my #StartFreshii Juice. Cleanse. Energize. experience!

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the results from my 1 day #StartFreshii juice cleanse are in: i survived, woo hoo!  in all honesty, it wasn't that bad.  i'm definitely saying that cause it was only 1 day though, haaaa. when those hunger pangs kicked in i was totally transported back in time to my 1st bikini competition prep. good times, lol! mix that in with a couple "come on, Leah..just a few more hours. you can do this. focus." moments and that was my day in a nutshell.  i explained on Periscope (are you following me yet? have you checked out the app? leave your ID below so i can look you up!) that i'm breastfeeding and can't afford to go longer than one day to keep from putting a big dent in my milk production (gotta keep those calories up!).  plus, i'm a group fitness instructor and although light exercise (yoga, walking, stretching)  is ok when detoxing, strenuous activity is not recommended.  bummer.  anyway, i've gotten the 'do you juice? do you detox?' questions over the years and can finally say, 'Yes! i've done one!' however, i have always turned them down in the past because:

  • fearful of feeling way too hungry (and crappy) to deal
  • i prefer eating calories over drinking them
  • cannot be sustained long-term
  • prohibited strenuous exercise (booooo.)
  • generally low in protein

what i do believe they are great for:

  • complete system reset
  • rid body of toxins and excess waste
  • improved complexion, hair & skin (clean eating cleared my skin up completely by the way...no more Proactive!)
  • promotes/jump starts healthy lifestyle changes
  • increased mental clarity, energy, stamina
  • a healthier, nourished colon

when the #StartFreshii Challenge was presented to me, i finally decided to take the plunge! i love Freshii cause they offer a variety of healthy, nutritious, fast-food items for people on the go. i just wish they had a drive through! the decor is fun, bright, and contemporary, and kid friendly items make this the perfect healthy family eatery.

20150708_093123-01again i did the 1 day, but if you decide to give this a whirl yourself, you've got 3 or 5 day options too.  pick the one that best suits your lifestyle and schedule for best results.

i ordered some oatmeal for the boy's breakfast.

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adorable presentation! and i am thrilled they both love oats so much.

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  my eyes!! i was LOVING all that beautiful, healthy color! the smoothies were labeled and to be consumed in a certain order every 2.5-3 hrs;  the detoxifying Metaboost salad was to be eaten at the end of my day.

  1. Green Energy - apple, cucumber, kale, lemon, carrot, romaine, spinach (my fave!)
  2. Carrot Zinger - carrot, apple, ginger
  3. Mighty Detox - pineapple, cucumber, celery, apple, ginger
  4. Red Power - beet, carrot, lemon, ginger (2nd fave!)
  5. Metaboost Salad - field greens, spinach, kale, carrots, mango, edamame, almonds, goat cheese, balsamic vinaigrette

staying busy between meals was going to be key in getting me through this! we explored the city a little before running errands.

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one of the calming fountains at a small, contemporary park just down the street.

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the sun was out but thankfully there was still a nice breeze at 10am! so Chiso got to run around and play a bit as i finished up juice #1.  i sipped all of them suuuuuuuper slow.

20150708_102616-01Q: what is THE very first thing that pops into your mind when you read that question? comment below.

A: before i die...i want to live out and fulfill His purpose for my life. that's #1. 20150708_103759-01i will remember and cherish these days forever!!! so grateful to be able to do what i love with the people i love.

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after that, errand time.  running around in the Texas heat and jumping in and out of the car with kids is a workout in itself. whew.

i said all that to say that at 2pm, i cracked.

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lol! keeping it real! i'm used to eating over 2k cals a day so i was really going through it at that point.

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i just hope there was nobody sitting in their car watching me tear this salad UP. wasn't it pretty though?

 after that, i felt like i could actually finish this thing strong.20150708_170209-01-1

3rd juice done with one left to go as we finally headed home.  you're supposed to drink 8-10 glasses of water in between 'meals' when doing a cleanse as well. i did my best.

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by 6pm? DONE. finished a lil early, haha.  the Freshii cleanse pamphlet did suggest that if hunger overtakes you, increase your water intake, drink a herbal tea, or reach for raw or lightly cooked fruits and vegetables.  that said, i had grape tomatoes and half a cucumber before finally getting in bed around 10pm.  the next morning i felt lighter, and my mid section's skin was noticeably tighter.  that's what cutting out refined sugars does for me though, immediately. my tummy and waist are the first to respond when i tweak my nutrition.

takeaways:

  • this was a mental battle more than anything! once i woke up the next morning with no pressure to stick to the cleanse, i wanted to keep going. go figure.
  • not having to chew overall made it feel like i had not eaten a thing = hoogry
  • great for resetting/restarting your system.  i am now motivated to keep my refined sugar intake low and my raw fruit/veggies intake high. this is when i feel and look my best.
  • not great as a lifestyle (possibly once a week at best) or for fat loss.  the diet is already low in protein and calories and the body goes into starvation mode after a while which conflicts with the fat burning process.
  • unless you have your own juicer at home and get a great, cheap deal on produce, juicing can get rather expensive.
  • we CAN do anything we put our minds to

fyi! many times the media choses to focus on the short-terms results produced by these cleanses.  know that your results won't last if you don't make it a point to move more and maintain and healthy, low-no processed diet.

i highly recommend you accept the #StartFreshii juice cleanse challenge! all 4 juices are delish and refreshing but my fave was definitly #1. tell me about your cleanse/detox experience below.

le

Dego's mini 1st birthday party + Applegate Grilling Kit -- who wants one!?

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you know that symbol when you see it.

it means you are in the vicinity of some healthy, organic, and all natural goodness!

thanks to Applegate we enjoyed these healthy hot dogs for Dego's first birthday lunch.  i had zero faith Chiso (the 4 yr old picky eater)  would even take a bite of anything in that box but boy did he surprise us!

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my lil' helper was so excited to unpack the goodies.

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what's in there? only the best of the best components needed to build a BOMB, healthy hot dog:

  • Sir Kensington's all natural yellow mustard & classic ketchup
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  • Applegate all natural, grass-fed, uncured beef hot dogs
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  • Vermont Bread Company Potato Hot Dog Buns
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  • napkins
  • meat thermometer
  • cooler
  • 'you grill girl' apron
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  • oven mit
  • the cutest Apple gate buttons <3

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it rained cats & dogs outside that afternoon so my grill pan was perfect.20150617_151600-01

yeah.... i don't think i'll ever be boiling our hot dogs in water ever again.  soooo much more flava this way.

stats per dog: 70 cals, 6g fat, 6g protein, 330mg sodium

ingredients: beef, water, and less than 2% of sea salt, paprika, dehydrated onion, spices (black pepper, coriander, mace, nutmeg), nutmeg oil, and celery powder. all recognizable stuff, right!

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do you toast your buns? YOU GOTTA TOAST YOUR BUNS. spending just a little extra time on the minor details really makes an ordinary meal extraordinary!  i added a little Earth Balance Buttery Spread before toasting.

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per Chiso's request, we had an indoor picnic in the middle of the living room floor.

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i walked out to the front porch to snag some thunderstorm lighting before we started though.

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2% colby jack cheese, green onions, mustard, ketchup went on top of my dog!

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so, Chiso ate 2 dogs all by himself! it's like pulling teeth to get him to taste ANYTHING new... so this was big.

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next, CAKE!  on the way home from the gym that morning i stopped by Whole Foods Market to pick up a mini cake for Dego and ended up with two! did Dego like it? check out our birthday song video below and see ;)

[wpvideo WwobLKxl]

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happy 1st birthday, big boy! this day was Dego's actual birthday, but we had another small, family party that following saturday. so, who wants their very own Applegate grilling kit while the summer is in full swing!?

COMMENT & SHARE this post below and enter the drawing by answering the following question:

Q: WHERE is/was your dream family vacation?

i'll be picking a random winner this friday, July 10th. go!

le

light, fluffy, healthy Sweet Potato Oat Bran Pancakes + Headband Giveaway!

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       halfway to friday, guys!!!  Chiso (the 4 yr old) requested pancakes for dinner last night, so i added some roasted sweet potato into my usual recipe and BAM. these were so tasty we devoured another stack his morning for breakfast!  you do need a high powered blender for this recipe for optimal cake fluffiness, fyi. 11403083_10102555765702216_6265772524055854844_n

Sweet Potato Oat Bran Pancakes

the stuff:

  • 3/4 cup dry oat bran
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened vanilla cashew milk
  • 2 egg whites (from real eggs, not the carton)
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/2 cup roasted, soft sweet potato
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 packets granulated stevia (optional)
  • dash sea salt

do this: 

  1. set griddle to high and coat with no stick cooking spray
  2. add egg whites into high powered blender and 'whip' them for about 30-45 seconds until super fluffy (we received a Ninja Blender from our dear friend Diamond this past Christmas and i have been using it every single week since then!)
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  4. add in everything else!
  5. blend oh high speed for at least 1 minute until super smooth
  6. let batter sit for approx. 5 minutes. oat bran is suuuuper absorbent and will need a few moments to do its thing
  7. spoon batter onto griddle (make as many cakes as you'd like; the size is your call)
  8. when you see bubbles start to form on the top of the cake (approx. 3 min), flip!  (ensure the color is golden brown and not pale)
  9. cook an additional 2-3 min on this side
  10. top with pecans and powdered sugar and your fave sugar-free syrup! we use Walden Farms.
nutritional facts for the entire stack: 363 cals, 11g fat, 71g carbs, 21g protein, 10g sugar

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neeeext, i get asked about my wide headband often and i finally answered with deets on IG recently. it's a @firstlinebrands Dri Sweat Edge and boy do i wear it often. it absorbs all my awesomeness (sweat) and keeps everything beneath it nice and dry (dem edges).

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they now have more color options on their website if you're cool enough to color coordinate your gym gear like that.

20150204_223116_1-1so, who NEEDS one!? i'm giving away a free Dri Sweat Flex (see pic above) to someone that needs help preserving their hairdo  while they get their sweat on!

how do you get in on this?

*ahem*

SHARE this post and comment below with your answer to the following question:

WHAT is your fave type of cardio and why?

no cardio hater over here!  some of my fave forms include spinning & kickboxing.

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don't forget make these cakes and tag me on Insta or Tweet me a pic!

have you tried out Periscope yet!? i'm having a ton of fun with it and posting vids daily. check us out, follow (fitfoodiele), and say haaaay!

le

easy, fresh, healthy, steamed fish foil packets

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watch dis!

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjN26SabfcY]

Steamed Fish Foil Packets

the stuff:

  • 2 lb fillet of trout (of fish of choice: salmon, halibut, etc,)
  • 2 stalks green onion, chopped
  • 1 large red (or any color) bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 large zucchini, sliced thinly into rounds
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped/minced (or any fresh herb: dill, basil, thyme, etc.)
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • cracked black pepper & sea salt to taste
  • 1 heaping tbsp of any seasoning blend of your choice
  • 1 lemon, sliced

do this:

  1. preheat oven to 425 degrees
  2. in a small bowl, mix all dry seasonings together
  3. section fillet into desired portions using a sharp knife or kitchen shears
  4. tear off sheets of foil (15'' x 15'') and lay them out across a large workspace
  5. coat one half of the sheet with no-stick cooking spray, and place each fillet portion on that same end, leaving space between the fillet and the edge
  6. place veggies & herbs around your fillet (lemon slice on top); sprinkle veggies and fillet generously with seasoning
  7. fold over the uncoated side of foil covering the fillet and veggies. crimp the edges to form a packet
  8. i placed the packets directly on my oven grate, but you can also place them flat on a very large baking pan.
  9. bake 8-10 minutes (depending on the thickness of your fillet portions).  a general rule is 10 min per inch of thickness
  10. take out, let cool, unseal pouch, open. *cue ooohs and aaaaahs*

best things about this recipe:

  • clean up is BREEZE, right!? #disposableplate

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  • customizable to the MAX (fish choice, veggies, seasonings, etc) 

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  • easy, healthy, portioned controlled and awesome for my meal preppers!

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cause she boxed her slice up while they were talking. mama ain't no dummy :)

i hope you guys enjoyed your Mother's Day, however you spent it! remembering past, present, and future moms. this job ain't easy, but what an honor it is to be a mommy.

my fam treated my grandmother to a birthday/mother's day lunch the saturday before Mother's Day at Mia's Table.  it was my first time there and i loved the homeyness of the place!  do you even have to ask what i ordered....

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grilled sammmmman! and avocado salad. yes. right up my alley.

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<3

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whoops. Sorry Aunt Annette!20150509_154307(0)-01-1

and free soft serve? we'll be back.

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so sunday i didn't get to sleep in LOL, but what better way to wake up, right!? this is all i wanted. EVERYTHING else was just an added bonus. this is why we can't co-sleep anymore right here though. we'd all wake up bruised and battered, my goodness. and YES, that hurt!

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grateful for time with The 3 Bears.  it's the only thing we can't get back, so spend it wisely.       PhotoGrid_1431484130356

Sonny picked another great restaurant for us to dine at after church, Latin Bites!  we pretty much shared everything you see up there. fresh & tasty.  we then went to hang out with our moms for the remainder of the day.

how'd you spend Mother's Day?

moms, what's the best gift you received?

what's the best Mother's Day gift you've given?

le

all things PREGGO fitness classes!

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welp, it happened!  right there in that very room.  my very first prenatal class went down this past saturday!  i slowly circled that room a handful of times while saying a prayer of thanks to God before the ladies began to arrive.  this feels GOOD.  this feels right. i don't know why the sight of a preggo woman working out makes me smile uncontrollably but it just does.  i remember what physical activity and healthy eating did for both my pregnancies and i want other mamas-to-be to experience those same benefits throughout their pregnancy journey, labor & delivery, and postpartum recovery.  there are still so many misconceptions and old wives tales about prenatal fitness that just won't go away!  my purpose is to prove how safe and beneficial prenatal fitness is for mom and baby.

before i headed out to teach, i took a pic of my new tank i couldn't wait to wear!

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don't you love it?! 'because you know i'm all about the BUMP.' ha! this will be available on my blog for purchase very soon, along with this one:

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one lucky mama-to-be won the 'Lifting for TWO' tank which is totally my fave.  taking pre-orders NOW!  email me at le@fitfoodiele.com if you'd like to rock one or know a Preggo Patty who would wear it proudly! 20150501_185908-01-1

friday evening, Chiso and i had a blast picking out some healthy snacks for the class courtesy of Sprouts Farmers Market Katy.  what a true HONOR!  grocery shopping is a passion/hobby of mine (i know, i'm the envy of all my friends lol) so i was beyond grateful for their sponsorship, assistance, and helpfulness.  i blog about SFM often, so partnering up with them was a dream come true.

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as we wrapped up our trip, we stopped through the bulk aisle to get some gummy bears.  keeping tradition ;)

prenatal fitness warmup

what snack did we chose in addition to water & fresh fruit? Bobo's Oat Bars!  i was sold as soon as i saw them!  one, because my childhood nickname was Bobo, and two, they are portable, filling, and when you don't have time to cook a pot of oatmeal on the stove, this bar is the perfect swap.

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they are all 170-190 cals, 6-8g fat, 9-10g sugar, 27g carbs, 3g protein, 3g fiber. no artificial ANYTHING and are made with non-GMO, natural & organic ingredients.  there are gluten-free options and over 10 flavors available!  Coconut's got the top spot IMO but i've only had those 4 flavors up there so far.  have you tried these?

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i also took plenty of h2o. gotta stay hydrated. (preggo or not)20150502_091922-01-1all set up and ready to rock!  while you may already be taking vitamin supplements, it's important to remember that getting the vitamins you need from fresh foods is always a better idea.

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 her hubby came in right by her side, holding her bag and everything. i had to get a picture; they were so cute!

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 this is a TRUE clip, right? hahaha!  thanks to my bro Brian for catching a few seconds of class before he had to run next door and teach his saturday boot campers.  if you want more, come check this out for yourself! new music, new moves, new snacks, every saturday.

20150502_103844-01-1 i thank these ladies sincerely for coming and having some sweaty FUN with me and look forward to seeing those bellies grow!

here's a question that was asked during Q & A that i'll share with you:

Q: can we still work abs while pregnant?

A: YES.  it's an important time to do so and it will definitely help you in the delivery room.  you just need to adjust the way you work them.  you can still work your core without ever doing a traditional ab exercise (e.g. crunches).  planks are a preggo woman's best friend! check out and try the plank variations i did in this post.

PhotoGrid_1430324449425if you are not local to Houston but would still like to make your pregnancy as fit as possible like my client Dominique up there, email me for your very own pre/postnatal meal/workout plan!  doesn't matter how far along you are nor how many months/years postpartum you are.

 le@fitfoodiele.com

if you are local, come see me! postpartum moms just getting back into the workout game are welcome too!

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i'll leave you with this monday motivational scripture from Psalms 37:5: commit your future to the Lord!  trust in Him and he will act on his behalf.

le