I have to be honest and say that I haven't always been a shrimp fan, but I am forever grateful to my husband who kept encouraging me to try time and time again. Now I try to order it or make it any chance I get!! Now that I am a big fan of the taste, I've found a few more reasons why I love these little guys!! Shrimp is not only low fat but it's packed with protein!!
I am also a huge fan of anything spicy so this is one of my absolute favorite recipes, the best of both worlds!! I prefer to grill them and serve over brown rice or quinoa and grilled veggies. These skewers are great for appetizers, dinner or make a big batch on Sunday and eat all week!!
Thai Shrimp Skewers
Ingredients (one dinner serving):
9 raw shrimp, thawed, peeled and patted dry
1 tsp Thai curry paste
Olive oil or cooking spray
Lime and fresh chopped cilantro, to serve
Skewers (metal or wooden. Soak in water for 30 minutes if wooden)
Directions:
Thread shrimps onto skewers and brush the shrimp with
curry paste. Heat skillet or frying pan to medium high heat and spray
with Olive oil. Place shrimp onto heated pan and cook on each side
for 1 to 2 minutes until pink and cooked through. If using a
BBQ, lightly brush the shrimp with olive oil before grilling to
prevent sticking. Garnish with fresh cilantro and lime.
If
you would like more information on clean eating then ask me how you can be a part of
my 30 day Clean Eating and Shakeology group.
In this online closed group I will teach you the basics of clean
eating, dealing with temptations, cravings, traveling, and eating out at
restaurants plus meal planning, food prep and more!!!
Ask me how
you can get in on this exclusive group to feel your best and lose
weight too! With summer fast approaching there will be plenty of
opportunities to make bad choices. But when you are prepared you can
handle any obstacle that is put in your way!!!
Tonight I was craving something a little sweet after dinner but I didn't want a heavy dessert that would be full of sugar and knock me off track. These would be perfect for an afternoon snack, after dinner treat or would be a great addition to your weekend brunch!! Enjoy!! Ingredients 8 Strawberries 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt 1/2 a small banana 1 Tbsp chopped almonds Splash vanilla extract Directions * Mash banana with a fork and mix with yogurt * Using a knife carve out the middle of the strawberries * Fill strawberries with the banana-yogurt mixture * Top with chopped almonds Makes one serving (approx 140 calories)
If you'd like more clean recipes like this be sure to send me a friend request on Facebook. Interested in FREE coaching and support with meal planning, nutrition or fitness? Contact me today to join one of my challenge groups!!
Being a beachbody coach is an awesome job and I truly love helping other
people! So today I want to talk about weighing yourself! People ask me all the
time, how often should I weigh myself, when and where! So I am going to
give you my honest opinion and my own personal experience with my
journey! Hopefully this will help to shed some light on how I got
through the struggle with my scale!
Have you ever been told by a weight loss expert to throw away your
scale? If you did weight watchers you were defined by the scale each
week! Every week you weighed in and it honestly didn't matter what you
ate the week before as long as you lost weight. So you could eat
processed TV dinners and Diet Coke as long as you stayed within your
points range and lost weight. That's great for some but it's not
creating a healthy lifestyle. You are once again going to hit a plateau
and not be able to lose weight because you are still put crap in your
mouth. You are just eating less food and are hungry because the TV
dinner doesn't fill you up and you want more! I know myself that when I
am hungry I get crabby and that's no fun! It's no fun not to be able
to eat! So anyways the SCALE should never define who you are and your
progress. There are so many factors that go into your weight loss. The
scale is a great tool to constantly monitor where you are but it is not
the driving force of your efforts.
Weigh yourself once a week. Did you hear
ME?!?!?! Once a week! That's it! The other times hide it!
Go by how you feel, how your clothes fit and your food journal to tell
you if you are on track!
Pay attention to your weight trend over time. If your weight spikes
overnight, don't worry about it too much. If your weight steadily
climbs from week to week now that is a different story. Your weight
fluctuates not only on a daily basis, but even on a within day basis,
sometimes by SEVERAL pounds! I mean that, by 2-3 lbs!!!! You weight
fluctuates based on changes in body water, the contents of your
digestive system, the levels of glycogen in your muscles (stored
carbohydrates) and for females, that time of the month.
Like looking at the stock exchange market charts, the short-term peaks
and valleys shouldn't alarm you. People who invest wisely and hold
almost always win the longer term compared to the people who panic
during brief market fluctuations or jump on random tips. It's the same
with your body. It's a positive trend over time that should interest
you the most.
During the fat loss phase, body fat and body weight should be heading
downward in a steady trend and lean body mass should be holding
relatively stable or increasing slightly.
Regardless of your weighing frequency, consistency is vital! So that
means that every week when you weigh in do it at the same time of the
day, on the same day of the week and with the same clothes or none at
all.
So for me, I weigh myself every Friday morning, right after my morning
workout and before I take a shower. Then that's it, it's my official
weigh in and I'm done! I don't sweat the number on the scale I just
keep a mental note and keep going. Let me just tell you that I wasn't
always like that! I used to get up every morning and weigh myself and
then freak out if it wasn't the same in the evening or the next
morning. But it was starting to control me! I have taught myself that
the number doesn't define me and I am able to stay positive.
Instead of weighing yourself every day there are lots of ways to track your progress. 1. Take your measurements- this is the first place you are going
to see results. Take your measurements on Day 1 and every 30 days for
accurate progress. So take your measurements around your chest, hips,
thighs, each leg and each arm. Record and store in your beachbody profile page.
2. Figure out your body fat percentage either with an online calculator or calipers.
3. Photos- In my challenge groups I have everyone take a day 1,
30, 60 and 90 day photos. This is so important because everyone has a
certain degree of distorted self-image in the way they see themselves in
the mirror and in their own minds. But there is something different
about photographs. The photos don't lie!
Sometimes seeing a picture of yourself is a pivotal event that triggers a
turn around in your lifestyle. I know that YOU don't want to take
those pictures but they are so important. You can do what I did and
lock them away in a file on your computer and hide them until you one
day have the results that you would like and can pull them out and
compare. Also, since we look at ourselves each day it's hard to see
progress sometimes! The pics put it all in perspective and help you to
see the differences in your body.
So in closing remember that you are more than the number on the scale.
Your worth is not defined by the size of your pants and the 110lbs on
the scale. Your worth is defined by the food you put in your mouth, the
hard work that you are doing in your workouts and the people around you
that you inspire each and every day to lead healthy fulfilling lives!
Never make a scale be the reason you give up on yourself, that's just a
lame excuse to go back to your old ways. And those old ways didn't get
you where you want to be
anyways!!!
Do you want more information on how you can receive support just like this? Email meor send me a friend request onFacebook and I would be glad to chat with you about the types of support you can get from me as your coach!
Last week I decided to turn things up a notch with my workouts. I am preparing to go to Las Vegas in 6 weeks for my Beachbody Summit convention and I have some work to do! I was ending my fifth week of just TurboFire and needed more. Don't get me wrong, I love TurboFire, it's my soul mate workout, but I needed to turn up the calorie burn and add some weight lifting to my routine. So I decided to do a hybrid of sorts but more like double days, I guess you would say, with TurboFire AND Chalean Extreme!! I took both programs and laid out both schedules to create my own personal workout calendar. Now I don't normally work out for as long as I have been this last week and a half but for the time being I'm willing to put in the time to reap the benefits. This new routine will vary between 45 minutes - 2 hours each day and I will do it for a total of 7.5 weeks until my trip.
Overall I was very happy with my work outs. I drank my Energy and Endurance drink before each workout and I pushed hard!! I only have one chance to get these workouts done each day so it's important that I give it my all!! With Chalean Extreme I really focused on my form and lifted to failure each time. P.S. failure is a good thing when lifting weights!! At the end of each day I truly felt like I got a great full body workout. I was sore the next day but "good sore" not "injury sore". TurboFire has a lot of jumping and Chalean Extreme has a lot of squats and lunges so it's important to keep good form and wear my knee brace so that I can avoid injury. Week 1 Schedule: Monday - Fire 55 EZ / Push Circuit 1 Tuesday - Fire 30 & Sculpt 30 / Chalean Extreme Rest Wednesday - TurboFire Rest / Push Circuit 2 Thursday - Fire 30 and Tone 30 / Burn Intervals and Ab Burner Friday - Fire 55 EZ /Push Circuit 3 Saturday - Fire 45 / Burn it off & Recharge Sunday - Core 20 and Stretch 40 / Chalean Extreme Rest A few things that I thought about and had to take into consideration before starting this schedule were my food, my rest and my results.
Burning as many calories as I do with these double days (500-800 depending on the day) I need to be sure to fuel my body appropriately so it works for me and delivers the results I'm working so hard to achieve. I use a heart rate monitor to track my calories burned and I use My Fitness Pal to track my workouts and my food intake. The more you burn the more you need to eat and MFP makes this whole process a piece of cake for me! But that doesn't mean I just eat anything to get my required calories, it takes a lot of thought and consideration to plan out a meal plan to keep me full while staying within the proper macro nutrients (fats, carbs and protein). I am a creature of habit so I don't mind eating the same things over and over so I will tell you that my meal plan is not very exciting :) but it does the job!
Another thing that is important is my rest. When pushing my body to such limits its important that I let it recover and repair to build back stronger and leaner. I try to get to bed by 10pm and up at 5am to work. That's not always the case but that's what I shoot for because that's when I FEEL my best and able to do all I need to do through the day. The best training plans will not work if sleep and nutrition are
neglected. Without adequate sleep (eight hours a night), there is not
enough rest for muscle cell growth and repair.
I have also decided to NOT weigh myself or measure during this process. YES you read that right! First of all I will ALWAYS tell you that the scale is not the best way to measure your progress. Muscle is denser than fat and will weigh more, but take up less space. With that being said I DO encourage you to take and record your measurements because this IS an accurate tool for measuring your progress! I personally have been focusing too much on the "numbers" and not trusting enough in the process. I know that if I eat clean, train hard and get my rest all the pieces will fall into place. I did however take a before picture and will do so
every couple weeks because pictures tell EVERYTHING!! Stay tuned!!
Do you want more information on how you can receive support just like this? Email meor send me a friend request onFacebook and I would be glad to chat with you about the types of support you can get from me as your coach!
You see me post about Beachbody Coaching a lot and the transformation
stories that I see each and every day are truly amazing!!! Are you
someone who has completed a Beachbody fitness program and has gotten
great results? Do you find yourself talking about what you are doing
and eating with other people? Do you enjoy working out and eating
healthy? Are you looking for a career change or even a way to earn a
little extra income to do something you have always wanted to do?
Check out my Beachbody Coach Call tonight! All you do is log into the
link below and listen to the call and watch the power point. You are
not required to speak or are committed to signing up for anything. I
just invite you to hear what exactly a Beachbody Coach does and how it
may fit into your lifestyle. You do not have to be a clean eater, you
don't have to be a fitness professional you just have to be passionate
about helping other people achieve their health and fitness goals!!!
As a Coach I take pride in my team and the integrity of our group. I am
looking for coaches who are willing to set goals personally and in
their business. I will mentor and support you through my apprenticeship
program. I will help you every single step of the way gain confidence,
knowledge and income. So if you want to learn more about Beachbody
coaching join our call tonight!!!
This weekend I was reading one of my favorite Clean Eating cook books while I prepared for the upcoming week and started thinking about how much sugar I had cut out of my diet over the past year. One of the things that people
come to me so often is that they crave sugar!! In fact just this week I spoke with THREE people who said they have a killer sweet tooth. They can't give up their
sweets or they can't resist the temptation when placed in front of them.
I know that I really enjoy sweets myself but I have really worked hard to cut out certain foods that I know are not doing my body any good by eating them! My mouth just waters
thinking about chocolate chip cookies, ice cream cake and chocolate covered anything! I can tell you
that I have successfully transitioned over to clean eating and I have
found replacements for those things I used to crave. When I do go to
eat sweets I usually end up with a killer stomach ache and a sluggish
foggy brain. So my body now knows what foods it needs vs. wants. I am
human and I do allow myself to enjoy life and I truly believe in the
80-20 rule. 80% of the time I am spot on but the 20% where I have a
special event, get together I pick and choose what I want to have! But I
can tell you at the beginning I had to go cold turkey until I could
gain the control over my mind to make those kinds of decisions without
binging!
Are you a dessert fanatic? A
lover of all things frosted, a champion for cookies and a complete
pie-a-holic? Do you dream in chocolate, dally in the candy aisle and
feel that your day just isn’t complete without a taste of something
sweet? I know so many people like this, I could sit and rattle off the
names of those that can't live without their something sweet after
dinner.
If so, in the past you’ve probably
blamed your sugar cravings on your sweet tooth, an imaginary body part
like the funny bone. And while a sweet tooth doesn’t literally exist in
your mouth, pulling your lips towards that ice cream sundae - your body
is indeed craving sugar. Why? Because you are an addict, because you
haven’t had enough protein, because you’ve used up your willpower and
because you associate sugar with sweet feelings and fond memories.
Discover why you crave sugar to
understand its hold on the human brain, so that you can combat your
natural instincts, put the chocolate down and walk away from the candy
dish.
You most likely crave sweets because of one of the following reasons:
1. Sugar is a drug, a
fantastically effective dopamine enhancer that works along the same
lines as caffeine, nicotine and alcohol – all substances that people
love to indulge in, even though it is well known that they aren’t good
for the body. A diet loaded with sugar generates excessive reward
signals in the brain, and over time, these pleasurable brain chemicals
can override your willpower to create an addiction. Just like cocaine –
only to a lesser extent – this white powder feels so fantastic to your
brain that it usurps your willpower in order to get its next fix. Your
brain sends out powerful signals to obtain a sweet release, and your
hand reaches for the cream cheese pastry. Like any addiction, it’s not
easy to beat – take small steps in reducing your sugar intake, and
reward yourself with something other than dessert for each little
victory.
2. You aren’t getting enough protein in your diet.The
body needs fuel to survive, and the best source for this energy is
protein. If your body doesn’t get enough protein throughout the day, it
starts to lose energy. Your brain sends out panic signals: I need energy now!!! Nothing
gives your body a boost of quick energy like a mouthful of sugar – just
ask any kindergarten teacher. You reach for a candy bar in the
afternoon, because you didn’t eat enough protein in the morning. Make a
point to eat a high protein diet – and watch as your sugar cravings
virtually disappear.
3. You have used up your willpower for the day. You
wake up early for a run, skipping the snooze button, order a healthy
breakfast of oatmeal instead of a doughnut, and then decline the
chocolate cake at the office birthday party. You walk right past the
bowl of gummy bears on your co-workers desk, order a salad at lunch
(dressing on the side) and drink water instead of juice during the
afternoon. You’ve been “good” and practiced restraint all day – so when
your husband brings home a package of gourmet cookies in the evening,
you devour them. All of them. Willpower is a finite resource; it’s a bad
idea to go on a diet, try to trim your household budget and stop
shopping online all at the same time. You can’t follow the rules exactly
every minute of your life, so at the end of the day when you are tired
and your willpower is too – you reach for a cookie. And another. Learn
to recognize what triggers your evening sugar cravings, and plan to
reward yourself in a non-edible way when you feel the urge to eat sweets
coming: buy a bouquet of flowers, go for a walk with your dog or watch a
funny movie.
4. Sweets remind you of happy times. As
children, we are given sugary treats when we behave well or when times
are happy (like holidays). We learn to associate the taste of sugar with
happy feelings, and as adults, we try to recreate those sweet childhood
memories with a chocolate chip cookie, popsicle or ice cream cone.
While everyone deserves to indulge now and then, emotional eating rarely
brings the satisfaction you crave – and often it just makes you eat
even more as you search for those happy feelings. Let yourself have one
awesome treat each week, like a hot fudge sundae or scrumptious cupcake,
eat it very slowly and enjoy every minute of it. This way you won’t
feel like you are denying yourself – and you can sample the sweet treats
that you truly want without giving in to cravings.
So if you struggle with sugar
cravings and addictions you are not alone! It's a
normal phenomenon that attacks many of us! But know that you can make a
change. It just takes a little will power to do so!
ASK ME HOW
YOU CAN GET INVOLVED IN MY NEXT 30 DAY CLEAN EATING AND SHAKEOLOGY
GROUP TO TEACH YOU HOW TO KICK THE CRAVINGS, EAT REAL FOOD, GAIN ENERGY,
CONFIDENCE AND LOSE WEIGHT!!
This year for Cinco de Mayo I wanted to keep it light and clean when making dinner for my family. Mexican food is one of my ALL TIME favorites (and still is) but I wanted to make a healthier version of our favorite chicken tacos!!
This dinner literally took minutes to prepare, was delicious and provided so much left overs that we can have chicken salad wraps and chicken salad all week long!! I used a whole chicken (since that's what I had) so because I had so much meat I ended up doubling the recipe.
Ingredients:
1 cup chicken breast, cooked and shredded
¼ cup corn
¼ cup black beans, rinsed and drained
¼ cup green onions, chopped
¼ cup tomatoes, diced
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
4 tablespoons Greek Yogurt
Taco Seasoning to taste
2-4 avocados, sliced in half with pits discarded
Directions:
In a medium bowl, toss the chicken breast,
corn, black beans, green onions, tomatoes, cilantro. Add the Greek Yogurt to mixture and toss to coat. Season to taste. Chill in fridge for 30 minutes and fill halved avocado cups, serve with your favorite veggies and sides, Enjoy!!
