Peanutty Peanut Butter Squares

Who loves peanut butter? This girl right here has a serious love for PB. Like if I could marry peanut butter, I would. These delicious snack are just what this nurse needed. This is such a great snack especially for a pick me up. 

Serves: 16 (1 square each) Prep Time: 20 min. Cooking Time: 23 min. 

Container Equivalents (per serving): 1 yellow 2 1/2 tsp. 

Ingredients: 

• 1 1/2 cups all-natural smooth peanut butter
• 1/2 cup raw honey (or pure maple syrup)
• 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda, gluten-free

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Lightly coat 8x8 inch baking pan with spray. Set aside.
3. Combine peanut butter, honey, extract, eggs and baking soda in large bowl, mix well
4. Evenly spread batter into prepared pan. smooth top with a spatula.
5. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes. Squares may be a little soft when coming out of oven, but they will continue to cook. 
6. Cool. Cut into squares. 

Macaroni and Cheese with Broccoli and Chicken

This amazing new cookbook came out called Fixate, all based around the 21 day fix and 21 day fix extreme container system. I absolutely love Mac and Cheese, growing up, it was my absolute favorite meal. I literally could have it all the time. As I was flipping through the cookbook and seeing what I wanted to try, this was the first thing that I wanted to make. And let me just rave for a minute on how amazingly delicious it is. OHHH and did I mention....healthy too. Who would have thought that Macaroni and Cheese would taste so good and be so healthy?!?! I sure didn't. I hope that you can enjoy this recipe as much as I did. I can't wait to make it again. 

Serves: 8 (2 cups each). Prep Time: 20 mins. Cooking Time: 17 mins

Fix Container Equivalents: 1/2 Green, 1/2 Yellow, 1/2 Red, 1 Blue, 1/2 tsp

Ingredients:

• 4 oz. dry whole wheat macaroni (or pasta)
• 4 tsp organic grass-fed butter (or extra-virgin organic coconut oil)
• 2 tbsp. unbleached whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk
• 1 1/4 cups freshly grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese
• 3 cups cooked chopped chicken breast, boneless, skinless
• 4 cups chopped broccoli florets, steamed
• 1 tsp. sea salt (or Himalayan salt)
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Directions: 

1. Cook macaroni according to package directions. Set aside
2. Melt butter in large sauce pan over medium heat
3. Add flour; cook; whisking constantly for 1 minute, or until brown (don't let it burn)
4. Slowly whisk in almond milk; cook, whisking constantly for 1 to 2 minutes or until mixture thickens and there are no lumps.
5. Reduce heat to low. Add cheese; cook; whisking constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until melted
6. Add chicken, broccoli, salt, and pepper; cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute, or until heated through
7. Serve immediately 

Variations:

• Asparagus, green beans, or brussel sprouts can be substituted for broccoli
• A combination of cheeses like cheddar and Gouda, cheddar and monterey jack, and cheddar and asiago can be substituted for sharp cheddar. 

Pork Chop and Baked Apple Wedges

I had pork chops in my freezer and I needed a protein for my salads this week. I found this recipe and thought it would be great for atop a kale spinach salad. This recipe is super quick and so delicious. I found it in the Brazil Butt Lift Recipe book. I did change it a little from the original because I did not have some of the ingredients. 

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided use
• 3 tsp. fresh lemon juice, divided use
• 1 clove of garlic minced
• 1 (5oz.) raw lean pork chop, centered cut. (I made enough for 3 services)
• 1 medium apple, cored, cut into 8 wedges
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees
2. Combine 1 tsp. oil, 2.5 tsp lemon juice, minced garlic in a small bowl; mix well
3. Place pork chop in a shallow dish, pour lemon juice mixture over chop, turning and using a brush to cover both sides. Marinate for 20 minutes, discard marinade.
4. While pork chops are marinating, combine apple, remaining 1/2 tsp. lemon juice and cinnamon in a small bowl; mix well 
5. Place apple wedges on baking sheet, lightly coated with spray
6. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until tender and bubbly. Remove from oven and set aside.
7. Preheat oven to Broil
8. Broil pork chops for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, or until no longer pink in the middle.
9. Serve pork chops with apples and a salad.

Hope that you enjoy this simple, easy, and healthy recipe!

Homemade Chicken Soup

Life has kinda been getting in the way of everything! So today on my day off and halfway through the week, I figured I would do some major meal prepping as well as make one of my favorite things homemade chicken soup. It was one of those days that I was just in the mood for moms homemade chicken soup. It is simple, healthy, and delicious...oh and did I add, perfect for having multiple containers left to freeze for another day.

Ingredients:

• carcass of turkey or chicken (this time I used a BJs chicken roaster carcass)
• 3/4 pot of water
• carrots
• celery
• onion
• tomatoes
• parsley 
• salt (sprinkled) 

Directions:

1. boil 3/4 pot of water and carcass in the largest pot you have
2. skim foamy white stuff off the top
3. add the rest of the ingredients 
4. cook for 2 to 3 hours 
5. stir occasionally, 

This has been my family recipe for homemade chicken soup for years. It is so simple and so delicious. I make a huge pot of it and have it for months left over in the freezer and I take it out as I want it. Its a simple, cheap, and healthy way to have the best soup ever. 

Hope you enjoy it and if you like the recipe, share it and comment with a review! 

ENJOY!

Insanity: The Asylum Results

In life we are our biggest critics, our biggest naysayer, our biggest challenge. How often do we overthink something or tell ourselves that we cant do something. in life we are our own worst enemy. Today, as I write this blog post I truly cant help but smile. I cant help but be proud of myself for accomplishing something that I never thought that I could. for completing the hardest workout program I have ever done. its a little program called insanity the asylum. talk about being in tip top shape after you complete this and feeling like an athlete, oh my goodness, yes I do. I truly wish that I could go back to when I was playing sports and would have done a program like this, I would have been a serious elite athlete. but even thou I cant go back, I can strive today to be better than ever. I can do things now that when I was a young athlete, I would have never been able to do.

This program taught me that I needed to dig deeper and push myself to a whole new level. it taught me that I can truly  do anything that I put my mind to. I just need a goal and a desire to crush it. I won't lie, it was not an easy 30 days. and I can honestly say that I cannot wait to take a few days off from working out and giving my legs a rest and time to recover. it was a hard 30 days and I don't know if I would have made it if it was longer than 30 days. it was the perfect balance of strength, agility, flexibility, and pure badass.

Day 0 (Top) Day 30 (Bottom)

Sometimes in life, we have to challenge ourselves, challenge our minds, challenge our bodies and challenge our reason for doing what we do day in and day out. sometimes we get stagnant and hit a plateau but when you challenge yourself to go out of your comfort zone and do something that you never thought you could do, you make amazing strides.

It truly is more than the workout itself. it the lessons you learn day in and day out about yourself and how strong you are. you learn that when you want to give up and throw in the towel, you have to rise up and use the towel to wipe off the sweat, blood, and tears. you have to make each day a fresh start, a new beginning, a new chance to be the best version of yourself. I lost 6.5 inches off my body and I was able to do more moves for the fit test on day 30 than starting day 0.

Now that I officially an Insanity: The Asylum Graduate, I have learned a tremendous amount over the last 30 days.
1. I am stronger than I think
2. I can achieve anything I put my mind to
3. Having a support system of fit friends and family and our amazing clients in our accountability groups, helped me immensely when I wanted to give up but got the extra support and motivation that I needed
4. I really need to get focused on my nutrition. no matter what workouts that I am doing and how hard I work it is the nutrition aspect of it all is the most important. you truly need to fuel your body with the food that is best for it. I can say 100% that I was no where near focused as I wanted to be during these last 30 days. I struggled with the nutrition aspect and next round, I plan on being dialed in
5. Shaun T is my man! seriously his workouts are my soul workouts. I feel like even thou we are not working out together in person, every day that I pushed play and worked out, I felt that he was there coaching me on, motivating me and making me dig seriously deep.
6. I might not have lost a tremendous amount of weight but I leaned out, toned up, muscles started popping through and my strength, agility, and flexibility are better than I have ever been
7. I can say whole heartedly, I am in the best shape of my life after doing these last 30 days.
8. You can truly change your life in 30 days.
9. Wake up every morning and make yourself proud. Make sure that you were better than the day before.
10. Don't forget to go out there and do your best. As Tony Horton says, do you best and forget the rest.

As I find the words to close out this blog post, I am somewhat speechless. I don't know how to finish this. Your health and fitness journey is such a crazy ride. We have highs and lows and ups and downs. We hit bumps in the road and we can have the best. Before I started Insanity: the Asylum, I hit a major plateau. I felt like I wasn't getting the workout that I wanted or needed. I felt like I wasn't getting the results I wanted. I had done multiple workout programs and I saw amazing results. I think I needed to shock my body and do an insane workout like asylum. and you know what it worked! not only did I transform my body but I feel like a whole new person physical. stronger than ever and feeling leaner. its amazing what working out and eating clean can do for you body.

What is next for me??? you might be asking....not too sure. I know for the next few days, I will be taking a rest days and maybe just some stretching. workout wise...eeks I don't know. I was thinking of doing a hybrid program of Insanity Max 30 and Insanity the Asylum.

Will you join me on my next journey??? Join me for 21 days and start your amazing health and fitness journey. Whether you need to lose 10 pounds or 100 pounds, this is for you! Fill out the form below and be selected to join our amazing group!

Hope you all have an amazing day! Remember that you can truly do anything as long as you put you mind to it!

~Nicole

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TurboFire Chili

So, I have heard some amazing things about this TurboFire Chili and I needed to try it. It is absolutely delicious and you can make it in the crock pot! I love using my crock pot and recently I haven't really been using it. I now have meals for the rest of the week and also monday next week. Nothing like being ahead of the game. If you do not like the beans, I would suggest you omit them and add gree peppers, mushrooms or other veggies of your choice! You can really make it your own! Just remember don't over indulge. It is absolutely delicious and you can definitly eat more than you wanted to! If you are following the 21 Day Fix or 21 Day Fix Extreme, it would be 1 red, 1 yellow, 1 green.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. lean ground turkey
• ½ cup diced tomatoes
• 1½ cups frozen whole kernel corn
• ½ onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 (15oz.) can black beans
• 1 (15oz.) can pinto, chili, or kidney beans
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• ½ cup water
• 1/2 package Lawry’s chili seasoning
• 4 oz. low-fat shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Directions. 

1. Brown turkey. Drain and discard any fat. 
2. Place all ingredients except cheese into a slow cooker. 
3. Cook for 4 hours on low or 2 hours on high. 
4. Top with 1 oz cheese if desired.
5. ENJOY

Mama K's Famous Banana Bread

I love banana bread! My mom makes the best banana bread and whenever I have riper than ripe bananas, I always like to make it! Reminds me of home and is healthy.

Ingredients:

• 3 large ripe bananas
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 4 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted and cooled
• 1.5 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon each salt and baking soda

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325. lightly grease a 9 x 5 in loaf pan
2. In a mixing bowl, mash up bananas.
3. Beat in sugar, then egg and butter. 
4. In another bowl, stir together flour, salt, and baking soda
5. Add mixture in bowl to banana mixture and stir until all flour is moistened
6. Pour batter in prepared pan
7. Bake 55-60 minutes 

It is simple and easy to make and absolutely delicious! Hope you enjoy!

DIY Sriracha Mayo

The latest craze is something called Sriracha Mayo. About two months ago, I was introduced to sriracha mayo from a friend of mine. He had made a sandwich and had it on there. I had always wanted to try it and he shared some with me. Well I fell in love with it. Now I am not a person who likes a lot of spice. I turn lobster color if I have anything that is too spicy. But let me tell you, I loved the kick that it had. It was like a little punch to my taste buds. That day, I went to the grocery store to buy it, well to my surprise, it was $7 for small bottle of sriracha mayo. being that I am on a somewhat tight budget and I couldn't fathom spending that much I left the store empty handed. Maybe a week later, I walked in Trader Joes and in front of me was a huge bottle of sriracha for $1.99...ding ding ding...sold! Now it wasn't the sriracha mayo that I was looking for but I knew for that cheap of a price that I could do something with it. 

The internet is a beautiful thing. I searched for different recipes for sriracha mayo. I came across one that I had to try. It was simple, it was healthy, and I figured I had this whole bottle of sriracha, what could be bad. I ended up making the sriracha mayo recipe from the Bon Appetit Magazine. 

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp sriracha
• 3 tbsp mayo
• 1 tbsp chicken broth

Directions: 

1. Cook chicken broth and let cool
2. Mix all 3 ingredients together. 

I wanted to mix it up and change up my chicken that I had for my salads every day. So I whipped up some of this delicious DIY sriracha mayo and soaked my chicken in it and baked the chicken. It was so delicious and it was so simple. I love easy, simple, and convenient recipes that spicy up your life. As a busy nurse, I don't always have the time to but I make the time to prep my meals. This made it easy for me to quickly prep my chicken and bake it and I had enough for 4 days worth of meals. It was the perfect combination and the perfect kick. I hope you enjoy it! Let me know what you think if you do end up trying it! You could add it to anything! 

Homemade Ice Cream

Everyone knows that I love love love me some ice cream! I love Dairy Queen and Friendly's and I could have it every day. My brother and his girlfriend made this for me a few months back and I have been wanting to make it. So I had a few bananas that were beyond ripe and in the fridge. I figured instead of wasting them, I would make Homemade Ice Cream. It truly is healthy and has very few ingredients and really is so simple and it tastes amazing that you would think you were having a cheat meal.


Ingredients:

• brown ripe bananas
• 2 tbsp peanut butter
• vanilla almond milk
• optional: reese's pieces

Directions:

1. Cut ripped bananas into slivers and put on a paper plate with wax paper and freeze for an hour or two until hardened. I used 3 bananas that I had in the fridge.
2. Placed frozen bananas in food blender or food processor and mix. 
3. Once bananas are 
4. I added a little vanilla almond milk to thin out the banana mixture. It was thick and clumpy but I wanted to make the consistency more smooth.
5. I added 2 tbsp of  peanut butter and blended together. (For next time, I would put maybe a little more peanut butter into it)
6. I added (and this is optional) reese's pieces. I was craving them and added some to it to give me a little more crunch. (Next time I might try adding strawberries to it) 
7. With the 3 bananas that I had, I ended up having enough for 3 different times. I put the remaining in the freezer that I didn't eat and had it another night. 

This is simple, easy, and healthy. Its a nice change especially when you are craving some unhealthy ice cream. I mean do not get me wrong, I do have ice cream from my favorite places once in a while but this is totally an awesome change. Yesterday, I went grocery shopping and normally I only pick up may 2 bananas, well I picked up about 6 or 7 so that they could ripen, and I could make this again! 

I hope you all try this and enjoy it as much as we love it! You could add anything to it and make it healthier! I mean really its bananas, peanut butter, vanilla almond milk and your choice of topping! It is perfect for the spring and summer months that are ahead of us! Have an awesome day and don't forget to try this healthy homemade ice cream!

How to Become a Morning Workout Person?

How many of you have a hard time getting up in the morning? Have you ever wanted to become a morning person? How many of you want to become a morning workout person but can't seem to not snooze that alarm? I know it truly is difficult to become a morning person if you aren't one. I have always been a morning person! Growing up, I think I had such anxiety over being late that I would get up ahead of time and make sure that everything was just right. Even now, I am still a morning person. I would rather wake up and start my day off at the crack of dawn and get a full day in of productivity. I mean don't get my wrong, I do love to sleep in once in a while but lets be honest, that isn't very often. 

I know so many people that want to workout in the morning, or wake up earlier to get a jump start on their day. I wanted to share a few tips and tricks to becoming a morning person and achieving that dream of being a morning person. It is possible for you to transform yourself into a morning person. 

1. Get more sleep. I mean really?!?! DUH Nicole!! Just like we make time to schedule in meetings, workouts, nail appointments, lunch dates, etc. we need to schedule our sleep time. It is so important to get 7-9 hours of sleep. For example: tomorrow, my schedule changed for work...I now have to be in before work at 7am. I have to leave no later than 630am for work. I know that I have a 40 minute workout tomorrow for insanity the asylum: vertical plyo workout and 20 minutes before my workout I need to chug my pre-workout formula C4 to maximize my workout. I need at least 30 minutes to decompress after my workout, pack my lunch bag for work, shower, get ready, and have enough time for my morning post workout post on instagram and facebook. In order for me to be 100% on time, my alarm will be set for 4:30am. Which means that I need to be in bed going to sleep at 9pm tonight. I know that really early. But in order for me to get at least 7 hours of sleep, I need to be in bed, decompressed and ready to sleep by 9pm. Moral of the story, Schedule your sleep just like you schedule your appointment with your boss,

2. Stop pressing snooze. I am not going to lie, This is something that I struggle with on a daily basis. I normally snooze my alarm once! I literally hate the sound of the alarm and get angry when it goes off. What I have been trying to do and I need to do a better job of it now is that when that alarm goes off, I need to get right up and tell myself "I am up! I am up! I am up!" and then get up! 

3. Have your clothes laid out already. I find that if the night before, I set out my workout clothes for the next day, right next to my bed and it is one of the first I see, I am more likely to get a faster start to my day!

4. Get moving as quickly as possible. When I get up in the morning, the first thing I do is open the blinds, even when it is pitch black out. I go to the bathroom, brush my teeth, try to wake up. 

5. Make your bed. One of the first things that I do in the morning after I leave the bathroom, I make my bed. When you make your bed first thing in the morning, you don't want to go back to bed in bed that is already nice and neatly made. 

6. Workout in the morning. Now that you got a great night of sleep, you are up, your bed is made, you brushed your teeth, your dressed, now it is time to workout! If you workout at home like me, the night before, I always make sure the following days workout dvd is in the xbox and ready to go. I have all the equipment ready for me, and all I have to do is push play! You just have to do it, even thou you might not want to. I don't always want to workout in the morning. Some days I would rather lay in bed and get that extra hour of sleep in before a full day of work. But snoozing that alarm and that extra hour of sleep might be a short term satisfaction but a long term disappointment when you don't achieve your goals

7. Have an accountability partner. I have many different accountability partners, depending on where I am in my own health and fitness journey. Currently, I am doing Insanity the Asylum with one of my good friends. Depending on who gets up first, we always send a early morning motivating text! It starts our day off right, having that extra accountability early in the morning, really helps, especially since we live in different states. Having not only an accountability partner who is doing the same program as you are but also having the support of others who are on their own health and fitness journeys through our private facebook accountability groups really just seals the deal! 

8. Remember to have fun. It is so important to have fun when you workout no matter the time of the day. Especially in the morning when your tired and don't want to do it. Make sure to smile, enjoy the workouts that you do! Love what you do and have fun with it.

When I workout in the morning and get an amazing workout in, I tend to set myself up for success. I love setting myself up for success and to have an amazing day! Use these tips in your day to day life and you too could become a morning workout person! Don't forget...NEVER GIVE UP! It takes 21 days to form a habit. So commit to spending the next 21 days to waking up at the same time, getting into a routine, and learning to become a morning person! Who is ready to become a morning workout person?!?! 

If you are ready to make a healthy change and need that extra accountability to become a morning workout person...fill the form out below and I will contact you! :) 

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Insanity: The Asylum...am I crazy?

Well we all know I am a little crazy and love a good challenge! I love to see how far I can push my body and this time, I think I might be biting off a little more than I can chew! Tomorrow, I officially start day 1. Today, I started at day 0 with the fit test. And let me just say, if this program is anything like what I experienced with the fit test, I sure hope that I can walk, let alone I am living after 30 days.

I am taking this challenge with a good friend of mine. We both needed the extra motivation, accountability, and just change in our day to day routine. We live healthy lives but we just kind of feel stagnant in our workouts. She has done Insanity: The Asylum before and saw amazing results. Well now the time has come for me to pick up the pace and get my summer body! I mean really, summer is almost here and I want to look good when I am lounging on the beach! 

This past week, I barely worked out. I quit round 2 of the 21 Day Fix Extreme at day 14 because you know what I just got bored. The workouts are great and all but my soul workout is Insanity Max 30. I had pulled my left quad and I just wasn't feeling good but needed the break. I took a few spin classes. It was great to get back into cycling. My nutrition was off, I cheated, aka rewarded myself, with all the delicious foods and really did not care about what I was eating, just that I wanted it. You know what, I AM HUMAN TOO! I LOVE FOOD! I LOVE TO EAT! Okay, now that we cleared that up, that I am not a machine and I am not like this super human who eats salads all the time. I love chips and bagels and other unhealthy things like ice cream and Chinese food. With that being said, I woke up this morning, feeling like crap! I could totally see how the unhealthy food that I was eating this week, had affected me. I cannot wait to get back on track tomorrow and really focus om cleaning up my nutrition again. I am not going to say that I am not going to cheat or reward myself because I would be lying. I just will be extremely strategic about when I am going to balance out my nutrition. 

Nutrition is all about the 80/20 rule. 80% of the time your nutrition is clean and healthy. 20% of the time, you are splurging. I know next weekend, since it is Palm Sunday, we have a traditional Italian feast. I plan on working out in the morning, drinking my shakeology and being focused with drinking enough water and staying super active. I already have everything mostly prepped for this week except a few dinners which I will make on the go. You know what it pays off prepping your meals and staying focused on your goals. My goal for the next 30 days is to stay focused, do my best, and never give up! 

Insanity: The Asylum Meal Plan Week 1

I will be following the 21 day fix extreme meal plan somewhat. I have changed a few things up but I am really going to be focused! You know as I am sitting here getting my thoughts out on this blog, I got a call from my friend touching base on how we are going to do the next 30 days, what meal plan we are following and what we are doing. I really took it as a sign that this is such the right timing and the right course. God places things in your life at the time in which you and others need it. I know I am going to need the support and help from her just like she is going to need it for me. We don't live in the same state any more but the beauty of cell phones and social media is that we can stay on track with each other and stay focused and hold each other accountable! I am so excited to take the journey with her, I can't wait to see where we are 30 days from now! 

Take a peak at what the next 30 days are going to be like for me. I am not going to lie, I am seriously scared and I am going to give it my all! I mean it is 30 days.

Challenge yourself to new things everyday! 

Have a Happy and Healthy Day!

~Nicole

Chicken Fajita Lettuce Wraps

These are deliciousness! They are from the 21 Day Fix Extreme Meal Plan book. They are simple yet so filling. I changed the seasonings up a little bit from the recipe in the book. These really were so delicious and I cannot wait to make them again.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper garlic
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 grilled boneless, skinless, chicken breast
• 1/2 pepper slicked
• 1/2 onion chopped
• 2 large romain lettuce leaves
• 1/2 medium avocado, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup salsa
• 1/4 cup black beans
• lemon wedge for garnish 

Directions: 

1. Grill chicken and cut up.
2. Combine salt, pepper garlic seasoning, onions and peppers and saute with olive oil in a saucepan. Add lime juice. cook for a few minutes until onions and peppers are starting to brown
3. Wash black beans and add to saucepan with the onions and peppers .
4. Cut up avocado
5. Clean romaine lettuce and place on a dish.
6. Once onions and pepper melody is cooked, Place mixture over lettuce and add chicken on top
7. Add salsa, and avocado to the top.

21 Day Fix and 21 Day Fix Extreme Approved Container Equivalents:

• 2 Green
• 1/2 Purple
• 1 Red
• 1/2 Blue
• Optional: 1 Yellow (added black beans)

Hope you all can enjoy this as much as I did! 

Have a Happy and Healthy Day

~Nicole

Make Yourself Proud

Today I had the honor of chatting live on The Mickey Ellison Show. It is something that when I tell you is completely out of my comfort zone and so not something I would normally do, it absolutely is. But I love a good challenge and when Mickey reached out to me about sharing my story, I may have been a little nervous but I took it as a sign that I needed to break out of my shell! I am such a introvert and talking about myself and being in front of a lot of people scares me. I mean technically no one saw me and Mickey and I were just talking but it still freaked me out a little. I mean once I am doing it, I loosen up and get in the groove of the conversation. 

I haven't really publicly, verbally shared my story. I mean don't get me wrong, I share my story all the time through social media but to actually talk to someone about my story...eeks that scares me but it also excites me. 

Sharing my story is a very personal thing and sometimes I am ashamed of where I have come from but at the same time, I am so proud of how far I have come. Sharing my story today has been an absolute blessing. I listened to the recording and I have to say that I had to stop it about a quarter of a way in. I seriously had a moment. I couldn't believe that I was actually sharing my story on a live podcast. I thought back to the girl who was 220 pounds, overweight, unhealthy, unhappy, not loving of herself and most of all broken. But as I listened to this confident person who was speaking her story, I for a second, had tears in my eyes. It was one of those moments where I still can't believe how far I have come and how many lives that I have changed.

I have lost 70 pounds, maintained my weight loss, competed in two triathlons, a half marathon, a 65 mile bike race, countless other shorter running races and I continue to strive to be better everyday than I was the day before. It truly is amazing to me how far I have come. I am not writing this to toot my own horn but to share how proud I am of myself. Never in a million years did I think that I would be where I am today. 

You never really embrace the journey or celebrate it, well at least I never did. But today listening to the recording and even when we ended the show, I was fired up. I was proud of myself. I was proud that I did something that I never thought I would do. I was proud that I overcame an obstacle. I was proud that I never gave up. I am proud of who I have become. But most of all I am proud to be me! 

I tend to overlook my accomplishments, chalk them up to happening but it's sometimes nice to share how amazing the journey has been. The struggles, the accomplishments, how I plan on helping others. I want you to MAKE YOURSELF PROUD everyday! I know today, I can truly go to bed completely and wholeheartedly proud of myself. Embrace the journey and NEVER GIVE UP!

Check out the recording below and hear my journey! 

Recording of My Weight Loss Journey on The Mickey Ellison Show

Shakeology and Weight Watchers

As some of you know, my weight loss journey started almost 4 years ago with weight watchers! With weight watchers, I lost 70 pounds in about 9 months! My goal after that was to maintain my weight loss. In the past, I had lost weight and then gained it back. I hit a serious plateau while I was training for my second triathlon a year after I had lost lose 70 pounds. My fear of gaining weight back was crazy and when I wasn't getting the results I wanted, I needed to make a change. Weight watchers had taught me portion control and how to eat in moderation!

You know how you see those infomercials on tv about p90x and insanity, etc. well one night, I was channel checking and I saw both infomercials. It caught my attention with the transformation stories and pictures. Since I felt like I was in good shape, I did my research about each program! Don't get me wrong, I was scared to do a crazy hard workout at home. I was introduced to something called shakeology. For those of you who don't know, shakeology is a healthy meal replacement that has super foods, vitamins, and so much more! It has become a staple in my life. I have never missed a day of drinking shakeology.

When I first started drinking shakeology, I was still doing weight watchers, I was following the point system which was so amazing! Like I said before, it taught me everything in moderation, portion control, and ultimately a healthier lifestyle....the best part about it is shakeology is only 3 points for the healthiest meal that you could have. That 3 points for a scoop of shakeology (1 meal). You can mix it with anything you want. The options are endless! You could add water or almond milk & water, orange juice and water or you could blend in frozen fruit, and so many more things. You can keep it s low point meal but it's truly the healthiest meal you could feed yourself.

Chocolate  = 3 points
Greenberry = 3 points
Tropical Strawberry = 3 points
Chocolate Vegan = 4 points
Vanilla = 3 points
Strawberry= 3 pounts

Looking back, on my own weight loss journey, I really wish I could go back in time and could have learned about shakeology and started drinking it from the beginning! I think it would have been such a significant change in my overall health and well-being. I mean 3 points for the healthiest meal of the day...sign me up!!

I wanted to give you a few examples of recipes and how many points you could make your shake:

Chocolate Peanut Butter Shakeology

1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology (3 points)

8 oz. unsweetened almond milk (1 point)

2 tbsp. PB2 (1 point)

1 medium banana

6 ice cubes

Blend together until smooth.

Total Points Plus value……….5

Pineapple Mango Shakeology

1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology (3 points)

8 oz. unsweetened almond milk (1 point)

1/2 cup pineapple

1/2 cup mango

6 ice cubes

Blend together till smooth.

Total Points Plus value………4"

Have you ever wondered about shakeology? Is it something that you may have wanted to try but just aren't sure?? Have you been questioning how shakeology can be incorporated in with your weight watchers points program. I want to help you see the amazing benefits that you can gain from shakeology and doing weight watchers, both at the same time!

If you are interested, fill out the form below! I will contact you on how I can help you along in your weight loss journey! 

Hope that this helped to clear some questions some of you have on shakeology and weight watchers points! Have a Happy and Healthy Day!!

Nicole <3

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Turkey Meatloaf: 21 Day Fix Extreme Approved

On Sundays, I meal prep and this past sunday, I wasn't sure what I wanted to make for dinners this week. I was browsing through the 21 day fix extreme eating plan guide when I came across this recipe and decided to give it a shot. I was able to prep it in advance and after work, I was able to just put it in the oven and everything I needed to done! I have meals for the entire week and yes it might be a little redundant but you know what anything to get me closer to my goals!

Ingredients:

• 2lbs raw 93% lean ground turkey
• 1 cup all-natural salsa
• 1 cup cooked quinoa, cooled
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 
• 3 cloves of galic
• 1 tsp sea salt or himalayan salt (mineralized)
• 1 tsp ground black pepper 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Combine turkey, salsa, quinoa, eggs, garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl; mix well with hands or a spatula 
3. shape mixture into shape of a loaf and place on ungreased 13 x 9-inch baking pan
4. bake for 60-70 mins or until center is no longer pink and meat is cooked through
5. let stand for 10 minutes before serving

21 Day Fix / 21 Day Fix Extreme Container Equivalents:

• 1 Red
• 1/2 Purple
• 1/2 Yellow

I served this with a side of spaghetti squash and mushrooms with some homemade marinara. (2 Greens and 1/2 purple).  This was absolutely delicious and I really cant wait to make it again! :)

Hope you enjoy this delicious! 

Nicole <3

21 Day Fix Extreme RESULTS

It really is crazy how fast time flies. I feel like it was yesterday that I started 21 Day Fix Extreme and finished 60 days of Insanity Max 30. I am so excited with my results. I have to say this is the first time that I have 98% stuck with my nutrition. I did not cheat other than day 13 when my cousin got married. but hey the rum punch was amazeballs and I of course had to try the cake!! 

Even if I didn't lose a significant amount of weight, I will have gained so much more these last 21 days. The growth and progress that I have made in such a short time really has set me up for amazing success.

For starters: I AM COMPLETELY COFFEE CREAMER FREE! Like not even a drop of coffee creamer at all! Today being that I am on day 22 and no longer am doing round 1, a friend of mine asked, girl did you have your coffee with creamer today...my response was absolutely not! you know what it wasn't worth it!I actually started liking my coffee black! I never in a million years thought that I the coffee creamer addict would actually kicked of her delicious addiction!

Here is how I want to break down how amazing the last 21 days were:
✔down 8 pounds 
✔lost 5.5 inches
✔feel healthier
✔my skin feels better 
✔22 days with no coffee creamer
✔more confidence
✔tighter and toned, I feel leaner and just overall amazing!
✔I do have a ways to go but this is just round 1...round 2 starts tomorrow!
✔super proud of myself for only cheating one day out of the 21 days...I know my results could have been better if I didn't, but hey, my cousin got married and I had some rum punch and cake! It didn't kill me, it make me happy!
✔I completely cleaned up my nutrition and I think this program and its values will stick with me forever! I feel amazing and why would I want to change that?
✔I never thought I would be able to do a program like this and completely dial in clean eating nutrition!! But you know what I accepted the challenge and surprised myself at how well I did! Was it easy...heck no! was it worth it...heck yes! 

So you might be asking, what is next for me? well I am so glad you asked! today I had what I like to call a "reward" day. so like a cheat day or cheat meal, I am rewarding myself for the hard work. I have been craving a big burger and french fries! I have to say that I don't normally have hamburgers! So tonight, I treated myself to Red Robin and had a delicious whisky bbq burger with french fries, and on my way home, I stopped at Friendly's and had some ice cream! Go big or go home right?!?! thats my theory! 

Today was amazing to splurge a little but hey its time to get back to work and get my butt in gear! Cant wait to start round 2 tomorrow and completely kill it! :) No excuses, just results!

Have you ever considered working hard and seeing amazing results! Join my next accountability group, it starts march 9th! Dont miss out!! Fill out the application below! I am choosing 10 beautiful ladies to join us! will you be on of them?

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21 Day Fix Extreme Testimonial: Week 2 Progress

Week 2 of 21 day fix extreme is in the books! I really can't believe how fast time is flying! This program is no joke and it's all focus! I could sit here and joke about how easy it is but its not easy! It truly tests you mentally and physically! I have not had my beloved French vanilla creamer in 14 Days! This right there in itself is a huge accomplishment! This program tests your fitness ability, nutritionally and mentally! I have never been this sore in I can't remember his long! You think you are in good shape until you do something new that challenges you to a whole new limit!

I love a good challenge and I had all intentions of staying on track! But this week kinds threw me for a little curve ball! I am on vacation in Florida. Yesterday my cousin got married! It eventually turned out to be a great day after a few huge hiccups! With that being said, I completely went off the 21 day fix extreme meal plan yesterday! I will say I tried to set myself up for success but yesterday was the only day of the 21 day fix extreme that I will be failing! I drank a lot of rum punch, ate cake, and enjoyed myself! You know what everything in moderation! You know what it wasn't the plan, but it's just how it worked! Time to get back on track and stay focused for week 3!! Can't wait to see my amazing results! I have worked hard and this week coming up, I am 110% dialed into my nutrition! No excuses, just results! A minor set back of lots of rum punch and unclean maybe a little unhealthy food warrants a big comeback!

With my little set back I do want to say that I stayed completely on track and completely on track leading up to yesterday! I knew that I would be jumping off the deep end and wanted to completely set myself up for success! Life throws you curve balls, and you have a choice, you can swing or you can watch the ball go past you! I choose to swing the bad and see where the curve lands! 

This week because I am on vacation, I had the honor of being able to workout with my dad. He joined me for my workouts each days and I really have to say, it was nice to have my workout buddy. I love that I can share my passion for working out and living a healthy lifestyle with my family! My dad is my biggest cheerleader, motivator, and always is up for a challenge when I give him one! A family that workouts together stays together. Now our mission is to get my mom doing the 21 day fix. He and I have been plotting on how they are going to get her doing it. They are going to do it together. Meal plan, meal prep, and workout together. It really warms my heart when I hear how motivated he is to help her and do this with her. In September they will be married for 30 years. I love that they can cheer each other on and motivate each other to continue to lead healthier lifestyles. A couple that workouts and leads a healthy lifestyle together, stays together! 

Week 3 focus:
✔️drink 150ml water
✔️follow meal plan
✔️never give up
✔️stretch more
✔️daily personal development and positive affirmations
✔️finish strong!

Meal Plan Week 2: 21 Day Fix Extreme

Hope you all have a happy and healthy day! 

Nicole

Why the Scale Lies!

Did anyone ever tell you that the scale lies? We all have our hang ups. We all have those moments where we just get so down and depressed when we jump on the scale and either it didn't drop or the dreaded weight gain.  You work so hard day in and day out and then you just want to see a slight change in the number on scale or no change at all. it can be disheartening and it can make you want to give up.

What I am here today to tell you is the scale does not define you. It lies. It doesn't tell you how amazing you are. How beautiful your are. How amazingly perfectly imperfect you are. That's right you are perfectly imperfect in your own way. If the scale were to talk, I would hope it would tell me that I am beautiful, perfect just the way I am, I wish it would tell my weight loss story, I am strong, I am healthy, I am happy. Since the scale doesn't talk back and say these amazing things, I have been trying daily to remind myself of these positive affirmations!

We give way too much credit to a "number". A number that defines most people's happiness. But when did a number become so important? Have we forgotten about looking in the mirror and loving our selves? Have we forgot about those amazing non-scale victories that we achieve every day no matter how big or small they are?

I really actually hate the scale! Originally I lost 70 pounds and had maintained that weight loss for 3 years but as I changed up my workout routine and eating cleaner, I gained 20 pounds....I could have thrown the towel in and said screw it, but I took a good look in the mirror and you know what I may have packed on a few extra pounds but I also built muscle. Yes I went up 20 pounds but It didn't look like it! If I let the scale win and define me, I would be sitting on the couch with Oreo cookies, a milkshake and a bag of chips with a side of Ben and Jerry's ice cream wallowing  in my sorrows of gaining weight all because the scale told me I gained weight. Which writing that out, that sure does sound like an amazing reward day! But I didn't feel like I gained 20 pounds. I feel amazing! I have never felt stronger, more athletic, and in shape. So why if I feel like I am the best I have ever been, do I get down about seeing that number on the scale?

I think that society says that we have to look a certain way, we have to be a certain weight based off of our height, etc. but did they ever consider that sometimes those "expectations" are  tough to achieve. We have this idea from media that we need to be skinny, and have a super model body but that unrealistic. We all have different body types, shapes, hormonal imbalances,  and genes. So why is they we strive to have the scale at such a low number? Why can't we empower each other to just lead a healthier lifestyle? A healthier lifestyle that includes not focusing on the scale and focusing on ourselves and the progress we have made. Our journeys and stories are constantly being written, focusing on how far we have come and not focusing on how far we have to go, could make for more positive results!

Someone the other day said to me, well I am disappointed that I only lost 1.4 pounds last week! I had to take a few minutes to gather my thoughts! I was so excited for her but she told me that she wasn't happy. We women put so much emphasis on the scale and how that "number" that it consumes us. My response to her was "girl, 1.4 pounds thats amazing! That's 1.4 pounds that you don't have! Congrats on that small accomplishment! Refocus this week and focus on something new, your nutrition or drinking enough water! You got this!" I think we forget (and I am totally guilty of this) how long it took to put the weight on. We want instant results, we want to drop 5 pounds now as your reading this! We want to wake up and poof the weight is gone and we are in shape and lead healthier lifestyles. But the reality of it, we need to work hard to see results! Sitting on the couch is not going to get the results we want! Get up and workout and eating right is the only way your going to see results. Focusing on a number that defines so many of us and not in s good way is not going to get those results we want. Hard work, dedication, sweat, tears, laughter, preparation, meal planning and prepping, FOCUS, determination, motivation and most of all CONSISTENCY are what will get you the results you want.

I think women would have more confidence and end up leading healthier lives if the scale said things like:

Way to go keep up the good work!
Look at you, sexy mama!
Your do beautiful!
Remember to smile, it's a beautiful day!
Hey there sexy!
Keep pushing play!

But instead of wishing for the scale to say this, tell yourself on a daily basis these positive affirmations! There is nothing wrong with telling yourself that you a beautiful and you are perfectly imperfect! I tell myself everyday!

As I come to a close with this post, I am writing this from 35,000ft in the air flying to Florida, I want you all to remember that you don't need the scale to define yourself!  You are better than the scale! And remember I told you the scale lies...it does. It doesn't tell you how amazing you are and how you have come so far and your doing a great job! So you don't have a good day and the scale goes up! So who fucking cares! Big deal. Refocus, regroup, and remember everyday is a new beginning, a fresh start, a new day to get it right! Don't let the scale define who you are!

My goal is to help just one lady realize that the scale doesn't define you! Remember that you are beautiful no matter what shape or size you are! We are all perfectly imperfect in our own ways. I do ask one thing, if you found this helpful or could relate, share it with someone else who might benefit from it! We all struggle in our own ways but why not empower each other to not focus so much in a number but to focus on ourselves and how amazing our own health and fitness journeys are!

Have a happy and healthy day! 

Nicole 

21 Day Fix Extreme Testimonial: Week 1 Progress

Happy Sunday Everyone! Hope everyone had a lovely Valentine's Day with the ones you love. As some of you may or may not know, last Sunday, I finished Insanity Max 30 and then Monday I started the 21 Day Fix Extreme. This program is absolutely no joke and it is not for everyone! It is however for those who have done the 21 Day Fix, other beachbody programs like PIYO, Insanity Max 30, P90X, etc. I am always up for a challenge and this program has seriously tested my limits! I thought Insanity Max 30 was hard...well this program is tough! I have come to believe that Insanity Max 30 is my soul workout. Nutrition is 80% of the battle. I can do any workout and succeed with it but dialing in on my nutrition is tough. For some reason I love my treats and snacks! But with this program starting out, I committed that I was not going to cheat in my first week! And I can officially say that My plan for week 2 is going to be a little different but that's another story for next weeks blog!

Sunday night, I made my meal plan for the week, I prepped as much as I could and I really was completely focused on my goal to stay on track with my nutrition. Starting monday, I struggled with the workout. You would think that because I just finished Max 30 that I would be good to go. It took me a little it to get acclimated with the workouts. You can do anything for 21 days if you put your mind to it! 

Healthy Dinner 21 Day Fix Extreme Approved

I was extremely proud of myself this week because there was so much temptation around at work and at home. Since it was Valentines Week, there was plenty of chocolate, food, donuts at work. I did not once indulge in these taste treats, I fought the urge and I am overcame every obstacle and I succeeded! I did not cheat once and I am jumping for joy! I seriously never thought that I could do it but I did. 

I woke up this morning feeling less bloated, healthier, my skin felt better and I have more energy! It's crazy to think that food can have such a impact on how you feel! I also made a huge leap of faith! I love my french vanilla coffee creamer and for those of you who know me, know that I LOVE MY COFFEE! I could have like 3-4 cups per day. I completely cut out creamer. I think that right there is the most difficult thing that I have overcome this week. I have learned to drink less coffee and I have learned to drink it black or with my shakeology. It has been true struggle but I have to say, I feel better! As much as I miss my coffee creamer, my abdomen thanks me for it! Totally a non-scale victory for huge accomplishments this week....NO COFFEE CREAMER!

Each day another thing that I always did was drink 150oz of water! I really tried to focus on just staying focused and staying on track. Knowing that this is only 21 days, I feel like I can achieve anything! 

Meal Plan Week 1

What I learned this week while doing the 21 Day Fix Extreme: 

• You can truly do anything you want if you put your mind to it!
• Focusing and dialing in your nutrition can be done and once you stick with it for a week, you feel amazing.
• Focus on why you started, not how far you are going.
• Giving up something you absolutely love can be hard but its totally doable! If I can give up my beloved French Vanilla Coffee Creamer, you can too! 
• I am slowly learning to like black coffee.. thats like not love!
• These workouts might be 30 minutes but most of this week, I could barely walk! 
• Never say never! I completely cleaned up my nutrition...I never thought I would be 100% clean eating...I am a woman of weight watchers where moderation is key...with the 21 Day Fix Extreme I had to completely clean up my nutrition! 
• Take control of your life. Whether you want to do a program so extreme as 21 day fix extreme or you want to do a program that's not as crazy or you just want to get started....don't hesitate...JUST DO IT!

This is my go to snack! 

Greek Yogurt Parfait

If you are ready for a change and would like to join in one of our amazing 21 day accountability groups, fill this out! Its a great way to achieve all your health and fitness goals! And the best part about it is that it takes 21 days to form a habit. form a healthy habit in 21 days and see amazing results! 

Have a Happy and Healthy Day!!

Nicole 

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