Balancing Act

In January I decided that I didn't like the way I was feeling.  Outwardly, I was starting to not fit in my clothes and had no muscle definition left from my previous success.  Inwardly, I was just plain

miserable, depressed and well, blah.  With my decision to begin my transformation for good this time I needed a plan that I could live with.  I have discovered the art of a balanced diet.  I don't like to use the work "diet", but it is defined as "ones usual food and drink."  The balancing act breaks down to 90/10 and a lot of times 80/20.  I try to make clean and healthy choices 80-90% of the time and allow for things that may not be in my ideal plan for the other 10-20%.  I used to be an all or nothing kind of gal, but I had to change that if I wanted to see progress and still live my life to what I thought was enjoyable.  Yes, I know that my previous post was about really getting down to the nitty gritty and stripping all of the fluff and extras away.  I will be putting that into practice in the very near future.  However, this summer has made me a even bigger believer in the art of balanced living.  We have had so much activity and I have had so many reasons to overeat and just throw in the towel all together.  But, I have not given myself permission to do that.  Instead, I have stayed on track with my plan to the best of my abilities and had treats and such when I felt it wouldn't ruin my whole day.  I have stuck to my good habits that I have developed like drinking my Shakeology every day and drinking enough water.  But the fact is that this

summer I have enjoyed things like cotton candy, funnel cake, hamburgers, fries, soda, ice cream and chocolate cake.  Did I eat all of this in one day?  NO WAY, I didn't even eat all of this in the same week!  Did I eat a huge bag, an entire cake or the whole 2-liter bottle full?  Once again I say, NO WAY!  I shared or just had a couple bites or chose a small portion.  All of the rest of my food for the day was on track and you know what, I have even made progress along the way.

That scale has moved in the downward direction as has the tape measure.  I have to say, I have been a little surprised myself.  Along with the eating, I do have to add that I have only missed a couple of workouts here and there.  Coaching challenge groups and having the accountability has pushed me to get up and get my workout in. I don't want to disappoint my challengers or my coach anymore than I want to go backwards with my progress!  Remember, this transformation thing only works if you are willing to not only eat well, but make a commitment to working out nearly every day as well.  Now, why am I writing this?  I wanted to share with everyone that you can have your cake and eat it too....just don't eat the whole cake!

If you would like to change your life and develop habits that will get you through those tempting summer vacations and moments when you just don't feel like you can do it anymore, fill out the application below and I will get you started on your own transformation story!

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My PiYo Journey - Week 3

I can't believe week 3 is over already.  It has been a whirlwind of PiYo and summer fun for me this past week.  With family visiting, every day and almost every moment of those days have been FULL!  I have faithfully gotten my workouts in even with all of the craziness.  Something to be proud of.  It has made a difference to my success that the workouts aren't terribly long.  I can get them in, even after being up late the night before and before rushing off to the next family filled day.  This week my workouts looked like this:

 - Monday - Define: Upper Body
 - Tuesday - Buns
 - Wednesday - Core
 - Thursday - Define: Lower Body
 - Friday - Rest
 - Saturday - Sweat
 - Sunday - Strength Intervals

The Strength Intervals was a new workout this week and I got up to do it at 7:00am after being up and at the amusement park the night before until 1:00am.  I just popped it in and had no choice but to bring my game!  It did feel great to get moving and it made my whole day feel better, even though I was exhausted.

This program has proven to be a favorite.  I am truly loving how I am still seeing results without having to try to kill myself.  With all of the family in town it probably goes without saying that the meal plan has been blown to smithereens but I am doing the best I can.  In fact, I snuck a measurement in before it was time this month because I was thinking things looked smaller....AND I WAS RIGHT!  I will give the full report next week on my week 4 post, but things are definitely still changing.  So exciting and rewarding, I can't even tell you!!!

Meal Planner

	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Work Out	Strength Intervals	Sweat	Core	Buns	Lower Body	Rest	Sweat
Breakfast	Shakeology Coffee	Shakeology Coffee	Shakeology Coffee	Shakeology Coffee	Shakeology Coffee	Shakeology Coffee	Shakeology Coffee
Snack	Apple & Cashews	Apple w/ PB	Cottage Cheese & Blueberries	Apple & Cashews	Apple & Cheese Stick	Apple w/PB	Cottage Cheese & Blueberries
Lunch	Black Beans & Brown Rice w/ veggies	Black Beans & Brown Rice w/ veggies	Brown Rice Pasta w/ground beef and marinara & veggies	Brown Rice Pasta w/ground beef and marinara & veggies	Brown Rice Pasta w/ground beef and marinara & veggies	White Chili & veggies	Natural PB/ Sugar Free Jelly on Ezekiel Bread, veggies
Snack	Cheese stick & Nectarine	Veggies & Hummus	Cherries & Cheese Stick	Veggies & Hummus	Veggies & Hummus	Greek Yogurt w/ berries & honey	Veggies & Hummus
Dinner	Taco Salad	Rotisserie Chicken, Salad, & Fruit	Chicken Enchiladas & Salad	Hamburger (no bun), salad & fresh guac.	Pulled Pork, cucumber salad & strawberry lettuce salad	Total Cheat Meal!	Popcorn, apples, veggies, watermelon
Snack

PiYo Week 3

This meal plan was definitely a general idea of what to eat.  This past week was spent packing lunches, meeting up with people, eating out and on and on.  In the past 7 days we have gone to the lake, the zoo, had a princess party, family pictures, the amusement park, the pool, a family reunion and the park!  Oh, did I mention all of these activities were with 12 kids and at least 5 adults and sometimes more?! It is surprising to me that I even managed to keep my head on straight, but I did it and that's because I had somewhat of a plan.  Thank goodness!

I am ready to ROCK week 4.  All I can say is, "Thank you, Chalene Johnson for being so good at what you do!"  I love her and her workouts and I just can't say it enough.

To join my next challenge and see how rewarding it truly is to see results even in the midst of busyness and fun, fill out the application below.

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White Chili

I love rainy days, snuggling up with a blanket, a movie with the fam and comfort food.  Just because I have been making clean eating a priority doesn't mean I can't have comfort food.  This recipe delivers and is family tested and grandma approved!  I know this to be true, because even the pickiest eaters love White Chili!  It is also one of those meals you can start in the morning on a busy day and cook in the crockpot to make the house smell AMAZING!  

* Note: I usually end up doubling if not tripling this recipe and I NEVER have leftovers, even when it's just the 5 of us.*

 - 3 150z. cans Great Northern beans, drained

 - 8 oz. chicken breast - I use the tenders and just let them cook all day and shred them before I am ready to serve

 - 1 cup chopped onions

 - 2 4 1/2 oz. cans chopped, drained green chilis

 -  2 garlic cloves, minced

 - 2 tsp. cumin

 - 1/2 tsp. salt

 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano

 - 3 1/2 cups organic chicken broth

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.  Cover and let cook on low for 8-10 hours, or on high for 4-5 hours.  Shred chicken about 30 minutes before serving, returning to slow cooker.  Serve with plain greek yogurt, shredded cheese, avocado slices or tortilla chips.  DELISH!

My PiYo Journey - Week 2

Here it is, already half way through my first month of PiYo.  Let me tell you, it has been awesome!  At first, I was thinking I wasn't getting enough of a workout because I am so used to the active workouts that include running and bounding and heavy weights.  It is such a nice change of pace to not have to do all of that and still feel yourself getting stronger and being sweaty and shaky during the workouts.  This past week I sort of lost focus with my food.  There were a few more treats and cheats than I had anticipated.  But, since getting in the habit of eating according to a menu, I have

stuck to the plan much better than if I was just "winging" it.  When I do loose focus, I can always turn to the eating plan and nutrition guide.  In fact, sometimes I put it in my purse so I can study it if I find myself waiting and needing something to read.  It is important for me to have a plan and know what I need to have in the house, even if I don't have a list or my menu in front of me.  

My workout schedule for the past week looked like this:

 - Monday - Sweat
 - Tuesday - Define: Lower Body
 - Wednesday - Core
 - Thursday - Define: Upper Body
 - Friday - Rest
 - Saturday - Sweat
 - Sunday - Core
Ideally, I like to stick to the schedule because it makes my life easier.  I don't have to think, I just have to look at my calendar.  This week I tweaked it a little to fit my crazy life a little better.  So, instead of resting of Friday, I rested on Thursday.  Then, I was really feeling like I needed to lower body work, so I tried the Buns workout on Saturday.  I just couldn't wait until week 3 to see what it was like!  Whoa Baby, it is a good one!!!  I was seriously regretting the decision to have a two-story house after this one!

In conclusion, week 2 was great.  I love how short the workouts are and how much stronger I feel afterwards.  I am able to hold plank and do real tricep push-ups and even hold side plank like I am supposed to.  I don't have to modify any of the moves anymore and can even do the advanced version on a few of them.  So exciting!

If you would like to start your PiYo journey, fill out my application below to reserve your spot in my next challenge group starting July 21st.  You will love it!

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Loose that last 10 pounds!

Ok, I have been playing with the "last 10 pounds"  for years.  I get close and then I get too comfortable and put a few back on, then I loose a few and on and on it goes.  Well, this is it.  I am now just 6 pesky pounds away from my goal and it is game on! It's not that those 6 pounds will be noticeable to anyone but me, but now it's just a matter of principle!

To accomplish this takes dedication, it takes skipping on the little cheats and really focusing on what I am putting in my mouth.  Here is my plan.  The great thing about it is there is no starving.  I get to eat a LOT of REAL food.  I just have to focus on what I am eating.  I love Tosca Reno, the author of the Eat Clean Diet and she also has a book called Eat Clean Stripped.  It is all about getting that scale to budge and that tape measure to move.  This is what it looks like.

So when it comes to my daily eating, snacking is my FAVORITE part of the day.  I love that eating clean not only makes you healthy, it keeps you full and allows you to eat A LOT.  So, my biggest thing to look for is snack lists.  I generally eat the same thing for breakfast and just switch my lunches around here and there.  But, with snacks, I love variety.  Eating every 2-3 hours has become a habit for me and if I don't have something handy and at the ready, I start to crash.  So here is the list of snacks that I will be choosing from while on this mission.  As you can see, they are tasty and AWESOME!

• 14 Raw Unsalted almonds and 1 apple
• 2 hard boiled eggs; 2 cupped handfuls of berries (strawberries, blackberries, blueberries)
• 1/2 chicken breast and steamed green beans
• 1 apples and water packed canned tuna
• 2 cupped handfuls of strawberries and 1 handful of raw unsalted cashews (my fav snack)
  
• Protein Shake with 1 scoop protein powder, water, ice and a pear.
• 2 hard boiled eggs 2 stalks of celery and green tea
• 1 pear and water packed tuna
• Chopped apple, pear, & blueberries topped with walnuts (14) and a squeeze of lemon juice
• Hummus (2 tbsp)  with sliced cucumber (2 cups)
• 4 Scrambled Egg whites with sliced tomato
• Apple and 1 tbsp of all natural almond butter
• Hummus (2tbsp) and sliced red pepper (1 cup)
• 2 Celery Stalks and almond butter
• Hummus (2 tbsp) and cherry tomatoes

 What should I avoid:
All over processed, chemically charged, toxin laded foods. Sugar is in disguises and white refined flour products are at the top of the no-no list.  While I am not a drinker of any sort, it is important to note that alcohol is just another form of sugar so it's critical to avoid it during the 4 week plan.  Your success will depend on it.  It's important to stay away from unhealthy fats and foods containing excess sodium.  In general, if you don't recognize the ingredients, don't eat the food.


What should I eat a lot of:

There are a few foods that you will eat a lot of over the next 4 weeks.  This includes egg whites, lean turkey and chicken breast, nuts, berries, beans and legumes, spinach and other leafy vegetables, asparagus and broccoli, sweet potatoes, oats, quinoa and apples!


You want to aim to drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces each and every day.  Herbal caffeine free teas are ok!  Remember no SUGAR not even fake or alternatives and no milk!

Lastly, here is my sample meal plan for the start of the Stripped Plan. Each week, I switch things up, that makes it easier to do my shopping and not have so many groceries in my fridge!
Hope this helps to give you some guidance.

Eat Clean Stripped Meal Plan w/ PiYo

	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Work Out	Core	Define: Upper Body	Buns	Core	Define: Lower Body	Rest	Sweat
Breakfast	Shakeology made with 6ox. water and 6oz. almond milk Coffee	Shakeology made with 6ox. water and 6oz. almond milk Coffee	Shakeology made with 6ox. water and 6oz. almond milk Coffee	Shakeology made with 6ox. water and 6oz. almond milk Coffee	Shakeology made with 6ox. water and 6oz. almond milk Coffee	Shakeology made with 6ox. water and 6oz. almond milk Coffee	Shakeology made with 6ox. water and 6oz. almond milk Coffee
Snack	Apple & Cashews	Apple & Cashews	Apple & Cashews	Apple & Cashews	Apple & Cashews	Apple & Cashews	Apple & Cashews
Lunch	Bruschetta Chicken w/ salad greens, EVOO & balsamic	Bruschetta Chicken w/ salad greens, EVOO & balsamic	Grilled Chicken Salad	Bruschetta Chicken w/ salad greens, EVOO & balsamic	Grilled Chicken Salad	Grilled Chicken Salad	Bruschetta Chicken w/ salad greens, EVOO & balsamic
Snack	Veggies & Hummus	Veggies & Hummus	Veggies & Hummus	Veggies & Hummus	Veggies & Hummus	Veggies & Hummus	Veggies & Hummus
Dinner	Salmon, ½ cup brown rice & steamed veggies	Pork Chops & Sauteed Power Greens	Crock Pot Ziti w/ chicken & Salad	Mexican Lasagna & Salad	White Chili & Salad	Flank Steak, Roasted Potatoes & Green Beans	Mini Pita Pizzas & Salad
Snack	½ Shakeology, if hungry	4 egg whites & salsa if hungry	½ Shakeology, if hungry	4 egg whites & salsa if hungry	½ Shakeology, if hungry	4 egg whites & salsa if hungry	½ Shakeology, if hungry

Loose the last 10 pounds!