Pool is open! Get your body READY!!

Are you hanging outside longer at night, enjoying the nice weather?  It's getting warmer and if you're lucky enough to have one...the pool is officially OPEN!  I'm jealous, but that's okay.  :)  I will be lounging by the kiddie pool!

If you're still thinking about getting in shape, I would love to pass along a nifty little hybrid schedule.  This is what I am currently doing and I'm loving it!  What I love MOST about this schedule is that it includes two very different workouts but BOTH have you done in about 30 minutes.  You're short on time but you want results.  Well, don't we all!  Try getting that done with a trip to the gym!  I'm pooped just thinking about fighting for a parking spot at prime time, or dealing with Mr Big Guy's leftover sweat.  Ew!

T25 is the workout that I started with and I always think of it as a MUST, especially if you want an effective fat burning workout that will leave you cursing at Shaun T.  In a good way, of course.  :)  I love him.  I seriously love him!!  All workouts are 25 minutes long and then add in 2-3 minutes for a cool-down.  It's a 10 week program that will get you in the best shape!  If I can do it, you can do it too!

Now add in the muscle building workouts of P90X3 and you have a perfect hybrid calendar.  If you're looking to get lean, get ripped, work on balance, stability, stamina, endurance, and all in 30 minutes.  This is an excellent program.  You might get a little side-tracked by Tony's lame jokes or his perfectly coifed hair, but stay the course.  TRUST his weirdness.  Tony knows his stuff!  X3 is a 90 day program and comes complete with a workout calendar and nutrition guide. 

Even better is that P90X3 is on sale for just a few more days this month!  Bust out the bathing suit, get ready to wear your summer wardrobe.  You deserve to look and feel your best and I would love to help you get there!

Check out the hybrid calendar above and ask any questions.  I would love to hear from you!!

Easy Mango Sorbet...3 versatile ingredients!

 3 ingredient Mango Sorbet

I'm guessing I'm not the only one that makes impulse purchases at Costco.  We've all been there, right??  Well, my latest palm to forehead purchase was a 5 lb bag of frozen mangoes.  Now, I like mangoes.  Sure.  But what was I thinking buying a 5 lb bag???  Anyways, it's been sitting neglected in my freezer for a little while and since today was HOT, I decided to whip up some healthy sorbet!  3 easy ingredients that can be changed up to your tastes or to what you have on hand.

Now I know that sometimes a trip to your neighborhood B&R is what's going to hit the spot, but if you feel like serving yourself and your kids something easy and healthy, this is it!  And it beats waiting for the entire soccer team to place their ice cream order!!

Here's what I used:

About 1.5 cups frozen mango chunks
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
pinch NuNaturals pure stevia

Have a different frozen fruit on hand?   Great!  Want to use coconut milk, rice milk, juice instead?  Go for it!  Stevia is my go-to sweetener but if you want to use honey, agave, etc., probably any of those would work just fine.

I threw it all into the Ninja and whirled for a minute or two and the end product was a creamy, smooth and refreshing sorbet!  YUM!!

If you're following the 21 Day Fix program, I would count this as one purple container.  The amount of almond milk you're getting in one serving is itty bitty.  Enjoy!

What is clean eating all about??

Do you get confused when you hear someone talk about clean eating?  What does it mean and how do you do it?  Trust me, it doesn't have to be complicated or challenging!  It might take some practice and some fine-tuning but that's all part of creating a plan that works for YOU.  Remember that we're trying to make this a lifestyle change, NOT a quick fix!  So there will definitely be some trial and error and bumps along the way.  That's okay!  PROGRESS, not perfection.  :)

Here are some great tips.  I found these over at Eating Clean for Dummies.  And no, you're not a dummy!!  You're learning a new skill and I'm happy that you're here!!

The Basic Principles of Eating Clean

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/eating-clean-for-dummies-cheat-sheet.html

Eating clean involves not only choosing the right foods to eat but also avoiding all of the junk foods and processed foods that are so readily available. The keys to good health and proper nutrition are in the following principles:

• Eat whole foods: Whole foods are foods that haven’t been tampered with, in the lab or the manufacturing plant. The foods you eat on this plan are straight from the farm: whole fruits and vegetables, whole grains, grass-fed and free-range meats, low fat dairy products, unsalted nuts, and seeds.
• Avoid processed foods: Processed foods are any food that has a label. A label means that more than one ingredient was used to make that food. You don’t have to eliminate all processed foods (like whole grain pasta or natural cheeses), but if you can’t pronounce an ingredient on a label, don’t put that food in your shopping basket.
• Eliminate refined sugar. Refined sugar provides nothing but calories. Other sweeteners can be used, but with all the good foods you add to your diet, refined sugar really has very little place in the eating clean plan.
• Eat five or six small meals a day. By eating smaller meals throughout the day you can help rev up your metabolism and reduce the chance that you’ll eat some Funyuns rather than that whole grain cracker with nut butter and strawberries. You never get so hungry on this plan that you’ll feel deprived or feel the need to cheat.
• Cook your own meals. Instead of buying meals in a box, cook meals from scratch. That’s not as hard as it sounds! Clean, whole foods need little preparation beyond chopping and sautéing to make satisfying, delicious meals your family will love.
• Combine protein with carbs. When you do snack or eat a meal, make sure that meal is balanced. For the most satisfaction from your diet, and so you’ll be less tempted to eat junk food, combine protein with carbs or carbs and fat. This simple act will fuel your body and quash hunger pangs.
  
  
  So what does all of this look like in real life?  It will be different for everyone because what I like might not be what you like.  Ya know?  But the above guidelines are ones that I do follow most of the time.  I'm not perfect either!  I still splurge once in a while and I think that's all part of the bigger picture.  It makes me human!
  
  
  I think the biggest tip I can share is that you really need to PLAN ahead.  This means making the time to get your grocery shopping in and then prepping some food in advance.  When you come home from school, work, errands, running around with the kids, etc., the last thing you want to do is open up the fridge and have nothing that is quick and easy to grab.  That's when the temptation to grab your kid's pizza, crackers, or granola bar is just too easy.  So, plan ahead and prep some food in advance.  
  
  
  Some of the things I almost always have ready to go include:
  • hard boiled eggs
  • grilled or baked chicken (great as leftovers, sliced over a salad, or thrown together with beans and salsa)
  • roasted veggies
  • salad greens washed and dried
  • apples that can be sliced and eaten with 10-12 almonds
  • baby carrots and hummus
  • ground turkey breast (also great with veggies and salsa or over spaghetti squash with either pesto or a red sauce)
  • berries during the summer!
  
  The next goal is to put all of these together to create a meal plan for you that works for YOU.  You don't have to watch the clock and eat at a certain time each day, but you do want to aim to eat smaller meals every 2.5 - 3 hours.  Your metabolism will be fired up and keep your blood sugar from slumping and spiking.
  
  Do you need help with creating a meal plan?  That's what I'm here to do!  Where do you struggle?  When do you fight temptations?  Do you get easily discouraged with ordering out?  It's all doable.  I'd love to help you!!
  
  
  
  
  

Work on your Summer body NOW!!

Can you believe we're already in the month of May already?  Unreal!!  So, if you're ready to change up your fitness routine, get started with Shakeology, get YOUR Summer body ready...there are two great promotions ready for you!  And as your coach, I am HERE to help you along the way!  My next online fitness group starts on May 19!  Contact me if you'd like the support and accountability that is included FREE with me as your coach. 

Promo #1: P90X3!  Get the muscles you have always thought about in only 30 minutes per day!  This is an amazing promo price at $180, normally $205!  It includes your first 30 day supply of Shakeology and 30 minute workouts to get your body toned, defined and RIPPED!!

What exactly is X3 all about?  P90X3 is an extreme workout program designed to burn fat, build lean muscle, and get your muscles popping in 30 minutes a day.  This program is all about helping people get exceptional results with shorter workouts.  These 30-minute routines are packed with dynamic, intense moves, designed for maximum efficiency and effectiveness.  Getting more done in less time?  That's what it's all about!

Promo #2: TurboFire!  An amazing deal especially if you are looking to get started on Shakeology and want another workout routine to supplement your library.  Priced at only $140 - on sale in May and normally $180.  This is a great price and you will see amazing results from high intensity and FUN workouts right in your own living room.  At $140 this also includes your first 30-day supply of Shakeology.  How cool is that?? 

 

With TurboFire, you can burn up to 9x more fat and calories than traditional cardio with high-energy, intense cardio conditioning, kickboxing drills, and choreographed moves set to fun music.  It's a party in your living room!  Although TurboFire is considered an advanced program, there are modified features to help beginners stick with the program.  So, this is a workout for all fitness levels!

Have any questions?  Shoot them my way!  I am here to help and would love to help you get started on seeing your BEST Summer body!!  We can do this together!!

Oh yum! Coconut Butter!!

Have you tried coconut butter?  WHAT??!!  You haven't?  It's time!  The texture is really very similar to any other nut butter and can be used in the same way.  I will admit that I've never moved past the stage of just eating if off the spoon.  It's that good.  But if you need something more than a spoon, try coconut butter blended into coffee or shakes.  Add it to curries, stir frys or top any vegetables with it.  You could even combine it with cocoa powder and stevia for dessert.  Oh yum.  Add-ins are pretty much endless from sweet to savory...flavor with sea salt, cinnamon, vanilla, stevia, honey, pulverized fruit, and more!

The beauty of coconut butter is that it is so easily made at home.  And if you have purchased it before, you know how much it can cost!  Artisana is one brand that makes a really great quality coconut butter and the 16 oz jar is, well...head over to your nearest Whole Foods and expect a little sticker shock.  And what is it made of?  Um, basically one or two ingredients!  Very simple.

Making Coconut Butter at home:

    1.5 cups unsweetened shredded coconut or coconut flakes
    Melted coconut oil for consistency (if necessary.  I used about 1 tbls melted)

Finished product in the jar!

I made mine in a Ninja.  And it worked fine with the added melted coconut oil.  The oil just kind of helps things get going.  But if you have a powerful blender or food processor like a Vitamix, you'll be done in about 2 minutes and probably won't need any added oil.  Yes, I'm jealous of your Vitamix.  ;)


Add your coconut flakes or shredded coconut to your blender or processor and give it several whirls.  Make sure it's the unsweetened kind, NOT the sweet stuff you might use for German chocolate cake!  You'll need to stop a few times to scrape down the sides.  Here is what mine looked like after a minute or two.  Still crumbly but starting to come together:

After I got to this point (crumbly but on it's way to butter), I added the melted coconut oil.  Then I continued pulsing, scraping down sides, pulsing again.  A little patience but really even with a Ninja it took less than 10 minutes.  

Once it gets to this point, voila!  Coconut butter at the fraction of the cost!  I put it in a mason jar and it can be stored at room temp or in the fridge.  You can warm it up a bit if it gets too solid.

Yummy, creamy buttery goodness!  Chock full of healthy fat to keep you happy and satiated!  Now excuse me while I have another spoonful!  :)