Sriracha Chicken Lettuce Wraps: I usually hold out on trends or popular things, don't ask me why. When everyone is raving about a movie I usually end up thinking it wasn't that great, or a band, or any trend really.  When Sriracha sauce shot to the forefront as a condiment darling I refused to fall for it.

I finally caved, now that I see it on the tables of every hipster restaurant. It's not life changing, it's a solid good tasting hot sauce. It's perfect for this recipe, if you're in the mood for some heat and Asian flair. And it's yet again pretty intricate, very difficult.

  1 red grilled chicken chopped
1/2 yellow brown rice
1 green raw zucchini chopped
dress with lime juice, drop of toasted sesame oil and sriracha sauce, mix

serve in butter lettuce or on top of a salad

P90X3 Progress Report and my feelings:  As you can see I have come pretty freaking far, but still have a ways to go. Why do I love working out at home and beachbody dvd's and Beachbody challenges in particular?

Working out at home: I did the gym when I had tons of time and nothing else going on besides work and getting drunk with my friends. We would spend our early nights in classes and wasting time on the elliptical, gossiping about whatever went on the night before, go home shower and then go to bed or if it was Thursday-Saturday night we would go get bombed. It takes at least 20 minutes to get to the gym both ways so right there is 40 minutes wasted and then once I get there I have no idea what to do or if I am doing it right.

Loving Beachbody dvd's: Well, obviously, I can fit them in when I need to. P90X3 in particular is only 30 minutes. The Beachbody people know what they are doing! They took out all of the guesswork, There are people planning out the programs, there are test groups to make sure the program works. They don't just put together something and cross their fingers hoping it works for people. The final dvd's have warm ups and cool downs - so important and something many people don't do on their own. P90X3 is great because it comes with a gazillion workouts. All week long is a different workout. You will not get bored. One day I am doing MMX with burpees, kicks and punches, the next yoga, the next straight up weight work, cardio mixed with weights, etc etc. 

At first I thought I would hate Tony Horton. That he would have the personality of a piece of dried up wonder bread. Like I imagine all the meat heads in the weight section of the gym. But a pleasant surprise is that Tony is more like this delicious brunch dish at my favorite Mexican place. All different flavors at once and made with love.  

Why I love online challenge groups: There is support, people are doing this with you! I like having a place online where I can go and know people are doing this with me. You get great ideas for clean recipes too and daily motivation.

Is it time for you to start your fitness journey?  Don't be another person who is wishing they could make a change!  You can do it too, and you will have me on your team.  I have been there, I can understand your struggles, ups and downs. I am doing all of this without a real kitchen so I have some problem solving skills you won't get with anyone else. Contact me, it's time!

 

It's the day after Memorial Day Weekend. I am proud of myself, I did every scheduled workout and followed the 21 day fix plan almost perfectly. Holidays and Sundays for that matter are usually an excuse for me to go buckwild when trying to lose weight. 

In the past I would've purposely went out of my way to eat crud because, hey, it's a holiday, I have been eating healthy! Break out the brownies, cake, doritos, mac n cheese etc. I totally am all for these things in moderation, but not for a full weekend! Or even all day long, like I used to.  I am finally waking up to this.

I did have a pina colada because there is this one bar here it's only open in the summer and they are fantastic there. I had some extra protein a couple things here and there but it was NOWHERE near the bingefest I usually partake in. It may have been because I am a dork and went to no parties just hung out on the beach and went for a walk with my kids.  We'll see what happens when I have to go to a party and have no control over the food. When there is a plethora of cookies, taco dip, hot dogs, pies, oh man it will be hard. The food has a way of seducing me. Must learn moderation, that is the key.

So it's Memorial Day today. I want to mention my grandfather Theodore Grushka, he fought in WWII and was a prisoner of war. I can't imagine what horrifying things he may have seen and the incredibly difficult experience of being a prisoner of war. Thankfully he did make it home. I give my appreciation and admiration to him and all servicemen today.

Clean Eating Dessert: Keeping on track when changing your diet or getting fit isn't easy during holidays and get togethers. And while having a cheat meal or indulging once in a while I believe is fine, a 3 day weekend can easily turn into a 3 day drinking, cake eating, hot dog chomping binge for me. Being I have 25 or so pounds to go, I am trying to keep it a 21 day weekend. Here is a simple but awesome dessert option. It's creamy, a little sweet and won't leave you feeling guilty.  You could take this with you to a party, it probably won't look too pretty when you get there but it will still be scrumptious.

1 red of part skim ricotta or whipped cottage cheese
1 purple of mixed berries
1 tsp real maple syrup or honey
optional, dust with cocoa, add almond slivers...

 

P90X3 Challenge Group. Join in! How, how can you say no to that face? All Tony wants you to do is join a P90X3 challenge group before the sale ends this May.  I have been doing P90X3 for about 6 weeks now and telling you about my journey.  So far from eating clean and hanging out with Tony 30 minutes a day I lost about 12 pounds.  I was terrified to try P90X3 because the other 2 programs looked so intense and Tony looks so crazy.  But the workouts are a great mix of tough, challenging and doable.  There is always a way to modify, or just stop if you have to.  

Why join a challenge group with me?

You get support

You get a meal plan that works!

You get accountability  

You get recipes

You get shakeology 

You will be working out in the luxury of your own home

You will check in with all the others who are doing this along side with you in a private forum

I truly want to help you see to it that your goals are met.  I have a deep compassion inside this sarcastic shell.

Have you ever started a fitness program or diet and quit before you met your goal? How about getting a gym membership but never going or buying equipment you never use? Joining a challenge group makes all the difference. When you are doing planks and squats and pushups in your house you know your fellow challengers are suffering with you that day.  You know you have to check in daily and let everyone know you did your workout and you ate clean that day.  But we are not angry people.  When you need the support to keep going, to follow the meal plan we are there. 

So do it already, make today the day that you begin your journey to meet your health and fitness goals. Fill out my contact form to be a part of my challenge group.

 

I have another incredibly hard recipe. But it will be worth it.  This salad is so perfect for a hot summer night when all you want to do is grill off something. Make it a couple hours ahead so all the ingredients can get to know each other, when they are happy you will be happy.

1 package of cherry tomatoes, halved

1 large green zucchini

1 lemon

4 scallions

salt & pepper to taste

Chop all veggies, squeeze entire lemon over add salt & pepper to taste. For 21 day fix measure out one green of this salad, add 1/2 blue of feta cheese and/or toss with 1 yellow of brown rice or couscous for one serving.

21 Day Fix - My review and results:
First maybe a little background information. You might be wondering what those blobs of rainbow colored plastic are in the above photo. Those are color coded tupperwares that represent different food groups and their size reflects the portion of said food group.
The program comes with those tupperware, a meal plan book and workout dvd's 30 min each doing things like weights, intervals, cardio, pilates, yoga etc.
Basically the meal plan book gives you lists of acceptable foods, calorie requirements which are based on your weight and a formula they give you.  I was in the lowest calorie group.
You get to eat each container worth of a food group a certain amount of times a day.
For example
4 red containers which are protein YAY!
1 blue tiny container which is for cheeses, avocado, hummus BOO!
2 purple for fruit
2 yellow for carbs
3 green for veg
1 orange for salad dressings seeds
even tsp for nut butter or cooking with oils

So this may sound crazy confusing but when you get the package and read everything it's really simple.  I loved using this program. It is so much more easy than Weight Watchers, Calorie Counting apps, eyeballing your portions, logging everything you put in your mouth? Ever try logging a salad in WW or My Fitness Pal? It's never ending!! Plus I made a cheat sheet, which only MY challengers will get a copy of.  It's really helpful.

This is how I logged things for  the day. I used the memo app in my phone to add what I can eat each day and also my weekly treats as I ate things I just erased them. and refilled each morning or beginning of the week.

What is a day like on the 21 Day Fix?
Shakeology with 1/2 purple of apple and 1/2 green of cucumber
2 eggs (red) 1 green of veggies on 1 slice of whole grain bread
1/2 fruit with tsp nut butter
1 red of chicken breast, 1/2 blue avocado, over lettuce & salad fixings plus 1 orange of salad dressing
1/2 blue hummus and veggies
1 red of flank steak with 1 yellow sweet potato and grilled asparagus

Now this menu doesn't look like any new revelations but its the portion control from the containers that makes all the difference for me. Also knowing how much of each food group I can have a day helped me tremendously in my daily eating. I won't overeat my healthy fats which I did alot, or overeat fruit, even protein, you will eat enough protein for your workouts instead of not enough which happens. This plan is fool proof and stupid simple. End of story!

My results? 9 pounds! In three weeks.

I know my blog is new therefore you cannot have been following my story for long.  But if you are interested in starting your own fitness journey, would like to try P90X3 and have me as your coach, consider joining a challenge group! P90X3 challenge packs are ON SALE this month! 
Joining a challenge group has made all the difference with me. 16 pounds gone. You get a meal plan, accountability, support etc. And you can learn from my mistakes. I have all kinds of great advice because I have started already.
Having Tony Horton on dvd is like having a personal trainer in your living room. I didn't think I would like him at first, or the workouts but I look forward to seeing his face now and the workouts are really great. 

By the way the workouts are only 30 minutes! Fill out my contact form for details. Summer is on it's way!

P90X3 Second Block Quick Review: Today was MMX workout done right in my living room. I am really so uncoordinated it's ridiculous. I can't even handle these punch kick sprawl combos imagine if I tried dancing? Disaster.
Early in the morning, before my workout my friend wanted to come visit and go for a walk with me and the kiddies.  I was so happy she came to see us. Gorgeous day out got in some time to talk about what horrible things I do.  That's what I love about working out a home. Usually it's one of the first things I do, but because I can push play instead of schlepping myself to a gym, I got some good girl time in and did my workout after.
Now I am eating my favorite thing, spaghetti squash lasagna.  But I must admit: I am hardcore craving tres leche cake. Like a fiend, like a crack monster. It's bad. Not sure what I will do about this. I know it's ok to indulge a little once in a while, I am learning this moderation thing, but I have 25 lbs to lose, so I think an indulgence for me should be no more than once a week right now.
How often a week do you think a cheat meal is ok? Anyone get in a workout today?

 Troubles in yoga-ville

Today on my schedule: p90x3 yoga workout. I'm doing a hybrid of p90x3 workouts with 21 day fix food plan.
Getting the moves down since its my 5th time and I really like it. Then my Zen was broken towards the end. A mosquito came sauntering in as they always do. I clumsily slammed my hands and missed my evil target about 246 times. Tony was in the background talking smack about tree poses. I never got that little vampire. When I returned to my poses, I saw an ant, my other summer adversary merrily crawl by, I had to just watch him......frozen in my triangle pose.

The past three weeks on the 21 day fix could not have been possible for me without these cookies. They are from the 21 day fix meal plan book and they are scrumptious. Even though I indulged in these babies a few nights a week, I still lost 9 pounds in three weeks.  Yeah I think I am pmsing, can't stop thinking about chocolate.

To fight temptations or not? Last night I had a party to attend. Early in the day I made the (wise?) decision to save my carbs for a couple glasses of wine. Back in my south beach diet days I did this all the time - drank on a bread free stomach. 

As I laid my eyes on the food selection I didn't care about having the pasta or rice etc. Not that I think these things are the devil. I just am trying to save things like that for when I REALLY want it. For instance if there were huge slices of chocolate cake I would've plowed my face through it like a backhoe. So I chose the string beans, lemon chicken and salad. 

Former me would've used this party as an excuse to have 2 plates of pasta and cake and wine. I did make the terrible decision to have a third glass of red wine but did not inhale it like the first two. Instead I left some in the glass. Fast forward to when I got home. I felt really nauseous and this happens to me often when I drink red wine, but i didn't drink a lot so or so I thought.
 
Anyway my stomach was just too messed up. I needed to "soak" up the alcohol. I don't know if this phenomenon is real or just some urban myth but I had to have some bread, so I had half a hot dog bun, along with a hotdog that my husband had left on the counter from dinner and a 21 day oatmeal cookie. Then I laid down and fought off puking in the bed for a couple minutes. Soon magic happened: the bun soaked up the alcohol, I guess, because I felt a lot better.
 

What do you all think about this? Ever get sick from not having a solid drinking foundation?

SPAGHETTI SQUASH LASAGNA

Let's kick this blog off right.  With a dish that will wipe away all of your pasta cravings and leave you begging for more.  Because pasta is the devil.  This is creamy yet there is no cheese.  Although cheese has not yet been found to be as evil as gluten and grains by most people leaving it out can save some calories.  This recipe I learned from my challenge group ladies.  It's really really hard to make as you will see. 

one baked spaghetti squash seeded and scraped

one jar of marinara sauce

1 package of chicken sausage (I used applegate farms sweet Italian)

3 eggs

garlic powder

Scramble the eggs and dump everything in a baking dish

Mix well

Bake at 350 degrees until firm to the touch

One serving is about 1 1/2 cups 

For a  complete meal make a salad and garlic bread.

Do not have any garlic bread, just watch your husband and kids eat the garlic bread, wipe the tear from your eye.