Hammer & Chisel Updates and a Healthy Recipe Group!

Oh hello there! I hope you all are having a terrific week so far. I thought I'd write a little post about what I've been up to lately and how life has been. I'm currently in week 6 of Hammer & Chisel and loving every minute of it! I'm challenging myself with my weights (I'm using mostly 12's, 15's, and 20's!!!) and I've stuck to the program consistently. This program is seriously my soulmate workout (other than running, which will always be my love!) but I am loving seeing the results and progress that I've made! But truth me told, I can't wait to get my tan on in the summmaaaaaa #whiteassnow #amiright

My favorite workouts lately have been Total Body Hammer and Chisel Cardio. Both of them leave me shaking and energetic all at the same time! I feel on top of the world when I do them! It's crazy that I used to hateeee weight lifting, and now I look forward to it! My body is changing and toning up, and I feel so strong! What's awesome is that all of us coaches are doing it together, and we all feel the same and love having the accountability and support with each other!! If your goals are to tone up and challenge yourself, this program is for you! Contact me for more info and I can share with you how to get started and plug you into one of my accountability groups!

Meals have been good, but not as "healthy" as I'd like. As I mentioned last week, I've had so much food freedom lately, and I'm loving it! But I am also treating my body well and practicing an 80/20 or 90/10 rule when it comes to treats! Last week I enjoyed some Chinese food, pizza, and cookies. This week, I'm craving more plants and veggies! It all balances out because when your body is used to mostly vegetables and superfoods; you will eventually crave those too! Overall, I'm feeling good, lean, and strong! Here's a glimpse into my meals last week!

Chickpea and veggie green curry!  

I'm obsessed with Larabars!  

Shakeology has been happening EVERY DAY, and I'm always so sads when it's done! So delicious!  

Free accountability group: February 15-19

I've been thinking lately about how healthy eating can become mundane and repetitive for some of us. Chicken, broccoli, and brown rice can get boooooring, as yummy as it is! SO next week, I am planning on hosting a FREE 5-day group all about making healthy recipes fun and exciting so we don't get bored and we stick to our meal plans! The group will be run via facebook and will include meal ideas, recipes, and accountability! Fill out the form below if you would like more information! Have a great Tuesday, everyone!

Summertime Meal & Fitness Plan: June 8-12

I MISS YOU ALL! I really miss blogging, I need to be better about it and have it as a priority! Life has been so busy with parties and graduations and my new job, but I need to put my hobbies first! So, here we go...my  meal and fitness plan for the week!

I've only planned lunches and dinners this week. Usually breakfast has been shakeology, banana with peanut butter, or some toast as I rush out the door since my new job requires me to be there by 6:30/7:00 in the morning! So, here are our tentative lunches and dinners for the week!

Monday:

Lunch: leftover kebab with tzatziki sauce

Dinner: Turkey burger with curry veggie quinoa (recipe coming soon!)

Tuesday: 

Lunch: leftover quinoa, hard boiled eggs

Dinner: Chicken fajita night!

Wednesday: 

Lunch: salad, hard boiled eggs

Dinner: leftover quinoa OR out with the family!

Thursday: 

Lunch: chicken sausage and potatoes

Dinner: out with the family! 

Friday: 

Lunch: Chicken sausage and potatoes

Dinner: Salmon w/rice and steamed vegetables 

There are LOTS of graduations and family events this week, but I'm going to try to keep it as healthy and clean as possible. I am also trying to follow the 21 day fix container system along with the workouts. I LOVE this portion control system! It really helps me see how much more I was eating of some foods, and less of others. And plus, the containers are SO CUTE!

For example: 2 eggs equal one red container (protein), and this is a serving of blueberries which fits into the purple container for fruit! 

As many of you know, I am NUTS for nuts!!! But, this little blue container helped me see how I was way overeating these, and then complaining of tummy aches. Hmmm I wonder why? ;) 

My fitness/workout plan is as follows! 

Monday: I just completed the 21 day fix total body cardio workout! I was dripping...so good!

Tuesday: 21 day fix upper body workout, 30 min walk/run 

Wednesday: 21 day fix lower body workout

Thursday: 21 day fix dirty 30, 30 min walk/run

Friday: 21 day fix cardio fix

Saturday: 21 day fix total body cardio, 30 min walk/run

The 21 day fix workouts are only 30 minutes in length so they have been perfect to fit into my busy days. I've also been loving going on walks (sometimes runs) lately, so I want to incorporate those as well on the days I have time! We will see how this week plays out, but I've been feeling pretty motivated! 

I am also hosting a 21 day fix challenge group starting on June 22nd! It will be a private Facebook accountability group for those wanting to take on the 21 day fix this summer! The package includes the program, nutrition guide, 30 day supply of the superfood shakeology (OBSESSED!), and accountability with me and the rest of the group as we embark on the program together! The deadline to order is MONDAY, JUNE 15th! If you have any questions, please contact me through the "contact" button on this website, or email me at TveenRD@gmail.com for more info! 

Ok, I'm off to start cooking dinner for the hubby and I! Have an awesome Monday night everyone!

Mr. & Mrs. Verano and Mini Muffin recipe!

Wow...I don't even know where to begin this post. Except that life has been a crazy wonderful dream lately. On April 19th, I married the love of my life and went on the most amazing two-week honeymoon to Hawaii. And now, we are setting up our new apartment and enjoying this new married life that God has blessed us with. It's been absolutely wonderful! 

 

Hand engraved vase from the sweetest man in Kauai! 

I love having my own apartment and kitchen to decorate and set up. The housewife has totally come out in me! Our internet isn't set up yet, which is actually great because that means we have time to unpack, get settled, and not be glued to our phones or computers. However, I am looking forward to being able to blog and conducting my nutrition consulting business from a computer and not just my phone! 

And of course, what better way to break in a new kitchen than to BAKE?? I made these yummy mini muffins on Sunday morning before church, and the hubby liked them so much he asked me to make them for his work breakfast this week! They were oh so easy to whip up, so I thought I'd quickly share the recipe and get back into the blogging groove! 

Blueberry Mini-muffins (makes 24-30)

1 cup multigrain pancake mix 

1 cup rolled oats 

1 egg 

1/2 cup egg whites 

2 small bananas, mashed 

1/3 cup applesauce 

1 cup stevia (cup for cup measurement) 

1/2 cup blueberries 

1/2 t cinnamon 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix all of the ingredients except for the blueberries in a mixer. I just got this wonderful kitchen aid and am in LOVE with it!! 

 

Lastly, fold the blueberries in my hand so they don't get mushed, unless you're into that sorta thing! 

Place a dollop of batter into each mini muffin tin, then bake for about 15 mins or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Warm blueberries are LIFE!  

Hope you enjoy this recipe! And I hope to get back into the blogging groove very very soon!  

You can do ANYTHING for 21 days!

I am excited to announce that I will be hosting my first ever 21-day health and fitness challenge!! As many of you know, I hosted a free 5-day clean eating challenge last week, and it was such a success! I was so encouraged and motivated by the ladies in my group, so I decided to take this venture one step further and offer a 21-day challenge pack for anyone interested in stepping it up with their health and fitness before summer hits! 

21 days may seem like a long time, but really, it’s JUST 21 days. You can do anything for 21 days! And this pack is unlike any other. It include so much bang for your buck. Here is a detailed list of what is included in your challenge pack:

1. A fitness routine consisting of just 30 minute workouts per day…that’s right, just 30 minutes! That’s one Big Bang Theory episode just in case anyone wants to make that comparison! :) 
2. A step by step meal plan that focuses on portion control and moderation. This meal plan is unlike any other! You don’t feel deprived because you can pick and chose the foods you want to eat, as long as they are in the right portions. And NO calorie counting! 
3. A secret Facebook group where we can hold each other accountably, share our success and our struggles, and encourage one another! 
4. A month’s supply of Shakeology, a superfood drink that contains vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, probiotics, exotic super-foods, AND it tastes amazing! 
5. ME as your coach! I will be your personal dietitian, encourager, coach, motivational speaker, or anything else you may need to get you through those 21 days. 

And what will this require from you? Taking a risk and putting your health first. Your health and happiness are worth it. If you are stuck in the rut of unhealthy food choices, or just want something to motivate you to workout every day, this program is perfect for you. It takes 21 days to make or break a habit, so why not just start making new, healthier habits, and breaking the chains of our old ones? In 3 weeks, your entire outlook could be different. You will feel healthier, stronger, and more confident. 

This challenge will start on May 4th, 2015. If you are interested, please contact me at TveenRD@gmail.com or fill out the form below, and I will get in touch with you!

Food and Fitness Plan: 13 days till the Wedding!

Happy Monday everyone! I hope you all had a lovely Easter with your loved ones. My Easter weekend was great! I had a fun time with both my fiancé's family and my family. We also celebrated his birthday, which was on Friday! So lots of fun family time, and LOTS of yummy and not so healthy food. But I am working on leaving that part of the weekend in the past, and focusing on all the fun I had with my loved ones, as well as the true reason for the day, which is the resurrection of Jesus Christ!

I also found time in my busy day yesterday to meal prep! The picture looks gross (I really need a nicer camera!) but the dish I made was a quinoa pesto with tons of veggies! So easy and delicious, I will share the recipe soon!

After our Easter celebrations, my fiancé and I headed to our apartment to set some things up. I got to wash and organize all of our "pop" containers! SO IN LOVE WITH THESE!! I am a kitchen nerd!

My wedding...is 13 days away. 13!!!! I can't believe it! I am so excited, but also nervous about how everything will go. But I know that in 14 days, it won't matter, because we will be married, and finally start our life together!

So this week, my focus will be on getting good nutrition and working hard at my workouts. As many brides can relate to, I really want to look good on my wedding day! I am hoping I will lose the bloat from all the treats I ate this weekend (apple pie, Chinese food...twice) and feel strong and confident on our wedding day! So here is my tentative meal plan for the week:

Breakfasts:

Shakeology

Scrambles with vegetables

Lunches:

Quinoa pesto with vegetables

Turkey burger

Salads

Dinners:

Out with friends and family! This week is so busy, I will probably have to be eating out in the evenings. But I am planning on sticking to lots of vegetables and protein. Lean, clean, and green dinners!

Snacks:

Fruits

Vegetables w/hummus

Nuts

As far as workouts go, I can't believe it is my last week of PiYo!  I finish the program this Sunday, so only 5-6 more workouts to go! I plan on finishing strong, while including some more runs/cardio and some of the new Beach Babe 3 DVD I got from the Tone it Up girls! Their bikini series starts next week, and I am so excited to incorporate Beach Body programs and the bikini series workouts! And what perfect timing before our honeymoon!

Monday: I did PiYo Drench this morning and sweat was dripping off of me, per usual

Tuesday: PiYo Buns, Beach Babe 3 workout

Wednesday: PiYo Sweat, run/walk

Thursday: PiYo Core, Beach Babe 3 workout

Friday: rest day from PiYo, I will probably do a Beach Babe 3 workout!

Saturday: PiYo Sculpt, run/walk

Sunday: PiYo Drench, the last workout of the program!

That's about it for this week. Keep up with my meals and workouts on my Instagram page! @tveen_RD

Have a wonderful Monday everyone!

Joyfully Clean FREE 5-day Healthy Eating Challenge!



I am so excited to announce that I am hosting my very first clean eating challenge!!! This challenge will be five days long, starting on March 30th until April 3rd, and is totally free! You will receive meal plans, grocery lists, daily motivation, and a community of women to vent, talk, and share this journey with! 

Are you ready to take a hold of your health right NOW? There is never a better time than the present. The more you put off your goals, the less likely you are to achieve what you want to achieve. 

Let me coach you through these five days and help you prove to yourself that you CAN do this. Because really, you can! If you are interested in joining this FREE, 5 day healthy eating challenge, please comment on this post with your email address, or email me at TveenRD@gmail.com.

This really is my life passion, and I would love to journey with you and watch you reach your goals! Hope to hear from you! 

Adding Variety to Meal Planning

I've heard it said time and time again that the more simple you keep your meals, the higher the chances that you will stick to your healthy eating goals. While I agree with this to some extent, I do think there are a few exceptions to this piece of advice. Keeping meals simple helps us when we are planning because we don't have to overthink what we want to eat. I know that I do this from time to time, especially during busy weeks. If I have some of my beloved frozen turkey burgers from Trader Joe's in my freezer, BOOM, meals for the week. If I have some sausage and sweet potatoes, I whip up a casserole and call it a day. But sometimes, especially when you are finding yourself eating out of boredom and dreading your next meal, it's time to rethink the mundane simplicity of your every day, go-to meals.

I've been feeling this kind of boredom lately. And I am a big lover of food, so when I don't look forward to my next meal...it's a problem. I realized that all I've been eating are salads with the same dressing, and some kind of protein, usually my turkey burgers. I love those turkey burgers, but sometimes, a girl needs some variety! These past few weeks, I have been giving myself so many more options when it comes to my meals. My only "rules" are gluten free (I started sneaking that pesky bugger in during and after the holidays...not a good idea), and minimal sugars, processed carbs, and processed foods in general. All else is totally game.

Let's start with breakfast. Usually, I eat veggie scrambles. Every. Single. Day. And while I love eggs, eggs every day can get a tad bit repetitive. Last week, I made some protein pancakes instead. I hadn't made pancakes in FOREVER, and I decided that I would make them again. They don't take that long to make, and are still healthy when you pack them with some protein (I used Jaime Eason's Lean Body for Her Vanilla Whey; best whey I've ever tasted!). These turned out great and added some nice variety to my morning.

I also hadn't had oats in what felt like a very long time, so yesterday morning, I microwaved my oats (short-on-time syndrome) and topped them with some chopped walnuts and blueberries. This kept me full for a WHILE and I thoroughly enjoyed my warm mushy breakfast.

And speaking of blueberries, I've just been having them as a snack lately too! On Saturday, I was pretty hungry in the mid morning, but it was almost lunch time and I didn't want too much to fill me up. So I opted for a nice bowl of bloobs and they hit the spot!

Lastly, last night, I decided to have a vegetarian dinner. I am a huge, HUGE, meat eater. I was actually vegetarian a few years back in grad school, but because of some of the health problems I experienced, I decided to add meat back into my life, and I have never looked back. But as much as I love meat, having it at every single meal can get annoying and kind of gross. Last night, I heated up a can of Amy's Organic low sodium lentil vegetable soup. I added a WHOLE lot of spinach to the pot to make it more vegetable-y (yes, it's a word), and the spinach of course shrank. Then, I added a bag of Trader Joe's frozen brown rice. The whole meal was ready in about 5 minutes, made two servings so I am all set for lunch today, and is the perfect winter stew!

If you want to add more variety to your meals while still keeping them healthy, I recommend getting started in a few easy steps:

1. Take inventory of what you have at home. I realized I have so much frozen tilapia, chicken, grass fed beef, and a mahi mahi burger that are just waiting to get eaten. You can season these meats up differently every time you cook them and get a different flavor each time.

2. Make a list of all the meals you could make adding and combining these foods. I brainstormed that I could use the chicken as a stir-fry with vegetables and some coconut aminos, I could make it into a vegetable casserole, or I could eat it with some marinara sauce and lentils (such a great combination!) I could make the grass fed beef into taco meat, or into little sausage patties. There are so many things we could create if we actually knew the foods we had on hand!

3. Start today. Start changing up your schedule today. You can still eat healthy foods while adding variety to your meals and not getting stuck in the same patterns every day. For me, getting stuck causes me to reach for variety in the form of not so healthy foods. I'd rather change up my daily meals knowing that they are still healthy and look forward to eating every day of my life!

I hope this helps someone out there who finds themselves in a food rut! What is your go-to meal every day, and what do you think you could do to spice up your meal plan a bit?

Food & Fitness Plan: 12/15-12/21

Good morning everyone and Happy Monday!!! I just love the beginning of the new week; it is filled with freshness and possibility. No matter was has happened, Monday is a chance to start brand new. Leave it all behind and move forward with this new week ahead. I know that is what I need to do! I had a great weekend sprinkled with some not so great moments. But God is good and His mercies are new every morning. EVERY SINGLE MORNING! How awesome is that. Thank you, Jesus. Food Plan:

I did some heavy duty meal prep yesterday, so I am very excited about my meals this week!! I have leftover kebab for today, but tonight, I get to enjoy my Eggplant Spaghetti Squash Lasagna (recipe coming soon!)

I also made a huge batch of Parmesan sweet potatoes (I use the white sweet potatoes because they aren't as sweet as yams, while still having high amounts of vitamin A and other nutrients!)

Here are my meal options for the week:

Pre workout: - Gluten free seeded bread w/nut butter - Hard boiled egg with nuts - Banana with nuts or nut butter - Pumpkin protein bread (if I have time to bake!)

Breakfast: - Scrambles w/veggies and avocado - Protein waffles/pancakes - Quest bar (if rushed, like today!)

Lunch/Dinner - Eggplant Spaghetti Squash Lasagna - Chicken meatballs w/sweet taters - Salads - Tuna w/plantain chips

Snacks: - Carrots w/hummus or guacamole - Nuts - Larabar - Quest bar (I want to slowly step away from these, as I feel that they may be causing some digestive discomfort! I may just use up what we have and phase them out haha stay tuned)

Fitness:

Here is my plan for the week! My 10K training is embedded in here as well:

Monday: I ran 2 miles at my "fast" speed (18:48) which wasn't as fast as I wanted, but I'm tired and it's Monday. Then I had my personal training session, working on chest, triceps, and shoulders. Tonight, I have circuits with my friend Hanna!

Tuesday: 5 mile long run + abs

Wednesday: 2 miles elliptical, plyometrics, logbook leg workout from trainer

Thursday: 4 mile run (moderate speed), personal training (probably back and biceps), Hanna workout

Friday: 3 mile run moderate, plyometrics

Saturday: TIU workout + abs

Sunday: easy elliptical, toning

I'm so ready for the week! I'm feeling super motivated this morning and have a set of goals for myself apart from food and fitness to work on as well:

1. Work on special project 2. Sketch 3. Play piano 4. Take make up off every night (this may sound silly, but I am so horrible at skin care, and need to get on top of this ASAP!)

I am hoping for a productive, fun, and restful week! Have you set your goals yet? Make a plan and try your best to stick to it...you'll be happy you did!

Food & Fitness Plan! October 6-10

Hello everyone! Happy first Monday of October! I am going to try and be better with my food and fitness weekly plan posts because it helps me stay on track, and hopefully helps and motivates someone out there to plan out the week too! I'll plan Monday-Friday, since most weekends are filled with last minute plans (which doesn't have to mean falling off the healthy train!) So here is my plan for the week!

Monday 10/6: Preworkout: HB egg/egg white Workout: Leg day with my trainer, incline walk for 20 mins (my legs were dead after my training session! Definitely will be feeling that tomorrow!) Breakfast: banana protein pancakes w/peanut butter Snack: quest bar Lunch: leftover BBQ chicken, carrots, hummus Snack: nuts Dinner: leftover BBQ chicken (Taking advantage of leftovers since I did not have much time to meal prep this weekend!)

Tuesday 10/7: Preworkout: hard boiled egg w/nuts Workout: run + the new TIU workout! Breakfast: banana protein mug cake Snack: carrots with dip (either hummus or guacamole...can't go wrong with either one!) Lunch: sausage and tater casserole, super easy! Snack: nuts Dinner: planning on a taco salad since I will have to eat it before or at bible study!

Wednesday 10/8: Preworkout: banana w/cashew butter Workout: chest and tricep workout from my trainer with some cardio! Breakfast: sausage and taters Snack: carrots with dip Lunch: taco salad Snack: nuts, fruit Dinner: turkey burger

Thursday 10/9: Preworkout: nuts Workout: run! Breakfast: veggie scramble Snack: carrots w/dip (can you sense a pattern here haha) Lunch: sausage w/taters Snack: larabar Workout: with my friend Hanna! We do circuits and cardio and always leave the gym sore and happy! Dinner: with Hanna :)

Friday 10/10: Preworkout: nuts Workout: back and biceps workout from my trainer with some cardio! Breakfast: sausage and taters Snack: carrots w/dip Lunch: taco salad Snack: nuts Dinner: probably out with my man!

The theme of this week's plan was: use up what I have and stop spending crazy amounts of money on food haha seriously though, the only things I am running low on at the moment are salad greens, which I am planning on stocking up on today! So I should be good to go for the rest of this week! I will probably sprinkle in some extra snacks, fruits, etc into the plan, but I am excited about all the food and workouts I have this week, which definitely increases my chances of sticking to the plan!!

I also want to get into the habit of practicing my planks and push ups before bed every night. I want a nighttime routine and I think these exercises will be great before I brush my teeth, take care of my face, have some quiet time etc before bed! We will see how it goes this week!

Let's have a great first week of October everyone!

Workout Rant & Mugcake!

Blah. That's the word I would use to describe my workout this morning. Lately I've been feeling like if I don't run, my workout is not as WOW feeling. But I also have to take care of my knees/joints, and don't want to get into the habit of running every day again! Yesterday, I ran 4 miles and had a great session with my trainer. I left the gym feeling amazingly fatigued and so happy with the workout! Today, I got a good back/biceps workout in the weight room, then did the elliptical for 30 mins. I felt NOTHING. I didn't break a sweat, my heart rate barely made it in "the zone," and I left feeling kind of disappointed in myself.

But then, as many Pinterest quotes have reminded me, a bad workout is better than no workout at all! And plus, it wasn't a bad workout! My arms are already sore from my toning session, and I definitely challenged myself with my weights. Some days, it has to be okay to not completely push yourself in both cardio and toning work, but still know you got a solid workout in. It isn't always about the number of calories you burn! Working out has to have a deeper meaning than just burning some calories. So I am going to be proud of my workout today, and have a great and healthy day!

On a side note, I made an awesome mug cake post workout!

It consisted of: 3T peanut flour, 1/2 mashed banana, 1/2 scoop cellucor protein powder, and 1 egg! Mix all the ingredients in a microwavable bowl, then microwave for 3 minutes! I sliced mine in half, then topped it with some strawberry jam!

Have a great Thursday everyone, and get a workout in, even if it's a blah one!