Transformation Tuesday - Me and my Cize Resutls

TRANSFORMATION TUESDAY - CIZE RESULTS

So I finished up Cize on Saturday and I must say I really wasn't expecting the results I got. I started the program right after summit, where I did not eat the best so I had actually gained weight.

But with a STRICT clean eating meal plan (Ultimate Reset), drinking shakeology, and working out 6 days a week, I am Proud to say I lost 7 pounds!!!

This program is NOT exercise. It is FUN, it is DANCING, and it is STRESSLESS.

The areas of my body that improved the most are my stomach and legs. And my stomach has drastically changed. No more Bloating!!! Whoop Whoop!!

It doesn't surprise me really when I say that my core / stomach is one of the areas of most improvement, WHY? Because Shaun T always does an amazing job with each of his programs making sure he hits your Core. And with Cize you do a LOT of core work while dancing.

Also your dancing, which means you are on your legs the entire time, so my legs definitely slimed down and look leaner.

One bad thing about this program is there is no real upper body workout. You are not down on the ground at all so you arent doing any body weight exercises or weights.

I do tell my challengers to at least incorporate an upper body workout 3 days a week. It doesn't have to be anything long but just so you feel like you get your arms worked.

Anyone can do this program. Its fun and you sweat so you are burning calories and losing weight without the feeling of exercise.

SO if you like to dance, if you like Zumba, if you need something that isn't jumping or lifting weights, something that isn't strenuous on your body, if you hate to workout but KNOW you NEED to then CIZE is for you! It doesn't matter if you can dance or not. You just have to live in the moment and enjoy your time!

I am seriously loving this program no matter how goofy I look or how much I mess up!

You Should definitely check this program out! If your interested email me and we can set up a time to chat or find me on facebook and message me and I will also help you incorporate arm workouts to keep your upper body toned!

CIZE - Recap of Week 4 / Final Week

EEK!!! I am so excited to tell you that on Saturday, I finished the CIZE program!!! And can I tell you how much I seriously love this program.

I love having a program that is only 4 weeks long. It makes the time fly by, you feel successful sticking to something for 4 weeks straight, and its the perfect summer workout, when you are crazy busy and trying to do 100 things at one time!

AND with this program you laugh, have fun, sweat, and live in the moment!!! Dancing is so freeing! Even if you do stink at it. Trust me, I am probably one of the worst dancers out there but I am having too much fun and getting into it to care!!! Plus I am doing it all in the comfort of my own home, so no one can see me mess up or trip over my 2 left feet!

The final week of Cize is like a Finale of the Fireworks, you do each routine one day. So you start from week 1 and do those 2 routines on Monday and Tuesday, then do week 2's 2 routines on Wednesday and Thursday and then Friday and Saturday are the 2 routines from week 3.

I loved this week the best because it allowed you to do all the routines. PLUS, it showed you how much muscle memory really does play a role. The routines that I thought were hard the prior weeks, actually came much easier to me and I was able to feel like I could add my own groove to it.

So does Cize have to a month long? No you can make it 2 months long if you want to focus on one routine per week.

With this program comes 2 Calendars, Advance and Beginner, but I have clients creating one that we are calling Intermediate. The Beginner calendar has you doing this program for 8 weeks, it has you take each routine and do it for a week straight. The advance Calendar is a month long and it has you doing 2 routines a week, alternating days. However, some of my clients are doing, 2 routines a week but 3 days straight of one routine or until they get a handle on it and then 3 days or 4 days of the next routine. This is what I LOVE about this program. It is geared towards your needs and wants and you don't have to move on till you MASTER that routine.

What about Progression? Does it get harder each week?

Progression, YES each week is a progression. The first weeks routines are easy and basic. There are also not a lot of moves in it and they are repeated A LOT. However, each week he adds more moves and more dynamic moves at that! He he turns it up FULL notch on the last routine, Living in the 8s. That routine I really struggled with, but the greatest thing about this program, is you don't get frustrated with it. When I messed up I would keep going to just break down and have fun and laugh at myself.  I struggled with week 3, however, I STILL got an amazing workout and sweat going while trying to not trip over my feet for the week. I was having fun and living in the moment!

SO if you like to dance, if you like Zumba, if you need something that isn't jumping or lifting weights, something that isn't strenuous on your body, if you hate to workout but KNOW you NEED to then CIZE is for you! It doesn't matter if you can dance or not. You just have to live in the moment and enjoy your time!

I am seriously loving this program no matter how goofy I look or how much I mess up!

You Should definitely check this program out! If your interested email me and we can set up a time to chat or find me on facebook and message me.

Here are is a video of me Cizing up!

Health and Fitness Tip #39 - Vitamin Waters

Vitamin Waters - Are they Really Good For you?

I don't know about you, but I use to drink vitamin water like it was my job! I loved it, it tasted good! AND I thought I was actually doing my body a favor! WRONGO!!!

Vitamin waters get alot of hype in the media and they say they are GREAT for you, especially if you are atheletic and need to hydrate. UM... NO they aren't great for you!!

Here is an example of one vitamins ingredient list.

Ingredient list:

reverse osmosis water, cane sugar, less than 0.5% of: citric acid, magnesium lactate and calcium lactate and potassium phosphate (electrolyte sources), vitamin C (ascorbic acid), fruit and vegetable juice (color), natural flavors, stevia leaf extract, vitamin B5 (calcium pantothenate), beta-carotene, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride), vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin), manganese citrate, gum acacia.

This is what the ingredient list should say:

water, sugar, colors, needless vitamins & minerals.

The ingredients listed are named to get you hyped about how cool this product is.

For example, it's not just any water being provided - you are getting reverse osmosiswater, whatever that means. Probably better than regular water, right?

Next up - the sugar. Not just any sugar - it's cane sugar. Sugar comes from beets or sugar cane. Someone must have decided that cane sugar sounds more sophisticated or healthy. Baloney.

A single serve bottle of this beverage has 8 teaspoons of needless, useless sugar. Actually, the sugar actually does have a use - to mask the very bitter taste of the vitamins added.

However, 120 calories is a high price to pay when you can get non-bitter water out of the tap for zero calories and zero dollars
.
Onwards down the ingredient list, electrolyte sources also sounds cool. Admit it. Did you know that a banana is also an electrolyte source?

So if you are lookingn to spice up your water, then do it the natural way. If you struggle to drink water becasue you don't care for it, then add natural ingredients to it. 

What can you add?

Fresh Fruit

Fresh Veggies

Herbs

Spices

Whatever you do, don't be fooled by the vitamin / flavored water. Water itself contains electrolytes and the more alkaline water you choose the more electrolytes you get! 

And if you are looking for a drink to get you more vitamins then check out Shakeology! You will get vitamins and minerals and its an ALL NATURAL drink with no add sugars, perservatives, flavorings and it does not have any soy!! 

NEW RECIPE - SPICY KALE AND QUINOA BLACK BEAN SALAD

SPICY KALE AND QUINOA BLACK BEAN SALAD

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
1 cup quinoa, uncooked
6 cups chopped kale, de-stemmed
1/2 red onion, chopped ( I leave them out, I don't like onions)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup corn

SPICY DRESSING
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
1/4 cup hot sauce of your choice (I used Cholula brand)
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon cumin

INSTRUCTIONS
In a medium sized pot, combine 2 cups of water with 1 cup of quinoa and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed and quinoa is fluffy.

In a large salad bowl, add the kale and the onion.

Once the quinoa is done cooking, add in the black beans and corn to the pot. Mix it up. You could just add these over the kale but I wanted to warm up the beans and corn.

Add the quinoa mixture over the kale and mix.

Prepare the dressing. Pour the dressing over the salad, mix and enjoy!

FYI

Stays fresh in the refrigerator up to 2 days.

Can replace quinoa with rice and add any additional veggies you like. Bell peppers, tomato, avocado etc.

CIZE - Recap of week 3

I just finished week 3 of CIZE and let me just say OMG!! I LOVE this program!! AND its only 4 weeks long so I am into my last week!

With CIZE, I am laughing, having fun, sweating, and living in the moment!!! I am probably one of the worst dancers out there but I am having too much fun and getting into it to care!!! Plus I am doing it all in the comfort of my own home, so no one can see me mess up or trip over my 2 left feet!

Last weeks routines, were fun, but because it was week 3 they got to be more challenging. The first one, Go For it, was a fun but it took me 2 days to get the hang of it. However, the second routine of the week, Living in the Eights, was hard and I had to do it 3 days in a row until I got comfortable with it. WHICH brings up my next point, you can do this program on YOUR terms!

With this program comes 2 Calendars, Advance and Beginner, but I have clients creating one that we are calling Intermediate. The Beginner calendar has you doing this program for 8 weeks, it has you take each routine and do it for a week straight. The advance Calendar is a month long and it has you doing 2 routines a week, alternating days. However, some of my clients are doing, 2 routines a week but 3 days straight of one routine or until they get a handle on it and then 3 days or 4 days of the next routine. This is what I LOVE about this program. It is geared towards your needs and wants and you don't have to move on till you MASTER that routine.

Progression, YES each week is a progression. The first weeks routines are easy and basic. There are also not a lot of moves in it and they are repeated A LOT. However, each week he adds more moves and more dynamic moves at that! He he turns it up FULL notch on the last routine, Living in the 8s. That routine I really struggled with, but the greatest thing about this program, is you don't get frustrated with it. When I messed up I would keep going to just break down and have fun and laugh at myself.  I struggled with week 3, however, I STILL got an amazing workout and sweat going while trying to not trip over my feet for the week. I was having fun and living in the moment!

SO if you like to dance, if you like Zumba, if you need something that isn't jumping or lifting weights, something that isn't strenuous on your body, if you hate to workout but KNOW you NEED to then CIZE is for you! It doesn't matter if you can dance or not. You just have to live in the moment and enjoy your time!

I am seriously loving this program no matter how goofy I look or how much I mess up!

You Should definitely check this program out! If your interested email me and we can set up a time to chat!

Health and Fitness Tip #38 - 5 MORE Things to leave off your Sandwich or Salad

5 MORE Things to leave off your Sandwich or Salad

1. "Special" Sauces

Restaurants love to concoct crazy sauces for  sandwiches. Aiolis, creamy pestos… Chances are, they're heavy in the calorie department. (Sorry; truth bomb.) But sometimes that spead's the main draw of that particular item. Your best course of action in that situation? Skip that sauce in the moment, but take note of what exactly appeals to you -- fresh herbs, chipotle flavor, sun-dried tomatoes, etc. -- and then re-create it at home. Start with fat-free Greek yogurt, and zazzle it up! This one is hard for me because I LOVE Aioli! But its the truth, not worth the extra calories.

 

2. Pasta

I'm always a little confused by random pasta on salads -- what's the point? Leave off those needless noodles! And while I hardly need to tell you this is a bad idea, a recent trend at hipster sandwich joints is mac 'n cheese sandwiches. Uh-uh, weirdos. This isn't even a swap-for-something-else situation. Just ditch the silliness.

3. Oily Veggies

These suckers can be sneaky, but look out for keywords like "marinated," "grilled," and "sautéed" -- a lot of times, those words are code for "soaked with oil." Eggplant is a huge offender on this front, since it's basically an oil sponge. This is how the calorie count on an otherwise smart-sounding sandwich or salad can turn out disastrous. Stick to fresh veggies... You'll be glad you did.

4. Unnecessary Bread Items

I'm talking croutons. I'm talking the why-are-you-here piece of garlic bread that shows up with your salad. I'm even talking about the top piece of bread on your sandwich! Those croutons are just a waste of calories, and they're not worth the effort it takes to spear 'em with your fork. As for that sandwich bread, if you wanna save some serious calories, consider getting your sandwich fixins wrapped in lettuce. The filling's the best part anyway!

5. Candied Nuts

 Nuts = full of healthy fats, fiber, and protein. Candied nuts = good-for-you stuff cooked in oil and sugar. BOO! This is an easy call. If your salad features 'em, request that they be left off. Or look for a pick that has simply roasted nuts.

NEW RECIPE - ORANGE CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI SKILLET

I love this recipe!! It is delicious and goes great over quinoa or brown rice. Its also husband approved!!

ORANGE CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI SKILLET

INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 small white onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
1 lb chicken breast
1 large head of broccoli
Juice of 1 orange
2 tbsp of orange zest
2 tbsp sesame oil
¼ cup coconut aminos
2 tbsp honey
2 tsp sriracha
½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
2 tbsp sesame seeds (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat up a large skillet or wok to medium high heat and add coconut oil, garlic, onion, and minced ginger. Lower to medium heat.

While the mixture is cooking, chop up chicken and broccoli.

 Sauté for about 5 minutes or until onions are clear, add chicken and broccoli.

Cook for about 10 minutes until chicken is no longer pink and broccoli becomes crisp.

While cooking, whisk together orange juice, zest, soy sauce, honey, sriracha, and red pepper flakes in a separate bowl.

Pour over chicken and broccoli. Cook for another 2-3 minutes on low heat.

Serve hot and garnish with sesame seeds.