Sunday Funday (3 Tips for a Productive Week)

Sundays are one of my favorite days of the week. As is Monday! But both for different reasons. Mondays are the fresh start, the new beginning, the starting line. You have the chance to set the pace and tone for the week on Mondays.

Sundays? That's the cap of the week. The cherry on the sundae, icing on the cake. It's a chance for me to simultaneously look back at the week, see what worked, and what didn't, as well as look ahead and prepare myself for success in the week to come.

It's a day that I love to use to plan and prepare while I relax. It leaves me refreshed and peaceful instead of scrambling on a Monday morning. And I want to share with you some of my top tips on how I use Sundays to plan ahead!

1. I write down 3 things that need to happen each day of the week. I generally break down my big goals into manageable daily goals, and distribute these throughout the week. Things like meal planning, blogging, and business goals make it onto my daily goals. They can be big or small, but keeping it to three helps me accomplish them and stay on track!

2. I schedule out my workouts. Life can vary week to week, and while I love a consistent routine, sometimes that isn't always possible. So I look ahead at what the week holds and make sure that I have planned out when and what workouts I will do for the upcoming week.

3. Meal prep! This is one that really helps out. Whether I can get all of my meals prepped or not, at least knowing what meals we will be having and getting my vegetables prepped helps a ton! If I have a healthy option available to eat on the go, I'm much more likely to choose that than the unhealthy option. Get as much of your vegetables and fresh produce ready as you can! You can even batch cook chicken and ground turkey to use in recipes throughout the week.

While there are a lot more tips that I could give you on how to use your Sunday to your advantage and prep for the week ahead, I will keep it to these top three! Spending even a little bit of time looking ahead at your week, or even the next few days can ease the stress of the upcoming week and help you break bigger tasks into manageable pieces.

How do you use your Sunday? Do you do any preparations of your own on the weekend? I would love to hear what works for you!

Meal Plan For YOU

Meal planning can seem overwhelming and daunting when you start on a journey towards health or if you aren't used to it. So many options, so many opinions, so little time. My biggest piece of advice? Find something that works for you in your life! 

You want to make sure that your meal plan follows these rules:

1. Allows you to get good, dense nutrition into your body. 

2. Do something that you can make a lifestyle! Avoid crash diets like the plauge.

3. Consider your schedule. Allow for something that will give you options while also keeping you healthy. 

4. Evaluate and reevaluate! Try different ways and see if it works for you or not.

5. Save time, money and food by PLANNING! Even if it doesn't go 100% according to plan, creating any type of plan will help you save in these area. 

There are many ways to meal plan! You can plan out all your big meals, snacks, etc. You can write down all your dinner options but leave the day you have them open. You can rotate through a few choices for the whole week. You can have the same lunch or breakfast all week. The options are limitless. And I have tried a fair few different ways to meal plan! I have found that different types of meal plans work better for different seasons.

A season that I'm trying to be more totally focused in nutrition, I will plan out all meals and snacks. Sometimes I make a list of different options to rotate through if we have a busy week! Find what works for you, reevaluate and if its working, keep it. If not, try another approach!

This model is more loose and leaves you room to choose what you want for the specific day, but gives you structure so you save money and stay on track with your health!

BREAKFAST OPTIONS

-Shakeology (with PB and a serving of fruit)

-Sauteed kale and scrambled eggs

-Egg "muffins"

LUNCH OPTIONS

-Dinner leftovers

-Turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread with sliced tomato, avocado and mustard with fresh veggies

-Spinach salad with grilled chicken, feta cheese, cranberries, nuts and vinaigrette

DINNER

-One unplanned or cheat meal (because sometimes you need to work that in!)

-Chicken sausage with sweet peppers and onions over hot brown rice, with steamed broccoli

-Turkey burgers on whole wheat bread with avocado, tomato, and sweet potato fries with steamed broccoli

-Zucchini noodle pasta with ground turkey spaghetti sauce, whole wheat garlic bread

-BBQ chicken stuffed sweet potatoes with spinach salad

-Stuffed bell peppers with veggies, ground turkey, and pepper jack cheese, with hot brown rice

-Leftovers night

SNACK OPTIONS

-Shakeology

-Cheese and apples

-Fresh fruit serving

-Fresh veggies with ricotta cheese

-Greek yogurt with fruit

DESSERT

-DIY Strawberry Ice cream

-Revamped "cookie dough"

-Shakeology chocolate bars

Turkey and Veggie Soup

Summer is quickly approaching and that means soon warmer weather will be the normal. But, as we have experienced this past week in Atlanta, we can still have a few cold days left before the heat fully arrives.

What does that weather mean? One last chance for a hearty soup before the cool soups make their appearance on the dinner table.

This last week I experimented with the ingredients I had around the house to make our hearty turkey and veggie soup. The great thing about this recipe is that it can definitely be made to what YOU have in your kitchen and what YOU like.

But for a base recipe, here is what we used!

Ingredients

1lb ground turkey

2 tsp cooking oil or butter

1 onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 sweet potato, cubed

4 cups raw kale, chopped

1 cup baby carrots

4 cups chicken broth

1 can diced tomatoes

1 tsp basil

1 basil leaf

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp paprika

Directions

1. In a large heavy bottomed pot (such as a dutch oven) over medium high heat, heat up your cooking oil or butter 

2. Add you chopped onions, sautee until soft and translucent. Add your garlic in and cook for one minute. 

3. Add in the chopped green peppers, and potatoes.

4. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. 

5. Add kale, bay leaf and diced tomatoes and reduce heat to medium low. Let cook for about 10 minutes, covered. 

6. As that cooks, brown your turkey with all of the seasonings mentioned above added in with it.

7. After turkey is browned, add to soup, mix and cover. 

8. Let cook over medium low, stirring occasionally for about 25 minutes. 

9. Garnish with cheese and plain Greek yogurt if desired! 

Enjoy these last few days of warm soup weather before the fall. This is an easy and yummy way to get veggies in! Experiment with what you have and make it fun. 

What's your favorite soup? 

3 Tips to Help Get More Focus

Time. Seriously, is there anything in the world that we want more of but use worse than time? I would argue that there are little things. Especially in our culture these days. We talk a big talk, scheduling our calendars until they are overflowing, always stating that things are "busy and good" when people ask us how we are (I am guilty of this too, by the way!).

In a culture that is captured by screens and constantly on the go and getting things done, it's time to get something new. FOCUS. Distraction free, real, genuine, productive FOCUS.

Let me tell you, it can be hard to come by. Like I said, our schedules are full. Add in five thousand notifications of every one of our phone apps dinging constantly, text messages and emails being received, a running grocery list bouncing through our head, an alarm clock blaring for some reason, the TV mumbling in the background, music playing from our computer.....stressed out yet?

I mean, really narrow in your mind what it feels like to have all of these going on in your life all at once. I know for me, it's stressful. I like moments of peace and quiet, I like my inbox to be sorted and replied to, and I like some organization and clarity.

But a lot of times, my life feels like the other paragraph, garbled, over saturated with notifications and noises and distractions. So lately, something that I have been trying to do is get more focus in my life. Real focus, like no distractions, no dinging, no notifications, no multi tasking, no noise, just concentrated focus.

While it takes effort, the times that I have gotten it right, it is so helpful, and definitely has increased my peace and productivity. I want to share the three top tips that I have from that with you to encourage you and challenge you to maybe try some of these on your own!

1. Work in 45 minute spurts without distraction, and then take a 15 minute break. Studies are showing now that people who work with this sort of schedule, and have focused work with no distractions and then take a 15 minute break are more productive. I have been trying this method and it helps keep me from mentally burning out or sidetracking and losing time. When you enter into this 45 minute/15 minute model, get yourself away from distractions. No scrolling, no multi tasking, just focus in and get it done. Then take an active 15 minute break. Walk around, start at nature, doodle, get away from screens and take a break.

2. Turn your phone on silent, put it in another room, or even put it on airplane mode! It may seem unnatural at first, and you might try to check your phone for notifications, but DON'T. While you are on your 45 minutes of working, make sure that your phone is on silent. So many times it can just be habit to pick up our phones and check, but then get sucked into scrolling and responding and getting distracted.

3. Don't look at your phone after the first hour you are awake, or the last hour before you go to bed. This one has been a challenge, but also very rewarding for me. It used to be that after I woke up, I would scroll through my newsfeed for a little bit and then get to work or do my quiet time. But, time can sometimes slip by way too fast doing this. We get caught up. Same goes for at night! Even more importantly at night, taking time away from screens for the last hour that you are awake will help your body prepare for rest better, thus allowing you to sleep better!

Do you do any of these tips already? Which ones help you focus in the best?

Butternut Squash Lasagna

Y'all. Seriously, this was so good. I tweaked a recipe that I found a bit and made it our own, and absolutely loved it. This recipe is absolutely a keeper and one that we will be having again in the Cason house! Lasagna is such a comfort food, so I love finding ways to clean it up and add some more nutrients in any way that I can. This recipe is dynamite!

Butternut Squash Lasagna

Ingredients
Half of a butternut squash, cubed and COOKED
2 cups ricotta cheese, divided
1/2 cup of milk
1/2 tsp salt, divided into two 1/4 tsp
1/4 tsp nutmeg
10 oz uncooked spinach
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp cooking oil
10 oz whole wheat lasagna noodles
4 slices of provolone cheese
1 tsp Italian seasoning
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp basil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 F

2. Prepare your lasagna noodles! Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and cook noodles until just tender. Drain and run cool water over them, set aside.

3. Prepare your butternut squash filling! Combine your butternut squash, 1 cup ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup of milk, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp nutmeg in a food processor, and process until creamy. Set aside.

4. Prepare the spinach filling. Heat cooking oil a medium skillet over medium high, add minced garlic and cook about one minute. Add spinach to skillet and cook until wilted. Remove from heat and add to bowl. Combine with 1 cup of ricotta cheese and 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Add 1/4 tsp salt, 2 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, and 2 tsp basil. Mix together and set aside.

5. Grease a 9x13 baking dish lightly. Divide your  butternut squash filling into thirds. Put 1/3 of the mixture on the bottom of the baking dish. Cover with lasagna noodles.

6. Add 1/2 of your spinach mixture on top of the noodles, and follow with another layer of noodles. Add another layer of butternut squash, followed by noodles and then the rest of the spinach filling and noodles.

7. Finish with the last 1/3 of the butternut squash mixture, top with 1 cup of mozzarella. Cut each piece of provolone in half, and layer across the top.

8. Cover with foil, bake for 30 minutes, uncover and cook for another 10 minutes.

9. Serve and enjoy!! 

21 Day Fix Extreme Review

Today is my last day of my first official round of the 21 Day Fix Extreme! So, in celebration of that, I wanted to bring you my official review of the program! This is my fourth Beachbody program, and i must say, they set the bar high, and I love it. My other programs are T25, the original 21 Day Fix, and Les Mills Combat! The 21 Day Fix sets have been fantastic, so let's go ahead and dive into the review!

Here are some specifics about the program, in case you were curious.

21 Day Fix Extreme

Length of program: 21 days, but can be repeated as many times as you want.
How many days do you work out: 7 days a week, one of which is yoga (love it!)
How long are the workouts: 30 minutes
How many workouts are included in the program: 8 full 30 minute workouts, and a ten minute ab
Equipment needed: set of light and heavy free weights and a resistance band
Fitness level needed: You need to have a base level of fitness. If you have completed any other Beachbody program you should be good
Nutrition aspect: portion control containers and an extremely doable eating plan
Helps with: losing that last ten pounds, toning up, getting extreme, getting fit for an upcoming event, and getting healthier!

Alright, so now you have some of the bare basics of the 21DFX (21 Day Fix Extreme) program down. Let's get into the nitty gritty.

Pros: 
-I loved this program even more than the original 21 Day Fix. Specifically I loved the challenge that the workouts gave me.
-I really enjoyed using my weights in most every workout. I feel like it really gave me a lot of great strength training.
-I can do more push ups on my toes now than ever before! For reference, before I started my journey last year I couldn't do a single push up on my toes. After this program I got past 15!
-The eating plan is absolutely doable and sustainable. You do not go hungry with this!
-The principles of the eating plan really nourish your body and give you a good balanced diet. You aren't skipping out whole food categories, and you aren't depriving yourself.
-You have the option of doing the "countdown to competition" eating plan, which is a super clean eating plan to help give you maximum results! I didn't do it this round, but plan on it in the future!
- As with the last program, I love the 30 minute workout length, it's perfect for me.
- I like that they have a modifier on the screen and I could easily follow along if I needed to modify a move.
-I feel like I gained a lot of energy and more over all body strength doing this program!
- Planning ahead and using the eating plan really helps you to succeed with this program.
-I love that it is a 21 day program. It helps you establish a good healthy habit, and gives you a quick win, AND because it is NOT a crash diet, you can continue on with it!

Cons:
-You eat a lot of protein, (or red containers), especially if you do the countdown to competition. It's not bad, but I personally struggle with my red containers anyway, there's only so much chicken and fish I want to eat in a day. But, it is healthy!
-It's not so much a con, but a challenge that I worked through. There is a plyo workout that includes a lot of jumping. I definitely grew in strength but boy did it challenge me!
-It was an extremely comical "con" but I definitely had to get used to using a resistance band for the pilates workout. I wouldn't say it's a con, more something you have to get used to and be careful not to snap yourself in the face with the band while changing positions.
- Not personally a con for me, but I know for others it can be a challenge when you start out to meal plan. If it's something you are not used to doing, it can take time, BUT it is absolutely worth it, and I love helping people through that process.

Overall thoughts about my experience with 21DFX
As I stated before, I really enjoyed this program. If you haven't been doing a higher intensity program or working out at all in a while, I would suggest doing the 21 Day Fix as a god start up point. But people who have been working out can absolutely jump in on this. It is a fantastic program and has taught me so much about nutrition and how key and critical it is to overall health.

Nutrition brings about 80% of your results, so it really is that important. With the 21DFX (and the original) you are focusing on eating clean and nourishing your body with foods that fuel you. That in turn helps you gain more momentum on the fitness side of things and helps you just shred out your physique! I have become more and more aware of just how important nutrition is and I want to shout that from the rooftops.

Using the 21DFX helps you learn those principles and gives you a great foundation to continue that on past the 21 days, and also gives you great workouts that are doable and build your energy and strength. This program is a 10++ in my book!

Who wants to join in another round of the 21DFX with me and get some results of your own?? I have several groups starting soon, so if you are curious at all, or want more information, please don't hesitate to ask or reach out for more information! I would love to help any way I can.

Who is ready to get Extreme?? Stay tuned for my results too!

Green Machine Pancakes

Pancakes, one of the classic American breakfast options. Unfortunately, I have never been their biggest fan. Mostly because I don't like eating sweet foods for breakfast. But, when I got married, I discovered that my husband loves pancakes.

So I end up making them quite a bit around here for him. I don't usually eat them myself, again, because I don't like sweet foods for breakfast. But when I found a clean recipe of panckes , I had to try them!

I have made several variations of these healthy pancakes for Zach and he definitely approves! The recipe is simple to vary based on your tastes, so I will include the base recipe as well as the green machine version.

Base Recipe - Clean Eating Pancakes (makes about 4-5 pancakes) 
Ingredients
1/3 cup rolled or steel cut oats, uncooked
2 eggs
1 banana

Directions
1. Place all ingredients in a food processor, blend until smooth.
2. Use a 1/4 cup to measure out pancake batter.
3. Cook over medium to medium high heat as regular pancakes

GREEN MACHINE PANCAKES
Ingredients
1/3 cup rolled or steel cut oats, uncooked
3 eggs
1 banana
1 loose scoop of Greenberry Shakeology

Directions
1. Place all ingredients in a food processor, blend until smooth.
2. Use a 1/4 cup to measure out pancake batter.
3. Cook over medium to medium high heat as regular pancakes

And there you have it! Clean eating pancakes that you don't have to feel guilty about eating. They will fill you up and leave you satisfied and nourished! You can also vary the vase recipe to include any fruits or other things you want to put in, or even top them with!  Have fun with the recipe!

What is your favorite pancake combo? 

Motivate Your March

March.

Not quite winter, not quite spring. The weather can be extremely bi-polar (at least in the south), where we swing from a beautiful almost 70 degrees and then plunge into an ice storm, literally. Add in the lovely Daylight Savings Time change to the mix and you have one awkward cocktail mixture.

March can sort of be like the awkward phase of middle school. Not in elementary school, but not junior high yet. Awkward.

I don't know about you, but I was struggling last week. I was sleepy after the time change (and still am), I am yearning for consistent nice weather so Zach and I can hike and play outadie. I'm ready for it to be light all day long. March so far, has been an in between seasons. And last week, I was dreading that. Truly dreading.

But God gave me a new perspective, and revealed to me the deeper issues that I needed to address in my life. Therefore I am determined to use this in between season and beyond to get motivated, sharpen my confidence, and be a light.

I know that I am not the only one who has to feel this way. There is nothing new under the sun. So, as I embark on this "motivate your March," I want to bring you along.

Here is what I am focusing on and working on this month, and why.

1. Setting attainable and realistic goals for myself. I am dreaming big, but I am also allowing myself to set goals for "quick wins", too, to help keep me motivated.

2. Making a consistent effort to get dressed professionally every day. I am not a fashionista. I love comfy clothes. But, I know that for myself, if I sit in my PJs all day (which there is nothing wrong with that), I will not feel as motivated. So I am raiding my own closet and putting on clothes I haven't worn in a while and doing it up!

3. Exercising every day. I already do this, but I am putting a particular emphasis on it. Exercise gives me a lot of great energy and confidence through the whole day!

4. Writing out personal affirmations. This can be hard. Positive self talk can seem awkward, and make can make you feel uncomfortable at first. But it helps! Speak positively about who you are and your goals and write it down daily.

5. Do something three times a week that brings me joy. This could be reading a fiction book, making a piece of art, or even cooking for me. I want to dive into the things that enrich my life.

So why am I going to do these things the rest of this month? I am going to put intentional effort into my life. Life is too precious not to. Too precious to get caught up, too precious not to slow down and enjoy the process.

#motivateyourmarch, here I come. And I would love for YOU to join with me. If you feel like you want to ignite a fire in your heart this month and find confidence and motivation, join me in this challenge for the remainder of this month!

I will be documenting my journey over these next weeks and sharing it via Instagram and Facebook, and most likely a blog or two as well. Each day I will feature at least one aspect of this #motivateyourmarch.

Let me know that you are joining in by tagging me @sarahfcason on Instagram and tagging your photo with #motivateyourmarch, or tagging me at Sarah Cason on Facebook. Be sure to follow along and find some joy and inspiration for your month too!

Who's with me?

Hitting the Wall

It happens to all of us. In a lot of different areas of life, too. Sometimes it is easy to spot, other times it comes upon us gradually, and then we find ourselves with it smack dab in front of our face, and looming up above us.

The proverbial "wall."

We all hit it at one point or another and in different ways. It can be in your job, in learning, in relationships, and especially in health and fitness.

Here's the rub, though. Hitting a wall is not the end of the world. Is it not an excuse to call it quits. Hitting a wall simply means we need to try something new and break through it.

Yes, hitting a wall is hard. There is no denying that. I can't count how many walls I have hit in so many different areas of my life over the years. But the key I have found, especially as we are talking today with health and fitness, is to keep going.

I have been on this journey for a year now. It blows my mind. And while I have absolutely been consistent (for the first time ever with fitness), I have still had my ups and downs, and hit my share of walls.

I hit a wall when I first started because I was working out, but not eating right. So I stopped, changed it up and got us eating right. I hit plateaus and walls with my fitness. I hit a wall when I realized I was still eating out of boredom and emotions. I hit a wall and opened my eyes when I was eating way too many carbs for my own good in one day.

Has this stopped me? No. My advice? Realize what's happening, and move on. I want to share a few more tips with you today too, but I want to first make sure you know that you are not alone when you hit a wall. It is normal and happens to all of us! What dictates your success or failure is what you do when you get to that wall.

So. You're here with the rest of us, and you've hit that wall. Now what? That bag of potato chips and that batch of brownies are looking like a might fine option right now aren't they? Well stick with me just a little bit more.

1. Recognize that you hit a wall. Admitting that you have is OKAY. Good, even. Admit it to yourself, and...

2. MOVE ON. I heard a really great analogy that has since stuck with me. When you blow a tire, or it goes flat, what do you do? Do you go around and slash all three other tires because one has failed? No. You replace the one. Same thing when you hit a wall. You replace it and move on. How do you do that?

3. Physically go somewhere new. It doesn't have to be far, it could be somewhere you have been before. But get out of your normal physical space and go somewhere new. There is something that can shift inside when you take yourself to a new place.

4. Change things up. DO something new. It could be a one time hike you take with your family, or taking a new way home from work, or finding a new recipe to cook. Doing something new can help push you past the wall.

5. Change up your workout routine. When you hit a wall in fitness, it is good to give yourself a new challenge. Whether you change it only for a week, or a whole new program, give your body a reboot with a fresh challenge. This is huge!

6. Refresh. Take a day just for yourself. Spend time UNPLUGGED from technology. Go outside, go to a coffee shop, go wherever gives you rest and refreshes you. Just make intentional time for you.

7. Reevaluate. Whether this is during your refresh time or not, take a few minutes to look back at what led you to the wall. What routines you were doing that may have just been going through the motions. See if you can brainstorm ways to spice the routine up!

8. Complement yourself. In a discouraging time where you have hit a wall, it can be hard to be nice to yourself. But you really need to be! Take a piece of paper and write down five complements to yourself about your journey that you are proud of accomplishing, and that you love about yourself.

9. Make a plan. With all these steps, use your ideas on how to switch up your routine and make a plan to make it happen! You can plan a week or month in advance, but set your goal and make a plan on how you will spice up your routine for this period of time.

10. Stay positive and don't give up. Lastly, but possibly most important for this whole process is to keep positive and don't quit or give up. Sometimes it can take going through these steps several times before you break through. But keep at it, keep going, and never, ever, give up.

I hope these steps and tips have encouraged your heart. For those of you stuck in a rut or have hit a wall, hang in there. Give these a try, what do you have to lose except the wall?

What's one way you help get yourself up when you hit a wall?

Post Valentine's Day Tips

Valentine's Day has now come and gone for another year, leaving many a sugar coma in its wake. Roses, chocolates, candy hearts, chocolate fondue. For many, maybe too much of the sugar and rich foods that we normally don't have as much of throughout the year.

Coming out of a holiday weekend can make or break your health and fitness routine. It can go one of two ways. You can move past the holiday and whatever you may have indulged in. You pick up and move on, move towards your goals. Or, you can give up on your goals and continue to indulge in the sugars and treats. Either way, the small choices you make, especially this week, can make a big difference!

I want to share a few tips on how to get back on track quick. These steps are easy to do, and easy not to do. But they will help you get on the fast track back to a routine towards health and your goals!

1. Drink your water!! Hydrating after a weekend of sugar and rich foods is crucial! This will help flush your body and balance if out and get back into the swing of things. Aim to drink at least half of your body weight in ounces every day! If you are really ambitious, try for a gallon!

2. Get rid of the temptation! If you have extra candy or chocolate, give it away, put it in the freezer, get it out of site and out of mind. Clean house and set yourself up for success.

3. Eat your fruit and veggies! Focus on getting in your fruits and veggies every day. Build your nutrients into your diet and make sure that you are getting things into your body that will nourish it!

There you have it, just a few ways that you can quickly get yourself back on track this week! Just because you indulged this weekend doesn't mean you have to throw in the towel. Just pick yourself up, and move on! This journey is all about balance.

So find the balance this week and rock the rest of February! Who else is getting back on track this week?