Bri's Meal plan- June 22nd-26th

My daughter and I did some grocery shopping this morning! Our shopping days are usually Mondays and Fridays. I try to always keep my budget at $30 each trip to the grocery store equaling $60 per week. Today we reached about $35 which I am happy with! ANYWAYS.. I was on my way home and thinking maybe I should share my meal plan with all of you!! <3

NOW, I am not by ANY means perfect at meal planning. I still am trying to figure out exactly what works best for me.. but doing something is better than nothing, right?! I have found that when I do make a STRICT meal plan for the week (writing exactly what I am going to make each day for each meal) I tend to not stick with it 100%. Not that I get off track but I just sometimes don't feel like having a certain meal for dinner even though thats what my meal plan says. SO, here is what I did this week!

I am taking a few recipes for each meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks). I am not writing down exactly which days I am going to make what but simply shopping for those things so that I have them! SO I have tons of healthy meal options and 2-3 choices for each meal, just depends what I feel like making that day! I think it will be great! :)

So here is what I have- If you are going off this plan pick 1 choice from each category, each day this week. I will post the recipes along with it! 

Breakfast options:

- Shakeology (chocolate or vanilla) blended with 8oz. water, 8oz. almond milk, fruit, and ice.

Find it here: Your Shakeology

- Chobani's plain, non fat greek yogurt (blue container) with fruit, honey, flax seeds, and almonds.

Lunch Options:

-Turkey Sandwich (9 grain seed bread, turkey sandwich meat, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles, etc) Fruit on the side. String cheese.

-Egg and Avocado toast. (9 grain bread toasted, avocado spread, egg over easy) sided with veggies

Chicken Sausage Salad:

Find the recipe here: Chicken sausage salad






























Dinner Options:

- Chicken Apple Sausage (recipe above)


-Chicken Picatta
Recipe found here: Chicken Picatta





















- Chicken Fajitas (Sautee 1 onion, green pepper, and red pepper in olive oil. Remove and sautee cut up chicken in olive oil until cooked through. Add seasoning- I usually just use a seasoning packet. Use wheat or corn tortillas or make a salad out of it! Add your toppings of choice)



Snack Options:

- Almonds and fruit
- Reduced fat triscuits with Laughing cow cheese (I get white cheddar in the light blue container)
- Greek yogurt like shown in the breakfast options above




As you can see, I like to keep things pretty simple! What I make tonight for dinner just depends on what I am in the mood for- it will most likely be my Chicken sausage salad first!!
Let me know if you are interested in more recipes, tips on getting in shape, etc. I am always happy to talk and help you out. <3

Follow me on my Like Page for lots more inspiration, motivation, recipes, tips on a healthy lifestyle, and to see my fit pregnancy and post baby bounce back. :) Like page here: BrianaCIT.FITfoundation

Ways to Reduce your Grocery Budget

WAYS TO REDUCE YOUR GROCERY BUDGET:

1) Know your wants and needs! 

This is pretty simple.-- do you NEED those cherries at $7.99/lb. ?? Probably not! Go for grapes instead!

2) Only buy what you need.

This goes along with meal planning. After you have meal planned your week, know how many people are eating the meal, and how much left overs there will be, you can figure out exactly how much of everything that you need.

3) Save ALL leftovers.

For me, this meant even the SMALLEST portions since I have  2 year old in the house who eats like a bird! But when I did this I literally could save an entire meal for my daughter with the portions I would have normally thrown in the trash.

4) Plan out meals for the week.

What days are you going grocery shopping for? I usually go Monday and Friday and plan for the days in between. Once you know how many days you are shopping for you can plan your meals. I usually choose 2 dinner options for monday-thursday along with a few very simple lunch ideas. We almost always have the same options for breakfast at our house!

5) How much does each person eat?

This goes along with what I said earlier about my daughter "eating like a bird". I KNOW that her portions are almost always very very small so I don't have to make an entire extra plate for her. My husband on the other hand…!

6) Bargain Brands.

Not always, but sometimes there are definitely certain brands that are less costly than others. BUT make sure when you are doing this that you check the ingredients. ALWAYS ALWAYS check ingredients- the key is to still be eating as healthy as possible! Make sure that their is no artificial flavorings, corn syrup, etc, yuck!

7) Make a grocery list and STICK TO IT.

hahaha this one is important! I was TERRIBLE at this before. I literally just went into the store without a clue of what I was going to make that week, what ingredients I needed, etc. SO what was the outcome? I would leave with $60+ in groceries and get home and have no idea if I had the ingredients I needed to actually make a meal. Sound familiar?? lol
When you need something from the store, jot it down on your grocery list! STICK to that list!

8) Add up your groceries as you shop. $$

This one is important as well. If you don't add up your groceries as you shop you will have no idea what to expect when you check out! $$$
SO as you throw things in your cart, put the price next to the item on your list. If that means weighing produce- do so. Then about halfway through add them up to see where you are at! Take "unnecessary" items out as needed to keep you on track for you dollar amount!


These are a few simple things that you can start to think about as you shop! In our group we will be putting them all together and actually writing out our budgets, making meal plans and grocery lists, and GO shopping!!

Chocolate Shakeology Energy Bites

Straight and to the point- these are DELISH. And just posting this makes me want to go make more! They taste like a dessert (puppy chow in my opinion) but are still healthy and extremely filling!! They take almost no time to make either!

You will need:
- 1 cup oats
- 1/2 cup natural peanut butter (or other choice of nut butter)
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/2 cup ground flaxseed
- 1 scoop Chocolate shakeology
- 1 tsp. vanilla

Mix it and mash it together! Form 2 inch balls and refrigerate or freeze. Delicious!!

I recommend putting them in the freezer. when you eat them they last longer that way! ;) You can munch them down so fast and by the time I finished just one I felt pretty satisfied :)

Let me know what you think- leave a comment! Share away!!! 

Hawaiian Grilled Chicken Burger

I have been meaning to put this recipe up, as well as many other posts for a long while now. I want to apologize for sort of falling off the earth briefly. But I promise- I am still here!!!! lol You can actually follow me more and get first dibs on the recipes, tips, etc when I post them on my like page! 

https://www.facebook.com/fitnhappymommy

Feel free to follow me! I usually update my blog last, but give my like pagers these recipes ASAP… like same day. lol

In the past month I have been to Cancun and back through Beachbody!! Nothing to do with this post I know.. But I realized I haven't shared my experience with any of you! I will for sure be posting something soon on that!! It was an incredible experience and I can't wait to go to Nashville this coming July with my team! Oh how coaching has opened doors that I thought were nailed shut in my life.

Anyways.. So a few weekends ago it was beautiful!! Many weekends have been lately so we have been grilling A LOT. We do a lot a lot of grilling in the summer! … when we grill, my husband does the cooking, not me! ;) BONUS! Plus the food is awesome. I usually go for some chicken, then potatoes or sweet corn, with veggies of some sort. But I felt like mixing it up a bit! I tried this recipe for "hawaiian grilled chicken burger" and it sounded delicious! You know- those pregnancy random starvation modes.. THIS is what I want. And I want it now. lol So I went to the grocery store and gathered up the ingredients!

You will need:

- chicken breast

-choice of buns (I did whole wheat)

-roamine lettuce

-tomatoes

-pineapple slices

-provolone cheese

-Hawaiian Marinade (I used carribean jerk marinade)

-Thousand Island dressing (optional)

1. Marinate Chicken according to the directions- about 1 hour.

2. Heat Grill on medium-high heat

3. cook Chicken until cooked through- about 10 minutes, flipping half way.

4. When chicken is almost done, put the pineapple slices on the grill and cook for only a few minutes on each side.

5. Put the pineapple on top of the chicken and add the slice of cheese to each, let cook for a few minutes so the cheese can melt a little.

6. Serve with your toppings of choice!

Tip!! I made the leftovers the next day in a wrap. That is another option if you would rather try that then as a sandwich.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I did! It was delicious and makes enough leftovers to have throughout the week!! Leave a comment and let me know what you think and feel free to share!

Beachbody brings out the best in me!

One of the things that I love most about coaching is that everyone and everything brings out the best in you. Together we are striving to improve ourselves as individuals. And from there passing it on to others!

Right now I am taking part in a 6 week training with about 600 other coaches who have similar goals as me and want to improve themselves and their business. This was our assignment for yesterday- to write down all your fears and things that are holding you back from being the best you. And then tear it UP!! 😈🚫

I am SO so thankful for this business, for the people that I have the privilege to work along side every day, and for YOU as my followers. 

I want to help more people experience this and help them become successful with it also! If you think just Maybeee this coaching thing could be for you- message me! I would love to chat with you! 

Reduce your grocery budget

Hey all! Recently (about 2 months ago now) I had a WAKE UP CALL. Hello Briana- you are spending way to much on unnecessary groceries! Here is what I was doing- going into the story hungry, with NO budget or price target, NO list, and NO destination or meal plan. What was I thinking?! I checked out every week without knowing how much the total was going to be.. AND I was going to the store WAY to frequently- we are talking at least every other day for certain things I "needed". And you know how that goes when you step into a store planning on buying 2 items.. suddenly you spot 5 other things you "need" and your spending and extra $30 on a  trip that was unplanned. No, this needed to stop.

After sitting down and going over our budget for the month with a new vehicle payment in mind, we decided on a weekly price range that we thought would work well for us. I decided that going to the store one time a week wouldn't cut it because produce goes bad to fast for that! So I would go to the story Mondays and Fridays at $30 each trip. And this is on a CLEAN eating meal plan :) Here are some of the things I had to take into consideration when I was making these changes with out grocery budget.


1) Know your WANTS and NEEDS. Simple right? 
What do you NEED in your house? What are things that you want and would be nice to have around, but you could live without? Example- we need chicken breast, milk, and eggs. Wants- Buying all natural peanut butter whenever I wanted, extra frozen fruit that is costly, and buying produce that was expensive for the time of year.
Step 1: Write out things that you normally buy at the store and write next to them- want or need.

2) Only buy what will be used.
This is KEY. Go into the store with a meal plan in mind and a list. Keep in mind how much food is usually consumed in your household. Do certain meals last 2 days? Some only last one meal? Maybe you could make twice as much and have leftovers for day 2- saving yourself time cooking and probably some money! Having a toddler at home it is easy to throw away servings that she doesn't finish. I have learned to start her off with smaller portions and if she finishes that she can have more! Otherwise SO much food goes to waste. ONE serving of an adult meal could be 3 servings for your toddler.

3) PLAN meals.
At the beginning of each week decide on what you are going to make that week and stick with it. I usually go with something simple for lunch since it is just me and my daughter (something like sandwiches, eggs, egg and avocado toast with veggies) and then have something more specific planned for dinner. Make sure you stick with it when you are shopping and keep it in mind through out the week so that you don't end up short at the end of the week!

4) Decide on a budget amount $ and track it while you are shopping.
Figure out a price that you want to start with. You might end up needing to go more or being able to cut it back even more. But you have to start with something. And maybe that price is based off of your entire budget- meaning you have X amount of dollars to spend on groceries each month and that is that. No going over or you are cutting into savings, etc. 
Start with that amount, meal plan, write out your grocery list, and head to the store. As you are shopping write down the price of EVERYTHING that you put in your cart on your shopping list. I mean down to the cents. If its produce, make sure you weigh it! Seems ridiculous but everything adds up fast. As you are going add everything up using a calculator on your phone etc so you know how much wiggle room you have with the rest of your shopping list. Some trips you may have to cut certain things. I know before I have put back my all natural peanut butter and opted for some PB2 (protein peanut butter) at 1/2 the cost. I have put back the asparagus at $4.99/pound and picked up a bundle of broccoli for $2.99 instead. 

5) Bargain Brands and Sales
Like I said earlier, depending on what types of foods are on sale and which are expensive due to the time of year, your list might change a bit. If you are looking at buying asparagus at $4.99/pound or an entire bundle of broccoli for $2.99 than I am going for the broccoli! NOW, when asparagus goes on sale for $2/pound I am all over that! Another example would be blueberries. They are crazy expensive this time of year! I am talking about $5 in my local store. When they go on sale to $2.99 I usually pick some up! Same with strawberries. In the winter I am always buying bananas, apples, oranges, etc. Things that are less expensive. The same goes for brands! There are certain brands that are 1/2 the price and have the same ingredients. An example of this would be buying salsa. My local store has their own brand of salsa at $1.99 for a jar verses the other brand at $3.49 a jar. Same ounces. So keep those things in mind! 

6) Organization.
Of course being organized is a game changer,  and of course it is not the easiest thing for everyone to do! BUT going into this like anything else, with a goal to hit, and making darn sure you are not going to fail at that budget, and you will do just fine! 


Remember- Pick a budget amount $, write down your meals for the week or the days you plan on shopping for, write out the groceries you need, and calculate the price of everything AS your shop- Not at the checkout when you are most likely to just throw it up on the counter!

Happy Budgeting and Happy Shopping!! I plan on making a video of my do's and do not's of shopping AS I am shopping! So be sure to check that out :) 

xo 
Briana

Buffalo Chicken Wraps

Crispy Buffalo Chicken Wraps

You will need:

- Chicken breast- 1.5 pounds Cut into chunks

- Plain Panko bread crumbs- about 2 cups

- 1/2 cup buffalo sauce

- Romaine lettuce

- 1 cup cooked Quinoa

- Diced Tomatoes

- Diced Avocadoes

- Ranch or bleu cheese (optional)

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 375 and lightly grease a baking sheet.

2) Toss your chicken in Buffalo sauce using a ziploc bag and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

3) Using a bowl, toss the buffalo chicken in your Panko bread crumbs just to cover the outside.

4) Bake the chicken at 375 for 30 minutes.

5) While the chicken in baking prepare your tomatoes, avocado, cheese if you want, and lettuce for your wrap.

6) Fill the leaf of lettuce with quinoa, chicken, and other toppings. You could also put more hot sauce on top if you wish :)

Happy Healthy eating! 

xo

Briana

Insanity Max 30- results are IN!

60 days ago I got back from our incredible trip to Riviera, Mexico! It was beautiful and the sun felt oh so lovely on my skin :) (today it is about -30 with windchill in good 'ol Minnesota!) Before we left for our trip to Mexico I was super happy with the shape I  was in! I had just finished 90 days of Body Beast and actually even did a few days of Insanity Max 30 since it came in the mail! I remember feeling  more toned than I ever have. Way more toned than I even got from spending 2+ hours at the gym each day back when I used to. Now I get results like these in only 30 minutes a day.

The thing is- I tried to stay on track while on vacation but lets face it, staying on track when you are at an all inclusive resort with incredible drinks and food takes a WHOLE LOT of will power. I didn't have quite enough to resist completely. But that is ok. I told myself and I continue to tell myself that fitness is a journey… there will be hurtles that you have to go through. And if the worst that happens is an incredible vacation that is going to set you off track a little (or a lot) then oh well :) I will be here for you when you get back from your trip to kick your booty back into shape! ;)

No but seriously- I felt bad about the way I ate on vacation and also had that feeling like "darn I just completely ruined all that hard work I did." But I knew that I would be able to get back on track when I got home because I had this new amazing fitness program ready to kick my butt and an AWESOME support team that wouldn't let me fail.

I remember messaging a few of my coach besties and telling them how incredible our trip was but how terrible I was eating! There response- "Don't sweat it! Enjoy your trip and think of it as an opportunity to have some good before pictures for Insanity Max 30." So thats what I did.

What did I do the night we got back from our trip?- took my before pics.
What did I do the next morning?- Pushed play on day 1 of Insanity Max 30.
I was SO eager to get my best body back!

Insanity Max 30 has to be hands down one of THE hardest workouts I have ever done. I don't want to scare anyone away from it.. because it is doable. But myyyy goodness. Those plyo push ups were something else. I am not one to have tons of upper body strength either lol. So you could say that I struggled on that particular move.

Overall I REALLY enjoyed this program. I will definitely be doing it again.. adding it into my collection of Beachbody workouts ;) And now I am moving onto the 21 day fix extreme. Let's see what this "extreme" talk is all about shall we?!


Feel free to message me if you have questions! I would love to talk to you more and promise I will get back to you!

xo

Briana

Grab and Go Healthy Snacks!

So you are headed out of town or on a trip! This might throw a little curve ball in your nutrition or meal plan.. It doesn't have to! If you prepare ahead of time and make sure that you are ready and that you have enough food so that you are not opt to cave into junk food if you get hungry, you will be fine!

I go through this whenever I am going out of town or going to someone else's house for the weekend. I get into a routine with what I eat and I just don't like to get to off track with it. We all know that regret feeling after we give up on our meal plan for a weekend and then get home and realize that we have just undone all our hard work. :(

My husband and I were actually just talking last night about how it can be hard eating healthy on the road. He works on the road during the week. He told me that it is hard when you are so used to eating out for lunch or surrounded by junk food from your coworkers at lunch. These are very valid points! I think that preparation is key. Both preparing meals at home so that you have a lunch to take to work and making sure that you have healthy snacks stashed at work!




Here are foods that I typically take with me on trips. For instance when I went to Lake Tahoe or Mexico, I brought some of these things with me on vacation!




1) Any sort of nuts. I like to bring almonds with me! They are filling and a healthy fat that you can grab quick if you are getting the urge to snack. I go for the natural almonds vs. the salted.



2) Almond milk. You can get the unrefrigerated containers in the middle aisles of the store. In my grocery store they are by the "health market" section. In other stores you might find it by the breakfast items. I use the almond milk to mix with my shakeology for one meal/day. The single serving ones are great if you will not have access to a refrigerator during your trip.

3) Shakeology. I never go a day without drinking Shakeology. Not only does it replace one of my meals but it keep me feeling full through out the day. Plus I know that I am getting all the nutrition I need even if I am busy on a trip, on the road, or visiting someone. They take up almost no space in your luggage! You can order yourself Shakeology at the attached link.

https://extranet.securefreedom.com/MillionDollarBody/csShopping/ShoppingCart.asp?Cat=&ProductID=













































4) Fruit. I know this is so basic but I pack my suit case full of fruit when I go places. Any fruit that does not require a refrigerator and that can not go old fast is perfect for trips and on the go snacks! Apples, bananas, mangos, peaches, and oranges are all great examples!

5) Larabar or other natural snack bars. I have to say that I am not always a fan of snack bars- only if it is my absolute last resort. I have only had 1 larabar in my life and it was delicious! But I like to stick to natural foods as much as I can if possible. These are great alternatives though.. and some of them, like Larabars are natural ingredients. Check your labels! No syrups or sugars.



















6) refrigerated items. If you are able to have a small cooler with you, which I usually do unless I am going on a very long trip, these are some snacks I recommend bringing. Hard boiled eggs, carrots, plain greek yogurt with fruit, or salads. You could even bring some slices of low sodium turkey, whole wheat or multi grain bread, and slices of cheese to make a sandwich.



These are all examples of things that I would normally bring with me on a trip. Keep in mind when you are shopping-- always try to stick to the outside isles as best as possible and watch your labels. You would be surprised where they hide sugar in foods that you think are healthy. To learn more about sticking to the outside aisles when you shop, go to http://brianacitrowske.blogspot.mx/2014/12/how-to-shop-clean.html


As always, feel free to message me with questions and I promise I will get back to you!

xo

Briana

What do I normally eat in a day?

Yesterday one of my customers asked me the question- "What do you normally eat in a day?" I think I may have shared this in the past but I thought I would tell you what I normally eat THESE days. Now keep in mind- my diet is by NO means perfect. There are things that I want to change and I will go through those also. But this is what my diet looks like right now and what has been working for me. I find a happy medium between eating healthy foods and getting the nutrition I need and having foods that I love!

I should also note- I am not a nutritionist. This is just my diet and I want to share it with all of you in hopes of maybe helping you start your journey with eating healthier and enjoying it at the same time!

Typically in the morning I will eat Greek yogurt with fruit. This is somewhat light but enough to get me going. I definitely am the type of person who needs to eat within 1 hour of waking up or I am dysfunctional. 

Breakfast- Plain Greek yogurt with fresh fruit (bananas, mango, strawberries, whatever!) I also add some honey for sweetener!

The picture on the side is a mix up that I sometimes have! Instead of berries, I will add apples to my yogurt with PB2 which is a protein powdered peanut butter. yummm!!

After breakfast is when I work out! I have to get it done in the morning for that "satisfied" feeling for the rest of my day! After my workout is the perfect time for some Shakeology! This is by far my most favorite meal of the day and I look forward to it! I even sometimes have it for dinner also, which you will see when we get to that point! You can check out my Shakeology recipes through my blog and find some of my favorites.

AM snack/early lunch- Shakeology: My favorite recipe is 1 scoop of chocolate Shakeology blended with 1/2 banana, 1 Tbsp. natural peanut butter, 8 oz. unsweetened almond milk, 8 oz. water, and a few ice cubes. 

In the early afternoon is usually when I will make something up for "lunch". (My eating schedule is kind of weird) haha I choose from any of the "more simple" recipes which you can find in the recipes part of my blog. Yesterday for instance, I made Southwestern Tofu Scramble and I have left overs for either today or tomorrow.

Late Lunch- Simple recipe. One of my favorites and very easy to make is the Southwestern Tofu Scramble which is pictured on the side. All you need is 1 container of Tofu, veggies of choice- I used asparagus and broccoli, olive oil, chili powder, and salsa. 

1) Pat out the moisture of the Tofu with a paper towel, add to the sauce pan with a little olive oil. Sprinkle chili powder over the Tofu and cook just like you were making scrambled eggs.

2) When the Tofu is done, remove, add the cut up veggies to your pan and add a little more olive oil. Cook through.

3) Combine the tofu, veggies, and salsa. Enjoy!





It really depends on the day, but I will usually have a snack in the afternoon. When I was doing the 21 day fix, this would be a veggie snack.. but I have turned it into an apple + peanut butter snack.. natural peanut butter of course. Now, I know that peanut butter is good for you.. in moderation.. and somedays I get a little carried away with my nut butter. I just love it.

Afternoon snack- apple with natural peanut butter- try to stick to 2 Tbsp. … if you can :P





Onto dinner.. which is a lot like lunch. It really depends on how much time I have and how hungry I am for dinner. AND if I am going to be cooking for Neil and Chloe or just myself. On nights where I am just not all that hungry, I will make another Shakeology recipe and it is just the perfect amount for me! Otherwise I will either eat my leftovers from lunch that day or make another recipe from my "recipes" page on my blog. There are a ton to choose from.. but I will share one that is super simple that I made for dinner just this week :)

Dinner- Oven baked lemon Salmon
You need:
-salmon
-slices of lemon
-olive oil
-asparagus

Lay out tin foil and put your asparagus out, then salmon. Drizzle a little olive oil over the top of the salmon. Then add your lemon slices. Fold it up and throw it in the oven at 400 degrees for 30 minutes! 












I don't follow these exact recipes each day but this is about how it goes as far as how I space my meals. Breakfast and snacks are usually the same.. along with Shakeology. Its lunch and dinner that I switch up. Honestly though, I like to keep it as simple as possible.. it just makes it easier to stick with!!

Let me know what works for you and if this helps!

xo

Briana

Southwestern Tofu Scramble

I hope you guys love it as much as I do! It is super easy to make.. and Chloe even like it! She eats the tofu plain and then I put the veggies on the side for her.

You need:

-Tofu: $2.99 at hyvee

-Asparagus: $4.99/lb. at hyvee

- and/or broccoli: $2.99/bundle at hyvee

(I also add a zucchini most times! Whatever veggies you want!)

-Salsa

-Chili powder

-olive oil

(I am ALL about prices now that I am budgeting meals) 　

1) Take the Tofu out of the box and put it on a paper towel on a plate. Pat it until all the moisture is out.

2) Add about 1 Tbsp. olive oil to a sauce pan and cook the tofu over medium/high heat. (you want to kind of make it like you are cooking scrambled eggs 　 )

3) Add a little chili powder and salt while it is cooking and mix it in. i just eye ball it.

4) Meanwhile, cut up your veggies and get those ready to add to the pan.

5) Once your Tofu is cooked through, remove it from the pan. Add the veggies and little more olive oil. Cook those over medium heat until they are cooked through.

6) Once your veggies are cooked you can create your plate! Add the amount of Tofu you want, your vegetables, and some salsa!! YUM 　

Let me know what you think of it! I usually get about 2 servings out of this recipe!

Insanity vs. Insanity Max 30 vs. T25

After I had my daughter I started off with Shaun T's workout, Insanity. This program really helped me build back strength and muscle that I had lost during my pregnancy. (After Chloe was born I looked and felt like jello- no muscle what so ever). BUT I will say that those workouts started to get long for me. I liked them, but I didn't LOVE them. They were awesome at first until they bumped up the workouts to 60 minutes a day.. I just didn't have a full 60 minute block of my day to squeeze in each day. I did make it work by doing them in the morning.. but I dreaded the fact that they were 1 hour long!

Next came T25. I had fought with the gym.. I would go for a few weeks and then stop. I just was NOT being consistent. And consistency is where you will get and see results. So I knew that the best option for me was to workout in my home. This way I could do these workouts when I have a free chunk of time. Or I could get up in the morning and work out while Chloe is still sleeping! No.more.excuses. So I ordered T25 because 25 MINUTES A DAY! Who doesn't have 25 minutes?? Let's be honest! I did like T25! The workouts are fun and they go by quickly! There were a few moves in the workout that I did not like.. but that goes with any workout. Its not ALL fun and games ;)


Right now I am on week 6 of Insanity Max 30. The program is 60 days long or 8 weeks long. I only have 2 weeks left! What I absolutely love about this program is that it is HARD. It is super TOUGH. BUT … its only 30 minutes! Wouldn't you rather do a intense workout for only 30 minutes rather than doing mediocre workouts for 1-2 hours?? I would! Sign me up! And to be able to do it right in my home with my daughter. That is an added Bonus! :) I was definitely most sore in my shoulders when I first started this program.. and that is thanks to all the push ups and PLYO push ups! There is a modifier! So even though these workouts are intense.. I think that you could definitely do them starting out and follow the modifier until you work your way up to doing it full out.

















Breakdown of Insanity:


Insanity is cardio based and full body conditioning workout. This program uses "Max interval training" which is when your moderate-intensity exercise gets replaced with maximum-intensity exercise. Also your short periods of intensity get replaced with short periods of rest. You are working harder and longer and resting less. Interval workouts allow you to beat what's known as the "stress adaptation response". Basically if you are always exercising at the same level of exertion (like running on a treadmill), your body gets used to the effort and stops improving. You are going to be doing a lot of jumping and moving! And not a whole lot of resting.. but some!

Pros of Insanity:

1. Shaun T, just like in all of his workouts, is an awesome motivator! All trainers have there own way of motivating you through your workout. I really like his form of motivation. You really feel like he is there in the room with you!
2. Food Guide: Like all Beachbody workouts, Insanity comes with a food guide to follow and recipes.
3. This comes with a workout chart. It tells you exactly what workouts to do on which days. So it is really like having a trainer in your home!!
4. REAL people. The people on the videos are real people who have had real results with these programs. It is always nice to know that they are going through the workout right along with you.
5. You can go at your OWN pace- Of course there is a set time that you will be working and a set time for breaks.. but if you need a break you take it and if you need to slow down you do so.
6. Athletic drills- this is great for former athletes!
7. No weights are required. This is all body weight!!

Cons of Insanity:

1. Lots of cardio, not a whole lot of strength training. There is some! But if you are looking to gain muscle mass, this program may not be the best option.
2. Definitely not for beginners. If you haven't been working out you might want to start with something that is a little less intense.
3. No Modifier. Most workout programs I have done have a modifier- this one does not. So like I said, if you are just starting out this would be a hard one to follow.
4. Longer workouts. The first month is 45 minutes. The second month goes up to 1 hour. Not ideal for me since I have a toddler at home.




















Breakdown of T25:

In T25 you are going to be doing a mix of cardio and strength training. This program comes with 11 workouts that are each 25 minutes long. There are two parts to this program- month 1 (alpha cycle) and month 2 (beta cycle). In the alpha round you will build your foundation using just your body weight. The Beta cycle is stepping it up with new dynamic moves to burn fat and sculpt lean muscles. This month is going to focus a lot on the CORE. With T25 you are only working out for 25 minutes but you do not get breaks.


Pros of T25:

1. The workouts are only 25 minutes a day
2. You get a meal plan, workout calendar, and other tools to track your progress and get the best results possible.
3. Real people again! You are working out along with people who have got real results putting in the same work you are.
4. Only 5 days a week! 2 days off.
5. More strength training than insanity. You are going to focus more on certain muscle groups than just interval training like Insanity does.
6. More Ab work! We all love those abs. T25 actually has a workout JUST for abs called "dynamic core" which is one of my favorites!
7. There is a modifier. If you need to follow the modifier at first until you can work up to doing it full out, you can do so.

Cons of T25:

1. Some of the workout moves can be tricky. I know particularly for me the speed workouts can be difficult. I am not sure that this is necessarily a con or negative thing though. Just something that takes some practice is all!
2. You will need 1 pair of weights in the Beta cycle of this program for Rip't circuit.





















Breakdown of Insanity Max: 30:

Max out [maks-out] verb, to stop or fail for the first time in the workout.

Insanity Max 30 also has 2 levels to this workout, month 1 and month 2. In month one the workouts are cardio and Tabata- style strength workouts. These workouts prepare you for your "Friday Fight", which is your Friday workout. Month 2 is harder than month one, obviously :) The intervals get longer and the strength workouts gets more intense. The workouts are all 30 minutes each. The objective is to push yourself as hard as your can for as long as you can until you can not continue any longer. That is your Max out time. Your write your time down and try to push further than that time the next time you do that workout.

Pros of Insanity Max 30:

1. Only 30 minutes a day, 5-6 days a week.
2. Like the other programs it comes with a meal plan and nutrition guide.
3. I like that you are pushing yourself for 30 minutes and that it is OK to max out. Shaun actually WANTS you to max out. I like that kind of motivation!
4. There is a modifier! Although I don't recommend starting out on this if you haven't been doing anything else, it is nice to have a modifier if you can't do it full out right away.
5. No equipment needed! Get results using just your own body weight.
6. Intense strength training. I have never done such crazy push ups in my life.


Cons of Insanity Max 30:

1. INTENSE. This is not a program for someone brand new to working out. But there is a modifier.









Overview and my Conclusion:

After comparing these 3 workouts and taking the time to think about what I liked and didn't like about each, I have to say that Insanity Max:30 is my favorite by far! That is just my opinion. Maybe another workout would be better for you. The types of workouts I like may be different than what you like. For me- I like Intense. I like shorter. I like getting it DONE. ;) Being able to push play in my living room, work my butt off, feel amazing, all in only 30 minutes is the best! I will definitely keep you updated on my progress and soon-to-be results with this program! I can't wait to see the change that I have made in only 60 days.







Follow me for inspiration, healthy recipes, and tips on healthy living! Feel free to message me or comment at any time and I promise I will get back to you! :)







xo
Briana

Easy Oven Baked Salmon

Oven Baked Salmon!! I love salmon!! And of course simple recipes. This one took me probably 5 minutes to throw together and then only 30 minutes to bake! oooo and I love asparagus too! This will definitely be a recipe that I use again.

Here is what you will need!

-salmon.. of course ;)

- asparagus

- 1 lemon

- sea salt

- pepper

- olive oil

- tin foil

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

-Lay out your tin foil and spray it with olive oil

-cut your asparagus and lay it out on the tin foil

-lay a piece of salmon on top and drizzle olive oil over the top of the salmon

-slice your lemon and lay a few slices on top of your salmon

-fold the ends of the tin foil over the salmon and asparagus and place in the over for 30 minutes.

Let me know how you like it!!

xo

Briana

What can Shakeology do for you?

I am in LOVE. with Shakeology 

wink emoticon

Before I started drinking this stuff I was in the cupboards ALL darn day long.. those cupboards were tempting. You know… "ahh I will just grab 2 more crackers. OK whats 3 more?" YES. <<< THAT was me!

I no longer have that urge to snack anymore. And if I do I make much healthier decisions on what I eat because I just don't crave junk food anymore. I don't crave those bad carbs like I used to.

February 2nd is your chance! Your chance to take a look at what Shakeology could possibly do for you. Maybe you struggle with snacking? Need more energy? HECK. Maybe you don't have TIME to make dinner every night?! << THAT is also me smile emoticon

So here is what you get...
-Sample packets of Shakeology to try.
-Hear other people's stories.
-Learn HOW Shakeology actually helps you in those areas listed in the picture!

Message me or leave you email in the comments to learn more about this 5 day group!

 

 Chloe loves it too <3 :)