Insanity Max30, more than a home workout

I can't believe it's taken me this long to talk about one of the most important parts of Insanity Max30!!

Who has gone to the local store and bought one of those workout DVDs from the fitness aisle with full intentions of killing it and losing all of our weight? I know I have many times.  The problem with most of the DVDs in that aisle is they are missing a VERY important component that is needed for weight loss.  Nutrition.

Insanity Max30 (and every BeachBody program) comes with a meal plan.  The Max30 meal plan is based on my favorite meal plan that BB has. Who recognizes these containers?  These little containers make portion control and knowing what food to eat fool proof!  No scales, no calorie counting, no restrictions.  You can have wine, you can have chocolate, you can have bread (GASP).  It's all about moderation.

Container breakdown is as follows:
Purple-Fruits
Green-Veggies
Red-Protien
Yellow-Starchy carbs
Blue-Healthy fats
Orange-Dressings/oils
Tsp-nut butters, oils

There's a list of what foods go in each container and how many containers you get each day.  You pick what foods from the list you eat.  EASY!

The best part is it teaches you how to eat long term.  I have been using these containers off and on for the past 6 months.  Even when I am not following the eating plan exactly, I still think of what I am eating in terms of containers. When I am packing my food for the day I think "3 greens. That's a purple. Oh I already have a blue."  It is second nature now.  I credit this eating plan with helping me maintain and continue to lose.

Are you ready you ready to Maxout?  You don't even have to maxout to join my next online weight loss group!  There are so many options to choose from.  Let's work together to find the one that is right for you!  Click here to apply!

Peanut Butter Banana Overnight Oats

This recipe is being used in one of my current meal plan groups.  I had never tried overnight oats and assumed it would taste like paste since that is typically what all the oatmeal I try and make myself tastes like.  I was wrong!!! This oatmeal is SO tasty.  It makes a great quick breakfast and even a good snack.  Enjoy :)

Peanut Butter Banana Overnight Oats
4 servings

INGREDIENTS:
1 large ripe banana, mashed (about ½ cup)
¼ cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup almond milk
1 TBS chia seeds
½ tsp vanilla extract
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 tsp honey

PREPARATION:
Mix all ingredients, seal in an airtight container or mason jar, and put in the fridge overnight. Serve cold or hot, whichever you prefer!

I am excited to play with adding other ingredients to the oats to change up the flavor.

Not gonna lie...

I'm all about being honest with you all.  I love exercise I really do and usually no matter how I feel before I start I am able to push hard once I get going.  Today's workout from Insanity Max30, Friday Fight: Round 1, was TOUGH!  Shaun T says it's a fight between your mind and your body.  This morning that was very true.  My body was still tired from my Tabata Strength workout I did yesterday. My arms were sore, which is a good thing but it made all the moves today that much harder.And I'm sure my wine drinking 2 nights ago paired with not eating enough yesterday did not help.

I maxed out earlier than I did last Friday by 15 seconds and I modified a lot more than I have ever have.  It was NOT pretty but I got it done.  There were so many times I thought about just stopping and calling it a day, but I didn't.  I kept pushing myself as hard as I could.

My point for writing this post is to let you know that not every day is going to be awesome.  There are going to be days where you are dragging and the workout just doesn't go as well as you hoped it would.  This happens to all of us!  Whether you are in tip top physical shape or just starting to exercise. That doesn't mean you should stop and give up!  You keep going!  Be proud that did it anyway and didn't give up!

I get 2 days off now and I will for sure be taking my rest day tomorrow because I can tell my body needs it. I'll see how I feel on Sunday and maybe do some PiYo.  But I will for sure be back at it on Monday!

Are you ready to max out?  Apply to be in my next online group here!

 

Too funny not to share!  Mine have shrunk but that' OK I had too much to begin with!

HIIT WORKOUT: Week 1

For January I will posting some HIIT workouts to get you all all moving!  Here is Week 1 workout!  join the event here.  

Do it even when you don't feel like it

When my alarm went off at 5:45 I really did not want to get out of bed.  In my head I was thinking "I have to teach 2 classes tonight.  One hour of HIIT and one hour of PiYo so I don't need to do my workout this morning." I was right I didn't need to do it because I am going to burn enough calories and get a good workout tonight BUT....I set a goal for myself to complete Insanity Max30.  So I got up drank my E&E and got to work. And like always I am so glad I did!

Today's workout was Cardio Challenge.  This is the third time I have done this workout and I felt physically and mentally stronger.  There were 3 times I wanted to stop before I actually did.  I finally maxed out at 8:29 when I was beginning to feel like I might throw up. LOL...that's a good workout!

Don't let that scare you though! One of the many reasons I love this program is that you push yourself as hard as you can. So you can stop and take a break at any time! You don't have to push to the point of feeling a little sick but today I did push myself that hard because I am just a little crazy!

As if Cardio Challenge wasn't enough I also did Ab Attack and this is where I am really getting stronger.  Last time I did it I maxed out at 1:28 or something like that.  Today my max out time was 4:11.  Woot, woot those abs are getting stronger!!!

Another reason I am loving Insanity Max30.  I can see and feel the results already and I've only been doing it for two weeks!  It make all the hard work worth it to see results happening so quickly! I can't wait to see what I can do in 60 days!

So what are you waiting for??? Max out with me!  Click here to apply :)

Maple Glazed Chicken with Brussels sprout slaw

Ingredients

8 chicken tenders

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons maple syrup

15-20 Brussels sprouts 

1 medium apple, cut into small pieces and peeled

1 pear, cut and peeled

Preparation

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add chicken to pan; cook on each side until done. Remove from pan. Add 3 tablespoons vinegar and syrup to pan; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until reduced to 3 tablespoons. Return chicken to pan; turn to coat with glaze.
2. Cut Brussels sprouts in half lengthwise; thinly slice crosswise. Place remaining 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk. Add Brussels sprouts, pear and apple; toss to combine. Serve slaw with chicken.

I actually used Blackberry Ginger vinegar and Toasted sesame oil for my slaw.  I get mine at Red Wing Olive Oils and Vinegars but not sure where else they may be available. It hit the spot and brought me down from my carb high I had from Christmas :)  ENJOY!

Adapted from: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/maple-glazed-chicken

Staying consistent.....

As you may know I am doing Insanity Max30.  It's a 5 day per week program that I am doing at home.  I have been doing the workouts Mon-Friday following the calender that is provided.

Obviously you don't HAVE to do Monday-Friday.  Any consecutive 5 days in the week will work just fine.  But what happens when Christmas falls on a Thursday??? 

I had good intentions to workout Christmas morning.  It's only 30 minutes and can be done at home.  I thought I would be able to sneak away while the kids were playing with their gifts from Santa.  But of course, toys needed batteries, my son needed assistance with his new origami set and the homemade cinnamon rolls weren't going to make themselves.  So I chose time with my family over getting my workout in that morning.  Then we went to my parents house 1 hour away and celebrated Christmas again.

At parents I did not get get in my fruits and veggies and basically binged on carbs, fats and salty proteins.  This left me feeling quite lethargic and the last thing I wanted to do when I we got home at 8PM was workout!  So I did not get my Tabata Power done like my calender told me to. OH NO! I should just give up, start over next week because I messed up right?

WRONG!  Today I woke up and did my Tabata power and tomorrow I will do my Friday Fight and be right back on track for my workouts.  The world won't end because I modified the calender a bit and the fat won't know the difference :)

I am writing about this because for 2 reasons. One is to let you know I am not perfect and would never claim to be. The other reason is I hear from people all the time that they are going to start over or worse yet give up all together when they slip up or miss a workout (or two!).  This is a vicious cycle that hinders success!  It's time to switch your thought process and rather than always starting over just pick up where you left off and KEEP GOING!

So I have my plan for getting back on track for my workouts but what about nutrition?  It was terrible yesterday.  I could run with it and be like "well may as well binge all weekend and start over on Monday"  NO, NO, NO!!! That will I at set me back even further!

Today my focus will be on getting as many fruits, veggies and lean protiens as possible and drinking LOTS of water to help my body get out of it's carb coma.  

I didn't weigh myself this morning because what good would it do?? There would be 2 possibilities
1. I step on the scale and the weight didn't change making me think OK well I guess I'll have some more cookies today.
2. I gained 3 or more pounds I feel terrible about that, get mad at myself, start having negative self talk and start my downward spiral.

I will not step on the scale until next Monday. Because that will give me a more accurate picture of what my weight is than I will get today.

I hope you have found this post helpful and it motivates you to keep going no matter how the last couple days have gone for you!  Health and fitness is a journey with no start or stop.  The goal is to keep making progress. As long as you are doing that you are doing AWESOME!!!

FOOD GUILT

I posted this picture on my FB page last night.

This bottle of wine has a lesson/story. More tomorrow.

So here's the story.  

I went to my extended family Christmas last night and guess what?!?! I drank that entire bottle of wine (except for a tiny glass I gave my aunt to try), ate Cheesecake and too much cream based soup!

Did I go over my calories for the day? FOR SURE

Did I eat too many carbs? YOU BET

Did I feel bad about it? NO WAY

I hear people saying all the time "I had a cookie.  I feel so bad about that." or "I was naughty today and ate (insert food here)"  

Stop feeling bad about what you eat!!!  If you spend most of your time eating a balanced, nutrient dense diet ONE cookie or soda is not going to make you gain weight!  

I get it, you want to lose weight.  But by having this thought process in your head that any time you eat anything that is not a fruit or vegetable is "bad" is not healthy.  The people I have worked with who think this way have a really hard time being successful with weight loss.  I think it's because they arealways  starting over. I ate a cookie today so I'll start over tomorrow.  Then they get frustrated because they keep having to start over.

A better plan is eating those nutirent dense foods 80% of the time and the other 20% is all those less nutrient dense foods.  Does this mean I have a little notebook where I claculate percentages? No.  But after last night I was more aware of what I ate today and made sure to get in my fruits and veggies and skip the wine after supper.  So I am not depriving myself, because if I do I will inevitably binge.

Right now is the perfect time to talk about this because Christmas is this week.  It wil be IMPOSSIBLE to be "perfect"  So have a plan!  If you know you have a party at night eat all your fruits and veggies before you go if you know those will be limited at the event.  Then go and HAVE fun!  If you eat too many pieces of bread or too many glasses of wine that's OK.  

You can make it through this week and keep your goals in mind without spending the entire week feeling bad.

Day 3: Insanity Max30

 

Today was Sweat Intervals.  What can I say about sweat intervals....it's sweaty and it's sweaty.  Have you ever done Insanity?  Well sweat Intervals is like that without as many breaks and in only 30 minutes which is why there are less breaks!  I maxed out at 7:45 and I wanted to max out a lot sooner (actually during the "warm up" but kept pushing myself).  And I am certain that sweat intervals is going to make my abs stronger without ever doing a single crunch.

There were two quotes from this workout that stuck with me.

At one point one of the girls is panting and trying to drink water and Shaun T comes up to her and asks how she is doing.  Her response "When I think I can't do one more, I do three."  That right there is the attitude you HAVE to have to be successful at this program. You have to challenge yourself to KEEP GOING.  You're at home by yourself so it would be very easy to stop and just turn off the TV and just say I'm done.  But you can't do that if you want results.  And seriously the feeling I have when that timer beeps and the 30 minutes are done...pure bliss, joy, accomplishment and relief.  I love that feeling!  You know the runner's high, well there is an Insanity Max30 high and I am definitely on it!

The other quote was directly from the man himself "I know it's crazy, that's why it's Insanity Max 30!" There is nothing else to add to that.....  

I also did the 10 minute Ab Attack today.  I didn't even make it a minute!  I am sure part of the reason is because my abs and the rest of my body were already dying from sweat intervals.  But my abs are always a weak point for me so I am sure I would not have made it the full 10 minutes even if that is all I had done.  I liked ab attack. It wasn't  just a bunch of crunches,  I never have good form with crunches and my neck always hurts if I do too many (because my form is bad.) The moves were all in a plank or c sit position for the most part.  I took many breaks and am sure my abs will be sore tomorrow!

What questions do you have about Insanity Max30?  Post them below or message me on FB!

Does reading about my journey inspire you to start your own?  Click here to be in my next online weight loss challenge group.  I look forward to helping you reach your goals!

Pineapple Chicken Salad Lightened up

Today I am sharing one of the recipes we are using in my free five day meal plan group. I've had this for lunch the last two days. It's so good!

Pineapple Chicken Salad Wraps

Yields 4 servings

2 ½ cups cooked chicken breast, chopped

1 can (8 oz) of crushed pineapple in 100% juice, drained

¼ pomegranate aerils 

¼ cup scallions, finely chopped

¼ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup plain Greek yogurt

1 TBS Worcestershire sauce

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

4 whole wheat tortillas

In a large sized bowl, combine chopped chicken, pineapple,  aerils, mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder salt, and black pepper. 

Add equal parts of chicken salad, about 1/3 cup, to the center of each tortilla, roll and fold each wrap tightly.

My 21 day fix Journey-Round 2

I did a round of the 21 day fix when it was first released and had great results.  I had already lost 20 pounds using T25 and was looking for something different. The 21 day fix was exactly what I needed. I was able to lose another 9 pounds and 7.5 inches.  As you can see there is a significant difference in my midsection.

Since the program worked so well the first time I have tried on 3 separate occasions to complete another round.  I was never successful.  Because I was OK with my current weight and the way my body looked I just could not commit!  I went into maintenance mode and spent WAY too long there.  Finally, right before Thanksgiving I decided I was ready to really commit to losing my last 10-15 pounds.  Since I know nutrition is my biggest battle the 21 Day Fix was an obvious choice for me.  This time I decided to really test out the nutrition plan. The 21 day fix comes with great 30 minute workouts and a calender to follow so you know exactly what to do each day.  But I wanted to see if my results would be similar following ONLY the nutrition part. I did my own workouts that I feel are a pretty balanced mix:  Cardio 3 days per week, weight training 2 days per week and PiYo 2 days per week.

I was NOT perfect on my 2nd round.  There were 2 nights I had cheese curds and a burger while skiing.  I drank way too much wine on Thanksgiving.  I gave into late night snacking too often.  But I did not give up.  I kept pushing through and tried to make up for my slip ups by decreasing my containers the next day.  I was able to lose 8 pounds in 18 days.  Obviously not all that was fat, I lost a lot of water as well.

Because I was so focused on the nutrition component I also did the 3 day quick fix for the last 3 days. I did not do this the first time I completed the 21 day fix.  The plan looks like this.

Yes I really ate only that for 3 days. I was so proud of myself! I am always saying "I don't have the willpower to resist tempting foods." Now I know I do and that was just an excuse! I went out to eat 2 times over the 2 days,went skiing and spent countless hours baking holiday goodies but NEVER cheated, not even a little bit.  The other surprise was I was not hungry at all.  I thought for sure I would be starving, but 6 servings of protein really fills you up!  Actually I couldn't even eat my 6th meal on any of the days.  I ate a lot of chicken because I am not a big fish or ground turkey fan.  I did have salmon once and attempted a tuna steak but could not choke it down.  I really liked the coconut oil.  I was eating it solid off the spoon by the end of day 1 (maybe that makes me a little nutty)

So now my results!  I lost 10 pounds and 8 inches in 21 days following only the nutrition component. It's very obvious in the picture below that I lost some of my belly and have more abs.  So it is true, abs are made in the kitchen!  I still have some body fat to lose and have moved on to a different program to help me with that.

Ok so now to my larger point.  I talk with people all the time about weight loss and living a healthier lifestyle.  They are so focused on the exercise part.  Don't get me wrong exercise is important, but if we all just focused more on our nutrition (myself included! But I really enjoy exercise.) we would not have to work so hard on the exercise piece!  You need BOTH to be successful and I see way too many people only focusing on the exercise component. This is why I love BeachBody programs so much.  They don't just give you the workouts, they give you a meal plan too! They understand the importance of nutrition to reach your goals!

So there it is, my bare belly out for the whole world to see :o.  Have a great night and thanks for reading!

Have my results inspired you to start your own weight loss journey?  Join my next online challenge group click here so I can learn more about you and your goals!

Get Lean in 2015 with my help!

The new year will be here soon! Many people have resolutions to lose weight and get healthy. This year let me help you stick to that resolution!  I will be running an online accountability group beginning in January!

There will be a meal plan provided, workouts based on your goals and interests when it comes to exercise and an easy to follow workout calender!

That's how I lost my weight over a year ago and you can do it too!

 BEFORE the group

AFTER :)

With my help you will RULE your resolution!!  

Want more info?  Click here and complete the form so I can learn more about you!  I can't want to work with you!!

And since you are here...see that box on the right hand side?  Leave your info so you can get my newsletter each month! It's filled with recipes, health and fitness tips and information about my upcoming events. Don't miss out! 

Sweet Potatoes are yummy!

I asked on my Facebook page if people liked sweet potatoes and there was a resounding YES for sweet potatoes!  Personally, they are not my favorite but I am finding new ways to prepare them that make me like them more.  I think part of the reason I don't like them is because I don't like taking the time to prepare them. For some reason it seems like a lot of work; when really it isn't!

OK so two sweet potato recipes.  The first is because thanksgiving is coming up so I found one that is healthier take on sweet potato casserole.  It can be found  here.  

The second just may be my soul mate sweet potato recipe!  Even my kids liked them until I told them it was sweet potatoes.  So here it is!

-1 C mashed sweet potato

-4 eggs

-2 Tbsp

-2 tsp cinnamon

-1/2 tsp cloves

-1/2 tsp baking soda

-4 tsp brown sugar

1.Combine sweet potatoes and eggs until well blended. 

2. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.

3. Cook on griddle just like pancakes.

4.Top with sauce of choice.  I like almond butter or Peanut butter to make it a perfectly balanced treat :)

Italian Chicken Soup

The soup I made for supper tonight was so yummy. And it's full of veggies and was super simple to make!  So here it is:

-1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cooked and cut

-1 can cannellini beans, rinsed

-4 Tbsp Tomato Paste

-1 can diced tomatoes with Italian Seasoning

-32oz Chicken broth

-2 Roasted Red Bell Peppers, cut

-1 onion, chopped

-salt and pepper to taste

- 1/2 tsp celery salt

-3 Tbsp Rosemary (dried)

-1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes

-4 Garlic cloves

-6 oz Fresh spinach

-Parmesan cheese, for garnish

1. Cook chicken thighs, season with 1 Tbsp Rosemary while cooking
2. Combined cooked chicken and all other ingredients except for the spinach and cheese in a crock pot
3. Cook on high for 3 hours
4. Add spinach and cook another hour
5. Serve wtih bread and Parmesan cheese on top

Enjoy :)

Adapted from: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/tuscan-chicken-soup

My nutrition habits-part 2

For wellness Wednesday I am going to talk about my actual habits for eating.  I have developed these habits over the course of 7 years.  It's a mix of information from a dietitian I saw, things I've read and from trial and error. It's not meant to prescribe what anyone should do, this is just what works for me.

1. Always eat breakfast. I never used to eat breakfast, I learned I need to eat breakfast.  If I don't I will inevitably binge for lunch or my morning snack.  I'm also more alert when I eat breakfast and tend better manage my eating throughout the day.

2. Eat every 3-4 hours.  No it's not because I think my metabolism is going to come to a screeching hault or my muscles are going to deteriorate like you may have read from other sources. For me eating every 3-4 hours stabilizes my blood sugar and prevents me from binging. When I get to the point of binging this means higher calories and less nutrient dense food for my body. I'm also much happier if I eat often. I suffer from issues of HANGER

3. Pack my food.  After I eat breakfast I always pack up my 2 snacks and lunch for the day. This way I always have food with me and there is no excuse to stop and get fast food or something from the gas station.

4. Eat whole foods.  This means I eat foods with short ingredient lists and mainly items that are found on the perimeter of the grocery store. This keeps me from eating a lot of processed items that add calories and ingredients to my body that I don't need

5. Eat fat! I do not buy anything low fat or no fat.  Out bodies need fat! If I ate a salad for lunch with fat free cheese, fat free dressing I would finish eating and still be hungry.  The key is to eat healthy fats.  Now don't get me wrong I get some fast form Ben and Jerry every now and again too :)

6. Read labels.  It takes me forever to grocery shop because I am scouring the labels of the food to see what's in it.Just because it says "natural" "healthy" does not always mean it is. If one of the first 4 ingredient is sugar I typically put it back on the shelf (unless I'm buying sugar!) because the more sugar the more added calories I don't need.

7. Never feel bad.  I never feel bad about what I eaten.  Even if I've just gone to happy hour and had 3 ciders and a bunch of apps I don't get down about it.  Obviously the food I just consumed was not nutrient dense and probably had more than my caloric intake should be for the entire day but it's OK. It's all about balance.  If I ate like that every day for every meal that would be a problem. Choosing to go out and eat like that occasionally is OK in my book.

8. Calories matter! I don't count calories every day but when I am super focused on losing weight I do.  Even if you eat fruits and veggies all day long if you eat too many calories worth of those items you will not lose weight. The good news: you would have to eat A LOT of bananas and lettuce to gain weight.  More nutrient dense foods (AKA healthier foods like fruits, veggies, healthy fats)  fill you up and fuel your body better than a candy bar. A mini candy bar and an egg have the same amount of calories, so I could eat either but the egg is going to satisfy my bodies needs better. And you can typically eat a larger portion of fruits and veggies and still stay low on the calories, while healthy fats are higher in calories don't skip them!  So how to you figure out how many calories you should have in a day? I like freedieting.com to calculate my calories. I use My Fitness Pal to track cals, but the calculation they give me for my calories is way too low in my opinion! The key is to be in a calorie deficit to lose weight.

Low calorie fruits and veggies NOT low calorie crackers!

9.  Eat a protein, carb (fruit of veggie!) and a fat at every meal and snack.  This goes back to my issues with blood sugar.  If I eat this way I am more satisfied and feel full until my next meal or snack.  Dietician Cassie explains it best "Eat a combination of the three macronutrients (protein, fat and carbohydrates o rPFC!) every three hours (four hours MAX!) to keep your blood sugar levels balanced. Balanced blood sugars contribute to consistent energy levels, focus, stable moods and no cravings. They are essential for weight loss and maintenance because glucagon (your fat BURNING hormone) cannot get to work if insulin (your fat STORING hormone) is at work. Insulin helps to regulate your blood sugar levels, so if you’re not doing this by eating balanced meals and snacks, it makes sense as to why you’re going to have a lot of difficulty shedding those extra pounds (not to mention, increasing your risk for disease, like type 2 diabetes). Eat protein, fat and carbs every three hours!"

Those are my tips.  Do you have any great tips you would like to share?

Sources: http://www.dietitiancassie.com/back-to-the-basics-nutrition-101/

*I am not a dietitian or MD and the above is my nutritional experience with weight loss.*

My nutrition habits

Yesterday on my Facebook page I posted about my exercise habits.  Habits are also important when it comes to nutrition.  Here is the first part in a 2 part post I will do regarding my nutritional habits. Tonight I'm going to talk about my must have foods.

1. Flat bread, tortilla or something similar.  I use them to make breakfast wraps in the morning.  They work great for on the go lunches and snacks too.  I put some peanut butter or almond butter and some fresh berries to have a balanced snack.  A little lettuce, vinaigrette or dressing and some turkey and I have a wrap for lunch. I try to get the low carb version just because I don't want a bunch of my calories for the day going to a tortilla.

These are great and they are soft!

2. Water.  I have written about this before but I'll say it again water is vital! I carry a water bottle with me everywhere I go. If you want to know more about why water is so important read my blog post about that here.

My Motivational Bottle.  Love it!

3.Eggs.  Such a great protein and fat in a convenient little package.  I typically eat 2 scrambled eggs in the morning.  I also like to pack deviled eggs as a snack if I didn't have them for breakfast.

I always buy organic and cage free

4. Shakeology. I can't live without this! It decreases my cravings, increases my energy, helps my digestion and gives me all the nutrients I need in a quick and portable way. Oh and has made it possible for me to totally stop taking Synthroid!  It also tastes great and helps me keep my calories low while still fueling my body. 

Vanilla and Vegan Tropical Strawberry, but I love all the flavors!

5. Fresh Fruit and Veggies.  I try to have a minimum of 5 fresh fruits and veggies in my house at all times.  I chop them up and store some in larger containers.  I keep others in small baggies so they are easy to grab when I am packing lunches.  My kids LOVE fruit so we don't buy all organic because I'd go broke but I try to buy organic when I can.  One thing that I always buy organic is carrots.  Stop buying those baby carrots and buy some real organic carrots. So good!

6.Yogurt.  I am very picky about my yogurt and still am not sure I found one I love.  But my requirements are it must be FULL FAT and PLAIN. No non-fat or light yogurt for this girl! I need fat to feel full and so do you!  The key is to control your portion. Why no flavor? Have you looked at the sugar content and ingredient list on those flavored ones? Very few actually have real fruit in them and have a ton of added sugar.  I add some frozen fruit or some yummy pumpkin butter and it makes a perfect snack or quick breakfast.

This one is pretty good.  I would prefer organic, but can't find it in Red Wing.

7. Chicken. I eat a lot of chicken, I think it's versatile and easy.  

So there are my must have foods to fuel my body.  What are yours?

Put Pumpkin in EVERYTHING!

I love PUMPKIN!!! I have been trying to find a recipe for a pumpkin puree that I could add to my oatmeal and yogurt.  I try to steer clear of the pumpkin flavored stuff in the stores because it's typically loaded with sugar and artificial flavorings.  Well I found a winner from who else but Gina over at Skinnytaste.  This stuff is amazing on EVERYTHING!  Try it out and let me know what you think of it and what your favorite thing to put it on is.

Happy eating:)

Why I LOVE PiYo

If you have been following me for the past few months you may have noticed I have a slight obsession, errr I mean love for PiYo.  This came out of no where for me as I am not a yoga person and never have been.  But here I am teaching it and craving it in my life.  

First I should explain what it is.  PiYo is best explained as a blend of pilates and yoga with some cardio thrown in.  It moves much faster than typical yoga or pilates.  It's yoga for people who can't stand still, which describes me perfectly!  It's been around for a while at fitness clubs but recently had a rebirth when a home version was released by the one and only Chalene Johnson.  They revamped the live version a bit as well and it's blowing up!  Here are the reasons I LOVE it!

1. Low impact.  There are so many people who need a low impact option due to bad joints but still want to get a good calorie burn.  PiYo is the answer for these people. One  of my participants reported burning 50 fewer calories in PiYo than she did in Insanity! Proof that you don't have to be jumping all over the place to get an amazing calorie burn.  

2. It's strength, stretch and cardio all rolled into one.  It's  well rounded class with a great blend of all the things you need in a workout.  

3. The stretch.  I'm a self proclaimed cardio junkie. I never take the time to stretch like I should.My tight hamstrings, hip flexors, quads and calves were a huge issue when I would run.  Once I started doing PiYo regularly running got easier and all of my calf pain went away.  This  was because I was finally getting the much needed stretch my body needed.  Every other workout I do is easier and I have have less muscle soreness the next day now due to my increased flexibility 

4.  Strength.  We all need to incorporate more strength into our workouts! I force myself to lift at least 2 times per week because I know as an aging woman it's good for me.  The weight bearing that I do in PiYo strengthens my bones and slows bone loss.  It also helps me maintain my muscle mass.  I like doing a workout that I really enjoy to help with my strength,

5. Defined muscles.  I'm gonna brag here...my legs, arms and back look pretty amazing.  All of my muscles are more defined and toned.  It's pretty awesome!

6. Fun music.  Don't expect to hear babbling brooks and chants in a PIYo live class.  They have used popular music that is brought to a tempo that fits for each section of the class. 

7. Leaves me feeling grounded.  Even though PiYo is faster paced than traditional yoga it still leaves you feeling grounded and relaxed when you finish it.  I have never had another workout leave me feeling the way PiYo does.  I am dripping sweat yet I feel so relaxed.    

So there you have it, all the reasons I am in LOVE with PiYo.  Join me for a live class or find one in your area.  If you can't make it to a live class contact me so we can chat about the home version.  

Wellness Wednesday-Ashwaganda

Time for another installment of Wellness Wednesday.  Today I researched Ashwaganda, which is another ingredient in my Shakeology

What is Ashwagandha? Ashwaganda is plant.  The root and berry are used to make a variety of medicines and home remedies. Ashwagandha belongs to the tomato family. It is native to India, Northern Africa and the Middle east but can also be grown in mild climates in the United States.

Ashwagandha contains many useful medicinal chemicals, including withanolides (steroidal lactones), alkaloids, choline, fatty acids, amino acids, and a variety of sugars. - See more at: http://www.chopra.com/ccl/ashwagandha#sthash.1uNtGtLf.dpuf

Ashwagandha contains many useful medicinal chemicals, including withanolides (steroidal lactones), alkaloids, choline, fatty acids, amino acids, and a variety of sugars. - See more at: http://www.chopra.com/ccl/ashwagandha#sthash.1uNtGtLf.dpuf

Ashwagandha contains many useful medicinal chemicals, including withanolides (steroidal lactones), alkaloids, choline, fatty acids, amino acids, and a variety of sugars. - See more at: http://www.chopra.com/ccl/ashwagandha#sthash.1uNtGtLf.dpuf

The herb is native to the dry regions of India, northern Africa, and the Middle East, and today is also grown in more mild climates, including the United States. - See more at: http://www.chopra.com/ccl/ashwagandha#sthash.1uNtGtLf.dpuf

The herb is native to the dry regions of India, northern Africa, and the Middle East, and today is also grown in more mild climates, including the United States. - See more at: http://www.chopra.com/ccl/ashwagandha#sthash.1uNtGtLf.dpuf

The herb is native to the dry regions of India, northern Africa, and the Middle East, and today is also grown in more mild climates, including the United States. - See more at: http://www.chopra.com/ccl/ashwagandha#sthash.1uNtGtLf.dpuf

The herb is native to the dry regions of India, northern Africa, and the Middle East, and today is also grown in more mild climates, including the United States. - See more at: http://www.chopra.com/ccl/ashwagandha#sthash.1uNtGtLf.dpuf

The herb is native to the dry regions of India, northern Africa, and the Middle East, and today is also grown in more mild climates, including the United States. - See more at: http://www.chopra.com/ccl/ashwagandha#sthash.1uNtGtLf.dpuf

The herb is native to the dry regions of India, northern Africa, and the Middle East, and today is also grown in more mild climates, including the United States. - See more at: http://www.chopra.com/ccl/ashwagandha#sthash.1uNtGtLf.dpuf

How do you take Ashwagandha?  It is most commonly taken in capsule form or used as a powder.

Benefits of Ashwagandha-It has antioxidant properties that allow it to seek and destroy free radicals that are responsible for age related cognitive changes and multiple other diseases.
-Protects the immune system
-Combats the effects of stress
-Improves your memory-  "re-searchers noted that ashwagandha supported significant regeneration of the axons and dendrites of nerve cells. Furthermore, ashwagandha extract supported the reconstruction of synapses, the junctions where nerve cells communicate with other cells. The investigators concluded that ashwagandha extract helps to reconstruct networks of the nervous system, making it a potential treatment for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
In another study at the same institute, researchers found that ashwagandha helped support the growth of nerve cell dendrites, which allow these cells to receive communications from other cells. This finding suggests that ashwagandha could help heal the brain tissue changes that accompany dementia.
In a third published study, the researchers noted that ashwagandha helped promote the growth of both normal and damaged nerve cells, suggesting that the herb may boost healthy brain cell function as well as benefit diseased nerve cells."-Stabilizes blood sugar-this one is HUGE for me! I have a lot of trouble with my blood sugar (no I am not diabetic) and my carb cravings of the past were because of this.  Stabilizing blood sugars prevents a crashwhich then causes you to binge.  Adding Ashwagandha into my diet as well as changing the types of foods I eat and how often has really helped me!
-Reduces anxiety and depression

Sources:
http://www.chopra.com/ccl/ashwagandha
http://www.lef.org/magazine/2006/6/report_ashwa/Page-01
http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-953-ashwagandha.aspx?activeingredientid=953&activeingredientname=ashwagandha

*these claims have not been reviewed by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose or treat any illness*