This chili is a staple at our house during the fall and winter months. I sometimes double or triple the recipe and cook it in 2 or 3 large pots at once, then separate the chili into quart-sized containers and freeze them for a quick go-to meal on a busy day. Don't be afraid to play with the "heat!" Experiment with hot sauce instead of cayenne or even BBQ sauce for a mild flavor. This is a great recipe to make for parties and tailgating. It's got a lot of flavor and really hits the spot on a cold day!

21 Day Fix: 1 GREEN 1 RED 1 YELLOW

Ingredients

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2-3 garlic cloves minced
1 large onion, chopped (or use chopped leeks for a milder flavor)
3 pounds ground turkey
4 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon ground corriander
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 - 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (to taste)
4 cups chopped peppers, any color combination, red, green, yellow, orange, sweet or hot
1 (28-ounce) can tomato sauce
3 (14-ounce) cans dark red kidney beans
1 (8-ounce) can sliced black olives (optional)
2 cups corn kernels, optional

1. Heat extra virgin olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and onion and cook until onion is translucent (about 3 minutes).
2. Add turkey and stir until turkey is cooked through. Add next 8 ingredients (chili powder through cayenne pepper) and mix thoroughly. Add chopped peppers, cover and let cook for 5 minutes until peppers are tender.
3. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer on low for 1 hour to let the flavors come together. Or place in a crock pot on low for desired amount of time.

Brenda

Like Dance Fitness Classes? You'll LOVE Cize!

No burpees, no squats - Dance your butt off with Cize!!!

What is CIZE?

CIZE is a dance program for everyone and makes exercize something to look forward to! Professional choreographer and trainer Shaun T breaks down dance courses step-by-step, move-by-move, so that anyone can dance their way to fit in just 4 weeks.

Why is CIZE effective?

CIZE may be the end of exercize—but it’s not the end of hard work! CIZE keeps you moving the whole time by constantly introducing new moves that give you cardio training, strengthen your core, and tone every muscle—all at once! You’ll be so in the zone mastering the moves, you’ll forget you’re working out—and getting in the best shape of your life! The more you get into it, the more you get out of it! Plus, as the courses progress, they get more challenging. And that means more moving, more sweating, and more calories burned!

Are you sick and tired of feeling sick and tired?

Dreaming of fitting into those favorite old jeans again? Just imagine how good you feel when you wank into all those holiday parties and people comment on how great you look! Ladies, it's time to focus on YOU! Time to look and feel better than ever and have Fun getting FIT with CIZE!

The is the end to exercise as you know it! No equipment. NO weights. NO lunges, burpees or surrenders!  Dance your butt off and get fit in just a half an hour each day. And believe me, if I can do this anyone can!
Just 30 minutes of simple dance moves, follow a clean eating meal plan for 4 weeks and replace one meal each day with Shakeology to ensure proper nutrition. NO counting calories! NO counting points! NO starving yourself!

The next group is starting soon and you can be anywhere in the US or Canada to join. All workouts are done in the comfort of your own home on your own time. New to fitness? No worries, I'll walk you through every step of the program!

Ready to CIZE it up?  This time last year I was 30 pounds heavier so I know how you feel. Joining a challenge group last fall changed my life in SO MANY ways! Make a commitment today to get stronger.. healthier.. and feeling better than ever!

This program is NOT free but comes with a lifetime of benefits! The program includes:

• A complete home workout kit with DVDs
• Custom clean eating meal plan designed for your challenge
• A 30 day supply of Shakeology - the healthiest meal of the day!
• 1:1 personal coaching 
• Access to my private support group
• A free T-shirt when you finish and send in your results!
• A 30-day money back guarantee

Ready to get fit and have fun with CIZE? Join our next challenge group and learn about clean eating, make a few friends and get fit having the time of your life!

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Brenda

Working Out is a Reward, Not Punishment

What a whirlwind month this has been so far! Sending the kids off to school this month was bitter sweet. My oldest is a senior in high school and I just don't know how that happened so fast. It seems like just yesterday I was strapping her into a car seat and now I have to call her for a ride home! There are college visits, homecoming and so many other milestones ahead for her this year. It is exciting, exhausting and heat breaking at the same time. And to think we'll get to do it all over again next year with our son. There's just so much to cram into 18 short years with your kids! I've been a soccer mom, cheer leading adviser, and PTO parent. My husband, Bill, coached many of their teams. The kids have been involved in basketball, baseball, swimming, football, volleyball, dance, gymnastics, music, scouting, orchestra, and on and on. And our youngest is still in grade school so there doesn't appear to be an end to the madness any time soon! 

Being involved in organized sports and activities has taught them so many valuable life lessons. Every practice, game and private lesson is a reward, not punishment. There wasn't one time that I ever had to drag my kids into the car and force them to go. And so Bill and I made a promise to them a long time ago that as long as they were well behaved, did well in school and made us proud, we would do whatever it would take to make sure they got to do all those things that are important to them. And so far they've kept their end of the deal.

When I began my journey with Beachbody last year I desperately needed a transformation. Battling rheumatoid arthritis left me unfit and over weight. I had damaged joints, was weak and suffered fatigue that I can only describe as living half conscious. Before my illness, I hated to workout. I didn't see the need for it and I didn't have the time for it. When you tell yourself that exercise is too hard, too painful and too much work - you will fail. But waking up one day and not being able to stand up or walk unassisted, changed everything. Being robbed of mobility and strength, and suddenly having to depend on others for help, reminded me of how foolish I was to take good health for granted. It was so important to me that my kids work hard and make good choices, but I failed to keep up my end of the deal. So I began to look at nutrition and fitness the same way that my kids viewed sports and music, as a gift - a reward, not punishment. Today, fitness is something I look forward to. I enjoy it and I make time for it - everyday. I no longer take good health for granted. Fitness is now something that I need and I take it seriously because it's my best defense against future attacks of the disease. 

I write about my own experiences because I hope to inspire others to be proactive about their health. Life is unpredictable and it's impossible to know just what we'll face in the coming years, but in times of crisis, the best offense is a good defense. Making smart choices about health and happiness today will certainly work in your favor. And if you think it's too late, you're too old or way too overweight to do anything about it - you are wrong. It aint over! Doing a workout for the first time, joining a challenge group, eating clean.... every small healthy step you take is one step away from a bad habit. Get in a routine of making good choices every day and it becomes a lifestyle.   

For me, coaching is a way to help other people find their fit formula, one that is rewarding and helps them be happy, healthy and smart. I promote Beachbody programs because that is what worked for me and I believe in their formula that focuses on complete wellness through fitness, nutrition and support. I encourage people to replace old bad habits with better, healthier choices - regardless of age, weight, or ability. If you're ready to make your health a priority and you're not sure where to start, I would love to help you. Beachbody fitness programs are a good place for anyone to start a new fitness routine but most people find success through online accountability and support groups, called challenge groups. The groups are not free, but they come with a lifetime of benefits. Are you ready to invest in yourself, challenge yourself, transform yourself? 

So long summer… time to get out the jeans and sweaters and bring out the best in you!

I'M LOOKING FOR 10 LADIES who are ready for a total fitness makeover! You won't need ANY complicated equipment. NO heavy weights. NO long hours in a crowded gym. Get fit using only the weight of your own body.. and you don't even need to leave your house!! Anyone can do this!
Just 30 minutes of simple fitness each day, follow a clean eating meal plan for 4 weeks and replace one meal each day with Shakeology to ensure proper nutrition. NO counting calories! NO counting points! NO starving yourself!

This group starts next week and you can be anywhere in the US or Canada to join. All workouts are done in the comfort of your own home on your own time. You'll have ME as your personal coach.. walking you through every step of the program!

If you can commit to changing your life.. and making this fall your healthiest yet.
Message me, friend request me, email me!!! This time last year I was 30 pounds heavier so I know how you feel. Joining a challenge group last August changed my life in SO MANY ways! Make a commitment today to get stronger.. healthier.. and feeling better than ever!

This program is NOT free but includes:

• A complete home workout kit with DVDs
• Custom clean eating meal plan designed for your challenge
• 30 healthy meals! ~ A 30 day supply of Shakeology!
• Measuring tape to track all those inches lost
• ME as your personal coach 
• Access to my private, VIP lifetime support group
• A free T-shirt when you finish and send in your results!
• A 30-day money back guarantee

Are you ready to totally transform yourself? Remember, challenge groups work and you WILL NOT FAIL! Complete this application to tell me a little more about yourself and why you're ready for this change. Can't wait to see you in the group and to see you looking FABULOUS this fall!

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Get in Shape Without Beating Yourself Up!

What is PiYo?

PiYo is a low-impact, high-intensity body-transformation program. It uses the most effective Pilates and yoga-inspired moves set to a fast pace to help you burn fat while you sculpt long, lean muscles.

You’ll carve every inch of your body without jumps, without weights, and without straining your joints. And rest assured, there’s no complex choreography to learn. Chalene Johnson takes you step-by-step through the moves where you’ll use your body weight to lose weight and get intensely defined! You get your strength, your cardio, and your flexibility training all in one program.

Why is PiYo effective?

PiYo delivers the muscle-sculpting, core-focused benefits of Pilates along with the flexibility and power of yoga. PiYo’s low-impact compound exercises engage multiple muscle groups at the same time—while keeping your body in constant motion. As you progress from one fluid movement to the next without rest, you’ll maintain an optimal heart rate to incinerate calories throughout the whole workout! The result? You get a low-impact, high-intensity, total-body workout, giving you a physique that’s long, lean, and powerfully defined.

Ready to Invest in Yourself, Challenge Yourself and Become the Best Version of You Ever?

So long summer… time to get out the jeans and sweaters and bring out the best in you!

I'M LOOKING FOR 20 LADIES who are ready for a total fitness makeover! You won't need ANY complicated equipment. NO heavy weights. NO long hours in a crowded gym. Get fit using only the weight of your own body.. and you don't even need to leave your house! You can do this, your grandma can do this - anyone can do this!

Just 30 minutes of simple fitness each day, follow a clean eating meal plan for 4 weeks and replace one meal each day with Shakeology to ensure proper nutrition. NO counting calories! NO counting points! NO starving yourself!

This group starts next week and you can be anywhere in the US or Canada to join. All workouts are done in the comfort of your own home on your own time. You'll have ME as your personal coach.. walking you through every step of the program!

If you can commit to changing your life.. and making this fall your healthiest yet..
Message me, friend request me, email me!!! This time last year I was 30 pounds heavier so I know how you feel. Joining a challenge group last August changed my life in SO MANY ways! Make a commitment today to get stronger.. healthier.. and feeling better than ever!

This program is NOT free but includes:

• A complete home workout kit with DVDs
• Custom clean eating meal plan designed for your challenge
• 30 healthy meals! ~ A 30 day supply of Shakeology!
• Measuring tape to track all those inches lost
• ME as your personal coach
• Access to my private, VIP lifetime support group
• A free T-shirt when you finish and send in your results!
• A 30-day money back guarantee

Are you ready to totally transform yourself?
Can't wait to see you in the group and to see you looking FABULOUS this fall!

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Brenda

20 Reasons to Drink Lemon Water Every Day

Drink more water! You've heard that before, right? Water is so important and that we are not drinking enough of it. With a=so many sweet and fizzy options out there like soda, juices and even a yummy caramel macchiato, why choose plain old water?

Water is necessary for survival. We need water as much as we need blood. Without it, our organs will not function properly. Water is healing, cleansing, and restorative. If you want good health, if you want to look and feel younger, if you want to fight off illness and disease - you simply can not deny your body of water!

One of the best ways to make water taste a heck of a lot better is to add lemon. A bite into that sour little fruit is enough to bring tears to our eyes, but somehow combining it with water is a refreshingly tasteful combination with powerful health benefits.

20 reasons to drink lemon water every day

1. Water with lemon provides the body with electrolytes which hydrate your body. As lemons contain good amount of electrolytes such as potassium, calcium and magnesium.
2. Water with lemon is good for the joints, reducing pain in the joints and muscles.
3. Warm water with lemon helps digestion as lemon contains citric acid. It interacts with other enzymes and acids which easily stimulate the secretion of gastric juice and digestion.
4. The liver produces more enzymes from water with lemon than from any other food.
5. Water with lemon cleanses the liver. Lemon juice stimulates the liver to release toxins.
6. Water with Lemon helps fight infections of the respiratory tract, sore throats and inflammation of the tonsils. This is due to the anti-inflammatory properties of lemon.
7. Warm water with lemon helps regulate natural bowel movement.
8. Water with lemon is indispensable for the normal work of metabolism. Since lemon is a powerful antioxidant, it protects the body from free radicals and strengthens the immune system.
9. Water with lemon aids in proper functioning of the nervous system (as lemon  has a high content of potassium). Depression and anxiety are often the result of low levels of potassium in the blood. The nervous system needs a sufficient amount of potassium to ensure sustainable signals to the heart.
10. Water with lemon cleanses blood, blood vessels and arteries.
11. Water with lemon can help lower blood pressure.  A daily intake of one lemon can reduce high blood pressure by 10%.
12. Water with lemon creates an alkalizing effect in the body. Even if you drink it immediately before a meal,  it can help your body maintain a higher level of pH. The higher the pH, the more your body is able to fight diseases.
13. Water with lemon is good for the skin. Vitamin C in lemon, improves our skin by rejuvenating the body.  Drinking water with lemon regularly (every morning) will improve the condition of your skin.
14. Water with lemon  helps to dilute uric acid, the built up of which leads to pain in the joints and gout.
15. Water with lemon is beneficial for pregnant women. Since lemons are loaded with Vitamin C, it acts as an adaptogen helping the body cope with viruses such as colds.  Furthermore, vitamin C helps the formation of bone tissue of the unborn baby. At the same time, due to the high content of potassium, a mixture of water with lemon helps forming cells of the brain and nervous system of the baby.
16. Water with lemon relieves heartburn. For this, mix a teaspoon of lemon juice in half a glass of water.
17. Water with lemon helps dissolve gallstones,  kidney stones, pancreatic stones, and calcium deposits.
18. Water with lemon helps with weight loss.  Lemons contain pectin fiber, which helps suppress hunger cravings. Studies have proven  people with a better alkaline diet have lost weight faster.
19. Water with lemon helps with tooth pain and gingivitis.
20. Water with lemon prevents cancer. This is due to the fact that lemons are a highly alkaline food. Multiple studies have found that cancer cannot thrive in an alkaline environment.

Ready for a fresh new start to health and fitness? Join an online clean eating and fitness accountability group. The personal coaching and online support through challenge groups is an easy and fun way to make sure you reach your goals and do not fail! Sign up by completing this form:

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Brenda

So what's up with PB2?

One of the 21 Day Fix questions I am hearing a lot of lately is "how much PB2 can I use?" For those of you who don't know, PB2 is a powdered peanut butter, made by squeezing natural oils out of the peanut and then dehydrating what's left, yielding a powder in which 90% of the fat is removed from the peanut.

PB2 is much lower in fat and calories—about 45 calories per 2 tablespoons, compared with 180 calories for 2 tablespoons of peanut butter. Peanut butter, however, will give you more protein (8g vs. 5g) and fiber (3g vs 2g) per serving. Peanut butter is also a decent source of protein, iron, vitamin E, and folate, whereas those nutrients are sacrificed during the manufacturing process of PB2.

That being said...I am not a fan. Why?

I make a conscious effort every day to fuel my body with the most nutrient dense foods I can find. PB2 is a processed food. It's another example of how food manufacturers trick consumers into thinking less calories is better for you. A much healthier choice is all natural peanut butter which contains a dose of healthy fats that keep you satisfied and reduce cravings. True, you may have to use less, but here's a case of less is more in terms of flavor and nutrition.

Have you tried it? If you're a fan of eating a spoonful right out of the jar or like to dip fruits and veggies in it, then stick to good old fashioned natural peanut butter. Mixing PB2 with water as directed results in a gritty, chalky-like glob with a slight peanut flavor. Mixing it in a smoothie, shake yogurt or oatmeal is a more palatable option.

In addition, PB2 contains added sugar and is not organic. Peanut crops are routinely sprayed with toxic pesticides that are suspected to have caused the increase in peanut allergies and are linked to and increased risk of birth defects, nerve damage and cancer.



Want to know more? Here's Autumn Calabrese's opinion?

Peanut Butter vs Almond Butter

When it comes to nut butters, peanut butter wins in the people's choice category. The smooth, gooey decadent food has been a staple in American kitchens for centuries. Mom's love Jif and kids do too! But if you're ready to break up with your love affair with peanut butter, give almond butter a chance. It's rich in healthy fats, it's a better source of fiber and it tastes amazing. This infographic from Foodbabe.com says it all:

From: Foodbabe.com

These clean eating tips and tricks are great but if you're ready to take healthy living the next level, join one of my online fitness and clean eating accountability groups. Want to look and feel great for a big event in your future? Need to shed a few pounds to fit into your jeans this fall? Ready to improve your overall health and wellness and start living your best life? The online groups are a great support system where you receive daily motivation, tips and advice to help you complete a fitness program and achieve success. Ready to give it a try? Fill out this application to be enrolled in a future challenge.

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Brenda