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When "Stuff Happens" and Life Gets Difficult: How to Handle a Bad Day.

Ok, don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about. We've all had "those days." You know, the ones where you are lying in bed in the morning with the best of intentions, thinking about getting up. You stretch luxuriously, open your eyes, and think, "what a beautiful day it's going to be..." As you head down to pour your morning cup of coffee. And then it starts. S*** hits the fan.

Today began in a not-so-great-way, with a little friction and bickering with my husband. Would I like to pretend it doesn't happen? Sure. But nobody's perfect, including myself. I put on my big girl pants and apologized to him (and my kids) for yelling and being upset. ***On an unrelated note, if you've never taken the time to apologize to your kids when you've been a jerk, you should try it.***



After trying like crazy to get my morning workout done, it simply wasn't happening. My 21 month old son kept being whiny, my kids couldn't seem to occupy themselves for ten minutes, and frankly, I was just getting frustrated. I knew we had grocery shopping to do, so I decided to scrap the workout (I was running out of time before work) and head to the store for much needed items like baby wipes and milk.

If you follow me on facebook, you may have seen this post:


Well, that's what happened next. My 4-year-old asked me if I would let her take a picture of us. After many giggles, she told me I had done the entire shopping trip with my skirt on backwards. Wonderful! I had to laugh at myself. We headed home, and promptly after coming in the door, my son threw up everywhere. Yay! Time to clean the carpet! So I grabbed the carpet cleaner and got on my hands and knees to scrub, only to come into the next room and see not only my business calendar totally annihilated, but my wall as well.


What's the point of all this stuff? Why am I telling you this? Well, one, because I like to share. It's just who I am. Two, because I think you might be able to relate. We've all had crazy, nothing-is-going-right days before. And three, because it's a teachable moment. You see, it's not the amount of crap life throws at us, but for lack of better words, how we deal with it and clean up the mess. So what did I do to combat the stress?



After cleaning up the messes and getting the kids settled down for naps, I decided to take a scoop of this stuff and get after it. What is it? Energy and Endurance, Beachbody's pre-workout drink. (You can learn more about that here.) Get after what? A workout, of course! A killer, knock-your-socks-off, nothing-can-defeat-me, I-got-this-handled kind of workout. I'm thinking I'm going for a full-blown Insanity workout today, one of my all time favorite workouts. Because exercise is a great reliever of stress. And two, because my body craves the release. I put on my favorite song, extra loud, and took two minutes to dance around crazily with my kids. Music heals the souls, and dance releases the joy. :)


Afterwards, I put a positive Podcast on my iPhone on speaker, set it on the counter in my bathroom, and took a long, cool shower. Making a conscious effort to adjust your mindset can truly make the difference between letting something bother you, affect you, or control you. And I refuse to be controlled by events or circumstances. I hope these stories made you laugh today- I know they did me. And if any of these tips or tricks helped you, please let me know in the comments! I love to hear from you guys! What do you do on a bad day? Let me know! As always, live healthy, live happy. And cheers to better days!

Star Diamond Coach Amanda Noddings
Www.facebook.com/TeamDrivenFitness
Www.facebook.com/FitMomAmanda

Citrus Salmon with Pistachio Gremolata

It's time for another creation from my kitchen- and this time, I went rustic. This recipe can be done with green beans instead of asparagus, or even roasted Brussels sprouts. I personally love asparagus and my veggies, so I loaded up on them with this simple yet beautiful dinner. After preheating your oven to 350, here's what you need:

• 4-6 portions of fish (think salmon, trout, or arctic char)
• 1-2 pounds (bundles) of asparagus
• Salt and Pepper (or seasoning I mention below)
• 1 orange, grapefruit, or lemon
• 1/2 -1 c. cherry tomatoes
• 1 red onion
• olive oil

For the topping:

• 1 clove (or 1 T) minced garlic
• 1/2 c. chopped parsley
• 1/2 c. shelled pistachios
• zest from your lemon or citrus fruit

First thing I like to do is wash everything- produce, meat, etc. with my EatCleaner fruit and veggie wash. I also have the poultry and seafood wash. I started using this about 2 months ago when I did a review on my YouTube channel. I was so impressed with the results, I keep it in my kitchen now. :)




After you've washed your asparagus, as well as your other produce and protein, you can portion your salmon (I find 4-6 ounce slices to be best- that way if you're on the 21 Day Fix Eating plan you already know that's one red container).




Next, place your asparagus on a nonstick baking sheet, or line it with parchment paper like I did.




You want to drizzle it lightly with olive oil-- but if you tend to be heavy handed, use a measuring cup and no more than 1/4 cup.




Season your asparagus with sea salt or kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper. I skipped the salt completely and used the Kirkland brand salt-free all purpose or gain seasoning I introduced on my Driven Fitness Facebook Page a couple days ago. Stir it all together and spread it out into an even layer for cooking.




The next steps don't get much simpler: place your salmon on top of the asparagus, evenly spaced. You can add additional seasoning of you like-- I chose to use a little more of the no salt seasoning I used on the asparagus.




Next, you are going to layer your toppings. I sliced up an orange (I actually prefer a lemon but I was out), as well as a red onion. Cut them in half and then 1/4 inch thick rings and sprinkle around artfully. :)




Add your cherry tomatoes (I went with a full cup since I am making 6 portions- you may use a 1/2 a cup if you like).




Place them in your oven at the preheated 350 degrees and set your timer for 30 minutes, then check them. I ended up leaving my 6 portions in for closer to 40 minutes. Prepare for your house to smell heavenly!




While the salmon is cooking, you can work on your gremolata. A gremolata is a mixture of lemon zest, fresh chopped parsley, and minced garlic. It is often used as an accompaniment to fish in Italian cooking. I sounded this up a little with a 1/2 cup of shelled roasted pistachios. It adds a little unexpected pizzazz and crunch.




Simply place the ingredients in a bowl...




And mix! I mix with a fork so I can press down on the nuts a bit, also blending the flavors together better. It should look something like this when you're done:




When your salmon appears cooked through (you can check that it flakes apart easily and has a little bubbly foam on top-- but don't over do it or it can dry out), pull it from the oven to rest. I recommend about 2 minutes before it appears "perfectly done," as it will cook a little more while it rests.




You are ready to serve this colorful, gorgeous, rustic dish to your friends and family.




I took an extra portion with me to work, counting it as two Reds and two greens on my 21 Day Fix Meal Plan. If you'd like to learn more about the 21 Day Fix or joining one of my fitness and accountability groups for personal coaching, recipes like these, and more, please email me here. I'd love to help you.




Questions? Did you enjoy this dish? Post those comments below! Subscribe to my blog to be notified when I post new recipes and articles. Please Pin, +1, or share this with a friend! And as always, live healthy, live happy. Love, Amanda




Star Diamond Coach Amanda Noddings
Www.facebook.com/TeamDrivenFitness
Www.facebook.com/FitMomAmanda

Location:Citrus Salmon with Pistacio Gremolata

The Weekend Warrior: 5 Tips to Help You Stay on Track on the Weekend

One thing that can be hard for people is getting through the weekend without feeling like they are derailing all their progress. One thing I like to do is cut myself some slack. Here's some things that help me.

-If you eat well all week, one "relaxed" night won't derail your progress-- but an entire WEEKEND of bad choices will.






-I always "plan" to have my most relaxed meal Sunday night. I'm home with my family, and we're probably going to barbecue big fattening steaks. And that's ok. I don't call it a "cheat" meal because I'm not on a diet. I just give myself permission to eat without worrying about it for that night.






-That doesn't mean I throw the whole day out the window! Knowing that I am probably taking it easy in the food department on Sunday means I try and hit my Sunday morning workout extra hard, followed by stretching or yoga. This sets me up to enjoy my day off and also to be in a good mind frame for the day with my other choices. I'm a firm believer that working out early in the morning helps you with the rest of your day.

-If you slip up and eat things you "shouldn't," don't beat yourself up. When you do this, you tell yourself you are a failure. Then it's a short distance to, "well, I already screwed up, so I guess I'll just _______(insert other unhealthy things here).





-If I'm going to have a cocktail with my husband, I'm going to let you in on a little secret: I smuggle Crystal Light or Mio Fit in my purse. Yes, that's my secret! I don't want to be that person who never has fun or lets loose- but I also don't want to waste a bunch of calories on empty sugary drinks. Also, did you know that the more sugar you drink, the higher the likelihood of a hangover? So even though it's not "clean," I orde a vodka and water, then squirt in a little of my drink mix. I relax guilt free, it tastes good, and it's much less expensive. And we all know I like to save money!





-Lastly, I ATTACK my Monday morning workout with a vengeance. It's the start of my week, and it sets the tone for the entire week that follows. I schedule my time in, and do my best to get it done when I said I would. It only helps me in the long run-- and it makes me feel proud and accomplished and strong. And that's NEVER a bad feeling. :)

Do you have tips for staying on track on the weekend? Is this an area where you struggle? Let me know if this helped you! As always, Live healthy, Live happy. Love, Amanda


Star Diamond Coach Amanda Noddings
Www.facebook.com/TeamDrivenFitness
Www.facebook.com/FitMomAmanda

Healthy Start: Delicious Veggie Frittata

If you've read my blog before, you know that one of my main goals with most of my meals is the health factor. However, the other two main requirements are TASTE and EASE. if something is so complicated that it will take hours to prepare and I will have to watch videos to learn how to do the individual steps, chances are it's not being made in my kitchen. A frittata is an amazing, easy meal that is perfect to serve brunch if you want to wow your guests with its eye-popping color and appearance. It's also easy enough to make it home for just yourself, and yummy enough to share with your kids.

To make this frittata, I used:
-4 large eggs
-4 egg whites
-1 cup spinach
-1 cup chopped tomato
-1/4 cup Parmesan Romano cheese
-1/2 cup chopped basil
-2 tsp. chopped thyme
-1/2 tsp. sea salt
-1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper

The key to a great frittata, in my opinion, is the pan. You want to use a cast iron or deep dish Dutch-oven type pan, although it can be done in any pan. You want the skillet heated to medium and the oven broiler on high- it's a two step cooking process- but don't worry! It only takes about ten minutes total.

After you scramble your eggs, along with your mix in ingredients, you then layer your larger ingredients-- in this case the spinach, cheese, and tomato. One of the best things about a frittata is its versatility! You can use chopped potato, cheddar and ham or bacon to make a more hearty (although less healthy) version. I also love adding broccoli- even my kids gobble it up!

To cook it, you're going to pour the mixture in the heated pan and let it rest about 4 minutes, while layering those ingredients. After the four minutes, you're simply going to pop it in the oven for the last two to four minutes. This will help add color to the top- especially if you're topping with cheese, as well as giving it that "risen" effect like a pie. Use the infamous toothpick test to tell when it's done!

Let me know how this recipe worked for you, and let me know what YOUR favorite variation is! As always, thanks for liking, commenting, or sharing, and have a happy healthy day!


Star Diamond Coach Amanda Noddings
Www.facebook.com/TeamDrivenFitness
Www.facebook.com/FitMomAmanda