Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

So not is this awesome superfood for shakes, but you can use it make other fun recipes.  My favorite and definitely the biggest helper in staying away from the sweets are these chocolate peanut butter cups!

1 Banana

2 Tbsp peanut butter

5 Tbsp Chocolate Shakeology

3 Tbsp coconut oil

1 cupcake or muffin pan

Melt the coconut oil and mix it with the Shakeology.  Put a tablespoon of the chocolate mix to fill the bottom of each cupcake/muffin liner, then place the tin in the freezer.  Blend up the banana and peanut butter until creamy.  Take the tin out of the freezer and fill each liner with the banana and peanut butter mixture.  Than top that with the rest of the shakeology/coconut oil mixture.  Put in the freezer for 10 mins and try not to each them all!  These are so yummy and such a nice treat if you have a sweet tooth!

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Tips for Summer Barbecues!

It is the season, I feel like I have had a barbecue, or a party, or something that requires me to eat outside of my house every weekend.  Now this can be the time when our nutrition gets derailed, but you do not have to let it be.  Here are a few tips for staying on track while still being able to attend these social events.

1. Find out the menu!
- This is a tip that I find usefull anywhere I go.  Knowing what foods you are going to encounter can set you up for success.  Also, most hosts like if you say, "hey, what are you making for the party so that I can bring something different."  This way you can bring something you know is healthy and you know what foods you might want to avoid or have while there.

2. Bring a dish!
- Now, this is super important.  Bring something that you know you can eat.  I always stick with a salad, or a vegetable appetizer, so that I can fill up on it if there is not much more that I can eat.

Watermelon Feta Salad
2 cups watermelon
1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
1 cup cucumber      
1/4 cup feta
1 tablespoon baslmic vinegar
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp pink himilayin sea salt

Cut the watermelon in half and chop up one half, set aside 2 cups.  Use a spoon to scoop out the other half of the watermelon, put in the fridge for a snack.  Chop up cucumber and tomatoes, and throw into a bowl with the watermelon.  Toss with balsmic vinegar, olive oil and sea salt, then add the feta and toss again.  Put the mixture back into the scooped out watermelon half.

-and/or bring a fun fruit salad, it is better to fill your plate with lots of delicious fruit than cookies and cakes. 

3. Interact with people that are not standing near the food table.  Getting into a conversation with someone can distract you from going to get second and third helpings.  If you are standing near the food table you are likely to stand there and pick!

4. Ask to help! Occupying yourself with a task will distract you from making bad choices.  This will also make the host feel like they are not working alone, and you can spend time with them!

5. Eat something before you go!  Eating a snack or small meal before you get to the event can help you from making bad choices.  You will go having something in your stomach so you are not starving and running right to the food table to fill up!

6. Drink Water!!! Having a drink or two is common at these types of events, but remember for every alcoholic beverage you have try and have a glass of water.  This will keep you hydrated, especially helpful on those hot days!

Shakeology

                             

Now I was a true disbeliever in this product for awhile.  I had heard about people losing weight with it, and did not know much else. I thought that it was "too expensive," "probably did not taste good," "wouldn't keep me full," "would not help me lose weight."  But after hearing more and more about it, and hearing how much people loved this "shake" I wanted to see for myself. So, I did some research and found:

Shakeology is:

• A nutrient-dense superfood packed with protein.  It is made with the essential nutrients and vitamins that we should be eating everyday, but usually don't.  You can use it as a meal replacement for weight loss or  to give your body all of the nutrients it needs.  It is a simple and quick meal to make that can be taken on the go.

What is in Shakeology?


After going back and forth, I decided to take the leap and order Shakeology.  I thought, "I would just try it for a month and see how I felt."

When my first shipment arrived, I was so excited!  I could not wait until the morning to try it out, so I brought out my blender and had a shake for dinner.  Not only was it delicious, but I was full for the rest of the night!  The next morning I had another shake for breakfast and was pleasantly surprised at how much energy I had and how full it kept me.  

Now after drinking Shakeology for a few months, I can honestly say that it has helped my health tremendously.

•   keeps me full
•   keeps me energized
•   curbs my cravings
•   has helped my hair and nails to grow
•   has helped to keep my digestive system on track

Favorite Recipes!

Mocha Frappuccino

4 oz unsweetened vanilla almond milk or water

4 oz chilled coffee

1 scoop chocolate shakeology

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

6 ice cubes

Peanut Butter and Banana 

8 oz unsweetened vanilla almond milk or water

1/2 frozen banana

1 tsp peanut butter

1 scoop of chocolate or vanilla shakeology

6 ice cubes

Chocolate Frosty

4 oz unsweetened vanilla almond milk

4 oz water

1 scoop chocolate shakeology

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

lots of ice to make it thick!

Cherry Bomb

8 oz water

1 scoop chocolate or vanilla shakeology

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 cup frozen cherries

4 ice cubes

Want more information, or want to try out this super shake? 

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3-Day Refresh

I am that girl that has tried pretty much every fad diet.  Cabbage soup, juicing, vegetarian, no carb, juice cleanses, diet pills...the list goes on.  Like everyone else, I want that quick fix. I want to wake up one morning and have the body that I dream of.  Well I have learned that these "quick fixes" only left me hungry, weak, tired, and unsatisfied.  Of course its nice to drop 8 lbs in 3 days, but they weight never stayed off, and in some cases it came back on and then some.  

Then I heard about the 3-Day Refresh and of course I was intrigued.  Not only was this a three day "quick fix" but I could eat actual food while on it.  I did not believe this would work, and I was scared that the weight would come right back on after the 3 days.  So I did some research, and saw that people were losing weight and then keeping it off, because it put them back on track.  

Here is a breakdown of how the days go:

Meals were prepped and I was ready to go.  The only thing I was nervous about was the dreaded "fiber sweep."  I read about how this drink was "gross," "drink it quickly, with ice cold water," "do not let it sit or it will get chunky and gross."  I was ready with the garbage can next to me incase things got ugly.  And you know what, it was not that bad.  Maybe all my days of college drinking got me ready and I just chugged

I bought a little blender off of amazon for $20, it fit in my lululemon bag and worked like a charm.  I brought it with me to work and mixed up my Vanilla Refresh with strawberries!  I loved that I could also eat avocados on this cleanse.  They were so yummy with a tomato and some lemon juice!

The dinner recipes are all laid our for you and they are super easy to make and really yummy!  I even used the recipes after I did the refresh. 

Before I knew it the 3 days were over and I felt awesome!  I was able to keep up with my workout all three days, and was sleeping so well at night.  Here were my results, I was so happy to be back on track!

Now for all the skeptics like me, did the weight stay off when I went back to my normal routine?  It did and a few days later I weighed myself and was down 2 more pounds!

If you are interested in more information on the 3-Day Refresh click the link below!

3-Day Refresh

Buffalo Chicken Pizza (21 Day Fix Approved!)

This buffalo chicken pizza is my go to, when I have that pizza craving!  It is usually a good Friday or Saturday night dinner, when I want that "cheat meal" but do not want to cheat.  The best part about this meal is that it is so quick and easy!
*I usually make my chicken in advance.  For my meal prep I either grill, bake or cook my chicken in the crock pot, so that it is ready to go and I just have to heat it up when it's time to eat.

                   

- 1 whole grain Flat Out Wrap
- 1 green container of broccoli (1 cup)
- 1/2 red container of chicken
- 1/2 red container of  part skim ricotta cheese (or a whole red if you have more reds to get in)
- 1 blue container of shredded cheddar cheese
- Cholula hot sauce (this is a freebie on the 21 day fix, and I love hot sauce!)

Spread the ricotta cheese on the flat out bread.  Mix the chicken with some buffalo sauce then spread on top and add the broccoli.  Last add the shredded cheddar cheese! Throw it on a baking tray wrapped in tinfoil.
I put this in my toaster oven, toasted it on high for 3 mins and then broiled it for 2.  The wrap got crunchy and the cheese a little browned.

You can vary the ingredients based on what you like! This pizza has tomatoes and peppers, and I have done an all vegetable one as well.

Want to learn more about the 21 day fix, or join my next Challenge group? Fill out the form below and I will get your started!

Online contact and registration forms from Wufoo.

My Journey

For as long as I can remember I have been overweight...  Now for an insecure teenager this is an extremely hard concept to grasp, let alone admit out loud.  My high school years were tough and emotionally draining, to say the least.  

College came and I wanted to break out of that "big girl shell" but the freshman 15 doesn't even begin to describe how I let my body go.  After coming home after my freshman year of college I knew changes needed to be made.  

With a gym in my dorm, and healthy options to pick from in the dining hall (or not going to the dining hall at all), I managed to lose 40 pounds--and keep it off for the rest of my college years. After college was a different story. Moving in with a significant other will add pounds to your hips. Although I was still working out pretty consistently, I was eating and drinking a lot more. I always said I was never going to be one of those girls who got into a relationship and let myself go. I was that girl and, for years, I was in denial because he loved me no matter what.  

But I didn't love me, and I would go through phases of weight loss and weight gain especially in the winter. This winter was by far the worst for me. I had gotten down to the thinnest I have ever been for my wedding this past August. But I became that thin by working out 3 times a day and doing a juice cleanse every other week. Sure I looked good, and I had the body I wanted, but it was something that I was never going to maintain. 

When the wedding ended, and I didn't have a dress to fit into, I started to eat more, workout less and the pounds started to come back on. All the weight that I had worked so hard to lose came right back, faster than I thought possible. I hated my body, and I hated myself for letting it get that way. Juice cleanses weren't helping, I was working out a ton and not seeing any results. I needed something else; I knew there had to be a better way. 

Shakeology had been something that I heard about through a friend of mine, but I didn't know anyone who had actually used it. Then someone told me about the 21 Day Fix, and I actually thought they were crazy. But after seeing all the infomercials and doing some of my own research, I thought, "why not I had tried everything else?" 

So, after going back and forth I finally decided to take the leap. It was the best decision I ever made for me. Not only did the program help me to lose weight, but it also gave me a whole new outlook on health and fitness. Working out for 30 minutes was enough and eating every 2 1/2-3 hours kept me full and energized. I felt great when I started, and, 3 months later, I feel even better--and I have even helped others reach their goals since I have become a beachbody coach. My journey is not over yet, but I am happier than I have ever been!

If you want more information on how to get your transformation started leave your email below, or contact me at galykat@gmail.com!