Better than perfection

Do you follow fitness stars on social media? Their perfect, chiseled images popping up in your newsfeed to give you just the right amount of motivation to get you into the gym…or does it?

Striving for perfection doesn’t always work.

Quite frankly, perfection is unattainable, and will always leave you falling short and feeling bad about yourself. Instead I like to remind myself of this quote…

'Strive for progress, not perfection.' -Unknown

Progress isn’t as exciting as perfection, but it is attainable. And progress builds upon more progress as you climb your way towards the accomplishment of real goals.

And yet…the gap between your current body and the body you want gapes wide and deep. Any time that you want progress and improvement in your life it requires crossing over from one way of doing things to a new way.

But how do you make it across?

• How do you go from 50 pounds overweight to a healthy BMI?
• How do you go from a junk food lover to a health food lover?
• How do you go from a snooze-hitter to an early riser?
• How do you go from a couch potato to active and fit?
• How do you go from someone who talks about their goals to someone who accomplishes their goals?

Lucky for us there’s a formula to follow that will get you from point A to point B every single time without fail. And all you have to do is stick with it.

Small Degrees of Progress + Time = A New You

Commit to making one small degree of progress each and every day, and over time you will arrive on the other side of that chasm, a brand new you.

Did you eat white rice with dinner yesterday? Today choose brown rice. Next week choose cauliflower rice.

Did you eat a donut for breakfast yesterday? Today eat half of a donut and a piece of fruit. Next week choose a protein bar.

Did you wake up at 7 a.m. today? Tomorrow wake up at 6:45. Next week wake up at 6:30.

Did you sit all day today? Tomorrow walk for 15 minutes. Next week walk for 30 minutes.

And the end result, the reward, comes after you’ve made that new way of doing things a part of who you are.

We are all capable of great progress and great improvement – just not all at once.

Progress takes place one degree at a time, so don’t look to perfect fitness images on social media as your measurement of success, but rather look at your personal degrees of progress in the right direction.

Refuse the urge to compare yourself to others--the only comparison that matters is between yourself yesterday and yourself today.

Progress isn't about finishing the race it's taking that next step in the right direction.

If you aren’t yet one of my amazing clients then consider your next step of progress to begin a challenging and fun exercise program with me. Call or email me today to get started.

Now that’s some serious progress!

What’s done is done

Please resist the urge to let past failures get you down. I don’t care how many times you’ve tried and failed to transform your body – and you shouldn’t either. What matters is that you’re motivated NOW, so let’s grab that momentum and get moving!

The one and only way to reshape your body is with a combination of cardio exercises, a healthy diet, and the right resistance workouts. This is the winning combination that will see you through to your goal.

Teriyaki Meatballs

Teriyaki is traditionally a sweet sauce that is made with refined sugars or corn syrup, sneaky ingredients that contribute to obesity and disease. It has a very pleasing flavor, with a wonderful balance of savory and sweet, and so it's easy to consume a surprising amount of sugar grams when enjoying a meal flavored with teriyaki.

In this recipe we are making a healthier, low sugar version of teriyaki.

If you are a lover of teriyaki then these subtly sweet meatballs are right up your alley! The recipe calls for a small amount of honey, however, feel free to use liquid stevia rather than the honey if you are looking for an extremely low sugar dish. For most of us, this small amount of healthful, raw honey is perfectly A-OK and beneficial.

Serve these tasty meatballs up as an appetizer or serve over arugula or spaghetti squash for a small, fitness-minded meal. Enjoy!

Courtesy of RealHealthyRecipes.com

What you need
Servings: 6

1 tablespoon garlic, minced
2 tablespoons ginger, minced
¼ cup scallions, minced, plus more for garnish
1 pound ground beef
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
3 tablespoons coconut aminos
1 tablespoon raw honey
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
½ teaspoon arrowroot starch
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Combine the garlic, ginger and scallions in a food processor. Pulse until well combined and finely minced.

2. Transfer the garlic mixture to a large bowl and add the ground beef and sea salt. Use your hands to mix until well combined. Form the mixture into 20 meatballs, about an inch in diameter.

3. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the sesame oil. Add the meatballs and cook, shaking often, until browned on all sides and cooked through. Remove the meatballs and set aside on a plate.

4. Add the coconut aminos, honey and vinegar to the skillet. In a small bowl whisk the arrowroot starch and water together until fully dissolved. Add to the skillet, mix and simmer until the mixture has thickened, about 2 minutes. Return the meatballs to the skillet and cover in the sauce. Serve immediately, garnish with scallions and sesame seeds.

Nutrition
One serving equals: 189 calories, 7g fat, 6g carbohydrate, 2g sugar, 372mg sodium, 3g fiber, and 23g protein.