Avocado Zucchini Alfredo with Shrimp

I know many of us really enjoy a big plate of pasta now and then...but if you're anything like me, it always leaves me feeling bloated and heavy afterwards. 

You might have heard of spaghetti squash, but what about zoodles? Using a spiralizer like this one, to prepare your veggies is a nice change, and one you should definitely try if you are looking for a healthier option to swap out the pasta and use something that's a low-carb, low-calorie alternative. Zucchini works really well, but you can also make carrot "ribbons" as well!

This recipe is a variation from the recipe found in the 2B Mindset nutrition course, and has been a favorite with most all of my customers! If you are looking for a fast, simple but delicious dinner with minimal preparation, this one is a must try!

This recipe makes 2 servings, total time: 22 minutes. Cooking time: 7 minutes.

INGREDIENTS: 

1/2 medium ripe avocado, mashed

1/4 c. reduced-fat (2%) plain Greek Yogurt

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper (divided use)

1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder (divided use)

1/2 tsp. Onion Powder (divided use)

1/2 tsp. Greek Seasoning

Nonstick cooking spray

24 raw medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed (approx. 12 oz.)

4 medium zucchini, spiralized (approx. 4 cups)

4 cloves garlic, crushed and minced

1/2 c. diced roma tomato

2 tsp. grated parmesan cheese

METHOD:

1. Combine avocado, yogurt, half the pepper, garlic powder and onion powder, and the Greek Seasoning in a medium bowl; combine well and set aside.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet, lightly coated with cooking spray, over medium heat. 

3. Add shrimp, season with remaining seasonings and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute. 

4. Add the zucchini; cook stirring frequently for 2-3 minutes or until shrimp is firm and opaque, and mixture is heated through. Add in the diced tomatoes during the last minute. Drain excess liquid from skillet. 

5. Stir in avocado mixture. 

6. Evenly divide between two serving plates. Evenly top with grated cheese; serve immediately.

*NOTE: overcooking the zucchini will cause it to be a bit mushy. Take care to stir continuously as it cooks to avoid overcooking. Enjoy! 

If you could benefit from having a free online Health and Wellness Coach for support, and for additional recipes and healthy eating inspiration, contact me HERE. For the 2B Mindset complete course with the complete book of recipes and eating plan, mindset videos, food journal/tracker to help you overcome any challenges with your relationship with food, click HERE.    

I have been planning and preparing for weeks for the start of the brand new in-home workout program, 80 Day Obsession created by Super Trainer Autumn Calabrese! If you are familiar with her other previous fitness programs, 21 Day Fix, 21 Day Fix Extreme, The Master's Hammer and Chisel, you might also be just as excited as I am! 

If you are someone who already works out regularly and you are looking for a new challenge, this program is going to be right up your alley! As Autumn says, it will challenge you to change you, it will force you outside of your comfort zone, and when you combine the 80 DIFFERENT workout routines with Timed Nutrition, you will really amp up your results! 

I have been working with my customers and coaching team to prepare for this program, both with following A Little Obsessed workouts, and getting a clear understanding about what Timed Nutrition entails!

The program in it's entirety is actually 97 days long total, consisting of 80 workouts, and 17 rest days. I really love that she planned the rest days on Sundays! 

The nutrition portion is spelled out exactly for you, based on your unique and individual goals (weight loss, maintenance, build muscle or weight gain). The plan tells you what containers (aka food groups) to eat at what times, and how much of each to use, along with the specific foods to eat for each food group. It seriously cannot get ANY easier than this! All we need to do is FOLLOW THE PLAN! Sounds pretty simple, right? 

This program is best suited for someone who is already familiar with the Fixate/Portion Fix nutrition plan, and is at an intermediate to advanced fitness level. If you are new to regular exercise and consider yourself a beginner fitness level, or are pregnant, I would suggest joining a fitness accountability group with me and start out with a more entry-level program and work your way up to completing 80 Day Obsession. 

You will need some basic equipment for this program. I recommend light, medium and heavy weights (such as 10's, 15's and 20's), the sliders and resistance loops (they come in light, medium and heavy resistance), a floor mat, and roller (optional). To participate and join into my online support and accountability groups, you will need to have me as your free coach and place your order through me so that I can add you to my next accountability support group! If you are interested in this program, please take a few minutes to fill out my form and I will get back to you with the details ASAP! 

The next 80 Day Obsession is now open for enrollment, and will begin Prep Week on January 29th, with the official day 1 and workouts beginning on Monday, February 5th. 

Hurry and fill out the application before the spots are all gone! 

80 DAY OBSESSION MEAL PLAN

The 80 Day Obsession meal plan is extremely detailed, and at first glance might seem fairly complex. But Autumn designed it super specific so that there wouldn't be much room for doubt or question. Once you take the time to learn it and get the hang of it, you will find yourself sliding right into a new routine and habit with your eating that will be easy to maintain for the long haul!

I wanted to give you a sample of my plan. Each person will use the provided formula to figure out what Plan is right for you, based on weight, goals, and activity level. Then you will simply log into your Beachbody On Demand, download the plan that's right for you, and plug in your foods/meals accordingly! You will notice that I use the Beachbody Performance Line supplements. I strongly recommend using them for the duration of this program, because they will help your body to train and perform at it's best! These workouts will challenge your body, and you will benefit from using the supplements by reducing muscle soreness and decreasing recovery time between your workouts.

I hope that this sample plan gives you some guidance!

1 red (protein), 1/2 green (veggie) per 2 egg muffin cups in this photo

1 red, 1 yellow (carb), 1 green, 1 blue (healthy fat)

1 1/4 green, 1/2 red,  1 blue and 1 tsp.

                                 2 purple (fruit), 1 tsp. 

Here is a sample of a day's meals with my plan. Basically I will eat the same times and containers each day, and I alternate every other day with the main meals (breakfast, lunches and dinners) per week, so I'm prepping 2 different breakfasts, 2 lunches and 2 dinners for the whole week, which keeps things super simple and manageable for me!

I tweaked my plan already from the first couple days, to add the shakeology as my pre-workout meal because I just felt like eating eggs and oats right away at 5AM was way too much food that early in the morning, and right before a workout. I just felt way too full and a tad bit sluggish. For people who are waiting the full 60-90 minutes to work out after eating, it would probably work just fine...but for me, with 4 kiddos and a busy schedule, I didn't want to put my workout off past 5:30 or 6:00. 

So far I'm finding that my group is getting the hang of Timed Nutrition, and they are loving the workouts as well! Probably the biggest concern I am getting from people is the length of the workouts. Day 1 and 2 were nearly an hour long, but honestly the time went by super fast, and it sure as heck didn't seem like an hour had passed! I love the routines, they are slow and paced, but effective moves that leave me feeling it the next day...which is always the goal so you know it's working! Am I right? 

I am currently accepting enrollments for my February 80 Day Obsession group, if this is something that you are wanting to do for yourself or better yet, with a friend, share this post and complete my application HERE! 

Hope to see you in my next online accountability group!!!! 

OPERATION: Fall Into Fitness

Happy Sunday!  I cannot believe we're half way through October, and TOMORROW is my BIRTHDAY!  I feel so much better in my late 30's then I did in my 20's. I'm stronger, eat better, and just feel like I have things together (most of the time). But you know, even the most consistent and dedicated of people can lose their motivation at times and benefit from having an accountability partner (or several!).  That would be ME!!!!  I have been running and using my in-home workouts (Body Beast and 21 Day Fix Extreme) consistently every day other than the occasional rest day.  I can see visible changes in my arms and shoulders and just "feel" stronger overall, but like so many of us, I feel I can always improve with my nutrition.  I just don't feel as good as I know I can, when I don't get enough water, or eat too many sweets, carbs and peanut butter. I seriously think I need to stop buying the nut butter for about 21 days so I can "detox"! Haha. 

When I don't drink enough water and my eating isn't on track, I just plain can't sleep, I lack energy, I am not feeling my usual determined and motivated self, and I can totally feel it in my running and workouts.   When your body is used to eating clean, and then you have a little backslide, your body fights you back in not-so-pleasant ways!! 

So what did I do about it?  I decided last week to commit myself to using the 21 Day Fix Extreme, to a "T", containers and all. But with anything, progress is progress, and there is no such thing as failure when you don't give up. I had a slip up yesterday with the Apple Crisp my mom brought over, but I'm not allowing that to get me down. The only way to fail is to quit. And I'm not a quitter. Today is a new day, and I'm back in it to win it!  

This is my FOCUS:

1.  Use my 21 Day Fix containers for every meal, every day, for the duration of the 3 weeks.

2.  Ensure I get in my daily recommended water intake.  1/2 my body weight in ounces, every day.

3.  I know from experience when I follow my meal plan and drink my Shakeology, I will rid my body of sugar cravings to help me achieve my goal. TRACKING helps me stick to my plan. So therefore, I will take time to track my intake every single day. I love Sparkpeople.com, so that's what I'll stick to. 

4.  Although it is so hard to take a rest day, I will take one once per week on my Yoga days. 

5. I will not skip a workout, and will use my 10 minute ab workout every other day to work on my core strength. 

This is public accountability at its best, and what helps me keep pushing myself to be the best I can be!  I'm hoping that together we can keep each other accountable.  I truly believe that no one is perfect, but rather it's a lifelong journey that we are always working towards. By sharing my own personal struggles and successes, I hope to inspire and motivate you to keep yourself going in the right direction!

So because jeans and sweater season is here I want to give you EXTRA accountability too!  Do you dread going into your closet to see if last year's jeans still fit? There's no worse feeling than to go into your closet and have a hard time finding clothes that fit like they should. Or feeling your muffin top bulge over your jeans, or have a huge stack of clothes in your closet that doesn't fit. It's an instant BAD MOOD for sure. Or have you ever used the pregnancy trick (when you're not expecting) and used a rubber band to hold your pants together? That feeling SUCKS. No better way to put it.  Or only wearing baggy tops so that the belly bulge isn't as noticeable? I used to do that, and it made me feel terrible about myself!  But after really buckling down, and focusing on my nutrition, the pounds seemed to melt off.  I could wear nearly anything I wanted to and feel confident, and my mood was so much better, and I was just overall so much more confident! No more shying away from the cameras :)    

I know it takes dedication and effort, but I would love to pay it forward and do the same for you by offering you my help and support in a 4 week focus group online. 

I am kicking off the plan and prep week to my 4 week Operation Fall Into Fitness group on Monday October 19th.  This is a 4 week, closed online support and accountability group.  My goal is to teach you how to meal plan, how to make healthier, higher quality food choices, help you to manage your cravings for sweets, deal with the temptations of the approaching Halloween Holiday, how to handle eating out, traveling and everything else life throws our way!  

WEEK 1:  We will not be using workouts (unless you would like to), as there is a strong focus on your goals and getting you in the right mindset for the work that lies ahead.  Together we will set realistic and achievable goals, learn about nutrition and healthy choices, give you sample meal plans, snack ideas and more.  

WEEK 2: Here starts the FUN!  Applying what you learned in the first week, while adding in your in-home daily workouts (you have the choice of any Team Beachbody Fitness program.  I help you choose the one that is right for you based on your own fitness level, goals, and current needs).  The 21 Day Fix or Fix Extreme is by far my favorite, especially if you need an overhaul on your nutrition.  Plus the workouts are great, and there are modifications at each and every level for you to follow as you work your way through the program. 

WEEKS 3-4:  A continuation of week 2, we continue to use our daily workouts, follow our meal plans, share our accountability each day in our private groups, and support one another to our goals by helping one another celebrate successes along the way, and strategize any challenges or obstacles. 

So at this point you might be asking yourself what the requirements to join are?

REQUIREMENTS to JOIN: All you would need is to have me as your free Team Beachbody coach and complete the below application! It is 100% free of charge, and you would just create an account on my site! Then, I would walk you through the next steps to get started and get you added into my online accountability and support group.

Lastly, each person is required to replace 1 meal a day with Shakeology for the duration of the group. The reason is simple - for your health benefit, and I want to offer you the complete solution to healthy living. Shakeology is not "just" your typical protein shake.  It's not comparable to Slim Fast or any other shake on the market. I'm totally guilty of not checking the label on my shake. I used to use some cheap generic protein shake, that is until I took the time to educate myself on what I was REALLY putting in my body. Comparing that label to the list of ingredients of Shakeology was a game changer, and so eye opening. When you look at Shakeology you are seeing high quality ingredients that are not processed, there are no artificial sweeteners or flavorings and it is going to help you lose weight because it's portion controlled and it has the right carb to protein ratio that your body needs to make up a complete meal - therefore no cravings!  

You can choose any meal or snack during the day to replace with Shakeology.  I always suggest you choose the meal that you struggle with the most (or skip all together). For some, that might be crazy mornings with getting the family off to school and yourself off to work. Others might use it for their lunch at work so that they aren't going out to eat and resorting to other less healthy options. Give it 30 days so you can decide for yourself how it helps you stay on track, and how it helps you FEEL!  It will also help the transition to your new healthy routines easier, it will help you get better results because your body is getting proper nutrition and can recover faster, and at the end of the 4 weeks we can re-evaluate to see where to go from here!

Coconut Dream Shakeology

What does joining a Support Group entail?  Each day you will log in to the closed online accountability group and read the daily post from me, as your coach.  You will find either a tip on clean eating, a recipe, motivation or accountability.  Each person is required to check in each day and report their day for accountability (usually in the evening, or report for the day prior).

This is a private, safe place for us, as we are all doing this together. REAL people just like you, to help get you through any obstacles that come with reaching your health and fitness goals.  Having each other's support and encouragement is so invaluable, and will help us stay on track!

To reserve a spot in my Fall into Fitness Group, please complete the application HERE!  There is a limited number of spaces and its first come first get! Hope to see you in the group, get to know you and together become fitter and healthier versions of ourselves!!!  I cannot WAIT to ROCK OUT OUR SKINNY JEANS WITH YOU AT THE END!!!

  

Sweating for my Skinny Jeans: Online Health Support Group

It's fall!!  My favorite time of the year - jeans, boots, scarves, hats, baggy cardigans.  But if you're like me, it's been MONTHS since I've even looked at my jeans! There's nothing more I love, than a pair of dark denim skinny jeans with a cute pair of pumps or boots. And I know so many of us busy moms totally let the summer get away on us, putting our own health and fitness goals on the back-burner.  So I decided to TURBO CHARGE things for you, and help you get on a good track so you can feel GREAT by Halloween, AWESOME by Thanksgiving, and AMAZING, STUNNING, SEXY and CONFIDENT by Christmas and your New Year's parties!!!

So here's what I'm looking for:  20 women who want to lose 10 lbs. in 30 days ...for a total of 200 lbs. down between all of our group members!

Starting on September 21st, we will meet daily in a closed Facebook group for support and accountability.

You will receive a custom diet plan, one on one nutrition advice, portion control containers, a workout program that gets killer results, a 30 day supply of shakeology (a nutrient dense meal replacement shake that helps keep you on track, energized and eliminates excuses to eating right) a schedule, a support team, and a personal dietitian!

I am going ALL IN with this group and expect every other member to do as well so that we are all each other's BEST accountability partners!!  I'm already down 5 POUNDS in ONE WEEK following this meal plan I'll be sharing with our members, and I am feeling so motivated to keep things going!

We are going to spend 30 days FOCUSED and make some healthy balanced changes in the way you eat, feed your family, work out, and greatly improve your overall health.

We will fine tune your existing routines and create some amazing new habits while saying good-bye to your old bad habits.

If you want to be considered for one of the spots open and receive the application, send me a message, comment below "attending" so I can send you more information and make sure this is a good fit for you, or clink the link below to join us!!!

BIG changes are about to take place- you don't want to miss this one!!

I will be hand-selecting our 20 members. To be considered, please fill out this brief application! This will help me get to know you a bit better, and make sure you're eligible and that this group is a good fit for you and your goals!

The Kickstart Challenge: Back to School Edition

YIKES! I cannot believe it is already mid-way through August, catalogs for back to school shopping are littering our mailbox, and I hate thinking that our summer vacation is nearing an end. Our day time snuggles and spur of the moment outings are abruptly coming to an end. I am finding myself looking for ways to make the transition easier from our laid back summer schedule to our routine-oriented "school" schedule. Is this something you are also thinking about? I will have 3 kiddos in school full time this year, with my youngest at home with me. I'm excited to game plan since our current schedule is in need of some adjustments. Since I work from home, I still need to make sure I am able to do what is needed to ensure I am fitting it all in, and make the transition as smooth as possible! 

I want to help you get on track this fall by hosting a 30 day online Health and Fitness Challenge/ Accountability group. I'm sure you moms out there might be thinking I am CRAY for even considering that we can find time to work out and start eating differently while school is starting back up...because I know we feel overwhelmed, stretched too thin, tired and thinking there just isn't time for this. But I'm here to tell you to just have TRUST. I know how you're feeling. I've been there!  But I'm here to tell you that you can do it. You can find those 30 minutes each day for YOU. It is the perfect natural stress reliever, gives me natural energy, and is a confidence builder. It makes me a better wife, parent, and overall better person to be around, and I know it will do the same for you as well!  I want to help you feel the best YOU you can be. It is possible. 

Below you will find a little outline on what you can expect from my new template for this 30 day Kickstart Challenge. Think of it as your new health and fitness syllabus!  This group is intended for those who want to do what you love to do for your fitness, I will help you be consistent in your workouts so that you don't give up on yourself. But the primary focus will be on our nutrition. 80% of our results are based on what we eat!!! So this is important that we really dig in and dial it in. 

There's NO better way than the 3-Day Refresh to help me do a nutritional reset, drop some unwanted pounds fast (every time I've done it, I have lost at least 3.5 pounds, and up to 5.5 in just 3 days). For those of us who like to see immediate results to stay motivated, this is the perfect solution. AAAAAAAAAAND I really need some help to get over my peanut butter addiction - bahahaha! So now I said it - yes, I do have a problem. And yes, I will BEAT IT this month!

-Making the Time-

If you can't wake up any earlier than you do now, find a spot for just 30 minutes each day where you can work out. If you stay home, that may be during the time one of your kids takes a nap, or maybe its when your hubby comes home from work, or after the kids go to bed. If you work outside the home, most people find it easiest to form this new routine by doing it first thing in the morning by just simply getting up 35 minutes earlier than they do now (and perhaps going to bed 35 minutes earlier each night). To add this "me" time to your day, you will probably have to give up something, like surfing the web, FB scrolling, Pinterest searching, watching TV.  You've all probably heard it...don't FIND the time MAKE the time. It's important, so just do it!

-Your Why-

Together ,we will figure out your WHY. Your reason for wanting to become healthier and set some goals to get there. It's not enough to just say you want to lose some weight! That won't keep you motivated. When you dig down and figure out what's driving you .... you will make the mental switch to want to work out and prepare healthy meals. You will figure out a way.

-The Requirements-

We are busy as it is, so the workout program that is most often recommended will be one that is 30 minutes or less. I will get you started with Shakeology because honestly, its the easiest, healthiest meal of your day. And the benefits are worth every penny. As moms, our bodies need to run as efficiently as possible, to have more energy, to be able to fight cravings, and get the vitamins and nutrients pumped in so we can do everything we needs to do and have the energy to power through our workouts and keep up with our kids!

-Option to "KICKSTART" your weight loss-
...with the  3-Day Refresh challenge pack. The  3-Day Refresh is a 3-day gentle detox/cleanse that will jump start weight loss and give you a break from bad habits. It isn't a juice fast, its not a crash diet, and you do not starve. It includes Shakeology for breakfast, a fiber drink, a vanilla refresh protein shake and snack/lunch/dinner food options. I will be starting off the 30 day challenge with this for sure! I have lost anywhere from 3.5 - 6.2 lbs. when I have done it, and it's safe to use up to once each month. It is an option, not required... but note that the 3 Day Refresh Challenge Pack (including a 30 day supply of Shakeology) is on sale until the end of this month! And you also get a trial of Beachbody On Demand where you can pick your own virtual workout!!! You will love this if you get bored easily and need variety in your workout routine!
 

My 3-Day Refresh Results

-The Challenge Group-

This challenge group will only be thirty days long. If you show up once a day and check in and I see that your putting in the effort and really trying to change and work towards your goals, we will extend it to another thirty days. I'm not trying to be tough lol, I'm not really that kind of "teacher". I just am writing from my experience of coaching challenge groups for over two years. I will put 110% into you if you show up! I can't want it for you, as much as I try to...it never works that way. I'd love to help every single person that I talk to, but it's not always the right time for them.

-Objectives-

I will post daily in our private Facebook group. I will post daily motivation, tips, videos, time-saving recipes and websites (ie. slow cooker meals), workout advice, and help you stay accountable. I strongly encourage group participants to check in once a day, rating how your day was. Every once in awhile I will post a little assignment for the day. Having the support of the group is the secret sauce. When you have other people to help inspire you and encourage you, it makes a huge difference.

Listen. I know its not easy. I know it can be a challenge. I know its hard to keep your motivation afloat. I've had 4 pregnancies.  2 plus years of work. I still have lots of work to do to achieve my goals. I still have setbacks. Weight loss. Weight gain. Plateaus. Learning curves. Struggles. Non scale victories. BUT most of all never giving up. Learning to think positive. Yes, it can happen. You can make it a lifestyle change. Progress. You can make time for yourself to workout. You can make better food choices. You can think positively. You can have support doing so. I can give you the tools you need, and you just have to be ready to give this to yourself. To give yourself somewhere to start. You deserve it, why not you? Life is about to get busy for a lot of you mamas out there. Start a healthy routine now. Get started now. You will be so thankful you did a month from now, 6 months from now, a year from now. Message me or fill out the Kickstart Challenge Application if you want one of the FIVE open spots in my next challenge group.

Click HERE for more information and to apply. 

Marsha Smrcka Fitness: Body Beast Week 2

So if you're anything like me, working out comes naturally and is priority in my day-to-day activities.  I've long established a habit and routine of running, pushing play to one of my favorite in-home workouts, and just trying lead an active lifestyle for my family.  So here's the confession...last week was somewhat of a BUST for me and my eating. The foods I use are generally healthy and "clean-eating", but I got lazy with tracking, and was not watching my portions or balancing out my food groups. Too much cheese, avocado, and carbs were causing me some setbacks. When I am not eating as I should, it really effects everything - how I feel, how I push myself (or don't) in my workouts, how I sleep...I was just not MENTALLY in the game! So I did some searching this weekend and have recommitted to myself, my workouts, and my meal plan. This week I am in it to win it! And I will be posting here weekly about my journey - both to inspire you as well as to hold myself accountable! I will walk you through my experience and progress of using a 12-week strength training program, Performance line of supplements to help me tone and build muscle, and my weekly meal plans. 

There comes a time when ENOUGH is ENOUGH and when you hit that time, NOTHING can stop you. You are laser-focused and ready to tackle any obstacle in your way. This week over on my Marsha Smrcka Fitness fan page I am going over some tips on how to combat emotional eating. I have found that I can fall into this bad habit really quite easily, as well as "avoidance eating" - instead of doing something I need to do, I eat to procrastinate. Do you do this?  It just dawned on me one day last month that this was really becoming a problem for me. So with recognizing I do this, I have been able to come up with some really effective solutions to combat this mindless eating.  Follow me as I share my strategies to help you overcome this issue. 

So....what do we do during those down times when everyone else in the family is napping, watching TV, surfing the web?! We #beastup and get our sweat on! 💪💪👊  When our goals mean more to us than anything else, we just do what it takes. Period. I'm 110% committed to getting the results I'm looking for, and sometimes it takes daily reminders. I have photos that are motivational to me posted so I see them every day. I track my weekly progress in measurements, weight, and weekly percent weight loss. I also track my intake daily. 

You can either be a couch potato, thinking about all the things you SHOULD do for yourself, or you can take action. I started to listen to those voices in my head...excuses and reasons why I should put it off. But the only person I'm cheating if I skip...is ME. So suck it up buttercup, and just do it.  👊. You'll thank yourself when you're done! 

I know to see good progress, I need to dial in my nutrition. Making a meal plan that I can stick to and want to follow takes some good forethought, but once it's done, I love that I can prep up all of my meals for the week and go into "auto-pilot". Week 1 was pretty much a bust because I really didn't have a posted plan that I was following. So I am learning from that mistake, and posting my week 2 plan on my fridge so I see it every time I enter the kitchen or go to the fridge. No excuses to NOT follow it! 

My measurements are taken, my "goodbye" pics are taken, my workouts are planned, and my intake for the week is all set and prepped. I am looking forward to some big gains this week!!!

Follow my daily journey and best fit tips at Marsha Smrcka Fitness. When you want to change more than you want to stay the same, you will find your inner motivation to do what it takes!

Summer is HERE! What's on sale at Team Beachbody NOW

As a family of 6, I consider myself to be pretty thrifty, and always am looking out for a good deal. If you're anything like me, you love to bargain shop as well, and finds yourself stocking up for those times when you will need a good gift to use, or use yourself so that you don't have that "mommy guilt" of spending money on ourselves. BUT there are always SO many "other" things that we need, such as using that money towards something that the kids need, or a home improvement project, or that appliance that needs replacing, or growing to your savings, or a million OTHER things to spend money on!!! 

But remember, YOU are important too!! When you take care of yourself, you are a better mom and example to your kids, you have more energy, you will be in a better mood, you will be more confident in your own skin, you will again feel GOOD about going shopping, and like the way your clothes fit you. Please don't put yourself last. Start today, by taking advantage of these EXTREMELY discounted savings on amazing programs by Team Beachbody. 

Starting TODAY, Team Beachbody has released some of their best selling products, apparel, equipment, and supplements on sale, with up to 85% discounted pricing!!! I really hate doing salesy posts like this, but I also would hate for you to miss out, or spend more than you need to!  

Here's the scoop:  These items are limited quantities only, and while supplies last. The good deals will sell out fast, so don't delay!
This JUST started today, so get in while you can for what you want. 

Here's what's up For grabs:

• 10 Minute Trainer 43% off
• Brazil Butt Lift + the Green Band 16% off
• Hip Hop Abs & Dance Party Series DVD 68% off
• Hip Hop Abs Dance Party Series DVD and weighted gloves 57%
• Insanity Deluxe Workouts 49% off
• Insanity The Asylum Volume 1+ Equipment Buddy Kit 53% off
• Les Miss Combat + Combat Gloves (Medium and Large Only) 55% off
• Les Mills Combat Gloves (Medium and Large only) 84% off
• Les Mills Pump 32% off
• Les Mills Pump with no weights or barbells 
• Les Mills Pump Deluxe DVDs 66% off
• P90X Free P90X Plus 53%
• P90X Plus 62% off
• P90X2 and Stability Ball 53% off
• Slim in 6 29% off
• Tai Cheng 43% off

• Squishy Ball 59% off
• Stability Ball +Medicine Ball combo 62% off
• Team Beachbody Apparel Up to 65% off
• Rumbleroller is 16% off
• Ankle Weights 45% off
• The Black Resistance band with the over the door attachment 56% off
• Jump Mat 44% off

Do you need a recommendation? Are you new to some of these options?  First off, if you have Club Membership & On Demand, be sure to check out those programs so that you can preview them (Insanity, P90X, P90X2, etc.) before making the investment. What's On Demand? Click HERE for more information about Club Membership and the many awesome features available to you. 

So what is my own personal recommendation? For sure get Les Mills Combat and Pump if you are even slightly considering it! Both of these programs are going to be discontinued in the Beachbody collection.  Once they're gone, they're gone for good.  The Les Mills is a full body strength training program PERFECT for cross training for runners, or for those who don't want to take the time to lift weights every single day. The program is based on a 3-day per week training schedule, and works your entire body to achieve the results you are wanting! AND it comes with the bar and weights as well!!!

Insanity is another of my all time favorites, as it was my very first ever Beachbody program I ever used. My husband and I did it together of rthe full 60 days of the program, and my strength, endurance, and stamina significantly improved. Our results were INSANE. Completely love it!  You use your own body for resistance, and is one heck of a great cardio program.   

The ankle weights are great to use for every single workout you do, and I use them all the time!  I especially love to use them with Pilates in the 21 Day Fix and P90X3 workouts.  It definitely adds more resistance, and makes the workouts more challenging!

Seriously, every single item on this list is great, and everyone you know can benefit from using at least ONE of these to help them with their health and fitness goals.  Think *gifts for FATHERS DAY, birthday presents, or Christmas presents! Especially the Beachbody Apparel is great for the person who loves the workouts, or is a coach! I am SO stocking up for gifts - with these prices you can't go wrong. 

But honestly it does sell out fast!

To see everything on sale you can use my link:  

Click Here for My Direct Link

*If you already have a team beachbody coach, please contact your coach to help you out. If you do not have a coach, then I am happy to assist you, guide you and help you reach your health and fitness goals!

It's time to kick off Summer In Style!  If you want something more customized hit me up and I would be happy to help you find the right fit for you!

LETS make this your HEALTHIEST SUMMER EVER!!!

Join my *Summer Survival* Accountability Group today!

To apply, click HERE

21 Day Fix Extreme Meal Plan

So it's 8PM, on the Sunday night of Mother's Day. What a beautiful day it was spent with my family, everything in perfect balance. Slept in, celebrated morning mass, came home to change into my running gear so that I could get my sweat on, took the kids to play at the park, out for a family dinner, and now planning my week to set me up for success!

Do you have one day designated each week to list out what you want to accomplish? What are your goals, your to-do list, and your master "bucket list" of things you want to achieve? This little practice will help you be SO much more productive with your time! Get your focus and game plan together to succeed! 

So Sunday nights have become my favorite time to do this, once the kids are asleep and I'm sipping on some tea, winding down after a busy day with the family <3 and it dawned on me that I have just over 9 weeks until our annual convention in Nashville, Coach Summit! 3 rounds of the 21 Day Fix Extreme....funny how my mind thinks in terms of fitness programs!  Since Cancun, I've gotten a bit too lenient with my meals and tracking, so I have committed myself to dialing it in and getting to my fitness goal by the end of July - I want to kick things up a notch or 2 to really see what I am capable of! That means getting my containers out, portioning my foods, tracking my intake, and celebrating my successes each week!!! This is so much fun, knowing how my body will respond to following this program developed by trainer Autumn Calabrese. 

The simplicity of the 21 Day Fix meal plan just works for me.  It's so easy, and rather than count calories (I REALLY don't like doing that!) I think in terms of containers.  My entire family eats what I eat, and its just what we do!  No "dieting" or special foods that nobody would want except for me. Who wants to be making separate meals for the kids? No thanks! One dinner is enough work for me to handle, no need to add more work to a busy momma's schedule! 

   

So what's the game plan for this week?  It's a super busy week, with dance class activities almost every night for the girls. Their annual dance recital is on Saturday, so they have photos, dress rehearsals, lots of running back and forth...so I need to have a plan for those nights we'll be out, or we would be left to make hasty decisions. Our focus this week is all about planning, prepping snacks that we can take with us, and avoiding late night snacking.   
I'm going to start the 21 Day Fix Extreme Meal Plan tomorrow.  I am going to do the countdown to competition plan the last week of the 3 week program. I am going to be sure to get in my 5 runs each week, and double up with the workouts of the 21 Day Fix Extreme Program a minimum of 3 days per week.  I love using the weights with my workouts. With running, my body really needs some cross training to strengthen and tone my core and upper body especially. 

Here is how I work my containers into the 21 DFX meal plan, and I just cross off the containers as I use them as I go throughout the day.  For those who do not want to use the countdown to comp plan, there is also the option to fall back and use the regular 21 DF (white boxes every day), which is less restrictive but equally as effective! I'm ready with my game face on to cut the late night snacking, the extra containers (especially those YELLOWS!) and to be Nashville ready come 9 weeks!!! 

This is how you use your meals with the containers. SO easy, and once you have a plan that you love, you can use it over and over with a few simple substitutions so that you don't get bored.  

If you are looking to lose those last few pounds, tone, tighten up for a vacation, special event, class reunion, or trip... trust me, THIS is the way to go!  Plus the fact that I have done several rounds of the 21 day fix and fix extreme I am more than happy to help you in my accountability and support groups.  For me, honestly, it was the accountability that keeps me on track! Without that I would not have had the success that I did!  It's so easy to loose your mojo, but when you are surrounded with others like you, all working on the same goals, it's so much easier to stick with it and work for your own progress!  So make sure that I am your free coach, or connect with the one you have for support!

And besides, I LOVE that muscle burns more fat at rest, so even while I'm sleeping, after a good weight training day, I can just FEEL my body's metabolism revving up! 

The 21 Day Fix Extreme Nutrition Book tells you EXACTLY what you need to know. For most of us, we just want things to be easy. Tell me what to eat, give me a plan, and just plug it into my day!  There is a list of foods to choose from in each food group, so you pick from the green (veggies) category, and whatever fits in that container, you eat.  You check off the box for that meal and then you know how many containers you have left.  Super simple. Besides just the foods you are eating, there are also super yummy recipes to use. I can truly say that there isn't one recipe in the book that I don't like, especially the seasoning blends!  The food is filling & the portion sizes are perfect.  In the evenings if I feel hungry, I know it's working because my metabolism is working overtime. Sipping on some tea before heading up to bed does the trick!

30 minute workouts, weights in most all of them, Cardio with weights, Upper Body, Lower Body, Intervals, Pilates with resistance band, Yoga...has such awesome variety!

I'm starting a 21 Day Fix Busy Mom's group next week to help YOU and I stay on track! If you are interested in support hit me up by completing the application HERE.