Ahhhhh Week One is in the books!!!!! So what did I think??

No BS- I can honestly say I absolutely LOVE IT!!!!

I realized this morning as I was doing day 2 of week 2, that every single day is DIFFERENT! I’m sure a huge part is going back and forth between Autumn and Sagi- but still each day is different and keep you on your toes.

You rotate between more agility and cardio- boosting that heart rate SKY HIGH! To the next day, burning out those same muscles with power lifting! I can already feel a huge difference in how my body is responding to the workouts and the differences each day!

For the most part, the workouts FLY by! Some times Autumn’s days seem to take longer, BUT it’s usually because she’s kicking my booty!

So my progression during Week 1- I really did not get sore until about day 5, the day after the Rest day! BUT, I started the beginning of the week with lighter weight. I didn’t want to totally burn myself out after not lifting weights for 2 months prior to starting Hammer and Chisel! But since then, after increasing my weights, I have been sore every single day! Not an intense like I can’t walk sore, but noticing new muscles kinda soreness!

Another great part of the program- there is always a modifier. Which, I haven’t had to use much, but it’s nice to know the options are there! The main time I use the modifier is with the chin-ups/pull-ups. The modifier uses the resistance band! I am looking at getting an assist band to help me out so I can still use the pull-up bar and do “half” modified!

I don’t normally do this, because I don’t like to let the scale define me, but I stepped on the scale this morning just to see after one full week and weekend of being back on the meal plan and new workout program. I am down almost 5 pounds!!! Now, do I expect to lose more weight? Ehhhh I’m not exactly sure! Because, I will be building muscle! But, I do have a little more extra weight I can probably lose! But the point is, NUTRITION is KEY to any sort of weight loss/program success!!! I don’t plan on weighing myself again for awhile, but I also need to do it to keep myself accountable!

Below are some pictures from my first week of Hammer and Chisel! Please let me know if you have any questions about the program or my journey!

Some of my biggest tips to help you stay on track: set our your clothes the night before. Have your DVD already set so all you have to do is push play. Have your Energize pre-mixed so you can drink it right away. Try to have as much of your meal plan ready to go for the next day. Limiting your distractions can really save you time and energy and help keep you from getting off track!

 

I’ve never really utilized rest days before. BUT, I figure- these guys are the experts- SO if they say I need to rest then I will do as they say! PS- I woke up like this 😉

Loving my new tank from teespring.com Bella Fit is my FAVORITE fit!

#flexfriday with Chisel Endurance–

Week One is DONE and in the books–finishing off with Total Body Hammer and 10 minute Ab Hammer..

That’s all for Week 1– keep your eyes peeled for my Week 2 Meal Plan and then of course my Week 2 update!!

Keep rockin’ that healthy lifestyle friends!!!!

Another family favorite– every time I make them I think to myself, “I need to make these more often!!!!”

Ingredients:

12 eggs

1/2 cup almond milk (or any milk)

1/4 cup salsa

1 pound chorizo sausage

1/4-1/2 cup cheese

Diced green peppers (optional)

Directions:

1. Brown and cook the chorizo sausage.
2. While the sausage is cooking, whisk together the eggs and milk.
3. Then add the cheese, salsa, and cooked sausage.
4. Combine all together.
5. Line the bottom of greased muffin tins with peppers (optional).
6. Then fill the muffin tins until about 3/4 full.
7. Cook at 375 for 20 minutes.

Typically makes a dozen. Somehow I ended up with 18 muffins today!

We had these for lunch on Saturday, breakfast Sunday, and breakfast again Monday morning!

I love these because you can truly mix them up and add your family’s favorites to make them your own!!

Ok, so technically you’ll see my meal plan started on Sunday.. But I am just now getting around to uploading my meal plan for you all to see! I promise, Week 2 plan will be on time 🙂

You’ll notice I keep a lot of things the same from day to day. I don’t like to over-complicate it. I love having eggs for breakfast. So I eat them for breakfast! I need to have a carb to boost my energy a little early on in the morning- so I eat some toast with peanut butter! This is what works for me!

I used to drink my Shakeology as my breakfast and then have a protein bar or a piece of fruit for an afternoon snack.

But when I went back to school and had to work 8 hours a day- I started to get my headaches back and it would hit hard right around noon. So I decided, maybe I need a little bit more protein and carb right away in the morning. I gave it a try and haven’t looked back since! Plus, I LOVE having my Shakeo at 3 o’clock because it ties me over until supper (sometimes we eat early, sometimes we eat late).

So how did I go about creating this plan? I work backwards. I always plan my dinners out first. That is the meal I eat with my family, so to me it’s the most important for myself to plan, not only for me but for my hubby and babe. Then I fill in lunch- whether it’s leftovers or my usual go-to Taco Salad. Then I fill my breakfast which is usually always a red and yellow and tsp. My snacks fill in the cracks with the leftover containers. My Shakeo for the day really depends on what containers I have left to spare. And if I don’t have much- then I just do water, Chocolate shakeo, and a tsp. of peanut butter and honey.

I always make sure my greens, reds, purples, and yellows are counted for. Those I do not skip out on. As for my blues, oranges, and tsp.- I really focus on NOT going over on those. If I don’t get all my tsp. in, I don’t worry too much about that..

I usually do my meal planning on Fridays, shop on Saturdays, and prep on Sundays. Does it take a little time and effort? Yup, definitely. But trust me, I’ve learned, planning-shopping-prepping helps you STICK to your meal plan and resist the urge to order pizza (not like I’m talking from experience or anything). So try it this week, but a little effort in and plan out some meals for you and your family! Shop ahead of time, and prep them before if you can!

The Master’s Hammer and Chisel.. The LATEST program from Beachbody. This program is unlike any other- combining 2 trainers to create 1 program! I am only on day 4, but I can tell you it is completely different than the 21 Day Fix or 21 Day Fix Extreme (I haven’t done BodyBeast so I can’t contribute there). So far, we have focused on heavier weights, less reps, isometric holds, and plyometrics.

I started with the 21 Day Fix in May of 2015 and had great success! I lost 10 pounds and 10 inches in my first round, and I never looked back. To date, after completing 21 Day Fix, 21 Day Fix Extreme, and Insanity Max 30- I’m down 24 pounds and many many inches (haven’t counted in a while). I met my goal of getting back to pre-baby weight very quickly and am at a weight I haven’t weighed since high school.

When I heard Hammer and Chisel was coming out, I was very excited! But why? Why was I excited for a different program when I had such great success with the other programs?

Just like with anything, sometimes our body’s hit a plateau. I don’t think I had hit a plateau physically, but mentally I had. I needed something different to throw into the mix. I needed to shake things up. I needed to get my eating back on track. But honestly, what did it for me- was when I saw the test groups before/after pictures. I saw their results and realized that was exactly what I was looking for.

More toning- more definition- more strength.

I don’t really have a lot of weight left to lose, but 5 pounds and lots of toning are what my goals are!

I’m doing Hammer and Chisel because I needed a change. I needed to step up my game. I’m ready for the next step, and I’m ready to see where my body can go!

There are two different challenge pack options to choose from. I choose the Performance Pack- Recovery and Energize. The other option is a bag of Shakeology. Pictured below is what comes in the challenge pack!!

Keep your eyes peeled each week for my meal plan and weekly updates!

Insanity Max 30 is NO JOKE!!!! I’d be lying if I told you I never wanted to quit, that I was happy I was pushing myself to a whole new level.

But after Day 2 or 3, I was done. I missed my weights. I hated jumping. I disliked all the pushups, burpees, and tuck jumps.

But I told myself I had to stick it out. I had to do a program start to finish (which I hadn’t done since the 21 Day Fix). I wanted to prove that I could do it- to my challengers but also to myself!

So I stuck it out, despite doing the 3-Day Refresh, being sick, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and my daughter being in the hospital.

It would have been really easy to use these all as an excuse.

An excuse as to why I can’t do the program.

An excuse to not follow the eating plan.

An excuse to go back to the 21 Day Fix and stay in my comfort zone.

Honestly though- I was scared to take my measurements on Sunday. I didn’t want to know the final results. I knew that they weren’t the results I would be hoping for. Because despite all those excuses I listed above, I let them get in the way of my nutrition and my meal plan.

I did my workout EVERY DAY and if I missed I made it up on the weekend. But I didn’t follow the second half in the kitchen, and I am OK with admitting that!!!!! Because guess what- I learned that I will NEVER get the results I want by cheating on my diet. I learned that I can’t let myself have a cheat here or there and not mark it down because then one cheat turns into a cheat weekend and then a let’s have a drink every night because work was hard week.

I didn’t get the results I should have gotten, because I only did half the program.

But enough with the negative– THE POSITIVES!!!!

What did I learn about myself by doing Insanity Max 30???

1. I CAN do another program from start to finish besides 21 Day Fix.
2. You can work your legs/arms without weights.
3. It is ok to struggle and suck at something, but it is NEVER ok to quit and give up.
4. I have more willpower than I ever thought I did.
5. I love challenging myself.
6. I love pushing myself mentally and physically.
7. I tend to push myself more when my hubby is watching.

Lastly and MOST important- I learned that I CAN DO ANYTHING I put my mind, heart, and energy INTO!

Will I do Insanity Max 30 again?? Heck ya!

Will it be after Hammer and Chisel?? It will probably be awhile 😉

Below are my pictures from my results.

First sweaty selfie on the left–notice how my face is like WTF–

Last sweaty selfie on the right–notice how my face is going to explode with happiness–

 

Left is before, right is after..

Thank you Shaun T for teaching me many new things about myself and pushing me to be better and reach my Max Out! And thank you to Danielle Natoni for encouraging me to try this program, even though you have no idea you did ❤

This is my go-to Shakeology and curbs every single SWEET craving I have! It’s easy to throw together- even my hubby can do it 🙂

Ingredients:

1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology

1 cup almond milk

1/2 cup water

3-4 ice cubes (more if you want it thicker)

1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar/fat free Butterscotch pudding mix

1 1/2 Tbsp. all-natural creamy peanut butter or PB2

Blend together and ENJOY!!! 🙂

 

 

No joke.. This is probably my family’s favorite meal! Plus it’s loaded with vegetables 🙂 I actually have 2 variations of this recipe. My variety and the other!

My Variety:

Ingredients
1 Red and Green Bell Pepper
1 Medium Onion
1 lb Lean Ground Hamburger
1/4 cup Southwest Seasoning (recipe from 21 Day Fix book)
Taco Shredded Cheese – 6 blue containers worth
14 oz. can diced tomatoes with chiles
2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
6 Whole-wheat tortillas

Directions:
Dice the peppers and onions. Heat olive oil in a large skillet and add diced peppers and onions and cook until tender. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
Brown your ground meat in the skillet until almost done. Add tomatoes to meat and finish cooking through. Add cooked onions and peppers to meat mixture, along with southwest seasoning and 1/4 cup of water. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Spray the bottom of a 9×13 pan with cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with 3 tortillas. Spread 1/2 of the meat and vegetable mixture over the tortillas.
Layer the remaining 3 tortillas on top of the meat mixture. Top with remaining meat and vegetable mixture.
Sprinkle 6 blue containers worth of shredded cheese evenly over the top.

Bake at 375 for 30 minutes, or until heated through and cheese is hot and bubbly.

Makes 6 Servings
Per Serving: 1 Red, 1 Yellow, 1 Green, 1 Blue

I love this recipe because it combines my two of my favorite foods- Lasagna and Mexican (tacos/enchiladas). It provides a great amount of spice that my hubby enjoys. But it provides the layering like lasagna. It’s also loaded with vegetables, that you can’t even taste- they blend right in! But the best part is, there isn’t a lot of extra fluff. It’s the basics. Whole foods. So yummy!!! Let me know in the comments below what you think!!

Here’s the “other” version–

Ingredients
1 Red and Orange Bell Pepper
1 Medium Onion
1 lb Lean Ground Turkey (I used extra lean ground venison this night.)
1/4 cup Southwest Seasoning (recipe from 21 Day Fix book)
Shredded Cheese – 6 blue containers worth
Fat Free Refried Beans – 2 Red Containers worth
2 Small Cans Diced Chiles
2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
12 Corn Tortillas

Directions:
Dice the peppers and onions. Heat olive oil in a large skillet and add diced peppers and onions and cook until tender. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
Brown your ground meat in the skillet until almost done. Add chiles to meat and finish cooking through. Add cooked onions and peppers to meat mixture, along with southwest seasoning and 1/4 cup of water. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Spray the bottom of a 9×13 pan with cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with 6 tortillas. Spread with ONE RED CONTAINER of the refried beans. Spread 1/2 of the meat and vegetable mixture over the tortillas and beans.
Layer the remaining 6 tortillas on top of the meat mixture. Repeat spreading the refried beans and remaining meat and vegetable mixture.
Sprinkle 6 blue containers worth of shredded cheese evenly over the top.
Bake at 375 for 30 minutes, or until heated through and cheese is hot and bubbly.

Makes 6 Servings
Per Serving: 1 Red, 1 Yellow, 1 Green, 1 Blue

 

 

Are you ready for an easy and quick dinner with lots of leftovers??

Here you go-

 

Ingredients:

4-5 chicken breasts

1 packet low sodium taco seasoning

1 jar salsa

 

Directions:

Throw all in crock pot. Cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4-6 hours. Shred chicken and mix all together when finished cooking.

We used the meat for tacos- whole wheat tortilla, spinach, taco cheese. I also used some leftovers for taco salads.

The rest of the meat, I portioned out in the red containers and froze.

You can also mix everything beforehand, freeze, then use when ready!

 

Enjoy! Let me know your thoughts and questions below!

Have you been searching for an easy and healthy breakfast for yourself or your kiddos? Love oatmeal, but tired of the packets where you just add water and microwave? Be ready to enjoy this slow cooker oatmeal recipe 🙂

Here are all the ingredients you will need-

1 cup steel cut oats

1 ripe banana mashed

1/4 cup chopped walnuts (if I know my 1 year old will be eating this, I don’t always add them in)

2 cups skim milk (or almond milk)

2 cups water

2 tablespoons flax seed meal

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

Banana slices, walnuts, or brown sugar- optional garnish

 

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in slow cooker and stir well until combined.
2. Cook overnight on Low for 8 hours
3. In the morning, stir oatmeal with a fork to loosen the steal cut oats and make sure everything is fully incorporated.
4. Serve warm with banana slices, chopped walnuts, or a pinch of brown sugar if you wish.

 

 

All together this makes about 8- 1/2 cup servings. I portion them out and then microwave for 20-30 seconds. Sometimes I like to add a few mini chocolate chips 🙂

Let me know in the comments below your thoughts or questions! Enjoy!