Quitter’s Day Is Coming Up

Want to know one of our biggest suggested “musts” to stay motivated? Over the years it has never failed…

It’s making time to READ every single day – something that helps clients stay on track, learn something new, or give them a fresh perspective.

Confession: sometimes “reading” is actually LISTENING to audiobooks or reading articles online. 🙂 

Even if it’s just for 5-10 minutes a day, this habit helps keep them moving forward.

If you don’t already read (or listen to) books/podcasts on a regular basis … it’s definitely worth a try to see if it helps you stay inspired and on track with your goals.

Here are 3 of our top motivation/self-dev books to get you started:

1. 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. This is a timeless classic because it focuses on the basic steps you can take to create success in pretty much every area of your life.

This one strips it all back to creating strong values and beliefs that will give you a clear path and strong foundation toward all your goals.

2. Atomic Habits by James Clear. This one has been on the bestseller list since it came out because it’s packed with practical (and smart!) tips to finally get your healthy habits to stick.

He uses stories and anecdotes to explain exactly how and why you can build a daily routine that works for YOU and your lifestyle.

3. You are a Badass by Jen Sincero. This one is a little gem of a book that basically affirms that you already have everything it takes to succeed – you just have to learn how to stop getting in your own way.

She helps highlight her premise with funny stories and inspiration to motivate you.

The bottom line in all of those books is that it’s the little things you do every day that add up to BIG success.

Pay attention to the little things, and the big things take care of themselves 🙂

Quitter’s Day Is Coming Up

We’re closing in on a big date … It’s January 19 – aka “quitter’s day.”

The company that runs Strava (a fitness tracking app) says that’s the day by which most people who set New Year fitness and fitness goals end up quitting.

You DO NOT have to be one of those people!

It’s because:

They didn’t have a plan for when they slipped up.

And by slip up, we mean when they missed a workout, ate foods they weren’t “supposed to eat,” stayed up too late, or somehow “failed” to follow through with their plan.

Fact: Everyone slips up from time to time! (EVERYONE.)

Knowing ahead of time what to do AFTER it happens goes a long way toward making sure that one slip-up doesn’t turn into two or twenty.

A solid post-slip up plan will help you:

1. Recognize WHY it happened
2. Reevaluate your process to see if it needs to be changed
3. Get back on-plan ASAP

Here’s what we’re talking about:

Let’s say it’s a Thursday night and you’ve been doing GREAT all week … but as you are finishing up work for the day, all you want is to get some takeout and veg in front of the TV instead of getting in your workout.

So that’s what you do.

And you feel a little guilt after, right? It’s time to give up!

Wrong!

What if instead, you took a second to figure out WHY you didn’t follow your plan: i.e., “My willpower was low because I had a long, stressful day at work, plus I was tired. I’ve been going hard all week.”

And then once you realized the “why,” you reevaluated. Maybe you need to:

Add a rest day to your week,

Keep a healthy ready-to-go meal at home, and/or

Have a short and fun “off day” workout on standby with your favorite stress-busting exercises.

Then, the next day, it’s time to get back on track, with your contingency plan in place.

Now instead of the guilt, you feel EMPOWERED because you’re bulletproofing your plan.

Your fitness & wellness journey is a PROCESS. What it looks like changes over time with the seasons, your schedule, your life, and your goals.

This is a BIG area we focus on with our clients – because the fact is, these are the moments having a COACH can be make-or-break for your goals!

In fact, it’s one of the main reasons WHY people hire coaches in the first place.

An experienced coach can help you see the bigger picture and come up with solutions to keep you on track and moving FORWARD.

If you want to see how it’s done, check out our website to learn more about our coaching program.

The Real Cause Of Your Cravings

So... How are you doing today?

How did you sleep last night … have you gotten in any workouts this week … are you focusing on whole foods … and how is your mood?

We’re asking because all of that is RELATED.

When just one of those things is out of whack, it can throw everything else out of whack right along with it!

• A bad night of sleep can throw your hunger hormones out of balance, making you feel hungry … even if you’ve eaten enough
• A stressful day can leave you exhausted and craving comfort foods (and tempt you to skip your workout)
• Lack of activity can drain your energy and also leave you tossing and turning
• Eating too close to bedtime can make it hard to sleep
• And on and on and on!

So … if you’re having one of “those days” … try taking a step back to look at the bigger picture – and then take ONE ACTION to help you feel better (and get back on track).

Some ideas:

• Go outside for a brisk walk and fresh air – or make time for a workout
• Take 5-10 minutes to sit in a quiet space and do breathing exercises
• Make sure your next meal is healthy & made of whole foods (including veggies!)
• Double-check your water intake for the day

This can be like hitting the “reset” button on your day and will help you make better choices moving forward.

What’s ONE action you can count on to RESET your day? Keep this in your back pocket in case you need it!

Having a “big picture” viewpoint can make all the difference in your fitness/wellness – and it’s just ONE REASON why working with an experienced coach can help you get the results you want!

Not only will you have a complete roadmap to success, but also the accountability, support, motivation, and experience to help you feel great every step of the way.

 If you are ready to ramp up your results, be sure to check out our 28-Day Total Body Kickstart Program. www.gogoodguru.com/onlinekickstart.

Healthy Snacks For This Afternoon

We’ve got a real treat for you – 3 healthy snacks that can help you make it through the mid-afternoon slump.

That’s many of our client’s prime snacking times! Planning ahead so I have something healthy on hand is a must for me.

These snacks are surprisingly satisfying and so tasty you’d never guess they’re actually GOOD for you.

PLUS, all these snacks are high in protein and low in sugar, so they’ll easily tide you over till dinnertime … AND keep you on track with your New Year goals 🙂

1. Cucumber slices with hummus. Peel a medium cucumber and cut it into spears. Dip the cucumber into your favorite flavor of hummus and enjoy.
2. Turkey roll-ups: Take 4 slices of nitrate-free deli turkey and 4 pickle spears. Roll the pickles up in the turkey slices.
3. Guacamole stuffed eggs. Cut a hard-boiled egg in half, and stuff each side with prepared guacamole. So good!

(Hack for perfect hard-boiled eggs: Place eggs in a medium pot and add enough cold water to cover them, plus ½ to 1 tsp salt. Place on stove over medium-high heat and bring to a rolling boil. Cover the pot, turn off the heat, and set a timer for 20 minutes.

When the timer dings, carefully drain the pot and rinse the eggs with cold water until cool. Your eggs are ready!)

We hope these snacks help you feel fit, healthy and energized!

If you’re looking for more fast, easy, tasty, and good-for-you recipes, be sure to check out the Recipe Section on our website.

It has helped many people just like you eat healthy whole foods without feeling deprived!

❓❓ What’s the best way to stay on track with a fitness plan/healthy lifestyle?

❓What’s the best way to stay on track with a fitness plan/healthy lifestyle?

We have a multi-part answer to this question, to help you set yourself up for SUCCESS!

Let’s dive right in:

1. Make sure the changes you’re making have REAL meaning to you – and that you’re excited to feel the payoffs of those changes!
2. Have an action plan that works with your lifestyle – so you know what to do and when to do it. (A coach can be a tremendous asset.)
3. Don’t do too much, too soon.
4. Have realistic expectations (i.e., losing 4 sizes in 4 weeks = not realistic).
5. Set performance goals (vs. using the scale or other metric outside your direct control): i.e., X number of workouts a week, X servings of vegetables, X minutes of meditation.
6. Get support. Having a cheerleader/drill sergeant/master planner/hand-holder/troubleshooter will help you find the fastest, most rewarding path to your goals. (Again: A coach is a huge resource here.)

If you’re ready to turn your 2022 goals into 2022 success, we’d love to be part of your fitness/wellness team.

Let’s schedule a time to chat! Click here to SCHEDULE A CALL.

What is YOUR biggest stumbling block in reaching your goals?

It's Not Just About Your Goals..

Welcome to 2022!

If you’re not already feeling FIRED UP for SUCCESS … this mini mindset exercise will help you get there. (And if you are, it will take it to the next level!)

Chances are you’ve set quite a few goals in the past. Just the fact that you’re reading this is a pretty good hint that you’re focused and goal oriented.

Well today, we’re going to crank that up a bit.

This exercise is straight out of our 2022 Goal-Getting & Habit Stacking Action Plan. Click here to get your copy. 

What if this year, we expanded the idea of “goals” into something even BIGGER – a vision of SUCCESS.

Think about what would make 2022 a successful year for you.

What would you look back on in amazement, pride, and excitement?

We’re not just talking about health & fitness goals (though those are incredibly important)…

We’re talking about ALL ASPECTS of your life – career, family, social network, spiritual connection, etc.

What would you look back on and think, “Wow, look at what I did!”?

You know you’re on the right track with your “success vision” when you:

1.  Feel yourself start to smile and/or
2. Get some butterflies in your stomach

And here’s where the rubber meets the road….

It’s time to live “AS IF” you’ve already reached that success.

What would your day look like today if you ALREADY achieved that success?

What daily habits you would have picked up along the way?

It’s time to start DOING THEM now – to adopt the habits of that future version of yourself.

This is one of the most sure-fire ways to turn your goals into reality – it helps you learn and build the skills, habits, and mindset that will support your vision of success.

And even more importantly, it helps you create LIFESTYLE change where this “new way of living” becomes almost automatic.

At Go Good Guru, we’re not about quick fixes or yo-yo’ing results. We’re all about creating real, lifelong change.

We want your “New Year” goals to become permanent, so you’re not setting the same goals year after year.

We’ve worked with hundreds of clients to help them Be Fit, Be Strong & Be Healthy.

If you want a personalized roadmap to help you achieve these same results, you don’t have time to wait! Your future “you” is waiting for you!

Click here to SCHEDULE A CALL so we can get you Goin’ Good!

Let’s make 2022 one of the best years of your life.

Healthy gift ideas for everyone

Need a few creative and healthy gift ideas?

A few clients asked me for some suggestions, so I figured I’d share them with you, too, in case they’re helpful.

If you want even MORE ideas, be sure to download our 2021 Healthy Holiday Gifts Guide!

Click here to DOWNLOAD YOUR COPY now.

1. Cookbooks (or other books):

What books had the biggest impact on you this year? Share them with your friends and family.

TIP: Make it even more meaningful by including a note about the book and why you chose it for them. 

2. Home Fitness Gear:

New fitness toys and gadgets can help make workouts even more fun … plus they make it easier to sneak in a workout if they can’t make it to the studio.

Depending on your budget, the sky's the limit with this category! Some top choices: adjustable kettlebells and dumbbells … a good quality jump rope … a suspension trainer … or a personalized yoga mat.

PLUS … you can never go wrong with a soft sweatshirt to slip on after a workout.

3. Healthy Food & Drinks:

Treat your coffee-loving friend to a superfood latte mix … your busy buddy to a free delivery of a food delivery subscription box … or assemble a DIY gift basket of your favorite recipe and all the ingredients.

4. Recovery Tools:

Help them soothe those hard-working muscles with a gift certificate for a massage ... or buy them a massage gun.

Another great idea: a good-quality foam roller or “the stick.”

5. Quality coaching/training:

This is the ultimate fitness and wellness gift.

For newcomers, group or personal training. Get them started on the right foot, learning the fundamentals from a professional. For experienced fitness enthusiasts, it can help them take their results to the next level with customized programming and coaching.

GO GOOD GURU offers gift certificates for prepaid training and services.  This can be a great gift idea for yourself, too.

Give us a call and we’ll take care of you asap.

We’re here to help you feel great, move better, and crush your goals all year long.

6 Ways to Sabotage Your Progress Over the Holidays

It’s a special time of year ... with celebrations, traditions, and festivities galore. Which is awesome.

BUT ... there’s something not-so-awesome, too – it’s all those sneaky saboteurs that come out during the holidays.

They can set you back in a BIG WAY from reaching your goals.

There are 6 common ways we sabotage our progress over the holidays.

When you are aware of these things, it’s so much easier to avoid them.

Top 6 Ways to Sabotage Your Progress Over the Holidays:

1. Not eating all day before a party.

On the surface, eating lightly all day when you know you’re going to overindulge later can seem like you’re doing something good...

But it actually can backfire, leaving you to eat and drink even MORE than you expected because you are so hungry.

A better bet: Eat healthy, slightly smaller meals before you head out … and then enjoy your favorites in moderation!

2. Overdoing fancy seasonal coffeehouse drinks.

Even if you’ve seen these numbers before, they bear another look. Talk about empty calories and a roller-coaster ride for your blood sugar levels.

Peppermint Hot Chocolate: 12 oz (350 ml) has 330 calories & 41 grams of sugar

Caramel Brûlée Latte – 12 oz (350 ml) has 310 calories & 36 grams of sugar

Eggnog Frappuccino – 16 oz (475 ml) has 410 calories & 60 grams of sugar

3. Eating it just “because it’s there.”

Your once-a-year indulgence in your Nana’s famous gingerbread – so worth it!

The store-bought cookies someone bought at the last minute to bring to the holiday party? Not so much. They’ll just leave you feeling tired and sorry you ate them.

4. Drinking too much.

There are a lot of reasons to be intentional about your alcohol intake. It can interfere with your sleep and make you dehydrated ... plus it also contains a lot of empty calories.

But here’s something you might not realize: It can lower your inhibitions, which means you might be more likely to snack on foods you’d normally avoid!

5. Letting your exercise routine slide.

One of the things we’ve learned over the past 2 years is that being fit is a huge part of being healthy – it can keep your immune system strong and in shape.

Yes, this season can be hectic … but do your best to squeeze in at least a quick workout most days of the week. Not just for your results, but for your mind and overall health.

6. Not getting enough sleep.

Making time for sleep is SO WORTH IT. You’ll have more energy to tackle the holidays … plus it will even help keep your metabolism revved and appetite in check.

Remember, it’s all about MODERATION.

Having a plan in place is SO IMPORTANT not only during the holidays ... but all year long.

It gets rid of the guesswork while keeping you moving forward.

5 Coaching Cues To Improve Your Home Workouts

More and more people are working out @ home.  Here's 5 coaching cues to keep you moving safely.

At-Home workouts are great for keeping us healthy and active outside the gym.  However, it's important to use good form; not just to get the best results but to prevent injury.  This can be hard for beginners or those that have never been coached before.

One of the ways we guide our clients through new exercises is with coaching cues.  Coaching  cues help create awareness to movement. They help people be more mindful of what they’re doing and present exercises in a way that fosters success.

Using external coaching cues in particular helps remove the guess work from performing exercises without their coaches.  Why? ... internal cues focus on the body movement, while external cues focus on the the outcome.  

For example:
* Internal Cues = Drive feet through ground / Explode through hips
* External Cues =  Push the ground away / Touch the sky

Here are 5 Coaching External Cues guaranteed to give you better results and help prevent injury.

1.  Chin to your spine - When performing planks or push-ups, it's important to keep your entire body aligned; from the top of your head to your tailbone.  Without drawing in your chin, you can create added stress to your neck and lower back. 

HOW: While in plank or push-up position, keep your gaze down between you hands and draw your chin in towards your spine while performing exercise

2.  Prepare to take a punch - It's important to keep your abs engaged while performing exercises to protect your back and better isolate muscles being worked. 

HOW: Prior to starting an exercise, tighten your stomach and pretend that someone is about to punch you. Keep core engaged as you perform your exercise.

3.  Push your ankles out - Without correct activation and alignment throughout the feet, ankles and toes, it’s impossible to perform any lower body exercise correctly.

​HOW: Place feet straight (equal sign), with no internal or external rotation whatsoever.  Push ankles out (slightly supinated) by placing more weight to the outside of their feet.  Press the base of the big toe into the floor to ensure you're not over-supinating and toe muscles are engaged.

4.  Show off your bUTT  - Being able to hinge at the hip is essential for movements not just in fitness but in life. Starting with the correct hip flexion takes the load off the spine and knees.  The glutes are the largest muscle group and using them properly can save you from a lifetime of orthopedic issues.  

​HOW:  For a squat, stand with your feet slightly wider than your hips. Your toes should be pointed slightly outward (~5 to 20 degrees outward). Find a spot to look at ahead of you. Engage your cores, flex at your hips, show off your butt and drop it towards your heels.

5.  Put your shoulder blades in your pocket - Lots of people hold tension in their traps and neck.  As a result, people tend the shoulders to the ears when they get tired.  Sitting all day can lead to poor posture — and you don’t want to further encourage that at the gym.  It also helps prevent injury by allowing  the shoulder joint and thoracic spine to move more freely.

HOW: While keeping your ribs anchored to your pelvis in the front, roll your shoulders up, back and your scapula down as if you were putting them in your pockets.