Family Health TIP

You know, the deal with fitness and changing your lifestyle from okayish to healthy is that you really do have to get the entire family involved!  And some don't go willingly.  

The neighbor girl from next door came over last night for a small bowl of ice cream (yes, we still have ice cream at our house -GASP-) and she exclaimed, ... my mom tried to give me ice cream the other day, but it was ORGANIC! YUCK! I told her that I NEVER eat organic. It's gross.  I smiled as I scooped a bowl of ice cream, deciding only to tell her only that the flavor was chocolate.  Later, I wondered why an intelligent middle school child would push away organic food.  Does she even know what organic means??  

This generation, including the three running around my house, are convinced that if it's HEALTHY than is must be DISGUSTING.  HAHA.. maybe I've thought that about some things too.  For example, I used to hate natural peanut butter, don't judge, I just did.  Now, I live for it... kind of sad to admit... but there it is.  My 11-year old daughter just knows that almond milk is gross and that she needs NEEDS 8 glasses of cows milk every day.  I mean, her bones are growing, right?! Why can't I understand that?


I've learned that trying new things is exciting and scary AND ends sometimes in success or disaster.  That's how trying new foods can be!  I have tried a few things I end up hating but others I love.  

So, what can I do?! How do I help my kids, my husband, and even me have a truly healthy lifestyle?  It has to start in the kitchen. And it must start with ME! To help, I found a few ideas I thought I would share:

TIP #1  Make planning meals a family effort and plan your meals in advance.  So often my children want something else for dinner.  Fine, I say, WHAT? And put it their hands.  However, they do have to follow the basic guidelines.  But, if they get to choose what grain or veggie or meat or even a crazy soup loaded with only their favorite veggies, then great! At least it's something!

(This is my oldest and I ready to take on our nutrition WITH A PUNCH) 

TIP #2  Make healthy snack alternatives readily available to your kids.  My kids stare into the pantry, wishing for a cooler mom that filled the shelves with potato chips, fruit snacks, candy bars, etc.  Unfortunately for them, they open it to nuts or applesauce ... well... look I just don't keep a lot of snacks.  There is always fruit in a bowl and yogurt in the fridge.  However, I'm thinking-- if I put together cheese and crackers, or peanut butter apple slices, or carrots and dip AHEAD of time, maybe when they opened the fridge or cupboard they would be okay grabbing that! Stay tuned!

TIP #3  Make a decision as a family to be healthy.  There are tricks to helping children eat their veggies, but it's a great idea to ask them to be part of the process, to ask them to take that challenge with you.  They won't always like that decision, heck, neither do I! But at least it's progress!  It will get easier... right??!

Alright, happy meal planning!  Wish me luck too!

TurboFIRE Schedule

For some reason some of the TurboFIRE schedules are different from others.  I've noticed some of my challengers aren't getting the toning and sculpting workouts until week 13!  That's no good.  I found this schedule below which is very similar to the one I have, although I always pick Sunday as my rest day (just adjust). 

I RECOMMEND using this one or one similar.  Happy workouts!

Week 1:

• Monday – Fire 30 / Stretch 10
• Tuesday – HIIT 15 / Stretch 10
• Wednesday – Rest
• Thursday - Fire 30 / Stretch 10
• Friday – Fire 55 EZ
• Saturday - Fire 30 / Stretch 10
• Sunday – Core 20 / Stretch 40

Week 2:

• Monday - Fire 45 / Stretch 10
• Tuesday - HIIT 20 / Stretch 10
• Wednesday - Rest
• Thursday - HIIT 15 / Sculpt 30
• Friday - Fire 55 EZ
• Saturday - Core 20 / Stretch 40
• Sunday - Fire 45 / Stretch 10

Week 3:

• Monday - Fire 45 EZ / Stretch 10
• Tuesday - Fire 45 EZ / Stretch 10
• Wednesday - Rest
• Thursday - HIIT 15 / Tone 30
• Friday - Fire 45 EZ / Stretch 10
• Saturday - Core 20 / Stretch 40
• Sunday - Fire 55 EZ

Week 4:

• Monday - Fire 45 EZ / Stretch 10
• Tuesday - HIIT 20 / Stretch 10
• Wednesday - Rest
• Thursday - HIIT 20 / Sculpt 30
• Friday - Fire 55 EZ
• Saturday - Core 20 / Stretch 40
• Sunday - Fire 45 / Stretch 10

Week 5:

• Monday - Fire 45 EZ
• Tuesday - Fire 30 / Sculpt 30
• Wednesday - Rest
• Thursday - Fire 30 / Tone 30
• Friday - Fire 55 EZ
• Saturday - Fire 45
• Sunday - Core 20 / Stretch 40

Week 6:

• Monday - Fire 55 EZ
• Tuesday - Fire 30 / Sculpt 30
• Wednesday - Rest
• Thursday - Fire 30 / Tone 30
• Friday - Fire 55 EZ
• Saturday - Fire 45
• Sunday - Core 20 / Stretch 40

Week 7:

• Monday - Fire 55 EZ
• Tuesday - Fire 30 / Sculpt 30
• Wednesday - Rest
• Thursday - Fire 30 / Tone 30
• Friday - Fire 55 EZ
• Saturday - Fire 45
• Sunday - Core 20 / Stretch 40

Week 8:

• Monday - Fire 45 EZ / Stretch 10
• Tuesday - Fire 45 EZ / Stretch 10
• Wednesday - Rest
• Thursday - Core 20 / Stretch 40
• Friday - Fire 30 / Stretch 10
• Saturday - Fire 45 EZ / Stretch 10
• Sunday - Core 20 / Stretch 10

Week 9:

• Monday - HIIT 15 / Sculpt 30
• Tuesday - Fire 45 / Stretch 10
• Wednesday - Rest
• Thursday - HIIT 15 / Tone 30
• Friday - Fire 55 EZ
• Saturday - HIIT 20 / Sculpt 30
• Sunday - Fire 30 / Stretch 10

Week 10:

• Monday - HIIT 20 / Tone 30
• Tuesday - Fire 45 / Stretch 10
• Wednesday - Rest
• Thursday - HIIT 25 / Sculpt 30
• Friday - Fire 55 EZ
• Saturday - HIIT 20 / Tone 30
• Sunday - Fire 30 / Stretch 10

Week 11 :

• Monday - HIIT 25 / Sculpt 30
• Tuesday - Fire 45 / Stretch 10
• Wednesday - Rest
• Thursday - HIIT 25 / Tone 30
• Friday - Fire 55 EZ
• Saturday - HIIT 25 / Sculpt 30
• Sunday - Fire 30 / Stretch 10

Week 12:

• Monday - Rest
• Tuesday - Fire 45 EZ / Stretch 10
• Wednesday - Fire 55 EZ
• Thursday - Stretch 40
• Friday -Fire 45 EZ / Stretch 10
• Saturday - Stretch 40
• Sunday - Rest

Black Bean Veggie Tostadas

A little spin on my usual black bean taco.  Ingredients:  4 large flour tortillas (at least 8 in. in diameter) Nonstick cooking spray or olive oil in mister 1 plus 2 Tbsp./tsp. extra-virgin olive oil 4 medium garlic cloves, minced 2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed 1/2 cup vegetable broth 2 Tbsp. minced fresh cilantro leaves Salt and ground black pepper 4 cups finely shredded leaf lettuce 2 medium ripe tomatoes, cored and diced 1-1/2 tsp. lime juice 1 medium ripe avocado Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly spray both sides of tortillas with cooking spray or oil. Place tortillas in single layer on two large baking sheets. Bake until golden and lightly colored, about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside until needed. Meanwhile, heat 2 tsp. oil in large nonstick skillet. Add garlic and sauté over medium heat until golden, about 1 minute. Add beans and cook, stirring often, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Add broth and cilantro. Use potato masher to work beans into thick, chunky purée. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove skillet from heat, cover, and set aside. Place lettuce and tomatoes in small bowl. Drizzle lime juice and remaining 1 Tbsp. oil over salad. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and toss gently. Set salad aside. With a sharp knife, cut avocado in half lengthwise. Twist halves apart, remove and discard pit, then use rubber spatula to scoop flesh from skins. Cut peeled avocado into long, thin strips. To serve, place one tortilla on each serving plate. Spread some warm mashed beans over each tortilla. Layer several slices of avocado over each tortilla and then spoon some salad on top. Serves 4. More Recipes

Vegetarian Paella

Looks like this may take a bit of time, but worth it!  Doesn't it just look delicious?

Ingredients:
• 1 cup dry brown rice
• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 pinch saffron
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 4 medium shallots, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup small whole mushrooms
• ½ cup cubed eggplant
• 10 medium black olives
• 10 medium green olives
• ¼ tsp. sea salt
• ground black pepper (to taste; optional)
• ¼ tsp. ground cumin
• 1 lb. medium tomatoes, chopped
• ½ fresh or frozen green peas

Preparation:
1. Heat rice, broth, and saffron in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle boil; cook, covered, for 45 to 50 minutes. Keep covered the entire time or rice will not cook evenly.
2. While rice is cooking, heat oil in a large ovenproof saucepan over medium-high heat. Add shallots, garlic, bell peppers, mushrooms, and eggplant; cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 6 minutes or until bell peppers are tender.
3. Add olives, salt, pepper (if desired), and cumin; cook for 1 minute.
4. Preheat oven to 400° F.
5. Add rice, tomatoes, and peas to bell pepper mixture; mix well.
6. Bake for 10 minutes or until heated through.

Makes 3 servings, 391 CAL/serving

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Melon Salad with Tangy Yogurt Sauce

I'm thinking this might be the perfect summer kick off!  YUM!

Ingredients:
• ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 Tbsp. raw, unfiltered honey
• 1 to 2 tsp. fresh lime juice
• ½ tsp. grated lime peel
• ¼ tsp. pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup cantaloupe, diced
• ½ cup honeydew melon, diced
• ½ cup watermelon
• 2 Tbsp. mint leaves, finely chopped

Preparation:
1. Combine yogurt, honey, lime juice, lime peel, and vanilla extract in small bowl. Mix well and set aside.
2. Place cantaloupe, honeydew melon, and watermelon in medium bowl. Drizzle with sauce. Toss gently to blend. 
3. Garnish with mint. Serve immediately

Servings: 1, Calories 210

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What do Challengers Post?

Honestly, being part of a challenge group doesn't just give you accountability, it gives you inspiration!  Seeing others struggle and yet succeed helps you GET THERE! 

Here is what some of my current challengers are posting!  Makes it all worth it!

Michi's Ladder

Honestly, I just try to eat a lot of whole foods. This is great guide to know which foods are the best foods.

Michi’s Ladder is not a diet. It’s a simple substitution plan. To lose weight, try swapping the foods you eat for similar foods in tiers 1 and 2. The more you eat in tiers 1 and 2, the more you’ll increase your chances of losing weight.

There are some healthy foods in lower tiers, but they’re either calorie dense or nutrient deficient. To lose weight, you want to maximize the nutrients in every calorie you consume.

Shakeology is a Tier 1 food!

Celebrating 32!

This is me, I just turned 32!  And of course I'm with my lovely little girl. Crazy how fast I am growing up... heck I'm almost a real grown-up (wink wink) AND can I just say what an amazing feeling it is to celebrate your birthday KNOWING you are going to have an AMAZING year!  I'm pretty sure I didn't feel this good when I turned 30... or 28... or 26... The way I feel on the inside cannot compare to my previous 10 years.  I have energy, strength, and a REAL life!  

The secret is NO SECRET: healthy diet and exercise.  Now, you might be thinking DANG IT! Isn't there an easier way? A faster way?  Sorry peeps, you gotta do the work!  BUT YOU CAN DO IT.  Please believe me when I say, YOU really can do it!  

Need a little help?  PLEASE let me know.  A challenge group and a coach that believes in you MAKES THE DIFFERENCE.  That's seriously what helped me get there.  You can workout on your own time but still have accountability to... well.. ME.. and a group of others trying to get there too.  Maybe there is a secret after all: a challenge group... but careful sharing this.. you never know whose life you might change for the better!

Make your birthday this year be a celebration of life and of health!  YOU MATTER!    

Free Beachbody Membership with ME, your COACH!

Turbo Certified!

Jump for JOY! TurboFire is one of my all time favorite workouts EVER!  It's rare to find a 90-day workout that you can put in your DVD player and ACTUALLY finish because it's FUN it's a WORKOUT and it WORKS!  Naturally, I had to learn more about the phenomenon that has changed the way I exercise.

As you know, Chalene Johnson made TurboFire and it came from a workout she created called TurboKick.  You can find TurboKick being taught at the gym or rec center (if you can't then ASK for it!).  It combines kick boxing and high intensity intervals.  Now, you can add a little dance to it if you like, in fact, it sometimes it reminds me of Zumba.  So, here I am JUMPING FOR JOY because I just competed my personal training to be a TurboKick instructor!  Crazy!

If you EVER want a workout that's FUN and CREATIVE and HIGH INTENSITY than think about TurboFIRE!  It's the funnest version of TurboKick out there!! If you have any questions let me know!! Those who know me, know I LOVE talking about it!!

A Little Advice from Chalene Johnson

Okay, I just spent 3 days with Chalene Johnson at her SMART SUCCESS seminar in Southern California.  It was A-MAZ-ING!  If you don't know her, you should! She is the creator of TurboJam and TurboFIRE as well as Chalene Extreme. Do I need to really say more?  Okay, fine! I will! Chalene helps people LEARN how to achieve success in ALL aspects of life.  Really, that's what she does.  I'm finally seeing why I succeeded with TurboFIRE, she was filling it with motivational tips from her everyday life!  Go Chalene!

In her book, she talks about a friend on FB that posted about her weight loss victories.  Another friend responded to the post with "I've been overweight most of my life.  I only have 20 pounds to lose, but I doubt it will happen.."  

Chalene replied to this post:

"Whether you believe you can lose the weight and keep it off forever or that it probably won't happen for you, either way, you're right!"

Hmm... "Message received loud and clear."

You CAN do it!  I know it because I've done it. I've seen it happen with others.  The before and after pictures posted all over the internet are actually just regular REAL people.  It takes some hard work, physical and mental strength, but you might pull through with even MORE than you bargained for. You will probably LOOK and FEEL amazing.. and probably gain some new REAL friends along the way. 

MIND OVER MATTER!  Let's do this together!

Shrimp Scampi *fast *spicy

Heat 1 1/2 TB extra virgin olive oil in large skillet over medium heat.  Stir in 1/4 cup chopped green onion, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 4 tsp chopped garlic, 1 TB Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (you might want to lessen the cayenne pepper depending on your spicy-tolerance).  Then add 1 pound uncooked shrimp (peeled and deveined) and stir to coat well.  Stir and cook over medium heat until shrimp are pink.  Do not overcook.  Serve immediately over cooked brown rice or whole grain pasta.

Serves 6 (120 cal/serving)

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Panko-Crusted "baked not fried CHICKEN"

Wash 6-8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pat dry with paper towel, and set aside.  In a large bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup Dijon mustard, 1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt, 2 TB sesame oil, and 3 crushed garlic cloves.  In a separate bowl, mix 1 1/2 TB dried parsley with 3/4 cup panko (Japanese-style bread crumbs).  Dip chicken into mustard mixture and then roll it in breadcrumbs.  Place on a cookie sheet sprayed with nonstick spray and bake at 475 degrees for 20 minutes, or until coating is golden brown and chicken is no longer pink.  Pierce to make sure juices run clear.  

Makes 6-8 servings (231 cal/serving)

Leftover Chicken?

Most chicken dinners make excellent sandwich stuffers the next day! Use delicious whole grain bread, a little hummus spread, and as much veggie as you can get.  YUM!

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Roasted Beets & Sweet Potatoes

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.  In a bowl, toss 4 beets (peeled and chopped) with 1/2 TB olive oil to coat then spread on a baking sheet.  Bake 15 minutes.

While beets are baking: Mix 2 TB olive oil, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, and 1 tsp sugar in a large resealable plastic bag.  Place the 3 sweet potatoes (chopped) and 1 onion (chopped) in the bag.  Seal and shake.  

Combine the mixture to the already baking beets.  Continue baking for 45 minutes, stirring once.  Enjoy!

*Tonight I made these delicious veggies to go along with a Salmon dinner.  Salmon is a staple in my home and is very VERY easy to cook.  My personal favorite: use Albertson's meat seasoning with a little olive oil, wrap it tight in tinfoil, and stick on the BBQ grill over medium flame for about 20 minutes on each side.  Delicious! 

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Bakes Sweet Potato Fries

In the mood for fries? Try this sweet alternative!  It's easy and healthy... and delicious.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Slice 2-3 sweet potatoes as thin as you can.  Lightly coat pan with non-stick spray, place sweet potatoes in a single layer on pan, and re-coat tops of potatoes with spray and salt.  Bake 15 minutes then flip over.  Continue baking for another 15 minutes.  YUM.

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Grocery Shopping Items

Just got back from Costco Wholesale.  I usually try to buy my fruits and veggies there, as we go through produce pretty fast at my house.  If you notice there isn't any meat, mostly because we don't eat too much of that these days.  However, my freezer if full of frozen salmon, halibut and mahi mahi.  And there is nothing like grilled fish!  My kids will even eat it!  Also, I LOVE hummus and pitas but I am kind of picky where I buy those.  I love Whole Foods for my Las Vegas Pitas and they also have a great selection of hummus. Mmmmm.

Try to ignore the half-naked baby trying to steal the show! He was just SO excited to see almond milk I couldn't restrain him for the photo.

Why Am I a Fitness Coach?

A little background: I joined team forward fitness as a challenger because I wanted what most women want: to loose weight.  I figured that if I looked good I would feel good.  So I started this past fall with my workout choice and shakeology.  Now, I’m not going to lie, it was hard work. Really, hard work.  And there were plenty of days when I didn’t think I was seeing any progress.  But I pushed forward.  Part of that was because I knew I needed to check in later that night with my challenge group, but the other part was because I knew I would feel better.  I would feel better if I got that workout in, I would feel better if I ate well, I would feel better if I had my shakeology. 

After 90 days I felt amazing, and I still had areas I wanted to work on physically, but I definitely had a real transformation.  The kind that made people start to really notice, to ask me what I’d been doing.  It was also enough for me to really believe in myself.  To know I could finish something I started.  I found myself really enjoying sharing my story.  And you know when I look back on those 3 months I KNOW it wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t been part of a challenge group.  Consistently having to check in with a coach and other group members helped to create a real habit.  And to be honest, I don’t’ know if I would have finished a program on my own, I’m kinda thinking I wouldn’t of.  And to get really honest, I participated in a second challenge group to get me through my next program, TurboFire.  Now somewhere in the middle of TurboFire (maybe it was because Chalene Johnson is SO DANG motivating) but I really felt like I didn’t need to be part of a challenge group anymore, but I still wanted it.  The habit was there, the commitment was there.  It still is.  

That leads me to the WHY, why coach?  Well, I learned something, something valuable and I wanted to share that knowledge with others.  And not only that, I wanted to be with them during those aaha moments.  I wanted to help them get there, help them create their own habits, see their own transformations.  And let me just say, the challengers I currently coach are already making this job beyond rewarding!  I love it! It is such a natural high to not just see others succeed, but to know I helped them get there.

Really, honestly, that’s my why.  I’m glad there is money here; I mean what a great benefit to doing something amazing.  What a way to be able to really reach others.  I can share what I’ve done with a friend, I can even help them get there.  But now I get to help so many, see such a great results.  Truly, what a blessing.  

Any coaches out there?  Thinking about coaching? Think about your why.  Let your passion for that fuel your business.  Recognize that what you do matters.  That’s my why: I matter, and so do you.

What Do I Really Eat?

Truth? I am pretty normal! TRUE story! And I eat pretty normal foods.  Lots of people wonder if I always use the menu plans provided with any given workout program.  Answer: sometimes.  I stick with what I'm good at, and what I like to eat.  But I also like to try new things, so I usually play it safe but add in 2-3 new things a week.  Sometimes I find new LOVES and sometimes I drink a shakeology smoothie for dinner because I don't really like whatever I just made.  But I still like to try stuff out!  

But, if you aren't quite ready to try too many new things, or don't love the menu plan that your workout came with.  Try this: what I eat during any given week:

Breakfast: 

Homemade oatmeal with raisins and cinnamon and sometimes I add walnuts

Shredded Wheat with bananas and/or blueberries

Scrambled eggs (using 2 egg whites with one whole egg) with whatever veggies I like (i.e. mushroom, onion, spinach, tomato) PLUS 1 slice whole wheat toast with very light butter or coconut oil

Whole-wheat waffles with light syrup and blueberries

LUNCH:

SALAD of any kind.  I usually have spinach or whatever greens on hand.  I top it with black beans, onion, tomatoes, avocados, etc.  OR I buy a black bean veggie burger and throw that on top instead of black beans

PITA stuffed with cucumber, spinach, turkey, tomato, sprouts, and hummus

Sandwich, turkey with light mayo and mustard, sprouts, spinach, and sometimes cheese

SNACKS:

 

Granola bar (I like KIND bars or any other bar that isn’t too high on calories)

Apple and peanut butter

Slice of cheese and grapes

Rice cake with peanut butter and banana

Boiled egg

Shakeology (or use as breakfast or lunch)

Almonds

Light popcorn

Any piece of fruit

DINNER:  I try to follow the rule: ½ plate: Veggies – ¼ plate: protein – ¼ plate: carb

Grilled Salmon (or whatever fish you like) BBQ on the grill is good too, seasoned with whatever you like—we LOVE the rub from Albertsons. 

Whole roasted chicken with veggies (bake chicken with veggies, I love sweet potatoes, onion, beets)

BBQ chicken on the grill

Mahi Mahi, grilled with Mango salsa (I buy the mango salsa already made)

Whole wheat spaghetti with no meat sauce (or turkey burger) and veggies

Usually, I make one of the above and then steam different veggies to fill ½ my plate and then include a carb, like a potato or corn or piece of bread or wild/brown rice, etc.   I also like to have a bit of fruit salad for dessert.