ZOOODLES - Buff Chicken and Turkey Bacon

SPIRALIZED FUN!!!! 

Last week I used my Spiralizer for the first time.  The outcome was not so tasty.  It was actually really bland.  I also made a Jambalaya that was super tasty and used sweet potato rice opposed to real rice.  I decided to try something more flavorful last night!!

Ingredients 
1 Sweet Potato 
2 Zucchinis
2 Carrots 
Plum / Cherry Tomoto
Chopped Onion
Chopped Red Pepper
Minced Garlic
Chicken breasts or tenders (I used 5 tenders)
Turkey Bacon
Buffalo Sauce or Hot Sauce
Cream Cheese   
Chicken Broth
Onion Powder 
Garlic Powder
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Prep: 
Preheat the oven to 350.  Coat your chicken in hot sauce then sprinkle garlic powder and onion powder on top of your chicken.  Cover your baking dish with tin foil.  This helps keep the chicken moist.  Cook at 350 for 25 minutes.

Wash and cut all your veggies that you are going to Spiralize.  I cut the veggies in half and cut the ends off.  Set aside.  I used frozen chopped onion.  Chop your red pepper and put in pan with olive oil, minced garlic, and chopped onions.  While this is heating up cut the tomatoes in half and place them in the pan. Let this cook for a little while stir as needed.  Spiralize your veggies while this is cooking in the pan.  If it starts to really cook turn the heat down and add some chicken broth.  Don't I used enough to coat the bottom of the pan and then a little more.  I then added the buffalo sauce - this is to taste.  If you want super spicy add more.  I added one spoonful (regular table spoon) of cream cheese and let melt.  

In a pan cook your turkey bacon.  Once it is finished cooking place it on a plate with a paper towel and let cool.  

Add your spiralized veggies to the pan and you may want to add additional chicken broth to help cook the veggies.  I covered my pan with a lid to help keep the moisture in and cook the veggies.  Once the bacon is cooled pull it apart into pieces and add it to the pan.  Additionally, when your chicken is finished cut it into small pieces and add it to the pan.  You can add more buffalo sauce or chicken broth as needed.  Let this all cook together for a few minutes.  Then enjoy! 

Sweat so good!

So I was thinking about my blog name and I realized I think I might be a crazy person.  I seriously have the mind set and have had this mind set for about 10 years that if I'm not super sweaty at the end of a workout then it wasn't a good workout - The Sweatiest Thing (and probably the smelliest).

Growing up I always played sports, so working out wasn't going to the gym, or going for a run, it was going to practice.  I was constantly active and I loved it.........except I hated going to practice why couldn't it all just be games? I digress.  So, when High School was over and my sports ended I had to find a way to stay active!

WHATS A GIRL TO DO?

I knew I could run, I had to run A LOT in Field Hockey and I knew this would help me get in shape. But ehh who REALLY wants to do that at age 18 when you don't have to... so I didn't.  I went away to college and started to put on some lbs.  I would go to the gym every so often and run with a girl who lived on my hall.  I managed to keep the weight off pretty well.  It wasn't until my second year at college that I found the gym.  I joined an off campus gym that had special pricing for students!

I love this gym and I would still go to the gym if this gym was where I live. THEY HAD TV'S IN THE TREADMILLS! It was a huge place with tons of equipment, cardio machines, weights, and free classes! What is not to love.  I would go and watch 2 tv shows and run / walk on the treadmill.  I seriously got in amazing shape! Well minus lifting weights and toning everything.  I was thin and feeling good about myself.  This is when my obsession with being sweaty started.  I didn't feel like my workout was good enough unless my sweat line on my shirt went down from my neck to my bra! OMG who wants that!! THIS GIRL!   This idea has followed me throughout the years.

I worked out throughout college until my senior year when drinking became my number one hobby. I know drinking and going to the bar, what a great hobby! Hey you're only 21 once.  You live... you learn. I wouldn't trade those days for anything now.  However my belly, legs, face, arms, neck, and basically my whole body paid the price.  By that I mean they all gained weight.  Since I wasn't working out and feeling those positive endorphins release on a regular basis I didn't really want to go to the gym, so I didn't!

I tried to lose weight from age 21-26, but I didn't have the right tools.  That's when I started running a lot and saw some progress! It was great, but I needed something more.  That's when I found the 21 day fix! I needed something to help me TONE! Oh and has it ever. Running makes me lose my but and this program helped me gain that booooty back! Once I had been doing this program for a few months I decided I needed another one to have some variety and keep my body guessing! I got the T25 - EVERY WORKOUT I'M A SWEATY MESS (even when my house is 60 degrees).

Doing the Beachbody workouts I'm proud to say that my 25-30 min workout has me sweatier than when I would run 3 miles and walk 2 at the gym!  I LOVE IT!!!

www.beachbodycoach.com/chuckles3515

E&E Energy for your workout

Need that extra drive in your workout?

Shockingly, I've been getting up to work out in the mornings.  If you know me, you will know that I am not one to wake up early.  I usually sleep until the last possible minute, roll out of bed, get dressed, brush my teeth and go to work.

I now get up at 4:45 am.... yes, you heard me correctly AM to workout.  The best thing that I have ever purchased is E&E! It seriously wakes me up and gives me that push I need to complete the morning workouts.  I would highly suggest this product.

I had never taken anything like this before workouts and I must admit it does make a big difference.  I really noticed the difference on the T25 workouts that are fast paced! For those of you who don't know about T25 is it's 25 minute workouts at a high intensity. You are moving and groving... jumping in and out, burpees, high knees, punching... you get the idea.  It took me a long time to get used to workouts like this.  It also helps me when I'm doing the 21 Day Fix Workouts, because sometimes I can be a whiny. "UGHHH I DON'T WANT TO DO THIS" or "I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE" or "IS IT OVER YET!".  

If you are finding yourself having trouble pushing through a workout I would definitely recommend this product! Not only does it help me get through one workout, it gives me the energy to do a double work out :) 

What are the ingredients in E&E Energy and Endurance?

It features a proprietary blend of:

• Advanced nitric oxide boosters to help speed more nutrients and oxygen to your muscles for better performance.
• Natural energizers to help increase energy and focus to maximize your workout. 
• Amino acids to help promote muscular energy and overall workout performance.
• Electrolytes to help fight dehydration and support optimal muscle function. 
• Essential B vitamins to promote a strong metabolism to provide energy so you can burn fat. 
• Stevia for natural, zero-calorie sweetness.

Two more reasons E&E Energy and Endurance is unlike other pre-workout drinks It contains:

1. No artificial flavors, sweeteners, or preservatives.
2. No high-risk or untested ingredients.

You can order this product through my website www.beachbodycoach.com/chuckles3515 or you can email me at ashleyfrancisfitness@gmail.com  I'd be happy to talk with you about this product, any other product, or your health and fitness goals!

First Spiralized Meal

SPIRALIZER MY NEW TOY.....


So I made my first spiralized meal with my NEW SPIRALIZER!!! Super exciting.  It's really so neat how it works and you can have the noodles so quickly.  I decided to make a zucchini noodle, with spinach and chicken.  I followed a recipe found on inspiralized.com (great site I highly recommend it).  It was fairly simple, however I decided to grill the chicken outside with some seasoning.  This made a HUGE difference.  


The recipe is to heat some olive oil and garlic in a pan with the chicken (which is cut into chunks). Then you add spinach and zucchini into the pan until they get soft. Add salt and pepper to taste and the juice from half a lemon. Then you add feta cheese.  

I didn't have feta cheese.  The meal was definitely missing something and I was still hungry after. So Mark and I both had chocolate Shakeology with PB2 and a Banana.  Next up is Carrot Rice and Sweet Potato Jambalaya

!

Clean Eating Week 2...

Week 2: Clean Eating

Ok, so I've been slacking on my posts!  I did sooo well last week.  I seriously stuck to the clean eating.  Well, ok, so I did well Tues, Wed, and Thurs.  So, I can definitely do better!  Monday really caught me off guard.  I was all set for a successful week and then my boss took me out for a lunch as I discussed in my last post.  Then I went to my parents for dinner, which wasn't bad for me but the Halloween candy they had sitting out was just calling my name.  Ugh!!

Tues - Thurs I woke up early everyday and did my workout!! I also took my Shakeology, snacks, and lunch to work and stayed on track!  I was feeling SUPER awesome Thursday night :) I was also SUPER excited because Mark decided to start doing the 21 Day Fix workouts!  It's nice knowing he is doing something too.  When he does the workouts it helps motivate me to do better!! 

Friday, I decided to sleep in and skip the workout since I had an event Friday night for work.  It was going to be a long day and an extra hour of sleep would help.  The event was a wine event.  Needless to say I ate and drank more than I needed to.  I seriously paid the price on Saturday.  I had a bagel sandwich for breakfast, then I couldn't really eat until dinner time when I really wanted Chipotle.  I was also "dying" so I couldn't workout.  I think drinking seriously throws you off your game.  ALSO, the older you get the worse your hangover becomes.  How is it possible that when I was in college before my Jr. year I barely got a hangover?! 

Sunday - I woke up and did my workouts first thing in the AM.  I did a double workout T25 Lower Focus because it seriously helps my hip!!  Then I did the 21 day fix Dirty 30!  I felt great, I showered, did laundry, made breakfast, planned my week, made a grocery list!! Then I got sucked into a movie on TV! I had 1.5 hrs to go grocery shopping then we were heading to my parents for my brothers birthday.  Even though I posted in the clean eating group about healthy eating I still got a baked potato at dinner and ate a piece of bread. I seriously just can't stop myself.  I really really need to try harder. I really want to see more changes and I think I will if I practice SOME self control! 

It's like every single week I'm like this is the week.  Then I do something that involves eating our or drinking and it just throws me all off! 

I bought a spiralizer last week, so I'm super excited to give it a try this week.  I already found 3 recipes I want to try! I'm hoping this will help make my dinners less boring!

MUST DO BETTER THIS WEEK!

Pre-Thanksgiving Clean Eating Challenge Group Day 1

Pre-Thanksgiving Clean Eating Day 1

I started a 21 day clean eating challenge group, today is day 1.  Yesterday I was not myself.  This meaning that I woke up and said "I'm going to clean our bathroom."  For those of you who know me cleaning a bathroom and laying in bed watching Netflix are clearly not the same thing.  Anyways, I cleaned the shit out of that bathroom! Made me feel pretty accomplished.  Then I made my meal plan for the week and off to the grocery store we went. Of course I ran into someone I know because it would only happen when I had just cleaned a bathroom and my hair was thrown on the top of my head, and I later realized I hadn't brushed my teeth.  Either way it was nice seeing an old friend from college.  

When we got home I decided I wasn't going to be unhealthy just because it was Sunday.  Also, because I was talking to Mark about the 21 day fix and one of my friends AMAZING results.  He told me "I think you forget about eating right on the weekends."  If that wasn't a smack in the face of reality.  So I made myself a salad.... 

After sitting on the couch for about 30 minutes I just was so antsy.  I vacuumed the whole house, cleaned two more bathrooms, did laundry, cleaned the kitchen, did yoga, made dinner, and prepped ALL of my work meals for the week! Holy cow, I'm tired just typing all of that. 

So, that being said I'm ready for a successful week and I'm excited.  I woke up this morning and did a double workout; Total Body Cardio Fix and Lower Fix from the 21 Day Fix.  I had my Shakeology for breakfast with a banana.  I brought my meal to work and was super excited.  I had my hard boiled eggs and some green tea for a morning snack.  Then my boss called me in his office.  I had turned in my self evaluation for my yearly review Friday afternoon.  He said he wanted to take my to lunch to

discuss my review.  This is what he usually does and we go to amazing restaurants and drink a bottle of wine.  I of course go because you can't really say no.  So now I'm on day 1 failing, but I know now more than ever that I want to stick to these 21 days.  Everyone else in my group will be finished one day before me, but I have to do this for myself.  I know that I can eat healthy for 21 days!  I'm more anxious to see the actual results with my body and my energy level.  It's a mission for me! 

In other news I got an email from Inspiralized and saw a recipe for this: 

http://www.inspiralized.com/2014/03/02/roasted-red-pepper-butternut-squash-noodles-with-chicken/