Cellucor Sports Nutrition: My Weight Loss Stack Review + Coupon

 I was provided with samples of Cellucor to facilitate this review; With that said, I'm super excited about the products and all opinions are my own, I only share what I feel will truly benefit my readers.

So as you all already know, I'm on a journey to get fit this year... While I'm not a personal trainer, I do know that providing your body with the right amount of nutrients while working out is super important. It's not only part of weight loss - it's part of building muscle and just getting healthier in general! So when I had the opportunity to work with Cellucor, a company dedicated to the belief that "results matter", I was beyond excited.

I've only been using Cellucor products for a few weeks but I can already feel a huge difference so I wanted to share my opinion on the products they sent over. I was gifted a few different types of Whey Protein, an Alpha Amino Sports Drink Powder, and Super HD which is a metabolism boosting drink as well as two samples of C4 Extreme, their pre-workout... The best part of being spoiled by Cellucor is that it feels like I'm "cheating" because the drinks are delicious but I'm actually doing amazing things for my body.

I used to think protein powders were for body builders or people trying to gain weight. I finally did some research after seeing a friend use Cellucor products and I learned I was so wrong. Now that I've been spoiled with two bags of Whey Protein from Cellucor in Peanut Butter Marshmallow and Mint Chocolate Chip I'm able to get plenty of protein in my diet and enjoy every last sip of it... especially after learning from Shape magazine and Paul Arciero, Ed.D., the director of the Human Nutrition and Metabolism Lab at Skidmore College, that “Whey is perhaps the most effective dietary strategy to aid weight loss because it is the most thermogenic food source you can eat. This means it burns the most calories after you eat it." With that said, I feel way more inclined to drink my protein every single day! Hello Peanut Butter Marshmallow yummy-ness, I can't believe you actually help me burn fat... I think I love you. 

 

The Alpha Amino Sports Drink is super delicious and is packed with heavy hitting nutrients that help fuel endurance, hydration, and recovery. This super healthy concoction is made with a Chia Seed Extract that contains eight essential amino acids, coupled with Raw Coconut Concentrate's - this means each and every sip is full of nutrients your body needs! If you like to drink other sports drinks but don't like the amount of sugar they have or you simply want to try something new, this Alpha Amino blend is made for everyone so you should give it a try! Whether you are out playing volleyball, hitting weights in the gym, or just running errands Alpha Amino will keep you hydrated while keeping you healthy and is the perfect addition to anyone's daily routine.

I've saved the best for last though, Super HD Powder in Peach Mango is my favorite product they sent over. It's an epic weight-loss product that I have to shout from the roof tops about... I actually have a heart murmur so I have to be careful with products that claim to boost metabolism, simply because most of them just make your heart rate increase. Luckily, this awesome fat burning cocktail is intense yet doesn't offer that horrible side effect that others on the market leave me with. The combination of ingredients not only taste incredible, this drink is aimed at reducing fat storage and promoting better appetite control - the perfect addition to "my stack". I also notice that my ability to concentrate on tasks increases when I drink the recommended serving in the morning, a great substitute for my coffee when I'm just not feeling it.

Just a little shoutout to the C4 Pre-Workout in Icy Blue Razz, it's SO yummy and if you need something to get you ready for the gym on your "lazy" days, I highly recommend taking a scoop of this on the way. I work out harder and longer every single time I take it!

So now that you know all about how I've started using Cellucor products to transform my body, you'll be excited to know you can now receive 25% off your own Cellucor stack with the code CELLUCORFIT! Which product will you choose to transform your life and body?

I've lost 14lbs on Nutrisystem already! #NSNation Update

 I'm on a journey to get fit this year and with the assistance of Nutrisystem (and Planet Fitness), I've already started to lose big! I updated a few weeks ago that I had already lost 9lbs... That was after losing most of the weight in the first week on their Fast 5 program jump starter. Those results were incredible so I knew I shouldn't expect results like that during the entire program; that just wouldn't be healthy! So with all of that said, I'm SUPER excited to have lost another 5lbs! That means total I have lost 14lbs!

I'm not sure if anyone else can see the difference in these photos, but it's a huge difference to me. I mean I'm wearing a tank top tucked into jeans; that's a HUGE difference itself that I felt confident and skinny enough to do this is a huge sign... plus, my pants look kind of wonky because they are too big! Oh and my wedding band was lost for over a week after losing it because I lost SO much weight (I'm glad to report, it was found) and I now wear it on my middle finger until we get it resized!



All of these amazing transformations and this is only half way through my plan, I can't wait to see what the rest of the journey will hold. I do know after Nutrisystem is over, I have a better mind set towards food and how often/what I should be eating and that is what is going to help my results last once I don't have the pleasure of having a majority of my food pre-made for me.



So are you wondering what my secret to success is?

I'm going to be honest, I occasionally eat out with hubby because that's just how life works... BUT I limit my portion sizes and order healthy. Salads, grilled chicken, and minimally processed foods are this gals best friend. Which means technically, I haven't strayed from my diet at all while eating out but I still get to spend time out with friends and family! It's all about making wise decisions!

Planet Fitness has become a regular day date every few days in our home, while this isn't as often as I would like (we're waiting for the location closer to us to open)... I'm still seeing results! I do about 20-30 minutes of cardio, then I use a couple weight machines, and wrap it up by getting a few miles in on the stationary bikes... I can't even believe I have a "plan" at the gym, that's a huge transformation for me as well.

DRINK YOUR GREENS! Your body and your taste buds will love it. I've made smoothies almost every day, if not a few a day... It's a good way to get in your smart carbs and veggies at the same time while not having to choke down a whole forests worth of broccoli.  Have you seen the smoothie recipes I've been sharing lately? I'm telling you, they all are AMAZING!

I'll be sharing more tips to lose big on Nutrisystem soon so keep your eyes peeled!

Results so far on Nutrisystem:
14 lbs down and looking forward to the rest of my journey!

The Perfect Halloween Treat: Stuffed Baby Pepper Monsters Made with Skinnygirl Hummus

I was part of an Influencer Activation on behalf of Skinnygirl, I received a product sample and a promotional item to facilitate my review.
Regardless of this, I only recommend items I think my readers will love.

Hummus is one of those foods I didn't think I would like so I never tried it, then a few years ago I tried some at the request of my husband... and now I can honestly say I'm obsessed. Since I'm on NutriSystem right now, I watch what I eat pretty closely though so hummus kind of felt off limits. Now that I've found Skinnygirl Hummus I can snack and feel like I'm indulging even though I'm not really indulging at all. This delicious and unique hummus is made with non-fat greek yogurt, which may sound strange but it has the same great taste that we all love with a extra creamy texture - it's seriously so good. Plus, I'm also a huge fan of the fact that it's made with all natural ingredients, I think that's the real secret to it's great taste!

You probably have heard of Skinnygirl already because of their alcohol line but now they've come out with all kinds of goodies you can indulge in without feeling guilty! This hummus is a great snack and is absolutely delicious with carrots or baby peppers... To get in the spirit, I decided to make a special Halloween themed treat - Baby peppers stuffed with Skinnygirl Roasted Red Pepper Hummus that look like creepy, yet cute little one-eyed monsters! These are so much fun and will make the perfect Halloween themed appetizer for any Halloween Party or get together.

Stuffed Baby Pepper Monsters
Made with Skinnygirl Hummus

Ingredients:

Baby Peppers

Roasted Red Pepper Skinnygirl Hummus

Reduced Fat Italian Cheese

Olives

These cute little guys are super easy to make, you just cut off the tops of the baby peppers and stuff them with Skinnygirl Roasted Red Pepper Hummus. Then heat the italian cheese in the  safe bowl (for approximately 10 seconds or until gooey but not completely melted) and roll the cheese into several small balls and flatten it. Stick the flattened "cheese ball" to the side of the hummus stuffed pepper and add an olive to the center of the cheese. Now you have a one-eyed Stuffed Baby Pepper Monster of your own.
Plus, now through NYE, you can score 75 cents off Skinnygirl products! Print & use this coupon at Wal-Mart to save yourself some moo-lah!

Sweet Greens Smoothie Recipe

I just have to share this super sweet green smoothie recipe with everyone!
This yummy concoction is easy to make and if you just aren't feeling a salad today, this is the perfect way to get your greens in! You'll fall in love with the the sweet fruity flavors masking the healthy spinach, kale, and carrots!



Ingredients:
1 cup cherries, frozen

3/4 cup carrots, chopped

2 hefty handfuls of kale

2 hefty handfuls of baby spinach
(I used a baby spinach blend that included baby kale and bok choy - delicious!)
1 cup strawberries
1 banana

1/2 cup almond milk

I suggest you go ahead and blend the cherries, carrots, kale, and almond milk first - allowing them to really liquefy. Then add in the spinach blend, strawberries, and banana and continue to blend.

Sip & Enjoy! 

This smoothie is SO delicious and you are sneaking in SO many servings of fruit and veggies, 

I promise you'll fall in love with this sweet green smoothie recipe.

How I lost 9lbs in 10 days: The Pros + Cons of Nutrisystem

Nutrisystem provided me with food items to facilitate this review, regardless I only recommend items I believe will be beneficial to my readers.

I'm so excited to share that I'm already losing lots of weight on Nutrisystem.

I completed the Fast 5 introduction to the program a full 9lbs lighter than I started!

That's a decent amount of weight so I kind of feel like I should shout my success from the roof tops...
Well, since I can't get on any roof tops, I'll just share on the blog.
Can I get a woohoo?!

 The Pros: I'm going to be totally honest and tell you all that the food is totally delicious but getting creative with recipes & adding more vegetables into my routine has been absolutely scrumptious - a lifestyle change is taking place! I've found that I really like green smoothies with less (if any) fruit involved, I've also found that I can eat peas like it's no bodies business, and now that the Fast 5 is over and I'm allowed Nutrisytem desserts - I've also found that I really, really like every single dessert item I've tried so far. I've loved nearly everything I've eaten from Nutrisystem so far and I'm excited to try some of the dishes still waiting to be eaten.

The cons: Learning to eat more food is weird when on a diet, but that's totally what I'm doing... I'm just eating healthier foods and smaller portions more often and it's been a trip... I feel like I'm always eating but it also means I'm never  hungry. I think it's safe to say that I'm a bigger fan of their chocolate protein shakes over their vanilla protein shakes and I really want to try the strawberry protein but it wasn't in my box... maybe next month! I don't like the Cheese Tortellini at all but that's totally a personal preference. The flavors in the White Bean Chicken Chili are AMAZING, sadly it was only a part of my Fast 5. 

I'm currently on day 11 of my weight loss journey and I'm so excited to see my end result. I know I won't be able to keep up this momentum of losing around a 1lb a day but I feel amazing right now and I'm losing more than I've ever lost trying to lose on my own, so there's something to Nutrisystem.

So here's to losing more over the next few weeks, I'll keep you all updated on my progress

and would love it if you follow along with my journey!

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Setting Goals: Six Tips to Help You Set & Achieve Your Goals #Tools4Wisdom Planner Review and #NSNation announcement

If you are a regular reader you may have realized this already, I set a large amount of goals for myself... Hence my Fit in 2014 series, my list of 101 things I want to accomplish in 1,001 days, and I'm sure my list of goal related posts could go on and on but I'll stop there. From little goals like cleaning the house to big goals like buying a  house- setting goals helps to give you a picture of the future while providing a boost in short term motivation; it helps you to organize your time and your resources so that you can make the most of your life.

As my life gets busier and busier as a blogger, a student, an artist, a wife, a friend, etc. I need to start structuring my plan so that I have a better vision of what I can do now to help my future self. I've always used a planner to help me keep track of my day-to-day to-do lists, so I've always used my planner in a way to help accomplish goals - they are typically short term goals though. When I was contacted by Tools4Wisdom to review one of their Goal Planners I wasn't sure if it would be something I would like, I have planners... Why do I need another one? Because this planner is different.I love that this the Goal Planner is so easy to use, with pages to list personal and business goals, questions encouraging you to consider how you can reach these goals, it even features a little thoughts journal in the back.

The Tools4Wisdom Goal Planner is full of inspiration which I'll need a lot of over the next few months as I take another big stride toward getting Fit in 2014! I'm officially going to be partnering with NutriSystem and I'm so excited about it! I can't wait to see how the program works for me and I know using this planner to plan my monthly weight loss goals, my daily work outs, etc. will absolutely help! I've always said if I just had my meals planned and made up for me I could lose this weight, now we'll find out if I was right! I'm now officially a member of the #NSNation and my structured diet will begin in just a few short weeks. My goal is to lose 30+ lbs and I can't wait to see if I achieve this, even if it is a tall order.

I also have some pretty hefty blogging goals for the remainder of this year and several for 2015, this planner is definitely going to be helpful come Holiday Gift Guide posting time! I love how easy it will be for me to keep my posts in order. The only thing I don't really like about this planner is the tiny squares for daily goals, but if they gave me a page for each day then the planner would be the size of a textbook so you win some, you lose some. I suppose my goal for my blog would be to DOUBLE my numbers and to make every single post full of genuine, authentic content.
Check out some of the awesome features the planner provides:

Interested in getting a planner of your own, check out Tools4Wisdom!

Six Tips to Help You Set & Achieve Your Goals:

1. Break It Down - Break your big goals down into smaller goals, it's that easy.  For instance, if your over all goal is that you would like to purchase a home, a good goal would be "I'll deposit $100 out of every pay check into a savings account" or "I'll begin searching for homes that I'm interested in". Big goals are great but without breaking them down they can get overwhelming.

2. Write Your Goals in The Present Tense -   Write your goals in your planner in the present tense, as though they already happened. This gets your mind used to thinking that your dreams aren't just dreams; they can be reality. Also, if you have Netflix. Put this goal on your list: WATCH The Secret.

3. Make Your Goals Measurable - You have to be able to measure your goals to know whether or not you have succeeded. If your "goal" isn't measurable, it isn't really a goal. The difference is


This is a goal: I want to lose 30+ lbs.
This technically isn't a goal: I want to not be fat.


4. Make Daily To-Do Lists - These are little lists of daily goals, obviously... but they will help you achieve all of your goals by helping you to remain organized and informed about what you plan to achieve. I highly suggest using the notes part of your planner to do this!

5. Be Flexible - While setting goals is great, be open to re-evaluating your goal list every so often to make sure all of your goals and your actions are aligned. If you aren't working toward a goal regularly, you either need to change your actions to begin working toward the goal or maybe decide on a goal that motivates you a little more.

6. Do It Anyways! - This is for all the procrastinators and lazy bums (like me) out there: no matter what is going on, get up and take action. You don't want to work out? Do it anyways! You don't feel like saving that $100 this month? Do it anyways! You'll thank yourself later if you take my advice and stop letting what is holding you back from achieving your goals get in the way...

So, what goals do you have for the remainder of 2014?
What goals do you have for your life in general?

[Like the Yoga shorts pictured above? Check out LunaJai.com and use the code "LAURENH" to get 10% off!]

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com.
Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.