The Tone It Up Nutrition Plan

It's been a while! If you're subscribed to my channel on YouTube, you would have seen a video in the last few weeks of my ramblings about why it's been such a long time and a massive apology!

Let me do one for the blog now! I'm so sorry it's been so long, school is taking up so much of my time. Law degrees are not easy! Please for one second don't feel as if I'm wilfully neglecting Diary of! I love this aspect of my life and just wish I had more time for it. School is nearly finished so please bear with me for just a few more weeks!

Today, however, I want to talk about the Tone It Up Nutrition Plan!

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Foodie Friday: Clean Quesadillas!

I'm trying sooo hard not to let this blog become a total foodie blog but I can't help it - I LOVE FOOD!

And trust me...you want me to share this recipe with you!

Tonight was one of those nights where I'm home alone cooking for myself, so I'd planned earlier on in the week to make a Quesadilla (a kind of Mexican pancake, I guess, for those of you that don't know!)

Let me tell you, it surpassed ALLLL expectations!

And - it was really simple! It doesn't photograph too well but it makes up for it in taste!! 

What's even better - it's 100% lean, clean and green! If you're on the TIU plan limit this to M3 :)

Ingredients (serves 2)

2 Wholewheat Tortilla Wraps

1 pot of Plain Chobani (Or another Greek Yogurt - I'm on a Cho kick)

1 Chicken Breast

Juice of 1 Lime

Cayenne Pepper

1 Red Onion (diced)

1 Red Pepper (diced)

I added Guacamole and Salsa but only because I had it to hand because I'd just finished making this week's Tastes so Good Tuesday post (which by the way is going to be incredible!)

Method

Poach your chicken for about 30 minutes, until cooked

Once cooked, shred with a knife and fork

Coat in 2-3 tablespoons of Chobani

Add Lime Juice and Cayenne Pepper to Chicken mix and stir

Heat up a flat frying pan/griddle (spray with a little 0 cal spray before)

Place one wrap on the pan and load the mixture on top

Add chopped onion and pepper

Place the other wrap on top and cook for 3-4 minutes

Flip using a plate! (the hard part but it can be done! Cover frying pan with a plate, turn the pan upside down etc)

Cook the other side for 2 minutes

Serve!!

PS - The Lime Flavour is phenomenal! 

Enjoy :)

Georgie 

Sizzlin' Sprouts Recipe!

All credit for this recipe goes to my mum!! 

If you're a Tone It Up girl then you'll know that we love sprouts!! I however (admittedly) am an exception to that club!! I'm not the biggest Brussel Sprout fan in the world - put it that way!!

That being said, we rarely have them in this house but when we do, Mum cooks up this recipe and it it basically the only way she can get me to eat them!! I did originally mean to post this as part of the Christmas series but time ran away with me!

This is honestly so simple and I love the crunch you get from 'stir-frying' the sprouts! I say stir frying loosely because it's more the heat from the pan that cooks them!

- Ingredients -

(Not going to bother with portions! I'm assuming you will know how much to cook depending on the amount of people you're cooking for!)

Chopped Sprouts

Chopped Leeks

Diced Bacon (Turkey bacon would be amaze!)

Non-Stick 0 Cal Cooking Spray (Like PAM)
Add some Cayenne Pepper for an extra kick if you like things spicy!

- Method - 

Spray a wok or large frying pan with your cooking spray and allow to get really hot!

Toss in all three ingredients until cooked! (The Sprouts will probably take the longest)

Serve!!

We usually serve in a huge bowl in the middle of the table - it's a nice little touch!

I just think this is a really different way to cooking sprouts! Better than roasting/steaming/boiling no?

Let me know if you give it a try! Send pictures! *Hint: I am OBSESSED with Instagram ;) Follow me - georgieedwards27 xxx *

Love and Hugs!

Bar Haul!

I know...I have a problem. If you saw my latest Whole Foods Haul video (here) then you'll know I get very excited when I see Bars and usually end up buying ridiculous amounts of them. If you're on the Tone It Up Diet Plan, you know how useful bars are for post-workout fuel or for a Meal 2 or 4 option.

Today was no exception - I bought 5 bars in 3 minutes
I had just left the gym and needed something to tide me over until lunch so I went in to the Student Union store at my University in search of something healthy for my Meal 2. 

I was actually really impressed by the variety of healthy options this tiny little store on campus had. Yes it was more expensive than going to a supermarket but still - I was happy; there was a whole unit for health food eating (I know that's not a real term but whatever haha). If you're in the UK, like me, then you'll know it's really difficult (bordering impossible) to get hold of Larabars, Clif Bars, Luna bars etc here. These two brands, I think, are a really good alternative.

I'm such a dork haha

I picked up five bars (3 from one brand, 2 from another) and I am super pleased with my purchases!

From one brand (that I had heard of) called Trek, I bought two bars. One Mixed Berry Wholefood Energy Bar and one Cocoa Brownie Wholefood Energy Bar. Both count towards 1 of your 5-a-day, they are wheat and dairy free and are suitable for Vegans. They are also made with all natural ingredients, so you'll be able to pronounce everything on the wrapper! They are also made in the UK which I like because it makes them cheaper than Clif bars etc which are imported and because it's gret to support UK businesses. The berry bar has 203cals, 11g protein and 5g of fibre and the brownie bar has 223 cals, 12g protein and 5g of fibre.

They also taste great and they're really filling so I tend to eat half of one and save the rest for later =P

I have seen Trek bars in Boots - so I know you can buy them there but you can also get them in places like Holland and Barrett, Tescos, Waitrose, Asda etc - a whole list of stockists can be found here

You can also bulk-buy on their website with free delivery - this again will work out cheaper :)

The next bars I found, I was actually really interested by because I hadn't even heard of the brand before and I consider myself to be pretty up on my UK Wholefoods! They're called O Bars and they were 89p per bar - which is relatively cheap considering the shop I was in.

I picked up three flavours; an Apple and Cranberry Oat Bar (which I ate straight away haha), a Pomegranate and Raspberry Oat Bar and a Vanilla and Blueberry Oat Bar.

My first impression of the Apple and Cranberry bar was that it was really sweet - it doesn't have any aded sugar; only what has come from the fruit but it might just be my taste buds! They are all made with 60% fruit so I have no doubt that this contributes!

All of the bars are Dairy and Wheat free and are suitable for vegetarians, they ranged from 180 - 184 calories per bar, 3.3 to 3.4g of  protein and they all had 2.1g of fibre. 

I have never seen them in stores before today and I did have a job to find a website, but I eventually did.

You can buy them in wholesale here and if I see them in any more stores I shall let you know!

Do you love bars as much as me?

Love and Hugs,

Georgie xx

Fitspiration Friday: I interview the TIU Bride; Liz Trewhitt Schultz

It's here! I'm officially renaming Friday; Fitspiration Friday. It's going to be epic! You may remember two weeks ago I posted an interview I conducted with the Tone It Up Bikini Challenge winner, Kate Bear. 

I've been assaulting my Tone It Up friends again and this week I had the honour of interviewing Liz Trewhitt Schultz. Liz was actually one of the first people I followed on Twitter when I began following Tone It Up.  I consider her a dear friend and she's been a huge inspiration to me throughout my whole Tone It Up journey.

You may know Liz as the TIU Bride as she very recently got married; she talks more about that below!

Enjoy!

Liz on her Wedding Day

Hey Liz! Thanks so much and welcome to Camp Beach Babe!!! We'll start with the basics. How was it that you first found Tone It Up and when?

           I honestly can't quite remember exactly how I came across Tone It Up, but I am about 98% positive it was while looking for workout videos on YouTube and they popped up in a sidebar suggestion.  I watched a few videos and got to browsing their website.  After that I was hooked!

Had you been working on your fitness before? Did Tone It Up first inspire you to get going or give you that extra kick you needed?

          I used to dance in high school so fitness was always something I was aware of.  After graduation and no more dancing, I got slack.  I'd workout for a few weeks, then slack off.  I had joined a Bootcamp Class (high intensity circuit training) in November of 2010 that I still take 4-5 nights a week.  I was pretty determined at that point because I was planning a wedding and wanted to look my best, but once I bought the Tone It Up nutrition plan was when I REALLY got determined to make a change in my life!  It was absolutely the extra kick I needed, especially nutrition-wise.

Liz during a recent race Look at those legs!

What's your favourite Tone It Up workout and why?

          I am so partial to all of the workouts from the 2011 Bikini Series!  Probably my most favs are the Beach Ball, Bikini Strap, and Itty Bitty Bikini.  Can you tell I really want a nice sleek core?  lol  Those are great for working my core, thighs, and even my arms!

Those who may not know you as well as I do won't know that you don't have a gym membership. You've shown that you can look kick-ass without going to the gym! What are your tips for people in the same boat?

          Some days I really go back and forth with myself on getting a full gym membership, but they can be so expensive!  I'm fortunate to have gotten into the bootcamp classes I take when that gym first started so I got a REALLY good deal on those. Like a whole lot of other people these days, I am on one super tight budget.  So no matter how I've tried to work it, joining a gym is just not within my budget right now.  That is one reason I love Karena & Katrina so much.  They're always posting great, free workouts online that I can easily do at home or at my local park. Some even require no equipment!  What equipment some workouts require, you can get for a great price either online or at Target.  That works out great for me!  Since then I have also found some other great trainers via YouTube with free workouts.  My biggest tip is invest in a few key pieces of equipment such as some free weights and a stability ball.  You can get a great, sweat busting workout just with those and using your own bodyweight!  The internet is a great tool and with just a little searching you can find so much out there for free to help get you on track to where you want to be!

Liz as a child. Sorry girl! I had to haha!

 Do you have a favourite group fitness class?

          Boot Class is definitely my favorite!  I usually never stuck with classes too long because I just couldn't motivate myself to go.  This class is so much fun!  I really did find the perfect group of trainers and people locally to workout it.  It's always fun, encouraging, and we're all rooting for each other no matter what the age or fitness level of each individual.  It's awesome! :) 

Congratulations on becoming Mrs Schultz! You got married this past September, did you do anything special to get in even better shape for it?

Thank you! :D  Getting engaged should have made me automatically want to get in better shape and it did, but it was months before I put my foot down and said, "I am doing this!"  I got engaged in spring 2010 and that November was when started bootcamp.  In January I found Tone It Up and soon after bought the plan.  I knew my eating habits had to change and I needed some major help in that area!  So yes I began working out, but changing my eating habits was the most special change I made to make sure I was a happy, healthy, and glowing bride!  Plus I had a Hawaiian honeymoon to look forward to!  I wanted to make sure I looked good in that bikini!

Liz and her husband Wasley on their wedding day

Have you got any advice for other brides-to-be? Fitness related or otherwise :)          

Number 1. Don't freak out!  haha  I now know why planning a wedding can be so stressful.  There were days I would be in tears over something that really wasn't that big of a deal.  Number 2. Don't let emotional eating from the stress ruin your bridal fitness regime.  I can't tell you how often I wanted to just down a bag of cookies and say "screw it".  I kept reminding myself of the bigger picture.  Number 3. If you really want to get in better shaper for your wedding, start immediately!  Working out actually helped me feel a whole lot better when I was stressing over color choices, flowers, and who to invite.  Just remember, at the end of it all, you are marrying your best friend.  That is all that matters! :)

You've got the most incredible back!! What is your favourite move to get it looking as good as it does?

Thank you! Thank you!  I think the back is one of the sexiest parts of a woman so I worked hard to show it off in my wedding dress.  Rows and reverse fly!  Those are my favorite moves to work those back muscles!  If you are doing them right, you can really feel it working those muscles.  I don't have one at home, but we do some exercises on a TRX at bootcamp and anything I have ever done on that has been great for my back.  I hope to invest in one soon!

Liz's back. I'm officially dedicating 3 hours a day to reverse fly's.

Like me, you're a fur-mom! What's the best part about having dogs? They keep you fit right?!

Oh gosh there is so much to love!  I mean, who else makes you feel like Elvis every single time you walk through the door?  I have an entourage wherever I go in my house!  haha  Sadly, since we've always had a fenced in back yard I have never really been a dog walker with my guys.  That really has changed now, especially since my oldest one has gained some weight!  We just started taking a daily walk to help him shed some pounds.  :)  I'm big on hiking so once the weather really starts staying warm, we'll be hiking lots of trails around the mountain I live on.

What's on Your Workout Playlist right now?

I always try to make new mixes to change it up.  My favs right now are:

               -Love On Top - Beyonce

               - Party Rock - LMFAO

               -Good Feeling - Flo Rida

               -Guts - All Time Low

               -Stronger - Kanye West (ALWAYS a fav running/workout song!)

               -High Life - Kelley James (I've loved this one ever since K&K used it in their fall challenge videos)

Two of Liz's Fur Babies :)

Living the Tone It Up Lifestyle, like we do, is about more than just working out and eating right. Tell us one of your beauty secrets!

Absolutely!  I'm slowly in the transition of trying to switch as many of my products as I can over to all natural.  One I have been using for awhile now is Burt's Bees Royal Jelly Eye Cream.  I have extremely sensitive skin around my eyes.  This is the only stuff that doesn't burn at all!  I swear it has helped a lot with my dark circles too.  Being a night owl, I need all the help I can get in that area!  lol  I've also recently started using coconut oil at night as a facial moisturizer.  Sounds kind of crazy right?  It is amazing!  I use it all over my body as well.  It smells amazing and moisturizes my skin b;etter than any regular moisturizer I've ever bought!

What is your beauty must have?

Mascara!  I'm one of those won't leave the house without makeup on kind of girls, but my biggest must have is mascara.  It can make anyone look awake! 

Liz getting her hair and makeup done :)

Are there any blogs or websites you look at (besides Tone It Up of course!) to find inspiration / new workouts to get you that little bit more motivated?

I've always been a fan of Fit Sugar.  They always have really good articles concerning everything from food and workouts to the latest workout clothing or fitness fad.  I also love Amanda Russell on YouTube.  Like K&K, there is just something so adorable about her and she posts great workout vids.  Pinterest has been GREAT for being able to "pin" workouts and recipes I come across. I also have a tumblr.  You wouldn't believe all of the amazing blogs with inspiring posts on there!

What are some of your favourite healthy recipes?

I'm absolutely obsessed with this peanut butter, banana and chocolate protein shake!  If I could, I would have it for every single meal of the day! It seems like most all Tone It Up girls will say this but seriously the TIU Protein Pancake is just amazing! Thre are so many variations of it on the nutrition plan. It's hard to believe you're eating something that is good for you!

Liz on Honeymoon!

Anyone who's seen your TwitPics will know that you live in the most beautiful area! (Chattanooga Tennessee) What are your favourite activities to keep you active outdoors?

I'll be the first to admit that I cannot stand cold weather in the slightest way.  So late fall and winter can be really hard for me to motivate myself to get outside.  When the weather is nice though there is so much to do here!  Disc Golf is huge in this area, though I've never played it.  I love hiking and there are so many trails in this area!  I plan to step it up a notch this summer and try trail running. I'm very fortunate that my parents have a pool so I love to swim almost daily in the summer.  When the weather is nice, I try to get a good run in on our Riverwalk downtown.  It goes across our Walking Bridge and follow the river for something crazy like 10 miles.  It's beautiful and makes me really appreciate where I live. 

Do you have any goals for the next few months or for 2012 in general?

My biggest goal this year is to have abs!  I still have weight I want to lose, but my main focus as i work through that is to have a nice set of abs.  I don't need a crazy six-pack.  I'll be happy with a little 3-pack! 

One of Liz's TwitPics. Beautiful right?

To someone deciding whether to join our Tone It Up Team, what would you tell them?

I'd tell them to follow a few of us on twitter.  Talk to us and ask questions!  Everyone I have ever come across on the team is more than happy to give advice and opinions.  Try the workouts on Karena & Katrina's YouTube channel. It was a few months after I found them that I bought the plan, but I am so glad I did!  If you're someone like me who has a really hard time understand how you should be eating and why, then this plan will absolutely solve that problem for you!  Even though they have so many people on the plan and following them, they really are there for you whenever you need help! It's like having a personal trainer and nutritionist at your fingertips 24/7!  Best part, you pay that one time and you have it and all updates for life!  I'm not a of gimmicky fads that you know won't work.  K&K are all about simple, clean, eating and hard work.  You can't get more honest than that and it works.

Randoms; Just For Fun!

Favourite Fitness Related Quote?

"Fall down seven times. Stand up eight."

It always keeps me in check with the fact that I will fail at some things sometimes, but with practice, patience, and persistence I can conquer whatever it is. 

Favourite Colour?

Turquoise!  It reminds of the beach, which I love.  :) 

Favourite Pair of Shoes you own? =P

My wedding shoes!  I wanted a pair that I could wear again and I just loved these!

Best Place You've Ever Visited?

Oahu, Hawaii!  We stayed on the North Shore at Turtle Bay for our honeymoon.  It was amazing!  I'm already convinced I want to move there.  Maybe one day! :) Happiest Memory?

Walking down the aisle to my husby.  :)  You can't replicate that genuine emotion when you first see each other.  My Dad had to tell me to slow down.  I was hustling down that aisle! 

Anything Else You'd Like to Say?

Thanks so much for featuring me!  I'm so honored to be on your blog.  You are a huge inspiration to me and such a special Tone It Up sister! 

Awwe Liz, thank you! I love you! Thank you so much for doing this ♥

You're truly beautiful and I wish you a long, happy and healthy life with your Prince Charming, Waz. 

You can contact Liz via her Twitter, or on her blog :)

2012 Transformation: February in Review

I can't believe it's March already! My 2012 transformation is well underway! Although it's just a short month I've come on leaps and bounds!

Best moment of the month! Yes I'm crying!

Weight wise there was no big change. I'm down 1.4lbs from my end of January weight but I'm happy with that all things considered. The start of February marked the begining of my trip to Disneyland with my boyfriend. We had an absolutely amazing time and on average I burnt 400+ calories a day due to all of the walking but the  meals we were eating were not the healthiest so there was no real weight lost there. But in saying this I have no regrets because I had the most fantastic holiday and when I'm at a loss of things to blog I will blog about it but I try to keep things fitness related!

Me and my guy in front of the Castle

So I'm only down 1.4 lbs but I'm so relieved to finally break through the plateau thats been taking over for weeks!! I haven't checked my measurements yet so I'm not entirely sure if there's been any change but I'll tell you this. I feel fan-freaking-tastic. I've never been more confident in my body, I feel as if my waist is shrinking before my eyes and my stomach is finally flat after all these years of wishing for it! I'm down a jean size and I also got in a UK size 10 top last Friday and that was the most amazing feeling. It was my sister's top and she's always been the 'skinny one' in the family so the joy on my face was contagious! I've never felt so comfortable in my own skin and I've not got dresseed one day and thought "Ugh you don't look good" which is an unbelievable achievement for me!

In the Size 10 top! Proud of how my booty looks too =P

Another change in February was my hair! Trivial I know but there is no more ombré! I was inspired by Karena and got it dyed dark brown. I've always loved my hair dark and was happy to go back. It's getting really long now so I'm one step closer to my Kardashian hair! (obsessed!)

New hair - it's darker in real life =)

I'm looking forward to March! (It already is March but who's counting hehe) I'm running my first race! It's just a 5k so I know I can do it but I want to experience the conditions of a run without being worried about completing it. It's for Sport Relief ( a UK Charity which supplies sports equipment for schools in the UK and in Africa) so it's for an amazing cause. That will be an incredible feeling! 

I also get the results of the exams I took in January which will determine whether or not I get to go to my University of choice on the 8th of March so I am very much looking forward to getting that out of the way! 

I'm also very much looking forward to finidng out more about the Tone It Up Ambassador scheme as it is something I'm really interested in! Tone It Up has changed my life so it would be a dream come true to pass their message onto others too! March is also my Tone It Up-aversary which will celebrate my first year of following TIU so to become an ambassador in the same month would be amazing!

My targets for March include running a 10k (it's about time), and majorly toning up my abs now I can see them (hehe) and getting rid of my love handles!!

I'll leave you with some of my picture highlights of the month!

Share, Love, Inspire, Sweat

Georgie ♥

I had a wardrobe clear out at the end of Feb and I threw away this skirt. Can't believe I ever got in it!

Did you make the extra day count?

Valentines Day! Felt amazing and looked even better ;-)

These shorts were too tight last summer! 

Skinny waist! This is a Hollister Medium shirt. (Sorry about the messy room and the dressing table hehe!)

Same outfit from the side. Who is this girl! Can't believe it's me!!!

Haha yes I'm in a onesie! Flat TUMMYYYYYY (Sorry my beds a mess haha)

Just got out of bed - excuse my hair ;)

"Prior Preparation and Planning Prevents Poor Performance"

My Weekly Calendar - How I Plan my Week

"Prior Preparation and Planning Prevents Poor Performance"

Otherwise known to me as the 6 P's - quoted by a favourite High School teacher. I've lived by this saying since he first taught it to me two years ago and it hasn't failed me yet.

I've found it relates to almost every aspect of my life, in particular my Tone It Up life. I firmly believe that if you plan your week in advance you are much more likely to have success as you've got something written down. I don't always follow my plans to the letter but for example if I open my fridge at lunch time and there's a lot of (unhealthy) options I know that I can look at my plan and choose the right option. It's not a back-up, but it's there for moments of weakness!

This week's plan (incomplete)

I sit down every Sunday and write out what I'm going to have through the week. This also helps me know what I need to buy on my gap during college when I can go food shopping! I have this cool weekly planner that I actually found via Bridget Nicole's video which I'll link below. It's not massive so I can't go in to too much detail (as you can probably see from some of my abbreviations) but I'd much rather have a weekly plan than daily ones; I drown in paperwork from college I don't need even more!

Another handy tip is that I've laminated mine. So every Sunday I can wipe clean my calendar and write it all out again! It's much easier, cheaper and quicker than printing one out every week! (Although the wipe-off pens were a little pricey, I got mine from the local stationery shop) I write my Meals and proposed workouts for the week in (colour coded  = OCD!) but I do tend to leave Saturday and Sunday blank and see what inspiration hits me!

I do find that making a plan makes me much more disciplined and therefore much more likely to eat right and workout as I've got some inspiration and ideas there in front of me! The hardest part about planning is Sunday afternoon when it comes to choosing what to do!

I'll leave you with Bridget's video - she has some great organisational tips! I'll also link my calendar :)

Share, Love, Inspire, Sweat!

Weekly Calendar Template