1) Eat a high protein breakfast on Thanksgiving Day. 

You may be tempted to skip breakfast to ‘save up’ for the big meal, but research shows that a high protein breakfast helps reduce post-meal blood sugar levels throughout the entire day. Whip up a smoothie made with an unsweetened plant protein powder blended with a handful of leafy greens, a cup of fruit, a dollop of nut butter, water, and a slice of fresh ginger root. 

2) Make your own dish.

If you're attending Thanksgiving as a guest, take a dish to share, but choose something that will help balance out heavier holiday cuisine. One of my favorites is a roasted veggie platter (like extra virgin olive oil roasted bell peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, baby Brussels sprouts, and asparagus) served with a healthy dip or sauce to drizzle, like olive tapenade, vegan (nut-based) pesto, or herbed tahini.

3) Put more plants on your plate. 

Research shows that eating more whole plant-based foods can improve health outcomes and extend longevity. Consider making fully plant-based versions of Thanksgiving side dishes this year, like extra virgin olive oil sauteed green beans with sliced almonds in place of creamy green bean casserole, mashed potatoes made with vegetable broth, extra virgin olive oil, and herbs instead of butter and cream, oven roasted Brussels sprouts with sliced mushrooms in place of bacon, and garden salad garnished with diced avocado and chickpeas instead of cheese and egg.

You can even skip the turkey in favor of hearty lentil soup. Fully plant-based dishes can be just as delicious and satisfying as their traditional counterparts and can leave you feeling more energized. 

4) Be strategic about the order of the foods you eat.

Research shows that consuming foods in the following order results in lower post-meal blood sugar levels: non-starchy vegetables first (like salad and broccoli), then high-protein foods, then oils/fats, then unprocessed complex carbohydrates (like sweet potatoes), and finally simpler sugars (dessert).

Starting the meal with a generous portion of non-starchy veggies ups your overall nutrient and fiber intakes and has been shown to boost satiety, reduce overall calorie intake, and help regulate post-meal blood sugar levels.

5) Practice mindful eating.

Try to put your fork down between bites, slow your eating pace, and tune into your body's cues. I also recommend spending at least five minutes a day practicing mindfulness meditation, via a guided app or YouTube video. Being mindful can help you better tune in to your body's hunger and fullness signals, eat with more awareness, eat slower, and feel more satiated. 

6) Drink water.

Sweetened drinks like soda, sweet tea, lemonade, and punch, which are often served at holiday gatherings, aren’t filling. That means you won’t compensate by eating less, so you’re just adding excess calories to your meal. To keep it festive with no added sugar or artificial sweeteners stick with water or sparkling water garnished with a bit of fresh in-season fruit or sprigs of fresh mint. 

Compared to soda, you’ll save about nine teaspoons of added sugar per 12 ounces. In addition, good hydration has been shown to benefit blood sugar regulation and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.

7) Eat before you drink alcohol. 

Alcohol is absorbed quickly on an empty stomach, so eat first to slow the rise in your blood alcohol level. Drinking tends to lower inhibitions and stimulate appetite, so you may eat more, or eat foods you wouldn't reach for when sober. Also, too much alcohol can disrupt sleep, and poor sleep has been shown to increase appetite, particularly for high-calorie foods.

​8) Savor and enjoy what really satisfies you.

​Healthy eating isn't about deprivation, but it makes sense to differentiate can't-live-without holiday favorites from foods that are so-so on the satisfaction scale. Over the years numerous clients have told me that thinking this through before building their plates has helped them make more mindful choices and feel fully satisfied without overeating.

There’s no denying that some injuries just need time to heal. Whether it’s lifting less weight or simply backing off altogether for a few days, giving your body the time it needs to recover can be beneficial in more ways than one.  

So once you’re ready to take up your favorite workout again, here are 10 modifications that you can use to prevent further injury while maintaining strength in other areas.

1. Limit total workout volume.

Unless you’re an exercise science guru, exercise volume may be a new concept. We’ll go over the basics and then show you how to apply it to your workout routine. Exercise calculations, like volume, can be used as a method to measure workout intensity. Generally, volume is calculated using this equation:

Workout Volume = (the amount of weight that you're lifting) x (number of sets) x (repetitions)

For example, if you lift 20 lbs (9 kg) on the overhead shoulder press for 3 sets of 10 repetitions, then your workout volume would be (20 lbs) x (3 sets) x (10 reps) = 600 lbs (272 kg) for that particular exercise. 
When you’re injured, your workout volume should always be less than your pre-injury volume. To calculate this, modify one (or all) of the variables in the above equation. Some examples of ways in which you can change your training volume include: 

• Decrease the number of sets you perform
• Limit the number of repetitions you do
• Lower the amount of weight you lift

The good news is that you can work out and maintain fitness levels even if you need to temporarily lower your workout volume. By doing so, you’re significantly decreasing your risk for greater injury and reduce the possibility of weakness from inactivity. 

2. Modify your positioning or lifting technique. 

Depending on the type of injury you sustained, you may need to modify your body position or lifting technique. For example, deep squats should be avoided for people with hip, knee, ankle, or low back injuries. Instead, take a wide stance and practice mini-squats or wall slides. People who are recovering from shoulder and neck injuries should avoid overhead motions and prioritize shoulder stabilization exercises or upper back strengthening. 

3. Give yourself more time to recover between sets. 

Consider taking more time to rest between reps, sets, and workout days. Rest periods are an underutilized factor when it comes to modifying an exercise routine, especially while recovering from an injury. Many people use shorter rest periods to increase the intensity of the workout; however, increasing the length of the rest periods can have the opposite effect (i.e., allowing for lower intensity). 

4. Focus on unilateral movements to strengthen the weakened areas. 

Unilateral movements is a common term used to describe motions that involve one side of the body. Incorporating them into a workout is an effective way to address weakness and instability in the body. Oftentimes, unilateral movements target important accessory muscles that work to stabilize your body when doing larger movements. Examples of unilateral movements include: 

• Lunges
• Step ups
• Lying leg lifts
• Clamshells
• Single leg bridges
• Single leg RDLs (Romanian dead lifts)
• Single arm shoulder press
• Bent over dumbbell row
• Dumbbell chest press
• Dumbbell bicep curl

...just to name a few. 

The key to unilateral movements is to focus on control and stability of your entire body.

5. Consider doing different forms of exercise while you recover. 

Look on the bright side: sometimes the "best" part of an injury is discovering a new activity that you otherwise would have never attempted. And one of the most effective ways to maintain fitness levels when you’re injured is through something called cross training. 

Cross training involves participating in similar types of exercise to develop a specific component of fitness. You may have heard this term referenced by marathon runners or triathlon participants, since it’s a widely-used method to improve cardiovascular health and endurance. While these athletes use cross training as a way to rest their bodies from repetitive motions, you can use it as a way to stay physically active during recovery. 

For example, those who are unable to run or jog may prefer to swim or row, since the latter is less jarring to the joints in the lower body. Similarly, people who suffer from wrist and hand injuries may not be able to tolerate cycling and, instead, should jog or go for a brisk walk.

6. Work through a pain-free range of motion. 

This goes without saying, but let’s take a second to discuss why this is important. Pain with movement is a sign that something isn’t right. Along with that, any strong, sharp, or persistent pain that develops during exercise should be considered as a red flag and cause for concern. 

If you notice pain or discomfort with movement, especially as you’re recovering from an injury, either stop what you’re doing or modify your movement.
Suggestions on how to modify the movement include changing the activity, decreasing your range of motion, or limiting your reps/sets. 

7. Cautiously reintroduce new exercises. 

Our bodies tend to gravitate towards certain patterns of movement. Over time, the body becomes adept at those particular movement patterns, which increases our vulnerability to injury when doing something new. Therefore, when introducing new exercises after an injury, you should move cautiously and with purpose.

The concept of movement patterns is not new, and physical therapists frequently use this principle to help people recover from injury. You can also take advantage of this by strengthening weakened areas of the body using multiple forms of the same exercise. One example of this would be to perform side and reverse lunges in addition to forward lunges. 

8. Substituting pain-free exercises for painful ones is okay. 

Like cross training, substituting pain-free exercises for painful ones is another way to maintain your fitness levels as you recover from an injury. Unable to lie flat for bench press? Strengthen the chest muscles by doing an incline press or weighted push-ups instead. Sore wrists during planks? Drop down to your elbows or make a fist. 

9. Don’t be afraid to take some time off.

Admittedly, there are times when the modifications on this list aren’t enough. If that’s the case, then it’s best to take some time off from exercising or see a specialist. In the meantime, focus on your body’s strengths and exercises that you can perform without pain or limitation. Yoga, walking, and gentle pool exercises are often great alternatives to strength or HIIT workouts.

10. Ease back into exercise after recovery. 

Once you are ready to start exercising again, it’s best to ease back into it. Avoid the temptation to load the same amount of weight that you used before the injury, and fight the urge to do your usual reps/sets scheme. Gradually reintroducing movement and strengthening exercises is the best way to prevent reinjury. Use low reps and sets so you can focus on form, control, and stability. As always, prioritize core stabilization exercises to ensure that your foundation remains strong and healthy. 

Final thoughts. Recovering from an injury can be frustrating, but it doesn’t have to signal the end of your workout days. Find ways to exercise in a pain-free manner that doesn’t place you at further risk for harm. ​

Exercise is fun and (hopefully) brings you joy, but in addition to the fun side of working out, you may be anxious to see results – get fitter, stronger, faster. We all have different fitness goals but what bugs most of us equally – whether we’re CrossFitters, bodybuilders or runners – is not seeing results from working out without being able to pinpoint why.

Don’t get me wrong – it’s impossible for anyone to endlessly keep up that upward curve you may have had when you first started – it’s only normal that your progress will slow down over time. But, if instead of making slow progress, you’re not seeing any results from working out or find yourself regressing, you’re most likely not doing the right things – or not doing them right.

Even though we all have our personal goals and measure success differently, there are some common reasons why people find themselves in a rut, not seeing results from working out.

1. YOUR GOAL IS TOO VAGUE

If you’ve hit that workout plateau but not sure why, the first step in getting to the bottom of it is to take a closer look at your goals.

​Apart from not having a goal at all, the most common mistake athletes and exercisers make – despite their sport – is that the goal they set for themselves is either set too far (which usually leads to lack of motivation) or the goal is too vague.

An example of a target that isn’t specific enough could be: “My goal is to become stronger.” How would you measure that? How do you define what exactly is stronger? Is being able to do two more push-ups enough or does ‘stronger’ mean doubling the amount you lift?

A clearly defined, attainable and measurable goal could be something like:
“1.5x or double bodyweight full range of motion back squat (depending on your level of fitness) in 18 weeks.”

2. YOUR GOAL IS UNREALISTIC

Many times we don’t believe enough in ourselves, but some of us take it to the other extreme and set the bar way too high for anyone to reach. As a result, they end up getting knocked down by a massive disappointment – all because of unrealistic expectations.

So, before you throw in the towel altogether, be aware of what is attainable with your current fitness level. For example, if you don’t have a strong running background (let alone if you have no running experience at all) setting a goal of running your first marathon in sub 3 hours means setting yourself up for failure.

A more realistic starting point could be to aim to run a 5K or a 10K first. If you go for the 42K, your first marathon should be about gaining the experience and crossing the finish line, never mind the time.

3. YOU DON’T KNOW HOW TO MONITOR PROGRESS

Setting attainable goals that you can measure is key, but the next step is to understand how to monitor progress.
If you set a big goal for yourself and six months from now see if you got there, there’s a chance you’ll find yourself nowhere near where you wanted to be because you’ve been doing things that haven’t been working for you.

The key is to set and measure smaller milestones along the way and adjust your plan as you go. There are various ways to do this but to name a few, here’s what I suggest:

• If your goal is to back squat with double bodyweight in 18 weeks, start the cycle with a test to see where you are in the beginning and then re-test in 8 weeks to see your progression. Then adjust your program accordingly to achieve your main goal in the end.
• If you’re looking to add more capacity to your conditioning, one way to see if you’re heading in the right direction is to choose a time for a certain rowing or running distance. Then monitor your heart rate for that time and see if you can lower your average heart rate in the following weeks in the exact same domain. If your average HR drops progressively, you know your work capacity has increased.

It’s good to have at least 3 months to see proper physical change no matter what your goal may be. Ideally, if your main goal is, say, 3 months away, I would set smaller goals, milestones, for every two weeks and make sure they are realistic enough so you’ll be able to hit them and get a sense of achievement and a nice motivation boost.

When tracking my conditioning I use different time domains and HR monitoring plays a big role. If my goals are strength/power or stamina related I monitor weights (kg) and repetitions.

4. YOU’RE NOT VARYING YOUR WORKOUTS

Plain routine is the enemy blocking your way to better fitness results. Repeating the same exercise routines will lead to plateau in workout performance and results – not to mention you’ll get bored and lose motivation. You’re body needs new stimuli and progressive training if you want to see results.

A more developed cardiovascular system will also increase your ability to recover faster.
Both HIIT and steady-state cardio are essential even if your main goal is to build muscle and strength. To optimize muscle growth and there-on strength, you need a solid cardiovascular base to feed your muscles with nutrients etc.

The best way to vary your workouts is to do functional fitness due to its complexity. If you do constantly varied functional movements the hormonal responses in your body will be greater because your body won’t be able to adapt as fast and will need to work harder to keep up with the new stimulus.

There are numerous ways to spice up your workouts by varying intensity, weights, duration or working on entirely new muscle groups or trying completely new activities.

​Think outside the box – vary your workouts and the results will speak for themselves.

5. YOU DON’T WARM UP

You’re pumped and can’t wait to get to your actual workout? When you’re feeling super psyched, it’s tempting to skip warming up and just get right to the point. But, if you don’t warm up, you’ll get less out of your workout as your body won’t be ready to give it your 110%.

The purpose of a warm-up is to gently activate and prepare your muscles for the workout and get your heart pumping more blood into the muscles with every beat. How to best prepare for your body for exercise depends (naturally) on the workout your about to do but there are some common principles that apply to warming up in general.

A good warm-up should always include three steps:

1. Progressively increase your heart rate to get the blood flowing in your whole body by doing something simple e.g burpees, jogging or rowing.
2. Perform a mobility routine to get your body ready and mobile for the actual workout, e.g if you are going to run then focus on your ankles, calfs, and posterior chain.
3. Get your mind in the game and start practicing the movements ahead. It’s important to make a clear difference between training and practicing, e.g before a heavy olympic weightlifting session you are practicing all the different technical components of the movement.

6. YOU DON’T KNOW HOW TO STRUCTURE YOUR WORKOUTS

It’s awesome to be excited about working out but if you’ve been trying to hit your goals faster by doing more and more of the same, you may be feeling like running a treadmill – putting in a lot of effort without moving forward.

The ideal amount of high intensity training per week depends on your level of fitness and on your total training load for that week. I usually do two shorter (5-10 min) HIIT type workouts and one longer HIIT session (20+ min) per week.

Mobility should be at the least a part of your every day warm-up routine before your actual workout to make sure your body is ready to go and to get the best results. If you’re not able to perform the movements correctly because you lack in mobility, the results of the workout will also be poor.

​A really important rule in increasing any kind of fitness is Mechanics -> Consistency -> Intensity. Now, if you lack in mechanics due to not reaching full range of motion in a certain movement, you won’t be able to move on to consistency and your progress will come to a halt. This rule, if followed correctly, will always guarantee you an increased fitness level overall.

7. YOU DON’T RECOVER

Like the age-olds saying goes: “No rest, no gain!” That means seeing fitness results requires recovery.

When it comes to rest days, I believe in the 3 ON-1 OFF style. This will work for most people, keeping in mind the total load for a week.

Of course, your level of fitness will affect the time you need to recover. A rule of thumb would be three days of training per week for beginners and up to five for the more advanced athletes.

In addition to post-workout recovery routines, rest days and active recovery, sleep is one of the key factors in recovery. During your sleep the hormonal production is at its peak so the amount and quality of your sleep will clearly affect your results.

A good way to measure your recovery status is to perform an orthostatic test in the morning three times a week. Experienced athletes will also find themselves comparing previous results and assessing their current status by how they feel.

8. YOUR DIET IS OFF

With all the conflicting nutrition advice out there, figuring out what and when to eat is easier said than done. For many athletes optimal meal timing is individual so the only way to truly know what works for you is to try, monitor and adjust.

Because our bodies are unique, it’s challenging to give out generic nutrition advice applicable to everyone, in all situations, but if you aim to eat unprocessed whole foods, high-quality proteins and essential fats (e.g. from avocados and nuts) as often as possible, you’re off to a great start.

If I could give only one nutrition tip, it would be:
Prepare your own meals, this way you know what you’re putting in your mouth.

​Tell me if this looks like your typical day:

6 am-7:30 am: Make breakfast, get kids ready for school, get ready for work.
7:30 am-8 am: Take kids to school, and head into work.
8 am-4:30 pm: Work (maybe more than 8 hours).
4:30 pm-5:30 pm: Pick kids up from school and take them to extracurricular activities.
5:30 pm-6:30 pm: Make dinner and organize the house.
6:30 pm-7:30 pm: Pick kids up from activities and eat dinner.
7:30 pm-8:30 pm. Clean up dinner, help kids with homework, get them ready for bed.
8:30 pm-10 pm: Finish whatever work you have for the day and prepare for tomorrow, then bed.

​REPEAT

The day I just described is utter chaos, and unfortunately, this is the typical day for most of the clients I work with at the gym. When juggling the stresses of a career, a family, and everything else in your life, it is hard to find time to put your own health first.

Although it is very hard to consider your own health, when you have everything else to worry about, it is absolutely essential to focus on staying healthy.

It is more than ok to put yourself first sometimes. Putting your own health first might seem selfish to you, but it definitely is less selfish than you might believe. When you put your own health first you are setting the rest of your life in order. Being a healthy person will allow all of the following:

• More productive days
• Better quality of life, such as mood, sleep, and how you feel overall
• You will be able to give more to your family
• You will be there for your family in the future

Some of you might be saying, “I know it is important to put my own health first, but I literally don’t have the time to be healthy.” To that, I say, “Make time for it!”

I am not trying to downplay how busy you all are, and I feel for you 100%. However, think of it this way, we all have the same amount of time in the day, so how do other busy people find time to be healthy?

Our priorities in life will guide the actions we take through the day. Making your health a top priority will make a positive change in your life and will allow you to have time you thought you never had.

Typically, I believe this is what most people’s priorities are like:

1. Family
2. Work
3. Taking care of the house
4. Work from home
5. Kids homework
6. Hobbies
7. Health

For a person who values their health highly, typically this is what I think their priorities are:

1. Family
2. Health
3. Work
4. Everything else

There is no magic pill or hidden secret for health, the key is people that want to be healthy make it a priority in their life, just like their work or their family. The key is to plan time in your day to do what you need to, in order to stay healthy. Staying healthy might consist of the following:

• 7-8 hours of quality sleep a night
• 30-60 minutes of exercises (movement) daily
• 3 healthy meals a day
• Some type of quality time for yourself a day, such as 20-40 minutes of reading, meditating, or a hobby

It might seem selfish to have all of these checks in your life every day, but it is essential to have the best quality of life you can. When considering the quality of life, you must maintain balance.

So, how can you be more selfish and make more time for yourself? Many of the clients I work with have a very hard time saying NO to people. When you refuse to say no, and volunteer yourself for everything you can think of, you end up stretching yourself, and if you stretch yourself too far you end up breaking. There is power in saying no, it gives you the power to take control of your life, and more importantly your health.

Another way to find more time in your day is to follow a strict schedule or find a routine. I recommend that everyone has a schedule that they make weekly and check every day.

Everything should be scheduled from the second you wake up, to when you eat, when you work, and when you plan to exercise. When you lay everything out in front of you, you begin to realize how much time you really have, and you begin to see what things you can start cutting to make more time for yourself.

​Taking control of your health comes down to you. You have the choice to be healthy or to sabotage yourself. Will you put everyone else before yourself, or will you sacrifice some things in your life to put health at the top of the list? Will you use time as an excuse, or find the time in the day, no matter what, to put your health first?

​Remember: it comes down to you. You push yourself so hard in other areas of your life, such as work and family, so why can’t it be the same for your health? You control your life, your time, your stress, and your health. If you don’t like where you are at currently, change it! Make the time, learn to say no, be more selfish, and put your health first.

Squat exercises aren’t just for athletes. You can do them as part of your regular exercise routine.

They strengthen your lower body, targeting your glutes and quadriceps.

They also make you use your core muscles.

Other muscles that benefit from squats are:

• Hip muscles
• Calves
• Hamstrings
• Obliques

Squats burn calories and might help you lose weight.

They also lower your chances of injuring your knees and ankles. As you exercise, the movement strengthens your tendons, bones, and ligaments around the leg muscles. It takes some of the weight off your knees and ankles.

They help make your knees more stable, too.

What’s more, squats may also help boost your bone mineral density for stronger bones. It adds strength to your skeleton, mainly in the spine and lower body.

Squats improve your flexibility, too. As you become older, your tendons, muscles, and ligaments become less elastic. Regularly doing squats can help slow down this process and limber you up.

Squats help you feel and look good. Squatting helps shape up your legs and butt since it targets the glute and inner thigh muscles. As your buttocks become firm, your posture and balance might improve.

How to Do Squats

Do squats the right way to protect yourself from getting injured. Poor form can take a toll on your spine and knees over time. 

The right way to do a squat is to:

• Stand with your feet apart and parallel to each other.
• Place your hands on your thighs.
• Look up and lift your chest.
• Bend your knees to a 90-degree angle, putting all your weight on your heels and sitting back slowly.
• Your knees shouldn't go beyond your toes, and your head and chest should stay upright.
• Hold the position for 5 seconds.
• Rise back up, pressing through your heels, and straighten your hips back to the starting position.
• Repeat five times.

‌
​Squats are one of the most effective strength-training exercises around. If you’re not working out already, talk to your doctor before you get started. They can let you know if squats are safe for you to do. You might also want to think about working with a professional strength trainer, who can make sure you’re using the right form.