Sweet Potato Muffins

These babies were sooooooo good. Obviously I don't focus on the presentation with my plastic kid plate and all:) forgive me and just try these for yourself. The way I made them I got 12 muffins at 167 calories a piece. The recipe was adapted from Gweneth Paltrow's recipe from her new cookbook. 

Sweet Potato Muffins

2 small sweet potatoes (cooked and peeled)

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/4 cup canola oil (the recipe called for 1/2 cup oil but I opted to cut that in half and add the applesauce. You could probably just use applesauce and no oil if you want to cut more calories)

1/2 cup skim or almond milk

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup Splenda (you could try stevia or just use more maple or honey if you don't want the artificial sweetener)

1tsp vanilla

1 cup oat flour (just food process 1 cup of old fashion oats til they are like flour)

1 cup spelt flour (can use whole wheat flour or more oat flour)

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp allspice

1/2 tsp sea salt

Mix wet ingredients. Mix dry ingredients and combine to the wet. Divide into 12 greased or lined muffin cups. Bake for 20-25 minutes. 

And then if you really want to go crazy blend some cottage cheese and blueberries til creamy and smooth and drown your muffin with it, then top with some yummy fresh strawberries...

I really wish I had some of these left cause I really want one.  I kind of think they would be amazing with  fresh blueberries baked in them.  I love baking and it is even more fun knowing my treats are healthy!

Progress Report!....

We all love some good before and after shots and Sara has some that do not disappoint! This girl is a champion. I am continually impressed by her perseverance and desire to reach her goals. I posted progress pics of her last week but I wanted to share these ones as well. The pants she has on fit her last winter before she started her weight loss journey. Obviously the girl needs to go shopping for new pants. And don't you just love the smile on her face!? She should be smiling, the girl is rocking her challenge. 

Thursday Sara is running in her first race. She totally has the jitters but I am so proud of her for not letting that stop her. Stories like hers inspire me and motivate me to keep working on my own goals. 

I asked Sara to share a few things that have helped her be successful on her 90 Day Challenge. I love hearing what is working for others and how they are overcoming obstacles and setbacks. 

Weight loss to date- 

I am on week 7 of my 90 day challenge and have lost 18.8 pounds so far. This makes my total weight loss 41 pounds since March. 

Favorite thing about the Challenge and why it's working for her-

I love the challenge because it is so simple!  Starting my day off with a shake motivates me to make better choices.  I love the energy I have.  I don’t feel as tired and I get so much more done in a day.  I love the way my shakes taste.  In fact, sometimes I crave a shake.  The protein helps me feel satisfied.  

Go to Snack List-

Some of my favorite snacks are apples, bananas, almonds, clean pumpkin bread, english muffin topped with egg beaters and salsa, and anything with peanut butter!

Favorite Way to Make Her Shake-

My favorite shake is my Vi mixed with almond milk and a tablespoon of PB2 mixed in my blender bottle.  It’s quick, easy, and I love the way it tastes! 

Best Advice She Has Received About Losing Weight and Getting in Shape-

The best advice I have received is that the only person I can compete with is myself!  Often times I think we tend to compare ourselves to others... how much they’ve lost.... how much they can they lift... how fast they can run... what size they wear.  You CANNOT do that!  You must only compare YOU with YOU... no one else!  This is not a competition with anyone but you. The goal is to be better than you used to be.  

Successes Beyond Weight Loss-

Something I love to do is teach dance classes to little ones.  Honestly, my weight has always made this a challenge for me.  It’s great being able to move around easier and do things I used to be able to do back when I was a dancer.  I can even do a cartwheel again! 

My biggest temptation is without a doubt pizza!! I LOVE pizza!  Once I start eating it, I CANNOT stop.  It’s nothing for me to eat 4 or 5 pieces!  I am trying really hard to realize that it’s ok to just have one or two pieces!  Now I also like to make healthier, lower calorie, flatbread pizzas at home (thanks to a friend’s suggestion), which helps feed my craving for pizza. 

Sara's Words of Wisdom-

One of my biggest struggles is not feeling good enough.  I have a lot of self-doubt.  Can I really do this?  Can I keep the weight off?  Can I really motivate others to become healthier, too?  I have already lost more weight than I thought was possible.  I think I feel surprised that I can actually do this.... and that I AM doing this!  I want to be healthier and I want to teach my family how to make healthy choices.  I want my kids to know how and why it’s important to eat healthy.  It’s definitely a process and sometimes I struggle with food choices. I can easily become overwhelmed in menu preparation or in the grocery store.  I still have a lot to learn.  I have to remind myself that this is not about 90 days.  This is about me (and my family) having a healthier lifestyle.  I can’t do it all at once but I must take baby steps.  And I’ll get there! A little change goes a long way!  When I’m having a hard day and I don’t want to work out or I just want to pig out, I have to remind myself that just for today I can suck it up and get to the gym..... or just for this meal, I WILL have portion control.  Each day I do the best I can and move on to the next.  Baby steps.... one day at a time.  You will never regret being healthier!

Thank you Sara! 

Does Sara's story speak to you? 

You will be seeing more progress pics of this girl because I know she is on a mission to crush her weight loss goals. 

www.meganrencher.bodybyvi.com

Cooking Clean in the Crockpot

Yesterday I tried a new crockpot recipe. I have to say it turned out mighty delicious. It was nice to come home from church to the smell of yummy chicken, garlic and curry waiting to be devoured. 

I came across this recipe the night before and was excited to find out I had all but two of the ingredients. And those ingredients were ones I felt comfortable substituting with ones I did have. I honestly don't claim to be a good cook. I can follow a recipe but when it comes to improvising, most of my creations turn out less than stellar:) but I am getting better. But the small changes I made to this recipe turned out fantastic. I am sure the original recipe would be great too but I will stick to my version  in the future simply because these are ingredients I usually have on hand.

I am posting the original recipe (from www.the graciouspantry.com) and putting my changes in parenthesis...

Clean Eating Curry Chicken

(Makes 8 servings)

Ingredients:

• 4 large chicken breasts (I used just two large breasts and we still have leftovers)
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1 shallot, diced (I used a sliced red onion)
• 1/2 cup dried apricots, no sugar added ( I used a can of no-sugar added peaches and drained the juice)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried ginger
• 12 cloves garlic, chopped (yes, 12. That’s not a typo, but I wasn't brave enough to put this much garlic in so I used 6. The garlic flavor wasn't strong so u really could use 12)
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 3/4 cup chicken stock (use 2 cups if you want gravy, + 1-2 tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour. Whisk well into the broth before adding to the crock pot to avoid clumps.)
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• Juice of 1 lemon

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in the crock pot and stir as best you can to get everything mixed and coated in the spices.
2. Cook on low for 8-10 hours.
3. Serve over brown rice and add a side of broccoli or greens beans....Yum!

I considered adding in a can of chickpeas but decided against it because I knew we were already going to have a lot of leftovers. But i think they would be yummy. You could just use chickpeas and leave out the chicken if you wanted to make this a vegetarian dish.  Sweet potatoes would be great too. Tonight I am using the leftovers and serving it on whole wheat buns like a pulled pork sandwich with some grilled veggies. 

What's for dinner at your house tonight?

Working on my Legs...

Yesterday's workout tore my legs to shreds...in a good way. I could tell right after my workout that I was going to be waddling for a few days. I want my legs to start building so very badly I am totally okay with being beyond sore for a few days. My legs have become substantially stronger over the last two months but it will take some time for me to lean out now to show off any of those muscles. My darn legs take forever to make changes.  Let's be honest, progress is slow. Which is why many people give up.  I am absolutely loving how much stronger I feel so I am not letting slow progress discourage me. I do have to remind myself not to compare my body to anyone else's as I try to get in shape. Comparison is EVIL. My body has come a long way since having my third baby. It's far from perfect and I get frustrated easily when I see other girls with killer legs or ripped shoulders. But giving up sure isn't going to get me what I want either. 

I have recently accepted that many of the changes I want to make with my body are going to happen with super clean nutrition. I have always exercised so that I have some wiggle room for sweets and treats. Lately my body has needed me to be a little more in tune with what I put in it. I go through phases of giving up sugar but its usually temporary and unless I am doing it with someone else I tend to cheat...a lot. This time I decided to sugar detox by truly making a lifestyle change. Instead of giving up sugar I am learning to make healthy clean treats. And I am involving my family in the process. My girls help me bake and are my taste testers. We have created some delicious and not so delicious things and will be making a cookbook of our favorites.  I will post more about this in a separate post. 

Anyway If you want a killer leg workout, I posted what I did down below. It's day 44 of Jamie Eason's LiveFit program. It's a good one!

LEGS

•  

  Narrow Stance Squats

  2 light sets of 15 reps and 2 heavier sets to failure
•  

  Narrow Stance Leg Press

  4 sets of 8 reps
•  

  Barbell Step Ups

  4 sets of 8 reps
•  

  Walking Barbell 'Double' Lunges (step- down-up-down)

  3 sets of 20 reps
•  

  Single Leg Barbell Squat (foot on bench)

  4 sets of 8 reps
•  

  Seated Calf Raise

  3 sets of 20 reps, last set to failure
•  

  Standing Calf Raises

  3 sets of 20 reps, last set to failure
•  

  Leg Extensions

  3 sets of 10 reps, last set to failure

Breakfast for Dinner...a favorite at our house

We had a super yummy dinner tonight at our house. Lately it has been hard to please everyone but this recipe did it....

Recipe from www.paleomg.com

Meat Crust Quiche

1lb pork sausage
1small sweet potato, diced
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 clove garlic
2 cups fresh spinach
4 eggs whisked (I used 5)
1tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp paprika
Salt and pepper to taste

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

Make a meat crust in a 8x8 pan or something similar to that size.
Just put your sausage in the pan and press it to fit the pan.

Bake for 15 minutes or until it looks done. Drain off excess fat. I also dabbed the top to get even more of the grease off.

While crust is cooking sauté onions, sweet potatoes and garlic. Season with the salt and pepper. Add spinach and cover to cook and wilt the spinach

Let this cool before adding the eggs, garlic powder and paprika.
(I also added about a cup of cooked quinoa and some crumbled bacon to the egg mix)

Pour the egg mix on top of the meat crust and cook for about 23 minutes.

I served this with Ezekiel bread toast with a little honey drizzled on top. 

I will share another successful recipe with you tomorrow!

My Progress Pics...

Picture in pink shirt was taken April 1, the other two were taken today June 24.

Since April 1 I have been working on lifting heavy and building muscle. Progress is SLOW but lately I feel like I am finally seeing a difference. I am struggling to build my left arm as much as my right but with time I hope this will change. I am almost done with my second 90 day challenge and can't wait to start my third! I love what the challenge has done for me! 

What are your fitness and health goals? Weightloss? Muscle? Healthier lifestyle? 

I would love to coach you thru your challenge. Check out www.meganrencher.bodybyvi.com. Or go back thru some of my old posts for more before and after shots. 

Energy Bites...a New Twist

I posted a recipe a while back for some power protein balls. They are yummy but I improved on them and created a delicious and clean treat that has been approved by friends, hubby and kids...

Pic from www.fooddoodle.com (because I am horrible at food photography) 

 In food processor mix 1 cup oats, 1/2 cup almond meal, 2/3 cup unsweetened coconut.

Add in 1/2 cup peanut butter or any nut butter, 1/2 cup milled flaxseed, 1/3 cup honey, 1 tbsp chia seeds, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 scoops vanilla protein powder (I used my Vi protein).

Once mixed, roll into small balls. To give them even more yumminess roll them in cocoa powder and allow the cocoa to soak in. If you don't like a dark chocolate taste omit this step.

The biggest change is adding the 1/2 cup almonds and protein powder and putting the oats in the food processor. 

You seriously need to make these...NOW!. 

But share them or you may be tempted to eat them all.

I found another clean treat off Instagram. It's from JazzyThings. She has tons of great recipes. If you are on Instagram check her out. 

Clean No-Bake cookies

Mash 2 ripe bananas, add 1/3 cup cocoa powder, 1 cup nut butter of choice (I used peanut butter).

Mix in 1 tsp vanilla, 1/3 cup honey, and 2 tbsp milled flaxseed.

Mix in enough oats to get the consistency you want for your cookies.

Shape into balls and refrigerate. I froze the leftovers and enjoyed them for a little treat each night before going to bed. 

Enjoy my friends!

Progress pics and a Delicious Smoothies Recipe...

I have to take a minute and brag about this girl. She is killing her challenge. I am so proud of her. Can u believe how much of a difference her pics show! From day 1 to day 34 she was down 11lbs. And obviously many inches. Love it! She just recently posted on our private fb group page that she hit a huge milestone in her weightless journey...I am way excited to see where this girl ends up at the end of her 90 days. 

I had me the most delicious smoothie this morning for breakfast. It was so good I had it for lunch too:)

1/2 frozen banana

1/4 cup frozen pineapple

1/4 cup cottage cheese

1/4 cup milk

A little ice and water

2 scoops Vi protein

(I added a handful of spinach to my lunch shake)

I will be having this again tomorrow because it was just that good. All the frozen fruit and cottage cheese made it thick and creamy. like soft serve ice cream. Kids taste tested for me and gave it two thumbs up. Yes, healthy can be delicious. 

Body by Vi Before and After Pics...

I am finally getting the before and after pics and stories posted!  Mommy life has been keeping me busy this last week...and exhausted.  I have gone to bed earlier than usual, leaving my house a mess and letting the laundry pile up...sigh.  I suppose life can't always be glamorous.  Anyway, I know most of my readers are my mommy friends so I am sure you understand where I am coming from.  

Enough of my ramblings!...let's get to the good stuff.  These pics always put a smile on my face and inspire me to keep working on my own challenge.  I want to say that all of these pics are people that I personally know, except for Misty, who is a friend of a friend.  

If you missed my first 2 posts about Body by Vi be sure to check them out here and here. 
www.meganrencher.bodybyvi.com 

 

Sarah
I joined the challenge because I was ready for a change.  I made the commitment and let the challenge work for me.  If you are willing to work for it you can get the results you want.  There is no magic pill...it's a combo of hard work and consistency.  It takes a learning curve to start making healthier choices but once you do the results will come.  My original goal was to lose 10 lbs.  After losing my first ten and comparing my before and after pics I knew I could go for more.  I am down 19.5lbs so far!

 (I met Sarah because she comes to my kickboxing and step classes at the gym.  She rocked her first challenge...obviously.  She gets comments ALL the time about how good she is looking.  Her body has been transforming like crazy.  She is now my lifting buddy and inspires me to go hard or go home!  The girl is a rockstar!)

Theresa 

I've used protein powders in the past, heard great things about Vi's shake mix, was THRILLED with the taste, and hoped to lose my muffin top. First month I lost 5 lbs. Second month I lost 5. When I saw my abs appearing I got really excited! So the third month I really focused on eating lots of protein in six mini meals a day and lost another 10 lbs PLUS added 5 lbs of muscle!!! Rethink what's possible for your body! This is more than just weight loss. It will have you changing your habits and creating a healthier lifestyle.

 (P.S. Theresa is a mommy of four!  Theresa is pretty much the reason I wanted to give the Challenge a try.  Her abs have inspired many.)

Chris

I am 40 and have 4 young kids. The Vi shakes made all the difference. Because the shakes were so effective at building muscle AND helping me burn fat, I was able to spend less time working out and still get amazing results.

(Another mommy of 4!)

Nichole-

My goal for my 90 day challenge was to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight and fit into my jeans. I planned to exercise during my challenge but my son got RSV and was too sick for me to work it in. Being a busy mom of 4 ... I love the convenience of making a shake for a healthy breakfast! I have more energy and less sugar and carb cravings which is a huge accomplishment for me. I should also add that I exclusively breastfeed my son and have not had any issues at all! I just started my next challenge and plan to exercise regularly this time to see what results I can achieve next!! 

(These pics were taken when her 4th baby was about 4 months old)

Misty

I still need to get Misty's story on here but seriously these are some pretty awesome results...

I am working on rounding up more pics and stories and will be posting them soon.  I will get some pics of guys because yes this challenge works for you too.

And if you want a great treadmill interval workout make sure to check out my previous post here.

Be back soon! 

 

Treadmill Quickie

After doing a back and bicep workout I hopped on the treadmill and finished with this little workout-

Incline 3.0 @ 10.0mph for 1 minute

Recover at 3.5 for 1 minute

Repeat 10x

Ok I will be honest I had to drop the incline down to 2.0 after 3 rounds and then after 7 sprints I dropped it to an incline of 1.0.

This was an awesome way to finish my workout.

Yummy Summer Salad Recipe!

This was my contribution to the Memorial Day BBQ we went to yesterday. I rather enjoyed it and hope everyone else did too. There was only a small amount left so I assume they did:) Then again I probably ate most of it. The original recipe calls for kale but I opted to use fresh spinach. The lemon basil dressing is yummy. When you add the avocado don't mix it in too much. I made that mistake and although it still tasted yummy I felt like it overpowered the lemon dressing. Head on over to Ambitious Kitchen to grab the recipe. It is the perfect healthy salad for your next BBQ or gathering. 

Push-up Combo

I have been doing this little push-up combo as part of my shoulder and chest workouts or just as a way to finish up my cardio workout....

I call it my 10/10/10

10 wide or Standard push-ups

10 tricep pushups

10 monkey pushups

Do the set with little to no rest between exercises. Rest about one minute between sets.

Do this combo as many times as you can.  The monkey pushups will start to burn!  Let's be honest...they will all start to burn.  The tricep ones nearly kill me actually. 

Standard Pushup

Tricep Pushup- 
Hands are more narrow and elbows slide right along your body as you go down

Monkey Puship-
Keep your booty in the air while you do this one.  It puts all the work in your shoulders. Lower your face to the floor then press back up.

If you can't do pushups on your toes yet just do the standard and tricep pushups on your knees.  You can do the monkey pushups the same and don't go down all the way.  

Let me know what you think!

Body by Vi 90 Day Challenge--Part II

Yesterday I talked about why I personally am doing the Body by Vi 90 Day Challenge.  Today I want to continue and discuss why I promote the challenge...

I started personal training about 6 years ago.  I really enjoy the work.  My clients in the past were always doing really well with the exercise and getting stronger and more fit, but most of them saw little change in their weight.  Despite my best efforts to give nutrition plans and advice, most of my clients struggled to eat healthy on a consistent basis.  It was frustrating for me and for them. 

I often get asked by friends and family back home for exercise and nutrition advice.  Although I do love helping people in these areas it just isn't realistic for me to write meal plans and exercise routines for everyone.  But I still want to be able to help them. 

The 90 Day Challenge has been the perfect solution to both of these situations.

Ever since I started recommending the challenge to my clients, results have been AMAZING. (Be prepared for some awesome pics and success stories to come in my next post).  I am truly inspired by some of the transformations. 

Even better I have been able to help people I don't personally train with. 

I have found a product that allows me to help others learn to eat healthy, nutritious foods and lose weight.  And they all love it.    

Basically the challenge makes healthy eating realistic.  I recommend to people that they should be eating 5-6 small meals a day.  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and 2-3 snacks...but snack is kind of a deceiving word because really your meals and snacks should all be about the same size.  You want to be eating every 2-4 hours, keeping your body fueled and your blood sugar levels stable.  Most people have a hard time eating this many times a day, especially healthy foods.  I am amazed at how many people don't eat breakfast at all.  It is a lot to ask of someone to plan and prepare 6 healthy meals a day...At least in the beginning of their weightloss journey.  For some people this is a complete departure from what they are use to.  The Body by Vi protein shakes replace two of these meals so that you only have to focus on making your remaining meals/snacks healthy.  The shakes are yummy, you can flavor them in so many ways so you don't get sick of them, and they keep you feeling full.  Plus they are packed with nutrition.  They are healthy fast food.    

With the help of the shakes I love coaching and teaching people how to make healthy food choices for when they aren't using a shake.  And once people start using the shakes and losing weight they naturally start feeling better and have more energy for exercise. 

I have only been promoting the challenge for a short time, but already I have seen so many lives changed because of it.  I love getting messages from fellow challengers sharing their success stories for the week.  You can feel their excitement and it inspires me to keep working on my own challenge.  

I know pictures speak louder than words so I don't want to ramble too much.  Tomorrow I will start sharing before and after pics of some of the challengers.  You are going to love what you see.     

I will also blog about the most common questions I get about the challenge.  And I want to discuss some of the skeptism you may have....it's okay, I was skeptical at first too:)  So if you have any questions you want me to address please feel free to leave a comment.  

One thing I want to make clear is the challenge truly isn't about some crazy diet.  If you take your challenge seriously you will learn how to eat healthy and your body will feel better.  I absolutely love the way I feel right now.  Eating healthy clean foods has never been so easy.  And I can't complain about the fact that I have lost my baby weight (4 months post-partum) and am building some strong muscles at the same time.  I will share a few of my progress pics in future posts.  

Oh and I must not forget to mention that the challenge comes with a 90 Day Money Back Gaurantee.  If you don't get the results you want you get your money back...all of it.  Pretty much you have no excuse not to take the challenge:)  

www.meganrencher.bodybyvi.com

Come back tomorrow!

   

Quinoa Egg Muffins

I did some food prepping last night after putting the kids to bed. I was running low on quick healthy snacks and I had a new recipe I really wanted to try. I got it off Slender Kitchen...love this blog. It's full of healthy recipes if you are in need of some new ideas. I also whipped up some of the turkey muffins from Jamie Eason off Bodybuilding.com. I seriously love them. I have been trying to be brave so I added Sriracha sauce to both muffins and it gave them the perfect kick. I usually don't do spicy but lately I like a little something. Plus I eat less and drink more water when my food is spicy. I now have lots of yummy snacks prepped for the rest of the week. And they are just spicy enough I don't think my kids will end up eating them all:).

Quinoa Egg Muffins

From Slender Kitchen

1 cup cooked quinoa

1 cup diced veggies of choice 

(I used zucchini and onions and probably used closer to 2 cups)

1/2 cup feta cheese

(I didn't have any so I used 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese)

2 eggs

4 egg whites

Salt and pepper to taste

Hot sauce to taste

(I used Sriracha and just eyeballed it)

Mix everything and bake in muffin tins for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Original recipe says it makes 6 muffins but mine made 10 because I added more veggies. 2 muffins is 185 calories. 

Turkey Muffins
from bodybuilding.com

2 lbs ground turkey or chicken

(I only used 1 lb)

3 egg whites

1 cup oats

(This time I used 1/2 cup oats and 1/2 cup cooked quinoa)

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp dried thyme

2 tsp dry mustard

2 tsp pepper

2tsp chipotle pepper spice

(I used Sriracha in place of this)

1 tsp salt

2 Tbsp garlic powder (2 cloves)

1 small onion chopped

2 celery stalks chopped

(I didn't have any celery so I used zucchini...yum!)

Mix all the ingredients and bake in muffin tins for 30-40 minutes at 375 degrees. The recipe as written says it makes 12 muffins but it made 12 even with only using 1 lb of meat because I used more veggies I think. Really you can put what you want in these. Don't be shy with the seasonings. 

I will get part two up of my Body by Vi blog series later today. Be sure to check out my first one here.

Body by Vi 90 Day Challenge

I want to take a minute to share with you what I have been doing to get back in shape after having my third baby. I don't want to get too lengthy with my rumblings so I will be doing this post in parts.

Part I- Why I personally took the Body by Vi 90 day challenge...

About six months ago I decided I needed to find something to help me get back in shape after having my third baby. I worked out through my whole pregnancy and was back at it when my baby boy was only two weeks old. Exercise is not hard for me to fit into my day. I love the way it makes me feel. I hate the way I feel when I don't exercise. I will make time for exercise pretty much no matter what.  But I am not as dedicated to eating healthy. Don't get me wrong, I do love eating clean healthy food and for the most part eat very nutritious food. But I also love treats. I love chocolate, cookies, brownies, ice cream...u get the idea. Once upon a time I was able to eat all the junk food I wanted and it didn't affect my body. If only I were that lucky still.

If I eat junk now it shows. My belly bloats and I feel sluggish.  That should be enough to convince me to not touch it right? I wish. I also struggle with feeling hungry when I am tired. Newborn babe and a two year old that doesn't ever sleep= very tired momma= sugar craving monster. So after struggling to find a way to control my cravings I was introduced to the Body by Vi 90 day challenge. At first I was skeptical. Why did I need to drink protein shakes to get in shape and lose my baby weight? I have a degree in exercise science, I like eating healthy and I love working out. I was strong enough all by myself...or so I kept telling myself. But it wasn't working and I was frustrated. I hated the way my body looked and felt and I beat myself up every time I over ate or shoved crappy food down my throat.  

Life with three kids was also proving to be challenging for me. I found myself leaning towards convenience foods for the kids and then I would end up eating their leftovers...bad mommy habit. 

I kept hearing more and more about the 90 day challenge. On top of hearing about it, everyone taking the challenge was having amazing results...people I personally knew. I wanted in on the fun and the results.

Just days into my first challenge I was convinced that the 90 day challenge was exactly what I needed. I was hooked. I felt better, had more energy, craved sugar less, and was losing weight. I was happy with how things were going.

Don't get me wrong, it wasnt effortless, it still took diligence and I had to plan and prep healthy foods and keep healthy snacks on hand. But the challenge kept me focused and the shakes made it so much easier to eat healthier. The best thing was I craved sugar less and preferred to eat healthy snacks. I was craving almonds, cottage cheese, veggies and egg whites. I still love treats but I am less likely to indulge myself on a frequent basis. The challenge has helped me realize some sacrifices are worth it. When I do fall off the wagon the challenge gives me motivation to jump right back on instead of giving up. I don't feel like I am on a diet. I enjoy the food I get to eat. It's a lifestyle change I can keep up. And one I want to keep up. 

I am currently in the middle of my second challenge and loving every minute of it. I still want to lose a few pounds but I am also focusing on building muscle. My body is making changes on the inside and the outside. Just today my husband told me I was turning into a sexy beast...I will happily accept that compliment and chalk it up to the challenge:) 

Okay tomorrow I will continue with part II- Why I promote the challenge to others. I am excited to share lots of personal testimonials with you. Daily I get messages on fb or text from other challengers sharing their successes. It's inspiring. I love helping others find joy in life by becoming the best self they can be.

You can check out the challenge here- www.meganrencher.bodybyvi.com

Pesto Quinoa and Chicken with Roasted Veggies

I know that is the least creative title for this recipe.  My brain can't do creative right now.  It wants to sleep.  But I have to share this recipe with you.  A friend made it for me the other day and I have been craving it ever since.  It took me forever to get to the store to get all the ingredients so I just barely got it put together for dinner tonight.  

There are a few steps to putting it all together but none of them are hard.

Veggies- 

2 peppers diced ( I used a red one and a yellow one)

2 large Carrots diced

1 onion diced

Really you could use whatever veggies sound good to you.

Coat with a small amount of EVOO and balsamic vinegar and season with lots of Italian Seasoning.  Roast for 25-30 minutes at 375 degrees.

Quinoa-

Just cook quinoa according to package directions.  You need about 1 cup uncooked quinoa.

Kale or Spinach-

Saute bunch of Kale or use spinach.  Just cook it til it is soft.

Chicken-

I used the Garlic, Wine and Herb McCormick Marinade for my chicken.  I cut it into smaller pieces and marinated it for a couple hours then grilled it and cut it into little slices.  I probably used about 2 lbs of chicken and had lots leftover.

Pesto- 

Use your favorite pesto sauce.  

Once everything is cooked you will put everything in a bowl except the chicken and combine.  You cold also wait to add the pesto if you prefer to serve it fresh.  

I served this over a fresh bed of spinach, topped with the chicken.  It is the perfect summer salad in my mind:)