My CIZE Review

Hi everyone!

So many of you know that since mid-July I have been following the new Beachbody workout CIZE.  Cize was created by Shaun T (you know the guy who does Insanity or Asylum on those infomercials).  Although he has some tough cardio workouts, he is actually a dancer and has made some great dance workout videos in the past…aka Hip Hop Abs.

I had just finished P90X3, I wanted something fun with cardio to switch it up.  I had been doing the sneak peak with Beachbody on Demand and was so excited to try the whole program.  My husband got this workout for me at Beachbody Summit back in July and I was pumped to try it right away!

I had done the 2^nd dance with Beachbody on Demand and so I thought, well the first one will have to be easier cardio wise.  Not a chance!  Once finishing it the first time I took a picture to send it to my hubby so he could see how sweaty I got. I am typically not a big sweater during workouts, so this was a bit shocking to say the least. 

The workout program is 6 dances. There is a calendar for both intermediate dancers and beginners.  I am obviously a beginner, so as a beginner, you do the same dance for a week.

The dances range in time from 30- 51 minutes.  The first dance is 30 minutes, second is 45 minutes, third is 36 minutes, the fourth is 37 minutes, the fifth is 40 minutes and the sixth is 51 minutes. Although I really only like 30 minute workouts, I found that the time just flew by. 

Shaun T really breaks down the moves well and once he teaches you a new move you go back to the beginning and work it back into the routine.  Yes, there were times I was thinking “I can’t do this”, but with the repetition I was able to master even the more complex moves.  And if you know me, I am NO DANCER. I have zero dance moves.  And I was able to complete all the dances, albeit with no dance style, but with lots of effort in the cardio department.

I often did the CIZE abs after most of the workouts.  It was 8 minutes and it was a great to finish up my workout targeting my abs.  At this point I was usually dripping in sweat from all the dancing.  The moves were tough, but not too tough that it made me want to quit.

I got great results from this workout!  I definitely got leaner all over and got better definition in my midsection.  For many of the dance moves you are really engaging your core and I found that I was seeing better improvements in that area.  I can really see how people on “Dancing with the Stars” say that they drop tons of weight, because the cardio and full body movements from dancing really target all parts of your body.

If you are looking for a fun cardio workout where you actually want to get moving then this is a great program.  I am really hoping that more DVDs are made to further this program because it is by far my most favourite Beachbody cardio workout.  I am going to start another round of the 21 day fix for the next month but I will perhaps sub some days in with CIZE.

Here is a beginner calendar of Cize with the time lengths of the dances.

Message me if you think you would want to try dancing it out as a workout!

Thanks for reading!
Kristin

Kale from my garden...a follow up!

Hi everyone,
So the other day I took a picture of my kale that is growing in my garden.  Because of the awesome weather the kale has been growing so well.

The only problem was that I didn't know what else to do with it besides green juice.  And since I am the ONLY person in my house who will eat it, I needed to make something easy tonight that would just be for me (and wouldn't take a long time to make).

So I looked in the 21 Day Fix Fixate Cookbook.  That book has been GOLD for me.  Everything I have made in that cookbook has been awesome. And I love that it tells me the containers it uses for the meal.  You can order a copy of this cookbook HERE.

I LOVED this salad.  I didn't make the croutons, only because I was also making chili for the girls at the same time and I could only multi task so much!  And since my husband didn't eat the other portion, I get to eat it tomorrow for leftovers!  Yeah!!!!! So yummy and I don't need to cook.  Double bonus!

Here is the recipe below:
Toasted Kale Salad with Lemon Dijon Salad dressing

1 slice whole grain bread cut into 1 inch cubes (for croutons)
1 tsp. olive oil
1 pinch sea salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
1 chicken breast, skinless cut into strips
1/4 tsp. chill powder
1 bunch kale torn into large pieces
1 tsp. finely chopped lemon peel (for garnish, optional)

2 TBSP Lemon Dijon Salad dressing
~1 large egg yolk pasteurized
1 TBSP Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
4 TSBP lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp. lemon peel
1/4 olive oil

1. preheat oven to 450F
2. line a baking sheet with aluminum foil
3. combine bread, oil, salt and pepper in a bowl and toss to coat.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.
4. sprinkle chicken with chill powder
5. fry chicken in frying pan over medium high heat
6. cook chicken for 6-8 minutes until chicken is cooked.  Remove chicken from the pan and keep warm
7. Add kale to the pan, cook over high heat for 4-5 minutes.  Cook until the kale is crispy and cooked.
8. Divide kale and chicken between 2 plates.  Top with chicken and croutons.
9. Drizzle with dressing.

Enjoy!
Kristin

21 Day Fix containers

Have you seen these containers?  Have you seen the infomercials for the 21 Day Fix?

I love my containers!!!!  I love the colours and how they help me stay organized with my eating.  Obviously as a cereal junkie I love my yellow container and with this program it helps me see that I can't eat bowls and bowls of cereal and still get results.
What I found most interesting was that I wasn't getting enough protein daily.  I needed to eat 4 red containers, and before I was probably eating maybe 2 servings of protein a day.  So perhaps that is why I was chowing down so much on my carbs (cereal, bread, noodles).
Eating healthy is all about balance.  Eating veggies, fruits, proteins, carbs and healthy fats.  And of course having the daily amount of water to keep yourself properly hydrated.
The beauty of these containers is that you aren't depriving yourself of any foods.  You can still have treats or wine...all you need to do is swap out one of your yellow containers (a hard choice if you ask me!)
You can use the container system for any workout program that you are using.  It isn't just for the 21 Day Fix.
And when I go back to school in 2 weeks my lunch bag will be organized so I can eat my containers throughout the day.
Are you looking to make a change in your eating habits to get better results and hit your goal?  Maybe these containers are for you!
Here is what I will be putting in my containers for me meals for today!  For my daily allowance I can have 4 green, 3 purple, 4 red, 2 yellow, 1 blue, 1 orange and 80 oz water.
This is some of the foods I will be eating today.

Oops... Where is the blue container?

Here it is!

Have a great day!

Kristin

Granola recipe (or as my kids call it Birdseed)

My first post on my new blog!!!!!

This recipe is kid and husband tested and approved! So delicious and not as bad for you as the store bought stuff. And easy to make too! I love this granola so much I actually need to hide it so I don't end up eating too much! My kids beg for Birdseed so I made a batch this morning when I knew I should have been snacking on snap peas and carrots! Oh well, this granola is so worth it! The original recipe is from Tony Horton's Bring it- Get up and Go Granola. I have tweaked it a bit!

Granola aka Birdseed
4 1/2 cups Large Flake oats (Old Fashioned Oats)
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 TBSP Flax seed
1/2 tsp salt

Mix together

3/4 c olive oil
3/4 c maple syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Mix with the dry ingredients

Extras:
1/2 c walnuts/almonds or other nuts
1/4 seeds of your choice
1/2 c raisins

Place the wet mixture on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Put in the oven at 350 for 30 minutes.

Let the granola cool for about 10 minutes.  Then break off into chunks and enjoy.
To keep my portions under control I break it apart and portion it off and put it away and bring it out when I want a snack or when my kids want a snack.

Enjoy!

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