The 21 Day Fix Extreme Is Here: Get It Now And Get My Support To Complete It!! Are You In???

The Moment we have all been waiting for {well at least I have been waiting for} is finally here! The 21 day fix extreme is officially available to purchase through Me as your coach!!!!!  

It's time to turn up the heat on your results.  It's time to take your fitness level to the max and get those abs and the muscle definition you have been working towards.  You might be reading this thinking that you are not necessarily looking for a ripped up body but you want to get your fitness to the next level and in that case this is absolutely for you too!  I would definitely say that if you are down to the last 10-20 pounds of your weight loss journey and you already have a base level of fitness then this program would be a good fit for you!

It combines strength training with steady state cardio and power moves to bring your body 6 days of intense change for your body! 

Nutrition is honestly 80% of your results and with Extreme you are going to be eating ONLY clean foods. So in the Fix you were able to have your wine or a treat once in a while. With the Extreme that is gone!  You are 100% clean and you are dialed into nutrition with the portion controlled containers and a list of approved foods and recipes to go along with that! For those of you that have every followed Tosca Reno's Stripped plan, this is similar to that!  

 So who is this program for?

1.  People who want a dramatic short term weight loss solution for a big event like a vacation, wedding, photo shoot ect....

2.  21 Day Fix Graduates or individuals who have completed programs like P90X, P90X3, Insanity Max30, T25, Turbofire, Asylum, Chalean Extreme.

3.  People who do not have a lot of weight to lose that are dedicated, committed to following the nutrition plan and have a no BS attitude.  There are no excuses, if you want the results its time to dig a little deeper and get them!  The biggest key to this program is the nutrition plan!  Having that will power to say no to the treats!  The great part is that you are not on this journey alone.  My job is to have you in my closed online support and accountability group and coach you through the entire program from beginning to end.  My goal is to make sure that you do in fact get the very best results possible.  I will provide daily accountability, tips, recipes, and we will cheer each other on and help each other stay focused when life gets in the way! Accountability was definitely the secret sauce for me!!!

4.  This program is also for people who don't want to count calories or macros. Its based on a simple and easy to follow portion controlled container system that gives you a very specific list of foods and ways to prep and prepare your meals.

What do you get when you purchase this program?

Well the best way to get this program is with what is called a "challenge pack"  that is the 21 day fix extreme complete program.  7 workouts, the portion controlled containers, the nutrition guide, program manual, countdown to competition plan and a bonus DVD called the "CHALLENGE" which you only get when you order through me as your coach!  This comes with free shipping and a discounted price when you purchase the package this way! Honestly this is the best bang for your buck.  This also gives you access into my challenge group for the customized support, meal planning, tips, recipes, accountability, how to handle cravings, temptations and social events!  I won't let you fail.  If you want to succeed we will do this together!  I love my job and seeing other people reach their goals is the best feeling in the world.

I am also launching the 21 day fix extreme test group starting on the 2th of March!  I am going to help you set realistic goals, teach you how to follow the meal plan, how to plan your week, your days, your meals and snacks so that you can get the best results possible. We will hold each other accountable with a daily check in and rating of your day!  Our goal is to help you reach the results that you want!!!!  Do you want to do this program but you are AFRAID you will fail or that it will be another program that sits on the shelf and collects dust?  Well then join the accountability group! It does not cost anything additional.  It's just a perk of purchasing the program through me as your coach!  

If you are ready to change, I will help you succeed!!!!!

Why am I doing the 21 day fix???  I am going on a Team Beachbody Trip in 2 months and I want to tone, tighten and feel wonderful in my bathing suit and summer clothes!  I love the feeling of being confident because I am eating healthy and exercising!  My goal is to just be in the best shape I can personally be for myself!  I'm doing this to bust out of my winter body and be ready for the warmer weather when it arrives!  IT takes more than 1 month to reach your ultimate goals with your health and fitness!  So I know that if I start now I will be at the goal when the weather warms up!

Get the 21 Day Fix EXTREME NOW!!!!!  HERE

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

I've heard nothing but good things about cauliflower pizza crust that I wanted to give it a try for myself. I honestly tried twice before and it turned out a flop both times. But this time I was determined to make it a success!

Its really rather easy to make, the only tricky part is to drain enough water off the cauliflower.

Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Ingredients:
1 head cauliflower
1/3 C Parmesan cheese
1/3 C Mozzarella Cheese
1 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp oregano
1 egg
toppings of your choice

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Place florets from cauliflower into food processor. pulse until the cauliflower resembles wet sand. pour the cauliflower into a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 4 minutes. remove from microwave and pour onto a clean kitchen towel to cool.
3. Once the cauliflower is cool enough to handle, twist the kitchen towel around the cauliflower and wring out as much water as possible. It is very important that as much water is removed as possible

4. Place the cauliflower into a mixing bowl. Stir in the Parmesan, mozzarella, flour, oregano and egg until just Incorporated.
5. Shape the crust into 2 balls for personal pizza or 1 ball for a medium pizza. place the dough on a sheet of parchment paper and press it out into a circle. the dough should be about 1/4 inch thick. place the dough and parchment paper onto a hot pizza stone or baking sheet then bake for about 10 minutes, until it starts to turn golden brown.

6. Add the toppings and bake for an additional 6-8 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly. allow to cool slightly before serving.

Other than the crust sticking to the parchment paper in a few spots it turned out great! Defiantly going to be making this again!

Black Bean Brownies

I know what you’re thinking.

“Why would I want to eat a ‘healthy’ brownie when I could be eating a deep, dark, rich, fudgey, and chocolatey brownie instead?”

But what if the deep, dark, rich, chocolate brownie is the healthy brownie?

No, not in a dream world. These black bean brownies are healthy brownies that DO NOT taste healthy, and I can say that with assurance, as they've been tested on the 4 kids and 1 other adult in my house. And well, needless to say, they ate the entire pan in one sitting!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups black beans (1 15-oz can, drained and rinsed very well) 
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup quick oats
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup coconut or vegetable oil 
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup to 2/3 cup chocolate chips 
• optional: more chips, for presentation

Instructions

Black Bean Brownies Recipe: Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine all ingredients except chips in a good food processor, and blend until completely smooth. Really blend well. (A blender can work if you absolutely must, but the texture—and even the taste—will be much better in a food processor.) Stir in the chips, then pour into a greased 8x8 pan. Optional: sprinkle extra chocolate chips over the top. Cook the black bean brownies 15-18 minutes, then let cool at least 10 minutes before trying to cut. Makes 9-12 brownies.

The trick with these: serve them first, and then reveal the secret ingredient. Not one single person who didn’t know beforehand has ever guessed they were made from beans.

Per Brownie:

• Calories: 115
• Fat: 5.5g
• Carbs: 15g
• Fiber: 3g
• Protein: 2.5g
• WW Points (new system): 3 points

Above info was calculated using gram measurements and DOES include all of the chocolate chips (which you should include too ;)). This recipe is gluten-free as long as you make sure to buy certified-gf quick oats, baking powder, and pure vanilla extract.

5 Ways to Avoid the Holiday Bulge

This holiday season, you’re going to stick to your nutrition goals!

But have you ever been successful in doing that? How many times have you gazed miserably at the dessert table, avoiding it like the Plague, only to eventually give in? Come January, you've eaten everything you said you wouldn't – and then some.

You’re not alone. The average American ate 32% more over the four-day Thanksgiving weekend alone. Despite your best efforts to keep unhealthy food out of your line of sight, with all of the social events, candy corners at the office, and tasty sabotages (i.e. gifts, from friends), you simply cannot control your environment as well as you can during the rest of the year. Regardless of all the oaths and intentions, most of us still gain weight during the holidays.

So how do you stay 100% committed to your nutrition plan during the holidays? You don’t! Trying to stay completely on track during the holidays may be the exact thing that causes you to gain weight.

There are several possible reasons for this. The first is the Forbidden Fruit Effect (or Theory of Psychological Resistance). You always long for whatever it is you can’t have. The deprivation itself makes holiday food all the more tempting. Your brain also perceives that you’re being punished and you end up in an battle between the side of you that has promised to stay in control and the side that wants no part of the food restriction. Guess which side typically wins?

The second cause is the Law of Dominant Thought, which says the focus of your thoughts will affect your choices, behaviors, and achievements. There is a reason why health experts recommend you clean out your cupboards of unhealthy foods. Out of sight, out of mind right? Unfortunately, during the holidays, indulgences are constantly in your sights—and therefore at the forefront of your mind. When you spend the day obsessing over not snacking on peppermint bark, you can’t be surprised when you go through the whole tin in one sitting. Where your mind goes, energy flows. Constant exposure to unhealthy foods, combined with the alcohol that often flows freely at holiday events, can make you more likely to overeat.

The third culprit that contributes to holiday binging is stress. The planning, cooking, decorating, and managing schedules of the holidays may push you to crave comfort foods – anything high in fat, sugar and/or salt – that temporarily calm your nerves. But, in the end you end up more stressed from the disappointment of not being able to fit into your “skinny” jeans.

So, now you know what’s going on in your head during the holidays. So how can you overcome all of these influences and keep off added holiday pounds?

The solution is the Holiday Hall Pass. This sweet indulgence allows you to make the most of the holidays, with five safeguards to prevent you from getting too crazy. These safeguards—let’s call them holiday helpers—create an environment that evokes positive emotions that calm the negative ones you experience when you attempt to deprive yourself.

Holiday Helper #1: Exercise a little bit every morning.
The first little helper is a pre-performance morning exercise routine. Spend at least 20 minutes doing anything active: T25, PiYo, walking the dog, whatever it is that you do. During typical weeks, fitness experts recommend one day of rest, but during the holidays, it’s best to be active every single morning to stay consistent. It can be an all-out workout or a simple physical activity to create a positive tone for the day, helping you keep off the stress.

Holiday Helper #2: Keep a journal.
If you simply write down what you do and feel throughout the day, you’ll become aware of your choices, causing you to continue to make good ones. Through writing, you bring a little logic back into the equation, which helps you overcome your emotional tendencies.
For maximum results, journal immediately before you show up to a holiday event. Write down what you've already eaten that day and how your choices have made you feel. If you've already chosen to eat unhealthily throughout the day, the awareness you bring through this journaling process will help you to create a plan of action for the upcoming event. It’s not about saying to yourself “Well, I’ve already ruined this day so I’ll start again tomorrow,” but rather asking yourself what one positive thing you can achieve at this event to feel good about yourself and the choices you made.
On the other hand, if you have been eating healthily so far and are energized and proud of yourself, bringing those thoughts and feelings to the present moment will enhance your opportunity to be mindful about what you choose to eat at the holiday event.

Holiday Helper #3: Don’t let yourself get hungry.
You should graze every 2-3 hours. Whether it’s a full meal or just a light snack. Keeping your metabolism up and your stomach satisfied will prevent you from becoming too hungry. You won’t end up with plates of food you have to haul away with a forklift if you aren't starving when mealtime finally rolls around.

Holiday Helper #4: Set holiday indulging intentions for yourself.
Remember, this isn't about denying yourself anything delicious; your intentions simply set the scene for an enjoyable-yet-controlled feasting experience. You can choose to allow a small indulgence with each meal, whether it be one piece of cake or a few little cookies. You can also choose to go ‘all out’ for one special night. Also use attentional cues—pre-made questions pre-programmed and scheduled in your smartphone to help you stick to your intentions. Some examples of attentional cues are: Are you proud of your food choices so far today? Would the people who want you to succeed be happy with your choices? Are you giving all the effort you can to following through on your plan? Does this food taste better than how your body looks/feels when you’re healthy?

Holiday Helper #5: Be easy on yourself
Feeling guilty about indulgences only amps up the stress, leading you right back to the second and third serving of turkey and cranberry sauce. Enjoy your holiday and indulge without beating yourself up.

Written by: Dr. Haley Perlus

Easy Basil Pesto Recipe!

Nothing beats the power-packed flavor of fresh Pesto!  I recently just discover it, and how super easy it is to make!

What You’ll Need:

2 cups Fresh Basil Leaves, packed

1/2  cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese

1/4 cup Pine Nuts 

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

What You’ll Do:

Combine Basil Leaves, Pine Nuts, Garlic and Parmesan Cheese in Food Processor or Blender.
Pulse or Blend ingredients until combined.
Slowly pour in Olive Oil while running food processor or blender on a low speed.
Transfer to a mason jar, store in the refrigerator, and pull it out with your dinner tonight!

Serve over zucchini noodles, pasta, or add it to your baked Chicken!

Italian Chicken Bake

I was looking for a new way to make my chicken and came across this recipe.  Its super easy and comes together in minutes with only 4 ingredients and rich, delicious flavors!  An easy, healthy, and gluten free dinner recipe.

To make this takes minutes.  Trim your chicken breast and lay them in a glass baking dish.  Spread about 1-2 tablespoons of prepared pesto. Slice 1-2 roma tomatoes into 1/2″ thick slices and lay them on top of the pesto.  Sprinkle Parmesan(or Italian blend cheese) over the whole thing.  Bake at 400˚F for 30-40 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear.

It really is that easy!  While the chicken is baking you can make a pot of quinoa or pasta and just serve the chicken breast right over top.  With the tomatoes baked right on top, there are already some veggies in the meal so you can be done right there.  If you want a little more though, you can throw together a quick salad or steam some broccoli.  Both are simple and go really well with the chicken.

9 Habits of people who stay fit

Getting fit is one thing, but staying fit is a whole ‘nother ball game. To stay fit, you must continue what you’ve been doing to get fit and make it a lifestyle change, not just some one time thing and it’s done.

Here are 9 simple habits of people who stay fit:

1. Eat.. real food. Skip the low-fat/fat-free/sugar-free chemical shit storm and just eat real food-in moderation. With that being said, stay away from prepackaged and processed junk and focus on food with the least amount of ingredients in them-meaning, aim for foods in their most natural state.
2. Get sleep. Sleep is your body’s time to repair and heal-especially as you are working out. Then, you need all the recovery you can get and night time is just the right time for this since the goal is to stay active as much as possible during the day.
3. Make a plan. If you have a plan, studies show that you are most liekly to succeed.. or at least try. This is true in the case of anything, not just fitness! Set out a specific time to workout, how many minutes to do, and what you will be doing during that time.
4. Work out at home if you can’t get to a gym. If you have cable, it probably comes with a whole slew of secret workout classes you can do on-demand. This is a great option for when you want to be active but don’t want to leave your house. You can also use Netflix, YouTube, or purchase a set of workout DVDs from the #1 Home Fitness company. Check them out Here
5. Drink a gallon of water daily. Water regulates all of your body’s processed to function at the best rate possible. Skipping this or skimming, as most people do, will not only affect how you look and feel, but it will affect your workout and recovery as well.
6. Mix up your routine. Do yoga one day, interval training the next, and a light jog the following day. If your fitness routine doesn’t bore you, you’re more likely to stick to it. Also, this helps to keep your body guessing! If your body gets used to a certain activity, you may find yourself in a slump. 
7. Instead of skipping a workout, focus on how great you’ll feel after. Working out isn’t always fun while you’re doing it, but the endorphin high you get after — or the myriad other benefits, like a sound night of sleep — is.
8. Exercise even if you only have 15 minutes to do it. A short gym routine is better than nothing if you’re really strapped for time or just plain exhausted. If you don’t have time to get to your gym but have 15 minutes before you have to shower to go meet your friends for dinner, do jumping jacks.
9. Exercise when you’re sore. Don’t do intense weightlifting by any means, but a light jog or brisk walk as part of an “active recovery” can help alleviate sore muscles more quickly than sitting on your duff doing nothing.

Written by Sia Cooper