Shrimp Fried Rice

I may be most excited about this recipe find, because I am a huge lover of some Asian cuisine! Fried rice is one of my guilty pleasures, so this is the best thing since sliced bread to me! I have no idea who the original creator of the recipe is to give them credit, but here was what I came across on a 21 Day Fix approved meal site with my own little spin on it!

*Extra awesome factor- it is 100% MAN APPROVED! Stephen gobbled this bad boy up!

Healthy Shrimp Fried Rice

Image from damndelicious.net

What You'll Need:
-4 cups (2 cups uncooked) brown rice
-1/2 pound of frozen, already cooked shrimp
-1 cup of frozen peas and carrots
-1 white onion, chopped
-2 cloves minced garlic
-2 eggs
-3 tbsps. sesame oil
-1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce

Preparation:
*Cook brown rice according to directions. While rice is cooking, thaw frozen shrimp in warm water.
*Heat sesame oil in large sauce pan, and stir in peas, carrots, onion, and garlic. Stir fry until peas and carrots are cooked and onion is transparent.
*Crack eggs into pan and scramble them, mixing them throughout vegetable and oil mixture.
*Once rice and shrimp are ready, add them to sauce pan along with soy sauce. Stir until evenly distributed.

One serving of this would be 1 YELLOW/1 RED/0.5 GREEN/1 TSP/0.5 ORANGE

I hope y'all enjoy this dish just as much as I do! Can't wait to hear some feedback!

With love,

Amanda James



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Shakeology: My Miracle Drink!

Shakeology has changed my life. Point black. However, I feel that its objectives can be misconstrued by those who are not familiar with the product, so I thought a blog post answering some of the BIGGEST questions I receive would be appropriate!

What IS Shakeology?: First, let me start off by saying that Shakeology is NOT a PROTEIN OR WEIGHT LOSS SHAKE!! It is clinically proven to aid in weight loss (and lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels), but that is actually not Shakeology's main goal.

Lots of times, I get people telling me that "they have a really good protein powder they are using right now, so they don't need Shakeology." That is great, and I love healthy and natural protein powders as well to help fuel me up, but that's something I would actually add to Shakeology, not replace it with! Shakeology is so so SO much more than that, it pains me to hear it being compared to a protein drink. Shakeology does contain a really great amount of protein in each serving (depending on the flavor, about 18g), but that is just a small portion of its nutritional value.

Shakeology is a nutrient dense meal replacement shake. It is meant to replace just one meal a day, but can safely replace more than one, if you wish to further your weight loss goals in that way (I would just recommend adding additional foods to it for a higher calorie intake).

So what all is IN Shakeology?: Shakeology contains over 70 ingredients of natural superfoods! Each of them are meant to work together to keep you feeling full and to improve your health from the inside out in ways you could have never imagined! Within these 70 ingredients are different categories, which are:
1) Super-Protein Blend (i.e. chia, flax, quinoa, & more)
2) Super-Fruit/Antioxidant Blend (i.e. acai, goji berry, grape seed, green tea, & more)
3) Super-Green/Phytonutrient Blend (i.e. moringa, spinach, barley grass, & more)
4) Adaptogen Blend (i.e. ashwagandha, astragalus. ginkgo, maitake, & more)
5) Probiotic/Digestive Enzyme Blend (i.e. yacon root, amylase, cellulase, & more)

Shakeology also includes your entire day's worth of vitamins, minerals, and supplements (so you no longer need to spend  money on those things), fruits, and vegetables. Therefore, I highly recommend this especially to those who feel like they do not typically get enough fruits, veggies, and fiber throughout the day.

In fact, if you were to go to the store and purchase all of the ingredients in Shakeology separately, it would come out to over $700. This, my friends, is why the price of only $130 (and only $98 for us coaches) for an entire month (30 servings), is AMAZING to me. Think of what you are spending in a day, and realize that your health is worth this plus so much more. Cut out that daily Starbucks frappe. Cut out that daily Panera Bread breakfast. Cut out that lunch trip to McDonald's. Feed your body what it needs! You will probably find yourself saving more money when you get this stuff, because you will a) cut those cravings, b) not need to purchase protein powder or extra vitamins and supplements anymore c) you will no longer have to worry about buying about a 1/3 of your groceries from the store, because you now have one of your meals for every day for the entire month bought in one sitting.

What does Shakeology do for you?: What has Shakeology NOT done for me, is more like it! Here's a list of the most prominent things that have changed in my life from Shakeology:

• It IMMEDIATELY cut my cravings for sweet and fatty foods. It was like my body was finally satisfied for the first time by all of these incredible nutrients, and sent that message straight to my brain! Not to mention the fact that drinking the shake itself is like having a Wendy's frosty. Mmmmm so darn delicious! I would say it was the single most important factor on my path to health and fitness because my poor diet was my biggest problem. I could work out all day everyday, but it never got past a certain point of progress because I'm horrible at giving into food temptations. I was honestly terrified to purchase the Beachbody products in the beginning because I figured the same thing would happen. But that first morning I drank Shakeology after my Turbo Fire workout... I was hooked and never looked back. It satisfies ALL of my cravings and helped me to turn away from my temptations.
• It regulated my digestion. Sorry to get personal, but this was huge for me, too! I won't go into too much detail, but this is one of the things it is most known for. In fact, its sole purpose is for immune & digestive support, and it does just that. Its probiotic and digestive enzymes may have you going a little more or less than usual in the first week or so, but those are just signs that it is working in your tummy! Soon, you will have a set regular schedule and feel better than EVER!
• My hair, skin, and nails are superb. My hair has grown immensely, in thickness and in length, since drinking Shakeology. All of those vitamins and minerals are CLEARLY going to work in my hair follicles! I used to have to trim it every couple of months from dead ends and dryness, and I went a record almost 6 months without having to cut it, and didn't even really realize it! I just went in to get more layers done, really. My nails are also constantly growing and are very strong (which can get annoying if you ever want to get them painted at the salon! haha). I have suffered from acne and splotchy skin my whole life as well, and while I still suffer from the occasional breakout, my skin tone has become drastically more even, in terms of color and texture!
• I rarely ever have to consume caffeine anymore! Shakeology makes me SO much more naturally energized, it's incredible! I really didn't notice all that much until a few months went by and my fiance was like, "Hey, why haven't you made coffee in so long? You used to drink it all day!" Then it hit me HARD! I did used to drink 3-4 cups of coffee a day *gulp* embarrassing moment. But it's true. I haven't made a full pot of coffee in over half a year! Sometimes I like to put 1/3 cup in my Shakeology recipes (because it's delicious), but other than that, I only need the occasional pre-workout for my 5 am exercises and no other caffeine for the entire day. It helps me sleep so much better and has kept my energy levels completely stable.
• I haven't been sick in almost 10 months. Not ONCE! This is the biggest one for me. This almost makes me cry tears of joy, because I used to be sick all of the time. At least 4 or 5 big times a year (upper respiratory infections every Thanksgiving break, chronic allergies year round, strep around summertime, etc), and when I was a Pre-K teacher, literally every other week. I now have not been sick one time since I started drinking Shakeology daily in November 2013. I have a really low tolerance for pain, so I was almost falling into a slight depression my year as a Pre-K teacher from being sick so often. I do not deal well with feeling anything other than my best, healthy self, so this has meant SO much to my life! Immune support is the BIGGEST reward you will receive from Shakeology.

Other Testimonials: Shakeology has also been an amazing testimonial for many of its consumers with autoimmune and other chronic diseases. Check out some of their stories:

-->Jennifer: "I have an auto immune disease and have been in remission since starting shakeology last year. When I told my doctor that I started drinking it everyday, he said 'well don't stop what you're doing because it's working!'"

-->Becka: "I have hashimotos and between shakeology and going Paleo I've completely gotten my symptoms under control."

-->Morgan: "My mom has MS and she bought slim in 6 and shakeology. I started her with slim in 6 because it's more beginner and she says the shakeology is helping with her energy levels and added weight loss to help with her multiple sclerosis."

-->Nicole: "All the remaining symptoms I had with my crohn's after being deemed in remission have completely dissipated since Shakeo. I have also been able to stop taking medications for migraines and depression. Ive had maybe one migraine since I've started and my mood is way better, although I'm pretty hormonal now which I can't help much - haha!"

-->Leanne about her daughter, Tayler: "Taylers eczema has improved too. She doesn't drink it everyday, but she does share mine at least twice a week. I just recently noticed a routine. It flares up when she hasn't had any in a while. Any others notice this?"

-->Andrea: "It's help me with migraines and has helped my coach with PCOS"

-->Tiffany: "I have had a kidney transplant, high blood pressure, diabetes, anemia, gout, acid reflux, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, migraines lol since taking shakeology I have felt so much better! My labs have come back in normal range and my sugar is in control!! :))"



I hope I have helped shed just a small light on the value of Shakelogy and what it has meant to my life, although, I know no one can truly see its value until they try it for themselves.

Interested in purchasing this miracle shake? Check out the different options here, including the trial package in which you can try every flavor for a small fee, in case you're unsure! Every bag also has a bottom of the bag guarantee. Meaning if you try it, even for the full 30 days and feel that it did nothing for you that it promised, you can return it for a full refund. That's how much us coaches and Beachbody believe in this product.

Interested in purchasing a bag of Shakeology along with a top of the line exercise program for a fraction of the price? Check out my favorite selection here, and sign up to be in one of my next free fitness challenge groups!

Have a marvelous day! SHAKE on!!!

With love,

Would I Make a Good Beachbody Coach?

It's hard for me to put into words what the opportunity of Beachbody coaching has truly meant to my life. I can sit here and say how awesome it is, and how passionate I am about it, and that you should be one too (because, well, EVERYONE should. How about potentially making six figures or more for only $16/month? Ummm YEAH). But, I thought I should give some cold hard FACTS to help give a little demonstration of what this company does for its business holders:

-->In 4 months, I am at a rate that will have me earning about as much as I would have as a Pre-K teacher. Now, that may not sound like a lot, because it's no secret that Pre-K teachers don't make jack squat. But let's really think about this for a minute. I was miserable. I was working sometimes 10-11 hours a day with 20 four year olds (sometimes grouped with younger or older children, depending on what was happening at that center at the time) BY MYSELF most of the time. I was getting hit, kicked, spit on, yelled at, dealing with supervisors and parents, tests, paperwork, YOU NAME IT! I was coming home exhausted, not able to spend any time with my fiance (I cannot imagine it for the teachers who had their own children to come home to). I was spent and had no life.

Fast forward 4 months- to be working in the COMFORT OF MY OWN HOME, by MY SCHEDULE, doing what I LOVE TO DO, I get to make the same amount of money. Do we all see how spectacular this is now!? I also fully intend to have a six figure income by 2016. Just saying. If that seems like way too long from now, can we calculate the amount of time doctors and lawyers bust their behinds in school/internships/awful jobs to get to that point? Exactly.

-->I have already over halfway paid for an entire Beachbody coach trip to Cancun next April. Best part is? When I say "pay," I mean with the FREE MONEY I earned from Beachbody. No money actually came out of my pocket. Each time I reached a certain amount of Success Club points (NOT hard to do, mind you), every point equaled either $5 or $10 towards that fund automatically. In 4 months, I have over $1,000 for a $2,000 trip saved up without me doing a thing. Wonder what that extra money will equal? ;)

-->Discounts? Have I mentioned discounts yet? Oh yeah. You get 25% off of EVERYTHING you ever order, including access to exclusive coaches only clothing and other fun Beachbody clothing. Some coaches join just for the discounts.

-->For getting Success Club Starters (Success Club my first 3 months as a coach), I earned a free ticket to Coach Summit in Nashville, TN! THIS IS HUGE. That thing usually costs about $300. But not to fret, when you get to a certain point in your business (that doesn't take very long), you'll be getting in for free/skipping lines/etc. Did I mention that all of the celebrity trainers are there? Yeah, check this out. I got to meet my all time favorite trainer, Tony Horton, creator of the P90X series. I have been so incredibly thankful for his programs, I can't even tell you.. but that's a whole different story. Meeting him was a HUGE check off of my bucket list!

-->This point is a little bit different. I am, or really was, an introvert. I am better with one-on-one conversations. I'd rather drink with you and your friend in your apartment than go out clubbing. Actually, I'd rather be at my house by myself. In silence. Haha. :) Beginning this business was extremely difficult for me. I used to post on Facebook like once every 3 months, and now I love it because it's opened up so many opportunities for me to reach people and meet people- and that's something I NEVER thought I would say I loved to do. Beachbody has changed me from the inside out! Through the pain and struggles of putting every ounce of my life out into the world, I have grown more than I can ever describe. There have been tears, hurtful comments, and naysayers, but the love from my team, my challengers, the weight loss stories and the "thank you's," they have grown me. Every part of it has grown me. I am the same, but totally different. I could have never asked for anything better!

There are a multitude of other things I could say that this opportunity has done for me, but above all, what all of these points have in common, is FREEDOM. That is what coaching with Beachbody boils down to. Freedom. You make your own rules. You run your business. You help people and help yourself.

What does it take to be a good Beachbody coach? Being on the path to a better, healthier you. Do you need to be in perfect shape? No. Do you need to have reached all of your fitness goals? HECK NO. Do you need to be STRIVING for those goals and trying to be your best self each day? Yes, yes you do.

Along with helping yourself, you must also want to help others on their path to their own personal health and fitness goals. You must focus on OTHERS and NOT yourself. This business is about becoming a healthier you, but it's not about you. I wake up every morning excited to see what my fitness group challengers are doing. I wake up excited about their fitness goals. I wake up excited to help train my coaches and see their successes. I also wake up ready to do my workouts, eat clean, and read my personal development, but that's to keep me healthy and a good example for those that I want to help.

Does this take hours and hours a day?! Absolutely not! When I first started coaching, I was still working full time as a Pre-K teacher. Can we talk about a daily power hour that's gotten me to the point where I am now? 1-2 hours a day and you are set. Some take more time, others use LESS! You can work it very easily around any schedule, and I can tell you how. But it needs to be DAILY, not every 3 days whenever you feel like it.

So, do you love health and fitness? Do you WANT to love health and fitness? Do you want to help others along their paths as well? Do you have 1-2 hours a day to build a business of limitless potential? Then YOU would be an AMAZING Beachbody coach. We are here to HELP. And there are SO many people that need your help.

Join a fitness challenge group with me to try it out and see if it's something you would like to duplicate with others before becoming a coach.

Apply here to be a part of my team and I will help you through every step of the way. I love this business and I am yours 24/7.

Have any more questions? Feel free to shoot me an e-mail :)

This opportunity could be your EVERYTHING!

With love,

What's This 3 Day Refresh!?

The picture on the right shows a loss of 5 pounds.

Are these results from the latest 90 day fitness program?!

Nope. These are the results from clean eating for just 3 DAYS on the 3 Day Refresh!!!!

As is human nature, we are CONSTANTLY looking for the quickest, easiest way to lose weight. We want it done in the shortest amount of time possible for the smallest amount of work possible.

However, the downside of that is that it is nearly impossible to find something that does this for us and that is HEALTHY and safe.

A Beachbody coach once came up with the notion of the 3 Day Shakeology cleanse, replacing 3 of the major meals a day with Shakeology and snacking around that, and while Beachbody didn't necessarily disapprove of this, they also didn't see Shakeology as suitable for 3 meal replacements.

So as the 3 Day Shakeology cleanse has become more and more wildly popular, Carl Daikeler, CEO of Beachbody, and his team have been working hard to get us a more suitable cleanse that will really meet all of our body's nutritional needs and not rob us of other health requirements.

That's when Carl's wife, Isabelle Daikeler, came up with the 3 Day Refresh.

It was released while all of us coaches were at Coach Summit in Vegas, so I immediately purchased it and have been waiting for the right moment to use it! Let me tell you... It requires EXTREME dedication. But it WORKS. Oh MAN, does it really work.

I'm sure most people's main concern will be keeping the weight off that was lost, since this is only 3 days and not a permanent fix. My answer to that, first and foremost, is that this is to give us a healthy jumpstart on what needs to be a LIFESTYLE! If you do this refresh and then indulge on all of the cheeseburgers and pizza you missed out on the next day, you WILL gain all of it back, and probably plus some. This is to help your mind and body get in the right place to pursue the rest of your health and fitness goals.

I had gotten into a bad spot of skipping workouts and eating too much throughout the day, and not well enough. I was bloated and constantly felt just plain gross. My fiance switched to night shift, and it was hard to keep up with my same sleep, exercise, and eating schedule while trying to work with his new schedule. Point blank, I knew I needed to hit the brakes before this became something permanent! We had one more fatty fat weekend at his parent's house, and I immediately started the 3 Day Refresh when I woke up the next morning!

I had actually JUST been telling my mother-in-law that it made me sad to look back at pictures from when I had finished P90X3 because I just didn't look like that anymore. Well, guess what... 3 days later and I look BETTER! And it was purely my diet. Eating clean. I never worked out one time in these 3 days. It also ended up ending perfectly on the day of our engagement photoshoot! Boom.

So, this is recommended for:
- anyone who needs a jumpstart back into a healthy LIFESTYLE
- anyone who needs a quick fix before a big event, photoshoot, etc.
- anyone who wants to shed those last few annoying pounds the HEALTHY way

I also HIGHLY recommend you doing this over a period of days that you will not be working or doing any intense physical labor. It will be much more difficult if you are in an environment in which you are constantly tempted by foods (or stress that tempts those foods), or if you are exerting a ton of calories exercising or moving furniture or what have you. I was able to exercise the first day, but not the 2nd or 3rd day. You are just not consuming enough calories during this time to lose them all during exercise!

WARNING: You may notice difference in... toilet times. Sorry, but it has to be said! Depending on your body and how much fiber you are already normally taking in, there WILL be differences. I have already been fairly good on my daily fiber intake and vegetable servings. So I had a very good "cleanse," if you will. If you are not used to eating this many veggies or fiber, you may experience a little backing up, but that is normal and will go away! Trust me. Trust me that you must also, MUST MUST MUST drink LOTS OF WATER! At least half of your body weight in ounces. I made sure to drink around 67oz a day. If you don't, the amount of fiber will bloat you and constipate you even worse!

Without further adieu, here are a few clips from the last 3 days:

Day 1

I was STOKED to begin on Day 1, and I really felt amazing all day. It had me energized and feeling much lighter and healthier already. To the left is my breakfast and first shake of the day! 1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology, 1/2 cup of frozen red grapes, cinnamon and stevia to taste, and ice, blended. It was yumy. 

I was happy we were allowed green or black tea or black coffee throughout the 3 days! It's optional, but also better for me to do than cut caffeine out completely, because I can get major caffeine headaches. I also found drinking it really helped when hunger would strike. Every time you consume a beverage or meal, it's split up by at least an hour. Every time it was tea time, it seemed that I was craving some majorly greasy foods, and this ALWAYS satisfied me. You can at least sweeten your tea and coffee with a serving of stevia, as well!

This is my first lunch! The Refresh vanilla shake with 1/2 banana, cinnamon, ice, and stevia, and a serving of a veggie and healthy fat: cucumber and hummus. This had me FULL!

Later afternoon snack (at least an hour after lunch) consisted of another veggie serving from the veggie list, and another healthy fat. One of my all time favorites: celery and PB! Mmmm.

So, for dinner I was pretty boring. I did a bowl of broccoli with the allotted amount of garlic with my vanilla shake! At dinner, you can choose from a list of their dinner recipes, and this time, no fruit in the shake. I think it's harder for our bodies to digest that sugar later at night, and I've always heard to eat your fruits earlier in the day, so that made sense to me. Again, they had much better options for the veggie dinner recipes, but I was lazy. ;)

Day 2

Ok, this is your warning. Day 2 is SO MUCH HARDER than Day 1. I woke up feeling starving and with a slight headache. I woke up saying to myself, "oh my gosh. I can't do this. I'm going to consume EVERYTHING right now." But you know what? I didn't. Because it was my MIND trying to tell my BODY what it could and couldn't do. I was not going to let that happen. I pushed through and felt great.

PUSH THROUGH Day 2 because it WILL be hard, but you CAN do this! This is all about TAKING CONTROL of our minds and bodies and not letting them rule us anymore. We got this.

This was my yummy Vanilla Shakeology with 1/2 banana, cinnamon, and ice. Cinnamon is always in my shakes because it was a "freebee" and could be consumed in unlimited amounts! Other sweeteners were not the case.

You can't tell in my smile, but I'm STILL STRUGGLING! Haha. This Refresh vanilla shake was good, though. The fruit serving for strawberries was 12 medium ones, so it was super berry-filled and delicious! 

I was, again, very boring for my dinner choice. I LOVE green beans though, and was so hungry by the time dinner hit, I just made these bad boys lightly seasoned with sea salt. So delicious. I went to sleep ready to take on the last day!

Day 3

Day 3 started out like any other day, with my favorite vanilla Shakeology shake. However, I was different. My mind and body between Day 2 and 3 did a total 180 degree turn. When I woke up, it was like my body was telling me, "I can get used to this. In fact, I AM used to this. I even like this. Thanks for taking care of me!" ;)

For lunch I decided to change it up a little... with a salad! Hehe. 3 cups of fresh romaine lettuce and a serving of sesame seed dressing. Delish. And somehow, this food became filling.

I ate my snacks throughout the day as repeats of the first couple of days, but as my last Day 3 dinner, I made the vegetable stir fry in the dinner recipes options! It was DELICIOUS. Grilled in vegetable broth, olive oil and garlic... *drool.*

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Overall, my experience was a great one. I was much more energized, and again, this way of eating has really become habit in such a small amount of time. I did not jump up this morning, the first morning I am now free to eat whatever I want, wanting junk. I woke up wanting a simple Shakeology shake, and have really not been ravenous like I was before. I am eating to live, NOT living to eat. I am really thankful for this cleanse. It has honestly changed my life in just 3 days- and I am not being overly dramatic! :)

I plan on doing this once every few months, or anytime I need a little kick in the butt and reminder of what food is supposed to do for us... FUEL OUR BODIES!

If you are wanting to try the 3 Day Refresh for yourself, order here!

-->3 DAY REFRESH

I hope you all have an amazing day,