Pesto Chicken & yummy fresh leftovers

Don't you love when you can have leftovers and not have to worry about making another meal for the next day? It's the BEST!

Here is a yummy Pesto Chicken recipe. I didn't have sliced tomatoes to add to mine, but did add yummy cherry tomatoes to my side salad!

http://www.skinnytaste.com/skinny-chicken-pesto-bake/

Here is some leftover of the chicken I put in a container and placed in the fridge for the next day. 

I diced it up and through it on my salad for a quick lunch!!

It was delicious!

ENJOY

and

Thanks for checking in,

Melissa

How to Save Money on healthy food

One of the biggest excuses I hear is,

Eating Healthy is expensive!

Well I have a couple of tips for you today over at 

Shambray's Blog

Click on this picture to get you to my post!

I hope you enjoy my tips!

Thanks for checking in,

Melissa

70 superfoods in Shakeology & why I drink it everyday!

I have been drinking the meal replacement 

Shakeology

for almost 1 full year.

And I can't even begin to tell you how this has been the 

best I have ever felt!

I can't wait to be pregnant again with drinking this.

It will be SO NICE to have a pregnancy where I feel better than I ever did.

I crave sugar A LOT during all 3 of my pregnancies, so

I am excited to not crave it as much because I will have my Shakeology!

I want to share with you today about some of the ingredients in Shakeology and why I chose this over other meal replacements.

EVERY SINGLE Ingredient is good for you.  

They are superfoods from all over the world that help aid in some many benefits for your Body!

• I love know that I get in a serving of Veggies everyday from the scoop. It has Spinach, Kale, Moringa, Chlorella, and more. These phytonutrients help support health & vitality.
• Protein- It has 16 grams in each scoop. Helps to build lean muscle and reduce cravings. Your choice of Whey or just Vegan. The ingredients are chia, flax, Quinoa, Pea. In Vegan you have oat and rice.
• Fruit/Antioxidant- Camu-Camu, Goji Berry, Vitamins A,C,E- help fight free radical damage and support a healthy immune system.
• Adaptogen Blend- Ginkgo, Maca & more, help your body to react and respond to the effects of stress.
• Digestive Enzyme- Pre & Probiotic- Yacon Root, Amylase, Cellulase- Help nutrient absorption and support regularity and healthy digestion.

I drink it every morning, and occasionally for lunch if I felt like something else for breakfast. It is part of my everyday meal plan. It starts my day off right so I feel the benefits of this drink throughout the day!

My kids love the shake and I share with them! Especially my little guy- I love his shakeO mustache!

 I drink Shakeology every day because it is yummy, it gives me the nutrients I need in a day, when it isn't always easy to get in good whole food. Especially on busy days and when something comes up or I am faced with not so healthy foods. It gives me energy to keep going through my day as a Busy Mom and not lack in the afternoon when I used to need a nap with my little guy. I get stuff done! It also helps keep me regular. Ha! That's all we will say about that! And it keeps me from craving lots of junk food/sugar. I have eaten less sugar this past year. It feels great!

I get my Shakeology paid for, learn how you can too! Or how you can get it at a discount!

Thanks for checking in,

Melissa

Healthy Ranch Dip

I love simple recipes. And I especially love simple recipes that taste good! 

This recipe I am going to share with you today

is a healthy way to dip your VEGGIES!

Yeah!

Alright! I am sharing this recipe and an awesome different way to 

use it! Head on over to my good friend

Shambray's blog

click here

So excited for you to try it!

Thanks for checking in,

Melissa

Healthy Meal Plans for Busy Moms

I have been creating easy, simple Healthy Meal plans for Busy Families

for 9 months now! This is where my journey began.  It has been a way for me to stay accountable for my own weekly meal planning. It is a great way for any Busy Mom's to use the shopping list, get to the store and come home and prep the meal so you are ready for a busy week.

It has also been a way for me to help my Challengers to get started on their own journey and use my weekly meal plan or recipe/snack ideas from it.

My meal plan is based off of the 21 day fix meal program from Beachbody.
I believe this meal program is such a good tool to getting in the right nutrients that your body needs.

I focus my daily meals on getting in your veggies, protein, healthy grains, fruit, and healthy fats.

I am all about simple recipes, that taste good that the kids will like.

As Busy Moms- we need to have something ready to go during the week so that we can feed our kids fast when they get hungry. And also healthy meals & snacks that are going to keep them from not munching all day long. And ourselves for that matter!

I give my challengers my meal plan for free.

But if you would like to try my meal plan for free you can sign up at my website to get one free healthy meal plan, see how you like it. And if you want to continue, contact me whether you want to continue to get it free or pay monthly for it.

Here is my website to get a week emailed to you first to see how you like it.
http://www.onthegohealthymoms.com

I provide a shopping list, an area of what needs to be prepped before the week starts, and during the middle of the week too!  I also provide healthy meal ideas with the recipe. And easy snack ideas!
I pick ingredients that are on sale so you aren't spending a fortune each week.

click HERE for more details about my meal plans

Let me know how you like it!

Thanks for checking in,

Melissa

Tips on Getting Motivated with Your Health & Fitness

How do you find the motivation to exercise when you just don’t feel like it?  We all have those days where the motivation is just not there. It is really important to keep motivated to reach your goals everyday and the way to do that is to know WHY it is important to you. 

I have a couple other ways to stay motivated below. One very important one is to find an accountability partner. Find someone that you can workout with that will hold you to your goals. 

Another thing I do is to log my workouts- I write down in my planner what workout I did. This way I can look back and see how many times I exercised the last week. I also read books for motivation,  and I reward myself when I reach a goal. It is so important to surround yourself with positive people who are supporting your goal. I like to read blogs from others who are trying to eat clean and lose weight.

So here are some ways to stay motivated below:

1. How you feel after a workout. I always feel great after a good workout. It’s a high. And I let that motivate me the next time:  I am always pumped for the rest of the day and proud that I did something great for myself and setting that example for my family.

2. Time for you. While many people make time to take care of others (kids, spouse, other family, co-workers, boss), they don’t often make time to take care of themselves. Instead, make your “YOU” time a priority, and don’t miss that exercise appointment. 

3. Having fun. Exercise should be fun. If it isn’t, try a different kind of activity that you enjoy. As long as you’re moving, it’s good for you. Don’t feel pressured into doing a certain type of exercise, do what’s right for you and most importantly do what you will stick with. You have to LOVE your workout routine, otherwise it feels like a chore. Exercise shouldn’t feel like a chore it should feel like a reward. And change up your routine so you don't get bored.

4. How you’re going to look. Imagine a healthier, fitter you. Now let that visualization drive you. Another suggestion is to create a dream/inspiration board. Cut out pictures that are motivating to you and put on a poster board and keep in a place that you will be reminded of every day!

5. Blogs. I enjoy reading blogs about people who are into running, or losing weight. It can show the ups and downs they go through, and you can learn from their experiences and create your own experiences. You can even create your own blog to show your journey if you wish.

6. Success stories. I find the success stories of others incredibly inspirational.

7. Rewards. If you reach a goal- give yourself a reward.  Do it often in the beginning. Don’t make it food! I bought myself a new outfit and allowed myself to purchase another exercise program!

8. Fitting into new clothes. Or even just having some of your clothes not as tight is a great start!

9. Being attractive. That’s always a good motivator, as I’m sure we all know.

10. Adrenaline rush. I get a rush when I exercise. Ride that rush to complete the workout.

11. Stress relief. Wound up after a long day at the office? Get out and work off that stress. It makes a world of difference. I know its hard to get yourself to that point but that’s where your accountability partner comes into play. Keep each other in check even when you have a long day!

12. A workout partner. The  support groups on facebook have been the best way for me to accountable.

13. A coach or trainer. Worth the money, just for the motivation. How about FREE, I am a Beachbody Coach and I help motivate people to reach their health and fitness goals. I can also help you with meal planning and staying accountable to your workout plan. 

  

14. Your before picture. You often don’t realize how far you’ve come. Take pictures. I have taken pictures and I hide them on my computer so no one can find them. I always take pictures in a sports bra and shorts and then some with form fitting clothes on. That way you can eventually share some pictures!

 

15. A 5K race or triathlon. Just sign up for one, and you’ll be motivated to train.

16. The dread of feeling “yuck” from not exercising. I hate how I feel after not exercising. So I remind myself of that when I feel tired.

17. Living long enough to see your grandkids … and play with them.

18. Your measurment. It’s not motivating to weigh yourself every day, as your weight fluctuates. But if you weigh yourself once a week, you’ll be motivated to have it keep going down, instead of up. Combine the scale with the measuring tape, and measure your waist.

19. Reaching a goal. Set a goal for weight, or your waist measurement, or a number of days to work out, or a number of miles to run this week. Setting and tracking a goal helps motivate you to complete that goal. Make it easily achievable.

20. Posting it on your facebook page, blog, or other social site. Tell people you’re going to lose weight or exercise daily, and report to them. You’ll make it happen. This is a great way to be motivated and accountable.

21. Motivational quotes. I like to print them out or put them on my computer desktop. You can always take what I’ve posted, print it out or re-post it!

 

22. Others commenting on how good you look. When someone notices the changes in your body, it feels good. And it makes you want to work out more.

23. An upcoming day at the beach, wedding, or a reunion

Other motivational group that I Coach:

 Health and Fitness Community on facebook

Having a plan is very important, and your plan will change at times. Know your goals. Know WHY your health and fitness is important to you. And let that drive you to where you want to feel good and happy.

What are your motivations? Let me know in the comments

Thanks for checking in,

Melissa

21 Day Fix Approved Chicken Kebabs

I love easy, quick meals that the whole family will eat. 

Especially my picky eater of a daughter.

Isn't it nice to grill out? Less mess in the kitchen. You can eat outside where it is so beautiful.

And another perk is my husband does the grilling. 

The 21 day fix meal program helps you to keep track of your portions sizes

with their containers! It's simple to follow and so many say how they don't feel deprived.

I love this program! My healthy meal plans are tailored to this program. 

And it is still on sale for 2 more days!

Alright now for the recipe!

For the kebabs:

2 large boneless chicken breasts, diced

1/2 cup of green, yellow bell peppers (my favorite!)

1/2 cup onion- chopped in large pieces

3/4 cup pineapple, chopped in large chunks

For the Marinade:

1/4 cup pineapple chunks (or if using canned pineapple you can use juice)

2 T. Coconut oil

2 tsp. honey

1 tsp. sesame oil

juice of 1 big lemon

1 clove of garlic

2 tsp. apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup water, more as needed

1. Blend all the marinade ingredients in a blender.

2. Thread the kebab ingredients, alternating between chicken, pineapple, veggies- leaving some room for chicken to cook on the ends.

3. Brush marinate over the kebabs and sit for 10-15 minutes, or longer.

4. Grill over medium heat until chicken is cooked through.

Serve with rice, quinoa or veggies.

21 day fix CONTAINERS- 1 RED, 1/2 GREEN, 1/2 PURPLE, 1 ORANGE

ENJOY!

Thanks for checking in,

Melissa

{Health & Fitness} Inspiration Board

I put together this Inspiration Board to give others out there an idea of someplace they can go to

to feel inspired and to be reminded of their dreams and their reasons WHY they chose to begin their Health & Fitness journey.

I am a very visual person, so sometimes I need to be reminded by something visual. 

I picked up this cardboard at Walmart for $2,

For the title you can put anything, you can put one inspirational word, a phrase, Your name.

 and started cutting through some old fitness magazine and other magazines I had laying around the house. I cut out anything that inspired me.  I also wrote down on a scratch piece of paper my vision of where I wanted to be in the future according to my goals and dreams.

You could have the focus of your Inspiration Board be on

• Weigh loss journey- posting "before" picture and having a spot for your "after"
•  Make sure to take a side and back shot- flex your arm muscle too!
  

  

  Type up a quote, My Goals/Dreams, My Journey

  
• make a spot where you can put in your Goal weight and each week/month your progress
  
  
•  Add your cut out inspiration pictures that will inspire you! Lastly, make sure you write your Goals and steps on how you will reach them. Be specific.

 

Your board can even be for a Fitness competition- if you are going to compete. It can also be for Family dreams & where you want to see you & your family health wise & being active.

So to get started, start with a long-term goal and where you see yourself 1-5 or more years down the road. What does your life look like. What do you want to have accomplished.

Then break it down and ask yourself, what do I need to do to get there.

Look through magazines, print off pictures/words, start compiling lots of papers, quotes that inspire you, put pictures of the things the motivate you- like your family, hobbies you like to do, places you want to go, a past picture of you at a healthy weight, and then start creating your inspiration board.

Here is my finished product:

I would love to see yours!

Thanks for checking in,

Melissa

Eating Healthy on a Budget

I am Guest posting today over at Shambray's BLOG about how

Eating Healthy doesn't have to be expensive.

I feed a family of 5 for $100/week, sometimes less- and yes this includes everything- even non-food items- EVEN diapers!

Click on the picture to learn some tips on how I do this:

You will be surprised at what you can save money on. I am excited for you to try some of these tips!

Thanks for checking in,

Melissa

{Recipe} Chicken & Rice

This is a common meal we have at our house.

My husband makes it the majority of the time.

It's simple, only 4 steps, and best of all you can use it a couple of different ways.

And best BEST of all, our kids LOVE it!

And we never get sick of it.

Ingredients:

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut up in cubes

Olive oil

Favorite seasonings- we use Cajun and Montreal chicken (store bought)

but you can totally make your own

Coconut oil

2-3 cups cooked Brown rice

Favorite veggies

Step 1

Season the diced up chicken with a little bit of olive oil and your seasoning and stir together in a bowl.

Step 2

Cook the chicken in a pan with a little bit of coconut oil on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until cooked through.

Step 3

Serve chicken with a side of brown rice and favorite cooked veggie.

Or you can add the chicken and rice to a Romaine lettuce leaf with a bunch of other favorite cooked veggies on top.

One more idea is in a Whole wheat tortilla wrap. Wrapped with shredded cheese and lettuce.

Step 4

ENJOY!

Thanks for checking in,

Melissa

21 days to create a HABIT- make it a good one!

It takes 21 days to create a long lasting habit. It gets easier, and easier each day. Some days are harder than others. But I have found that in my Challenges, it is the support of others going through the same thing, that makes you feel like you aren't going to do it alone. 

Knowing that sometimes you will have a bad day, or a bad meal, you can still check in with the support, hold yourself accountable and realize that you can get back to it!

This is what our next challenge is all about!

Summer is a busy time, so we wanted to focus on just 21 days of doing our best.

 

I am looking for those that want to create some good habits in their health.

Send me a message or Contact me if you are interested in learning more!

Thanks for checking in,

Melissa

Must have foods in my Fridge

There are certain foods that if not in my Fridge, well then my family and I starve!

Just kidding! I've got my freezer, pantry and food storage to eat from.

But my Fridge is my go-to, otherwise I eat to many carbs/starches

if I don't have my Fridge stocked.

Here are my Must Have foods in my Fridge.

Milk/Almond Milk

Fruit (lasts longer if in the fridge or freezer)

Veggies/Romaine/Spinach

Whole Wheat Bread or Sandwich Thins

Natural Jelly 

Plain Yogurt- use to cook with in place of sour cream

Greek Yogurt

Yogurt based dressing

Eggs

Turkey Bacon

Cheese- block or *shredded

Feta Cheese

String Cheese

Cottage Cheese

*Whole Wheat Tortillas

Deli Meat (low sodium)

*Cooked diced and shredded chicken- ready to be added to any meal

*Cooked ground turkey

Cooked brown rice

What are your Must Have's in your fridge?
*Some food can be stored in your freezer, just pull them out to thaw

Thanks for checking in,

Melissa

Mexican Rice Variety Dish

I love a dish that can be used for a variety of meals! How about you?!

I make this dish and sometimes even double it for my family and we have it a variety of different ways. Here is how to make the Mexican Rice Dish:

Mexican Rice Bowl

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked Ground beef or Turkey (or even diced cooked chicken)

1 cup cooked red or black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup cooked long-grain brown rice

1/2 cup frozen whole kernel corn, thawed

1 medium tomato, diced (or red bell pepper)

1 small zucchini, diced

2 tbsp onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

Splash of Siracha Sauce (optional)

1/8 tsp ground chile powder

1/2 cup packed cilantro leaves, chopped

1 tsp olive oil

1/8 tsp sea salt

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

Olive oil cooking spray

Directions:
 In a large bowl, mix cooked ground turkey, cooked beans & cooked rice, corn, and tomatoes. Cook the zucchini, onion and garlic (and red bell pepper if doing instead of tomato) and cook in olive oil for a little bit to make tender. Add a splash of siracha sauce, chile powder, cilantro, oil, salt and black pepper. (Stuffing mixture can be prepared one day in advance and stored in a container in refrigerator, tightly covered with plastic wrap.)

Now for another way to use the dish:

Mexican Stuffed Peppers

• Mexican Rice Bowl recipe mixture
• 4 large poblano peppers (or 4 large sweet green or other colored bell peppers), seeded and cut in half
• 8 tbsp shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend 4 tbsp low-fat sour cream 

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Spray a large roasting pan with cooking spray. Mound 1/2 cup stuffing mixture into each poblano pepper half and place in roasting pan. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with Mexican cheese and bake for another 10 minutes.
3. To serve, top each stuffed pepper half with 1/2 tbsp plain yogurt. Serve immediately. 

You can cut and seed the peppers and then boil them for a few minutes until tender.  Just so the cook time wouldn't be so long.  Also, make sure that you leave time to cook the long grain brown rice.  It takes an hour to cook!!  You can make it the night before!  Also, you can add some tomato sauce instead of Siracha to give it some juice as well! 

Our family loves this meal and have even added it on top of Nachos using whole grain tortilla chips & shredded cheese. Melt and add the Mexican Rice mixture warmed up on top!

Hope you enjoy this recipe!

Thanks for checking in,

Melissa

Parmesan Chicken made Healthy

I love easy Chicken recipes that my whole family will eat.

It's simple to throw together and my kids love it!

I like to combine this meal with some brown rice and a veggie.

Here is the recipe!!

Parmesan Chicken

2 cups Whole Wheat Ritz crackers

3 T. grated parmesan cheese

2 tsp. garlic salt

8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 cup. plain yogurt (or plain greek yogurt)

1 egg, whisked in a dish

Combine cracker crumbs, parmesan cheese and garlic salt.  Dip each piece of chicken in egg dish. Then dip in yogurt, then in crumb mixture. Arrange in greased 9 by 13 inch pan. Bake covered at 350 for about 30-45 minutes (depending on thickness of your chicken). Uncover for 5 minutes to slightly brown the top. Serves 8

Hope you enjoy this recipe.

Thanks for checking in,

Melissa

STRONG & Slim for Summer

I am going to be holding another 30-day Challenge group next month.

This one starts May 4th, and goes for 30 days.

STRONG & Slim for Summer

This challenge is going to get you ready to feeling confident for Summer.

Both my May Challenges are for support and motivation, and keep you accountable to your health & fitness goals.

But today is the last day to order for each of the Challenges. Whichever one you choose.

If you have been wanting to make a change for a long time, but just need the support.

Or if you have been wanting to step up your routine and eating healthy up a notch.

Then a good 30-Day Challenge is for you!

Many of my clients say they just needed this push that the 30 day Challenge gives you!

If you feel like you are competitive do the Burn2Earn.

It is a great contest where you can earn cash by loosing 6% or more of your body weight.

These are groups on facebook that you check into once a day to get motivation and support of other challengers in the group. They are very fun and make your journey ALOT more exciting then if you were to do it on your own.

Both challenges will be focusing on getting you more in control and STRONG! Pushing yourself more, and the Challenge group is going to help you with this- along with me as your Coach!

So message, text, call me if you want more information and I can get it to YOU!
Click here for more info- http://onthegohealthymoms.blogspot.com/p/challenges.html
 

Thanks for checking in,

Melissa

Showing our Kids how to live LIFE to the Fullest!

Our kids need to see us being active, being healthy.

BUT, most importantly, not being down on ourselves when we aren't all the time.

They need to see struggles.

They need to see our strengths.

They need to see how we learn from life

and how to get past a struggle.

I am working on this myself.

Sometimes in life we want to give up.

Those are the bad days.

But the good days outweigh those bad days.

So set an example for your kids.

Be their HERO.

Show them how to rise from adversity.

I don't post very many pictures of my kids, but this one has to be shared.

I look at this picture often to be reminded of that what I am doing,

well . . . my kids are watching.

This makes me happy to know that they are learning about being healthy

which makes us happy. 

"Having a Healthy body" is what she wrote. WOW! I hope she always remembers that. As I teach her that having a healthy body doesn't mean having a perfect body, but a body that makes you feel good, mentally, physically, emotionally. In all aspects.

I am thankful for this.

I am thankful for this new journey.

To show my kids how important it is to be Healthy & Happy, 

amidst what others show us in this world.

Set an example to your kids of being active often, and eating those foods that fuel your body and give you the energy, and less of the guilt.

I will always remember this day I took this picture. It was our time as a MOM & daughter. And I had gone to the store to get a treat for our Friday night! Pretty funny! But I picked up this white board. My daughter came up to show me what she drew. She is my little artist. And I was so proud.

We want our kids to learn to be healthy. And we can teach them this by our example and what we do each day and by being better each day. They will know how to enjoy life and live it to the fullest. 

Because being healthy makes us happy.

Thanks for checking in,

Melissa

What you can expect in the Future!

Before I started this BLOG I told myself

this would be something I would never give up on.

I had found my niche and this is it!

I haven't given up and don't have any plans to.

Blogging has been a huge passion of mine for a long time.

So has Health & Fitness.

So why not combine to two- RIGHT!?!

I hope you have been enjoying what I have created so far.

But get excited, cuz I have got more things planned!

Here is what you can expect in the future:

Recipes- quick, simple, easy

Motivational posts

Nutrition

Fitness

Video's from me!

Meal Planning

Future Challenges (free & paid)

And many MORE healthy tips and ideas,

especially for Busy Moms and Women!

There are 3 ways you can follow me!

Which social media outlet do you like the most?

Facebook (like my page!)- https://www.facebook.com/OnTheGoHealthyMoms

Instagram- https://instagram.com/melissahealthyonthego/

Pinterest- https://www.pinterest.com/healthyonthego/

So what do you want to see on my BLOG? Comment below!

I want to know what YOU want to know!

Thanks for your support and for checking in,

Melissa

My newest contributor!

I am so excited about my newest contributor to my Blog!

Welcome my sister and my best friend- Carli!

She is so talented and a very inspiring woman, and Mother!

Carli is going to be creating most of my graphics/photos on this blog

because her talent should just simply- Not go to waste!

So be excited for more future posts about everything Healthy for 

Busy moms/women On-The-Go

and follow my Pinterest page

https://www.pinterest.com/healthyonthego/

Thanks for checking in,

Melissa

Life is what YOU make of it!

Who gets YOU -where you want to be?

YOU DO!

I wanted to share with you a little bit about me!

I am a Mother, Wife, Health & Fitness Coach with Beachbody,

A Blogger of All things Health, 

I am a Child of God,

and I am part of an amazing Family.

But what I like to focus on the Most is

YOU!

And how it is important for YOU to take care of yourself 

so YOU can take care of your family.

I believe that is why we were given LIFE,

is to come into a Family who loves and cares for us.

Then as we grow and learn in our family, we find out who we are 

and how we can help others find out

who THEY are.

If we love ourself and take care of ourself,

we will have the energy to love others.

Thanks for checking in,

Melissa

Healthy Meal ideas for Kids

Who get's in the rut of what to put on the table for your kids and wanting them to actually eat it?

Well you are doing a great job if you expect them to try a different food, but understanding that kids don't always like a new food.
I have found it best to tell them they have to at least try it.

I also get stuck in the rut of just making what I know they will eat, and sometimes that isn't the healthiest choice- Mac N' Cheese here we come.

But I have some tips and healthy meal ideas for you to take some stress away.

Head on over to my friend Shambray's blog where I post once a month with Healthy tips.

On the post today I give 3 healthy meal ideas for kids, that even Mom's will love to eat!

Thanks for checking in,

Melissa