Big Announcement: Hard Corps Test Group SELECTION

So I've been keeping a BIG secret lately and have been waiting for the OK to make this announcement!

Well.. It's OFFICIALLY time to share!

I'm over the MOON excited to announce that I was selected, out of 400,000+ coaches, to be a part of an EXCLUSIVE TEST GROUP for Tony Horton's new program 22 Minute Hard Corps!!!

So what does that even mean?!? ➡

 I'll be going through the entire program with some other incredible coaches BEFORE it releases in early 2016!!

This experience will include::

Getting my tush kicked

Following a new nutrition plan

Giving feedback

Tracking & sharing my journey

....OH! & working on some MEGA results!

I don't think I can fully explain how grateful I am for coaching and all of the doors it has opened for me!

Representing my team.. Is an honor. Taking part of this.. Is completely surreal. I'm blessed, excited & a bit (or maybe a lot) nervous after seeing a sneak peek of this program.

...BUT. I'm going to give this EVERYTHING I've got.

Be sure to follow my journey here!! I'll NEED your support through this one, y'all.

Time to ‪#‎GETSOME‬!!! 👊🇺🇸

Mint-Chocolate Shakeology

This time of year, Americans experience 75% of their annual weight gain. SHEESH!!

Shakeology, my secret weapon, helps me prevent icky weight gain not just during the holidays, but every day. Shakeology fills my nutrition gaps, keeps me from getting sick like I used to EVERY winter, fuels my body with natural energy, curbs my salty-sugary cravings & is the most healthy/convenient meal of the day.

Most days, I stick to the SAME recipe.. what can I say? I keep it classy & SIMPLE. But this time of year, I enjoy making things festive. Say hello to this mint chocolate Shakeology recipe!

To learn more about WHAT Shakeology is and how it's changed our lifestyle, click here.

OR maybe you've heard me preach long enough. Click here to try it risk free for 30 days. 

Thankful

I was feeling a little emotional one morning very recently thinking about the freedom I have in my life right now.. How drastically different my day to day routine is from last year.

👗 I don't go TO work anymore, so I no longer dress up or put on makeup unless it's the weekend.

🚗 I go days at a time without leaving the house or driving my car.

⏰ I don't set an alarm clock unless I have appointment or DECIDE to get up early to work.

For most of us young folk nowadays.. That's kind of crazy, right??

While it's been a HUGE mental transition, it's been the biggest blessing!!

I ❤ spending each day with my fur babes.

I ❤ being able to greet my hubby when he comes home from work.

I ❤ that I have fewer selfish focuses everyday when trying to 'get ready for work'.. Aka brush my teeth and walk to the office.

Guys...

📍I haven't had to take a sick day or juggled paid time off since this summer.

📍I haven't missed out on one important family moment.

📍I get to live.my.life.by.design...

Who WOULDN'T want to work towards that?!

So later on that same day, the emotion continued when Hubby walked in my office and called me his sugar momma & congratulated me and my team on our accomplishments 🙈🍦


You'd giggle, but it actually got me a bit choked up... Coming home to work a non traditional business wasn't something widely celebrated or understood last summer.. So having the ONE person who's opinion matters, who's also my constant cheerleader, acknowledge that it's paying of makes me SO proud!

👉We're giving freely of our time and resources.. Sponsoring a boy in Haiti, volunteering and participating in local ministry opportunities.

👉We're spoiling each other a bit for Christmas..

👈We're making BIG life plans that make me nauseous, scared and excited all at once.

And it's in part because of my business with Beachbody.

For a long time, I was the only thing in my way.. And I just wish I had started his journey sooner. So friends.... MOVE OVER and take your life by the reigns. Use the gifts and talents God has given you to make a difference in people's lives and change.your.circumstances.

If you need me, I'll be over here counting my blessings and thanking Jesus 😊
If🙌

To learn more about what I do as a health & wellness coach, email me at lindseykollar@yahoo.com or fill out this application here.

DIY Christmas Card: Design for {FREE}

This year, I decided to approach Christmas cards a little differently. In the past, I used various website based companies who offered mega discounts or were available through groupon. Last year, however, my order was EXTREMELY delayed & our Merry Christmas cards didn't arrive until after the New Year.

This year, I got exactly what I wanted, made them from home & picked them up about an hour later for about 15 cents a piece.

Check out this video for a tutorial on how I made these cute, money-saving holiday cards!

Once I picked up these puppies from our local drug store, the hubby helped me package them up in a festive card & envelope combo I found in the dollar section at Target.

And we used this custom stamp I ordered through a vendor on groopdealz.com !

He's the cutest, right??!

Gotta say.. for a total of $11-$12, we lucked out this year!

Coming SOON to a mailbox near you, friends!

21 Day Fix Meal Plans

The 21 Day Fix (& Extreme) is BY FAR one of my all time favorite programs; Not just because of the awesome workouts & great results I got, but because the meal plan is SUSTAINABLE.

It's not a diet. You don't feel starved.

It's a simple, portion based system. Colored coded containers to teach you how MUCH of each "approved" food category to eat.

Your custom container requirements are determined by using a formula which takes into account your current weight, daily activity level and goals.

I understand that opening that first "challenge pack" box can be intimidating. The Shakeology and the workouts? Easy to process. The concept of meal planning around the container system? A little more tricky.

So where do you start??

I decided to provide a couple of my SAMPLE meal plans for you be INSPIRED by or use exactly even! I created these for two of the most popular calorie brackets for women: 1200 & 1500 calories.

Be sure to let me know what you think! OH, and download the app to help you track through the day!

Pre Thanksgiving 21 Day Fix Extreme {RESULTS}

I can honestly say that I surprise myself each time I do the 21 Day Fix.. I'm blown away that in three short weeks of hard work and dedication that I notice such a difference in the overall MASS of my body. At this point in my fitness journey, I don't typically lose but a few pounds during a program. HOWEVER, I notice a big difference in inches lost/gained and my definition.

On November 2nd, I started my 21 days with the intention of finishing BEFORE Thanksgiving. I worked out EVERY day for 30 minutes, following my workout calendar, using light-medium weights. I stuck diligently to my meal plan, eating only the approved food items, & drank shakeology every day.

Y'all. I wasn't perfect. I ate more on many days than the allotted portion sizes. I had a glass of wine here and there (allowed in the original meal plan). I even celebrated Thanksgiving with a FULL ON MEAL the day before my final photos and just tacked on another 24 hours to my program.

Despite my imperfections, the HARD work and clean foods TOTALLY paid off. I haven't hit any big big physical goals, BUT I feel fantastic. I've noticed a significant increase in my energy level from working out every day. I've slept better nearly ever night. My digestion has improved- pleasant and regular potty breaks.. sorry y'all! And one of the things I'm most excited about besides feeling lean and mean- my skin is COMPLETELY clear!

I credit my success to having a PLAN and having SUPPORT. If you're like me, it's easy to get off course when you can talk yourself out of a workout here and there & rationalize stress eating and holiday drinks. BUT, being a part of an online accountability group made me accountable to more than just myself.. I was checking in every day with a group of men and women working just as hard as I was, which was so encouraging and even empowering!! 

If you're busy, discouraged, "stuck," bored, intimidated, etc. by fitness and nutrition.. the 21 Day Fix could be for you.

Learn what to eat and how much.

Work out for a short 30 minutes each day from the comfort of your own home.

Drink a dessert tasting shake once a day to begin your change from the inside out.

Join a community that supports you in your struggles & celebrates your accomplishments.

FINALLY see and feel results in just three weeks.

To learn more about the 21 Day Fix and/or 21 Day Fix extreme, shoot an email to lindseykollar@yahoo.com

To be considered for my next accountability group, apply HERE.

Post Thanksgiving REFRESH Invitation

TURKEY DAY IS COMING!! ⏳

You know when you enjoy ALL that DELICIOUS food that you don't normally eat? Its totally worth it, right? Its SO YUMMY!! But then... a day or so later - you feel like you can't breathe & your pants are snug! AH!! 

I am excited to eat YUMMY food with my family, but I am also determined to not GO NUTS and UN-DO all of my hardwork.... 

If you're like me, you could really benefit from a healthy 3 day cleanse after the feast! 

I want to invite 10 of you to complete a 3 Day REFRESH Cleanse after Thanksgiving!!

It's pretty amazing, because when you're done with this REFRESH plan - you'll feel like you never indulged in all that heavy food!! 

Last time I did this PLANT-BASED cleanse, I lost almost 4lbs and my hubby lost about 5lbs! ... and we actually ate quite a bit!!

3 Days. Detox. Refresh. & Reboot after Thanksgiving. 

No crazy juice cleanse that will destroy your organs or starve your body. 

Plant based meals. 

VERY gentle fiber sweep that isn't going to make you run to the bathroom. 

Moderate exercise is okay too. 

Message me on FB (LindseyKollarGhoens) OR email me (lindseykollar@yahoo.com) if you want one of the 10 spots! 

Ghoens Family Photos: What We WORE

Most of my readers know that Nate and I recently relocated to the Emerald Coast of Florida in September of this year. We moved to the far west end of Panama City Beach, which is located about 5 miles from this little community called Rosemary Beach that we've both fallen IN love with.

Forget the fact that the beach itself is completely breath taking & check out these GORGEOUS buildings! Stroll down the stone-paved streets through town square or pop into the one of a kind shops, delicious restaurants or wine bar. This place is a total gem, from the lush green courtyard to the European style buildings. It was a no brainer when we decided to choose a location for family photos.

SO, my point of this post wasn't to so subtly plug Rosemary Beach for your next family get away, but to talk about how we dressed for our photos on a budget!

Clearly, there wasn't a need for statement pieces when our location was so stunning and full of rich colors & various textures. We decided on neutrals so that our faces and the surroundings would pop!

In addition to picking a neutral color palette, we wanted to be COMFORTABLE in what we were wearing since Nate & I are goofballs in front of the camera!

Hers

Believe it or not, my sweater & denim were both Target snags! I paired them with simple jewelry (studs from J Crew Factory Outlet,  spiked bracelet and monogrammed necklace from groopdealz.com, gray stone bangle from Two Cumberland's online boutique) & classic wedges from... Charlotte Russe!

Each clothing item I have on was $25 each or less & is super versatile to wear with many other outfits.

His

First of all I think Nate's hair needs a shout out.. I mean, look at those locks {thanks to $1.99 pomade} :) This guy's pants were a total STEAL from the Banana Republic outlets & his shirt was also a mega bargain from the J Crew Factory outlet! The only splurge he has on are the Bullboxer boots that we got from DWS >>with a coupon<<.. and his Original Grain watch, which was a birthday gift. Heads up though, TJ Maxx has mens watches at awesome prices!

Don't get me wrong, we love boutique clothing and unique pieces.. but we also love spending our money wisely & on fun experiences! Next time you schedule family photos, don't stress too much about what you put on. Pick some classic pieces that you feel COMFORTABLE in and add some accessories that are uniquely YOU!

Have some tips to share? Drop them below!

Happy Thursday, friends..

Fall Refresh Results

How the heck did I forget to share my Fall Refresh Results from a month or so ago??? Oh yeah, because life is crazy 😉

I decided to do this 3 day, vegan, plant based cleanse to jump start my routine again after weeks and weeks of inconsistent nutrition and activity because of our move. I owed it to myself to boost my metabolism, clean out my insides and lose that bloat... to FEEL better!

I'm not a fan of juice cleanses.. or starvation for that matter (HA). First of all, I appreciate being able to chew something each day.. something about ingesting solid foods, right?? Also, I have no need for all that sugar from juicing! This program, called the 3 Day Refresh, is the perfect combination of plant proteins and chewable-produce for me❤️

My sweet hubby decided to support me by following the same program and I think he was pretty impressed by how easy it was and how he didn't few starved day in and day out. 

The refresh is something I do on a quarterly to six month basis. We service our homes and vehicles so why not do a little tune up every now and again for your digestive system? Oh, and feel awesome afterwards! #nobrainer

Aside from occasional maintenance, the refresh was perfect for me even after I recovered from hernia surgery this spring and wanted to flush all the meds out of my system. You see? It's an awesome option for many different scenarios depending on what YOU have going on in your life!

So here it is.. My results from 3 days of potato protein shakes, fiber boosts and  produce.

👇 down 4.5", 3.5 lbs. & BLOAT

👆 up energy level, mental clarity and pep in step level... Oh and healthy poops. I went there 🙈

Think you could benefit from a good REFRESH after that Thanksgiving meal you have planned? I think so too! Drop your email below for information or find me on FB and reach out!

{FIX approved} Clean Mac & Cheese

Last week, my husband and I had a hankering for comfort food that would somehow fit into our 21 Day Fix meal plan. I snagged my Fixate cookbook from the top of the pantry and started flipping through the pages to end up finding a healthy MAC & CHEESE recipe (RIGHT!?). The other surprising factor was that I actually had all the ingredients!

Here's what the recipe called for:

Chicken breasts, cubed

Steamed broccoli, chopped

Whole wheat pasta

Whole wheat flour

Organic butter

Unsweetened almond milk 

Freshly grated cheddar cheese

Himalayan sea salt

Pepper

Here's how to make it happen:

Whip up a roux with the butter and flour..  Slowly add almond milk and whisk until thickened..  Reduce heat and add cheese while stirring constantly until melted..  Add cooked chicken, steamed broccoli, salt/pepper & al dente pasta.

40 minutes later y'all, less if your chicken was pre cooked, and you've got yourself a tasty dinner with plenty of leftovers for the week.. speaking as a family of two.

Happy Cooking, Friends!

Year END Resolution: Finish STRONGER than You Started

*These are my REAL 4 week progress photos from last fall in my very first accountability group, y'all!*

#YearEndResolution ..ever heard of it?

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Well, it's how I'm helping my fellow ladies stay on track during December. Did you know that during the holiday season, 75% of annual weight gain occurs? Are you going to be part of that icky statistic or prove it wrong with me?

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Beginning December 2nd, I'm committing (again) to 30 minute daily workouts, simple nutrition with easy meal plans & group support to stay strong against egg nog and peppermint galore ... I want to feel PROUD of myself when 2016 rolls around- not like I have to "fix" the repercussions of my choices in November and December.

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Are you at all curious? Want to end this year and START next year differently than you have in the past? 

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I'm enrolling FIVE applicants thru November 24th and would love for you to be considered to take part in this Resolution challenge with me! Make this year different and be PROUD of yourself.

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Apply HERE to be considered & to reserve YOUR spot!

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Have questions?

lindseykollar@yahoo.com //or// fb message (FB.com/LindseyKollarGhoens)

Healthy Sweet Potato Puppy Treats

The wait is over...

My puppies are my babes (for now) & while I love giving them treats, I want to keep them as healthy as possible. My husband and I feed them certain SAFE fruits and veggies all the time, depending on what we have in the fridge. But I wanted to come up with a snack for them that was more like a crunchy treat! So I checked out pinterest, but wasn't feeling spunky enough to make my own dough. SO I decided to make baked chips of one of their FAVORITE "table scraps".... SWEET POTATOES. Here's how I did it!!

Wash a your sweet potatoes WELL if you're planning to keep the skin on like I did.

Cut thick slices.. maybe 1/4" or more and place on a cookie sheet or stone, like I used.

Decide what temperature you'd like to cook them at, depending on how much time you have available. I've heard some people will cook these around 100+ degrees for 8 hours. I simply didn't have that kind of time. I ended up deciding to cook these at 225 degrees for 3-4 hours. 

*Go off your visual and how they feel for doneness*

Watch them while they bake, this is what ours looked like about half way through- notice the corners are curling up a bit. I decided to flip mine halfway through so they'd cook evenly!

Don't freak out, some pieces will end up darker than others but for the most part, they'll look like this! Be sure they cool completely for the pups and give them maybe half so they can explore the crunchy texture!

I hope your babies are as happy as mine with this recipe & give it two paws up.

Find me on Facebook and share a photo of your happy pooch!

Caprese Chicken: A Simple, Monday Night Meal

Yesterday I created a meal plan for the week & then broke it down into my grocery list. The hubby & I ran to the store and were out in a record breaking time of about 30 minutes- it's amazing how quickly you can shop when you mostly avoid the center isles! #truth

One of the recipes on our weekly meal plan is from a cook book I have called "Fixate," which is a compilation of 101 recipes that follow the nutrition plan I'm using with the 21 Day Fix (read more about that here). This super easy recipe is called "Caprese Chicken" and got two thumbs up from the hubby & myself for both flavor and quick preparation.

The recipe was simple. Fully cook two seasoned & trimmed chicken breasts. Top with pesto, sliced tomato & fresh mozzarella- allow some time over heat for the cheese to begin to melt. Serve with veggies &/or a healthy carb (like quinoa or brown rice). Yummmmmm!

Bon Appetit, friends!

The year I QUIT leggings

Okay, opinions aside with all this ‪#‎leggingsarenotpants‬ talk... let me take you back a to a few years of my life when I LIVED in them all winter long.
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After Nate and I got married, I started a slow & steady weight gain.. we'll call it the "newly-wed 15," but honestly it was more like 20 pounds- and on a 5'3" frame that was pretty significant. But this post-white dress, newly wed bliss weight gain is something I think a lot of women can relate to.
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I became so ashamed at how I neglected myself that I began to use my clothing to HIDE... the weight... the expanding curves.. and ultimately, my insecurity.
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I had tons of pants sitting in my closet that I didn't wear because either they wouldn't fit over my butt/hips (hello, hour glass frame) OR because I was so self conscious about my muffin top. -----> In came the "leggings phase" of my life.... I wore them initially because they were trendy and comfy, but eventually they became my method of concealing & all I wore...
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Last fall, I took charge of my health, fitness & over-all wellness.. I made the DECISION to try something different. I was NERVOUS that it would be too hard. I was nervous I would quit. I was nervous I'd waste money. BUT, I needed SO desperately to find my confidence again. I NEEDED to get rid of the sick-to-my-stomach feeling I had on occasion when I was intimate with my husband (keeping it real, girls). I wanted to go in my closet and throw on my PANTS for goodness sake!
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So, I got T25 and shakeology, I synced up with a coach and joined an online accountability group. I checked in with my coach every Sunday & STUCK WITH IT for 8 weeks ----> through early morning work outs.. through traveling ... CHOOSING to saying NO to dinner party food and wedding reception snacks and weekend drinks.. I ENVISIONED what sticking with it would look and even FEEL like & that's what fueled me!
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Nearly 60 days later, I finished T25/shakeology/healthy eating... and I lost 3.PANT.SIZES. I cried when I tried on pants that STILL didn't fit.. because they were too big. I felt SO healthy, STRONG and confident.. I felt proud of myself ---> and that meant so much to me.
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So yes, leggings are great & I wear them [[the right way wink emoticon kidding.. ]].. but I'm not TRAPPED in them.. I'm not HIDING anything..
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This may not speak to the masses, but that's okay. My hope is to be a LIGHT of hope and promise to a FEW. You CAN change your circumstances.. and I'd like to help you. Be free, be proud ladies. Love yourself

Click here to learn more about my health & wellness accountability groups!