g carbohydrates

Cheesecake Factory Grilled Chicken and Avocado Club
1,752 calories
28 g saturated fat
2,309 mg sodium
85 g carbs 
Cheesecake Factory Grilled Kid's Meal Pasta with Alfredo Sauce1,803 calories
86 g saturated fat
876 mg sodium
70 g carbohydrates

Chili's Quesadilla Explosion Salad
1,390 calories
89 grams fat
2,710 mg sodium

Cafe Rio Pork Salad
1,260 Calories

CPK Full Waldorf Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing
1,570 calories
25 grams of saturated fat
2,082 milligrams of sodium.
  
T.G.I. Fridays Pecan Crusted Chicken Salad
1,360 calories

T.G.I. Friday’s NY Strip & Shrimp
1,660 calories

Quizno’s Tuna Melt (large)
2,090 calories
175 grams of fat (31 g saturated fat, 2.5 g trans fats)
2,190 mg. sodium

IHOP Colorado Omelette 1,890 calories
47 g saturated fat
4,200 mg sodium
130 g carbohydrates

P.F. Changs Crispy Honey Shrimp
2,110 calories
70 g fat (10 g saturated)
1,815 mg sodium
290 g carbs

 Kinda Scary? YES. 

Just some food for thought...

 If only every restaurant posted their nutrition facts on the menu like Panera does...

Click HERE for some help with your salad choices. 

Are any of these nutrition facts surprising to you?

Happy Birthday Hurricane Elaine!!! (& a bit of a brain dump)

Today is Wednesday which happens to be my super long day of training. It is ALSO my fabulous mother's birthday.

She's so adorable I can hardly stand it! 

We call my mom, "Hurricane Elaine," because she is always going 90 million miles an hour doing amazing things. She is a health nut, a fabulous quilter, a great cook/chef/baker, she entertains like nobody's business, she's crafty, she has a heart of gold, she is a spiritual giant, she is always smiling, and she makes me want to be a better person. She is just amazing. I wish I could hang out with her all the time!!

Mom - I hope you have an INCREDIBLE birthday! You deserve it. Thanks for being such an amazing role model in my life. When I grow up I want to be just like you!! xoxoxo

On other notes:
- My Ipod still isn't working. I ran yesterday listening to Pandora on my phone and tried to not be sad about it. I'm pretending like it's not true :(

- Speaking of running...I ran 5 miles yesterday with no foot pain. HALLELUJAH! I haven't ran in what seems like forever because I've been trying to let my ankle/foot get all back to normal. I'm still going to keep it low key, but I was itching for some running yesterday. I won't be running a ton for not because I am still focusing on lifting weights more.

- My darling and sweetest neigbor brought me over a $20 gift card to The Pizza Factory to say thanks for everything in Powell. Best surprise ever? Yes.

- There is approximately 9 days until my birthday. I will be 27 on the 21st...I hate the thought of turning 27 is that weird? Probably.

- I have been shopping for my Halloween costume. I LOVE Halloween, and dressing up. It is just so dang fun. I think I have my outfit secured. Can't wait to show y'all.

- I have made a MAJOR correlation between my eating and my desire to workout. I have had such a crazy past couple days that I haven't felt like my eating has been as good as it could been, and I've noticed my workouts have been mentally harder for me. For some reason I feel like if I am not on top of my game eating-wise my workouts won't be as beneficial. Weird and untrue thought process, BUT I'm glad I've figured this out about myself. Even more motivation to eat better.

- In regards to yesterday's post about how to lose weight and achieve your goal weight once and for all,  a few of you wondered if I cut sugar out completely. When I cut out sugar I cut out as much as possible. We're not just talking about candy and treats, but also about processed foods that contain sugar too. I also find that it helps me to lower my fruit intake a bit. I know that is natural sugar, but it is still sugar nonetheless. I do, however, make one exception for myself and that is fat free frozen yogurt. Yes, it still contains sugar, but if I can have it once and a while I curb my sweet tooth and it makes not eating other sugar more manageable.


Do you ever see a correlation between your eating patterns and your exercise habits? Or am I the only crazy one? I hope you have successfully made it to Wednesday and that the rest of your week is looking fabulous! Have a great day :) xoxoxo Megs

p.s. Don't forget to enter October's Sickeningly Sweet Music Mix Giveaway if you already haven't! :)

5 Tips to Achieve Your Goal Weight Once and For All

I always have people asking me how they can lose weight. It is just the nature of the business. As a personal trainer and nutrition coach, weight loss is my main area of focus.Because I talk with people about this day in and day out I thought I'd share with you the five most common things that I tell those who ask me how they can reach their goal weight and stay there.

1) Journal your food
- First things first. Most people think that their lack of exercise is the reason they aren't losing weight. Yes, it is a contributing factor, that is true. Habitual inactivity is killing Americans. HOWEVER, I can confidently say that your diet is %80 of  the battle. Think of it this way: You could burn from 500-600 calories by working out for an hour. You can eat 500 calories in about 30 seconds. Journaling your food will help you to be more accountable for what you are eating.

2) Lift Weights
- Cardio is important as well, but if you want to increase your metabolism and lose weight you have to engage in strength training. Strength training will increase your muscle mass which will increase the amount of calories your body burns per minute. The more calories you are burning per minute the more calories you burn overall. The more calories burned the less calories stored and the less fat you will have on your body. You WILL NOT get bulky. You WILL lose inches, and you WILL get toned. All good things come from lifting weights.

3) Cut out sugar
- If you REALLY want to see a change in your weight and your body composition, cut out the sugar. Sugar doesn't have much to offer you in the form of positive nutrition, and unless you are carb loading for a marathon you don't have any need to worry about your glucose stores. In fact, you will be doing your blood sugar levels a favor by cutting out the sugar. To read more on why cutting sugar out of your diet will help your health and your weight loss read HERE. 

4) Drink Water
- Not only does water help you to feel full it flushes your system and helps keep you cleansed. If you have eaten too much salt, water can help you to flush that sodium out. Your body is made up primarily of water, so it only makes sense that we need to keep ourselves hydrated, right? I tell my clients to aim to drink 100 oz of water a day. Try it. I dare you. 

5) Don't give your body a reason to gain weight.
- This is fairly self explanatory. If you are eating unhealthy foods or over-eating in general,  and not exercising, you shouldn't be surprised when you step on the scale and the numbers climb. Eat in a way that you can confidently say you know will help you to get your body to look and feel the way you want it to. Remember your goal is to be eating with a purpose.

There you have it. Fairly basic, but it might do you well to read over that list and do a self evaluation on how you are really doing. Don't find yourself being naive about the limitations you may be placing on yourself. If you want to see changes, you're going to have to change something. It is just that simple.


What has worked for you when it comes to weight loss and staying in shape? Have you applied any of these principles and seen results? 

P.S. If you want to win some sweet new workout tunes click HERE to enter October's Sickeningly Sweet Music Mix Giveaway! 

Quick and Delicious Acorn Squash

Fall time for me is always associated with certain foods. Aside from the obvious pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and pumpkin pie...I love squash! All kinds...butternut, acorn, spaghetti...you name it. I've been itching for some acorn squash, and tonight was the night. My mom always bakes her acorn squash in the oven, which is delicious; however, I didn't have time for that tonight. SO, I cooked mine in the microwave. It turned out perfect. 

Here's how it's done.

Cut your squash in half and clean out the seeds.

Season your Squash however you'd like. I added salt, pepper, cinnamon, a little splenda, and a touch of brown sugar, but you really can use just about anything!

 Cover your squash completely with saran wrap and place it in a microwave safe dish.

 Microwave it on high for 4:30 and then rotate it and put it in for another 4:30. Remove from the microwave and let it sit for a moment. It will be hot! Be very careful as you remove the plastic wrap. Can you see the steam coming off of that?? 

Dig in! You can eat it straight out of the skin or dish it out first, whichever you like. I only ate about 1/2 of it, and scooped the rest out and saved it in a tupperware for tomorrow. It reheats like a pro. If my dinner looks familiar to you it's because it's a total repeat of my one ingredient chicken and roasted vegetables from last week. It's such an easy meal and a great way to eat a mountain of veggies!

Not only is acorn squash delicious, but it has some awesome nutrition facts as well...116 calories for an entire half! Amazing. 3 grams of fat, 4 grams of fiber, and 1.2 grams of protein. Not too shabby.

Today's workout was legs and shoulders:

10 minute warm up on the elliptical

3 sets of each exercise

Leg Press (12 reps/270 lbs)
alt with
Front raise (12 reps/25 lb plate)

Reverse lunges (24 reps alternating/20 lb DB's)
alt with
Overhead Arnold Press (12 reps/15 lb DB's)

Standing Squats (12 reps/20 lb DB's)
alt with
Lateral raises (12 reps/10 lb DB's)

Single leg rebound lunges (15 on each leg/no weight)
alt with
Upright row to a dead lift (12 reps/20 lb DB's)

10 minutes on the elliptical to finish!

Don't forget to enter October's Sickeningly Sweet Mix Giveaway if you haven't already! I hope you have a great start to the week!

October's Sickeningly Sweet Mix Giveaway

You know the drill. A new month means new music. Instead of filling up on sugar this time of year why not fill up on some sickeningly sweet tunes to sweat your little heart out to?

Here it is...
October's Sickeningly Sweet Mix:

Strange Clouds - B.O.B. ft. Lil' Wayne
Pretty Girls - Iyaz ft. Travie McCoy
Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO
Stay - Miley Cyrus
Love You Like a Love Song - Selena Gomez
Who's that Girl - Guy Sebastian ft. Cinta Laura
Super Bass - Nicki Minaj
Criminal - Britney Spears
Moves Like Jagger - Maroon 5
Without You - David Guetta feat. Usher
Rain Over Me - Pitbull feat Marc Anthony
Good Feeling - Flo Rida
Sail - AWOLNATION
You and I - Lady Gaga
Sweat - Snoop Dogg Vs. David Guetta
Helena Beat - Foster the People
Cool down...How to Love - Justin Bieber (Covering Lil' Wayne) (this is amaaazing.)

To enter to win...
1) Become a follower and leave a comment saying you have or that you already are one
2) Tell me what you are dressing up for this Halloween (leave a separate comment)
3) Tweet about it, Facebook it, blog about it...(leave a comment for a separate entry for each.)

You have until Sunday night at midnight to enter. The winner will be announced Monday October 17th!! 
Good Luck! 

P.S. I was featured as a local spotlight on Janetha's Blog Meals & Moves. Her blog is awesome! Check it out!! :)