Only 4 sleeps stand between me and Coach Summit! I am SO excited. When I signed up to become a coach last year, our decision to go to Summit was last minute and I am so glad I went!
I have never been apart of something so amazing before. The feeling you get from day 1 at Opening Ceremony until you walk out of Closing Ceremony on day 3...it is an unbelievable high that I just can't explain.
It is a huge celebration with 25,000 other coaches who all want to be better people, both mentally and physically. Who all want to help others achieve goals in their health and fitness journey and who all support each other, whether they are there as a top coach, a brand new coach or just someone who wanted to come tag along with a coach friend. We get to spend two days learning from top coaches and guest speakers. Then there are exclusive parties at night for anyone who has earned them. Last year, in my short time as a coach, I earned the Success Club party and got to dance it out all night long front row with LoCash (and my husband too). It was unbelievable. This year, I earned us a spot at the Billy Idol Success Club concert, which is 80's themed, I just finished getting my outfit together today! So definitely check back for pictures on that!
Anyways, my mind was BLOWN last year at this event, there was lots of learning, smiling, laughing and even crying. I had no idea what to expect going into it but I knew from following my coach, now sponsor, attend in Vegas the previous year that it was something I wasn't going to miss. Luckily, I have one of those rare husband breeds that supports me, my crazy last minute ideas and my business so he was game when I brought up the idea of going 3 shorts months before it was taking place.
I am so glad he went with me too, so many people don't understand the importance of having a supportive spouse when you have your own business...they need to understand what you are trying to achieve and what the company is all about. He left there last year beyond impressed with the company, their vision, the CEO and his passion for what he does and was just as excited as I was about being apart of it all.
So, the fact that we are going back again, together, makes me happy. I also have one of my coaches attending with me this year too which is super exciting! We will miss the rest of Elite Nation but I know they will be there next year with us!
So a little backstory, this isn't the first time I have tried direct marketing since I met Aaron. After I graduated college (many many years ago), I attempted to sell candles and home decor, I felt so uncomfortable going into people's homes and hosting parties. It never felt natural. And I hated having to pack up and go work for 3-4 hours in the evening once Aaron was finally off work. Don't get me wrong, I was a rockstar the first 3 months in the business (thank you family and close friends) but then my circle faded and my business did too.
So when I decided to sign up as a coach, I was scared. I had all these fears about this business based on my past "direct marketing" experience. But I had a feeling deep down this was going to be different. And it was/is different. This company makes sure their coaches understand their mission and they give us what we need, however it is up to us to use those tools and make our business successful. After all, you can have all the tools in the world but if you don't put them to use, how can you expect anything to come of it?! So yeah, success is never guaranteed to anyone, you have to work for it folks.
First of all, one of the things I love about my business that I feel differentiates it from others is that I am not here to hunt you down and sell you something, I am simply sharing my journey. I am sharing what I love, these products, these programs and how I get to help others achieve amazing results every single day. I get to know people, their goals and then we pick the path that is right for them! I don't have to show up at your house with a suitcase that smells like a mix of flowers and fruity scents to tell you all about how our candles are different from the competitors. Instead, I get to help you in a way that matters. I get to help you feel more confident. I get to you achieve goals or get over plateaus. I get to help you fall in love with a new lifestyle that includes exercise and proper nutrition (while still enjoying yourself in moderation, of course). And that, to me, is way more rewarding than telling you spend $150 on a centerpiece with some candles. Instead, in my business, YOU are the centerpiece damn it! And you deserve to invest in YOURSELF.
This company has not only helped me physically get my shit together but mentally as well. I have grown so much as a person over the past year...I feel like sometimes I needed this business opportunity more than it needed me, ya know?! We were definitely meant to be. ;)
Bottom line...did I think when I signed up 16 months ago that I would find success in this business based on my past failures? Not really. Like I said, I was scared, I had my doubts but I learned to overcome those pesky fears and put them aside so I can focus on helping other people every single month achieve whatever it is they are wanting to achieve, whether it is to lose 5 pounds or 100 pounds...I get to support them on their journey.
Not only that but I get to mentor my own team of coaches who are helping other people lead healthier lives. Most of these amazing coaches on my team were once challengers in my own accountability groups who have decided that they too, love the programs and products and want to pay it forward. Together, we are multi level helpers (MLH), as Carl, the CEO, put it last year.
I really just can't wait to be at Summit next week so I can learn more for my challengers, for my team and for myself and this business. If we are friends on Facebook, stay tuned next week, I will be going live as often as I can with what I am learning about, any new programs or products that may be coming out and other fun stuff! And if we aren't friends on Facebook, why not?! Come find me!
I have included a video from last years experience that I hope you enjoy watching as much as I enjoyed putting it together. <3
If you have questions about my challenge groups and becoming one of my customers or if you think coaching is for you, please don't be scared to contact me, I am here to answer questions and help with whatever I can! Plus, I would love to have you at Summit with me next year.
Marinated Chicken & Veggies
Hello friends!! How are you?! I am BEYOND excited, I am one week away from my favorite event of the year, Coach Summit. NashVegas better be ready for us again!
Anyways, speaking of Coach Summit, I have been TRYING to keep myself in check with my food prior to us leaving but I have also been on the lookout for new ideas for my meal plan. I was very good about my meal plan while I did Hammer & Chisel, I had no issues sticking to pretty much the same foods throughout the entire program but I am ready for a change.
One thing that came to mind yesterday while meal planning was chicken kabobs with veggies over brown rice. When we BBQ with my parents, we used to always do skewers marinated in Italian dressing with this amazing brown mushroom rice my mom makes (full of BUTTER baby, but oh so good), sooooo, I wanted to make something similar but Fix approved, of course!
So here it is! My marinated chicken & veggie recipe, I made plenty extra for meals throughout the week too. Keep in mind, I feed Aaron and myself, if you are prepping for just 1, you could cut back on the ingredients.
What you need (makes about 6 servings):
2 Bell Peppers (I did red/ orange), cut
Small Container of Whole Mushrooms, cleaned
3 small-medium Zucchini (you can do Squash too), sliced
Onion (optional, I don't like onion but many do), sliced
2lb (or a little over) chicken, cut into chunks
1/2-3/4 C Bolthouse Farms Classic Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
3 C cooked brown rice (or quinoa, etc.)
Preparation:
1. Grab a ziploc bag, open it and pour in about 1/3 cup of the dressing. Place your cut up chicken in the ziploc, seal it and make sure all the chicken is covered before placing back in the fridge to marinate. Leave in there for at least 2 hours.
2. Do the same for the cut up veggies! Place in fridge for at least 2 hours.
3. Heat up indoor/outdoor grill (if using an outdoor grill, make sure to cook on some type of pan that is grill safe so you don't lose the food in the grill!). I used an indoor grill.
4. Place veggies on grill, grill until desired tenderness. (I also cooked mine separately because I didn't have space to cook both at the same time)
5. While those cook, measure out your cooked brown rice into separate containers. 1/2 cup per container.
6. Measure veggies out (about 1 cup) and place into containers.
7. Place chicken on the grill, grill until no longer pink and fully cooked.
8. Measure out chicken (about 3/4 cup) and place on top of veggies in containers.
You can add 1-2 tsp more of the dressing if you want/need when you eat or cook it but I did not need it. I personally had two servings of veggies today with my lunch and it was a TON of food.
For my Fix Family: 1 green, 1 red, 1 yellow (if you add rice), 1 orange
Caprese Chicken
What do you do when you have leftover basil and fresh mozzarella from your Margherita Pizza? You make Fix approved Caprese Chicken, of course!
This is one of my favorites and it is beyond simple but taste like it took hours to prepare...sometimes literally depending on if you are good at cooking chicken or not, mine sometimes tastes a little chewy and overcooked but I don't mind. ;)
What you need for the top:
Pesto (2 tsp per chicken breast)
Tomato (I use 1 roma per chicken breast & eat any extra that doesn't fit)
Basil Leaves (about 4 leaves per piece of chicken breast)
Fresh Mozzarella (1oz per chicken breast)
Salt & Pepper, just a dash will do
What you need for the chicken:
Chicken Breast (4oz piece per person)
Dash of pepper
Olive Oil Spray
1. Spray a pan with olive oil spray and turn on medium heat.
2. Season your chicken with some pepper and add to the pan.
3. Cook your chicken about 4 minutes per side or until no longer pink in the middle (I use thinly sliced chicken breast so they cook quicker).
4. Place 2 tsp of pesto on top of your chicken breast, then layer it with 1oz mozzarella and 1 small roma tomato, alternating between the two.
5. Cover and cook on low for about 2 minutes or until cheese starts to melt and tomatoes are soft.
6. Take out of pan, place on a plate and top with fresh basil!
I ate mine with a side of leftover tomatoes and broccoli with leftover cheese from my blue container melted on it...I mean, everything is better with cheese, right?!
For my Fix Family (including my sides): 2 Greens, 1 Red, 1 Blue
Recipe modified from the Fixate cookbook.
Margherita Pizza (Fix Approved)
Update: When I originally posted this pizza, I had mentioned I was having issues with it being watery in the end...I think I have perfected it! Not only that but I used a new crust from Golden Home that has 16g of protein which is perfect for this recipe in particular since it doesn't have any meat on it! So here it is, new and improved....and so pretty I didn't really want to eat it. Oh, who I am kidding, I cut that "ish" up and devoured it!
I am loving finding new pizzas to make each week. I had my standing meat and veggie, then I went for buffalo chicken...now on to the Margherita! We love pizza in our house so it is in a weekly rotation. And it is approved for pretty much every program I have done (21 Day Fix, Hammer and Chisel, 22 Minute Hard Corps, Insanity Max: 30).
Serves 1
This was from my original post, see new pictures below!
What You Need:
(Updated info is in parenthesis!)
1 Whole Grain Ultra Thin Pizza Crust from Golden Home or their amazing protein crust (pictured below)!
1/4 C Sauce - I use just enough Marinara or Pizza Sauce from Trader Joe's to cover the bottom.
1 small tomato sliced (preferably romo)
3 slices precut mozzarella (pictured), broken up
4-6 pieces of basil (sliced into strips)
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place pizza crust on foil, top with sauce.
3. Place in oven for 5 minutes.
4. Take your 3 slices of mozzarella and dab with a paper towel to get rid of the extra water.
5. At the 5 minute mark, top your pizza evenly with your cheese.
6. While the pizza, sauce and cheese are cooking, cut up your tomato, take out the middle seeds, etc. and place in a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
7. With 3 minutes left, top your pizza with the tomatoes and finish cooking (cooks for 10 minutes total).
8. Take your pizza out and top with your cut up basil. Slice and enjoy!
Tips: When you buy a sauce, make sure it is natural, has no added sugars or other artificial crap! If you can only find a sauce WITH sugar, it will count as a purple on the Fix meal plan versus a green if you can find one without the sugars! Which I know you can. ;)
Fix Family: 1 green, 2 yellows, 1 blue. (w/ protein crust, 1 red)
BBQ Chicken & Sweet Potato
I have totally been MIA but summer is busy! My main focus has been my kids and my challengers, so the blog has definitely seen better days but I did want to share a new recipe with you all that was SUPER simple and yummy!! Next time I make this, I want to top it with a slaw of some sort! I love an extra crunch in my food!
Serves: 2 servings, 1 sweet potato and about ¾ cup chicken each
Ingredients
- 2 small sweet potatoes, washed, pierced several times with a fork
- 1½ cups shredded cooked chicken breast, boneless, skinless, warm (I cheated and used a rotisseree chicken & peeled off the skin)
- ¼ cup barbecue sauce (they always call for reduced sugar, I can't find one, so I use Trader Joe's or you can make your own)
- ¼ cup Quick Pickled Red Onions (or 2 Tbsp. chopped red onions) (optional, I skipped this step)
Instructions
- Place sweet potatoes on a plate. Pierce each sweet potato 3 to 4 times with a fork. Microwave 4-6 minutes or until tender.
- While sweet potato is cooking, combine chicken and barbecue sauce in a small bowl; mix well. Set aside.
- Cut sweet potatoes in half lengthwise.
- Top sweet potatoes evenly Quick Pickled Red Onions and chicken mixture. Serve and enjoy!
Tips:
- Look for barbecue sauce that has an ingredient list that does not contain artificial sweeteners, additives, or preservatives. There are many brands on the market that are sweetened with small amounts of honey, maple syrup, or molasses.
- Use Healthy Barbecue Sauce as a homemade alternative to store-bought barbecue sauce.
For my Fix Family, it is 1.5 yellow and 1 red!