Chocolate Mug Cake

So I have this Fit Thru the Holidays challenge group that I am running that consists of 40 women pledging to stay true to their health and fitness through the holidays. It's not easy! Especially with all the temptation lurking around. I found this mug cake on Facebook and it looked AH-MAZING, so naturally I had to try it and it lived up to its reputation. Check it out!

 Ingredients

1 scoop Shakeology
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1/4 tsp baking powder
- mix well in mug
Add in 1 egg (or 1/4 cup egg whites)
3 tbsp almond milk
- mix well
 

Take a big scoop of peanut butter and push down into the center of the mug
Microwave for 90 seconds
Top with more peanut butter

OMG! Fantastic! Delicious! MORE PLEASE!

How to Get Passed a Plateau

Even the best and most experienced fitness professionals hit a plateau in their progress. It happens. Our bodies get so used to doing what it's doing that it is no longer challenged. When it is no longer challenged, it doesn't need to work as hard meaning the heart isn't working as hard and you are not burning as many calories.

But there are a two remedies that I'm going to share with you that should help you over your hump. The first one:

TAKE A WEEK OFF


Seriously? Yes, seriously. Plateaus can also be our bodies way of telling us that we have been working too hard and it is overly fatigued. Often times the problem with taking a week off (besides the boredom that sets in) is the fact that we tend to overeat when we are out of routine. So in order to keep yourself engaged and not allowing this to lead to a food fest, just make that week a new kind of challenge for yourself. Eat clean for 7 days, try a Shakeology cleanse, or go even longer and give the Ultimate Reset a shot. During your rest you don't only want to rest your muscles, but also revamp your insides too. Make the week about doing the best possible things for your body to repair. This will make your body come back stronger, quicker.

The second option? Switch it up! I love cardio, and I love lifting weights; however, when it comes time to do both I can easily find excuses why I should slack. Maybe your exercise is stressing you out more? Is your schedule already jam packed? Is this just turning in to one more thing to do? Then switch it up! I find that when I am stressed sticking to a single workout program stresses me out even more. If a workout comes up and I don't care for it (it's too long, etc) then I don't enjoy it when I'm already stressed, so during times of heavy activity I wing it. I go downstairs and look through all of my DVDs and choose the one that fits what I feel like doing at that moment. Or maybe I go for a run instead of doing the DVDs. My muscles are continuously guessing day-to-day what I'm going to be doing with them, keeping my body "on its toes" and keeping my metabolism high.

If you have reached this plateau and feel like you aren't sure how to get over it, please email me Nik4213@gmail.com so we can talk and bounce ideas off of one another. Also you can check out My Site where there are MULTIPLE options for you to switch it up.

Not-So-Terrible Cookies and Cream Milkshake

I got my inspiration for this recipe from chocolatecoveredkatie.com, one of my FAVORITE blog sites out there. But as I was typing this up, I thought to myself....I wonder if I can make this even BETTER (Sorry, Katie..but I do believe I have)

The recipe featured on chocolatecoveredkatie.com uses 4 ingredients: milk, Oreos, frozen bananas, and vanilla extract.  Well, I'm pulling the vanilla extract, and adding in your daily dose of dense nutrition!


8 ounces Unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or rice milk)
1 packet Vanilla Shakeology
2 Oreo cookies (she uses 3..I'm using 2 to make myself feel better about the whole thing)
1/2 frozen banana (optional)

1/2 scoop protein powder (this can easily be omitted as Shakeology contains 16g on its own)

Throw all of this good stuff into a blender with some ice and pulse until all of the ingredients are well chopped up. Then blend/puree until you get your milkshake-like consistency. This is sure to be a drink that will not disappoint!

Note: If you will be using this as a snack, use 1/2 a pack of the Shakeology rather than a full pack.

Vanilla Shakeoloy is Here!

And it's delicious! Typically I am not a vanilla shake kind of girl.  I did the vanilla protein shakes and I don't know, just was never my thing; however, I really do enjoy the taste of these shakes. I was skeptical at first and wondered if they WOULD taste like my old protein shakes and very "artificial" but these taste AMAZING! Not too over-powering, not too sweet, not like you are drinking something fake. It hits the nail on the head when it comes to taste perfection!

Check out 30 days worth of AH-MAZING recipes!

If you want it all milkshakey goodness in your mouth, my advice would be to do a handful of ice, 8 oz almond milk, 4 oz cold water, 1 packet vanilla Shakeology and half a banana...BOOM! Amazeballs for sure! And yes! I have samples :) nik4213@gmail.com

Quick Vacation Slim Down

I get asked by a lot of people, "I'm going on vacation in 2 weeks and have totally neglected my workouts. Is there anything I can do?"

Great question (and a common one at that). The first thing I'd tell you is start working out. Don't go killing yourself, or working out five times a day..that's stupid and you are just going to end up injuring or exhausting yourself. If you exhaust your body you are more prone to sickness, and no one wants to be sick on vacation. Instead, start working out like you would if you didn't have a deadline. Do you have a Beachbody video? Start popping them in every day and get on a routine (and those can come with you on vaca!)  Maybe go for a jog every morning, or start taking walks.  I would also recommend 2 sets of 10 push ups, 2 sets of 10 dips, and some ab work..but again, nothing extreme.  This will give you some muscle tone in your arms, and begin to firm up your abs. Now, you are not going to have Cameron Diaz arms or some crazy six pack BUT you will have more than what you started with.

The second thing I would tell you is to watch what you eat. DO NOT CRASH DIET. Don't go eating an apple, or skipping lunch, or eating a Saltine cracker for dinner. Again..that's being stupid AND slowing down your metabolism. Just make some quick switches:

No more carbonated beverages. None. This makes your stomach look "puffy"

No more salt...also makes ya bloat and retain water so go for low sodium options

Drink your Shakeology

Limit gassy foods: Mexican, beans, broccoli, etc.

DRINK MORE WATER

No beer, no alcohol

Goodbye, dairy!

Nothing white (sugar, bread, etc)

Eat more fiber

Slow down your eating

Go tropical with your fruit (pineapple, mango, papaya)

Making these few simple changes can help you to look a lot less bloated while you are in your bikini or trunks. I'm not promising you are going to lose weight (if you wanted to do that you probably should have started earlier than a week or two before your vacation), but this will help you out.

Happy vacationing, everyone!

Insanity: Recovery Week

Woo! I made it! I have been staring at this week on my Insanity wall calendar as if it were a finish line...but really all it is, is the starting line for the next month.

The first month of Insanity was, by far, more mental for me than physical. The workouts always left me breathless feeling like I got in an AMAZING workout, but the mental aspect of the whole thing was the most difficult. Around week 4 I just got really tired. I'm not sure if that was my body CRAVING the recovery week at that point or what, but I was BEAT. I did not want to get out of bed, I did not want to do my workouts, but I still did them. As always, after the the first round of the warm up I was pumped and ready to go, but man getting to that point was rough.

Recovery week is a nice break, for sure. You are still working out 6 days in a row, but the workouts are at a much lower intensity. The first workout I did, I felt very tired afterward (which is exactly how you AREN'T supposed to feel), so I toned it down the next two times I did it and lowered the intensity a bit. I feel much better now. I feel as though I still got a great workout in, but that I didn't kill myself like I do with a typical Insanity workout.

The Cardio Core and Balance DVD focuses on minute intervals for the majority of the exercises, which are nothing that you haven't really done, but you focus more on posture, core, and control than speed and reps. Control is a big part of all the movements.  The first half is cardio-based, so you are doing your suicides, your hit the floors, vertical jumps, switch kicks, etc; however, sometimes these exercises are paired with an 8:8 ratio (Example: 8 switch kicks, 8 power jacks...something like that).

At the end its about balance as you work on your obliques and hip flexers. I can feel my core engaged this entire workout.  Your core is supposed to be engaged during a regular workout, but sometimes everything is going so fast you are lucky if you remember to breathe. With Cardio Core and Balance, you can really feel the focus on the core.

So there you have it! If you have made it this far, congratulations! We are half way there! If you haven't yet, then there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Keep pushing on, stay strong, and dig deeper!

Shakeology Mojito

Fridays are my favorite days, but one of the reasons is because its HEALTHY RECIPE FRIDAY!!!

WOO!

Today the spotlight goes back onto Shakeology, my go to shake and the only thing I trust to put into my body, and turning a health shake into a Mojito! (yeeaaaaya!)

Who doesn't love mojitos? They are summery, fresh, minty, cold, and refreshing.  The only thing that sucks about them is typically they are high in calories (even "lite" mojitos are near 400 calories!) And those are empty calories. Those aren't nutrients, whole foods, vitamins, minerals..its mostly the alcohol and whatever syrupy mixer the bar may choose to use.

But this little gem only packs 166 calories, 15 grams of protein, 22 carbs and only 1 gram of fat (and its healthy fats!).  Want to "kick it up a notch", add in some white rum for a kick. Will this increase these numbers? Yes, but it's still better for you than what you would get at a bar (and probably cheaper!)

Super easy, and delicious!

1 packet Strawberry Shakeology

1 TBS fresh lime

2 TBS chopped mint leaves

1 cup H20

Chocolate Shakeology Recipes

I don't know about you, but I love chocolate.  I was never that into it as a child. I'd enjoy a 3 Muskateer's here and there as a treat, but I never went crazy over the thought of getting a candy bar. As I have grown older, though, I find that when I am stressed out or it is that time of the month my brain immediately flips on its chocolate switch.

This was becoming a problem. I was guilty of keeping chocolate in my refrigerator in the far back to consume when the urge struck, but the problem was everything was "mini size"...which means you eat as many as you can to get to "full size" haha.  "It's so small...what's one more..it won't kill me"  Such a downward spiral!

Now, to combat my chocolate cravings I turn to Chocolate Shakeology. Seriously, when I am getting to the point of NEEDING a candy bar, I drink this stuff and POOF! no more cravings. It is as if my body is saying, "Aahhhhhh" the moment I take the first sip.

That being said here are some of my favorite chocolate Shakeology recipes for you to try at home.

**These are all made with a handful of ice, 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk, and 1/2 cup- 1 cup water depending on how big of a shake you want**

Chocolate Peanut Butter (substitute for Reeses)

1 pack Chocolate Shakeology

1 TBS all natural peanut butter

Chocolate Vanilla (substitute for ice cream cone)

1 pack Chocolate Shakeology

1 TBS Vanilla Extract

Chocolate Strawberry (feel like you are being pampered, with the fresh zing of fruit included)

1 pack Chocolate Shakeology
4 large strawberries, chopped (and you can add one as a garnish!)

Chocolate Mint (goodbye Girl Scout cookies!)

1 pack Chocolate Shakeology

1/8 tsp mint extract

Pumpkin Pie (amazeballs...seriously..tastes like the real thing)

1 pack Chocolate Shakeology

1 cup unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk

1/2 cup canned pumpkin, unsweetened

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

Cinnamon Roll (Amazing for breakfast or in order to avoid Cinnabon!)

1/2 - 3/4  pack Chocolate Shakeology

10 oz unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 TBS imitation butter flavor

2TBS light cream cheese

1 packet Stevia or Truvia

Do you have questions about Shakeology? Send me a message! Or click on the banner to the right to find out more information.

Fall Favorites Pt 1

Ahhhh...fall is here :)  The kids are back in school, the leaves are starting to change, and at least here in Pennsylvania we have the "fall crisp" in the air.  Perfect blue sky days mixed with crisp star-filled sky nights are some of the things that I love best about this season. But there are other things too!

Fall is my favorite season. I know many people think that it is summer (since I love the beach) and I will gladly sit on a beach any day, but if I have to choose my favorite season for the Northwest region, it would have to be fall. We still get our warm days, Pennsylvania is full of state parks and woods so I get to be constantly surrounded by the fall colors, and who doesn't love all the fall festivals!!

But one area that I particularly love...fall food. Mmmmm nothing smells more delicious than pumpkin or apple pies baking in the oven. In fact, if you are like me (and probably the majority of the citizens of the U.S.) you almost go into pumpkin overload this time of the year! You want pumpkin EEEVERYTHING. So to feed your obsession (because I think it's a great obsession to have) here are some of my favorite pumpkin recipes. Fear not! More are to come :)

PUMPKIN PANCAKES (oh dear LORD do I love these!)

2 c. pancake mix (or you can go with a healthier option and combine my protein pancake ingredients in with the following ingredients, eliminating the need for the pancake mix all together!)
2 large eggs
1 1/4 c. milk ( I used Almond milk..personal preference)
1/2 c. Libby's Pumpkin Pie filling
2 TBSP sugar ( I went w/Truvia)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder (this is my own addition)

Mix everything together and make pancakes as usual. I topped mine with some sugar-free syrup and mmm! They were delicious!



PUMPKIN SHAKEOLOGY (pumpkin pie in a glass!)

1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology
1/2 c. Libby's Pumpkin
1 c. Unsweetened Almond Milk
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Handful of ice

Put all of the ingredients into a blender, blend, and tadaaa! All the deliciousness of a slice of pumpkin pie without the fear of eating the entire pie (if you're like me..this happens from time to time) and no guilt! You just got all of the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients for your day and you're having a tastey treat! Want to know more about Shakeology? Click Here!






WHOLE GRAIN PUMPKIN BANANA MUFFINS (found this one on cooks.com)

2 ripe bananas
2 eggs
1/3 cup canola oil
1 can pumpkin
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup Splenda
1 cup white flour
1 cup wheat flour
1/4 cup ground flax
1/4 cup wheat germ
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup golden raisins (optional)
1/2 cup pecans

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Mix bananas, pumpkin, and eggs in food processor (or blender)
Mix those wet ingredients with honey and oil.
Mix all dry ingredients separatelyStir dry ingredients slowly into the wet.Fold in raisins and pecans.Spray muffin pan with Pam or other baking spray. Fill each muffin tin 2/3 full.Bake for 17 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick or knife comes out clean. Put on a baking rack to cool.Makes up to 24 muffins.

STARBUCKS PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE (it wouldn't be fall without it!)

 There's really no recipe for this one, but if you are watching your calorie intake, then ask for the "skinny" version. If you get these once in a blue moon - then hell, go all out with the regular version...but if Starbucks is a daily or weekly trip for you these calories can add up quick! So make it skinny!