Sweet Potato & Roasted Red Pepper Bisque SAY WHAT?!??!!

If you can't tell by the weather...FALL is upon us and that means #comfortFOOD, right?!!?!? At least for me that's what cold weather means! hahahaha!!!

BUT in all seriousness....I LOVE me some comfort food BUT I also like to keep it healthy! AND this right here had my mouth watering just thinking about it!! 

Save this for future reference.....because BELIEVE ME.....coming from the PICKIEST eater, EVER, you will LOVE THIS!!! And I'm pretty sure your hubs will love it too!! #winwin

ENJOY!!! 

-xoxoxoxoxoxo
Jenn

COUNTRY HEAT IS HERE!!

YOU GUYS!!! I am so stinkin' excited!! COUNTRY HEAT is finally HERE!!! 

You may be saying to yourself "what the heck is Country Heat??" Welllll, if you don't know what Country Heat is, its a dance inspired, cardio workout where you can burn calories, tone, tighten and DANCE your way to your health and fitness goals. Autumn Calabrese created this workout as another option for those that don't love working out, BUT love listening to fun music and want to get and stay healthy! Sounds like my kinda workout!!! 

AND this program is coupled with the portion controlled container system (that Autumn created with the 21 Day Fix!!) to help you get the BEST results possible!! 

Let me tell you guys, I am NOT a fan of cardio, like AT ALL....but dancing I LOVE that's why I am sooooo excited about this program! It's really easy to get into a 'workout funk' and just go through the motions each day but this little cardio dance workout is here to spice things up for ya! Ohhh and did I mention it goes along with my favorite genre of music ----COUNTRY!! I literally feel like I'm at a Luke Bryan concert in my own home when doing the workouts! YES I love to dance, but my absolute favorite part of THIS program is that ANYONE and I mean ANYONE can do it!! The moves are easy to learn & there is no choreography at all!! 


Soooooo HOW do you get your hands on this program?? 
First you'll need to create a FREE Team Beachbody account (you can do so HERE)

Next you will wanna get the Challenge Package, it's the BEST option aka 'more bang for your buck'!! It will come with the entire Country Heat workout program, the meal plan/nutrition guide, program manual, color coded measuring/food storage containers, 30 days of Shakeology, 30 day FREE access to stream your workouts with Beachbody On Demand (you guys think NetFlix for workouts!!) AND get this, its on sale with discounted price and shipping right now!  Told ya it was the best option!! All of THAT I just mentioned will give you access into my exclusive Country Heat private accountability and support group where I will be giving you sample meal plans, recipes, daily tips and motivation to get you started with the program, keep you motivated and help you to see the results that you are looking for!!

   I ALWAYS get asked....what's the 'secret sauce'.....no secret, just portion controlled NUTRITION!!

TRUST me when I tell you that THIS is the total package!! And having access to my accountability group is the piece you've been missing!! I know when I started with my journey it was so helpful for me to have other women, just like me, in a private group , that I could ask questions, that would tell me to get up & workout when I didn't feel like it and they would help me stay on track with my nutrition!! 

So now you KNOW you want the challenge package and want to join this group, right?!!? You can get YOUR challenge pack through this direct link ---->>>> COUNTRY HEAT!!

(**MAKE SURE that I am your coach before you finalize your purchase!**) 

Ohhhh and because, honestly, I would be doing you a disservice by not offering this to you, this is a GREAT time to sign up as a coach!! If you have ever considered coaching before or you just LOVE the Beachbody Fitness Programs and Shakeology that you want to save 25% off of everything you purchase and you want to share it with others then this is the PERFECT time to sign up!! Ready to get your discount?? ---->>>> SIGN UP HERE!

{{A little note for ya --- when you sign up as a coach make sure that at the bottom of the first page it says that I am your Coach, Jenn Stevens, Coach Id# 410206. *If you already have a coach please contact your coach to sign up with them and to get into their challenge groups for support and accountability.*}}

LASTLY you guys, I am kicking off my NEXT accountability group August 22nd, so you can join me and some other awesome ladies for fun, dancing, motivation/support, accountability, healthy tips/recipes!!! Once you have made your purchase, email me at sis6481@hotmail.com with 'Country Heat Group' as the subject along with your order#. Then, make sure we are friends on Facebook  and NOW we are ready to GET STARTED!! I am SO EXCITED for you!! Can't wait to get started!! 

Check out some of my moves to Country Heat......

APPLY HERE to be a part of the dancing FUN!! 

-xoxoxoxo

Jenn 

How To Add Exercise Into Your Daily Life

Squats & Toothpaste?!?! 

You are probably wondering WHAT the H-E-double L I’m talking about, huh??? 

Wellllll let me explain!! I have found some easy ways to add fitness into my daily life! And YES I squat while I brush my teeth! I call it #multitasking my husband thinks I’m nuts….tomato/tomato, right?! haha! For me this is my daily norm….but I realized that NOT everyone does this or even thinks to do it so I wanted to give you a few ideas on how to add a little fitness/movement into your daily life! 

1. DROP IT LIKE A SQUAT: You brush your teeth every morning, right?? Welllll drop it like a squat while you are doing that and do a 60 second wall sit OR 25-30 squats. 

2. TAKE THE STAIRS: When you are going up and down your stairs at home or at work, don’t just walk up them…put a little pep in your step and jog/run up the stairs. 

3. TAKE IT BACK: So if you are like me you visit Target (or any grocery store) ALOT! I know longer find the front spot….NOPE I take it to the back of the parking lot and get in a few extra steps by parking further away! 

4. PUSH UPS 4 FOOD: hahahaha but no seriously you can totally do a few counter push ups while your dinner is cooking. 30 min. dinner — 30 counter push ups! Try it out! 

5. COMMERCIALS SUCK: Wellll they don’t have to anymore!! While you are watching your favorite show and a commercial comes on try doing 25 crunches/lunges/tricep dips on the couch OR put them all together and by the end of a 30 min. show you basically got in a FULL workout! 

Soooooo what do ya think?? Totally doable, right?!!? What kinds of at home/daily life exercises will you come up with???

At Home Leg & Ab Workout

Who's ready to BLAST SOME FAT???

Are you looking to get rid of that little belly pooch and tone up those legs?? Welllll it isn't and doesn't have to be hard, YOU just need to be motivated!

Doing a cardio/total body burning workout like this each day will help you lose weight, maintain it AND help you stay healthy in the long term!

Best part about it?!? It's quick/easy and no equipment required but YOU!

What you're going to do....35 reps of each of the exercises below, 3 X through 

-Squats
-Mountain Climbers

-Squats

-Leg Raises

-Squats (feelin' that burn yet?? ) 

-Walking Lunges


Don't forget to rest in between sets and drink plenty of water!!
PLEASE share with a friend who you think would enjoy this quick & easy *Fat Blasting* workout!! Remember you never know who you're inspiring/motivating!!


-xoxoxoxoxoxo
Jenn

CAN WE TALK ABOUT BODY SHAMING FOR A MINUTE??

Soooooo I am about to get REAL, REAL with you…….

You see me NOW working out everyday and eating right (for the most part) BUT if you knew my entire weight loss/fitness journey you’d most definitely ‘insert jaw drop’!

When people look at me they never would think that I struggled with body image MOST of my adult life….constantly on a mission to find that quick fix & CONSTANTLY telling myself how “hideous I looked in that shirt”/ “OMG your love handles are hanging over your pants”/ “Seriously you will never look like those models in that catalogue, you aren’t pretty enough or skinny enough” annnnndddd the list of body shaming things that I said to myself could go on & on & on…..

I have tried it ALL….

Going to the gym

Diet Pills

Protein Shakes

Eating Healthy w/minimal workouts

GNC Total Lean Shakes

Ohhhh ya MORE diet pills or whatever weight loss supplement was the NEW thing

Not eating past 7pm (but still eating not so great things)

As you can imagine NONE of the above worked (SHOCKER!!!) Soooooo one day I got sick & tired of 1. being sick and tired and 2. realized I needed a REAL change on the inside & out!

Little did I know that that 1 decision would CHANGE MY LIFE!! The decision to finally say ‘screw it’, stop feeling sorry for myself and invest in an at home workout program (that came with a full blown, simple to follow nutrition plan, the support & accountability of SO MANY women just like ME & a HEALTHY #superfoods shake) kicked that body shaming ME to the curb and welcomed in this positive, inspired, motivated, determined, passionate ME!

Sounds a little like a fairytale, uh?? Welllll let me tell you I was just as skeptical as the next person (I ignored my coach for 6 months #sorryAllison)! I didn’t think that I could afford it, I didn’t think I’d stick with it and I sure didn’t think I’d see results. BUT then all those mean, body shaming things I used to say to myself creeped back in and I realized I didn’t want to feel that way anymore or treat myself that way anymore…..so I went for it!! I had nothing to lose and everything to gain!

All it took was a little rearranging of my priorities and a shift in my mindset!

I no longer spend money on ‘diet’ anything and I definitely don’t enjoy my old ‘go to’ breakfast (powdered donuts & a diet soda) anymore! Ohhhhh and like I said above….the shift in mindset was the turning point for me!! I no longer said mean/hateful things to myself when I looked in the mirror, I replaced them with things like “you can do this”, “don’t give up”, “I LOVE YOU!”

So, why share all of this with you??? To show you that YOU can do this too!! And if you are where I was 2 years ago and constantly shaming & hating on yourself, YOU NEED to hear this!

Did it take work? You bet ya!

Did I get results? UMMMM HELLO!!!

BUT what I gained was worth so much MORE than all of that!! I finally loved myself for ME, I have accepted my flaws & imperfections and when I see these pictures of myself with some winter fluff, a slightly higher # on the scale….I don’t freak out and ‘hate on’ myself…..I reign it in, use the tools that I KNOW work, go back to WHY I started this in the first place and I do the DAMN THING!

ALL of that is worth it to me! Making the choice to decide that I was WORTH IT was the BEST decision I’ve ever made!!!

So what is it that’s holding you back??
Think about that and then let's chat!! 



-xoxoxoxoxo 
Jenn 

It's NOT Always About The Number On The Scale

Non-scale victory time!!!!

I was cleaning out my closet today and came across these 'corporate job' pants and WOW did all the reminders of where I was just a little over a year ago come flooding in! So, I tried them on for the fun of it and they were, I kid you not, falling off! ------ insert  ‪#‎happy dance‬ 

Believe me when I tell you I have tried alllllll the things when it comes to ‪#‎weightloss‬ ----- you name it I've probably tried it. 

BUT something clicked for me one day and I got tired of being 'sick and tired' (I mean that literally!) I am far from perfect, nor do I strive to be, because perfect doesn't exist....at least not in my world. But one thing I am is someone who strives each day to be better than the day before and just wants to live a happy & heathy life! 
I told my#fitfam in our ‪#‎accountability‬ group today that you have to love yourself and TRUST the process! One bad meal won't make you fat, just like one healthy meal isn't going to make you skinny! It's all about ‪#‎balance‬ and ‪#‎consistency‬ daily!

It's not all workouts and meal plans ---- loving yourself is a huge part of this journey ---- don't overthink it and just focus on loving YOU and becoming the BEST version of yourself everyday! 
I am starting to fill spots for my March LOVE Yourself.....Love Your Body accountability group, wanna join in the fun and start working on being the BEST version of YOU???

Fill out this application ----->>>> to secure your spot!!


-xoxoxoxo
Jenn

Ground Chicken & Brown Rice Taco Casserole

Ok soooooo I LOVE Mexican food, like I REALLY LOVE it!! I could eat Mexican food all day, everyday and never get sick of it! So of course I needed to find a recipe that would feed my Mexican food cravings and not KILL my meal plan. I started experimenting in the kitchen this weekend and I found myself a WINNER! A mixture of ground chicken, peppers, brown rice and a little bit of cheesy goodness! Seriously you guys it's pure HEAVEN in the kitchen! And the best part about it is.....it fits into my Hammer & Chisel meal plan! WIN/WIN! Sooooo now that I have your mouth watering, here is the recipe ----->>>>>

*21 Day Fix & (now) Hammer & Chisel Approved: Taco Casserole*

Ingredients: 

3 - 1 lb. pkgs of ground chicken

2 - green bell peppers 

1 - orange pepper/ 1- red pepper/ 1- yellow pepper 

2 - cups Jasmine brown rice (cooked)

1/2 - can of organic black beans 

1 - can of LaCostena Mexican Salsa 

1 - cup of Organic Shredded Mozzarella cheese (I use Organic Valley Farms brand)

about 12 Multi Grain Tortilla chips

Directions: 

Cook ground chicken in skillet until done. Dice/Cut up pepped and sauté with black beans in EVO until tender. Cook rice according to pkg. Once the chicken and the peppers are done, mix with all other ingredients in a large bowl. Layer the meat/pepper mixture in a 9x11 greased baking dish, then crunch 2-3 of the multi grain chips over top of that layer (continue to do so until you are at the top of the pan). Sprinkle mozzarella cheese & left over chips on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 min. and ENJOY! 

21 Day Fix/Hammer & Chisel Counts in ENTIRE RECIPE: 9 Reds/6 Yellows/3 Blues/3 Greens......1 GREEN container is 1 serving, equivalent to 1.5 Red/1 Yellow/1/2 Blue/1/2 Green. Makes 6-8 servings. 

This recipe will be a STAPLE in our house each week for sure!! It's GREAT for leftovers and will freeze well too!! 

-xoxoxoxo

Jenn

Quick Total Body Workout

Are you short on time? Too busy to get a 'full' workout in?? Wellll you NEED to check this little total body workout out A..S..A..P..!! It's anything but boring and may take you at the most 15 minutes AND you are working your ENTIRE body!! Who doesn't like that??? 

Time flies when you're having fun!!! 

Do it 3 times through and you WILL be feeling that burn AND blasting TONS of calories with this little total body workout! 

NOW.....READY.....SET.....GO!!!! 

If you liked this and would like to see MORE posts like this, share it with your friends or comment below! 


-xoxoxoxoxo
Jenn 

The more I workout and the longer I am married, I am learning that they are very similar ((stay with me here)). 

Everyday, it takes work, sacrifice, consistency, love, passion and most importantly R-E-S-P-E-C-T! 
We all get married for it to last a lifetime and we should feel that same way about our health and taking care of ourselves. 

I may not be at my fitness goals or look like a fitness model and I am FAR from perfect, but what I do know is this, that I work, sacrifice, am consistent, love and respect this lifestyle just like I do my marriage because it is WORTH IT and I AM WORTH IT!!

'Be in LOVE with your life, every minute of it!'

-xoxoxoxo
Jenn 

Summer Bodies Are Made In The Winter

I’m sure we’ve all heard that saying that there is a 1st for everything, right?! 

Welllllll let me tell you I’ve had lots of 1st’s in my life, BUT this right here is a 1st that I am SO proud of! 

You see, I have been a yo-yo dieter, basically my entire life and up until 2 years ago, I was pretty much addicted to diet pills! ‪#‎yesijustsaidthatoutloud‬

BUT for the 1st time in my life, I have found something that I LOVE and that has helped me MAINTAIN this healthy lifestyle! ‪#‎nomoredietshere‬ (all it took was 30 min a day with some simple nutrition!). RIGHT NOW, today, I feel better than I EVER have & I will never go back to that girl I once was. I love myself & the skin I am in again and I want everyone to be able to feel this way! 

One thing I have always, always, always.......wait, did I say ALWAYS……disliked, was trying bathing suits on! Well this week I decided to take a little chance on myself and take a sneak peek into what all my hard work has been doing for me, so I tried on one of my favorite bathing suits AND I couldn’t help but get SUPER excited for our upcoming cruise/trip to Jamaica!! For once, I am liking what I’m seeing and most importantly LOVE the way I feel!

Why tell you all this??? Well because I know how hard it is to make the choice to change, I know what it’s like to cry when you look in the mirror or try a pair of pants on that don’t fit anymore, I know what it’s like to feel like you’ve lost control of your own life, I know how it feels to feel tired all the time & I know what it’s like to be afraid to start something new, alone….BUT that’s what I want to do, I want to help you get rid of all those worries and help you feel the way I do now….I said screw it & made a decision to change, I no longer cry when I look at myself in the mirror —— I smile and I am proud of myself for how far I've come, I am the happiest & healthiest that I have EVER been and I am in total control of my life and my happiness, I am now full of life & energy and I am now NOT afraid to take a little leap of faith because I know that I have the biggest support system in my team & my accountability group ladies! You can do this, and I want to help YOU!! Don’t let the cold weather be your excuse to not get up and workout & make some healthy changes, make it your REASON!! ‪#‎summerbodiesaremadeinthewinter‬

I am looking for 5 ladies who are SERIOUS about making a change in 2016 and making it the BEST year to date!! I want to help you get healthy, inside & out! I will be there with you EVERY step of the way to help you love what you see in the mirror everyday & forget about that # on the scale! It’s all about balance! If this is something you, or someone you may know, would be interested in, fill out this application ( http://bit.ly/JoinJennsChallenge ) and let's get you started TODAY! I can promise you, you will not regret your decision!!

-xoxoxoxoxo

Jenn

Week 1 of Hammer & Chisel

                     

Ok you guys.....HERE.WE.GO!!!

It's official, after a long wait (they announced it in July but we had to wait until December to get our hands on it!!), we finally started the new Master's Hammer and Chisel workout program!! BEST part about doing this program?? The hubs is on board with me!! We haven't done a full program together since, T25, so it's been awhile! 

Lucky enough for us, we have FULL access to our workouts, meal plan, calendar and MUCH more through Beachbody OnDemand (aka Netflix for workouts) so we didn't have to wait for our package to come in the mail, we just logged in and BOOM workouts and resources at our antsy fingers tips! 

Hammer & Chisel is definitely giving us a run for our money....our bodies are sore and tired, in a good way! I am feeling accomplished!! The workouts are HARD, for sure, but if you are like me and up for a challenge, H&C does NOT disappoint! The workout schedule offers 3 workout days - REST - then 3 more workout days, and this is a total body workout PLUS weight lifting program, so you can imagine that our bodies are feeling it! 

This week I can say without doubt that I am 100% thankful for the Beachbody Performance Line supplements. 

Energize is going down the hatch!! Got to stay charged
for my workout!!

I have been using the Performance Lines pre-workout, Energize, ever since it came out and I have to admit that I am addicted!! It gives me just the energy boost I need to power through my workouts without the jittery feeling I've gotten from other pre workouts. Energize has given me ALL that I need until now.....with these workouts I needed to keep my pre-workout in my routine BUT my body also needed something for after these intense workouts, something to help my muscles recover from exercise induced soreness.  >>>>> ENTER the Performance Line RECOVERY shake <<<<< I fully expected these workouts to be hard and push me and my body to it's limits, but that doesn't mean that I need to crawl around or look like I can barely walk, hahaha! THAT is what I love about this Performance line, I have those after workout jello legs, chug some Recovery and wake up the next morning feeling like a million bucks!
Let's Talk FOOD!

Buffalo Chicken Casserole with Broccoli (his & hers)

I ALWAYS hear from people that they are afraid to follow a 'meal plan' or the 'container system' because they are afraid they will be hungry......well let me tell you this, I'm actually full and some days I struggle to eat/fit in all my containers!! So NO you won't be hungry/starving on this plan, I can promise you that. What I will say though is you must PLAN. I have learned that planning is KEY on this journey and it's proving that even MORE to me during this program! 

While I didn't write out our meal plan in week #1, we stuck to it to a T! During week 1, I wanted to play around with some recipes (which you will find under the 'recipes' section on this page) to see what we liked and didn't like, and THIS week (actually today) I will write out our meal plan and share it here. 

The meal plan for H&C is very similar to the 21 Day Fix so it wasn't super hard for us to follow, since we've been doing that for awhile now. So, the way it works: You do a calculation based on your weight, activity level and your goals......and you get a  your “plan” to follow during the program. Your plan will tell you how many portions of each food/container you get and then you gotta get to work and PLAN IT OUT! 

Remember....."Failing to Plan is Planning to Fail!"

The hubs and I are eating ALL the same food but definitely different portion sizes, as you can see here....

His & hers UnStuffed Peppers

Here is an example for you on him vs. me in the calorie/container brackets......I fell in the 1200-1500 range which gives me: 4 REDS (proteins), 2 YELLOWS (good carbs), 2 PURPLES (fruits), 3 GREENS (veggies), 1 ORANGE (nuts & seeds) and 1 BLUE (healthy fats/cheeses). AND the hubs falls in the 3000-3299 range giving him: 8 REDS, 8 YELLOWS, 5 PURPLES, 9 GREENS, 1 ORANGE and 1 BLUE. Sooooo as you can see, it's the same food but VERY different portion sizes! 

One thing my husband keeps saying to me 'are you sure I'm allowed to eat all this food?' and I just keep telling him to TRUST the process!! These programs are created and designed the way they are because they WORK! I have been there and saw it with my own eyes, so even though somedays it's a challenge we WILL follow the plan because I know results will follow! 

All in all, we are only 1 week in and LOVING everything about this program so far! I can't wait to see what the next 50 days bring.....1 thing that it is already doing....bringing us closer as a family & that to me means more than anything!  

  Wanna join us??? My current New Year, New YOU accountability group still has spots open and 1 could be YOURS, just take a minute to fill out this form to be considered.
I will guide you and be there doing it with you every step of the way!! TOGETHER, we are better, and TOGETHER we CAN DO THIS!!!
         

......until next week!! 


-xoxoxoxoxo
Jenn

Ultimate Workout Playlist

Sooooo as we get ready to start our journey with the NEW Beachbody program, The Master's Hammer & Chisel today, I feel like I'm gonna need some good jams to listen to during my workouts......so I came up with my ultimate workout playlist and I wanted to share it with you! 

There really is nothing like a little pep in your step to step that workout up a notch! This exercise playlist will help you have awesome workouts that motivate you beyond belief! The right tunes can be just the push you need to go from a mediocre workout to pushing yourself beyond the limits you thought possible. So get ready to have a party in your gym and be the best that you can be!


1. Work Bitch- Britney Spears 
2. Baby Got Back- Sir Mix Alot
3. Turn Down For What- DJ Snake
4. Masterpiece- Jessie J 
5. Change The Way You Kiss Me- Cardio Workout Crew
6. Turn Up The Music- Chris Brown 
7. Burn- Ellie Goulding 
8. A Little Party Never Killed NoBody (All We Got)- Fergie 
9. Want to Want Me- Jason Derulo 
10. Watch me Whip- Silento 
11. Fight Song- Rachel Platten 
12. Push It- Salt N Pepa
13. Same Old Love- Selena Gomez 
14. Can't Feel My Face- The Weeknd
15. The Hills- The Weeknd
16. One Last Time- Ariana Grande
17. Eye of the Tiger- Survivor
18. Good For You (Feat. A$AP Rocky)
19. Worth It- Fifth Harmony
20. 0 to 100/The Catch Up- Drake 
21. Started From The Bottom- Drake 
22. Hypnotize- The Notorious B.I.G. 
**All of the songs from this playlist I downloaded at www.rhapsody.com you can create an account and listen to radio playlists or pay a minimal monthly fee for unlimited downloads, which is what I do**


When I am not jamming out to the above playlist I like to listen to the workout radio playlist on Rhapsody or Pandora Radio!! So I hope this was helpful and you find your ultimate playlist to ROCK your workout to!! 


-xoxoxoxo
Jenn