Category Archives: Body Beast

Beachbody On-Demand: It’s Here!

Beachbody On-Demand Me
How many times have you heard someone talking about a new workout program or seen an infomercial for one? Heck, if you’ve been following my blog for awhile, I’ve mentioned enough programs to make your head spin.

When deciding to commit to at-home fitness, there is definitely pressure. How do you know which program to choose? Will you like it? What happens if you hate it?

One of the reasons why I recommend Beachbody products and I ended up becoming a coach is because I BELIEVE in their products. I’m a walking testimony that they work. I lost over 100 pounds using their products and there is no doubt in my mind, you WILL get results if you commit to whatever program you choose.

(Note the last 8 words of that sentence. As a matter of fact, go back and reread it. They’re very important.)

The other thing I love about them? They offer a money back guarantee on all of their products …even Shakeology! You can use the entire bag and decide you don’t like and they will refund your money as long as it’s within 30 days.

Who does that?!

Since I have completed so many programs I understand why people have a hard time deciding which one to choose. There are A LOT of them. In all honesty it also doesn’t help that there are so many coaches out there and they’re all hyping up the newest program to hit the market. I get it, it’s new, there’s excitement about it, but that doesn’t mean it’s for everyone. Ya know? From P90X to PiYo, there truly is something for everyone and of every fitness level… but which one is right for YOU?

Well, if you decide to purchase a program, I recommend you find a coach that knows the programs and can guide in choosing the one that’s right for you. They should ask you questions about your goals, fitness level and then give you some options to check out. If they only talk about how much they love the program, how awesome everyone says it is, that’s it’s the newest thing and they don’t ask you questions, chances are your best interest in not what they’re focused on and you might want to find someone else to help you.

Now, if you get bored easily, still aren’t convince that a specific program is for you or if you just enjoy variety, I’d like to introduce you to the brand new Beachbody On-Demand!

On Demand 2

 It’s a new feature that Beachbody is offering within The Team Beachbody Club membership and it’s truly the most valuable tool I could share with you at the moment.

I had the opportunity to be apart of the test group for this new feature and I absolutely LOVED it!

With this Premium Team Beachbody Club membership, you’ll automatically have access to unlimited streaming of hundreds of workouts from Beachbody’s collection of fitness programs as well as the Nutrition Guides,  personalized meal plans, support videos from REAL celebrity trainers, a 10% discount on ALL Team Beachbody products (including Shakeology) and most important, a FREE coach, like myself!

So what programs do you have access to with this Team Beachbody Club Membership? Allow me to tell you…

On Demand

Beachbody On-Demand: Programs Available At Launch

  • P90X & P90X Deluxe
  • P90X2 & P90X2 Deluxe
  • P90X3 & P90X3 Deluxe
  • P90X ONE on ONE Volume 1
  • 10 Minute Trainer
  • INSANITY & INSANITY Deluxe
  • INSANITY: THE ASYLUM Volume 1
  • TurboFire
  • Brazil Butt Lift & Brazil Butt Lift Deluxe
  • ChaLEAN Extreme
  • Hip Hop Abs

Beachbody On-Demand: Your Purchased Programs

Later this March, there will be another big perk added to Beachbody On-Demand. If you’re a paid Team Beachbody Club member and you purchase select DVD programs that are not in the Member Library, you’ll be able to exclusively stream those programs as well. Just look for “Purchased Programs” in Beachbody On-Demand.

That means if you travel a lot, you no longer have to worry about packing your DVD’s with you! You’ll have them at your finger tips from any device that supports internet access. You’ll be able to access these workouts from your smartphone, tablet, laptop, PS3, XBox 360, PS4, XBox One, Smart TV, Chromecast or Apple TV! How awesome is that?!

(Update 3/12/15: After receiving a message from someone having issues getting it to work on their PS3, I found that despite having Flash, the site works but the video does not load on the PS3 & XBox 360 game systems. It did work on my PS4 and I spoke with someone who uses it on their Xbox One and helped a customer use it on their Smart TV. I am looking into this more to see why this is happening and I will update again when I have more info.)

The first set of programs that will be available for streaming later in March as part of the Purchased Program section are FOCUS T25 (which is on sale this month), 21 Day Fix and 21 Day Fix EXTREME. This library of available Purchased Programs to be streamed will be growing over the next few months, too.

Beachbody On-Demand: Try Before You Buy

Another huge benefit of becoming a Premium Team Beachbody Club member? Exclusive access to try workouts from many of the newest programs along with some other noteworthy programs. Just look for “New and Noteworthy” in Beachbody On Demand.

This section will allow you to preview select single workouts of some of Beachbody’s newest and best-selling programs. In other words, now for the first time, you will be able to get a sneak preview of the program and try before you buy with one full length workout from the program.

Here are the programs you will have exclusive access to starting in March 2015:

  • 21 Day Fix – Total Body Cardio Fix
  • 21 Day Fix EXTREME – PiYo Fix Extreme
  • PiYo – Sweat
  • FOCUS T25 – Alpha Cardio
  • INSANITY MAX:30 – Sweat Intervals
  • P90 – Sculpt A
  • Body Beast – Build: Chest/Tris

As you can see, Beachbody On Demand can help many people in different ways. From those who need variety or can’t decide which program or trainer they will like best, to those who travel often, there are benefits for everyone.

How Much Does Beachbody On-Demand Cost?

The Beachbody On-Demand digital program will only cost you the price of a Team Beachbody Club membership, which is a risk-free cost of $2.99 a week, billed $38.87 quarterly (that’s less than $40 for 3 months). And you can cancel any time in the first 30 days for a full refund.

As I mentioned above, with Team Beachbody Club Membership you also gain access to nutrition information and guidance, personalized meal plans, support videos from REAL celebrity trainers, a 10% discount on ALL Team Beachbody products (including Shakeology) and most important, a FREE coach, like myself!

March Promo:

If you purchase a bag of Shakeology, you can get 3 months of Beachbody On-Demand for only $10! If you’d like to take advantage of this offer, simply contact me so we can discuss you goals and figure out which program you should try first!

If you are unsure about Club Membership and do not already have a FREE Team Beachbody account, contact me and you can make one and I’ll be assigned as your coach!

So what do you think of this new feature? Is it something you think you could benefit from?

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Filed under 21 Day Fix, Body Beast, Focus T25, Health & Fitness, Insanity, P90X, Products I've Tried

Healthy Comfort Food: Turkey Chili

Healthy Comfort Food Turkey Chili 21DF
Just about everyone who knows me, knows I love healthy comfort food and the recipe for Turkey Chili from the Body Beast nutrition guide. I’ve shared it before in my meal prep post and I post photos of it quite often on Instagram. I’ve even been having my 21 Day Fix participants begin using it with their meal prepping. It’s such a simple, versatile and yummy recipe that I think it would be wrong not to share it.

For those of you are not familiar with it, here is the recipe:

Ingredients

  • 1 pound lean ground turkey meat
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 med white onion, chopped
  • 1 medium bell pepper, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 Tbsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 15 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes or diced tomatoes with chilis
  • 1 8oz can tomato sauce, no salt added
  • 2 TBL chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Directions:
 

1) Heat oil in large saucepan over med/high heat. Add turkey, onion, bell pepper and garlic.
2) Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until turkey is no longer pink.
3) Add cumin, chili powder, salt, and cayenne pepper; stir and cook another minute.
4) Stir in beans and tomatoes; bring to a boil
5) Reduce heat to low and gently simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes or until thickened.
6) Serve warm sprinkled with parsley.

As you can see, it’s really simple to make and uses lots of great, clean ingredients. The beauty of it, is that it’s simple to tweak in order fit into the 21 Day Fix program.

If you have issues fitting in all of your green containers, add spinach, zucchini, extra peppers, kale, eggplant or any other veggie you have on hand to this dish and bump up your veggie intake. You could even serve it over some cauliflower rice or top it with some shredded romaine lettuce.

Are those yellow containers your issue? (Not using enough of them, that is. I know many people feel there are not ENOUGH yellow containers in general, I can’t help with that, sorry. You’ll have to take that up with Autumn.) add extra beans, some corn or peas. You could also serve this over some rice or quinoa – another option is to cash in a “treat” and have a few tortilla chips on the side for dipping.

Unsure of how to use your blue containers? Top your chili with some shredded sharp cheddar cheese or some avocado. Better yet, use both by using half a container or each.

Falling short on red containers? Top this with some plain greek yogurt instead of sour cream for a creamy component that will make your taste buds happy.

Purple containers also fit into this dish! Top your chili with some fresh salsa for an added kick, as well as a color pop. (We eat with our eye, too!)

As you can see this is a very useful recipe to have while doing the 21 Day Fix. You can easily make this into your meal planning and use up just about any container you may be lacking.

Do you have a versatile recipe that would work well with the 21 Day Fix? If so, I would love to learn more about it.

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Filed under 21 Day Fix, Body Beast, Health & Fitness, Main Course, Recipes

Staying Committed to Your Fitness Goals

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Halloween has passed, Thanksgiving feasts will be served shortly, Christmas is already everywhere you look and before you know it everyone will be shouting Happy New Year! It’s during this whirlwind time of year that people tend to pack on some extra pounds and then make the resolution to get back into fitness on January 1st.

If this is your annual resolution, you know that committing to your health is not easy. There will be times when you won’t want to wake up early to get your workout done, you’ll be sore, you’ll be tired, and that ugly little voice in your head will start telling you that you suck and the workout you’re doing isn’t going to make a difference anyway. (Don’t listen to that voice…it’s just fear speaking.)

There may be times when you wait in line at the coffee shop and feel like ordering that fattening blended coffee drink, even though you know sticking with your unsweetened (preferably black) regular coffee, or you’re driving home and pass a fast food restaurant and think to yourself “One meal from here won’t hurt.”. You may be scared to use a heavier weight than you did last week, because you are afraid you won’t be able to complete your reps. We all struggle with healthy eating. We all get late night cravings (trust me, I’ve written about Pop-tarts calling to me from the cabinet, in the middle of the night), and us woman all crave chocolate and salt simultaneously during a specific week each month. We’re human!

It’s in these moments of weakness, that your commitment to the goals you set are tested. This is why as an accountability coach, I always talk to my clients about why they decided to start a health and fitness program. The stronger the connection they feel to that WHY, the easier it will be to resist the temptations and the feeling of saying “Screw this, I want to sleep in!” When you stick to the commitment you’ve made to yourself, you’ll begin to stand more confidently, feel a renewed sense of pride and you’ll even feel sexier. Staying committed to your goals will help you to discover a true sense of well-being, purpose, and personal worth. You’ll feel even feel energized and happier!

Here are three ways that can help you stay committed to achieving your goals:

1. Post your goals on the mirror.
Posting your goals in a place where you are guaranteed to see them each day will help you to stay focused, motivated, and committed. Your bathroom mirror is the perfect place because you’ll see your goals first thing in the morning and right before you go to sleep at night.(We are brushing our teeth twice a day, right?!) Placing them here will also give you a chance to look at your goals and then yourself, which can be a very powerful thing. For maximum results, include why you started your fitness routine (to have more energy to play with your kids, to feel comfortable in your own skin, to feel more confident, to wow people at your class reunion.).

2. Prepare for the unexpected.
Each morning, or better yet, each night before you go to bed, ask yourself if there are any challenges that may interfere with your daily routine for the next day. Examples of this could be: Are there any lunch meetings or special events at work? How will you handle things if your child wants you to play during your scheduled workout time? What if you’re going out to celebrate a friend’s birthday at a restaurant? For each unexpected event, make a plan to address the challenge, while still staying committed to your fitness and nutrition goals. Of course, there are plenty of uncontrollable circumstances that could happen, but developing a plan to deal with your most common challenges will set you up to succeed with anything that could happen during your day.

3. Keep a daily journal.
There is no doubt that tracking your daily fitness and nutrition effort helps to improve your chance of achieving your goals. However, it is also important to track how much effort you put into each day, as well as how you felt during the that day. When creating your journal entry, ask yourself: “Did I exert every possible ounce of effort to achieving my goals today?” If your answer is yes, great! If your answer is no, write down one thing you can do tomorrow to be better than you were today. Another great question to ask yourself is “How did I feel mentally and physically today?” We all have good days and bad days and you can often see a pattern when you begin to a keep a journal. Spotting the pattern as well as the common denominator can help you to make small changes, which can help you to stay on track and achieve your goals.

Following these three tips can help your level of commitment for fitness and nutrition skyrocket! So as the New Year creeps up and you begin making your resolutions, I want you to really think about incorporating these three tips into your daily routine. They will not only help you to achieve your goals, but they can help you get results that will last!

What are your tips and tricks to staying committed to reaching your goals?

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Filed under 21 Day Fix, Body Beast, Fitness Inspiration, Focus T25, Health & Fitness

Quick & Easy Lettuce Roll-Ups

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Looking for a low-carb snack or light lunch/snack? Try these Quick & Easy Lettuce Roll-Ups.

I don’t know about you, but time seems to get away from me during the day. I thought working from home would make staying on track with my nutrition easier, but it really doesn’t. I find that I have a harder time focusing on the task at hand and wherever I look, there is something to be done. From answering e-mails to doing laundry, every moment of my day is filled with something that needs my attention. As a result, time tends to slip away from me and I end up looking for lunch at an odd time, so what I planned on having for lunch doesn’t always work.

As a result of this time management issue, I had to get become proactive. I remembered these lettuce roll-ups that I made a few times over the summer to take to the pool with me. They are light, refreshing and low-carb, which is perfect for those late afternoon lunches. They are also super quick & easy to make and don’t require a lot of ingredients, which is always a plus!

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If you are having these as your lunch, I would include a fruit with it to round things out. You could also change these up by using nitrate-free ham instead of turkey, roasted red pepper hummus in place of the avocado and/or add some sliced yellow or red bell pepper for some added crunch! Play with this…it’s just a simple foundation recipe and the possibilities are endless.

For those of you doing 21 Day Fix, this is a very “fix-friendly” recipe. It’s perfect for when you have lots of errands to run during the day or if you’re a busy mom who spends a lot of time at the ball field, for your kids practices. Just roll them up, put them in an insulated cooler bag with your water (we never forget our water when we’re out and about, right?!) and some fruit, for an easy & balance meal on the go.

Lunch and snack don’t have to be complicated! Keep these quick, clean and simple foods in the house, and you’ll always have a healthy meal on hand…even when you need to run out last minute!

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Filed under 21 Day Fix, Body Beast, Health & Fitness, Recipes, Snacks & Treats

Body Beast Banana Pancakes

Hi my name is Nikki and I am addicted to pancakes!

I have been eating pancakes almost every morning since I started Body Beast back in July and I am not tired of them yet.

There is just something comforting about them to me. They are like a nice warm hug for my soul and who wouldn’t like a nice warm hug to start their morning off, right?

Coffee + Pancakes = Perfection (to me)

Below, is one of my go-to recipes for pancakes, Body Beast Banana Pancakes, which is from the Body Beast “Book of Beast” nutrition guide. I don’t use this exact recipe everyday, but I do make these often. I also make a few variations to them since I have gluten sensitivities. I make sure I buy gluten-free oats and if I don’t have gluten-free flour on hand, I just blend up a cup of oats, until they’re a fine flour-like consistency and I always make sure my baking powder is gluten-free too.

Body Beast Beast Banana Pancakes

This recipe also works AWESOME for meal prepping! I make multiple batches and keep them in the fridge, but you could store them in the freezer too (They just don’t last that long in our house).

Another go-to pancake recipe for me, are the Healthy Pancakes I started making while I was doing the 21 Day Fix. These are super quick and easy to make, plus they make a double batch so you’ll have breakfast for two days, while only cleaning up mixing bowls and pans once! Since I’m doing Body Beast now, I  add a scoop of protein powder to them as well.

Pancakes are really just a blank slate to me, which is probably why I haven’t become bored with them. They can be topped with syrup, fresh fruit, preserves, nut butters, and so much more! You can make a huge batch of them but still enjoy a different flavor profile everyday, which I think is what draws me to them so much. Currently, my favorite way to enjoy them is with some real maple syrup (make sure your syrup is real, people…no maple “flavored” high fructose corn syrup, okay?!) and a sprinkle of unsweetened, shredded coconut. Another favorite of mine is topping them with some peanut butter, sliced banana and a drizzle of raw, local honey.

How do you like to top your pancakes?

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Body Beast Fajitas

Messing around in the kitchen is one of my favorite things to do. It helps to calm me when I’m stressed and it’s actually just become part of my fitness routine. I spend a lot of time on Pinterest looking for new recipes to try. I own a lot of cookbooks and I love that all of the workout programs I own come with nutrition guides and recipe ideas.

So far, the nutrition guide that came with Body Beast, “The Book of Beast” is my favorite. I have tried just about every recipe in it and I have loved them all. As a matter of fact I have shared quite a few of the recipes already. They contain things that are important to me when picking a recipe; they are quick, easy and of course, they all work well for meal prep. This recipe for Body Beast Fajitas is perfect to have on hand for a quick lunch and it packs a lot of flavor!

Body Beast Fajitas

You could also easily substitute steak, shrimp or pork if you want to change things up and keep things interesting! Having basic recipes in your arsenal, that you can make simple changes to is so important when eating clean. Spices are such an important part of keeping things interesting and with a recipe like this, you can easily play around with amounts to suite your tastes. You could add jalapenos, cayenne or use a variety of pepper colors. Little changes like that can completely change the flavor of a dish and keep you from getting bored with your meals.

If you’re like me and LOVE eating at Chipotle, you should definitely try skipping the tortilla and making this with some cilantro-lime rice or as a salad. It would make a super quick dinner option (if for some reason you forgot to meal prep…but we don’t forget to meal prep, right?!) and as an added bonus, you get to skip the drive, looking for a parking spot AND that long ass line! Oh…and when you make it home, guacamole DOESN’T cost extra! SCORE!

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Chase Your Dreams

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Once again I have been a slacker when it comes to writing here and honestly, I’m okay with that, because I’ve been busy chasing my dreams.

I was feeling a little bit lost in my life and what direction it should take, but I’m feeling much more focused now. I suppose it’s something we all go through at some point in life. When I lost my job a year and a half ago, I knew I wanted to switch my focus towards my passion, which was health & fitness. I spent some time deciding how I wanted to go about doing it and eventually decided to begin studying for my NASM Personal Trainer certification, as I’ve mention here before. I’m proud to say I completed it, however once I did, I didn’t know what I wanted to do next. I was never comfortable being in a gym and that is where most people start out once they are certified, so I sucked it up and went to meet with someone at a local gym about shadowing and learning the ropes. While I was there, I knew in my gut it wasn’t for me. NOTHING about it felt comfortable and after speaking with the trainer there, I knew in my heart I wasn’t going to be happy following that route. So I went home, cried and questioned everything I had been doing to this point.

That is when clarity took over and I realized that the answer had always been in front of me. I had taken steps down the path toward it in the past, but always got scared, worried about what other people were going to think and talked myself out of it.

You see, back when I completed my first round of P90X 4 years ago, I tried Shakeology for the first time and really liked it, however I really couldn’t afford it. I saw the nutritional value it offered, but I couldn’t get past the price tag. That is when my coach introduced me to Beachbody Coaching (Yes, I said Beachbody Coaching…please don’t run away now) and how I could get a 25% discount on Shakeology. I was very skeptical at first and I asked a million questions to everyone I knew who was doing the program on Twitter and I eventually decided to sign-up. While I was told I was inspiring and motivating by many people I met at that time, I wasn’t comfortable coaching anyone so I just enjoyed the Shakeology discount and if people asked me what I was doing to get in shape I would tell them, share a link and make a little extra money by doing so.

From time to time I would attend a local Beachbody event, because I loved the programs. Coaches I met there would try to talk to me into “working my business” but I refused to “drink the Kool-Aid” so I would just smile a nod. In all honesty I was intrigued by it, but I was also scared of it. I wasn’t a fitness professional and I was still trying to figure out all this fitness stuff on my own. How on earth could I possibly help other people reach their goals when I hadn’t even reached mine?! When I look back on this I was stupid and I was just scared. I was scared of leaving my comfort zone, scared of what other people would think and scared of failing. Now I know that failing at things is the way to grow in life. If we just sit back in our comfort zone, we aren’t living life to it’s fullest, and we certainly aren’t being as happy as we could possibly be.

Over the course of 4 years I have toyed with the idea of actually following this path and coaching others, on and off. I always allowed the fear to stop me but I never quit. I thought about it many times but for some reason I never called and cancelled my coach account and I never fully gave up on the idea of doing it. Why? I’m pretty sure it’s because the Universe wants me to pursue this. I know … I know… the Universe?! Yeah, well… I’m not religious but I do believe in a higher power. I wholeheartedly believe that we have a path we are meant to follow in life, and that people and events come into our lives to lead us to this path. When we ignore the path things will keep happening to redirect us towards it, and that’s what kept happening to me with coaching.

So, as of this month, I am officially applying myself with my coaching! I am chasing my dreams of helping others and paying it forward. I am no longer running from this opportunity to touch other peoples lives and pass along the knowledge that I have gained over the course of my 5 year weight loss journey. I was able to change my life and I know that YOU can too. If you have been scared to start, I want you to know that it is normal and it doesn’t mean that you can never do it!

Now that I have  finally, openly, talked about what it is I do, I hope that if you are ever up late watching TV and an infomercial comes on for P90X, T25, 21 Day Fix, PiYo or any other Beachbdoy program, you will wait to order it and come speak to me first. If you already own one of these programs but have struggled with them or never even got started, I would love the opportunity to coach you,  find out what your goals are and help you to reach them!

It’s time to chase your dreams and make them a reality!

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Filed under 21 Day Fix, Body Beast, Focus T25, Health & Fitness, Insanity, My Ramblings, P90X

Body Beast ….Whatever It Takes!

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It feels like I just settled in to the 21 Day Fix but it’s over, which means the start of a new program for me! When I started 21 Day Fix in June, I made a deal with Mike that if he joined me for the 3 weeks, I would join him for a round of Body Beast. He kept his end of the deal (with great results) and I’m keeping mine!

In all honesty, I love weight lifting. I would much rather lift weights than do cardio. I feel more accomplished, stronger and like I’m doing something with purpose when I lift. I don’t know…it just makes me happy!

Now, for those of you who have never heard of Body Beast, it’s a 90 day Beachbody program (no surprise there…I adore their workouts and have been doing them for 5 years now) that combines weight lifting workouts, groundbreaking nutrition, and supplementation, all in one neat little package. This program does require a vast collection of dumbbells, a bench and a bar with weight plates but there are limited equipment options that use a stability ball with dumbbells in place of the bench and bar. You’ll also need a pull-up bar or resistance bands.

  • Body Beast includes 12 different cutting-edge workouts that fuse the best of old-school resistance training with a new breakthrough in sports science called Dynamic Set Training.
  • Increases in resistance, power, tempo, and volume lead to greater muscle gain and fast results.
  •  The Body Beast Eating Plan helps you increase in size, maintain new muscle growth, and cut up to be in competition shape.
  • Four new extreme supplements specifically designed to enhance growth and performance. (optional)

The Base Kit for Body Beast includes 12 workouts plus a FREE bonus disc called Lucky 7 when you order through one of the links here. This kit will take you through the 3 phases of Beast which are Build, Bulk and Beast. There is also a Challenge Pack option for this program that includes all of the Body Beast Supplements. I am only using the Hardcore Base Shake and Fuel Shot. Mike has added the Super Suma along with those and decided not to add any M.A.X. Creatine for this round.

In my opinion, one of the best aspects of this program is The Book of Beast, which is the program/nutrition guide. It is packed with information and will give you such a great understanding about fueling your body correctly to get the results you want! It also has some of the best recipes I’ve tried with a Beachbody program. I’ve shared the recipes for Sagi’s Signature Turkey Meatballs, Power Protein Balls and Beast Chili before, but there are so many others, including this Body Beast Power Turkey Meatloaf.

healthy meatloaf

Power Turkey Meatloaf

Total Time: 1 hr. 30 min.
Prep Time: 20 min.
Cooking Time: 1 hr. 10 min.
Yield: 8 servings, ⅛ meatloaf each

Ingredients:
2 lbs. raw 93% lean ground turkey
1 cup all-natural mild salsa
1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp. sea salt (or Himalayan salt)
Ground black pepper (to taste; optional)
Fresh chopped parsley (for garnish; optional)

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 375° F.
2. Combine turkey, salsa, bread crumbs, eggs, garlic, salt, and pepper (if desired) in a large bowl; mix well with clean hands or a rubber spatula.
3. Shape mixture into shape of a loaf and place on ungreased 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
4. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until center is no longer pink and meat is cooked through.
5. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serve garnished with parsley.

I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed this recipe. I honestly didn’t even want to make it, since I associate meatloaf was colder weather, but I’m really glad I gave it a shot!

Mike and I are almost done with week one and I am really enjoying lifting again. I am as sore as anything….but I really am enjoying it and feeling the changes in my muscles already.

I know I have been a little bit of slacker here the past week, but I hope to post a Fourth of July weekend recap as well as a post of how to Eat Like A Beast soon!

Any ladies out there complete Body Beast of currently doing Body Beast? If so, I would love to know if you are using the supplements and what your thoughts are on the program.

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Lunchtime Meal Prep…Body Beast Style!

Today I decided to meal prep my lunches for the rest of the week. I’ve been dying to try a recipe from the Book of Beast for Turkey Chili and I’m so glad I finally got around to doing it today.

Now, I’m sure you’re thinking, chili is perfect for this time of year, right? Well…I of course pick the 80 degree freak of nature day to make this. Oh well! Did I mention it’s going to be almost 90 tomorrow?! So much for the nice sweater and boot weather we were having. I’m so done with summer.

Body Beast Turkey Chili

This recipe was super easy to prepare and it was really yummy. I put some green jalapeno hot sauce over it and I wish I have an avocado on hand, because a few slices would have been perfect. I just realized I have some tomatoes sitting on my window sill, so those will be chopped up and tossed on top of tomorrows lunch!

Each serving works out to be about 433 calories and contains 43 grams of protein!

I also made a cup of rice to serve this over and split it into the 4 servings.

I love knowing that my lunches for the week are all taken care of. Meal prepping, especially for lunch has really been a game changer for me. In the past, I’d scrounge for something to have or just snack instead of eating a meal, because I couldn’t think of what I wanted. Now it’s all done for me. Everything is measured out, I know how many calories each container has inside, I heat and I eat.

Do you meal prep? If so, I’d love to hear what your staple meals are. Do you meal prep for all meals? Right now I’ve just been prepping for lunch. I meal plan our dinners and I always have a few options within the same caloric window for breakfast, in addition to Shakeology.

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Filed under Body Beast, Health & Fitness, Main Course, Recipes

Finally Found a Groove

After being wishy washy for a while with my nutrition and fitness, I think I have finally found my groove.

As I mentioned before, I started Focus T25 a few weeks ago. I did three weeks of the program just to check it out and see how I liked it, then restarted it with a challenge group on Facebook. I gotta tell you…I have NEVER sweat as much with any program, like I do with T25. Okay…I sweat my ass with Insanity but this is almost a tie! A TIE…that’s crazy!

This program fits into my schedule like a glove and while I get frustrated at being rhythmically challenged, my two left foot are making progress! I may even develop rhythm, along with cardio endurance, thanks to this workout!

I’ve also made some changes in my diet. I borrowed a few books from the library on Paleo and Whole 30 diets. While I’m not adhering to either 100%, there is tons of amazing information in there and I’ve taken that info into account, when assessing my dietary needs and goals. Two of the books I found most informative are Practical Paleo by Diane Sanfilippo, BS, NC and It Starts With Food by Dallas & Melissa Hartwig.

The other change I made was incorporating weight lifting into my routine again.

I LOVE lifting. It makes me feel strong, I can feel my metabolism really kick in and I love the way my arms look when I lift.

Mike just started a Body Beast/Focus T25 Hybrid this week, so I decided to join him at night when he does the Body Beast workouts. It feels great to lift again and I can already feel a difference in my body by adding it! Weight lifting is so important even if you are looking to lose weight. Having more muscle increases your metabolism, even when you are not working out, so your body burns more calories all day long.

Another aspect that has really helped me the past few weeks is meal planning and meal prepping. All of the programs I have done come with amazing Nutrition Guides which are full of recipes, so I started digging through them, the books I mentioned above and of course Pinterest, for meal ideas and tips on meal prepping (I’ll have a separate post on this soon!)

One of the great recipes I’ve used came from the Body Beast guide…this recipe is quick, tasty and can be transformed into many different meals throughout the week. They also freeze really well so you can make double batches and just pull one batch from the freezer midweek and you’re good to go!

Body Beast Sagi's Signature Meatballs

This is another good recipe I tried this week from the Body Beast guide. I didn’t have the seeds on hand so I used some ground flax seed and unsweetened coconut in it’s place. They were missing some crunch without them, so I need to try this again!

Body Beast Power Protein Balls

Finding my groove has been a long time in the making and I’m happy I finally lifted the right rock to locate it. I look forward to sharing more on this new chapter with you as well as recipes, tips and anything else I come to realize along the way.

If you are trying to find your groove, please stop by my Facebook page. There are a few different accountability groups going on as well as info on the programs I have completed on my journey.

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Filed under Body Beast, Fitness Inspiration, Health & Fitness, Main Course, Recipes