Category: Lifestyle

Healthy Travel Tips!

by Goal Fit, posted in Lifestyle, Uncategorized

Woo Hoo! It’s time to travel!  Got Spring Break coming up or a summer vacay planned? Here are some tips to stay healthy.

First, don’t derail all your progress just because you’re not at home! Things you eat & do (or don’t do) on vacation definitely count.  You can have fun & be a little more flexible, but don’t go crazy.  If you typically follow 80/20 or 90/10 during the week at home for things like alcohol, sugar or working out, pick another split & stick to it – maybe 60/40 or even 50/50. 

Look at your daily routines & think about what you can easily carry over on vacation. I always have my warm water first thing in the morning before coffee, and my Natural Calm at night before bed to help with sleep & regularity (don’t start taking NC on the road, it can cause issues – start at home first & then stay consistent with it on your trip).

  • Stay hydrated! It helps prevent dehydration (duh!) and helps with digestion & regularity.  Feel free to add Nuun tabs (make sure you don’t get the ones with caffeine) or Ultima powder.  Bring along your reusable water bottle & keep it filled and with you! This is especially true when flying.
  •  You’ll probably be eating things that aren’t in your usual diet. Consider taking digestive enzymes with meals containing foods or ingredients that aren’t your usual. 
  • Get gassy/upset tummy when flying? You’re not alone!  Check out THIS ARTICLE  stating that lower air pressure & a rapid increase in air pressure actually do make you more likely to have issues with gas. Consider consuming lower FODMAP foods the day prior to travel and taking something with simethicone (like Gas-X) just before boarding and maybe a few times mid-flight. Avoid carbonated beverages in flight and move around the cabin as well. You may also want to think about self-massage for digestion before & after your flight – VIDEO HERE.
  • Make sure to have at least one 100% meal per day – oats with fruit for breakfast, a big salad with light dressing for lunch, grilled protein (whether it’s seafood or tofu) and steamed veg are some suggestions. 
  • Enjoy some indulgences but make sure they’re worth it! Savor the decadent dessert at a restaurant, but skip the Kit Kat at the airport or gas station.
  • Bring along healthy snacks for the trip – I pack raw nuts and fruit (fresh or dried).
  • Stay active – get all of your steps in for the day! I love trying new boutique fitness classes when I travel, but feel free to also hit the hotel gym, see if your gym has reciprocity with a facility near you. Some members-only videos that would be great while traveling are:
    •  Lower Body Mini Band Workout HERE
    • Body weight HIIT with modifications HERE
    • 5 grounding yoga poses before bed  HERE 
  • Prioiritize sleep – aim for your usual number of hours per sleep.  It likely won’t be a problem to catch up on a little extra sleep, but don’t sleep in too much, stay up too late, or do anything that you know will throw you off (like sleeping with the TV on, excessive scrolling, eating too close to bedtime, excessive alcohol close to bedtime.)
  • Schedule your work: try your best to have designated work time & truly be ‘out of office’ the rest of the time. Schedule any calls/meetings and do any other tasks around those times, then disconnect & be present & enjoy your trip!
  • Keep your space somewhat clutter-free. No one loves living out of a suitcase. I’ve recently started unpacking soon after checking in & will never go back! When your environment is cluttered, your mind is cluttered & you are less likely to make good decisions.

What am I missing? Share your favorite travel tips in the comments!

Exercise timing and cognitive performance

by Goal Fit, posted in Aging, Exercise, Lifestyle

This one goes out to all my high-performing friends!

We all know that  an exercise routine can improve cardiovascular health, increase bone density, maintain body weight, improve insulin response and improve balance and strength…but, did you know that movement can also lead to improved cognitive functioning? Yep, regular activity can reduce the risk of depression & anxiety, improve sleep and overall quality of life and can impact cognitive performance. 

A recent study showed that cortical oxygenation was most improved after moderate exercise while  processing speed was lower after high-intensity exercise, possibly due to fatigue. Researchers have also found that single sessions of mind-body therapies such as yoga have led to memory and processing speed improvement.

While I definitely recommend consistently incorporating a variety of movement modalities, there may be some benefit to the timing of type of exercise  as it relates to cognitive demand and performance. 

So if you have a big negotiation, presentation or meeting, maybe go for a moderate intensity workout beforehand (strength training, perhaps?) and save the HIIT training for another day or after the big *thing*. 

Read more in THIS STUDY.

easy ways to drink more water

by Goal Fit, posted in Lifestyle

We all know that there are tons of reasons *why* we need to drink more water (improved organ function, improved brain function, to keep skin looking good, improve digestion, etc). Generally, ~64 oz or 1/2 your body weight in ounces are the minimum amounts recommended. Ask your doc what’s right for you – it is possible to have too much water, and you don’t want to end up hyponatremic!

Here are my top tips to make it easy to get your water in:

  • Start the day with 8-16 oz of room temp water
  • Invest in some cute stainless steel or glass vessels and fill them with water, infused water, or herbal tea in the morning & make sure to finish them by the end of the day. Sit them out on your kitchen counter or desk so you won’t miss them!
  • Have 1 bottle of water on your commute in the morning and leave another in your car to drink on the way home. I used to keep a bottle of my favorite herbal tea in my car to enjoy on the way home from the hospital – if I used boiling hot water in the morning, it was still warm at the end of the day in my HydroFlask!
  • Try infused water: add some cucumber slices, citrus slices, frozen watermelon cubes, or whatever sounds good.
  • Enjoy added electrolytes (Nuun & Ultima – available at Kroger or Whole Foods – and Omnourish -available online – are the ones I use most).
  • Herbal (no caffeine) tea and mineral water (eg Pellegrino, Perrier) count as ‘water’, but I don’t include sparkling waters and definitely not caffeine. The others are fine to enjoy, but shouldn’t count as “water intake”.

3 (simple) things you can do today to live better

by Goal Fit, posted in Lifestyle

Someone asked me today for 3 simple things they can do to live better starting NOW – so I thought I’d share:

  • Eat more mindfully.
    • Sit at a table and eat from a plate (no snacking in front of the fridge or while standing in the pantry)
    • Before your first bite, take a moment for gratitude and take five deep breaths to get into a parasympathetic “rest and digest” state before eating.
  • Increase your N.E.A.T. (Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis which is basically any activity during the day that isn’t sleeping or formal exercise): Look for ways to incorporate movement and activity (note: I didn’t say to workout or go for a run) – just get moving & aim to reduce the amount of time spent sitting.
  • Listen to your body’s cues. Notice where you hold tension – I clench my jaw & make fists; you might hold your breath or your shoulders may creep up toward your ears. When you become aware of these tendencies, observe what may trigger them & note if there’s anything you can do to prevent the trigger. At a minimum, try to let go of the tension in the moment. Try a few rounds of Box Breathing- see the video below for a few minutes of guided breathwork to help de-stress and relax.

Food News & Chews follow-up

by Goal Fit, posted in Food, Lifestyle

The podcast is live – and I’d love for you to check it out both via Apple Podcasts & on Spotify – and be sure to subscribe! “Not just about cooking, FNC is all about food and its place in our lives. And more than just one more recipe for cheese onion dip or leftovers after Thanksgiving, the world of food is explored as something more than that in our lives and culture. Whether related to health and wellness, safety, environmental protection, economic strength or access and affordability, food lies at the root.”

We really crammed a LOT in during our discussion, and I wanted to share some follow up information and references if something piqued your interest!

*Please note, I am not a physician and this is not medical advice – it is imperative to check with your healthcare provider before making any changes to your diet and exercise regime*

moderation vs 80/20

I am not a fan of the word moderation when it comes to making healthy diet and lifestyle choices. First, I feel like it’s such a subjective term that can allow us to justify bad habits – who’s to say how much of an indulgence is a moderate amount? Additionally, if I were to have a “moderate” amount of sugar, “moderate” amount of fast food, “moderate” amount of saturated fat, and so on, I’d pretty quickly shift away from more healthy options as a whole. I coach my clients to be more accountable in an objective way by identifying a few healthier habits at a time and aiming for an 80/20 approach. We use a tracker (DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE COPY HERE) and check off each habit daily while allowing for occasional indulgences or ‘miss days’. If 80/20 seems daunting, try 50/50 and increase over time to a higher rate. Check out my tracker for this month – note that I also list all the different plants I consume each week – more on that topic below! (I had a lot going on the first week of the month & didn’t list them).

olive oil

THIS ARTICLE in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that “Consuming more than 7 grams (>1/2 tablespoon) of olive oil per day is associated with lower risk of cardiovascular disease mortality, cancer mortality, neurodegenerative disease mortality and respiratory disease mortality, according to a study publishing today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. The study found that replacing about 10 grams/day of margarine, butter, mayonnaise and dairy fat with the equivalent amount of olive oil is associated with lower risk of mortality as well“

diversity of plants/american gut project

Check out the Fiber Fueled book HERE

What’s the microbiome (“gut”)? Learn more HERE

The American Gut Project HERE

indulgences

When my sweet tooth needs attention, my favorite healthier indulgence is below. It doesn’t sound super exciting, but it is delicious!

  • 2 dates – remove the pit & split open lengthwise to make a little crater
  • smear a little natural nut butter in the crater
  • top with a couple non-dairy dark chocolate chips, if deisred

… and HERE is the mug cake I make (note -this definitely is NOT a healthy, whole food and includes inflammatory oil that I typically avoid – but I count it as a rare/ occasional indulgence in my 80/20 lifestyle). Sometimes, you just want a little treat!

inflammatory oils

Industrial seed oils (including Canola, Corn, Cottonseed, Soybean, Sunflower, Safflower, Grapeseed) are thought to be highly inflammatory and raise our omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratios, which may have significant consequences for our health. I avoid these and personally prefer to get my fat from whole plant foods including organic olive oil, avocados, nuts, flax and chia seeds. Ask your healthcare provider for more info, and check out THIS ARTICLE for easy to read facts about these oils.

mediterranean diet

Check out the Blue Zones HERE

The Mediterranean Diet and the Ornish Diet tied for #1 in best heart healthy diets in U.S. News – check out the rankings HERE. Read more about the Ornish lifestyle HERE ( I love his book, Un-Do It!)

Check out my thoughts on “busy-ness”in THIS POST.

carolina gold rice

I order from Anson Mills HERE and check out THIS ARTICLE about the history and benefits of Carolina Gold Rice.

WANT MORE?

Please consider subscribing to my email list at the top of the page, follow me on social media on Instagram @gretchen.farah and Facebook @goalfitmethod, and join our monthly membership community HERE where I share Food, Fitness, and Focus strategies to up-level and live your best life. As I said in the podcast, life is so short and precious, and we have each been gifted this on vessel in which to live it. Let’s take the best care of it that we can.