What is more important than your health?
Seriously think about it for a minute ....... you might say "my kids, my spouse, my family" But is that true? How can you put other's first if you yourself are not well. I know I can't, can you? I can't strengthen myself spiritually if I am not well, I can't care for my kids or my husband if I am not well. I can't devote time to a friend or put in a productive day at work if I am not well. I can say this because I have been there. I have been the one who tried and failed miserably only to end up even unhealthier. I am saying this because I am in a place now where I feel GOOD, I feel STRONG, I feel like I can HANDLE lifes stresses. I have put myself in a place where I am unstoppable, I have learned that when I think it's not possible, it IS possible. I know what it is like to be pulled at from all sides. I know what it feels like to wish you could wake up and life would be different. What it's like to struggle in a marriage. What it feels like to not feel well and continue to run a household and a job. It's not the way life should be and you put your body and mind at serious health risk. Most people will continue down a path feeling like someday it will get better, my headaches will get better, my stomach issues will improve, my fatigue level will change........... life will just get better. But for how many of you that day has not come? And I'm sorry to tell you this, but that day will not come unless you take action and change before you are forced to change. With the new year approaching I want to ask you again "what is more important than your health?" if your answer is nothing is more important than my health....... then I invite you to come to the class I am hosting. A nutrition and fitness class given by my trainer and mentor Jay Altman. I have spent the last year of my life learning all that I can from him and he has graciously offered to come and speak to some of my good friends and family. I want YOU to come. I want YOU to have the same opportunity I have. I want YOU to get the same information I have. Why? Because I truly care, because I have been there and it's an awful place to be. I am passionate about helping and inspiring people to change. I want to help any person that is willing to put forth the effort and change. Because when you think there isn't a way....... there is always a way.
Sign up HERE, come hear my journey, come hear about nutrition and fitness from one of the best in the industry. Set your goal for 2013 and start your own journey......a journey to a better YOU!
When: Friday January 4th at 6:30 pm (approx 2 hours)
Cost is $20.00
Located in Burnsville ( once you sign up a confirmation email will be sent with address and additional information)
What do you get? 2 hours full of information on nutrition, fat loss, exercise, grocery menu, recipes to get you started, workouts that don't require a gym or equipment. And an amazing opportunity to speak with one of the best.
I promise you will not be disappointed and I promise you will leave feeling inspired and ready to start your own journey to become.......... UNSTOPPABLE!
Sign up HERE for the Class
I will be closing the class soon, so don't hesitate sign up now! Forward this blog to a friend and tell them you have signed up and encourage them to come with you.
See you soon!
Jen
Email me at: menededbygrace@ymail.com
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Change from the inside
Why does if feel better to stay where we are at rather than to be free? Really, why do we stay at a job we don't like only to complain day after day, continue with a marriage that may be unhealthy, look in the mirror and see an overweight unhealthy person looking back? I'm not talking about quiting a job or leaving a spouse.... I'm talking about CHANGING the way we think about or look at a situation. We all have the ability to change. But it takes the action to do so and if we want it bad enough we should be unstoppable.
The most important thing I have learned over this past year is to change the way I think. This was the HARDEST change I made (and still making) and has come soooooo slowly! I was completely resistant, resistant because I didn't think I needed to change. I mean why should I, if I lose the weight won't I just naturally become a happier person? NO! I was losing the weight but still had the negative image, negative thought process. I started to really realize it over this past summer when I felt like I kept hitting road block after road block. Obstacles that were out of my control were getting in the way of my weight loss goal. My trainer/coach pointed out that if I did not start changing what I thought in my head and how I reacted to situations, I was not going to really transform to become the person I had set out to be. I will be honest.... I did not like hearing that, I got angry, I pulled back on my training, I copped a major attitude. At that time I seriously considered leaving bootcamp, leaving my trainer and doing it on my own. But there was a different plan for me (thank goodness!) First of all I have a trainer that will NEVER give up on me, I have a great group of friends that would NEVER let me quit.
When I started to change my negative thoughts ( thoughts usually always directed at myself) I started noticing that I felt lighter, less stress and more affection towards others and suddenly life didn't seem so bad. But then I would quickly get sucked back in. I would try on an outfit that didn't fit and say something negative to myself which quickly unfolded into "see, I'm not going to lose weight, not going to make my goal, what's the point?" AHHH YUCK!!! don't do that!!!
Next I started looking at how I saw others, I would look at facebook and I would see so much negativity! (Don't get mad at me now) How many people have you seen post this: "my job stinks, another 8 hours in this blank hole, my landlord did this, my spouse, boyfriend is this, to hell with our country!" When I read that, I get a little negative......... NO, A LOT negative. You start to fall into that trap and pretty soon YOUR spreading even more negativity" Think about it, how does that start to make you feel? If I wrote a blog that was all about the bad stuff of losing weight and kept writing negative thoughts would you keep reading? NO!!
I had a negativity problem at my work place, it was a daily occurrence. And I will be completely honest..... I was one of those that would fuel the fire. It's not a good place to be my friends, you do not set a good example that way, what you are setting is a poor example. It is so much better to lead by a positive example and be motivating and uplifting because that is what motivates people to improve upon themselves. Don't you want to be that person that inspires and motivates verses discourage and dissuades? I know I do! All that negativity brings UNWANTED attention. You may not realize it (I know I didn't) but it IS negative attention and it WILL damage your character. When you start to change the way you think and then ultimately the way you behave, people will WANT to be around you, you will feel happier, and it will be POSITIVE attention. Over the past 2-3 weeks I have had many people stop me and tell me that I inspire them, they are reading this blog and feel it pertains to them in some way. THIS kind of attention is so much better then the attention I would get from the "old Jen" It feels so much better and I see people for who they are...... full of love and respect and genuine character. If you are in that trap, where you often think or speak negativity.... STOP. I give you permission to change, and I will let you in on a secret......it's okay, people won't say "hey where did that other person go?" No they will really start to see you for you and all that you were meant to be!
My challenge: spend 48 hours without writing or speaking anything negative. Then spend the next 24 hours without a single negative thought! Here's to a happier more beautiful you!
The most important thing I have learned over this past year is to change the way I think. This was the HARDEST change I made (and still making) and has come soooooo slowly! I was completely resistant, resistant because I didn't think I needed to change. I mean why should I, if I lose the weight won't I just naturally become a happier person? NO! I was losing the weight but still had the negative image, negative thought process. I started to really realize it over this past summer when I felt like I kept hitting road block after road block. Obstacles that were out of my control were getting in the way of my weight loss goal. My trainer/coach pointed out that if I did not start changing what I thought in my head and how I reacted to situations, I was not going to really transform to become the person I had set out to be. I will be honest.... I did not like hearing that, I got angry, I pulled back on my training, I copped a major attitude. At that time I seriously considered leaving bootcamp, leaving my trainer and doing it on my own. But there was a different plan for me (thank goodness!) First of all I have a trainer that will NEVER give up on me, I have a great group of friends that would NEVER let me quit.
When I started to change my negative thoughts ( thoughts usually always directed at myself) I started noticing that I felt lighter, less stress and more affection towards others and suddenly life didn't seem so bad. But then I would quickly get sucked back in. I would try on an outfit that didn't fit and say something negative to myself which quickly unfolded into "see, I'm not going to lose weight, not going to make my goal, what's the point?" AHHH YUCK!!! don't do that!!!
Next I started looking at how I saw others, I would look at facebook and I would see so much negativity! (Don't get mad at me now) How many people have you seen post this: "my job stinks, another 8 hours in this blank hole, my landlord did this, my spouse, boyfriend is this, to hell with our country!" When I read that, I get a little negative......... NO, A LOT negative. You start to fall into that trap and pretty soon YOUR spreading even more negativity" Think about it, how does that start to make you feel? If I wrote a blog that was all about the bad stuff of losing weight and kept writing negative thoughts would you keep reading? NO!!
I had a negativity problem at my work place, it was a daily occurrence. And I will be completely honest..... I was one of those that would fuel the fire. It's not a good place to be my friends, you do not set a good example that way, what you are setting is a poor example. It is so much better to lead by a positive example and be motivating and uplifting because that is what motivates people to improve upon themselves. Don't you want to be that person that inspires and motivates verses discourage and dissuades? I know I do! All that negativity brings UNWANTED attention. You may not realize it (I know I didn't) but it IS negative attention and it WILL damage your character. When you start to change the way you think and then ultimately the way you behave, people will WANT to be around you, you will feel happier, and it will be POSITIVE attention. Over the past 2-3 weeks I have had many people stop me and tell me that I inspire them, they are reading this blog and feel it pertains to them in some way. THIS kind of attention is so much better then the attention I would get from the "old Jen" It feels so much better and I see people for who they are...... full of love and respect and genuine character. If you are in that trap, where you often think or speak negativity.... STOP. I give you permission to change, and I will let you in on a secret......it's okay, people won't say "hey where did that other person go?" No they will really start to see you for you and all that you were meant to be!
My challenge: spend 48 hours without writing or speaking anything negative. Then spend the next 24 hours without a single negative thought! Here's to a happier more beautiful you!
Thursday, December 20, 2012
What does it take?
Are you the type that has great intentions? You get all geared up, make lists, have a plan, tell your friends and loved ones what your doing and then execute, only to fall off in a few weeks or few months? Or are you the type that does things quietly, you plan and motivate yourself but you make sure not to tell anyone for fear of disappointment? I can honestly say I have done both! My issue was I would start in January on what I thought was the perfect diet and exercise plan and then always by March, my kids' birthdays I would crash and burn. Because you and I both know what happens when you mess up (AKA birthday cake) one day, it turns into the next and then well why not the whole week? And heck let's just blow the month and start over again on the 1st, cuz that's a good date to start right? And of course when the first rolls around were not ready...... until next year on January 1st!
Yep, been there done that over and over! So why was it different this time? hmmmm for me a combination of things, but when I REALLY think about it, the thing that got me through was my support system. My husband, my family, my 2 best friends and my new best friends from bootcamp. I can honestly say that I can't wait for the weekend to get over so I can see those girls and have them kick my butt in class. And lastly, but not least..... my kick butt trainers. What I have found in Altman Fitness is a second family. If I don't show up... I hear about it. If I don't work hard.... haha, I hear about it..... If I am struggling..... I get uplifted, If I am at my peak performance..... I uplift others. It's an amazing friendship.
When I made the 1 year commitment, which was Febuary 8th (1 month after I started bootcamp) I made a promise to myself that I WOULD give it 1 year. I would give anything it took for 1 year. To some of you that might mean that you change your work schedule a little, you pack a lunch every now and then, you do a little extra run on the weekend. HECK NO that's NOT gonna cut it. For me it was working less. I worked a full time job and ran my own photography business along with a husband and two kids...... it was too much. Plus add in a workout program and nutrition plan. No way! Set up for failure! So I went part time. It was better but I was not able to put in the time it takes to really PLAN. Then the end of this summer I realized I had made it far in my weight loss goal but not far enough.... major plateau. Why? Because I let my goal start slipping from my "forethought" to my
"not-so-thought". So I made a big decision and went on call. Does this mean I don't work? No, I just work differently. I work the weekends so I can workout during the week and I fill in during the week when I can. I enlisted my husband to help more around the house and really be there for the kids on the weekend. Now wait, before you say "my husband will not do that" let me just fill you in on something. When YOU start feeling better and looking better..... your husband starts feeling a whole lot better :)
I also told my kids, Mom is doing this and I need your help. We as a family work together to get all the things done that takes to run a house. (an 8 year old can mow the lawn, a 5 year old can unload the dish washer and bring laundry to the laundry room, ect.) If your a Mom that feels the need to do everything, you don't! If your a mom who stays home with your kids and feels it's your duty to do everything, you don't! And if you DO everything your going to be SPENT, your will have nothing left for yourself or your spouse. I challenge you to look at your life; what can you ask for help with? Because when you make the commitment to change it is going to take work, A LOT of work. Work to plan your food, work to get in your exercise, work to get your normal daily activities done, work to spend time with your family. I would say it took me 8 months to finally get some kind of system that works for me. What CAN you cut back on? I did what worked for us, for our situation, I sacrificed a full time job that comes with a nice full time paycheck. My kids sacrifice some of their play time, we don't allow them to be involved in 6 different activities that I would have to spend MY time driving them place to place. And you know what they are still well rounded, and they have an incredible work ethic at a young age. I sacrifice most every weekend, vacations, new clothes, going out to eat, you get the idea. But what I have gained and more importantly we as a family have gained? Soooo much more..... My husband has a wife that is happy, healthy and feels alive! My kids have a mom that is not spent at the end of the day, who's mood is so much better and temper much calmer, a mom who can run and play and keep up. A mom who is raising 2 kids that will learn how to live a healthy lifestyle. I am not saying this to make you or anyone feel bad about your current situation. I saying this to show you that you do have room, you have room to make changes. Here is a FACT, 100% of you reading this right now is resistant to change, even the change you have to make.
Imagine you or your husband or child had a serious medical condition wouldn't you find the time to be with them? Wouldn't you stay by their side every minute, seek out the best medical advice, make sure they had all the costly adaptations they would need at home? So why not put YOUR health on those same standards? Why not make changes before YOU HAVE to make that change? You ARE that important my friend and it's time to put yourself first! Stop listening to that voice in your head and make the change.
If your ready, ready to start making a change then come to a class I am hosting. The class is January 4th at 6:30 in burnsville, the cost is $20.00. I will be hosting and my incredible trainer's Jay and Kelly Altman from Altman Fitness will be giving a 2 hour talk about nutrition, fat loss and exercise. It's a GREAT first step to making that change. Sign up NOW because after the 1st of January the price is going up. I hope to see you there! Click HEREto sign up! JEN
Please feel free to EMAIL me with any questions!
Yep, been there done that over and over! So why was it different this time? hmmmm for me a combination of things, but when I REALLY think about it, the thing that got me through was my support system. My husband, my family, my 2 best friends and my new best friends from bootcamp. I can honestly say that I can't wait for the weekend to get over so I can see those girls and have them kick my butt in class. And lastly, but not least..... my kick butt trainers. What I have found in Altman Fitness is a second family. If I don't show up... I hear about it. If I don't work hard.... haha, I hear about it..... If I am struggling..... I get uplifted, If I am at my peak performance..... I uplift others. It's an amazing friendship.
When I made the 1 year commitment, which was Febuary 8th (1 month after I started bootcamp) I made a promise to myself that I WOULD give it 1 year. I would give anything it took for 1 year. To some of you that might mean that you change your work schedule a little, you pack a lunch every now and then, you do a little extra run on the weekend. HECK NO that's NOT gonna cut it. For me it was working less. I worked a full time job and ran my own photography business along with a husband and two kids...... it was too much. Plus add in a workout program and nutrition plan. No way! Set up for failure! So I went part time. It was better but I was not able to put in the time it takes to really PLAN. Then the end of this summer I realized I had made it far in my weight loss goal but not far enough.... major plateau. Why? Because I let my goal start slipping from my "forethought" to my
"not-so-thought". So I made a big decision and went on call. Does this mean I don't work? No, I just work differently. I work the weekends so I can workout during the week and I fill in during the week when I can. I enlisted my husband to help more around the house and really be there for the kids on the weekend. Now wait, before you say "my husband will not do that" let me just fill you in on something. When YOU start feeling better and looking better..... your husband starts feeling a whole lot better :)
I also told my kids, Mom is doing this and I need your help. We as a family work together to get all the things done that takes to run a house. (an 8 year old can mow the lawn, a 5 year old can unload the dish washer and bring laundry to the laundry room, ect.) If your a Mom that feels the need to do everything, you don't! If your a mom who stays home with your kids and feels it's your duty to do everything, you don't! And if you DO everything your going to be SPENT, your will have nothing left for yourself or your spouse. I challenge you to look at your life; what can you ask for help with? Because when you make the commitment to change it is going to take work, A LOT of work. Work to plan your food, work to get in your exercise, work to get your normal daily activities done, work to spend time with your family. I would say it took me 8 months to finally get some kind of system that works for me. What CAN you cut back on? I did what worked for us, for our situation, I sacrificed a full time job that comes with a nice full time paycheck. My kids sacrifice some of their play time, we don't allow them to be involved in 6 different activities that I would have to spend MY time driving them place to place. And you know what they are still well rounded, and they have an incredible work ethic at a young age. I sacrifice most every weekend, vacations, new clothes, going out to eat, you get the idea. But what I have gained and more importantly we as a family have gained? Soooo much more..... My husband has a wife that is happy, healthy and feels alive! My kids have a mom that is not spent at the end of the day, who's mood is so much better and temper much calmer, a mom who can run and play and keep up. A mom who is raising 2 kids that will learn how to live a healthy lifestyle. I am not saying this to make you or anyone feel bad about your current situation. I saying this to show you that you do have room, you have room to make changes. Here is a FACT, 100% of you reading this right now is resistant to change, even the change you have to make.
Imagine you or your husband or child had a serious medical condition wouldn't you find the time to be with them? Wouldn't you stay by their side every minute, seek out the best medical advice, make sure they had all the costly adaptations they would need at home? So why not put YOUR health on those same standards? Why not make changes before YOU HAVE to make that change? You ARE that important my friend and it's time to put yourself first! Stop listening to that voice in your head and make the change.
If your ready, ready to start making a change then come to a class I am hosting. The class is January 4th at 6:30 in burnsville, the cost is $20.00. I will be hosting and my incredible trainer's Jay and Kelly Altman from Altman Fitness will be giving a 2 hour talk about nutrition, fat loss and exercise. It's a GREAT first step to making that change. Sign up NOW because after the 1st of January the price is going up. I hope to see you there! Click HEREto sign up! JEN
Please feel free to EMAIL me with any questions!
Sunday, December 16, 2012
What keeps you from your goal?
I know what kept me from my goals........ FEAR. Fear of what happens when I get there because then what? Or what about all the years I wanted, wished and attempted to lose weight. FEAR, plain and simple F E A R!
In the beginning I made every excuse there was; I'm too busy, my kids are little and I have nobody to watch them. It hurts my joints to much, I just might fall over and die I am so out of shape! Not enough time or money. You name it I said it, thought it and felt it. Looking at it from this side of things..... HOW CRAZY was I??? What I have gained or should I say lost in weight, gained in strength, gained in self esteem & I have a body that feels good. How do you put a value on that and why let FEAR get in the way?
I recently read a story about a girl who had an AMAZING wedding ring. It was handed down to her from her Grandfather to her Mother to her. You see her Grandfather owned a mine. One day they found a HUGE stone, her mother and grandfather patiently cut the stone together. The story goes that the grandfather made the mother promise NEVER to have the stone appraised. Can you imagine? I don't know about you but I'm the type that has to know the sex of the baby before it's born, what I'm getting for Christmas, I can't hold out for anything! Imagine possibly having a diamond valued at hundreds of thousands of dollars and not knowing it! ha, and not to mention how you would insure that! But the reason behind the Grandfathers promise was a lesson in Value verses Worth. You see the stone had been mined on his own land and carefully cut with his daughter, with their own hands. That is what gave it it's worth! The stone could have had no worldly value or it could have a value at 600,000 dollars, who knows??? I love that!! (well I take that back it would kind of drive me crazy not to know, but I love the whole lesson in it!)
I often found myself placing value on many things in my life, but now I look at it's worth. Replace FEAR with WORTH! Was it worth every painful step I took, was it worth every dollar spent, was it worth every tear I shed, was it worth the sacrifices I made? ..... You bet it was, you cannot let FEAR stand in your way and you CAN'T place value on what something is worth.
So I ask you, what is holding you back? What is it that keeps you from pushing hard toward your goal? Maybe it's a goal of a new career, having another child, starting a business, staying at home with your kids, weight loss, going back to school, buying a house, down sizing, the list is endless. Don't let fear stop you. It is such a waist of time. I recently had a taste of that fear once again in my life. I have not said much about it because I didn't want it to be a focus. But I am going to share it now. A week ago I went to jump at boot camp when I felt a pop and terrible pain in my knee. I new when it happened that I tore something. (I want to add that boot camp/exercise did not do this to my knee, my knee is worn out from years of softball, volleyball and being 246 pounds!) I had an MRI and I tore my medial meniscus and I have grade 3 out of 4 degenerative arthritis (this means I am looking at a total knee sometime in my future) To me at this time it felt like one of the worst things that could happen. I have hit hurdle after hurdle this last year, but this one is big, this one felt like it was going to keep me from reaching MY goal. That is when FEAR and DOUBT set in. I was trying hard to keep my chin up, kept going to boot camp. My trainer and friends were positive and motivating to keep going. But inside I wanted to quit. I mean I've made a 70 lb weight loss nobody would blame me for stopping at least for a while. But it began to take a toll on my spirit, all that negativity flooded back; it hurts too much, I can't do it, what is the point, I've failed myself. Do you ever get like that? Something happens in your life and you just want to pull the covers over your head and not come out? That was me, and it was so ridiculous, so much so that my husband came home Saturday and said "how's your pity party going?" I thought is it that evident? Really can you read it all over my face? What kind of mom or role model am I being to my kids if they see this is how I react after they have seen me work so hard this past year. It's silly isn't it? Your probably reading this saying "girl you gotta keep going, your on the home stretch" your right I am, I am 15-20 lbs away from my ideal body weight. Why would I stop now? I'm not! So... Pity party is over, fear will NOT rule over me and I will keep on keepin on! I encourage you to do the same. Take a step toward that goal whatever that may be, just take it!
1st Peter 5:10 And the God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
In the beginning I made every excuse there was; I'm too busy, my kids are little and I have nobody to watch them. It hurts my joints to much, I just might fall over and die I am so out of shape! Not enough time or money. You name it I said it, thought it and felt it. Looking at it from this side of things..... HOW CRAZY was I??? What I have gained or should I say lost in weight, gained in strength, gained in self esteem & I have a body that feels good. How do you put a value on that and why let FEAR get in the way?
I recently read a story about a girl who had an AMAZING wedding ring. It was handed down to her from her Grandfather to her Mother to her. You see her Grandfather owned a mine. One day they found a HUGE stone, her mother and grandfather patiently cut the stone together. The story goes that the grandfather made the mother promise NEVER to have the stone appraised. Can you imagine? I don't know about you but I'm the type that has to know the sex of the baby before it's born, what I'm getting for Christmas, I can't hold out for anything! Imagine possibly having a diamond valued at hundreds of thousands of dollars and not knowing it! ha, and not to mention how you would insure that! But the reason behind the Grandfathers promise was a lesson in Value verses Worth. You see the stone had been mined on his own land and carefully cut with his daughter, with their own hands. That is what gave it it's worth! The stone could have had no worldly value or it could have a value at 600,000 dollars, who knows??? I love that!! (well I take that back it would kind of drive me crazy not to know, but I love the whole lesson in it!)
I often found myself placing value on many things in my life, but now I look at it's worth. Replace FEAR with WORTH! Was it worth every painful step I took, was it worth every dollar spent, was it worth every tear I shed, was it worth the sacrifices I made? ..... You bet it was, you cannot let FEAR stand in your way and you CAN'T place value on what something is worth.
So I ask you, what is holding you back? What is it that keeps you from pushing hard toward your goal? Maybe it's a goal of a new career, having another child, starting a business, staying at home with your kids, weight loss, going back to school, buying a house, down sizing, the list is endless. Don't let fear stop you. It is such a waist of time. I recently had a taste of that fear once again in my life. I have not said much about it because I didn't want it to be a focus. But I am going to share it now. A week ago I went to jump at boot camp when I felt a pop and terrible pain in my knee. I new when it happened that I tore something. (I want to add that boot camp/exercise did not do this to my knee, my knee is worn out from years of softball, volleyball and being 246 pounds!) I had an MRI and I tore my medial meniscus and I have grade 3 out of 4 degenerative arthritis (this means I am looking at a total knee sometime in my future) To me at this time it felt like one of the worst things that could happen. I have hit hurdle after hurdle this last year, but this one is big, this one felt like it was going to keep me from reaching MY goal. That is when FEAR and DOUBT set in. I was trying hard to keep my chin up, kept going to boot camp. My trainer and friends were positive and motivating to keep going. But inside I wanted to quit. I mean I've made a 70 lb weight loss nobody would blame me for stopping at least for a while. But it began to take a toll on my spirit, all that negativity flooded back; it hurts too much, I can't do it, what is the point, I've failed myself. Do you ever get like that? Something happens in your life and you just want to pull the covers over your head and not come out? That was me, and it was so ridiculous, so much so that my husband came home Saturday and said "how's your pity party going?" I thought is it that evident? Really can you read it all over my face? What kind of mom or role model am I being to my kids if they see this is how I react after they have seen me work so hard this past year. It's silly isn't it? Your probably reading this saying "girl you gotta keep going, your on the home stretch" your right I am, I am 15-20 lbs away from my ideal body weight. Why would I stop now? I'm not! So... Pity party is over, fear will NOT rule over me and I will keep on keepin on! I encourage you to do the same. Take a step toward that goal whatever that may be, just take it!
1st Peter 5:10 And the God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Did you know??
This is the stuff I love! I love to learn about how our amazing bodies work and why. So I want to tell you about neurotransmitters. When you are done reading this YOU are going to LOVE your neurotransmitters! These little guys are messengers that run around in your brain. They can affect mood, appetite, heart rate, sleep, anxiety, aggression, fear and a whole lotta other things. So it's really important to keep these guys in line and doing the job they are suppose to do right? Right! I don't know about you but I love to have a good mood, sleep well, have a clear head and feel tip top. But what can make these guys..... these neurotransmitters get out of line, is directly related to your eating habits and your lifestyle. That's right, what you eat and how you act and think!
You have two neurotransmitters called Dopamine and Norepinephrine (actually you have more than that but I don't want to keep you reading all day). I'm just going to call them Dopey and Mopey just to keep it simple. So these two transmitters directly affect self-esteem. If you feel emotionally overwhelmed at times you could have low Dopey and Mopey. If you are tearful and reactive, depressed and/hopeless you could be low. If you feel "done to" by others (that was me!) you could be low. Low tolerance to pain or crave sugar, yep you got it... Low Dopey and Mopey! Isn't that kinda cool to learn? Doesn't that kind of make you feel like "hey I feel this way for a reason and I can change that!" YES you can!!!! when you have optimal levels of Dopey and Mopey you have a higher self-esteem, feel compassionate, hopeful, optimistic, even euphoric. You take personal responsibility, and have a "take it or leave it" attitude. You have a high tolerance for pain. Ahhh to feel this way is so much better than feeling like PooP!
Then you have a neurotransmitter that is called Serotonin. I will call him by his rightful name Serotonin because he affects my MOOD. Again controlled by eating and lifestyle. You might know these people that have low levels (and if you new me a year ago, ding ding ding!) People with low levels tend to "fly off the handle, they are really reactive, have a lot of brain chatter, Impulsive, Depressed, Crave sweets and crave mainly carbohydrates (and you know what these are if you read my last blog). So why would this messenger make us crave sweets? Well when you eat a man-made carbohydrate or take stimulants like caffeine you cause a sharp rise in blood sugar. When you do that you create excessive insulin this results in a quick rush of serotonin..... stay with me here........when that happens it encourages the addiction pattern to occur. Then that Mr. Serotonin suddenly drops off leaving you feel like crud!! But here is the plus side: when you have optimal levels you feel hopeful and optimistic, your able to concentrate, you can think things through, your hungry for a variety of different foods and you can actually eat dessert without an emotional charge.
So why should you care about this? Because you need to know that it's completely fixable! Without medication! How do you change it? By Diet! I am a true testament of how changing the way you eat can change how you feel, how you react and how you handle the daily stresses. And I must say... It feels so good to be in the "Optimal" levels!!!!
Want to know more? Want to know how to easy it is to fix your little messengers? Then come to the class I am hosting on January 4th at 6:30. Class given by my trainer and nutrition mentor Jay Altman Location in Burnsville! Click "HERE"and sign up, cost is only 20.00 for a night of LIFE CHANGING information!!
If you have any problems feel free to contact me by Email
You have two neurotransmitters called Dopamine and Norepinephrine (actually you have more than that but I don't want to keep you reading all day). I'm just going to call them Dopey and Mopey just to keep it simple. So these two transmitters directly affect self-esteem. If you feel emotionally overwhelmed at times you could have low Dopey and Mopey. If you are tearful and reactive, depressed and/hopeless you could be low. If you feel "done to" by others (that was me!) you could be low. Low tolerance to pain or crave sugar, yep you got it... Low Dopey and Mopey! Isn't that kinda cool to learn? Doesn't that kind of make you feel like "hey I feel this way for a reason and I can change that!" YES you can!!!! when you have optimal levels of Dopey and Mopey you have a higher self-esteem, feel compassionate, hopeful, optimistic, even euphoric. You take personal responsibility, and have a "take it or leave it" attitude. You have a high tolerance for pain. Ahhh to feel this way is so much better than feeling like PooP!
Then you have a neurotransmitter that is called Serotonin. I will call him by his rightful name Serotonin because he affects my MOOD. Again controlled by eating and lifestyle. You might know these people that have low levels (and if you new me a year ago, ding ding ding!) People with low levels tend to "fly off the handle, they are really reactive, have a lot of brain chatter, Impulsive, Depressed, Crave sweets and crave mainly carbohydrates (and you know what these are if you read my last blog). So why would this messenger make us crave sweets? Well when you eat a man-made carbohydrate or take stimulants like caffeine you cause a sharp rise in blood sugar. When you do that you create excessive insulin this results in a quick rush of serotonin..... stay with me here........when that happens it encourages the addiction pattern to occur. Then that Mr. Serotonin suddenly drops off leaving you feel like crud!! But here is the plus side: when you have optimal levels you feel hopeful and optimistic, your able to concentrate, you can think things through, your hungry for a variety of different foods and you can actually eat dessert without an emotional charge.
So why should you care about this? Because you need to know that it's completely fixable! Without medication! How do you change it? By Diet! I am a true testament of how changing the way you eat can change how you feel, how you react and how you handle the daily stresses. And I must say... It feels so good to be in the "Optimal" levels!!!!
Want to know more? Want to know how to easy it is to fix your little messengers? Then come to the class I am hosting on January 4th at 6:30. Class given by my trainer and nutrition mentor Jay Altman Location in Burnsville! Click "HERE"and sign up, cost is only 20.00 for a night of LIFE CHANGING information!!
If you have any problems feel free to contact me by Email
Monday, December 10, 2012
The Basics of food
I don't know about you but I am the type of person that needs to know "why"? But when it came to food I never asked why I just put it in my mouth and thought "oh yummo that was tasty!" Every time I would put the tv on or read an article I would hear different things like "Butter is bad" and then the next week "Margarine is bad". I would hear "it clogs your arteries, or it makes you fat". But me, I looked at food to fill me up, and usually I wanted what tasted good, I mean why not really enjoy what I was eating right? Problem was, what I was eating was only making me feel good or at least what I thought was good, for a short period of time. Then in 2-3 hours I would need "my next fix" usually in the form of carbs or sugar. When I started to really learn about food I found I was totally missing the boat! Wayyyyy to many carbs! But I didn't know how to fix it? So I started to learn and I started out slow and found it easy to "balance" what I was eating and I started to notice changes right away.
Surprisingly, a lot of people don't realize that ALL food fit into 1 of 3 categorys: Carbohydrate, Fat and Protein. I first want to stress this is the basics! If your wanting to clean up your diet this is how you start, if your wanting to add or loose weight, feel better and resolve health problems there is SO MUCH more information! click HERE to sign up for the class!
Here are the basics: It's easier to learn what Fat's and Protein's are first: A protein is: anything that comes from an animal; Beef, Chicken, Eggs, Fish. There are other proteins but they are not considered complete proteins (this means it is missing some key things like Amino Acids) incomplete proteins are: Beans, nuts, soybeans,lentils, chickpeas.
Fat's: talk about healthy fats: Olive oil, Coconut Oil, Pumpkin seed Oil, Butter, Avocado and Nuts (because they are higher in fat I put them in the healthy fat category verses protein). Then you have BAD FATS: Vegtable oil, Margarine, canola oil. TRANS fats are BAD they raise your cholesterol, but monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are GOOD and actually help to LOWER cholesterol! Here is my rule of thumb, if when I look at it it only took one or two steps to get it to that point it's probably a good fat. Example: Avacado I just cut it open and eat (really not even a step) Olive oil: it was pressed and whalaa oil! Butter; milk a cow and churn it, mmmm butter!
Lastly Carbohydrates: EVERYTHING ELSE! that was easy :) Everything else you eat fits into the carbohydrate category! Here is that bad about Carbohydrates (in a nut shell), Carbs make you fat! Carbohydrates are used in the body as fuel it turns to sugar or glycogen and is used to help you perform. But here is the tricky part if you don't use all those carbs or all that fuel, all that sugar turns to fat! I started to really look at my plate and I kept coming up with about 60%carbs, 25% fat and 15% protein. When really it should be about opposite for me. Take that times 30+ years and you have a lot of weight gain!
Like I said this is just the basics if you love learning and want to know SO MUCH MORE about food and fitness then sign up for the class I am hosting. The class will be held January 4th at 6:30 in burnsville, it will run for 2 hours and you will be able to ask all your burning questions! Sign up HEREI promise you won't be disappointed! Also if you have questions please feel free to Email me.
The class will be given by Jay Altman with Altman Fitness.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
A Journey Forward
Is there something in your life, something in your past that you keep looking back at? Something you feel you can't be forgiven for? Think about it for a minute, then read on.
Up until recently, I spent a lot of years looking back. Regretting things from my past. People I have hurt, things I have said, hurtful things that have been said and done to me. Angry at myself and angry at the people around me. What does harboring those feelings and looking back do for me? What does it do for you? I can tell you what it doesn't do for you. It doesn't allow you to LIVE, LOVE or ENJOY what our creator has in store for us. You see, looking back prevents us from looking forward and seeing what possibilities are out there. It's taken me this year of physical pain and physical endurance to show myself that I am strong. It's amazing what physical activity and physical pain can do. Not just for a persons body, but for the soul. I've found when you reach that point where you just feel like you can't go any further..... You can!! (just a side note, I'm still learning this and this continues to be something I have to work on every day). You Can because you were MADE to survive. YOU were made to have a legacy, to be a beacon of light and have people see it! Isn't that cool? Way cooler than just existing like I was. Flying under the radar, feeling so insecure about the way I looked and how I felt and not wanting to be noticed. I LOVE that my light is moving from flickering to shining bright. I love that people are open to reading this blog and following my journey. Because I am confident that we are ALL made to shine bright. Life is about hills and valley's. I am DONE with sticking to the valley, you don't get anywhere when your stuck in the valley. Sure it can be beautiful, but you learn so much more when you climb that hill or better yet that Mountain! I am not going to let fear and doubt keep me from the peak any longer! I am learning to enjoy the struggle and weather the hard stuff. And we ALL have hard stuff. If your anything like me you need validation for that. I have 4 friends that have lost their dad in the last few years, I have 2 friends living with a terminal loved one, I have many friends going through divorce. I have friends and relatives battling cancer. Life can be such a struggle and I am here to validate whatever you are going through, whatever pain you are experiencing right now at this very moment..... "I am so sorry...... I am so sorry you have to endure that right now." I know that what you are going through has an outcome, it may not be one that you desire but it will be the one chosen for you because you can survive and learn all there is to learn from it.
I was reading recently about a boy with Downs syndrome who would spend hours in the hot sun playing a "make believe" baseball game. It was so inspiring to listen to the author's interpretation of this boy and his game. The boy had no ball, no bat, just his glove and a vision. The boy would hold his own "world series" night after night. And night after night the excitement would build and he would ALWAYS win. The joy this boy must have experienced! And yet most adults would say "but life isn't like that, you don't always win the game" I was that person, and you know what? You don't always win. But it's YOUR game, YOUR choices and how you deal with the losses is how the game ends. I don't know about you but I feel like now even if the score is 3-12 I still have a chance and I have to make every run count.
With the rest of my posts until January 4th I am going to post about the class I am offering. I really want people to attend. This is a class that I think EVERYONE could benefit from. It's not just about losing weight, it's about changing your body, feeling better, changing the way you think and your reaction to stress and life. "Do something today that your future self will thank you for" sign up HERE and come January 4th, at 6:30 location in Burnsville and be prepared to make a change in your life!
Up until recently, I spent a lot of years looking back. Regretting things from my past. People I have hurt, things I have said, hurtful things that have been said and done to me. Angry at myself and angry at the people around me. What does harboring those feelings and looking back do for me? What does it do for you? I can tell you what it doesn't do for you. It doesn't allow you to LIVE, LOVE or ENJOY what our creator has in store for us. You see, looking back prevents us from looking forward and seeing what possibilities are out there. It's taken me this year of physical pain and physical endurance to show myself that I am strong. It's amazing what physical activity and physical pain can do. Not just for a persons body, but for the soul. I've found when you reach that point where you just feel like you can't go any further..... You can!! (just a side note, I'm still learning this and this continues to be something I have to work on every day). You Can because you were MADE to survive. YOU were made to have a legacy, to be a beacon of light and have people see it! Isn't that cool? Way cooler than just existing like I was. Flying under the radar, feeling so insecure about the way I looked and how I felt and not wanting to be noticed. I LOVE that my light is moving from flickering to shining bright. I love that people are open to reading this blog and following my journey. Because I am confident that we are ALL made to shine bright. Life is about hills and valley's. I am DONE with sticking to the valley, you don't get anywhere when your stuck in the valley. Sure it can be beautiful, but you learn so much more when you climb that hill or better yet that Mountain! I am not going to let fear and doubt keep me from the peak any longer! I am learning to enjoy the struggle and weather the hard stuff. And we ALL have hard stuff. If your anything like me you need validation for that. I have 4 friends that have lost their dad in the last few years, I have 2 friends living with a terminal loved one, I have many friends going through divorce. I have friends and relatives battling cancer. Life can be such a struggle and I am here to validate whatever you are going through, whatever pain you are experiencing right now at this very moment..... "I am so sorry...... I am so sorry you have to endure that right now." I know that what you are going through has an outcome, it may not be one that you desire but it will be the one chosen for you because you can survive and learn all there is to learn from it.
I was reading recently about a boy with Downs syndrome who would spend hours in the hot sun playing a "make believe" baseball game. It was so inspiring to listen to the author's interpretation of this boy and his game. The boy had no ball, no bat, just his glove and a vision. The boy would hold his own "world series" night after night. And night after night the excitement would build and he would ALWAYS win. The joy this boy must have experienced! And yet most adults would say "but life isn't like that, you don't always win the game" I was that person, and you know what? You don't always win. But it's YOUR game, YOUR choices and how you deal with the losses is how the game ends. I don't know about you but I feel like now even if the score is 3-12 I still have a chance and I have to make every run count.
With the rest of my posts until January 4th I am going to post about the class I am offering. I really want people to attend. This is a class that I think EVERYONE could benefit from. It's not just about losing weight, it's about changing your body, feeling better, changing the way you think and your reaction to stress and life. "Do something today that your future self will thank you for" sign up HERE and come January 4th, at 6:30 location in Burnsville and be prepared to make a change in your life!
Monday, December 3, 2012
What do I eat?
So this has been the hot topic... everyone wants to know what I eat? Well, I eat..... food! I eat very clean food. But what does that mean CLEAN? It means I eat food that has not been processed. If it comes out of the ground and looks like it came out of the ground, I eat it. Let me give you an easy example; Corn, when corn comes out of the ground it's usually a nice yellow color and it comes on a cob. It does not come out of the ground in a box with the work CHEX written on it or in a bag that says Tostitos. Does this mean I NEVER eat those things or that I will NEVER eat those things? Probably not, because now when I look at those foods or if I try to eat those foods, I notice how it affects my body. More than likely I will have a headache the next day and feel generally tired or I may feel really bloated. It may or may not affect YOU this way, but you won't be able to figure this out until you have FULLY eliminated it from your diet for 3 months! After that..... reintroduce things and pay attention to how you feel in the next 24 hours.
When I first started this journey I ate different than I do now. And I want to make it clear that you need to eat different ways to get different results. For me I first needed to clean my system out! My trainer and nutrition expert Jay Altman advised me to go dairy free, gluten free and sugar free (including fruit) for 3 months! Okay quit screaming now, I know I thought he was nuts! I thought I would GO NUTS! No bread or chips or crackers for 3 months!!! And NO dairy, no yogurt? What in the heck am I going to eat? Honestly the hardest part for me was the sugar. Sugar is as addictive as heroin and cocaine, not kidding! look it up if you think I am :) After 2 weeks I thought I was going to go crazy and my poor husband and kids, let's just say I'm happy they are still with me. Besides feeling terrible, I couldn't THINK of anything but food and sugar and what I wanted to eat. This is where you HAVE to have a support system. My advice, if you go this route and eliminate everything at once, completely clean out your cupboards, do not give yourself ANY excuse to even temp you.
After that I re-introduced things slowly. First it was blueberries and strawberries. I watched what my blood sugar did. If I spiked above 100 I new I couldnt have it or at least that much of it. Then I did dairy, for me yogurt was fine as long as it's a good greek yogurt, plain and then add your own fruit. The sugar content in the standard yogurts are too high. I now rarely have dairy... it does not help me lose weight. Lastly I added bread and found out it makes me feel yucky! very bloated so to me not worth it. My diet is basically protein from eggs and meat. Vegetables, which is funny cuz I HATED vegetables, that was until I learned how to cook and season them. I eat different when I am maintaining weight, I eat different when I am trying to take weight off. So I could spend an hour talking about what I eat! Haha which leads me to: A CLASS!
YES, I am going to offer a class! It's going to be very informal held at my mom's house in Burnsville. I will talk about what I have done over the last year, but EVEN BETTER my trainer Jay Altman is going to come and speak for an hour about much of what he has taught me and answer your questions. Let me just tell you what an incredible opportunity this is for you. Jay is not only a certified personal trainer, but also a metabolic typing advisor and functional medicine practitioner. He has helped hundreds of people for the last 18 years. He has a bachelors in Kinesiology, he is a certified lifestyle coach and nutrition consultant. He was the head strength coach for the Minnesota Timberwolves and he has trained many top level college and olympic athletes. YOU get him for 90 minutes and you get to do this for only $20.00. I know crazy right? I had a lot of people email and message me that they REALLY want to get healthy, loose weight and get fit and how do I start? And more importantly how do I do it on a budget? Well my friends, that is why I came up with this class.... You are inspiring ME! I really wanted to make this so affordable especially with the holidays because I totally know how it is.
For $20.00 this is what you get: 2 hours with Jay and I to discuss nutrition, health and exercise. A take home packet with the outline of our talk, a grocery list and recipes to help you get started. An exercise routine that uses just your body weight, no equipment or gym needed! PLUS I will have some yummy healthy food, and to top it off.... I am going to do a door prize of a free photography sitting to use next summer/fall to show off your great new body!!!!!
By clicking on "Jen's class" you will be re-directed to sign up for my class right now!
If your serious about getting healthy in 2013 then click HERE. DON'T wait to see if your friend wants to do it with you, sign up and then send your friend a link and tell them "I just signed up will you please come with me?" Don't wait to check your schedule... If there is one thing I learned this year and I learned this from Jay is "If you want it bad enough, make it happen!" this means you will push this button, sign up, and commit to coming January 4th at 6:30 regardless of your work schedule, regardless of your childcare situation, regardless of ANY other plans you may have that night. If you have that kind of determination YOU WILL BE SUCCESSFUL! And I will be committed to helping you get there. PUSH this button and you will receive an email in the next 24hours with all the information you need. Can't wait to see all of you!!!
When I first started this journey I ate different than I do now. And I want to make it clear that you need to eat different ways to get different results. For me I first needed to clean my system out! My trainer and nutrition expert Jay Altman advised me to go dairy free, gluten free and sugar free (including fruit) for 3 months! Okay quit screaming now, I know I thought he was nuts! I thought I would GO NUTS! No bread or chips or crackers for 3 months!!! And NO dairy, no yogurt? What in the heck am I going to eat? Honestly the hardest part for me was the sugar. Sugar is as addictive as heroin and cocaine, not kidding! look it up if you think I am :) After 2 weeks I thought I was going to go crazy and my poor husband and kids, let's just say I'm happy they are still with me. Besides feeling terrible, I couldn't THINK of anything but food and sugar and what I wanted to eat. This is where you HAVE to have a support system. My advice, if you go this route and eliminate everything at once, completely clean out your cupboards, do not give yourself ANY excuse to even temp you.
After that I re-introduced things slowly. First it was blueberries and strawberries. I watched what my blood sugar did. If I spiked above 100 I new I couldnt have it or at least that much of it. Then I did dairy, for me yogurt was fine as long as it's a good greek yogurt, plain and then add your own fruit. The sugar content in the standard yogurts are too high. I now rarely have dairy... it does not help me lose weight. Lastly I added bread and found out it makes me feel yucky! very bloated so to me not worth it. My diet is basically protein from eggs and meat. Vegetables, which is funny cuz I HATED vegetables, that was until I learned how to cook and season them. I eat different when I am maintaining weight, I eat different when I am trying to take weight off. So I could spend an hour talking about what I eat! Haha which leads me to: A CLASS!
YES, I am going to offer a class! It's going to be very informal held at my mom's house in Burnsville. I will talk about what I have done over the last year, but EVEN BETTER my trainer Jay Altman is going to come and speak for an hour about much of what he has taught me and answer your questions. Let me just tell you what an incredible opportunity this is for you. Jay is not only a certified personal trainer, but also a metabolic typing advisor and functional medicine practitioner. He has helped hundreds of people for the last 18 years. He has a bachelors in Kinesiology, he is a certified lifestyle coach and nutrition consultant. He was the head strength coach for the Minnesota Timberwolves and he has trained many top level college and olympic athletes. YOU get him for 90 minutes and you get to do this for only $20.00. I know crazy right? I had a lot of people email and message me that they REALLY want to get healthy, loose weight and get fit and how do I start? And more importantly how do I do it on a budget? Well my friends, that is why I came up with this class.... You are inspiring ME! I really wanted to make this so affordable especially with the holidays because I totally know how it is.
For $20.00 this is what you get: 2 hours with Jay and I to discuss nutrition, health and exercise. A take home packet with the outline of our talk, a grocery list and recipes to help you get started. An exercise routine that uses just your body weight, no equipment or gym needed! PLUS I will have some yummy healthy food, and to top it off.... I am going to do a door prize of a free photography sitting to use next summer/fall to show off your great new body!!!!!
By clicking on "Jen's class" you will be re-directed to sign up for my class right now!
If your serious about getting healthy in 2013 then click HERE. DON'T wait to see if your friend wants to do it with you, sign up and then send your friend a link and tell them "I just signed up will you please come with me?" Don't wait to check your schedule... If there is one thing I learned this year and I learned this from Jay is "If you want it bad enough, make it happen!" this means you will push this button, sign up, and commit to coming January 4th at 6:30 regardless of your work schedule, regardless of your childcare situation, regardless of ANY other plans you may have that night. If you have that kind of determination YOU WILL BE SUCCESSFUL! And I will be committed to helping you get there. PUSH this button and you will receive an email in the next 24hours with all the information you need. Can't wait to see all of you!!!
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