What a Difference a Year Makes--- My Weight Loss changes with Beachbody Programs

Ahhhhh Cafe Americano...... Thank you to the HUBBY... So in light of my shirt feeling like a dress yesterday I decided to look back at the last year and see if I really made that many changes... sometimes as you're working hard each day through life's up and downs you can forget what you accomplish in the day to day.... The Compound Effect over time.
I still get tears in my eyes.... Still am SO thankful for the amazing results you get when you don't leave anything out!
Yes we need to eat healthy, yes we need to exercise.... but how many of us know that already? I'm guessing everyone... IT'S DOING IT that is the REAL LIFE STRUGGLE!
SO THIS is the MAGIC... This is where it's at...... This is what makes a difference... Someone to encourage you.... Accountability with others.... Posting each day what my day was like good or bad in a private group, sharing the struggles and joys. Advice when needed... Education and fun for Delicious easy food to eat, and workouts done in less than 30 minutes a day that are MORE effective than the hours I've spent at the gym since 1998. Nowhere to drive, no excuses.. Just PUSHING PLAY! And on the days I don't want to? I have an ENTIRE group that does want to! I don't know HOW many times just seeing one post made me pop that DVD in before I could think twice, or say NO to the temptations of mindless eating that just makes you miserable.
I am truly thankful for not only the changes in my appearance and how I feel but my health changes as well.... and THIS is why I am so passionate about it! Because NO WHERE ELSE gets it ALL Right! I've DONE IT ALL!
Personal trainers, weight watchers, nutritionist at the Dr.... but THIS is the secret... NO MAGIC PILL...
But ME, your coach, believing in you... along with a group of people that you will MISS when you have a bad time.. and WILL come back.
I'm Thankful so much for everyone's support of my journey and my Dreams of helping others never feel small.... or alone like I felt last year, not wanting to leave my house embarrassed at how I looked and felt. This is why I WILL NOT GIVE UP ON YOU!
It's time to start thinking of what you want your year to look like, what do YOU want for your life in Dec of 2015? If you would like to lose weight, improve your health talk to me about how I can help!
OR maybe YOU have a passion for helping others in the area of health or fitness---even if you have to learn how.... and would like to join my Team in encouraging people while working on your journey at the same time and making a little extra money..... Message me and I would LOVE to support you and answer questions!
What a wonderful reflection of a year that had some really hard times.... but a blessing through it all! 

Cooler Plan 2 for steady weight loss

Cooler Plan #2- Eating for best long-term results

I get so many people who want to eat clean but don't know where to start.  How many servings a day!  What is a complex carb, is Corn a vegetable?  So hopefully this will clear the air just a bit!  Tosca Reno the author of the Eat Clean Diet calls her meal plans, cooler plans!  She has different cooler plans based on the type of results you want to get.  So today I am focusing on Cooler plan #2, which is for steady weight loss and maintenance until your goal weight is reached.  So this is basically the plan I stick to year round at this point!  This will give you a good idea of what to eat and when!

What is it?  This IS EATING CLEAN!

  

Do this year round for steady, healthy weight loss.  But this plan can also be used for maintenance.  Here's why:  when your body begins to approach its set point (its genetically predetermined healthy weight) you will find that weight loss will stop or slow.

The occasional treat (glass of wine, piece of chocolate, ect) is permitted in limited amounts.  Unhealthy sugars and fats are not recommended.

How it works:
 Follow the eat clean principles as listed below
What to do:

• Eat more- eat six small meals each day.
• Eat breakfast every day, within an hour of rising.
• Eat a combination of lean protein and complex carbs at each meal 
• Eat sufficient (two to three servings) healthy fats every day.
• Carry a cooler packed with clean foods each day.
  
• Depend on fresh fruits and vegetables for fiber, vitamins, nutrients and enzymes.
• Adhere to proper portion sizes.
• use unrefined coconut oil for cooking
• Organic virgin olive oil, vinegar and lemon for dressings.  there are many delicious homemade dressings that do not take much time at all.  Braggs is a brand you can trust if you'd like to purchase in the store.
  

What to Avoid:

·         Avoid all over-processed foods, particularly white flour and sugar.

·         Avoid all chemically charge foods.

·         Avoid foods containing preservatives.

·         Avoid artificial sugars.

·         Avoid artificial foods such as processed cheese slices.

·         Avoid trans fats.  NO canola or vegetable oil

·         Avoid sugar loaded beverages, including colas and juices.

·         Avoid or do your best to limit alcohol intake.

·         Avoid all calorie dense foods containing little or no nutritional value. I call these anti-foods.

·         Avoid super sizing your meals.

Complex Carbohydrates from Fruit and Vegetables:
6 portions each day.  A portion is:

• 1 cupped handful or a piece of fruit such as berries, banana, grapefruit, melon, apples and mangoes.
• 2 cupped handfuls of vegetables including broth based/vegetable puree soups.

Complex Carbohydrates from whole grains and starchy carbohydrates: 

2-4 portions each day.  A portion is:
1 handful of cooked cereal
1 piece of whole grain bread or wrap (Ezekial Brand or Alvarado is great)

1 handful sized serving of legumes, sweet potato, yam, carrots or squash

Lean Protein

6 portions each day.  A portion is:

• 1 cup or handful of dairy products or alternatives such as almond or coconut milk, occasionally organic cottage cheese, kefir, yogurt, organic cheese or plain fat free sugar free yogurt. For Dairy I STRONGLY recommend organic!  With Non Dairy Milks please look for Caraganeen, it is a common additive and not good for you.  I like Thai Lite Coconut Milk concentrate in the can or Whole Foods 360 Brand organic unsweetened Almond Milk  Silk also has Almond Milk that’s Non GMO Caraganeen free.
  
• 1 scant handful of raw, unsalted nuts (also a healthy fat)
• 1-2 tablespoons of all natural nut butters such as almond or peanut butter (also a healthy fat). Nut butters should have nuts only-no additives-read ingredients-- 
• 1 palm sized portion of lean meats-I prefer organic beef and chicken and wild caught fish or tuna 
• good quality  

Beverages:

• 2-3 liters per day of fresh water with no sodium
• Clear herbal tea (unsweetened)
• Black coffee in moderation
• Green/Black tea

Sweeteners:  Use in moderation.  Avoid Artificial Sweeteners.

• Stevia from the Stevia plant-preferred brand Pictured
• Raw Honey
  
• 100% pure organic maple syrup

• Coconut Sugar or Coconut Palm Sugar

For more tips on what a typical day of eating looks like for me and how I prepare go to my meal planning page.  I will be adding information and improving each week!


Have a great day!


Jen Zakaras  

jenzakaras@cox.net

602 750 0374

Unexpected Moments--- The beauty of Not Giving Up

So this isn't a boast post or about pride or about looks meaning everything. As you all know if you've been paying attention in our challenge groups it's about the heart first. It's about the inside out! 
but today was a cool experience and in my little moment I had to share... Because it's too important not to. I am passionate about helping people feel just like this moment.
Those little unexpected moments of surprise that take you aback ..(Spelling?). 
You see I used to stop at this Frys after I had my surgery with my husband in my wheelchair after we dropped off the kids at school.
We would get a cup of coffee before we went home to work, was kind of a fun time with us when he had to work from home with me. #amazinghusband
of course with all the water I drink I always have to use the restroom--and as my surgery progressed and summer happened the appearance in the mirror got worse and worse and worse. Not that I was being vain but a full-length mirror on the wall you kind of can't help miss yourself even if you want to.
Today I happened to glance over---and I saw someone so different than the last time. 
I remember feeling so sad because I love to Have energy for my husband and kids, be my spunky self.
I'm not perfect I'm not the perfect size, but to feel healthy and energized and feel like myself--- regardless of what size I am or Where I am at and where I am on the scale or how far to go.... These moments are what it's about. Sharing these moments with you in order that someone else might share these moments with their family is what it's about. I don't think I'm amazing I'm just thankful.

21 Day fix let's keep it going!

 ‪#‎happytears‬#getfit ‪#‎getspunky‬‪#‎onwiththejourney‬#transparent#Godtoldmeto#hardtodo#thankful

21 Day Fix Week 1

21 Day Fix Update:

Turbo Kicking ALLL over the house today! "Who's house, my house, who's house my house, who's in my house?" 
Fix Update: I told you I was excited on Friday! Since Monday on the fix, not quite an entire week...... a week in which I have had so much food to eat that I didn't always eat it all, a week in which I exercised only 30 minutes a day and had to pause the video a few times.... yet sometimes wondering if it was working because some days I didn't sweat.....ie: pilates....a week I had valentines night wine....and a little dessert. I had to do my inches today just for fun, because I decided inches were going to be my #1 measure tool....So here it goes:
Since Monday:
1.25 inches lost in my chest
1.5 inches lost in my waist
3/4 inches lost in my hips
5 pounds lost
Yes, I had Tim measure again to make sure... and I was already eating healthy and working out before! I am sleeping AMAZING! This is a really notable difference that surprised me! I can think of some very specific times the fix helped me....it not only helped me eat what I needed to (sometimes I don't eat enough) but it also helped me make decisions I wouldn't have made. It also helps me make sure my nut/seed portions are not too much for the day but yet ensures I get my healthy fats in. Tuesday I had one meal packed but should have had two because I came home hungry and needed to eat... before I would have grabbed an apple or something healthy that was quick... instead I made a choice to make grilled veggies because I wanted to save those things for something later. Loving this Program! And I've measured everything for years.... this just really helps you focus on your nutrition at a deeper level in an easy way! Tim Zakaras also lost 4 pounds since Monday doing his T25---and a byproduct of my fix of course

Fun Weight Loss Challenge

I wanted to give an update! I weighed myself today because I haven't for awhile and wanted a "starting point" for the fix and my eating clean this week--- plus with superbowl etc I was a little nervous about it. I was down two pounds from my low! So I already got to move 2 hearts from Funky to Spunky 

This is something I saw a month or so ago and have wanted to do it since, today I decided I wasn't putting it off any longer! So this is an example but many people use Marbles (I almost did). Someone else I saw used Nails for "nailed it" in T25. I went to the dollar store and got some fun things. For me... as I've been on this journey, a fun part is feeling like myself again... getting my "spunk" back, my personality! A fun inspiration for me is to once again feel fashionable, look like I feel on the inside, wear things I love---that are really my style. Feel like I can do a "hot" date night with my hubby and feel like it! I am fun, I am spunky.. and somehow I became an introvert these past few years! If you knew me you wouldn't think this was possible! I LOVE our challenge groups and the friends I've made because I realize a part of that was just missing friends. A fun assignment today is try to create some sort of goal for you, if you do not have a lot of weight to lose maybe it's how many times you work out this month, or maybe it's a health goal like how many times you bypassed soda or drank your shakeology... whatever it is try to create a visual! I am so excited to lose my first pound and put it in my FAB glass ! Bring on the heels! 

Spicy Cheesy Popcorn; Clean Style!

Popcorn has been a favorite snack food in my family since I can remember!  When I was young my Dad traveled a lot and my Mom, Brother and I always had a big bowl watching the A Team (yes, this dates me).  Popcorn is actually a healthy snack given proper portions but unfortunately most of us consume it with high unhealthy fats and tons of pesticides and chemicals via Movie or Microwave popcorn.

In the book the Science Of Skinny by Dee Mcaffrey, my Nutritionist, she talks about being an Organic Chemist and finding that popcorn, also one of her favorite pastimes, was one of the most chemical ridden foods she had seen.

This means it is VERY important to buy organic popcorn.  She has a recipe in her book that I love and have put a twist on to make it fun, spicy and cheesy.

Ingredients:

2 Tbsn Organic unrefined Coconut Oil

1/2 Cup organic popcorn

Braggs Nutritional Yeast for flavor (tastes like cheese)

Chili or Cayenne Pepper to taste (Chili for warm spice Cayenne for Spicy

Heat the Coconut oil in a large pan covered and put 3 popcorn kernels in until they start popping.  Once they all pop turn off the burner for 30 seconds.  Then turn it back on medium until all the popcorn pops, shaking at times to not burn (I often lift the lid a bit as well).  After it's all popped turn off the burner, open the lid and sprinkle as much nutritional yeast and chili powder or cayenne that you prefer!  SO GOOD!