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Showing posts from April, 2013


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xoxo, Kerri O.


Review: The Paleo Slow Cooker by Arsy Vartanian

If you've read my blog for long you know that I'm absolutely a Paleo cookbook hoarder. Yep, I love them and want to own every. single. one. out there.

Needless to say I was ecstatic to receive a review copy of The Paleo Slow Cooker by fellow blogger Arsy Vartanian.

What I love about this cookbook:
It's a hardback. Silly maybe, but I love that this is a beautiful hardcover cookbook.The Paleo info and tips she weaves throughout the book. From what Paleo is to nutritional info to tips on dining out... I love how much helpful information she includes on top of the amazing recipes.The amazing recipes of course! I love the variety of slow cooker recipes she includes. So much fantastic Paleo food here! There's main dishes, sides, soups, desserts... Some of my favorites so far are the Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Paleo Beef Casserole, Beef Brisket in Espresso Bean BBQ Sauce (I just drooled a little), and Paleo Banana Coconut Foster. There will be no room for b…
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Review: Cathe Friedrich's XTRAIN Series

The XTrain Workout Series is a total body fitness program that combines heavy weights with intense cardio. If you've read FitViews for long you can already guess this was a match made in heaven for me.

The XTrain Series comes with: 9 or 10 (deluxe set) calorie crushing workouts142 Premix Workouts2 Bonus Core Workouts5 Bonus One Hundred Rep ChallengesBonus Rear Delts WorkoutBonus Barre WorkoutSTS Full Color User's Guide packed with four rotations and detailed XTrain workout details.Free XTrain Online Tools and Workout CardsMy unboxing video:

As you can also purchase each DVD and the User's Guide individually I'm going to briefly discuss each item. Each DVD includes a brief introduction, several pre-mixes, and the option to play with or without music. 

Disc 1 Chest, Back and Shoulders
Equipment needed: Dumbbells, Stability Ball, Resistance Tubing.
Bonuses: Core #1.
100 Rep Challenges: Lateral Raises.
This workout is an upper body strength training workout with little rest betwee…
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May's #PaleoChat - What Does Paleo Look Like in Real Life?

I can't believe it's already time for May's #PaleoChat! This month's chat will be Wednesday May 1st at 9 PM Eastern time.
We'll be chatting about what Paleo looks like in our lives. 
To me Paleo (or Primal) eating is more of a spectrum than an absolute. Sure, there's strict Paleo a la Robb Wolf's first 30 days or Whole30, but not many of us live that way day in and day out (although some do and that's great too).
While there are those out there that play the Paleo police and insist strict Paleo or nothing, I know that most of us fall somewhere along the Paleo spectrum. Most people I know that "do Paleo" take the framework of Paleo and fit it into their lives. Some do a little dairy, some do 80/20, some believe in cheat meals, and so on. I think supporting and encouraging each other to find what works is so much more important than preaching or policing some standard.
What does Paleo look like in real life? Come share!
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Benefits of a Paleo Pregnancy

In my third trimester I find myself looking back at this pregnancy and marveling at the difference I see between this and my previous pregnancies. I had assumed Paleo would make a difference, but I'm a little shocked at how much of a difference I've seen.
Benefits I've seen with my Paleo pregnancy:
Excellent nutrition. I've tracked my nutrients throughout most of my pregnancy and I've been amazed at just how great my nutrition is without really even trying (other than just sticking to Paleo). My daily values are at or above recommended daily values consistently (before any supplements). 
People have asked if I feel deprived. With eats like this?




Nope, haven't felt deprived!
Less moody. Now, I still get sappy at the silliest things, but I'm not near as moody/emotional as I was in my previous three pregnancies. I was downright... grouchy. My husband has even remarked at how much more like myself I seem this pregnancy (pretty sure that was his nice way of saying I …
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From Dreaming of Boston to Praying for Boston

I had a review post scheduled for today, but pulled it. After yesterday's events at The Boston Marathon I wanted to share my heart.
Like many of my running peers I have the goal of qualifying for Boston. 

In July of 2011 I participated in Jack Sh*t's W.I.D.T.H. series. He asked us to answer on a note card why we were on this healthy living/weight loss journey. I had many reasons: my health, my family... but I chose instead to answer with a goal:


I chose that response because to me that goal embodies the amazing transformation my mind, body, and attitude have underwent on this amazing healthy living/weight loss journey. Even having that goal shows how far I've come and what it's all about for me. This me:



...was barely aware of the Boston Marathon and would have thought it impossible. I didn't set goals, I didn't believe in myself enough. 

But now I hope to check Boston off my bucket list some day. I believe it's possible. I believe in me.

The marathon tends to be…
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April's #PaleoChat: Paleo For Fat Loss

This month's #PaleoChat will be Wednesday April 3rd at 9 PM Eastern. We'll be chatting about Paleo for fat loss. 

There will be structured questions coming from me, but I'd also like to try a bit more of an open format this time. Have questions about paleo for fat loss? Feel free to ask them of the group. Need help troubleshooting Paleo specifically for fat loss? #PaleoChat is a wonderfully helpful group! Have tips, personal stories, etc related to Paleo for fat loss? Please share!

Hope to see you there!

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Trending on FitViews

KETO Cocktails: The Lemon Drop

I love a good glass of red wine now and then, I mean it's practically a health food, right? ;) But sometimes I just want a cocktail. I'm all for moderation and having a drink now and then, but I'm just not down with the calorie, carb, and sugar counts of some of my favorites. Seriously, have you ever looked them up? Eek. So, I've set to work at converting my favorite cocktail recipes to be more keto diet friendly!

The first cocktail recipe I'm tackling is the keto lemon drop. I used to love these, but haven't had one in years because of the sugar in them. In my early twenties I had a friend who used to make them for me all the time. We would have a shaker full of these, a good dinner, and a chick flick on a weeknight, it was kind of bliss. Her recipe called for so. much. SUGAR though! Looking back I think she may have used a wee bit more sugar than most, but they were really good.





I think my keto-ized recipe comes pretty dang close to those delicious memories! It…
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Cinnamon Vanilla KETO Coffee Creamer Recipe

There are tons of keto coffee creamer products flooding the market right now. Some are fantastic options. Some chock full of nasty ingredients. But most of them are on the pricey side.

I decided to work on some clean, more budget-friendly, keto coffee creamer recipes we can easily make at home! (Check out my Keto Peppermint Mocha Coffee Creamer too.)⠀

This dairy-free Cinnamon Vanilla Keto Coffee Creamer is definitely one of my favorites. I just love cinnamon coffees. They're delicious. Plus, cinnamon is supposed to be good for blood sugar control. Win-win.


Keto Cinnamon Vanilla Coffee Creamer ⠀⠀☕☕☕ ⠀
⠀
INGREDIENTS⠀⠀1 can (13.66 oz) Canned Coconut Cream
2 teaspoons Organic Saigon Cinnamon⠀⠀
2 teaspoons Organic Pure Vanilla⠀⠀
Low Carb Sweetener to taste, generally 5 to 10 packets OR 5 to 15 drops monk fruit (optional)⠀ ⠀
DIRECTIONS⠀⠀Add all ingredients to your blender. Blend, just until combined. About 30 seconds, scraping the sides if you need to. ⠀
Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 to 7 d…
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What is 75 Hard #75Hard: Documenting My Experience With The 75 Hard Challenge

January 1, I embarked on an interesting journey; I decided to start the 75 Hard Challenge (scroll to the bottom of the post for my updated journal on my progress. I've gotten a lot of questions on this program and what it is exactly, what the rules are, etc. So...


What is 75 Hard? It's a mental toughness skills development challenge started by Andy Frisella. His premise is that mental toughness is a skill and therefore can be learned, practiced, and honed. Andy designed this challenge to cultivate: confidence, self-belief, self-esteem, self-worth, endurance, fortitude, grit, perseverance, self-discipline, endurance, resilience... and all of the skills inside the scope of mental toughness.  Check out the podcast that started it all for all the info from Andy himself: https://andyfrisella.com/blogs/mfceo-project-podcast/75hard-a-75-day-tactical-guide-to-winning-the-war-with-yourself-with-andy-frisella-mfceo291 Note that if f-bombs are going to offend you this is not for you. 

So, w…
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Paleo Smoky Grilled Pineapple Burgers

Since going Paleo my family has fallen even more in love with our grill. Paleo and grilling just work well together. The past couple of years I've even been stepping outside my grilling comfort zone more and more. Grilling things I'd never thought to have grilled before and trying new flavor combinations. I have to say I'm pretty thrilled with the results of most of my flavor experiments. 

In the past I'd never have thought to grill fruit, but it's amazing. Grilling fruit and adding it to traditionally savory dishes? Brilliant.



Oh yes, and? New rule: every burger recipe for the rest of forever must contain grilled pineapple. OK, maybe more of a guideline. It's a seriously delicious combination though.

This Smoky Grilled Pineapple Burger is always a crowd-pleaser at my house. It's not only Paleo, but Whole30, glutenfree, lower carb, and clean eating friendly. I promise you won't miss the bun! 

paleo, grilled pineapple burger, smoky grilled pineapple burger,…
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A Day In The Life: My Fitness, Food, and Supplement Routine

A group of my fitness blogger friends decided to do Day in the Life posts today. I get a lot of questions about my routine. My Paleo eats, how much I work out, what supplements I take, how I fit in my blogging/freelance/work...stuff like that. I thought joining and doing a day in my life post would be fun and a great way to answer all of those questions at once!

This was yesterday (Tuesday 1/20). It was a pretty average day for me.



4:30 AM My alarm on my phone goes off. I get up, get dressed in my workout clothes, and take my pre-workout (it says to take it 30-60 minutes before your workout, I shoot for 30). This is a new supp for me and I'm still just taking 1 to see how it goes. I also take my Acetyl L-Carnitine because the bottle says to take it on an empty stomach. 
Sometimes I hit snooze until 5, but I'm trying hard not to do that. A lot of people say to sleep in your workout clothes to save time, but that doesn't work for me. What does work for me is to have my workout …
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Keto Paleo Friendly Coffee Creamer Recipe

Going keto paleo has me missing one thing: the organic grass-fed half-and-half I'd been having in my coffee. Since going paleo over a year ago I've searched and searched and just never found anything else I love in my coffee. I'd just about given up on a keto paleo-friendly coffee creamer!

I was almost to resign myself to black coffee forever, but then I decided to resort again to trying to make my own. This version is simple and quite delicious. Not only is it keto paleo, but Whole30 and 21 Day Sugar Detox friendly as well.




Keto Paleo Cinnamon Vanilla Coffee Creamer
Ingredients
1 can Organic Canned Coconut Milk(the kind in the carton just won't do it)
1 teaspoon Cinnamon Vietnamese Organic
1 teaspoon Organic Pure Vanilla for 100% Whole30 compliant swap for vanilla powder
2 teaspoons raw local honey or Organic Maple Syrup (optional, leave out for KETO, Whole30, or 21DSD)





Directions
Blend all ingredients well in your blender. Store in the refrigerator (the cinnamon tends to set…
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Jillian Michaels BodyShred Full Review

I have to say my two months of BodyShred flew by! It seems like I just started yesterday. Ah, time flies while you're having fun. Right? OK, in this full review post, I hope to give you a good overview of exactly what the BodyShred program is as well as my thoughts and opinions on the program. So, is Jillian Michaels BodyShred hype or help? Let's chat...



Jillian Michaels BODYSHRED is Jillian's latest total-package fitness program. This set includes:


What's in the box:BodyShred Fitness Guide
BodyShred Meal Plan
BodyShred Rotational Calendar
BodyShred "Let Them See You Sweat" Workout Towel
DVDs-
     8 - Shred Style Circuit Workouts
       1. Launch
       2. Rise
       3. Amplify
       4. Escalate
       5. Conquer
       6. Triumph 
       7. Zenith
       8. Apex
     2 - Straight Cardio Workouts
       1. Fire Up
       2. Ignite
    Plus, bonus workout Opus and a disc on the cast and teaching the moves. So, a total of 12 DVDs are included in this set.


The BodyShred Workouts
…
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KETO Hot Cocoa Pancakes

OK, I know I've been on quite the low carb pancake tangent lately, but THESE! Seriously, these are yummtastic. Yummazing? Ya, they're really good. They just might be my favorite recipe I've ever done. Ever. OK, that might be my paleo apple crisp recipe, but that's not low carb...ooo, I wonder if I could tweak that low carb...

That would be brilliant!

You know, bloggers area always talking seo this and seo that (seo stands for search engine optimization if you're not a blogger) and I'm just over here yammering. I'm pretty sure when google's spider crawlers (anyone shiver at that word picture? eesh) get to FitViews they just think, "Yeesh, move along. Nothing to see here." Ha ha ha!

Anyway, pancakes. KETO Hot Cocoa Low Carb Pancakes no less. So good. 


As I've mentioned before I'm back to low carb (keto actually) and developing new recipes to make it easier to stick with. I find I just plain feel great when I eat ketogenic, and I definitely h…
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30 Easy Prep and Pack Whole30 Lunch Recipes

The Whole30Program is amazing. I highly recommend it. Every time I've done a Whole 30 I have felt AMAZING by the end. It's a very empowering experience. It is not however an easy one. Mostly because the food prep can take much more time if you're used to grab and go options. A little planning ahead and you can definitely make it through the 30 days.

When it comes to Whole30 lunches, 3 things worked best for me:


Quick and easy salads.Prepping food on Sunday.Cooking too much at dinner and eating leftovers for lunch the next day.
I thought I'd share 30 of the awesome Whole30 lunch recipes I've found from my favorite bloggers (and a few from me!). I've included all three options I listed above. Some quick and easy salads, some to prep an entire recipe on the weekend and then portion them for lunches that week, and some to be cooked for dinner and the leftovers packed for lunch the next day. Play around and see what works best for you.

This list of 30 Whole30 Lunch Reci…
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The Top 20 Keto Diet Products on Amazon

With the popularity of the Keto Diet many companies are using it as a marketing ploy. Unfortunately, just because it says “keto” on the label doesn’t mean it is. There is so much junk out there that I would NOT recommend to a friend. So, for the past 6 months I've been weeding through all the new keto products and long loved keto staples on the market and weeding out the hyped up junk. What I've come up with is a top 20 list on Amazon. This list shares only the best of the ketogenic best you can find to support your Keto Diet lifestyle on Amazon! 

For my criteria in choosing products, they had to: Have clean ingredients.Be low enough in carbs to sensibly include them in a daily keto diet.Stand up to my quality standards for something I would (and for most of these do) regularly purchase.Taste good! (except, obviously in the case of the ketone meter, etc)Without further yammering, my picks for The Top 20 Keto Diet Products on Amazon:

 1. 

2.
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