February 20, 2015 · 3:48 PM

21 Day Fix EXTREME Planning Tools

21 Day Fix Planning Tools
The 21 Day Fix quickly became one of my favorite Beachbody programs thanks to it’s focus on nutrition and those super easy to use, color coded containers. Team that up with the fact that the workouts were all beginner friendly and offered a modifier and you have a winning program designed to get anyone started off right!

Click here to learn more about 21 Day Fix.

However, now it’s time to kick things up a notch and get seriously shredded with 21 Day Fix EXTREME!

Celebrity trainer and national bikini competitor Autumn Calabrese is back with her simple eating and has teamed it up with extreme fitness, to help people get shredded and shed off those final pounds.  Here is what I know about 21 Day Fix EXTREME:

  • This is NOT a beginner program
  • 3 different meal plan options to choose from (Energy Balancer, Fat Burner and Countdown to Competition)
  • 7 brand-new, intense workouts
  • Workouts are all 30 minutes in length
  • Color coded containers to eliminate calorie counting and guessing
  • All of the 21 Day Fix Extreme workouts include weights or a band (the workouts were designed to be used with the pink band from Beachbody)
  • There will be a modifier, but if you are new fitness, you should start with the original 21 Day Fix.

The containers are the same as in the original 21 Day Fix but depending on which calorie calculation you fall into, your container amounts might be different. This is designed to give you EXTREME results based on your daily activity level as well as your personal goals for the program. This program also takes away the treats that were allowed in 21 Day Fix and it has a much cleaner food list (no more waffles and english muffins – but it’s only 21 days…you can do it!).

If you have never done a fitness program before (any Beachbody program or other gym activity other than just walking on the treadmill or using the elliptical)  it is highly suggested that you start with the 21 Day Fix and then move to the 21 Day Fix EXTREME.

My program just arrived yesterday and I couldn’t wait to crack open the new guide books to see what this new program was all about.

I was happy to see that there are a lot recipes in the Eating Plan this time around. That was my biggest gripe with the first program…lots of foods on the lists and a sample meal plan, but the recipes were very basic and boring to me. I was also happy to see variations of recipes I’ve already been using in there like Turkey Chili, Turkey Meatloaf and Egg Muffins.

The other change I really liked was the calorie calculation. There are now options to choose what kind of lifestyle you lead (sendentary, moderate or active) so there is no longer a “one size fits all” aspect to this. The other plus to me is that there are 3 different meal plan options depending on what your goals are for the program. You can now choose from 3 different options:

  1. The Energy Balancer: This one is similar to the original Fix meal plan. You plan out your breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as two snacks. The goal is to eat every 2-3 hours and use a variety of containers during your main 3 meals and fill in with leftover containers for your snacks.
  2. The Fat Burner: This plan spreads your eating out across 6 meals, so you eat roughly ever 2 hours. However, you need to make sure you finish your purple and yellow containers before 6pm.
  3. Countdown to Competition: This is the strictest of the plans. You’ll spread your eating into 8 meals, roughly 2 hours apart. You’ll follow the Countdown to Competition plan for 2 days, then the Extreme plan for 1, routing throughout the entire 21 days.

As soon as I saw all of these choices, I KNEW I needed to design some new 21 Day Fix Extreme Planning Tools!

21 DFX Planning Tools

Click to Print

These planners can still be used in conjunction with the 21 Day Fix Planning Tools I posted about when I first started the program. I believe the Tally Sheets that I link to will still work, if they do not, I’ll design some new ones and add them to this post once I take a closer look at things.

If you’ve ever considered trying the 21 Day Fix or if you think you’re ready to tackle 21 Day Fix Extreme, I have an accountability group starting on March 2nd and I’d love to speak to with you!

 

blog sig

 

9 Comments

Filed under 21 Day Fix, Health & Fitness

Tagged as , , , ,

February 19, 2015 · 1:08 PM

Meal Prep 101

MEALPREP101b
Meal prepping is a life saver for me. It allows me to stay on track with my nutrition goals and it helps to save a lot of time during the week.

By taking some time on a Saturday to make a meal plan for the week and then go grocery shopping, I not only form a plan for my week, but I save money! When you sit down and plan out what you’re going to eat for the week, you take the guess work out of grocery shopping and cut down on impulse buys.

Sundays are typically my prep days. I take the plan I’ve created along with the recipes and go to work in the kitchen. On average, this takes me about 1-2 hours (including clean up) depending on what I am making for the week. That’s not a lot of time when you consider that you’re prepping your entire week. By taking the time to prep, you’ll also never stand in front of the fridge, staring inside of it, wondering what you’ll eat when you’re hungry. That’s in itself makes prepping totally worth it!

MealPrep101

 

Here are some Meal Prep 101 tips to get started:

1. Find what works for YOU.  Some people will shop and prep all of their food for the week in one afternoon. Others find it more manageable to prep the night before for the next day. Meal prepping is all about making YOUR life easier, so experiment and see which method fits your lifestyle best. Personally, I prep enough food on Sundays to make it through to at least Wednesday or Thursday, then I repeat.

2. It’s okay to start small.  If you’re new to food prep, begin with prepping just one series of meals. Think about which meal for the day is your toughest (which one will you most likely skip or grab drive-thru for?) and start there. If breakfast is your downfall, consider whipping up a batch of these Egg Muffins or making some Overnight Oats. Does lunch send you to the drive-thru? Consider prepping some Mason Jar salads or a big pot of Turkey Chili to get you through the week. Once you have mastered that one meal, add on one more!

3. Prep BEFORE putting the groceries away.  If you begin your prep work as soon as you get home from the grocery store, you can save yourself the hassle of having to put everything away twice! You’ll be more motivated to prep foods while they’re still sitting on the counter then you will to have to pull them all out again after you just put them away. I like to wash and chop my vegetables, breakdown family packs of meat (buying family packs is a money saver!) and ration out nuts, fruits and other snack items. By doing this I have snacks and recipes ingredients ready to go when I’m hungry!

4. Keep your meal plan and recipes within arms reach.  This is a habit I got into during my first round of 21 Day Fix. I began hanging my meal plan for the week right on my fridge so I could see it whenever I walked into the kitchen. This kept me organized and on track. If I was hungry, my next meal with right in front of my face (and prepped and waiting in the fridge) and it allowed me to double check I had everything I needed for the next days meals. (Let’s face it…sometimes we think we have garlic or chili powder but we don’t!) 

Click here a printable meal planner to get your started.

5. This is not an all-or-nothing task.  Don’t think you need to wash, chop and pre-cook everything for an entire week in one shot. It’s best to ease yourself into this new habit. Maybe your first step with be making a meal plan and just shopping for it. Next you’ll conquer that one troublesome meal and then maybe you’ll graduate into a half week prep. Prepping and portioning food for cooking later, or even for one weeknight meal is better than doing nothing at all.

If there is one thing I’ve learned over my last five years of trial and error, it’s that mastering one small change before moving on to the next one is key. When you try to change too much at once, you can become overwhelmed and give up on everything.

kitchen tools

Some items you’ll need to successfully meal prep:

  • Glass or plastic containers with lids: Wide mouth mason jars are great options. If you opt for plastic, make sure they’re BPA-free!
  • Ziptop bags: These come in many different sizes and they even make colored sandwich size ones which are PERFECT for 21 Day Fix.
  • Basic Cookware: A skillet, soup pot and at least 2 saucepans should be enough for you to prep. Baking trays /cupcake pans will also come in handy.
  • Measuring Cups/Spoons: These are needed for most recipes and will be important for portion control.
  • Knives/Vegetable Peeler/Grater: Those veggies aren’t going to chop and peel themselves!
  • Aluminum Foil/Plastic Wrap/Parchment Paper: These help to cut down on clean up and as well as storing your prepped meals.

Of course as you embrace working in the kitchen more, you’ll look to add items like a good blender (not the $10 one you can get at Target when Back-to-School dorm life items roll around) and food processor (doesn’t have to be top of the line) as well as a cast-iron pan, griddle or grill pan. Oh and a zoodle maker would be good too….if you’re into that type of thing. The world of kitchen gadgets is never ending and I’d own a lot more if I had a larger kitchen!

I could go on and on about meal prep, seriously! There is so much that can be discussed, but I think this is a really good starting point. I can always do another post with some step-by-step advice as well as some meal prep hacks if you’re short on time. If you would like more info on meal prepping, comment below and let me know!

blog sig

 

1 Comment

Filed under 21 Day Fix, Health & Fitness

Tagged as , , , , ,

February 13, 2015 · 9:00 AM

10 Ways Yoga Can Reduce Stress and Make You Happy

10 ways yoga can reduce stress and make you happy
I have always had a love hate relationship with yoga but there are two things I can’t deny: When I do yoga I feel less stressed and as a result, I feel more happy. There is also the realization that I lack flexibility and might be a descendant of the Tin Man’s, but that’s another topic.

Here are 10 Ways Yoga Can Reduce Stress and Make You Happy:

1. Increase Your Happiness. Yoga increases the production of serotonin (happy feelings) and decreases cortisol (stress) production. As a result, you get an extra boost of happy feelings and the stressful feelings seem to magically go away. This can help you to be a happier, healthier , more positive person.

2. Decrease Mood Swings. Yoga can help regulate hormones, lowers your blood pressure, and connect you to your emotions with heightened mindfulness. By practicing yoga you can reduce the likelihood of negative emotions sneaking up at you out of nowhere.

3. Decrease Anxiety and Stress. During yoga, you are encouraged to relax, slow your breathing, and focus on the present moment. This shifts you from the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight response) to the parasympathetic system (relaxation response). The result? A slower heart rate, decreased blood pressure, and lowered cortisol. (See how all three of these tie in together?) Focusing on the present moment also reduces all of the “what-if’s” that can bring on stress and anxiety.

4. Get a Better Night’s Sleep. Yoga increases the production of melatonin in the body. Melatonin helps to give you a sense of calm and well-being so when your head hits the pillow, you can drift off to dreamland.

5. Lower Your Blood Pressure. Yoga is a marriage of movement and breath. Research has proven that exercise, meditation, and breath exercises can all help lower blood pressure without medication. With yoga, you’re getting all three for the price of one…Score!

6. Step Out of Your Comfort Zone. Yoga is a great way to learn what your body is capable of. If you keep up your practice you will be amazed at what your body can do. I was always afraid of trying “Hot Yoga” but it was an amazing experience…one I need to get back to.

7. Lose Weight. You can drop pounds by practicing yoga and let’s face it, that can bring on feelings of happiness and reduce stress. Yoga regulates hormones, including the stress one called cortisol, which is the culprit behind that stubborn belly fat. It also helps you to release trapped emotions, so you are less likely to emotionally binge on a bag of chips, pint of ice-cream or other processed foods.

8. Create A-ha Moments. Yoga allows you to relax your mind. When we do this, we are able to block out all of the things we think we “need” to do. As a result, the mind quiets so that all the thoughts and creativity that are sitting on the back burners of your mind can float to the surface.

9. Learn Discipline. By starting a consistent practice, you teach yourself the art of discipline. When you map out a specific time of day for your practice, you begin to schedule your life and as a result, a lot of stress disappears because there is less “unknown” throughout your day.

10. Meet New People. Yogis can be some of the most nonjudgmental, relaxed people you can meet. They tend to take responsibility for their bodies, minds, and emotions, so it really cuts back on the drama. Surrounding yourself with like-minded people is very important, especially if your goal is to reduce drama and negativity in your life.

These are just a few of the benefits that yoga has to offer and why I plan on incorporating more of it into my routine.

Want to start reducing your stress and bring on the happiness? Check out this 10 Minute Yoga for Stress video by Erin Motz (and check out her other videos on YouTube…she’s got some great ones!)

 

 

Do you have a favorite at-home yoga DVD that you use? Is there a yoga class that has changed your life? Please share with me below so I can check them out!

blog sig

Leave a comment

Filed under Health & Fitness, Quick Workouts

Tagged as , , , , , ,

February 11, 2015 · 11:19 AM

5 Reasons Why I Prefer Working Out At Home

5 Reasons Why I Prefer Working Out at Home

The gym has never been my thing. I’ve always wanted it to be, but I just don’t feel comfortable there.

This “gym fear” of mine, most likely stems back to a bad experience I had back when I was overweight and joined a gym in an attempt to do something about my habits. The classes were filled with fit women who had rhythm and I was the polar opposite, so I never attempted a class. I would go and walk on the treadmill for awhile before going over the machines to try and figure them out.

One day, I was on the treadmill doing my thing and I noticed a few of the ladies looking and me and snickering. I began to feel self conscious and with good reason. I lowered the music playing through my headphones and heard this group of ladies making fun of my weight. I was absolutely mortified and couldn’t wait to get out of there.

You would think the fact that I was at the gym trying to correct my weight would be commended, but that was not the case. Looking back I hate that I let these shallow ladies get to me. I allowed their close mindedness stop me from ever returning to a gym. As a matter of fact, I drove to the grocery store on my way home and bought a container of ice-cream to drown my sorrows in.

However, the silver lining to this story is that I eventually returned to my mission of getting into shape…but this time I did it all at home!

Here are my top 5 reasons why I prefer working out at home:

1. You don’t have to deal with shallow people who will judge you. When you workout at home, it doesn’t matter if you’re wearing a neon green polka dot sports bra with striped leggings. No one will snicker that your hair looks like a squirrel made a nest in it. Hell, you can wear your pajamas if you want to. All that matters is that you show up and focus on your workout.

outfit woes

2. When you’re done with your workout, you can lie on the floor like someone just shot you and curse all you want. Well…as long as your children aren’t around for that last part. I can’t tell you how many Insanity or leg day workouts I completed and then just collapsed onto the floor and stayed there for awhile. You can’t do that at the gym. You’d be in people’s way, you’d get stepped on and if you cursed like I do during some parts of my workouts, you’d probably get thrown out.

post workout

3. You don’t have to clean anyone else’s sweat off of the equipment before you use it. Let’s face it, people are rude and don’t always think about the person who will be using a machine after them. Despite complimentary towels and signs everywhere telling people to use them on the machine and to wipe them down when they’re done, most don’t listen. Working out at home means you only have to deal with your own germs….unless you workout with your spouse, but that’s a totally different circumstance, right?

sweat equipment

4. You never have to face the bitter cold early in the morning or get soaked by the rain. I don’t know many people who want to leave their warm bed, get into workout clothes, scrape off their windchill and freeze their ass off in order to go get their sweat on. If you do enjoy that, hats off to you…you’re my new hero. When you workout at home, you can’t use the weather as an excuse. Ever.

ain't nobody got time for this

5. Class schedules don’t dictate YOUR schedule. This is hands down my main reason for working out at home. When you workout at home, your schedule is just that, YOURS. You don’t have to check with the gym to ensure the class you’ve been wanting to do is still on. You don’t have to wake up extra early to do it because it’s only available at a specific time or worse yet, put your workout off all day because the class you love is only offered at night. Let’s not even get started on gym hours. Why do they close early on weekends?! Bonus reason: If you’re a mom, you can fit your workout in around your child’s nap time and not have to worry about gym childcare and what germs may be lurking in there.

gym closed

I know that my gym experience isn’t the case for most people and many love going and feel very comfortable. This is just my experience and as bitter as I may sound about it at times, I’m actually really grateful it happened. It allowed me to try something I always felt skeptical about and completely changed my life.

If it wasn’t for my experience at the gym, I may have never tried P90X or any of the other programs I went on to complete. I may have never lost over 100 pounds and decided to become a personal trainer, as well as an on-line accountability coach. My life took a path I never expected it to take and it may be because of that experience. Who knows! All I know is that everyone has a fate or destiny in life and we are introduced to it in many different ways.

Have you ever wanted to try an at-home fitness program but didn’t know where to start? If so, I would love to speak with you more and help you find one that would be a good fit for your goals.

Comment below or shoot me a message on Facebook and I’d be more than happy to help you. I host monthly accountability groups to keep you on track and I’ll also guide you through making a meal plan, too!

blog sig

 

1 Comment

Filed under Fitness Inspiration, Health & Fitness

Tagged as , , , , , ,

February 6, 2015 · 12:10 PM

Walking Dead Workout

The Walking Dead Workout
This Sunday night, the Walking Dead is back and I couldn’t be more excited!!

For those of you who don’t know I am a HUGE fan of this show. Mike and I binge watched all of the episodes during the mid-season break last year and those Governor episodes were so awesome, weren’t they? He was truly the BEST villain of the show so far.

In honor of its return, I wanted to share this Walking Dead Workout by Tony Horton featuring 6 moves to get you in epic zombie-fighting shape! It’s less than 20 minutes long, so it should be easy to fit into your day.

Now grab your weapon of choice and BRING IT!

 

 

I know Tony isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I had to laugh at the water and blood effects that they added to this video.

I hope you’ve been liking the mini-workouts I’ve been sharing. I know everyone gets bored of their routines, needs to shake things up a bit or maybe you just haven’t committed to a full workout program yet. If you like these, please comment below so I can share more of them.

Also, feel free to post your thoughts on tonight episode, I’m always up for a little Walking Dead talk!

blog sig

Leave a comment

Filed under Health & Fitness, P90X, Quick Workouts

Tagged as , , , , ,

February 5, 2015 · 3:12 PM

Healthy Cookie Dough Dip

Healthy Cookie Dough Dip Banner
Let’s face it, the best part about making chocolate chip cookies is licking the spoon. I don’t care that there is raw egg in it and I’m willing to roll the dice on getting sick. It’s just that good.

On the flip side, I can truly live without all of the sugar, butter and other “evil” ingredients that go into chocolate chip cookies.

That my friends is where this recipe comes in.

I’m sure you’ve seen this on Pinterest a million times and much like the Energy Bites I blogged about yesterday, you’ll find tons of variations on this too.

Healthy Cookie Dough Dip a

Ingredients

  • 1 can chickpeas
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup peanut butter. almond butter – or allergy-friendly sub
  • 1/2 cup pure maple syrup, honey, or agave
  • 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp quick oats
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • heaping 1/8 tsp baking soda
  • 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

Drain beans, rinse extremely well, and pat dry. Process all ingredients except chips in a strong food processor until completely smooth. Stir in chips. Cover leftovers and store in the fridge.

 

Who knew the chickpeas could be so versatile?! I certainly never would have thought to turn them into a cookie dough dip. Hats off and a million thanks to the genius who did!

I enjoyed this as a dip for my apple…and I may have shoved a few spoonfuls into my face as well. I think this is a great, protein filled alternative to actual cookie dough and it would make a great dessert dip for parties too!

389

Have you tried making Healthy Cookie Dough Dip before? Did you a recipe like this or one that uses oats as well? If you’ve tried both, which did you enjoy more?

blog sig

4 Comments

Filed under Health & Fitness, Recipes, Snacks & Treats

Tagged as , , , ,

February 4, 2015 · 10:10 AM

Energy Bites

Energy Bites.jpg
Every afternoon I find myself looking for something…

A cup of coffee? A cookie? A nap?

I don’t know what it is but 2:30-3:00 pm is a tough time of day for me. I try my hardest to avoid that cup of coffee, because as good as it will taste, I will kick myself come 9:00 pm when I’m trying to relax for bed and my brain is going a million miles a minute thanks to the caffeine that seems to linger in my body. As for the cookie… well… most days I do have my Banana Oatmeal Cookies on hand, but they don’t always satisfy my craving.

Thank goodness Pinterest was invented. A while back I found a recipe for Energy Bites and they became a staple in my fridge. Then I got lazy and stopped making them.

Last week I was heading to over my friends house to help her take some photos and she told me to bring something to photograph for my blog as well. (As you can tell from most of my photos, I use my phone to take them. While I’m getting better at it, it’s not the same as using a DSLR.) As my brain started scrambling for something I could quickly “make & take” I remembered these little life savers.

Much to my dismay, the link I had on the old post no longer worked and while Pinterest has tons of these gems, I couldn’t find one that looked right. Thankfully I rarely clean out my junk drawer, so I dug through it, hoping to find the piece of paper I had scribbled the recipe on…and I did, but it was ripped, so I tried to fill in the gaps and came up with these, which were perfect to me.

Energy Bites Square

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 cup (dry) oatmeal (I used old-fashioned oats)
  • 2/3 cup toasted coconut flakes
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup ground flax seeds
  • 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips (or vegan chocolate chips)
  • 1/3 cup honey or agave nectar
  • 1 tablespoon chia seeds (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Stir all ingredients together in a medium bowl until thoroughly mixed. Cover and let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour.
  2. Once chilled, roll into balls of whatever size you would like. (Mine were about 1″ in diameter.) Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.
  3. Makes about 20-25 balls.

Don’t be afraid to have fun and experiment with these. Swap out the chocolate chips for some dried cranberries or raisins. Toast the coconut or add some chia seeds to the mix. Changing the type of nut-butter you use will change the flavor profile too!

*If you are doing the 21 Day Fix, you can use these as a yellow container treat. I would count 2 of them as a serving.*

Have you ever tried making Energy Bites? There are sooooooo many different versions of these out there, I would love to hear of variations you’ve tried and liked.

blog sig

4 Comments

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

Tagged as , , , , , ,

January 30, 2015 · 10:27 AM

The Big Game Workout Challenge

Big-Game-Healthy Tips.jpg
Are you ready for some FOOTBALL!?

While my favorite team is not in it to win this year, I will be watching the game along with millions of other people.

Big Game parties are known for chips, dips, wings, pizza and other fried finger foods. Let’s not forget the beer and the fact that we are all just sitting around while enjoying all of these high calorie goodies.

Today I thought I would share some healthier food options that you could serve or bring for the party, as well as some tips and “The Big Game Workout Challenge” which could be a fun way to burn off some of the treats and get you off the couch!

Game Plan:
1. Don’t arrive for kick-off with an empty stomach. Make sure you eat a light meal with lean protein before game time. This would actually be a good time to drink your Shakeology, specially since you could take it on the go with you. Doing his will help curb junk food cravings because you won’t be starving.

2. Don’t sit within arms reach of the snack table or the buffet set up. When you arrive you’ll want to take a look at what your choices are so you can form a mental plan, but you don’t want to sit where it can tempt you. Doing that could end with you mindlessly reaching out and stuffing chip after chip into your face.  No good!

3. Be involved in the game! Make sure you actually watch the game and the commercials! (we all know they tend to the best part when your team isn’t in it). Talk to your friends, cheer, talk smack about the other team…whatever it’ll take in order to move your focus away from the food.

4. As I stated in number 1, there will be beer as well as other drinks. You’ll need to have a plan for how many you’re going to drink before you start. (21 Day Fix people, you can swap a yellow here but it’s not for a 6 pack!) If you plan on having multiple drinks, make sure you drink a bottle of water between each one. It will help to keep you hydrated, reduce your risk of a hangover and it can help to keep you from going over the predetermined number of drinks you’ve set.

5. Participate in “The Big Game Workout Challenge” that I have below! It’ll get people up and moving, which means less time for snacking. It can also be a good way to get people laughing and joking. Parties are about having fun right?!

The Big Game Workout Challenge

*This is not meant to be a full workout. It’s just designed to get you moving and burn a few calories while enjoying the game.

 

Healthy Snack Options:

1. Buffalo Wings: They are a staple item when it come to football. We all love them but they aren’t exactly the healthiest things around. Check out these healthier versions:

2. Dips: This best friend to the chip is typically filled with sour cream, mayo or both mixed together. Not exactly friendly to your waist but oh so easy to go overboard with. Here are some healthier recipes that use greek yogurt as a healthy swap:

Don’t forget homemade salsa, guacamole and hummus are quick and easy to make and allow you to flavor things to your liking. Be sure to offer fresh veggies as a dipping option in addition to chips.

3. Food: Pizza, sandwiches and chili all tend to be popular at Big Game parties. The first two are easy to hold and eat and chili is just warm, comforting and allows the guys to show just much hot sauce they put in their food without crying, right?! I’m a huge fan of chili and if you need a recipe, I highly recommend this one which I posted a few weeks ago – Turkey Chili.

Here are some ideas for making these items a little bit healthier:

  • Opt for whole-wheat or whole-grain crust pizza. (Many pizzerias offer these now, so if you’re ordering be sure to ask.)
  • Have some veggie topped pizza options for your guests or a Margherita style pizza, which is usually topped with fresh mozzarella (less greasy) and basil. Not everyone wants greasy pepperoni, sausage or supreme!
  • Opt for whole-wheat or whole-grain for your hero or hoagies (depending on where you are from) too! Many people think wraps are healthier but that isn’t always the case. Some wraps pack a bigger calorie punch than bread and can have less nutrients. If preparing them yourself, check your labels!
  • Consider a vegetarian option. Roasted veggie wraps are really delicious. (Just be sure to ask wherever you order from to go easy on the oil.)
  • When ordering wraps or sandwiches, make sure the condiments are on the side. This will reduce calories and leave things up to your guests.

4. Think outside of the box: Many of you eat healthy on a daily basis. There is no reason why that needs to be tossed out of the window because of a game. Think of the foods you typically opt for and use them:

  • Instead of potato skins loaded with cheese, use sweet potato and top them with nitrate-free turkey bacon and a dollop of greek yogurt.
  • Make your own baked tortillas to go with your dips.
  • Serve fresh fruit with a simple fruit dip: Mix together 1 cup of vanilla greek yogurt, 1/3 cup creamy natural peanut butter and 1 Tbsp honey. Store in the fridge in an air tight container until ready to serve.

Do you have any healthy swaps or recipes that you plan on serving this weekend? I’d love to hear about them!

blog sig

 

Leave a comment

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

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,

January 23, 2015 · 9:00 AM

Sexy Warrior Arms Workout

sexy warrior arms workoutLast week we focused on your booty and the week before we did some ab work, so I thought this week we should show some love to our arms.

Everyone loves sexy arms and I don’t just mean on guys. Muscle tone is sexy on women too…especially when they wear tank tops, strapless dresses and bathing suits. That may sound a little shallow, but we all care about how we look as well as being healthy. I prefer to call that honesty.

Speaking of honesty, we are already halfway through January, which means our time for hiding behind bulky sweaters is almost over. Tank top season is going to be here before we know it and there is no better time to start working on your summer body than during the winter.

In this 15 minute workout, Tony Horton will take us through 8-10 reps of 7 moves to help strengthen and define our arms.

Don’t be intimidated by lifting weights or that Tony can be a little advanced. It doesn’t take a lot of weight to get started. Grab some 5’s & 10’s and see how they feel! Everyone has to start somewhere, just grab some weight and give it a shot.

Who’s ready to try this sexy warrior arms workout?! 

 

 

 Workout Moves:

0:21 Hammer Curl Press
2:21 Pterodactyl Kickbacks
4:25 Band Pulldowns
6:21 Alt Delt Raise Tricep Push-up
8:57 In and Out Curls
10:56 Temp Skull Crushers
12:58 Alt Bicep Curl

I highly recommend doing a quick warm-up and cool-down before doing these. Arm circles, arm swings, light to no weight bicep curls and some over head shoulder stretches are all great ways to get the blood flowing. Your muscles will thank you…trust me!

If you haven’t started on your resolution to get healthy this year or if you started and feel off the wagon, this is the time to recommit. You CAN do this…you just need to focus, believe and build a support system around yourself.

Need some accountability with your workouts? Let’s connect on Facebook and discuss your goals! 

blog sig

Leave a comment

Filed under Health & Fitness

Tagged as , , , , , ,

January 20, 2015 · 2:08 PM

21 Day Fix Motivational Quotes

21 Day Fix Motivational Quotes
If you have been doing the 21 Day Fix, you may have noticed that Autumn starts each workout with a motivational quote and repeats it throughout the 30 minutes. If you’ve really been paying attention, you may have even noticed fun blackboards in each workout video with the motivation quote of the day written on it.

I noticed these back in the spring during my first round of 21 Day Fix and I fell in love them. I even searched for still images of each one but I couldn’t find them anywhere, so I began sharing similar ones from Pinterest with my accountability group participants and they began listening to these little nuggets of motivation during their workouts.

Today as I was working out, I decided to attempt to take photos of all of them. When I completed Upper Fix, I grabbed my phone and my remote and I went through each workout trying to catch a good decent semi acceptable photo of each one to share.

(I warn you they aren’t great after these first three, but I tried and I think you’ll get the point. Also, they are semi out of order.)

21 Day Fix Motivational Blackboards

  • Dirty 30: Don’t Wish For It Work For it
  • Total Body Cardio: One Day at a Time, One Pound at a Time
  • Upper Fix: It Doesn’t Get Easier, You Get Better

21 Day Fix Motivational Blackboards 2.jpg

  • Lower Fix: If You’re Tired of Starting Over, Stop Giving Up
  • Pilates Fix: Believe in Yourself Right Now
  • 10 Minute Ab Fix: Earn The Body You Want

21 Day Fix Motivational Blackboards 3

  • Dirty 30: Don’t Wish For It Work For It (I really like this one so I included it twice)
  • Yoga Fix: Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Body
  • Cardio Fix: When You Feel Like Quitting, Think About Why You Started.

These are all phenomenal quotes and they are super important to hear, especially during a tough workout. There is nothing quite like being stuck in your head and thinking about stopping then suddenly Autumn reminds you to think about why you started, or if you’re tired of starting over, stop giving up.

I encourage everyone to take notice of these and if one really hits home for you, hop onto Pinterest, find it, print it and hang it where you work out as a reminder!

Did you notice these motivational messages while doing the workouts? Do they help you stay focused and believe in yourself?

If you’ve been thinking about starting 21 Day Fix but have questions about the program, please feel free to contact me!

blog sig

 

4 Comments

Filed under 21 Day Fix, Health & Fitness

Tagged as , , , , ,