My Holiday POA (Plan of Action)

I must admit it. I love Christmas. I love Christmas SO much that my tree trees (ok yes, I have 2) were up the weekend after Halloween. My family thinks I'm nuts, but I just love it so much! But what I don't love about Christmas (and Thanksgiving) is knowing I have to battle so many temptations. I'm talking to YOU pumpkin fudge! Yes, I know a lot of these treats aren't clean foods but if you recall I stick by the 80/20 rule. Eat clean 80% of the time. I don't believe in setting yourself up for failure thinking you can eating "perfectly" 100% of the time. It's like pulling a rubber band back as far as it can go and finally you catapult yourself back. All of the emotions of "failure" come with it. If you're like me, then the emotions fuel your food choices.

All of that being said, I've been looking ahead at my plan of action (POA) for the holidays. Last year I successfully cooked a gluten free, healthy Thanksgiving meal. This year I plan to tackle the sweets and treats (especially at school). I'm SO excited that Shakeology not only has recipes for shakes, but also for legit treats and desserts. HEALTHY desserts. Here's one that I'm excited to try:

Gooey Shakeology Oatmeal Bar

4 servings Chocolate Shakeology
3 cups dry oatmeal
1 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 dash cinnamon
1 cup nonfat milk (I use unsweetened vanilla almond)
½ tsp. vanilla extract
½ cup natural peanut butter

Mix all dry ingredients together, then add nonfat milk and vanilla to blend flavors. Add peanut butter and mix together really well with hands. After it's all mixed, put mixture in an 8" x 8" pan. Place plastic wrap or wax paper on top of mixture and push evenly into pan to flatten. Refrigerate for 3 hours, then cut into squares. (Makes 9 bars.)Calories: 264

I know nothing beats eating whole foods, but we can't possibly get the mounds of nutrition our body needs by eating the foods. Aside from the amount of food with the right nutrients to fuel our bodies, we also have to take in to account the cost. I love organic foods and I love knowing I'm not putting my liver into overdrive by adding chemicals to my body. But, my wallet may not always agree. I love grocery shopping - I could easily empty my bank account at Whole Foods. Sad, but true. For info on my shopping on a budget tips, read my Living It Up: Coupon Cutter Style post.

What foods can you eat to match Shakeology's nutrient dense shake?

(USDA recommended 5-9 servings of fruit and veggies a day)

To get the nutrtional value of 1 serving of Shakeology, you would need to eat the following:

• 1 bowl of exotic fruit (like goji berries and acai)
• 4 cups raw broccoli
• 7 whole carrots
• 10 cups raw cauliflower
• 3 cups romaine lettuce
• 4 cups uncooked mushrooms
• 3 raw onions
• 4 red radishes
• 1 cup of peas
• 4 cups nonfat yogurt
• 1 shot wheat grass

Wow! If you're interested in trying Shakeology, or would like help getting your own POA ready to tackle the holidays then don't hesitate to contact me! Visit my Team Beach Body Coach page to sign up for a free membership. This makes me your official coach, and you'll have access to loads of information and tools.