Because Burgers can be Healthy Too

With the warm weather starting to hit, I don't know about you but I really start getting the major urge to have a good, juicy burger. So when Kevan suggested that we make our own last week, I was DOWN for the task of finding a way to fit it into my healthy meal plan.

Don't get me wrong, I'm ALL about indulging in the occasional burger, because, let's be honest, Chicago is home to some of the BEST I've ever had, but I was excited to tickle my recipe brain again and see if I could whip up something delicious and that feels indulgent but is actually super healthy!

And I have to say, I'm pretty freaking proud of what I came up with. And it fit completely into my whole foods portion control meal plan that I've been following this month! 

BURGERS FOR THE WIN

Makes 4 Servings

Ingredients

100% Grass fed beef, 1 pound

Whole wheat burger buns (or you could use lettuce!)

2 small Zucchinis

1/2 Spanish Onion

Whole Wheat panko bread crumbs (normal bread crumbs work just fine too!)

Egg whites

1 tbsp Garlic Powder

Italian seasoning (optional)

Sea salt

Pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 F and get cover two cookie sheets with aluminum foil

2. Cut zucchini in "fry like" shape and chop onion in half and separate into rings.

3. In bowl, mix together the Bread crumbs, Garlic powder and Italian seasoning. In separate bowl, place 4 egg whites. 

4. Dip each zucchini fry and onion ring in the egg whites. Then, place in the bread crumb mixture, making sure to thoroughly coat before placing on the cookie sheets.

5. Once all of them are coated with bread crumbs, place in the oven for 20-25 minutes (or until browned and crunchy)

6. While the veggies are baking, mix the ground beef with salt and pepper, to taste, before forming them into patties. 

7. About 5 minutes before the fries are ready to come out, start cooking the patties on a heated and oiled cast iron skillet (about 30 seconds per side, if the heat is right) -- also DELICIOUS grilled!

8. Serve on a toasted whole wheat bun (or using a big lettuce leaf as the "bun" if you've had your daily carbohydrates earlier in the day) add mustard, veggies if you like, pickles if you're like me and you're good to go!!!!!!

For my Fixers (per serving): 2 Yellow (if you're using the bun), 1 Red, 1.5 Green

A delicious alternative to "fast food", am I right?

And the BEST PART? All of this cost $6!!!!!!!!!!!! For 4 WHOLE ENTIRE MEALS. Whoever said eating healthy (and deliciously) cost more money than eating out/fast food is a liar I tell you, a LIAR!!!! 

Quick Fixes Don't Work: How I Learned the Hard Way

I can't tell you how many times I've heard...

"What's the diet I can go on to lose 10 lbs before my vacation next week?"

OR

"I ate like shit this weekend. I definitely am going to start that juice cleanse tomorrow! That's the best way to balance things out, right?"

OR

"If I get two hours of cardio in today, that'll cancel out the pint of Ben & Jerrys ice cream I just ate, right?"

People can get so wrapped up in how to get results TOMORROW and want to find the easiest path there, that they resort to slim downs, cleanses & diet pills. And as a gal who has been there and tried that, let me tell you that IT DOESN'T WORK. (If you want to read more about My Story, click HERE)

Sure, we'll probably go down a few pounds on the scale, but do you maintain the weight loss? Do you stick to the workout schedule? Has this transformed your life and you're the happiest you've ever been?

If you're anything like me, the answer is NO.

Most of us go back to the same patterns as before, and lose all of the "progress" we've made. And sometimes (yuppp I was there too) we fool ourselves into doing that quick fix again because it "worked".

But here's the thing, Quick fixes don't work because they are just that ... a quick fix.

They are a bandaid.

They don't fix the underlying problem:

our often distorted and unhealthy mindsets around food and exercise.

---

4 Things Diets Do:

1. THEY MAKE US MISERABLE

When was the last time you heard someone on a diet say: "Man, I LOVE being on this diet! Counting Calories and being hungry all the time is the best!" Probably never. Because it SUCKS. I know so many women (myself included!) who have attempted the quick fix through various means and the one thing I continue to hear throughout the process and after they've finished is how unhappy it's made them. And isn't the whole point for focusing on fitness and healthy living to be HAPPY?! 

2. THEY CREATE FOOD ADDICTS

By temporarily restricting food, the levels of stress in our brains increase, which sets off insane cravings and can lead us to binge. Ever done a slim down and then as soon as you were done feel the need to eat EVERYTHING and ANYTHING in sight? I've been there, and let me tell you, it's not pretty and it makes you feel like SHIT.

3. THEY SLOW DOWN YOUR METABOLISM

As soon as your body senses deprivation, it responds by going into self-preservation mode - aka your metabolism slows down, making it actually HARDER to lose weight. 

4. THEY AREN'T SUSTAINABLE

While a quick fix might jumpstart your health and fitness journey, it's unlikely to be something that you can (or should!) follow for longer chunks of time. When you cut a whole food group out of your diet -- take carbohydrates for example -- your body will eventually become deficient in all the nutrients and benefits provided by that macro-nutrient, which can eventually lead to further health problems. A healthy eating plan includes ALL the macro and micro nutrients that your body needs to SHINE!

Taking the time to really listen to your body and really figuring out what works for YOU (because we are all different!) is the best way to move towards a healthy lifestyle that you can maintain for the rest of your life.

WHAT DOES WORK?

Starting tomorrow, make one small change in your diet or exercise routine. See if you can sustain it for a week. 

If so, make another small change in your diet or exercise routine. See if you can sustain both for a week. Repeat over and over and over again until the changes become habits.

It’s not a sexy process, I know.

But it works. Time and time again.

And if you need the accountability, come hangout with me and the other amazeballs women in our Live Your F*ck YES Life Community! 

Have you ever tried a quick fix diet or exercise program? Did it help you move forward towards your health and fitness goals or did it create further issues in your journey to healthy living? 

I’d love to hear your experience in the comments below!

Why Self-Care Is Not Selfish

I always used to think that focusing on myself was selfish.

I put ALL of my energy into other people, and poured myself into all of the numerous obligations and commitments that I took on in my life.

I was a YES girl. The idea of letting someone down was not an option in my world (and is still something I battle with to this day), so I did everything in my power to make every one else happy, often at the sacrifice of my own personal well being.

But here's the thing: what I failed to realize for so long is that by not prioritizing myself and my self care, I wasn't able to be my best self. 

Last week, my hubby Kevan and I had to move out of our brand new home in our cute, cozy neighborhood in Logan Square, into a glorified dorm hotel room in the heart of downtown Chicago. And to be 100% REAL with you, I have had a really hard time handling it. 

I haven't lived, or really ventured much, to the loop (Chicago's downtown area) since I was in College. I may be an extravert, but man oh man do I appreciate being able to come home to a safe, quiet and comfortable space. A place where I can create, relax and connect with myself and my thoughts. And a teeny tiny hotel room in the middle of downtown just doesn't do that for me.

I never realized how much impact my surroundings have on my emotional well being. And let's just say that this past weekend, I hit my breaking point. 

I was in a MOOD.

Chances are, if you're anything like me, you know exactly what I'm talking about...

Feeling like nothing is going right and feeling helpless because you feel like there's nothing you can do about it.

And nothing that anyone else says or does can possibly make you feel better. 

So you end up spending the day drowning in self-pity and frustration. 

SUPER FUN, am I right?

Hell NAWWWW. 

Feeling like shit is just NOT what I signed up for in this life. 

So, after spending the day feeling super mopey and like there was nothing I could possibly do to make myself feel better, I made a decision.

Instead of focusing my energy on the things that I couldn't control and on how frustrated and uncomfortable I was with our situation, I made a promise to myself that I would switch my focus to what I COULD CONTROL. That I would make it a priority, every single day, to do the things that make me feel HAPPY & GROUNDED.

To put Self-Care at the top of my To-Do List.

What does this mean to me?

To me, self care isn't just about taking a bubble bath or getting a massage (although that can be part of it), but it's more so about a state of mind. And a decision to stand up for yourself and decide that you are worthy of true happiness.

It means putting my own needs first.

It means listening to myself and honoring the signals that my body is putting out.

It means carving out time in my day to do the things that light my soul on fire, instead of numbing my mind with hours of Netflix (as tempting as that may be).

It's doing things like waking up early for my morning workouts because it will start my day off feeling energized and strong. 

Or harnessing my creative energy and working on a project that I've been putting off because there were "other more important things on my to-do list".

To me, Self Care is all about taking ACTION on how I want to FEEL.

...And guess what? It worked.

Just be shifting my MINDSET, all of the overwhelm, the frustration & the pain went away.

Is my situation still the same? Yep. Are a bazillion things still out of my control? You betcha. But by implementing self-care into my day to day life -- by placing my energy into doing things that made me FEEL good -- I was able to turn everything around for myself, and become a way more enjoyable person to BE around as well ('Cuz yup, as I'm sure you've noticed, when you're not taking care of yourself, it's damn near impossible to take care of other people in a way that's positive for them!)

True self-care is about honoring, nurturing and loving ourselves, and it is fundamental not only to our personal well-being, but also to our relationships with the people closest to us. It empowers us to be more generous and truly available to the relationships with the people closest to us. 

It also is not always EASY. It takes COURAGE & true DEDICATION, especially for those of us who are so used to giving all of our energy away. 

But is it WORTH IT. Hell to the fucking yes.

Because when you start taking care of yourself, AMAZING THINGS HAPPEN.

You'll feel amazing & nourished from the inside out.

You will be able to bring LIGHT and JOY to your relationships and everything you do.

You'll be the most effective and energetic version of yourself. 

Here's a quote from The Desire Map by Danielle Laporte that has really STUCK with me:

"Small, deliberate actions inspired by your true desires create a life you love.

When you’re not feeling the way you want to feel, it can take just a small gesture to shift your state of mind. Seek out environments that match your desired feelings.

You can change your life daily, practically, through small, deliberate actions. Let the beauty and the power rub off on you. The idea is that you do easy, natural things that are aligned with your core desired feelings. These small, steady actions won’t change your life in a flash, but they will change your life day by day."

I cannot say enough good things about this book. It has taught me SO much about living my life in connection to my values -- and it literally helped me uncover what my core values (or what I like to call the things that light my SOUL ON FIRE) truly are. If you want to really dive in and get down and dirty with your self-care, I cannot recommend it enough.

_______________________________________________

In the meantime, I encourage you to take 5 minutes out of your day and write out how you want to FEEL. What your true values are. Dig deep, listen to your heart, not what your head thinks you SHOULD want to be feeling.

For example, my current Values are:

JOY - CONNECTION - COURAGE - BLISS - STRENGTH

Once you've done that, write down things that you can be doing, on a daily basis, that would allow you to achieve those feelings. And here's the kicker, PUT THEM INTO ACTION. Because without actually implementing these things, you won't get to truly taking care of YOU. 

Show up for yourself, Lady Love. Even if it's just for 30 minutes a day. Because, hot damn, you DESERVE to be happy.

And man oh man are you WORTH IT.

All the Love & Light in the world,

Xo Amanda

p.s. I would LOVE to connect with you about this! Email me your Values & we can chat about how to really DIG IN and take care of YOU. :)

25 Intentions for my 25th Year

I was reading through old journals of mine -- all my journalers out there, have you ever done this? Gone back over journals from YEARS ago? It's a pretty mind blowing experience. If you haven't ever taken the time to do it, have a little fun and take a look. It's a pretty enlightening (and weird!) experience. OK, there I go again, getting off track like always. Let's try this again.

I was reading through old journals of mine...and I realized that I used to have this habit of every year, on my birthday, writing down a List (a Bucket list if you will) on what I wanted to accomplish that year of my life. Well, it's been about a month since I turned 25, and I realized that for the first time of my adult life, I didn't make a list. 

If you read my post on New Years Resolutions, you already know that I'm a recovering Goal Setter // List Maker. For the past few months, I've been focusing on making Intentions based on how I want to FEEL and I guess that without realizing it, it's become a part of me. 

Turns out that when we actively incorporate things into our daily lives, they become HABITS.

_________________________________________________________

And so, in the spirit of me being a quarter century old, I am going to resurrect my List making skills, but put my new spin on it -- instead of a list of 25 Goals, here are my 25 Intentions based on me wanting to feel:  Joyful, Vibrant, Strong, Grounded & Free. 

1. Be Courageously Authentic.

2. Read something every day that fuels my mind.

3. Be in the best shape of my life.

4. Spend more time doing the things that light me up, with the people that make me laugh.

5. Fill my surroundings at home with comfort, beauty, and love, physically and energetically. 

6. Allow myself to express myself creatively in a myriad of fun and enjoyable ways, including knitting, writing and painting.

7. Adventure somewhere new.

8. Up my weights for my workouts.

9. Dare to dream, and always remain open to new possibilities.

10. Spend every single day practicing gratitude.

11. See the humor in every situation & try not to take myself too seriously! 

12. Teach LIVE fitness classes.

13. Make "me" time and every day priority.

14. Approach every situation with grace & kindness. Shout out to ma girl Amy E. Smith from The Joy Junkie for this one. 

15. Do Yoga, at least once a week.

16. Drink Shakeology every single day. 

17. Climb trees, often

18. Feel real self love for myself, and inspire others to feel loving towards themselves

19. Transition over to all natural skincare / bath products.

20. Grow my Business to a full time salary.

21. Spend at least 20 minutes of connected time with my Hubby.

22. Live a balanced life, giving quality and attention to the most important things in my life. 

23. Spend more time in Nature.

24. Be patient with myself and the world around me when things don't go "according to plan"

25. Express my true, authentic self -- always living in alignment with my values and vision.

So there ya have it. My 25 Intentions for my 25th year. 

It's amazing how different I feel even just writing these out compared to my previous list of goals -- I always felt that there was no way I could actually achieve the goals I set out for myself because, more often than not, they would be things that I felt like I was "supposed" to be doing or trying, instead of things that would actually bring me the feelings I so crave in life. And so often, I would come back to my goal list a year later and feel like a failure because half of what I'd set out to do, I hadn't accomplished.

This list. These intentions. When I look at them, I experience excitement, not anxiety. These are things that light me up inside & make me feel amazing. 

Are you a Goal setter or Intention maker?

If you're a Goal setter like I've been my whole life, try making your list this way and see if that shifts things for you --if when you truly listen to how you want to FEEL and you base your intentions on that, you put things on that list that you would have never thought to before. Nothing is too small or seemingly unimportant to add if it brings you what you crave in life. 

Try it, I Dare ya. 

And let me know how you feel afterwards. This is something new I'm trying and would love to know your thoughts too! 

Xo Amanda

You are Enough

Have you ever felt like you are not enough?

Not pretty enough? Not smart enough? Not good enough? 

I know I have and DO all of the time. When something goes wrong in my life - I get into a fight with my friend, I disappoint my husband or I'm not successful in my career adventures -- I look back on the situation and feel things like: I'm not compassionate enough OR I'm not present enough in that moment OR I'm paying enough attention to that OR I'm just not good enough.

This is something that I've been really working on for the past few months because when I feel like I'm not enough, it eats me up inside. I fall apart. And feel like there's nothing I can DO to change the way I'm feeling. 

And after a lot of soul searching, reflecting and talking with some gorgeously self-aware women, I've come to a startling realization:

I have been allowing others to define my worthiness. 

I'm an overachiever. Type A. A self-proclaimed recovering perfectionist. And for so much of my life, I quantified my achievements as worthiness. I defined what I like to call my "enough-ness" by my attainment of goals and things that are outside of my control.

I would do so many things because I felt like IF I did them, then I would be worthy. And I put all of my identity and my self-worth in this one facet in my life. IF I lost 5 pounds. IF I could run a 5 K. IF I was making a certain amount of money.

IF IF IF IF.

Always focusing on the boxes I felt I needed to check off for my life to LOOK the way I thought it needed to look. On how others would perceive it. Instead of doing and placing focus on the things that LIGHT ME UP inside and make me feel GOOD.

But here's the thing...no one decides you're worthy except YOU. 

There's no dictionary definition of what makes a person worthy. No universal boxes that can be checked. 

So why do we constantly look outside to feel worthy instead of focusing on our insides. We make the rules. We have the POWER to decide how we measure our enough-ness.

So how do we CHANGE our mindset?

I am no expert in this, but here are some things that I have found super helpful along my journey to Enoughness.

+ What is the Root cause for your feelings of not being enough?

Did a parent tell you that if you didn't get a certain job or live a certain lifestyle that you wouldn't be good enough? Or maybe an ex told you you were "too emotional" and so you equate being good enough in relationships as not showing your true feelings? Or maybe you've been exposed to environments or people that have modeled certain behaviors that have imposed certain beliefs into your life. DIG DEEP. This is not easy and will likely uncover a ton of shit, but it's necessary to understand where all of these feelings stem from before you can actively CHANGE your perspective.

+ Declare that you are WORTHY

You are the one who gets to decide whether you are the worthy, so SAY IT. Will you believe it at first? Hell NO. But if you say it every single day, you will condition yourself to believe it. Write it on a post it. Put it somewhere you can see every day. You may not believe it now, but COMMIT yourself to getting there. 

Say something like "I am committed to exploring my worthiness." OR "I am exploring what self-worth looks like." You've gotta start somewhere, am I right?

I can't believe that I lived DECADES of my life thinking that my worthiness was based on what happened to me in my life. I am so grateful that through my Personal Development journey, I have been shown the LIGHT. That it is POSSIBLE to change the way you talk to yourself about being Enough. 

The first step? Being Aware.

And guess what? Chances are, if you're still reading this, and if this has resonated with you in some way, you're already done the hardest thing. Acknowledging the possibility that maybe, just maybe, WE can decide what it means to be ENOUGH in this world.

 Life is a journey, one that I am definitely far from perfect with, but I think if we all strive to live our lives with JOY and COURAGE, we can find clarity beyond what we ever imagined possible.

This is a small part of my journey, one that I'm still and will always be working on. As always, I'm here for you if you want to chat. 

Wishing you all the light & love in the world,

Amanda

How To Find Your Inner Badass

So often, I hear people in my life say things like: "I hate my job", "I feel like I have no purpose in life...that I'm just coasting." OR "I'm just not happy."

Have you ever felt like this before?

Well, I for one definitely have. I've worked countless meaningless jobs just to pay the bills. I've felt so frustrated with my day to day life. I've spent so many of my days focusing on how upset and unfulfilling my life was becoming instead of MAKING A CHANGE to pursue a better life.

Change is scary. Or at least, it's always been that way for me. When I was a kid, if one little aspect of a tradition changed, I would cry for hours. I wasn't trying to being dramatic, I was just so crippled by the fear of the unknown. Yes, change can be scary. It's EASIER to just keep things the way things are, even if it's not making us truly happy. To coast through life, working jobs that don't fulfill us or not spending time on the things we truly love to do.

But is that any way to LIVE? 

When I look back on my life, the times where I have found the most JOY, and that have brought the most LIGHT to my life, have been the times where I made BIG changes. Monumental changes. Changes that scared the shit out of me to make. And, looking back, not once have I regretted taking those chances. Because, in that moment, I allowed myself to just say Fuck it. This is something I want and I'm going to find a way to make it happen.

I recently listened to a webinar with the author of You Are A Badass and she said something that really stuck with me. 

"The very experience of being ALIVE is uncomfortable. So why fight change? Just go and do it. Don't wait. Leap, and the net will appear." - Jen Sincero

Yes, Change is uncomfortable. But so is NOT making a change! 

Isn't it uncomfortable knowing you've been through a four year degree and worked two years in the field that you studied in, all the while coming to the realization that this is just not what makes you happy? OR that getting up every morning at 6 AM and working in an office from 9-5 is sucking the life out of you? 

YOU have the power to live the life that you want to live. You're the one steering the ship. No matter how STUCK you feel in a situation...in a job ... in life ... YOU can lead your Dream. You can do the things that light you up inside.

All you have to do is have the Courage to say Yes. To Say, I am worth it, and take the leap of faith.

Yes, it can be scary. Trust me I KNOW. But if there's one thing I have learned in the past few months it's that you have to go outside of your comfort zone if you want to make changes in your life. Three months ago, I took a HUGE leap of faith. One where I decided to finally invest in ME. Pursue a completely new path - an all around lifestyle change, really. And it has been the BEST decision of my life (other than marrying my Hubby.) 

By saying YES, I get to spend my days how I CHOOSE to spend them.

By saying YES, I wake up every single day with a smile on my face.

By saying YES, I get to be constantly surrounded by the most authentic ladies who inspire me to be a better person every single day. 

By saying YES, I have become the happiest and healthiest I have ever been in my life.

By saying YES, I finally feel unstuck. Lit up inside. I finally feel FREE.

It was scary. It was uncomfortable. But it was so freaking worth it.

So...Where do you start? 

+ Read something inspirational. I'm a huge Personal development junkie and reading books has been a HUGE avenue for me to finding my inner Badass and figuring out what really resonates with me. 

+ Just TRY something. Maybe you'll love it, maybe you won't. But if you never give something the chance, you'll never know. 

+Listen to your gut. If there's one thing I've learned it's that my gut is usually pretty bang on. Your body KNOWS what you want out of life - what the things are in your life that light a fire inside of you. It's your job to LISTEN and make those things a reality in your world.

And, as always, I am here for you. If this resonated with you at all. If you're looking to make a change in your life. If you want to know how YOU can do what I do. Or if you just wanna chat! I don't bite, I promise ;)

Xo Amanda

How I Lost 5 Pounds in One Month By Out-Eating My Husband

For the past month, I have been consistently out-eating my husband. My plate always has more food on it than his, and while he can't finish what's on his, you can bet your ass that I am licking my plate clean. Kev, my husband, looks at me with a face of complete shock because not only is he seeing me eating all of this food (wayyyy more than I normally would be eating on a day to day basis), he is also seeing my clothes getting looser on me.

Wanna know why he's so shocked?

Because here's a girl who, up until very recently, wouldn't eat carbs for dinner unless it was a 'special occasion'. A girl who consistently was eating about HALF of what was on his plate for dinner. A girl who thought that by eating LESS, she would FEEL better. Look better. That restricting my diet would be the KEY to getting toned, losing weight...being healthy.

Boy was I wrong. In the past month, I have been eating more on a day to day basis than I have in years and for the first time since I can remember, I finally not only LOOK the way that I've always wanted to look, but I FEEL energized, strong and -- shocker! -- FULL. 

By upping my food consumption & working out less, I was able to lose 5 pounds and 11 inches in just ONE MONTH, all the while never feeling hungry. And not just that, but I finally feel like I have found something that I can STICK WITH. A lifestyle that is SUSTAINABLE. 

I owe all of this to the 21 Day Fix. This program has changed my life. Has made me understand how to properly FUEL my body. 

Was I killing myself every day at the gym for hours on end?

NO. I worked out for no more than 30 minutes every day. That's it.

Was I not having ANY alcohol or treats?

NO. I definitely limited my alcohol and treat consumption but there are treats and wine built into the nutrition plan!

Was your food really boring?

HELL NO. You guys, I freaking love food. Good food. Tasty food. And I am ALL about cooking up a storm in the kitchen. That was my favorite thing about this program -- the options are ENDLESS! Check it out...

A Typical Food Day 

Now obviously this is just an example of the meals that I eat on a typical day now -- I like to keep my options varied, and what I love so much about this plan is that it's EASY to keep things fresh!

Breakfast: Cooked oats, a granny smith apple, 1 tsp peanut butter, cinnamon

Snack: Shakeology special ;) Message me for the recipe! It's HEAVEN.

Lunch: Asian marinated tofu with sauteed broccoli

Snack: Carrots, tuna and hummus

Dinner: Steak, Potato and Artichoke hash and green beans

 

And Guess what...It Worked.

And here are the pictures to prove it. 21 Days apart -- Before and Now.

I am so grateful that I took the leap of faith, invested in Myself and tried this program. It has made me finally FEEL the way I've always wanted to.

Strong. Confident. In Control. 

And I want to help YOU feel that way too. To finally lose those last pesky 5 pounds. To have a healthy relationship with food. To not spend your days counting down until the next meal because you're so hungry. 

Want IN?

CLICK HERE to sign up for my next Challenge, break free of the yo yo diet cycle of death and finally live the life you've always dreamed of! 

Xo Amanda

Transformation Tuesday: Meet Margaret!

I am so excited to share an amazing success story from my last health and fitness Challenge Group! Margaret and I connected via social media and holy shit this girl is ON FIRE and SUCH an inspiration :)

She's currently doing her Medical Residency and is super passionate about Internal Medicine! She's passionate about healthy living, eating mindfully, her yearly trips to Disneyland with her fiance Matt and her two adorable puppies, Dexter and Walter!

Margaret was such a ROCKSTAR challenger and had such amazing results from doing the 21 Day Fix, both physically AND mentally. I can't wait for you guys to get to know her a little better & share in her INCREDIBLE success!

Meet Margaret!

How did you feel before you decided to commit to the January Strong not Skinny Challenge?

Before I decided to commit I feltlike I had fallen off the bandwagon per se. I was coming off of the holidays and a huge exam.  With studying and being a medical student it was hard to find time to eat well and get my workouts in.  From October-Jan 1 was just not great for my health and wellness. 

Why did you feel that way?

I just felt I didn't have enough time for ME. That is what I really wanted to work on-making sure I took 30 min out of my day to put myself first!

How do you feel now?

Now I fell STRONG and ENERGIZED and overall just amazing! My body bounces back from my hiatuses much quicker now but I want to work on avoiding those hiatuses and really staying on track consistently.

What struggles or challenges have you overcome?

Challenges I have overcome include making sure I spend 30 min a day getting my workout in even though I have had a 13 hr day at the hospital and am exhausted.  I also have been working on mindful eating--I like to justify eating like crap when I have a bad day and I know that's not going to help me reach my goals.

How do you keep yourself motivated on your own health and fitness journey?

I take before and after photos and then just peak at my progress over the year every once and a while-It helps refocus me.

Favorite workout?

Dirty 30 for sure!!--I am SHAKING after that workout every time

Favorite healthy food?

 I <3 protein pancakes AND my take on a taco bowl which includes shrimp, lettuce, salsa, tomato, bell pepper and 1/4 avocado.

What advice would you give someone who’s just starting out on her health and fitness journey?

My health journey truly started 1 yr ago.  I was that roller coast fad diet kinda gal and although I was happy with the scale-I wasn't always happy with how I felt/looked.  This is SUSTAINABLE! Clean eating and the 21 day fix are sustainable--I promise, you will not go hungry!

My biggest advice is this journey is a marathon not a sprint.  Trust in the process AND don't beat yourself up for enjoying those foods you love!!! (just in moderation)

Where to connect with Margaret online:

INSTAGRAM

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Interested in joining my next health and fitness challenge group? Click HERE to apply, and I'll be in touch to chat about your goals!

Glazed Asian Mahi Mahi

Les poissons....les poissons...hee-hee-hee hon-hon-hon

If you get that reference, you're officially my favorite. And if you don', that's okay, I still like you, I promise! So I know that I live in the Midwest and all that but here's the thing, this girl likes her Fish. I could probably eat seafood every single day but let's be honest, it's a bit pricey (and thus unrealistic) to be consuming it seven days a week, but I still try to get it in as often as I can. What I love about Mahi Mahi is that it can be prepared so many ways and is relatively inexpensive compared to most other fish, so when I saw it at the grocery store, I just HAD to snag it.

Okay guys. I gotta say, this one's a goodie. I just decided to have fun and test the waters and this really turned out AH-mazing. I mean, I'm not trying to toot my own horn here, but it's delicious and it literally takes 30 minutes, start to finish. If that's not a dream, I don't know what is! Hopefully you guys enjoy it as much as I did! 

Drumroll.......... Duh duh duh duh! 

GLAZED ASIAN MAHI MAHI

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients

- 2 Mahi Mahi filets, of equal size

- 1 Tsp of Crushed fresh ginger

- 2 cloves of Garlic, minced

- 2 Tbsp Olive oil

- 3 Tbsp Honey

- 3 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar

- 3 Tbsp Tamari (I use this instead of Soy sauce, but they taste similar)

- 1 Tsp Coconut Oil

- Salt and Pepper to taste

- Optional: 2 Baby bok choi

Directions

1. In a shallow bowl, mix together tamari, honey, balsamic vinegar, ginger, garlic and olive oil. Place fish in bowl & cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, wash and separate the leaves from the baby bok choi. Pat dry. [While you're cooking the fish, sautee the baby bok choi in a separate pan on medium heat in a little bit of oil. Cook until tender.}

3. Heat coconut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove fish, but hold onto the marinade (to be used later!). Place fish on skillet for approximately 5 minutes on each side, ensuring that you turn it only once. Once the fish flakes easily with a fork, remove from heat to a serving platter and keep warm.

4. Pour saved marinade into the skillet and heat on medium-heat until it turns into a glaze like consistency. Spoon glaze over fish and voila! 

A Control Freak's Path to Intuitive Eating

I first heard of the term Intuitive Eating when I was listening to a podcast a couple of years ago. I don't remember which one it was but I remember thinking...da fuck?  What the hell is this. This was a concept I had never heard of -- I mean, I knew what intuition was and obviously knew what eating was but this was such a foreign concept to me...Eating Intuitively. 

Anyone thinking the same thing? If you're answer is, nah, Amanda, I've been practicing intuitive eating for years then let me take this opportunity to give you the biggest air high five. For real, congrats, dude. I am so proud of you for getting there because, coming from someone who it's taken years to finally "get it", it takes a lot of hard work. 

But if your answer is more like "uh....girl....what does eating and intuition have anything to do with each other", this post is for you. And trust me, girl, I was right there with ya. 

From my understanding (and guys, I'm not a professional here, this is just my personal take on all of this), the practice of Intuitive Eating is essentially listening to your body/your inner knowing and fuel yourself with food based on what your body needs, not thinks it needs. We're all born as natural intuitive eaters. Kids grow up, listening to their bodies when it tells them they're full or hungry. But somewhere along the way, many of us lose this innate knowledge. I know I did. And if you're anything like me, you probably did too. 

I'm about to share something super personal. Something I have never really shared before and, to be honest, am currently squirming in my chair trying to think about just the prospect of putting these words out there to the universe. But I believe so strongly that being true to ourselves is one of if not the most important thing we can do for ourselves and man, when it comes down to it, sharing is caring, right? So here goes.

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Ever since the end of high school, I have struggled with a negative relationship with food.

I never had or felt I had an outright 'problem', whatever the hell that means anyways, but food always seemed to be on my mind. Whether I was having a bad day and felt that the only form of self medication was to have an entire bag of m&ms in one sitting because "I deserved it" OR when I obsessively counted my calories & labeled foods like carbohydrates, dairy and sweets as BAD and completely OFF LIMITS. I thought this was how life had to be. A bunch of my friends operated that way. Magazine articles and social media would tell me what foods to stay away from & that the best way to get over a bad day was to stuff your face with as many sweets as physically possible. I didn't know any different. And yes, a large part of it stems from my need to feel constantly in control, my perfectionist tendencies and just generally feeling not good enough (more on that at a later date), but when it comes down to it, I thought it was normal. That this was just what life would be forever. And four years ago, this all came to a head.

So here I am. The picture on the left was in 2012 & the picture on the right, a year later, in 2013. Here's the thing, I am not proud of EITHER of these pictures because the girl in both of them is unhappy & lost. To some of you, I may appear to be healthy in one (or both!) of these pictures, but let me tell you, the girl you see here is a girl I hope to never see again.

The 2012 Me:

I was in college, and trying to figure out who the hell I was and who I wanted to be. I went through a big heartbreak when I first got to school and I went from eating more than I should just because I was bored to eating food because it made me feel better. Less sad. And I thought that food was the answer. That it would fill me up (literally, and figuratively). Did it make me feel better? Well, it made me sick. I would eat until way after I felt full because I thought I needed it. I thought it was the only answer. And this became a crux. A habit that I couldn't seem to break. And I felt so OUT OF CONTROL on this aspect of my life. From the outside, I looked like I had all of my shit together, but in reality, I was super unhappy.

The 2013: 

Fast forward to a year later. I had decided to take my life back. To get control over what I was putting in my body FOR GOOD. So I took things to the next extreme and man oh man did my perfectionist, ENTJ personality type need for structure and control cause me to take things too far. I LOVE following plans and "sticking to my goals"I started working out twice a day. I counted calories and I completely eliminated carbs, sweets and dairy from my diet. And okay yeah, did I lose weight? I lost 27 pounds in the span of a year. But was I happy? Everything I thought I could get when I was 'skinny', I didn't get. If anything, my mental spirit got so much worse. I would feel shame and disgust when I "fell off the wagon" because I went out for a burger with my friends. And I was constantly hungry, eating brussel sprouts for dinner because I thought that was what it took to be healthy. 

The summer of 2013, I went through what I like to call The Dark Days. I had a really rough few months and I resorted to my feel better habits. You can read more about My Story but after finally seeing the light, I decided to focus on my Mental health. 

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A couple of months ago, I tried the 21 Day Fix and after reading about and hearing about Intuitive Eating, it finally really clicked. It gave me a true foundation for understanding proper portion control and how to maintain a true balance with my daily food intake. And it has given me the tools to live a balanced life -- I am finally practicing the 80/20 rule that I have preached for so long. For the first time in my adult life, I feel FREE. And it is truly my deepest wish that everyone can get to this place. That's why I have become SO passionate about helping other women to believe in themselves and achieve a healthy relationship with food. That's why I became a coach. And these amazing women that are a part of my community inspire ME on the daily to stay true to myself. They encourage me just as much as I do them. 

So...where am I now?

Am I the skinniest I've ever been? Do I have a killer six pack? Nope & nope. But am I the happiest & healthiest -- body, mind and soul -- that I've ever been in my life? You can bet your ass that I am. 

I've stopped counting calories & weighing myself altogether. Yup, scale in the garbage.

I love me some chocolate, but I eat it in moderation because I know it makes my tummy angry.

I take cues from what my body is telling me I need, and I listen.

I don't feel guilty if I indulge on date night or have one too many cocktails when I'm hanging out with my girlfriends. 

I no longer view my eating habits as a competition with others. I just do what works best for me.

I know that moderation is what works best for me so instead of binging on the weekends or being overly controlling with my food, I allow myself treats throughout the week.

I am free.

How to Practice Intuitive Eating

+ Be Patient With Yourself. 

This is NOT something that will happen overnight. I have been on this journey for two freaking years guys, and I'm finally just starting to get to a place where I feel like it's becoming a true part of my daily life. It takes time, practice and dedication but I promise you it is so worth it when you start to see the light on the other side.

+ Respect and Trust your Body

By honoring your hunger and creating a peaceful relationship with food, you're building a basis of self-trust within yourself. 

+ Look beyond the Surface

What are you going through internally? What part of yourself do you need to work on // is the root cause that is triggering your negative relationship with food? Once you address these things, and work on your mental blocks, your relationship with food will progress naturally.

+ Find Support!

I would have never been able to get to where I am by myself. If it weren't for the amazing community of women that I am a part of, constantly encouraging me through my struggles and helping me celebrate my successes, I would not be where I am today.

Sometimes we just need someone to talk to -- know that I am always here for you and that you can Email me at any time. :)

 

You have it inside of you & hot damn, You are Worth It.

All the Love & Light in the World,

Amanda