Baked Banana Almond Oatmeal **21 Day Fix Approved**

Cook Time:30 Min Total Time:30 Min
Ingredients
· YELLOW - Steel Cut Oats
· PURPLE - Banana
· BLUE - Almond Slices
· FREEBIE - Cinnamon
· Optional: Drizzle Maple Syrup or Honey on top

Instructions
Cook steel cut oats per directions. I typically make a large batch on the weekends and cook for about 20-25 minutes on the stovetop.  Refrigerate portions as needed.

If you are eating it immediately, you can top it with banana slices, almond slices, a sprinkle of cinnamon (to your liking) and a little drizzle of natural sweetener (maple syrup or honey is best).

Bake in your oven at 425 for 5 minutes or until caramelized and slightly crisp.

* If refrigerated bake at 425 for 10 minutes.
Notes
21 Day Fix Optional: You can use 1 tsp of honey as a natural sweetener when on the 21 Day Fix. Honey is NOT allowed on the 21 Day Fix Extreme.

Enjoy!

Make the rest of your life the best of your life! <3

Welcome to DarLean Fitness!

Hi my name is Darlene Caron.  I am married to the love of my life and my best friend.  I am a mother of three young adults - 23, 21 and 18. In May 2014, I was at the end of my rope.  I was overweight, unhealthy and I couldn't keep up with my very athletic family.  I had a hard time just walking from one end of my house to the other, my asthma was out of control. I had tried every diet known and I was putting the weight on instead of

 taking it off.  I had NO HOPE!

On June 1, 2014 my coach had me start with the 21 Day Fix.  What a difference 21 days made in my life!  I lost 6.8 lbs and 12.9 inches....in just 21 days!  I was blown away by my results!  I learned how to control my portions from the easy meal plan that was included.  The best part was that I was changing how I felt on the inside as well.  My negativity was going away and I was starting to learn how to love myself!  I even climbed a mountain with my 17 year old son, something I have NEVER been able to do in my life!!!

I have completed two rounds of the 21 Day Fix, three rounds of the 3 Day Refresh, the Ultimate Reset, PiYo, and I am now doing CIZE.  I drink Shakeology, usually Chocolate everyday!  I am losing inches and regaining the hope and self love that I had lost as a child.

If you are ready to begin your journey, if you are ready to make a change in your life, please know that I am waiting to help you.  If you walk, I will walk with you. If you jog, I will jog with you.  If you run, then I WILL run with YOU!  You won't be alone!

Step up to the challenge, believe in yourself, and do what it takes.  Right NOW is a GREAT time to START!

It's Not an Ending, It's a Beginning

For the last month I have been completely off with every aspect of my life. Between the stress of a family emergency, trying to make it to as many of my son's senior football games as possible, a new full time job, being a coach AND a challenger, I have become completely overwhelmed. I have let my family down and I have let myself down.

I was having difficulties sleeping, with so much to do every day, my mind just didn't want to shut down for the night. Of course, this just made matters worse. I mean, with everything I had on my plate getting 2-4 hours of sleep a night was not a big help, know what I mean?

I spent a week in Boston due to a family emergency, that pretty much scrambled what was left of my brain.

I did not want to post about any of this because I didn't want you to think I was coming up with excuses. Maybe they are excuses and if so that is something that I need to work on, but right now I am struggling and I know that it is time for a change.

I keep telling everyone that you can't take care of anyone else if you don't put on your oxygen mask first....well I really need to start taking some of my own advice.

As I was sitting on my couch sobbing for the fourth night in a row, I received a message from my coach Amanda. This beautiful woman said that I had been on her mind a lot today and she wanted to reach out. I finally told her about my struggles and how I had pretty much given up. Yup, you heard me...I had given up.

I have not worked out since October 13th. My eating has been non existent. With my job I work 7 hours with two 15 minute breaks, so I really don't eat the way I have in the past. My clean eating has gone down the drain. I am lucky if I have one meal and it is usually the quickest I can find, not too healthy I assure you. I survive in the day by eating a one of a kind bar during each break with one 16 oz bottle of water a day.

I haven't been doing any training or listening to any of my team calls. Why? Because I didn't want to admit to anyone that I was struggling to the point of failing.

I had made a commitment to doing Insanity Asylum this month. After four workouts I knew that this was not going to be a possibility. My body just can't handle it. Every time I work out it bothers my knee. I have 1/8 of my acl in my left knee and when it pops, and the doc says it will at some point in my life, I will need to have surgery. After I workout my knee hurts so much that it has been scaring me. I have been afraid to push myself because I am scared of getting hurt. So what was my solution? Instead of being honest and saying that I couldn't do it, and picking something that I am able to do...I gave up completely. I just stopped working out. :( 

I even stopped drinking my Shakeology each day because I figured if I wasn't following through with the workouts that it was just wasting my money. I guess I am an all in or all out kind of gal.

After talking to my coach tonight, I decided that things really needed to change. I am going to go back to being a challenger and taking care of me. I need to go back to he beginning and remember what it is that I love most about being a coach, working out, eating healthy....ALL of it! This doesn't mean that I am not going to be a coach. I am not giving up that, I promise. It just means that I have to start taking care of myself so that I can help you take care of you.

I am not going to be doing Insanity Asylum, like I said my knee and ankles just can't handle that. I am going back to one of my first loves...PIYO. Chalene is just what this girl needs right now. Her positive attitude, her style of training is right up my alley and is exactly what I need to find my why again. To find my love again. To find my happiness again. To find me again!

I am going to take that step back, focus on my journey and sharing it with you, back to drinking Shakeology every morning and reading some personal development to help me fall in love with all of this again. This exhausted over stressed woman needs to take some of the pressure that I have been putting on me and find out how to get rid of some of my stress. I will never be stress free but a little less stress would be great.;)

I am going to take time to take care of my family and my home again. AND I am joining a group in November (where I am just a challenger, not a coach) for women who sabotage their efforts.

So there it is, my secret is out. I am going to post my journey daily for accountability. Are you ready? I don't know about you but sure am! <3

With each sunrise we are given a chance for a new beginning...mine starts tomorrow. It's not an ending but a beginning. Here is to a fresh start.

‪#‎DarLeanfitness‬ ‪#‎freshstart‬ ‪#‎anewbeginning

Ashwagandha, Shakeology and Hypthyroidism

Have you ever heard of Ashwagandha? Neither had I until just recently but I bet you know someone who has thyroid issues right? Check this out...

It seems like everywhere I go, I hear someone talk about thyroid issues. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism, (an underactive thyroid) 5 years ago and since then I have been taking levothyroxine every morning. About 4 months ago I stopped taking my medication.

The symptoms for hypothyroidism vary depending on the severity of the hormone deficiency, but usually any problems you have tend to develop slowly over a number of years. I barely noticed mine at first, fatigue and weight gain. I simply thought it was because of the life I was living and just getting older. If you know me, then you know that it can be 80 degrees outside and I can be cold, I am extremely sensitive to the cold.

This might be TMI but I have always had an issue with being constipated, to the point of having to take 10-15 stool softeners a day and still not being able to go to the bathroom. Some other symptoms that I have are dry skin, a puffy face, hoarseness, muscle weakness, thinning hair, weak nails, a very slow heart rate, depression and I am extremely forgetful at times. Like I said, a lot of the symptoms could be mistaken just for growing older. So let me just tell you how ecstatic I was to find that drinking my Shakeology every day could help with my thyroid! YAY! :)

One of the superfoods in Shakeology is Ashwagandha, which is considered a superstar when it comes to improving the health of your thyroid. It is extremely effective in balancing hormones. One thing that is incredible about Ashwagandha is that it works for people who have either hypo or hyper thyroid issues. Wow! It has even been shown to help support a sluggish thyroid for people who have been diagnosed with Hashimotos or even to help improve the health of those with Graves disease, which is an overactive thyroid. Amazing huh?

This herb works with your body to help bring back the balance, whether your levels are low or high. In a 20 day study of mice there was evidence that this herb has a stimulatory effect on a sluggish thyroid. No wonder I feel so much better after drinking Shakeology every day.

For the last week I have not been working out or drinking my Shakeology and I can tell the difference. I am constipated again, I have no energy, I hurt, I haven’t been sleeping very well and I have been so cold. After doing my research and finding out more about Ashwagandha, which is just ONE of the super foods in Shakeology, I am definitely going to make sure I NEVER go another day without my chocolate shakeology!

Actually I think I will go make a glass right now!

Make the rest of your life the BEST of your life!

~Darlene <3