How to maintain Clean Eating Superbowl Weekend

This weekend is the Super Bowl and if you are like me, you enjoy food and especially appetizers and picky foods. I went searching for some clean eating appetizers. I love introducing clean foods to people who think it's all about veggies. The key to any appetizer is to indulge in moderation. It's not a meal and you should not fill up entirely on too much of one thing. Even though hummus and guacamole are good fats, they should not be consumed in excessively large amounts. 

Here is a great link from TBB to view on 25 great Game snacks! Make healthy choices! 

http://www.teambeachbody.com/teambeachbodyblog/nutrition/25-healthy-game-day-snacks?ICID=CT_BLOG_BIG_GAME

If you are headed to a party and have no control over the food, here are some tips.

1.   Pre-Eat: Never rely on what is being provided in HOPES that it is going to be clean. Spend your time focusing on socializing instead of hanging out at the food table.
2. Choose small plates: Always grab an appetizer plate instead of a big dinner plate and load up on veggies and fresh fruit. Stay away from creamy dips and all the fried food. The small plates will remind you to stay within your portion sizes. When you use a larger plate you tend to over eat and fill the plate with more than you need.
3. Drink lots of water: If you decide to have a few drinks, stay hydrated. Go with low calorie options like vodka and club soda with a splash of lime or lemon.
4. Stay away from certain ingredients: Try to avoid anything that is made with mayonnaise, crème cheese, sour crème, or heavy crème. There are lots of calories and fat hidden in there. It doesn't matter if its "low-fat" or "no-fat" because then its just loaded with chemicals and far from clean eating.  To clean up these recipes with those ingredients always use Greek yogurt.  

Clean Super Bowl snacks are anything but boring! These decadent offerings are cleaned-up takes on some of your favorite football treats.
Super Bowl Sunday is well known for massive amounts of highly fattening
and unhealthy foods. But it doesn’t have to be that way. This year, take
the challenge of a clean eating super bowl feast!
Clean eating is simply the art of eating foods that are not processed and
are as close to the way nature intended them as possible. If something has
ingredients in it that you can’t pronounce, or that you wouldn’t use in
your own kitchen, it’s probably not clean. This may sound a bit
overwhelming when you think of your typical day of eating. But it’s really
quite simple, and can easily be applied to your Super Bowl meal. To prove
it, here’s one clean eating recipe the guys are sure to love!

Clean Eating TexMex Dip

 This dip is by far my favorite appetizer!

 

(Makes 20 servings – 1/4 cup)

Ingredients:

• 1 (12 ounce) jar of your favorite salsa, no sugar added
• 1 (15 ounce) can black olives, chopped
• 1 (15 ounce) can non-fat, refried beans, no sugar added
• 3 avocados
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 large roma tomatoes, chopped
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, loosely packed

  Directions:

  1. Combine the beans and the salsa in a pot and warm while stirring constantly. Once they are warm and well combined, remove from heat and pour the beans into your serving dish.
  2. Make your guacamole using the avocados, lime juice, garlic powder and onion powder. Add salt to taste. Layer the guacamole over the beans.
  3. Top with olives and tomatoes next and finish with the fresh cilantro.
  4. Serve with your favorite, clean corn chips or whole grain crackers.
  
  
  Read more: http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/clean-eating-texmex-dip/#ixzz3QR4tVwv3
  © The Gracious Pantry. All rights reserved.
  Follow us: @graciouspantry on Twitter | GraciousPantry on Facebook

Clean Eating BBQ Chicken Roll

Ingredients
1 batch Clean Eating Pizza Dough
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp clean bbq sauce (I use the OrganicVille brand)
2 large chicken breasts
1 lb. crimini mushrooms
3 shallots
1 tbsp. olive oil + extra for greasing a cookie sheet
1 cup low-fat mozzarella cheese
Tools needed
1 full-sized cookie sheet
1 rolling pin
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 1 – Place the chicken breasts in the oven with 1 tbsp. bbq sauce on
each breast. Bake until the chicken reaches 160 degrees F. on a
thermometer.
Step 2 – While the chicken bakes, slice the mushrooms and dice the
shallots. Saute in a pan with the olive oil.
Step 3 – Grease the cookie sheet and roll out the dough until it covers
the entire sheet.
Step 4 – Spread on the bbq sauce, being sure to leave about an inch of raw
(no sauce) dough all the way around.
Step 5 – Spread on the mushrooms over the sauce.
Step 6 – When the chicken is done, shred it with two forks and toss onto
the pizza roll, over the mushrooms.
Step 7 – Top everything with the mozzarella.
Step 8 – At one of the narrow ends, begin rolling the dough up like a
carpet until you have a nice “log”. Seal the end by turning the roll
slightly on the cookie sheet so that it sits on the end piece of the dough.
This will seal it as it bakes. Pinch off the ends so your filling does not
leak out during baking.
Step 9 – Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. The crust will be firm and almost
brittle.
Step 10 – Slice and serve topped with a little extra bbq sauce.
Credit: Tiffany McCauley publishes The Gracious Pantry, a blog about healthy living and clean eating recipes

Clean Eating Seasoned Potato Wedges

Ingredients:

• Potatoes, peeled and cut in to wedges
• Olive oil in an oil sprayer
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder

Try Swanson® Veggie Broth in this Recipe.

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a small mixing bowl, combine your spices.
3. Spray a cookie sheet with olive oil and spread out the potato wedges in a single layer.
4. Sprinkle the spices over the potatoes. Go ahead, be generous.
5. Bake for about 20-30 minutes or until the potatoes are soft when poked with a fork.
6. If you like soft fries, you can take them out of the oven now. If you like crunchier fries, turn your oven on broil and broil for about 10 minutes more, or until the potatoes start to brown nicely.
7. Allow to cool for a bit. (Potatoes tend to hold on to heat!)

Clean Eating Potato Wedges

 Clean Eating Spinach Dip

 Clean Eating Turkey Chili

For more tips and Clean eating Super Bowl recipes please use this link:
Read more: http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/clean-eating-seasoned-potato-wedges/#ixzz3QQsgWSZQ

21 Day Fix Program

So, you may be asking, "How does this program really work?"
 It works by a series of containers that you fill daily for your allowed calorie range per day. For me I am in the range of 1200 to 1500 calories per day and if I have a really high caloric workout I bump it up to 1800 calories per day. That is a lot of food, but none the less, I keep it healthy! This gives me 3 green(veggies-broccoli, asparagus, lettuce, carrots, onions), 2 purple (fruits- grapes, raspberries, strawberries apple), 4 red (protein- chicken, turkey breast, fish, tuna, shakeology, eggs, lean red meat), 2 yellow (starchy carbs- rice, sweet potato) you can also substitute the yellow container for a dessert that is listed on the meal plan , 1 blue (nuts, avocado, hummus, feta cheese) and 1 orange (dressings- nut butters and olive oil).

Each container is broken down in the manual with a list of foods that you can eat. I easily pick from the list to plan my meals and snacks and create a meal plan for the week. The foods are listed in order of importance. So the higher on the list the foods are the more nutritionally sound they are. I do not eat out of the containers but I prepare the food in them and then pour it on to my plate. I am always surprised at how much food there is to eat and it is all super HEALTHY AND NUTRITOUS WHOLE FOODS!
You are allowed to drink milk, soy milk or almond milk but you have to substitute  out a yellow container and you are only allowed 3times a week. I usually use almond milk in my shakes and so this the 3 times a week allowed and the rest of the time I just use water to mix it with. I always use fresh fruit, lemons to infuse into my water to make it taste yummy and to not be so boring. You must be drinking a ton of water each day because you are sweating so much out during your workouts. It is recommended that you drink 1/2 your body weight in water each day. So at 120 lbs I must drink 60 oz of water each day. I use a 32 oz water bottle and make sure I fill it up twice every day. This way I know I am getting enough water. During an Asylum workout which I am currently doing now, I have no problem drinking the entire 32oz during my workout.
How does Shakeology fit into the 21 day fix program?
It is counted as a RED container which is a protein. I generally use this as my breakfast or as my first snack of the day after my workout!

 Container allowance

21 Day Fix approved Foods

There are a ton of recipes to choose from on pinterest, instagram and just by googling the 21 day fix meal plan in your computer. There is a list of seasoning  mixes that you can easily make to prepare all of you meals with . There are container recipes for your veggies, protein, and starches too. I use www.thegraciouspantry.com for a lot of my recipes, dressings and seasoning mixes that are all clean eating recipes.
Team beachbody provides you with a great tracking worksheet to make this easy for you to follow. It allows you to put your container allowance at the top and you can tally each meal of the day and check what you have! This gives you a great visual to follow. I swear by it and I like to see things in front of me and I am a big fan of crossing things off my list and when I exercise and eat, I know that I can cross off what I had to keep me accountable for what I am putting in my body.

The workout that comes with the 21 day Fix program comes with 7 DVD's and they are all amazing.
 Day 1 is Total Body Fix which is cardio with weights. You can always modify the workouts. If you are a beginner you will definitely want to consider doing this. But try to push yourself through the 30 minute workout because I guarantee that you will feel great after it is done!
Day 2 is Upper Fix which uses weights
Day 3  is Lower Fix
Day 4 is Pilates
Day 5 is Cardio Fix
Day 6 is the Dirty 30 workout
Day 7 is the yoga fix, which will help you with balance, flexibility, strength, while increasing circulation and speeding the healing and recovery of your muscles.

What will you need for this workout?
 light and heavy set of dumbbells or resistance bands. A yoga mat is also recommended for the Yoga Fix tape.

How to Order the 21 Day Fix

The 21 Day Fix essential kit is reasonably priced at $59.85. Here is the link to order through Team Beachbody which offers the best price online and will get you the Dirty 30 bonus workout for free

 Another option for ordering is the 21 Day Fix Challenge Pack, which includes the essential kit and a bag of Shakeology shipped on Home Direct (monthly auto-ship). The HD shipping is a discounted shipping charge of $2 that you cancel at any time. The Challenge Pack price is normally $160 but is on sale this month only for $140 and can only be ordered through a Team Beachbody link. This equals about a $80 savings than ordering individually.


Purchasing the items seperately would cost:

• 21 Day Fix base kit – $59.85 (value)
• Shakeology flavor of your choice on HD – $129.95 (value)
• Bonus workout DVD Plyo Fix – $19.95 (value)
• Free 30-day trial to the Team Beachbody Club – $11.96 (value)

This is the best deal for those considering this program and Shakeology.

To purchase the 21 day Fix Challenge pack use this direct link: https://teambeachbody.com/checkout/-/bbcheckout/challengepack?referringRepId=460593

Never give up... Progress is Progress!

No matter what your goal is or where you are in your fitness journey, I can guarantee one thing: at some point, no matter how dedicated you are, you will feel like quitting. It's true. Your body has a finite amount of energy, so when you're really working hard and you start to hit a wall, your body will be whispering to you, "Quit. It's okay. Do you really want this that bad?"

So how do you fight this? Your strategy is simple. When you started your fitness journey, you wanted something bad enough to get off the couch and start training. You wanted to make a change in your life. You wanted to lose the weight bad enough to change the way you eat and start exercising. You did this because you knew the reward was worth the pain.

What you need to do now is capture that desire.

So you caved in, slipped, splurged, or lost motivation?

WHO CARES?!?

Don't sit there in shame and dwell on it or look at these situations as failures. God made you much stronger than that. Get up, dust yourself off, and move forward. This was only a little bump in the road, a hurdle, an obstacle. Take it one day at a time, aim for progress, not perfection, and never give up on something you want this badly.
YOUR LIFE IS WORTH TRYING AGAIN AND AGAIN!

Transformation Tuesday

Real Beachbody Transformations

If you question whether or not Beachbody products like P90X, TurboFire, Brazil Butt Lift, Shakeology and Insanity work then check out the amazing results on the Team Beachbody website.   Seriously, these results are amazing!  All you have to do is commit to a fitness program, replace one meal a day with Shakeology and decide that you want to be a better version of yourself!  You have to make the decision that the body that you currently have is not good enough.  You have to make the commitment to BRING IT everyday for the duration of the program and I will meet you the rest!  I will give you motivation and accountability to press play each day and push yourself for max results!  No GYM REQUIRED!  Just your living room, computer and ME! I am living proof that these programs work, so let me mentor you through a program and change your life!   Join my team for more information on getting your own personal beachbody coach (ME) for free!  Together we can transform your body and you can be the next success story to share with the world or your family and friends!!

 Here is a REAL BeachBody transformation from 6 weeks of Chalene Extreme and Brazil Butt Lift. Amazing results! 

21 day Fix Extreme

The newest Team BeachBody DVD is being released on February 2. This program is all about getting shredded. So whether you've been doing other extreme workouts, or you're a 21 day Fix graduate, or you're simply in a hurry to lose every last unwanted pound, 21 day fix EXTREME will give you the body you've been working towards.

Who is this program for?

The 21 Day Fix Extreme is an excellent next step for 21 Day Fix graduates ready for a new challenge or graduates of other programs like P90X3, Insanity, Focus T25. 21 Day Fix Extreme is also a great program for those who don’t have much weight to lose but want to get shredded and see abs, those who take their workouts and nutrition seriously, or anyone who doesn’t want to count calories, weigh their food, or make complicated recipes.

This program is NOT for someone just starting out or at a beginner fitness level. This is an advanced program, so you want to make sure you do the 21 Day Fix FIRST before moving to this program.

What are the details of the program?

Plyo Fix Extreme – An explosive lower body workout that uses jumping and resistance to torch calories and sculpt muscles.
Upper Fix Extreme – By alternating opposing muscle groups, this no-rest upper body workout will shred the chest, back, shoulders, and arms.
Lower Fix Extreme – 30 minutes of challenging resistance work to tone your glutes, thighs, quads, hamstrings, and calves.
Cardio Fix Extreme – Combines weighted cardio moves with traditional training intervals to keep the heart rate pumping.
Dirty 30 Extreme – Using only 7 compound moves focusing on several body parts at a time, this workout will burn extra calories while defining muscles.
Yoga Fix Extreme – A fast-paced flow yoga class combining strength, balance, flexibility, and power.
Pilates Fix Extreme – This intense mat workout, works the entire body while placing emphasis on the core. Did I mention you’ll be using a resistance band too??!
Power Strength Extreme – Based on functional movement patterns, these nine total-body exercises will help you increase strength, endurance, and power.
ABC Extreme – A 30 minute workout that targets common problem areas by working your abs, butt, and cardio to the extreme.
The Fix Challenge – Burn off calories and keep things interesting with this quick resistance workout.

What is the nutrition like?

While the 21 Day Fix allowed for wine and chocolate, the 21 Day Fix Extreme does not. It is 100% clean eating for the 21 days. You still have the option to eat out at restaurants, but you still have the nutritional guidelines laid out to follow. Don’t let this deter you!! You can do anything for 21 days! I can personally say from experience that when I follow the nutrition plan that comes with my program, I do see amazing results. I attribute 90% of my results from my nutrition. So make sure to take this part seriously if you want great results too!

You will also get the 21 Day Fix portion control containers with your program.

• The program is 21 days long
• You do ONE 30-minute workout each day
• You get 7 workouts with the program
• You get a BONUS workout when you order through your coach
• There will also be additional workouts for purchase (Power Strength Extreme & ABC Extreme)

No other program has you eating this well and working this hard. It's going to take guts, intensity, and drive. But it's only 21 days. Autumn will be there every step of the way to guide you, challenge you,  keep you on track.  And at the end of the day, you're going to look and feel awesome. It's time to get seriously shredded!
Celebrity trainer and national bikini competitor Autumn Calabrese has combined simple eating with extreme fitness to help people shred up and shed off those final pounds with 21 Day Fix EXTREME.

What is 21 Day Fix EXTREME?
• A 21-day program that features simple portion control, clean eating, and extreme  30-minute workouts. • The portion-control containers take all the guesswork out of how much you should eat. • The Eating Plan will tell you exactly what to eat and when—and how to eat cleaner than ever. • This is how you get seriously shredded in 21 days.

What are the unique benefits?
• No other program has you eating this well and working this hard. It's going to take guts, intensity, and drive. But it's only 21 days. • The 30-minute workouts are extreme. They combine steady-state aerobics, resistance training, and explosive power moves that target every muscle in the body—to help you get shredded in a short amount of time. • Seven workouts; one for every day of the week so your mind never gets bored and your body  never adapts. • For your nutrition, you'll not only be practicing portion control—you'll be eating ONLY clean foods. No treats. No cheats. No excuses. • Autumn has included her own competition nutrition plan, which she uses to get stage-ready and ripped in 21 days.

Who is the target audience? Women and men who:
• Are impatient to get serious results. • Don't want to make longtime commitments or have tried and failed at longer, more complicated  diet plans. • Are serious with a "No BS" attitude toward workouts and nutrition. • Have a dramatic short-term weight-loss deadline, or need a final push to achieve the hardbody they've always wanted. • Don't have much weight to lose, but want to get shredded and have defined abs.
• Don't want to count calories, weigh their food, or follow complicated recipes. • 21 Day Fix graduates who want to take their workouts to the next level, and get seriously shredded. • Graduates from other programs who want to get in the best shape of their lives and stay that way.

What's included in the Essential Kit?
• 7 color-coded portion-control containers. • 25-oz Shakeology shaker cup. • 6 high-intensity 30-minute workouts. • Start Here trifold, featuring quickstart guide and workout calendar. • 21 Day Fix EXTREME Eating Plan. • Countdown to Competition: Autumn's own competition nutrition plan for getting stage-ready and ripped in 21 days. • 1 Bonus workout: Dirty 30 Extreme.

How does it work?
• You'll do one 30-minute high-intensity workout per day. • The portion-control containers will help you keep your portions in check. • The Eating Plan will let you know exactly what to eat, when—and how to eat cleaner than ever. • After 21 days of extreme fitness and clean nutrition…you're going to have some serious results.

Why should my customers use it?
• To shred up and shed off those final pounds. • To lose weight quickly before an event or vacation. • To carve a lean six-pack, cut arms, ripped shoulders, and toned legs in just 21 days.
Is there a Team Beachbody®/Coach Exclusive? Yes! Your 21 Day Fix EXTREME customers will also get a FREE bonus workout—The Fix Challenge  (a $19.95 value)

** To get the program on Feb 2, you must have a  Beachbody Coach! If you don't have one, please make me your coach , its FREE!!

For more information on how you can get the 21 day Fix EXTREME for Free...click here!
http://www.teambeachbody.com/promotions/21-day-fix-extreme-email-collector?icid=TBB_RRM_21E

Why Strength training is a must for Everyone?

What's so Important About Core Strength?
There is way more to core training than the abdominals( and getting a flat tummy). Core training does two really important things, It helps you look thinner, and it supports your spine and helps with things like balance. I noticed when I started doing Focus T25 and Piyo that the core muscles are connected to your legs, to the way you stand, squat and sit. It's not just about the abdominal muscles, but also training your back, your glutes, and the entire area that connects to your spinal cord and helps your body support your spine, so that the  burden of supporting your body weight isn't just placed on your bones. Those deep muscles of the core are the ones that do all the good stuff, like support your spine and act as a natural corset, so when you work them not only do you get a flatter stomach but a tighter stomach.
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=364

Join my Team: Live For You...the Power of Strength, Hope and Courage!

Has the thought ever crossed your mind about becoming a BeachBody Coach? Are you looking for a reason to get in the best shape of your life? As a BeachBody coach you are almost forced to be in good shape, or actively trying to improve your health and fitness. I don't want you to think that you have to be in the BEST Shape to start as a coach but it will make it a lot easier to stay committed to get into better shape and it will help you to start spreading the word about Beachbody and their products if you are using them yourself.
Becoming a Coach gives you the motivation to constantly be working on your health and fitness. It is very easy to lose motivation towards your workouts and being a BeachBody Coach is a way to stay focused. You keep your team motivated and in turn you keep yourself enthusiastic about working out and keeping your nutrition under control.

1. Accountablility Being a coach makes me want to work very hard to be a success of my product. It is part of my job and I want to look good at what I do. Knowing that your results help the success of your business, you will be given the extra boost to see the best results possible. You will always have the  support of other Beachbody coaches.
2. You will save 25% on all of your purchases You will save 25% on the entire Beachbody products line.
3. You get to make extra money Every time you recommend one of Beachbody's products you receive a 25% commission for your effort. The best part is, these products sell themselves. Personally, I always recommend Focus T25, Piyo and Shakeology to everyone I talk to. Why? Because I have used them and seen them work. You get paid what you are worth. You are trading your time for money. The number one way to make money is from sales.
4. You get to pay it Forward There is no limit to the number of people you can help get healthy and get fit. Everyone knows someone who could use better health. Eveyone owes it to someone else to help pay it forward and become part of their life changing journey. I am so thankful to my personal coach who introduced me to Beachbody. This has acutally been the one thing that has truly made this a special experience. When I started as a coach, I created my personal coaching page called Live for you...strength, determination and courage. I invited all of my clients to join. I posted motivational articles and comments. I provided tips and tricks on how to get in shape. Knowing I have changed peoples lives makes all the struggles of a business that much more worth it.
5. You can qualify for FREE customers You have to qualify, but its not that hard to do since our team provides a great Team Training Website to jumpstart your business as soon as you become a coach. Part of the massive advertising budget goes into the infomercials that we all know so well. When people view these infomercials and call in to place orders they are automatically given to a qualified coach. Any future orders that they make will result in a commission for the coach they were assigned to. 
6. Everybody has heard of Insanity at one point or another Mostly everyone has seen a Beachbody infomercial at some point on tv. They have heard of our products and know our brands. Insanity and P90X are two of the most popular names in the fitness industry today. All you have to do as a coach is make people aware that you can help them with their fitness goals. Team Beachbody does the rest for you.
7. No Experience needed You don't need to have a bachelors degree in fitness and nutrition to become a beachbody coach. If you enjoy fitness and want to share it with others than this is the perfect job for you. It is easy to recommend a work out to someone when you have done it yourself and seen results. You walk the walk and talk the talk. You are simply a motivator. You enjoy these workouts and this lifestyle so you have fun sharing it with others.
8. Tax Benefits When you become a coach you are starting your own business. With that comes great tax write offs. A few examples of the things you can write off are your cell phone bill, your internet and any travel expenses that were incurred for the business.
9. You are in business for yourself but not by yourself This is one of the best parts of this business. Your team will offer great support for you. You will learn the 3 vitals to becoming a successful coach. We offer support and advice to one another and share the best ideas and tips to all be successful. We, as coaches, all have personal goals and dreams within this profession and we help eachother everyday to accomplish those dreams. Everyone is working toward being successful. Through conference calls, meetings and private conversations, the top leaders in our company are readily available to help you get to whatever level of success you want. I don't know of any other business that has so many positive people.
10. Company Sponsored Vacations Top coaches are not only rewarded with their paychecks, they are also sent on company sponsored trips all over the world. It could be a cruise in the Caribbean, a trip to Disney, or an event in Las Vegas.

As a coach in this company you are equipped with all of the tools and every reason to become successful. What I love the most about it is that success within this company does not just mean that you've made a lot of money, it means that you have become a better person, you've helped countless numbers of people to change their lifestyles and you are most likely in the best shape of your life. It will also create friendships that will last a lifetime.

Why ab exercises aren't the answer!

Why abs exercises aren’t the answer

Have you been doing hundreds of sit ups or crunches everydayin an attempt to get some nice flat stomach and haven’t seen any real results?

It doesn’t surprise me.

Have you been searching for the one abs exercise that will finally work your abs out correctly so that your midsection gets some definition and shape and not yet found it?

That doesn’t surprise me either.

You see, the key to getting a sexy toned set of abs isn’t the abs exercises – its the cardio and the diet.

Why cardio and diet are more important than crunches

There is a massive misconception in the fitness industry that you need to do situps and crunches in order to get a toned set of abs.

It is wrong.

I think the reason this misconception is so widely spread is because it allows the big fitness corporations to sell products to women who think that the regular abs exercises don’t work. I mean, have you ever watched television after about 11pm at night? If you have you will know what I am talking about. Commercial after commercial of the crappiest abs machines you could ever dream of! Half the time it looks like the machine is doing the crunches, not the person.

The reason cardio and diet is so important for your abs is simple. We have all heard it before but judging by the amount of emails I get asking me this question it seems I need to mention it again:

If you have a layer of fat over your abs you will never ever see them!

It is that simple. How can we expect to have a set of shapely and firm abdominal muscles if there is a layer of squishy fat covering them? It would be like trying to see the outline of a brick wrapped up in a blanket. Not possible.

It is for this reason that you must focus on losing weight if you want to create some visible abs. And the best way to lose weight is with a healthy clean diet and some good old cardio.

Abs are made in the kitchen

It is an old saying but it still holds true. No amount of cardio or abs exercises is going to help your tummy if your diet is beer and chips!

As far as toning your muscles go, diet is the most important thing. If you get your diet on track then the cardio and resistance training that you have to do will be reduced.

Did you all hear that?

That’s right! Control your diet and you can spend less time in the gym. If you have a Coke with lunch then you can add on about 25 minutes of running if you want to burn off all the sugar to stop it from being stored as fat. If you had water or tea instead of that Coke you wouldn’t have to worry about it.

I look at it like this: if my diet is clean then everything I do at the gym is positive, not negative. What this means is that I am playing “get ahead” not “catch up”. People who eat crap food and then go to the gym are playing catch up because they are trying to burn calories. That is an uphill battle. People who eat cleanly and then go to the gym are playing get ahead because everything they do is going show results sooner. It is a much easier way to go about your weight loss persuits.

Conclusion
If you want to see some sexy abs and a nice flat stomach then start today by cleaning out your kitchen and making a promise to eat natural, healthy, vitamin rich foods. Swap Coke and sugary drinks for water and milk and swap candy, pasta and breads for fruits, vegetables and nuts.

The key to a flat tummy isn’t abs exercises!

 

Related Posts

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   4 Tips for Getting a Flatter Tummy and Better Abs
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   Get hot flat abs with these abs exercises
3. 
   Health Dangers of Coke and Soda
4. 
   New Women’s Abs Routine & Exercises

Staying fit for five!! Do you have a Team Beach Body Coach to keep u accountable?

Do you need some help staying motivated and accountable to your health and fitness goals? 
Do you want to lose weight but don’t know where to start?
Are you the type of person that needs someone constantly telling you what to do so you do it?
Do you enjoy working out with others?
Do you just want to maintain your body and learn how to eat healthier?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, then sign up for a free Team Beach Body account and choose me as your coach.  I will help you choose the fitness program that is right for you, help you develop a healthy meal plan to increase your energy and weight loss, and provide you with encouragement and motivation to get through the long process of getting fit and staying healthy for life!

 To sign up for me to be your FREE Coach, click here! https://www.teambeachbody.com/tbbsignup/-/tbbsignup/free/460593

Why am I a coach?  I decided to become a coach in August of 2014 because I had lost 10 pounds using T 25 and drinking Shakeology, and my beachbody coach had provided me with motivation and accountability to get fit and change my lifestyle. I worked out using Shaun T's Focus T25 program and drinking Shakeology every day…and I have learned so much about eating healthy and exercise that I wanted to share my journey with others.  

I learned so much information over the course of my fitness journey, that I need to help others with their struggles.  Now I look back and can’t believe how far I came.  There were days that I didn’t think I could do it anymore and I wanted to give up.  But because of my Beachbody support group and coach, I kept pushing through and doing my workouts each day. If it weren't for my accountability group I would not have been pushing play each day.  I would have days when I didn't want to focus on eating clean and exerciding but I didn’t give up, ever! I was in awe of how much my body changed in just 4 short months! 

The Start of Focus T 25 and Shakeology before image:

After Focus T25 and Shakeology image: 

I became a coach because I wanted to order Shakeology and wanted to get it for A DISCOUNT! Not only did I want the discount but I also believed in the product and got great results that are worth sharing. You also get a 25% discount on all Beachbody products which is a great added BONUS!!  I started telling other people about what I was doing and guess what?….I was encouraging others to try Shakeology and the fitness programs.  I started forming Clean Eating Challenges and before I knew it I had almost 40 people in my first Challenge Group. My clients were completely amazed at how much refined sugar they were consuming. I was changing lives one step at a time. After the challenge group they wanted more and joined my Free coaching accountability group and wanted to try out all different exercise programs. Some chose T25, some decided on the 21 day fix and the 10 minute trainer.  and I started posting on Facebook and people were interested in what I was doing.  I started to see that I was having a positive influence on others and I wanted more.  I was not only doing my workouts each day to better myself and my health, but now I knew that others were watching and I had to stay accountable, I couldn’t fall off the wagon because I didn’t want to let others down.  It became a way of life, eating clean and exercising, and now I wouldn’t even think of it any other way.  

It’s amazing that I couldn’t even go ONE day without cheating on my nutrition…and now I can go an entire week and not cheat once.  I also decided to be a coach because I wanted the extra income to help pay for my kids activities and FUN things for my family. I really most of all enjoy seeing others succeed and get fit and the best feeling is when I get notes and praise for what I do as a Coach. 

I am so passionate about what I am doing and I love waking up early every morning to do my workouts and provide my followers with healthy eating tips and exercise information.  People always tell me they can’t believe I am doing this for free, but YES I absolutely love helping other people so free is always better.  I feel like people are always hesitant to pay for something until they have tried it or see that other people have gotten results. People are seeing my results and some of my clients results and they know this is REAL. It's not a diet pill or a magic up yo diet that you will lose the weight and then go right back where you were... This is a Lifestyle Change and it works. 

Team Beachbody is a network marketing company in the health and fitness industry, and has opened its doors to the public by offering a once in a lifetime opportunity to get rewarded and even paid for helping people get healthy and fit starting with yourself. This is the best opportunity for health and fitness professionals that want to increase their client base, create residual income, and help more people get healthy and fit by working from home. They have also been recognized as the only health and fitness company to be in partnership with the American Diabetes Association to help reduce and eliminate the rates of obesity and diabetes in this country. The mission is to eliminate the rates of obesity and all other health risks associated with physical inactivity and poor nutrition habits. I want to help people change their lives for the better. Recently, they have become a national brand name and have been ranked in the Top 100 Fastest Growing Companies in the world.

You can change your body and your life physically with Team Beachbody! I am an Independent Team Beachbody Coach. For me, this opportunity was a no-brainer because I want to live a healthy, happy lifestyle and help others do the same. With this opportunity, I help more people transform their lives for the better than I ever would for a health club, gym, or fitness center.

Join us in the fight against the obesity and diabetes epidemic that is hurting this country. Your decision and commitment to getting healthy can help change the world! 

Are YOU ready to change the world TODAY! 

This is the last week for January! Let's get fit TOGETHER! **** LAST WEEK **** - ends Jan 30th.

Were you in one of my Clean Eating Challenges?
Are you now seeking a program that will continue to help you with your nutrition, but also provide you an opportunity to workout to a 30 minute workout each day? HERE IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY!

Team Beachbody announced today that they will give you the 21 Day Fix Program for FREE when you combine it with Shakeology HD.  
This program is a 21 day program that based on the clean eating philosophy I used in my challenge, but, uses color coded containers to help you understand portioning of your food for the day. The containers make it very easy for you. Also, it includes a 30 minute workouts for each of the 21 days. The workouts are awesome for any fitness level - they include a person showing you how to do modified (easier) moves if you aren't quite up to doing what is being shown.

Shakeology HD is normally about $145 after shipping by itself. When combined with the 21 Day Fix, they will give you both for $140 w/$2 shipping. (Canadian clients the cost is $154).  
THIS IS AWESOME...and hasn't been sold at this price since it launched last February, where it sold out & went on wait list for 6 weeks!
Use the direct links I provide at the bottom of this post to order & take advantage of this special savings!

ALSO!
Team Beachbody has extended the sale on Insanity Max 30 Combo Challenge Pack through January!
When you consider the cost of Shakeology HD by itself, Team Beachbody is essentially cutting the price of Insanity Max 30 workout by about 60% ($180 for both Shakeology & Max 30).

Additionally, they've come up with a new combination where you can combine the Insanity Max 30 Combo Challenge Pack with the 3 Day Refresh & have called it the Insanity Max 30 Kickstart Challenge pack. With this you are getting the same offer on the workout as the regular MAX 30 challenge pack, but in addition, they are taking about 30% off the normal price of the 3 Day Refresh when combined with the Insanity Max 30 Challenge Pack! Use the direct links below to get plugged into this savings!

The 3 Day Refresh Combo Challenge Pack!
YES! combine it with Shakeology HD & TBB will give you the 3 Day Refresh for FREE (also $140). Please use the direct links provided below to order & get plugged into the savings.

Last, but not least... 
Les Mills Combat Challenge Pack is still available until it sells out (the program is sadly being discontinued).
It too is FREE when you order it with Shakeology HD. ($140 for both).
Please use the direct links below to plug into the savings.

What a great way to start the year! 
Let me know if you have any questions! 
Happy New Year!

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Direct Links for US CLIENTS ONLY:

21 Day Fix Combo Challenge Pack - $140 w/$2 shipping:
http://www.teambeachbody.com/shop/-/shopping/BCP21D160?referringRepId=460593

Les Mills COMBAT Combo Challenge Pack - $140 w/$2 shipping:
http://www.teambeachbody.com/shop/-/shopping/BCPLMC160?referringRepId=460593

Insanity Max 30 Combo Challenge Pack - $180 w/$2 shipping:
http://teambeachbody.com/shop/-/shopping/BCPIM205?referringRepId=460593

Insanity Max 30 Kickstart Combo Challenge Pack (which includes the 3 Day Refresh) - $220:
http://teambeachbody.com/shop/-/shopping/BCPIM3DR245?referringRepId=460593

3 Day Refresh Combo Challenge Pack - $140:
http://teambeachbody.com/shop/-/shopping/BCP3D160?referringRepId=460593

  I know that there are days when you don't want to push play, you don't want to make a healthy choice and you don't want to drink your Shakeology but you know that you are accountable to the people in your challenge group and to your coach so you do it anyways!  Let's face it, no one wants to report in each day that you cheated, messed up, didn't follow the plan or that you quit! It's that whole other level of accountability that's keeps you from giving up!