Knocked Down

I've been extremely defeated lately.

I have the HUGEST fire in my belly. I can't describe the feeling - it's literally impossible. All I know if I have this itch, this INSANE desire for something greater, something more. ...and I'm not going to stop until I get it.

But like I said...I've felt defeated.

I've spent countless hours talking with people that want to see a change or a difference in their lives. I've gotten up early, stayed up late, I've been on top of my workout game and I've been bringing Jesus into the middle of my business. I've been creating engaging posts, staying in check with my challengers...EVERYTHING we are told to create, establish, and love as a coach - I'm on it.

And I'm not seeing it.

There's a saying we have in the Beachbody world. It's not about the money for us, it's about the people.

"Your business is a direct reflection of the people you are helping."

BAM.

It hits me heavy and it hits me really hard. I missed some major goals I had set for myself in January. I had SO MANY ladies that want to be involved, that want help, that WANT change - but in the end, they had reasons for not committing right now. Which is definitely okay! Life happens!

But now, I feel like I've helped no one. (The awkward "am I doing everything okay?" person inside of me questions if this is right for me!?!) The passionate fire in my belly fires back harder with YES. YOU CAN DO THIS.

So...although I'm knocked down right now, feeling pretty low...I'm looking back on January like this...

1. I stepped up my workout game
2. I am making Jesus the CENTER of my business, one day at a time
3. I'm focusing on helping - not earning
4. I got to talk to amazing women who need a change, who need help with their health and fitness, and maybe sometime soon, they will realize their right time is right now!
5. Somewhere, some part of me, thinks that I needed to be brought to this moment to get to bigger and better things. I'm a dreamer, and I know with some hard work and a whole lot of elbow grease - I'll get to where I need to be.

Praying for you, dear reader. Know you are right where you need to be for this very given moment. I'm working hard on learning that for myself. Until next time - I've got some February goals to hit hard!

Love you much.

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Turkey Chili Recipe

Hey friends!
This is my turkey chili recipe - totally doable in a crockpot for those busy evenings! This is taken from the book, FIXATE, by Autumn Calabrese and it's totally 21 day fix approved.

2 tsp. extra virgin organic coconut oil, melted
1 medium chopped onion
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pound cooked 93% lean ground turkey breast (or lean ground grass-fed beef)
2 cans kidney beans drained (or pinto beans)
1 can organic diced tomatoes, no salt added
1 cup red wine
1 tbsp ground chili powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
8 tsp crumbled goat cheese

1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat
2. Add onion, peppers, cook - stirring occasionally
3. Add garlic, cook
4. Add turkey, beans, tomoatoes, wine, chili powder, salt, and red pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, gently boil, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes or until slightly thickened.
5. Evenly divide between six serving bowls.


Crockpot method - dump all ingredients in a crock pot and put on low for 6 to 8 hours :)

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Love Yourself

I was going to wait to post this.
I was going to make a video. (and I still probably will.) (and actually... I did...you can find that here...)

I was going to just simply take a photo.
I was going to do so many things to get this message across, but the only thing I can think of that would possibly work would be too write out the words, the feels.


As I've been on this health and fitness journey, a word I would never use to describe it is EASY. It's just not - it's hard, it's difficult, it's tempting, it's rigorous...really. It is.

My team was at a dinner and we were discussing different themes for challenge groups and because February is the month of love, we were talking about love and we were like...LOVE YOURSELF. We struggle with this daily.

I mean, let's be real, we got into this health and fitness business because we weren't loving ourselves, we weren't enjoying the way we looked, we weren't happy. Loving yourself is such a hard concept, such a weird...selfish sounding...concept.

But in reality, it's the most vital part of being happy and healthy - loving yourself!

You need to love your body in order to want to feed it healthy.
You need to love your heart in order to want to exercise.
You need to love yourself in order to put yourself through a mental and physical battle each morning to be the healthiest and best you possible!


Why stop before you even start? Why lose out on a chance without even giving it a shot?

LOVE yourself enough.
and if you'd like to join my group starting on February 8th - go here!




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A HEALTHY & HEARTY Thanksgiving!

So, if you're like me...you LOVE the holidays and most importantly the food that comes along with it! Let's be real..it's all about the food.

I mentally prepare myself and my body. "Okay Alyssa..just drink water for breakfast because you know THAT lunch at 12 is going to be the bomb diggity and you are going to go cray cray on Grandma's cranberry salad." "Alright, Lys, you aren't feeling sluggish yet so you definitely have room for another helping of mashed potatoes."  Like, seriously..the things that go through my head! LOLZ. And then I usually end up laying on a couch somewhere in my house, lethargically chatting with family, practically asleep (for the record, some of my family members do sleep - it's hilarious!)

But is that really what I should do?? Should I really gorge myself like that over the holidays? Probs not. SO - I've come up with a holiday game plan to help me enjoy myself but not go crazy and to help me pace myself so I don't become a sleepy, sluggish, bloated mess...because nobody wants that.

In this blog you'll find my plans for a Healthy and Hearty Thanksgiving! If you're the host - You can make these things for your guests - JUST as delicious and even more healthy. If you're following the 21 day fix plan (or just trying to be a clean eater) I have a nice meal plan set up for you here!


The most important part of the entire holidays?? DRINK DRINK DRINK DRINK Water!!!

All of these recipes/food ideas/portion control options came from a simple search on pinterest! IT is indeed POSSIBLE to have a healthy holiday season :)
Let's do this :) I literally just typed in "21 Day Fix Thanksgiving" and this entire page of options popped up!
You can look at these recipes under my "thanksgiving" section on my recipes page.

Turkey:
Crockpot Turkey Breast! This is great!! I'm so excited to have found a recipe that's EASY and healthy for you!!! YUM. Crockpot Turkey Recipe

Mashed Potatoes:
Skinny Smashed Potatoes - recipe here


Side Dishes:
Roasted Parmesan Green Beans - find the recipe here :)

Dessert:
There's no holiday without some dessert. Here is some HEALTHY pumpkin pie that looks and IS delicious! :) Pumpkin Pie here!

Here's an encouraging and motivating video from Autumn Calabrese, the creater of the 21 day fix! :)

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Don't just "be"...BE.

Soo...I've been kinda silent. Especially on the blog front. I just had this low time of feeling like what I wanted to say or what I had to say were things that people didn't care about, didn't want to listen too. I really began questioning my purpose in this life - asking God what He wanted me to do, where He wanted me to be. A few questions like...

 - am I dreaming too big?
 - is this all life is?
 - What's my purpose?
 - what's the plan here dude?
 - is there more life than Kindergarten? (Seriously, I love it. BEST JOB EVER. but I don't want my life to revolve solely around school, the system, the requirements, the ridiculous and the amazingness that comes with being a teacher - I didn't want that to be the only thing that defined myself)

For those of you that have ever asked those questions, you know if can lead to a slippery slope. A slope that could be a depressing spiral downward into the daily motions of life, with no emotions or strings attached really. I could feel myself slowly getting there ...slowly just going day to day, surviving as a first year teacher, trying to deal with a tiny apartment, starting laundry and dinner as soon as I arrived home from work, cleaning on Saturdays, church on Sundays, and then lather. rinse. repeat. for the following week. I could feel myself longing for change again. For something different, not necessarily a new job, but a new home? A place we can fit?? A place where that Christmas tree that I LOVED to decorate will be able to be on display? (because this year it won't.)

But I'm over that hump - and I'm FINALLY balancing life again! I'm finally feeling like I can be a GREAT teacher, a GREAT wife, and a GREAT friend at the same time. It's super hard to balance adult life. I never realized it before...and I have a new appreciation for adults. ;)

How did I get over it?? Let me tell you - it took a little bit of work. I'm not going to lie, I was in a funk for a few weeks. But I honestly can tell you right now, that it had nothing to do with me. I give it all up to God who reminded me over and over and over again that I have a greater purpose here, that lives will be changed, that people will find pure happiness, and that somehow I'm involved in it. God showed me - in the simplest of ways (a note, a pedicure, an argument, a scripture, a sermon, in school, with my kinders, with my colleagues, with my best friends)  - that I have a purpose to teach kinders, to love others unconditionally, to help others get healthy, and to live this life to the fullest.

So..I've realized that you can never dream too big. I asked my sisters the other day, "If you could do anything you wanted with your life (money - no question), what would you do??" They answered great and wonderful things, life changing things.

My response..."Why aren't we doing that right now? What is stopping us??" Money always plays a factor, but there are ways to make it work, ways to make things feasible.

I decided that I'm not going to just "be". I'm going to BE, I'm going to work hard and dream big and make those dreams happen. My dream?? To teach, to make a matching income as a Beachbody coach, to be able to stay home with my kids if/when the time comes, to be able to help others become fit and healthy, to be able to buy my students that need things the things they need. TO HELP, TO LOVE, TO GIVE - money no question. I've seen other coaches rock this and fulfill their dreams. I'm going to do it too! I plan on it!

Step one: Order business cards. Check.

Step two: Dive HEAD ON, FULL THROTTLE into this tiny little baby-sized "sideshow" business that makes me a couple hundred bucks a month.

Let's do this.

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