Quick Full Body Workout

Try this full body workout circuit! You can do this right at home, no equipment needed! This will work your core, upper body, & lower body!

5 Delicious Shakeology Desserts

Vanilla Almond Energy Balls
These sweet pick-me-ups taste like truffles. Get the recipe!

Shakeology Chocolate Peanut Butter Oat Bars
The classic flavors of chocolate and peanut butter meld together in this brownie-like treat. Get the recipe!

Peanut Butter Shakeology Cups
Peanut butter and chocolate combine in a new take on this classic candy. Get the recipe!

Vanilla Peanut Butter Ice Cream
Make your own guilt-free ice cream with Shakeology and peanut butter. Get the recipe!

Chocolate Shakeology Pudding
This creamy chocolate pudding will satisfy your sweet tooth. Get the recipe!

P.S. Don’t love peanut butter? Don’t be shy about substituting!

Sexy Santa: 21 Days to a New You

This time of year it is easy to come up with an EXCUSE to pack on the pounds. You just throw on some over-sized sweaters and call it a year... Haha!

Then we get all FRANTIC on New Years Eve with goals and trying to undo all the DAMAGE by spring break and summer. Why wait till New Years or wait till there's more work to put in?!

WHAT IF we took the 1st THREE WEEKS of December to get our SEXY SANTA on?!

I am NOT saying skip Turkey Dinner... or even Black Friday left-overs... those can be your FINAL indulgences BEFORE operation SEXY SANTA begins... but come that Monday, December 1st... We would be ALL IN for 3 weeks so that come the week of Christmas we can slip into something CUTE, hang out with our friends and family, knowing we look and feel our BEST... and then enjoy the festivities, knowing you can get RIGHT BACK ON TRACK the following week!

If that sounds like something you'd like to be a part of, please go to http://form.jotform.co/form/31804216858861 to complete a brief application and I will shoot you over all of the deets before selecting the 10 SEXY SANTAS I will be coaching during those 3 weeks! 

Excited to END THIS YEAR strong and celebrate this holiday season with LOTS of pics, pounds dropped and friends made! 

[NOTE: This is an ONLINE challenge and can be done right from the comfort of your own home!]  http://form.jotform.co/form/31804216858861 

Glazed Cinnamon Yams

By making a few substitutions to this classic fall side dish, we’ve made it healthier without sacrificing the flavor.

Total Time: 1 hr. 10 min.
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cooking Time: 60 min.
Yield: 12 servings, 2/3 cup each

Ingredients:
2½ lbs. medium yams, peeled, cut into 2-inch pieces (about 8 cups)
1 tsp. sea salt, divided use
2 tsp. grated orange peel
2 Tbsp. 100% orange juice
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
2 Tbsp. raw honey (or maple syrup)
½ tsp. ground black pepper
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Arrange yams in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Season evenly with ¼ tsp. salt. Set aside.
3. Combine orange peel, orange juice, lemon juice, butter, and honey in a small bowl; whisk to blend.
4. Pour orange juice mixture over yams; toss to coat.
5. Sprinkle evenly with remaining ¾ tsp. salt, pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
6. Bake yams, stirring occasionally, for 50 to 60 minutes, or until fork tender.

Healthy Vegetable Soup

Nothing satisfies on a chilly day like a hearty homemade soup. This veggie-packed recipe makes enough for several meals and freezes well.

Total Time: 43 min.
Prep Time: 15 min.
Cooking Time: 28 min.
Yield: 8 servings, about 1½ cups each

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup white corn kernels
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, no salt added
3 cups low-sodium organic vegetable broth
1 tsp. dried ground thyme
2 bay leaves
1 cup broccoli florets (or cauliflower florets)
2 medium red or white potatoes, cut into ¾-inch cubes
1 medium yellow squash, cut into ¾-inch cubes
1 cup medium zucchini, cut into ¾-inch cubes

Preparation:
1. Heat oil in large stockpot over medium-high heat.
2. Add onion and carrots; cook, stirring frequently, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until onion is translucent.
3. Add garlic; cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute.
4. Add corn, tomatoes, broth, thyme, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
5. Add broccoli and potatoes; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes.
6. Add squash and zucchini; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes.

Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

2/3c almond flour
1 cup sweetener
3 eggs
8oz cream cheese, softened
2 tbs butter, softened
1/4 t salt
1/4 t vanilla
1/2 t xantham
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 c coconut shreds (optional but amazing)
1 tablespoon coconut flour
1 tablespoon cashew butter (optional, any nut butter will do)
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips of choice

Directions

Cream together butter, cream cheese, cashew butter and sweetener.
Add in eggs one at a time, mixing well in between each.
Add remaining dry ingredients (except chocolate chips and coconut) and mix well
Add in chocolate chips and coconut pop the mix in the freezer to harden up a bit (10 minutes or so, roughly as long as it takes to heat the oven)

Preheat oven to 350
Spoon cookies onto lined baking sheet (about 1 tablespoon sized cookies) and bake for 20 minutes or until the top of the cookie is no longer moist and begins to brown on the raised parts.

Sausage and Chicken Gumbo

As winter sets in, this recipe will provide you with a warm & filling meal! 

Ingredients
1 (3 1/2-ounce) bag boil-in-bag rice 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 cup frozen chopped onion1 cup frozen chopped green bell pepper1 cup frozen cut okra 1 cup chopped celery 1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic1/2 teaspoon dried thyme1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper2 cups chopped roasted skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 2 breasts) 8 ounces turkey kielbasa, cut into 1-inch pieces1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes with peppers and onion 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth 


Directions
Cook rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.While rice cooks, combine flour and oil in a Dutch oven; saute over medium-high heat 3 minutes. Add onion and next 6 ingredients (onion through red pepper); cook 3 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently.Stir in chicken, kielbasa, tomatoes, and broth; cook 6 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve over rice.

Quinoa Crunch Yogurt Parfaits

Store-bought granola usually contains a whack of refined sugar that takes your blood sugar on a roller-coaster ride. In our recipe, we eliminate the white stuff by making our granola from scratch using quinoa, oats, coconut and applesauce. Layered with fresh blueberries and a drizzle of maple syrup, it’s a gluten-free breakfast that’s easy to grab and go.

Serves: 6
Hands-on Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS: 1⁄2 cup dry quinoa
1⁄2 cup rolled oats
1⁄4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2 tbsp black or white chia seeds (TRY: Barlean’s Organic Chia Seed)
1⁄2 tsp ground ginger
 1⁄2 tsp ground cinnamon
1⁄4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 egg white
 Olive oil cooking spray
3 cups plain yogurt
3 tsp pure maple syrup, or to taste
3 cups blueberries

EQUIPMENT: 6 12-oz glass jars with lids

INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat oven to 300°F and line a 9 x 13-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine quinoa, oats, coconut, chia, ginger and cinnamon. Stir to combine. Mix in applesauce. In a small bowl, beat egg white with a fork until foamy. Stir into quinoa mixture. Spread mixture on sheet in an even layer. Mist with cooking spray. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until browned and almost crisp. Remove from oven and set aside to cool in tray, about 20 minutes (it will crisp up further upon cooling) Spoon 1⁄2 cup yogurt into each jar. Drizzle 1⁄2 tsp maple syrup over yogurt in each jar. Top each with 1⁄2 cup blueberries and 1/3 cup quinoa crunch. Screw on lids and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

 Nutrients per serving (1 jar of Quinoa Crunch Yogurt Parfaits): Calories: 252, Total Fat: 9 g, Sat. Fat: 5 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2 g, Polyunsaturated fat: 2 g, Carbs: 36 g, Fiber: 5 g, Sugars: 17 g, Protein: 9 g, Sodium: 69 mg, cholesterol: 16 mg

Why Clean Eating is Important

Is your health your priority?  Well most people would automatically answer YES.  Most people would say that yes they do care about what they are eating, they do care about keeping unhealthy choices to a minimum.  But what I find is what people say and actually "DO" is two different stories.  I feel like I'm calling out the elephant in the room, but its the honest to goodness truth.  When it comes to your health most people are healthy when its convenient for them.  So, when you are getting ready for a wedding, a vacation or the New Year are the times when people place the highest value on health.  But the other 350 days of the year its optional.  I always hear people complain about the way they look, not having any energy, being overly tired, having bad cravings for sugar and sweets that they can't control, lack of will power, and body aches and sore muscles.  But very few people are willing to actually do something long enough for it to reverse the bad and bring in the good!"There is no such thing as a bad workout, but there is such a thing as a bad diet!"  So true, you can do Zumba, run on the treadmill, take the dog for a walk, do yoga and it's exercise!  But nutrition, you can do that all wrong.  80% of your results come from the foods that you eat.  You cannot out exercise a bad diet. I know this from my own experience. Working out 1-2 hours a day with little to no changes in my body. I thought because I worked out so much it didn't matter how I ate. Or I'd attempt to eat healthy but would still be eating processed "low fat" "no fat" crap foods!I embraced the idea of clean eating and slowly started to change my nutrition!  What happened was actually something very shocking.  I not only lost weight, but I was eating more food, more frequently but it was the RIGHT kind of foods vs the wrong ones.  I started to gain more energy and the weight naturally came off.  Not because I was dieting but because I was eating the way that God intended food to be.  Food as fuel vs comfort!!!  The more I embraced clean eating the more I was convinced that this is the best way to eat!!!  I am not dieting and I never did diet, I literally changed my lifestyle.  My food is a way of life, its healthy portion sizes, spaced every 2 1/2 to 3 hours, cutting out processed foods, and drinking lots of water.  I can eat this way no matter where I am at, of course its challenging because we live in a society that prides itself on convenience, food in a box, and low cost portion controlled diet food!  

I know so many people that do the diets where they eat pre packaged foods, count calories, and still lack energy, are not losing weight, are holding onto fat and do not feel fulfilled and satisfied.  I am and have been on a mission for the past 4 1/2 years to lead by example and to teach others that they can do it too!  So one of the biggest parts of my nutrition has been Shakeology.  And I've tried other shakes out there. You're starving 20 minutes later, you don't feel any better or full from it. 
Also, there are mornings where I am trying to get the laundry done, 3 kids dressed, myself dressed, and one kid off to school and the last person to eat is always me! That used to lead to the McDonalds drive thru- the kids pop tarts, a breakfast bar or donuts!  I would sabotage myself before the day every got started.  I would end up eating whatever was quick and easy because I was so hungry and then I would feel bloated, sick to my stomach, I would lack energy, I would feel GUILTY for not having will power to make a better choice, and I would then CRAVE more of the bad stuff!  AM I DESCRIBING YOU??  Are you on this vicious cycle of wanting to be healthy, not having enough time, and just lack of energy and will power?Well here are a few things that can help you to get on track!!!

1.  Start today, don't wait until Monday, or after Thanksgiving or after Christmas start now!  There is 2 months until Christmas which means that you can lose an average of 2 lbs per week with clean eating and even light exercise which means about 16-20 lbs by the New Year.  Can you imagine what that could do for you???  
2.  Start small- cut out the processed sugars, the refined white breads, the soda, and excess carbs.  Real your labels and stop buying foods with ingredients you cannot pronounce or understand.  1 thing each week, finish what you have, throw out candy, give away the cookies, send the Halloween Candy to work with your spouse and start fresh. 
 3.  Don't feel guilty for not buying sweets for your kids.  THEY do NOT DESERVE IT!  If it makes you feel weighed down, sluggish, and tired can you imagine what it is doing to their little minds?!?  Consider a bowl full of sugary cereal and then sending them off to school.  Can you say major brain fog and lack of attention! How can we expect our kids to eat like that and then have a good day at school.
4.  If you struggle with finding the time in your day to make healthy meals then replace 1 meal a day with shakeology. Why???  First of all shakeology is NOT A PROTEIN SHAKE which most people just throw it into that category or they compare it to all the other shakes on the market.  I want to stop you dead in your tracks and explain why it isn't.  Shakeology is a meal replacement and not a protein shake.  It has the right carb to protein ratio your body needs to stay full for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.  It has the fast burning carbohydrates with the slower burning protein to keep you satisfied.  It has a ton of natural, not processed ingredients that are going to meet your daily requirements for vitamins and nutrients. So you notice that the energy you were lacking is decreased because you are now getting vitamins and nutrients that give you energy.  Your cravings for sweets are decreased which is originally caused by vitamin deficiency and you are no longer deficient.  You are not over eating because Shakeology is portion controlled, so your portions are in check.Shakeology is not for weight loss.  It's for nutrition, and of course when you have proper nutrition you naturally lose weight!  So shakeology is something I do everyday because its convenient, it's healthy, it does not add to my grocery budget but it replaces something I used to have that was less healthy!  Its $4 a day which is on the low end of an average meal which is $4-$7 for the average healthy meal.So when you look at clean eating and Shakeology as an investment in your health how can you deny it!  It's the one thing that keeps me on track when life gets busy!  HECK there are days when I am on the go from the minute my feet hit the ground and the old me would of just not eaten at all bc I didn't have time.  Now I grab a shake and go!  Your body is the ONLY body that you are going to get.  If you don't treat it with respect now it won't do you good later on!  
5.  Lastly, look at your food as fuel and not as comfort.  When you eat, always ask yourself is this giving me energy, is this giving me nutrients or is this purely comfort and to fill a void?  There will be instances where you eat for fun, you have some cake, you do a little party with fancy appetizers and you enjoy!  But that is not an everyday occurrence. So balance the good with the bad, be flexible, be realistic and know that you are not living a boring life eating clean.  It is going to give you more health, energy and life to do the things you love!
So what are my suggestions for you?#1 if you are serious about your health and nutrition you should commit to Shakeology once a day!  You should invest in your health because when you feel better you are more confident, healthier and happier!  Then #2 you should join my next clean eating support group because I don't want you to just have 1 meal a day that is healthy I want them all to be healthy and I truly want to teach you how to make this a lifestyle vs a crash diet.  I have so many recipes, meal plans, grocery lists, crock pot meals, travel tips, vacation tips, holiday survival guides that there is no way that you won't succeed unless you don't put in the effort to change!So if I am not your coach on Team Beachbody your next step is to create a free account and click the "contact your coach" button on the site to connect with me to start your consultation about how you can improve your health and balance the good with the bad!  Your body is the only one you have, treat it like you would treat your children!  You would bend over backwards to make sure your kids medicine for an illness so why would you diminish your own health?!  

FOOD for THOUGHT!!!!

Paleo Brownies

This actually makes 16 nice sized brownies.
I was skeptical that this would bake firm enough without any almond flour, but it turned out great. Really moist.

Ingredients

• 1 cup almond butter
• 1 1/2 cup grated zucchini
• 1/3 cup raw honey
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp baking soda
• i tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1 cup dark chocolate chunks

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients together. Pour into a 9x9 pan. Bake 25-30 min until a toothpick can be inserted and come out clean. For my oven, it took closer to an hour. So once you hit the 30 min mark, I'd frequently check it till toothpick is clean ;) 

3 Day Refresh

Ok, so I over did it this weekend with my eating. And I'm paying for it too bc I FEEL LIKE CRAP! My skin is breaking out, my face is puffy, my belly is bloated, I feel sluggish and exhausted. Goes to prove you feel how you eat. I ate crappy and now I feel that way. Time to eat good and clean! 
Only way to kick start back on track is to begin a 3 Day Refresh!! So today I begin day 1. Stay tuned for my results! Here's the kit & it comes with a delicious meal plan, no starving on this plan!!!

I DID IT! Finished yesterday and while my scale is broken, I do think pictures speak volumes!! I have no idea what I lost but I can FEEL & SEE  the difference! And I got to eat, I didn't starve. I just ate clean & enjoyed my daily Shakeology :)

If you would like to get back on track and have a good boost to help you get started to being healthy and fit, email me: NicoleJonesFitness@yahoo.com 

Don't wait for Jan. 1st!! Get started NOW!!