​I'm always looking for ways to get more veggies into my diet. I found this gem in the whole30 recipe book. Give it a try- it's super yummy!

Prep time: 25 min

Ingredients:
2 small zucchini (I used 1 large one)
1 small cucumber 
2 carrots, peeled and shredded  
1/2 cup bean sprouts  
1/4 cup chopped cashews  
1/4 cup chopped cilantro 
1/2 cup sunshine sauce

Sunshine sauce:
1/2 cup unsweetened sunflower seed butter or almond butter
1/2 cup coconut milk
Juice of one lime
1 tbsp coconut aminos or tamari sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar

Peel the zucchini with a regular peeler. Then, using a julienne peeler, make long slices along one side of one zucchini until you get down to the seeded core. Rotate the zucchini and continue to peel until you’ve done all four sides. Repeat the process with the remaining zucchini and the cucumber. You should have about 2 cups of vegetable noodles. If you have a spiralizer, you can use that instead. Compost cores.

Place the zucchini and cucumber noodles in a medium mixing bowl. Add the shredded carrots, bean sprouts, and top with chopped cashews and cilantro.

Make it a meal by adding cooked shrimp, chicken, or hard boiled eggs. Or serve alongside fish.

Do these exercises once a week: the first round without dumbbells, second round with dumbbells. Also, integrate 3 sets of these booty workouts daily. Post it on Social media or comment here! Win a time spot with me and get a stronger booty! We all need a focus for the month and our back side never gets the attention it need. So give it time and receive results!

1. Alternating Lunges. Drive the heel into the floor and push yourself back up.

2. Deep squats with knee tuck. Sit back on those heels and make sure you are not rounding your lower back.

3. Courtsey lunge. Knee stays over the heel.

4. Bridge with a sit up. Make sure you knees are bent. Engage your core and glutes.

5. Bulgarian Split leg squat jump. Get a nice 90 degree angle on the front knee. Drive the heel down.

Here are the tips I promised from my time on the This Mom Knows podcast to help you begin a new fitness routine. You can find the conversation here.  

​1. Plan your meals and snacks, and prep your food, ahead of time
What helps me stay healthy in the food department is making time for food prep and planning. Knowing what I'm going feed my family allows me to make healthy and conscious choices and makes my whole week easier. I can do one shop for all of the ingredients I need, and I don't end up getting take out because I don't have ideas for dinner or the ingredients I need to cook a nice meal. It saves time and money. If you need inspiration, check out our other blog posts to find great snack, lunch, salad, smoothy and dinner recipes. You can even make some meals in bulk and freeze for later, like these awesome breakfast burritos.

I'm asked often for my advice on keeping a flat belly or the secret ingredient to the "six pack." I joke, although it is partially true: "Abs are made in the kitchen!" 70% of your results come from what you put in your month, and what you don't. Keeping your metabolism burning is key to staying lean and fit.

2. Get moving. Do something daily: walk, dance, or go to the park. Do something you love first, then start challenging yourself!
Everyone has different genes and different exercise needs. Harvard Health says, "metabolism is the internal process by which your body expends energy and burns calories. This process works at different intensities in different people. How fast your metabolism works is determined mostly by your genes. It runs 24/7 to keep your body moving, even when you're resting or sleeping, by converting the food and nutrients you consume into the energy your body needs in order to breathe, circulate blood, grow and repair cells, and everything else it does to survive."

Walking maybe be enough exercise for some, while others need a more intense workout to burn more calories. It is healthy to find a release for your energy, which also lowers stress levels and boosts your mood. You slowly start making room for more.

​3. Claim your space and time. You are the most important person in your life. Designate a time of day and spot in your house just for you.  
Put your workout on your calendar- 5 days of 10-20 minute workouts, or 3 longer workouts that involve more muscle groups. Then designate a spot in your house- it can even be a big closet. Put your workout gear there- yoga mat, strap, dumbbells, etc. Add some pictures of what you want to look like. Plan what you are going to do. It can be 5 stretches, 4 core exercises, 3 butt and guts exercises (make it super easy by choosing our 15 mixture mobility and stretch, 4 glut exercises, and/or core workouts on our YouTube channel @fuertefitness). Download some good podcasts and music, put together a inspirational playlists or note cards with some inspiring sayings and look through it while you drink your tea or coffee.

4. Start small and add more.
You may start off with a goal of 10 minutes a day of light activity. Walk for 2 minutes, then jog or add stairs. Your body will crave more. Then you can add some stretching and some mobility and joint work. Next, you will see a difference and feel better. You add some core exercises, and so forth. Your mind and body will start to notice the difference, and you will start to sleep better and recover more quickly. Keep taking it up a notch. Whatever you decide to do, commit for 1 month, then 2 months, and soon you will reach 3 months. It's easier to optimize when you've already standardized. If you miss a workout, or a goal, don't sweat it. No one is perfect, and it doesn't take perfect attendance to be fit and healthy. Only that you keep putting in the effort. Be kind to yourself and get back on your program the next day.

Remember, one important detail is that you chose! Whether you focus more on controlling what you eat or how much you exercise. Some people would rather focus on healthy food choices; for others, working out more may be easier than giving up their favorite treats. I love to eat, and working out helps me release any negative energy and fill myself with positive energy. It keeps my body feeling good all around. I'm always trying out new recipes because I love flavor. I keep my metabolism moving by eating often (so that my body doesn't feel like I'm starving) and working out. It keeps my metabolism going, even when I'm sleeping. That's enough an incentive for me to exercise! I try lots of new and different things to keep my workouts fresh and interesting.

 Most importanly have fun! Life is an adventure!https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-truth-about-metabolism