Shakeology, Saving me from my Starbucks Addiction

My Secret to Breaking the Starbucks Addiction

I have been trying to decide how I want to use this blog- do I use it for health and fitness for my Beachbody clients?  Do I use it with mental health information for my private therapy clients?  Do I use it for a place to talk about things I find interesting?  I think I have decided to use it as all three.  Health, wellness, and mental health all go together.  I happen to have a great interest in all three and hope to be able to share inspiration, helpful, and sometimes thought-provoking information.  Today's post is more in the area of my personal interest, but it is very much wellness related and has helped me gain power over my Starbucks addiction, which was part physical and part mental.  I'm sure you can relate with some area of your life that has become an addiction you have just decided to accept.

So here is a true story- I am a recovering Starbucks addict. I was going there 3 times per week for probably about the last year for a drink (Chai) and a breakfast sandwich. I attempted to give it up for awhile, but finally just accepted that I was an addict, lol. I was probably spending about $60 per month at Starbucks. I had a moment when I was playing kitchen with my two year old, Jade, and she asked if I wanted a "Grande Chai". It was super cute, but also made me realize how much she was watching and I decided to give Shakeology a try with my workouts because I didn't want her thinking the drive through was a good option for meals. I started Shakeology in mid November as part of a Challenge pack with T25. I am 15 weeks pregnant, so there were days I didn't get Shakeology in with my morning sickness, but even having Shakeology 3-4 times per week, my Starbucks addiction has vanished. I have been there twice since starting Shakeology a month ago, and one of those times, I really didn't enjoy it. I haven't had cravings or the desire to go there (the two times I went were out of habit and convenience), and really am not missing it. My mornings are now filled with either Shakeology or a clean breakfast that I look forward to. I really was skeptical of Shakology and didn't even really try to give up Starbucks for the last few months, so I am really amazed as this result and hope it will help me lose the weight from Baby Korn with a bit less effort this time.

 

For more information or to order Shakeology, visit shakeology.com/ kellikorn.

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Shakeology 3 Day Cleanse

	Get Back on Track or Jump Start Your Fitness Program

This is a great cleanse to help you restart your system after the holidays or a vacation, or even help you break a plateau in your weight loss.  Read on to see the quick and easy plan.

 

Ways to try Shakeology:
1.  Order a sample of Shakeology.

2.  You can purchase a week's worth of samples from me to try out Shakeology and see if its the right fit for you for $35. (This is for a week's supply of 1 Shakeology Meal per day.)

3.  You can purchase a Shakeology cleanse for $55 to jump start your weight loss program or break a plateau. (Clicking the link will allow you to message me and I will send you a link to purchase.

Try Shakeology

3 Day Cleanse (9 Meals) $55.00 USD Week of Shakeology (7 meals) $35.00 USD Shakeology Sample $5.00 USD

4.  You can sign up for Shakeology HD (home direct) which gives your free shipping and automatically ships your Shakes to you each month.  You can cancel at any time with no questions asked.  There is also a 30 day money back bottom of the bag guarantee.  If for any reason you do not like the shake you can return the empty bag for a full refund. (See Below)

5.  You can purchase Shakeology in the bag or 24 individual serving sizes, both are the same price.  With individual serving sizes you can have an assortment of Greenberry and Chocolate, Chocolate and Vanilla, and now Tropical Strawberry and Vegan Chocolate.

6.  You can try all 4 flavors with a  sample pack. Limit of 1 per customer!
  
What do you get for your purchase of Shakeology HD?

Your first Shakeology order not only comes with a month's supply of shakeology. 

You receive a calendar of 30 different ways to make each flavor, Chocolate and Greenberry. 

You receive free shipping when you sign up for Home Direct. 

You not only get a shake but you get a nutrient rich meal that you do not have to worry about creating yourself!

How to Mentally Deal with an Injury or Illness

I decided to write this post after doing some personal research on my own situation.  I am now 31 weeks pregnant and was placed on bed rest at 27 weeks for preterm labor concerns.  This means no walking the dogs, no exercise, being as "lazy" as possible.  My doctor referred to it as "Couch Potato"
mode.  This may sound like a welcome command to some, but not to me.  All I could think of was that I wasn't going to be able to play outside with my daughter, walk my dogs, and I would be losing any strength I worked so hard to maintain during the pregnancy. (Not to mention I was put on leave from work, so financial concerns also came creeping in.  I need my workouts to help with stress!) Couch Potato is pretty much the opposite of how someone would describe me.  Even during my first pregnancy, I was pretty active, and able to water ski 3 weeks after delivery.  Nonetheless, I want to keep this baby cooking as long as possible, so I had to figure out a way to make it work.  (For anyone who is curious, it was not the exercise that caused the preterm labor concerns.  It is a combination of factors of how my body is set up in pregnancy, combined with work stress.)

I have always been active, but never a big sports player, so injuries are not something I have dealt with.  Working out has always been a priority and I haven't had to deal with the mental or physical side of recovering from an injury, which led me to do some research.  What I came up with are a few tips below that I can keep in mind during this short time when I am allowed to be a Couch Potato, so that when the time comes, I can safely and sanely work on getting back in shape (and then I will wish I could sit and watch hours of TV :)!

• Forget the all or nothing approach. The inability to exercise does not have to be an excuse to let everything go.  Sitting on the couch eating potato chips does not have to go hand in hand with an injury or illness.  Our bodies need proper nutrition, perhaps more so than when we are "healthy", so use the exercise break as a chance to focus on nutrition.  Filling up on whole grains, lean protein, fruit, veggies, and healthy fats will help you avoid weight gain while fueling your body to help repair itself.  Use that extra time to read up on new clean eating recipes and making meal plans.
• Do what you can. My doctor may have banned pretty much any form of cardio, but I can still sit on a fit ball and work my arms and legs with light weights or resistance bands (and inadvertently work my core while sitting on the ball!)  This helps maintain some muscle tone and strength without causing contractions or exacerbating my condition.  Talk with your doctor or qualified trainer about some alternatives you might be able to do.
• Start checking things off your "to-do: list.  Having a two year old, a full-time job, a private counseling practice, and baby on the way, I always have a pretty hefty "to-do" list.  After the initial shock of not having much I could be doing, I found that identifying one or two key items to do each day has helped me check quite a few items off my list that weren't getting done.  I obviously can't be doing things like cleaning all of the outside windows, but I can file those insurance claims that have sat in a pile, sew a few things I haven't had time to get to, and read a pile of magazines that has been mounting up.  (Sounds rough, right?)
• Focus on other healthy habits. I am not the best eater in the world- it's always a quest for me to get more veggies in, so I have been trying to make sure I get in a green smoothie everyday, which makes me feel like I am compensating on some level for lack of exercise.  Other habits to focus on may be increasing how often you floss, finally getting time to give yourself a manicure, giving yourself time to start writing in a journal, or start getting enough sleep each night.
• Use this as a chance to work on positive thinking. I read a great book on positive thinking (which I will write about in another post.)   It took me a few days of some pretty big mood swings trying to adjust to this change in pace.  After I started thinking about all of the positive sides of this, my outlook was much different and most days, I am thankful for this rest period before becoming a mom of two.  There are always many blessings to count, it just takes the right mind set.
• Learn new ways of coping with stress. Exercise is my main form of dealing with stress.  It is often about trying to lose weight, but even more, I notice in my mood and stress level when I can't workout.  Having this extended period of inactivity, I had to find a new way to deal with stress.  (Although my stress level has decreased since I am not working, I still have financial worries and the occasional stress of having a two-year-old.)  This one is still a work in progress for me.  Going outside relieves stress, but it is difficult for me to just be outside without being very active.  I have found reading and taking warm baths helps, so those are my go-to methods of taking a mental break when I feel overwhelmed.
  
• Find some new hobbies.  Maybe it's writing a blog, decorating stationary, scrap booking, or even becoming a video gamer- trying new hobbies make you a more well-rounded person, and can help you find new ways to deal with stress.  One of my goals is to do some letter writing for cancer patients.  I may not be able to do a whole lot, but I can make some cards to encourage others who are struggling with things much bigger than I can imagine.
• Utilize help. This is also a work in progress for me.  I do not like asking for help- I have a bit of a control freak side to me, plus I just find it's easier to do things myself.  Well, I don't have that option right now.  I can't walk my dogs and they cannot go 2-3 months without being walked.  I can't vacuum, and my house cannot go 2-3 months without being vacuumed.   I have had to learn to trust that my husband can handle things, and when he is busy at work, there are lots of other family members and friends who have volunteered to help.  Being responsible for keeping this tiny human baking has given me no choice but to rely on others and ask for help in the areas I need it.  Honestly, this is probably the biggest lesson I've learned so far, and something I needed to realize- we all need help.  Sometimes we need it more than others, and sometimes we are the ones needing to help others, but if we don't ask or accept help, it makes life a lot harder. 

There will be a future post about getting back into shape after an injury or illness, but for the time being, take some time to identify the areas you might need to balance your life.  If you are a person who struggles with over-activity, take a few minutes each day to sit quietly and pray or meditate to gain some clarity and peace.

21 Day Fix- Week 1 Review

I completed Week 1 of the 21 Day Fix and wanted to provide a list of pros and cons for anyone considering the program.  This program is designed to help participants lose 15 pounds in 21 days.  Of course, there are cases where people have lost more in 3 weeks, but 15 pounds is pretty darn great in my opinion.  It trains you to eat proper portion sizes of the right foods.

Pros:

• The program is 21 days.  I have already completed Week 1, so it goes really quickly.
• The color containers are great at training us to think of food choices in terms of colors.  It helps give a good picture of a well balanced diet, and I always relate well to colors, so I think this will help me eat more balanced long-term.
• My main goal in this is not to lose weight (for new readers, I am 26 weeks pregnant, so weight loss is not a good idea for me).  My goal for this program is to reset my appetite, portions, and food choices after a week long cruise.  Within a few days of starting this program, my goal was already met.
• The workouts are only 30 minutes long.  They are challenging but have a modifier to follow as needed.
• The workouts are a bit different from any others I've done.  They have some interesting moves and each day is very different.
• There is an eating out guide, which give you ideas and how to count food choices when you are eating out.
• There are sample meal plans and recipes that bring it all together.
• The price is good and if you choose the challenge pack option (with a 30 day supply of Shakeology), it saves over $110.

Cons:

• The program is a bit confusing at first.  It takes  a couple of days of constantly reading the food plan to feel like you understand, but once you've got it, you are good to go.
• The workouts are designed to do them for 21 days straight.  I have no problem with working out and usually work out 5-6 days per week, but 21 days in a row is a lot.  This will take a bit of commitment with my work schedule.
• Like any other program, in order to see changes, you do have to commit.  21 days isn't very long, so it's easy to commit to 21 days vs. a 90 challenge if you are new to Beach body programs.

Best meal combo so far- Veggie burger (red container) with hummus (blue) and greens (green), on a whole wheat bun (yellow), salad and asian dressing (green and orange) cottage cheese (red), and strawberries (purple).  I was really, really surprised at how great this meal was! It was on the larger portion size because I missed a snack, but you could easily have the cottage cheese and strawberries as a snack a couple of hours later.   I'm not a huge meat eater, so I have been trying to find some red container options that aren't meat based.  The Morningstar veggie burgers are great for vegetarians or those who want to minimize meat consumption.












If you are interested in joining a challenge group for the 21 Day Fix, or have questions, contact me! KelliLKorn@gmail.com

21 Day Fix Day 1 Review and Meal Plan

Today is Day 1 of the 21  Day Fix for me.  It's a little bit overwhelming when you first read all of the info, the meal plan, and try to get started.  I wanted to share the meal plan for my day to give you some ideas to get started.  I know as I learn the program a bit better, it will be easier to put recipes together instead of seeing a meal just by the individual colored containers.


I am only halfway through the day, and I have to say I have not been hungry!  Even with a stomach that has been used to eating constantly on the cruise, I haven't had a hunger pang or craving.  I did make sure to eat right after waking up, as I have found if I wait at all, I tend to give into my morning sweet cravings and eat things like chocolate chip pancakes.

I have myself on the highest calorie limit of the weight loss portion due to being pregnant and my starting body weight. I am not intending to lose weight, but I felt like I needed to be on the weight loss program, rather than maintenance just to get back on track and prevent myself from gaining too much pregnancy weight.  I may go to the maintenance amount in a week or two, depending on how hungry I feel.  So my alotted servings by container are: green-6, purple-4, red-6, yellow-4, blue-1, orange-1, and 6 tsp.

Breakfast: -yellow container of oatmeal with 1 tsp coconut oil stevia and cinnamon (approx 1/4 cup
                   oats cooked with 1/2 c water),
                   -purple container of fresh pineapple, mint tea with stevia

Snack: -Shakeology (counts for red container) with yellow container of almond milk, 1/4 c water, and 1 tsp almond butter
            - purple container (1/2 banana)

Lunch: -green smoothie with 2 green containers of greens, 1 red container of frozen raspberries, 
               splash of apple juice and 1/2 c. water
             - green container of broccoli, steamed
            - yellow container of quinoa with salt, pepper, and 1 tsp EVOO
            - 1 red container of chicken breast, cooked with lemon pepper and chicken broth

Snack: - green container of carrots, blue container of hummus
             - red container of greek yogurt and 1 tsp coconut oil
            - orange container of walnuts

Dinner: - 2 red containers of mahi mahi, cooked in chicken broth and spices
              - green container of asparagus, green container of greens, wilted with mahi
              - yellow container of quinoa with salt and pepper, and 1 tsp EVOO
              - dessert- 1 purple container of strawberries

Evening Snack: -red container (2 hard boiled eggs), or greek yogurt

Workout- Today was Total Body Cardio- 30 minutes.  It was pretty intense for me, as it combines weights and cardio.  There is a person to follow for modifications, which I chose to use in some form (either less impact or less weight, I didn't follow the modifier completely, as I felt like that was a bit too easy after doing T25).  A great workout that isn't just cardio.  I did use the BOSU for the ab portion, as I am not supposed to lay flat on the floor.

21 Day Fix- Prep

It's been awhile since my last post.  I just got back from a Caribbean cruise with my husband and daughter.  While it was so nice to be away and not have to cook, I fear the scale shows that I had a good time.  Today, my doctor commented on my jump in weight since last appointment.  Now, I am 25 weeks pregnant and with my first pregnancy, that's when I had a slight jump as well, but I'm sure the melting chocolate cake on the cruise every night didn't help.  (I don't feel like I went overboard except for with desserts, which is always my weakness.)

So, to get back on track, I figured I would give the 21 Day Fix a try.  21 Day Fix is Beachbody's newest program to lose weight and reprogram your eating habits in 21 days.  For me, I can't go for weight loss, but I do need to get back to normal portion sizes to keep my weight gain on track (which I was doing so well with pre-cruise thanks to Shakeology and Focus T25.)

The basic idea behind the Fix is that you use the color containers to retrain yourself on portion sizes and which foods to eat more of in 5 small meals.  By using the containers, you take the guess work out and it is actually a lot of food because you are taking out all of the foods with no nutritional value (potato chips, ice cream, etc.)   There is a calorie calculator guide in the book that helps you figure out how many calories you should have to lose weight.  For me, I need to be eating to feed the baby, so my calories needs are calculated for 25 weeks pregnant.  The hard part will be getting over the chocolate cravings that I so willingly gave into on vacation.

Today I did my prep for the Fix- reading the info and eating plan, making a grocery list and planning my meals.  There are endless options of choices in the guide, as well as a coffee/ tea bar, water bar, and spice blend recipes.  I am really impressed with the amount of detail and thought that was put into the guide.  In the past, I have been given a lot of "what to eat" guides, but not a lot of ideas on how to make it tasty and satisfying.  So, my review of this program so far is two thumbs up.

So, with my meal planning, I intended to do a weekly plan. To be honest, I am still in vacation state of mind and although meal planning for a week is the best way to go to be successful at weight loss, I am just going day by day for at least the rest of this week to let my brain come back to reality.

So, here's what's on the plan for tomorrow:

Meal 1: Oatmeal with cinnamon and stevia, pineapple
Meal 2: Shakeology (I like just the chocolate and I use skim milk to help meet baby's needs, but I would recommend unsweetened almond milk for weight loss.)
Meal 3:Grilled chicken with EVOO, quinoa, and salad
Meal 4: Raw almonds and watermelon, greek yogurt
Meal 5:Grilled mahi burger and broccoli

Sounds easy, right?  We shall see!  Along with the meal plan (which is 80% responsible for your body composition), there is a workout plan included with DVDs that are about 30 minutes each.  Tomorrow will be the Total Body Cardio Fix.

I will be reviewing periodically, and of course, there is a maintenance phase after 21 days.

If you are interested in joining a challenge group for the 21 Day Fix, or have questions, contact me! KelliLKorn@gmail.com

Blueberry Oat Veggie Muffins

Blueberry Oat Veggie Muffins

I recently found some great muffins at Costco that are similar, but I wanted to see if I could boost the vegetable content and reduce the sugar content a bit.  After searching for some recipe ideas, I put them together and came up with this.  These are a super quick breakfast, and for a meal where I rarely get veggies in, I'm thrilled to start the day with a couple of servings of vegetables that taste so good.  Beware that if you use spinach or other dark greens, it will be difficult to hide the fact that these have vegetables in them from your kids, but my intention was to make these more for myself, so I wasn't worried about their color as much.  They are
actually really pretty with the purple blueberries.

Makes 24 muffins

 

Ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat flour (I used whole wheat pastry flour, which is white, but not enriched and bleached)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup brown sugar (maple sugar would be a good clean eating replacement, but I didn't have any)
2 -3 tablespoons honey
1 egg
3 cups vegetables, pureed (I steamed baby spinach, carrots, and zucchini until soft and pureed in a food processor)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 pints blueberries
1/2 cup whole oats
 

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 350°F.  

-Spray muffin pans or line with muffin papers.
- Mix ingredients (except blueberries and oats) with electric mixer until well blended (I didn't take the time to do wet and dry separately.)

- Fold in blueberries and oats.
-Fill muffins 2/3 full with batter.  I like to use an ice cream scoop as it help to  fill the cups consistently and easily.
-Bake 25 minutes until or toothpick comes out clean. 

-Cool partially in the pan then remove to wire rack.

-Store half in an air tight container.
-Freeze the other half in an airtight container or freezer bag.   Microwave on 1/2 power to defrost.


*If you are using your own steamed vegetables, you may need to add some fruit juice to thin it out to the consistency of applesauce. (I had a little bit of water left from steaming, so I just used that when I pureed the vegetables.)

*If you don't have 3 cups of vegetables, make up the difference with unsweetened apple sauce or mashed bananas.