Oh yeah... Fall is definitely in full bloom!  Not just because the weather is changing and the leaves are blooming into beautiful fall colors, but I can also tell by the looks of my meal record lately!  Geesh, I've been "Fall"ing it up on the food front this week with all kinds of Autumn inspired meals.  I just have to start with this little sammie I came up with, it's so easy to make and so FRESH, really it's not Fall/Autumn inspired, but I'm throwing it in here for good measure because really ANYONE can throw this delish dish together in seconds for a fresh, figure-friendly snack or lunch!

Look how beautifully yummy this is!  This is my veggie sammie :)  Lettuce, red onions, tomato, avocado shared between two pieces of whole grain bread...DONE! So good, so healthy and sooo fast!

Next up is the Fall stuff, for you I have a soup and another quick snack, I'll share my snack idea first, since it is also a quickie as well :)

I'm really loving the apple selection at the grocery store this time of year, these apples are HUGE.  My fav, the HoneyCrisp Apple :)  These apples are so juicy and so yum, I can't get enough.  Slice one of these up and mix yourself some PB2 powder with some H2O or Almond Milk and you have yourself an amazing Fall Festive snack-a-roo!  Healthy once again!  And a BONUS because PB2 is like super lo cal and fat than traditional peanut butter, but tastes exactly the same... SCORE!

Ok... on to the big dog :)  This soup is PERFECT for that lazy Fall Sunday, when you want to relax and enjoy some football on TV and a nice warm bowl of soup.  This Butternut Squash, Green Apple soup is a winner!

OK, fair warning!  This soup simmers for about 6-8 hours, so keep that in mind, it's not a quick soup fix kinda thing!  Check it out!

WHAT YOU NEED:
4 cups of precut butter nut squash pieces (I bought a whole butternut squash and cut it myself into chunks)

3 Granny Smith Apples, peeled and sliced

1Tbsp. nutmeg

4 cubes chicken bouillon

4 cups water (or substitute 4 cups low sodium chicken stock for water and bouillon)

Salt and pepper to taste

WHAT YOU DO:
Place butternut squash, sliced apple, chicken stock, and spices into slow cooker.  Cook on low heat for 6 - 8 hours.  Cool.  Puree in a blender.  (for chunkier souop, use potato masher instead of blender, this is what I did!)  Return soup to slow cooker to keep warm.  Serve with garlic parm toast and small mixed green salad.... YUM!

Sooo good.  And even better days later!  This recipe made A LOT of soup, so it's PERFECT for a few days meals.  So, the time you put in to make this, def pays off for quick meals later in the week ;)  Not to mention the nutritional value... DANG!  Only 145 calories and 1 gram of fat per serving.... LOVE IT!  ENJOY :)

Daaaaaang!  How long has it been since I posted!?  Don't be upset with me, I've been thinking about you all A LOT!  Please forgive me for being MIA these past few weeks, but with school starting, getting back into this routine thang, it's been HECTIC!  No excuses though, I'm here and I've been movin' right along and stayin' on track with my fitness and all that good stuff ;)  Have you?  I hope so!  Now is the time to adopt that new routine and get back on track!  Let's see, first thing is first... Quick update on my fitness...  Still going strong with ChaLEAN Extreme, just rolled into Phase 2:  PUSH this week and it's killer, loving it!  Check out my progress pic below.... gun show anyone?  LOL!  Kidding!  But, really... this program WORKS!

NEXT!  TurboKick class started back up this week!  Sooooo good to see my TurboKickers and get back into action!

How about that!?  I can't leave ya'll hanging without giving ya the deets on my Squatternut Baush recipe (Butternut Squash - for those that don't 'get me' LOL!).  Made this for dinner last night and it was OH SO amazing!  Squash is totally low cal, you can eat A LOT of it and and not have to worry about the calories, plus it's very tasty and filling!  Check it out below!

What You Need:
1 Butternut Squash
1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
1/2 tsp. Himalayan Salt**
1/2 tsp Bragg Liquid Aminos** / Lemon or Lime Juice and Herbal Seasoning to taste.

**Himalayan Salt is the purest form of salt (the good salt)
**Bragg Liquid Aminos is perfect flavor enhancer with out all the sodium
If you are local, I got the Himalayan salt at Bassett's in Catawba and the Braggs at Kroger in Sandusky :)  If not local, I'm sure it's available at any specialy grocer or whole foods store.

What You Do:
Preheat oven to 375.  Cut squash in half lengthwise.  Use a spoon to scrape out seeds and pulp; discard.  Place squash in glass baking dish, cut side down, and add 1/4 inch water.  Bake 30-40 min, until soft but not mushy.  Remove from oven and season with remaining ingredients listed above!

I paired this with a turkey burger patty and a side of green beans.  DELISH!  Make it a point to try it this weekend and report back on whatcha think!  I hope you love it :)  Have a great weekend loves!

Well hey there!  Yes, it is very true... we completed the 21 Day reset!  Coming back at ya almost a week after completing the program and feeling FANTASTIC!  What a journey this was for us!  So many new things came to light on so many levels, physically, mentally, emotionally, it all came together!  Post reset, the biggest take away we got from it was definitely learning just how much nutriton plays a part in our health and how it drives results, especially the ones that we desire!  We are much more aware of what kind of foods fill us up and give us the most/best nutrients possible to fuel our energy, not to mention the mental clarity that comes with fueling your body with the RIGHT kinds of nutrients!  All in all a great experience, check out the resutls we turned out in 21 days!

Tony:
Total Weight Lost: 11lbs!
Total Inches Lost: 5.5 inches! (1 inch from the waist!)
Cholesterol: Dropped 17 pts!

Myself:
Total Weight Lost: 10lbs!
Total Inches Lost: 4.5 inches! (2.5 inches from the waist!)
Cholesterol: Dropped 30 pts! (WOW!)  It pushed my cholesterol level below 200, when I started I was at 207!  That's considered high!

Click on the video below we put together to hear more details on our take of the entire 21 days and see if it might be something for you!

So what's NEXT you ask?  This week post reset we've been easing back into our workouts, Tony has been tapping into his soulmate workout P90X and I've been tapping into mine, TurboFire.  I will continue to follow my soulmate trainer's lead with the weight training based program ChaLEAN Extreme, while Tony moves on to a new venture with Sagi Kalev taking on BODY BEAST.  We've both been experience a new heightened energy within our workouts this past week and we are so ready to rock these next programs, I truly believe and feel this is next level for us, can't wait to start Monday!

It's been an absolute pleasure sharing our reset experience with you, I hope you took at least one thing away from it that will help you move to the next level with your nutrition :)  Looking forward to starting this next venture and sharing it with you.  When one journey ends another begins.  This is a lifestyle, it doesn't end!  LIVE STRONG. LOVE LOTS AND LAUGH OFTEN!

Happy Wednesday all :)  It's mid-week and that only means one thing... we are halfway through the work week!  And I'm one day closer to completing the 21 day Ultimate Reset!   Quick update on how we are doing... So far things are going GREAT.  Definitely feeling energized and more alert.  Got up at 5:30AM this morning and knocked out some TurboFire Stretch 40 and that is just what the doctor ordered, feeling very relaxed right now.  And it's a good thing I'm feeling relaxed too because wow we have a busy weekend ahead!  Going to be heading out Friday to meet some of my coaches out at the Fireman's Challenge being held in town.  We have a booth and hope to spread some good word about our Beachbody Challenges, so if you are in the Sandusky area stop on out Friday from 5-9pm and Saturday from 8a-noon and check it out!  It'll be located in the Cedar Point parking lot :)  So Friday I will spend some time with my coaches there and then head out for the rest of the night for the Diamond event being held at our team leaders house.  Can't wait to see those peeps, they are amazing individuals!  Saturday will be our Beachbody event being held out in Bellevue, starting at 9am, if you are interested in learning more about the coaching opportunity with my team or want to stop out and try all the flavors of Shakeology then hit me up, I'll get ya a ticket ;)  Aaaaaand then from Saturday night through ALL day Sunday we have birthday party after birthday party to attend to!  Whew!  So yeah, busy weekend, and before I know it this whole Reset will commence Sunday night!  I'm kinda sad that it is ending... it is definitely keeping me accountable to eat right and stay on track.  And I'll tell ya what.... it is DEFINITELY showing!  Check out my photo below.....

I LOVE these jean shorts... and to be honest they always were a little snug, but I refused to go up a size so I just dealt with it :D  Well... yesterday I slipped those bad boys on and woah... they were SO loose in the waist and legs... I was like.. huh?  I say 'huh' cause I've only lost about 7lbs in this whole process... but this makes me very happy because I'm losing INCHES and I would definitely take losing inches over weight any day.... especially at the point in my fitness where I am at.  I don't need to lose weight, but I do need to tone and drop body fat.  Guess what.... I'M DOING IT!  Who says you can't cleanse and not lose muscle.... PROOF... you CAN cleanse and NOT lose muscle! 

***HAPPY DANCE***

Have an amazing rest of the week all!  Enjoy your Wednesday :)

Can you believe it has been 2 weeks since I began my journey with the Ultimate Reset?!  I'm almost sad that it is almost the end.  Still one whole week left and a lot can happen in that time frame.  I'm eager to finish so I can give you all the end results!  To catch a recap of my journey thus far, click on the image below and watch the video I recorded for you :)  Happy FIT week friends!  Be good to your body and your body will be good to you!

Good morning fit friends :)  Yes, it's true, we started Phase 2 of the Ultimate Reset yesterday and from here on out we are COMPLETELY VEGAN.  I never thought I would see the day that my 'meat & potatoes' man would be a vegan!  Well at least temporarily anyway ;)  I can't see him staying a vegan, although I might give it a try, surprisingly I am not missing the meat like the hubs is.  Anywho!  I can't believe we are a 1/3 of the way done, that first week flew by!  I have to say this isn't as challenging as I thought it was going to be, it is def a challenge don't get me wrong, but I'm really enjoying.  All the meals have been absolutely delicious and nothing to complain about, of course except the Alkaline supplement, which is totally like a dream compared to the supplement we introduced in Phase 2..... the DETOX.  Okay, okay... really, it's not that bad, actually I took it this morning on Day 2 of Phase 2 and it went down much easier than yesterday which was the first day that it was introduced.  It's got a weird taste, it's almost like a peppery, sweet taste and and I will say this, it is definitely not one of these detox supplements where you take it and bolt to the bathroom ;)  Nothing like that, it's been very gentle on the digestion system so far.  So yeah, still using the other supplements daily and now also with the detox so things are moving right along! 

This week I'm going to try and focus on getting in some light low impact workouts, last week I did a few walks and one day of Tai Cheng, I could have done more, but I think in my mind I'm taking advantage of the not working out part LOL :)  It's nice to have a break and let your body rest and it is really bizarre that in this first week I am down about 3lbs, so score!  So this week, I'm committing to doing yoga, Tai Cheng and brisk walks. 

Talk with ya'll tomorrow, a video coming soon on how Phase 2 is

Hey hey all!  Well we made it through Phase one of the Ultimate Reset, we are a third of the way done, and so far so good :)  Check out the recap on the vid above (click on image), got my partner in crime with me giving his opinions and experiences on it too!

Hey hey fitties!  Day 3 down!  Click on the vid above to hear my review of how the Ultimate Reset is going so far for me...  Have a lovely day all, be blessed :)

Day 2 is under my belt!  I gotta say, I am really feeling great, no headache today, felt energized all day, really nothing bad to report (except the GREEN MONSTER), LOL!!  Good thing it's just a one time a day thing :)  The upside, it doesn't leave a nasty after taste in your mouth once you finish as one might expect, so that's a plus!

So many things I am realizing already during this process is that I am really only eating 3 meals a day.  This is very different from my usual, I'm used to eating close to 6 small meals a day!  But with all the supplement taking and water drinking I really do not feel the need to eat anything more.  Total satisfaction food wise.  Which is HUGE for me, I'm a total cravings junkie!  I was just telling my hubby last night after dinner (which was AMAZING, by the way!) that I do not feel stuffed, which is how I normally feel after dinner.  We finished dinner around 7:30pm and hit the sack around 9:30pm, usually right before I go to bed I HAVE to have a snack :)  Anyone else a late night food junkie??? Raise your hand!!  Well, last night I had no desire to have a snack, complete and total satisfaction.  Definitely something that I've noticed, and we are only on DAY 2!  Oh and speaking of it only being Day 2, the hubs has lost 4lbs!  AND his chronic lower back pain is GONE!  He still has the chronic neck pain, but for reals, I'm hoping by the end of the Reset that will be gone too! How amaizng, right?!  No weight loss for me yet, but then again I'm not really looking to lose weight, I'm more curious to see how this is going to change the way I eat and how it makes me feel.... so far, so good :)

OK!  So ready to take on Day 3!  Which I had to prep today's lunch for my hubby to take to work last night so I went ahead and prepped mine too for today.  I will say this.... I'm doing a TON more dishes than normal and a ton more chopping and dicing.... I felt like Martha Stewart in the kitchen yesterday LOL ;)  Talk to ya'll tomorrow!  Happy mid-week fit friends!

Well hello there!  Long time no post, right?!  I've been busy fit friends... Recently I've been preparing for the ULTIMATE Challenge.  The Ultimate Reset Challenge that is, brought to you non other than the fab company Beachbody :)  Most perceive this challenge as a cleanse or detox, but in fact it is not JUST those things, although during this 21 day program you will experience those benefits.  Think of it as an inner body tune up.... You know the havoc that the awesome program Insanity has on your outer body, well think of the Ultimate Reset as Insanity for the inside of your body.  Very much looking forward to this program, I'm very lucky because I have the support of not only 20+ people in a private support group, but my dear hubby Tony is doing it with me.  His support will be key, together we are going to make sure we both finish, with flying colors :)

Today is DAY 1!  I will be posting every day of this 21 day cleanse, my goal is to monitor my every move so that I can relay the message and outcome to YOU, my fit favs :)  The program encourages you to think of it as a 3 phase process, week 1 is PHASE 1, where we RECLAIM our body and prepare it for change, in this phase we'll slowly remove red meat and dairy, which are known to place stress on the digestive system.  So here we go.... DAY 1!

We started the day with our 3 mandatory supplements: MINERALIZE, OXYGENIZE & OPTIMIZE.  All the supplements went down easy!  For breakfast we had scrambled eggs, steamed kale with roasted pine nuts and 2 pieces of whole grain toast, it was very filling and surprisingly good!  I was nervous about the steamed kale, but I splashed lemon on it and the pine nuts were a delicious touch.  Since strenuous exercise is not encouraged on the Reset we opted for a nice relaxing walk on the beach..... I could def. get used to this!  Downfalls so far... not many, I do have a bit of a headache but that is to be expected.

Lunch was a microgreens salad with homemade garlic cream dressing, YUM!  I was getting a pretty bad headache right before lunch, but once I got to eat, it went away!  Very delish salad and filling.

Aaaand here's the kicker!  LOL.. ok, I heard of the GREEN MONSTER aka Alkalinize :)  This stuff is tough to choke down, BUT it's not awful, and the benefits of balancing out my pH levels greatly outweigh the discomfort on my tastebuds.... so bottoms up and SUCK IT UP BUTTERCUP :)

Successfully made it past the green monster and took the snack option and had my Chocolate Vegan Shakeology before my evening supplements.  Dinner was FANTASTIC, normally I'm not a salmon kinda gal but this was very good!

Safe to say I successfully made it through DAY 1 of the Reset, just a mild headache throughout the day, I'm definitely feeling satisfied on the food front, normally after dinner I'm either left stuffed or wanting more, tonight I have no cravings and do not feel overly full at all.  This is a nice feeling, I could definitely get used to this :)  20 more days to go!  Bring on DAY 2!