How I fit Workouts Into My Crazy-Busy Schedule

I have a confession to make…as much as I preach consistency and sticking to a routine as part of your fitness & weightloss journey, I have NO consistent routine! Being a single-mom with an unpredictable workout schedule, a 12-year-old boy who is active in sports, an extremely demanding extended family, and (not to mention) tons of other household/adult responsibilities…I just CAN’T rely on every day being “cookie-cutter” so that I can work out at exactly the same time each day.

I’m sure many of you can relate. You get all excited to start a new workout program, buy all the DVDs, carve out a specific time in your schedule, manage to stick to it for a week (2 if your EXTRA lucky), and then all hell breaks loose. One of the kids gets sick, your work schedule changes, summer comes up and the kids want to be in the living room watching TV when you want to workout in there and that TV is the only thing that’s gonna keep them outta your hair long enough for you to workout, etc. It happens…that’s mom life for you.

I struggled for a VERY long time trying to consistently workout every day. I tried waking up at 4am to work out. I tried getting straight to it after work. But, my schedule just changes up too often for me to be able to count on sticking to any of those things. 4am workouts turn into 4am cleaning sessions or me just crawling back to bed from sheer exhaustion. Evening workouts get wiped out during football season because that’s when practice is. Summer workouts stop because lil’man takes over the TV. I’ve learned that if I force myself to rely on a rigid schedule & location to complete my workouts all I wind up doing is giving excuses a way in to block me from reaching my goals.

So, what is it that I do to make sure that I workout daily? I use Beachbody on Demand. I hate to sound all infomercial-ish, but that app has legitimately wiped out any excuse that I used to let get between me and my workouts. I can stream just about any Beachbody workout from my laptop, phone, or tablet…even link it up to the chromecast if I’m lucky enough to get to use the livingroom TV. That means, if I don’t wanna wake up the kiddo at 4am by busting out a workout in the living room, I can just stream it in my room; if my only downtime of the day is at 6pm football practice, I can stream it on my phone and get my workout in while my kiddo gets his done too. I absolutely love it! I really can workout anyplace, anytime!!!

The absolute BEST thing about this new app is that Beachbody offers a 30-day Free Trial! That’s right, for 30 days you can have FREE access to thousands of Beachbody workouts and be able to do them anytime you want, anywhere you want!

I’m so excited to share this with other busy moms that I’ve decided to run a FREE 2-week Trimdown Challenge Group where we will all be working out using the app. If you are interested, just click here to sign up for your Free 30-day Trial of Beachbody on Demand and email me at conniedln@gmail.com so I can get you set up in our private Facebook group. I’d love to have you join!!

Chicken Florentine with Whole Wheat Pasta

I found this recipe on The Pioneer Woman's blog and tweaked it a little to make it just a bit healthier. Hope you enjoy it!


Total Time: 30 min.
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cooking Time: 20 min.
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 pound Whole Wheat Penne
• 4 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• 1 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 4 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 2 cups Low-sodium Chicken Broth, More If Needed
• 1 bag Baby Spinach
• 2 cups Grape Tomatoes, Halved Lengthwise
• 4 ounces grated Parmesan Cheese

Instructions:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

2. Cut chicken breasts into chunks and sprinkle on salt and pepper.

3. Heat butter and olive oil over high heat in a large skillet. Add chicken chunks in a single layer and do not stir for a minute or two in order to allow the chicken to brown on the first side. Turn the chicken and brown on the other side. Cook until done, then remove chicken from the skillet. 

4. Turn heat to medium. Add garlic and quickly stir to avoid burning. After about 30 seconds, pour in broth, stirring to deglaze the pan. Allow the liquid to bubble up, then continue cooking until it's reduced by at least half (most of the surface of the liquid should be bubbling at this point.)

5. Turn off the heat. Add spinach, tomatoes, chicken, and cooked pasta to the skillet. Toss to combine; the spinach will wilt as you toss everything. Add plenty of Parmesan and toss to combine.

6. Serve with extra Parmesan and Red Pepper Flakes.

Fit for Summer Challenge

I can't believe we're already in May! Summer's right around the corner and I don't feel Bikini Ready at all! I'm ready to get there though! Who's with me?

If anyone is interested in getting their body tight & toned in time for all their major summer events, I have another Challenge Group coming up starting June 6th. 

It is a 30 Day Group and you are welcome to choose ANY Beachbody program. 

What does it involve?
---> Customizable Meal Plans
---> 22-30 minute home workouts
---> Tips
---> Recipes
---> 1:1 and Group Support
---> Daily motivation
---> Daily Accountability
---> Travel Tips
---> A gain in confidence
---> New friendships
---> POSITIVITY!!
and so much more!

If you are interested or have any questions, feel free to email me at conniedln@gmail.com. I'd love to chat with you about your options! 

How to Stay Motivated to Workout

I often get asked how I stay motivated to workout everyday. It’s honestly one of my least favorite questions because the truth is...there isn’t just one short answer.

Motivation is HIGHLY individual...what gets me going might not work for you (innuendo completely unintended ) and let’s be REAL, staying motivated to do just about anything is really hard! And, when you add HARD work, sweat, and an hour-long time commitment to that, it becomes just too much of an uphill battle for most women. Especially if you...have kids...work all day...have 5 million other things on your to-do list to get accomplished.

"It's the start the stops most people," and getting started is the hardest part, hands down. Once you get moving...you're fine and actually you feel A LOT better after. You feel accomplished, bad @ss, and productive! It gives me some SERIOUS clarity and I'm always zipping around after.

While I’m kind of a fitness fanatic, there are times that I really don’t want to work out. Let’s face it, after a long day at work, sitting on the couch watching TV, or playing on the internet can sound A LOT more appealing. Working out in the mornings sounds good in theory...but doesn’t always fit in with the morning chaos of getting kids ready for school.

So how the heck do you get motivated to wake up before dawn or workout after a long day at work if you’re not a fitness nut and sometimes you HATE the thought of exercising?

1) Write Down Specific Goals

You’ve probably heard that setting goals is important, but that’s not enough. Goals must be specific, quantifiable, and you need to set a date! Write down your goals and put them somewhere you can see them! I actually wrote mine down and hung them up by my bed where I would see them EVERY morning when I got up and EVERY night before going to bed. Keep them visible! Reading them helps condition your subconscious mind to believe in your goals. Your outward actions (exercising and eating well) will reflect this desire & belief.

2) Reward Yourself Along the Way

Think of one major reward and a few smaller “milestone” rewards. Let’s say you’ve set a goal of losing 20 lbs. When you reach that goal, buy yourself something big, go on a trip, or get a makeover (hair, nails, new clothes, makeup, etc.) BUT also, every time you hit a 5 lb milestone reward yourself with something smaller (NOT FOOD). Be creative with it and choose rewards that REALLY will motivate you. I also recommend setting goal dates for those smaller milestones to keep yourself accountable along the way.

3) Sign a Commitment Contract With Yourself

This one goes a step further than just writing down your specific goals and setting a date. Now you’re upping the ante! This will be a document that you will write up, sign, and if you’re REALLY serious put your money $$$ where your mouth is!

Your contract should include:

• Your SPECIFIC fitness goal
• What you will DO to obtain that goal (how often will you workout, what kind of exercise, etc.)
• Any obstacles you will face in your diet/fitness and what you will do to OVERCOME them (if I can’t find a sitter, I will workout at home, etc.)
• Date you MUST reach your goal.
• Signature & Date of Contract
• What your “punishment” will be for not sticking to it (be CREATIVE or have a friend help you decide and make sure you stick to it)

4) Visualization

I am ALL about this! Picture how you want your body to look and feel...Dig deep!

Answer the questions about your visualization:

• What are you wearing?
• What are you doing?
• Who are you with?
• How exactly do you feel? What is your emotional state?
• What is it about the way you look/feel that is so appealing? Anything in particular?

Once you have a clear and detailed image of your visualization, whenever you are faced with an obstacle to exercise or healthy eating, think of this visualization. Think about it often. The power of visualization can have a BIG impact!!! This helps me TREMENDOUSLY! Find a picture of your dream body and hang it on your fridge!

Never trade what you want MOST for what you want NOW !

5) Track your Progress

How on Earth will you know how far you’ve come and how close you are to your goal if you aren’t measuring it?! This doesn’t necessarily mean weighing yourself daily, I know that can be a trigger for some people and also can be a little misleading if you’re gaining muscle while losing fat. I recommend weighing yourself once a week (at most) OR trying on a particular item of clothing (HELLO skinny jeans!) that you really want to look good in. Even better would be measuring your fitness progress by monitoring what you are able to do now that you couldn’t do the week before (12 min/mile instead of 13, or 10 more push-ups without stopping, etc.) And, most of all, keep track of how you FEEL...as you go along, you should be feeling stronger, healthier, more ENERGIZED!

6)  Join a Challenge Group

This was a game changer for me. Once I opened up about my goals and let people know what I was trying to do...I found support in a lot of surprising places. Tell your close friends and family about your fitness goals. Making changes to your lifestyle can be hard! It's nice to know someone has your back! I absolutely LOVE the positive energy!

Join my team here and I'll support you every step of the way!

Fill out my online form.

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Why I Love Shakeology

I get it, I get it...all the selfies people have been posting lately with their shaker cup full of Shakeology can border on annoying. I mean, I myself wondered , "what the hell is so exciting about a protein shake?"

But, that's the thing...Shakeology is NOT just a protein shake. It's not even comparable to your average meal replacement shake. It's so much MORE! Shakeology is a nutrient dense, superfood meal replacement shake. (Try saying that 3x fast, LOL!) It's chock full of superfoods, antioxidants, proteins, amino acids, phyto nutrients, adaptogen herbs, prebiotics, probiotics, and digestive enzymes. If you're anything like me, you're wondering what the hell all that means!?!

What's So Special About Superfoods?

• They strengthen your immune system so your sick less!
• They repair & restore your GI system giving you more regularity and improving digestion so that you can absorb more nutrients.
• They reduce chronic inflammation, which is the #1 cause of nearly EVERY disease.

To wrap it up, this shake more than covers your basic nutrition needs for the day so that you feel better, have energy, recover better, have fewer cravings, and your body repairs itself faster...all of this helping immensely with losing weight.

It's easy, fast, convenient and gives you the nutrition of more than 5 plates of salad! All for about 160 calories!!! Fun Fact: It would take about 27,000 calories of "regular food" to give you the amount of nutrients found in this shake!

I'm not going to BS you. You definitely CAN lose weight without Shakeology, but Shakeology makes it so much EASIER! No, it's not magic, but it IS clean, simple nutrition made super easy. Just $4 a day covers your meals, vitamins, and superfoods. You'll feel better, have more energy, and your body will run much more efficiently.

I'm no nutrition expert, all I know is that Shakeology has helped me in so many ways! I used to be tired, sluggish, irritable, had  a TON of mental fog, and was constantly battling cravings for junk! I was too busy to eat right and would skip meals. But, now that I'm drinking Shakeology, I feel so much BETTER! I have tons of energy, my To-Do list is done by midday, I have the mental clarity to balance my teaching job with my online coaching, my hair, skin, and nails have never looked better, and I can sit in a teacher's lounge full of ladies eating burgers & french fries and not feel the least bit tempted!

If you're ready to start feeding your body dense nutrition & feeling better, shoot me a message or go to my coach website.

21 Day Fix Approved Shrimp Tacos

Cinco de Mayo does NOT have to lead to an EPIC cheat day! Here's a recipe that you're waistline will thank you for and that will also go perfect with a yummy Skinnygirl Margarita!!!

Total Time: 18 min.
Prep Time: 15 min.
Cooking Time: 3 min.
Yield: 4 servings, 2 tacos each

Ingredients:
1½ tsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
¾ tsp. ground cumin, divided use
½ tsp. ground chili powder
1 lb. raw medium shrimp, cleaned, deveined
¼ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1 tsp. finely chopped lime peel
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
8 corn tortillas (or 6-inch whole wheat tortillas), warm
1 cup shredded red and green cabbage
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 medium avocado, sliced
Fresh cilantro sprigs (for garnish; optional)
Fresh lime wedges (for garnish; optional)

Preparation:
1. Combine oil, garlic, ½ tsp. cumin, chili powder, and shrimp in a medium bowl; mix well. Set aside.
2. Combine yogurt, remaining ¼ tsp. cumin, lime peel, lime juice, and cilantro in a small bowl; mix well. Set aside.
3. Heat medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Add shrimp mixture; cook, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until shrimp is firm and opaque.
5. Top each tortilla evenly with cabbage, tomato, shrimp, and avocado.
6. Garnish with cilantro and lime if desired; drizzle each taco with a small spoonful of yogurt mixture.

So What the Heck is a Challenge Group Anyway????

Are you a busy mom that's desperate to find a workout & nutrition program that will work? Have you tried going to the gym but just can't fit it into your busy schedule? Are you looking for something simple, fool-proof, no guesswork, easy???

So was I.

Three years ago, I was overweight, tired, grouchy and desperate for a way out. I started working out...running, going to the gym, doing sporadic workouts that I found on YouTube. I lost a lot of weight, but it wasn't a lifestyle that I could maintain. None of what I did fit into my schedule once the school year started (I'm a substitute teacher) and I never was able to stick to a diet that realistically fit my lifestyle. I basically just skipped meals and yo-yo dieted to desperately try and keep off what weight I'd lost.

Although I was able to lose 80 pounds over the course of about a year, the following year had me bouncing up and down between those last 20 pounds I'd lost...it was quickly becoming a losing battle and I was terrified of gaining back what had been so hard to lose.

Enter Beachbody...

My coach, Jessica, invited me to a Beachbody Challenge Group and I was excited to say yes, but also had to ask, "What the heck is a Challenge Group???"

The basic answer is :

A Beachbody Challenge Group is a group of people who have committed to getting healthy by participating in a Beachbody® program. Through fitness, nutrition, and support, Beachbody Challenges are key in helping them achieve their goals.

However, there is so much more to them than that!

In that Challenge Group, I found amazing new friends, confidence that I had never had in myself before, and a REAL lifestyle change that I know I will always be able to maintain. I was so in love with the process and the effect it had on me and my family that I jumped at the opportunity to become a Beachbody Coach and pay it forward.

I now run monthly challenge groups. These groups are a safe haven for the women that sign up to join them.

In my challenge groups you will find:

It's not a challenge against others but the challenge within yourself.  Honoring the fact that you do need accountability to get to our goals.  Don't we all?  It gets too easy to just give up when we feel like we have no one to report to.  In our group (it's voluntary but highly recommended) you can post your workout for the day.  I also encourage my challengers to post any struggles they faced, what their goals are, and how the challenge is changing the way they see themselves in a positive way.  What does this do?  It gives you accountability.  As your coach I'm looking for that post.  Im looking to see how you did that day and if I see a trend in a bad habit or negative thought pattern,   I  give you pointers to help you get back on track to help you reach YOUR goals.   

I want to know your goals.  I want to know your struggles.  I want to know as much about you as I can so I can ensure I'm giving you the best advice that fits you.  I absolutely love my challengers and most have become great friends.  Your success means so much to me.  So as your coach and within the challenge group you are surrounded by supportive and only uplifting people.  Yes, we voice our struggles, but then there are people to chime in and pick you back up.. any time of the day - you have a support system.  

Are you ready?

Step 1:  Once you make the commitment, TOGETHER, we will discuss your health goals and decide which Beachbody Fitness program is right for you.

Step 2: You commit to replacing one meal a day with Shakeology.  It doesn't matter which meal you choose.  Believe it or not, obtaining and maintaining a healthy body is 80% nutrition and 20% exercise.  By drinking Shakeology, you are getting the nutrients that your body needs for the day.

Step 3: Sign up for a free Beachbody account.  From there, I can help guide you in purchasing a Challenge Pack!

Step 4:  Once you make the commitment and the purchase, you will be included in a closed Facebook group with a small group of people doing the same thing as you!  A group that is committed to making a healthy lifestyle change!  It is this group that will continually support, motivate, and keep each other accountable in getting through your fitness program!   Along our journey, I will provide you with nutritional and fitness tips, which will include meal planning and meal preparation ideas. Don't worry!  If you aren't familiar with closed Facebook groups, only the people within the group will be able to see your posts and what's going on!



So what's the catch?

There is no catch!  If you make the commitment, you WILL get the results that you are looking for!

Because I like to keep the groups small and personal, spots will be limited each month!  You can message or email me at conniedln@gmail.com. I look forward to hearing from you!

Fill out my online form.

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