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/]

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.

May's Pedometer Challenge

The Pedometer Challenge: Step It Up in May!

Hey Accountable's!!!

Need a little motivation to either start exercising or to “kick up” your current routine? I may have a fun, easy, and cheap solution for you.

1 – First, you can simply buy a pedometer at Walmart for under $10 bucks, I think the one in the picture said $3.99, or you can down load an app to your smart phone that actually counts your steps (Noom pedometer App - there are others as well, get the one of your choice). Using the phone, however, you will have to keep it with you all the time....hmmm? I recommend getting an actual pedometer, but I do not know your current financial situations. You can always go pro and make an investment into a Fitbit, or Nike plus wrist band, I have also heard of the jawbone and some others, you will have to research them on your own if you would like to invest in a pedometer that is more complex. However, for this challenge simple is sweet, whatever works...

2 – Everyday, at the end of the day, you can either take a picture of how many steps you have taken or you can simply post the number in the group. Whether the number is super small or huge, every day I want to see numbers. We are here to help and encourage, we will never judge or criticize...SO THERE WILL BE ABSOLUTELY NO SHAME IN THIS. Some of us are very active and others are house wives that rarely get out, so please no comparing.

3 – We will then set goals for ourselves, May 1st maybe trial and error. We need to come up with a number that will push us to be more active, but not kill us and leave us defeated. They say that 10,000 steps is a healthy number to aim for, some of will not get to 2000. It is ok; this is to make us aware of how active we really are and to push us to make goals to be more active. Please message me if you are having problems coming up with a number...I was clueless when I fist started. Also, some nights you may have to take a walk to hit your goal or we may need to adjust your goal a little at a time. There are some heavy hitters in this group, so please do not try and keep up with them, I cant, and I do not feel bad about it, nor should you!

The Rules for The Pedometer Challenge

1 – Be honest. God is watching. Duh.

2 – Enter your steps daily on the FB group page. This makes it more fun and pushes everyone harder (it isn't about you)!

3 – Have fun while getting healthy! Encourage one another, go walking with friends and family, or talk on the phone while walking around your house cleaning....however you do it, just do it.

P.S. to anyone that is not in our accountability group on Facebook and would like to be, please feel free to contact me and I would be happy to add you.

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!!

P90X3 is so different then the original!

So I am on day 63, of the 90 days with the famous Tony Horton in P90X3! I love it! It is just enough time to get the burn just right and leave you feeling like you spent an hour in the gym! I will post by before and after pictures at 90 days! Follow my page for the updates.
The first week or so I was so focused on the moves I didnt realize how Tony is in this series. The original P90X I did not really enjoy, there was to many weights and it was way to long! I encourage you to try this one with an open mind, it is completely different! Besides, there is a money back guarantee...who can eat that?! Not amazon, E-bay, craigslist or any other entity that sells his products! So enter to join in on my next Challenge group, it is coming up quickly, May 19th 2014! Summer is only 60 days away!

Featuring 30-minute workouts that get you ripped fast, P90X3™ !

What is P90X3?

• An extreme workout program designed to burn fat, build lean muscle, and get you ripped in  30 minutes a day.

 • The latest creation by extreme fitness expert Tony Horton, who found a way to help people get  exceptional results with shorter workouts.

 • Explosive 30-minute routines that are packed with dynamic, high-intensity moves, designed for maximum efficiency and effectiveness.

Who is it for?

 • People who have a hard time keeping up with a workout program because their schedules are jam-packed.

 • Those who enjoy extreme workouts, but don't like to waste time even when they're not busy.

 • Men and women who simply enjoy shorter workouts that still get them in the best shape of their lives.

 • Fans of Tony Horton and other extreme Beachbody® programs like INSANITY®.

What do people love most about P90X3?

 • Major studies show that you get the most out of a workout within the first 30 minutes.

 • Even those people with incredibly tight schedules can always find 30 minutes a day to work out.

 • Most moves in this program can be modified, so literally anyone at any fitness level can do P90X3.

Exclusive! My customers will get a FREE Bonus Workout DVD, P90X ONE on ONE® "On One Leg."

It's an entire workout on only one leg! Just when you thought you had seen it all from the Master of Muscle

Confusion™, he comes at you hard with a little twist. A $19.95 value—FREE to my customers only!

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)

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

21 Day Fix Group Challenge

I was doing P90x3 faithfully when I came across a group challenge to do “The 21 Day Fix” by Beach Body. I decided to jump in and just enjoy the ride, and I absolutely love the program. I really liked the P90x3 program as well. However, the nutrition plan on the 21 Day Fix is so easy and it doesn’t feel like you are depriving yourself of food! I am not hungry and I get everything, including carbs! I paused the p90x3 program temporarily till I finish the “21 Day Fix,” but I am going to start back up again in 2 weeks. I will be continuing the nutrition plan from “The 21 Day Fix. In fact it is so simple and I will use it the rest of my life! It really teaches you the right way to eat.

My results: I lost 15.5 lbs and 10.25 inches in the three weeks I did the 21 Day Fix. I actually did not do very well on the weekends, it was during the Easter Holidays and I ate a lot of things I shouldn't have. Plus, Iover ate a lot. So I would have had better results if I would have stuck to my guns lol. However, I am not at my goal weight, so anyone that is smaller, will not get these kind of results if the "cheat." Please keep that in mind.

With 21 Day Fix, losing weight has never been simpler—or faster! Anyone can have success with this simple program.

What is 21 Day Fix?

• A 21-day program of simple portion control and 30-minute workouts that anyone can do

• Simple, fast weight loss—no weighing food or counting calories, carbs, or points

• You can lose up to 15 pounds in 21 days

What makes 21 Day Fix unique?

• Portion-control containers take all the guesswork out of losing weight

• It's the simplest way to control how much you eat

• 30-minute workouts that anyone can do and fit into everyone's busy life

Who is the 21 Day Fix for?

Men and women who:

• Want to lose weight

• Don't want to make long time commitments

• Have tried and failed at complicated diet plans

• Don't want an extreme fitness program

• Have started their weight-loss journey with Shakeology®

• Are new to fitness, dieting, and weight loss

• Don't like "off-limits" diet plans or deprivation

What's included?

• 7 color-coded portion-control containers

• Shakeology® shaker cup

• 6 easy-to-follow 30-minute workouts

• 21 Day Fix Start Here quick start guide and workout calendar

• 21 Day Fix Eating Plan that shows you exactly what to do

• 3 Day Quick Fix Guide, Autumn's secret weapon for fast weight loss

• Dirty 30 bonus workout

• Exclusive! Your customers will get a FREE bonus workout—Plyo Fix (a $19.95 value)—

when they order through you

How does it work?

• The Eating Plan shows you how to use the portion-control containers

• Simply put your choice of food in the color-coded container—if it fits, you can eat it!

• Do one 30-minute workout per day according to the Fitness Guide

• Follow the simple plan, and you can lose up to 15 pounds in 21 days

Why should you use 21 Day Fix?

• To finally lose the weight and keep it off

• To lose weight quickly before an event or vacation

• To learn what healthy portions really look like

• To find out how easy portion control and weight loss can be

Yes! My customers who purchase 21 Day Fix through me will get a FREE bonus workout—Plyo

Fix (a $19.95 value).