Nicole Zedlitz

It's been three (3) years to the day since I began blogging.  I've taken a LONG break lately as I have had many transitions in my life.  But in the past few weeks, I've been considering sharing more about the next stage of this journey called life with you all. In three short years, I have gone from motivating others to experiencing weight gain and depression.  Being delivered from said depression and fighting to lose the weight.  I'd say sometimes in life, motivation shows up in the difficult times and then sometimes it's no where to be found-- a bit of a roller coaster really. And about a year ago, I was tired.  Tired of not getting enough sleep, tired of the structure and I needed a break.  This break cost me about 20 lbs and goodness has it been tough to get my mind right again.  But I'm experiencing life!!  Enjoying the moment!  And making memories with my family and friends that have been so good for my soul. And in this season, ...

So as most of you know, I went to Nashville last month for Beachbody's national convention called Summit.  It is the most amazing event where people who's purpose is to help others get together, share wonderful ideas/trainings and completely refill your cup before you go back home. This year one of the speakers was talking about completing a workout program in it's entirety when we returned home.  And they were telling us not to start over if we hit some bumps in the road.  Now, I for one, am a habitual "starter over" so I probably turned a little red (those who know me know how a can get flushed in a split second).  In a room of about 14k people, I was feeling like they were talking right to me. But then the best example was given...when you begin a hike/climb up a mountain, if you didn't like how fast you went or your progress in the first few hours, would you start over??? Um...NO way!!  That seems like a no-brainer.  There's no way that you would ...

This year has kept its theme of change and it seems that change truly is our only constant thus far in 2016.  I am sloooowwwly adjusting to it and feel like I am just rounding a corner to take life by the horns again.  It's taken much longer than I ever thought it would and may take more work that originally thought too; but one thing is for sure, God is in all of it.  He's showing up more and more in our life this year than in years past and I am so incredibly grateful for that! Today, I want to share with you a hard realization that came last week in the midst of my youngest turning 3 and my husband being out of town.  It was a rough start to the week and it seemed as if everything around me was failing.  But then a friend said something so simple yet so powerful and it stuck; changing my perspective of where I'm at in my journey and the purpose of my position.  I wrote this out while sitting at Chic-Fil-a watching the boys play tag with their friends ...

Exactly one year ago, I decided to do a three day cleanse that Beachbody had just launched.  It was a key tool in breaking my addiction to diet soda and I lost some weight too, which was awesome.  As I've shared lately, in the past four months, I gained ten pounds after maintaining a comfortable weight (the enjoy whatever/whenever lifestyle) for over a year.  This has been a tough thing to wrap my mind around.  How did I go from balanced to imbalanced without even noticing until the weight was there?  Have you ever found yourself in a similar situation? So after failing to tighten the reigns on my own, I decided if the Refresh could break an establish soda addiction, then it could help me again.  And luckily, I found a local coach that had one on hand, so I didn't have time to back out of it :) Last time, I completed two days at work and one day at home; this time one day at work and two days at home which was a little more difficult since the boys love ...

Hello 2016!!!  Our family rang in the new year with two very sick children; and,while it was an extremely rough time, it was the best way to start the year in hindsight.  I was able to begin the year slowly and without a ton of busy activities.  I had realized in the last quarter of 2015, I was SUPER busy!  And while, most of the time, everything was fun and something I WANTED to participate in, it was wearing me down. I became exhausted and when we went to Florida in December, I savored not having anything to do.  It was a great feeling.  But when we returned, I jumped right back into holiday busyness and completely lost track of working out and eating right.  I became arrogant with telling myself that I could eat anything I wanted any time that I wanted. Well, I was WRONG!  And after a year of maintaining a weight/size I was content with, I gained ten pounds in a month and a half!  To tell you I wasn't freaking out would be a LI...

A little over a week ago, I had my first ACAI smoothie bowl. It was nothing short of amazing! But at $10 a pop, I knew it wasn't something I was going to be adding to my routine often. I began researching some of the ingredients and found most in my grocery store and bought a few last weekend. I did not, however, buy the smoothie packets that you would use as the base. Well, Monday, I saw a fellow coach make a smoothie bowl with Shakeology and I thought, "why didn't I think of that?!!" So even though it was cold, I was craving one again and NOW, all the ingredients were available to me. I literally threw it together in about two minutes and that included time to cut the banana.  You can use this as an inspiration and go wild with infinite amount of options so you don't get bored with it. And while I couldn't blend the smoothie itself this time, I will be trying it blended too and I'll let you know which is better.  Shakeo Smoothie Bowl: -...

So I know you've heard the saying, "never miss a Monday!" It,  for many who workout, is to motivate them and get their week started off right.  Most of the time Sunday is my rest day, but this past weekend, I got in two very challenging workouts. Saturday, while the boys went to watch the Monster Jam show in our local area, I went off with the girls to get spray tanned (they were free, who can say no to that!!).  Then we went to do a little shopping.  It was some really great "me" time where I could socialize with my friends too.  In the evening, my mother-in-law invited me to a free Zumba-thon (um...again, free-- who can say "no" to that!!).  I had been to a few Zumba classes with her around my neighborhood, but nothing could prepare me for this lol!!  It was 75 minutes of full out, song after song, energy filled dancing.  There were three instructors and they rotated every song with no breaks and my toes were numb by the end of the third son...

Nothing like a two month sabbatical from blogging (oops!!).  Sorry to leave y'all hangin.'  Anyways....I wanted to give a quick update on what is going on as the end of 2015 quickly approaches.  How is it that time just keeps moving faster and faster? There's a VERY new adventure for me.  This past weekend I became a Cize Live Instructor.  I cannot wait to begin teaching!!  It was a goal of mine to this time last year to become TurboKick certified, but when Cize was launched at Summit, my sites shifted.  Our master trainer explained it perfectly when she said, "it's like coming to class and being in a music video every time."  You will learn all of the moves for a routine and by the end of the class, you will be able to "perform" it (aka, Cize it Up). So be on the look out for more details as I get everything set up ;) There's one other goal that I shared on my blog about a year ago too that I have chosen not to achieve this year.  Some o...

Hey Everyone!! I showed you my homemade blueberry muffins on Saturday and wanted to share the recipe that I used.  When they were done, I tried them and said, "Wow, they are good."  My husband looked at me and said, "well, that doesn't mean much."  Hey now??!!  He knows that I like "healthy" tastes that he and the boys don't always like.  But to their surprise (and mine too), they liked them!  Noah liked them so much that he put down his ring pop at the pool to eat his muffin first (mind- blown haha!!). So here it is... You can make any substitutions you wish to make them fit your goals and lifestyle. - 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (I chose to use 1 part regular white flour and 2 parts whole wheat flour) -1/2 Cups Sugar in the Raw (you can substitute the sweetener of your choice here) -1/2 tsp Sea Salt -2 tsp Baking Powder -1/3 Cup Oil (I chose to mix coconut oil and good old fashion butter) -1 large egg (we use o...

I know, I know...That sounds like an oxymoron.  How can you have a dessert that is a "pancake" on the Daniel Fast? Well, I think I've got you covered AND it's 21 Day Fix Approved too. To start, the Daniel Fast is a three week vegan fast while also fasting from any sugar/sweetener and processed foods.  This is the fourth year that our church has participated in this type of corporate fast during our month of prayer and we try and participate when we can. I absolutely LOVE my oatmeal pancakes and my sweet potato pancakes, but both have egg... so I began to experiment to see if I could make a pancake that would satisfy my craving of sweets while keeping to fast friendly ingredients. I think I hit the JACKPOT!!  These Peanut Butter Banana pancakes are AMAZING!!! Here's how I made them... Ingredients: -1/2 banana -1/2 yellow container (1/8 cup) of rolled oats -1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract -1/2 tsp of cinnamon (a few heavy dashes) -1 tbsp of crunchy all ...

At Summit, the release of the all-new performance products took place and you better believe that I snagged a sampler pack.  I wanted to try it ALL!!  The sampler pack comes with one serving of all of the new performance products.  It's a great way to see if you like the taste and how they make you feel.  Since I am a diehard E & E fan, I wanted to put the new Energize to the test. So last Saturday, I had a nine mile run scheduled with our group that's training for the Rock-N-Roll Half Marathon over labor day weekend.  What better way to try out the products.  I got up early (like 4:30 early) on Saturday and down went the Energize.  Now at Summit, my coach tried it and felt tingling (as it helps circulation before working out).  I'm not much for tingling, so I was skeptical (keeping it real here).  I did feel a "fresh" feeling but without a lot of tingling, so that worked for me. While the Energize was kicking in, I filled up my w...

Life is Short... That's why I find balance in my nutrition; because, for me, eating super clean ALL the time is not realistic.  I want to ENJOY that ice cream cone with my sons or the popcorn at the movies and not feel guilty about it. However, the other times, I am still able to satisfy my sweet tooth without compromising my nutrition.  The 21 Day Fix way of eating has been a complete game-changer.  Even on days where I don't feel like tracking strictly, I still keep my portions in mind as a way for me to stay within my nutritional goals. Today, I'm sharing two of my sweet treats that can work within your 21 Day Fix portions while making you feel like you're cheating... sneaky sneaky I know ;) Sweet Potato Pancakes -2 yellows containers of roasted sweet potato (about 1 cup) -1 whole egg -a couple dashes of cinnamon -a dash of pumpkin pie spice -a couple drops of either vanilla or caramel extract (I used caramel) Smash the sweet potatoes and egg together, add...

This past weekend I experienced my first music festival, Big Barrel in Dover, Delaware.  We were able to see Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Lynrd Skynrd and many others.  It was a super fun and a much needed get-away.  Get-Away was the key word!!  I got away from all of my healthy eating habits too!! If following the 21 Day Fix eating plan, it would have been a weekend full of cheats and yellows.  I had loaded baked potato, pulled pork sandwiches, fries and Olive Garden Pasta.  I'm coming clean!  I don't feel guilty because it doesn't happen all the time, but I don't feel GOOD!  My body is mad at me and I can feel it.  I stepped on the scale this morning and saw a 5lb weight gain!!!  Ahhhh!!  Five pounds of bloat and crap in just three days!  Not exactly the souvenir I was hoping for... So, now what do I do???  I hop right back on my routine.  I'm beginning the 21 Day Fix Extreme today along with...

To say the last few days have been BUSY would be an understatement!!  We took a day trip to North Carolina on Saturday to spend some time with family.  It was a great but long trip!  It's always nice to be in the country with family.  The pace is slower and sweet tea is king. Then Sunday, we had a six mile run planned.  Now last week was the FIRST time I had ever run over two miles without stopping to walk for a little of it.  So I was STILL VERY nervous about it all!!  Could I still complete 5 like I had done the previous week?  Could I add one MORE mile?  Well WE DID IT!!  The last mile was rough but it went a lot better than the week before.  I use a heart rate monitor and it sat steady around 180 for my 5 miler and this week is sat at 160-170 until the last mile then went up a little.  My breathing had quicken so it didn't surprise me that it rose. Next weekend, I'll be at a country music festival and ...

Alright...so I'm not the best jokester!  However, I know that Shakeology has absolutely changed my life.  I've been drinking it for a year and a half and my health has been completely transformed!  It helps me to stay focused and on track with wanting  the healthy options.  So I'm sharing some of my favorite Shakeo recipes with you today ;-) Oranges and Cream -Vanilla Shakeology -1 container of Orange Greek Yogurt -1/2 banana -8 oz water -4 oz of your favorite non-dairy milk -ice Blend everything together... Oranges and Cream in a Flash -Water -1/4 cup plain greek yogurt -Natural Orange juice -Vanilla Shakeo Shake it up-- make sure your water and juice is really cold. This shake is my favorite "go-to" shake when I barely have time to throw everything in my shaker cup and wrangle my two little ones out the door. 21 DF portions: 1 1/2 Reds, 1 Purple Summer Time Shakeo -Vanilla Shakeology -Water/Ice -Watermelon -Rasberries -Raw Kale ...

We have officially begun year two of Beachbody coaching in my house.  It's hard to believe that I've been on this journey for this long and have just as much excitement as day one.   It's gone by so fast and what a fun ride it's been. Some things I've learned/experienced throughout this year: -Beachbody can be whatever you choose it to be.  If you are interested in an income producing hobby this can be it or it can be your Plan A too.  You can early as little or as much depending on the time you choose to put in to it. -It is a REAL company; which means you have to do REAL work to make money.  This takes dedication and consistency, just like a healthy lifestyle, in order to get results.  A lot of people see multi-level marketing as get-rich-quick schemes.  Well, I'm not rich, but I will tell you I have vision, and Beachbody is a huge part of that vision. -The main investment you will make is in yourself.  I signed up with a challenge pack purch...

I saw this idea for a sugar free, dairy free ice cream option on Instagram not too long ago and had to try it out!! It's super easy! And tastes amazing! Ice "Cream" Recipe: -1 can of coconut cream (I find it from Trader Joes) -Fruit of choice (frozen) -Splash of almond or cashew milk I made mine with frozen bananas; however, I think that pineapple or peaches would be amazing!!  You can taste the coconut flavor so mix fruits who's flavor will combine well with coconut.  First, place coconut cream in blender with fresh fruit. Blend until you have a smooth mixture. Then place into ice cream maker.  I wish I could tell you more steps, but it's that easy!  A couple steps and you're done! To make your own variations, you can always add pure extracts and/ or spices (like cinnamon) too.  Have fun with it and get the kids involved!  If they make it, they will be more apted to try it.  Happy Memorial Day Weekend! And a HUGE thank you to everyone who has sacrific...

I met my goal; my first goal that is!  To complete one week of the Countdown to Ckmpetition plan of the 21 Day Fix Extreme. So here's the verdict:: -3.8lbs and 5 1/4 inches!!  I am beyond excited about that. Two and a half inches off my thighs alone and those measurements haven't budged in over nine months! I have chosen to keep going. I feel great and the results are really motivating me. I feels muscles growing and definition peaking through little by little. I know that I won't be "ripped" in a week; and I'm not sure that "ripped" is what I want but I'll just keep going until I get there.  Some of the positives of this type of eating plan is that the "normal" day that incorporates fruits and carbs breaks up the restrictiveness of it. I can focus on just two days of meat and veggies (with a carb in the morning) and then feel relaxed on the third day.  I've been able to eat out with friends too. We went to Dave and Busters on Satur...

Alright, what's Nicole doing next??? Well, you gotta keep moving forward to go somewhere right?  My next goal is to move past my mindset that I can eat whatever I want and still maintain my weight. While that's true, I have goals that push me further than where I'm at currently.  In order to do that, I've decided to give the Countdown to Competition track of the 21 Day Fix Extreme a shot. It lasts for 21 days but I'm not stressing out about that. I'm simply taking it one day at a time, and one workout at a time (as Autumn would say!).  This track has the challenger carb-cycle. I have looked into carb cycling before but tracking my macros had always been a little challenging for me and I was looking for something easier. Basically you have two super low carb days and then a re-feed day. This is a day when you are eating more carbs and fruit is added in too. But don't confuse this with a cheat day; meals are still clean and portions are controlled (we don'...

Today, Tuesday is about one week post Refresh and I am feeling great!!!  I'll be honest, I wasn't completely sold that this was a "miracle" kick-start but now, I'm totally a believer!!  In the past week, I have completely changed the way I am eating.  I'm back to where I want to be without feeling like I am dying of deprivation (we've all been there, lol). Throughout the week, I chose less bread and more healthy veggies, fruits and fats.  On Friday night, I for my "cheat meal," I ate two slices of cheese pizza and two samoa cookies (I am so ready for that last box to be GONE!!).  I was going to have a little diet soda too, and I took two sips and wasn't impressed, so I switched back to water.  I was stuffed!!  The week before I would have had more that two slices, for sure, followed by a HUGE dessert!  Sweets are my downfall y'all! I am still working on Saturdays until April 15th (go get your taxes done!!!) and I eat out on that day. ...