Back on Track!

I'm FINALLY back into my routine! This past month I stuck to the 21 day fix nutrition plan but did the DVD workouts occasionally and instead, went to the gym and did some cardio or a class! 

I will say, that I noticed WAY better results (physically) when I did the 21dfx workouts. After the round was over, I felt stronger and saw my body more defined. With this round, I feel good but not necessarily stronger or toned. 

Anyway, I'm proud to say that I lost 11 pounds and 7.9 inches overall! It feels so good to finally be back in my actual routine!

My next group starts in 10 days: Monday, October 3rd! I'm so excited!!!! 1) We're starting the Insanity program! 2) I get to do it with my bestie that I haven't hung out with in FOREVER, Megan!!!!! 3) I love me some Shaun T :D

I'm using the challenge tracker app this time to run my group! You log your Shakeology and workouts on it so it really helps me stay on track! I'm the type of person that likes checking things off my checklist so it DEFINITELY keeps me going :)

If you are interested but don't know where to start, message me and I'll get you going :) let's get fit together!  

 

Zucchini Tots

Okay so my awesome sister-in-law tagged me in a video for zucchini tots on Buzzfeed's "Tasty" series. Me being the crazy lady that I am decided to read all the reviews about the recipe before making it. I tweaked it to my liking and the verdict...Camilla and I REALLY enjoyed them! BUT...Trevor, not so much. As soon as I took the first bite I KNEW he wouldn't like them. He's a super taster and weird about textures so I knew it wouldn't sit well with him that these weren't really "tots." You have to eat them with the mindset of not tot, but different way to eat a veggie. Anyway I'll shut up - here's the recipe (the way I tweaked it)!

Ingredients

4 medium zucchini 

3/4 cup breadcrumbs 

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 egg

1 tablespoon garlic powder 

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400F. 

2. Grate zucchini and then squeeze all moisture out. **original recipe called for salting zucchini generously and letting sit for 20 minutes to retain the moisture but I didn't want to add that much salt***

3. Add breadcrumbs, cheddar cheese, egg, garlic powder, and pepper. Mix well.

4. Use a tablespoon to measure out and form into tots. Place on a greased baking tray/pan/whatever!

5. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. 

Try them and let me know your thoughts! :) 

xo

No Bake Energy Bites

I call them power balls HA! I laugh to myself every time I say it!

These are seriously SO easy and so tasty! I could compare it to some delicious cookie dough. It's the perfect snack for when you REALLY want something sweet but don't want to pick something baaaad. Let me know what you think. This recipe yields about 20! Only ONE a day 😉 oh an try to hide them so nobody else eats them. ;)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup all natural peanut butter, creamy

1/3 cup raw honey 

1 tsp vanilla extract 

1 cup rolled oats, raw

2/3 cup sweetened shredded coconut 

1/2 cup ground golden flaxseed meal

6 tbsp mini chocolate chips 

Directions:

Mix peanut butter, honey, and vanilla extract first. Add everything else and stir until fully coated. Refrigerate or freeze for a few minutes so that they set and are easier to shape (I skipped that step the first time I made it but found its easier if I do it). Roll into 1-inch balls and make sure to store in an airtight container in the fridge! :) 

Here is the original recipe: http://www.cookingclassy.com/2014/04/bake-energy-bites/

It also said to toast and cool the coconut but who has time for that?!? If you do, go for it! Either way, they're still fabulous!

Results!

So I wasn't going to post my results because they were so small and I thought, crap I can't share that with people! I'm a coach and these aren't results that anyone would be impressed by!

But you know what I realized? Progress is progress! It's what I preach every day to my challenge groups and sometimes I just need to remind myself too. It might not have been 15 pounds like my first round of the Fix but it's still one step closer to my goal than I was before. 

After this round, I lost 3 pounds and 2 inches. I skipped a lot of my DVD workouts (okay, I only did them the first 3 days...😳) and replaced them with walks with Cami. Although that's still exercise, it definitely wasn't what I was doing before. But HEY! Watching what I'm eating and sticking to this lifestyle change is still giving me results! I'm so happy that at least I still lost weight, even if it wasn't a massive change. 

BUT...you know I love my but's 😉

Summer is creepin'. And it's creepin' FAST! We're going to Cancun in July and I definitely need to shape up. I want to be able to rock a swimsuit and run around with Cami without having to worry about my arms flapping around in the wind!! 😂

I don't want - I NEED - some people to join me in getting fit and staying committed. No cheats and no straying. This exclusive group is going to start on the 16th so it gives you time to get your program and get all your questions answered before we start! 21 days people...21 days to get our butts in gear. Stop wishing for it and WORK for it!

It's time to get serious!!! 👍🏼

One person will be the lucky winner of this ⬇️ 21 day fix FIXATE cookbook! Don't miss out 😀

 

Crockpot Beef & Broccoli

Crockpot Beef & Broccoli


Ingredients

• 2 lb. beef, thinly sliced (flank steak is ideal, but any cut will work)
• 1 can beef broth
• 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsps cornstarch
• 4 cups fresh broccoli (frozen broccoli florets work too)

Directions

1. Put the sliced beef in the bottom of the crockpot. 
2. Mix together the broth, soy sauce, maple syrup, garlic, and sesame oil. Pour over the beef. 
3. Cook on low 5-6 hours or high 3-4 hours.
4. Remove about 1/4 cup of the sauce from the crockpot and mix with the 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Stir back into the crockpot. 
5. Add the broccoli, story again, and cook for another half hour. In the meantime, cook the brown rice.
6. Serve beef and broccoli over brown rice and enjoy! :)

Xo

Andrea

Facebook: www.facebook.com/andrearivasfitness
Instagram: andrea__rivas

Meal Prep: Where do I start!?

Does the thought of prepping meals for an ENTIRE week kinda overwhelm you!? Don't worry, it did for me too! I thought, there's NO way I'm going to be able to make a whole week's worth of food!

Well guess what? You don't have to! Here's a short guide to get you started with some meal preppin' ;)

But FIRST. Why should you even meal prep!? Some reasons are:

• Help you with portion control
• Achieve your fitness goals
• Save money
• Super convenient
• Keep you on track
• and SO much more!

Step 1: Choose a prep idea.

Start simple! Stick to something that doesn't require any complicated cooking techniques or something that doesn't need to many ingredients. Start off with just prepping for one meal (for example, lunch every day at work). You can gradually build up to prepping multiple meals for each day!

Step 2: Make a grocery list.

Buy ONLY what you'll need for a week's worth of prep. This saves you money and keeps you from eating other stuff that you didn't plan for. Determine exactly how much of each thing you need to buy based on what you need to prep.

Step 3: Get your containers.
Use existing tupperware or buy some new stuff! I know getting new containers really got me excited to use them (I'm lame, I know!!). Try to use containers big enough to fit a whole meal and that stack easily. I prep my food in separate containers because Trevor is on a different meal plan than I am and needs more protein so it's easier for us to do it this way. Pack your food up in a way that's convenient for YOU

Step 4: Start prepping. 
Make some time in your day (and space in your kitchen) and get going. It's really important that you set aside this time so that you don't feel rushed or skip it altogether. I usually prep on Sunday or Monday BUT sometimes I do it on Tuesday depending on how I plan my schedule. It will start to become a habit and you'll realize how much time and money you're actually saving. I find that even pre-cutting my veggies (onions, peppers, mushrooms) REALLY help when I want to make a quick salad or sauté some fresh veggies!

Step 5: Stick to your plan.
The hard part is over! Now enjoy all your extra time and enjoy your home cooked meals ;) take note of what works and what doesn't so that next week, you know what to do or not do!

I hope this gave you a good starting point! :) Remember, don't be too hard on yourself if you find this challenging in the beginning. Meal prepping isn't about perfection, it's about improvement!

Xo,
Andrea

Facebook: www.facebook.com/andrearivasfitness
Instagram: andrea__rivas

Turkey Meatballs

Okay who doesn't love a big plate of pasta with some delicious sauce!? My family is Italian and I love my pasta but I learned how to eat it in a cleaner way :) You can make these deeeelicious meatballs with any red sauce, but I use a 21 day fix approved sauce and the link is below!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 lbs. raw ground 93% lean ground turkey
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp. dried oregano leaves
• 1/2 tsp. Himalayan salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground pepper
• 4 cups homemade spaghetti sauce (<-- click for recipe)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
2. Get a large baking sheet and line with parchment paper lightly coated with cooking spray.
3. Place milk and bread crumbs in a small bowl and let soak for 10 minutes.
4. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat.
5. Add onion; cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 6 minutes or until onion is translucent.
6. Add garlic; cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute.
7. Combine onion mixture, turkey, eggs, parsley, cheese, oregano, salt, pepper, and bread crumb mixture in a large bowl. Mix well with a wooden spoon or clean hands. Refrigerate, covered, for 1 hour.
8. With clean, wet hands, form turkey mixture into 1-inch meatballs. It'll make roughly 40 to 45 meatballs. 
9. Bake for 13 to 18 minutes, or until browned and cooked through.
10. Serve topped with spaghetti sauce over whole-grain pasta.

Hope you enjoy them! Makes for an easy and delicious dinner :)

Container Count

With Sauce: 1 R, 1/4 B

Without Sauce: 2 G, 1R, 1/2 B

Facebook: www.facebook.com/andrearivashealthandfitness

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Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Delicious sauce that tastes just right - and without all the bad stuff! :)

Ingredients
(Serves 12, approx. 1/2 cup each)

• 2tbsp. olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 (6-oz.) can tomato paste, no salt added
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 2 cans (28-oz. each) whole peeled tomatoes
• 2 tbsp. agave nectar
• 1 tsp. Himalayan salt
• 1/4 tsp. groundblack pepper
• 1 (3-oz.) Parmesan cheese rind (or parmigiano)
• 3 tbsp. finely chopped fresh basil

Directions

1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Add onion; cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 6 minutes, or until onion is translucent.
3. Add garlic and tomato paste; cook, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes. Don't let the tomato paste burn!
4. Add wine; cook, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Add tomatoes, agave, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low, gently boil, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes.
6. Add cheese; cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.
7. Add basil; mix well.
8. Serve with turkey meatballs (<-- click for recipe) over whole-grain pasta.

Container Count: 3 G, 1/2tsp.

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