You really can have a healthy balance through the busiest time of the year! Whether in my local or online classes (click here for my full class schedule) we are committing to our health even through the holidays, while also enjoying all the merry “moments” – hint hint to our mindfulness piece all week in case you missed my IG stories (you can still find the small video clips in my IG highlights).

Thank you to everyone who welcomed me back to class after my trip to Louisiana, and especially to those who helped me celebrate my birthday!!!!! I turned 45 years young and I feel healthier and stronger than ever! Your smiles and encouragement, support and enthusiasm through my years of teaching have kept me hooked to group fitness much more than I ever dreamt possible (remember I used to hate fitness and you all make it so much fun and inspiring year after year)!

We planted some WARRIORS in Louisiana, y’all!! I couldn’t be happier to announce that it was in the weekend leading up to my birthday that I had the honor of joining Creator of WARRIOR, Ellen De Werd, on a trip to Rayne, Louisiana for the largest WARRIOR Instructor Certification to date!! We certified nearly 60 new instructors in WARRIOR Rhythm & WARRIOR Strength between the 2 days of trainings. And yes, I boo hoo’ed a bit seeing as how Louisiana is so close to my heart, and Rayne is so close to my hometown of Lake Charles. Seeing all these beautiful women at Cajun Fitness enjoying and opening their hearts to two formats that have brought so much joy to my life was incredible to witness, not to mention to share the stage and Master Trainer jacket with Ellen was awe-inspiring, humbling, exhilarating. Can’t wait to watch the Cajun Fitness teams from all 5 locations represented launch WARRIOR in their communities!

Life Fit Free FB Community: Merry & Bright 5 Day Healthy Holidays Challenge

Hey, y’all! In my 5 Day Healthy Holidays Challenge here, we set healthy boundaries for our nutrition and exercise so we can stay on track. If you missed this Merry & Bright group, it’s still up for a limited time! Click here and grab the recipes, fitness/wellness lifestyle tips, faith-building devotionals, fun family activities, and more! Not only will you get special ways to slay your day so you can feel great at all the fun events and gatherings – you will also equip yourself for NO STRESS this season, because we are keeping things bright and balanced with helpful tips for all areas of your health and well-being: Spirit Soul Body!

Speaking of Merry & Bright, here’s one of the tips I didn’t get around to sharing inside our Healthy Holidays challenge, that also helped me out while preparing for my recent road trip to Rayne, Louisiana for WARRIOR Instructor Certifications :

Life Fit Tips: Happy Healthy Travel

“You learn good health and family are it, and nothing else matters.” – Mike Adametz

We all know that the holidays mean more sugar, refined carbs, drinks, snacks, over-eating, etc. 😕 And we’ll go further in depth about that next week. But for today’s travel tip, I encourage you to be prepared with some healthy choices. Traveling and visiting family throws us off schedule, and sometimes who you are staying with may not have the same meal or snack times or goals as you. And nobody wants to spend the holidays feeling hangry, or being around hangry kids! 🙈

Having healthy things on hand is not only better for you, but it’s more budget friendly as well. If you have to stop at gas stations or run out to the store every time you need a snack, then your body and bank account are going be negatively impacted pretty quickly. 👎

Pack snacks like mixed nuts (no peanuts if on a plane), fresh fruit and veggies, dried fruit, snack bars, crackers and homemade bars or muffins, fruit and veggie pouches or popcorn are all great to bring with. You can pack them in handy little containers (lots of ideas on Pinterest!) for the actual car or plane ride. Make sure you have enough set aside for when you are actually at your destination, so you and your family have something healthy to grab when you are hungry. 👌

Don’t forget about water! 💦 Staying hydrated is always important, and even more so while traveling. It’s harder to do with less access and having to stop for bathroom breaks, but your body will feel the difference. You should actually be hydrating even more if you are sitting long periods in a car or plane. Make it a priority. Bring a water bottle for every person in your family that they can keep filled up. And have a big jug or a few extra bottles available when you are not able to refill. Comment below! What are your favorite travel snacks? 

One more tip: Give yourself grace.

Come to terms with the fact that your routine will not be perfect. Your nutrition will not be 100% on track. You might not do as many workouts as you hope or stay on the exact calendar for your program. And that’s OK! 👍

The biggest thing I want you to remember with traveling (or anything that puts you out of routine) is that it is so much harder to start again when you completely stop. If you just throw everything out the window – stop your workouts, eat whatever you want, stop taking supplements, etc…it is going to be so much harder to start all of that up again. 😔 So just keep going, even if it’s at only 50% of what you’re used to. It will be so much easier to get back into your full routine when you’re home again. 😊

Also, trips and time with family are meant to be enjoyed! Enjoy yourself and don’t stress the whole time. Just keep in mind that the further off track you get, the harder it is to get back at it. Find a balance that works for you to give yourself grace, enjoy yourself, and treat yourself well, including your body. 💕

Next week in my weekly Living Life Fit with Angel blog post/email, we’ll get into the details of what to do about all that holiday food, whether at home or while traveling. Stay tuned! 

Til then, comment below: Where or with what do you need to give yourself more grace? 

Life Fit Recipe: Gingerbread Energy Balls

Gingerbread Coconut Energy Balls

Makes 25-30 balls

Ingredients:

1 cup raw almonds

1 cup pitted medjool dates

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

2 Tbsp pure molasses

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/8 tsp sea salt

dash of ground ginger

dash of ground allspice

1 Tbsp filtered water, if needed

*extra shredded coconut for rolling

Directions

1.) Line a pan with parchment paper and set aside.

2.) Add all ingredients, except the water, to a food processor. Process on high until it is a crumbly, sticky mixture. Take some of it and see if it forms a ball. If not, pulse a little water into the mixture to make sure it holds together.

3.) Scoop out 1-2 Tbsp of the mixture at a time and roll it into balls and place it on the lined pan. Put it in the freezer for 1/2 hour or the fridge for 1 hour to allow them to firm up.

4.) Once firm, remove and roll into extra shredded coconut. Enjoy immediately or store covered in the fridge or freezer.

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Angel