Results From My 3 Day Refresh

Well I finished the 3 day cleanse and YES I am blogging about it!  

I truly feel like I owe it to you to be completely honest!  I truly and deeply "SUCK" at cleanses!  It's not that I can't do them, it's just that I have this issue with someone telling me what I can and can't eat!  I eat clean, I like eating clean, I don't care what the scale says and honestly I don't weigh myself because I know when I'm off track!  I can tell when my food choices are slacking because I feel bloated, my skin isn't vibrant, my energy level is down the tubes and I just over all feel blahhh!

I choose to do the 3 day refresh quarterly as a way to really regain quick control of my out of "controllness" and to jump start myself back into my routine.

It worked of course, but I went down kicking and screaming of course.  It wasn't a pretty site in our house those 3 days.  I had a headache, I was grumpy and the mental fog was ridiculous.  So what did I learn:  Food truly does affect your mood and just about everything around you! When you eat like crap you truly feel like crap as well.  Plus it is going to take you a few days to get back on track again.  It for sure doesn't just happen overnight.  But at the end of the cleanse, I was feeling much more like myself.  I believe that it is important to let your hair down and to enjoy yourself and to not go overboard.  That is for sure hard! But it's one of those things that if you can manage to follow the 80-20 rule you will have a much easier time.   

So over the course of that 3 days, I lost 4.2 pounds and 5 inches from my waist and hips.  I wasn't as concerned with the pounds as much as I was about how I felt.  I got my energy level back, the cravings for carbs and sugar to the normal level and the carb coma was gone!  It was a great way to kick start myself into the Insanity Max 30 group starting Monday.

So what is the 3 day refresh?  It's a 3 day cleanse that is designed to help you lose weight, to help you regain control of your nutrition and to give your body that fresh clean slate it needs to continue making healthy lifestyle choices.

The Refresh is a calorie restricted 3 day diet but it will not kill your metabolism or harm your body.  You are eating nutrient dense foods that will give your body the proper nutrition that it needs to function properly each day over the 3 day period.

Why Refresh?

• You need a break from a period of unhealthy eating.
• You used to eat pretty well but have recently fallen off the wagon and need some help getting back on.
• You want to jump start healthy eating habits for a new workout program.
• You want to quickly lose a few pounds for an upcoming event.
• You've never been a healthy eater, but are ready to kick start better nutrition for the first time.
• You want your clothes to fit better.
• You want more energy.
• You love food and want to be satisfied while you lose weight and get healthier
• You've tried liquid fasts or other fad diets and they simply don't work.

What does a day look like while refreshing?

• Water, lots of water!  In addition to the water you drink in your shakes and teas, we recommend you drink at least half your body weight in ounces of filtered water each day.
• Breakfast:  Shakeology, plus one fruit option
• Morning Tea (optional):  1 cup of unsweetened herbal or green tea
• Late Morning:  Fiber Sweep, a digestive health drink
• Lunch: Vanilla Fresh shake, plus 1 option from the fruit list, 1 option from the vegetable list, and 1 option from the healthy fats list
• Afternoon snack: 1 option from the vegetable list, and 1 option from the healthy fats list
• Afternoon tea (optional): 1 cup of unsweetened herbal tea (caffeine free)
• Dinner:  Vanilla fresh shake, 1 option from the dinner recipes, and 1 cup of organic vegetable broth (optional)
• Evening tea (opitonal):  1 cup of unsweetened herbal tea (caffeine free)

Dinner: Stir Fry Veggies & Vanilla Refresh 

What can you expect when refreshing?  Its about 900 calories per day but because the shakes and food selections are high in protein and fiber they  help keep you satiated throughout the day.  If you get a little gas or bloating that is a sign that you need to up your fiber level in general.  Fiber promotes satiety, balances blood sugar, promotes cardiovascular health, and keeps your digestive tract functioning.  Mild to moderate exercise during the 3 day refresh because the program will be more effective if it can focus on cleansing.

If you would like more information on the 3 day refresh please contact me or check out the site for details.

Renee Smith

Independent Diamond BeachBody Coach

STRUGGLE=GROWTH, COMFORTABLE=AVERAGE

Happy Sunday!  Today is a sincere time for reflection.  I hope that my powerful message 

today will inspire you to DREAM BIG and CREATE a vision for your life. 

You have the choice to either believe or not, but the only person you have to blame for your success or failure is yourself.  The topic of my personal development is discipline.  One of the

things I have been studying is visualization.  Visualize your goals before you achieve them.  

You want to act as if you have already achieved it every day of your life.  

When I started my business a year ago my only goals for myself were to help 1 person 

transform their lives and start an eating clean book club.  I had absolutely no idea what this Beachbody opportunity was that I had signed up for.  I could see other coaches rising to the 

top on our weekly team calls and I started to envision my name on those leader boards.  I 

wanted to be 2 star diamond.  As other coaches advanced in rank I could feel myself wanting 

it just as much!  I started to seek out leadership and assistance in how to grow my business.  

I surrounded myself with others that were successful.  I asked lots of questions, I sacrificed 

my favorite TV shows and afternoon naps for personal development books, blog building and 

social media trainings.  I not only transformed my own body but I developed a sense of 

confidence and accomplishment that no one could take away from me.  I created a vision 

board for the next 12 months and put dates on those goals.  I started to make them come true 

when I started making public statements about what I was going to achieve.  I made it public 

last fall when I said that I was going to qualify for the success club trip.  Which I did!!  There 

was something to me telling others that I was going to make it happen that forced me to step 

out of my comfort zone and actually make true on what I said!  I advanced in rank to Diamond 

and I'm quickly approaching 1 star diamond! 

I will be completely honest there are goals on my dream board that I have not accomplished.  

Quite a few actually.  But one thing that I have learned along the way is that I will not be 

defined by the failures that I have.  Just because I didn't achieve 2 star by summit and qualify 

for leadership doesn't mean that I am just going to throw my hands up and quit.  Because 

where would that get me?  No where?  I would be in the exact same place that I am right now 

but with less inspiration and income.  My long term vision for my business is to be 15 Star 

Diamond, to be debt free, and to HELP OTHER PEOPLE SUCCEED!  When I started it was 

to help people lose weight and gain that confidence in themselves that I was able to feel.  But 

now it is not only helping people lose weight but helping my coaches be successful as well!  I honestly feel no greater joy than seeing my coaches reach success and feel amazing about 

what they are doing!  I want to share my passion and excitement for my DREAM job!  I hope 

to inspire those around me to be more positive, encouraging and caring!  When you can 

create that long term vision for your life it keeps you from being frustrated by short term 

failures.  For example, when I didn't reach my 2 star diamond goal by the date I wanted to 

there were absolutely a few moments where I sulked and felt sorry for myself.  Then, I 

reached out to my mentor, gave myself a quick swift kick in the rear and kept on going!  I am 

exactly where I should be in my business right now.  The only person I have to blame for my success/failure is myself! 

I BELIEVE IN MYSELF!  I believe in the fact that I will achieve what I want in life!  I have proven to those around me that I am consistent, motivated, disciplined and excited 

about my life's work!  I promise that wherever I am going it will not be boring!!!

STRUGGLE=GROWTH

COMFORTABLE=AVERAGE

I am excited to say that I finally reached my personal goal for myself to earn a specific dollar 

amount in one week!  Today is a day of gratitude and thanks because I could not have done it without the team of coaches above and below me.  I am a part of a family that is willing to 

accept me for my strengths and weaknesses and is willing to help me face my weaknesses 

and grow my business and my own personal self!!! 

My motto in life 24/7------------->WHATEVER IT TAKES!!!!

Renee Smith

Independent Diamond BeachBody Coach

Eating Clean On a Budget

Grocery Shopping on a budget.

When I first started my journey in the world of clean eating I had absolutely none of the basics that you need to have in your pantry.  So I had to start from scratch.  I used to be very good at planning out my meals and grocery shopping in a specific way so that I would be cost efficient and still stay on track.  Lets face it, junk food these days is just as expensive as healthy food.  The key is to plan out your strategy. 

Believe me when I say, there are plenty of broke college students, and struggling fitness models and competitors who  are still able to eat well despite the odds! It just takes a little extra planning and perhaps some saving.. but making it a priority in your budget will help. If your health isn’t a priority in your life.. it should be! You DESERVE to be healthy! =)

• Stop eating out! Start making all of your own food at home and you will save considerably!  You cannot be certain what your food is prepared with so it's best if you are down to those last few lbs to just play it safe and cook at home!
• Make a grocery list and stick to it! Don’t buy things you don’t really need.  Every Sunday I sit down with my word document, grocery list and favorite blogs and create my meal plan for the week.  If it isn't on the list, it doesn't go in the cart.

 

• Do NOT go to the market hungry.. you will wind up buying things on impulse, not because you truly need them!
• Some products are smart to buy in bulk at places like Costco or Sam’s Club, because they can be frozen or stored for long periods of time and will not perish. They may also be cheaper at these stores.  Things I buy in bulk are chicken, ground turkey and salmon filets in which I cut into correct portion sizes and freeze. I also get my berries, and Greek yogurt there.
• If you think you won’t be able to get through all of something like fruit, veggies or lean meats, buy them frozen.. (or if the meat is not previously frozen, you can freeze the fresh stuff and it will keep for quite some time).
• Replace 1 meal a day with Shakeology.  The healthiest meal of the day and at $4 a serving it beats any fast food meal or latte you can buy!  Plus it has the nutritional value of eating 5 salads in one meal!  It will increase your energy, decrease cravings, help you lose weight and give you the nutrition you need in one glass.  It's portable, convenient and absolutely tastes amazing!!!
• Always purchase produce in season. When you start buying off-season produce, the price is MUCH higher.
• Buy generic, not name brands. You might have to double check the labels though to be sure they are of the same quality.  Warning:  Read the labels at Aldi's especially!  I have gone their for some shopping only to realize that their low fat yogurt has high fructose corn syrup!!  So check labels, they sell it cheap for a reason!!
• Clip coupons and take advantage of sales. If something you eat frequently is on sale, buy more of it. Although the time it takes to clip the coupons and the immediate cost will be higher, in the long run you will save more!  Also, get your weekly circulars and check out what items are on sale at what stores.  It may save you more money to shop at multiple stores in order to get the best deals.  So some weeks I go to Sams, Wal-Mart and Brookshires just to get everything on my grocery list!  But I have saved myself some money!!!
• Sign up for newsletters about sales and deals at the stores you frequently shop at (including online and supplement stores).  
• Sign up for the food on the table app!  It allows you to put in your zip code and it tells you what products on on sale at stores near you! 

Other Great tips:

Crock pots are a working girls best friend. Put the food in before you leave for work and when you get home dinner is ready. It’s also good for less expensive cuts of meat to slow cook.

The cheapest breakfast is eggs and plain oatmeal. The bonus is it’s good for you too. Oatmeal can cook in the microwave in seconds. Boil up some eggs while you are cooking dinner and put them in frig for the next morning to save time. Studies show a lean protein and carb combo breakfast is good brain food. Start your day off right.

Be aware of the correct portion size of meat. It should be about the size of the palm of your hand. A boneless skinless chicken thigh is a proper portion instead of the huge chicken breast that we eat. I save money by cutting a chicken breast in half. I’ve found chicken for $5 for a four-pack of boneless skinless breast. By cutting them in half it doubles my meat and saves on the calories.

Low cost lean proteins- You don’t have to eat meat with every meal. Start having Meatless Mondays that include beans as the main protein with lots of veggies. Eggs are another source of good quality protein that are low in cost. Recipes abound on the internet. Remember egg whites are more figure friendly.

There are plenty of ways to eat healthy on a low budget. Like I said before, you just have to make your health a priority!

“What you feed your body can either be the BEST medicine or the SLOWEST form of POISON”

Feed your body right so it can function properly and perform well for you! It’s the only body you’ve got so treat it with respect!!!

Renee Smith

Independent Diamond BeachBody Coach

Zucchini Chips

It is prime zucchini season!  So instead of letting them go to waste I decided to make a wonderful snack for my family that isn't too sinful!  I paired it with a little low sodium marinara sauce and the feedback was delicious!!!

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup Homemade Breadcrumbs ( I used Ezekiel Bread)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• heaping 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup cold milk (I used almond milk)
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 1/2 cups sliced zucchini (about 2 small zucchinis)

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl combine breadcrumbs, cheese (if using) and black pepper.
3. In separate bowl add flour, milk and vinegar.  Gently stir until combined but do not over stir.
4. Dip zucchini slices in flour mixture and then dredge in breadcrumb mixture.
5. Place coated zucchini slices on a baking sheet (I line mine with non stick foil for easy clean up!) and bake for 30 minutes, flipping the slices over once halfway through cooking, or until browned and crisp.

Nutritional Info:
Makes 2 servings.
Nutrients per serving:  Calories: 224.5, Cal. from Fat: 33.5, Total Fat: 3.5g, Sat. Fat: 0g, Carbs: 41.5g, Fiber: 6.5g, Sugars: 12g, Protein: 9g, Sodium: 459mg, Chol: 0mg

Notes:
These chips are best eaten right out of the oven.  They don’t save well.

 

Renee Smith

Independent Diamond BeachBody Coach

Clean Eating Parmesan Chicken

 

This simple chicken recipe takes little preparation time and is totally satisfying to eat.  I really honestly enjoyed this dinner more than balsamic chicken and that is one of my absolute favorites!  I want to thank one of my challengers Nicole for introducing me to this dinner!  I usually serve it with steamed veggies like green beans or broccoli!!
 

Ingredients

• 2 pounds chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
• 1/4 cup gluten free bread crumbs or whole wheat panko crumbs (not gluten free)
• 2 tbsp fresh grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 egg whites
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1/8 tsp lemon pepper
• 1/8 tsp oregano

 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees f.
2. Break open eggs into a shallow dish and scramble well.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, combine bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, sea salt, black pepper, lemon pepper and oregano.
4. Dip each side of chicken breast into the egg and then into bread crumb mixture.
5. Place in a large baking dish.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.

Renee Smith

Independent Diamond BeachBody Coach

 

3 Reasons Why Challenge Groups Work

 

Most people would love to be fit and healthy.  No one sits around thinking, "I just love being out of shape!".  The problem is, there's no magic pill we can take or special button we can just push to achieve our fitness goals.  It takes discipline and hard work. Easier said than done right?  There are some people that can go to the gym, workout and eat great without anyone pushing them or motivating them (or go for a run or other type of exercise). For those of us that need a little extra push, I highly recommend joining a Beachbody Challenge group.  Here are 3 reasons why:
 
1. You're not alone:  Joining a challenge group gives you the opportunity to have a support group of others that have similar goals as you. This is motivating for most people as you have support and encouragement from peers.  It becomes difficult to "skip" a workout when you see everyone else in the group getting their workout in. Also, you can have a little friendly competition with others in the group and the progress of everyone becomes contagious. 
 
2. You have a plan: Since every Beachbody program has a schedule, joining a challenge group with a Challenge Pack gives you a daily plan.  Most people fail when it comes to fitness because they don't have a concrete plan.  Not having a plan can be frustrating due to lack of results.  By putting an actual game plan together, along with the support of others will yield positive results. I have seen it time and time again.  Tip: Don't stop the plan after the challenge is over.  Continue on and maintain your results! Make it a lifestyle!
 
3. You're eating right: Another key reason why people don't reach their fitness goals is their diet.  We can spend hours in the gym, and ruin it 15 minutes later with poor meal choices.  The beauty of a challenge group is that is combines fitness, support AND nutrition since Shakelogy is part of the process.  Drinking Shakeology gives us a healthy meal full of nutrients that go hand in hand with a great workout.  Again, you will need to make healhy meal choices in addition to Shakeology, but it is the staple to a nutritious lifestyle. 
 
In conclusion, I have seen challenge groups work over and over again.  It has all of the components necessary for success in fitness: Support/motivation, a workout plan, and proper nutrition.  Please shoot me an email if you are interested in joining my next challenge group so you can be next on the list to share your success story!
 
For daily tips, motivation and to find out when my challenge groups are, please like my Facebook page here: Better Body Texas

Blessings,

Renee Smith

Independent Diamond BeachBody Coach

4th of July Accountability Check and TIPS

There is nothing like starting of your 4th of July with a great sweat inducing workout and a Chocolate Shakeology Milkshake!  I'm absolutely soaking this one up!  I was up at 8 am this morning to squeeze in my workout before my family wakes up! Dripping sweat by the end of the workout but loving it!  After my workout I felt that I earned that big 4th of July Shakeology Milkshake and then start my day.

Today is a holiday and of course there will be snacks, cake, cookies, hot dogs and hamburgers.  Your typical barbeque foods.  So I always like to plan out my strategy ahead of time.  Since I felt the need to indulge in some desserts earlier this week I have chosen to keep today clean.  So I am having grilled chicken and some veggies to munch on for the rest of the day.  1 glass of water for every alcoholic drink that I consume and I usually choose drinks that are lower in calories.  I typically stay away from pre-mixed margarita's or beer.  Margarita mix has the dreaded high fructose corn syrup that is the WORST for your body!

Your best drink options are:

Soda water/vodka (boring but add a squeeze of lemon, lime or oranges to the mix and give it some flavor) 

Rum & Diet Coke
Serving size: 6 oz..Calories: 65
Ingredients: 1 oz.. rum, 5 oz.. Diet Coke 
This may seem too good to be true, and to some degree, it is. Even the stingiest bartender will probably give you more than one fluid oz.. of alcohol, since just one shot is 1.5 oz... But if you feel like taking it easy and enjoying the springtime weather without going in too hard, this mix should work for you.  As much as I DO NOT endorse diet soda's this is a better option than most!  

Anheuser Busch, Natural Light
Serving size: 12 oz..
Calories: 95 
We bet you had no idea that all the time you spent practicing your Beirut technique, you were actually being health-conscious—good for you! One 12 oz.. serving of Natty Light contains just 95 calories, while the same serving of Bud Light contains 112 calories. The difference is pretty negligible so feel free to go for whichever beer you like more.   

Gin & Diet Tonic
Serving size: 7.5 oz..
Calories: 115 calories
Ingredients: 1.5 oz.. gin, 6 oz.. Diet Tonic 
Like any beverage containing extra sugars, this simple and straightforward drink can be brought down a notch by picking a diet option, rather than the standard one. Gin and tonics have a slightly bitter taste, but it’s nothing a wedge of lime can’t cure.

Cosmopolitan
Serving size: 3 oz..
Calories: 150
Ingredients: 1.5 oz.. vodka, ½ oz.. triple sec, ½ oz.. lime juice, ½ oz.. cranberry juice
Cosmos are excellent low-calorie cocktail options. While they vary in size and alcohol content (a 4 oz.. Cosmo might go up to 200 calories, while another with 5 fluid oz.. could go up to 320), these drinks generally stay in the range of drinks that aren’t too bad for you. (And might even make you look pretty classy.)

Mojito
Serving size: 6 oz..
Content: 160 calories
Ingredients: 2.5 oz.. light rum, club soda, 1 tsp. limejuice, 2 tsp. sugar, fresh mint sprigs

 

Also for a special 4th of July treat I found some amazing recipes that are clean and full of flavor for you to try!  You have to check it out!!!

 

Tequilla Spiked Marinade

Pair this marinade with anything from steak to fish to chicken to veggies. It's incredibly versatile and full of fresh summer flavor. We used our marinade on a couple of skirt steaks we bought for $10 - it fed 4 comfortably. The rest of the ingredients ran us $8 as we had olive oil, salt and pepper on hand!

Ingredients

1 cup of chopped cilantro
1/4 cup white tequila
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 - 4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

 

Directions
Combine all your ingredients together in a large bowl. Add in your meat and cover. Marinate for at least 4 hours, up to overnight.

Clean Eating Corn Salad
(Makes 14 servings)  Salad Ingredients
2 lbs. sweet corn
1 red bell pepper
1 package cherry or other small tomatoes
1/2 red onion
1 package edamame beans (shelled)
1 package tofu

Dressing Ingredients
4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. salt
4 tsp. garlic powder
4 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 small bunch fresh basil (about 1-2 cups depending on your tastes)
Directions



Step 1 – Start your corn on the stove, and gather all your ingredients.
Step 2 – Chop everything except the edamame beans and tomatoes (and corn, obviously) into bite size pieces. The smaller you chop the pieces, the better texture your salad will have.
Step 4 – When the corn is done cooking, add that and all the veggies (do not add the basil) to a large mixing bowl. Toss well.



Step 5 – Make your dressing by adding all dressing ingredients to a bowl and mixing well.
It’s best to add the dressing once you have served the salad. If you add the dressing to the entire salad, the leftovers won’t keep as long in the fridge. That said, eat up. Corn can sour quickly in the fridge.
If you are a meat eater, add some baked chicken to this salad for protein.
Eat and Enjoy!

Nutritional Content
1 serving = 1 cup
Calories: 146
Total Fat: 6 gm
Saturated Fats: 1 gm
Trans Fats: 0 gm
Cholesterol: 0 gm
Sodium: 177 mg
Carbohydrates: 20 gm
Dietary fiber: 3 gm
Sugars: 6 gm
Protein: 6 gm
Estimated Glycemic Load: 8
Nutritional Information estimated at Nutritiondata.com. Data may not be accurate.

 (from the gracious pantry site)

 

So I hope you all have a festive 4th of July and keep it clean and lean!!!  

 

Remember that your entire efforts can be lost in one day of poor choices!  It's your life so you choose your destiny!

 

 

Renee Smith

Independent Diamond BeachBody Coach