Life is the real thing.

Life is the real thing, and you get one chance at it. Do not live your life as if you can ask for a do-over. We all have one chance to make our mark. Leave the legacy you believe in. Find out what it is that makes you tick. The passions in your heart are there for a reason! Find your abilities, talents, and gifts that make your life unique and special and use them to better yourself and the world around you!

Chocolate Crisp Protein Bars

 1 cup Almond Butter
3/4 cup Agave Nectar
2 scoops Vanilla Protein Powder ( Arbonne)
2 scoops Chocolate Protein Powder (Arbonne)
3 cups of Whole Grain Crispy Rice Cereal (organic)
 Mix the almond butter and agave nectar in a bowl in microwave for 60-90 seconds....or can melt in saucepan on stove.
Add protein powders to melted mixture and mix well. Add crispy rice cereal and mix gently.
Spread in 9x13 pan. Can form into small balls if you choose. Refrigerate 1 hour.
Each ball or bar- 68 calories, 3 g fat, 9 g carbs, 2 g protein, 1 g fiber.

 Once again another great recipe to get more protein in a yummy and healthy snack!

photo:hece.edublogs.org

Take Action! Today!

The critical ingredient is getting off your butt and doing something. It's as simple as that. A lot of people have ideas, but there are few who decide to do something about them now. Not tomorrow. Not next week. But today. The true entrepreneur is a doer, not a dreamer.  - Robert Browning 

 I just love this...I had to share this today. Too many times we put off things until someday...
Some day is today!

Character, what is it?

Over the past several years, since I began life coaching one of the things you depend upon when working with other people is that you would hope they are being honest with you. Even in a relationship or friendship we all desire honesty and transparency but we do not live in a perfect world. For many reasons people lie, most of the time it is to protect themselves, to gain some sort of personal gratification, to hide, or to even have some control over a situation they feel is out of control. Of course, none of it is actually valid but in the moment, it happens.
So what is character? Is someone's character really shown by their actions? I believe character is shown when someone lives their life as if nothing is a secret. What you do in secret when you think no one is watching defines who you really are and what you are actually all about.

I ate worms for breakfast!!

Alright, so after this morning I have to say I don't think I have ever had such a Monday morning welcome me to the week. I was thrilled to wake up and start a new day. I felt positive and confident that today would be a great day. I made myself a cup of herbal tea, managed to get a hungry four year old her breakfast, and gave my little one some Cheerios to keep her quiet while I indulged in my bowl of fresh picked blackberries! As I sat next to my husband, who also was snacking on his fresh blackberries and reading the news on his IPad, while having his cup of liquid power, the morning was good! Until, I was about to the end of my bowl and saw it, or should i say "them!". WORMS! Little white worms, were in fact ,in our berries. I have a local farm that I go to every week and get our fresh organic produce. I love that we have this opportunity, however, keep in mind if you are buying organic know that you may have to be prepared for these types of situations sometimes.
I did my research and found that if you wash berries in a solution of warm water and salt, it usually brings them to the surface.
On that note, I think I will stick to my fresh tomato from the farm next week and maybe leave the blackberries sitting there looking pretty on their shelf. Not the way anyone wants to start a week off, but I guess I was able to get some extra protein today. (yuck....)

Pumpkin Spice and Cinnamon Protein Bread

I am always looking for ways to include more protein in my recipes. I have tweaked all of these recipes and you can as well. I did not come up with the original ideas, Jamie Eason actually has some great ideas on her website. However, I have changed them according to what I had on hand and  these are great additions for snacking, breakfast, or on the go mini meals. Keep in mind you can add or take away certain ingredients for your preference (nuts, raisins,seeds etc.)  Check them out and enjoy!!!

Pumpkin Spice Protein Bread

1/2 cup Stevia or Truvia
 1/2 cup organic applesauce or plain yogurt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (optional)
1/2 tsp ground clove
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
4 egg whites
1 (15 oz) can of pumpkin
2 1/2 scoops vanilla protein
2 cups wheat flour (can use oat flour too, comes out better with oat)
1/4 cup raw oatmeal
1 cup skim milk
1/2 cup walnuts (optional)
1/4 cup raisins(optional)
Spray 13x9 baking dish and preheat oven to 350F. 
Combine all ingredients and add the protein,milk, raisins, and walnuts last. Mix together and pour into pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Cut into 30 bars. 3.5 grams protein per bar. 6 grams of carb.

Cinnamon Protein Bread
1/3 cup Stevia or Truvia
2 tsp cinnamon
COMBINE ABOVE TWO AND SET ASIDE in a small bowl

1 1/2 cups wheat flour (can use oat flour too if you have it)
2 scoops vanilla protein
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup Stevia
2 egg whites
1 cup skim organic milk
1/3 cup plain greek yogurt
2 tsp vanilla

 Preheat oven to 350F. Spray an 8 x8 inch pan with non stick spray.
Combine the ingredients together with a spoon. Once mixed together, add half of the batter to the dish and sprinkle half of the stevia and cinnamon mixture on top, then add the rest of the batter, and sprinkle the remaining mixture over the top. Bake.20-25 minutes.  Cut into 16 squares.
This recipe is a heavier bread, please note.
6 grams protein per bar, 10 grams carbs.

* These recipes use protein that is vegan based, you can use whey but it is harder to digest. If you are interested in alternative protein instead of the whey, please see below: 

Order protein here!

The Truth About Constipation

I know this is a subject not everyone likes to talk about. It may seem like a disgusting subject but the fact is we all do it, and if you aren't having a normal bowel movement something could be very wrong and you might need to visit the doctor to let him know what is going on. Many people go several years having digestive problems and make their situation worse by not bringing it to the attention of their doctor.

The color of your bowel movement should be medium to dark brown. Bile made by your liver and gallbladder has a yellowish color and changes to the brown color by bacteria passed through the gut. If the stool is too light or grey colored this means that you are not producing enough bile, and this could be a problem for you later in life. If your stool is yellowish color that means that it is passing through your digestive system too fast and isn't getting enough time for the bile to turn brown. Your stool's diameter should be 1-2". If your stool is too narrow that means that you could have inflammation of the bowels and that should be addressed as soon as possible.

Your stool should be firm, but it should NOT be too hard or too loose. If there is undigested food in your stool, that could be a sign that you have low stomach acid levels, or a lack of digestive enzymes. Everyone should be passing a bowel movement every single day. If you are not going every day this is a sign you are constipated. Some healthy people go 2-3 times a day. This is a sign you have a very healthy digestive system.

Constipation can cause blood in your stool. This is a result of tearing. If you just have a little bit on your towel from wiping you probably have nothing to worry about, however, if you have dark blood in your bowel movement and you can see it this could be a sign of a serious problem and you should probably let your doctor know right away.

If you have mucous in your stool that is a sign that there is inflammation in your bowels. If it happens regularly you should probably let your doctor know. Just a couple of times should mean that you probably had some type of food allergy. Watch this closely if it has happened to you especially if it keeps happening. This is a sign of a serious problem.