Making the most of snow days...

Hey Hey Diva friends!

Quick update for you :) January is off to a rocking' start!! I launched my very first Gut Health program #GetGutsyWithMe on January 15th and I'm already getting AMAZING feedback on the program, information, and recipes! This fills my heart with joy and happiness since it's my life's mission to help people make healthy changes in a doable, pleasant, and maintainable way!!

Stay tuned - Get Gutsy will be launching 2-3 times each year and you can expect edition #2  in a few months!

I also chose to jump into the 80Day Obsession program by Autumn Calabrese! This is a beachbody program from the creator of 21 day fix. YES I'm a personal trainer, YES I could create my own workouts...YES MLMs like beachbody have a bad name (because of poor representatives I might add - not because of the products).... but I have seen GREAT success using at home programs, so have many of my clients and friends and heck...it saves me time and sanity to follow a program that's already designed! As I grow and focus on my OWN business, I enjoy popping down in my basement and not having to think about what to do next. #stressrelief If you want to join me just say the word!

I'm VERY pleased to announce that The Tiny Fit Diva podcast will be up and available to stream in February. We are currently working on a few last minute tweaks as well as preparing a few extra episodes for you to be on top of the game before we open it to the public :) GET EXCITED because Patrick and I share our best tips on this weekly show!

 I have many goals for 2018 and one habit I'm slowly beginning to implement is an organized morning. Last year I read miracle morning and I loved a lot of the ideas but didn't implement them right away. As I'm getting busier, I want to make sure my priorities don't slip, so in the evening I have been making a list of to-dos the next day and that includes the first few things I want  to get done in the morning which includes meditation, reading my Bible, and reading a personal development book! 

All in all, January is shaping up to be a pretty darn awesome month and I have more goals, dreams, and visions for the next few years that I can't wait to share with you as they come to fruition.....

MEANWHILE!!!!! It's snowmageddon in OHIO....ok maybe it's not that bad :)  

[edit: the day this is posted it's freakishly warm :P so tuck these tips away to use soon]

I never understand why people get so upset about weather changes. There's nothing you can do about it except adjust your attitude. Personally I think it's beautiful. And it offers an opportunity for extra cuddles, hot chocolate and card games inside :)

Here are my 3 tips to make the most of your snow days:

1) Prioritize together time.

With your spouse, your kids, or your dog...whoever lives with you :) Use the extra inside time to watch a movie together, read a book as a family, play some cards or board games or...TALK to each other :) If you're BRAVE, bundle up in some snow gear and get outside for a walk or make some snow men :)

2) Focus on nourishing yet comforting foods.

In the winter we tend to exercise LESS and eat MORE. We want to stay inside and get less movement, but we also enjoy processed sugar and carb heavy foods ideal for packing on fat in hibernation times. To avoid this, focus on making foods that are nourishing yet comforting at the same time.

Make some homemade bone broth and drink it like coffee (SO GOOD) or make a soup with homemade broth as the base - check out my  previous blog with info on how to do that here

Make some delicious homemade hot chocolate void of the sugar and chemicals you'll find in pre-made mixes...Use this recipe or come up with your own:

• 1 can of full fat coconut milk
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup (or stevia drops to taste)

1. Heat up the milk over the stove.
2. Mix in the cocoa powder and sweetener of choice. Enjoy!

p.s. for a real splurge, add some Enjoy Life chocolate chips either in the full mix or in the bottom of your mug!

3) Tackle a hobby or goal.

Take a moment to write down a list of things you would like to accomplish in 2018. They could be fun things like hobbies, crafts, hanging out with friends, dinner with your mom etc... or they could be business goals you have, things that need to get done around the house,...you get the picture...

Create the list. Make sure if anything on your list requires actions steps to achieve it that you write those out as well. Then anytime you find yourself bored, snowed in, or with extra time on your hands tackle the list.

Here's to a warm and productive January! From my home to yours,

p.s. I'd love to hear YOUR receipt and traditions for this time of year! Share them below!

Soup your way to a healthier gut!

Hey hey Diva friends! Let's talk about soup and gut health....sounds good right? What is easier than indulging in some delicious soup in this cold weather?

Soup certainly doesn’t sound like any special life changing superfood. It’s soup, you’ve eaten it all your life. Yet soup has massive potential that often gets hidden behind nasty preservatives and less than ideal flavoring agents. The true beauty and nourishment happens with whole food ingredients and high quality homemade bone broth.

This is where the magic happens.

 

A daily soup made from local, seasonal ingredients and high-quality broth is better than any superfood or supplement out there. It’s a wholesome way to nourish your skin, immune system, joints, digestion and gut health. 

Homemade bone broth is rich in natural gelatin which is anti-aging and great for rebuilding  damaged intestinal lining. Making bone broth from scratch is as easy as throwing your leftover chicken carcass in a large pot of water and letting it simmer for 24 hours. This gets all the good stuff out of the bones and into the liquid.

Patrick makes an amazing broth with a few simple ingredients:

• chicken carcass
• onion
• carrots
• celery
• poultry spices ( rosemary/sage/thyme)
• salt

1. Place all ingredients in the crockpot, fill it up with water (purified!) and let it simmer for 24-48 hours. Use this as the broth base for any soup recipe, or simply enjoy a warm cup like coffee. 1-2x/day.

Note* let your broth cool after you have strained it (not TOO long as bacteria will grow quickly) and scoop off the fat layer that settles on top. The more fat the more healthy collagen is in your broth! Keep frozen or in the fridge for up to 5 days. If my broth is in the fridge 5-6 days or longer I simply make sure to boil it again before drinking.

Go to your local farmer’s market and get the freshest seasonal produce you can find. In the summer you may enjoy fresh garlic, beets and carrot in a homemade stock and blending with fresh dill. Served cold on a hot day with a drizzle of plain yogurt, this soup is refreshingly tangy and packed with nutrients.

In the Fall and Winter, soups made with root vegetables and hearty herbs like sage and rosemary are ideal. It’s all about sourcing local, pesticide-free vegetables for the most nutrient dense soups. Nothing you can buy from the store compares to what you can make at home with relatively little effort. 

The flavor base of every good soup should be sauteed onions, garlic and herbs. This is what all those flavor packs are trying to emulate. It doesn’t take long to cut up an onion and throw it in a hot pan with some olive oil, but it makes all the difference.

Add all ingredients to your blender and process until super smooth. Enjoy!!

If you’re seriously interested in getting healthy, restoring your digestion and boosting your energy then check out my new comprehensive program Get Gutsy With Me launching January 15th, 2018! 

In the program you get a ton of delicious satisfying recipes as well as strategies that will help rebuild your intestinal flora.

Not sure you're ready for all that?! Join me on my Facebook page Stop Dieting and Live your Life! where I’ll be sharing more information, tips and recipes to help you live a happier, healthier life. PLUS you'll receive free access to my Holiday Survival Guide along with extra recipes and support to navigate this holiday season with ease :)

Share YOUR favorite soup below!

bye for now!

Easy Protein Pancakes

Hey Hey there Diva friends! 

I woke up this morning and wanted some pancakes....so I looked up some recipes and decided to make up my own with what I have in the house. They turned out really well so I wanted to share :) You've probably seen the 3 ingredient pancake recipe floating around for banana + egg + cinnamon before....well, this isn't much more complicated.

Ingredients:

• 1 large plantain (mine was yellow with some black spots)*
• 1 Scoop of Ancient Nutritions Cinnamon Apple Bone Broth
• 2 eggs

*When cooking with plantains the greener the plantain the less flavor it has the more ripe it is the sweeter it is.

Directions:

1. Blend all the ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth
2. Heat up a non-stick skillet and spray with coconut oil or melt some grass-fed butter
3. Cook about 1/4 cup of the batter at a time about a minute on each side, but times will vary based on cookware and temperature
4. Top with some pure maple syrup and pair with some eggs or Applegate breakfast sausages. Don't forget your Foursigmatic chaga coffee. Enjoy!

Get creative in the kitchen! Mix some blueberries in the batter, or if you really want to splurge, add some Enjoy Life chocolate minis. 

Have a good breakfast! Bye for now :)