A Heart of Gold and Lentil Enchiladas

{LENTIL ENCHILADAS}

My Uncle Matt, seriously the best Uncle you could ever want (well I think highly of all of my Uncles, each a little differently). Uncle Matt has a heart of gold and a smile that is contagious. And when we started this journey with Phat Chances he had just spent over a year eating a plant based diet. He and my Aunt Deb came up with some amazing recipes by taking meat dishes they loved and replacing the meat with beans, lentils, and veggies. This is one of them. 

Reconstitute 1 1/4 cup of red lentil in 2 cans of beef consume (you can use veggie broth, he used beef consume because it added flavor and NO FAT!), 1/2 diced onion, 1tsp oregano, 1tsp cumin. ***This takes about 1.5 hours and add water as needed. You want to end up with soft lentils and a little moisture.

Sauce: 1 large can of enchilada sauce, 1 can beef consume, 1 small can tomato paste, 2 cloves garlic, simmer 1/2 hour 

Filling, saute one diced onion till soft, add lentils, 1/2 package of lawreys enchilada spice and 2 small cans chopped black olives. Use a potato masher to brake up hole lentils but keep semi chunky 

Prep the dish: In a skillet, add 1/4 cup of sauce, heat and soften corn tortillas in this, add sauce as needed and fill and roll tortillas until you fill a backing pan. add enough sauce over the top to keep enchiladas moist. heat at 350 for 40 minutes. top with Precious fat free mozzarella and back in 5 minutes longer

*The only fat in this is the oil when from sautéing onions and high fiber.*

[RUN]

by Cara

This journey has taken me many places. Uphill and down. Fast and slow. Happy and sad. Nothing would have prepared me for where I am now. Since this journey began almost 2 years ago the questions, the advice, and the sharing began. Everyone wanted to know why and how and could they. 

Brianne and I have been drinking Shakeology for a year. We kick our own butts at home with the likes of Shaun T., Chalene Johnson and Tony Horton. And just 5 months ago I became a Team Beachbody Coach. With the tools of Beachbody and the results that I can see and the world can see, I get to share this with as many people as possible. I love it. I am half way through my first 30-day Challenge and I am amazed at the results and the participation of my challengers. 

There is more. As a Team Beachbody Coach I get to build my team of like minded hard working individuals who are also interested in not only changing their life but helping others change theirs. My long time friend, and the first Coach on my team, Taylor, came to me 2 weeks ago and asked if I thought she could run. See as ambulance dispatchers we used to dispatch large scale events, mostly marathons that ran across the city of San Francisco. For years we sat at the finish line, in the cold, wondering what it was that would make people run like that. 1 year ago Taylor was dispatching when I crossed the finish line of my second half marathon. Two weeks ago she came to me, as a Beachbody Coach, a friend, and a success story in progress. She has decided that instead of either of us being at the finish line she wants to cross it with me. July 27, 2014 we will run the San Francisco Marathon (well half 13.1 miles). Right now we train. I am training someone to run a marathon....ME! Its the best feeling in the world. 

Want to learn more about being your own boss, naming your hours and building a business on health and fitness. Check out my Beachbody page.

TRUST THE PROCESS

by Cara

Its been weeks. Maybe months. All I know is, too long. Phat Chances is our story. It is the hard proof of where we came from and where we are TRYING to go. It is ugly. It is sweaty. It is HARD. 

We are still plugging a long. For a second there, right around my birthday I became complacent and as any YO-YO dieter would know, that is when you FAIL. Becoming complacent in your lifestyle means you are doing things you don't even think will sabotage your efforts. I was eating french fries and well a LOT of Cookie Butter. 

I gained, 14 lbs.

And well that is just not OK. I told Betty. I told my husband. I told my BLR friend Heather. I had to start telling on myself. So I thought what better than to tell the world, and our readers here on Phat Chances. This is not easy, we have said it a million times. As we get closer and closer to the two-year mark (November 27) we are looking at how far we have to go. And that is not the smartest thing to do. My last pounds feel like they will NEVER........EVER come off. And I get at least one message from Betty a week about how there seems to be no light at the end of this tunnel.  

And then, we have those moments when we look at what life is like and realize that it is COMPLETELY different. We work our asses off (Betty usually 2x a day). We eat and drink right 90% of the time. We are wearing pants that have been in the drawer for 5 years. 

We run 10ks. 

 LIFE IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. We might have work to do, but we also have to trust that we are doing OK. We are headed in the right direction and although slow going we are moving. Sorry it has been a while, we are refocusing. This two year mark came up fast. Can't wait to share our Phat Chances future with all of you in 2014! 

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

TRUST THE PROCESS

CHANGE FOREVER.

Media Mom

by Cara

As a mom, or as Betty calls me "Media Mom" I am linked to so many people through Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram (#PhatChances), oh and don't forget My Fitness Pal and logging my workouts on Beachbody and Map My Run. Holy smokes, that is a lot of connection. It is a lot of logging in and checking in and pinning and posting and you name it. I sometimes feel overwhelmed by it, and sometimes I think about the few people I do know that are not connected or are only connected in one or two ways. I am jealous.

But just like this blog, logging in, checking in and posting and pinning is my ACCOUNTABILITY. It is my chance to stay connected to my journey, that I will be on forever. Will I post about it forever, maybe. I can never go back, and being visible and vulnerable is what makes this journey FOR REAL. 

What I do know is I need to be more purposeful in when and how I am using it. If I am with the fam or doing something meaningful, I need to put it away and live in the moment. I need to make sure my memories are in my head just as much as they are posted or checked in on my social media outlets. I need to be a successful mom just as much as I need the success of my healthy lifestyle.

I find pinned photos or instagrammed photos that I share all of the time. A lot of the photos I share have been shared by thousands of people before me, but it has meaning to my journey and so I share it too. This week there was one that just hit home for me, because it is not just about working out or meal prepping, it is about sharing life with the people you love and being fully present. When I say I just didn't have time, what was I actually doing with my time. Time is all we really have. Spend it wisely.

END THE TREND

by Cara

Team Beachbody. Shakeology. Chalene Johnson. FOCUS T25. TurboFire. Coaching.

What is this and why is Phat Chances supporting it?! We have said before that we INSPIRE to be INSPIRED by you, by friends and family and complete strangers. For the last 20 months as we have traveled this journey the number of people that have joined us is in itself AMAZING. We field questions, we listen to challenges and share in hope and dreams of fitness and living healthy lifestyles.

Our fantastic trainer/friend and whom we now would consider part of our family, John Hebison, introduced us to Shakeology. I think we posted about Shakeology and our experience with it a few (maybe more) months ago.  Team Beachbody is an avenue to share our journey with even more people, but more importantly it gives us the resources and tools to support and encourage in even more ways than we already are.

P90X and INSANITY have become household names, or at least you have passed Tony Horton or Shaun T on a late night informercial. They are becoming house hold names because people are understanding the importance of health and wellness. I love Beachbody's tag line, END THE TREND (of obesity). Team Beachbody is not just about sweating in your living room or drinking a shake a day, it is about giving yourself the power to make life changes, for health of course but also for overall wellness. I am excited to be a part of this and I want to share it with anyone else who is interested.

Please remember, Phat Chances is proof that there is no magic pill (or shake), there is only hard work, dedication and a few tears. Even with Beachbody and with Shakeology there MUST be hard work, commitment and sweat! Watch the video below. See if this is something you WANT, something you NEED. And then take the steps to COMMIT and you will SUCCEED.

It is FREE to just sign-up and look around the Beachbody website. Maybe that is your first step.




Please visit me at

www.beachbodycoach.com/CaraGarcia 

or for more information on Shakeology

www.myshakeology.com/CaraGarcia

I will be starting a 10-Day Challenge group SOON! Ask me how you can join and try it for 10 days!

All Business (AB)

by Brianne

I have recently found myself juggling my time more than usual. I have missed some boot camps, some personal training appointments and finding myself extra busy with social functions and events. Relationships are what make my life rich and brilliant. I am so blessed and honored to have people in my life that actually want to spend time with me. Those relationships make me who I am and time invested in them is very important to me even if that time is short. I will never give up on the people that I can’t live without, but for so many years I found myself living everyone else’s life. Never my own. I would take on take on hardships, worries and time attempting to make things right or less difficult for other people. I need to be mindful of my balance. Time for my relationships and time for me. The people that remain are my power for the tasks ahead.

“The task ahead is never as great as the power behind you” – San Jose Earthquakes Fans

Cara and I frequently use the term “AB”. AB stands for “All Business” and is code for shut up and do work…no excuses. Sometimes in life you need to stop with all the bullshit, focus on the task ahead and move forward. Countless times we have repeat worries, conversations, fallbacks and mistakes. In a perfect world, there would be no repeats. We are far from perfect, but repetition…negative repetition, is frustrating and can actually work as a catalyst against you. Hence, AB.

Should I find myself worrying about how slow the scale is moving, or how tired I am after a long day, or how friggin hot it is outside, or how sore my legs are from the new stairmaster workout Johnny gave me, or how much I would rather go out for drinks than go to boot camp, or the guilt I feel when I choose a workout over someone I love…I remind myself this is a process.

And I trust the process.

However, the process won’t work if you don’t.

Stop with the bullshit.

The time is now.

All business.

AB.

Shout outs:

Johnny…difficult conversations aren’t easy to have especially when I know they are true, but because of them, you are helping me save my life and there are no words to truly express my profound appreciation for the investment you have made in my journey. Real talk.

Through friends of friends of friends, a special friend came into my life through Instagram a few months ago. Cynthia (@dink_donk) and I have never met face to face. She lives down the street from me in Emeryville and is someone I can unconditionally relate to. Our struggles are similar and worries are consistent. She is a lovely soul who has inspired me many times. Today, she said I inspired her. Life is good.

Kelly Potate McCain…You are stunning inside and out. My sister and I are so lucky to have you in our lives. I have faith that our distance will shorten soon and all will be as it should be.

Went to my first professional soccer game. It was friggin awesome. The crowd chants and there is thick layer of pride in the air that inspired me from start to finish. Happy Birthday Nan! Best day ever. Go Earthquakes!

We are also really excited to announce that Cara has become a Beachbody Coach. Joining Johnny and hundreds of thousands of other motivating and inspiring people to help others along their journey to health and wellness. Beachbody is not just about P90X and Shakeology (although those come highly recommended) it is about having the tools and access to changing your life. 

If you are interested in learning more please email Cara at caramgarcia@gmail.com or check out Beachbody here and look for her Coach page: CaraGarcia.

Stronger Everyday: An Update

by Brianne

It is safe to say if we lacked on our weight loss the way we have on our blog, we would not be doing so well. We are 18 months in and going strong. Though recently, we have both been dealing with some unfortunate, but realistic struggles. If all weight loss consisted of was clean eating and fitness, there wouldn’t be an obesity epidemic. The game is all mental. Get your mind right, and you will find success. But to get your mind right, it takes abso-fucking-lutely everything you’ve got and we are not there, just yet. Together my sister and I have spent the last 18 months relearning how to live and think healthfully. We have down the processes of  “park your car farther away, take the stairs, salad dressing on the side, wear our (new) Polar watch, drink a shit-ton of water” lifestyle. We get it. We know it. We live it. What we struggle with, what most people struggle with, is the daily motivation to keep a positive attitude when we feel exhausted and overwhelmed, get our asses to the gym/trainer when our bodies are screaming at us, choose chicken and spinach over crap food or no food when we are starving and/or rushed, and dealing with the reasons we found ourselves overweight in the first place, without using food to cope. Though we have many sustainable routines in place, it takes every ounce of mental strength we have and to find long-term success, we must be even stronger.

If we know how to eat right and sweat right, then how do we get our minds right?

It takes time. A tenacious diligence of positive mindful thought that becomes greater and stronger each day. However, inspiration, grand, amazing, prideful INSPIRATION becomes the catalyst to keeping momentum during this mental game. We may never have our minds perfectly right where everything just becomes easy shmeezy, but inspiration sure does make you think you might.

Cara and I have found inspiration from some amazing people we have met along the way. It keeps us going. Friends we met at the Biggest Loser Resort, the Biggest Loser winners and contestants we have the honor of knowing, our Boot Camp beasts, close friends and family, all our social media friends that we may have or may not have officially met and so so many more. It reminds us that people just like us can change completely. To choose change in the face of adversity is brilliance. We are so honored to be a part of your lives (even if only on Instagram straight flexin).

No matter what your goals are (100 pounds, 10 pounds, maintenance), you must find strength within yourself to wake up everyday and continue. This is the mental game where your want for change must be greater than anything else. Inspiration. That is how.

Update:

I am eating approximately 1400 calories a day. Working out 5-6 days a week for 1-2 hours. I drink 100 ounces of water a day and I use Shakeology as a meal replacement.

I have lost 128 pounds, 8 dress sizes, down 22 inches around my abdomen and have gained much better outlook on the life I want for myself, which I believe to be the true measure of success. I have more to lose and lots more work to do, but it's happening. It will happen.

Cara eats between 1200-1400 calories a day, works out 4-5 times per week, has been tracking her food for over 100 days on My Fitness Pal (that1momma) and has lost 87 lbs.

 Shout outs:

To the cousins: Kasey, Kelly and Meghan…our daily conference texts light up our lives. The humor and honesty found in our group texts is seriously fucking super amazing. You are right beside us and we are right beside you to the moon and back. “Even though I am twitching and want to knaw my arm off, I feel great”.

Kian! If there is one person who should win an award for achieving success while the world has gone dark, it’s you. Amidst all that you have been put through, with all of the obstacles placed in your path, YOU ARE GRADUATING FROM NURSING SCHOOL. I feel proud. Like ‘yell at the top of my lungs and cry and laugh and jump up and down and roll around on some grassy field wearing a cap and gown singing to Michael Jackson’ proud. Though I never once doubted your ability, I am so inspired. Congrats Ma. My rib.

Johnny…You have not given up on me even when I have wanted to give up on myself. Your positive attitude has kept me aligned with the goals we have set. You are so much more than my trainer. Thanks BFF. Means the world to me. Ride or die. Check out his website… www.bodybyjheb.com

Tips:

Social media: stalk the people who inspire you to live the best life you can possibly live. Stalk-inspiration. Or just follow them, thats ok too!

To inspire ourselves and anyone who reads this blog, we will be starting a series called “Phat Chances' Skinny Summer” where inspirational people will be highlighted as guest Phat Chances bloggers.  Throughout this summer, we will be reaching out to some of the people that inspire us most. If you have a story to tell, tell us about it! We would love to feature you or if you want us to highlight someone that inspires you, please email us at caramgarcia@gmail.com or bcanepa@comcast.net.