1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or any milk of your preference)
Lots of ice!!
Blend and enjoy! Just beware – it tastes like ice cream and may be consumed in its entirety by your children 🙂
Colt was so happy to hit the buttons on the blender…just listening to the noise made him happy. But once he tried it he wasn’t not stopping until it was gone! Luckily mommy was a good sharer!
Get your next month’s worth of daily, dense nutrition delivered right to your doorstep by clicking HERE.
Not quite sure if you’re ready for a full month – but still want to give it a try? Try the 4-flavor sampler pack!Â
If you’d like more info about Shakeology, clean eating, and my health and fitness accountability groups fill out the application below!
I am new to the quinoa world but so far I am loving it!!! To me, it has a similar taste as rice but its better for you! Can’t complain about a little extra protein!!
My sister was visiting a few weeks ago and made the most AMAZING quinoa salad. It is served cold which is perfect for these summer days and the perfect side that can be prepped ahead and taken to picnics! Now, she’s not one to measure so I had to play around a bit and I left out the cucumbers when I made it to please my amazing hubby but its still pretty good! Oh and just as I went to finish up I realized that I had cilantro and not basil but it still turned out pretty good!!! I have a good bit of left overs and a trip to the store planned today – so I’ll be grabbing the basil to spice it up a bit.Â
Qunioa Salad
1 pound Quinoa
20 grape tomatoes, chopped
1 medium cucumber, chopped (optional)
1/4 pound jack cheese, shreddedÂ
2 TBS balsamic vinegar
1 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Basil to taste
Directions:
Make quinoa according to package directions and chill in fridge for at least two hours. Combine all ingredients above and serve!
Prepping the cold quinoa salad
Prepping the cold quinoa salad
We’re big fans of turkey burgers so  our dinner included the quinoa salad, turkey burgers, and steamed veggies.Â
My ideal dinner
And luckily this recipe makes a lot…so we had it again the following night with some crockpot chicken and grilled veggies. This time I added in the chopped cucumbers – loved the additional crunch!
Dinner is served
Interested in learning more about clean eating? Join one of my upcoming support and accountability groups!
PiYo is Chalene Johnson’s latest masterpiece! Wondering if this program is right for you? YES, YES, YES!!!! It is a high intensity, low impact home workout program that guarantees great results without all the jumping around, weights, and strain on your joints! And all moves can be modified to fit any fitness level! You use your own body weight to sculpt your body inspired by Pilates and yoga moves.
How long are the PiYOÂ workouts?Â
The lengths vary from 20-60 minutes each and include:
What type of results can you expect with PiYO?
The PiYO program is going to give you long, lean, muscles…a high, firm booty…and tight, flat, sexy abs. What’s not to love about that combination?!?! It works every single muscle to stabilize, stretch, and strengthen your body from top to bottom. And since Chalene Johnson cranked up the speed and the fun, crazy calories will be burned too!
I was lucky enough to get my hands on a copy of this when it was released last week and I couldn’t wait to get started.
This workout program is so different from the previous ones I’ve been doing. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen awesome results with both T25 and the 21-day fix but it was time for something different. And I am loving the low impact aspect of this program. Here’s a recap of week 1:
Day 1: The fundamentals
This workout takes you through all the basic moves and really focuses on the proper alignment which will maximize your results. I do yoga periodically and thought I knew what I was doing but this was a huge eye opener and very valuable!
Day 2: Define Lower Body
Take all those moves you learned on day 1 and put them to use! The workout was only 20 minutes but I felt the results of every second of those 20 minutes the next morning – holy cow!
Week 1 Day 1
Day 3: Define Upper Body
Ok – so I realize this pic says lower body, but I swear it was the Upper Body workout! Holy moly – tricep push ups are not easy!!!! This is going to take some getting used to!! But, I’m up for the change and challenge!
Week 1 Day 3
Day 4: SWEAT
I woke up to some sore arms which was awesome!!! And  let’s be honest…the people naming this workout know what they’re doing. You will sweat in this workout.
DISCLAIMER Â – the headstand has absolutely NOTHING to do with this workout. Other than the fact that I was feeling adventurous and the yoga mat was right there so I figured why not!
PIYO Week 1 Day 4
Day 5: Rest day
This is something I’m struggling with because I LOVE working out, but I’m trying to follow the plan and today was rest day – so I did just that!
Day 6: SUPER SATURDAY group PiYO workout
My PiYO workout was enjoyed with about 400 fellow beachbody coaches at our quarterly Super Saturday event. Perhaps it was the pre-PiYO insantity workout I did but I was covered in sweat and exhausted by the time this was over.
PIYO Week 1 Day 6 – Super Saturday
Day 7: Define: Upper Body
After one week of PiYO I decided it was time to capture my flexibility. I wish I would have done this on Day 1 but better late than never right?!?! I am pretty much at my goal weight so I’m not looking to lose much weight during these 60 days but I am hoping to gain some strength and flexibility. Here’s to seeing where we are in the next few months!!
Week 1 Day 7
Do you think this is something that you would be interested in?
If you have that mindset that a salad has to be bland and boring you’re not eating the right salad! I try to keep lots of fruits and veggies on hand and ready to throw into a salad so I have no excuse for making poor meal choices!
I used to love getting the strawberry poppyseed salad from Panera…it was full of fruit and so refreshing but I later realized that it wasn’t all that “healthy”. The dressing wasn’t clean and there weren’t many “vegetables” on it. But I loved the idea of fruit on my salad! So I started making my own. And I actually found that when I have fruit on my salad I don’t even need to add dressing which is just an added bonus. Give it a try! You may just like it!!!
The chicken that I put on my salad today was just a mixture of 1 TBS olive oil, 1 TBS lemon juice with a tsp of Italian seasoning. It was light and juicy and the perfect addition to a filling salad!Â
Ingredients:
1.5 cups fresh baby spinach
3 oz of grilled chicken
1/4 medium red bell pepper, sliced
6 grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 of a medium avocado, chunked
2 strawberries, chopped
4 pieces of pineapple, chopped
I also like to add hard boiled eggs and blueberries but I was working with what I had on hand today!
Switch things up and see if you can find a new way to eat clean and get lean all while eating delicious food!
If you’d like to get more info about clean eating and meal plans join my next challenge group!
Whew – so its Friday. I’ve been home since Sunday and I am FINALLY feeling like I’ve caught up on life!
So for those of you who follow me on facebook know I spent an amazing 4 days in Las Vegas last week for Beachbody’s annual COACH SUMMIT. But, those of you who don’t may be thinking, what the heck is SuMmIt?!?
Here’s a little recap of how it all went down:
I’ve been a team beachbody coach for 4 months. And shortly after making the decision to be a coach I started seeing and hearing all this talk about Summit and how if you go to Summit it will change your business. Now, when I first signed up to coach, I just wanted the sweet discount on the Shakeology. However within days I started thinking about the business opportunity and after talking to my family and friends about how much my life has changed I started to get the feeling there was something more than just a sweet discount. I knew that if I wanted to take this to the next level I had to commit.
Through the help of my amazing mother in law, my plane ticket was booked (using miles – SCORE!). Through the help of my amazing coach I found a roomie for the week (DOUBLE SCORE! She’s freaking amazing!!!). And thanks to my hard work and dedication to helping others during my first 3 months as a coach I SCORED my own free ticket.
Watch out Vegas, here I come!
All my bags are packed I’m ready to go….
I was a little worried about how I was going to stay on track with my eating (without spending a small fortune on healthy foods while I was gone) but I actually surprised myself. I packed lots of snacks (Shakeology packets, Luna bars, oatmeal packaged into little baggies, and almonds)Â and I even asked a barista at Starbucks to blend my Shakeology – and she did – without a second thought!!!
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Yogurt fruit bowl before leaving home, luna bar on the run, green tea and an egg for a quick snack, and a little shakeo blended by my friends at Starbucks
The traveling was happily uneventful. And so was done 1. I arrived in Vegas, cabbed it to the airport and finally got to meet my amazing roomie, Alisha. Its a little scary knowing you’re about to spend 4 days with someone you’ve never met and really never talked to but I couldn’t have been more thankful! We had so much in common and no trouble gabbing about anything and everything. She made the trip that much more enjoyable!
We got checked in, grabbed a bite for dinner (which at this point its 6:00PM – 9:00 my time – talk about STARVING!) and headed out to see some sights. This was my second time to Vegas but I just had to see the water show at the Bellagio! I was actually sitting next to a guy on the plane who helped design the show (and many others similar to it around the world) so I had to see it one more time – and just as amazing!
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Bellagio water show
Ok – so back to the trip!!!
We were up bright and early Thursday morning to get in line at the CORE for some hot new gear.
The launch of PiYO has been the talk of the event!!!!
So pumped for Chalene’s PIYO launch!
The morning was spent at the Bombshell Dynasty’s SHINE presentation…talk about inspiration!!!! We listened to top coaches share their stories about how they got to where they are today. We heard from celebrity trainers, new product launches and had a chance to hear about personal experiences with how joining a challenge group and following a journey to clean eating healthy life has transformed people’s lives. It was REMARKABLE! At one point I just had to sit back and take a look. This company was built on a foundation of helping others. Helping others lead a healthier, happier, more fulfilling life! And I get to be a part of it!
After our general sessions wrapped up we were able to score the new PiYO workout program and then got all ready for the night!!!
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One of the first people to have the PiYO DVDs in hand!!!
Then the night closed down with the Sequins and Studs event. I loved being able to meet some new faces and spend some time with my incredible Beachbody family!
Friday morning kicked off with a FRONT row T25 workout with some of my girls and SHAUN T. He touched my back as he walked through the crowds, I was a bit starstruck!
We had another general session featuring key note speaker Darren Hardy, a few tips from the top notch coaches during the afternoon training workshops and a photo op with a few of my favorite trainers ❤
Saturday came faster than I could ever imagine – and kicked off with a bang! We got started with Super Saturday just before 6:00am. Being surrounded by 9000 coaches and all the trainers sent the endorphins sky high! I’ve been rocking 30 minute daily workouts and this hour plus was tough, not to mention the Vegas heat but so worth it! Awesome time!!!!
The last keynote speaker was Diana Nyad. Sure, I heard about her. She swam a really far distance and did something no one else had done. Congrats right?!?! No – it was so much more than that!!! I can’t even put it into words. All I can do is recommend you hear her story. Talk about supporting the theme of the week – NEVER GIVE UP!
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The night came to a close with one last general session featuring the 2014 Beachbody Challenge contest winners. So many people overcome huge challenges in their lives to reach their health and fitness goals but these 8 semi-finalists had stories to top the lists!!!
I can’t even begin to count how many times I cried throughout these 4 days. I was filled with goosebumps on so many occasions and had a heart overflowing with thankfulness. Thankful to be where I am in my own journey, thankful to see the journey ahead and have the support of my coach, my family and my friends and thankful to be given the opportunity to help others do the same.
Summit ticket 2015 is purchases – Nashville, get ready!
This Summit experience was far more than I could have ever imagined. I was motivated and inspired countless times and I really had the opportunity to see myself and my life in a new light. Watching and listening to the success stories all around me was incredible and I am so ready to take what I’ve learned and bring it back to my teammates and my coaches so they too can feel what I’m feeling and be motivated to reach their goals!
If you have thought of becoming a health and fitness coach and love helping others while bringing home an income for your family, please fill out my coach application for a spot in my next coach basics training where you learn how to grow a successful business with my team!
If the word “Cleanse” scares you and makes you want to run away, grab my hand because I’m right there wtih you – well until now.
I’ll be honest, I have never tried a cleanse although I’ve considered it here and there. But when I heard about this at our annual Coach Summit last week in Vegas and had an opportunity to talk to one of the creator’s of this amazing product (Isabelle Daikeler) I knew that it was something I had to try! Her passion was an inspiration itself as she shared the research and testing that went into creating this amazing product. The testimonials from the test group proved this to be a cleanse like none other. People were feeling amazing and seeing great results.
3 Day refresh – talking with the Dieklers
So now it is time to face my fears and give it a try and I would love for you to join me!
What is the Refresh: The 3- Day Refresh consists of 3 daily shakes, a fiber drink, plenty of filtered water, plus a wide variety of fresh fruits, veggies, and healthy fats though out the day to keep fueling your body and increasing your metabolism.
What you will eat and drink during the 3- Day Refresh: 1. Wake up- Drink 8-12 oz filtered water
2. Breakfast (within an hour of waking up)- Shakeology + fruit (from the list provided)
*Option for Green Tea – I prefer Iced Green tea and buy it in bulk online
3. Mid-morning- FIBER SWEEP (digestive health drink)
4. Lunch- Vanilla FRESH (high protein, hunger-satisfying shake) + options from the fruit, veggie, and healthy fat list
5. Afternoon snack- From the fruit, veggie, or juice option list
*Option for Green Tea
6. Dinner- Vanilla FRESH + a meal from dinner recipe list
*Option for Green Tea
What is the Vanilla FRESH shake? A high protein vanilla shake not only helps satisfy your hunger though out the day, but delivers essential nutrition your body needs for healthy weight loss. This is also a perfect source of fiber, and it is DAIRY FREE and SOY FREE!
Nutrition Facts for Vanilla FRESH: Plant protein – 20 gm 22 essential vitamins and minerals Probiotics to promote digestive and immune health Clinically tested potato protein extract to help curb hunger No artificial flavors, color, preservatives, or sweeteners
What is the FIBER SWEEP DRINK? A blend of soluble and insoluble fibers that gently and naturally eliminates waste from your digestive system, while supporting healthy intestinal flora.
– It is created from whole-ground flax, chia, and psyllium seed husks, FIBER SWEEP is an excellent source of fiber for digestive health
-Wholesome psyllium fiber can help naturally lower cholesterol and support healthy good sugar levels as a part of a healthy diet
-Since this plan is low in saturated fat and cholesterol, psyllium fiber husk may help reduce the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD).
– Flax and Chia are sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids
When should you start the 3-Day Refresh? Many people start the Refresh on Friday morning so they can stay focused and disciplined through the weekend- while others may prefer to follow this during the week to avoid temptation of weekend activities. This is totally YOUR CALL of how and when you want to start this. Bottom line- you want results and to make this a healthy lifestyle, it should be a good time when you decide they day YOU WANT TO COMMIT!
What to expect while on the Refresh: This is NOT a starvation diet or an all-liquid diet, although it is low in calories (approx. 900 a day). You should not feel starved since it is packed with fiber and protein and you are nourishing your body properly.
About the FIBER: If you are not use to having lots of fiber in your regimen, I recommend you eat a large salad daily and a few servings of fresh veggies for the week up until your Refresh. If you are not use to all the fiber and overload your body with fiber, you may feel uncomfortable gassy and bloating. This is also a sign of your body cleaning itself up, which is what it is meant to do. After you do this Refresh, you will want to increase your fiber levels in general (which is part of a healthy nutrition regimen). Fiber promotes satiety, helps balance blood sugar, and thus energy levels, promotes cardiovascular health, and keeps your digestive tract more regular. It of course also helps you stay healthy and helps you lose weight!
Water: It is recommended that you drink tons of water, especially if you want the fiber to do its job right! How you know you get the right amount of water is by taking your weight / 2 and that number is how many ounces of water you should intake every day. Example: If you weigh 150lbs…. 150/2= 75…. 75 ounces is what you would need every day (not including your water for your shakes) if you weighed 150 pounds. Personally I aim for my body weight in ounces. The more water I drink the less likely I am to eat out of boredom opposed to truly being hungry!
Exercise: During the 3-Day Refresh, it is recommended that you incorporate MILD to MODERATE exercise. This is because the 3 -Day Refresh will use your energy more effectively to help cleanse your system if you are not, at the same time, taxing it with the effort of repairing muscle after an intense workout.
So now you have it! A simple plan, for fast results! I am so excited this plan is out because this is perfect for so many people out there looking for results the natural way without putting chemicals and toxins in their body!
I’m getting started Monday June 30th – let’s do this together!
If you are interested in getting started in my 7 day FREE clean eating group or my 60 fitness challenge where you will get 1:1 coaching, tips, recipes, motivation, and accountability, please send me a message on FACEBOOK or email me: maeganblinka@gmail.com
I may be slightly obsessed with avocados…however if there is one thing to be obsessed with I think I picked a pretty good guilty pleasure!
I’ve made this meal in multiple variations for myself, my hubby and my extended family on so many different occasions and no one ever complains!! Simple, fresh and healthy – what can go wrong???
Ingredients:
1/4 avocado
1 hard boiled egg
4 oz grilled chicken cut into cubes or shredded/rotisserie chicken
splash of lemon juice
Spinach
Corn tortillas (optional)
Mix and mash all ingredients. Eat alone or serve on a bed of spinach, in a corn or whole wheat tortilla or with tortilla chips! No matter which way you do it enjoy it – its amazing!
 Whether you’re new to clean eating or a seasoned pro – if you’re interested in more information fill out the form below to join one of my upcoming health and fitness accountability and support groups! Together we can end the trend of obesity!
Mixed Veggie Stir Fry (adapted from the 21-day fix meal book)
We had done a SAMs club trip earlier in the week which resulted in tons of fresh veggies! Even though I had meal planned for the week I decided to freeze some of the grilled chicken and turkey burgers I had already made and whip this together – especially since I already had such a variety of veggies to use up! What a great problem to have!
This recipe is for 6Â servings – all equal to one green container and 1 teaspoon
I always like to double up my recipes so I have enough for leftovers later in the week!
Veggie stir fry
STIR FRY:
Ingredients:
4 tsp. of olive oil
1 cup chopped asparagus
1 cup snap peas
1/2 cup chopped broccoli
2 cups chopped assorted colored bell peppers
1 cup chopped carrots (I had matchstick carrots so I used those)
1 cup onions
2 tsp All-purpose seasoning (see below)
Directions:
1. Heat oil in medium skillet over medium heat.
2. Combine all veggies and seasoning
3. Cook vegetables for 5-7Â minutes or until crisp tender.
All PURPOSE SEASONING:
4 tsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic powderÂ
2 tsp mustard powder
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp sea salt
I like to pair this stir fry with chicken and/or shrimp. Its a great way to use up some leftovers or a rotisserie chicken!
— 1-1.5 pounds of chicken, cut into cubes and tossed with 1 tsp of all purpose seasoning and 1 tsp olive oil, baked for 30 minutes at 375 or until no longer pink – or – grilled – or – pan fried
— Optional serving suggestion – 1/2 cup brown rice prepared according to directions on package or 1/2 cup quinoa cooked according to directions
Whether you’re new to clean eating or a seasoned pro – if you’re interested in more information fill out the form below to join one of my upcoming health and fitness accountability and support groups! Together we can end the trend of obesity!
So although I have tried a ton of shakeology recipes I always go back to the same one – Chocolate shakeo, 1/4 – 1/2 FROZEN banana (For consistency purposes the banana HAS to be Frozen, at least for me!!!) and 1 TBS of PB2. This totally nails my chocolate sweet tooth cravings and feels like a cheat meal – but its so good for me – and filling!Â
Tastes like a cheat meal, but its not! Healthiest meal of the day!!!
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Chocolate PB Banana
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup of water
1 scoop chocolate shakeo
1/4 – 1/2 FROZEN banana
1 TBS of PB2
AND LOTS OF ICE!Â
Want to give Shakeology a try? Try this flavor sampler pack to figure what which is your favorite!
Ok, so I don’t switch up my shakes very often – I absolutely love my Chocolate shakeo with 1/2 cup of unsweetened almond milk, 1/4 of a FROZEN banana and a TBS of PB2 however…every now and then I like to switch things up and so does my hubby!
Here are two fun ones we both enjoy!
Nutty Butter
1 cup of milk (almond, soy, etc…)
1/2 cup of water
1 scoop vanilla shakeology
1/4 cup of walnuts
1 TBS natural peanut butter or PB2
1 frozen banana
Ice to taste
Maple Pecan
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup water
1 scoop vanilla shakeo
1 TBS pecans
1 TBS cashews
1 tsp pure maple syrup
Ice to taste
Want to give Shakeology a try? Try this flavor sampler pack to figure what which is your favorite!
I may be slightly obsessed with avocados…however if there is one thing to be obsessed with I think I picked a pretty good guilty pleasure!
Maegan Blinka 