Strong is the New Skinny

Why do YOU workout? Is it to lose weight? To be healthy? Is it just a healthy hobby that you have?

Personally, I use fitness to be healthy, not to lose weight, but to have my body in the best possible shape and condition that I can. I also use it as an outlet to de-stress at the end of the day when I could really use some me time, some time just to work on myself and clear my mind of any chaos from the day.

Right now, I'm doing Body Beast and let me tell you, it's intense weight training, more intense than I'm used to. Weights that I could lift with ease in other programs have suddenly become heavier and I really feel the burn. and no, it's not because I've been on a fitness hiatus.

I gauge my fitness level and strength my different postures that I can hold and for how long I can hold them. Plus, I gauge progress by how much I'm able to lift.

I have been determined to master the crow. Some yogis may feel, "wow! piece of cake!" But I haven't had enough upper body strength (until now) to hold it for too long without falling flat on my face! Last week, I was able to do the crow and hold the pose for about 2 minutes. Which was huge for me! I didn't fall on my face, I merely let myself down out the pose, just because I didn't want to get overconfident and end up with a broken nose!

Every day is a new opportunity and a new accomplishment in my fitness journey. I will continue to get stronger, more confident in myself and in my abilities, and to be a healthy example for my child.

Have a wonderful day!

Freezer Meal Swap!!!!

Ok...So lately, slow cooker freezer meals have kinda become my "thing." I LOVE prepping foods for the week to make life simpler and convenient, but I don't want to skip on nutrition. I have already added many meals to my repertoire of freezer meals, but I'm looking to expand my list. We all like variety, it is of course, "the spice of life" :P

I want to add CLEAN meals to my weekly meal prep, that are flavourful, that are slow cooker friendly, and are FREEZEABLE prior to cooking.

Please share with me in the comments below what YOUR favorite slow cooker meals are. We'll all be able to take away some great new recipes!

.....AND GO!!!

Meal Prep Addition

So, I love Pinterest! Who doesn't right? I get a lot of my clean meal ideas from there for sure.

I have tried different breakfast quinoa recipes and haven't really been a fan....until now! I have to admit, as much as I truly want to be in love with this super food, I just cant even think about eating it alone as a side dish or the protein portion of a salad.

Why not mix it with peanut butter? Peanut butter makes everything better. I got this recipe from The Lean Green Bean and have to be honest, I WAS hesitant to try them. But, they were amazing and quite filling when paired with fresh fruit.

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 cup white whole wheat flour (or chickpea flour for gluten-free)
• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 2 cups oats
• 2/3 cup nuts, chopped
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 Tbsp chia seeds
• 2/3 cups peanut butter
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup applesauce
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup craisins
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips, optional

 

Instructions

1. Combine applesauce, vanilla, eggs, peanut butter and honey in a small bowl and mix well.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until just mixed.
3. Spoon into a greased 9x13 pan and bake at 375 for 20 min or until golden brown.
4. Let cool and cut into bars.
5. Store in the refrigerator

 

Enjoy!!!

Clean Eating Sesame Chicken and Noodles

I have been asked to post by a few people the "recipe" for a meal that I posted on Facebook. I got this from a fellow coach of mine and did my own variation based on what I had available in my kitchen at the time. In Shanti's recipe, she uses Bragg's liquid aminos, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, zucchini and whole wheat pasta.

I didn't have, nor could I even find liquid aminos, so I just used low sodium soy sauce.

There's really no recipe to this one. I just basically threw whatever into a pan and that was it! The outcome, was great! I love the taste of sesame oil!

Ingredients:

Brown rice noodles
Boneless, skinless chicken breast
Sesame oil
Olive oil
Red pepper flakes
Red pepper (or whatever veggies you like)
Soy sauce
Dehydrated onion



Here's what I did:

I browned some cubed chicken breast with olive oil and dehydrated onion and sautéed red peppers with it. In a separate pot, boil brown rice noodles.

Once the chicken is browned, I added basically splashes of sesame oil and soy sauce, enough to coat everything evenly ( I used more sesame than soy) and a pinch of red pepper flakes.

Add your pasta and mix everything together!

Super easy, super quick! Enjoy!

Clean Eating Shopping List

So what's in my clean eating kitchen??? I have had numerous people ask me to go grocery shopping with them and some people have even asked me to go for them to pick up eat eating meals. I get asked all of the time, what the things are that I consistently buy. I have some staples that I keep in my kitchen for sure. Having staples on hand all of the time help to stay on track when temptations arise!

So what are my staples??

~Chicken, whether it be ground or breast, I make sure to ALWAYS have it in the freezer
~Lentils, yes lentils. Makes for a quick and easy, AND healthy salad for work lunches, or in place of ground chicken in chili or pasta sauce. Green are my favorite.
~Spinach, for salads and to puree and freeze for shakes
~We go through A LOT of berries in our house, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries and blackberries
~Grape tomatoes
~Oats
~Peanut butter
~Almond milk
~Greek yogurt
~Apples
~Almonds
~Peppers
~Honey
~Frozen veggies
~Sweet potatoes
~Bananas
~Ground flax seed


So what foods should you pair together? It's pretty simple really. Take a lean protein and pair with a complex carb every 3 hours to keep your metabolism high and your blood sugars stable.

It seems high maintenance initially and some even find it to be intimidating. But with some meal planning and prepping and a little knowledge, clean eating is quite easy!





No Meat? No Problem Spaghetti Sauce

Meatless Spaghetti Sauce
one large onion
two cloves garlic
150g  bag of dried red lentils
mushrooms, as many as you like
beef bouillon powder
 2 cans of diced tomatoes
cheese and basil (optional)

Gently saute the onions and garlic in a drop of olive oil. Add the lentils and saute gently until pale.

Add two cans of tomatoes, a teaspoon or two of bouillon. Stir well and simmer for half an hour.

If the sauce looks too thick, add water, during the cooking time.

Top over whole wheat or brown rice pasta

Clean Eating Prep Meets Slow Cooker Freezer Bags!

Sunday meal prep! As much as I dread the thoughts of going back to work after a wonderfully relaxing weekend, I absolutely love prepping my food for the week! I usually do up a meal plan and for the most part, just actually prep my lunches and snacks for work, but have a clear plan as to what supper meals will be.

For the most part, when Hubs is away, leaving work, picking up our daughter, and trying to get on the other side of the city enroute to home with a plan to cook isn't always appealing. Sometimes it leaves my daughter and I in a lets have eggs type of mood, just because supper's now going to be late!

I've been looking through Pinterest here and there looking for clean eating meals that I can prep and freeze. A lot of the freezer recipes that I've seen have had bottled sweet and sour sauce, or bottled teriyaki sauce, etc. I believe in living the 80/20 rule. Clean eating at least 80% of the time. But I'd much prefer to stay away from the high sugar sauces.

Today however, I found and even prepared some of my own clean eating freezer meals for the slow cooker! (Hear the harps playing?) I mean, the Holy Grail of meal prep!

Super productive day! I prepped 4 freezer meals and 2 meals of chicken balls.

Slow Cooker Clean Eating Honey Sesame Chicken

Slow Cooker Clean Eating Chicken Taco Chili

Slow Cooker Clean Eating Lentil Sweet Potato Soup

Slow Cooker Clean Eating Santa Fe Chicken

Clean Eating Spinach and Feta Chicken Balls

Clean Eating Spinach and Feta Chicken Balls

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground chicken
• 1 Tbsp chopped parsley
• 3 Tbsp finely chopped spinach
• ¾ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp paprika
• ¾ tsp fennel seeds
• ¼ cup feta cheese crumbles

Instructions:

 

Bake for 1 hour on 350F

Slow Cooker Clean Eating Santa Fe Chicken

Ingredients:

Freeze:

1 1/2 lb chicken, 8 oz frozen corn, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp. onion powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1 t salt and pepper, 3 green onions chopped

Add:

1 can 14.4 oz diced tomatoes with mild green chiles, 1 15 oz. can black beans, 1 box chicken broth

Cook:

 Put all contents in slow cooker and place chicken breasts on top- season with salt. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in.

Slow Cooker Clean Eating Lentil Sweet Potato Soup

Ingredients:

Freeze:

4 large carrots, chopped, 4 stalks celery, chopped, 1 onion, diced, 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed, 1.5 cups chopped green beans, 2 cups green lentils, 1 tsp minced fresh rosemary, 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp dried oregano, dash of garlic powder, 1 tsp sea salt (or to taste), 1/2 tsp pepper


Add:

1 15-oz can diced tomatoes, 1 Box chicken broth

Cook:

Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker.  Turn heat on low and cook for 10 hours, adding a little more broth at the end if soup seems too thick.

Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Chili

Ingredients:

Freeze:

1 onion chopped, 10 oz. frozen corn kernels, 1 taco seasoning packet, 1 T cumin, 1 T chili powder, 3-4 chicken breasts

Add:

1 can black beans, 1 can kidney beans, 1 8 oz. can tomato sauce, 2 cans diced tomatoes with chilies


Cook:

Put all contents in slow cooker and place chicken breasts on top. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in.

Slow Cooker Clean Eating Honey Sesame Chicken

Ingredients:

Freeze:

3-4 chicken breasts;  In a small separate bag: combine 1/2 cup honey, 2 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce, 1/2 onion, diced, 2 1/2 Tbsp organic ketchup, 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, sprinkle of garlic powder, 

Cook:

Put chicken into crock pot.  Pour contents of small bag over chicken.  Cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high 1 1/2 – 2 1/2 hours, or just until chicken is cooked through.

Add:

green beans in last 30 minutes.
Remove chicken from crock pot, leave sauce. Whisk 2 T cornstarch into liquid in the crock pot.
Replace lid and cook sauce on high for ten more minutes or until slightly thickened.
Shred chicken or cut into bite size pieces, then return to pot and toss with sauce. Serve chicken over rice, garnish with  1 T sesame seeds

Clean Eating Meal Plan

I have no idea how disorganized in this busy life I would be without meal planning and prepping. It gives me comfort knowing that there's not a huge amount of time and energy that has to go into supper when I get home from work.

Here's my plan for this week! If you would like any of the recipes that may not be on the blog, feel free to leave me a message!

Happy planning!

Homemade Almond Butter

Sooo, my favorite almond butter was recalled! I know right? I've been thinking about making my own almond butter for some time now, but to be honest, was kind of intimidated!

Yesterday, I decided that today was the day! I headed out to the bulk food store to buy a million and one almonds! Homemade is so much cheaper than the store bought brands by the way.

This was it! I was prepared to spend an eternity in the kitchen slaving over this almond butter! Just call me Martha Stewart!

I added my almonds to my mini food processor, but didn't get too far with it. The mini version just didn't do much, I'd probably still be trying to make it!

Instead, I just transferred them into the magic bullet. I had to use a spatula every now and then to push the mixture away from the blade, but VOILA!! Almond butter!!! Just. Like. That. It took me about a half an hour or so and that was it!! And the best part? It was absolutely delicious! I added a smidge of raw cocoa powder to it as well. I love that I know how this was handled, that it used organic almonds and that it only has 2 ingredients in it! I will certainly continue to make homemade almond butter a staple in my house! Love it!

Not much to the recipe:

I used 2 cups of organic, roasted almonds
1/2 tsp of raw cocoa powder

Blend in a food processor of high speed blender until smooth and creamy! Enjoy!

Clean Eating Chicken Stroganoff!...Finally!!!

I LOVE chicken stroganoff!! It used to be one of our staples before clean eating. I have been searching for a recipe that would be easy to "clean" up but wouldn't be lacking in taste. It's been hard to find something that has been compliant with my lifestyle that I liked the taste of....until, NOW!!!

The holy grail of clean eating chicken stroganoff!!!! In my opinion anyway. And the best part....no sour cream, no milk, no condensed soups (yuck!), just simple, clean ingredients. But how does it get it's creamy goodness in the sauce? Cashews!!! Yep, that's right, soaked and then pureed raw cashews!

I was a little scared that it may have a slight nutty flavour, but not at all. To be honest, it kinda tasted like roast chicken chips hahaha. Sounds ridiculous I know, but what an unbelievable flavour! It will definitely be a staple in our house.

Clean Eating Chicken Stroganoff

*Fresh Mushrooms
*Onion, chopped
*Chicken breast, chopped
*garlic powder, dash
*cooking spray
*3 cups chicken broth
*1 cup raw cashews
*1/2 cup water
*dash of ground thyme
*1 tsp dried rosemary
*1 tsp dried oregano

1.Place cashews and half a cup of water in a blender or food processor and leave to soak.
2. Spray large pot with cooking spray, cook chicken, sauté the mushrooms, onion and garlic powder
3.Reduce heat to medium low and add chicken broth. Cover and allow to simmer for 30 minutes.
4.Blend cashews until smooth and creamy.
5.Add the cashew cream and herbs to the pot, stirring well to combine. Allow to simmer for another 20 minutes. If the stew looks too thick, add a little water

I put on a bed of brown rice noodles and paired it with steamed broccoli. Hope that you enjoy!

P90X3 --> Victory week

So, P90X3 has been taking me well over the 90 days to complete, I've been doing some Chalean Extreme, Body Beast and PiYo here and there. But, here I am, I just completed my first workout in "Victory Week."

So, what do I think of the intense 30 minute X3?

I've actually enjoyed it a lot!
Pros:

* 30 MINUTES!!!

* Intense, really makes you break a sweat

* Modifications if needed

* Offers some great stretch, flexibility workouts. I love X3 yoga!

* It WORKS! My results have been phenomenal! The growing definition from this total body workout has been INSANE!!!



This new muscle definition has only left me wanting more! Next on my list are Body Beast, PiYo, and T25. Just have to figure out which one to do first!

Do you need motivation, accountability and tips to help you reach YOUR health and fitness goals? Do you want to do it all at home? Fill out the application below:

https://nbowles.wufoo.com/forms/challenge-group-application/

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Smoothie

What was on your table this morning??? Do you eat the same breakfast everyday or do you like to mix things up? I tend to do the exact same breakfast every morning during the week, but then on the weekends, have a full on egg, fruit and toast breakfast.

With my Husband working away for 3 weeks at a time, and with me working full time and trying to get my little one out the door to day care, mornings can be a little hectic! While I would love to be able to sit with my girl at the table every morning for breakfast, sometimes it just isn't happening. She sits close by as I get things ready to head out.

Do I start my day with no breakfast? Definitely not! To be honest, I eat the equivalent of 5 salads and then some, in a shake form that is!
                   Is it good for me? of course!
                   Is it delicious? Absolutely!
                   Is it filling? Definitely!

Here's my recipe for my "healthiest meal of the day", the one meal that is a complete no-brainer:

Ingredients

• 2 cups baby spinach
• 1 frozen banana
• 2 Tbsp. raw cacao
• 2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter (or other nut butter of your choice)
• 1 tsp. raw honey
• 1 cup coconut milk (almond milk, or other nut milk of your choice)
• 1/2 cup water
• 2-3 ice cubes
• tiny pinch of sea salt
• 1 scoop of Chocolate Shakeology

Put all ingredients into a blender, blend and enjoy immediately.

5 Tips To A More Restful Sleep

Last night, my body was telling me to rest. After an exhausting work week, I settled to bed around 930pm, and my daughter didn't call out to me until 730 this morning (which is rare, she's usually up before 630). Today, even though in bed for those extra hours, during the work week I'm up at 530 and to bed around 1130, I am still feeling super tired today! They say, "the more sleep that you get, the more that you want" right?

How can we make sure that we are getting the most restful night's sleep? Here's my top 5 tips for a better night's rest.

1. Keep the electronics out of the room. I tend to have 2 cell phones at my bedside every night. My personal phone, which I use for the alarm, and my work phone. I tend to find it hard to refrain from not looking at a phone before bed.

2. Watch what you eat and drink before bed time. Avoid large meals, alcohol and stimulating drinks before bed to help your body relax. Opt for tea.

3. Make sure it's dark. A dark room helps the body recognize that it's time to sleep and helps the production of Melatonin to make the body tired and it helps to regulate sleep patterns.

4. Regular exercise helps for a more restful sleep.

5. Routine. I am very much a creature of habit. I like routine, I like structure. The same routine night after night will make the body recognize that it's time for sleep. Give yourself time to wind down, a warm bath, a good book, soft music.

Make sure to relax! Happy sleeping

Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Balls

So what's better than chocolate? Chocolate and PEANUT BUTTER!!! Two of my favorite things! When I'm looking for a sweet treat in the afternoon, I reach for two of these babies and some fruit, and it satisfies the sweet tooth.
My daughter likes them, and even my Husband thought that they were good! Super easy to make, no baking, no fuss! All that it takes is about 5 minutes!Ingredients:

1/3 cup (or a slight bit more) natural peanut butter
1/4 cup raw honey
3 tablespoons ground flax seed
3 tablespoons of Enjoy Life dark chocolate chips
1 scoop chocolate Shakeology (or protein powder of choice)
A handful of oats (optional)

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Roll into 10 balls (about one heaping tablespoon per serving).
2. Refrigerate to firm up balls, overnight for best results. Enjoy!

Clean Eating Road Trip Cooler Ideas

So, with Summer comes travelling and road trips, trips to the beach and to the park. We all know what that means...summer BBQ's, evenings of restaurant dining, and going off track of the meal plan. I try to stay diligent to my health and fitness goals, but I will admit, I do go off track from time to time. I'd say that I eat clean about 85% of the time.

So, my plan consists of packing up a cooler and taking what I can with us to stay on track. Plus, I prefer not to feed my toddler takeout night after night.

So, what would I pack in my cooler for the on the road times when many of us are more inclined to stop at a gas station on the highway??

1. Fresh berries (strawberries, blackberries, raspberries)

2. Shakeology peanut butter balls

3. Low fat mozza cheese strings

4. Apples

5. Bananas

6. Raw almonds

7. Canned/packaged tuna

8. Homemade granola

9. Hummus

10. Bell peppers

11. Grapes

12. Almond milk

13. LOT'S of water

14.  Lentils (probably a lentil lime salad)

15. Some pre-made salads with spinach, feta, grape tomatoes, cucumber, peppers ( would pair it with the packaged tuna or have pre-grilled chicken ahead of time)

16. Natural peanut butter or almond butter for apple dipping

17. Shakeology

18. Overnight oats with fresh berries

19. Homemade Pumpkin Chocolate Granola Bars

20. greek yogurt

Would I pack ALL of this for one road trip? Probably not depending how long we're in the car. But it's just an idea of what I would take. Make sure to pair a lean protein source with a complex carb and be sure to eat every 2-3 hours to keep your metabolism revved! Happy Summer!!!

Chocolate Pumpkin Granola Bars

Umm, ok....these are absolutely delicious! Easy to satisfy your sweet tooth WITHOUT the guilt! Great paired with fruit!


Ingredients:

• 3 1/4 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/2 cup 85% dark chocolate
• 2/3 cup sliced almonds
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease an 8 by 8 baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
• Chop your dark chocolate into small pieces.
• In a large bowl, combine oats, spices and salt together.  Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk pumpkin, applesauce, honey, and vanilla extract until smooth.  Pour over the oats and stir well, until all of the oats are moist.  Stir in the dark chocolate and almonds.
• Evenly press oat mixture into prepared pan.  Bake for 25-35 minutes or until golden brown.  The pumpkin keeps the bars moist, so make sure they are golden and set-you don't want them to be under baked.  Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes.
• Using a sharp knife, cut into bars.  Remove from pan and let cool completely.
• Makes 10-12 granola bars. 

Overnight Oats

If you know me, you know that I LOVE oatmeal! This is THE BEST oatmeal recipe to date that I've found. And it's 100% clean! Enjoy!


Ingredients: 1/4 cup uncooked old fashioned rolled oats
1/3 cup almond milk
1/4 cup low fat greek yogurt
1 1/2 teaspoons dried chia seeds
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce or enough to fill the jar.

In a 1/2 pint jar or 1 cup jar put in the oats, milk, greek yogurt, chia seeds, cinnamon and honey.  Put the lid on and shake that up!  Open up the jar and add in the applesauce to the top, cover and shake.  Refrigerate overnight or up to 2 days.

I usually warm in the microwave and top with fresh berries, chopped apple or pomegranate arils.

THE BEST Broccoli salad that you will EVER eat! And it's clean!!!

I love love love broccoli salad and have been looking for clean eating variations that I felt would be both clean and delicious. I came across this little gem and modified it here and there to better suit me and my clean eating lifestyle.
It called for vegan mayo, which I had no intention on buying. I don't like regular mayo, why would I go and buy a vegan version, right? I subbed the vegan mayo with plain greek yogurt and was a bit apprehensive that it would taste too tart. But low and behold, it did NOT! It was absolutely amazing! My husband ate it too and agreed that it would be a great staple for a barbeque! Our 2 year old, who is a veggie fanatic, did not care for it however.

 

Here's my modified version:



Clean Eating Broccoli Salad

1 head broccoli, stems removed and florets cut into pieces
4 slices cooked turkey bacon, crumbled
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
1/2 cup cranberries
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
2 tbsp white vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp honey
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preparation:
In a small bowl combine yogurt, vinegar, honey, salt and pepper. Mix well and set aside.
In a large bowl combine broccoli, bacon, onion and cranberries. Gently stir in the dressing.
Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and serve immediately.

We paired it with some roasted chicken breast.

Clean Eating Broccoli Salad

Meal plans and Muscles

Working out, eating right, losing weight...You've got it down to a science by now right? Truth is, we all can plateau at some point or another. The key is to switch up your workout routine about every 30 days. keep your muscles guessing as to what's coming next.

I never thought that I would ever be a fitness enthusiast! I certainly wanted to be. I wanted to be motivated and committed to living a healthier life, but always had excuses. Now, I can say, that yes, there may still be "reasons" as to why I feel as though I can't workout, but I always re-evaluate and discover that these "reasons" are definitely excuses.

Besides having the same workout routine day in and day out, what else can make us plateau?? DIET!!! Proper nutrition is key! Weight loss is 70% diet, 30% exercise. I, for years had always made a meal plan per se in aid of helping me compile a grocery list. But for the most part, I just planned the bigger meals and would basically just wing it for the rest. Now, I plan everything that I, going to eat. it helps me to cut out on excessive snacking. my plan still allows me to snack, but now I snack on the right foods instead of the 3pm chocolate bar. Here's a look at my meal plan for the coming week:

I think that I need to try and add some more protein into my meal plan. Prep day is tomorrow and I'm going to try to incorporate some extras like quinoa for the extra protein. I found a really appealing Mexican quinoa salad recipe that I could make a batch of and have for the week. Plus, an oatmeal type quinoa recipe that I'll be trying as well.
I have just over a month of P90X3 left and am feeling great, but I am already thinking about which program that I want to do next. Drum roll please.........BODY BEAST!! I really love how a body looks with muscle and I never dreamed that I could have a toned and sculpted physique. My sister actually has told me that right now I'm too muscular. But, I honestly disagree. The sky is the limit right now and I'm not planning on stopping. Stay tuned for further updates on my progress :)

 

If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you!

I have never been overweight. In fact, as a teenager, I desperately tried my best to gain weight as I was so unhappy with my skinny self. Skinny doesn't always equate happier. I was unhealthy, I ate whatever I wanted and had absolutely NO energy whatsoever. To me, there was no "healthy" way to gain weight, THAT was something that I never bothered to consider.

I eventually reached a weight that I was ok with, it still wasn't where I truly felt happy, but content, I guess.

The years went by. I got married to my high school boyfriend in 2009, and in 2012, we had a beautiful baby girl.

I had only gained 25 lbs. during my whole pregnancy and felt great! Post-partum, I did have baby weight to lose that I felt uncomfortable with. I had the bulk of the weight in my mid-section and now faced the opposite of what I never thought that I would have to do: LOSE weight!

I breast fed exclusively, which helped burn lots of calories. But my diet, consisted of processed, fake, convenience foods as I was caught up in the joy and exhaustion of being a new Mommy. My own health was put on the back burner.

July of last year, my daughter had a bad ear infection. She's a momma's girl, of course (wouldn't have it any other way), and when she gets sick, she just wants to be "uppy Mommy." That's perfectly fine with me, but it took it's toll when you aren't able to cook a sensible meal and eat appropriately. I ended up with tonsillitis, something that I have NEVER had before. My husband works away for 3 week hitches at a time, and our child only seems to get sick when he's away.

To make a long story short. After feeling like I was dying a slow death, I decided that I needed to take better care of myself. I am basically a single mother for half of the year. My daughter was counting on me to be there for her. How could I take the best care of her, if I was neglecting myself? It was then that I decided that I was going to make the change.

I researched at home fitness programs online and refreshed myself on clean eating. I had to choose am at home workout program due to the fact that working full time and having a husband that was away for half of the time, that was going to be best for ME. I youtubed P90X transformations and eventually found my coach who enrolled me into her challenge group. THAT'S what I needed a challenge group!!! Something to keep me accountable! I was afraid that with an at home workout, I would easily fall off of the wagon. I was kept motivated by my coach as well as my co-challengers.

I worked out to P90X about 5 days a week and drank Shakeology EVERY day. It got me in the best shape ever! But then....

The challenge group ended. BUT, it takes 21 days to create a habit and I was HOOKED! I had to workout and eat healthfully. It was just me now, it was "how I roll!" :)

I continued my journey, I finished P90X. I finished OVER 90 days of Chalean Extreme because I loved it soo much and LOVED the results that I saw from it.

Now, I'm on my 2nd block of P90X3 and am just getting stronger! I have made a lifestyle change that I LOVE and am able to keep!

June 2, 2014 begins my next Challenge Group. If you are ready to be in the best shape of your life and be healthy and energized, apply at the link below:

 https://nbowles.wufoo.com/forms/challenge-group-application/

Chicken and Broccoli

Chicken and Broccoli

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast...
4 cups broccoli florets
1/2 tsp garlic powder
pinch ginger
1 tbs olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 1/2 tbsp. reduced sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup water
1 cube organic beef bouillon

Cut chicken into thin strips and stirfry in hot olive oil in frying pan on medium-high temperature. Add garlic and ginger during cooking time. Stirfry until chicken is cooked. Mix together corn starch, soy sauce, beef bouillon, and water. Add to chicken and stirfry an additional 2-3 minutes. Add broccoli and stirfry until tender crisp.

I serve this with a side of brown rice. Enjoy!

Planning and Prepping

So, I like control, therefore, I plan whatever I can. And because I am super health conscious (obsessed as my sister likes to label it), planning my meals definitely falls into the planning category.

I never go to the grocery store blindly. I have a well thought out grocery list. I find that I need to be extra diligent when my Husband is away for work because a random trip to the grocery store may not always be possible when you have a napping toddler.

My grocery list? I try to push for 100% clean ingredients. A few staples in our house are :
-chicken breast, ground or boneless, skinless
-fresh fruit and berries
-fresh and frozen veggies
-tomato sauce
-eggs
-greek yogurt
-almond milk

Sundays tend to be my meal prep day, prepping for the coming work week. I always whip of a batch of my homemade granola, some jars of overnight oats, and separate appropriate servings of berries and sliced veggies for easy grab and go from the fridge.

Here's my current meal plan for this week. feel free to contact me for any recipes that aren't up on this site yet!

Love me some healthy pizza! Umm, but cauliflower??

My 2 year old LOVES pizza! I went from my old lifestyle boxed pizza mix to a clean eating alternative months ago, which is delicious, but I've been looking for something the same, but different. Better, I guess, and better for you.

I'm not a HUGE pizza fan myself to be honest, but my husband and child would definitely eat it at least a few times a week if ever given the choice. But, I'm all about cleaning up old favorites, so I didn't hesitate to give this a try.

I've seen numerous recipes online for cauliflower pizza and researched until I found one that I thought would be easy and tasty. I actually tried making it a couple of months ago and burned the cauliflower while it was cooking in the microwave! Needless to say, never tasted it then.

But tonight, for supper, I DID IT! I successfully made a cauliflower crust pizza! No, it may not seem like a big deal, but to me, it was! And might I add, it was AMAZING! I am definitely NO lover of cauliflower and I could taste any whatsoever. My only complaint was that the crust wasn't near as crispy as I would like. Next time, I will be sure to press some of the excess water from the cauliflower before I mix the ingredients together.

Ingredients:

Nonstick spray
2 1/2 cups cauliflower, grated (about 1/2 a large head)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 1/4 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Toppings of choice
approx. 1/2 tbsp. garlic powder
1 tsp oregano

Directions

1 Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper (I will omit this next time and just put it on a sprayed pizza pan), and preheat oven to 425ºF.
2 Grate the cauliflower using a box grater until you have two cups of cauliflower crumbles. Place in a large bowl and microwave for five minutes, or until soft. Remove from the microwave and let cool.
3 Mix in the egg, one cup mozzarella, parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper. Once combined, pat into a 10-inch round on the prepared pizza pan. Spray lightly with nonstick spray and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden.
4 Top the pizza with the sauce, 1/4 cup mozzarella, and desired toppings. Bake in the oven until melted and bubbly, another 10 minutes.

Sauce:

1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon italian herb spice
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder

a few dashes of dehydrated onion

Hope that you enjoy!