Beachbody Super Saturday Registration

Registration Form



When: Saturday July 25th 2015
Time: 8:00AM
Where: Mt. Crested Butte - my house

WHAT IS NATIONAL SUPER SATURDAY?

It’s our quarterly get-together, where Coaches from across the USA come together at hundreds of events to prepare for the next quarter, recognize success, share tips, and MAKE THINGS HAPPEN!

WHEN IS THE NEXT SUPER SATURDAY?
July 25, 2015 — save the date!

WANT TO ATTEND AN EVENT?
Don’t be shy! Get out there and support an event near you.

Find an event to attend using the map below:

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These Protein Balls Are a Great Post-Workout Snack!

When you need a quick post-workout snack, something with protein and carbs, look no further. Made with only three ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen, these protein balls couldn't be easier to whip up. At 47 calories per ball, a three-piece serving is 141 calories and offers 8.1 grams of protein and 24 grams of carbs. Yet a serving is also low in sugar — just 5.1 grams AND is a low glycemic index snack!

INGREDIENTS

1 cup rolled oats
1 serving vanilla protein powder (I use SHAKEOLOGY)
1 large banana

DIRECTIONS

1. Pour rolled oats and protein powder into a food processor or high quality blender such as a blendtec or vitamix.   Turn on for a minute until the oats are slightly chopped but not completely smooth.
2. Add the banana, and turn on until a coarse yet pliable dough forms. 
3. Roll into 12 balls, and place in a reusable container.
4. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.

Below is the nutritional info for one protein ball:

Of course, feel free to jazz up this basic recipe by mixing in a little dried fruit, chopped almonds, or dark chocolate chips — if you do, just add a little extra banana or some raw honey to maintain the pliable consistency.

Enjoy!

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Get a Little More Sleep in Your Life

Wow, I got home from work today - did homework with Brody, fed him dinner, read him a book, put Paw Patrol on ..... and fell asleep for 2 hours! My body was craving some much needed zzzzzz's.  Maybe it is the fact that my new workout has me so sore I have trouble getting comfy, maybe because I am studying a lot these days, or maybe it is because I have a hard time sleeping when Corey is gone, but whatever it is I have got to start trying harder to get in my 8 hours. I know I am not the only one. So today, a little branch off from fitness posting, to tell you why sleep is a major necessity!

First there is an increased risk For Depression And Anxiety: People who are consistently sleep deprived experience greater difficulty regulating their mood, increasing the risk for depression and anxiety. It’s not always clear what triggers what--in some cases insomnia is a symptom of depression, while in others, it is one of the contributing factors. What the research is clear about, however, is that chronic sleep deprivation significantly aggravates your ability to get and stay happy. Interestingly, even if you aren’t experiencing depression, researchers have found that the signs of being sleep deprived (such as a drawn face, colorless or dull skin, and under-eye bags) make you appear depressed to others. I know that is not the way I want to be perceived!

 I left my keys, where...?!?
Part of the process of making a memory last a lifetime happens when we are sleeping. If you aren’t getting in enough hours, your memory starts to suffer. But I don’t have to tell you that. You already know that when you have more hours awake than sleeping, you misplace your keys, forget to meet your friend for dinner, and wander around the grocery store aimlessly, unsure of what it was you thought you desperately needed.

 My skin could use a lift!
 In addition to feeling not-so-cute because of the under-eye bags, chronic sleep deprivation also manifests itself on your skin as acne, lines, and dullness. Not getting enough sleep interrupts your body’s regenerating abilities, resulting in less collagen production and compromising your skin’s elasticity. In other words, if you aren’t getting enough sleep, you might start looking your age (and then some) at an accelerated rate. Additionally, when your body’s ability to regenerate is interrupted, you can either develop or see a worsening of conditions like psoriasis, eczema, and any skin-related allergies.

 Say good-bye to a lot of hair :( 
I’m already dealing with hair loss due to my Type 1 Diabetes,  But having your hair fall out in chunks or thin suddenly also indicates bodily stress--and ongoing sleep deprivation is immensely taxing on your system.

You may wake up with a tummy-ache
 The number-one sign for me of a really poor night’s sleep is a huge, relentless stomach ache in the morning. Sleeping resets the gut, and without this break, your digestive system can end up seriously angry.

You may get to see your Dentist more regularly
 It turns out that part of nodding off gently for most of us involves some gnashing and clenching of our teeth. It’s only when we enter a REM cycle that our jaw relaxes and we cool it with the teeth grinding. But if you’re not staying asleep long enough to progress to REM, you are experiencing higher amounts of dental stress. Lack of sleep can be a contributing factor to your pearly whites degrading or your TMJ flaring up.

So, What Can You Do About It?
 Whether you’re an insomniac or life circumstances don’t permit you much time for rest, even the best sleep hygiene won’t always work. I’ve learned the best thing I can do is not stress over it. You will sleep eventually. In the meantime, rest when you can, drink lots of water, do some yoga or Pilates, and some deep breathing techniques.

 Good luck and goodnight!

 www.beachbodycoach.com/leannemarie1081

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15 Ways to Eat an Avocado

Avocados are super nutritious,  but are more often a culinary treat thanks to their high fat content (which is a good thing in this case, they are high in HEALTHY fats!). That’s not all this fruit (yes, it’s a fruit, a large berry at that) has going for it. Packed with close to 20 vitamins and minerals including immune-boosting Vitamin E and helpful blood pressure-regulating potassium, it’s also chock-full of fiber. Here are 15 ways to introduce this creamy green treat into your diet. 

1. 1.Slice in half, add a dash of salt, grab a spoon.
2. 2.Skip the usual (mayo, mustard, ketchup) and replace with salted, mashed avocado.
3. 3.Make instant guacamole: Mash avocado and add chunky salsa. 4.Scoop up with warm tortillas, celery, or chips.
4. 5.Or a smoothie: Combine almond milk, avocado, frozen banana and honey to taste. Blend. Spice it up by adding by adding fresh ginger, lime, frozen berries or melon.
5. 6. Blend well-ripened avocados, melted chocolate, almond milk, cocoa powder, and a touch of vanilla. Sweeten to taste, and chill for an avocado pudding.
6. 7. Skip the cream cheese, and use mashed avocado with a squeeze of lemon to accent the creaminess of the smoked salmon.
7. 8.Toss small chunks into chilled pasta with diced pepper and shaved carrot. Finish with your favorite dressing and mix well.
8. 9. Mash a bed of avocado with vinegar dressing and add drained tuna on top.
9. 10. Add a few slices to any patty — beef, salmon, turkey or bean.
10. 11. Mix avocado with black beans, roasted corn, chopped scallions, tomatoes, and seeded jalapeños. Toss with oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.
11. 12. For breakfast, spread on wheat toast, add poached egg and top with diced chives.
12. 13. Sautée diced onion, garlic, and add a hint of cumin. Blend avocados, water, lime, salt, cilantro and room temperature onion mix. Top with poached shrimp and cilantro for a cold soup.
13. 14. Blend avocados with oil, lemon, garlic, shallots, salt and pepper for a creamy salad dressing, (or just mix into an already-prepared favorite).
14. Mash an avocado, then combine with squeeze of lime, and sugar water, then freeze for a sorbet.
15. 15. Simply Slice and eat with your favorite omelette. 

Follow us: @leannem_fitcoach on Instagram |

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3 Yoga Poses to Help You Sleep Like a Baby

Forget your to- do list, worries, and troubles and let your busy day go with these 3 incredibly relaxing yoga poses. Do them right before you climb into bed .... Deep sleep, here you come. 

1. Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose

Sit on the floor with one side of your body grazing wall. Swing legs up against the wall and slowly lower your back and head to the floor, keeping legs straight. Allow your hands to fall out to sides, palms facing up. Breathe deeply, relaxing into the pose. Hold for 1 to 5 minutes.

2. Child's Pose

Kneel on your mat with your big toes touching and knees spread mat-width apart.

Lower torso between knees, bringing your forehead to rest on mat and extending arms. Breathe deeply, holding for up to 1 minute or even longer.

3. Happy Baby Pose

Lie on your mat and pull your knees to your chest.

Place hands on the outsides of your feet, opening knees wider than your torso. Press feet into hands while pulling down on feet, creating resistance. Breathe deeply, holding for up to 1 minute.

That's it! Do these poses before bed nightly for a calm and relaxing pre-sleep routine and you will be drifting off to dreamland before you know it!

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Normal vs. Organic vs. Non- GMO - How to know what to choose!?

This weekend I had the chance to watch a great documentary on GMO's. My husband and I have been into organics for the past, oh, 7 years or so, but hadn't really dived into the whole GMO- Free issues until recently.

Well watching GMO OMG has opened our eyes to how bad GMO's really are for you.

So I did a little shopping and cost comparison as to the difference between buying regular old food, to organic, to non-GMO. The cost difference is NOT that much!!  I would rather see my family eat healthier and live longer lives then feed them the regular "whatever is on sale" items.  We live on a budget, day to day, week to week. We are not rich by any means(besides rich in life and love), but this is important!

(Please excuse any spelling errors above, I forgot to spell check my document!)

To be totally honest - we SAVED $5.00 by going with the Stretch Island Fruit Co. Fruit Leathers vs the Angry Birds Fruit Snacks at Costco! But even if we don't count that (they were on sale) - for my total it was only $2.79 more for my items I compared.  My conclusion : Do I think my families health is worth $2.79? UM Of course!!!  That is a crazy question. Everyone always says Organic/eating clean/finding GMO-Free items is hard on the wallet and such. Well I am here to prove that so wrong. Yes, they may be a few cents more at times, but far healthier in the long run. 

I think I will be taking the GMO-Free/Organics route for a long, long time! 

For Money Saving tips on shopping clean on a budget visit my previous post here: 

Eating Clean and Healthy on a Budget

This information is taken directly from the website from the Movie GMO OMG:  http://www.gmofilm.com/faq.aspx

What is a GMO?

A genetically modified organism (GMO) is an organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques. Genetic modification involves the mutation, insertion, or deletion of genes. Genetically engineered crops are crops that are altered with inserted genetic material to exhibit a desired trait.

How common are GMOs?

The United States is the world leader in genetically engineered crop production, with 165 million acres, or nearly half of global production. Currently in the United States, approximately 85% of all processed foods contain GMOs.

Are GMOs bad for us?

The effects of eating genetically engineered (GE) foods are still largely unknown. The studies that led to the market release of certain genetically modified seeds were conducted by the same companies that manufacture the seeds themselves, and the raw data for these tests have not been released for the public to see. There have been independent, peer-reviewed studies that suggest that there could be harmful effects to human health caused by the use of GMOs and the chemical pesticides and herbicides that go along with them, but again, there has not been enough research done and the jury is still out. Also, without labeling GE foods, we cannot associate any health problems with people who ate them — because we do not know who ate them. Since the FDA has no way to track adverse health effects in people consuming GE foods, and because there is no requirement that food containing GE ingredients be labeled, there is no effective way to gather data on health problems that may be happening.

What are the environmental effects of GMOs?

Genetically engineered (GE) crops usually use more pesticides and herbicides than non-GE crops, and they can easily contaminate organic and non-GE conventional crops with unwanted genetic material. Roundup Ready crops (which are engineered to tolerate application of the weed killer Roundup) are known to increase Roundup (glyphosate) use. Glyphosate has been linked to kidney and reproductive difficulties, allergic reactions and blocking mineral nutrients essential to human health. Now, superweeds and pests like the rootworm that have become resistant to GE-affiliated herbicides like Roundup and pesticides and require many more toxic chemicals to be applied to crops. There are also significant ethical and economic concerns involved with the patenting of living organisms and the rapid spread of GE crops has increased the corporate consolidation of the seed supply.

What is the difference between genetically engineered plants and plants altered through natural hybridization processes?

Plants altered through natural hybridization processes crossbreed plants within the same species. This process can happen naturally through cross pollination, but gardeners, farmers, and horticulturists have created the bulk of modern hybrids, often over the course of many years. The genes of genetically engineered (GE) plants have been altered by the insertion of genes taken from unrelated plant species, animal or bacterium that would not otherwise not occure naturally.

How can I avoid GMOs?

Until there are mandatory GMO labeling laws in place, the only way you can avoid eating GMOs is to eat food labeled as organic and/or food that is labeled as “Non-GMO”. Organic food prohibits the use of genetically modified ingredients in its production, and “non GMO” means that that product, although it may not be organic, does not include genetically modified ingredients.

- See more at: http://www.gmofilm.com/faq.aspx#sthash.ImtnmgDw.dpuf

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Eating Clean and Healthy on a Budget

I get a lot of questions about how you can make clean eating affordable. Today I have a few answers. 

Eating clean can be hard and expensive. However, maintaining a healthy lifestyle actually helps everything in the long run. Less doctor bills, less prescription medication costs. 

If you do away with your daily Starbucks, or fast food meal on the go, you would save SO much money right off the bat. You would be surprised as to what you can get for $50 a week at your local grocery store.

Here are a few tips to help you eat clean and maintain your budget.

1. Get a Rewards Card at your local supermarket

2. Look for coupons in the mail

While couponing is addictive and can be time consuming, the deals are incomparable. - My advice, clip what you KNOW you will use and on the DAY you plan your shopping trip take those ones you want to use. 

3. Plan out your meals for the week

If you plan out what you will eat for the week, once you get to the grocery store it’s easier to get what you need and not be distracted by the countless aisles of processed food.

4. Eat local and in-season

Local produce is usually cheaper than purely organic because it requires less money and gas to transport, while in-season produce just makes more sense…who wants to eat something that couldn't naturally be growing during a certain time of year?

5. Organic does NOT mean better

 

The USDA bylaws for what is considered organic are unclear and unregulated. Fruits like bananas, oranges, grapefruit... anything with a harder peel, especially do not need to be organic. Save your money and just go with fruits and vegetables over processed garbage, regardless if they are organic or not. 

6. Avoid packaged or pre-made foods

These foods are often almost double the price of what it would cost to make in your own kitchen and oftentimes have high sodium content.

7. Always eat your leftovers

When you throw away food, you are throwing away money. Think about that!

Here is a typical daily meal plan that is easy to stick to and has many health benefits while also being affordable: 

Breakfast:

½ cup of oatmeal with 1 cup of milk and a handful of frozen berries

3 egg omelet 

Morning Snack:

1 apple, 2 tablespoons of almond butter

Lunch:

Shakeology (at only 4/serving, this is less than the cost of any fast food lunch even a packaged salad from a grocery store. 

2 hard boiled eggs; salad with greens and tomatoes; 

Afternoon Snack:

½ bell pepper/ 1/2 cucumber / mini peppers + 1 tablespoon of hummus

Dinner:

1 Chicken or Turkey Breast (4-6 oz.), 1 cup of a green or brightly colored vegetable (these are often cheaper if frozen), and a 1/4 cup quinoa

While this meal plan may seem boring, it is economical, healthy, and can be tailored to your liking by adding spices, fresh garlic, or fresh citrus for flavor.

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