Clean Eating Pumpkin Cookies

I was scrolling through one of my favorite facebook pages and came across this amazing recipe from Just Eat Real Food!  So I wanted to share it with you!  Pumpkin is my FAVORITE Fall ingredient!

Clean Eating Pumpkin Cookies 

Photo compliments of Just Eat Real Food

2/3 cup of pumpkin puree
1/3 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup coconut butter*
1 tsp vanilla extract
2-3 tsp maple syrup or honey
1/2 cup blanched almond flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp raw cacao nibs

About Susie

Hi, I'm Susie, founder of FIT to Empower!  People also know me as Fit Coach Susie.  Thanks so much for stopping by here!  Coaching is my passion and my purpose.  My mission is to mentor and help women be all God created them to be in body, mind and spirit.

So Who Am I?

I am a Wife to my high school sweetheart, Mom of 4 (3 boys and a Princess), Runner, Fitness Coach, Spirit Filled Believer and lover of life.  I also enjoy reading, researching, dancing, , skiing, camping, sunbathing, encouraging, cheering, teaching, meeting new people and planning parties.   My favorite way to relax (which is not often) is a good personal development book, a comfy chair and the sun.  My favorite holiday is Halloween, it's fun to be someone else and there is no stress, just fun!  My motto in life tends to be "if it's not fun, I am not doing it".  My favorite season is summer, my least favorite is Spring.   I do NOT like cooking (but I do it), I don't like driving, grocery shopping, icky smells, routines, 40 hour work weeks, whining, or ghastly noises my boys love to make.  But enough about me....I want to know about You!  Come say Hi to me on Facebook, Instagram , Google+ or Twitter.  People are my FAVORITE!  

So Why a FIT Coach with Beachbody?

My goal has always been to encourage and motivate others.  Since I was a little girl, I have loved to make others believe in themselves.  I have been a fitness teacher since I was 18, I just loved people and fitness and wanted to teach others, so I started aerobics in my dorms in college.  I have been blessed to try many different careers in my lifetime...retail, banking, child care, real estate...but the passion that has followed me from a young age is teaching others fitness, to push themselves farther than they could go. to believe that they are more than they think they are and to show them who God is and who He created them to be.  This blog is a fusion of my passions, purpose, calling and dream. That you may know the greatness that lies within you, physically, mentally and spiritually.  

I'm here to support you on your health and fitness journey in body, mind and spirit, so if you have questions or comments along the way, please ask me on my facebook page or here.

Some Randomness About Me  

*  I am the oldest of 6 children!  4 brothers, 1 sister and some amaizng in-laws!!!

*  My Mother told me as a little girl to meet a good Catholic Boy...I met my husband in Religion Class at our Catholic High School our Senior year, he sat right next to me.  I love to please! :)  We have been married now 23 years.  Our story is not perfect, but it's our's and he is my best friend and we have so much fun together.

*  I was the WORST student in elementary, junior high and high school.  Terrible at Math and Science, but great at anything that caught my interest.  Some of my favorite classes were, spirituality, personality studies, oceanography, marketing, human relationship studies...basically anything that had to do with people.  My worst class...SEWING!  Omg, not a fan of "tedious" work.

*  I am all girl with a tool belt!  When we owned our home, I was the fix it person!

*  At the age of 40, God called our family to adopt and we brought our 4th child into our lives through the gift of adoption through Guatemala!  We brought our Bella home at the age of 8 months and at 13 months she was diagnosed with ALL Leukemia.  We went through a 2.5 year chemo treatment with Bella, she is healed and she is God's Glory!

*  I love to dance!  Get me on a dance floor and I promise you, I will never get off!  

*  When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a professional ice skater...that dream never happened, but I took ballroom dance lessons and to me, that is skating on heals! 

*  I moved my family half away across the country, from family, friends and everything that was comfortable so that I could attend Charis Bible College and learn how to teach others what I knew was the truth in healing.  After Bella's adoption and chemo treatment, I experienced God in a way I had never experienced him before and I had a burning desire to teach others the TRUTH!

*  As much as I hate to admit it, I am not perfect....far from it!  I have had major struggles in life like most of you.  I have struggled with my weight, my attitude, my thoughts, my trust in God, my marriage, my children, jobs, depression, the loss of a home and finances.  But through it all, my faith has sustained and provided for every need emotionally, mentally and physically.

*  I have been told several times I have a gift for speaking and expressing myself, but I have yet to right a book or public speak...but both are on my goal list.

*  My real goal with this blog is to share life with you, to help you create lasting changes in body, mind and soul.  To journey with you so that we can become ALL God created us to be!  You are Amazing, and I can't wait to get to know you!!!  

This blog is for you, so please let me know what you think and don't be afraid to make suggestions or ask me questions.  If you like it, make sure to find me and like my facebook page, comment here and share with your friends.  I'm so glad you made it here, thanks for reading friends. :)

FALL into FITNESS Accountability & Support Group for Women

Do you want to get fitter, feel great and have fun doing it, in a safe, non-competitive, private environment?

Would you like to be part of a fun, energetic, supportive community of women online (and even face to face for some) through a Secret Online Forum?

Have you ever felt too new, too unfit, too intimidated, to busy, too overwhelmed or to old to join a gym or fitness class or even take your fitness to the next level?

Would real women, with real stories of victories, real hurts, real struggles and challenges inspire you to reach your goals?

Then this is your Time, Your Place, Your Answer!

My October Accountability and Support Group is a Fun, Supportive atmosphere with other women throughout the world encourage, inspiring and teaching others how to be the very best they can be no matter your age, fitness level, or size.

If this sounds like something you would like to do or you would like additional information, please fill out the application below.  

Registration is now OPEN and closes September 28th!  

Use Wufoo templates to make your own HTML forms.

5 Minute Clean Eat Desert!

My husband loves to have a bowl of ice cream in the evening for desert.  This fun little habit has been instilled in my boys as well.  So with our new healthier lifestyle, I have been searching for EASY recipes that will nourish our bodies as well as our souls. :)  I came upon this new tasty desert.

Chocolate Avocado Mousse

1 Avocado
1 TBS Lemon Juice
1 TBS Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1/2 TSP Honey

***Place all ingredients in a food processor, blend until smooth, refrigerate for coolness.  enjoy!

STEP 1

STEP 2

STEP 3

Yummy Coconut Chicken Bites

I came across these Coconut Chicken Bites and just had to share with you all. :)

Recipe and Photo compliments of http://fitwomenforlife.com/coconut-chicken-bites/

Ingredients:

• 1 pound chicken, chopped
• ½ cup coconut flour
• ½ cup shredded coconut
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• ½ tsp. paprika
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. black pepper
• ½ cup coconut oil, for frying

Steps to crEATe:

1.)    Combine all dry ingredients and spices in large shallow bowl or plate. Mix up. Set aside.

2.)    Whisk egg in large bowl. Add chopped chicken to egg.

3.)    Heat coconut oil in large frying pan.

4.)    Coat egg covered chicken with dry ingredients, making sure to coat entire piece of chicken, add to the frying pan. Repeat for as many pieces will fit in pan.

5.)    Fry until golden brown, flipping and turning chicken until cooked.

*Enjoy with organic ketchup or healthy condiment of choice

God Dream or Expectation?

Dreams move us,  compel us they can even consume us. Many of the dreams on our hearts are God given dreams, they are part of our ultimate purpose and we are to live them out.  But sometimes, those dreams are expectations we have either put on ourselves or others have put on us and they cause great stress and pressure in our daily lives.  We follow those kind of dreams because we fear that others will not accept us, so we go after someone else's dream and not our own.

I have fallen victim to this chase...pretty sure you have too.  It was not intentional, but feeling accepted felt good and the idea of what was presented to me seemed like a good idea.  The real problems came when I began comparing myself to others.  That is when a new demon named
Self Doubt stepped in and the great dream then became a burden.

If this is you, STOP!  There is an amazing calling on your life, your life has purpose, you have a future filled with hope and promise.  You have gifts, talents and abilities that the world needs because you have been empowered to use them.

Pay attention to that dream in your heart, but I encourage you to pray on it and seek God.  A God given dream may not be "comfortable", but it will always be followed by peace.

Simplify your Life Day 1, 10 Tips for Being On Time

If you are a multi-tasker, you may be like me and struggle with with being "on time".  In my September Accountability Group, Busy Women Get FIT, we are focusing on how we can simplify our lives and not only be more productive but take control of our busy lives so we can actually LIVE our lives and do the work God has called us to do.

10 Tips for Being on Time

1.  Keep your purse and car keys on a hook or shelf by the House Entrance.

2.  Check and fill your gas tank regularly, such as every Thursday evening before gas prices increase.

3.  Put Personal Development CD's or Books on CD in the car to listen too so that you get your "Soul Food" in for the day.

4.  Write out your "To Do" List every Sunday evening, everything that you possibly need to do for the week.  Include kid, personal, family, work, spiritual, etc.  Dump your Mind of everything

5.  Prioritize your To Do list with your Top 6 "Must Do"'s for each day then work from your list after you have completed your top 6.

6.  Set a timer a half hour before you have to leave to end all current activities.

7.  Choose your clothing and lay it out the night before, make sure everything is ironed and don't forget to lay out under garments as well.

8.  Pre-cook meats, veggies and hot cereals every Sunday for the entire week and package in single servings either in baggies or small containers.  Make sure your food is grab and go.  If you Meal Prep, you will save yourself from making poor choices.

9.  Set your clocks 10 minutes ahead of schedule, believe it or not, this works! 

10.  Set alerts on your phone to go off 1 hour and again 15 minutes before scheduled apts or leave times.  

5 Ways You Can BOOST Your Slowing Metabolism

The older we get, the slower our "furnace" burns.  Here are 5  ways to get your metabolism fired up and burning!

photo by womenslifestyle.com

1.  Water - Drink at least HALF your body weight in water.  Initially, I was a BIG Fountain Diet Coke drinker, learning to drink water was a challenge for me.  Because fountain drinks were my favorite, I purchased 4 large water bottles with a straw and I prepared them every evening, placed them in the refrigerator and my goal was to get through all 4 bottles by the end of the day, thus drinking my recommend water ounces.

2.  Lean Protein - Chicken, Ground Turkey, Tuna, Poultry, Fish, Bison, Elk, Egg White, Greek or Plain Yogurt and Cottage Cheese just to name a few.  Protein helps you to stay satisfied longer and is less likely to store in your body as fat.  It's important to eat 1 protein serving with every meal.

3.  Fiber - Ok, if your a Carb Junkie like I was, then I know your not getting enough fiber!  Fiber keeps you feeling fuller longer as well as assists in cleaning out your "plumbing".  Healthy Complex Carbohydrates are things like Oatmeal, wheat germ, bran, flaxseed.  Also Vegetables and Fruit are full of healthy fiber!  Just an FYI, if you love oatmeal, best time to have it is in the morning.  Sprinkle with slivered almonds  and blueberries to get your side of protein and fruit in as well. I also like to sweeten mine with a tsp of Agave and Cinnamon.

4.  Green Tea/Black Coffee - I know, you would rather hit the Starbuck's line...me too!  But the truth is, you need to save that for "treat" moments.  Our favorite Latte's are full of calories, sugar and imitation products.  Try your next cup of coffee black (on occasion or if needed, sweeten with almond milk creamer and stevia) and get easy to go Green Tea Packets.

5.  Hot Spices - Cayenne, Jalepeno and Habanero are considered "thermogenic", meaning they rev up and fuel your "furnace"...your metabolism.