Beef-Stuffed Zucchini (Turkey works well too)

Ingredients

4 medium zucchini
1 pound ground beef or turkey
1/2 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup marinara or spaghetti sauce
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
Additional marinara or spaghetti sauce

Directions

Cut zucchini in half lengthwise; cut a thin slice from the bottom of each with a sharp knife to allow zucchini to sit flat. Scoop out pulp, leaving 1/4-in. shells.
Place shells in an ungreased 3-qt. microwave-safe dish. Cover and microwave on high for 3 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Remove from the heat; stir in the marinara sauce, egg, bread crumbs, salt, pepper and 1/2 cup cheese.
Spoon about 1/4 cup into each shell. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 4 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Then broil it for 4-5 minutes, watch it carefully to be sure it doesnt burn. A thermometer inserted into filling reads 160° and zucchini are tender. Serve with additional marinara sauce. Yield: 4 servings.

Nutritional Facts

2 stuffed zucchini halves (calculated without additional sauce) equals 394 calories, 21 g fat (10 g saturated fat), 134 mg cholesterol, 602 mg sodium, 19 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 33 g protein.

Chicken and Veggie Fajitas

This delicious restaurant favorite is easy to make at home! Our version is healthy and packed with a rainbow of vegetables.




Total Time: 53 min.
Prep Time: 15 min.
Cooking Time: 7 min.
Yield: 4 servings, 2 fajitas each

Ingredients:
1 tsp. chili powder
1 dash sea salt
½ tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. olive oil, divided use
4 (4-oz.) raw chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, cut into ½-inch strips
½ medium green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
½ medium red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
½ medium yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips
½ medium red onion, thinly sliced
1 yellow (or orange) carrot, sliced thin
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
8 (6-inch) whole wheat (or corn) tortillas, warm
½ cup fresh tomato salsa (pico de gallo)
Lime wedges (for garnish; optional)

Preparation:
1. Combine chili powder, salt, cumin, garlic powder, and <i>1 tsp.</i> oil in large re-sealable plastic bag.
2. Add chicken; mix gently to coat. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Heat remaining <i>1 tsp .</i> oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Empty contents of bag into skillet; cook, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Add bell peppers, onion, and carrot; cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender-crisp. Remove from heat.
5. Add lime juice; mix well.
6. Top each tortilla evenly with chicken mixture and salsa; garnish with lime wedges if desired.

Nutritional Information (per serving):
Calories: 326
Fat: 9 g
Saturated Fat: 2 g
Cholesterol: 73 mg
Sodium: 722 mg
Carbohydrate: 32 g
Fiber: 3 g
Sugar: 3 g
Protein: 28 g

P90X/P90X2 Portions (per serving)
1 protein
½ carb/grain
1 vegetable
½ fat

P90X3 Portions (per serving)
1 protein
2 carbohydrates
1 fat

Body Beast Portions (per serving)
2 proteins
2 starches
1 fat
1 vegetable

21 Day Fix Portions (per serving)

1½ green

½ red

1 yellow

½ blue

Water Challenge!

What’s the big deal about water?

The Earth is 70% water. Your body is 80% water. It stands to reason that water is some pretty important stuff – right?

Water is the bodies transportation medium. It’s how it moves EVERYTHING around to different parts of your body…everything. Water is used to move nutrients to your 100 trillion cells in your body. Water is used to move waste & toxins from your cells, to leave your body. Water is used to wash fat from your body. These things have to
get out somehow right? They don’t just evaporate away! So water moves good things around your body, and water moves waste and toxins and fat out.How much water is enough?

Rule of thumb to follow: 

drink 1/2 ounce for every 1 pound of your weigh, everyday. That’s .033 liters per 1kg you weight.
Examples:
150lbs. Half = 75. So 75 ozs each day
250lbs. Half = 125. So 125 ozs each day

Metric
68kg x .033 = about 2 liters day
90kg x .033 = about 3 liters each day

Things to expect
- You will pee more…Welcome the pee! That is how your body removes the toxins and the fat from your cells and your body. Help it out. I drink tons of water and I pee…deal with it! It’s temporary – the excess peeing will stop withing a week. (Your pee will be very light yellow, almost clear – by the way)


Pee Time!

- You’ll have more regular, easier to pass, bowel movements
- More energy!
- You’ll be less hungry
- Many of you will lose an inch or 2 from your waist.
- Many of you will lose 5-10 lbs (REALLY!)
- Your skin will become more clear
- Less joint pain
- You’ll have less annoying body sweating (more water = less excess sweat!)
- A few of you will become bloated. That’s not because you are drinking too much water. It’s caused by a lot of gut activity now that you have the proper amount of water. That’s causing some gas, and it’s trapped. And of course it’s temporary.

FACT: When your body has a shortage of water, it takes water from less important places (joints) to use in more important place (brain).

Here are 10 reasons why you should drink more water each day:

1. Perfect For Weight Loss
(water has no fat, no calories, no carbs, no sugar and can help act as an appetitie suppressant)

2. Keeps Your Heart Healthy
(if you drink adequate water each day, studies have shown that it will decrease your chance of a heart attack).

3. Keeps You Energized
(being dehydrated can zap you of your energy and make you feel tired)

4. Natural Headache Cure
(some headaches are caused by lack of water; drink more to prevent and treat headaches)

5. Healthier Skin
(many celebrities swear that one of their best beauty secrets is drinking a lot of
water each day for clear and glowing skin)

6. Cleansing Effects
(water is used by the body to flush our toxins and waste)

7. Be More Productive
(water helps your body perform at it's best, including during exercise. Dehydration makes it hard to be as productive and active as you can be)

8. Digestion
(not only does water help organs to absorb nutrients better, it can also help with stomach acid problems)

9. Helps prevent/treat constipation
(sufficient hydration keeps things flowing along your gastrointestinal tract and prevents constipation. When you don't get enough fluid, the colon pulls water from stools to maintain hydration -- and the result is constipation)

10. Protects and cushions your vital organs, including your heart.

Credit:

[http://www.tone-and-tighten.com/2013/07/what-are-benefits-of-drinking-water-10.html]

[http://www.resetyourbody.com/waterchallenge/]

The New Coconut Craze

A medium sized coconut yields 1400 calories, with 13 grams of protein, 60 grams of carbs, and a whopping 133 grams of fats. You’ll also get 36 grams (144% RDV) of dietary fiber.

Coconut 101


In Sanskrit, coconuts are called“Kalpa Vriksha”, which translates roughly as: the tree that gives all that is necessary for living.[1] This is an appropriate description for this plant that can keep you going, no longer how far your race.
Nutritional Data

The coconut is one of the most nutritionally dense whole foods in existence. There is good reason to associate them with desert island survival – Gilligan and the professor had all they needed to last as long as they did. It is not just a cliche. In short, these burly stone fruit will keep you alive.


Source: USDA, Google
Health Benefits
Boost your metabolism. – A study reported in the Journal of Nutrition [2] found that coconut oil boosts your metabolism. In brief, study participants who consumed two tablespoons of coconut oil per day burned more kilojoules per day than a control group who did not.
Can kill germs and viruses. Almost half of the fatty acids found in coconut oil are composed of lauric acid. Lauric acid kills bacteria, viruses, and fungi, thus helping you to stave off infections before they take hold. An increased resistance to cold and flu is yet another reason to put this fruit in your rotation.
How to Eat a Raw Coconut
Get/drink the water inside - wash your screwdriver, awl, or spear. Look for a soft spot in one of the coconuts eyes. Pound your solid, sharp object of choice through one of those targets. You want that coconut water you hear sloshing around so be careful not to spill it. Pour into glass and enjoy.


Breaking open the coconut - We suggest you just put the coconut in a plastic back, take your hammer/hatchet, and smash it against the floor. Or, without a hammer, go outside and find a sharp ledge or corner and do some smack smack rotate, smack smack rotate. Take advantage of the weakness you just made by punching a hole into the shell.


Scraping the coconut meat – This is nothing that can’t be achieved with a spoon, wrist strength, dexterity, and persistence. Work the spoon behind the white flesh meat portion, and use the shell as your leverage to pry the coconut meat away from the shell in pieces. This is pretty time consuming. Heating the coconut at 400F for 20 minutes, and then letting it cool will help.


Other Cooking Methods

The white fleshy part of the coconut is known as the ‘meat’, and can be used either fresh or dried in cooking and baking.

In addition to the meat, you can use the coconut to obtain coconut water, milk (different than the water inside), flour, and oil. Coconut oil is a wickedly nutritious alternative to olive oil, much better than butter, and far superior to margarine.


Coconut flour is a healthy way put a coconut flavor into your baking, while allowing you to go gluten-free. Coconut flour contains 5 grams of fiber per 2 tablespoons, while at the same time only having 2 grams of total and saturated fat. Adding coconut flour to baked goods lowers the glycemic index, which is the measurement of the rate that a food increases blood sugar. Foods with a low GI value are less likely to cause sugar spikes and crashes.
Sources

[1] http://www.coconutrepublic.org/quotable_notables.php

[2]Fife B. (2004). The Coconut Oil Miracle. New York: Avery.
Papamandjaris A, MacDougall D, Jones P. Medium chain fatty acid metabolism and energy expenditure: obesity treatment implications. Life Sciences 1998;62: 1203-121.

[3] http://www.spartan.com/food-of-the-day/food-of-the-day/coconut/

Lemon and Apple Pasta Salad

15-20 minutes

4 servings
240 calories per serving
Vegan, gluten-free

Ingredients
4 cups of sugar peas
1 cup gluten-free small noodles
3 red apples
15 fresh basil leaves
1 lemon
2 tbs coconut oil
Sea salt
White pepper

Directions
Boil water, cook the whole wheat (grain) pasta as directed, drain, then set aside to cool.
Steam the sugar peas 8-minutes, then set aside to cool.
Zest half of the lemon (cut out little strips of the outer layer of the peel). Press the lemon and set aside.
Slice the apples into long and thin pieces. Place in a bowl, add the 2 tbs of melted coconut oil, juice from the lemon, the zests, salt and pepper.Toss together with the basil leaves, sugar peas, and pasta. Enjoy.

Eating for best long-term results

I get so many people who want to eat clean but don't know where to start. How many servings a day! What is a complex carb, is Corn a vegetable? So hopefully this will clear the air just a bit! Tosca Reno the author of the Eat Clean Diet calls her meal plans, cooler plans! She has different cooler plans based on the type of results you want to get. So today I am focusing on Cooler plan #2, which is for steady weight loss and maintenance once you goal weight is reached. So this is basically the plan I stick to year round at this point! This will give you a good idea of what to eat and when!




What is it? This IS EATING CLEAN! Do this year round for steady, healthy weight loss. But this plan can also be used for maintenance. Here's why: when your body begins to approaching its set point (its genetically predetermined healthy weight) you will find that weight loss will stop or slow.

The occasional treat (glass of wine, piece of chocolate, ect) is permitted in limited amounts. Unhealthy sugars and fats are not recommended.

How it works:
Follow the eat clean principles as listed below
What to do:



Eat more- eat six small meals each day.
Eat breakfast every day, within an hour of rising.
Eat a combination of lean protein and complex carbs at each meal
Eat sufficient (two to three servings) healthy fats every day.
Carry a cooler packed with clean foods each day.
Depend on fresh fruits and vegetables for fiber, vitamins, nutrients and enzymes.
Adhere to proper portion sizes.

What to Avoid:
Avoid all over-processed foods, particularly white flour and sugar.
Avoid all chemically charge foods.
Avoid foods containing preservatives.
Avoid artificial sugars.
Avoid artificial foods such as processed cheese slices.
Avoid saturated and trans fats.
Avoid sugar loaded beverages, including colas and juices.
Avoid or do your best to limit alcohol intake.
Avoid all calorie dense foods containing little or no nutritional value. I call these anti-foods.
Avoid super sizing your meals.



Complex Carbohydrates from Fruit and Vegetables:
6 portions each day. A portion is:
1 cupped handful or a piece of fruit such as berries, grapefruit, melon, apples and mangoes.
2 cupped handfuls of vegetables including broth based/vegetable puree soups.



Complex Carbohydrates from whole grains and starchy carbohydrates:
2-4 portions each day. A portion is:
1 scant handful of high-protein, sugar-free cold cereals, such as clean muesli or granola.
1 handful of cooked cereal
1 piece of whole grain bread or wrap (Sante Fe tortilla wraps from Costco are a great option)
1 handful sized serving of sweet potato, yam, banana, corn, carrots or squash

Lean Protein
6 portions each day. A portion is:
1 cup or handful of dairy products such as low fat soy, almond, hemp, rice, or skim milk, cottage cheese, kefir, yogurt cheese or plain fat free sugar free yogurt.
1 scant handful of raw, unsalted nuts (also a healthy fat)
2 tablespoons of all natural nut butters such as almond or peanut butter (also a healthy fat).
1 palm sized portion of lean meats
good quality, sugar- and chemical- free protein powder (hemp, soy or whey).

Beverages:



2-3 liters per day of fresh water with no sodium
Clear herbal tea (unsweetened)
Black coffee in moderation
Green/Black tea

Sweeteners: Use in moderation. Avoid Artificial Sweeteners.
Agave Nectar
Maple Sugar Flakes
Rapadura Sugar

If you would like even more support please sign up on he right of the page and I'd be glad to provide you with daily motivation and support to help you accomplish your health and weight loss goals! I have lost 30 lbs to date with clean eating and regular exercise. No starvation just healthy whole meals. As you can see above this picture is an idea of some of the foods that I enjoy on a regular basis!!! I would be glad to add you to my weekly newsletter!!!


Have a great day!

Easy Stuffed Sweet Peppers

Last night I wanted something healthy and my fridge is getting pretty bare, time to go grocery shopping. I decided to just wing it and make up a recipe with what I had. It turned out so good, I wanted to share it

Ingredients:
1 can crushed pineapple
1 jar of Bruschetta (spaghetti sauce)
1 can of Rotel tomatoes
Meat balls
Sweet peppers
Cheese

Preparation:
I took the meat balls and placed them in the pot along with the tomato sauce, pineapple, and spaghetti sauce and cooked them on lo-medium for about 30 minutes (I used meatballs that were already fully cooked). While the meat balls were cooking, I cleaned and cut my sweet peppers in half. I put them on a pan ready to throw into my toaster (is you do not have a toaster the oven will work just as well). After the meatballs and everything were cooked and ready to go, I cut them up and placed them inside the sweet peppers, I added a little sauce from the pot and sprinkled cheese on top. I toasted/broiled the peppers until the cheese was melted.

I served it with a fresh green vegetable salad and vinaigrette dressed.

My Idea Of Clean Eating

What is Clean Eating?

Part of the problem with getting to the bottom of what clean eating is, is that everyone seems to have a different definition of what actually constitutes ‘clean’. You’ve got your bodybuilder definition, your paleo definition, your vegan definition, your celebrity doctor definition and on and on and on. Not only that, but those definitions can vary wildly from individual to individual.

What follows is my definition of clean eating, I don’t claim that it’s the ‘right’ definition; these are simply the personal guidelines I use to stay healthy.

What Clean Eating is NOT!

So, with that in mind, let’s go over some things clean eating isn’t: it’s not a diet, it’s not calorie-restriction, it’s not about meal frequency, it’s not about depriving yourself of things you love and it isn’t about perfection.

People often equate clean eating with sacrifice, but it’s actually about finding healthy alternatives to unhealthy food. 

Sure it takes more work, but the results are certainly worth it. Also remember that as you clean up your eating habits, your tastes change and you get to the point where you actually crave healthy food. Sounds crazy, but it’s true.

MY CLEAN EATING GUIDELINES

So, I really believe in keeping it short and sweet! I do not think it takes a lot of "knowledge" to eat clean. My motto is: Anything God created to eat, I can eat! With the exception of the things that man has altered. For example: things may say "wheat," but it is soft and squishy....guess what, God did not make it, it has been altered by man! You need to look at the ingredients, if it says bleached or enriched...it is not made by God :) It has to say "whole wheat" etc. The less ingredients it has the better! Also, if you cannot read the ingredients, chances are God did not create it. 
So here it is in a nut shell: if it is man made...do not eat it! 

I used the 21 Day Fix to help me learn exactly how to do this! It really helped me to focus in on portion control and eating clean. I highly recommend this for beginners. Please contact me if you would like more information about this program.(21 Day Fix)

This is the bread I buy and you can buy it at sprouts. They have several different kinds and they even have tortillas but they have to be refrigerated because they have no preservatives in them. 

What to do:

Eat more- eat six small meals each day.
Eat breakfast every day, within an hour of rising.
Eat a combination of lean protein and complex carbs at each meal
Eat sufficient (two to three servings) healthy fats every day.
Carry a cooler packed with clean foods each day.
Depend on fresh fruits and vegetables for fiber, vitamins, nutrients and enzymes.
Adhere to proper portion sizes.

Avoid these most of the time…

Like we said earlier, clean eating isn’t about perfection – any way of eating which requires perfection is going to be hard to sustain in the long run; eating is also a social affair, so it’s nice to be able to join in with friends and family. That said, to eat clean, you want to avoid the following most (90%) of the time:

Avoid processed food.

Convenient, but you pay for that convenience because processed foods are usually high in chemical additives, trans fats, salts and refined sugars.

Avoid most refined foods.

This means refined flour, sugars (high-fructose, white, brown, and the rest), trans-fats etc. If you’re interested in cutting down body fat, of special importance is to cut out refined sugars, which due to their affect on insulin levels and hormone sensitive lipase, aids in fat loss.

Avoid artificial ingredients and preservatives.

As the saying goes: if you can’t pronounce it, don’t eat it. If it’s made in a lab, don’t eat it. This includes artificial sweeteners!

Avoid alcohol.

The long and short of it is: alcohol is a toxin. It’s also an excellent social lubricant, so if you’re going to drink, make sure you keep it low to moderate.

Avoid soda, high calorie creamers, energy drinks and fruit juice.

Don’t drink your calories: soda is loaded with sugar, diet soda is loaded with artificial sweeteners and fruit juice is also often loaded with refined sugar and of course, natural sugars.

If you just stick to the above guidelines most of the time, you’ll be well on your way to a clean eating lifestyle. As said before, it’s not about perfection, but the more you can cut out the above factors, the healthier you’ll be.

Do this most of the time…

Account for individuality.
First and foremost, whatever eating habits you choose to make, you need to make it about you. In other words, you need to tailor your diet to:
1) your own food sensitivities and intolerance's (if any)
2) your personal preferences.

For example: if you are gluten and lactose intolerant, then clean eating, for you would mean, that you would have to avoid wheat and dairy products.

Eat according to your goals.

Eating to lose weight, maintain your weight, or gain weight (in the form of lean muscle, hopefully!) have different calorie requirements.

Eat plenty vegetables.

Veggies, veggies, veggies! Get as many veggies as you can.  The idea is to make sure you have a variety of veggies on your plate (as many colors of the rainbow as you can get) and to vary the veggies you eat as often as possible.

Eat fruits in moderation.
Fruits are a sweet treat and a nutritious alternative to candies and other refined sugars, but it is possible to eat too many. Fruit can make you gain weight! Also, modern day fruits are generally much larger and higher in sugar than they would have been naturally (hybridization).

Eat high-quality meats.

If you’re a vegetarian or vegan you have plant-based alternatives. For the meat eaters, aim to get lean meat and limit your red meat to 2 times a week.

Eat healthy fats.

Healthy fats don’t make you fat, they’re good for you! Yes, even some healthy (i.e. from a high-quality source) saturated fats. You can get healthy fats from, for example, fish (e.g. anchovies and sardines), nuts and seeds (e.g. walnuts, almonds, chia seeds), avocados, eggs, oils (olive oil, coconut oil).

Use high-quality supplement(s).

I highly recommend Shakeology! It has done wanders for me and I use this rather than the daily vitamins.

Drink mostly water and enough of it.
Your daily water consumption should be half of your body weight in ounces. 

For instance: If you weight 100lbs, then you should be dring 50oz. 

Now, if you weigh more than 260lbs, then your goal (in my opinion) should be a gallon (128oz) a day, instead of half your weight.

Pure, unadulterated water is the best way to stay hydrated, chuck the soda, chuck the fruit juice and stick to water most of the time, herbal teas and moderate use of coffee (remembering that caffeine has a 6 hour half-life in the body, so it’s best to drink it earlier in the morning). 

(Credit: FitbodyHQ)

Setting Up for Success!

Lots of people are trying to eat better,... trim off some extra pounds gained over the holidays, or get beach-ready for a moment in the sun. Eating better is hard, and many people get frustrated, fall short or give up. Here are some key ways to make your eat better stick.

1. Set Goals: It starts by having clear and realistic goals. Write a list of things you want to change about your diet. Also incorporate goals that you may have regarding your body and plan your diet around those goals. I recommend setting present goals, short term, and long term goals. If you try and do everything all at once you can be overwhelmed and want to quit. Take it one goal at a time if need be, and one day at a time, this isn’t a race. You may also want to write reasons why you want to make a change in your eating habits. You might share your goals with others who will help you meet them. You can put your goals where others can see them “on the fridge, at work” to motivate you to work harder. This will also get others behind you and involved in your new routine. As you achieve your goals, check them off. This will give you a sense of accomplishment and add excitement leading to your next goal.

2. Have Realistic expectations- Any diet plan needs to work with you and not against you. You need to be realistic when setting up the parameters of your new diet. Your plan needs to work for you and your situation. It needs to fit your schedule and your budget. If you don’t follow your budget, your cooking costs will get too high and you will have to withdraw from the diet you set up. If you don’t cook for your schedule and your eating times you will find yourself without food and scrambling to find a healthy choice. So be realistic with time, and give yourself extra time to prepare food, or have food pre-packed. Also know that obstacles can and will come into your path from time to time to derail you and your progress, so don’t think that everything will be easy and will just happen. This takes work.

3. Be Proactive - Make a list of healthy foods you enjoy, and what foods you can take with you to work, in the car, school, etc. You can create entire menus revolving around where you will be at what time of the day. Never give yourself an excuse to not have something available for you to eat, no matter where you are when you are supposed to have a meal. Always keep healthy foods on hand. If you don’t you will probably eat whatever is available at the time whether it be fast food, office treats, etc. This can throw off a diet plan and get you in the habit of making bad food choices and eat whatever is fast and convenient. Know where you will be at what time of the day, when you are open to cook, to eat, to shop for groceries, and plan accordingly. When you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

4. Consistency is key - Most people respond well to consistency. Make a plan and stick to it. Try to eat at around the same times daily and keep to the same portion size and caloric intake.. Your body will recognize this pattern and in turn keep your metabolism burning and your energy levels will stay high. You will feel better, and get in a healthy routine. It is easy to sabotage yourself by grabbing nasty snacks to meet uncontrolled cravings. The time you spend on planning and consistency is a true investment that will benefit you for the rest of your life.

5. Be flexible - Of course, even the best plans fall short at times. Life can sometimes get the best of all of us. Sometimes your eating routines need to change. Where you can, try to plan ahead for these events and have items on hand you can take with you when you’re in a rush or are eating out. Example: Bag of almonds, protein bars and shakes, fresh fruit. Also educate yourself on nutrition through the internet, books, and magazines. You can use this knowledge to help you improvise and find foods that are compatible with your diet, for example if you are out with friends or stuck with no time to cook. Find items that are less time consuming that you can take with you in a pinch.

6. Don’t be so hard on yourself -Nobody is perfect all the time. If you mess up, miss a few meals, or even have a bad couple of days, just pick yourself up and get back on track. You’re doing this for you, and the added stress of not living up to your own expectations can lead to a total diet derailment. Being healthy and eating healthy does not mean you can’t enjoy foods not on your meal plan. So don’t be so hard on yourself. YOU CAN DO IT!

7. Stick with your plan - It takes time to develop healthy behaviors. After about a month of eating better consistently, you will have developed a habit. You will find that everything you initially may have had a hard time doing becomes more effortless and be a normal part of your day to day life.

8. Have fun - Eating right takes dedication, commitment and sacrifice. Don’t stress yourself out over small bumps in the road. You have the power to change any negative into a positive, and you have the choice to have a positive outlook regarding any situation you find yourself in. Find fun ways to keep yourself motivated. Get friends and family involved. Set challenges at home, with friends, or at work to start eating healthier. Take the time to cook and try new and interesting recipes. You are making change for the better, so why not make it enjoyable.

9. Give yourself praise - You are not a dog so don’t reward yourself with treats. Realize that changing your eating habits can be a daunting task for anyone. Just think how long you have had your current habits and know that changing those habits will not happen overnight, but with time. Congratulate yourself on any healthy changes you make, you deserve the praise. Praise builds confidence and makes you feel good about the healthy choices you are making, and in turn help keep you on your path to betterment.

10. Don’t rush into this - People always start with the best of intentions and will try and do everything at once. They get overwhelmed and quit before they really even started. Small changes add up and can make a huge difference. Work on one thing at a time and keep adding to it. Before you know it you will have many healthy habits that incorporate together to make a healthy lifestyle and a healthier and happier you.

11. Focus on the journey and not the destination - To live a healthy lifestyle is never easy. In order to enjoy this lifestyle with all the ups and downs, we must enjoy the process and the journey on the way to our destination. Once we hit our destination we immediately look to the next mountain top and we either want more, or worst case scenario we think that we have accomplished all we need to and we relax on all of the things that got us there in the first place. Take pride in small victories along the way, they add up.


12. Measure Success and Set New Goals: Making successful changes means measuring your progress towards your goals and recognizing your accomplishments. As you meet short-term goals, you can plan the next steps with more confidence. Constantly re-strategizing your goals takes long-term visualization. That long-term vision needs to be broken down into doable steps.




Now go out and make a difference in your life today!! Did you enjoy this article? Would you like to receive more support from me on a daily basis?! Ask me about my next challenge group! Together we can set goals and achieve them!!

Greek Yogurt Chicken

Greek Yogurt Chicken

Lately, I've tried to be a much better Pinterest user.
Instead of just pinning every pretty thing I came across, I decided to start using what I've already pinned. For weeks now I have seen this recipe for "Melt in your mouth chicken", so when date night rolled around a few weeks ago I knew exactly what we needed to try!

I decided to sub the mayo for greek yogurt for a low-cal, healthier spin. This recipe was so extremely easy, convenient, and absolutely delicious. The greek yogurt locks in the moisture, and the spices just kick it up to a whole different level.

We were both huge fans... in fact I've made it two more times since then because it was so yummy! Paired with crunchy baked okra and roasted garlic brussel sprouts... oh yum!

Super low in calories and high in protein, both your waistline and your hunky meat-and-potatoes kind of man will thank you!

Ingredients:
4 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
1 cup plain greek yogurt (I used Oikos)
1/2 cup parmesan cheese - grated
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper


Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2) Combine greek yogurt, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, seasoned salt, and pepper in a bowl.

3) Line baking sheet with foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.

4) Coat each chicken breast in greek yogurt mixture and place on foiled baking sheet.

5) Bake for 45 minutes.

(credit: life of Meg)

21 Day Fix Grocery List

I can honestly say that I might be in love with the 21 day fix meal plan!  Well okay I will be totally honest I AM IN LOVE WITH THE ENTIRE PROCESS.  Lets face it, it's easy, its simple, its basically fool proof.  If you stick to the things on the list of approved foods and you keep it basic you can't go wrong.  Plus I really dislike counting calories so the fact that I can tally up my containers and check it off each day is much more my style.  Now 4 rounds into the fix I don't even use the containers anymore.  I can see very clearly what a proper portion size should look like on my plate.  My body really has a much better system of regulating my feelings of fullness and I truly do have energy. 

The thing that I really like is that it perfectly aligns with clean eating!  I still follow the exact same guide of having a protein an a complex carb at each meal. 

So I get asked questions all the time about what a grocery list should look like.  While I can't tell you to go out and buy EVERYTHING on this list, I am going to give you an idea of the general things that you are going to be using on a daily basis for the fix.  The quick reference guide below really helps as well.

Proteins (red)

So when you hit up the store stick to lean proteins like

Fish- Salmon & Tilapia

Fresh Chicken Breast

Turkey Breast

Eggs

Lean Ground Turkey

Pork Tenderloin

Flank Steak

Protein Powder

Veggie Burgers

In all conscience I stay away from red meat, processed lunch meats, turkey bacon and ham slices.  I know it's on the list but when it comes to clean eating and nutritional value the things I have listed above are much better options.  Turkey bacon, lunch meat, and ham all are higher in sodium and can cause you to retain water. 

Fruits (purple)

Apples

Pears

Berries like Strawberries, Blackberries, Raspberries

Oranges

Watermelon

Cantaloupe

Kiwi

I usually stayed away from bananas, mangos and grapes during the fix because they are still a good source of natural sugar but they also tend to be on the higher side.  So if I do have one of those I only do 1 per day.  As you get closer to your weight loss goal this becomes very important to shedding those last few pesky pounds.

Vegetables (green)

Green Beans

Celery

Asparagus

Broccoli

Cauliflower

Spinach

Peppers

Onions

Tomaos

Squash

cucumbers

Lettuce

I also typically do not eat carrots because they are also higher in sugar.  I stay away from corn as a vegetable and if I eat it then it goes into the starch category.

Complex Carbohydrates  (Yellow)

Brown Rice

Quinoa

Oatmeal (not instant in the packet) Rolled Instant Oats

Sweet Potatoes

Red Skin potatoes

Black Beans

Pinto Beans

Couscous

Ezekiel Bread

Whole Grain Tortillas

I know that on the complex carbohydrate list there are bagels, toast, pancakes, waffles and other breads.  But what I can say is this, from a nutritional standpoint even whole grain still turns to sugar in your stomach, it will not keep you full and offers little benefits.  Think of food as fuel.  Quinoa, sweet potatoes, Ezekiel bread are great sources of whole grains that are very natural and will give you fiber, fullness and nutrients where a waffle or piece of toast is more of a filler.  Again, you can pick and choose and yes it is allowed but its up to you to decide how you want your results to play out.

Blue

Healthy Fats and Cheese (blue)

Unsweetened Coconut

Raw Unsalted Almonds

Raw Unsalted Cashews

Hummus

Goat Cheese

Feta Cheese

Avocado

This is definitely a category that I used to go way over!  I used to eat hummus, almonds and cheese all in one day and it was totally killing my progress.  I actually eliminated cheese from my diet and saw that I was less bloated and more lean during that time.

List of other ingredients that I used frequently:

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Coconut Oil

All Natural Peanut Butter, only ingredients are peanuts and a little salt.

Almond Butter

Almond Milk if you want that for your Shakeology

Chia Seeds

Sea Salt

Pepper

Chili Powder

Onion Salt

Garlic Powder

Garlic

Seltzer Water- Love the Deer Park and La Croix if you have a hard time drinking water.

Green Tea

Honey

Greek Yogurt

Cinnamon

Slivered Almonds

If you would like more support in your 21 day fix journey or you would like to start your 21 day fix journey please complete the application below to be considered for my next 21 day fix accountability, support/challenge group!

Clean Chicken Wings

INGREDIENTS
Creamy Lemon Mixture:
2 dozen chicken wings
Spelt or Kamut flour for dredging
2 tablespoons paprika
Garlic powder
Sea Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Pinch red pepper flakes
Bay leaf
2 lemons, halved
10 roasted cloves garlic
1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano
1/4 cup light beer
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
PREPARATION:
Rinse the chicken wings in cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
Place flour in a shallow platter and season it by adding paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix well.
Dredge the wings in the flour – that means roll the wings around in the flour to coat every bit of them.
Heat oil in a skillet and brown the chicken wings on all sides.
Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside on a platter.
Add pepper flakes, bay leaf, lemons, garlic, oregano, beer and chicken broth to the pan.
Cook for 2 minutes to evaporate the alcohol.
Return the chicken wings to the pan.
Cover the pan and simmer for 15 minutes, or braise in a preheated 375 degree oven for 20 minutes until the wings are piping hot.
The wings will be spicy enough on their own thanks to the seasonings but if you want a dipping sauce use a homemade ketchup which can be seasoned the way you like.

(Recipe Credit: Tusca Renos)

Crispy Chicken Bites Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 10-15 minutes
Yield: 6 servings (20 to 25 nuggets)



INGREDIENTS
3 x 6-oz / 170-g boneless, skinless chicken breasts

¼ cup / 60 ml oat bran

¼ cup / 60 ml wheat germ

1 Tbsp / 15 ml coarsely ground flaxseed

¼ cup / 60 ml coarsely ground almonds

½ tsp / 2.5 ml sea salt


½ tsp / 2.5 ml white pepper


Pinch garlic powder


½ cup / 120 ml water or low-sodium chicken broth


1 large egg white, lightly beaten




HONEY MUSTARD SAUCE
1½ tsp / 7.5 ml honey

1 Tbsp / 15 ml Dijon mustard



PREPARATION:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F / 232°C. Prepare baking sheet by lining with parchment paper or coating lightly with extra virgin olive oil.
2. Cut chicken breasts into nugget-sized pieces, about 1½ inches square. Set aside.
3. Next, combine all dry ingredients in a large container with a tightly fitting lid. Shake well. This is your coating mixture.
4. Combine water and egg in a medium bowl. Dip each piece in the water-egg white mixture. Then dip each piece in the coating mixture. Make sure each piece is well coated.
5. Place on the baking sheet. When all of your chicken has been coated and your baking sheet is full, place in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden.

Tosca’s Tip
Use the almond coating on larger strips of chicken breast to make chicken tenders for the adults!

(Credit: Tusca Renos)

Focus T25

What is FOCUS T25?

• In-home workouts designed to deliver an hour’s results in just 25 minutes a day.

• The latest creation by fitness expert and former track star Shaun T—who brought 

   the world INSANITY®. 

• Fast-paced routines that are jam-packed with dynamic, hi-intensity moves designed for maximum
  efficiency and effectiveness.

Who is Focus T25 for?
• Busy people who want to work out less time but still get great results.
• Those who enjoy a high-intensity, no-nonsense program that makes every minute count.
• Men and women who want to work out just 25 minutes a day to get in the best shape of their lives.

What do people love most about FOCUS T25?
• Even those people with incredibly tight schedules can always find 25 minutes a day to work out.
• Major studies have shown that 30 minutes of exercise can be just as effective at burning fat and
  even more efficient than 60 minutes of exercise.
• There’s always a modifier on screen, so literally anyone at any fitness level can GET IT DONE
   with FOCUS T25.

What should be done after completing the FOCUS T25 Base kit ALPHA and BETA Cycles?
• The Deluxe Kit GAMMA Cycle, which includes the next 4 weeks of FOCUS T25 workouts and
   advanced tools to help your customers get advanced results. Or, from the very start, you can combine
  GAMMA WITH BETA to ramp up your 10-week results!

If you are my customer you will get the FREE bonus workout Core Speed. You will push hard, burn fat, and get shredded in record time with this exclusive DVD. It is a $19.95 value—FREE to my customers

For the month of April there is a promotional price of $180.00, that is a $95.00 savings, only for the month of April. 30-day money-back guarantee of the purchase price less s&h.

There will be a challenge Group starting May 19th, 2014. Order and get into the group before your time runs out! See you slimmer in just a few weeks :D!

Click Here to watch the video about Focus T25

If You Can Not Read It, Do Not Eat It Challenge!

New Challenge! So I thought it would be nice to get us all label conscious....do you guys read the labels that are on your food? Some of us may, for the calories, fats, carbs etc., but what about the ingredients? The ingredients are so important, I have found many times that I can not even pronounce the ingredients, guess what? That is bad news. Let us take the challenge to look at the ingredients of the things in our pantry, on the shelves at the store, and in the fridge at home. If we can not read it, then maybe we should think twice about eating it.

I know we cant change what we have many times, but the purpose of the challenge is to make you aware of the ingredients you are eating. If we are aware, we start to change our minds and that produces changes in our actions.

Although it might seem obvious, chemicals aren't food for you or any other living thing. Food scientists are paid big money to create long-lasting, artificially delicious food. Chemical concoctions become the prime ingredients in food on grocery store shelves, meaning a mad scientist is your own personal chef. It is no
big surprise that money is enough motivation for food companies to ignore the negative impacts these chemicals have on your long-term health. Thus marketing people and food scientists come together to sell you some cleverly chemically concocted corporate dish. Yum! Massive food businesses are leading you blindly into a world of plastic food that will ultimately destroy your health, leaving you poor and them laughing all the way to the bank. Chemicals aren't nutrition. They don’t satisfy your hunger, they’re addictive and they’ll leave you sick in the hospital with one of the many all too prevalent North American chronic diseases including diabetes or cancer. (Credit: Tosca Reno)

# 1 Read labels.
#2 If the label contains words that look like they’re from chemistry class, leave it on the shelf!

Take pictures and show us what you like or do not like and hash tag #‎CantreaditDONTEATITchallenge‬

Holiday Hangover - Recovery After Overeating and Indulging...

Did you over eat today? Over indulge? Eat so much candy that you feel sick??? Let's not live in the past! Let's start the process of recovery and get back to healthy eating. If we don't face it head first, one day becomes a week, then a month, and then before you know it... you have nothing to show for all your hard work! Lets get started now!

 1. Drink at least half of your body weight in water (example: 100lbs=50oz). This will help flush out all the excess foods you consumed. It will also help fill your stomach since you stretched it out when you ate too much.

2. Eliminate processed carbs from your diet for the whole day. If it comes out of a colorful package avoid it. This also means no breads, pasta or other foods with flour in them. Highly processed and highly refined foods spike your blood sugar level so they tend to trigger cravings and the desire to stuff your face with more sweet treats.

3. Eat 6 times during the day, every 2-4 hours to help you avoid getting hungry so you don’t give in and go for another piece of carrot cake or chocolate candy. These shouldn’t be big meals. Think 3 right-sized meals with 3 snacks with whole foods.

4. Make sure to include protein for each meal or snack. Protein takes longer to metabolize so it keeps you satisfied longer and avoids the peaks and valleys of blood sugar levels.

6. Start the day meditating and thinking through how you will navigate your day with health in mind. Focus on what you want to achieve and how you are going to achieve it. This includes thinking through how you will drink your water, when you will eat and what you will eat throughout the day. Like a fire drill, if we pre-plan our intention we are much more likely to succeed when the day gets busy or becomes unexpectedly stressful.

7. Begin and end the day with activity or exercise. The reality is if we over eat we have over-consumed calories. Now we need to build in more activity or exercise to burn off what we ate or it will stay glued to our body as fat.

8. Go to bed early. The best way to recover from a day of feasting is to reinforce good habits. Getting enough sleep helps fortify our resolve and resilience.

10. Focus on the things you enjoy in life that have nothing to do with food. Pick one and indulge in it. This could be playing a round of golf with a friend, shopping for a new outfit or soaking in a hot bathtub while reading a good book. It is always good to remind yourself that there is much more to life than food.

  

Credit:  Sheila Dietrich