…I eavesdrop on other conversations.

Not really all the time, but when I travel and, well, I am kind of stuck in a small space on a plane without anywhere else to go.  Sometimes I don't have an option when people are on their phones talking loud enough for the entire plane to hear.

Yesterday my flights were delayed, so there was a lot to listen in on — I heard all about travel woes, meetings that were missed, and so on.

And the other thing I heard on my connection, that got in about 2 hours later than it should of, was how tired people were. 

Isn't this common everywhere, though, not just on planes?  I rarely hear "WOW am I full of energy today … so happy I got 8 hours of sleep and ate X this morning.  I feel GREAT!"

But it's not just on a plane — the same "low energy" complaints are regulars among busy dads, overworked moms, and stressed out people as a whole.

So today is a list of 7 of my favorite "power" foods to reverse the "low energy" trend across the globe. 

1. Raw nuts.  They've loaded with nutrients, satiating protein and fat, and can are made for the on the go person.  They'll keep energy levels consistent versus the "highs and lows" of other common snack foods.
2. Water.  This one seems boring, but a lot of times hunger is masked by thirst, so rather than reaching for the first food you see, taking drink some cold water will help give you some clarity to stop focusing only on food.
3. Packets of salmon: These are great because you don't need a can opener and you don't need to drain them like traditional canned fish.  Loaded with healthy "brain" fat, salmon will go a long way giving your brain the fuel it needs.
4. Colorful fruits and veggies.  The more colorful the fruits and veggies, the more nutrients and antioxidants there are.  And fruit is easy to pack if you're on the go — think about fruits that pack easily, like oranges, grapefruits, bananas, and apples.  They'll give you a small dose of high fiber carbs you need to stay focused.
5. Hardboiled eggs.  For about $.20/egg, these are some of the absolute best "bang for your buck" foods available.  Loaded with protein, healthy fats, and brain nutrient choline, you can't go wrong with snacking on these occasionally — have it with a piece a fruit and you're even better off!
6. Tea.  It's a nice "low dose" of caffeine, not a 400 mg coffee jolt that is common among the lattes seen at every corner.  Black, green, or white … it doesn't matter.  Just switch out the daily coffee habit for a few teas throughout the day … or if you don't drink coffee anyway, add the tea in there for a little "pick me up" midday.
7. Red Bull and other energy drinks.  OK, OK…I'm kidding … toss this junk in the garbage.  Getting amped up on caffeine is no way to "boost" energy because you'll have a harder crash on the other side. Same with soda or any other high sugar juice cocktail.

There you have it.  7 simple steps to boost your energy and keep you rarin' to go throughout the day.  Oh yeah, get enough sleep too — nothing is more important for keeping energy levels consistent, helping control body weight, and simply allowing you to feel and look better!

Weight was a constant battle throughout her life and now even more so after having a couple kids.

After getting to  know this woman overtime and learning some of her patterns, I pinpointed a single factor that allowed her to lose weight FAST…

…she didn't starve herself, take any pills or potions, or do some crazy "detox" plan that could all ultimately hurt her.

But I DID recommend she STOP eating…

…salads.

Yes, arguably the healthiest meal in the world — and I told her to stop. 

Here's the deal.  Salad is only a great option when it looks like this…

This woman, Lauren, was instead packing in 100's (sometimes 1000's) of unnecessary calories each day through what she thought was healthy.

Weird, there is probably no other single food that can be as powerful OR as harmful as THIS…

…weird, right?

…and there's nothing that warms my heart more than cooking on the grill.

So in honor of the spring like temperatures, here's a video for one my FAVORITE strategies to save on calories and junk carbs and load up on nutrients instead.

…but what about when you're on your way to the hotel.

I'm heading off to a conference in a few days, so I'm going to be using some of the strategies I show below so I don't have to rely on the food court…home of the 1000 calorie burritos, 500+ calorie lattes, and so much other junk.

It all goes back to planning ahead — here are some of my favorite "travel" foods for the airplane and layovers. 

What do you do when traveling to stick to your goals?

Basketball is HUGE in Kentucky — between U of Louisville and U of Kentucky, there's some serious fan and excitement around this state during basketball season.

And last Saturday proved to be no different — the unranked University of Louisville Cardinals were playing the #1 team in the country, Syracuse.

Clearly, on paper, Syracuse wouldn't have a problem.

But whether you're a basketball fan or not, there was something interesting going on here that we all can clearly learn from.

You see, Louisville was playing their last game EVER in a place called Freedom Hall — home of the Louisville Cardinals for nearly 45 years. 

The game was amazing (well, unless you are a Syracuse fan).  At the half, Syracuse was up…

But when Coach Rick Pitino and the Cardinals returned for the 2nd half, Freedom Hall was like an explosion of fans screaming, dressed in all red (Louisville's colors). 

The excitement was second to none for this record crowd watching the Louisville Cardinals play their last game ever in Freedom Hall…

…lots of strong history and Championship Teams have played on that court. 

On paper the #1 team in the country clearly was the "better" team from a basketball perspective. 

But clearly there was some SERIOUS motivation and will to BE the better team that day.

As I thought about this, it reminded me of what coaches used to say to our teams when we were playing sports.

You don't have to BE the best team, but you have to have the DESIRE and DRIVE to play LIKE YOU'RE the best.  You have to WANT IT the most.

How did Louisville come from behind and beat the top ranked team in the country by 10 points?

Was it better skill?  Better conditioning?  Better players?

Or was it that each of the Louisville players had a greater drive, more heart, stronger motivation, and burning desire to win in front of the record setting crowd of adorning fans, screaming at the top of their lungs, as they watched the last game EVER played in this one stadium?

What is YOUR motivation to achieve your goals? 

Define it and work like you've never worked before to attain it.

As famous motivation speaker Zig Ziglar says, "People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing – that's why we recommend it daily."

All of us are busy. 

And sometimes that "busyness" gets in the way of our ability to stay focused on our healthy diets and making sure exercise is a regular part of your day.

But this ONE SIMPLE strategy alone can absolutely improve your ability to make sure, no matter how busy you are, that you stay on track with your diet and exercise to lose belly fat and get leaner.  It took me just 22 minutes…check it out in the video below.

1. While finding your own shadow IS really interesting (and super cute to see) for an 8 month old.  She quickly realized you can’t touch it, hit it, or really ever catch it… the moral of the story? Don’t try to chase it – look towards what you want to achieve, but don’t look back. 
2. Millet, while a very healthy whole grain, is kind of bland tasting.  I’ve only ever known it for my pet parakeet when I was little.  But now I got to try some because we introduced it to Ella.  I had never tasted it … Ella was not a fan.   Although it's kind of bland, I'd try it again whole — Kara ground it up and then cooked it.  The moral of that story — try new foods, expand your horizons, and learn what else is out there!
3. Get enough sleep – while Ella takes 3 naps during the day and that might be a bit much, a little “cat nap” for a boost in energy during the day (or at least 7-8 hours of sleep per night) is a great idea.  Just look how happy Ella is immediately when she woke up from her nap today!  Imagine your boost in productivity if you rested for a bit versus having your minding wander because of fatigue and/or boredom.
4. Each meal should be full of colors – Ella’s current favorite is “mommy mashed” organic sweet potatoes (orange), peas (green), and apple (white) all mixed.  More colors than most people eat every day!
5. Single leg training is tough – most of the times Ella falls down when she’s holding on to something with 1 hand, reaching down, and balancing on one foot – as adults, we don’t do much single leg (or upper body) training either.  Add it in to your routine since most of us have imbalances.
6. Move as much as you can – sure, Ella is 8 months old, but when you put her in one place, she crawls across the room as fast as she can.  But then one day we grow up and sit most of the 24 hours in a day.  Move more.  Every single day.   
7. Finishing a meal with something sweet a great idea – but like many European countries (and Ella) that something sweet should be fruit.  Ella prefers mashed bananas.  As grown ups, I suggest whole fruit (unless you actually want to mash it).

Or a more common thing we hear is: “I am so nervous that I will blow my diet and lose all momentum towards reaching my goals."

About 2 years ago, we were both traveling at least 15 days out of each month…

… and eating out every single meal that often gets old really quickly.  We had to figure out a plan to still maintain some sort of normalcy while being on the road so much.

And every single one of our strategies came in handy when Louisville was crushed with an ice storm last year, leaving us without power for 10 days.  That's tough in January. 

So while living in a hotel, we filmed this video — smart eating strategies when you're on the road.

Any others that we forgot? Leave a comment!

It goes great with fruit, many veggies, smoothies, and even in yogurt…

But what if you could make peanut butter EVEN healthier?  Hmmm, maybe we should introduce "The Peanut Butter Diet."

Check out this video of a "secret" recipe we're now sharing with you … Carrot Peanut Butter (admittedly, it's borrowed — and we got the OK to "share" it from Red Mountain Spa in Utah). 

Know someone who LOVES peanut butter, but just can't resist eating it by the spoonful?  Forward this blog to them!

Me: “No thank you.”

Girls: “What is your favorite flavor – do you like Mint or Peanut butter??”

A very interesting sales technique by a girl who I would guess was around 10-12 years old.   

And the game was on.  

This young girls skill impressed me, so I played along.

Me: “I love both of those flavors.”

And then the boxes were laid out in front of me – “Thin Mints are our best seller.  Everyone buys those.  And we have Peanut Butter Patties too.”

That’s right, it’s Girl Scout Cookie season.   And each year over 200 million boxes of Girl Scout Cookies are sold!  With a sales team like I encountered, that number will surely increase sharply!

I particularly loved how the Everyone was emphasized — who wouldn't want to be on the "in" crowd?

So how can you support your local Girl Scout Troops without sabotaging your fat loss efforts?

Here are a few tips:

1.Remember our 90/10 rule – 90% of the time, eat clean.  The other 10% of the time, relax a bit.  And that’s where something like Girl Scout Cookies come into play – the “other 10%” of the time.  On occasion, I wouldn’t worry about them.  If they follow every single meal or even dinner every single night of the week, it would be smart to cut back a bit.

2.Hide them.  We’re not all about buying junky foods and hoarding them under the bed or closet so you can secretly eat them when no one is looking.  Hide them by putting them in the freezer – out of sight, out of mind.  

3.Portion them.  Take 1 or 2 cookies out of the sleeve and put the box back.  You’ll be less likely to finish off a sleeve if the box isn’t sitting in front of you, open, and calling your name.

4.Donate money without taking the cookies.  If you know that when there is a box of cookies in your house you’ll finish them in a matter of minutes, don’t buy them.  Simply pay for a box but don’t take it.

And the 4th suggestion is what I did … and what we do each year.  The Girl Scouts are a great organization that we’re happy to support and donate to – but since we don’t want boxes of cookies around the house, we just give money and they can keep the box for themselves.  

Now, if they start selling ice cream…

…it might be a different story.

What's YOUR favorite Girl Scout Cookie?  Leave a comment below