5 Day Jump Start for Summer

I have a lot of people ask me about my eating habits, the types of workouts I do, and how I balance a clean, healthy diet with every day life- especially since I love to eat and trying new recipes is one of my biggest hobbies!  As someone who has always struggled with keeping weight off and making myself workout on a regular basis, I totally get how hard it can be to know where to start and how to make the jump into a healthier lifestyle.  I have counted calories, been low carb, vegetarian, dairy free, low sugar, trained for half marathons, done weight lifting, and even dabbled with diet pills (oh the choices we make in college).  Some of these worked well, some of these not so much (sorry, there is no magic diet pill).  The biggest thing I've learned over the year, is you just have to start somewhere and set small, attainable goals for yourself.  This brings me to the 5 Day Jump Start. 

Throughout my entire adult life, I've been most successful when I've had a clear plan, been 100% committed to my goals and had a support network.  So, I am looking to create a small group of 10 people who want to join me in getting ready for summer.  We will follow a simple nutrition based program that uses a clean eating meal plan, light daily activity, and daily attainable goals.  This program is easily modifiable for every fitness level, from people who don't exercise at all, to people who run marathons.  

This 5 day program will begin Monday, April 20th, but the spots go fast so I encourage you to register in advance.  

If you want to…

...commit to a healthier lifestyle
...get tips on portion control and clean eating
...find a support network of people going through the same struggles
...get tips on meal planning
...learn how to incorporate more activity into your daily schedule
...get constant motivation and support 24/7

then THIS program is for you!

To reserve your spot, you MUST follow these TWO steps:
1: Comment below and say “Count me in!"
2: Then follow me on Facebook so that I can send you a private message to make sure that we’ll be a good fit working together and to receive full details. 

This is a 5-day life changing challenge that will be fun, effective and leave you feeling confident and on the path to great health. This is a virtual group, so it doesn't matter where you live. Part nutrition, part exercise and part MOTIVATION to stick to it!

There has been a murder...

My Mom and I went out of town this weekend.  My Cousin's wife (cousin- in- law?) is having a baby, so we drove down to South Carolina to visit everyone and go to the baby shower.  This is her first boy (she has two girls already), so it was fun to see her get all the little boy stuff, and of course the little boy theme (Snips, Snails, and Puppy Dog Tails).  I should have know our "little boy" aka Caesar would be getting himself into trouble this weekend as well.

Since there isn't really a direct way to get where they live in South Caroline from where we live in Tennessee, and I have been out of my absolutely favorite peanut butter for about a month now, we decided to cut through Atlanta so I could go to Sprouts for more.  Since the shower was on Saturday, and we wanted to have plenty of time to visit, we left Thursday morning to get my peanut butter.

I know, it is kind of ridiculous to go out of our way (and by out of our way, I mean risk Atlanta traffic) for just peanut butter.  But seriously, it is the best peanut butter.  I found a Sprouts that was sort of on the way, and called ahead to make sure they had some.  They put 6 jars on hold for me, and we picked them up Thursday afternoon.

Because my husband is like most husbands, and hates baby showers, he stayed at home with the cats. I could have used his help with the Diaper Cake/Tricycle construction, but my cousin and I managed it pretty well.  Luckily my Aunt had a lot of the craft supplies we needed (that I didn't think to bring with me) as well as one of my Grandfather's bow ties to use as a bow when we ran out of ribbon.

Since the Husband was at home, he had cat sitting duty.  Desi and Caesar are usually pretty well behaved, but someone has to be around to make sure the food bowl is always full (so Caesar doesn't panic) and to make sure Desi doesn't get lost in the house.  For the most part I think they had a pretty relaxing weekend, but by Saturday night, things were getting a little hairy.

Caesar had been spending a lot of time in the basement, and it was soon discovered he'd found a new toy.  The Husband spent a lot of time trying to rescue the little mole, but he was too quick, and he couldn't ever catch him.  Unfortunately, some time Sunday morning Caesar did...and then he caught a bird as well.

When we got home, there were bits and pieces everywhere.  Desi was taking a nap, and the Husband had no idea what had happened.  Caesar waited until no one was looking and just slaughtered the poor creatures.  Of course, he knew he'd done wrong, because he refused to come out when we called for him.  We finally found him about an hour later, hiding on a dining room chair.

The Best Holiday Ham

My dad loved ham.  He grew up in Virginia eating country ham.  My grandfather would soak it for an eternity, and then slice it really thin.  I remember eating country ham served on my grandmother's rolls or biscuits.  Nothing says home cooked comfort food to me like a ham biscuit.  

Nowadays, I am not about to soak a country ham and do all the work that it take to get one edible, but I still like to eat ham on the holidays.  In my house, we have ham twice a year: at Christmas and Easter. I buy a nitrate free (also called "uncured") ham if I can find it, and make my own glaze. It's super easy, and so much better than the glaze packets or the store bought sugar coated hams. 

I usually serve Green Bean Casserole and Orange Scented Sweet Potatoes along side the ham.  When we have cut off most of the meat from the bone, I freeze the bone until I get a craving for Bean Soup.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup of orange marmalade or preserves 
2 heaping TBSPs brown mustard. 
Cloves
Fully Cooked, Bone in Ham

Directions:
Stud the ham with cloves and cover with foil. Heat the ham according to the package directions (usually about 2-3 hours in a 350 degree oven).  Combine the orange marmalade with the brown mustard.  Then remove the foil, brush on the glaze and heat uncovered for another 15-30 minutes until caramelized.  Serve with your favorite rolls or biscuits! 

21 Day Fix Breakfast Ideas

We know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but for a lot of us it can be hard to make the time to actually eat breakfast. If we do eat breakfast, it can be hard to know what to eat!  I've put together a list of my favorite breakfasts, all of them 21 Day Fix approved.  Even if you don't follow the 21 Day Fix, they are still yummy and easy to make.  Some of them you can make in advance, and some of them you make the morning of.  All are clean, and all get your morning off on the right foot!

A Carb, a Protein and a Fruit.  This is probably as basic as breakfast gets.  Some days I eat this as a bacon and egg sandwich with a banana. Some days I eat them separately over the course of the morning as cereal, greek yogurt and an apple.  If you aren't sure where to start for breakfast, try combining 1 carb, 1 serving of protein and 1 cup fruit.  For example, on the 21 Day Fix, 1 egg + 2 pieces of bacon counts as 1 red container, 1 piece of toast is a yellow, and a cup of fruit is a purple.  I find that combining a yellow, red and purple container for breakfast gives me the right amount of calories, fiber and the best nutritional balance to start my day.    

Peanut Butter Toast and Coffee

This is the breakfast I eat 90% of the time.  After a few rounds of the 21 Day Fix, I finally figured out how my metabolism works and what will keep me full until lunch.  First thing in the morning, I have coffee made with coconut milk and Truvia and 1 slice of gluten free bread with 1 tsp nut butter.  Then, about an hour later, once I am ready to face the day, I have a smoothie made with Shakeology and 1 purple container of fruit.  I really like to chew first thing in the morning, so the toast combined with the Shakeology fills my need for chewing, while still giving me a balance of Carbs, Protein and Fruit.  

Baked Oatmeal

I love baked oatmeal because you can make it in advance.  It is good warm or cold, so if you can't even microwave something in the morning, it is still delicious.  For a complete meal, I like to have a smoothie with it, and this one is perfect because it had peanut butter in it.  Everything it better with peanut butter! 

Waffle, Sausage, and Fruit

This is one of my go to breakfasts.  I always have the ingredients in my freezer.  I use frozen fruit that I defrost for a few seconds in the microwave.  It is a great substitute for syrup.  I also top the waffle with 1 tsp peanut butter.  Sometimes I make homemade turkey sausage, sometimes I just buy nitrate free turkey sausage at whole foods.  I prefer the Nature's Path Mixed Berry Buckwheat Frozen Waffles, partly because the are gluten free and mostly because they are delicious.  1 waffle, 2 sausage patties and 1 cup of fruit equals 1 red, 1 yellow, and 1 purple container. 

Protein Oat Cakes

This recipe is fantastic when you want pancakes, but don't want to derail your diet.  Usually I save these for the weekend, but they can also be made in bulk and kept in the freezer for a few days.  My husband puts pure maple syrup on his, but I, of course, put peanut butter on mine.  

Half Bagel and Smoothie

My mom has half a bagel with peanut butter for breakfast almost every day.  It's kind of her version of peanut butter toast.  She hates eggs, and we found some Gluten Free Mighty Bagels (aka gluten free bagels full of seeds and fiber) that she likes, so I feel like this is a clean compromise.  However, she is always hungry about an hour later (probably because she is missing the protien).  Recently, since we've been living under the same roof, she has been drinking a Strawberry Banana Smoothie when she gets hungry and that has been keeping her full until lunch.  

I hope you try some of these ideas.  If you do, I'd love to know what you thought or what your favorite breakfast is.  Enjoy!

Caesar

My mom has a big fat cat.  His name is Caesar, and he loves everyone.  My dad called him "Little Guy" when they first got him, because he was a kitten and he was like a little brother, if cats can be brothers.  He is not so little any more, and his name has transitioned to "Big Boy"

He likes to sit on my lap/chest/arms/computer/feet/anywhere he is too big to fit while I am working.  Recently he discovered that the chair I like to sit in while I blog gets perfect sun exposure and has optimal birds nest viewing.  So now we race to see who can claim the chair first, and when I win, he just sits on me.

As I type this he's been sound asleep on my leg for the last hour.  I have lost all feeling in my right foot, and I really have to pee.  Yet I'm still sitting here because I hate to disturb him.  Plus, if I get up, her will steal my spot.  This cat totally rules this house.

Caesar also has a sister, Desi.  She is much older (she is 16 years, he is 16 pounds). Desdemona is just as needy, but she just tends to wander around the house carrying her mouse...which she will instantly drop as soon as she sees you.

Desi likes to do laps around the yard on sunny days, and take naps.  Her favorite spot is on my mom's bed, curled up on the afghan.  Sometimes, she enjoys being pickup and carried around by my husband, but usually that causes her to forget what she was doing, and then she has to start her laps al over again.

Now that you've been properly introduced to the cast of characters, you can be assured that I will be posting more pictures of them doing cute things like napping, rolling in the sun, and lounging in inconvenient places.

Tropical Smoothie

For the past 3 months, I've been taking some Jazzercise classes.  If you lived in the 90's, I am sure you think you know what I am talking about.  I can assure you this is nothing like the Jazzercise of my teenage years.  This Jazzercise is a serious workout. It's like Zumba and Bootcamp classes merged together and had a really happy, calories burning baby.  I've burned up to 600 calories in an hour, and been so sore the next day I hoped I wouldn't need to use my arms for anything more than brushing my teeth.  I get super thirsty during and after theses classes, and you can only drink so much water before you feel like you are going to float away.  

I thought about drinking some coconut water to help with the hydration, but I am not really a fan of it.  However, I do like the hint of coconut flavor it gives to smoothies.  Pairing it with some pineapple and banana, seemed like a genius idea and so this smoothie was born!  I used Vanilla Shakeology, but I think the Vegan Tropical Strawberry or Regular Strawberry would probably work as well.  My favorite cocktail is a mix of Strawberry daiquiri and Pina Colada, and since this smoothie tastes like a Pina Colada, I am pretty confident in my strawberry suggestion.  In fact, next time I may add some strawberries!

Ingredients

1 packet Vanilla Shakeology

1/3 cup frozen banana (about half a small banana)

2/3 cup frozen pineapple

1 cup coconut water

Directions

Combine the ingredients in a blender.  Blend until smooth.  

For a sweeter smoothie, increase the amount of banana.  I found that 1/2 a frozen banana was a lot sweeter than I thought it would be.  I will probably use less banana, and more pineapple next time for a stronger pineapple flavor. 

21 Day Fix Conversion:

1 red, 1 purple

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Strawberry Banana Smoothie

When I was in college at SMU, a lot of my meals where eaten on campus.  When I lived in the dorm, I'd usually eat in the dining hall on the meal plan.  However, occasionally, I'd head over to the student center and use my Pony Bucks to get a smoothie, and sometimes a chicken caesar salad wrap.  Of course I had no idea how many calories I was ingesting in that meal, although the fact that the smoothie was made with frozen yogurt should have tipped me off.  Either I was too naive to know or the smoothie and the wrap was too good for me to care.  I care now though, which is why I am so excited about this Strawberry Banana Smoothie.

When I made it the other day, the first thing I did was message my college roommate on Facebook.  She had to know about this recipe, and I knew for a fact she had the ingredients on hand.  I buy strawberries and bananas in bulk when they'd go on sale and make up smoothie packs and keep them in the freezer.

Ingredients:
3-4 strawberries, frozen
1/2 banana, frozen
1 packet vanilla Shakeology
1 cup water
3-4 ice cubes (optional)

Directions:
Combine the water and Shakeology in a blender.  Add the frozen strawberries, banana, and ice.  Blend until smooth.

My mom isn't a huge fan of protein powders, and she really likes this one.  In fact, in the care the other day she finished mine off!

21 Day Fix Conversion:
1 red, 1 purple

Buy Shakeology

Birthday Dinner- Homemade Pizza

I love pizza.  If there was a food I could eat every day and never get sick of, it would be pizza.  I am not picky about my pizza either.  Even bad pizza (or in my case, gluten free crust) is still better than no pizza.  That being said, because of my pizza addiction, I try to limit my interaction with it.  You know how some people can eat an entire bag of potato chip or a pint of ice cream in one sitting and still carry on like nothing happened- I am like that with pizza.  So, I try to set a few ground rules for my pizza consumption:

1.  It must be the only time that day I have dairy that day (I am dairy sensitive).
2.  It either needs to be a single serving, or I have to split it with someone.
3.  It should have some sort of protein on it so I don't just have crust and cheese.
4.  I have to eat a salad before my pizza.

Now that we know my rules, lets talk about what kind of pizza. If I am really giving into a craving and having pizza delivered, I go for plain pepperoni.  If we are at a restaurant that happens to serve gluten free pizza, I get BBQ Chicken Pizza.  If I am making it at home, I make Meatzza and Cheezza!

Meatzza and Cheezza are copy cat recipes from my all time favorite pizza place in Houston, TX.  Now that we no longer live in TX, when I want this pizza, I have to make it myself.  I usually buy one package of gluten free pizza crust, and split it into 2 thin crust pizzas.  One gets the meat toppings, one gets the cheese toppings.  I know what you're thinking, I said their has to be protein on my pizza, and cheese pizza doesn't sound like it has protein.  Well it does!  One of the cheeses on Cheezza is ricotta cheese, which on the 21 Day Fix, counts as a protein.  Yippee!

Ingredients:
2 eleven inch pizza crusts, pre-baked if needed. (1 package store bought dough)
Mozzarella Cheese (about 2 cups)

Cheezza:
Gruyere Cheese
Ricotta Cheese
Parmesan Cheese
Pesto Sauce (extra points if you make homemade and throw in some spinach)

Meatzza:
Soprassata
Capicola
Pepperoni
Chili Flake
Tomato Sauce

Directions:
Spread one type of sauce in a thin layer on each crust.  Sprinkle a small about of mozzarella cheese over the sauce.  Place the rest of the toppings on the cheese, and then finish with more mozzarella cheese.  Be sure to distribute the ricotta evenly, in small amounts on the Cheezza.  Bake for 10 minutes in a 400 degree oven until the cheese is melted.

I hope you enjoy this pizza as much as I do.  I'd love to tell you I'd figured out the 21 Day Fix conversions for you, but I haven't.  Lets be real, if I am eating pizza, I am not overly worried about my diet at that moment in time.  However, I do try to purchase the cleanest ingredients I can (nitrate free meat), and I try to keep it balanced in the rest of my day (as I said before, this will be my dairy for the day, as well as my carbs).

Taco Stuffed Peppers

Cauliflower and I have been spending a lot of time together lately.  My family isn't as excited about all the experiments as I am, but I am holding out hope they will get on board.  I admit, some have been better than others, and maybe cauliflower breakfast casserole wasn't the best idea (I'm not giving up on that one just yet though).  I was a big fan of these Taco Stuffed Peppers.  They were super low in calories, but had serious taco flavor.  

I wish all food tasted like a taco. It would be so much easier to eat healthy, if everything was taco flavored but had the nutrition of a carrot.  Since I am one of those people who can gain five pounds but just looking at a cupcake, I have to constantly watch what I am eating.  I don't like to thinking of it as a diet, more of a "working with what I've got" way of eating.  Therefor, anytime I can squeeze some nutrition into a comfort food, I do.

This recipe can be a little labor intensive because there is a good amount of prep work, but a lot of it can be done in advance.  I riced a whole head of cauliflower and browned a double batch of turkey.  Then I just split it between two different recipes.  If you've got some down time earlier in the day, you could prep your filling, and then assemble the peppers before dinner.  Once the peppers are assembled, it takes about 20 minutes in the oven.  

Ingredients:

12 ounces ground Turkey (2 red)

3/4 cup plain greek yogurt (1 red)

1/2 head of cauliflower (2 green)

5 bell peppers (5 green)

1 onion (1 green)

1/3 cup of shredded cheese (1 blue)

1 TBSP olive oil (3 tsp)

2 TBSP taco seasoning (homemade or store bought)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

Brown the ground turkey in a skillet with 1 TBSP olive oil.  Meanwhile chop the cauliflower in a food processor until it resembles rice.  Steam the cauliflower until tender.  

Cut each bell pepper in half, and place upside down on a cookie sheet.  Broil for a few minutes until the skin begins to blister.  Remove the pan from the oven, and allow the peppers to slightly cool while you assemble the filling.  

To assemble the filling, combine ground turkey with the riced cauliflower and onion.  Season with 2 TBSP taco seasoning and a 1/4 cup of water.  Taste, and add salt and pepper as needed.  Divide the filling between the pepper halves.  Top with a sprinkling of cheese and return to a 350 degree oven.  Bake approximately 20 minutes until the cheese melts and the peppers begin to soften slightly.  

To serve, top each pepper with a dollop of greek yogurt. Serves 3.  

21 Day Fix Conversion: 1 red, 2 2/3 green (add some shredded lettuce and pico de gallo, and you'd have 3 greens!), 1/3 blue, 1 tsp

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Baked Oatmeal

I should eat more oatmeal than I do.  I really like oatmeal, I'm just lazy in the mornings.  I usually just have a piece of toast with nut butter for breakfast with my morning coffee.  These baked oatmeal muffins are great because you can just heat them up before you head out the door in the morning.  The original recipe is here.  I have modified it to suit my tastes and worked out the 21 Day Fix Conversions below.  They also freeze great, so I make a lot at once, and then just defrost a few over night in the fridge. Or, if you have house guests, these would be fantastic as part of a continental breakfast or brunch!

Ingredients:

4 eggs (2 red)
4 cups unsweetened applesauce (4 purple)
2 medium bananas (1 purple)
10 cups*, Old Fashioned rolled oats- I prefer Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Oats
4 1/2 cups** Unsweetened Almond or Coconut milk
4 tablespoons ground flaxseed meal (optional, 2 orange)
1/2 cup raw honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 TBSP baking powder
2 teaspoons salt (do not skip the salt.  trust me.)

Directions:
Mash the bananas with the eggs, vanilla, applesauce, and honey together in a bowl. Once mashed, add the milk.  Stir in the oats, flaxseed meal, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt into the wet ingredients. Divide the oatmeal mixture among 36 muffin cups (I prefer to use silicone).  You may have to bake the muffins in batches.  Bake for 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven until a toothpick in center comes out clean. Cool and store in an airtight container in the freezer.  Defrost overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

*For the purpose of the 21 Day Fix, Oatmeal is measured in a Yellow Container.  However, you should be measuring cooked oatmeal, not raw oatmeal.  Because this recipe uses raw oatmeal, we have to do a little math to find the 21 Day Fix conversion.  So, hear goes:  Oatmeal increases in volume when cooked, so 1/2 cup cooked oatmeal is roughly equal to 1/3 cup raw oatmeal.  So, one yellow container of cooked oatmeal would be 1/3 a cup raw oatmeal.  So, since we need 10 cups raw oatmeal to make a double batch of baked oatmeal, that will equal 30 yellow containers.  Wow.  That is a lot of yellow.  Good thing this serves 36 people. 

**On the 21 Day Fix, 8 ounces of milk counts as 1 yellow container.  Therefor, 4.5 cups of milk count as 4.5 yellow containers.  However, you should use a standard liquid measuring cup to measure the milk instead of the yellow container. 

21 Day Fix Conversion: 1/8 purple, approx. 1 yellow, 1/18 red, 1/18 orange (For the purpose of the meal plan, I wouldn't personally count this in my daily totals, but since there is a trivial amount of protein and seeds, I am giving you the totals).  To make a complete meal, I would drink a Chunky Monkey Shake with it, or at least plan on having a Shakeology snack mid morning.  

Buy the 21 Day Fix

Game On For Summer

If you are anything like me, this cold dreary weather means you've been stuck at home, in your sweat pants, trying not to occupy yourself with snacking.  All this ice and snow has made it really hard to get out of the house and be active.  That is why I am so excited to share what I am about to tell you!   

Together with some of my fitness friends, I have a 30-day program where we will utilize a mixed genre plan of online workouts to tone up, drop pounds and inches, and WERK – Keeping it FRESH, FUN and FIERCE! {because hello, you are the worth it!} The workouts will stream straight from your laptop, tablet or smartphone! They range in length and can be modified for ANY fitness level. You can do all of the workouts from the comfort of your home.  Plus I have some slammin' nutrition that will get you ready to bare it!

Are you planning a beach vacay this spring or summer? {YAY!}

Or oodles of time lounging by the pool? 

Do you want to look and feel amazingly confident {and fabulous} in your summer gear? 

Well then the time is NOW to get bikini, shorts and tank top ready! Lift, jump and plank your way there!


It is GAME ON FOR SUMMER! And I can help!

There will be a new workout and challenge each day. So if you are competitive at all {hello cool prizes!} this is YOUR program. Did I mention that you could win a gift card to Athleta or a Fitbit?? Yup.

Let me help you SIZZLE this Summer!

Do you want to join me???? Comment below "Game on"  or on my Facebook Page to let me know you are ready to do this!

Enroll Today!

Step Up Your Fitness

I was on vacation this weekend for my best friend's bridal portraits and bridal shower.  I flew to Dallas for what I thought would be a break from this winter weather, only to have the snow follow me.  It was cold, it was wet, and it made me miss summer.  Her bridal portraits (in the snow!) turned out amazing, but I can not wait for some warmer weather. You can imagine my excitement when I got home to some unexpected sunshine and to find out they had started putting in our pool! 

Of course, now that they are putting the pool in, I really need to get serious about eating clean and exercising more.  My friend Brandace with BBoldBStrong is running an awesome accountability group on Facebook that is perfect for anyone who want's to be healthier, but hate the gym. We all know we need to move more, but it is so hard to make yourself go to the gym (or at least it is for me)!  This group is going to utilize clean eating and walking.  That's it- eat well, walk, be healthy!  

How it Works:

Each member in the group will be encouraged to walk 10,000 steps a day. You will need some sort of pedometer (I plan on using my Fitbit), but any pedometer will work and they are readily available everywhere and can be super cheap. This is perfect for those new to exercise! If you are a hard-core gym members you can up the intensity by getting in your steps with running, running stairs, and of course your usual workouts as well. At the end of each week those members who reached 10,000 steps or more for at least 5 days that week can submit a photo proving their steps for that week. Then you'll will be entered into a drawing for a $50 Nike gift card! So not only do you get the motivation and support that comes from working out with a group, you get the incentive to buy some cute new workout clothes.  

What You'll Eat:

Everyone in this group will be utilizing the 21 Day Fix. If you follow this blog you've probably seen my 21 Day Fix conversions at the bottom of my posts.  I love the 21 Day fix for it's portion control containers and clean meal plan.  Shakeology is also a critical component to this program (as well as a fantastic source of protein on the 21 Day Fix), so if you haven't tried it, now would be a great time to give it a go.  Besides, the Beach Body folks have a bottom of the bag guarantee, so it's totally risk free.  

How to Sign Up:

Follow the link below to order your kit.  Then message me either on Facebook or in the comments section below and I will get you registered! The group starts March 16th, so order soon to get your kit in time! If the chance to get fit with a bunch of amazing people and a chance to win a $50 Nike gift card isn't enough incentive, the 21 Day Fix program is on sale until March 4th!

Buy the 21 Day Fix

If you have any questions about the programs, I'd be happy to answer them!  Be sure to follow me on Facebook for updates and new recipes!