Saturday, November 21, 2015

FREE 7 day Fit for the Holidays Guide - Quick Tips to Keep You Fit this Holiday Season


November and December may possibly be the two busiest months of the year. Parties, Family Dinners, events, kid's school events, etc.. The list could go on and on! We all know what happens at these events... FOOD, lots and lots of food! 

Don't get me wrong, this girl here loves some pumpkin pie, hot chocolate and stuffing with gravy. I believe whole heartily that this is a life style change that should have balance and allow yourself to eat those delicious foods in proper portions every once in awhile 

Whether you are at the beginning of your health and fitness journey, in the middle or you are maintaining your goal I have a  FREE 7 day "Fit for the Holidays Guide" that will help you!

What will be included in this 7 day "Fit for the Holidays Guide" that will be emailed to you?

 - Tips on how to enjoy Holiday parties without feeling like you've over indulged.
- Healthy Recipes of your Holiday favorites
- Workout Videos and Tips on how to sneak your 30 minutes of exercise in each day
-Meal Planning Tips: How to prep meals ahead of time to reduce stress and save time
- Inspirational Messages on how to kick stress to the curb and focus on being thankful for all the blessings we have!
- Me as your Coach! You can hit "reply" to each email that is sent and ask me any questions you have! Or even if you just want some extra support.


Want to sign up? You can do so here:

Fill out my online form.

Have a blessed day and I look forward to hearing from you!

Saturday, November 14, 2015

How to Create a Weekly Meal Plan




Recently I've gotten a lot of questions about how I meal prep/meal plan for the week ahead. How do I decide what we are going to make? What days do I shop? Where do I get my inspiration? How do I write it all out?

I've got a blog post to answer all those questions and then some :) 

I started doing this to help us save money, eat what's in the fridge and stop eating out so much! Also I did this to keep me accountable with my health and fitness plan. 

The first thing I do is refer to my daily intake goal. This is a free 21 Day Fix app I use on my phone. I used the Fix nutrition guide to calculate how many of each container I can have each day and plugged it in here. Each day I track my daily food intake on this trusty little app.


Now that I know what my goal is each day I got to my cookbooks and pinterest to gather recipes I want to make for the week ahead.

My go to recipe book is "Fixate" by Autumn Calabrese. All the recipes in the book are 21 Day Fix approved and have the container serving portions in there for each recipe. I also pin recipes throughout the week and find recipe inspiration from my challenge groups. 

Types of Recipes I look for:

- Meal prep day Bulk Recipes: items like turkey meat balls, veggie egg cups, mason jar salads... These are the things I will use for my lunches throughout the week 
- Family Friendly Dinners: Healthy recipes I can make that we can eat as a family, and that the kids will approve!
- Minimal ingredients/fresh whole foods! Bonus point if multiple recipes call for the same items so I can get them in bulk for cheaper.
-Crockpot friendly recipes for the busier days of the week


Next I get out my Calendar. I use a gmail calendar mainly, but I have a paper one too. I will look at the week ahead and see what days are busier... For example I know Mondays and Thursdays are the busiest days of the week for us always. So 9/10 times on those days each week it's a crockpot meal. It takes the stress off of cooking those days, and keeps us from eating out/unhealthy.


Then it's excel spreadsheet time, my favorite! (I love me a good excel spreadsheet, lol)
I have a blank Meal Plan Template I use and update each week. Currently I am doing a 30 day round of Cize. So all my weeks Cize workouts are up at the top and are my scheduled appointment each day of the week.  

The order of how I type in all my meals for the week:

1. Workouts: Those go in first every time
2. Breakfast: It's the same for me everyday :)
3. My mid morning snack can vary, but I keep it very simple. Less stress and it's usually something I take with me on the go or while I work.
4. Dinners: I know it seems like I skipped a step, but I do this because I will use leftovers the next day as part of my lunches. I refer to my calendar for the week to plan out for what days need to be crockpot meals, events, etc.
5. Lunches: On Tuesdays we usually have tacos, so the next day will almost always be a taco salad for lunch (I'm a creature of habit). I also love to do big meal prep items the Sunday before and incorporate those into my lunches for the week. Right now I am LOVING Mason Jar salads. They are so easy to prepare, keep fresh for up to 5 days and I get my mid day veggies in even on the craziest of work days.
6. Other Snacks: This is also a section I will incorporate meal prepped items and in the evening before bed I drink my overnight "recharge' drink. It helps reduce muscle soreness and it helps me sleep better too!


Lunch! This is an example of one of my meals for the week. This took less than 2 minutes to put on a plate. Mason Jar salad made on meal prep day with homemade dressing already inside. Chicken sausage and brown rice. (Container Servings: 1 Red, 2 Greens, 1 yellow and 1 orange) I'm a busy working mama and during the day I will put my lunch on hold to make sure everything else gets done. By doing meal prep/meal planning it keeps me on track and easier to eat even on those crazier days. 


Next step... Grocery List/Shopping time! Now that I have my plan typed out for the week I add all the ingredients I need to my grocery list. We make 1 trip to Costco a month were we stock up on our organic ground beef, organic chicken breasts, brown rice/quinoa and a few other bulk items. Then the rest of the month I go Trader Joe's, Von's or Sprouts. If I am going to Von's that week I will go into my app on my phone and load all the coupons that apply to what I need to my savings card. I typically save at least $25 a week doing that alone. In realty we save A LOT more money each month by eating at home and choosing healthier foods. We eat out usually once a week on the weekends. 


Sunday afternoon's we meal prep in our house :) I have a whole blog post about that here:



So that's it! At first just like most things we begin that are new, it takes a little bit more effort to get this planning done. Give yourself a month of doing this and it will become second nature to you. From personal expirence it has helped my sanity, wallet, our health and it's given us more time to sit around the dinner table and be together as a family.

Do you have questions or would like to get started making healthy lifestyle changes? 

I would love to hear from you!

Fill out my online form.



Have a blessed day!







Thursday, November 12, 2015

Holiday Fit Club - 21 days to a Healthier You Before the New Year!

Starting 11/30 - Holiday Fit Club 

Who's ready to end 2015 stronger than when it started? 


Join us for a 3 week challenge leading up to Christmas as we burn calories, eat clean and reach our goals! 


-30 Minute Workouts
-Daily Motivation
-Holiday Party Survival Tips
-Simple Nutrition Plans
-Meal Prep Training and more!

I will be giving you the tools, daily accountability and inspiration you need to go into the new year feeling healthy and fit! Can you give me 21 Days? Who wouldn't want to lose 5-10 pounds during the busiest season of the year without it burning you out and causing you stress? 

Let's get fired up and do this together!



Bring your friends! (PRIZE ALERT) Refer 3 friends, family or co-workers to joins us and sign up for me to be their free Coach. You will get a $5 Target gift card! If they join the Team Beachbody Challenge you will get a FREE Shakeology boost! Let's have some fun, keep each other accountable and end 2015 fit and healthy!

So who's in? You can dive right in and order your Challenge Pack now to get started by going HERE

Or you can fill out the information below and I'll get back to you asap!

Give yourself the gift of a healthier you before the end of the year! 

Fill out my online form.




Have a Blessed Day!


Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Let them be your reason, not your excuse. - 10 Things that have helped me find my groove.


I know from personal experience that it is easy to fall into the trap of not having time to take care of our own health as a mom. Adjusting to being a new mom, savoring each moment with my sweet baby boy, in all honesty eating clean and working out was the last thing on my mind. 


I had gained 75 lbs while I was pregnant and after Carson was born the pounds weren't coming off. I remember reading in books and talking to other mamas how breasting boost weight loss. Not for me! In fact, it was the opposite, I gained weight breastfeeding. But that was ok... I was very thankful to be a Mom and was zeroed in on my sweet baby boy. 


When Carson was 3 months old we were in a wedding, and when I saw the pictures of myself I was shocked. Not only was I frustrated with my weight, but I was tired all the time (not just new mommy tired). I knew I needed to make a change but really struggled at finding balance of working out and carving that time out to take care of my health each day.





It took about two years for me to finally decide enough was enough. Not only did  I want to fit into my old clothes that were shoved in the back of my closet, but I wanted to feel better too!


With 60 days of Insanity, Shakeology and Clean eating I was able to lose the rest of the 75lbs I had gained. I felt great! I fit into old clothes again and my energy had sky rocketed!



In 2014 we welcomed our sweet rainbow baby Lillian into the world. Adjusting to being a new Mommy, juggling work and life in general I was struggling to lose the 35 lbs I had gained. 



On my 29th Birthday, being 6 months postpartum I had a huge wake up call. I realized I was still in size 14 maternity jeans, tired ALL the time, emotional and feeling discouraged. I wanted to be present for my kids, to have the energy to run around with them. I knew if I wanted to be present for my family and to serve others I needed to take charge of my health so I had the energy to do so! It was that day that I made a promise to myself that by the time I turned 30, I'd be healthier than I ever was in my 20's.


5 pant sizes, 35 lbs and one year later I reached that goal.

I have more energy, I'm more present for my family, I'm healthier and I'm happier. 


What helped me make this big change? That's where 21 Day Fix came in. Over the course of a year I completed several rounds of 21 Day fix. Even a few 1/2 completed rounds in there too wink emoticon The containers, the awesome workouts that were only 30 minutes a day, and the easy nutrition plan.. it just clicked for me. After years of counting calories, macro nutrients, weight watchers, etc. The portion control containers just made sense to me. Drinking my Shakeology everyday, following the eating plan and doing the workouts. The #1 thing I've taken out of this is that it  isn't a quick fix, it's a lifestyle change. You gotta show up each day and make those healthy choices. If you slip up or back slide, don't dwell on it. Instead get right back up and keep going towards those goals!


It wasn't tell about 5 months ago that I felt like God had put it on my heart to share my journey with others. To be able to encourage and be a light to others that we can find a balance. We can be healthy and be present for our families. When I decided to become a coach and started thinking about my team name "Life Light Up" instantly came to my mind. 

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)

We have this one body here on earth, this one opportunity to be a light to others, to be the change you want to see in the world. And through this health and fitness journey I've had a spiritual fitness transformation as well. That feeling of frustration, self doubt, feeling not good enough is gone. For I know that Jesus is more than enough. By taking care of my health, I am not only able to serve my family better, but others as well. 

So you might be asking, what changes have I made to find this balance? First off please know, I am a work in progress. There is no perfect Mom. But, each day I show up, pray, give thanks, love my family and others, and make the choice to be healthy. 

Changes I have made:

1. Time in my Bible. Each morning I start off my day reading God's word. When I don't make this my #1 priority, everything else falls out of place. Reading my Bible and time with God is vital.

2. 30 minutes of Exercise each day (21 Day Fix has been my workout program of choice this past year. Right now I am currently doing Cize)

3. Meal Prep: Every weekend I schedule out our dinners and all my meals for the week ahead and put them on an excel sheet. Print out our grocery list, shop, and cook batch items so use for meals throughout the week. Not only does it save us money but it keeps me on track with clean eating!

4. Water: I drink a minimum of 64 oz of water a day and keep my water bottle with me always.

5.  I don't eat after 7pm. Kitchen is CLOSED. I brush my teeth the same time as the kids so I'm not tempted to grab a snack. If I have craving something I will make myself a hot cup of tea instead.

6. Shakeology. You've seen breakfast selfies, lol. I start out my day with Shakeology every single day! It's my daily vitamin, energy boost and my daily dose of dense super food nutrition. And it tastes like a chocolate milkshake (bonus).

7.  Be Kind to Yourself: That's right, I give myself GRACE. Maybe I cave and have a burrito from my favorite Mexican food place.. or maybe I have a cookie.. That's ok. It's about balance and next meal it's 100% back to my eating plan. 

8. Family Time: It's so important. To have that time to disconnect from social media, tv, news, etc and just be with your family. 

9. Write down your goals: I like to put my goals on post-it notes and put them where I see them daily. (My mirror, by the coffee machine, by my computer). It keeps my goal fresh in my mind.

10. Accountability groups: This was a big game changer for me. To have that accountability group to go to daily and check in with others who were on their own health and fitness journey. It's priceless! We encourage each other, inspire, make each other smile and friendships are formed. I know that even if I slip up, if I go to them they will tell me to move forward and tomorrow is a new day. When I reach a new accomplishments they are there to cheer me on and say good job! We are a team:)


Are you ready to make a change? You don't have to wait tell the new year to set those resolutions. There is PLENTY of time left in 2015 to reach those goals. Let's end 2015 stronger than we started it!

Who's with me? If you are ready to make a change, want to get started fill out the info here and I'll get back to you right away!


Fill out my online form.


Have a blessed day!




  





Thursday, November 5, 2015

3T's - Troth, Turkey and Transformation - 6 Day Challenge starting 11/16

6 Day Shakeology Sampler Challenge

I've got 3 T's for you - Trot, Turkey and Transformation! 




We are adding an extra boost to our monthly Shakeology Sample Pack Challenge... A virtual race! Join us as we fuel our self daily with the healthiest meal of the day and run/walk a virtual 5k! Winner who has the most miles/steps accomplished by the end of the 6 days will win a free copy of the new cookbook Fixate!


This is a great low cost ($29.95) way to try out all the Shakeology flavors to see which one you like best, and boost your weight loss before the Holidays.

Daily accountability posts, inspiration, recipes, prizes and more!

Ready to join us? Fill out this quick application and I'll get you set up and ready to go! 


Fill out my online form.


Alright, let's do this!

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Crockpot Greek Lemon Chicken Soup Recipe - Perfect for Fall!

When I think of Fall, I think of cozy sweaters, leggings, boots, hot cups of coffee, family time around the fire and crockpots filled with delicious soups! (Ahh...My happy place)

Do I have a delicious recipe for you today! This was so quick, easy to do and the house smelled amazing! I took a few recipes for Greek Lemon Chicken Soup I've found and modified it a little to our liking.

Here you go!


Serves 5-6

Ingredients:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (frozen)
10 cups organic low sodium chicken broth
1/2 sweet onion (diced)
6 garlic gloves minced 
1/3 cup diced chives
zest of 1 large lemon
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 
1 cup brown rice
2 oz crumbled feta (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Add everything into the crockpot except the brown rice and feta. Cook on low in your slow cooker for 6-7 hours. Then take a spatula and shred the chicken gently in the pot. 30 Minutes before it's time to serve add the cup of brown rice, stir and let it do it cook.

Serve and sprinkle with crumbled feta if you'd like!

YUM! So easy, healthy and delicious!

If you are tracking with 21 Day Fix Portion Control containers the serving size for 1 serving of soup would be 1 red, 1 yellow, 1 tsp. 

Enjoy :)