Eating Clean: Shakeology Brownies

Chocolate Heaven!

Okay, seriously, I think I have fallen in, EL OH VE EE, LOVE!!! So on the 21 Day Fix Extreme you are not supposed to have any "cheats", such as the wine and chocolate you are allowed to have with the original. Man oh man though, I needed something sweet this week and I could not stop craving it no matter what I tried to do to make it go away. So I set off to Pinterest and low and behold I found this gem of a recipe for Shakeology brownies!

So all you need is a tsp of coconut oil, a scoop of chocolate Shakeology and water. Melt the coconut oil in the microwave and add it to the scoop of Shakeo and add some water. Mix until it gets a paste like consistency and form into a brownie on a plate. Good news about this recipe is it requires ZERO cook time! AND ITS 21 DAY FIX EXTREME APPROVED!! It will count as 1 Red and 1 tsp for your containers, but it was completely worth it to me!

**SIDE NOTE** After making this for like the bazillionth time I found out that if you add a decent amount of water to it it becomes more like brownie batter (who doesn't love brownie batter?!) So I've been making that and then using my strawberries to dip them in it. OH.MY.GOSH.SO.GOOD.

So next time you are dying for something sweet try this little trick! Its completely guilt free and completely delicious! 

21 Day Fix Extreme: Week 2 Review

Okay guys so I'm a little late the party! SORRY! I'm almost done with week three and I'm just not getting around to talking about my week two! I've been so busy studying for the two tests I have coming up I haven't had time to make this post! I'll keep it short and sweet for y'all!

Week 2 is going down!!

Let's talk workouts first! If you are familiar with the Fix programs or have read my week 1 review you know the structure of this program is doing seven different workouts (a different one each day) for three weeks. This week went a lot better than the first I'd say. When starting any new program you never know what to expect so your workouts are always a little mixture of trying to do the move while watching what they are doing to make sure you're doing it correctly and second guessing and just now really getting the FULL intention of the moves. So week 2 you know what to expect and it is GAME ON!! 

Oh it burns so good!

Like I said before these workouts...no joke. They are INTENSE but I'm proud to say I can already feel myself getting stronger and maintain the moves longer without having to give myself a little break every so often! And the arm muscles! Y'all I have never had defined arms, never...I am so excited about my arms its not even funny! Oh and don't even get me started on this little booty I've got going whooo thank you Autumn!

Yoga is by far my favorite day of the week!

Look at the face "drop and give me 20!"

Moving on to the nutrition part of the week! I decided to switch up my dinners to try something new. I've preached up and down about how I eat the same thing every single day for breakfast, lunch, and snacks and the switch up the dinners for some excitement. This works for me, it helps my grocery bill and my bank account as well as prepping things ahead of time..There is a blog post to come soon about how I batch prep things for my week so stay tuned!

Week 2: Meal Plan

Sidenote: TRY THE CHICKEN FAJITAS! So good, you can find them here!! You will not be disappointed! Also, I tried out the turkey chili recipe that was in the Extreme booklet you get with your order. Delicious, this a definite staple in my menus from now on. If you want that recipe you'll have to join my challenge group *wink wink* :)

All in all, I am very happy with the way things are going. As I said above I'm almost done with my 3rd and final week and I cannot wait to see the final results. For now, let me leave you with the results as of 14 days into the 21 Day Fix Extreme

You're killing me Smalls!

Like I said, short and sweet! Come back here in the next week or so to hear my final review!!! As always if you are interested in having a little 1:1 coaching and joining one of my online challenge groups fill out the application below and we can chat!

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12 Habits to Form to Make Eating Better Stick!

So its the new year! Happy 2015 everyone!! With the new year its always a the most popular time that people reflect on the past year and start making decisions to better themselves in the coming year. For many of us that means figure out how to stay out of the drive-thrus!!! While I will preach up and down all day long how Shakeology is my number ONE defense about the dreaded fast food lanes because its fast and..SURPRISE, cheaper; I know there are some other things you have to learn to do in order to be successful in eating better! So here's the run down:

1. Set Goals: For some reason this one is the hardest for me. I tend to sit down and take a HUGE chunk out of where my life should go and end up completely overwhelming myself. The key is to take things a little at a time. Your overall goal might be to completely cut sugar out of your diet, but shocking your system and cutting it all out at once is going to make you miserable. Start with the goal of cutting out cokes, or that extra piece of chocolate you have while you're sitting at your desk. Write out a list of the things you want to change and think about the small things you can do that will compound over time to change the way you are eating. Tell people about your goals, post them on the pantry or fridge door so that you constantly reminded and motivated to keep on track! Changing how you eat is a such a mind game so setting small goals and achieving them gives you a sense of satisfaction.

2. Have Realistic Expectations: If you just down right cannot stomach peas, don't decide to eat them for your dinner veggie. Don't push yourself so hard to change that you are completely miserable, that will do no good and you will end up quitting. For example when I'm planning out my meal plans for the Fix I look at the list of foods I'm allowed and I pick out the ones I actually LIKE and then figure out how I can combine them into a solid delicious meal and then SURPRISE I actually still enjoy eating!! I'll be real honest and tell you its going to take a bit of a learning curve and you are going to have speed bumps that knock you off track every now and then but the key is to jump right back on and keep on trucking.

3. Be Proactive: Find the foods you like that are healthy to snack on. Almonds, homemade trail mixes, Shakeology. Bring it with you in the car, work, etc. The best idea is to leave a little "just incase" stash in you car JUST INCASE you get stuck somewhere unexpected and need something to eat! It will keep you out of those fast food lines and keep you guilt free!! Make a plan, go shopping and stick to your plan! And of course make sure its things you actually ENJOY otherwise you are NOT going to be too happy and you'll probably end up giving up within a few days time!

4. Consistency is Key: Most people respond well to consistency. Make a plan and stick to it. Try to eat at around the same times daily and keep to the same portion size and caloric intake.. Your body will recognize this pattern and in turn keep your metabolism burning and your energy levels will stay high. You will feel better, and get in a healthy routine. It is easy to sabotage yourself by grabbing nasty snacks to meet uncontrolled cravings. The time you spend on planning and consistency is a true investment that will benefit you for the rest of your life.

5. Be Flexible: Of course, even the best plans fall short at times. Life can sometimes get the best of all of us. Sometimes your eating routines need to change. Where you can, try to plan ahead for these events and have items on hand you can take with you when you’re in a rush or are eating out. Example: Bag of almonds, protein bars and shakes, fresh fruit. Also educate yourself on nutrition through the internet, books, and magazines. You can use this knowledge to help you improvise and find foods that are compatible with your diet, for example if you are out with friends or stuck with no time to cook. Find items that are less time consuming that you can take with you in a pinch.

6. Don't Be So Hard On Yourself: Nobody is perfect all the time. If you mess up, miss a few meals, or even have a bad couple of days, just pick yourself up and get back on track. You’re doing this for you, and the added stress of not living up to your own expectations can lead to a total diet derailment. Being healthy and eating healthy does not mean you can’t enjoy foods not on your meal plan. So don’t be so hard on yourself. YOU CAN DO IT!


7. Stick With Your Plan: It takes time to develop healthy behaviors. After about a month of eating better consistently, you will have developed a habit. You will find that everything you initially may have had a hard time doing becomes more effortless and be a normal part of your day to day life.

8. Have Fun: Eating right takes dedication, commitment and sacrifice. Don’t stress yourself out over small bumps in the road. You have the power to change any negative into a positive, and you have the choice to have a positive outlook regarding any situation you find yourself in. Find fun ways to keep yourself motivated. Get friends and family involved. Set challenges at home, with friends, or at work to start eating healthier. Take the time to cook and try new and interesting recipes. You are making change for the better, so why not make it enjoyable.

9. Give Yourself Praise: You are not a dog so don’t reward yourself with treats. Realize that changing your eating habits can be a daunting task for anyone. Just think how long you have had your current habits and know that changing those habits will not happen overnight, but with time. Congratulate yourself on any healthy changes you make, you deserve the praise. Praise builds confidence and makes you feel good about the healthy choices you are making, and in turn help keep you on your path to betterment.

10. Don't Rush Into This: People always start with the best of intentions and will try and do everything at once. They get overwhelmed and quit before they really even started. Small changes add up and can make a huge difference. Work on one thing at a time and keep adding to it. Before you know it you will have many healthy habits that incorporate together to make a healthy lifestyle and a healthier and happier you.

11. Its About the Journey, Not the Destination: To live a healthy lifestyle is never easy. In order to enjoy this lifestyle with all the ups and downs, we must enjoy the process and the journey on the way to our destination. Once we hit our destination we immediately look to the next mountain top and we either want more, or worst case scenario we think that we have accomplished all we need to and we relax on all of the things that got us there in the first place. Take pride in small victories along the way, they add up.

12. Measure Success and Start New Goals: Making successful changes means measuring your progress towards your goals and recognizing your accomplishments. As you meet short-term goals, you can plan the next steps with more confidence. Constantly re-strategizing your goals takes long-term visualization. That long-term vision needs to be broken down into doable steps.

Eating Clean: Chicken Fajitas

Better than On The Border!

So as you all probably know by now I'm doing the 21 Day Fix Extreme. I'm in my last week of the first round! So to keep things exciting I love trying out new dinner ideas. I have been so shocked over how many yummy things I have found that fit right into the program, but these were BY FAR the best things I have tried yet so I had to share them!! 

21 Day Fix Extreme Chicken Fajitas:

Ingredients:

*1 lb Boneless, Skinless, Chicken Breasts

*1 Large Bell Pepper

*1 Medium Onion

*1 Can Diced Tomatoes

*2 Tomatoes

*2 TBSP EVOO

*2 tsp Chili Powder

*2 tsp Cumin

*1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

*1/2 tsp Dried Oregano

*1/4 tsp Sea Salt

*Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Slice the chicken into strips and place in a greased 13x9 baking dish.

3. In small bowl mix oil, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, dried oregano and salt and drizzle mixture over chicken.

4. Slice onion and bell peppers and put into dish with diced tomatoes and sliced tomatoes and stir everything to mix well.

5. Bake for 30-35 minutes.

6. Remove from oven and sprinkle cheese on top.

If you are following the Fix meal plans this will account for 1 red, 1 green, 1 yellow (if you use a whole wheat tortilla), and 1 blue (if you use cheese).