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Health and Fitness

The Scale Is JUST Information

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There is exactly a month between these two photos and absolutely zero change in the scale. Yes, you read that right. I am the same weight in both. The scale may show no change, but my body says otherwise. .
I know it can be frustrating to step on that scale and see no change, but the scale is just ONE piece of information. Your body can be losing fat WHILE gaining muscle, which can lead to no change on the scale, but big changes in inches and body composition. One pound of muscle is so much more dense than a pound of fat, meaning they weigh the same, but muscle takes up less space!

So, before you go and throw in the towel on your fitness journey when the scale isn’t changing, be sure to take measurements, progress photos and try on your clothes to see how they fit. And always remember, no matter what your goal is – weight loss, toning, muscle building – nothing happens overnight. Give your body time to change.

I can’t wait for the day that I can come on here and shout to the world that I am back to my pre-baby weight, but in the meantime, I am celebrating all the other wins like lifting heavier weights, having my clothes fit better, my face slimming out and having the confidence to workout in a sports bra again!

Keep going. I am in the trenches with you. We GOT this!

And don’t forget, if you need help getting started, my New Year’s Bootcamp is open for enrollment!

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Main Dish

Pork Tacos w/ Pineapple Cucumber Salsa

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INGREDIENTS

  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil

  • 1 shallot, sliced

  • 1 clove garlic, minced

  • 1 jalapeno, chopped, ribs and seeds removed

  • 2 teaspoons fish sauce

  • 2 pounds of pork tenderloin, sliced into bite size pieces

  • 2 tablespoons stevia (I used Truvia)

  • 1 cup pineapple, chopped

  • 1 cup cucumber, chopped

  • 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

  • 1/2 cup red onion, chopped

  • 1 tablespoon lime juice

  • 1 teaspoon sea salt

  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise (I used vegan mayo)

  • 1 teaspoon sriracha

  • Tortillas

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a bowl, add chopped pork, shallot, garlic, jalapeno, fish sauce, stevia and 2 tablespoons of water. Allow pork to marinate for at least 30 minutes or even overnight.

  2. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat and add pork mixture. Cook for 5-6 minutes, or until pork is fully cooked through.

  3. While the pork is cooking, combine pineapple, cucumber, cilantro, red onion, lime juice and sea salt to a bowl and mix. Set aside.

  4. If you have a gas stove, you can char your tortillas otherwise you can warm them up in a skillet or microwave. I lightly spray mine with cooking spray and put over my gas burner, flipping often. They will catch fire, so please be present! Remove one they are charred to your liking!

  5. For the sauce, combine mayonnaise and sriracha in a bowl and add water until it reaches your desired thickness.

  6. To assemble, put pork mixture in each tortilla and top with pineapple cucumber salsa. Top with spicy mayonnaise sauce!

PORTION FIX EQUIVALENT: 2 corn tortillas, 3/4 cup of pork, 1/4 cup of salsa and 2 tsp of sauce counts as 1 yellow, 1 red and 2 teaspoons.

Adapted from: Pinch Of Yum

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Breakfast

Gluten Free Pumpkin Oat Bars

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These bars are perfect for breakfast! I love to have these with my coffee in the morning!

INGREDIENTS

  • 2.5 cups of gluten free oats

  • 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice

  • 1 teaspoon of cinnamon

  • ½ teaspoon of baking powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1 cup of almond milk

  • 3/4 cup of canned pumpkin

  • 1/4 cup of maple syrup

  • 1/2 cup of applesauce

  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

  • Optional: Swerve brown sugar

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and mix together.

  2. Allow mixture to sit for 30 minutes and begin preheating oven to 350 degrees.

  3. Pour mixture in a 7×11 pan and cook for 30-35 minutes. I sprinkled 2 tablespoons of Swerve brown sugar over the top and baked for another 2 minutes.

  4. Let cool and slice into 8 pieces.

I store mine in the freezer and take out one at a time to reheat in my air fryer. I love topping mine with peanut butter!

PORTION FIX EQUIVALENT: 1/8 of the recipe counts as 1 yellow and 1/2 purple

2B Mindset: FFC

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Main Dish

Dairy Free Spaghetti Squash Alfredo

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I recently had to give up dairy, eggs and soy for my little boy. I am already gluten free, so this was tough! I have been on the hunt for new recipes that taste GOOD and don’t make me feel like I am deprived! My family and I loved this recipe. Has a hint of sweetness and totally felt like rich, creamy, comfort food! This recipe is adapted from 40 Aprons.

INGREDIENTS

ALFREDO SAUCE:

  • 1 1/2 cups of raw cashews

  • 3/4 cup of unsweetened almond milk

  • 1 tsp of minced garlic

  • 2 tbsp of lemon juice

  • 2 tbsp of nutritional yeast

  • 1 1/2 tsp of salt

  • 1 tsp of dried basil

CHICKEN ALFREDO

  • 2 chicken breasts (I sprinkled with salt and pepper)

  • 1 tbsp of olive oil

  • 1 spaghetti squash

  • Fresh parsley, chopped

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

  2. Cut spaghetti squash in half and remove the seeds. I usually poke a few holes in mine and microwave for 4-5 minutes to make it easier to cut in half!

  3. Roast spaghetti squash in the oven for 40-45 minutes or until it easily pierces with a fork. Scoop out the inside of the squash and set aside.

  4. Meanwhile, add all dairy free alfredo sauce ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Set aside.

  5. Over medium high heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and then add the chicken breasts. Cook 8-9 minutes, or until no longer pink in the middle, flipping halfway through.

  6. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

  7. To assemble, heat alfredo sauce on the stove until it is hot and serve over spaghetti squash and chicken. Top with fresh parsley and enjoy!

PORTION FIX EQUIVALENT: 2 cups of spaghetti squash, 1 chicken breast and 1/3 cup of the alfredo sauce counts as 2 greens, 1 red and 1 blue.

2B MINDSET: Perfect meal for dinner!

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Uncategorized

Celebrate the Action, Not the Result

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I started my postpartum journey one week ago, with the approval of my OB. I started back with a lifting and HIIT program that is just four days a week, 30-40 minutes and can be done at home.

When starting any new program, it is always tempting to let instant gratification take over.

You know…workout and eat healthy for a couple days and then be looking in the mirror for your abs. LOL!

This right here is why I think so many people feel stuck on their journey. They don’t give their bodies a chance to change before they are ready to throw in the towel. I started my journey 7 years ago at 215 pounds and I didn’t gain that weight overnight. It was years of poor eating habits, lots of late night food binges and very little physical activity. It would have been foolish of me to think that weight would come off overnight.

Now, here I am 7 years later, postpartum with my third little boy and guess what – again, my body didn’t get this way overnight. It spent nine months as the home for my little boy and it is now his sole source of nourishment. My body is hanging onto an extra 20 pounds right now and it is going to take time for my body to change. One week of workouts and healthy eating isn’t going to do it.

I think it is so important to celebrate the ACTIONS we are taking, not just celebrating the RESULTS.

Celebrate the fact that you worked out 5 days this week. Or maybe the fact that you cooked dinner at home each night and skipped the drive thru. Whatever you are working on right now, celebrate all of those little wins. In the end, it is those little wins that compound over time to turn into BIG results.

I have full faith that my body will continue to change and I will drop these 20 pounds, but in the meantime, I am celebrating!

Celebrating that my body created this sweet, precious little boy of mine.

Celebrating that I got in all my workouts this week.

Celebrating that I found time to meal prep and eat at home all week.

One week down, the rest of my life to go – because for me, this isn’t a diet to lose the baby weight, it is a life long healthy lifestyle to be a strong and happy mama for not only my family, but ME too!

What are you celebrating this week?

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Health and Fitness

My One Constant

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I made the decision to get healthy 7 years ago. I was addicted to food, had tried every quick fix out there and finally was ready to change my life.

It hasn’t been easy though.

Over the last 7 years, I got married, had not one, not two, but three kids, I have had job changes, started a business of my own, gone on vacations and have grieved the loss of my brother.

Lots of ups and downs where I could have easily thrown in the towel.

One constant through it all as been coaching.

It has been my accountability and my support network.

I started with less than 500 followers on social media, weight to lose and didn’t know how in the world people would be inspired by little ole me. But I saw these women supporting one another, cheering each other on and getting healthy together.

And I knew I wanted in.

All these years later, the women that I inspired are now inspiring me and supporting me as I start my third postpartum journey. The same women who supported me every day after I lost my brother are the same women who are there for me everyday as I start my new journey as a mom of three. I met these women on social media and they have become some of my closest friends that I talk to everyday.

Getting healthy and showing up daily isn’t easy, especially when we have other people who depend on us for their every need. Why do it alone? Support and accountability has been huge for me.

You don’t have to be perfect to inspire others. No six packs or perfect social media accounts required. You just have to have a desire to get healthy and support others.

This right here is what it is all about.

If you are interested in learning more about joining me and inspiring others along the way, I would love to invite you to my upcoming webinar to share what I do to see if it is a good fit for you too!

Click here for more information!

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Health and Fitness

Postpartum Journey

This is me, nearly 5 weeks postpartum. I feel incredibly vulnerable sharing this. My body looks different than before, but I love it more than ever because it was the home to my three boys and is the body that is nourishing my littlest. With my OB’s permission, I will be starting light exercise this week and continuing with my meal plan.

Wanted to share a couple things on my mind:

1. I know there will be people telling me I need to not worry about my body or exercise because I just had a baby. Exercise for me is more about my mental health than the number on the scale. I love my body the way it is and I would gladly gain the weight over and over again to have my sweet boys in this world. For me, this is about mental health. I struggle with anxiety and exercise is what helps me.

2. Never compare your journey to someone on the internet. Every single postpartum body is different. Our bodies created a human life for 9 months. Our bodies deserve to be CELEBRATED, not compared. If you gained more than me, less than me, have stretch marks or have a different shape – that is OK!!! Every body and journey is different and they are ALL beautiful.

3. Taking care of my body is a form of self care for me. I am a better wife, mom, friend, sister and daughter when I take care of myself. I workout and eat healthy because I LOVE myself, not because I hate the way I look.

4. Everything I do along my journey has been approved by my doctor and her opinion is what matters. I will be starting with light weight lifting and modified low impact cardio, just four days a week for 20-30 minutes a day. I will also continue doing exercises to help strengthen my pelvic floor.

I am excited to start this next chapter of my journey and as always, share it all with you!

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Main Dish

Shrimp Tacos

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This recipe was a hit in our house! I adapted this from Pinch Of Yum. These are so easy to make too! I prepped everything on the weekend and then just cooked the shrimp each day. Took about 10 minutes to throw together each day!

INGREDIENTS

SAUCE:

  • 1/4 cup olive oil

  • 1/4 cup water

  • 1/2 cup green onions, chopped

  • 1/3 cup cilantro

  • 2 cloves garlic

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1 tablespoon lime juice

  • 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt

SHRIMP:

  • 2 teaspoons cumin

  • 2 teaspoons chili powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1 pound shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed, pat dry

ADDITIONAL FOR TACOS:

  • 4 cups shredded cabbage (I use a red/green cabbage mix)

  • 1 avocado

  • Cotija cheese (found with the refrigerated salsa usually!)

  • 8 corn tortillas (I sprayed lightly with cooking spray and toasted them on my gas stove to get them a little charred!)

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a blender, blend together all of the sauce ingredients and set aside.

  2. In a bowl, add shrimp and all the shrimp ingredients. Mix together until shrimp are coated.

  3. Heat large skillet over medium high heat. Spray with cooking spray or light drizzle of oil. Add shrimp to skillet and saute for 5-8 minutes, flipping halfway through. Set shrimp aside.

  4. Take the sauce mixture and toss with the cabbage.

  5. To assemble: take each tortilla and add 1 tablespoon of smashed avocado, then cabbage mixture, then shrimp and top with cotija cheese and a little extra sauce!

PORTION FIX EQUIVALENT: 2 tortillas, 10 shrimp, 2 tablespoons of avocado, 3 tablespoons cotija cheese, 1 cup of slaw is equal to 1 yellow, 1 red, 1 green, 1 orange and 1 blue!

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Breakfast

Fried Cinnamon Bananas

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INGREDIENTS

  • 1 banana, chopped in 1/2 inch slices

  • 2 tsp of raw honey

  • 1 tsp of cinnamon

  • Optional: 2 tsp of melted natural peanut butter or almond butter

DIRECTIONS

  1. Place small skillet over medium heat. Spray lightly with cooking spray and then add honey and cinnamon.

  2. Once honey mixture starts bubbling, add bananas. Allow them to cook 3-4 minutes per side. TIP: Depending on how ripe your bananas are, the more you mix them around, the more they may break down. Let them sit while cooking and then flip with a spatula and continue cooking.

  3. Remove from heat and add melted nut butter if you choose! TIP: I melt my nut butters in the microwave for 30 seconds so I can drizzle over the bananas.

PORTION FIX EQUIVALENT: 2 purples

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Breakfast

Maple Cinnamon Overnight Oats

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Let me first say, I am NOT an oatmeal fan. As I start my third postpartum journey, I am working hard to fuel my body properly AND maintain my milk supply – which I know oatmeal is supposed to help with! I have a friend who told me that I need to try overnight oats and I might like them! Goodness, she was right! This recipe totally hit the spot and I have been looking forward to it each morning!

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/4 cup of dry oats (I use gluten free oats)

  • 1/4 cup of unsweetened almond milk

  • 1/4 tsp of pure vanilla extract

  • 1/4 tsp of cinnamon

  • 1 tsp of pure maple syrup

  • 2 tsp of Truvia brown sugar

  • Optional: Since I am breastfeeding, I also add 1 tsp of brewers yeast to help with my supply!

DIRECTIONS

  1. Combine and mix all the ingredients in a glass jar and put in the fridge overnight.

  2. Enjoy in the morning! You can eat hot or cold! I love them cold!

PORTION FIX EQUIVALENT: 1 yellow, 1/2 teaspoon

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Main Dish

Pineapple Chicken Bowls

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My husband has been asking for pineapple chicken, so I decided to whip together this pineapple chicken bowl and he was raving about it! I prepped it on a Sunday night and it was great as leftovers throughout the week! I adapted this recipe from Chelsea’s Messy Apron.

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 chicken breasts

  • 1/4 cup olive oil

  • 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp lime juice

  • 2 tsp minced garlic

  • 2 tsp honey

  • 3 tsp cumin

  • 1 fresh pineapple, chopped into 1/2 inch cubes (discard core and outside)

  • 1 cup loosely packed cilantro, chopped

  • 1 jalapeno, chopped

  • 1/2 cup red onion, chopped

  • 1 large avocado, sliced

  • Salt and pepper

  • Brown rice (We love Trader Joe’s frozen organic brown rice!)

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a bowl or ziplock bag, combine chicken, olive oil, 1/4 cup of lime juice, garlic, honey, 2 1/2 tsp of cumin as well as salt and pepper to taste. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes, but no longer than 2-3 hours.

  2. Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine pineapple, cilantro, jalapeno, red onion, 2 tablespoons of lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon of cumin and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

  3. Once chicken is done marinating, preheat grill or pan to roughly 400 degrees F and be sure to spray with non-stick grill spray. Grill chicken for 4-6 minutes per side, or until no longer pink inside. Remove from heat.

  4. Slice chicken and serve over brown rice (or cauliflower rice!) and top with avocado and pineapple salsa!

PORTION FIX: One serving would be 1/2 cup of brown rice, 3/4 cup of chicken, 1/4 avocado and 1/2 cup of pineapple salsa. This would count at 1 red, 1 yellow, 1/2 purple, 1 blue and 1 teaspoon.

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Main Dish

Enchilada Stuffed Peppers

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INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups of shredded chicken (I used a Costco rotisserie chicken)

  • 3 medium bell peppers

  • 1 cup of enchilada sauce (I used Las Palmas)

  • 1 can diced green chiles

  • 1/2 cup frozen corn

  • 1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed

  • 1 teaspoon cumin

  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1 teaspoon chili powder

  • 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend

  • 1/4 cup water

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  2. Spray a large baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

  3. Slice the peppers in half and scoop out the seeds. Add 1/4 cup of water to the bottom of the baking dish and add the peppers.

  4. In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, enchilada sauce, green chiles, corn, black beans, cumin, garlic powder, salt, chili powder, and 1 cup of shredded cheese. Mix together well.

  5. Spoon the chicken mixture into the peppers evenly.

  6. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the foil, sprinkle remaining cup of cheese evenly on all the peppers and cook for another 15 minutes.

  7. Remove from oven and enjoy!

CONTAINER COUNTS: 1 pepper counts as 1/2 red, 1 green, 1 yellow and 1 blue!

Adapted from: Belle Of The Kitchen

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