21 Day Fix Transforation Story

The 21 Day Fix is one of my favorite programs thus far. I achieved awesome results and gained healthy habits. To read all the deets on this program start here.

 

Today I want you to meet my friend Michelle! Or Shelly as we call her. She joined and completed one of my 21 Day Fix Challenge groups and she totally rocked it! So I wanted to get her take on it all!

(Shelly, I just noticed you're awesome leggings in this pic!)

 

Why did you decide to do the 21 Day Fix?

"I was slacking in the fitness department and needed something to help me get back in the swing of things."

 

What was your favorite part about the program?

"I loved that the routine was easy to follow and that I wasn't starving. It was easy to stick to the entire program."

 

What meal did you drink Shakeology for?

"I had Shakeology for breakfast. The flavor(strawberry) was great and it was easy to take on the go."

What is the biggest change you made?

"Cutting out ice cream and coffee creamer were probably the biggest changes. I still drink my coffee with skim and stevia. I do have ice cream but not every night like I was."

Did being in a challenge group help you?

 " Being in a challenge group did help. It gave me meal ideas and everyone was so inspirational and motivating."

 

OK...so what were your results?!

 "I lost 8 lbs total and a few inches. I did notice my entire body being more firm and toning in many areas that are usually missed when I just stick to bike rides amd running."

 

What would you say to others who are thinking of trying this program?

"I actually talked up the program to a friend and she is starting the fix on Monday. I would say that it's a great program to help learn portion control and get your body a great and diverse workout in a short period of time and from the comfort of your own home. Why not do it?!"


Fix Grad!!

Shelly, I'm so proud of you and all of your hard work. Thank you for letting me share your experience!!

 Are you ready for your "after" picture? I would love for you to join a challenge group so you can start feeling the way you've been wishing to feel for a long time. So you can like what you see in the mirror. So you can be confident in pictures. So you can be happy and healthy.
If you would like to join my next 21 Day Fix Challenge group, please fill out the form below!




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Homemade Granola

photo cred:www.dashingdish.com

I'm not adventurous or creative in the kitchen, by ANY means. But what I CAN do is share recipes with you from the TONS of books I have! Sharing is caring.

 

This recipe is from the book, "Cook  Yourself Thin" by Harry Eastwood, Candice Kumai and Allison Fishman.

 

"Granola seems like a healthy way to start your day, but with all the fat and calories lurking in store-bought varieties, you may as well eat a box of donuts. When you make it yourself, you get back to the healthy, nutty ideal that gave granola its great reputation and taste in the first place."

Makes 15 Breakfasts

Calories per serving: 270

Ingredients

5 cups jumbo rolled oats

1 cup slivered almonds

1 cup sunflower seeds

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup runny honey ,change to 1 cup honey,

if too dry

1/4 cup dried cherries

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1 cup barley flakes/rye flakes (optional)

1/2 cup flaxseed (optional)

Directions

1. PREHEAT the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper cut to size.

2. PLACE the oats, almonds, sunflower seeds, and salt onto the baking sheet and place in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes to heat it up.

3. DIP your measuring cup into hot water, discard water, and measure the honey. Run the warm honey over the hot granola and give a good stir to coat evenly.

4. RETURN pan to the oven for the final 30 minutes. Toss the ingredients hallway through their cooking time in order to cook evenly.

5. REMOVE from the oven and add the dried berries, flaxseed, cinnamon and the barley or rye flakes (if using). Cool well before storing or it will lose its crunch.

6. STORE in an airtight container. Serve with yogurt and fruit for breakfast, or with milk.

 

TIP: By all means, replace the dried berries with dried pineapple, papaya, or mango, and the almonds with dried coconut for a tropical twist. In this instance, replace the cinnamon with 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger.

 

Comment below with your favorite things to add to granola!

 

ENJOY

XO- Coach Sarah



PiYo Meal Plan & Progress: Week 2

Happy Friday!
So I'm almost two weeks into PiYo and....I'm loving it! I honestly really am enjoying the break from my T25-like workouts. But I'm STILL getting a killer workout. See: sweat selfies below lol.
Piyo totally challenges my OWN body strength without any equipment. My body is my resistance and it feels SO good to workout this way. I feel way more flexible I feel really in-tune to my body. My tricep pushups we're way better this morning than even just a few days ago. It's awesome to FEEL your body getting stronger. This is a great workout for me because I could never get into yoga alone...I couldn't hold poses and I definitely wasn't clearing my mind! A faster pace version mixed with pilates, strength training and cardio is RIGHT up my ally.

found my inner strength to pull through that workout

I shared my week 1 meal plan with you in this blog post. I love having a plan in place, even if I veer off it a bit! Last week I documented all of my food with pictures and then shared them on Facebook.
Below is a look into last weeks food!

I even survived 2 boat days!! I wasn't 100% perfect, but I'm pretty proud of myself for how I did do. I may switch up my meal plan or not follow it all the way (I like to go with the flow) but I almost always plan it out because its easy to get off track if you don't have some sort of guide to follow! So I definitely suggest taking some time to do that. It may take some time to figure out everything in the beginning but its really worth it! It will save you time later in the week and it will also save you money in the grocery store. Time and money- don't want to waste any of that!

The other thing I've been noticing is that I haven't been drinking as much water as I need to! (1/2 your body weight in oz. of water). I even went a whole day without drinking ANY water, so I had to chug chug chug at the end of the day to get it all in. Hey! Do what you gotta do! Especially in the summer, make sure you're drinking at least your recommended amount.

I hadn't planned my week until Monday night. For some reason I wasn't feeling very hungry on Monday so I definitely didn't meet my numbers in terms of food categories. Here is my Week 2 Meal Plan:

Monday
Breakfast: Shakeology
Lunch: egg whites with fresh garden veggies
Dinner: chili
After dinner: 2nd Shakeology
Tuesday:
Breakfast-Oatmeal with blueberries
Snack: 2 hard boiled eggs & Sweet potato cubes
Lunch: Shakeology
Snack: carrots and hummus
Dinner: chicken stir fry
After dinner: 2nd Shakeology
Wednesday:
Breakfast- Shakeology
Snack: Rice cakes with natural PB
Lunch: 2 eggs with fresh garden veggies
Snack: almonds
Dinner: family night
Thursday:
Breakfast: Oatmeal with blueberries
Snack: 2 eggs and sweet potato cubes
Lunch: Shakeology
Snack: veggies and hummus
Dinner: Pork chop stir fry
Friday:
Breakfast: Shakeolog
Snack: almonds
Lunch: 2 eggs and Sweet potato cubes
Snack: veggies and hummus
Dinner: Homemade pizza
Saturday/Sunday
Breakfast: Shakeology
Snack: yogurt with granola
Lunch: Clean option
Dinner: Grill Out

So there you have it! I sketched out my meal plan in a notebook, and I roughly counted how many food groups I was getting each day. Everyday I adjust accordingly! Either adding something or taking away so I don't go over suggested calorie baseline.



Working on a better positive self image

There are still a few spots open in my 30 Day Summer Refresh Facebook challenge group! For details click here! I will be starting my 3 Day Refresh cleanse next week!! I'm so excited. Be on the lookout for my review on that.

CHEERS to a great weekend! Remember your goals! Enjoy your ONE cheat meal!!

 

XO- Coach Sarah



ISO: Stay at Home MOMS

Ok MOMS let's get to some real talk! Do you ever get a little nuts from being home with your mini's 24/7? We are SO fortunate to make it work that we CAN stay home with our kids, but do you ever feel like you haven't talked to an adult in days? Or do you ever feel like you want something "extra" ( even though YES we are always BUSY...I can teach you time management). Do you ever feel like you want to be a PART of something.

Those are some of the reasons I started my own health and fitness coaching business over a year and a half ago! I have worked since I was 13 years old so I felt like I needed to offer something to society! It has given me a creative outlet. I wanted to be able to help my family financially- it has gone from an original goal of buying groceries to a goal of me paying for our car, truck and camper loans!

It's given me the opportunity to connect with some amazing people and fellow coaches. The people on my team seriously have hearts of gold. They truly -deep down to the core- want to help other people. They want to offer their free time to give back to others. These are some of the most genuine and down to earth people that I have met. I had the opportunity to attend a Leadership Retreat at a lake house in Maryland this past May and it was an incredible experience!!

Some of The Dream Team Leaders

We really have become a FAMILY. Whenever I talk to my upline, Katy, we always end up talking about potty training, or nap time, or something else going on with our boys. We are not all business. We are about fun, we are about support, we are about becoming better as individuals.

oh, toddlers!!! Don't worry, we have alot of training on time management!!

I'm looking for five other stay at home moms who are looking to inspire, grow, pay it forward and become a "working" stay at home mom!

is this you?

If you are like me and just need something like this in your life..contact me by leaving a comment or message me on Facebook.. We have a business opportunity meeting call this Thursday and I would love to have you listen in. See what we are all about and see if we are a good fit for eachother!

 

XO- Coach Sarah



 

30 Day Summer Refresh

So it's the beginning of July and I've been camping, boating, attending weddings and recently got back from our OCMD vacation.



don't mind my dirty sandy feet!

 

 I've had tons of fun with family and friends but man! it is time to RE-FOCUS! Anyone with me??

 

You're in 1 of 2 categories. Either you're like me and need to recuperate from events or vacation or you need to prepare for something coming up (party, BBQ, reunion, wedding, vacation, pool days ect.)!

 

So I decided why not run a 30 day group that can keep myself and others on track and accountable. So much goes on during the summer, but we shouldn't let that be an excuse to not care for ourselves. We only have one body and we need to treat it better! Life is always busy and there will always be something going on. Summer turns into fall which turns into sports and school starting, then holidays in the winter, then spring and we start this all over again! Right! Let's start one last time for good. Let's build a foundation of eating healthy and daily fitness.

So here is the plan. For 30 days, I will run a private Facebook challenge group. I will teach you the basics of clean eating. I will teach you from The Eat Clean Diet by Tosca Reno, but I'll also throw in tips from other resources as well. We will keep each other accountable for this time frame. You can pick your own workout- whether its walking, running, the gym, or one of Beachbody's home workout DVD's (21 Day Fix, T25, PiYo, P90X3 ect.) I can fit you to the right workout for you. You can also choose not to workout and focus solely on nutrition. You will learn the 80/20 rule- learn how to balance eating clean without depriving yourself of food you love. You will learn how to stay on track while traveling or on vacation. I will help you create a weekly meal plan to actually save time during your busy week.

 

Along with the food portion, we will also be replacing one meal a day with Shakeology. Shakeology is my daily dose of dense nutrition. It's more than a protein shake as it is filled with super foods: pre and pro biotics, fiber and digestive enzymes. I have Shakeology as a meal because its the equivalent to 5 trips to the salad bar and it is a whole food formula. I could go on and on but basically- its the bees knees. When I did Insanity, adding clean eating and Shakeology during the second month is where I saw a major change. I lost weight, I curbed cravings, I had more energy and I just felt "good". My body was getting the nutrients it was supposed to which allowed my body to run the way its supposed to! Win Win!

 

I will also be starting this 30 day challenge with Beachbody's new cleanse, the 3 Day Refresh. Some of my fellow coach friends have already done this cleanse and have lost at least 5lbs, felt less bloated and more energized-so I say- sign me up! The "3 Day Shakeology Cleanse" is old news now- it's what us coaches and our clients used to do to refresh our system or jump start a new routine. Well, apparently we were missing some things and it wasn't the most ideal plan. Watch this video for a better explanation on the 3 Day Refresh:

So a little review: the 3 Day Refresh is a 3 day cleanse that can jump start weight loss and give you a break from bad habits. It isn't a juice fast, its not a crash diet, and you do not starve. It includes Shakeology for breakfast, a fiber drink, a vanilla refresh protein shake and snack/lunch/dinner food options. I will be starting off the 30 day challenge with this for sure! It is definitely an option, not required but note that the 3 Day Refresh Challenge Pack (including a 30 day supply of Shakeology) is on sale until the end of this month! Score!

 

So if you are interested in getting back on track, preparing for something this summer or just want to be held accountable then join me for 30 days for my Summer Refresh Challenge! We will start July 14th with our "prep week". That is when you will do the 3 Day Refresh if you choose to do so. We will take pictures and measurements and start our meal planning. Then July 21st is go time! If you are interested in joining this group, please message me on Facebook or leave a comment below with how to reach you! I look forward to starting!

Stay on track this summer!

 

XO-Coach Sarah

PiYo Meal Plan: Week 1

I was at the lake this week with my family and I was able to get a PiYo workout done in the camper! I don't officially start until Monday with my challenge group, but I wanted to test run some of the workouts! I also wrote out my meal plan for week 1 and that's what I'm sharing with you incase you are starting on your PiYo journey and want some ideas!

PiYo in the camper

 

I like that the plan resembles that of the 21 Day Fix. Its a little different- and there's no containers- but the amount of what type of foods and how many depending on your calorie goal is written out for you. It's seriously so easy to follow! I like easy.

 

These PiYo workouts are key to burning fat, building lean muscle mass, and staying healthy- but that's only part of the battle (as you know!). If you want to LOOK your best, FEEL your best, and BE your best... you need to eat right too. That doesn't mean resorting to fad diets. We've all been there...done that!! It doesn't mean starving yourself by eating an impossibly low amount of calories (can we say HANGRY), and it definitely doesn't mean forcing yourself to swallow blah health food. Enter- a balanced diet (what you eat, not a "diet") with a variety of good healthy food that you enjoy.

I love teaching others a new lifestyle not a quick fix! I've learned about clean eating and have taught it. But I love to try new things too! I also need help getting back on track from time to time and this is a great plan. When I did the calculations, I was given the baseline calories of 1,494. That would've put me in the "Plan B" calorie target, but I decided to bring myself to the "Plan A" calorie target because...this chick has a fitness photo shoot at the end of the month to prepare for! Ah there I said it out loud!

So for Plan A...my daily goal is: 4 Servings from the Primary Vegetable list, 2 servings from the Secondary Vegetable & Grans list, 2 servings from the Fresh Fruit list, 4 servings from the Lean Protein list and 3 servings from the Healthy Fats list. It ends up being about 40% carbs, 35% protein and 25% fats- hello macros! Mama likes.

I usually make my meal plans easy peasy, you wont see much variety from me. Variety is possible, of course. But I tend to stick to what I know I like and will get eaten (budget friendly haha). I usually type out a nice pretty meal plan divided into days and meals but I didn't get to that yet. So you get the old fashioned typed out version. Cool?
ok.
Monday/Wednesday/Friday
Breakfast:
1/4 cup oatmeal
      3/4 cup blueberries
2 HB eggs
AM Snack:
Cucumbers
1 cup peppers
2 tbsp. avocado

 Lunch:
Shakeology with almond milk and 1/2 banana
PM Snack:
1 cup broccoli
1 cup carrots
2 tbsp. hummus
Dinner:
4oz. seasoned chicken or tilapia
10 asparagus or summer squash
Tuesday & Thursday
Breakfast:
2 eggs
2 tbsp. avocado
1 cup spinach
AM Snack:
apple
1 1/2 tbsp. of PB
1 cup of yogurt or Results & Recovery post workout
Lunch:
Shakeology with almond milk & 1/2 banana
PM Snack:
1 cup cherry tomatoes
cucumbers
1 tbsp. hummus
Dinner:
3 oz. Pork Tenderloin or Steak
1/2 cup sweet potato
Eggplant

Usually the first week of a new eating plan for me is basic like I said. Then as the days go on I get a little more adventurous and do switch some things up and get a little more creative!

If you're starting PiYo, you read these few tips in the booklet but I want to share them!
1. Space out your meals. Several smaller meals allow you to absorb nutrients and keep your blood sugar steady. Try to eat three meals a day, with two or three snacks in between.
2. Stay hydrated. Water keeps all of our systems lubricated and running smoothly. We recommend that you drink half your weight in ounces, everday. So if you weight 140 pounds, drink at least 70 ounces of water.
3. Shakeology can make a nutritious, easy meal or snack, anytime of day. Why isn't it included on any of the food lists? Because its a perfect balance of most of them! When you make a daily shake, you can count 1 scoop as any of the following:
1 1/2 servings Secondary Veggies and Grains
2 servings Fresh Fruit
1 serving of Lean Protein.
I count mine as one of my proteins.


Cute toddler not included

So that's my week 1 meal plan for PiYo! Are you doing PiYo? Are you interested in learning more?
Leave a comment below or message me on Facebook.

XO-Coach Sarah



Bye Bye Muffin Top!

Oh the muffin top. Spare tire. Mommy cliff. It's the worst, lets be honest. For me anyway. I found this article while logging into my Team Beachbody account and  HAD to share it with you!!! Who's with me on "Operation Bye Bye Muffin Top"???
P.S. Sign up for a free account HERE

The Secret to a Flat Stomach

By Collette DeBenedetto

Spring is finally here! The birds are chirping, the sun is shining, and clothing appears to be getting . . . smaller. While the warmer weather and the reemergence of the sun make for happier brains, they make it harder for you to hide that muffin top underneath sweaters and jackets.

Unfortunately, your stomach is often one of the first places you gain weight and one of the last places you'll lose it. Belly fat is not only bad for the beach; it's downright dangerous. A study published in the American Journal of Hypertension revealed that "A larger waist measurement predicts the development of high blood pressure, regardless of total body fat." Other studies have found that visceral stomach fat (versus the subcutaneous fat that you can pinch) is linked to higher total cholesterol, insulin resistance, colorectal cancer, and diabetes. It's time to get serious about losing the spare tire around your waist—not only for aesthetic reasons, but also for your long-term health. And with just a few more weeks until beach season is here, there's no better time to start shredding that fat so that you can reveal a flat, defined, sexy stomach.

A healthy diet—full of fresh fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and healthy fats (like avocado and olive oil)—is critical to getting a flat stomach. Ever heard the phrase "your abs are made in the kitchen"? It's true. This, coupled with the Harvard Women's Health Watch recommendation of at least 30 minutes of moderately intense physical activity a day, is the key to getting a flat tummy.

If seeing a flat stomach comes down to reducing your body fat through healthy diet and exercise, then why bother doing ab-specific exercises? One good reason is that "ab exercises" also strengthen your core, and a strong core can improve your posture and make you less prone to injury. Another is that the abs—like your biceps—are muscles. They're comprised of 6 different muscles: the transverse abdominal that wraps around your torso, the internal and external obliques (one of each on each side), and the rectus abdominis (see the diagram). The rectus abdominis is the "six-pack" muscle. But strengthening all of them is important. Doing exercises that target these will strengthen them so they appear defined when your body fat percentage is low enough for them to be visible. With that in mind, here are 7 of my favorite ab-sculpting moves.

 

1. Training Camps from TurboFire®: Chalene Johnson leads this fan favorite. Start in a seated position on the floor with your heels on the ground and toes facing 45 degrees toward the sky. Lean back until you feel your abdominals engage. Twist toward your right side,lean back, and touch your right elbow to the ground. Engage your abdominals, sit up, and repeat the move on the other side. This is an oblique killer and will help you create those little "fingerlike" muscles on your sides
Sprinting: Remember when you used to sprint around the playground as a kid? Those short, explosive bursts of energy do wonders for your midsection. Think back to the Summer Olympics when the sprinters were waiting on the starting line for the 100-meter dash. Every single one had a six-pack. Sprinting is an anaerobic activity that targets almost every muscle in your body, and especially the abdominals. When you have to quickly drive your knees up while staying in an upright position, you're forced to use your core. Just make sure that you're well warmed-up before going full bore.
Fifer Scissors from P90X®: This move from Tony Horton hurts so good. Lie flat on your back with one straight leg extended so that it is perpendicular to the floor. The other straight leg should hover just off the ground. Switch legs every 10 seconds and don't let either leg touch the ground. Note: If you find that your back is coming up off the ground or if it starts to hurt, place your hands underneath your lower back.
Stability Ball Roll-Outs: This is a real core burner! Start with your knees on the ground and a stability ball in front of you on the floor. Place your hands and wrists on the top of the stability ball and slowly roll the ball out in front of you. Keep your arms straight while rolling out the ball and keep your back straight. If your back starts to sway or if your butt drops, you've gone too far. Slowly roll back in.
Tuck Jumps from INSANITY®: And you probably thought jumping was only for your legs! This tummy tamer gets your heart rate up, works your entire body, and tones abs all in one. Start with your feet shoulder-width apart. Drive your arms up into the sky and lift your knees to your elbows. Like with sprinting, you'll want to be fully warmed-up before trying this exercise.
Stability Ball Knee to Chest: Place your hands on the ground and the tops of your feet on the stability ball so that you are in a push-up/plank position. With your core engaged (good luck trying this without it engaged!) bring your knees to your chest and then move them back out to a plank position. Do not let your back sway or your butt drop.
Hip-Up from Body Beast®: Spot-burning fat through exercise is impossible. But this exercise will help strengthen the lower half of your rectus abdominis muscle. Lie flat on your back with your feet flexed toward the sky and your hands at your sides. Engage your stomach, lift your hips up, and drive your feet straight up. Lower your hips back down to the ground in a slow, controlled motion.

 

For extra support in achieving that toned stomach, follow these 5 gut-busting tips:

1. Ditch the refined sugar! It may look good and taste good, but refined carbohydrates and sugars wreak havoc on your midsection. It's OK to have a treat once in a while, but try to keep these waistline killers to a minimum.
2. Stand up straight: The more you slouch, the more your stomach pooches. According to WebMD®, you should "align your ears over your shoulders, shoulders over hips, hips over knees, and knees over ankles. Keep the fronts of the shoulders open like a shirt on a hanger. Draw your navel to your spine and keep your weight even on the balls and heels." This posture will help you look much leaner and, over time, this isometric contraction of your abs will help strengthen them.
3. HIIT Training: Engage in High Intensity Interval Training (also known as HIIT) and you can see more results in less time! This type of exercise, done in short bursts with brief recovery periods between sets, can help spike your metabolism so you burn calories for hours after you're done working out.
4. Sleep: Getting the right amount of shut-eye can help you get the flat tummy of your dreams. When you skimp on shut-eye, your body undergoes physiological stress, which causes your body to store fat. Strive to get 8 or more hours every single night. Scientific American reports that "even short-term, partial sleep deprivation could pave the way for weight gain and other negative metabolic consequences."
5. Reduce Stress: Stress can be good or bad depending on how we deal with it. We need stress to change and progress, but too much of it can cause our bodies to enter a "fight-or-flight" biochemical process. According to WebMD, this makes "our bodies store fuel, slow down metabolism, and dump out chemicals [such as the stress hormone cortisol] which are more likely to cause . . . obesity in the abdominal region." When we're stressed, we also tend to reach for comfort foods. If you lower your stress levels (through time management, yoga, meditation), you won't need to self-medicate with food and your hormone levels will be much healthier.

If you need extra help getting started on your health and fitness journey, contact me! As a coach I can pair you with the right workout program to meet your goals and get you started eating for the body you want to be fit and need to be healthy! My coaching is done online and your workouts are done at home, so it doesn't matter where you are! Fill out this form below and I will contact you!


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