Nutrition

Protein Hacks: How to Easily Add More Protein to Your Meals

I’m bored with my food choices lately… I know I need to eat more protein but I don’t know what foods to add to my plate.  👆 Do any of these statements resonate with you? I’ve been receiving a lot of questions after I shared my most popular blog sequence, “The Secret to Protein”. If you didn’t read it, the…
September 14, 2023
Nutrition

The Secret to Protein (part two)

Recently I shared a dirty little secret about protein… …Okay, maybe not so dirty But it’s an important fact if you’re trying to lose fat, reshape your body composition, build immunity to illness (remember Covid?), or just want to eat healthy. If you missed the original blog post, grab your favorite drink and dig in.  (WARNING: it's loaded with useful…
July 5, 2023
Nutrition

The Secret to Protein (part one)

I *thought* I was eating healthy. A bowl of Shredded Wheat with skim milk and berries for breakfast is filled with good fiber. It keeps the system moving... …RIGHT?! Kinda. (This easy breakfast would rank as a ‘good’ choice.)  That was my thinking six years ago… …then I became more enlightened about portions and the real importance of eating enough…
June 27, 2023
Fitness ChallengesMindset

This Mom Hated Exercise Her Entire Life… Until Now. Here’s What Happened.

Throughout her entire life, Katie hated exercising.  Growing up, she struggled with emotional eating and saw her weight fluctuate dramatically.  When she tried to be physically active, Katie would often get winded quickly and was later diagnosed with exercise-induced asthma in her late twenties. Now the mother of a 3.5-year-old daughter reached a turning point and made a decision that…
March 29, 2023
Fitness ChallengesMom Moments

8 Years… 3 Pivotal Moments

I remember 2014’s photoshoot vividly. It was a beautiful spring day in May. I packed up the City Select with snacks and strolled the boys a mile down the road to Kevin Hammett’s studio on Webster Street in Lincoln Park.  … if you live in Chicago, maybe you know Kevin too. He is THE best family photographer.  What a difference…
March 27, 2023
Mom Moments

3 Breakthrough Moments: Part 3

Sunday morning I woke with a slice of brightness gleaming through the heavy, floor length curtains.  The room was toasty warm and there were heavy, unapologetic footsteps moving down the hallway.  Oh yes… It took me a few, head-aching moments to realize I was in the solitude of my own hotel room… …in Milwaukee. …for Active Moms’ Club weekend retreat.…
February 22, 2023
Mom Moments

3 things I uncovered last week: Part 2

My right arm slowly moved its way out from under the toasty blankets as I fumbled to mute the “Ripples” melody chiming from my alarm.  I take a long exhilarating inhale and stretch out my body like a supple cat.  My iPhone tells me it’s time to start the day… … a strength training session with AMC mamas. (My favorite…
February 22, 2023
Mom Moments

Warning Motivation Inside!

January is a time of new beginnings: healthier eating, more regular workouts, detoxes, resolutions, saving money, and ________ (fill in your blank). I’ve never been a fan of resolutions.  I tried the word of the year once… by February I totally forgot what my word was?! Back in November a fellow coach planted the idea of a 30 day personal…
February 22, 2023
5 Simple Exercises Posture Fitness Tips

5 Simple Exercises to Improve Posture

As moms we are literally pulled in every direction, and our posture is victim to the demands of motherhood. Poor posture leads to back aches and pain… and who has time for that?!  Good posture helps minimize stress on tendons, joints and ligaments. Plus, better posture can have a significant impact on your quality of life— less back pain, strengthens…
February 10, 2023
Self-Care

Here’s what really happened when I turned 50 last year…

I woke up on Saturday morning feeling slightly refreshed, like I had quality sleep but not feeling super peppy to charge through the day…  (let’s be honest, those super peppy days usually don’t happen during winter months...) I sauntered into the bathroom, leaned over the sink and gazed into the mirror…  My right cheek... freshly indented with pillowcase markings. As…
January 9, 2023
Favorite ThingsFitness Tips

My 5 Favorite Ab Exercises …

Crunches 🚫 eek! If you've trained with me, you know that I am not a fan of the "crunch". Why? Most people do NOT do them correctly which negates why we actually do them. Let me explain more... Ideal form for a crunch maintains neutral alignment of head and spine, and engages the deepest abdominal muscles that draw abs inward.…
December 5, 2022
Nutrition

You + These 3 Nutrition Tips = 💃🏻

Does this sound familiar? You wake up tired,  your kids are having a morning too. You're hungry— or the clock is telling you it's time to eat. You want something that's easy to make and tastes straight up delicious. Yep, you're staring at the golden box of frozen waffles on the top shelf of the freezer... oh, and you can…
September 22, 2022
AMC EventsNutrition

Here’s what happened when 6 beautiful moms got together…

The morning air was damp and crisp, a heavy overcast of gray clouds lingered above.  I could smell the earthworms in the saturated wet ground.  But the beautiful birds were singing and little Chippy (that’s what the boys and I named the resident chipmunk who lives under our front stoop) scurried across the sidewalk and a smile beam across my…
May 19, 2022
Favorite ThingsFitness Tips

At-Home Workout Equipment Essentials

If you’re anything like me, I love peeping into others’ homes, feeling the vibe, seeing the little things that make a house their home.  Maybe that’s why I spend way too much time scrolling— and drooling in the Houzz app! (To me, this app is way more interesting than Facebook!) So when I hear the question, “Coach C, what does…
February 15, 2022