Meal Planning for a Busy Schedule - 21 Day Fix style

With 2 children that are involved in extra-curricular activities, and my husband and I both working full-time, I've found it is so easy to get caught at 5:30 and realize I haven't taken anything out for dinner and need something fast, which usually results in something processed and not so healthy. Since starting 21 Day Fix (on Day 2 of Round 2 now), I've become quite fond of the meal planning aspect of it all. Taking 30-40 minutes a week to plan out our meals for the upcoming week based on what I know our schedules are going to be has made it a breeze to make sure we are eating healthy meals that can be prepared based on the amount of time I have to spend getting dinner ready and served. For instance, tonight, my daughter had cheer practice from 3:45-5:45, and then softball at 7. We live about 20 minutes from town, so the time between practices is not enough to come home, cook and eat dinner, and get back to town. So today, I dropped her off at cheer, came home and got dinner cooked, packaged up our plates and my son and I met my husband and daughter and had dinner in the car in the parking lot of the softball field. It worked perfectly, kept us on budget and on plan. Here's a pic of our yummy dinner!

I marinated boneless pork chops in Tony Chachere's Creole Pork marinade and grilled them. Served with a baked sweet potato dusted with cinnamon and steamed green beans. It was kind of fun to sit in the car together and share dinner and just have a moment of peace and togetherness before going back to the hectic day. And I definitely felt better about what we were eating than if we'd gone through a fast food drive thru instead! This whole week is going to be busy and a little unusual with the kids on spring break, but we're ready for it! Check back for more meal ideas and let me know if you'd like me to help you create a meal plan and get started on 21 Day Fix!

21 Day Fix

Here we are on the end of Day 16 of 21 Day Fix!! I am so excited about the results we are getting from this program! My husband refuses to get on a scale until the end, but I can see his hard work paying off and the changes in his physique (what a fun word) in just this short time. I wanted to take a minute and share a few of the things we've enjoyed on our meal plans so far.

Saute edamame in EVOO, some minced garlic and crushed red pepper (1 green). Serve with a baked sweet potato (1 yellow), dusted with cinnamon and a grilled pork loin. I marinated the pork loin in some OJ, EVOO, and McCormick's Gourmet Bourbon Spiced Pork seasoning (1 red). 

This is one of my favorite morning snacks. Toasted Bagel Thin (1 yellow), 1 70 cal Greek Yogurt (1 red), and a mix of strawberries and blueberries (1 purple). 

Loved this salad of spinach, strawberries, blueberries, feta and shredded rotisserie chicken. 1 Green, 1 Purple, 1 Red, and 1/2 blue. Dressed with dark chocolate balsamic and EVOO (1 tsp). 

Chicken tostadas were a hit with my kids! Shredded rotisserie chicken (1/2 red) mixed with store bought pico de gallo (1/2 green), topped on a tostado (1 yellow) and sprinkled with 1/2 blue of shredded cheese. Bake at 350 for about 15-18 minutes. 

Fish tacos were a big hit. Season tilapia with cilantro, lime juice, sea salt, pepper, cumin, paprika. Bake at 425 for 20 minutes. Mix broccoli slaw with pico de gallo, lime juice, and 1/2 cup non fat Greek yogurt. Crumble baked fish and serve on warmed corn tortillas with 1/2 green container of slaw and fresh avocado (1/2 blue) and shredded cheese (1/2 blue). These are per taco, 2 tacos per serving. You may have to adjust the avocado and cheese based on your container allowance. Mash the avocado and spread on the tortilla to make it go further. 

Another favorite, roasted asparagus, wild rice and grilled venison backstrap. Sprinkle asparagus (1 green) with garlic powder, pepper, Worcestershire, and Parmesan (1/2 blue). 1 Yellow of Wild Rice. Marinate backstrap in Wine Rub (from Pepper Palace) and Worcestershire. Grill on Med/Hi heat for 5-6 minutes per side, until medium rare (anything longer will dry the meat out and lose the flavor and tenderness that venison offers). Allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Slice into 1/4 inch strips for serving. 

Venison Chili. 1 lb of ground venison, 1 can of kidney beans (I pureed them because my kids do not like beans....or so they think), 1 onion, 1 bell pepper, 1 or 2 tsp minced garlic, 1 can of low sodium tomato sauce, 1 can low sodium tomato paste, 1 package Mrs. Dash (no salt) chili seasoning. Serve with dollop of Greek yogurt and shredded cheese. 

I can't believe we've been able to eat food this amazing (and this is just a few of the things we've had on our menu), and still lose weight. 5 meals a day, 30 minutes of workouts each day....and it simply works. Eating real food, giving our workouts our best effort, and using the support of a challenge group. These are the 3 keys of success to 21 Day Fix. 

I'd love to help you on your journey to reaching your health and fitness goals. This is not about getting skinny....it's about getting strong. And healthy. And happy with yourself. And proud of what you've achieved. Setting goals and reaching them. You have to give yourself permission to succeed and plan for it. It is possible, you can do this! 

Want more information? Please visit my website, www.beachbodycoach.com/rmbmajor

Like my facebook page, Major Changes for Major Results

Let me know how I can help you! 

21 Day Fix

Starting next Sunday, March 1st, my husband and I, along with a few others, are starting Beachbody's 21 Day Fix. 3 weeks of 30 minute daily workouts and portion controlled meal planning designed to get your body jump-started into a better version you've ever seen. I am so intimidated and nervous about this challenge, but I'm determined to see it through and get the results! It's 3 weeks, I can do anything for 3 weeks! But, I know myself, and I know if I'm going to make this work, I have to have a few things in place before we start.
1) Accountability. I need other people doing this with me that I can encourage, and be encouraged by. People that are going to be honest and open about their good and their bad days. People that are all in and just as committed to the challenge. People that want to get to the most amazing version of them they've ever seen, and see this as a beginning to a lifestyle change and not as a short-term challenge with life-long results.
2) Preparation. This challenge is largely based on portion controlled meals, and I know if I don't have those meals planned ahead of time, I will be setting myself up for failure. I have the first week planned out, along with a grocery list prepared, that I will be using and updating for weeks 2 and 3.
3) Schedule. I have to decide ahead of time, based on our weekly routine, when we will do our workouts. I love that we don't have to get up and drive to a gym, we just have to walk out to our office and do the workouts.

All that said, I guess I just want to share with you that I know how hard it can be to implement change into your routine to start something new. It's not easy, and sometimes not convenient. But, if you want to see change, if you want to see results, you have to make changes. You have to take the steps necessary to prepare yourself for the changes, you have to allow yourself to be held accountable, and you have to be honest with yourself on what your weaknesses are and equip yourself to not be tempted by them. But most importantly, you have to decide that you aren't going to give yourself permission to fail by not even trying to succeed.

Decide. Commit. Succeed.

If you are interested in joining this challenge group, go to my website www.beachbodycoach.com/rmbmajor and order the 21 Day Fix Challenge Pack today. Let me know, and I will add you to the private challenge group on Facebook, share my meal plan with you and help you reach the goals you are looking to achieve! It's not easy to make change, but it will be so worth the effort you put in!

Tom Kha Gai or Curry Laksa (sort of...maybe??)

So, this past November, one of my best friends and I went to Charleston for a girls getaway, and we ate at so many fabulous places. But one in particular stood out to us, and it was a Thai restaurant on King Street called CO. Here's a link with info on their restaurant and locations: http://eatatco.com/

I had their Curry Laksa, and have not stopped thinking about it since! I have never cooked with curry or any Asian foods, really, so I was a little intimidated to try this, but went on the hunt on Pinterest to find a recipe that looked similar. Here's what I found and used as my inspiration for the variation I ended up making: http://www.daringgourmet.com/2013/01/16/tom-kha-gai/

So, a little disclaimer, I have no idea if this is authentic or even what it should really be called..I just know it is an amazing flavor experience and I want it not at least once a week!! I've made this twice and tweaked it the second time base on my experience with the ingredients and learning how flavorful they are (or aren't) and adjusting it to my taste. Here's my recipe, based on the ingredients I had on hand and purchased to try to make it as similar to the restaurant dish as I could remember:

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp Olive Oil for sauteing (I used a cilantro and roasted onion flavor infused Olive Oil, because that's what I had on hand)
2-3 Tbsp red curry paste
2 Tbsp Lemongrass paste (I found this in the produce section, they didn't have fresh lemongrass)
1 knob of ginger, peeled and sliced
1 Tsp minced roasted garlic (I used the kind in the jar)
1 jar Thai Chili Sauce (Daring Gourmet called for 2 Thai Chilies, I couldn't find those)
3 cups chicken stock (I used Kirkland brand from Costco)
3 cups coconut milk (the recipe on daring gourmet calls for unsweetened, and that's what I used)
3 Tbsp Lime Juice
2 Tbsp Asian Fish Sauce
1 package baby bella mushrooms
1 bunch bok choy, washed and cut away from the base
2 Tbsp dried basil, or several leaves of fresh basil, chopped
2 lbs shrimp, peeled and deveined, tail-on
1 rotisserie chicken, deboned and shredded
2-3 packages of refrigerated pad thai noodles

In large stock pot or soup pan, heat Olive Oil. Saute red curry paste, lemongrass, ginger, and garlic, 2-3 minutes, stirring often.
Add chili sauce, chicken stock and coconut milk, stirring well until thick cream from coconut milk is dissolved and smooth. Add lime juice, fish sauce, mushrooms, bok choy and basil. Bring to a simmer and cover, cooking over medium heat, and stirring occasionally, until bok choy is tender, 25-30 minutes.
Add chicken, shrimp, and noodles, cover and cook another 3-5 minutes, until shrimp are pink and cooked and chicken and noodles are heated through. Season with soy sauce as desired. ENJOY!!!

Soup for breakfast!

At 8am this morning, I wanted soup. Not canned soup, but a big pot of steamy, delicious, creamy soup! So I took a gander at what I had on hand and this is what I came up with:

Creamy Tomato and Spinach Tortellini Soup

Ingredients:
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, finely chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
1 10oz package frozen spinach
1 1.6oz package McCormick's Sweet Basil and Oregano Bruschetta Chicken seasoning mix
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
28oz water or chicken broth
1 20oz package refridgerated herb chicken tortellini
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups heavy whipping cream

In large stockpot, melt butter. Saute onion, bell pepper and garlic 4-5 minutes, until tender. Add spinach and seasoning. Stir over medium heat for a few minutes until spinach loosens (if you don't have time to let it thaw beforehand). Add crushed tomatoes and water or broth. Bring to a simmer and add tortellini and Parmesan. Cover and let simmer for 10-15 minutes until tortellini is cooked. Turn off heat and add whipping cream, stirring well. Serve with some beautiful crusty bread! So easy and delicious!

Beachbody? I just want a Fit-body......

Piyo. 
Have you heard about it?? It's Chalene Johnson's newest program, all low impact, that combines yoga and pilates for an intense strength building workout. It's amazing!! I am loving my results, and they are being noticed! 

I signed up as an Independent Beachbody coach about 7 weeks ago, initially to get the discount, with zero intention of ever trying to grow it as a business. Then I got the Piyo program and started it, along with Shakeology, their meal replacement program. And I'm loving it! 

A little background on me- aside from my marriage, my career, (and that one year shopping fast I did a couple years ago) I really stink at starting something and keeping it up. But Piyo has been different for me. I really think part of it has to do with the fact that I also was studying Proverbs at the same time that I started, and all these scriptures on self discipline, self control, and seeking wisdom jumped out at me, and then of course I got to chapter 31, which is all about the way a wife/mother is supposed to be and the part about being clothed in strength and dignity really jumped out at me. I know strength is not just physical, but I do believe that the physical health of a wife and mother is extremely important and taking care of myself has not always been a top priority. Which is part of why I've started multiple workout programs and not stuck with them, I didn't make them a priority. I didn't make my health a priority. But now I am seeing that by making my health and fitness a priority, I am not only setting an example for my family, but I'm making an investment in my future health so that I can be around longer to be a part of my children's lives, and hopefully their children one day. Piyo has me feeling stronger, and leaner. The Shakeology is amazing, and so full of nutrients. My hair and nails are looking awesome. My scripture encouragement through all of this is Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

So, I decided that by "going public" as a coach, I would be keeping myself accountable. People know I'm doing this, either because they've noticed the physical change in me and asked what I'm doing, or because they've heard me talking about it. They know I've made a commitment. A commitment that I'm taking as seriously as my vows, as my job as a mother, and as my career. I run a business full time from home that takes up a ton of my time, and it wears me down. I need the endurance and stamina that I'm getting from working out and eating right to be the best wife, mother, and business owner that I can be. To be the best ME that I can be. Maybe I'll feel confident enough to post some before/after pictures soon. 

What about you? Can I help you be a better, stronger you physically? Check out all the programs that Beachbody has to offer by going to my website, www.beachbodycoach.com/rmbmajor. They really have something for everyone, from the beginner to the more advanced. Maybe you've just had a baby, and want to get back your pre-pregnancy figure. Or maybe you just want to hit your forties in the best shape you've ever been in (my personal goal!) Either way, I would love to help you find the right fit for your lifestyle, and help you make your health and fitness a priority in your life! 

A letter to my son on his 13th birthday....

My sweet boy, I can't believe you are turning 13! I remember the day you were born like it was yesterday. The labor pains began and did not stop! It took forever for you to be born, I was exhausted and to the point of giving up. I found the energy to try to push one more time and finally you were born. All 8lbs 14oz of you! As exhausted as I was, all of that faded away the moment I laid eyes on you, my beautiful son. You had wild hair and the biggest brown eyes. The most precious thing I had ever seen. And now you are turning 13! You are taller than me and turning into such a handsome young man. As you begin this journey through your teenage years, I feel I need to tell you a few things.

(all photos featured in this post are by https://www.facebook.com/DiaWorlingPhotography)

#1-Daddy and I love you so very much! There are going to be times that you think we must hate you, but please remember that we are your parents first and that sometimes we have to make difficult decisions that make it seem otherwise. I promise, our love for you is always our motivation in every prayer-filled decision. When we say no to things others your age are getting to do, there is a good reason.

#2-Friends are going to come and go, but your family is always going to be constant. In your 13 years, you have lived in 2 countries, 3 states, and lots of houses! You've gone to 4 different schools. You have had so many friends, but the one thing that has remained the same is the people in the place you come home to each day. We will always be here for you.

#3-Being a teenager is going to suck. There will be days that life is going to be awesome, but there will be many that it seems the world is against you. In those days, I want you to remember, Daddy and I are on your team. Always. No matter what. Take it slow, you don't have to grow up overnight.

#4-Pray and read your Bible. Please, start and end and live your days in prayer. Make your decisions through prayer. Know that you are going to make mistakes (we all do!), but if you start out in prayer, there will be fewer of those mistakes. Ask God for wisdom and protection, and know that Daddy and I are praying for these things for you as well. Study your Bible, use it as the guide to life. Stay involved in church and youth group.

#5-Choose your friends wisely, but most important, be a great friend to others. Be the person that others know they can count on and trust. Give everyone a chance, and treat people with respect.

#6-Girls. As much as I'm not ready for this, there's going to be girls in your life. Choose the ones that are special to you wisely. Pray for them. Treat them with respect, and respect yourself. Respect the wife that you are going to have one day, even though you may not know her yet. Respect the fact that the girl you might date could be someone else's wife one day, and until then she belongs to the Lord, not to you. Treat every girl as God's property. **Treat yourself as God's property!** Know that you can trust your parents when they give you advice in this area.

#7-Be a good big brother. Your little sister looks up to you, and you have a big responsibility as her brother. Set a good example, admit when you make mistakes, and be a friend to her. She is going to be someone that you will go to when you can't come to me and Daddy. Treasure that relationship and protect it.

#8-Be responsible. Study and do your chores. Work hard for the things you want. Life doesn't hand you anything, you have to earn it and being responsible is the first step to reaching your goals.

There are so many things that we will encounter over your journey through your teenage years. We are so proud of you, and love you so much!! I can't believe we are here at 13!