My Breast(feeding) Friend

With baby number two making an appearance any day now I am in full nesting mode! One item I am excited to stock my house with is Rehydrate Gel and Rehydrate. With baby number one I found breast feeding to be extremely dehydrating. I drank water like a camel trying to stay hydrated and I don't know about you but I avoid the other "sports drinks" on the market because they are loaded with corn syrup. Luckily for baby number two I have Advocare in my corner!

Lucky for everyone the gel is on sale this month!!! It is an amazing product with a great taste and it is a favorite of cyclists and runners!

 

• Encourages optimal performance through electrolyte balance
• Allows for immediate and sustained energy with Sequential Carbs
• Facilitates hydration in conjunction with plenty of water
• Lemon flavor with only 80 calories
• On-the-go portable and convenient pouch

• Helps the body stay hydrated during physical activity
• Provides a full spectrum of crucial electrolytes for improved electrolyte balance
• Includes amino acids to help feed your muscles
• Fuels your body with carbohydrates for energy production and sustained muscle endurance
• Contains antioxidants to fight free radicals commonly produced during exercise
• Helps prevent cramping during and after exercise

Quinoa Taco Bowls with Fresh Guac

 

For Cinco de Mayo this year I wanted to make a clean version of tacos for dinner that are also 24 Day Challenge friendly. I created the Quinoa Taco Bowl! It was a big hit and next year when I am not pregnant I will be pairing it with Margarita Jello Shots!

What you will need:

Quinoa:

1/2 medium red onion

1/8 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 tsp cumin

1tsp paprika

1tsp chili powder

1 tbs lime juice

1 cup uncooked quinoa

2 cups vegetable or chicken stock (I used veggie, to keep the meal meatless)

Fresh Guacamole: (approved by and eaten at least once a week by my two year old)

3 ripe avocados

1 large tomato

1/2 medium red onion

1 clove garlic

1 tbs lime juice

1/8 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Additonal Options:

Beans (I used black and pinto)

Meat (chicken, low fat ground turkey, and ground buffalo are good options)

Shredded Cheese (not 24 day challenge friendly)

Greek Yogurt (not 24 day challenge friendly)

With the exception of the Quinoa and Stock measurements all of the other ingredients can be adjusted to suit your taste.

To make the Quinoa:

Start by chopping your onion and then place it in a large pot that has been sprayed with a cooking oil like Pam. Saute the onions over medium heat until they begin to soften. Then add in the spices, lime juice and cilantro and allow it to continue to cook for another 3 minutes.

Once the onions are nice and soft add in the quinoa and stock and turn the heat up to high. Wait for the mixture to boil. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low and allow the quinoa to cook for 12-15 min.

The quinoa will have absorbed all of the liquid when it is done. While the quinoa is cooking heat black beans and pinto beans in a separate pot.

 

To make the Guacamole:

Chop the tomato, onion, garlic and cilantro into a large bowl then add in the lime juice.  At this point you have a delicious fresh salsa!

Next cut your avocado in half and remove the pit. Cut your avocado in a grid pattern taking care not to cut the skin. Then using a spoon scoop the avocado out of the shell and into the bowl. The final step is to mash all of your ingredients together. Depending on if you like your guacamole chunky or smooth you can mash a little or you can mash a lot (or just throw everything into the food processor)

Final result:
Put a scoop of Quinoa in a bowl and top with beans, guacamole and the optional cheese, greek yogurt and meat!

Is your fish oil supplement acting fishy?

Earlier this week I posted about what an amazing company Advocare is and how I have had a fit and healthy pregnancy while using their products.

I came across this clip from the Dr. Oz show that exemplifies what a great product Advocare produces.

In this clip Dr. Oz talks about how fish oils reduce cholesterol and boost your brain power. He points out that many fish oil brands when tested don't really have in them what they say they do. His guest Dr. Tod Cooperman, M.D. of consumerlab.com tests products to make sure they live up to their claims. At the end of the segment (around the 1:55 mark) he says that Advocare produces one of only a few fish oils that actually put in the bottle what is written on the label! ...check out how OmegaPlex is living up to what it claims to do!

Is your office fridge a fright?

The Problem: Raise your hand if the fridge in your office looks like this...

Mine used to. Every few months I would take it upon myself to clean out all the expired, yucky, and smelly food that people forgot about. I knew something had to be done, there had to be a way to clean up the office fridge.

The Solution: I bought bins for each person and labeled them. Depending on the size of your company, the amount of fridge space and how much food people bring in, the bins may need to be shared. 

Since making this change everyone takes accountability for what they bring in and when to discard it. Gone are the days of unlabeled take-out boxes that get lost, only to be discovered months later!

Want to know my secret?

I debated sharing this information. It is hard to put yourself out there.... but some information is too good to keep to yourself.

This is me at 27 weeks pregnant on a recent trip to Disney World. See my shorts? Those are not maternity shorts, those are my everyday pre-pregnancy shorts!

A little bit about me and how I have been able to have an easy, healthy and fit pregnancy:

As the daughter of a medical doctor and a fitness practitioner, health and wellness have always been an important part of my life. I earned my Bachelor of Science degree in athletic training from The University of Alabama and currently work full time for a healthcare consulting firm. In addition to my full-time job I also own and run my own small business, Aunt Sasha's Barked Goods, an all-natural dog treat company. I also have a two year old and of course baby number two on the way.

My secret to being super mom and staying super fit is Advocare. For the most part I eat a clean diet avoiding foods that contain gluten and refined sugars and I stay active. Advocare helps me fill the nutritional gaps and fuel my body to its optimum potential (This was especially important during my first trimester of pregnancy when I wanted nothing to do with vegetables.)

Advocare has been in business for 20 years and is supported by unpaid endorsers like Drew Brees! They have a full range of products that enhance wellness, energy, athletic performance and weight loss/management. My favorite product is Spark because it gives me the energy and focus I need to juggle everything on my very full plate. During my pregnancy I have also been taking OmegaPlex, ProBiotic Restore and Catalyst to name a few. As with any supplements I have discussed everything I am taking with my doctors. They are very impressed with my progress this pregnancy and have even complimented me on my great blood pressure, weight gain and growth!

I plan to continue sharing my journey with you and the good, bad and ugly of my postpartum weight loss (although with Advocare in my corner it will all be good). After I finish breast feeding I plan to take the 24 Day Challenge and I encourage you to join me when I do. I will be sharing my meal plans and workouts with you as well!

Below is a photo of me last weekend at 32 weeks. Whether you are pregnant or not, looking to lose some weight or enhance your athletic performance, I am available to help you figure out what products will best fit your needs and lifestyle and act as a coach to help you reach your optimum potential too! *Always remember to check with your doctor before starting any new supplements*

 

Watermelon Punch

With the weather warming up I wanted to share a yummy and fun cocktail and you can serve it in a Watermelon!

Grab your ingredients:
Seedless Watermelon
Frozen Pineapple
Coconut Rum
Vodka
(for a mocktail or kid friendly version sub pineapple juice for the alcohol)

 First remove the top of your watermelon and scoop out the flesh.

Next combine your ingredients in the blender, this is a drink you can make to suit your personal taste by adding more/less of each ingredient. I used 1 cup of watermelon, 1 cup frozen pineapple, 1 ounce vodka and 1 ounce coconut rum

Finally pour your drink into the empty watermelon shell and enjoy.

If you are making a non-alcoholic, kid friendly, pregnancy friendly version add in some club soda after you have poured the mixture into the watermelon shell.

Want to kick it up a notch. Freeze your watermelon punch for a frosty treat!

5am Pancakes

What do you do when your toddler wakes you up at 5am? You make pancakes!

These yummy pancakes are Gluten Free!

Ingredients:
1 Cup King Arthur Gluten Free Pancake Mix
1/2 Cup Coconut or Almond Milk
1 Egg
1 Banana
Handful of Chopped Pecans
1 tsp Cinnamon
1tsp Vanilla

Directions: Mash the banana, then add remaining wet ingredients. Add in dry ingredients and mix well. Add in the pecans. Once your batter is made pour onto the griddle. When first side turns golden brown, flip the pancake and repeat on the other side.

Tips: When my bananas get too ripe I peel them and put them in baggies in the freezer to have on hand for smoothies. For this recipe I put a frozen banana in the microwave for 45 seconds and then mashed it.

Next time I plan to throw in some blueberries or for a special treat try adding chocolate chips (which I might have done this morning too, shhhh)!