‘Tis the Season to Pay the Bills!

I’m going to show you something, not to brag, but to share with you what I was able to accomplish last year, this same time of year, in 2 months of helping others with health & fitness – something I LOVE to do! AND, I had only been coaching for 3 months at this point!

earnings

 

This year…I’m hoping to double this amount! No, it’s not $20,000 or anything, and maybe it doesn’t seem like a lot, but for a stay at home mom of 4, this extra income has made a BIG difference! I was just hoping to earn a little extra ‘fun’ money for the family, but now I see the potential is MUCH bigger than I even imagined!

When I decided to become a fitness coach, I had a lot of questions, fears and hesitations. However, it has been one of the most positive things I have ever done! I have lost 24 pounds, and lots of inches! I’ve gotten in the best shape of my life – as a 42-year-old mom! :O The best part is that I’ve helped others lose weight and get fit, and made a nice income doing it! I have become a better person by helping and serving others.

I have been able to pay bills, and earn some extra income for my family – we were able to go on a nice family vacation this year because of the money I’ve been able to earn as a coach! AND an extra $1500 after Christmas last year came in VERY handy!!

I can teach you how to do what I do! You do not need to be a nutritionist, or a personal trainer or a fitness professional. You do not need to be at your goal weight. You just need to be interested in helping others, while you help yourself!

I have a 30 day New Coach Training starting Monday January 6. I have a couple of spots open for anyone interested in:
1) helping others
2) health & fitness
3) getting in the best shape of your life
4) being your own boss
5) working when, where and how you want
6) earning extra income – All while having FUN!

*If you want to start 2014 as a more physically and financially fit version of yourself, message me ASAP for details.

Black Friday DEALS Today!!!

Yes, it’s only Wednesday, but Beachbody is announcing Black Friday Deals TODAY! And here they are! These are INSANE prices and will likely sell out super fast! Last year, some of the deals sold out in 1-2 hours! I’ve got my eye on a few of these. I might have to give myself some early Christmas presents!

Black Friday Deals!

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  • Turbo Fire for only $29!!!
  • P90X WITH a pull-up bar is just $119
  • Hip Hop Abs – $10!!?? WHAT!?
  • Insanity, the Asylum with a free pull-up bar is $89!
  • Tai Cheng, a low-impact workout program, for only $59!

There will also be some GREAT deals on Derm Exclusive! I use these products every day and REALLY love them!

I’m also looking at some of the great deals on equipment like mats, benches and balls!

And don’t forget supplements like E&E (Energy and Endurance) a pre-workout formula, Fuel Shot and M.A.X. Creatine.

*I can’t STRESS this enough…these sales will go very fast! If you want to take advantage, be early! The deals go live at 3:00 Eastern/12:00 Pacific. So when you’re ready to order, click the button below! BONUS: Any order gets you a FREE coach – ME! -to help you reach your goals! 🙂

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Free Shakeology?

Sept_challengeOne year ago, I took the plunge! The Shakeology plunge! I was SO curious about all of the hype, that I finally decided that I needed to try it for myself. I’m not going to lie though…I was skeptical! I was making my own shakes every day, and doubted that it would be that much better or different from what I was already doing.

Well, I was so pleasantly surprised, that I can’t imagine a day without it now. I feel so much more energy, less bloated, less cravings and haven’t been sick ONE time since I started drinking it just over a year ago! My husband was a doubter, too…and now he loves it! My kids come running every time they hear me fire up my blender. We’re all hooked!

So if you’ve been wanting to try Shakeology, but are worried about the cost, check out the deal this month! You can get 2 popular Shaun T programs. You know Shaun T? Focus T25, Insanity, Asylum? Ring a bell? Well before all of that, he did Hip Hop Abs and Rockin’ Body. People love these programs because they’re fun. This month you can get the challenge pack for $140. You’ll get BOTH of the exercise programs AND Shakeology, which normally costs $129 plus shipping by itself!!! So you’re kinda getting it for free!

Check out this quick video preview of the programs that are included:

Ready to get started?! You can order HERE!

On top of that, any time you opt for a challenge pack, you are automatically invited to join my FREE 30 day, on-line support group. You’ll get the support and accountability you’ll need to get started on your new programs, and start getting results!

Have you been wanting to try Shakeology, but feel like you can’t justify the cost? It will cost you about $4.00/day. When you consider that you are replacing a meal with it – it’s less than a ‘value meal’ would cost you. And SO much more nutritious! For the price of that value meal, you’ll get the healthiest meal of your day! You won’t likely need that fancy Starbucks drink to keep you going throughout the day either. Not to mention that the money you invest in your daily health NOW will prevent you from needing to spend money on health care later! I haven’t needed a single over-the-counter medication or prescription antibiotic this year! That’s REAL savings! For me, and our family, it’s totally worth every penny!

What’s in it?

Shakeology contains over 70 ultra high-quality ingredients conveniently located in one glass, to deliver nearly all the nutrients you need to maintain a healthy diet. It’s good for you—and good for everyone—because everyone’s diet is deficient in some of the key nutrient groups packed into just one Shakeology serving.

  • Protein from whey, which is highly absorbable, gives you 8 essential amino acids that help you build muscle, lose weight, support brain function, and keep your skin and bones healthy.
  • Vitamins and minerals support optimum health.
  • Antioxidants boost the immune system and help reduce free radical damage that can lead to heart disease, heart attacks, blood pressure, and stroke.
  • Phytonutrients support immune function and have anti-inflammatory properties. Many phytonutrients have antioxidant properties as well.
  • Prebiotics support digestive and immune health.
  • Digestive enzymes help in the digestion of foods and increase the absorption rate of those foods for optimum health.

Want to save even more money? If you sign up as a coach, you can save 25% on your monthly Shakeology. You don’t need to do anything else! If you’re not interested in coaching, FINE! Enjoy the discounts off ALL Beachbody products and programs. If you’re interested in covering the cost of your Shakeology each month and then some, I can teach you how to build your own successful business. SO MANY OPTIONS!

Want to learn more about being a coach? Provide your information below, and I can answer all of your questions.

This is Going to be BIG!

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So we have a little competition going on among Beachbody coaches right now! But get this, if we win…YOU win! The goal: change more people’s lives through health and fitness!

THE OPPORTUNITY: This will be an opportunity like NO other! I am co-hosting a group challenge! Get this: FIVE coaches, including myself and the amazingly awesome Jenelle Summers, will be coaching, motivating and helping each participant reach their individual goals! It will be a “Biggest Loser” style challenge (LOVE that show!), starting on Monday August 12 and running for 30 days! Stick with us for 30 days, and you’ll be well on your way to making some really positive changes in your life! And, if you join this challenge on my team, you’ll get me as your coach for these 30 days and beyond! This is going to be FUN!

THE CHALLENGE: This challenge will be open to anyone who is ready to invest in something that will kick-start some serious results! We’ll be working out, eating clean and keeping each other ON TRACK! Workouts can be done from home and we’ll give advice and tips about clean, healthy eating. We’ll be doing this together in a private Facebook group! *If you’re not ready to invest in anything, I would still love to hear how I can help you, or someone you know!

THE PRIZES!: What would a competition be without prizes!? There will be one overall winner selected for best results and participation! The winner will receive a $100 gift card AND a special autographed book (join the challenge and you’ll find out!).

THE FINE PRINT: This challenge is open to anyone EXCEPT current coaches or those working with other coaches! (Stay with your own coach please! They love and care about you!) 🙂

READY?! Click the “30 Day Challenge” tab at the top of this page for more information. Read some testimonials of previous challengers and contact me to sign up and let me know what your goals are and how I can help you reach them!

Better Late than Never!

I did the meal plan! I swear! But I got caught up in all of the Father’s Day festivities yesterday, and just didn’t find a minute to post about it!

I had a couple of splurges over the weekend, just keepin’ it real! We went out for ice cream, and I used to always say, “No thank you”. But my kids began to hate that about me. They wanted to see me enjoying a dish of ice cream as much as they were. And so I decided, that since we go rather infrequently, it’s o.k. to have a scoop or two here and there. And for me I know that it’s not a slippery slope. I like ice cream, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not a ticket to nutrition disaster for me. Now french fries on the other hand…that’s going to be a problem. Therefore, I tend to avoid that temptation all-together!

Anyway…I digress. The point of my splurge admission, is that I’m looking forward to a week of planned meals and staying on track nutritionally. So far, I’m off to a great start! 🙂 And I’m going to need it, because I also just started the second phase of Insanity. Today was the first workout of that madness, and OMG! Have you ever had to crawl to your water bottle?!

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Click here to print and link to recipes.

Focus T25 is COMING SOON!

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You remember Tania from Insanity right?

Well check out her results from T25.

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Focus T25 should be available to order within the next 2-3 weeks! If you want to be notified as soon as it’s available, sign up below!

“I used to love long workouts, until I created the lightning-fast FOCUS T25.”

By Shaun T, creator of INSANITY, INSANITY: THE ASYLUM®, and FOCUS T25

INTRODUCING FOCUS T25™

The only thing that stands between you and the results you want is time. That’s why I experimented for the last year to see if I could create the same kind of results you’d expect from an hour-long program, in under 30 minutes.

The result is FOCUS T25—and the name implies the intent: If you focus your intensity for 25 minutes, and you do it 5 days a week, you WILL get results.

Yes, you are working out for less time. But since you have your shorts on, since you have your sneakers on, and you managed to Push Play, I’m just asking you to give it everything you’ve got, for ONLY 25 minutes. You focus, and you go! 25 minutes. 5 days a week. 100% results.

And there are major university studies out there that prove the value of shorter, more intense workouts. But I’ll save that for later. The only question now is, do you want to be one of the first to see these routines and what kind of results you can get? The answer is yes, because these routines were created at the specific request of Beachbody® CEO Carl Daikeler. The guy’s got no time, and he personally reviewed every detail so he could make T25 HIS personal program.

Don’t miss the biggest breakthrough in health and fitness since INSANITY. Join our email list and I’ll make sure you don’t miss out on the latest news about FOCUS T25.

BE THE FIRST TO KNOW WHEN FOCUS T25 IS HERE

When you provide your name and email address at the top of this page, you’ll be first to know when T25 is available! Demand for this program is expected to be through the roof—so many busy people out there want to exercise and look great, but can’t afford to spend an hour a day doing it. The only way to ensure you get a copy of T25 in the near future is to let us know you’re interested in working out 25 minutes a day to get your best body—right now!

Take a look at a preview and some testimonials from REAL people!

Sign up ABOVE to be  notified as SOON as Focus T25 is available to order!

Chicken, Veggie, Berry Workout Salad

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Do you like salads? Are you a multi-tasker? You simply HAVE to try this recipe! It’s so good, AND good for you! In just a few simple steps, you’ll have a beautiful and delicious salad that you can feel GOOD about eating! The ingredients are flexible, use what you like, don’t use what you don’t like, get it!? But the steps are absolutely a MUST! Non-negotiable! The salad won’t turn out right if you don’t do it right!

Ingredients:

  • 2-3 chicken breasts (or more, depending on how many people you’re feeding, and how chicken-y you like your salads)
  • 1 lemon
  • garlic salt
  • ground black pepper
  • olive oil
  • lettuce of your choice
  • veggies of your choice, but might I suggest the following: tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet bell peppers, green onions, avocado, celery…
  • berries of your choice: Strawberries and/or raspberries are deelish!
  • nuts or crunchy bits of your choice: I prefer slivered almonds.
  • reduced fat feta cheese (or not, up to you)

For the dressing:

  • olive oil (extra-virginy, of course)
  • balsamic vinegar (a goon one!)
  • Dijon mustard
  • s&p, or Spike, or Mrs. Dash…whatever you prefer

Equipment

  • meat pounder or rolling-pin
  • gallon-size Ziploc bags
  • gym shoes/clothes
  • wrist watch/clock/timing device

STEPS TO TAKE (a.k.a. Instructions)

  1. Put your chicken breasts into a Ziploc bag. Add freshly squeezed lemon juice (or the bottle kind will do in a pinch), a little drizzle of olive oil (maybe 1-2 teaspoons) a dash of garlic salt and some ground black pepper (to taste). *I don’t often measure when I cook…so that’s the best I can do. pounded_chicken
  2. POUND out your frustrations until your breasts (correction: the CHICKEN breasts) are the same thickness throughout, about 1/2″-3/4″
  3. Place chicken in the refrigerator.
  4. Lace up your gym shoes.
  5. Get dressed in the appropriate workout attire.
  6. CRITICAL STEP! Workout for at least 45 minutes! No less! (More is acceptable, as long as it’s not overnight) Feel free to choose whatever exercise method you like. Might I suggest: a jog/run/walk outside if it’s nice weather, pop in your favorite workout DVD (Insanity, Chalean Extreme, Turbo Fire, Les Mills Pump, P90X…etc…), a yoga class, pump some iron! You get the idea! lacing_up
  7. When your time is up, place chicken breasts on a pre-heated grill and cook for about 5 minutes on each side.
  8. Chop up lettuce and veggies. *Don’t forget to flip those chicken boobs after 5 minutes!
  9. Whisk approximately 1 part olive oil to 2 parts balsamic vinegar + 1/2 part Dijon , minced garlic + seasonings in a small bowl.
  10. Toss the dressing with lettuce.
  11. Top with chopped veggies.
  12. Retrieve chicken from the grill, slice into strips and place desired amount on top of individually portioned salads.
  13. Don’t forget the nuts and berries!
  14. Enjoy!
  15. Shower!

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The Dreaded Plateau!

plateaupicUgh! The word sends shivers down our spines! It ‘s not a fun place to visit. Nobody wants to go there, stay there or spend any amount of time there. Unfortunately, many of us end up there and find it VERY hard to leave! We’ve been talking about the dreaded plateau in my challenge groups because it can be SO frustrating to know you’re doing the work, and you’re eating healthy foods, so WHY GOD WHY are you STUCK?!

I know all too well what this feels like. And worse is that when I was there, I convinced myself there was no way off! I was working out almost every day. I was eating ‘healthy’ foods every day, too! I told myself, “Self, you’re 40 now, and this is it, the end. There will be no more progress, no matter what you do, from here on out. That’s it, you’re done.” “SHUT UP SELF! YOU’RE WRONG!” Anywho…then I had this crazy idea that I should give fitness coaching a try! WHY NOT!? That was my ticket OFF the plateau! I didn’t know it then, but I DID have it in me to get off that damn plateau! And what’s great is that it happened while I was helping other people on their fitness journeys. My success was just a big fat BONUS! So 22 pounds later, I’m off the dreaded plateau and finding that my body had it in her to take it to the next level after all. The key is mixing it up, don’t get comfortable and don’t get complacent! Don’t convince yourself – like I did – that you’re too old, too overweight, too busy, too ANYTHING! Just find a way and get it done.

Here is something I wrote to my challenge groups the other day about getting off the plateau:

“If you’re on a plateau, it sucks, but there are ways to bust through. First, look at your workout and if you haven’t mixed it up in the last 30 days, start there. Kick it up a notch. Look into a new program. Change up your routine. Do something you’ve never done. Think outside the box! Increase intensity. Go outside your comfort zone! You really need to get uncomfortable to supercharge your results. And possibly even more importantly is your nutrition. Again you need to be SO on point in order to break through the dreaded plateau! That means NO cheats! 5-6 small meals/day consisting of clean, whole foods and very little or NO processed foods! Keep sodium in check. Eat lean proteins and LOTS of veggies. Don’t eat until you’re full; eat to be satisfied and know when to step away (you can eat again in 2-3 hours). Try not to snack before bed – last food about 2 hours before hitting the hay. Plateaus can be so tricky and frustrating! So you have to really dig deep and push hard! Your body gets comfy when you stall at a weight. It fights to keep you there. What you’re doing is forcing a new baseline weight. It takes effort and a new commitment. But if you’ve made it to a plateau, it means you’ve done the work to get there so you know what it takes to push yourself again! You can do it! I can help!” Help

A few days later I posted this article, which seemed to click with a lot of them! Check it out!

5 Ways to Break through Dreaded Weight Loss Plateaus

The bottom line is you have to get creative. If you typically do a lot of cardio, start incorporating weights into your fitness routine. If you do the SAME things every time you workout, it’s time to switch it up. Beachbody carefully constructs their workout programs/schedules to account for the muscle confusion and switch-ups your body needs in order to NOT get too comfortable. The rule of thumb is that every 30 days you should be changing something up a little, or a lot! I went from Turbo Fire to Chalean Extreme to Les Mills Pump and now I’m on to Insanity and with EACH new workout, I’m impressed with how my body responds in a different way. Combine that with proper nutrition, hitting your calorie goals each day and BOOM! you’re on your way to the next level, off the plateau and on too bigger hills to climb! 🙂 You’ve got this! Just keep swimming – or climbing I guess! 🙂

Challenge = Change

ChallengeChangeAs I’m getting ready to open my eighth monthly health/fitness challenge, I’m struck by some of the results that I’ve seen come out of them! I’ve heard from a few previous challenge participants over the last couple of days and their results are more than encouraging! These kind of results prove that true change happens when you challenge yourself to replace old habits with newer, healthier habits. It’s the lifestyle change that sets these amazing transformations into motion! The purpose of these challenges is not to get you in the best shape of your life in only 30 days. Rather, it’s to learn how to take care of yourself, and find motivation that you never knew you had, so that you can continue on your journey beyond the challenge.

They say it takes 21 days to form a habit. I’ve seen it happen time and again. Once you get used to the idea of eating cleaner, healthier foods, and making your daily workouts non-negotiable, you start to tackle every day with a new determination and purpose.

These challenge groups work because they combine all of the crucial elements. You get to pick a workout that suits you. Not everyone is expected to do the same workouts, what fun would that be? You have to find something that you enjoy, so that you can stick with it! The good news is that there are MANY to pick from. I personally have done Turbo Jam (seems like a million years ago!), P90X (all 90 days!), Turbo Fire, Chalean Extreme, Les Mills Pump and now Insanity! Some people think that DVD programs would never work, or that they might get boring. That might have been true 10 years ago, but they have changed! You don’t just get one or two DVD’s, you get an entire folder full of DVD’s, each with different workouts, meant to be done on different days. Furthermore, there is a always program calendar to follow (usually 60-90 days) developed by fitness professionals that understand the importance of muscle confusion and well-timed rest days, etc. AND, there are usually some REALLY good tunes to work out to, which always helps me stay motivated!

The second part is nutrition. This was the game-changer for me. I always thought I ate pretty ‘healthy’, but I was definitely eating a lot of processed foods with labels like “low-fat”, and “sugar-free”, thinking that these things were healthy! Now, I’m not saying I don’t eat anything with those labels anymore, but I have switched a lot of it out for clean, healthy, unprocessed, whole foods. When I did, I started to see results like I had never seen before. I was so skeptical about Shakeology before I started, but honestly… now I can’t imagine a day without it! It is so satisfying, and full of nutrition! It curbs my cravings (especially the sweet-tooth cravings!), keeps me regular (if you know what I mean) and gives me enough energy to get through my very busy days! I drink it as one of my 5-6 small meals each day. Eating more often throughout the day, instead of 3 BIG meals, keeps me satisfied all day without the need to STUFF myself because I’m starving! You’ve heard the saying: “Abs are made in the kitchen”, and it’s true! You can work out everyday at high intensity, do crunches and planks galore, but if you’re not eating the right kinds of foods, you’ll never see what’s going on under that belly fat. I always share my meal plan, as well as some of the recipes that I’ve discovered along the way. It is NOT a diet, it’s a lifestyle change!  diet_over

The third and most important element is ACCOUNTABILITY! You can exercise and eat healthy all on your own, right? Well, when you have a group of people, who all have similar goals and expectations, and you report to them every day about your workouts, nutrition, victories and struggles…it just takes it to a whole new level! There’s just something about knowing that you’re going to tell people either “I crushed my workout today”, or “I skipped my workout today”, that motivates you to get it done! You’ll get to look forward to weekly progress checks and celebrate with the group when you’re making progress! Having that kind of support makes the process so positive and fun!

So without further ado, I’d like to share some of the results that have been reported.

  • Since I started, I’ve lost 22 pounds and about 16 inches. (Chalean Extreme, TurboFire, Les Mills Pump & Insanity + Shakeology)
  • Jen has lost 24 pounds and 21 inches! (Chalean Extreme & cardio + Shakeology)
  • Michele has lost 21 pounds and 23 inches! (Chalean Extreme, Turbo Fire, Hip Hop Abs + Shakeology)
  • Gretchen is down 27.5 pounds since she started a few months ago! (Turbo Fire & Yoga)
  • Barb is 62 years old and so far has lost 17 pounds and 19 1/2 inches! (Walking, body-weight exercises & Tai Cheng + Shakeology)
  • My mom, age 63, is down 7 pounds and 6 inches, and looks & feels better than ever! (Slim in 6, Turbo Fire, Chalean Extreme and running)
  • Lisa went from a size 14 to a size 8 and is down a total of 24 inches! (Chalean Extreme + Shakeology)
  • Jessica has lost 12 pounds and over 11 inches and is close to being as fit as she was when she was a college athlete! (Les Mills Pump & cardio + Shakeology)

And these are just a handful of the results I’ve seen! There are lots of reports of losing 10 – 15 pounds in the 30 days of the challenge, but it’s the results that go beyond that, that are SO incredibly inspiring. It makes me feel so good to know that the challenge causes a change in the way we think, eat, exercise and live! It works, if you do! Interested? Ready to start your own transformation? Check out the “30 Day Challenge” link at the top of this page.

FITNESS + NUTRITION + SUPPORT = SUCCESS!

Let’s Catch up, and Plan Some Meals!

First, here’s what happens when you’re not the greatest muti-tasker in the world. I get big ideas, and try to spin as many plates as I can at the same time. So, earlier, while I was preparing and putting our dinner into the crock pot to enjoy later, I had some leftover ground turkey that I didn’t want to freeze. I thought, “Hey, I’ll just patty these suckers up and throw them on the grill to enjoy later on this week”. I like to add them to salads, wraps, etc…so I’m thinking ahead, right? Well, thinking ahead is no good, unless you continue thinking until your project is complete. I slapped them on the grill, as planned, and got busy spinning at least four other plates and totally forgot about them until about 45 minutes later. And the only reason I remember them at that point, was because someone randomly used the word “turkey”. TURKEY!!! $#*T! And this was the finished product of that experiment.

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Luckily dinner was a success! That meatloaf recipe is SO good and SO easy! It turns out GREAT every time! And the only thing that I do differently is to add 1 C. ground oats (the old-fashioned, rolled kind), because I don’t know nothing bout no whole wheat panko – I haven’t located such a thing as of yet! My mom always uses oats in her loaves of meat, so I knew it would work out just fine!

I made it through my first week of Insanity…relatively unscathed! It’s become evident that I will be doing extra loads of laundry for the duration! I get sweatier during this workout than any I’ve done thus far. Even sweatier than when I run! I don’t mind it though. It’s a challenge for sure, but I love the feeling of doing something that has been a little out of my comfort zone and finding that I CAN do it! Yes it’s hard, but if it wasn’t, there’d be no point in doing it! I’m flirting with the idea of doing a hybrid with Chalean Extreme and only because I LOVE lifting so much. I really love the results that I get when I do it and I don’t want to lose ground on all of the hard work I’ve put in with Chalean Extreme AND Les Mills Pump. I want the benefits of both cardio AND weights! Also, I’m a little ADD…and it helps to mix it up a little during the week.

And now on to the meal plan…I sat outside on this glorious, sunny, summer-like spring day with some of my Beachbody cookbooks. I grabbed the Food Guides from Les Mills Pump and Chalean Extreme; there’s some good eats in there! Just trying a few different recipes this week…mixing it up…keeping it fresh…you know. Also, I had to include a couple of meals that STILL have not been cooked from like 2 weeks ago. This is the time of year when wrenches are thrown left and right! You gotta stay on your toes! I WILL cook those pizzas on the grill if it KILLS me!!! I’m going to be grilling up some flank steak this week, too. I’m a little nervous, because I don’t believe I’ve had beef more than once since about October! I hope it doesn’t wreak havoc on my already ‘iffy’ digestive system! Fingers crossed!

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Click here to print and link to recipes.

Have an over the top FAN-FREAKIN-TASTIC week! 🙂