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. 

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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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Shakeology - The truth about the cost and how I afford it & Being a Shakeo Lifer

So if you follow my blog you know I am a Beachbody Coach. You know I love health, fitness, the outdoors, Crested Butte, my Shakeology, and most importantly my family. I coach because I want to make a better life all around for my family. That started with going on Shakeology and getting healthy to set the best example I could for my 5 year old son and my husband. We started drinking our shakes on Oct 30th 2014 (WE DIDN'T TOUCH ANY HALLOWEEN CANDY LAST YEAR!) We shared our first bag as I became a coach and ordered my Turbofire Challenge Pack. Our 30 day supply lasted us about 16 days straight since we were both drinking it. I kept telling Corey {my husband} that he had to order our next bag. Over and over I told him. Day 6- I told him. Day 10 - I told him.... but he procrastinated and day 16 rolled around and he had not ordered. So on the day we ran out I ordered our next bag. Now I tell everyone I learned from this experience: If any of my customers wonder if Shakeology really has the benefits and effects that it claims - Go off of it for a few days after being on it.  We were both sluggish, tired, and craved sweets again. I learned that yes - it truly makes a difference in how I feel on a day to day basis along with keeping me satisfied and my weight down at a steady 115 lbs since Feb 25th.  (I lost a total of about 32 lbs on Shakeo and while doing Turbofire + clean eating. Cor and I both also won the Beachbody Challenge and $500.00 each for winning!!!)  So I knew early on that I not only wanted to carry on this healthy lifestyle, this was not a diet, this was a lifestyle change - but I also wanted to do it with Shakeology.
I am not going to lie - Shakeology is not cheap. It retails for $130.  About $4.00 a day. So I had to figure out a way to afford it. Becoming a coach was my first step. So now I pay $115 for it.

Ok, great so now I save $15 - but there had to be more ways, as a coach, to lower the cost. So I talked to my coach. It was easy - All I had to do was to help people get healthy in the way I had found and truly coach them. (I haven't paid for a bag of Shakeology in 10 months - and I get two bags a month). My commissions for helping others pay for my shakes and can do the same for anyone else with the heart to help.

Now to really break down the cost of Shakeology - I will break it down while making my favorite shake:

Indgredients: 1 medium banana ; 1 tbsp. of natural pb;  1/2 cup almond milk

Monthly Cost: Almond milk - 7.76
                        Natural PB - 1/2 container per month 2.33
                        Bananas - 5.20
                        Shakeology - 115.00 
                        Total =   $4.34 per day

** Non coach price = $5.10 per day **

 

So I am a Shakeology lifer. It makes me feel great. Seriously curbs my sweet cravings and I use it as a complete meal replacement for lunch - which in the long run saves me money!! Plus I get to coach people to a healthier lifestyle and in my world there is nothing better than helping others get healthy and fit!

 

 

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Do You Ever Have One of Those Days?

Oh My GOSH!

Today was one of those days. 

Busy to the max. Stressful. Fulfilling. Challenging. Rewarding.

The day started with happy tears. I got to announce one of my best friends as she rank advanced as an Emerald coach. 

As soon as I posted her rank advancement - I immediately teared up. I am so proud of her! 

Then the frustration of working a full - time job set in: Today was Brody's first field trip ever. To the pumpkin patch. Growing up I have this picture: Me in Kindergarten at the pumpkin patch. My parents were chaperons on that field trip. Hence the reason I have that photo and the memory.  Since the day Brody started Kindergarten I envisioned going with him on his first field trip. I found out last week that because of my work schedule, the only day I could not change in the month of October, was the day of his field trip. 

He wanted me to go so badly. This is his "I'll just have to go with my teacher Miss D. then" look. 

Breaks my heart. 

I vow to him - from 1st grade on, I will never ever miss a field trip with him again. 

I promise him, a job will never get in the way of me spending time with him again. 

Sacrifices now = happy fulfilling life later. - This is my current mantra.

His bus was 10 minutes late picking them up this morning which threw off my schedule for the day and if that weren't bad enough as he was getting on the bus I noticed that he was not carrying his lunch bag - So there I was: crazy mom running out of the car yelling for the bus to stop rolling away because my son boarded while leaving his lunch in the park. 

Oye! 

Then I got to do something today that was really exciting!! My first PiYo Live class! LOVED teaching. Wearing the mic, in front of a class: what an experience. I had a blast and although they said it was tough, my class members said they loved it too! (I am SO SORE!!  Maybe practicing release 33 2 times a day since Tuesday was not the smartest thing to do prior to teaching a class! haha!) 

I ended the day with a call with 2 of my teammates and no matter what that always lifts up my spirits and then there's this: 

All in all I can't complain. A day can start rough, but as long as you are positive you'll get through it. 

How do you push through a tough day?!  

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The Why That Makes You Cry...

... It is a saying often heard from Beachbody Coaches. We say it to our customers and we say it to ourselves. Find a "why" that makes you cry. Whether it be to help a customer push play to get rid of medications or to help one of your coaches on your team make that push to help someone - we say it all the time. I have thought about this post for weeks now - how to say it- write it- explain it, wondering what people will think, but the truth is this is MY WHY and I don't have to worry about what other people think. So here goes. People wonder all the time why I am a Beachbody Coach. Why I push others to get healthy and fit and feel good. Why I do what I do. The reality of the situation is that there are a few for me but my "why" really didn't make me cry until this past Monday.  One of my reasons for coaching is so we as a family could re-locate to a tiny little ski town on the Western Slope in CO. A job became available for my husband Corey - a job that NEVER becomes available. Full-time year round work for the resort. The bummer of the situation: I have a really great paying job, we have a year lease on our house still, and Brody is in the middle of his school year. We realized that this was a once in a lifetime opportunity for Corey, so we took it. I say we because from day one of applying for the job, to the interview, to condo hunting in Crested Butte - we had to be a team.  This means that Corey now lives and works 4 hours away from us. 

Brody and I are sad. We knew it would be hard to leave- and we knew it would be a sacrifice for 9-12 months. In the end it will mean a better life for Brody. It will mean a graduating class of 60 kids instead of 900.  It will mean he grows up in a town where kids still can go outside and play in a safe environment. It means he can ski his little heart out. 

He wants to ski in the Olympics - Big goals for a 5 year old.

This means that I have thrown all caution to the wind and have committed to increasing my team by next year. Becoming a 2-star diamond coach.

As we drove away from Corey leaving him standing there on the steps of his condo, I held it together. Then Brody started crying "Daddy is my first and favorite friend". And for the first time my why made me cry. I need to re-unite my family in our favorite place ever. 

For now, I want to coach to earn enough income to supplement what part of my salary I will loose by taking a job in a small town.... In the future: 

I never want to miss another field trip of Brody's again because of work. 

I want to volunteer in his school. 

I want to open up a PiYo Studio. 

I want to HELP as many people as I can get healthy and strong. Go off of medications because they have changed their life. I want to help the coaches on my team get to financial freedom. I want to help one of my coaches who's job is crushing her spirits to become a full time SAHM. I want to help another mom help pay for her child's physical therapy bills. I want to help a woman supplement their family income so her husband does not have to work so hard..... the list goes on and on. 

So that is my big why. That is why I post daily about my passion for Beachbody and helping others. 

What is your Why?

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