Transformation Tuesday! Gina lost 23 lbs with the 21 Day Fix

Gina lost 23lbs with the 21 Day Fix! 

Today is the LAST DAY you can get the Fix on sale! Message me for info!!

Read her whole story here. 

Monday Meal Idea - Honey Glazed Chicken Thighs

This is a great recipe to do when you are in a hurry!  And it's so easy and quick to make (and inexpensive) that I make it in bulk and freeze it.  I usually make one to eat immediately and 2 two freeze.  Chicken thighs are inexpensive and they are very tender and juicy when cooked this way!

7lbs of Chicken thighs on the bone, skin removed
1 1/2 cups of honey
3/4 cups of butter
1/2 cup of prepared mustard
1 tablespoon of curry powder
2 teaspoons of salt
3 gallon freezer bags

Combine honey, butter, mustard, curry powder, and salt in a medium saucepan.  Cook, stirring over medium heat until all is dissolved.  About 3 minutes.  Cool.

While sauce is cooling, rince and divide chicken between containers/bags. Divide cooled sauce over the chicken.

Seal and Freeze if desired.

Thaw completely.  Cook at preheated oven at 350 for 45 minutes. 

Fit Tip Friday - Pink Himalayan Salt

I hear lots of questions on the pink salt I use.  Here's some information!

Benefits:

-Pink Salt is formed naturally. It's pink because of it's rich and varying mineral energy rich iron content.

-Iodine- Natural salts are rich in iodine, so it doesn’t need to be artificially added in.

-Less sodium consumed per serving- Himalayan salt is made of the same components as table salt but since the crystal structure is larger than refined salt, and by volume- this salt therefore has LESS sodium per 1/4 t. serving- because the sea salt crystals or flakes take up less room on a teaspoon than highly refined tiny table salt grains.

-It is even said to support libido, reduce the signs of aging, and detoxify the body from heavy metals.

-Packs a hearty 80+ minerals and elements- Himalayan salts are mineral packed crystals which formed naturally within the earth made up of 85.62% sodium chloride and 14.38% other trace minerals including: sulphate, magnesium, calcium, potassium, bicarbonate, bromide, borate, strontium, and fluoride (in descending order of quantity).

Because of these minerals Himalayan pink salt can:

• Create an electrolyte balance

• Increases hydration

• Regulate water content both inside and outside of cells

• Balance pH (alkaline/acidity) and help to reduce acid reflux

• Prevent muscle cramping

• Aid in proper metabolism functioning

• Strengthen bones

• Lower blood pressure

• Help the intestines absorb nutrients

• Prevent goiters

• Improve circulation

• Dissolve and eliminate sediment to remove toxins

Read more from Darin Olien, Shakeology creator, on his Superlife blog.

Adapted from: http://fitlife.tv/10-amazing-benefits-of-pink-himalayan-salt/#sthash.WbzBGumP.dpuf

Thirsty Thursday - Vanilla Shakeology Peanut Butter and Banana Ice cream

This is a great recipe in shake form or for this ice cream recipe:

Preparation:
1. Place milk, Shakeology, bananas, and peanut butter in high-powered blender (such as a Vita-Mix); cover.
2. Blend on low for 5 seconds; increase power to high and continue blending for 30 seconds until smooth.
3. Pour mixture in a large glass bowl; cover.
4. Freeze for 4 hours, stirring every 30 minutes, before serving.

Shakeology Spotlight: maitake mushrooms

Transformation Tuesday - Jennifer lost 51 pounds with 21 day fix!

Read her whole story here! http://www.beachbody.com/beachbodyblog/success-stories/transformation-tuesday-jennifer-lost-51-pounds-with-21-day-fix-and-21-day-fix-extreme

Meal Monday - Breakfast Meatloaf

Breakfast Meatloaf??  What's that??  It's so delicious...we eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner!!!

Ingredients

• 1 tbl coconut oil

• 2 cups diced onion

• 2 lbs ground pork

• 2 eggs

• ½ cup almond flour

• 2 tbl maple syrup {omit for Whole 30 / 21 Day Sugar Detox}

• 1 tbl garlic powder

• 2 tsp fennel seeds (I omitted)

• 2 tsp dried oregano

• 2 tsp red pepper flakes

• 2 tsp ground sage

• 2 tsp dried thyme

• 1 tsp black pepper

• 1 tsp paprika

• 1 tsp sea salt

Instructions:

Soften the diced onion in the 1 tbl coconut oil at low-medium heat, cooking until they are just translucent. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Add all remaining ingredients except the ground pork to a large bowl. Whisk or stir to combine.

Add the ground pork and softened onions to the bowl and use your hands to evenly combine all the ingredients.

Gather up the meat mixture and place it in the center of your slow cooker's insert. Use your hands to shape the loaf so that it has at least a half inch gap between the loaf and the sides of the insert.

Cook the meatloaf on low until it reaches an internal temperature of 150F, about 3 hours.

Adapted from meatified.com and whole 30. 

Fit Tip Friday - Healthy Drinks

Here are a list of healthy drink choices for you!  Coffee didn't really make the list but it's a decent choice if not loaded with cream and sugar and in moderation (like one to two cups a day)

Thirsty Thursday - Vanilla Almond Shakeology

Thirsty Thursday - Strawberry Kiwi Shakeology

Shakeology Spotlight: Yacon Root

Transformation Tuesday - Lisa lost 14lbs and won $500 with 21 day fix

Lisa says its Easy and Doable!!

Read her whole story here:  http://www.beachbody.com/beachbodyblog/success-stories/easy-to-follow-and-doable

Meal Monday: Chicken Lasagna

This is not healthy but soooo good.  One of my favorites from when I was a kid.  Shared it with my neighbors, they loved it and asked for the recipe!   I need to find a way to transform it into a healthier version.

Chicken Lasagna

One cup cream style cottage cheese (I use regular) 4 ounce cream cheese soften one can cream of mushroom soup one can cream of celery soup 1 cup frozen cut up broccoli (optional) 1 teaspoon minced dried onion (I used a real onion) 10 lasagna noodles 4th teaspoon dried oregano 3 cups chicken or turkey chopped and cooked 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded 1/3 cup chicken broth
Stir together cottage cheese and cream cheese. Add soup broccoli, celery, onion,oregano, chicken, and broth. Set aside. Start with thick layer of chicken mixture on bottom of 9 x 13 pan. Place five uncooked lasagna noodles then layer chicken mixture and cheese then another layer of noodles and another layer of chicken mixture. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 60 to 65 minutes. Uncover for 15 minutes and let stand for 15 minutes.

Fit Tip Friday: On Fridays, we flex!

A little late on my Fit Tip Friday.  I shared it on social media but forgot to post it here!

My tip: 

There is no magic pill. There is no "easy" way out. You have to do the work. 

Give me three weeks and I'll show you what honing in on your nutritition and 30 minute work outs can do for you! Do you have 30 minutes a day to sweat in your living room so you can finally reach your goals? I don't care how busy you are, everyone has 30 minutes. Nutrition is the important piece of the puzzle though. I lost 7lbs and YOU CAN TOO (and more than that). 

Email me and let's do this together - linze2979@gmail.com. Lets make this summer and your entire life Stronger than Ever.

See my challenge group page for more info on challenge groups and to fill out your fitness profile!  http://thebauers3.blogspot.com/p/challenge-groups.html

And don't forget...On FRIDAYS: We flex! :) 

Thirsty Thursday - Peanut Butter shakeology cups

Preparation:
1. Prepare twelve mini muffin cups by lining with muffin papers.
2. Place morsels in microwave-safe container. Microwave on 50% power for 30 seconds; stir; microwave for an additional 30 to 45 seconds or until just melted. Do not overcook. Set aside.
3. Place Shakeology, psyllium husk, and pumpkin in a food processor. Pulse until it forms a dough.
4. Divide dough into 12 small balls; place each ball in a muffin cup. Press dough down into a flat disk with a depression in the middle. Place ½ tsp. peanut butter in each depression.
5. Drizzle melted morsels evenly over each peanut butter cup; spread to create a thin chocolate layer on top.
6. Freeze for 30 minutes, or until chocolate hardens.

Shakeology Spotlight: Green Tea

Transformation Tuesday: Meet Angela! She lost 48lbs with Piyo and T25

Meet Angela L. She lost 48 lbs with Focus T25 and PiYo. She entered her results into The Beachbody Challenge®, and won the $500 Daily Prize for April 18th!

Read more of her story here: http://www.teambeachbody.com/teambeachbodyblog/success-stories/i-am-a-more-confident-healthy-and-positive-person

Meal Monday! One Pot Taco Casserole

One-Pot Taco Casserole (adapted from my fitness pal)

Ingredients

• 2 pounds lean ground turkey
• 1 (15 ounce) can of corn, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed (or 1 3/4 cups cooked) (I made my own from a big bag of dry beans)
• 1.5 cups restaurant-style salsa, I use my own homemade salsa
• 1/2 large onion
• 1 tablespoons taco seasoning (I make my own see here)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
2. In a large bowl, mix together ground meat, diced onion, and salsa. Then, season with taco seasoning, salt, and pepper.
3. Place mixture into a large casserole dish. Then, pour on a can of black beans and corn.
4. Bake at 375ºF for 45 minutes. Use a large spoon to remove and grease that has come to the top. Sprinkle on cheese, place back in the oven for about 30 more minutes. Remove any more grease that has come to the top.
5. Serve with hard shell tacos, Greek yogurt or sour cream, and avocado.

Nutrition Information

Serves: 8 | Serving Size: 1 cup

Per serving: Calories: 316; Total Fat: 12g; Saturated Fat: 4g; Monounsaturated Fat: 0g; Cholesterol: 94mg; Sodium: 734mg; Total Carbohydrate: 25g; Dietary Fiber: 6g; Sugars: 5g; Protein: 28g

Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 333mg; Vitamin A: 9%; Vitamin C: 9%; Calcium: 11%; Iron: 15%

Fit Tip Friday: Push Up Video Tutorial

Push ups!! Love them or hate them??  I have learned to love them but it took me a really long time to get to the point to be able to do them without my knees on the ground.  It's one of the only exercises I know that has given me strength in my small wrists.  Here's a video of me showing and telling you about push ups.  Also some written tips below.

How to do the perfect push-up:
Whether you’re on your toes or on your knees, it’s important to have the proper form. To do a perfect pushup:
1. Get into plank position and make sure your hands are aligned with your shoulders but just wider than them. Tighten your core.
2. Lower your body until your chest almost touches the floor, tucking your elbows in as you do. When you’re at the bottom, your arms should be at 45-degree angle. Keep your back flat and do not let your back or hips sag.

Here are some ideas to make you work harder: 
1. Slow it down. By taking more time to do each repetition, you increase the time that each muscle must stay contracted.
2. Bring your hands and feet closer together to move your center of gravity forward and make your shoulders, pecs, back, and triceps do more work. Tighten your core to protect your lower back.
3. Change the angle. Place your feet on a stable surface – such as a plyo box or weight bench – and keep your hands on the ground. This puts more of your weight onto your shoulders.
4. Do your push-ups on a medicine ball or balance ball. These exercises will not only challenge those muscles groups but also force you to tighten your core to stay balanced.
5. Forget push-ups. Do handstands instead.

*adapted from beachbody blog.

Thirsty Thursday - Maple Pecan Shakeology

Shakeology Spotlight - Vitamin K

Transformation Tuesday: Meet Lindsay! She lost 116lbs!

 Meet Lindsay K. She lost 116 lbs with P90X, P90X3, INSANITY, and 21 Day Fix. She entered her results into The Beachbody Challenge®, and won the $500 Daily Prize for April 28th!

Read the rest of her story here: http://www.teambeachbody.com/teambeachbodyblog/success-stories/i-want-to-live-life-to-its-fullest

Monday Meal Magic: Perfectly Portioned Steel Cut Oats

I love steel cut oats but they take a long time to cook!  So I make a big batch and portion them out for flash freezing.  Cook according to package and use a bowl to portion them out.  Freeze for a couple of hours on a baking pan.  Then take the portions and store in a gallon zip lock bag or container in the freezer.  Its easy to plan thawing the night before or you can heat it up from the frozen state.  Add fruit and honey...done.  And it seriously tastes no different than if it was fresh!!