7 Day Shakeology & Clean Eating Group - COMING SOON!

I am SO excited.  My first group of 2015 is going to be my 7 Day Shakeology & Clean Eating Group starting Monday, January 19, 2015.

If you're looking for a way to jump-start your weight loss, increase your energy, improve your digestion and nutrition and work on better eating habits - this will be a GREAT group for you. :)

WHY?:
- It's only 7 days.  C'mon - you can do anything for 7 days!
- You'll be provided with a FREE meal plan - No meal planning guesswork!!!  :)
- Daily Accountability from me (your coach) and other members of the group.
- You'll get to sample #Shakeology instead of buying the 30 day package to see if you like it.  7 days worth!
- I will be posting information and tips to help motivate you and help you achieve your goals throughout the week.  I'll also be working with you one-on-one to help you get started.

TIME TO GET REAL:
It has been roughly a year now since I decided to commit to a Beachbody program, drink Shakeology daily, and all around just be a better and healthier person.  It was a very difficult road in the beginning - the battling of "inner demons" and negative thoughts about the way I looked and that I was never going to look "good enough".  The constant urge to eat something sweet and "eat my feelings" or "stress eating".  Yes - I've been there... But, I am here to tell you that there is hope.  I'm now 20 pounds lighter, am nothing but positive to MYSELF, and have been able to help others on their own journey as well.  If I wouldn't have had Beachbody or the support from my coach and other group challengers, I don't think I would have been as successful as I was.  No, I KNOW that I wouldn't have been as successful.

If you'll let me - I want to help YOU achieve the same results that I did (if not more!!) and this will be a great group to help you move towards that first step.

If you're interested in this group, please let me know soon and I'll send you further details.  I am only going to open this group up to 5 people MAX, as I want to dedicate my time and truly help those that are committed and interested in getting started one-on-one.  First come, first serve.

To get started, simply fill out this form so I can learn more about you and your reason for wanting to join this group: http://goo.gl/forms/HjUVD8HSQA

I look forward to helping you on your journey.

<3
Coach Melissa McKim
www.facebook.com/healthyhappypurelife
coachmelissamckim@gmail.com

RECIPE WEDNESDAY: Protein Packed Egg White Breakfast Buritto

I don't know about you, but my favorite meal of the day is BREAKFAST.  This burrito is loaded with egg whites, red onion, and bell peppers to create a delicious, high-protein breakfast.  You got to try this one - sooooo good!

Yours in health and happiness,

Coach Melissa

Total Time: 17 min.

Prep Time: 10 min.

Cooking Time: 7 min.

Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. finely chopped red bell pepper
1 Tbsp. finely chopped yellow bell pepper
1 Tbsp. finely chopped green bell pepper
1 Tbsp. finely chopped red onion
3 large egg whites (1/3 cup)
1 (8-inch) whole wheat flour tortilla, warm
1 slice low-sodium turkey bacon, cooked, chopped
Ground black pepper (to taste; optional)
2 Tbsp. fresh tomato salsa

Preparation:
1. Heat oil in medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add bell peppers and onion; cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes or until soft.
3. Add eggs; cook, over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until eggs are set.
4. Top tortilla with egg mixture, turkey bacon, and pepper (if desired).
5. Roll tortilla burrito-style.
6. Serve with salsa.

RECIPE WEDNESDAY: Detox Salad

Sometimes I am looking for something healthy, quick, and simple.  I stumbled across this recipe the other day and it was magically delicious.  If you're looking for an instant detox, try this salad!  Full of nutrients, incredibly filling and watch out, it does get things moving...(!!!) 

ENJOY!

Yours in healthy and happiness,

Coach Melissa

Total Time: 10 min.

Prep Time: 10 min.

Cooking Time: 0 min.

Preparation Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp. unfiltered raw cider vinegar
• 4 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp. pure maple syrup
• 2 tsp. grated fresh ginger root
• 1 pinch Himalayan salt
• 2 cups chopped kale
• 1/2 cup chopped cauliflower
• 1/2 cup chopped broccoli
• 1/2 cup chopped cabbage
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation:

1. Combine lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil, maple syrup, ginger, and salt in large glass bowl; whisk well.
2. Add kale, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, and cilantro to dressing; toss to coat well. Enjoy!

Nutritional Information: (per serving)

Calories	Fat	Saturated Fat	Cholesterol	Sodium	Carbs	Fiber	Sugar	Protein
296	19 g	3 g	0 mg	384 mg	29 g	6 g	9 g	7 g

Time to get back on track!

I don't know about all of you, but the holidays are a difficult time for me. I find myself retreating into my cave and wanting to hibernate, to break away for a while. I find myself eating comfort foods, candy, apple pie - carbs, carbs, carbs. Why is this?! 

I am finding that this is a pattern and one that I really need to address. I have come to realization that I have some sad memories during this time of year and this hibernating and consumption of carb-loaded food is my coping mechanism. I need to snap out of it and stop re-living in the past. Time to create a NEW holiday season pattern. A healthy one. 

I am ready to make some changes and I would love some help! Monday, November 3rd I am going to be diving into my #FOCUST25 program. It was so successful for me and I lost 13 pounds the last time I did it. I am going to do the program again, mostly to keep fit and not let myself go like I did this time last year. If anyone would like to start a program with me at the same time, I'd love the support and having some accountability!

With Thanksgiving coming at the end of the month, I want to really get back into my clean eating habits and drinking my #Shakeology. I have not had a sip of the stuff in 2 weeks and already I can see a huge difference in my hair and skin. I have broken out all along my chin and my hair is SO dry. Shakeology really does do wonders for my body - I am going to get back at it!

Lastly, if you're interested in joining me, on Monday, November 10th, I'd like to start a 5 Day Clean Eating Challenge Group! I don't want to end this year with all of my hard work going down the drain and food is the biggest battle!!! Just LIKE, COMMENT, or PM me if you're interested in joining me - I'll be happy to send you more details. 

5 Easy Tips to Lose Weight and Stay On Track

Many people have been asking me about ways to stay ON TRACK and keep MOTIVATED.  It is all mental – you certainly do have to be in the right frame of mind.  What is your “why”?  What is you reasoning for wanting to lose weight in the first place and to get healthy?  It has to be a strong why so that you can make a promise to yourself and push through. 

I have many friends that just recently had a baby or have been looking to lose a significant amount of weight.  Whether you do have a baby or the scale has been growing over the years and all of a sudden you have 20, 40, 60, to 100 pounds to lose, the task can seem so overwhelming that you may be tempted to give up before you even begin!  Sound familiar?

If this sounds like you, then here are some things that have helped me stay motivated and continue to push through on my healthy-happy-pure-life journey. 

#1: Remember It Takes Time
You didn't gain all that weight overnight, so don't expect to lose it that quickly, either.  This is the hardest one to keep in mind, as we like “instant gratification”.  One bad meal won’t make you fat, just like one healthy meal won’t make you skinny.  It takes consistency and time.  When you're watching your calorie intake and exercising regularly, it's safe to lose about two pounds a week. That may not seem like much, but over time, those little bits of weight loss will add up.

#2: Set Realistic Goals—and Celebrate Them
Sure, your ultimate goal might be to fit into the jeans you wore in college, but in order to stay motivated, you need to set mini goals along the way. Every Sunday night, decide what your goal will be—i.e. to work out three times that week, eat greens every day, or meet with a personal trainer. Then when you reach your mini goal, reward yourself in a healthy way with a new water bottle or a trip to the movies—anything that makes you feel like you accomplished something. 

#3: Know Your Milestones
Since your weight-loss journey is made up of small steps along the way, it's important to track your progress.  I do this by not weighing myself every day, but at the same time and day once per week.  Keep in mind that progress can be made in other ways that don't involve a scale—like having more muscle tonnage or extra energy.  I also highly encourage taking MEASUREMENTS.  When you see that half an inch came off your thighs, it’s something to celebrate!  Seeing how your efforts are working will definitely inspire you to keep it up.

#4: Hold Yourself Accountable
So you ate healthy all week but didn't lose any weight—what gives? Unless you write down every bite you take, it's easier to cheat and grab a cookie here and some fries there. Those handfuls add up, and if you write down your food intake, you'll better understand why the scale isn't budging. It will also keep you honest. You'll be less likely to devour two pieces of cake at your friend's birthday party if you know you'll have to write it down later. To keep you even more accountable, share it with your Coach (aka me!) or a friend!

#5: Don't Do It Alone
The support of your friends and family is huge when it comes to staying motivated.  As a Beachbody coach, this is especially important and why I set up Challenge Groups every month.  It is hard to go through this alone – so when you’re doing things with others, it really helps!  Tell everyone who's close to you that you're trying to lose weight so they can help you stay on track (instead of calling you up to go out for ice cream). Set up fitness dates, share healthy recipes, and have a reliable friend you can count on to call when you feel like you're veering off course.

If you ever have any questions, please reach out to me directly on Facebook or send me an e-mail at coachmelissamckim@gmail.com.

Stay healthy and happy my friends, 

Coach Melissa

RECIPE WEDNESDAY: Roasted Peppers and Tomatoes

My neighbors are lovely people.  They grew this beautiful vegetable garden in their back yard and they had SO many tomatoes and peppers, they gave us their extras.  This has resulted in a HUGE amount of FREE produce in our home - which is WONDERFUL.  

However - I am a little overwhelmed and need to figure out what to DO with them all. I don't want all this delicious food to go to waste.

So, my friend Google lead me to a wonderful recipe online to help me use up my cherry tomatoes and peppers.  This was simply delicious and super easy.  It was also really colorful and I found myself incredibly drawn to eating more.   It's also a lovely clean eating recipe.  

INGREDIENTS:

Original recipe makes 6 servings

- 1 green bell pepper - halved

- 1 red bell pepper - halved

- 1 yellow bell pepper - halved

- 1 pint cherry tomatoes - halved

- 1/2 cup of chopped fresh basil

- 8 cloves of garlic - thinly sliced

- 1 teaspoon of salt

- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

- 1 tablespoon herb vinegar (or balsamic vinegar) to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with olive oil flavored cooking spray.
2. Place the bell pepper halves open side up in the prepared baking dish. In a medium bowl, toss together the cherry tomatoes, basil and garlic. Fill each pepper half with a handful of this mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the dish with aluminum foil.
3. Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, then remove the aluminum foil, and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, and sprinkle with herb vinegar. These are equally good served hot or cold.

TUESDAY TIP: Cleaning your Fruits & Veggies!

I couldn't help but notice this morning, after taking a fabulous bite out of my Fuji Apple, that the skin tasted odd.  I then looked at the skin a little closer and realized there was almost this wax-like chemical on the outside.  I walked over to the sink at work to see if I could scrub it off and wash it some more - only to find I was very unsuccessful and the stuff wouldn't budge.  The substance they put on-top was NOT coming off!  

I decided upon finishing up at work today that I would come home and look into some tips / tricks to figure out "what gives?!", get over my annoyance by having to throw away a perfectly good apple, and figure out what the heck my grocery store is doing....

Did you know that conventionally grown fruits and veggies are often waxed to prevent moisture loss, protect them from bruising during shipping, and increase their shelf life?  

From a SALES perspective, I can see why produce companies and farmers may do this.  From a CONSUMERS perspective, this is nuts in my opinion...  or you should AT LEAST provide your consumers with a SAFE and EFFECTIVE way to CLEAN their produce.  If you don't clean it correctly, you are EATING that wax, which I am sure is NOT good for you.  Isn't that irony in a way?...you purchase something healthy for you, only to discover that the chemical substance they are using to preserve it could be slowly killing you... Great...

So, when purchasing non-organic fruits and veggies, you should ask your grocer about the kind of wax used on their surface even if you are going to peel it.  For instance, I have learned that there are TONS of things out there including (but not limited to): 

- carnauba wax (from the carnauba palm tree) 

- beeswax

- shellac (from the lac beetle) 

NOTE: These waxes are preferable to petroleum-based waxes, which contain solvent residues or wood rosins. 

Yet, it is not just the wax itself that may be of concern but the other compounds often added to it - ethyl alcohol or ethanol for consistency, milk casein (a protein linked to milk allergy) as a film former or soap as a flowing agent.

One SURE way to make sure that you actually remove the wax from non-organic produce is to remove the skin, as washing will not remove the wax or any bacteria trapped beneath it. If you choose to do this, use a peeler that takes only a thin layer of skin, as many healthy vitamins and minerals lie right below the skin.

Organically grown fruits and vegetables do not contain synthetic (petroleum-based) wax coatings. However, certain waxes are permitted in the handling of certified organic fruits and vegetables including shellac (from the lac beetle) and carnauba wax (from carnauba palm). Of course, not all organic growers wax their fruits and vegetables, but if you are trying to avoid all vegetable and fruit waxes, it is recommended that you ask your grocer about the wax status of your produce, even when purchasing organic.

Non-organic fruits and vegetables that are commonly waxed include:

Cucumbers

Bell peppers

Eggplant

Potatoes

Apples

Lemons and Limes

Oranges

I did happen to find a handy way to clean your fruits and veggies without removing the skin however - although, I have personally NOT tried this just yet, but I am curious to take a stab at it this weekend.  Check out this great photo with the cleaner recipe:

So there ya have it!  Be careful with what you put into your body, be smart, and WASH your produce - you never know!

If you have any questions / comments, please don't hesitate to post below or write me a note. :)

Yours in health and happiness, 

Coach Melissa

coachmelissamckim@gmail.com