No Independence Day is complete without a few red, white, and blue
treats! Celebrate America’s birthday with some of the patriotic recipes
below. They’re all easy to make and will make your partygoers ooh and
ahh almost as much as they will over the fireworks!
Independence Day Fruit Tray
No recipe needed for this one! It can be as big or as small as fits your
gathering. Take your favorite red fruits and use those, along with
blueberries and banana, to create the American flag! We picked cherries
and raspberries for the version below, but you can use watermelon,
strawberries, grapes, or even goji berries if you’re feeling super
fancy.
Cashew and Oat Hotcakes
Kick off the 4th of July with this healthy pancake recipe that is 21 Day Fix friendly and full of fiber! Get the recipe.
Red, White, Blue Parfaits
This mini parfait pudding is one great way to celebrate the red, white,
and blue and get your healthy nutrients at the same time! Get the recipe.
Peanut Butter Banana and Berry Toast
Here’s a cute breakfast or snack idea! Take a piece of whole-grain
toast, spread your favorite nut butter on top, and add some berries to
create a flag. Get the recipe.
Star Spangled Salad
This salad is so easy to make — simply cut watermelon into stars with a
cookie cutter and toss in some blueberries — but partygoers will love
its holiday spirit. Get the recipe.
Berryworks Shakeology
You know it wouldn’t be a holiday at Beachbody without Shakeology!
Here’s one of our favorites: a shake that combines Vanilla Shakeology
with strawberries, banana, and milk (or a milk alternative). Get the recipe.
Watermelon and Blueberry Sparklers
Kids will love these — just make sure they don’t run with the sticks!
These festive snacks are fun to make and you can toss the extra
watermelon into a fruit salad of its own, like the Star Spangled one
above! Get the recipe.
Red, White, and Blueberry Parfait
If you’re road-tripping, it might be tempting to hit the drive thru at
McDonald’s to pick up their Fruit ‘n Yogurt Parfait, but our version
contains less carbs, less sugar, twice the fiber, and nearly six times
the protein. Our Red, White, and Blueberry Parfait uses only ½ teaspoon
of raw honey as an added sweetener; McDonald’s uses sugar-spiked vanilla yogurt as well as three different types of sugar in their granola topping.
The 25 Most Motivational Sports Quotes Of All Time
For sports fans, sports are the epitome of hard work work and
dedication. To get to the top of their sport, even the most
naturally gifted athletes have to give it their all. It's not surprising that athletes have had some inspiring and
motivational things to say about hard work, leadership, perseverance, and
winning. Here are the 25 most motivational sports quotes of all time!
1. Be strong in body, clean in mind, lofty in ideals. James Naismith
2. Show me a good and gracious loser and I’ll show you a failure. Knute Rockne
3. No one ever won a game by resigning. Ksawery Tartakower
4. A champion is someone who gets up when he can’t. William Harrison “Jack” Dempsey
5. Set your goals high, and don't stop till you get there. Bo Jackson
6. Winners never quit and quitters never win. Vince Lombardi
7. Aim for the sky and you’ll reach the ceiling. Aim for the ceiling and you’ll stay on the floor. Bill Shankly
8. Natural abilities are like natural plants; they need pruning by study. Arnold Jacob “Red” Auerbach
9. Just keep going. Everybody gets better if they keep at it. Theodore Samuel “Ted” Williams
10. It is better to fail aiming high than to succeed aiming low. William Edward “Bill” Nicholson
11. A winner never stops trying. Tom Landry
12. The will to win is important, but the will to prepare is vital. Joseph Vincent “Joe” Paterno
13. Concentration comes out of a combination of confidence and hunger. Arnold Daniel Palmer
14. The man who can drive himself further once the effort gets painful is the man who will win. Sir Roger Gilbert Bannister
15. Success is not forever and failure isn’t fatal. Donald Francis “Don” Shula
16. We create success or failure on the course primarily by our thoughts. Gary Player
17. Great moments are born from great opportunities. Herbert Paul Brooks, Jr.
18. Without self-discipline, success is impossible, period. Louis Leo “Lou” Holtz
19. You can’t get much done in life if you only work on the days when you feel good. Jerry Alan West
20. Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can. Arthur Robert Ashe, Jr.
21. Champions keep playing until they get it right. Billie Jean King
22. Excellence is the gradual result of always striving to do better. Patrick James “Pat” Riley
23. The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team. Philip Douglas “Phil” Jackson
24. To be great we need to win games we aren’t supposed to win. Julius Winfield Erving II
25. You don’t win championships by just being normal, by just being average. William Theodore “Bill” Walton III
Kourtney DeRosa, age 37, lost 85 lbs with 21 Day Fix and Shakeology. She entered her results into The Beachbody Challenge® and won $1,000! Tell us about your life before you started the program. How did you feel about yourself and your body?
So this is me! Mom of two, wife, teacher… and now Beachbody Coach. In
2014 I saw a picture of myself and I was stunned. I honestly did a
double take. I’m not 100% sure how I got to that unhealthy place but I
do know that after having my kids and returning to my pre-pregnancy
weight, I sort of lost control. This was the result. In February of 2014
I decided I needed to get myself back on a healthy track and so I did. I
purchased the 21 Day Fix the day it came out and committed to
completing 21 days with my accountability group. I decided I was going
to take about an hour a day to take care of myself. My husband and kids
have supported me along the way. I ended up losing 85 pounds in about
eight months. I’m happy, I’m healthy, and now I’m on a mission to help
anyone that wants to be helped! What inspired you to change your life and begin your transformation journey?
I have two young children and I want to be a healthy mom for them. I do
not want them to think it is okay to eat junk and not exercise. I want
them to live long lives and I knew that I needed to be a model for them.
My kids are adorable and I would hide behind them in pictures. I felt
that if they looked good then I looked good. When I saw a picture of
myself that my sister had snapped of me when my kids were not around, I
was horrified. I was obese, seriously obese. I remember thinking that I
was too far gone, that there was no way that I could possible lose all
that weight. That it would take me months, years, surgery…I just felt so
defeated. Then I read a quote that said, “If you want different
results, you need to do something different.” I signed up for the 21 Day
Fix the next day and so my journey began. What is the greatest challenge you faced before beginning the
program? How did the program and Beachbody® help you overcome that
challenge?
I am a social eater. Most of my weight gain came from overeating on date
nights, parties, and Sunday “I am starting the diet tomorrow” binge
sessions. I needed to find a way to follow the program and still feel
like I could go out with my husband for dinner and drinks, or go to my
best friends party and not feel excluded. I quickly learned how to
utilize my accountability group to its fullest. Each time before I went
out, I would post and ask for tips. Then I would make sure that I had an
assortment of containers left for my evening out. Occasionally I would
post pictures of the menu where I was and ask for advice. I couldn’t
fail, not with everyone cheering me on. What in particular did you like about the program you chose?
I loved the 30 minute workouts. As a working mom of two young children I
just don’t have an abundance of time. The gym is out of the question
for me so I need to get up before the kids each morning to do my
workout. I was willing to get up 30 minutes early to get my workout in. I
also love the portion control system. The containers are so helpful for
measuring your food. Unlike other programs the 21 Day Fix really
teaches you how to make life changes. This program is not a quick fix
that results in regaining the weight lost. This program rewires your
brain and helps you create new healthy habits.
Describe the results you achieved with your Beachbody program. Which achievements are you proud of?
In my 4.5 months I lost 60 pounds. 60 pounds! I knew at that point that I
would reach my 85 pound weight loss goal. I went from a size 20 to a
size six in my jeans in eight months. Beyond the weigh loss, I feel
better than I did when I was in High School. I have increased energy and
I am so focused with personal and family goals. I am no longer hiding
behind my children in photos. Now, I stand by their side and show them
that their Momma is proud of who she is. I want them to be confident in
themselves and the best way for that to happen is for me to be confident
with myself. How has your life changed since completing your Beachbody program?
I am now working as a Team Beachbody Coach. I was able to leave my job
and stay home part time with my children. I feel that I am blessed to
have this opportunity and I honestly could not have written a better
ending to my weight loss journey. This August when I realized that I
would be able to stay home with my kids I had to pinch myself. I
honestly thought it was a dream. For me Beachbody has changed so much
more than may appearance. It has changed the mom I am ,the wife I am,
the friend I am… I am thankful that I now get to help others achieve
their goals and I am looking forward to what the future holds. How did participating in a Challenge Group help you reach your goals? How did your group support you and keep you accountable?
My challenge group helped me to stay on track. I felt that I made a
commitment to myself but I also made a commitment to the group. It was
the most positive weight loss atmosphere I had ever been in and I would
recommend a Challenge group to anyone who is looking to lose weight or
to improve their health and fitness. How did your Team Beachbody® Coach support you on your journey?
My coach checked in with me frequently. We were working together at the
time so we spent a lot of lunches together planning out our meals and
fixing up recipes to make them Fix friendly. How did a Beachbody Supplement or Nutritional Product or
Program (such as Shakeology® or Beachbody Ultimate Reset®) support your
transformation? What are the greatest benefits you gained? Did you see
benefits to your energy, sleep, mood/mental clarity,
digestion/regularity?
I drank Shakeology from day one. I find that it really increases my
energy level and that it totally fights my cravings for junk. You can change your life, too. Take the Beachbody Challenge
for the tools you need to Decide, Commit, and Succeed! Complete any
Beachbody program, and enter your results for a free gift and a chance
to win cash and prizes.
There are so many benefits to meal planning for your family, including healthy eating. By taking the time to learn how to plan weekly meals, you can control your portions and avoid eating empty calories. In addition to these benefits, meals eaten at home are usually less expensive and higher in nutrients.
Planning healthy, balanced family meals for the week can be a time saver, especially for people who are really busy. By shopping for your meals once a week, you can save time, money and gas by making fewer trips to the grocery store, and skipping the drive thru. Take some time to learn how to plan balanced meals for your family and you will save time, eat better, and be healthier.
1. Get Ideas
When you plan meals with your children in mind, they will be more likely to eat what is prepared. Ask them and other family members what foods they would like to eat during the week. It also makes it easier to get help with the meal prep and clean-up if their favorite foods are included. Search the web for delicious recipes and to get more ideas.
2. Plan by personality
Do you fresh foods or convenient foods to make the meal faster? Is cooking something you enjoy and don’t mind spending time doing? Do you make your food from scratch or do you rely on frozen and canned foods make the meal easier to prepare? Yhese little decisions determine your cooking style. Once you know your style you can get recipe recommendations and make personalized shopping lists.
3. Keep healthy food on hand
Having meal staples on your shopping list makes it easier to create quick meals on busy nights. Make sure your home is stocked with healthy foods from all of the food groups like milk, cheese, tomatoes, garlic, onions, apples, bananas, bread, cereal, pasta, rice, tortillas, beans, etc. The food you have on hand will determine how healthy you eat so, choose wisely.
4. Shop once for the week
Once you have made a list of the recipes you’re planning to prepare, including snacks and staples, make a list of all the ingredients that you will need to prepare these meals. Try using ZipList to organize your healthy recipes and compile your shopping list. Make sure your list includes nutrient-rich foods from all the food groups, then check your pantry and refrigerator to see what you may already have on hand. Make adjustments to your list and take your list to the store.
