How to Stay on Track over 4th of July Weekend!

4th of July weekend is upon us and for so many that means that we'll be attending events, gatherings, BBQ's and pool parties!! That also means that many of us will be letting our guard down as far as eating healthy. Now dont get me wrong....I WANT you to enjoy your weekend! Have fun, relax and be present with your loved ones but just remember the 80/20 rule...you dont have to go too crazy and blow your whole week of hard work!! So I wanted to share with you some tips and tricks to get through the weekend and feel great come Tuesday!!

FIRST and foremost.... Don't skip your workouts!! Especially if you are planning to have a cheat day!! So if you're traveling throw in your DVDs and your laptop or get the 30 day FREE trial of Beachbody OnDemand! You can download the On Demand App to your phone or ipad and stream the workouts.  Plus with On Demand you can store up to 7 workouts so that you don't even need wifi connection! 

SECOND....Drink (and bring) LOTS of water!! It's hot out there and so often we forget our water. And even worse I've attended events where my only options were soda or alcohol. So never leave that up to chance...throw a couple extra bottles of water in your pool bag or diaper bag just in case you're in a pinch. And just because its the weekend doesnt mean we shouldn't aim to get in half our body weight in oz!! Drink up friends. Try adding some strawberry and lemon for a refreshing pick me up!! 

THIRD....Dont get so hungry that you make unhealthy choices. I know if you're traveling that there are not always the healthiest options when you stop for gas or are on a long stretch of highway. So make sure you're eating every 2.5-3 hours and pack a cooler of healthy snacks to grab on the go. Some of my favorites are string cheese and apple, nuts and apples, hummus and veggies, or Shakeology. If you need something a little more substantial, make some grilled chicken wraps and throw them in the cooler for a great lunch on the go!

FOURTH....ALWAYS bring something to your event! You may not be able to control EVERYTHING served at a party but you can bring a dish that you made so you know exactly what went into it and also that you will be able to enjoy something that you like and is healthy!! 

FIFTH....Plan your cheat meal so you're prepared and not left feeling guilty!! If you KNOW that you want Aunt Sally's potato salad or maybe your moms cherry pie is calling your name, plan for it! Enjoy it! And move on!! But remember to keep it in moderation and think of the BIG picture....appetizers, meals, desserts, cocktails....where do you want to splurge and where can you cut back?


Speaking of cocktails!! Traditional margaritas, beers and wines can contain a ton of sugar and calories. But dont worry! I've got you covered... Here are a few of my favorites that are so yummy but will keep you on track!! 

PiñaCroixlada

This is a lighter take on the traditional piña colada without the coconut creme and existential guilt. 

Light rum - 1 oz

Coconut LaCroix

Splash of pineapple juice

Combine all three ingredients, serve with a pineapple wedge.

Strawberry Basil Wine Spritzer



Need some more ideas on some fun recipes to enjoy this weekend? Check these out!!

Red, White and Blue Trifle

Appetizers

Buffalo Chicken Dip (21 Day Fix friendly)
Clean Eating Tex-Mex Dip
Veggie Shooters
Thai Shrimp Skewers


Salads
Triple Berry Summer Salad
Watermelon Feta Salad

Meals

Black Bean Burgers

Grilled Chili Flank Steak

Fish Tacos

So get out there and enjoy your holiday weekend!! Apply these tips, enjoy the recipes and let me know how you do!!

If you find Tuesday that you've over done it a little and would like help getting back on track I am opening an exclusive 30 day online health and fitness challenge group where I'll be teaching...

-Balance between those summer treats and your goals.
-How to travel and eat healthy.
-How to make a meal plan.
-Healthy summer swaps.
-Proper portion size.
-30 minute total body workouts.
-At least 1 cheat meal per week.

My goal is to teach you how to make a lifestyle change, not a crash diet, or something you feel deprived by! My goal is to give you tools that will last forever!

Are you in??? If so fill out the application below and invite some friends!!

Complete the application below

I will be in contact with you in the next 24 hours with details. And we start plan and prep Monday July 4th!!

NOTE: You cannot already be a coach or working with another coach!

5 Grocery Store Mistakes to Avoid!

You guys hear me talk all the time about how important it is to plan and prep for a successful week and what you do (or dont do) at the grocery store really lays the groundwork for your healthy habits! Remember...if you stock the kitchen with good food, you eat good food!! But its easy to make mistakes at the grocery store too...here are a couple to be sure to avoid!

1. Not going in with a shopping list
Before you can make a list you need to make a meal plan so you know exactly what you'll be eating and exactly what you need to buy. Are you having left overs? What nights do you have kids sports? What days do you need extra snacks? Take a few minutes to sit down and look at the week ahead. Then plan your meals, check the fridge and pantry for what you already have then write down the rest on your list

2. Shopping when distracted
I always advise against shopping while hungry! Thats the #1 distraction right there. You cant concentrate and everything looks so good, you just toss it in the cart! So make sure you've had a nice healthy meal before you start! Also make sure you're really focused on what you're doing. Dont be on the phone or checking emails. It is so easy to skip over prices, nutritional info or even leave without something you actually needed!

3. Overlooking the nutritional info or serving sizes
Something that is so important to do is to READ LABELS!! I'm not just talking about the Calories, Fat grams and carbs. I mean look over the INGREDIENTS too!! We're all so brainwashed to grab the fat free, low fat, low carb etc. But what that usually means is that the sugars have been upped and the food item is PACKED with crap to still make it taste good! Make sure you can read the ingredients and know what they are. Not wonder if they came from a science experiment.

Also serving sizes....look ahead at your list. I have found through using the 21 Day Fix portion control system that the one chicken breast I used to eat for dinner is actually 2-3 times the amount I should be eating!!! So that pack of chicken you thought might only last your family 1-2 dinners could actually be stretched a LOT further!

4. Skipping the freezer section and canned goods
I typically choose to get fresh produce but at the same time this could mean that I make extra trips to the grocery store through the week as sometimes it can go bad quickly! So I've started getting frozen broccoli, green beans and berries to keep on hand too. These items are frozen at their peak so have just as much nutrition as the fresh varieties.

Same goes for the meat. I recently spoke with the butcher and he told me that much of the stuff comes frozen to the store. So unless you need something to cook for dinner and you forgot to thaw something out the frozen options are just as good
I also stock up on canned tomatoes and beans for chilis, beans and rice or soups. But make sure you check for low sodium options and honestly the organic options are VERY similar in price so I go organic as much as I can. 

5. Hitting the produce section last

Just like your dinner plate, your shopping cart should be mostly filled with veggies!! So hit up the produce section first and try some new things!! If youre looking to reduce your carbs try cauliflower for rice or pizza crusts. Zucchini or spaghetti squash noodles in place of pasta!! You'll soon realize you're not missing much from the high calorie rice and pastas and you'll be surprised at how filling it is!!

For more tips like these send me a friend request on Facebook!!

Clean Eating Sweet and Sour Chicken

Every so often I get a CRAVING for some yummy Chinese food but unfortunately what I want rarely aligns with my health and fitness goals so I have to pass on the take-out, BUT I don't have to pass on my favorite dishes!!

Not too long ago I came up with an AMAZING Chicken Fried Rice recipe that is now a staple in our house. And last night I whipped up this Sweet and Sour Chicken that was to die for!! I think Ruben must have said "babe this is REALLY good" six times...no joke!! And my little picky eater Jayden who'd eat breakfast 24/7 if he could, gobbled it right up!!

          

           

INGREDIENTS: 1/3 cup Bragg's Liquid Aminos 2 tbsp raw local honey 2 cloves garlic, minced (I used a HUGE scoop of minced garlic from the jar...probably 3 tbsp lol) 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (good thing I had a few packets on hand from the last pizza delivery night!) 1 1/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (4 breasts), chopped into 1-inch pieces 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch chunks 1 medium yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch chunks 1 small yellow onion, chopped into chunks 2 cups canned pineapple chunks in juice NOT syrup 1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice or quinoa, optional
INSTRUCTIONS: In a small bowl, whisk together Bragg's Liquid Aminos, honey, garlic and pepper flakes. 

In a gallon sized ziplock bag place chopped chicken and marinade mixture over chicken, tossing gently. zip closed, getting all air out, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. 

Add chicken and marinade and sauté for 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. 

Add bell peppers and onion and cook for 5 minutes or until vegetables are slightly tender. 

Add pineapple and cook for 2 more minutes. 

Serve over (optional) brown rice or quinoa!!

21 Day Fix info:
*So I measured everything out with my 21 Day Fix containers using the ingredients above before I mixed it all together so I would have accurate portions.

* The TOTAL recipe was 4 red containers, 4 green containers, 4 orange containers, 2 purple containers. 

*I like to keep things simple so I divided the entire skillet into 4 servings. Each SINGLE SERVING is 1 red, 1 green, 1 orange, 1/2 purple. If you serve it over rice or quinoa you will add 1 yellow

ENJOY!!!

7 Easy Tips to Meal Prep and Save Time During The Week

When I share with people my weekly meal plans or how I do my meal prep for the week one of the first, and most common responses is.... "I could never do what you do, I just don't have the time!"

But the thing is...investing in a couple hours on ONE day really frees up SO much time during the week!! So today I wanted to share with you some tips that I personally use to help cut down hours in the kitchen!!

1. Make a Weekly Meal Plan: We like to keep it pretty simple. I will either repeat meals and have left overs or I will choose dinners that have the same or similar ingredients so I can prep a lot together. This meal plan also takes all the guess work out of what I'm going to eat. I go right to the fridge and pull out the meal thats on the menu!

2. Keep your grocery list updated: So as I run out of things I put them on the list right away. That way I'm not wasting time before I shop wandering around the kitchen looking through the pantry and the fridge to find out what we need to buy. Shopping with a grocery list is also very helpful for avoiding those impulse buys at the grocery store. If its not on the list I DON'T buy it!

3. Meal Prep on Sunday or Monday: So for me Sunday works best because my husband is home to help with the kids. I like to order my groceries on Saturday and have them delivered Sunday morning. Then I get right to business. I have my meal plan and I list everything in the order it takes to cook it. So for example if I'm going to make brown rice that takes 50 minutes I will start that first, Next I'll put the chicken in the oven for 30-40 minutes, Throw some eggs on to boil, start some quinoa and begin browning the turkey. Once the turkey is done I have some time while everything else just "does its thing". So I will wash and chop my fruits and veggies. Peppers, cucumbers, steam some broccoli, slice my berries etc.  It usually takes about two hours from start to finish but it saves a TON of time each day and you use less dishes, yay!!!

4. Keep your family favorites stocked in the kitchen: Even with the best of intentions, some days just dont go as planned. Maybe what I had on the menu for dinner doesnt sound good tonight, or maybe something came up and we dont have enough time to make a certain meal. Thats OK!! Be flexible and get creative! My son loves bean burritos so I keep canned organic beans in the pantry for a quick bean and cheese burrito. Some of my other staples are tortillas, eggs, organic diced tomatoes, salsa, minute brown rice, whole grain pastas, organic pasta sauce, and frozen veggies. frozen veggies.

5. Double recipes and freeze for a busy week night: I love my crock pot!! I often will make a double batch of chili or chicken tortilla soup and freeze half for later. Those nights that are super busy or get off track you'll be so glad you have a nice hot, healthy meal waiting for you!!

6. Use convenience items: So as much as I'd like to make my own chicken broth and always hand chop my own produce, sometimes using items that have been pre-prepped makes that meal prep time go even faster. So consider using frozen veggies that are already chopped, organic chicken or veggie broth, minced garlic in the jar, shredded cheese, pre portioned bags of almonds, etc.

7. Easy clean up: So before I even start my meal prep I make sure that the trash bag and the dish washer are empty. Theres nothing worse than trying to balance egg shells on an over flowing garbage can or piling up the dishes in the sink when you need to get to the water! I use a "garbage bowl" when I'm chopping so I can just throw all the scraps away later and just keep moving. And as I'm done with a dish it goes right to the dishwasher. Easy peasy!!

So I hope that you have a better idea of what my meal prep looks like and how with a little organization and planning even the busiest mama's CAN meal plan and prep on the weekend to save several hours during the week to spend with their families!!

For more helpful tips and healthy recipes follow me on Pinterest and Facebook!!

Clean Eating Super Bowl Appetizers and Tips

According to USA Today, the Super Bowl is "only second behind Thanksgiving for the average amount of calories consumed in a day." Is it bad that that statistic didn't surprise me??? It's no wonder when there are so many appetizers, pizzas and beers flowing that in the matter of a couple hours some SERIOUS caloric damage can be done!!

But don't worry!! I have put together some great tips to help keep you in the "healthy lifestyle game" and not sitting on the bench with guilt and stomach cramps all night!! I've also compiled some of my favorite healthy Super Bowl party foods so you can celebrate without the super-high calories, fat, and sodium. Don't forget to get up at halftime and dance to the music or get outside to throw the ball with your friends, neighbors, and loved ones. That way you can enjoy some great food and keep moving too.

The key to any appetizer is to go in moderation.  It is not a meal and it is not a free pass to indulge because it is clean or healthy.  There is such a thing as too much of a good thing!!!  So while hummus and guacamole are good fats they can also be bad if you fill half your plate with them!

If you are attending a football party where you have no control over the menu here are a few suggestions:

1.  Pre-Eat:  Yup! Eat BEFORE you even leave your house! Don't rely on what is being provided and HOPE that it is clean!  Most likely it won't be.  Most parties wont even have a veggie tray or green salad to choose from!  I always have either a shake or a light but filling meal before I go.  Then, spend my time socializing and hanging out with people instead of mingling at the food buffet. I strategically place myself far from the buffet actually, because its SO easy to just be chatting and keep reaching down for anther chicken wing, egg roll or stuffed mushroom!

2.  Choose small plates:  Grab an appetizer plate and load up on veggies and fruit.  Stay away from creamy dips and fried foods.  The small plates will remind you to stay within your portion sizes.  When you have bigger plates you tend to feel the need to fill it up! Also eat slowly from this small plate. Just because its less food than you would put on a bigger plate doesn't mean that its your opportunity to scarf it down and go back for seconds or thirds!

3.  If there is something that you want to splurge on, evaluate the situation.  Is this what you want to splurge on? What else will you forgo instead?  Will you stay away from all other chips and cookies so you can have cake?  Will you stay away from Alcohol for chips?  Your choice, but you can't have a bangin body and eat your cake too!  The power is in your hands, how bad do you want it?

4.  Drink lots of water:  If you decide to have a few drinks, stay hydrated!  Go with your low calorie options like vodka and soda water with a splash of lemon or lime. And for every alcoholic beverage you should drink a large 12 oz glass of water. 

5.  Stay away from certain ingredients:  Stay away from anything that is made with mayonnaise, cream cheese, sour cream or heavy cream and milk.  Lots of unwanted calories and fat hidden in there! It doesn't make a difference if it's low fat cream cheese, light sour cream or mayo it's still not a good option.  To clean up a recipe with those ingredients try Greek yogurt!  Most people can't tell the difference between sour cream and Greek Yogurt!!   

6. Get up and get moving!!: Durning the game it's pretty common to only get off your keyster to get more food or use the restroom. So take advantage of the break at Half-Time to get out and throw your own ball around the yard with the neighbors, take the kids to the local park or if you just absolutely CAN'T miss the coveted Half-Time show round up your guests and do this workout throughout the game and see who can stick it out till the end!

So, now that you are armed with some tips here are the recipes to go with it!

One of my favorite party appetizers are the Turkey, Pepper, Avocado Rolls

Turkey, Pepper & Avocado Rolls

3 slices of low sodium, nitrate free turkey breast 

1/8 medium avocado sliced

1/2 medium bell pepper sliced into 6 pieces

Top each slice of turkey with bell peppers and avocado, roll and enjoy!!

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

• 1 lb. lean ground turkey
• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 1 8oz can crushed pineapple in juice, drained
• 1/2 cup green onions
• 1 tbsp. light soy sauce
• 1 tsp. ginger
  Sauce:
• 3/4 cup reduced-sodium, low fat chicken broth
• 1/3 cup chili sauce
• 3 tbsp. rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 tsp. cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine meatball ingredients in medium bowl and mix thoroughly.  Line a baking sheet with foil.  Place cooking racks in foil lined baking sheet.  Shape meatballs and place on the racks.  Bake for about 25 minutes or until thoroughly cooked.  Transfer the meatballs to a serving dish and cover to keep warm.

Combine the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and stir until cornstarch is dissolved.  Place sauce over medium heat and stir intermittently until mixture comes to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, and stir for another minute or until mixture thickens slightly.  Pour sauce over meatballs, and gently toss to coat meatballs and serve warm with toothpicks.

Veggie Shooters:Presentation is EVERYTHING!! I know that when I bring a veggie tray to a party its usually the only thing that goes untouched. But these VeggieShooters are sure to get some love for today's big game!!
 
6 – Dixie cups
3-4 whole carrots, cut into sticks
4-5 celery sticks cut into smaller sticks
18 cherry tomatoes
toothpicks
6 oz. plain Greek yogurt
Hidden Valley Dill Dip packet or dill seasoning

Instructions

Mix 1/2 of the Dill packet with Greek yogurt.
Place 1 oz. of dip into each of the Dixie cups.
Place 5-6 celery sticks & 4-5 carrots sticks each into each cup.
Put 3 grape tomatoes on a toothpick and place in the cup.
Voila! Healthy, Quick, Easy Appetizer


Clean Eating Tex-Mex Dip  I am such a sucker for Mexican Food and this one sounds completely divine.  I honestly am going to have to portion out the 1/4 cup serving otherwise I would eat it all at one sitting.

Ingredients:
1 (12 ounce) jar of your favorite salsa, no sugar added
1 (15 ounce) can black olives, chopped
1 (15 ounce) can non-fat, re-fried beans, no sugar added
3 avocados
Juice of 1 lime
2 large Roma tomatoes, chopped
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, loosely packed

Directions:

Combine the beans and the salsa in a pot and warm while stirring constantly. Once they are warm and well combined, remove from heat and pour the beans into your serving dish.

Next, make your guacamole using the avocados, lime juice, garlic powder and onion powder. Add salt to taste. Layer the guacamole over the beans.

Top with olives and tomatoes next and finish with the fresh cilantro.

Serve with your favorite, clean corn chips or whole grain crackers. 

Bruchetta 

makes about 8-10 servings

Gently blend together in a medium mixing bowl:

6 good sized Roma tomatoes, diced

3/4 cup of sun dried tomatoes (packed in oil-preferably olive oil) finely chopped

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

4 t. minced garlic

1/2 cup of finely chopped fresh basil

2 T. balsamic vinegar

1/4 t. ground pepper

1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat your oven to 400* and spread the mixture in an 8" x 8" baking dish and bake for about 10-15 minutes.  Once the edges are bubbling and it smells amazing.  

I like to serve my Bruschetta with a whole grain baguette that I slice down brush with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and bake until lightly browned.  You can make your own chips that are healthier than the store bought version.

TurboFire Crockpot Chili

1 pound lean ground turkey
1/2 cup diced tomatoes (I used stewed tomatoes and added 2 cans)
8oz whole kernel corn, canned
1/2 onion diced
2 garlic cloves (I used minced)
8oz can of Black Beans
8oz  can of Kidney Beans
1 Tbsp Tomato Paste
1 packet Lawry's Chili Seasoning (I used low sodium)
4 oz low fat shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Brown the turkey and drain any fat. Place all ingredients except the cheese into the crock pot. Cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2 hours. Top with 1 oz cheese per serving if desired.

Enjoy your parties this weekend and please share your favorite recipes too!!  I always love hearing your clean appetizers.  It's the one area we all struggle with! 

Most likely you'll still indulge in a few not so clean treats or have a cocktail or two, and thats fine! Life is all about BALANCE right?!!?! But come Monday if you think you'll be ready to get back on track I invite you to join my FREE 7 Day, Valentine's Day inspired Clean Eating Group!!  Get a 7 day clean eating meal plan, shopping list, tips, motivation and support. And as a BONUS you'll get valentines day inspired recipes so that you and your special someone can enjoy Valentines Day at home (without the crowds) without missing out on all the yummy goodness!!

To join this group you MUST not already be a coach or working with a Team Beachbody Coach.

21 Day Fix Results

I am officially a 21 Day Fix graduate!! I was nervous starting this round because of all the knee issues I had at the end of last year, but I am SO glad I didn't let that stop me! I started slow, listened to my body and just took it one day at a time. I modified when I needed to and I pushed harder when I could.

I have been following the 21 Day Fix food part of the program basically since it came out so that part for me wasn't a challenge. But during these three weeks I felt myself wanting to mix things up, try other programs and do something different. But I didn't!! I followed it to a T (almost) for the entire 3 weeks. I did have to travel for work but I still got up early to workout before my flight and did some workouts in my hotel room using Beachbody On Demand!

So am I at my goal weight? Nope! I actually only lost 6 pounds and 2 inches from my belly! And I don't say "only" as if its not awesome! Because 6 pounds in three weeks is freakin awesome!! But I say it because this was just the stepping stone I needed to take me to the next level, I'm not stopping here!! 

Today my husband and I start Hammer and Chisel and I am SOOO excited to see what my body does over the next two months! I love lifting heavy so this is totally my jam!! I also love that it incorporates the same containers from the 21 Day Fix so I wont have to be trying to learn a new way of eating on top of everything else!

If you'd like to join me in my next online health and fitness accountability group starting February 1st I would love to chat with you!! You will get personalized 1:1 support, help with recipes, meal planning, motivation and tons of fun!! Please fill out the application below!

21 Day Fix Week 2 Recap

I was super excited and honestly a little surprised with my week one results of 7.6 pounds. I wasn't in disbelief, I worked hard, I ate clean and drank my Shakeology daily. But I am also realistic!! A drop that big in one week was most likely going to warrant a smaller drop for me the next week. I just didn't realize HOW much smaller. I definitely struggle with patience so when I weighed in yesterday to see my grand total results were only 8.1 I was a little bummed but then slapped myself back into reality!! 8.1 pounds in 2 weeks is phenomenal.

So as I enter week three, my knee started acting up again....go figure, right?!?! So I listened and took yesterday as a rest day and instead did my foam roller and lots of stretching. That seemed to help and this afternoon I'm looking forward to getting back on track with my workouts!

This week is a little crazy too because I'm traveling to LA for our Beachbody National Leadership Conference so my meal plan will not totally be planned out like normal. I'm keeping it pretty basic Monday and Tuesday (Breakfast - Shakeology/spinach/banana. Snacks HB eggs/apple almonds. Dinner Meatloaf, veggies, turkey burger/veggies). Wednesday I will travel but I'll be stocked with healthy eats in my carry on including apple/almond, shakeology and my shaker cup and then make good choices while dining out when I'm there. Beachbody will be covering our meals Thursday night - Friday night so I'm sure they'll be pretty healthy!

Workouts on the trip wont be a problem! When you travel with a whole group of Beachbody coaches workouts just happen!! Plus on Friday morning I'll be joining Tony Horton for a LIVE workout!! I am so excited for that, celebrity trainer workouts are the BEST!!

So as week three rolls out a little out of the norm I plan to roll with the punches, stay on track every step that I can and embrace this round of the 21 Day Fix before I begin Hammer and Chisel on Monday the 25th!!

Our next fitness and accountability group starts February 1st and I would LOVE to have you join us!! Wherever you are in your journey....whether your starting with the 21 Day Fix or ready to conquer Hammer and Chisel this group is for you!! You'll be surrounded my like minded women on a journey to better themselves, get healthy and fit!! For more information please fill out the application below to reserve your spot today!