Picky Eaters Unite!

Most people who really know me know I am one of the pickiest eaters in the world. Who else out there is with me? There are a ton of things I don't like to eat which is probably why I get stuck in a rut when trying to menu plan and get super bored with my go-to menu. I LOVE cookbooks, but there are a ton of recipes I never make simply because there are a bunch of ingredients I don't like.

A few weeks ago I decided to bite the bullet and order the Fixate cookbook by Autumn Calabrese. It's a great way to create meals that follow the 21 Day Fix meal plan without having to figure out the number of containers ;)

Now I knew going into this that there would probably be some recipes I didn't like and wouldn't even consider making (and there are) BUT I decided to keep an open mind.

So for dinner last night I decided to make Chicken Stuffed Bell Peppers. Let me start by saying bell peppers are one of my least favorite vegetables. I would NEVER get anything with bell peppers on it. In fact the taste of bell pepper to me ruins the flavor. My hubby likes peppers though so I decided to step outside my comfort zone with my tastebuds and try something new. It was definitely a lot of labor for something I wasn't sure I wa going to like. 

First I made the tomato sauce! 

If I was doing it again I would definitely make the sauce the day before because that took a LONG time and was very labor intensive.

Then I made the stuffing for the peppers. I figured even if I didn't like the pepper, I could at least eat the filling ;) (Although one of my coworkers recommended I try stuffing tomatoes and I may just have to do that sometime!) I picked orange peppers because they were pretty...haha

They turned out pretty awesome! I was very proud of how it came out for all the effort. Was it my favorite meal ever?...nope Did I eat all my pepper half?....nope (but I did eat more than half of the half...SUCCESS!) Would I make it again?...sure I may even do both peppers and tomatoes next time.

In the end, I am still a picky eater. I still crinkle my nose at ingredients I don't like. There are still recipes I won't try. But I'm proud of myself for stepping outside of my comfort zone!

Life is Precious!

I should be asleep right now! It's the weekend, my boys are asleep, and I could actually be getting my 7-8hrs of recommended sleep for the night but I'm lying awake thinking about how precious life is.

Last weekend was our last weekend spent with my extended family and it was such a special time. Yes we were crammed into a tiny condo, yes it was LOUD (like "I can't even think in here" loud), yes I got frustrated many times, BUT spending time with my grandma, aunts, uncle, cousins, parents, siblings, and all the kids was amazing. Life is precious and we need to remember that. We hustle and bustle around in our day to day lives and forget about the little things. The things that make someone smile.

I am so guilty of zoning out when I get home from work and rushing through the nightly routine just to get to bed time (I hope I'm not the only mom that does that!) I realize I need to do a better job of being present, spending time playing with my boys, answering "why?" for the millionth time because before I know it these sweet precious boys we created will be all grown up.

Our littlest is almost 16 months and is so funny and so adorable but very opinionated and very loud. Maybe it's because he's a screamer, maybe it's because he is always soooo busy, or maybe it's because he and his brother fight, but sometimes I find myself wishing he would grow up and then I think about it and realize I need to be better with patience. Yes it is challenging to have two children 2 1/2 years apart, and yes my little guy is much more active than his older brother was at this age but I'm not ready to not have a baby anymore (I'm actually grieving the idea that this might be our last baby!). I'm not ready to not be able to sit and rock a sweet little boy before bedtime. There are so many nights I go to bed feeling so guilty for yelling at my boys, or saying hurtful things, or even wishing away the time in my head. I wish I could take it all back. I hope my boys know that I love them more than anything and that I would do anything for them.

Parenting is the HARDEST job you will ever have! I fail at it every single day. I am a work in progress but I hope to teach my boys love and forgiveness. I need to remember to reframe my thoughts to positive and appreciate everything about this time and about life in general. Our time on earth is short and we never know when we will be called Home, so squeeze your families a little tighter, give kisses, put your phone down to play for 5 minutes, really listen to what someone has to say, and remember to always always say "I love you!"

Ending story: I always end conversations with my family with "I love you" and one day when I was little (probably middle school age) my grandma asked me why I did that and I told her because if something ever happened to one of us before we talked or saw each other again, I wanted her to know how much I love her. Even if I am mad at or frustrated with my hubby, before I get off the phone I will always say "I love you"...think about it :)

Dance Your ASS Off!!!

So let me first start by saying I am so thrilled that I am now over 30lbs lighter than I was when I started this journey! This is a huge accomplishment for me and I'm motivated to keep this journey going. That is why I am so EXCITED to start dancing my ASS off! Seriously CIZE is where it is at people!!!:) This is probably surprising to hear from someone who has very little rhythm as evidenced in my lovely video on Facebook ;) Aside from posting my crazy video noone else sees me! I'm dancing in my own home and can be crazy, laugh at myself, not get the moves the first time, and feel like a complete idiot all in the confines of my own living room. Shaun T. is so awesome and he really does a great job teaching you the moves and it is designed for EVERYONE!!!

I'm on my third round of 21 Day Fix and as much as I love Autumn, I'm ready for a change! I'm ready to not need weights and not have to cringe every time I have to sit on the floor because of my tailbone. I'm ready to be energized and excited again and my body is ready to try something different :)

I'm looking for others to join me in my first test group of this awesome new program. My next group is going to start on August 10th. I'm headed on vacation next week and I know when I get back, I'm going to need a good kick in the pants! This gives you plenty of time to grab a program and get started with me!!! If you think this program looks cool or you know someone you think would like it get in contact with me or give them my contact info.

Struggle is Real!

I struggle every day with these workouts and my nutrition! I am getting better, but it's a struggle to even turn the tv on. Not because I don't want to, but because I'm busy. BUT being busy is not an excuse. Yes, the struggle is real, BUT you can do it. If I can do it, anyone can do it!

My biggest struggle is planning. I am good at planning certain things, but when it comes to meal planning I SUCK! I have gotten better at it over the 3 rounds of 21 Day Fix, however I'm not perfect. I have learned to eat healthier, eat more vegetables, eat more balanced meals. I have learned that if I have one bad meal it's not going to kill me, but the rest of my meals for the day should be healthier and more balanced choices. I have learned to be GENTLE with myself. Changing how you eat, what you eat, and when you eat is a process. I do not expect perfection out of myself because I know that is not REAL LIFE!!!

If I followed the plan 100% would I lose more weight and inches, yes of course. Unfortunately change is hard for me so by adding daily workouts and completely changing how I eat I knew it was not going to happen overnight and THAT IS OK!!!

It doesn't matter if people on my team are having transformation quicker than I am, what matter is that I keep going. DO NOT compare yourself to others. Compare yourself to YOU! I am proud of what I have done in 9 months. It may be slower than I planned, but I'm still working at AND that is the most IMPORTANT!!!

Even if you don't think there are noticeable results, look back at past pictures and I bet you will see a difference! HERE is my transformation!!!

You CAN do this! If you want or need support and motivation on your journey I am here for you!!! Email me, message me, or comment on this post :)

21 Day Fix Egg Muffins

So the hardest meal for me to plan for on the 21 Day Fix is my morning snack. It's hard for me to break out of the mindset that certain foods are supposed to be for certain times of the day. For instance it feels really weird and wrong to be eating a red container of baked chicken and a yellow container of sweet potatoes at 10:30AM. I know I need to get over this but it's been 31 years so yeah it's gonna take some time ;)

Anyway I saw on pinterest egg muffins so I decided to try them but I made up my own recipe for better or worse. I said I have been trying to like spinach so I decided to give it a try in this. I used 2 green containers of spinach, 1 of tomatoes, and 1 of onion. I chopped all of the ingredients up and dispersed them in a cupcake pan. I used a 6 count giant cupcake tin, but you could use a 12 count cupcake tin :)

Then I whisked 9 eggs with a couple grinds of my pink Himalayan salt, a couple grinds of pepper, and a few shakes of garlic powder to taste. I added the egg mixture on top of the vegetables then stuck it in a 350° oven for 25 minutes. If you are doing a dozen small muffins you should check them after 15 minutes.

Once cooked, I pulled them out and let them vool . They looked ridiculous because they had puffed up weird but they were actually kind of tasty.

 

The next time I make them I may add some different vegetables! It's really all about your taste and we all know spinach isn't my favorite ;) I also may try them in smaller muffin tins so I can make a dozen. It's all about stepping out of your comfort zone and trying new things! Enjoy!!!

Go To Chicken Recipe that is 21 Day Fix Approved

I LOVE fresh spinach salads and I try to love cooked spinach, I really do, but I just can't. It's bitter and slimy and oh so not appetizing to me :( Cooked spinach in a dip...no problem I can eat that ;), but cooked spinach on my plate....YUCK. Rod's mom was visiting back in April and we had some leftover spinach so Rod explored online and found this awesome McCormick Herb Chicken Skillet with Spinach and Tomatoes...YUMMY YUMMY

It takes basically no prep time and its done in 25 minutes. You get veggies and chicken all in one pan!!! Seriously if you are like us and have no time, this recipe is AMAZING! Low on dishes and quick on time ;)

The serving size is 6 so you may have leftovers for the next lunch...even better right?

(This was our leftovers!)

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons of oil
1 1/2 pound of chicken tenders (We use chicken breast and cut them up)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained (we use fresh tomatoes chopped..I like FRESH!)
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 package (6 ounces) baby spinach leaves

Personally I think you could add more spinach....yummy! Yes, I know...who is that girl that doesn't like cooked spinach and adds more spinach? It really is so good!!! Also, if you like spicy some crushed red pepper flakes would be really tasty in it too. 

Heat oil in large skillet on medium heat and then add the chicken. Cook the chicken for 10 minutes or until browned.

Then add the onions. Cook and stir for about 5 minutes to soften the onions.

Stir in tomatoes, water, and spices. Stir occasionally and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 3 minutes or until heated through. 

Stir in spinach and cook for about 2 minutes or until spinach begins to wilt. 

That's all folks! It's that simple :) This is now my go-to chicken recipe when I need more greens for the day!!!

21 Day Fix - Week 2 Day 3

So I about died tonight...no really. Leg day always kills me, but the 21 Day Fix is a good kind of hurt. "It hurts so good"!  I need to get these legs stronger so I don't topple over (I actually did topple over twice...hahaha). At the end, I collapsed into a heap on the living room floor and seriously considered sleeping on that floor tonight ;)

I am super stoked that I am keeping up with the workouts. With PiYo and T25 I would miss a workout here and there on the calendar. When I'm doing 21 Day Fix, I know it's only for 3 weeks. It also helps that my challengers are KILLING IT. One said she was sooo happy with her results and another said she was down 7-8lbs and several inches. Wohoo! This program works if you put the effort in. It's not a magic pill. You HAVE TO do the work!

The work you do is not only in the 30 minute exercises, but in the kitchen too. I have been really slacking this week in the nutrition department :( I've been super busy at work and literally forgotten to eat. I know, how is that possible? I don't know, but what I do know is that when I'm not eating healthy and not getting enough sleep my mental capacity suffers. Some of the students I have worked with in the last week will tell you some of the crazy mistakes I have made. One student told me the other day..."uhhh Mrs. Asekhauno, I think you spelled Annandale wrong".....oy vey! I need to fuel my body to think clearer, function properly, AND burn more of this fat! Tomorrow is a new day and I plan to do a better job of taking a quick break to eat snacks and lunch :)

I'm also humbled to find out that someone I knew back in high school was motivated to start on his journey because of my continued posts. When you are overweight, it's hard to get up the courage to post selfies. I used to stand in the back of pictures. If I was in the picture, I was hiding behind my children and trying to hid my double chin. I'm starting to feel more confident and more comfortable in my own skin. I still have a LONG way to go, but I'm happy to report I am over a QUARTER of the way to my first GIANT goal of losing 100 lbs. Yes, you heard me - I have lost over 25 lbs. Now, could I have lost it faster - definitely yes! BUT my journey is not a straight line and there a bumps and turns along the way and I'm learning to be ok with that. When you have spent your whole life making different choices, you can't expect to change overnight. I didn't put this weight on in 8 months so I shouldn't be discouraged that I have only lost just over 25lbs in 8 months. I'm a work in progress and THAT IS OK!!! I'm not giving up!!!!!!!!!

If you are a work in progress too and you are motivated to join me, send me an email or find me on Facebook. The 21 Day Fix Challenge Pack is on SALE this month and you can purchase the program here. You'll get the 21 Day Fix program, Shakeology, me as your coach, support, accountability, and confidence. If you want to start working out, but you don't think you want to do 21 Day Fix, let's chat about your goals. I'll help you find a Beachbody program that will work for you :)

BTW if you are interested in 25% off Beachbody products, email me and I'll tell you how :)