Release Your Stress So You Can Enjoy the Holidays

The Holidays are nearing, and no matter how much you love them, they still cause a little mental stress and physical tension. Be sure and let your body relax and rejuvenate so that you can fully enjoy the holiday season this year. Try these simple yoga poses to relax. And the awesome part is they don't even require a yoga mat!

Warm Up Dinner with Hearty Roasted Vegetables

Roasted veggies always sound good on a cold night. They are so simple, and yield a delicious result! Try this blend and see what you think.

Enjoy Holiday Treats without Ruining Your Health Goals: Recipe 3

Tart and sweet, these Cranberry Granola Bars are a perfect low calorie snack!

Enjoy Holiday Treats without Ruining Your Health Goals: Recipe 2

These Coconut Macaroons are naturally low in sugar, but still taste wonderful! Let everyone at your parties remain unaware that they are getting a healthy treat this holiday season.

Need More Sleep?

You need your sleep to achieve your fitness goals. But falling asleep, even when you are trying, isn't always easy. Life is busy and stressful and those concerns can keep you from falling asleep. See if any of these natural remedies works for you to get better sleep.

Chicken Pot Pie, minus the hassle and calories

Comfort food usually means lots of calories. But this twist on favorite Chicken Pot Pie isn't loaded with calories and has a short cut with an end result just as delicious, but cuts the prep time significantly! I am betting this will become a regular at your house this winter.

Keep Focused on Your Health Goals

Finding it hard to stay committed to your workout and fitness goals? Try some - or all - of these tips to keep yourself motivated and focused.

Enjoy Holiday Treats without Ruining Your Health Goals: Recipe 1

The holidays are just around the corner, and we can already feel the thoughts of "I must avoid the sweets." But not this year! There are many scrumptious options that won't sabotage your health and fitness goals. All you chocolate lovers are in for a superfood delight!

Make Your Vegetables Even Heathier

Not a vegetable lover? Try these three methods to bring out the best flavors and nutrients of your veggies, and you may become a veggie lover after all.

Healthy & Hearty Slow Cooker Beef Chili

This slow cooker beef chili recipe is so easy for 2 reasons: first, you most likely have all the ingredients already, and second, you just have to toss it all in your slow cooker and forget about it for hours until dinner time!

Give it a try and see if it becomes your new fall favorite.

Don't Wait Until New Years to Re-Start Your Healthy Life Goals

Feeling like you have slipped past the point of redemption when it comes to your health and fitness goals? Luckily, there is no "point of no return" when it comes to your health! Try some - or all - of these strategies to try and get back into healthier life choices. And remember, to do what you can, however big or little it seems. Just be sure and do something... you'll be happier and healthier for it!

Pumpkin Pie Bites...That Gives an Energy Boost!

Want a little energy boost? Look no further! These Pumpkin Pie Energy Bites are a delicious little package of the fall flavors you love. They are fast, easy, healthy, and require no baking! They are perfect for a snack, a lunch boost, or a party tray. And little hands love rolling the balls.

A Healthy(er) Halloween Snack

Today is the day of treats! Right? Hopefully you saved a few "cheats" for today. But even if you didn't, this Candy Corn Smoothie will definitely take care of the sweet-tooth cravings.

Fight For Your Life

What does it mean to... FIGHT for your life?

It's funny how you can hear something you have heard before, but interpret it in a completely new way.

Some people have had to in a very literal way, fight for their life. Fight to keep their heart beating to the next day, hour, even minute.

I feel like we have to make a conscious effort to fight for our lives in a very different way, on a daily basis. 

Fight the urge to sleep those extra few hours every morning.

Fight the urge to put off that workout...again.

Fight the urge to give up on your dreams, or even worse, the urge to give up on yourself.

We must fight to see our true potential. To not settle.

Fight to get to know our true selves. Connect with what we want out of life, and love ourselves enough to go for it.

Fight to to know that while we may not know HOW it will all work out, we believe in ourselves enough to know that we can and will figure it out.

So through the mundane, the every day, I encourage you to fight. Fight to live life to the fullest. Stretch your limits and discover what your capable of.
FIGHT for your life.
The crazy, amazingly hard, and beautiful life you were meant to live. ❤️✌🏼

Heat Up Your Weekend with Zesty Chicken & Brown Rice

Want a little extra spice to kick start your weekend?  Try this Zesty Chicken with Brown Rice recipe that takes under 45 mins to prepare. Quick and tasty!

Branch Out From the Seasons "Pumpkin Spice"

The cooler weather means it's time to cozy up with a nice hot cup of... well, whatever your preferred beverage be. Whether you crave rich coco, soothing tea, or the kick of coffee, try giving it a little spice this season. These drinks not only cut down the calories, but are a welcome change from the mundane old drinks.

Making the Switch to Healthier Eating is Doable!

Making the switch to healthy eating can seem daunting. But, you are probably already doing more than you realize. With a little more meal planning and cleaning out the not-so-healthy go-to foods from your cupboards, you will make impressive gains toward a healthier life.

What's a MUFA? Definitely not a Disney Character!

MUFA means "monounsaturated fatty acids." They are the "good fats" that help our bodies absorb fat-soluble vitamins. This article explains a little more clearly what MUFAs are and how they are useful in our diet. It also gives some ideas on how to add them into your diet in delicious ways!

Enjoy the fall weather and get in an awesome workout

Walking is a great way to kick-start your weight loss journey. Walking is a workout you can get comfortable with and move yourself up naturally, probably without even realizing. Get out and enjoy the great fall weather and beautiful colors.

Walking is magic. Can't recommend it highly enough. I read that Plato and Aristotle did much of their brilliant thinking together while ambulating. The movement, the meditation, the health of the blood pumping, and the rhythm of footsteps... this is a primal way to connect with one's deeper self. Paula Cole
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/p/paulacole481030.html

Walking is magic. Can't recommend it highly enough. I read that Plato and Aristotle did much of their brilliant thinking together while ambulating. The movement, the meditation, the health of the blood pumping, and the rhythm of footsteps... this is a primal way to connect with one's deeper self. Paula Cole
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/p/paulacole481030.html?src=t_walking

Walking is magic. Can't recommend it highly enough. I read that Plato and Aristotle did much of their brilliant thinking together while ambulating. The movement, the meditation, the health of the blood pumping, and the rhythm of footsteps... this is a primal way to connect with one's deeper self. Paula Cole
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/p/paulacole481030.html?src=t_walking

A Fun AND Healthy Halloween Meal

Halloween is just around the corner, so we all know this means buckets of sugary sweets will be coming home soon. Luckily your dinners can counter all the candy. These Stuffed Bell Pepper Pumpkins are so fun your kids won't be able to resist. You'll be glad that they are healthy. And you won't have to feel too guilty sneeking a treat after this yummy and Fix-approved meal.

Extra time at breakfast for once? Try one of these for a delicious morning meall!

Some say breakfast is the most important meal, but we don't always have time for a nice homemade breakfast. But, on the days you DO have extra time, these easy and delicious breakfast tacos won't disappoint!

Fruits and Veggies - Stick with the reliables or try something new?

Are you a tried-and-true fruits and veggie person, or are you in with everyone trying out the new, and strange looking, options. Not sure how I feel about the appearance of some of these, but their health benefits sound amazing! Not to mention, a little variety can be fun.

What IS Clean Eating, Anyway?

With so many ideas about "clean eating" floating around, it's hard to know what it really means. When we think of healthy eating, diet comes to mind. But clean eating doesn't revolve around how few calories you eat or how much more protein you eat. Clean eating is more about getting back to basic, real food - food that is unprocessed, or at least minimally process, refined, or handled.
A good way to think of it is, food that is as close to it's original form as possible.

When asked what "clean eating" means, Beachbody's senior director of nutrition content Denis Faye said "That’s a good question. In my opinion, 'clean eating' should be shorthand for 'eat lots of fruits and vegetables and less processed food.'"

Read more about what Faye said in this article.

Breaking Post-Workout Bad Habits

Whether your preferred exercise is running, aerobic workouts, lifting, etc, be sure you aren't keeping bad habits that prevent your body from recuperating. This article, although geared to running, can definitely be applied to all aspects of physical routines. Our bodies can be pushed to great limits during the workout, but unless allowed the necessary rest and nourishment, we won't reach our full potential.

Simple Snack Boxes To Make Life Easy and Tasty

We all need a snack now and then, no matter what our daily routine. But, rather than going for the easy candy or treats, here are few snack ideas that will help you toward your goals of a healthy day and life. 

"Nutrition really is the key to a healthy lifestyle and a healthy life. It goes a long way toward lowering the risk for heart disease and improving overall health," says Dr. Rita Redberg, a cardiologist at the University of California, San Francisco Medical Center, who also contributes to health-oriented cookbooks. (Quote from an article by Lisa Baertlein on http://www.everydayhealth.com.)

5 Simple Snack Boxes for Busy People

As days grow shorter, they somehow get filled with more things we have to do. During this busy time of year, it’s easy to slip up when it comes to healthy eating habits.

You might not have time to cook all of your lunches and dinners for the week, but you can be prepared with nutritious snacks to get you through the busiest of days. These grab-and-go snack boxes are easy to put together and are hearty enough to pass for a regular meal, or snack on them throughout the day. Each one is loaded with protein, fiber, and flavorful ingredients to satisfy your taste buds and that mid-afternoon rumble in your tummy.


All American
Snacking on good old cheese and crackers, and veggies with ranch dressing will please any kid, or grown-up kid. Our Healthier Ranch Dressing recipe made with Greek yogurt, low-fat buttermilk, and dried herbs is so much healthier and lower in calories than the goop that comes in a bottle that one serving is a full ¼ cup! Dunk those baby carrots and celery sticks to your heart’s content. Rolled up slices of lean deli turkey adds 15 grams of protein to keep you feeling full.

• 8 small whole wheat crackers
• 4 oz. low-sodium sliced turkey
• 1 oz. jack cheese
• 1 cup carrots and celery
• ¼ cup Healthier Ranch Dressing

Tex-Mex
The slogan is right, you can’t eat just one chip. Salty chips can be a snacker’s downfall, but these healthy Baked Corn Tortilla Chips are Beachbody approved! They’re brushed with a teaspoon of olive oil and baked until crisp. We paired them with fresh pico de gallo salsa and cheese so you can build your own nachos. Crunchy red pepper slices and chunks of sweet mango give this snack box tons of vitamin C and full servings of fruits and vegetables.

• Baked Corn Tortilla Chips (made from 2 corn tortillas and 1 tsp. olive oil)
• ½ cup pico de gallo (or Roasted Tomato Salsa)
• ½ cup sliced bell peppers
• 1 oz. pepper jack cheese
• 1 cup mango slices

West Coast
The West Coast has a reputation for being obsessed with kale and wholesome junk food alternatives like these roasted chickpeas – and it’s like, totally true. Throw in some of California’s famous produce, such as raw almonds, grapes, and clementines, and you’ve got a vegan snack box with more than 12 grams of protein.

To roast chickpeas: Drain, rinse, and pat dry one 15-oz. can of chickpeas. Spread chickpeas on a baking sheet sprayed with nonstick cooking oil and drizzle with 2 tsp. olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Bake in an oven heated to 425° F for 12 to 18 minutes, or until lightly browned and crisp. Makes three servings, ½ cup each.

• 1 cup Kale Chips
• 12 raw almonds
• ½ cup grapes
• 1 clementine
• ½ cup roasted chickpeas

Mediterranean
Will this snack box filled with hummus, kalamata olives, pita bread, and juicy grapes and tomatoes make you feel like you’ve been whisked away to a Mediterranean island? Probably not, but foods like these have been linked to longer lifespans, and they have plenty of omega-3s and fiber to fill you up between meals. Make snack time even better with this super simple recipe for Homemade Hummus.

• ¼ cup hummus
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 10 medium olives
• 1 cup grapes
• 2 mini pitas

 
Nordic
For a delicious, Scandinavian-style snack, layer velvety lox or smoked salmon with hardboiled eggs and cucumber slices on Wasa crackers. Look for whole grain crispbreads with extra fiber for a satisfying snack that is hearty enough to be lunch or dinner.

• 2 oz. lox (or smoked salmon)
• 1 hardboiled egg
• 1 cup cucumber slices
• 4 Wasa crisps

(Original article from BeachBody Blog September 9, 2016 | BY: Kirsten Morningstar  https://www.beachbody.com/beachbodyblog/nutrition/5-simple-snack-boxes-for-busy-people)