Travel hits an all-time high during the winter months.  Thanksgiving and Christmas bear the title of worst travel days thanks to busy roadways, airports, bad weather and delays.  Plus, when we arrive at our destination, our usual go-to healthy foods might be in short supply.  So, it's super important to plan ahead and bring your own snacks when you can.  Here's a selection of my favorites:

1. Simple Protein Bars: These gluten-free, vegan, low glycemic bars are my jam!  They have 16 grams of protein and many of the flavors only have one gram of sugar.  I opt for the soy protein variety, but if you aren't vegan or don't have a dairy sensitivity, the whey options are great too.  

2. Vermont Jerky:  If you're a meat eater and are looking for a solid on-the-go protein boost, these individually wrapped jerky are a great option.  They come in a variety of flavors such as chipotle and honey mustard and also boast a variety of protein sources.

3. Nuun Hydration Tabs:  Airline travel can be super dehydrating. Plus, if you've planned an active vacation, you're going to want to make sure your electrolytes stay balanced and these gluten-free, dairy-free and soy-free tabs are a great way to do that.  With flavors like citrus, lime and berry plus options for the extra active among us, there really is something for everyone.  

4.  Go Hunza Himalayan Trail Mix: This is not your average trail mix.  Loaded with goodies like goji berries, cacao, dried bilberries, apricot kernels and more—this mix is an antioxidant powerhouse that balances out healthy carbohydrates with proteins thanks to the nut content.  This one is so delish even the kids will love it.  

5. Protein Bites: One of the most challenging meals for me when I travel is breakfast.  There aren't juice bars or smoothies galore in every city (yet!) so I often bring along protein bites because they make for a great snack and can double as a good breakfast too.  They're protein-rich and easy on the old taste buds. 

We make um and we break um, right?  Usually, resolutions are far too tough to stick to because they're usually rather lofty or because we have some fundamental shifts to make before we can allow ourselves to really achieve those goals.  Here are my tips on how to set resolutions and goals; allowing them to be a source of joy and fuel, versus a list of failures.   

1. Don't just set goals for the year:  That can be too big picture for most of us.  Create a pathway to success by also setting 3 and 6 months goals for you to achieve along the way.  When you tackle the smaller, more attainable goal, the next step much more within reach.

2. Have someone hold you accountable: Accountability is really key to everything.  Some of us can hold ourselves accountable by making promises to ourselves and offering consequences when those promises are broken.  For the rest of us, we need another person to keep us engaged and delivering week after week.  I fall into the latter camp.  When I started writing my book earlier this year, I knew I needed someone else to hold me accountable.  So I started chatting with friends and colleagues and soon realized they also needed the same thing.  So, I created a weekly accountability group where we all share our goals, what we're working on and hope to achieve in the next week.  It helps us get even more micro with goal setting—drilling down into the week by week. But, it also holds a safe space for us to honor our feelings and what we're working against.  Which is a great segue into my next point.  

3.  If you're out of integrity with your actions, look at your emotions:  Let's say one of your resolutions was to workout more and eat healthier.  But 8pm rolls around every night and you reach for the box of cookies and devour the whole thing.  What's up with that?!  Your heart might be in the right place with the goal, but there is probably more to it.  What is the emotion that's behind the self-sabotage?  Are you afraid to step into your own power?  Are you punishing yourself because you don't think you're worthy of success?  Whatever it is, get a pen and paper and start free writing.  Write it out until it's clear to you what the emotion behind the action is.  Then set some promises around that.  If you realize that you're reaching for cookies at night to sabotage your diet because you're afraid what it might feel like to love yourself and step into your own greatness, start by just realizing what you're doing.  That awareness is the biggest and best step you could take.  Instead of punishing yourself or beating yourself up, be kind to yourself and make a promise to do better next time.  And just keep at it.  The more you catch yourself and clear our the emotions behind the self-sabbotage, the easier it will become to stay in integrity with your resolutions.  

4. Write them down: When we take then out of our heads and put them on the page, they become real.  Jot your weekly goals down and share with your accountability group.  Put your annual goals down too—but don't look at them everyday if it causes anxiety and you feel too disconnected from them.  I write mine on a small note card and place them in my wallet.  I come across them once a month and it makes me smile knowing I'm working towards the bigger picture.  

5. Don't just make a list:  A list can be completely devoid of feeling.  When we feel things, truly and deeply, they become real to us.  So, instead of a love-less list, write your dreams out in paragraph form and focus on how they FEEL to you.  When I write my career dream every year I focus on how the environment feels, the amazing people I want to work with and the joy I get from doing what I love day in and day out.  That feeling is what keeps me connected to the goals day in and day out.  

How do you go about your resolutions?  We'd love to hear!

For many of us, life without it feels almost impossible.  It's the first thing we reach for every morning and it's very aroma gives us life.  But it can actually be a major hazard to our health.  We're talking about coffee.  Did you know it can be chock full of toxic molds that are reportedly linked to illnesses such as cardiomyopathy, cancer, hypertension and even brain damage when consumed in high doses?!  Sounds extreme, but its the truth.

There is a very little control and insight into coffee bean processing and bean sourcing which can lead to contamination with mycotoxins.  Mycotoxins are hazardous compounds produced by the molds that grow on our beloved beans.  And it's said compounds that can be making you feel sick, foggy brained, flu-like etc.  The opposite of why you're drinking it, right?  And we're not making this up!  One study found that 91.7% of green coffee beans were moldy while another study showed 52% of green coffee beans were.  

So what can we do about it?

 

1. Switch to warm water and lemon:  It's a natural flu fighter and liver detoxifier!
2. Avoid cheap blends:  Blends usually use the cheapest beans from multiple areas which are subject to less screaming.  
3. Say "no way" to decaf: Decaf is also on the bottom of the totem pole in terms of quality so again, the screening.  Caffeine also acts as a natural anti-insect and antifungal defense mechanism for the plant so no caffeine means more mold and fungus.  No thanks.  

4. Look for coffee that is labeled "mycotoxin free":  Certain brands take this issue seriously, and go through an extensive screening process to make sure their beans are as high quality and contaminant free as possible.  They generally use Arabica Beans (which are the least likely to grow mold).  Bulletproof Certified Clean Coffee is a great option, but I recently stumbled across (and am now pretty fond of) Isagenix Micotoxin Free Coffee.  Admittedly, I'm not a big drinker of this particular beverage, but this was smooth, nutty and some of the best coffee I've ever tasted.  Not to mention it's also has green tea extract and it organic.  So this is the stuff that's definitely going into my weekly latte!

Tis' the season to imbibe.  But if you're looking to avoid hangovers and gut disruptors (and excess lbs) watching your alcohol intake is a great idea.  Wine, as well as clear alcohol + soda is always a safer bet, but if you're looking for something a bit more festive and wholesome here's my favorite vegan (and kid appropriate) eggnog. 

INGREDIENTS

1 cup pecans

4 cups coconut water

1 cup dates

1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* Optional 3/4 cup dark rum or bourbon if you want to spike it

Add all of the ingredients to the blender and blend until it's the consistency of a light smoothie.  Keep in the fridge until you're ready to serve.  

So why is this a healthier take on traditional eggnog?  Thanks to the pecans, this bevy has much needed fat and protein to mitigate the blood sugar spikes you might usually experience from this traditionally sugar-rich drink.  Plus, there is plenty of cinnamon, which my expert friends tell me, has blood sugar lowering properties. 

Chances are you've been hearing about the miracle effects of the simple little concoction, consisting of just two easy ingredients: hot water and lemon (yep, that's it). As a long-time fan of this easy peasy beverage, let me tell you...it's more than just a fad. It's hard to believe that drinking what we've labeled "Lemon Detox Water" can have so many benefits, given it's simplicity...but it actually works wonders. 

Hydrating is important - that one's a given. But warming up your H20 and squeezing a bit of lemon does a whole lot more than add some zestful flavor. People are swearing by this stuff (if you are a celeb buff, word on the street is Miranda Kerr and Emily Weiss are two beauties who have hopped onboard), and not without reason! 

We recommend kickstarting each morning with Lemon Detox Water to fire up your digestive track. It was a crucial part of our recent 21-Day Group Cleanse, and all of our lovely members were raving about it in no time. Most of them said it made cutting out caffeine WAY easier than anticipated. Seriously, even die-hard coffee drinkers found it to be quite invigorating after a few days, so don't knock it 'til you try it! 

But it's more than a citrusy body booster - there are plentiful health benefits that come with drinking this stuff:

• ALL NATURAL COLD AND FLU FIGHTER: Sure Airborne and Emergen-C are great and all, but Lemon Detox Water is filled with vitamin C and flavonoids, making it a super clean way to kick these common, annoying ailments.
• LIVER DETOXIFIER: While we are not advocates for binge drinking (and recommend keeping alcohol to a limit in general), the citric acid contained in lemons helps break down food, allowing your liver to do less work. So if you've had a few too many, or happen to be a regular wine drinker, help your body out by making a habit of sipping up every morning, and give your vital organs a break. 
• ALLERGY ALLEVIATION: If you suffer from allergies, the beverage can be especially helpful! Lemons contain a the phytonutrient hesperetin which, studies show, can reduce annoying allergy symptoms like sneezing, itchy throat and the sniffles. 
• GLOWING SKIN: Let's be real, we all long for a perfect complexion. While it may take a bit more than a mouth-puckering fruit to diminish flaws and make your skin glow bright as a lightbulb, Lemon Detox Water is a tremendous place to start. Vitamin C works wonders...it helps fight those free radicals, assisting in skin purification and diminishing wrinkles. Also, give this stuff a whirl! Also, rose water spray is another beautifying product we swear by.

This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the benefits of Lemon Detox Water. It has been said to aid with diabetes, eye disorders, gall and kidney stones...even cancer. And the list goes on. So sip up, buttercups! You won't regret it.