I never used to be a breakfast person, but lately it's been one of my favorite meals of the day! Start your day right with one of my personal favorite healthy recipes...

Blueberry Baked Oatmeal

Ingredients

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
¼ cup chopped walnuts, divided
½ tsp baking powder
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
¼ cup honey
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 to 3 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced
1 cup frozen blueberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375F
2. Lightly grease 2 quart baking dish. In medium bowl, mix oats, half of the walnuts, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In liquid measuring cup, combine the honey, milk, egg, olive oil, and vanilla.
3. Spread sliced banana in single layer over bottom of baking dish. Top with half of the berries. Sprinkle dry oat mixture over fruit in even layer. Pour liquid ingredients evenly over oats.
4. Sprinkle remaining nuts and berries over top. Bake for 35-40 mins until top is brown and oats have set. Let cool 10 mins before serving or place in airtight container for a breakfast you can enjoy all week long!

Yields 6 Servings (21 day fix containers: 1 yellow, 1 Purple, 1/2 blue)

22 Min Hard Corps: Talking with Tony Horton

Last evening, I had the opportunity to chat with my favorite trainer, the one and only, Tony Horton. 

Of course, I couldn't go without telling Tony about my feelings for him. Here's Tony's response!

You may know Tony from his success with programs such as P90X, P90X2, P90, and 10 minute trainer. If you don't know Tony, trust me, you want to! His bubbly personality and inspirational attitude definitely help give you the motivation you need to succeed in at home workouts. I am a big fan of Tony, and was lucky enough to sit in on an exclusive podcast interview!

My husband, Adam, has been podcasting for the last 2 years and has co created the Next Level Network. His latest show, Beachpod, is a monthly health and fitness podcast for anyone looking to improve their exercise techniques, eating habits, or just overall health. Each episode features a special guest co-host from the health and fitness industry and last night featured Tony Horton. I had the opportunity to sit in and ask a few questions to Tony about how to stay motivated when starting a new fitness program and how to stick to a meal plan. Tony had a lot of great insight and talked about his latest program 22 Min Hard Corps.

Click Here for the episode 3 of Beachpod with Tony Horton!

22 Minute Hard Corps is your no-nonsense, boot-camp-butt-kicking fitness program that was inspired by training program techniques used in the military. Each day of the program consists of a series of total body rounds within the 22 minute workout window, rotating through functional resistance, cardio, and core focused workouts. Tony went into great detail about the program and what it takes to succeed, as well as the importance of staying on track with nutrition. I was already excited to start this new program, but after talking directly to Tony about it, I'm even more pumped!! 

My 22 Minute Hard Corps Test group is starting on March 14th. If you would like more information or would like to be among the first to pilot this new program, please fill out a challenge group application and I will contact you about getting started!

International Pancake Day!

Happy International Pancake Day!

If there's one food I love, it's PANCAKES! I could eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner but they aren't the friendliest food for your waistline. Here is a healthy and clean alternative to a breakfast favorite.....

Banana Oat Pancakes

Serves 4 (2 Pancakes Each)

1/2 Cup Vanilla Unsweetened Almond Milk
1 Large Egg
1/2 Large ripe Banana
1/2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of Sea Salt
1 Cup Dry Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats
1 1/2 Cups Fresh Blueberries 

Combine all ingredients, except for blueberries, in blender and blend until smooth.

Pour 1/4 cup batter onto medium low skillet and cook until bubbles form around edge of pancake, about 2 to 3 mins. Flip with spatula and cook until brown

Serve with Fresh Blueberries

Container Equivalents 1 Yellow 1/2 Purple

Enjoy!

The Master's Hammer and Chisel Program Results and Review

After 8 long weeks, I can finally say I'm a graduate of the Master's Hammer and Chisel! This program is designed to help you improve aspects of your fitness, such as muscle endurance, power, strength, and agility. I will tell you first hand that it does all of the above!


Trainers Sagi Kalev and Autumn Calabrese are amazing experts at sculpting bodies and have tons of awards to prove it! This program shares their strategies on resistance training to shape powerful muscles, shed body fat, and build a ripped physique. PLUS muscle burns FAT. We all want to keep that metabolism fired up so anything with strength training and cardio is a keeper in my book!

Overall, I really enjoyed this program. It definitely pushed my limits at times. It is not a program for beginners, but there is a modifier to show you how to do the moves at a lower intensity. Believe me, I did use the modifiers in the beginning but by the end I surprised myself and was able to complete the moves for longer and with more repetitions. There are 12 different workouts so there is always variety! The workouts range from 17 to 45 minutes, on average of 30-40 mins a day, and there is 1 rest day a week. I really enjoyed most of the workouts, they went by very quick and for the most part were actually fun! The only thing I wish they included more of in this program was a stretch or yoga recovery day but overall I was very happy with the workouts. I definitely liked the Hammer workouts more than the Chisel workouts, surprisingly! 

What do you need for this program? You do not need a ton of space but you do need some equipment!

-You need dumbbells {5-20lbs} for depending on your strength. I used a powerblock weight set and it worked perfectly!
-Pull up bar or over the door attachment for the resistance bands. I first started the program with a resistance band, then moved to a pull up bar with the beachbody pull up assist.
-Weight bench or stability ball

The meal plan is simple and easy to follow. The nutrition plan is based around 7 portion control containers and is very similar to the 21 day fix meal plan and comes with some great (and easy) recipes. The containers help you portion out the right amount of food to help you reach your unique fitness goals. I used Plan A along with a daily dose of dense super food nutrition in Shakeology (my favorite meal of the day!) With this plan you are eating small meals every 2 to 3 hours so there is no going hungry! Although my nutrition wasn't 100 percent, I'd say I followed the meal plan about 80 percent of the time (mostly because of weekend give ins).

So, I'm sure you're wondering how I did! In 60 days, I lost 4.6 lbs and my body fat went from 24.5% to 23.7%. I also lost a total of 6.6 inches, down 2.7 inches in my waist and 2.8 inches in my hips! This program definitely helped me tone up and get stronger! 

Overall I am very happy with this program and would do it again in the future. The great thing about it there are different variations of the program, you can do a 60 day hammer and chisel or a 30 day chisel or a 30 day hammer so there is no getting bored! I think in the future I would go for the 30 day hammer! If you are interested in completing The Master's Hammer and Chisel please fill out a challenge group application and I will personally contact you with more details with how you can get started!

Shamrock Shakeology

If there is 1 thing I'm such a sucker for it's Shamrock Shakes! 

Before I started my health and fitness journey, I would drive through and grab one pretty much every time I was out, and being on the road as a visiting nurse, it was more times than I care to admit!

🍀

Since I've hit my goal weight and been working on toning up, I don't want to sabotage my efforts and hard work! Luckily, I found an alternative to this sweet treat that not only tastes great but is actually good for me!! Behold....SHAMROCK SHAKEOLOGY! I'll be the first to admit, I'm bad at eating my veggies! One glass of Shakeology, however, has all the vitamins and nutrients of going to the salad bar 6 times and filling your plate! It also costs just as much as a shamrock shake and keeps me fuller for longer! Yes please!

Here is a recipe that will hit the spot for even the sweetest tooth and tastes like the real deal!

And there you have it! A delicious and healthy twist on one of my guilty favorites for a third of the calories! 

The Gym is NOT for me

Let me tell you a little story about me and the gym. Before I had my son, the gym was right down the street from my house and for $10 a month I could go in and kill some time. But let me tell you something....I HATED the gym. First, I'd spend about 10 minutes figuring out where I wanted to start. I'd usually start with cardio but then it was a game trying to figure out which piece of equipment I wanted to hop on. And of course with any cardio workout, you have to find the "perfect" piece of equipment: Is it in front of a good TV? Did I want to workout next to somebody? Oh wait, the new year crowd is here and there are no treadmills left?! Ok forget cardio....let's move on to weights.

Me trying to lift weights at the gym was a complete joke. I would jump on a machine and pretend to know what the heck I was doing. Usually one of the meat heads was eyeing me up to figure out when I was going to stop pretending to know what I was doing and get off. I always felt rushed and uncomfortable. And judgement free? Yea....right.  So, I then decided to try my hand (or 2 left feet) at a class.

Let me start by saying I'm probably the first person ever in the history of zumba classes to be kicked out. I thought I was having fun, trying to keep up with the instructor and stumbling over my feet. The mirror in front of me and what I was doing were completely backwards from what everyone else was doing. So much so I kept bumping into people and the room was so crowded I was asked to leave. No joke.

So my $10 a month, turned into me coming up with excuses to why I shouldn't go to the gym anymore. Ended up canceling and moving anyway so the gym wasn't as close. And let me tell you it wasn't easy to cancel. Could I just walk up to the counter and tell them I didn't want to be a member anymore? No! I had to write a letter, send in my gym card, and they didn't even give me the right address. So it got sent back to me and then I had to figure out the new address and by the time it was finally processed 3 months went by (that I had to pay for, mind you).

So let's flash forward to getting pregnant and gaining 50 lbs, then having a baby and being completely overwhelmed, exhausted, and uncomfortable in my own skin. This is when the heavens shined down on me and I was introduced to at home workouts with Beachbody. I bought a 21 day fix challenge pack and it was like my golden ticket! I can now workout at home while my son naps, don't have to drive anywhere, and I have somebody telling me exactly what to do and what to eat!

Here are 10 reasons why at home workouts beat the gym:

1. No drive time! Even in bad weather, I don't have to worry about leaving my house to get in a workout

2. One time fee. With the purchase of a challenge pack not only do I have 30 days of a a delicious super food meal in Shakology, but I get to keep the program and workout dvds FOREVER! Plus I have access to thousands of workouts in my on demand library.

3. Personal trainer in my living room! I get direction, motivation, and guidance from some of the top celebrity trainers in the business! Plus access to meal plans.

4. Motivation and Support from others in their own fitness journey. If it weren't for the support of the accountability groups, I would have quit a long time ago. By checking in to my group every day I can see how others are progressing and keep myself accountable knowing they're waiting for me to post about my workout!

5. No judgements. I can wear whatever I want. No makeup, messy hair, and yes, I'll rock my little mermaid pants. Also, I can yell, scream, curse, and grunt as loud as I want without causing a scene.

6. No need to find a sitter. I can get my workout in while my son naps and don't have to worry about sacrificing time with him or leaving him with a stranger in a gym's child care center.

7. No fighting over equipment. Unless my dog wants to lay on my yoga mat when I'm ready to do PiYo.

8. Set time. I don't have to figure out what i'm going to do or how long i'm going to do it for. The workout time is right in front of me which helps me chose which workout I can do based on my time availability for the day and the countdown in the workout motivates me to continue.

9. No need to feel bad about my 2 left feet, or get kicked out because of them. This is especially true when it comes to CIZE. I love a good dance workout, but my uncoordinated and white girl dance moves are truly embarrassing in public.  I know as long as I'm moving, I'm working!

10. I can inspire others. By sharing my experience in my own fitness journey, I have helped inspire others to start a journey of their own and gave them the support and encouragement to continue.

To find out how you can start your own health and fitness journey and lose weight without ever stepping foot in a gym, please join my next challenge group by filling out a challenge group application.

Slow Cooker Chicken Chili

I don't know about you, but I seriously LOVE my crock pot! As a busy mom, I don't always have the time to cook a meal. Mostly because my energetic 1 year old can't sit still long enough for me to make something. There's nothing better than ending a long day knowing that dinner is ready and there are no dishes to clean, not to mention the house smells like I've been slaving away all day when hubby comes home! 

Here is one of my favorite clean eating recipes, Chicken Chili! Being busy does not mean you have to sacrifice being healthy! I love chili on a cold, winter day! 

Here's what you'll need:

• 1 28oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes with chilis
• 
  1 16 oz can black beans
• 1 16 oz can chick peas
• 1 cup Veggie Stock
• 2 large chicken breasts (can be frozen)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
• plain Greek yogurt (optional to sub for sour cream)
• shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Here's how to make it:

Place all ingredients, except sour cream, in the crock pot for 6 to 8 hours (8 hrs if chicken is frozen) on low. Remove chicken, shred, and return to crock pot. Sever with a sprinkle of shredded cheddar cheese and top with a dollop of plain greek yogurt. Enjoy!

Portion Control Container Equivalents: 1 cup equals 1 Green, 1 Red, 1 Yellow

American Heart Health Month

In 2012, I ran my first half marathon. Shortly after the race, I ended up in the emergency room with palpitations, dizziness, fatigue, and shortness of breath, especially after exercising. I had a whole workup with and was on a heart monitor. The ER doc proceeded to tell me I had low potassium and probably some anxiety and should follow up with my family doctor. After more follow up, I knew something still wasn't right and asked to go see a cardiologist.

Upon further workup and and echo cardiogram the cardiologist discovered that I had a "hole" in the wall of my heart muscle, known as an atrial septal defect. An ASD separates the top two chambers of the heart and allows oxygen-rich blood to leak into the oxygen-poor blood chambers in the heart which was causing my symptoms. The hole was big enough that it needed surgical intervention, my options: open heart surgery or be the first person in St. Luke's Hospital's history to have an amplatzer device. Having faith in my cardiologist, and not wanting a big ole scar down the middle of my chest, I chose the less invasive route.

So, at the ripe age of 25, I underwent a cardiac catheterization and opted for the device implantation. The amplatzer device is made out of a braided metal specifically designed to close atrial septal defects and it is now a permanent part of my heart. After a night in the ICU and a week of at home recovery I was able to get back into running and am now the woman with a "bionic heart." Every year I have an echocardiogram to check on the device and follow up with my cardiologist. I am happy to report that all is well and I'm still going strong!

Because of my cardiac history, and also because I'm a nurse, I believe it is so important for people to understand the benefits of being "heart healthy." So many risk factors for heart disease can be prevented with diet and exercise. 


February is American Heart Health month and I am making it my mission to help as many people as I can start living healthier lifestyles. Here are a few ways to reduce your risk for heart disease.

1. Get active
Daily physical activity increases your length and quality of life. If you get at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity each day (like brisk walking), five times per week, you can almost guarantee yourself a healthier and more satisfying life while lowering your risks for heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

2. Eat better
Healthy foods are the fuel our bodies use to make new cells and create the energy we need to thrive and fight diseases. If you are frequently skipping out on veggies, fruit, low-fat dairy, fiber-rich whole grains, and lean meats including fish, your body is missing the basic building blocks for a healthy life.

3. Manage Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. When your blood pressure stays within healthy ranges, you reduce the strain on your heart, arteries, and kidneys which keeps you healthier longer. Blood pressure can be managed by eating healthy, reducing stress, increasing activity, losing weight, and quitting smoking. 

4. Lose weight
If you have too much fat — especially if a lot of it is at your waist — you’re at higher risk for such health problems as high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and diabetes. If you’re overweight or obese, you can reduce your risk for heart disease by successfully losing weight and keeping it off. Even losing as few as five or ten pounds can produce a dramatic blood pressure reduction.

If you are interested in learning more on how you can get on the right track to being heart healthy, please join me for my next fitness and accountability group! To join, simply fill out a challenge group application. I will contact you with all the information you need to get started! You're never too young- or too old- to take care of your heart!

My Story

When I got pregnant with my son I used it as an excuse to stop exercising and eat junk. I loved the idea of "eating for 2," but boy did it get me into trouble! I gained a whopping 50 lbs during my pregnancy and for the fist time, I saw just shy of 200 lbs on the scale. After having my son, I struggled with getting the "baby weight" off. I was and exhausted first time mommy, never made time for myself, unmotivated, and continued to eat junk. I would frequently call the hubby and tell him to pick up food on his way home from work. I was feeling terrible about myself and still wasn't fitting into my pre pregnant clothes. I was still wearing maternity jeans 8 months after having my son!

This is when I was invited by my beachbody coach to join the 14 day health and fitness challenge and found beachbody! I had turned her down multiple times before but knew it was time for a change! The motivation and support I received from this challenge was unlike anything else I've ever experienced! I'm a Type A, who's always up for a good challenge! As soon as a I saw there was a prize involved, I kicked it into high gear and WON! I also managed to lose 4.6 lbs in 2 weeks and got my eating back on track. The challenge finally helped me realize, yes, I am a mom but I am allowed to have my own time and can be healthy! I was finally able to fit working out and eating healthy into my busy schedule without sacrificing time with my son. 

With the help of various beachbody on demand programs, a 2 rounds of the 21 day fix, The Master's Hammer and Chisel and a daily dose of dense superfood nutrition in Shakeology, I was able to meet and exceed my weight loss goal!  I'm happy to report that since my first challenge in August 2015, I've lost a grand total of 65 lbs and weigh less than I did when I got pregnant with my son! I was so inspired by my first beachbody challenge group, it lead me to ultimately becoming a coach in hopes to inspire others along the way.  

If you're looking to start you're own health and fitness journey, I'd love to help you create your own before and after photos! Join my next fitness and accountability group! To start, simply fill out a challenge group application. "Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try."