Even though it isn't even Halloween, those mini candy bars are everywhere! And admit it, you have had one or two or six haha! I know, I know - me too! And now the skinny jeans are super tight and the sweaters are a little snug... Oh and all the yummy comfort food! Ready for a fresh start? And you probably don't want to eat salads all winter long, right? I gotcha! If you are like me, you want those warm filling comfort foods but not at the cost of my waist line!
I have cleaned up, modified, tasted and perfected some of my favorite fall dishes - and I want to share them with you! Along with these recipes you will get clean eating, budget and meal planning tips and tricks!
Sound good? Perfect, I am hosting a 5 day Clean Eating after Halloween Group with a focus on your favorite fall dishes! Soups, desserts, game day appetizers, and crockpot meals! Budget and family friendly meals and tips! This group is a closed group on Facebook and I would love to have you be a part of it!
Want in?
Create a free (yes, I promise it is completely free) beachbody account under me! HERE!!!
Finally, send me a friend request on Facebook (we have to be friends for me to add you in!) and a picture or screen shot of proof that you voted in a PM and you are in!
This is the story, I told myself that I would never tell. Until I realized, it wasn’t just my story - this is the story of millions of women and moms; and this is just my version.
My daughter Kate was born in late January of 2014. She was my miracle baby, the baby we hoped for for over a year. So when I had her, I expected to feel this deep connection, because I had longed for her all that time. But I didn’t have it. My friends would come and visit and say “I told you that you could love another baby like your first” and I would fake smile and nod, immediately sensing that something was wrong. Kate’s birth turned our world upside down. My 3.5 year old, Aubrey regressed - potty accidents, up all night, anger issues at school and behavior issues at home. Kate was difficult to nurse, resulting me having to take several rounds of antibiotics which she did not tolerate well. She stopped gaining weight, and ultimately I had to make the decision to stop nursing her. I felt like a failure. I would look in the mirror and say “what did I do?” and “I can’t do this.” Postpartum depression is a lonely, guilty place to be, I felt like I should be happy and I wanted to be - but I wasn’t.
I was never one to ask for help, so I just continued to go through the motions. But I started to feel myself spiraling out of control - isolating, having anxiety attacks, not sleeping… I felt like my skin was crawling. After many weeks of sleepless nights due to anxiety, I went into my medicine basket, looking for benadryl to help me sleep when I stumbled upon the prescription narcotic pain reliever I was given after birth but never took. Being a nurse, I knew they would help me sleep. So I popped a few, and slept amazingly. The next day, I felt a little better - so I popped a few more at night. And I did this night after night…. I was talking to my friend, and I told her about my situation and that i was so relieved to be finally sleeping thanks to my little secret. My friend, Deb said “you know this isn’t normal. promise me you will get help.” Her words really spoke to me, and I decided I needed to see my PCP.
I went to my doctor and we discussed the anxiety, depression and he never brought up my weight. But I could see on my chart that my BMI was 33. I was disguisted. I told him I felt like I needed to lose weight and that it would really help. He turned to me and said, “well good luck - you are not a spring chicken anymore and you have hypothroidism.” I was devistated - not even my dr believed in me! I left there feeling helpless and alone. I was the girl who seemed unbreakable but I was broken. Everyone thought I was super mom with this perfect life, but every ounce of me was hurting.
The moment that changed everything… Aubrey was at preschool and I needed a dress for an upcoming event. In the dressing room, there was an angled full length mirror and while I was undressing I caught a glimpse of myself. All I could think is, “this can’t be” - I broke down and with tears streaming down my face, I studied my body… the stretch marks, the dark circles, the cellulite, double chin… and I said “you are disgusting, ugly and fat. I hate you” and I continued to sob. I ended up waking Kate up, who was in her car seat. In the refelction of the mirror I could see her playing with her car seat toys and cooing. My flood of emotion quickly changed to anxiety - I realized I was killing myself in front of them. They were watching me self hate, self destruct and destroy myself every day. How could I teach them to be confident, vibrant, independent, happy girls when I couldn’t be? Finally, my Ah-Ha moment - I needed a hero, and I was going to be that hero.
I collected myself, the whole way home I thought about how I would do this. Couldn’t go to a gym, too much time, no babysitter. Couldn’t run, lets face it Pittsburgh weather combined with two young kids - it would never last.
My husband, got me in contact with my coach, Deidra. With knowing very little about the program, I went with T25 - because I could do anything for 25 minutes! But honestly when I got the price of the challenge pack - I quickly backed out… but i thought about it constantly, until one day I thought “screw it, im not going to let 200$ get in the way of changing my life.” So I stole my husbands credit card and joined my first challenge.
And so it began, I cried every workout because I knew how hard it was going to be. But I did it with the mindset that each day I would eat cleaner, modify less and push harder. I embraced my challenge group and shakeology. And as I invested in my wellness the weight, anxiety, and depression all started melting away. And as I shared my journey, I accidently fell into coaching. When I realized how many women probably felt like me, I continued my journey but now with a new motivation of helping others along the way and being accountable to them.
It wasn’t always easy, but it was a way of life. As I looked in the mirror, I no longer felt ugly and disguisted - I started to feel proud and honored. After losing 30 pounds in 60 days with T25, I went on to do the 21 Day Fix, insanity max 30, a little more T25 and the 21 Day Fix extreme with a sprinkle of turbo fire, piyo and pump.
Today, I am 8 pounds lighter than the day I got married and went from having a BMI of 33 to a BMI of 21! Which is pretty cool. But what is the best part of this whole journey is that my girls got their mom back and the role model they deserve. I went from taking 13 pills a day to just one. And my thyroid medication has not needed adjusted since I started this journey. I have been anti-anxiety and depression med free for 10 months. So yes, I lost 75 pounds and that is great but regaining my life is priceless and unbelievable. Without a doubt this journey changed the future of these girls and because of that, I am forever thankful.
So now I feel this is my mission to turn my mess into my message - all of the pain has brought me to this pivotal moment and a new passion to share my story - to inspire women that there is no situation that is too hopeless... my dream is to have a larger platform to inspire change and with the Beachbody Challenge, I have it! But I need your help to get me to LA to tell my story, I need your votes! From Monday October 26th to Monday November 2nd at 11:59 PT you can vote once in 24 hours! All you need to do is create a free account (HERE!) and then vote (HERE! for Erin T.) - please email me and let me know that you voted so I can personally thank you and offer you a spot in my 5 Day Free Clean Eating group to thank you for your support!
I have been on my fitness and weight loss journey for quite some time, and I'm not always perfect - who is? ;) So every now and then I need a little jump start to get me back in the game... I have done the Shakeology Cleanse several times and it has helped me get over a weight loss plateau, decrease cravings and help me get a great restart when I feel my nutrition slipping! I highly recommend this cleanse because although low in calories, it still has adequate nutrition to help your body stay full and focused!
So... How do I do it?
It is pretty simple - I pretty much make each day the same, but I switch up the fruit! It is very easy to
prepare for, I spend a little time the night before cutting everything up for a salad and grilling chicken - and ummmm, yeah that is it! So you follow this meal plan for 3 days:
Can I workout?
Yep, I just keep it light - pilates, yoga, 10 min abs, a walk with a few jogs intervals.
Results...
So I will be honest, prior to doing this cleanse, I was having more and more cheat meals that
were getting closer and closer together and I was having a hard time with portion control. I was working out and not seeing results - and I knew my problem was at the end of my fork... I was bloated and tired.
I felt really great the whole cleanse, and I caught myself almost eating the last few bites off my girl's plates, or a handful of their cereal - and I realized how much I was probably eating without even thinking about it.. so this was a great reminder and mindset change.
I am very pleased with my physical change, and I lost 4 pounds on the nose!
Super Saturday is a quarterly event where we, as coaches celebrate success and learn about what is coming up next and how to prepare for it. The last 2 Super Saturdays, I spent in Pittsburgh - but this time the girls and I road tripped to Chambersburg, PA to support my coach, Deidra, hosting her very first Super Saturday event!
I love Super Saturdays, learn about new products, training tips, motivation, inspiring stories and best
yet meeting and socializing with the only people who know exactly how you feel - they understand the struggles and triumphs. This Super Saturday was very special, because not only was it the first ever in Chambersburg, but I was speaking - not just once, but twice! Public speaking, not really my thing and I thought about saying no a million times... I could come up with a million excuses, but how could I use my life to inspire others if I let fear get in the way? I practiced, and practiced - but I couldn't do it - I never made it through once without breaking down... one day, I put the note cards away and gave it to God...
This was the first Super Saturday event for my girls as well, and although it wasn't an ideal situation, they had a blast - they are my why, they are part of my journey and they are a reason to keep pushing forward... I hope one day they will be inspired by what I overcame to be present in their lives and the best mom I could be to them...
Kate on stage, and Aubrey asking to use the bathroom
while I spoke - gotta love Mom Life!
I shared my transformation story, for the first time - uncensored... I spoke about my struggles with
postpartum depression, hypothyroidism, confidence and finally how I lost 75 pounds.... I received a lot of feedback, and appreciation for sharing my story - and I am working on a little project to finally share my struggles publicly, which I will share with everyone some day soon! It is uncomfortable to talk about, but I know this is my purpose.. to spread awareness and hope - to inspire change....
I also had to the opportunity to do a training piece on Shakeology.. I am passionate about nutritional therapy and the power of food... I shared my love of Shakeology, why it is important for your health and business - more trainings to come!
We followed up with a live Cize workout, with the fabulous Alisha Smith as our instructor! The girls and I danced our hearts out!
Blessed to have this opportunity that understands that we regular people - just a couple of moms, who decided to go for it
Clean Snacks
Shakeology Bar - of course!
My coach, Trisha and I - great to see her!
We joined the team for a little hibachi (so fun, it was the girls first time and they loved it - not the food but the experience!). After lunch, we let our Beachbody babies have some fun swimming and bonding while we did some girl talk and masterminding....
The bond that we have as coaches and friends is undeniable - we are family... we push each other, support each other, learn from each other, love each other... I feel blessed to have taken this leap of faith, which seemed crazy and impossible at the time.. if you are someone who is ready to make a change in your life and build a business based on helping others, then please fill out my application for an exclusive spot in my next new coach training group for the best start to your business!
Got some giggles out of my big girl with this one! I am currently doing the 3 Day Shakeology Cleanse, so I am keeping my workouts on the lighter sided (yoga, pilates, abs) but I miss my weights!
So I will use my little cuties for my weights today!
I think I say this before every challenge group, but I just can't help it - so here it is ;) I AM JUST SO DARN EXCITED FOR THIS GROUP! Okay, now I will explain why lol! So, as I continue my own fitness journey I have been doing a little of this and a little of that - but for this challenge (in preparation for December's launch of Hammer and Chisel) I will be doing the 21 Day Fix Extreme with the Countdown to Competition Meal Plan - and I am hoping you will join me! Nothing like having a little bit of accountability!
My 30 day groups are very successful, on average women lose 10 pounds in 30 days - which is the ideal rate of consistent, and long lasting weight loss!
^^^Seriously, how awesome are all of those? These are my challengers first 7 day stats from my Back to School Challenge Group! ^^^
What I do to help coach YOU!
I help you pick the ideal program for YOU
We work in a group with like minded women and one on one
Meal planning assistance
Budget and Family friendly recipes
Daily motivation, accountability, and tips
I will help you change your perception of food and nutrition
Extra squat and boo-tay workout schedule!
Provide you with dense super food meal replacement shake (Shakeology)
My favorite thing about my challenge groups is that 95% of my challengers come back and do challenge group after challenge group! Which is good news for my newer challengers because not only do you get my experience and expertise, but you get their support and advice as well! Awesome and motivating environment for everyone!
So how do you get in? Fill out this application, and I will respond in 24 hours! First to commit, first to get a spot! Hope to see you there!
I consider myself a women's health care advocate, so it is very natural for me to talk about Breast Cancer Awareness this October. With one in eight women having a breast cancer diagnosis at some point in their life, it is a huge women's health topic. Early detection and treatment are the key to survival, making awareness top priority!
1. Know your risk
Talk to both sides of your family to learn about your family health history
Talk to a health care provider about your risk of breast cancer
2. Get screened
Talk with a health care provider about which screening tests are right for you if you are at higher risk
Have a mammogram every year starting at age 40 if you are at average risk
Have a clinical breast exam at least every 3 years starting at age 20, and every year starting at age 40
3. Know what is normal for you and see a health care provider if you notice any of these breast changes:
Lump, hard knot or thickening inside the breast or underarm area
Swelling, warmth, redness or darkening of the breast
Change in the size or shape of the breast
Dimpling or puckering of the skin
Itchy, scaly sore or rash on the nipple
Pulling in of your nipple or other parts of the breast
I love doing the 21 Day Fix Meal Plan because I feel like it is perfect for my Type A personality - I know what to eat and exactly how much to eat of it - it is straight forward and to the point... But what I didn't like was the amount of money I found myself spending when I did week 1! I am a budget savoy momma and spending that much money on groceries just isn't my thing! So each week I set a goal to save more and more! Now today, after months of following this meal plan, I think I have it figured out!
Keep a Food Journal:
One thing that took me a little bit of time to learn was which meals would keep me full and satisfied and where to put them in my meal plan. For example, I used to always put my Shakeology for breakfast, but then I struggled with cravings and busy schedule at lunch time. So I moved my Shakeology to lunch and I have noticed a huge improvement!
My days all look the same with the exception of dinner, and the reason I do this is because I know exactly what I need when I go to the grocery story. Keep a food journal, remember what kept you full, when you were hungry and if you bought too much or not enough of something. Then tweek your list each time!
Feeding a family of 4 (and yes, this included paper products and those lovely fresh flowers!) for 2 weeks on 150$ budget takes practice. I had to learn what worked, where to buy, and how much we really needed for 2 weeks! Typically now I shop weekly because I love farmer markets, but in the winter I will go back to every 2 weeks. You will see that the first week I eat a lot of fresh foods, and the second weeks more frozen or fruits and veggies with a longer shelf life like apples and carrots!
The Beauty is in Simplicity:
When meal planning, I try to keep things as simple as possible. If I had to cook or prepare 3-5 meals a day, I would never stick with it. So my meal plans are simple, but that is what works for me. Once I changed my state of mind about food and looked at it more as a way to fuel my body, the repetition became less of an issue for me. 21 Day Fix approved foods that are very budget friendly are potatoes, brown rice, broccoli, apples, bananas and carrots
Meal Plan:
I usually meal plan on Sundays with the ads. I don't coupon, because most of the foods I buy don't usually have coupons! If strawberries are on sale, then they are my fruit of the week - simple as that! I will see what meats, fresh produce and paper products are on sale and generate my meal plan and shopping list from that. I cut out most processed snacks for my girls - there are a waste of money and calories... they didn't even notice and are happy to trade it for sweet fruit and yogurt!
Don't buy anything that isn't on your list:
Not much to explain here, don't do it! It is a trap... leave the kiddos at home if you can as well!
Frozen and Generic are A-Okay!
When I am planning out my meals, I start with dinner. Figure out what ingredients I need and write a list. I then use the leftover ingredients from dinner to use for snacks during the week. For example, if I have chicken tacos - I am using peppers. So I will have peppers for a snack! Also remember that frozen is OKAY! Frozen, especially in the winter months is a great alternative to fresh! These are often cheaper, and obviously have a long shelf life - so the risk of wasting food is decreased!
Figure out and experiment with what generic foods you are willing to substitute. I can buy generic bread, rice, noodles - but don't mess with my peanut butter or greek yogurt ;) I also buy what I use a lot of in bulk.... Skip the tiny containers of yogurt and buy a larger container to scoop out of, simple way to save some cash!
For additional support and money saving tips, grab a spot in my upcoming challenge group by completing the application below!
Want in? 
