Introducing...Joyfully Fit Bootcamps!

For a few months, as a registered dietitian and beach body coach, I have been conducting health and fitness online accountability groups, hosting many free, 5 day clean eating challenges, as well as hosting general accountability groups for my clients. Well, I am now officially launching my "Joyfully Fit Bootcamps!”

What is a Joyfully Fit Bootcamp?

Let's face it; doing this whole weight loss, getting healthy, eating clean thing is hard and lonely. In our world, with temptation around every corner, we can feel as if healthy living is impossible. But that is simply not true. With a Joyfully Fit Bootcamp, you will never be alone!!! Joyfully Fit Bootcamps will provide you with 28 days of online, fitness accountability in a private, safe, and supportive environment. 

Here is exactly what you get when you join a Joyfully Fit Bootcamp!

1. A consultation with me, your personal registered dietitian and coach, to help you get started on the right track and pick a fitness package best suited for you. 

2. You will receive a fun, state of the art Beach Body fitness program that is geared towards YOUR needs and YOUR goals.

3. You will learn how to meal prep and meal plan according to your food preferences and lifestyle.

4. You will receive ongoing fitness support and accountability in our private Facebook group. 

5. You will receive a month's supply of a nutrient-dense shake that is packed with super-foods, vitamins, minerals, probiotics, and antioxidants all in one package, which I like to call the craving-killer package! 

6. Once you complete a bootcamp, you will get a lifetime Joyfully Fit membership. This gives you a spot in all of my future bootcamps, and constant communication with me as your personal fitness cheerleader. 

Now is the perfect time to join one of my bootcamps! Why not put your health and fitness first? Why not finally do something for YOU? You don't have to be "ready" or "perfect" to finally get healthy. Health can come to you at any season of life, you just have to choose it. YOU deserve to finally reach your goals, have more energy for your kids, and to feel comfortable in your skin. Why not you? 

Investing in your health: 

We are always investing in something, whether it is our education, career, style, retirement, or travel. So why not choose to invest in something with a priceless return - a happy and healthy life! Joyfully Fit Bootcamp packages begin at $160, and range based on your goals. Remember, with your fitness package you will receive a world class program, a detailed meal plan, a 30-day supply of a superfood shake, daily accountability during the bootcamp, a lifetime membership for all future bootcamps, and me as your coach for life! 

When can I start?

If you are ready to take a leap of faith, trust in yourself, and believe you can accomplish anything, you would be a perfect candidate for one of my bootcamps. I only accept a limited number of people every month to make sure these groups stay intimate, honest, and safe. If you are interested in a free consultation with me and to learn about when my next bootcamp will be, please fill out the form below and I will contact you as soon as possible! 

There is no better time than TODAY to finally get healthy. You deserve to live your life to the full, so why not start now?

PiYo Review: Sticking to something till the end!

I have been filled with such an incredible sense of accomplishment these past couple days. Yesterday I completed the two month PiYo program. I have never ever completed a workout program from start to finish. Even though there were ups and downs throughout the past two months, I did each workout every day and completed the program! 

I am so grateful to God that, even though these past two months have been nuts, He gave me the motivation and determination to finish this program!! I am definitely going to incorporate PiYo into my weekly workout schedules because it has been the best thing I have ever done for my mind, soul, and my body. 

Let me first say that I used to hate anything low impact, and I especially did not enjoy yoga or Pilates. This program completely changed that for me! I looked forward to pressing play every single day, and I felt amazing during PiYo. So if you think you are not a yoga person, you should try this program because you may surprise yourself!  

I also got great results! The left photo is from week 3, and the right is from my final week, week 8! 

I have never had definition in my abs, let alone the confidence to post my abs! This workout gave me confidence in so many aspects of my life. I finally completed a program in its entirety, which is such a huge confidence boost! I also became a beach body coach in the process, because I wanted to be able to coach others through this program so they can experience what I have. Now, I feel like I can do anything I set my mind too! 

To close, I know you all are interested in details. So here is it. I lost 10-12 lbs during PiYo, I stuck with the workout calendar, and I also added about 2-3 cardio days consisting of slow run/walks ranging from 20-40 mins. Most importantly, I stuck to a mostly clean eating lifestyle. I never starved myself, I did indulge on Easter and a few other occasions, and for about 80% of the 8 weeks, I ate whole, real foods, lean proteins, tons of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and a good amount of healthy fats. Nutrition is the most important part of the entire equation! We cannot workout enough to outweigh a poor diet...that's for sure! 

If you would like me to coach you through this fitness program and help you get on your way to living a healthier lifestyle, please contact me! I have a passion for helping people reach their health and fitness goals and would love to work with you. Email me at TveenRD@gmail.com to get started! 

What is Clean Eating?

 

What is Clean Eating? As a dietitian, I often get asked this question. I realized that I really do have my own definition of clean eating that may not match most of the definitions out there. I thought it would be beneficial to me, as well as my readers, to talk about what clean eating means to me, and how I incorporate it into my healthy lifestyle. The following is a list of the 5 principles that comprise clean eating for me. Hopefully it helps some of you figure out what clean eating means to you and how you can clean up your diet to live a happier and healthy lifestyle!

1. Eating TONS of fruits and vegetables.

And by tons, I mean at least 7-10 servings/day. These foods are nutritional powerhouses and are packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber, anti-cancer properties, and antioxidants. They are what should make up the most of our daily food intake. Adding variety to your fruits and vegetables helps you not get bored. These foods are also so versatile, with all the seasonings and toppings you can add. Vegetables can be used in salads, stir fry meals, casseroles, omelets...the possibilities are endless! You can eat fruit on its own or add it to salads, smoothies, or on top of oats. And with the internet resources available nowadays, you can ALWAYS find new recipes (on my blog or others!) in order to spice up your fruits and veggies and never get bored. So when you look down at your plate, at least half of it should be fruits and vegetables!  

2. Limiting processed and packaged carbohydrate and high fat foods.

This one is pretty obvious, but cakes, cookies, sweets, candy bars, and even some "energy" bars out there are not considered clean eating for me. It's best to do without these foods since there is really no nuritional benefit in them. I also limit my intake of breads and pastas because there are so many more nutrient dense foods we could eat...such as those lovely fruits and vegetables I just talked about! 

3. Having a balance of protein, carbs, and fats at every meal. When I look down at my plate, I always try to have some kind of protein, carb, and healthy fat. Protein can come from many sources, whether animal or plant based. What most people don't know is that fruits and vegetables count as carbohydrates too, and are the healthiest kind! For example, today my lunch was a veggie and quinoa stir fry. 

  

Protein: quinoa (it's a complete protein!)

Carb: quinoa and veggies 

Fat: all sautéed in olive oil 

You can do chicken, rice, and veggies. Or soups with beans and vegetables with some avocado on top. Get creative! 

4. Drink water throughout the day. I know we don't technically "eat" water, but staying hydrated greatly effects our health and eating habits. Many times, cravings that we get (especially afternoon craving) are our bodies way of telling us that we need hydration! Instead, we reach for a candy bar or some chips, or even Gatorade (which is mostly sugar and not the best choice) when our body actually wants plain, refreshing water. 

5. Make sure to get healthy fats into your diet! Not all fat is bad. Avocados, nuts, seeds, olive oil, coconut oil, and even egg yolks are all healthy fats that our body needs to function. Fats also helps keep us full and satisfied after our meals. Having about 1/4 cup servings of whole food fats (nuts, avocado) with a meal, or 1/2-1 tablespoon servings of oils with a meal, increases our fullness and is actually healthier for us! 

Lastly, remember that heathy and clean eating is about a lifestyle. Occasional splurges are a delicious part of our lives! But if our diet is 80-90% clean most of the time, the treats that come and go won't make much of a difference in our overall health. 

If you are interested in some one-on-one nutrition counseling to start eating clean and getting healthier, please do not hesitate to email me at TveenRD@gmail.com! I would love to encourage and support you on your healthy eating journey! 

Have a happy Friday everyone! 

PiYo 1 month results: More than you think!

Good morning everyone, and happy Friday! We made it through another week, praise the Lord! I am so excited for this coming weekend! Tomorrow is my bachelorette party so I get to spend the day with some of my favorite ladies! And today is exactly 30 days away from my wedding, AHHHH!!!! I can't wait, I am just so excited!! Today, I thought I'd share my 1 month PiYo results. As many of you know, I started PiYo a little over a month ago, and it has completely changed my life and the way I view my body and my capabilities. I am going to share a before and after (something I have never done!) but I'd like to focus on more than just the physical/weight differences that I have experienced.

The first picture was taken February 16th, my first day of PiYo. And the second picture was yesterday. I've lost 10 lbs and my smaller jeans zip up perfectly, but the biggest difference to me is that look on my face. The girl in the first picture was tired, run down, and felt like she couldn't move her body like she used to. You can just see it on her face. I was dealing with my knee injury and feeling slightly depressed that I wasn't able to run anymore. I felt lost when it came to workouts and didn't know what would be effective for me anymore.

The girl on the right is BEAMING with happiness. Look at that smile! I have seen such changes in my body, from my physical appearance to my abilities. I am able to do the moves in PiYo now and feel strong and beautiful while I do them. I've never experienced anything like that! I never thought yoga or pilates would be something I am so passionate about, but it's completely changed my body and my confidence in what my body can do. I just can't stop smiling.

Now, as a dietitian, I have to mention that nutrition is 80% of the equation when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle! I've really been eating healthier the past month and incorporating as many whole foods as possible. I've also been drinking shakeology every day for the past month, and it has completely changed my life as well! See my previous post "A Dietitian's Take on Shakeology" for a more detailed review. All I can say is I feel like I am having brownie batter every day, and I'm losing weight. Win-win in my book!

Lastly, I have been filling my belly with whole, nutritious foods. I am craving vegetables and big 'ol salads! Last night, I made a yummy tuna salad in a huge mixing bowl with arugula, kale, spinach, tomatoes, and bell peppers! It was DELICIOUS! The more whole foods you eat, the more on top of the world you feel. Having whole fruit, vegetables, proteins, healthy fats, and whole food carbs make a world of difference when it comes to your health, weight, and energy levels.

I'm so excited to see what this second month of PiYo will bring me. And I will end the program 3 days before my wedding...PERFECT! I will definitely post those results too. If any of you are interested in doing PiYo, please contact me at TveenRD@gmail.com! I would LOVE to be your coach and help you get the results you want. I can't keep this workout to myself and would love to see everyone experience the changes and confidence I have experienced in the last month. So don't hesitate! Email me and we can get started together!

Joyfully Clean FREE 5-day Healthy Eating Challenge!



I am so excited to announce that I am hosting my very first clean eating challenge!!! This challenge will be five days long, starting on March 30th until April 3rd, and is totally free! You will receive meal plans, grocery lists, daily motivation, and a community of women to vent, talk, and share this journey with! 

Are you ready to take a hold of your health right NOW? There is never a better time than the present. The more you put off your goals, the less likely you are to achieve what you want to achieve. 

Let me coach you through these five days and help you prove to yourself that you CAN do this. Because really, you can! If you are interested in joining this FREE, 5 day healthy eating challenge, please comment on this post with your email address, or email me at TveenRD@gmail.com.

This really is my life passion, and I would love to journey with you and watch you reach your goals! Hope to hear from you! 

Changing Things UP!

Good morning everyone! It really feels like Monday today, even though it is Tuesday, and for that, I am grateful! This long weekend was just what I needed, to not only rest but also get a ton of stuff ready for my bridal shower coming up. I am getting married in 62 days and can't believe all the things that still need to get done. But I know that everything will happen in time, and in a little over two months, I will be in Hawaii with my hubby and we will be beginning a new phase of our lives together. I can't wait! So many things have changed about my food and fitness routine in the past couple weeks. I am really trying to discover what works best for me, my body, and my mind. I've dialed back the intensity of my workouts and have been doing a lot more light walking. I also ordered PiYo, which came in the mail yesterday! It was perfect because it arrived on a Monday, and the program calendar starts on a Monday with their Align fundamentals workout, so I did that yesterday.

I am looking forward to this program because I feel that it is exactly what my body needs at the moment; some hard core toning work without jumping up and down and killing my knees. I've had so much knee soreness and pain lately, even thought I haven't been running nearly as much. My cardio has been walking, elliptical, very SLOW and SHORT runs (like 5.0 mph for 10 minutes or so), walking, and more walking. Did I mention...walking? I've been walking outside, on the treadmill, and on my breaks from work. It's really helped keep me active and motivated with my steps (I bought a Fit Bit a few weeks back and love it!) and it's been easy on my knees. This is me taking a nice sunny walk last week on my 10 minute break at work!

Like I said, I bought a FitBit and it has been really fun to use! I love seeing how many steps I've taken and how active I've been. This morning's workout set me up pretty good, all before 7am! I did a 40 minute elliptical workout and did a slow 12 minute run. I plan on doing the PiYo lower body workout tonight when I get home from work!

Food wise, I've been letting myself have a little too many treats and sweets lately, which is ok in moderation, but not ok every day! I'm trying to move forward and have been keeping things pretty healthy the past few days. My fiancé and I did get Pinkberry this past weekend on Valentine's Day, but hey...we were celebrating!

As many of you know, I've been on a journey of no more calorie counting. I can't help but think that maybe I need that structure back in my life, especially with my wedding coming up and all the stress eating/not eating that tends to happen around this time! I've been playing around with the idea of keeping track of myself again, but I'm not too sure about it yet. But that's another post for another time...

Lastly, I bought this new journaling Bible that I am IN LOVE with. I am a huge margin writer, underliner, and highlighter when it comes to reading my Bible. I love that this Bible leaves room for me to write!

Life has been great lately. Things have been good, and I am looking forward to my wedding in just a couple short months! But things have also been stressful. Which is normal when you are going through any exciting time in your life. I've just learned that I can't rely on my own strength to get through. I definitely need Jesus and the people around me. Don't think you have to do things all on your own...we have a God who loves us and wants to strengthen us, as well as a God who puts people around us to help us through our stressful and exciting times!

Well, I am off to work and to conquer this busy day ahead of me. I plan on writing up some meal plans and recipes this week, so I will hopefully make the time for that soon! Happy Tuesday everyone!

Food & Fitness & Updates Galore!

Hello everyone!! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. I can't believe Monday is upon us yet again. Last week was a challenging one for me. But God gave me the strength to pull through. Work was stressful and I was so happy to recharge this past weekend. And now I'm so ready to take on this new week!! I did a lot of meal prep tonight and am glad to be able to reach for healthy options throughout this week. I made my infamous sausage and tater bake, boiled some eggs, and made a new recipe with bananas, oats, and walnuts! That, and my pumpkin gingerbread recipe, will be on the blog soon!!

I'm also doing the Love Your Body challenge with Tone It Up (www.toneitup.com), and have reached 20/100 for my 100 miles by Valentine's Day challenge. Im feeling pretty good about that and hope to get more miles and toning in this week!!

But first, the foodie plan :)

Pre-workout options: Hard boiled egg Banana Oat Nut protein muffins Gluten free toast w/nut butter Banana w/nuts or nut butter

Breakfast: Oatmeal Scrambles Hard boiled egg Sausage and taters

Lunch/dinner: Sausage and taters Salads Turkey taco meat Leftovers

Snacks: Carrots w/hummus Banana Oat Nut muffins Larabars Nuts Turkey taco meat

I'm looking forward to my options for the week! I think it is so important to make sure you look forward to eating your food. Food should be enjoyed!!

And now for the workouts:

Monday: run/walk 2-3 miles, personal training session (probably leg day!), Yoga in the PM

Tuesday: Arms and cardio mix 3 miles (usually I do the bike, elliptical, and some walking) or stair master if I'm feeling brave!

Wednesday: circuits in the AM with Hanna, possible workout with the fiancé in the PM which will probably be some kind of cardio and toning!

Thursday: run 4 miles

Friday: personal training sesh #2 for this week, cardio mix 3 miles

Saturday: run 5 miles

Sunday: logbook workout from my trainer, cardio mix 3 miles

My goal is to reach 40 miles for my 100 by Valentine's Day challenge. This is kind of a big goal, but why not right?? Dream big or go home :)

I'm pretty excited about this week. I'm also a little anxious, since I struggled a bit this past week with my food choices. I know I shouldn't be hard on myself, but I also know I shouldn't overdo on indulgence. Balance is always difficult to find, but it's a journey worth taking!

I am also taking on the Tone It Up challenge this week of not weighing myself for 10 days! This means not till NEXT Wednesday! I'm pretty excited about it. I had given up the scale a bit ago, but that bad habit of weighing myself too often has crept back up on me. Why do these silly things get a hold of us? I don't know, but I know that only I am giving it the power it does NOT have.

I've also kept up with my no counting calories goal. I got my app back a few times in moments of weakness, but have quickly deleted it again. I am definitely still calorie conscious, but to be honest I do miss the structure of counting. I love numbers, planning, and figuring out puzzles, which is basically what counting became. I know, however, that it is not a very sustainable habit for me, and I hope to be able to continue on my no counting streak. I will obviously keep you all informed on the happenings in this department! :)

Ok. That's all for now! I hope you all enjoy these last few hours of the weekend!

New week! Meal & Fitness Plan: October 13-17

Good morning everyone! I am meal prepping at the moment, so I thought it would be fitting to do my meal and fitness plan post while I wait for my chicken and tilapia to cook! I had an awesome workout at the gym this morning, and now am rushing to prep my proteins for the week before heading to work! I know that if I don't, I will be scrambling all week to pack my meals and will be more likely to spend more money and eat less healthy choices! So, here we are, Monday morning, rushing and cooking! Here is my tentative plan for the week. I am going to write out meal options for each meal for this week instead of planning each day.  

Pre-workout options:

* nuts

* banana w/nuts or nut butter

* baked good (if I have time to bake this week...which I probably won't!)

Breakfast options:

*veggie scrambles with fruit

*sweet potatoes as a side

*hard boiled eggs

*leftover protein with vegetables

Lunch/Dinner options:

*boiled chicken salad

*tilapia with salad

*sweet potatoes as a side

*turkey burger

*tuna salad

Snack options:

*carrots

*hummus

*nuts

*jerky

*fruit

*Larabars

Workout plan:

Monday: I had a session with my personal trainer this morning. We worked on chest and triceps and then I ran 3 miles. It felt amazing! Yesterday I took a rest day, which I think is why I had more energy this morning. It was hard for me to rest! But I made myself relax at home, sketch, and read. It's all about balance! (see previous post on October goals)

Tuesday: Run 4 miles, plank, push-ups

Wednesday: Log book workout from my trainer (legs), cardio (probably elliptical)

Thursday: Run 6 miles

Friday: Log book workout from my trainer (back/biceps), cardio (run or elliptical)

I'm focusing on saving money lately by just using the food up at home. I don't want to overthink my meals too much. So far so good! All my meats were frozen meats I found at home (except for the tuna...which is canned) and I figured these will get me through the week! Meals don't have to be fancy shmancy all the time. sometimes, simple is better (and cheaper!) This way, you don't have to over-think your options and can just make the healthy choice and move on!  So here is the plan, and I am hoping I stick to it! Keep an eye out tomorrow for a new spicy garlic green bean recipe! It was delicious and I can't wait to share it! :)

Food & Fitness Plan! October 6-10

Hello everyone! Happy first Monday of October! I am going to try and be better with my food and fitness weekly plan posts because it helps me stay on track, and hopefully helps and motivates someone out there to plan out the week too! I'll plan Monday-Friday, since most weekends are filled with last minute plans (which doesn't have to mean falling off the healthy train!) So here is my plan for the week!

Monday 10/6: Preworkout: HB egg/egg white Workout: Leg day with my trainer, incline walk for 20 mins (my legs were dead after my training session! Definitely will be feeling that tomorrow!) Breakfast: banana protein pancakes w/peanut butter Snack: quest bar Lunch: leftover BBQ chicken, carrots, hummus Snack: nuts Dinner: leftover BBQ chicken (Taking advantage of leftovers since I did not have much time to meal prep this weekend!)

Tuesday 10/7: Preworkout: hard boiled egg w/nuts Workout: run + the new TIU workout! Breakfast: banana protein mug cake Snack: carrots with dip (either hummus or guacamole...can't go wrong with either one!) Lunch: sausage and tater casserole, super easy! Snack: nuts Dinner: planning on a taco salad since I will have to eat it before or at bible study!

Wednesday 10/8: Preworkout: banana w/cashew butter Workout: chest and tricep workout from my trainer with some cardio! Breakfast: sausage and taters Snack: carrots with dip Lunch: taco salad Snack: nuts, fruit Dinner: turkey burger

Thursday 10/9: Preworkout: nuts Workout: run! Breakfast: veggie scramble Snack: carrots w/dip (can you sense a pattern here haha) Lunch: sausage w/taters Snack: larabar Workout: with my friend Hanna! We do circuits and cardio and always leave the gym sore and happy! Dinner: with Hanna :)

Friday 10/10: Preworkout: nuts Workout: back and biceps workout from my trainer with some cardio! Breakfast: sausage and taters Snack: carrots w/dip Lunch: taco salad Snack: nuts Dinner: probably out with my man!

The theme of this week's plan was: use up what I have and stop spending crazy amounts of money on food haha seriously though, the only things I am running low on at the moment are salad greens, which I am planning on stocking up on today! So I should be good to go for the rest of this week! I will probably sprinkle in some extra snacks, fruits, etc into the plan, but I am excited about all the food and workouts I have this week, which definitely increases my chances of sticking to the plan!!

I also want to get into the habit of practicing my planks and push ups before bed every night. I want a nighttime routine and I think these exercises will be great before I brush my teeth, take care of my face, have some quiet time etc before bed! We will see how it goes this week!

Let's have a great first week of October everyone!

Food, Fitness, and Wedding!

Happy Monday everyone! I hope it was a great weekend for all of you. I thought I would write a post just as an update of my life, eats, and workouts lately! I love to write so I figure, why not? :) Life has been busy but wonderful at the same time. I have found a groove and lifestyle that I love regarding work, friends, family, and health. Not that I don't have my challenges, because trust me I do! But then I realize God is with me through it all, and there is no other hand I would rather be in than His!

I have been meal planning and cooking like crazy lately! My meals last week were delicious and not in anyway boring. I made a huge batch of turkey marinara to take to work this week, consisting of some ground turkey, marinara, and bell peppers!

I also made a batch of grass fed beef, and some pumpkin protein squares to have some emergency protein and pre/post workout snacks on hand!

And yes, I am eating my beef with a little mermaid spoon....and proud of it!

As many of you know, my fiancé and I are also in the midst of crazy wedding planning stress. We have been busy planning photo shoots, the honey moon, managing the guest list, and a million other things that are on our list. We had a Starbucks date this week to discuss a few things...and I think I tired him out a bit!

My workouts have also been consistent lately. I am really seeing progress in my abilities to lift heavier weights! I also started the Frisky Fall challenge at Tone it Up which has served as great motivation! Their online community, workouts, and overall vibes are all fantastic! They have a "100 miles by Halloween" challenge, and I have already reached 22 of them! They post daily toning workouts and inspiration, which always gets you in the mood to workout! I highly recommend checking out their site, www.toneitup.com.

I am also keeping up with my personal training sessions, and am actually on my way to one soon! Having my pre-workout nuts to power me through!

This week, I have two vacation days which I plan to fill up with fun adventures, cooking, working out, relaxing, and just enjoying some time to myself. I cannot believe we are already halfway through September...it's crazy how fast time is flying!!

Anyways, I am off to get a good workout in before my day begins!! I love kicking off a new week with a workout, which sets the tone for a healthy week to come! I hope you all have an awesome Monday!