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My View from the Front Row

lift_spiritsSo, I posted this picture on Facebook the other day, because I liked the message quite a bit. The day before that I posted some pretty amazing results from a couple of my favorite challenge group members, who also happen to be my aunt and my cousin. I have a challenge group going with some of my cousins and my aunt and they have all been so gracious, kind and thankful ever since I invited them to get started. BUT, I insist that THEY are the ones who deserve all of the credit, and that I’m just fortunate enough to get a front row seat. This is truly how I feel about it.

You can’t get the results these ladies are getting without a strong desire to change. It comes from inside of you. You can be inspired by others, and motivated by things you see and hear, but until you flip that switch that’s someplace inside of you, at the right moment in time, nothing can happen. I just have to hope, that what I say and do connects with someone at just the right time, because that’s when the magic happens. Once you flip your switch, you’ll just start to get it. You’ll want it. You won’t stop until  you reach your goals. And then you WON’T stop, because it’s not something that has a beginning, middle or end. It’s a process. It’s a journey.  And if I’m lucky, I get to be there to see it…from the front row!

Losing weight and getting fit and healthy is so much more of a mental battle than a physical one. It’s a mindset. It’s taking the little steps everyday, knowing that this isn’t a quick fix, it’s a lifestyle change. If you don’t want the life-change, than it will never work. Let me say that again: If you’re not willing to change your life, IT. WILL. NEVER. WORK. You really can’t ‘dabble’ in health and fitness. There’s no sense in it. Why would you kill yourself in the gym for an hour, and then stop and get a cheeseburger on the way home? You have to flip your switch to ON. You have to commit to change. And here’s the good news: it’s totally, entirely, incredibly, unbelievably do-able! You can ask anyone of the challengers from my groups who have ‘gotten it’. They switched ON and it all makes sense now!

Here is the secret: Eat clean and exercise. That is it. There is no fad diet that will do what those two things will do for you. Will you have to change your habits? Yes. Will it be hard at first? You bet. Can you do it? I’ve seen people busier, older, more tired, with more physical restrictions, crazier work schedules and more excuses than you, and they’re doing it. How? Their switch is ON! That is all it takes. Because it changed their priorities, the way they use their time and their mindset. I have had a front row seat to see the journey they’ve been on ever since, and they are my motivation!

And here is the nicest thing anyone has said to me in a long time. When I insisted that THEY take all the credit for the hard work they had done, my cousin said this (I’ve copied it and saved it because it really meant the absolute world to me): “you definitely deserve some credit! Without you, I wouldn’t be where I am. I wouldn’t have started… We each have to individually and physically take responsibility for what we put into our bodies for fuel and for what exercise we do with our bodies, but because your heart is so strong (you lift our spirits so much!), you are giving others the strength and confidence to do this, when maybe they couldn’t/don’t do it on their own! Like I said… thanks is not enough. You have a gift and it is such an awesome thing to share with others! You are the greatest coach ever! And I am so glad you like the front row seats!!! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! ”

<Gulp>

I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again. I love this job! I am so lucky! And I can’t wait to help someone else flip their switch and see the results and the success that comes from the hard work, the time and the commitment to their own health and fitness. Is it going to be you? Spring is such a great time to get started, and if you’re ready…I am too! Get yourself signed up for my next 30 Day challenge. It will start April 1. Get the results you’ve been wanting for yourself. You can do it, you just have to want it! Go to the 30 DAY CHALLENGE link at the top of this page to sign up, or get more information. I hope I get to watch you from the front row, too!

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Meal Plan for March 10 – March 16

meal_3-10
Click here to view, print and link to recipes.

Weekly meal planner

I find myself eating basically the same things for breakfast, lunch and snacks. So rather than type it over and over again, I’m just going to show you that depending on what’s in the fridge, and what we’re doing for the day, I’m going to grab one of the options above. 🙂

I don’t even have much more to say anything about this week’s plan except that I hope you find it useful!

-Angie

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Weekly Meal Plan for March 3 – 9

meal_plan_3-3
Click on image for a “clickable” menu with links to recipes.

So HERE is the meal plan for this upcoming week. I’m still trying to figure out what is the best method to share this, but for now this will do. If you click on the image above, it should bring up a printable page, linked to the recipes that I plan to use throughout the week. Now, there is always some wiggle-room here, but this is the outline I intend to work with for the week. Last week, I stuck with everything on the plan until Friday, when we were supposed to have baked tilapia, and then we found out that friends were coming for dinner. I had to change the plans because there wouldn’t have been enough for everyone. Instead, I made the whole wheat pizza recipe, also on my site here. It’s a family friendly, crowd-pleasing recipe that takes a little effort, but makes for a fun dinner to share because everyone can get involved in the process.

To prepare for this weeks meals, I’ll be doing  a little prepping and pre-cooking. I’ll grill up a couple of chicken breasts for salads/wraps. I plan to make up some homemade Larabars, a cheaper and healthier alternative to store-bought, pre-wrapped snack bars. I probably cook up some quinoa, too, to use in various salads and sides. Just a little work now makes the week go so much more smoothly!

It’s going to be a delicious week! 🙂

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Pizza Night Done Right!

I LOVE pizza! It’s my absolute, hands down, favorite food! Some might consider that a weakness…but I love it so much, I’m willing to do a little extra work to make it healthy AND delicious! You can make the dough recipe below as stated OR you can throw it all in a bread machine, following your manufacturer’s guidelines for ingredient order, and use the dough cycle. *That’s how I did it until my bread machine died! 🙁 The best thing about this recipe is that it makes 3, 12″ thin crust pizzas, so everyone can make their own, share with a friend/family member and put on own their favorite toppings. It makes me so unbelievably happy to load mine up with all my favorite toppings (that don’t happen to be my family’s favorites), like: pesto, artichokes, olives, peppers, carmelized onions, zucchini, feta cheese, skim mozzarella, tomatoes, and spinach (the more veggies the better!). It makes for a fun family night, or dinner with friends. And everyone’s happy to eat the pizza that THEY designed! 🙂 Enjoy!

1 t. honey pizza_night

1 ½ C. warm water (100°F)

1 T. active dry yeast

1 T. olive oil

1 t. salt

3 ¼ C. whole wheat flour

1 t. Italian seasoning (or substitute garlic powder, oregano, basil, whatever you like!)

Cornmeal

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, dissolve honey in warm water. Sprinkle yeast over the top, and let stand for about 10 minutes, until foamy.
  2. Stir the olive oil and salt into the yeast mixture, then slowly work in the whole wheat flour and seasonings. When the dough starts to come together, tip dough out onto a surface, adding in the remaining flour as you go. Knead until all of the flour has been absorbed, and the ball of dough becomes smooth, about 10 minutes. Place dough in an oiled bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover loosely with a towel, and let stand in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
  3. When the dough is doubled, tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and divide into 3 pieces for 3 thin crusts, approximately 12” pizzas, or leave whole to make 1 or 2 thicker crusts.
  4. Preheat the oven to 500°F. Spray, or oil a pizza pan, stone, or cookie sheet and lightly dust with cornmeal. Roll a ball of dough with a rolling-pin until it will not stretch any further. Transfer to prepared pan and continue to stretch and work the dough to desired size/thickness. Pre-bake for 5 minutes in the preheated oven. Do this with remaining crusts.
  5. Turn oven down to 425°F. Now you can spread the sauce and top your pizza however you like. Return to oven and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until the crust is crisp and golden at the edges and the cheese is melted on the top.

*If 3, 12″ thin crust pizzas are made, and cut into eighths, each slice of crust is 60 calories. Then figure in your toppings to determine additional calories. For reference, the above pizza,as I described, was around 150 calories per slice. I had 3 slices and LOVED every bite; totally guilt-free!

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Cookie Dough Bites

You don’t even have to hide when you’re eating this cookie dough. No shame here! These are tasty and healthy and will satisfy your sweet tooth. And the best part is that they taste JUST like cookie dough! 🙂

The inspiration for this recipe comes from a website: www.adashofcompassion.com, but the original recipe posted there was a little high in calories for me. So I took it to my test kitchen to see if I could come up with an alternative that still tasted delicious. And I did! It worked! It really tastes just the same as the original recipe, but with HALF the calories! Yay! So here is the recipe. Enjoy!

Dark Chocolate Cookie Dough Bites    cookie_dough_bites

1/3 C. raw almonds

1/3 C. raw walnuts

1 C. rolled oats

¼ t. cinnamon

1 pinch sea salt

¼ C. honey (or agave nectar)

2 t. vanilla

3 T. dark chocolate chips (chopped coarsely)

Directions: In a food processor or blender, process the almonds, walnuts, oats, cinnamon and salt to a fine meal. Transfer to bowl. Add the honey and vanilla, and mix. Next, add chocolate chips and combine. Wet hands and roll into 1 tsp.-sized balls (should make about 15) and place them on a cookie pan lined with foil or parchment paper. Place the pan into the freezer for about an hour to firm up. Store balls in a tightly covered container, or Ziploc bag in the freezer.

Each bite is 78 calories.

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This is BIG News!

I bought a bikini!  bikini

Now…I didn’t say that I was going to wear it, but the mere fact that I bought it speaks VOLUMES!

I was trying to recall a time when I wore one of these suckers, and I think I can remember wearing one maybe twice! Even back in the day when I SHOULD have been able to wear one with confidence, I just didn’t. I’ve always been a pretty self-conscious person, so it’s just never been in my comfort zone. BUT, I’m envious of people who are so self-assured, no matter what their body looks like, that they can step out confidently in whatever what they wear!

Adding to my negative body image and lack of self-confidence, I’ve had 4 C-sections 2 of which went TERRIBLY wrong and left me with really gnarly scars! I’m extremely self-conscious and hyper-aware of one in particular, and it bothers me to no end. I dread the thought of anyone seeing it. 🙁 Now…if you look back through some of the before/after pictures, you will see what I’m talking about. It runs down vertically from my belly button. The inside of that scar adhered itself to my abdominal wall, leaving two bulges on the sides. No matter how much belly fat I lose, it’ll always look like this. 🙁 My dear sweet children tell me that it looks like a “butt”. I can’t believe I’m even writing that sentence down to be read by anyone and everyone. We all have our “issues” right? Well, this is mine. But maybe it’s like a Band-Aid? Maybe I just need to rip it off, let the world see what’s underneath, and get over it!

My confidence is building, each and every day. I’m getting close to feeling like I could do it! I’m talking myself into not caring if anyone notices my flaws and/or scars. This health and fitness journey has been very empowering for me, and has boosted my self-esteem more than any time I can remember! More important than losing weight and building muscle is the fact that I’m building my confidence. When you become more confident, you are just more comfortable in your own skin. When you’re comfortable, you’re happy. And when you’re happy…anything is possible. You can do anything! You might even wear a bikini. 🙂

*Want to start you own health and fitness journey. Join my next 30 day challenge! Want more information? Click “30 Day Challenge” at the top of this page.

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Sweet, Spicy and Satisfying!

soup_for_you Lucky for us, my husband had a bit of a dental emergency this past weekend which was the driving force behind this soup. It needed to be something that was easy to eat (no chewing), tasty AND satisfying. He’d begun to grow weary of smoothies and oatmeal. I came up with this delightful recipe. And though he groaned and doubted the tastiness, and potential to satisfy…when dinner time rolled around he RAVED that it might be the most delicious soup he’s ever eaten; a new favorite!  AND the kids liked it, too! It’s a little sweet, a little spicy and a LOT delicious! 🙂

Lentil, Sweet Potato, Carrot, Apple Soup

2-3 T. coconut oil, olive oil (or butter)
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
1 apple, peeled, cored and chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup lentils
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh (or dry) ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 pinch cayenne pepper (or to taste)
4 cups vegetable broth
water
plain non-fat Greek yogurt

Directions

Melt the oil or butter in a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Place the chopped sweet potatoes, carrots, apple, and onion in the pot. Stir and cook the apples and vegetables until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes.
Stir the lentils, ginger, ground black pepper, salt, cumin, chili powder, paprika, and vegetable broth into the pot with the apple and vegetable mixture. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the lentils and vegetables are soft, about 30 minutes. Puree about half of the soup with a standard OR immersion blender. You can leave the half that’s in the pot as it is, or mash it a little with a potato masher (until it’s at your desired consistency)

Return the pureed soup to the cooking pot. Bring back to a simmer over medium-high heat, about 10 minutes. Add water as needed to thin the soup to your liking. Serve with yogurt for garnish.

Enjoy!

322 calories per serving – Makes 6-8 servings

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Baked Buffalo Chicken Tenders

Perfect for the Superbowl or ANY time! This is a family favorite recipe! And since they’re baked, I don’t mind making them! I make lots of extra so that we have leftovers for wraps and salads, too!

 

baked_buf_tenders

Looking for some healthier food options to bring to a Superbowl party, or serve up to your team at home? These are SO good! I’ve made them this way for several years of Superbowls, and they’re ALWAYS a crowd-pleaser! You won’t miss the grease OR the bones! 🙂

BAKED Buffalo Chicken Tenders

8 servings (adjust accordingly)

½ C. all-purpose flour

¼ t. paprika

¼ t. salt (or seasoned salt)

¼ t. cayenne pepper

¼ t. onion powder

¼ t. garlic powder

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips/tenders

Cooking spray

Hot sauce (Frank’s or your favorite brand)

1 dash ground black pepper

1 dash garlic powder

Blue Cheese Dip
¼ cup nonfat plain yogurt
1 Tbsp. crumbled blue cheese

 

Directions

In a large Ziploc bag mix together the flour, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, garlic and onion powder. Place chicken strips into the bag, a few at a time and shake until they are evenly coated. Repeat with remaining strips. Place coated chicken into a non-porous, glass dish. Cover and refrigerate for 60 to 90 minutes. *Do NOT skip this step!

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray large baking sheet with cooking spray, place chicken on the pan and spray the chicken until evenly coated. Bake the coated chicken for 30-40 minutes, (turning once) or until parts of the tenders begin to turn brown. Meanwhile, warm the hot sauce, pepper and garlic powder in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir together and heat until mixture is warm. Remove from heat and reserve for serving.

*For extra crisping, you can broil the chicken for 3-5 minutes at the end. Remove from oven, place baked tenders in serving bowl, add hot sauce mixture and stir together. Serve with celery and carrot sticks and a the blue cheese dip.

Nutritional info per serving (2-3 tenders)

Container equivalents: 1 RED and 1 tsp.

Calories: 158, Protein: 26 g.

Enjoy!

The Portion Fix container system has helped so many people SEE what proper nutrition and portion sizes look like. Planning is easy: if it fits in the container, you can eat it! 🙂 When combined with daily exercise, my customers who follow this plan lose up to 3-5 pounds per week. And you’re eating clean, whole foods, which keeps you full longer!

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Salad Dressing with your Pancakes?

Alright, these are the two recipes that people are asking me about lately, so I wanted to get them both here for you. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend pairing them together…but that’s up to you. 🙂

protein_pancakesThese protein pancakes are my new love. They are so tasty, and filling and adaptable. You could even make a savory pancake with the right ingredients and toppings. The recipe below is the basic recipe I’ve been using, but play around with it and let me know if you come up with some good combinations!

 

 

Protein Pancakes (Sound weird, taste delicious)
Makes 1-2 servings (depends on how hungry you are and IF you like sharing)
1/2 C. Oats (regular or quick)
1/2 C. egg substitute (or 2 eggs)
1/2 C. cottage cheese (stay with me)
1/2 t. baking powder

Instructions: Add all of the ingredients to a  food processor or blender. Blend until completely combined and smooth. Let sit for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet to medium heat. Add batter to the pan (you should get 4-5 regular-sized pancakes). Cook until bubbles form. Flip and cook and 2-3 minutes until done. Serve with fruit, berries, real maple syrup, low-sugar preserves, etc.

Nutritional facts: 297 calories & 32 grams of protein (if you eat them all yourself).

apple_pancakes

 

Ideas: Shred some apple into the mixture before blending and sprinkle in some cinnamon. Yum! Add some berries to the mix, it’ll be pretty and tasty (or pretty tasty)! Chia seeds would be an excellent, nutritious add-in! How about some different extracts: vanilla, almond, lemon, cherry, etc. You could even add in some natural almond/peanut butter, sprinkle a little shaved dark chocolate on top! Oh BOY the possibilities are endless! And I’m getting hungry just thinking about it!

 

Ok, on to the Salad dressing. I have found that when I make my own salad dressing, there is a very basic formula that seems to work well for every time. You could make multiply this recipe and store extra servings in the fridge for the week, but I have found that it’s so quick and easy to do, that I just make it as needed. 🙂

Basic Salad Dressing Formula  sunny_salad

1 T. acid + 2 t. oil +  1/2 t. thickener + seasonings = Yum!

Acids: vinegar, citrus juices

Oil: I really only use extra virgin olive oil for my dressings, but you could probably play around with that a bit.

Thickeners: Dijon mustard, honey, greek yogurt, etc.

Seasonings: ALWAYS salt & pepper (they make the world go ’round!), often minced garlic, oregano, basil, (whatever you like)…

Examples:

Balsamic Vinaigrette

1 T. Balsamic vinegar, 2 t. olive oil, 1/2 t. Dijon mustard, 1 clove minced garlic, S & P

Greek Dressing

 greek_dressing   

1 T. lemon juice, 2 t. olive oil, 1/2-1 t. greek yogurt, 1/2 t. juice from beets (pretty), 1/2 Stevia packet (or honey), 1 minced garlic clove, salt, pepper and dash of oregano

Honey Lime Dressing

* Good for a Tex/Mex salad!

1 T. lime juice, 2 t. olive oil, 1/2 t. honey, 1 clove minced garlic, salt, pepper, dash of cayenne (BAM!)

Similar to the pancake recipe above, there is a lot of room for experimentation here. Have fun and know you are saving a TON of cash and a zillion calories by making your own! Plus…it’s FUN! 😀

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Oodles of Zoodles!

Image

Ok, I’m going to try really hard to remember how I made this fun dish! I went into it with just my ingredients and a fun new kitchen gadget! And the result was tasty and totally repeatable! Husband and kids raved!

Zoodles with Turkey Sausage & Peppers (makes apx. 6 servings)

Ingredients:

I  pkg. sweet Italian turkey sausage, casings removed

3-5 medium zucchinis (Cut into spirals or julienne strips with whatever nifty gadget you like)

1 T. olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

½ red onion, quartered

2 bell peppers, cut into chunks

1 can diced tomatoes

1 T. dried basil (fresh would be awesome!)

1 t. oregano

¼ t. red pepper flakes (or to taste)

2 cups (or big hand-fuls) baby spinach

2 T. balsamic vinegar

Grated or shredded parmesan

Directions: Cook up the sausage in a big pan/skillet until browned. Remove from pan, reserve. Put 1 T. olive oil and minced garlic in the pan. After 2-3 minutes, add the onion and peppers and sauté for another 3-4 minutes, or until they begin to soften. Add in the can of tomatoes, basil , oregano, pepper flakes and let simmer for about 5 minutes. Mix in balsamic vinegar and spinach, and then add the sausage back into the mixture. At this point, you can warm up your zoodles in a pan with a little olive oil or broth, OR you can just use them as-is. (*I heated mine for a couple of minutes) Serve the Turkey mixture over a bed of “zoodles”, top with a little parmesan.

Delicious!

slicerOh…this is the food slicer that I am using and LOVING! Check it out!