Holiday Workout Schedule

Some #FunFacts that you may relate to! 

Fact. I don't and will not count calories. Sure, I’ll once in a while track the basic macros, but I will not make calorie counting apart of my health and fitness ritual. I know that it works for some, but for me its like obsessing over checking the scale each morning. 

Another Fact. I prefer counting containers over anything. It’s easy. They’re color coded based on proteins, veggies, fats, fruits, and so on and so forth and already portioned out. It’s simple. And they’re cute. ;-) 

Anotherrrrr fact. I’ve shared my T25, 21 Day Fix and other results. These programs have always been the best, fastest way for me to get accountable to my fitness goals. 

Last FACT. I LOVE to eat. Like a lot. After one meal, I usually know what I’ll have next because I do my best to keep the 21 Day Fix meal plan(s) and containers close by so I can stay consistent with my results. 

There’s about 7 (yes, SEVEN) weeks left of this year… #holyYOWZA #WhereDidTheTimeGo and you could either spend it back peddling by letting yourself slip a little here… (holiday work parties) and a little there (having Thanksgiving 3x in one weekend, you know who you are)…

OR 

…you could set some really freakin awesome goals WITH me to end the next 7 weeks healthier than when started the beginning of this year. 

I’m a future thinker, in fact, its my strongest characteristic. While I’m ALL for enjoying the parties, the turkey, the champagne, and snuggling, I’m also all about RESULTS. 

I know that a few excuses compounded over time got me 20 pounds heavier than I am now. And yes, you may shrug and say thats not much but when you stand at 5’2” — it all counts. 

And it ALL counts right now. 

Now, if you’re not serious about it, thats fine too. I want to coach those who ARE serious. Those who don’t need a January 1st to hit the ground running. Those who are pretty much fed up with where they are now and don't need a fancy Turkey dinner to solidify it. 

#JussssSayin

So it’s easy. You spend the next 6 weeks with ME. Doing the program WITH me and a few other awesome women in a private online Facebook group with daily check ins, heathy holiday recipes, fitness tips, and support so when you reach for that 2nd cookie, we’re here to remind you why you got started. 

For some of you - it may be about balance and you’re at your goal almost, so you just crave the group support.

And for others - it may be that you need to make a drastic change. That the holidays wont be an excuse and if you can conquer this time of year, anything else is a piece of cake… (minus the cake). 

Sound like something you are ready for? Apply HERE: http://abbymaried.blogspot.com/p/join-bombshell-challenge.html

Oh and YES, that dinner in the picture was amazing! Bison meatballs on top of a bed of zucchini / sweet potato noodles with arugula salad and baby potatoes. YES, thats how I eat on the meal plan during our 6 weeks ;-) 

CIAO! 

Read More

21 Day Fix Extreme Day 1 Review

Well, hello girl friends <3 and maybe the random guy who stumbles upon my blog. So I started the 21 Day Fix Extreme workouts as soon as I got it... I'll admit, I got the 2 Day Shipping because I was so excited.

BUT I totally dropped the ball on my diet...Here's my excuse (I told you we all have them)...  I knew what I was doing, but it was also somewhat on purpose. I knew I had a few events and things coming up that I wanted to indulge in and had planned. You gals know how that is! Who can say no to beers at Disneyland California Adventure... I mean why not. How often do you get to Disney and pay that much for a beer? ;-)

I  truly believe in life balance... and creating a shift in mindset with out guilt tripping yourself, while still embracing the things you want to do. I can't imagine being so strict that I forget how much I love pop tarts once in a while... (or once a month). I've done the crazy strict thing, and it just led me down a dark path of secret food binges.

That is a path I don't really want to go down again, so for me personally it's learning self control and knowing when to have fun. It was not an easy balance to find and it takes work everyday to maintain it.

This was last years results... and I know I can do this again. And DAMN I felt GREAT after the 21 days.. it made this whole meal prep so much easier. Surprisingly, I wasn't as committed before the Fix came out, I just kind of winged it. This absolutely filled in the 'gaps' - you know those questions we all ask 'what do I eat? How much do I eat? When Do I eat it? How much fruit should I be getting? How much protein should I eat? Do I need a multivitamin?"

If you want to read about my 21 Day Fix Results from last year, go here! 

Our success lies in our daily choices and habits... you are in control of what you do.

All within reason right? For me, its not ALWAYS 'all or nothing' 'black and white' ALL the time.

However, I want to do the 21 Days as best I can. I checked my calendar to make sure that there's really nothing to disrupt or at least find ways I can remedy social outings. The good thing is I have Shakeology and I can volunteer to DD (which I NEVER DO...)

So I'm doing this. 21 Days. 3 Weeks. Meal Plan. Portioned Containers and color coded per food groups. 30 min workouts via DVD. My Dvd Player. and ME.

So here we are... Day 1. I'm excited. I have a good idea of the workouts and now its time to stick that meal plan. As accountability, here's my food prepared for lunch. Tomorrow I have to grab a few things -- produce and veggies. Otherwise I'm good, I just want to make sure I'm 100% stocked on healthy options.

I'm doing it right this time ladies, no short cuts. Not skipping the before photos. No excuses!

Day 1 was successful! Stuck to my portions, got my workout in and honestly, Plyo Fix Extreme is an amazing lower body workout... I would love to see the person who doubts at home workouts sweat this one out... Alright 20 more days to go!

So who's with me?! If you want to learn more about this program and want to join me, click HERE.

I cant wait to hear from you! To our year round bikini bodies... #YesWeWill

Read More

Spicy Chinese Shrimp Stir Fry

So.. I'm not sure if this is Chinese inspired or what but... whatever it is, its delicious. I usually just use teriyaki sauce and that's it (is that lazy or efficient?) but I wanted to try a little something from scratch. So alas... this is what I was inspired to try by a mashup of a few recipes I've seen. I didn't want to do as many steps or have as many ingredients. So it kind of snowballed into its own. And YUM.

What You Need:

• large eggplant 
• Rice wine vinegar 
• garlic
• 1 TBSP of sirarcha 
• crushed red pepper
• sesame seeds
• scallions
• sesame oil
• coconut oil
• 1/2 onion diced
• Himalayan salt
• zucchini - I used Mexican 
• yellow potatoes
• red and green bell peppers
• Protein: Use whatever you like, but I used shrimp! 
• Brown Rice 

Directions:

1. Dice up all the veggies. I cut the potato into small pieces and then boil for a few minutes alone. 
2. Prepare the rice (that shizzz takes forever)
3. Dethaw shrimp if need be and set aside. 
4. In a large pan, on low heat add 3tbsp of sesame oil and 1 tbsp of coconut oil. Add 1-2 tsp of crushed red pepper, and diced onion. Add the veggies and potatoes, sauté 
5. In a smaller pan, add 2tbsp of sesame oil and 1tbsp of coconut oil. Add 1 tsp of crushed red pepper and 1 tsp of garlic. Add 1tbsp of sirarcha and add the shrimp
6. Add the scallions and sesame seeds last then combine the shrimp with the veggies. 

VOILA! 

I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did! <3 Ciao! 

Read More

Healthy Turkey Bacon Cali Club Sandwich

I'm a sucker for carbs... bacon... avocado... but I'm also a sucker for having a flat stomach, chiseled arms, and a nice booty.

But I love a good sammich... sandwich... seems like everyone has their own little way of saying it. && it was one of those days where I didn't know what to eat, and decided to throw this together. Who doesn't crave a healthier BLT?!

And this was too easy to not share, it seems pretty obvious, but I will break it down anyway!

What You Need:

• Ezekiel bread (or some type of sprouted grain bread)
• Turkey bacon - I prefer Trader Joes peppered turkey bacon 
• shredded carrots
• sliced cucumbers
• hummus - flavor of your choice (I used basil pesto)
• avocado
• lettuce

Directions:

1. Cook the turkey bacon and toast the Ezekiel bread 
2. spread hummus and avocado on the bread
3. Compile all ingredients

EAT. 

21 Day Fix Approved:

1 Red (turkey bacon)

1 Green (lettuce/cucumber slices/shredded carrots)

2 Yellow (Ezekiel bread)

1 Blue (avocado/hummus spread)

Bon Appetite! 

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Read More

Healthy Sweet Potato Burgers

I love potatoes of all shapes, sizes, and colors... I don't discriminate on carbs when they have potential to taste like french fries. I'm pretty sure you agree right?

So a few weeks ago my boyfriend and I went to our friends house (cute engaged couple -- Tiarah and Tony) and they introduced us to an AWESOME seriously healthy and EASY recipe... So thank you Tony for being health focused and getting us hooked even MORE so on potatoes ha!

This recipe is EASY... and takes minimal mental effort. Ready? Me too, because even the left overs are #bombDOTcom

What you Need:

• Two large sweet potatoes or yams
• organic, unrefined coconut oil
• Himalayn salt and pepper
• Grass fed beef/lean ground turkey/black beans -- use your preference of a patty -- black bean burgers are a GREAT option for vegan and vegetarian folks! For the black bean patty recipe (vegan and vegetarian friendly) CLICK HERE
• Hamburger seasoning 
• Olive oil
• shredded cheese or pepper jack 

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut up the sweet potatoes in circles - these will be your BUNS! So make sure your SP are big enough or your patties are smaller depending on the size
2. Grab a pyrex larger glass dish. Toss in 1 tbsp of coconut oil -- if its not melted just place in the oven for a second. Toss the sweet potato slices around so they are coated with the coconut oil and add a dash of salt! Put in the oven for about 25 minutes -- don't let them get TOO soggy or your buns will fall apart! 
3. Season your ground turkey, beef or black bean patties with your choice of seasonings -- I liked hamburger seasoning,  pepper, a little salt, and add shredded cheese to keep most. Then place into SMALL patties and coat with olive oil. 
4. Either in a pan, on a grill (like my hand dandy George Foreman), or in the oven, cook the patties until desired temperature/well/medium well/etc. 
5. When both are done, add some ketchup, avocado and enjoy! Or whatever toppings you want ;-) 

21 Day Fix Approved:

Depending on which bracket your in based on your caloric needs/goals it depends on how many red/yellow/blue and green containers you have portioned for each meal. If you follow my meal above, it would be two red/two yellow/two green/1 blue (ok maybe two blue... whoops darn avocado). 

But the main containers you are using: Green, Red, Yellow (& blue if you are adding avocado) 

*The sweetness from the coconut oil adds the perfect sweet/salt ratio to your dinner, trust me its AMAZING! It doesn't taste like coconut burgers ;-) 

Bon Appetite! 

Read More

Turkey Meatball and Zoodles

Lately I've been having a lot of epic fails in the kitchen... I hit a few bumps in the road with coconut flour and knocking things over. A pinch of confusion with a dash of clumsy.

I bought my veggettie (such a weird name in my opinion) from Bed Bath and Beyond for $15 -- cheap and worked pretty good in my opinion, but this is my first time making ZOODLES (zuchinni noodles... theres quite a few names for it).

I've heard of much better "noodelizing" devices. Yes I definitely just made up that word. But it works right?

Anyway, use whatever you like... Ive seen a noodle machine and I've seen people use julianne peeler), but this whole dinner was SUPER easy in my opinion for how good it tastes... my boyfriend and I both had seconds and I didn't feel one bit guilty.

I mean how can YA?! Its zucchini, turkey and yummy sauce. SO! Onto the goods...

This is in 3 Parts -- 1. Zoodles 2. Meatballs 3. Sauce Voila.


Part I: ZOODLES 

Rinse and dry off completely... cut the hard end off and insert the zucchini in the vegettie (or look up other ways to noodelize your zucchini) -- it will spiral out naturally. Drain in a colander -- the water will naturally drip down. You don't  want soggy noodles!

I added a bit of salt to give the noodles some flavor... this is optional but it tasted amazing. I used Pink Himalayn salt.

Set aside and move onto the meatballs...

 Part II: Turkey Meatballs

You need:

• ground turkey (2lbs)
• 2 tsp of dried oregano 
• 2 tsp of Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp of rosemary
• 1 tsp of black pepper
• salt to taste (a pinch)
• 1tsp of crushed red pepper
• 3 tsp of garlic
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup of mozzarella 
• 4 packets (2 cups) of quick oats *you can use 2 cups of bread crumbs, but I have oatmeal for days here and find other ways to use it)

Combine ground turkey and ingredients, mix well. I used a spatula. Get aggressive ladies.. its already dead. Make sure your spices are evenly distributed.

Make 1 inch meat balls and place in a large skillet/pan.. add about 2tbsp of olive oil to cook them. Put on medium heat. When the bottoms have cooked half way (when you only see grey colored meat vs pink colored) flip the meat balls and cook the other side.
*be careful not to overcook them, the mozzarella keeps them soft. (amazing)

Set aside and move onto the sauce...

Part III: The Sauce

You Need:

• 1 6oz can of tomato paste
• 2 10.5 oz jars of tomato puree 
• 6 oz of water 
• 3 tsp of garlic (minced)
• pinch of dried oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. 
• Chopped fresh basil (I used a small pack from walmart) 
• *I know some people like to add a little sugar to their sauce (which tastes amazing too) but I wanted to keep it as healthy as possible! 

Combine the ingredients in a pan and simmer on low. Grab the zoodles then heat them on low with a little EVOO -- sautée to the consistency you like. I didn't want them to get too soggy so I simmered them on low for about 3 minutes.

Finally, pull all your ingredients together and place in a bowl, everything should be relatively warm still but you may need to heat it up. 

When I say this was easy, I'm not kidding! If you're not a great cook and you're looking at this like WOAH 3 parts?! Thats a lot! Each part took just a few minutes to do. The longest process is the meatballs.

Ok so in regards to 21 Day Fix Containers -- you can easily place the zoodles in the green container.. so whatever you have left that day (if you're lucky and have 3!) then you're dinner may be a bit bigger! I used about 3 meatballs in a red container.

Zoodles = however many green containers you have left/want to use for dinner (this is different for each person based on their meal plan and how many containers they're allowed)
3 meatballs = 1 red
Sauce = 1/2 green container 

So just give it a shot, let me know what you think and enjoy!

Read More

Transformation Station: Wendie Strickler - down 45lbs

Hello bloggers and followers! Meet Wendie... ""Hi everyone I'm a blessed wife to my husband of 14 yrs & a stay at home, homeschooling momma to 5 kiddos. And now I'm wellness coach w/ Beachbody!

I have finally come to a place in my life that I'm just tired of my unhealthy lifestyle. My start weight was at 283+ lbs only 5 months ago when I decided to change everything! I ordered The 21 Day Fix and the path the wonderful health came hard and fast. Dropped 51+ lbs since and I'M NOT LOOKING BACK  

Please join me in changing our countries fast food, low energy lifestyle, let me help inspire you & root me on as well while I continue on this most wonderful path!""<3 

First and Last Name: 

Wendie Strickler

Program Used for Transformation

The 21 Day Fix

How did you get started with Beachbody?

I tired bb for a hot second about 4 yrs ago but never started the program I bought. This time I saw the 21 day fix in my newsfeed and decided to go w/ Amee as my coach :)

Why did you decided to use this program for your transformation?

I used it cause it did a different workout for each day of the week and it had those colorful containers to teach me how to portion control.

Where does your motivation come from?

This part is always emotional for me...my motivation at first came from that 283+lb woman that was no longer happy and was making her family miserable too. But now being on this journey for almost 5 months my motivation has grown to be because of the people that I am now inspiring to get up and move. Or to eat a cleaner way. I'm motivated by the my husband that looks at me with the same loving eyes as he did 50lbs heavier & by my 5 children's happiness <:

What were your results like? How did that make you feel?

I have to up date my measurement this week but I have lost a total of 45lbs in 4 1/2 months. It makes me feel I'm worthy to look in the mirror and be happy & very proud of who's looking back at me....

What are your honest thoughts about the program?

I truly deep down inside believe that it is a life saver!!! I believe that anyone of any size can find a transformation to be happy with :)

How has your mental fitness changed since day 1 of the program compared to the last day? Besides the physical results, how did it affect you on the inside?

Pushing play was so rough the first week. I was sick to my stomach the first 4 days after each workout. Really gross I know but true....by the end of the program it was ah it and a yearning to include working out everyday....To actually watch what I put into my mouth! Very new to me compared to my old life style!

What 2-3 things do you feel helped you complete your Beachbody program? What tools helped you stay focused?

Autumns personality
My coach
My fast results

What advice would you give to someone who is considering starting an at home Beachbody program?

To join a support/challenge group help you feel accountable and get wonderful tips and advice.
I'd tell them that by pushing they are bettering their lives and they are sooooo worth the change!!!

To contact Wendie:

Facebook

Email

Read More

Spinach and Asparagus Cheesy Stuffed Chicken

Fun fact: I stopped eating meat for about 5 months after watching a lot of those food documentaries on Netflix (Food Inc., Forks Over Knives, Sick, Fat and Nearly Dead, Food Matters, Farmageddon, pretty much every single one they have had). 

I'm secretly obsessed with those documentaries, it baffles me what kind of bullshit goes on within our country and food. Geez ok.. thats another blog article in itself. 

So let me ask ya...

Why did the chicken cross the road?

Well in my book, to get stuffed, seasoned, and baked! I'm back to eating meat, and I see it like this: live life with balance. I TRY to balance all things -- food, alcohol, workouts, relationships, etc. and even, MEAT. I try my best to find range free, organic, local grown, hormone free, etc. products. 

To be honest, its an internal battle whether to be vegetarian at times when you know only half of the bad things that go on behind closed doors (cough Monsanto cough). 

AH back to that! Ok, focus! 

Here's What You Need: 

• 2 chicken breasts (or 1 if your cooking for one)
• Seasoning of your choice for the chicken -- I used Mrs. Dash Original blend and Chicken 
• Olive oil
• Spinach
• Asparagus
• Himalayan salt
• Pepper
• Low fat or whipped cream cheese 

Directions:

*Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees

1. Butterfly (or cut in half like I did) the chicken, add a little olive oil and seasonings. 
2. Season the asparagus (I used some of Mrs. Dash original and pepper) and coat lightly with olive oil, place in the oven for 12 or so minutes, then set aside. 
3. Sautee the spinach with a little olive oil and Himalayn salt, then set aside.
4. Cook the chicken for a few minutes (not fully cooked), pull out and add 1 tbsp of cream cheese per chicken breast. Add spinach and asparagus, and put back in the oven for 6 minutes.

Then...

Chow Down. 

Bon Appetite <3

Read More

Southwest Turkey Quinoa Casserole

Hi chickadees =) Hope your weekend was FANTABULOUS....  << thats one of my most favorite made up words... its fantastic + fabulous

Mine consisted of the World Cup, working out, the beach, working a little and coming up with new recipes <3

I know.. catchy.

Anyway, I was browsing Instagram a few nights ago looking at some #FOODPORN...

*which is actually a REALLY bad idea because anytime I lay in bed and look at food at 11pm it makes me want to snack, so I try to avoid this

when I stumbled across a turkey casserole dish. I totally forgot to double tap (like that ish) and screen shot it so I could do it.

So I decided to just wing it. A casserole can't be THAT hard. And it wasn't! SCORE.

What You Need:

• Lean ground turkey 
• Shredded Fiesta Blend Cheese
• Taco seasoning
• Mrs. Dash Extra Spicy seasoning
• Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle seasoning
• Paprika 
• 1/2 onion
• 1 can of corn
• 2 cans of black beans
• 2 cups of cooked quinoa
• 1 diced fresh jalapeño
• minced garlic
• 2tbsp olive oil
• avocado for topping
• sour cream and salsa optional (and so good with it)

Directions:

*Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Dice up onion, jalapeño and garlic. Sautee with olive oil on low heat. 
2. Prepare/cook quinoa if not done yet before doing the next step (the quinoa and turkey will finish at the same time)
3. In a bowl, empty the ground turkey and add spices -- mix well and add 2tbsp of olive oil
4. Ground up turkey in the pan and cook through
5. While turkey is cooking, check quinoa (it should only take about 15 mins to cook both)
6. Drain beans and corn, and empty into a casserole dish
7. Add the cooked quinoa and cooked turkey into the casserole dish and mix well with the beans and corn. 
8. Add the shredded cheese and either mix in or leave on top
9. Place casserole dish in oven and cook for 10 minutes
10. Let cool, add avocado and enjoy!

You'll see.. SO good! 

Read More

Strawberry Avocado Summer Salad

Welp, HAPPY ((ALMOST)) Summer!!!! Ok, I'm a little early, but that's ok.

I'm not a huge salad person when I have to make it myself because I just don't know what to do... I think its option overload so I always end up putting the wrong things together. I know, strange.

Anyway, this salad came out YUMMM and it was so easy.. and I'm a little proud of myself-- I can make pancakes from scratch off the top of my head, but I cannot master a salad, except this easy one.

21 Day Fix approved:

2 red -- chicken or protein (if you use two chicken breasts -- I cut all my breasts in half before I cook them so I get "more" out of it)
3 green -- I like a lot of spinach, but you can measure it out
1 purple- strawberries
1 blue- avocado (I'm apart of AA -- avocado's anonymous, I have a problem)

What You Need:

• 1/2 avacado
• spinach
• Himalayan Salt
• Pepper
• Diced up chicken (or protein of your choice)
• diced up strawberries
• diced up avocado
• lemon juice

I don't use dressing, so if you do, by all means go for it... I just like less calories. I use lemon juice with salt and pepper ;-)

So combine all that, dash of salt, dash of pepper, lemon juice... and that's it! 

It's simple, but fresh and easy. Can't go wrong! 

Read More

My Daily Meal Plan

I posted this earlier on my Facebook this week (Facebook.com/abbymaried) and wanted to share with my bloggers as well ;-)

To give a quick idea of what I eat on the daily:

16oz of water then, 
***T25 for quick morning cardio*** 

Breakfast: ((OPTIONS))

• Shakeology and oatmeal with 1tbsp of PB (tastes like a friggin PB oatmeal cookie, #nom) 
• 1-2 servings of Fruit (I follow the portion size from the 21DF), a slice of ezekiel bread toast, and 2 eggs scrambled

Snack: Two eggs, spinach, and a slice of Ezekiel toast

Lunch: 

• Chicken, veggies, brown rice, avocado
• Healthy tuna avocado sandwich or salad (on a bed of spinach) with fresh fruit 

Snack: Cliff bar  or Luna Bar (before a workout usually) OR greek yogurt with an apple

Workout -- usually lifting (depending on the day of the week) following most of the Body Beast schedule (hello #ladybeast)

***Post workout protein shake and amino acids***

Dinner: Fish, sweet potatoes, veggies < something of that variation

TA DA... nothing crazy or complicated, but my week usually revolves around 5-6 meals a day focusing on using the 21 Day Fix meal plan guidelines (what would I do without that?!) and I try to drink as much water as I can...

Oh and I sneak in a cucumber smoothie from Robeks once a week.#ijustcanthelpmyself

But I do try to avoid doing this UNLESS its my designated cheat meal, then pass those chips over! I'll take another side of guac too. 

* I limit fruit, but do have cantaloupe, strawberries, blueberries, apples because they are lower on the GI scale and lower in sugars! I will do fruit for breakfast if I have it and it's in season 

OH, and I do NOT have fruit at night (if I can avoid it, but if I need something sweet, Ill sprinkle it with lemon and Tajin seasoning) and if I do eat bananas (which is rare) it's usually BEFORE a workout and/or 1/2 a banana!

Read More

Women's 21 Day Fix Results - 21 Day Fix Review

Welllllllllp, the time has come! I finally get to reveal my 21 Day Fix results on my blog to share with you ALL!!!

So are you ready?

Im sure you're wondering if I lost weight...

but truth of the matter is...

I actually GAINED two pounds...

am I freaking out over that?

YES I AM!! That's 2 pounds of solid muscle and definition I didn't have before... check it out:

At first glance it's so easy to think, "I look the same" but truth is, I wasn't going for a weight loss story, I was going for a habit changing story. I've been honest that I'm not all that great at meal planning, prep and my portion control needed some work. 

I started out at 118 and finished at 120. Am I freaking out over 2 lbs??? HECK YES, that'stwo pounds of muscle I've been working hard for! I can see how a lot of girls freak out when the scale starts to tip in what they think is the "wrong direction" but truth be told, feeling strong is way better than feeling "THIN" so while I didn't lose weight (thank goodness) I did gain two pounds of muscle and the discipline to start prepping my food and sticking to my REAL portion sizes  

I noticed a difference in my hips, arms and of course abs, I love how eating healthy and clean makes those muscles POP What I loved about the fix: it's realistic. There's no facade you're going to lose weight by eating whatever you want and however much you want... Even I get my delusional moments where I think, "I can just burn all this off" but it's like trying to cram 5 workouts in one day and expecting a 6 pack. GOODLUCK if you need a good ole fashion wake up call, then I totally suggest this program! 

to read more about the fix visit my other blog posts:

The Meal Plan

21 Day Fix Review of the workouts, trainer, meal plan and containers

If you want to know more on how to be apart of my 21 Day Fix support group on Facebook, need help with meal plan and prep, would like a sample meal plan and get started on the 21 Day Fix yourself, contact me NOW! It's 3 weeks, anyone can do 3 weeks right?!

CLICK HERE (to get started on YOUR JOURNEY)

to make me your FREE coach, CLICK HERE! 

want to know what a free coach entails? CLICK HERE

Look forward to your results! As always XOXO

Read More

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! 

Read More

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!

Read More