As most of you know, I’m knee deep in prep. I’m already fighting off cravings which is awful at this stage in the game. My biggest issue is the fact I LOVE CARBS.  It doesn’t even matter the kind of carbs, if it remotely resembles bread, I want it. The worst part is,  I find myself thinking about all the things I CAN’T have the second I enter prep. But, if you want something and can’t have it, a good rule of thumb is to modify. In the coming weeks, I’ll be highlighting my all time favorite “clean” cheat tricks!

This dish features my go-to noodles in prep. These are fat free, gluten free, wheat free, and are EXTREMELY low in carbs. I order them in bulk on Amazon. These aren’t “fake” noodles, but they are made with organic Konnyaku flour, which are from the roots of  a Japanese plant called Konjac. They don’t taste like your typical pasta noodle, rather more a noodle that you may find in an asian stir fry. Now, when you open these, they will have a “plant-like,” smell because of where they come from, but once rinsed and cooked, they don’t taste that way. Note that these noodles have a bland taste, but are wonderful when accompanied by lots of flavors!

 

 

Ingredients

1 tbsp minced garlic

Sriracha to taste

1. Rinse noodles and set aside. (Don’t worry about drying them too too much)
2. Spray a skillet and heat at medium heat.
3. Add garlic and brown slightly.
4. Add chicken breast and toss lightly. Add noodles and toss with chicken until tender (usually about 5 minutes).
5. Add Peanut Butter, sauce, and PB2 to skillet and stir until melted together. (It will be chunky at first but don’t freak. The leftover water on noodles will soak up PB2)
6. Add sriracha to taste

 

Annnnd you’re done! Note that this dish doesn’t always look appetizing, but it is delicious!

Happy Dieting!

–C

 

 

 

 

Ahhhh, sorry I’ve been absent on the old social media lately. On top of starting a new year at work, I also started another prep, which means I have to get it together in order to be ready for my next show! 13 weeks UNTIL UFE!

If you follow my blog, you know my preps can get PRETTY interesting with the fact that I travel so much. One of my favorite strategies is to meal prep at the beginning of the week. My goal in prep is to make my life feel AS NORMAL as possible by making foods I enjoy. If you want to sit there and eat chicken, be my guest… but it sounds miserable.

Today I really wanted Chinese. Like bad. Like a whole thing of steamed rice and 15 crab rangoon, but I didn’t. Instead I made this super healthy beef and broccoli stir fry. This really only takes under 20 minutes, and it is good for kids and adults alike!

You’ll need:

1.5 oz lean sirloin, chopped into bite sized pieces

11 oz broccoli

2 tbsp sesame seeds (These are high in fat guys. I was very low on my fats today so I added, but if you are watching fat content, you may want to drop to 1 tbsp.)

3-4 tbsp Zero Calorie Sesame Ginger Dressing by Walden Farms

1 tbsp Ginger (I use the squeezable kind)

1 tbsp Garlic (again…squeezable)

`16 Oz Culinary Cuts Cauliflower Cauliettes (or just chopped up cauliflower)

Again, my goal is to make this as easy as possible,so I often invest in pre-chopped broccoli if possible, or pre chopped cauliflower like these. These are great because you can steam them right in the bag and use them to make cauliflower mashed potatoes, cauliflower rice, whatev.

Another one of my prep staples is Walden Farms ANYTHING. I actually found this dressing the other day which got me ALL FIRED up about this recipe.  Walden Farms is 0 calories. They also have everything; caramel topping, ranch, coffee creamer. It can all be found in the veggie aisle of your local grocery store.

To make this recipe is pretty simple.

1. Preheat skillet on a medium setting

2. Spray down a large pan with fat free cooking spray and add sesame seeds, ginger, and garlic. Toast until sesame seeds are golden brown

2. Add chopped sirloin and toss with seeds and seasonings to your desired taste.

3. Remove steak and set aside.

4. Add a small amount of olive oil or spray and then add broccoli. Saute the broccoli until it’s a little brown and crispy.

5. Combine broccoli and steak and add the Walden Farms dressing.

6. Mix well and simmer for 5-10 minutes.

7. Serve on top of Cauliflower Rice

To Make The Cauliflower “Rice” 

1. Steam bag in microwave as directed.

2. Saute in a separate pan with ginger and garlic until golden.

P.S. Here are the macros for my fellow IIFYMers!!!

 

Happy prepping!

 

Have you ever drastically changed your diet and noticed you are getting puffy in the face or breaking out with acne?  I was recently scrolling through pictures of my prep and there were certain weeks where I not only looked tired, but had acne worse than my teenage years! WTF?!

Your hormones change along with your diet, which can also cause drastic changes in your skin. Unfortunately for me, I also have very sensitive skin which makes it hard to find a cleanser with salycilic acid that doesn’t make me totally red.

Before I give you a few tips on skin care, I want to explore some of the skincare rules I live by:

1. Never leave your home without SPF on your face. Make sure to use makeup or moisturizer that contains SPF. If in the sun like Mexico, opt for an SPF 100. Use bronzer because I’d rather be fake tan and young then look old AF from UVA/UVB rays.
2. Don’t get in a tanning bed: I’m not going to slam you with research but skin cancer is real, and if you’re hopping in a tanning bed you’re not excluded from this. I used to tan in high school, but now I won’t be caught dead. Opt for a spray tan with a true professional, like Amanda Bluestein at Maplewood Beauty Bar.
3.  Drink Water: Water has incredible skin benefits and hydrated skin is healthy skin.
4. Don’t go to bed with makeup on: If you’re not going to take it off, invest in makeup remover wipes to keep by your bed!

Here is my skincare lineup…. I choose Mario Badescu for a lot of things because they lean towards natural botanicals and are gentle on skin. They are also highly reasonable in regards to price.

	Mario Badescu: Keratoplast Cream Soap Found : Ulta Cost: $12.00 (Cheap) This is a very creamy cleanser that can be used on sensitive skin. This is formulated with Isodecyl Salicylate (a gentle beta hydroxy acid also known as Keratoplast) to help rid the skin of pore-clogging buildup. I use twice daily as cream based cleansers won’t dry out skin.
	Mario Badescu Anti Acne Serum Found: Online or at Ulta Cost: $20.00 I actually don’t use this product all of the time. It’s very small and can dry out skin. When I am having an extreme breakout, I find this helpful in treating existing acne or helping with blackheads.
	Mario Badescu Collagen Moisturizer Found: Online or at Ulta Cost: $24.00 I use this twice daily after cleansing, first because it contains Collagen (anti-aging), is rich in Vitamin E and also has SPF 15, which prevents further sun damage.
	Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask Found: Online or at local retailers like Macy or Sephora Cost: $26.00 I use this very sparingly as it is a super strong mask.  The mask gets firm and tight which get out nasty oils and toxins. Again this thing gets TIGHT. It can dry out your face, so I only use during a breakout.
	Botox Found: By a licensed professional or Maplewood Beauty Bar Salon Cost: $9.00-$12.00 per unit In the spirit of full disclosure, I will admit to you that I do get botox.   Only every 6 months to once a year.  It is purely preventative and I only got slight injections near the outside of my eyes. Botox prevents aging, as well as assists with fine lines and wrinkles. If you are going to do it, I recommend finding an honest, licensed professional.

I may get some criticism for my Botox use, but I don’t really care. I believe that in an age of Instagram and filters, there has to be honesty around what we will do for vanity. I honestly don’t think it’s fair for fitness bloggers or beauty bloggers to post and say “get my look” with only partial honesty.

I started this blog in the belief that as women, we are often expected to live up to impossible standards, and let’s be honest: Nobody’s killing it. I’m not. I’m all like, “Don’t worry I’m just over here holdin down a marriage, owning 100 dogs, competing in a bodybuilding competition and embracing a career at a large company. PIECE OF CAKE.” Nope. It’s stressful, sometimes so stressful I sit in my car and cry. You want my life? Well it’s good, but it was super hard to get here.  Don’t get me wrong, I love my life and my career, but it doesn’t mean that sometimes managing it is hard, and I don’t feel guilty for it.  So in parting; can money buy happiness? Nope, but it can buy you Botox which in that moment is what I wanted and needed.  #SORRYNOTSORRY.

So let me leave you with this parting thought for the day: Unless someone is paying your bills, they aren’t entitled to an opinion.  Do what you want, and do it with authenticity and honesty. 

EMBRACE IT.

If you have more questions about skin care, diet, or botox, DROP EM BELOW!

My very first guest blogger. OMG! I am sure sometimes it gets tiring hearing from me, and I want to be sure that this blog reflects lots of different perspectives! Brittany is an amazing recruiter, mother, fitness enthusiast, and lover of fancy drinks.  Check out her blog on common New Year’s Resolution pitfalls!

1. I’m going to wake up at 5:00am every day and work out for an hour before work.

I’ve made this one countless times and each year on January 1^st, I remember how slangry (sleepy + angry) I get when forced to wake up before the sun.  I might stick with it for a week or so, but then I give in to my bed for a day or two and then I just let the whole idea go.  If you’re a morning person, by all means wake up at 5am and take a morning jog while I am still drooling on my pillow.  However, if the thought of voluntarily waking up earlier makes you somewhat homicidal, be realistic with yourself and when the best time in your schedule to work out is.    Make your resolution that you WILL make time to be active though.

2. I’m going to run a marathon this Spring!

Awesome!  I just love those cool 26.2 stickers on cars.  My stepmom has a 26.2 tattoo and every time I see it I convince myself doing a marathon would be super fun and a great goal.   Never mind that in high school I literally tied myself to a friend to avoid having to run the mile.  Every year I tell myself I am going to do a marathon, and every year I head to the track and walk/run two laps and the whole time I am thinking how cold I am, how I can’t breathe, and wondering how anyone can find this enjoyable.  Start slow.  Make your resolution a 5k or simply to set time aside 2-3 times a week to run.  If you decide running isn’t for you, don’t force it!  There are so many workouts out there – don’t waste time forcing yourself to do something you hate.  You will just end up getting discouraged.  Try running!  But also try boxing, yoga, Zumba, weight lifting, and any other activity that makes you feel excited!

3. I’m cutting out all sugar and eating 100% clean.

I had this talk with a co worker last week as she was heating up coffee cake for breakfast and I was making a bagel.  We talked about how January 1^st it was all chia seeds and superfoods.  Buh bye coffee cake, carbs, and champagne!  I’ve only made this one 15 times before, I am sure this will be my year to completely change my eating habits overnight.  Ha!  Set yourself up for success by making small changes.  Don’t make it an overnight revolution.  Start with just starting each day with a healthy breakfast, or cutting out that evening ice cream.  Think of food as fuel, not a reward.

4. I will lose 20, 40, 100 pounds by _____ date.

I have always wanted to be in the 120’s.  For some reason it stuck in my head a long time ago that 120 is the perfect weight for me.  Never mind that I’m 5’9” with “child birthing” hips and a head that easily adds in an extra 5 pounds.  Don’t focus on the number on the scale.  Focus on how you feel and how your clothes fit.  Don’t let yourself get hung up on a certain number.

5. I’m going to spend so much money on cool work out clothes/expensive tennis shoes/an elliptical/personal trainer that I will HAVE to work out!

Totally unrelated, is anyone interested in buying an unused yoga mat, $100 tennis shoes, or a used elliptical I made my husband drag home so I could run every night while watching the Real Housewives of whatever city we’re on?   Spending money on working out will not make you dedicated.  And you will just be upset with yourself when you think about the money you spent.  Buy yourself one great workout outfit you feel confident in or a nice water bottle or headphones, but don’t invest hundreds of dollars until you have found what you really enjoy doing.  After you find your groove, splurge on the tennis shoes for running or Dancing with the Stars workout DVD.  (I also have that for sale if anyone is interested).

Most of all, be kind to yourself!  If you fall off the wagon for a bit, don’t give up and vow to try again in 2018.  Get up and get after it!

“There are plenty of difficult obstacles in your path, don’t allow yourself become one of them”

 

About the Author: 

I am a newly thirty year old wife, mama, recruiter, and over thinker.   I’ve been married to my best friend (cliche, but true) for going on 8 years and we have a beautiful, perfect two year old boy.

I love traveling and planning trips (hit me up if you need help planning a budget friendly trip!), trying new foods and drinks, discovering new music to play on repeat, reading, shopping and everything fashion related, and being outdoors.

Check out my blog to learn more!