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Dec 13 2018 
Stop Drinking Alcohol for Better Weight Loss
Stop Drinking Alcohol for Better Weight Loss
This year has been pivotal in my pursuit of a leaner, stronger, more energized body. The secret? Giving up wine for longer periods of time than I normally would. I’ve gone over 200+ days this year without alcohol and was even successful on two vacations with the family. You may think I’m crazy but for my personality, it works really well to give me the edge I’m always looking for in my health journey.
There was actually a time in my life when my husband came to me and said he was worried because I was drinking almost every night. It was becoming a really bad habit and I needed a change. That was a hard thing to hear and honestly, pretty scary. I was slipping into feeling like it was part of who I was and simply what I did.
Being home with two small kiddos at the time and pressure with growing my online health and fitness coaching business may have had something to do with it but either way, coping with alcohol did not leave me at my best. I thank God that season seems like a lifetime behind me but I still must watch and set up safeguards around my health.
When I look at all the things I truly want in life it comes down to giving up momentary pleasures for long term gains. I like to celebrate with treats and drinks and also do what I want to do when I want to do it. That was a theme in my life until I realized the scale kept going up and I wasn’t happier..I was unfulfilled.
Learning now that structure, disciplined behaviors and simply showing up when it’s not always convenient is the essence of success in my weight loss, business and overall life goals. I workout when I’d rather stick a fork in my eye. I say no to late night snacking, drinking and Netflix binging because I remember my fitness goals and clients who are counting on me. I live by an integrity that my talk is also my walk.
Here are some pro’s I’ve personally experienced by taking time away from the drinkie-poo’s:
-I can actually get and maintain a strong, lean core
-better sleep
-less anxiety (way less)
-less bloat
-saving money
-more energy and life in my body, especially during my workouts
Here are some con’s:
-bloat all over and my clothes feeling tight
-broken sleep
-2-3 days to feel 100% again
-dragging my entire workout
-food cravings
-puffy face and eyes
-fine lines showing from dehydrated skin
-less motivation and energy
-HIGH anxiety if I’m drinking every few days
As I type this, I am starting to wonder why I would ever have a drink again, geez. What I do know is saying no forever isn’t realistic but I also know that these big chunks throughout the year have served me well and I’ll continue in this trend.
I was really nervous the first time I did longer than two weeks of no wine. Here are some ways I’ve learned to cope.
The first week and weekend are the hardest but after a couple weeks, I was fine without it. It’s so weird how you can go without something and then come to a place where you are so indifferent that you can take it or leave it. That’s what happens. I will say in Palm Springs this year, the wind was just right and I felt an overwhelming urge to have a glass. Luckily I had all my fellow 80 Day Obsession girls (the workout we were all doing at the time) rooting for me so I refused to let them down. It just goes to show how powerful our online accountability groups can be.
I make this lemon-ginger water recipe and keep it in the fridge:
- Juice from two lemons
- Pinch of cayenne to taste
- 2-3 drops of vanilla liquid stevia https://amzn.to/2EgZiKm
- 1-2 one inch chunks of peeled ginger to taste
- I blended all ingredients with one cup of water and then strain off the ginger pulp with a fine mesh strainer.
- I mix with a gallon of water and pre-fill my 32 oz Hydro Flask for the day! https://amzn.to/2L91Trf
I love little tricks of the trade like this lemon ginger water recipe. I would have never known about this if it wasn’t for my fit community.
I always have my favorite Zevia Cream Soda sparkling water on hand and low sugar Kombucha ( the label needs to have 6 grams of sugar or less on it). I even put kombucha in my wine glass if I want to be fancy.
I also carry this tea in my purse when I’m out and about. https://amzn.to/2QogzZI I order a cup of hot water and use this as my treat drink instead of wine. I also love sparkling water with lots of lemon, I enjoy my meal perfectly with that.
The most important part for me is being better than I was yesterday. I’m far from perfect but I have also learned that the secret to success in life is found in our daily habits. What I do now not only serves me now, but when I’m in my 60’s. It’s like eye cream…you don’t always see the benefits until they start to compound over time. With my esthetics background, I’m a firm believer in eye cream!!
I also like to remember that every time I say no to something that doesn’t serve my goals or priorities, I trust myself a little more and gain more confidence and even more of an edge.
I hope this helps you!! We are in this together and please reach out if you’re ready to jump into a fun fitness or health challenge!!! I’m your girl!!!
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May 14 2017 
Want To Make Healthy Salads Even Healthier? Use The Fork Method
Some people order salads at a restaurant because they like it. Others do it because they want to eat healthy or lose weight. And healthy salads are so much tastier when a restaurant makes it, right?
Well, we all know or at least suspect, where that great taste in a restaurant salad is coming from. It’s those delicious morsels of deep-fried treats and pieces of richly prepared toppings and texture-makers lurking among the greens that are doing the trick. And to top it all off, is the ¼ cup to ½ cup of generously prepared, special dressing.
A basic ranch dressing contains 274 calories per two ounces (about four tablespoons). And that’s without any special additions and spikings that a restaurant would typically do. But even with this modest reckoning, that is almost 3 times the calories contained in the salad veggies themselves.
The result is a divine salad of course, but for all the good it is doing to your heart or waistline, you might as well have ordered the beef.
To minimize the calorie additions from dressings and still have a tasty salad, there is a proven method, known as the “Fork Method”. Here’s how you do it:
1) Begin by ordering the dressing on the side.
2) Take the fork, and dip only 1/3 of the tines in the dressing. Don’t go more or you’ll pick up too much. Don’t go less or you won’t taste anything.
3) Now load up the fork with your salad. Eat.
4) Enjoy the whole salad this way, by dipping the fork in dressing first.
5) Using the Fork Method, your total consumption of fatty salad dressings will not exceed 2 tablespoons max.
Now, that would be a healthy salad meal, wouldn’t it?
(***If you’re wondering why just ordering dressing on the side is not enough to ensure a healthy salad, it is because you don’t have the ability to toss. The plate or bowl the salad is coming in is precariously heaped. Tossing would mean making a mess on the table. So even if you’re pouring the dressing yourself, you’re unconsciously adding a lot more than you absolutely need to get the dressing flavor in each mouthful.)
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Dishwasher Cuisine: Eco-Friendly Way To Cook Inside The Dishwasher!
Did you know that `dishwasher cuisine’ is not just a possibility, but a verified method of eco-friendly cooking that is currently taking Italy by storm? And not even in an empty dishwasher – but in a fully loaded one, with dirty utensils and soap. The idea of food being prepared in a dishwasher is a bit hard to digest, like a wet pair of sneakers being dried off in a microwave, but if you stop to think about it, the whole thing does make some sort of absurd sense.
Every time you turn on your dishwasher, the appliance is using 1800 watts of electricity on an average to heat the water for cleaning. So why not throw in some airtight containers or food vacuum bags with couscous, fish, veal, fruits etc and let them cook at the same time? Imagine how much prepping it will save before meals, you won’t have to use your stove or oven, and you’ll get clean dishes, glasses, bowls and cutlery in the bargain.
It’s certainly an eco-aware way to maximize use of energy and minimizing time spent in the kitchen, and by all accounts, the food comes out tasting really good.
Ask Milan’s cook-cum-environmental-campaigner Lisa Casali, whose bestselling book Cucinare In Lavastoviglie (‘Cooking In The Dishwasher’) is converting thousands of Italians into enthusiastic dishwasher chefs.
Lisa struck on this idea 7 years ago, when she began experimenting in her own kitchen with recipes that could be executed in airtight containers while the appliance was in cycle.“Cooking and the environment are my greatest passions, and it really was a spontaneous urge to combine these two ingredients together,” says Lisa. “Just as if I were creating a new dish.”
Besides her obsession with dishwasher cooking, Lisa also propagates the nutritional value of so much precious food we throw out as scraps.
She has 4 books to her credit and Ecocucinaen, a website where she journals her efforts in this unexplored, new culinary field.
And once you get over the gnawing mental visual of your dinner in a jar, bathing in wave after wave of soapy water with pasta particles and meat morsels floating past, you too might discover Lisa’s pioneering new world of cuisine that is quick, nutritious and a conversation piece.
* If you’re inspired by Lisa’s cooking philosophy, you can buy her book Cucinare In Lavastoviglie (Cooking In The Dishwasher) right here.
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Mar 22 2017 
Mason Jar Salad Recipes For Healthy Office Lunches
Mason jar Salad
The fabulous thing about a Mason Jar Salad is that you can prepare a whole batch in advance. Do the prepping on a Sunday, and you’re assured of a fresh, healthy meal for lunch for the next 5 days. Mix up the recipes, so there’s a surprise in store every day. And enjoy the goodness of a fresh salad that hasn’t wilted or turned soggy because you fixed it several days ago.
Here are some great recipes for Mason Jar Salads to get you inspired. Remember to choose wide-mouthed, glass canning jars for this purpose, as they are easier to load and shake out. Pint-sized jars are great for individual-sized portions. Use quart-sized jars for a larger lunch, or if you’ve got a lot of extra, fun, toppings. For a shared office lunch, go for the 2-quart jars.
Also, remember to fill the jars from heavy to light, wet to dry, and the dressing always goes in first.
5 Mason Jar Salad Recipes For A Week’s Worth Of Office Meals
# MONDAY: Pomegranate And Pear Salad
• Nutrition (Serves 2): 347 calories, 28.1 g fat, 5.7 g sat fat, 234 mg sodium, 21.9 g carbs, 4.9 g fiber, 11.3 g sugar, 6.3 g protein (calculated with 1 oz blue cheese, 1 Tbsp sherry vinegar, 1 tbsp olive oil). Get recipe from: Fake Food Free
# TUESDAY: Tropical Sriracha Chicken Mason Jar Salad
• Nutrition (Serves 4): 471 calories, 33.6 g fat, 6.2 g sat fat, 556 mg sodium, 20.4 g carbs, 5.6 g fiber, 11.9 g sugar, 24.2 g protein (factoring in all the marinade). Get recipe from: The Healthy Maven.
# WEDNESDAY: Rainbow Mason Jar Salad With Avocado Hummus
• Nutrition (Serves 1): 473 calories, 32.7 g fat, 3.5 g sat fat, 276 mg sodium, 43.8 g carbs, 12 g fiber, 7.3 g sugar, 15 g protein (calculated with 1 tablespoon avocado hummus). Get the recipe from: Oh My Veggies.
# THURSDAY: Cucumber Noodle Mason Jar Salad
• Nutrition (Serves 1): 578 calories, 42 g fat, 7.2 g sat fat, 56 mg sodium, 65 g carbs, 11 g fiber, 16.5 g sugar, 10.6 g protein (calculated with 2 Tbsp dressing, 2 tablespoons chopped raw cashews). Get the recipe from: Nosh And Nourish.
# FRIDAY: Thai Shrimp Mason Jar Salad With Almond Dressing
• Nutrition (Serves 6): 313 calories, 21.7 g fat (2.5 g saturated), 322 mg sodium, 16.9 g carbs, 4.6 g fiber, 5.2 g sugar, 17.7 g protein (calculated with no sea salt). Get the recipe from: Against All Grain.
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Sep 13 2016 
Clean Cheats That Keep You Satisfied!
Clean Cheats
Here are all my current “clean cheats” 🙌🏻I’ve been collecting ideas over the last few years since going gluten-free. I have that darn sweet tooth that needs pulling but really wanted to say adios to refined sugars.
What used to be red vines, sour patch kids, cookies, doughnuts etc, has now turned into this. I swear just cutting out the carby treats has helped my bloat. Yep, haven’t had a maple bar in 3 1/2 years, it’s a sad day lol! Also, did you know red vines are made with wheat?
😫 The Merry Bites here are flavored macaroons from Marlene’s and as you can tell, the bag is empty. They are SO good! The mint Lara bars are amazeballs straight from the freezer😋!Anyhoo, here’s my secret sauce to living a balanced life that still involves treats. These are clean cheats, but as in anything… moderation is the key! As I lay these out for you, it’s dawning on me why I still have that last 5 lbs that won’t come off
😁 Cheers to even more moderation on top of my moderation. #thestruggleisreal #cleaneating #cleantreat -
Apr 26 2016 
WHAT IS BEACHBODY ON DEMAND?
What is Beachbody On Demand?
Don’t like DVDs? Me either! Which is why I LOVE Beachbody on Demand so much! BOD is a new feature from Team Beachbody where you can stream Beachbody’s many proven fitness programs. Premium team members can work out anywhere, anytime when they stream the Beachbody workouts. Ultimately it offers you unlimited access and a one-stop shop to hundreds of awesome workouts.
How Does a Premium Club Member Get to Beachbody On Demand?You can access On Demand through a web browser or through the Beachbody On Demand app/channel on supported devices. To access on a web browser, simply log into club.teambeachbody.com and sign in, or sign up.
How Much Does It Cost?
- $39.95 for 90 days access (weekly breakdown of just $2.99)
- 30-day free trial!
What is Included?
- Dozens of Beachbody workouts
- 10% discount on future purchases in the Team Beachbody store
- Meal plans customized for your unique lifestyle and goals
- VIP access to celebrity trainers and experts, including live chats
- Your own personal coach for one-on-one guidance and support
- Message boards and chat rooms for answers to all your questions
What Programs Are Included?
- Member Library The fitness programs available to stream under the Member Library section currently include: P90X, P90X2, P90X3, Insanity, TurboFire, Brazil Butt Lift, Ten Minute Trainer, ChaLEAN Extreme, INSANITY: The Asylum (Vol 1), INSANITY: The Asylum (Vol 2), Tony One-on-One (vol 1), Tony One-on-One (vol 2), Tony One-on-One (vol 3), Hip Hop Abs, Hip Hop Abs Deluxe, Tai Cheng, Rev Abs, Rockin Body, Shaun T Dance Party, Turbo Jam, Total Body Solution, Yoga Booty Ballet, Ho’ Ala ke Kino, Power Half Hour, Great Body Guaranteed, Get on the Ball, Power 90 and Project You, Slim in 6, Slim Series Express, Slim Series, Brazil Butt Lift Master Series and ChaLEAN Extreme Deluxe. Also included are Niche Workouts by Sagi Kalev, Autumn Calabrese, Joel Freeman, Jericho McMatthews and Tony Horton. They are added monthly and only available in the On Demand Member Library. Check out Leandro Carvalho’s new exclusive On Demand workouts Carnivale & the 4 Active Maternity workouts for new & expectant mothers (see NICHE WORKOUTS & TRAINER Q&A below for details).
- Purchased Programs Allows Premium Club members to stream DVD programs they have purchased from Beachbody, Team Beachbody, or the Beachbody Amazon storefront, if available. Programs available to stream after purchase under Purchased Programs currently include: 21 Day Fix, 21 Day Fix Extreme, Body Beast, Focus T25, Insanity MAX:30, P90, PiYo, The Master’s Hammer and Chisel, CIZE, CIZE: The Next Level and 22 Minute Hard Corps. And, for a limited time, buy the Digital Unlock for Body Beast, Cize, or Focus T25 to gain On Demand streaming access without DVD purchase (for details, view FAQ 1282).
- Premium Content
& Sample Workouts Premium Content programs are Purchase Programs that a Club Member has not yet purchased either as a DVD or a Digital Unlock. Sample workouts (previously “Sneak Peek”) are available to stream, and can be found on each Premium Content program page. Sample workouts available to stream currently include: 21 Day Fix: Total Body Cardio, 21 Day Fix Extreme: Plyo, Body Beast: Total Body, PiYo: Sweat, Insanity Max:30: Sweat Int., P90: Sculpt A, Focus T25: Alpha Cardio, CIZE: Work Your Body, Hammer and Chisel: Iso Speed Hammer, and Hammer and Chisel: Total Body Chisel. - Challenge Du Jour A daily rotation of workouts selected from different programs in the Beachbody Catalogue, as well as new monthly workouts performed by Beachbody Live Master Trainers exclusive to Beachbody On Demand. The rotation of workouts is carefully chosen to create an overall balanced fitness regimen. Master Trainer Challenge Du Jour is a special Challenge Du Jour that is always available. Master Trainer CDJ can be accessed through the Challenge Du Jour or Master Trainer pages.
Workout Anytime Anywhere:
One of the greatest perks of Beachbody on Demand is the fact that you can stream workouts from virtually any device such as web-enabled laptops, tablets, and even mobile devices. This adds so much opportunity in terms of where you get your workout on! And yes, it even works internationally!
Ready to sign up for the Beachbody On Demand membership? CLICK HERE to get started!
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Apr 13 2016 
The LOVE/HATE Relationship of Food Prep!
•I Love Food Prep • I Hate Food Prep•
Okay maybe I hate food prep a little more than I want to admit, but it’s so worth having it done. I’m happy when I have fast healthy choices for me and the family.
Here’s what I just did:
✅ Cut and washed the romaine and kale.
✅ Cooked two types of organic sausages.
✅ Prepped the taco meat and used one package ground turkey mixed with one package ground turkey breast.
✅ Baked paleo pumpkin muffins for the kids breakfast and before bed snack if they are begging for more food ? (recipe on my Instagram)
Here’s our menu for the week:
Monday: Tacos
Tuesday: Roasted brussel sprouts and almond flour breaded chicken tenders with Fixate Cookbook, honey mustard dressing dip
Wednesday: Kale salad and sausages
Thursday: Udi’s GF cheese pizza (my late work night) with green beans
Friday: Sweet potato fries and leftovers of their choice. We usually do popcorn for our movie night, too!
Now to enjoy my strawberry, goat cheese, walnut salad..???#phew#foodprep
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Apr 11 2016 
Acai Bowl! Super Healthy Alternative for Ice Cream!
? •Acai Bowl•?
This in an incredible way to treat yourself! Call it a smoothie in a bowl or a healthy version of ice cream (nice cream) hehe?
You can literally blend anything you want with it. I used frozen blueberries and cherries. Toppings range from homemade granola, shredded coconut, chia seeds (for healthy fats and protein), sliced bananas-gosh anything that sounds good.
This is my first attempt so I might blend with more ice to make it thicker next time. I bought the Sambazon packets(which are the acai berries) from Costco to store in the freezer! Apparently, you can buy these bowls pre made all over Cali which is just another reason why I should live there☀? Any good suggestions for one?#acaibowl
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Apr 06 2016 
Energy!!! Summer Strong Fitness Challenge
Summer Strong
The feeling of having energy ?and being strong??. Two of the best feelings ever! Well, and being able to walk into your closet and wear everything you own with the greatest of confidence. I didn’t always used to have them. I was lost in what to eat and what workouts worked best for me. Now I have a fire in my soul to help other women find what works for them. I want you to have everything you’ve wanted with your health and fitness goals. There’s no reason not to wait. Start taking care of yourself sooner than later. ?
I love the quote, “To have something you’ve never had, you have to do something you’ve never done.” This relates so perfect to fitness and nutrition.
If you are tired (literally) and sick of not feeling good in clothes or out of clothes for that matter, you should join me! Starting April 18th, a group of us are hitting it hard. We are getting “Summer Strong.”
Here’s my list of favorites that I think you’ll love too:
?you do it all in the privacy of your own home
?you have a full workout schedule and nutrition guide with those cute color-coded containers for portion
?One meal a day is taken care of for you and you get to keep your fitness program forever
?It’s $5 bucks a day to change the whole course of your confidence for Summer weather
?you get me as your coach and BONUS a private group of ladies who all check in on each other daily (private online group)Do something new and feel the positive momentum that proceeds giving you the energy and strength you know you desire. I only have room for 3 more girls! Email me at [email protected] or drop you email below. Let’s do this! #summerstrong
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Feb 21 2016 
When to Drink Shakeology?!
Have You Ever Wondered, When to Drink Shakeology?
When to drink Shakeology? It is more of a common question than you might think. With a meal replacement like Shakeology, that has so many advantages, you want to make sure that you might be consuming it at the proper time so as to maximize those advantages! The true answer is, there is no correct time because it totally depends on your specific schedule and the needs you have in your nutrition.
Here Are Your Choices For When To Drink Shakeology
Most the time, t works good for me to drink Shakeology an hour and a half or so after breakfast. It offers me a ton of energy for the rest of the day. It allows me to be sustained till lunch and keeps my mind sharp. It’s essential to notice that though Shakeology is a meal substitute, you can actually drink it at any time outside of your three main meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner). The comfort of the drink is what makes this meal alternative so efficient!
Shakeology is an outstanding meal replacement that’s made up of over 70+ superfood components to help you drop a few pounds, increase vitality and immunity, improve digestion and regularity, and it may well even lower your cholesterol. My husband’s cholesterol went from 230 to 150 in 6 months. That was also with working out consistently, as well as eating healthy in addition to Shakeology. It is not a magical pill or something that happens overnight. It is about consistency. It slowly helps in getting your body balanced.
is shakeology a good pre workout?
Pre Exercise – With regards to a pre workout, you COULD use Shakeology… but I do not. My husband has a scoop of it when he wakes up early. He has that, waits 15 minutes and then has Energize, the pre workout that both Matt and I have daily. It is great for energy and getting your body going, but truly isn’t made to be a pre workout.
Can Shakeology be a good Post Workout Recovery Drink?
Post Workout Recovery -Directly after my workout I used to have Shakeology, a banana and some L-Glutamine. That gave me protein, carbs and what not, but I definitely still get sore. What I now have, most recently is a Beachbody Performance Line supplement called Recover. I have this ready to go and take it as soon as I’m done with my workout. Then, about 30 minutes later, I will make my Shakeology. I hardly get sore when I have the combo. I will say, there are days that my workouts and the timing of Shakeology don’t coincide. I also share it with my kiddos. So if I can’t get my workout in before the kids wake up, I have it regardless for breakfast.
So it’s not so much of a problem of when to drink Shakeology, but what time of the day is the best time FOR YOU! It is a meal replacement, especially for a woman, so feel free to have it when you feel sapped for energy. I have some friends and clients that love it during the mid afternoon. That time of the day when you might start feeling lethargic. So, know that you are getting the most healthy meal of the day when you drink Shakeology!
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