The End of 21 Day Fix is Near!!!

I'm heading into the final weekend of the 21 Day Fix program!!! This may be the shortest workout
program I've ever heard of, but it is definitely not the easiest! You have to work harder in so many ways to get the results FAST! You can't skip any workouts or deviate from the meal plan much or else you just won't see results.

I know I haven't been perfect, I've eaten a cookie or two... And then there was those donuts... Gaaahhh! BUT I'm still working hard, I haven't missed a workout and this week I chose to do the doubles program where you do two workouts a day. It hasn't been easy, but nothing in life is! If you want results you have to work for them.

I'll be glad when the intensity of this program is done, but that doesn't mean I won't return to it in the future. I LOVE that all the workouts are 30 minutes, but that you can get a lot of work done in that little bit of time. The meal plan really isn't bad at all, just doesn't allow for many cheats or real treats during the 21 days. Overall I'm glad I revisited this program and worked harder to get through it to the best of my ability. I will definitely post before and after photos and stats come Sunday or Monday after I complete it, in case you are interested in knowing how I really did.

See you then!

Some Yummy Kale Recipes

Before this summer, my options for vegetables were limited... I really didn't care for them very much, and honestly now that I know more about the different food groups I realize that the sweet potatoes, corn and potatoes that were often my go to veggies, really aren't the veggies my body needs. So, in an effort to eat better I've tried, and liked, several new veggies like Asparagus, Brussels Sprouts and
Cauliflower.

As I wrap up my final week of 21 Day Fix I decided I needed to discover something new to eat for veggies, as I am starting to get tired of my limited selection. So, this week when I was at the fruit and veggie stand I noticed Kale, which I've heard is super good for you. So, I picked some up, having NO idea what I would do with it. Yesterday I tried out a couple recipes that were pretty good and thought I would share them with you all :-)

Bacon, Kale and Cheese Omelette

2 Eggs,

2 Slices of Bacon (I used Turkey Bacon)

Kale

1/8 Cup Cheese (your choice)

Cook bacon in a small fry pan and set aside to chop up, but leave the grease. Wash, dry and break Kale into small pieces. Saute in bacon grease for 3-4 minutes until tender and then set aside. Clean out pan and coat with olive oil. Place two scrambled eggs in the pan and cook on one side. After flipping it over add bacon, kale and your choice of cheese. Finish cooking and enjoy!

Kale Chips

Kale

Olive Oil

Garlic Salt

Preheat oven to 275. Wash, dry and break kale into small pieces, discarding the ribs. Spread out pieces on a baking sheet. Using an oil mister lightly spray kale with olive oil. Sprinkle garlic salt on top. Place in the oven for 20 minutes, flipping half way through, and cooking until crisp. Enjoy this healthy alternative to chips as a snack or with a meal.

Do you have an favorite kale recipes that I should try out?? Leave the recipe or a link in the comments if you do, as I'm always looking for new things to try :-) 

Don't Beat Yourself Up Over It! Jump Back In! (And Other Lessons I Learned Eating A Donut)

I'll start right off today admitting I didn't do so well yesterday :-/ Yes, I completed my workout! BUT... I also ate 2 donut holes, a whole donut and a cookie... Oops! That wasn't on the eating plan!!

Looking back over my day, I can easily identify the problem, too bad I didn't see it before the sugar craving set in! First I I didn't eat breakfast, then for lunch I only had my Shakeology. For dinner I had some yummy chicken and zucchini fries... Sounds good, right?? So, what's the problem? I didn't eat enough! I didn't have my breakfast, I didn't have my fruits, I didn't have all my veggies... So, all that added up left me hungry!

When I'm hungry I don't usually crave healthy options, but instead sugar, chocolate and all things yummy! So, when I felt the need to eat something a little while after dinner I ate all the things I could see, which was donuts and a cookie. Thankfully in the big scheme of things I only had one cookie, and out of the 7 dozen donuts I only had 2 holes and one donut!

So, with all that being said, I'm not giving up! It's a small set back in my diet, but overall I feel like I'm doing well considering this is the most restrictive eating plan I've ever followed!

 I tell you all of this because I know many of you have ended up where I did yesterday, hungry and desperate for the foods you crave. Sometimes it's easy to say no and stick with your goals but other days it's not so easy. Don't beat yourself up over it though! Don't quit or give up! Don't think that it's a complete fail! Tomorrow is a new day, a new opportunity to make healthy choices and work towards your goal and you better believe that's exactly what I'm doing!!

I will leave you today with the Zucchini Fries recipe :-)

Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries

2 Medium Zucchini

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

1/4 teaspoon of dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon of dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon of dried basil

1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder

Olive Oil

Preheat the oven to 350. Prepare zucchini by washing, cut in half and then cut the halves lengthwise into quarters. Place on a non stick pan. I placed my olive oil in my oil spritzer and sprayed the zucchini but you can also drizzle it on. 

Mix the rest of the ingredients in a small bowl and sprinkle on top of the zucchini. I found that a lot of it fell to the sides, so I just took each piece of zucchini and dipped it into the excess to really coat each piece.

Place in the over and bake on 350 for about 15 minutes, or until tender. Then broil for an additional 3-4 minutes, until crispy and brown. Enjoy!

PS I'm not saying donuts or cookies are evil and never to be consumed :-) They just aren't on the particular eating plan I'm trying to follow, and I'm really trying to work on moderation!!!

And So Week 2 Begins!

Week two day one is done! That means I'm 1/3 of the way to completing this program! It also means I only have to do Total Body Cardio Fix one more time!!! And that makes me most excited, as I think it's the hardest workout of all 7 of them.

 Yesterday I was creative with my meals again, and didn't really follow my meal plan. Instead I just kept track of what containers I had used and what I had left. For lunch I had a tasty salad with chicken. Dinner included seasoned steak, zucchini fries and a small baked potato. One thing I didn't do well was actually eating all of my containers, and I did eat a small homemade granola bar :-/ I was making them for the hubby, as he is gone for 3 days for training for his new job, and I just couldn't resist!!!

Otherwise the day was uneventful... I'm on a stretch of working 10 nights in a row and am excited that once I'm done this stretch of working I will only have 4 days left of this workout program! And I'm excited that Thanksgiving is AFTER I've completed 21 Day Fix and so it's something else to look forward too and focus on when I'm craving something right now.

If you've ever done a really strict workout and meal plan before what helped you get through it? What did you do to stay focused and on track and not give into skipping a day or eating food not on your list?? Leave a comment below to share your helpful tips and tricks!

PS I wore my PiYo shirt for my workout today, and I think it was confused about why I was doing 21 Day Fix :-) I shall remedy that problem when I complete this workout program and get my 21 Day Fix shirt!

First Week of 21 Day Fix, DONE!

If you are just reading this blog you may want to look back over the last couple days, as I have been blogging about my experience about completing the workout program 21 Day Fix.

I just finished up my first weekend of the 21 Day Fix. It's definitely harder to stay on track during the weekend, but overall my planning seemed to pay off!

I was gone to an over-night retreat with our youth group girls Fri-Sat, and packed all my meals and snacks to bring with me. That was a good thing as they had Chocolate Chip Pie with Ice Cream and Hot Fudge! I managed to resist the urge to eat them and instead had some fruit, which was pretty good! Fruit is becoming my new desert, along with Shakeology.

Throughout the weekend it was so HARD to keep from eating every sweet I saw! I don't know why it was so much harder than the rest of the week, but it was! I'll admit I stole a couple of candy corn and switched out a few of my containers for a small slice of homemade pizza, but overall I resisted, even though in the moment it was not fun!

Having the freedom of switching around what my meals were, as long as I stuck with the containers and right portions, is so HELPFUL! I like having the meal plan to give me ideas of what to have and not have to think about it if I don't want, but sometimes when it comes time to eat don't want what's on the list.

I'm finally not feeling so sore! I can walk up and down the stairs without having to clutch the railing for fear that my legs would give out and I might come crashing down! The massage my awesome husband gave me on Saturday may have helped with this a bit ;-)

One week of this workout is officially done and only 14 days to go! (I even have the hubby reminding me how many days left, in order to encourage me to stick with it.)

In A Rut... Day 4

So, Day 4 out of 21 is about to come to a close as I write this.

My workout this morning was Pilates, which wasn't easy but a good recovery day as I am still SORE!

This morning I was craving a good breakfast so I rearranged my menu plan for the day to include an egg, turkey bacon, whole grain waffle and cooked strawberries on top. It was DELICIOUS and totally helped with my sweet cravings.

I ate the rest of my planned meals, slightly altered, and nothing too exciting. Tonight however  I was dying for something sweet... So badly that I ate 1 pumpkin candy corn.... Yes, I went there :-/ Good things is I was really able to eat just one, so that's progress!

To help with this craving I decided to switch up my Shakeology to help get me through the rest of the night, so I prepared this:

Chocolate Minty Shakeology

1 Scoop Chocolate Shakeology

4oz. Water

5 Ice Cubes

2-3 Drops Peppermint Extract

Place Shakeology and water in the blender, blend about 30 seconds. Add ice cubes and peppermint and blend until smooth. Enjoy this perfect holiday treat!

And that was about my day, nothing too exciting, but not too bad either!

Frozen Peanut Butter Chocolate Shakeology

Yesterday, when I had to endure being around others eating yumminess that I couldn't have I decided to create a sweet treat for dessert. I was limited on my options, as the only thing on my meal plan I
hadn't yet eaten was my Shakeology and peanut butter, so I created this delicious dessert!

Frozen Peanut Butter Chocolate Shakeology

1 Scoop Chocolate Shakeology

2 Teaspoons of Peanut Butter

4 Ounces Water

6-8 Ice Cubes

Place water and Shakeology in the blender, and blend for 30 seconds. Add Peanut Butter and blend for another 30 seconds. Finally add ice and blend until smooth. Place in a bowl or cup and put in the freezer for about 1 hour, or until frozen to your liking. Take out and enjoy this no guilt sweet treat!

And I Thought I Was Sore Yesterday...

Day 3 out of 21!

So, on Tuesday I was lamenting about how sore I was... I blamed it on the week of rest I took after running my half-marathon, and doing different exercises now that running isn't monopolizing my workout time. Those are both probably factors, but I think I'm also just really pushing myself and giving it my all.

Anyway, I woke up yesterday with a whole lotta sore going on. Those additional 3 lbs on my weights made a huge difference! Honestly I didn't want to workout... I just wanted to catch up on sleep, as I was done nights for the week, and curl up in a ball and feel sorry for myself that I didn't get to eat any of the yumminess at a work party. I mean, come on, I had to bake chocolate chip cookies and pumpkin muffins and I didn't get to eat any of them! That is just torture for this gurl!

But you know what?? I didn't climb into bed with a box of tissues. Instead I put on my shoes, headed down to the basement and gave my leg workout my all! So much so they felt like JELL-O, just like my arms did the day before. Then I made the dinner I had on the menu, a taco salad :-)

Do you know why I was able to do this?? Because I have a 'why,' a reason that keeps me motivated when I feel like throwing in the towel. I don't do this just for the fun of it. Who am I kidding? Not much of this is fun right now... But I do it because I want to lead my groups by example! I have 7 women who chose to join me on this journey this month, and when I encourage them to push themselves, to give it their all when they want to give up, I don't want to be a hypocrite! I feel so honored that they would allow me to support them, and I don't want to fail them.

My other reason is to prove to myself that I can do it. When I did PiYo I didn't follow the eating plan 100%. I did eat much better than I ever had before, but I had my fair share of treats. I struggle so much with having self-control and sticking with things I start, and I want to grow in those areas! So that means sometimes having to watch others eat lots of yummy things while I munch on some carrots or grapes. It means going down to the basement when I'm not sure I'll be able to climb back up the stairs at the end :-) But really, at the end of the day this program is only 21 days, and it's really not that bad! The areas I will grow in by sticking with this will help in the big picture of living a healthy and active lifestyle.

So, I will keep pressing on for the next 18 days and lay my heart, soul and sweat on the basement floor!

Day 2 of 21 Day Fix

Day two I woke up a little sore, I can tell I haven't been working out at this intensity outside of running for a bit, as I am feeling it. I kind of like being sore though, as to me it is testament that I pushed hard, hard enough to be uncomfortable now.

I completed upper body fix, which means weights. I had decided before starting this round that I would purchase 8 lb. weights because I only had 3 lb. and 5 lb. and I didn't feel like I was pushing myself enough. It's crazy how much more challenging increasing your heavy weight by only 3 lbs is! By the end my arms were JELLO :-)

I felt like my meals were yummier today, and you can check that out for yourself in the photo on the side. I made the creamy dressing that is in the 21 Day Fix recipes, and it's pretty yummy! I think I'll have that on my taco salad tonight.

It was a little harder to refrain from sweets and treats all day. I think one reason is I am coming off of a sugar high from the Halloween candy I consumed this past weekend, but also I was in several situations where I was surrounded by others eating sweets and then at work last night I had to make chocolate chip cookies and pumpkin muffins for a party... It's hard to bake things and not try them out! And on top of that I had to smell chili and buffalo chicken dip cooking all night!

Once again though, I love that this is only 21 days! When I was getting tired during my workout out I reminded myself that I only have to do this workout 3 times, so push it! When I wanted to eat those cookies and muffins I reminded myself it's only a little over 19 days left. I've got this! I can do this! I'm not giving up yet!

Day 1 of 21 Day Fix

Day one is in the books! :-)

For a first day it really wasn't bad... I think a lot of it had to do with all the planning I put into it.

Sunday night when I came into work I had my Shakeology with me to drink for breakfast along with my orange. The hubby was gracious enough to prepare my lunch and dinner and I got one of my two snacks in.

I love that this program really focuses on nutrition, as that is something I really need work on still. It comes with all these cute little containers that represent different food groups are are the appropriate portion, which makes it really simple and I don't have to worry about second guessing myself or trying to figure out what a portion size is in each food group. Below each photo I wrote what that meal was made of in regards to the containers that come with the 21 Day Fix.

The first workout is BRUTAL! At least I think it is for a first workout... But, I love that it's only 30 minutes, and you only repeat each exercise twice... So, if I think I'm going to die I just start counting my reps to see how many I can do in the minute, and then move on.

The moment I was most proud of: walking by Halloween candy and thinking, "hmm... which one do I want to have? WAIT, I'm eating healthy!" I was so glad I actually remembered in my groggy state that I can live without junk food for 21 Days.

The moment that was the hardest: my knee hurt during some of the exercises, so I made sure to ice it tonight and will again tomorrow.

Looking forward to nailing day 2!

Restart of the 21 Day Fix

It's a little past midnight, which makes today the official start of the 21 Day Fix. Ok, so I tried to  start twice before, once back in September and then again in October, but I honestly was not as dedicated as I am this time around.

So, what's different??

 I created meal plans - I know exactly what I can eat and have a 7 day meal plan that I can do three times. I have it color coded and posted on the fridge.

I went grocery shopping - After putting together my meal plan I created a grocery list and went and got everything I'll need.

I have a 'gym' - When my husband and I first moved to Grandma's house I would change my workout location daily. I used the porch, my bedroom, the living room and the basement. This time around I created a set place to workout in and made it fun with chalk messages to myself :-)

I set a good start date - I planned to start this round with my current Challenge Group, as the group is 21 days long and it's a great way for me to be accountable to them.

 I told people - I have been talking about completing the 21 Day Fix in November for several weeks now. I have told my Challenge Group, my Facebook friends, my husband and other friends in person. I have also planned to write daily about it on here, to keep myself focused and working towards my goals.

So, what's the same?

 My schedule - I still work full-time doing overnights, which can be hard to figure out when to workout. I also work for 3 hours in the afternoon 5 days a week. So, my schedule isn't any lighter, but I am bound determined to make it work!

 I live in Candy Land - I still live in a house with a Grandma that loves to have candy, cookies and desserts on hand for the family. I have my meal plan this time though, with 3 meals and two snacks to keep me full and fueled throughout the day.

Some of my biggest hurdles from before still exist, but my mindset is different and this time I have a plan! I am ready to do this thing right, and get my t-shirt to prove it ;-)

Running The Race, All 13.1 Of It!

Before The Race

On Sunday the hubby and I finally ran the half-marathon we had been training for since July. This particular marathon was benefiting the Children's Hospital at Dartmouth, and had the theme of
superheroes. So, of course Jake was Batman, I went as Wonder Woman and my younger sister went as Batman, too :-)

The day started out a little cold and wet, and because of that we decided not to go down to the event early. By the time we got there, took the shuttle to the site of the event, registered and warmed up it was go time! This is one thing I would change if the weather had of been better, as they had lots of things to see and do that we missed out on.

Right away it was evident that they put a lot of work into organizing and pulling off this event. The registration process was super smooth. They had everything you might need there and everything was clearly marked.

The Start Of The Race

At The Finish Line

The actual course was pretty tough for several reasons. First of all running 13.1 miles for your first race ever probably isn't the best idea. I would recommend that you do a 5k just to see what it's like and to really be able to enjoy the event. This particular course was also quite demanding with many hills, at least 5 long ones that I can remember, and one of those hills being at the very end of the course. Along the way they had water and sports drinks every 2 miles, which was super helpful. They also had several musicians and lots of crowds of people to cheer you on.

Jake and I started out really strong, probably averaging a 9 minute mile for the first 7 miles, which for us is pretty good. Also, between mile 4 and 9 my knee was pretty much killing me, so maintaining a good speed was hard! At mile 8 we split up, as Jake needed to slow down some and I wanted to try to keep up my pace. I was able to until the last couple miles. By mile 12 I was in dire need of something to eat, and was feeling lightheaded. I made the decision to walk up the last hill, as I figured if I fainted I would never cross the finish line. That walk probably added at least 5 minutes to my time :-/ But I did get to run across the finish line, and then eat tons of food! So it's all good :-)

Overall the event was pretty awesome! In hindsight I would do a few things different, and while I initially said, "Never again!" The further I get from the pain the more I think I would like to do more runs in the future :-)

If I do decide to run another race it will definitely be one with a theme! It was so much fun to see all the superheroes, some recognizable and others were created by the runners. Also, as we ran along the course the crowds that were cheering would call out the superheros. So, if you've always wanted to be called Batman, Superman or some other heroes name, just run dressed up as them :-)

10 Reason I Love Being a Health and Fitness Coach

Lately life has been a little crazy... Ok, maybe a little more than a little, but you get my drift!

Between moving, working full-time, working on our house to help it sell, picking up extra work doing respite for a family and then church and ministry stuff my life is busy! Add to all of that the fact that I'm also doing my online coaching, which would be easy to let slide right now because it's many hours of extra work each week... But I LOVE it too much to give up on it.

So, today I decided to share 10 reasons I love about being a coach!

1. By coaching I am able to keep myself  accountable to my health and fitness goals. It would have been easy to stop working out and eating healthy after completing my first program, but I want to make a life change of being healthy!

2. This job is helping me learn more about nutrition and healthy eating! Each challenge group I do I learn a little more about what it really means to eat healthy, which honestly can be so confusing if you don't do your homework (or have awesome challengers that help you with that part :-)

3. The products that I personally use, and promote, work! I am proof of this and only because of that proof did I become a coach. I could never talk people into something I wasn't passionate about and also believe that it could work for them too.

4. I get to help people, I love people! I get to be a cheerleader and encouragement to them mainly online, which is way easier than trying to get together with people in person with our busy schedules.

5. I am my own CEO make my own hours and schedule. I determine how successful or unsuccessful I will be! I am the head honcho for my business, which is daunting and scary and yet awesome and exciting too!

6. I have renewed hope that one day I will get to stay at home with my imaginary (for now) children and not have to sacrifice financial freedom to do so. I am a HUGE advocate for debt free living, and this business will allow me to keep doing that.

7. My team is awesome, supportive, encouraging and desires to see everyone succeed. Many of them are sisters in Christ who also have a desire to stay home with their kiddos, and they are a great community of online friends!

8. I can work from home, on my time frame in my pajamas if I like! No commute and no dress code. If it's nice out I work on the porch. If it's rainy or cold I work under my blankets in bed! Not many jobs allow you to do this.

9. It's fun! Getting to encourage people, connecting with old and new friends, supporting people in reaching their goals and being healthy and fit is fun! A cousin of mine recently saw me at a wedding and said, "You look like you are having the time of your life!" This was in response to what she had been seeing me post on my Facebook. And you know what, she was right!

10. My job allows for me to have a creative outlet. I get to create pictures, quotes and group photos in Photoshop or you could use Canva, Picmonkey or another online editing program. I get to pick out the format for my groups, what the daily posts will be and what the group theme is. It's a lot of fun to decide what it is I want to be represented by!

I could definitely list more reasons, but will stick with my top 10 for now! If any of those 10 reasons resonates with you, and makes you wonder if you could do something like this, I would love to talk to you about joining my team! I am looking for individuals who are willing to put in some hard work to reach their dreams, whatever those dreams are. So, if you would like more info feel free to email me at daniordanielle@yahoo.com, leave a comment on this or friend me on Facebook.

Speaking of that busy life I'm living, I gotta go!

Ready or NOT CHaD Hero Here I Come!

In July when we first started running!

Back in July the hubby and I had this great idea... Why not run in a half-marathon, to knock out one of our bucket list items??

So, we found a running schedule that would take us from running 1 mile all the way up to the big 13.1! At first we were really good with being faithful to following that plan... And then life happened!

To date we have only gotten up to 9.7 miles, and that was like a month ago... Since then we have only run 2-4 miles at a time. I may be new to this whole running a 13.1 BUT it doesn't take a genius to know this probably wasn't the best idea.

Well, ready or not the big race is tomorrow! Am I excited? YES! Am I completely terrified? YES! haha Yes, I can be both of those at one time :-)

Looking back over the last 14 weeks of training I realized I've learned so much about myself through this! I've NEVER stuck with something this physically demanding for this long of a time! I had never run more than maybe 3 miles at a time before. I also hadn't ever run more than 30-40 minutes without stopping!

What I learned through this is that if I put my mind to something I CAN do it! For many things it really is mind over matter. I learned that I can push through pain and not give up! I learned that while I don't enjoy running I love seeing the distance I can cover doing it! I learned that I'm really not a quitter!

More importantly I learned that I can be flexible. I can change my goals as needed to accommodate what really works for me. When I first started training I had all these lofty goals of accomplishing some great time, but now I just want to complete it before they tear down the finish line :-)

I've adopted this quote, as I think it fits where I am right now:

So, while I may not be breaking any records tomorrow, it may not look pretty and I may not be able to walk for a week, you better believe I'm gonna finish this race!

The Reality Of The 21 Day Fix

I really had good intentions of completing the 21 Day Fix straight through.... Then I moved... Into Candy Land :-) Plus I'm training for a half-marathon coming up this Sunday Oct. 26th, and after a 10 mile run for some reason my body just can't move the next day... Weird, I know! I've also been

experiencing pain in my knee which requires me to modify things and rest it often...

As much as I wanted to complete it straight through, by following the eating plan and not skipping any days, it just isn't going to happen right now, and that's ok!

The more this healthy living lifestyle is taking hold of me and how I do things, the more I realize that I don't have to be quite so rigid. It's a lifestyle after all, not a sprint to the finish line and then go back to what I was doing before.

So, instead of focusing on the fact that I haven't been able to stick with this program perfectly, I am choosing to focus on eating healthy, on exercising daily but also listening to my body to know when it needs rest, especially after long runs!

Have you ever had good intentions with a workout program or gym membership, but then it didn't work out exactly like you planned it? Don't give up! Choose to make healthy choices, and do the best you can with what you have! Get an accountability partner or workout buddy. Don't try to go it alone! It's so much easier to give up or quit when no one knows you are doing it!

In my next Challenge Group, Be Grateful and Grow Strong, I am planning to go all in and give this 21 Day Fix my ALL! I'm already working on a meal plan, planning out my workout area and am super stoked about this upcoming group! I still have a few slots available, so if you are serious about getting your nutrition and fitness in order consider joining me! Just click on the 'Contact Me' link at the top of the page and send me a note letting me know you are interested!

Black Bean Brownie Recipe

Black Bean Brownies, some of you are probably thinking, Wow that sounds so awesome! While other's of you may be thinking, Why would you desecrate brownies with black beans??? haha

So, a couple years ago I had my first try to Black Bean Brownies. Initially the person serving them didn't tell me what they were made of, and I honestly would never have guessed. If you make these right there should be no evidence of black beans in the brownie when you are done.

This past weekend I decided to take a shot at it myself, and was once again pleasantly surprised by the results! These brownies are not cake like but are much more dense and fudgy. They are a rich chocolate flavor and perfect to serve warm with a bit of whipped cream.

Black Bean Brownies

Ingredients:

1 15 oz. can ( 1 3/4 cups) black beans, well rinsed and drained
2.5 T flaxseed meal + 6 T water
3 T your choice oil
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
Optional toppings: crushed nuts or semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly grease a standard size muffin pan (12 muffins). Begin by thoroughly rinsing and draining your black beans. If you are using a regular blender consider mashing them with a potato masher to help the process along.

Prepare flax egg by combining flax and water in the bowl of the food processor or blender. Pulse a couple times and then let rest for a few minutes.

Add in the rest of the ingredients (besides walnuts or other toppings) and blend until smooth - about 3 minutes - scraping down sides as needed. You want it pretty smooth and should resemble regular brownies.

If the batter appears too thick, add a Tbsp or two of water and pulse again. I found that I needed 2 additional Tbsps. It should be a think batter so don't add too much water and make it runny.
Evenly distribute the batter into the muffin tin.

Optional: Sprinkle with crushed nuts or chocolate chips.

Bake for 20-26 minutes or until the tops are dry and the edges start to pull away from the sides. I found mine took about 25.

Remove from oven and let cool for 30 minutes before removing from pan. They will be tender, so remove gently with a fork. The insides are meant to be very fudgy, so don't be concerned if they seem too moist - that's the point.

For a real sweet treat serve with a dab of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream!

Store in an airtight container for up to a few days. Refrigerate to keep longer.

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 140 calories Fat: 6 g Carbohydrates: 22 g Sugar: 9 g Sodium: 163 mg Fiber: 7 g Protein: 5 g

A Little Super Saturday Workout!

Each Saturday in my current Challenge Group I have been challenging everyone to complete a little extra workout. It's a fun little competition against yourself to see what you can do.

Today I challenged them to do High/Low Plank. It's a great move that really is an allover body exercise that targets your core. I couldn't find a video to show them what I was looking for exactly, so I made my own! Enjoy!

How many can you do???

A Delicious Fall Recipe

Hi, my name is Dani, and I struggle with eating healthy.

There, I said it! It's so true of me, and as we go into the fall and winter I know it will only get harder. This summer I thrived off of food from our garden and the grill, but up here in New England the long winter months are characterized by comfort food and added fats.

I've worked hard to get my body where it is today though, so don't think I'm going to throw in the towel. I just need to work more diligently at finding healthy and delicious recipes.

And, of course, I'll be sharing them with all of you here at Fat Gurl Inside.

Last night for dinner I decided to do a Baked Chicken with Roasted Apples and Garlic. It was super yummy! Here's the recipe:

1 or 2 Chopped and Peeled Macintosh Apples 

1 Dash of Dried Sage

2 Dashes of Cinnamon

1 Dash of Nutmeg

1 Garlic Cloves, Chopped Finely

1 Dash of Salt
1 Dash of Black Pepper
Olive Oil

2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts Cut in 1-2 Inch Strips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 475°.

Spray a small pan with olive oil. Combine first 6 ingredients together in pan.

Place chicken pieces on top of the apple mixture. Bake at 475° for 25 minutes or until chicken is done and apple is tender. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm.

Partially mash apple mixture with a potato masher, and serve with chicken. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired.

This recipe makes enough for two people with a little left over, but it can be increased to serve a whole family.

Enjoy with roasted cauliflower and carrots, or other vegetables you enjoy.

If you get a chance to try it let me know what you think!

Easy To Do. Easy Not To Do.

Recently I've been reading a book called The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson. Throughout the book he makes that statement, "So easy to do. So easy not to do." Those are the things that make a difference in your life.

For me right now that easy thing to do is to workout and eat healthy. But at the same time it's so easy not to do those things! It's easy to stay in bed and keep hitting snooze. It's easy to pick up some fast food or a pre-made meal at the store. It's easy to take the elevator instead of using the stairs. 

I think part of the reason all those "unhealthy" habits are so easy is that it's what I was used to doing for so long. They've become ingrained in me, which makes this whole "trying to change to live a healthier lifestyle" thing really hard! There are times I want to give up and do the old easy thing instead of embracing the new easy thing.

Honestly, it's easy for me to find 30 minutes to complete my workout. It's easy for me to shop for healthier foods. It's easy for me to walk somewhere instead of driving. It just maybe takes a little more planning.

When you have goals though, and you are serious about those goals, you'll probably find that you are willing to put in that little bit of extra work. When you get serious about living healthier, you can find some extra time in your day to prepare a meal plan or fit in that extra workout.

When you are tempted to give up and stop working towards your goals remind yourself that it's easy to keep going. You just have to make the right choice.

Face In The Mirror: The Story Behind Fatgurlinside

Fat Gurl Inside. It's an unusual choice for a blog name, I know, but it has a lot of meaning to me. A lot of it has to do with the fact that, on the inside, I'm a lover of all things sugary sweet and delicious and fattening and... well, things that would make my waistline expand generously.

But it's more than that. It has a lot to do with a part of my life that I have always been afraid to open up about: my struggle with weight and my self-image. In the past I've tried to laugh it off, pretending everything was ok, when it wasn't.

If you opened up my photo book you'd see that throughout my years of high school and early adulthood, my weight yoyoed. I know I may not look like a fat gurl to some people, but we all define being fat differently.

And, honestly, at the end of the day, it didn't matter what people thought I looked like. Fat. Thin. Whatever. What mattered was what I thought, and what I saw in the mirror was not anything I was proud of. I felt physically weak, low on energy, sluggish, which all can be symptoms of being overweight. In high school I struggled with poor eating habits, sometimes starving myself and being obsessed with walking a six mile loop on a regular basis in hopes of shedding those extra 20 pounds I was carrying around, cleverly hidden under baggy clothes.

I didn't like the outward me!

Until I was willing to really do something about it though I wasn't able to openly admit that I wasn't happy with that gurl I saw in the mirror. I couldn't even look at my before photos for the first several weeks after starting my first Challenge Group. I'm so thankful I took them though! Now it is a wonderful reminder of how far I have come, how much my body has changed, strengthened and slimmed down from working out regularly, drinking Shakeology, and trying to eat more healthily.

As a Christian I know that looking good isn't everything. Our society puts far too much emphasis on being sexy and slim and gorgeous. I don't want to compound that in any way. But I also believe there is a godly way of caring for our physical bodies that is good and healthy. And I thank God for the motivation He has given me to pursue a healthier lifestyle. It does feel nice to have more confidence in how I look, and to not stress over what to wear in order to feel comfortable in my own skin. We all have a right to feel good about our looks, to put on that cute dress for a date night and feel awesome in it, to have the strength to enjoy physical activities, to have the endurance to run a marathon.

If you've ever felt like me, you know the feeling of trying on 10 different outfits before you either give up or find something to hide behind. You don't have to live that way though! All you need are some goals, a willingness to work hard, and a group of people that can support you in the process.

I would love to be your support, to encourage you, to push you, to hold you accountable and challenge you to do things you never thought possible! If this is something you are ready to do let me know, and we can figure out a plan that will help you reach you personal goals!

It's The Little Choices

I love sports, but I have not often had the opportunity to play them. However, thanks to my three younger sisters, I've been able to attend plenty of games—basketball, softball, and soccer.

Soccer is the sport I have the biggest soft spot for, probably because it's the only sport I ever played—once when I was a kid and again in Bible College. My love of soccer is also tied to the pace of the game and even, I think, the time of year.

Sadly, this fall marks the first time in six years that none of my sisters are playing because they have all graduated high school. Furthermore, since recently moving to a new town, I am too far away to make the trip to watch their old high school team play.

However, interestingly, I found out a few weeks ago that one of the coach's who used to coach my sisters is now a coach for the team in my new town. I have memories of his distinct voice thundering across the soccer field.

So this week I was feeling like exploring my new town and decided to head over to the high school and check out the first soccer game of the season. I packed a blanket and brought along a Pumpkin Pie Spice Shakeology.

A few minutes into the game it appeared that the athletic director, who had been running the ball, didn't really want to be running the ball. So, I offered to do it for him, which meant running up and down a 110 yard field for 80 minutes, which is a workout all in itself, but I did it in an attempt practice making healthier choices.

I mean, how many times do I take the elevator to travel three floors when the stairs will work just fine? How often do I look for a closer parking spot when parking a little further away and walking gives me just a little bit more exercise?

Now, not everyone would chose to run the ball for the local high school soccer team, but I like soccer, and running the ball gave me a chance to pay closer attention and get some exercise. So why not?

If we're going to get serious about getting into shape, we need to get serious about all the little decisions we make throughout the day. Take the stairs. Park further away. Walk to the soccer game. Run the ball! It's these little choices that are easy to do, but also easy not to do. It's these little choices that add up over time and can either help you get a lot closer to reaching your goals or drag you much further away from them.

What will you choose to do today to put you one step closer to reaching your goals? I want to hear about it! Let me know in the comments below.