Are you ready for a January Jump Start?

Hello friends!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas with your families and are enjoying this time of rest and relaxation. In this last week of December 2015 as we move into the New Year I encourage you to stay motivated! I know this time between Christmas and New Year's can be tempting to indulge in leftover sweets and treats but let us finish the year stronger and healthier than ever! Take this time of rest to really focus in on your goals for 2016 and all that you want to accomplish, not just through your health but in all areas of life. 

Sweet friends that are participating in the Holiday Extravaganza finish strong and remember why you started this challenge! Remember the challenge is not a diet or a phase meant to restrict, but meant to encourage you to treat your body as a temple and reward you for doing so! 

Thinking about the New Year - Are you going to be looking to jump start your body, mind, & spirit for a successful 2016?
The TransFit January Jump Start packages will provide you a healthy all- inclusive approach to help you achieve your fitness goals! The January Jump Start packages will get you on the right track to make 2016 the best year yet body, mind and spirit!

January Jump Start Package A

•  4 weeks healthy lifestyle meal plans, recipes, shopping lists
• Blank Meal Plan Template for you to customize
•  2 home workouts per week plus weekly inspiration
• One month exercise plan                                                            
• Getting Started Guide & 10 New Year's Steps to Success
•  2015 Goal Sheet                                                           
• Accountability Chart
• TransFit January calendar with weekly challenges
• Weekly Inspiration and email support

                                                                       $75. 00                                                                    Will be emailed directly to you in PDF format

January Jump Start Package Elite

 January Jump Start Package A plus add in a 25 minute consultation with body composition (body fat % & measurements) with Certified Nutrition Consultants: Katie Woodall or Caroline Ward    $100

January Jump Start Package Premier

January Jump Start Package A plus add in 2 -25 minute consultations before & after 4 week nutrition plan $125

January Jump Start Package Platinum (*awesome savings!*)

January Jump Start Package A  plus 25 minute consultation before & after 4 week nutrition plan  plus 2 Transformer in studio workout sessions per week for the month of January    $225.00                                                                                                

Email transfitathens@gmail.comor go to SHOP to sign up

Here is a January Jump Start recipe and my favorite 2015 Transformer workout to help you stay focused during the last week in December. 

Enjoy this salad recipe over the next few days to leave you feeling satisfied and energized!

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Transformer Pear & Spinach Salad

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted
• 1 cup pomegranate arils
• 4 oz feta cheese or goat cheese, crumbled
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 2 Bartlett pears (firm but ripe), cored and sliced
• 1 avocado, peeled and sliced tossed in lemon juice
• 9-12 oz baby spinach

Dressing

• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper, to taste 

Directions

Place all dressing ingredients in a mason jar and shake well or blend. Place all salad ingredients in a large salad bowl, drizzle with desired amount of dressing then toss to evenly coat. Serve immediately.

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Here is one of our favorite workouts of 2015 - try this some time in the next few days to feel recharged and strong! 

I want to say thank you so much for another incredible year. God has continued to bless this business and I have loved watching Him use TransFit as an amazing ministry. You all inspire and encourage me each and every day, and I could not be more grateful to do what I love and serve you all!

Blessings,

Caroline

Holiday Hustle Workout for the entire family!

Sweet friends! 

This weekend was such a full, fun weekend  with holiday parties and Kaitlyn, Lyla and I were able to have my sweet god-sister (Mal)  to film a super high energy Christmas workout!! We are really getting into the Christmas spirit here at the Ward house!  I hope you and your entire family can enjoy this fun, holiday workout! 

Please share it with us if you do-- we would love to see!! #holidayhustle

I have heard so many awesome stories of success during the Holiday Extravaganza!! Keep up the GREAT work! Everyone is fighting hard for the prizes- reaching so many goals and keeping to your healthy lifestyles even through the holidays. I am so proud of all of you! Keep up the good work! 

Also, we want to provide TransFit clients all over the United States the most effective whole body experience!  I would love if you could take 30 seconds to fill out this quick survey so that we know how to serve you better in 2016! 

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2Z632D7

Start your Monday off strong! Remember to take part in this week's  WATER challenge (drinking 100 oz daily) and keep up the GREAT work! Focus this week on remaining diligent in your meal planning, workouts and rest as next week will be crazy for all of us. Let's also take time this week to focus on and remember the true reason for this season. As we go to all of our parties, events and gatherings let's remember the reason we celebrate! Spend some extra time to thanking God for sending us His son! HE is the reason we have life!!

Let us be intentional about remembering to honor Him with our whole bodies this week.

Blessings, Caroline

How to Navigate Holiday Parties

Hello friends! 

Finally the cold weather has moved in here in Athens (kind of) and it truly is beginning to look and feel a lot like Christmas! Kelly and I just enjoyed a wonderful long weekend in Utah where it definitely looked like Christmas! 

As we continue into this wonderful season, one of the most challenging things in our health journey can be staying on track when we go to holiday parties. We all know these parties that come with friends, family but also endless amounts of food. People gather and all bring dishes that are so tempting and we often go through a cycle of overeating and then feeling guilt and shame after the party. Friends, let's not so this to ourselves- this holiday season!

Here are a few tips on how to have your best and healthiest holiday season yet.

1. You are not there for the food. Yes, there will be a lot of food that only comes once a year but at the end of the day it is exactly that- food. Food was meant to nourish our bodies for service, not tempt us into over-indulgence and lead us to guilt and shame. Friends we have got to break free from the cycle! Go into your party knowing that this party is about fellowship and spending time with the ones you love. 

2. Drink a large glass of water and eat a high-protein snack before the party. Now, you will be satisfied from a healthy snack going into the party and much less likely to reach for empty calories and mindless snacks. I know often people will not eat all day to "save their calories" for the big party or meal, however this leads to over-consumption of foods that are not going to satisfy or fuel you in the long run! Prepare before hand so you can enter and exit this party feeling healthy and nourished. Having victory! 

3. Bring a healthy snack or treat that everyone can enjoy and so you will know you have a healthy option available. Some ideas are: lean meat and cheese trays, fruit and vegetable trays, homemade trail mix or glazed nuts. Below is an easy recipe that you can take that is sure to be a crowd favorite and leave everyone feeling great and not weighed down and guilty! 

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Healthy Maple Glazed Pecans

Makes 6 --1/3 cup servings

2 ½ cups of pecans

1/3 cup maple syrup 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Combine syrup, cinnamon and sea salt and stir until well mixed. Preheat a dry skillet to medium-high. Add pecans and syrup mixture and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the syrup is caramelized. You’ll know they’re done when they start sticking to the spoon! Spread them on a greased tray to cool.

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These nuts can be enjoyed alone, OR on top of a delicious spinach salad with walnuts, cheese, cranberries, pomegranate seeds and a balsamic maple dressing! See below for this beautiful and delicious recipe! 

Holiday Spectacular Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch of salt
• 8 cups mixed greens (I used baby kale, spinach, arugula)
• arils from one pomegranate
• 2 cups walnuts
• 1 cup dried cranberries or cherries
• 8 ounces crumbled goat cheese
• 2 grilled grilled or baked chicken breasts chopped or fresh turkey

Balsamic Fig Dressing

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fig preserves
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Toss the walnuts with the maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt. Bake for 15-25 minutes, stirring 2-3 time throughout cooking until the walnuts are toasted and golden.

Add the greens to a large salad bowl. Add the pomegranate arils, chicken and the cranberries. Add the cooled walnuts and gently toss the salad. Add the goat cheese last.

To make the dressing, whisk the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, fig preserves and salt until combined. Just before serving, drizzle the dressing over the salad and gently toss. Enjoy!

Friends, it is time that we break free from the cycle of holiday over eating. Parties should be filled with laughter, fun and time spent with the ones that you love. Take this opportunity to practice your will power, and then notice how great your body and spirit feel after the party because you have experienced all of the great fellowship without any guilt or shame in overindulging.

Now you may be wondering what to do if you do get off track and have one too many pieces or Christmas candy or dessert. Friends, do not let any sort of guilt enter your mind! Let it go- it is in the past. Clean the slate! Realize that this journey you are on is not a diet. No friends, this is a lifestyle and sometimes you will face challenges! I encourage you in these times to remember why you started this lifestyle. Think for a second on all of the positive changes you made this holiday season in compared to your last. Think of how far you have come and all the progress you have made. Now with a renewed mind and spirit prepare to have your best and healthiest day tomorrow and drink plenty of water and tea to help purify your body so you can feel your best! 

You can do this sweet friends! We are praying for you and can't wait to hear all the success that you all have and how God blesses your holiday season! 

Blessings, Caroline

Set Goals and Finish December Strong!

Happy Friday friends! 

Can you believe December is already here? It seems like this year has flown by! However we still have one month left- let's strive to make it our best month yet! 

Here at TransFit we have a lot of exciting things going on in December! 

First, the Holiday Extravaganza is underway!! For those of you who joined in- keep up the great work! We have heard some awesome stories of discipline at holiday events and diligence in working out! GREAT job! Even if you weren't able to join the contest, join us in spirit and make new goals that you can and will achieve this month! Here is a December calendar full of challenges to help you make and achieve short term goals this month and press on through the end of the year! Goals are so important and help us strive to get to the place in our lives where we long to be! Friends, it is NEVER too late to make a new goal! Push yourself in this last month and finish 2015 out strong! Like our December theme you have to truly believe you can do it! 

While your schedule gets busier and busier and you are tempted to put your health and fitness goals- remember why you have started this journey! You long to be healthier in your mind, body and spirit. While I know you may struggle more during this season to get sessions in or make it to the gym, here is a High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workout that you can do anywhere (garage, bedroom, outside, etc)!! It will get your heart rate pumping and help you to continue to torch calories long after you've finished! To make the most of your time, give it your absolute best for the 15-20 minutes it takes and then feel great about the workout you got in among all of the tasks you have for the day! It can be easily printed out and taken with you wherever you go! 

This HIIT workout, along with other full-body workouts can be found in the 14 Day Recharge eBook! TransFit was so excited to release our first ever eBook on Black Friday and you can get it TODAY still at a discounted price! Today is the day to begin really recharging your fitness- especially right before Christmas! If you start today you will be finished just in time to be feeling your best mind , body and spirit as you go into the holiday week! You can purchase the eBook for the discounted price here.

http://www.transfitathens.com/new-products/14-day-recharge-1

Friends, let's make the most of this wonderful season. Take in all the smells, lights and the wonderful feeling that lingers in the air this time of year. Take the time to cherish your family and friends more than ever before, and make the most of every day. Choose to pray more, give more and love more in the coming month perhaps than you have all year- always remembering the true meaning of this season! Happy December sweet friends!!  

Blessings,

Caroline

5 Tips to keep you on track for your best Thanksgiving!

Hello friends! 

Can you believe it's Thanksgiving week already? What an energizing day of workouts in the TransFit Studio yesterday! Congrats to Amy O'Neil for winning the Food Journal Challenge and thanks to so many ladies who give 150% in the TransFit studio each day! Already, this week has been full of family and friends and it has been on my mind especially how thankful I am for my amazing clients, friends and family. My clients continually bless me and inspire me as they strive to live healthier in body, mind, and spirit and my friends and family make my life so bright! My cup overflows! 

As Thursday approaches friends, let's stay focused on everything we are thankful for--especially the opportunity we have to live our healthiest life. While this seems very hard to do during the holidays, let's remember that we CAN stay on track! 

Holiday Extravaganza is well underway and there is a lot of money in the pot to date! You still have until today at 8pm to weigh in before holidays! The goal of this game is to keep you accountable to keep your weight the same over the holidays or to become the BIGGEST LOOSER and WIN the cash money in the POT or one of the amazing prizes (like the FULL OUTFIT from lululemon)!!!

During Thanksgiving, the main idea is to remember PORTION CONTROL! It is okay to have a few “taboo” foods. You do not have to avoid dessert completely, just focus on moderation! Maybe decide ahead of time which treat you want to have, and then decide which you could give up. For example- maybe skip the rolls and mashed potatoes, choose a sweet potato with honey instead and turkey, vegetables and cranberry sauce then have a smaller piece of pumpkin pie (a MUCH better choice than pecan- which can hold over 500 calories per slice!!) This week, let us remain focused on striving for our goals- and be on the lookout for a SPECIAL BLACK FRIDAY RELEASE with TransFit!! 

We are releasing our first e-book!! It will be a 14 Day Recharge to totally recharge your holidays in body, mind, and spirit, stimulate your metabolism, and have a break though in your healthy lifestyle!! The 14 Day Recharge will be released Friday at a SPECIAL discount price so get ready!! 

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Moving into Thursday- try these 5 Holiday tips:

 1. Make a list of why you started working out and read it before going to social events over the holidays! Keep your goals in mind.

 2.  Its okay to say “NO” to all the food pushers! You don’t have to try everyone’s “famous recipe”. Compliment the host in other wonderful areas.

3. Exercise over the holidays: Be ready to be flexible; your usual workout times may not work especially when so many parties and get together are happening. Instead of skipping your normal workout time all together, try to fit it somewhere else in your schedule (20 minutes may be all you can get one day). Here is a great HIIT workout for this holiday season that can be done ANYWHERE at any time!

4. Make exercise into a fun family event! (ex. Trip to stone mountain, walk in the park, family bike ride). Also, think of exercise as a form of worship! 

5. Keep up the November  Holiday Extravaganza challenge – this week is the cardio challenge!!

Take an afternoon walk before or after your meal, looking at all the beautiful leaves and spending some time be thankful for all He has blessed you with. It will be the sweetest Thanksgiving yet!  You will be left feeling so much better in every area- body, mind and spirit.  Enjoy celebrating your health and spending time with those you love, and have an incredible start to this wonderful holiday season.

Blessings,

Caroline

“Give Thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.”

— Psalm 107:1