How to Set New Year's Resolutions that You Can Stick With!

It's officially a New Year!!!  Is anyone as excited about the start of a brand new year as I am??

I can't lie - New Year's Eve has always been my favorite holiday - a chance to close out a year and reflect on the great things that happened during one year and an opportunity to set new goals, hopes and plans for a bright, shiny new year! 

As is the typical New Year's tradition I'm also a big fan of New Year's resolutions. 

For years I set resolutions which were truly nothing more than empty words---

Wishes of losing weight, without making changes to my eating habits and workout regimen (er - lack of regimen?).

Pledging to pay off debt, but not altering my spending or savings habits. 

A desire to read more - without tracking my habit. 

Year after year I made resolutions without actions to follow through on those resolutions. 

Until, that is - the resolution I made at the very end of 2013 - "This year I will lose weight and work for the best body I've ever had." 

Ah, yes - a resolution I'd made year after year, but one that I was finally determined to follow through with.  

Meet the first resolution I was able to stick to - all year, day after day, holiday after holiday, season after season ---- down 25 pounds, 15 inches, energy and confidence boosted in an unbelievable way! 

For once, I had found the key to maintaining my goals and seeing a goal brought to reality. 

I know that if this is possible for me - a wife, full-time interior designer and online health and fitness coach with a crazy busy schedule - then YOU can turn your goals to reality this year! 

Are YOU ready to make this your best year yet? 

Let's DO it!

xoxo,

Corina 

Peppermint Mocha Latte - Clean Eating & Vegan Version!

The holiday season just wouldn't be complete for me without all things peppermint!  Especially pipping hot, chocolate-y delicious, Peppermint Mochas!  

the only problem?  They're full of lots of icky things - additivites, sugar and artificial flavors like you wouldn't believe.  Here are the ingredients of the Starbucks version (one of my personal favorites!): espresso, milk, mocha sauce (corn syrup, water, high fructose corn syrup, sugar, cocoa (processed with alkali 13%), potassium sorbate, artificial flavor), and peppermint-flavored syrup (sugar, water, natural flavors, preservative, sodium benzoate, citric acid), whipped cream, and dark chocolate.

Calories in one Tall nonfat Peppermint Mocha Latte with no whip (add 70 calories and 7 grams of fat for whip):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Um, no thanks.  

Thankfully the amazing team of nutritionists whipped up a much healthier version for us to enjoy this season while sticking to our nutrition plans and health and fitness goals! YES!!!

 

Bonus for my Vegan friends: Sub almond milk for the nonfat milk & leave out the honey for a version that's made just for you!

Peppermint Mocha Latte Recipe

Total Time: 10 min.
Prep Time: 5 min.
Cooking Time: 5 min.
Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients:
½ cup nonfat milk (or unsweetened almond milk)
2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
½ tsp. raw honey (optional)
¼ tsp. pure peppermint extract
1 cup brewed black coffee (or 1 shot espresso)
1 fresh mint leaf (for garnish; optional)

Preparation:
1. Bring milk, cocoa powder, and honey (if desired), and peppermint extract to a boil in medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
2. Remove from heat; mix vigorously with a whisk until frothy.
3. Pour coffee into a large serving mug; top with milk mixture.
4. Garnish with mint leaf if desired.

Here’s the nutrition details for the vegan version:

& voila! Meal plan and waist-line approved!! 

Happy Holidays & Enjoy!! 

xoxo,

Corina

*Recipe & nutrition information from teambeachbodyblog.com*

Easy Clean Eating Hot Chocolate Recipe

There are few things that I love more than hot chocolate in a cute mug on a rainy day while watching a movie curled up in a blanket! :)  That is true bliss to me!

The other night I was craving hot chocolate, but traditional store bought packets are not clean or 21 Day Fix approved! Since I'm following the 21 Day Fix nutrition guide right now I knew that I had to find an approved recipe or set my craving aside for a treat. 

Luckily, after searching a bit for something that sounded tasty I came up with an easy, 21 Day Fix approved recipe! 

Peppermint (or Regular!) Hot Chocolate  - 21 Day Fix Approved!

Ingredients

  ·      1 cup, plus 1-2 tablespoons milk of choice (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk!)

·      2 rounded teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder

·      1-2 packets stevia, depending on your desired sweetness 

·      ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

·      ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract

·      cinnamon, optional

Instructions

1.   Place milk in a small pot over medium low heat.

2.   Meanwhile, place cocoa powder, stevia and extra tablespoon of almond milk in a small bowl. Whisk until a paste/thick mixture forms and powder is absorbed. Add additional tablespoon of almond milk, if needed.

3.   Whisk cocoa mixture into milk mixture. Heat till hot but not boiling.

4.   Pour into a mug and sprinkle with cinnamon, if using.

5.   Serve and enjoy once the drink is cool enough to safely drink

Notes

Container count: 1 yellow! Everything else is a free 21 Day Fix flavor addition! 

If you're feeling like a splurge add a little bit of whipped cream to the top! This is a must have for me - and I don't feel like a little bit hurts anything ;)

The directions above are for a stovetop preparation, but you can just as easily make this in the microwave.

The above recipe will yield you a peppermint hot chocolate!  To enjoy hot chocolate without the peppermint simply skip the peppermint extract! 

To make a different flavor variation - such as caramel or raspberry - simply replace the peppermint extract with your extract of choice! 

And voila - there you have clean eating, 21 Day Fix approved hot chocolate! 

I would love to have you join me in my next 21 Day Fix accountability health and fitness group!  If you're interested in joining us, losing weight, creating new healthy lifestyle habits and toning from head to toe, please fill out the form below! I absolutely love this plan because it allows for things like this hot chocolate recipe - a simple pleasure that I simply can't live without in the winter! 

Are you a hot chocolate drinker?  Share below what your favorite variety is! Regular, peppermint, caramel, raspberry...the list goes on and on!!   

Thanks for stopping by!  

xoxo,

Corina

Let's Connect!

Facebook: Facebook.com/cmadfitness

IG: @ririluvsabs

Real Girl Fitness Challenge Application:

The easy to use Wufoo form builder helps you make forms easy, fast, and fun.

3 Day Refresh & Zucchini Noodles Recipe!

Friday was our FINAL day of the 3 Day Refresh cleanse that my hubby and I were on! 

I can honestly say that I'm BEYOND pleased, excited and impressed with our results! 

Not only did we lose pounds and inches, our cravings for junk food and the fattening treats from Thanskgiving are long behind us! 

At the start of the cleanse I was feeling bloated, fatigued, heavy and overall discouraged with my physique. My hubby also felt bloated and completely out of control of his cravings - we were both essentially wanting to eat everything in sight! 

At the end of our first day Abs said to me "Wow it's amazing how much I think to just pick something up to eat throughout the day, even when I'm not really hungry!"

That realization in itself was enough of a transformation for me!! 

Nevertheless --- here are our official results from the 3 Day Refresh! 

Now that the results are out of the way I want to share our favorite refresh meal - Lemon Herb Zoodles!! (My mouth waters just thinking about them!!)

I've been getting a TON of questions about how I make zucchini noodles - or zoodles, as they're commonly know! The first tip is to get a spiralizer! My hub brought ours home from Wal-Mart for about $20!  Totally can't beat a new kitchen gadget at that price! 

They're so simple and tasty so I'm super excited to share the recipe with you! 

Lemon Herb/Scampi Style Zoodles

Ingredients:

2 medium zucchini

1 tbsp fresh squeeze lemon juice

Olive Oil 

Pepper, to taste

Sea Salt, to taste

Garlic, to taste

Method:

Wash and dry each zucchini

Cut off the end of the zucchini just enough to make an even surface (the weird end with that little stump thing)

Using a spiralizer (I use the Veggetti - LOVE!) make noodles out of each squash - spiral into a bowl or dish

Once both zucchini are spiraled cut the strands of noodles 2 or 3 times, into bite sized pieces (this is dependent on your personal pasta size preference - I prefer smaller pieces to large so I cut them more)

Heat a pot of water to boiling, lower heat to medium

Once water is boiling add zucchini to pot and allow to cook for 3-4 minutes, or until tender

Drain noodles and divide into serving dishes

Drizzle fresh lemon juice and olive oil over each dish; season with pepper, sea salt and garlic, to desired taste level

Serve zoodles by themselves or with chicken or shrimp!

Enjoy! 

xoxo,

Corina

Let's Connect!

Facebook: Facebook.com/cmadfitness

IG: @ririluvsabs

Introducing: Real Girl Fitness!

Introducing Real Girl Fitness

The health and fitness community for real girls living in the real world!

When i was starting my healthy living transformation i knew one thing:

I had no idea where to start.

At the time I was following a ton of bikini competitors on social media but I knew that I didn't want to get as fit as they were or eat as strictly as they did.

But I also knew that I couldn't continue what I was doing for workouts and healthy eating - yoyo'ing in and out of plans and always becoming frustrated. 

Where was the happy medium?

Where were the girls who still enjoyed food, worked out consistently but not obsessively, ate a healthy diet without killing themselves with strictness and truly enjoyed the process?

Was I asking for too much? Was that a totally unattainable combination?

Maybe you're asking yourself the same questions!

Well I'm here to tell you that, no, it's not too much to ask for OR unattainable!

It's the lifestyle that I live and love and teach to the women that I work with.

I call it Real Girl Fitness.

We workout. But not for hours a day.

We eat healthy. But not just salads or chicken, rice and broccoli.

We set goals. But don't reschedule our lives around them.

We eat pizza sometimes. And ice cream too. 

We're just like you. We were you. 

Join the Real Girl movement on Facebook & become a Fit and Healthy Real Girl! 

Click this link to request access: http://tinyurl.com/realgirlfitness

xoxo, 

Corina

Let's Connect!

Facebook: Facebook.com/cmadfitness

IG: @ririluvsabs

Day 2 Re-cap of the 3 Day Refresh!

Today is officially Day 3 of our 3 Day Refresh challenge!  The finish line is in sight!!

I'm so excited that we're at this point!  I'm also super excited to share my experience from Day 2 with you!  

But first - I have to be honest – this is my second attempt at doing this cleanse.  

The first time I tried it was when it had just been released, in June after our annual training event.

It was an extremely exciting product and exactly what so many of my customers ask for on a consistent basis!

I was absolutely thrilled at the thought of having it as a part of the official product library and a brilliant tool for my clients. 

However, when it came down to completing it, I just could not get past Day 1.

Day 1!!! 

Like what!? I could barely last 1 day!   

Yet here I am, today, on Day 3, soaring through the program and truly loving the process!

So what changed? 

I can say, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that it was my mindset. 100%.

The funny thing is that so many things in a health and fitness journey are a matter of changing your mindset.

Mind over matter.

Mind over munch.

Mind over craving.

Mind over laziness. 

Mind over defeat. 

Mind over feeling like you "can't" do something! 

Back in June, my mindset, my willpower if you will, was not strong enough.  I didn't desire the change and so I saw the process as too difficult to complete. 

My how a few months can change so very much! 

Yesterday, as day 2 of this cleanse, was a much easier day than day 1 of the cleanse, as I suspected it would be.

There were minimal temptations, unlike hosting a snack-heavy youth group like we did on the evening of Day 1 (talk about torture!).

My biggest victory of Day 2 was when a co-worker offered me chocolate I heard myself saying "No thanks! I'm good!" and actually meaning it!!!

It didn't hurt. 

It wasn't something I had to force myself to say. 

It came out naturally, and easily and was the truth!!

Talk about a non-scale victory!! TALK about mind over matter! 

In less than 2 days my willpower had increased so much that turning down the chocolate that I normally hunt people down for was an absolute breeze. 

Day 3 - you are mine. Let's do this!!

What is one thing lately that you've found yourself lacking the willpower to complete?  Have you ever been in that position?  How did you get your willpower strong enough to fight toward your goal? 

I'd love to hear all about it in the comments below!

xoxo,

Corina 

Let's Connect!

Facebook: Facebook.com/cmadfitness

Instagram: @ririluvsabs

Mint Chocolate Chip Truffles

My absolute FAVORITE flavor in anything is mint chocolate!  Yum. Yummm.

I honestly had quite an addiction to mint chocolate chip ice cream a few years ago.  It was so bad that I couldn't go a night without 2 or 3 scoops. 

No wonder I was overweight and had uncontrollable cravings.  Sheesh!

However I still love the flavor - so I search high and low to find healthy recipes that use this flavor combo! 

Just in time for the Holidays and tasty homemade gifts, Mint Chocolate Chip Truffles!

These minty truffles have so much chocolate flavor, one is all you need!

Recipe:

Total Time: 4 hrs. 10 min.
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cooking Time: None
Yield: 12 servings, 1 truffle each

Ingredients:
5 oz dark chocolate, 70% cocoa or higher, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. coconut oil
½ cup lite coconut milk
½ tsp. pure mint extract (or pure vanilla extract)
⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa

Preparation:
1. Place chocolate, coconut oil, and mint extract in a small bowl; mix well. Set aside.
2. Bring coconut milk to a gentle boil in small saucepan over medium heat.
3. Add coconut milk to chocolate mixture; whisk gently until combined.
4. Place chocolate mixture, covered, in refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.
5. Using a melon baller or spoon, scoop out 1 Tbsp. of chocolate mixture. Roll into a ball. Roll in cocoa powder until evenly coated. Repeat steps five and six until there are twelve truffles.
6. Store in refrigerator for up to one week or in freezer for three months.

*Recipe from Team Beachbody Blog :)*

Enjoy!

xoxo,

Corina 

Facebook: Facebook.com/cmadfitness

IG: @ririluvsabs

OWNING every bit of who YOU have been made to be!

I shared this post on my Instagram profile a little bit ago and it is one that truly resonated with me so I wanted to share it with you in hopes that it encourages you in the same way!

I used to view my arms - which are naturally lean - as a flaw. 

I honestly always thought they looked manly on my otherwise curvy, pear shaped frame. 

I was truly embarrassed by them - and although I loved to wear tank tops and cute dresses and t-shirts I would find every opportunity to cover them up.  

NEVER have I viewed them as described in Proverbs 31-

"Her arms are strong for her tasks, she opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy."

In this passage, strong arms are a beautiful symbol of love. 

Of provision. 

Of the Proverbs 31 woman caring beyond herself. 

She uses strong arms to care for others, contribute to her family's household and to bless those less fortunate. 

Imagine if she had seen her arms as manly or ugly the way that I did for so, so long. 

Through growing, seeking God and desiring to learn how He sees me - not how the world sees me - I've come to a point where I thank Him for my arms, and every other part of my body. 

My arms are strong and growing, loving and providing.  

Just the way that God made them to be.  

They are a precious, precious part of my body and have a job that only they can perform.  

Are my arms still lean and take on muscle easily?  

YES. They absolutely do. 

But now I see them as so incredibly important.  They allow me to do tasks that I can't imagine living life without. 

Hugging, cooking, working diligently, carrying heavy loads, comforting a friend, offering help to someone in need, even typing! 

I challenge you to reflect on what you have been ashamed or embarrassed of that God wants to you to use for good and to bring His name glory.  

What is that one area that you've never seen in a positive light? 

Tonight I encourage you to reflect on it and find one function hat it performs which no other part of your body can perform. 

I can assure you you will come to view that part of your beautifully, wonderfully made body differently. 

xoxo,

Corina 

Facebook: Facebook.com/cmadfitness

IG: @ririluvsabs

Losing Our Thanksgiving Bloat! 3 Day Refresh

Today is my first day on the 3 day Refresh & I'm beyond happy to say that my hubby agreed to do it with me!
We both knew we would be feeling bloated and less motivated to eat well after the long Thanksgiving weekend spent enjoying the holiday with family and a few cheats meals with friends over the weekend. Not surprisingly, we were totally right!

It's time for a tune - up!

The 3 day refresh is a plant based cleanse, consisting of both food and shakes meant to "reset" your body to neutral from crazy cravings and binges that DO happen from time to time!

What I love most about it is that it totally wipes out my sugar cravings! By the end of the 3 days I'm back to craving whole, natural, clean foods rather than any processed junk that I had indulged in prior to starting the cleanse!

One really phenomenal thing about this cleanse is truly the fact that you're not starving yourself! It's not a juice cleanse or anything as drastic as the cayenne pepper/lemon juice cleanse! 

Don't believe me? 

Here's a look at what our 3 days of cleansing consist of:

-Breakfast - Shakeology mixed with water & any free additions desired + 1 serving of fruit (2 cuties)
-Mid-morning - Fiber Sweep + tea with lemon (optional)
-Lunch - Vanilla Fresh protein shake + 1 serving of fruit (apple) + 1 serving of vegetables (carrot sticks) + 1 healthy fat (hummus or almond butter)
-Mid-afternoon - 1 serving of fruit (banana), 1 serving of vegetables (carrot sticks) or 1 fresh juice options + tea with lemon (optional)
-Dinner - Vanilla Fresh protein shake + 1 Dinner option (zucchini noodles with olive oil, asparagus with slivered almonds, green beans with slivered almonds) + 1 cup of vegetable broth (optional)

Let me just say this ends up being a LOT of food!

Lunch alone is a HUGE serving of food for me!! By the time I finish my shake I can eat about half of a fruit serving with half of the healthy fat serving and I'm STUFFED. I save the vegetable serving for the afternoon or an after dinner snack since my days tend to be so long.

A big part of this plan is also to make sure you're maintaining your water intake. The recommendation is to drink half of your body weight in ounces of water for each of the 3 days. I add slices of lemon, lime or orange to my water to give it a flavor boost without any extra calories!

I love it & it keeps me interested in drinking that much water each day! A great option for tackling your water intake on the 3 Day Refresh during the wintery months is drinking warm water with lemon! It replaces my desire for something warm like tea or coffee while ensuring that I'm getting in enough water!

Inquiring minds want to know: have YOU ever tried a cleanse?  Did you enjoy it? 

Be sure to check back in to see our food reviews , special 3 day refresh recipes and of course, our Before and After photos and stats!!  

xoxo, 

Corina