Clean Eating Tips

When people want to lose weight they are usually looking for a quick fix, a magic pill or a fancy gadget from an infomercial but the truth is that the only way to lose it AND keep it off is to make a lifestyle change. The first and most efficient lifestyle change that I’ve made is clean eating! I immediately stopped eating processed, boxed or frozen foods that were full of sodium, and ingredients that looked like they belonged in a science lab not on my food label. Clean eating is centered around natural, nutrient-dense foods that let your body run the way it’s supposed to.  Here are a few tips that are guaranteed to change both the way you feel and the way you look!

Don’t skip breakfast. The word itself tells you what its meant for…BREAK – FAST. Your body needs to start reving up for the day. You need to put fuel in your “car” if you want it to work for you all day. You need to set the tone for your metabolism. If you don’t feed it you’re basically telling it that you don’t need it to work too hard today and it wont!

Combine lean protein and complex carbs at each meal and eat 5-6 times a day. By combining these you are helping your body to maintain energy levels and decrease spikes in your blood sugar. This also helps you to stay fuller longer between meals and you’ll be less likely to continue snacking mindlessly on empty calories.  Some ideas might be an apple and 14 almonds, or veggies and hummus. Need a heavier meal? Try a stir fry using some low sodium chicken broth, veggies (carbs) and chicken (protein)! By eating every 2-3 hours you are also keeping your metabolism at a steady running state…you don’t want it dipping too low for too long which may cause you to overeat at your next meal because you’re starving!!

Keep clean snacks on hand. We ALL have crazy, crazy schedules. Whether it’s a work day and you’re tied to your desk all day or it’s the weekend and you’re running to the grocery store, kids sports and the dry cleaners you should always be prepared. Bring along a small cooler or just throw some things into your purse like a 100 calorie pack of almonds, an apple and low fat string cheese, a bottle of water and Shakeology in your shaker cup. Whatever you do just DON’T hit the drive thru!!

Drink. Water folks, I’m talking about WATER!! You should drink half of your weight in number of ounces each day…For example if you weigh 180 pounds you should be drinking AT LEAST 90 ounces of water each day. Is water not your thing? Try adding lemons, strawberries or other fruits. This will give it some flavor and you’ll also get the vitamins from the fruit!! If you’re feeling hungry mid-day, chug a big glass of water and see if that helps. Most times we think we’re hungry we’re really just thirsty.  

If you’re going to be drinking alcohol, make sure you have it scheduled in your meal plan. Alcohol packs on the calories but provides absolutely no nutritional value. It also causes you to make poor food choices later after you’ve had a few too many.

 

Make a weekly meal plan This has been a life saver for me and one of the fail proof methods to staying on track. I take some time out of my day on Sunday to create my meal plan for the week. This is for the whole family, I’m not running a restaurant. But the best part is that they usually don’t even know that these meals are “clean” because they are packed with flavor!! So once I have all my meals planed for the week I start my grocery list and head to the store. Once I’m home I get to work washing, chopping and prepping as many snacks and meals as I can so that during the week I can just grab and go. It’s a no brainer!! This also helps me when I get an urge to much on something. If I have my snacks already portioned, washed and ready to eat its so much more likely that I’ll grab that than some chips or cookies.

Watch your portions. Even if you’re eating very healthy and clean meals you can still over indulge. All food has calories and too many calories is still too many calories no matter what it is. So be mindful of your portion sizes, eat slow, drink water and really listen to your body. Are you REALLY hungry for seconds or is that just something you’re used to doing? Wait about 15 minutes, enjoy your company and then see. If you still need more, start with extra veggies.

Making a lifestyle change can be challenging but it’s definitely possible. And the best thing about it is that you don’t have to go it alone. I am here for you! I can help you make food choices that YOU like. You don’t have to eat something just because I do…there are SO many choices, the possibilities are endless. You can also make clean eating and meal planning a family affair rather easily. Most traditional “family dinners” have already been converted to a “clean recipe” somewhere and if we can’t find one then I’ll help you clean up your grandmas old family favorites!!  Get the family involved in the planning, shopping and prepping. The more you strike their curiosity and interest the more likely they’ll be willing to try!!

I would like to personally invite you to my next clean eating and Shakeology 30 day support group starting on October 21^st. Join me in a closed group of other individuals who are looking to get on the right track with their food and nutrition. Get help with meal planning, meal and snack ideas, healthy recipes that are family friendly and quick and easy to prepare. And heck, even lose a few pounds before Thanksgiving!! If you are interested in the details of this group and would like to get signed up please send me a friend request on Facebook and shoot me a message that you’d like to join!!

Hip Hop Abs 6 Day Slim Down - Day 6 and Final Review

I did it!! I finished the Hip Hop Abs 6 Day Slim Down and I feel great! This program has been a nice change from my more intense workouts like T25, TurboFire and Insanity but still provided me a great sweat session and great results!!

I walked out to the garage this morning with butterflies in my tummy. I had worked so hard to stay on the plan, working out every day and following the meal plan to a T. I did allow for one cheat meal, but even then I found myself being much more aware of what I was eating and starting asking myself did I REALLY want that or did it just look good at that moment. Was it going to be worth the possibility of feeling sluggish and bloated, was it going to be worth it to see the scale go up and my hard work go out the window? Nope!!

So I am officially down 2.8 pounds!! I have not seen 151 on the scale in quite some time. But mark my words it's only going DOWN from here. I am 100% committed to continuing this journey and continuing to get results no matter what life throws at me. We can't just "check out" when the going gets tough. That's the time to rise and SHINE!! I do want to throw out this disclaimer...I am not a slave to the scale, I used to be, but I now know that progress is shown in many more areas than just the scale. Such as inches lost and clothes fitting looser. I typically weigh in once a week or every two weeks to make sure I'm on track, otherwise I go a little coo-coo looking every day.

Today's workout was Fat Burning Cardio. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Shaun T's got jokes!! I'm not sure if I got a better ab workout from the routine or from laughing at his silly ways and comments. I love that guy!!

Such a big part of weight loss comes from the food we eat. Sure we need to work out to burn calories and grow our muscles, but if you finish your workout and head to the drive through or happy hour and order a serving of loaded cheese fries, it doesnt really matter that you just burned 300 calories. In fact you may even be packing MORE calories back on than you just worked an hour to get off. I encourage each and every one of you reading this today to really take a look at how you are fueling your body. Are you living to eat or eating to live? I used to live to eat...I had no idea that a 100 calorie pack of cookies wasnt good for me. I thought "ok 100 calories, great I still have 1100 left for the day" but what I didnt know was that those 100 pack cookies were going to set me up for failure. They dont NOURISH my body, there is no nutritional value to them. So I'm left feeling hungry almost immediately after. Not to mention there are like 7 tiny little things in there anyways. I've now learned that its not about the calorie restriction its about eating WHOLE FOODS to provide my body with nutrition and make me feel fuller longer. Now a snack looks something like an apple and a cheese stick. Sure its closer to 200 calories but by pairing a carb (apple) and a protein (cheese stick) my body can feel fuller longer and I wont keep grabbing for junk that I think I need.

And that's what I really loved about this meal plan. The 6 Day Slim Down provided meals and snacks that were well rounded and kept me satisfied until the next meal.

Breakfast- Mocha Madness
1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology
1 Tbsp instant coffee
1 cup hot water
Ice (to cool coffee)
1/2 cup almond milk

Mix instant coffee with hot water, then cool with ice. Blend cooled coffee with milk in blender and enjoy!

 AM Snack - Go Nuts
15-20 raw almonds or walnuts

Lunch - Chef's Salad
1 cup romaine lettuce
1/2 cup chopped cucumber
1/4 cup chopped bell pepper
1 Tbsp balsamic vinaigrette
1 Hard Boiled egg sliced
2 oz sliced lean deli meat (roast beef, turkey, etc)



Toss ingredients together and dig in!

PM Snack - Turkey and Swiss Roll Ups
5 oz roasted deli turkey breast
1 oz low-fat Swiss cheese slices
1 Tbsp mustard (yellow, whole grain, Dijon)

Layer and roll together, Enjoy!

Dinner - Chicken Dijon
4 oz chicken breast
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 mist cooking spray
2 cups chopped broccoli
Salt and pepper (to taste)


Preheat oven to 375. Lightly mist a large piece of aluminum foil with cooking spray, place chicken in the center, brush with Dijon and wrap tightly into a pouch. Cook for 20 minutes or until cooked through. Steam broccoli and serve with chicken.


So all in all I'm very glad that I did this 6 Day Sim Down. I was able to experience a GREAT program with Hip Hop Abs and I cant speak highly enough about the way that Beachbody has combined this great workout with awesome recipes

If you are ready to jump on board and get started with clean eating and your own weight loss journey I would like to personally invite you to my 30 day Clean Eating and Shakeology challenge group starting next Monday, September 30th. We will be discussing the clean eating principles, what to eat, when to eat, and how much to eat. We will incorporate Shakeology as 1 meal each day (whatever meal you choose). Exercise is optional, but is encouraged. The only requirements are that I am your official Beachbody Coach and that you commit to completing the 30 days with Shakeology. And as an ADDED BONUS for those who are reading this blog post I will have an upgrade option where you can get your very own copy of Hip Hop Abs PLUS Rockin Body for FREE when you sign up.  Add me on Facebook and shoot me a message that you are interested in the Shakeology/Clean Eating group and I'll send you the exclusive link for your upgrade!!

Hip Hop Abs 6 Day Slim Down Day 5

I was pleasantly surprised with my progress so far. I'm starting to get a little sore (which I view as progress and a good thing). I'm getting more comfortable with the moves and can therefore give it my ALL and push hard. And my weight is steadying out but continuing to head in the right direction.

Fat Burning Cardio was the workout again today (Same as Day 1 and Day 3). I just love how Shaun T keeps me movin and laughing the whole time. It's not the same Shaun T as you've seen in Insanity, that's for sure!!

Another day of my favorite foods too. I could eat omelets all day so its hard to have just one. And the chicken foil packets this week have been SUPER easy for prep and clean up!!

Breakfast - Mushroom, Cheese and Spinach Omelet
3 egg whites and 1 whole egg, beaten together
1 cup spinach
1/2 cup sliced mushroom
1 oz low-fat cheddar cheese
cooking spray

Lightly spray frying pan with cooking spray and prepare omelet

AM Snack - Trail Mix
12 almonds, chopped
1 cup blueberries

Lunch - Shaun T's Tuna Salad
1 cup mixed baby greens
4 oz water-packed tuna, drained and flaked with fork
1/4 cup chopped cucumber
1/4 cup chopped tomato
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
2 tbsp chopped red onion
1 tbsp light vinaigrette

Toss together and dig in! 

PM Snack - Lite Shake
1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology
8 oz water, rice milk or skim milk
Ice & Blend

Dinner-Crazy Good Chicken
4 oz chicken breast
2 cups spinach
2 tbsp chopped scallions
2 tbsp lemon juice
Cooking spray
Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Preaheat oven to 375. Lightly mist a large piece of aluminum foil with cooking spray, pile spinach in the center and sprinkle scallions over spinach. Place chicken in center and drizzle lemon juice over the top. Wrap tightly into a pouch. Cook for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

If you've enjoyed watching my journey so far and think that something like this might be for you, I'd love to invite you to join my 30 day challenge group starting September 30th!! Send me a friend request on Facebook and we can chat :)

Hip Hop Abs 6 Day Slim Down Day 4

Soooo remember yesterday when I told you that I was up a pound, but that I totally wasn't worried??? Well that's because I wasn't and because I KNEW it was working. I didn't throw in the towel, I didn't say "forget this, I'm up a pound let's go eat Oreos". I did my workout, I ate according to the plan, I drank lots of water annnnndddd.....I lost weight!! I am officially down 2 pounds now!! You have to believe me when I say have faith in the process...have faith that Beachbody knows what they're doing when they design these programs and give it 100% effort. You WILL get results!! And I'm eating a LOT of food. There is no starvation and all of the workouts are 45 minutes or less!

Today's workout is Total Body Burn again. I really loved this one because it incorporated weights (my favorite) and it had me sweating in the first 15 minutes. But the best part is that you're dancing!! There's nothing about this program that feels like a "workout". Check out my video from Wednesday to see a few of the moves.

Today I do notice that I was hungrier than normal but that's a good sign. It means that my metabolism is reving up and working faster! I'm really liking the meal plan still. Simple, everyday foods that most of us already have in our house, with easy to prepare recipes. This busy mama doesn't have time for long workouts or super intense dinners that require lots of preparation.
Breakfast - Chocolate Delight
1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology
1 cup water, coconut water or almond milk
Ice & blend

AM Snack - Turkey Roll Up
5 oz roasted deli turkey breast
1 oz low-fat Swiss cheese slices
1 Tbsp mustard (yellow, whole grain or Dijon)

Layer and roll together, then munch away!

Lunch - Rockin Salad
1 cup romaine lettuce
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup corn
1 tbsp sliced olives
1/4 cucumber sliced
2 tbsp chopped sweet onion
1-2 Tbsp balsamic vinaigrette
4oz sliced lean meat of your choice

Toss the ingredients together and dig in!

PM Snack - Go Nuts
15-20 raw almonds or walnut halves

Dinner - Steak-Veg Throwdown
4 oz lean beef steak (hanger, skirt or sirloin)
1 tbsp chopped fresh garlic
2 tbsp vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
Cooking spray
1 cup asparagus pieces
1/2 cup carrots
Salt and pepper (to taste)

Preheat grill or grill pan. Place steak in a plastic storage bag, add garlic, vinegar, and oil and marinate. Lightly mist trill surface with cooking spray and cook steak approximately 5 minutes per side or to desired doneness. Steam asparagus and carrots and serve with steak.

I'm getting excited that I'm on the home stretch of this plan. Two more days and feeling great! Do you feel like you need something to get you back on track? Give you a little boost before you take it to the next level in your life? I'd love to chat and see how I can help you. Find me on Facebook.

Hip Hop Abs 6 Day Slim Down - Day 3

 Woke up again feeling great! I just love how full of energy I feel when I'm on track with my nutrition and daily workouts. It's not always the easiest to get up and bounce out of bed but I definitely feel that WE set the stage for how our own day goes.We can choose to be groggy, grumpy and blah or we can wake up with a smile, positive thoughts and conquer the day!! I choose #2!

So, again I went out the the garage first thing this morning to do my weigh in and I was a little bit surprised. I am actually UP in my weight. Now I know that many of you (in the past myself included) would have FREAKED out, thrown in the towel and said what the HECK!! I'm GAINING weight??? But I am confident that if I continue to follow the program the way it is designed that it WILL work...In fact...I normally don't even weigh myself EVERY day for this exact reason! Have you ever started a program and ended up gaining weight? Maybe I had too much salt yesterday, maybe not enough water. Who knows, but just keep swimming!! I do definitely notice less bloat and a flatter stomach, yay!!

Today's workout is Fat Burning Cardio again. Like day one, I was definitely getting a good ab workout and really noticed I was holding my abs in a lot more this time on my own, without Shaun T's reminders.


 

Breakfast -Swiss, Mushroom and Broccoli Omelet
3 Egg whites and 1 whole egg beaten together
1/2 cup broccoli
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1 oz low fat swiss cheese crumbled
Cooking spray

Lightly spray frying pan with cooking spray and prepare omelet



AM Snack - Chocolate Shake
1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology
8 oz water or almond milk
Ice & Blend

Lunch - Grilled Shrimp Caesar Salad
1-1/2 cups romaine lettuce
4 oz peeled, deveined shrimp
1 lime
Grill seasoning (McCormics, Durkee's, Weber, etc)
1 Tbsp light Caesar dressing
1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat grill or grill pan .Squeeze lime over shrimp and sprinkle with seasoning. Grill shrimp until cooked through. Toss lettuce and dressing together, place shrimp on top, sprinkle with cheese and serve!

PM Snack - Go Nuts
15-20 raw almonds or walnut halves

Dinner - Shaun T's Tuna
4 oz tuna steak
1 mist cooking spray
2 cups bok choy or cabbage
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp chopped scallions
Salt and pepper (to taste)

Preheat skillet, lightly mist pan surface with cooking spray, and cook tuna approximately 2 minutes per side or to desired doneness. Steam bok choy or cabbage and serve with tuna; sprinkle both with soy sauce and scallions. Add salt and pepper

Hip Hop Abs 6 Day Slim Down - Day 2

 

I FEEL GREAT!! I popped out of bed this morning full of energy! Went out to the garage for my morning weigh in and I'm already down ONE POUND!!! Now I know that it's most likely not going to continue at that rate of one pound per day but that's a great way to jump start this week. I'm certainly not complaining! Yesterday, Day 1 of the 6 Day Slim Down was so much fun that I couldn't wait to get started with today...

Today's scheduled work out is Total Body Burn - A head-to-toe workout that combines cardio with total body sculpting. So say good bye to any love handles, saddle bags, or jiggly arms! It's an extended calorie burn that will melt away fat, revealing a slimmer waist and tight, toned, sexy body!

This was a GREAT total body workout!! Tons of standing ab work. Shoulder and arms with the weights and push ups and legs were burnin with the squats! I was dripping with sweat 15 minutes into the workout. Again Shaun T walks you through the moves, reminding you to keep your core tight. He even keeps you laughing with the funny little things he says! If you don't have weights dont worry! You could even use soup cans...everyone in the video uses super light weights!

I love, love, LOVE the meals plans in this 6 day slim down plan because they are not much different than what I normally eat. I've tried other plans where you are eating nothing but celery or lemonade with Cayenne pepper and I was STARVING, lost some  weight but put it right back on PLUS some!! People, we CAN'T starve our bodies if we expect them to work for us!! FOOD IS FUEL!! You just need to make sure it's the right kind of fuel. We ALL know what happens when you pour sugar into a car's gas tank!! (P.S.if you dont know DON'T try it lol)

Day 2 Meal Plan

Breakfast - Creamy Berry Fusion
1 scoop Greenberry Shakeology
1/4 cup sliced strawberries
1/4 cup Almond Milk
1/2 cup water
Ice & Blend

AM Snack - Swiss and Roast Beef Roll-Up (I'm using turkey)
4 oz lean deli-style sliced Roast Beef
1 oz low-fat Swiss cheese slices
Dab of mustard (Yellow, whole grain or Dijon)

Layer and roll together. ENJOY!

Lunch - Tuna Garden Salad
4 oz Water-packed white tuna, drained and flaked with a fork
1-1/2 Cups chopped romaine lettuce
1/2 cup chopped broccoli
1/2 cup chopped cauliflower
4 cherry tomatoes sliced
1-2 Tbsp red wine vinaigrette

Toss ingredients together and dig in!

PM Snack - Go Nuts
15-20 raw almonds or walnut halves

 Dinner - Chicken Delight
4 oz skinless chicken breast
2 Garlic cloves
1 tsp chopped rosemary
Salt and pepper (to taste)
Cooking spray
2 Cups spinach or broccoli
Seasoning medley, to taste (Mrs. Dash, Lawry's Emeril's Essence, etc)

Preheat oven to 375
Lightly mist a large piece of aluminum foil with cooking spray
Assemble chicken, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper in the center, and wrap tightly in a pouch
Cook for 20 minutes or until cooked through
Steam spinach or broccoli until tender then drain and sprinkle with seasoning.

I know its only day 2 but I am SO glad that I've started this plan. I was in a little bit of a funk and this definitely lifted me out of it and got me right back on track. I know it can be frustrating to start a workout routine or healthy eating plan and not see results right away, but this is definitely working for me!! Stay tuned for Day 3!!!

If you have any questions about this 6 Day Slim Down plan, Hip Hop Abs program or anything health and fitness related, I'd love to chat!! Find me on Facebook!!

Hip Hop Abs 6-Day Slim Down Day 1

So my workouts have been a little off track and all over the place and that's not something I am proud of, but something I feel I need to be honest about. Yes I am a Beachbody Coach, but I am also HUMAN! And I also face all the the struggles, challenges and set-backs that each and every one of you face as well. So instead of continuing to go down this path of "whatever" I've decided to get back on track starting with the Hip Hop Abs -6 Day Slim Down plan.

The Shaun T Dance Party Challenge Pack (Hip Hop Abs, Rockin Body and a 30 day supply of Shakeology) is on sale this month so I thought I'd take advantage of the deal and give it a try before my next challenge group starts Monday September 30th. Not only does this program come with 6 workouts but also a nutrition guide, 6 day slim down guide with a ton of recipes, dining out guide, calendar to check off your workouts and a tape measure to track your progress!! I'm going to jump start this week with the 6 Day Slim Down Plan...what's that? I'm glad you asked!!

 Each day the workout and the meal plan is laid out for you!! NO BRAINER, YAY!!! And what I like about this meal plan is that you eat REAL food, NO starvation and its pretty basic stuff. No fancy schmancy ingredients or foods you can't find at the local grocery store.

Day 1 - Fat Burning Cardio. To tell you the truth I thought, Ok...dancing, this is going to be fun but am I REALLY going to get a workout? I mean I know its not Insanity but at least wanted to feel a good burn. And I can honestly say I DID! I felt my abs working from the start and they were actually a little sore by the end of the 30 minute workout. Shaun walks you through the moves step by step and then you build on each routine and speed things up a little bit at the end. Tania is also there to modify the moves if you need to go at a slower pace.He also continues to remind you through the video to keep your core and your abs engaged. This workout had great music, I could keep up with the moves, had a nice little sparkle of sweat and it was over before I knew it. 30 minutes was PERFECT to fit in my busy schedule!

Check out the yummy meal plan...

Breakfast - Coco Loco
1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology
1/2 banana
1 cup coconut water
Ice & Blend

AM Snack - Go Nuts
15-20 raw almonds or walnuts

Lunch - Lean, Mean Salad
1 cup fresh mixed greens
1/4 cup chopped cucumber
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1-2 tbsp red wine vinaigrette
4 oz roasted turkey breast
Toss and dig in!

PM Snack - Cottage cheese & Strawberries
4 oz low-fat cottage cheese
3/4 cup sliced strawberries

Dinner - Fish with Flava (I'm subbing chicken)
4oz fish (halibut, cod, red snapper or turbot)
2 Tbsp water
1/4 tomato chopped
1/2 shallot finely chopped
1 tsp chopped garlic
1/4 tsp thyme
juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt and pepper (to taste)
2 cups asparagus pieces

Preheat oven to 450 (375 for chicken)
Place fish (chicken) on a large piece of aluminum foil with 2 tbsp water (to provide steam).
Top with tomato, shallot, garlic, thyme lemon juice, sale and pepper
Wrap tightly into a pouch and place on baking sheet
Bake for 15-20 minutes.
Steam the asparagus and serve with fish (chicken)

Late Snack - T-Time
1 cup caffeine free herbal tea
Add a lemon or orange wedge if you wish

Can't wait for tomorrow!! Check back for all the details and progress