Change Your Habits - Change Your World Challenge

You know the funny thing about being a health and fitness coach is that the summer is sometimes less busy than you would think. I am always very busy during the winter months while everyone is “gearing” up for bathing suit season, but by mid summer I often see things drop off in regards to motivation from many. I think people feel like it’s a bad time of year because they are vacationing and relaxing and want to put it off until fall. I have found though, it can be done and done well with some effort. The best part is, it can be pretty fun and rewarding too!

Starting a new fitness program during the summer does not mean you have to live off of salads, skip the summer cocktails and workout all day long. It’s more about learning to adapt to a new lifestyle that you follow forever. Not just a few weeks or until the pound's fall off. It’s a permanent change. It’s about learning how to navigate thru life with the 80/20 mindset. It’s a way of living that more and more people are adapting to and it’s easier than you might think.

What is the 80/ 20 mindset in regards to nutrition and fitness? It’s more of a focus on mindfulness. 80% of the time you are spot on in regards to your nutrition. You are eating “clean.” Your diet is loaded with fresh fruits, veggies, proteins carbohydrates and healthy fats in moderation. You practice portion control and and strive to eat foods in their most natural state. If it is processed, the less ingredients the better. I strive for 5 or less. It helps me to be assured there are few chemicals and preservatives in it.

That 20% is your treats and slip ups. It’s about not being perfect all the time but being mindful. I never want my clients to feel “deprived” when it comes to foods. If they want to have a slice of cake or a cocktail every once in awhile fine. I encourage them to do that, but I have them practice moderation. I don’t want them having 10 cocktails or the entire cake. The same goes for the exercise. I don’t want them thinking it has to be 7 days a week for hours upon hours a day. It means that 80% of the time you are going to exercise but if you miss a day. That’s totally okay.

This lifestyle is about refusing to quit. So many people fall off the wagon and then think they need to start over but really when it’s a lifestyle there is no starting over. Each day is a fresh start and a chance to get back on track.

This is the mindset I try to instill in my challengers. I try to teach them a forever approach rather than a quick fix.

On June 13th I will kick off my 30 day "change your habits - change your world" challenge group. This group will consist of daily support and motivation from me. In the group you will be surrounded by others who are working towards the similar lifestyle change goals that you are. I will provide recipes, fitness and nutrition tips and most importantly I will hold your feet to the fire and help to prevent you from quitting.You will pick your fitness program, Shakeology flavor and agree to eat clean for the duration of the challenge. Hopefully the skills you learn from this group will stick with you for the long haul. I've found that it’s easy to buy a fitness program with good intentions but it’s hard to stick with it without support. Let me be the one who gets you to where you want to be in your life in regards to your health.

Don’t let summer be your excuse. Starting something new never really has a “right” time. You just need to decide that it’s THE TIME for you. Allow me be the one who helps you have your best transformation yet. You have what it takes.

Fill out the application below. I will be in touch shortly to help get you enrolled in the group.

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Mexican Chicken Tortilla Soup

Clean, Yummy and Gluten Free Soup 

I wish it were not still SO cold here but it is. It's the end of May and I am still wearing my winter clothes and making soup. This past weekend we were rained in our house so we resorted to a warm pot of soup Sunday afternoon. I was nervous that it might be too spicy for my little guy but he gave it two thumbs up and loved it. This recipe is from the fixate cookbook. It's healthy, yummy and gluten free!!! Let me know if you try it! You can also purchase the fixate cookbook by clicking here. 

Ingredients 

• 2 teaspoons olive oil

• 8 (6") tortillas, divided use

• 1/2 cup onion, chopped

• 2 cups celery, sliced (about 4 medium stalks)

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 4 medium tomatoes, chopped

• 6 cups low-sodium organic chicken broth

• 3 cups chopped and/or shredded rotisserie chicken, boneless/skinless

• 1 1/2 cups sliced carrots (about 3 medium)
• I cup of sweet corn

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

• 1 teaspoon chili powder

• ½ teaspoon sea salt + more to taste

• ½ teaspoon pepper + more to taste

• optional garnish: chopped avocado, chopped fresh cilantro, crumbled Cotija (or Feta) cheese

Instructions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 F.
 
2) Line large baking sheet with parchment paper.
3) Place tortillas on baking sheet.  Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until toasted and crispy.  Remove from oven.  When cool, break into pieces.  Set aside. 
4) Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and celery; cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes and until veggies are soft. Add garlic; cook, stirring frequently, for about 1 minute. Add in the sweet corn and tomatoes; cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes and until tomatoes are soft. Set aside.
5) Add onion mixture, 2 cups broth and half of the toasted tortilla pieces to high-speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
6) Transfer blended mixture back to saucepan and add remaining 4 cups broth, chicken, carrots and seasonings. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, or until carrots are tender.
7) Top each serving with preferred toppings such as avocado, cilantro, feta, and remaining tortilla chips.

Curious About Beachbody Coaching?

WANT TO LIVE LIFE BY DESIGN? 

If you follow me on social media, I know you see all of my posts about my coaching business and how this “blessing” has changed our world and you hear me gushing about it ALL. THE. TIME. You want to know why you hear me talking about it ALL.THE.TIME. because I absolutely love it. I love who I have become because of it, I love what it has done for my family, I love the friendships I’ve made and I love what our company stands for. It’s no wonder I talk about it all the time. How could I not.

Because of this opportunity I lost all my baby weight, I have been able to travel the world, it has gotten me one step closer to financial freedom and allowed me to “retire” from teaching at 29. What does that mean for me? More freedom. Freedom of time, freedom of finances, freedom to do whatever I want with my life and that my friend feels pretty damn good.

This coming fall instead of going back to work like all my other teacher friends, I will be working from home in my yoga pants. My son will be staying home with me part time instead of being in daycare (something I have NEVER been able to do) and life will be a lot less stressful. You see I got sick of the rushing and running and always feeling like I was fighting an uphill battle as a working mom. I was exhausted and quite honestly I was over it. I wanted to provide for my family but I wanted to do it in a different way. One that was less stressful and allowed for more time with my loved ones.

Coaching has allowed me to do just that. I have been able to build a business after bedtime while juggling the full time job. It took me a few years but I finally matched what I was making at my day job all by helping others get healthy and build their own business. This job isn’t about being a salesperson. It’s about caring about people, getting to know them and holding them accountable. I get to teach people how to feel confident in themselves again and be better than they were before. That’s a powerful thing to be able to pay forward to others.

If you have been following my journey and are curious  about the coaching opportunity, I invite you to join me for a live event on Wednesday May 25, 2016 from 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm Eastern Standard time.  We will share conversations about coaching. There is no commitment if you join us. It’s just informational. I will answer some of the most commonly asked questions I get asked. It will give you a taste of why I love this so much. You never will know if it’s for you if you don’t try. You can access the event by clicking here.

In the event that you do decide to join me as the next new ROCK STAR on the team, I will be kicking off your business training on Monday June 6th so this is your time to decide if it’s right for you.
Who knows maybe you can turn your little social media addiction into a business for yourself and get a little healthier and happier along the way!

Please fill out the application below so I can learn more about you!

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Baked Peach Oatmeal

I have been on a baked oatmeal kick these last few weeks. You may have seen a few of my other recipes show up on the blog. I am on a quest to find my favorite. This one is ranking up there pretty high. The cooked peaches tasted wonderful! I am looking forward to making this one over the summer when the peaches are ripe.

Here are the ingredients that you will need: 
2 cups of gluten free rolled oats
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
2 cups of vanilla almond milk
1 egg
3 tablespoons of melted coconut oil
1 and 1/4 teaspoons of vanilla extract
3 large peaches chopped

Directions 
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray an 8x8 pan with coconut oil.
Combine dry dry ingredients in a separate bowl (oats, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, brown sugar)
In a separate bowl combine almond milk, melted coconut oil, vanilla and peaches, and egg.
Pour wet ingredients into the dry mix stir it all together.
Pour into the 8x8 pan and bake for 40 minutes uncovered.

ENJOY!!!

Retired From Teaching....At 29

Retiring From Teaching - Chasing The Next Chapter In Life 

This is a blog post I never EVER thought I would be writing when I started my journey as a coach but sometimes life takes you to unexpected places. I started Beachbody coaching in March of 2014. This was one month after participating in my first challenge group as a challenger myself. I just wanted to lose a few pounds that I had left of baby weight. I ended up loving it and decided I liked it so much I wanted to be a coach myself. At this point I was not looking for this opportunity to allow me to quit my job. In fact, I loved my job as a teacher and I had no plans to ever leave education. I just liked helping others feel as great as I did. I was enjoying using my skills I had from being a business teacher and applying them to my own business. It was fun to use my talents outside of my classroom.

Like all things I do when I decide to do something, I went ALL in from the start. I wanted to learn as much as I could and I wanted to make it work. From month one I kept telling my upline coach that I was going to be a top coach someday. I am certain she thought I was nuts but I kept showing up. I listened to every training and call I could get my hands on. I wanted to learn as much as I could as fast as I could. I was hungry to learn. I saw very quickly that the harder I worked the more disposable income I was able to create. As a teacher that was not something I was used to. My income was fixed. I got a raise once a year. It didn't matter how many extra things I did or hours I worked. The pay wasn't going to change. While it was a decent pay with wonderful benefits and a lot of other great perks it often left me with little disposable income at the end of the month. Paying for our mortgage, bills, groceries, daycare and just life in general in an affluent town gets expensive and I found myself wishing I could bring in just a little bit more for our family. 

I decided after a few months in I was going to make this opportunity work for me no matter what. I saw others who had gone before me leaving great jobs and going on not just to retire themselves but also their spouse. While it seemed SO crazy I had this feeling in my gut that I could do it too. I kept saying over and over to myself "why not me" and I often reminded myself those successful coaches were no different than me. I believed in myself from day one and in my heart of hearts that is why I believe I was able to turn in my letter of resignation from teaching at the age of 29. It's funny because if you look closely I really didn't stop teaching and I don't think I ever will. My classroom and my students just have changed. I am still teaching which is where my heart is and always will be. Instead of teaching in a school I am teaching people how to get healthy in my challenge groups and I am teaching my new coaches how to run a business and become successful. When you look at it thru that lense you start to understand why I love this like it do because really it's my passion simply disgiuised as something else. 

I don't want you to think this was easy. I worked REALLY REALLY hard for two solid years. I worked 5 - 6 nights a week from 8 pm - 11 pm sometimes until midnight or later. Only to wake up the next day by 5:00 am and do it all over again. I was relentless. I knew what I had to do to make this work. Last year I balanced a full time job as a teacher and this past year I was the Dean of Students for the 12th grade instead of teaching. I juggled motherhood, married life, the demands of keeping up with a household and I also took grad classes. I was the definition of busy. I managed to finish out the year last year in the top 200 out of 400,000+ coaches in the network.  It was becoming very obvious that my little business that I was building after my sons bedtime started to grow beyond a hobby. The income went from spending money for me to buy make up at ULTA to covering a weeks worth of groceries to evolving into covering a months worth of groceries in a week. The longer I kept at it the more my residual income grew. To the point that I was making more at my part time job than I was at my day job as a teacher. It meant we had to think about how much longer I could keep juggling it all. While I did it well, I will admit it was taking it's toll on my health and I was starting to burn out. I couldn't keep doing both. My team and my role as a coach was needing more and more of my time the bigger we grew. It meant I needed to take the leap.

Quite honestly, I got lucky. My husband has been my biggest fan since day one. Not everyone can say that about their spouse when they start to chase crazy dreams. He is the reason why I am where I am today. He believed in me and what I could make of the opportunity and has supported my decision all the way. He too has made sacrifices so I could make this work. We have both had others question what on earth I was doing as a coach. We have been the butt of a few jokes over the last few years and sometimes when we tell people what our goals are they look at us like we have fallen off the crazy train. We kind of smile at each other when we get those questions because we are both thinking the same thing. If you only knew what it's doing for our family you wouldn't be questioning us. We let them laugh because they don't sign my paycheck. Not everyone gets this lifestyle and that's okay we don't need everyone to understand it or approve of it. We get it, we love it and he supports it and quite honestly that is all that matters to me.

Living your life out loud on social media is not for everyone but I have discovered that it is for me. Over the last few years I have shared my journey from being a busy working mom who never took care of herself into a confident fit mom who made a change not just in her life but also her families. We have chosen to share the good and the bad on social media. We have shared our most private moments and some of our most difficult. We have used our platform to inspire others. Is is difficult to share so much all the time? Sure it is, but the joy and positivity it has brought into our life can never compare. This blessing has been worth all the sacrifices.

I feel like I have been handed something that will change our world forever and I gladly share the opportunity with anyone who is up for the challenge. Like I said before it's not for everyone but it is for those who are brave enough to say why not me. It's for those who need a change in their life and for those who are willing to learn and work hard. It's for those who are willing to believe and bet on themselves. 

I want to end with a huge heartfelt thank you to all of my customers, coaches, my family, my mentors and my followers on social media. Thank you for letting me share my life with you and for allowing me into yours. I am excited to see where life will take us next. I'm anxious to close this chapter of my life and enjoy the freedom that will come along with my new career as a coach. I would be lying if I didn't say it's a little scary to leave something so good but often on the other side of good lies great. You won't ever know unless you give it a try. Sometimes you just have to trust your gut and my gut is saying it's time. 

As always, your welcome to join me. If you have a voice inside your head telling you to try it like I did. You probably should. I am certainly glad I followed mine. It's lead me to a beautiful place.

To make the legal team at Beachbody happy I do need to share our income disclaimer. "Beachbody does not guarantee any level of success or income from the Team Beachbody Coach Opportunity. Each Coach's income depends on his or her own efforts, diligence, and skill."

I got here because I worked hard. Nobody handed it to me and the same goes for you. If you want a life like others can only dream of you have to outwork everyone else. Plain and simple.  

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Shakeology Ice Cream Sundae

Chocolate Covered Cherry Chip with Coconut 

On most days you will find me drinking my Shakeology as a "shake" in the afternoons between my afternoon snack and dinner time. It's what helps to keep away my cravings and it is also what helped me to eliminate most all junk foods.

BUT sometimes a girl just craves some ice cream in the middle of the day. Lucky for me I can change the consistency of my Shakeology by using a little more ice and frozen cherries. It turns the consistency to that of frozen custard. I like to give it a few toppings and eat it out of a bowl. It's almost like having an ice cream sundae. This totally did the trick for my ice cream cravings and tasted amazing. 

Here is how I made it. 

Ingredients 

1 scoop of chocolate Shakeology 

10 ounces of water 

4 ounces of vanilla almond milk 

1/2 cup of frozen cherries 

10 ounces of ice 

Chocolate chips

Shaved coconut 

Directions 

Combine ingredients in blender and mix for one minute. 

Pour into a bowl and top with shaved coconut chocolate chips and a few whole cherries. 

Enjoy! 

Quinoa Chicken Burrito Bowls

A Killer Way To Cook Quinoa

Ingredients
3 skinless boneless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon of butter
Extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 large onion diced
1 red pepper diced
2 cups of yellow corn
Shredded taco cheese
Diced avocado
Cooked Quinoa (I boiled mine in chicken broth for additional flavor)
Salt
Pepper
Cumin
Chilli Powder
2 limes

Directions 
In a separate pan cook quinoa according to the package. Again, I used chicken broth instead of water.
Cut chicken breast into bite size pieces. Add in butter and olive oil and brown chicken.
Season with salt, pepper, cumin and chilli powder. I didn't measure, I just made sure I coated the chicken.
Add in minced garlic. Flip until brown.
Add in the diced onions and peppers. Cook until softened.
Add in cooked corn then quinoa once it has absorbed all of the chicken broth.
Stir, re-season again to your liking and allow it to sit for a few minutes. Squeeze 1 fresh lime over the mixture.
Once you serve the mixture top with taco cheese and diced avocados and enjoy! Garnish with a lime.

Tropical Smoothie Bowl

Tropical Smoothie Bowls 

Social media has allowed me to make friends ALL over the place. I enjoy connecting with these people and even learning from them. The other day I was online and I came across one of my friends smoothie bowl pictures. It stopped me dead in my scroll. I was like I HAVE TO TRY THIS!!! It looked so yummy! These smoothie bowls are showing up everyone on social media and I had yet to try one. I asked if she wanted to be featured on my blog and she said absolutely! She did a little write up for you all and shared her recipe. I have included it below. ENJOY!!! Thanks Kari!

*******************************************************************************

With spring in the air everyone is looking for some of there favorite cooler sweet
treats.
I’ve been a smoothie or shake person for about a year now and find myself having
them for more meals than most people would probably like to admit.

What most people don’t realize is exactly how much food I’m putting into my
smoothies, I’m often criticized for “drinking” my meals. When in reality, I put whole
foods in my blender, the only difference between my meal and theirs is I don’t have
to sit down to physically cut and chew it.

I stopped at home for lunch (initially planning a smoothie) when my stepmom made
a pit stop. Knowing I only have an hour and didn’t have anything unthawed, I
opened my fridge to see what our options for a quick meal were. I laughed as I said,
“Well I was going to have a smoothie, how do you feel about smoothie bowls?”
She gave me that, “I’m humored and not sure about you sometimes,” look that moms
everywhere have mastered but willingly agreed that it sounded “lovely.”

I was introduced to smoothie bowls a few months ago, I saw the meals highlighted
on both Pinterest and Instagram. I’ve tried several recipes I love but find that most
of my favorites happen on accident. Today was one of those accidents. You’ll have to
try it for yourself to believe me.

Smoothie Recipe:
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Serves 2 small bowls or one large bowl

Ingredients
½ Banana
1 Kiwi
½ Avocado
¾ c. Pineapple
½ Granny Smith Apple
½ c. Plain Greek Yogurt
½ c. Unsweetened Almond Milk (adjust as needed depending on consistency
preference)
1 tsp. Blue Agave Nectar (You could use honey if you don’t have this)
1 tsp. Maca Powder (optional) if you don’t know the health benefits Maca provides,
read this: http://www.vegkitchen.com/nutrition/7-top- health-benefits- of-maca/

Directions 
Throw all of these ingredients into a blender, cover and hit the power button! (This
is truly the best part about giving smoothie recipes, no need to have step by step
instructions.)
Dump your smoothie into a bowl and top with whatever your feeling or you have on
hand. We used, the rest of our banana and kiwi but added some fresh raspberries,
walnuts and shredded coconut!
Comment below to give Sarah you’re feedback on it if you decide to give it a whirl,
and remember, a recipe is simply a reference—add or remove what you wish to
make it your own. 

Last Chance Challenge

Ready to Feel Different This Summer?

I feel like I have spent the entire winter months warning my social media followers that SUMMER IS COMING faster than you think. I have been encouraging them to take care of their bodies over the winter months, but some have allowed the winter fluff to creep in and stay with them. I have had many messages in the last few weeks asking for help with the fluff because let's be real... summer is actually almost here. Snuck up on you huh?? Yeah me too a little bit but that's okay we have a little bit of time left.

I got to thinking about how everyone builds so much hype about summer and summer bodies and all this superficial stuff about looking good in your clothes or your bikini. Quite honestly, I would pick healthy and confident over anything else. The confidence piece is what I think changes the most with the clients that I work with and it is one of the things that I am most proud of. When someone learns to take control over their own life they become a new person. They learn that the journey isn't just about the scale. It's about learning to love yourself and what you can accomplish when you focus your efforts on new beginnings. The bathing suits and summer clothes are just icing in the cake.

I love hearing about how the weight loss journey has allowed them to become a better mom or wife. When they say things like THANK YOU - because of this group I now feel like I have more energy to play with my kids. Or that they were able to feel like they found themselves finally. I know from experience motherhood and life in general is TOUGH. It can wear you ragged and sometimes you need someone to show you how to get back to where you used to be or where you want to be.

If you are serious about feeling more confident this summer and can relate to what I am talking about I can help you, but it's kind of the last call. I encourage you to do something different this year. Don't be like the rest of the people sitting at the pool wishing they had made changes in their habits. Be different, be brave and go after the change. Have faith in yourself that YOU CAN DO THIS and YOU WILL NOT QUIT.

We will be starting on Monday May 16th. The group will run for 30 days. In that time you will be doing a Beachboy workout program of your choice, drinking a daily dose of Shakeology and learning how to eat clean. All while I keep you accountable and on track with your goals.

You can expect from me as your coach nutrition tips, recipes, daily check ins, meal planning help and lots more. While I can't do the work for you, I can be your biggest cheerleader and the days when you might need it the most.

We will be using the my challenge tracker app in the group. This is a new platform created by Beachbody to allow you to log and track your workouts from your mobile device or tablet. While you can download the app before beginning, you would need to get an access code from me to join in on the fun. Check out this video to learn more about it.

If your ready to ask for some extra help and do this before summer is in full swing, please fill out the application listed below. I will be in touch shortly.

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Italian Anyone??? Easy Breakfast Option 

I should confess. I have a slight obsession with all things tomato and basil. It's funny because growing up I hated tomatoes. Since I transitioned to clean eating this has become one of my favorites. I put together this breakfast quiche option and skipped out on having a crust since I am gluten free. Turns out, I don't even miss the crust. The egg combo holds together well. I encourage you to give it a try. Especially if you are doing low carb or gluten free. 

Ingredients 

• ½ of a small onion diced 
• 1-2 cloves garlic minced up 
• 1 pint of grape tomatoes cut in half 
• ⅓ cup packed fresh basil, chopped
• 4 ounces fresh mozzarella shredded 
• 4 large eggs
• 2 large egg whites
• ¾ cup milk 
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Directions 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
In a skillet cook chopped onions and garlic until tender. I used a bit of butter to help brown it. Once cooked, set aside.
In a large bowl combine eggs, egg whites, milk, salt and pepper. Wisk together.
Cut tomatoes in half. Add into the egg mixture.
Next add in the mozzarella cheese and basil.
Pour into a glass pie pan or round baking dish.
Top with salt and pepper, a bit of cheese and a few tomatoes for garnish.
Cook in the cover for 50 minutes uncovered.

Enjoy! Serves 6.

Shakeology Lava Cake

I have been working on doing a round of the 21 day fix extreme and along with that it requires me to stick to the meal plan. No room for cheats or falling off the wagon. I was pumped with I came across this lava cake recipe made from Shakeology and a few really simple ingredients. The cool part... it took me less than 5 minutes from start to finish to make this. No messes, easy clean up and yes it totally tastes as good as it looks. 

If your craving some cake but on a strick meal plan give this one a go! It won't dissapoint. 

Enjoy!
Ingredients 

• 1/4 tsp baking powder

• 1 scoop Shakeology

• 1 tbs sweetener of your choice

• Quick dash of salt

• 1 egg

• 1 tablespoon of peanut butter

• 1 tsp of cocoa powder

• 3 tablespoons of milk

Directions Combine Shakeology, baking powder and salt into a coffee mug
Add in milk, egg, peanut butter, sweetner, and cocoa
Stir until it has the consistency of brownie batter
Put into the microwave for 90 seconds
Watch it cafeully so it does not overflow. I had to stop mine a few times so it didn't errupt ;)
Remove from the mug (use a knife then hold it upside down. Should pop right out.)
Garnish with fresh strawberries and melted peanut butter.