Jen Selter’s Travel Workout Tips

Hi my loves! I recently went out of the country for a few weeks and thought I’d share my favorite travel workout tips with you.

I was having a wonderful time enjoying the beautiful scenery and food, but then I got sick.😷 

At first all I wanted to do was curl up in bed, skip my workouts and be sad, but instead I decided to take it slow and make one healthy choice at a time. I decided to stick with my workout plan, but lower all of the reps and skip the more intense exercises. I still got up every day and did something, but I always listened to my body.

Moving around and doing some light exercise actually helped my recovery. Working out can be hard, but do you know what can be even harder?  Listening to your body. Especially when you’re sick, jet lagged or injured. 

That’s why I’m sharing these workout travel tips with you, but feel free to use them any time your body tells you to go a little easy. 

And remember, as you’re doing my Fitplan workouts, always take things at your own pace and don’t compare yourself to others or where you should be. Every plan can be modified, so just do you and your body will thank you.

Because I love you all, here are my seven top tips for sticking with your Fitplan while on vacation.

 

Plan Your Workouts Into Your Itinerary

Empower yourself to make fitness a priority even when on vacation. You want to look and feel your best, so adding fitness to your must-do list is a totally logical thing to do. Carve out an hour each morning to be active, and it’ll set the rest of your day up to be amazing. Selter Squats on the beach during sunrise? That’s the ultimate vacay workout.

Pack Portable Workout Gear

When putting together your packing list, be sure to include everything you’ll need to complete a workout. My go-to’s are resistance bands and loops, sports bras, one or two pairs of sneakers and, who am I kidding, all the leggings. I love leggings because you can wear them to work out, go shopping, check out a museum or just lounge in your room. Leggings are your friend, especially on vacation. 

Wear a Fitness Tracker

Whether it’s a Fitbit, Apple Watch or whatever you use to track your heart rate, calories and steps, be sure to bring it with you. It will be a reminder to get your workout in if you happened to get sidetracked —which can totally happen on vacation. It’s a beautiful world out there. 

Be Resourceful

You may not have access to a gym, a dumbbell, or maybe you blanked and forgot your resistance bands. But look around you, you can create resistance with a variety of everyday objects. 

An unopened water bottle makes a great weight perfect for split squats (one in each hand), forward twist lunges, curl to overhead press —you get the idea.

Any of my exercises that require dumbbells can be substituted with 1.5L water bottles. If they feel too light, increase your speed and reps, but be careful, of course.

You can also use a bottle of laundry detergent, books, rocks, coconuts (I’m serious!), and La Croix cans (just don’t open them for a while after your workout.) 

And of course, for most my workouts, all you really need is your own bodyweight. 

Make a Vacay Workout Playlist

We know that music is essential to zoning in on any workout. Making a brand-new vacay workout playlist will not only get you in the zone, but you’ll forever associate those songs with that amazing trip you take. Whenever you listen, you’ll be transported back to that time and place. Check out my vacay playlist here. (link to Spotify playlist).

Calories Do Count on Vacation

I know, babes. This is the hard truth. We all want to indulge on vacation, and you know what? You should. Just be sure not to do it for every meal. Balance is key, and you’ll feel a lot better in the end and won’t have to start over when you get back to reality (which is hard enough as it is!). 

Listen to Your Body

Like I said above, it’s so important to listen to your body. Sometimes your muscles need a vacation, too, and they’ll definitely let you know. If that’s the case, be sure to stay active by taking a walk, going for a hike, paddle boarding, etc. The most important thing is to keep your body moving, just avoid straining it when you feel it needs a break. 

Remember, we travel not to escape life, but for life to not escape us ❤️✈️🌎  

xoxoxo, 

Jen  

Don’t Forget to Live a Little – 5 Reasons You Deserve to Indulge Sometimes

Happy National Pizza Day, loves! In honor of this amazing day, I wanted to talk about why you deserve to actually celebrate it. Indulging in something greasy, fatty, cheesy, and downright bad for you may seem like the worst thing ever when you’re trying to get fit. However, it can actually be beneficial in a lot of ways.

I love pizza. It’s one of my favorite cheat foods – right after dark chocolate and pasta. Although it may seem like you can’t even look at junk food when you’re living a fit lifestyle, that’s not exactly true. I definitely indulge in some junk every now and then without ruining my fitness progress! Let me tell you why I think everyone deserves to enjoy their favorite junk food every now and then – especially on National Pizza Day.

1.    It’ll actually help maintain your healthy lifestyle.

This may seem counteractive, but it definitely works for me. I know just how difficult it can be to stick to a strict diet – especially if you’re trying to lose weight. You may get so sick of healthy food that after a while, you just break and end up binging on the worst food all day. This type of indulging is the type that will halt your progress. But if you schedule a cheat meal here and there – like on National Pizza Day – it’ll give you something to look forward to and break up all of that healthy eating.

2.    It keeps you sane.

How many of you feel like you go insane when you eat the same, healthy foods all the time? I know I even need a break sometimes. Allowing yourself to indulge every now and then will help keep you sane and it’ll also make you appreciate all the healthy food you eat regularly.

3.    It’ll shock your metabolism.

When your body eats the same types of foods and the same amount of calories over a long period of time, it kind of adjusts to it. Meaning, your metabolism will get used to a lower amount of calories and it won’t burn as efficiently. When you hit it with some high calorie, fatty foods, it’ll rev up and burn much faster because it’s not used to it. This is my favorite part because you get a cheat meal without having to feel too guilty!

4.    You deserve a reward for your hard work.

This is the biggest reason you should indulge sometimes. You deserve it! You work so hard all week to stay fit and eat healthy that you deserve a reward for all of that effort. When you get to reward yourself after a lot of hard work, it’ll help you stay motivated to do so. When you know a cheat meal is waiting at the end of the week, you’ll be more likely to stick to your healthy lifestyle.

5.    It can even help fuel a more intense workout.

Many people may not realize this, but if you have a cheat meal full of high carb and high fats the day before an intense workout, you’ll be able to do a lot more. The extra calories and carbs give you more energy to pump out more reps at higher weights or to run even longer than you would otherwise. Before a big day of lifting or cardio, having a cheat meal can make it even more beneficial.

National Pizza Day should be celebrated by everyone regardless of whether or not you’re trying to maintain a healthy diet. Reward yourself for all your hard work and don’t forget to indulge every now and then. You deserve it!

10 Daily Habits to Boost Your Self-Confidence

Hi babes! When it comes to self-confidence, it can be easy to let the negativity take over. We let one bad thought turn into two and then three and pretty soon, we’re overcome with negative thoughts about ourselves and our self-confidence is ruined.

I know this better than anyone. I have days where I don’t feel good about myself at all. The trick is to practice being happy with yourself every single day. After I started doing these 10 things daily, I found that I was waking up much happier with myself and who I am and the negative thoughts don’t come around nearly as much as they used to.

If you turn these 10 confidence-boosting things into a habit, it’ll be so much easier to realize just how great you truly are.

1.    Wake up and think positive thoughts only.

If you start your day immediately by thinking great thoughts about yourself, it can set the tone for the rest of the day. So right when you wake up, list off three things that you love about yourself and that you’re happy about. Just saying those things to yourself can have a powerful influence on the way you see yourself in any situation for the whole day.   

2.    Every time you have negative thought, replace it with 2 good ones.

Two steps forward, one step back. Although this may seem like a slow way to make progress, you are still making progress. For every negative thought you have about yourself, make sure you think of 2 good ones. When the good outweighs the bad, the good will always win.

3.    Better yourself by reading.

Reading is something that not many people do after they leave school. But if you read every day – no matter what it is – you’re stimulating your mind. If you like to read fiction or self-help books or even books about gaining motivation, you’ll find that it makes you feel great about yourself. I know it helps me!

4.    Write down your worries.

Many people have a diary or a small journal. It doesn’t have to be something fancy. So long as you’re writing down your worries and concerns, it can help. Getting those feelings down on paper where they’re visible for you to see can not only help you process them, but it gives you another perspective and you can see that you’re being unreasonable with certain worries about yourself.

5.    Find a reason to smile about yourself.

If you smile about something that you do or say or even just something that you found you liked about yourself, you are one step closer to boosting your self-confidence. Every single day, I make a point to find a reason to smile about myself and it has helped with my self-esteem a ton!

6.    Find a reason to smile about someone else.

In a world where there’s access to so many different people to see, it’s easy to sit at the computer or on our phones or even looking at magazines and compare ourselves. We think everyone else is better and it makes us feel bitter toward them. Instead, practice smiling at someone else’s accomplishments. Feeling great about someone else without putting yourself down can boost your self-confidence immensely.

7.    Accept the things you can’t change.

Something that holds a lot of us back in our self-confidence is that we get hung up on all the things we can’t change. We wish we were smarter or more talented in a certain field or we wish we looked a certain way. In order to find your confidence, you have to accept what you can’t change and even start to feel great about those things because they make you unique.

8.    See your failures as lessons, instead.

Don’t look at something you failed at and get yourself down. I don’t succeed at everything I do by any means. That being said, I don’t sit and wallow about those failures either. Instead, I look at them as a lesson I can learn from. I look at them as something that makes me better than I was before.

9.    Make someone else feel great about themselves.

You know what is underrated as a means to gain self-confidence? Boosting someone else’s. Have you ever realized how great you feel after giving someone a compliment that made them smile? Being able to recognize great qualities in others and actually voice them can be a huge self-esteem booster for yourself, too.

10.  Remember that there is NO ONE else like you.

People forget that they’re one of a kind. Being unique and rare and truly unlike anyone else should be enough to make you feel incredible about yourself. There is nobody else out there who is everything you are. Be happy with yourself – the great things and the flaws. Because without a combination of those, you aren’t you.

Everyone deserves to have incredible self-confidence. If you struggled with this from time to time like me, these 10 daily habits will help boost your self-esteem help you see just how incredible you really are. I love you all and i’m here for you anytime you need. Here is a link to my private Facebook group if you’d like more support from me! bit.ly/FacebookFam

Worrying is a Pain! Here’s How You Can Stop Doing it

Hi my loves! I hope all of you are having a fantastic day. Today I wanted to talk about something that is close to all of our hearts and that’s the fact that worrying sucks. Everybody has worries in life – it’s just how we are as people.

But sometimes that worrying can go too far and leave us drained, exhausted, and it can even lower our self-esteem. I wanted to help all of you out with the different ways you can stop worrying and just be happy to live in the moment. These are a few techniques you can do and think about whenever you start to worry too much about anything!

Stop Yourself and Think About Positive Outcomes

We all can get too caught up in our worries and what negative things may come with whatever we’re worrying about. If you want to stop worrying, you should stop and take some time to think about the positive things that can happen instead of all the negative things.

If you start doing this every single time you start worrying, your brain will actually get used to thinking about positive things when you worry. That way you can turn that anxiety into something good!

Exercise Regularly

This may not seem like it’s all that connected to worrying but it actually can be. Many of us worry because we’re really stressed out about something – I can definitely relate to this. Exercising actually reduces your stress and helps you think clearly.

Instead of spending an hour worrying about something, take that hour and go work hard at the gym. You may even find that the gym will give your more confidence and having confidence can also help you deal with any worries you may have.

Talk to Someone Close to You

Talking to your support system about your worries is a great way to get them off your chest and to get a second opinion. Getting a friend’s take on your situation can also help you realize that you may be overreacting and you have nothing to worry about. Their advice may also help you with your situation!

Write Your Worries Down in a Journal

If you don’t want to talk to anyone about what’s going on in your head you can also write down your worries in a notebook. Sometimes seeing your fears written down can help you realize that they’re not all that bad after all. You can also use this as an exercise to write down your worries and then write down what good can come out of it.

Take a Deep Breath and Realize that Everything Will Work Out in the End

This is the most important thing to do if you worry a lot. Just sit back, take a deep breath, and know that everything will work out in the end. Sometimes we worry for absolutely no reason and if you realize this, it’ll help you feel better about whatever it is you’re worry about.

Worrying can put a damper on your whole day and even prevent you from achieving some of your goals. If you practice these simple steps every time you start to worry it can help you stop worrying so much so you can actually take control of your problems with a clear head!

10 Tasty and Healthy Snacks You Can Eat on the Go!

Happy Friday everyone! How many of you love snacks? I know I do! Food is such a pleasure in our world and it’s normal for people to have up to 5 small snacks in a day – not even counting their meals!

With our society running at such a fast pace, it’s easy to just grab something that’ll fill you up quick without even providing you with any nutrients because you have no time to make something beneficial. I’m sure all of your have your go-to snacks that you love and grab when you’re super busy, but are they healthy? Do they push you forward in your fitness and health journeys or are they holding you back?

Don’t get me wrong, I have an unhealthy snack or two every now and then, but what I’ve learned over time is that if you prepare healthy snacks you can grab and eat in a hurry, you’ll push yourself so much closer to reaching those goals! So, I’ve decided to put together a list of delicious and healthy snacks you can eat on the go that are also really easy to put together.

1.    Protein Bars

There’s no mistaking just how beneficial protein bars are – not to mention they’re my go-to for a quick and healthy snack on the go. There are so many different varieties you can choose from and most of them even come in flavors that will help curb your sweet cravings. Just be careful and read the labels because some are high in fats!

2.    Almonds

If you don’t have a bag of almonds in your purse or your car, you’re doing snacking wrong. They’re full of protein, healthy fats, and are perfect to grab and eat on the go. They’ll be sure to hold you over until your next meal while giving you beneficial vitamins and nutrients, as well.

3.    Trail Mix

This is my favorite healthy snack to eat on the go! You find it at practically any market, or make it in big batches so you're set for the week. Load your trail mix with healthy nuts, seeds, granola, and I actually like to toss in a few mini dark chocolate chips. They give it a sweet bite and help with my cravings throughout the day.

4.    Protein Shakes

If you need to get your protein in for the day, a protein shake is the best snack you can make and have on the go. You can just mix some protein powder in with your water in a shaker bottle, or pre-make smoothie bags so you can just toss the ingredients in a blender, add milk or water, blend it up, and go!

5.    Peanut Butter Oat Protein Bites

If you want a filling snack that’s also really healthy and beneficial for your fitness journey, then this is it. The best thing about this as a healthy snack on the go is that you can make them yourself and make them any flavor you want.

6. Greek Yogurt

Traditional yogurt isn’t always the best for you, but almost every brand has their own unique version of greek yogurt that is lower in sugar, full of protein, and perfect for eating on the go. (don't forget to pack your spoon!)

7.    Banana Muffins

I know what you’re thinking, “Jen, why would you put muffins on a list of healthy foods?” The truth is that if you’re someone who craves baked goods a LOT during the day, you’ll benefit from these. You can make them using this recipe  and they’re a much better option than any other sweet treat.

8.    Apples

I know this may seem like a boring snack, but hear me out. Apples have a lot of fiber and they’re extremely filling. They also pack more energy for you than one cup of coffee. So if you’re feeling drowsy midday and you’re hungry, munch on an apple and you’ll feel so much better! 

9.    Kale Chips

For those of you who’ve never had kale chips before, you’re missing out. They’re easy to make, you can tailor them to any flavor that you like, and they’re ridiculously healthy and satisfying. You can take them in little bags anywhere with you for a quick snack.

10.  Bananas

This is a great healthy snack in between meals to help keep you satisfied.. It is full of potassium, low in carbohydrates, and high in fiber which will help stabilize your sugar level and it is perfect to eat while you are on the go!

Now that you have so many different healthy snacks to eat on the go, there’s no excuse to grab that bag of chips when you have something else prepared that’s so much healthier! Don’t put your goals on the back burner because you don’t have time to make something healthy.

Staying Motivated During the Holiday Season (and Cheat Meal Tips)

Hi babes! Holiday season IS HERE! Although this is many of our favorite time of the year because there’s fun and family involved, our health can often take a toll. With all of the family and fun comes big meals, desserts (hello, dark chocolate-my FAV!), and holiday drinks! While of all this will be good for your soul, it’s not really good for your fitness journey.

But have no fear! There are ways to stay motivated during the holiday season and even different ways you can have a few cheat meals without feeling overly guilty. Here’s what I do to keep up with my fitness regiment and how you can enjoy your holiday season while keeping your fitness on the right track.

1.    Don’t Skip Regular Workouts

Just because you have family staying over at your place or have big holiday plans later in the day doesn’t mean you can’t spend an hour or so in the gym. If you normally go to the gym on a Monday, then make sure to get in the gym on that day no matter what’s going on around you. Keeping your scheduled workouts in, or scheduling them if you haven't already will not only keep you fit, but it’ll help you stay on track and feel less guilty!

2.    Drink MORE Water

Since you’ll most likely be eating and drinking stuff you normally don’t consume on a regular basis, you should always remember to drink more water. This will help flush out unwanted toxins and keep your metabolism running smoothly all day. Not to mention being hydrated helps keep you feeling full so you won’t over eat.

3.    Have a Holiday Fit Buddy

You can’t be the only person in your family focused on staying fit during the holidays. Since there will be more family members around, recruit people to help keep you motivated and you’ll do the same for them in return. I'm also always here for you too!! (1 tweet away ;) 

4.    Play Active Holiday Games

Instead of playing a card game, find games that requires everyone to get up and moving! It doesn’t have to be a game of football outside, but it should be enough to get your blood pumping so you’re not just sitting all day long.

5.    Don’t Forget That Bodyweight Workouts Count

If you can’t get to the gym due to time constraints or because your gym closes on certain holidays, that’s no excuse. You can do SO MANY at-home workouts that can be just as effective as getting into the gym. Make no excuses and get a workout in no matter how short! I'll be launching my Fitplan, if you haven't signed up yet be sure to check it out <3

6.    Bring Healthy Dishes to Pass

If you’re worried about all the delicious - but bad for you - foods that will be there, bring a couple healthier dishes to pass. If you fill up on those before indulging in some unhealthy options, you’ll feel less guilty and eat much healthier. Another bonus tip is to fill up your plate half full of veggies before anything else!

7.    Make Healthy Desserts to Indulge in

Desserts are going to be rough for everyone who’s trying to watch what they eat. Believe me when I say I could eat pounds of dark chocolate without batting an eye. The trick for this is to bring a dessert that’s both sweet and somewhat healthy. That way you can eat that one first and eat less of the desserts that are worse for you.

8.    Don’t Beat Yourself up About a Few Cheat Meals

This is something you have to remember. Having a few cheat meals doesn’t mean it’s the end of your fitness journey or that your workouts will be pointless and therefore you should skip them. You are allowed to indulge and enjoy the time with your friends and family. Just make sure to get right back on track after the holiday and even kick it up a notch if you really want to feel better about your holiday indulgences.

Remember the festive season is for fun, family, and making memories. It shouldn’t be about feeling guilty for those actions. By staying motivated during the holidays you’ll feel much better about making memories instead of regretting one too many desserts! xoxo love you all

Finding Confidence in the Gym is Easier Than You Think

Hi loves! If you’re someone who has a hard time getting in the gym because you’re a little self conscious, you’re not alone. There are tons of people – including me – who find the gym to be intimidating and sometimes downright scary! This can make us put off going into the gym and even skipping it completely because we just can’t get the confidence to get our workout in.

The reason for being self-conscious has a lot to do with fearing that people will judge you. In our society, it’s easy to think that someone who’s looking at you while you’re doing a workout is probably thinking something bad when in reality, they may just be admiring your form, your workout gear, or even the workout itself!

If you’re like me and so many other people out there who lack confidence in the gym, these tips can help you gain the self-esteem you need to strut into the gym and own your workouts.

1.    Go In With a Plan

Something that helps many people build their self-confidence is walking into the gym knowing exactly what it is they need to do. Write down your workout plan and follow it to the best of your ability. For example, if you’re going to do abs and arms one day, write out the ab and arm workouts you’re going to do and in what order. Having this physical checklist will help you get through them one at a time and you won’t pay too much attention to anybody else.

2.    Know Proper Form

Knowledge is power and confidence in the gym. Many people may feel intimidated if there are others in the gym who seem to know more than they do and are more experienced. People lose confidence when they feel like they might be doing something wrong or can’t do the movement right. So doing your research and becoming knowledgeable about fitness and certain workouts is your best bet to gain confidence in the gym!

My workout plans on Fitplan App could be found here - its only $9.99 for 30 days of workouts ( i show you the proper form in video, and the app allows you to track your progress! You can try it out here www.ftpln.com/jenselter

3.    Put on “Blinders”

This may sound silly and it could even make no sense to all of you, but when I go into the gym, I put on my own invisible blinders. I put on my headphones and tune out the rest of the people in the gym. This is a mental exercise that will take some time to master but after a while, it’ll become second nature to you. This is the idea that you don’t look at anyone and you focus on yourself and your workout. Practice this each time you go into the gym and eventually you won’t even think about what other people are thinking.

4.    Get a Workout Buddy

This is by far the best way to find confidence in the gym. When you hit the gym with a friend you really don’t even think about other people at all and your workout buddy can help you with your workouts. The plus side to this is that you’ll even have more fun with your workouts and the gym will turn into a pleasant place to be! They can also push you to workout longer and harder and try new things you would’ve been too scared to try before.

5.    Start Slow and Build Up

Don’t expect to get into the gym and hit the weights super hard. If you’re new to the gym, you have to start slow and build up to the confidence you need. This means setting a goal for yourself to get through 4 or 5 exercises each time you’re in the gym. Then you can work your way up to 5-7 exercises for legs, an ab workout, and cardio all in one! This will help you deal with the your lack of confidence in small doses until you’ve found the self-esteem you need.

Gyms can be intimidating places, but only if you let them be! You’re not alone in feeling self-conscious when you go to get your daily workout done. If you follow these tips, you’ll find that the gym is a welcoming community that can be really fun and rewarding.

How to Give Thanks This Holiday Season

Happy Thanksgiving! I wanted to take a moment to thank all of you for your continued love and support. Seriously, I’m so thankful for all of you who keep me motivated and inspired to live my best life, every single day.  

It’s easy to forget about all the things we’re thankful for during the rest of the year, which is why we have a special time to remember them and give thanks. There’s so much to be thankful for every day and taking a moment to realize this elicits positive energy in the world. I'm a big believer in the energy you put out is what you get back in return - so make sure to spread only good vibes always.  I wanted to share some daily encouragement to be more thankful throughout the whole year and not just on Thanksgiving.  Here are my five tips to giving thanks this holiday season:

 

1.        Appreciate the small things, no matter how small.  This goes without saying.  Anything that brings you joy or that helps you out in life, you should be thankful for.  

2.        Don’t take ANYTHING for granted. One of the greatest tragedies of life is never knowing when something is for the last time.  It’s important to realize what you have when you have it, because oftentimes we only realize what we have when it’s gone.  

3.        Remember, what goes around comes around. If you’re grateful for what the universe provides, the universe will continue to provide.  Giving credit where credit is due, treating others how you’d like to be treated, and accepting whatever is thrown your way, is good karma.  Encourage someone when they need it and be thankful for the opportunity to do so.  When you need it, you know karma has your back.   

4.       Look on the bright side.  When life hands you lemons, make lemonade.  If ever you’re feeling sad or doubtful, frustrated with life, and that you have nothing to be gracious for, that itself is something to be grateful for.  What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger and overcoming challenges helps build resilience. There’s always a light at the end of the tunnel.

5.       Find one thing to be grateful for every single day.   This is something even I forget to do sometimes, but it’s important to designate one moment every day to list the things your thankful for.  Maybe it’s in the morning, right when you wake up and you’re thankful for your health and the strength to wake up and start your day.  Maybe it’s before you go to sleep and you’re thankful for all of the wonderful things that have happened to you that day.  Whatever works for you, remember, there is always something to be thankful for.  

Overall, just remember to appreciate everything you have in your life - even the bad - because without the bad, it’s hard to recognize all of the good. Don’t let another year go by without remembering just how great of a life you truly have. 

I’m grateful for all of you every single day, what are you thankful for? Comment below :)