Being honest- after all, I'm only human!

I am a firm believer in never cutting anything completely out and enjoying food/drinks in moderation.  Since starting my Beachbody journey I've learned so much about portion control, making sure I get enough fruits and vegetables, and I've learned to not rely on sugar to get me through the day.

Every now and again I do have a cheat or "indulgence" meal- we all should!  Enjoy the ice cream, cake, mashed potatoes, whatever it is that makes you happy.  But only once in a while and only at one meal!  Yesterday I had an indulgence DAY!

I woke up, worked out (I'm currently in week 7 of 22 Minute Hard Corps) and had my superfoods.  It was a great morning but then there was free pizza at work for lunch.  And then I had to meet with an executive from a carrier we work with for happy hour.  I had apps, a full meal, and 3 beers.  OY!  Was I bloated, full, and worst of all sluggish!

When I got home, I immediately crawled into bed even though it was barely 8:30.  Then our friends text Eric to ask if we wanted to come downstairs and meet their baby- she's only a week old!  I was literally holding the baby and falling asleep.  He had to make me give her back and take me home.

Then this morning I had so much trouble getting up.  I finally dragged my butt out of bed and did my work out but ugh, it's not 2:45 pm EST and I STILL feel sluggish!

Moral of this story- pay attention to what you eat and how it will affect your body!  It's true that what you put in your body will reflect outside your body!  We need veggies and fruits, and all the good stuff.  I wish I would remember how awful I feel when I eat junk so that when I go on a "binge" I'll stop myself.  I always think about it and then think "I'll be better tomorrow."  Such a bad habit that I still need to work on breaking!  I may be a Beachbody coach but I'm still human, I still make mistakes, I'm not going to be perfect all the time.  It's about balance, not perfection, but oh boy what I did yesterday was not balance!

Have you ever felt so awful just from eating bad food that you struggled to get up the next morning?  What do you do to prevent yourself from too many splurges?

(this morning, after my workout, before my superfoods!)

Avocado Brownies

I shared this recipe yesterday on my facebook page but I'm still getting used to blogging again so I forget to share it here!  Have you ever thought of putting avocado in anything?  I'm learning to love it and really enjoying finding ways to use it besides in salads and on sandwiches!  But I NEVER would have thought to bake with it!

I haven't tried this yet but it looks so good, I think I'll try it this weekend and I'll definitely report back on how well it goes!  It's gluten free and a healthy alternative when you need to satisfy your sweet tooth!

Total Time: 51 min.
Prep Time: 15 min.
Cooking Time: 36 min.
Yield: 16 servings, 1 brownie each

Ingredients:
Nonstick cooking spray
1 medium ripe avocado, mashed
¼ cup extra-virgin coconut oil, melted
1 large egg, lightly beaten
½ cup pure maple syrup
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ tsp. sea salt (or Himalayan salt)
¼ cup gluten-free flour
⅓ cup dark chocolate chips

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Line an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil. Lightly coat with spray. Set aside.
3. Combine avocado, oil, egg, maple syrup, and extract in a medium bowl; mix well. Set aside.
4. Combine cocoa powder, salt, and flour in a medium bowl; mix well.
5. Add cocoa powder mixture to avocado mixture; mix well.
6. Add chocolate chips; mix until blended.
7. Pour batter into prepared pan; spread to make even.
8. Bake for 33 to 36 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
9. Cool for an hour before removing from pan. Cut into 16 squares.

Find the Recipe HERE

What is this coaching "thing?"

Hey all!

The blog has received a face lift to better capture what I'm doing in life currently and more importantly what I'm doing in Beachbody!

As a coach I have had the privilege of:

*making new friends
*rebuilding old friendships
*working on myself- finding my confidence and strength
*working on my health and fitness- I'm down 25 lbs AND I can actually do a burpee, though I still don't really like them!
*travel- going to Nashville in July EEEEEEE!
*beginning to supplement my income so I can pay off debt and save for a house

But this is just the beginning of what is possible!
This is Courtney, a friend who grew up down the street from me and I met in high school when I moved to NJ.  She has been a coach for a few years now and this is what she posted about coaching last night on facebook:

Then there is Rose.  She is Courtney's friend from college and she is the leader of Team Arise.  Last year she built her dream home in Cape May and retired from her full time job as a high school athletic trainer.  This is what she had to say last night on facebook:

Tonight she is hosting a *free* *no obligation* webinar explaining what coaching is all about.  I will be attending and this is your invitation to attend with me!

If you're interested comment below or message me on facebook (link is in the top right corner above my picture) or you can email me @ jcook5909@gmail.com.  I'll get you all the details on how to sign on to the webinar and make sure all your questions are answered.

Can't wait to share this opportunity with you!

New Look!

Hello, Friends!

I'm so excited to send out my first post after my blog makeover!  (New domain name still to come!)

What do you think?  Isn't it beautiful!  I always said, I'm not a fan of pink, but really I love pink and I was just fighting it.  I've given in and so happy I did.

Ashley at the Grits Blog designed this look and my previous look, and both times I was over the moon!  Now my blog will look beautiful and be professional, AND match my twitter and facebook as I move forward with my Beachbody business.

Be on the look out for tons of healthy recipes, talk about fitness challenges, and a little bit about my life in general!