Busy Babe's Guide to Meal Prep

Let me guess.

You're two weeks into the new year and you are already starting to see your nutrition.

You had SUCH GOOD INTENTIONS to making this year your healthiest year yet. Losing those last 5-10 lbs. Feeling energized, amazing -- you were gonna SLAYYYYYYYYYY 2017.

But then life happened. And you got busy. And it's cold. And pizza.... I get it. I really do. I was right there with you.

But this year has been different.

For the first time in my adult life, I have come into the new year HAPPY, HEALTHY and so freaking energized. I'm rocking out my goals and feeling like a whole new woman -- and you wanna know why?

MEAL PREP.  

I know, I know, this may seem RIDICULOUS. That such a little thing could cause such a major shift. I thought it was ridiculous too! (probably why I didn't actually implement it for so long), but holy shitake mushrooms it has been the number one game changer for my health. 

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So here are my top 10 meal prep tips for Busy babes just like you...

1. Have a PLAN

Make a list of your favorite healthy foods, choose simple (and delicious -- duhh) recipes that can be made quickly [Need some ideas? Click here to grab your Free Recipe E-book] and decide what you'll eat for every snack and meal. 

2. Stick to your Grocery List

"Fail to plan, fail to succeed" -- that's my motto when it comes to food shopping. I go into the grocery store with a PLAN. No throwing in those Reese's cups or your favorite chips into the cart -- if you don't have it in the house means you are setting yourself up for success! (PSA: if there is chocolate in the house I WILL EAT IT. haha My hubby knows.) So stick to your list. And hopefully, if you're following a meal plan that promotes balance, your list will have some treats here and there anyways ;)

3. Keep snacks simple

When you're gearing up to make food for the week, it's best to keep snacks simple. Save time by choosing snacks that don't require a lot of time to put together -- my go tos? Fresh fruit with some peanut butter, hard boiled eggs, Shakeology and carrots and hummus! All DELICIOUS!

4. Look for shortcuts

Pre-chopped veggies & fruit (or just fruits that don't need chopping! I love me some apples and bananas), cooked lentils/garbanzo beans are a great complex carb to add to a meal and come ready to rock and tuna packets (in water) are a personal favorite of mine for a quick and easy protein option to throw on a salad or mix in with some avocado :) 

5. Cook everything all at once!

I spend about an hour a week on meal prep and you know how? Because I do it all at once! Roasting veggies, sweet potatoes and even chicken breasts can happen all at the same time -- which not only saves you time but also cuts down your utility bill ;) You know I've got your back.

6. Batch it out!

And better yet? Make big ol' batches of everything so you have plenty of healthy options on hand. Make a large batch of quinoa or brown rice (or whatever whole grain you loooove!) and bake a bunch of chicken breasts/lean meat/ground turkey at once, chop them up and keep them in the fridge for salads and dinners.

7. Pack your meals

Schedule time in your evening to pack your lunch and all of the meals you need for the next day! That way you aren't feeling rushed in the morning // inclined to just "go out to eat since it's easier"

8. Mix it up

I was so worried when I started meal prepping that it would mean eating the same, boring thing every day -- but it doesn't have to be like that! Give yourself OPTIONS throughout the week so that you can mix it up when you're feeling like it! I recommend having at least 2 lunch and dinner options. Start small and make simple changes (like swapping out your protein for dinner!) and once you get the hang of it, you can get more creative in the kitchen.

9. Crockpot that shit

If there's one kitchen appliance I cannot recommend enough, it's my crockpot. It is a lifesaver for busy babes like me and is GREAT for leftovers :) Here's one of my fave recipes from my girl Laura!

10. Remember WHY this is important to you

All of this meal prep -- it's not to make your life HARDER, it's to help you reach your health and fitness goals. To be less tempted to stop for fast food or order takeout. To have MORE TIME to do the things you love with the people that matter to you than spending your evenings cooking away. If you get clear on WHY healthy living is something that is important to you -- on how you WANT to feel, you will be more inclined to keep this meal prep game up -- and give you even more time to Push play and rock your workout ;)

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What's YOUR why? Your biggest struggle when it comes to meal prep? I'd love to hear/guide you in the right direction! Share in the comments below or Contact me :) I'm always here for you!

Xo Amanda

p.s. Click the button below for some quick and delicious recipes that I put together just for you! 

How to make your Resolutions STICK this year.

Do you feel like you're constantly putting the same resolution on paper, year after year after year? Or you get SO EXCITED about your resolution to finally lose those pesky 10 lbs, travel more or and come February, have gotten so consumed with your day to day life that you've all but forgotten about it?

I was that gal. Hell, I was WORSE. I would make a bucket list of 50 things I wanted to do that year, would find it 6 months later and feel like a total and complete fuck up because I hadn't done any of it.

But this past year, my entire mindset on new years resolutions and goal setting has completely shifted. Instead of writing a bazillion things down that my Ego told me I should be doing/wanting to do, I have found a system that makes me FEEL GOOD and for once, actually FOLLOW THROUGH. Let's make 2017 AMAZEBALLS, ok?

My Top 3 Tips for Rocking those Resolutions

1. Focus on how you want to FEEL

Take a look at your bucket list -- or any previous resolutions you may have made in the past or are planning to rock out in 2017 -- are they actually things that light you up? Or are you putting join a gym and lose 15 lbs because that's what everyone and their mother writes down for their resolutions...

If you are doing that, know that it's TOTALLY NORMAL. I did that for years and of course, I never actually followed through with my resolutions. And I now realize that it's because they weren't things that actually made me EXCITED. 

So how do we choose resolutions that are actually in line with how we want to feel? I've come up with 5 questions that I ask myself every year that help me figure out how I want to FEEL -- and then base my resolutions on those answers!

• Other than time or money, what I want more of is...
• My joy comes from...
• I crave...
• When I'm feeling free and strong, I tend to...
• I need to give myself more permission to be...

Dig deep. Be honest with yourself. You'll be surprised at what comes out. And based on your answers, think about how you want to feel in the various areas of your life. For example: for my lifestyle/work life I want to feel FREE, for my body/wellness I want to feel STRONG, for my creativity/learning I want to feel VIBRANT, for my relationships I want to feel CONNECTED and for my inner work/spirituality I want to feel GROUNDED. 

+Read more about how to make intentions vs. goals here

+ Wanna really dig deep? Check out The Desire Map by Danielle Laporte. It was a game changer for me!

2. Create a Visual

Once you've figured out resolutions that are in line with how you want to feel, your next step is to create a vision board.

I know, I know, this may seem super hokey -- trust me, I bashed it for years -- but I actually did one this year and you know what? I ended the year having achieved almost every single thing on there. Visuals are KEY to success. So often we write something down on a piece of paper or our journal, never to be found again. Writing it down and putting it somewhere you can see every dang day is going to bring you SO MUCH CLOSER to achieving it because it's always in the forefront of your brain. (And finding pictures is just so fun and bright sooo vision boards are the best)

Not a crafty queen and love the shit out of Pinterest? 

Make a board on there and set a reminder in your phone to come back to it every week! 

3. Find a Support Squad

This. This has been the key for me.

On my search to find a way to live my dream life, I found a girl on Instagram that shared her story about how she got out of her funk, was able to build a healthy relationship with food and was able to in the span of a year, quit her full time job and work for herself on her own terms. I joined one of her virtual health & wellness bootcamps (you know, to fulfill those fitness resolutions I could never stick to) and realized I was missing out on the magic the support of these other amazing women (just like me!) provided. I instantly fell in love with the atmosphere and knew I wanted to duplicate this sense of community, which is why I host monthly Bootcamps as well. 

Over the past year, the women in these groups have become more to me than just fitness pals. They've become my tribe. My endless support squad. My cheerleaders on good days and bad. They're women who immediately get me. Who are going through the same things as me. And having an intimate support system and accountability group like this has been the missing link I needed all along.

A lot of people, when I share what I'm doing, don't get how it's possible to form such strong bonds with women who I've never met. Women who live all around North American -- scattered in places like Illinois, Florida, Colorado, Washington and Canada to name a few. But when you spend a month, 3 months, a year working on finding your best self alongside a group of women like these, you can't help but form a bond unlike anything else. And man oh man does the motivation never end. 

I wouldn't be where I am today if it weren't for these groups. I've lost 15 lbs and actually been able to maintain it BEYOND January of last year (which is a first for me). I've formed a healthy relationship with food for the first time in years and I can honestly say that all of the things I used to deal with every single day -- the self bashing while staring at my body in the mirror, my debilitating anxiety, feeling just BLAH and unconfident -- all those things have disappeared and I've found the confident, radiant and energized version of myself that I never want to let go of. Because she freaking kicks ass.

So there you have it.

My 3 best tips for rocking those resolutions aka having the most kickass 2017 of all time. 

Quit settling for the status quo. Stop allowing yourself to go on automatic pilot all over again in a months time. Decide that from this moment forward, you will actively go after a life that makes you literally excited to jump out of the bed. 

Commit to a year of YOU. (And if you're worried about that making you selfish, giiiiirl, read this.) And I guarantee, you will end 2017 feeling on FIRE. 

Ok my lady, I wanna know what YOUR goals are for 2017! Let's hold each other accountable ;)

Share them in the comments below or message me -- I love love love getting emails hearing all about your life!

Happy New Year, my loves.

Xo Amanda

How To Change Your Life In One Exercise

My Friends!

I am super excited to switch things up a little bit this week on the bloggity-blog.

So instead of hearing MY thoughts and words, I'd like to introduce you to a friend of mine: Courtney Rioux, a clarity coach for actors who feel stuck and want more out of life (and an actor as well!) 

She has such an infectious spirit and I cannot wait for you to dive into this exercise today -- I'll be doing it right alongside of you!

So set a timer for 10 minutes on your phone, grab a piece of paper and let's do this thang! 

How to Change Your Life in One Exercise

by Courtney Rioux

If you catch yourself avoiding something that you want to do, it’s because you’re associating more pain with the action than pleasure. But guess what? There is way to crush these mental blocks and fears – the very ones that are preventing you from creating the life you want!

Today I’d like to share an exercise that will get rid of your bad habits and create some new, empowering habits in their place. This is important because your habits are what created the life you have right now!

Do You Choose Pain or Pleasure?

When we’re in the habit of putting things off or associating pain with things that must get done, you actually have to trick your brain into changing its focus so that you want to do it.

Here’s what I mean...

Think of something that you want to do but you’re not doing because it feels hard. Maybe it’s cleaning the kitchen, or pressing play on your workout DVD.

Maybe it’s submitting to an agency or writing that book or meditating or eating clean. Whatever it is, let’s change your frame of reference on that thing right now.

Take out a piece of paper. On the top of the paper, write down whatever it is that you’re avoiding.

Draw a line down the middle both ways, so that you have four squares.

In the upper left hand corner, write, “Why I want to do this.” In the upper right hand corner, “Why I don’t want to do this.” In the lower left hand corner, write, “Why I’m scared to do this.” And in the lower right hand corner write, “Why I’m scared I’ll never do this.”

And then fill in the answers! Don’t judge them, don’t edit them; just write them down and some things will pop up for you that may be surprising.

You’ll see, “Oh, I get it! I’m afraid to do this because I’m afraid of what other people will think of me. Okay. So what if I didn’t care what other people thought?”

After you do this, you’ll have a lot of insight into how you’re thinking about these seemingly impossible tasks.

Take a moment to reflect. Focus on the two squares that read, “Why I don’t want to do this” and “Why I’m scared to do this.” Maybe you have answers like, “It will take too long,” or “It will be hard,” or “It seems impossible.”

Reflect on those. Are those things really true? Is it really hard to sweep the floors? Is it really impossible to fill out your tax forms?

Why are those two things not true?

Next, focus on the other two squares. And think, “Okay, I’m really going to remember that I love to clean the floors because it makes me feel organized and empowered and it makes me actually do all the other things I want to do.”

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Take This into the Real World

I’ll give you a real-life example from one of my clients. I was working with someone who woke up in excruciating pain every morning. She could barely get out of bed because she was in so much pain and she would miss work because of it.

She found out that if she quit eating sugar she wouldn’t have any pain. She felt 30 years younger, she had energy and vitality and could finally live her life fully!

But then she started to associate sugar with fun. Now, if you associate sugar with fun instead of pain, what do you think you’re going to want to do? Yeah, you’re going to want to eat it! Why would you ever want a life with fun cut out of it?

I took her through this exercise and it completely reframed her perception of sugar. She was able to completely cut it out of her life – and you know what? Not being in pain is a lot more fun than eating sugar!

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Now it’s your turn. Leave a comment below with the homework that you did.

What was the thing that you were avoiding, and what did you gain from working on it?

Wanna connect with Courtney?

You can find her at The Whole Artist, or on Instagram (@courtneyrioux) or Facebook (@thewholeartist)

5 Ways to Make the Holidays Feel Special when you're Adult-ing.

I will be the first to admit...I LOVE CHRISTMAS.

It is far and above my favorite time of year. The twinkly lights. The hot chocolate. The giving spirit that is all around. The family time. And TRADITIONS.

I am a sucker for traditions. And growing up, we had soo many traditions. And each and every single one of them would fill my heart with so much joy. Going to pick out the tree with my Dad. Listening to the Ella Fitzgerald Christmas cd while we decorated the tree. Baking shortbread cookies with my mom. The new matching pjs on Christmas eve. Pancakes for breakfast Christmas morning. Dinner with the whole family on Christmas. Boxing Day shopping (yeahhhh Canada) ... it was the BEST.

And after graduating college, I found those traditions slowly slipping away. I'm from Toronto and while Chicago isn't a bajillion hours away, it's far enough away that going home for a weekend isn't super easy to do. A couple of years ago, I couldn't even make it home for Christmas because I was in a show that ran right through the holidays. And last year, I spent Christmas at my in-laws. So it's safe to say that the traditions I grew up knowing largely went out the window. 

At first, I was heartbroken. And honestly, it's only been the past year or so of my life (since I started regularly doing personal development) that I shifted my perspective and found JOY in the holiday again. Because, as I've learned, when you choose to place your energy and thoughts on the positive things of life -- when you CREATE the kind of experience you so crave -- you can have what you feel like you're missing on your own terms! :) 

So, here are my top 5 ways to make the Holidays feel special:

1. Make new traditions

When I wasn't able to make it home for Christmas a couple of years back, I moped around for weeks. I was sad. No cookie making, christmas tree decorating, pj opening christmas. 

SO instead, I decided to make the most of it and since it was the first Christmas that Kev and I were spending together as a family, we decided that a great way to make it exciting was to make NEW traditions! And that's when our ornament tradition began.

Every year, we find an ornament to add to our collection. The ornament we pick represents the year we had together -- last year, we got a "Our First Home" ornament since we had just bought our place! This year, I'm sure it will have to be a dog ornament of some kind ;) 

So find something new and exciting and build it into your Holiday traditions! :)

2. Have a Christmas Movie Marathon

This one is KEY for me to feel like it's Christmas. So grab a girlfriend or your hubby and park yourselves on the couch, turn the sparkly lights on, grab some homemade hot cocoa and have a snuggly night in.

My personal faves? The Santa Clause, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, White Christmas and Love Actually :)

3. Celebrate the Holiday Locally

There are TONS of festive celebrations that happen all over and I'm sure there are some super fun ones in your city/town! 

Chicago is filled with fun little things but our all time favorite thing to do is go to the Christkindlemarket -- there's a giant tree that's all lit up and booths with Christmas treats, ornaments, gifts and all the gluvine (aka mulled wine -- DELICIOUS) you could want! It's a really cute thing to do and we have so much fun going every year. 

4. Get your Bake on!

Something about baking really gets me in the Christmas mood :)

So blast that Christmas pandora station and bake some guilt free cookies -- recipe for the cookies pictured above HERE. Also loving these 21 Day Fix-Approved Holiday Treats! 

5. Surround yourself with people you LOVE

When it comes down to it, the holidays are really a time to spend with those you love most in the world. So make TIME for the people that matter to you. Because that's what the holidays are all about, right? 

So spend this month sharing the love.

Make girlfriend dates. Call your Mom. Send homemade cards to your faraway friends. 

If that doesn't put you in the holiday spirit, I don't know what will ;) 

What are YOUR favorite traditions? I would love to hear! Share in the comments below!

A Love Letter to You

This has been a tough week. For everyone.

Blue. Red. Somewhere in between. Wherever your political stance lies, I think the bigger picture is that it appears that we live in a divided world. 

And I'm sure you have spent your time feeling a myriad of emotions. I know I have. And most have you have probably gone about your day like always because...well...you're not quite sure what else to do.

And you know I'm alllll about feeling the feels. So please, DO THAT. Cry if you need to. But once you have, make a decision to focus on what you CAN do.

Instead of spreading MORE hate, spread LOVE.

Instead of lashing out at a family member that doesn't share your views, remember that they too are human and are doing the best they can under their given circumstances.

When we focus on the troubles of the world, we shape and condition our inner world, but the opposite is also true. If we focus on our LIGHT, it has the power to transform the world around us. This is a practice. One that is easier to do when we work together with other light beings. When we share our own light, it is amplified and supports others in shifting their focus towards their essence, revealing the majesty of their numinous presence. This is how we can transform our outer world. 

So I want to encourage you to be a LIGHT. For yourself. For others. Because goodness knows, we need it now more than ever.

Below I have listed some of favorite practices for transforming the darkness and returning to the light. We have the ability to move mountains. To shine bright. Let's do it TOGETHER. Ok, beautiful?

Xo Amanda

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Some Suggested Practices for Harnessing the Light Inside of You: 

Get Moving

Go outside. Take a breath of fresh air. Walk. Run. Kick serious ass at your workout. Do some yoga. Just MOVE. And remind yourself that you are still HERE. 

Our Voice

What comes out of our mouths is what shapes the world we live in, and ourselves, really. When we practice focusing our conversations on the beauty, joy and abundance that surrounds us on this beautiful planet the world becomes more beautiful. The story of the future is the one that is coming out of our mouths today. 

Right Action

What if we focused on bringing beauty to all we say, do and see in the world? A good place to start is to list all the ways we ARE beautiful and filled with light. Focus your energy THERE.  

Stop Listening to the News

I know this is hard. I used to think I had to know everything about what’s going on in the world. But, if you need to know something, it will come to you. What is important is looking for you. When we focus on the mystery and wonder of the world it changes us and as we change the world around us changes. 

Look for the  Light in Everyone

I read this quote and it really spoke to me right now. Not sure the source, but I'll let it speak for itself...

"Even the people who we feel have committed unforgivable crimes were born into the light. By seeing them in their Divine essence we heal our own darkness and open the door for them to transform. That doesn’t mean we don’t stand up against injustice and untruth, that is part of being a light in dark times. What we look for shapes what we see."

Practice Gratitude

When we practice giving thanks our whole world transforms. Keep a gratitude journal and practice recognizing and verbally acknowledging the people and things that bring joy into your life. 

*I learned a new practice to get to sleep recently: Go through the alphabet and think of something that you are grateful for that starts with each letter. I have yet to get through the alphabet and have been waking up more positive and refreshed. 

Set Your Intention

Everything starts with a clear intention. What kind of life do you want to be living? Use anything that seems in opposition to your intent as a doorway to locating and transforming the actions that are contrary to your intention. Intention can move mountains. Be willing to go into the dark to find your light. 

Read and Reflect on Personal Development

 It all started with my interest in finding quotes, poems and writing that could inspire me to overcome my inner shit talker. And now? I can't go a day without it. It may seem "woo woo", but I promise you, if you dedicate 10 minutes of your day to personal development, you will grow and SHINE.  

Take the time to Grieve when it’s Appropriate

It takes an enormous amount of energy to suppress our pain. To really step into our light we must have compassion for the pain of the world. Authentic grieving leads to appropriate action. It wakes us up to new possibilities and creative ways of bringing them into fruition.

What I wish I'd known...

This week marked the anniversary of my wedding day.

The entire day was a dream. Having my family and friends all in one space was seriously the fucking coolest. And sharing mine and Kev's love with everyone was so wonderful. We danced the night away, drank beer (we got married at a brewery in Chicago!) and had truly the best night of my life.

BUT, I wasn't happy.

YES I was ecstatic when it came to my love life. Kevan and I were in a wonderful place and so happy to be finally sharing a little piece of our lives with the people closest to us. I was on cloud nine to be around all of the people that I love most in this world.

But a year ago, I felt more lost than I ever had in my life. 

 

Let's rewind a little...

I graduated from college with a Bachelors degree in musical theatre. And while I LOVE acting and know it's something I'm supposed to do for the rest of my life, we were never really taught in school how to actually manage life in a practical sense (i.e. pay the bills, find work outside of acting, etc.)

So I did what all of my actor friends did. I found a job (well, multiple jobs really) just to get by. I worked at a call centre, I was a segway tour guide, I nanny-ed my butt off and I taught. All of that ON TOP of rehearsals in the evening for the various shows I was doing. At one point a year and a half ago, I was working six different jobs.

To say that I was burnt out is putting it lightly.

I had my wedding to look forward to and our mini moon to St Lucia but as soon as we got back to "reality", I came crashing down HARD.

 

You know that whole quarter life crisis thing? Well, let's just say I know allllll about it. I was a mess. I kept asking myself  "What am I doing with my life?" ... "Is this how it's going to be forever?"  ... and about a week after getting back to Chicago, I broke. 

I quit almost all of my jobs and spent a month soul searching. 

(I don't recommend this, by the way, but you know I will always tell it how it went down and well, that's what happened)

I was scared shitless. But I knew that I needed to take a strong hard look at what the hell I was doing with my life because I knew I was meant for so much more than the anxiety ridden, overwhelmed and exhausted version of myself that I had become. 

And I'm so glad I did. Because a year later, I'm in SUCH a different place. I've found I'm finally actually happy. I’ve found a career path outside of acting that actually LIGHTS ME UP. I’m calm. I’m happy. I wake up every morning and I’m so grateful for the world I’ve created for myself.

I feel FREE. And I get to spend my days working in little coffee shops like this, going for long walks with my dog and connecting with some of the most incredible women I've ever known.

How did I get here?

I asked myself three super simple (but crazy important) questions. And if my story has resonated with you at all, take a moment in your week and sit down and answer these questions too...Just write. Don't edit yourself. And you'll be surprised what you learn about yourself and what you really want.

Question 1: What makes you feel most ALIVE?

Question 2: Describe your perfect day, from the moment you get up in the morning to the minute you go to sleep.

Question 3: What do you VALUE most in life?

I know these may seem simple, but trust me when I say that if you take the time to sit down and get really clear with yourself on these answers, you will all of a sudden have a whole new world ahead of you. A potential world that is actually in line with what you need/want/crave. 

And though it may not be 100% feasible to just up and quit your life like I did, it IS possible to slowly start moving towards the quality of life you want.

You just have to decide you're worth it and take the leap.

So I guess all of this is to say that it's never too late to take a second chance on yourself. To live the life you crave. It's not going to be easy, and it's definitely going to be scary as all hell but from the gal who'se on the other side, I can promise you it's worth it.

(And if you wanna chat more about this with me, I'm always here for you. This is something I'm super passionate about. I'm an open book and happy to share, always.)

Xo Amanda
 

Tone It Up Girl turned Beachbody Coach

I've been wanting to share this for a while now. It's been on my heart but for some reason I have been holding off doing so -- but here's the thing. I always say that I'm going to be 100% HONEST with you guys and so not sharing this with you would be me not being true to myself so I say FUCK THE FEAR and here goes.

Hi, my name is Amanda Loy. I'm a Wifey, a dog mom, an actor, a Tone It Up Girl & a Beachbody Coach with #TeamInspireJoy , and THIS is my story. 

When I started my health & fitness journey in 2012, I had no idea it would lead me to where I am today. That it would be such a vital part of my day to day.

All I knew was that I was desperate for a change. Tired of feeling like who I was inside wasn't being reflected on the outside. Tired of looking in the mirror and not liking what I saw. Tired of going into store after store and just settling for clothes because "well at least they sort of fit" or  with the "well this covers up my tummy, so I'll wear it" mentality. Most of all, I was just tired of being tired. Tired of being the unhappy and uncomfortable version of me.

So, I started looking around for something -- anything -- that could help me.

And that's when I found Tone It Up on Youtube.

I was immediately attracted to Karena and Katrina's energy. They were silly and the rays of light that I needed and they reminded me so much of the version of me I hadn't seen in years. I wanted to be just like them. They had just started Tone It Up (yup, I was an Original TIU gal), and all I could think was -- if I could look just like them, I will be able to get my groove back.

I mean, have you seen them? They're freaking bombshells.

So that's how I got started. I started picking one of their workouts and doing it every single day. A month later, I purchased the nutrition plan, officially became a part of the community, and decided to go in full force.

And man oh man did I do that. I stuck to their workout programs and their meal plan to a tea. As in, I never ONCE "fell off the wagon".

For those of you unfamiliar with Tone It Up, their nutrition program focuses on eating mostly lean proteins and vegetables, with some fruit and healthy fats sprinkled in there. Carbohydrates were occasionally incorporated, but the serving size was usually pretty small and often it was optional. So for 6 months, I ate, as my husband likes to say, bunny food. And their daily workouts usually incorporate a cardio start to your day and then a toning workout in the afternoon -- so I started running every morning (for those of you who know me now know how much I hate running hahaha, but I thought I needed to be a runner to be fit!) and I would do their badass super fun toning workouts in the afternoon. 

And 6 months later, I had gone from 172 lbs to 145 lbs (this coming from a 5'10" girl).

WOOOHOOOO, right?! Well, my EGO said HELL YES. I was growing out my hair, abs that I never thought could possibly appear were starting to show up and I was finally going to get to be skinny, just like K&K! That was the goal, right? To lose the weight and be happy!! 

But here's the thing... I wasn't happy. 

Sure, I was skinny. (And now that I look back on it, I can honestly say that I was too skinny, although at the time I wouldn't admit it) And I was sooo excited to be a part of an amazing community of women (some of whom are some of my best friends now) and to have the bright energy of Karena and Katrina in my life. But I was so focused (read: obsessed) on BECOMING THEM that along the way, I lost myself. And I went so extreme in one path that I went from being slightly overweight and unhappy to underweight and unhealthy.

And the summer of 2013, everything that I thought I knew came crashing down around me and within two months, I had put back on all the weight that I'd lost and then some. I spent my days binge eating pints of ben & jerrys half baked, double stuffed oreos, jars of nutella -- you name it. I couldn't control myself. 

And once it was time to pick up the pieces, I knew that I had to figure out what would work for ME.

I tried joining a yoga studio, which really helped combat my anxiety.

I connected with TIU girls in the Chicago area and on Instagram who are truly some of the most gorgeous souls I have ever met on the planet -- and who just GET me. 

I stopped running and stuck to doing workouts that made me HAPPY, like the TIU toning routines, dance based workouts and strength training.

I started trying to reframe my mind that healthy didn't have to be an all or nothing mindset and that carbs were good for me :) 

**Picture from my first TIU Chicago meetup**

I LOVE Tone It Up, for so many reasons. It introduced me to some of the best women I know. It empowered me to take a step towards my own health & fitness journey. And holy balls am I obsessed with some of their recipes. Nomz. And I continue to do their workouts because I loooove them and their energy! And I have finally figured out what works for me and am in a GOOD place :)

But for so long, I would tell people that I owed all my success to Tone It Up. That if it weren't for Karena and Katrina, I wouldn't be where I'm at.

So often in life, we attribute our own success to other people.

Do you ever catch yourself doing that? I know I do.

All the time, the amazing women in my Live Your F*ck YES Life Challenge tell me things like "You're the reason I feel so amazing." or "Because of you, I'm at my goal weight for the first time in 5 years." and I always step back and say -- no, it's because of YOU. YOU are the one who got your butt up every morning and got your workout in. YOU are the one that made healthy nutrition choices. YOU are the one who did the work. 

And when I hit my quarter life crisis a year ago (yuppp that shit is REAL haha), I kept thinking to myself -- how can you pay everything you've learned on your OWN journey forward? How can you help other women show up for themselves in the way that works for THEM? How can I do what K&K are doing for other women but on my own terms?!

And that's when I thought of my TIU gal pal Anna.

I officially met Anna at a TIU Chicago meet up in February 2015. We had been friends on Instagram for a while, and I had been loving on her blog posts. She was so REAL and not scared to just SHARE her heart and I found that so fucking inspiring.

I didn't even realize for the first 6 months of our friendship that she was as Beachbody Coach and I will never forget my first thought: "How can this amazing, super real chick be a Beachbody coach? They're scammy and superficial and just not genuine people."

And I realized that I must be missing something, so I asked her to coffee (because I'm the kinda girl that just needs to hear it from someone's mouth directly) to basically sit her down and be like how can you be doing this thing when you're so .... normal? And nice? AND A TONE IT UP GIRL!?!?

(To say that I was confused and suuuper skeptical is putting it nicely.)

And that's the day when my entire life shifted. 

Ask Anna, and she will tell you that I put her to the test. I asked her every fucking question under the sun. She's probably laughing reading this right now because I was a SHIT HEAD, you guys. To say that I was skeptical is putting it suuuuper lightly. 

And the more we talked, the more I thought to myself, wow, this is really cool. You mean becoming a Beachbody Coach would help me share my passion for health & fitness with others and actually be a BUSINESS? Like a my OWN version of K&K? I could slowly start to fade out my 5 super draining day jobs and actually spend time doing things that light me up? I could have a job that allowed me to work from home, work when I chose, post inspiring things on social media and empower others to be the best version of themselves?!

I was stunned. Why had I been so RUDELY opposed to Beachbody for so long? Because associating with another company would make me a traitor to Tone It Up? Because I had built up this notion that Beachbody coaches were terrible people?

Well, let me tell ya, was I ever fucking wrong.

My gut kept telling me that this was the right step for me and so I took a leap of faith and I said YES.  And it's hands down the best decision I've ever made in my entire life (except marrying Kevan, that was a pretty stellar choice.)

Am I still a TIU girl? Heck yes.

But I can also add Team Inspire Joy Leader, Girl boss and Beachbody Coach to my resume and I am SO DAMN PROUD of it. 

I've spent almost a year of my life doing this. I've worked with some of the most incredible women who inspire me on the freaking daily, I've built a team of women (aka my TRIBE) who have become like family to me, I've seen the company up close and personal and am more sure than EVER that this is exactly where I'm supposed to be, I've traveled to beautiful retreats and I've become my very own Entrepreneur, building a path to financial freedom for my family.

Everything is piecing itself together. I am quickly and gracefully and fiercely building a business, supporting women to rise into their role as leaders and supporting people to improve their physical and emotional health with state of the art workout programs, Shakeology , accountability groups and some major self care and daily 1:1 coaching with me.

So from this super grateful gal, here's what I have to say:

Don't judge a book by it's cover.

And just SAY YES to the the things that light you up AND THEN FIGURE IT OUT.

Please. For the sake of your soul. Even if it scares the shit out of you. Ok?

---

And one more thing:


I am so deeply passionate about what these programs and Shakeology.

Over the past almost year, I have watched myself become the healthiest and happiest version of me that I've ever been and my anxieties have completely disappeared. 

If you're curious about what I do and would like to learn more about how to become the healthiest and happiest version of YOU, just click here to schedule a chat with me. I would love to support you. 

Here's to Living Your F*ck YES Life. 

Xo Amanda

Fall Inspired Oats

It's OFFICIALLY Fall in Chicago -- aka I got to wear pants and a scarf for the first time in MONTHS as this baby grandma is suuuuper stoked about it. Get this gal some big comfy knit sweaters, cute boots, scarves, apple cider, pumpkin pie (well really, pumpkin EVERYTHING) and she's as happy camper :)

And as soon as fall hits, I can't stop the oatmeal vibes. I didn't eat oatmeal for years (when I thought that all carbs were evil -- yup, true story) so I think it must be that my body just CRAVES them because it's making up for lost time.

And while I'm all about my go to Apple Pie Oats (check out #eatsbyamanda on Instagram for the recipe!), I was craving something different and this is what I came up with! 

FALL INSPIRED OATS

INGREDIENTS

Rolled Oats (1 Yellow uncooked for my fixers)

Frozen blueberries, handful

Pumpkin spice, 1 tbsp

Sprinkle of protein powder (I used Chocolate vegan Shakeo)

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook oats according to packaging 

2. Two minutes before they're fully cooked, add in the pumpkin spice, protein powder and frozen blueberries and stir.

3. Nommmmmmmm all the oatmeal!!!

Are you an oatmeal fan? 

How the eff to figure out what path to take?

Doesn't it feel like this is just the question of the century?

We're in a "what's my purpose" trend of life right now. In the past year, sooo many of my friends are having quarter life crises (me included you guys), and the question we are all battling always seems to come down to what the hell we're going to do with the rest of our lives.

And I get it.

I mean, if you're anything like me, you spent your younger years going to an intensely academic school where everyone and their mother were lawyers, doctors, biz peeps, you name it.

Entrepreneurs? Girl bosses? Creatives?

Not so much.

So, I just figured that was my path too. Gonna go and get my major in English lit and be a lawyer just like my Mom. Because that's just what you do!

Well, I am SO grateful I had parents who encouraged me to look to my passions and my heart before making a decision like that because chances are, this Health Coach entrepreneur creative artist would not be writing you gorgeous babes this blog post. 

And here's the thing, I have a bunch of friends who are doctors and lawyers and who truly LOVE it. It's what lights them up and that's AWESOME. I am by no way saying that it's not a valid path. But it wasn't right for me.

And what I've been hearing from sooo many of my friends is that they're miserable in their jobs. They spend their days exhausted, burnt out and doing something that is unfulfilling. And I TOTALLY get where they're coming from. After I graduated from acting school, I had to find a "day job" -- aka, in the world of an artist, a job that will pay your bills so you can continue to live out your dreams of being an actor because, newsflash, acting jobs don't pay so well. Wompidy wompidy.

So I did that. I worked so many jobs that I didn't love. And I became that girl that I always told myself I would never be -- the girl who isn't living and breathing her PASSIONS.

Cue: quarter life crisis

And you know what I did? I quit all my stupid jobs and I gave myself a few months to figure it the eff out. And that's what brought me here. To Beachbody Coaching. Because I was able to sit down myself and ask myself some really tough questions that helped me decide what path I wanted to take.

Now I'm not telling you to go and quit your job. Hell naw. I mean, by all means, if that's what you wanna do, I'm not going to stand in your way.

BUT, I am going to share with you some of the tools that I used to get there.

---

I want you to sit down with a pen and paper -- JUST trust me on this, ok? And for the next 15 minutes (or when you have a break in your day, COME BACK TO THIS), just write and don't edit yourself.

And answer the following questions...

What lights you up? 

Ex: For me? The list includes... snuggles with my hubby, long walks with my dog, morning me time, pancakes for breakfast, dancing in my kitchen, singing at the top of my lungs, being surrounded by incredible empowering women, climbing trees, spending time at my cottage

If you could create your perfect day, what would it look like? 

Ex: For me, I would be at my cottage, with my family and my hubby Kevan and our dog Toby. I'd spend the morning on my dock, alone, doing yoga and reading some personal development book & journaling. Then breakfast (my dad's pancakes, duh!), followed by lake time adventures and lots of canoeing. After lunch, we'd play board games and drink tea and have good conversation and for dinner, we'd bbq and sit outside and watch the stars. Followed, OF COURSE, by snuggles.

What do you NOT want in your work life?

Ex: I do not want a 9-5 schedule. I don't want to have a boss. I don't want to have to commute in my car to work. I don't want to be restricted to vacation time to go on holidays. I don't want to work with lazy, needy people. 

What DO you want more of in your life?

Ex: Freedom, Joy, Energy, Laughter, Time with my family & friends, Travel

**Share your answers to these questions in the comments!**

What did answering these questions reveal to you? Are you living a life that's in line with what you really want? What you value most? Or are you just doing something because it's what your degree happens to be in?

It's time to start aligning your LIFE with your VALUES.

I know it's scary to realize that you're not leading the life you want. Truuuuust me. But isn't it better to take ACTION towards leading your dreams than to sit there, year after year, watching them fade away?

I dare you to start getting REAL with yourself and stop settling for a lesser life. You deserve it.

Oh, and p.s. for some extra goodies...if you haven't watched our first episode, it's alllll about this topic ;)

Rosemary Dijon Pork Tenderloin

Soooooooo I've been slacking on the recipes -- I KNOW! And you guys have been asking for more and you know I gotchuu -- so I had a fun adventure at the grocery store and picked up some super simple and Summer friendly ingredients!

I am all about eating healthy on a budget -- and being able to make meals that can spread out throughout the week with leftovers and THIS does alllll of that. 

We got 4 meals worth for $6. YUP. Crazy sauce. It never ceases to amaze me how much money I save by eating well and planning out my meals. I used to think there was no way that I could eat healthy -- so many recipes would have all of these bizarre ingredients like himalayan salt, dates, coconut flour, you name it -- and I would buy something for a recipe and then never use it again. #wasteofmoney

So I am on a mission to create recipes that not only taste delicious but are also affordable. ENTER, Exibit A ;)

Ingredients

(Makes 4 Servings)

1 Pork Tenderloin

2 tbsp Dijon Mustard

1/2 tsp freshly Ground Black Pepper

1/2 tsp Sea Salt

2 tbsp Chopped Rosemary Leaves

1 Sweet potato

6 Collard Green leaves, chopped

2 cloves of Garlic, minced

Olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Mix Dijon mustard, Black Pepper, Sea Salt and Rosemary together. Spread mixture over top of pork evenly.

3. Place pork on a cookie sheet covered with aluminum foil for 20 minutes.

4. Reduce temperature to 300 degrees F and continue roasting until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 145 degrees F (it took me approximately 35 minutes). Once it's done, let it sit for 10 minutes with an aluminum foil tent.

5. Meanwhile, boil water in a pot and wash, peel and chop the sweet potato. Once the water is boiling, place sweet potato in the water for approximately 20 minutes (or until you can put a fork through the potato chunks!). Once it's down, drain the water and mash away! Add some rosemary and sea salt if you're feeling frisky!

6. In a pan on medium heat, sautee garlic in olive oil. Toss in the collard greens after a couple of minutes. Once they're getting crispy, they're ready to go!

For my Fixers: 1 Red, 1 Yellow, 1 Green

Are you a fan of Collard Greens? I recently got into them and I'm IN LOVEEEEE!!