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Welcome to Week 11 of the SKFitLife Challenge!
Here we are with just 2 weeks left!
Whether you didn’t miss a workout or you are still working your way up to completing 3 weight training sessions in one week, congratulate yourself for making it to this point!
Many people can’t make it through a 12 week program. They quit before they ever get this email.
Your health and level of fitness is dynamic. Always changing. There is no finish line. Only incremental improvements.
As always…
Step 1: Download your training.
Step 2: Watch/listen to the Week 11 SKFitLife Challenge Information Video.
Step 3: Do the workout.
Watch for Week 12 in your inbox exactly 7 days from today.
Direct Training Links:
Download all 12 weeks of training and HIIT at once by clicking here: https://app.box.com/
Week 11 SKFitLife Challenge Information: Fitness Goal Success to Life Goal Success
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIg8tVouvRc[/youtube]
Weekly Lessons Covered in Video:
☀️ Wondering where to even begin when thinking about your ideal day?
☀️ I share the step by step process of designing my ideal day.
Insightful Questions & Stories:
Applying these same goal-setting and achieving techniques can help you to improve ANY area of your life.
Take a few minutes of complete silence without any distractions and really reflect on what that next area might be. Do you have trouble quieting your mind? Try this exercise…
Sit in a quiet and comfortable place. It can be indoors, outdoors, your favorite room, or even the bathroom is you don’t have another “escape”. Take a deep breath in for 7 seconds… hold it for 7 seconds, and release it in one strong exhale. Do this 3 times to begin and work your way up to 6 times.
Now start to envision what your ideal life would look like… what time would you wake up? What would you eat for breakfast? Who would you talk to during your breakfast? Then what would you do? Try to imagine as many details as you can.
Then think of the area of your life that you would like to improve in order to reach this ideal day… are you single and wanting to improve your relationships? Are you working a job that is unfulfilling and you would like to launch your own business? Do you just want your children to get along so that you can enjoy your breakfast in peace?
Take similar actions as you have taken on your fitness journey… it starts with defining your goal. Then you can start to learn more about this particular skill… reading, hiring a professional coach, and applying dedicated effort to improving this area.
The most important ingredient? YOUR FOCUS… where your focus goes, your energy flows so make sure you are working towards what you WANT, not what you DON’T WANT.
Throughout this fitness journey, you have been working to BUILD a STRONG and HEALTHY body and to NOURISH and FUEL your efforts versus trying to starve, strip, and beat your body.
Apply the same principles to your other goals…
In place of saying, “I really hate my job,” work on thinking about how you can create the life you want with what you have now… For example… before I left corporate America, I was digging into anything and everything that would benefit my business. This was a win-win because my interest in these chosen topics really helped my current position even though I was ready to quit. It also benefitted my business once I launched it!
I know you think you just signed up for a fitness program, but the same principles can be applied to create your FitLife… because when we are fulfilled and happy, there is no reason to abuse ourselves through junk, over eating, and mistreatment of our bodies.
I also wanted to share this passage:
“There are those people today who live the same life, day-in day-out – predictable, risk-free, dreamless. They are the harshest critics of those who choose to break free from this mundane existence. In this world, too many people are afraid to pursue the life they truly desire, too afraid of being criticized by others, too afraid of failing, too afraid of not knowing the way. However, there are also those who choose to follow their dreams, those who choose to rebel, those who strive to be free – those who live. Stay true to yourself. Break free from the chains of society – and live. May you too have the strength and courage to pursue your dreams.”
~ Roger Chao
Weekly Recipe Ideas:
April’s Raw Soup Into the Blende
r
Ingredients
- 1 clove of garlic
- Tiny piece of ginger
- 1 can of green beans
- Several large beet greens
- Two stalks of celery
- About a cup of corn
- A splash of Bragg’s liquid aminos
- A pinch of nutritional yeast
- A dollop of white miso paste
- A splash of hemp seed oil
- A handful of pumpkin seeds and macadamia nuts.
Instructions
Add all ingredients to blender and blender to top with hot water from the tea kettle….blend until blended…delicious raw hot soup! Full of good immune boosters!
Mocha Protein Frappacino
- 1/2c water
- 2 scoops Isagenix Vanilla IsaPro
- 1-2 Truvia packets
- 1 tsp. unsweetened dark cocoa powder (get the GOOD quality 🙂
- 1/2 stick of Starbuck’s Via Veranda Blend
- 6 ice cubes
Blend until smooth & enjoy!
Super Fast Black Bean Soup
Use 2 cans black beans, 1-2 cups of vegetable broth, and 10oz of Emerald Valley Organic “Medium” salsa. Add vegetable broth, 1 can of black beans and salsa to sauce pan. Take second can of black beans and puree it with a little bit of vegetable broth, then add to sauce pan. Makes a super yummy, super easy black bean soup! I usually dice up some avocado on top 🙂
Easy Ground Turkey
Take extra lean (99%) ground turkey, sauté and add dried onions, Worcester sauce, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, Dijon mustard(opt), baby spinach. Cook until browned, then portion out! I portion this out for my protein and add it to a tortilla, with brown rice, veggies, or whatever other clean dish
Steph’s “Fast Food”
Ingredients
- Buy 2 packages of chicken (6 breasts total)
- 1 package of lean ground beef (grass fed if you can)
- 1 packet of taco seasoning
- 1 packet of McCormicks Grill Mates seasoning
- Whole wheat wraps/tortillas
- Box of organix salad mix
- Pre-cut veggies for sautéing
Instructions
Brown the ground beef and portion into containers
Cook the chicken overnight in a crockpot with the seasoning
Use the protein in things like wraps, salads, with sautéed veggies, and you can even make a “pizza” with the chicken and tortilla.
Having snacks like nuts, fruit, Greek yogurt, shakes, and pre-cut veggies are going to be key too.
Satisfying 4 Spice Quinoa
Eggplant & Chickpea Deliciousness
http://mobile.eatingwell.com/recipes/eggplant_chickpea_stew.html
Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers with Avocado, Creamy Sweet Goodness
http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/2012/02/easy-sweet-potato-veggie-burgers-with.html
Souffléd Sweet Potatoes
I first tried this recipe at Thanksgiving as a savory side dish that was a departure from other sweet potato dishes I’ve made in the past. Sweet potatoes are a great substitution for white potatoes and nutritional powerhouses, full of antioxidants and fiber. This dish is a perfect makeover for traditional mashed potatoes and gravy.
Ingredients
- 4 pounds sweet potatoes, well scrubbed
- 1 head garlic, cloves separated and unpeeled
- 1/2 cup low sodium vegetable broth
- 2 tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 3 large egg whites
- 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place sweet potatoes on a baking sheet, prick each one several times and bake for 45 minutes to an hour, or until soft.
- Place the garlic gloves in tightly sealed foil and bake on a separate baking sheet for about 30 minutes until tender.
- Remove potatoes and garlic and let cool. When cool enough to handle, peel the potatoes, squeeze the garlic from the skins and combine in a bowl with the broth. Mash until smooth and then add the rosemary, salt and pepper.
- In a separate bowl, combine the egg whites and cream of tartar. Use an electric mixer on high speed and whip for 2-3 minutes until stiff peaks form. Fold half the egg whites into the potatoes with a rubber spatula and then fold the rest in.
- Coat a baking dish with cooking spray and transfer the potato mixture. Bake in the oven at for approximately 30 minutes until the top is slightly browned then serve and enjoy!
Green Protein Pancakes
3 egg whites, 1 whole egg, 2 scoops protein powder (i use a vegan pp b/c i am allergic to whey. one serving is 2 scoops & it’s 21 g of protein), 1 scoop greens, 1/4 cup oats, & 1 tsp cinnamon (we love cinnamon). the protein powder is vanilla flavored but kinda tastes like butterscotch.
“I made some protein waffles this morning and used 1/2 cup Greek yogurt instead of a 2nd scoop of protein (because they were coming out too dense- like cardboard) and they came out great!”
Weekly Need to Know:
Did you want a free SKFitLife shirt?
All you have to do is share your Week 1 and Week 12 photos for us to add to our Transformations!
You can find a guide to “best after photos” in the Supplementation Guide.
AFTER PICTURES. A front, side, and back after picture wearing an outfit or bikini similar to the one in the before photos.
PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION STORY. Your personal transformation story which highlights how this challenge has helped you to reach for your goals, challenges you faced, how you overcame them, and anything else you would like to share.
If you need any ideas of how these stories can look, check out some of our testimonials from our other success stories.
Weekly Resources:
☀️ Gallstones
“Gallstones are caused by eating too little fat rather than too much. Fats are not soluble in water. Before dietary fat can be digested, it has to be emulsified. Bile is used for this purpose. The liver makes bile continuously and stores it in the gall bladder until such time as it is needed. However, if a low-fat diet is eaten, that bile remains in the gall bladder. Gallstones are formed when the gall bladder is not emptied on a regular basis. In people who continually resort to low-fat diets, bile is stored for long periods in the gall bladder — and it stagnates. In time — and it is really quite a short time — a ‘sludge’ begins to form. This then coagulates to form small stones which then become bigger.
It is a low-fat diet which causes the gallstones, but it is eating a high-fat diet that makes them apparent. If you eat a low-fat diet and never eat fat again, then you won’t get the pain, even though the stones are there. The doctor who says that the gallstones are caused by high-fat is actually saying that the symptoms are caused by the fat. If someone suffers from gallstones, a low-fat diet ‘prevents’ the symptoms, so doctors often suggest such a diet. But it makes the cause of the symptoms (gallstones) worse. Doctors are often loath to operate to remove the stones, so just preventing you knowing about them seems to them to be a good compromise — despite the fact that you will then be miserable and hungry as a result!”
http://www.second-opinions.co.uk/gallstones.html
☀️ Healthy Balance
April Reigart from AlphaDeltaRomeo shared this great article with me… yes, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Obsessing over food in ANY way is not healthy… even if you are obsessed with eating only the BEST foods. Finding that healthy balance is the pot at of gold at the end of the rainbow…
☀️ Positive, share the love and leave the haters out in the cold – girl power!
When was the last time you took a few minutes to write down your life goals? If you never take the time to think about them, and to plant those seeds, they will never have the game to come true and bear delicious fruits!
☀️ How should we pose in our after pics?
A: Posing the same way as you did in your first pic is the best. If you can wear the same outfit (or something similar) that would be the best! We want to be able to see that your body has changed without being distracted by different clothes/poses.
☀️ Everyone is telling me how great I look and how my legs are melting away I am much smaller everywhere but my belly…
I do the crunches, and squats and lift weights I am smaller width wise but not in my belly. My pants are bigger in area’s I didn’t think I needed to lose weight (obviously I was wrong) but the pants fit my still in my waist. I know if I keep up with what I’m doing that will change i just am wondering if there is anything else I can do to lose the belly fat?
A: If your nutrition is spot on and you are still experiencing abdominal fat, this could be caused by hormonal imbalances. Take a listen and check out the show notes on this topic here.
☀️ Do you log your food? Logging your food will quickly make you put down the treats for various reasons…
1.) It makes you think twice… just long enough to put it down.
2.) You don’t want to have to figure out the nutritional content.
3.) You don’t want to have to write it down.
☀️ Make sure you are having planned treats.
Make sure they are really worth it… that you really enjoy them and make them a worthwhile treat nutritionally… making homemade pizza with fresh ingredients will nourish your body in addition to being yummy!!!
☀️ We need to have variety in our nutrition for a couple different reasons:
1.) Our bodies need to have a variety of nutrients… they will stop reacting to the same foods if we don’t change it up.
2.) We can build up intolerance or sensitivities to foods… ESPECIALLY… chicken, eggs, and peanuts
3.) Our mouths CRAVE variety… that is why I make sure I add things like nuts and croutons to my salads…. I NEED that crunch and if I don’t find a little on a regular basis, I will find a lot at some point and that looks like a bag of pita chips to me personally!
☀️ Having “go-to” foods is GREAT!
Make an effort to try one new item each week…. rotate your protein sources and make sure you pick up a new veggie each week. If you have never been to an Asian market, you should check it out… talk about new and exciting produce!!!
I recommend keeping meal replacement shakes to 2 per day. There are definitely times when I am pushing 3 per day but it is a choice of skipping a meal or having a shake… I will go with having a healthy shake ANY day… (assuming there are no artificial flavors or sweeteners in them… if they are ice cream or bubblegum flavored, run the other way;-).
☀️ When are the best times to have shakes?
Breakfast is good because they are easy on the digestive system… before working out is great because they are quickly digested and you won’t be feeling full while working out… post workout is great because they replenish your muscles quickly… I also like to have them as my last meal if I need to get another one in but don’t want a full meal.
So, then you have to take a look at your schedule… Convenience is probably the deciding factor.
☀️ A tan always makes you appear leaner!
Either go and get a nice dark spray tan or use my favorite product
☀️ Can I drink coffee on the “best photo” plan?
A: Sure you can! Just remember to drink all your water too.
Using the Private Facebook Group
The private Facebook Group was created to encourage sharing tips, tricks, insights, truisms, connecting, getting questions answered, and helping each other out. This is where you can connect with ME, Stephanie, too! If you have questions, please feel free to post them and either I or a member of my team will help to answer you. You can also reach us at challenge@skfitlife.com.
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This is where you can listen to episode after episode where I take you through in-depth conversations with doctors and other experts in everything related to health.
Subscribe today!
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