Let 2015 Begin!

Hi!! I feel like it's been a bit since I've given a real update on everything going on lately. November got hectic with wedding planning, and then of course the wedding and then honeymoon, but I never stopped staying active and doing the best I could in my diet! Well, excluding some moments during the honeymoon.

The incredible Kiersten Grant photographed our wedding and I could not have asked for more beautiful pictures that really captured how we felt. It was honestly the best day of our lives, and we wish we could relive it! (minus the planning. ha!)

Peak of Our Wedding:

Peak of Our Honeymoon (Jamaica & Haiti):

Now, the Holidays have consisted of lots of travel between coming back home after a week at sea, Thanksgiving, birthdays, now Christmas for both sides of the families. But, I couldn't ask for anything better. I know how incredibly lucky we are to have remained so close to our families and to have families to spend these holidays with, so bring the travel on!

I'm getting more and more excited each day for my upcoming New Year, New You challenge group. Not only for the challengers that will be joining me (ladies doing their own programs in the group), but for hitting the restart button on my own fitness journey. While I've kept doing the minimum to maintain during these busy months, that also means I haven't gone any further with my goals, which I'm not too happy about.

Today I am officially starting P90X3 over again from scratch! Day 1 is in the books and I'm ecstatic about it. This has been my favorite program by far, and I'm excited to see what results Round 2 will bring while incorporating a higher calorie bracket of the 21 Day Fix meal plan. I'm using the 21 Day Fix meal plan just to continue to help me realize how much of each food group is necessary for my body with the amount of calories I'm consuming. I know how easy it would be to say I have 1,800 allotted calories for the day, and fill most of those with carbs and sugars, etc. But to know I have 3 servings of complex carbs, 2 servings of fruit, 4 servings of protein, and so on, helps me tremendously (which is why 21 Day Fix is also the bomb!)

My New Year, New You group is open to any and all programs. I never want to shut anyone out because their interests and goals call for a different program than what I'm doing. For some, P90X3 may sound terrible because they hate weight lifting, but also way too intense because they are just starting out on their fitness journey, and that's ok! There are so so so many programs to choose from, which is why I would LOVE for you to fill out my application for the group and contact me so I can help you choose the best program for you!

I am meal prepping today for the week and keeping it super simple. Grilled chicken with fresh Italian herbs, garlic and parmesan quinoa, and fresh green beans for the main course. I always have chopped up fruits in the freezer for my Shakeology smoothies along with fresh spinach and kale to throw in (because Lord knows I am not good at getting my veggies in otherwise), and a clean eating pot rost in the crockpot for dinners! Snacks will consist of Tony Horton's Stick Bars, other fresh veggies, almonds & organic craisins, and anything else quick and healthy I can find. I definitely recommend going ahead and having your snacks all bagged up to be able to grab on the go, on the way to work or on your errands! It never hurts to have some extras in your purse/backpack/etc to have on the go so you don't get so starving that fast food starts calling your name!

In other exciting news, I have also started a brand new like page on Facebook to start really following my health and fitness journey through all of the little details. I just hope this can expand for me to really be able to find others that need help, and to further help those in need!
To start following me, just go here -->AmandaGotFit<-- nbsp="">

So, what are your fitness goals for the New Year? How can I help you?

If you would like to join my upcoming fitness group, please feel free to apply below and I will get in touch with you!

Amanda James

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Strawberry Shakeology Protein Muffins

When I have some extra Shakeology/protein powder around the house, and I'm in the mood for some baking, I love whipping up some healthy concoctions that won't bust the waistline.

With the extra Strawberry Shakeology I had, visions of strawberry pancakes and muffins filled my mind and I had to find a yummy recipe I could make my own with Shakeo! So, this is what I came up with... I even got extra naughty and put some semi-sweet chocolate morsels in there ;) (they're 21 Day Fix approved, ok?!)

Try these babies out when you need a sweet fix the HEALTHY way! They would be great with any flavor of Shakeology.

What You'll Need:

-2-3 scoops of Shakeology (about 1 cup)
-1 tsp. baking soda
-1 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
-1/2 cup applesauce
-1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
-1 1/2 tbsps. maple syrup
-2 egg whites
-1/2 cup mini or regular chocolate chips (*optional)


Preparation:

-Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
-In a medium bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients (Shakeology, baking soda, cinnamon),
-In a large bowl, mix applesauce, Greek yogurt, maple syrup, and egg whites. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until smooth. Fold in chocolate chips and let mixture sit to thicken for a few minutes.

-Pour mixture evenly into muffin cups and bake 15-20 minutes, or until cooked all the way through.
-Let cool and then enjoy!

 With love,

Amanda James

Unapologetically ME!

I did something that I wasn't proud of yesterday.

I randomly flexed in the mirror, was shocked at my most recent improvements, snapped a picture, and shared on Instagram. But, I was nervous and didn't share it on Facebook. I was scared of what people may think. I was scared of being judged for being a female with slightly larger than normal muscle mass. 

When I realized that these thoughts were coursing through my head, I then started to think, "WHAT?!?!? Everything you have worked so hard for, the things you have taught OTHERS not to fear, including judgement from others... and now you're going to run scared from the progress you are making because it may not match someone else's goals?"

So, no more. I am firm believer in practicing what you preach. So many of the beautiful women on my team have been nervous to share their progress photos. Either they are not where they want to be yet, or just have not yet become comfortable with the thought of baring skin on social media. I always comfort them and let them know, "You know what? Someone needs to see this. Someone needs to know that you are going through the same things that they are, and you have tools to help them. You have succeeded no matter WHAT stage in your progress you are currently in." They always come to a realization, share their pictures, and draw in the people that NEEDED them in that moment, and needed their help.

Why am I not telling myself the same things? Who cares if someone is going to judge my muscular figure? That's ok. Maybe I will not connect with them. But you know what, I can and will connect with someone that has the same goals as me, that is ready to shed those last few pounds of fat, that is in love with weightlifting and hates cardio, that would be proud to see defined muscles when they flex in the mirror.

Goals change over time for each person. Mine are now to become the most fit, trim version of me with proper diet and exercise. I REFUSE to be ashamed of that. On Monday, I'm even going to restart P90X3 + Shakeology with one of my girls while using the 21 Day Fix containers to maintain portion control. I hope to be even MORE defined by the end of that!

So, this is me. Unapologetically me. I like lifting heavy weights, I have a hard time giving up carbs, but I am seeing and striving for improvements every day. 

I will never stop doing what I love!

xoxo,

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Why Women Should Lift Weights

When I first started my weight loss journey, I was similar to many women in the fact that I assumed lifting weights, especially heavy ones, would result in me getting bulky, broad, and a thick look that I didn't want. I wanted to get a lean, elongated, and a sexy sculpted body. What I didn't realize at the time, was that the exact thing that I thought would bring me away from the results I wanted, was the one thing that actually was going to get me there. 

Ladies: lifting HEAVY weights are the KEY to getting lean, sexy, sculpted bodies!!!

When I did my first round of P90X3, I shedded 8 inches of fat overall on my body, but gained a few pounds in lean muscle. I never lifted anything less than a 10 lb dumbbell, and that's what I used for the exercises that required a light weight. So many times when women begin to exercise, we gain a few pounds in the process and totally lose sight of the big picture: that weight is just a number! It is NOT the main source we should be looking at for our progress. Look in the mirror! Try on your old clothes! Take the measuring tape out! Weight gain can simply mean that we are putting on muscle- but that is GOOD, because although muscle weighs more than fat, muscle also SCORCHES fat! The more muscle you have, the more fat you are going to lose, because muscle burns significantly more calories than fat even at a resting state. Therefore, the more muscle you have, the more weight you are going to lose by doing virtually nothing. Will you gain a few more pounds? Maybe. But will you look a heck of a lot better? YES!

Here are some of the reasons why women will NEVER get bulky, or start to look "manly" from weightlifting:

1. Women naturally do not even possess the testosterone levels to gain muscle mass like men. Normal testosterone levels for men fall between 200-1200 ng/dl, while testosterone levels for women are typically between 15-70 ng/dl. Therefore, even if a man is at the lowest end of the testosterone level, and a woman is at the highest, the man would still have TWICE the amount of testosterone! Women do not contain the hormonal support to ever gain muscle like a man. If you ever see female bodybuilders that seem to possess similar muscle mass to men, it is because they are using outside testosterone injections or steroids- they are doing something to alter the natural state of their bodies and testosterone levels. 

2. Studies have SHOWN that men and women can train the exact same way- meaning, women MUST lift those HEAVY weights in order to achieve the sexy "toned" look that we want. Lifting heavy weights will give us the "V" shaped back (but not broad like a man's, because again, that is not possible for our bodies), the shapely legs and lifted booty, the tight, lean, sculpted arms, and of course that flat tummy we ALWAYS dream of! In reality, lifting light weights for a long period of time will just increase your muscle endurance, while lifting heavy weights will build your muscle strength- burning fat, increasing metabolism, and sculpting your muscles even more.

3. The word "toning" is actually a misconception. I still use the term, because I think of it in a different aspect than some, but here's the kicker: our muscles do not change. When some people say "tone your muscles," we are really just shedding the fat around them and making them protrude more. Now, we can build muscle and make them bigger, we can LOSE muscle, but we cannot "tone" it. The bigger we make our muscles, the leaner we will look. :)

4. Sometimes when women (or men) begin to train in weight lifting, they do get bigger and bulkier and blame it on lifting weights. This is simply because those people are gaining actual weight in fat by consuming too many calories. Along with weight lifting, we still need to be at a calorie deficit to lose weight. Do not think since you are lifting heavy weights, you also need to be consuming thousands of calories to make up for it and "feed your muscles." That's not the case. In fact, people can overeat on very healthy foods as well- healthy foods can still add up to a lot of calories! The main thing you want to make sure you are doing is feeding your body and muscles the proper nutrients it needs DIRECTLY after lifting weights, and that is protein! A simple protein shake (or for me, Shakeology) will do the trick. But other than that, I have lost the most weight and gained the most muscle from eating around a 1,500 calorie diet for my body and build. If I wanted to lose more weight, I would either have to create more of a calorie deficit in working out longer to burn more calories, or eating even less. 

Therefore, if you are getting bulky and thicker "from weightlifting," it's really that you are gaining weight in general.

Alright ladies, I hope this cleared the air on some of your weightlifting fears! So FEAR NOT those big weights! Get all up in the heavy weight zone at the gym and boot the guys out of the way! Doing a Beachbody program like me? Bring those heavy weights HOME! Don't spend money on the 3 lb'ers! Show those guys who's BOSS! ;)

With love,