What is the 21 Day Fix Extreme?

Oh baby! It's almost here! Just 2 more days until the 21 Day Fix Extreme is officially launched! I have a feeling this puppy is gonna FLY off the shelves!

I've had a LOT of people asking me about this new program. They know what the regular 21 Day Fix is, but how can we make it more extreme? How can we make an AMAZING program even BETTER?

Well, this time, Autumn included HER workouts. She included HER meal plan. One that is just extreme and one that is BIKINI COMPETITION PREP. That one is gonna take some serious guts!

Take a look at this promo video from Beachbody about the 21 Day Fix Extreme:

So - lets talk details about the program:

What is 21 Day Fix EXTREME?

The original 21 Day Fix was designed to make losing weight simple and eliminate the need to ever diet again. That's why it became America's #1 fitness and nutrition program. Now, get seriously shredded in the shortest time possible with 21 Day Fix EXTREME, created by Autumn Calabrese. This breakthrough 21-day fitness and nutrition program combines simple portion control, clean eating, and extreme 30-minute workouts to deliver a body that is hard, lean, and defined.

Who should buy the program?

21 Day Fix EXTREME is ideal for those with a dramatic short-term weight loss deadline--such as an upcoming vacation, photo shoot, or other big event. It's an excellent next step or 21 Day Fix graduates ready for a new challenge or graduates of other extreme programs like P90X, Insanity, and FOCUS T25. Fix EXTREME is also   great for those who don't have much weight to lose, but want to get shredded and see abs; those with a "no BS" attitude toward workouts and nutrition; or anyone who doesn't want to count calories, weigh their food, or follow complicated recipes.

What is the difference between 21 Day Fix and 21 Day Fix EXTREME?

21 Day Fix was Beachbody's first program that placed equal emphasis on fitness and nutrition, to deliver up to 15 pounds of weight loss in just 21 days. 21 Day Fix EXTREME takes both the fitness and nutrition to the next level to help you get seriously shredded in just 21 days. Both programs are based on simple fitness (no complicated choreography), and simple nutrition based on portion control. How long are the Fix Extreme workouts? Each workout is right around 30 minutes. The longest two workouts, Upper and Lower run 35 minutes total.  What workouts come in the Fix Extreme? Base kit (comes in the challenge pack): 1. Plyo Fix Extreme - Lower body workout that uses jumping and resistance. 2. Upper Fix Extreme - No-rest upper body workout that alternates muscle groups. 3. Pilates Fix Extreme - Mat workout that works the entire body, focusing on the core, while using a resistance band. 4. Lower Fix Extreme - Your lower half will get stronger, leaner, and more defined with this resistance based workout. 5. Cardio Fix Extreme - Combines weighted cardio and traditional metabolic training intervals. 6. Dirty 30 Extreme - 7 compound moves that focus on multiple body parts at once. 7. Yoga Fix Extreme - Fact-paced flow yoga class combining strength, balance, flexibility, and power. 8. The Fix Challenge - Quick, resistance workout. ***this workout is a BONUS workout. The only way to get it is to order through a Beachbody Coach*** Deluxe Workouts: ***these two workouts are only available with the purchase of the Deluxe Kit or the deluxe kit upgrade*** 1. Power Strength Extreme - 9 total-body exercises that are based on functional movement patterns. Designed to increase strength, endurance, and power. 2. ABC Extreme - Targets the common problem areas - abs, buns, and cardio. Designed to get your body ready for Bikini Competition! What come in the Fix Extreme Challenge Pack? The contents of your Challenge Pack include: 1. The 21 Day Fix Extreme Workout Program 2. The 21 Day Fix Extreme Eating Plan 3. Countdown to Competition Eating Plan 4. 7 color-coded, portion-control food containers 5. A month supply of Shakeology 6. A Shakeology Shaker Cup. 7. $2 shipping on the entire order instead of $15.95 or more. 8. FREE 30 day Trial membership to the Beachbody Club membership. This enables you to also lock in your $2.99 per week pricing of the club membership before it goes up due to Beachbody On Demand. More info about that? Just ask!  9. Your personal Beachbody Coach (ME!) to guide you through the program. ps - I'm not showing up at your house in your box! 10. A closed, online accountability and support group of people doing the same program as you to give you ideas and motivate you.  11. Sign up as a coach (hello 25% discount) when you purchase the Challenge Pack and you get a FREE Business Starter Kit AND your first month of business fees is waived! What equipment is required for the workouts? You will need a resistance band or weights for all of the workouts. This is NOT included in your base kit, but it is included in the Deluxe Kit upgrade. A yoga mat is recommended for comfort. What kind of results will I get with this program? No results are guaranteed. Every person is different and every body will respond in its own way to a new workout program and eating plan. Here's a collage of some of the beta test group results: How much is this program going to cost me? Normally, the 21 Day Fix Extreme Challenge Pack is going to cost $160. Now, keep in mind that you are getting a month supply of Shakeology, the healthiest meal of the day, with your purchase. Shakeology itself runs $129.95 BEFORE shipping and tax. In February 2015 ONLY, the Challenge Pack is discounted to $140.  THIS IS A DEAL! Remember how I said that Shakeology by itself runs $129.95 before shipping and tax. Well, the shipping on a bag of Shakeology alone is around $15.95. That leaves you with a cost of $149.90 before taxes. This is for SHAKEOLOGY ONLY. Your total cost for the challenge pack in February 2015 is $140 and then you pay $2 shipping. So you are up to $142 before taxes. See where I am going with this??? It's CHEAPER to purchase the Challenge Pack in February than just a bag of Shakeology! And, come on, Shakeology is BUILT into the program. They are designed to go hand in hand.  So - now you have all the details. How do you get on the list to know EXACTLY when it's released on Monday, Feb. 2? Simple. Fill out the form below and then go to www.teambeachbody.com/kellylevere and sign up for a FREE account with me! You can order the day it's released and secure your spot in our VIP group that starts on February 9th! EEK!!! I hope to hear from you soon!!! Kelly Fill out my online form.

21 Day Fix All Purpose Seasoning and Broiled White Fish

I'm gonna admit it. I'm a spice virgin. I don't know how to use them, what to use them for, or even what to use them on! So, when I got the 21 Day Fix program (see here for details about the program), I decided to give their spice blends a whirl.

OMG! I had no idea what I was missing!

My favorite by FAR is the All Purpose Seasoning. I like to use it in the Broiled White Fish recipe. I was just going to give you the recipe for the 21 Day Fix All Purpose Seasoning but I might as well complete it and give you the SIMPLE directions for the broiled white fish too!

ENJOY!!!

21 Day Fix All Purpose Seasoning:
(this is the recipe tripled so I don't have to make it very often - I use it a lot!)

• 4 Tbsp Onion Powder
• 2 Tbsp Garlic Powder
• 2 Tbsp Mustard Powder
• 3/4 tsp Dried Thyme
• 3/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 Tbsp sea salt (I use Pink Himalayan Salt)

Broiled White Fish:

Ingredients:

(makes 4, 4oz servings)

• 16 ounces Fresh Caught, White Fish
• 21 Day Fix All Purpose Seasoning

Directions:

1. Preheat the broiler to high (it's 500 degrees F in my oven).
2. Make sure the rack is set for the broiler.
3. Rinse fish and pat dry.
4. Coat completely with the 21 Day Fix All Purpose Seasoning
5. Place fish in a glass baking dish.
6. Broil for 9 minutes on EACH side (18 minutes total).
7. Enjoy!

I made this for dinner last night and I have leftovers for tonight - I can't wait!!! I served it with 2 yellows and 2 tsps, which is one sweet potato diced and coated with 2 tsps of olive oil! You can see that in the picture! Let me know what you think and if you made any changes!

<3,

Kell

21 Day Fix day 1 review

Before I begin, I have alto admit that I'm only doing the meal plan portion of this program right now. I am FULLY committed to finishing P90X3 and am on week 6! So this review is for the food portion only - just a heads up!

Today was my first day following the 21 Day Fix meal plan. I fit into the category of 1200-1499 calories each day. Int he meal plan book, you are given a simple formula to figure out your calorie level. The calories aren't mentioned again! Woot woot!

In my meal plan group, I eat 3 green containers, 4 red containers, 2 purple containers, 2 yellow, 1 blue, 1 orange, and 2 teaspoons. I was a little nervous that this amount of food wouldn't get me through therapy. Man was I WRONG!

For breakfast, I had an Orange Julius Shakeology on my way to work around 7:15. You can find the recipe HERE. I subbed one yellow container for my R&R. I'm not 100% sure that's allowed! but I need my R&R after these X3 workouts. 

Snack #1 happened around 10:05 because I got wrapped up in my students and forgot to eat. Yes. I forget to eat. This snack was a small gala apple and 12 almonds that I roasted last night. Yum!

Lunch was nice and filling. 2 green containers worth of sweet butter lettuce, 1 green container of cukecumbers, 6 slices (or one red container) of low sodium, nitrate free turkey breast, and 1 orange container of the 21 Day Fix balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

Snack #2 was probably my favorite. Cottage cheese and strawberries. The cottage cheese was measured with the red container and the strawberries in a purple container. 

Dinner was, by far, my favorite meal of the day! Broiled white fish topped with one of the spice recipes from the Fix , 1 green container of peas, and some organic stone ground mustard. I also drizzled a little bit (2 tsps to be exact) of EVOO on everything cause I still had to use my 2 tsps.

Snack #3 was not "by the book" but I enjoy my evening green tea and am not willing to give it up. No added sweetener or anything else. Just nice, warm, yummy Yogi green tea!

Stay tuned for what my meal plan looks like for this first week! Blog post will be up later!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chunk Shakeology

Yeah. So Halloween is a BAD time for me. All I want is to eat my son's candy. Like - ALL.OF.IT.

So, I find new ways to ignore the junk. This year I came up with a few new Shakeology recipes to combat the junk cravings. I mean, I rarely get cravings, but when a Reeces Peanut Butter Cup is STARING you in the face, sometimes it's hard to ignore it!

This one is a recipe that I used this past week on Halloween. It's one of my favorite "Treat" Shakeology recipes. I don't normally do my shake up this much, but it is designed as a treat and not a meal :) The recipe tastes just like the cookies in the pic below!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chunk Shakeology

Ingredients:

• 1 scoop chocolate Shakeology
• 4 oz unsweetened almond milk
• 4 oz dark chocolate almond milk
• 1 square of dark chocolate
• 1 to 2 Tbsp of all natural peanut butter (amount depending on how many calories I have left for the day)
• Ice to taste

Directions:

1. Combine ingredients in the blender, starting with the wet ingredients and ending with the scoop of shakeolgoy.
2. Blend until smooth.
3. Try not to drink it so fast that you get brain freeze!

Let me know how you liked it! Please share via Pinterest or FB if you did!

<3,

Kell

One year later

I wanna take you back to this exact night, one year ago.

I was an obese mother of a 3 year old and 3 month old. I had zero energy to get through the day. I was depressed about how I looked. I turned to food for comfort. I would eat two entire BOXES of Kraft Mac & Cheese at a time. I would hide my "bad" food from my husband.

But I was extremely naive. I wasn't fooling anyone. My hubby knew I was eating badly and gaining all my pregnancy weight back. In fact, it was my hubby that had the courage to call me on my weight gain.

You see, I had ALWAYS been a "thick" girl. Not fat, but I was always at least a size 12, usually hovering around a 14. I would tell people that I was "big boned". I would blame it on my genetics - after all I was 1/2 Italian, 1/4 German and 1/4 Irish. My heritage caused me to love food too much - right?

In reality, it wasn't my big bones or my heritage. It was my bad food choices and lack of exercise that had landed me where I was.

When I had my son in 2009, I lost my 17 pound pregnancy weight gain very quickly. I kinda lost control when I got pregnant with my daughter in Sept. 2011 and I ended up gaining over 45 pounds. I topped the scale at over 250 when I delivered.

Luckily, I again lost the baby weight pretty quickly. But I still ended up obese at 214 pounds, size 20 pants, and 35%+ body fat.

When my husband finally said something to me, he said it with love. Yes it hurt. But you know what? He was the ONLY one who had the courage to call me on my bad habits. He was the ONLY one who was willing to have me mad at him in order for me to turn my life around.

So, I finally realized that he was right (after not talking to hubs for over a week) and made the decision to change my life. I'm not gonna go into great detail writing about it because I took a LOT of time to make my video.

It is my hope that I can help people through my story. Is it hard to show my before pics? HECK YEAH! Am I completely embarrassed about how I looked? UMMM - YES!

But here's the best part - ready for it?

I'm 9843761875 times more PROUD of my after pics than I am embarrassed of my before pics. It's IMPOSSIBLE to get the full effect of the afters without seeing the REAL befores.

So - one year ago tonight I was sitting on the eve of my 90 day Beachbody Challenge. I had already drinking Shakeology and eating clean for 2 weeks. I FELT better. I think it goes without saying that I was SCARED out of my MIND about this challenge. What would happen if I FAILED? I don't think I could handle another failure in my life. I was already a Nutrisystem, Weight Watchers, and crazy diet failure. What was gonna make this different?

Know what I did this time? I took it ONE DAY AT A TIME. I worked out when I could find the time, usually during nap time. If my daughter didn't want to nap, she was in the swing watching me do my thing! I didn't look too far ahead. I didn't worry about working out tomorrow, next week, or even next month. I crossed each hurdle (and there were MANY) as they came.

I also had the accountability of a challenge group. I checked in EVERY.SINGLE.DAY. I worked out EVERY.SINGLE.DAY - except Sunday which was my rest day. I drank my Shakeology EVERY.SINGLE.DAY. These three things were my non-negotiables.

Ok - I'm not gonna give any more away. Watch the video. Share it with your friends, family, strangers, ANYONE who can use some inspiration. If you need inspiration, help, motivation, accountability in your own journey, shoot me a line. All I want now is to help others feel this amazing!

Let me know what you think!

<3,
Kell
klevere623@yahoo.com
www.facebook.com.kelly.elizabeth.71271
www.facebook.com/klevere623
@klevere623 on IG

Truth be told

There is NO way around this. Life is hard.

Last year, when I was an obese SAHM of two, I struggled to eat right and workout. This year, I am back to being a WOHM (teacher) of two (very busy) kids and wife to a crazy hubby! Now I struggle to find time to balance everything. 

• Working out.
• Meal prepping.
• Hanging out with my kids.
• Hanging out with my hubby.
• Sleeping.
• Talking to friends.
• Working my home business.
• Keeping everything straight at work (3 different schools).

Life is hard no matter what job you have. 

I'll admit, I've struggled a bit lately. Not to the point that I struggled this past April when I went back to work. Wanna know what happened then? Honestly, I didn't workout for 2 MONTHS straight! 

Yup - I'm admitting it. Life got the best of me. I ate clean, drank my shakeology, but I was just couldn't find the time to workout with everything else. Because of my clean eating and shakeology, I didn't gain a single pound back. IN fact, I lost another 3 pounds. Good thing that the words in this pic are true:

This fall it's a COMPLETELY different story. There is one thing that I REFUSE to negotiate on each day - my workout. I NEED it to function properly. I decided to do what I HATE doing. I wake up at 5am to workout. That's the only way I can GUARANTEE that I get my workout in. I also realized this:

BUT - You know what happened this morning? I had my alarm set for 4:50, 5:00, 5:05, 5:10, and 5:15. I turned ALL 5 ALARMS OFF! I woke up at 6:57 and had to get myself and my 15 month old ready to leave at 7:15. It was a CRAZY morning! But I did it.

Needless to say, I did NOT workout this morning. 

So, instead of falling into a "boo hoo, poor me" slump, I laced up as soon as I got home and NAILED Dynamic Core :) I feel like a new woman!

So, let the truth be told. COACHES AREN'T PERFECT. We are human and life gets in the way sometimes. We struggle daily too! It's all about how we deal with those little bumps that make us who we are. Are you going to let your little bumps define you or are you going to define who you are in spite of those little bumps?

<3,

Kell

Diamond Beachbody Coach

7 Day Shakeology Challenge

Shakeology. What is it? Why do I drink it? Why do I refuse to give it up? What does it taste like? What are some good recipes? Can I try it before I commit to a month supply?

These are questions I get ALL.THE.TIME.

So - here are my answers.

What is Shakeology?

First, let me tell you what shakeology ISN'T. Shakeology is NOT a protein drink or a weight loss shake. Ok - now we have that figured out, let me answer the question at hand.

Shakeology is a HEALTH shake. It is made of 70+ WHOLE food ingredients. Nothing fake. Nothing that is going to harm your body like every other shake out there. There's no artificial flavor. There's no artificial color. There's not even any GMO's and Beachbody is working on getting certified non-GMO! 

Did you know that the other shakes available don't list EVERYTHING that is in their shake? It's true. They don't tell you all of the ingredients. Beachbody DOES! Here's the nutritional information from the back of the new Vanilla Shakeology:

It took Beachbody 2 YEARS to come out with Vanilla Shakeology. It was because they couldn't find a vanilla flavor that stood up to their high standards. They wanted something non-GMO. They wanted something that was responsibly farmed. They finally found it in Madagascar. Check out this video introducing Vanilla:

Ok - so hopefully by now you know what Shakeology is. You can see ALL of the ingredients because they are listed in the picture above. So now on to the next two questions

Why do I drink Shakeology and Why do I refuse to give it up?

I was going to make a video about this but then something amazing happened this week. On Monday, the Beachbody CEO, Carl Daikler, spent the entire day answering live questions from coaches. During the day, this little video came out. It perfectly embodies why I drink shakeology daily. I'm not going to reinvent the wheel. Watch Carl's video:

 

Does that video answer some questions? I sure hope so! On to the next question:

What does it taste like?

This is one of the easier questions. 

• Chocolate tastes like, well, chocolate. There is no aftertaste. It's not too sweet. It curbs this choc-o-holic's cravings when they arise. 
• Greenberry tastes like Fruity Pebbles. Seriously - when it's just mixed with almond milk or water, it's doable! I mean, you have to get past the green color (which is hard for me to do) but it's REALLY good! It's even better if you blend in some orange extract and frozen fruit - YUM!
• Vegan Tropical Strawberry is one of my favorites. It's a tropical party in my mouth! I like to blend it with frozen strawberries and frozen mango. Best poolside drink of the summer! I will warn you though, the vegan varieties are a bit "grittier" than the regular flavors. This is because of the brown rice protein that is used. It's a bit different to get used to in the beginning, but everyone I know LOVES the vegan!
• Vegan Chocolate is just like the chocolate but vegan. Haha! I know - great explanation Kell! Like I mentioned above, it is slightly grittier because of the type of protein, but it's so good!
• Last, but certainly not least, is the new Vanilla Shakeology. For me to review this one, I have to be honest. I hate cows milk. I hate milkshakes. I was REALLY afraid that this new flavor was going to make me gag. Watch this video of my first taste of the new Vanilla Shakeology. After I shot the video, I went to the kitchen and added in frozen strawberries. It is now my favorite flavor!!!

Now for some recipes!!!


What are some good recipes? 
I'm going to list some below and you can also find them in the recipe section of my blog :)

Chocolate/Vegan Chocolate:

• Coffee Varieties:
• 1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology, 1 cup cold coffee, ice to taste, blend
• 1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology, 1 cup cold coffee, 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk, ice to taste, blend
• 1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology, 1 cup cold coffee, 1/4 cup dark chocolate almond milk, ice to taste, blend
• 1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology  1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1/2 cup cold coffee, 2T carob chips, 1/8 tsp mint extract, ice to taste, blend
• Chocolate Covered Strawberry
• 1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology, 1 cup frozen strawberries, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup unsweetened almondmilk, blend
• Chocolate PB
• 1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology  1 tbsp natural peanut/almond butter, 1/2 cup almond milk, 1/2 cup water, ice to taste, blend
• Chocolate Covered PB Banana
• 1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology, 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1/4 cup water, 1/2 banana, 1T natural PB or almond butter, ice to taste, blend

Greenberry:

• 1 scoop Greenberry Shakeology, 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1/2 cup frozen pineapple, 2T pistachios, ice to taste, blend
• 1 scoop Greenberry Shakeology, 1/2 cup unsweetened apple juice, 1 cup sparkling water, 1T fresh lime juice, 1 tsp agave nectar, ice to taste, blend
• 1 scoop Greenberry Shakeology, 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1/2 cup water, 1 cup frozen blueberries, ice to taste, blend
• 1 scoop Greenberry Shakeology, 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1/2 frozen sliced banana, 1/2 cup frozen strawberries, ice to taste, blend

Tropical Strawberry:

• Strawberry Frenzy
• 1 scoop Tropical Strawberry Shakeology, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1 cup frozen strawberries, ice to taste, blend
•  Pomegranate Splash
• 1 scoop Tropical Strawberry Shakeology, 1/2 cup pomegranate juice, 1/2 cup water, ice to taste, blend
• Strawberry Banana
• 1 scoop Tropical Strawberry Shakeology, 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1/2 frozen sliced banana, ice to taste blend

Vanilla:

• Vanilla Recovery
• 1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology, 2 scoops R&R, 8oz water, 1 cup ice, blend
• Orange Dreamsicle
• 1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology, 1 tsp orange extract, 1 cup almond milk, 1T grated orange peel, ice to taste, blend
• Tiramisu
• 1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology, 1 cup cold coffee, 1T mascarpone or ricotta cheese, 1tsp unsweetened cocoa, 1/2 tsp rum extract, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, ice to taste, blend
• Pumpkin Pie
• 1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology, 3/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 1/2 cup canned pumpkin purree, 1 T coarsely chopped raw pecans, 1 tsp pure maple syrup or raw honey, 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice, ice to taste, blend
• Iced Mocha
• 1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology, 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1/2 cup cold coffee, 1 tsp unsweetened cocoa, ice to taste, blend
• Strawberry Mango Vanilla
• 1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology, 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1 cup frozen strawberries, 1/2 frozen mango, blend
• Vanilla Almond
• 1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology, 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1 T all-natural almond butter, ice to taste, blend 
• Blueberry Vanilla
• 1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology, 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1 cup frozen/fresh blueberries, ice to taste, blend

Last question - I promise!

Can I try Shakeology without committing to a full month supply?

Of course you can! All you need to do is email me, message me on FB, leave a comment here, or if you already have a coach - talk to them! We have 7 day trials that we can mail out to you! With the trial, you will get to participate in a closed FB group with others who are doing the same 7 day trial as you! You can swap shakeology recipes, tips, and meal plans. I will give you some pointers about how to tweak your diet a little to help you feel great!

So here it all is. Want in our next 7 day challenge? Message me! You have NOTHING to lose except some extra weight and that yucky, bloated feeling!

<3,

Kell

Southwest Quinoa Salad

While the real big day isn't until tomorrow, we had my dad's 65th birthday party yesterday. It was a beautiful, fall-like, day here in July in Pittsburgh. We sat outside the entire time and the kids played. What a perfect family day!

My dad had asked me to bring a side dish. He was serving grilled organic chicken breast, chicken thighs, burgers, and a salad. I decided to try to find something as clean as possible, since my step-mom and I both like to keep it clean :)

After doing some searching, I came across Melanie's recipe (that she got from Sara Stakely) for Southwest Quinoa Salad. You can find her original HERE.

I tweaked it, just a bit, to fit my needs and my measuring style :) I was a bit skeptical of how it would turn out, but MAN was it good! Everyone loved it, including my kids!

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1/3 cup EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
• 3T (roughly) of fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1tsp ground cumin
• pinch of salt
• pepper to taste (I used a pinch)
• 2 cups, cooked and cooled quinoa
• 1 medium zucchini (or squash), diced
• 2 plum tomatos, diced
• 1/2 cup red onion, diced
• 1 can organic whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 can organic black beans, drained and rinsed

Directions:

1. Mix the first 6 ingredients in a bowl and set aside to blend together. (lemon juice, evoo, cilantro, cumin, salt, and pepper)
2. Combine remaining ingredients in a serving bowl and toss till mixed.
3. Pour the lemon juice concoction onto the quinoa concoction and mix thoroughly.
4. Chill in the fridge for at LEAST an hour to let the flavors absorb. 
5. Enjoy!

This was seriously one of the best salads I have had all summer. It was so light and refreshing. It would be PERFECT for a hot summer night paired with turkey burgers! Let me know what you think and if you make any changes!

<3,

Kell

Whole Wheat Vanilla Protein Pancakes

So, this is a combination of my waffle and my pancake recipe. I kinda made it up this morning. The hubs ate it willingly and said they tasted great and he hates my "hippie & healthy" food - haha!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (I use Bob's Red Mill)
• 1/3 cup vanilla or cake batter protein powder (I used cake batter this morning)
• 2 whole eggs (you could also use 3 egg whites) and I use organic, cage-free brown eggs
• 1/8 tsp vanilla
• pinch of salt
• 2 cups unsweetened almond milk (don't tell the hubs - he thinks I used regular milk!)

Directions:

1. Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-low heat.
2. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl until smooth.
3. Scoop batter, using 1/3 cup measuring scoop, onto your hot griddle or pan.
4. When the pancake bubbles, it's ready to flip.
5. Cook another 2 minutes or so.
6. Take off, place on plate (DUH!) and enjoy!

We serve our pancakes with turkey sausage links, which are a great source of protein and low in fat, organic unsalted butter, and fresh, local maple syrup. We I (I'm not speaking fort the kids and hubs here) don't go crazy with the syrup. Just enough to sweeten the cakes a bit :)

I also usually make a double batch of pancakes and flash freeze the extras so I can just nuke them for the family during the week. Easy, healthy, QUICK breakfast that everyone enjoys! To flash freeze the pancakes, place a layer of foil on a baking sheet. Lay the pancakes in one layer on the tray. Place another piece of aluminum foil over the pancakes. Layer another layer of pancakes on the foil. Cover with another sheet of foil. Repeat until all the cakes are layered and separated by a sheet of foil. Place in the freezer until solidly frozen, then place them into a freezer bag for easy storing and access!

I hope you enjoy our Sunday morning breakfast as much as we do!

<3,

Kelly

August Challenge Groups

Today is July 22nd. In exactly ONE MONTH, I have to go back to work. Aug 22nd is our first in-service day. I'll be completely honest, I am dreading it. Not because I hate my job - I actually love it. I just love my two little brats more :) I miss them horribly when I'm not with them.

Anyways - the point of that little cry-fest is to illustrate that in a teachers' eyes, summer is ALMOST OVER!

WHAT???

Where did it go?

I can't answer that, but I can tell you that this is the FIRST summer that I have felt comfortable in my own skin. Wanna know why? Because I participated in a CHALLENGE GROUP and finally lost my extra weight. 65+ pounds of it to be exact.

Now I want to pass the benefits of a challenge group to you! Before we proceed, ask yourself these questions. If you answer YES to one or more, then a challenge group is PERFECT for you!

1. Are you uncomfortable in your summer clothes?
2. Do you prefer to wear jeans in the summer?
3. Do you loathe being in a bathing suit?
4. When you look in a mirror, do you see a stranger instead of the person you know is living inside your body?
5. Do you struggle to balance healthy eating with social gatherings, vacations and even *gasp* emotional eating?
6. Are you super busy and only have about 30 minutes a day, if that, to devote to making a lifestyle change?
7. Do you need someone to keep tabs on you and make sure you are keeping up with your new lifestyle?
8. Do you have good intentions with healthy eating but you get frustrated after eating healthy for a few days and not seeing any progress?

Come on - I KNOW that you answered yes to one or more of those questions! Heck - I answered yes to ALL OF THOSE last summer! Now, I answer all of them with a big honking NO!

So, you answered yes to one or more question. 

NOW WHAT???

Well, you join one of my three August Challenge Groups. As a Beachbody Coach, full time working and clean eating mommy, and someone WHO HAS BEEN THERE, it is my JOB to help you reach YOUR personal health and fitness goals. Yup. YOUR goals - not mine. My goals are very different than yours and they should be.

So - here are your options for August:

1. 30 day Clean Eating & Shakeology Support Group (Aug. 5)

2. 60 day Challenge Group (Aug. 5) 

3. 7 day Shakeology Cleanse (Aug. 12)

Now that we know what the options are, let's learn a bit more about each one.

30 Day Clean Eating & Shakeology Support Group - This group is a 30 day online accountability group (closed so it's completely private) starting August 5th. I will teach you the basics of clean eating. My goals in this group are to (1) teach you how to effectively fuel your body so that food is no longer the enemy and (2) teach you what foods to pair together to keep your body working at its maximum performance. 

During this 4 week group, you will create 4 customized meal plans of your own. You will learn about good vs bad choices. You will learn how to handle social situations. You will feel more confident making good choices when out to eat at restaurants. You will learn how to make this a LIFESTYLE and not a diet.

The cost of this program is only the cost of Shakeology. Shakeology is a requirement because while we are trying to figure out good vs bad choices, what and when to eat, it's important to have one meal a day that you don't have to think about. Shakeology is one meal that will fuel your body for the rest of the day with vitamins, nutrients, and whole foods, and the best part is that you don't even have to think about it. Just blend it up and drink up! It's so easy!

If you want to participate in the 30 Day Clean Eating & Shakeology Challenge, please fill out the application at the bottom of the page.

60 Day Challenge Group - This group is my absolute favorite to run and we are starting on August 5th! 60 days is the PERFECT amount of time to see amazing results but it's also not too long that you get bored. We will start by determining your WHY or the reason that you want to do this group. For me, it was so that I could get my life back and be a healthy role model for my children. We take your end goal and break it down into 15, 30 and 45 day goals. We will take progress pics and measurements on day 1, 30, and 60. No one EVER has to see these pics. They are for tracking progress because your scale is a dirty liar ;) We will also talk about clean eating and meal planning.

You don't have to be near me to participate in this group. You can live anywhere in the United States or Canada because it is also a closed Facebook group. There are small daily assignments designed to motivate you and help you keep going with your workouts and clean eating. Success is DIRECLY related to participation in the group. Trust me, I am living proof! 

For this group, I will help you choose a Beachbody fitness program that best meets your needs and you will also be required to replace one meal a day with Shakeology for the duration of the challenge. After that, you can make the decision whether or not to continue. 

If you think you want to participate in the 60 Day Challenge Group, please fill out the application at the bottom of the page. This group is very limited and will be filled on a first come, first serve basis.

*Just a side note before I explain the last group*

The newest Beachbody program, Focus T25, is on special until the end of July. Purchase the T25 Challenge Pack from me and you will get a reduced price. It's over $90 in savings! Put it in your application if this is something you are interested in doing!

7 Day Shakeology Challenge - This group is an awesome introduction to Shakeology, clean eating, and meal planning. You will purchase 7 individual Shakeology packets from me and in return, you will be placed into a closed Facebook group. In that group, you will have a meal plan laid out for you, you will replace one meal a day with Shakeology, and pledge to workout in some way, shape, or form for 30 minutes each day. This is a great way to see if a September Challenge Group might be good for you. If you are interested in this group, please fill out the application below!

I hope to get to work with all of you in a challenge group. I am passionate about them because a challenge group CHANGED MY LIFE. I want to pay it forward!

<3,

Kell

Clean Eating Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Yogurt

I have a confession.

I have a sweet tooth. A BAD sweet tooth. 

I mean, less than a year ago, I topped the scales at 215 pounds. A little more than a year ago I topped out at 250+ at the end of my pregnancy. I certainly didn't get to that point by eating fruits and veggies. I ate junk and a lot of it.

Now I am comfortably weighting in around 149-150 pounds and I wear a size 8 pants and a medium shirt. 

Over the past 9 months I have lost A LOT of things. 65 pounds. Hoards of size 12-20 pants. Even more size XL - 2XL shirts. Two hat sizes. 4 cup sizes in my bra and much more.

What I haven't lost, unfortunately, is my friggin SWEET TOOTH! UGH! That thing is so annoying!

Luckily for me, I have found alternatives to ice cream, candy, cake, Lucky Charmes (by the box none the less...), hostess snack cakes, and all the other junk out there.

Tonight I tried a new recipe that I have seen floating around the Internet. Honestly, I don't know why I waited so long to try it! It turned out pretty delish, but I did make one BIG adjustment :) I decided to FREEZE mine to make it a real summer time evening treat!

Here's my take on the Clean Eating Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Greek Yogurt:

Ingredients:

- 6 oz (1 individual serving container) plain 0% Chobani Greek Yogurt (I prefer Chobani but you can use any variety of plain 0% Greek Yogurt you desire)

- 1 Tbsp nut butter (I used Smudker's Organic Natural PB)

- 1 Tbsp raw, organic honey

- 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

- pinch of sea salt

- 2 Tbsp mini chocolate chips (I use dark chocolate)

Directions:

- Combine all ingredients into a freezer safe bowl.

- Place into the freezer for about 1.5 hours or until the yogurt is nice and cold but not frozen stiff.

- Eat the entire bowl and try not to embarrass yourself by licking it clean in front of others. It's total acceptable to do it when you are alone or just with your hubs :)

Let me know how it turns out and share with anyone who has a sweet tooth like me!

<3,

Kell

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

A challenger in a group that I'm participating in posted this recipe this week. I am all about trying out new things. Quite frankly, my hubby is sick of the same old things I make for dinner each week.

So tonight I gave this Chicken Enchilada Casserole a shot. I really liked it but it was a bit too sweet for my taste. Next time, I will probably substitute salsa for the tomato sauce and tomato paste.

Here's how I made it this time (and it was really good!):

Ingredients:

- 4 whole chicken breasts, boiled and shredded

- 1 1/3 cup (2 servings) cooked brown rice

- 1, 15oz can organic whole sweet corn

- 2 cups shredded 2% cheddar cheese, separated into 1/2, 3/4, and 3/4 cups

- 3 Tbsp organic tomato paste

- 1 1/2 tsp chili powder

- 3 cups organic tomato sauce (no salt added if you can find it)

- 3 tsp chili powder, divided into 1 1/2 and 1 1/2 tsps

- 1 tsp cayenne pepper, divided into 1/2 and 1/2 tsps (if you like some kick - I didn't use it)

- 6 brown rice tortillas, thawed if using frozen tortillas (I used food for life brown rice tortillas from the frozen food section)

Directions:

- Turn oven to 275 degrees.

- Wrap tortillas in foil and place in the oven to warm.

- Combine shredded chicken, 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese, corn, tomato paste, 1 1/2 tsp chili power, and 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper in a large bowl.

- Section off the chicken mixture into 1/4 sections. You should end up with 4 equal servings.

- Combine tomato sauce, 1 1/2 tsp chili powder, and 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, mixing well.

- Layer a small amount of sauce in the bottom of an 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish. 

- Take tortillas out of the oven and turn the oven to broil.

- Lay in a tortilla.

- Top tortilla with 1/4 of the chicken mixture.

- Layer sauce on top of chicken mixture.

- Lay in another tortilla.

- Top with another 1/4 chicken mixture.

- Layer sauce on top of chicken mixture. 

- Top with a third tortilla. 

- Sprinkle 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese on top of tortilla.

- Repeat the above steps for the second casserole.

- STOP here if you are freezing one, or both of the casseroles. Cover the casserole and freeze. 

- TO COOK THE CASSEROLE - place under the broiler in your oven for approximately 5 minutes. Watch the cheese and top tortilla CAREFULLY because if left in a few seconds too long, it will burn!

- Take out of oven, allow to cool, and cut into 8 servings. I cut mine like a pizza.

- ENJOY!

I hope you enjoy my new found recipe. I know my family sure did!

<3,

Kell

60 pounds gone forever

It's taken me 6 months and a LOT of work. It hasn't been easy. In fact, it's been a struggle. But I reached another goal today.

I've OFFICIALLY lost 60 pounds.

That's a lot of weight! I went from a size 20 to a size 8, and my size 8 jeans are starting to be a bit loose! I never thought I would be able to say that!

The past 6 months have FLOWN by. I really don't know how I did it. I think the difference for me, this time, was that I didn't look at the big picture. I looked at each day as it came. Heck, I still have to take it one day at a time. I can't look too far down the road or I get too overwhelmed. I mean, I have goals for the future and all, but I don't dwell on them. I focus on my small, attainable goals and go for them!

I am on week 7 of my Body Beast workouts. I never thought I would be losing weight with this program, but I am. I am lifting HEAVY. Really heavy. And I love it. I love feeling my muscles burn. I love feeling sore afterwords. It makes me fee ALIVE!

The coolest part about the Body Beast program, is that I am seeing a huge difference in my body. I've lost 5 or 6 pounds since starting it, which really ins't a lot. I mean, I lost 35.6 pounds in 2 months with ChaLEAN Extreme. The difference with Body Beast is that I'm eating a TON of food so I can focus on GROWING my muscles. I am working on building muscle mass. And, I'm a smaller person now. I don't have as much to lose.

In all reality, I would be happy if I only lost another 5-10 pounds total! It's not about the number on the scale anymore. It's about how I FEEL and how I LOOK. I know that I'll probably never wear a bikini again, but it's only because I don't want to. I'm not comfortable with showing off my c-section "shelf". Those of you who were lucky enough to have a c-section, you know what I'm talking about. My shelf used to be huge and filled with fat. Now it's just saggy skin and it freaks me out. So, my belleh will stay covered. That's ok with me. There are TONS of cute tankini's out there!

So, I guess I kinda got away from what I meant to blog about. But at least I'm blogging! It's been kinda rough since I got back from Texas in mid-March. All I wanted to do was spend time with my kids before I went back to work. Everything else kinda hit the back burner. But, that's what being a mom is about. I do what I need to do for my kids. And I needed to spend time with them!

And - I got side tracked AGAIN! GAH! I have so much on my mind!

Anyways - 60 pounds. I lost 60 pounds! Go me!

<3,
Kell

My first week back

I did it. I conquered my first week back to work after being off for (almost) 10 months.

I'm not gonna lie. I cried like a baby when I was pulling out of my driveway. My mom came down to watch the kids on my first day back. That was the only way I was going to be comfortable enough to leave the house.

Lucky for me, I had a transition day with my sub. This allowed me time to get the schedules set for the rest of the year. I had to plan for all the extra rehearsals, in school concerts, 3rd grade presentations, tryouts, and of course - finding a consistent time each day to pump. Have I ever mentioned how much I LOATHE pumping? I love nursing my kids but I just really really really dislike the whole pumping thing! I have a love/hate relationship with this thing:

Anyways - my original plan was to wake up at 5am every day to workout. If you know me, you know that the idea of me waking up at 5am each day is comical. I am NOT a morning person. I LOVE to sleep and I LOVE my bed.

Here's the good thing though - I LOVE MY NEW LIFESTYLE MORE! Both Thursday AND Friday, I was able to get up at 5am to workout! I even had extra time on Friday to get some Beachbody work done before heading to take my daughter to daycare for the first time.

And while we are on that subject - her first day was an EPIC fail. She slept for a total of ONE hour and cried from 10am till I picked her up at 4pm. They even called me at work to tell me she had a fever of 102! Well, she didn't really have a fever, she just had herself worked up! I felt like the worst mom ever. But I know that she will adjust and I LOVE my daycare. The ladies there LOVE LOVE LOVE my kids and cuddle them all day long. They are just like me!

Sorry for the aside about daycare - back to the main story!

I was also determined to keep up my clean eating while at school. This means that I needed to be VERY organized and have all my meals ready to go the night before. Again, if you know me, the thought of doing this is comical. I have never been a planner. In fact, I am usually late because I don't get myself ready in time or plan ahead.

I am proud to say that I planned ahead Wednesday and Thursday nights and had all my food ready to go each morning.

Here's how my meals looked for my first two days back. There was NO variety - I need consistency!

Breakfast: Shakeology
Mid morning snack: Pear and 2 cheese sticks
Lunch: All natural turkey breast and reduced sodium swiss cheese roll ups and a pear
Mid afternoon snack: carrots and roasted garlic hummus
Dinner: Whatever was already cooked in the fridge
Snack: Shakeology frozen yogurt

I am proud to say that it worked for me! I was not ravenously hungry during the day. I found times to eat, which can be hard to do in an allergy controlled school where NO food is permitted to be around the kids except food that is provided for them at lunch! Luckily for me, I have an office that the kids aren't allowed in, so I can eat in there. I also don't bring nut products to school, just incase!

So, now that the first week is behind me, I am prepping for my first FULL week back at work. This week is a 5 day work week. I am ready to go! I made my meal plan. I already went grocery shopping. I am cooking my food tomorrow morning. Everything WILL be portioned out ahead of time and ready to go - including our dinners. This will save me hours of prep time in the evenings and also save the headache of "Whats for dinner???" and the chaos that shortly follows!

Here's what my meal plan for this upcoming work week looks like. I am planning on making my hubby and son a meatloaf tomorrow because they don't always like to eat the healthy stuff I make. I try not to eat red meat because it upsets my angry gallbladder! I apologize in advance because the entire meal plan is boring. I like things to be consistent when I'm busy and I don't really mind eating the same thing every day.

Now you can see what I eat each day. Maybe it will help you plan out your week!

<3,
Kell

Beast Banana Pancakes

I've been having a REALLY hard time getting in all my calories for Body Beast. I mean, I have been eating 1600 calories for 4.5 months and all of a sudden I'm supposed to up it to 2300 a day???

Are you nuts???

It would be one thing if I could/wanted to eat 2300 calories of junk - think pizza, ice cream, candy - but I'm not going to do that to myself. Why work this hard if I'm just going to derail myself in the kitchen.

The challenge is to get 2300 calories of GOOD, SOLID NUTRITION. This is HARD!

So, I made some breakfast this morning out of the Book of Beast. OH-EM-GEE were these delicious! I'm a hardcore pancake girl, so I was very skeptical, but they did not disappoint in any way!

Ingredients:

• 1 scoop protein powder (I used vanilla ice cream flavor)
• 1/4 cup quick-cooking rolled oats (I used the 5 minute oats)
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 dash of sea salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 small ripe banana, mashed
• 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 tsp safflower or coconut oil, divided (optional)
• Sliced fruit for garnish

Directions:

1. Mix the dry ingredients into a medium bowl and set aside.
2. Beat eggs in a medium bowl. 
3. Add mashed banana and almond milk to eggs. Mix well.
4. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix very well. Add a smidge more almond milk if the batter is too dry.
5. Heat 1/2 tsp oil in a large skillet. 
6. Use 1/4 cup measuring cup to scoop batter onto the skillet. You should EASILY be able to fit 3 pancakes in one skillet. 
7. Cook until they bubble (aprox. 2 - 3 minutes)
8. Flip.
9. Check for done-ness (I like mine very light in color - aka not burnt).
10. Eat them up!

I can't wait to eat my leftovers tomorrow morning! They were SOOOO good!

<3,

Kell

Homemade Whole Wheat Pancakes

So, I know this isn't the most protein filled recipe. But my family really enjoyed it and I made it as healthy as I possibly could! My husband, who is THE hardest person to please in the ENTIRE world, was begging for more!

The possibilities with this recipe are endless. You could add some fruit. Maybe some nuts. Some oats thrown in would be yummy too! How about adding in some flax for extra nutrients? You could even add a scoop or two of vanilla protein powder. If you do that, decrease the flour by 1/4 cup for each scoop of powder you add.

Anyways - here's the recipe - ENJOY!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 large whole eggs OR 3 egg whites
• 2 cups skim milk (you could use soy or almond milk instead - I used skim for the protein and because my hubby likes it better)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Heat a large skillet over low heat. 
2. Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. 
3. Add in the wet ingredients.
4. Whisk until the batter is no longer lumpy.
5. Pour the batter into the hot skillet 1/4 cup at a time. 
6. This will yield anywhere from 12 - 20 pancakes depending on how big you make them.
7. Enjoy!

Before I told my hubby that the batter was homemade, I asked him what he thought. He said, and I quote, "These are the best pancakes I have ever had. What did you do different?"! To me, that is a major success!

<3,

Kell