Sunday, March 31, 2013

Happy Easter!!!!

When it comes to eating clean most people think they aren't allowed flavor, or sweets, or anything yummy. So not true!!! Here is one of my FAVORITE recipes and it is sssooo flavorful, sweet, and yummy!!! 
(The Easter Bunny left a few of theses in some eggs for the kids this morn!!!)


Almond Joys
Coconut filling:
1 ¼ cups unsweetened organic coconut finely shredded
¼ cup melted coconut oil
2 tbsp. honey
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
Dark Chocolate Coating:
5 oz. (72%or higher)dark chocolate
12 almonds
In med. bowl combine all of coconut filling ingredients very well. Evenly divide the filling between 12 muffin cups or you can just use your hand to shape them as you please. Press them tightly to make sure they stay together. Place almond on top by lightly but firmly pressing it on the top of mixture. Place in freezer. Make sure it is laying flat. Freeze until solid (about 45min.)
Take out of freezer and use a butter knife to go around the edge and pop them out and place them on wax paper. Put them in fridge while making chocolate topping.
Melt chocolate either on stove top or in microwave. If in microwave make sure to stir often. Only 10 sec. at a time.
Take out of fridge and you can either dip the whole coconut mixture in the chocolate or drizzle over top(that's my fav. Way).



"Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:"
John 11:25 KJV


More to come,
      Stay Fabulous!

Thursday, March 28, 2013

yum yum yum!

Sweet Potato Dessert!
 
 
1 sweet potato 
1/2 tsp. cannamon
2 packets Stevia
2 tbsp. natural peanut butter
 
 
*Slice sweet potato to desired thickness. 
*Bring water to a slight boil on stove top
*Add sweet potato slices, 1 packet Stevia, and cinnamon
*After the slices have boiled to desired tenderness remove and place on a plate. 
* Melt peanut butter
*Sprinkle desired amount of Stevia packet over potato slices and drizzle with melted peanut butter
 
Enjoy with a glass of almond milk, YYYUUUMMMM! 

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

haters gonna hate!

No matter what you do someone WILL always have something to say about it. Bottom line: good or bad. It seems that these days everyone thinks that everyone cares about their opinion. I can’t recall the number of times  I hear "you need some meat on those bones" or "you're so skinny you're lucky". Well yes, I do have meat on bones. It’s called lean muscle and I work out 3 sometimes 4 days a week and I always eat clean. I work hard for my body and I am disciplined to do what is needed to have the body I want. There is no luck involved, just hard work and dedication! I still feel there is room for improvement with my body and soon I will be where I want with it, but until then, I keep grinding. People will also always have something to say about what I'm eating. If I were eating badly they would also have something to say about that too, lol! No matter what we will all have critics that will have something to say. It’s like you can't win for losing these days!

So what should you do about it? Absolutely NOTHING! Keep doing you! Keep up the good work and if you are in the middle of changing your lifestyle then you need to continue to do just that! Forget about what everyone has to say about it. Like I stated in an earlier post you deserve the best you and you cannot have that if you are pleasing everyone else. I know it is hard to shut all the negativity out but you will need to learn how to channel that into fuel and let it drive you, not stop you. Let the things you are being told you can't, allow you to KNOW  you canI I can say this because I used to allow other people’s comments control me. I would always say "I wanna do this but so and so said I wouldn't be good at it" or "I think I want to do that but I don't know how so and so would feel about me if I did that" DO YOU KNOW HOW EXHAUSTING THAT WAS!?!?!?!? I was hardly ever happy and when I was "happy" I was really just making sure that the people around me were happy and had nothing bad or negative to say about me. I was always stressed and anxious.
 In high school I was elected to be on homecoming court for my class. I was a freshman and SO EXCITED about it. (I was also asked to prom that same day. It was a very good day for me). However the other girls that wanted to be on homecoming court were not as excited. So, what do high school jealous girls do? They make that person's life hell. For further reference, watch the movie Mean Girls with Lindsey Lohan if you are not familiar with high school drama. In high school I was called fat (I weighed 110lbs at 5'4), I was called ugly, I was called pasty, and anything else they thought would bring me down. (On Christmas Eve I got a phone call from one of the girls and she said "do you know what the best Christmas gift would be for me?" I said "no" she replied with "if someone came to school and threw acid in your face! Then NO ONE would like you". The only thing I could do was hang up the phone.) Well they succeeded and I went from 110lbs to 83 lbs in just a few months with the help of eating disorders. I had anorexia and bulimia. I wouldn't eat and if I did I would vomit shortly after. I would also take laxatives on the regular.... goodness looking back now I can't believe I allowed myself to go through that. I still have times where I feel guilty for eating certain things and there are trigger foods I just stay away from. Only difference now is that I know how to properly satisfy those urges to vomit and I know how to deal with the sadness and guilt if I decide to indulge. I take my frustrations and feelings out in the gym. It helps me to know that I am giving it all I have and at the end when I am so exhausted I can't stand it those feelings are gone! I did all of that harm to my body because I was trying to please people who meant nothing in the long run! There are other stories I could tell you to show how I use to try and please everyone else but I would be writing until I went to bed. "Ain’t nobody got time for that!" Now that I am not concerned about making everyone happy I am happy.  I know that people are probably talking about me, trust, I see and hear the comments but it doesn’t bother me anymore. My circumstances, my experiences and my drive for success have led me to realize that they do not matter. I am taking all of those things and creating my own happiness!

Your goal should you choose to accept it: Please try to not focus on others and what they have to say or not say. See how you feel after a week. Say “no” if you have to. Don't always be a “yes” person. Don't be taken advantage of. Push hard in your work outs, make better choices when eating and don't stress!!! After one week see if you can tell the difference and when you do take that into the next week and the next and the next until it's just what you do and how you do. Don't totally change who you are but make small adjustments toward your goals and just be happy!

Today I will just give you one exercise that you can incorporate into your routine! It's a good one and you can also use sliders on your feet to make it a little more challenging!





1) start in plank position...

2) drop down into push up position...
3) back up to plank
   4) bring one leg up then back to starting position.



After step 4 repeat 1-4 but switch your leg each time. Do 3 sets of 15 reps (each leg, total of 30). Once you have mastered those add some sliders and switch up the leg motion to either bringing both legs in at one time or bringing both legs in and then out to a wide "v" with your legs when doing the push up. Have fun with it and enjoy the exercise! Good luck!!!!


Also only a few more days left for the squat challenge!!!!
 (go check that out in earlier post if you are like huh?)


More to come,
    Stay Fabulous!!















Saturday, March 23, 2013

So Yum It's Stupid!

Clean Eat Mac-n-Cheese
2 ¼ cup whole wheat elbow macaroni
¼ cup whole wheat flour
¼ tsp. Sea salt
1 cup skim milk
3 oz. Low fat Swiss cheese, shredded
5 oz. Low fat cheddar cheese, shredded

Cook macaroni to package directions. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In med. bowl add flour and salt and whisk in enough milk to make paste. Whisk in remaining milk until no lumps remain. Place a med. saucepan over med. heat and add flour milk mixture. When milk is warm add Swiss cheese and stir until melted. Add cheddar cheese and stir until melted mixture begins to thicken. Stir in cooked noodles. Stir until noodles are covered evenly.

Yeah, you're welcome! Enjoy!!!!

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Spring Is Here!!!!

Happy first day of Spring!! I'm so excited Spring is here. Flowers, warmer weather, birds chirping, picnics, playing at the park, lunch on patios, and Spring clothes!! Everyone always freaks out during Spring to hurry and get those abs in check. I'm going to give a few tips on kicking it hard to get those abs where you want them by summer. I will say that abs are hard to get and they do not come easy. That is why it's such a great feeling when they start to show. The pic below is me about a month ago. I need to take a more recent pic but this is when they were starting to come through.

One thing you have to make sure you do to get your abs ready for summer is eat right!! Make sure your plate is as colorful as possible! Also keep it clean (not talking about the plate either). Eating clean isn't as hard as people think it is. Make sure you have plenty of veggies, lean meats, fruits, and whole grains. Also water, water, water! Eating clean is all I know, if you need help with eating clean I'm here to help. 

Exercises you can do:
crunches
bicycle crunches
toe touches
reverse crunches
side plank hip dips
russian twist
oblique v-ups
leg lifts
in & outs
scissors
mountain climbers
plank
 

All of those will make you have banging abs! 20-25 reps, repeating which ever combo you choose 2-3 times and you will be hurting but have abs for dayyyyyssssssss after a while. It's all about hard work though. Sitting at home thinking about working out never got anyone anywhere. Also remember nothing happens over night it will take time but keep at it because once you start seeing those results it's a feeling you don't want to lose. So get up and get started!! Today is the first day of Spring so you have until June 21st (first day of Summer) to get those abs in the best shape possible!!! Good luck!

More to come,
     Stay Fabulous!

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Shine Bright

  Being a self proclaimed “girly” girl I absolutely love sparkle! I probably love it more than I should at 26 yrs old but I do not care. My seven year old daughter loves it just as much as I do so that makes it even easier for me to have a reason to buy such things!!  So what does “sparkle” have to do with this post? I honestly believe every person has an inner sparkle. He or she possesses that feeling of pride and accomplishment, that feeling of "look at me" and owning it. However so many people have let others dull their sparkle and it saddens me.
Not too long ago, I was one of those people. I relied on everyone else to define who I was. If I was good enough, skinny enough, sexy enough, pretty enough, cool enough, smart enough, tan enough, tough enough, fashionable enough, fierce and fabulous enough, and so on. I allowed my happiness to be based on that and let me tell you.... that was not a fun way to live! I was the main cause of my eating disorder when I was younger. I tried to make myself so perfect in every way. It was exhausting. I never felt good enough, EVER! I have made it a private (well, I guess not now) mission of mine to never let my daughter or son fall into that horrible pit of self doubt. I am raising them to be proud of who they are and what they do no matter what! Failure is a part of life and you have to fail at a few things to be successful at many. I no longer have that need to be accepted by people. Honestly I'm actually to that point asking those who criticize me "oh I'm not good enough for you? So glad your opinion means nothing to me".  That may sound rude but I'm there and not ashamed!!!
Do not let anyone take your sparkle away from you. It's yours, you own it! Someone can only take it if you allow them. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt famously stated “no one can make you feel inferior without your consent”. Don’t be a prisoner to others and their opinions. I know you are thinking it’s probably easier said than done. True! It took me from the time I was in 6th grade until last May to let my sparkle truly shine; and it shines bright!! Rihanna doesn’t sing “Shine bright like a Diamond” for no reason! This last year I have gone out of my way to put myself in situations that I knew would hit my insecurities and make me feel uncomfortable so I could overcome them! I have made myself look like a fool at times but if you are having fun who cares? The only person that truly matters is YOU! Once you start living for you that's when change will happen! That's when you will realize your true worth and happiness. I'm not saying turn into a selfish person who is all about themselves all the time. I'm pretty sure everyone understands the gist of it. You are an amazing person no matter your circumstance, no matter your situation, no matter your past! You are you.  YOU deserve the best.
 This weekend (didn't say this week because during the week with families, jobs, and responsibilities it may stress you out more trying to find me time) I want you to do one thing for YOU! It could be starting to prep and plan meals in advance so you aren't tempted to go with the easy junk food. It could be pushing yourself a little harder in your workout because you know you have 1 or 2 more in you. It could be contacting a personal trainer to get something started. It could be sitting in the quiet comfort of your favorite spot after a busy day and doing nothing for 5-10 min. It could be lunch with a girlfriend you haven't seen in a while. No matter what it is make sure it is something that is for YOU!

Have a Wonderful Week!


 

More to come,
   Stay Fabulous!
 

Monday, March 18, 2013

There's A Party In My Tummy....

 
 NEVER GIVE UP....... EVER!


 Growing up I had so many dreams and ideas of what I wanted to be when I grew up and how my life was going to turn out. At one point I thought I would be a lawyer, another time I seriously thought I would be a professional ice skater, runway director, visual merchandizing (that may still happen one day), medical coder, dancer, and the list goes on. Well I was slapped by reality at a very young age and had to grow up pretty fast. I had to get what ever job would keep a roof over my head and food in our bellies. My boyfriend (which later became my husband which now is my ex-husband) wasn't in a great financial place either. So it made for a rough go. I had my daughter at 19 (insert gasp here) and didn't get to have the typical life of a young adult. That whole having no real responsibilities right out of high school is a foreign concept to me but everything happens for a reason. So I am now chasing my dreams and making them happen... slowly but surely.

   I am also one of those people that wants everything now. I grew up in the generation of now and fast paced everything. I don't like waiting (I am ashamed but honest). I often get frustrated and irritated that things are working out as I had planned. I am a person that likes to have everything planned out and organized and put together and if something doesn't stick to those plans it throws me off. I am working on that and will over come it. I need to work on letting things take their course because no matter how long something takes or doesn't take the time will pass anyway.

   People often get so mad and irritated that the pounds aren't falling off as fast as they would like but what most fail to remember is that it took time for the weight to pile on so it will take time for it to fall off. You also have to do your part and stick with it. Don't get frustrated and give up. See it through and when you look back and remember the struggles you faced then you will \feel even better about yourself.

Here are two quick mini workouts you can do when time it tight but you still need to get a work out in. 

25 jumping jacks                                                             10 burpees
30 Russian twist                                                              30 high knees
10 squats                                                                        30 butt kicks
10 standing calf raises                           OR                     10 sit ups
10 side lunges (each leg)                                                  20 inner thigh lifts (10 each leg)
5 kneeling (or regular) push ups                                       20 bicycles
         repeat 2x                                                                              repeat 2x



  Because I have two small kids I often get silly little songs stuck in my head. For example when eating something that is pretty much heaven in my mouth the crazy song There's A Party In My Tummy from Yo Gabba Gabba pops in my head and then I usually can't get it out. Look it up if you aren't familiar with it (warning: you will hate me later when you are trying to go to bed and the song wont stop playing in your head, lol).

 Let me show you a few little tricks I use to eat healthy and not feel deprived:
                                                      
   1) Tuna... I love tuna. I eat it often and it never disappoints. I love it because you can do so much with it. When I make my tuna I use an avocado as my "mayo". I don't use mayo or anything like that because it's so not good for you. The avocado is so creamy and delicious it works perfect! Once you get that all worked in and the consistency you like then you can add what ever you want. I like to add walnuts sometimes, onion, pickles, hard boiled egg whites, some times a little yellow mustard, flax seeds or chia seeds. The list could go on and on but just remember to keep it clean and don't start adding things that are going to void out all your healthy add ins.
    A cute thing I like to do is use my avocado shells as my bowl. Cut it in half long ways scoop it all out and BAM! you have a mini bowl to put your tuna mixture into.


   2) Dessert (or just a mid day snacks) are usually something that gets people in trouble. I make all kind of clean eat snacks and desserts but these two I'm about to talk about are probably my fav. Homemade fro-yo pops. Talk about a party in my tummy!!!!!!!!! YUMM-O as Rachel Ray would say. I have many recipes for them but they are pretty much just fruit and yogurt and occasionally I will add protein powder in there. You can make 12 pops for less that buying a box or 6 or 8 from the store. My kids go to town on these things. It's always fun to see which fruit combos they come up with. So far we haven't made a bad combo so the possibilities are pretty much endless with this!!! The only con of these is the time it takes to freeze. My kids don't like that we have to wait until the next day to eat them. I try to surprise them and make a batch when they are at school and most of the time they are ready for them for their after school snack but some times we have to wait until after dinner so I get to hear "are they done yet" a million times until I can say yes.

 3) Fruit! As you can see they look great. Usually if it looks great it taste great. This is a pic of strawberries but you can use ANY kind of fruit. Mango, peaches, blueberries, blackberries, oranges, pairs, bananas, pineapple, and more. All you do is dip whatever fruit you decide to use in plain or vanilla Greek yogurt and freeze for 25-30 min. It is also a very cute set up at parties. Just make sure what ever you have the fruit in when serving can be placed on or in ice to keep the yogurt from melting and turning into just a bowl of yogurt and fruit lol (defeats the purpose).

More to come,
   Stay Fabulous!