Rainy day, and ready for some fall comfort food - but not ready for the 'comfort food' pounds... so I decided I would start experimenting with my family favorite comfort foods and making them healthy or at least healthier! First on our list, clean Beef Stroganoff - simple modifications made this just as tasty and a lot fewer calories!
What you need:
1.5 pounds of beef tips (I cut off any additional fat)
1/4-1/3 cup whole wheat flour
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Large yellow onion, cubed
8oz sliced mushrooms
2/3 cups of water
1 cup plain greek yogurt
salt/pepper
egg noodles (ccoked as per package instructions)
What you need to do:
In a large skillet, heat up EVOO (just enough to coat the pan)
Toss beef tips in whole wheat flour until evenly coated. (discard extra flour)
Add beef tips to skillet.
Evenly brown.
Place browned beef tips in a large pot.
In the same skillet, re-oil and heat.
Cook and lightly brown onion and mushroom.
Add onions and mushrooms to large pot with the beef.
So how cool is this - my company is putting up a minium of 1 million dollars (yes, 1 million - like
1,000,000$) to help keep people motivated and accountable! Let's face it - losing weight, staying motivated - it's hard.... but nothing like a little cash to help keep you motivated, right?
For the month of September I want you to reach your goals, feel better, healthier and happier and get paid to do it? Not a joke, not a scheme, no catch, and no you don't have to be 'the biggest loser' to win - you just have to participate! And get a cut of 1-3 million dollars for doing so!
All the great qualities of my other challenge groups - daily motivation, tips, support, weekly meal planning assistance, and recipes - only thing that is different is you will get paid to be accountable... New and old challengers are welcome! Let's make September the month that we get started, break that platuea, or keep reaching our goals!
Here are the rules....
Ready to join?
Just fill out the application below and I will get back to you within 24 hours!
With Country Heat, Autumn Calabrese brings fitness and fun together in one exciting country dance-inspired workout that's simple,
effective, and such a blast, you'll be dancing off the pounds before you know it. I sampled a workout, and it is a lot of fun (which means a lot coming from a non-dancer, non-country fan like myself). But like me, you might have a lot of questions - and hopefully this can answer a few of your questions and help you see if this new program is right for you.
If you are interested, I do have an upcoming VIP Test Group that will launch August 8th - hope to see you there (application at the end of this post)
What is Country Heat?
Super Trainer and professionally trained dancer Autumn Calabrese brings you a high-energy, low-impact, country dance inspired
workout that's so simple anyone can do it, and so much fun you'll barely notice you're dropping pounds while getting
a great total-body workout.
An easy-to-follow, 30-day fitness program that combines 5 high-energy, cardio-based dance workouts, 1 dance conditioning
workout, and the portion-control Eating Plan to maximize weight loss and achieve a toned, tightened body in just 30 minutes
a day.
All Country Heat songs are set to the hottest country music, with songs that you've probably heard on the radio. Not only did
Autumn pick these songs for their popularity, she specifically matched her moves to the faster and slower beats to create the
perfect interval training within each routine. The result? A fired-up metabolism that burns maximum calories and fat!
Who is the target audience?
Anyone of any size, age, and fitness level who wants to start a fitness program.
Those who have tried and failed at complicated diet/exercise programs.
People who want to lose weight and are looking for results in 30 days.
People who like Zumba workouts.
People who like country music.
People who generally don't like to exercise or who want a lifestyle change, but aren't sure where to begin.
People who like to dance but are intimidated by complicated choreography they have to memorize.
Any 21 Day Fix customer who wants to continue to lose weight with a low-impact cardio program.
Fans of Autumn Calabrese and other Beachbody dance workouts like CIZE and Hip Hop Abs.
What are the unique benefits?
It's a fun, easy-to-follow dance workout that ANYONE can do—in just 30 minutes a day! You'll have so much fun dancing to
the hottest country hits you'll barely notice you're dropping pounds and getting a great total-body workout.
The program includes 5 cardio-based dance workouts and 1 Dance Conditioning workout that will burn major calories and
shape, tone, and tighten your entire body—in just 30 days.
Diets don't work when you feel deprived! So Autumn is including her foolproof, portion-control containers to help you lose
weight while still enjoying your favorite foods. No calorie counting, special foods, or eating at home all the time.
Autumn's easy-to-use Eating Plan shows you how to use your portion-control containers to create easy, delicious recipes—
with foods you love—in just the right portions to reach your weight-loss goals.
What’s included?
6 workouts on 3 DVDs
5 Dance Workouts, each with a step-by-step breakdown of all the moves
1 Dance Conditioning Workout
A set of 7 color-coded, portion-control containers and a Shakeology® shaker cup to help you keep your
nutrition on track and your weight-loss goals in check.
Country Heat Eating Plan provides a wide range of simple-to-make recipes and shows you how to portion out your meals to
help you achieve safe, sustainable weight loss. And we included new Country Heat Healthy Comfort Food recipes.
Quickstart Guide gives you an easy 3-step way to get started and get dancing.
30-Day Calendar shows you exactly which workout to do from Day One to Day 30.
Bonus workout DVD - exclusive from ME
So what do you think??? Who is ready to dance those inches away, while having fun to great music?
I got the call that I dreamt about 2 years ago... The call that put me one step closer to my big scary goal - the call came when I was making dinner on Thursday evening... A call from Beachbody, "Hi this is Author from the Beachbody Challenge and I have some exciting news for you..."
The rest is kinda a blur... Out of hundreds of thousands of submissions, my transformation - more importantly my story - was chosen to be one of four, yes FOUR as a finalist in the Ultimate Health Challenge.
The Ultimate Health Challenge isn't about the weight lost, it is about the HEALTH, the LIFE restored. They recognized my transformation physically but also saw the bigger picture. This is why I love Beachbody, it isn't about a before and after picture for them - it is about the lives changed.... I went from a mom dealing with anxiety, postpartum depression, and uncontrolled hypothyroidism taking 13 pills a day to a mom that is full of life and happiness and down to 1 pill a day. A mom that was desperate to find happiness and confidence so she could be an example to her young daughters. A mom that found herself under the weight of obesity and depression.
In the heart of my transformation, it quickly became my passion to share my story, my struggle and my mission. And I vividly remember saying to my coach, I want to win the Ultimate Health Challenge - I want to be on stage, I want to use this platform to inspire change ((which was a huge statement for this introvert to say)).
I stayed silent about my goal, but not about my mission. My mission to show moms that self love is not selfish, that healthy habits start at home, that it doesn't have to cost a fortune, and that we have the power to instill lifelong confidence ((but we ourselves have to have it and own it)). My mission to help raise awareness and support for new moms and the real threats of postpartum depression and anxiety.
I want to thank you all for your support, and for your continued support. If you would like to vote and help me reach my goal, voting will open up Monday at 12PT and you can vote once every 24 hours. Screen shot proof that you voted for me and email it to me (or send me a facebook message) to be entered in for daily prizes! Thank you again!
Let's make a splash this summer - a splash into health, a splash into confidence, a splash into fitness... And yes, I realize summer is right around the corner - which is why I have the perfect idea for you!
How about 21 days to lose up to 15 pounds? Ready to get into that summer wardrobe? Let's do this, together! Whether you are ready to recommit to the 21 Day Fix, interested in taking it up a notch with the 21 Day Fix Extreme, or are just getting started - this group will be perfect for you!
Yes, working out is important but in this group we are really going to focus on helping you dial in your nutrition and create healthy lifelong habits - not a quick fix.
The 21 Day Fix or Fix Extreme are complete systems - workouts, nutrition and support. The workouts
are 30 minutes and range from yoga to weights to cardio. And work every inch of your body - including a bonus 10 minute ab workout! Each system also includes the infamous color coded containers and nutrition guide - which takes the guess work out of the equation.
This month, I will also be including a bonus workout and 30 day access to Beachbody on Demand! Myself and so many others have found success in this program. Honestly, it changed the way I looked at food.
My 28 Day Group (I say 28 days because for 7 days I will be teaching you how to use the 21 day fix system) will kick off June 20th. I am accepting 10 new applicants into this group - I am looking for motivated women who are ready to drop excuses and find results. Apply below for 28 days of knowledge, support, recipes, meal planning, fitness and results!
Just another Wednesday evening, I was dancing like a fool in my bathroom while drying my hair - getting ready for another long 12 hour night shift. When something in the mirror cause my eye. It looked like a hanging scab on the lower part of my shoulder blade. Without even thinking, I pulled what I thought to be a scab off, only to realize it was a tick... my heart sunk...
Thinking back I did have a few symptoms, but like most moms (and nurses) I brushed it off - joint pain (well my mattress is 9 years old), fatigue (well I have 2 small kids and work night shift), chills (I must be coming down with a cold) - but in the moment I pulled the tick out, I just kinda knew - it all came together....
I went to my doctor where they promptly removed the remainder of the tick, and noticed by then I was febrile and had swollen lymph nodes. The tick was sent for testing, as was I and antibiotic therapy was initiated - if you know me, I am anti-antibiotics, but with Lyme and the risks associated with long-term or post-treatment Lyme, I was not about to refuse.
The tick, not to my surprise came back positive for Lyme, which prolonged my antibiotic therapy. Between the symptoms associated with Lyme's Disease and the side effect of the antibiotics, I felt miserable - nausea, vomiting, fever, chills, sensitivity to the sun, joint pain and stiffness, fatigue but the scariest of all was the numbness in my finger tips. I did my best to deal with it - I kept hydrated, drank my Shakeology so I knew I was fueling my body correctly at least once a day, and exchanged my high impact, high intensity workouts for yoga. And I started to fall in love with it! Especially yoga in the sun - the vitamin D and warmth from the sun really helped relax my stiff joints.
My little yoga lover!
I have completed my medications and I am ready to start getting back to my 'old' lifestyle. I can feel that I have lost strength and stamina. I know there will be modifications, and cursing lol, but hey - I love being the underdog and beating the odds is kinda my thing...
With summer approaching, I kept thinking about how I would keep water cold without spending a million dollars on water bottles at the park. Plus who wants all that waste?
But seriously, every water bottle I ever purchased has been an disappointment in one way or another - leaked, sweat, didn't keep my water cold, made my water taste funny, and on and on.
I recently heard of S'well water bottles, and I wondered if they were really worth their price tag. As far as water bottles go, they are pricey. They claim to keep cold beverages cold for 24 hours, don't sweat or leak. Pretty much sounded perfect to me!
So I had to test it out - I purchased the 1 Liter size, in hopes that it would work well for a day at the park with the girls.
I filled my new water bottle up with cold water and tossed it in my hot car, in the sun for 10 hours. I came back to it - water was still cold, still had ice. No sweat on the outside and water still tasted great.
Then I dropped it down the steps - no leaks.
In my opinion this bottle was worth the price tag - I actually ordered them for the girls. Oh, and I forgot to tell you - there are tons of patterns, colors and even textures! This bottle has this fit mom's seal of approval!
What you need:
