Happy Healthy Mom: 2017

Sunday, February 5, 2017

Week 5 Hammer and Chisel Meal Plan


So this coming week will be week five of Hammer and Chisel. I was following the 30 day calendar for Autumn and will now go into the 30 Day Calendar for Sagi. This is my second time doing this program and I forgot how much I love it! 4 weeks in and I have increased my weights which means I am getting stronger! I also see more definition in my arms and legs but I know that I could have been a little more strict with my nutrition so I am taking full responsibility for that! So as we go into the next calendar I am committing to a few things to improve my results.




1. No alcohol during the week- while alcohol is allowed on this plan I notice that a glass of wine here and there can really affect your results plus I feel so much better when I dont drink the night before. So, peace out wine! ✌🏼


2. No Sugar- my boys picked out the most delicious little chocolate dove hearts and I have been eating a few of those every day. When I start to eat sugar--I just cant stop!! Before you know it, Im reaching for everything and anything I could get my hands on.... #noselfcontrol So starting today...no more. Ill be putting them in the fridge because I hate cold chocolate! Hey, whatever works right?


3. Stay Hydrated- I will also go back to drinking at least 70 ounces of water a day. A lot of time my body confuses hunger for thirst. One thing I do is keep  my water with me and bring it everywhere I go so I make sure I am drinking it.  I also think having a container with a straw really helps!


Another thing I do to stay on track is plan out my meals for the week. I don't always follow the dinners in the same order because sometimes I just don't feel like eating that for whatever reason but I always have a plan in place. I'll also prepare all my snacks into little baggies so I can grab and go when heading out the door.


So this week I am all set to crush my goals and kick some major booty in my fitness routine!! Ready girl?


xo,

melissa

If you wanna join our upcoming online bootcamp fill out the applications below and Ill be in touch!!




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Thursday, February 2, 2017

Quick Simple Slaw

This quick, simple slaw is a staple in my house. Perfect when you need something acidic to balance a savory dish. Everyone loves this, including my boys. It's also low-carb, vegetarian, gluten-free and whole30 compliant.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1/2 small (about 5 cups) head white cabbage, cored and shredded or half a bag of coleslaw
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin
  • 1/4 small red onion, sliced thin
  • 1/2 cucumber sliced thin 
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 5 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • fresh black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

  1. In a large bowl combine all the ingredients, toss to combine and let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Crockpot Picadillo

I love taking family favorites for dinner and making them into healthier versions. One thing I don't want to give up when eating healthy is my food! I really can't be the girl that eats boiled chicken and sweet potatoes every day...you gotta do what works for you right? The way I see it is, its much more important to find a lifestyle that you can do long term than a quick fix that will only help you see short term results leaving you right back where you started...


So heres what I whipped up on a busy week night. The boys LOVED it and the hubby said it was my first tasteful meal in a while haha what ever that means!


Ok so lets talk this Slow Cooker Picadillo....I paired it with Uncle Bens brown rice and a cole slaw in a vinaigrette...adding the ground beef to the crock pot once its done leaves the meat nice and tender so don't skip this step!



Crockpot Picadillo



INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 1/2 lbs 93% lean ground beef
  • 2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 small tomato, chopped
  • 1/4 cup drained alcaparrado (olives, pimientos and capers) or pitted green olives
  • 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 tablespoon of the brine from the alcaparrado or olives
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, plus more as needed
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 bay leaves

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Set a large deep skillet over medium-high heat, add the beef and season it with salt and a pinch of black pepper. Cook, using a wooden spoon to break the meat into small pieces as it browns, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain the liquid from the pan. Add the onion, bell pepper and garlic to the meat and cook until fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes.
  2. Transfer the mixture to a slow cooker and add the cilantro, tomato, alcaparrado, tomato sauce, brine, cumin, garlic powder, bay leaves and 1 1/2 cups water. Cover and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or on low for 6 to 8 hours.
  3. To serve, taste for cumin and add more as needed. Discard the bay leaves. Serve a generous 1/2 cup per person

Monday, January 23, 2017

Mondays deliciousness!

Tonights chilly weather called for some chili!!
And we had another successful recipe from Autumn Calabrese’s Fixate cookbook!  This one was even approved by my kiddos! 🙂  I used ground sirloin instead of turkey and I didn't have any goat cheese or cilantro on hand but did use some feta cheese and it was deeeeeeelicous! I also cut up one zucchini to sneak in some extra veggies for the kiddos!


The Recipe (taken directly from Fixate):
~2 tsp extra virgin organic coconut oil, melted
~1 medium onion, chopped
~1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
~1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
~2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
~1 lb cooked 93% lean ground turkey breast (or lean grass-fed ground beef)
~2 cans (15 oz each) kidney beans (or pinto beans) drained, rinsed
~1 can (15 oz) organic diced tomatoes, no salt added
~1 cup red wine
~1 Tbsp ground chili powder
~1/2 tsp sea salt (or Himalayan salt)
~2 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
~1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
~8 tsp crumbled goat cheese
1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Add onion and bell peppers; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes, or until onion is translucent.
3. Add garlic; cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute.
4. Add turkey, beans, tomatoes (with liquid), wine, chili powder, salt, and red pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; gently boil, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes, or until slightly thickened.
5. Evenly divide between six serving bows; top with cilantro and cheese.
(container equivalents: 1/2 green, 1 yellow, 1 red, 1 oil/fat)

Sunday, January 22, 2017

Why I quit the Whole 30!

Day 14 of Whole 30 and this momma is DONE!!

I went back and forth of whether or not I should do 30 days but I have decided at this point it just isnt for me. 

I orginally started to give my body a break from sugar and alcohol and my body feels great because of that but there was not a single day on the Whole 30 where I felt more awesome than I did previously, on my own particular regime. Sure, I felt somewhat better than I did during the month of December, when I consumed far too much sugar. But I did not feel better than I would have if I had simply gone back to my own food rules.



For those of you who dont know here is the break down of this eating plan:

No grains of ANY kind.
No added sugar or artificial or natural sweeteners of ANY kind.
No legumes.No dairy.No liquefied foods (e.g., smoothies)--I stuck with my shakeology for personal reasons!No alcohol.No soy.No MSG, carageenan, sulfates or any other types of artificial additives.


So today on day 14 when I woke up, the sun was shining, my stomach was thanking me and I am feeling great! The reason I am quitting has nothing to do with feeling the desire to drink or have sugar back into my diet but because I feel like I have gotten out of this program what I wanted. 

Im sleeping fine, but I was sleeping fine before hand. I have no stomach aches but I had none before hand. 

I also realized that this plan was sucking the fun out of cooking and eating for me. For example, we go out to eat. I look at the menu. Nope cant have that because its cooked in wine, nope cant have that because it has quinoa, wait quinoa is healthy...cant have that mexican salad because it has beans..wait beans are healthy...get the point? 

And before you say yeah but  you have to finish it up before you start to feel great--there was no way I was going to continue eating that way after the 30 days, so even if some of the benefits started kicking in after 20 days, why would I care if I had those benefits for less than ten days? Was fewer than ten days of “awesome” worth 30 days of torture? UMMMM NO!


So what did I learn?

I learned that snacking is VERY important for me! I love my carrot sticks and hummus and unfortunately that is not whole 30 approved. My post workout snack and my afternoon shake are just what my body needs to feel GOOD and energized through out the day. 

I learned that my morning whole grain waffle is the perfect pre workout snack and with out it my workouts suck! 

I learned that I can totally make a delicious healthy casserole without adding all the junk. This dish was perfect for the week and the kids even loved it!


I learned some yummy recipes that I will continue to make and add into our weekly routine!

I learned that an extremely restrictive diet will push me into a super cranky mom that has no patience for anything--and nobody likes a super cranky mom!

And, I learned that the Whole 30 is not for me!!


My thoughts:

So who should do the Whole 30?

Personally I think its great for anyone who has health issues or allergies and wants to see what foods trigger it. I really dont think its a great tool for weight loss because its not something most people can do long term. But then again everyone is different and you have to find what works best for you! A pre determined meal plan like this one might be a great start for someone just getting into eating healthy but your long term solution is going to have to be one that fits your lifestyle!

If you're currently doing this plan Im still cheering for you and support you!!

For me I will go back to my regular eating plan tomorrow and I will share here what works best for me. What's your favorite eating plan?


Monday, January 16, 2017

7 Day Shakeology Group

What's all the talk about Shakeology??
I know I know.. will I ever stop talking about it? 60% of you are probably sick of hearing about it, 20% are interested in it, 10% are already addicted, and 10% of you could probably care less. Am I right?
Obviously I drink it every day and love it! However, there was a time when I couldn’t talk myself into trying it. For 6 months I told myself there was absolutely, 100% no way it was as good as everyone says. But I constantly saw people rave about it and decided to give it a try. I figured I had nothing to lose. There was a 30 day money back guarantee. This means, I could have drank the entire bag and still sent it back. I ordered it on home direct so that I could skip the $10 shipping fee. Having it on home direct was great. This meant I was able to try different recipes and find what worked best for me! Now, 2 years later and I am obsessed! I drink it every single day and serve it to my husband and children, as well. I would never recommend a product to my family and friends that I don’t feel strongly about! 
If YOU are not yet addicted to Shakeology, here is your chance to try it for one full week in my upcoming Shakeology challenge group!
The purpose of this Challenge: It is designed for individuals who need a little help getting their fitness and nutrition journey going, but are not ready to commit to a full 30, 60 or 90-day program. This Shakeology Challenge will help you lose weight, incorporate exercise into your daily routine and get in the habit of eating healthy, balanced meals a day.
During the seven days, you will be asked to:
  • Replace one meal a day with Shakeology (Chocolate, Cafe latte, Vanilla and Strawberry Combo)
  • Exercise at least 5 of the 7 days for at least 30 minutes (walking, jogging, Beachbody workout, gym, your choice! Just get moving!)
  • Eat healthy, nutrient dense meals 95% of the time. You can browse the challenge group for recipe ideas- I promise they are yummy. We will follow a clean eating plan.
  • Drink at least 64 oz. of water per day
  • Weigh in only on days 1and 8 
What do YOU get out of this? 
  • In 7 days you will FEEL the benefits of Shakeology, the energy it gives you, and honestly…eating clean just puts me in a better mood!
  • A closed Facebook group for Accountability, Support and new friends hehe
  • Workout routine ideas and encouragement
  • Clean eating guidelines, tons of healthy and delicious recipes
  • A healthy routine that sets the wheels in motion for a healthier lifestyle
  • Weight loss is an added bonus, the real benefit is in the foundation you lay and the nutrients your body will be getting!
You have will have two options for getting started:
#1 Send $40 to coachmelissa26@gmail.com as a personal gift via paypal.
#2 Get the most bang for your buck and order a month supply of Shakeology (If you opt for the month supply, make sure you select Home Direct to save yourself $10 with free shipping.)
If I am not yet your coach, what are you waiting for? Go here to make it official 

We start January 30th and this is only open to the first 10 people who sign up! 

Sunday, January 15, 2017

Whole 30 Week 1 Wrap Up!

Week one of Whole 30 in the books and I have to say I am feeling great! I started following the Whole 30 plan because over the holidays I over indulged way to much with sugar and alcohol so I wanted to give my body a break and thought why  not try the Whole 30!


So how is different from my regular nutrition plan?

The main difference is that on the Whole 30 you are not allowed to have legumes, grains, dairy, sugar or alcohol or any form of treats even if they fall compliant under those categories. There also is no guide really that tells you how much to eat...they believe that you should eat till your full and you shouldn't snack in between meals.


They also believe that you shouldn't drink any shakes in any form but instead you should be eating your food. So I guess Im cheating in my own way because I made my own rules being the rebel that I am and decided to keep shakeology in my plan. It has done so much for me and my health over the past two years that giving it up for 30 days really had no benefit for me. So thats my own personal choice!

I did have a party to go to where there were lots of drinks and cocktails and brought some Kombucha to sip on and it really did the trick! Have you heard of this amazing stuff and all the benefits?

I have been following the nutrition plan for the 21 Day Fix now for 3 years and really love the idea of knowing exactly how much to eat so I have incorporated that with the Whole 30 too:)
Love using the container system!


What about exercise?

Along with that, I have started to get back into lifting weights with my Hammer and Chisel workouts. The plan is laid out in a several ways where you can follow the 30 day, 60 day or Hybrid calendar. I love that its all online and I can stream theworkouts right from my ipad or tv. 
Chisel Balance kicked my booty!
Week one of anything is always a true test of you strength! The first few days were hard 
and my workouts sucked but I do have to say once you gain traction and get that 
momentum it feels GREAT!! If youre ready to get started on your fitness journey or looking for some accountability lets chat!






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Sunday, January 8, 2017

What is and Elite BeachBody Coach? Elite 2016

I get asked the question quite a bit so I thought I would share it here!  Over the past week there has been a lot of recognition and announcements floating around my facebook page.  The end of the year numbers were released and my team kicked some serious booty!  Not only are we an Elite team but we finished off ranked 155 our of 400,000 coaches!! Ive been getting lots of questions asking what its all about so I'd though I'd share it with you all!

What started as a fitness journey has become my passion 


Melissa Alexander Top 200
2016  Elite Coach
I know you see me sharing a lot about clean eating, my fitness journey and accountability groups but did you know that there is an entire business behind what I do as well?  Most people don't realize there is or even know how I do it but tell me they love following me....  Well actually it is REALLY cool and I absolutely love what I do!  I do get paid to help motivate others and keep them on track. The way I do that is through my challenge groups where I help customize a plan to fit their needs.  So no matter if you have been working out for many years or you have not worked out in many years I can help you. There really is a program for everyone! I like to put my own spin on the whole idea of a Beachbody challenge by incorporating my love for clean eating and teaching my challengers how to truly create a meal plan and follow it so that they see results.  It doesn't have to be complicated! So many people see results and come to telling me how much their life has changed and its such a blessing to get messages telling me this!  Everyone that I help does not become a coach and it is not expected that they do but the option is always there.
So those that decide to become coaches are enrolled in my new coach academy where I guide, train and model how to start a business and help others just as I do!  Theres no sense in re-creating the wheel so all of my team has access to our trainings and learn exactly what I have done so they can do the same with their business. I love supporting my team with their goals whether they want to walk, run or sprint with this opportunity! 
There are a select few coaches that really just get the bigger picture and they begin to duplicate their success with their own team members!  Those are the elite coaches!  They represent the top 1% of the entire Team Beachbody Network.  There are over 140,000 coaches in the organization and the top 1% is Elite.  Im so excited that our team has done this in just two years!

So what does elite mean?  It means that you as a coach have begun to develop leadership skills and have helped 5 of your coaches achieve diamond status.  It means that you are helping your coaches start challenge groups effectively and your coaches are achieving success club each month as well. It means that you are not just personally selling the programs and products but you are leading people to their own success.  Elite is all about how well you can guide those around you!  I absolutely love this mentality.  I love that you get rewarded for helping your coaches and not just focusing on yourself.  Helping others and paying it forward is what its all about!

What do you get for being an Elite Coach?  You can achieve Elite each year and for the following year you receive these perks.  For every month that you personally hit success club you will get a $500.00 as a bonus for your achievements.  You also receive perks such as Elite events during the success club trip (Punta Cana), Coach Summit in New Orleans, and the Leadership Retreat in California this year.  You get 2 VIP floor passes for Coach Summit for being Elite. 

These rewards are awesome but the best feeling is knowing that you are creating a team that is really leading the way and changing lives. This is where you really start to feel like you are the CEO of your very own company, and that is exactly what you are!!!

Interested in joining us?  If you are interested in running your own successful Beachbody Business I encourage you to join my team and get enrolled into my next coach apprenticeship program!  I will teach you exactly what I have done to be a successful ELITE coach in this organization!  My #1 requirement is that you are here to help others and put the needs of those that you help first. When your focus is helping others you will see success!


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