Kale Chip Recipe – Sexy Style
Hope you enjoy this delicious kale chip recipe that I sort of made my own. If you didn’t know, I have recently begun a not-so-secret love affair with kale…the beautiful cruciferous vegetable (if you wanna get technical), that is…after a visit with my good friend Healthy Iva. While visiting her beautiful home in California, she introduced me to her “sexy salad”–the base ingredient of the salad being kale. And this is where the misty-eyed romance started for me.
So I’ve been having my sexy salad everyday….seriously. But I’m headed out on a roadtrip this weekend and needed a way I could take my kale with me. I’ve always heard people talking about kale chips but have never attempted to make them. After baking some last night, I don’t know why I have been holding out on trying this for so long because they are DELICIOUS!!
Kale after it's been trimmed from the stem
So here’s my Kale Chip Recipe:
Wash the kale really good and blot dry with a paper towel. Tear leaves into medium size pieces. Place the leaves in a large bowl.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheet with aluminum foil.
(Here’s where my kale chip recipe gets “experimental.” I don’t measure things, I just mix together. So you might have to play around with ingredients and amounts to get your own mixture right.)
I make my own dressing to put on my sexy salads and I LOVE it. So I thought, why not use it for my kale chips as well.
SCORE.
You may not need all of this dressing for the kale chips but here’s how I make mine–
- 1/2 cup of EVOO
- a couple splashes of red wine vinegar
- a couple splashes of Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
- a sprinkle of seasoned salt
SHAKE or STIR until mixed well.
Massage the leaves with the dressing and lay flat on the cookie sheet. There’s no scientific way to do this, just use your hands!
Bake for 8-10 minutes or until leaves are crisp but not brown. Keep a close eye on them though because they brown easily.
Hope you enjoy this kale chip recipe and please let me know what you think.
P90X Cost–Is it Worth The Price?
Just in case you’ve been living on Mars for the past 6 or 7 years I’ll give you a little background on P90X (P90 Extreme). As a matter of fact I’ve heard that even Mars has infomercials! But for the rest of you, here’s a very brief history. It is arguably the hottest weight loss and home fitness system available today. It was created by Tony Horton and Carl Daikeler, Steve Edwards and nutritionist Carrie Wyatt. Both Carl and Steve are with the company, Beachbody.
What does P90X cost?
The system consists of 12 DVDs and P90X cost about $120. It includes the DVDs , the 3 phase nutrition plan, fitness guide and the “How To Bring It” bonus DVD. You should always be sure to buy either from Beachbody or from your independent Team Beachbody coach. There is a large quantity of black market or bootleg copies of p90x available on Ebay, Craigslist and other sites.
However, many of these are counterfeit and do not include the whole program such as the nutrition guide, workout guide, or the support of your team beachbody coach and often times have DVDs that don’t function properly as they have been burned.
In contrast with most of the supplements and diet pills you see advertised, P90X doesn’t promise effortless weight loss. It promises three months of perspiration and pain.
What is P90X?
This home exercise system consists of a very rigorous, segmented training regimen combined with a dietary supplement plan and a nutrition plan. It is built around a method of cross-training that Tony calls “muscle confusion.” It is achieved by alternating the order of exercises and by incorporating varied movements.
According to Horton, P90X was developed for people who were somewhat fit but want to take their exercise to the next level. The exercise part of P90X is built around 12 different workouts based on “periodization” or “muscle confusion.” The workouts consist of strength training, yoga, plyometrics, stretching, boxing and cardio. The program requires exercise six days a week in 13-week cycles.
There are three different paths you can take within the program that are named “classic,” “lean” and “doubles.” You select the path you wish to take for yourself based on your personal goals. Most of the workouts require less than an hour. However, one of them, the abdominal workout (called the “ab ripper”) is done three times a week after six of the rotating workouts and adds about 15 minutes to each of them.
What you need for the workouts
One of the best things about the P90X program is that it doesn’t require a lot of expensive exercise equipment. All you will need is dumbbells, an exercise mat, pull-up bar for the strength-training exercises, a sturdy chair and possibly yoga blocks for the yoga exercises. If you can’t use weights or a pull-up bar for some reason, you can substitute resistance bands.
In the event that you would like to purchase everything you could possibly need to complete P90X, you could purchase the Peak Results Package. Then accompanying the standard system you also get a chin-up bar, jump mat, a month supply of results and recovery formula, and three resistance bands of differing strengths.
The nutritional component
The nutrition part of P90X has three phases. During the first 30 days, the emphasis is on higher protein and lower carbs. Its purpose is to help users understand the relationship between energy and carbohydrates.
The second nutritional phase increases the percentage of carbs in the diet and decreases the amount of protein. The final, third phase is a higher carb diet that’s sometimes called the athlete’s diet. You progress through these phases as you go through the program until the end of the third program at which time you will be in the “athletes” phase.
Not for everyone
While Beachbody, the company behind P90X, has reported product sales of $430 million, it has discovered that the program is not for everyone. In fact, Beachbody has many other programs now for the elderly, teens and even a faith-based program. There is also a less intense version of another program by Tony Horton called Power90.
So if you would love to lose weight and get fit, but don’t feel you can handle the requirements of P90X, you can relax. Beachbody already has many other programs that can help you achieve your goals no matter what your current level of fitness may be.
Are you looking to buy meal replacement shakes for weight loss?
People are all the time asking me about meal replacement shakes for weight loss in their new healthy routine. Everybody does need to have some sort of option for a quick meal on-the-go or as you’re running out the door in the morning. Obviously, there are a ridiculous number of products on the market. And thanks to some clever marketing by health and fitness companies, the information is chaotic and confusing at best. So what I am attempting to demystify this and make a solid recommendation (although completely biased 
) on what product you should purchase if you are serious about using a meal replacement shake to help you lose weight.
First let’s take a look at the standard Whey Protein Shake
Off the shelf Protein from ABC Nutrition Store
Now let’s take a look at a true meal replacement shake for weight loss!
- Shakeology Nutrition Facts
Don’t You Wish It Was Easy?
Don’t wish it were easier, wish you were better!
While on Facebook today, I came across this quote and it really spoke to me. So many times I read quotes and it touches me but today was different. It sparked visual realizations…and I want to share it with you.
We all go through hard times in our life. We all have struggles. Some more than others, but we have all experienced it. And I can think of situations where I just wished it was easier…the situation….life.
But reflecting on the difficult times in my life, I realize now that some of the biggest blessings in my life have come from struggle and pain. I thank God that He has brought me through the hard times and for the lessons I’ve learned.
A couple of things in particular came to my mind immediately. The first is my 6 year old son. For several years of my early adulthood, in a quest to find MY way, I made many decisions that caused major hardships, not only for myself but for my family and my friends. And I learned that the personal decisions we make, good or bad, not only affect us but others as well.
For years I had floated in and out of a lifestyle that continually sucked me back in time and time again. I experienced and witnessed things that I wouldn’t wish on anyone! The life changer was getting pregnant. I made a decision very early in my pregnancy that I would NOT subject my child to the lifestyle in which I was living. I wanted better for him than I’d been doing for myself. But in order to do that I had to better myself.
This post could get REALLY long if I laid out all the details from that point. However, in an effort not to drag this out, I will just say that my life has only gotten better from that point. Am I saying there haven’t been other struggles and pain in my life? Absolutely not!
Which brings me to the other blessing I want to share with you. As a result of the tumultuous lifestyle I lived for so long, there were mental and psychological scars left that I wasn’t aware of for a long time. Because of the upward turn my life had taken, I felt I had every reason to be happy, grateful and thankful. I really didn’t even feel I deserved the blessings that had been bestowed upon me!
At a time in my life when I’d been blessed with an amazing husband, 3 bonus sons, and 2 biological sons, was able to stay home with my children, I still dealt with depression, self-doubt, and lack of self-confidence. I couldn’t understand it but I knew that I wanted it to change. And the first place I knew to start was losing weight. I thought maybe that was the reason I felt so bad all the time.
I have discussed my journey in detail before so I won’t rehash it in its entirety. But for those who may be new to find my blog, I was a size 16 when I started trying to lose weight. Searching for the thing that would give me the results that I ultimately desired, I came across P90X and had amazing results. I have lost about 50 pounds, dropped almost 20% body fat and for the first time ever in my adult life wear a size 6.
Has the physical transformation been amazing? Yes it has. But more importantly are the changes that have taken place on the inside. THAT is what has made this such a life-changing experience for me!
I had times I didn’t know that I could do it. I had times I wanted to quit. But the desire for CHANGE outweighed the desire to quit! I didn’t want to just continue going through the motions of pretending everything was great. I really wanted to EXPERIENCE the greatness that my life could be!
An added blessing is the opportunity to PAY IT FORWARD!! Becoming a Team Beachbody coach has not only helped me achieve physical results with my body, it has also allowed me to connect with others who encourage me to be the best person that I can be. It has taught me to strive for personal growth and development daily. It has allowed me the opportunity to help other people achieve success which is so fulfilling! And it has allowed me to earn an income which helps my family….all without having to give up my full-time mother status. I am able to take my boys to school every day, participate in school activities, pick them up from school and I’m not left stressed out when I have a sick child who can’t go to school.
I am SO thankful for the hard times I’ve experienced in my life! And when the hard times come, may my attitude always be “Don’t wish it were easier, wish I was better!“
What’s The Solution To Ending The Trend of Obesity
We had the pleasure of Tommy Mygrant coming down from Ohio to Middle GA to share with us the solution for ending the trend of obesity.
Tommy has had amazing success with P90X and that one decision to change HIS life has in turn changed thousand’s of lives!! I want to share a short video of Tommy’s transformation followed by what he shared with us!
There’s NO reason to feel like you have to combat your weight loss alone!! I love this equation Fitness + Nutrition + Support = Success!
Join us at Team Beachbody and help us END THE TREND!!
Savor the Journey
Today I shot a little video while driving down the road!
I know, probably not the safest thing to do for sure. But it was a long, straight stretch of road!! And I woke up in the middle of the night thinking about this subject.
Hope you enjoy it.
So You Want a Personal Trainer?
Let’s face it, everyone’s household budget is tight. I know everyone worries about money and finances. With all the demands on their budget, most people just decide that a fitness trainer is far out of reach for them. The sad thing is that being physically fit means more than just how you look; being fit means being healthy. Exercising does more than shed pounds, it works the heart, lungs, muscles, and nourishes your brain.
But if you can’t truly hire a fitness trainer, what are you supposed to do? You can of course join a gym and work out there or try to exercise at home, but often these efforts fall short without the guidance of a good fitness trainer. You may not be pushing yourself or you may be pushing too hard in which case you’re likely to injure yourself. And of course if you’re not following a good plan, you won’t see the results you’re looking for.
So, this begs the question…how then can you hire a fitness trainer without paying $60/hr.? Let’s take a look at how I solved this problem for myself. A great way to have a professional fitness trainer in your home inexpensively is to purchase a Beachbody program that has been designed by professional fitness trainers and nutritionists.
This might be the Slim in 6 program by Debbie Siebers, the P90X program by Tony Horton, or my personal favorite the Insanity program by Shaun T. All of these programs are designed for rapid weight loss and muscle toning that is done safely and effectively.
Why should you consider these types of programs over the cheap DVD’s you can buy at wal-mart or target? Because most of these DVD programs are not designed by a fitness trainer but instead feature a particular celebrity. Most celebrities have very little knowledge of what it takes to get in shape…think about it…they pay the most expensive personal trainers on planet Earth to help them get in shape.
But those celebrity workout DVD sets sell because someone recognizes their name. Or they may see how fit this celebrity is and reason that they can get that way by following their instructions. In reality a program that features a celebrity is rarely as effective as one designed by a real trainer with real education in fitness, nutrition, muscle conditioning, interval training and so on.
Remember all of the Beachbody programs are designed by fitness professionals and are written so that you follow a particular program of fitness and nutrition. These programs are not just boring, repetitive exercise videos. They’re meant to work your body in a particular way so that you see maximum results but with less risk of injury or damage.
Following a program such as those available through Beachbody will mean losing the weight in a safe way and I promise you will be in the best shape of your life. Look at the picture at the top of this page, those are my real before and after photos…those are the same pants in both pictures. I can personally attest to the impact of a Beachbody program.
So if you want a fitness trainer in your home, why not consider investing in a Beachbody program?
I’d love to answer your questions, so use my contact page to send me yours. You’ll be glad you did! And I’ll be your coach every step of the way!
Progress Is Your Proof
Sometimes you may feel that you’re not making any progress at all with your fitness program – like a hamster running on a wheel – going absolutely nowhere. But there are ways to track your weight loss and fitness targets that will provide the encouragement you need to keep on keeping on until you reach your goals.
During your fitness journey, the one thing I recommend more than any other is to not obsess about what the scale reads. I know that’s what everyone in our culture measures themselves by…but honestly it’s not what you need to focus on. I’m all the time telling people who come to my bootcamp that you need to focus more on how your clothes fit, and your measurements…these are the real signs of progress.
You’ll only want to weigh yourself once a month rather than daily or weekly. This strategy gives your body a chance to react to the weeks of effort you’ve given. It also keeps you from becoming discouraged if your happen to see marginal weight loss on the scale. I cannot stress how important it is to keep your mental focus. Please don’t let the scale get your head out of the game, that’s where the real battle is fought.
The best way to track your weight loss progress is to take your measurements. Many times the scale doesn’t reflect the inches you’re losing…there’s just no way that it can. Taking measurements will reassure you that you’re actually making real progress.
When you measure yourself, do so with clothing that fits tight to your skin or without clothing at all. I can point you in the direction of some measurement charts online that provide instructions on how to accurately take your measurements and that will track your progress in inches to your desired goal. You should measure yourself every couple of weeks to track your progress.
You can also track your fitness progress by measuring your body fat percentage. This method can provide help you realize how much fat you need to lose to reach the desired fitness goal. Using calipers is really the best way to measure body fat, you can then take those readings and plug them into an online calculator that uses the skin fold measurements to calculate your body fat percentage.
A great motivational tool is to log all your measurements in a notebook, on a spreadsheet or however you prefer. My point is that you’ll then have a record to periodically record and view your progress. This method will show your tangible results, it will be a powerful incentive to keep up with your diet and exercise program.
As always, please don’t hesitate to contact me with your questions or comments. I’ve helped a lot of people with taking their measurements and I’m always willing to offer my encouragement. I want to be your coach….I know you can do it and I’d love to help you!!
How BAD do you want to lose weight??
I apologize for the abrupt ending….camera batteries died! Please feel free to comment and ask a question or contact me if you aren’t comfortable asking your question publicly and I’ll be happy to answer your question as well!!
Much Love,
Coach Chelle
