A lot of you probably already know, but I am the team captain for an organization called the Best Christmas Ever. It is a non profit organization that helps a family in need have "The Best Christmas Ever". The family is nominated by friends or coworkers in their community for this and have NO idea that this is happening until we do the Christmas "Drop" a few days before Christmas with all of the gifts that have been donated and collected by the community. We have two Gift tree locations where you can go to the location, pick a gift suggestion that is written on a tag, go and buy the gift, and return it unwrapped to the gift tree. Also please include the receipt as we need to document the value of all items collected. The tree Locations are at MN Direct Properties Inc. and Lake Woods Chrysler in Grand Rapids.
All of these gifts must be collected by December 21st. That is the day we will have a Wrapping party and wrap up all of the gifts to be delivered to the family. The wrapping party is open to the public to attend. Anyone is welcome! We will be holding this at River Grand in Grand Rapids on December 21st from 5-7pm. Please come and join us for this, we will be doing a potluck with appetizers and snacks while we wrap. Feel free to bring a dish, some wrapping paper, scissor, and tape so we can get all of the gifts wrapped up in no time. The Christmas drop will be following the wrapping party for a select few.The family has NO IDEA and we will completely surprise them out of nowhere. Which is one of the best parts of this whole thing. So, remember if you THINK you know who the family is. KEEP Quiet so they don't find out. Living in a small community makes it hard to keep it a secret, but it is very important we keep the secret!
If you are unable to go to the gift tree locations and maybe don't live in the Grand Rapids area, I also have away you can still donate for this family. Or, if you just prefer to shop online, I created a gift wish list for the family on Amazon. You can have the gifts shipped out directly to the gift tree locations! We all love that Amazon Prime! :)
Our goal for this family is to collect a MINIMUM of $5000 between monetary donations, gifts, or gift cards. But, wouldn't it be amazing if we BLEW that goal out of the water and REALLY made a LIFE LONG impact on this family?? If you are a business or individual wanting to donate, there are SO many ways you can donate. A donation of any kind is greatly appreciated!
GIFT TREE LOCATIONS:
MN DIRECT PROPERTIES INC. (1115 NW 4th St, Grand Rapids, MN 55744)
LAKE WOODS CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM ( 815 NW 4th St. Grand Rapids, MN 55744)
10 tips for Having a Happy and HEALTHY Holiday season.
Are you wondering how you are going to survive the holidays this season? The holidays usually leave us all so stressed out. All the food, the drinks, the sweets, the treats, it's ALL over. So, how do we avoid completely falling off track over the holidays? I think everything is good in moderation. For me, it's usually the hardest to stay on track the day after a night of a few drinks and indulgences. I usually start out the actual day of the event eating fairly well... Then I have some drinks and the next day I am worthless. I don't feel like cooking or doing anything and then I am tempted to order pizza or hit up the drive through. My health goes out the window and it all becomes about convenience. So here's a few tips I've come up with on how I plan to survive the holiday season.
1. The number one tip I can have for you is to make a healthy meal ahead of time to eat the day after your holiday festivities. That way you can get right back on track after a night of some indulgences. I know I hate wasting food, so if I have something already made, I will eat that.
2. Eat something BEFORE going to your events so you don't show up starving and will have an easier time not over eating.
3. EXERCISE right away in the morning before going to any event. Get it out of the way, and then you can relax and enjoy the day without the dread of having to workout. And Not only will exercise help you stay on track it will help relieve the HOLIDAY stress. Get those endorphins PUMPIN!!
4. Bring a healthy dish with you. If you can't control what other people are bringing or serving, at least you can control what you bring. Make it be something healthy!
5. Eat Slowly! Take time in between bites and set your fork down to soak up the conversation and enjoy your company.
6. DON'T skip meals. This is one of the worst things you can do.
7. Watch what you drink. Limit your intake of alcoholic beverages, and if you are going to drink go for a lighter drink option. Try not to mix with pop. Mix with water and always add ice to water it down and dilute it.
8. ENJOY the holidays. Don't let the chaos take over. The holidays are about family and enjoying them. We often forget that and stress over making everything perfect. Relax. Mediate. Pray. Be thankful. Find a few podcasts to listen to while cooking or cleaning that will lift your spirits and get your mind right. Take a bath. Read a book. Just take some time for yourself. EVERY single day during the holiday season especially. You deserve it. And your family deserves you at your best, and unstressed.
9. Get your rest! Did you know people who don't get enough sleep have a hard time losing weight and tend to be heavier according to statistics. Sleep deprivation causes your body to release hormones that will make you want to eat more. So get your ZZZZ's.
10. Don't compare yourself to all you see on social media. This time of year can become a bit of a competition. People all trying to outdo each other with their amazing elf on the shelf ideas they do every night... Um.. I am lucky if I remember to move our elf twice a week. MOM fail. I will be brutally honest with you. Just because Susie has a photo up every morning of her elf on the shelf doing miraculous things.. don't worry.. MOST of us normal mom's haven't even thought of it until the morning when our child says " I wonder where the elf went today..." and you frantically go running for the elf in an attempt to move it before you child notices.. GUILTY!! That's ME to a T! haha And.. you see all those perfect holiday photos? Don't worry.. it probably took that family 75 tries to get that perfect photo. Most probably looked just like the rest of ours with one kid screaming, the mom blinking and dad looking off into outer space. Don't try to keep up, do what's right for you and your family!
How to START FRESH if you over indulged?!
Okay, so let's say you maybe didn't follow any of the tips above and now you find yourself feeling the post holiday slug and laziness. Want help rebooting? Let me help you. I will be running an after the holidays 3 day REFRESH Cleanse. Yes, you can still eat during the cleanse. You just reboot your system with superfood shakes, fruits, veggies, and healthy fats. It's a great way to get your energy back and a GREAT way to get rid of the bloat and slug from over indulging. I have had amazing results with the 3 day refresh. Afterwards feeling FULL of energy and so light! I lost 7 lbs my first time doing the cleanse. I highly suggest this for after the holidays. And, beginning December I have a BUILD a BOOTY health and fitness group that is completely private starting up. The goal is to loose some pounds and tone our booty and abs. You in? Email me if you want a spot at: melissanielsen99@gmail.com.
Hey Everyone! So you are here because you have interest in knowing more about what an online health and fitness coach does! Go through these videos and your concerns and questions should all be addressed by the end of the page, if not, reach out to me and I would be happy to chat!
This is all simply informational to give you a "Sneak Peek" into what we do as coaches and how we make an income from home by following at home workouts and inspiring others to do the same! It all starts with our own health, and also helping others live a healthy life too! You DO NOT need to be at your ideal body or weight. Being a coach is ALL about the journey and being a person of support that other people can relate to. NO ONE relates to perfect. So, if you are perfect.. Might as well leave this page right now. This won’t be for you. The best coaches are those who have flaws and make mistakes but are willing to brush the dust off when they mess up. People will relate to that SO much more.
So now you are probably wondering WHAT THE HECK does an online health and fitness coach actually do??
It's natural to be excited, but also hesitant, when starting something new! This job is all about helping other people succeed. Our goal is to ADD VALUE and help people to grow closer to their goals, be that PHYSICAL, MENTAL, SPIRITUAL, and/or FINANCIAL! We focus on our customers, which we call "challengers," getting results by teaching them clean eating, meal planning, meal prep, and giving them daily support and accountability (which you will learn from YOUR coach:)
Your success is NOT related to selling things to others… it is ALL about HELPING other people succeed! It’s about working as a team to chase our dreams and inspiring other people to do the same.
Have you ever had a feeling that you were meant to do something GREAT in this life? That you would leave a lasting impression and make a difference? Maybe you’re here because you want to create a second income to relieve some financial burden, or to be home with your children and work from home. Maybe you want to save for a college fund, dream home, or car. Maybe you just want an adventure. Something that will challenge you to DREAM BIG again…
Watch this video about WHAT IS BEACHBODY. Just to give you a little background of the company.
The next question I'm sure that comes to mind is.. How much does it COST??$$$ That is a normal question to have. So here is a video of me breaking down the cost for you.
OKAY. I get it.. So now that you know the cost, you want to know how the heck we ACTUALLY make money?? I had such a tainted image on network marketing companies because I used to be a Mary Kay rep, and let’s just say I did NOT do very good at it. I spent so much time throwing parties and was spending WAY more than I was making. Now, I am not saying that people can’t be successful at Mary Kay, but that was just not for me. I didn’t like having a minimum amount of make up I had to order and the fact that I had to go to the post office and mail it out and spend MORE money than the money I was already spending on throwing parties etc.
.
This is SO much different. You must believe in HEALTH and sharing but with that come INCREDIBLE income opportunities that are NOT available in the "real job" world.
.
Let me ask you...Could you and your family use an extra $1000 a month or more? I know my family could have used an extra ANYTHING a month when I started this business. Making money from this was not something I really believed could happen. It was a joke to me. But now I see what a great opportunity this is. It’s almost 2018 baby, everything is done online these days and the potential to work from home getting healthy is HUGE right now!!
Watch this video from one of our up-line coaches, Lindsey Matway ....She will BREAK DOWN the compensation plan!
-How much it costs
-How you make money
-The long term/short term possibilities
DISCLAIMER: Because it’s REAL and not a get rich quick scheme and its all dependent on YOU-- I’ll include this :) Beachbody does not guarantee any level of success or income from the Team Beachbody Coach Opportunity. Each Coach’s income depends on his or her own efforts, diligence, and skill.
.
So what are the PERKS of being a Coach on the Gorgeous Dynasty??
I pride myself on having a great team culture. We are a part of the #2 Team in all of Beachbody. We have monthly team meetings, and don’t worry if you live far away we can go live in our Coach only team page so you can feel like you are there with us! We also do fun little team bonding activities and photo shoots! Yes, just because we are coaches, doesn’t mean we never let loose and have some fun. We have A LOT of FUN!
PERKS?
COACH SUMMIT! Every year there is an annual coach summit hosted in a different city in the US. This year it was in New Orleans. Next year it will be in Indianapolis!! You coming with?! Coach Summit was SO much fun! This is when all of us coaches go and network, get to know our team-mates, other coaches from other teams, and just learn and grow from some of the TOP coaches in this business! As a new coach we have the opportunity to earn a FREE ticket to coach summit every year. I earned my ticket for FREE for 2017! There are live workouts with celebrity trainers, keynote speakers, workshops, and you are just surrounded by people who want more for their lives. The energy is something not explainable!
On top of this amazing trip to New Orleans, my family and I will also will be going to an all inclusive resort in Mexico paid for from Beachbody for reaching my goals as a coach and helping people. Pretty dang cool huh?! You can go too! Every year there is a paid trip for coaches who reach their goals somewhere different!
There’s also a monthly prize given away every month from the company for coaches.
We get to earn commissions and cycle bonuses as well for HELPING people, and staying accountable to our own Fitness goals!
We get to meet new people and we DECIDE who we want to work with!
We are our own BOSSes!
We get to wear yoga pants and drink choc0late shakes as "WORK"
We are surrounded by a positive and uplifting community
We can use this a a creative platform to express our other passions. For me this involves food and cooking. I am able to incorporate the two and feel fulfilled!
We change lives and aren't just selling products
I could spend DAYS and DAYS talking about the perks! But instead, I figured I would show you my video from 2017 Summit in New Orleans! :)
Our team has a New coach training we would love to get you set up in. And don’t worry. We walk you through every step of the training and how to get started as a brand new coach! We are a TEAM. WE are
Thanks for checking out this page, if you still have questions, reach out to me! You can email me to get started at melissanielsen99@gmail.com!
I can't wait to welcome you as the next coach on the team! Remember, you weren't put here to be Mediocre! You were put here to be great! More often than not, we are the ONLY thing stopping us from success!
Hey Challengers!!!! So you are starting a new fitness routine and have these color coded portion control containers that you aren't sure what to do with. On these programs we don't count CALORIES, we count CONTAINERS!! One mistake people will make is by not eating all of their containers. On these programs we are definitely not left hungry. Most of the time there is more food than I can eat in a day, and I LOVE to eat. However, it is very important to get in all of your containers. If you can't get in all of these containers don't completely skip a container, at least eat a portion of all containers for healthy weight loss and the best results! Skipping a yellow can actually cause you to have less energy, making your workout hard to complete. And, if you have eaten all of your containers and are still hungry, add an extra green or red container to your day!
Here is a quick breakdown of what each Container means and what it should contain.
Green: Veggies Purple: Fruits Red: Proteins Yellow:Carbs Blue: Healthy Fats Orange: Seeds and Dressings
t: Oils and Nut Butters
FREE FOODS: Eat as many of these as you want:
Water
Lemon and lime juice (not lemonade)
Vinegars
Muustard
herbs (fresh and dry)
Spices, except salt
Garlic
Ginger
Hot Sauce (Tobasco or Mexican)
Flavor extracts (pure vanilla, peppermind, almond, etc.
21 Day Fix Seasoning Mixes
Okay, so that's great.. but now HOW many should you be consuming each day? That number is going to be different for each person based upon their caloric needs. To find your specific calorie bracket you should be following.
1. Take your current weight in pounds, multiply that by 11. That is YOUR CALORIE BASELINE.
2. Take your Calorie Baseline and add 400 and that equals your calories for MAINTENANCE. If you are not looking to lose weight, you would stop here and that would be the calorie bracket you should follow to maintain your current weight. If you are looking to loose weight, go to step 3.
3. Your maintenance calories - 750 = your Calorie Target.
If you are pregnant, complete add 500 calories to your calorie bracket to find the bracket you should follow. If your number falls below 1200, move up to the 1200 calorie bracket. Eating any less than 1200 calories a day is not suggested for anyone. We need to nourish our bodies!
Here are the different Calorie Brackets for each plan. Determine your plan, and follow the options for how may containers of each color to consume a day.
Alright, so I know not everyone is going to carry around these containers everywhere they go and everywhere they eat. In the begining you are going to want to measure everything until you get a REALLY good feel for what each serving should be. I can't tell you how easy it is to use bad judgement on your containers and either get too much of one item or not enough of an item. MEASURE MEASURE MEASURE until you feel REALLY confident you have the portions mastered. But, if you need a good idea and don't have your portion containers with you, here are the sizes of each container to give you a good idea.
Okay, so now that we have or calorie bracket and containers figured out, the next step is to make sure to take your BEFORE pictures and measurements. This is SO important. You may not notice a huge difference on the scale in the beginning. You may lose fat and gain muscle when you start a new fitness program. Muscle weighs more than fat so keep that in mind. You might go down in pants sizes, but stay at the same number on the scale!
How to take your before pics and measurements? Take your photos wearing as minimal clothes as possible that you are comfortable wearing. I typically wear a sports bra and shorts so I can get a really good visual of my progress in areas such as my thighs and love handles. Those are the areas I am working on the most, so its important they are showing in my pictures so I can see my progress. Here is an example of my before pictures.
For your measurements make sure you write them down, track in the challenge tracker app, or in the 21 day fix app. I like to use the 21 day fix app personally.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me! I can't wait to see the awesome results you have with this program!
Hey guys!!!
So I wanted to show some appreciation to all of my friends, family, and followers who have supported my online health journey over the last year. I truly appreciate it! As a thank you I wanted to send out a free 7 day flat belly meal plan.
If you would like to receive this free meal plan there are two steps! #1, go and like my Facebook business page @thefitfoodiemelissa if you haven't already done that!
This is the page where I post workout tips, recipes, and just anything pertaining to a healthy lifestyle.
Next, opt in to the email list so I can send it to your email! Again, thank you for the support! Love you all!
XOXO Melissa Nielsen - The Fit Foodie
Yesterday I was CRAVING Tator Tot Hot dish. It's one of my favorite meals. So, I decided to make my own version of this meal, but instead with a cheeseburger twist, and a WAY healthier version.
Today starts day one of my #Fit4Feb Challenge group. I would love to have you join me with an at home workout program, a meal guide to follow, and some superfood shakes! Send me an email at melissanielsen99@gmail.com if you are interested in joining the challenge! It is completely free to join, and you get to have ME as your FREE coach walking you through every step of your fitness program, but you do need to purchase a fitness program in order to participate and join the challenge.
The reason I LOVE the 21 day fix is because you can literally eat anything! There is no depriving yourself of the foods you love. Wine, Approved, Sushi, approved. And you even are able to replace any yellow container a couple times a week with any treat you are craving! Anyways, here is the recipe and video for the Cauliflower Tator Tot Hotdish.
Meat Mixture:
1.5 lb ground turkey
1 medium onion
1 can diced tomatoes
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, plus a little extra to sprinkle on top
1 table spoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup chopped pickles
1 Tablespoon pickle juice
2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
Sea Salt to Taste
Black Pepper to Taste
Brown ground beef and onion in a pan. Add all of the remaining ingredients. Heat until warm. Add to the bottom of a baking dish. Top with Cauliflower tots and sprinkle with Cheese.
Cauliflower Tot Recipe:
2 cups Brocolli Florets
1 large egg
1/2 cup minced onion
1/2 cup shredded cheddar
1/4 cup parmesean
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup cilantro
Sea Salt to Taste
Black Pepper to Taste
Steam cauliflower in a pan until soft. Add to food processor to make a fine consistency. Combine all remaining ingredients, and add cauliflower mixture. Spoon onto a sprayed baking dish and back @ 375 for 20 mins turning halfway through.
I don't know about you, but I recently just discovered the amazingness of coconut oil. It literally can be used for SO MUCH. Cooking, Skin, Hair. I use it as a makeup remover at night, and also as a deep conditioner for my hair. I keep one jar in my bathroom at all times!
I also have another jar in my kitchen for cooking. I use this instead of butter for all of my cooking. And, it can even be used in coffee and is great!
Lately I have been on a kick with coconut oil. Another thing I am in LOVE with as a replacement is sweet potatoes. I have been using this to replace regular potatoes and bread. I just recently made this breakfast, and instead of using bread I decided to slice up a sweet potato, and cook it in some coconut oil to use as a "bun" for my sandwich. This was probably THE best breakfast I have ever made or eaten in my own life! Not to mention, probably also one of the healthiest!
Here's the Recipe for my Sweet Potato Egg Sandwich:
Sweet potato slices (Cooked until soft on stove top in coconut oil)
Egg (Also cooked in coconut oil)
Wasabi Hummus
Pico De Gao
Cilantro
So Amazing! I also love making sweet potato buns for burgers!
If you are a fellow 21 day fixer, you know that sweet potatoes are at the top of the list for our yellow containers too! So its an over all WIN!
Thursday, January 26, 2017
CAULIFLOWER is literally one of my favorite replacement foods. It can replace rice, bread, potatoes, and SO many other things. For some reason I was craving loaded potatoes but didn't want all the carbs. Plus, as an avid 21 day fixer, finding ways to get in greens is always a win!
So, here's the recipe!! Makes 4 servings -- 286 calories each.
-1 head of cabbage 💚
-10 slices turkey bacon ❤
-1 cup Greek yogurt ❤
-1/2 cup green onions. 💚
-1 1/2 cups shredded cheese 💙
- olive oil cooking spray
-sea salt
-pepper
Chop cauliflower
Boil in water 2/3 mins
Strain
Spray baking dish
Cook bacon. Crumble
Combine cauliflower, turkey bacon, Greek yogurt, green onions, half of the cheese, sea salt, and pepper.
Top with remaining cheese.
Bake at 350 for 20-25 mins!
EAT your heart out!
Give it a try and let me know what you think!! What's your favorite cauliflower recipe?? I also recently made cauliflower fried rice and it was amazing!! I'll post that recipe next!!
I also want to know what you guys want to see? Or who wants to challenge me to make a healthy version of their favorite food?? Ready... go!
