Energy Protein Balls

-Makes about 12-14 balls, each is 183 calories and has 7 grams of protein-

*Ingredients

1 Package of P96 Protein (chocolate or vanilla)

1 cup old fashioned oats

1 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup honey

unsweetened coconut

*Directions:

Mix together all ingredients except coconut and roll into balls. Coat each ball in coconut. Place in fridge to set.

Chocolate Chip Muffins

-Makes about 4 regular sized muffins and 110 calories each-

*Ingredients

2 Packages P96 Protein (vanilla)

2 Tbsp. self rising flour

3 egg whites

2 Tbsp. semi sweet chocolate chips

*Directions:

Mix all ingredients together and bake in an ungreased muffin pan at 425 degrees for 12 minutes or until the tops are golden. Don’t let them get too brown or they will burn!

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No Bake Protein Cookies

-Makes 30 servings about 200 calories each serving-

*Ingredients

2 Packages of P96 Protein (chocolate)

1 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup honey

1 cup coconut oil

3 cups old fashioned oats

1 cup unsweetened coconut

1/2 cup flax-chia-coconut blend

*Directions:

Mix together all wet ingredients, and then add dry ingredients. Line a cookie sheet with either wax paper or foil. Spoon the cookies onto the sheet, and place in freezer for about 30 minutes to set, then enjoy!

Cranberry Protein Balls

*Ingredients

2 Packages of P96 (vanilla)

2 cups old fashioned oats

3/4 cup honey

2 cups peanut butter

1 cup dried cranberries

*Directions:

Stir together all ingredients and roll into small balls. Place on a cookie sheet lined with foil or wax paper. Put balls in the freezer to set, then keep refrigerated.

I hope if you make and enjoy any of these recipes you will be sure to let me know in the comments below. Also I would love to hear if you have any protein snack recipes that you love!

<=DON’T FORGET YOUR PROTEIN, CLICK HERE=>

Make one realistic resolution

One big mistake that many people make is setting numerous unrealistic goals for themselves every new year. You are much more likely to succeed if instead of setting multiple goals, you just set one very realistic and specific resolution for yourself. Choose the one thing that is the most important to you so you are less likely to get overwhelmed and more likely to set yourself up for success. For example, if you have really been wanting to lose that last 15 pounds, make that your goal and work towards it specifically. Once you have a handle on that you can begin to add in other goals; you most definitely do not have to wait until the new year to set and achieve new goals.

write it down

A great way to keep yourself on track and accountable is to write down your goal. Write your main goal, and then also some process goals, or ways that you will go about achieving your main goal. So, if you are wanting to lose weight, a process goal would be to exercise at least 30 minutes 3 times a week. It is also important to track your progress, or record your changes not just physically but mentally as well. I would recommend having some kind of journal where you are able to write all of this information down to help keep you motivated and organized all year.

make it public

Go ahead and announce your resolution to everyone whether it be family, friends, Facebook, or any other social platform. You are much more likely to succeed if people know about it because you will have their support and encouragement when you are feeling like you can’t continue. I am also someone who does not like to fail in front of people, so I know if  I have told people I am doing something I will want to follow through with it.

have a buddy

I am sure everyone remembers using the buddy system when we were kids. Well, this is a great system to use to keep yourself accountable. You want to choose someone who has the same goal as you and is also going to keep you motivated, not bring you down. Don’t choose a flaky friend or family member. If someone asks you to be their accountability partner who you know never keeps their word or never follows through, I would urge you to kindly decline and find someone else. You want someone who is equally as passionate about your goal to keep each other motivated.

take small steps

Most likely you are not going to see your end goal or successes all at once. For this reason it is important to celebrate the small victories. If you lose 2 pounds, celebrate in an appropriate way (not with food or alcohol). You should be proud of yourself, and no victory is too small. This will help keep you accountable, and will be a good way to track how far you’ve come.

kick old unhealthy habits

If you are anything like me, you probably have quite a few unhealthy habits that may be prohibiting you from your resolution. I know when I was trying to lose weight, my biggest habit that I had to kick was my constant snacking throughout the day. Once I made it a priority and said goodbye to the snacking it immediately paid off. Stop and really think about what habits or things that you do in your daily life that could be negatively attributing to you not reaching your goals. Instead of just trying to rely on your own willpower, try to substitute one bad habit for a good one. So, instead of having a 2 pm snack make it a habit to go out for a walk or do some other form of exercise at that time.

I really hope that these tips are able to help you make this year the best year yet. I hope with implementing some of these you are able to stick with your resolution and achieve your goals to be the best you possible.

I would love to know what some of your resolutions are and how you plan to achieve them! Please comment below or send me an email

Baked Chicken Nuggets

*Ingredients

1 Pound of boneless skinless chicken breast (cubed)

.125 tsp. black pepper

.125 tsp. salt

2 tsp. olive oil

6 tbsp. whole wheat seasoned breadcrumbs

2 tbsp. panko

2 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

Olive oil spray

prep:

1. Label a gallon-sized freezer bag with recipe title and today’s date.
2. Put the olive oil in a bowl, and then the breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and panko in another bowl.
3. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then put the chicken in the bowl with the olive oil and mix well so the olive oil evenly coats all of the chicken.
4. Put a few chunks of the chicken at a time into the breadcrumb mixture to coat.
5. Store in the labeled freezer bag in the freezer until ready to eat.

Cooking Day:

1. Thaw.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray baking sheet with olive oil spray.
3. Place chicken chunks on baking sheet and lightly spray the top with olive oil spray.
4. Bake 8-10 minutes, then turn over and cook another 4-5 minutes or until cooked through.

Serving suggestion: Serve with a side salad and jasmine brown rice.

Zippy Sirloin Steak

(recipe adapted from Taste of Home)

*Ingredients

2 tsp. paprika

1.5 tsp. pepper

.5 tsp. salt

1 tsp. brown sugar

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. chili powder

.5 tsp. sugar

.125 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 pound beef sirloin tip steak

prep:

1. Label a gallon-sized freezer bag with recipe title and today’s date.
2. Combine spices and rub over steak, and place steak in freezer bag.
3. Store in freezer until ready to eat.

cooking daY:

1. Thaw.
2. Lightly oil grill rack to coat.
3. Grill beef, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 inches from the heat for 8-10 minutes on each side or until meat reaches desired doneness.

Serving suggestion: Serve with a side salad and grilled veggies.

Cheeseburger Casserole

(recipe adapted from skinnytaste.com)

*Ingredients

1 cup uncooked whole grain rotini pasta

.75 cups chopped onion

.25 tsp. minced garlic

.5 lb. 95% lean ground beef

.25 tsp. salt

.25 tsp. pepper

1 tbsp. tomato paste

1 can (14 oz.) no salt added diced tomatoes

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

1 cup 2% shredded cheddar cheese

2 tbsp. chopped dill pickles (serving day, do not freeze this ingredient)

prep:

1. Label a gallon-sized freezer bag with name of recipe and today’s date.
2. Bag pasta in a quart sized bag.
3. Place beef in an unlabeled gallon-sized freezer bag. Add salt, pepper, onions and garlic.
4. In a separate quart sized bag, add tomato paste, tomatoes and mustard.
5. In a small bag, place cheese.
6. Place pasta bag, meat bag, tomato bag and cheese bag inside the labeled gallon bag.
7. Store in freezer until ready to eat.

Cooking Day:

1. Thaw.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Cook pasta.
4. In a large skillet, heat 1 tsp. olive oil over medium low heat. Add contents of meat bag.
5. Cook meat until it is browned.
6. Once meat is browned, stir in contents of tomato bag. Let the mixture bubble gently until it is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
7. Toss the meat mixture with the pasta.
8. Spray a square baking dish with cooking spray. Add meat/pasta mixture. Top with cheddar cheese and bake until the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes.
9. Sprinkle the chopped pickles over the top, if desired.

Pineapple Ginger Flank Steak

(recipe adapted from onceamonthmeals.com)

*Ingredients

0.5 cups dole pineapple juice

.75 tsp. ground ginger

2.5 tbsp. Coconut Aminos soy sauce

1 tbsp. canola oil

0.5 jalapeno pepper, diced

2.5 tsp. minced garlic

1 pound flank steak, scored 1/8 in. deep

prep:

1. Label a gallon-sized freezer bag with the recipe title and today’s date.
2. Combine all ingredients except steak in an unlabeled gallon-sized freezer bag.
3. Remove 1/4 cup of the marinade from the gallon bag and place in a quart-sized freezer bag. Seal.
4. Add steak to the unlabeled gallon bag and seal.
5. Place quart-sized bag and meat bag inside the labeled bag.
6. Store in freezer until ready to eat.

Cooking day:

1. Thaw.
2. Remove steak from the bag and discard leftover marinade from steak bag.
3. Grill steak over medium high heat until slightly pink on the inside or for 5-10 minutes per side.
4. Brush reserved marinade over steak while grilling. Remove steak from grill, and let stand 5 minutes.
5. Slice steak against the grain.

Serving suggestion: Serve with whole grain rice and grilled veggies.

Teriyaki-Glazed Grilled Pork Chops

(recipe adapted from skinnytaste cook book)

*Ingredients

.25 cups Dole pineapple juice

4 tsp. Coconut Aminos

1 tsp. minced garlic

.5 tsp. ground ginger

4 four oz. boneless pork loin chops

.25 cups lower sodium teriyaki sauce

1.25 cups frozen pineapple chunks

.25 cups jalapeno pepper, diced

2 tbsp. chopped red onion

1 tbsp. fresh cilantro

prep:

1. Label a gallon-sized freezer bag with recipe title and today’s date.
2. Bag pineapple juice, Aminos, garlic, ginger and pork chops in an unlabeled gallon-sized freezer bag.
3. Combine pineapple, diced jalapeno, onion, and cilantro in a quart-sized freezer bag. This is your salsa.
4. Bag teriyaki sauce in a separate quart-sized freezer bag.
5. Place bag with pork chops and both quart-sized freezer bags inside of the labeled gallon-sized bag.
6. Store in freezer until ready to eat.

cooking day:

1. Thaw.
2. Preheat a grill to medium high (or preheat a grill pan over medium high heat).
3. Remove pork chops from marinade, discarding the marinade. Oil the grill grates or spray a grill pan with oil.
4. Grill the pork chops until no longer pink, 6-7 minutes per side.
5. Spoon teriyaki sauce evenly over each chop in the final 30 seconds of cooking time.
6. Serve on plate and top with pineapple salsa.

Serving suggestion: Serve with a side salad and baked potato.

This is the conclusion of my two part healthy freezer recipe post. I really hope you enjoyed it, and are able to make and enjoy these recipes. Please let me know below in the comments what you think.

I will be giving you the instructions to store in the freezer for later, but of course you can always just make and eat these at the time of preparation.

Baked Chicken Parmesan

(Recipe adapted from skinnytaste.com)

*Ingredients

Three 6 oz. chicken breasts

.75 cups of whole wheat seasoned breadcrumbs

.25 cups grated parmesan cheese

2 Tbsp. butter

.75 cups mozzarella cheese

1 cup no sugar added marinara sauce

Prep:

1. Label a gallon-sized freezer bag with recipe title and todays date.
2. Combine breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese in a quart-sized freezer bag.
3. Place sauce in a quart-sized freezer bag.
4. Bag cheese in separate quart-sized bag.
5. Bag chicken in 3rd quart-sized bag.
6. Place all quart-sized bags inside labeled gallon-sized bag.
7. Store in freezer until ready to eat.

cooking day:

1. Thaw.
2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a large baking sheet lightly with olive oil cooking spray.
3. Melt butter in a bowl.
4. Lightly brush the butter onto the chicken, then dip into the breadcrumb mixture.
5. Place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining chicken.
6. Lightly spray a little more oil on top of the chicken and place in the oven for 20 minutes.
7. Turn chicken over and bake an additional 5 minutes.
8. Remove from oven, spoon sauce over each piece of chicken and top each with 3 Tbsp. of shredded mozzarella cheese.
9. Bake 5 more minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

Serving suggestion: Serve over whole grain pasta with a side salad.

Bacon Wrapped BBQ Meatloaf

*Ingredients

3/4 lb. ground beef, 95% lean

3/4 lb. ground turkey, 93% lean

1/2 cup onion, chopped

5 tbsp. favorite BBQ sauce

1 tbsp. mustard

1 1/2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

12 saltine crackers crushed

1/4 cup egg substitute

8 strips Oscar Meyer Selects turkey bacon

Aluminum loaf pan

Prep:

1. Label a gallon-sized freezer bag with recipe title and todays date.
2. In a large bowl, combine beef and turkey until well combined.
3. Add onion, 3 tbsp. of BBQ sauce, mustard, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, saltine crackers, and eggs and lightly mix together.
4. Spray loaf pan with non-stick spray. Place meat mixture in pan.
5. Fold bacon slices in half and place each on top of the loaf, each one overlapping the one before it.
6. Brush 2 tbsp. BBQ sauce on top of the loaf.
7. Cover with foil and place in labeled gallon-sized freezer bag.
8. Store in freezer until ready to eat.

Cooking day:

1. Thaw.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Bake in oven for 50-60 minutes, or until meat thermometer reads 160 degrees.
4. Cut into 12 even slices and serve.

Slow Cooker Pizza Casserole

(recipe adapted from thechaosandtheclutter.com)

*Ingredients

3 oz. DiLusso reduced sodium ham

30 slices turkey pepperoni

.5 cups chopped onion

.75 cups diced green bell pepper

1 can (6.5 oz.) no salt added mushrooms, drained

2 cans (15 oz.) Hunt’s no salt added tomato sauce

2 tsp. Italian seasoning

.5 tsp. red pepper flakes

.25 cups grated parmesan cheese

1 cup 2 % shredded mozzarella cheese

2 cups whole wheat penne pasta

prep:

1. Label a gallon-sized freezer bag with recipe title and today’s date.
2. Combine ham, pepperoni, onion, green pepper, mushrooms, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes in an unlabeled gallon-sized freezer bag.
3. Place the cheeses in a quart-sized freezer bag.
4. Place pasta in a separate quart sized freezer bag.
5. Put meat bag and both quart-sized bags inside labeled gallon-sized bag.
6. Store in freezer until ready to eat.

Cooking day:

1. Thaw.
2. Place meat bag in slow cooker and cook on LOW for 4 hours or HIGH for 2 hours.
3. About 30 minutes before service, place 4-6 cups of water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook until done.
4. Drain the pasta and add to the slow cooker.
5. Add the cheese bag to the slow cooker, stir to combine the sauce, pasta and cheeses.
6. The casserole is ready when the cheese has melted.

Brown Sugar and Maple Pork Roast

(recipe adapted from onceamonthmeals.com)

*Ingredients

1 pound top loin pork roast

.125 tsp. black pepper

.125 tsp. salt

1 tbsp. maple syrup

.5 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp. brown sugar

.25 tsp dried thyme

1 tbsp. honey

2 tbsp. Dijon mustard

1 tsp. minced garlic

.5 tbsp. cornstarch

.5 tbsp. water

Prep:

1. Label a gallon-sized freezer bag with recipe title and today’s date.
2. Season pork roast with salt and pepper. Place in an unlabeled gallon-sized freezer bag.
3. In a quart-sized bag, combine garlic, mustard, honey, brown sugar, vinegar, thyme and maple syrup.
4. Place pork bag and sauce bag inside the labeled gallon freezer bag.
5. Store in freezer until ready to eat.

Cooking day:

1. Thaw.
2. Place pork in slow cooker. Pour sauce over pork.
3. Cook on LOW for 4-6 hours, checking often to ensure pork doesn’t burn.
4. Remove pork to a platter and shred. Cover platter with foil to keep warm.
5. Pour remaining juices from the crock pot into a sauce pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
6. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and cold water, and mix until smooth. Whisk cornstarch mixture gradually into juices and cook for one minute longer until thickened, creating a gravy.
7. Pour gravy over individual servings of the pork.

Slow Cooker Jerk Chicken Tacos

(recipe adapted from Taste Cook Book)

THIS IS MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE MEAL!

*Ingredients

1 tsp. minced garlic

1.5 tbsp. Weber Caribbean jerk seasoning

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast

2.5 tbsp. lime juice

.25 cup 100% orange juice

1 tbsp. chopped cilantro

2 cups frozen mango chunks

1/2 avocado, diced

1 tbsp. red onion chopped

1 tbsp. fresh cilantro chopped

.125 tsp. black pepper

Whole wheat tortillas

prep:

1. Label a gallon-sized freezer bag with recipe title and today’s date.
2. Combine garlic and jerk, and spread on chicken. Add orange juice, 1 tbsp. lime juice, and cilantro. Place in an unlabeled gallon-sized freezer bag.
3. In a separate quart-sized freezer bag, combine mango, avocado, red onion, cilantro, 1.5 tbsp. lime juice, salt and pepper. This is the salsa.
4. Place the chicken bag and the salsa bag in the labeled bag.
5. Store in freezer until ready to eat.

Cooking day:

1. Place chicken in slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 2 hours.
2. Remove chicken and shred.
3. Pour any liquid from the cooker into a bowl, then return the chicken to the slow cooker.
4. Add .5 cup of the reserved liquid, just enough to cover the chicken.
5. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Fill tortillas with chicken and salsa.

I really hope you enjoy these recipes as much as I do. If you try them I would love to know what you think. Feel free to comment below, or send me an email

What is clean eating?

Lets first talk about the definition of clean eating. There are many different interpretations of this, but I am going to give you my take on it. In a nutshell clean eating is eating food the way nature originally made it, or as close as possible. Below I will list some things to think about or rules if you will to follow when trying to eat clean. Once you have this memorized and get more familiar with the basics, it will become second nature.

• Some things to avoid

When checking labels, if the ingredient list is longer than 1 or 2 items, it is probably man made and or processed. A short list of foods included in this and to stay away from are: frozen meals, margarine, pasta, white sugar, granola bars and fruit snacks. Instead try focusing on complex carbs such as beans, vegetables and whole grains.

It is also important to stay far away from color additives, emulsifiers, and fat replacers. Lastly, you should try to avoid the fried foods, foods high in trans fats, and anything with a lot of sugar.

• Eat more meals

Eating three main meals and two or three smaller meals is best to keep your body burning calories throughout the day. If you are eating clean foods at each meal it will keep you energized and full. Make sure to include protein, complex carbs, and plenty of fruits and veggies. In regards to the fruits, make sure they are in season to avoid paying a hefty price.

• Eat healthy fats

There are many healthy and good fats that we should be consuming in our daily diet. You need these essential fatty acids to complete your clean eating. Some examples of these good fats are: olive, canola and sesame oil, salmon, avocados, soy beans, almonds, pistachios, and walnuts. There are many more of these, but you get the point. You want foods, mainly dairy that say “full fat” not reduced fat!

• Choose organic

If your wallet allows it, you should really try to choose organic when possible. This is the best way to make sure your food is coming to you in the most natural form. Organic can be a little on the expensive side, so if you have a tight budget, the best items to buy organic would be your dairy, meats, and poultry.

• Drink water

It is important to make water your primary source of liquid intake. Most juices, pop, and alcohol are filled with artificial sweeteners, and so many unhealthy ingredients. Strive to drink at least half your weight in ounces. For example if I weigh 130 lbs. I would try to drink at least 65 ounces of water per day.

While we are talking about drinks, steer clear from any kind of energy drinks! These are full of unhealthy ingredients, and really have no benefit to you. I could go on for days about this but I will spare you;)

• Food prep

I cannot stress enough how important this step is. If you fail to plan, plan to fail! You can take one day out of the week ( I do Sunday), preferably the least busy day for you and cook for the entire week. Try to prepare all of your meals and snacks. I know this sounds like a lot of work, but in the end it saves you so much time and you are done for the whole week. It usually only takes me a couple of hours. If you have kids who are a bit older, this might be something fun you can do together, or even your spouse; make it a family affair! It is so nice to come home at night and not have to stress or worry about what is for dinner, thus not making bad food choices. I suggest making a small calendar to write it out first and then get to prepping.

Click on the photo below for a great book to get you started on meal prep that is filled with some amazing recipes for every meal!You will also need containers to store your food. Here are the ones I use, and they work really well. They are re-usable, BPA free, microwavable, and dishwasher safe.

Grocery list

Now that you have the very basics of what clean eating is, I am going to give you a very simple grocery list that will have you feeling prepared to start your clean eating journey. When you buy these things at the store, remember to apply some of the things from above, and check the labels. This is not an all inclusive list, it will just be a good start for you.

*Extra virgin olive oil

*Oregano

*Basil

*Coconut oil

*Cinnamon

*Raw Honey

*Pure vanilla extract

*Hot sauce

*Stevia

*Organic unsalted butter

*Chia Seeds

*Walnuts

*Almonds

*Chicken broth

*Whole grain bread

*Whole grain pasta

*Quinoa

*Oatmeal

*Avocado

*Lean red meats

*Organic or all natural bacon

*Organic eggs

*Salmon

*Brown rice

*Organic vegetables and fruits

For dairy look for “full fat”

*Plain greek yogurt

*Cream cheese

*Milk

*Cottage cheese

This list should be enough to get you started, and is most of the staples you will need. Once you get further into the process of clean eating you will be able to come up with your own list based on your likes.

Summary

Hopefully by now you are feeling a little more confident in your decision to start clean eating. It is really not as scary or overwhelming as it seems. Do it for about a week and I know you will start to feel all of the benefits of it. Pretty soon you will be an expert on meal prep and checking ingredients, and it will just be your new way of life. Your body is your temple, so treat it well and keep it clean. Like I said before, I know there are going to be times that you either don’t have time to plan ahead or you just really want to eat a piece of cake. This is ok, you are only human. Feel free to live a little, but don’t make it a habit. If you are eating healthy and clean 90% of the time and living a healthy active lifestyle your health is really going to skyrocket.

*When I have a craving I take a supplement called Plexus Block, and it actually blocks up to 48% of carbs and sugars without blocking any of the beneficial nutrients. If you are interested in getting this or learning more about it, click below.

I hope you will consider giving clean eating a chance, at least for 30 days. If it is too hard or you don’t feel an extreme difference in the way your overall health is, you can always just go back to the other foods you were eating before.

If you have any questions, or would like to add anything to this I would love to hear from you, please comment below or contact me here

Skip the low calorie crash diet

A crash diet that significantly reduces the amount of calories you consume is one of the worst things you can do for your body or health. In fact it usually has the opposite effect and you will actually gain weight while or shortly after being on one of these diets. When you diminish your calories you will lose muscle which in turn will slow your metabolism. Females should have at least 1200 calories per day, and males should have no less than 1800 a day.

Lift weights

Resting metabolic rate is the process of your body burning calories even when you are sitting doing nothing. People who have more muscles have a much higher resting metabolic rate. Muscle not only weighs more than fat, but it also uses more energy. After you have a strength training session either at your gym or at home your muscles are activated all over your body and are ready to burn fat the rest of the day. So, try to get in some weight lifting or strength training at least 3 times a week. Another benefit to weight lifting is you are reducing your chances of getting osteoporosis by increasing your bone strength. All you need are a few hand weights at your house and you are set.

Increase your workout intensity

Ramping up that aerobic activity will also help raise the resting metabolic rate. If you can have a high intensity workout for about 30 minutes that would be the best, but you can also just add short little bursts of intensity. So, if you are out walking your dog, walk briskly and then about every 2-5 minutes jog or sprint for about 30 seconds. This will help you to continue to burn calories throughout the rest of the day. It is important to add this to your weight lifting routine so your body doesn’t get used to just one type of exercise.

Get enough Omega-3

Omega 3 can help boost your metabolism by balancing your blood sugars and reducing inflammation in your body. If you are not able to eat Omega 3 rich foods such as fish or nuts, you could take supplements. The one I recommend is PLEXUS MegaX; it has Omega 3, 6, 5, 9, and 7 all in one. This product is gluten free and does not have that weird fishy after taste that many Omega supplements do. To read more about this product or purchase it, click here.

Add more protein

Put down the bread, and add some more lean protein in your diet. Your body can burn more calories when you eat more protein than fats or carbs. Replace some of the carbs with protein rich foods such as eggs, nuts, chicken, lean beef or turkey. Another benefit to eating more protein is that it makes you feel full for a longer period of time.

Eat smaller meals

When you eat smaller meals every 3-4 hours your body will continue to burn calories throughout the day, and keep your blood sugar regulated. If you go longer in between meals it will slow down your metabolism. You do want to snack healthy, I am not saying eat a donut every 3-4 hours and you will lose weight. Just be sensible and have healthy snacks and meals. Another benefit is if you are snacking often you will eat less at mealtime. This can be a good thing as long as your snacks are not unhealthy. A good rule of thumb is to try to keep each meal or snack under 300 calories, or just divide how many calories you are trying to eat each day by 6.

Metabolism boosting supplement

The supplement I use in conjunction with my workouts is called Accelerator + by PLEXUS. This product contains a plant based ingredient called Higenamine, which has been shown in clinical studies to increase the bodies metabolic rate and in turn burn fat more efficiently. I have noticed a huge difference in my energy and have been able to manage my weight since starting this. If you would like more information on this product click here.

These are some easy things you can implement into your daily life and routine to help boost your metabolism. Start incorporating these tips and you will be well on your way to burning more calories with less effort.

If you have other tips for boosting your metabolism I would love to hear them. Please comment below or you can contact me here

1.) Get a physical

Probably the very first thing you want to do is go to your family physician and have a complete physical done. This is important because you want to rule out any serious conditions that could be stopping you from losing weight. If you have diabetes or a thyroid condition that you don’t know about you could be putting your health in jeopardy if you start a new diet or exercise program. Make sure if you have symptoms you make a list of everything going on to take to your Dr. If you do not do this you will forget once you are in that room, and it is something that they will want to see. Decide what program and any new supplements you will be taking to get their approval before you leave the office.

2.) Don’t go it alone

There is something to be said about having an accountability partner. Whether it be your best friend or your significant other, always have someone else on the journey with you. You want to be very picky and careful about who you pick to be your partner. You do not want that one super flaky friend, because once they start flaking you won’t be far behind them. You want a person who you respect and do not want to let down. For example when I was trying to lose weight a couple of years ago I chose my best work friend Courtney. She is someone who I really look up to and she is also a workout-aholic (almost to the point of unhealthy). I chose her because I knew she would never miss a workout unless she was dying and she would be very disappointed in me if  I missed one. She was someone who I did not want to disappoint, so I made sure to show up every time. Now, I am not saying do this for someone else I am just saying you need to have someone there who will get you going when you don’t think you can do it anymore. Courtney was my person and I am so grateful for her everyday! Now she is trying to get me to do Cross Fit, I am still contemplating this one;)

3.) Choose a diet plan

You want to do some research and choose a healthy diet or program that you believe in. The one I do and love is PLEXUS. It is not a diet but a new way of life. I take healthy plant based supplements that just kind of kick started and maintain my weight. I started out with Triplex, which you can read all about here if you are interested. Now I continue the Triplex, and just eat as healthy as I can. If you are interested in going this route, please check out the rest of my website as I have an abundance of information on there. I do as much food prep as I can for the week, because if you are not prepared you will fail. I loosely follow the Alkaline diet meal plan, and it is a great choice if you don’t already have something in mind. I wrote another blog about the Alkaline diet, which you can check out here. Another great way to go is just all clean eating. This is a wonderful clean eating cookbook that you can read if this is something that interests you. Do your research and choose what diet or new way of eating you want to do and stick to it!

4.) Exercise

Exercise is such an important part of a successful weight loss plan. When you exercise your body releases endorphins, which are the body’s natural way to make you feel good! You will have lots of energy and will be encouraged to make healthy food choices. Not only will it aide in your weight loss, but exercise has also been shown to help improve your lipid numbers and to help with many other aspects of your health. If you are wanting to lose weight without exercise it is possible, but it is always best to try to get in at least 3 days a week of elevating your heart rate. This does not mean you have to go to the gym, you can make it fun. Play soccer with your kids, or take your dog for a brisk walk. It can be as easy or as hard as you want to make it, just get that heart rate up a little.

5.) Consistency is key

Have you ever heard the phrase consistency is key? I am sure you have multiple times in your life. The reason this saying is so popular is because it is so true. If I am not consistent for even one day I completely fall off the wagon. You have to make your health a priority, and once you do and make it a habit you can relax a little. Until then, consistency, consistency, consistency! If you are persistent you will get it, if you are consistent you will keep it. This is necessary for long term success.

6.) Have a friendly or not so friendly challenge

If you are anything like me you are extremely competitive (probably not as bad as me). If someone has a challenge, it does not matter what it is I will try to win. This might be a bit of an unhealthy trait for me, but I try to use it for good I promise! A weight loss challenge at work or with your friends is a great way to succeed in losing weight. It may start out as friendly competition, but the better you do, the more other people are going to want to do. You can turn your entire work place into a healthy environment. Sure there will still be someone there offering you that cookie that you are dying to eat, but there will also be other people who have your back and are going through the same thing you are. Try to start a weight loss challenge at work or with your friends and be amazed at how good you feel with this newfound support group that is all around you.

7.) Make it a lifestyle change

Probably the best way to have lifetime success and maintain your weight is to make it a lifestyle change. I don’t just mean for you, include your entire family in it. You do not want to be making a separate meal for you than everyone else, so make them be healthy too. If your husband or wife are not on board, I say too bad;) This is one thing you may just have to put your foot down about. Once you are all eating healthier and are active, it really will bring you closer together as a family. You can start to enter fun family 5ks, or do weekend bike rides together. If you are doing this alone, it is going to diminish your success rate by about 90%. This is your new way of life, not just a new diet mom or dad is trying.

So, there you have it, 7 tips to becoming one of those weight loss success stories. I hope you found these inspiring and will apply them to your new weight loss plan.  I would love to speak with you and put you in MY book of weight loss success stories. If you are interested in a new way of life, and would like my help please contact me here.

If you have any comments or anything to add to my tips as always please comment below:)

1.) Scooter/Bicycle

A scooter or bicycle is the perfect gift to give your child to get them out of the house and off the video games. When I say scooter, I mean the ones they actually have to work at, not the motorized ones. I know they are cool, but it kind of defeats the purpose! There is nothing more exciting than waking up on Christmas day to a brand new bike; the big reveal is the best. This will encourage getting outside more, and you can even go on family bike/scooter rides. I love it when my son asks to go out and ride his bike with his friends around the cul-de-sac.

2.) Trampoline

This is one of the most fun gifts in my opinion. What kid does not love to go outside and jump on a trampoline? If you aren’t allowed to have one in your yard, or can’t afford it, you can always go for a mini trampoline. These are pretty affordable and really don’t take up as much room as you would think. Jumping is a great activity that will keep your kids active all year long. I never had to ask my son to go outside and play when we had a trampoline, he was always asking me if he could go out. Many parents don’t let their kids have one because it messes up the yard or they just don’t want to deal with it, but I highly recommend a trampoline. You will have so many more hours to yourself once there is one of these in your yard;)

3.) Kid friendly cook books and supplies

Starting a child out cooking early is so great for them, especially if you are teaching them how to cook healthy. Just because you are cooking healthy does not mean that it can’t be fun. I have this Better Homes Junior Cookbook, and my son absolutely loves it. We have had so much fun together in the kitchen, and I feel great knowing I am preparing him to know how to cook in the future (you’re welcome future wife). You can even get them their own cooking supplies so they really feel special when they are in the kitchen.

4.) Puzzles/Board Games/Books

There are many puzzles and board games that are so healthy for a child’s brain. They will be learning and not even be aware of it, because what child wants to consciously learn? It is hard to get a 3 or 4 year old to sit down for a board game, but a challenging puzzle that you can sit and do together is so good for them. This is another activity that you can work on together and do as a family. If your child is into books, you can find out their favorite series and get them the whole series. This way the next time they say they’re bored and there is nothing to do you are prepared!

5.) Interactive video games

Unfortunately you probably can’t keep them away from the video games forever. So, if they are going to play they might as well play something that makes them move around. Depending on what gaming system you choose or already have there are a few different options. For example, the Wii has Wii Fit, and Xbox has the Kinect option. If you have never played one of these video games you and your child are in for a treat. I am not a fan of video games, but actually really enjoy our Kinect. My favorites are the sports and dancing games.

6.) Fitness tracker

A fitness tracker is a great gift for a child. I would say probably 8-10 would be the youngest you would want to do this. Before that they may not understand or have much interest. My son used to always wear my Fitbit, and would love to track how many steps he was getting. I realized he gets way more steps than me for the whole day by 10 AM; it is pretty amazing! I decided to buy him his own and the one I got was the Fitbit Charge 2. I like this one because he can see his steps throughout the day, and it also tracks his heart rate which he loves. There are many other brands and options too that you can choose from. I like the Fitbit because he can check his stats online and can also have challenges with his friends. My favorite feature is I can check how many hours he is sleeping!

7.) Sports games/equipment

I am a big sports person, so I love buying my son sports games or equipment. Some of the best memories I have so far with him is just being outside and playing catch with either a baseball or football. We have the best conversations when it is just the two of us throwing a ball. For some reason this is the time he opens up the most to me and I love it. This can be any sports equipment or games that they are into. If your child is into soccer, get them a soccer goal and ball for the backyard. If they are into baseball, you could get them everything they need to fill their bat bag. Whatever they are into (they don’t have to be good at the sport) just get the equipment they need for it so you can all go out and play together as a family.

These are just a few gift ideas to try to promote a healthy lifestyle for your kids. Most of these are also things that you can do with your child which I think is such an important part of their childhood. We all get so busy with work and want our kids to be independent, but it is really important that we take the time to just play with them too. They are only young for so long, so enjoy it while they still want to play with you. Another plus is it keeps you active as well!

I would love to hear from you if you have any gift ideas to add! Please comment below, or contact me here

How do you know how much fat you have?

The easiest way to check how much visceral fat you have is to stand up and wrap a tape measure around you belly starting at your belly button. The optimal waist size for a female is less than 35 inches and for a male is less than 40 inches.

So how do I get rid of it?

1.) Exercise

Doing ab exercises everyday is not going to help with this belly fat. All this will do is tone the abs underneath the fat. You should try to do a combination of cardio, and weight training. Of course check with your health care provider before starting anything to make sure you are healthy enough for vigorous activity. Raising your heart rate for 30 minutes at least 3 times a week will do quite a bit to get rid of and prevent the visceral fat. It is important to do exercises that work large muscle groups such as squats, side bends, spinal twists, or burpies to burn the most amount of fat.

2.) Diet

What you eat is probably 90% of losing weight. You can work out 7 days a week, and if your diet is terrible you are not going to lose an ounce of weight. The best way to do this is to write down every single thing you eat. Most people completely miss-judge how much they are eating and not just by a little. I recently started weight watchers and realized I was going over on how many points I should have a day by about 50 or more points! I would never have guessed that before writing it all down. You can use apps like My Fitness Pal, or Weight Watchers to track what you are eating. Try to have a balanced diet of fiber, protein, carbs and fats. Also make sure to get your daily amount of fruits and veggies. Another tip is to try eating 6 small meals throughout the day to  help boost your metabolism.

A very important factor is making sure you drink the right amount of water daily. A good rule to follow is to drink at least half your weight in ounces. For example, I weigh 135 lbs., so I try to drink at least 68-70 ounces of water daily.

3.) Get enough sleep

It is important to try to get 8 hours of sleep every night. The very minimum amount of sleep you should ever get is 6 hours. Everyone can function on a different amount of sleep, but the more you get the better in regards to weight loss and visceral fat. Studies show that people who get less sleep tend to over eat throughout the day. Getting a good nights rest will help your mind be fresh for the day and will help you to make better food choices.

4.) Reduce stress

This may be one of the most important things you can do, not only for belly fat but for your overall happiness in general. I wrote a blog about how to reduce stress at home if you are too busy to get out or go to the gym. You can read that post here. Once you are able to relieve stress you will be able to make good choices for yourself. We live in a busy world, but you should always make time for yourself so you can be the healthiest you.

Conclusion

I hope by now you realize that belly fat (visceral fat) can be a very dangerous thing if not addressed and properly taken care of. It is important to try to take steps to reduce this fat for your overall health. If you had to choose just one of these things I would go for the exercise because this will also help with the stress. Once you incorporate exercise you will probably start sleeping better as well because your body will feel more relaxed; and usually once people are exercising they are motivated to eat better. Who wants to do all that work for nothing in return! So, really just doing this one thing can be a huge benefit to your life.

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I would love to hear from you if you have any questions or comments on belly fat! Please comment below or send me an email through my contact page.