New Workout Program I am pumped about!!

Abs—A$$—Arms
3 things that we ALL want!!

New workout program being launched focuses on these 3 things but at the same time is a Total Body workout (clearly with moves like this!!) 🙌

I am super excited for it as the transformations I have seen from the test groups are INSANE!! 👍
Plus using new workout equipment that is easy to travel✈️      with like sliders and strength bands. Totally going to feel the🔥

FINALLY an 80 day program with 45-60 min workouts. I am one that LOVES to workout so while the 30 min or less workouts are great, I personally want more. This is Totally going to ROCK!

 The 3 A’s…something we all want! Who wants to help me stay accountable and try this new program?! Email me to learn more! LynnG258@gmail.com

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES (vegan style!)

1/2 cup coconut oil, softened
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 tbsp chia seeds
3 tbsp water

Blend the above ingredients together until smooth.

Then add in :
1 1/2 cups almond flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
vegan chocolate chips and mix by hand

Once it is all mixed together and smooth, put in refrigerator for about 20 minutes, till it comes together more.  Spoon out onto a baking sheet with a cookie mat on it.  Bake at 350 for about 10-12 minutes.  Let sit for 1-2 minutes before removing from sheet.  ENJOY!!

Saving money on grocery shopping!

SAVING PENNIES everywhere :) You may think we are crazy, but we are super excited and TOTAL NERDS! This past Sunday Amanda and I FINALLY did something we have been wanting to start FOREVER! We buy a lot of items in large amounts such as flax seeds, almonds, chia seeds, quinoa, farro, lentils, black beans, chick peas...you name it! We are even getting into the habit of buying the beans you have to soak instead of the ones in the can. The gooey mess that comes on those canned beans just gives me the creeps sometimes!

So...we went around to a few stores and compared prices. It even blew my mind that some items at whole foods were cheaper in the bulk, and some were cheaper in the bag. It was a lot of fun and of course we were totally geeking out when we found a cheaper price. Highly recommend people try this out :) We will be updating this sheet as we continue to compare and save!!

GARDEN VEGGIE BURGER

INGREDIENTS

1 cup finely chopped cauliflower
1/2 cup fresh or thawed frozen corn
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 red onion, minced
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup finely ground cornmeal
2 tablespoons ground mustard
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons thinly sliced basil
some parsley, dried or chopped fresh
1/4 tsp sea salt
(MAKES 6 BURGERS)



1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 
2. Heat a large skillet and combine cauliflower, corn, red pepper, onion, garlic and 2 tbsp water.  Cook stirring frequently until vegetable mix is soft (5 min).
3. Add garbanzo beans and cornmeal.  Stir until it is all combined and moisture has cooked out. (3 min)
4. Transfer everything to a large bowl. Add mustard and spices. Stir to combine.  Let cool 10 min.
5. Put half the mixture in a food processor and blend until smooth.  Them combine it all together.  
6. Make 6 burgers (about 1/2 cup each) and put on the baking sheet.
7. Refrigerate 30 min.  Then bake in 450 oven for 10 min on one side, flip, 7 min on the other.
I had mine with smokey tempeh "bacon" strips.
Enjoy!!

ROASTED CRANBERRY HUMMUS

1 bag fresh or frozen cranberries
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
1 tbsp water or more if needed
salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400.  Pour cranberries onto a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast for 15-18 min and let cool.

2. Combine chickpeas, orange juice, olive oil, cinnamon, nutmeg in food processor and puree until smooth.  Add all but 2 tbsp cranberries and puree. Add water as necessary to get desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper and mix.  Lastly, stir in the leftover cranberries and enjoy!!

You can also add some tahini if you would like but I thought it was great without it!!

CARROT WALNUT COOKIES

INGREDIENTS

1 cup raw unsalted walnuts

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup raisins

1/2 cup whole wheat pasty flour

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

2 carrots, grated

1 apple grated

1 ripe banana, mashed

1/4 cup apple juice

(Makes about 2 dozen)

In a food processor combine walnuts, oats, and raisins.  Pulse until finely ground.  Transfer to a bowl and stir in flour, baking powder, cinnamon and ginger.  Add carrots, apple, banana, and apple juice.  Stir until combined.

Drop by tablespoons (I used a mini cookie scooper) onto baking sheets lines with parchment paper.  Press down on each cookie with the back of a fork.  Bake until tops and bottoms are lightly browned. About 20 minutes.

Let them cool for a few minutes, then transfer to wire rack.  I threw them in the freezer so when I have a sweet tooth, I just pull one out!!  ENJOY!

CARROT CAKE BITES (made with Shakeology)

1 1/2 scoops vanilla shakeology (or chocolate if you want!)
1/2 cup rolled oats (not instant!)
1/2 cup almond butter
4 medjool dates
1/3 cup raw walnut pieces
3/4 cup shredded carrots
dash of vanilla extract
about 2 tablespoons honey
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp ginger

1. Combine Shakeology, oats, almond butter, and dates in food processor until it is all incorporated.
2. Add walnuts, carrots, cinnamon, vanilla, cloves and ginger.  Pulse till blended.
3. Add honey a little at a time until it starts to come together. (you can add raisins if you want!)
4. Roll into 15 balls, about 1 inch in diameter each.

21 day fixers: 1 yellow container

ENJOY!

3 Day Refresh Results- July 2016

Here are my results from the last 3 day refresh in July...

I was heading into the weekend feeling rejuvenated after doing this.  It wasn't about how many pounds or inches I would lose, it was about getting on track by feeling less bloated.  3 day refresh included eating REAL FOOD and having my normal shakeology along with some vanilla shakes that come with it.

It is not a starvation diet for 3 days.  You feel full and satisfied and it worth it.

Now, I am sleeping better, feel healthier, cravings have been reduced, and that bloated feeling is definitely gone.  

Thank you 3 day refresh for calling me to feel like me again! :)  And yes, 5.5 pounds were lost.  I did not take my measurements but I am sure that I lost some!

Can not get enough of these amazing products and workouts that beachbody produces!  Interested in the refresh?  email me at lynng258@gmail.com OR click on this LINK

Ultimate Reset Week 2 Update

I will admit that the 2nd week really flew by.  A HUGE improvement we made was how we did meal prep.  We would plan the week by prepping for a few days and and writing post in notes on the days that we had to buy fresh groceries along with what meals we had to prepare for the following couple days.  This saved us a lot of stress during the week and a lot of money on not wasting food.  Especially that we are eating fresh fruit every morning, things just need to be fresh!


Another food prep tip is buying a big tub of lettuce (spring mix...whatever) and put the salad toppings in mason jars so you can just grab and go throughout the week.

So the meals...

Still YUMMY!!  Some favorites are posted below so you can get a taste of what it all looks like and to PROVE it is NOT a starvation cleanse by any means.  It still is A LOT of food :)

Results are I am now down 8 pounds and staying strong through week 3!  I really thought I would be bitchy without caffeine and without alcohol but surprisingly I am just so happy and mentally thinking clearly!  I have found strength that I did not know I had through the yoga in the morning (ummmm Warrior 3...hello!) It is challenging and helping me build muscles I swear I have never worked before.  My balance has improved significantly, especially given that I have a week right glute. Yoga has also helped with my neck flexibility as when I sleep on my stomach sometimes, my head always had to be to one side.  Now I can face my head left or right without pain!

One HUGE physically result that I could not be happier about (especially since I will be on a beach in 10 days) is that my acne on my face and even more so on my back has cleared up!  Seriously I never have seen my back like this...even Amanda noticed and was so amazed. (and super excited for me :) )  

So...last week and I can't help but say this has only made Amanda and I closer and stronger together by sharing this journey!

Edamame and Roasted Corn Succotash with Lemon Kale

Garlic Veggies

Fresh Fruit Bowl

Mediterranean Beets with Coconut Collard Greens
(SHOCKED I liked the Collard Greens but WOW!)

Quinoa Lentil Pilaf

Week 1 Ultimate Reset Recap

First and foremost...I LOVE THE FOOD!!  And honestly this surprises me because my fiance wanted to do the vegan version for all 3 weeks.  yeah...3 weeks of going cold turkey (no pun intended) to be a vegan.

Secondly...HOW I FEEL!!

Heading into week 2:

I am down 9 inches

I am down 4 pounds

Almost 2 inches off each leg!

1 1/2 inches off my hips!

I feel happier

I feel more energetic

My road rage has gone down significantly

I am not relying upon caffeine

I am not bloated

Foods I HATED before, I actually liked this time...

For instance:
Tempeh-  thought it was nasty before but I love the texture and love the taste.  It is all about that
marinade!

Vegan strawberry shakeology- I disliked the taste, the texture...I just wanted my regular shakeology back!  But within 2 days I was enjoying this and embracing it!

Miso Soup- Still not my favorite but I can absolutely enjoy a serving of it.

Zucchini- Cashew Soup- It's all about those spices!  I add some spices to this one and BOOM it is just delicious!















About how I feel..there is a lot of food so after a meal, you feel full.  Unlike what the stereotypical cleanse is like, this one is so damn filling. It legit takes like a half hour to eat each meal because there is a lot of chewing. I have been trying to follow the beachbody tips to chug water before, but not during your meal.  They want you to fully embrace the food, taste it, chew it a lot so that you do not need the water.  I am loving this :)

Breakfast BY FAR has been my favorite!  Farina (aka like cream of wheat) with maple syrup, walnuts and green apple pieces is something I will absolutely make on a more regular basis once this is done.  Hell, I will even have it for lunch or dinner!  Two other breakfast options that were yummy and filling were Coconut Quinoa, and Oatmeal Tropical.  I felt like I was living on a beach!

So let's talk about the hardest part of it all for me personally.  It has not been cravings, not feeling like I am missing out on a social life, not any temptations, not feeling starving, not missing caffeine (well besides my preworkout energize but that is simply the fact I LOVE the taste!) , not missing alcohol...It has simply been traveling for 4 days and having to pack food/eat out and have people surrounding me understand I was serious about this cleanse.  It was not easy to explain to people but surprisingly people were supportive, including the servers at restaurants who were so accommodating to my needs.  I am always scared to customize a meal but they were super nice about it!

Lastly, the yoga.  The yoga that I hate.  Well, it has helped my body heal and honestly I feel great and relaxed.  Some mornings are hard because I feel like it makes me want to go back to sleep.  Day 3 and 4, my hips were sore and were hurting me but that did not last long.  Plenty of water and sticking to the meal plan and yoga got me through. Unlike before the cleanse, my body is not always in pain, it is not cracking, and instead I go to bed and get a sound night of sleep!  Everyone's body is different but it is important to just listen to yours.

1 thing to definitely improve upon is meal prepping in stages...Sunday, Wednesday, Friday...that way food does not go to waste!  BRING IT ON WEEK 2!!!

Day 1- Ultimate Reset

So many things that I have realized today...
1. I chew gum A LOT after meals to get a minty taste and when doing work to deal with stress.  Without it, I focus more on drinking water.  I will also be brushing my teeth more because of this!

Coconut Quinoa for bfast...paradise!

2. SO many posts on Instagram are about food...definitely will not be scrolling a lot in the next 21 days!

3. There are a lot of radio commercials for food.  Because I do not have cable, thankfully I do not have that temptation, but seriously talking about it on the radio...come on!

4. Staff members at my soccer job may not be in support but I am still going to KICK ASS anyways!


So how do I feel?
Honestly I felt great today and I am not just sugar coating it.  I was ok without my morning coffee, I enjoyed the yoga (even though I prefer sweating my ass off with a hard workout), the food was delicious, and drinking that much water was not bad at all.  (Oh and it has to be distilled water...so clearly we had to stock up!)

I was much more aware of when I was eating to chew my food, enjoy it, and taste all of it. The book says to drink water before and after the meal, not during it, so I did just that. I will say I did miss my little pre workout energize drink from beachbody performance line but I will just have to live without it.  Like I said before, I missed chewing gum but I know this is a habit that needs to get better.

This meal took me forever to finish!

The meals...

LOTS OF FOOD!!  Seriously I know it is called a cleanse but DAMN it is a lot to chew.  I am following the vegan track for all 3 weeks, more so because Amanda wanted to and it is easier to meal prep for both of us, but surprisingly the food was yummy today!  Breakfast was a coconut quinoa (YES I WILL MAKE THIS EVEN AFTER THE CLEANSE IS OVER IT IS SO GOOD!)  Then it was a microgreen salad with creamy garlic dressing and toasted pumpkin seeds plus miso soup. Snack was a strawberry vegan shakeology.  And for dinner was asparagus, baby potatoes, and tempeh.  Tempeh...oh tempeh...it is an acquired taste that is all about the marinade.

Measurements/Tracking Progress
I took all of my measurements and weight today so that I can track my progress and see how my body changes over the course of the next 21 days.  It is about the changes physically and mentally that will make it all worth it!

Looking forward to what day 2 and the rest of week 1 brings!!

BUTTERNUT SQUASH BISQUE

Cut butternut squash in half, take seeds out, and put face down in a baking dish.  Add 1/2 inch of water, cover in foil and bake on 400 degrees for about 40-50 minutes (until soft)

While that is baking...

Saute 1 yellow onion for several minutes, in 1 tsp olive oil.  Then add in 1 chopped green apple with skin on (I used a golden delicious but you can use granny smith as well). Add salt, pepper, garlic powder.  If you want a kick, add some cayenne too!  Cook until soften.  I added a few tablespoons of water and let it cook down some more to increase the flavor!

Take out the flesh of the butternut squash and put in blender along with the apple/onion mixture.  Add more salt, pepper, cayenne, garlic powder to taste.  Blend together, adding a bit of water to smooth it out as needed.  You can add a dash of maple syrup if you wish to cut the heat of the cayenne.  Add a dollop of greek yogurt if you wish.

Enjoy!

BANANA OAT BITES

2 ripe bananas mashed
2 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup almond butter or peanut butter
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp cinnamon
*raisins or mini chocolate chips optional

Mix it all together, roll into bite size balls, refrigerate, and ENJOY!!

ROASTED RED PEPPER & SUN-DRIED TOMATO SOUP

3 Red Bell Peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 bunch Italian parsley, trimmed
1 cup low sodium vegetable broth
salt and pepper to taste
red pepper flakes to taste

1. Place all ingredients, starting with the peppers, into a blender, followed by the rest of the ingredients.
2. Puree until smooth.
3. Pour mixture into a saucepan and simmer until heated through.  It is just that simple!!

I served it with cauliflower "couscous" but you can also mix in brown rice or quinoa as well!

VEGGIE PACKED MEATLOAF

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound of ground turkey or lean ground beef
1 onion, finely diced

1 cup carrots,  finely diced/shredded
1 bell pepper, finely diced
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1 tbsp oregano
1 tsp red pepper flake
1 tbsp garlic powder
salt and pepper

Mix everything together, place in a loaf pan sprayed with cooking spray and bake at 375 for about 45 min to an hour.


Kids will not even realize the veggies in it and believe me it is so yummy!  Personally I never think a picture of meatloaf is "appealing" but the taste is there!

SPICY AND CRISPY GARBANZO BEANS

1 can Garbanzo beans, drained, rinsed and dried
1/2 to 1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tbsp paprika
1/2 tbsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayanne pepper
1/2 tsp salt

Mix all together then put on a baking sheet sprayed with Cooking spray.  Roast in 400 degree oven for about 30 minutes, giving them a shake every 8 to 10 minutes.

SO GOOD!!! much better than popcorn to snack on at the movie theater!

PROTEIN BITES- TAKE 2!

Mix together:

1 cup oats
1/4 cup ground flax seed
1/4 cup almond meal
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter (or any nut butter)
1/3 cup maple syrup (or honey)
handful of raisins (or mini chocolate chips)
2 tbsp melted coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp cinnamon
Dash of Nutmeg

handful of crushed up almonds (if you wish...sometimes I do walnuts!)

Roll into bites or use a cookie scoop! 
Put them in the freezer and enjoy whenever you want!

COOKIE DOUGH BITES

Mix together:
1 cup almond flour
1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond mil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
pinch of salt
several dairy free chocolate chips

Roll into bite size balls and freeze (put on a plate covered in foil)

you can enjoy right out of the freezer OR melt a little chocolate after they have been frozen and make them chocolate covered bites!

Conquering the month of MAY!

Have to start of the month of May on the right foot and get meal planning going.  I have the tendency to fall off the wagon when I do not have a plan.  I somewhat plan meals, somewhat keep track of what I need to eat as far as how many proteins, veggies, carbs..etc.  But usually do not stay on track because I am literally just grabbing anything I have and getting on with my day.

Starting off this month right with a MEAL PLAN!!  

For those who have not done the 21 day fix (beachbody workout and nutrition program)...

JUST DO IT!!  

I can not say it enough because it just makes meal planning so so easy!  As you can see above I have highlighted my colors in how many types of food in each category.  Now I may tweak it here and there to add additional calories, if needed, from doing some days of double workouts.  But other than that, meal planning REALLY helps planning the grocery list so that I do not over buy food and end up wasting.  I will be integrating a hybrid workout program of insanity max 30 / 21 day fix extreme / and running.  

Time to conquer the month of May!!  

MEATLOAF

Ingredients:
1 pound of lean ground beef (or turkey if you prefer)
1/2 cup oats
1 egg
1/2 small onion diced
1/2 green bell pepper diced
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper


Directions:
1. In a bowl mix together ground beef, egg, and oats.  I did it by hand.
2. Add the veggies, sauce, and seasonings.  Then mix well.
3. Put in a loaf pan and bake in oven at 350 degrees for about 30-40 minutes.

Enjoy!