Clean Week: An Intro to Health & Fitness

This post goes out to all of you who follow me and my fitness journey but are just TOO INTIMIDATED to commit to a full month of clean eating, 30 minute exercises, meal planning, and starting a new lifestyle!! I totally understand – it looks super overwhelming in the beginning, but I PROMISE it gets easier and I am by your side every step of the way!!

The good news is Beachbody’s newest program, CLEAN WEEK, launches October 3rd and it lets you “try on” a healthy lifestyle for just 7 days, no strings attached!!! 

Clean Week is only one week long and will show you how easy it is to make healthy choices and give you the confidence to take the next step. The best part? You don’t even need to sign up for Beachbody on Demand! Clean Week workouts are FREE with the purchase of a 7 day Shakeology Sampler.

Who is Clean Week for?

This is a great program for beginners and those who have tried a fitness program and failed or haven’t started because they’re afraid to fail. You know you need to make a change, but you’re not sure where to start – Clean Week is your answer! If you want to dip your toes into health and fitness without diving in, this is the perfect program for you!!

We are all afraid to start a new job, buy a new car, make the decision to have a family but all of those things come with risks.  Life is about taking risks and seeing where it will take you.  You have no idea what you are capable until you put your mind to it. You can’t be afraid to give something a try, what’s the worst thing that could happen?  You may have to take extra water breaks or push pause to give yourself some breathing room.  But what are the rewards at the end of the day?

You can look back and say, “I did that”! You can show people your new body, you can wear clothes you’ve been wanting to wear for a long time.  You can pull out that bathing suit that has been hanging in the back of the closet!  The possibilities are endless!  When you feel good about your body, it will show in every aspect of your life!  Other people will see your beauty radiating from within and your positive body image will reflect on others.  You can help end the trend of obesity just by saying “yes” I want to face my fear of failure and prove myself wrong! There is no room for excuses!

How does Clean Week work?

Clean Week is a 7-day fitness and nutrition program designed to introduce you to a healthy lifestyle with new super trainer Megan Davies. You will get 4 workouts, a step-by-step meal planner, and a week’s supply of delicious Shakeology.

The Workouts

Clean Week comes with four 30-minute workouts: cardio, strength, core function, and flexibility. These workouts will be available for FREE on Beachbody on Demand starting October 3rd. You do not need to be a member to access these workouts. The only equipment required is a set of dumbbells for the strength workout. There will be an intensifier available if you want to kick up your workout a notch!!

The Nutrition Plan

There is NO calorie counting in this program!! You will receive a step-by-step meal planner that breaks it all down for you with delicious, nutritious foods and a sample supply of Shakeology. Packed with all the nutrients, vitamins, and protein that you need, Shakeology will help curb your cravings and boost your immunity. The regular Shakeology sampler comes with 2 packets of chocolate, 2 packets of vanilla, 2 packets of cafe latte, and 1 packet of strawberry. There is also a vegan Shakeology sampler available.

The Support and Accountability

The best part of Clean Week is the support and accountability you get from my Challenge Group! In a closed Facebook group starting on October 9th, I will provide you with daily motivation, tips, tricks, and everything you need  to make it through the week successfully!!

Can one week really make a difference?

YES!!! This is the first step in making better choices and building better habits. If you stick with the program for the full 7 days, you will start to see and feel changes in your body. Plus you will increase your confidence and you’ll be ready to continue your fitness journey!!!

If you are interested please fill out this form and I will reach out!

Shakeology Cleanse

Last week I decided to do the Shakeology cleanse with a friend of mine. I was very hesitant to do this on my own but with a buddy it makes it so much easier.  It was nice to have to someone to be accountable to when I was tired and hungry.  The cleanse is 3 days long, you drink 3 shakes a day and for dinner you get to eat a big salad with 4 oz of white meat and unlimited vegetables and oil and vinegar dressing.  

You also get 1-2 pieces of fruit per day, which I added into my shakes.  I drank lots of water and when I started to get hungry mid afternoon or evening I drank a glass of green tea and my hunger subsided.  I must say that it wasn’t nearly as bad as I expected.  I was able to maintain my energy level and exercise all 3 days. 

On Day 1, I took my little one to play at Burger King’s indoor play place and everyone was eating burgers and fries and I stuck to my water and chocolate shake.  I scarfed down my chicken salad for dinner and had to go to bed early because I was hungry.  

Day 2 was much easier.  I split up my fruit throughout the day, putting 1/2 piece of fruit in my morning shake and 1/2 piece for a snack.  Then, at lunch I put 1/2 banana in my shake and used the other 1/2 in my snack shake.  I drank my green tea in the afternoon and evening and had no problems making it through the day.  I was already down 2 lbs. 

Day 3 was the hardest for me!  I was able to stick to the cleanse and I lost a total of 5 lbs.  My friend that I did the cleanse with lost 10 lbs!  The amount of weight loss varies from person to person based on the amount of weight you have to lose and the amount of water your body holds.  The best part about the whole thing is that I didn’t gain it back.  I continued eating clean and I did not over indulge and the weight stayed off!  

The purpose of a cleanse is to jump start your weight loss program or break a plateau.  I did mine to break a plateau.  It was simple, easy and effective!  

I would highly recommend that you continue to drink 1 shake per day to maximize your weight loss potential in addition to an exercise schedule.

If you have been thinking about doing a Shakeology cleanse then message me for additional information or to purchase a cleanse.  

Shakeology is the most complete and natural meal supplement on the market.  It is complete with antioxidants, protein and digestive enzymes to help your body perform in tip top shape.  We could all use a little more energy and nutrients in our day!

Take the Shakeology cleanse today and see what amazing results your body can achieve!!

To read more about Shakeology check out the Shakeology tab on my blogs home page!  You can also visit my Shakeology website, www.myshakeology.com/vvolkmuth

4 Common Meal Planning Mistakes

Sundays are my rest and relaxation days, but they’re also the days I do my meal planning and prep for the week. For the past 2 years, I’ve noticed that this is one thing I find a lot of people don’t do, so I’m going to share with you a few mistakes I’ve seen people make when it comes to having success with their nutrition, fitness, and general lifestyle change.

Let me ask you a question: how many of you say to yourself “Okay, today is going to be the day. I’m on track, I enjoyed my summer, and now here I am feeling blah from too many cocktails and pizza and I swear that this Monday is going to be the day where I don’t fall back into that same routine.” Maybe you’ll even do half of the things that I list out today, but then life gets the best of you and you get busy and before you know it, it’s Wednesday and you’re right back where you started.

I GET IT!! My life is busy too! I have an active toddler and my house is generally in mass chaos. But I find that when I feel good about myself, fuel myself with good food, take time to plan and prepare – that is when I am the best mom, wife, and person! Taking care of yourself is not a bad thing!!! You are not taking away time from your family, you are making yourself better which makes your family better.

So let’s get into some common mistakes I see people making when it comes to meal planning.

1. When it comes to meal planning, you just don’t do it at all.

How many of you have said “I don’t need to follow my meal plan, I’ll just track in My Fitness Pal and I’ll track my steps on my Fit Bit. I don’t really need to print out those tracking sheets, I’ll just keep track of it in my head.”

What ends up happening is you get frustrated because by the end of the week you are cardioing yourself to death but you’re not seeing the results on the scale. You’re frustrated, so you have a glass of wine, and that glass of wine leads to some cookies, and then before you know it you’re back on that cycle again.

Here’s the bottom line: PLANNING IS IMPORTANT. I’ve been doing this for 2 years and I STILL plan out my meals each week to keep me on track!! If I don’t plan, I fail. I get hangry when there’s not food in the house, and then I reach for something I shouldn’t and I’m much more likely to give in.
Every Beachbody program comes with a nutrition plan! Don’t slide that nutrition guide to the side!! Pull that sucker out and take the time to read it through. Figure out your containers and what bracket you’re in. On Sundays I sit down and say “Okay, this is how many containers I get each day” and then I go through and make a meal plan.

2. You’re trying too many complex recipes at once.

When you sit down to make a meal plan, avoid the urge to search Pinterest for tons of new recipes!!

You will be spreading yourself too thin and it will get overwhelming FAST. So my tip for you is KEEP IT BASIC. Do not feel like you need to cook these wild and crazy recipes for dinner.

For breakfast I’ll have eggs, a green container of spinach, half a blue container of cheese, and a purple container of fruit. So easy, and you know EXACTLY how many containers you are eating!!

I am a creature of habit, so I’m totally okay eating the same thing for breakfast and lunch every day. Sometimes I vary up my snacks and dinners with the family, but you don’t need to make these complex, complicated recipes!

3. You’re not taking advantage of leftovers.

Make double of everything!!!

Guys, what are you doing??? Leftovers are seriously THE BEST!! Any time we are making ANYTHING, we throw on some extra and double it up so that we have leftovers to eat the next day. A lot of times our leftovers from dinner are lunch the next day. It’s so easy and then you don’t have to spend time in the middle of your day mixing up a salad or making something complicated in the kitchen for lunch. Leftovers are quick and easy!!

4. You’re not printing out your meal plan.

Put your meal plan on the fridge!!!

HELLO!? You spent all this time making a pretty meal plan on your computer an you just leave it there?? You need to print it out! Stick it on the fridge so you know if you need to take something out of the freezer to defrost.

When we are meal planning, we write down our grocery list on another piece of paper so we know what we need. We hit up Sams Club and the regular grocery store on Sundays and then wash up our vegetables and bake a bunch of potatoes to warm up for the rest of the week. Take the time to prep and it will make the rest of you life so much easier. You can even portion it out and put it in bags so all you have to do is grab it and go on your way out the door in the morning.

If you take the time to plan it out, you have a better chance of success for the week. Just the very simple act of being prepared is going to help you succeed. I can’t make you do it – you have all the tools you need, but it’s a mindset shift of making the decision that you want to be successful. I promise that after 21 or 30 days of meal planning and using the containers it just starts to become habit.

Bonus Tip

Use your tracking as a reflection point!!!

Here is a bonus tip: I don’t always eat exactly what’s on my meal plan! So what I do is I basically say, “Okay, what did I eat for breakfast?” and then I will write down that color on a piece of paper. Then at the end of the day I can go back and look and see if I left anything out or if I stayed on track or if I have anything left. It also helps if I want to switch things around and maybe save a carb for dinner instead of lunch.

Every night this becomes a for too reflection point for me. Did I drink enough water? Was I short on containers? Did I go over today? I have a little folder called “My Fitness Goals” that has my program guide, my meal plan with tracking sheets, my measurements, and my workout guide and this actually sits on my desk. I keep track of my food and my workouts even 6 and a half years later. This helps me keep it real. I am not perfect and sometimes a glass of wine sneaks in there!!

If you want to change, you have to find something that works for you. It might not be my exact system, and that’s okay!! Figure out what works for you and stick with it.

I just added a meal plan template to the homepage of my website, so take advantage of that and get planning!!

TurboFire Chili

Ok, so I am seriously obsessed with this meal! It is absolutely delicious and you can make it in the crockpot! I have friends that do not like beans so they omit them and add green peppers, mushrooms or any other veggie you would like! You can really make it your own! Just remember to follow the correct portion sizes so you don’t over indulge. It’s easy to do with this one.

Ingredients

1 lb. lean ground turkey
½ cup diced tomatoes
8 oz. whole kernel corn, canned
½ onion, diced
2 cloves garlic
8 oz. black beans, canned
8 oz. pinto, chili, or kidney beans canned
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 package Lawry’s chili seasoning
4 oz. low-fat shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Directions

Brown turkey. Drain and discard any fat.
Place all ingredients except cheese into a slow cooker. Cook for 4 hours on low or 2 hours on high.
Top with 1 oz cheese if desired.

Balsamic Chicken & Mushrooms

Ingredients

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 package button mushrooms washed patted dry and sliced
3 tsp, minced bottled garlic
1/4 cup balsamic vinager
3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp dried thyme
cooking spray

Directions

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Spray non stick skillet with cooking spray and heat to medium high.
Add the chicken and saute until brown on one side. Add garlic and flip over chicken breasts and add mushrooms.
Continue cooking while stirring mushrooms. Cook for about 3 minutes then add vinegar, broth, bay leaf, and thyme.
Cover and simmer over medium low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove chicken, set aside and keep warm.
Continue simmering sauce, uncovered for about 7 minutes. Discard bay leaf and pour mixture over chicken and serve. Make extra and use for your salad or lunch the next day, tastes yummy after it has been sitting in that juice all night!

Cookie Dough Greek Yogurt

Anything with yogurt, peanut butter and chocolate I am game! It is called clean eating cookie dough yogurt!!!  AMAZING!!! Now I would’t put this on the menu for every night as a snack but this is a perfect treat to replace your bowl of ice cream or the blizzard.  Let me know when you try it and what you think!!

Ingredients

3/4 cup plain Greek  yogurt
1 TBSP nut butter {we use almond butter}
1 TBSP honey
1/4 tsp vanilla
Pinch of sea salt
1 TBSP mini chocolate chips

Directions

Combine Greek yogurt with the nut butter, honey, vanilla and sea salt. Mix until smooth. Top with mini choc chips and enjoy!!!

Share this recipe with someone who might enjoy it!!!

The best part is that Veronika likes it too!

 

Post in the comments if you tried it and what you think!!

Clean Eating Pumpkin Pancakes

Fall is on it's way and It’s not fall without pumpkin and so its only proper to make clean eating Pumpkin Pancakes!  I can’t wait to try this recipe, it sounds amazing!  Just in time for the fall season!

Ingredients

6 egg whites
1/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup whole rolled oats
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
Real Maple syrup

Directions

Mix all ingredients together.  Spray pan with clean cooking spray and make pancakes!  Top with maple syrup!

Tomato Basil Turkey Cutlets

I bought Turkey Breast Cutlets at the grocery store this week and I honestly didn’t even have a recipe to go with it!  But I really wanted to try something new.  I stick to chicken, fish and turkey for the most part for my sources of protein.  The leaner the better!!!  So I figured I would just google a recipe and figure it out!
Well, I was not expecting to find a meal that my husband raved about and actually asked me to cook again!!!  So of course I can’t keep my secrets to myself and I want to share them with you!!!
This recipe is not only delicious but the most simple recipe to make!  So if you are new to cooking and or clean eating then this is a perfect one to try!

Ingredients

Dried Basil
Garlic Powder
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 can diced tomatos (low sodium)
Turkey Breast Cutlets (3)
1/4 cup low fat mozzarella cheese

Directions

Place a piece of foil in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish.  Place turkey cutlets on top.
Sprinkle with basil, garlic powder,  chopped onion, diced tomatoes and top with mozzarella cheese.
Cover the dish with foil and bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes or until cooked through.
I served the Turkey with a side of brown rice and steamed broccoli!

Apple Pie Oatmeal

Comfort food in hand for today is a bowl of apple pie oatmeal for breakfast!!!!

Ingredients

1/3 cup uncooked oats
3/4 green apple chopped
2/3 cup water
pure maple syrup
chopped walnuts

Directions

Add water to oatmeal and microwave for 1 min 30 secs.  Add apples, sprinkle hand full of nuts and drizzle with maple syrup.  Enjoy!!!
Apple pie oatmeal to warm your soul and not expand your waistline!!

Shrimp Fajitas Clean Eating Style

This week I decided to try something new!  I can tell you that my husband does not like it when I tell him we are trying something new!  There have been many times that I attempted a clean recipe that we took right to the trash and made scrambled eggs instead.  In one of the Tosca Reno cookbooks there is this beautiful stuffed pumpkin recipe that I was dying to try!  I decided that around the holiday was a great time!  Unfortunately, they looked pretty but they tasted awful.  Part of that, I attribute to the fact that I didn’t cook the pumpkins long enough and they were hard.  But we live and we learn right!!
So this week I found a recipe online that I tweaked to make it my own.  It was shrimp fajitas.  I am a Mexican food lover thru and thru so this made my taste buds twitch just thinking about it!  I had everything in the fridge and freezer so it was a no brainer of a meal.
I have to say hands down this was a winner and I actually thought to myself, when can I eat it again!!

Ingredients

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 lb of shrimp peeled and deveined
Fiesta lime seasoning to taste (Mrs. Dash-salt free)
1/4 tsp himalayan sea salt
1 small onion thinly sliced
1 red pepper thinly sliced
Hard or soft whole grain tortillas or you can use leaf lettuce instead of the shell
Then I had toppings to go with it.
Greek yogurt instead of sour cream
Black beans
Avocado
Tomato
Cheese for the kids
Lettuce
Salsa
Brown rice
Steamed corn.

Directions

Place oil in pan and heat on medium. In a small bowl combine the shrimp, fiesta lime seasoning, sea salt and stir.
Then place in pan and cook 4 minutes or until done.
Remove shrimp from pan and add in the onion and peppers and brown.
Stir in shrimp and toss to combine then spoon into whole grain tortillas hard or soft!

21 Day Fix Extreme Beef Stew

I think that I could honestly eat this every single day!  It’s by far one of my favorite recipes!!!  It’s straight from the 21 Day Fix Extreme booklet.  Both my husband and I absolutely love this!
It is a green container and a red container and it feels like a hearty filling meal.
It makes 6 servings, approximately 1 1/4 cups each.

Ingredients

1 tsp. olive oil
1 1/2 lbs raw lean beef stew meat, boneless, cut into 2 inch cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 cup low sodium organic beef broth
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
2 cups cubed butternut squash
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

Directions

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium high heat.
Add beef, cook, stirring frequently, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until beef is brown.
Add onion and bell peppers; cook stirring frequently for 4 to 5 minutes, or until onion is translucent.
Add garlic, cook stirring frequently for 1 minute.
Add tomatoes, broth, bay leaf, salt, and pepper.
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium – low, cook, covered for 40 minutes. Add squash, cook stirring for 8 to 12 minutes occasionally or until the sauce thickens and beef is fork tender.
Remove the bay leaf, top with parsley and serve. I actually make extra and have for the next few days for lunch!  The squash should be soft when poked with a fork.