Meal Prep 3 Tips

If you’re like me you are a visual learner. I also hated the idea of meal prepping. I wasn’t good at it and I overthought the process. With the help of groups like this articles I read, and people I follow on Snapchat or social media I’ve learned a lot and I realized it’s actually not that difficult.

Here are my 3 tips for making it easier:

1. Think 3-4 days at a time that’s it
2. Think bulk/simple meals, crockpot meals, chicken & rice & veggies, etc.
3. Buffet style not day by day

Here is also a good visual of meals that you can make and super easy and healthy! There are also a few people I follow that are great on Snapchat who usually always talk about meal prep. Here are a few of my favorite.

@ChaleneOfficial
@NatalieJillFit
@Fitmomfitbritt

I’m sure there are others. If you know of any share below. :)

There is also great accounts on Instagram! This is one of my favorites!

All Access All Year!

What if you had EVERY program Beachbody has EVER made and access to premium content even the programs they haven't even come out with yet?

We all love our Amazon Prime accounts and Netflix memberships right? Well this new offer Beachbody has put together is just like that, but for fitness.

Everyday I log into my laptop and pull up my online membership and log in. I pick the program I'm following and I press play. Plugs right into my TV in my apartment and I'm set! I travel a lot too being away from my family. I am on planes a lot and in hotels. This All Access Membership is to a site called Beachbody On Demand and it's just that! ON DEMAND, anywhere you can get wifi you can get your personal trainer.

This Beachbody On Demand or for us lifers we call it BOD. BOD is amazing for boredom, and for people who like to change it up constently. I still like following a 21, 30, 60-day program but some people hate that. Well with BOD you get all access NOW to EVERYTHING! Which is for people who seriously want to take their fitness to a new level this 2017!

Now what a better time of the year for this to be released! With gym membership prices sky-rocketing, everyone now has their own fitness program they want to sell you, different memberships that are super expensive but not this one though! For a LIMITED time only (about two months) Beachbody is giving you access for only $99!! #MicDrop #MindBlown

Now it gets better. The reason I got hooked on these programs three years ago was because I had the solution of Shakeology as well. Superfood nutrition as my daily dose of dense nutrition. Like my vitamin packed breakfast everyday. This is the number one reason I finally got the results I wanted to see that I had been never been able to see with just killing myself at the gym.

Not done yet... So these containers, seen them before? Well, these things have been the reason for millions of people seeing results that were life changing. Habit forming and really a game changer. Portion control is HUGE and a big part of your results. With this All Access Challenge Pack you now get a full set of portion controlled containers!

You get all this PLUS me as your Coach to help you throughout the whole year. I run support groups to keep you accountable as well and these you will get access to join with this All Access Challenge Pack. Plus it comes with a 30-day money back guarantee. This all comes bundled for a limited time only for only $199. Amazing they were going to charge $1,000 and I wouldn't be surprised if the cost goes up after the trial run is done to this but for now, they want to prove this way works!

I first bought a Challenge Pack three years ago and knew it was an investment in myself. I told myself I would quit after my third month of Shakeology. I even signed up to be a discount coach so I could receive a discount. Turns out these results were better than I thought. I was hooked! Loved the community I was a part of and the products. I'm so stinking excited about this offer because now I can really HELP people for a full year!

To explain this Challenge Pack and the full offer, I'll let our CEO explain- All Access All Year .

If you want to purchase the streaming only click here.

If you are ALL in and want the best savings and get the one month of Shakeology as well click here.

If you already have BOD and want to upgrade, you can do that as well. Just click here.

Let me know what you choose! I look forward to sharing this with so many people this upcoming 2017 and for them to be a part of my Fit4Life family! 2017 can be your year! Stop waiting and just go for it! The time is NOW!

Any questions please email JulesFit4Life@gmail.com and let me know you read my blog post.

Get ready for an amazing 2017!

Jules <3

January Health Bet

What is a Health Bet?

What if you got paid to do what you’re supposed to do when you want results. Things like workout 3 times a week, drink a healthy nutrient dense shake 5 times a week, and get support by being in a community of others doing that same thing. Sounds easy right?

Considered it that easy! Beachbody is putting together a Health Bet in the month of January perfect for New Year’s Resolutions. The amount of people who fall of their resolutions is just crazy. Only 64% of people make it through the first month, according to StaticBrain.com. This number is one Beachbody wants to have higher and I know I want to help.

Here’s how it works. Beachbody put down $1 million and for every Challenge Pack sold from October 31st - December 31st 2016, they will add $5 to the $1 million prize pot. With a guaranteed prize pot at $2 up to $3 million!! All you have to do to win a portion of this pot of cash Beachbody is investing in is the following:

Be working with a Coach (someone like me)

Join a Challenge Group your coach is running on The My Challenge Tracker App

Drink 5 Shakeology’s a week, and log them into our private app with a picture

Workout 3 times a week, and log it on the app

Do all of this for 4 weeks starting January 9th- February 5th 2017

And that is IT!

We did a Health Bet in September this year and saw huge results!! Check out these stats from the last Beachbody Health Bet:

• 75% of customers and 86% of Coaches met their health and fitness goals
• More than 85% of Coaches and customers were satisfied with the contest
• 85% of customers would most likely participate in another Beachbody Health Bet

How can you be a part of this Beachbody Health Bet? You can contact me directly by emailing JulesFit4Life@gmail.com with the subject line Beachbody Health Bet. You can also click attending to my Challenge Group event page on Facebook January Jumpstart where we will be promoting this Health Bet Contest and I will send you a message directly on Facebook. Or if you are in and aren’t currently already working with a coach you can choose your next program and flavor of Shakeology here. Choose the challenge pack you want to start with this new year. The deadline to submit your order to guarantee delivery by the start of this Health Bet, January 9th, is to have your order in no later than December 29th, 2016.

I can’t wait to lead this January Jumpstart Challenge with this Health Bet incentive next month. Here are some of the results I got from my personal experience with the Health Bet earlier this year.

Turkey Meatballs

Cleanest Turkey Meatballs Around! 

Want to know my favorite Turkey Meatball recipe that I made last night?

It’s boyfriend approved too! ;)

Only takes 7 ingredients! #CleanOhMy

What you will need

1/3 cup whole wheat bread crumbs

1/4 cup Vanilla almond milk (or unsweetened) 

1 tsp. Avocado oil 

1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped 

1 pound raw 93% lean ground turkey breast 

1 large egg 

1/2 tsp Himalayan salt

1/2 tsp ground pepper 

1 TBSP Parmesan cheese 

optional: 1 TBSP parsley 

Preheat oven to 425º F. 

Line baking sheet with non-stick spray

Place bread crumbs and almond milk in a small bowl, set aside and Soak for 10 minutes

Heat oil in medium skillet on medium-low heat

Add onion, cook till clear 

Add garlic stir for 1 minute

Combine onion mixture, turkey, egg, cheese, salt, and pepper into bread crumb mixture in a large bowl. Mix well.

Refrigerate for 1 hour 

With clean hands or large spoon scoop 1 inch size balls of mixture into a small ball and place on baking sheet. (Should make 24) 

Bake for 13-18 minutes (flip at halfway mark) or until browned and cooked thoroughly 

Add on top of some whole wheat pasta or in my case I love quinoa pasta! First really nice home cooked meal I made for the bf and I! I got raving reviews #hehe #WhatANiceGirlfriendIAm ;) 

Enjoy <3

Protein No Bake Balls

Weekend Snack Ideas

Ever craving something sweet on the weekends but don’t want to ruin the progress you had throughout the week!? When you have more free time on the weekends, if you are like me I need something chewy and chocolaty…. and FAST. I’m not a huge baker or cook so I wanted to find something that was EASY and didn’t take too long to make. This recipe is one of my FAVORITE sweet treats that feels like a cheat but actually isn’t. They are called Protein No Bake Balls. You can use any type of protein you want and any flavor you chose. I am a chocolate fan so of course chocolate protein is my go to. Hope you enjoy this little sweet treat. Word to the wise put them in the freezer so you don’t eat them all in one sitting. ;)

Protein No Bake Balls

What you will need

½ cup protein (any brand or flavor works, I prefer Chocolate Shakeology)

½ cup natural peanut butter or almond butter

½ raw organic oats

3 tbsp honey

Pick one fun ingredient to add in, try them all, mix it up

½ cup raw mixed nuts

½ organic unsweetened coconut flakes

½ cup coco nibs

½ organic chocolate chips

½ raisins

Three Simple Steps

Mix it all together, dig in with your hands get dirty (licking of the hands is strongly encouraged!)

Roll them into ping-pong size balls

And cool them (fridge or freezer works)

ENJOY <3

Turkey Taco's

Turkey Taco's

 

Perfect for Taco Tuesday

What you will need

1 pound ground turkey

4 TBSP garlic vinegar

1/2 onion

1/2 black beans

1 Tsp olive oil

Brown turkey in oil and garlic vinegar. Add last TBSP on once cooked. Sautée onions in once cooked add in beans. For the shell any flower or corn tortilla will do. Top it with my favorite avocado and a splash of hot sauce. #YUM

Julia & Brianna's Favorite Gifts To Buy The Health and Fitness Lover In Your Lif

It can be hard knowing what to get the health and fitness lover in your life but we are here to help!! We have both tried a huge range of health and fitness products but we are both going to bring you our top three favorite health and fitness products of 2016.

Julia's Top Three Picks

My favorites are things I can’t live without now. First is my pre-workout my favorite is called Energize. Now pre workout is something I didn’t think I needed 2 years ago. I tried many before and I hated that feeling like my face was on fire and my body was tingly. This brand was different. Energize by Beachbody is something that I use every day now, I call it my liquid energy. Even the days I feel good enough to push play or to get up and do that workout I still take it. It helps me get my mindset right and it actually does push me to give more in my workouts. Sometimes I even take a scoop mid afternoon if I just really need to focus on something and I don’t want to have a second scoop of coffee. Best part it is lemon flavor and it is all natural.

My second favorite must have and makes a great gift for that fitness lover in your life is a S’well Bottle. Now these are a pricier water bottle and a glorified one at that. I will say though it is my favorite water bottle and I guard with my life. All the cool kids are drinking their water with these you might say and for me it helps motivate me to actually get my oz in. The idea around this water bottle is the design and the fact that it can keep your water cold for 24 hours and hot for 12 hours. The creator of these bottles designed them to get rid of plastic water bottles and now they partner with charities all over the world to help the environment. Another perk of this fashionable and trendy bottle you will be giving back too!

My third must have is a shaker cup that is on my wish list as well. Every fitness lover needs a good shaker cup for their post, or pre, or even during workout. My biggest annoyance with shaker cups though is I always forget or lose the ball. Most of the time I just go without and my protein doesn’t get shaken well enough. This Beachbody Performance Hybrid Shaker Cup by Beachbody is perfect because the ball comes with the cup and it attached to the straw. Making it easy to use and forget proof. ;)

Brianna’s Top Three Picks

My first favorite health and fitness products of 2016 is the Fitbit Charge 2. I absolutely adore this product. I use it every single day to track my sleep, exercise and nutrition. One of my favorite things about the Fitbit is that it helps to hold me accountable by sending me reminders. It is also nice that you get to compete with your friends who also have a Fitbit and send them friendly reminders and even give them a little push. The Fitbit really is a great support system to get you moving, sleeping and eating right. The Fitbit app is also very simple to use and lets you track food, water, sleep, and movement. I love my Fitbit and would not be as active without it.

My second favorite health and fitness products of 2016 is the Gaiam Print Premium Yoga Mat. The main reason I love this yoga mat is because it is extra thick and it is also longer and wider than a traditional yoga mat. I use it for every single one of my workouts. This would be a great addition to any home or classroom.

My third favorite health and fitness products of 2016 is BigOven.  BigOven is an app that allows you to get food ideas, create menu plans, make grocery lists and add of your favorite recipes. This app is a lifesaver for keeping my nutrition on track. Each week I sit down and create my menu for the week with new and old recipes that I add into my account. I then create a grocery list that is laid out into categories so shopping is easy and I never forget anything. This app is perfect for anyone who is busy but wants to stay on track with their nutrition.

Those are Julia & Brianna's top three favorite health and fitness products of 2016. Enjoy! And let us know if you try any of the products and what you thought. Happy Holidays!

-Julia & Brianna 

JulesFit4Life Holiday Survival Guide

We all know the holidays are a struggle for most. Not to mention stressful. Well for someone who is trying to stay on top of their health it makes it ten times harder. Most people don’t even have the courage to start something this month because they know what is coming. All the family get-togethers, holiday parties, sugary treats, alcohol. That doesn’t even cover Christmas Eve! That person isn’t YOU though. YOU have just signed up for my best tips to get you through the holiday on the negative side of the scale. These tips are some of my best practices to help with stress around holiday weight gain. I call it the Holiday Survival Guide, so bundle up and get ready to make some changes this Christmas.

Step 1 SLEEP MORE

    Sleep is so vital this time of year. Not to mention it gets dark so early. I don’t know who doesn’t struggle with getting tired around 4pm each afternoon. That is why we need to make sure we are sleeping at the right times and for enough time. Each night shoot for 7-8 hours of good old sweet sleep.

Step 2 NUTRITION IS KEY

    Holiday eating is when we can pack on the pounds, we all know this. The average amount of weight Americans gain in December ranges from 1-2 pounds. This study is from over 10 years ago so I would assume this number could be higher. Either way the amount of calories we eat this month will go up. That is why we need to be conscious of what we are eating. This holiday season pick your battles wisely. Don’t let every meal be a cheat. Rule of thumb pick one cheat a week. Then on Christmas day that can be your cheat day. Here are a few ways to tackle Christmas dinner with your family.

• Start off light: appetizers can start the night off bad so instead of going for the cheese dip go for veggies and hummus 
• This for that: have a sweet and sugary drink or cocktail? Then go light on the dessert. Don’t indulge on every course just pick a few. 
• The healthy alternative: pumpkin pie instead of apple, hummus over ranch and other creamy based dips, turkey over ham, and veggies over chips.
• Portions are everything: You can eat what you want just be reasonable with your servings sizes and you will survive 

Step 3 HO HO H20

    Water is your bestie this holiday! Water is what is going to clean out those toxins and keep you going. Water also helps keep you full. Next time you head to a dinner party grab a big 20 oz water and down it. Guarantee you will be less likely to eat as much.

Step 4 STEP UP THE WORKOUTS

    This month is what fitness addicts like to call the “ab” making months! Those summer bodies aren’t made in the summer, they are made in the winter. This is the prime time to start that workout you have been waiting to start. Or maybe you have been telling yourself for two weeks now you will go to the gym tomorrow. Well today is the day! Not to mention when you get a good sweat on you will reduce your stress levels! Sounds like a win-win to me.

Step 5 CUT THE EXCUSES

    For those of us who haven’t made it to the gym and have been putting it off for two weeks cut it out. Repeat after me, “I have time to workout.’ This is the number one excuse this holiday season. “Well Julia I have 6 kids and I have to get all their Christmas gifts wrapped and I work a 9-5 I don’t think I have time.” Not true. You need to make time. Don’t be the one to start in January either. About 25% of us stop working out after just the first 7 days in January (Washington post 2015). I challenge you to be better than that 25%. Start setting yourself up for success in December so it becomes a habit in January.

Step 6 FIND WHAT YOU LIKE TO DO

    First, you need to make sure it is something you LIKE to do. If you buy something you hate doing what are the chances you actually do it? Probably slim to none. Instead find something you LOVE. Something that makes you push hard, sweat a ton, and feel like you can’t do the kind of workout that makes you feel amazing and want to tell other people about! Here are a few of the workouts I get that type of feeling with:

• Hot yoga  
• HIIT workouts  
• Cycle classes
• Lifting heavy

    

Step 7 PLAN, PRIORITIZE, & SCHEDULE

    PPS for short! This is something I do all year round because it is so important. Planning out your day is just like meal planning and that has also changed my life. Here is how I do it… Right, when I wake up plan out my day. I make a list of everything I need to do that day. Then I star the 3 things I must get done. Just 3 yes, these 3 are the three that if you don’t get them done your whole day will be ruined. They are important. Now working out should always be started!             

Step 8 INVITE YOUR FAMILY

    If you are hosting the Christmas party or dinner, encourage your guests to bring their workout shoes and a pair of workout clothes. After dinner (before dessert and before your uncle is asleep on the couch) turn on your favorite workout. If this is a stretch, go out for a family walk or play an active game with them after you eat. That way the food coma isn’t near as bad.

Step 9 GOALS GOALS GOALS

    If you haven’t set a goal yet, you will need to think about what you will want to achieve this holiday season. You also need to have a longer range goal. A 30-day goal to get you through the holidays and then a 6 month or if that’s too long, a 90-day goal will work too. These goals don’t have to be weight related but they can be as simple as I want to workout 5 times a week and cut out soda and only eat complex carbs. This will ultimately set you up for success to be more than just lighter next year but also healthier. So pick two good goals for yourself and write it down. Share it with the world!

Step 10 ACCOUNTABILITY

    With setting a goal in step 9 you will also need to find some accountability. Accountability can be a group of people or your best friend. The only requirement is that they hold you accountable. So if your best friend isn’t a friend that will tell you straight or be honest then find another accountability partner. The reason accountability is SOO vital to your success is on the days it is really hard. The days you just want to give up you don’t have to fight it alone. So there you go find that person or group that will be there for you no matter what.

There are just a few of my top ten tips to surviving the Holiday Hoppla! Yes, it isn’t going to be easy but send you accountability partner to and let’s tackle the holidays together!

Sweet Potato with Apple Casserole

Need a super simple, easy to make, holiday dish?

Ifound this recipe on the notorious Pinterest. It is called
"Healthy Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole" from a blog called Kristine's Kitchen. I love when recipes on Pinterest say Healthy and it looked easy enough so I had to take a look.

My prediction was correct. It was extremely easy and didn't take very many ingredients. I had to try it out. I got invited to a party to network with a few other Wedding Professionals in the Kitsap Peninsula (my new home town). Figured why not try it out for this event, it looked easy, and wouldn't require a lot of ingredients I didn't already have. The worst part about cooking I think is how expensive it can be just to make your food have a little stronger flavor. Spices and herbs have never been my strong suit. Don't you hate it when you have to buy a full head of say green onions for just one small onion. It's a pet peeve of mine, but good news this recipe the only thing I swapped and made my own was the topping. 

This recipe works great for a holiday party or big dinner because it serves up to 8 people, and that's with a hearty serving. I took it to a party and probably 10 people nibbled on it and I still had some leftover. Which it does stay good in the refrigerator well. 

Sweet Potato with Apple Casserole:

Ingredients

• 3 ½ - 4 pounds sweet potatoes (about 5 medium)2 medium apples
• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup honey
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
• ½ cup milk
• ½ cup chopped walnuts

Directions

Scrub and peel the sweet potatoes, then chop them into 1-inch cubes and place in slow cooker. Peel the apples and chop them into 1-inch pieces or about the same size pieces; add to the slow cooker.

Add the water, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. 

Cover and cook on high heat for 3-3 ½ hours, until sweet potatoes are very soft.

Use a potato masher to mash the sweet potatoes and apples until to preferred smoothness.

Add the butter (if using) and milk, and stir until well combined. 

Sprinkle on the toasted, chopped walnuts and set your slow cooker to the “Keep Warm” setting for serving.

Let me know what you think. This recipe was a hit at the event. Thanks to the Promote Kitsap Weddings for inviting me to this event, and thank you to the host, Red Cedar Farms. 

Ways To Keep Your Students Active This Winter

Everyone knows that it can be hard to stay active during the winter months. Keeping your students active over the cold months will help to keep your students motivated, focused and happy. Today we are bringing you three awesome tips on how to keep your students active this winter.

The first tip is to introduce Go Noodle into your classroom. Go Noodle is an amazing free tool that has helped more than 10 million kids get active each month. Go Noodle has helped kids to become their strongest, smartest, bravest, bestest selves. The thing we love about Go Noodle is that it makes movement fun. Go Noodle turns movement into games that allow kids to be silly, playful and energetic. GoNoodle is also very simple to use! All you have to do is press play on one of hundreds of custom videos that will get kids running, jumping, dancing and stretching.

The second tip is to get moving and dancing to Cantata Learning music. We love Cantata Learning because they combined music with teaching fundamental skills. Songs can help to strengthen language skills like pronunciation, grammatical structure, and vocabulary. We love the new series Me, My Friends, My Community: Songs about Emotions! We feel this series can help kids this winter to stay positive and get the wiggles out while still learning some very valuable skills.

The third tip is to do a HIIT workout or find a short workout you can do that is fun for your kids. The first workout you can do with your students is what we call a HIIT workout or a High Intensity Interval Training. Now this doesn’t have to be super intense or long but the idea is to really get your blood flowing and to get something in that is quick and easy for your students to do. This article shows how beneficial HIIT workouts can be even for younger students and how it can help with the ever increasing obesity level. HIIT workouts can range from 3-5 minutes long. No equipment needed, not a lot of space, and they can be really fun. Here are a few examples of HIITs for your classroom.

HIIT Options:

For all ages

For your athletes

For your older students

The second option is to find something fun like Zumba, Yoga, or a fun easy to do workout to do. I find Youtube is a quick and easy way to find fun and short workouts that are also free. These again don’t have to be long but can be just a quick 5 minute get up and move time with your kids so they can take a break from learning so they can come back re focused and energized. We picked a few of our favorite Youtube channels.

KidsBop Zumba

Cosmic Yoga

Have fun keeping your students active this winter and don't forget to share these tips with your families and friends too!


You will find this post and all of ours on The Healthy Tip Corner page here.


Brianna and Julia