Free Shakeology Find out How!

I'm looking for 5 ladies who want to commit to getting fit. If 5 people join I will be doing a drawing for a entire bag of Chocolate Shakeology! Yes someone will win a FREE bag of Shakeology. So tell your friends because all I need is 5 people to sign up to give this prize away. Worth $130!!! (Purchase of Challenge pack required to win free Shakeology)

Give me 30 minutes of your day and we will tone you up. You will also follow a clean eating meal plan for the 21 day challenge. You don't have to count calories, you don't have to count points, you don't have to starve. If you focus on eating what is good for your body then you will see results.

The workouts are done in the comfort of your own home so you don't need to live near me you can be anywhere in the US to join us.

Start now because before you know it summer will be here and the bathing suits come out of retirement!! 

If you are interested in joining my next challenge group please fill out the form below and I'll get back to you soon and we will set you on the right path.

Fill out my online form.

Use Wufoo integrations and get your data to your favorite apps.

The Secrets Out

Well here it is.  Dane bought a drone!  Yep we now own our own drone.  So as I shared in a previous post I came home the other night and Dane was being ultra sweet.  Cooked me an amazing dinner, cleaned the house, kept telling me how much he loved me.  Now I'm not saying he doesn't do all of these things but really it was a bit over the top so I knew that something was up.  That's when I asked him what he did and soon after I found out he bought a drone.  Well, said drone came in yesterday so we needed to take him out for his first flight.  It was super cool.  Here's a little video of me flying Solo!

Now Dane just has to come down to the barn and film Bella and I from the sky.  How cool is that going to be?  Hopefully Bella doesn't completely freak out about having a drone flying over her head!  Video to come soon!

Hubby joined the fun!

It was great today doing my workout with my hubby.  After playing with his new toy which is the "little secret" that I will be sharing with you in a post very soon, we got home and I still needed to push play and get my Cardio 2 done for my 22 Minute Hard Corp program.

Now I almost didn't do this workout tonight because I will say I was just plain ole tuckered out.  I had already ridden Bella and been to personal training and been outside with Dane playing with his new toy.  So when we got home it was late and I didn't feel like doing it but I told myself that if Dane said he would work out with me then I would do it.  So I went upstairs and asked him and he said yes and away we went.  It was actually a ton of fun working out with him and will say that I probably work out a little harder when he is with me which is really good for me.  But boy am I done now.  It is time for a shower and some tv and relaxation time.  I think I earned it!

Dog Sitting Joys

So this week we've had my brother's dog Ana with us.  He and his family are on a nice spring vacation.  This is our first time watching Ana and I just wanted to share what fun it's been to have her join us for the week.

Zoskia, my sweet needy doberman had a big sister when we first got her.  Kia was very attached to both myself and our adult dog Callie.  So, when Callie passed (the dog of my heart who will be missed everyday) Kia really attached herself to me.  While this can be very flattering it also is very unhealthy for Kia.

So enter into the picture sweet Ana. She is around 2 years old and needs a lot of activity.  When I got home the first day from work after she had been dropped off she was crazy!!  Crying and running around the house which in turn made Kia insane.  After I addressed Kia and calmed her down I then addressed Ana's behavior.  It took a few minutes to come down from the heights of crazy energy but she did and I was able to calmly pet her while she sat beside me.  My husband had run a few errands and got home soon after.  We then took the pups out for a walk.  Whew that was tough. Ana was super excited and just wanted to pull Dane everywhere.  We got the dogs to the area that is mostly enclosed and let them off leash.  They exploded with energy.  And every since that time Ana has been great.

I've taken her down to the barn and she has had playtime with the pups there.  She was introduced to the horses. (still figuring that one out, she thinks its ok to blast through the barn).  Once Ana gets a little exercise she is just about a perfect dog.  Now enter back into the picture my needy Kia.  Not so needy this week.  She has a buddy and is perfectly happy to play with her and hang with her.

Now don't forget this has to come full circle with my blog which is about health and fitness.  This is about fitness and exercise.  With the proper exercise the dogs are balanced and happy and healthy.  And if YOU get the proper exercise you can also be all of those things!

And the day starts with a wedding!

First I want to start the day off by saying congratulations to my very beautiful and lovely sister-in-law Allyn Rose on her wedding day.  No make that Allyn Oertel.  We were able to join her in this very joyous, and momentous occasion via Skype.  Got to love technology.  She married the very handsome Christopher Oertel in his homeland of Germany.  There is future date for a wedding that we can all attend in Germany for 2017.  

The wedding was on German time so we had to get up for a 5:30 AM to make it!  We all "dressed up"  At least the top half of everyone did.  I think my little hat thingy really pulled it all together for me.   It was very nice being able to see the entire ceremony.  I will say it was different that what I'm use to here in the US and I think I missed a few things in translation, but it was lovely and Ally looked so happy that I couldn't help but smile through the whole thing.  So again congrats to the Bride and Groom.

Now I wasn't quite ready to get up and at it after the wedding so I wiped off my lipstick and went back to sleep for another hour or so.  The furbabies really don't let me sleep past 7:30 so I was up and feeding everyone and getting ready for my day.  I am on week 3 of the 22 Minute Hard Corp program and today it was Resistance 1.  So I made myself an energize drink from the Beachbody Performance Line and pushed play and got it done.  It always feels great afterwards.  There are times when I just don't want to do it.  But every time I make myself push play and push through a workout I feel so much better. And I think it sets the tone for the rest of the day.

After having a good workout I took the puppies outside for a little playtime.  I am watching my brother's dog for the week and she and my Kia have really bonded and love playing and chasing one another.  Hmmm is it time for another dog?!  Then it was off to work for the day at the Spa.  I love my job and saw some new clients and some clients that have been seeing me for years and had a great time.  So in closing the day started off with a bang and just kept on going!

April Dates

Don't forget to make your calendars for our upoming events.  You have a few options.  A free 6 day clean eating challenge group, a 21 day Challenge group and a sneak peak into what being a Beachbody Coach is all about and if it is right for you.  If you are interested in any of these things please fill out the form below.  We would love to have you join any of the above.  Take your future into your own hands and be proactive.

Fill out my online form.

Use Wufoo integrations and get your data to your favorite apps.

From sluggish to a fabulous day.

This morning I posted about my over indulgence yesterday from Easter causing some sluggishness.  And I wasn't sure if I was going to just lay in bed and enjoy a slow start to the day or get up and get it done.  If the photo above is any indication then you know that I got up and got moving.  I decided this morning that I need to do the cold start warm up for the 22 Minute Hard Corp before I really got into the workout.  This was a nice choice.  My body slow started waking up and by the time I started Cardio 1 I was ready.  So, I completed cold start, cardio 1 and core 1.  I will say that I felt much better after I got my workout done and it set the tone for the rest of my day.

I then went down to the barn and had another great and I mean great lesson on Bella.  There were a few funny moments in the lesson such as the time Judy told me to keep my hands down by Bella's withers.  I can't do that, my arms are to short and my torso is to long.  I tried to follow her instructions but then I had to stop and tell her I physically can't do what she was asking.  We had a good laugh because Judy has the opposite problem her arms are long and her torso is short, she would have found that very easy.  After we made a few adjustments for my body type things just got better and better.  So proud of my Bella girl for giving me her all again today.

After my great ride I ran to the store and bought a few things to meal prep for the week.  As you know from previous post I have really been on a salad kick.  Still on it.  And these salads are delicious.  I also decided to make cauliflower pizza.  I haven't made it in such a long time but it is pretty yummy.  So meal prep got done and I made the very yummy pizza (recipe in the recipe section of this blog).  Now I'm ready to sit down and relax with my hubby before we have a super early morning skypeing with his sister in Germany because tomorrow she gets married!!  So excited for her!  Wishing her the best here in the US!

Cauliflower pizza Yummy for my tummy!

Today I made cauliflower pizza.  If you haven't tried it you should.  It's actually pretty yummy and not that hard to make.  And I can say that because I am not that good in the kitchen.  I will also say that I'm horrible at measuring things so honestly I do a pinch of this and a dash of that but I will try to give you accurate amounts.

Here is the ingredient list for the dough

1. medium size head of cauliflower- preferably organic

2. dash of koser salt

3. 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 

4. 1/2 teaspoon dried basil

5. 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

6. about 1/4 cup or a little more Parmesan cheese

7. about 1/4 cup or a little more mozzarella cheese

8. 1 egg

-preheat the over to 450 degrees while mixing everything.  If you have a pizza stone then feel free to throw that in the oven while your preheating

-cut your cauliflower into florets you really don't need the stems.  Blend or food process florets into a little rice like bits

-microwave cauliflower rice bits for 4 minutes

-let cool then put cauliflower bits into a towel and ring it out.  A lot of water will come out, try your hardest to get as much moisture out as possible this will help with the finished product

-mix all the ingredients with your hands in large bowl. 

-spread on parchment paper and form pizza shaped dough

-slide into pizza stone or baking sheet and cook for 10-15 minutes

-add sauce and cheese and any other toppings and bake for another 8-10 minutes

That's it!  Let me know if you make it and how it turns out.

Over Indulgence Leads to a Sluggish Start

Well, first let me start off by saying I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter yesterday.  I was very blessed to be able to celebrate the resurrection of my Lord Jesus with my wonderful family.  I enjoy getting to see everyone and catching up but what I really enjoy is the amount of delicious food that is prepared.

I have such a hard time saying no to foods when we are all getting together.  And I kind of don't believe I need to say no to most things I just need to eat less of the foods that maybe aren't my best options.  That is not what happened yesterday.  I just ate whatever was in sight that looked good and it was good.  Then I went back and had some more.
So, this is where we are today.  I'm tired my tummy hurts a little and I just want to lay in bed for the entire morning.  Yesterday's decisions affect today's actions.

I have some choices to make today. I can give in to this desire to lay here and let the morning waste away or I can get myself up and moving which will probably make me feel better anyway.  I've found a little bit of middle ground by deciding to lay here and write a post for my blog but I will be done doing this shortly.  So, at the end of today I will let you know what I did.  Did I let yesterday's choices start my day today or am I going to be proactive today and make it a new day with a new start!  Let's see!

Hubby wanted to hang out.

Sometimes you have to make a decision that doesn't follow your workout program but is good for your over all life.  I got home from work today and Dane and I needed to get the dogs exercised (we are dog sitting my brother's dog Anna).  I changed into my workout gear and off we went to run the dogs around.  We tuckered them out and got back to the house.  I was then going to workout. Today I believe I have Cardio 2 and Core 1 from the 22 Minute Hard Corp program and it would have taken me 33 minutes to complete.  But just as I was about to go down and workout Dane tells me that he would like to eat dinner now and hang out.  So this is when I need to make a decision.  And today my decision was to hang out with my hubby instead of taking the time to workout.  I know it would have only been 33 minutes but then I would have had to take a shower and by the time I'm done doing everything at least an hour would have passed and I would probably be tired.

So, what I'm trying to say is sometimes its okay to make the decision to not work out.  Sometimes its okay to not push play.

And as a side note I learned pretty quickly why he wanted to hang out with so much tonight.  He kept saying such sweet things and cooked me an amazing dinner of flank steak and crab legs.  He kept saying how much he loved me.  LOL it's not that he doesn't say these things or cook great dinners regularly but tonight there was a little light in his eye which told me he had a secret.  I'll tell you about the secret soon.. it's pretty cool.

Feeling Pudgy and Tired

I know that it is ridiculous to feel pudgy but I do.  My clothes are a little tighter and I'm all around just a little bit softer.  I'm pretty sure that this is from my switching birth control pills recently.  My new pill has a higher level of estrogen and this can sometime cause weight gain.  I'm going to give it a few months but man so not fair when I've just started a new workout program!

And a workout program that I'm really digging.  I like the 22 Minute Hard Corp a lot.  I've pushed play everyday that I am suppose to and I'll admit that everyday I'm not going full out but I am getting it done.  My eating hasn't been completely on par but it also hasn't been horrible.  I know that in that department I need to do a little better and I am trying to and I will.  So it should be very interesting to see where this takes me.  With a new pill with new hormones and a new awesome workout program I can't wait to see myself after the two months time.

If you are interested in trying this program fill out the form below.  I would love for you to join me on this journey!

Fill out my online form.

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Can she do it?

Let me start this post by saying the journey with Bella has not been the easiest but somewhere along the way I think we both found respect and love for one another and now I wouldn't trade her for the world.

Today I had my lesson on Bella and if you've been reading my blog you'd know that we just came out of a sticky spot.  She was being quite a nasty girl because she hadn't been getting her proper dosage of hormones/drugs.  And during her nasty spell I was being overly demanding and riding to much through physical strength and not finesse.  But we have moved past that and the last two weeks things have just been getting better and better.  I really have been concentrating on using less of my hands and more of my seat and Bella is responding.

So in the lesson today we just built on the last two weeks and threw back in our flying changes.  We have worked on them a little through the winter but never consistently got them down either from weather or other issues.  But if we are going to be doing 3rd level any time in the future then we really need to get these down solid.  So after some really steady work we moved into doing the flying changes.  If Bella has one thing in common with me it is wanting to power through things and use strength.  She does this when she finds things difficult and little does she know that in the long run it will only make things harder.  So that is what she wants to do in her changes.  She grabs the bit, pulls her head up and charges away.  It's not very pretty!  But with Judy's guidance I was able to keep her rounder and much steadier in the connection and within a few attempts we had some pretty decent clean changes.  Yay Bella!

Now you might think that we are done for the day but nope much bigger things came about in today's ride.  Judy wanted to go through a 3rd level test but I don't have them memorized yet and she didn't have the booklet down at the barn.  So she runs up to the house to get the booklet and tells me to keep Bella engaged and not let her think we were done yet (once Bella thinks we are done for the day she totally goes into sleep mode).  So I gather up my reins and think to myself "keep Bella active" and what happens Bella offers some half steps.  I mean nothing that anyone else would probably be excited about but to me it was amazing.  So I kept my seat light but active and we went around doing kinda little half steps then walk and so on and so forth and Judy comes down and is like wow you really kept her engaged didn't even recognize you two.  (that put a giant smile on my face).

It just gets even better from here. Judy proceeds to read 3rd Level Test 1 to me and I say okay I got it.  And then I did.  I rode the entire 3rd Level test on Bella.  What?!  Bella, my girl who I never thought would make it past first level.  Bella who keeps telling me that she can do more.  Bella the horse who has a great work ethic but is also highly opinionated.  She makes me so proud.  She makes my heart happy.  Even if I never enter the show ring at 3rd level it was such a joy to ride it today and feel connected with my horse.  It was a joy to feel my horse give me her all.  So Bella I will never doubt you again. I will allow you to show me what you think you are capable of and I will also believe you when you tell me you have done enough.  It is a partnership and one that I cherish.

Wednesday was all about love!

Started the day off with a this great scripture verse and I think it set the tone for the rest of my day.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things, Love Never Fails.

I Corinthians 13:7

This Wednesday just turned out to truly be an amazing day.  So let me take you through it for a bit.  On week 2 day 3 of 22 Minute Hard Corp and I really want to stay committed to doing this program so even though I had a pretty active day ahead of me I still got up and pressed play because I mean come on I can do it for 22 minutes.  Did Resistance 1 today and I do like this workout until the very end when you have to do the bonus round of fast feet, burpee, pushups!  Did it and felt pretty good afterwards. 

Then it was on to the barn for a lesson on Bella with Judy Whyte.  Needless to say we had a super awesome lesson and even went through a 3rd level test for the first time but I'm going to give Bella a post all to herself so I'll go into detail there.  But I was incredibly proud of my Bella for doing a test in a level that I never thought she would be able to.  Hard work has paid off there.

Then it was time for my personal training at Trinity Fitness with one of my favorite people my personal trainer Dona Batten.  I had a new workout today and was excited to see what was in store for me.  (the setup for my personal training is that I get a new program every month and build on it for the month)  I made a little video of some of my favorite moves today.  But I loved this workout and will be looking forward to doing it for the next 4 weeks!

If you are interested in starting your own journey with fitness fill out the application below!

Fill out my online form.

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How I start my day. Everyday!

The beauty of Shakeology is that it is a full meal replacement shake not just a protein shake.  It has all the vitamins and nutrients I need in one of my meals.  So for me this is a complete no brainer, I have one everyday for breakfast.  I start my day off right with my daily dose of dense nutrition and it sets the tone for the rest of my day.  Start off eating healthy and you will normally stay on a better track when making decisions when it comes to food throughout the day.

Shakeology has a load of yummy goodness that is good for my body.  Shakeology is a superfood formula that is designed to give your body a combination of nutrients to help you with energy, reduce cravings, and support your immune system.  It has a super-protein blend of whey, sacha inchi, chia, flax, quinoa, amaranth, brown rice and pea.  It's anti-oxidant blend has things like acai, bilberry, goji berry, grape seed, and green tea as well as other super fruits.  Shakeology also has a phyto-nutrient  blend of moringa, chlorella, spirulina, spinach, barely grass, kamut grass, wheat grass, and oat grass.  It also has a adaptogen blend that supports the immune system and a probiotic/digestive blend that can help improve digestion.

I mean after reading all of that how can you not want to drink it.  And here's another great thing I make mine taste like a giant delicious milkshake!  Yep its also delicious (at least I think so the way I make mine!

If you are interested in trying it at all please email me at Kellyrose.kcr@gmail.com  We'll figure out which flavor is right for you!

My Food Prep is boring but who cares!

I think it is really important to set yourself up for success.  And one of the best ways to do that is to prep some food for the week.  It doesn't always have to take a ton of time.  Sometime it does if you are making more elaborate meals or making a few different options.  But for me lately it has just been a super delicious salad.  Yep that's been it.  A salad that pretty much has it all.  So here is what I've been doing.  And don't worry these aren't all for me.  One of my co-workers likes my prep foods so she pays me for a few lunches a week.  So she has been on a salad kick with me!

3 different bags of greens.  (most of the time whats on sale)
chickpeas (rinsed)
3 different bell peppers (orange, red, yellow)
Turkey breast
Feta Cheese
cucumbers
Hard boiled egg
avocado

Well balanced and delicious!

Week 2 of 8 weeks!

My test group and I made it through the first full week of the 8 week program 22 Minute Hard Corp presented by Tony Horton and Beachbody.  Here is a run down of how this week went for me personally.

Anytime I am starting a new program I fully want to commit and I want others to do the same thing.  So for this group I named it "test group" because I only wanted people who would really try to stick with the program to the best of their abilities.  Now if people weren't up to that task then I also have a 21 day challenge group that started today, so no one gets left out and there is a group for everyone!

I have done really great in the workout side of things with this program I am doing the prescribed workout everyday plus I ride my horse 4x a week and I have a personal training session 1x a week.  I know this is a lot and because of that I take my time with the workouts.  I don't push myself as hard on the days that I ride and I definitely not on the days that I ride and have personal training (Wednesdays!)  But I am pushing play everyday and I feel like that's possible because the workouts are really only 22 minutes long and someday's have an extra 10 minute ab workout.  So in total its only 33 minutes long at the most.  Very, very doable.

Now on to the eating side of things.  Overall I would say I'm doing very good for me.  I have had a few minor mishaps which I have blogged about in the previous posts.  But overall my eating as been pretty on par.  This is in part to my meal prep which most consist of delicious salads but having them prepped and ready for the week really helps.

Overall I am feeling great.  I can see some good toning and definition coming back especially in my abs.  My weight has stayed the same but I'm not to concerned about that.  I'll be excited to take measurements again next week and see if there is any improvement.  Here's a little clip of today's workout Resistance 2.

If you would like to start a program and join one of my upcoming Challenge Groups please fill out the form below and I will get back to you very soon and we will get you started on YOUR health and fitness journey!

Fill out my online form.

Use Wufoo integrations and get your data to your favorite apps.

Sunday Funday

Well, if you don't live on the east coast near DC then you probably don't know that we are having a very cold weekend.  We went from 70 degrees to 35 degrees burrrrr! So, I took advantage of the cold weather to spend some quality time with my hubby and my Mom and Dad.  Normally on Sundays I want to ride Bella and that takes up quite a bit of time so Dane and I normally don't get to go out and do things that he might want to do.  Well, a couple of weeks ago he asked me to go to a museum with him.  I'm not a huge fan of wandering around museums but I am a huge fan of doing things with my hubby when we have the time.  So, I planned our day out to coincide with the cold weather.  That way I wouldn't be so upset about missing a ride on Bella!  Smart thinking!  Then my parents where in town and wanted to hang out so we invited them along too.  We had a fabulous brunch at the BlackSalt Restaurant then made our way to the Phillips Museum in Dupont Circle.  Here Dane and I are standing in front of one of his favorite artist's paintings.  It was quite lovely in person.

Now I want all of you to know that when I'm going out with my

family for a fun day of enjoyment that is exactly what I'm going to do

I'm going to enjoy myself.  And that includes enjoying my food.

I ordered a delicious meal at brunch of shrimp and grits and 

ate part of one of Dane's beignets.  Then after the museum we stopped at 

Cold Stone Creamery and I ordered a delicious Reece's icecream cup. It

was great and I refuse to feel guilty for enjoying myself and eating

things that I would normally not eat. Now having said that I will also say

that I am not going to let that start a phase of eating bad.  Done and done. 

Enjoyed and in the past already.  So if you are having a family day out please 

remember to enjoy yourself.  Don't make it a daily occurrence but once in awhile its okay!

From Start to Finish

On Saturday's I have a hard time getting up early to work out.  It's my earliest day of the week for work.  My first client is booked at 8:30 so I need to leave the house pretty early.  Today the alarm went off and I just couldn't bring myself to get up.  I hit snooze and slept for a little longer.  It was bliss.  Then I started the day right with my daily dose of dense nutrition, Shakeology.  I love starting my day with my shake.  It taste delicious and I feel like I'm getting a treat.

Work was super busy, pretty much booked back to back with clients.  I had a quick lunch which was a great salad I had prepared earlier in the week and a snack of yogurt with granola.  Then I finished my day and started walking to my car.  Well, on the way to my car I have to pass a few cafe/pastry shops.  Today I didn't make it past The Dogtag Barkery.  UH OH. I walked in and ordered a delicious slice of raspberry cheesecake and can I say that it was totally worth it.  It was one of the best slices of cheesecake.  Now this is what I will say.  Do not walk past a bakery when you are hungry!

Now I shouldn't have had the cheesecake because I am part of a "test" group that is doing the complete program of 22 Minute Hard Corp.  But I had it and I wasn't going to let it derail me.  So I got home totally exhausted and pushed play.  Yep, you read it right I pushed Play.  I did the prescribed workout for today which is Resistance 1.  I did have to modify things because I was tired but I still did it because I promised myself that I would.  I promised myself that I would do the best of my ability to stick with this program.

So there you have it.  The day started off on the right foot with my Shakeology then veered off with the yummy cheesecake and got back on track with a good workout.  This is to say don't let a bad choice ruin your day.  See the whole picture there is so much more to it then one bad choice.

Zucchini Boats

Thank you Lexi's Clean Kitchen (Lexiscleankitchen.com) for this delicious recipe.  I will be making it next week for my 2nd week of 22 Minute Hard Corp plus clean eating.  I will let everyone know how it taste but if you make it first please share with me how good it is!  And this also proves that clean eating doesn't have to be boring it can truly be delicious. Try it!

Ingredients

1. 4 large organic zucchinis, sliced in half down the middle
2. 1 lb. grass-fed beef
3. 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
4. 2 large organic carrots, chopped
5. 1 cup frozen or fresh peas
6. 1 white onion, chopped
7. 1 clove garlic, crushed
8. 1 15 oz. can Muir Glen Organic Tomato Sauce
9. 1 6 oz. can Muir Glen Organic Tomato Paste
10. Himalayan sea salt, to taste
11. 1 tsp garlic granules
12. 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, more or less as desired
13. 1/2 tsp cayenne
14. Cracked black pepper, to taste
15. 1 small bunch fresh basil
16. Optional: 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, more as desired
17. Optional: 1/2 cup portobello mushrooms, chopped
18. Optional: 1 cup fresh spinach

Instructions

1. 1. Preheat oven to 375
2. 2. Clean and cut zucchinis in half down the middle so you have two boats
3. 3. Using a spoon or a melon baller, scoop out the center (you don't want it too too thin)
4. 4. Place zucchini on a baking sheet and place in the oven for 10 minutes while preparing your filling
5. 5. In a large pan heat oil and garlic
6. 6. Add in onions, carrots, and peas (add in mushrooms if using them); cook for 5 minutes or until veggies are cooked down and soft
7. 7. Add in meat and cook until brown
8. 8. Add your tomato sauce, tomato paste, garlic, red pepper, cayenne, basil sea salt, and pepper- mix well to combine (if adding spinach, add it here)
9. 9. Let the flavors cook together for an additional 5–7 minutes, until mixture thickens, taste and adjust spices as desired
10. 10. Remove zucchini from the oven and spoon mixture into each boat
11. 11. Cover each boat filling with parmesan cheese and place back into the oven for 15 minutes, or until zucchini is cooked to your liking

I think I may have found my new favorite snack.  At this moment I am in the addiction phase.  Meaning I'm eating this at least once a day if not twice.  The good news is that overall this is quite a healthy snack.  The bad news is that you shouldn't over eat because it still has calories.  But let me say at least I'm not just dipping my spoon into the jar of peanut butter and eating it because I have been known to do that.  

I'm also keeping a pretty good food diary right now for my 22 Minute Hard Corp Test Group. So at least I know that I'm not completely over eating.  But boy do I want to.  I want to eat those yummy delicious snacks all the time.  I want to pour the peanut butter on my chocolate Shakeology pancakes and devour them.  Good news is I only have about 3 of the little guys left from making them earlier this week so I can't eat more then 3 more.  And then I might have to hit the pause button on making these for a little while because the addiction is real.  

If your interested in making your own the recipe can be found in my recipe section.  Try them and let me know what you think!

Prizes for Winners!

One of the great things about being a Beachbody Coach is getting to give away prizes to challengers who have really committed themselves to eating healthy and working out.  My team and I run a monthly Challenge Group that last for 21 days.  We have our Challengers post about their workouts and healthy eating and make sure that they share a photo of their daily dose of dense nutrition, Shakeology!  In doing these things they help eachother throughout the day.  It can be very inspiring to have your facebook feed show other people trying to accomplish their fitness goals.  Well, at the end of the 21 days we count up all the photos and post and see who has the most points and we have a winner.  Our point system isn't based on weightloss or loss of inches or loss of anything because everyone is at a different point in their journey and may not need to lose weight but just might want to be healthy and in the best shape of their lives.  

We just recently finished a challenge group called Love Your Belly and the prize was the entire P90x2 program.  Yep, you read that right.  We gave away an entire program!  Because here's the thing the winner is dedicated to being fit and healthy and we want to help them as much as we can.  Next months Challenge Group, Race to Gold, has a great prize too.  The winner will receive a full size Energize from the Beachbody Performance Line and a $15.00 Gift Certificate.  So yes, I love this job!  I love giving away prizes to people who are committed to getting healthy.  If you or anyone you know is interested in joining a future challenge group please fill out the form below and I will get back to you soon!

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Wow! I'm tired!

It's the kind of day that keeps giving and going.  Woke up headed to the Dermatologist for a quick fix.  I get IPL for acne about every 4 weeks, between these and my at home skin care regimen, and my glycolic peels at work I'm able to keep my acne under control (but that's a post for another day).  Then I ran to the post office to send off a great prize for our last Challenge Winner.  I will share about that in a post tomorrow.  Needless to say it is always exciting to send prizes off!  Swung back to the house to pick up Zoskia to go to the barn with me.  Had a lovely ride on Miss Bella, who was a little tired today and needed some extra motivation to keep a nice jump in the canter.  Then had lunch with Judy, and she can make a mean salad!  Then Judy and I both run to the gym for our personal training.  It is about this point that I'm just not feeling great.  I started a new birth control pill a few days ago and I think my system is getting use to it.  So now I'm doing my personal training and I'm sluggish and tired and just want to take a nice nap.  But I did push through and ended up having a decent workout.  TGU's can do that for you.  After that I needed to go get an oil change so I go and do that, they need to replace a tail light but don't have it in stock so I run to the Auto Zone near by and buy the light bulb to bring it back to them so they can replace it.  Whew I mean do you see how this day keeps going and its not done yet.  Then I get home and really want to stick with my new program so I turn on 22 Minute Hard Corp and push play and do Cardio 1 and Core 1.  And that is when I took this photo.  I'm tired my hair is out of control but it's the kind of day where you will sleep good at night.  So here's to having a good nights rest!  

Harmony Between Horse and Rider

I read a lovely interview with one of the top dressage trainers in Great Britain, well actually the world.  And everything that I read made sense and I felt that I could apply it to my riding even though I'm not riding at the level of the horses and riders that they were discussing. So with that thought in my mind and went to the barn and proceeded to have a wonderful lesson on Bella with my trainer Judy Whyte.

Before we even started the lesson I was walking on a loose rein and telling Judy about the interview and she laughs because she had just read it that morning.  Well, that's good because I knew that everything that we both read was correct and that it would play a part in my lesson.  If you've been reading my blog you'd know that Bella and I have recently been going through a little sticky patch.  She was being hormonal (we realized the dispenser on her drugs/hormones had broken and she had not been getting any for a few weeks). And when Bella is hormonal she can be very difficult (so can I for that matter).  Well about 2 weeks ago I had a horrible ride and it was during a lesson with Judy and she had me get off and she rode Bella through some of the tough parts.  Then Judy told me that I was over riding with my hands and using strength in the wrong way to control my horse.  So she gave me homework for the week.  I was not to use my hands but to use my seat.  My seat that I've been trying to develop these last 10 years.  My seat that should be one of my first aids not one of my last.  Well, I listened and I worked very hard to not over ride but to let my horse come to me.  To use soft re-balances and create a lighter horse in my lighter hands.  We have been doing that for about 2 weeks now and the results have been amazing.  (Bella is also back on her drugs/hormones, so that helps).

Now back to my lesson.  My warm up was going very good.  Soft bending lines, leg yielding, steady rhythm, relaxed horse but developing engagement.  And it just got better and better.  Judy wanted leg yields to shoulder ins to halts to rein backs back to trot and so on and so forth.  Then we moved onto the canter where we did shallow counter canter serpentines to changes of rein through the serpentine.  Then simple changes every 4-5 strides with a little leg yield before the new depart.  Wow it was just great.  I rode with feel and channeled the thoughts that I had from the article.  Bella was lighter and freer and just absolutely trying her hardest without getting super tense which would be her normal MO.

Now I couldn't have had that type of ride without having control over my own body.  Riding softer and lighter with less forceful strength doesn't mean that your not using your strength and conditioning it just means that your using it differently.  Instead of being forceful and trying to make Bella do what I want, now I ask her with subtle aids and praise her when she answers.  I help her by having control over my body first.  Being fit has not just benefited me but it has also benefited my horse.

The Fat Still Jiggles

At the bottom of this post you can see my video of my jiggling fat! But first you have to read my post.  Today is day 2 of my 8 week journey and I am really excited.  As I've said this program is my kind of program.  Fast paced moving constantly and done in a very short time. If this sounds like something you would like you should check out 22 Minute Hard Corp.  (you can buy it by clicking on the photo on the right side that says Shop Beachbody Products)  Anyway, I was watching my video before I posted it to YouTube and to this blog and thought wow there is definitely some jiggle going on.  I mean it's not really that bad but still I noticed it right away.  So I cannot wait to see how long it takes to make that stop.  It will stop I have no doubt because I am determined to follow this program very closely in both the exercise and eating department.  And so far (day 2) things are going great.  Eating healthy and exercising lets see if on day 22 I'm still going as strong.  I really hope I am.  I really hope that I'm not just going strong but kicking butt.  So I guess we will all see when I get there what the outcome will be. Now feel free to watch!

Start Day!! Let's Go!

Today started my test groups 22 Minute Hard Corp 8 week program. I'm psyched.  This is my kind of workout program.  I started with the Fit Test Assessment.

Push ups 1 Min. = 25
Squat Thrust 1 Min.= 26 w/10lbs
Pull ups- 5 without stopping
Jumping Jacks 1 Min. = 75
Plank Hold= 1:33

I would like all of those numbers to get higher.  Next fit test in 4 weeks so I'll let you know if there is any improvement.

We are also keeping a food diary and sharing it with the group at the end of the day.  I decided to do this because for me food is the most difficult part of  losing or maintaining my weight.  This will really keep me accountable.  I'm using a small calendar book to keep track through out the day and then I'll just type it in to the group at the end of the day.

I also took my measurements last night.  Coach Stacie (my best friend, sister-in-law and fellow Team Rise & Shine Leader) took my measurements and I took hers.  I think we were both a little bloated and for me personally I'm definitely a bit bigger right now.  But this is such a good place to start because there is room for some improvement.  We will take measurements every 2 weeks and see how we are progressing.

If you are interested in trying this awesome program please check out my Fitness Programs section and fill out the form.  Or click on my link to shop products and buy the product right away.  I will be beach ready this summer, want to join me?

It does pay off..

So, I have permission to share this success story but the person will remain anonymous as requested. One of my challengers started her journey with me on July 20, 2015. She was inspired by the results I had with the 21 Day Fix. Trust me it was the leanest she or anyone else has ever seen me. So she moved forward and bought the 21 Day Fix. Now what I love is that her husband has been extremely supportive. He does a lot of the cooking and knew that in order for her to succeed he would need to follow the rules. And he has! Everyday he packs her a lunch according to the color coded containers and for dinner he makes sure that it is what she needs to eat to fuel her body properly. Now everyone will tell you that eating is half the battle but I would even say its more then half the battle! Eating clean and maintaining a healthy diet goes a long way in losing and keeping the weight off. But lets get back to my challenger. When she started the program she worked out at least 5-7 days a week doing the prescribed workouts with the 21 Day Fix program. She is not one to brag so she just continued eating healthy and doing the workouts through the summer and into the winter and through the holidays. Now fast forward to today. This week she tried on all her spring clothes and guess what? THEY DIDN'T FIT! They were to big. She couldn't believe it and neither could her husband (cause now she has to go shopping). With time and consistency all of her hard work has paid off. And the good news is that since this has been a full lifestyle change the pounds will stay off. This wasn't some quick fix diet. This was a life change and a change for the better. I am so proud of her and so proud of all of my challengers who have stayed the course!

I'm always so excited to share when a new challenge group is about to get started.  In a little over a week the Race To Gold Challenge Group starts and I can't wait for it.  Spring weather has been showing its lovely face and that means summer will be close on its heels.  Summer means less clothes just because of the darn heat and humidity in the greater Washington DC area.  

So if you put a few of those pesky pounds on over the winter or you really need to start a fitness regime now for the first time in your life, lets do it.  This group comes in all shapes and sizes, all different age groups.  Moms,  Dads, Grandmoms, furbaby moms, students, full time and part time workers everyone and anyone can join as long as they are ready to exercise and eat right.  We do this together.  We support one another.  So having said all that I just get really really excited because I know that I'm helping people get started down the right path.  And I want to help you!  If you are at all interested in learning more and talking to me please take the time to fill out the form below.  Grasp change with both hands and commit yourself to a healthier, fitter you now!

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Rock and Roll

Today was the Rock and Roll Marathon in Washington DC. Needless to say I'm not a runner/jogger/I'm never doing a marathon, but I knew that they would be running and that my way into work would be blocked. So I planned ahead and decided to go around. So here I am driving through Virginia and then suddenly I see blinking red and blue lights. Say What? They closed my detoured way into work. I had a moment of panic and then I turned on my lovely Waze and found another way into DC. But here's my thought process during my detour. First a little angst, then the realization that the people running worked very hard to accomplish this goal. So good on them. It may not be my form of exercise but I can appreciate that a lot of people love running. So Go Guys Go! Rock On!

No Commitment Just Opportunity

So excited that the date is getting closer for Team Rise & Shine's first Coaches Sneak Peek. This is for anyone who might be interested in learning more about Beachbody Coaching and what it is all about. Ask questions and see if this might be right for you. Who doesn't like a little extra income? I will say for me I have some pretty big goals with this company and I'm hoping to find people who are just as passionate about making it to the top as I am. I believe with a hard work and consistency and time that Team Rise & Shine will rise to the top and we will be shining. But first lets just fill you in on the coaching opportunity.

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