Cider-Glazed Sweet Potato & Apple Bake

The holidays are just around the corner and this makes for a delicious and HEALTHY side dish option for those of you in charge of side dishes this holiday season.  

This is a Cider-Glazed Sweet Potato & Apple Bake.  It packs all the deliciousness of a traditional side dish with half the calories and guilt.  

  

 

Ingredients

• 2 large sweet potatoes (1 3/4 - 2 lbs), peeled and sliced thinly, about 1/8" - 1/4" thick
• 2 large or 3 medium granny smith apples, cored, peeled and sliced to 1/4"thick (you want the apples to be slightly thicker than the potatoes because they'll cook faster)
• 1 cup fresh apple cider or Simply Apple juice

Glaze:

• 2 Tbs butter
• 2 Tbs whole wheat pastry flour or regular whole wheat flour
• 3 Tbs maple syrup
• 1/16 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8X8 baking dish with olive oil or coconut oil cooking spray.
2. Before you start layering your sweet potatoes and apples in your dish, make a layer in the bottom of your dish with your largest pieces of sweet potato (the ones that look the nicest) now take them out and set them aside, they will be your top layer.
3. Layer Sweet Potatoes and Apples so that you have 4 layers of potatoes and 3 layers of apples, ending with the nicest sweet potatoes as your top layer. The layers might be slightly higher than your dish, thats ok they cook down.
4. Set Dish aside and make glaze
5. In a small sauce pot, melt the butter. Once melted, whisk in the flour, letting the flour cook for a minute or two. Whisk in the cider, salt and maple syrup, continue cooking until thickened. Turn off heat. Carefully spoon all of the sauce over the potatoes and into the crevices between. Cover tightly with a piece of foil sprayed with cooking spray and bake in the oven for 1 hour.
6. Raise the oven temp to 450 degrees. Once oven has heated to that temperature, remove the foil from your pan and baste with the sauce in the pan. Bake an additional 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender and nicely browned, basting one or two more times during cooking.
7. Remove from oven, cut into 9 squares and serve.

21 Day Fix Break Down

1 Yellow
1/2 purple
1 Tsp1Tsp Maple Syrup

I'd love to know what you think of this dish, leave me a comment below :-D   Happy Holidays!

xoxo,

Lauren

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Healthy Homemade Coffee Creamer

MMM coffee, who doesn't love coffee right! Well Mr. Man and I have decided to clean up our lifestyles and our budget so of course my beloved coffee creamer had to go. Let’s face it, theres nothing natural about store bought coffee. Preservatives, excessive sugars (which do nothing for our waste lines), other chemicals that I wont even get into in this post.

Well yesterday I asked if you wanted my yummy and healthy coffee creamer and today I’ve got it for you! I mix mine up in one of my shakeology cups an store it in the fridge, it lasts up to 2 weeks (although mines usually gone before then)

If you don't want to make enough to store in the fridge you can make enough for each cup. I’ll start with the per cup recipe :-)

First: Choose Your Milk

1. Coconut Milk

2. Almond Milk

Second: Choose Your Sweetner

1. Stevia

2. Raw Honey

3. Maple Syrup

Third: Choose Flavoring

1. Pure Vanilla Extract

2. Pumpkin Pie Spice

3. Cinnamon

4. Cocoa

5. Any flavoring you’d like

Now it’s time to add to your coffee cup (8 oz of coffee)

2-4Tbs of milk

1-2 Tbs of sweetner

Flavorings to taste

NOW

If you are like me, you may not have time every morning to circle the kitchen for your ingredients, measure everything out, and still keep your sanity. That’s why below there is a store and go recipe :-D

To make and store 

1.5 cups Almond/coconut milk

2 tbs honey

3 tsp vanilla extract (or any flavor of your choice) <— I’m a vanilla aholic lol

Mix all together in blender or shaker cup and store in air tight container for up to 2 weeks

There ya have it! Healthy coffee creamer for the coffee lover in you who really wants to save money and their waist line ;-)

Don’t forget, as we approach the holiday we tend to make LOTS of food. If you want to keep the foods a little on the healthier side check out my recipes page for healthier alternative to your favorite items!!

xoxo,

Lauren

PS-

I'd LOVE to connect with you shoot me an email @ Lauren.N.Young04@gmail.com or send me a Facebook  message @ https://www.facebook.com/LaurenEvansBBC <-- Let's be friends!

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Depression is like Running

While out running today I was struggling really badly. Yesterday I really pushed myself because Doug went out running with William and me. By went with us I mean he road his bike along side of us and William loved it. But rather than making the normal loop that we have been pushing for and working up to Doug suggested we take a new route. A route that was longer, far more bumpy, and not one that we had been practicing our pace on. We of course went along but I was determined to beat my normal path distance times. This was hard because there were more bumps, curves, and miniature hills than the road we normally take; BUT I did it. I sucked it up and kicked butt rather than learning the new path and taking it easy like I knew in the back of my mind I should have done. 

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This morning I woke up insanely sore but I put on a “lets go” face because we had mommy and me to get to and lots of laundry to do today. As the day progressed I started to get tired, my head started to ache, I was getting into a really bad funk but I still had so much to do so I pushed on. Doug mentioned dinner and needing to get stuff from the store so I suggested he take William so that I could have a solo run. I decided to do our normal running path and I REALLY thought I was going to CRUSH my distance times because I didn’t have the stroller. But the thing was I actually did worse. My muscles were sore, my body ached, my head just wasn't in it so I didn’t give it my all.
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By now you're like “umm i’m confused, what does this story have anything to do with depression?” Well the thing is ever since I had William I have had serious days of cloud and sadness and literally give no F’s about anything days. Some days I wake up to the sound of William crying and I literally feeling nothing. I get up and attend to his needs but there is no motherly feeling of “awe my sweet baby, I’ll make it all better”. This is considered postpartum depression. It’s not that I don’t love the literal miracle we created, it just means that there are days where struggle just to get through my days. I figured out something was wrong about four months into him being here but by then my insurance was gone and I had to figure out ways to cope on my own. For me exercise and eating properly is a way to help keep my cloudy days at bay. But it’s not always easy.
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While on my run today, as I was struggling to just finish each quarter of a mile I realized that running is a lot like depression. When you first start running your in a fog, you have no idea whats going on, it’s hard to get through, you hurt all over, you feel physically disconnected from your body, and you have no idea how it really happened. With depression there are similar feelings of fogginess, you don’t understand the feelings, somedays your body just hurts all over and you didn’t do anything that would have caused physical pain, you can look at an object or a person you care so much about and feel absolutely nothing, and you just don’t know whats going on. However the more often you run the better you get, the stronger your muscles become, the further you are able to go without stopping and you slowly stop feeling like you're going to die every thirty seconds. It’s very similar with depression. Once you pin point whats happened you are able to work through some of the issues associated. You are able to find ways to cope whether through medication, exercise, a healthy diet, therapy, talking with a good friend about it, confiding in a loved one, etc.
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Everyone copes with depression differently. There’s no perfect solution. I make an effort every day to push play on my Beachbody workouts or go for a run so that I can keep the fog away. My solution doesn't always work but it has drastically improved my ability to function on a day to day since figuring out what was going on. However I still have a number of triggers that will set off my funk and I work hard to avoid them. Being an introvert I tend to keep to myself and only get on social media for work, like I did the past few days I kinda ghosted social media. But I know that when I don't connect with friends or family semi regularly I feel lonely and it makes my depression worse. There are days when I ask Doug for help with William and his solution is to sit in a chair with his cell phone scrolling FB or IG calling Williams name from a separate room repeatedly and somehow I end up managing William, this upsets me and I get into a funk. Sometimes when William and I just hang around the house all day and play or read or work our sign language and I get asked “so what are you doing, what did you do today” I feel stupid saying “nothing really” because I feel judged for “not leaving the house to earn my keep”. There are times where I want to simply hop on a plane and fly home because I miss my family but I realize I have responsibilities here and I can’t just pick up on a whim anymore and that will get me into a funk. Not having face to face contact with other adults for days on end will get me into a funk. The list could go on of things I have pinpointed that trigger my moods but the point is I am actively working on figuring out what sets me off and trying to either avoid those triggers or make an effort to ensure those triggers aren't an issue.
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Everyone manages life differently. Depression isn’t something many people like to talk about because they think it’s taboo and if they don’t talk about it then it’s not an issue. But the reality of the situation is that’s simply not true. I know that I have only talked to two very close friends about it, but I know that when you do talk about something openly you inadvertently help someone. Depression doesn’t just go away, you have to actively work to get better. Just like you do with running, you don’t lace up your tennis shoes, hit the pavement and instantly become a racing success, no you have to actively work to get better. Yes I do realized that running you inflict on yourself and depression is a chemical imbalance but when you're in your slump the sentiments are the same.
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For those of you who don’t suffer I want to offer a tiny piece of advice. Just because you see someone with a smile on their face doesn't mean they are suffering in some way. I have been at the grocery store with William before in total meltdown mode because I needed to get stuff for dinner but it was nap time and people have been major jerks to me. While I have simply just turned and smiled at them I have literally been on the verge of tears because the day has simply just been ridiculously hard to get through without adding in the meltdown. Be kind with your words to others. Don't be rude to your cashier at checkout because her line was long. Don’t be snotty to your server because your drink was only 3/4 of the way full. he may have had a death in the family but couldn't afford a day off- servers don't have paid leave. Don’t use the words “Oh your just a mom” to ANY mother who chooses to stay home and raise their children, child care maybe isn't something that family can afford and it might already bother her. Think before you speak because you never know if your words could be what pushes someone over the edge in their decision to end their life.
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Every day I actively work to manage my new found funk. But there are so many people out there suffering and not getting the help they need. They don’t have a support system who can help them through those especially dark times. They don't have the tool necessary to support the improvement in their life necessary for daily function. I am still very much learning, every single day, how best to manage life with this new speed bump but I am working on it. Just like I do every day with my health and fitness I now actively work on my depression. If you or someone you know is suffering and you just don’t know where to go or what to do I BEG you to reach out. Reach out to me, reach out to a loved one, reach out to a friend, reach out to a complete stranger if that’s more comfortable but ask for help! Don’t suffer alone!! Let someone help you find a way to manage your pain because you don’t have to do it alone. You can get better, there are sunny days ahead, you're going to have to work for them but in the end the results are so much better than where you started.

xoxo,

Lauren

“Smiling doesn’t always mean you’re happy, sometimes it means you're strong”

 

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Core De Force

Core De Force Workout Coming Soon!

Many of you probably don’t know but I fell in love with fitness when I was taking a kick boxing class. I LOVED the moves and feeling like I sorta knew what I was doing “on da street” if I needed to use some muscle. <— Not really I’m a pansy and never could find a mix martial arts class that fit my schedule and could teach me proper self defense techniques. BUT I totally still LOVED my kick boxing class. Which is most likely why I LOVED Shaun-T’s T-25 so much, it had the same fast paced moved I enjoyed so much. But back to the point here….

Ok, So you remember Les Mills Pump right??? Joel & Jericho, the trainers in pump, have joined Beachbody to create this EXCLUSIVE new workout for us!

• This is NOT a choreographed workout that follows with the beat of the music. What that means is if you're note coordinated, like me, you can still follow along. 
• It’s designed for ALL fitness levels 
• The workouts are in THREE minute rounds, this simulates a real fight 
• In just three minutes you have a full interval training. It will be exciting to see how many round we can add on once we start rocking the workouts 

Fitness is not simply about how you look, it’s about empowering you to feel better all around. Fitness should be about learning to love yourself. This program teaches authentic techniques. If you’ve never thrown a punch before it is assured that when you are done you will know just how to put your body weight behind your fist and KNOW you can defend yourself.

Should you ever find yourself in a predicament where you feel the need to defend yourself you wont be trying to remember an 8 count from a program, you will know just what to do and throw a punch or a round house kick without hesitation.

From the trainers: “This program teaches its audience that its ok to be real and to not aspire to some perfect ideal of what they should be. We have honed in on the mix martial arts style that we love to train in. We worked with some amazing people with Muay Thai to bring the authenticity to the movements. We break it down to where we do a minute of working with skill, full body core centric movements and 30 seconds of heart rate spike movements. Then we repeat. This program is 100% authentic to the mix martial arts world.”

This is a program where you will use your entire body but ALL of your energy is coming from your core…. that’s why its called Core de Force…. you will use the force of your body to create explosive power with confidence.

Are you as excited about this as I am???? Want more details when this program is about to lauch?? Sign Up for a FREE, no strings, account with me as your Coach and I will shoot you the deets when release time is just around the corner. Cause you KNOW i’ll be running a group JUST for this program :D Eeekkkk!

If you have questions on how to get started I’d LOVE to hear from you! Click >> COACH << and register to get me as your FREE coach!

xoxo,

Lauren

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Cilantro Chicken with Peanuts

Hey guys, me again ;-) I’m coming at you today with a quick and healthy dinner meal for you!

Tell me, how did you like the lunch wrap last week? Quick, easy, and delicious right! Leave a comment below if you are liking these meals :-D let me know if there is something specifically you’d like to see!

Ok, so onto what I've got for you today!

Cilantro chicken with peanuts 

This should take you 30 minutes or less to put together :-D and this recipe is great for dinner because it serves 4! Per serving this dish will cost you $1.71, THATS IT!!

What you need:
2 tsp peanut oil
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/4 cup honey roasted peanuts
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. minced fresh ginger- you could use ground ginger if you wanted to
1/4 cup sliced green onion
1 Tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
2 tsp. rice vinegar
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
4 cups finely shredded nappa cabbage
Lime wedges if you want

Time to make your meal:
1. In 10 inch skillet heat peanut oil over medium heat Add in the chicken and cook about 2 minutes.
2. Add peanuts, garlic, and ginger. Coo and stir 3 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink
3. Add the next 4 ingredients (through the sesame oil). Cook and stir for 2 more minutes.
4. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro
5. Serve chicken goodness over cabbage. If you want some additional pizzaz sprinkle additional cilantro and lime wedges over the dish

Time to eat!!

Here is the breakdown for you curious individuals :-D

3/4 cup chicken + 1 cup cabbage = 1 serving
1 serving = 237 calories
Fat = 10 g
Cholesterol = 83 mg
Sodium = 225 mg
Carbohydrates = 7 g
Protein = 29 mg

There ya have it! This meal could be a great dinner or even lunch recipe. Fresh, easy to put together, and SUPER delicious :-D

Don’t forget to comment below what you think of these recipes. I’d love your feedback and i’d love to know what more specifically you’d like to see for a recipe!

You CAN do this!!!

Xoxo,

Lauren

PS-

My next group starts October 17th and I'd LOVE to have you join in on the fun with me and some AMAZING women. Want more info? Shoot me an email @ Lauren.N.Young04@gmail.com or send me a Facebook  message @ https://www.facebook.com/LaurenEvansBBC <-- Let's be friends!

If you have questions on how to get started I’d LOVE to hear from you! Click >> COACH << and register to get me as your FREE coach!

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Chipotle-Ranch Egg Salad Wrap

Hey guys!! As promised I want to start sharing HEALTHY recipes with you all :-D

Now, SOOO many of you are saying, but I just can’t eat healthy because…

“It’s too expensive”

“It takes too long to make healthy recipes”

“Healthy food just doesn't taste good”

“My kids or family wont eat it and I just don't want to buy and make separate meals for me”

“I don’t have time to ..XYZ…”

Be honest, one or more of these have escaped your lips, am I right?

We’ll I’m here to tell you, eating healthy doesn't have to taste nasty OR be expensive!! SOooo i’m on a mission to teach you how to make DELICIOUS and HEALTHY meals for LITTLE monies :-D

Ok-So Today I’ve got a Chipotle-Ranch Egg Salad Wrap. 

Looks delicious right! Well what If I told you that it is only $1.50 per serving *GASP* I know!

Wanna know how YOU can make this in 20 minute or less? Lets get started!

You’ll need:

2 hard boiled eggs, peeled

1/4 medium avocado, peeled and seeded

1/3 cup finely chopped green sweet pepper

1 green onion, thinly sliced

2 Tbsp ranch

1 Tbsp lime juice

1/8 tsp salt

Dash ground chipotle chile pepper 

2 8 inch whole wheat tortillas

2 romaine lettuce leaves

Ok- Now you’ve got your goodies lets put them together!

1. In a medium bowl mash your eggs and avocado. 

2. Add the next 6 ingredients, stirring until they are sufficiently combined 

3. Grab your tortillas, place lettuce leaves on top the tortillas. 

4. Spoon egg mixture onto bottom third of each tortilla 

5. Fold in sides of tortillas and roll them up. 

6. Cut in half and EAT 

You’re done! That was it! SUPER quick, easy, and once you take your first bite you’ll agree with me that it is DELICIOUS!

Soooo now for the health breakdown, cause I know you're dying to know how healthy these are!
Each wrap is 1 serving-
1 serving = 256 calories
Fat = 13 g
Cholesterol = 189 mg
Sodium = 476 mg
Carbohydrates = 25 g
Protein = 10 mg

There ya have it, a healthy lunch option for $1.50 a serving, prep time 20 minutes or less, and SUPER yummy!

If clean eating is new to you don’t be scared! One BIG thing you’ll notice once you start to stick to a clean eating lifestyle is that you will start to have more energy, you’ll feel better, and you’re body will respond with weight loss and clearer skin!

You CAN do this!!!

Xoxo,

Lauren

PS-

My next group starts October 17th and I'd LOVE to have you join in on the fun with me and some AMAZING women. Want more info? Shoot me an email @ Lauren.N.Young04@gmail.com or send me a Facebook  message @ https://www.facebook.com/LaurenEvansBBC <-- Let's be friends!

If you have questions on how to get started I’d LOVE to hear from you! Click >> COACH << and register to get me as your FREE coach!

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"Im Still Here" - Channeling My Inner Elaine Stritch

I've had a ROUGH year in my business!

As many of you know I had quit Beachbody for a period of time. Not because I wasn't IN LOVE with it, but my divorce was hard, my old coach and I didn’t align, I wasn’t in a good place, I didn’t feel I could do anyone any good by trying to be involved in their lives, and a whole lot of self doubt. BUT the day I could re-sign up, after a wait period, I did!

NOW…. The date I was allowed to resign just so happened to be 3 weeks before Williams due date :O Poor planning most of you would say right? Well I saw it as a challenge. I told myself that once William was here I was going to take the 2 months that I was on exercise restriction and focus on my baby and on building relationships. That’s exactly what I did. The day I was released for exercise I had a group of women ready to work off their baby weight right along side me. But inevitable after a great first month back we got word that Doug was possibly being transferred for work and that we should start looking for new places to live.

OK, I hit the pause button again on work. Ugh was what kept going through my head. I had committed to these women, I had committed to trainings for my new coaches, I had committed to myself. But I let life step in front of me again and house hunting we went. Don’t get me wrong, I worked “here” and “there” BUT it wasn't consistent. I wasn’t SHOWING UP every day.

Fast forward one month and the word is for CERTAIN, we ARE moving :-O ok, ok, no it wasn't a shock, we knew it was coming. But what that meant for us was that Doug was going to start training- working a million hours a week- and William and I were going to be home alone -for a million hours a week- yet I needed to get the house packed while with infant. Just a small task right? Sheesh was it an undertaking. BUT we accomplished it. By the grace of god and help from a few good friends here and there I got the house packed and loaded onto a moving truck while managing to keep an infant happy and healthy. WIN WIN!

Fast Forward one more month- yup the year is really flying by as I type huh- well we are all moved in, I got us totally unpacked, and my business was back up and running. Hallelujah! I was ready, I was hurting for some structure, I was craving the familiar, so back to my team I went.

The end of July and all of August were AWESOME. I loved just diving into my work. Nap times were gold for my schedule. I got to connect with some beautiful women who are driven and have passion and who CRAVE the need for change in their bodies, wallets, and hearts. <— This is my jam. I THRIVE on being able to help and teach. I love being able to show women that they can be anything in life so long as they believe in themselves. I love being able to teach mommies how they can stay at home with their kids AND run a successful business (if you're reading this you may think- “really, how successful is she if she can’t even consistently work”- don’t worry well get to that cupcake ;-) )

So July and August- little peaces of heaven in my book. BUT…… and here comes a BIG but…. September happened :-( My thesis snuck up on me. YES I did do prepping for it, I did quite a lot of research on my topic of choice, I jotted down a ton of notes… but as far as “actually” writing, well lets just say NADA didn’t even cover it. So I did what i’d gotten pretty good at this year. I hit the pause button and went underground. My anthem for the entire month was Green Days “Wake me up, when September ends”. Seriously, i’ve never wanted a month to be over so badly in my life. You guessed it tho, I dropped the ball on my team again. I was a TERRIBLE coach to them. My coaches i’m sure still have no idea if I died or joined a cult. I only ran one group in the whole month and for the first time I did NOT give that group my 100%. I showed up in it every day, but my heart was not in it.

When I finally clicked submit on my thesis I literally unplugged for 3 days. I hated my computer, notebooks gave me a headache, the thought of working was nauseating. I just needed some time to enjoy my family, recharge my battery, and clean my disgustingly dirty and neglected house (this ones still a work in progress). But I took my time. This past Friday I sat down and had a serious little chat with my success partner on my “lack of consistency”. What I realized was, I was being RIDICULOUSLY hard on myself.

I ROCKED this year! YES, I had a rough year in my business but DAMN I rocked the year overall. Guys, I had a BABY! I had to learn to be a first time mom- this kid didn't come with an instruction book for my overly detail oriented brain to use. I figured out how to workout and not make my incision site hurt continually. I found out that its SOO much harder to lose the baby weight then it was to just lose weight before baby. I packed up my life and moved it to a new town, WITH A BABY. I unpacked my life and started playing house. I ran some SUPER successful groups and trainings this month and I could not be more proud of my team for putting up with it all. I FINISHED my second (and LAST) masters degree.

GUYS, it has been a busy and rough year but I was so focused on what I wasn’t getting accomplished I missed all the things I WAS getting accomplished. Doug and I had to have a grown up chat about how the year is settling down and now it’s time to focus on our lives and our businesses. He’s got grand business goals and so do I. We had to talk about him being more involved with William when he’s home so that I can actually work. We talked about how I might have to LEAVE the house to get work done because all I wanna do is pick up the cutest ball of love and squeeze him while I'm here. We talked about how I literally can not work and cook and clean and raise the baby the way he deserves all at the same time. I can either work and raise the baby, or I can cook/clean and raise the baby. But I’m not wonder woman, I can’t do it all ALL the time. Kudos to you mommas who’ve got it all together all the time, that girl isn’t me! We talked about money, we talked about what we wanted in the next 5 years, we talked about a lot. <— Sometimes, no matter how much you don't wanna, you NEED to have grown up talks lol. I’m taking today to outline the rest of this year, the trainings ill be offering, the FREE groups i’ll be running, and the success that will be made.

Sometimes you just have to take a step back and realize, under all the stress and hustle that you are living through, you are accomplishing sooooooo much more than you realize. You need to give yourself credit from time to time to keep your head out of dark and scary places. I am fully committing to my goals for the next year. We don't have a single BIG ticket item to derail us in site. NOTHING is going to keep me from making 6 figures in the next year <— yup, you heard me, 6 figures. It’s out there now, the universe is now fully aware of my plan. Am I scared? I’m scared shitless! Will it stop me? NO WAY!

As i’m sitting here this morning, having voluntarily gotten out of bed at 5:15am, i’m sipping on my coffee at my dinning room table in my jammies I finally feel a sense of calm. I fee that I can let go of the self doubt i’ve been allowing myself to feel the whole year. I can let go of the guilt I’ve carried around over not being able to be as consistent as I'm use to. I can surrender to the future knowing that I CAN change our lives and there is no time like the present. I know in my heart that there are mommies out there reading this who are saying “damn that’s my life right now, ugg” I want to talk to you, I KNOW what you're going through. Even if you just want an ear for a quick vent session- I'm totally here girl! Mom life is rough, we gotta stick together.

As my shirt says “Don’t stop believing” because you CAN achieve your dreams, even if you get derailed and re-routed hundred thousand times on your way there. No ones success story has a beautifully paved road where they decided “i’m going to be successful and here is what it’ll take” and then BAM they were successful and it was easy. NO, they decided “i’m going to be successful” and proceeded to fall flat on their face at the first curb. Guy’s dreams are hard to achieve, but they aren’t impossible. You CAN achieve your goals, but the road to your success is going to be rocky, you're going to scrap your knee, you’re going to want to lock yourself in a closet and cry at some point during your journey, but in the end you are going to live like no one else does because you worked like no one else did.

So YES, I’ve had a rough year in business, but it doesn't mean I'm defeated. No one put it better than Elaine Stritch “I’m Still Here”. Come stand next to me and we can reach those goals together!

xoxo,

Lauren

PS-

My next group starts October 17th and I'd LOVE to have you join in on the fun with me and some AMAZING women. Want more info? Shoot me an email @ Lauren.N.Young04@gmail.com or send me a Facebook  message @ https://www.facebook.com/LaurenEvansBBC <-- Let's be friends!

If you have questions on how to get started I’d LOVE to hear from you! Click >> COACH << and register to get me as your FREE coach!

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Bourbon Chicken

There are just days where all you want is take out. Something about food from a sac can be comforting, filling, easy. Well what you may not know is that when food comes in a sac it comes with TONS of salt, msg’s, and excess calories that-lets face it- we don't need! The other night, when I was literally just DYING for some Chinese take out, I leaned into my fridge to see what I had. Luckily I had left over chicken and I got very very excited! Now, let me clarify, I say “luckily” because I knew I didn't have any chicken breasts in my freezer and I was craving bourbon chicken lol.

Ok, so to the stove I went with my chicken, I simply warmed it up in a pan. When it was done warming I put it aside and started making the sauce for the chicken. In the mean time I had pulled out my rice cooker and was starting some jasmine rice. <— Im kinda obsessed with jasmine rice right now. 

If you don't have left over chicken in your fridge, lol, here is what you're going to need

2 lb boneless chicken breast, cut into bite sizes
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic glove crushed
1/4 tsp ginger
3/4 tsp crush red pepper flakes
1/4 cup apple juice
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 tbsp ketchup
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup soy sauce
RICE!

** Full Disclosure, I didn’t have any cider vinegar in the house and little man was half asleep, so I left it out of my recipe and it tasted delicious just the same **

Now that you’ve got your ingredients, lets cook!

1. Heat oil in a large skilled 

2. Add chicken and goo until lightly browned
3. Remove Chicken and set to the side
4. Add the remaining ingredients to the pan over medium heat-mix well until ingredients are    

    dissolved (or super super close) 

5. Add chicken back into the pan and bring ingredients to a boil 

6. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes
7. Serve with your hot rice 

That’s it guys! Yummy, at home, healthier, Chinese food. It only took me 20ish minutes to make, but I didn't have to cook the chicken. So plan for, at MOST, 30 minutes to make this meal.

This is not one of the healthiest meals I've ever shared but “healthier” than from a sac Chinese take out. Because soy sauce is in the recipe the salt for the recipe is higher. When you order take out Chinese you run the risk of getting a serving size of something with around 3500-4500mg of sodium. This dish has 1573- which is STILL HIGH! So be very careful if you are someone who needs to watch their salt intake for medical reasons. This may not be the dish for you. I personally, make it a point to not cook with salts and if I do its extremely sparingly. So for me this dish was perfect because it filled a need!

If you're curious about the nutrition break down here it is folks:

Serving size: 1
Calories per serving: 521
Serves: 4
Total Fat: 24.5g
Saturated Fat: 6.5g
Cholesterol: 145.3 mg
Sodium: 1573 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 23.4 g
Dietary Fiber: 0.3g
Sugars: 21.5g
Protein: 50.1g

I hope you all enjoy!!!

 As ALWAYS- I'd LOVE to help YOU create the life you know you deserve! If you want more info? Shoot me an email @ Lauren.N.Young04@gmail.com or send me a Facebook message @ https://www.facebook.com/LaurenEvansBBC

     If you have questions on how to get started I’d love to hear from you! Click >> COACH << and register to get me as your FREE coach!

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You Don't Have To Dread Monday!

     As i'm sitting on my sofa, drinking my gingerade kombucha, watching Jurassic Park with my family I am literally living in the moment. Tomorrow is Monday but i’m not dreading it. Tomorrow morning we are all getting up and driving to the town we use to live in for a day of sitting by the water and drinking fruufrruuu cocktails :-)

     By the time you read this it will inevitably be Monday. You will be sitting at your office desk, sitting in traffick, getting the kids ready for the bus so you can head into work, and stressing about how insane your day is going to be on top of the fact that you have to be at work all day. My prep for tomorrow was fill the diaper bag again, plug in my tablet and my phone so that they could charge, and grab my lap top to do a little typing.

     I use to dread Monday’s when I was working at my corporate America job! I mean I literally could NOT wait for it to be Friday so that I could leave my desk and send time with my family. I’d be FREE for the weekend.. WHAAAHOOO! But inevitably Sunday morning would come and I’d start to feel anxious. I’d start whining about how much I didn’t want to go to work on Monday. I was letting the onset of Monday ruin my entire Sunday without even meaning to. But it’s what I was taught to do. Growing up we went to school, so we could get into college, so that we could graduate and get that job that we’d stay in until we retired. That was the only way to provide for your family. Drive to a job, do what you were told, and get a pay check that someone else dictated every two weeks. If you didn’t like your job… O’well, suck it up because you have bills to pay. YES bills are extremely important and YES you should make a living for your family but your work CAN and SHOULD be something that you enjoy, something that makes you feel alive, something that you wake up and you're excited to do!

     I’m here to tell you that there really is such a thing as a career that can meet those qualifications. You CAN have a job that you want to get to on Monday morning. There IS a career that will make you feel alive. I realize that Entrepreneurship doesn't work for everyone and there are lots of people out there that want a job where they show up and collect their paycheck. BUT, if you're reading this and you’re thinking THERE HAS TO BE MORE… I NEED YOU! There IS more out there!

     You should be LIVING your life not dreading a day of it. You don’t have to be chained to your life. Your destiny may not be Beachbody coaching, it might be another business, but you should be inspired and go full speed ahead without hesitation! One day at a time I want you to start working towards your passion so that you can eventually feel the maximum happiness capacity in life, so that you can feel freedom in your schedule, so that you can wake up rejuvenated and honestly say that you love your life!

    If you are interested in what I do and you are a take charge kind of woman then I want you on my team!!!!

Here are your options:

1. Complete the application here to be considered for a spot on my team: Application For Prestige Dynasty. Because my next new coach training actually begins September 5th and I will teach you everything you need to know about starting a business from scratch like I did!


2. If you have never done a Beachbody Fitness Program before and you would like to start with your own personal journey then join my Fall Accountability Group! Click Here to get more information. 


ALWAYS remember that you are the ONLY person who can determine your own success. Set Goals, Dream Big, and NEVER give up on what you want most in life!

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Introverts Run The World

     Idunno how many of you know me or have been following me for awhile but lemme start by saying I LOVE STAYING IN MY HOUSE! No really! Don’t get me wrong I am a Sea World aholic… like for real, if they said “Hey wanna come bring your family and live here” i’d be like “UMMM HECK YEA!!!”. But honestly I don’t know how long that would last for me because there are ALWAYS sooooo many people at the park. I love going to visit, I thoroughly enjoyed every visit as a kid and I LOVED taking my son there for the first and second time. But after each visit i’m literally “out of commission” for a day or two. I stay in my house, I stay in my jammies, I will avoid text messages-my inbox-messenger-social media sites if possible. Now those last items tend to be harder for me because, as many of you know, I run my business solely online. But after being around so many people I just need a day or two to recover.

     I know I know, “Lauren get to it already!” My point is, I run a business online, I spend everyday and as much of my day as I possibly can talking to people and getting to know them and where their journeys are taking them. But at the end of the day I am an introvert at heart and I'm super shy. My job takes me out of my comfort zone daily and pushes me to do, what I use to think was, the impossible. Every day I talk to women who say “I could NEVER do what you do because i’m just so shy”. Let me tell you, in all honesty there are days where I dread logging onto my lap top because I know that I am going to start reaching out to new people and that TERRIFIES me. While I always end up enjoy the conversations I have I’m ALWAYS terrified that I'm gunna come off as a weirdo, a stalker, nosey, pushy, creepy, weird (yes I said that twice). Guys I have fears every day, same as you. But I have BIG goals and those goals keep pushing me daily. I want so badly to share this AMAZING experience with you too. Coaching has truly changed my life and I know that it can change yours too! But at the end of the day I know that it can be intimidating to MANY!

     Personally, have you ever looked around at the top earners or the most successful people in our society and thought “WOW, I wish I had their life, they are so outgoing and successful, they are so smart” but you instantly assume YOU can’t do what they do because you’re shy, you're a homebody, you are the classic definition of an introvert. Well heres a little tid bit about those top earners, MANY of them are introverts! Don’t believe me? Well here are a few people I KNOW you’ll recognize and they are in fact introverts to their core.

Bill Gates 

Albert Einstein 

Emma Watson 

Mahatma Gandhi

Audrey Hepburn

Warren Buffett

Steve Jobs

Steven Spielberg

     These AMAZING people listed above are introverts, but don’t take my word for it, I always encourage you to go and check the facts for yourself! “When in doubt google it out” They would rather stay home, alone, with a good book, away from people. BUT the thing is, they all had a vision to make a difference and they DID! Sure they may need to recharge their introvert meter now and again, I know I do, but they keep pushing forward- towards their goals. I have found this amazing group, it’s strictly for the ladies (sorry gents), to help me handle being an introvert in a people based career. It’s called “The Female Introvert Lifestyle Mastermind” and every day there are helpful tips and tricks to keep your inner introvert grounded and focused. If you have ever doubted your ability this might just be the place for you!  Check it out >> The Female Introvert Lifestyle Mastermind <<

     As ALWAYS- I'd LOVE to help YOU create the life you know you deserve! If you want more info? Shoot me an email @ Lauren.N.Young04@gmail.com or send me a Facebook message @ https://www.facebook.com/LaurenEvansBBC

     If you have questions on how to get started I’d love to hear from you! Click >> COACH << and register to get me as your FREE coach!

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But What If My Spouse Doesn't Support My Dreams

      I’ve gotten this question a few times this week, since people watched my "sneak peek into coaching" videos.  It's a really good question, but a tough one to explain.  “What happens if my spouse or significant other doesn't support my dreams, I don't know that I can do it”. Well here’s the thing, if you're partner doesn't support your dreams then you probably aren’t with the right person. Ouch right, it’s a hard couple of words to hear but there might be some truth in it. Becoming your own boss takes a LOT of work. You must dedicate time to your business. You need to be able to contact people and build relationships with them. You need to be able to show that what you are doing or selling does work and can benefit others. You need to earn the trust of those you want to work with the most. All of these things take time. These items aren’t going to happen over night, they take time. Your partner may not see the worth in your efforts because they aren't immediate. 

      Sadly, I can personally say that I know what it’s like not to have a partner support you in your dreams. To constantly hear “what have you done?” “Have you made any sales?” “Oh look they’re hiring, you could apply there” “We should just talk to them about you working”. It’s disheartening. It makes you feel like you're worthless and that all your hard work goes unnoticed completely because you're not working a “9-5” like the rest of society. Many people give up and just give in to what their partner wants because it’s hard to listen to them put you down all the time. Maybe they don't mean to do it maliciously but it still happens and it hurts. You're not alone, many people go through this when they find their passion. You find your calling, you believe in it with all your heart, you see the potential, and EVERY DAY you make an effort to work towards those goals. You are on FIRE and you finally feel great about something. You’ve helped sooooo many people change their lives and yet you still get “Are you done playing on your computer?”.

     The idea of starting something new can be scary to others around you. When those around you are content in their lives, in their 9-5’s, in working for someone else who gives them orders, in not being able to take vacation unless their boss says its ok, it’s hard to make them see that what you want to do is worth something too. When you start a new venture you are going to find a number of your close friends and family will try to tell you your not going to be successful. It REALLY sucks to hear that but you need to be aware that it can happen. Many people are uncomfortable with the unknown. When you start a business online MOST of your close circle will think your nuts at first. It’s terribly sad to think those that mean the most to you don’t believe in you. Sometimes you just have to bite your tongue, take their words, and just do your thing all the while knowing that someday you WILL show them that they were WRONG. You CAN make your dreams come true no matter what anyone thinks. If you are willing to dedicate time, energy, and effort into your passion you CAN achieve whatever you set your mind to.

     You MUST believe in yourself in order to make your dreams come true. You ARE important and can accomplish whatever you put your mind to. You WILL succeed if you set goals and you work towards them each day. You WILL start to remove the negativity from your life once you start following your dreams. I can promise you WILL lose friends along your journey, but the thing is- if they were only there for you when your life was tough it just means they enjoyed having friend as miserable as they are. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life and you will begin attracting like minded people once you start building your new life.

     The reality of the situation is NO, your partner may not support you. Is that the worst thing ever? It sure feels like it in the moment. But truthfully the worst thing ever is you not achieving what you know can be a better life for you in the future because you're focused on someone else's opinion. YES it’s going to suck to have that person always downing you, but you CAN rise above it if you know that your dreams can be a reality. You ARE important and I believe in you. If you need someone in your corner I’m here and ready to be your support system. I have a success partner who believes in me and that is enough to keep me moving forward in what I KNOW is my direction in life. Tie yourself to someone positive and ride their coat tails until you feel secure enough to fly on your own. You WILL build the life you deserve if you take a chance on yourself and choose to ignore those around you who are constantly negative.

     So what happens if your spouse doesn't support you? Chase them anyway! Work when they aren't around, build relationships when they are gone at work, work after they’ve gone to bed so that you don’t have to justify your time spent. Create the life you know you deserve and don’t let anyone try and stop you! You are worth more!

“Don’t Dream Your Life, Live Your Dream”

I'd LOVE to help you create the life you know you deserve! Want more info? Shoot me an email @ Lauren.N.Young04@gmail.com or send me a Facebook message @ https://www.facebook.com/LaurenEvansBBC

If you have questions on how to get started I’d love to hear from you! Click >> COACH << and register to get me as your FREE coach!

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My Four Trimester Hiatus

I took a hiatus 😱 well I actually was growing a tiny human inside of me. Anytime I ever imagined being pregnant I saw myself fixing all sorts of healthy meals, getting workouts in each day, being all around healthy for the tiny human I would grow. Soooooooo that didn't happen AT ALL 😒

Let me start by saying last year was crazy! I got divorced, had a roommate, lots a roommate, lost weight, toned up, made some amazing friends, met an amazing guy, got pregnant, moved in with said guy, put together a nursery, prepped for baby... The list goes on. It was cRaZy🙃

When I found out I was pregnant I was READY to continue with my healthy life style. I was working out everyday with my Beachbody program, later in the day I'd go for a run or a swim, I was following my 21 day fix meal plan, I was rocking it!!

My first trimester was AWESOME. I'd heard horror stories of morning sickness, lethargic days, losing motivation, etc. I didn't have any of that for the first 2.5 months. I worked out, I was still following my meal plan, I had a to of energy, it was awesome. I thought "man this is a cake walk". Booooooyyyyyy was I in for a shock 😫

At the very end of my first trimester I got strep throat and it was down hill from there. When I got over strep I tried so hard to get back to my workouts but I was just so exhausted. I tried eating my meals like normal but NOTHING I enjoyed stayed down. I was confused and mad that I had this plan and it was happening.

🔅Side note: I'm a planner. I write out things, I set dates, I gather necessary tools, and I dive head first into whatever I've set my mind to.

My second trimester was full of fried foods and naps. I cried a lot when I had to eat because I knew all I'd be able to keep down was fried foods 😭. I desperately tried to eat salads, veggies, grilled meats, fruits... My little man had different plans for me. He also didn't like when I exercised above a leisurely stroll with the doggies.


My third trimester was called my hibernation time period. I have up trying to eat the foods I enjoyed, mostly because I enjoyed NOT throwing up more. I let my guy walk the doggies. I pretty much slept all the time because that's all my little guy wanted me to do. I ended up on bed rest my very last month of my pregnancy which just drove me bonkers.


I had a healthy baby boy on January 31, 2016. 7lbs 10 ounces 19 inches long. I did my best, even with eating fried food, to eat in moderation. You only need an extra 300 calories while hosting a tiny human in your body. I successfully only gained 32lbs during my pregnancy even with my sad eating and lack of exercising.

I was released at 7 weeks post csection for working out and I was THRILLED! I started hammer and chisel and I am in LOVE with the program. The day I got out of the hospital I had grilled steak, grilled zucchini, a HUGE salad and enjoyed EVERY bite 😏.

9 months of hosting a tiny human in your body can be a cake walk or it can cause you to turn into a hibernating bear. I'm back into the swing of things now and I don't plan on stopping anytime soon!

My next group starts May 2nd and I'd LOVE to have you join in on the fun with me and some AMAZING women. Want more info? Shoot me an email @ Lauren.N.Young04@gmail.com or send me a Facebook message @ https://www.facebook.com/LaurenEvansBBC 

If you have questions on how to get started I’d LOVE to hear from you! Click >> COACH << and register to get me as your FREE coach!

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