This week I was asked to guest post on a friends website. These ladies created Coast to Coast Challenge, an organization that focuses on helping women feel beautiful and feel confident. The ladies at Coast to Coast Central have recently initiated fitness challenges through their organization, and I feel honored that they asked me to write about how being healthy can go from temporary to permanent.
Today I want to share the blog I wrote for these ladies. I hope you enjoy.

6 TIPS TO STAY HEALTHY EVERY DAY

My name is Nicole Covarelli. I am a wife, elementary school teacher, and self-taught health enthusiast. Let me give you a little background on how I got started down the healthy lifestyle road because I have not always been fit and healthy.

From spring of 2010 to fall of 2011, I went from close to 200 pounds down to 150 pounds (yes, it took 18 months to lose all the weight I wanted), and at 5’ 9”, I am proud to still weigh 150 pounds.

How did I do it? I became an avid exerciser and began counting calories, which turned into a passion for reading about health and consuming foods that my body needs and loves. I have fallen in love with being healthy every day and hope you will too.

Today I want to share 6 tips that I live by every single day. These tips will help you live a healthy lifestyle and stay fit while still allowing you to eat foods you love and enjoy your life.

How do you make healthy living permanent?

1. Think forever- the word “diet” is not in your vocabulary.
   The moment you tell yourself that you are on a “diet,” you have just told yourself this is not permanent. Thinking short term leads to more extreme eating habits that are not sustainable. Don’t eat healthy foods that make you gag. Who wants to gag when they eat? Find healthy foods you love and eat those often.

2. Find your “niche” in healthy living.
   While some people only eat organic, others are vegetarian or vegan. We all have our “thing” when it comes to staying healthy. My thing is being an avid calorie counter because it helps me keep my food intake in perspective.
   Find what works for you and stick to it. It’s okay if your “niche” is different than your friend’s.

3. Make time to exercise- it won’t just happen.
   If you don’t make time in your day to exercise, it won’t happen. It just won’t. Pick the days each week you will exercise and stick to it! People often ask when the best time of day is to exercise. Guess what… it’s the time YOU DO IT. And you should do it 4-5 times a week.
   Exercise hard. I mean really hard. Your body will reflect the amount of effort you invest in it.

4. Find a few healthy recipes you love and cook them often.
   When you become confident cooking healthy recipes, you will cook them again and again. Don’t stress about a huge variety of healthy meals. Find a few you love and cook them. In my house, my husband and I regularly eat homemade pizza, black bean burgers, pan seared fish, and sweet potato chips. (All of these recipes are on my blog). Find recipes you love and cook them!

5. Measure the crap out of your food.
   If you have never used measuring cups when serving yourself food, you are doing your body a major disservice. You have to learn to recognize portions, and the easiest way to do this is to actually measure. When the serving size is ½ cup, get out your ½ cup measurement.
   You will find a serving size of ice cream or cereal is much smaller than you were pretending it was. Measure and measure and measure some more!

6. Splurge at one meal each week.
   When I say splurge, I mean it. ONCE a week at ONE meal, eat the food you want. Make the food worth it so that you feel satisfied after your splurge meal. If you love pizza, eat pizza. If you love ice cream, eat that too. When you only blow it one meal during the entire week, your body gets rid of what it doesn’t need rather than storing it.
   Pick the meal you will splurge on during the week, and it gives you something to look forward to all week, a glorious prize for all of your hard work!

In closing, a few tips and encouragement:

Health should be in moderation but consistent.
Don’t be too extreme. It’s not sustainable.
Don’t look to other individuals to tell you how you should look. We are all different.
Don’t let fear of failure keep you from trying. Not trying is failure.
You are beautiful. Start with believing that and the rest will fall into place.

As spring is filling the air and the weather is absolutely fantastic, I am exercising outside as much as possible. Exercising outside not only feels wonderful this time of year, but it has some wonderful health benefits that exercising indoors cannot always fulfill.

Women’s Health Magazine can take credit for these great tips. You can find the link to the article HERE and a link to their full website in my recommend websites on my blog.

7 REASONS TO EXERCISE OUTSIDE

1. You’ll go for longer.

When you change up the scenery, you usually spend more time exercising. Run a new route, find a great hiking park that requires you to hike a few miles in and then a few miles back out. Try something new so you end up exercising longer.

2. You blast more calories.

Changing up your routine outdoors helps you blast calories because you surprises your muscles by doing new exercises. Plus exercising outside usually means a varied terrain, so you’re climbing hills rather than running flat on a treadmill.

3. You’ll save money.

Gyms are expensive. I do not own a gym membership and still find plenty of ways to get in the exercise I need through outdoor running and circuit training. Exercising outside is free! Who doesn’t love free?

4. You will feel happier.

Studies show that people who spend time outside more often tend to have a happier demeanor. The fresh air coupled with doing something good for your body can’t help but make you feel great! Exercising gives you energy and helps clear your head, which causes a more positive outlook.

5. You will fight germs.

Know why people get sick more in the winter? It’s because the germs get cooped up in the locked buildings with the windows shut. Being outside gives you fresh air! Gyms also contain germs, bacteria, and according to Women’s Health, MRSA (a strand of staph). If exercising at the gym, always use gym manners and disinfect your machines.

6. You will think clearly.

Pick your favorite playlist, audio book, or sermon. (I love to catch up sermons on my runs because it’s easy to pay attention.) Exercising outside in any capacity can help you clear your head and lessen stress.

7. You will workout whenever you want.

I love this reason because as Women’s Health puts it, “The outdoors is always ready to go. No class schedules, no waiting in line for machines. You can fit fitness in whenever you have a chance.”
Exercising outdoors leaves little room for excuses- it’s always right there!

I encourage you- get outside and exercise!

Activities:
Ride bikes
Job a new route
Walk a new neighborhood
Play sports with your kids or a group of friends
Hike a nature park near your home
Do yoga on the porch

What are your favorite outdoor activities?
How will you get active this spring and summer?

As most of you know, I ran my first half marathon February 24th. The training was so intense at times that I would run for 2 hours straight! You think to yourself: she must have been the skinniest she’s ever been. Think again!

Since finishing my half-marathon training, I have gotten back in touch with my favorite fitness guru: Jillian Michaels. I’ve actually LOST WEIGHT since running a half marathon.
The beautiful part? I don’t have to do any 2 hour workouts during the week!

HOW DID I LOSE WEIGHT?

1. Jillian Michaels DVDS

Jillian is a fat blasting master. I love her workouts.
You want to see results? Cardio alone won’t do it. You HAVE to build muscle through weight training and circuit training, and Jillian is your girl!

Here are my FAVORITE Jillian DVD’s right now. I cycle them throughout the week.

YOGA MELTDOWN
2 levels of fat blasting yoga, all while relaxing your mind and body after a long day. Each level is about 30 minutes long.

6 WEEK 6 PACK
2 levels of intense core and ab work. This may just be my favorite DVD of hers. Each level is 35 minutes long. Occasionally I’ll do half of a level and then go for a run.

KILLER BUNS AND THIGHS
This was a Christmas present from my wonderful husband. Three crazy levels, each one about 40 minutes long. This workout has serious muscle consequences, but it hurts so good.

2. I got really strict with my eating again.
During my half marathon training, I still ate extremely healthy, but I allowed one or two extra splurge meals.

Now that life is back to normal, my week is much stricter now with the food I eat. I have cut out as much unnecessary bread as possible, I eat many veggie based dinners, and have fallen in love with kettle corn as my “dessert” rather than splurging on ice cream. To lose weight, I have to consume less than 2000 calories a day, with intense workouts included.

All this to say, I’m confident you can lose the weight you want and feel great. Eat strictly and go buy Jillian Michaels DVDs. I promise you will be so sore. I also promise you will look so good!

Yesterday was a big day for me- huge really.

I ran my first half marathon at the Cowtown marathon and half marathon. And I highly doubt it will be my last!

How did it go?
It was really good… once it was over.
But seriously, it was great for the first 5 miles and then my legs really hurt. At Mile 9, there was a huge hill that definitely made the end feel harder. But all in all, it was great enough that I would definitely do another half marathon.

And I got a nice medal and a sweet t-shirt that says half-marathoner finisher. I’m debating wearing them both everywhere.

Did I meet my goals?

My goals going into this were 2 main things:
1. Finish
2. Do number 1 without stopping to walk during the race.

AND I DID BOTH! So I feel pretty darn accomplished.

The Hal Higdon 12 week, Intermediate Training Program I did was designed to improve speed. I was hoping to break under 2 hours for my finish time, but I was extremely happy with what you’ll see below. 2 hours and 5 minutes feels great!

How do I feel?
A little stiff and sore. I won’t be running today, but I will run again soon. Every sore muscle was so worth it.

You  may be wondering why I wrote this blog- I hope this encourages you. I hope it causes you to find a dream you wrote down somewhere or put away in the back of your mind and embrace it!

What goals have you put on the back burner?

There is such power in accomplishing what feels impossible at times! You are much stronger than you think.

I found this great article on Self Magazine’s website about the 6 best foods for runners. You can find the original article HERE.

So often after I run, my muscles are sore and I am ravenous. Here are some helpful foods that will keep your body replenishing the nutrients it needs while aiding muscle repair and body function.

1. Almonds
Almonds are a great snack to add in during the day. Each one contains only 7 calories, and they contain lots of Vitamin E, fiber, protein, and good fats.

2. Eggs
Eggs are a fabulous source of protein. One egg contains 70 calories and 7 grams of protein. This protein is what helps repair muscles after training- eat up! No need to skimp on the yolk either- yolks contain nutrients that give you strong eyes.

3. Green leaves
Leafy green veggies are full of skeleton strengthening nutrients- eat spinach, romaine lettuce, kale, bok choy. You name it, it’s giving you stronger bones. The vitamin K in these greens is what helps your body become stronger.

4. Oranges
Citrus fruit is excellent at helping your body absorb calcium (which we know aids in bone strengthening), and they are also great because they have been shown to increase fat burning during exercise!

5. Quinoa
This is pronounced (keen-wah). This low calorie grain is a complete protein! That means it contains all 8 amino acids your body needs- this is something new I learned from reading this article from SELF. Once again, proteins repair muscles, leaving you stronger and healthier.

6. Sweet Potatoes
These are a favorite! They are much better for you than the white starchy regular potatoes. Sweet potatoes are built from complex carbs that will stick with you for the long haul. They are also fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and potassium rockstars.

Runner or not, the reasons these foods are so good for you apply to every person reading this blog. These foods are especially helpful when you are working your muscles hard and need to repair them and replenish your nutritents,

Stock up at the grocery store this week! Your body and next workout will thank you!

Football season may be over, but your healthy lifestyle most certainly is not!
In fact, how many of you feel like a poster child for what NOT to eat after all the crap you consumed yesterday during the Super Bowl?

Wings, nachos, pizza, Doritos, soda. The list goes on. And the picture above says it all.

My goal today is not to beat you up but to encourage you. However, I will take a moment to ask you- how do you feel today after a greasy processed fatty feast? You’re either feeling like you have a food hangover, you’re feeling normal because you always eat those foods, or you feel great because you didn’t give in to the food that surrounded you.

HOW DO YOU GET BACK IN THE GAME?

1. Don’t eat today because of how you ate yesterday.
I used to make a blow it day a blow it week because I was so ashamed of myself. There is no shame for the person who gets back on track immediately after an eating upheaval.

2. Get your butt to the gym.
There is no excuse to continue sitting around this week after getting off track. Not working out only hurts you and makes you feel gross and lazy.

3. Eat healthy foods!
It’s a new day! Start it with oatmeal and fruit. Have a salad or veggies and hummus for lunch. Dinner? Protein and sweet potatoes!

4. In the future, make a game plan BEFORE you go into a party.
Next time you’re at a party remember this- it’s never worth it. Feeling gross and gaining 3-5 pounds in one day is awful.
Failing to plan, is planning to fail.

There is no reason to keep beating yourself up today for a choice you made yesterday.
Move on, move your butt, and get back in the game.

It’s too cold outside.
I could never run that far.
I wouldn’t be good at that exercise.
I’m just at a season where I can’t have self control when I eat.

Can anyone determine what these statements have in common?

If you said they’re all excuses people use as reasons to sit on the couch eating Doritos instead of exercising you are correct!
Stop giving lame excuses for why you are unable to workout through the winter, or any time of year for that matter. Here’s why excuses are… well, excuses.

“It’s too cold outside to exercise.”
Really? Because it seems to me we have plenty of sweat pants and sweat shirts to keep us warm since we all lounge around the house in them anyway. Leave your sweats on and go for a walk!

“I could never run that far.”
Just because you can’t run 3 miles or more doesn’t mean not running at all is helping you. Jog for 10 seconds, then walk, and build up your stamina. Guess how much skinnier you get from watching other people run? You don’t.

“I wouldn’t be good at THAT form of exercise.”
Maybe your coworkers do circuit training or yoga and you feel like you’d never be able to do it so you just don’t try any exercise. Guess what? You can do it and you only get better with practice. Still feeling intimidated? Then stick to what you know. I bet you are good at walking…

“I’m just in a season where I can’t control what I eat…”
Im not even sure how to rebuttle this other than saying- you have to want to be healthy. A person is only as healthy as they push themselves to be. If you are still blaming your inability to stop eating sweets on the Christmas season, your time is up. Christmas ended a month ago…. It’s time to leave the cookies alone.

Whether you have said one or all of these things, or maybe you hear them from the people around you, I’m encouraging you to just stop. Stop excusing yourself for another day. Stop blaming the holiday season for the fact that you’re still eating unhealthy and not exercising. Stop.

What excuses do you make?
What are some you gear others make?
How can we all help each other achieve healthier lifestyles?

Yes you heard me. Quitting a workout does not always mean you are phoning it in.

Someone asked me recently, “Wait, what? I thought I was supposed to feel the pain and push through!”
While my response is YES it is also NO. Let me elaborate.

How do you decide if you should quit during a workout?

1. What type of pain do you feel?
This weekend I was supposed to run 9 miles in my half-marathon training. I woke up feeling good, and I knew I had eaten enough carbs the day before. About 6.5 miles into my run, I felt miserable. And not the “I don’t want to keep going because this is hard work” feeling. I felt unhealthily weak. My heart rate was extremely high and not coming down as I slowed my running pace, and my stomach was extremely upset. So what did I do? STOPPED. And any time I tried to start jogging lightly, it came back. So I stopped for good.

2. Do you feel dizzy, nauseous, or over heated?
Heat exhaustion and eventually heat stroke are no joke. Even the most seasoned athletes are still at risk for overdoing it during a workout. I heard an extremely sad story recently about man who was running a half- marathon. He finished the race on an 80 degree, high humidity day, and had to go to the hospital at the end of the race. The man did not live through the day because he had overheated during the run. This is a sobering reminder of the importance of listening to your body when you are exercising.

3. How often do you stop during a workout?
I hardly ever do less during a workout than I set out to do. I push through the pain and sweat because I know the reward is worth it. All this to say, I am not one to quit a workout so quitting this past weekend was a big deal for me, but it needed to happen because I knew the way I felt was not a type of pain that should be pushed through.
However, if you usually quit during workouts, you probably just need to suck it up.

Maybe this confuses you. I am not saying don’t work your butt off every time you hit the gym. Work yourself so hard your muscles hurt. Sweat so hard your clothes are soaked. But always, always listen to your body. It does not take long for overheating to turn dangerous or a muscle injury to set you back several months.

You are not a hero for pushing through a workout that ends at the doctor, physical therapist, or worse, the emergency room.

I sit here on this first Sunday afternoon of 2013 writing this blog while listening to the football playoffs in the background. I am so honored to be able to write for you guys, my readers.

That being said, here is my New Year’s Resolution (well, one of them):
I will blog constantly. Not every day but my goal for you is at least 2 posts a week. Information, recipes, workouts, and anything else you want to read about.

I apologize for the lack of blogs the past few months as I settled into marriage and a new job. Now it’s a new year and a new start- back to the blogging, which is one of my favorite things!

So please answer me this-
1. What would you like to read about on the blog in 2013?
2. What are your resolutions? Be careful telling me your fitness goals, I’m a really good accountability partner…

2013 is going to be a fantastic year!
Full of sweat, pain, and maybe some nausea and tears (all from a good workout of course)!

Here’s to you, who make blogging possible! How can I help you this year?

We all have our favorite foods that we love to eat.
The problem is, the more we love them, the less we think about the amount we eat. This causes us to consume large amounts of calories and fat without thinking about the exercising that should happen in return.

Here is the link to the excellent article I read that lead me to write this blog! They have even more examples there.

Foods We Love- Calories Inside- and the Exercise It Takes to Burn them Off:

1. 3 Double stuff Oreos- 225 calories- 60 minutes of walking

2. Bran Muffin- 400 calories- 60 minutes of vigorous dancing- 80 minutes of house work

3. Birthday Cake- 240 calories- 30 minutes of running

4. 2 Large Pieces of Fried Chicken- 720 calories!!!- 60 minutes of intense cycling

5. Medium French Fry- 380 calories- 55 minutes on the stairmaster

6. Large Slice Pepperoni Pizza- 730 calories- 65 minutes of running!

7. Ice Cream Sundae- 300 calories- 80 minutes of walking

8. Regular Size Sonic Onion Rings- 500 calories- 30 minutes running stairs

9. 3 oz Lay’s Potato Chips- 450 calories- 90 minutes car washing

10. Four Loaded Baked Potato Skins- 880 calories!!!- jogging 90 minutes

11. 12 oz Frozen Margarita- 540 calories- 60 minutes playing basketball

12. Here’s one of the biggest kickers: GRANOLA, 1 cup- 530 calories- jogging 55 minutes

All this to say, is it REALLY worth it!?
I’m not saying give up your favorite foods… but how about 1 bite instead of an entire serving?

Be careful what you put in your mouth.
Because it will go straight to that area you hate if you don’t exercise your butt off!

What about you? Which foods that you love are the hardest to put down?