Are you ready for Our Courageous October?  Are you ready to make changes towards a healthier you?

About a year ago I made a personal and financial investment in myself.  I enrolled in a club - The Courageous Confidence Club created by Chalene Johnson.  This training was designed to help members overcome fear and learn to build confidence.  Most importantly to develop the courage to set goals, work towards those goals, and  achieve those goals.  Confidence has always been my Achilles heel and has hindered my personal growth for as long as I can remember.  I decided that enough was enough.  And I knew that if I spent money on this Club I would keep myself accountable and complete the training.

Why am I telling you all of this?  Two reasons! 

First, I want to share my journey with you as I grow and be honest with you about how I’m learning to be a better, stronger person inside and out.

The second reason is MOST exciting to me!  I’ve realized that the training material from the Courageous Confidence Club will compliment my health & fitness accountability groups PERFECTLY!

So – I’ve created my new online accountability group for October.

 It’s called Our Courageous October!  And it’s going to be a game changer!  I’m going to be incorporating what I’ve learned to help us all develop more confidence and courage to make changes in our health, fitness and our brains!  Doesn’t that sound like fun?!?  Together we will grow stronger both physically and mentally to become the best version of ourselves and have the confidence to do anything!

I’m going to share with you some of the things I learned with Chalene’s Club, and you’ll get these amazing tips and ideas FREE!  I invested money in myself to be a member, and I know firsthand how much the training absolutely changed my life, and I want to share this with you! 

What will you receive when you invest in yourself and join my Courageous October Accountability Group?

1. Yours truly as your personal coach to talk with daily!   I will share with you what I’ve learned to guide you towards successfully achieving your health and fitness goals.  All while strengthening our brains and developing more confidence.

2. An exclusive online support group full of ladies on a mission to become healthier & stronger – together!  An online group to check in with daily, talk about struggles, talk about successes and have to have fun with.

3. THE most advanced nutrition shake on the planet for your daily dose of the healthiest food you will ever eat.  No joke with that statement!  Shakeology is the best nutrition you will find.

4. Your choice of an amazing workout & nutrition program.   Effective & fun workouts from top trainers in the industry.  And a nutrition guide to teach you how to make lifestyle changes and create healthy eating habits that work for you.

5. Meal planning tips, meal plans, and clean recipes from me to help you continue eating healthier.

6. I will share some of the ideas from Chalene Johnson’s Courageous Confidence Club to strengthen our brains while we strengthen our muscles!  We will also be using a personal development book that I love to grow our confidence and be our best.

What do you need to do now that you've decided you're ready?

Email me at kristingator@gmail.com OR fill out the form below and I will be in touch!

Let's do this!

This week's meal plan. And should women really lift weight with ChaLEAN Extreme?

I’ve completed one week of ChaLEAN Extreme and I’m so glad that chose this program for my next phase of my journey!  The concept of this weight lifting program is to lift heavier weights to build lean muscle.  In turn this lean muscle will speed up our metabolism.  It’s a 90 day program with a new phase every 30 days.  The first 30 days is the called the burn phase.  The program is designed to be done 5 days per week with 2 rest days and the workouts range from 30-40 minutes.  During this initial phase we are working upper and lower body together with heavier weights and lower reps to reach our max within 12 reps.  Each day’s workout is different during the week to keep our muscles continually challenged and allow rest between muscle groups. 

But don’t worry, women will not develop masculine muscles by lifting weights with this program – and I’m not going for that at all!  My goals is to create more definition, tone up certain areas and burn off a little fat.  I also need to strengthen my back muscles to improve my posture and help control my back alignment.  My job as a pharmacist is taking a toll on my posture and back!  I’m also working to improve my push-ups and form during plank and down dog exercises.  This program will also work perfectly with PiYo.  I will be doing PiYo on the 2 days off each week to continually improve my flexibility and muscle strength with body weight training.

Do you wonder why women should women lift weights?

(Don't forget that body weight training qualifies as “lifting weights”!)

1. Burn more fat – when you finish weight training, metabolism remains elevated and you continue to burn fat for several hours after workout is complete
2. Change your body shape
3. Boost metabolism – more muscle means higher metabolism and more calories burned during the day
4. Build stronger bones – weight bearing exercises build and maintain bone mass and help prevent osteoporosis
5. Fights depression – endorphins are released during exercise
6. Reduce injuries and arthritis – weight training improves joint stability and builds stronger ligaments and tendons
7. Helps your heart stay healthy – weight training increases good cholesterol (HDL), decreases bad cholesterol (LDL) and lowers blood pressure
8. Helps prevent diabetes – weight training improves glucose utilization, which means your body processes sugar more effectively. The more lean muscle you have, the more efficient your body is at removing sugar from the blood.

Now, aren't those 8 reasons enough to talk you into lifting weights?

My meal plans will still following the 21 day fix portion system.  This nutrition system is simple, logical and works the best for me.  This will be my meal plan for week 2.

My next online accountability group will begin on October 12^th.  I would LOVE to share with you solutions that continue to work for me and other ladies in my accountability groups.  Being surrounded by a community of supportive, encouraging friends makes this journey much more fun!

Email me at kristingator@gmail.com or fill out the questionnaire below and I will be in touch!

Savory Chicken, Bean and Spinach Soup

This soup is one of the best that I've had.  It's easy to throw together with not to many ingredients.  And it is wonderful leftover and will probably be good to freeze.  The recipe is from one of my fellow Beachbody Coaches, Melanie Mitro.

Savory Chicken, Bean and Spinach Soup

Ingredients:

- 4 pieces of chicken breast cut into chunks

- 3 14 oz cans vegetable broth

- 1 15 oz can tomato puree

- 1 15 oz can small white beans or great northern beans, drained and rinsed

- 1/2 cup uncooked brown rice

- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion

- 1 tsp dried basil

- 1/4 tsp salt

- 1/4 tsp pepper

- 2 garlic cloves, chopped

- 8 cups coarsely chopped fresh spinach or kale leaves

- Finely shredded parmesan cheese

Directions:
In a 3 1/2 or 4 quart slow cooker, combine vegetable broth, tomato puree, beans, rice, onion, salt, pepper, garlic and chicken.  Cover, cook on low heat setting for 5 to 7 hours or on high heat setting for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours.  Just before serving stir in spinach and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Healthy Meatball Recipe

My super last night was so tasty, I just had to share the recipe for the meatballs.  They are simple, healthy & tasty!  We had these meatballs with homemade tomato sauce & salad last night.  But I also love them by themselves.  And I've frozen the leftover meatballs for quick go-to lunches during the work week.

I have 2 favorite meatball recipes.  One from a fellow coach Melanie Mitro and another from the Fixate Cookbook.  So I've taken my favorite ingredients from each to create my own!

Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground turkey (OR 1 lb ground lean beef + 1 lb ground turkey)
• 2 whole eggs
• 1 cup quick cooking oats
• ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tbsp dry parsley (or use ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley)
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 medium onion finely chopped 
• 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese (I forgot this – but I’m sure it’s great in the meatballs!)


Directions:
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees
• Spray muffin pan with olive oil.
• Mix all your ingredients together in one large bowl.
• Roll the mixture into balls and place in muffin tin.  Muffins should be about the size of raquet balls.
• Bake for 40 minutes.
** This recipe makes about 18 meatballs

** The original recipe from the Fixate cookbook has you sautee the onions & garlic in olive oil before mixing into meat.  I didn’t do this – I just mixed it all in at once to save time!

Serving size 2 muffins for women and 4 for men.

Chili Recipe and this week's meal plan

I'm excited about this week!  I'm starting week 4 of my personal PiYo renewal.  And my new group, Find Your Healthy This Fall, is starting up.  I'm adding new ladies to this amazing community of supportive and encouraging women on a mission to be healthier and feel better.

It feels good to be back in my routine and back to my meal plans!  Making a weekly meal plan helps me track what I'm eating to ensure that I'm not eating too much and that I'm eating enough of the right foods.  And meal plans absolutely make my week SO much easier.  One trip to the grocery store for the week and not having to decide what to cook last minute makes everything easy.

I've added a couple new recipes this week and a few of my favorites. 

I also wanted to share my new favorite chili recipe from Chalene Johnson - TurboFire Chili.  Super simple and tasty.  And perfect for the cooler weather that is hopefully on the way!

Ingredients: (I double this recipe for leftovers)
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ground turkey (or lean beef)
1 pkg chili seasoning (or homemade if preferred)
1 can diced tomatoes
2 cups frozen whole kernel corn
1 can black beans (rinsed & drained)
1 can chili, pinto, or kidney beans (rinsed & drained)
1 tbsp tomato paste

Directions:
1. Brown turkey and remove from pan (or beef & drain beef if any fat)
2. Saute onion in a little olive oil until translucent, add garlic and cook for a minute
3. Return turkey (or beef) to pan, add all other ingredients
4. Cook on medium heat for 20 minutes or add 1 cup water and simmer on low for a couple hours.  (You can also cook in crock pot)

How Does Chronic Stress Effect Our Appetites?

My post today is to help you learn what chronic, or long term, stress can do to our appetites and bodies.  The research I’m doing for this post is just as much for you as it is for me.  The simple truth is that stress can contribute to overeating and weight gain.  Research from the America Psychological Association shows that about ¼ of Americans rate their stress level as 8 or more!

Short term and long term stress effect our appetites and cravings in a different way.  Short term stress can decrease our appetite because of the fight-or-flight response to stress.

What we need to worry about is chronic stress.  Today, I’m focusing how stress effects our appetite and cravings.  We could spend days talking about all of the bad effects of stress on our bodies, so today we will stick with appetite. 

When we are under chronic stress, our brains are in a constant state of fight-or-flight in an effort to protect us from what has caused the stress.  Long term stress triggers our brains to constantly release a hormone called cortisol (the stress hormone).  This hormone will increase our appetite and signals the body to store food and glucose.  This leads to the body storing fat and slowing down our metabolism.  Chronic stress, either physical or emotional, causes this hormone to remain increased.

 And when this hormone is combined with high insulin levels from eating, sugar cravings increase, as well as cravings for high fat and processed foods.  

And the term comfort foods is true.  Studies are showing that when we eat junk foods our brain is impacted.  And these types of foods actually effect parts of the brain.  Comfort foods can temporarily help to decrease stress and “comfort” us only short term. 

Chronic stress can be caused by many different types of triggers.  Physical injuries or pain will cause our brains to remain in the fight mode to protect.  Emotional stress is a common cause of long term, chronic stress.  We are all under pressures at work and home that can lead to worry and anxiety.  Lack of sleep will also keep our bodies in a state of chronic stress.

I will post later this week with tips to help relieve stress that we can each incorporate into our lives.

Travel Tips to Stay on Track with Nutrition and Fitness Goals

As I pack for my first ever Leadership Conference with work, I thought that I would share how I stay on track, even while traveling.  This conference is my company’s annual event to continually develop and recognize leaders, and I’ve been told that they “go all out” and treat us quite well.  So, while I’m excited, I’m also a little concerned about the types of foods that will be available for me.  I have a copy of the agenda, we will have 3 meals per day, snacks all day, cocktail parties and even a trip to Universal.  So it’s imperative that I have a GAME PLAN to stay on track!

My game plan starts with making the plan.  I have the meeting agenda, so I know that I will need to wake up early to workout in my hotel room before the group breakfast.  Workout DVDs will be packed, along with my computer, so I’ll have no excuses.  And my boss even wants to try out a couple workouts, so I’m taking a variety for her. 

I’m still going to have my Shakeology for breakfast each day.  Starting my day with a shake helps to curb my sweet tooth first thing in the morning and keeps me feeling full for a few hours.  This way I will be able to avoid the donuts and danishes that are always on the menu at breakfasts. 

My plan for lunches and dinners are to stick with lean proteins and lots of vegetables.  It’s easy for me to avoid cream sauces and fried foods.

 

I will be packing snacks to have during the day such as snack baggies of nuts, Kind bars and apples.  And I’m packing plenty of bottled water to stay hydrated.  Dehydration can lead to headaches and hunger, so I have to stay on track with my water intake!

My suitcase will also be loaded with my Nina blender, Shakeology (of course!), coconut oil and all-natural almond butter.  I will also be traveling with a cold bag of unsweetened almond milk and fruit to use in my shakes each morning. 

This all takes a little bit of extra planning.  But being able to stay on track with my workouts and nutrition goals, helps me to feel better and keep my energy up.  And I won’t feel guilty if I have a treat or two while I’m at the meeting!