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!