Holy Sh!t….I’m A Certified Personal Trainer!

Back in November I was on cloud nine when I decided to finally sign up for a course through NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine) to become a personal trainer. When my books arrived, I couldn’t wait to crack them open. First week of class, I enjoyed studying and answering questions. Second week, I realized I was in over my head and began to panic. Things steadily began to declined from there with my studies. Each week I felt a little more lost and a little less confidence in myself. My on-line program ended in February and I should have taken my test then, but I had zero confidence and decided to take a few weeks for mental health, then study some more and take the test. Well, weeks turned into months and before I knew it, I had to pick up my book and study my ass off, if I was going to pass. I scheduled the test, studied like a maniac and said a prayer before entering the exam room on Tuesday.

As I sat there answering those 120 questions, I felt confident in some and unsure of others. I flagged, I reviewed, I reviewed again and I finally hit submit before going into the office and waiting for the results…..Pass or Fail. After what seemed like an eternity I got a thumbs up from the woman behind the computer and I felt all of the stress melt away in that instance. After 6 long months of studying, crying, throwing my books into the corner and stong away saying  “I can’t do this”, I am now a NASM Certified Personal trainer!!

NASM Certified

This smile was on my face the entire day!

I know this is old news since I shouted it from the roof-tops on Tuesday, but I felt I needed to post it here too. I learned a lesson from this experience…I am way too hard on myself, I need to have more confidence in myself and most importantly…I can ANYTHING I set my mind to!

Oh…and if you’re preparing to take your exam, make sure you show up looking presentable. I had no idea that they would be taking a photo of me before entering the exam room and I had just ran to the test in the rain. Thankfully it wasn’t busy and the woman let me run to the bathroom to fix myself a little bit first.

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{Recipe} Healthy Pancakes

Pancakes and French Toast are two of my favorite Sunday breakfasts. Top them with a drizzle of maple syrup, some slice strawberries and a side of coffee and I’m a happy girl!

When I calculated my calories and saw my container allowance for the 21-Day Fix, I instantly felt nervous when I saw I’m only allowed two yellows per day. TWO YELLOWS?! Ugh! I can easily go through those in one meal. I know I’m a carb junkie and that’s why I chose this program, but still, I’m allowed to bitch for a minute.

Did I mention I have to give up one of those yellows if I want a treat, like chips, my Oatmeal Banana Cookies or a beer?! Sigh…

Okay…enough of my complaining and onto the recipe. I found some recipes on Pinterest for healthier pancake options that called for cottage cheese and stevia added to them, but I’m not a fan of either so I opted for unsweetened organic applesauce to add some liquid and sweetness to these.

Now applesauce isn’t technically on “the list” but the ingredients had nothing funky so I’m not considering it a “treat” item and I’m treating them like a fruit.

Banana Pancakes
Healthy Pancakes(Makes 6. Serving size 3. Fix container counts per serving 1/2 yellow, 1/2 red, 1/2 purple)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup rolled oats
2 eggs
1 small banana or 1/2 a large one
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1tsp vanilla pure vanilla extract
1/2tsp cinnamon

Directions:
1. Combine all of the above ingredients in a blender and purée until smooth.
2. Lightly grease a griddle pan (I used coconut oil spray) and heat over a medium heat.
3. Using a 1/4 cup spoon, pour batter onto hot griddle.
4. Cook for about two minutes and flip. You may need to drop the heat a little once they set, so they won’t burn.
5. Drizzle with a small amount of real maple syrup (not that fake processed crap) or some raw honey and enjoy!

Mine got a little darker than I would have liked on the first side, which is way I mentioned lowering the heat as you cook them. They were a little tricky to flip too, since they aren’t traditional pancakes, but with a little patience, I did it.

I topped these with maple syrup and some slice strawberries and they were very good. The three remaining are in the fridge, so I’ll let you know how they reheat.

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{Recipe} Banana Oatmeal Cookies

One of the things I like about the 21-Day Fix plan, is that you can trade out one of your yellow contains for a “treat”. I mean, who doesn’t deserve a treat from time to time, right?!

In the nutrition guide, there is a recipe for some yummy looking Banana Oatmeal Cookies. The recipe called for golden raisins and walnuts (which I’m not a fan of) so I swapped out some mini Enjoy Life chips and unsweetened shredded coconut instead!

Banana Oatmeal Cookies
Banana Oatmeal Cookies(Makes 8. Serving size is 2 and replaces 1 Yellow container on the 21-Day Fix)

Ingredients:
Nonstick cooking spray
1 cup Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
2 tsp ground Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Sea Salt
2 medium ripe Bananas, mashed
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used Enjoy Life since I have dairy issues)
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Lightly spray baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Combine oats, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl, making sure to mix well.
4. Add mashed bananas, chips and coconut, mix well.
5. Drop by heaping Tbsp onto your baking tray. (I used the large Pampered Chef Scoop)
6. Flatten the cookies with wet fingers (so they don’t stick) or a silicon spatula.
7. Bake for 14-15 minutes, or until they are firm.
8. Cool and Enjoy!

The results were some seriously yummy cookies that I can eat for breakfast with my coffee, or have as a dessert on days when my sweet tooth kicks in.

What’s your favorite 21-Day Fix treat?

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{Recipe} Southwest-Style Stuffed Peppers

As I mentioned yesterday, I am starting the 21-Day Fix on Monday, so I tried another recipe I had found on Pinterest.

While trying to make my meal plan, I was searching for recipes that were “Fix Approved” and I stumbled on a few for stuffed peppers. Of course I made a few little changes to make it my own and they ended up being a great meal prep item for quick lunches during the week!

Southwest-Style Stuffed Pepper

Served directly in the storage container!

Southwest-Style Stuffed Pepper
(serves 2: with the following container values 1-Red1-Yellow2-Green and 1/2-Blue)

Ingredients:
2 large Bell Peppers (use whatever color is on-sale or that you like)
1/2 cup Brown Rice, or Quinoa, slightly undercooked
1/4 cup Black Beans, (I used low sodium, organic, canned. Make sure you drain and rinse them well)
1/4 cup Frozen Corn
1 jalapeno, diced (optional)
1.5 cups (about 1/2 lb) browned low-fat ground turkey or beef, seasoned with 21-Day Fix Southwestern Seasoning (or homemade taco seasoning)
1 8-oz can Petite Diced Tomatoes (No sugar added. Should only contain tomatoes and ascorbic acid)
1 8-oz Tomato Sauce (No sugar added. Should only contain tomatoes and ascorbic acid)
1/3 cup of your favorite cheese (I’m dairy-free so I didn’t add this. I opted for avocado)

Directions:
1. Preheat Oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cook rice or quinoa according to package directions, but cut cooking time a little short since it will continue cooking in the oven.
3. In a large bowl, combine the meat, tomatoes, beans, rice/quinoa, corn and sauce.
4. Cut the tops off of the peppers. Clean out the ribs and seeds and rinse well.
5. Stuff your peppers, making sure to pack them tightly with filling.
6. Sprinkle with cheese (if using)
7. Place in an oven safe tray and bake for 40-45 minutes. (I like to cover mine with a little water in the bottom of the tray so the pepper steam.)

Meal planning and prepping are very important with this program, so recipes like this are perfect. I actually used my containers to measure everything, but I shared the recipe here with the actual measurements. The ground beef or turkey may be slightly over 1/2 lbs. I actually just cooked up the whole 1-lb package and seasoned 2 Red Containers worth after measuring. I put the leftover in a container in my fridge to season however I want when reheating as a quick lunch.

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{Recipe} Asian Meatballs

Monday I’ll be starting a new fitness and nutrition program called 21-Day Fix. I’m really excited to start this, because unlike other programs I’ve done, this one has the focus on nutrition.

Food is one of my happy places. I love searching recipe books and Pinterest for new ideas. Chopping, slicing, sautéing and grilling are stress relieves to me, most of the time. But eating. Eating makes me happy! It always has, which is how I ended up overweight in the first place.

Thankfully, now I eat whole foods that my body needs in order to function. No, its not boring and bland. It’s actually fun to turn those items into things you crave and want to eat.

21-Day Fix skips the calorie counting and food journals by replacing them with a color coded container system. It takes a little planning and organizing, but once you have a menu plan in place (which you can find tons of on Pinterest) it’s pretty straight forward!

This is a really simple recipe that packs a bunch of flavor. These are considered “Fix Approved” despite the use of soy sauce because it can be found in the nutrition guide in one of the dressings. The best part of this recipe is that you can make a double batch and freeze them, so you have a quick lunch or dinner option in a pinch!

Asian Meatballs

These taste just like dumplings!

Asian Meatballs
(Makes 28 meatballs (6 per serving? – 21-Day Fix container info: 1-Red )

Ingredients:
2lbs lean ground meat of your choice (chicken, turkey or pork)
1 inch piece of ginger, chopped (or more depending on your taste)
1/4 cup soy sauce (or coconut aminos)
1 garlic clove, minced
3 scallions, chopped fine

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix well until incorporated well.
3. Using a scoop (I used the medium Pampered Chef one), make 28 meatballs and place on a baking tray.
4. Bake for about 25 minutes.

I was able to fit 6 of them into my red container (I cut one in half to use all space in the container…I’m not losing valuable real estate to air). We enjoyed these tasty little morsels with some homemade fried rice and steamed broccoli.

Did I mention that they taste just like dumplings?! Steamed dumplings are one of my favorite Chinese Food treats, but since realizing I have a gluten-sensitivity, I had to give them up. Now I get to enjoy my favorite Asian food and red container too!

Have you done the 21-Day Fix? Do you have a recipe or go-to meal? I’d love to hear about it below.

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{Guest Post} Aqua Aerobics: Start It Up or Ramp It Up!

aqua

You’re new to aqua aerobics and wonder how to get started. Or – you’ve been doing water workouts for a while, feel like you’ve reached a plateau, and want to spice up your routine. Either way, here are some great tips on how to start or improve your workouts:

Start it Up!
The concept with aqua aerobics is pretty simple – get in the water and start moving. Anything you can do in the gym can be done in the water, so try some things. The biggest advantage of water is the resistance – that’s where you get the work from, so even if you don’t think an exercise routine is strenuous, you’ll be working more than you realize. Here are some great resources with more information:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/fitness/multimedia/aquatic-exercise/sls-20076730
http://blog.intheswim.com/water-aerobics-and-water-fitness-exercises/
http://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/features/water-exercise-seniors

Join a class. If you don’t feel like exploring how to work out in the water, join a group class at your local gym. The people are typically very friendly and happy, and it’s a wonderful way to learn about water exercises. Classes are usually an hour long, and will be a combination of moves that will work arms, shoulders, and legs.

Aqua walking. Go to your local gym when the lap lanes are open, and start walking up and down a lane. This is especially great exercise when it’s really hot outside in the summer. You will feel refreshed by the coolness of the water, and calmed by the relaxing buoyancy.

Work out at home. If you don’t like groups and have a pool at home, you can get in a workout right out your back door. Go to the deep end of the pool, where your feet won’t touch bottom, and tread water. You’ll quickly feel it in your arms and shoulders, legs, abs, and you’ll get a great cardio workout. Want to work your legs some more? Do some squats in the water. You’ll quickly feel the resistance of the water.

Ramp It Up!
You’ve been doing water workouts for a while, but things have leveled off, and you’re looking for a way to bump up the intensity. That is easily accomplished in the water. There are a variety of workout choices available, and if one doesn’t work for you, there are always others.

Try something different. One of the theories of exercise in vogue right now is called “muscle confusion.” You don’t want to be doing the same workout every time, because your muscles adapt to it, and you don’t get as much benefit. To really elevate your workouts, try a different exercise routine – like a kick boxing class. Kicking and punching in the water for an hour will certainly get your heart rate up, and provide an overall solid workout.

Go the distance. You’ve been aqua jogging – heading up and down the lap lanes at the pool in a good jogging posture – and you’ve worked up to 25 laps. Increase your goal. Set your sights on doing 50 laps. When you reach that goal – double it again. This is the water equivalent of long distance running, and it will give your workout a boost.

Increase the time. When you do the plank in the water, a great ab exercise, you use a foam noodle, which is a cylinder of sturdy foam about 3 feet long. You put your hands on it about shoulder width, and sink down into the water, holding your back straight. If you can do it for 30 seconds – try for a minute. When you reach 1 minute, add a second minute. Increase the time build to endurance and strength.

Whether starting out or increasing the robustness of your workout, aqua aerobics is a great way to get in a workout that is both challenging and enjoyable.

Kaitlin Gardner started AnApplePerDay.com to further her passion for a family friendly, green living lifestyle. She is married to her college sweetheart and lives in Pennsylvania. She and her husband enjoy going for long hikes, to get out and enjoy nature. She is working on her first book about ways to live an eco-friendly, healthy, natural life.

I hope you enjoyed this guest post as much as I did! Be sure to check out AnApplePerDay and let me know if you have any experience with water aerobics!

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{Product Review} LYFT Energy Stick

Studying, errands, working out, cleaning the house and homework with the kids, typically have me begging for a power nap around 3 pm. Like typical adults, my day begins with a prayer in front of the Keurig machine as I look at the never ending list of tasks for my day. I try to avoid having coffee after noon but every now and then I give in and have some just so I can make it through my day.

I was recently given an opportunity from Fit Approach through their Sweat Pink Ambassador program to try a revolutionary new product called LYFT Clean Caffeine. LYFT Energy Stir Sticks are an innovative “clean caffeine” energy product infused with all natural caffeine from green coffee bean extract, along with vitamins A and B complex that provide a sophisticated energy experience. They contain zero calories, have a clean taste and can be used with a variety of different beverages from water to freshly pressed juices to coconut water and cocktails. The LYFT Energy Sticks contain no artificial flavors, sweeteners or preservatives and have the caffeine equivalent to one tall coffee.

Click here to compare LYFT Energy stick to other energy drinks on the market.

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Today was one of those days where I needed a “pick me up” so I decided to try one of the LYFT sticks. They are very easy to use! All you do is peel off the label, dunk it into an 8 oz drink of choice and then stir it around. I opted for water since I was running behind on my intake for the day and I wanted to see what kind of flavor it gave to beverages. I wasn’t a fan of it in the plain water, which was a little upsetting. It had a sweet, yet “off” taste to it, so I added a bit of juice to my glass and it was instantly better.  Within a few minutes I felt a nice little jolt of energy, without that jittery feeling I’ve had when trying energy drinks in the past.

If you are looking for a “clean caffeine” option to get you through the day or to replace soda and energy drinks, I would definitely give LYFT Energy Sticks a try. They are also the perfect on-the-go option and can easily be stashed in your gym bag, backpack or purse. PLUS…you can get FREE shipping by entering code WELCOME when ordering from their site.

What are your thoughts on energy or pre-workout drinks?

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*I received two LYFT Energy Sticks through Fit Approach, as a Sweat Pink Ambassador for review. I did not receive any monetary compensation. All thoughts and opinions are my own, honest account of the product reviewed.*

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The Clean in 14 Detox

Clean in 14 Detox

Recently I was given the opportunity to preview Melissa Costello’s new book, “The Clean in 14 Detox“, which was just released yesterday!

I was first introduced to Melissa Costello of Karma Chow, and her recipes in Tony Horton’s book, Bring It, back in 2011, when I followed the cleanse for that program. I was intrigued by the approach and the benefits to following a vegan diet. I managed to stay vegan for 40 days before switching over to vegetarian for 8 months. I learned a lot about nutrition during that time period and it changed the way I looked at food. Meat was eventually added back into my diet, because….well….BACON! (nitrate-free of course)

When I heard about Melissa’s new book, “Clean in 14 Detox” I knew I had to check it out! Cleansing is a good thing, when it’s done correctly. It rids the body of accumulated slow poisons, which can make your metabolism sluggish, lead to stomach inflammation and digestive issues, as well as many other chronic issues and of course…unwanted weight gain. The approach taken in Melissa’s book will  not only flush your body of toxins, but it will free your mind of negative patterns and allow you to find balance in your life.

While there are many detox programs available, “Clean in 14 Detox is the only simple, 2-week plan that’s not about deprivation, frustration or living on shakes or pills. This cleanse is about enjoying delicious plant-based, whole foods that not only taste amazing, but will melt fat, curb cravings and provide your body with the natural energy it needs!

Sounds to good to be true right? Well, if you follow the plan, it’s not. We live in a society hooked on convenient, over-processed food, that is full of chemicals and sugars that we don’t need. The key to eating healthier is changing your relationship with food and Melissa has included everything you need.

  • Detailed shopping lists and mouthwatering mix and match meal plans for 14 days.
  • How to completely eliminate CRAP (Coffee, refined sugar, alcohol, Processed Foods) out of your life
  • How to banish you SAP (Sabotaging Addictive Patterns) that keep you on the diet rollercoaster
  • How to follow through on healthy eating as a lifestyle, not just another fad diet
  • Daily Action Steps to help you stay focused and motivated

This cleanse isn’t just about food, it’s about your mind too. I love that there are daily actions which include journal writing, reflection and even meditation. This book is truly the total package needed to deal with food cravings and sugar addiction, without wanting to kill everyone you comes into contact with, during the 14 day process.

The best part of this cleanse is that it offers a wide variety of delicious, unprocessed foods, like Baja-fajitas, chopped salad with creamy pepita dressing, coconut yam soup, oven-baked sweet potatoes and this yummy protein shake, which is from the Breakfast and Shakes section of the book:

Photo from KarmaChow.com

Photo from KarmaChow.com

Ruby’s Raspberry Dazzle Protein Shake
1 serving

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups almond milk
1/2 cup frozen raspberries
1/2 frozen banana
1/2 cup frozen strawberries
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1 tablespoon raw almond butter

Directions
1. Blend the ingredients in a high powered blender until smooth and creamy.

 

If you are looking to kick your sugar addiction, increase your immunity, have better digestion, a more efficient metabolism and glowing skin, I highly recommend that you pick up this book, cut the CRAP and truly take a look at your relationship with food. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Have you ever completed a cleanse? What kind of cleanse was it and how did you feel during and after?

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(I received one copy of Clean in 14 Detox from Dunn Pellier Media to review. All opinions in the post are my own, honest feeling on the item.)

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Happy May!

It’s May 1st already…when did that happen?!

May is my favorite month. It’s my birth month, Mother’s Day, the weather gets warmer but not so warm that I melt as soon as I walk outside, and it also marks the month that I started my weight loss journey… 5 years ago.

Yup, that’s right. I made the decision to change my eating habits, start moving more and become healthy, 5 years ago! It honestly doesn’t feel like I’ve been at that long, and I think that is because I am still learning so much about being healthy. I am always trying new workouts, new recipes, new food and meeting new people who have a passion for different areas of health and fitness.

While I still have my fair share of body issues, I am very proud that I have stuck with this lifestyle for this long and that I have not fallen back into my bad habits, like I did so many times in the past. Yes, I’ve had my nutrition slip ups. Yes, I’ve been a slacker when it comes to my workouts, but I’ve learned to notice the behavior and quickly correct it, which is a huge reason as to why I have been successful this time.

To celebrate this milestone, I plan on incorporating more yoga/meditation into my routine. I always feel more relaxed and centered after doing yoga but I am not a yoga lover, so I always find an excuse to skip it. I’ll also be participating in the #50MilesInMay challenge that a friend posted on Instagram.

50 miles in may

 

If you would like to celebrate my milestone with me, start your own journey or just take your fitness to the next level, please join me on Facebook for this challenge. Prefer using Instagram or Twitter? Use the hashtag #50MilesInMay to document your progress and make sure you follow me! Even if you don’t run, please join us. You can begin with walking, work your way to power walking and maybe even finish up with a light jog. It’s about leaving your comfort zone and finding out what you are really capable of.

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{Product Review} Vega Bars

Recently, I was selected to be a Sweat Pink Ambassador for Fit Approach and I couldn’t be happier. I have met so many fabulous, fit and strong women in this community and I love that we can all share our knowledge, motivate each other and support one another, as we conquer our workouts one squat at a time.

As an ambassador, I had the opportunity to participate in a campaign for Vega, which allowed me to sample some of their newest bars to hit the market…and man were they good!

If you’re not familiar with Vega, they offer plant-based, gluten-free, non-GMO, nothing artificial nutrition options. To view their guiding principles CLICK HERE.

 

Vega Bars

 

As you can see from the photo above, Vega truly has your day covered …and sometimes it’s even covered in chocolate!

The first bar I tried was the Vega Sport Protein bar in the Chocolate Mint flavor. It featured 15 grams of protein, 2.5 grams of BCAA’s and 2 grams of glutamine, which made it a great post workout option. Since your body needs fuel within a certain time period after a tough workout, these would be a perfect addition to your gym bag…because sometimes you need to run errands before going home, right?

vega sport protein

Post workout nutrition is important…don’t skip it!

 

Next up was the Vega Snack Bar! I love to snack and I know you do too. When I opened the box of treats Vega sent me, I couldn’t wait to tear into the Dark Chocolate Mixed Nuts and Sea Salt. I decided to show a little restraint and save it for when I was out running errands and feeling hangry. The snack bars are perfect for these scenarios! How many times have you been stuck in a long line at the grocery store and began drooling over the candy bars or chips they showcase up the registers? We work too hard to sabotage ourselves, so be prepared for when hunger strikes with a snack like this! Trust me.

Vega Snack

I always keep an emergency snack in my bag.

 

Then there are the days that are just hectic and start with time not being on your side. Thankfully Vega even offers Vega One bars, which are total meal replacements! This morning I had to grab a Chocolate Peanut Butter bar and it was goooooood. The Vega One bars are packed with 12g complete plant-based protein, 4g fiber, 1g Omega 3, 1 serving of greens, 1 billion dairy-free probiotics, 25 added vitamins and minerals and antioxidants. That’s pretty awesome considering all you have to do is unwrap and eat!

Vega One

Emergency carpet cleaning? Vega One can power you through!

 

The final bar I tried was the Vega Sport Energy Bar in Apple Cherry. There are days were I cram a run or a workout in wherever I can, because I have other things I need to tend to first. These days become tricky because I can’t time my nutrition properly. Having an energy bar like this on hand, gives your muscles the fast-acting, long-lasting whole food energy they need to endure. The energy bars contain 27g carbs from whole food ingredients, high and low glycemic carborhydrates for immediate and sustained energy, as well as 1g Omega 3.

Vega Sport Energy

Your body needs proper energy before you workout. Fuel it right.

As you can see, Vega offers a wide variety of bars to fit your daily nutrition needs. I really enjoyed the taste of all of these. Some were better than others, but that also comes down to personal taste. (I love anything with chocolate). For more info on these items, be sure to visit the Vega Blog.

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(I received a variety of VEGA bars from VEGA and Fit Approach to review. All opinions in the post are my own, honest feeling on the item.)

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