Why I decided to stop coaching

If you're not following me on Facebook, you probably didn't know that I quit coaching with Beachbody. This summer, I felt like I needed to spend more time with my kids and less time working. I took a break. Summer ended and my break kept on going. Mostly because I started getting really sick and didn't feel up to getting back into things. I also had changed my mind about a lot of things. I still firmly believe in the products of Beachbody. I know that if I need to lose weight and tone up, I can count on any Beachbody program. BUT I also believe that working one on one with a trainer, when people can afford it, is even more beneficial. Having someone create a customized meal plan for YOU is also beneficial. Because we aren't all the same. Our bodies all function differently. We all have different likes and dislikes with food. There's food allergies, food sensitivities, troubles digesting certain things, etc. Overall, I felt like there was MORE I could do to help the people I work with. I also feel really strongly like there is more I want to learn and ways in which I would like to grow. I've always wanted to go back to school, so that's the goal.

Aside from feeling like I could do more on my own, I started struggling with my self worth. It sounds silly, and it's 100% not Beachbody's fault in any way. I added a few pounds back on after I reached my goal weight, just normal settling back into a regular routine after finishing a program. I couldn't let it go, though. I started becoming really hard on myself because I couldn't believe that I had let a few pounds back on. Slowly, my binge eating came back. I put on more weight. I beat myself up even more. I stopped putting myself out there because I was embarrassed. I shared a little about my struggles, but I didn't share the whole truth of what was going on. I felt like a fraud, only sharing the good. But who would want to work with me if I was sharing all the negative stuff I had going on? My coach and upline had shared how important it was to express your struggles and be real. The idea of sharing some of the stuff I was going through made me sick to my stomach. I backed off of coaching quite a bit, and tried to work through the issues. I tried to get it together for myself.

It wasn't until I quit coaching, had a summer to just being a mom, and getting pregnant (surprise!) that I realized how hard I was with myself. How much I had loathed my body and my weakness at sticking to any kind of nutrition plan. Everything I had continually tried to say to help others wasn't sinking in for me. Hating my body had ultimately been my undoing.

Now I'm working towards loving myself again. It helps that I'm growing a little baby. There's nothing like watching your body change for another human. But no matter where we are at, we should love our bodies. I have huge goals for getting back into things, becoming certified in nutrition and eventually becoming a personal trainer. My biggest goal is to get back in school and get some type of degree in psychology and find a way to help people with eating disorders because I feel with my experience, I can relate. If anyone can help, I know I can.

I will always be grateful for my experiences with Beachbody, they helped propel me further on my journey to helping others. But I also give myself credit because a lot of my passion was already here, I just needed to find it.

Happy Father's Day!

Father's Day is right around the corner, literally! If you're like me, you're completely shocked it's this weekend and haven't even begun thinking about what to get your father, grandpa, or husband! If you have a father you're shopping for, check out these high protein snacks! I know my husband appreciates when I pack him healthy snacks, especially around holidays when he's bombarded with sugar left and right.

By the way, did you know it is National Men's Health Month? I didn't! Luckily, Nuts.com let me in on that well kept secret :)  I have a lot of men in my life I am grateful for, and their health means a lot to me. Maybe because I work mostly with women, but I've noticed a lot of focus on women's health, and not so much on men's health. I'm glad there's an entire month dedicated to men's health. I know the men in my life can take their health for granted. My husband has horrible eating habits (sorry hun!) and I don't think he's had a single check up the entire time we've been married. I won't rat out all the other men in my life, but they're right there with him. You men can be so stubborn!

If you're a man, and can relate to my husband, I've got some tips for you to better your health. Your family loves you and wants to keep you around. Plus, I know from my own experience, as well as the account of many others, bettering your health can better a lot of other aspects of your life. Take care of yourself! Here are some tips from Nuts.com

I know my dad refuses to change habits because he doesn't want to "eat cardboard and run all the time." But you don't have to eat things you don't like and work out all the time to be healthy. Getting healthy can help you sleep better, help your life feel fuller, increase your stamina, improve your mood, and even better your sex life. I added that last one JUST for you guys.

Baby steps! Making small, sustainable changes add up and can change your life. Here are a few examples you can implement in your life, one small step at a time:

Switch out white rice for brown rice.
Cut out sugary cereal.
Park in the back of your work parking lot and take the stairs instead of the elevator.
Skip TV and opt for an evening walk after dinner.
 Drink more water throughout the day.
Trade out your beer, juice, soda, and any other beverage for water.
Eat healthy snacks throughout the day, click here for some of them.
Schedule and KEEP your checkups with your doctor and dentist. Eat every 2-3 hours.

I dare you to try any of these suggestions for a week and see how it goes! Happy Father's Day!

Chicken Burrito Bowls

Confession: I'm a little obsessed with all these smoothie bowls, burrito bowls, anything in bowls! It's so fun and I've enjoyed trying new combinations. Last night's dinner did not disappoint. You can eat it plain or just add cheese, or go all out and add all the fixings you can come up with. 

For the kids, we just added cheese and plain Greek yogurt (instead of sour cream). I topped my burrito bowl with lime, salsa, peppers, avocado, and plain Greek yogurt ( I skipped the cheese since I wanted avocado). We all went to bed with happy tummies. 

Then today, I made a salad out of the left overs. It was delicious that way too! 

Crock Pot Chicken Burrito Bowls

1-2 lb chicken breasts

1 16 oz can chicken stock

1 cup salsa 

1 tsp chili powder 

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 cayenne pepper

(or Flavor God's Taco Tuesday Seasoning) 

pepper and sea salt to taste

1 16 oz can black beans, drained thoroughly

2 cups brown rice

3 cups water

Any toppings you may want to add 

In crockpot, pour chicken stock over chicken breasts. Cover with salsa and add seasonings. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours. Remove chicken, add rice, water, and beans. Increase heat to high, replace lid, and cook for 40-60 minutes. In the mean time, shred the chicken and place in microwave or oven to keep warm. Return chicken to crockpot and let it reheat for 20 minutes. 

Add a scoop to a bowl and top how you desire. Makes 6-8 servings. Counts as 1 yellow, 1/2 red, and whatever other containers for your toppings. 

Cheddar and Broccoli stuffed Chicken

If you're not excited about the dinner you're about to make, you're probably not going to enjoy it. The best part about meal prep is going through and finding dinners you can't wait to make. I love that I am not dieting, I'm enjoying food! AND I've already lost two pounds since Saturday. It's probably all water weight, but I'm heading in the right direction.

Luckily this dinner didn't just sound good, it tasted soooooooo good! It's opened up a whole bunch of ideas for other things I can stuff chicken with! Spinach and mozzarella. With some marina sauce. Or bacon and cheese stuffed chicken. Pretty much anything with cheese....I'll get working on that!

A few things I would have done differently would be remembering to take the chicken out of the freezer (or use fresh chicken) to defrost rather than having to defrost in the microwave. Instead of slicing it open, the recipe I followed said to use a mallet and pound the chicken until it's thin, stuff, and then fold in half. I was just lazy. My way wasn't bad, but It could have been thinner. I use the giant frozen chicken breasts from Costco.

I could think of several different sides with this, brown rice and asparagus, or a delicious summer salad with fruit, but this is what sounded good last night. Boiled potatoes with a little coconut oil and Trader Joe's 22 salute. Green beans with sauteed with fresh ground pepper and seasoned with lemon zest and a little lemon juice.

The kids ate so well! And of course Jake and I enjoyed it, because who doesn't like broccoli, cheese and chicken!? Plus, it was super easy to make.

If you try this, be sure to leave a comment with what you had for a side/s! I am always looking for more ideas.

Cheddar and Broccoli stuffed Chicken
1 lb chicken breast
1 cup chopped broccoli
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
olive oil
pepper and sea salt
paprika

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a pyrex pan with extra virgin olive oil.

Step 1-  Chop up broccoli into small pieces. Shred cheddar cheese. Set aside.

Step 2- Slice chicken in half parallel to your counter. OR pound until thin with a mallet.

Step 3- Stuff with broccoli and cheese. Drizzle with olive oil, season with sea salt, pepper, and paprika.

Step 4- Fold over or replace flap, drizzle a little more olive oil and sprinkle a little more pepper and sea salt on top. Secure toothpicks to keep chicken in place. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes,  or until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Remove foil, add a little more cheese, and bake an additional 5 minutes.

Enjoy!

This made 4 servings and counts as a red, blue, and 1/2 green.

Meal Prep Saturday

You've probably heard of meal prep. It's where you meal plan your week by writing a schedule for all your meals, and then prep what foods can be made ahead of time. Since I am a stay at home mom, I don't do as much meal prep as other people do. Sometimes, not always, I enjoy making dinner. I also feel too overwhelmed if I have too much to do at one specific time. My meal prep makes things easier for me throughout the week, and ultimately saves me some time.

I've decided to start sharing my meal plan with whoever wants it, so that I can A) be more accountable. If it's out in the open, I can't be lazy. I've got to get it made. I've got to follow through. B) help anyone who's starting out and might feel a little lost with what to do on this program or eating healthier in general. and C) hopefully show that this is doable and you can still enjoy food while eating healthy.

When I don't meal prep, I usually waste a lot of time trying to figure out what in the world I'm going to make and eat. We end up eating out more than we should. I don't always eat as good as I should. I am not as excited about food, at least not healthy food. We also have wasted food when I haven't meal planned and prepped.

When I do meal prep, I'm able to save time, money, and the resources. Planning out the meals and looking on Pinterest for recipes gets me excited to cook. I look forward to the week ahead instead of dreading all the hard work I'm about to do. Things run smoother, and I am happier.

With all that said, here is my meal plan for this coming week. (I am going off the 21 Day Fix Meal Plan. I am in the lowest bracket. Any extra food that was prepped is for my husband who is on the highest plan).

I know it looks like I only have veggies once-twice a day, I usually have 2 servings at dinner. Some days may vary, and I might add some veggies in with my lunch and wrap the tuna salad in lettuce, or add a veggie for a snack. I also don't usually eat the same thing every day, but I'm getting strict, and boring helps me stay on track! 

Prepping

As I've mentioned above, I don't meal prep EVERYTHING. This week, I washed, dried, portioned out, and bagged raspberries.

These are the amazing portion control containers that come with most of the Beachbody workout and meal plan programs.

I have found that snack sized baggies are super useful! 

Washed and cut romaine and peppers and stored them in mason jars (I have found that the mason jars keep produce fresh much longer than everything else. I am in need of more jars, otherwise I would store everything else this way as well. Except the portions that are grab and go.)

I firmly believe that we enjoy food a lot more if it looks pretty :)

And finally, hard boiled eggs. I get as many eggs into a large pot as I can, fill the pan with water until the eggs are covered, and then place on the stove. Once the water is boiling, lower the heat from High until medium low heat, and cover. I let them boil for 10 minutes, remove from heat, drain, and let cool. I personally like to peel off the shells and store in a gallon sized zip lock bag.

I usually prep at least a few more things each week, but this week I decided to do things fairly simple. I also need to make my overnight oats, but all of my mason jars, aside from these three used already, do not have lids. Walmart run! 

As I make my meals, I'll add in the recipes!
Cheddar and Broccoli Stuffed Chicken
Crockpot Chicken Burrito Bowls

#DepressionSUCKS

I've hit another low recently. A little while ago, I took my pill late, like maybe by an hour?, and that caused me to slip on some of the progress I had made. But it gave me a chance to learn a few things.

Depression is something I've been born with. I used to feel so scared with what could go on in my mind and my behavior. I HATED feeling different than my peers. I hated being sad. I hated feeling lonely. But now, I accept it as a gift. Because I struggle, I can understand others who struggle with depression and mental illness. Those who haven't struggled don't always understand how we can be feeling.

First, when we have depression, we have to ACCEPT it. I have tried to get by on my own. But I need medication.

Second, we need to find a combination that works for us. We can't just rely on medication, and expect it to make our lives perfect. Sadly, it doesn't work that way. We still need to put in some work. For me personally, I need to exercise every day (I choose to skip Sunday for religious reasons), eat healthy and avoid gluten, and spend a lot of time going outside and leaving the house. I need a schedule, which I absolutely hate. Whatever your combination, learn it, and stick to it.

Be honest. If you are struggling, tell someone. Don't keep it inside. I wish to add even when you aren't struggling be honest and share that you do struggle, but sadly we feel the need to keep it inside so others don't know. If we were more honest, and it became less of a taboo subject, maybe a difference could be made.

There are a lot of stigmas surrounding mental illness. There shouldn't be. If someone is sick, they get help. If you had a heart disease, you would take your pills. See the doctor. No one would judge you for that. Our brains are the most important organs. We need to care for them.

There are days I wake up and don't want to do anything but stay in bed and watch Greys Anatomy and eat junk food. There are days that the sound of my beautiful children's voices irritate me, and my husbands face make me ANGRY. There are days I cry and cry for no reason. There are times my house gets unbelievably messy and I get so overwhelmed. There are days I hate everyone and would like to be alone.

Depression sucks. Depression is scary. Depression is real.

But it can also be managed, and then we can find joy again in our lives. I have been blessed with some really great moments and times in my life where I haven't felt much depression. That is what I work towards. To be able to feel those happy times. Sometimes, the work doesn't feel worth it and I'd like to just hole up on my couch with my Grey's Anatomy and comfy clothes. But the good times are always worth it. We just have to get there.

Cheese stuffed Meatloaf Balls

I think I've bragged too much about how awesome my kids have been about eating what I put on their plate, which is generally pretty healthy stuff. I forgot to knock on wood. Lately they've been avoiding and refusing to eat anything green or resembles a vegetable. But I'm not going to give up. I've started hiding vegetables in things you wouldn't believe. A friend sells freeze dried food, and I've started buying spinach and grinding it into powder and putting it in everything. Seriously, everything. It's gotten a little crazy.

I found this googling picky eater recipes, and it didn't disappoint. My daughter even helped me with the veggies, and she still ate it and definitely approved! It's jam packed with veggies!! I'm going to have to make this at least once a week. The challenge will be eating only 3 :)

Cheese Stuffed Meatloaf Balls
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup broccoli slaw
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb lean ground turkey
1 egg
1/2 cup quick oats
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce (I forgot to add this and it still tasted good!)
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp paprika
Black pepper and sea salt to taste
12 small cubes of mozzarella cheese

Sauce
2 tablespoons raw honey
1 cup tomato sauce
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 450 F. Spray muffin tin with extra virgin olive oil. Pulse shredded carrots, broccoli slaw, celery, onions, and garlic in a food processor ( I have a manual I need a nice one!!)

until finely chopped. 

In a mixing bowl, mix turkey, egg, oats, Worcestershire sauce, veggie blend, and seasonings.

 I used my hands and mixed until everything was well incorporated. 

I grabbed handfuls of the turkey mix and a cube of cheese and formed the turkey around the cheese until it resembled a ball, and placed in the muffin tins.

A tip I learned with baking cupcakes, if you have any empty muffin tin spaces, add water to the empty spaces to evenly disperse the heat and avoid burning.

In a small bowl, whisk the sauce ingridents together and use a spoon to lightly cover the meatloaf balls. I used about 1/2 of the sauce, and once they were out of the oven, I added a little more sauce.

Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Let cool about 5 minutes before serving.

3 balls equal a serving, and count as 1 red, 1 blue, 1/2 green, and 1/4 yellow. 

I served these with cauliflower rice and some grapes (my kids' favorite). 

If you liked this recipe and could benefit from a 5 Day free clean eating group, add me on Facebook to find out when my next free group will be!

Free Workouts

For those times you're stuck at home and can't make it to the gym or don't have a gym membership!

4 Layer Zucchini Lasagna

Last Thursday I started another round of Hammer and Chisel (a 60 day Beachbody lifting program) and so Wednesday I had a "cheat" but not really a cheat day. Meaning, I had all things that sounded delicious but made them healthier. I don't know about you, but the day before I start a new program I go nuts. I eat all the things I know I shouldn't because I know I won't let myself for however many days the program is. I have "cheats" here and there, but I try to be as good as I can so I can see the best results. This time was different though. I didn't want to wake up sick to my stomach. I didn't want to lose control. I wanted to wake up energized and feeling great for my first day. Especially since I love this program. So Tuesday night, I made a list of foods that I wanted to have on Wednesday, and found healthier versions I could make. I had chocolate chip pancakes (kodiak cakes of course) for breakfast. I had a really yummy salad a friend made with ALL the dressing, avocado and cheese (extra fat) for lunch, dinner was this amazing lasagna, and then I had apple nachos for dessert. It was all so good. 

I didn't want to overdo it, and I didn't! I felt energized and ready to go Thursday morning. I still felt like I got to indulge, but didn't end up sick. And I didn't have extra weight to lose! ;)

Everyone enjoyed the dinner, including my kids. They've never been great at eating zucchini lasagna because they could tell it was zucchini. They'd eat a few bites and like it but then realize it wasn't actual noodles or see the green, and refuse to eat anymore. This time, I sliced the noodles EXTRA thin with a nice little Velata veggie peeling tool I got from a friend, and the kids didn't even notice. Plus, it helped me add more layers, which is ALWAYS a good thing. That meant more meat, more sauce, more cheese, and more cottage cheese-of course you could always use ricotta. 

Paper thin slices :)

It was soo good, I had three servings. Since it was my "cheat" day, I didn't feel guilty AT ALL!

4 Layer Zucchini Lasagna

2-3 zucchini sliced into thin strips

1 jar sugar free tomato sauce (I use the Kirkland kind)

1 pound ground turkey

2 cups cottage or ricotta cheese

2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded 

1-2 cups Parmesan cheese 

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil

1/2 onion

ground pepper to taste

1 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp Italian seasoning

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Saute onion in olive oil in large skillet over medium-medium high heat. Add turkey and brown. Mix in seasonings. Add remaining sauce. In a 9x13, place a few spoon fulls of sauce. Lay a single layer of zucchini strips across the bottom of the pan. Add a few more spoonfuls of sauce/turkey mix to cover "noodles". Add a layer of cottage/ricotta cheese, lightly spread with spoon into sauce. Sprinkle 1/4 mozzarella and Parmesan cheese over top. Add another single layer of zucchini. Repeat layer order until you've completed 4 layers. Bake for 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted. 

Now try not eating 3 servings ;) 

This counts as a green container, red container, and a blue container. Makes 12 servings.

Are you an Emotional Eater?

Last night, we went on a nice double date with some friends. We ate, we chatted, and then my husband suggested getting something sweet. DQ here we come! I still felt fairly full, and I have been trying to avoid sugar, so I got a mini blizzard. I ate it slowly while we all talked. I am fairly certain it was the first time I hadn't finished a blizzard, let alone a mini! SCORE!

And then we came home. My daughter fought me on going to bed. My house was a mess. I started to clean once she was finally asleep, and then decided to save it for the morning and get back to my Grey's Anatomy (my newest addiction). All of a sudden, I felt hungry. I needed something salty. I wanted movie popcorn, chips, whatever. It didn't even matter WHAT I ate, as long as I was eating. I dug through the cupboards, and couldn't find anything that sounded good. Then, I thought about something sweet, and considered the candy I had set aside for my primary class I'm teaching on Sunday. At that point, I stopped myself, and realized I had hit an all time low. Stealing candy from kids!? I mean, I'm not above that, I've totally eaten my kids' candy. But other kids' candy? That's too far. I was able to stop and see that this was very much emotional eating.

Usually, I know it's emotional eating, but in the moment I don't really care. I just have to get that "fix." But last night, I didn't even realize until I considered eating those kids' little baggies of candy. I probably could have eaten them all! I also realized that I wasn't really THAT upset, it was just that my daughter, in a matter of seconds before tucking her in, had managed to push the right buttons. A trigger. So unless I'm just ultra messed up, surely there are other women, moms, dads, college students, 13 year olds, other people out there like me.

How do you know if you're an emotional eater? I've made a list of things I've noticed in myself as indicators:

1. You cannot watch television, drive, work, watch a sport, etc. without having something to munch on.

When the TV is on, you'll find something to munch on. It's mindless eating, but a little more than that. For me, it's mindless eating any time I'm bored or have the hands to eat. You have an emotional attachment to eating during these times.

2. A few minutes ago you were full, now you could eat a whole cake.

You've just had dinner, but all of a sudden you are ravenous and you will eat whatever is close by. Actual hunger comes on slowly as it takes longer to process and digest the healthy stuff, so unless you had sugary cereal for dinner, you shouldn't really be hungry.

3. You ate a LOT of food in a very short amount of time.

Where'd all the food go? Could I have really eaten all of that by myself? This happens to me. I'll admit it shamefully. You just mindlessly eat a lot more than you planned on eating.

4. You can tell you're full, but you keep on keeping on. 

The biggest lie I tell myself is that I've already bought this ice cream, I need to finish it tonight or I'll screw up my diet tomorrow. I'm stuffed and might puke, but I just gotta keep on eating. Or these nachos are so good, I just want a few more.

5. Food is a reward. 

You've just got the kids to bed, hallelujah! You deserve something delicious. You just lost 5 pounds, here have a juicy double cheeseburger. You got a raise? Here's some cake! You get the point. Food isn't a reward. It should be fuel. No judgement here, I've rewarded myself for cutting my toe nails.

6. Food is a source of happiness.

You had an extremely hard day, and the only thing that will make you feel better is indulging. A lot. In foods high in fat or sugar, or both. When I lost my brother, I ate a lot of candy telling myself it was his favorite, or I used to eat it with him so it made me feel close to him. In all reality, I just wanted that hole to be filled. Food can't do that. And when we do this, usually we over eat because we are looking to feel better.

7. Triggers

I've noticed there are certain triggers that I personally have. The weekends. If we've given ourselves permission to over eat and eat what we want on the weekends, when the weekend rolls around it's time to eat. Holidays. Your kids. As I stated earlier, my kids are definitely a trigger at times. Spouses. It's not necessarily them but maybe something they say to you or their tone at times that could trigger emotional eating. Someone at work. Depression. I know when I'm on a low, I will eat more.

8. You would rather stay home and binge in secret than hang out with family or friends. 

Hey, I've been there. I don't like eating in front of people because I never know when I'm just going to stop paying attention and eat the whole table. I'm also an introvert, so I'd rather just stay home. So staying home and shoving food in my face seems a lot better than hanging out with you, no offense. I've also made plans with myself to go home, get in my pjs, put on the Netflix, and eat everything in sight. This is fun for me. This isn't healthy. 

Now that you've realized you too have an issue with emotional eating, what can you do to break yourself free from this destructive behavior? 

{First, my condolences. Also, I want to remind you if you didn't already know, that I am not a professional. I am not a food therapist. I just have experience of my own with emotional eating.}

1. Become more mindful of your eating. 

Are you really hungry? How long ago did you eat? If you are eating well balanced meals, your body won't get suddenly hungry. Sudden hunger is usually cravings. If you've eaten awhile ago, that could be real hunger. Something that really helps me is a food journal. I write down when I eat, what I eat, and if at all possible, how much I eat. I also record how I feel. If something makes me feel more sluggish, I want to avoid that. If something doesn't keep me full for very long (usually something sugary or lacking nutrient density) I don't want to eat it. 

2. Slow down and enjoy your food

Food is meant to be enjoyed. Savor each bite. Take smaller bites, and chew your food longer. We can also avoid over eating if we slow down our eating and recognize how much we are eating and feel when we are full. Some foods actually start to breakdown in your mouth and need to be chewed longer so that our bodies can digest them properly. 

3. Identify your triggers

Are specific foods your triggers? For example, can you not control yourself around popcorn? Or maybe certain people trigger your emotional eating. Thanksgiving is a terrible time for you because that's when you lost your dog, so you tend to be depressed and eat. Once you've identified what sets off the emotional eating, get down to the bottom of why and find a healthy way to combat those urges.

4. Replace the bad habits with good

Any time you are removing a bad habit, you have to add in a good habit. Otherwise, you'll go back to the old habit. If you have to distract yourself from eating while you watch TV, start doing small workouts. If you're emotional eating is after you've fought your kids to go to bed for an hour, replace that eating with a craft, cleaning or something you love to do.

5. Focus on what the food you eat is doing for you.

This is one that helps me a lot. I have Celiac Disease, so if I focus on what gluten does to my body, it helps me avoid it. If I focus on the nutrients food will give me, I will do better at eating better, more nutrient dense food. You can still over eat the healthy stuff, so it's important to be mindfully eating. Know the correct portions, how much of what foods you need in a day, and what foods make you feel the best.

If you aren't sure how much you should be eating, I know of a great program that has helped me. Being a part of a challenge group has helped me become more accountable for what I'm eating. The portion control system is simple and effective. If you'd like my help, click here.

And if all else fails, get food therapy or seek out a nutritionist. There is nothing wrong with getting help!

Best Healthy Banana Bread

I've been on the search for the best banana bread for a long time. I finally found one I loved, and then I started eating healthier so banana bread became a once every 6 months type treat. I didn't have a use for my old bananas anymore. I personally don't love bananas in the first place, so banana bread was the only time I was really eating banana bread before.

Time to do what I do best, healthifying a recipe! Yes, I just made that word up.

This project took awhile, not as long as it took to find a good recipe in the first place, but still. I'm very perticular about my banana bread. I needed it to be good enough that I didn't feel the need to add butter. I obviously wanted it to be moist, NO ONE wants dry banana bread. It needed to taste like banana bread (one version I tried, my husband came home and had a slice, and asked what kind of bread it was. oops!)

Here's a few trick I was given and learned along the way.

1) Use the nastiest bananas you can find. WAYYYY past the point of where you'd eat them. The batch I made today I used completely black bananas. This helps the bread taste sweet, and have a more potent (but not over powering) banana flavor.

2) Don't skip the applesauce!

3) Don't be lazy, prep before you start mixing. whisk the eggs, smash the bananas, mix the dry ingredients, etc.

4) Don't over mix, fold in the dry ingredients.

5) Always enjoy a warm slice :)

Try it out, send me a picture, let me know what you think!

Banana Bread
2 cups flour (I like Bob Red Mill's organic, unbleached all purpose flour)
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 unsweetened apple sauce
3/4 cup raw honey
3 eggs beaten
2 1/3 cups mashed bananas

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x5 loaf pan with a little coconut oil. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. In a seperate bowl, cream unmelted coconut oil, applesauce and honey. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended.

Fold banana mixture into flour mixture, careful not to over mix.

Pour batter into loaf pan. Bake for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Let cool for 5-10 minutes, then remove from pan by flipping the pan upside down, and let cool on a wire rack.

Serving size is one slice. Each slice is one yellow, 1/2 a purple, and 1 teaspoon.

Mondays

I've been neglecting my blog! I have been so busy with my kids, coaching, trips, the holidays, our kitchen remodel. I put the blog on the back burner, but it's good to know that I'm still getting people looking at recipes and such.

If you've read any of my past posts, Mondays are hard for me. I lost my brother to suicide on a Monday. In fact, it will be a year exactly tomorrow. I really don't want to make this a sad post, so I'll leave it at that. Mondays can be hard for everyone, though. You get all weekend to relax OR do a bunch of house work and chores. Then Monday comes and you have to get back to work. Or maybe you're a stay at home mom, and you get help from your husband all weekend, and then he has to go back to work Monday. Whatever the situation, Mondays aren't the greatest.

A few months ago, I realized that Mondays are actually just another day. I have the choice to make Mondays hard, or make it the best day I can. It's the first day of the week, and I get a fresh start. No matter what I'm working on that week, getting my workouts in each day, keeping my house clean, working on a project, being a kinder person, Monday is the first day to get to work. Monday sets the tone for the rest of the week, so if you miss Monday, are you going to give it your all the rest of the week? Probably not. I hear a lot of people say, "Well I missed Monday and then this happened Tuesday, so I'll just start next Monday." There are a few things I can start any day and get real excited about it and have enough drive to do from there on out, but most things I do best when I start on Monday.

This week, I am really focusing on balance. I can balance my business, my kids, my house, and my relationships better. Time management is my weakness, I know I can do better on that, and balance is the key. I want to work on gratitude. I also want to work on variety in my nutrition. I get used to the same old stuff, which I'm totally happy to do, but I know variety could help me do better and keep me from getting bored. In every aspect of my life, I could use more balance. So I start today. I know I'll do great because I will give it my all on day 1.

Do something for YOU

Have you stopped working on your New Years resolutions already? There's nothing to be ashamed of. I'd guess about 90% of people who made resolutions have given up by now.

But does that mean we've stopped wanting what we wanted in the first place? NO!
Of course not!

So are you still dreaming about a bikini body?

If so, stop waiting! Do something about it. It's okay if your goals didn't pan out and all your plans fell through. Get some help! There is nothing wrong with getting a health coach and starting a program. They WORK! 

If you think you're ready to have some structure to help you succeed, let's chat. 

Are you ready to join one of my challenge groups? Fill out this form to help me determine which group would be best for you!

Stephanie

I had to do a little post about my friend Stephanie! This lady motivates me all the time, and I'm HER coach :) ! She is a great woman, with a big heart and the desire to help others. She has three fur babies, and a husband. I met her at church, and I remember always watching her and wanting to be her friend. I saw her as happy and positive. It's funny how we never know what's going on inside someone. I had no idea she was struggling. But when I gained confidence myself, I decided to stop being shy and just try to be friends with her! I sound like such a nerd, but this is really how I am. Making friends doesn't come naturally to me. I'm so glad I gained that confidence, though! She is such a hard worker, and inspires quite a few people! 

Here's what she had to say about her journey so far:

"Last year was rough. I was the heaviest that I have ever been. I was not happy with my life on many levels. I was feeling sorry for me. I was using food to fill the voids and unhappiness. Then I realized that only I could change it. Five months later and 28 lbs lighter, I'm on my way to a healthier and happier me. I'm learning new skills and establishing healthy habits so this will become a permanent lifestyle change. I'm not perfect. I'm work in progress. If I can do it, anyone can!"

I have no doubt we aren't done hearing from her! She will continue to inspire and motivate me, among others. I am so proud of you Stephanie! Thanks for being my friend! 

3 Day Refresh

I'm a little late on this post, but better late than never! I struggled, just like the rest of the world that isn't struggling to get food on the table for their families, during the holidays. I was pretty good about getting my workouts in, but as I've said over and over again (for those who are somewhat following me) nutrition is key! I had my shakes every day after my workouts, minus a few on my trip when I didn't have a blender, and then my food choices went down from there. Every single day. I would wake up and say today is different, I can do better. And I'd end the day just as frustrated with myself as the night before. When we got home from our trip January 3rd, I was so ready to get back on top of things. It was the perfect time to try the 3 Day Refresh.

Here's my review of the 3 Day Refresh:

DAY 1

I woke up and had about 8 ounces of water. Shortly after that, I had my first shake. I wasn't sure if I could blend it with ice, so I just used frozen strawberries, water, and the package of vegan chocolate Shakeology. It wasn't bad, but I'm used to blending my shakes with ice and making them thick. 

I love tea, but missed the boat on some herbal tea in the morning. I had been warned about the fiber sweep, so I was expecting it to taste disgusting. The taste wasn't the problem, it was the consistency. I just shook the cup of water with the package of fiber sweep briefly, and then chugged it. It was thicker than I expected for just shaking it, and I'm glad I was warned to drink it right away. Not my favorite thing in the world, but not the grossest thing I've had, either. 

By lunch time I was fairly hungry. I drank my vanilla fresh plain, had half an apple, and celery with some almond butter. I have heard that people really liked the vanilla fresh. It would have been better had I blended it with fruit. Lesson learned, I'll blend it for lunch tomorrow! 

For the second snack, I had a carrot stick and some melted coconut oil. Creative, I know. It wasn't great. 

For dinner, last vanilla fresh and I had the lemon green beans what were in the book. They were pretty good! We are going to start making our green beans this way from now on. I also had a cup of vegetable broth.

For being my first day, I was pretty tired. I had a ton of energy early on, but I did a TON of cleaning. I can't tell if I'm tired from cleaning or having a very small amount of calories. I am glad this is only 3 days long. It feels great though, not feeling gross like I had the last few days before starting. With that said, I was ready for the 3 days to be over with!

DAY 2

My food choices were about the same. I had heard that a lot of people really struggled with the second day, and had a lot less energy. I felt quite a bit of energy. I wasn't as hungry as I was the first day. 

The shake and vanilla fresh are really good with fruit. I would highly recommend blending them with frozen fruit if you have a blender. For dinner, I made the roasted asparagus, those were delicious!

I didn't do much on this day, I was so worried about how I'd feel so I planned an easy day. It really wasn't bad.

DAY 3

This day was a lot like the second. I was ready for it to be over and to eat HEALTHY food. It wasn't like cleanses I had been on in the past where all I could think about was the junk I was eating before. I wasn't full of energy, but I wasn't extremely tired either. All of my food choices were the same except I had a salad with a homemade dressing following the guidelines for lunch, and then the green beans again for dinner. 

I lost 7 pounds on the 3 Day Refresh. 

Ultimately, I feel like the 3 Day Refresh helped me realize how much junk I was consuming. It also helped me focus more on when I ate, maybe I was eating more of boredom than actual hunger at times. I've never really been one to like cleanses. My husband jokes that I turn into a whole different person when I'm hungry I get grouchy, irritated and mean. But now I can appreciate the food that fuels my body in a different way. It really helped me refocus and get back to fueling my body properly.

Would you like to try the 3 Day Refresh yourself? Need help getting back on track, or want to get a jump start on a new program you are starting. Get it here.

Taco Boats

It's been a little while since I've tried any new recipes. During the holidays, it was just so easy to make the same old foods. Then we were out of town for a week. This was a perfect new recipe, it was easy to make. It was also pretty tasty, if I might say so myself.

I'm a really big fan of lettuce wraps. I like the lightness of lettuce versus a carb loaded tortilla. Zucchini is nice and light too. They are so versatile. You can make them into noodles, hide them in brownies and all kinds of breads, even burgers, like my zucchini burgers. I think I am going to have to explore a whole lot of zucchini recipes this month!

Back to the point, these are really good. You can even add more toppings than I had here, olives, plain Greek yogurt (as a sour cream replacement), green onions, peppers......here I go rambling again. Here's the recipe!

Taco Boats
4 zucchini
1/2 cup salsa
1 pound lean ground turkey
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp sea salt
                       -or- 2 Tbsp of Flavorgod's Taco Tuesday seasoning
3 Tbsp water
1/2 cup Mexican mix shredded cheese
cilantro to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread 1/4 cup of salsa (half of salsa will be added into turkey mixture) on bottom of 9x13 pan. Wash and cut ends off zucchini. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise and with a spoon, hollow out center of zucchini, leaving about 1/4 inch shell.

 Place zucchini in pan on top of salsa. Chop up the scooped out zucchini mush, and place on a paper towel to absorb some of the liquid. In a skillet, brown turkey until no longer pink. Add in seasoning, water, 1/4 cup salsa, and 1/2 cup of zucchini pulp. Lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Scoop turkey mixture into hollowed out zucchini.

 Sprinkle with cheese. Cover with tin foil, being careful not to touch the top of the food. Bake for 35 minutes.

2 halves equal one serving, serves 4
1 green, 1 red, 1 blue