Summer Is Coming! Crap

Yep, summer is just around the corner. Can you believe it’s April 1 this week? That means Memorial Day is less than eight weeks away. Which also means it’s time to do something about the promise you made to yourself in January about getting healthy and losing weight by summer!

I am starting a 21 Day Fix and 21 Day Fix Extreme challenge group Sunday, April 12 where you will gain the support of more than two dozen other participants along with myself and another Beachbody coach. What does that mean? That means you not only get one coach providing weight loss tips, motivational support, accountability, recipe ideas, menu ideas, and more, but you get TWO coaches not to mention the support of every other participant!

These programs provide an easy and healthy approach to portion control and clean eating. There is no magic pill to help you lose weight and crash diets, cleanses, and supplement-only programs have been proven to fail and make you gain even MORE weight back. 21 Day Fix and 21 Day Fix Extreme make healthy eating and losing weight a lifestyle change that’s not only doable but realistic for EVERY person.

If you’re interested in seeing the same results (1.5 inches off my tummy in 21 days!) I did on just one round of 21 Day Fix Extreme (see, below), contact me or reach out to me on Facebook. Let’s do this!

Baby, It’s Cold Outside … Let’s Make Chili!.

Make a double batch of this 21 Day Fix and 21 Day Fix Extreme chili for easy lunches and dinners!

Yes, I know, it’s March 27th and officially spring and all. But I don’t know about you, but it’s chilly here today in the Carolinas! (I know those of you who live in Buffalo, Boston, and Chicago are OVER this winter!) So what does that mean? Cold wet, weather = chili.

The best part about chili is that you can actually make it healthy AND still taste delicious. No, really, you can. Bonus: you can double this recipe, freeze a batch, and save it for another rainy, cold day when you simply don’t feel like making dinner AT ALL.

I’m especially fond of this recipe when I’m on my carb depletion days with the Countdown to Competition meal plan from 21 Day Fix Extreme because it gives me a full serving of protein, and half servings or carbs and veggies. (The Countdown to Competition plan, by the way, is what helped me bust through my plateau and shed even MORE inches on my frame. DEFINITELY worth trying if you’re stuck in a rut on the scale.)

Here is the recipe courtesy of the new 21 Day Fix Extreme meal plan. I’ve altered it a little (e.g., I use lean ground beef instead of turkey, I double the green peppers, I add green onion and Greek yogurt to the top, etc.). 21 Day Fix container breakdown is below! Enjoy!

Makes 6 servings, 1 cup each

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1.5 pounds raw 93% lean ground turkey or 97% lean ground beef
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 medium green bell pepper, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 Tbsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt or Himalayan salt
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (to taste; optional)
• 1 (15-oz.) can black beans, drained, rinsed
• 1 (15-oz.) can pinto beans, drained, rinsed
• 1 (15-oz.) can all-natural diced tomatoes, no sugar added, sodium free
• 12 fresh cilantro sprigs, finely chopped (for garnish, optional)
• Green onions, chopped (for garnish, optional)
• Non-fat Greek yogurt (for garnish, optional)
• Sriracha, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-heat.
2. Add turkey or beef, onion, peppers and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 8 minutes or until turkey/beef is no longer pink.
3. Add cumin, chili powder, salt and cayenne pepper; cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute.
4. Add beans and tomatoes (with liquid). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; gently boil, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes or until thickened.
5. Serve warm, sprinkled with cilantro, green onion, Greek yogurt, and Sriracha!

21 Day Fix container breakdown per serving:
1/2 Green, 1 Red, 1/2 Yellow

Smoky Beef Tacos, Oh My!

Want a quick, easy, and delicious dinner option that your kids will love, too? These tacos are so flavorful and, even better, provide leftovers. Bonus: they’re 21 Day Fix approved.

My friend, Peggy, introduced me to this recipe, which is from Martha Stewart Living, and it’s fast become a staple in our dinner lineup. The chipotle chile peppers in adobo sauce are the key to the smoky flavor. The recipe calls for 2-3 Tbsp. of the chopped chipotle chile peppers and we usually do three heaping tablespoons because we like them spicy.

You will NOT be disappointed! Three things: 1) Make sure you heat the corn tortillas in a pan otherwise they’ll fall apart. 2) Try adding a dollop of nonfat Greek yogurt on top in lieu of sour cream. It’s the perfect complement to the smokiness of the meat. 3) Choose extra lean chuck roast. Wal-Mart, amazingly, sells extra lean chuck roast. I then trim of as much fat as possible so there’s literally almost no fat on the meat at all.

Enjoy! And let me know what you think!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 8 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 boneless beef chuck roast (about 3 pounds), excess fat trimmed
• 16 corn tortillas (6-inch), lightly toasted

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid, stir together chiles, ketchup, 1 cup water, garlic, oregano, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
2. Cut beef into 4 equal pieces. Add to pot, and turn to coat. Cover, and bring to a boil; transfer pot to oven. Bake, covered, until beef is fork-tender, about 2 1/2 hours.
3. Transfer beef to a bowl. With a large spoon, skim off and discard fat from cooking liquid. Shred beef with two forks; moisten with cooking liquid as needed. Season with salt and pepper. Serve beef with tortillas and desired toppings.

21 Day Fix container breakdown per serving:
1 yellow (2 corn tortillas)
1 blue (avocado relish)
1 red

#MotivationMonday

Time to get serious if you want those six-pack abs. Who’s with me? #MotivationMonday #21DFX #21DayFix

Right Now, It’s All About YOU

Life happens. We go through puberty. We go through high school and maybe college. We go through breakups and heartbreaks, infertility, loss. But we also go through weddings, births of babies, meeting new friends, making new homes.

And somewhere in between the laughter and tears, we lose ourselves. And a lot of times, we lose our focus on becoming the very best me we can be.

Today, I challenge you–after a long weekend of maybe overindulging, maybe telling yourself you can never be healthy, maybe putting off for way too long that you’ll start your exercise and nutrition focus another day–to be accountable and to make the change now.

You can do this. I promise. And I can show you how. I promise. I had thought of every excuse out there: my body doesn’t want to be that small; I’m not built that way so I’ll always be bigger; or my body wants to hold onto weight because I’m meant to reproduce and have babies.

Once I decided to ditch the excuses and take control, things started happening. My body began to shed the weight I thought I’d never lose after two babies.

I’m not done. I’m a work in progress. But, man, I’m so happy I made a change.

Super Snack: Greek Yogurt Smoothie

I love me some smoothies, especially ones with 0% fat Greek yogurt. The Greek yogurt not only keeps you full longer, but it’s also low in calories and high in protein, the latter of which helps cancel out the carbs in it. Couple that with a cup of fresh or frozen berries–your choice!–and you have yourself a nutrient-packed breakfast or snack, perfect for on-the-go health food lovers. Better yet, it’s 21 Day Fix and 21 Day Fix Extreme approved! (See the breakdown at bottom of recipe.)

(Bonus: my three year old LOVES this smoothie! Oftentimes I throw in a handful of spinach to give her an extra dose of veggies without her even knowing. And in the summer, I love to freeze these as popsicles, which she thinks is a great treat!)

Here’s the recipe!

UPDATE: Join my Healthy New Year challenge group! All you need is a Beachbody program of your choice to follow and me as your coach along the way! Click here to join and let’s kick off 2016 with some awesome health and fitness resolutions!

Makes 1 serving
6 oz. 0% Greek yogurt
1 cup berries (frozen or fresh)
1 handful spinach
1/5 banana (optional)
1 Stevia packet
Splash of water

Blend in blender until smooth. Add water if too thick.

21 Day Fix breakdown: 1 red, 1 purple, 1 green

Quick & Easy Snacks for On the Go!

Need some quick and easy 21 Day Fix snacks? Take a peek at Autumn’s fun recipes, below!

21 Day Fix-Approved Herbed Chicken & Vegetables in Parchment

This past weekend I made this delicious herbed chicken and veggies in parchment paper. The recipe was from the April issue of Martha Stewart Living. It was so good and SO healthy! Better yet: it’s totally 21 Day Fix approved!

Here’s the recipe, below! And for those following 21 Day Fix, here is your breakdown: 1R, 1G

Boost Your Metabolism WITHOUT Intervals! No, Really!

It’s sort of become ingrained in our heads that one of the best ways to boost our metabolism is by doing interval work in the gym. But, let’s be honest: some days you just don’t feel like pounding out interval after interval on the treadmill or doing burpee tuck jump after burpee tuck jump.

Here’s the great news: while intervals are a sure-fire way to ignite some serious calorie burn, there are also other ways to boost your metabolism. I had the pleasure of writing about the topic for Prevention magazine in this article. And, even better: I got to interview some pretty fantastic trainers including Autumn Calabrese, creator of 21 Day Fix and 21 Day Fix Extreme, the programs that have helped me shed my baby weight from baby #2 in just 4 months postpartum. (What other program do you know that can get you back to your pre-baby weight in less than 6 months postpartum?!)

So how do you boost your metabolism sans intervals? Here are a few tips, below. For more, see the full article here. Plus, here’s a video of one of Autumn’s awesome fat-burning exercises! 21 Day Fix Extreme is FULL of awesome workouts like this!

1. Make it a combo
“Anytime you can combine cardio with weights you’ll burn more calories and amp up your metabolism,” explains celebrity trainer, Autumn Calabrese, creator of the 21 Day Fix and 21 Day Fix Extreme programs. Whether it’s something as simple as using hand weights while doing jumping jacks or wearing a weighted vest while walking on the treadmill, the combination “gives you a cardio fix while also strengthening your muscles, which revs up your metabolism.” What does a weighted vest do? It promotes all-over muscle toning, says trainer Craig Ramsay: “When we hold onto dumbbells while walking, our forearms can only grip for so long. These small muscles fatigue much quicker than the larger upper body muscles you’re trying to focus on. A weighted vest will provide added resistance to the upper body, helping you achieve an effective resistance training for both the lower body, lower back, and core.”

2. Do a super set

Keeping your muscles guessing is not only key to staying strong, but also integral to burning more calories. A super set—two exercises performed back-to-back to create one set—provides a metabolic boost. “A super set surprises, challenges, and fatigues your muscles, leading to optimal fat burning potential,” says fitness trainer Maria Kang, author of The No More Excuses Diet. With a challenging dumbbell weight, perform a standing bicep curl for 10-12 repetitions, then immediately perform a dumbbell overhead triceps extension for 10-12 reps. Perform 3 sets. Another great super set: gripping two challenging dumbbells, perform a weighted squat for 10-12 repetitions then immediately perform a split lunge, 10-12 reps on each leg. (Here’s how to do squats if your knees bother you.)

8 Ways to Tone Your Back — My Story for *Prevention* Mag

Your back is one of the most important body parts. It’s the key to proper posture, which, without that, we often find ourselves in pain.

So what’s the best way to tone your back throughout your day? Take a peek at my piece for Prevention magazine in which I was able to interview celebrity trainer Autumn Calabrese, creator of 21 Day Fix and 21 Day Fix Extreme; celebrity trainer Donovan Green, author of the No Excuses Fitness, and fitness trainer Maria Kang, author of the No More Excuses Diet.

Here’s a snippet of the tips!

1. Power up your plank

You know that a perfect plank is one of the best exercises for your core. Now make it one of the best for your back, too, by adding a row to your plank workout, says celebrity trainer Autumn Calabrese, creator of the 21 Day Fix and 21 Day Fix Extreme programs. This move hits the important upper push and pull muscles in your back—the ones that enable you to pick up heavy shopping bags, among other things.
Here’s how: Holding two medium free weights, get into a straight-arm plank position. Alternating one arm at a time, pull one arm back in a row. Repeat as many reps as possible in 60 seconds. Repeat 3 times.

2. Try resistance bands

Moving throughout the day is not only good for your all-over health, but it’s also a great way to sneak in short bursts of strength training. Store a resistance band at your desk, and during the workday perform standing reverse flies, which not only hit your upper back muscles—latisimuss dorsi, rhomboids, teres minor and major, rear deltoids—but are also great for good posture, says celebrity trainer, Donovan Green, author ofNo Excuses Fitness. (Learn how to tighten and tone your whole body with this resistance band workout.)
Here’s how: Grasp the ends of a resistance band, choking up on the band for more resistance, if needed. Fully extend your arms with a slight bend in the elbows. Separate the handles by squeezing your shoulder blades together. Repeat as many reps as possible in 60 seconds. Repeat 3 times, twice a week for a month to see definition.

3. Push, pull and lift
The muscles that you use throughout the day to open heavy doors and take out the trash are also some of the easiest to tone through simple moves. “Your back muscles are being activated every time you pick up your child, turn your steering wheel, and to bathe your skin,” says Green. “Your back is basically the key motivator for all human movements.”
Here’s how: To target those important back muscles, consider doing bench presses—even with just the bar—push-ups (see “Push It Up”), and dead lifts, which also work your glutes, hamstrings, quads, forearms, shoulders and abs.