Things I love Thursday! Amy's Mac n Cheese

Sometimes, you just crave comfort food. Remember those splurge calories I talked about? This is a great time to use them!

I am a big fan of Amy's products. I have been eating her dinners & wraps well before I went vegan because I love the company's commitment to using organic ingredients and producing products that are great tasting and good for you!

When I discovered Amy's had a Vegan Mac n Cheese, I jumped for joy! I have a few of my own vegan mac n cheese recipes I fall back on, but the convience of this is great. It is also soy-free, gluten-free, tree-nut free, and kosher! I think just about anyone could eat this!

Proudct Page Link

Splurge Calories

Let's talk 'diets' for a minute. First off, I advocate lifestyle changes as opposed to fad diets. Think 'going vegetarian' or 'cutting out processed foods' as opposed to 'Atkins' or 'Nutrisystem'. Diets always made me feel constricted which just made me want to rebel agaisnt the diet!

It takes time to learn what works for you. For me, it is having a certain calorie limit each day, and trying to maintain a good balance of carbs, fat, and protein. Even when you figure out what fuels you well and keeps you healthy, who doesn't like a treat from time to time? For some people it is a "cheat meal" once a week, for others it is a piece of chocolate or glass of wine each night. For me, it is what I call splurge calories!

Each day I allot 100-150 calories of my calorie limit to what I call "splurge calories". Some days, I just want some pasta with my lunch. Some days, I just want an iced latte after work! Planning these calories ahead of time allows me to enjoy my little splurges, without blowing my calorie limit for the day! And if I don't have a workout planned for the day, the splurge calories go away! It helps to not deny yourself of the things you enjoy - plan for them - and you won't overindulge later.

There you have it, splurge calories! How will you spend yours? Let me know in the comments!

Beachbody Ultimate Reset - Day 22: Life After the Reset

Day 22! I graduated! First of all I want to give a shout out to my support team, Hazel, Katie, and Sean - without y'all I would have thrown the towel in early on! Thanks for being rockstars :)

I am meeting with my personal trainer later this week and after that I will be able to post all of my final results. I like to have her measure me since so that the measurements are consistent. I can't wait to share my final results & before/after pics! Ok, maybe I'm not super thrilled about the 'before' pictures but hopefully sharing my story will inspire others to take on a health challenge of their own. That's what its all about - sharing the information I have gained & hopefully inspiring others to do the same!

To be honest, I was a little nervous about going into this week. The UR guide gives general ideas of what to do in weeks 1, 2, etc after the reset but I was so worried about undoing all the hard-work I have done the past 21 days! I am also gearing up for starting a TurboFire/Chalean Extreme hybrid program, and want to make sure I am incorporating the optimum combination of fat/protein/carbs. Anyways, here is what I ate today!

Started off the day with some steel cut oats with 1/2 a banana, agave nectar, and cinnamon. This was my first try of steel cut oats and I give them a thumbs up! I made enough for my parents and I since I was home for the holiday weekend. They are looking to shake up their eating habits so it was great to be able to share this meal with them! They also got to see me prepare some of the UR meals this weekend - and liked the idea of eating less foods that are processed! How cool!

Hearty Breakfast

My fiance and I were going to go out to lunch today to celebrate the end of the Reset. In the plan they say if you have to eat out, find a vegan/vegetarian restaurant because these types of places will be most likely to accommodate your dietary needs. That works for me - I have lots of favorite vegan restaurants in and around Detroit (where I was visiting this weekend). Unfortunately they were ALL closed for the holiday - all 3 of my favorites! Instead, I decided just to make my favorite meal from one of the restaurants - Enchiladas Calabaza. These enchiladas are squash or pumpkin filled and seriously are so yummy! I have made this dish before, but never when I was vegan. I was able to find Daiya (the best vegan cheese!) to make this dish completely vegan friendly!

Enchiladas Calabaza

Lastly dinner - and a tip! I find cooking to go much smoother if you just have everything prepped and ready to go. This way, you won't be scrambling around for missing ingredients while your creation is burning on the stove-top.

Let's do this.

Today's dinner was pretty simple, I was really just craving some fresh veggies! I did a stir-fry with broccoli, asparagus, zucchini, and red pepper. I used about a tablespoon of coconut oil to caramelize some onions, added the veggies with some garlic & ginger and then finished it off with Bragg's & Nori Gomasio! All done in about 7 minutes!

Stir-fry Veggies

 Be sure to check back tomorrow - my Reset Graduation present to myself is scheduled to arrive! I can't wait :)
I hope everyone had a great memorial day weekend and that you were able to spend some time with family and friends! Most of all thanks to those who have served so we can enjoy all the freedoms of this great country we live in. I am PROUD to be an American!

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Interested in Beachbody's Ultimate Reset? For more information click here!
http://myultimatereset.com/LauraLou831

Monday Mantra - Opportunity

Finishing up the Ultimate Reset has taught me you never know what you can accomplish until you try! What challenge will you take on this week?

Beachbody Ultimate Reset Day 20 - Plan Ahead

Day 20 is now complete and I am officially one day away from completing the Reset! Although some days this week have felt like they were dragging on, I can't believe how fast the entire  3 weeks has gone by!

Today was my nephew's first birthday party. Where I was faced with this. My kryptonite. The almighty cupcake:

I wanted to eat one so bad. This situation is a great example of how crucial a tool like a support forum is when taking on a new fitness/diet challenge. While idly helping set other things up for the party and sending lustful gazes towards the cupcakes, I posted to my support group on Facebook what I was feeling. Within 5 minutes I had a response from one of my fellow team members, 'One more day, hang in there!'. And that one small sentence of encouragement snapped me back into reality and made me realize I did not want to throw away the past 20 days of hard work and discipline for one cupcake! (Thanks Hazel!)

I believe this to be a common dilemma. You are committed to a fitness program for x amount of days and there always seems to be a birthday/wedding/BBQ/aunt's dog graduated puppy kindergarten/party that you MUST go to. My best advice is simple, plan ahead. For starters, don't show up hungry. The food choices at most gatherings are subpar and probably not on your plan (unless you hang out with dietitians on a regular basis, in which case - kudos to you!). Eat a small meal before you/ arrive, and take a bottle of water with you. Drink lots of water, it will keep you full. If you feel like you must eat at the party to be nice, go for fresh veggies or fruits, avoid sweets and processed carbs.

Even better, bring your own dish to pass! Summer is a great time for fresh veggies that can easily be incorporated into a stellar salad. Or whip up one of your favorite recipes from your current meal plan - just make about 4x the amount. You can share your food - and nutrition tips - with others, without feeling like you have to starve at the gathering.

Another tip I have is just to keep yourself busy and away from anything that might be tempting you. Is cake your downfall? Offer to take in the main course serving dishes to wash or collect plates & cups that people are done with to keep your mind off of desert. Is the chip bowl calling your name? Leave the room and find some kiddos to play a game with - they love the attention!

Today I'm proud to say I made it through the party without a single slip-up. I brought over my Jicama-Avocado salad and got to talk about jicama with my soon to be in-laws. How often does that ever happen!? :)

One last though along the lines of planning ahead. Day 21 is soon to be upon us and I will have officially graduated from the Reset. I have been dreaming of the things I will eat on Day 22 this entire time. However, I don't want to just throw the last 3 weeks of clean eating & redefined habits out the window. If you know me, you know my love of coffee. And I honestly can't think of what drink I will get on Day 22 now that I am 'allowed'. I'm not really craving it. The post-Reset guidelines say to wait 4 weeks before reintroducing caffeine. So maybe I'll try a small (super tiny) glass of decaf and see how I feel.

I have decided to start up a hybrid Chalene Extreme/TurboFire schedule 2 weeks from the end of the Reset. I have been going through their meal plans to gather info on how they recommend you fuel your body to power through the workouts. I'm then finding recipes in 2 of my vegan cookbooks, Let Them Eat Vegan! by Dreena Burton and Appetite for Reduction by Isa Moskowitz. I have always admired Dreena for sticking to what I consider the vegan basics. Eating whole foods - veggies, grains, legumes - in their unprocessed forms and making them taste great! Simplicity at its best. And Isa has been a longtime favorite cookbook author/vegan rock-star of mine. One of the first vegan cookbooks I owned was Vegan with a Vengeance and it changed my life. Isa (&Terry) taught me what the heck to do with a bock of tofu and how to veganize the comfort foods I held near to my heart! Hopefully I will be able to share my meal plans over the next few weeks as I start up my new exercise program!


For me, its all about structure, about planning ahead. What works for me might not work for you, but maybe give it a try and see what happens!

ONE MORE DAY! Cheers!

Beachbody Ultimate Reset Day 18 - Finding the Positive

One of my motto's has always been "Sunny is a state of mind, not a weather pattern!". I once wrote it down at work one day, put a happy carebear sticker on it, and gave it to a co-worker who was in a bum mood. She still has it up in her cube!

The point is that your mood is what you make it. I have had a lot of things thrown at me lately, especially at work, but I can't let these things get me down. I have the choice to react to a situation in a positive or negative way. I can only control my internal reaction and not the external factors surrounding me.

I have said it earlier in the Reset, but I am really noticing how I comfort myself with food when faced with a stressful situation. Whether it is wanting to go get the largest latte I can find, or taking an extra half hour at lunch to go eat out instead of what I brought, I run to food a lot more than I realized. I am super happy with my physical results on the program so far (down 10lbs!) but even if this wasn't the case, I am learning lessons that I can take with me even after the Reset is done!

So what are your triggers? How do you react? Remember your mood is how you make it! Choose to be sunny - it definitely rubs off on others!


Day 18 Pictures

Dinner - I wasn't sure how I would feel about roasted fennel reading the recipe. It does have a licorice-like flavor, but in a good way. Steamed asparagus & broccoli are good as always!

My perfect-tea maker came! If you have been following me on this journey, this was one of the gifts to myself for completing the reset. I realize I am only on day 18, but I decided to buy something I have had my eye on for awhile to celebrate the end of the Reset. It should be here Tuesday! Can't wait to share what it is :)

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Interested in Beachbody's Ultimate Reset? For more information click here!
http://myultimatereset.com/LauraLou831

Beachbody Ultimate Reset Day 17 - Hitting a Wall

Day 17. Today I hit my wall.

I'm tired of eating just fruit for breakfast.
I'm tired of eating a salad. Every. Day. For. Lunch.

And I'm the one who was vegan BEFORE the reset even started!

Week 3 has been the toughest for me. There was a point today that I wanted to throw the towel in, leave work, drive to Starbucks get a iced latte, and then drive over to my favorite vegan pizza place downtown. But to do that would be throwing away all my efforts of the last 2+ weeks. I don't want this post to be completely negative. Today I learned a lesson of balance.

My motto I repeat to myself when I have these urges is 'keep strong and keep moving on'. I feel like that may be a quote, or perhaps a mix of quotes, but it works for me. It reminds me of how far I have come on this cleanse. How much I have improved my health, even in a short period of time. No one ever said it would be easy. In recent memory, this is one of the hardest things I have done mentally. A great deal more self-control is required that I imagined.

It's hard when your roommate is cooking pasta and you just want a little bowl to yourself.

It's hard when your whole family is enjoying cupcakes & coffee for mother's day and you are sucking down herbal tea.

It's hard when it seems like every person at work is ordering french fries and you are stabbing your fork at - wait for it - a salad!

It's in these moments I have to center myself and collect my thoughts and remind myself the things I've learned through this process. To listen to my body and what it needs (lately - sleep!). To appreciate the flavor and completeness of food in its simple, whole form. And to balance.

I miss playing around with recipes to make them vegan. There is such a vast variety of things to eat (I see about 20 vegan cookbooks from where I sit right now) and I feel so limited on this plan.It is encouraging to see people on the message boards want to adapt a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle after the cleanse is complete. I hope they seek out resources to keep their kitchen lively & entertaining. There is so much potential in the world of vegan eats and I hope they don't get stuck in the rut I feel I am right now. Weeks 1 & 2 were easy; there were new recipes and I felt like I was actually cooking things. Not like now where I  just steam a huge pot of broccoli and roast an entire squash and call it a meal.

Day 17. 4 more days of the reset to go. I  have heard some people hit their wall on days 10 or 11, so I am grateful that at least mine came later. I took a long walk today, to clear my thoughts, get out of the house for a bit, and just be free. It was quite therapeutic :)

If you are on this journey with me or simply reading along, I encourage you to 'keep strong and keep moving on' whenever you hit a roadblock in life. The greatest rewards in life often come through hard work and perseverance. In the end, I know the effort will pay off!