Why Shakeology is the Bee's Knees

First of all, what the heck is Shakeology?

Nutrition Simplified

Shakeology is a MEAL REPLACEMENT shake that is the brainchild of the Beachbody company. The biggest misconception is that it's a protein shake. NOPE! It's so much more than that! It is jam packed with vitamins and nutrients that we (as crazy busy folks) typically don't include in our daily diets. The shakes include probiotics, digestive enzymes, antioxidants, preboiotics, vitamins, minerals, amino acids… the list goes on!  Shakeology is SO nutrient-dense, it's like eating SIX salads… except it tastes like a chocolate peanut butter cup or strawberry banana smoothie or snickerdoodle cookie. YES! There are special ways to mix up the shakes that have them tasting like dessert! 

Why do I love Shakeology?

I'll be real with you, I use to have HORRIBLE eating habits. I was always feeling like I needed a nap, was bloated, had crappy skin/hair/nails, felt sluggish while working, was irregular (yup, I'm talking about poop people!), and was extremely moody. So what changed? I started eating healthier and replacing one meal or snack a day with chocolate Shakeology.

By making this change, I noticed a significant difference in my appearance (longer nails, clearer skin, and less damage to my hair), had more energy, and felt more stable mentally… though my husband will probably argue with that one. I also pooped every single day. That may not seem impressive to many people, but as someone who use to only poo a few times a week, it was like the skies opened up and heaven rained down upon me!

Why am I so PRO-Shakeology?

It's an easy solution! Why stop by a fast food chain, coffee house, or gas station to get breakfast on the go when you can have a meal loaded with a day's worth of vitamins and nutrients for the same price? There's no need to skimp on nutrition because of convenience. Seriously, throw a scoop of Shakeology into a shaker cup, mix with water or almond milk, and go! If you're not in a hurry, throw in some spices, fruit, ice, peanut butter, etc to change up the flavor and keep you from getting bored. Personally, I'd rather have a glass of Shakeology keeping me full and giving me energy vs. grabbing a package of mini donuts and soda that has me feeling hungry and ready for a nap within an hour.

Shakeology is also completely NATURAL. Unlike almost every single other meal replacement shake available, it's not bogged down with artificial ingredients and chemicals just to keep the cost down. It tastes good naturally! It is absolutely AMAZING the way you can feel when you give your body the ingredients that were made to fuel it efficiently. 

Most of my friends think I'm nuts when I talk about how much I love this stuff. Seriously,  how could changing one thing make me feel so amazing? I can talk about it until I'm blue in the face, but until you actually EXPERIENCE what Shakeology can do for YOU, you will never know!

I encourage you to at least TRY Shakeology to see how it can benefit you. Yes, even those of you that claim you hate "drinking" your meals. How about you "drink" your snack instead? (Yup, I'm being a smartass…) I ALWAYS have samples available if you'd like to give it a shot prior to committing to purchasing an entire bag. What could be easier on you (and your wallet) than trying Shakeology?! ;)

Comment below or e-mail me for more information and sample flavors!

 

Mid-Week Update

A few days ago I wrote about how I was planning on doing a modified version of the 21 Day Fix to avoid excessive pregnancy weight gain. I made some changes based on how my pregnancy has been going, as well as to keep myself sane. So how have I been doing? I'd give myself a 5. That's right, a 5. 

Before the tiny human started growing inside of me, I was on point with my nutrition about 90% of the time. My husband and I would always have one date night a week where all rules went out of the window, and then we would go get ice cream! I stuck to my exercise plan and made no excuses. Sure, I'd have slip ups, but I had pretty good willpower for being a self-diagnosed emotional eater with absolutely NO control.

Now that the tiny human has taken up residence in my abdomen (sometimes it feel like it's sitting on my bladder, other times it feels up in my ribs…), it's like all of my willpower has evaporated. There's no better word to describe it.

So here's what's gone down:

Monday was great. Stuck with the meal plan 100%. My only probably was choking down the vegetables. Since Day 1, the tiny human has not approved of plain vegetables or chicken. If the veggies are on a sandwich or covered in ranch dressing, it's happy. If the chicken doesn't taste like chicken, it's happy. Otherwise, the gag reflex is on point. So I choked down the veggies and made the best of gagging through my meals.

Tuesday wasn't so bad. My coworker turned 50, so another coworker brought in her famous homemade cake. I ate a piece. Yeah, remember me talking about my willpower evaporating? While most folks went back for two pieces, I stuck with my one. That has to count for something, right? 

Wednesday was TERRIBLE! Absolutely nothing sounded good to eat. I had my meal plan sitting in front of me, food already prepared, and I gagged at the thought of it. Seriously. What the heck?! What did sound good? Hummus. I ate small portions of hummus throughout the day and survived. For dinner, I had some oatmeal with cinnamon and a glass of milk. 

Today? Well, today isn't quite over yet, but I'm still in the phase where nothing sounds good. I thought pregnant woman were suppose to be wanting all kinds of awesome food? For me, it's racking my brain for something that the thought of doesn't make me ill. I'm calling bullshit…

So what would you do in this situation? Choke down the foods or find something relatively healthy that is tolerable? I'm at a total loss!

As for my exercise schedule, it's been pretty good! On Tuesday, I crashed as soon as I got home from work, so I made Wednesday a double day. The modifier with the program is excellent! I try to keep up with the trainer as best as I can, but I don't have the stamina to be hardcore 100% of the time. I'm chalking that one up to decreased lung space and 20 extra pounds lingering kind of all over. At least that's one thing that I KNOW I can finish every day. Or at least have a double day if I accidentally miss a day.

Post workout glare

Since I am still struggling with eating well, it makes me beyond thankful that I no longer have to take heparin injections so that I may now enjoy a daily Shakeology. I pair one shake a day with some extra folic acid, and I'm set! This way, I know I'm getting one AMAZINGLY healthy meal that's like eating SIX salads. Choking a salad down is tough. There's no choking Shakeology down. It's liquid gold!! (But not like that crap they talk about in the Velveeta commericials.) Shakeology is a huge blessing for me right now, and I am so thankful that I found it six months ago!

Enjoying snuggles and Shakeology

Pregnancy and the 21 Day Fix

Let me just stop and take a moment to reflect on how HORRIBLE my eating habits have been for the past month. 

It all started when I went to Florida to visit Mike's dad. Talk about amazing food! I let everything slide and ate whatever I wanted. Returning to Indiana meant coming back to reality, but now I had tasted the sweet, sweet temptations… and all hell was about to break loose!

Huge Ice Cream Sunday in Florida

So after we got home, Mike went right back to his healthy eating of loads of veggies, fruit, and protein. I, on the other hand, kept wanting all of the yummy splurge meals we had while away. Sure, I'd snack on fruits and carrots while eating a turkey sandwich. Those healthy meals weren't as frequent as they should have been, though! Indulging in pancakes, ice cream, pizza, and french fries got pretty common!

Healthy vs. Unhealthy Dinner

Realistically, I'm pregnant. Who cares if I gain weight?

Umm… me?!!!

I had been on a gradual incline at all of my previous OB appointments. I felt ok but large in the belly. Go figure! Now I am getting to the point where my face looks fuller, my arms aren't as tone, my pants are tighter in my thighs, and I'm getting my saddlebags back. Oh hell no! This has to STOP before it gets any worse!

This ridiculous weight gain is what lead me to do the 21 Day Fix while pregnant. While the program is a diet and exercise plan, it's main focus is helping folks deal with portion control. Basically, it's screaming my name! I have been doing some of the workouts on my own (pretty much when I'm not exhausted) but thought the nutrition portion should best be left until post-baby. I mean heck, this is my time to let loose. 

21 Day Fix Program

Except I let loose a little too much.

Therefore, tomorrow I will be diving in to this awesome program! 

So how does it work, especially considering I'm pregnant? When you purchase the program, you are given an exercise schedule to match up with the dvds that you received. You're also given an eating plan that tells you how many containers you can eat per day based on your caloric needs. The containers are color-coded which makes meal planning super easy. 

21 Day Fix Containers

After calculating how many calories I should be eating a day, I figured out how many containers I get. It really is WAY less intense than it sounds.  For the program, I get to eat between 1800-2099 calories a day. That's right, loads of HEALTHY calories to help this tiny human grow! 

This means:

5 Green containers

3 Purple containers

5 Red containers

4 Yellow containers

1 Blue container

1 Orange container

5 Teaspoons (for oils, peanut butter, etc)

That is a LOT of food folks!! Plus, it's all nutritious… something the tiny human will thank me for!

I made my weekly meal plan to help break it down even more.

21 Day Fix Meal Plan

You might notice this doesn't follow the allotment to a T. While I do get 3 Yellow containers a day, one is to limit their milk intake to three times a week. The tiny human has me going through about a gallon a week, so I had to be realistic. I am knocking it down and replacing some with water, but I want that daily milk intake. If my body says I need it, I'm going to listen! That's why I'm mixing it with my Shakeology every day.  The orange containers are dressings, nuts, etc. Three times a week, you are allowed to replace them with something small and sweet, like chocolate covered raisins. Since the tiny human has intensified my sweet tooth, I'm allowing a small daily snack to keep myself at bay. I would much rather allow myself a small splurge than go nuts and eat a pint of ice cream. Which has been my usual routine. I am also not eating all of my teaspoons, as I usually never cook in oil. (Mike hates it, but I throw that stuff in a dry skillet and pray for a small amount of smoke!) 

So there you have it. That's how a pregnant lady plans on doing the 21 Day Fix! I will also add that most of the exercises will have to be modified, as I cannot do any ab work. If it calls for me to lay on my belly, I'll do some yoga stretching instead. That should help me in a few more months!

I will definitely be sure to keep my progress updated. And just to avoid confusing/criticism, I am NOT doing this program to lose weight! I am doing this program to get myself back on track, watch my portions, limit my sweets, and eat more veggies! What I've put on is what I will have to deal with until post-tiny human. However, if I can keep it from piling on, I am sure as hell going to try!

T25 Before & After

THE RESULTS ARE IN!!

After completing Insanity with minimal results (of which I attribute to not changing my diet), I decided to try Shaun T's newest fitness program Focus T25. This program has three phases : Alpha, Beta, and Gamma. Alpha lays the foundation. Beta builds your core. Gamma focuses on strength. The best part of this program was that each video was only 25 minutes a day. Anyone can find 25 minutes a day to work out!

Mixing T25 with a nutritious diet lead to these results. I replaced one meal a day with Shakeology, as well as ate healthy items such as more fruits a veggies. Basic, but it works!!  

So I took my 'before' photos in late August 2013. At the end of September/ beginning of October, I took photos when I completed the Alpha round. Unfortunately, I slacked off and did not get photos after I finished Beta. However, I DEFINITELY made sure I got my pictures done after Gamma! I am so proud of my results!!

Here are the stats before the photos:

Waist : 31.5"  now 29"

Chest: 36.5"  now 35.5"

Hips: 38.5"  now 36.5"

Right Thigh: 25.75"  now 24"

Left Thigh: 25.5"  now 24.5"

Right Arm: 13.5"  now 12"

Left Arm:  13" now 12"

THAT'S A TOTAL OF 9.75" !!!!!

I am also down 18lbs. That's right!! I went from 178lbs to 160lbs in just 14 WEEKS! 

Prior to starting T25, I was busting out of a size 12 jeans. Now I need a belt to keep my size 10 jeans up, but my thighs won't quite fit into an 8, so I'm stuck here ;)

This just goes to show that with a little hard work and LOTS of determination, it IS possible to achieve your goals! I achieved my small goal of being able to fit into a size 10 comfortably. Now I'm moving on! Yesterday, I started my next program Turbo Fire. I can't wait to show you those results in 90 days!!

She Returns!!!

Keeping with the theme of having some accountability, I am standing before you, apologizing for my recent absence. I had some personal stuff happen in my life a few weeks ago that was hard on me. It happens to everyone. It's this thing called "life." It sneaks up on you sometimes! Have no fear, though! I'm back!!

So here is a brief update on what's been going on:

1) In the latter part of October, I drove 8 hours (each way) from Small Town, Indiana to Deep Creek, Maryland. My journey was for a team building retreat in a fabulous lake-front home with some brilliant ladies from the Dream Team. *Side note: The Dream Team was created by my coach, and we are the #2 ranked team out of over 150,000 teams in Beachbody.* I am so lucky that I was able to travel there to meet so many amazing women.  Plus I got to eat some awesome food! I learned that I LOVE pineapple. It was like crack that Saturday night...

Met my coach, saw a snow ski slope, and brainstormed by a beautiful lake!

2) I have been working my tush off with my Beachbody business and have worked my way up to a DIAMOND coach! Not to pat myself on the back or anything… but this is me patting myself on the back! What does it mean to be a Diamond coach? I'm glad you asked! Being a Diamond coach means I have a group of eight fabulous coaches as a part of my business, with two of those coaches having two coaches in their business. Pretty much it means I have people that actually trust me. It's a great feeling! It says that I am doing something right and leading people in the right direction as far as their health and fitness goals. It was a huge accomplishment for me, as I achieved this in just 59 days of being a coach. Oh hey, there's me patting my back again ;)

Just me… rocking as a Diamond coach!

3) I have kind of been slacking on the nutrition aspect of my life. It's amazing how stress can get the best of you! I am definitely an emotional eater, and that addiction has been kicking my butt for the past few weeks. Sticking with my T25 has been easy, but steering clear of temptations has not been. Seriously, whose idea was it to put a Dairy Queen in my tiny little hometown?! NOT COOL! Ok, so I've owned up to it. I do NOT want to do that again, so this is me vowing to avoid that sweet treat for at least the next three weeks. No sense in ruining all of my hard work as I finish up T25!!

4) My kittens are getting cuter by the day. I can't make this up. Sometimes, I wish I could squeeze them so hard, but I physically have to hold myself back to avoid hurting them. I can't imagine what I'll be like as a parent of a two-legged child.

Clockwise from top left: Eloise, Faye, Elliott, and Audrey

5) I am trying to get back into planning our meals for the week. While I loathe Sunday as meal prep day, I have got to make it a habit. Here is what's happening in our house this week! My husband definitely eats more than I do during the day, but it proves a good guideline as to how we eat. Granted, there are times where we might swap meals around, but we try to stick the plan as much as possible.

Week of November 17 Meal Plan

6) From the bottom of my heart, thanks for continuing to check in and keep me accountable! I GREATLY look forward to writing more frequently, so stay tuned :)

Healthy Turkey Gyros

I am so pumped to tell you about a new recipe I tried. It wasn't so much a recipe as me throwing a bunch of spices together as our kitchen was rather barren. 

Heavenly!

So here is how it all went down

• Brown 1 lb. ground turkey
• Spread cooked turkey across the pan so it creates a single layer
• Sprinkle with : oregano, salt, onion powder, garlic poweder, ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon, black pepper, and fresh parsley
• I did not measure out anything, but simply dusted all of the turkey with each of the spices.
• Place on a whole grain pita (mine was a whole grain/flax seed variety)
• Add ingredients of your choice: we chose onion, romaine lettuce, tomato, and a small amount of feta cheese
• The sauce was 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt mixed with 1/2tsp minced garlic, a sprinkle of garlic powder, and 1/4tsp salt
• The recipe I found called for cucumber, dill, and other ingredients, however I didn't have any of that in my house.

 I'm not sure the exact calorie count of this meal, the only somewhat unhealthy ingredient was the feta, which is completely optional.

This is definitely a meal we will be enjoying again! Mike even raved about the sauce, claiming I would need to make it for various other dishes. Well then, I did something right! ;)

Productive Wednesday

I seriously had the most productive day today! I finally crawled out of bed around 8:45 this morning. Originally, I didn't have to be at work until 1pm, so I allowed myself to catch up on some zzz's. Then, mid-morning, my scheduling coordinator told me we were over-staffed, so I could take today as my day off. Umm heck yes! So here's how my day went:

• Did two Focus T 25 workouts (Speed 2.0 and Upper Focus). Got a great calorie burn and my arms were jello at the end! 



Laughing at myself because I couldn't flex anymore… and being utterly exhausted after 50 minutes of Shaun T kicking my butt!


• Read a couple of chapters from the book "The Compound Effect"  It's discusses how the smallest steps you make now to better your life can greatly impact your future. Pretty interesting read.
• Played tons with my kitties 



Eloise pulled the blanket off the chair to snuggle in it. Kind of wish my life was as awesome as theirs!

• Chased my dog when he got out of our fenced-in yard. Luckily, he has pretty decent recall when a ball is present, so we didn't have any major problems.
• Did some coach work. Yay Team Beachbody!!
• Finished up the laundry. I hate the smell of bleach, so I always avoid whites for as long as I possibly can.

I wanted needed to clean, but instead I spent more time with my pets. Priorities, right?

Their heads are resting against each other. They're like Forrest and Bubba!

For dinner, Mike and I had Mexican Pumpkin Rotini that I had prepared Sunday night. (Meal planning has seriously been a huge blessing for me!) While I was cooking, Mike gave me the suspicious look, questioning all of the ingredients. Turns out he actually liked it. Take that!  I got the recipe from TheGraciousPantry.com She has tons of clean recipes that aren't super complicated. 

Clean Eating Mexican Pumpkin Rotini

(Makes 10 servings)

Ingredients:

• 1 small red onion, chopped,
• 1 tbsp. coconut oil
• 1/2 lb. frozen, organic corn
• 1 1/4 lb. ground turkey breast
• 1 tbsp. garlic powder
• 1 tbsp. onion powder
• 1 tbsp. ground cumin
• 1 tbsp. chili powder
• 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup pumpkin puree, canned or fresh
• Salt to taste after cooking but before adding pasta (I used about 1/2 tsp., but do it to your tastes)
• Fresh, chopped cilantro for garnish
• Whole grain Rotini pasta, cooked separately to package directions

Directions:

1. Saute the onions in the coconut oil until they become translucent.
2. Add corn and cook for about 1-2 minutes.
3. Add the turkey, being sure to stir well so it crumbles well.
4. Stir in the spices.
5. When the turkey is very nearly done, add the chicken broth and the pumpkin. This will create a bit of a sauce.
6. When the meat is done, cool slightly and ladle over pasta. Top with fresh cilantro and serve.

Nutritional Content:
(Data is for 1/2 cup and does not include pasta.)

Calories: 91
Total Fat: 2 gm
Saturated Fats: 1 gm
Trans Fats: 0 gm
Cholesterol: 35 mg
Sodium: 42 mg (does not include any you add)
Carbohydrates: 4 gm
Dietary fiber: 1 gm
Sugars: 1 gm
Protein: 15 gm

Read more: http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/clean-eating-mexican-pumpkin-rotini/#ixzz2hHRt61X3

Changes to the recipe: I used ground venison instead of turkey because that's what we had in the freezer.  Plain corn from a can was used, as we don't really have many organic options in my area. I made my own broth by using chicken bullion cubes. I used a yellow onion and canola oil (might as well use what we have in the house!). No cilantro was harmed in the making of my dish. I also used the "veggie" rotini, as our grocery store didn't have any whole grain options. The joys of living in a super small rural town! Overall, I'll most likely make this again!

Monday morning I pushed through feeling terrible to get my T25 in, but ended up leaving work around 11am due to feeling so bad. It definitely made me happy I did my work-out prior to getting my day going, otherwise it wouldn't have gotten done. However, yesterday morning it just wasn't going to happen. I suffered through work (my poor colleagues) by only taking on the small dogs and cats. Big shout out to the awesome staff for putting up with me and picking up my slack! I love them! I kept up with eating well, trying to keep things as bland as possible. Lunch was Italian chicken I had baked on Monday night, and Mike steamed fresh broccoli. It kept my energy levels up... all things considered. 

After work, I basically just sat around, being a bump on a log. Sometimes that happens, though. You just have to roll with the punches and take what life throws at you. You're never going to feel in tip top shape 100% of the time. The key is to compensate when you get yourself back on track. For example, since I missed my Tuesday work-out, I'll make up for it Friday, which is my usual rest day. Nothing lost (except inches and pounds)!

Mike and I working together for a yummy lunch.

My typical Wednesday isn't very typical. I work from 1-7pm, so it leaves my mornings free to catch up on housework. And when I say say housework, I mean I sleep until 10am, exercise, take a quick shower, then head off to work. What can I say? You all read my post on how much I love my bed... Today was only slightly different, considering I got out of bed at 9am, made my way to the couch, and slept until 11:45am with all four cats strategically place on/next to me. I really think part of my feeling so horrible was that I needed to catch up on sleep. I also didn't eat anything until 12:30pm (yummy Shakeology), which helped my stomach settle a bit. My caloric needs weren't met today since I started eating so late in the day, which I don't recommend, so tomorrow I'll get back on track! Sleep and fasting were apparently the cures for my nausea and hot/cold flashes. Who knew?

After work, I finished making dinner (chicken and carrots), then plopped my happy butt down for some more R & R. I was somewhat productive and did two days worth of dishes (bless my husband for putting up with me) and knocked out T25 Alpha Total Body. I was dying during the plank work, having to go into downward dog multiple times. I'm chalking that up to still being weak from 1)not feeling well and 2)not eating enough today. 

Love this thought, since I always look gnarly after T25!

Tomorrow is my day off, so I'll kick some butt with Alpha Speed 1.0 and Core Focus. Double days are kind of awesome because it's so cool to see that "Calories Burned" go up past 500. Makes me feel so accomplished! I am also going to take my "Before" photos & measurement for a Fit For Fall Challenge group I will be participating in. Granted, I did all of this four weeks ago when I started T25, but I'm marking my progress and doing things the official way for the group. I'm pretty excited to have a group of individuals in one place who are all working towards the same goals to help keep me on track!

Want vs. Need

This weekend was definitely a lazy weekend! Last night, I needed to do the dishes, sweep the floor, and catch up on laundry, but I wanted to watch the Purdue vs. Notre Dame game. My want won. Looking back, I wish I would have done what needed to be done, since Purdue was leading most of the game and lost within the last 11 minutes. Bummer.  Today, I needed to exercise and catch up on everything I didn't do yesterday, but I wanted to play with my cats and take the dog for a walk. My want won... again. Granted, my husband and I had a great lunch outside, took the dog on about a mile walk, visited with my grandma and grandpa (his birthday!), then went to dinner with my brother and his family, along with my dad and brother's mother-in-law. Tonight, I really wanted to watch all of the Miss America contest, but I still needed to work out! So, figuring it's only 25 minutes, I sucked it up and missed the first bit of the program to get my Focus T25 Alpha Cardio done... finishing up just in time for the evening wear competition! Perfect! I'll be honest, I'm rooting on Miss Kansas because she seems like a total kick-ass woman! I would love to have her represent as Miss America!

Faye encouraging me during my sweat-fest

I started drinking my Shakeology yesterday and absolutely love it! Saturday, I mixed it with chia seeds and caramel extract. Today, I added chia seeds, natural peanut butter, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. It was amazing! Drinking this may just be the highlight of my day. These mixtures feel like I'm having something I shouldn't, but it is insanely healthy! 

Discovering different editing programs has been so much fun. This is a great quote that I made into a pretty photo. I find it incredibly fitting to my life right now.

Now to the main point of this post: want vs. need. So many times in life we choose what we want instead of what we really need. Sometimes it's taking the easy way out, other times it is simply indulging. What we really need to do is listen to our brain. Take for instance this afternoon while at my grandma's house, I definitely wanted a piece of her homemade german chocolate cake but totally didn't need it! While I was envious of my husband eating the cake, I felt so happy that I didn't give in. Yes, I did end up having a 70 calorie natural lemon/lime popsicle, but you have to do that to avoid going crazy! 
My message to you is this: next time you are faced with something you really want, ask yourself if it is something you need. Is it going to benefit you overall? How will you feel about your decision 30 minutes down the road? Keep that little voice in the back of your head and always try to focus on how it will benefit you in the long run.

A New Adventure

My Sunday began with Week 3 of Focus T25, starting off with Total Body Circuit. I love that TBC incorporates everything, but this workout is a beast! I hate going from standing, to floor work, back up, then down again. When I initially did TBC, I had a horrible calorie burn (270) and barely got my heart rate up simply because I had no idea what was going on! By the second time, I got my HR up a little higher and burned an extra 20 calories. I told myself that I would crush those numbers today... and I did!

T25 Total Body Circuit = Sweaty Mess

It's not the prettiest I've ever looked, but I love seeing all of that sweat! I earned looking that nasty! I used to go to the gym and never work up a sweat because I thought it felt gross. It's all mental. Now I get angry when I barely break a sweat. Crazy how things change!

After my workout, I made a very important phone call that lead to a new adventure for me. I am so excited to announce that I am a new Team BeachBody Coach! Not only does this mean I get to help others achieve their fitness, weight loss, and health goals, it's also additional motivation to keep me going strong. Getting started is the hardest part - making that jump and taking a leap of faith. The same is true for taking those steps to a new and better you. If you are interested in any BeachBody products, or if you're simply curious as to what it's all about, please let me know!

I'm kind of a big deal!
Find me on Twitter to see what the excitement is about!

Mike had to work today, so I was able to catch up on laundry, clean the kitchen, do the weekly grocery shopping, and have everything set up for dinner.  As I mentioned previously, he's the cook in this family. I told him what we were having, and he made it. All fresh and cooked to perfection!

Round steak, spicy green beans, garlic carrots

Food For Thought

Let me first say, I'm not a great cook. I make basic dishes.  In college, I lived off of cereal, turkey sandwiches, Sunchips, frozen chicken nuggets, frozen pizza, and Lean Cuisine meals. Surprisingly enough, it was one of the "skinnier" points in my life. Note I did not say healthier. Now that I am married, however, I am supposed to be more domestic. Let me tell you how that goes:

• Whomever is home first from work (Mike and I both have funky hours) is in charge of dinner.  Usually I screw around at work so he gets home before I do.
• When I do have to suck it up and make dinner, I usually brown some venison or bake chicken. I pair said protein with something green (beans or salad). Throw that stuff on a plate and voila! Dinner is served! Thirty minutes later, Mike is complaining he's hungry and asks to go get ice cream. We then go get ice cream.
• If Mike makes dinner, we usually have chicken, venison, or steak paired with a complex carbohydrate and vegetable. The food is loaded with flavor and tastes amazing! Mike piles my plate high, so usually I pass off my leftovers to him.

Needless to say, Mike is a better cook than I am. I'm ok with this fact, which is why I usually  let him cook. 

The rest of my meals usually go as followed:

• Pre-workout shake before exercising around 5:15am
• Protein shake after working out at 6:15am
• One egg and one egg white scrambled with hot sauce, toast, banana at 7:15am -or- protein bar and banana if I'm running late at 7:40am
• Yogurt or protein bar around 10am
• Leftovers if Mike made dinner -or- two whole eggs with two pieces of bread and hot sauce anytime between 12:15-1:15pm
• String cheese and almonds around 3pm
• Dinner is usually around 6pm or 7:30pm if it's my late night

I fully admit that I do not get enough fruits and vegetables in my diet. In fact, I'm probably way under my calorie count for the day! But hey, this is my accountability to work harder at eating better, right?! I have downloaded the MyFitnessPal app on my phone, in hopes that I can keep a better record of what I am eating. I will also be using it to ensure I drink enough water throughout the day. With my job, it's often hard to take water breaks, so I've been trying to be better.

I also have a problem of getting into a rut with not knowing what to cook. We are on a very tight budget, which makes affording all of the healthy, yummy stuff more difficult. (Side note: we have one grocery store in our town, which lacks variety. The prices are also super inflated since it is a monopoly. Typically, we stock up when we go to larger towns, however produce never lasts long enough to stock up the way we wish we could.) We planted a small garden this summer, which helped slightly. We are hoping to extend it next year, that way we can have healthier items around the house without breaking our bank. 

What are your biggest obstacles when it comes to cooking and nutrition? I would love to know if others go through the same thing as me!