Creamy Fruit Salad

I put this recipe together at the end of March for my kids.  Both were home and wanted a snack.  I threw in the fruits that I had readily available.  Really, you could make it with any combination that you want.  I personally wouldn't do bananas, because I don't like when they get slimy in a salad.  That's just my opinion though! I think it would be really good with pineapple and raspberries too.  You could even sprinkle some chopped walnuts or shaved coconut into it.  It is an easy recipe to personalize to best suit our tastes or what you have on hand - no need to buy anything special for it!  It turned out so well that I thought I'd do a video and a post of the recipe!  Depending on how sweet you like it, you might want to use more or less honey.  I melted it in the microwave for a few seconds so it was easy to pour and mix into the cold yogurt.  I hope you enjoy it!  Here's the video, if you want to watch it.

Here's the written recipe:

Creamy Fruit Salad
makes 6+ servings

1 cup Greek Yogurt
2 Tbsp Honey (more or less for your taste)
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract

Combine the above ingredients.  Stir well and set aside.

1 Apple chopped
1 tsp fresh Lemon Juice
3/4 cup Grapes slice in half
1/2 cup Blueberries
1 cup Strawberries sliced

Add apple and mix with lemon juice in a large bowl.  Add the remaining fruit and yogurt mixture.  Mix well.  You can serve right away or allow to sit overnight.  The longer it sits, the better the flavors will mesh.

Help -- My Sweet Tooth Strikes Again!

We traveled over Easter back home.  We are getting ready to put our old house on the market, so we went on a whirlwind 4 day weekend of painting, painting and more painting.  We were so busy, and takeout was the easiest option.  Plus, we were able to indulge in foods that we haven't had in over a year and a half.  Oh, how I missed a Capriotti's Bobbie!  It also happened to be Easter, and my parents made delicious baskets for the kids.

I wound up with 4 days of basically carb loading and SOOOOO many treats to come back home.  Since I started my health and fitness journey 10 months ago, I try my hardest not to buy sweet treats that I will want to eat.  I make sure if the kids choose a treat, I don't really care for it.  This way, I'm not tempted to eat it!  Well, we came home with many delicious options!

I have found myself indulging in way too many sweets for the past two weeks!  I had a killer sweet
tooth that I managed to reign in for so long.  I'm really struggling to get myself back on track!  Each day I do a little better, so I am hoping to get the cravings completely under control in the next few days.  Here are some tips I've learned along the way to help keep my pesky sweet tooth under control!

1 - Stay Hydrated!
I find I crave more sweets on the days where I don't drink enough water.  When a craving hits, I try to first drink a big glass of water.  It usually goes away on it's own!  My goal each day is to drink half my body weight in ounces of water.



2 - Eat Something Else
If extra water doesn't help, I assume that my body needs nourishment.  By afternoon, when the cravings hit, I usually have greek yogurt.  I've found the Oikos zero is quite delicious.  It is sweetened with Stevia, so I don't feel too guilty.  Other times, I will have some fruit.  Clementines, berries, apples, grapes and pineapple all tend to help.  When it is in season, I love to have watermelon too!  I only eat two servings of fruit per day.  If the cravings are bad, I will have a third serving.  I figure it's better than eating a cookie!


3 - Cut Out the Artificial Sweeteners
They seem to skew my ability to sense natural sweetness.  I guess it's because they are so overly sweet.  Since eliminating them from my diet, I find that natural foods are so much sweeter and taste better!




I am not a Registered Dietician or a nutrition expert, but these are helpful tips I've discovered along the way.  If you need help with your sweet tooth or sugar cravings, let me know!

21 Day Fix Tips for Success

When I first started the 21 Day Fix, I was on my own.  I ordered the program on a whim from Amazon.  I didn't have a coach and didn't even know coaches were available.  I was overwhelmed, but determined to make it work!  I hit Pinterest and pinned about a hundred pins in one day.  The 21 Day Fix has been the program I needed for so many years!  I love that the workouts are quick and effective.  Also, the nutritional plan has changed the way I eat and think about food.  It is now just habit to think in colors and container sizes!

My first round was a learning curve.  I made many mistakes, but lost about 8 pounds!  Now that I am a coach, I try to help my clients avoid the bumps I did in the beginning.  I put together this list of my top 4 tips to get you started on the 21 Day Fix.  If you need help, please let me know!  I am always happy to help people get started, refocused or just keep going.  Send me a message here, on my Facebook site - Fit With Brie or email - fitwithbriec@gmail.com or brie259@yahoo.com