3 Day Refresh Results and Thoughts

And done!

The results?

Down 4.4 pounds and 1 inch!

Not bad for 3 days.

The big question, was I hungry?

Day 1?  Yes.

Day 2?  MUCH easier.

Day 3?  A little harder than Day 2 but easier than Day 1.

Day 2 was by far the best day for me.

Now it helped that I was extremely busy this week with prepping my classroom.  Even when I got home I did work so I was constantly occupied.

And to be honest, I did have more coffee than they recommended.  Because let's be honest.  This is me and I basically run on coffee.

However, the rest I followed.

I also discovered a new favorite side dish!  Which, on this wasn't a side dish but will be from now on!

Coconut oil steamed broccoli!  Which is really just steamed broccoli tossed with 1/2 a tsp. of coconut oil and Himalayan pink salt.

So overall I thought the program was worth it.  It's only 3 days, and you definitely feel a lot less bloated / puffy once it's done.  And I feel ready now for the upcoming 21 day fix (which, if you missed it, I will be starting a challenge group on 9/15 so message me or comment if you are interested!)

Back to School Challenge Group!

Fall is almost here!  Which means the season of pumpkins (and pumpkin lattes) and holidays kicks off.  Want a head start on some healthy habits before the holiday hits?

I'm starting a challenge group on September 15!  It will be a private Facebook group that offers motivation, tips, tricks, and of course, recipes!  For those doing 21 Day Fix and / or Shakeology who are interested in joining this 3 week accountability group, either message me or leave a comment!  Also, if you are interested in more information about either program, message me or comment as well!

For more information on the programs or to order, you can follow this link :)

Challenge Pack

3 Day Refresh - Day 1

All the details!

Word of warning, definitely do this on a day when you are busy.  If I had been sitting home it would have been a huge challenge not to snack!

So I started off with a vegan chocolate shakeology with 1/2 a banana.  I had been anxious to try the vegan chocolate and I really liked it! 

My one slight issue is that I'm not a huge fan of using water with Shakeology, but it's temporary so it was fine.

I had a cup of green tea about mid-morning.

Then the Fiber Sweep drink.  Another word of advice: blend it with ice.  It's a funky consistency but blending it with ice makes it better.  It has a slight lemony taste.

A few hours later: lunch!

2 tbsp. of hummus, 5 baby carrots, and the vanilla fresh shake blended with ice and cherries. 

Another cup of herbal tea in the afternoon, and when I got home from my classroom, I snacked on a cup of cucumbers and 2 tbsp. mashed avocado.


This was the toughest time of day for me, because I was home and I'm a snacker.  But I muddled through (with lots of water!).

Dinner was the optional cup of organic veggie stock, along with the recipe for steamed kale with pine nuts and lemon juice, followed by another vanilla fresh shake.

My main issue is the water with the Shakeology because I normally use unsweetened almond milk, but it was still good, just not as thick or creamy I found personally.

So day 1 is almost done, let's see how day 2 goes tomorrow!

Sample Meal Plan - 21 Day Fix (1500 calorie range)

Thought this might be helpful!  You can adjust according to the calorie level you are on :)

Breakfast

Chocolate Shakeology (1 red)

½ banana (1 purple)

Coffee

Mid morning snack

1 slice multigrain bread (1 yellow)

2 tsp. sunflower seed butter (2 tsp.)

Baby carrots (1 green)

Lunch (Avocado Egg Salad Wraps)

2 corn tortillas (1 yellow)

2 hard boiled eggs (1 red)

Arugula (1 green)

Mashed avocado (1 blue)

Strawberries (1 purple)

Mid Afternoon Snack

Apple (1 purple)

Raw sunflower seeds (1 orange)

Dinner

Grilled chicken breast (1 red)

Roasted brussel sprouts (1 green)

Brown rice (1 yellow)

Roasted zucchini (1 green)

Snack

Greek yogurt ( 1 red)

2 tsp. natural peanut butter (2 tsp.)

Totals – 4 red, 3 yellow, 3 purple, 4 green, 1 blue, 1 orange, 4 tsp.

Coconut Oil Popcorn for 1

I'm a snacker.  I've always been a snacker.  I love to snack.

And popcorn has always been one of my go to snacks.  For a long time, it was the 94% fat free microwave version.

But in reading the labels and reading online, I saw how many chemicals were actually used in making it, so I searched for a better alternative.

The answer?  Coconut oil.

I'm a fairly recent convert to coconut oil, mostly using it in my coffee as well as using the spray to "fry" an egg or some veggies.  I really love the flavor it gives.

So I turned to the trusty internet and found a lot of recipes for coconut oil popped popcorn.  Only the recipes made huge, and I mean huge, family size amounts.

Which, I would definitely eat.  However, I decided to play around and see if I could come up with a friendlier, single serving ratio. 

So here it is!  But know that you can definitely double if you are making it for more than one person!

In a small saucepan, melt 1 tsp. of coconut oil.  Place 2 unpopped kernels of popcorn in the oil, and cover the pot partially with a lid.  Listen for the 2 unpopped kernels to pop - this will let you know the oil is hot enough for the rest of the kernels.

Remove the 2 now popped kernels and put 3 tbsp. of unpopped kernels in the heated oil.  Cover the pan completely with the lid and shake slightly. 

Then let it pop!  You don't have to watch it but don't go too far, you need to listen.  Mine usually takes about 2 minutes, but when you hear the popping start to slow down, get ready to remove it from the heat.

The result?  Delicious, fluffy, healthy popcorn!

I always put it in a smallish bowl too, so it looks really big :)

As for toppings?  Well I try to keep it healthy, I may spray a bit of coconut oil spray on it, and then I love to sprinkle some malt vinegar - a great substitute for my favorite salt and vinegar potato chips.  I also really love sprinkling some tabasco over the top for a spicy kick!

Tri Color Orzo Salad

Who doesn't want an easy, light, and non-mayo salad option to bring to a summer party or BBQ?

This recipe is actually adapted from Giada DeLaurentis' recipe.  I made a few changes, using less olive oil (much less!) and substituting goat cheese for the ricotta salada because I could never find it!  I also usually leave the pine nuts on the side since you never know who is going to have allergies at a party you are attending!  I also up the greens, because why not?

Side note:  Last time I made this I actually used dried basil since I couldn't find fresh anywhere, and it was still delish so no worries about having to substitute!

Tri Color Orzo Salad

Ingredients
1 pound orzo pasta
3 TBSP. extra virgin olive oil
3 cups (or 1 bag) of baby arugula
3/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
1/2 cup dried cherries
12 basil leaves, torn 
1 lemon (for the juice!)
Salt and pepper to taste


Cook the orzo according to directions on the box.  Drain and rinse with cold water.  While it is still cooling, transfer to large serving bowl, drizzle with olive oil and stir.  While it cools, stir it every once in a while to prevent sticking.

Once it cools, add in the bag of arugula and toss.  Then add in the basil, goat cheese and dried cherries.  Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top and season with salt and pepper to taste.

(This is also a great recipe to double and triple for big crowds!)

Crockpot Balsamic Chicken - 21 Day Fix Friendly!

The crockpot is my best friend.  Especially when I'm doing the 21 Day Fix, where prep is key.  Throwing something in the crockpot on a Sunday and having it for the week makes life a lot easier.

I knew I wanted a protein for the week, something I could eat on its own or toss on a salad or in a wrap.  And so this recipe was born.

I used a pound of chicken breast, but you could just adjust the spices up if you wanted to make more.

First things first, I sprayed the crockpot with organic canola spray.  Then, just lay the chicken breasts on the bottom.

Then I sprinkled a 1/2 tsp. of minced garlic, 1/2 tsp. of dried rosemary, a pinch of kosher salt and a 1/4 tsp. of freshly ground black pepper.

Then I added 1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar.

Turn the crockpot on high and cook for about 2 and a half hours.  I flipped the chicken about an hour and a half in.

After about 2 and a half hours, I turned the crockpot down to low and shredded the chicken (it was so tender, it took about 2 minutes!).  Then I let the shredded chicken sit in the vinegar mixture on low for another half hour.  I also added about 2 tbsp. more of the balsamic vinegar.

And that's it!  Fill a red container with it and use it to top salads or just eat on its own!




Recipe

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 tsp. of minced garlic
1/2 tsp. of dried rosemary
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
pinch of kosher salt
1/4 tsp. of freshly ground black pepper

Spray crockpot with cooking spray.  Combine all ingredients and cook on high for 2 - 2/12 hours.  Flip chicken about halfway through.  Turn crockpot to low and fork shred chicken, allowing to cook for another 30 minutes.