Crock Pot Mexican Chicken

The one thing I love about crock-pot meals is they are easy to put together and leave on while you are at work. Who doesn't love to come home to dinner already cooked? Throw it together before you leave the house and cook on low for 8-10 hours. Bonus: leftovers can be saved for lunch the next day!

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 cup black beans
• 1 cup corn kernels (fresh/frozen)
• 1 small jar salsa
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 2 cups cooked brown rice

*You can spice it up by adding jalapeños or fresh chili peppers*

Directions:

• Add to crock pot: chicken breast, beans, corn, salsa, cumin and chili powder. Mix and cook on low 8-10 hours.
• Serve with cooked brown rice

*For a creamier version, you can add 1/2 cup greek yogurt in the last 30 minutes of cooking*

Enjoy!

Dirty Dozen vs. Clean 15

Eating organic food all of the time can be expensive, I get it. But, there are some food in particular that if you can't buy everything organic, buy these 12!

Realistically, it's worth it to spend a little more on certain items to make sure that you are putting good food into your body. Pesticides kill "pests".... so if you think about it... what are those ingredients doing to you?

Possible symptoms of long-term pesticide exposure:

• Increased risk of cancer
• Developmental effects
• Organ damage
• Reproductive effects
• Neurological impairment

The 12 foods listed below are known as the "dirty dozen". These are the MOST contaminated with pesticides and chemicals!

Dirty Dozen

• Apples
• Celery
• Strawberries
• Peaches
• Spinach
• Nectarines (imported)
• Grapes (imported)
• Sweet bell peppers
• Potatoes
• Blueberries (domestic)
• Lettuce
• Kale/ collard greens

The 15 Least Contaminated the "Clean 15" are the items that are O.K. to buy non-organic.

Clean 15

• Onions
• Corn
• Pineapples
• Avocado
• Asparagus
• Sweet Peas
• Mangoes
• Eggplant
• Cantaloupe (domestic)
• Kiwi
• Cabbage
• Watermelon
• Sweet potatoes
• Grapefruit
• Mushrooms

21 Day Fix Nutritional info - My Days 1 & 2

Well, I have officially started my 21-Day fix journey this week! So many great reviews and transformations have been floating around, so I decided it was my turn to give it a try. I read a little bit about what to expect from the workouts and other reviews, that's why I decided to make a review as I go type of thing. 

I spend Sunday night reading the nutrition guide and reading up about the workouts. Your container allowance is based on a formula they supply you and once you have this number, you can determine how many containers you will be using per day. 

My range was 1,200 - 1,499 calories per day which allows me to have 3 green (veggies), 2 purple (fruits), 4 red (protein), 2 yellow (carb), 1 blue (nuts), 1 orange (nuts and dressing) 2 spoons (olive oil, nut butters).

From there, each container is broken down into what you can actually eat in each category. All of this information is included in the guidebook that comes with your packet.

Example:

3 times a week you also can replace 1 yellow container with a delicious beverage. Some options are milk, coconut water, fresh fruit juice and DING DING DING WINE! Yes, you can still have that yummy glass of wine while on the fix! Now granted you are replacing a yellow container, which for me I am allotted 2 a day, so on some days I will be ok with replacing one of my yellow for a glass of wine. Most likely, I will only do this once a week.

What does Shakeology count towards? 1 Red container, which is protein. For me, 1 container of Shakeology leaves me with 3 more red containers for the day. This is perfect because Shakeology is usually my breakfast meal and keeps me full for about 3 hours. 

You are also allowed to have treats which encompass 1 yellow container 3 times a week. AND something that got me excited was that you don't have to have the size of your treat fit in the yellow container. For example, if you tried to fit cookies inside the yellow container, it probably wouldn't work out so well.. lol SO with that said, yes you can have treats! Some recommended treats are potato chips, chocolate chips or chunks, dried fruit, etc. 

Recipes! There is a large section of this guidebook devoted to recipes that are fix approved. This is a great section because it gives you meal ideas, dressing ideas and Shakeology recipe ideas. You aren't left out in the cold trying to figure out what to eat and how to prepare meals. This book will help guide you along the way and provide great information and ideas!

This last section is a pretty big deal for me because I usually eat out at least 1-2 times a week. There is a section in the back of the book that gives you tips for eating out and how restaurant meals compare to portion and your container sizes. So, for example it will tell you that a cheese pizza is 1 yellow and 1 orange. So knowing that information, you can go back to your checklist and eliminated those containers for the day. 

The guidebook will become your bible for everything on the fix. I always have it with me or take pictures of the pages to know exactly what my choices are and where I'm at in the day. I keep a tally on my phone to what containers I have already had in the day, which helps me stay on track. There are Tally sheets in the back of the guidebook that you can also use, to track and mark off what you had for the day.

Day 1:

I had my Shakeology for breakfast and mixed it with Almond milk which is one yellow container and red right off the bat. My struggle is going to be with the yellow container. I am the CARB QUEEN! AND I REALLY like my Shakeology with almond milk. I am going to have to do some trial blends to see what else works for mixing my Shakeo with. I had a salad for lunch loaded with veggies with red wine vinegar and olive oil for my dressing. For dinner I had chicken over a little bit of pasta and for my snack I had a fruit smoothie.

Workout Day 1 Total Body Cardio: These workouts are 30 minutes long and Autumn packs a lot into those 30 minutes to really get you moving. This workout was fast paced, and high energy and wow was I sweating! lol I think the weights I used were a little too heavy, so I might have to adjust that next week, but overall, it was a GREAT sweat session. When I sweat like that, I know that I am getting a good workout. It was not easy, but Autumn coaches you through and you have to be in the mentality that you are going to do this! There are modified moves as well, which helps!

Day 2: 

I had my Shakeology again for breakfast with almond milk and a scoop of frozen cherries for my fruit. For lunch I had a salad and fruit again. For dinner I had chicken and a glass of wine! It was Friday so I celebrated with my 1 glass of red wine! It was yummy!

Workout Day 2 Upper Fix: I was really excited for this workout because I love upper body exercises and lifting. For my weights in this portion I used 10 lbs. I was pretty sore from yesterday, so I figured going to 15 wasn't a good idea for me today. I have to say that I am sore today, BUT that means that I am working and having sore muscles makes me want to push harder. It's kind of a love/hate feeling... but it really makes me crave more!

Today is lower fix and I think I need this now because I am feeling very tight in my booty and leg area. I need to stretch out and get on with lower fix. 

My day 4 will be Pilates which I imagine will be a little more stretching. Exactly what I need!

Day 5 will be Cardio Fix for a little extra sweating. YAY!

Day 6 is dirty 30. I am REALLY excited for this because I have heard a LOT about it. For many of my fellow coaches, this is their favorite workout.

Day 7 is yoga fix. I actually cheated and sampled this before I officially started (hehe) because I had a stressful day and wanted to unwind. This is a very relaxing workout. No crazy poses, everything is pretty simplistic.

So there it is... the Basic layout of the program. Time to get my game face on! You can follow my results over the next 21 days.

After I have successfully completed the program, I will be running a 21 day fix group for those interested in it. 

Stay tuned for more info on that!

The intimidating land of oatmeal

Oatmeal is a REALLY awesome thing to eat. It's healthy and is a great breakfast and snack option. But... if you are like me, the choices of oatmeal and how to make it and the different varieties...scare me. There is SO much to choose from AND I'm used to this:

Peaches and cream being my favorite lol. But in reality, this stuff is not the healthiest option and I was looking at the ingredients on the box the other day... and when I can't pronounce half the stuff on there, I get a little worried. SO this leads me to my oatmeal lesson. I wanted to learn more about it and I figured... why not share?

Know your oats:

1.Instant oatmeal is typically packaged in envelopes with sweeteners, flavorings and other additives. It takes almost no cook time, just the addition of hot water. This is the most processed oatmeal and tends to have more calories (due to added sugars) per serving than unprocessed oatmeal. It also tends to be lower in fiber.

2. Quick oats are processed to remove the outer bran for faster cooking. Less processed than instant oatmeal, these take minimal cook time (between 1 and 5 minutes).

3. Old-fashioned or "thick" oats are steamed and rolled flat. These oats take about 10-12 minutes to cook on the stovetop. They're higher in fiber and slightly less processed than quick oats.

4. Steel-cut or "Irish" oats are minimally processed and retain all the inherent fiber and vitamins of whole oats, but take longer (about 25 minutes) to cook. Unlike the flat oats or instant oats you're probably used to seeing, steel-cut oats are round in shape.

Now from this list.. which one is the best option? 

Always try and go for Steel-cut oats. This option is minimally processed and retains most of the "good stuff" that we need!

So lesson of the day: Stay away from peaches and cream oatmeal and anything else that is in a package. It is VERY processed and your not getting the nutritional value you should be getting. The best options: Old fashioned and steel-cut. You can take these oats and add tons of things to them to make delicious oatmeal! 

Here's a ton of recipe ideas. Most add fruit or something extra to spice it up a little bit. Let's face it, plain oatmeal is ultra boring! 

2 Tbsp dried cranberries, 1 Tbsp toasted pistachios, 1 tsp sugar (115 calories)

2 Tbsp raisins, 1 Tbsp chopped pecans, 1 tsp sugar (125 calories)

2 Tbsp dried cherries, 1 Tbsp chopped almonds, 1 tsp sugar (115 calories)

1/4 cup blueberries, 1 Tbsp chopped walnuts, dash of cinnamon (70 calories)

1/2 cup diced apple, 2 Tbsp dried cranberries (90 calories)

1/2 cup diced pears and 2 Tbsp dried cherries (100 calories)

1 Tbsp Nutella (chocolate-hazelnut spread), 1/2 a banana, sliced (150 calories)

1 cup diced apple, 2 Tbsp raisins, sprinkle of cinnamon (140 calories)

1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, 1 Tbsp maple syrup,1 Tbsp chopped toasted walnuts (140 calories)

1/2 cup diced apple, 1 Tbsp raisins, 1 Tbsp peanut butter (165 calories)

1 Tbsp honey, 2 Tbsp raisins, 1 Tbsp chopped walnuts (175 calories)

1 Tbsp honey, 1 Tbsp peanut butter (160 calories)

1/2 sliced banana, 1 Tbsp peanut butter (145 calories)

1/2 cup sliced peaches, 1.5 tsp. brown sugar, 1 Tbsp sliced almonds, dash of vanilla extract (120 calories)

1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce, dash of cinnamon (35 Calories)

1/4 cup apple butter, dash of cinnamon and allspice (or pumpkin-pie spice), 1 Tbsp dried cranberries or cherries (170 calories)

1/2 cup sliced fresh or frozen strawberries, 1 Tbsp sliced almonds, dash of almond extract (75 calories)

3 Tbsp of your favorite fruit spread or preserves (80 Calories)

1 Tbsp dry-roasted peanuts, 1 Tbsp raisins, 1 Tbsp mini chocolate chips (150 calories)

1 Tbsp chopped dried banana chips, 1 Tbsp dry-roasted peanuts, 1 Tbsp raisins (120 calories)

1 Tbsp dried cranberries, 1 Tbsp raisins, 1 Tbsp chopped pecans (130 calories)

Italian oatmeal: 1/3 cup part-skim ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup diced tomatoes (125 calories)

What is your reason?

Everyone has a reason as to why they want to get fit.

What is your reason?

Bruschetta Chicken

You can basically call me a tomato addict and as you will see if you follow my blog, I make a lot of recipes with tomatoes. I love the taste of tomatoes and I love that they are packed with antioxidants and they are just plain yummy! There are two parts to this recipe. One for the chicken itself and one for the salsa topping.This recipe is great accompanied with rice or a veggie. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Salsa Topping

• 6 medium Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil 
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Chicken Breast

• 1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
• 1 tsp chopped fresh italian parsley
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Directions:

Salsa topping: Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Chicken breast: Combine all ingredients in a large ziplock plastic bag. Shake to distribute well, seal, and marinate in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Remove chicken from bag and discard marinade. Place chicken in glass baking dish. Cover with foil and place in oven for 30-40 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked. 

Serve with salsa on top; garnish with fresh basil leaves.

As a side, you can add brown rice or a vegetable of your choice. 

Fresh mozzarella on top is also an option.

Cucumber & Tomato Salad

This is a very refreshing and tasty recipe to have as a side dish to lunch or dinner. Oftentimes, I will just have this as my lunch with nothing else. It has a lot of good ingredients and it's Vegetarian and Vegan friendly!

Ingredients:

• 1 English cucumber, half peeled in alternating strips, sliced in 1/2 moons
• 1/4 small container ripe plum or cherry tomatoes, each cut in 1/2
• 1 tbsp chopped red onion
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves
• Himalayan salt (to taste) *I use kosher salt*
• Herbal seasoning (to taste)

Directions:

• Combine all ingredients in a bowl and toss well
• Enjoy!

 

*This only serves 1, so double or triple the recipe if you are making it for more*

Shakeology? What is this about??

What is this Shakeology stuff? What can it do for me? What's in it? Why is it so great compared to cheaper shakes on the market?  Why should I pay that much a month for a shake???

I can't tell you how many time I get asked these questions. To be honest, I asked the same questions when I was starting with Shakeology, because it's not cheap, I never liked protein shakes and didn't understand how this was going to help my fitness goals. I am not trying to sell you anything, I just want to share my experience and the doubts that I had and help in answering anyone's questions who are on the fence about Shakeology.

Shakeology is NOT a weight loss miracle shake. You aren't going to drink Shakeology one day and wake up the next with 20 pounds gone. This is a meal replacement shake where you are getting the benefits of 6 salads in one glass. You are getting pumped full with all types of awesome nutrients and it's one thing in the day that you know is healthy and good for you. It's quick, it's fast and you can substitute it for whatever meal you please. For me personally, I struggle with breakfast, so the easiest thing for me to do is throw this in the blender with a frozen banana and some almond butter and blend and go. 

What Shakeology is going to do for you is make you feel awesome! I can say from my experience that I am FAR from a morning person. Normally when I wake up, I feel like I am in a fog. It takes me a while to wake up and I do not have a lot of energy in the mornings. I am a night owl for sure! After being on Shakeology, it has made me more alert in the morning, I don't wake up feeling so tired and groggy and I feel like I have extra energy throughout the day. My skin looks better and I just feel better. 

Price...

So many people get hung-up on the price of Shakeology because they have to pay it at a certain time every month and can take a hit when $129.00 ($97.00 for coaches) comes out of their bank account. 

Guess what guys? If you look at the math and what you are spending per day on a meal, even for a glass of coffee or a sugary Starbucks drink... it's REALLY not expensive. I know we all have the perception that "wow this is so expensive, I can't afford that each month". I promise you once you think about what you are spending on every meal, you will find it quite cheap and reasonable. It's $4 for a serving of Shakeology. That's $4 a meal... I don't even know if you could go through Wendy's and get a full meal for $4. Look at the big mac compared to Shakeology! YUCK! 770 calories! YOWZA! Even the sugary Starbucks drink that is totally not good for you is $4.15 and it's providing you NO nutritional value what-so-ever!! Hello? What is the better option here!

Shakeology 3 day cleanse is also another way to go. You can find out more about that here. The cost for the cleanse is $49.00 for 10 single-serving packets and instructions. You will use 3 packets a day and I toss in one extra for you to enjoy before or after your cleanse.

If you would like more information on the benefits of Shakeology, what Shakeology can do for you, or would like to do a Cleanse, send me an email: teambeachbodynls@gmail.com

If you would like a sample packet, email me.

I am here to answer all of your questions and help you find the best way to try Shakeology. I love what it has done for me and want to share that with as many people as possible!

What fat is doing to your body...

This is a pretty crazy image. This is a picture of a body scan of two woman one at 250 lbs and one at 120 lbs.

This is what fat does to your body. Our bodies weren't meant to handle sooo much weight and you can really see the effects it is having on the joints.  Look at the ankles and the knees...not good guys!

You only have 1 body...please make sure you treat it well! Do something good for yourself today and promise yourself to take one small step towards change!

Yummy Berry Parfait

I am really not a huge fan of a large breakfast and I often times struggle with what to have for breakfast. I tend to plan my schedule out in the morning, so that I sleep in as long as possible and hurry and get ready and run out the door to work. My sleep is way more important to me than eating breakfast! LOL! I know this is BAD behavior and it's a tough habit to curb. BUT this is why I like to have something for breakfast that I can grab on the go. It's great to make this the night before, or on a Sunday when you can prep your food. You can make this in a large container and scoop some out for the week for breakfast or a snack. It's easy to throw into a container and take to work, which is typically what I do. 

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup sliced strawberries*
• 3/4 cup blueberries*
• 1 (6 ounce) container vanilla yogurt
• 1/2 banana, sliced
• 1/3 cup granola
• 1 tablespoon wheat germ*

*You can use whatever fruits you like. Sometimes I will add in blackberries or raspberries.

*Wheat germ- For those who do not use this often, you can check out my post on wheat germ.

Directions:

• Layer 1/4 cup strawberries, 1/4 cup blueberries, 1/3 container yogurt, 1/3 tablespoon wheat germ, 1/3 sliced banana, 2 tablespoons of granola in large bowl. Continue to build the parfait, repeating the layers until all of the ingredients are used.
• Enjoy!

Clean Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Recipe

This is a great recipe for a take on chocolate chip cookie dough AND it's healthy AND super easy to make!

We all need our sweet fix and this is an example of a way to get that without:
1. eating raw eggs (YUCK)
2. without all the calories

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do!

Ingredients:

• 1 small container non-fat greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp peanut butter
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 small pinch sea salt
• 1 tbsp chocolate chips

Directions:

• Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl and enjoy!

PiYo - Coming to a living room near you

I am so excited to announce Chalene Johnson is coming out with PiYo!! This is going to be launched at Beachbody's Summit this June and I'm thinking ordering will start to take place around the week of the 23rd.

What is PiYo?
PiYo is inspired by pilates and yoga (YAY) It includes flexibility training, strength training and movement. It is giving you a great, calorie burning workout, minus the hard jumping and weights. You are really using your own body weight to increase your strength and flexibility. You are burning fat and calories while working with low-impact moves on a consistent basis.

This is going to be great for people who can't do a lot of jumping and weight lifting because of joint issues. I know a lot people who cannot put strain on their knees due to accidents etc. and this is going to be just the workout for them. It's also nice to get away from super high impact workouts and do something different. I know I struggle with flexibility especially when I am doing yoga, so I'm intrigued to dive into this workout to see what it can do for me.

Don't get me wrong... this is "low-impact" BUT it is NOT easy! You will work and sweat your little tush off, but you will get the results you want!!






I am going to be running a PiYo test group for 5 people. If you are interested in signing up with me, please email natalielynfitness@gmail.com and let me know that you are interested.

What is a test group?
Since I have not done the workout, I will be forming a group of 5 people who are interested in doing the PiYo, drinking Shakeology and provide 1 on 1 support. We will be in a closed Facebook group and sharing our results with each other. I will post meal plan and recipe ideas to help you stay on track and we will hold each other accountable for 90 days.

*Spots will fill up fast, so please email me ASAP*

Benefits of coconut oil

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil has been used for thousands of years for its wonderful health benefits. In parts of the world using coconut oil on your hair and skin has been an ancient practice. 

When shopping for the perfect coconut oil make sure you buy organic. This way you will ensure no GMOs. We tend to use Barleans Extra Virgin. This stuff is so yummy!

Most popular uses of coconut oil:

1. Skin moisturizer - This fabulous smelling oil is AWESOME for your skin! Many brands of commercial moisturizers contain petroleum based ingredients that can suffocate the skin. Coconut oil provides real and deep moisture. It helps to strengthen the underlying tissues and removes the yucky dead cells on your face. It will seem very greasy at first but once it starts absorbing into your skin that feeling will go away. Use the same amount as you would with any other moisturizer. 

2. Hair moisturizer - Regular application of coconut oil on your hair can help keep it strong and nourished. Coconut oil penetrates the hair and locks in moisture helping defend it against environmental impurities and heat. Coconut oil is rich in Vitamin E which helps maintain your hair's shine and softness.

3. Cooking - You can really replace coconut oil for butter in most recipes. Coconut oil is used most frequently in Asian cooking. It is great in baked goods and one of my favorite ways to use it is when I make popcorn. I put about a spoonful in a pan on the stove and then add the popcorn.. This is a great, healthy way to cook! 

Clean Eating Parmesan Chicken Recipe

This is a very simple dish to make and very delicious! I want to thank my coach Melanie for introducing me to this amazing recipe! You can serve this over steamed veggies or rice.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
• 1/4 cup gluten free bread crumbs or whole wheat panko crumbs
• 2 tbsp. fresh grated parmesan cheese
• 2 egg whites
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1/8 tsp lemon pepper
• 1/8 tsp oregano

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Break open eggs into a shallow dish and scramble
• In a medium mixing bowl, combine bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, sea salt, black pepper, lemon pepper and oregano
• Dip each side of chicken breast into egg and then into the bread crumb mixture
• Place in a large baking dish 
• Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes
• Enjoy!

Shop the perimeter

1. Write down your grocery list and take a look at the most important things:

• milk
• eggs
• apples
• celery
• lettuce
• bananas
• fresh chicken
• yogurt
• orange juice
• nuts
• onion
• garlic
• tomatoes
• whole wheat bread
• cereal
• oats
• boxed rice
• frozen dinners
• ice cream

Now, think about where in the grocery store these items are located. 97% of these items are located on the PERIMETER and if you notice the "not-so-healthy" items are located in the middle. This my friends is simple psychology. The grocery stores want to get you in the middle aisles to buy all of the crap that is there. A good tip is to organize your list with the layout of the store. You know you will be walking in to produce, fruits and veggies, this is a place where you should be loading up your cart. Then make your way around to your meats and dairy and fill up your cart so that when you have to tackle the middle aisles, you don't have much room left for 4 bags of chips and pop and candy etc. Once you have your few items from the "middle" go straight to check out and do not stroll around. If you dilly dally down the aisles, the more likely you are to grab junk!!!

Also, DO NOT SHOP WHILE HUNGRY! If you are going to the grocery store to do your weekly shopping, make sure it's after you have had breakfast or lunch. We tend to over-spend and over-buy when we are hungry, because we are looking for that insta-gratification. "Oh, if I buy these potato chips now, I can start munching on them when I get in the car, because I am starving from not eating all day". NO, BAD! Put the potato chips down!

Going to the store on a full belly guarantees you will stick to your list 99% of the time and not stray from what you went there to get. If you are full, a bag of potato chips won't sound as appetizing and you are more likely to pass them up.

Focus on your list and filling your cart all the way with healthy options. That way you won't have any extra room for junk.

The more you focus on eating better, the less important the middle aisles will become :)

Transform the way you eat

Change the way you eat!

By simply ( I shouldn't say simply, because this is the hardest part for most people) changing the way you eat, you can shed off those extra troublesome pounds that have been lurking around your belly region. If you have hit a plateau and aren't losing those last few pounds, or are working out and nothing is happening, a big part of that has to do with your diet! 80% of our bodies are made in the kitchen! Here are a few tips for how to deal with the foods we all love, but need to eat less of or cut out completely.

Hamburgers/Cheeseburgers - You don't have to give up that yummy flavor of a burger, but rather look for alternatives when choosing type of meat. Turkey burgers are a great alternative because you're getting that same great taste but with a leaner meat. You can also try veggie burgers, which have no meat at all and are vegetarian friendly!

Potato Chips - Ohh we love our summer picnics with our many varieties of potato chips... but those chips... as tasty as they might be... are bad! Think healthy alternatives like popcorn. I'm not talking about movie-popcorn, load as much butter on there as possible popcorn, but popcorn you can make on the stove, using your oil of choice and cutting down on calories. Coconut oil is a great way to cook popcorn and it gives it an AMAZING flavor and it's great for you! Just add a little salt and your ready to go!

White Bread - There are a lot of foods out there where using a whole grain alternative doesn't really do much for you. In this instance with bread, it is WAY better to go for whole grain bread. White bread has 0 nutritional value and it's just empty calories. There is no way around this one.

French Fries - French fries, like most every other fried food are unhealthy by nature. For a good alternative try a baked potato or mashed potatoes. You can always add a little ketchup to get the same flavor.

Pop/Soda - It's just plain not good for you. A different study comes out everyday saying how pop is bad and could contain cancer causing ingredients. Cut it out. You are drinking empty calories when you could be drinking water that will hydrate your body. Water is your alternative and you can always add fruit to give it a different flavor!

You don't have to make all of these changes at one time. Take it slow and ease yourself into new eating habits. You will look and feel better by replacing your normal choices with healthy choices!

Getting off track..

I thought this picture was appropriate because this is exactly how I have been feeling. I went on vacation in April and I was so on track with my health and fitness and I came back and I just fell off the wagon completely. I know it happens and I'm ok with admitting that, but I feel like I let myself down. I want to feel good and be healthy and happy.

I have FINALLY ordered the 21-day fix (YES) and I can't wait for it to get here. I have heard so many great things about it and I can't wait to try it! I am looking to this as my "getting back on track" step. AND I have my cousins wedding in 3 months and would like to fit into my bridesmaids dress nicely... who wouldn't?!? We all want to be the hottest bridesmaid ;)

The lesson of the day is: We all fall off track and life happens. We veer off course and sometimes it's hard to get back on, but in the back of our minds we know we have to do it. Our health is important and as I'm getting older it's the one thing that I can control. I can control what I am putting into my body and how I am treating my body. You treat it well and it will reward you. It's not worth it to live your life and not like who you are and to look in the mirror and not like what you see.

It's time to change your life. Are you going to rise up, or just keep falling?