Stop waiting.

It's mid-September already. Can you believe the year will be ending in a few short months?

I wanted to offer a special program for the last 3 months of the year. I don't want you putting yourself LAST with high hopes of changing everything in January.

(because let's be honest... if that worked like you always hoped, you wouldn't be here right now...)

I want you to go into the holiday season feeling good about yourself. Understanding the beauty that comes with loving yourself, and learning about balance and moderation. And ultimately, the gift of making time for YOU.

And then START the year stronger than ever. No waiting around for January 1. 

You might be thinking... I can't justify spending time on myself right now.

But really... is there ever a perfect time? Just like all important things in life- you have to make time.

[And if your little one just started preschool, or is off to school this year... or you just got back into a fall schedule... then now is a good time.]

What's more important than self-love, anyway? And showing your perfect babies how to care for themselves.

Your kids will model your behaviors. Your habits. Your priorities. Your insecurities. 

What's more important than showing your kids that you make time for YOU? And that you prioritize your health?? 

What would it feel like to ALREADY have made insane progress before the new year starts?

What is a healthy lifestyle worth to you? How would it feel to be DONE with diets and totally comfortable in your skin?

If you are ready to:

• feel amazingly confident and beautiful in your postpartum body

• invest in YOU for once

• change your health habits for good this time

• actually LEARN about nutrition and what feels good for YOU

then I want to work with you!

give yourself the greatest gift of all this year... TIME, LOVE, and ACCOUNTABILITY with someone who will not let you give up on yourself. Click below for more details!

I take a limited number of clients so I can serve YOU with plenty of one on one time. Can't wait to chat! If you have any questions, please email me at cassandra@vivfitness.com. xoxo

Why you should always read the labels on juices and smoothies

Smoothies,  juices, and protein shakes are super popular, but sometimes they are just sugary drinks disguised as health food.  And I'd rather have a real milk shake than fake health food because chocolate... #duh. 

So how do you know what's good for you and what isn't? I'll teach you what to look for on a label if you are trying to choose a healthy option + give you tips on what to avoid. 

First, what to look for if you are buying a juice or smoothie from the grocery store or at a juice bar or restaurant:

• Minimal (or NO) fruit juice. Fruit juices add extra sugar and carbs. Calories that will raise your blood sugar and make you hungry. 
• Lots of veggies. Veggies are very low calorie and provide a lot of healthy fiber, vitamins, and minerals. 
• Whole fruits. While fruits can add some sugar, if they are whole (i.e. not concentrated juice) they will add extra fiber and sweeten your drink naturally-- just make sure there is more than just fruit in it!
• Protein. If you are getting a shake or making one at home, aim for about 20g of protein. This will fill you up, stabilize blood sugars,  and keep you full.
• Fats. Healthy fats from nut butters or coconut oil are amazing for keeping you full. 
• If you are at a smoothie shop, beware of smoothies that contain sorbet or sherbet. Again, you might as well have an ice cream shake!! 

Here are a few examples of juices and smoothies that are health food imposters. 

**The photos on the right are the corresponding nutritional information to the pictures on the left** 

Pair number 1: Kale-ribbean Breeze from Jamba Juice. This one is a very good imposter. It's on the "whole food nutrition" menu at Jamba. Plus it has kale, which is a trendy superfood. A small contains 320 calories, a medium 410, and a large is 500 calories! Just because it's green does not mean it's healthy! This one does have 10 grams of protein, which is good, but the first ingredient is a "mango juice blend" AKA lots of SUGAR. 

Pair number 2: Suja Green Supreme. For the most part I do like Suja, but some of their juices are super high in sugar. This green juice looks like it would be a good option (I mean it's grean so...), but not so fast. The first ingredient is APPLE JUICE!! It's super sweet, and provides no fiber. Skip the $8 drink and just buy some apple juice if that's what you want. 

Pair number 3: Banana Berry Smoothie from Jamba Juice. Since the name is banana berry we expect a good amount of sugar. But, the first ingredient is Apple-strawberry juice! Sugar sugar sugar. This one has a very low amount of fiber, and will basically just spike your blood sugar and leave you starving in no time. p.s. this is a size SMALL. a medium will set you back 390 calories, and a large a whopping 510! 

**just as a comparison, a Snickers bar has 245 calories. 22g sugar and 5g of protein. While smoothies and juices do provide more vitamins and minerals, this example shows you just how much sugar is in these juices! Also, if you want a treat and have 200-300 calories to spend... just get something satisfying!**

goal setting 101 (plus a free printable workbook!)

I recently re-vamped my goal setting mini workbook (totally FREE for you!), and I wanted to update my post on goal setting as well. 

I've used this method myself so many times, and it seriously is amazing. I can't take credit for it, as it is a technique commonly used in business, by coaches in every industry, as well as the companies I've studied coaching through (Precision Nutrition and Wellcoaches). So basically it's highly vetted and insanely helpful. 

With that being said, I did compile a bunch of info into a cute little printable mini-workbook. You can write on the pages (hence the workbook), or use it as a guide in your own journal or planner as you set goals.

Before we get started... this is NOT for you if you:

• are looking for a huge lifestyle overhaul RIGHT NOW
• are trying to lose weight ASAP
• want a quick fix

This is totally 100% made for you if:

• you are done dieting
• you want long-lasting lifestyle change
• you are ready to set goals you actually care about AND meet them!

Get your free workbook here or scroll down for a bunch of tips and tricks for setting realistic goals you can and will achieve if you use this simple method. 

Step One: long term goals & the wellness vision

Before we set any immediate/ right here right now goals, I want you to think long and hard about what you want to gain from your health and fitness goals and about what YOU want your life to look like a year from now.

Think about what YOU truly want. Not what you think you should want. Not what your husband wants. Not what your mom wants for you... what do YOU want??

What do you feel like you really deserve ?

 Take 10 minutes to ponder the following. Imagine yourself one year from now....

• How do you picture your life? Where do you spend your time? Who do you spend your time with? How do you feel? Why do you think you feel that way?
• What would it take for you to feel your best, happiest, healthiest self? What needs to change between now and then? What do you love about your life? What keeps you on track and working toward your goals?
• Consider what motivates you. What kind of exercise do you do? How do you feel about your body? If you were successful at meeting a goal in the past, what did you do that made you successful? 
• What do you LOVE about your life?? 

What is the point of this?? My goal is to have clients who are setting goals that get them to where they want to be! Who cares how far or fast you can run if you hate running! Your shorter term goals will lead you to your long term goals, so first you need to get clear about what you want in the next year or so. 

Step 2: three-month goals

Think about your wellness vision and what it will take to get there. Now, consider what behaviors, actions, and habits you will need to work on. 

• Take a step back from your wellness vision. look it over and highlight what is most important to you. 
• Now break your top few long term goals down into smaller chunks. These will be your three-month goals. 
• 3 month goals are more specific than wellness vision. in your WV you may say you want to run a half marathon or be 20% body fat or want to have more energy or a better relationship with your spouse. But maybe 30 months from now you want to lose 2% body fat or run a 10k or spend 10 minutes walking and talking with your hubs each night. 
• Actionable items (i.e. training for a 10k or  going to the gym __ times per week.)
• What do you want to be doing consistently three months from now? 

Step 3: weekly goals

Short term goals are the actionable steps you will take each day that will get you to your three-month goals (and eventually, achieving the goals you envision for the long term). 

• Break your three-month goals down further. what will you need to do weekly to achieve them?
• Only come up with the first week's goals. Don't worry about what you will do next week or the week after. 
• Focus on one new habit at a time. Example: you may already be drinking water, you just want to drink more. that is NOT a new habit. If you are not exercising at all and you want to start- that is a new habit). 
• No more than 2 goals the first week (!) this is SOOO important! Don't try to be an overachiever ;) we are thinking slow and steady for long term change. 
• Finally, schedule your daily tasks in your planner. What will you do to be productive?
• Click here for more info on setting weekly goals

Ready to put your plan into action? Research shows that WRITING your goals down with pen and paper  makes you more likely to follow through and meet them. Click below to get your free printable mini-workbook. 

p.s. this is just a glimpse of my full workbook! click here if you want the whole thing! 

Athleisure Love: Fall Favorites

As much as I hate to admit it, fall is coming and summer is winding down. I'm not ready for summer to end! But since it's back to school time (and a good time to go shopping, wink wink), I thought I'd share a few cute fall-ish items that are available now. I'm loving pale pink with army green (and of course gray and black because I'm boring). And there are so many cute casual tennis shoes out now too!

I live in leggings all fall and winter (but let's be honest...kind of all year long). But comfy doesn't have to be frumpy and boring! I love the look of leggings with a tank and a long cardigan in the fall. These items are perfect for going from the gym straight into #momlife. 

*affiliate links are used in this post*

1. Athleta Tank    2. Gap Sports Bra    3. Adidas Sweatshirt    4. Zella Leggings
5. Fitbit Charge 2    6. Swell Water Bottle    7. Zella High Waist Leggings
8. Lululemon Bag    9. Nike Roshe 2    10. Nike Flyknits    11. New Balance Sneakers

healthy snacks: tips to keep you feeling full for hours

It’s back to school season again, and while I’m not headed back to school, I definitely understand the need for a quick & healthy snack. Whether you are the one hitting the books, or you are running carpool (or both... #supermom), these snacks will keep you satisfied.

I hate snacky foods like baggies of goldfish, crackers, chips, or cookies because they simply are not filling. They may fill you up for 30 minutes, but then you are hungry again, and nobody has time for that!

So what’s my secret to snacks that fill you up? I aim for 200-300 calorie snacks that include a mixture of either protein + carbs or fats + carbs.

Why?? I try to avoid snacking on carbs alone, because like I mentioned… they just don’t keep you full! Carbohydrates cause an insulin spike, and then when your blood sugars drop you are hungry again. You can avoid this spike and drop by regulating your blood sugar with healthy fats and protein. Easy peasy.