Initially I titled this blog Eaglesgirl's Nest. However, whether you're a fan of the Philadelphia Eagles (like me) or not...if you're looking for a way to get FIT...if you think you CAN'T (or someone has told you that you'll NEVER be able to) accomplish a goal, you've come to the right place. Let me help you reach the endzone...together, we'll celebrate...and I promise not to fine you when you do your victory dance!!
Chocolate Strawberry Oatmeal Protein Pancakes Serving size is ONE pancake: 245 calories / 4 g fat / 21 g carbs / 26 g protein
2 cups strawberries sliced 5 scoops GNC Pro Performance 100% Whey Chocolate Protein Shake 1 cup Quaker Oats Oatmeal 1 1/2 cups All Whites 100% Liquid Egg Whites
Mix all of the above ingredients into a large bowl. It will look gross (yep, that's it in the picture below...mmmmm).
Spray pan and turn heat to medium-low (4). Add a heaping 1/4 cup scoop into the pan and spread it out into a pancake shape. It won't take a long time to cook, so keep an eye on it. When the bottom looks cooked, flip it over (sorry, I don't have an exact amount of time).
When the bottom looks fully cooked, remove it from the pan. This recipe makes 5 pancakes. I store them in Ziploc bags and reheat them for one minute in the microwave. You will need to drink water or some liquid with them because they are dry. I personally like them because it's balanced well as a snack for me!
Without a doubt in my mind, you would! And if the movie or restaurant was terrible, you'd make sure I knew that too! Well, did you know that I reversed THREE medical conditions I had?!? Why am I passionate about Beachbody? Why do I recommend programs/supplements without reservation? I hope you'll take the time to find out. Let me warn you, this is LONG, but I'm pouring my heart and soul into it to show you WHERE I cam from and hope to inspire you to make changes yourself...this company saved my life...it might save YOUR life too!!
Okay, so you may be thinking, "Of course I know WHY you love Beachbody...you lost over 50 lbs doing workouts in your house...I've heard you say that before...I get it!"
But there's MORE to that story. First of all, the weight you've seen disappear (and stay gone) on the outside doesn't even COMPARE with the confidence and self-esteem I've GAINED on the inside. But did you know about the THREE different medical conditions I had that are either gone or have reversed themselves?
Probably the MOST troublesome one for me was the IBS I was dealing with. For those of you who have not heard about it, IBS is irritable bowel syndrome. I'm pretty sure that's the diagnosis they give when they KNOW something is wrong, but they just don't know what it is. For me, it started in my 20s. There were foods I couldn't eat or places I couldn't go without fear of not being able to make it to a restroom in time (and embarrassing as it is to admit, there were a handful of times when I COULDN'T). Outback Steakhouse STILL has me worried...that's right, I literally CAN NOT make it out of their restaurant without NEEDING the bathroom 2-3 times. I've even gone so far as to ask for a salad with grilled chicken...bland...no spices and I STILL get sick to my stomach. I've carried Immodium AD on me for as long as I can remember. I've had a barium enema, an endoscopy, and even colonoscopy done (they knocked me out to do the latter two, and I woke up in the middle of it...not a good feeling). The doctor thought I had Crohn's Disease and treated my symptoms the same way (even though the diagnosis was IBS). Basically, I was to take loperamide (Immodium), some funny looking blue pill to relax the muscles, and was told to monitor my diet. Well, it doesn't take a genius to figure out that our healthcare system doesn't cover many "extra" things (even with the high premiums we pay for insurance), so paying for these funny blue pills became difficult because of the cost. Instead, I opted to just use the Immodium when I needed it.
Aside from the IBS (which was the biggest pain in the butt to me...literally and figuratively), I have a congenital heart murmur. When I was heavier, I began having chest pain more and more frequently. At one point, it bothered me so much that I ended up seeing a cardiologist. He told me that my heart murmur was pronounced (easily heard). After running tests (chest x-ray, EKG, and echocardiogram), it was determined that I had MVP. Yeah, in my mind I was the most valuable player...in the cardiology world, I had mitral valve prolapse. This meant that the valve that separates the upper and lower chambers on the left side didn't close properly. The doctor's suggestion was to start exercising and watching what I ate. I listened...for about a month.
Because I wasn't exercising, and I wasn't watching what I ate (other than to watch it enter my mouth), I continued to gain weight. Then, when I tried to lose weight...I was attempting to exercising, I was having a HARD time...nothing seemed to help...eating right wasn't working...exercising wasn't working...something was wrong!!! I was getting depressed and seemed tired all of the time. My primary care physician was concerned enough that he sent me to an endocrinologist. HUH?!? That's a DIABETES doctor...I don't have diabetes!!! Well, blood tests were done and the results weren't favorable...he told me I was borderline for having hypothyroidism (which could have been affecting the above two mentioned conditions which is why when people tell me they have trouble losing weight, one of my first suggestions is to go to the doctor and have their thyroid levels tested) and I'd be required to go on medication for the rest of my life if it didn't improve. Add to that nodules and a goiter he discovered. "Don't worry, thyroid cancer is the BEST one to get," he assured me. WHAT?!? Did he just say CANCER?!? I'm at a diabetes doctor talking about hypo something or other and cancer...really?!? I was beyond baffled. This doctor also told me that I needed to watch my diet, lose weight, blah blah blah.
You'd think that with THREE doctors making suggestions about nutrition and exercise that something would knock some sense into me, and I'd take care of it. NOPE...the thing is, I didn't know where to turn. I was too embarrassed to go into a gym (I had little to no self-esteem/confidence), I had been eating improperly for so long that I didn't know WHAT healthy meant anymore, and making changes is just plain scary.
It wasn't until I moved away from family and friends, and finally left my ex-husband, that I decided *I* NEEDED to do this FOR MY SON. I knew that there were some things in life you have no control over (like a car accident that claims a life), but I knew there WERE some things that I most certainly DID have control over. It was time for me to step up, make changes, and get healthy so that I COULD see my son graduate from high school and college, get married, have children of his own, and so on.
So, while unpacking the FEW things I owned (I started my life over...basically with nothing to my name), I came across a Power90 DVD I purchased back in 2005. What the heck?!? I popped it into the DVD player and just did what Tony Horton told me to do. It WASN'T easy at first, but I made the modifications he suggested: don't jump, take steps instead...don't touch the floor, only touch your knee or shin, etc. Little by little, I improved and before long, I had dropped weight. I still wasn't monitoring my eating at that point. Sad that I only had one disk (it came with more, but I only had one and couldn't get the stuff back), I started using the gym at my clubhouse. Again, this was helping, but I hit a plateau...it didn't matter how much I worked out, nothing else was changing.
Knowing that I enjoyed the Power90 DVDs (they were simple enough to follow and I was seeing results), I decided that I would go online and reorder the full set. While there, I noticed another program that I had heard about previously...Slim in 6. There was P90X and Turbo Jam and Hip Hop Abs...WOW, I thought...I had SEEN these programs on infomercials. I didn't realize they were all part of the same company.
I thought long and hard about 90 days and 6 weeks, and decided to go with the Slim in 6 because I figured it was only 6 weeks...something I could COMMIT to and SUCCEED at!! I also bought the Hip Hop Abs because it looked like fun! LOL While doing Slim in 6, I began seeing results and started to monitor my food choices on the free site My Fitness Pal () which is a free site that gives you little red and green numbers to show you if you're in your range for the day on nutrition. I didn't know much, so I tried to stay within the calories and eat low fat food. I saw results, but if I knew THEN what I know NOW, I bet my results would have been even MORE drastic!!
After losing weight and inches (these made MORE of a difference than the pounds), I needed new clothes, and I was a believer. THIS was a company that was showing people a way...they just had to SEE it!!! I became a coach at that point to save myself some money (coaches save 25%) and figured if I wanted to reach my GOAL weight, it will FORCE me to hold myself accountable (you know how sometimes a TITLE will do that to you, right?). From there it was all history...as a coach, we get a special offer to get a Showcase pack (P90X, Slim in 6, Hip Hop Abs, Turbo Jam, Power90, & Yoga Booty Ballet) for only $199...it was worth it for the P90X alone in my mind, and yeah, I had doubles of programs, but then I could share them with others!!
I've used P90X, Insanity, Turbo Jam, ChaLEAN Extreme, Power90, Hip Hop Abs, and Slim in 6. I *KNOW* first hand the products work, but the saving the life part may seem EXTREME for me to claim. Well, by adding in Shakeology, I NO LONGER have IBS issues...that's right NONE (okay, I have them on occasion, but ONLY when I'm OUT of Shakeology, so being on HOME DIRECT where it's shipped monthly helps with that). I also STOPPED taking vitamins. Yeah, the money I was paying for vitamins is going towards my Shakeology supply. This stuff single handedly is a miracle drink to me. It corrected my stomach issues, gives me energy, and helped me lose weight. I've got customers who have shared that's it's lowered their cholesterol too (stumping their doctors even). I don't worry about what to eat for breakfast...it's my meal of choice and only $3 per meal at that (as a coach, saving 25% and no shipping cost if on home direct). I also can't remember the last time I took Immodium AD...now, I seem to carry it in case someone else needs it.
My cardiologist compliments me on my excellent condition and he too is using Beachbody programs/supplements (One-on-One, P90X, Insanity, & Shakeology)...makes you wonder when DOCTORS are using it. The best part about my annual visits to him are that my heart doesn't seem to have any issues. In fact, he tells me that my heart murmur can't be heard and the mitral valve prolapse can't be seen!
Finally, and this also blew me away, the hypothyroidism issue is a thing of the past. By learning how to eat properly and exercising, not only did my numbers improve, it helped to reverse the problem. That's right, in the process, I must have fixed my metabolism and retaught it how to process foods. Now, it's gone to the other extreme...it's sped up, and I LOVE to eat...I eat ALL of the time...I just know HOW to eat!!!
As you can see, when something makes an impression on you, you don't think twice about sharing the information with family/friends. Beachbody has changed my life on so many levels. If you're looking for help, and you don't know where to start, PLEASE consider this my hand reaching out to you and GRAB ON!!! Let me know what I can do to help. If you're READY to make a change and know the program you're looking for, go to and order through my website and I'll be assigned as your free coach to help you with questions related to workouts or nutrition (if you've already ordered through Beachbody, then a coach as been assigned to you, so he/she should be able to assist you or if you haven't had contact with him/her, you can switch to my team).
My goal is to simply pay it forward...Beachbody has created the means...now it's up to you to make it happen...it CAN be done...and I HIGHLY recommend jumping aboard!!!
So, I've decided to start a Monday Munchies post! Every Monday, I'll post something that I've made, something I'd like to try, or something that I think is a good option to eat. The meals are NOT going to include foods just on the top two tiers of Michi's Ladder because I reached my goal, and the meals tend to be low-fat and I watch the carb content and try to add protein. Since lots of people seem to struggle with this, I hope this is useful.
Lots of people who have seen me eat this meal have said that it not only LOOKS good, but it SMELLS delicious too! The added bonus is that my son likes it too!! :)
Chicken & Broccoli Yum with brown rice 335 calories / 4 g fat / 38 g carbs / 41 g protein
1 package Tyson Trimmed & Ready Boneless Chicken Breasts (I think it's more than a pound, but not the oversized one) 1 package of Kraft fat free mozzarella (I think it's about 2 cups) 1 can 98% fat free Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup 1 bunch of broccoli Success Brown Rice - Boil in a bag
Spray a 2 qt Pyrex dish. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Put the chicken in the oven and bake until fully cooked (turn after 15 minutes). After turning, make the soup in a pan. When chicken is fully cooked, take it out and cut it into smaller pieces in the dish. Pour the soup on top. Wash the broccoli, cut it into smaller pieces, and toss them onto the chicken/soup mixture. Spread the mozzarella cheese on top and bake until melted. Make the brown rice after the cheese has been added. Cut the chicken/broccoli into 6 servings. Add one serving to 3/4 cup of brown rice.
Recently, a good friend asked me to help him out. You see, his plan is to use the P90X program and he WOULD LIKE to stick with the nutrition, so I told him what I tell ALL of my customers...PLAN OUT YOUR MEALS (I suggest doing it on the weekend for the next week). That's right, a little bit of planning goes a LONG way!! I pack up my food the night before and when I go to work, I've claimed an entire drawer for my stuff in the refrigerator. Don't believe me?!? Ask any of my co-workers...they'll tell you it's true!! I have told them they're welcome to eat anything if they get hungry and don't have a snack or money for the vending machine.
I try to cook as often as I can so that I KNOW the amount of calories and grams of protein, carbohydrates, and fat I'm consuming. What's the best way to do this? Eat the same things over and over and over...you get the picture, right? If something works, and you enjoy it, why mess with it!!
So my FIRST suggestion is to plan out your meals. Eat every 2-3 hours (set an alert on your cell phone as a reminder). Make sure you're eating 5 meals per day. Identify your caloric needs based on your goal and the program/exercise you're doing. Divide that number by 4. That number will tell you approximately how many calories to have for your three main meals. Take the fourth amount and divide it in half. That's how many calories you should be eating for your snacks. If you need to know how many calories to consume, join my team at www.malwo.com and click on the link to become a member (choose club or free membership) and I'm happy to work with you to figure out what you need.
Make sure to have things you like that are SAFE and get rid of the junk. Otherwise, you'll be tempted to eat poorly when hunger strikes. For instance, I drink a chocolate Shakeology for breakfast. It gives me my vitamins, is like eating 5 servings of veggies, gives me energy...honestly, I can't say enough positives about it. I truly love the stuff!! Sometimes, I'll also eat a banana or will add natural peanut butter to the shake. Now, one time, I was stuck on the road because of a traffic accident. There was no way to get off of the road, BUT in my car, I had a shaker cup, some water, and a Shakeology packet. Not only did it hit the spot, since it's a meal replacement, I wasn't hungry when the cars finally did start moving and I wasn't tempted to pull over at McDonalds.
For snacks, I'll eat lowfat cottage cheese and turkey slices, ostrich jerky, low-carb protein bars, a Shakeology shake, or homemade oatmeal protein pancakes (to name a few). For my lunch, it's usually leftover dinner (tomorrow will be spaghetti and meatballs for me). My dinners are typically higher protein and lower in carb. For instance if I had a low-fat chicken parmesan, I'll only take 1/2 c. of whole grain pasta instead of the full cup serving. These meals are delicious for lunch the next day. I'll probably start a Monday Munchies blog...be on the lookout.
Here's the thing...my friend had a problem with all of this. You see, while he knows that all I have suggested will work best, he's on the road quite a bit, and he needs options while on the go! So, I told him I'd come up with some ideas to share. Hopefully, you'll find them useful too. Most restaurants today have their healthy options marked with an apple, a star, or something. If you know where you're going ahead of time, look at the menu online. Many of them will also list the nutritional information, but you might have to search a little for it. When out at a restaurant, stick with the following:
1. Choose chicken or fish over beef. 2. Stay away fried food...even if it's chicken or fish!! 3. Choose veggies or a salad as your side dish (fruit if you must but it will increase your carbohydrate amount quite a bit). If it's not given as an option, ASK!! Most places are willing to accommodate...I think we can thank Meg Ryan's performance in When Harry Met Sally for that! Pasta? Avoid cream sauces and just eat half your portion. 4. Don't eat the bread...it's okay to say NO THANK YOU and have them remove it from the table. If you're getting a sandwich, ask for whole wheat (and for the record, a wrap sometimes adds more carbs than regular bread, so be careful). 5. If you choose a salad, get the dressing on the side. DIP your fork into it for flavor, but do not pour it on top of your greens!
Well, this is great you say, but what if you're in a rush. You need ideas for FAST FOOD options that won't cause you to negate all of your effort with your workout program. Follow the rules from above for restaurants and stay away from the fried foods, desserts, and cheese. Eat grilled chicken or salad when you can, but don't bathe your lettuce in dressing. Find a fast food restaurant menu online for local place. PREPARE/PLAN ahead of time. Make a list of the foods YOU like to eat that are lower in fat, not too high in carbs, and have plenty of protein.
Easy enough, here are some ideas (the numbers represent Calories/Fat(g)/Protein(g)/Carbs(g):
McDonald's®
Chicken McGrill w/o mayo 340/7/26/45 (get rid of the bun & those carbs are gone too) Hamburger 250/9/12/31 (eat it with 1/2 the bun and get rid of about 1/2 the carbs) Premium Southwest Salad with Grilled Chicken 320/9/30/30 Egg McMuffin® 300/12/30/18 (eat only 1/2 of the English muffin to cut carbs or eliminate the cheese to lower the fat)
Wendy's®
Apple Pecan Chicken Salad 350/12/29/37 (VERY high in sodium though) Small Chili 220/7/22/18 Jr. Hamburger 230/8/26/12 (same as hamburger above) Ultimate Chicken Grill Sandwich 370/7/42/34 (high in sodium...lower the carbs without the bun)
Wherever you end up eating on the go, be smart, eat properly. You KNOW what you should/should not eat. If you want results, choose the healthier options, but be careful not to eat too many carbs! So many places today have healthier options. If you can stop at a Panera, Atlanta Bread Company, Jason's Deli, or Einstein's Bros Bagels, you should be able to find something that will be prepared fast, and SHOULD be healthier than MOST fast food placed. Any questions?!? Ask away...
