You were born to be great.

But you have been lied to.

The media wants you to believe that greatness is sexy, it’s not.

It’s dirty hard work.

You were born to be great, but some of you look in the mirror and all you can see are your flaws.

We were all designed perfectly, with purpose.

But we don’t entirely believe it.

We see mistakes or flaws.

One of the most gratifying feelings is knowing we are in control of our destiny.  We choose how we react or don’t react to life.

Also remembering everything that happens is an opportunity to learn and grow.

When we take personal responsibility for what happens to us is when we learn how in control we sincerely are.

Now I did not always believe this or get on board with this.  I felt like people were out to get me and I still struggle with the why me stuff; we are not immune and this takes constant work.

But I pull myself back and say ok, what are my options.  We always have options, we may not care for all of them.  Also, some options may take work.  Its easier to stay the same.

Over this last year Tony and I have had to reinvent our schedules 6 times.  For whatever reason, we could not find a rhythm with what we felt was best for our family.

It was frustrating, caused us to have lack of focus and I fell into a victim mentality several times.

Each time we had to shift and change directions, I got frustrated with why can’t something work.  When it was all working, we were just trying to find the right option for us.

But by shifting and trying new things each time, we learned what worked and truly what didn’t.  We learned what we wanted and what was important to us.

I understand that I feel so much better when I work out.  With all the schedule shifts I had to step back and say, how do I make sure this time for me always happens?

For me personally, I had to go to bed earlier and get up a bit earlier to make sure I got to the gym first thing, because if I left that workout to happen later, it always got pushed off or something else was more “important”.

This does not work for everyone, but I encourage you to look at what is working and what needs to change.  Stick with it for a few weeks and adjust as needed.

I know this all sounds so simple and it really is; we are the ones that make it hard or frustrating.

Reasonably we control our outcomes in life; most of the time it’s are we willing to do what it takes.

The great thing is you were born to be great!

You woke up today, so let’s make this day the best one yet. I encourage you to stay focused.

Focusing on your health is one thing you will never regret and it impacts everything you do.

When you want your goals bad enough you will do what it takes.

You will continue to have obstacles but they are there to build you into the person you are destined to become…keep running from the obstacles.

It helps to have a coach.  Over the 10 years we have been in business we have had a coach for 8 of those years.  We would not be where we are today without people helping us along the way.

A good coach knows how to hold you accountable, push you, is a voice of reason and has the uncomfortable conversation.  (Multiple times if needed, 😉)

If you are looking for a coach in your life to help you be Great, just reach out!

Life is going to change and shift a hundred times but remember you always have options.

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Servings: 2

Ingredients:

• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 1 zucchini, chopped
• 1 cup bell pepper, chopped
• ½ onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ½ teaspoon granulated or powdered garlic
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon crushed black pepper
• ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Chop all the veggies into large cubes. Place in a medium sheet pan (do not use a glass pan). Drizzle with olive oil and seasoning.
3. Bake for 20 minutes or until the veggies are charred on the outside and tender on the inside.

Nutrition Facts: 183 calories per serving; 4 g protein; 13 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 5 g sugar; 14 g fat

I know it can be easy to get sucked into the day to day responsibilities of life; it happens to the best of us.  I feel like I have rewritten my story about 50+ times now.

Each time I step back and readjust I realize the growth occurring.  Some growth hurts, it hurts badly, but nonetheless there is growth.

One thing that is so important is WE get to write OUR story.  No one else is writing our story, it may feel like it when you feel you are forced into certain situations.  Gain back the control.

I watch Leo each day try new things (he is 14 mos.!), right now everything is “HOT”.  For whatever reason he has latched onto the word HOT.  (I think when I was cooking I made a huge impact when I told him the stove was hot, LOL!)

What I love about watching him is that he never gives up, he may voice his frustration, but he keeps trying new things each day.

We all go through a million different things but we can use each situation as an opportunity to learn and grow.

Do we get stuck because it got hard, or do we find another way?

I wanted to share some stories you may have heard of, they are worth telling again.

They are stories of perseverance.

I read most mornings.  Yes, I get up a little earlier than I would like, but I have never regretted a morning I didn’t hit snooze.  The house is so quiet, it’s my time.

I like to read things that are going to make me better.  So here are some quick stories that I thought might inspire you!

Take a look:

A young engineer named Soichiro wanted a certain engineering job at Toyota, and he was very upset he didn’t get it. So, he left and started a brand using his last name: Honda.

Tom was told he was ‘too stupid to learn anything’ but Mr. Edison did invent the first light bulb along with at least 1,093 other things.

Steve was rejected from the University of Southern California three times, and eventually dropped out of another college. He created a few movies you might have seen like Jaws, Jurassic Park, and Indiana Jones.

Akio’s company was so broke they started making rice cookers that didn’t work very well at all, but after many years of barely keeping the lights on, Sony found their niche.

Vincent only sold one painting during his lifetime and was a true starving artist, but today Van Gogh’s paintings together are worth billions.

I am grateful these people didn’t give up and I hope you don’t give up either. You are writing your story. I hope you choose courage, curiosity and persistence.

Everyone goes through adversity, turn yours into opportunity.

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Ingredients

Stuffed Chicken Breasts

• 4 Boneless skinless chicken breasts (1 lb)
• 12 slices turkey pepperoni
• ½ cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (2 oz)
• Cooking Spray
• ¼ cup Progresso Italian style panko crispy bread crumbs

Mixed Greens Salad

• 2 cups mixed salad greens
• ¼ cup light balsamic dressing

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Line cookie sheet with foil. Place chicken breasts flat on cutting surface. With knife parallel to cutting surface, cut lengthwise slit in each chicken breast forming a pocket, keeping other 3 sides intact. Stuff each chicken breast with pepperoni and mozzarella cheese, pressing edges of each chicken breast to seal.
2. Place chicken breasts on cookie sheet. Sray tops of chicken with cooking spray. Sprinkle bread crumbs evenly over chicken breasts. Spray with cooking spray.
3. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut. Serve chicken with salad greens tossed with dressing

Nutrition Facts: 300 calories per serving; 15 g fat (3.5 g saturated); 8 g carb; 34 g protein

I have conversations around supplements pretty much daily and there is a boat load of confusion.

What exactly is a supplement?

A supplement is something that completes or enhances something else when added to it.

So, when we are talking about our nutrition we look at supplementing any deficiencies we see in someone’s diet.  If they can eat the variety of foods and the amounts necessary to get their daily requirements then awesome, stick with real food!

In our professional opinion and practice we believe in real food first and supplement where necessary.

Unfortunately, most of us are deficient in something or we like the convenience a supplement provides.

The biggest thing I urge anyone reading this is do your research.  If it sounds too good to be true, it is.

There is no magic pill, shake or bar.  (Bars and Shakes are Supplements)

Also with all the latest greatest diets out there you should be guarded.  How long has it been around, is it researched, does it pass quality standards or even have them?  Where do they get their ingredients?  Does the container you bought last time contain the same ingredients this time?  How do you know?  Are the formulas pharmaceutical or USP grade, with each lot tested for purity and potency?

It’s overwhelming and not all supplements are created equal.

Also in our world of information overload you can get pulled into something that genuinely sounds good.

Where do you begin?

First and foremost, food journal with a resource like My Fitness Pal.  This will help you see if you are deficient with any of your macro nutrients: Carbohydrates, Protein and Fats.

The area we see people struggle the most is protein.  Most of the time we can adjust how much, for example, chicken they consume, etc. and that will pull that number up, but if we see someone struggling to eat one more thing, a shake is an easy way to increase protein without feeling super full.

Multi Vitamins and Omega 3 Fatty Acids are another simple easy to do but easy not to do.

Again, if you are getting everything you need from all your daily food intake, there is no reason to take a multi vitamin, but for us to consume the plethora of foods to obtain all the vitamins and minerals needed, we may resort to taking a high quality Multi Vitamin/Mineral.

Omega-3 fatty acids are paramount for nutrition because of their involvement in the transport of nutrients, the maintenance of healthy skin, and they can help support a healthy immune system.   I cannot say enough good things about taking in Omega-3 and DHA and there are several studies supporting the intake of Omega-3 Fatty Acids.

Recovery is another area we look at for supplementation.  When someone is working out they are breaking down the muscle fiber in an appropriate way, then nutrition and a few other factors play a huge role in recovery.

We have added in branched chain amino acids, along with L-glutamine and L-arginine to help repair and protect muscle fibers.  Adding in branched chain amino acids, along with L-glutamine and L-arginine along with a healthy diet will not only help repair muscles but will also help preserve muscle tissue in a caloric deficit.

I could go on and on about the supplements we personally recommend and use but from here we would need to go into more details about your goals, which is what we do in our program.

Other supplements can help with performance but again do not just read the label.  Do your due diligence and talk with a professional, not the guy behind the GNC counter that has been trained on what needs to sell.

It can be very overwhelming.  Just look down the aisle at your big box store, pick the pretty label, I am just kidding.  But the aisle never ends and several products are pure marketing.

Therefore, I feel supplements get a bad rap.  Or you have had your cousins friend try to sell you into this new thingy…

Direct Sales is not a bad way to earn a living.  It is how some companies have chosen to get their products out there.  Believe me, each of these companies can chose to put the products on the shelves at the store or they can use relationships to sell.

But it does not make the product bad, it may skew how you think about the product based on your personal experience.

Ok, enough of my soap box and if you are still reading I hope you gained some insight and if you have more questions please always reach out.

I wanted to share our professional recommendations without ever selling or saying the name of the products, we choose and that was intentional.  We believe in certain products because of the science and research behind them.  Also, I have successfully used these products through pregnancy based on an approved list and the recommendations of my midwife and doctor.

Remember good nutrition comes first, then supplement where you find deficiencies.

If you have any questions just reach out and I would be glad to help you navigate.

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Ingredients

• 2 medium chicken breasts, chopped
• 1 cup bell pepper, chopped (any colors you like)
• ½ onion, chopped
• 1 zucchini, chopped
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• ½ cup tomatoes, chopped or plum/grape
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ¼ teaspoon paprika (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 500 degree F.
2. Chop all the veggies into large pieces. On another cutting board, chop the chicken into cubes.
3. Place the chicken and veggies in a medium roasting dish or sheet pan. Add the olive oil, salt and pepper, Italian seasoning, and paprika. Toss to combine.
4. Bake for 15 minutes or until the veggies are charred and chicken is cooked. Enjoy with rice, pasta, or a salad.

Nutrition Facts: 241 calories per serving; 15.2 g fat, 3.3 g saturated fat; 6.4 g carbohydrates, 1.6 g fiber, 3.3 g sugar; 19.9 g protein