The Best Energy Bites Ever

These little guys are so delish, I could eat the whole batch!!!

INGREDIENTS:
8 Tablespoons PB2 (This stuff is amazing, powdered peanut butter www.bellplantation.com
3 Tablespoons Peanut butter
½ Cup Shakeology Protein Powder
2-3 Tablespoons Raw Honey
½ Cup Quick Oats

DIRECTIONS: Mix PB2 with water until it’s a paste like consistency. Mix all ingredients, including the PB2 mixture together in a mixing bowl. It make take some time to blend all of the ingredients together. I normally just wear disposable plastic gloves and dig in and do this with my hands.
Next – Roll mixture into small individual balls (about a ping-pong ball size) and place on a cookie sheet. Makes about 12 balls, 1 ounce each. Put in freezer until firm.  I keep them in the freezer in a plastic container and just take 1 or 2 out when I am ready to eat.

NUTRITION: (serving size 1 ball)
Calories: 80-90
Carbs: 10g
Fat: 2g
Protein: 7g

Healthy Shamrock Shake

The Shamrock Shake has been around for years from a large fast food chain that starts with a big yellow M, that shall remain nameless.  Although, it taste great, check out the nutrional information:

Shamrock Shake (12 oz)                    

Calories                       540

Fat                               16
Sodium                        160
Carbohydrates             88
Fiber                            0
Sugar                           74
Protein                         10

Recently I ran across a much healthier option.  Here is the recipe for my Shakeology Shamrock Shake:

1 cup milk (I used coconut milk, but you can use skim, 2%, almond, rice, any type of milk)
1 scoop Shakeology Greenberry
2 TBLS PB2 (This is powdered peanut butter.  If you haven't heard of this, check it out here:  http://bellplantation.com)
1 TBL sugar free / fat free Jello Cheesecake pudding mix
1-2 drops of peppermint extract

Blend all ingredients in blender with ice to make a thick 24 ounce shake.

Here is the nutritional information:

 

Shakeology Shamrock Shake (atleast 24 oz depending on ice)

Calories                       275

Fat                               8
Carbohydrates             37
Fiber                            5
Sugar                           11
Protein                         22

Overnite Protein Oatmeal

Let me just start out by saying that I love oatmeal. I love anything and everything oatmeal. I make a variety of protein oatmeal from the Insanity nutrition book and pack it for my snack 2-3 times per week. I cook the oatmeal the night before and then have to reheat it the next day. Well, when I read about overnite oatmeal, I thought I would give it a try with my own little twist of adding the protein. I try to make sure that I have some protein in every meal/snack that I eat.

The texture of the overnite oatmeal is a little different and took a little bit of getting used to, but I loved the flavor and the fact that is was super easy both the night before and when it was time to eat. This makes one serving and has about 350 calories, but over 20 grams of protein.


Ingredients:

1/2 cup of oatmeal (I used steel cut oats)
1 Tablespoon protein powder (I used Beachbody vanilla, but you could use any flavor)
1 cup almond milk ( could use coconut or skim milk)
1/2 cup bluberries
dash of cinnamon

Mix all ingredients together in a container with a lid. I love these small containers for packing my snacks.

Let the oatmeal hang out in the refrigerator overnight and you are ready to go. The next day when you are ready to eat, all you have to do is dig in. This was so good, I almost forgot to take a picture before it was all gone:)

Baked Califlower

I am going to be trying out some new recipes and writing about how I made them and how they tasted. I am sure that not everything I try will taste as good as it sounds, but hopefully, we will find some new things to enjoy along the way.



I read several bloggers talk about how baked cauliflower tasted like french fries. Now knowing that mashed cauliflower actually did taste like mashed potatoes, I thought I would give it a try. Granted, I went into the process with some doubts, but the cauliflower turned out amazing and it did have a slight similarity to french fries, especially when dipped into ketchup. This recipe was also extremely easy to make for a low fat/calories snack.

Now, one of my main goals in making the cauliflower was to find a healthy alternative to a deep fat fried snack for my son. And although the cauliflower was a great tasting snack, unless I can figure out a way to make it not look like cauliflower, my son will not even try it. I on the other hand really enjoyed it and will definitely be making this again!

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower
2 TBLS olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

First, cut the cauliflower into bite size pieces. Wash and let dry.



Then toss the cauliflower with the olive oil, salt and pepper and place on a baking sheet.



Bake @ 400 degrees for 45-55 minutes until the cauliflower is crisp and brown.




Enjoy!

Beachbody 3 years later

This past weekend I had my body fat composition checked. I had this same procedure done 3 years ago. In 3 years time, I have dropped my body fat % from 23.3% to 12.5%. I have lost 15 pounds, and all but 1 of those was fat body mass. I have been able to retain my lean body mass while losing the weight. At 39 years of age, I am in the best shape of my life.

How did this happen? Right about 3 years ago, I was overweight, out of shape, unhappy with my body (inside and out). I saw an infomercial for a little program called Slim in 6. I was drawn to this program because of the length - only 6 weeks. For the first time, I was motivated to actually workout everyday and complete the 6 weeks of the program. I saw results and wanted to keep going, so P90X was next. I was motivated more than ever to workout everyday and I kept seeing more and more results. Since that time I have done just about every Beachbody workout there is (Insanity, Turbo Fire, Chalean Extreme, RevAbs, Asylum, Brazil Butt Lift)and have started drinking Shakeology every day.

I am somewhat addicted to exercise and always have to have the newest workout to try, but name me a better addiction. Speaking of addictions, Shakeology is my life saver. It has helped me so much with my healthier eating. I have fewer sweet cravings, my digestion is better, and I have so much energy. I am the first to admit that the price kept me from trying Shakeology for the longest time, but once I did the research and saw what was in it, I tried it. I have never gone back!

Obsessed is a word some of my friends like to use when they are describing me and my new love for fitness and healthy eating, but I like to call it passion. I am so passionate about Beachbody that I want to share it with everyone. I sometimes go a little overboard posting stuff on facebook or talking to random people about this workout or that workout or Shakeology, but it is not because I am trying to "sell" you a product. I want to "give" you the gift that Beachbody has given to me. The gift of being in the best shape of my life. The gift of feeling great everyday. The gift of living life to the fullest. The gift of being a happier wife and mother. The gift of knowing that I will be around to see my son grow into a man.

I get teary-eyed and weepy when somebody tells me that I have inspired him/her to workout. What an amazing thing that Beachbody has given to me and yes to top it all off, I get paid to do this!

3 day Shakeology Cleanse Review

I just completed a 3 day Shakeology Cleanse this week and wanted to give my review.

Here is what I ate:

Breakfast: 1 scoop chocolate Shakeology mixed with ice and water in the blender
AM Snack: apple
Lunch: 1 scoop chocolate Shakeology mixed with ice and water in the blender then frozen for about 30 minutes and a kiwi
PM Snack: 1 scoop chocolate Shakeology mixed with ice and water in the blender
Supper: Big salad with lots of fresh veggies and 3 oz grilled chicken breast with 1-2 TBLS balsamic vinegar. I had 4 oz grilled tilapia on day 2 instead of chicken.

This is a total of only about 850 calories per day. Honestly I was worried about being hungry, because I typically eat around 1500 calories a day and workout pretty hard. I had decided that I would just wait and see how I felt to decide if I would do my Insanity:Asylum workouts. I was able to workout all 3 days and had so much energy. I was absolutely amazed at how much energy I had and that I was not hungry.

Sweet craving is normally a problem for me, but I did not have any cravings during the 3 days.

I ended up losing 4 pounds during the cleanse and feel totally refreshed and energized!! I would highly recommend the 3 day Shakeology cleanse to anybody that is wanting to jump start your metabolism and clean out your system.

You can purchase a full months supply of Shakeology by clicking on the link or contact me @ jwinter4fitness@gmail.com for more information about the cleanse packet.

New Shakeology Recipes

For New Shakeology Recipes click here:

What is Shakeology??

Shakeology® is a patent-pending nutritional protein shake that provides a
wide spectrum of healthy nutrients in a low-calorie formula. Whether you use
it as a meal replacement for weight loss or simply to ensure your body gets
all the nutrients it needs for optimal health, Shakeology takes the guesswork
out of nutrition.

What can it do for you?

Shakeology is an effective way to help
you lose weight, increase your energy and be the healthiest you can possibly
be. In an independent 90-day study,† participants who replaced at least one meal per day experienced some amazing health benefits. Shakeology can help you:*

• Lose weight
• Reduce cravings
• Increase energy and stamina
• Promote healthy digestion and regularity

Proven results
As part of the recommended Shakeologyprogram of replacing a meal with one shake per day, along with regular exercise and a balanced diet, participants
experienced even more remarkable health improvements. The study also showed that participants were able to:†
• Reduce total cholesterol by 30% on average
• Reduce LDL (“bad”) cholesterol by 38% on average
• Reduce cardiovascular risk ratio by 24% on average
• Reduce oxidative damage caused by free radicals on average by 45%, which can help decrease the risk for developing degenerative conditions like heart disease, dementia, and arthritis

†In a 90-day study, participants replaced one meal per day with Shakeology,
ate a balanced diet and exercised moderately three times per week. Total
cholesterol was reduced on average by 30% and LDL cholesterol reduced