The holidays are here! While the season can be filled with fun and joy, it can also be a source of stress. If you’re experiencing it, you’re not the only one: The American Psychological Association reported that in 2023, nearly nine in 10 Americans felt stressed or overwhelmed during the holidays.

When we’re busy, it’s easy to fall back into unhealthy coping mechanisms and bad habits that negatively impact our waistline and well-being. This is why it’s essential to have tools and strategies in place so that you can cope with holiday stress and overwhelm in the best ways possible.

Read on for some ways to reduce holiday stress this season so you can focus on fun and joy.

1. Set Realistic Expectations

Many people feel pressured to create a "perfect" holiday, but perfection is both unrealistic and unnecessary. Decide what matters most to you—whether it’s quality time with family, a favorite tradition, or simply relaxing. Focus on those priorities and let go of less essential tasks or ex...

The holidays are a time for family, food, and gratitude, but they can also be a landmine for our fitness and nutrition goals. As a transformational nutrition coach, I understand the challenge! We all want to enjoy the holiday without sabotaging the progress we've worked so hard to achieve. A great way to do this is to exercise or squeeze in some activity throughout the season, especially on days when festivities and heavy meals are on the horizon. This will help manage stress, boost your mood, burn extra calories, and even improve your mindset!

Here are some holiday workout tips that will make your season amazing and keep you on track.

1. Plan to Exercise the Day of Festivities

The morning of an event, big meal, or party is your best opportunity to set the tone for the day. Commit to a workout first thing — even 20-30 minutes of movement will make a big difference. Whether it’s a strength circuit, a brisk run, or your favorite class, getting active early helps offset some of the calor...

The holidays are around the corner! While the season can be sooo much fun, it can also feel like a whirlwind of stress, decadent meals, and disrupted routines. When you’re striving to look and feel your best, maintaining balance through the holidays is everything. Here are five mindset strategies to help you navigate the season with your health and wellness intact.

1. Strive For Progress, Not Perfection

Give up that need for perfection–all it does is create challenges, especially during the holidays. The perfectionist mindset actually leads to stress–and even overeating, especially after falling off track. Research shows that those adopting an all-or-nothing mentality tend to abandon their goals after a perceived failure. Your best route is to set small, achievable goals every week and reward your efforts. If you “slip,” forgive yourself and move forward.

2. Practice Mindful Eating

The holidays are filled with decadent treats that can be hard to resist. Instead of depriving yoursel...

A fast metabolism is a gamechanger for weight loss and overall health. While genetics play a role in determining metabolic rates, there are effective ways to naturally rev your metabolism and get it to work more efficiently. These strategies don’t rely on quick fixes or fad diets; they leverage proven, science-backed methods to increase calorie burn, improve energy, and retain lean muscle.

Try adding some of these practices into your routine! They will activate and sustain a higher metabolic rate so that you can lose weight and transform your body.

1. Increase Muscle Mass with Strength Training

Lean muscle is essential for a faster metabolism. Muscle tissue is metabolically active, requiring more energy for maintenance than fat tissue. Strength training exercises, like resistance workouts with weights or bodyweight exercises like squats, lunges, and push-ups, increase lean muscle mass and improve metabolic efficiency. Strength training a few times a week will boost your resting metabo...

The entire Halloween season is filled with temptation that can make sticking to a healthy routine challenging. However, with the right mindset and a few practical tips, you can fully enjoy the festivities without losing sight of your goals. Read on for a few simple strategies to help you strike a healthy balance and keep your mindset in check.

1. Set Your Halloween Mindset in Advance

It all starts with intention. Ask yourself how you want to feel after you hit that Halloween party, have a drink, or dip into the treat bowl. A helpful mindset strategy is to focus on being mindful rather than restrictive. Instead of “I can’t have any candy,” try “I’ll have a small treat that I really love.” A positive, healthy mindset will help you make choices that support your goals.

2. Pick the Treats That Matter Most

Halloween is filled with an endless supply of treats, but not all are created equal. Only choose ones you absolutely love rather than mindlessly reaching for whatever is available. Sa...

Small Changes = Big Gains

We’ve all been there—you exercise consistently but feel like your progress has plateaued. It’s frustrating when results don’t match the time and energy invested. As a nutrition coach, I’ve got some good news for you: sometimes a few small tweaks to your workout can completely change the game!

Here are a few small strategies that can lead to big gains.

Progressive Overload

Progressive overload is a simple but powerful technique that keeps your muscles guessing—and growing. It’s easy to implement: gradually increase the amount of weight, reps, and intensity of your workouts over time. Your body adapts to demands you place on it, so when you consistently challenge it with slightly heavier weights or adding a few more reps each session, you’ll see results. Start with just a few more reps, increase duration for a couple minutes, incorporate sprints, or increase weight by 5 to 10 percent. If you add even just one more rep to each set, this action will compound an...

Fall is not just about pumpkin spice lattes and cozy sweaters—it's the time when the most nutritious and flavorful produce arrives on the scene. Fall fruits and vegetables are packed with vitamins, antioxidants, and other health-boosting compounds that help you lose weight, burn fat, reduce inflammation, and improve your overall health.

Read on to discover seasonal staples to stock up on during your next trip to the farmer's market or grocery store. Your waistline—and your body—will thank you!

Apples

Apples are a fall powerhouse when it comes to weight loss! They are loaded with fiber, particularly pectin, which slows digestion and helps you feel full longer. Apples are low in calories but high in water content, so they fill you up and help you stay hydrated, making them an excellent snack for dieters. They are packed with vitamin C and antioxidants that fight oxidative stress and inflammation, which is linked to weight gain, injuries, pain and fatigue. Apples are also an excellent ...

Cycling is more than just a fun activity or a way to commute—it's an amazing way to boost your health, improve your fitness, and even lose weight! This fun activity significantly impacts your health and overall well-being, whether you're cruising through your neighborhood, riding to work, or tackling scenic trails. As a transformational nutrition and fitness coach, I always recommend that clients find activities that they enjoy—cycling is one of my favorites, so I am thrilled to share some of its incredible benefits and how it contributes to your health, diet, and weight loss journey.

1. Cycling is an Effective Full-Body Workout

One of the standout benefits of cycling is that it engages your entire body. It’s a common misconception that we only use our legs when cycling; while that may be where you feel the burn, it actually works all the major muscle groups, from your core and arms to your back and legs. Cycling also improves muscle strength and flexibility, which is essential for j...

Eating often becomes a rushed, unconscious activity due to busy lifestyles and packed schedules. New clients often tell me they eat standing up or multitask during meals, barely noticing the food on their plates—and certainly not enjoying it! This disconnect from our eating habits causes overeating, poor digestion, and a lack of fun in our meals. Mindful eating offers a pathway to a more intentional, satisfying relationship with food. By infusing mindfulness into mealtime, we can create better health and a deeper appreciation for food.

Here are three ways to practice mindful eating.

1. Engage All Your Senses

A fundamental principle of mindful eating is to engage ALL your senses in the experience. This practice invites you to truly observe and appreciate the food in front of you, rather than mindlessly consuming it.

Before you take your first bite, slow down and really look at your food. Notice the colors, shapes, and textures. Is your plate vibrant with a variety of colors, or is it ...

Finding time for a full workout can be challenging. Sometimes our schedules are too busy to hit the gym or our favorite exercise class. The good news is, you can maintain momentum and improve your health in just 10 to 15 minutes per day. Yes, you heard that right! With just a few short bursts of physical activity, you can boost your fitness, increase metabolic burn, and transform your body.

Short bursts of activity, also known as micro-workouts, is a fitness trend gaining popularity for its simplicity and effectiveness. It involves exercising at maximum effort for a brief period, usually ranging from 20 seconds to a few minutes, followed by a short rest period. This cycle is repeated several times, creating an efficient workout that can be done in as little as 10 to 15 minutes.

Here are some of the awesome benefits!

1. Improved Cardiovascular Health

Short bursts of intense activity significantly boosts cardiovascular health. When you push your body to its limits, your heart works h...