A Glimpse Into My Journey

This is a LONG POST ALERT...but I need to share my heart because I know there are others out there who are EXACTLY where I was back in 2012. You see, I was the heaviest I’d ever been and to be completely honest, every single day was a struggle. You know when it's just simply a struggle to get out of bed? That feeling like wow I want to play with my daughter, but it's a STRUGGLE to just bend over and stand back up. I was there. Unhappy and uncomfortable.

{2013}

{Photo Cred: Alexa Michelle Photography}

An ah-ha moment for me was when I saw a family photo we took. I felt ashamed that I had let myself get to this point. I mean I was sitting there with my 3 ½ year old…wearing maternity pants!!! Every part of the spunky, fun, happy, healthy me I had been in high school was completely gone.

I beat myself up for a couple of days and then while digging through our collection of DVD’s I stumbled on a copy of P90X that someone had given us. We’d never even turned it on. It had been easy to convince myself that I was too out of shape to do it, it was too hard, or even that it wouldn’t work.

That day, it was different. I stopped what I was doing and put in the first DVD I saw, Legs & Back. That workout is a solid hour of intense leg and back work and I had to fight for every single second of it. I cried, I got frustrated, I took little breaks, I modified, but I NEVER QUIT.

{2015}

Something changed in me that day. I stopped letting my excuses rule my life and for the next year I worked out religiously. I dropped nearly 150 pounds and was able to get into a size 2…even smaller than I had been in high school. I'm not going to tell you that it's all been EASY PEASY and that I haven't had my fair share of moments where I fall off, lose motivation and have to re-commit. But I've surrounded myself with a COMMUNITY of people that won't let me fail, my Beachbody Community is my life-line and everyday I'm just grateful that I'm not on this journey alone.

{2014}

So if you don't know...I hope you now by now, I'm a COACH. A Virtual Fitness Coach.

Why? Because everyday I want to help women JUST LIKE ME to find their version of happy. Everyday I want to help women just like me get comfortable in their own skin again. And the best part is that it's VIRTUAL. That means I get to help you regardless of where you live, how in shape or out of shape you are in or how crazy your schedule is.

{2016}

So just know...I AM HERE. The door is always open for you to ask questions, I'm going to be opening the doors for all of us to get together in an accountability group soon, so keep your eyes peeled. And never forget that YOU have the power to change your story, to rewrite your future, to find YOUR VERSION of happy!

Paleo Tangerine Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients: 

1 lb ground chicken 

1 tbsp avocado oil 

1 c mushrooms, diced 

1/4 c green onion, chopped 

4 cloves of garlic, minced 

1 tbsp white wine vinegar 

1 tbsp raw honey 

1-2 tsp cayenne pepper 

1 tsp ground cumin 

1 tsp black pepper 

1/4 tsp sea salt 

1 tsp ground mustard 

2 tangerines, peeled 

8 large romaine lettuce leaves 

Directions:

1. In a skillet, heat avocado oil on medium heat. Add ground chicken. Cook until almost done.

2. Add mushrooms and onions. Cook until onions and mushrooms are limp. Stir in garlic, white wine vinegar, honey, and seasonings. Allow to simmer 5-10 minutes on low heat.

3. Add tangerine sections and allow to simmer another 3-5 minutes.

4. While mixture is simmering, trim romaine leaves to use as the wrap.

*makes 4 servings*

Adapted from Emily Schromm's Asian Lettuce Wraps, be sure to check out her amazing Superhero Challenge!

We're one week into 2017 and hopefully one week closer to achieving our New Year's resolutions, but did you know that almost 90% of resolutions fail? That's a pretty scary statistic! Today, I'm sharing 7 steps to help you create good habits which will help make that resolution fool proof! 

Do you need somewhere to get the support and accountability mentioned in this infographic? An online accountability group might be the perfect solution for you. You can learn more about these group on my Facebook page, Get Fit with Alina, or email me and we'll find a way to help you knock those resolutions out of the park!

Paleo Cuban-Style Shredded Beef Skillet

Ingredients:

1 bunch collard greens or 4 c lightly packed raw spinach

2 tbsp avocado oil

½ c chopped onion

2 medium green sweet peppers, cut into strips

2 tsp oregano

½ tsp cumin

½ tsp coriander

½ tsp paprika

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 oz cooked beef, shredded (Leftover beef from this week’s Ropa Vieja recipe works well)

1 tsp finely shredded orange peel

1/3 c fresh orange juice

1 c halved cherry tomatoes

1 tbsp fresh lime juice

1 ripe avocado, seeded, peeled, and sliced

Instructions:

1. Remove and discard thick stems from collard stems from collard greens. Cut leaves into bite-size pieces, set aside.

2. In an extra-large skillet heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and sweet peppers; cook for 3-5 minutes or just until vegetables are tender. Add oregano, cumin, coriander, paprika, and garlic; stir well.

3. Add shredded beef, orange peel, and orange juice; stir to combine. Add collard greens and tomatoes. Cook, covered, for 5 minutes or just until tomatoes start to juice out and collard greens are just tender.

4. Drizzle with lime juice and serve with sliced avocado.

Paleo Chicken Verde

Ingredients:

½ lb tomatillos, husked in rinsed

1 serrano chili pepper

1 large poblano pepper

½ onion, chopped

¼ cup firmly packed cilantro leaves

2 cloves garlic, crushed

½ tsp cumin

2 tbsp fresh lime juice

4-6 chicken breasts

Salt and pepper to taste

2 avocados, chopped

Instructions:

1. Place oven rack in top position and turn on the broiler. Line a baking sheet with foil and place tomatillos and peppers on it.

2. Broil tomatillos and peppers until charred, about 5-6 minutes a side.

3. Let stand for a few minutes until the blackened skins loosen, then pull them off (it’s okay if a few pieces stay on.)

4. Chop the tomatillos, peppers, onions, and cilantro. Add to CrockPot with the garlic, cumin, and lime juice. Stir to combine into the salsa verde (green sauce).

5. Place chicken breasts in the CrockPot, pour salsa over them and cook on low for 5 ½ hours.

6. Use 2 forks to shred the chicken, then cook for another 30 minutes.

7. Add salt and pepper to taste, then serve with avocado.

Paleo Cuban Grilled Pork Shoulder

Ingredients:

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 c coarsely chopped onions

1 c avocado oil

1 1/3 c fresh lime juice

2/3 c fresh orange juice

1 tbsp cumin

1 tbsp oregano

2 tsp pepper

1 tsp crushed red pepper

1 – 4 to 5 lb boneless pork shoulder roast

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, mix garlic, onions, avocado oil, lime juice, orange juice, cumin, oregano, pepper, and red pepper. Stir well and set aside.

2. Using a boning knife, deeply puncture pork roast all over. Carefully lower roast into the marinade, submerging it as much as possible in the liquid. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Marinate in the refrigerator for 24 hours, turning once.

3. Remove pork from marinade. Pour marinade into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and let boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Set aside.

4. Place meat on grill rack over drip pan. Cover and grill for 2 ½ to 3 hours or until or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the roast registers 140 degrees. Remove meat from grill. Cover loosely with foil and let stand for 10 minutes before carving or pulling. 

Paleo Picadillo

Ingredients:

2 small onions, chopped

2 tbsp vegan butter (i.e. Earth Balance) or ghee

4 cloves garlic, crushed

3 lbs grass fed, organic ground beef

½ c beef stock

4 tomatoes, chopped

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 jalepeno pepper, finely chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp cumin

½ lb pitted green olives

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Saute onions in vegan butter in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, or until translucent.

2. Add the garlic and brown the meat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure the onion and garlic don’t burn.

3. Place meat, garlic, and onions in the CrockPot with all remaining ingredients, except the olives.

4. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

5. Add olives in the last hour of cooking.

6. Salt and pepper to taste, then serve.

Paleo Jamaican Jerk Shrimp with Avocado Oil

Ingredients:

1 lb fresh or frozen medium shrimp

1 c chopped, peeled mango

1/3 c thinly sliced red onion

¼ c fresh cilantro

1 tbsp fresh lime juice

2-3 tbsp Jamaican Jerk Seasoning (see below)

3 tbsp avocado oil, divided

JAMAICAN JERK SEASONING:

1 tbsp onion powder

1 tbsp dried thyme

1 ½ tsp allspice

1 tsp black pepper

½ tsp ground nutmeg

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground cloves

½ tsp cayenne pepper

 Instructions:

1. Thaw shrimp, if frozen. In a medium bowl stir together mango, onion, cilantro, and lime juice.

2. Peel and devein shrimp, if not already done. Rinse shrimp, pat dry with paper towels. Place shrimp in a medium bowl. Sprinkle with Jamaican Jerk Seasoning, tossing to coat shrimp on all sides.

3. In a large non-stick skillet, heat 1 tbsp avocado oil over medium-high heat. Add shrimp; cook and stir about 4 minutes or until opaque. Drizzle shrimp with remaining avocado oil and serve with the mango mixture.

Paleo Chorizo-Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers

Ingredients:

2 tbsp paprika

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

½ tsp preservative-free granulated garlic

1 ½ tsp cumin

¾ tsp oregano

¾ tsp coriander

½ tsp black pepper

¼ tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp cloves

12 oz ground pork

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

6 large jalepenos, cut in half horizontally and seeded

½ c cashew cream (find the recipe HERE)

1 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro

1 tsp finely shredded lime peel

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. For chorizo, in a small bowl combine paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic, cumin, oregano, coriander, black pepper, cinnamon, and cloves.

3. Stuff chorizo into jalapeno halves, dividing evenly and mounding slightly (chorizo will shrink as it cooks.) Arrange stuffed jalapeno halves on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until chorizo is cooked through.

4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine cashew cream, cilantro, and lime peel. Drizzle stuffed jalapenos with cashew cream before serving. 

Paleo Ropa Vieja

Ingredients:

2 tbsp vegan butter (i.e. Earth Balance) or ghee

2 onions, sliced

2 bell peppers, sliced – I use one red and one green to add some color)

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 ½ lbs chuck roast

8 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped

2 tbsp tomato paste

½ c beef broth

1 tbsp cumin

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

Fresh cilantro for garnish

Instructions:

1. Melt ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat and sauté the onions until translucent.

2. Add the peppers and garlic, sauté another 3 minutes, until garlic is fragrant, the transfer to the CrockPot.

3. Brown the roast on all sides in the same pan over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, then transfer to the CrockPot.

4. Stir together tomatoes, tomato paste, broth, spices, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Pour over the beef and cook on low for 6-7 hours.

5. Shred the beef in the CrockPot with 2 forks, and cook for an additional hour. (When the beef is ready, it should shred easily.)

**If you end up with too much liquid, taste the meat, and if you are happy with the flavors, just remove the meat and vegetables with a slotted spoon. If it needs more flavor, you can move the dish to a sauté pan and simmer on low for 30 minutes to concentrate the flavors and reduce the liquid.