21 Day Fix Friendly Slow-cooker Pulled Pork

           21 Day Fix Friendly Slow- cooker Pulled Pork

I love,love BBQ pulled pork anytime of the year, but it can be high in calories depending on the amount of fat on the pork and the BBQ sauce.  So,  I needed a recipe that gave me a little bit more control over the amount and type of BBQ sauce that was used and the cut of the meat. This recipe starts off with using Homemade BBQ sauce (see above post for the recipe 21 Day Fix Friendly Homemade BBQ sauce) with this I can control the calories in the sauce and the amount of sauce that is put on the pork. Make the BBQ sauce up a head of time and store it in the fridge until it is time to be used.

Next I used the smallest loin I could find since I was making this for my family. Depending on the size of your pork loin, you will have to alter how much BBQ sauce to add. Keep in mind the pork shrinks after it is cooked, so you will want to weigh it cooked. I basically added 2 tablespoons of BBQ sauce for every 3 ounces of cooked pork along with some of the reserved juices from the pork. 

SLOW-COOKER PULLED PORK

INGREDIENTS:

• 2.5 lb boneless pork loin roast (center cut, trimmed of all fat)
• 2 tsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp Hickory liquid smoke
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 cup Homemade BBQ sauce

DIRECTIONS:

Place pork in the slow cooker and season with salt, vinegar, garlic powder and liquid smoke. Cover and set to high 6 hours. Remove pork and transfer onto a large dish; reserve all the liquid into a cup and set aside.Shred the pork with two forks and put it back into the slow cooker along with about 3/4 cup of the reserved liquid and the BBQ sauce (for every 3 oz cooked pork, I used 2 tbsp BBQ sauce). Cook on high one more hour. I like to serve it on these yummy Whole Wheat Slider buns with a side of homemade coleslaw(see my blog Lorimudd.blogspot.com for recipe).

21 Day Fix Friendly
Pulled Pork

DAILY SACRIFICES MADE TO REACH SUCCESS. AREN'T YOU WORTH THE SACRIFICE?

GOOD MORNING CHALLENGERS!!  Busy day so this post is going to have 2 purposes:

 #1 Match Your Outfit to Your Shakeology=Yellow tank+ Vanilla Shakeology PB mix (1 pkt/scoop Vanilla Shakeology, 6-8 oz of vanilla unsweetened almond milk, splash of vanilla extract, ice. TIP:the more ice, frozen fruit the thicker the shake, the more milk,fluid the more volume.) I've told you all before I hated vanilla Shakeology and this is the recipe that changed my mind!

Make small sacrifices daily to get success!
#2 If you want weight loss success or anything in life there has to be sacrifices made to reach your goals. You all see my post and pics with my results, but you haven't seen the behind the scenes sacrifices I've made to get those pounds off. Like right now it is 06:00 am I've already done a 30 minute workout and I have my Shakeology made, and chicken in the crock pot for making up my meals for the weekend. I knew last night that today was going to be busy, so I went to bed a little earlier so I could get up at 0500 and workout. Would I have liked to watch tv last night and sleep in an hour more-Hell ya but this is what I have to do to get and keep the weight off. So, the excuse of not having enough time to workout is it really valid?? Watch 1 less 30 minute show a day! Next I thought I couldn't afford Shakeology either-Hello $130 per month, but I added it to my family's food budget, because it does replace a meal a day and with that breakdown it is $4.00 per meal. I cancelled HBO and Showtime, plus took the DVR off of 1 tv , which reduced my cable bill by $40 per month. I stopped going through the drive thru or I should say I limited my trips to only once a week. At $5.00+ a pop those trips really add up (I challenge you to keep your fast food receipts for 1 wk and just see how much $$ you waste). I became a Beachbody Coach for the 25% discount you get on purchases and my Shakeology was reduced to $95+tax per month.
What were the sacrifices again:

• gave up movie channels & DVR function on tvs
• gave up an extra hour of sleep
• gave up eating out daily
• gave up feeling like crap and being tired all the time
• gave up being humiliated because I didn't fit in the seat or I had to ask for special accommodations related to my size.

WAS IT WORTH THE SACRIFICES?
**I can ride the rides with my kids at Kings Island.
**I can run a 5K or take the steps without getting SOA and feeling like I'm going to die.
**I can take a trip on a plane and not be afraid that they or going to ask me to buy another ticket, bc I'm to fat for 1 seat or that I'm humiliated bc I have to ask for a seatbelt extension when the belt won't buckle over my stomach.
**I've decreased my chances of getting diabetes, heart disease, stroke.
**I've increased my chances at a long, active, independent life that I can spend with my kids, grandkids, great grandkids.
IS IT WORTH THE SACRIFICES-HELL YA!
You have to decide what you want more and decide are YOU WORTH the sacrifices? Have a blessed day.

I WON'T TELL YOU IT IS GOING TO BE EASY,
 BUT I WILL TELL YOU IT IS GOING TO BE WORTH IT.
**If you're ready to commit leave me your email address in the comment section or join me on FB on my page at www.fb.com/LorimuddWTF3 (Lori's Losing It) & I'll get back with you soon so we can get you started on a healthy path. **
**If you like you can check out the programs first on this site by going to the Beachbody programs page or go to my site at www.coachdannon.com.**

21 DAY FIX FRIENDLY TUSCAN VEGGIE STEW

This recipe is soooo easy, quick, and diet friendly. Plus, it works well for all you 21 Day Fixers. Here goes:
INGREDIENTS:
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 lb. carrots, chopped
1 med. onion, finely chopped
2 qts. lower-sodium vegetable or chicken broth (2 boxes)
1 bunch Tuscan or curly kale, chopped (you can use spinach instead I did)
2 cans (14 oz) no-salt-added white (cannellini) beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14oz) dices Italian seasoned tomatoes
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. In 6-qt saucepot, heat oil on med. Add carrots and onion. Cook 10 minutes or until vegetables are beginning to soften, stirring occasionally.
2. Add broth, kale, garlic, beans, tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste. Heat to simmering on high. Reduce heat to maintain simmer. Cook 20 minutes or until kale is tender, stirring occasionally
.
Makes 6 Servings of 1 cup per serving. Top each serving with a 1/2 a blue container of Parmesan cheese.
300 calories per serving, 15 g protein, 53 g carbs, 11 g fiber, 830 mg sodium

21 DAY FIX CONVERSION
1-YELLOW 1-GREEN 1/2-BLUE

IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THE 21 DAY FIX CONTACT ME at www.facebook.com/Lori.mudd.92 or send me and email to muddlori@gmail.com and I'll be happy to go over the program with you. These programs have changed my life and I'd love to help you make a change to a healthier life too.

TRANSFORMATION TUESDAY DOWN 100+ LBS

SHOUT OUT TO SHEILA MY BFF She has lost over 100+ lbs & signed up to be a coach just to get the discount on her monthly Shakeology. Hum, beautiful and smart!

The 1st picture is Ms. Sheila and me in New Orleans with our friends Diane and Carol. We had gone on a girls trip for 4 days and I remember being so excited to be going with this great group of women and so terrified that the airport would ask me to buy a 2nd ticket because I was to fat for just 1 seat. To add to it we changed planes several times up and back. Then squeezing into the taxis and the driver telling me, "you get up front you to big, to big for back"!

 It was horrible at the time, but looking back it saved my life, because it was just what I needed to take that leap towards losing the weight and getting healthy. Sheila lost her weight not to much longer after I lost mine. Then other people started asking about what I was doing to lose weight and could I give them tips-BAM I'm a coach! I'm no one special. I'm not a fitness expert, nutritionist, business person, nope just someone who lost weight with Beachbody products and loves to help others find their way to a healthier life too. Have you ever thought about being a coach?

If you'd like info on being a Beachbody coach fill out the application at the top of this blog under "I want to be a coach". No, you won't be signed up as a coach right then and there, so don't worry it will just get us started talking. 

HOW I BECAME A BEACHBODY COACH

                                                HOW I BECAME A BEACHBODY COACH

I'm writing this post to thank the people at Beachbody, yeah I know it's "just a company", but really it's not and that's why I love it so much and why I'm so grateful for all it/they have done for me.

Back when I weighed 350 lbs I felt hopeless, that there was no way in hell I could lose 200 lbs (I had my high school weight in my head as my goal weight and "yes" I'm over that)! I've struggled with my weight my whole life I remember in high school drinking Carnation instant breakfast in the morning before school and not eating the rest of the day, until supper and that was a small plate of whatever Grandma had made that day then nothing else. At 150 lbs my hip bones stuck out & my stomach was flat, but my best friend, who has a small frame, weighed 120 lbs and had a muffin top, continually commented that she couldn't believe I was fatter then her, plus she wore a 9 and I wore a 12, so I was bigger. She wasn't being vicious, but it added to my insecurities and obsession with my weight.

I always felt the need to be perfect, to get the best grades, to be good, and make grandma proud, but I messed that up and got pregnant at 18 so there went all the dreams of college. I found a great man a couple years later and after my 2nd son the weight really started to come on. My husband lost his job that he had worked at for 11 yrs when a new company came in & got rid of all the management and he was one of them. Of course, it happened a couple weeks after I had quit my job to go to nursing school full-time-more weight. We ended up having to file for bankruptcy and lost our home.

 If any of you have been to nursing school you know the stress is unbelievable that they deliberately try to weed you out, because the school has to keep it's certification and they do that by people passing the boards, so they try and get rid of the weak links before testing. I was in nursing school, worked full-time as a CNA, and I had a baby on Monday was discharged from the hospital Tuesday and went and took my check offs on Wednesday, because if you didn't pass check offs you had to sit out a whole year and I was to poor to wait another year to get out of school. It turns out I ended up taking another year, because my next instructor told me I was to fat to be a nurse and even though I had an A in the class, she tried to fail me in the clinical part, so I transferred to a different school and graduated with a BSN in Nursing.

I have been a nurse for `19 yrs and I love it! But being a nurse and weighing 350 lbs was literally killing me. After what should have been a fun vacation with 3 of my best friends I decided to have the magical gastric bypass surgery. Yeah, I lost 50 lbs and that was it-BAM! No more, now what I still have 150 lbs to lose? Then I saw an Infomercial with this beautiful blonde lady and TurboFire and I thought "Wow that really looks fun". So, I ordered it and in 3 months 75 lbs were gone! Then later I started drinking Shakeology® and I've never felt better in my life. To be honest I joined as a Beachbody coach to get the discounts, but I realized I was kinda working as a coach already, because people noticed my weight lose and were always asking me questions. Helping people is in my nature, hello I'm a nurse, and if I can help just 1 person lose weight and feel as good as I do then I've done my job. I'm active again. I'm healthy. I'm eternally grateful to Chalene Johnson and Beachbody for saving my life and giving me an opportunity for a new one. I am truly blessed to be a Beachbody Coach. Have you ever thought about being a coach? Would you like a chance to find out more about coaching and it's opportunities? If "yes" then send me a message to www.muddlori@gmail.com or join me on FB and send me a friend request www.fb.com/Lori.mudd.92. Hope to hear from you soon!

www.fb.com/LorimuddWTF3

www.coachdannon.com

My sister joined in on the action too! That's me on top before and after. Bottom is my sister Lisa and her before and after.

LIGHTING THE FIRE

Officially started my Turbofire program,only 79 days until summer! No more playing around gotta get to goal weight. I forgot how much I love these workouts and Beachbody On Demand is the BOOM Baby! My Turbofire dvds don't play anymore, I kinda wore them out when I lost 75 lbs, but with BOD I get to streamline my Turbofire for FREE to my IPhone,computer, tablet anything with internet access! Can we say AWESOME! If you want to lose the pounds this is the way to go Turbofire + Shakeology=RESULTS! I am living proof I've lost over 150 lbs and 75 of those were with Turbofire, so I know what it takes to get you to your goal and I know how you feel when you look at the scale and see that you have 50, 100, 150 lbs to lose. I know because I've been there and I understand your struggles, so if you need help my coaching is free comment below or send me a friend request on Facebook to www.facebook.com/Lori.mudd.92. We'll do this together. Blessings.www.coachdannon.com

TURBOFIRE DAY 1

Lose weight without exercising! Example of a meal plan for a 21 Fix day.

           LOSE WEIGHT WITHOUT WORKING OUT?

                      21 DAY FIX MEAL PLAN

It doesn't have to be complicated, you don't have to starve yourself, you don't have to kill yourself with monster workouts. Simple nutrition, dedication, and consistency is the path to success. It doesn't matter how many times you've tried before and failed there's always one more time and this time IS your time. You do not have to live, exist trapped in an obese person's body. You have the right to be free, free from the burdens the excess weight puts on you. To live and be healthy and happy! Make that commitment just 1 more time-Today-Right now! I'm here to help if you need me just comment below or message me privately atwww.fb.com/Lori.mudd.92. Good luck.

This is an example of some of the foods and meals I eat in a day. I try to eat every 2 hrs and stop eating at least  2 hours before I go to bed. #Healthychoices #21DayFix www.coachdannon.com

DON'T BE A VICTIM OF THE GET SKINNY QUICK SCHEME

                   DON'T BE A VICTIM TO THE GET SKINNY QUICK SCHEME

You've heard of the "get rich quick scheme" well don't you fall victim to the "get skinny quick scheme" like I have many times in my life. All these diets that promise outrageous amounts of weight loss and fast results-diets where you drink only shakes all day, or eat cabbage soup for every meal, these are the diets I'm talking about. Don't get me wrong most of the time these quick fix diets do work, but the results are very short lasting, but the damage they do to your body are not. Why do these diets work? Usually because they have dangerously low caloric intake <1000 per day (even for the thinnest person this is not healthy). Your body is at a major calorie deficit so you're going to lose weight, but you will also lose muscle, do damage to your vital organs (liver, heart, kidneys), and mess up your metabolism big time.

The weight always comes back on and it brings it's friends with it, a few more pounds. The unhealthiness of Yo Yo dieting is well documented (Yo Yo dieting is losing weight then gaining it back, then losing it again, and so on...) and NO it is not just better to go a head and stay fat! Lol. Nice try, the answer is to change the way you think about losing weight. This time you're not going on a diet, you're making changes to the way you eat. Pick 1 thing that you are going to change this week about your eating habits-give up soft drinks regular or diet both are bad for you, cut back on salt, stop eating out, etc...Focus on changing just that one thing this week.

Before you start you can weigh, but also take your measurements, I know I hated doing it too but believe me later on you will be happy that you did, write down how you feel-are you tired all the time, grumpy, stomach problems, aches pains in knees & other areas? Don't obsess over the scale find other ways to measure success. How do your clothes fit? How do you feel? Do you have more energy? Are you more focused? Do you sleep better? Are you less fatigued? Are you less cranky? Can you walk a flight of stairs and not get winded? Do your knees not hurt?

You didn't gain the weight over night, so don't expect to lose it over night. It was a hard lesson for me to learn, but it is an important one if you want to be successful in keeping the weight off. Change your mind then change your world. Blessings. FOR MORE INFO ON WAYS THAT I CAN HELP YOU

352 lbs start and 179 lbs finish
18 months to lose
off for 5 years

21 Day Fix Friendly Chicken Marsala

                                                             21 Day Fix Friendly
                                                               Chicken Marsala

 I'm always on the lookout for new recipes that are 21 Day Fix friendly, easy to make, and can be thrown together in a crockpot or one-an-done. This Paleo inspired meal is the Triple Crown with it's basic ingredients of chicken and vegetables, marinating in a baggy, then cooking it all in 1 pot for only 30 minutes- AND IT'S LOW CAL CHICKEN MARSALA FOR THE WIN!

WHAT YOU NEED:

• One 3 to 6 quart dutch oven.
• One large ziplock bag for marinating.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 to 2 pounds of boneless/skinless chicken breast.
• 1/2 cup of Tomato Balsamic dressing.
• 1 small package (2 to 3 cups) of sliced bella mushrooms.
• 1 medium white or vidalia onion, cut in half and sliced into medium strips.
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups of fresh chopped tomato or tomato sauce.
• 1 tbsp of Extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil.
• 2 cloves of garlic, smashed and minced.
• salt & pepper to taste.

THROWING IT TOGETHER:

1. Before cooking, place chicken thighs in your ziplock bag with 1/2 cup of the tomato balsamic dressing. Marinate for at least 1 hour.
2. Place your dutch oven on a stovetop burner, set to medium heat, and also turn your oven on to 350°F.
3. Add your oil and garlic to your dutch oven, stir and raise heat to medium-high.
4. Season your chicken thighs with salt and pepper, and add to your dutch oven (with any remaining dressing from the bag) to brown, about 1 to 2 minutes on each side.
5. Once browned, remove your dutch oven from the hot burner. Add your tomatoes.
6. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to stir the tomatoes and scrape the bottom of your dutch oven. That is where the flavor lies.
7. Add your onions and mushrooms to the top of your chicken and tomatoes, no need to stir in.
8. Cover and put into your 350°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes.
9. Remove from oven and serve! It goes great with a spinach salad. Enjoy!

www.facebook.com/LorimuddWTF3

21 Day Fix Extreme

After 3 rounds of the 21 Day Fix and >30 lbs gone I'm ready to cross that finish line and hit my goal weight by going EXTREME, 21 Day Fix Extreme! On 2/16/15 my 21 Day Fix Support Group will be blasting off!!! You can go low key (with the original 21 Day Fix) or FULL THROTTLE (21 Day Fix Extreme) just let me know which 1 you want to do. Can't decide, drop me a message below or on fb and I'll be glad to help you pick what's best for you to get you to your fitness goal.

Oh, did I mention both programs are on sale and you can check them out on my LIKE pg www.fb.com/LorimuddWTF3, if you know what you want when you're there then hit the "shop now" button at the top of the pg and you can go straight to my site and purchase your  program. 

**FYI YOU MIGHT WANT TO HURRY AND ORDER SOON, BECAUSE LAST YEAR WHEN THE 21 DAY FIX WAS LAUNCHED IT SOLD OUT WITHIN A COUPLE OF DAYS**

(then it was on back order for months and I'd hate for you to miss out on this fabulous deal and program, just sayin...)

One more thing before I go if you've struggled to have success with your weight loss goals in the past and you've never tried a program with a coach then I ask that you give this, me a try. As your coach I'll help you get started, stay motivated, and get results! Together we'll succeed in crushing our goals! 

Weight Loss Surgery-Friend or Foe?

           WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY-FRIEND OR FOE

I'm writing this blog in the hopes that maybe just one person will read it and believe me, because all of my friends, family members, co-workers, the majority of them never did. Unfortunately, they had to find out the hard way for themselves, so here goes. Weight loss surgery is not an "easy, quick" way out of a fat situation.

I had gastric by-pass surgery in 2008 and my sister had the gastric band. At the time I weighed 352 lbs and 50 lbs did come off rather quickly, but that was it and I still had 150 lbs to go. My sister had similar results and she weighed about the same maybe a little less. I was not about to give up after all I had gone through, so I buckled down and started working out everyday and eating a healthy diet. Eventually I reached my goal weight of 178 lbs!! People had noticed my transformation, people who also needed or wanted to lose weight and I was happy to share my secrets with them. I told them it was diet and exercise, but of course, they were aware I had had the surgery and if they weren't as soon as they heard about the surgery they stopped listening to anything else I had to say. They just believed that the surgery was the answer and not the diet and exercise.

After my sister and I had the weight loss procedures and had success at least 12 more people at work went and had the surgery. What type of success did they have? Only 1 woman reached her goal weight and she had the band and never once went and had fluid put in it. She changed her diet and I mean she changed her diet! She became vegan and she is very serious about it too. A 2nd lady had great success, even though she didn't reach her goal weight, she looks fantastic (she did have complication from the band, it eroded through her stomach, she got peritonitis, and she was in the hospital for months). The rest lost little to none, because they didn't believe they needed to change their diet and they didn't need to exercise.

The moral of the story is don't place your hopes, dreams on a magic band, surgery, pill, because it doesn't exist! I'm not telling you not to have weight loss surgery it is absolutely necessary for some people, but you need to see it for what it is-a TOOL to help you reach your goal. You don't assemble a cabinet with just a hammer, you need a screw driver, and a saw to cut the wood. It's the same with losing weight there are many tools that work together to build your success, your healthy life.

 I greatly encourage you if you are over weight, especially if you are >50 lbs over weight, to find a plan to get on to help you lose the weight. I wasted so many years being obese, so much time not getting to do things because I was to big to fit in the rides, or to heavy to ride the horse or to zipline, etc... Or just to feel good and you don't realize how bad you feel, until you feel REALLY good. And with every pound that comes off you'll feel better and better I promise you that. Good luck.

21 Day Fix Friendly Taco Soup

                          21 DAY FIX FRIENDLY Taco Soup
                                                                                 TACO SOUP
This recipe is quick and makes a fair amount, so you can divide it into several servings and freeze it for another day.

INGREDIENTS: 

1 lb Laura's lean ground beef
1 can black beans ( rinsed)
1 can fat free pinto beans
1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1 pkt ranch drsg
1 pkt taco seasoning
1 medium onion diced
1 can corn
COOKING:

Brown ground beef season with salt and pepper, break into pieces while cooking, add onion. Cook until onions are translucent and meat is brown.
Mean while add all other ingredients to a large pot & heat on medium. When meat and onions are done add them to the pot. Stir well. If watching calories serve as is, if not serve with Mexican cheese and tortilla chips. 
 1-cup is a serving size
1 yellow
1 red

If your struggling to lose weight or to just get healthy, then send me a IM or friend request on Facebook I'd love to talk to you and share my secrets to success. Not ready to talk yet then check out my like pg @ Lori's losing It www.facebook.com/LorimuddWTF3 for tips on dieting, healthy eating, recipes, support, motivation, and more. 

IT'S ALL IN YOUR HEAD

             IT'S ALL IN YOUR HEAD

I almost missed, once again, a party of a life time because I let my self doubt take over. I use to weigh 352 lbs & I never believed that I could lose the weight. I tried every diet, every pill, every fast, even surgery and nothing worked, until one day I got it. The problem was me! That Fat person was all in my head and I couldn't lose her. Yes, there was physically fat on my body, but the real problem was in my head. I didn't believe I could lose the weight. I couldn't picture myself thinner. I had always been extremely shy as a child and missed out on a lot of fun, because I was afraid to try things or talk to people. What if they didn't like me? What if I failed? I made myself be more outgoing as an adult, because I got tired of missing out. But when I gained weight I started hiding behind it just like I did my shyness as a child. 

I drove 6 hours to meet my upline coach and I was so excited the whole drive up, then when she text that she was in the lobby guess who came to visit? Yep, F*** and I was paralyzed thank God my son was with me, because I probably would have never left the room. I would have missed an outrageous party, seeing the CEO of our company up close, and meet the inspirational women on our team.

My only regret from last night is I did let that person in my head win a battle. You see I lost 173 lbs and then tore a tendon in my hip an gained 75 lbs back. I realized I never really learned to eat right I just exercised like crazy, so when I couldn't do that the weight started to come back on. The 21 Day Fix and Autumn Calabrese have been a life saver for me. By teaching me how to eat right I've now lost 35 of those pounds. And I would have loved to have told her and to have taken a picture with her and I could have because I notice her standing by the door before anyone else. She was alone, but the FAT person in my head won and told me, "I was still fat, look at all the skinny people in the room, really you're going to go up to her?" Damn It! The point is it is all in your head too.

 I want you to know that you can lose the weight and know it won't be easy and there will be ups and downs, but you can do it. Tell the person in your head to SHOUT THE HELL UP! Because you are not wasting 1 more day being trapped in a body you don't want. God bless.

EASY, QUICK, LOW CAL SNACK-KALE CHIPS

QUICK, EASY, & LOW CAL SNACK

                     (Don't tell the kids but it's good for you too!)

Are you trying to get healthy and eat better for the New Year, but finding it hard to give up all the "good stuff"? Old habits are hard to break and it takes about 21 days to form new ones.  If you're like me and you love chips with your sandwich here is a healthy alternative to the high fat, high calorie, 0 nutrition potato chip. It is the KALE CHIP! Packed with nutrition, easy to make, cheap to buy, and best of all delicious. Here's to a healthy new you.

Recipe 
preheat oven to 350 degrees
INGREDIENTS
* 2 cups fresh kale leaves (if you really buy the fresh stuff on the stems make sure you wash it really, really well and then remove the leaves from the stem and dry the kale off. I'm lazy and buy the bagged stuff that is pre washed and cut, just sayin...)
* 1 Tbsp Olive oil or coconut oil
*olive oil spray
*Dash salt (sea salt or kosher salt works best)
If you want spicy a dash of paprika and/or chili powder
Cut the kale up into bite size pieces, toss kale and olive/coconut oil together using your fingers. Lay the kale out on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with the olive oil spray and make sure the kale leaves lie as flat as possible. Bake for 10-15 minutes (until the edges get brown, not burnt). Once you remove them from the oven sprinkle them with the salt,paprika, or any other calorie free flavoring that you might like-Enjoy!!
Breakdown:
64 calories per serving(2 cups of kale), 1 g fat, 212 mg sodium, 13 g carbs, 2.5 g fiber, 0 g sugars, 4.25 g protein
1-green container

WHAT YOU DO AND DON'T NEED FOR YOUR FITNESS JOURNEY

WHAT YOU DO AND DON’T NEED ON YOUR

FITNESS JOURNEY

Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the excitement of starting something new that we run out and buy a bunch of stuff we don’t really need.  Commercials have us thinking we need all this fancy equipment and slick new gear in order to get a great workout.  WRONG! Losing weight and keeping fit does not always mean you have to be decked out in brand new shoes, pants, headbands, etc.  It’s not a bad thing to want to look nice, but seriously….you are going to sweat! Think functionality when it comes to your workout clothes, because the only thing that should make you uncomfortable is the workout.

Next it’s good to know what you need and what you can pass up when it comes to equipment and gear. Here are some quick tips on what you need and what you don’t to get the best workout in!

WHAT YOU NEED

   First a designated space in your home to workout or a good gym( that is close, if you have to travel far, after a while you’ll get tired of it and stop going) or both!

GYMS: A good gym does not always mean expensive. There are many local gyms that are offering reasonable rates and are conveniently located near your place of work or your home. In fact, most gyms without all the fancy-smancy stuff tend to be less expensive and more workout focused. Steam rooms, juice bars, etc...might be enticing but you’re there to workout and those things add on to the price of the gym. Things to look for when you’re looking for a gym:

1. Is the equipment well maintained
2. Do they have enough of certain machines you like? Nothing stinks more than having to wait for a piece of equipment Because there aren’t enough.
3. Check out the clientele there. Do you feel comfortable? If you’re a woman in your 50’s with 60+ lbs to lose do you really want to join a gym with all young body builders and skinny little half naked girls & have them watch you workout? Probably not.

HOME:Clear out the basement space, a living room square or if you have a room to designate as a gym. You can keep free weights and all your equipment in the garage or in a coat closet to keep it out of view from visitors and little ones.

1. Make sure you have a TV setup where it’s comfortable for viewing if you’re using DVD workouts and having a gym mat or something that helps with impact on a hard surface is always good.
2. Comfortable workout clothes that don’t constrict you or cause chafing or blisters. There are many affordable brands that have dri weave that keeps you dry and cool, so look for that when shopping. Most importantly have proper footwear, so get a good pair of shoes. They support your entire body!
3. Good Nutrition-What you put into your body impacts your workout goals significantly, nutrition is 80% of the battle. Poor eating habits (nutrition) can undo a good workout! Your body needs certain things to fuel it to get  optimal performance. If you have any questions about that? I can help! Shoot me an email here!
4. Keep a Fitness Journal -Writing down your thoughts, your reflections, your struggles, your successes can help you focus on your program. Writing down everything including what you eat for every meal of every day will help you get into a flow of foods you like, don’t like and need to try. You can also keep track of how you feel before, during, and after your workout.
5. WATER-Drink! Drink! Drink! Lots of water everyday and don’t wait to be thirsty. Take your weight and divide it by 2 and that is how many ounces of water you need to drink per day. Make sure to hydrate well before working out and take regular water breaks to prevent dehydration.

WHAT YOU DON’T NEED

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Unless you’ve been working out for a long time most of these things you won’t need:

1. You don’t need a gym membership
2. You don’t need a huge assortment of supplements. If you want you can start with a few that enhance your workout and overall health.
3. You don’t need gloves. If you’re worried about your hands getting eaten up while lifting free weights and you plan on doing those a lot, then yes, get gloves.
4. A personal trainer-They can be expensive. That’s why I offer FREE coaching to my groups! If you’re interested in joining one of my challenge groups, I’d love to chat with you about your fitness goals.

THINGS YOU DON’T NEED OR LIKE

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A Sales Pitch! You won’t get that from me…I want you to achieve your goals and join me on this fitness journey. If you’re ready to start your fitness journey, but you’re unsure of the path to take send me a message on Facebook

@ www.facebook.lori.mudd.92 or send me an email to muddlori@gmail.com and I’ll be glad to help.