Thursday Things!

First of all, I have been loving Focus T25 this week! We have a challenge group on Facebook that has over 60 members and most of us started on Monday. Dan and I are following the program to the T this week including following the nutrition guide off the 5 day fast track. Next week I will probably add lifting back in and some yoga but still keep up with the T25 schedule. It is a great program so far and I feel like it would be wonderful for people on all different fitness levels. There is a modifier for every move so if you need something low impact or just need a breather you can follow the modifier. Our challenge group is still growing so if you want to join just contact me!

Now onto the good stuff ... I got a couple fun items I purchased the last couple weeks or so from Etsy that I wanted to share! If you didn't know already, you will know now, I have a shopping problem! Hi, I'm Natalie, and I love to shop :)

I've bought a couple Sweaty Bands from my yoga studio and love them for working out! But I don't love the price so I started looking around. Of course, my love Etsy had some sellers who sold some just like Sweaty Bands!

 I got two, a gold sparkly one and a neon green and black chevron one. Both super cute!! They are from the shop on Etsy called Double Decker Designs. In my opinion these are nicer than Sweaty Bands because they are adjustable.  Everyone could use something cute to motivate them to workout :)

 Photo Credit 

Photo Credit

The second thing I purchased was a workout tank from Sparkle Tees N More. I've always looked at tanks like this but never took the plunge to purchase them and now I'm addicted! I love the material of the tank as well. Also, the seller includes a handy card that tells you the care instructions! Perfect. Sizes do run small so size up!

The last shop I purchased items from was from Mikaylove Inc. Now this shop is one I had been eyeing for awhile! My friend Holly first showed me their stuff and its seriously gorgeous!! And now I'm addicted to these pieces too. They are unique, affordable, and the owner Christianne is such a pleasure to work with. Also, a portion of the profit goes to charity! Amazingness all around. Sorry for the quality of these pics! From my iPhone :)

Love this necklace!! And it's not crooked...I just didn't fix it before I took the pic!

2nd bracelet from the left

1st bracelet from the bottom

Be sure to check out all these shops! I will continue to share awesome finds that I come across for all my shopaholics like me :)

Another thing I wanted to share--And honestly I debated even sharing this because I don't force things down others throats but I feel like if you drink beer, you need to know what you are putting in your body if you don't already! If you already know then cool, tip one back and smile. Again, I'm not preaching, I don't care if you drink or not because it doesn't affect me, I just want to inform :)  I have things that I do that are not good for me, I am no saint and no one is perfect. But I KNOW they aren't the best for me. So if you don't know, now you know! (Cue Notorious BIG song Juicy). Sorry I'm random!

Photo Credit

Check out the article by visiting Food Babe. Which by the way is a new fav site! Lots of interesting info.

I hope you all are having a fabulous Thursday! Tomorrow is Friday holler!!

Xo

-Nat 

Post Ultimate Reset update and yummy dinner

I just wanted to give a little update on us after the Ultimate Reset since its been a month! A lot of questions from people about what to do after the reset, how much weight will you gain back, what do you feel like, etc.

Dan and I both feel REALLY good still after the reset! We both went back to drinking coffee but its not on the level it was before. Dan does not drink energy drinks or soda anymore like he used to and does not plan on it. As far as our diet goes we eat mostly vegetarian. Dan will have chicken a couple nights a week and I have had fish probably 3 times since we finished the reset. I LOVE sushi and I do not think I will ever give that up completely. I haven't missed chicken, beef, or pork at all which is why I haven't had them. They just do not sound good to me anymore--as strange as that may sound! I got right back into working out after we finished and my strength is right where it was before and I actually feel like I am stronger than I was before. I believe it is because my body is operating more efficiently and it needed that reset I gave it.

Now for the bad--well I'm not sure if I would call it bad, it's more of an adjustment. Beachbody recommends that after you complete the Ultimate Reset you introduce foods slowly back into your diet so you can monitor any adverse reactions and know exactly what it is from. After the reset when I started to reintroduce foods I noticed I was sensitive to certain forms of dairy. I brushed it off at first and just figured my body needed to get used to it again but it hasn't. So for the last 2 weeks I have not had regular milk, cheese, or yogurt and I feel so much better. I'm not going to lie, it did make me kind of sad at first because for one I used to LOVE cheese. I also used to love greek yogurt. Both of which make me feel horrible if I have them. So I've switched to daiya cheese and the vegan shreds from Trader Joe's for when I want cheese. The milk wasn't really a problem for me because I prefer the taste of almond or coconut milk anyway so I don't miss regular milk. I did miss frozen yogurt but we found a gelato place near our house and I'm able to enjoy the fruit gelato flavors which are dairy free and tasty! 

It is common for people to have sensitivities to different foods after the reset. It's just a little adjustment some have to make after they hit the reset button! I figure if my body rejects something its probably best I just don't have it. 

Now for the weight, I'm not sure what I weigh because I do not weigh myself. My clothes still fit me the same as they did during the reset so if I had to guess I would say I am around the same weight! As for Dan he has gained some muscle since he has been lifting again. And boy is he looking good! :) The important thing is we FEEL good. The scale is evil...do not let it rule you!

Is it possible to gain your weight back after the reset? OF COURSE! If you are eating fried foods, refined sugar, and all that stuff that isn't good for your body of course you will. It's just like anything else. 



Now on to something yummy...

I felt like I had my fancy pants on last night when I was cooking this. It sounded so sophisticated.

The recipe I adapted from called for shrimp but I subbed tempeh and did chicken breast for Dan.

Lemon Garlic Tempeh, Wilted Spinach, and Cauliflower Mash

adapted from Lizzy Writes

For the Cauliflower Mash:

-1 head of cauliflower

-6 cloves of garlic, smashed

-2 tbsp of olive oil

-3/4 cup of vegetable broth

-1/4 cup of vegan mozzarella cheese shreds (or any cheese of choice)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Chop cauliflower into large florets, place on roasting pan with garlic, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and mix well. Cover loosely with foil (I was out of foil so I actually didn't cover it and it was fine) and roast for 15 minutes. Remove foil, stir, and roast for another 15 minutes or until tender. Once tender place mixture in a food processor and blend. Add broth as needed to make it a little creamy and use as much as you would like to get the texture you want (kind of like mashed potatoes). Season with cheese and add more salt and pepper if you would like and set aside.

For Tempeh (or chicken or whatever protein you would like):

-8oz of Tempeh (if you are subbing another protein use 1lb)

-zest from 1 lemon

-2 tbsp of olive oil

-2 cloves of garlic, minced

-1/2 tsp oregano

-1/2 tsp of salt

-1/4 tsp of pepper

Slice tempeh into 1 inch strips and mix remaining ingredients in a bowl. Place tempeh strips in bowl and let marinate for 15 minutes. Heat skillet over medium heat and cook tempeh for a couple minutes on each side until browned and heated through. Be careful to not overcook! Remove to place and set aside.

For the Wilted Spinach:

- 4 cups of baby spinach roughly chopped

-1/2 red onion sliced

-1/2 tbsp of olive oil

-1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

-1/2 lemon, juiced

Add olive oil to pan and when hot add onions and saute until soft. Add spinach and cook for 2-3 minutes or until wilted. Remove from heat and add red pepper flakes and lemon juice, mix well. If needed you can season with salt and pepper.

Serve in layers with cauliflower mash on the bottom, then spinach, then tempeh. We also put sriracha sauce on ours because we love spicy!

I hope you are all having a fabulous week and let me know if you try this and how you liked it!

Xoxo

-Nat 

Happy Day!

Focus T25 is here!

Seriously so excited! I actually fell asleep reading the nutrition guide that comes with it...Haha! Fitness nerd all the way. I often fall asleep looking at makeup, clothes, fitness inspiration, or watching some horrible reality TV show (don't judge me please!) Anyway, we are officially starting on July 15th and we currently have 51 members in our private Focus T25 Challenge Group on Facebook and it keeps on growing! Let me know if you have any questions about this program and want to join the group.

Looking at the schedule I'm thinking Dan and I will do the Focus T25 workout at night and in the morning I will probably just go to the gym and do some lifting. Who knows maybe I will just be loving T25 by itself! Stay tuned!

Also I've been OBSESSED with the Vanilla Shakeology. Vanilla is such a versatile flavor and you can mix in so many things! I've done a Banana Bread mix, Orange Dreamsicle mix, and a Peanut Butter mix. All three AMAZING! 



4th of July is right around the corner! Yea like tomorrow ;) Holidays like this are usually REALLY difficult for people to stick with the healthy eating they strive for. Normally I just enjoy myself on holidays and then go back to my normal routine the next day but that is really hard for a lot of people to do! It has taken me some time to be able to do this...like a couple years, seriously! 

I decided to do a post with some food ideas for the 4th of July! 

This is my absolute fav! I made this a couple years ago and it was a hit. Plus it is seriously SO easy and you can make it ahead of time if you need to bring it to a party! Of course its from Skinny Taste...that woman Gina is amazing.

Red, White, and Blueberry Trifle

Ingredients 
-10 oz angel food cake, cut into 1-inch cubes
-2 pints strawberries, sliced
-2 pints blueberries

For the cream filling
-6 tbsp fat-free sweetened condensed milk
-1 1/2 cups cold water
-1 package sugar-free white chocolate instant pudding mix (personally I used regular pudding, not sugar free)
-12 oz fat-free frozen whipped topping, thawed (personally I used regular cool whip, not the fat free)

Directions

Whisk the condensed milk and water in a bowl. Whisk in the pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set then fold in the whipped topping.

Arrange half of the cake in the bottom of a 14-cup trifle dish. Sprinkle evenly with a layer of blueberries. Spread half of the cream mixture over the blueberries and gently spread (I piped it using a plastic bag and cut the corner off). Top with a layer of strawberries. Layer the remaining cake cubes on top of the strawberries, then add more blueberries and top with the remaining cream mixture. Finish with the remaining strawberries and blueberries, arranging them in a pretty pattern. Cover and refrigerate at least one 1 hour.

If you don't have a trifle dish you could use any clear dish that is deep that will display the beautiful layers!



Another great idea is to make use of all the amazing fresh fruit and veggies that are in the stores and farmers markets!

This is a cute way to serve watermelon!

Photo credit unknown

I'm pretty sure we will be having portobello burgers tomorrow! Maybe Dan will have a turkey burger or regular hamburger but I feel like some burgers are in order!

I made this one a couple weeks ago and it was so good.

Double Portobello Burgers and Veggie Kabobs

Recipe for burgers adapted from Martha Stewart

Ingredients

8 portobello mushrooms, stemmed

3 tbsp of olive oil

himalayan salt and black pepper

28oz can of plum tomatoes, quartered

5 garlic cloves, sliced thin

1/8 red pepper flakes

4 buns of your choice

Vegan cheese shreds (I used regular shredded cheddar for Dan's)

1 bunch of kale

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 and place mushrooms on baking sheet stem side down. Brush with 1 tbsp of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss tomatoes with 1 tbsp of olive oil, garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes on lined baking sheet. Roast mushrooms and tomatoes for 25 minutes and halfway through flip the mushrooms and give the tomatoes a stir.

Meanwhile wash, dry, de-rib and chop the kale. Heat 1tbsp of olive oil in a pot on the stove and once hot add kale and simply saute. Season with salt, pepper, and a tad of garlic powder.

Once mushrooms and tomatoes are done toast buns and assemble your burgers with the tomatoes, kale, cheese, and mushrooms. Each burger can have 2 mushrooms and place the cheese between the mushrooms so it gets all melty and yummy!

*You can also grill the mushrooms if you prefer, which I might try!!

Another thing we have been loving is veggie kabobs! Just cut up whatever veggies you love, season with any seasonings, and grill them up! Sooo good and the beauty of making your own is you can customize with veggies you like. I've also seen them premade at Trader Joes :)

Also try making your own infused water! A combo we love is mint, cucumber, lemon, and ginger. It is so refreshing!

Photo and recipe from Carolina Charm

Ingredients

8.5 cups of water

1 tsp of ginger, grated

1 cucumber, sliced (I use an english cucumber)

1 lemon (I bump it up to 2, we really like lemon)

12 mint leaves

Just throw all the ingredients into a pitcher and refridgerate overnight and its ready to go in the morning.

I hope you all have an amazing holiday with family and friends! Be safe and I will be announcing the winner for the giveaway tonight! <3

Xo

-Nat

Vanilla Shakeology and New Nars love for Thursday Things!

So I got my Vanilla Shakeology yesterday and tried it this morning...IN LOVE! Vanilla is such a versatile flavor and I'm so excited Beachbody was able to come up with this new flavor of Shakeology and keeping true to the Beachbody name by having no artificial ingredients! The shake I made this morning tasted like banana bread, so good!

Banana Bread Shakeology

1 scoop or packet of Vanilla Shakeology
1.5 cups of unsweetened almond/coconut milk
1/2 banana
1/2 tsp of vanilla nut butter extract (could sub with just vanilla or butter extract, maybe even almond extract!)
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of cinnamon
1 tbsp of hemp seeds
ice to taste (add as much as you want until you get your desired consistency)
*If you need it sweetened more try adding date paste or your favorite sweetener!

Throw it all in a blender and your meal will be ready before you know it!!




For today's Thursday Things:

If you know me you know I am obsessed with makeup! I can't get enough of it and since we are saving for the wedding I've had to tone down my splurges a lot. I  wanted to share my new favorite lippy at the moment! On Sunday before I went to try on wedding dresses (By the way I got THE dress! SO excited, wish I could share it but I don't want Dan seeing it!) I went to the mall to pick up some candles from Bath and Body Works and to Sephora to get a new eyeliner (Urban Decay 24/7 Zero is my fav). While I was in there I had to browse. Seriously I cannot go into Sephora without browsing! I've wanted to check out Nars new Satin Lip Pencils for awhile but haven't gotten around to it. I swatched a bunch of the colors but when I swatched Yu I fell in LOVE. It is described as a shocking pink. It is so pretty! Definitely not an everyday wear to work color but you better believe this weekend I'm wearing it out even if its during the day :) I also can't wait for the next date night with Dan because I am getting dressed up and wearing Yu for sure! Next time you are by a retailer who sells Nars check it out if you haven't already. Nars has amazing stuff and the pigment is outstanding. I personally love their blushes, bronzer, lip sticks, lip gloss, and lip pencils.

It's almost Friday, yay! I hope you all have had a fantastic week!!! <3

-Nat

My favorite dinner from last week and a GIVEAWAY!

Ok I HAD to share this dinner! It was so good and simple. You just FEEL healthy eating it ;-)

I found it on Pinterest, of course!

Detox Salad
slightly adapted from Oh She Glows

Makes 10 cups

Ingredients
-2 heads of broccoli (remove stems)
-1 head of cauliflower (remove stems)
-2.5 cups shredded carrots
-1/2 sunflower seeds
-1 cup dried cherries
-1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
-1/2 cup raisins (I did a mix of regular and golden raisins because that is what I had on hand)
-1/2 bunch of kale
-4-6 tbsp fresh lemon juice to taste
-Himalayan salt and black pepper to taste
-Grade B pure maple syrup

Method
-In a food processor process the broccoli, cauliflower, and kale until fine then add to a large bowl along with the shredded carrots. You probably have to do this in a few steps as all of these would not fit in my food processor at the same time.
-Stir in sunflower seeds, dried cherries, parsley, and raisins.
-Add lemon juice and seasonings to taste.
-Drizzle with maple syrup before serving.

I was very satisfied with just the salad! I put a grilled chicken breast on top of Dan's and he loved it. It was a little too much going on for Lee so he did not have any. Leftovers were great the next day and a couple days later too!



And now to the good stuff...

It's time for our first giveaway!

One winner will be chosen and receive a brand new copy of Turbo Fire, a $79 value! The winner will be randomly chosen July 3rd at 7pm MST. Read below for how to earn entries. First of all "Like" Busy Being Balanced on facebook!

1 entry for each person you refer. They MUST "like" the Busy Being Balanced Facebook Page AND post on the wall saying that you referred them.

Extra ways to earn more entries:

1 extra entry for following this blog with your email. Please leave a comment on here or message on FB stating you did so along with your first and last name.

1 extra entry for following me on Instagram. Please leave a comment on here or send a message on FB stating you did so along with your IG name. My IG name is natalietaren

3 extra entries for posting a Flex Friday picture on the Busy Being Balanced Facebook Page wall on Friday, June 28th. Flex whatever body part you want and get creative! Haha I love Flex Friday 

Also, Focus T25 and the NEW flavor of Shakeology, vanilla (I'm seriously SO excited for both of these), are out now! Focus T25 looks like its going to be an awesome program for those of all fitness levels. It's 25 minutes 5 days a week. EVERYONE has time for that. It was created by Shaun T, who created Insanity, the workout we all know and LOVE! There is a challenge group on Facebook for this program starting July 15th that already has 29 participants! Challenge Groups are private on FB and is like doing a program with a whole group! You get tons of support and I will be doing it right there along with you! The program is available for purchase by itself or as a challenge pack where you get the program, your first month of Shakeology, first month of club membership, AND me as your coach! Challenge Packs give you the best bang for your buck and this challenge pack is on a special discount through the end of July then the price jumps. As far as the Vanilla Shakeology goes I am anxiously waiting for mine to arrive and I will let you all know how it tastes! As always please contact me or check out my website if you have any questions!

I hope you are all having a GREAT week so far! Good luck on the giveaway!

What we have been up to!

We have been so busy this past week! We went on vacation to California. We had such a great time! We got to spend some quality time with Dan's Grandmother, Mom, and nephew as well. I feel so blessed that Lee and I are welcomed into such an amazing, caring family.

We stayed in Escondido and visited the beaches in Oceanside and Carlsbad. We also went to Disneyland and California Adventure. It was a trip of firsts for Lee. First time at the beach and first time going to Disney and California Adventure. We made so many wonderful memories that we will carry with us for the rest of our lives. Here are some pictures!

My world!

So proud watching his Daddy ride the waves

He wanted this!

This is a moment I will remember forever. I had no idea Dan was snapping pictures and I'm so glad he did.

 Oceanside Pier

 The best moment of Lee's life! If you don't know...Mickey is his best friend!

 I was pretty excited too and couldn't resist some Minnie Ears

 Teacups! They still make me just as nauseous as they did when I was a child.

My fav! My boys AND It's a Small World.

Who doesn't love Winnie the Pooh!?

 California Adventure was awesome!

 Lee was upset after this because he wanted to take a ride INSIDE Lightning McQueen.

 And after 12+ hours Lee couldn't hang anymore!

Now it is back to reality for us! I do feel refreshed as ever after the vacation since we do not have the opportunity to take many due to school and work. Last week I got back to working out after the Ultimate Reset. It felt so good to be back! My strength wasn't 100% back to where I was pre-reset but that is expected so I took it easy on the lifting so I wouldn't hurt myself. Dan also got back to it and said he feels great!

Here was my workout schedule for last week:

Monday-Legs and core with HIIT on the treadmill

Tuesday-Upper body with HIIT on the stairmill

Wednesday-Hot yoga (I missed this SO much)

Thursday through Sunday I didn't do much other than walk a ton since we were on vacation!

As far as food goes my favorite recipe I made from last week was Chipotle Pineapple Veggie Fajitas.

Chipotle Pineapple Veggie Fajitas

recipe from Lace, etc.

1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped small (I used 3 because we like things really spicy)
1 can pineapple chunks, drained (personally I used half of a fresh pineapple)
2 tbsp olive oil 
3 bell peppers (I did a mixture of red, yellow, and orange for color variation)
1 large onion 

Below are the items I used for serving:
Small tortillas
Black beans cooked with a little olive oil, onions, minced garlic, cumin, chile powder, himalayan salt, and black pepper.
Avocado 

Multi colored tomatoes from the farmers market

On Dan's I added cheddar cheese and chicken.

-Preheat oven to 425F.  Combine pineapple chunks and chipotle peppers in roasting pan and roast for 20-25 minutes.

-Meanwhile, slice bell peppers and onions.  Heat a nonstick pan over medium high heat.  Saute the peppers and onions until your heart desires depending on how crisp you like your veggies.

-Dan's chicken was seasoned with chile powder, cumin, garlic powder, himalayan salt, and black pepper and then grilled.

-Serve with toppings

The combination of sweet, savory, and spicy is phenomenal! 

And lastly my tip for today for Tip Tuesday is to lift! I am directing this specifically towards the ladies because I know women are worried lifting will make them look manly or big. I used to be worried about that but it is so not the case. I have been lifting and I do not look manly. Muscle burns fat so you will actually achieve your goals quicker if you lift. Hours and hours of cardio is going to take you longer and you won't achieve that beautiful, toned look. So lift! And don't be afraid to lift heavy!! There are wonderful home fitness programs by Beachbody that can help you achieve this or you can simply go to the gym and lift! Or lift at home! The possibilities are endless. I know when I started to incorporate lifting into my workout regimen when I did Brazil Butt Lift I started seeing results faster and I was hooked on incorporating weights and lifting from that point on.

I hope you all are having a great week!

-Nat