Lose weight while on Vacation

Recently I had the pleasure of attending a fitness conference in Las Vegas, Nevada with a ton of like minded people. We are all Team Beachbody coaches which I can talk about later. (There will be a link below if you are interested in learning more about the opportunity as well as a form you can fill out if you would like to be a part of my mentorship program coming up).

But I am not here to talk to you just about the coaching opportunity. I am so excited to announce that after weeks of being stagnant on the scale even while I was sculpting with P90X3 the fitness program, I was unable to get it to move for the last 2 months! Check out what happened in this video and I will show you how it's done!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pv9Zf5PE8Pk

Yes, that's right!  I lost 5.2 pounds on a 5 day trip to Las Vegas?! What?! How is that possible? I thought for sure I was looking at a weight gain because of the 3 hour time difference, the lack of sleep, not being near my kitchen for all of my own healthy cooking, plus a 5 hour flight for which you cannot take water! So here are a few things that I did before, during, and on the way home from my trip that got me these results!

• I packed snacks for the plan. I left at 4pm EST and landed at 9pm EST so dinner was almost out of the question at that point. Some snack ideas are almonds for protein, whole grain crackers, apples, and bananas

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•  Next, I made sure to pack an empty water bottle. When you got through security on an airport you are not allowed liquids so I would fill mine at the water fountain after  I checked in. Some people do not want to have to use the bathroom on the airplane but I still was able to drink 2-3 bottles of water before and during the flight and stay hydrated.
• While on the plane I chose only snacks such as peanuts and a very small bag of mini pretzels. (Let's face it, the airlines are all about portion control)
• Once in Las Vegas, we found a Whole Foods grocery store and stocked up on fresh fruit, wraps, hummus, and low sodium chicken breast for lunches.
• While there we also walked everywhere we needed to go adding over 15,000 steps to the pedometer daily!
• We were fortunate to be able to workout live with Chalene Johnson to the new Piyo program which you can learn more about here: http://beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/DawnJeter1?bctid=3630126878001 With Piyo we were low impact but dripping in sweat!

•  We also worked out a second day with all of the Beachbody trainers at the super workout! Wow what a rush!!
  
  
  
  
  • When we did eat out we chose foods like sushi, chicken, and rice, always looking for the veggies!
    
    This salad even had Jicama!! My favorite!!
    
    Finally, HAVE FUN!! When you get away, it should not be stressful! I was overwhelmed leaving my children for that long for the first time, but once I got there even amidst the tension of moving from workshop to workshop, party to party, and workout to workout, I must have relaxed enough to let 5 pounds melt away!
   

If you are not at a fitness conference ( which most times you won't be!) make sure you have your home workout program with you so you can pop it in your laptop or DVD player in your hotel room or condo to get your strength, toning, and cardio in to start your day off right! You can check out all of the programs at www.beachbodycoach.com/dawnjeter1

Don't forget to sign up to receive this blog by email and as always, my contact information is below!

www.beachbodycoach.com/dawnjeter1
dawnjeterfitness@outlook.com
Instagram: Jeterfit
Twitter @dawnjeter79

If you are interested in learning more about the coaching opportunity check out this video below and fill out the interest form. I will be mentoring 5 coaches in the month of July. If you would like to be one of them, no strings attached, just fill it out! This has been a life changing experience!
 http://beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/DawnJeter1?bctid=111029551001

Here is the interest form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1wNQ370iZ7Zp3f3w17GbZQXmETlfOulOvPMz8QFK2VNk/viewform?usp=send_form

Twice Baked Southwest Sweet Potatoes

On of my favorite things is sweet potatoes! As a child growing up, this was not the case! My family traditionally had a smashed cracker crumb crust with a pound of butter, another pound of brown sugar, and a bag of marshmallows melted on top. If you were lucky, you could eat the whole dish without ever even tasting a real sweet potato. It was just pure sugary goodness!

 Now, I think differently because I know the effects that those things have on the human cells. I love sweet potatoes now, but not the kind covered in brown sugar and marshmallows, but real yams!

This recipe is something my sister came up with one evening while we were getting together. It can really be paired with any dish, including fish, chicken, or red meat.

• Bake 4 large yams at 350 until soft inside or poke each yam in several spots with a fork and wrap them in wet paper towels. You can microwave them this way until the flesh is soft.  
• Scoop the flesh out of each sweet potato and add it into a large bowl. (Save those skins in tact if possible!)
• Add butter or began butter (for dairy free) and mix thoroughly.
• Add in 1/2 tsp. cumin, 1tbsp smokey paprika, and 1tbsp McCormick salt free Southwest seasoning ( keep adding to get the perfect flavor for you)
• Mix it all together and scoop the flesh back into the skins. 
• Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and broil lightly until melted and brown and crisp on top. (for dairy free skip this step)

This recipe is sure to be enjoyed by everyone, even my kids like it! And it tastes very exotic!

For more recipes like this or to follow this blog please sign up for emails from me or follow me on facebook at:
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or email me at dawnjeterfitness@outlook.com

Decrease your running times

As a runner I have always simply gone out and run. I never thought about intervals to get faster. I also never thought about strength training. About a year ago, I started doing both! And guess what, my mile times got faster, my body recovered quicker, and I feel so much better! 

I was basically the girl who ran 30-40 miles a week and never really thought about stretching before or after, never worried about my nutrition, never lifted a weight, and NEVER sprinted. So last year when I started doing Beachbody programs like Insanity and Focus T25, I was sweating it up in my living room and all the while thinking "how in the heck is this going to help me run?" I figured if anything the workouts got a little crazy at times, that they would actually hinder me from running and make me more tired and sore, unable to run as far. 

Quite the opposite! I used to run a 5K in about 36 minutes. A 5K is a 3.1 mile race and I loved to run them for the charities they help, the energy and excitement you get from the race, and of course the free shwag and raffle prizes. I never dreamed I would ever get a whole lot better or lower my times much. This was me running a race I like to run every year at a vineyard where we live. If you look closely, the time clock is 36:22. This is what I thought was pretty good. And it was, but I was a runner for years!

I was also overweight and eating very poorly...

After a few years of this, a bout with cancer, and depression, I just woke up one day and decided to fix it! To fix myself. So I did. I started with Insanity, the Focus T25 which are Beachbody programs you can now get through my website with exclusive coaching from me! By the time I was halfway through T25 here is what my 5K at the vineyard looked like:

I know, right?!  I won the second place trophy for my age group, and did it 2 years in a row!Ten minutes off of my time is so little time! Why?? Because these programs focus so hard on changing things up so your body does not remember what's coming next! There is high intensity interval training, strength, core, upper and lower body trainings, all in these workout programs built into a specific schedule. Not only did my running get better but I lost over 30 pounds, and more than 50% of my body fat % over the first year! I went from 31.1% body fat to 13% body fat! Now that is amazing! 

If you would like to learn more about these programs and how they can help you gain strength and get better in all aspects of your fitness, check out my website or facebook page and please do not hesitate to email me or sign up to receive this blog by email! Beachbody helped me get past my depression, unhealthy eating, and a very stagnant point in my life. You can be the best you!

www.beachbodycoach.com/dawnjeter1
www.facebook.com/jeterfitness
dawnjeterfitness@outlook.com

Staying active as a family

As a family we have always tried to remain active. When I met my husband we chose mountain biking and climbing over movies and restaurants. We continued this even after we had children. Too often families bond over these activities which are not very active and contain some not so healthy food choices. Both of our children have been hiked with since they were babies and then they began hiking along when they were able to walk on their own. Both of my children were also pushed in a jogger, and then a double jogger stroller since 7 weeks of age. 

Last weekend I was schedule to race a 5K that I like to participate in annually. I was talking about it with my son on Friday evening. To my surprise, he looked at me and said "mom, can I race with you?" Well, one can imagine my heart soared because in the past he would walk a few blocks and complain he didn't want to got any further. One thing about us as a family is we try to teach our children to never quit on anything they try to accomplish. So I was actually a bit afraid of failure on this one. Reluctantly, I signed him up the next morning and we approached the starting line. 

Now, you might look at my little guy and wonder how old he is? He is 6 years old and just finished first grade. As we began the race I talked with my son about breathing, keeping a pace, and saving all of his energy for running this to completion. A few times, he decided to run back and forth in front of runners with my apologies each time or he would skip and jump around. I encourage him every step of the way because I was just so proud I didn't want him to quit. 

I expected to walk quite a bit and get finished in about 45-50 minutes. We got to mile one in 11:07, mile 2 in 23:03, and we crossed the finish line in 35:19. My husband was almost not prepared to take a picture because he didn't expect us so soon. My son held my hand a few times during the run, he got a cramp once after guzzling water at the first stand, he decided he had to go #2 at mile 1.2, (seriously), but he never complained, he never gave up, and he never quit. My son was my hero that day. He reminded me that what I do in fitness everyday, what food choices I make every day, that he is watching. Make sure you are setting a good healthy example for your children. They will always remember these times, way more than another trip to the movies or a restaurant. I could not be more proud as a parent.

Healthy Salad Dressings

As summer approaches we all like to eat cooler foods and with that comes a lot of salads and sandwiches. But lately your standard salad dressings can have more sugar and chemicals than a bowl of marshmallow cereal! Summer is salad season but so many dressings are filled with chemicals. Do you know most buttermilk ranch dressings contain 2% or less of the ingredient Buttermilk? Some do not even have it as a listed ingredient? There are also so many dressings with sugar and high fructose corn syrup in them which basically robs your body of the essential nutrients you are trying to add in by eating salad in the first place! 

Since completing some of the Beachbody programs this last year, including the Ultimate Reset detoxification and restoration program, I have learned how to make so many wonderful salad dressings and I put my spin on each one to "jazz" it up. I hope you enjoy and try each one of them!

Standard Balsamic Vinaigrette (16 Servings of 2 Tbsp each)

12 Tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
1/2 c. fresh lemon juice 
2 tsp raw honey or best grade pure maple syrup
4 tsp Dijon mustard
12 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1. combine vinegar, lemon juice, and honey in a medium bowl and whisk, blending well
2. stir in mustard and mix well
3. slowly add oil while whisking, mix well

If you have a dressing bottle you can put everything together and shake!

Find more like this in the Focus T25 program at:

http://www.teambeachbody.com/shop/-/shopping/BCPT25205?referringRepId=266974

• You can make the above dressing into a citrus vinaigrette by adding 6 Tbsp. of fresh squeezed orange juice.

Creamy Garlic and Herb ( 10 Servings of 2 Tbsp. each)

1/2 C. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 C. apple cider vinegar (or balsamic if preferred)
3 cloves finely chopped garlic
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. fresh chopped parsley (dried works also)
1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. raw honey or best grade pure maple syrup

Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. It is best to refrigerate this dressing and take it out about 30 minutes before use because if can solidify. Shake or stir well before serving.

Find more like this with the Ultimate Reset detox program at:

http://www.teambeachbody.com/shop/-/shopping/BCPCLN305?referringRepId=266974

Herbs and Cream Dressing (24 Servings of 3 tsp. each)

1 medium avocado sliced or chinked
1.5 C. of nonfat plain Greek yogurt (use coconut milk plain yogurt for dairy free)
4 Tbsp. finely chopped herbs (tarragon, parsley, mint, cilantro, basil, Italian options)
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1 dash ground white pepper or any pepper will do
1/3 C. extra virgin olive oil

Put the avocado, yogurt, herbs, lemon juice, salt and pepper in the blender and blend until smooth. Continue blending avocado mixture while slowly adding oil until blended. Refrigerate covered.

Find more like this in the 21 Day Fix program at: http://www.teambeachbody.com/shop/-/shopping/BCP21D160?referringRepId=266974

REAL Buttermilk Ranch Dressing ( 16 Tbsp.)

10 tablespoons buttermilk
6 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried chives
1 teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste

Mix everything together in a bowl until smooth and creamy! Refrigerate covered

Natural Weed KillerThat Works

As a cancer survivor, mom of little ones, and having many pets, I am always looking for more natural and healthy ways to to just about everything! We live on a small farm with 8 acres of land. We have a beautiful creek that the kids love to play in but every year about this time the weeds get so high. They are not hard to manage at first, but after a few weeks of rain and warm weather we usually give up and let them grow. 

We have tried other weed killers in the past but when you read about the harmful effects of some of the chemicals, (not to mention the price) of some of these per gallon, it becomes a losing battle. We have even burned the banks of the creeks and other weeded areas but they still return! Last week I came across a picture that showed using vinegar, Epsom salts, and Dawn soap to kill weeds. 

So naturally I went right out and got the necessary ingredients! A gallon of white vinegar was $2.83, the Epsom salts were $1.88 and the Dawn soap was $1.77 totaling $6.48 for the gallon mixture. But the best part is, there is enough salts and soap left for at least 1-2 more gallons which mean for another $2.82 I have now made 2 gallons of weed killer! That is still less than the standard cost of a gallon of name brand weed killer at $9.99. Here is a patch of weeds we did around 2pm on this particular day.

The first picture shows the strip of weeds and how green they are. The second picture was from about 4 hours later and the leaves were already beginning to brown! Now look what happened after just 2 days!

The whole strip of weeds along that part of the drive is almost completely dead! Woohoo! It worked! So I would say that this was to kill weeds is just as effective as any of your brand products and a much safer option especially around kids, pets, and people! 

For more tips and trick around the house and in the kitchen, don't forget to sign up to receive my blog by email and check me out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jeterfitness

I am always available by email for all of your health and fitness needs to help you reach your goals at dawnjeterfitness@outlook.com

Staying Hydrated

Today I wanted to address daily water intake. As summer approaches so many people get busy and forget to drink up. There are many ways to make flavored water without the chemicals that some of these drink powders have you drinking. We actually use a few drops of agave nectar when we put fresh squeezed lemons into the cups for our kids and this is there "lemonade." But even without that, water can be so great with lots of fruits and vegetables! You do not have to have a water bottle with an infuser to do this. My tip: just let the water sit overnight in a glass jar or jug and let the infusion take place!

For a great list of glass water bottles and accessories I would recommend Life factory. http://www.lifefactory.com/

Here is a list of some of the things I have used in my water that taste so amazing:

Lemons/limes
Oranges
Strawberries
Cucumbers
Frozen grapes
Frozen Mango
Watermelon
Mint
Ginger 
Cinnamon Sticks

Here is also a great pic for some water "recipes."

You can also make "fruity" ice by filling each cube of a tray with water, whatever fruit or berry you like, and a spice like mint or basil. This is great for a summer treat!

Remember the recommended amount of water each day is HALF of your body weight in ounces, and if you are more active you should be getting about 3/4 of you body weight in ounces. Here is a great visual for getting just over 1/2 of your body weight in ounces:

Check out this link to a video to learn more about hydration and the important role water plays for your health and your body: http://www.teambeachbody.com/showcase/-/bcp/71468586001/266974?referringRepId=266974





Don't forget sparkling water gives you that "fizz" and there are no added calories!

For more tips and tricks don't forget to follow me by email or find me at www.facebook.com/jeterfitness

Killer workouts

Today was an amazing day for fitness in my book! This whole weekend was great! Yesterday I started with my P90X3 workout of Eccentric lower. This just means that you actually work the negative in your different moves. Working the negative means rather than bring the weights down at a standard pace, or squat down and up, you actually bring the weights down at a slow 3 count or you lower yourself into the squat very controlled with that slow 3 count.

After the workout we decided to do a river trip down Gunpowder falls in Maryland. In order to have the ruck waiting for us and our canoe at the end, I drove the truck to the takeout and did the "shuttle" with my road bike. A word of advice...never volunteer to do the shuttle after LEG DAY!! I rode almost 6 miles back to my family in the canoe and then came the paddling! We had to go around about 8 different HUGE tree that fell in the river all the while carrying the canoe and our supplies.

Today brought on an awesome 4 mile run in 35:10. Here is where I have to give a huge shout out to my Beachbody programs. I have always loved to run but could never get any faster. I averaged between 10-12 minutes per mile since high school. Beating 10 minute miles was unheard of for me. I still ran and I even increased my distance to 10 milers and half marathons, always running the same speed or slower. Then I did Insanity...that is where it all changed for my running. After pushing myself through Insanity I was able to run my miles in the 8-9 minute per mile range. This was a 60 day program and I could not believe what happened to my body, my mind, and my running times!

Before Insanity, I went to the gym. I became a personal trainer, and I had no direction. I was depressed a bit after having cancer. I ate too much, exercised too little, and didn't feel I had any direction to go. Insanity pushed me to the edge. I laid on the floor at times, I yelled loudly at time, heck, I even cursed at Shaun T at times, but I NEVER GAVE UP! There were days when my kids would say "mom, are you dying?" or "mom, are you crying?" But this program gave me my life back!

I was so excited when I found out today that Insanity is on sale this month of June through my website exclusively! You can get the full program, workout schedule, Shaun T's recipe and nutrition guide, and 30 days of the super food protein shake, Shakeology. This would normally cost $205 but is reduced to $160 this month only! You do not have to be Insane to do Insanity, but you do have to have a drive and dedication to truly change the way you view your fitness. You have to be committed and ready to turn that corner. Once you do a program like this the whole way through with no excuses, you will wonder what you ever did before! Check out this video. If you think you are ready for Shaun T and Insanity to change your life, comment or send me an email! http://beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/DawnJeter1?bctid=2421431250001

email me for details! I am looking to coach some serious challengers who want some serious results! dawnjeterfitness@outlook.com