Don't Wish for It, Work For IT!

We all have goals and dreams, and we all wish for those to thing to happen to us.  Some people play the lottery every week, wishing that their numbers are called.  Some people wish that the perfect job falls in their lap.  Some people wish for the perfect deal, and then some see success happens to other people and wish it could happen to them.  But with all success there was some WORK!  You cannot wish for anything to happen.  Things don't happen on a wish.  Life is no storybook, Success happens when you WORK for Success to happen.  On the path to success, other opportunities may present themselves and you may feel lucky but those opportunities came because you were ready and willing and working hard to make it happen.  So Message is:  DON'T WISH FOR IT!, WORK FOR IT!

Top 5 Fit Life Approved Recipes

1. Chinese Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:

• Green Giant "Living Butter Lettuce" (can be found at target)
• Ground Chicken
• 1/2 of yellow and purple onions diced
• 3 cloves garlic diced
• 3 tbsp housin sauce
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• Green onion
• Bean Sprouts

Directions:

 Brown chicken first. Sautee 1/2 diced yellow and purple onions, 3 cloves of garlic diced, 3tbsp of housin sauce, 1tbsp of rice vinegar, 2 tbsp low sodiumsoy sauce. After 2-3 minutes I added 2 chopped green onions and 1/2 can of drained bean sprouts (I like these better than water chestnuts they recommended). And done!

Cook Time: 30 minutes

2. Avacoda Mayo

Ingredients:

•  1/2 avacado
•  2tbsp olive oil, 
• 1/2 fresh lemon juice,
•  1/4 tsp of sea salt,
•  1/2 Tsp of black pepper,
•  1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper. 

Directions:

I blended with an immersion blender for all of 10 seconds and finished with a fork. Really easy and surprisingly yummy.!

3. Powerful Protein Ball

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup Natural Peanut Butter
• 1/4 cup Raw honey
• 3 tbsp Ground flaxseed*
• 1- Scoop of Protein powder**
• 3-Tbsp of Dark Chocolate Chips***

DIRECTIONS:
1. Mix all ingredients together until fully incorporated.
2. Make 1-inch balls (appx 1 tbsp. - we find a large melon baller works great, especially if you prefer smaller bite-size balls)
3. Refrigerate to firm (but they are so good you'll love them room temp. too)
4. Enjoy as an "on-the-go" breakfast or a mid-day snack.

*can substitute quick oats for flaxseed - it does change the texture
**we have made this with both Chocolate and Vanilla Protien powder and either one tastes YUMMY!!!
***you can add the chips in whole or chop them up for small bursts of chocolate if you prefer. Either way - you can't go wrong.

4. Totally Turkey Tacos

Ingredients:

• Ground Turkey
• Low sodium Taco seasoning
• Lettuce ( get lettuce that can replace the tortilla in a regular taco)
• Black beans
• Diced Tomatoes
• Salsa
• Low fat shredded Cheese

Directions:

Really simple! Brown your turkey meat, then follow the directions on the back of your taco seasoning. Once meat is finished cooking, add meat to lettuce and put your favorite toppings (black beans, tomatoes, salsa, cheese, etc)!

5. Snickers Smoothie

Ingredients:

• Peanut Butter
• Trutein Protein 
• Hershey Cocoa 
• Chobani Greek Yogurt (Vanilla)
• Silk Almond Milk Light

Directions:

Add a scoop of each ingredient and 1/2 cup of milk. Blend together until desired thickness and enjoy!

3 Ways to Convert your Fat Life to a Fit Life

1. Cut the Crap

GOOD NEWS you can eat as much Broccoli as you want.  If you eat High Fat and High Sugar Foods you will Get Fat. If you don’t want to get Fat then don’t Eat those Foods. Simple enough Right?

2.  Move More

Not saying you have to sign up for the Marathon or run the Spartan Race but if you are not Exercising you should start!  If you have no idea what to do get a Coach.  If you don’t have time, Cancel  something so you have time to Exercise.

3. Commit and Believe

Commit to taking action to achieve your certain Goal.  The action will get you the results you want. But the Results NEVER come before the Action.  Believe in yourself and your System and give this all you got, your Absolute Best and Nothing Less.    

These 3 steps you can do right now.  Don’t allow another day to pass before making this happen.

Fit Life Questions Answered!

Q1) I am not losing any weight. What do I do?

A1) First, go back and review your meal compliance tracking sheets to determine if you are meeting your daily food requirements. Do a quick self-assessment. Are you being honest with the portion sizes? Have you hit your targets 90% of the time? Are you consuming less than 4 alcoholic beverages a week?

If you can answer yes to all of those questions, you can move on to the next solutions. If you answered no to any of those questions, you need to get back to the basics.

If you are hitting your targets, it might be time to make a few changes. If you are hitting the upper ranges, then start to work your way to do the lower ranges by adjusting carbohydrates first, then fats, and finally only if needed proteins.

Q2) I am hungry all the time. What can I do?

A2) There are a few things that will help, and it all starts with your daily requirements. Make sure you are hitting the upper limit of your vegetables. This will help you feel fuller without impacting fat loss. You can also make sure you are drinking plenty of water. Often, thirst and hunger can be confused by the body.

Q3) I am having trouble eating all of my food, what can I do?

A3) Slowly work your way up. You don’t need to stuff yourself, but make sure you are not grazing throughout the day and not noticing it. Be cautious of candy jars at work, food that is left out for people to nibble on when they get hungry, and mindless eating throughout the day. It can add up and lead to you not being hungry when you should be and when you have access to good foods.

Q4) How do you track foods that aren’t easily measured using your hands—things like eggs, protein powder, etc.

A4) This can be tricky, but it doesn’t need to cause you a lot of worry! Think in terms of grams of protein, carbs, or fats, and then use estimates. Typically, you want to think of a serving of protein as 25-30g, carbs as the same and fats as 10-15g. So for eggs you are looking at 3 eggs being a serving or usually 1 scoop of protein powder equaling a serving. Use your best judgment when it comes to these foods and assess the outcome. If you aren’t losing weight and you are consuming a lot of these foods try cutting them back a bit.

Q5) Won’t carbs make you fat? Won’t fat make you fat?

A5) The short answer to this is no for both questions. In our experience it is best to start you out on the highest amount of food and macronutrients (protein, carbs and fat) that gets the desired result. This way you have a bit of room to adjust things if weight loss slows down for you later. Often, you won’t get faster progress by cutting these things out, and even if you do get faster progress, you are much more likely to stall out sooner. We would rather get the best possible results changing the fewest things.

That being said, it is quite possible that you will have to adjust some of your food and eat a lower carbohydrate (not a no-carbohydrate) diet for a period of time. You can work with your coach to make some adjustments.

Q6) What if I want really fast results?

A6) You can get them! However, we recommend that you try out the baseline food recommendations first to see what kind of results you get before making any drastic changes. There is some validity though of eating for your body type and we know that you want results fast. So, follow the recommendations below:

Q7) I think I need a meal plan. What does a normal week look like?

A7) Meal plans are great…when all the stars align and life doesn’t get in the way. However, the second that something comes up or you are forced to eat a meal that isn’t on the meal plan it can throw you into a spiral.

Meal plans also don’t factor in your budget, your food preferences, or meal timing preferences.

They simply don’t work, but we do understand that it is nice to see some guidelines.

Q8) What about recipes that don’t fit the exact portion sizes? Like soups and other recipes?

A8) These can seem a little tricky at first, but they don’t have to throw you off completely. First, look at the ingredients and use your best judgment. If the recipe has protein in it, then make sure you account for at least 1 serving of protein. The same goes for the other ingredients including carbs, vegetables, and fats. Use your best judgment on these and adjust as needed. Pay close attention to the oils and other fats being used as those ingredients can throw things off quickly, but can be easily identified if needed.

Q9) How do I make good food choices when I eat at restaurants?

A9) Dining out can be tricky. The first step is to not go in unprepared. Take a look at the menu ahead of time and if possible volunteer to plan the event for your group, whether it is for work of for fun. This allows you to control where you are eating!

When you look at the menu ahead of time (most places have online menus now), breeze through and check out what options you should consider that fit your plan. Watch out for fried, breaded, blackened, etc., which indicate that the protein may be cooked in a lot of extra fats or oils.

Anytime you can opt for the leaner cuts of meat so that you account for the additional fats that the chef will inevitably use to prepare your food. It is recommended that you start off with a salad with an olive oil or vinaigrette dressing. There have been studies shown that you eat less if you start the meal off with a soup or salad. This also make sure you get some green vegetables in before the meal starts.

Do you best to avoid the breads and chips that might come out ahead of time. This is where having a salad come out early can help you out.

When ordering your meal, opt for the lean cuts of meat such as chicken breast, white fish, or sirloin, lean ground beef, etc. Order a side of vegetables or even get a double side of veggies.

The main thing you should remember is that it is okay to ask the server questions about your food and how it is prepared. Don’t be afraid to ask for substitutions and offer to pay extra if needed to make them. Most restaurants are used to these requests and as long as you are polite and ask nicely they will accommodate your needs. 

Goal Setting 101; First Step to Fit Life Success

If you are like most people, you have set some goals before. The problem is that you probably didn’t set them as well as you could have to set yourself up for success.

The first key to a goal being great is making sure that it means something to you. It has to motivate you, and there needs to be some internal or intrinsic motivation behind this goal to ensure that when things get tough, you stick to the plan.

There are lots of reasons to set a weight loss goal, and I am not here to tell you what your reasons need to be to ensure your success.

It might be that you are incredibly insecure or unhappy with how you look, it might be that you are worried your significant other doesn’t find you attractive anymore, or you could just want to make that ex-significant other jealous at an upcoming event.

There is power in a reason when setting a goal. Make your reason big enough, and you will be diligent in your actions and success WILL HAPPEN.

If it just isn’t a great time for you to be focused on your own transformation, that is still OK. Just be honest with yourself and know what kind of results to expect. The results are an outcome of your actions.

If you need a bit of help digging into your goals, let us know, and we will make sure to help you out.

I highly suggest using a 3x5 index card to write your goal down and keep it with you. Put it in your purse or wallet, hang it on the bathroom mirror, put it on the fridge or even on the dash of your car. Keep it in front of you and make sure you are reading it a few times per day.

Top of mind awareness helps you keep your willpower high and success more likely. This will be important in those times where your willpower might be weak or you are faced with making a tough choice or two.

That being said, it is OK to enjoy life as well! You don’t have to be in a constant state of avoidance. Learn to enjoy social gatherings, time with friends, business lunches, and all these tough situations with your newfound motivation (because of your powerful goal) and your new secret weapons to success—your habits.

How to Set Your Goals

1.         Make it specific! Use real numbers or sizes to give you a specific target.
2.          Make it measurable! You must have a way to quantify your progress and know when you have reached your goal. 
3.          Make it action-oriented! Make sure when you write out your goal it is a positive goal that is based on actions that you can take to reach it. 
4.         Make it reasonable! This sounds silly because I want you to shoot for the stars, but you also have to set yourself up for success. You may not be able to reach your ultimate look or lose 50lbs in a few weeks, but you can get a good jump start on it. 
5.         Make it time-based! You have to set some deadlines on your goal. This is why we run transformation programs; your deadline is set for you. 

When you write out your goal, here are some examples:

Poorly written goal:

I want to lose some weight.

Well-written goal:

I will weigh 160lbs (20lbs less than I do now) in 6 weeks.

Amazingly written goal:

I will weigh 160lbs in 6 weeks by improving my nutrition habits, getting more sleep, and exercising 3 times per week.

Feel free to add in emotions to your goal such as “I will feel amazing when I weigh 160lbs…” as it adds some positivity to your goal when you read it.

The keys here are you are projecting that the goal will happen (I will vs I want to), you are being specific (the exact weight), you are being positive (list the weight you will be vs the weight you will lose), and you have actions to help you reach the goal (3 times per week exercise).

Remember, setting great goals is a huge part of ensuring your success.

Go ahead and write out your goal. If you need help, ask a coach to give some assistance.

If you run into troubles, try starting with a goal and then asking yourself “Why?” five times to keep digging to get the real answer to your “What is my goal?” question. 

Tortilla Pizzas

What you need:

1. Small corn tortillas or whole wheat tortillas
2. Salsa
3. Shredded cheddar cheese
4. Turkey Pepperonis

Directions:

1. Mound a little salsa, cheese, and turkey pepperonis on each tortilla. Cook on foil-lined tray in toaster oven (350°) until cheese has melted and is brown at the edges.

Extras: A layer of refried beans under the salsa, cilantro for garnish, a dollop of sour cream or a sprinkle of finely chopped green pepper

Peanut butter Yogurt Popsicle's

What you need:

1. 2 bananas
2. 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
3. 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, or vanilla flavored yogurt
4. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (if you use the plain yogurt)
5. 6 teaspoons mini chocolate chips

Directions

1.     Peel the bananas and break them up into chunks. Add them to the bowl of a food processor or good blender. Add the peanut butter, yogurt, and vanilla, if using, and puree until smooth. You will want to stop to scrape down the sides of the machine a couple of times to insure a good smooth texture.

2.     Put one teaspoon of mini chips into the bottom of your popsicle molds. Fill the rest with the banana peanut butter yogurt puree. Tap the mold sharply on a firm surface to reduce air pockets.

3.     Insert sticks and freeze until solid, 3-5 hours.

4.     Run the molds under warm water for a few seconds before removing the popsicles.

5.     Makes 4-6 popsicles, depending on your mold.

Dark Chocolate Chip Whole Wheat Banana Bread Muffins

What you need:

1. 3 tablespoon – flaxseed, ground
2. ¹/₂ cup – water
3. 3 medium – banana
4. ¹/₄ cup – applesauce, unsweetened
5. 2 tablespoon – coconut sugar
6. ¹/₂ cup – brown rice syrup
7. 1 teaspoon – vanilla extract
8. 1 teaspoon – cinnamon
9. 1 teaspoon – baking soda
10. 2 cup – pastry flour, whole wheat
11. ¹/₂ cup – chocolate chips, dark

Directions:

1.     Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tins with paper liners.

2.     Combine ground flax and water in a small bowl, mixing completely. Set aside.

3.     In a large bowl, peel and mash the bananas until some course chunks remain. Add the applesauce and flax mixture, mixing until well combined. Mix in the sugar, brown rice syrup, vanilla, and cinnamon.

4.     Stir in the flour, baking soda, and chocolate chips, just until combined.

5.     Spoon batter into muffin tins, filling about 1/2-2/3 way full. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Turkey and Cheese Roll ups

What you need:

1.        Sliced turkey

2.      Low fat sliced cheese

Directions:

1. Layer a slice of turkey and cheese.

2. Then roll them up and enjoy!

Fruit Nachos

What you need:

1.      Sliced  apples

2.      Yogurt

3.      Honey

4.      Granola

5.      Sliced strawberries

6.      Raisins

Directions:

1. Layer the sliced apple on a plate

2. Drizzle honey and spread the yogurt on top the apples

3. Add your toppings (strawberries, granola, and raisins)

1. Egg Muffins

WHAT YOU NEED:

1.6 large eggs
2.1/4 cup of milk (almond milk, coconut milk, etc.)
3.1/8 tsp salt 
4.1/8 tsp pepper
5.1/2 cup of diced bell pepper, red
6.3/4 cup of fresh spinach
7.1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
8.4 slices of low-sodium deli sliced turkey or ham

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease muffin pan (we recommend cooking spray or melted coconut oil).*
2. Whisk eggs and milk together in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.
3. Dice bell pepper into small pieces. Stack the spinach leaves, roll them up and slice them thin. Do the same with the turkey/ham slices.
4. Add vegetables, turkey/ham and shredded cheese to egg mixture and whisk to fully incorporate.
5. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full of omelet mixture. 
6. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until centers are set/firm. (Can test if they are ready with a toothpick.)

Allow muffins to cool completely before storing. These can be stored in the refrigerator, lightly stacked in an airtight container for up to 7 days. Re-heat in microwave for 30-45 seconds (if mini muffins) or 45-1 minute if making full size muffins.

2.PB&J Waffle Sandwich

WHAT YOU NEED:

1. Whole- Grain Toaster Waffle

2. Natural Peanut Butter

3. Fruit of your choice

DIRECTIONS:

1. Toast your whole-grain waffle to your liking

2. Cut your waffle in half and spread 2 tablespoons of natural peanut butter

3. Add your fruit

3. Breakfast Burritos

WHAT YOU NEED:

1. Eggs

2. Almond Milk

3. Low fat cheese

4. Chopped up peppers and onions

5. Whole Wheat tortillas

6. Salsa

DIRECTIONS:

1. Make a batch of scrambles eggs. Use almond milk and low fat cheese.

2. Add peppers and onions to your scrambled eggs as well.

3. Once eggs are finished, place them in your whole wheat tortilla and add salsa if you would like.

Tip: You can make them in advance! Make a batch of burritos and individually wrap them in a freezer safe Ziploc bag. Simply heat them up and enjoy each morning.

4. Yogurt Parfait

WHAT YOU NEED:

1. Greek Yogurt

2. Fresh berries (Strawberries and Blueberries)

3. Honey or granola chunks

Directions:

Layer each ingredient in jar or bowl.

5.

Banana- Nut Oatmeal

WHAT YOU NEED:

1.1/2 cup rolled oats

2. Cup water

3. Banana, sliced

4. 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts

5. 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

1. Combine rolled oats and 1 cup water in a microwave bowl. Microwave on high for 3 minutes

2. Top with bananas, walnuts, and cinnamon