My favorite exercise...

Nourish Your Body

Starbucks Tip: free drink edition

If you're a Starbucks gold card member, you get a free drink for your birthday and free drinks as you purchase drinks throughout the year. In order to abstain from sugar and feel my best, I choose Teavana to get my free drink! A $6 unsweetened pumpkin chai tea is perfect for this rainy, Fall day! Happy day, friends!

Tiny Changes.

If having a garden has taught be anything, it's this!!! The little choices add up to the big changes every single day. What're you doing today to change your life?

PiYo (Review)

If you're looking for an at-home workout program without the use of weights that is more low impact, and definitely has a change of pace compared to other Beachbody programs, PIYO might just be your next program to try. It was designed to increase flexibility and strength. This is accomplished by utilizing a unique combination of Pilates and Yoga based movements. PiYo allows you to get long, lean, and toned muscles while allowing you to burn calories with the quick pace movements. 

Celebrity trainer, Chalene Johnson created this program to not only help you get fit in your own living room but it was also created to help you understand how to eat right, gain flexibility, and increase strength. What I found that I love most about this program is the calendar. It's arranged in such a way to progressively gain endurance. This is a 60 day program. 

PiYo Live is super fun! 

Here's what you can expect from the 21 Day Fix challenge pack: 

 - 25-45 minute workouts 

- 8 PiYo workouts (3 DVD's) including additional Buns workout

- 60 day calendar

- Measuring tape to track your progress

- The Get Lean Eating Plan

- 1 month supply of my favorite & healthiest meal of the day: Shakeology

- yours truly as your coach, holding you accountable and enduring the pain, sweat, and love every single day right along side you (online)

Here are my 60 results from my latest round of PiYO

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My favorite things about PiYo: 

- There are 2 calendars to choose from: Basic or Strength
- CHALENE JOHNSON IS MY GIRL! If you're not already aware, she's a best-selling author, health & fitness expert, athletic clothing designer, and a mother of 2. Her upbeat personality, encouragement, positivity, and comedy throughout the entire program keeps it fun and she keeps you smiling.
- She goes over the fundamentals in the beginning of the program, so there is no concern about not being experienced. 

- Everyday, there's a new workout that triggers different parts of the body
- The workouts are so different everyday
- I can take it with me on the go using Beachbody On Demand
- The meal plan is similar to the 21 Day Fix meal guide, allowing you certain amounts of each food group depending on your caloric needs, based on a whole-foods diet.
- It's truly for any age person, of all exercise levels. It's my father's favorite program!

Workouts: 

- Align: The Fundamentals (40 mins.)

- Define: Lower Body (20 mins.)

- Define: Upper Body (20 mins.)

- Sweat (35 mins.)

- Core (35 mins.)

- Core (30 mins.)

- Strength Intervals (25 mins.)
- Drench (45 mins.)
- Sculpt (30 mins.)

- Buns (25 mins.)

Watch the PiYo Promo here!

I have seen my challengers/teammates....

- break sugar/fake sugar addictions

- have freedom in life 

- increase energy levels
- lean out
- increase arm stregnth
- ABS! 

- build confidence

- improve health in blood work results

- gain self control

- no longer in need of medications 

- drop sizes, inches, and weight

- influence their family & friends to lose weight and be healthy

To purchase the PiYo challenge pack & join an accountability group, click here!

Cilantro Chicken with Tomato Salad

For cilantro chicken:

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Serves: 2

What you need: 

2 large boneless chicken breasts

3-4 limes

4-6 garlic cloves

olive oil 

Cumin

1/4 cup snipped cilantro

chili powder

To make: 

Mince garlic, snip cilantro and zest a lime

Cut chicken into chunks

Pour light olive oil into large skillet, heat on medium heat

Heat chicken (undisturbed)

Once chicken is browned on bottom, sprinkle with cumin and chili powder

Let cook for 1-2 minutes, until brown

Turn the chicken and let it cook for a few more minutes

Reduce heat to low and sprinkle in garlic & lime zest

Stir lightly (but do not let garlic burn)

Once chicken is cooked, add lime juice and stir 

Remove chicken and plate

Sprinkle on cilantro

For tomato salad: 

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 5 minutes

Serves: 4 servings

What you need: 

3 medium tomatoes, cut into bite-sized wedges

1/4 cup cilantro

Juice of 2 limes

1/8 cup water

To make: 

Toss all together in large bowl and serve chilled

Recipe found at the Wanderlust Kitchen, here and The Inspired Dreamer, here. 

Go Move Mountains.

Banana with Peanut Butter & Coconut

Banana + tsp almond/peanut butter + coconut shavings. Just do it. I love how versatile the 21 Day Fix is. Our challenge groups are basically a recipe exchange for healthy and fun eats!

Paleo Tuna Salad on Cucumber

Getting back on track feels so good! This paleo lunch is tuna salad on cucumber and it's delish! These new Anthro napkins might be my new favorite thing in the kitchen I can't eat.

Find out how I make my tuna fish, here. 

Money saving tips

Here are some 21 Day Fix money saving tips! I'm loving how easy it is to eat out and still order things that are 21 Day Fix approved. Knowing right portion sizes change the game. I ordered half of a sandwich (& the bread was still huge) so I took the top piece off. I ordered turkey on whole wheat and loaded it with veggies! It was cheaper to order half and it was still PLENTY of food. 1 yellow, 1 red, 2 greens for the 21 Day Fix.

More often than not I hear, "I can't afford to eat healthy, buy a workout program, or vitamin enriched super foods." Well, this $9 lunch from today will actually make 3-4 meals for me. If you're sticking with the 21 Day Fix meal program, month in and month out, your body will get accustomed to proper meal sizes and get this, YOU'LL SAVE MONEY. So, if you're considering jumping in our next challenge group but are concerned about cost, I'll be more than happy to talk with you about how we now have lost weight, eat clean, and save money.