Pittsburgh P90X Certification

This was something that I really wanted to do for a long time... so this post is super special to me!

I knew about being a P90X certified trainer for a few years, but there was never an opportunity to get certified here in Pittsburgh since I learned about it. I waited and waited... saw other certifications come and go... and just waited. Why wasn't this something that was popular in gyms? Why was it so hard to get certified?

Well I later found out that it was because they were phasing out the OLD method and bringing in something NEW! And wow, am I glad I had to wait for this new cert!

Let's backtrack a bit. If you read my blog or know me well enough, you know that I am a huge Tony Horton fan. A lot of people like Shaun T, because of how popular Insanity is, but I am 100% on Team Horton. I credit my 45 pound weight loss 2 years ago completely to him. Sure, I was the one that lost all the weight, but Tony was the one that showed up every single day and made me laugh, motivated me to keep going, and gave me the tools to get back in shape. His silly jokes and funny style was exactly what I needed at the time. Had I picked up another program, I probably would have given up, honestly. Something about his style just kept me going!

I was super privileged last July to fly to Vegas and attend the Beachbody Summit. There not only did I get to meet Tony and have him sign my book, but I got to stand front row while he debuted his new workout, P90! It was a really special full circle moment for me!

So back to last Sunday. I signed up for the certification and was so pumped, and a little nervous about going. This is P90X afterall... it is hard! It has that stigma of being the hardest workout out there. And for good reason... chin ups! lol okay not just chin ups, but a lot of other reasons too. So I was really interested to see how they were going to bring everything he teaches you in the dvds (which last over an hour each) to the gym!

Let's start with what you need to bring to a P90X certification and class...
- two sets of weights (women: 5 to 8lbs men: 8 to 10lbs depending on level)
the weights are not required, and you could bring one set that you are comfortable with for both leg exercises and arm exercises
- strength bands (in case you do not own weights or cannot travel with them
- towel
- water
- mat, if the gym floor is not padded, for the floor exercises
- pen and paper
- P90X certification outline guide (you can write notes here)
- change of clothes, you will sweat a lot after your first workout!
- snacks and food for lunch! I packed apples, Shakeology, and granola bars
- credit card to purchase PRO TEAM status!


We started out just chatting about the day, introducing P90X group fitness, and talking about the new format. This got me so excited to start! Before, the program was more of a personal fitness geared gym class. Each day was a different target, and not really the same routine as Piyo or Insanity. No music or pre choreographed moves.

This new format is all of that and more. Music, fun, energy, but still keeping with the integrity of the brand! It is still very much Tony Horton!

I really liked that the instructor went over that Beachbody as a brand is really seeking to be the leader in the fitness world. They want to stay ahead of the curve, not behind it, and with that comes changing a few things and making it what the people want. But still getting fabulous results!
Beachbody will always be about their customers and coaches, and trying to reach more people in new ways.

After chatting for a bit we got to preview a workout. Round 13. I absolutely loved it, and hated it too haha! You are moving from start to finish, and even though there are built in breaks... you are still out of breath!

The class runs in this format...

• Warm up
• Cardio X
• Lower Strength
• Upper Strength
• XCore (Burnout)
• Cool Down 

The classes with always follow this format, but the moves within each block will change, along with the music.

Cardio was pretty hard because it is a lot of Plyo... Tony loves his Plyo so I really wasn't too surprised to see this in there!

But you do 2 exercises with breaks in between, then onto two other exercises with breaks. 

Lower focus is where you start to bring in your weights, even though you are able to use bands or just body strength. At the end of the day, a squat is a squat and you are pushing your body up and down... you'll get results!

Upper focus also used the weights or bands depending on your preference. It was hard to keep going because you start to do moves for longer periods of time, but you can move at your own pace. This is not like Piyo where you have to follow the instructor and the music. You can do as many reps as you want, as long as you are being effective!

XCore again was pretty hard but being at the end, I knew I could push through. We went through 3 different exercises that lasted a minute each. 

There is a burnout move as well that lasts a minute, it really reminded me of doing T25 and listening to Shaun T yell at me to keep pushing (COME ON Y'ALL!)

After the workout I got really really excited about this format. It is new, and fun, and changes a lot. I liked that you get the cardio out of the way, but with the fast fun music you are still moving and pushing yourself.

Unlike Piyo, you do not have to learn a million moves and routines, and be right in time with the music. Basically hours of practice for me to prepare for an 8 week class. You could go through the moves on the dvd once, write them down and how many times you do each, listen to the music to get the timing down... and be ready to go! A lot easier to prepare but still a lot of fun for your class!

The music is awesome! Popular songs made better... you felt like you could smash through a wall listening to some of them. They make the songs go faster or slower depending on the moves too, which helps encourage the class to concentrate on form or to push a little harder.

We spent a lot of the afternoon listening to the music and working on form. It is super important that this class and the instructor are familiar with proper form, considering they will be using weights. A lot can go wrong with weights... so safety first. I liked that we went over modifications too... because a lot of the class may be new to P90X. 

As far as the music and teaching the class goes.....

- the songs are specifically set to the routines, so you cannot mix and match the music to other blocks.

- there are bells and buzzers in the songs to indicate when you start and stop an exercise

As long as you are able to listen for your cues and know the length of each exercise, it is really easy to teach. 

This format is more about coaching your class, and not so much doing it with them. You can start out by showing them each move and proper form/modifications.... but it is really about going around and encouraging them to keep going, correct form, and have fun!

I think it is about time that something like this comes to our gyms. Too often, especially as a woman, we are a little intimidated to try weight lifting. I know back when I went to a gym... I took classes based on cardio, and then went to the cardio room to run more on a treadmill. I stayed away from the big weight room because it was all muscle dudes! haha!

But this allows for anyone to get in a great all around workout from cardio to core to weights! No need to go from room to room and not know what you are doing.

Plus the class can change every 8 weeks if the instructor is a PRO team member! 

I am really excited to get started and start showing this to classes in Pittsburgh! I think it will go over really well... and finally get men and women together in some classes!!!

Family Friendly on the Fix Part 1

Welcome to PART ONE of my Family Friendly Fix Recipes!

I have two kids who are pretty good eaters (depends on the day!) so I can usually make whatever, and they will at least try. Or, I only have to modify a little bit on their plates.

Who wants to cook TWICE for every meal for 21 days? Certainly not me! I got things to do and some sunshine to soak in now that Spring is in the air!

So this is part one of a few of the family friend 21 Day Fix recipes that I enjoy making, and my kids enjoy eating!

Breakfast:

Meal #1 Egg Muffins
These are super popular in my house! The kids love the shape, and love that they can dip something in ketchup (tell me you didn't do that as a kid, seriously!) at breakfast time!
You can substitute any of the egg filling, just be mindful of what containers they would fit into before you do too many subs. Other fun idea.... turkey sausage, mushrooms, or cheese!
Find the recipe and a video here!

Meal #2 Whole Wheat Protein Pancakes

Woo! Feel like you are indulging while getting a big dose of protein!

I like to eat mine with a half container of my fruit (berries or cut up mellon)

Find the recipe here!

Lunch Time!!!

Meal #1 Almond Crusted Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard Dip!

Okay seriously, what kid does not LOVE chicken fingers? My kids sort of rejected these the first 2 times, because they're used to McDonald's or the Tyson nuggets (#sorrynotsorry) but they soon warmed up to the idea.

These are really good chopped up and over a salad too if you are feeling a crispy chicken salad like you get from big restaurants! I put vinegar on my salad and dip the chicken in the honey mustard hehe!

Find the recipe here!

Meal #2 Lemon Raspberry Shakeology

Probably a little more of a treat for mommy than for the kids, this is a great snack when you are craving coffee or a refreshing lemonade. All of those bad things you tend to reach for on a warm spring day... soda or maybe a beer! ugh!

Shakeology is my secret weapon against cravings... the second I want something, like a snack but I know that snack will be a treat, I blend up a shake. When I saw this on the Beachbody blog I said YES THIS IS THE ANSWER! For real... ricotta in a shake?? No really, try it!

Find the recipe here!

In part two I will share some dinner recipes! 

Hope this was helpful... the Beachbody blog is a really great reference for recipes... as well as Pinterest! But what CAN'T you find on Pinterest anymore right??

For more info or to join one of my challenge groups...

www.facebook.com/erika.levarse 

Beachbody OnDemand, The 411

Today was a super exciting day in the Beachbody world and I cannot wait to share it with you all!

I feel like I get the comment all the time that Beachbody is ALWAYS launching something new every month. And it's true, there is always new content or a new package coming out. But how else can a company stay relevant and cutting edge without being ahead of the curve?

Well get ready, because this puts them well ABOVE the curve!

Welcome to Beachbody OnDemand!

The Commercial:

So let's get into what exactly is involved in all of this? How will it benefit you? What are the costs? And is it easy to use?
I will do my best to answer all the questions a newbie might be wondering with OnDemand and give you a clear picture of what to expect!

First, Who can use it?
OnDemand is open to anyone who is a teambeachbody.com Club Member. Club is not free, but comes with a small fee each quarter (2.99 a week or about $40 every 3 months) to keep your access to these tools. You can stop and start your membership at any time.

How can you use it?
OnDemand is basically available using any tool that has internet access. Ipod, Ipad, Laptop, or Smartphone. If you are super tech savvy, you can even get it on your tv (I will not go into that, but if you can stream video from your device onto your tv, you can use that same method to use this as well.)

How do I access it?
1. Go to teambeachbody.com and log into your account
2. There are several links on your main page that will lead you to the feature or you can go to http://club.teambeachbody.com for access. They are highlighted in yellow.
3. Once you are on, the main OnDemand page will load.

What programs are loaded right now?
P90X, P90X2, P90X3, Insanity, Turbofire, Brazil Butt Lift, Ten Minute Trainer, ChaLEAN Extreme, Insanity: The Asylum, Tony One - on - One, and Hip Hop Abs.

What does it look like?
1. Your top portion is a scrolling marque of information.
2. Next is your member library... all of the programs that are available to you.
3. Following that is a little sneak peek section (New & Noteworthy). They added one workout of each program that is not listed in your library so you can try it out and buy the DVDs if you fall in love!
It is a great way to try out newer programs that will not get loaded until later when this is out of BETA testing.
4. You can filter the workouts by various things like type (cardio, muscle building) or trainer or length of time.

Here are screenshots from my phone of what each of these areas looks like....

Let's move onto what it looks like when you open a program!

First, select a program and say that you are ready to commit! They will show you what type of workout program it is and the average lengths of the workouts.

You will see the workouts in order listed with a play button next to them, so you can start right at the top or choose one that sounds interesting to you!

Depending on your device, you will see the additional information either below or next to the workouts.

This includes your meal plans, calendars, and program guides. Right at your finger tips, just like if you are opening a brand new Challenge Pack box!

Choose your workout and hit play.

Now this is the awesome part.... you know how when you load in a DVD you have to sit through the boring WARNINGS that come on before the menu? You can't move past it, you have like 2 minutes of legal stuff to sit though before hitting play. Oh gosh, it is like I could knit a sweater during that time!!

Well you will get a warning before loading your workout, you can scroll through then hit accept.

Here's the best part... YOU ONLY HAVE TO DO THIS ONCE PER PROGRAM. Once you hit accept once on a program, say Insanity, you will not see it again!

Thank you!

So here are screenshots of what these steps looks like!!



 So far this all seems pretty easy right? As someone who usually struggles with technology, I can honestly say it was super easy to navigate. Way easier than the teambeachbody.com site!


So let's talk inventive and other little details....

• For the month of March there is a pretty amazing promo for OnDemand. For $140 you will get Shakeology of your choice and a 3 month subscription to OnDemand. Basically that is like getting your Shakeology at regular price, and paying $10 extra for unlimited access to streaming programs!
• There is about $1500 worth of content loaded onto your library right now.
• By the end of the month, they will be testing adding programs that you already purchased to your library. It will start with T25 and 21 Day Fix & Extreme. If you buy or bought these programs, you will have OnDemand access to them at no extra cost.
• Where will your #BOD Take You? In the month of March you have the opportunity to win one of three IPAD Air by using the hashtag #BOD with your photos of you using OnDemand on Twitter or Instagram!

So what does this all mean?

One point that I really like is that there is always going to be a guaranteed satisfaction with using this tool. Say you bought T25 and started the program, but found that you did not really like it. You have a 30 day return window with the program, but instead of getting frustrated and feeling like you failed... you can use your free 30 day access to OnDemand (you get a free trial with the purchase of any Challenge Pack) to stream other workouts and see what work better for you. You are given solutions and your coach will never give up on you just because you did not enjoy a product.
You were committed to a goal... maybe to lose 20 lbs... so why would you stop and leave it behind just because you did not like something right from the start? Instead of giving up, OnDemand allows you to keep going and keep trying.

One more point.... When you purchase a Challenge Pack you are committing yourself to it for however long the calendar take you (21, 30, 60 days). By having access to OnDemand, you can keep going with your fitness and nutrition journey without having to wait for the next dvd set to come in the mail. You can get started on the next program while you wait for the FedEx man to deliver your program, and not have time between to lose focus or to completely stop your goals.




Does OnDemand sound like something you would like to try?
Contact me for more details!

mommyburgh@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/erika.levarse

Team Call with Darin Olien

Last week I had the extreme pleasure of being on a live call with the co-creator of Shakeology, Darin Olien.

I was not super familiar with him before the call, aside from the fact that I knew he helped develop the formula for Shakeology and travels the world looking for fresh new products to add to it.

After the call though I really had a new appreciation for all of his hard work.

I am certainly no expert at Shakeology or all of the all nutrients that go into it, but here are my takeaways from his call!

But first, I'd like to share a few articles that I find really helpful for those who are new to Shakeology.
How We Find the Ingredients for Shakeology

5 Shakeology Myths Debunked!


Okay... back to my takeaways!!!!!!!

Big Takeaway #1:
I really liked what he had to say about Super Foods healing your body. We aren't technically allowed to say Shakeology can help you get off medications... BUT... Darin did a really amazing job of explaining how our body craves whole, nutritious, super foods! Consistent behaviors can warrant positive results... so a consistent behavior of feeding your body super foods with help it function the way it was built to move.

He also said that medications are not designed to make us better but to just sustain our health. They are there to function as a way to get through out day an suppress any illnesses or ailments.

Super Food Nutrition is designed to make your body better and to HEAL it from the inside out. Not just to mask the pains or illness, but to get rid of it and move forward.

Big Takeaway #2:
The cost objection. I get it a lot! "I wish it wasn't so expensive." I know, $130 for anything is a lot of money. But I think it is all in how you look at it. Some people who see the BIG PICTURE only see that large amount. However, you need to switch your thinking! That $130 (which if you buy a Challenge Pack, like the 21 Day Fix, you are getting a workout program and the Shakeology for that one price, everything you need in 1 box!) divided by 30 days in the average month is a little over $4 a day. I don't have to go into what costs $4 for you to figure out that really... it's not a huge expense!

People will always need food. We will never skimp on food. It is always a must. So why use that money that we set aside for food each month, and throw it away on junk, processes, microwave stuff?? Going back to #1.... why would you want to skimp on something that can HELP you body run more efficiently and keep you off all those extras by feeding your body things that will reverse that process?
If you aren't going to skimp on food, then why not spend that money on something with value?

You will either pay the farmer, or you will pay the doctor.

Big Takeaway #3:
I am so beyond impressed with this guy. He gets to travel the world and discover new super foods to put into this nutritious shake that gets to be shipped directly to your home for you to enjoy.
A lot of other companies have come knocking at his door, offering tons of money for him to work there and make them a big success. But he says no every single time, because he believes in Shakeology and he believes in Beachbody as a company. I love that we can say that this guy works with us!
Take everything that we love about our company and just amplify it!
Most products do not even come close to what Shakeology can offer and they price they offer it. The costs are low on those other products FOR A REASON! Again, why skimp on your HEALTH?
There is so much research (he spends months in the jungle learning about super foods and finding the next big thing that will make us happier and healthier!) and knowledge and protocol that goes into Shakeology, that you should feel super confident that you are getting a quality product!

Big Takeaway #4:
It's a supplement that contains some of the greatest nutrient dense super foods in the world carefully formulated to give your body life enhancing potential for a longer stronger performing life.
I love the way he describes it in a few words! Wouldn't you want THAT in your life??? I would! Sign me up!

Shakeology is GREATER than the SUM of all its parts! And it has TONS OF PARTS... but by COMBINING it together... you are getting some amazing nutrition for your body!

God Sized Dream: Fear of Failure

Welcome back for yet another peek inside the book, You're Made for a God-Sized Dream by Holley Gerth.

Today I wanted to touch on FEAR and FAILURE. This is a major topic in my team page and I know it is on your mind... it is always on mine... when creating and going after your God Sized Dream.

Hey, going after your dream is certainly not easy. I run into it all the time... I am chugging along and then BAM, something comes up in my life (illness, wrench in the plans, my day getting away from me with my kids) and completely derails me from my path. It is funny how it can sneak up too. It may be something small, and you say, "I'll take care of it tomorrow." and then suddenly you keep putting it off and putting it off. Before you know it, that amazing pace you had going has become a complete stop.

You might also get overwhelmed with how hard your Dream is. Holy moly... do I know this! If I knew it was going to be THIS HARD I may not have even started! This is taking a lot longer and a lot more effort than I thought. I should stop.

If either of these things come up, there is only one thing you are responsible for... never giving up.

 



You have probably heard of this many time... "light at the end of the tunnel" or "when one door opens, another opens" or "just over the next hill, just around the next bend, is the breakthrough you have been waiting for."

Those aren't just sayings because they make you feel better. They are SO TRUE. Did you ever have a really bad day, and everything seems to be piling up on you and then you open you texts and you see an "I love you" or "Thanks for being so helpful" from a friend or family member in your message box? This happens to me all the time, I am just about to throw in the towel and God says, "WAIT A SECOND, GET BACK HERE!"
The book then moves on to something that I touched on before....

Here's a really good example:
Say you have a team of people who are told they need to build a ladder to the top of a building. No boundaries, just get to the top. You hurry up and build your ladder, start to climb, and suddenly one of the steps snaps and you go crashing back to the ground. It didn't work. A few other people fell, and a few are racing to the top.

What do you do?

Just because the first attempt at your God Sized Dream did not work, does not mean it is WRONG or that you need to give up. It just means that you need to find a new way. A lot of people mistake a wrong answer or a door that leads nowhere as being a sign that their dream is not meant for them, when in reality, it just means you need to rethink how to get up there.

 



 

A huge part of overcoming this hear of being on the wrong path, or that you may fail, is to constantly keep your dream in front of you. Keep it present in your life, in everything that you do. A big thing that happens, as we discussed earlier, is that LIFE gets in the way of your dream, when life should share an embrace your dream!

 

We often take for granted that a God Sized Dream will just happen, because it is so big and scary, we think that we just have to wish really hard and it will fall into our laps. Dreams are awesome, but they are not the end of the story. Those dreams and emotions need ACTION! Find an action step each day that will move your dream forward, and keep it in the front of your mind. That does not mean completely disregarding your daily activities in order to survive, but being mindful that you have goals to go after and need attention.

 

Something that happened to me a while ago, when I hit Diamond rank for the first time in August 2014 was that I never took time to celebrate. I saw the next goal and started to run after it. I really should have stopped and taken in the scenery for where my legs were currently planted. I never fully appreciated it, and therefore, lost it all.

It is okay to take time to celebrate. Sure the end of the journey is super rewarding, but it is rewarding because of all the hard work you put in to get there. So stop and really take note of that, and pat yourself on the back for sticking to it.

 

Can't wait to discuss more of the book later!!!!!

 

 

xoxo 



My Coach Story

So what good is it to have a blog and talk about health, fitness, and motivation without knowing a little bit about me??

I wrote a short "about me" on my blog before, but it really didn't get to my WHY. Why coaching? Why Beachbody? Why now?

Well here it goes.... grab your popcorn and some Shakeology... you're in for a story!

Let's go way back shall we??
When I was in high school I was the type of person who trusted anyone. I had lots of friends, was involved in lots of activities, and just really enjoyed life. I had ZERO clue where I wanted to be, what I wanted to do, or what my future held... I just sort of went with the flow of life.

I became friends with a teacher who wanted to help me with athletics, and I was pretty set on going to a school that would have been a typical choice for me. I never though too far out of the mold, I just did what I was told or what I thought would make everyone proud.

That teacher ended up not being the person I thought he was, and before the end of my senior year, he took advantage of me. My world was crushed. I was only 18 and suddenly I had to grow up and be an adult. I didn't want to be an adult, and I certainly did NOT want this unfortunate event to define me for the rest of my life. I really kept it to myself, because I was afraid if people know what happened, I would be labeled as a certain type of girl. I just wanted to go to college and forget about everything.

Before the end of my senior year I went to check out my school, and my dad took me to see another school down the street. This school was an all women's college. Small. In the city. And really just not what I wanted. But it was pretty!
I got out of the car and instantly felt welcome. Have you ever stepped foot somewhere and instantly felt at home? Like a peace just overwhelms you and you know you are at the right place at the right time.
That day I decided to heck with that other school, I wanted to go here! So that is how I ended up at Chatham University.

I went to study English but somehow found myself in a few art classes and feminist theory classes, completely out of my comfort zone but they seemed "easy" enough to get my credit.
Those classrooms completely changed my life. I went from being the girl who pleased everyone and never had an original thought, to being someone who CARED about things and felt energized about learning. I really loved the atmosphere at school and how it taught me to be an empowered, thoughtful, intelligent woman. I made true friendships with other women and found my role models.

I left school not really knowing what to do but knowing that life was going to take me somewhere pretty amazing.

Fast forward a few years... and life taking me in a direction that I really did not see coming... enter the curve ball!

A few years after graduating, and after really enjoying my 20s, I met my husband. After we got engaged I got pregnant, so we really had to fast forward our plans to start our family. This was not a part of my plan... I wanted a career and to travel and learn more about myself. Instead I partied and made bad decisions, met my husband, got pregnant, and found myself fully submerged into mommyhood!

To help bounce back after having my first born, Kirsten, I started going to the gym. I got pretty good results but really barely used any equipment other than the cardio machines. One day while cruising Facebook I saw my friend Kati post about her P90X results. And they were awesome! I had to do what she was doing. So chatted for a bit, she convinced me to give Turbofire a shot and try Shakeology... and boom... my Beachbody journey officially began. I thought I was doing really well so I ordered P90X.... but it sat in my closet.

I got pregnant 2 years later with my second daughter Charlotte. This time around I was pretty determined to stay healthy, but as a lot of pregnancies go, I made excuses and still gained a lot of weight.

I was 150 lbs when I had Charlotte. A lot heavier than I was when I had my first child. But I knew in the back of my head that I had the tools to get back in shape waiting for me in my closet...

After I was released to workout I was so excited to start P90X, I knew it was going to be the answer to my big weight gain problems. The same day I signed up as a coach. I watched for a year as these other coaches formed bonds and moved their businesses forward. It was a like a club and I could not get in. I wanted to be a part of it and I wanted to really succeed at my goals.

As hard as it was to workout every day for over an hour with a toddler and an infant, I somehow made it work. I dedicated myself to the 90 days and promised that I would make it work. I knew that if I could make it through these days I could literally do anything. It's funny, because when you just had a baby and you are trying to please them and work on yourself, your mind starts to play funny tricks on you. You go from being really determined to hitting really bad lows. But I used my dvds as my therapy and finished! I was 45 pounds down and felt pretty amazing. I looked like my happy and healthy self again.... all because I stuck to the plan and never gave up.

I thought this was the momentum I needed in my Beachbody business, but found that because I was never really in touch with WHY I wanted to be a coach, I pretty much failed.

Fast forward to the following year. I saw all of these posts from people saying they were going to Summit, Beachbody's annual conference in Vegas. I had one of those moments, like deciding on college, and felt like I was in the right place and the right time again. I was determined to get to that event. I took out a credit card without telling anyone, and charged the whole trip. I knew what I was doing wasn't really great, but I had a one track mind.

I flew to Vegas by myself, with a dream to discover my WHY. I roomed with girls I never met but quickly became my best friends. I met people I only barely knew from Facebook and fell in love with their ability to accept someone no matter what. I was getting those feelings I had in college... female empowerment, amazing relationships, and feeling like I was somewhere that mattered.

During the opening event, I was about to hear the CEO of the company talk and the #1 coach in the entire company... when I got a text from my husband and it was pretty life changing. I knew deep down that this was a moment where I had to decide what to do. Even though I knew I had to talk to him, I also knew that I needed to be present in this moment. I put the phone away, and listened to the session. I learned so much from the people who spoke and suddenly, after hearing their WHYs, mine started to take shape.

Summit was truly a life changing experience for me. I met Tony Horton, the guy who kicked my butt and helped me lose 45 lbs... I got to be front and center at one of his workouts. I got to hear from top coaches and keynote speakers. I met and connected with amazing people. And I learned how to grow my business the right way. I left feeling very grateful that I was able to go, and fully understanding how to fix things at home.

The old me held information from people and only thought about herself. The new me puts others first, with me still in mind, and seeks the best solution to every problem. The old me judged others, and the new me sees the beauty in every person and situation.

My WHY that I discovered last summer was that through my life experiences, I was given the gift to help empower women and make them feel like they matter in the life they are in. To never settle for the ordinary, and always strive for that bit of extraordinary that lies within us all. And lastly, to have a voice. To be passionate about something and be unapologetic about it.

xoxoxo
Erika

Yummy Healthy Chili

I have a sweet spot for chili! I'm not really a sweets person, I'm a FOOD person. Especially classic homemade dinners! I grew up in a big Italian family where we were expected to all get together at least 3 times a week.... and food was always the center piece to every visit.

I'm pretty skilled in making my own pasta and sauce. And I have zero limits. We always went big! Sunday dinner was..... salad, bread, spaghetti or gnocchi, roast, potatoes, hot peppers, and veggies.
My Nono (Italian for grandpa) was a very strict, old fashioned guy. I remember they had a big meat cellar where they stored meats and cheese, and sliced it fresh, our own personal deli!!!
After that big dinner, he would nap and watch the game, then announce he was ready for pizza. I was his personal chef assistant and would help cut fresh pepperoni and roll out the dough. More carbs for everyone!

Since hitting my late 20 I've since learned healthy versions of my favorite family recipes, my metabolism isn't what it used to be!

One favorite: chili!

Here's a really yummy and satisfying alternative to the usual chili we all know and love! Best part.... make a huuuge batch and freeze for later!!
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INGREDIENTS >

2 lbs 99% fat-free ground turkey
1 yellow onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes, no-salt added
1 (15 oz) can petite diced tomatoes, no-salt added
3 Tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp. hot sauce (I used Texas Pete)
1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, no-salt added, drained and rinsed
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 jalapenos, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. sea salt
Pinch of pepper
1 packet Stevia
3 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp. oregano
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

NSTRUCTIONS >

Drizzle olive oil in a large pot and saute onion and garlic until fragrant, about 3 minutes.

Add ground turkey and cook until crumbled and brown, draining excess liquid as necessary.

Add all the rest of the ingredients and cook on medium/low heat for about an hour.

Enjoy!