Shakeology Birthday Cake Energy Balls

A “birthday cake” that only takes 15 minutes to make and doesn’t require any actual baking? Yes, please!

They’re incredibly easy to make — all you have to do is place seven ingredients into a food processor, blend them together, and you’re basically done. There’s no oven time required, so if you’re one of those raw cookie dough eaters (or just looking for a healthy gluten-free snack), then this is definitely the dessert for you. (Psst — the sprinkles are just for decoration.)

Ingredients

• 1½ scoops Vanilla Shakeology
• 1¼ cups dry old-fashioned rolled oats
• ⅓ cup all-natural smooth almond butter
• 4 Medjool dates, coarsely chopped
• ¼ cup chopped raw almonds
• ½ cup mashed banana (about 1 large banana)
• ½ tsp. pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Combine Shakeology, oats, almond butter, and dates in food processor; pulse until dates are incorporated.

Add almonds, banana, and extract; pulse until just blended.

Roll into sixteen balls, about 1-inch in diameter each.

Are You Ready To Place Your Bets On Yourself?!?!

Wanna get paid for working out?  Would you like a little extra cash just for building healthy habits?  If so, Beachbody’s Health Bet has you covered!

What is the Health Bet all about?

Beachbody is literally betting cold hard cash that you will fall in love with getting healthy!

During the Challenge Period, from September 5th – October 2nd, 2016, anyone who meets the requirements below will win an equal share of a $1 million dollar pot from Beachbody! As a BONUS – for every Challenge Pack sold from July 27th – August 31st, 2016, Beachbody will add $5 to the pot for up to a $3 million dollar pot!

Beachbody’s Health Bet focuses on building healthy habits.

Something so totally awesome is that in the Health Bet you aren’t focused on the scale! It’s not about weight loss or getting crazy hard abs.

You are rewarded for creating healthy habits.

Workout three times per week and drink five Shakeology shakes.  That’s it.  No pressure to workout for hours.  No embarrassing weigh ins.  You workout, drink a shake, and post them in your Beachbody Challenge Tracker app.  Super simple.  No stress.

How much will you win?

It will depend on how large the final pot of money will be (minimum of  $1 million and maximum of $3 million) and how many people participate.  So it could be $5, $15, $50 or more. Beachbody will announce the total pot amount in early September.

HERE’S THE GOOD NEWS… whether you get a big check, or just enough to buy a Chai Tee Latte, you will be a winner in that you have created the healthy habits of moving your body and drinking a healthy, nutrient filled shake!  You will be a stronger, more fit, more vibrant person at the end of the month than you were when you started.

Want to join me?

I am running a special Health Bet challenge group for the entire contest period!  We start September 5th and go for four weeks through October 2nd.  So you will not only earn the Beachbody Health Bet payout, but you’ll also get support from me and a group of other ladies on the same journey to become the healthiest version of ourselves as possible.  Oh, and some cash too  $$$!!

What do you need to join?

1. I need to be your official Beachbody coach.  If you don’t have a coach, sign up here for a free Team Beachbody membership.   (If you are already working with a coach please reach out to him or or to see if they are offering challenge groups for the contest period.  Or, if you are not working closely with a coach, I would love to support you on my team.  (Fill out an application below and I will work with you on how to switch to my team.)
2. A Challenge Pack which is your workout program bundled with Shakeology.  Check out the Challenge Packs here…. Browse all Challenge Packs.  (Or just an order Shakeology if you already own a program.)
3. A smart phone to access the My Challenge Tracker app.  (Works on the iPhone and Android devices– I’ll send  you the link to download the app.)

Ready to get paid to get fit?

Let’s do this together! Just fill out the form below and I’ll be in touch with the details!

Fill out my online form.

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SUGAR, YOU’RE SURROUNDED, COME OUT WITH YOUR HANDS UP! (Part II)

So, my last piece on sugar focused on stats from the movie “Fed UP”, the problems too much sugar can cause and why it’s so hard to limit sugar intake. 

Just in quick summary...

·         We, as a country, are getting way too lackadaisical in our daily routines.  Lack of sleep, no exercise and poor nutrition are all contributing to a growing obesity problem.   And our routines, as adults, are having negative effects on our children. 

·         Going to the grocery store is almost like going to the candy shop.  80% of the nearly 600,000 food products sold have added sugar.  How to stay away?  Buy organic, unprocessed food without a litany of ingredients.  It’s the only way to go.

·         Per the AHA, limit sugar intake to 6 teaspoons (6 cubes of sugar/24 grams) a day for women and 9 teaspoons (9 cubes of sugar/36 grams) a day for men.  Really, this isn’t hard to do if you have the right mindset.  And once you make the switch, BELIEVE ME, you won’t want to go back.  Energy levels through the roof, less bloating, clearer mind, less cravings, increased immunity, better digestion, the benefits go on and on.    

Just take one day and eat like you normally would, but track the sugar intake.  Fruit doesn’t count, because the fiber in it counteracts the sugar...it’s science and I won’t bore you with the details.  If you drink soda, forgetta ‘bout it...there goes the daily allowance plus some.  Just think, in a 12 oz soda there is about 40 grams or 10 sugar cubes.  That would fill up about half the can!  And, now soda is mostly sold in 20 oz bottles...66 grams or 17 cubes.  So, at the end of the day, what’s the sugar intake?  Too high?  Yeah, it’s not hard to do.  But there is a way to correct this.

So, how did we end up in this predicament?  TV ads, magazines, and food at the grocery store all willingly fool you into thinking low fat options are a good thing to keep your waist trim.  WRONG!  When you take the fat out, there goes the flavor.  So, how do the food companies get that flavor back in....ding, ding, ding add some sugar!  Go ahead and look at any processed low fat items you have in the house...that salad dressing, cream cheese or mayo.  Sometimes it’s not much added per serving, but it’s often double what the regular option had.  

So wait, what’s worse, the added sugar or the fat already in the processed food?  It’s often hard to pick a winner to Which-is-Worse questions, when there is no real winner, but most nutritionists agree that excess added sugars are unhealthier.  Now, I’m not saying go eat a pack of bacon instead of that candy bar!  When it comes to highly processed foods, many of them are high in one or both, which makes this question relevant, but there’s a better response to it.  CHOOSE WHOLE FOODS!  I’d say stay away from processed food altogether.      

Food for thought:  Why is there no % daily value allowance on the grams of sugar we take in on nutrition labels?  Maybe this will change in the future, but for now we’re still looking at the 30 year old food guidelines from the FDA unless we make our own smart choices.

Hopefully, by this point you want to learn a little more about eating healthier.  Maybe?   Join one of my challenge groups and I’ll give you recipes, healthy eating tips, how to curb that craving and how to become a better YOU, all while losing some weight and getting fit.  What do you have to lose besides a couple inches? 

This month I will be offering a 5 Day FREE Healthy Grilling Challenge Group.  Fill out the application below to get more information on how to get added to this awesome NEW group.

Fill out my online form.

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Jerk Pork Burger with Apple Slaw

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, grated and patted dry 

Zest of 1 lemon plus 1 1/2 tablespoons juice 

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt 

1/3 cup chopped chives 

3 tablespoons pure maple syrup, divided 

2 tablespoons Jamaican jerk seasoning, such as McCormick, divided 

1 1/2 pounds ground pork 

8 slices applewood smoked bacon or turkey bacon, optional

4 ounces smoked cheddar cheese, thinly sliced, optional

Toss the apples with lemon zest and juice. Add the yogurt, chives, 1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup and 1/2 tablespoon jerk seasoning. Stir to combine and refrigerate.

Mix together the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup and 1 1/2 tablespoons jerk seasoning. Add the ground pork and combine. Shape into patties.  Press your thumb in the center of each to prevent burger bulge when they cook.

Cook the bacon. Transfer to paper towels to drain.  Cover the bacon with foil to keep warm.

Gill pork patties and top each patty with a quarter of the cheese. 

Place a pork patty on a toasted roll bottom, top with bacon slices, a quarter of the apple slaw and a roll top.

Happy Anniversary To Me!!!

One year ago I started the 21 Day Fix Extreme, Clean Eating and Shakeology Journey!  I had no idea at the time what I was in for when I decided to join my coaches "Leaning Out and Trimming Down" challenge group.  All I knew was that I need to make some changes and after watching my coach for months it was time for me to give it a try.  Within 1 week of the challenge group I knew that I wanted to be part of the Beachbody business.  I had amazing success with these products last summer and wanted to share these with others.  I have been sharing these amazing products with many men and women over the past year and have seen so many of them reach their own health and fitness goals.  I have also been growing my own team "Taking Control One Day at a Time" over the past year and have been able to lead a group of others to start their own Beachbody business.  

Looking back over the past year, I have also grown so much as an individual and have learned a lot about myself.  I have had my highs and I have also had some lows over the past year but I am happy that I found my way back to what makes me happy, confident and feeling amazing.  The one thing that I have shared in the past is my struggle with nutrition and binging on junk food.  I honestly hate talking about that part of me because I am so embarrassed that I allowed myself to do that.  I thought I had it under control and then this past winter I let stress in my life get the best of me and I allowed myself to go back to my old habits.  I am definitely not proud of this but I am also human.  This past year has been a huge learning experience for me.  The beginning of May I finally came clean and said enough is enough and knew that I needed to make a changes yet again because when I looked in the mirror I didn't like what was staring back at me.  At that point I knew it was time to go back to what worked for me before which was the 21 Day Fix Extreme, Clean Eating 80% of the time and Shakeology.  Today is Day 51 and I feel amazing and the best part is I can see my body getting back to where it was.  Yes, it takes time.  No, it is not a quick fix.  All I know is that I do not want to ever go back to those old habits again.  I don't want to pass them down to my kids.  I don't want to have to start over again.  I want to be stronger than my weaknesses. 

If you find yourself looking in the mirror and not liking what you see staring back at you, then maybe it is time to say enough is enough and join my 21 Day Fix Anniversary challenge group.  We kick off on Monday, July 4th with prep-week.  Fill out the application below for more details on how to reserve your spot!

Fill out my online form.

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Egg White Muffins

Spray muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray (I used a coconut oil spray)

Place chopped fresh spinach to the bottom of the muffin pan

Add diced red peppers on top of spinach

Fill muffin pan with egg whites

Sprinkle with black pepper

Bake for 20 mins at 350 degrees

These little guys are great for a morning or afternoon snack.

Take the Road Less Traveled...You won't Regret It!!

How often do you see my workout post and think, man how does she get up every morning and workout?  How often do you see my Beachbody business posts and think, man is she really successful at what she does?  How often do you see my motivation quotes and think, man I totally get that?  STOP thinking about it and do something outside of your comfort zone.  You will be amazed at what you can do if you just try.

It has been almost 1 year since I started my own Health and Fitness business.  I wonder where I would be today if I would not have taken a chance on myself.  We all have choices in our life and yes, I could have just followed the road that everyone else takes and would have been happy with my life but I knew deep down that I was made for something more.  I saw where this business could take me.  The things that I could provide for my family with the success of this business.  How this business lights my soul on fire every single day since I said "YES" to making a U-turn with my life and following the road less traveled.   

You know that you are no different than me, right?  I am a mom, a wife, a friend, a co-worker, a family member etc.  I am also a women that is strong, has dreams, wants to make a difference in this world, wants to provide for my family, does not stop at the word "No" and do not let others opinions of what I am doing stop me.  These things just drive me more to my end goal and that is 1. to help as many people as I can see how living a health and fit life can literally change their lives and 2. empower other people like me to make that U-turn and throw caution to the wind, then sit back and watch them achieve their goals and dreams with this business.  

My next sneak peek into being a Beachbody coach is Thursday, June 23rd at 8:30pm EST.  I would love to give you a look at what Beachbody coach is all about.  

Fill out the below application to join this live event on Facebook.

Fill out my online form.

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