The Perfect Patriotic Dessert!

Ready for a dessert recipe that doesn't demolish all your hard work that you put in with your clean eating and exercise habits? One that everyone else at the BBQ will love too? Then, THIS is your recipe and the best part is... others won't even know it a 'heathy' version. 

Personally, I think this is SUCH a great recipe for Summertime because it is light, fluffy and refreshing! It is also filled with a lot of taste and minimal guilt! I've been making it for years now, and it is actually inspired by two recipes: one from a recipe on SkinnyMom.com and the other a recipe from a friend's mom. 

WARNING: you will want to eat numerous servings, so mentally prepare yourself for portion control and one serving if you aren't going on an all out splurge! 

Red, White, & Blue Triple Layer Trifle

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Makes 12 Servings

Ingredients

•   4 oz box Jell-O® Vanilla Fat Free/Sugar Free Pudding Dessert

•   1½ cups skim milk

•   1 pint fresh blueberries

•   1 pint fresh strawberries

•   2 bananas

•   8 oz container Cool Whip® Free Whipped Topping

•   1 light prepared angel food cake

Instructions

1.         Wash and drain blueberries and strawberries. Slice strawberries into small slices. Slice bananas into round slices.

2.         In a small bowl, mix Jell-O® Vanilla Fat Free/Sugar Free Pudding with 1½ cups   skim milk.

3.         Using a whisk, whisk together for 2 minutes until pudding starts to thicken.

4.         Slice/tear up prepared angel food cake into small cubes.

5.         Using a trifle dish or large bowl, layer ⅓ angel food cake cubes in the bottom of  dish.

6.         With a spatula add a layer of the Jell-O® pudding on top of the angel cake cubes. 

7.         Top pudding with a layer of sliced banana rounds.

8.         With a spatula add a thin layer of the Cool Whip® Free topping to cover the bananas and pudding.

9.         Top the Cool Whip® with a layer of sliced strawberries and blueberries (as show in the picture).

10.       Repeat all layers twice (steps 5-9), finishing with Cool Whip® Free topping and sliced strawberries and blueberries on top.

11.       Let set in refrigerator until serving.

Note ::: I most often use Vanilla Jell-O® pudding, but have also tried Cheesecake and Banana Cream flavors. Cheesecake was absolutely delicious in this dessert! If you love banana, I would recommend the Banana Cream as well! Whatever flavor you choose, just make sure the box is blue and the label says sugar-free and fat-free. Also, I will often buy 2 containers of Cool Whip® Free topping just in case I need it (depending on the surface area of the bowl I am using).

Measuring Fitness Progress - What To Use

So a topic people ask me about quite frequently has to do with what I recommend to use to measure fitness progress? The SCALE or measuring TAPE? 

As a general rule of thumb, I tell my Challengers and customers that I coach to use both, but to track their progress based on measurements and pictures. Muscle weighs more than fat, and if you are building muscle while losing fat, your scale may not change as much as some would “expect” it to and then they find that very discouraging.

Also, your weight can fluctuate up to FIVE pounds (yes, five!) in any given day, depending on exercise, how you sweat, the amount of H20 you drink and what you eat. So taking some key measurements - hip, waist, arm, thigh (whether you are trying to lose weight or not) - once a month is a better way to track where you are at and stay motivated. If you can’t resist hopping on the scale (you know who you are!), ONCE A WEEK is more than enough to gauge progress without driving yourself crazy! 

For those of you who CAN’T resist stepping on the scale more often, I recommend getting rid of it. If you are thinking, “Is she serious?” Yes, I am. Take the scale and throw it out, “lend” it to a friend or neighbor, or have your significant other “put it away.” That number is powerful and will mess with your mind AND in turn your progress!!! 

So how do you measure? With how you FEEL and what you LOOK like! 

5 WAYS TO MEASURE SUCCESS WITHOUT THE SCALE: 

1. MEASURING TAPE

When doing your measurements with a tape measure PLEASE use reference points!!! I provide basic reference points for all my challengers to use when they measure. I can honestly tell you when they send me follow-up measurements I can tell who used them and who didn’t, especially when I look at their pictures. Think about it - kind of a no-brainer - you need to measure at the same places each time. Guessing “the middle of your thigh” each time is not going to cut it for your thigh measurement, so instead try measuring down 6 inches from your inseam, keep your heels on the floor, and have someone else take the measurement. 

2. PROGRESS PICTURES 

Pictures are great as well as I mentioned above, but guess what? There is a technique to taking them too, so you can accurately see changes. Check out a few below:

Basic Guidelines for Taking Pictures 

• Same time of day 
• Wearing same clothes
• Standing under same lighting 
• Don’t suck in or hold your breath - breathe naturally 

3. NON-STRECHY JEANS

Find a pair of NON-STRECHY jeans or pants. Stretchy clothes 'give' so they won’t be an accurate gauge to your body’s changes as quickly as a pair of stiff denim will. Another thing you may notice as you lose weight is that getting your strut on in stilettos becomes easier and smoother! 

4. LISTEN 

When people say things like, “You look great,” “have you lost weight?” or “Wow! Something looks different about you!” kindly ACCEPT the compliments and be proud!!! Your progress is progress and YOU are awesome! 

FYI: You are also starting to inspire others if you haven’t already whether you know it or not! 

5. ENERGY LEVELS 

Be mindful of your energy levels. As you get closer to your fitness goals you will feel lighter on feet and be more motivated to do activities you love, which include things that involve being 'active.' 

If you can’t resist the SCALE:

Keep the variables as consistent as possible. 

• weigh yourself at the same time 
• on the same scale
• wearing the same clothes 
• after you empty your bladder
• no more than once a week

Please comment below if you wish - I would love to know what people are using and/or prefer. Many will throw this debate around like a hot potato, but in the end I feel you figure out over time what works best FOR YOU and ultimately it is personal preference. Most importantly, just remember the bottom line is the scale IS just a number, and it by NO means determines your INNER beauty or your worth! 

Avocado Chicken Salad

This Avocado Chicken Salad with my "staple" shredded chicken I make every week is Ahhh-MAZING! It is full of FLAVOR and you probably wouldn't know it was CLEAN EATING unless you knew what was in it! I often prefer to enjoy it on toasted Ezekiel bread, but you could pair it with a wrap, crackers, raw veggies, or even alone. Yum!

AVOCADO CHICKEN SALAD

Ingredients:
2 cups shredded chicken
1 avocado
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tsp lime juice
1 tsp fresh cilantro
1/2 cup plain fat-free Greek Yogurt

Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20-30 minutes to let all those yummy flavors blend together.
3. Serve on your favorite bread, crackers, pita pocket or on a bed of lettuce.

Note: the original recipe before I added my modifications gave an OPTION of 1/4 cup of mayo and 1/4 cup plain FF greek yogurt OR the 1/2 cup plain FF greek yogurt. I chose the 1/2 cup of plain FF greek yogurt and the flavor was definitely there! Also, feel free to add another cup of chicken (for a total of 3) if the consistency of the salad is too runny for you.

* makes 4 servings (based on using 2 cups of chicken)*

My Meal Prep Basics for Beginners!

Megan’s Meal Prep Basics for Beginners

1) Do what works for YOU!  

Some people prefer to shop and prep all in one day for a week, while others prefer to the prep the night before for the next day! Do what works for you, not for someone else. 

I actually plan ahead keeping track of what I need on my grocery list during the week, and order my groceries online and pick them up from the store over the weekend. <— No, I am not lazy, but when you have a toddler it is well WORTH the $4.95 (and the first time where I live it is FREE - yippee)! You will understand why this is such a blessing to have as an option when you have children, and if you haven’t tried it out (kids or not) I highly recommend you do! I also try to hit up Trader Joe’s at LEAST every other week. I have some goodies my daughter and I love from there, and their produce is very reasonably priced (as well as great quality) compared to the major supermarket! 

I am a big fan of the KEEP IT SIMPLE approach. I use a couple recipes regularly, but keep things pretty basic week to week. I typically try one new recipes per week for my clients (and D, of course!) so I can share new and tasty things with them. BUT me personally, I am a BIG FAN of cook once, eat 2-3x approach! I try to overlap ingredients. I religiously DO prepare certain things EVERY week and they are the following: shredded chicken in my crockpot, hard-boiled eggs, whole wheat noodles, fresh fruit and vegetables washed, cut, and ready-to-eat (or bake in regard to the sweet potato)! 

I prep on Sundays during D's nap time and at night, as well as on Wednesday nights. Make sure you think ahead and set aside some time (a couple hours) depending how much you are going to prepare. Remember, if you are prepping for a week, it is going to take more than 20 minutes! 

2) Start small. 

Don’t overwhelm yourself! Start out prepping just one series of meals. As you get the hang of it, you will develop habits and systems with what you are doing, and before you know it your meal prepping will become like second nature! 

I am a creature of habit, so I eat A LOT of the same things during the week. Chicken, sweet potato, and broccoli are an example of a great, simple clean eating meal to start with. Cook and portion into tupperware containers, store in the fridge, heat in the microwave 1-2 minutes, and voila - food is served! Some other SIMPLE things you could start prep with would be salad fixings and breakfast egg muffins for the week, or a slow cooker meal (eat 1/2 and freeze 1/2) and a chicken salad (lunch for work). 

3) Cook in bulk. 

Cook a bunch of "foods" at once for those of you who want to just get right down to it. 

Protein: plan to grill or use the oven, prepare some chicken, lean flank steak, and fish in foil packets so you can cook together or at least simultaneously (depending which method you use). Hard-boil a dozen eggs at once.  

Carbs: For sweet potatoes, don't heat two in the microwave at a time. Bake a batch on a baking sheet in the oven altogether! Cook brown rice and quinoa in a large pot on the stove and refrigerate for meals throughout the week. 

Vegetables: Prepare in large batches as well. Watch how long you cook the though! Veggies start to lose their nutrients if they are overcooked/steamed! 

I prefer to only cook my veggies in bulk IF I am portioning them into tupperware with protein (and possibly a carb) for easy access heat-and-go meals during the week. Otherwise, I like to have a lot of frozen veggies on hand that I just throw in the microwave (steam bags) or cook on the stove at the time of the meal. When I do slow cooker  recipes (which I do weekly), I always freeze at least half of what I make for later in the week or the following week. Think about it - you are cooking more than one meal at once and for more than one week - WIN!!! 

4) Prep BEFORE putting your groceries away!

Seems like common sense, right? Well, distraction happen and so does “mommy brain.” For my friends who shop on the same day you prep, why make more work for yourself? 

5) Have your meal plan and recipes within arms reach.

Another one that seems like comment sense, but you would be surprised... 

6) Have storage containers and bags within arms reach. 

Have your storage containers and bags ready and within reach! 

Clear is best for tupperware so you can see what you have in the fridge. For my bags, I buy FREEZER-friendly bags for storage and sandwich bags for smaller things, such as portioning out almonds, fresh cut veggies (carrot sticks, cucumbers, etc), fruit, and so on. Having things available - grab'n'go is a sure-fire way to make sure you are going to grab the healthy option that is ready and available and NOT opt for a handful of junk food or stop at the drive-thru. <- Plus, why would you do that after all the work you put into your meal prep! 

7) DON’T stress! This isn’t ALL or nothing, DO or die! 

Don’t sweat the small stuff and don’t think you have to DO IT ALL! Prep and portion for cooking later or even for ONE week night meal is better than nothing at all! Do NOT throw clean eating to the wind just because meal prep doesn’t happen because something else comes up. <— that is simply an excuse, my friends. 

Wash, chop, pre-cook what you can and the rest will take care of itself one day at a time as long as you have a meal plan in place and some sort of accountability and REASON to stay on track! 

I have had plenty of times where my meal planning and prep 'time' has gone 'out the window,' BUT I definitely don't use that as an excuse to not eat healthy or not readjust my priorities and figure out another way! My health and fitness is a priority in my life because it allows me to be the BEST mom possible for my daughter and person for everyone else in my life! If I fuel my body with processed foods (aka crap) I will feel like crap. When I eat better, I feel better, sleep better, think clearer, and my body runs at it's most optimal levels. Why would I cheat myself out of that? 

Exactly... I wouldn't. ;)

My TOP 10 Staple Foods for Weekly Meal Prep 

1. Chicken

2. Hard-boiled Eggs

3. Sweet Potato

4. Fresh Cut Veggies (Cucumbers, Baby carrots)

5. Fresh & Frozen GREEN Veggies (Broccoli, Green Beans, Spinach, Asparagus)

6. Ezekiel Bread by Food For Life

7. Fresh & Frozen Organic Berries (Straw, Blue, Rasp)

8. Whole Wheat Noodles

9. Hummus

10. Shakeology 

Top 10 Staple Foods for My Toddler's Weekly Meal Prep

{ * items above are included in above list }

1. Chicken*

2. Organic Cheese (& she LOVES Annie's Homegrown products)

3. Edamame

4. Green Veggies*(she refuses asparagus though!), Peas, & Sliced Grape Tomatoes

5. Cinnamon Raisin Ezekiel Bread 

6. Frozen Organic Berries* for her DAILY whole milk smoothie & Fresh  Berries*

7. Whole Wheat Noodles* 

8. Sliced Grapes & Bananas

9. Stonyfield Organic YoTot Yogurt Pouches 

10. Shakeology* (we either share mine or if she won't 'share' I make her 'her own' with a half scoop - evidence below!)

What are some of your basic meal prep tips you use?

Please let me know if any of this is helpful for you or if you have any questions! 

Are you a RESCUER?

The Struggle: Do I stay and help OR leave to save myself? 

I can admit it. I am a rescuer. It is a weakness, and perhaps some would probably even consider a MAJOR flaw of mine. I have been going through experiences since around my senior year of college where I would be the person who would try to rescue people who were either hurting, had issues, came from a broken family, or whatever the case may have been. I simply wanted to help people. It was the nurturing spirit in me, which I get from my mother by the way. But sometimes it can be what I like to call ‘Mother Hen’ behavior. You know where you are trying to hover and protect the person, and doing ALL you can to help them, and the reality is you can’t. Meanwhile, the person is just viewing you as the annoying ‘mother’ who is nagging them and won’t leave them alone! 

When people have NO intention of changing - they will start sucking the love, joy and strength right out of you and your life. Sometimes this is very subtle at first, and even in my last relationship I was in denial that someone who loved me 'so much' would ever want to do such hurtful things to me.

But because you are a “good person” you stick around because you know you’re “supposed" to stand by people, especially those you love and make a commitment to. Deep inside you hope you can help “fix” them or help them beat the fight against their problem. 

Well, I am here to tell you I have tried to be that person. One of the main things I noticed when I reflect back is that when I started getting entangled in other's problems and all of these other issues, my own life, dreams, and faith started falling apart. Me trying to help someone I loved was LITERALLY sucking all the focus, strength, and joy out of my life! 

FINALLY, I reset my priorities. God first. Daniella and family second. Starting and managing a business to provide for our future and make a positive impact in the world to follow. 

So why I am blogging about this? 

Just be AWARE if you are a self-proclaimed rescuer like myself.

When you start letting other’s behavior and poor life choices ruin your life, while all you are trying to do is help them, you need TO GO. When people are INFECTING your life like that, when you are trying to affect them by helping them, take it as the sign to let things go. It is NEVER easy to do. Trust me, I KNOW. But when you are trying to genuinely help people, and they are clearly resistant, in denial, or even worse lie about what they are doing — the BEST thing you can do for THEM is walk away.

Don’t get me wrong, I have compassion for people who are going through trying times and just don’t have things quite "figured out" yet, but there comes a point where you have to stop feeling sorry for and enabling them. Sometimes you have to step back and realize that maybe you aren’t “the one” who is going to help “fix them” - it simply isn’t part of the plan. Ultimately, there is only ONE who can help them and they often won’t look up to Him and surrender until they hit rock bottom and there is nowhere else to look but up. Best part is, He shows up every single day, just like the sunrise and will keep showing up, no matter what they do and no matter what choices they make, until they surrender. 

It's NOT selfish when you are so selfless!

I love connecting with other women and mothers about investing in yourself and the importance of self-love and carving out time to take care of yourself! Lately, I KNOW now more than EVER this is part of the message God has put in my heart to share with others! 

So many people, especially women and moms, BURN the candle at both ends, and sometimes burn themselves out! They feel such a need to GIVE to others that they neglect and sometimes ignore their own needs or, even worse, they feel guilty when they EVEN start thinking about themselves!

Every aspect of your life is important - including how YOU care for yourself! I know life is CRAZY BUSY, but our emotional and physical well-being is of VITAL importance and needs to be on the priority list! It not only affects the health of our mind, body, and spirit for the here and now, but it also affects our future and AND EVERYONE around us - defintiely not things to take lightly!

When you make and take time for your well-being (exercise, nutrition, personal/spiritual development), you will experience growth from the inside out. When you FEEL and look your best, you will be confident - inside and out - with a great, stronger sense of self! 

When you are at YOUR BEST, you will be able TO GIVE the best to ALL those around you who mean the MOST! After all, that is what you were all about to begin with, wasn't it? 

Baked Sweet Potato Fries 

These are seriously one of my favorite complex carbs ----> see kryptonite!
If people tell you eating healthy can't taste good, I am going to let you in on a little secret:
they haven't given it a chance!

Ingredients: 
1 medium-sized sweet potato
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp corn starch

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Wash and peel sweet potatoes, cut into thin slices.
3. Put sweet potatoes and remaining ingredients in a large ziploc bag, close the bag and shake until all of the sweet potatoes are evenly coated.
4. Pour contents of the bag onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or coconut oil cooking spray and spread fries out evenly.
5. Bake for 40-45 minutes, flipping or “shuffling” halfway through, or until browned on the outside to your liking.
6. Let cool and enjoy!

How did I become a Beachbody Coach?

So if you are all about REAL TALK, then you are in the RIGHT PLACE. 

So let's get to it, shall we?

REAL TALK QUESTIONS:

• Do you ever feel like you lost your sense of "self" since becoming a mom? 
• Do you ever feel like you lost a piece of "you," or like there is a void in your life since having kids (although you are very content being a mother)?
• Do you ever feel like you are only KNOWN as your child’s “mom"? 
• Do you ever feel desperate to just connect with some other moms and adults without ALWAYS having to leave your house or participate in a play group to do so?

Sometimes we ignore how we feel because it is in our nature (having the most selfless job in the world), and then we have an "AHA" moment, or we don’t even realize it until we take a random chance and step out of our "comfort zone” and try something NEW! 

When I was 3 months postpartum and joined an online accountability group to lose my baby weight, I KNEW within weeks that Beachbody Coaching was for me! Would I have known if I never joined that Challenge Group? Probably not! 

Fast-forward to today - I am SO thankful that I took the leap of faith - and boy was I skeptical about the WHOLE thing, but there was the opportunity right in front of me and there I was ---> New single mom, sleep-deprived, unemployed, heartbroken {because the reality was that the conditional relationship that was once with my loving finance that I was trying so hard to repair was not on the mend}, caring for a newborn on my own. I had no option but to workout at home, and a meal replacement shake was looking mighty fine when meal prep was the last thing I felt like doing when I had a few minutes to myself!

Well, now here is a glimpse into what THAT leap of FAITH gave my daughter & I:

First and foremost, as a Coach, I get to be a MOM. Not just a mom... a confident, HAPPY and HEALTHY mom! I have the opportunity to help people improve their lives daily. I help them get healthy, reach their goals, gain confidence, self-esteem, and even some financial freedom! Another thing I love is helping women realize their FULL POTENTIAL! I feel sometimes as females we tend to be our own harshest critics, putting our goals and wishes on the back burner, and eventually it gets to a point where we start to underestimate the power within. To me there is nothing like reviving that inner flame, especially with my Coaches, then encouraging them to DREAM BIG, goal set, and mentoring them every step of the way as I watch them CRUSH their goals (physically, mentally & financially)!!!

Perks of what I do: 

I have the flexibility to build my schedule and work day around who and what matters MOST - my daughter!!! I am present working from home with her. Being a Coach, keeps me accountable to my own health and fitness goals, causing me to take better care of myself, which in turn allows me to set a great example for my daughter AND take the BEST possible care of her! Another fun benefit of this journey (besides the awesome trips) is I have made so many new friends, including some who I KNOW will be LIFELONG! Beautiful, like-minded, positive, motivated, REAL people! Sometimes I feel like I need to pinch myself to wake up because could this ALL be a dream???  

Nope! I get paid to do these things, design my own life, and I am my own boss.

My team is growing and we are going full speed ahead! I started out with a team of a few in January of 2014 and this year our team is currently #110 (out of 220,000+ teams!!!) I am absolutely grateful and humbled by what our team has accomplished in one year! Sum this all up in one word... Incredible.  

So ENOUGH about ME. My question for you is... WHY NOT YOU?

If you are interested in applying to join our team, the Fit Tribe or would like to learn more about the coaching opportunity simply follow the link below and I will be in touch with you soon! 

I am #MadeForMore!