Halloween is Here: How to Avoid Temptation

Can you believe Halloween is already here?! The kids will be getting excited to dress up & walk around to get their candy. But how do you avoid the treats so you aren't throwing your hard work down the drain??

1. Don't buy your favorite candy: if it's stuff you won't eat, you won't be tempted to grab it & sneak a piece.

2. Wait til the last minute to purchase your candy: like me...yes I haven't bought mine yet. I'm actually getting mine tonight. It seems late, but if it's in my house I wil eat it (even if I know I shouldn't). I have sticky fingers and sometimes my minds a little slow when saying no.

3. Hide it: put it somewhere you can't see it. "Outta sight outta mind" mine is going somewhere up high, where Eric can only reach it because I hate dragging chairs around so I can reach.

4. Keep track of your food: it's easy to get off track and not realize what you are eating if you aren't keeping a food journal. You don't realize when you have one bite here, one bite there. When you right it down you are conscious of what you are eating and it really makes you think twice.

5. Exercise: No matter what happens always get your workout in. Stick to your health and fitness goals. Get up at your regular schedule time, workout, drink your shakeology, stay on track with your eating. That way if you do treat yourself to a piece of candy or a drink you will have had a good day.

6. Healthy Alternatives: There are a ton of healthy snacks you can have. Clean Eating No Bake Peanut Butter Energy Balls.  Clean Eating Peanut Butter Cups

7. Get Accountable: Get yourself in an accountability group to hold yourself to your goals during the toughest time of the year. Learn lots of tips and get some new recipes to crush your fitness goals!

If you are willing to change, you are going to stop at nothing...no matter what. 

Need a little help detoxing or just want a little extra accountability? I am inviting you to my next online health and fitness challenge group. Take a few minutes to fill out the application below. 

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What Does My Weekly Prepping Look Like

I get questioned often on how I meal prep. What does a typical Sunday look like? What foods do I cook off? Honestly it usually consists of the same things and sometimes I switch it up. But, I truly find it easier to stick to a basic meal plan through the week..something that doesn't take a lot of time & effort.

1. Prep chicken: I am almost always having chicken for lunch. So I pull the chicken (if there's any left) from the freeze and let it thaw. I either add my own seasoning to it or let it marinate. Place on a baking sheet and let it cook off. 

2. Boil/cook eggs: I cook mine in the oven yes! I'm awful with the boiling water. I always think I leave it in long enough and they just are never cooked. Place in a muffin pan at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. You can use them for a snack or  on top of your salad.

3. Cut veggies: any veggies I'll have for the week I'll cut up and put in containers so they can be portioned out. Sometimes I'll even place some veggies on foil, add a few spices, and bake in the oven.

4. Wash my fruits: as soon as I get home from the store I will wash all my fruits so they are ready to go.

5. Portion nuts out: whether I choose almonds, walnuts, cashews, etc. I always portion them out in baggies so it's grab-n-go. Even though they are "healthy" fats, you still can over eat on them. 

6. Game face on: prepare yourself. Set yourself up for success with your meal plan. 

For more tips & clean eating challenges take a few moments to fill out the below application!

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Kielbasa, Pepper, Onion and Potato Hash

I'm always on the look out for new recipes, but things that are quick and easy to make. All you need is some fresh veggies and fifteen minutes of cooking time.

Ingredients : 

- 1 package of turkey kielbasa, cut into 1/4 inch rounds

- 1 green bell pepper, diced

- 1/2 yellow, red, and orange pepper, diced

- 1 onion, diced

- 3 small or 2 large red skin potatoes, peeled and diced

- olive oil 

- sea salt & pepper

Directions : 

- In a skillet, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. Add potatoes to the skillet and season with salt & pepper. Fry until golden brown and cooked through, around 8-10 minutes, stirring a few times to ensure even browning. 

- In a separate skillet, brown the sliced kielbasa for around 5 minutes in 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium high heat. Remove the kielbasa from the pan and set aside. Add the peppers and onions to the skillet and season with a pinch of sea salt & pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, or until softened, stirring occasionally. 

- Add the cooked potatoes and kielbasa to the skillet with the onions and peppers and mix everything together.  

Tips to Lose Weight while Eating Clean

Happy Sunday Everyone! I want to give you a few tips to help you lose weight while clean eating. I have to say this is the biggest struggle for most people whether they start their weight loss journey or they have been working out for a while. Most of the time I am hearing I do fantastic during the week, my workouts are on point, I up my weights, and I just eat pretty well. But they cannot seem to lose weight or see any physical change. Sometimes we hit plateaus, we over train,don't eat enough, but mainly if you aren't seeing the results are you checking your "diet." 


The 21 Day Fix is an amazing program and you can get amazing results, but if you aren't sticking to the schedule of workouts and following the nutrition guide you aren't going to max your results. Don't get me wrong, you will lose weight, but to really see the full effect of the program you have to clean up that diet and the food you are putting in your body. If you don't know where to start, I suggest picking up this book ; Just the Rules by Tosca Reno. It really helps you focus on where you should be starting, so you don't get overwhelmed. 

You need to know this is a lifestyle change. You can't starve yourself. You can't skip breakfast. You can't eat less than you are supposed to. You need to eat the proper foods. Eat 5-6 small meals everyday. If you think a starvation diet is going to work you are WRONG...you will be slowing down your metabolism and burning fewer calories. Stick with the basics when it comes to eating : green leafy , fruits, vegetables, fish, chicken...whole natural foods is what you are going for!

Some tips that have helped me lose weight: 

1. Plan your meals out so you know exactly what you are having each day & it will allow you to stick to it rather than falling off plan. 

2. When cooking your protein a little bit of non-stick spray, EVOO, coconut oil. 

3. Add fresh fruit to your plain Greek yogurt instead of buying flavors. The flavor Greek yogurt has tons of sugar. If you add fresh fruit to plain yogurt its cutting half the calories. 

4. Just drink water. If you are struggling for the "fizz" taste, try La Croix flavor sparkling water. 

5. Try to avoid the condiments on sandwiches.

6. Clean out your house of any unwanted calories or foods.

7. Go for whole grains.

8. Portion your food out.

The 5 Common Excuses Everyone Gives

This may come off the wrong way but this has been on my mind for awhile. I've been thinking about how I want to say it so I don't "hurt" anyone's feelings, but I'm just going to be brutally honest. I have been getting 5 common excuses lately when it comes to working out, eating healthy, joining a challenge group.

Here goes nothing.....

1. I just don't have time: let me stop you right there. We all have the same 24 hours in the day. So how are you using your time. If you are scrolling through Facebook, pinning on Pinterest, or watching hours of tv shows on On Demand, you have time. All you have to do is carve 25-30 minutes out for a quick home workout. You have to make time.

2.  It's too expensive: I had the same thought when I was considering joining a challenge group. For this to not get expensive you have to change your life. If you do nothing and add $130 into the mix, yes it will get expensive.  But if you want this bad enough you have to make some sacrifices. Take a look at your life and see where you are spending your money daily. Are you going every morning for a Mcdonald's breakfast sandwich & coffee which costs $5. A Starbucks coffee depending on size $6. If you stop doing these daily activities think of how much money can be saved in a single month. I use my Shakeology as a meal replacement, so that is less that needs to be spent at the grocery store.  It is all about making the choice to invest in your health, if you want the healthy lifestyle it just comes with sacrifices but with results in the end.

3. I can't stick to anything: If you think you can't; you won't... the power of belief.  Just because you haven't in the past does not mean you aren't now. You can do anything you put your mind too, no matter what it is. If you start this going all in and giving everything you got, finding a program you love and you ARE going to stick too you WILL. Accountability groups are so important in this aspect because I at one point in time did not stick to anything. I would start something and in two weeks because I wasn't seeing fast enough results I just quit, and there was no one to stop me because I was in on this alone. No judging when it comes to this group, this group is your safe haven. A place for you to check in for daily motivation, tell us about your struggles, what is working well for you, a place to just come for positive motivation, and when you feel like giving up or you are in a rut this group everyone will support you and push you to just keep going.

4. Eating healthy...way too expensive for us: It's not that it is expensive, maybe the fruits and veggies are just a little bit. But you are getting whole foods and you are staying full for way longer. You are fueling your body with proper nutrition so in the end you are not eating all the "crap" that makes you feel tired/sluggish/bloated right after you eat it. When you take care of your body, the likelihood of you being sick or given medication is slim to none.

5. I just don't have support:  You are not alone in this journey...and I have found that out the hard way. There are plenty of people out there who are looking for ways to get healthy & find a workout routine that works for them. The problem is people tend to think they are alone and they are just afraid to try and fail. If you want to get fit and healthy and you don't want to do it alone, you don't have too. I will support you 100% of the way and we will get you in an accountability group with other people just like you looking to create a healthier lifestyle. But let me just start by saying, failing is apart of life and it is what makes us who we are. All you have to do is start, you don't have to go out and run a marathon on your first day. This is going to be slow and steady. Remember this is a lifestyle change, not a diet. And believe in yourself, because I believe in YOU every step of the way.

If you haven't been in an accountability group before and you think maybe this is exactly what you need please feel free to take a few moments and fill out the application below and then we can discuss together what options are best for you. And if you have been in an accountability group before and you just fell off the wagon (sometimes we just do) and you want to get back on track feel free to fill this application out as well ! You are worth so much more than you give yourself credit for!!

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Turbofire Chili

Okay, when I was little, I was never much of a chili fan. I am not sure why, because I never even tried it before. And then one day all of a sudden my mom was making it and decided to try it...now I am hooked. Everybody swears by this recipe so I went for it and made it!

 

Simple and Easy. Ready for the ingredients??

 

1. 1 lb lean ground turkey

2. 1/2 cup of diced tomatoes

3. 8 oz. whole kernel corn, canned

4. 1/2 onion, chopped

5. 2 cloves garlic

6. 8 oz. black beans, canned

7. 8 oz. pinto, chili, or kidney beans, canned

8. 1 tbsp tomato paste

9. 1 package of chili seasoning

10. 4 oz. low-fat cheddar cheese (your call)

 

Directions:

*brown the turkey and get rid of any fat. *place all ingredients in the crock pot minus the cheese. * cook two ways: 4 hours on low or 2 hours on high. *top with cheese if you prefer

 

 

Weight Loss Awaits...Are You Ready?

Obstacles are apart of life. Sometimes they come at the most unexpected times. Sometimes they are out of our control and there is nothing we can do about it. You just have to go with the flow and catch your breath. These obstacles are force us to grow, to look at things differently, to either choose to stay the same, or decide to change things.

 

Before Mackenzie had lost all motivation to lose weight. She got down to her goal weight before getting pregnant with her third child. She indulged a little than she probably needed to and then it started to get hard to lose. By 8 months after she was still feeling tired and worn out. She was tired of feeling let down that nothing was changing with little effort. She saw the 21 day fix and people were getting results so she decided to give it a try. It simplified her eating.  

 

 

ARE YOU READY FOR A CHANGE??

Zucchini Chips

Need a healthy crunch??

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Homemade Breadcrumbs

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

1/8 tsp black pepper

heaping 1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup cold milk (I use almond milk)

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

2 1/2 cups sliced zucchini (about 2 small zucchinis)

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
-In a medium bowl combine breadcrumbs, cheese (if using) and black pepper.
-In separate bowl add flour, milk and vinegar.  Gently stir until combined but do not over stir.
-Dip zucchini slices in flour mixture and then dredge in breadcrumb mixture.
-Place coated zucchini slices on a baking sheet (I line mine with non stick foil for easy clean up!) and bake for 30 minutes, flipping the slices over once halfway through cooking, or until browned and crisp.

Snack Ideas w/ Limited Options

I got asked to help come up with healthy snack ideas for someone who doesn't like much and if I was up for the challenge. That I was, so I asked that a list be sent to me on what they don't like. But it was decided the list they do like would be shorter.

Here is that list: 

Fruits: strawberry, apples, bananas,grapes, pineapple 

Peanuts

Peanut butter

Vanilla yogurt

Granola

Chocolate 

Very limited right? So I took some time to do thinking about what snack ideas I could give. 

 

Here is what I would do

-fruit salad

-get vanilla Greek yogurt. (Greek yogurt is better for you & although the flavors have a lot of sugar that's a start) when I first started eating Greek yogurt I had to work myself up to plain, and I still add honey. 

-freeze grapes as a sweet treat

-cut up an apple with 2 teaspoons of pb & add 8-12 peanuts 

-you can do the same thing with a banana or melt dark chocolate over the banana

-add granola to your Greek yogurt. 

-you can add a drizzle of honey on your granola and just eat that. 

-(it wasn't on the list) but you can do plain unsalted rice cakes (2) with pb and banana

 

If you are just starting to eat clean and your a little picky or not sure where to start, try these snacks . But you always want to remember...pair a complex carb with a lean protien. 

Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions - alyssayourish@gmail.com

Pumpkin Spice Latte : Healthy Version

It's that's time of year again....pumpkin everything, fall, sweaters, boots, pumpkin patch, and of course you can't forget Pumpkin Spice Latte. Yes, the Starbucks drink everyone waits for. With the delicious drink comes the high calories and sometimes over $5 ; depending on the size. Yet, we love it so much we are willing to pay.

Nothing wrong with treating yourself every once in a while, but why not try it in the healthy way. Half the calories, no waiting in line, and the price at $4.30 everyday no matter what size you can enjoy it when you feel like it!

Ingredients :  

- 1 scoop of vanilla or chocolate shakeology (I use the vegan chocolate)

- 1/3 cup pumpkin purée 

- 1 cup almond milk

- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon (add more for taste)

- handful of ice

- rediwhip / cool whip optional 

Blend the ingredients together and enjoy! 

Monday Motivation : Workout Blues

Did the weekend get the best of you? Was it filled with parties, family get togethers, weekend away, seafood broil, night out with the friends. Lots of temptations and maybe some less then stellar food choices...right? Maybe you slacked on your water and eating every 2.5-3 hours. Had some drinks to unwind. Whatever it is dust yourself off, the weekend is over and it's time to get back on track!

But how? How do you get back on track when you just feel bloated, tired, and just want to catch up on sleep.

 

You set the tone for your whole week. So how you choose to feel and what you choose to do Monday morning will determine your success. Remember no one can do this for you, you have to push yourself. But here's what helps me if I ever have an "off track moment"

- Sunday as soon as you wake up and get situated start hydrated yourself. Don't just aim for half your body weight aim for more.

- Set your workout clothes before you go to bed. Put them right next to you (shoes included) so you see them as soon as you wake up. Heck if you want...sleep in your workout clothes. I mean no ones going to judge you at your home gym.

- Create a game plan. That means your workouts, food for the week, prepping, and getting your mind straight.

- Set your alarm (for me I have to set it 4 different times). I tend to turn it off in my sleep or set it for way later. And place it somewhere, where you have to get out of bed. When it's close by it's so easy just to reach instead of getting up. 

- Go to bed with a positive mind. Whether that be you create a list of everything you are grateful for, read a chapter of a positive book, or write over & over again "this is a new week, I will succeed." I have done this before and it really triggers your mind to believe and you then think about it as your falling asleep.

- Lastly find yourself an accountability partner someone that you can text/call/etc first thing in the am to get you both moving. Or they will text you whatever time you guys decide to workout. Send motivation quotes, positive words, sweaty workout pics, have fun with it!

Find what works for you! Everyone is different. Everyone likes different workouts and times to workout. But remember this is your fitness journey.

 

If you fell off track this weekend or your just getting started on your journey try these beginner steps, they may seem simple & easy....but they make all the difference. I hope these help! And if you have any questions feel free to email me : alyssayourish@gmail.com or add me on Facebook and we can chat more there!!!!

Happy Monday!! 

Clean Eating : Grocery Shopping 101

If you're like me grocery shopping at first can be very overwhelming. You don't know what to buy, where things are, and so forth.  I am here to tell you it isn't that difficult and give you a few tips that helped me...

 

Write your grocery list out as you are going through the pantry and fridge. Do not try to going through eat aisle remembering what you need, because this will make you spend more money and get unwanted things.

 

Stick to the outside aisles. These are the aisles with fresh fruits, veggies, stuff that has minimal ingredients, no processed foods.

 

If you go into the middle aisles make sure you stick to your list (you should do that anyways) but this is where most of the processed food is and food that has some ingredients where names cannot be pronounced. If you can't pronounce it do NOT purchase.

 

I can't say it enough, stick to the grocery list. You made a list for a reason but if you don't stick to the list you are going to be spending more money than you want and more food than you need.

 

Spice your dishes up. Use natural spices to flavor up your chicken, burgers, veggies, etc. And spices on the fix are a freebie!

 

Don't get frustrated when you can't find something at first. Just take a deep breath and look again. (I have done this before) It does get a little overwhelming, but all you have to do is look or ask...you will find it.

 

I hope these simple tips help! If you have any questions feel free to email me : alyssayourish@gmail.com

  

Fitness Journey : How to Keep Going

I get asked all the time about my routine and what has helped me lose weight and stay on track.

Here are a few things that have helped me...

1. Take your "goodbye" pictures (as I like to call them) : you may ask why but this honestly is my motivation driver. When i take those  pictures/measurements I see where I am. I see where I let myself go and set goals for myself on where I want to be. It pushes me to be better, it pushes me to work harder, it pushes me to not ever want to feel that way again. 

2. Pencil in your workout time : schedule it in like you would a business meeting. Someone once said you wouldn't cancel a meeting with your boss would you? So don't do the same thing with your workout. Make it known to yourself & the people around you that this is your time & it has to happen. 

3. Meal Plan each week : sit down the same day each week and plan out your meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks). It's not hard, it just takes time. Don't know what to have there are a ton of websites out there or Pinterest is a GOLD mine. Search clean eating reciepes and thousands come back. To save yourself time from scrolling and getting overwhelmed limit your search. (Craving mexician? Search clean eating Mexican dishes)

4. Meal Prep : along with planning comes prepping. So every Sunday after grocery shopping I cut veggies, cook of chicken, boil eggs, throw a meal in the crock pot. That way it's grab-n-go instead of getting stuck and wondering what's for lunch. 

5. Stay hydrated : this used to be a BIG one for me I struggled with. I didn't like water and lemon water was just gross. Now I can't get enough of it!! You should be drinking half your body weight in ounces. I keep track by making tallies, set an alarm & chug. If you are like me and didn't like water, spice it up...add your favorite fruits & veggies to give it some flavor.

6. Get in an accountability/support group : I have said it before these groups are what helped get me back on track. When you feel like quitting, this group will help keep you going.

7. Measure your progress by your non-scale victories not the scale : when I get so focused on the scale I get frustrated if I don't see the number I want. You have to remember you are burning fat and increasing muscle. Muscle weighs more than fat, so the number will be higher. But how do you feel? Do your pants for looser? 

8. Set goals for yourself : like finishing a program, loosing so many inches, whatever you want them to be. And when you hit them reward yourself with new workout clothes or a mani/pedi (for girls) guys go golfing. 

And the last one I think is most important....

9. Remind yourself this is a process : you aren't going to lose the weight overnight, just like you didn't gain it overnight. It can get frustrating at times. We are our biggest critics but you have to trust the process. It's worth it in the end!

These are some of the things that helped me during my weight loss journey & helped keep me going. I mean, I'm still on my journey so don't think it ever stops. 

If you have questions or would like to chat more you can emai me alyssayourish@gmail.com or if you would like to join my next online challenge group, please take a moment to fill out the application below!


 

Fill out my online form.

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What is an Accountability Group?

 

What is an accountability group? How does it help you reach your fitness goals?

 

Have you ever started your weight loss journey and after two weeks decided it was either too hard or you didn't see the results quick enough so you gave up? Maybe no one supported you in your journey? You didn't like the workout program?

 

This was all me at one point until I heard about a challenge group & just invited myself to be in one...best decision to the day ever made!!

 

What is an accountability group? this is a group that is done online in a closed facebook group. or we could have a local meeting place if people were closer.

 

Why is it done online? it is easiest to run them online that way everyone is able to join and you do not have to be from a specific city/state.

 

Who can join these groups? anyone is able to join the groups. you just have to want to change your current situation and be ready to be surrounded by a group of amazing people.

 

Why join? like I said before have you tried to workout and then two weeks into it you just gave up? maybe you weren't sure where you start? if this is you, the support group is full of individuals who are where you are & with a group for all of us together we push each other to reach our goals and NOT give up.

 

Where is the done? this accountability is all done online, but the workouts are done in the comfort of your own home! 

 

What will you get? every morning I will post a small assignment or video that will last no more than 5 minutes. A tip to get you through the day, recipes, things that have helped me stay on track, meal plans, meal prepping, etc. I mean this is only half the stuff...every group is different and I tend to make my posts on what everyone has questions on, what they are struggling with.

 

An Accountability group is just another way for us all to stay on track. Because let's be honest.....we just can't do it by ourselves!!! There are times where we get frustrated, we aren't seeing the results we want so quickly, maybe we are struggling with our meal plan. When we struggle by ourselves we tend to let the negatives come into play. But when we are in an accountability group you have people cheering you on. Asking where you are if you do not show up daily posting all about your day. When you go to reach for that cookie a light bulb goes off and you think about the group and you put the cookie down. And if you don't put the cookie down and decide to eat it, you are in the group posting about it and everyone is saying okay, and giving you tips to swap it out next time and saying you can do anything & everything!

 

It is a safe place for everyone to come that have a weight loss goal! I remember when I started I was so scared. I did not know what anyone was going to think of me. Were they going to judge me? Was I going to be accepted?

 

 Guess what?!

 

No one knows about this group except, you, the other challengers in the group, myself  (as your coach), and then anyone you tell. This group is totally secret and everyone in the group is there for one of the same reasons. That is to get healthy and start a new journey.  Everyone may have a different end results and a different goal in mind, but we are ALL in this together. We all cheer each other on, we all are here to inspire. I may be the coach, but this is YOUR group. Tell everyone in the group what is working for you, shout yourself out for how much weight you have lost, your non scale victories, anything you want! Make the group fun, exciting, and most importantly BE YOU!!!!


Do you have more questions about accountability groups? Do you want to know when my next one is? Feel free to email me : alyssayourish@gmail.com and I will answer you back within 24 hours.

If you are ready to sign up and start your healthy journey TODAY, please take a moment to fill out the application listed below!

Fill out my online form.

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Productivity...How to use your Time Wisely

Time.

We all have the same 24 hours in a day.

But how we use it is what makes us different. 

Do you ever feel like you wake up in the morning & you are literally turning right around and going to bed? Thinking to yourself, "where has this day gone and what did I get done."

Trust me, I know. I used to always think where did my time go. And why is my to-do list still the same size when I woke up. 

Coming up with a system to increase your productivity  is major. To get anything done you must cut out the nonsense. You must sit down and plan out your day (yes things come up) but if you stick to a list or game plan you will increase productivity by a lot.

So what do you need to do?

1. Make a to-do list for the next day before you go to bed.

2. Start with whatever task is the hardest or will take the longest. 

3. Set a timer when working on one. (If you only want to be blogging for thirty minutes. Set a timer and work for that long)

4. Check off your items as you finish, you will fill more accomplished. 

5. If you're on Facebook working, turn OFF your notifications. (Who's guilty of everytime a notification or ding goes off you look? You are getting distracted) remember you are trying to use your timely wisely.

6. Turn your phone on silent and flipped over. 

7. And how to choose what to do to be productive?? Write a list of ten goals you want to accomplish over the next year starting today. (These goals can be anything) identify your "push" goal, it is something like being financially free, own a beach house, etc. This is the major goal you are working towards and this will help you determine what you should be doing everyday. These small daily  to dos are going to get you to that goal. 

 

Put your head down.

Get to work.

Keep your eye on the prize. 

And remember we all have the same 24 hours in the day, how you choose to spend those hours is up to you! 

For more ideas in how to be productive just email me - alyssayourish@gmail.com