4 HEALTHY & DELICIOUS way to make 21 DAY FIX APPROVED Chicken!!

Chicken is a great way to add protein into your diet, but yes, it can get very repetitive and boring if made the same way all the time. I thought I'd share 4 of my favorite ways to make chicken to help you spice up your 21 Day Fix meal plan!

Mexican!
I love anything and EVERYTHING Mexican...so this is a go to for me! I cook my chicken accordingly and in the last 5 minutes of cook time, I add 2tbsps of FRESH salsa and 1/3 cup of shredded cheddar/Monterrey Jack cheese.

• 1 red, 1/2 green, 1 blue

Marinade

My favorite marinade for my chicken! I let it marinade in the fridge for 4-6 hours then toss it on the BBQ, yum!

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup dijon mustard (we prefer grainy, but whatever you like - PS: FREE FOOD)
• 1 tbsp maple syrup (I cut this wayyy down, but still use a little for some sweetness)
• 2 tbsps red wine vinegar
• 6 tbsps extra virgin olive oil

• 1 red, 2tsps 

Hummus Crusted

This is a new one I just made last week and I'm SO obsessed. One pot meal = amazing. I layered my favorite Le Creuset dish with onions, zucchini and carrots; then layed the fresh chicken on top (4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts.) I covered each breast with 1/3 cup of hummus and a little cayenne pepper for some heat! Bake at 400 for 30 minutes...heaven!

• 1 red, 2 green (I took lots of veggies), 1 blue

Chicken Salad

Chicken salad is one of my favorite things to eat, so I knew I needed to find a 21 Day Fix approved recipe I could eat! 

• 2/3 cup of precooked chicken, diced
• 2 tbsps greek yogurt
• 2 small green onions, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1/2 apple, diced
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Gluten free tortilla

Mix it all together and wrap it up in a tortilla with some lettuce (I prefer Spinach!) Since I'm celiac, mine is gluten free, but whichever works for you!

• 1 red, 1 yellow, 1 green, 1/2 purple

If you have any other recipes, please share them in the comment section below! I love trying out new stuff!!

xo, Victoria

Autumn Calabrese on 'Progress…Not Perfection'

Click the link below to read about Autumn's take on 'Progress, not perfection'...such a great reminder!

CLICK HERE for "Progress...not perfection!" By: Autumn Calabrese

HELP! I've started a new workout program and I'm GAINING weight!

{By Chalene Johnson via interview from http://www.sparkpeople.com}

Probably the most common question I get when I release a new exercise program is, "Help! I'm gaining weight! Am I doing something wrong?" This is a common phenomenon with any new exercise program, such as Turbo Kick, Turbo Jam, Hip Hop Hustle, or others! It's especially common (and temporary) with intense strength training programs like ChaLEAN Extreme or Tony Horton's P90X.

The motivation to start a new exercise program is almost always to lose weight. However, what most personal trainers know--and most at-home exercisers do not--is that a new exercise program often can cause an immediate (and temporary) increase on the scale. (Notice I didn't say weight gain! I'll explain.) This common increase in the scale is also the reason why perhaps millions of people start and then quickly quit their resolution to get fit.

The temporary weight gain explained:

When someone starts a new exercise program, they often experience muscle soreness. The more intense and "unfamiliar" the program, the more intense the muscle soreness. This soreness is most prevalent 24 to 48 hours after each workout. In the first few weeks of a new program, soreness is the body trying to "protect and defend" the effected or targeted tissue. Exercise physiologists refer to this as delayed-onset muscle soreness, or DOMS.

This type of soreness is thought to be caused by tissue breakdown or microscopic tears in muscle tissue. When this happens, the body protects the tissue. The muscle becomes inflamed and slightly swollen due to fluid retention. This temporary retention of fluid can result in a 3- to 4-pound weight gain within a few weeks of a new program. Keep in mind that muscle soreness is not necessarily a reflection of how hard you worked. In fact, some people feel no signs of muscle soreness, yet will experience the muscle protection mechanisms of water retention and slight swelling.

Most people are motivated enough to put up with this temporary muscle soreness. Yet, many, especially those who really need immediate weight loss to keep them motivated, become discouraged and quit!

When I worked with a group of 70 test participants during the development stages of ChaLEAN Extreme, this happened. Who was the most upset and discouraged? You guessed it... the women! I'm happy to report absolutely for every single woman (and man) in our group, the weight increase was temporary and never lasted more than two weeks before they started to see a major drop in the scale. However, these people had the advantage of working with someone who was able to explain to them why this was happening and assure them the weight would come off if they stuck to the nutrition plan and stayed true to the program.

If you follow a multi-phase exercise plan, such as ChaLEAN Extreme, keep in mind that when you start each phase, your body will be "in shock" again. Don't be surprised or discouraged if you experience a temporary gain on the scale the first week of each phase.
My own personal example of this is running 10Ks. I don't do it very often, maybe once or twice a year. Even though I run on a regular basis, when you run a race, you push much harder. It's natural for me to be insanely sore the next day. It’s also very common for me to see the scale jump 4 pounds the next day from forcing fluids post race and the resulting DOMS. Even though I know the cause of it, it's still a bummer. We're all human and hard work should mean results. Hard work equals results, but our bodies are amazing machines and they know how to protect us from hurting ourselves. Soreness forces you to give those muscles a break. Ultimately you will lose the weight and you will change your metabolism in the process.
The key is understanding that this is a normal and temporary and stick with the program!

When to be concerned: 

If you experience a significant weight gain (exceeding 5 pounds) that does not begin to decrease rapidly after the second week, guess what it is? I'll give you one hint... you put it in your mouth and chew it. You know it! Your food (or calorie-laden beverages). News flash, friends… exercise doesn't make you gain weight. Consuming more food than you burn makes you gain weight!

So if after two weeks you are not losing weight and have gained weight that's not coming off, it's time to take a close and honest look at your food intake. Start using SparkPeople's Nutrition Tracker regularly, and be honest.

Moral of the story: Be patient young grass hopper. You'll be lean and mean in no time!

ARE YOU READY TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE IN 21 DAYS?

When I was first told I could lose 5-15 pounds in 21 days, I thought I was being lied to...it's definitely not a lie. Beachbody's amazing programs 21 Day Fix and 21 Day Fix Extreme created by celebrity trainer Autumn Calabrese is the most amazing, life changing program. 

The 21 Day Fix programs focus on the ever-important concept of portion-control in your diet. There are seven color-coded containers that help you modify your portions and focuses on simple, clean eating. There are also 30 minute workouts that can be done from HOME and there is a modifier in every workout. Which means that no matter what your fitness level, the program can be modified for you personally. 

The 21 Day Fix Eating Plan

The program uses a method of calorie control without actually having to 'count calories.' There is NO measuring and NO counting...it is seriously SO easy! If it fits in the container, you can eat it, and you’ll lose weight.

1. Green Container (1 cup): For vegetables
2. Purple Container (1 cup): For fruits
3. Red Container (3/4 cup): For proteins
4. Yellow Container (1/2 cup): For carbohydrates
5. Blue Container (1/3 cup): For healthy fats and cheeses
6. 2 Orange Containers (2 tbsps): seeds and dressings
7. Shakeology Cup: For mixing drinks

The 21 Day Fix Workout Plan

There is a different workout daily that is MAXIMUM 30 minutes...how easy is that? Well...it's only 30 minutes but you will SWEAT. The schedule is set up by the pros, there's 1 workout for each day of the week and is repeated 3 times during the duration of the program. Autumn focuses on working numerous muscle groups at a time to maximize calorie burn, which means drop that weight!

My personal results after 2 rounds of the 21 Day Fix.

This program has done WONDERS for me and I have nothing but praises to give it. So why not you?? This is your chance to achieve your health and fitness goals with an easy to follow meal and workout plan. I am here to be your personal coach and cheerleader throughout the entire program. Comment below, or send me an email at v.nielsen91@gmail.com so we can chat!!