Setting Goals for the New Year (Dream Big!)

It is that time of year again. The time to look back and look forward. The time to take the past year and celebrate your highs and (hopefully) learn from your mistakes. To look at the brand new start right in front of us and make plans. Resolutions. Goals. Whatever you want to call them they have the same intention....to make the brand new year count for something. And who doesn't want the new year to count for something. There are a full 365 days ahead of us that are going to pass regardless of what we choose to do with them and we can either make them work for us or against us.

So here how I am going about setting goals for the new year.

First I am asking myself four questions. And they pretty much go hand in hand....My priorities are going to be defined by who I am and what I value. And what I value is going to be determined by what I am defined by but I am going to give it a shot. So here it goes....

Who am I?

This is a really hard question to answer. I used to answer it with my profession....I was a an English major, then a retail manager then a teacher. Now I am a mom. But there is so much more to this question than just what I do. I am stubborn. I am a perfectionist. I like to have fun if something isn't' fun I don't want to do it. I like pretty things....sparkly makeup, art, fancy shoes, sassy dresses and books. Lots and lots of books. Antique books especially. Empty walls are for bookshelves. I also love photography. I am a hard worker and loyal to a fault. So does all of that define who I am? I am sure there is more or maybe there should be less. Maybe the answer should be simpler. (So I am clearly still working on this one.)

What am I defined by?

(This is so much harder than I thought....) I am defined by the roles I have in life and the moral code by which I operate. I am a Christian. I teach a youth Bible study so that defines me. I am a high school cheerleading coach. I have high expectations for my kids and myself. I like pretty things so first impressions, the maintenance of my home and the way my house is kept is important to me. I want these things to be at their best. I want to give the best possible impression (although this doesn't' always happen, especially with a two year old running amuck. I would say my standards have dropped quite a bit!)

What do I value?

I value my family. My faith. My health. The health and wellness of all my loved ones. I value quality over quantity. I value education. I value my freedom (especially to read what I choose.)

What are my priorities (and in what order?)

Faith. Family and Friends. Health and wellness.


Making Specific Goals: 

Now for making specific goals. This is the method I am going to follow. Chalene Johnson (one of my
favorite trainers) always talks about making S.M.A.R.T. goals:

When you are making your goals they should follow this format. So saying you are going to get in shape doesn't work but saying you are going to lose 5 lbs a month for the next 6 months or that you will fit into your high school jeans by June (as long as that is realistic and attainable) would fit those parameters.

You may also want to give yourself a push goal which is the big picture goal....the one that will help you achieve all your other goals. So if your goal list for 2014 looks something like -- taking a vacation, moving into your dream home, taking your kids to Disney world, getting a new car etc. Then your push goal might be to get a promotion or make more sales so you can make all of those things happen (or something like that.)

Or if your goals include spending more time with your family, less time being distracted by technology, getting you and your family healthy, maybe your Push Goal is to find a different job that will allow you that freedom. You get the idea. The Push goal is the big scary goal that makes all of your priorities and values line up where you want them to be.

Set smaller specific goals:

Each month or week or day set small goals that will help you accomplish your bigger goals. Break it down. Make it smaller. Little steps add up to long distances and are much more attainable than big leaps. They may not seem like much alone but when you put them all together, that's where the magic happens.


So your big goal is to get healthy and lose 25 lbs by losing 5 lbs a month until June? Your weekly goals could be working out 5x a week, adding an extra mile to your run every other week or upping the weight you are able to lift. You can update these goals all the time to fit where you are and what you want to accomplish. They should be fluid, not written in stone.

These are the steps I am using to try to make the most of 2014.

Happy goal setting and Happy New Year!

21 days to....

When I worked for a very popular retailer as a manager for what felt like a million years, there was a mantra we had: 21 days to make a habit. Work with your new hires. Train them for 21 days and then you will build consistent behaviors and habits on your team. You won't have to remind your opening staff to check the light bulbs and swiffer the fitting rooms. They will come in and do it because that is what you do when you open. Does it work? Maybe. The odds of someone being scheduled 21 days in a row to build this habit was not really reality. So can you build a habit in 21 days? Can you accomplish anything major in 21 days? Maybe not but you can take a lot of little steps that will add up to big steps later.

Enter the 21 day challenge group.

When I was approached to participate in a 21 day group by my coach Katy, I kind of thought she was crazy. I know the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is short but seriously, between the holiday parties, get togethers and all the craziness what kind of results could I have? I figured I didn't have anything to lose and hoped it might just work to keep me in check (and so I didn't go crazy with a big old plate of christmas cookies and a bottle of wine in front of the tv one night when I just couldn't take the Christmas crazy anymore.)

So I joined.

I kicked off my 21 days with a 3 day shakeology cleanse.

I worked out consistently (even when I didn't feel like it. Because I knew everyone else was--- that my friends, is the beauty of a challenge group. Want to learn more about challenge groups? Check this out.)

I didn't eat super great.

I didn't meal plan. My husband is traveling for work so we ate a lot of eggs (I mean a lot of eggs
because some days it was the only thing I felt like cooking. Especially coming home after cheer practice at almost seven o'clock at night.)

I also had a wedding (which I was in so it was the whole weekend of nonstop food and drinks) 4 Christmas parties, homemade treats all over my house (gifts from my kids and gifts I was making to give away) and a two year old whose eating habits might make her part elf.

And today was day 21. Measurement day. It totally took me by surprise this morning when she asked for our results. (oops! Guess I should have passed on the bowl of white chocolate popcorn I splurged on last night....)

Despite the holiday splurges I was super stoked with my results.

Weight lost -- 4.2 lbs
Inches lost -- 1.5 inch of my hips and .5 off of each of my arms and my thighs

Everything else stayed the same.

But for 21 days of less than perfect, I'll take it!

Here are my day 1 and day 21 pics.... (nowhere near the best but I only have one full length mirror in my house and haven't taught my 2 year old how to take pics with my phone yet. And it really is hard to get the same exact angle. I tried. This is the best I could come up with. ) I am definitely less inflamed in my stomach. I totally credit the cleanse for that. But the place I have really noticed a difference is in the "love handle" area. And all I have to say about that is it's about damn time!

Talking to your kids about food (or how I got my 2 year old to want to eat a carrot instead of a cookie.)

Lately my daughter (who is 2 going on 15 going on 3) has been obsessed with defining who is a kid, who is a grown up and when she is going to "get big."

It is also Christmas and every which way we turn we are given more sugar laden sweets as gifts, treats and but it's Christmas indulgences. And when you're two, a dinner of cookies and those cute little pretzels with hershey kisses and m&m's stuck to them make a much more appealing dinner than anything healthy mom can whip up. So how do you explain to a toddler (is she even still a toddler-- maybe I should go with preschooler) why she can't have one more cookie.

I have always been a little stressed about how to handle talking to my daughter about things like food
and body image (Thank sweet baby Jesus we aren't there yet.) I have always struggled with food and weight and navigating that whole scene. I was the epitome of a yo-yo dieter. If it was out there I tried it. Not eating. Diet pills. Fruit and veggie fasts. Soup diets. Crazy stuff. That in retrospect was so hard on my body. (Even though all I cared about at the time was getting into a smaller pair of jeans.) I don't want to pass those issues onto my daughter. I try really hard to not ever say anything negative about myself in front of her, body image related or not. I try to frame everything in the positive. (And that can be really hard. Seriously. I didn't realize how mean I was to myself until I tried to stop. Just like I didn't realize how much dairy I ate until I tried to give it up--but that's another story.) I do want her to understand why it is important that we can't have chips for dinner. Or hotdogs all the time. Why she needs to eat something other than mac and cheese at every meal.  So how do I walk the fine line between making it a big deal and teaching her how to be her healthiest, strongest self? (Especially with all the lovely, shiny, sprinkle coated, calorie and sugar drenched treats everywhere.) Because balance is important. Health and wellness are important but balancing that out with a treat every once in a while is something I think is essential to making this a lifestyle and not another crash diet.

Now, I teach a youth bible study and coach high school cheerleading -- some of the sweetest (no pun intended) gifts I am given are those of the homemade variety. Homemade caramel corn, those yummy pretzel things, fudge, cookies, candy, chocolate covered pretzels.....So not only are these treats at parties, the mall, and all those awesome places outside the house but they are inside my house now too. Just not having it in the house is no longer an option. (And I feel guilty throwing it all away....at least until it's stale.)

With all of these treats stashed at the very top of my kitchen shelves this is how our dinner
conversations have been going....

B come eat your dinner....

Ummm....No, I don't want dinner. I want a snack. 

But dinner is a big snack. Come have a big snack. I made broccoli and potatoes--and potatoes are like chips. Or french fries. You like those. 

No thank you. I want a cookie.

No you can't have a cookie. 

Yes. Cookie.

No you can't have a cookie. Cookies aren't dinner. 

PLEASE! (because yelling politely is always better than just yelling)

I said no. 

I went potty. Two marshmallows. 

No, no marshmallows. 

You can have a cookie or a marshmallow after you finish your dinner. 

NO! I WANT A SNACK! 

EAT YOUR DINNER.

NO! 

FINE. BUT NO COOKIES UNTIL THIS IS GONE.

NO! 

Five bites. Please. (I do resort to begging. It is pathetic.)

And then if I am lucky (and remember to lock the dogs in the basement) I can get her to eat at least part of her dinner. Or she feeds it to the dogs when I run to the bathroom or to turn off the stove or do something I suddenly remembered as soon as I sat down.

Tonight she miraculously ate her dinner. All of it. Without major prompting. She wanted a treat and I indulged her since she did a great job and didn't really snack on any junk today. (In all honesty I probably have thrown her a parade, or busted into her hidden Christmas presents, or taken her to Disney World so a marshmallow seemed like I was getting off easy.) Then an hour later she wanted another treat. And then we had another conversation like the one above. Except this time I didn't yell. (A bona fide Christmas miracle right there.)

Instead I calmly listed her options. Carrots, clementines, banana, pomegranate seeds, almonds, cashews.....And of course she still wanted the cookies.

So we talked about how she wants to grow up to be big. And strong. And slay dragons (because everyone needs to be strong to slay a dragon). And that she can only do that if she eats food that is good for her, like fruits and veggies (and of course goes to bed every night and gets plenty of rest--without getting up and staying in her own bed.) That it is okay to have a treat sometimes but if we eat too many it can hurt her belly. Then we talk about what a fruit is and what is a vegetable and that they make great snacks because they help our body grow strong. I started getting out her play kitchen foods and asking her which was a fruit and which was a vegetable. We played. We organized (and I snuck some cleaning up in there too.)

I also remembered a song from the Disney Junior show Doc McStuffins (We are pretty fond of Doc right now--She is not as cool as dragons and the girls who slay them, enter Alice from the ABC show Once Upon a Time in Wonderland. No doubt that Doc would move up the coolness hierarchy if she had a sword.) But it's a song about eating good food and how it's good for your body. So we sang that.

And she wanted a carrot. (A big one, like a bunny. With the stems still attached.)

Then dogs each got a carrot. Which made carrots even cooler because they make the puppies grow big too.

I know there will be tougher roads ahead in navigating this conversation but I feel like laying the foundation now is important. That taking the time to explain to her why it is so important that we eat real food. I try really hard not to talk down to her and to give her explanations to what I can. Hopefully, this will help when the conversations get harder. (And are not solved with a bunny carrot.)

(The Eat Good Food Song is at 1:45 if you want to check it out. *Warning* it will get stuck in your head. Possibly for days. Proceed with caution.)

Why this P90x dropout is going to give Tony Horton another chance....

Confession time -- I am a P90x dropout.

I started it. Suffered through Ab Ripper X. Almost always skipped Yoga X. (I mean 90 minutes of yoga. Seriously? For someone who hates yoga this is just torture.)

I got through about a month of P90x and then had some gall bladder attacks which lead to surgery and then it was the holidays and I honestly couldn't pick it up again. My kiddo was quickly out growing her naps and I was lucky if they were 45 minutes long. Nap time was no longer enough time to get through a P90x workout so it wasn't happening.

And if I am being totally honest, Tony Horton kind of drives me crazy. I don't think he is that funny, especially when I am struggling through an entire hour of every type of push up imaginable. Let's just get this done with minimal cheesy one liners.

So why I have I committed to spending the first 3 months of the new year with Tony Horton?

Because despite the irritations I have with his bad jokes, the man puts together a good workout. P90x is a killer workout but I am not going back to P90x...I am giving P90x3 a try. Why? Because it's 30 minutes. Less time wasted with chatting. I did always say that if we eliminated all the chatting and "wasted" time in P90x it could be a 30 minute workout....so glad they heard me!

One of P90x's successes was using muscle confusion to get results. This introduced variety to the workouts and prevented plateauing. P90X3 takes a hint from that success and from studies showing the most dramatic body transformations happen within the first 30 minutes of exercise. Enter muscle acceleration, a Tony Horton-approved highly-structured schedule with an incredibly high level of intensity and an unprecedented variety of moves. The gurus behind P90X3 combined exercises and added some twists to maximize your time and keep every muscle challenged for a full 30 minutes.

The base kit includes 16 workouts (and not one of them is 90 minutes of yoga! Yay!) These workouts include:

• MMX – Think Mixed Martial Arts
• Warrior Workouts (I was able to preview this at our retreat. My abs were sore for 2 days!)
• CVX- Cardio Vascular Extreme
• Ab Ripper X3
• Pilates
• Yoga (30 minutes I can handle.)
• Agility X
• Try-ometrics (think plyometrics!)
• Isometrics- alternating lower body and upper body movements.

I am also super excited about starting a P90x3 exclusive test group! (Because I am so not trying to do this alone this time.) I will walk you through every single step of the program using the nutrition guide, the workouts and the 24/7 support of me as your coach in a private closed group.  I will teach you how to meal plan, prep, and set yourself up for success.  This group will begin on January 6, 2014 and will run for 90 days.  Just in time for your new years resolution.  Start the new year in the very best shape of your life. (And who doesn't want results like these....even a fraction of these results would qualify as awesome in my book!) If you want to join my test group please fill out the application here. 

How to Order P90x3

P90X3 is now available for order! If you would like to get your hands on a copy before they sell out, here are some options. One quick note: The best deal in December is the P90X3 Challenge Pack. It is discounted by $90 and includes a ton of free gifts and FREE shipping and handling.

P90X3 Challenge Pack – (On Sale for $180 December 2013 Only)
16 Workouts Above Plus: Bonus Accelerate Your P90X3 Results DVD, Bonus One on One Leg DVD, P90X3 Hat, and 30 Day Supply of Shakeology, Team Beachbody VIP Membership
Order Here
Includes Free Shipping and Handling 

P90X3 Base Kit – $119.85
All the 16 P90X3 Workouts Included in the above post.
Order Here 

P90X3 Ultimate- $329.55
Base Kit & Deluxe Kit Plus: P90X3 Chin-Up Bar, P90X3 Chin-Up Max, 30 Day Supply of Results & Recovery, Premium Beachbody Jump Mat
Order Here 

P90X3 Deluxe – $239.70
Base Kit Workouts, Plus: 3 Elite Extreme Workouts, Elite Block Calendar, 30 Day Supply of E&E, 3 B-Line Resistance Bands
Order Here

If you have any questions always feel free to shoot me a message or email me at saractodd@gmail.com. 

While Visions of Pancakes Dance in my Head....(clean and easy pancakes!)

I am not really a pancake girl. I am a french toast most of the time and sometimes a belgium waffle kind of girl (unless we are at Pamela's --- Pittsburgh peeps know what I am talking about. Then I just eat the crunchy edges off the paper thin, stack of deliciousness and leave the soggy middle for my hubby....)

And that is why. It is the sogginess of pancakes that make me gag. And they are like giant sponges for maple syrup. Until they reach capacity and then they just crumble into piles of crumbly gross ness. So not my style. I like the protective egg barrier that comes with french toast. French toast doesn't't selfishly soak up all my syrup. French toast rocks.

But I haven't been buying bread and I don't have a waffle maker (and right now my 2 year old is totally protesting waffles. Pancakes are still cool but waffles are no longer vogue.) and I was majorly jones-ing for something sweet and breakfast-y. Pancakes it is.

Now I based this recipe on the 4 ingredient pancakes over at He and She eat clean (which is a great site for clean yummy recipes.) But after I made it the first time they were pretty dense. I mean really dense. Like a circle of egg from a breakfast sandwich dense (but I did use flour instead of oats because I was out and whole eggs instead of whites so it was probably totally my fault. And the batter wasn't really batter. It was more like a thick, drop cookie consistency. I should have known better.) So I played with it again today and was pleased. And I added some spices--because I can't resist the urge to put ginger in everything. (Anti-inflammatory obsessed right here.)

So here is how I took four ingredient pancakes and made them more complicated. (but still super easy and yummy!) And made enough to have a bunch left over for easy reheating on crazy mornings.

Ingredients:

2 ripe bananas
3 eggs
2 TBS vanilla extract

1 1/2 (ish) cups whole wheat pastry flour (or whatever flour you choose because this recipe can totally be gluten free with just this swap.)

2 TBS cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ginger

Directions:

Blend the wet ingredients (banana, eggs and vanilla) until well mixed.

Transfer from blender (or mini chopper, or food processor) to a mixing bowl.

Slowly add flour until it is desired consistency. (Like pancake batter, not sugar cookie batter. Lesson learned.)

Mix in spices. And here add whatever you like. I am obsessed with ginger (and cinnamon). And I didn't really  measure. I just threw it in and kind of guessed what the measurements might have been for the purpose of this post.

Spoon onto a hot griddle/large skillet and cook a few minutes on each side.

I also added some mini chocolate chips to a small part of the batter. Feel free to do this if you live with Buddy the Elf a toddler who refuses to eat anything but chocolate, scrambled eggs, macaroni and cheese and pomegranates. Then tell her they are special chocolate candy pancakes and cross your fingers that she eats her breakfast before the dog gets to it.

I was also thinking that some pumpkin instead of or in place of one of the bananas might be super yummy too. But then I remembered it is December and no longer time for pumpkins but chocolate and peppermint (but it would still be good....)

Deconstructed Baked Broccoli Stuffed Potato (comfort food for a cold snowy night)

I am not a huge potato eater. I despise mashed potatoes (it's a texture thing) and baked potatoes never really did much for me unless they were smothered with cheese and enough stuff that I couldn't actually taste the potato part. But I have learned that is all about how you cook them and since I have had some potatoes sitting on my counter for about a month that are starting to look kind of sad, I decided it was time.

Plus I feel like the potato gets a bad wrap. We have totally abused it in junk food but that doesn't mean the humble potato itself is bad news. It actually has some nutritional value (that is often overlooked) and always eat the skin.

For Thanksgiving this year, I made some pretty awesome polenta crusted potatoes. So I decided to take that recipe and do a spin on the broccoli and cheese stuffed baked potato. (Now this recipe isn't vegan. But you could make a really easy No-Cheese sauce like the one over at Forks Over Knives* to top yours. I was having a mini cheat post cleanse and allowing myself some real cheese.)

The other thing I loved about baking this was that I really didn't have to measure anything. I just used the potatoes I had and added stuff until it looked right. (I know worst recipe to try and follow ever.) The good news is you really can't go wrong. I am going to guess-timate the amounts of what I used but in reality, I just dumped stuff in the bowl. And for the sauce -- well and all my dairy anymore, I always try to use diary that comes from grass fed cows. It tastes better and doesn't seem to give me as many problems as conventional dairy. (And I have become obsessed with avoiding GMO's.)

Here is what I did:

2 cups of chopped potatoes
olive oil
1/4 cup organic polenta
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 TBS basil
garlic powder to taste
Himalayan Salt
& pepper to taste

1 bunch of broccoli chopped into bite size pieces

1 TBS butter
1 TBS whole wheat flour(you can sub this to make it gluten free)
3/4 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheese


Take your chopped potatoes and put them in a bowl. (I chopped mine small -- think hash brown size-- so they would cook faster and get coated in more of the good stuff.) Drizzle with olive oil and stir until all potatoes are coated. Add polenta, nutritional yeast, basil, garlic and salt. Stir to coat. (Add more polenta as needed to coat potatoes.)

In a hot skillet, cook potatoes on medium high heat until almost fork tender. (This took about 20 minutes for me.) Add broccoli and cover allowing the broccoli to steam for a few minutes.

While the potatoes are cooking, melt the butter in a saucepan. Once the butter is melted add the flour and whisk until it makes a paste. Slowly whisk in the milk until smooth, whisking the entire time. Continue stirring until the milk bubbles around the sides. Do not allow it to come to a full boil. Add the cheese. Stir until melted. Change heat to low and stir until ready to assemble.

Grab a bowl, add potatoes and broccoli and top with sauce.

Super yummy.

Super hearty.

And clean. Yay!


Pssst....

Here is the recipe for the No-cheese Sauce from Forks over Knives (which is a great documentary and
a really great cook book even if you aren't 100% vegan or vegetarian and are just trying to cut back on your consumption of animal products. Lots of sauces, quick meals and everything I have made has been really tasty.)

No-Cheese Sauce

This sauce is great with a casserole and can be used for recipes like mac and cheese or baked ziti. Best of all, it takes about 5 minutes to put together.

1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1 large red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons toasted cashews
1 tablespoon tahini
1 cup nutritional yeast
Sea salt to taste

1. Combine everything in a blender and puree until smooth and creamy.

Happy Eating! 

Giving the Gift of Clean Eating (and fun kitchen gadgets I love or covet....)

My Christmas wish list this year looks a lot different than it has in years past. In the past I asked for books, cute clothes, sassy boots, books and lots of sparkly makeup. Since I have embraced clean eating and learning to make things for myself, I have found what kitchen gadgets are essential, what I need to get and what I really really want. I thought I would share what I have found to be some of the best purchases I have made since starting this lifestyle. (And some things I really really want.) So if there is someone in your life that is starting to clean up what they eat and avoid processed foods, think about a basket with some of these gadgets to help make being healthier everyday a little bit easier.

Olive oil sprayer --

I can not live without this. I use it almost every day and can fill it with the good stuff. I use it to spray oil on popcorn, in skillets, on salads and basically everywhere spraying oil is a good idea. And you use a lot less oil than when you just pour which can save a ton of calories. Win, win.

I have two different brands of these, a Misto and a Prepara . I like the Prepara. It costs a little more but it clogs less and it gives you the option of adding herbs and things to create infused oil. (And I like options.)


Electric Chopper

Sure you can cut up your own half an onion for that recipe but I like to avoid the whole crying into my dinner thing. I just cut it up in big chunks, throw it into this little baby and hit the button a few times (holding it down will turn it to mush) and boom! I have diced onions. No tears necessary. Plus it doubles to make mini goes of hummus or other dips. And it is small enough I can throw it in the dishwasher without it taking up the entire rack. (Dishwasher safe is an important word in this house.)

Air Popcorn Popper

This has been my saving grace on many occasions. There are just those nights when I am super snacky and I am kind of a popcorn-o-holic. So when I realized how many chemicals are in microwave popcorn, I knew I had to kick my popcorn habit to the curb. I was desperate to replace it with something and this little baby saved me. It is quick to pop and easy to clean. Plus it is like a super fun event in this house. My toddler loves watching for the popcorn to start popping and we top it with olive oil and whatever spices we feel like....fresh rosemary and sea salt popcorn anyone?

Immersion Blender

This thing may be my favorite kitchen tool of all time. I use it everyday to mix my Shakeology with frozen fruit and multiple times a week for things like pureed soups, salad dressings, hummus, pesto etc. It is so much easier to puree a soup in the pot than transfer hot liquid to a food processor. And it travels well so when I am taking my shakes on the road I pack this baby too.

Freezer Safe Jars


These are a must have for me. Freezer safe glass jars are designated by not having a curve under the neck of the jar. They are straight up and down. And are fantastic for freezing all the big batches of pureed soups I like to make.

Blender Bottles

Although I am trying to limit my use of plastics, I am finding it so hard to break up with these. I find them useful for so many things. I love keeping salad dressing in them.

Tortilla Press


Every since I visited my aunt in Texas and found them making fresh tortillas in the grocery store I was hooked. And they are almost impossible to make without a press. (Although if I do get one of these someone may want to come over and pry the fresh tortillas from my hand as I will certainly go to town for a while.)

Griddle Pan

For eggs, pancakes and all the tortillas I plan to make....all at once instead of cramming them into a tiny skillet.

Vegetable Spiralizer or as I like to call it a zucchini noodle maker

I have wanted one of these for a while now. I have visions of whole wheat pasta mixed with zucchini noodles dancing in my head. (And it will fit in my stocking *hint hint*)

Pineapple Corer

I saw one of these used at a mixology class and was amazed at how easy it was to core and slice a pineapple. (They intimidate me quite a bit.) And the leftover shell was used as a glass as a cocktail. Of course I want it.

Waffle Maker

My two year old is obsessed with waffles and it is really hard to find a decent brand of freezer waffles that meet my standard to toss into the toaster oven. I have dreams of making batches of these ahead of time and sticking them in the freezer for super busy mornings.

Food Dehydrator

I have a dried food addiction. It makes up for the fact that I love(d) all things gummy-- fruit snacks, candy, you name it. Dried apple rings are one of my favorite I feel like I am cheating snacks. And my aunt used to make homemade strawberry fruit roll ups that I loved. I have hopes and dreams of being able to make fruit roll ups (and eat them too!)

Check out this article for more info on how to choose the right food dehydrator for you.


Happy Shopping!

'Tis the Season (for me to miss working retail, shop like crazy and score some deals)

Not only is Thanksgiving completely overlooked in leu of Christmas by most places, yes Christmas
decor in the mall prior to Halloween, I am looking at you. But now Black Friday sales seem to extend the entire week of Thanksgiving. And while I am appalled at the amount of places open on Thanksgiving and as a former 8 year resident of the retail world, refuse to set foot in any of those places on said holiday (including the midnight sales--technically it isn't Thanksgiving anymore but that means employees need to be there by at least 10 to be ready to open at midnight!) I do love shopping on Black Friday.

I love waking up early and heading out. Scoping out places that don't have lines (because I never want a big tv, I wouldn't wait out in the cold for one no matter how cheap it is and those places only have like two of them. Totally not worth it.) Walking through the mall when it is still dark out, a big cup of coffee in hand. It is nostalgia for the days when I was there early to work. I loved working on Black Friday. I loved the crazy. I loved how fast the day went, how many of my employees I got to work with at once, the race of who could ring customers the fastest or who could keep sweaters in stock on the tables. It was such an awesome rush and one of the few days I really really miss my former job. So shopping that day allows me back a little piece of that. It isn't about the deals (although I do love getting some new jeans and workout pants when entire stores are 50% off for the day, I'm not gonna lie.) but it is really about that feeling, seeing some of my people, getting that feeling back for just a minute in the pit of my stomach -- the excitement is contagious.

But it's the Wednesday before Thanksgiving -- why am I talking about missing Black Friday when I should be prepping food for tomorrow?

Because if you can't beat 'em, join 'em so Beachbody is starting their Black Friday sale today at 12 noon PST.

Here is a round up of what you can score --

If you are my customer (to sign up for free click here) I am offering additional specials from noon today, November 27 through midnight on Saturday the 30th.

The Challenge Pack Special:

If you order a challenge pack Beachbody is giving you a $20 gift card back that is good on a future $30 purchase. There are a ton of ways to use this! But I am going to sweeten the deal by throwing in a $25 gift card from me. So you will get $55 to shop and the chance to enroll in one of my upcoming challenge groups where you get meal planning, recipes, accountability and all the tips and tricks I have learned this year.

What is a challenge pack?

A challenge pack is a bundle that includes a 30 day supply of Shakeology, a workout program, a 30 day trial of the Beachbody Club membership plus me as your coach. In addition to that you get the chance to enroll in one of my challenge groups on Facebook. They are a closed group where you get tips on meal planning, recipes, accountability and all the help and support you may need (and who doesn't need that during the holidays!)

The Shakeology Home Direct Deal:

For any new customer who signs up for Shakeology home direct, I am offering $10 cash back.  No strings attached. You place the order and I give you $10. 

Just looking for a workout program? 

Beachbody is offering some pretty awesome deals on a few of those too....

Here are a few of what I think are the best deals. To see all the Black Friday holiday promos click here. 

TurboFire: Complete System -- $99.95 (Regular price $239.40 --you save $139.45)

TurboFire is probably one of my favorite workouts of all time. If you follow me on Facebook, you have seen me rave about this over and over. So I am super stoked that they are offering it at such a great price. This is such an amazing deal and I am super jealous it wasn't available when I ordered my copy of Turbofire! You are saving of 58% on my favorite program. 

So here is what you get:

Chalene Johnson’s TurboFire: The Complete System includes 17 total workouts that range from 10 minutes to 55 minutes. Here is what you get:

Fire Starter Class: Master the TurboFire moves as Chalene breaks them down for you at a slower pace, so you can be ready for the HIIT classes.

Low HIITs: Low HIIT 20 / Low HIIT 25 Classes Don't let the "low" (as in low-impact) fool you-these high-intensity workouts ignite the AfterBurn Effect to help you keep burning calories.

Fire HIITs: Fire 30/Fire 40 /Fire 45 /Fire 55 Classes Actively recover from the HIIT classes while melting the fat away with these longer cardio classes, which include the HIITs you love, created by Chalene.

Extreme HIITS: HIIT 15/ HIIT 20/ HIIT 25 Classes Give your max for up to 1-minute intervals during these classes, and you can burn calories for up to 24 hours AFTER your workout's over!

Sculpt 30 Class/Tone 30 Class: Develop shapely muscles with Chalene's challenging resistance classes.

Core 20: Chalene's most popular class targets your tummy with moves that deliver incredible abs.

Stretch 40/ Stretch 10 Classes: Increase your flexibility, reduce soreness, and lengthen your hardworking muscles by warming down after your HIIT and Fire classes.

And because it is the Complete Program -- you also get the Deluxe DVD's listed below. 

TurboFire Deluxe DVD's + Tracker Journal -- $29.95 (Regular price $59.70--you save $29.75)

These are the add on DVD's that don't come with the base kit. There are 6 DVD's including:

• Fire 60 Class: Whip roundhouse kicks and watch those extra pounds sizzle away.
• HIIT 25 Class: Experience the most intense fire drills yet with Chalene.
• HIIT 30 Class: Push yourself even farther with 11 fire drills in this intense class.
• Lower 20 Class: Get the lean, shapely legs, butt, and core of your dreams.
• Upper 20 Class: Looking for lean, “don’t mess with me” arms? Then this class is for you.
• Abs 10 Class: Get tight, flat abs in no time with this short, efficient core workout.

For more info on TurboFire click here

Insanity: The Asylum + Free Chin Up Bar -- $89.85 (Regular Price $149.95 -- you save $60.10)

This is a 30 day program that utilizes sports specific training to build speed, agility, coordination and power. 

You get 6 intense workout DVD's: 

• Speed & Agility: Get quick on your feet—fast, with this intense cardio workout. (45 minutes)
• Vertical Plyo: Jump higher than ever with this lower-body training routine. (40 minutes)
• Relief: Stretch out to build long, lean muscle and increase your flexibility. (25 minutes)
• Strength: Increase your strength and power by cross-training with weights and resistance. (50 minutes)
• Back to Core: Build the rock-solid core, glutes, and hamstrings for the explosive power you'll need to play and dominate at an elite level. (45 minutes)
• Game Day: Put your new sports skills to the test with this cross-training workout. (60 minutes)

You also get an agility ladder, speed rope, the nutrition plan, guide book, a workout calendar and two bonus workouts: 

• The Sports Performance Assessment: Discover the improvements you've made in your fitness and skills with this performance measurement tool. (25 minutes) 
• Overtime: Add this 15-minute monster to any Asylum workout to see if you've still got game.

For more info on The Asylum click here. 

P90X + Free Chin Up Bar-- $119.85 (Regular Price $179.70 -- you save $59.85)

P90X includes 12 sweat-inducing, muscle-pumping workouts, designed to transform your body from regular to ripped in just 90 days. The secret is an advanced training technique called Muscle Confusion, which accelerates your results by constantly introducing new moves and routines so your body never plateaus.

Here's what you get with P90X:

12 Diverse and Intense Workouts:

• P90X - 01 Chest & Back. Targeted strength and definition workout emphasizes two classic upper-body exercises.
• 
  
• P90X - 02 Plyometrics. Explosive jumping cardio routine, proven to dramatically improve athletic performance.
• 
  
• P90X - 03 Shoulders & Arms. A potent combination of pressing, curling, and fly movements that will leave you stronger and more defined.
• 
  
• P90X - 04 Yoga X. Combines strength, balance, flexibility, and breath work to enhance your physique and calm your mind.
• 
  
• P90X - 05 Legs & Back. Squat, lunge, and pull in a total-body workout like no other.
• 
  
• P90X - 06 Kenpo X. Intense cardiovascular workout includes punching and kicking for endurance, balance, and coordination.
• 
  
• P90X - 07 X Stretch. Achieve a higher level of athleticism, prevent injuries, and avoid plateaus.
• 
  
• P90X - 08 Core Synergistics. Build and support the core while conditioning your body.
• 
  
• P90X - 09 Chest, Shoulders & Triceps. Targeted strength and definition workout emphasizing two classic upper-body exercises.
• 
  
• P90X - 10 Back & Biceps. Flex your powerful biceps, and focus on toning and tightening those showcase upper-body muscles.
• 
  
• P90X - 11 Cardio X. Low-impact, fat-burning cardio routine.
• 
  
• P90X - 12 Ab Ripper X. Sculpt an incredible six-pack and improve your physical performance.

You also get 5 P90X Plus Advanced Workouts (on 4 DVDs):

• Interval X Plus. Propel your heart rate up and down with 3 speeds: recovery, medium, and full-out, creating the most dramatic change in the shortest period of time.


• Kenpo Cardio Plus. This advanced-level Kenpo, with new moves, will shred the most stubborn layer of fat with an all-out self-defense workout.


• Upper Plus. This monster upper-body workout will defy the plateau phenomenon by blasting all the muscles from the hips on up.


• Total Body Plus. By adding new synergistic moves, your muscles get pumped, then recuperate in stages until you've got nothing left.


• Abs/Core Plus. This workout adds 4 different positions (hanging, sitting, standing, and plank positions) to intensify your ab work and shred your midsection even faster.

Plus, get these informative tools:

• 3-Phase Nutrition Plan. Designed to help you lose fat, build lean muscle, and maintain high energy levels through each part of the program.


• P90X Fitness Guide. Packed with information and tools to help you set your workout goals, track your progress, and stay inspired.


• How to Bring It Video. Get a quick overview of the complete P90X Extreme Home Fitness training system.

And get these tools to keep you motivated:

• P90X Calendar. Lets you know exactly what to do each day, set your workout goals, track your progress, and stay motivated.


• Online Support. You'll have access to Tony and other fitness experts, and peer support from your fellow P90Xers.

For more info on P90x click here.

Wow that  is a lot of info and those are only four of the promo's available. There are great deals on other things too so make sure you check it out (for a sneak peek check out the image below!) And of course I am always here if you have any questions or need anything. Just shoot me a message or send me an email to scyobe@gmail.com

Happy Shopping! 

A Bowl Full of Green (And this green bowl of pasta and veggies was awesome!)

If I told you I found a recipe that was super easy, yummy and healthy (also vegan and with the potential to be even gluten free -- if that's your jam--) who would call this girl a liar? Yeah, I would too. So I was super psyched when I tried a recipe buried in Chloe Coscarelli's cookbook. She is pretty much a kick a$$ vegan chef whose food is always amazing but not always clean.

I found this recipe and was shocked I never paid it much attention -- probably because it didn't have a picture, let's be honest here. I tend to cook things that have nice pictures. It's what I do (don't judge me.) Recipes sans picture tend to get overlooked and never cooked. But as I was flipping through Chloe's Kitchen looking something easy I could have prepped and ready to go for my dear friend who offered to stay at my house and watch my child and my dogs for a weekend, I stumbled upon this recipe.

So I bought a giant tub of baby spinach, busted out my food processor and made three goes of the sauce (and froze two of them for later.) All she had to do was boil noodles and add some veggies to the same pot for the last few minutes of cooking and add the pre-made spinach pesto. I also just had her use a whole bag of frozen green beans that were already cut into small pieces and the entire bag of frozen lima beans. I figured the more veggies the better. Bulking up a pasta dish with veggies is a super easy calorie saver.

And the entire thing takes maybe 20 minutes. Quicker if your pesto is pre-made. Easy-peasy.

So here is the actual recipe:

1 lb of whole wheat pasta*
4 oz frozen green beans, cut into bite size pieces (about 1 inch)
10 oz frozen lima beans

5 oz fresh baby spinach
3 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions but with 5-3 minutes left on cook time add green beans and lima beans to the water. (Vary based on how crunch you like your veggies. I lean toward less time in the water and crunch veggies.) Let cook until veggies are tender and pasta is ready. Drain.

For the sauce, combine spinach, garlic, olive oil, water, lemon juice, salt and pepper. (I skipped the salt and pepper in the sauce just because I tend to like to add it to taste. After having it once I would go ahead and add both right into the sauce.) Pulse until combined.

Put the cooked pasta and veggies into a bowl and toss with the sauce.

And you have your bowl of amazing green goodness.


*the original recipe called for oreccheitte pasta -- I used spirals because I like how they grip the pesto.

**If you aren't looking to make this vegan, a little bit of fresh grated parmesan on top is yummy! I have to watch my dairy intake so depending on how my week has been, I skip this or add it. 

Enjoy!