Shakeology Christmas Treats!

Tis the season for homemade goodies & treats. Being home for the holidays has really tested my self control and my diet.  While I admit I do like to indulge in some childhood favorites, I don't think it's necessary to wreak havoc on all my hard work over the last couple months. Not only do I not want to overindulge on the sweets, but I also want to make sure my body is getting enough of what it needs! So I am making sure to drink, or in this case, eat my Shakeology every day.  So today I opted to make my own healthy treats to give me some Christmas-y comfort.  While I am not much of a baker I do love to experiment & try new things. I was quite content with how these turned out! 

After a long day of Christmas shopping I made myself a gingerbread Shakeology to drink while I worked away!

Now, as I mentioned I am not much of a baker, and I am also not much of a measurer.  I didn't haul out the measuring cups & spoons, I like to go by taste.

Gingerbread Shakeology

*1 Scoop of Chocolate Vegan Shakeology
*a dash of ground ginger, cinnamon, & almond extract.
*unsweetened vanilla almond milk & a handful of ice cubes
*blend well. (I use a magic bullet)

 (My daughter LOVES to bake and made her own treats too!)

Chocolate Candy Cane Truffle Bites

*Melted coconut oil mixed with 1 scoop of Chocolate Vegan Shakeology and approx two tablespoons of unsweetened vanilla almond milk.

*mix until a thick consistency and when it is able to be rolled into balls. Roll in crushed candy canes. Place in fridge to harden

Chocolate Shakeology Frogs

A childhood favorite were always my mother's Chocolate Frogs(macaroons), so I adjusted the recipe to come up with something similar!

*coconut oil and 100% pure maple syrup melted on the stove and brought to a boil.
 *remove from heat & add in 1 scoop of Chocolate Shakeology, shredded coconut & oats.
*mix well and scoop into something that will keep its shape until it hardens. I used a muffin tin & scooped a spoonful into each and placed in the freezer to harden.
*About 15 minutes later removed them from the freezer and from the muffin tin and placed in the fridge.

*Want some more tips on how to stay healthy for the holidays? Check out my previous blog post about 22 tips for how to indulge without the bulge this Christmas season.

*Looking for some more information on what Shakeology is all about? Click HERE.

22 Tips; Healthy for the Holidays.

The holidays are just around the corner and so are all the goodies, treats & drinks to go along with it! It would be unrealistic to say NO CHEATING over the holidays, but there are ways to indulge the right way.  I say go ahead! Eat your favorite holiday treats, but make sure everything is done in a HEALTHY balance.  The season is for enjoyment and relaxation, not restricting and busting your butt, but it also shouldn't be about eating yourself into a food coma.  

I am all about enjoying myself over the holidays, but I am certainly not about to throw my health out the window and neither should you.  So I made a list of 22 stress-free tips to stay healthy over the holidays. You CAN indulge without the bulge this year!

1. Stay Hydrated- Make sure you carry your water bottle with you wherever you go. Being dehydrated can sometimes confuse you with hunger and those tasty treats are already tempting enough.
2. Carry some small healthy snacks to eat throughout the day. Snacking increases your metabolism and helps to ward off hunger.
3. DO NOT SKIP MEALS. Often times people think in order to save their calories they should skip a meal, but the opposite is true. If you have an event or meal planned, eat normal throughout the day it will help you to eat less and make smarter choices.
   
4. Don't drink your calories. Try to limit caloric drinks like pop and eggnog.
5. Don't have an all or nothing mindset.   You can indulge without doing away with the rest of your healthy lifestyle.
6.  Be realistic and don't beat yourself up over indulging. You are human, treat yourself and enjoy it!
7. Get adequate sleep. Being tired can trigger unhealthy choices.
8. At meals, fill your plate with as many veggies as possible.
9. Wear fitted clothing. That way it is easier to tell when you are full (sometimes we ignore those signals when we are eating food we love).
10. Make healthy swaps when you can.  If you are baking try swapping out certain ingredients for a healthier alternative. 
11. At Christmas and social events don't converse by the food table. 
12. Choose your absolute favorites to indulge in. If you can eat it any day, skip it. (Like that extra roll with butter)
13. Enjoy the conversations.  Spend your time enjoying the company of family and friends, don't make it all about the food!
14. Politely decline to take leftovers home with you.
15. If you are traveling over the holidays make meals and snacks (and water!) to take along for the trip. If you must eat take out choose wisely, save the indulging for the get-togethers and events.
16. Take up an active winter hobby such as skating, snowboarding, skiing or snowshoeing. Or make plans with friends to try a new one out each week!
17. Schedule workouts when you can. Plan ahead. If you know you have an event that night, rise and shine and workout. Not only will it help you make healthier choices, but you are less likely to skip it completely.
18. Have fun, keep moving! Every little thing counts.  Dance the night away, pick and cut your own Christmas tree, go for a walk to look at Christmas lights, build a snowman or have a snowball fight with the kids!
    
19. Choose alcoholic beverages wisely. Some of those fancy Christmas-y cocktails are often loaded with calories. Choose red wine for its health benefits (in moderation of course) or keep it low cal with vodka.
20. Skip the hangover.  For every drink you have make sure to have 2 glasses of water. B-vitamins and milk thistle are also great to take before and after!(*If you're a wine drinker stick with Organic or wine's from Argentina as they don't use added sulfites (the thing that gives you headaches!)
21. Speaking of supplements. Fill up on fiber before meals and events.  Taking psyllium helps to slow the absorption of carbs and alcohol. Or drink your Shakeology to curb the cravings for sweets!
22. Get back on track after Christmas. There is always that grey area in between Christmas and New Years where people usually continue to indulge and then vow to break bad habits as soon as they ring in the New Year. Use that time to get back into healthy habits to make it easier to stick to that New Years Resolution!

BONUS* Feeling sluggish after a day of indulgence? Check out my Blog Post about ways to detox & cleanse naturally HERE.

Want to commit to your New Years Resolution now? Enjoy the holiday season with less guilt knowing you already have a plan set in action to begin in the New Year! 

My next 21 Day Fitness Challenge Group will be starting January 4th, 2016 (the first Monday of the month). Sign-up now only 3 spots left!

Fill out the application HERE to reserve your spot.