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

Fact: I Almost Ate a Pop-Tart

Fact: this girl A L M O S T ate a Pop-tart

Today is our first official day back from vacation and my hubby and I agreed that we would be back to proper nutrition starting TODAY. 

My plan?
Go to the grocery store early this morning and stock up on the necessary food to get us back on track

My reality?
Laundry. And many a suitcase to unpack.

I whipped up a shake and pushed the store off for later.

Later struck and so did a Pop Tart craving.
Oh, crap.

I was thiiiiis close to actually scrapping the plan and downing that sugary, frosted Pop-Tart.

But I KNOW myself.

One sugary treat leads to ten more after nearly 2 weeks of abnormal eating.
So I put my foot down, sucked up my craving and bolstered my willpower.

Sorry Pop-tart, this girl has some goals to crush.

Pop-Tart: 0 Corina: 1 

What is your biggest obstacle when returning from vacation?

xoxo,
Corina

Salsa Chicken

It's Taco Tuesday!!  It seems only appropriate to share an absolute favorite recipe in our house that is inspired by a tasty Mexican dish my mother-in-law makes on special occasions!

This is my recipe for Salsa Chicken! 

Salsa Chicken was one of the first recipes I ever made when I ventured into the world of clean eating.  I absolutely love it - it's so simple, versatile and filling!  And what matters the most is that my husband loves it and could eat it literally every day!! 

Here's the recipe & be sure to check out the video for a tutorial! 

Salsa Chicken

Ingredients: 

• 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken
• 12 ounce jar of Salsa
• 8/10 ounce can Tomato Paste/crushed tomatoes/tomato sauce
• Seasonings: salt, pepper, garlic powder, chili powder

Directions:

• Place all ingredients in crock pot - layer chicken, seasonings, tomato paste and salsa
• Plece lid on crock pot
• Cook on High 2.5 - 3 hours (depending on how much chicken you use!); Low 4-5.5 hours
• When fully cooked, take two forks or a fork and pair of tongs and shred either on plate or in crock pot
• Serve as tacos, over rice, with a side of corn, beans and rice, tostadas or however you please!
• Add a green salad to get your serving of veggies in!

There you have it!!  Set it and forget it - my kind of meal! ;)  

Pssst - don't tell my hubby how easy this is to make!  He's pretty impressed with this meal! ;)

Be sure to watch the video for a full how-to!  

Are you going to add Salsa Chicken to your menu this week?  Share and tag me @ririluvsabs on IG & cmadfitness on Facebook!

Until next time!

xoxo,

Corina

Follow me here:

IG: @ririluvsabs

Facebook: facebook.com/cmadfitness

Mexican Lasagna

One of our favorite foods to indulge in is cheesy, gooey, rich Mexican food! On day 2 of our 21 Day Fix journey I was craving exactly that!

I started looking online for some healthier Mexican dishes that I could modify to fit perfectly within our 21 Day Fix guidelines. Out of that desperate search came this beauty --- Mexican Lasagna!

Ingredients:
1lb lean ground turkey
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese (low fat)
1 cup of clean salsa
1 cup of black beans
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 tbsp taco seasoning (I combine chili powder, pepper, garlic & salt - super easy!)
10 small corn or low carb whole wheat tortillas, cut into strips or half circles

Preheat over to 400 degrees.
In a skillet pan sprayed with nonstick spray, cook the ground turkey, bell pepper and onion until brown. 
Once cooked turn to low and add salsa, black beans and taco seasoning and mix together. Set aside. 
In a 9x13 or 8x8 baking dish sprayed with nonstick spray, line the pan with 1/2 of the tortilla strips. 
Scoop 1/2 of the meat mixture on top and spread out, covering the tortillas. 

Then add 1/2 of the cheese on top of the meat and spread. 

Repeat the layers again with remaining strips, meat, and cottage cheese. Top with remaining cheese.

Cover and bake for 40 minutes and enjoy! Makes 4-6 servings - this will depend on the size pan that you use! I used a 9x13 and it yielded 6 servings. 

21 Day Fix Containers: 1 red, 1 yellow

Bon Appetit!
Corina

P.S, The hubby agreed that this is so good it has to be added into our meal plan rotations! That's a win in my book!