Tuesday, July 22, 2014

3 Day Refresh

I was so ready to do the 3-Day Refresh!  My husband and I had just gotten back from celebrating our 10 year anniversary in Costa Rica at an all inclusive resort were we ate and drank more than enough each day!  =)  I was a little nervous because I don't do well without food... AT ALL!  I get really moody and shaky and I just can't miss a meal!  I tried a cleanse once before and I quit the night of the first day because I was so hungry and miserable I just couldn't stand it.  So needless to say I was a little nervous but wanted to give this a try!  

Day 1 was a Friday and it went GREAT!  The directions are so easy to follow and you are consistently eating or drinking something so I was never too hungry!  I was busy at home this day and we were painting the dining room so it was convenient to go to the kitchen and make my shakes, etc. right on schedule!  I went to sleep feeling really great and excited about what these 3 days would result in. 




Day 2 (Saturday)- I had a great morning/lunch and then we headed off to a wedding at 2:00.  Yes, that's right I went to a wedding, where you are supposed to eat and drink all sorts of decedent things, on a cleanse!  I thought I was coming prepared by packing my shaker and pouches in my purse but that doesn't do any good when you leave it in the car and decide you'll just drink it later because you don't want to walk out to the car so I was pretty hungry!  I drank water the entire time, danced with hubby, and had a great time with the kids as it was the first time we had brought all 3 kids to a wedding with us!  =)  Right when we left I was drinking my shake and then had my dinner from the menu when we got home.  Despite my being hungry at the wedding for a little while, I was staying comfortable due to all the water so Day 2 was still a success.  





Day 3 (Sunday)-  I drank my shake for breakfast before we headed off to church and this time I had my shaker in my purse and it was staying right by my side!  =)  I stayed on schedule all day and it went just fine!  I was really over it by dinner and ready to eat the delicious barbeque that my husband had just made.  I will say though that the Coconut Steamed Veggies I had for dinner from the menu really was delicious, all the food from the menu was, it's just a small amount and I was ready for a MEAL!  =)

I stuck to the regime for the entire weekend and weighed myself on Monday and had lost 4 pounds!  4 pounds in 3 days is pretty good! I felt great this week and I feel like the cleanse was a success!  I would highly recommend this cleanse for anyone who needs to jump-start their weight loss (like before you start a workout routine), if you have a big trip or event coming up and you want to loose some weight (people usually lose 3-10lbs), or if you just had a busy weekend or trip where you drank or ate too much and you're feeling like you just need a refresh...this is for you!  In my opinion it's a little too much to do it every month but to each his own.  I think every 3 months or 6 months is good to just reboot your system and get a recharge!  

Everyone has messaged and asked me if you poop a lot on this cleanse...oh you knew the poop talk was coming, I mean it IS a cleanse!  The answer for me and the people I have talked to is no.  You will go of course but you will NOT be running to the bathroom all the time like some cleanses so don't worry about that!  I did pee a lot because of all the water I was drinking which made me realize that I really don't drink enough water on a daily basis! Gas was not an issue for me but I have talked to others that say it was for them.  If it is for you too it means you need more fiber in your diet!   I also realized just how much I LOVE fruits and vegetables and there are some yummy recipes from the menu they give you that I will be incorporating more into our meals!  

Here are some other results from fellow coaches and customers.  Just like all of our programs, it works, BUT it's up to you to make it work for you or not!  Just follow the plan and don't give up and you can have results too!  


 She lost 6.2 pounds and 2.5 inches!!

 11 pounds!


Way to go yall!!

I was glad it was over but I was happy to have done it!  

Here is a video if you'd like more information on it or want to order from my website!  Feel free to comment below with any questions!  =)



Black Eyed Pea Soup

Are yall ready for this?  These beans are so yummy and they were approved by all ages of our household!  It takes a while for them to cook but the prep is very easy so it wont take a lot of your time in the kitchen. These are a must try so cook it and let me know what you think!   Some members of my household ate it plain and some of us poured it over some brown rice so you do what your little heart desires!  =)  A yummy pan of cornbread would go perfect with it! My mouth is watering so here's the recipe already...

Ingredients:

  • 2 medium bags of black eyed peas
  • 4 TBSP salt
  • 1 large yellow onion chopped
  • 1/2 clove fresh garlic chopped
  • 1 link of lean sausage (venison / pork if you have it, or substitute ½ lb of bacon cut in short pieces, turkey bacon for less fat)
  • 3 TBSP cumin
  • 1 TBSP rosemary
  • 4 TBSP garlic powder
  • 3 TBSP black pepper
  • 1 can rotel
  • 2 cans of diced or stewed tomatoes
  • 1 can chopped green chilies
Directions

  • Put peas in a large pot and cover with water a few inches over the peas.  Bring to boil.  Maintain enough water to cover the top of the peas.  Add salt, onion, and garlic.
  • Slow boil for about 1.5 hours in large pot (use heavy pot and/or stir frequently so they don’t stick).
  • After peas of softened, add seasoning & sausage.
  • Reduce heat to low and slow cook for approximately 2 hours, stirring occasionally. 
  • Add salt if needed, to your taste.



Enjoy!!

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Apple/Butternut Squash Soup with Sweet and Sour Meatballs

I was really looking forward to both of these dishes that I got from the Thin Kitchen Cookbook that comes with T25!  The verdict in my family was that everyone loved the meatballs (me, hubby, and a 7,4, and 2 year old) but the kids were NOT a fan of the soup.  I on the other hand loved the soup and thought it was delicious!  My husband liked it too but as usual he thought it needed more seasoning!  I'm not great in the kitchen and I don't really even like to cook so this soup was a little much for me with all the pureeing and stuff and I did make quite the mess!  =)  Try them and let me know what you think!!

Apple and Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:
4 lbs. butternut squash
4 tsp. canola oi
1 red onion, chopped
5 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced
1 cube vegetarian bouillon
1/2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
4 cups water
1-1/3 cups 1 percent skim or soy milk
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. groud white pepper
Parsley to garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut squash in half, scoop out seeds, place halves cut side up on pan and bake for 45-50 minutes.  Set aside to cool.


In saucepan, heat oil and add onion, cooking until golden.  Add apples, bouillon cube, ginger, nutmeg, and water.  Mix well.  Increase heat to high and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover saucepan, and simmer until apples are tender, about 10 minutes.  Remove from heat.


Scoop out sqush from shells.  In food processor, puree half of the suash with 1/2 cup milk until smooth.  Transfer to medium bowl and rpeat with remaining sqush and milk.

Transfer half of the apple mixture to food processor and puree until smooth.  Repeat with remaining apple mixture and then add to the saucepan along with squash puree.  Mix well and add milk if it seems too thick. Cook until heated through, add salt and pepper, garnish with parsley and serve.




Looks like baby food but I thought it was yummy!!

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Ingredients: 
1 lb. of lean ground turkey
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 8 oz can crushed pineapple in juice, drained
1/2 cup green onions
1 Tbsp. light soy sauce
1 tsp. ginger
Sauce:
3/4 cup reduced sodium, low fat chicken broth
1/2 cup chili sauce
3 Tbsp. rice vinegar
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. ground ginger 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine meatball ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly.  Line a baking sheet with foil, place cooking racks in foil lined baking sheet.  Shape meatballs and place on racks.  Bake for 25 minutes or until thoroughly cooked.  Transfer to serving dish and keep warm. 


Combine sauce ingredients in small saucepan and stir until cornstarch is dissolved.  Place over medium heat and stir intermittently until mixture comes to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, and stir for another minute or until mixture thickens slightly.  Pour sauce over meatballs, and gently toss to coat them.  




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