Congratulations!

This challenge was a huge success! We had a lot of ladies that really pushed themselves, lost inches and accomplished their goals. Everyone learned new fit tools to take with them. Thank you to everyone for your participation.

For the first time in Get Fit Challenge history, we have a 3 way tie!! Although everyone did a great job, three ladies really stood out - they completed the mini-challenges, reached all their goals and participated on the blog. Congratulations to Kari Warner, Brittney Foster & Rachel Swartzentruber. These challengers showed complete commitment and they got results to prove it.

Nice work to EVERYONE! Again, use what you've learned and continue on this fitness journey.

P.S. To the winners, I'll be contacting each of you to discuss your prizes!

Great Job To ALL!!

After 3 weeks for fitness, food & fun... the Get Fit Fall Challenge ends today. Remember, your healthy journey doesn't end here. The challenge was a kick start... Now, continue your fit ways throughout the holidays and into the new year. Use the healthy dishes you've learned and bring smart options to parties and celebrations this holiday season. I'll have the blog up for another week, so feel free to copy down recipes, plans, etc...

Please send me your final weight, measurements (if done at the beginning) and an assessment of your goals. I need this info by Monday evening. I'll announce the winner on Wednesday.

Thank you to everyone for their participation, feedback and commitment! It was a lot of fun!

Challenger Meal

Check out Brittney's creation!

It's a multi-layer froyo treat. The bottom is plain Greek yogurt mixed with sugar-free chocolate pudding mix. Then she blended (hand-blender) rasberries and stevia and topped the chocolate yogurt. Next, she mixed plain Greek yogurt with sugar-free cheesecake pudding mix... sucked it up w/ a syringe, designed the web & added a little plastic halloween spider.

Brittney has a ice cream maker, so the bottom layer is frozen BUT it can also be done as a regular yogurt treat by following the steps above. If you have an ice cream maker, simply prepare the chocolate layer in the machine and the rest is done in a bowl.

Lean & Fit Buffalo Chili

The weather is cool, the leaves are falling... it's the perfect time for a huge pot of chili to eat for days.

Tonight, I made buffalo chili. Buffalo/bison is a great substitute for beef - it's higher in protein, lower in fat and more vitamin-rich.

Here's how to make Lean & Fit Buffalo Chili

What you need:
1LB ground buffalo
3 cans mixed beans - try pinto, black, kidney, chili
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 can tomato sauce

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 hot pepper - try anaheim or jalapeno (cut out seeds & membranes to reduce heat)

Seasonings to taste: salt, pepper, season salt, chili powder, garlic salt

How to:
Saute buffalo, onion, bell pepper & hot pepper in large pan. Pour beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce & seasonings into a crock pot or large stove pot. Add buffalo mixture to pot. Simmer on low heat for at least 20 minutes to allow flavors to mingle.

Makes 6-8 servings

It's CRUNCH time!

There are only 5 days left in this challenge.. it's time to kick into high gear & reach those goals.
Ladies, it's CRUNCH time.

This is your final mini challenge...

1,000 CRUNCHES in 5 days. I challenge you to do 200 crunches a day for the next 5 days. You can do them all at once, or spread them out over the day. Do whatever variation you want... just do them! When you do, post a comment on this post and tell us about it.

Crunch Ideas:
Standard crunches (whole abdominal wall)
Side crunches (obliques)
Crunches w/ legs straight in the air (lower abs)
Bicycle crunches (obliques)
Butterfly crunchs- legs in "butterfly" position, lay on back & crunch (lower abs)
Ball crunches (works entire abdominals while increasing balance)
Leg lifts (lower abs)

Prepare For Your Workout the Night Before

Before going to bed at night, get your workout gear together and put it somewhere that you won't miss it! Take your gym bag to work instead of going home first. Going home sets you up to get distracted, cozy, and lazy. Go home and there's a good chance you'll skip your workout.

If you work/workout at home, put your clothes in an obvious place so they're STARING at you until you put them on and get sweating. Chances are, if you're prepared, you'll do it! If you still skip it, you'll likely feel extra guilty and won't want to do that again !

Mini Goal: Go to the gym right before or right after work 4 times this week. You can get ready at the gym to save time. Make sure you pack a healthy snack for before/after your workout. You might be tired after work, but give it 10-15 minutes at the gym and you'll be good to go. 

2 Minute Apple "Pie"

This is one of my all time favorite snacks! It's delicious & nutritious.

All you need is an apple (any color), Greek yogurt, cinnamon & nuts.

Slice the apple & microwave for about 1 minute
Top w/ 1/2C plain Greek yogurt, cinnamon & nuts. Feel free to add some stevia & vanilla extract to the yogurt... or sugar-free pudding mix.

Dive in!

Prepare Ahead & Have Fit Meals for Days

I've said it over & over, but preparing ahead really is the key! Making a little extra doesn't take a lot of work. Just throw in some extra meat & veggies when grilling, baking or stir-frying. Make a big batch of buckwheat waffles on Sunday & have them all week OR boil a large pot of steal cut oats & breakfast is one scoop away.

Today I did some prep by making 4 large Buckwheat Waffles - 1 as a meal or 1/2 as a snack.

 It took me about 15 minutes from mixing to clean-up. Now, the extras are in the freezer waiting for the toaster & some berries.

(See recipe on "Fit Recipes" page)

For dinner, we made super fast & easy Beef & Broccoli - 5 ingredients, 10 minutes... it's dinner for 4 people or 4 days for one person. Double the recipe and have dinner and/or lunch tomorrow.

What you need:
(for 2 servings)
8oz NY strip
2C fresh broccoli
1/2TBSP fresh grated ginger or pickled ginger
1/4 sweet onion
2TBSP low-sugar stir-fry sauce (3g or less per TBSP)

How to:
Slice steak & add to skillet on medium heat. Add chopped onion, ginger & broccoli. Spoon in 2-3 TBSP of water. Cover & simmer until broccoli is tender. Add sauce and let flavors mingle. You can also sprinkle in pepper, garlic salt & other seasonings of choice.

Berry Amazing Waffle

This breakfast is proof that eating healthy does not meaning boring! 

Berry Amazing Waffles are easy to make and great for you! Check out the Fit Recipe page for instructions.

I topped this half with 1/4C Greek yogurt and 1/2C frozen berries. I microwaved the berries for 40 seconds to make them warm and syrupy ;-) Try adding some cinnamon and Stevia or a little honey.

Challenger Meal

Sometimes a favorite meal, is so simple! It's a childhood favorite that's fast, easy, healthy and delicious.

As you can see... Tiffany W. is in love with Kashi Go Lean. Pair the high-fiber, protein-packed cereal w/ unsweetened milk & berries for a complete meal.

If you're on the go and don't have much time for cooking... there's good news: this quick fix makes a great breakfast, snack or even lunch.

Checking in...

Hey ladies,

How are you doing? Have you stuck with the food and exercise plans?

What's been the hardest part for you? What's your favorite meal? Are you seeing results?

I hope everyone is still working hard and pushing toward their goals... There's still plenty of time to get fit before the holidays! Keep working it!

Have a happy and healthy Tuesday!

Don't forget to check out and work on the mini challenges!!

Get Fit Tip: Read Labels

DON'T TRUST PACKAGING ADVERTISEMENTS! Fat-Free Doesn't Mean, Healthy! ... it usually means high sugar! 

Don't buy into diet advertisements "fat free", "healthy choice", "smart option". Do the research yourself. By research, I mean - check the nutrition label and compare. Does the real stuff have less sugar? More protein? If so, it's the better choice. 

Fat-free and reduced-fat foods are typically made with extra sugar to enhance the flavor, so calories add up quickly. As with all foods, fat-free products should be eaten in moderation. Interestingly, many products labeled “low-fat” actually have similar calorie totals to their fat-laden counterparts.

Week 2 Mini Challenge

Run, bike or step toward your goals! How bad do you want it? How fast can you push it?

Everyone under-estimates themselves from time to time. I always find this to be the case when setting speed goals. That's why I want you all to surprise yourself by setting and beating your goal! Here's your week 2 mini-challenge, which will last the remaining 2 weeks...

Speed Up The Progress:

1. Choose running, biking or stair climbing as your challenge

2. On Sunday or Monday, PUSH & time yourself doing the activity for the following distance:

     Running: 1 mile

     OR

     Biking: 5 miles

     OR

     Stair Climbing: 40 flights (a stair machine will tell you how many flights you've climbed)

3. Set a goal for how much time you'll knock off. Send your time, activity & goal to me

4. Over the next 2 weeks, work on & improve your time. On the 19th, send me your best time. Remember.... I want you to surprise yourself! I know you can ALL do more that you think you can. 

Good Luck!

P.S. The no-night carbs challenge is still in action!! Don't forget to mark your success.

Week 2 Food Plans

Hey ladies,

I sent out week 2 food plans for you all. Keep in mind, when it comes to the recipes, you can take out any veggies that you don't like (mushrooms, tomatoes, etc). You can also make other substitutions (use ground turkey instead of beef, shrimp instead of chicken, etc)... but don't go adding things like butter, cheese, sugar, etc ;-) I think you get what I'm saying.

You will all get another fresh plan next week, so you can prepare for the 3rd and final week.

My advice to everyone... PREPARE ahead!! Grill a bunch of chicken breasts and veggies this weekend, so your meals are 1/2 done for the upcoming week. Bag your snacks and plan out what you'll eat each day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. If you don't prepare, you'll likely end up grabbing a meal on the road or skipping snacks.

Don't Wait!

GET FIT TIP:

Don't put things off ... "I'll start next Monday", "I'll get back on track at the start of the new year", "I'll do it AFTER my birthday", etc.

The sooner you start, the sooner you'll reach your goals. This not only applies to exercise, but almost every aspect of life.

** Mini challenge - Do some type of exercise TODAY. Even if it's your "off" day... squeeze in a little muscle stimulation. Do 50 crunches, 20 squats OR 15 push-ups and that's it - just get your blood flowing and wake your body up.

Recipes

Be sure to check out the recipe pages... I've added some new, yummy meals that you can add to your current plans!

What did you do today?

Hey ladies... Just checking in, to see what kind of workout you did today? What's your favorite exercises so far? What's your favorite meal so far?

I hope everyone is doing awesome! If not, start now ;-)

Workout Smarter

You don't have to spend countless hours on an elliptical or bike to get fit... What you need to do is push yourself harder for a shorter amount of time. You can get an amazing workout complete in 20 minutes, That's what I want you to do one day THIS WEEK!

Here's the plan... You can do it right from home, at a park or a gym.

For cardio, do what you have access to: jog in pace, walk/run on the treadmill, use the stairs at home or a stairstepper, jump rope, jumping jacks.... Ok, I think you get the picture ;-)

For resistance... modify to your own ability. Push yourself, don't hurt yourself.

After completing this workout, let us all know how you did... or send me a sweaty pic after you completed the workout. With your permission, I'll post it ;-)

20 MINUTE INTENSE WORKOUT CHALLENGE

CARDIO:
0-3 minutes: moderate pace
3-4 minutes: high intensity
4-4:30 minutes: moderate pace
4:30-5:00 minutes: highest intensity
5:00-5:30 minutes: moderate
5:30-6:00 minutes: highest intensity
6:00-7:00 mintutes: moderate pace

RESISTANCE:
7:00-8:00 minutes: lunges of any style
8:00-9:00 minutes: crunches of any style
9:00-10:00 minutes: squats of any style

CARDIO:
10:00-11 minutes: moderate pace
11:00-12:00 minutes: high intensity
12:00-13:00 minutes: moderate pace

RESISTANCE:
13:00-14:00 minutes: push ups of any style
14:00-15:00 minutes: plank hold
15:00-16:00 minutes: lunges or squats
16:00-17:00 minutes: wall sit

CARDIO:
17:00-18:00 minutes: moderate pace
18:00-19:00 minutes: high intensity
19:00-20:00 minutes: slow pace

Another Day, Another Oat Creation

Like Almond Joy bars? Love chocolate? You'll crave this breakfast!

Cocoa Coconut Banana Oatmeal. It's another fast, healthy, decadent meal that you can add to your current plan.

What you need:

1/2C dry oats, microwave w/ water or unsweetened milk

Toppings:

1TBSP unsweetened cocoa powder (found in the baking section)

1TBSP unsweetened, dried, shredded coconut

1/2 of a small banana, sliced

Optional: Stevia, cinnamon & 1/2 scoop chocolate protein powder

Challenger Snack

Check out Kari's favorite fit snack! 

" This is my favorite snack I've come up with so far! Two things I know are good for me, but I never liked. This menu has challenged me to figure out ways for me to like some of these healthy foods! Never enjoyed soy milk, and this organic vanilla soy is delicious! Also, not a fan of Greek yogurt usually, especially if its not flavored. (Just plain) but instead of buying the sugary strawberry, honey, or vanilla flavors, I bought the plain and added cinnamon for a delicious flavor!!!! So exciting to try new things!!! 

Kari :)"

Pumpkin Oatmeal W/ a Smile

 In celebration of fall, I had this cute pumpkin man for breakfast today! Pumpkin oatmeal is super fast to make and tastes delicious!

What you need:
1/2C dry oats
3/4C unsweetened milk
1/2C canned pumpkin (no sugar added)
Cinnamon, pumpkin spice & Stevia to taste
Crushed or slivered almonds

How to:
Microwave oats w/ 1/2C milk. Stir in more milk as needed. Mix in spices. Top w/ pumpkin, almonds and more cinnamon.

*Benefits of pumpkin: Rich in antioxidants, vitamins & minerals. Pumpkin is packed with alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, fiber, Vitamins C & E, potassium & magnesium.


MINI CHALLENGE: Take a picture of your favorite fit meal, so far & email it to me. Make it creative!... You can be in it or add something unusual to it... Make it fun. I'll post some of my favs ;-)

No Night Carb Tracker

There was a little issue with the No Night Carb google spreadsheet. I've fixed it now, so everyone should be marking their "X" for today ;-)

I hope you all had a successful day 1! Ready for another one?!

Coffee Lovers Rejoice

I've added a Starbuck's page to help you get your fix without destroying your diet ;-) Check it out!

Also, take a look at the "Questions" page, there are some great questions on there.