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Cari Fit

Cari Fit

Fitness Advice, Workout Tips, and Inspiration

get fit done

Pumpkin Protein Cheesecake – Seen on NBC

This morning I got to go back on NBC (KPRC Chanel 2) to talk about my new fitness ebook Get Fit Done and also National Dessert Month! What?! National Dessert Month? Yes. You can totally celebrate with healthier versions of your favorite desserts! I thought since it’s October I would feature something with pumpkin spice – since we are all about that right about now. But…fyi…watch out for those PSL’s at Starbucks. They are loaded with sugar, fat and calories!

So, here is my take on a healthier pumpkin spice cheesecake with a little protein and healthier ingredients. This is a no-bake recipe an is also kid-friendly!

Ingredients:

  • 8 oz reduced fat cream cheese (I like to use whipped)
  • 1/2 cup organic canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/4 cup stevia
  • 1/4 cup coconut sugar (you can also use a small amount brown sugar)
  • 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (like like Orgain)
  • 4 oz Truwhip (or coolwhip lite), thawed
  • 9 inch Wholly Wholesome organic pie crust

Directions:

Follow the directions for a “no bake” pie and cook the crust according the the directions on the packaging and then let it cool slightly. Make sure you start with room temperature cream cheese or use whipped. Then, whisk together the cream cheese with pumpkin until fluffy (using a hand mixer or spatula) and then add all of the other ingredients except for the whipped cream. Add the Coolwhip/Truewhip last and fold it in. Chill the pie for about 2 hours or until firm. 

Get Fit Done – Meal Plan

A few months ago I launched a fitness ebook with my friend Megan called Get Fit Done – A Healthy Lifestyle Guide and we are beyond grateful to all of you that have purchased it. We’ve had huge success with the guide and over 2,500 members in our free Get Fit Done VIP group  who are doing the plan! We love hearing your success stories and how easy it is for you to get your workouts in at home!

There were also some of you that didn’t need the workouts, lifestyle printables, or 7-Day Reset, but you definitely wanted help in the meal department.  So, we’re making just the Meal Plan available for purchase separately at a discounted rate. For a limited time, the Get Fit Done Meal Plan will be offered for just $19, before it goes up to the $29 full price. 

The Get Fit Done MEAL PLAN is an instant digital download that you can read on your computer or smartphone or take to a printer to bind into a book.

It includes :

*4 weeks of healthy meals, including breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks

* Easy to follow recipes

* Grocery shopping list

* Color photos

These are meals that Megan and I developed and are family and kid-friendly too!

$29 $19 – BUY NOW

“Five Questions With Cari Shoemate, Certified Personal Trainer”

I’m so flattered to be featured on my friend Veronika’s blog today as part of her “Five Questions With..” series. I’ve been a subscriber of hers for years and also love all her cute fashion, fitness and family posts on her Instagram account! Check out her blog and be sure to subscribe!

Veronika recently interviewed me and asked me questions about women’s fitness, nutrition and my new Get Fit Done Guide. For the full interview check out Veronika’s blog! 

—–

Today’s “Five Questions With” series features Cari Shoemate, a Houston-based certified personal trainer, nutrition coach, group fitness instructor and yoga instructor. My friend Megan from Honey We’re Home recently collaborated with Cari on a Get Fit Done – Healthy Lifestyle Guide and I wanted to get her insights on fitness and nutrition – especially as a busy mom!

First, a little about Cari: she has taught everything from yoga, step class, boxing and even kids fitness classes at the best gyms and studios in Houston. She has been a regular on TV demonstrating exercises and talking about health and fitness. A few years ago she caught the eye of NBC Universal and ExerciseTV and they asked her to be one of their official trainers (Jillian Michales was an ExerciseTV trainer!) and come to LA to film a DVD: “Long Lean Legs with Cari Shoemate.” She later did many other fitness projects for NBC and E! including leading workouts with President Obama’s personal trainer in NYC. She also regularly writes workouts and provides fitness advice for many major magazines such as Muscle and Fitness Hers, Weight Watchers, Cosmo, Shape and many others. Over the last few years she’s earned the title of one of Houston’s top trainers (Houston Chronicle) and her popular Bombshell Bootcamp was named “Houston’s Best Bootcamp” by Houstonia Magazine. She also trains many former and current NBA and NFL cheerleaders and was the official personal trainer for the Houston Rockets Power Dancers. She is a mom of 2 and enjoys traveling with her family and running in her spare time (she’s done 6 marathons, including 1 ultra marathon!)


What do you think is the biggest obstacle in terms of women starting and being consistent with exercise or a workout program?
Well, I think the main reason women don’t start an exercise program is that they are scared to change and scared to fail. It’s scary to start something new – especially if that means changing yourself (even for the better!) But, you have to remind yourself why you are going to do this (better health, more energy, better sleep, feeling proud of yourself, etc. But, it’s also a challenge to stay motivated once you start. I think the main reason women stop working out is that they aren’t seeing results fast enough. I think if we all saw results faster we would be more motivated to do it consistently. I also think an obstacle is just putting everyone else before you. Sometimes you just have to put yourself first because if you are healthier and in a better mindset – you will be helping those around you just by being a better you!

How is nutrition a component of overall health and wellness? Do you recommend following any specific nutritional plan?
Nutrition is a huge component of health and fitness. It’s true that you “can’t out-train a bad diet.” But, I honestly feel that regardless if you start with your diet or exercise – making changes in either of those will start you off in the right direction and you will see results. But, if you really want to make big changes, you have to combine both – healthy eating and exercise. Changing your diet (or reducing calories, playing with macros, etc.) will just make you a smaller version of your current self. That’s great if you have weight to lose and it’s a good place to start. However, if you really want to change the shape of your body….you have to add strength training (body weight only counts!) On the flip side of that – if you work out really hard, but eat like crap…you aren’t going to see those lean muscles you are sculpting! As far as a diet plans go- I just recommend you eat “clean,” meaning minimal processed foods and focus on fruits, veggies, lean meat, plant protein, etc. There will always be a new diet trend that works great for some people. But it’s just that…a trend. Most of them aren’t great to follow long-term (and can even be detrimental to your health). So, just stick with common sense – less sugar, moderate fat, moderate protein and fill your plate with colors from nature.

How is exercise different after having children? What challenges might women face (or not)?
OMG…it’s totally different. You are no longer a priority (sigh) and are longing for the days when you could workout WHENEVER you freakin’ wanted! Why wasn’t I at the gym all the time?! Haha! So, now you have kids and it’s even harder to think about yourself. But, girl – it has to happen! Not only does working out help you look better, but it makes you FEEL better. I know for me – if I don’t sweat at least once a day I get a little bit on edge! So, I just have to fit it in when I can and sometimes that means a quick 20 minute weight training session in the morning while my husband makes the kids breakfast and then another 20 minutes of jump squats, burpees, etc. while I have dinner in the oven! Get your kids involved if that helps! Sometimes mine “workout” while I do my exercises. For me, it’s all about setting a good example. I want my kids to grow up healthy and strong and know that exercise is great for their body and mind.

How can women starting a new fitness program set realistic goals? What does that look like?
Women are super strong and goal-oriented and I think that when we set our minds to something we are like “ok it’s GO TIME” and go all in. That energy and motivation is great, but it needs to be spread out a little each week! Take things slower than you think they should be and set realistic goals. Sure, it’s more motivating to think if you eat a certain way and exercise a crazy amount you can be your goal weight in just a few weeks! But, that’s not sustainable. Instead, think of yourself as a sculpture you are trying to make smaller, chisel muscles, etc. Each day that you eat healthy and sweat some…you are chiseling off a small amount and getting one step closer to your goal body. You may not notice, but if you do a little each day – you are making progress.

You worked on a fitness guide with Megan of Honey We’re Home – what inspired you all to launch the guide? What has the response been?
Yes! We just launched our Get Fit Done guide! It’s a 128-page detailed ebook/guide that you can download on your phone, computer, etc. or have it printed. We were inspired to create the guide after we got some great feedback from our fitness challenges.

I had been following Megan for a few years and was inspired by her fitness journey and how after having kids she competed in bikini competitions! So, when she started challenging some of her followers to work out more – she asked me to help her with the workouts and meal plans since that is my expertise!

Then, we realized we were really helping women change their lives and we just wanted to take it one step further and create something bigger with more detailed workouts and meal plans. We both worked on it together and Megan tested out all of the workouts and then we both have included some of our favorite recipes and snacks!

It’s great for everyone too because the workouts can be scaled back for beginners and then I also give tips on how to kick it up a notch! We have 4 weeks of workouts and specific meal plans (with grocery shopping lists!) But, each week is a little different – because I know as a trainer people get bored easily and also the best way to get your body to respond is to keep things fresh and mix it up! So, one week is high-protein, one is low-carb and we even have a vegetarian week!

The best part is that it’s also more of a lifestyle guide. It’s not just about working out and eating right – but taking care of yourself. Megan shares a lot of her great tips and also some great printables that can help everyone stay on track and organized! We just launched the plan a few weeks ago and have already gotten great feedback! 

Thank you so much Cari for sharing your insights and expertise with us! If you’d like to try Megan and Cari’s Get Fit Done guide, click here!

GET FIT DONE | 7-DAY RESET

If you’ve been curious about the Get Fit Done Guide, but haven’t felt ready to commit to the entire 4-week Get Fit Done program, we have good news for you!  Next week, we’ll be starting the Get Fit Done 7-Day Reset!  It’s a Plan you can do in just 7 days for quick results! This is perfect to get ready for SPRING BREAK!

If you’ve been following along with me and Megan – we are on Week 4 of the guide and will be starting the Get Fit Done 7-Day Reset on Monday, March 4th.  But, all of the weeks are interchangeable – so you can totally do the Reset even if you are on week 1! The Reset Plan is included in the Get Fit Done Guide, so if you’ve already purchased it, it starts on page 113.

We created this plan to help you get ready for a big event or for something where you just want to be looking your best and feeling confident in your skin. It’s also a great plan to jumpstart your health and fitness journey (because you will get GREAT RESULTS!) and it will keep you motivated to continue!

For a more long term approach to your fitness goals, the Get Fit Done Guide is a better choice and includes printables to help organize your life and track your progress.  But, it you want to get in shape as quickly as you can, the 7-Day Reset Plan is the way to go!

WHAT DOES THE 7 DAY RESET PROVIDE?

Plan to workout seven days this week for maximum results! We’ve provided 4 intense, at-home workouts with descriptive pictures and detailed instructions – each should take you between 30 and 40 minutes to complete. You get to choose your cardio the other three days and we also have recommendations for that so you know what to do!

If you prefer, you may substitute one day of cardio for your favorite workout in the Plan as long as you do that workout for 45 minutes. To really see results, make sure that your cardio days match the intensity of the workout days!

We also give you 7 days of meal plans with three meals and two snacks each day. The recipes for these meals are included and all are designed with your busy schedule in mind (great for families too)!  There’s also a shopping list for you to take to the store with you.  We want you to be able to purchase the Reset now, so that you can prepare and grocery shop and be ready to go with us on Monday, March 4th!

You’ll also get access to our Happy Mail Fitness Newsletter with FREE bonus content and encouragement to keep you going strong!

And you’re welcome to join our Private Get Fit Done Facebook community of over 2,200 awesome, like minded women!

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

The entire 128-page Get Fit Done Guide is $79 (best value with a 4-week workout and meal plan + the 7-Day Reset & printables), but we’re offering the 7-Day Reset for a discounted rate of just $22!  That’s less than a tank of gas, eating lunch out three times a week, or 5 Starbuck’s coffees!

We wanted the Reset to be accessible to everyone because we know how beneficial and effective it is! It’s the same program I followed leading up to the photos for the GFD Guide!

We are so honored to be joining you on your fitness journey friend.  You can get your  ‘7-Day Reset’ via instant digital download by clicking the button below.

Buy the GET FIT DONE Guide

Buy the 7-DAY RESET

You can do anything for 7 days! Megan and I are both doing this plan to prep for Spring Break which starts for us March 11th! Leave me a comment below and let me know what you’ll be using your 7-Day Reset to get in shape for! 

How To Recover After Too Many Treats

I’m writing this the day after Valentine’s Day….so as you probably have guessed – I had waaay too many treats. Now what? Well, as easy as it would be to throw in the towel and focus on the pounds I didn’t lose yesterday (and the bloat gained today) – I can’t do that and neither should you. I’m following our Get Fit Done guide and am on the Week 2 Meal Plan (this week is high-protein to build muscle). So….Valentine’s cookies don’t really fit on that plan. Here is what I plan to do today and over the next few days to get back on track:

Start Now. Don’t wait until tomorrow to start over. Each hour and day you “give up” and eat bad adds up and before you know it you have gotten waaay off track. However, few treats or even a bad day will not wreck your plan.

Eat Very “Clean”. Avoid anything packaged and try to really focus on eating veggies, fruits and lean meats. This also means cutting out sugar. If you have our guide, try the Kale Quinoa Salad for lunch or dinner (add some extra protein if you want) or the Veggie Rainbow Lasagna is a family-friendly recipe that is great to help you detox!

Sweat Twice A Day. I’m not talking 2 hour gym sessions! Just fit in 2 mini workouts. If you are following me and Megan on the plan – do your scheduled workout for today then also add in an extra 20 minute walk or run or play outside with your kids or dog. Just do a little something extra to sweat a little more.

Drink Up! Make sure you drink lots of water the day after indulgences. It will help your body get rid of all of the extra (fill in the blank here: sugar, fat, alcohol, etc). Plus, it makes you feel fuller and is great for your skin and other organs.

If you still haven’t checked out our plan you can read about it HERE! You don’t have to start at any certain point and each week is interchangeable. I’ve already heard from many people that really liked Week 1’s meal plan and are going to repeat that next week instead of doing Week 3 and that’s totally fine! Join our Facebook group to get some tips and advice, live videos and more!

Get Fit Done |A Healthy Lifestyle Guide

I’m so excited to finally share what I’ve been working on for months! I’ve teamed up with my friend and blogger Megan with Honey We’re Home again, but this time it was to create a new ebook! We just launched it this week on her blog and I can’t wait for you guys to check it out! I’ve been working so hard with Megan to create a detailed fitness plan that includes all the tools you need to make this your time to get fit! Check out our fun behind the scenes photo shoot HERE! Here is sneak peek of what’s included in the 128-page plan:

WHAT’S INCLUDED IN THE BOOK? 

  • 4 Weeks of Detailed Workouts
  • Bonus 7-Day Fitness Reset Program
  • Visual Exercise Library
  • Modifications for Different Fitness Levels
  • 4 Weekly Meal Plans (including vegetarian!)
  • 4 Grocery Shopping Lists
  • Meal Prep Tips
  • Recipes with color photos
  • Megan’s awesome lifestyle tips
  • Meals and suggestions for families.
  • Beginner friendly tips and also options for those of you more advanced!
  • Sample treadmill workouts + more!

FREE PRINTABLES 

We also want to give you the tools to succeed and reach your fitness goals, so as a BONUS, we’ve included the following free printables and worksheets that you can customize to suit your life.

While Get Fit Done is primarily a fitness plan, we know that without a life plan, your fitness goals tend to fall by the wayside.  We hope our tips and printables help you get organized so you can GSD and GFD! 

  • Daily Planner
  • Weekly Planner
  • Habit Tracker
  • GSD List
  • Goals Worksheet
  • Progress Tracker

We have been busy testing the entire plan over the last month and can’t wait for you guys to finally get the results that you want! Megan had huge success with our special “7 Day Reset” program (you can view it on her Instagram stories!).

Thanks to Ashley (above) for helping us with the fun partner workout!

Why GSD?

Megan is all about “GSD” (Get S**t Done!) – so we wanted to convey this GSD attitude when it comes to health and fitness. So, we decided to call our plan Get Fit Done (GFD)!

As I mentioned in my last post – I’ve been struggling with my diet and workouts and I’m planning to use this fitness guide to get back in shape! I would love for you all to join me on this journey! Megan is also going to be doing the plan (but doesn’t she already look amazing!?).


Buy the Get Fit Done Guide Now!

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