Winter Blues

Keep Getting Better….. 

Winter doesnt have to mean 5 – 10 extra pounds and 2 extra hours on the couch each day with a heavy case of winter blues. So what’s the key to keeping up with your goals? A solid plan. That never changes. But make some small changes to the plan to accomodate the season. 

Our bodies intuitively know what we need. Our bodies will crave root vegetables, warm soups and warm meals during the colder months. Many people eat less protien in the winter and more processed comfort food. Keep a food journal. Create a menu for the day or week and stick to it. Have a plan and stay on track. You can still add root vegetables and soups to your meals just keep it clean and minimally processed. But, keep track of protien and make sure you are still hitting your goals. Cold foods (yogurts, shakes, cheese, etc.), clean foods (bananas, other fruits, raw veggies, etc) arent as appealing in the winter but if its in your meal plan, keep it there through the winter. Consistently!  The first tip is dont make major changes to the way you eat. Keep the fruits, keep the clean protien.

Water, winter weather doesnt leave us as thirsty or as hot. However we need the same amount of water. Get a water bottle, set a goal, and drink it every day. No excuses. Space our your hydration throughout the day. If you drink all of your water in one hour of time you will not stay as hydrated. Drinking to stay hydrated and healthy means small amounts of water all day, every day. Dont wait until you feel thirsty, in the winter its much less likely to happen.

Activity levels also go down in the winter. We sit more. Its cold, it can be wet, the couch looks so comfy! But, the goal is to keep getting better. Pushing to be the best version of you, you can be! If you are all of a sudden stuck in a gym when you are ususally active outside you must find ways to keep moving with intention and not just go through the motions to “get it over with” and “punch the clock”. Thats how NOT to progress. Showing up but not working with intention and intensity will not deliver results. Show up, stay active AND keep pushing yourself out of your comfort zone so you continue to make progress. 

Take the few sunny warm days we have and get outside. Maybe take up some new winter activities like skiing or snow shoeing. Walk more every day even around your house. Stand more. Stand at work, walk at work, park farther away from the store. 

On the days in the gym, think progressive overload. Your gym sesh doesnt have to be full of fancy quick complicated movements and exercises. What brings the best results? Simple, basic compound lifts with progressive overload. What does that mean? Push/Pull movements. Compound movements work multiple muscles at the same time, therefore delivering better, quicker results, and higher calorie burn. Here are my favorites. These are part of everyone’s program (unless an injury prevents). 

* Squats
* Lunges
* Deadlifts
* Pull Ups
* Push Ups
* Hip Thrusts
* Bench Press
* Overhead Press
* Dips

You dont need to get fancy or complicated. These are lifetime lifts. You never get too advanced for them.  Take the winter to work on perfecting form on these lifts you will use for the rest of your life.

The other necessary factor for change and success is pregressive overload (mentioned above). Every week you should try to increase your weight factor anywhere from 2-5lbs or 5% on each lift. Or, add more reps to the same weight factor. Which you choose depends on your goals and your training program. I can help you decide which is best if you are unsure. This is a long journey. It takes YEARS to build significant strength and recomp the body. 

After progressive overload for 8-10 weeks, incorporate a one week deload period. This can be lighter weights or just body weight. Again, it depends where you are and what your goals are. What a deload week is not is a week without exercise. Same program, lighter weights or body weight. Or alternate exercise of moderate intensity. 

Remember one day isnt going to make or break your progress. Whether its an extra rest day, an eating off your plan day, a lighter training day, a really bad training day when you just felt like you couldnt do it, or an outstanding day that you PR’ed every lift. What will break your progress is when that happens one day here, and one day there, over vacation, every weekend, etc. Its much easier to fall into the habit of taking days off and then starting over again, than it is to create that habit that brings you into that gym (or place of training) every day. Especially in the winter when motivation runs lower for everyone. But if you arent consistent you will not reach or maintain your goals. Consistency is the only thing that can make or break you. If you arent going to go all in, why even bother? If you consistency show up, commit and work hard youll reach your goals. If you consistently make an inconsistent commitment you will not. And winter makes it much easier to be consistently inconsistent.

So when motivation runs low (thanks winter!), discipline needs to kick in. Tell yourself youre doing it. Follow through. No excuses. You are the only one who can get it done. You know youll feel good after, even if you need to force yourself to start. 

Common Excuse:
Its too cold to leave the house to go to the gym.

Solution: Put your gym bag in the car and hit the gym on the way home from work or on the way too work. Or just go anyway even if its cold (Im not big on accepting excuses). Warm up your car and go.

Next one: The gym is boring. Im used to (fill in the blank….) * Hiking, Running outside, etc.

Solution: Pick up an indoor sport (raquet ball, basketball, boxing, etc)
Or join a group fitness class – Its fun! There are so many types.
Or just start going to the gym with a group of friends you hike with and it will be fun!
Or go to the gym and make new friends!
Or, my favorite, just tell yourself your doing it (going to the gym) and do it because you know you will develop a habit of going. Create a program that keeps you fit for your outdoor summer sport when the season rolls around again. That will give you some motivation. After a week youll enjoy it. There are so many options, so many forms of exercise, I am SURE you can find something you will be able to enjoy! Need some ideas, let me know!

Control your mindet. If you tell yourself its hard and it sucks, it will. If you tell yourself winter is an opportunity to get better, you will. That extra time you used to spend outside in the summer? Spend it in the gym. Work a little longer. Work a little harder. Its better than sitting on the couch. For 4 months, those of us in New England are stuck inside more. Im not going to be happy sitting on the couch. So, Im going to be in a rack under a bar instead. 

Common Misconception with Novice Exercisers

One of the reasons novice exercisers dont see the results they want is inaccurate calories in/out. Novice exercisers tend to blast out a bunch of cardio to lose weight. There is little to no change to their daily diet. And the results (if they come ) come quick, but are short lived. Shortly after a plateau is reached or the weight comes back. Novice exercisers can have inaccurate calorie in/out perceptions.

Misconception:

Cardio is NOT the key to long term sustainable fat loss, building lean muscle is
Nutrition is equally if not MORE important than exercise

Why?

* Calories out are mostly always over estimated and calories in are mostly always under estimated. You cant lose fat unless youre in a caloric deficit.

* Cardio burns calories at that moment but not throughout the day.

* The less you weigh, the less calories you burn just living (your basal metabolic resting rate/BMR). This is the amount of calories you burn for essential bodily functions, to live. So as you lose weight your body starts to require less calories to survive.

So what do you need to do?

*You need to eat LESS and exercise/move MORE.

* Calorie counters on cardio machines are WAY off. At this rate (photo) I would burn over 1000 kcal an hour! Imagine if I ate daily, thinking I had burned 1000kcal in an hour? My calories in would be much higher than my calories out. Most novice exercises use the calorie counter to justify how much they can eat each day. IGNORE the calorie counters, PLEASE! Even chest strap monitors are not accurate. I love them and use one to measure my HR – but I do not give the calorie counter any merit.

* Keep track of your calories daily AND weekly. So many novice exercises eat within their program during the week but allow themselves to have whatever they want on weekends. If you are in a deficit by 300 calories a day for 5 days (1500 calories) but then you are in a surplus of 2000 calories a day on the weekend (even just in alcohol nevermind the food) on Friday and Saturday, you are STILL in a suprlus. (4000 surplus (Fri/Sat) – 1500 deficit (Sun-Thurs) = 2500 calories surplus). 2000 calories surplus in one day is not that hard to do on a cheat day. Trust me. So with this method you will not lose fat.

Side Note – Im not a fan of “cheat days”. Im a fan of a balanced lifestyle. If you restrict too much you will eventually lose control and binge. A balanced lifestyle will include the foods you love in a reasonable amount.

* Build lean muscle. The real way to lose fat and keep the fat off is to speed up your metabolism (consistenly move more) and increase your basal metabolic resting rate. Muscle, pound for pound, burns WAY more calories than fat. So not only will you be leamer, youll be stronger, and youll be able to eat more than before. The more lean muscle you have, the higher your BMR will be, the more calories you burn.

* Be mindful of your calories. People track calories but often forget to add calories for salad dressing (restaurants add more than a serving), that handful of chips, those 2 crackers, butter on the bread, olive oil to cook vegetables, etc… All that adds up to quite a bit at the end of the day and forgetting to add in those calories will put you in a surplus. If you are serious about losing fat, every calorie counts. Every single one.

*Be consistent. Even if you show up one day and you arent as good as the day before, Show up. Consistency is what creates and sustains results. If you get derailed on day or one week, you can start again. Whatever you do be consistent.


Nutrition is SO important for sustainable fat loss. Nutrition is also so often overlooked or not understood properly. So if you can, get a professional to help you with nutrition. WIthout proper nutrition, you will NOT see the results you want to see with exercise.

This one one of MANY reasons novice exercisers fail to see results or quit. Ill talk about other reasons in future posts.

*

The real calorie burner….. lean muscle

The most common reason people want to start exercising or change their nutrition is to lose weight. But, lets get something straight first… muscle does not weight more than fat. One pound is one pound, whether it is muscle, fat, marshmellows or steel. So when we talk about losing weight, we should be talking about losing body fat. Either way, the scale is decieving. If you are on a solid program you are likely losing fat but gaining muscle at the same time so the scale may not move as quickly as you’d like. Dont let this discourage you! If you have a lot of excess fat to lose than the scale is going to go down more quickly at first, but will slow down eventually. So, a better way to measure your success is by pictures, measurements and the way your clothes fit.

I understand no one wants to take a “before” photo, but it is the one thing I wish everyone would do. Sustainable change happens slowly and without the before photo you will not see how much you are progressing! Not just your body losing body fat but your body changing shape and appearance.

For many, the first thing that comes to mind when trying to lose body fat is a calorie restricted diet. Yes, to lose body fat you NEED to be in a calorie deficit. But you also need to find a way to burn more calories long term not just when you are exercising. The first thing that usually comes to mind for calorie burn is cardio. I happen to love cardio but most of my clients do not. Although cardio helps, it is not the most effective way to get into a long term caloric deficit and increase your resting metabolic rate. Building lean muscle is. This means strength training.

In my opinion a balanced program invovles some cardio and some strength training. Initally though, most people focus on just cardio and forget the strength. Why? No one initially gives muscle enough credit. Muscle burns more calories pound for pound, all day long, verus straight cardio. Cardio burns calories in the moment of exercise and slightly after. HIIT is shown to have an after burn effect for slightly longer. But nothing and I mean nothing will increased you daily resting metabolic rate (aka burn more calories for longer) as much as lean muscle. It burns calories during the exercise, during the rebuilding and repairing process, and literally all day long!

So, get off the diet / cardio rollercoaster because if you havent noticed yet as soon as you go back to old eating habits and get burnt out on the endless, mindless cardio…. all the weight you lost comes back. If you really want to see change that lasts focus on building lean muscle.

Women often worry about getting “too big”. Women are genetically different than men in so many ways… one of which is the ability to “get big”. Women will naturally develop an athletic look, not bulky and big comparable to a man. Plus, the great thing about strength training is you can just maintain at any time. You dont have to keep trying to get bigger once you like the way you look and feel. Just maintain it!

So if you really want to lose body fat and change the appearance of your body in a way that lasts long term, strength training is where its at… with a little cardio sprinkled in there. Building lean muscle will give you the sustainable results you want without the need to be on a “diet”. Keep building muscle and keep knowing those calories are burning.

Once last thought…. even if we take fat loss off the table as an incentive….. As we age we naturally lose muscle, so what does this mean? Our bones have less support. Our daily resting metabolic rate slows down. We become more prone to losing our balance and falling or more prone to injuries. It is important to stay ahead of the aging process and keep your muscles strong and healthy and increase overall longevity. Again… whats the solution? Strength training.

The benefits of strength training are so numerous across all levels of health and fitness. And you are never too old or too weak to start. You can start as light as you need to, you are still building lean muscle if it is challenging. You can progress to being as strong as you want or choose to maintain at any time. The one thing I can tell you is truly working on building lean muscle will be the best and easiest way to reach your goals.

If you need help getting started let me know!

Lets talk about Lean Muscle and Protein!

Its no secret we lose muscle as we age. Our metabolism goes down and so does our lean muscle mass. There are many benefits to maintaining as much lean muscle as we can. Lean muscle will:
* Help maintain a strong metabolism at any age
* Increase physical strength and bone density
* Reduce the risk of injury
* Combat obesity
* Improve blood glucose and control insulin sensitivity
* Increase performance
* Improve energy
* Increase confidence
* Slow the process of aging
* Improve heart health (because you need to exercise to gain muscle!)

Strength training and proper nutrition (ensuring enough protein) is fundamental to building and maintaining as much lean muscle as possible. We all know protein is important but most people do not get enough of it! The RDA for protein is based on minimal needs for survival for sedentary adults. The RDA reccomendations are not based on thriving, exercising, or building muscle. So if you are only ingesting the recommeded daily allowance, you should probably increase your protein intake!

What else does the RDA not take into consideration? Essential Amino Acids with protein. There are over 20 amino acids that we need, 9 of these are essential amino acids that must be delivered to the body through food, in the form of complete proteins to be exact. Our bodies can not produce these 9 EAAs. So if we dont ingest them in adequate quantities our muscle protein synthesis suffers.

What is MPS (muscle protein synthesis)? In the very most simple terms (although it is not a simple process), MPS is the process of using protein to repair muscle damage from exercise/strength training. MPS occurs when we exercise and have enough protein and EAAs for muscle repair. You need both exercise and complete protein for MPS to occur. Complete protein is protein with the 9 EAAs mentioned above.

The opposite effect is of MPS is MPB (muscle protein breakdown). This happens naturally and intentionally when we exercise. We breakdown muscle tissue during strength training. However, ingesting 25-30 grams of protein immediatly after exercise will trigger MPS, and stimulate muscle growth and repair.

Our bodies need protein for more than just building muscle. Our bodies need protein to maintain muscle and for every day body function processes. At any point in time if our body does not have enough protein, our body will break down muscle tissue for its protein needs. Simply put, not ingesting enough protein (and the 9 EAAs) will minimize your lean muscle gains! Your body may even break down muscle faster than you can build it.

So how much protein should you eat? For the average person with a moderate activity, 85-100 grams is what I recommend. But, our body can not absorb more than 25-30 grams of protein every 2 -3 hours. Three is better. Two is ok if you have a lot of lean muscle. The more lean muscle you have, the more protein you need. You will see many food posts with meals or snacks in excess of 30 or 40 grams of protein! All the excess (above the 25-30 grams your body can absorb at one time) is just excreeted. Wasted. It is not used.

One of the biggest mistakes I see people make is super high protein meals (40 grams +), two times a day. In this scenario, the body is only absorbing 50-60 grams of protein, not 80 grams as most people beleive. Just because you eat it, it doesnt mean your body is going to be able to absorb it. It is more beneficial to eat 25 grams of protein, spaced over 3 meals, which totals 75 grams of absorbable protein.

A very easy to follow plan for most people is 25-30 grams of protein at each of your 3 meals. Add 2 snacks (we all snack) of 15-20 grams of protein during the day, all spaced 2-3 hours apart. Simple and easy to follow. If your snack can be 25-30 grams, great! If 15 grams is hard, aim for 10. Just try to include protein each time you eat and slightly increase the amount of protein you are eating now. Swap out empty calorie foods for nutrient dense foods with protein. This works for most people who want to be healthy and increase their lean muscle mass. Athletes and competitors, and those that exercise more intensely require even more!

Some of my favorite high protein snacks are greek yogurt (Fage 0% fat or Fit & Light), egg whites (omelettes), protein shakes, and protein bars. Be aware of calories in protein bars though. They can be very high!

Most proteins in their natural state, like anything else, are going to be better for the body and contain the 9 EAAs mentioned. Eggs, meats, etc.. but that does not mean processed protein is bad! My recommendation is to ingest as much clean protein as you can (meat, eggs, dairy, etc..) and supplement with processed protein as needed (protein bars, tofu, etc..). Its still protein, it still counts! I am a vegetarian and consume a lot of tofu.

Another good source of protein is shakes. Protein shakes are popuar and for good reason. They can be fortfied with vitamins, minerals and most importantly the 9 EAAs we need for MPS. They are also one of the best ways to get easily absorbable protein into your body quickly after exercising. However, dont assume all protein powders are equal! They are not. Many have added sugars, empty calories and only some of the 9 EAAs. When choosing a protein shake look for one that is low calorie, has plenty of milligrams of each of the 9 EAAs, and minimal added sugars. Also, make sure you enjoy the taste! Protein in its natural form is 4 calories per gram. So it is reasonable to find a shake that is around 120-130 calories and includes 25 grams for protein.

There are many types of protein available, but the very best for immediate post exercise consumption is a Whey Isolate Protein (if you consume dairy). An isolate protein is going to have most of the fat and lactose removed and be more easily absorbable. I can not stress enough how important it is to ingest 25-30 grams of protein within 30 minutes post exercise.

Although there are 3 macros we must consider in our diets, as well as many vitamins and minerals, this post is focused on protein needs. Protein will curb hunger and help build and maintain lean muscle. Protein will also help build, repair and create new cells in your body on a daily basis and after an injury or surgery. Protein also helps oxygenate your body through your red blood cells. The benefits of protein are endless! And one of the easiest things your can do to start taking better care of your body is giving it enough protein to thrive not just survive!

Sign up for health and wellness coaching, personal training or nutrition counseling by contacting AngieAngieMorinWellness.com or call/text 207-569-5354 Get health tips sent right to you by subscribing to the email list at http://eepurl.com/hPcv4D www.AngieMorinWellness.com Code: AngieMorinWellness at www.Nutrex.com for a discount!

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Calories In, Calories Out

Why does this matter? Welll, nutrition plays as strong of a role in your success as exercising does. Its a known fact that to lose weight we need to ingest less calories than we expend through energy use. To maintain, we need to ingest the same amount of calories we expend through energy use. And to put on weight, or lean mass/size, we need to ingest more calories than we expend through energy use. Seems simple, right? Well it is. Sort of.

The more weight you have to lose, the quicker you will lose it. This is great for people just getting starting. The scales show progress quickly! And, usually lots of progress! But then the plateau comes. The scale stops moving so quickly, or stops moving at all. Common sense tells us that we are building muscle. So as fat is lost, it is replaced by muscle, thus making the scale move down more slowly, or not at all. And eventually, in come cases it will move back up. This is why it is important to base health goals on your percent of body fat (body compostition), level of overall health and the way your clothes fits. Not just the number on the scale.

The reason manypeople see a plateau is living in a state of calorie reduction that is too extreme. I cant tell you how many people come to me eating 1000 or 1200 calories a day!! Id be STARVING!! Your caloric intake needs to align with your energy expenditure in relation to your goals. But…. now hear me out. If your calorie intake stays too low for too long, your body adapts. It becomes effecient at running on minimal fuel. It goes into starvation mode (and panics) and holds onto every ounce of fat it possibly can. This then triggers more cortisol (the stress hormone). And we all know cortisole reduces our ability to burn fat and lowers our energy levels. Its the bodys method of self preservation. And makes losing fat almost impossible.

When the body isnt getting enough fuel, basic survival needs set in and the body adjusts accordingly. The body’s job is to stay alive, thats it. So if you maintain a grossly low calorie diet for too long, your body starts shutting down non essential processes to ensure enough energy (calories) for essential bodily function. What does this mean? Hormone function usually suffers first. That doesnt sound like a big deal, but it is. Without balanced hormones everything in the body is off, including metabolism. Moods, energy, health, cravings… everything!

In addition, when you arent ingesting enough calories or have been living on a very restricted diet, your body is not recieving enough nutrients (vitamins, minerals, etc) for essential body functions to be working optimally. When we want to shed fat, increase muscle or even just maintain our current weight/lean muscle we must provide the body with enough energy, through calories, vitamins and minerals to be able to stay in balance. When our body is in balance, it does not panic. It does not go into starvation mode, or self preservation mode. It can shed fat easily because the body has what it needs. The body will then more easily release excess (fat), within reason. When we do not provide our body with enough energy (in the form of calories), our body will hold on tight to the excess fat, for emergencies. The body may even start to use muscle tissue as fuel, since it is less essential than fat. Of course if we provide our body with much more energy (calories) than we need we will gain fat. So it is a balance.

It is a known fact that most people grossly underestimate their calorie consumption on a daily basis (even when logging). And over estimate energy expenditure during exercise sessions (cardio machines are not accurate for calorie burn!). When you consider your daily calorie intake you must take everything you put in your body into consideration. The soy sauce with your sushi, the dressing on your burger, the olive oil your roasted your veggies in, etc… These are just a few of the items most people forget to account for. Do you have to record every single little thing? Not if you dont want to. Its a way of life that doesnt work for everyone. But if youre perplexed by seeing a plateau on the scale…. at least start thinking about these things.

So what is the solution? A diet? Nope. I honestly do not beleive in diets. Diets create roller coasters. They arent sustainable.. You have weight loss through restricted intake. Then you have weight gain when you resume normal eating habits. And so starts the cycle. The solution is lifestyle change. Small changes made over time to create new lifestyle habits that allow you to maintain the progress you make, almost effortlessly. How can it be effortless? It becomes habit. It becomes your new normal. You dont have to think about it, you just reach for the cleaner, better for you, food.

So although I encourage everyone to eat clean, you must still always consider calories in and calories out. You will see tons of foodie bloggers online posting “healthy” meals or snacks. What they dont tell you is these clean healthy items are very calorie dense. They are also nutritionally dense, which is great! But, the marketing around these foods often confuses consumers into eating these foods without considering the caloric intake associated with them. So overdoing on these clean foods may still leave you in a calorie surplus. These nutrient and calorie dense foods provide your body with many good things! Just be mindful of the calories. We need fats, we need calories and getting these things from an unprocessed source is ideal. Avacados, Nuts, Olives, Olive Oil, all provide our body with good stuff and should be included in the regular diet! The foods pack tons of nutrients, but also are high calorie by volume. They provide healthy fats, instead of saturated fats.

In an ideal world, for the average person that just wants to be healthy and live in balance, 80% of your food choices should be clean. While considering the caloric density of the foods and how it adds to your whole day nutrition plan. Remember the more a food is processed, the more nutrients have been removed. And these processed foods contain high levels of saturated fat. We need fats. Fats are good for. us. They are essential. We do not need saturated fats. Saturated fats are terrible for us. These processed foods are always calorie dense as well, but typically provide little to no nutritional value.

On a day to day basis we have many choices to make regarding our health and the foods we fuel our body with. Educate yourself on the food you are putting into your body. Remember that marketing has a purpose and it is easy for consumers to fall victim to foods labeled as “healthy” or “clean”. Clean foods are usually found on outside edges of the grocery stores. Clean foods do not have an ingredient label. Foods with minimal processing have a very short ingredient label and you will be able to read and pronounce everything on the ingredient list. Do your research, ask for help or hire a proffesional to help you if you are unsure. Your health is always worth the investment.

Motivation

Over the past couple weeks I have been asked by 5 or 6 different people how I stay motivated. Ive been asked by individuals finding difficulty in maintaining motivation, and individuals starting their fitness journey. I answered everyone as soon as I was asked without putting much thought into my answer. My initial replies were:
*The adrenaline of pushing limits and working hard motivates me
* The feeling of wanting to feel good and look good
* The ability to maintain a fitness level that allows me to hike the way I want and participate in other physical activites that interest me, knowing I can successfuly participate.
And to some, I was honest and replied, “Im not sure what keeps me motivated day after day. I just am”.

But then I started to think about it more. Most people struggle with motivation at some point. At the beginning of a journey, the middle, sometimes the end or anytime in between. I am not any different. There are definitly days when I am NOT motivated. Days I have to force myself to execise.But it never seems impossible. And I never lack such motivation that I feel like I want to quit. Its just more of a struggle some days but I truly still want to do it. I want to sweat. I want to exercise. On the days I struggle a bit, discipline trumps motivation. So although it looks like motivation, its actually discipline. However, once I get started its easier to keep going than it was to start. When I finish I am ALWAYS (without exception) happy that I pushed through and did the work. I have benchmarks for every single time I exercise. Some days those are harder to reach than others. Some days it takes longer. But, some days I surpass those benchmarks or reach them more easily. But at a minimum I will meet them every single day I exercise because I told myself I would. So what holds me accountable to that? Discipline. Most of the time I exercise alone so no one knows if I meet my goals and benchmarks, just me.

To go a bit deeper, there still has to be a “Why?”, right? Yep! Always. If youve started this journey I am sure you have discovered your “Why?”. But when the “Why” is not enough on some days, thats when discipline and HABIT clicks in. Habit is another key here. At this point I have exercised so consistently for so long that when I dont exercise (a rest or travel day), it feels “off” not to get it done. Its a disruption to my routine. Ive developed a habit of exercising daily. And we all know how hard it is to break habits! You wont develop a habit overnight or even a month, but with discipline you can develop a habit in about 6 months.

We only ever try to break “bad habits” and we all know how hard that is. Well, guess what? Its just as hard to break a “good habit” but most people dont know that because we never try to break our good habits! So if you make exercising a solid habit you will find it hard to skip a day meant for exercising.

So getting back to motivation…..most days, Yes, I am motivated. I like being strong and fit. I enjoy liking what I see when I look in the mirror (yes that may sound like ego, but if we are honest with ourselves, we all want to like what we see in the mirror). And on the days when it takes more effort to exerise I fall back on discipline. I do it because I know I should. I know its good for me in more ways than I can list. I made a promises to myself that I am going to honor. Its like going to work, there are days we dont want to go but we have to. Discipline makes you walk into work on those days that you dont want to. Discipline can be used the same way with exercising. You know you want the results. You know you feel good when youre done. So be discplined and get it done. No excuses! Your goals dont care about excuses. Discipline is a choice. It is taught. Its learned. It can be strengthened. Its mindset. There are few things in life we can control, our self discipline is one of them. If you can control your mind everything becomes easier.

I know some of you are still thinking its easy for me. Well its not easy for me every day. On days when motivation runs low, and habit and discipline are all Im riding on, sometimes I have to get creative. We all have the works outs we love and prefer and the ones that are just not our favorites. This is where I cut myself some slack. I may not be mentally or physically in a place where I can crush my upper body day (my least favorite!), so if thats the case I do something else. Leg day, maybe? Yes please!!! Whatever I find FUN is what I do on my hardest to motivate days. I will still hit the benchmarks I make for myself. There is no exception to that, but I will not be so rigid in my routine that I burn out or skip a day I shouldnt be skipping. If Im not feeling leg day, maybe Ill hike. Whatever it is, on my hardest to motivate days I think about what feels easiest for me to do (while still hitting my benchmarks) and I do that. If it means I get off schedule with leg day/upper body/athletic conditioning, who cares?!?! At least I exercised!!! Some days Ive done leg day two days in a row. So wrong, right? Well, I was running low on motivation that 2nd day and I know leg day pumps me up, so I did it! Twice! In a row!!! And its fine!

(To quickly clarify when I talk about switching it up, I know I cant avoid upper body day for a week. So I still need to use discipline to make sure I am hitting upper body 2-3x a week, but maybe not exactly on the day I intended to. I switch on the days when just doing any exercise is a struggle.)

The point is, be disciplined enough to exercise every day, but not so rigid that you burn yourself out. Remember, something is always better than nothing. And once you get started its easier to keep going. The first 10-15 mintues are hard, then youll find your groove and it gets easier. Im SURE you can make yourself do 10-15 mintues. And after those 10-15 minutes youll probably keep going. Just start. That first step is the hardest on the days when motivation runs dry. Motivation comes in waves. Somtimes its there every day for weeks or months, and some days you cant find it for weeks or months. When motivation runs low and habit isnt formed yet, try some of the following things and see if it helps:

* Get an accountablity partner. If you have someone to exercise with you are more likely to show up.
* Pack your work out bag the day before. If its ready to go, its easier to get going.
* Sleep in your work out clothes! (Thats what I do!).
* Aim for just 10, 15 or 20 minutes and you might suprise yourself and keep going after those minutes.
* Vary your routine. Not motivated to go to the gym? Then dont! Do something else active and FUN! Take a walk, go for a hike, try Yoga, take a new class, go to a new gym! The options for variety are endless.
* In a rut? Look at progress photos of yourself. Acknowledge how far you have come already. Or look at where you once were and use that to motivate you to get back to that place if you have fallen back into old habits.
* Hire a health / wellness coach or personal trainer. Maybe you are running in circles. The right person can help you be more effective and effecient with your time. Then youll see gains sooner and that will motivate you.
* Eat WELL! I cant stress enough how much the right foods give you more energy, which means exercise is easier! If you arent eating foods that help increase energy, you are easting foods that make you sluggish. Of course that also sucks away the motivation!!

Everyone will need their own motivators. What motivates me might not motivate you. But what you can do is work on discipline. Build a habit. Then motivation wont be all you need to get your daily exercise in.






New Year Resolutions

How many of you are going into the new year with a resolution to lose weight or exercise more? Its the most popular resolution. New year, new me!! Right? Well, its not quite that easy. This health based resolution is the one least likely to be followed through with. Why? People tend to make changes that are too drastic, too quickly. I mean you wake up on January 1st and plan to make a complete lifestyle change? Thats some hard stuff to do!!

Making changes too drastically is setting yourself up to fail because the task becomes too grueling, completely unsustainable, and/or too much work. Its just miserable. Im all for having BIG goals! Dream big because you are capable of so much more than you think you are. But, you need a plan and then take small steps to get there, while celebrating the small victories along the way.

Social media has so many fitness influencers, it becomes hard to have realistic goals. The influencers didnt get where they are overnight, in a week, a month or even a year. And you wont either. So be realistic, make a plan and have patience with yourself. Really sit down and think about how much time you can and are willing to devote to this lifestyle change. Also consider long term sustainablity. Can you do this for the rest of your life? It has to be enjoyable or it will not be something you continue doing. My advice? Have a big LONG term goal. This can be your New Year Resolution. But, make a plan to get there with smaller, incremental goals along the way. Decide WHY you want to do this? Your WHY is what will drive you on the hard days. When discipline and commitment overcomes motivation. If the goal doesnt mean anything to you, you will have no reason to push through the challenging times. You have to find the reason you want this, deep down inside. Why is this so important to you?

So, do you want to exercise more? Great! Start with small changes if you want the changes to last. Commit to 30 minutes a day of exercise for 3 or 5 days a week, or whatever seems doable and managable for you. How much time can you truly commit? Consider work, family obligations, sleep, commute, etc… If you are unreasonable with this time commitment you will feel like you are failing when you cant exercise often enough. And guess what? Thats when the desire to quit starts showing up. The “I cant do this anyway so why did I even try?”. Your resolution should be something you can succeed at. Your resolution should make you feel good. It feels good to succeed!! As you see how successful you can be, it will motivate you to take the next step, to exercise a little more. Either longer duration &/or more frequently. Or maybe just increase the intensity. Whatever it takes to get closer to your long term goals. Stay hungry for that goal but dont starve yourself of small bits of success along the way.

Once you have been honest about how much time you can devote, think about the details. Exercising 3 or 5 days a week doesnt have to be done in a gym each day. You can walk or run outside, play a sports game with your kids, or exercise at home. Just commit to “exercise” in some way. Start with a loose plan. Its easier to succeed that way. As you gain momentum in the right direction you can start to add more detail and more discipline. You have to build habits and routines slowly for them to stick. You have to stay interested.

Why do you think gym memberships (& health and wellness coaching) sky rockets in January and dwindles down by Feb/March. So many people sign up in January but then many quit just one third of the way into the new year. There are many reasons why but some of the most common and also preventable are:
* Burnout/Boredom
* Making mistakes and not being forgiving with yourself
* Using fad diets, shakes, fad work out equiptment or falling for “quick and easy, see results NOW” schemes. They dont work. They just dont. They never will.
* Not having a supportive circle around
* Too many changes, too quickly
* Making the task more work than fun
* “All or nothing” mentality
* Lack of time (being unrealistic about the time you have to devote when creating a plan)
* Not getting help from a proffesional
* Not knowing where to start
* Inconsistency
* Using a plan that you see on social media that works for someone else. You are not that person. You have to do what works for YOU
* Not setting yourself up to succeed
* Being so rigid with your “plan” you are no longer enjoying life
* Not getting enough sleep as part of your goal. Sleep is so often overlooked when it plays such a HUGE part in your success. (The same goes for stress managment)
* Not putting thought or time into the process, “winging it”

So what can you do? Start slow by building a habit in small incremental steps. Thats what sticks. This is your life and you get to decide what your goals are and how you want to live this life. You are in control of how much you put into this and how far you take it. All I recommend is take it slow. Slow and sustainable is the path to being successful.

Ok so you want to eat better? Start with one meal a day on a plan that lines up with your goals. Or, substitute one food you want to remove in your diet with one food you want to add. Dont try to change your entire eating plan all in one day!! And dont, please dont elimate any foods! You can have your favorite foods in moderation. There’s nothing that creates binging and guilt more than drastic diet changes or elimination. Remember long term success will come with a lifestyle change. A FULL lifestyle change takes a year! Be patient with yourself and enjoy the process along the way.

Most importantly, if you have a bad day, a bad week or fall off the wagon at any point in time, that is NOT a reason to quit. You CAN do this and you WILL, if you really want to. One “mistake” isnt going to ruin any progress you make. You can restart as many times as you want! The next day, the next snack, the next meal are all opportunities to start again if you need to. Every moment of the day is a chance to continuing building momentum towards your goals or make a fresh start.

Being strong and healthy is not a gift and it doesnt come by luck. It is something you have to work for, something you earn. You are worth the investment. You dont need to wait until the New Year to start making changes but if the New Year is what motivates you, then go with it and start January 1st. But please always remember you can start anytime. Its never too late. Youre never too far gone. And sooner is always better than later when it comes to taking care of your health. Whatever you decide to do, be gentle with yourself.

Cheers to YOU, your health, your happiness and your journey!!

Sign up for health and wellness coaching, personal training or nutrition counseling by contacting Angie@AngieMorinWellness.com or call/text 207-569-5354 Get health tips sent right to you by subscribing to the email list at http://eepurl.com/hPcv4D www.AngieMorinWellness.com Code: AngieMorinWellness at www.Nutrex.com for a discount!

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Traveling and Staying on Track with Your Goals

Traveling is one of my biggest passions. Fitness comes in a very close second. Now put the two together and that can be challenging. We all know prepared foods are calorie and sodium-dense. And, hotel gyms often leave lots to be desired in the forms of equipment options. When eating on the road (restaurants), it can be difficult to adhere to your health and wellness program. When trying to find a place to work out, it can be hard to stay consistent. But with some adaptability and creativity, you can!

One of the biggest challenges I run into during travel is the hotel gym equipment. Or, when traveling overseas the lack of a gym period. Though some hotels have GREAT gyms, most are lacking. So before I leave I scope out the gym. I can always find photos online. Depending on the equipment available (free weights, cardio, machines, etc..) I make a loose training plan for my time there. Or if the gym is nonexistent or skimpy I search for a local full-scale gym that I can buy a day pass. If I arrive with a plan I can be efficient, productive, and get my work out completed. Then I can head out to enjoy my travel destination. I always get my training in first thing in the morning so I have the rest of the day to explore my destination.

If there aren’t any hotels or local gyms (hello Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, etc… that was fun! ), I have to get creative. I do a ton of international travel so I have had to adapt a lot.  So what do I do? I create a HIIT program and bring a great playlist. I can do it in my room or outside depending on the location of my accommodations.  When I use a bodyweight program (HIIT and strength) that I can do in my room space is a factor. Sometimes there just isn’t enough space. If not, use the opportunity to explore my area and create a bodyweight HIIT program with what is available to me. Box jumps on beach benches. Running up and down walls of rocks (agility and cardio). Jumping back and forth over low decorative path fencing, adding burpees, running up and downstairs, etc.. ! These workouts become quite fun since I am outside and playing like I am on a playground. There is always a way. I have even been known to work out in a hotel lobby when the weather didn’t cooperate outside and there wasn’t enough space in my room. Yes, I checked with reception first. There is always a way if you have a plan and you WANT to get some exercise in.

Not feeling any of that stuff? That’s ok. You can walk! Walk everywhere. It still exercises. And it counts! 

Now let’s talk about eating on the road. Restaurant food is more often than not calorie, fat, and sodium dense! When I am traveling I always see a couple of things I want to try. Either cultural foods or just something that hits every craving I have. For those meals, I just enjoy the food guilt-free. I don’t count calories, macros, etc…  I’m on vacation and food is part of the whole experience, especially with international travel. Because I truly crave healthier, cleaner food I don’t feel well if I eat too many of those processed, heavy meals. So I pick them wisely!  Just like I find a way to exercise, I find a way to eat clean and healthy while on holiday. This entails finding restaurants with salads and vegetables. I ask for modifications on most of the items I order at a restaurant, even the “healthy” items. Because guess what? The healthy items aren’t usually that healthy! A restaurant salad can easily pack 800-1200 calories! So I get dressing on the side and use a small amount. I avoid creamy dressing. I ask for vegetables without butter or salt.  If I get a veggie burger or anything with cheese, I ask them to hold the cheese. Etc… I also find grocery stores. Most hotel and hostel rooms/lobbies have a microwave at the bare minimum. I purchase canned or frozen veggies and tofu and have a nice warm meal. I also purchase salad ingredients and prepare that in my room. 

The other challenge I run into is eating enough protien while I am traveling. I am a vegetarian so it’s not as easy to find plant protien. How do I adjust to this? I pack protien powder. Nutrex protien powder is my absolute FAVORITE. High protien, low calories, great taste. (Use code AngieMorinWellness to get a discount! www.Nutrex.com). I also pack protien barns and other non perishable high protien snacks. None of these things take a lot of room in my bag. By doing this I still hit my protien goals while traveling and Im not scrambling trying to find plant protien (especially at an airport).


These habits keep me on track towards my goals. Although food is part of the travel experience, I am there for the sights, the culture, and the experience. I eat meals that feel like part of the experience. And I find a way to eat healthily and clean the rest of the time.

It may be hard to believe now but when you eat mostly clean your body craves only clean. You have no idea how different you can feel just by the foods you put into your body until you put only clean foods into your body. The change in how you feel won’t happen overnight but if you give yourself a week you’ll already start to feel how much lighter and more energetic you feel. You will not be lethargic. You will not be bloated. You won’t feel heavy like you can’t exercise.  I don’t want to be unwell during my holiday! I want to feel full of energy and light. So I make eating clean and healthy part of my holiday. By doing that I have the energy to enjoy the days even more. 

With a little preparation, you can enjoy a holiday while still staying on track with your goals. As you read more and more about this lifestyle I’m sure you are noticing that success and long-term success is dependent on preparation. You must have a plan.  Exercise, Nutrition, Sleep Etc. A plan keeps you on target towards your goals. 

I bet some of you think I sound like am very rigid. Like how can I possibly have fun!? Well, I have plenty of fun! And truly, I am very flexible and adaptable. Yes, I plan my workouts. I plan to find a grocery store. I have a plan for my health and wellness goals. But if something I see calls to me, I change the plan. And most of the time I have no plan at all. My health, wellness, and fitness is the only thing I plan. The way to be successful is to have a plan. There is no way around that. The beautiful part is, once this because a lifestyle you don’t need to plan as much.  Or you can detour off the plan a little more without feeling like it’s hard to get back on track. The more you do this, the less you have to think about it. The less you have to plan. It becomes natural because it is your lifestyle. You won’t feel like you are dieting or forcing yourself to exercise. It will feel natural. Whether home or on the road or across the world it’s just the way you live.  It’s easy.  If it’s not yet, it will be soon. Just give it some time.

Photo: Exploring the rainforest in Panama, Central America. 

Getting to know Angie, Part 3. Recovery

I want to talk about my recovery. I go super hard most day in training and in life. My training is intense and my lifestyle is very active. I enjoy it. I like to move a lot. But in order to be able to stay as active as I am on a consistent basis without soreness or breakdown, I must have a recovery program. Without a recovery program my body would break down, become injured and my performance would suffer. 

So what do I do for recovery? Well, lots of things. The most important part of my recovery program is my sleep. I prioritize getting enough sleep every night. How much is enough? It varies based on my the activity level in each day, but it is never less than 7 hours each night.  I like to get 8. I know so many people will say they cant sleep that long. They’re too busy. But Im going to say, we make time for the things that matter most to us. I commit to a sleeping schedule and I go to bed when I need to.  Sleep is #1 in my recovery program.  


Yes I go out and have fun and there are days I go to bed later because of it. I will sleep a little later the next morning. Or try to find time to take a nap the next day. Regardless I still need to have balance. So Im not going to miss a night out with friends because I “need” to be in bed by 10pm. But Im not going to cut my sleep short often. 

After training I use a sauna every day for 10 minutes. This helps my cardiovascular system perform better but also helps me recover from the day of training. The sauna detoxes me and helps prevent any muscle soreness I would potentially feel the next day. It feels great to stretch in the sauna when my muscles are warm and loose! 

Stretching. Yes, thats part of my recovery too. After my training I stretch. Usually in the sauna. If I dont stretch after my work out the lactic acid will likely cause more muscle soreness the next day. Stretching also keeps me mobile and keeps my range of motion solid. As we age our range of motion will inevitably lessen unless we take steps to prevent or slow the process down. 

I also walk every single day. Walking is a great low intensity exercise. Walking prevents me from getting stiff or sore after training hard. All walking counts during the day, but I specifically take a 30 min brisk walk outside every day. The low intensity work is good for my body. 

Once a month I see a practitioner for cupping and acupuncture. This takes care of any knots or areas of tightness/tension before my performance or comfort is affected. This does wonders for my body.

Does all of this take time? Yes it sure does. Am I busy? Yes, we all are.  But I prioritize it. I schedule it into my day. Because at the end of the day if I dont take care of me, I cant help anyone else and I cant continue to do the things I enjoy. My health and wellness is important. Yours is too. You can give time to yourself just as easily as you give it to other people. 

So lets talk about time. How do I fit it all in? As mentioned I schedule it. Just like I schedule clients, work, appointment, etc.. I schedule my work out time and recovery time. Its on my schedule and it doesnt get bumped out. I make that commitment to myself. Maybe you need to get up an hour earlier to do that. Or maybe you need to skip the hour of TV you watch at night. Maybe you need to take the time you scroll through social media and use that time to work out. I challenge you to look at your phone screen time in setting and see how much is spent on social media or other apps that arent necessary (work related). You can play an outside sports game with your kid(s) for exercise one day or go on a family bike ride or walk. There are always ways to find time to fit in exercise and recovery. If you want to you will find time, If you dont, you wont. Its that simple. 

So like all of you, my days are jam packed. I too have to find creative ways to fit this all in.  I can often be seen working while I walk or when I am in the sauna. Returning emails, making calls, writing posts, designing programs or creating group class choreography. I multitask in some way. If I was not doing these things while I walk  or in the sauna I would be sitting in my office doing them. So I just find opportunities to multi task. When I know I need to wait for my kids somewhere I find a place to walk. If I am there anyway, its better than sitting in my car, and I get my walking time in.  On days off from work or quieter days I dont have to multi talk, I can just enjoy the walk or the sauna task free. I appreciate those days. No matter what, I wont skip taking care of me and the body I have. There is always a way to make time for things that matter most to you. You just have to want to make time. 

Here’s what it takes to fuel my body. Part 2 in a series “Meet Angie”

What do I eat?

Another popular question I get asked all the time! Most people think I dont eat much at all, but let me tell you, I eat. A lot. But, I am very active. Not just with my own training but active in every day life even when I am not working out.  My body need a lot of fuel to get through the day. My training is intense. My lean muscle mass is high and lean muscle mass burns more calories. And my NEAT is high. What is Neat? Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT). Its all the energy used for everything you do that is not sleeping, eating or sports-like exercise. It ranges from using energy to walk, doing yard work, any body movement, climbing stairs, etc.. So what do I eat? Well,  every meal and snack I have is protein based. All macros are important but protein is very important for my goals. And, did I mention I am vegetarian?  What I eat daily is good for me, but not necessarily good for you. Everyone has different preferences and thats important to remember. Some want 100% organic. Some add meat. Some are sugar free or low carb. None of those are wrong. Its what works for you. The below is what works for me. 


I think of food as fuel. There are two types of calories in my books. Calories that fuel me or empty calories. Empty calories aren’t going to help my body get stronger or healthier.  These are things like processed foods, sugary and fatty deserts, potato chips, French fries, etc..  Fuel calories provide my body with needed nutrients to perform, stay healthy and get stronger. These are things like natural foods, veggies, fruits, proteins, and complex carbs. Does this mean I never eat empty calories? Nope. I eat them. Every day. Just in moderation. Everything in moderation. Im human. I like sweets. I like bread. I like sweets. Im eating it. If I eat these things in moderation I can still reach my goals. Its when I dont keep a balance that my diet will negatively affect the success of my goals. 

Since I work out first thing in the morning I split my breakfast into two portions, a before work out and after work out portion. I need some fuel for my work out but I dont want to weigh myself down with a heavy stomach. My first breakfast is one and a half servings of Fage yogurt, 27g protein.  I also have a serving of Nutrex Outfit Amped pre-workout. Yes I am a fan of pre-workout. Its not for everyone. But its good for me. Does it help? Not sure. Doesnt matter. I feel like it helps me. 

After my work out is breakfast number 2! A banana and an isolate whey protein shake, 25g protein. My favorite is Nutrex Iso-Fit. 

2-3 hours later (depending when I am hungry) I eat lunch. I have a HUGE salad with egg whites, kalamata olives and tofu protein strips (30g protein in this meal), a side of veggies (I vary the veggies). I also have a piece of bread and real butter, and a serving size desert. My desert is usually a caramel rice crispy square, a cookie, something chocolate or something sweet. My sweet snack is always around 100 calories. Just enough to satisfy my sweet tooth. But not large enough to put me out of balance. I like 85-90% of my calories to be what I consider fuel calories and 10-15% empty calories. 

That holds me over for a couple hours. But 2-3 hours Im hungry again… so its snack time! I usually have a protein bar. Now protein bars have sugars and fillers, etc… so they aren’t a clean food. But they provide protein, they satisfy my endless craving for sweet food and I like them! My favorites are Quest bars or Built Bars.  Warmed up in the microwave with a glass of almond milk! YUM!

When do I eat next? Dinner! For dinner I like to do either a quesadilla veggie burger with sweet potato fries or other veggie as a side. Or roasted vegetables/stir fry vegetables with a tofu protein. My burgers are Boca spicy chicken burgers (11g protein) in a (1 serving) Joseph’s Lavash wrap (6g protein), with some fat free cheese (4g protein), spinach and tomato and low fat mayo.  Total protein for this meal is 21g. Sometimes I add avocado.  When I do fries, I cut a sweet potato into “fries”, bake them and season them with salt and pepper. Add some ketchup and boom! French Fries! If I do roasted veggies or stir fry veggies I go very light on the sauce / oil and add protein strips (24g protein).

Then right before bed, another snack. Yes I snack a lot. I always have a protein shake (Nutrex for the win again!) 24g. And a Kodiak cup brownie because can you tell I like sweets? Whats a Kodiak cup brownie? I use 1/2 serving of Kodiak mix, stevia, vanilla, a little cocoa powder and a small amount of chocolate chips. Add water. Mix it all up and put it in the microwave for 30 seconds. Yup, tastes like a brownie (7g protein). Total protein for my bedtime snack is 31g. 

On days when I am extra hungry or extra active I make an egg white omelette with 1/2 an avocado for a snack. Or I have some sort of “healthy” version of a snack food. Veggies and hummus, cheese and crackers, Chips and salsa (Jospeh’s wraps cut into “chips” and baked), popcorn, etc. … So many options! 


My regular day ends up being about 2700-2900 calories a day depending on the changes I make since I dont eat exactly the same thing every day. And some days I am hungrier than others.  On hungry or extra active days I can get up to 3200 – 3500 calories a day! Its a lot of calories but its also a lot of food for that number of calories.  I eat a large variety of foods and I have some great protein rich meals that I make to satisfy my cravings for pizza, sweets, etc… I will share those through social media over the next few months. Eating clean and “healthy” doesnt have to mean missing out on the foods you enjoy. 


I do log my food. ButI dont weight it. I stick to portion sizes by estimate. I want to keep track of what I am eating but I dont want what I eat and how much I eat to dominate my day. I dont want it to be stressful. I want it to be easy.  And I dont want it to be all I think about. 

Sometimes I eat out or get take out. I dont log my meal on those days. It doesnt matter. I know I went “over” on my calories but who cares? Its once in a while not every day.  A few days like that are good for your body. I do it intentionally. If my body gets used to getting the same calories and same foods every single day my metabolism will become way too efficient, requiring me to eat less to maintain my weight.  I dont want to teach my body to survive on 1200 calories a day. And it WILL happen if calories are restricted for too long. So I switch it up. Some days eat less, some days more. I listen to my body and eat intuitively. Even though I have a guideline of what I want to consume each day the most important part is listening to what my body tells me. I know and you will know too. Some days my body wants more food. Some days less. I listen. Some days my body craves lots of carbs and needs them!  Some days my body craves veggies and light food. Some days I eat all clean food and now and then pizza or other restaurant food, I listed to what my body tells me but I also keep my body guessing and guess what? Everything just levels out. When Im with friends or going out Ill drink a Moscow Mule or two. Or Vodka Soda. I still want to live life and have fun. I still want to eat the foods I enjoy. And as long as I do everything in moderation while maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle it all levels out.