Chocolate Shakeology Oatmeal Bars

As I am on a mission for my figure competition body/bikini body for the summer, I am taking away any unhealthy temptations I have and replacing them with something that tastes the same, but better nutrition that will help me get closer to my goals (minus my one cheat meal a week)! 

I love chocolate and peanut butter, Im not going to lie!! I could probably live off of those (and cheese) if I could! So its all about finding healthy alternatives while staying on track right?!?! 

One meal I get in every day is my Shakeology.  Whether you have heard of it or not, I'm going to give you an idea of how awesome it is!! A meal replacement with over 70 natural ingredients and superfoods, to help curb my cravings by fueling my body with what it really needs! It also has helped with my energy levels---> Yes, when you intake all these NATURAL ingredients, you will notice a difference in how you feel throughout your day!


Whats really cool about this is it has so many more benefits to your health (click on my link above or below to get more info), but also you can do so much more than just shakes!! The point of Shakeology is to make it easy, convenient, but healthy for you so your giving your body what it needs without hassle of cooking up a million veggies, strange fruits and superfoods that you pay a crazy ton of money in other countries (or the supplements at GNC). Now you can also make desserts, snacks, and more so keep you going throughout the day, but also helping you from falling into those unhealthy temptations of sweet treats!  

Here is a perfect snack/treat you can make for yourself to help you stay on track but satisfy those cravings too:

Chocolate Shakeology Oatmeal Bars

Ingredients:

• 4 scoops Chocolate Shakeology (or Vegan Chocolate)
• 3 cups old-fashioned rolled Oats
• 1 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 dash of ground cinnamon (I dashed two or three time :x)
• 1 cup non-fat milk
• 1/2 cup all-natural peanut butter (I like JIF or skippy so doesn’t have all that oil on the top!)
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• nonstick cooking spray

Directions:

• Combine Shakeology, oats, cocoa powder, and cinnamon in a large bowl and mix well.
• Add milk, peanut butter, and vanilla extract; mix well. I usually mix with my hands to make sure that everything is combined.
• Place in an 8×8 in pan, and coat it slightly with the nonstick cooking spray.
• Cover with plastic wrap and press down to flatten into pan.
• Refrigerate for 3 hours, then cut into 12 bars.

If you would like more healthy recipes, tips, and help with reaching your health and fitness goals, please fill out the application below for a spot in my next fitness challenge/support group.

Hammer and Chisel Week 5 and Figure Competition Prep 15 weeks out!

So this Hammer and Chisel is definitely my FAVORITE home fitness program!! It gives me everything I need!! I get the heavier weight training, cardio, plyo all in 1 program!! Best of both worlds!! 

As Im training for my 3rd Figure Competition, I need that variety! I am really needing to build muscle in my quads, shoulders and back! Yes, all the areas that the judges look at most for figure competitors lol.. I need work!! 

Im doing something different this time... I have trained for both my shows previously working out at the gym AND home, but this time, I will soley focus on my workouts at home! I am moving and am getting my incline treadmill which will help with some of my morning cardio workouts or post leg workouts, getting my bowflex dumbbells of course, and bench with a leg extension .. I am also working on getting another piece of equipment so I can do arm, shoulder, and back workouts with cables.  Time to show people what can happen at home!! 

I love the gym, but for me, its more convenient with getting my workouts in the morning and doing another quick workout in between work.  I don't have to take my kids anywhere or wake them up! So for any mommas out there that feel the same way, trust me, you can make it happen and it doesn't have to take a gym membership!!

This past weekend, I was away and did manage to get my workouts in at the hotel gym which was fun because I was able to workout with my girls!!  It is so fun just being able to surround yourself around other positive and uplifting people with the same passion for health and fitness and exercise and just trying to better yourself and be a great role model!

OK we kinda rocked this one out!!

I wont say its easy every day, trust me, I struggle too and need my pre-workout drink to get my butt going in the morning, but I do work hard daily to make it happen!  Once I get that Pre-workout in, its on like donkey kong!!   I use Our Beachbody Performance Line (my new favorite) Energize! I ran out so kept with my Energy and Endurance...  they are the two pre workouts that don't give me jitters or make me itchy from the niacin!

NUTRITION:
Ok who agrees that nutrition is like the hardest thing with being healthy?!?! I meal prep and plan out what Im eating, but it doesn't always work out that way!
Hey, do I still get an A for Effort?!? 

I got lots of baked chicken, turkey meatballs, salads, green beans, cucumbers, buffalo cauliflower (yes its amazing), and fresh fruit!! 

Every day, I include my Shakeology to help give me the dense nutrition and superfoods to really fuel my body! 

For my show prep, I will be using it 2 times daily morning and second snack of the day as I did for my last 2 shows, and then about 4 weeks out, I will cut it out all together just to make sure I can lean out as much as possible since I can't even eat fruit then.
I literally cook up everything I need in 2 hours or less so its all done and I stress less during the week!!

Also, for my kids, yes, they do eat almost all of this too!! They love chicken, fruit, veggies (my 3 year old loves salad with greek yogurt ranch!) and some of my fancy recipes!!

So here you have it!! This is my week so far and despite a little off tracking with my nutrition (3 cheat meals over the weekend), Im back on and kicking butt this week!! Sunday I will be sharing my progress pics! STAY TUNED!!!

*If you would like to get daily support, motivation, and help with your fitness goals, please fill out the application below for a spot in my next private online group fitness challenge! 

There will be a requirement to use a home fitness program of your choice with Team Beachbody that I will help you pick based on your fitness level and preference of workout along with incorporating Shakeology into your regimen 1 meal a day with your other 4 meals a day to help with your nutrition!

Healthy Tips 101: Living A Healthy Lifestyle!

It seems like there is so much to do to create that healthy lifestyle, but in reality, if you can just follow a few tips and be consistent for even 21 days, it will become a habit and second nature to you! Yes, 21 days is all it takes to create a habit! 

I have found when starting my own journey, that when you set goals for yourself and put a date to when you want to reach those goals, you are more likely to succeed.  When you put a dead line on your goals, you are showing importance and will make them a priority!

So, what are the first steps to creating this healthy lifestyle??

#1.  Set Goals and put a date on it! Make them realistic and attainable so you are able to reach them without getting frustrated that they seem so far away! 

* TIP Setting lots of small goals will help you feel more accomplished and like you are begin successful throughout your journey!

#2. Find an accountability partner- finding a family member or friend who wants to join you is a great way to stay on top of your regimen! Help each and give support to one another, especially when those obstacles come around and get in the way of your goals! If you have that extra support, you are more likely to follow through and succeed!

#3. Have A WHY- Your WHY to get started on this journey should be important enough that any obstacle will not effect you during your fitness journey. For me, my kids are a why for me.  Having them grow up with healthy habits will prevent obesity and making the right choices when they become independent! Also, I am doing this for myself so I can feel confident about myself and I want to be able to put any outfit in my closet on and not have to change 100 times because I do not feel comfortable! Im sure you women know what I mean by this lol!

#4.  Find a workout regimen that works for YOU- As a mother of 2 young boys, its not always easy to just get up and go to the gym whenever I am able, so I use home workout programs to reach my goals! I don't have to drag my kids out of bed or find a sitter while Im working out.. BONUS- they join me in my workouts and see how mommy is getting healthy! 

Its amazing how the results come when you have a program telling you exactly what to do and take less breaks! These programs even come with a nutrition guide to help you get 100% results you are looking for! Yes, there are programs out there for EVERYONE!

I have finished programs such as T25 (25 minute workouts that include 5 weeks of cardio and 5 weeks of cardio with weights. Modifications are great and can be fore beginners or advanced athletes), P90X3 (30 minute workouts that include a variety of exercises from cardio, kickboxing, weight training, yoga, and more), PiYo (Pilates and yoga into faster pace movements that will improve your strength, flexibility, and definition.  This program also is great for people with knee or back problems- it is low impact and not hard on your body).  Turbo Fire is another program I used that is high intense cardio dancing that is fun and up beat! Chalene Johnson is the creator and is so motivating and keeps you going strong throughout these 20-55 minute workouts!  21 Day Fix is a great program that has 30 minute workouts and a variety of exercises (cardio, cardio with weights, upper focus, lower focus, yoga, pilates, and plyo) that will build your strength and tighten your entire body! Great modifications to all these workouts! This program is also portion control focused and has an amazing meal plan that include color coded containers for your food!

#5. Don't forget nutrition is key! Nutrition is 80% of your results, so if you workout and eat unhealthy, you may notice yourself stuck in the same place and not reaching your goals!

1 big help with my nutrition I have had was incorporating Shakeology into my nutrition regimen.  Shakeology is a health shake meal replacement that I use in place of either my breakfast, lunch, or evening meal to help with my cravings, energy, and bloating! It is NOT a protein shake, as it has many health benefits and high quality nutrients to naturally improve many aspects to your body and health!

This is one of my favorite videos that show what you are really getting out of every shake... It the nutrients that you do not get from every day foods you eat to make such big changes to your lifestyle!

Instead of fast food, this has become my fast food for half the price! It comes to my door every month so I do not have to even waste gas on getting these 30 extra meals a month!

#6.  Prepare to succeed! How do you prepare to succeed? Well, for me, I set myself up for success every week by meal planning! I take 1 day a week to plan my entire week out.  There is no more making excuses for not having my food handy, or not knowing what to eat because I make a meal plan and prep my food and it is already in separate containers and ready to go!

Check out how I meal prep for the week!

Here are some food choices that are on my grocery list!

**TIP** Shopping at the grocery store on the outside parameters are where I find all my healthy and natural foods that are not processed and full of chemicals!! 

#7. Eat every 3 hours- Why is it so important to eat every 3 hours? Our body is just like a fire... in order to keep it going, you have to feed it.  If you don't give a fire fuel it will burn out right?? If you do not give your body healthy foods, it will also burn out and will use muscle as energy and store fat. Here is a great picture to show you what I mean!

 #8. Drink Water- If at all possible, drink water!! So many reasons and benefits to water!!!

**TIP** how to know how much water you should drink daily- Take your weight and divide by 2 and turn that number into ounces! That is how much water in ounces you should drink!

Example.  I weight 130 lbs.  Divide 130 by 2 and get 65.  I should drink 65 ounces of water daily!

#9. Stay Motivated- Some people may ask, how the heck do I do that?

I have found keeping motivational quotes and pictures that I want to look like on my phone helps so if I am out and about and having an urge to give into temptation, I pull out my phone and look at these motivational quotes and pictures!  

These are also kept on my fridge where I can see before again, giving into temptation!! 

One of the best ways I have found motivation and support is my challenge groups I hold on Facebook! They are a closed group where I work 1:1 with my challengers to give them daily support, motivation, and accountability to help them reach their goals! These groups are what got me started on my own journey and I couldn't be where I am without them! 

My groups are 60 days long and I run them every month!  If you are interested in getting this motivation and support daily, please fill out my application below for a spot in my next group!

#10. Positive Attitude- Yes, keeping a positive attitude about your journey and believing in yourself will go a long way! If you don't believe in yourself, how are you going to get there? 

There are tons of Wufoo features to help make your forms awesome.

Clean Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

So I'm a spicy kinda girl and LOVE hot sauce on almost anything! So instead of eating one of my old favorites, buffalo wings, WHY NOT make a clean recipe out of it?!
Sometimes, its hard for me to get all my veggies in, well certain veggies that is.. I have a hard time with carrots, celery, and cauliflower.. I needed to find a way to get these in without taking the meaning of healthy away from it.  Buffalo Cauliflower bites was the way to go!!

CLEAN BUFFALO CAULIFLOWER BITES

Ingredients:
1/2 head cauliflower, crumbled into bite size pieces
1/2 cup almond flour
3/4 cup almond milk
2 tsp garlic powder
Himalayan salt and crushed black pepper to taste
1 cup Sriracha chili sauce (My favorite hot sauce EVER)
2 tbsp EVOO

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 F
Whisk together flour, milk, garlic powder, 1/2 cup sriracha, salt and pepper until smooth (if its too clumpy, you may need to add a little more milk)
Dunk your cauliflower bites
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and drizzle EVOO on it
Use a spoon to place bites onto paper
Pour remaining of sauce on top and bake for 20 min
When cauliflower bites are done, take out and add the 1/2 cup sriracha and 2 tbsp EVOO to the top and bake for another 5 minutes.

Serve with Clean Ranch Dressing and celery if you wish!!
ENJOY!!

If you would like more recipes, tips on weight loss or reaching your fitness goals, consider a spot in my next challenge group! This is a closed group on face book where you get 1:1 support and motivation by me as your health and fitness coach! You no longer need to spend hundreds of dollars on a personal trainer 3 X a week, I am here for you 24/7 for your entire 30, 60, or 90 day challenge!

My next challenge group is starting Feb 10th and is the 21 DAY FIX! This is a brand spanking new program that focuses on portion control, along with exercise.  What a great way to either jump start your body or get off of a plateau! Im not kidding you, people have lost 10-15 lbs in just 21 days.. all because you are using the correct portions and exercising 30 min a day! Everyone can make time for 30 min a day right?!? We make time for what is important! The great part about this is you even get your own containers in this package, along with a nutrition guide! You will be all set for your new healthy lifestyle!

If you would like a spot in my Feb 10th Challenge group, please fill out the application below and I will contact you for more information!

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