Ready to GO

If you haven't heard, this is the biggest and best news since...well ever!  :)  To start, I did finish the original P90X but the last month my diet was WAY off.  I tried to keep it under control but the holidays definitely won.  While I didn't gain any weight, I most certainly didn't make much progress either during those last few weeks.  My own fault and all I can do is move on and be thankful that the season of eating is behind me for another 11 months.  NOW is the time to really kick it in to high gear and get ready for summer.

Winter here in Eastern Idaho seems to go on FOREVER but when Mother Nature finally decides to grace us with some sun and warmth, I want to be ready.  I would 100% do P90X over again BUT something better was just recently delivered to my doorstep.  Yes, the all new P90X3 is here and instead of trying to squeeze in 60-90 minute workouts 6 days a week, I am hoping for the same results in this accelerated program of 30 minute workouts.

During the first 2 months of X I lost 15 pounds, 2 inches off my hips and 1 from my thighs.  The last month, again, I didn't make any new changes.  I could beat myself up all day about it or just move on, so moving on I shall.  I am still happy with the results I got and I know that if I don't drop the ball with my nutrition, than I will have huge success with P90X3.  The best best best part is that I am doing this program with some very sweet friends, new and old, that are all committed with me.  It is about keeping each other accountable to our goals and making lasting friendships along the way.  Challenge groups work because of the network of support that comes from not only Coaches like myself but from other challengers too.  Really these groups help Coaches stay on track because we are just like you - we occasionally fall off track and need the support to get back on the bandwagon.

Being part of a Challenge Group does require full commitment but the rewards are endless.  If you want to be considered for an upcoming group (I will be starting 2 new groups every month during 2014) please either contact me here by clicking on the pop up on the bottom right of your screen or message me on Facebook.  I'm ready to make 2014 the best year yet!

Holiday Stress

What is it about this time of year that gets everyone so uptight?  Really, this is the time to be happy and rejoice in life but yet the depression and suicide rates jump during the holiday season.  The truth is, woman tend to suffer the most from holiday stress.  Well DUH!  That's because we take it upon ourselves to plan parties, take control of gift giving, decorating, cleaning, you name it, we do it all at extreme measures from the end of November through the beginning of January.

While it's easy to say "don't stress, everything will work out perfectly," that really doesn't ring true in the eyes of us women.  We want everything to be perfect and leaving it to chance is far to risky when so many people will be watching.  Whether you are hosting the family dinner, a neighborhood party, or just in charge of gift duty for the kids, making sure everyone is happy with the final work is vital to our psyche.  I call it Super Woman Syndrome and I suffer from an extreme case.  I have learned that I have to practice some daily disciplines or you can count on my being a complete basket case of emotions and daily migraines.  They are simple and effective but if not done daily, they don't work.

The first is to give thanks and remember the many blessing I have in my life.  I take a few minutes every morning to meditate.  I take a wide angle look at my life and remember all the amazing reasons that I love the life I live.  I make a point to THANK others for the blessing they unknowingly gift my life.  This is important because we are so focused on what we are going to physically give others during this season that we forget that truly the best gift we can give is ourselves and the relationships we have with others.  It really does boost your spirits as much as singing loud for all to hear.  LOL I love ELF for those that caught that movie line plug ;)

I also make a serious effort to give my body some love and get in at least 20 minutes of physical activity every day.  The endorphin rush really does wonders to the weight stress can literally put on your shoulders.  The movement releases acid build up in your muscles that make stress physically painful.  This doesn't mean that I am telling you that you have to get in a killer workout everyday (although you would not regret it if you did!) but even a walk around the block or some jumping jacks, push ups and crunches to get the heart pumping and increase your brains best chemicals serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine which soothe the effects of tension and stress and may also prevent aging at the cellular level. (stress and tension WILL age you!)  Really getting your exercise in first thing in the morning will prep your brain to be more focused and will improve your memory.  You will set your day up for more efficiency if you just get it done.

Another daily activity I include to ward off unneeded stress is reading.  I spend at least 20 minutes a day reading something inspiring and uplifting.  I actually read more than 20 minutes every day because reading in the morning just puts me ina good mood and then reading right before bed helps my subconscious mind relax and dream happier meaning more restful sleep.

The next thing that I will share with you is to spend time getting yourself ready.  As moms we often put us together last which means that we often run out the door in sweats and our hair in a pony tail.  This is fine if you are making an unexpected run to pick the kids up from school because of sickness but it's not okay to go run the errands that you knew you had to do that day.  They were scheduled so you need to schedule time to prepare YOU for those outings.  It doesn't have to take long, but get dressed, wash your face, put on some mascara and lip gloss and if you still rock the pony tail well at least you are more put together than your jammies or sweatpants.  You will feel more confident and therefore happier while out running around.  It does make a difference and it will improve your tension levels and boost your mood.  Nothing is more empowering than confidence.

Now, if you are hosting parties write out a plan.  Don't just keep it in your head - write it out.  Putting it on paper allows you to prioritize more effectively so that you can make dishes in advance if possible, get the proper decorations, have all the tables and chairs needed without the last minute freak out because you forgot to get the cream that is the key component to the dish you are serving.  Really, making a daily list of things you want/need to accomplish that day will help keep you on track with less panic attacks.  What you don't finish can be moved to tomorrow's list.  This way you don't space vital activities and can more efficiently manage your time.  

We all know that we have TONS on our mind at all times and we just add to that during the holiday season.  Us women are magnificent multitaskers but we are not Super Woman, but by taking some time to do these activities daily, we can sure look like we are!

I made this while I was home this weekend with the kids in an attempt to find some alternatives to the traditional Holiday Dessert spread.  I must say that it turned out SO good!  There are a few things that I will likely tweak next time to see how it turns out only because I was low on a few of my staples that I normally keep around.

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

3/4 C pureed 100% pumpkin
1 1/2 C low fat or skim milk*
1/2 C unsweetened apple sauce
1/2 C unpacked brown sugar*
1/4 tsp sea salt
3 eggs
1 tbsp pumpkin pie seasoning
5 slices of whole wheat or grain bread

Preheat oven to 350°.  You will need a large mixing bowl, toaster, whisk, good knife, and a deep casserole dish.  Whisk all ingredients except for the bread together in the mixing bowl and set aside.  Toast the bread to a medium color.  This will help the bread keep it's form when the custard is poured on top.  Cut toast into cubes and place directly in the ungreased casserole.  Pour pumpkin mixture over cubes and place in the oven for about 30 minutes or until set.  Top with your choice of coconut whip (directions posted below), real whipped cream (as in heavy whipping cream beat with a mixer to light and delicious topping...NOT the fake stuff...please!?!), or good old vanilla ice cream (which kind of defeats the purpose of making this a little healthier but it's really good, just ask my 8 year old!)

*I only had about 1 C unsweetened almond milk in the fridge so next time I will make sure I have enough and swap out regular milk for almond milk but I didn't want to sacrifice my last glass for my kids dessert...I know I know...
*Pure maple syrup would likely be a great substitute for the brown sugar but I was out.  Pure maple syrup will definitely increase the cost of making this dish but the depth of flavor may be more than worth it not to mention you will completely remove refined sugar.

The Challenge of Getting the Family to Love Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are a nutrient dense and surprisingly low calorie food. They are packed full of vitamin A - nearly 8 times the recommended daily need for the average adult, and because it's fat soluble instead of water soluble, it can be stored in the body to be used later instead of being wasted. They are also good sources of vitamin C, potassium, magnesium and many other nutrients.

The problem is that my family doesn't love the flavor.  I personally enjoy them baked with a little sea salt and black pepper just fine but the other 3 members of this house disagree and straight up refuse to eat them this way.  In fact there really is only one preparation method that I know I can win the battle with and that's roasting.  There are a few variations for roasting these orange little beauties but this one is a great way to easily get your veggie intake up in any meal and great for using up what is left in the fridge before shopping day which is always a bonus!  You can definitely add more than what I have here but this is what needed used in our house,

The kids had already eaten so I made less this week for just the hubz and me.

EVOO and seasoning time

stir to coat each delicious morsel with the oil and seasoning

Spread out and pop in your super hot oven to do it's thang

Roasted Root Veggies
2 sweet potato peeled and diced into 1/2-1" pieces
4 good sized carrots peeled and diced into 1/2-1" pieces
1 medium onion (I like yellow or red) sliced in to 1/2" wedges
2 tsp EVOO
Mrs. Dash or sea salt and black pepper to your preference

Preheat oven to 450°.  You will need a good sized cutting board, good sharp knife, a large baking sheet,  teaspoon measuring spoon.

You want all your veggies to be about the same size.  Pile them all on your baking sheet or you can dirty a bowl but I never do, and pour on the extra virgin olive oil and seasoning.  Toss to coat each piece and spread evenly out on baking sheet.  Roast in the hot oven for about 15 minutes.  Stir veggies and continue to roast for an additional 10-15 minutes or until lightly crisping.

Some other tasty additions would be a fresh beet (so different than the canned version!), butternut squash, and halved mushrooms.

I am always looking for new ways to eat healthy carbs and sweet potatoes are one of my favorites!  They are so much more flavorful than brown rice and packed with far more nutrition!  Since it is the Holiday Season and sweet potatoes are in abundance I will be making lots of dishes and (if they turn out good!) will posting them all here for you to add to your recipe repertoire too!

xoxo,
Laura

This Black Friday Deal is OFF THE HOOK!

Hi there and Happy Thanksgiving Week! I don’t know about you but I am so excited to spend time with family and indulge in a delicious scape of food. I personally LOVE pumpkin pie but for that same reason, I don’t make it, so I am extremely excited for some pie and REAL whipped cream – you know, the full fat heavy cream whipped up in to creamy heaven? MMMM, mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm! 

But with Thanksgiving Day also comes Black Friday. I know that many of you are already scoping out the pre-released ads and making your game plan. What if this Black Friday you don’t waste money on things that you don’t need and instead invest in health and fitness?

Imagine how great you would feel if you lost those extra pounds that haunt you every time you put on your favorite jeans, or how it would feel if you had enough energy to keep you moving all day at full speed without that Red Bull. How would it feel to make 2014 the year you reclaim your life and take control of your own health?

This Black Friday, I challenge you to not buy something you will only regret come January and instead invest in making 2014 your best year yet. I’m making it a little easier on you to get that ball rolling! 

This week only, when you purchase ANY Challenge Pack, you will get your option of one- 30 day supply of either E&E Energy and Endurance Pre-workout formula or Slimming Formula Pre-workout formula.  A Challenge Pack already includes your full workout program of choice, a month of Shakeology, and a free trial Club Membership to TeamBeachbody.com along with FULL and FREE support from me to help see you through the program and beyond!  Both pre-workout supplements are fantastic additions to the Shakeology and workout program that comes in your Challenge Pack to help you burn calories and fat faster and keep you going throughout those long holiday get-together's ahead.

But that’s not all! Beachbody will also send you a $20 gift certificate towards a future purchase as part of the Feed America Promotion. For every Challenge Pack sold in the month of November, Beachbody is donating $20 to the Feeding America. That $20 is going to provide 180 meals through that foundation and that is coming from you! I don’t know about you but I am always looking for ways to give back this time of year especially! 

What could you do with that $20 gift card? Well if you like your free Black Friday supplement, it will make your first purchase that much easier on the pocket book!

If you are not sure what workout program is best for you, contact me (bottom right hand corner of this blog) and let’s figure out your goals and map out the course to reach them.  Let's ring in the New Year with a new outlook on life!

To place an order, you must go here!  If you place your order through another site, you will not receive this special.

Super Easy Tuna Patties

I am always on the search for new quick lunch ideas.  Today I needed to stick to a lower carb meal and decided that I would do something with tuna, but I didn't want tuna salad again and definitely no tuna noodle thing.  I found some recipes online for tuna burgers all of which had things that I didn't want to add to my tuna (mayo, bread crumbs, mashed potatoes) so instead I used a couple of them as inspiration and came up with something that was quite easy and tasty.  I will be tweaking it and updating as I continue to make these tuna patties.

Super Easy Tuna Patties:

2 4oz cans chunk light tuna in water, drained

1 whole egg, beaten

1 whole dill pickle diced

1/4-1/3 C old fashioned oats (I kept mine whole but you could pulse them in the processor to make more of a breadcrumb texture)

1/2-1 Tbsp Sriracha (chili sauce) or add more if you want it spicy

1-2 tsp EVOO

Mix everything but the EVOO together and form into 3-4 patties.  Heat EVOO on medium and add your patties.  Cook each side for 2-4 minutes or until lightly browned.  Be careful when flipping as they are very fragile.  (If you are patient which I'm not, you can refrigerate the patties for about an hour and supposedly, the tuna will hold together better.  I honestly don't know if it works and doubt I will ever find out.  A can of tuna is a quick meal in this house for a reason.)  Serve as I did with a couple big handfuls of baby spinach (a splash of balsamic vinegar would probably be divine or fresh lemon juice) or as a sandwich on whole grain bread like my little man had his.

We personally like dill pickles not sweet pickles but they would work just fine too...if you like that kind of thing.   

McDonalds As Rewards?

I have been thinking on this post for a while now.  I have hesitated over and over and over not wanting to offend anyone, but I just need to get it out.  To be clear, I am guilty of what I am about to rant about myself.  I have done it in the past and still occasionally find myself in the same pattern.

Recently, I joined my son at school for Picnic With Parents in his 1st grade class.  I genuinely had a fabulous time.  It was so nice to get to know his teacher, the friends that live outside of our neighborhood, and of course the other parents.  I chatted with some other mothers about our kids and the classroom - just the usual stuff.  Lunch was fun and Kaden read me a story about spiders from his Weekly Reader News (I LOVED those when I was his age and glad he does too) and I read him and his pals a Halloween story.

So...now my problem. Again, I don't want to offend anyone because the truth is, I have been guilty of this too.  We were all given the option of ordering a sack lunch from the school or bring in our own for us and our child.  My kiddo had requested a ham sandwich and his water bottle; that was TOTALLY doable!  We each had a ham sandwich with mustard and veggies; I even splurged and we shared a snack bag of Sun Chips.  His teacher provided dessert so we both had a pumpkin shaped shortbread cookie - we agreed that it was just okay.  Everything was fine until he noticed that almost all of the other kids that had parents there had McD's and sodas.  "Mom, can I have a soda?"  Dang!  "Nope kiddo.  Mom only brought us waters."  This is when it hits me...What in the world are we teaching our kids without even intentionally doing it?  Now I get to feel like the "bad mom" because our society is so trained to reward our kids with junk food.  I said it...and it's the truth...and I'm just as guilty as anyone else.

UGH!  Here we are trying to teach our children how to respect themselves, their bodies, their family and friends, but we are rewarding them with food that is less than respectful to their little bodies.  It's time to change this trend.  We love our children and we all want nothing but the best for them right?  Silly to even have to ask that, but we are guilty of of giving them the complete opposite completely out of love.  UGH again!  I'm not saying that my children will never again get fast food, that's silly unfortunately.  In a perfect world, the temptation wouldn't even exist, but it does, so saying they will never again eat a french fry is a lie.

There is one thing however that I do know for sure.  I will be much more aware of our trips through the drive-thru and it won't be for rewards or "special occasions" because those should be nothing but the best.  We have plenty of other treats that we use for rewards and celebrations (cake, cookies, etc) that are far sweeter than a french fry. ;)  We already very rarely hit a drive-thru but it will be even more rare now.

If you agree, leave a comment and tell me what you would have brought and what you would choose to pack now?  It's time to change the trend!