Coconut Protein Pancakes (Chocolate Chips Optional)

The title should really read, " THE MOST AMAZING PANCAKES THAT WILL EVER BE ON YOUR PLATE"

Maybe I'm biased. But hey that's ok! I can be proud of these because these are literally the BEST I've ever made from scratch, and the best I've had-- box or not!

I'm on the last day of my 21 Day Fix journey, and even pancakes are on the menu (just one though-- so I had only one). I had to satisfy my overdue pancake craving. What can I say.. I'm addicted. Pancake eaters (not so) anonymous <3

So let's get this pancake party started. You ready?


What you Need:

• 1c of of whole wheat flour 
• 2 tsp of baking powder
• 4 packets of stevia 
• 1/2 tsp of Himalayan salt
• 1 egg white
• 1c of milk (I used rice milk-- opt for a non dairy milk to keep it healthier)
• 2tbsp of melted coconut butter/oil
• 1/2c of unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract 
• chocolate chips or fruit (optional)

Instructions:

1. Combine dry ingredients: flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, protein powder and shredded coconut. Mix well
2. Beat the egg white, milk, vanilla extract and coconut oil together
3. Add the two mixtures together, mix well. 
4. Heat the griddle or non stick pan (I always spray the pan regardless) 
5. Flip when sides brown and check the bottom frequently so it doesn't burn--with whole wheat flour its harder to tell because it's darker. So keep an eye on it. 
6. Top with honey or syrup! 

ENJOY! 

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21 Day Fix Meal Plan

Meal plan. Meal prep. Portion Control. I call it the 3 P's of nutrition, and you need all THREE if you want to see awesome results, and trust me peeps are getting awesome results left and right in 21 days. I'm just about done. I haven't weighed myself other than day 1, and haven't taken any other photos besides day 1. I'm ALLLLMOOOSTTTTT DONE so be sure to check back this week for my before and afters… =)

So let's talk meal planning. 

Ask yourself:

1. When was the last time I strategically planned out my meals for the week?

2. Did they cover all the important food groups?

3. Did I eat every 2-3 hours?

4. Did I consume enough water?

5. Did I portion out each meal?

6. Do I even KNOW my personal portions?

7. Did I prep enough food for the week so I don't crave or crash for bad foods?

When I got the program, I had to ask myself the same questions and it went a little something like this: 1. I can't remember -- its been a while

2. Probably not.

3. YES (I like to eat)

4. sometimes

5. no

6. sort of, but over time I would allow a little more of this and a little more of that… whoops

7. NOPE. 

So I knew it was time for C H A N G E. If you want different results, you have to be willing to try new things right?

So maybe your answers are better than mine, see it as room for improvement, of if your answers are worse, see it as an opportunity to get it right!

The meal plan from The 21 Day Fix is based on your caloric intake (based upon your weight) and then you are assigned a calorie bracket for how many containers you get per day… see the picture below. 

In the back of the meal plan booklet, there's tally sheets you can use if you prefer to keep track that way. I found that I tallied my containers throughout the day IF and only IF I didn't follow my exact meal plan I had set for the week… if you need to switch things around, you have the flexibility to do so… so lets say you skipped one of your yellow containers that you would normally have at breakfast, you could use that later for lunch of dinner if you like. 

So if I found myself craving a bigger dinner or lunch, I would opt out of a container or two and shift it over to my other meals. Make sense?

So let's say you're eating a 1200 calorie diet, you are allowed so many containers per day of each color… you can make a meal plan based off how many you get of each… 

And each container has a specific purpose:

GREEN: VEGETABLES
RED: PROTEIN
PURPLE: FRUIT
ORANGE: SEEDS AND OILS (DRESSINGS)
YELLOW: CARBS
BLUE: HEALTH FATS (aka avocado hehe)

I decided to label my containers just so I could remember easily which was for which food group… gone are the days of the pyramid of food groups and now it's about the containers!

The great thing about the meal plan is you can do whatever you want without in the selected foods for each container… and it's pretty flexible if you want to have pizza or a glass of wine. BUT you have to SUB THINGS OUT if you plan on having a little cheat treat here and there--if you want wine, you have to take 3 yellows out for the week… if you want pizza, you can have 1/4 of a 12" pie. 

I'm not going to sugar coat it, when I feel restricted, I tend to rebel. So while I KNOW the meal plan has my best interests at heart, any type of plan that says, "no you can't have this" is a big fat NO for me. And while the FIX lets you have little things here and there, since it's only 21 days the point is to focus on eating clean the whole time. My boyfriend did an excellent job with it…. I however struggled. But I see it like this, I plan on using the fix meal plan and portioned containers from here on out, so it's a learning curve. I would give myself a B when it came the meal plan. The only thing I want once a week is a cheat meal. I need balance. But that's just me. 

You can come up with some pretty great meal plans, I would suggest for your first round to make  it easy and to really cement the habit. 

Be prepared to prep food ahead of time and portion it off, while it may take more time and diligence, thats how you BUILD a good habit, through CONSCIOUS consistent effort! 

My boyfriend and I both experience an increase in energy, alertness and clarity. Our workouts weren't as draining and we felt energized after. So think of food as fuel! 

I hope this helped, just know that the 3 P's of nutrition are KEY! Think: PLAN, PREP AND PORTION! 

If you have more questions in regards to the fix, making me your personal coach, or joining my FIX Accountability group on FB (there's a bunch of us ladies in there on our 21 day journey together) 

CLICK HERE

and fill out the form, this will give me a better idea of how I can help you reach your 21 day goals and even beyond that. Can't wait to meet you!

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The 21 Day Fix- an HONEST Review

Maybe you're sitting there asking yourself, "to fix or not to fix?" … and looking for a REAL honest review of the program and the meal plan… well you came to the right page ;-)

When I first got my package, I practically tore it open… I had been looking forward to the containers and meal planning for so long because as much as I try to be on top of my health and fitness, meal planning and prep are not my forte. At all.

So needless to say, I was stoked to have some REAL accountability WITHOUT counting calories and guessing how much I can have of each food group per day. I had a basic understanding but no REAL guideline. 

Low and behold, the 21 Day Fix came riding in like a white knight ;-)

The Workouts: 30 min. workouts 21 days straight. 

Whether your a fitness pro or a newbie, these workout DVDs can work for anyone at any level and honestly hit just about every major muscle group with a few select workouts to target some smaller ares. What I LOVE about the workouts, they're only 30 minutes and you're done. However, you're working out for 21 days straight, but honestly, only doing 30 mins a day of these workouts is MORE than doable. If you want to build a habit, it takes 21 days right?

My favorite DVDs are plyo fix, cardio fix, and pilates…. I have never done a traditional pilates class but I REALLY enjoyed the video and how it works on resistance and lengthening the muscles. Ladies, if you're looking to tone the booty, hips and core, this workout video is the ISH for it! 

You will need a light and heavy set of weights, I would suggest anywhere from 5 lbs to 15 (if you're feeling good) -- but remember it takes to build up. 

In most of the videos you are doing a set of exercises either once or twice through and doing 5-6 different rounds. There's also a good amount of lunges, squats, burpees and some lateral cardio work. So be prepared to sweat, and don't worry--if you're not quite in the physical condition you want, you can always modify with Cathy--who I LOVE in the videos. Because if I'm dying or something doesn't feel comfortable, I follow my girl CATHY! ;-)

As far as YOGA goes-- I'm a bit of a yoga snob, so if it's not heated and in a class, I'm not a big fan but this is a great introduction of how you can really stretch your muscles so you're not wound up tight. 

The Containers:

When I first saw these two words popped into my head, "FUN SIZE" HA! If you're struggling with portion control, the STRUGGLE JUST GOT REAL. HOWEVER I will say, after putting my food in the containers then dumping them on my plate, I was actually very pleased with the amount of food I did get. 

So it works like this, you get 1 of each color container: red, blue, green, purple, blue, yellow and two orange (the only that you get two of) 

 And as you can tell on the left each container has a specific purpose.

You calculate your body weight and do some fun math (you'll see in your booklet) and then you calculate your caloric level .. and then based on your range of calories you're allowed to have you will be assigned a bracket of containers you are allowed daily.

So for example, if I was consuming 1800 calories a day, I would be allowed to have: 4 green, 3 purple, 3 yellow, 4 red, 1 blue and 1 orange.

Then I would take those colored containers and start to space them through out my day like the picture posted below.

And although it doesn't SOUND or maybe LOOK like a lot, it's surprisingly IS. I've had quite a few customers and coaches say that they felt they had MORE than enough food and were totally fine not having all the containers. But on the other hand, I've also had many of us still be a bit hungry. 

It's called PORTION control for a REASON--- doing the same thing and expecting different results is called INSANITY.. if you want to find your sanity you have to switch it up. 

And if you want results, you have to do what works and what's healthy and safe for your body. Overeating is not safe and does NOT work. (ahem, I know about that)

The Trainer: 

Oh Autumn. She's so cute, young and refreshing. It was about time we got another female fitness trainer who we could look up to. I will always love Chalene Johnson because how could you not? She's Wonder Woman, but I'm sure it was even nice for her to see another female trainer on the Beachbody team. The great thing about Autumn is she reminds you that " IF YOU'RE SICK OF STARTING OVER, STOP QUITNG" and "DONT WISH FOR IT, WORK FOR IT" She's full of little inspirational quotes to keep her peeps going. I do like her, and I love the concept of her workouts. It can't be easy to hit all the right spots and muscles in 30 mins in 7 DVDs but she manages well! 

I don't know if she's Canadian but she does ask "yeah?!" a lot… "alright we're going to do ___ for 30 seconds, yeah?!"

The Meal Plan:

The great thing about the meal plan is you can do whatever you want without in the selected foods for each container… and it's pretty flexible if you want to have pizza or a glass of wine. BUT you have to SUB THINGS OUT if you plan on having a little cheat treat here and there--if you want wine, you have to take 3 yellows out for the week… if you want pizza, you can have 1/4 of a 12" pie. 

I'm not going to sugar coat it, when I feel restricted, I tend to rebel. So while I KNOW the meal plan has my best interests at heart, any type of plan that says, "no you can't have this" is a big fat NO for me. And while the FIX lets you have little things here and there, since it's only 21 days the point is to focus on eating clean the whole time. My boyfriend did an excellent job with it…. I however struggled. But I see it like this, I plan on using the fix meal plan and portioned containers from here on out, so it's a learning curve. I would give myself a B when it came the meal plan. The only thing I want once a week is a cheat meal. I need balance. But that's just me. 

You can come up with some pretty great meal plans, I would suggest for your first round to make  it easy and to really cement the habit. 

Be prepared to prep food ahead of time and portion it off, while it may take more time and diligence, thats how you BUILD a good habit, through CONSCIOUS consistent effort! 

My boyfriend and I both experience an increase in energy, alertness and clarity. Our workouts weren't as draining and we felt energized after. So think of food as fuel! 

My personal meal plan:

Overall review:

So in recent months my overall goal has been to reach a body close to that of our fellow fitness bikini comp models-- I want the nice sculpted obliques that lead to a nice round booty, long muscular legs (can't make my legs grow or get longer, but I can lunge the crap out of them to look longer), tight toned abs, sculpted shoulders and biceps, you know the whole 9 yards. 

I've been working out for almost 4 years with dedicated effort. You're probably wondering how this ties in with the Fix. Hang tight. I've been so ready to see REAL changes in my body, but I knew that my meal planning and prep was sucking. Royally. 

Well, did you know that Autumn specialized in training not only celebs in LA, but working on her own bikini fitness comp body? She knows that to get the bodies we want -- whether it be a fitness bikini comp bod or something we want to feel comfortable in -- and it all comes down to the one workout that matters most. Fork to mouth baby.

What we eat matters. Big time. You can't out exercise a bad diet and Autumn knows that, so having a trainer who emphasizes and follows through with a strategic easy to follow meal plan, is THE key! Having something people can actually physically hold, and understand and use as a tool has been revolutionizing how we lose weight. I don't know why this didn't come out sooner.

I know between my own personal workouts, The 21 day fix workouts, containers, and meal plan, I will get that body I want. And I'm SO CLOSE. 

The other great thing about the FIX, is that the workouts use some of my FAVORITE and most suggested moves to really sculpt the body. Plank dips, lots of plank work, sumo burpees, hip raises. So many over looked body parts are going to get WORKED. So enjoy it!

I hope you enjoyed this review! I'm VERY VERY pleased with this workout, trainer, and meal plan. I would def give it 5 out of 5 stars for its easy to follow concepts, short and effective workouts and awesome trainer. 

If you have any questions, comments or reviews of your own, post them below, I would love to hear form my followers what they think!

If you want to be apart of my 21 Day Fix Accountability Group and Get STARTED NOW click HERE =) to fill out the application!

P.S. Stay tuned for my results, I will be posting them this week! =) 

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Homemade Sweet Potato Fries

With the 21 Day Fix meal plan, if you have a craving that's not exactly "fix friendly" you have to get creative. And while SP fries aren't exactly creative, they were a new venture for me and turned out just as I hoped, sweet, spicy, crunchy, and a little soft.

So let's do this!

What You Need:

• 2 sweet potatoes (the purple red ones, not the yellow kind--yams, sweet potatoes, whatever) 
• 2 gallon sized zip lock bags
• Himalayan salt and pepper 
• Turn the oven on to 400 degrees F
• EVOO (just a few TBSP) 

Prep:

• Cut the ends of the SP off, then cut in half, then in half again 
• Put the SP pieces in the gallon sized bag with about 1/2 c of water
• Microwave on high for 5-6 minutes until semi soft
• Peel off skin once they've cooled off a bit (don't burn your fingers)
• then cut into long french fry type pieces
• Lay foil on an oven safe tray, then lay out the SP fries and drizzle olive oil on top.
• Sprinkle with pepper and salt, and mix around. Then lay flat and pop into the oven for 30 minutes!
• Once done cooking for 30, put broil on low and leave them in for 10-15 min depending how crunchy you like your fries

For the burger recipe in the picture shown, CLICK HERE

21 Day Fix Approved

2 yellows -- Sweet potatoes 

EAT and ENJOY <3 

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Guacamole (or Avocado) Turkey Burgers 21 Day Fix Meal Plan

Unfortunately, In-N-Out and Five Guys aren't on the meal plan for the 21 Day Fix, so if I have a burger craving, I have to make do. But this was BEYOND "making do" --- it was delicious!

And easy. And when those two combine, I'm all hands on deck.

What You Need:

• Mrs. Dash Extra Spicy Seasoning
• Mrs. Dash Original Blend
• Fresh Chopped Jalapeños
• Fresh Chopped Onion (about 1/4 or less)
• Pepper Jack Cheese slices
• Head of Lettuce (we did lettuce wraps vs. the bun, saving those carbs for another day!)
• Guac or avacado 
• Lean Ground Turkey

Prep:

• Put the lean ground turkey in a large bowl, start to mix it up and smash it around (yay its gooey and soft---hope you're not freaked out by raw!)
• Add the two Dash seasonings to the ground turkey, I didn't really measure this part since we're all a tad picky on how much we like things seasoned. I personally like it hot as hell, so I added a bit more spice! So do as needed or as you like
• Chop up half the jalapeño then add to the turkey
• Either add raw chopped onion, or sautee the onion and then add to the turkey (I did raw, but I wish I would have done sautéed because that sounds wayyyyy better!)
• Mix the ground turkey well so that everything is pretty even throughout. 
• Turn on the grill (I have my handy dandy George Foreman) 
• Coat the burgers lightly with olive oil so they don't stick! (I also sprayed the grill just in case)
• Separate the turkey mix into patties, then lay on the grill, Cook as long as desired--but make sure there is no pink in the middle..
• Once done grilling, add the cheese on top to melt. Top off with avocado or guac, ketchup and whatever else you fancy, then wrap up in the lettuce! and VOILA! 

I also made some home made sweet potato fries… recipe is HERE! 

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6 Post-Workout No No's - What you MAY be doing to sabotage your results!

You've been working your tail off at home, at the gym, on a hike, on a bike (on a train, on a plane..  hahaha jk felt like being Mrs. Seuss for a second) and you're exhausted. A sweaty hot mess express heading for the shower. Or maybe you just sat down, or laid down.

Let's PUMP the BREAKS for just a seeeeccconnnndddddd…..

Working out without a follow up routine after ALL that hard work isn't going to accelerate results! Instead you're just doing your body a disservice without giving it what it REALLY needs after a workout… which is:

1. You SKIPPED the STRETCH. I know we are ALL victims to skipping the stretch. Trust me, even I struggle with this daily! I have to remember that stretching not only elongates your muscles but speeds up the repairing of the natural tearing and stretching of working out, AND PREVENTS future injuries from happening.

Tip: Take two minutes to stretch before and after… ballistic stretching before a workout (think Olympic swimmer who bounce around and warm their muscles up before diving in a pool) and static stretches after (think deep lunges, hold, straddle stretch, hold--everything is a holding isolated pose)

2. You SKIPPED nutrition! EEEK… If I workout and don't take an amino acid and/or protein (Shakeology) drink after a workout, I know that my body is going to take longer to recover. The longer the recovery, the longer it takes to see results. The great thing about Shakeology is that it ALREADY has all your essential amino acids PLUS joint repair formula to help your muscles stay lubricated. Straight from the Shakeology FAQ link, "It's advised to add a little extra sugar in order to have a more optimal ratio of sugar to protein so that the sugars enable your body to carry to protein to your muscles." Which is why I add an extra scoop of my own isolated protein to not only increase my protein intake, but to have the right ratios! 

Tip: Protein is critical after a tough workout because it works to repair your muscles. This is due to the fact that protein is comprised of amino acids, which serve as building blocks for muscle. If you can get some protein in your body fast, it can jump-start the recovery process. With 16 to 18 grams of quality protein in each serving, Shakeology works great as a muscle building tool and is absorbed perfectly after a work-out because your body in its depleted state is extra receptive to the nutrients.

3. You're recovery is a sports drink: AYEEE CARAAAAMBAAAA!!! NOO! I know Gatorade tastes like superficial flavoring awesomeness packed in a plastic bottle, and trust me I enjoy the blue flavor, but it's just packed with sugar… while some sports drinks can be great for excruitiating and long workouts because of the electrolytes, you're better off with a more natural choice -- ones that aren't filled with dyes, artificial flavors and tons of sugar. How is that REALLY helping your body recover? If you put toxins in, expect a toxic result! Replenishing your blood sugar: In order to do this you need carbs. There are 17 grams of carbs in each serving of Shakeology, which when taken with protein post-workout, can both replenish your body and keep you satisfied, so you don't overeat or suffer through that "I'm starving" feeling, which can lead to unhealthy meal choices. 

Tip: Recovering with a shake that has protein, amino acids, and electrolytes (Brawndo, its what plants crave… ;-) If anyone has seen Idiocracy) is going to replenish your body much faster and much more efficient than our beloved Gatorade… you're not 5, you don't need a juice every time you run on the playground. The final two pieces of the recovery puzzle are electrolytes (specifically potassium, sodium, magnesium, and chloride) and water, all of which you lose when you sweat. The magnesium, sodium, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes in Shakeology will boost your electrolytes, and if you want to get even more, make your shake with coconut water. 

4. Your workout is your weekend alibi: "Well I worked out for an hour and a half on Friday, so this weekend I really deserve to eat whatever I want… I mean I burned off so much!" Mhhmmmm girlfriend, been there DONE that! I'm a wiz at justification… I can justify why brownies are good for you. Ready? Here it goes:

Brownies have cocoa. Cocoa is a plant. Plants are veggies. Brownies are veggies. Veggies are good for you. Therefor brownies are not AS bad as we think.

I can pretty much do that with about anything, and guess what? SO CAN YOU. We have a powerful mind that fits things to how we want it to be. 

"Well my thighs are like this because my mom…" "I can't workout because I have bad knees" 

Cure yourself of excusitis! 

Your excuses = the bullshit story you tell yourself to make yourself feel better. Guess what? You won't find your results if you make the same excuses. 

Don't use your workout as an excuse to eat bad on the weekends!  You worked your booty off, you sweated, grunted, and huffed your way through that workout, and NOW you're going to use an entire day, weekend, or whatever to sabotage it? It's called a yo yo diet for a reason! But please don't think I'm a nazi, I enjoy a cheat meal once and maybe sometimes twice a week… its all about balance. 

Tip: Plan your cheat meal and stick to it. Earn it, it's a privilege not a right. What day is best for you? What do you want? What have you been craving? Have fun with it, but once its over, it's done! 

5. You skip meals (and after workout snacks): You skip breakfast? I'm literally groaning and moaning over here… BREAK the FAST = breakfast. You sleep 6-8 hours (maybe) and your body desperately NEEDS two things :
1. WATER -- you have to hydrate your body to kick start your metabolism. If you want to lose weight or even look like a human being (and not an office drone) then drink some water. Your skin and body will thank you. And tons of it. 
2. FOOD-- nutritionally dense food. I personally have Shakeology once in the morning and after a workout… if you're eating Jimmy Dean sausage patties, you're literally a human garbage disposal… fake food will hold your body hostage. 

After workout snacks are GREAT for muscle repair… and I'm not sure about you, but after my recovery drink (Shakeology or protein) I am hungry about 30 minutes later. Your body just burned off a ton of energy (calories) so it NEEDS to be replenished. Here's a list of of pre-workout snacks you can munch on! 

Tip: Set reminders on your phone when to eat and keep a list of healthy foods you can choose from already prepared.

6. You're not drinking water before, during and after your workout: I'll fess up on this one! I use to NEVER drink water during a workout, and I didn't realize how much it held me back from pushing harder. Do you ever see those guys and gals that carry JUGS of water? Well they have good reason. Water = FUEL and you need it. When my boyfriend realized I wasn't drinking water during my workouts, he was on my ass! Once I started to drink water (sips here and there, not massive chugs during cardio, hello cramps) I FELT the difference immediately. It's the difference between an ASS kicking workout and a workout where you could sit on your ass.

Tip: Keep a 32oz bottle with you at all times and remember to fill it up 2-3x a day (depending on your weight)

Alright workout and fitness junkies and those aspiring to jump on the crazy train, I hope this helps! Any suggestions, tips, advice or questions -- post below in the comments section!

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My 3 Favorite and Not So Favorite E.L.F Cosmetics

Good ole E.L.F … elf? Eyes lips face… whatever. Either way that stuff is CHEEEAAAP! $3 for just about everything… but just cuz it's 3 bucks doesn't mean you're necessarily getting the bang on it all! So out of the things I have tried, here are my favorites and my not so favorites…

FAVORITES:

• Lip Exfoliator: Maybe it's because it's sugary and tastes sweet, but I really like that for $3 I can rub this stuff in circles on my lips and takes off the dead skin. Can't really have a lip stain on with chapped lips unless you want to look like a 3rd grader who got into her moms makeup. 

• Concealer and Highlighting Pen: In LOVE. Seriously, great for those under eye bags and especially for gals like me who have them genetically (thanks dad!) and/or sleep deprived. Use the concealer side FIRST, then use the highlighter after. The highlighter is my favorite part, it really brightens up those under eyes so you don't look like a cast of The Walking Dead! 

• Kabuki Brush: I couldn't find it in stores so I bought it on Amazon, which costed a bit more but it was still under $6 so I can't complain. AMAZING brush, great for evening out powder and foundation. 

NOT SO FAVORITES:

• Lip Stains:  wooooh talk about SMELLY after a few days… I don't know if I got a bad one but you know how some markers smell like … there are no words… but you know… terrible? Yeah… mine ended up like that! GROSS. And it didn't really 'stain' at all.

• HD Blush: MESSY. I mean it will def give you that rosey cheek look if applied RIGHT, otherwise watch out, here comes the Circus! Ever heard the saying, "too much of a good thing, isn't a good thing"? Well in this case, its true. So if you do get it, pump a little onto the back side of your hand (A LITTLE for all you hard to read die hard blush gals) and then lightly swirl your blush brush around it, and LIGHTLY (see the key word being repeated) brush onto apples of your cheeks. It can look great, IF done right!

• Tone Correcting Powder: This CAN be a great product, but if you use all four colors and your naturally pale, watch out Casper! ;-) If you use lightly and only use the colors you need to correct redness on the face, it can work pretty well. Correct with caution! ((Yellow neutralizes red & brightens, blue neutralizes orange, green neutralizes red, & pink neutralizes grey))

As time goes, I'll do another blogpost about my favorite products, but for now that's what I could think of that I haven't shared quite yet! Don't forget to click on the beauty tab at the top to see more quick beauty tips!

CIAO! 

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