Jan 26, 2016

Love Yourself First

“How I feel about myself is more important than how I look. Feeling confident. Being comfortable in your skin - that’s what really makes you beautiful.”
- Bobbi Brown 


That quote used to be something I had a really hard time with. 
I thought my looks meant more than how confident I felt or how comfortable I was in my own skin. 
It took me a long time to realize that no matter the size, or weight I was I was BEAUTIFUL. 
I just needed that little push of confidence and the knowledge to LOVE myself just the way I am!
I might have a little bit of cellulite. I might not be toned everywhere. But accepting that just EMPOWERS me. Accepting that just shows me I LOVE myself. 
I used to always be so fit. I was in the best shape of my life my first year of college. I was happy with the way things were. But I struggled. I didn't love myself. I had that little voice in my head always telling me I was fat and compared myself to other girls!
I don't know why I would sabotage myself I worked out all the time! It probably wasn't the healthiest because I would workout 2-3 hours a day 5-6 days a week. 
Do I look back on my old self and want to be there again? Yes I'd love to have the flat stomach again. And I know I'm working for that! I'm doing it the healthy way! I'm learning to LOVE myself! I'm eating healthier! I'm working out for 30 minutes a day instead of 3 hours a day! 
Once you love yourself you WILL see the change! You will see the change for the better! You will be happier! You will be back to your own self! 
YOU deserve to be happy… YOU deserve to love yourself! 
The next 30 day accountability group is all about learning to love yourself.
Yes, we will workout! and Yes there will be nutrition! But we will be focusing on why we do these things for our bodies. 
We eat healthy. We work out BECAUSE we LOVE ourselves! 
So i’m here for you! To love you through it all! To be there for YOU! 
To make the change that has changed my life! Are you ready to change YOURS??
Join the Facebook event to get all the info you need on the next 30 day accountability group to loving yourself!
xoxo

Jan 18, 2016

Beachbody's 3 Day Refresh: My HONEST results and review on the refresh!


My Honest Review of the 3-Day-Refresh




After hearing amazing reviews about the 3-Day-Refresh, I absolutely HAD to give it a try!  I figured it would be great for me, because lately I’ve had a lot of outings, Holiday parties, splurge meals and “Holiday fun.”  So I was feeling bloated, gained a few pounds I didn’t really want, and I just felt….blah.  So I took three days to give my system a little kick in the pants, and I made it through!  And as promised, I’m here to give you a full rundown of my three days of refreshing, renewing and detoxing my body.  I warn you, this three days was NOT all “sunshine, rainbows, unicorn farts and cotton candy,” it was TOUGH!  The results you see here are the result of hard work, a strong will and focus! I pushed my body to its limits, yes I did.  There were hours where I felt like I wanted to give up because I’m not used to plans like this. But more than anything else, I wanted results.  I wanted to see what this 3 Day Refresh could do, and man, I am happy I stuck to it!


3 Day Refresh: Day 1 (left) and day 3 (right)
Now let’s talk about the basics of this program.  If you’re not familiar with the 3 Day Refresh, basically it’s a short-term, low-calorie, high-nutrient mini-detox.  That’s the easiest way to describe it.  For breakfast you have Shakeology with some fruit, your morning snack is the 3 Day Refresh “Fiber Sweep” shake, lunch is the 3 Day Refresh “Vanilla Fresh” shake with some fruits, veggies and healthy fats, there’s a small snack of a veggie and healthy fats, and then a dinner of the Vanilla Fresh shake with one of the veggie-heavy dinner recipes in the booklet.  Super easy to follow.  There’s more stuff to it than that, like certain things to avoid (like coffee, excess caffeine, etc…) but that’s details you only need if you’re doing the program   But basically what you need to know is that stuff.  So let’s get down to it!  Let’s talk about my “good and bad,” because yes, there were plenty of items in both categories!
First, let’s talk about the really good stuff that came from the 3 Day Refresh.

    Bloat is GONE!  As I mentioned before, I’ve had Holidays full of good times, splurge food and relaxed nutrition. So I’ve been bloated like crazy and holding water like a camel.  After the 3 Day Refresh (really, even after the first day…) that bloat is GONE.  I feel like myself again, and I feel less inclined to eat the junk and the sodium filled foods.  So YAY!
     What’s temptation?!  I’ve found that after this three days, resisting the temptation of junk food is so much easier!  For example, I am a HUGE chocolate eater and Diet Coke Drinker. Last week, I would have made the excuse that “oh if I just have a piece of chocolate and a diet coke, I can skip my second snack today and I’ll be fine.”  And then a piece now would turn into a piece later.  Today, I looked at them, said “oh those look and smell really good” and didn’t even have an OUNCE of temptation to pick one up and eat it.  Victory!
    hello quality sleep!  Now who doesn’t love a good night of sleep?!  These last three days, I’ve been sleeping better, more soundly, and I haven’t been waking up every few hours for whatever reason. So thank you to the 3 Day Refresh for allowing my body to reset and sleep like it should!
    No more “dead body” feeling! My body has felt “dead” for the last few weeks.  By “dead,” I mean absolutely exhausted.  Limbs not wanting to move, every muscle aching, just feeling overall lethargic. I’ve been cutting back on my workouts for these 3 days, and with no meat, no dairy, and no grains, the 3 day break was a welcomed renewal for my body.  It’s not a diet I can keep up, but the break from things that notoriously will slow you down if you don’t eat a proper balance of them has refreshed my energy levels, and I’m back to feeling like myself again.
    Peace out crazy cravings!  I’ll be honest, day 1 was rough!  I was craving meat and diet coke by the end of it.  Thankfully I was WAY TOO BUSY to give in to the cravings, but man were they strong. Day 2 I was still craving the meat and diet coke, but was able to resist again. later that night though I was starving and, I was also craving sweets and it took all of my strength not to make a mug brownie….  Day 3 I had zero cravings.  Day 3 was the easiest for me.  I didn’t crave much of anything except for a nap.  I was excited for today though, because it meant I could reintroduce meat, dairy and grains back into my daily plan, but the CRAVINGS weren’t there anymore!  I don’t feel the urge to splurge, you could say.  So bye bye cravings for random foods, hello satisfaction in the healthy stuff!
    Bye bye pounds and inches! Of course, this is REALLY what you want to know about, right?  Along with the bloat disappearing, my body has lost a few inches and a few stubborn pounds.  Obviously nothing MAJOR since it was only 3 days, but everything fits better, I don’t have to worry about putting my jeans in the dryer because of that “fear they won’t fit when they come out,” and I don’t have to be self-conscious about how I’m sitting because I think “things are hanging out and over everywhere.”  When all was said and done, I had lost 8 inches, and just 2 pounds.  The 2 pounds were probably all water weight and bloat weight, but hey, 2 pounds of water weight is still 2 pounds of uncomfortable feelings flushed down the drain, right?!  And who can complain about inches dropping off of their waist in only 3 days?!

Now let’s talk for a minute about the bad things that happened during this 3 days.  Like everything you will do in life, there are good and bad points.  It’s up to you to decide if the bad you have to experience is worth it to experience the good.  I found that it was, but let’s run down the parts of the 3 days I didn’t care for so much.

    Headaches – First off, if you are a regular caffeine drinker, you may experience this, and it’s going to be quite bothersome.  The 3 Day Refresh instructs that you do not drink caffeine during this 3 days.  I went from drinking anywhere between 1-3 Diet Cokes a day (I know, I know….I'm really trying to stop my addiction! It's terrible! But it is getting better!) to ZERO!  Day 1, my head was pounding so hard I could hardly function at 9pm.  All 3 days I had caffeine withdrawal headaches.  Day 3 was better than day 1, but it was still there.  So if you are a caffeine addict, I suggest taking a few days to significantly decrease your consumption before attempting this 3 day program.  
    I. WAS. HUNGRY. – There!  I said it!  Yes, I was HUNGRY!  Don’t let anyone fool you and tell you that going from eating about 1500-1700 per day to eating about 950 per day (about what the 3 Day Refresh has per day) isn’t going to make you feel hungry.  You’re going to be hungry.  It’s not unbearable, but it’s there.  IT’S THERE.  Now keep in mind, for those of you criticizing the 950 number, this is a 3 day plan, not a long-term thing.  You do not eat that little on a daily basis.  But because of the nutritionally dense foods you are taking in, and the fact that this is a SHORT PERIOD OF TIME meant as a detox, do not freak out.  You’re not going to starve yourself in 3 days.  Relax.  You’re getting your nutrients, and you’re only doing this for three days.  BUT I WAS FREAKIN’ HUNGRY.  During the day, I was fine.  But it was after I had my second snack (meal 5) that I started to really feel hungry.  When AJ got home, I was SPEEDING to the kitchen to make my small dinner of a shake and a veggie-heavy side dish, and once that was gone, I was still hungry!  If I didn’t have a way to keep myself distracted, I would be in trouble!  So beware, while this 3 days is giving you all the nutrients that you need and your body is not going to shut down because of the low calorie number, it still is a LOW CALORIE NUMBER.  You will feel hungry!
    I had to be CAREFUL not to binge.  I have to mention this, because it affected me.  If you are prone to “binge eating,” this is probably not something you want to attempt.  Now while I don’t binge to the point of purging there have been moments in previous detox attempts with other methods where I tell myself, “just a taste” of this new almond butter that I bought, and before I know it…I’ve devoured three pieces of toast topped with the goodness along with a homemade chocolate mug cake.  Why?  Because my body went “OH MY GOSH, YES THIS IS SO GOOD, FEED ME MORE!”  And because I was HUNGRY from not eating properly for the beginning of the day and I wasn’t FUELING myself with the proper nutrition, that little “taste” turned into a binge.  I was able to resist that temptation during these three days, because of the whole “no craving, no temptation” thing, but in a moment of weakness (say, if I had heard some really bad news or something), I am certain that would have happened.  So if you are prone to binge eating, please be careful and be aware.  Stick to the plan!  Don’t allow yourself “just a taste” of something if you’re anything like me.  Even that “little bite” or licking the spoon after prepping your food for the next day could trigger a binge.
    No MAJOR weight loss – Ok, so I lost just about 2 lbs.  To me, that’s a healthy number, but it really put me “back where I started.”  It basically just kicked me back on track and got me back to where I was before the Holidays started.  It didn’t put me “ahead of the game” like I was hoping.  My hopes were to see about 5-6 lbs of weight loss, but that just didn’t happen for me.  You may see other people who had awesome weight loss.  5, 6, 7 pounds or even more!  Most of that weight will be water weight, but it’s still pounds lost. Now of course, as I always say, the scale shouldn’t define you, so even though you may not see real WEIGHT LOSS, there are more important things here.  The changes I felt internally and in how my body looks and feels in clothes was really what was important.  So while you will see people talking about how they dropped 8 lbs in the 3 days, you MAY NOT!  Be prepared for that.
    I was a HANGRY little MONSTER!  Oh gosh, I need to apologize to anyone who crossed my path during the 3 days.  Along with being hungry and along with the pounding headaches from lack of caffeine…I was CRAZY IRRITABLE.  My poor husband saw the most and probably got the most anger.. ha and I felt bad because I just seemed to be in a bad mood.  I wasn’t, but I’m sure I came off that way!  (Sorry AJ, I hope you knew I was just irritable!  ) But you know that term “hangry?” Yeah, that was me.  That is the monster I turned into at various points of this 3 Day Refresh.  It was manageable, but man, it was intense sometimes!  I knew I was cranky because I was detoxing.  I knew I was moody because I was hungry.  I knew I was short with my temper because of my headache.  I knew that, but it was still there!  So be prepared for some mood swings and crankiness!  Make sure your friends and family know that you’re not hateful and mean, you’re just…detoxing.  

So that’s my good and bad.  Those are the biggies.  That’s the bulk of what I wanted to share with you, but before I send you on your way and you decide whether or not the 3 Day Refresh is for you, let me give you a few last closing thoughts.  They didn’t really fit into the “good” or “bad” category, so they’re kind of just here at the end.

pick your days WISELY.  Pick three days where you are busy enough to not be mindlessly wandering the kitchen, thinking about food all day, but not so busy that your day ends up lasting 19 hours.  I picked Monday through Wednesday because those are usually the most “steady” days for me.  Errands, household stuff, even work is steady on those days.  So try to pick days where you can structure this into your day the best.

In closing, the big question becomes, would I do this program again?  My honest answer is yes…with some limitations.  So “yes and no.”  I have a vacation coming up in March.  I would LOVE to do this again just before and just after that trip.  Before so I can be “bikini ready” for our cruise, and after the trip to rid my system of the sure “vacation bloat” that I’ll bring home.  That is a special circumstance, and I feel like THAT is a great reason for me to pick up that 3 Day Refresh.  I would absolutely do this program again (if I give myself more time to slowly reduce my caffeine and prepare myself mentally and physically) to prepare for a vacation, recover after a few weeks of not-so-great eating, or as I did this time around…after Holidays full of food.  However, there is the option to get this program on HD so you can “refresh” once a month.  Will that ever be something I find myself doing?  No, probably not.  While I understand WHY that may be beneficial to some, that is not something I feel would benefit me in any way.  I don’t feel that putting myself through those headaches and hunger is necessary once a month, and I’m fairly sure those around me would say that seeing “Hangry Jordyn” once a month wouldn’t be necessary either!  So for ME, a 3 Day Refresh after vacations, to prepare for special occasions or after a few weeks of “slip ups,” that would be incredibly beneficial.  No more, no less.

Overall, I really enjoyed this 3 Day Refresh.  During it, I may have said otherwise, but in the end, the struggle, the focus, the dedication and even all the headaches…all worth it!  I feel amazing, my body feels lighter, tighter and I feel like myself again. EXCEEDING my expectations in what it was able to accomplish in the end, but falling short with a few of the negatives of how I felt during the 3 days.  For me, the positives outweighed the negatives, and I am super happy I chose to take on this 3 day adventure!  I think you will be too.  Now that you know what you expect, you may even handle it better than me!
If you’d like to check out the 3 Day Refresh for yourself, or if you have any questions, comment below, shout at me on Facebook, find me on Instagramor send me an email!  I’d love to hear from you and I’d love to help you refresh your own body in just 3 days!


Dec 21, 2015

Hawaiian Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Hawaiian Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
4 small sweet potatoes
1 cup diced ham
1 cup shredded mozzarella 1 cup pineapple tidbits
4 green onions, chopped
Instructions
1. 2. 3.
Bake sweet potatoes in oven or crockpot. If using the crockpot, wrap them in foil and bake for 3-4 hours.
Cut sweet potatoes open and scoop out flesh, leaving about 1⁄4 inch in the skin so it holds its shape.
Mash flesh, stir ham, 2/3 of the cheese, green onions, and pineapple. Spoon mixture back into sweet potato skins. Top with remaining cheese and return to oven for 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted and ingredients are warmed through.
4 Servings 

Kale and Coconut Chicken Soup

Kale and Coconut Chicken Soup
Ingredients

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 T coconut oil
8 cups chicken stock
1 cup chopped carrots
1⁄2 cup chopped onion
1 can coconut milk
1 cup diced roma tomatoes
3⁄4 tsp ground allspice
1⁄2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1⁄2 tsp ginger
1 T minced garlic
1⁄4 tsp thyme
2 cups chopped kale
Optional toppings: mozzarella cheese, tortilla strips, cilantro
Instructions
1.Pan fry chicken breast in coconut oil in frying pan. Cut into cubes. 

2.Add chicken stock, carrots, and onions to large saucepan. Boil slowly until 
vegetables are tender. 

3.Addspices. 

4.Add coconut milk and heat through, but do not allow it to boil. 

5.Add chopped tomatoes and prepared chicken. Add kale when ready to serve so 
it steams slightly but doesn’t get too soft. Add optional toppings. 

8 Servings 

Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad

Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad
Ingredients
2 cups shredded chicken
2/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 T mustard (yellow, Dijon, brown, any variety you like)
1 cup chopped vegetables (green onion, green pepper, celery, cucumber) 1 cup chopped fruit (apples, grapes, craisins)
Salt & Pepper and any herbs you like (dill, cilantro, rosemary, etc.)
1⁄4 cup nuts (optional)
2 slices wholegrain bread
Instructions
1. 2. 3.
Mix yogurt and mustard with shredded chicken. Add fruits and vegetables.
Serve cold.
Notes
Any variety of fruits and vegetables can be used. Other serving ideas are in a tortilla, on a rice cake, with crackers, and on top of a salad.
8 Servings