Thanksgiving Survival Tips - Enjoy your meal AND stay on track with your goals - 21 Day Fix and Core De Force Approved!

Let's set the stage.. you are in the middle of a round of a program right now... 21 day Fix, Core De Force (like me), or maybe Piyo or Cize, etc. and you're wondering. "How am I going to stay on track and not lose my hard work over Thanksgiving week?"

I have a blog post for that! 

Here are 6 tips I personally will be using this week to stay on track with my health and fitness goals. I hope you find them helpful! 

1. Tracking Portion Control Containers? Save your yellow and blue containers for your Thanksgiving meal. That will go a long way, trust me!

2. Drink your Shakeology 1-2 hours before your meal. You'll get your super foods, daily vitamins, probiotics and and all it's delicious goodness. PLUS it will fill you up and help you not over eat during the meal itself. 

(want the recipe? Check it out HERE)

3. Fill your plate with mostly veggies! Enjoy that turkey, have a little of your favorites to get your fix. But make sure you eat lots of veggies.

4. Have a special dish that is only made once a year? Enjoy it! For me it's my Mother-in-laws stuffing. I look forward to it all year long! Or my Mom's mashed potatoes.. MMMmmmm I can taste them already. The point is, enjoy those special dishes. Just keep them in smaller portions.

5. Workout in the Morning: Yep, you heard me! Get that workout in first thing. You'll thank yourself! Burn off some calories before the big meal, and not miss a workout during the round of your program. Win win!

6. Listen to your body when you're full: Your body will tell you when it's had enough. Don't feel like you have to keep eating for the sake of it being Thanksgiving. You'll save yourself some bloat and a stomach ache later. 

When Thanksgiving is over what's next? Keep going with your program! Haven't started a program yet or looking to switch it up? Join my Core De Force Challenge Group that begins 12/7 :)

Zero Equipment. MMA Style Workouts that will ignited that fire inside you to fight for your health. Don't wait tell Jan 1st. to start on those goals. We'll be ENDING our 30 days just after the New Year. How's that for starting off 2017? Already shedding weight and inches and knocking out goals?

To RSVP and save your spot for our group you can do so here:

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@FaithFarmFit www.Facebook.com/LifeLightUp

Have a blessed day!

                            

Core De Force Week 2 Meal Plan

Hello again! I'm back with week #2 of my menu/meal plan for my test launch round of Core De Force. Last week I shared with you how I planned out my first week and my easy to follow grocery list and tracker template HERE. Then on Monday I shared with you my results/progress of 7 days straight of sticking to the eating plan and workouts HERE.

As you can see by my menu below, I eat pretty similar all week long minus dinners get switched up. I don't mind eating the same thing for lunch 5 days in a row. I'm all about simple, bulk meal prep and that it tastes good.

What did I prep for Lunches this week?

- Chicken Sausage, Ginger and Broccoli Stir Fry

- Quinoa (which came out AMAZING in my instant pot)

- Hard Boiled Eggs (also in my instant pot)

- Sliced bananas stuck in the freezer for my morning snack Shakeology

What am I eating for each day this week?

Check it out!

Want the free template and to learn how to plan these out? ALL my challengers get this free template at before they start their program and get meal prep lessons. It's my mission to make your health and fitness journey fun, simple and stress free!

Want to check out my Youtube Channel where I'm sharing my journey? Click the picture below:

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@FaithFarmFit www.Facebook.com/LifeLightUp

Have a blessed day!

                            

Core De Force Week 1 Progress and Review

I've been doing rounds of programs long enough now to know something that holds true (at least for me). How you push through week #1 of a program will set the tone for the rest of it! Nutrition is the #1 most important aspect. It's 80% of our results for a reason. Choosing whole foods, skipping processed, making proper portioned meals and getting your dense nutrition in is a big deal!

The rest? Your workouts and your mindset! 

These are big deals too. 

So I went in to Week #1 ready to give this all I got. With the mindset that I wanted to get the best results I've ever gotten in 30 days of a program. How will I do that? By sticking to this program 100%! Nutrition, Workouts, Mindset.

Let me tell you.. I am EATING on this plan! Not feeling deprived at all. I have been eating 80% meal prepped food from my Sunday Meal Prep and it's made such a big difference keeping me on track. You can check out my menu HERE.

Want a sneak peek of my Day 4 workout? Bonus: you get to see my 2 year old sing the ABC's while I catch my breath.

Want to know my thoughts on week 1 before you see my results? You can watch my review here on my VLOG:

Ok Week #1 progress. In 7 Days I am down 4.5 inches and 4.2 lbs!

I'm sleeping better, sore but my energy level is up and I am already noticing I'm getting stronger! I can't wait to see what a full 30 days brings!

Stay tuned for my Week #2 Meal Prep/Menu post coming tomorrow!

If you want to join me in my next Core De Force Group, we are starting to fill up spots! We begin together 12/7

Fill out the form below if you want to find out more or claim your spot!

Fill out my online form.

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Want to follow along daily with my journey? You can do so here:

@FaithFarmFit www.Facebook.com/LifeLightUp

Have a blessed day!

                            

Recipe: Zucchini & Mushroom Risotto - Instant Pot Edition

Hi Friends! Happy November! It's been a few weeks since I blogged an instant pot recipe... And I've been wanting to blog this recipe for awhile now! This is a dish I have been making for about 6 years now in the microwave. Yep I said it, in the microwave. I pulled out my recipe box and was trying to find something we hadn't made in awhile that I could convert to the Instant Pot. 

Then I found my trusty Zucchini and Mushroom Risotto recipe!

Could I make this in the Instant Pot?

Yes! Challenge Accepted! 

Ingredients:

1/2 medium onion (finely chopped)

3 garlic cloves (pressed)

1 cup Arborio Rice (uncooked)

1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3 1/2 Cups low sodium vegetable (or Chicken) broth

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley (or dried)

1 medium zucchini (used a cheese grater to shred it)

1 cup sliced mushrooms (you can use already cooked or fresh)

Himalayan Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

Turn Instant Pot to saute mode. Dice onion and press garlic, add to pot with olive oil. Mix frequently tell translucent. Add 1 cup of rice, stir frequently for about a minute (don't let it burn). Add 3 1/2 cups of veggie or chicken broth and stir together. Put lid on, seal, set to high pressure/manual for 6 minutes. While this is cooking, go ahead and grated your zucchini and have your mushrooms, salt pepper, parsley and cheese ready to go.

After it's finished cooking do a quick release, hit cancel and remove lid from Instant Pot. Add salt and pepper, zucchini and mushrooms and give it a good stir. Add shredded cheese and parsley and stir again. Put the lid back on for about 5 minutes just to let everything settle together. 

Then... Serve!! 

My kids LOVE this recipe! Sometimes we'll add ground turkey or beef to it is GOOD! 

I hope you enjoy :)

Want more recipes like this? Want more recipes like this, meal prep tips and/or to get started with a fitness routine? I would LOVE to be your coach! You can reach out to me by going to my Facebook page by clicking the picture below....

Have a blessed day!

Core De Force: Week 1 Meal Plan and Easy to use Grocery List

This new program is all about doing things different for me this time. One of those things is I've NEVER posted before pics until I have after pics it show for it. (before pics will be at the end of this post)

If I want to make a change and give this all I've got, I've got to set the tone now. 

These last few months I've allowed life and the "stress" of it to dictate my emotions and my eating habits. As a coach I've been pretty embarrassed and afraid to show that I can't seem to get it together.

I'm recommitting myself to the goals I've made and am going to give this 110%. For myself, and for my challengers that I want to help encourage and inspire. I'm ready to lead by example and rise up again!

Something pretty cool happened. I got selected to be in a team test group! What does that entail? I had to sign a contract, take before mics and measurements, and commit to sharing this entire 30 day journey through VLOGS and well... blogging! 

This weekend I rocked out to "Eye of the Tiger" and got my meal prep on! I recorded a step by step video for my challengers showing them how I meal plan for each week and gave them my special Weekly Meal Planning Template and Grocery List. If you would like a copy of this you can email me at CoachJennyM@gmail.com or fill out the quick form at the end of this post.

I love using this grocery list. It breaks the items I need up into the portion control container they go in. It's a great way to help learn what goes in what container and I'm a softy for organization! 

So what did I Meal Prep to make my life simpler this week and how long did it take? I will answer that right now!

This week's Meal Prepped Menu:

- Fixate Veggie Egg Cups

- Sweet Potatoes cooked in my Instant Pot

- Chopped veggies for snacks

- Egg roll in a Bowl for Lunches

- Extra Ground Beef to use for Monday's dinner

- Sliced Bananas, put in the freezer to use for my daily Shakeology. 

How long did it take? 1 hour! That's it! That 1 hour of prep I did in the kitchen will not only help me stay on track with my nutrition this week.. but it saves me TIME and reduces stress! I'm on the go all day long, so to have my food in the fridge, prepped/cooked ready to eat is huge for me. 

It was so fun to see all the meal prep pics from my Team and I's challengers this weekend! We are all SO pumped to begin!

(Day 0 Vlog for the Coach Test Group)

My Goals for these 30 days?

- Complete all the workouts.

- Stick to the Eating Plan (100%) 

- Be transparent. Share this journey as a whole. Highs, lows, and in between.

- Have a positive attitude. This is a BLESSING!

Does this sound like something you want to do? Are you right to Fight for your health? My next Exclusive Core De Force Challenge group that starts in a few weeks is already filling up! 

Fill out the form below if you would like my custom weekly meal planner and grocery list templates. Or if you would like to get your name on the list for my next group!

Fill out my online form.

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(Click the box above to head over to my Facebook Page! I will be posting daily how my journey is going!)

New Mixed Martial Arts Workouts - What is this Core de Force I keep hearing about?

You may or may not be wondering... "What the heck is this Core de Force Jenny keeps talking about?!"

Yes? No? Ok well I'm going to tell you anyway. (insert tongue out emoji here)

To say I am excited about the brand new Beachbody home fitness program that is launching October 31st is an under statement. When I first heard news of this while at Coach Summit in Nashville in July I knew, I had to do this program. I'd never seen anything like it.

Core de Force is a 30 day total body transformation program that will not only get you fit, but help you do it with simple nutrition. One of my favorite parts of this program? ZERO equipment needed and you don't need a whole lot of space to do it!

This MMA inspired program includes 3 minute "rounds" where you go at your own pace and kick. Muay Thai, kickboxing, boxing, knee-elbow combinations and body weight training topped off by cardio spikes that will rev up your metabolism and help you destroy the fat! Can you give it all you got for 3 minutes at a time? If so that workout will be over before you know it and you'll be that much closer to getting the results you want. 

I had the opportunity to try out MMA Speed twice this month and let me tell you. It was amazing! I'll let you kno on a secret... I REALLY don't like crunches/floor ab work. Yep I said it. So to finish a 30 minute workout with my abs on fire without a single crunch? Sign me up, and when can I start? lol

Want some inspire details on the Nutrition Plan and the program? Check out my behind the scenes video here:

So you checked out all the details and your interested in a fresh start, something different that will help you break your plateau or even just get started on your journey? Ready for accountability over the holiday season that will help you go into 2017 feeling better than the same time last year?

I am going to be hosting a private test group for people who are ready to commit to 30 days program. I would LOVE to see you in it joining me side by side as we go through the first 30 days of this program together!

Get Access to Core de Force first with an Email Reminder

Want to see some results? They are pretty amazing!

Amazing right? 30 days with simplified nutrition eating REAL food, getting your daily Shakeology in with gives you optimal nutrition on the go with minimal prep work and your daily workout. #BOOM let's do this friends.

If this sounds like something you are interested in or you skipped the interested phase and are just 100% excited and 10/31 can't come soon enough reach me HERE and I will get you added to our private test group and help you get started!

Fill out my online form.

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Faith and Sweat: The Awakening

I began my coaching journey after losing 40lbs with 21 Day Fix and Shakeology and feeling like a brand new me. I wanted to shout from the roof tops what I had learned and had a passion ignited in me to help as many people as I could. That's where our team was born! Dream Big Tribe grew and grew and together we were building a community of women who had a judgement free zone, a safe place they could check in daily to share their achievements and struggles, and anything else on their heart.

(Before I started making healthy changes/Me as a new Coach)

Then I hit a personal road block that felt like continued hurdles one after the next. Only a few months into my coaching journey I was hit on the freeway in an accident that literally rocked my world. Months of Physical Theraphy/Dr. Apts and a diagnosis of PTSD left me feeling a wave of emotions of  feeling defeated and determined to come out of this stronger than ever. A shorter version? I was in a glass case of emotions (yep I just made an Anchorman reference).

Anxiety, forgetfulness, feeling like Luna Lovegood with my mind jumping all over the place. I really struggled with focusing on one task and getting it done 100%. My workouts, my nutrition struggled as I attempted to put myself back to the person I was, the results I worked so hard for before the accident.

I'd get close, then something else would come up. Another hurdle, another obstacle. I'd find myself thinking "Why? What this now?" And feeling like a failure, a fraud of a coach because I couldn't get my self together.

Fast forward to present day, I want to tell you something that I realized. All this time I've spent trying to get BACK to the person I was pre-accident wasn't what I needed at all. Why do I say that?

Because I'm not that person anymore. And that's 100% ok.

God gives us events, seasons in our life to help mold us and shape us into the person He has planned for us to be. All these's hurdles, obstacles happening that have left me wondering "why?!" are examples of this. I needed to stop going backwards, to stop trying to be a person I wasn't any longer.

Taking a breath here for a second.. this is really hard to put out there.

While I've been going through these struggles being the scenes, on the outside I was trying to act like I was comfortable with who I was. I would share sprinkles of my anxiety, struggles, and did my best at the time to try to show the "whole" journey. But I was still afraid of what others would think, that I was coming across as a walking billboard for products and felt like I wasn't truly worthy enough to be a coach for other people when I couldn't get my own stuff together. In all honesty? The workout programs I've been doing these past almost 2 years, drinking my daily Shakeology has blessed my life in so many ways. I have more energy, my health is better for it and it's been a natural stress reliever for me. It's why I became a coach, because I truly believe Beachbody's products/programs are one of a kind and offer the ability to make this a lifestyle change and not a "quick fix, magic pill" that won't last. I also know that I'm not good to myself or others, if I'm not being authentically my self, the person God has designed me to be.

I've been pretty open with sharing that part of my journey with others. The part I haven't been sharing as much.. Me as a person. The Jesus loving, absent minded, anxiety filled, coffee drinking, arts and crafts addict, pumpkin fanatic, country living, mommy, wife, friend, daughter, sister, person.. that I am. I'm ready to embrace that and be that kinda coach, and stop trying to be the coach I used to be. Now more than ever I have a passion ignited in me to help others find peace, love, and confidence in their own skin. To be authentically you.

(Me now: No make up, post workout, Faith, Sweat and all. Ready embracing this new season)

That's where this new season has begun. 3 words that have been ringing in my ears for weeks now.

Faith and Sweat.

Typically when I come up with a new challenge group... new blog series... new coach training, etc.. I spend weeks and sometimes months behind the scenes building it up before I launch it.

I'm doing things differently this time. I'm going to be sharing with you from the very beginning.

What is Faith and Sweat?

Faith is crucial. Faith in God's timing, in His plan. Also, having faith in the process of making healthy lifestyle habits. Knowing that things take time, that this is a journey and not something that will happen over night. A daily choice to have faith in that journey and knowing that God is good all the time. Even when the season seems foggy or dreary.

"Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will be moved. Nothing will be impossible for you." Matthew 17:21

Sweat. I believe with all my heart that God gives us opportunities and gifts/life experiences to put to work, as tools to make things happen. You have big dreams? You have goals planted so deep in your heart that you want to make a reality? You gotta put in the sweat, the hard work to make it happen. It can be scary, sometimes it may feel like your feet are glued to the floor because you are afraid of failing. The truth? You will never truly fail with the Lord God on your side.

Have faith in the process, sweat your hearts hopes and dreams... Together, Faith and Sweat. Mountains will be moved.

Whether you have health and fitness goals you have started and stopped more times than you can count, have financial goals you want to reach, or whatever it is that's been planted in your heart to make a reality... I would love for you to join me from the beginning of this new project. This new season.

What will be a part of this project?

Honestly? I'm not 100% sure yet (see I told you this is starting from square one). There will Mon- Fri daily FB lives here: https://www.facebook.com/lifelightup/

There will be daily tips, and sharing my own personal journey as I dig into my own faith and sweat.

There will be blog posts.

There will be me here to encourage you, fellowship with you either in our Dream Big Tribe community and/or privately as your coach.

I'm done trying to be the coach I think I should be, and ready to be the coach/person that God has planned for me to be in this season of time.

Will you join me?

FB Live Access: www.FB.com/LifeLightUp

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