Category Archives: Beachbody

Chocolate Blueberry Mug Cake

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Some days I just want to have my cake and eat it to.  Today was that day.  I woke up and decided I wanted to eat cake for breakfast.  Why not, it is FRIDAY!  I am 15 weeks out from my 3rd NPC Bikini competition and starting to dial in my nutrition.  Basically, I can’t eat real cake anymore so I improvised.  I did some research online and found a few protein mug cake recipes.  I have saved many of them on Pinterest, but to be honest, I never really made one.  I thought it was too good to be true.  A healthy cake that takes only a few minutes to make? Yeah, that probably can’t taste very good.   Well, I was wrong, way wrong (just don’t tell my husband I admitted to being wrong).

So here is what you need to enjoy some cake on this beautiful June morning!

Ingredients:

  • 1 scoop chocolate Shakeology
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • dash of salt
  • 2 packets of stevia
  • 1 egg
  • 2-3 tbsp of unsweetened almond or cashew milk
  • 1/4 cup blueberries (optional)


Instructions:

  1. Mix shakeology, baking powder, salt and stevia in coffee mug.
  2. Add egg and mix well (it now tastes like thick brownie batter).
  3. Add milk and mix well.
  4. Dump blueberries into mixer and press to bottom.
  5. Microwave for 90 seconds

Hot and fresh out of microwave


ENJOY!

Nutrition Facts:

1 whole cake is only 255 Calories, 7g fat, 22g carbs, and 23g protein!

Happy Mother’s Day

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Today I woke up happy and thankful. God has blessed me with a beautiful healthy family and I am grateful for that.  I love being a mom!  My boys make my life complete.

 I recently found myself consumed with work, my fitness competition and myself.  I was too busy to play with my kids or help them search for a college.  The idea of volunteering at school stressed me out because I just didn’t have time.  All I ever said to my boys was “no, I’m too busy” or “I don’t have time for that!” Thanks to my hardworking husband and a close friend that pushed me to explore Beachbody Coaching,  I found a career that can allow the flexibility to finally just start being a mom and wife.  I am going to cook my kids breakfast, visit colleges, go to the pool on a weekday, read at their school, drive them to sports camps all summer and just plain be there!  I have only 2 weeks left at my full-time job as an engineering group leader and I could not be more thrilled.  My passion for fitness and helping others is my new career and I plan on working only 20 hours per week from home.  I currently work 40+ hours with a 1 hour commute each way.  My current schedule has me leaving the house by 5am and returning at 5pm M-F.  ONLY 10 MORE DAYS OF THAT!!  Thank you Beachbody for this amazing career that allows my to live my life by design!  HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!  This mamma is happy and I just wanted to share. 

I wish all the moms out there a wonderful day!  God bless you and your family.  Take time to just enjoy your kids today and do something you enjoy.  Smile more!  Live more!  Love life!

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My youngest Bryson who is 9

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My middle son Colten who is 12

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My oldest who is turning 18! Yikes, this momma is scared.

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I push myself hard to set an example for my boys. You can do or be whatever you want if you work for it.

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I love it when my kids join my workouts!

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April 2016 Competition

22 Minute Hard Corps Workout Reveiw and Sample Meal Plan

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So far I have completed the Cardio 1, Core 1 and Resistance 1 workouts for the 22 Minute Hard Corps and I am loving the program!  I do not have much coordination so the simple, basic workout moves used in this program are perfect for me.  The workouts are easy to follow, effective and over just when I think I might need to modify or take a break.  I definitely recommend having a pull-up bar for this to get the full benefit.  I put my feet in resistance bands attached to my bar so I can follow along with all the repetitions.  My back is very sore after only one 22 minute resistance workout.

The first two days on the diet went pretty good but I didn’t plan my carbs very well and went over by one container.  Last night I sat down with a pen while packaging my food for the day and dialed my nutrition in.  Here is an example of what I ate today:

Meal 1: Oatmeal Banana Protein Bake with Chia Seeds(1 Red, 1 purple, 1 Yellow, 1 Orange)

Meal 2: Beef Stew over brown rice and spinach (1 Red, 1 Green, 1 Yellow)

Meal 3: Egg Muffins, Romaine Lettuce Salad with Bell peppers, Reduced Fat Shredded Cheddar and Salsa for Dressing (2 Greens, 1 Red, 1 Blue)

Meal 4: Gala Apple and 4 tsp Almond Butter (1 Purple, 4 Oil)

Meal 5: 6 oz. Grilled Chicken Breast, Broccoli, Sweet Potato (1 1/2 Red, 1 Green, 1 Yellow)

Meal 6: 1/2 Scoop Chocolate Casein Protein powder mixed with 1/4 cup unsweetened cashew milk and decaf coffee with 1 packet stevia (1/2 Red)

Totals:  5 Red, 4 Green, 3 Yellow, 2 Purple, 1 Blue, 4 Oil, 1 Orange

 

I am following plan 2 for nutrition because my goal is to maintain my weight while building muscle.  I think the biggest key to success is planning out your nutrition the day before.  You cannot out work a bad diet and figuring out how to fit in all your colored containers is easier when done a full day at a time.  It is kind of like building a puzzle.

 

 

Day 1 of 22 Hard Corps

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Today marks day one of an eight week fitness challenge I’m starting. We are following beachbodies 22 minute hard core program.

I’m leading a challenge group on Facebook of over 15 individuals following the same program and we all started today.

My plan is to blog my journey and give an honest review of the program. The challenge pack we purchased included the eight week fitness program DVDs, access to all of our workouts online through beachbody on demand, a detailed nutrition plan with portion control containers and one month supply of shakeology. We were able to get all of that for only $140 on my beachbody website. The added bonus for all my customers is me as their personal coach!

Day one starts off with the PT test that includes jumping jacks, push-ups, pull-ups, squat thrust and a plank hold. You had one minute to complete as many reps as possible in each exercise with the exception of the plank, which you had to hold for your maximum time. I completed 30 push-ups, 40 squat thrust with a 10 pound dumbbells, one pull-up, 75 jumping jacks and a two minute and 18 seconds plank hold.  My husband and kids also did the PT test with me so it was a lot of fun!

Today’s workout was a 22 minute cardio video and then an eight minute core video. I completed it on lunch with some friends at work in only 30 minutes.  I meal prep yesterday and planned out our food for the day. It’s 6 PM and we’re still on track with our nutrition for the day. If you’re curious what I eat each day you can find me on MyFitnessPal username Nicole_J.

So far I really like the program. The workouts seem quick and effective in the nutrition is easy to follow.

 

getting ready to start day one workout streaming it on demand

 

Took leftover beef stew and put it over spinach and brown rice. Equals one red container, one yellow container, and one green

 

This is what our fridge looked like Sunday night after I did all of our food prep

 

Peanut Butter and Jelly Protein Smoothie

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Looking for a tasty and sweet meal replacement shake that will keep you satisfied for hours?  Well, I just created one. I modified a PB&J recipe I saw on shakeology’s website to meet my macro needs and was pleasantly surprised with the taste. I have using shakeology for two weeks now and I will never go back.  My cravings are seriously reduced (I was addicted to chocolate), my digestion is regular again (I was taking 2 probiotics a day and 2 digestive enzymes) and I am loving the taste.  They also are more filling than any other shake I have tried (and I have tried them all).  This is a meal replacement shake and not a protein shake. It is filled with dense nutrition you can’t get from protein powder.   I am training for a competition so that is why I add additional protein to my shakes (liquid egg whites).  I still use whey protein to supplement my workouts.

Ingredients:

  • 8-12 oz water or unsweetened cashew milk (I used water because I was out of cashew milk)
  • 2 tbsp. of powdered peanut butter
  • 3/4 cup Frozen Mixed Berries
  • 6 tbsp. liquid egg whites

Add ice and blend well.

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Nutritional Facts:

272 Calories, 32 g Carbs, 3 g Fat, 30 g Protein

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My 21 Day Fix Transformation

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Winter 2015 Before 21 Day Fix Extreme
Spring Break 2015 After 21 Day Fix Extreme

I was first fully introduced to the Beachbody programs this time last year when a few coworkers and I decided to do the 21 Day Fix Extreme program together. Although my journey to being fit and healthy started about 5 years ago, I am human and there have been many ups and downs along the way.  Last summer we bought a new house that needed many renovations.  I put my workouts off and focused on my house. Then, in the fall, I got a new job and that became my focus (in addition to family of course).  My weight slowly started to climb and I was definitely no longer “fit”.  Spring break was just around the corner and the thought of wearing my bikini made me nervous and uncomfortable.

I didn’t know exactly what I was getting into but the idea of only working out 30 minutes a day and using color coded food containers to meal prep intrigued me.  The 21 Day Fix program and the 21 Day Fix Extreme provides 7 fun and effective workouts and a simple way to figure out your diet with the use of 7 color coded food containers. The eating plan has color coded squares that correspond with the food container.  There was no weighing of my food, counting macros, measuring, etc.  If your food fits into the container you can eat it!  The workouts were awesome and offered tons of variety. There was a different discs for each day of the week.  At the end of the 21 days we only did each disc three times.  It never got boring and my body always felt challenged. My coworkers and I created an excel spreadsheet to make the food tracking a little bit easier and worked out together on lunch when we could.  If we didn’t fit in the workouts during the day we held each other accountable and finished on our own at home.  We created are own mini challenge group and motivated each other. I noticed changes in my energy and body after the first week and that provided extra motivation.  After the 21 days I was 10lbs lighter, dropped 2 pants sized and rocked my bikini at spring break.  This by far has been my best Beachbody program experience and I would recommend this program to anyone (male or female) looking for a balanced plan that involves strength training, cardio, Pilates and yoga.

I am so excited about this program and how it can help others reach their goals that I will be starting a 21 Day Fix challenge group March 14th 2016.  The best part about doing the 21 Day Fix program right now is that it is currently $70 off through the end of February.  I can offer this great program to others for a really low price (much less than I paid).  I will be posting additional information about the challenge group and requirements on my See Mom Lift facebook page.  If you are positive you want to join I highly recommend buying your challenge pack this month, February 2016 while it is on sale. Contact me for more information or use the link at the bottom of this page.

Below is a video that describes the program in greater detail.

 

Why I became a Beachbody Coach

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Why I chose to be a Beachbody coach:

I am writing this blog to be open and honest about the reasons I signed on to be a Beachbody coach and explain what exactly we do.  A Beachbody coach is not a salesperson.  We are coaches that “coach” people we are in regular contact with into a better way of life. I’ve found myself acting as a coach for some time now while working in the fitness industry as a group exercise instructor or just by working out in the gym and offering advice to the girl next to me on form, technique, pre-workout snack, gym shoes, etc. A good friend and my workout buddy is a very successful Beachbody coach. I noticed that she never tried pushing the product on me but was always willing to share information if I asked.  She is a caring and genuine person and continues to motivate me on a regular basis. That is the kind of coach I want to be. So I did some independent research on Beachbody and Shakeology and decided to make it official and start earning money to do what I’ve been doing passionately for the past few years, motivating others and helping them get fit!

My backstory:

My first successful “diet” was when I joined a 30 day challenge group at a local gym. The cost included a nutrition plan, boot camp classes and a private Facebook challenge group.  I love competition, and even more than that, I love winning.  I had the support from the other girls to hold me accountable and keep me motivated.  If I cheated on the plan I was not only failing myself but I was letting others down.  I ended up dropping 2 pant sizes in those 21 days and tons of belly fat. My energy went through the roof and I felt amazing.  I was blown away by how quick I saw results and how great my body started to look.  The dreams of rocking a bikini and enjoying clothes shopping became a reality (and expensive).  No more jumping to get my jeans on!  I tend to have a very compulsive and addictive personality.  Luckily this addiction was a healthy one and I didn’t get bored after a few months or years (like scrapbooking).  I was the first to sign up for the next challenge and killed it.  I took it to another level and hired a trainer for a customized 90 day plan.  I worked out by myself and logged all my food in myfitnesspal (username nicole_j if you want to be friends).  By the summer I had abs!  Did you hear that? Abs!  Yes, this mother of three had washboard abs.  My kids asked what all those white marks were on my stomach (stretch marks) and I informed them that they are my battle wounds and I am a fierce warrior.  I earned those marks and I am not afraid to show them.  I dare them to ask again.

After a couple years of “living the fit life” the demands of my job and family started taking up more and more time and gave me many excuses as to why I couldn’t make it to the gym as much. We decided to sell our house in a very short time and purchase a fixer upper.  I became focused on home improvement projects when I wasn’t at work and let my health take a backseat.  My clothes started to get tighter, I began not liking the way I felt and I was unhappy with my appearance.  I took this unhappiness out on those around me and it negatively impacted my relationships.  My work posted a team weight loss challenge in the nick of time. A few girls and I joined the challenge as a team and followed the 21 Day Fix Extreme program with Beachbody to help us achieve our goals.  I didn’t miss a single day for 21 days straight.  Why? Because it was a competition and I am very competitive!  I dropped 2 pants sizes, gained my confidence back and rocked a bikini at spring break with my kids.  The workouts were only 30 minutes each day and I could do them at home.  I really had no excuse.  Who can’t make time for a 30 minute commitment each day?  Yes, I said “make” time, not “find” time.  If you are waiting until you can “find” time then keep waiting around in your fat jeans. (Sorry, I am a pretty direct person)  The 21 Day Fix meal plan was simple and the containers took the guess work out of serving size.  I loved the program so much.  I not only lost weight and added some muscle definition, I gained flexibility, strength and endurance.  I haven’t stopped since then.  As soon as I caught myself relaxing a bit and gaining weight I contacted my favorite trainer and began prepping for my first NPC bikini competition.  I supplemented my workouts with the Beachbody T25 and Insanity Max videos and saw amazing results.  They kicked my butt and now I am ready to help you kick your own ass!

So in summary, that is my road to being a Beachbody coach story. This is the beginning of a new chapter in my book and I can’t wait to start helping other people write their own story.   What will your story be?  At any given moment you have the power to say: this is not how the story is going to end.  Are you ready to start writing?