Megan Thompson

Since I've decided to start using Jamie Easons live for program I wanted to change my diet up a bit.  I've ALWAYS had a hard time eating first thing in the morning before I workout. I know I know. There is so much research on whether or not you should eat before a workout. I guess my old school brain was stuck on the fact that I should workout on an empty stomach. BUT don't fret...I am trying :).   So my fort attempt was to have a half of a banan.  That seemed to work well but after reading up a bit more on the live fit program it seems banana before workouts are a no no.  So onto energy bites!!  I made these up tonight and am excited to give them a go!  They were super easy to do and look yummy ;)

I have now completed 2 rounds of 21 day fix extreme.  This program has been AMAZING.  It has changed my body is so many ways!  The food program is easy to follow, the workouts build cardio and build muscle and I'm losing inches and pounds!!  I'm looking forward to seeing what another round can do!  Message me for info on how to get this fantastic program!!

What types of things do you do during the summer that keep you fit?  Things you can't do during the winter months?  I know for me running and biking are SO much better outside.  I look forward to the weather warming up so I can step outside and just go!  I've been on a search for other types of activities to do this summer that will be fun AND a workout!  Hiking?  Kayaking? Tennis? Tell me what do you DO! :)

We don't always realize how often our kids are watching us.  I know I do things pretty routinely and don't always take a step back to realize what an impact is has on my kiddos....good and bad.  But recently I've noticed how aware the kids are that of my workout routines and that makes my heart happy.  They see me making my health an importance.  I talk to them about healthy eating often and why it's important for our bodies and yes I mention the importance of giving our bodies exercise but I don't think I ever give it the emphasis it should have.  So when I notice my kids asking me if I worked out or if they can work out with me I know the message is coming across clear even if I haven't said it "enough."  They are watching :).

So many of us have a hard time keeping up with workouts and healthy eating while traveling.  Your routine is off and all self control is gone :)  One treat turns into two and two into four.  I know how it goes!  SO what do you do to keep yourself on track while away from home?  What has worked for some of you?  I have found that these little things help and I'm going to try to stick them while away this week! 

1.  First thing Im going to do is reset my expectations.  My workouts and my food plan are NOT going to be the same as when I'm at home.  They just can't be.  I mean I'm on VACATION for goodness sake :). 

2.  Im using Beachbody on Demand.  I mean come on how easy is it to take your ipad or tablet to the gym and hit play.  NO excuses on that one!!

3.  Anytime I can walk somewhere...I will walk...take the steps...whatever I have to do....no laziness :).

4.  Drink TONS of water...the more water I drink the less food I will be tempted to pick at.

5.  I will give myself one meal a day that I can just eat and not worry about what I'm eating.  It's vacation and you're on vacation to enjoy yourself!! :)

Packing!! Yikes I never thought packing for a family of 5 could be such a HUGE task!! I have spent the past week making lists, crossing off lists and making new lists!! I have made countless trips to the store to pick up odds and ends that were not on said lists. I have squeezed in all of the contents of our lives for the next week and have three very excited little people :) We are off for a week of sun and relaxation! :)

Meditation boosts metabolism!!!  Researchers from the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind/Body Medicine are saying that regular practice will actually help to keep that waistline of your slim!  Reasons for this are a reduction of stress, inflammation, cancer and trauma!  They also found a positive response for insulin production and energy production!  What more reason do you need to get started today!  There are many different types of meditation out there.  Find one that works for you and start to practice a little each day.  I know this is still something I struggle with but love the challenge!  Namaste :)

Beachbody on demand is here!! Can I just tell you guys how great this is! You can use SO many different programs and all for $2 a week!!! If you're the type of person that gets bored easily with workouts or if you travel and need to be able to easily take your workouts with you, this is FOR YOU!! With beachbody on demand you have access to the following programs whenever YOU want ;).....P90X, P90X2, P90X3, Insanity, TurboFire, Brazil Butt Lift, Ten Minute Trainer, ChaLEAN Extreme, Insanity: The Asylum Vol 1, Tony One-on-One (vol 1), and Hip Hop Abs. You also get to try out some of the newer programs!! There is a fantastic video from each of the following programs that you get to try as often as you'd like.....21 Day Fix: Total Body Cardio, 21 Day Fix Extreme: Plyo, Body Beast: Chest/Tri, PiYo: Sweat, Insanity Max:30: Sweat Int., P90: Sculpt A, Slim in 6: Start it Up, Focus T25: Alpha Cardio. SO many great programs and you can take them anywhere you want!! Message me for info :)

I have 5 spots left for my upcoming April challenge group!!  Message me now to hold a spot and find out how you can get 21 Day Fix or 21 Day Fix Extreme for only $25!!

I just completed round TWO of 21 day fix extreme!! This is such a life changing experience when you follow what the program says! My body has never been stronger and healthier! Shakeology and 21 Day Fix Extreme are definitely life changing! AMAZING workouts, a VERY easy to follow food plan with containers for portion sizes and GREAT tasting meal replacement shakes. ALL of the work is done for you!! Now is the time :) Contact me on facebook at Megan Sweeney Thompson for info!!

I have opened up spots for my April challenge group!! Try out this new FANTASTIC program!! It's giving me insane results and I want to help you get the same!! :) The challenge groups are closed facebook groups where you get lots of support and encourage to meet your health and fitness goals! :) Message me on facebook at Megan Sweeney Thompson for more info!! :)

Day 2 is almost complete!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7UOTZCgMY8

I have decided to create a video blog for the next 21 days for 21 day fix extreme! Whether you are following along for the first version of 21 day fix or the new one it doesn't matter! :)

http://youtu.be/NRBj0ZHuHZQ

So today in my clean eating challenge group I talked about about meal prep. I thought it was such an important topic that I would talk about it here a bit. Meal prepping saves you time and money and allows you the convenience of eating healthy with a buys lifestyle.

So what do you do you NEED? :)
*Containers
*Sharpies
*Snack bags

Now what?
1. Pick a day that you want to dedicate to meal prep….I like to use sundays.
2. Inventory your pantry and fridge...what do you have and what would you like to add more of?
3. Find RECIPES!! This is the fun part! Find some great recipes that you’d like to try out.
4. Go grocery shopping!

Once you are home wash and prep fruits and veggies and portion size them out. Bake chicken and brown your meat. Cook rice, pasta and potatoes so they are set for the week. Put everything into containers and label with your sharpies!

It is always a HUGE help to me when i prep my food at the beginning of the week and I definitely see a bigger difference on the scale! :)

Ok seriously who knew?? I keep my sports bras for forever ok too long :). I read an article the other day that said that you should replace sports bra every 6 months!! WHAT? Obviously it matter what kind of exercise you've been doing and the intensity that you do it at but I had NO clue that they should be replaced every so often! The article also suggested to only wash them in cold water and never use anything with fabric softner in them....apparently it helps them to keep their shape! So if you find that your sports bra are sagging and bouncing it's time to toss them. Happy bra shopping :)

I've come up with a little list of 21 day fix approved recipes for the superbowl! We all want to be able to eat something yummy while we cheer on our favorite team right!? So why not do it and not have to feel guilty about it! Here are a few of my favorite things I've found floating around :) Enjoy!

1. Buffalo Chicken Dip http://micheleshewell.blogspot.com/p/buffalo-chicken-dip-21-day-fix-buffalo.html?spref=pi

2. Hot Wing Hummus http://diethood.com/hot-wings-hummus/

3. Pico De Gallo http://www.susannahskitchen.com/2014/07/diy-recipe-easy-pico-de-gallo.html

4. The Beachbody site has a TON of great super bowl recipes!! Sweet potato skins, buffalo chicken tenders, NACHOS, pizza, chili and on and on :) Check out this great site for lots of yummy stuff!! http://www.beachbody.com/beachbodyblog/nutrition/25-healthy-game-day-snacks

So I've been flirting with the idea of tracking my macros for probably six months now. I got back and forth with it not totally understanding it completely. I take chunks of time and read about it and get totally excited to start and then not fully commit. BUT I do think it's a GREAT concept and one that I am committed to at least giving a good solid try! So what is it?? Tracking your macros...is basically keeping track of your carbs, protein and fats. You set up a certain percentage of your calories to dedicate to those three things and you track that every day. These percentages are different for everyone and are based on 3 things:

1. Fitness goals - What your fitness goals are depends on how you will split up your percentages. Do you want to lose fat, build muscle or both?

2. Body type - Your body type also should come into play when you're deciding your macro split. Are you a ectomorph (slender), mesomorph (muscular) or endomorph (soft) type body?

3. Gender - Your gender plays a part too. Men and women use fuel differently and are able to burn fat at different rates.

I use my fitness pal to track my macros...it helps when I plan out my entire day so I can see the exact breakdown of how my percentages look :) Here is an example of what my macros look like when tracking on my fitness pal.

I've officially survived the first 30 days of insanity max 30!! I won't lie it was TOUGH but good tough :). I LOVE a good challenge and Shaun T definitely pushes you to work hard! The best part of the program is I can gauge how much stronger I'm getting by my max out times. I love each week seeing my times go up. It's a great motivation knowing that my body is getting stronger each day and able to do more!! I've lost 4 pounds, 1.3% body weight and lost 4.5 inches on my body and I can see a big difference in my pictures! I'm SO excited to see the results of the next 30 days! If anyone is interested in joining my February challenge group I currently have 2 spots left!! Message me on facebook at Megan Sweeney Thompson for info on how to join!

Withe everyone so into the fitness trend in the new year I thought it would be a good idea to go over a few of the most popular fitness trackers. There are so many out there that it becomes difficult to what they all do and which one is best for you! Some of the most popular are the jawbone up3, fitbit charge and the polar M40400 watch.

The Jawbone Up3:
This guy is brand new and being release SOON. I'm dying for one!! It tracks your heart rate all day long not just while exercising. It also assesses your sleep habits as well and it's water resistant!! I love that it syncs with running apps and my fitness pal as well.

Fitbit Charge:
This one is pretty great too! It tracks steps, distance, calories, stairs climbed and your sleep at night! It also has a feature that will display certain data from your smart phone onto it's small display. It comes with a silent alarm so you can set daily goals for yourself which I thought was pretty neat! It does sync with my fitness pal and running apps but this one is not waterproof.

Polar M400 Watch:
I LOVE this one because it's geared towards runners of course :) It has SO many great features. It tracks steps, distance, calories and pace. It supports wireless heart rate monitors and tracks sleep and it's waterproof!!

New clean eating challenge group starting THIS MONDAY, January 19th. Contact me at Megan Sweeney Thompson on facebook to join this FREE group. 100% focused on clean eating for 30 days!!

We are almost two weeks into the new year and the holidays have finally died down. The cold weather has moved in and we are all desperately attempting to settle into a routine and tackling those new years resolutions. Many of us have already fallen off of that wagon or are desperately hanging on for dear life in hopes that THIS year will be the year that we don't quit. Here are a few tips to help you stick to those goals whatever they are.

1. Write your goal down and keep it somewhere you can see it! By seeing it every day it's a great reminder of what you are focused on achieving.

2. Don't create a goal you know you are not ready to follow through on. So many times the new year comes around and we have such high hopes of what we would like to do we don't think about the reality of the changes that need to be made to do that.

3. Create smaller goals for yourself. If you take a big task and break it into smaller goals you will feel the satisfaction of those goals and it will motivate you to keep moving forward.

4. Reward yourself! When you hit those goals celebrate! You've worked hard and deserve a little pat on the back :).

5. Ask for help. We all need it at one time or another and there is strength in knowing that you need and want help. Even better you have people who love you and WANT to help. Let them :).

Yesterday we decided to make some snow ice cream! What better way to pass the time on a snowy cold day off from school! The kids loved it and it was incredibly easy and quick to do!

We used:

5 Cups of Snow
1 cup of almond milk
1 tbpsn vanilla


Mix it all up and we topped it with sprinkles!! Have fun :)

After 2 days into my monthly menu planning I thought I'd share how it was going! The first two dinners were yummy!! Even the kids liked them which is saying something :) The first night was stuffed peppers..they were very easy to make and I was full! Last night I made chicken stuffed with cheese and spinach. It was seriously so good and I felt great after! I found the recipes on the following websites if you'd like to check them out :)

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Stuffed Chicken Breasts 

New Year...New Challenge!! I have a FANTASTIC group starting today!! If you are looking for a place to be held accountable for your goals...have others lift you up and be in the BEST shape of your life then this is for you!! I currently have one spot left and then I'll start filling spots for FEBRUARY!!! :) Contact me at Megan Sweeney Thompson for the last spot or if you have an interest in February :)

I am back at it!! Finally after almost a year of not doing it I have begun my monthly menu planning again. It always feels like such a big task when I sit down to do it but it makes life SO much easier when I grocery shop each week!! Not to mention it's incredibly nice during the week to not have to think about what we are going to have for dinner with everyone's busy schedules. So back to the menu :)....everything on this menu is 21 day fix approved...I have found recipes on my many different websites. It was my goal to not repeat a dinner throughout the month. I was getting tired of eating the same things over and over again and it's much more fun to try something new when cooking! :) The menus links don't work but I will be posting the recipes on each day so you can just click and use the recipe if something looks good to you! If you'd like me to email you the word document I'd be happy to :) Just contact me at Megan Sweeney Thompson on facebook :)

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
				1	2	3
4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Stuffed Bell Peppers	Chicken Stuffed with Broccoli	Grilled Fish Tostadas	Chili flank steak	Slow Cooker Pulled Pork	Sweet Potato and bacon turkey burgers	Chocolate shakeology pancakes
11	12	13	14	15	16	17
Mexican lasagna	Garlic Chicken Pasta	Hawaiian Chicken Wraps	Chicken Enchilladas	Shrimp Tacos	Pita Pizzas	Minestrone soup
18	19	20	21	22	23	24
Baked Ziti	Southwest Turkey Burgers	Turkey Lettuce Wraps	Macaroni and Cheese	Pineapple Shrimp Stir Fry	Buffalo Chicken Wraps	Sausage and Kale Pasta
25	26	27	28	29	30	31
Turkey Meatloaf	Grilled Chicken Dijon	Steak and Sweet Potato Fries	Shrimp Scampi	Turkey Chili	Mini Pizzas	Chicken Bruchetta

For probably close to ten years I have had an interest in meditation. I've flirted with the idea of "mastering" it. That flirtation usually lasts less than a week. I go into it head strong and am defeated EVERY time. I can run a marathon people but I can't get myself to sit in a calm uninterrupted peace for at lest 5 mins????? This thought also makes my mind agitated and frustrated...my type A control freak mind says you can do this!!! I've tried forcing myself through bikram yoga...which I LOVE the challenge of don't get me wrong...but it's like I'm putting myself through a mental torture chamber. The idea that I have to quiet my mind for 90 mins is like asking me to climb Mt. Everest. Just isn't going to happen easily. So I am once again in my quest to learn how to find that inner calmness. I have done some searching for an app that may help me get started. I stumbled across one called omvana...looks pretty cool. There is a guided meditation....with music...and timers because God knows I will be DYING to know how much time I have left lol. Wish me luck...tonight is Day 1 :)

What is it about a new year and a fresh start? I always get the urge to clean through and purge. Along with that comes a new planner!! I know I know it's just a planner but it's a blank slate with endless possibilities!! :) My geeky side always comes out when I enter a staples. New pens, pencils, SHARPIES!!! Need I say more :). Picking out the right one is a very delicate science! It can't be too big or too small and I need to make sure I have room to have a months glance along with an every day glance. These things are important in my so scattered brain :). SO I get very excited every Jan 1st to open up that new planner and start filling it in. Now of course because I'm type A I have to sit down and fill the month in. There is a strange sort of satisfaction that comes from filling in those little squares and having things organized and ready to rock!! Happy Planning :)

The gyms will now be filled with people. Healthy eat plans are being put into place. Promises are being made to stop smoking, stop spending, stop stop stop. We all make new years resolutions but did you know that only 8% of of us actually stick to them. EIGHT!!!! Come on now that's just CRAZY! It's time we change that. Put ourselves first and make a commitment to making ourselves healthy. One goal I have set for myself this year is to help at least TEN PEOPLE this year lose 20 pounds. That's 200 POUNDS gone!!!!! Let me help you! I"m here to coach and I"m here to HELP!! Let's DO THIS TOGETHER!!! Contact me at Megan Sweeney Thompson on facebook on information on how to join a challenge group. You do not have to buy anything. My coaching is free. Let's end the obesity trend and get HEALTHY!!