The Nursery is READY . . . All DIY projects complete!

This is not fitness or nutrition related, but I am sure I have some DIY fans out there and wanted to share our nursery for a baby girl that could come anytime now :-).  Yes,  I said girl, can you tell I am not a fan of pink?  So, we've been hard at work on the nursery.  I am proud to say that we have spent a total of around $250 to completely furnish and decorate the nursery :-).  I am a big fan of re-doing furniture you can find on Craigslist or at yard sales and DIY projects - so we transformed an empty room to a well stocked nursery without breaking the bank!  Here are some close up photos:

The Projects:

One side . . .

So I refurbished the dresser, a $40 Craigslist find, below is a little snippet of before and after.  We found the glider/ottoman set on Craigslist as well - for $40.  It needed to be repainted and I had to resew and repeat clean (5 times) the cushions to get the stains out, but they came out.  And the crate nightstand is two wooden crates mounted together and painted - cost around $15 for all of the materials.

The knobs and pulls are from Hobby Lobby - love the birds and owls!  They were on sale too, 1/2 off.  This dresser was built in the 1940s, so it is solid birch wood and well made - a great find!  Just needed some TLC and revamping.

 Other Side:

We found the crib at a yard sale for $20, so I sanded and repainted it because it needed it.  I sewed the crib bedding myself, and the materials didn't cost that much.  I made the bumpers, ties, and crib skirt.  The bookcase was an old oak one from my classroom, that I repainted and did chevron contact paper backing for contrast on the back.  The wall decals are from Amazon, but were worth every penny ($40) - they went up great!

Wall Opposite of the Windows . . .

I always wanted to do this in my classroom but couldn't because of the cinder block walls.  But love it in the nursery!  Fostering a love of reading young!  Vinyl gutter bookshelves - bought everything at Lowe's with our military discount.  i have a ton of books from teaching, but here I can display some of my favorites. 

Another revamped piece from my classroom.  It was primary colors, but I repainted everything and got the same adorable knobs from Hobby Lobby.  It works great to hold smaller items like pacifiers, burp clothes, etc.

All we need now is a baby!  I'm 37 weeks, so not too much longer!  So thankful and blessed.

Mojito Citrus Shakeology

What's Cooking Wednesday:  So I normally post a food recipe but this is my new favorite Shakeology recipe I made up, for all of my Greenberry Shakeology people out there.  It is AMAZING!

Mojito Citrus Shakeology:

In a blender place:

1 cup ice

1 scoop Greenberry Shakeology

A handful of frozen pineapple

6-8 fresh mint leaves

2 TBSP lime juice

1/2 cup orange juice

1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

Blend away and enjoy and delicious and nutritious meal that is so refreshing it's CRAZY!  Gives you that mojito taste without the calories and alcohol.  Not to mention the Shakeology makes you feel great and full for hours to come :-).  Enjoy!

Will Power is Crucial Grocery Shopping!

Seriously, will power when grocery shopping forces will power at home. Reaching health and fitness goals is honestly around 80% diet and 20% exercise. 

Little story for case and point: Last night I was CRAVING (I am almost 37 weeks pregnant, so it was pretty strong) something sweet and sugary, like a brownie with ice cream, haha. But we don't have anything like that around the house, so I had a grapefruit instead. And while not as indulgent or satisfying as a brownie a la mode, it satisfied my sweet tooth and I got the extra vitamins and nutrients from the fruit and didn't put a bunch of sugar into my body. I didn't have the will power to resist last night but our fridge and pantry really only have healthy food, so I didn't have to exercise much will power . My mojito inspired Shakeology shake helped too - my new favorite recipe .

Just a little tip, don't buy it if it is unhealthy or super processed. I will often look at the nutrition label when I am feeling naughty at the grocery store, which usually causes me to put it back on the shelf and not in my cart!

Shakeology!

Want to try Shakeology? You won't regret it! Would love to have you take the challenge, whether your goal is weight loss, clean eating, or simply just improving your nutrition, the 10 day challenge could be your ticket! If weight loss is your goal, many have lost 3-10 pounds in just 10 days.  If improving how you feel and energy levels is your goal, Shakeology has really helped me with that.  If you want a quick, nutrient dense meal that tastes good and encourages clean eating, again, Shakeology has really helped me with with that!  Let me know if you want to join in! Here is a little on why I love ShakeO . . .

So, Shakeology is my life saver. I haven't tried to lose weight since I started adding it daily since I've been pregnant the whole time. So my goal was to get a dense dose of daily nutrition, in a simple, quick way. Wow, have I noticed a difference in my energy levels, digestive system, and overall just feeling good - I'm obsessed - Just sayin' . I am one to go a long time without eating because I am not hungry and then I start to not feel good. And during pregnancy there are a lot of times I haven't had much of an appetite. Yet, I can always manage to drink a delicious shake. I love the Greenberry flavor because I make all kinds of delicious fruit milkshake like concoctions! I can't believe all the nutrition in one shake. And I stay full so long! Like today, I had one at lunch and am still not feeling hungry, although I will eat because I know me and my baby girl need it .

Clean Chicken Salad

Chicken Salad is delicious!  Unfortunately a lot of chicken salad you buy pre made has a lot of mayo or sugar, or both.  So here is how I make it!  I will make a lot at one time and then my husband and I will eat it throughout the week on salad, on Ezekiel bread, or by itself.

So I threw the chicken salad on top of some mixed greens and added 1/2 and avocado and 1/2 a tomato.  I threw on a little balsamic vinegar too - it was simply AMAZING!

TO MAKE THE CHICKEN SALAD:

INGREDIENTS
-Chicken breasts
-Greek yogurt (plain, nonfat)
-Mustard
-Grapes (halved - I usually use red)
-Chopped celery
-Chopped pecans
-Celery seed
-Salt and pepper
-Relish (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
1) Boil the chicken breasts in water until cooked through ( I usually reserve and refrigerate the "broth" made and use as chicken broth in other recipes - that way no preservatives, etc. and not wasting).
2) Shred the chicken and place in a bowl.
3) Add the other ingredients to taste.  Some people like it more dry, others like it moist, so I didn't put measurements.  People like different amounts of grapes, nuts, etc.  Just keep adding until it tastes how you want!  Refrigerate and enjoy!

If you need a reference, here are approximate measurements of what I use:

-Chicken breasts (3-4 breasts)
-Greek yogurt (2/3 - 1 cup)
-Mustard (1/3-1/2 cup)
-Grapes, halved (1 cup)
-Pecans, chopped (1/2-2/3 cup)
-Celery, chopped (1 cup)
-Celery seed ( 1 TBSP)
-Salt and Pepper (1 tsp each)
-Relish (1/4 cup)

ENJOY!!!

Mango Salsa with Shrimp and Spinach Packets

Servings:  4-6

Ingredients:

Packets:

1 lb raw shrimp (peeled, de-veined, tail off)

4 cups spinach

1/3 bushel cilantro diced

2-3 cups quinoa (cooked) or couscous

Olive oil spray

Salsa:

2 mangoes diced

2 avocados diced

2 jalapeños diced

2 medium tomatoes diced

2/3 bushel cilantro diced

Lime juice (to taste)

Sea salt (to taste)

Directions:

1)  Assemble the packets by doing the following:  Tear off 4 – 6 pieces of foil that are around 8 inches long.  Spray them with olive oil.  Layer each packet with spinach, cilantro, cooked quinoa (or couscous), and salt and pepper to taste.  Fold up both ends to meet, roll, and then do thee purse pinch along the top and sides.

2)  Cook the foil packets in the oven at 400 degrees for around 15 minutes (until shrimp is cooked (pink and no longer translucent).

3) While the packets cook, combine all of the salsa ingredients and stir well.  Use lime juice and salt to taste for your liking.  Refrigerate until you serve.

4) Empty the cooked packet into a bowl or on a plate, top with the mango salsa.  Enjoy!

I LOVE DIY PROJECTS!

Totally not health or fitness related, but . . . I am a huge DIY fan!  We have furnished the entire nursery for less than $200.  I've sewed crib bedding (with the help of my beautiful cousin!), restored and completely redone a dresser I found on Craigslist, repainted a used crib, redid old classroom book shelves, restored a very old 4 drawer nightstand, made a crate nightstand, made gutter book shelves and repainted and fixed the upholstery on a glider I found off of Craigslist.  We've been busy!

So thought I would share a few photos :-) because I am just so excited for our baby girl to get here in 4 weeks or so!!!  If you want to know how things were done, feel free to contact me!  I don't mind sharing!

Unhealthy vs. Healthy Body Image in Marketing

Unrealistic expectations are placed on us, particularly woman, because of marketing and the technology behind photo editing. Many of you may have seen or heard about the Target Photoshop Fail in a recent swimsuit ad. Several pictures of girls in this season's swimwear left obvious Photoshop editing, where you can see where thighs were erased leaving an unrealistic thigh gap, underarm skin/fat was erased, waists were whittled, limbs were lengthened, etc. 

The photo to the left shows this. Shame on you Target - this is why so many woman, and young teenage girls (who this ad is targeting because it is a Junior's swimsuit) think they should look like something a real, flesh and blood woman, can not look like without starving themselves and being UNHEALTHY! Although I have never personally struggled with an eating disorder, I certainly can relate to feeling sub-par and have several women I know and love who have struggled with eating disorders. Photos like this and the extreme editing most magazines and ads partake in only feed self esteem issues, unrealistic expectations, and eating disorders.

On a brighter note, kuddos to Aerie (photo on right) for their real beauty campaign. They are no longer editing or retouching their photos, it is real women, with real beauty. Sure, most of these women are still models, but they are venturing into different sized woman as well. We are not all shaped the same! And you can really tell in their photos, they haven't been retouched! Skin is not flawless, thigh gaps are small or realistic looking, etc. I say GO AERIE! If only more retailers would take this approach. Here is a little more about their campaign: http://en.bellebeirut.com/b-city-news/aerie-real-embraces-natural-beauty/

So women, and men, focus on living a healthy lifestyle. Don't compare yourself to others, particularly what you see on magazines, etc. that is not realistic anyways. Just worry about fitness and nutrition and fostering good health - that is what matters! Trust me, I am speaking to myself too. And I will now stop my venting  . . .

What's Cooking Wednesday: Paleo Egg Muffins

So I made up these bad boys and they are yummy! Sorry, couldn't think of a more creative name :-).  All about prepping breakfast food this week! I love breakfast food! Anyways, I know many need quick grab and go options for breakfast before work, so here is another paleo option:

Ingredients:
2 bell peppers, diced
1/2 onion diced
2 cups of spinach, torn
3 pieces Canadian bacon, chopped
8 eggs
4 egg whites
1/4 cup milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
1/2 tsp each: salt, pepper, garlic powder, sage, oregano

You really can use whatever spices and veggies/meats you want. Just make sure you brown the meat in a skillet if it is not already cooked.

Directions:
1) Get your veggies and meats ready and chopped
2) Beat the eggs, egg whites, milk, and spices together in a bowl
3) Stir in all your veggies and/or meat
4) Fill an oiled (I sprayed with olive oil) or paper lined muffin tin
5) Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Let cool and enjoy! Refrigerate to heat up and enjoy all week!

Breakfast Meal Prep

Hey fit fam!  So usually over the weekend I do some meal preparation for the week.  On Sunday I made these yummy breakfast on-the-go options as well as some Shakeology protein bars which I posted last week.  Lately, preggers here has been CRAVING all breakfast carbs, but I don't like buying store bought items and I try to eat mainly the paleo diet.  So . . . drumroll, I found s/altered ome paleo friendly breakfast item recipes!  Both freeze really well, so you can make a bunch at one time, put them in the freezer, and then pop them in the toaster or microwave to warm up!  So they are paleo pumpkin waffles which I like to eat with a little almond butter and honey on top and then paleo pumpkin muffins, which I eat plain.  They both are super filling because actually pack quite a bit of protein and fiber!

Paleo Pumpkin Waffles:  

*Makes 6-7 big waffles in a waffle maker.  I usually eat only half at a time, so really is 12-14 servings

*Can also use the same batter to make pancakes, I recommend cooking the pancakes in coconut oil

• Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 6 eggs
• 1 TBSP honey
• 3 TBSP pure vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup coconut flour
• 1 1/2 cups almond meal
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 2 TBSP pumpkin pie spice

Directions:  

1) Mix all the ingredients together, best to mix wet ingredients first, combine dry ingredients, and mix in gradually to avoid lumps.

2) Spray a waffle maker with olive oil, and pour about 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup of batter into the waffle maker at one time.  Cook until desired level of crispiness and browning.

3) Let them cool after you have cooked all the bettter, place in freezer approved bag well sealed.  To enjoy later, toast in a toaster until heated and crisped to your preference!

Paleo Pumpkin Muffins:

*Makes a dozen

Ingredients:

1 cup almond butter
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
2 whole eggs
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips (OPTIONAL)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin pan with cooking spray or line with cups. Combine all the ingredients until smooth. (Fold in chocolate chips if using them)

2. Distribute the batter evenly into the muffin pan. Bake 15-20 minutes (until the center is firm and the tops start to crack)

3. Cool them in pan and then on a rack. For best shelf life, store them in an air tight container in the refrigerator. (They freeze really well too!)

At Home Upper Body Focus Workout

For the bicep curls,if you don't have any dumbbells or weights laying around, try to find a heavy object you can hold in your hand - get creative!  Let me know if you aren't sure what something is, and I will help you out!

Spaghetti Squash with Veggies and Shrimp

So I decided to be a little creative tonight and make up my own dinner recipe.  Here are the ingredients I used (I didn't measure but here are the estimates :-) . . .  It made about 4-6 servings.

Ingredients

1 spaghetti squash
1/2 large onion (diced)
1 tomato (diced)
2 carrots (shredded)
3 TBSP sliced fresh basil
3 cups spinach
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup white cooking wine
1 TBSP olive oil
2 TBSP garlic
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
3 cups shrimp (cleaned, de-veined, tail-off)
Pine nuts

Directions

1) Cut the spaghetti squash into halves.  Then spoon out the seeds much like you would for a pumpkin.  
2) Then cut the spaghetti squash into quarters and place in a steamer over water.  Steam/Boil the spaghetti squash for about 20 minutes over medium-high heat.  Pierce it to make sure it is tender.  While the squash is cooking, place the garlic, onions, and olive oil in a pan to saute until the onions are tender.  Then add the carrots and tomato and saute for about 2 more minutes.  Then add the broth, white cooking wine, and spices and let it simmer for 5-10 minutes.  Leave out the shrimp, spinach, and basil for now.
3) Place the spaghetti squash somewhere to cool.  Then slide a spoon with pressure between the squash and the skin, it will come right out!  So easy :-). 
4) Let the squash cool for a minute or two.  Go ahead and add the raw shrimp and spinach and basil to your pan and cover.  The shrimp will become pink when cooked.  Add in the spaghetti squash.
5) Serve and top with pine nuts and salt and pepper to taste.  I also added a little more fresh basil :-).

3 Programs on Sale for Month of March!!!

March is the month of savings apparently at Beachbody! Three programs/challenge packs are on promotion this month! Two are the popular Les Mills classes you probably have seen at many gyms: Pump and Combat..  But guess what?  You can do them out off the comfort of your own home! No commuting, finding child care, etc.  And the Ultimate reset is a cleansing/detox program that focuses on clean eating and nutrition. Let me know if you are interested and we will get you set up with these awesome programs! Comment below or message me! I'm thinking I may have to take advantage of these savings! My collection is ever growing, who needs a gym?