Overweight Becomes a Lean and Mean Mom of 3

I may not have introduced myself.  Some of you know me, some of you don’t…  some of you I have been friends with for YEARS and some we’ve never met but have only connected online.  I don’t like to post pictures of the kiddos and I’m not all about the selfies as much as others, but you may be able to relate better knowing that I’m a single Mom of 3 and they are my world.  We are just as busy as you and we still make the time to work out.  I keep the kids in sports to make sure they stay busy and aren’t home creating unhealthy habits.  I post a lot about fitness and nutrition but have you ever wondered why I do what I do?

Oak Creek Canyon, Sedona, AZ

Have you ever wondered what exactly I do as a fitness coach?  Have you wondered how I got here?  Have I always been  shape?  (uhhhh no – I haven’t.)  How did a stay at home Mom turn working Mom with a fitness business?

I haven’t always been into fitness.  But I have always been an athlete.  I lived and breathed gymnastics until I was about 14, then I wanted to do team sports for my school (soccer, tennis, volleyball).   I was in shape but working out was not the fun part of my day.   I used to hate running.  I would do it because a lot of sports needed the cardio conditioning but I didn’t like it, and I didn’t eat right, etc.

Before kids, I could eat whatever I wanted just like when I was a teenager and not gain a pound!  But now, that’s not so much the case.  Once I had my first child, Kaitlyn (with whom I gained 64 pounds!), I could not lose that weight.  I tried every diet under the sun, got a gym membership thinking that would help, etc.

Pregnant but still overweight

But I didn’t stick with it.  My husband at the time could still eat whatever he wanted and the scale would not be affected so I would gradually go back to eating like he and I always did.  Then 7 months after giving birth we were pregnant again.  It was what we wanted because I always wanted to have my kids close in age and we knew we weren’t done, HOWEVER, I never got back to my pre-pregnancy weight first.

With baby #2, I was determined not to gain another 64 lbs!  (BTW, this before pic ——–>      was really hard to post!) I did a little working out while I was pregnant with her and I ate a lot better.  Not good, like I do now but better.  I only gained 24 lbs with Britney.

After she was born was right around the time that low carb diets were the thing.  And I was sold when I read that I didn’t need to work out, I could just eat low carb.  HA!  I dropped all the baby weight and then some!  Then it became that the only time I would work out was when I ate really bad the day before.  So now that I knew I could just eat low carb whenever I had some weight to lose I went back to eating atrociously!  Then I would work out twice a week if that.

Well as the girls were getting older, I decided to start cooking and making more home cooked meals at home.  I was a huge advocate for nursing since formulas were getting so much criticism for their ingredients and I was reading more and more about baby foods and how easy it was to make at home AND this way you knew what was going in to your child’s mouth.

That lead me to start watching and learning about the foods I was eating.  All the crap sold in the supermarket were 90% chemicals!  I started trading in the commercialized grocery stores for farmers markets and Trader Joe’s (Whole Foods wasn’t in Phoenix yet).  I also started buying organic whenever we could afford to.  I started with vegetables that grew in the ground and then meats was next.

After seeing and FEELING the results of just eating right it motivated me to want to get toned and in shape especially since I knew how to eat now!  Food was fuel now, not comfort.

Now comes the year 2007, I was in better shape then I was when I was a teenager, even had more energy then I did then.  We were running, biking, I had a gym membership where I would do spin class 2- 3 times a week, my girls and my ex and I all belonged to a dojo where we were all there at least 3 times a week.  I even taught yoga there for a while for some of the moms that had kids in the karate classes.  In June I found out that I was 4 1/2 months pregnant with Baby # 3, my son Frankie!  He was due in December!   So I had 4 short months to plan to have a baby!  But I didn’t want to stop working out.  I was mostly doing cardio anyways:  running, hiking, rollerblading, spin class, kickboxing and yoga at the dojo.

Frankie was born and I ended up only gaining 22 lbs.  My doctor towards the end was concerned that I hadn’t gained enough weight.

Then I started to want to help other Moms!  My girls started cheer and would have regular practices in a park, their Coach asked me if I would be the squad’s conditioning coach so now I started doing that every Tuesday and Thursday.  Soon after, some of the Moms of the girls recommended I do a fitness bootcamp where they could come work out.  We did and soon more and more moms showed up.  I would get the girls warmed up for cheer and then I would move over to the Moms!  It was fun.  We all created a close bond and I even helped some of them get ready to run their first marathons.

I started a blog, THIS ONE, hence why its name is Mom-related and not fitness related.  🙂  When I first created it, I started talking about tips to help breastfeeding Moms and nutrition was one of the most common posts because the questions were all closely related to the Mom being able to produce enough milk for a growing baby, etc. and then it started connecting me with women who were likeminded all across the country.

It was about this time that my neighbor introduced me to P90X.  Frankie was not even 2, Britney was 7 and Kaitlyn was 8 1/2.  My hands were full.  I was in shape but not getting toned.  I was still doing a ton of cardio.  P90X had weights and I knew I had to add that in.  I was always afraid of weights, always thought I would like a man, etc.  I was ready for a change.  I always wanted a personal trainer and now I had my own in MY HOUSE!!  It was amazing.

1st round of P90X

 

This was me in Cabo after the 1st round P90X.  I did the lean program and I refused to eat the P90X way.  I thought I knew more about what my body needed than this nutrition ‘guide’ telling me to eat 100 carbs a day!  At that point, I would barely eat 100 carbs in 4 days!!  I thought I had this whole fitness thing down and all I needed was to add weights.  HAHA.  I would be exhausted half way into the workout, or getting really bad headaches right after.  So I knew something was wrong.

 

 

90 days later 2nd Round P90X results

The lack of carbs is why my first round didn’t get me the results I anticipated.   I added a little muscle but nowhere near everyone else’s 90 day results.  This got me so mad!  So then right away, I started the classic program and I ate exactly how it told me to, even bought Shakeology.  I was posting my results pics on Facebook and friends and family were the first to notice.  Then I started helping other people get through their first round of P90X.

After 3 rounds of P90X, I decided to switch it up with Insanity.  I loved Insanity because it was a more intense version of P90X’s cardio days and guess what I started thinking P90X was too EASY!!  On the P90X cardio days, (Tuesdays and Saturdays) I would do the Max Cardio Circuit from Insanity instead of PlyoX.

I started connecting with people on the Facebook P90X message boards and through my blog.  I was helping people get through the programs but not getting paid for it!  And then Tony Horton shared my blog post of How you know You’re Addicted to P90X.

I knew I could help other Moms too… and realize everyone can do this too.   Being a Coach has been one of the greatest blessings in my life.  It got me in the best shape of my life, I have a healthy relationship with food, I have spent more time learning about myself, learning about others, and learning ways to better help YOU.

You do not have to be a fitness expert or nutritionist to be a successful Coach.  All you need is the desire in your heart to help others.  Beachbody is all about helping others.  They provide the tools you need to change your body, the nutrition your body is craving, a Coach who is always there for you… (ME!) and the network of likeminded people that you can connect with on Team Beachbody.

If you are interested on learning more please contact me.   We do a very brief 15-20 min webinar once a week and you will see how it easy it is to do the same thing I do!

Let’s get in touch and work on You together!  What do you have to lose??  You never know, it could be supplemental income for you too OR even become your main source of income!

 

Send me an email:  at CoachChristysElementsofFitness@gmail.com

OR an Instagram:  @FitnessElements4Life

Slow Cooker Thai Beef and Linguine

I wish Smell-O’vision existed… because if you walked into my house right now and smelled this Thai Beef cooking you’d probably pay me for this recipe!   I love my slow cooker.  I enjoy it so much I’ve considered buying 1 more!  I needed an extra one today because I also made Black Bean Soup at the same time as this recipe.   I will post that recipe next’ish.

Anyways, when someone talks about using their slow cooker or crock pot we usually think of pot roast, variations of chili or stews.  But this Thai Beef is to die for and its SO EASY!

Thai Beef and Linguine

1 large white onion
1-2lbs flank steak, fat trimmed
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup Stevia, (Truvia brand cooking/baking sugar alternative)
1/4 cup + 4 tsp low sodium soy sauce
the juice of 3 limes
2 TBL fresh ginger, finely chopped (reserving 1 tsp of juice)
1 TBL toasted sesame oil
1 pkg shitake mushroom linguine
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
4 tsp thai sweet chili sauce
Optional — 1/4 cup cilantro
Optional — 1 head of butter lettucce (Romaine lettuce will work as well)
Optional — chopped peanuts

If your slow cooker is not non-stick, spray with cooking spray.  Slice onion into rings and lay flat in the cooker.  Pat meat dry and cut shallow horizontal slits against grain on the top.  Place meat on top of onions.

In a med size bowl, combine garlic, stevia, 1/4 cup of the soy sauce, 3 TBL of the lime juice, ginger and oil.  Season with freshly ground black pepper.  Pour sauce over steak to coat.

Cover.  Cook on low for 4 1/2 to 6 hours.  While meat is cooking, mix reserved ginger juice, vinegar, chili sauce and remaining soy sauce and lime juice in medium bowl.  Cover and refrigerate. 

Cook pasta according to package instructions. 

Toss pasta into bowl of ginger dressing.  Remove meat from cooker, cover in foil and let stand for 10 minutes.  Cut steak into 1/2″ thick slices.  Serve pasta over optional lettuce and then place meat on top.  Garnish with cilantro and peanuts, if so desired. 

 

Please try it and let me know what you and your family think.  I bet it will be asked for often once they taste it!

For more recipes, click here!

Follow me on Instagram:  @FitnessElements4Life

And of course I’m on Facebook.  Connect with me here!

Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken

Want a delicious dinner that practically makes itself?   Wow your friends at your next party or bring this dish over to the next football party you’re invited to.  Just a warning though – it will disappear and they will ask you to make it each and every time you come back.

LEMON CHICKEN

1 3-4lb whole chicken, fat trimmed, giblets removed, rinsed and dried
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 lemon, halved
1/4 tsp paprika
2-3 rosemary sprigs (optional)
3 TBL parsley, finely chopped
1 large onion, cut into wedges
2-3 garlic cloves
2 TBL reduced sodium soy sauce
8-10 small red potatoes

Place 1 bouillon cube inside chicken.  Squeeze lemon, reserving juice and put rinds and 1 garlic clove inside chicken.

Place chicken, breast-side up, in slow cooker.  Sprinkle paprika and parsley.  Add onions and remaining garlic, then pour soy sauce and lemon juice over chicken.  Crumble remaining bouillon cube over chicken and line the sides of the cooker with potatoes.

Cook on high 3-4 1/2 hours.  Discard lemon rinds, skin and bones.

Half potatoes and serve.

 

For more low carb recipes, click here.

Follow me on Instagram:  @FitnessElements4Life

Or on Facebook!

Low Carb Swedish Meatballs – Another Recipe Made to Fit a Healthy Lifestyle

When you think of getting lean and trim you’re probably not thinking of Swedish Meatballs for dinner.  However, thanks to me you CAN!  🙂   Of course, not every night, but every so often YES!  And if you have followed me on Facebook or Instagram (@FitnessElements4Life) for a while you know that I LOVE food!  I especially hold a special place in my heart for comfort foods.  Although that usually means fatty foods combined with carbs.  However, as I teach my clients, its ok to eat fatty healthy foods… just not at the SAME TIME as carbs.

Carbs, like oats and veggies, ARE our friends!!  The carbs that are NOT our friends are the cupcakes, ice cream and the junk food alike!   The key to eating carbs is the TIMING.  You don’t eat oatmeal before bed, you eat it in the morning when you WANT your blood sugar to ‘wake’ up.  Same thing with lunch and dinner.  Take for example:  Pot Roast or Beef Stew which is usually cooked with cornstarch or flour for a thickening agent and is usually served with potatoes or noodles .   But to make these great recipes high protein/low carb you just exclude those things.  ***Or you can eat dinner early and only serve it with a few red potatoes (skin-on so the fiber content is higher)***.   You don’t ever want to eat carbs with fat because it spikes your blood sugar causing your body to store the fat (in this case the red meat), and burn the carbs (potatoes).

So what I do, is take my favorite recipes like pot roast, beef stew, meatloaf, chili, etc and I exclude the carbs.   I am constantly trying new recipes, tweaking them to accommodate a healthy lifestyle  especially the likes of comfort foods, and making them healthy so that you can enjoy them and still lose weight!  You don’t always have to eat just grilled chicken and steamed vegetables!

You’re welcome.

 

Meatballs:

• 1 small onion, grated
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

Add the onion, garlic, egg, parsley, salt and pepper to a large bowl and blend. Mix in the turkey. Shape the turkey mixture into 1 1/4-inch-diameter meatballs.

Heat the oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and saute until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Turn off heat. Transfer the meatballs to a plate. Pour off any excess oil and pat dry the meatballs so there’s no unnecessary grease.

Transfer the meatballs to your slow cooker.

Sauce:

• 1 TBL butter
• minced garlic
• diced onion (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup (or cream of chicken)
• 1 can beef broth
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• dash of nutmeg
• parsley
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Loganberry or red currant jam (optional)
• Dreamfields Low Carb Rotini pasta (optional)

In a small skillet, sauté onions in butter and garlic.  Once caramelized, pour over meatballs.   Add the remaining ingredients and stir.  Let simmer in the slow cooker for at least 2 hours.  Serve alone or on top of low carb rotini.

For more of my low carb recipes click here.

 

Tired of Eggs for Breakfast?

I love eggs for breakfast… but there’s mornings where I don’t have enough time and just want to grab something fast.

These are healthy, delicious and simple to make.  I made a batch this morning and I wish you could taste them!   Oh wait-  YOU CAN!   Here you go:

 

Ingredients:

• ½ cup oat flour (can be made by grinding whole oats in a blender or food processor)
• ½ cup rolled oats
• ¾ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1 medium banana (mashed)
• ¼ cup dried cranberries (optional)
• 1 tbsp unsalted walnuts or almonds (optional)
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. honey

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a non-stick cookie sheet with zero-calorie cooking spray (i.e. Pam).  Place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and fold mixture together until well combined (**important to mix by hand and not in a blender**).  Scoop batter onto cookie sheet into ¼” balls.  Bake 12-14 minutes or until edges are golden brown.

The 21 Day Fix | Autumn Calabrese

It takes 21 days to change your habits right?  Well that’s exactly what this program is designed to do!

Here is the program!   Read over and you will see how simple it is and if you believe this could benefit you, the link to get it for yourself is at the bottom of this post.

Shrink your stomach, lose inches, all while learning to eat correctly! 

 

The 21 Day Fix Workout Program

The 21 Day Fix exercise program consists of 2 DVDs that have 3 workouts out (6 in total). Each workout is crafted to deliver a “massive calorie burn” in just 30 minutes. Every workout is different and increases in difficulty from the previous workout and comes with a modifier so you scale the intensity level of the workout up or down to meet your personal comfort.
The first 15 days consists of doing 1 workout/day, then on the last week you can do the double : one workout in the morning and another in the evening. The workouts are:

• Total Body Cardio Fix. Rises your heart rate, boost your metabolism into overdrive for long-lasting weight loss benefits.
• Upper Fix. Specifically works the back, shoulders, arms, chest and abs for a great swimsuit body.
• Lower Fix. Works the thighs, calves and butt for the rest of your beach-ready body.
• Pilates Fix. Uses core strength moves to tone and elongate the torso and tighten up your thighs, butt and hips.
• Cardio Fix. Insanity cardio workout that kicks the first workout into overdrive.
• Yoga Fix. Boosts flexibility and relaxes your muscles to keep them in perfect tone.

From yoga to pilates to cardio, the workouts are well crafted, inspiring, simple and exciting!

The 21 Day Fix Eating Plan

To be clear, there really is no “diet” here in the program. The eating program uses a color coded system of containers and a Shakeology Shaker Cup to give you perfect portion control every time with zero mistakes. NO MORE MEASURING and COUNTING! If it fits in the container, you can eat it, and you’ll lose weight.

1. Green Container: For vegetables
2. Purple Container: For fruits
3. Red Container: For proteins
4. Yellow Container: For carbohydrates
5. Blue Container: For healthy fats and cheeses
6. 2 Orange Containers: seeds and dressings
7. Shakeology Cup: For mixing drinks

Diet plan Details:

• First, the diet plan will show you how to calculate your caloric intake based on your current weight. Your caloric intake is the amount of calories you have to eat daily during the 21 Day Fix

 

• The caloric intake will lead you to know the exact number of each container and teaspoons (oils, nut butters or seed butters) a day. The eating plan comes with 4 caloric levels, as you can see in the picture :

 

• If your target is less than 1200 calories then round it up to 1200, when it’s over 2300, round it down to 2300.
• What I love about this program is its simplicity: fill up the containers with the food that goes with each one’s color and enjoy! You don’t have to count calories. Just choose the foods from the list that comes with the program. It’s all about portions. Portion control is what makes this workout so special and revolutionary, it teaches you how to make healthy choices without restrictions or obsessions.
• It is up to you how you spread the containers over the day, just know your daily allowance from the chart above and do it your own way. It is therefore recommended to spread your meals/containers across 3 main meals and 2 or 3 snacks each day, or you can do 6 small meals a day with 2 hours interval.
• You are allowed to drink almond milk, coconut milk, soy milk, fruit juice and coconut water 3 times a week, however each time you do this you will need to forego a yellow container.
• The program recommends drinking a lot of water and also allows coffee and tea.
• Autumn also recommends taking an extra green container when you are hungry because it’s hard to overeat veggies.

The Simple Conclusion

The simplicity involved in the 21 day fix is ingenious: with Portion control, healthy eating and simple 30 minute workouts, you really don’t have to look elsewhere, this program will be a life-changer for you and had already been for so many people in the last few months (See below). It’s more of an enjoyable experience than a simple diet/workout.

 

 

Okay, so our final criteria here is whether you can try it for free or not. The answer to that is YES! There is a 100% 30 day money back guarantee so if it doesn’t work, get a full refund, no questions asked.

 

So we’ve hit every point on the checklist and the bottom line is that the 21 Day Fix is worth a try. Click the link below right now to benefit from a special promotion going on the Official Website of the 21 Day Fix where you can get Autumn calabrese’s 21 Day Fix Eating Plan (inluding a Restaurant guide), Post-FIX Maintenance Guide (to keep your achieved results), Dirty 30 Workout, 3 Day Quick Fix and 24/7 Online Support for free!

==> Click Here to Go to the Official 21 Day Fix Website <==

 

Send me a Request on Facebook to join my 21 Day Fix group!  We are all doing the program together and help each other along the way!!

 

 

 

The Healthiest Alcoholic Choices for Weight Loss

 

 

If you’re  reading this right now, you’re probably on a diet and wondering if there REALLY is a better choice when ordering a drink.

After all, you’re killing it in the gym all week, seeing results and you’re afraid a drink will be a setback.  But come Friday or whatever cheat day you look forward to you begin to look forward to your day off.

And wouldn’t it be nice when you’re with your friends watching football to have a beer?    Should you really restrict yourself completely from having any alcohol? The answer is NO. Alcohol is usually a social activity, that most people enjoy sharing with their friends. Enjoying a glass of alcohol with your friends can still be included in a balanced weight loss program, with the right choices.

Alcoholic beverages CAN spoil your diet more than junk food. One gram of alcohol contains 7 calories which in larger quantities can be more calories compared with other food sources. Nevertheless, if you don’t want to do a lot of damage to your diet, it is best that you only enjoy the following selection of low calorie alcoholic beverages, which can serve as an alternative to strong liquor mixes. The key to all of these alcoholic drinks is to choose one with a low alcohol content and avoid mixing it with sugar laden soda mixers.

 

Light Beer

Light beer is the beer of choice for dieters because it only has 100 calories which is quite less compared to other kinds of beer. Hence, if you’re planning to hang out with your friends to watch your favorite sport or movie, better grab alight beer instead of regular beer. Make sure to avoid using an oversized beer mug or consuming more than two bottles of light beer to save yourself from the misery of messing up your diet and redoing it all over again.

 

Wine

Wine is not only good for your heart but also for your weight. This delicious drink contains 100 calories or less and drinking a few glasses won’t put your weight loss goal at risk. To reduce the amount of calories and add a little fizz to your wine, you can mix a dash of wine to sparkling water.

 

Tonic and Vodka

What’s good about tonic and vodka is it can make you feel the punch of alcohol even with just a few drinks. This combination is below 100 calories too. So, opting for this drink will put you on a party mode soon without putting your diet in jeopardy.

 

Soda & Rum

Rum with soda is a party favorite! It’s delicious, and it has fewer calories too.  However, if you want to create a healthier and weight friendly drink, you can use diet soda instead of regular soda to reduce the sugar and calories.

 

Mocktail

If you want to enjoy the party without drinking any alcoholic beverages, you can still have some fun without sticking to water all throughout the night. Non-alcoholic beverages such as mocktails are very much available for party goers who want to keep track of their diet. Mocktails are zero-calorie beverage but taste like the real thing!

 

As with any other choices you make on your “cheat day” don’t overdo it.  If you drink too many of these they will have the same effect as any other sugar filled junk food.  Alcohol converts to sugar if not used, so as always, drink responsibly.  🙂

Crustless Quiche

Being French, I used to eat quiche pretty regularly.  However, it was always on top of a pie crust.  Which is delicious, of course, but the pie crust is not necessary.   I even cook it now in a casserole dish so that there’s more of it to go around!  So this recipe will serve about 10-12 servings instead of the traditional 4!   Its also great to make on a Sunday that way you have a healthy grab-and-go meal every morning.

Ingredients:

2 Teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup Spanish or yellow onion, chopped
1 cup fresh broccoli chopped (stems removed)

1 1/2 cups chopped or cubed prosciutto
8 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup shredded gruyere cheese (muenster cheese can substitute)
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cracked black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.  Spray casserole dish with cooking spray.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft. Stir in broccoli and prosciutto and continue cooking until excess moisture has evaporated.
3. In a large bowl, combine eggs, cream, cheese, salt, nutmeg and pepper.  Add broccoli mixture and stir to blend.  Pour into casserole dish.
4. Bake in preheated oven until eggs have set, about 20 minutes.  Let cool for 10 minutes before serving or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Substitutes:  If you don’t like broccoli you can substitute with spinach or green peppers.  Turkey bacon can also substitute the prosciutto but cook it first and then add it to the egg mixture and stir right before it goes in the oven.

 

For more low carb recipes, click here.

Follow me on Instagram:  @FitnessElements4Life

On Facebook at:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Elements-of-Fitness/368805504301?ref=hl

 

Zucchini Lasagne with a Twist

 

This new version of my vegetarian lasagna recipe has a layer of quinoa to make it even healthier and adds a good amount of protein to each serving.   I’m not a big fan of quinoa by itself just like I’m not crazy about kale either, so if you don’t know anything about what I do, I take ordinarily unhealthy recipes and make them into metabolism boosting, healthy, fat burning recipes such as my much-loved, delicious, lean turkey chili.

Try them out.  You won’t be disappointed!

ZUCCHINI QUINOA LASAGNE

It tastes like comfort food but its not heavy.  And to save time, you can use your favorite jarred tomato sauce (just make sure there’s no hidden sugars or unwanted ingredients).

INGREDIENTS

2 cups water

1 cup quinoa (Easy Quinoa brand basil and garlic flavored)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup sliced mushrooms

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups tomato sauce or prepared pasta sauce

2 cups no-salt-added low-fat cottage cheese

1 large egg, beaten

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons minced fresh basil or 1/2 tsp dried

1 tablespoon dried oregano

2 cups sliced zucchini

2 cups packed fresh spinach, tough stems removed

1 1/2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

 

PREPARATION

Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Combine water and quinoa in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Evenly spread the quinoa in the prepared dish.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Wipe out the saucepan, then add oil and heat over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring frequently, until transparent and starting to brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Add mushrooms; cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are softened and very little moisture is left in the pan, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and sauce. Stir until hot. Remove from heat.

Combine cottage cheese and egg in a medium bowl; mix well. Stir in Parmesan, basil and oregano.

Spread one-third of the sauce over the quinoa. Make a layer of all the zucchini, then all the cottage cheese mixture, then half the remaining sauce, then all the spinach. Finish with the remaining sauce and spread mozzarella on top.

Bake the lasagna until it is hot and the cheese is melted, bubbling and slightly browned around the edges, 35 to 40 minutes. Let stand for about 10 minutes before serving.

NUTRITION

Per serving:  267 calories; 11 g fat; 23 g carbohydrates; 19 g protein; 3 g fiber.

 

It’s Summer! Are You Bikini Ready?

This used to be a dreaded time of year for me.  It starts to get warm and you don’t realize how out of shape you are until you go try on bathing suits!  You start to remember all the holiday parties, Super Bowl parties, St Patrick’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, food you ate off your kids’ plate because they were full (I’m guilty!!), and every other party that put those extra pounds on.  If that sounds like where you’re at it’s not too late to make a change.

The first day of summer is June 21st!   The only motivation you need is knowing that being fit feels better than any piece of junk food or soda you’re craving!!  Do you want to look better?  Are you tired of feeling sick and tired??

For me, this is the 4th year in a row I have been able to buy a bikini for the summer season… and I’ve had 3 children so that’s a huge accomplishment for me.   I also gained 60 lbs with my first and didnt lose it til after my 2nd was born so… there’s no excuse!  You can do it too.  Women tend to believe their bodies deteriorate after giving birth and that’s JUST NOT THE CASE!    It can… but ONLY if you let it happen!

If you are overweight or even if you’re just struggling with 10-15 pounds I highly recommend The Shakeology 3 Day Cleanse along with P90x, Insanity or any other program you can stick to at least 3-4 times a week.

I’ve done both P90X and Insanity and now instead of P90X cardio days I do Insanity workouts.  The hybrid of the two give phenomenal results.

Your 6 pack is there too!  It’s just hiding.   It’s 70% nutrition and 30% exercise.  Staying away from white sugar, white flour, junk food, dairy products, carbonated drinks and alcohol all help get you those abs.  If you want more ways to do that look the right and click on Nutrition for my Recipes or you can visit me at Team Beachbody, Facebook or Instagram (@FitnessElements4Life).  I share tips, tricks and new recipes for stuffed peppers or this delicious “pot roast” made with turkey instead of beef!!

 

I also write daily meal plans for those that have a hard time putting together grocery lists, let alone their meals.  Contact me today  for more information.  The meal plans I write are customized to you and your taste buds and they are only $25-$40 depending on how much guidance you need.  We also will have you keep a food diary and they adjust your meal plans each month.

It all takes time and hard work, just as any venture does.   Holler at me and lets get moving!

 

Come check out my blog:  www.amothersmemoir.com

or Instagram at @FitnessElements4Life