Zuchinni Chips

You will need:
1 Zuchinni (will make 2 servings)
1 egg
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 package of low sodium stove top stuffing
2 small mixing bowls
Cookie sheet
Parchment paper
Sandwich bag
Meat tenderizer
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450F.
Add 1/2 pack of stove top stuffing in sandwich bag and crush into smaller pieces using a meat tenderizer.
Cut the zucchini into small chips. You can make them as thin or thick as you want but be aware thinner needs less cooking time.
Add egg and olive oil to a small mixing bowl and mix together.
Add crushed stove top stuffing into other small mixing bowl.
Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Dip zucchini chips into egg and olive oil bowl and then place in stove top stuffing bowl. Make sure to coat each side.
Place chips on parchment paper.
Put cookie sheet in oven and bake for 20-25 mins. You want them to be a golden color.
Alternatives:
If you are gluten free you can toast a gluten free bread to make bread crumbs instead of using stove top stuffing.
You can add different spices and/or parmesan cheese

Be a Beachbody Coach!

So, maybe you are thinking of signing up to be a Beachbody Coach or maybe the thought has never crossed your mind. Here I will try and explain the pros (and cons) and why I signed up to be an independent Beachbody coach. If I don’t answer your question, please feel free to email me (Melissa.beachbody1@gmail.com) or comment on this blog and I will get back to you asap!

So why did I become a coach? Three reasons (1) discount on products, (2) accountability, and (3) I LOVE helping people. First, discounts. When you become an independent Beachbody coach, you get 25% off all of your purchases. I am buying the stuff anyway, why not get it cheaper! Some people become coaches just to get the discounts and there is a huge benefit in doing that.

Second, accountability. Before I even heard the phrase “be a product of the product” I knew that if I became a coach, I would be more focused on my fitness and push myself harder. I mean, how can I tell you that you should focus on your health and fitness if I am sitting on my couch eating potato chips all day and not working out? What a hypocrite I would be! I wanted to keep focused and push myself to the next level and knew that becoming a coach would help. Plus, I love working out with other people and getting people to push themselves to a new limit! It’s so much fun to watch people accomplish something new or even be challenged myself.

Third, helping others is a passion of mine. No matter what it is, I love seeing people succeed! I have struggled with my weight for most of my life and I know others have too. So no matter who you are, I want to help YOU reach your goal. I want to help YOU be comfortable in your own skin!

If those reasons are not enough there are other benefits to becoming a coach: You also get (1) 25% commission from your customers’ purchases (unless they are Club members. Then your commission is 15%), (2) 50% commission on your customers’ Beachbody Club member dues, (3) bonuses as you increase your business and coaching level, (4) once you reach a certain Coach level (called Emerald) customer referrals from Beachbody (the Customer Lead Program), (5) free websites maintained by Beachbody and (6) free support and advertising to grow your business (if that is your goal). No one is going to force you to grow your business, however. You can do as little or as much as you want – it’s up to you!

There are some costs associated with becoming an independent Beachbody coach and it would not be fair if I did not provide those as well. So here they are:
• The initial cost is $39.95. This gets you your tool kit, access to an online office, training programs, coach support to grow your business, written materials, national coach calls, resources to get answers to all your questions as well as any questions of those you are coaching and three of your own Independent Coach websites (one for Shakeology, one for Ultimate Reset and one for everything else).
• The monthly cost after the initial start up cost is $14.95 per month. This continues your access to all of the above and Beachbody’s maintenance of your websites.
• In addition to these costs, you are “encouraged” to purchase or sell at least $50 to $55 worth of products every 35 days. I say “encouraged” because if you don’t have these sales, you will remain in “inactive” status. This means you will not get referrals from Beachbody (though this requires more than just “active” status) and you will not be eligible for certain coach programs. When you first start your Independent Beachbody Coach business, you will likely be purchasing the products yourself. For most, making sales of $50 to $55 every 35 days will not be a big deal as you are likely buying Shakeology and other supplements monthly. We buy so much Beachbody stuff for ourselves and for our families that we have no problem meeting this requirement.

When I first signed up to be a coach, my very first customer was a huge surprise to me and the last person on Earth that I thought would buy anything from Beachbody! She didn’t work out regularly and really wasn’t focused on her health and eating habits. But now, she loves it and is always sending me emails about how great she feels on the days she works out and how happy she is that she started the program.

Don’t worry, you don’t have to run out and become an expert about anything. Beachbody provides you with all the support you could ever need. They are the experts! And you don’t actually have to be with someone while they are working out to be their coach. You are there for support and encouragement, just like I am for you! I love working out and really like getting others involved and focused on their health and fitness. I wish the world were a healthier place and being a coach is my attempt to spread information about how we can all be healthier while becoming and remaining healthier myself.

I hope this post helps you move in this direction! If you have any other questions, email me at Melissa.beachbody1@gmail.com!!
To sign up to be a coach visit my site http://www.beachbodycoach.com/melissaj28
I also post lots of great health and fitness tips on my facebook page including some great Shakeology recipes!! Check it out: https://www.facebook.com/MelissasFitness28

How and Why to Wash Your Fruits & Vegetables

How and Why to Wash Your Fruits & Vegetables

 

It’s only common sense to wash our fruits and veggies before eating them. But I see people eat grapes right from the bag or give their kids an apple straight from the fridge!

 

 

But more important than just washing off dirt and grits…thoroughly washing your snacks is essential to avoid food-borne illness and pesticides!

 

Did you know that unwashed fresh products can harbor harmful pathogens and dozens of pesticide residues. Gross! Even if you’re buying organic products, you still need to wash them to remove potential bacteria, especially if you plan to eat them raw. Even if they aren’t grown with pesticides, they can still transfer onto your food in transport or at the store. Nevermind how many people are touching them before you buy them!

 

To wash fruits and vegetables, you don’t necessarily need to use a fancy cleaning product. Good old-fashion water works very well too.

 

 

How to clean your fruits and vegetables

 

Wash your hands before washing or handling your food. Your hand can carry tons of bacteria that can be transferred to your food. Remember, your hands might be far dirtier than the food itself. So use the soap on your hand instead of on the produce.

Don’t use product washes that contain chemicals, detergent or bleach in it. The key here is to REMOVE residues, not to add some!

Use pure water or a solution of 1 part of vinegar for 3 parts of water. The vinegar will help to kill bacteria.

Thoroughly rinse fruits with stems, like apples, pears or nectarines. Cut off the both ends of those fruits before eating, as dirt and residues tend to accumulate there.

Brush fruits with rinds. Even if you don’t eat the skin, bacteria and pesticide residues trapped in the crevices can transfer to both your hands and knife.

Soak leafy greens for about 2 minutes before using them. Drain, and if you can squeeze them out, well before storing.

Root vegetables also needs soaking, even if you intend to peel them before using. Finish by brushing carrots and potatoes under running water.

Carefully soak broccoli and cauliflower for 2 minutes. Drain the water then rinse in a colander. You may need to pat dry with a paper towel before storing.

For other vegetables like eggplant, cucumber or zucchini, gently brush the skin under running warm water.

 

It’s important to note that while washing can remove some of the pesticides residues, it can’t remove all of them. Your best bet to avoid eating pesticides is to buy organic or grow your own.

 

Time to get that backyard garden going!

 

The Cosmetics Dirty Dozen

Cosmetics Dirty Dozen

12 Toxic Ingredients to Avoid

We knew about the “Dirty Dozen” list for fruits and veggies, but what about cosmetic?? Here is a list of toxic ingredients in cosmetics and personal care. Yikes!!

The path to developing a toxic-free beauty routine begins with an inventory of what’s behind your shower curtain and inside your medicine cabinet or make up kit. Whether you are shopping for shampoo, conditioner, nail polish, sunscreen or moisturizer, MAKE SURE to read the ingredient label with the same scrutiny as you would read your food’s nutrition label and ANDI score.
Here’s the Dirty Dozen list of toxic ingredients to avoid.
1. BHA and BHT
2. Coal tar dyes
3. DEA
4. Dibutyl phthalate
5. Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives
6. Parabens
7. Parfum (a.k.a. fragrance)
8. PEG compounds
9. Petrolatum
10. Siloxanes
11. Sodium laureth sulfate
12. Triclosan

 

10 Ways to Make a Bad Day Better

10 Ways to Make a Bad Day Better

It is very likely that we have all had at least one day where the Universe seems to be conspiring against you, where you just feel kinda funky and everything else seems to be reflecting that same funkiness back to you and where your life feels like a personalized version of Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.

We don’t have control of most things that happen to us and around us, however, we can control how we react to these moments and days where life just seems to push back really, really hard. Do we react with intense emotion and frustration and then carry that negative ora with us all day long, letting it mess up everything else we do that day? Or, do we just accept the reality, recognizing that it is what it is and that there is nothing that we can do to change what happened so why should we allow it to doom the rest of our day to disaster?

I’ve tried both tactics, and from experience and a lot of days of toting negative juju over my shoulder, I can tell you that option B works so much better. No day is set to be a bad or a good day. Within every moment exists the opportunity to change a mood, to shift a perspective to transform what feels like a really bad day into a rather good and sweet day. We get to choose what receives our energy. We get to choose how we want to direct that energy. We get to choose whether or not we react with anger and irritation or with kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity. So, maybe choose the reactions that feel better. Choose the reactions that are love. Always. Choose love.

But, how do we turn that terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day into something that is…for lack of a better word…better? First, we change our minds. But sometimes it takes little more than just changing your mind. Other times we need to shake up it up a little bit. Here are 10 ways to shake it sweetly.

1. Hug it out. There is nothing like a hug to just make things feel OK. One of the best things about a hug is that you really can’t get one without giving one back simultaneously. It’s a win-win. You give and you get. So, hug someone or something, your spouse, a friend, your lover, your pet, a parent, child, sibling, a stranger even. But don’t just hug for the sake of hugging, and please avoid the half-assed side-arm hug which just always leaves me feeling worse instead of better. Make it a hug that you are fully present for, a hug that you mean, a hug that matters.

2. Laugh. Find something to laugh about. Call a friend that makes you laugh and maybe stroll down funny memory lane. Turn on a comedy or sitcom —Modern Family or Friends is my go-to laughing source these days, seriously guaranteed laugh-lout-loud.

3. Make a Happy List. Write down the things that make you happy. It can be a list of anything….cappuccinos, fluffy white bunnies, a gift of raw dark chocolate macaroons, wearing a sundress in San Francisco and still being hot, the extra 10 minute massage after a fresh pedicure, your children, the smell of your significant others deodorant, Friday Night Lights…anything that brings you even the smallest dose of joy. Maybe even look back on the supposedly bad day and identify all of the good things that have been a part of it, too. This shifts my perspective right away and I realize that there is always a ton of good that just gets overshadowed by the bad sometimes.

4. Shake your groove thang. Turn on some music and dance. Dance like no one is watching or, if it’s your thing, dance like everyone is watching.

5. Take it outside. Growing up, when we inevitably started to get on each others’ nerves, my mom would tell us to “just go play outside.” I remember so vividly that the minute we hit the fresh air our collective mood would change. Fresh air can be so healing and so purifying. Even if it’s just for five minutes, step outside and sip in a big ol’ breath of fresh air deep down into your lungs…or heck, even go to a park and swing on the swings…for ol’ times sake!

6. Take three deep breaths. When we are stressed, frustrated, and anxious we are existing in our sympathetic nervous system where everything is heightened and we find ourselves on edge. Fortunately, all it takes to shift out of the sympathetic nervous system into the parasympathetic nervous system where we feel more balanced, calm and relaxed, is three deep breaths. Inhale slowly and fully and then exhale completely. Notice yourself begin to relax. Go even deeper and try meditating.

7. Sweat. However you want to do it, sweat. Roll out your yoga mat, go for a run, take your dog for a vigorous walk, go to a kickboxing class, have a dance party, chop your own firewood, or do whatever you gotta do that feels right to you. Just get your heart rate up and get a good sweat on. Those positive endorphins can do some seriously good work on a bad mood.

8. Sing. Turn on that song that you love to sing along to and turn the music way up and just sing your heart out. Alicia Keys, Norah Jones, Adele, Anthony Hamilton and more singers than I can mention have lifted me out of some pretty dark moments just by unknowingly allowing me to sing with them. Or, if you love to chant, chant your heart out. Sing or chant without any worry or concern about how your voice sounds. Sing or chant as if you have the most beautiful voice in the world. If it’s a nice day and you feel like going for a drive, get in your car, roll your windows down and belt it out. Just sing, baby.

9. Practice a random act of kindness. Do something for someone else just because you can. No agenda. No expectation. Practice a random act of kindness without any attachment to the outcome. Even better, do it anonymously. This is like magic.

10. Pray. Know that you are not alone. Ever. Prayer is a powerful way to remember this.

 

Do NOT Sit Down!

Do NOT Sit Down!!!

You may want to stand up to read this. Recent research from the American Cancer Society has linked sitting too long and too much to serious health conditions! Yikes….and even an increased risk of DEATH! I sit ALL day and it kills me- I thought I was being dramatic but WOW it’s actually true! Check this out…def reason to get off your butt and move!!

 

• Women who sit more than 6 hours a day are 37 percent more likely to die during a set time period than those who sit fewer than 3 hours a day
• Men who sit more than 6 hours a day are 18% more likely to die during a set time period than those who sit fewer than 3 hours a day
• Most Americans are inactive 15 to 16 hours per day.
• We sit for at least 8 hours a day.
• Obese people sit for 2.5 more hours a day than thin people. And 1 in 3 Americans is obese
• Chewing gum expands more energy than sitting does.
• People with seated jobs have twice the rate of cardiovascular disease as people with standing jobs.
• Even if you exercise, you still might lead a sedentary lifestyle. “Sitting too much is not the same as exercising too little.” ~quote from research Dr. Marc Hamilton
• Taking more breaks from sedentary behavior lowers your waist size, body mass index, blood lipids and glucose tolerance – all good things!
• 70% of school classroom time is completely sedentary.
• When sitting the electrical activity in your muscles drop to the level of a dead horse.

Are you standing yet? Get up now and outrun the Grim Reaper that is hunched over your chair!!

 

Survive a Heart Attack When You’re Alone!

Survive a Heart Attack When You’re Alone!

Let’s say it’s 6.15pm and you’re going home (alone of course),

…after an unusually hard day on the job. You’re really tired, upset and frustrated. Suddenly you start experiencing severe pain in your chest that starts to drag out into your arm and up into your jaw. You are only about five miles (8kms) from the hospital nearest your home. Unfortunately you don’t know if you’ll be able to make it that far. You have been trained in CPR, but the guy that taught the course did not tell you how to perform it on yourself..!!

NOW HOW TO SURVIVE A HEART ATTACK WHEN ALONE..

Since many people are alone when they suffer a heart attack, without help, the person whose heart is beating improperly and who begins to feel faint, has only about 10 seconds left before losing consciousness.
However, these victims can help themselves by coughing repeatedly and very vigorously.A deep breath should be taken before each cough, and the cough must be deep and prolonged, as when producing sputum from deep inside the chest.

A breath and a cough must be repeated about every two seconds without let-up until help arrives, or until the heart is felt to be beating normally again. Deep breaths get oxygen into the lungs and coughing movements squeeze the heart and keep the blood circulating.
The squeezing pressure on the heart also helps it regain normal rhythm. In this way, heart attack victims can get to a hospital.

 

Challenge Starting SOON!

ATTENTION ATTENTION!!!  My next online 30-DAY Challenge Starts

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 11th.

For more details EMAIL me at melissa.beachbody1@gmail.com or

message me on FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/MelissasFitness28

Get ready to see RESULTS!!

 

7 Tips for Portion Control

7 Tips for Portion Control

In the world of nutrition news, there was a recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine that took a look at cookbook recipes over the last several decades (with emphasis on recipes in The Joy of Cooking). This study found that calorie counts per serving have gone up dramatically as authors have increased portion sizes to conform to new cultural norms. Where the 1936 edition of the kitchen classic averaged 268 calories per serving, the most recent edition in 2006 averaged 384 calories. The study theorized that lower costs of food and larger plate sizes are part of the reason for the increase, but nutritionist Marion Nestle says that mainly it’s just a reflection of people becoming accustomed to eating more and more overall. What can we do to monitor and control portion sizes? Here are some ideas . . .

1. Downsize your plate. One issue the study pointed out is that the average plate size has grown over the years, and the amount of food served on those plates has kept pace with that increase. Instead of breaking out the big dinner plate, try eating your dinner off a salad or dessert plate. The smaller plate will make the amount of food look larger by proportion, a visual cue that will trick your brain into thinking you’re eating more. Plus you can trade in your big dinner fork for a more petite salad fork, which will also help to slow down any shoveling behavior you might be tempted to engage in at the dinner table.
2. Divide and conquer. When you’re cooking more than one serving of something, immediately store the prospective leftovers in single-serving containers. By putting out the entire dish, you run the risk of not having any leftovers at the end of the meal. Depending on what the meal is, I divide my food onto two plates—one for that meal and one for lunch the next day. And as a side benefit, this can help you tighten your wallet while you tighten your waistline.
3. Count it down. If you eat your reasonably sized portion of food in the dining room/living room/den/bedroom/bathroom, etc., and leave the leftovers in the kitchen, it will make this next step a lot easier. Here’s the scenario: You’ve finished your first portion, and yet you still want more. This is far from atypical, especially if the big plate of leftovers is sitting in front of you, tempting you, calling to you—maybe just a half a spoonful or maybe just a pick at the serving platter with your fork (just the good parts, of course). That couldn’t possibly have more calories, right? Wrong. The calories from the food you sneak in after you finish eating are as potent as the calories from the food you’re served. The good news is that if you can hold off, you won’t be hungry for long.
   
   After you have a decent-sized portion of food, it takes your brain about 20 minutes to get the message from your stomach that you’re full. So try this: Before you reach for seconds, glance at your wristwatch or the clock on the wall. Spend the next 20 minutes chatting with your dining companions, or if you’re eating alone, check out the newspaper, read a magazine article, or play along with a round of Jeopardy on TV. Then, after 20 minutes, see if you’re still starving for another bowl full of whatever. Chances are that your cravings will have disappeared. If they haven’t, maybe you do still need a little more food to achieve satiety. Review what you ate before, and if the calorie count seems low, treat yourself to a little extra. Or, if the calorie count seems about right or high for a regular meal and you’re still hungry, fill up on some low-cal veggies or have a big glass of water. Sometimes it’s easy to confuse thirst with hunger.
4. Embrace your inner child. And we don’t mean have candy for dinner . . . When you’re on the road or out at a restaurant, don’t be ashamed to look at the kids’ menu. As the adult menu has been supersized to gluttonous proportions, the children’s menu often has the most nutritious options. Check out Debbie Siebers’ portion-control tips below, and you’ll see that oftentimes the amount of food in a kids’ meal is just the right amount for an adult watching his or her figure. Not to mention, if you play your cards right, there could be a free toy in it for you. Out of the mouths of babes . . .
5. Sharing is good. And while we’re getting lessons from the small set, how about sharing? If you’re a foodie like me, the hardest part about eating out is passing up all the goodies you want to try on the menu. Instead of ordering too much for yourself, strategize with your fellow diners about how you can maximize the variety of the food instead of the quantity. Most restaurants will be more than happy to provide you with extra small plates so you can split dishes. And make sure you actually split them! Don’t dine out with your friend who survives on a nibble here or there and split two dishes; you’ll end up eating 80 percent of the food on the table while he or she makes do with a couple of forkfuls. In case you ever wondered how Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi keeps her model physique while judging up to 12 meals a week, the secret is that she doesn’t eat everything. Also, when you’re figuring out how to eat family-style, make sure that at least one of the dishes is a healthy salad, a non-cream-based soup, or a vegetable dish. That way you and your family can get full without getting fat.
6. Learn your weights and measurements. As anyone who’s a regular reader of this newsletter knows, we’re always going on and on about reading labels. And like the calorie, carb, protein, and fat numbers, the serving size is important. This is where the corporate food interests get you a lot of the time, by adjusting the serving size downward to make the nutritional numbers look a little better. As anyone who’s recently spent a Saturday night alone with the TV can tell you, the estimate of four servings in a pint of Ben & Jerry’s® or Häagen-Dazs® is wildly optimistic. Whereas the label would indicate a 300-calorie serving, keep in mind that the entire container has 1,200 calories. And since most of the containers taper downward, eating what appears to be half of the container can actually amount to two-thirds. 

It’s definitely too much of a hassle to weigh and measure everything you put in your body every day. Even the most anal-retentive people among us don’t have the time to be hauling out the scale and measuring cups for every meal. But it’s worth it to at least familiarize yourself with a few standard weights and measures. Try learning what an ounce, a gram, a tablespoon, etc., look like. That way you can at least eyeball how much you’re eating. I’ve yet to meet the person who can make a typical bag of potato chips last for twelve servings.

Give yourself a hand. For an easy guide to portion sizes, follow this guide from Slim in 6® creator Debbie Siebers.

 

Handy Portion-Control Guide

By Debbie Siebers, creator of Slim in 6®

To achieve weight loss—and maintain that healthy weight once you’ve achieved it—it’s crucial to really understand what a portion is. Here’s what may prove to be an indispensible tip: use your hand as a guideline for portion sizes. (If your hands happen to be extra-large or extra-small for your size, adjust accordingly.)

Palm = Proteins: Make protein portions the size of your palm. Protein is found in animal products, like fish, meats, and cottage cheese. Some veggie protein sources include legumes (beans, etc.), tofu, tempeh, and wheat glutens.

Thumb = Fats: Fats are important, but they’re also very dense, so match fat portions to the size of your thumb. Good fat sources are avocados, olive oil, nuts, and seeds.

Fist = Fruits, Grains, etc.: Your bread, fruit, cereal, rice, and grain portions should be about equal to the size of your closed fist. Remember that it’s always preferable to consume whole grains.

Hand = Veggies: Open your hand and spread your fingers as wide as you can. That’s a good vegetable portion. Raw vegetables are loaded with fiber and nutrients, and they contain very few calories.

What do you dream about?

What do you dream about?

When I was little, my parents used to give us the toys R us catalog and a big red marker. We would sit Indian style with the catalog and circle things we wanted Santa to bring to us. Honestly, I think the wishing, dreaming and deciding part was sometimes as much fun as actually getting the toy. Something about sitting there- envisioning what I would do with the toy, how much fun it was going to be, anticipating how excited I would on Christmas…was just…FUN! So I decided to relive my childhood with a twist. I sat down with a bunch of magazines and cut out my Wish List! I even sit with my daughter about once a month and do one with her! She loves it and since she is only 6, it changes often! 🙂 And I think that is half the fun!

We should never stop wishing, thinking, growing, dreaming! I feel like somewhere along the way I lost that and THANKFULLY I found my way. It wasn’t until I signed up as a Beachbody coach and surrounded myself with dreamers who are doers….that I reignited that “THINK BIG” mentality! And it’s paid off. Start thinking that it IS possible, you ARE worth it and you WILL achieve it. You just have to know where you are going! Sit down and make your dream list!
Lists are great, but pictures are FUN! So I made mine into a dream book. I look through it every night before I go to bed. I close my eyes and imagine what life will be like when I build my dream house, drive my dream car and live out my bucket list. This is my digital dream board…LOVE IT!

So what’s the point of doing this? For starters, I’ve had some pretty interesting dreams…do you ever watch a movie before bed and dream about it? Instead of filling your head with someone else’s vision or thoughts, start using your OWN! I’ve been waking up with incredible ideas that guide me on the path to achieving these things. Your mind is an incredible tool- starting using your subconscious to make your dreams a reality! Make a dream book and look through it every night before you fall asleep =)

 

What is your dream job? Dream car? Dream house? Dream vacation? I LOVE when people share! Comment below!