21 Day Fix Extreme Breakfast: PB and Strawberry Oats

I'm on day TWO of the 21 Day Fix Extreme ... SAY WHAT!?!? Today my daughter Brooklyn, 3 years old :) rocked out Upper Body Extreme. I LOVE that i'm able to workout from home, get a rocking body, and do these workouts with my daughter. So much fun and she totally knows how to hold me accountable. I'm loving the workouts so far. Today my arms and legs feel like JELLO but MAN I can feel the results coming in and it's getting me GIDDY! Cancun in only 60 days and that Bikini has my name written all over it.  

21 Day Fix Extreme Recipe: PB and Strawberry Oats. 

I got this breakfast recipe from the nutrition guide that comes with the program and MAN was it DELICIOUS!! Pb and Jelly Oats in ... AHHH! It tasted like a TREAT! You have to try this. Even if you aren't an oats person you will totally love this recipe because it taste creamy and sweet. This is in the rotation this week as a snack and some breakfasts. I'm loving it!! Does clean eating have to be boring and gross? Not at all, it's just about finding the right recipes! I hope you enjoy this one it's staying on my menu plan for the next few weeks for sure. 

Makes 1 Serving: 

1  Cup Water

1  Pinch Sea Salt

1/4  Cup Steel-Cut Oats

1 tsp. Smooth all-natural peanut butter, no sugar added. 

2 Tbsp Unsweetened almond milk (optional) 

1 Cup Sliced Strawberries 

1. Bring water and salt to a boil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat

Reduce heat to low. 

2. Add Oats; Cook, stirring frequently, for 15-20 mins, or until water is just absorbed. Remove form heat. Let stand for 5 mins. 

3. Add Peanut Butter, mix well. If too thick, add almond milk. 

4. Top with Strawberries. 

Containers: 

1 Purple 

1 Yellow

1 Tbsp 

TRY THIS NOW!!! It's AMAZING!!

How to stay to on track with your Health and Fitness goals while on Vacation!

Finally in Texas after 10 hours of traveling! 

These last three weeks I have been on total vacation mode and visited 3 different states. A lot of my challengers and friends have been asking me how I stayed on track. I'll totally admit that I wasn't 100% on track. I had more drinks than I normally would and more treats but I definitely had a little system that I used so that things wouldn't get totally out of control. 

Vacation visiting friends and family! 

So my First stop was Texas, my hometown, to visit friends and family for about 6 days before it was time to head on to Arizona for Beachbody Leadership. 

Here was my Vacation GAME PLAN and How I stayed pretty close to on track over the three weeks. 

I packed all of my workout gear. I always make room in my suitcase for workout gear. It goes everywhere I go. It's pretty much like bringing my toothbrush with me. It's something I can't forget. 

Sports Bras, Shorts/Capris, Tank Tops, Socks, and Shoes. 

I packed my workout DVD's and made plans with friends to go running and workout. 

If you are going to a hotel you can also make sure that the hotel has a gym and everything you need before booking. This is always HUGE in my book and a must. 

Target Fun with one of my best friends and the kiddos! 

Instead of carrying around my bag of Shakeolgoy I ordered the packets because they travel much easier and you can just toss them in your purse and GO! I had my shaker cup with me on the plane for an easy meal and if you MUST have a blender the Mini Hamilton one is awesome to travel with. It has a detachable cup with the blender. If you only have a bag the best option is to get the baby formula containers and fill that up. That works AWESOME for carrying your Shakeolgoy around -- MESS FREE! 

Shakeolgoy to the RESCUE! 

In my purse I stocked up with the little 100 cal packets of all natural almonds and quest bars. A lot of the places in the airport had little containers of fruit and veggies so I grabbed those in between layovers. It was PERFECT instead of resorting to the JUNK that the food service offers. Also grabbed big bottles of water to make a Shakeolgoy and drink. 

Once I got settled at my parents house for the week I had my list ready to head to the grocery store: 

I grabbed some ground turkey

Tuna

Cheese sticks

Apples

Strawberries

Greek yogurt

Baby Spinach

Balsamic Vingar

Mrs Dash Seasonings

Pinto Beans

Quinoa

100% whole grain bread

Egg Whites 

Hummus 

Baby Carrots

Turkey Bacon

Texas Grocery Shopping!! 

I made a big batch of pinto beans, ground turkey, and used 1/2 taco seasoning to make some taco meat and had that over salads for dinners and lunches. 

For snacks I had cheese sticks and nuts, Quest bars, Hummus and carrots, Egg Whites

Depends on where i'm going for the day. But I'll normally toss all of this in my cooler to take with me. Makes things super simple. 

Breakfast was Shakeology or Egg whites with Turkey Bacon and baby spinach. 

Lunch I would normally go home to have or would pack a cooler. I love things that are quick and simple while out of the home. Tuna packs are the BOMB! I mix that with greek yogurt, avocado, and sliced almonds. Then have it in a wrap, open face sandwich, or over a salad. Totally refreshing and DELISH! 

Of course while on Vacation you are going to go out to eat a lot more and that's totally okay. It's okay to splurge every once in awhile but if you have goals in mind you can still do a great job! 

Skip the bread

Ask for steamed veggies with out butter

Substitute french fries and backed potatoes for steamed veggies or a side salad. 

Dressings always on the side or sauces. 

Don't stress just try and pass on the OBVIOUS calories that you can control and move on. 

Do I have Ice cream, Alcohol, and desserts ... YOU BET I DO! I totally had some extra treats while on vacation and I didn't feel bad about it. I made sure that I got my daily workouts in and had a healthy balance. 

Pick and CHOOSE what you really want. You can't have it all .. so pick the things you most want! 

Fuel your body for ENERGY, enjoy the little things but remember you don't live to EAT you EAT to LIVE! 

Vacation Accountability

Repeat after me .... WORK OUT ... Don't skip it .. Don't make Excuses -- GET UP AND JUST DO IT! Your workout shouldn't be something you DREAD it's something that makes you feel good, puts you in a good mood, and gives you energy for the day. Remember that when your brain is telling you NO, just keep sleeping. Your day will go so much better and you will feel so much better with a good workout in! You aren't worried about loosing weight while on vacation but you want to maintain what you have already worked so hard for. Wake up and feel STRONG and know that you are an overcomer and you CAN do those things that others won't because you are WORTH IT! 

Packed T25 .. Yes I killed it! 

Make your vacation FUN!!! Working out and Eating Clean should be a part of your life that you LOVE because of the way it makes you feel. It shouldn't be something you dread. Don't stress if you have an extra serving or have that ice-cream. Life is all about BALANCE and enjoying it! 

It's your LIFE and you don't have to eat anything that you don't want to. Ask for the food that you want, get creative with your workouts, but most of all HAVE FUN!! You only have one life might as well be in LOVE with it. 

FREEDOM!! Creating a business that YOU can do from anywhere!

Now is your time to create a business that fits your life

Let me tell you friends .... I once was scared of FAILURE, but I was also scared of SUCCESS! 

I battled depression, anxiety, and stress for a long long time. I didn't know that I was suffering from these things I just knew that I wasn't happy and because I didn't love myself no one else did either. Misery loves company people and I'll tell you, I was miserable. I hated myself!! 

I tell you this not to feel sorry for me but to know that we all start SOMEWHERE in life and it's those sad and horrible situations or ADVERSITIES that make us who we are. It's the lessons that we needed to learn to become the person that we were always meant to be. Each of us have our own issues and times of struggle but guess what, No one else can have that same circumstance but YOU. The reason is because you are UNIQUE - You hold gifts that no one else has. Your job is to take those adversities, learn from them, and then help someone else going through the same.

So..... this leaves me to my coaching experience and literally has been my SAVING GRACE! I have grown in these last 20 months more than I have in the 28 years I've been alive. When you strive for SUCCESS you have no where else to go but UP and that means GROWTH. 

The moment that I signed up as a coach ... I was scared to death! It's normal it's common it's okay to be scared but you can choose to let FEAR hold you back or let it help you GROW! 

It's scary because at that moment you don't know where to start from that moment. <----- I've been there!! I wanted to do everything all at once and Just didn't know where to start. 

So here are the things that ran through my mind and probably go through just about every new coaches mind the moment they hit that "I want to become a Beachbody Coach" button. 

• What if I fail?
• What if no one wants to join my group?
• What if I annoy my friends?
• I don't want to sell people stuff.
• I am afraid of what others will think of me?
• I am not at my goal weight.
• I don't have a lot of friends on facebook.
• I am shy.
• I don't know anything about social media.
• I am not a fitness professional or expert in nutrition.
• I don't have enough time.
• I don't have money to get started.
• I can't possibly do everything that YOU do!

I know that these are common concerns because I myself have experienced them or have heard my coaches on my team come to me with these same concerns. As a leader and coach for 20 months now I've heard them all and I'm telling you the ONLY thing that will hold you back is YOU and your FEAR of FAILURE!! I have coaches that come up to me and want to be successful SO BADLY but they just can't get past that little voice in their head that doubts or gives them reason to not push forward. The "what if's" haunt!

So, for someone who battles depression, anxiety, and stress -- I had to grow myself in this area in order to SUCCEED! I wasn't going to let FEAR hold me back. The secret is honestly What's the worst that will happen!?!? Truly -- Ask yourself that?
You could be insanely successful? Help a ton of people? Grow your business? Be at the top of the company? Quit your job? Make a full time income working from home on YOUR own time?

I'll tell you one thing, Success doesn't happen over night. It takes time and the moment you realize that and practice the SLIGHT EDGE principals, that's the moment you will be able to move moutons. It might not happen over night but each day you will be closer and closer. It takes TIME to grow in to the person you were meant to become in order to handle that success.

I know that working from home, starting your own business, and BELIEVING in this company is not the NORM for society. Today we believe in going to college, getting a job, working for a boss, and getting our paycheck so we can pay bills. WORK WORK WORK WORK! Wake up every morning to a job you hate to a boss you hate. Doesn't sound like much fun to me!?!? 

I'm telling you my whole life I thought the same thing. I actually joined the military to have my college paid for, went to school, got my Bachelors degree, and expected to just get a job and follow what society expected until this fell into my lap and I honestly feel like God knew what he was doing with me. 

I make my own hours, I work from where I want, when I want, I am my own boss, I built my business, and I control how much I get paid each week, I control how much I work. I wake up every morning with a fire in my belly and a passionate about what I do each day. I leave the day feeling fulfilled, like what I did actually made a difference. 

So, are you asking yourself if you might be good at this!??! Then it's time to explore this opportunity a bit more because this my friend just may change your life. 

I know that this coaching thing isn't for everyone! That's why there is so many different options out there but I know that this opportunity is for a lot of you. This may not be your thing, but I believe in giving everyone a shot with the proper accountability, training, mentorship, support, and motivation. 

So this is why i'm about to LAUNCH the most EPIC Group EVERRRR called "Punch FEAR in the FACE" and Live life BRILLIANTLY with the Dream Team

It's going to kick off with a 5 day sneak peak of what is a Beachbody Coach if you have no idea what coaching is all about.  This is the perfect place for you to ask questions, get answers to the things you don't know and to determine if our style of leadership and business would jive well together. Every day there will be a post and a video of the day to watch.  It will be on topics such as the compensation plan, how did I get started as a coach, how to become a coach when you aren't at your weight loss goal yet, how to coach and have a full time job, ect....

So if want to check this out make sure that I am your coach by going to my site and creating a free profile!  Then request to join the EVENT!!  We will begin on the 16th of July.

If you have been considering becoming a coach or you are just ready to jump right into the game then now is the time!  I am kicking off my Live Life Brilliantly Accelerated Coach Apprenticeship Program on August 4th. 

 I am truly limiting this group to a select few brand new coaches that join MY team are:

-Committed to growing a business that is successful based on your own goals and personal commitment.

-Driven to be successful & are willing to take a risk.

-Dedicated to helping others achieve their health and fitness goals.

-Are looking to earn extra income for themselves and family.

-Are looking to replace an income or make a career change.

-Are truly looking for that passion in life that makes you excited to wake up each day and go to your job!

-Are motivated, driven, caring and committed to putting some skin in the game!

If you feel that you possess the qualities to become a successful coach then I am openly inviting you to complete the application below to be considered for a spot on my team.  The spots will fill up fast so don't delay.

I literally live, breathe, and wake up to help my team!  There is not a day that goes by that I am not thinking of how I can improve my process, my strategy and my teaching to help my team be successful quicker! I want to avoid my team from making mistakes that I made, from learning the hard way or re-inventing the wheel.  I am an open book and I train each and every one of my coaches through my new coach apprenticeship program.  This program is not a cookie cutter, pre packaged training program, it is literally customized to the Dream Team, to my teaching style, and delivered by myself!!!  

For the next 60 days you get daily, 24/7 access to myself, my closed online group, weekly mentoring calls and 1:1 calls to help you get started right!

I will teach you the most important daily activities to focus your attention and energy on.  We will discuss how to invite, how to share not sell, how to use social media to expand your market of influence, how to take your every day life and turn it into your business.  How to take your passion for helping others and make a profit.  I am going to give you access to all of my training tools, documents, resources, guides, videos and more.  There is nothing that you will not have access to!

I believe that training and getting started right are the keys to success. 

If you want to be a successful coach, if you want to help inspire others to make a change, if you want to live your life brilliantly every single day then today is your day to take a leap of faith and join my Team!  We have a wealth of knowledge, information, leadership, support and mentoring to plug in to. There is nothing that you can't accomplish with a family like this!  

Kitchen Makeover - Clean Eating Style!!

Today I want to share with you how to reorganize your kitchen, pantry and fridge so that success is not just simple and convenient but visually enticing!

The right tools in the right places!
Each tool that you use on a daily and even mealtime basis should be kept close to the area where you prep your food.  I suggest having the following all in one drawer, plastic container, or cupboard for quick and easy access:

• Paring knife
• Vegetable peeler
• Measuring cup
• Food Scale
• Snack size plastic bags
• Plastic 1 cup size reusable containers

Warning:  Open bags can lead to saddlebags.  You and I both know we are going to keep reaching into that bag of snacks or treats and eat well beyond an individual portion.  Here's what I do: Repackage bulk snacks-say, raw almonds into baggies of 14 almonds.  When you come home from food shopping take the time to divvy up food by serving sizes.  Use plastic bags or storage containers to organize your food into the right portions.  For example, a portion size of pretzel sticks is 10.  Put 10 in a little bag and put them in the pantry at eye level.  This makes it simple for grab and go snacking!!!

A recent Cornell University Study found that we consume 90 percent of our food mindlessly. We simply eat because it is placed in front of us or because we've placed it in front of ourselves.  It's time to get conscious about what-and how much- we consume.

My suggestion is to open up your fridge and pantry.  Then dump or donate anything that a well-tuned athlete wouldn't eat.  If that box of lucky charms for your kids is constantly calling your name, ditch it.  Stepping into your kitchen shouldn't be anxiety producing!  Make it easier on yourself to make health choices by eliminating the temptation of poor choices.


Merchandise your food!
Food marketers play into our impulsive choices by paying millions of dollars every year to have name brand products placed on the right shelf at the right level.  Why do you think all the sugary cereals are placed at your chest level on the shelves at the grocery store?  It's because that happens to be the eye line of a child sitting in a shopping cart.  Clever!!!

So now let's talk about placement!!!  You can do this too with the same techniques in your pantry or fridge.
When we stand in front of the fridge, we tend to grab whatever food takes the least amount of time to prepare and that "looks good."  The healthy stuff, like fresh produce, we hid in the drawer that's difficult to get to and even easier to forget!  So when you get home I suggest that you unload your groceries, clean and display your fruit in clear plastic containers or bowls.  Place berries and raw veggies at eye level.  You can even buy pre cut veggies if you don't have time!!!
Arrange your greek yogurt near the berries and veggies.  Store cottage cheese nearby as well.  Place healthy whole foods at eye level near the front of the shelf.

When you are building muscle, hard-cooked egg whites are a great source of lean protein, and they're easy to prep so they're ready to go!  Boil a dozen eggs on Sunday night, then peel and place them in a large storage bag.  Now, all you have to do is remove the yolk, dice up your egg whites, dump some salsa in there and BAM!  Or you can just eat your egg whites on the go whole!

Other fast protein sources to be stored at eye level include prepackaged tuna packets.  Though they store well in the pantry, I keep them in the refrigerator.  Who wants a warm tuna sandwich?

Now when you find yourself staring mindlessly into your fridge, you'll see the stuff you should be eating!  It's washed, cut, enticing and ready to go!!

Replace this with that- Look in your refrigerator for regular staples.  Now, do some soul searching and ask yourself if you're willing to try a healthier alternative.  Do you make the kids PB&J every week?  Would they notice if you picked up sugar free or low sugar jam or jelly?  If you don't say anything...probably not!  I love cheese but instead of buying a brick of it you can stock up on individually packaged string cheese!  They are portion controlled and appropriately sized.  I don't have the time to look at the packaging to figure out how many ounces is a single serving.

What about trying lower sugar or organic version of many of your regular condiments?  Ketchup now comes in all natural with no high fructose corn syrup, dijon mustard you can buy with no added sugar.  I substitute sour cream with greek yogurt quite often.  I also never ever cook with butter!  Instead I use cooking spray or olive oil in a spritzer bottle! 

If you are not sure which brand or version is better choice wise then use an app like Fooducate which allows you to scan the bar codes of two products and do a side by side self comparison. Each item is given a grade based on its nutritional content, which makes it convenient for quick decisions.  

Pantry Makeover
Most of the healthiest foods will be perishable and stored in the refrigerator.  Once you have that in order, it's time to tackle your pantry!
First, let's decide what you would go to the pantry instead of your fridge for!  Well, often we go for carbs, something fast, something crunchy, something sweet.
That's fine, but let's create healthier temptations!

Those foods that are lower on the good for you hierarchy can go in the hard to reach spaces!!!  Way up high where you would need a step stool!
I use the eye and chest level shelves to place the healthiest nonperishable items.  Nothing bought in bulk ever stays in its original container.  I open, repackage, and display those items in inexpensive containers like wicker baskets or square plastic storage bins.  It keeps everything organized and makes choosing healthy so dummy proof that the foods almost jump into my hand. 
So here is what you can find on my shelves:

• Brown Rice Unsalted rice cakes
• Unsalted Raw Almonds, Cashews, Peanuts
• Instant rolled Oats
• Protein Powder
• Shakeology
• Canned Low Sodium black beans
• Canned low sodium diced tomatos
• Instant Brown Rice
• Dried Fruit such as craisins, raisins, cherries
• High quality protein bars

Will you be able to find cake mix and cookies in my house?  Yes!  But you probably will have to move a few things around to find it!!  Outta sight-outta mind!!!

Lastly, put things where people know to look for them.  I basically stock the same stuff all the time.  I maintain a list and check off what i need.  But there is no mystery.  No one is opening the pantry and expecting a sudden influx of cookies or chips.  Boring?  YES!!!!  Intentionally!!!  You see, if you never knew what you might get when you opened the pantry, you'd go there first!!!  I don't want my family to eat from the pantry.  The pantry is where emergency foods live.  Let's face it, with few exceptions, just about everything in your pantry is processed!  The healthy stuff is in the fridge!!!

Good luck!  Don't hesitate to message me for additional information or tips to help you get started with your own kitchen makeover!!!

Things to do right now to get started!!!

1. Remove high fat, high sugar temptations from the kitchen.
2. Survey the refrigerator for frequently consumed foods that can be swapped out by lower fat and reduced calorie alternatives.
3. Stock up on small plastic food bags, snack containers, and clear plastic fruit bowls for display.
4. Arrange prep tools in an easy to reach place.  The fewer steps, the better!
5. Spring clean your fridge, make room for the fresh stuff.
6. Divide snacks into individual servings and arrange in the front and center of the pantry!

If you EVER need any help you can always add me on FB and shoot me a message 

www.facebook.com/marlena.hedine - That's what I'm here for!! 

Clean Eating Meal Ideas - Clean Eating Made SIMPLE!

All the time I get people coming to me for ideas on what to have as snacks and breakfast that is clean and healthy. 

MOST of the time people are looking for breakfast ideas because of a few reasons. Ask your self which category you fit in? 

1. They Skip Breakfast and are looking for something quick to have. 

2. Don't have time to make breakfast in the morning so instead go through a drive through or grab donuts at the office. 

3. Aren't really sure what is healthy, clean, or good for you so they have cereal or pre packaged meals. 

So which one do you fit in!?!? Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so seriously make sure you prep your breakfasts, wake up earlier to cook something, or invest in Shakeology. 

My favorite and what I recommend to all of my challengers for either Breakfast or Lunch!! Sometimes even DINNER! It's a nutrition, meal replacement, shake that is equal to over 7 trips to the salad bar but taste like desert!! 

Lunch on the go!! Leftovers

So here are my breakfast ideas! I hope this helps you when you are meal planning for the week!! It's so important to eat right when you wake up to rev up your metabolism and get your body burning calories. 

Here are my Breakfast Go To's : 

At lunch time I normally keep it pretty simple. I'll eat something left over from the night before. 

You can check out my clean eating recipes for dinner ideas. 

I also like to have salads with a lean protein for something quick

A lot of people only eat 3 meals a day IF THAT! I have to tell you that you can just as much hurt your self by eating too much by not eating enough. Part of the reason you might not be losing weight but eating healthy is because you aren't eating enough. Snacks keep your metabolism going all day long to continue burning calories and building muscle. It also helps maintain your sugar levels and prevent you from overeating at meal time. 

I know that most offices keep a ton of goodies around and have vending machines but the biggest tip that I could give you is PACK YOUR MEALS AND SNACKS!! Stay away!! 

If you want to see results, feel better, have more energy, and live longer ... Pack your meals and eat clean! 

Here are my go to snack ideas!! 

My favorite Quest Bar!! 

So sit down, make your plan, and get to prepping, and packing your meals. 

I hope this gives you some good ideas and you are able to keep it simple and clean!! 

P90X3 Week 1 and Meal Plan

Yep, I've been in a complete funk when it's come to working out and eating clean. I guess we all go through these times but the thing is we have two choices - We can either decide to gripe, complain, and keep telling ourselves how "fat" we are and lazy .. then do NOTHING about it. OR you can get up and decide that you have had ENOUGH and it's time to take Action.

So that's what i'm doing, I'm throwing away the old "i'm fat" crud that is stuck in my head these last few weeks and making PROGRESS! I can't erase the past few weeks of doing good and then binging circle i've been going through but I can pick up where I am today and decide that I'm done and ready to move on.

We will never be perfect! There will be weekends we totally blow it and there may even be weeks but the moment you decide that you are WORTH so much more and aren't going to let the little set back ruin you, is when you have finally made it. You have made it a LIFESTYLE!! You can get out of those funks and get back up and go again.

Something I want you to remember :

So let's get up and DECIDE to be HEALTHIER, FITTER, AND FASTER!! <3 

This week I decided that I'm ready to LIFT HEAVY and commit to 90 days of P90X3 using the 21 Day Fix Nutrition Guidelines. I really love this system and plan on continuing it. 

So How do you get your week straight and get back on track!?!? Here are my simple tips to planning out your week. 

Plan Your Week Out!! 

Open a can of whup ass on your insecurities, your fears, your excuses and time management issues and WRITE DOWN YOUR PLAN OF ATTACK for YOURSELF for the week ahead.
1. Workouts you're going to do and days you are doing them
2. Goals to accomplish with clean eating and HOW you're doing it (i.e. 5 days of clean eating so I can earn my Saturday when my friends are in town. I'm meal prepping for the week tonight)
3. Personal goals to complete by the end of 2014 - one thing I can do to get closer THIS WEEK.

GET AFTER IT MY FRIENDS...NO ONE ELSE CAN DO IT FOR YOU.

This week has been super busy for me! I'm creating a whole 21 day meal plan, grocery list, and step-by-step prepping instructions for my upcoming challenge group. I'm super excited about it. If you are interested in joining you can fill out an application HERE !! 

So here it goes Week 1 and my commitment to stick with it!! 

I'm replacing those 21 Day Fix workouts with P90X3 - Classic Schedule!! **

Eggs with Toast and Salad. One of my favorites

So I chose to do the Classic version of P90X3 because I wanted to create some lean muscle. Im really ready to slim down and tone my body up all over and I feel like lifting heavy is totally the ticket. Remember people Lifting increase your metabolism and the more you lift the more calories you burn!!

I'm ready to take action!! 

So it's time to take action and really CRUSH this week!! 

Here is The Week 1 and the start of Block 1 : 

Day 1:  Total Synergistics
Day 2:  Agility X
Day 3:  X3 Yoga
DAy 4:  The Challenge
Day 5:  CVX
Day 6:  The Warrior
Day 7:  Rest or Dynamix

I've seen friends get amazing results with this program and it has inspired me to totally bring it and give it ALL I GOT!! So it's TIME, it's game on!!! I'm ready to put every ounce of energy into these workouts so that I can get the best results. I have just under 2 months until I will be on stage at Summit in Las Vegas and I'm ready to feel my best and most confident. Yes, as Beachbody Coaches we live our life from Event to Event!! They challenge us to give it our all and it also gives us a deadline to get it DONE! So i'm human, I totally ate pizza this weekend and Ice cream and i'm ready to get on track and really push myself. I am finding a few healthy substitutions to my cravings and keeping it clean and healthy these next 50 some odd days. Game face ON #fitfam 

Oh and if you need a AMAZING and healthy dessert for those after dinner cravings TRY THIS!! Seriously SO good and guilt free!! 

Clean Eating Lasagna Soup

Last night we had this amazing dinner above. Best part about it, it tasted like a cheat but was actually CLEAN. Now this isn't the kind of meal I would eat every single night but it's good to have once a week and the family loved it. My husband is chopping on the leftovers and bragging about how good that soup is. I call it a WINNER!! 

Ingredients: 

8 ounces broken whole wheat lasagna noodles {{about 10 noodles}} 

1 Tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil 

1 Onion Chopped 

1/2 pound of turkey hot or sweet Italian Sausage 

3 cloves of garlic 

1 tsp dried oregano 

2 Tbsp of tomato paste {{no sugar added, organic preferred}} 

4 cups of low sodium chicken broth 

1 15 ounce can of crushed tomatoes 

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil 

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup almond milk/coconut milk

Ricotta cheese for topping

Directions: 

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook as the label directs. Drain; drizzle with olive oil and toss.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the sausage, garlic and oregano and cook, stirring and breaking up the sausage with a wooden spoon, until the sausage is browned, about 3 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until darkened, about 2 minutes.
Add the chicken broth, tomatoes and 1 cup water; cover and bring to a simmer. Uncover and cook until slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. Stir in the noodles, basil, parmesan and almond or coconut milk; simmer 2 more minutes.
Divide the soup among bowls. Top with ricotta and sliced basil.

Next time - I will leave the noodles out and add them in as I eat. I noticed that they got soggy as they sat in the fridge as leftovers. 

My Top Clean Eating Tips

In the next few weeks I am looking to do a conference call for all of my challengers that are wanting to learn more about clean eating.  I thought I would share some tips here that really helped me get on track and make this whole clean eating thing easier for me. My challenge groups always do great with the workouts but in the first few weeks the most common questions are "What should I eat?" "How much should I eat?" "What is clean and what isn't clean?" "How can I switch my family over". All of these concerns come up and I really thought it would be useful to share my tips that have worked for me over the last 2 years. I want to equip my challengers with the tools needed for SUCCESS so they can get the results that I got and so many other challengers before them have gotten just by following these principals. 

The first thing I suggest is getting a copy of "Eat Clean Recharged" by Tosca Reno ASAP! It gives you a break down of what clean eating is, the foods that are okay, and the history behind this method. Really everything you ever wanted to know about clean eating is explained here along with some meal plans and grocery lists. I truly loved this book and it changed my whole life!! So many things just clicked and made sense for me while reading this book.

So first things first ....

Portion Sizes: Tosca Reno talks about portion sizes in her book and that you don't have to count calories or points. Instead you will portion out foods and focus on pairing the right food groups together. It's really easy to stay on this type of plan because you don't need anything fancy or have to play the guessing game. You simply use your hands as your guide 

Protein = The palm of your hand

Complex Carbs = (apples, berries, oranges, grapes, veggies) 2 cupped handfuls 

Starchy Carbs = 1 cupped handful 

If you follow this guide and the correct portion controls you will be less likely to indulge! I literally measure out my lunches that I prep this way. I place the piece of portion in my hand, measure out my veggies, and starchy carbs. I am always full when I pair the right foods up. 

Warm Lemon Water: Drink a large glass of lemon water when you first wake up and before you eat breakfast for a natural detox. This will also jump start your metabolism!! 

I cut my lemon in half and squeeze all of the juice out of the lemon into the cup and fill it to the top with warm water. I do not eat breakfast until this glass of water is done. 

Get a Lunch Tote: 31 has the cutest totes that are perfect for packing a healthy lunch and snacks. 

Sunday is my day to sit down and plan out all of my meals. I make my grocery list and then sit down and cup up all of my fruits and veggies and portion into bags so they are ready to grab for the week. I also measure out my PB, Hummus, and Nuts as my protein to pair with my veggies. If i'm out and about I always pack my snacks and an extra one so i'm never left starving and left to resort to fast food. I always have a shaker cup and single packet of shakeology. It's easy to grab water while out and about to just shake it up and go. Here is more info on how I meal prep and plan each week 

Always Carry a Refillable Water Bottle with you: You can add lime, lemon, cucumber and strawberries to your water to give it flavor.  NO SODA OR JUICE!  I'm telling you that it's full of empty calories and you are not going to lose the weight if you drink soda or juice!  Just WATER!

Drink Green Tea: This helps with hunger pains and cravings in the late afternoon and evenings when the munchies hit you. 

If you are someone who has a sweet tooth after dinner or needs dessert try some greek yogurt, cinnamon, honey, and chopped up fruit. It's amazing!!! One of my favorites. 

Buy in Bulk: I go to Sams Club every few weeks and get a big container full of chicken. I cut it up in palm size pieces and freeze them. It's better fresh than frozen produce. Especially in chicken they infuse it with salt, water, and preservatives. So instead buy the fresh produce and, cut it up, and freeze for the whole family. 

Another thing that I do all the time is cook extra chicken for your lunches on Sunday or whatever day you are going to use as your prep day.  That way you can slice it up and put it in a tupperware and pull out for salads or wraps for the rest of the week.
 
Also, cook extra for dinner and place in containers for lunches throughout the week.

You can replace any foods so long as you replace a complex carb with another complex carb ect.  So if you don't like banana's replace them with an apple.  If you don't like almonds replace with all natural pb!

BODY BEAUTIFUL/BODY HEALTH FORMULA

80% nutrition + 10% exercise + 10% genetics = body beautiful/body health

EAT CLEAN PRINCIPLES

1.      Eat six small meals a day.  Eat every two-and-a-half to three hours.  I literally set the timer on my watch to remind me when to eat!  Now that I have been doing it for so long my body just tells me that its time to eat!  My husband always jokes that I eat non stop all day long!  And I DO!!!  
2.      Eat breakfast everyday, within an hour of rising.  So give or take when you exercise.  I exercise first thing in the morning and I don't eat before hand.  I workout, drink my results and recovery drink, grab a shower and then make breakfast.  I always have a warm glass of lemon water each morning as my wake up and detox!  I squeeze 1/2 or a whole lemon into a glass of warm water.  I make it a rule that I cannot eat my breakfast until I drink the entire glass of water.
3.      Eat a combination of lean protein and complex carbohydrates at each meal.  A lean protein would be your plain unsalted nuts, almond butter, all natural peanut butter, white meat such as chicken and fish.  A complex carb is your fruits and veggies such as bananas, apples, oranges, cucumbers, carrots, tomoatoes just to name a few.  
4.      Eat sufficient (two or three servings) of healthy fats every day (evoo, avocado)
5.      Drink two to three liters of water each day.  I make this a MUST!  If you want to lose weight then you must drink a lot of water each and everyday.  If you do not drink enough water you body actually holds onto water weight.  Drinking water speeds up your metabolism and helps you lose weight.
6.      Carry a cooler packed with clean foods.  I seriously cannot leave the house without my 31 cooler bag.  Even if I am pretty certain that I am going to be home before my next snack or meal I still throw in an apple and a handful of unsalted almonds and a bottle of water.  It is super easy to throw in a packet of shakeology and your shaker cup.  Then you are never left scrounging for a meal or a drive through to go to.  you always have a healthy snack or meal to hold you over!  
7.      Depend on fresh fruits and vegetables for fiber, vitamins, nutrients and enzymes.  Limit your starchy complex carbs to two to four servings each day.  I suggest not relying to heavily on juices.  I would aim to get your servings of fruits and veggies each day from actulaly eating them.  This way you get the added fiber from the skins of the fruits!  Juices more often than not have added sugars and additives that our bodies do not need.
8.      Adhere to proper portion sizes.

TOP 10 THINGS TO AVOID
1.       Sugar, white flour and over processed foods.  Bread at the bread table when you are out to eat.  Especially when I was trying to lose the weight I would avoid bread at all costs.  I even avoided ezekiel bread or most starchy carbs.
2.      Artificial sugars- NO STEVIA OR EQUAL OR SWEET N LOW ARE NOT GOOD FOR YOU!  I reccomend Agave nectar and honey if you need to sweeten something.  Even then I still think you should use it sparingly.  Again, sugar is addictive and the more you have the more your body will crave it!
3.      Sugar-loaded beverages such as soda and juice- NONE, ZILCH ZERO!!
4.      Super sizing your  meals or portions- If you are at a restaurant always ask for a box and take half of it home!  Restaurants are known for their oversized portions.  Even if it's a healthy meal that does not give you permission to throw your rules out the window!  You can eat the right kinds of foods and have to much and still not see results.
5.      Alcohol, try your best to limit.  My rule of thumb is for every alcoholic drink that you consume you must have 1 full glass of water!  
Alcohol is full of sugar and empty calories so you need to ask yourself,  is this short term sacrifice of drinking worth the long term results of me feeling amazing in my body and having the confidence to put myself out there!

6.      Chemically charged foods- So this mean smart ones, lean cuisines or any other processed meals.  Take a look at the labels on your food.  If there are more than 3 ingredients and you don't understand what they are then you probally shouldn't buy it!
7.      Foods containing preservatives
8.      Artificial foods such as processed cheese slices- I very rarely eat a piece of cheese.  I tend to choose feta cheese if I go that route!  Once again your body holds onto bad fats!
9.      Saturated and trans fats
10.  Anti foods, calorie dense foods with no nutritional value.

TOP 5 WAYS TO MAKE EATING CLEAN EASIER FOR YOU
1.       Pack a cooler everyday
2.      Carry a water bottle everywhere

3.      Make a shopping list and stick to it- I grocery shop for 2 weeks at a time.  I sit down with my white board, grocery list and recipes and plan out my meals so that my entire family can follow the same eating schedule.  It works and we are all happy!

4.      Prepare planned leftovers
5.      Keep your pantry stocked with staples.  Staples in my pantry are plain unsalted rice cakes, all natural peanut butter, almonds, cashews, raisins, flaxseed, and olive oil!  If I run out of fresh fruits and veggies I turn to rice cakes with peanut butter and raisins!

TOP FIVE EXERCISE TIPS
1.       Set realistic goals for yourself-weekly, monthly and yearly.
2.      Train all of your major muscle groups, arms shoulders, chest, back, legs and abs.
3.      Challenge yourself-vary your routine every few weeks.
4.      Keep cardio fun-try new activities
5.      Stay focused-put your mind into your muscle.

EATING OUT TIPS
McDonalds
Garden fresh salad with warm crispy chicken and balsamic vinaigrette and water.
McDonalds chicken fajita, apple slices without Carmel dipping sauce and water
Burger King flame broiled hamburger and BK side salad with no croutons or dressing and water.
Wendy’s home style chicken go wrap, plain baked potato and water
Subway 6 inch turkey breast or ham sub, apple slices and water.  No dressing or cheese on sandwich!