lauren

June 25, 2014
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No-Bake Energy Bites! (Taste Like Snickers!)

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No-Bake Energy Bites!

(Taste Like Snickers!)

 

Moment of honesty… eat too many of these all at once and you may have some… umm… gas. 2 or 3 at a time is just about perfect 🙂

 

Ingredients

– 1 cup rolled oats

– 1 cup coconut flakes

– 1/2 cup ground (or whole) flax seed

– 1/2 cup chai seeds

– 1/2 cup organic dark chocolate chips

– 2/3 cup all natural peanut butter (crunch or smooth… I use smooth)

– 1/4 cup honey

– 1 tsp vanilla extract

 

Directions:

***Make room in the freezer and have a cooking sheet out with wax paper on it ready before you start mixing

*** have a bowl of water sitting next to you to moisten your hands for rolling DO NOT ADD THIS TO THE MIXTURE

– add honey and peanut butter LAST!

– Mix all other ingredients

– Add peanut butter and honey

– Mix: I use my bare hands after putting some water on them. If you have a great mixing utensil… go for it.

– Once thoroughly mixed squish it into bite size balls

– Place on the cooking sheet and in the freezer overnight then transfer to ziploc

 

Rolling Tips:

I moisten my hands with water and then squish the mixture into balls. If you try to roll it they fall apart. When the mixture starts sticking to your hands – moisten them with water again. Repeat process till all mixture is used.
June 16, 2014
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Chocolate Strawberry Dream

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Chocolate Strawberry Dream
(One of my favorites!)

– 1 Scoop Chocolate Shakeology 
– 5-7 frozen strawberries
– 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
– Ice to taste if you want it thicker

Blend and enjoy! 

June 16, 2014
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What is the deal with FLEXIBILITY?

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Stretching Can’t Be THAT Important…
But this is!

Two questions for you…
1. Do you ever feel stiff, tense, and have joint issues?
2. Are you prone to injury? (including those of you who are active in sports)

One word for you: FLEXIBILITY. In our already fast-pace world our aches and pains can get the best of us, leading us straight to the medicine cabinet. Turns out, we have FULL control over majority of these symptoms. Flexibility means we can enjoy less aches and pains and a fuller range of motion.

There is truth to the saying “move it or loose it”. As we age, if we become sedentary, our muscles tighten and then daily tasks are suddenly quite taxing to the body… possibly even dangerous. Flexibility helps greatly reduce the wear and tear to the body and lessens chronic back pain. For those of you who are very active flexibility prevents you from being prone to injury.

By adding flexibility to your current routine you will experience: 

  • Reduced stress on the muscles as you workout – allowing them to build properly and release tension when you cool down. 
  • Decrease the risk of daily-activity and sports-based injury (shin splints being a big one) because muscles are more pliable. (This protects your joints from deterioration)
  • Improved posture which releases tension throughout your body
  • Improved performance both in daily and sports activity
  • BETTER SLEEP

For maximum flexibility practice DYNAMIC stretching…

Dynamic stretching is stretching through MOVEMENT as opposed to holding a position for 15 to 20 seconds (static stretching). It is the secret of any sporting activity allowing players to squat lower, jump higher, run faster, and help avoid injury (those falls that make us all cringe and they can simply walk them off).

Here is an example:

Many of you have seen dynamic stretching in workout programs such as Focus-T25 andP90X3. These programs are full of great dynamic stretching, flexibility training, cardio training, and weight training. 
June 11, 2014
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Grilled Chicken with Apples and Honey

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Grilled Chicken with Apples and Honey
This one is a favorite!

Ingredients:
¼ cup white wine (or low-sodium chicken broth)
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. raw honey
1 dash sea salt
4 tsp. olive oil, divided use
4 (4-oz.) raw chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
4 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, thinly sliced
½ medium onion, thinly sliced

Preparation:
1. Preheat grill or broiler.
2. Combine wine, mustard, honey, and salt in a small bowl; whisk to blend. Set aside.
3. Brush chicken breasts evenly with 1 tsp. olive oil.
4. Grill or broil chicken for 5 minutes on each side or until chicken is no longer pink in the middle and juices run clear. Set aside.
5. While chicken is cooking, heat remaining 3 tsp. oil in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat.
6. Add apples, onion, and wine mixture; cook, stirring frequently, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until apples are tender and liquid thickens slightly to sauce consistency.
7. Serve apples over chicken.

Source: http://www.teambeachbody.com/eat-smart/recipe/-/rcp/316316276/all/14/5
June 11, 2014
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Are you sabotaging your own goal?

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Eating Pitfalls To Avoid

Are you sabotaging your own goal?

“Oh sure, everyone always says to me, “Shaun, I swear, I eat very healthily. I have a clean diet.” But when people are experiencing “stubborn pounds” that won’t budge off their bodies, I see uncertainty and fear in their eyes when I say, “I bet it’s a common eating habit that is undermining your hard work.”
– Shaun T: creator of Insanity, FocusT25, and The Asylum 

Been there, done that, got the T-shirt. It is way too easy to cheat on your own nutritional plan and not even be aware of it. Then comes frustration because you can’t figure out why those pesky pounds won’t leave despite all of your exercising. One of the best ways to fight this is to simply be aware of the cheat methods!

Here are some common ones:

1. Habit eating: This is when you have an activity that always has  food attached. Our bodies love routine and if we have a thing we do everyday that has a specific food attached to it then it is easy to look over.
Become Aware: A great way to become aware of whether or not you do this is to keep a food journal for a week. Track what you eat and see if you notice a pattern. A great app for this is MyFitnessPal.

2. Stress Eating: Need I say more? Food is comforting, I won’t argue that… BUT! There are much better ways to fight stress that last longer and don’t involve eating yourself silly.
Become Aware: My personal favorite is to go for a walk. Go out, breath deep, clear your head, stretch your legs and get your blood flowing. If it’s raining find a good “me-spot” in the house and have a stretch session. When movement won’t do it and my brain is set for chocolate… that’s when I go for the Chocolate Shakeology.

3. Nibbling: The all day grazing that is never noticed. A bite here, a cookie there, someone brought donuts to work, channel surfing munching, and hey you brought me a candy how nice.
Become Aware: See action step from #1. Also, having a structured eating plan is a great way to avoid the nibbles. I have found when I schedule my eating I don’t bother with nibbling because I know when my next meal is coming.

4. Over-Portioned: Restaurants do it so we get our $’s worth, family does it out of love, and we even do it to ourselves for whatever reason (for me it used to be not having to pack leftovers). We give ourselves way too much fuel that our body can’t burn off unless we were an olympian.
Become Aware: An easy go-to for portion size is the palm of your  hand and fist. Click HERE for an easy guide.

Take a closer look and see if your eating is getting in your way. Then become aware of how to take action!

June 10, 2014
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Almond Milk!

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Recipe of the week: Almond Milk! 
It’s cheaper and healthier than what you can find in any store and it is EASY.
Ingredients
– 1 cup raw almonds
– 1 liter container (preferably glass)
– about 7 cups filtered water
– cheese cloth (or similar straining material)
– 1 Tbs. Agave Nectar
– 1/4 tsp Vanilla extract
– A few shakes of cinnamon
Directions
– Soak almonds in 3 cups filtered water overnight in liter container.
– Drain & Rinse well
– Rinse container because you will need it again
– Blend Almonds, agave nectar, vanilla extract, cinnamon and 3.5 cups water until as smooth as possible (my ninja takes about 5 min)
– Strain with Cheese cloth into liter container. Done!

PS. Pulp from the straining is quite tasty in Shakeology and oatmeal.

***The beauty of making your own (besides not having to deal with artificial ingredients and crazy amounts of sugar) is you can flavor it any way you like! You can use dates, chocolate, pecans, go plain… anything you can think of.***

June 10, 2014
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Steps that make the DIFFERENCE

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Tips to Get Ready for the
New Year!

Steps that make the DIFFERENCE

Pursuing Your Goal
 A goal is a huge, over-arching statement that sounds great and will get you going. However, words alone will only motivate you for, maybe, a few days? A few weeks? A great way to accomplish your goal is to position, prioritize, and have accountability.

1. Prioritize: “If it is important to you, you will FIND A WAY; if not you will find an EXCUSE.” – anonymous. Oddly enough, one of the most powerful things you can do for your goal is to start with a question. What is my WHY? You have to know what makes this goal important to you because that is what is going to keep you going when you don’t want to. Dig deeper than “because it’s what I want”. This is where you get to be that 5-year-old that exhausts others with that simple question “but why?”. An easy way to get to the bottom of your WHY is to have someone close to you be that 5-year old and help you dig.

2. Position: You have a goal! You have your WHY! Awesome! Now what? Sit down and reverse engineer your goal. What is going to get you there? You need a system of the “how’s” that are in bite size pieces.

Ex: I want to lose 40 pounds: HOW? > eat right and exercise > HOW? > meal plan, fitness routine, & accountability > HOW? > find a meal planner that works for you or develop a system that works for you >HOW? > find someone who has done it or google for an answer…etc.

Get the idea? It should honestly take 30 min to an hour to break your goal down. The purpose is to give yourself a game plan. It puts your goal in perspective and gives you the ability to chase after it without feeling overwhelmed. 

3. Accountability: It makes a DIFFERENCE when you have someone you HAVE TO ANSWER TO. It can be as simple as weekly/daily text, asking friends for accountability by publicly sharing your goal, or having a check in once a week. Whatever you do, share your WHY, and your game plan with them. Then, set up a specific time to check in every week. (Personal note: This has been vital in my own journey. I have a dear friend who I check in with every Friday for 30 min and we report our week’s checkpoints for our goals.)

June 10, 2014
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Pumpkin Coconut Custards!

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Pumpkin Coconut Custards!

Total Time: 1 hr.
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cooking Time: 50 min.
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
½ tsp. fine sea salt
4 large eggs, beaten
½ cup pure maple syrup (or raw honey)
½ tsp. pure coconut extract
1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin puree
¾ cup canned coconut milk
¾ cup unsweetened almond milk

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 300° F.
2. Combine cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt in a small bowl; mix well. Set aside.
3. Combine eggs, maple syrup, and extract in a large bowl; whisk to blend.
4. Add spice mixture and pumpkin.
5. Gradually add coconut milk and almond milk; whisk to blend.
6. Pour mixture evenly into eight 6-oz. custard cups. Place cups in 13×9-inch baking pan; fill pan with 1-inch hot water.
7. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until knife inserted in custard halfway between center and edge of ramekin comes out almost clean. Cool completely on wire rack. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Nutritional Information (per serving):

Calories: 153
Fat: 7 g
Saturated Fat: 5 g
Cholesterol: 93 mg
Sodium: 202 mg
Carbohydrate: 19 g
Fiber: 2 g
Sugar: 14 g
Protein: 5 g

Source: Image and Recipe from Beachbody.com
June 10, 2014
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Challenge yourself to change…

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What Am I doing?

Challenge yourself to change…

There are always those people you meet who get so much meaning out of their day. They are never bored with what they do and are always learning something. Why?

One word: Intentional
They are intentional about investing in themselves everyday. You cannot take care of others if you do not take care of yourself first.

Here are 3 things you can do that are GAME CHANGERS for the outcome of your day.

1. Personal Development reading: It’s wonderful when you find one of those quotes that make you think and perhaps go about your day a little bit differently. You have the ability to intentionally do that everyday. Find 15 minutes in your day to read a personal development book. You will be surprised at how much this can alter your day, job and relationships with others.
*Suggestions: Start by Jon Acuff, 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth by John Maxwell, PUSH by Chalene Johnson*

2. Heart and Study time with God: Yes, they are different. Find time to spend talking with God about your day. My personal preference is to journal…”God, yesterday was…” you get the idea. Also take the time to get into scripture and read. Reason? The same as personal development only deeper. You are intentionally growing your relationship with God. I have found the best option for me is to get a 20-ish minute devotional a day.
*Suggestion: http://www.thevillagechurch.net/resources/bibles-studies-classes/  or www.shereadstruth.com*

3. Exercise: Do something for 25-30 min a day that gets your heart-rate up. Squats during commercials, stairs instead of elevators, short fitness program, or a run interspersed with lunges. The options are endless, but all of them give you more energy, better sleep, and again intentional investment in yourself.
*Suggestions: FocusT25 or P90X3*