Motivational Monday

Just Because We CAN Do Something Doesn't Mean We Should....

I have been having the BEST time this summer, 
how about you?

 I wanted to share with you about my new opportunity to serve my church.

I was asked to teach a Cross Fitness class on our church campus every Wednesday night and 

I am absolutely having a blast! 

Since my usual speaking/teaching ministry during the year is through the school year, 

and my summer is free, I thought I would say "Yes" to this.

The first night was great- there were about 12 or so people who showed up and then the following week, it was about the same.

This week we had a large group, very mixed, FUN group!

Thank you all for coming!

Here are some pics-

Fitness seems to be the new buzzword and people are becoming so much more aware of their health!

Many of us are getting fit in the area by taking some of the classes at Saddleback,

shoot, they offer something everyday- 

Yoga on Mondays and Wednesday mornings,
 Zumba on Tuesday nights, 
MY CLASS "The Cross Fitness" class on Wednesday nights, 
Cardio Kick-boxing on Thursday nights 
and I''m not sure what is on Fridays, 
but on Saturday mornings there is another Boot Camp taught by Tony Lattimore- 

ALL FOR FREEEEEEEE!!!

Anyhow, this week I was thinking about The Cross Fitness Class and how hard we all worked,
 and that if we only work out and don't change our eating, 

we may get stronger and have more endurance,
 but it is the food that is the BIG game changer.

I've also had a couple of the gals ask me about food /snacks and there are so many ideas in my head about where to start, that I decided to make a list of flat out "NO's".

Absolute NO's.....

If you want to change your body, you will have to change what you feed it- 

To change what you feed it, 
your desire to change must outweigh your desire to stay the same, 

or the desire for comfort-

I get it- 

we eat what we like, 

but IF you want to make some changes and to want lose some of the reason you may have high blood pressure, or shortness of breath, or get taken off some of that medication, or you just want to lose some body fat, you have got to make a decision that you are going to say "NO!"
You will have to say, "NO"  to some of the things you used to say "yes" to.

And the funny thing- 

 I wonder why there has to be a LAW to have people wear a seat belt.

Why wouldn't you if you know it would potentially save your life if you were in an accident?

Why would you smoke if you know it causes lung cancer not only in you, 

but in anyone that breathes your smoke?

Why do I eat fried food when the oil and fat outweigh any benefit to eating that food?

Because WE want to, and we CAN, and we have NO reason NOT to.....

No one is going to stop you from buying that "ka-ka", 

it is all about money.

You eat poorly, you keep the fast food restaurants, doctors and pharmacies in business.

I hope this makes you mad,

mad enough to do something about it-

I got that mad.

I care about my body, my children's bodies, my husband's body, 
so I decided to make some adjustments to what I provide in my home. 

 I am responsible for 99% of what my family eats and so are you- so think about that.....

if your child is overweight,

 think about what is in your cupboards. 

What YOU have put in YOUR cupboards and YOUR family are feeding themselves with....
There is a battle going on!

Enough of my mini-rant-  

Top 10 Edibles You Should Say "NO" To:

1. High Fructose Corn Syrup - this is bad stuff
2. Fried Foods- they make them taste good with all the bad stuff
3. Sugar-white sugar is so bad- all candy, etc.
4. Corn- yes- look into it- corn turns into some kind of poison in your body!
5. Soda- ALL soda, diet, too.
6.White Flour- anything that has flour in it!( breads, cakes, pastries, donuts, crackers)
7. Hydrogenated oil- use coconut oil
8. Margarine 
9.Fatty beef- go for lean turkey or chicken
10. Ice Cream- change it for a Skinny Cow or Non-fat chocolate pudding w/whipped cream!
11. Potato chips (or corn chips)- too much salt, and yes, I DO know how good these bad boys taste!

12. GMO's - genetically manufactured organisms, it even sounds gross. Yes, they are added into so many foods that what we are eating today is drastically different than the food we used to eat.

Here are some things you should say "YES" To:

1. Blueberries- ALL berries!!
2. ALL green leafies- letttuce, romaine, kale,  not too much dressing but enough to make them edible!
3.Salmon/tuna
4. Nuts (almonds & walnuts are the best) in moderation
5. Water, lots and lots- add lemon, orange to add to the enjoyment!
6. Chia seed or Flax seed 
7. Wheat flour
8. Brown rice or even better, Quinoa - soooo good!
9.Protein Bars- always have one in your purse of bag in case of an emergency
10. Greek Yogurt- yum! It has protein in it, too!
11. Oatmeal- I eat this with Chia/blueberries EVERY morning!
12. Protein shakes- I drink a shake every morning and after every workout! (feeds your muscles!)
13. Pop chips, Rice chips as an alternative to potato chips/corn chips

I'm doing a study on Nehemiah and in the chapter we are studying, Nehemiah had a job that provided food and drink that the King was accessible to - but because his people were having to suffer so the King could have all he had, 

Nehemiah decided he wouldn't eat the food the King ate or drink what the King drank. 

He would eat what his people were eating.

Just because he COULD indulge didn't mean he HAD TO.

We eat so much that we don't NEED- I'll be the first to admit it.

A box of Hot Tamales is $1.00, not a lot of money for something that gives me pleasure. 

But as  got to thinking about that- I realized that the pleasure I receive is temporary- 

it provides me with no real nutritional value and cost me a dollar. 

Do I NEED my Hot Tamales? 

Maybe once a month I can justify it (during that time), but really, no, I don't.  

So I reaaaaaallllly try to only eat them when someone gives them to me, 

which is usually a gift.

So what about you? 

What do you think you might need to say "NO" to today- 

just one item on this list will get you started.

 Stick with that for a week and see what happens.

Then add another- this is a list that my family sticks to pretty good,

 but I am by all means NOT a legalist when it comes to life. 

When we are at a party, the kids can drink soda, but it is not an everyday thing- 

fried foods maybe once every two weeks, if that.

If I can do it- so can you.

I grew up in a home where there were chips in the cupboard and snacks all around!

I've had to change what I put into my cupboards so that I can change what goes into the mouths of the people I love!

Here is my prayer for you:

Father God,

Thank you for this reader and friend!

Thank you for his/her body, mind and spirit.

Lord, 

we come to you today to ask for your wisdom, for your power and your spirit of discipline that you freely share with us when we believe.

I ask that this reader would feel convicted today to "give up" something that he/she has been eating 

that is not edifying to the body you have given him/her.

I pray that your Sprit would move him/her to release the selfish desire to fill him/herself with something that is not healthy or beneficial to his/her body,

but would choose to feed his/her body with

only foods that are nutritious and beneficial to his/her body.

I ask this in Jesus' Holy name!

Amen!

Think about it-

What will you give up this week?

What can you really live without?

Is God prompting you to give up something you don't need?

Would love to hear your thoughts!

Have a blessed day!

Fit, Fabulous, 40's Friday

Choices & Smoothies

"I like to eat my calories" is one of my favorite sayings.

In fact, if you have ever been out with me

or give me the opportunity to eat something vs. drink something, 

I will choose to eat or chew food 99% of the time. 

Usually something along these lines..if possible.

or

 or

or

Lots of choices, but notice any similarities?

Ha, ha!

Ahem, that is just ME.

I do occasionally drink smoothies.

Again, not my favorite, 

but it is nice to change things up a little.

One of the gals I am working with on nutrition likes smoothies for breakfast and her mother asked for some recipes so I thought I would share them with you.

They are healthy, easy and there are a variety of choices!

They are also great for meal replacement or as a healthy snack.

WAAAAY better choice than eating cookies, crackers, popcorn, etc.

Start with any kind of blender:

I got one of these guys for Christmas.

 

1. Start out with a liquid.

Water, coconut water, almond milk, soy milk, etc. I usually add about 1/4-1/2 cup

I just use water, easy!

2. Add a scoop of protein, or eggs or egg whites.

1/2 of a scoop for the kids- 

we use this from GNC

 I thought I would try a new flavor- LOVE it, but very expensive!

 or you can get a less expensive one from the market

3. Add fruits

I cut up pieces of fruit and freeze them so it makes a nice cold drink, 

and it is super convenient to have it all ready.

Bananas, blackberries, strawberries,pineapple and blueberries.

You can add whichever you like!

Approx. 1/2 cup

4. Add vegetables

I use spinach 95% of the time, again, EASY!

The rule of thumb is that the veggies take up 1/2 of the cup-

also, you'll know if you need to add more next time depending on the color of the smoothie.

If it isn't green, you don't have enough!

 Found this on Pinterest: 

you can click and visit my Pinterest page under 

"Cleanish Eating"for other ideas/recipes

5. Add nuts or supplements,

chia or flax seed or even oatmeal! 

I would recommend 1/2 cup of oatmeal 

if you find yourself hungry within the hour of drinking one!

(Meagan :-))

The choices are endless!!! 

Here are some other options for you -

One from one of my favorite blogs: StuftMama

Lazy Mama Mocha Spinach Smoothie

1 frozen banana

handful fresh spinach

1 scoop protein powder (I used Designer Whey Vanilla Almond)

2 tablespoons cocoa powder (I used my favorite cocoa powder)

1 tablespoon instant espresso

1 1/4 cup milk or non dairy alternative (I used unsweetened almond milk)

These are from BodyBuilding.com where this link will take you right to the page.

Berry Good Shake

Ingredients

• 2 scoops of raspberry yogurt and protein powder
• 4 strawberries
• 15 blueberries
• 16 ounces of nonfat milk
• 1/2 cup of ice cubes

Banana Protein Shake

Ingredients

• 30g protein powder (plain or vanilla)
• 8 oz light soy milk
• 1 tbsp linseed, soy and almond mixture
• 1 tsp golden syrup
• Few drops vanilla essence/extract
• 3-4 cubes ice
• 1 tbsp low fat natural yogurt (optional depending on diet)

I hope these recipes and tips helped!!

REMBER:

"And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change

and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."

Matthew 18:3 (NIV)

TRY something new, CHOOSE to make a small change and then TRUST the process!!

What NEW THING are you going to TRY today?

Love ya!

Fit, Fabulous 40's Friday!

HAPPY FRIDAY!!
(and my longest post ever-if you do just one thing, watch the video at the end)

I was going to title today's post, "Living La Vida Loca" because my life has been a little like that!

So, I am sorry to those of you who may have wondered what happened to me for the last few weeks!

I'll give you the "Cliff Notes" version-

about a month ago, I noticed a small jelly-bean shaped mass on the side of my right breast,
so I made an appointment to get it checked.

During that week before my check-up, I began thinking of the possibilities:
Cancer, being the first one, and of course, the worst.

Knowing that it could be one of two outcomes, I prayed.
Honestly, I was a little freaked out, thinking about my children, husband and all the things that I believe God has a plan for me to do, but you just never know what HIS plan is.
So I prayed some more and trusted.

Only a few people knew about it- I only shared it with a close group of women that I attend Bible Study with because we share some pretty intimate stuff and I didn't want anyone else to worry-
unless they had a reason to.
I didn't even tell my mom or sister- even though I know they both would have prayed for me.
Weird.

So I went for the Mammogram and because I had my "little Jelly-Bean Guy" there,
they also had me do an Ultrasound.

That was cool- I could actually SEE what was going on inside there.
The doctor came in and he pointed out my JBG and said he could see blood going through it and that it was part of my lymphnode.

With all the evidence,
 they believed that it was NON-cancerous.

EXHALE......whew.

So, as you can imagine,
I was and am SO grateful that everything was fine.

The next day when I woke up, I was just grateful to be home, in my bed, breathing.

I decided I would give my BEST effort every single day to do more of these things:

1. Make sure my children and husband know I love them,
through words, hugs, laughter, engagement.

2. Spend time daily thanking God for the wonderful, FULL, rich life I have!

3. Being grateful for every little thing

4. Show grace, love and forgiveness to everyone I came into contact with

5. Give compliments generously and genuinely

6. Be as engaged as possible, every moment of each day

7. Say prayers for my friends and family who don't believe in God

8. Be more flexible

9. Give people the benefit of the doubt

10.Love myself more and forgive myself more.

After that crazy week, I've been watching alot of baseball-
Go Cardinals!

Some track meets

Kiana has been sprinting and pole vaulting...

I've been substitute teaching a little here and there,

at Madison (my friend Jill's First Grade classroom)

so clean, right?

And in Kindergarten

this week for my friend Peter...

I "heart" Kindergarten,

and last week I had the opportunity to speak at Laguna Niguel Presbyterian Church

to speak on Friendship

and here yesterday to speak on Prayer

on the National Day of Prayer!

What an honor!

My mom came to watch and then she, my sister and I went out for some Japanese Food

at Fukada

SO, so good!

having some fun, 

as usual-

My sister and I-

Then, I got my baby washed, (my little red car)

picked up the boys,

picked up the girl after her practice,

took her to her voice lesson

here

and then made this for dinner:

Yes, I fry my taco shells, really, is there any other way to eat REAL tacos?

What I DID do is use EVOO, and drained the oil, see?

I also used lean, ground turkey,

non-fat Rosarita beans,

low-fat cheese,

non-fat lettuce and avocados!

I think Luke ate 5!

Then,

for a treat- gotta enjoy these kids while they are still at home,

we went here

Ok,

Luke made the one at 12 o'clock,

mochi, chocolate dips

John had the one at 2 o'clock,

strawberries, peanut-butter, 

5 o'clock is easy to guess w/all that candy- LOGAN (not me!)

mini m&m's, always a cherry,

mine was at 7 o'clock

nuts, granola and sprinkles, gotta always have sprinkles

and

Kiana's is at 10 o'clock

granola and I don't know what that big white thing is.

I have been starting my mornings off with 2 tablespoons of the nastiest tasting stuff;

because it is really good for you/me and

it helps get rid of some bloat.

No lie.

After dropping off Kiana to HS

I came home and had this:

 1/2 scoop of protein

1/2 cup of oatmeal

1/2 cup of blueberries

chia

1/2 banana

I have this every single morning

and I love it.

Life is short-

we must live each day to it's fullest 

and love like there's no tomorrow!!

There may not be one-

Have a blessed day!!

Keep on moving!

Fit, Fabulous 40's! (on a Monday!)

Ever have a week that is just all over the place?

Last week has kind of like that and I'm so glad that I'm like this guy-

FLEXIBLE!

I actually worked on a post for Friday, 

but decided it wasn't ready.

It is kind of a random, 

odd post

about Bruce Lee-

I know- totally random, right?

So, I decided to go to the gym

and while I was there,

I ran into my friend, Gina,

who I hadn't seen all week.

(excuse the grunginess of our picture)

She looks GREAT!

Her trainer said she had lost 4% body fat

and 

two inches in her waist!!!

Check her out!

WOOOT WOOOT!

I was so excited for her and 

of course, 

stopped what I was doing 

and

gave her a high-five!

Then she said,

"your blog was the catalyst".

I was shocked.

I didn't know she even followed it-

I don't know who would, really-

or who does?

(LOL- my mom does, but she's my mom, so she has to!)
(oh, then there is my blog buddy, Sharon who faithfully visits and comments :-))

Gina talked about eating better 

and 

if you have done any research or reading,
you know,

"you can never out-train a bad diet".

Sorry.

If you are eating poorly,

you will never get healthy,

let alone

FIT!

(but if you eat pretty well, you can splurge on HOT TAMALES or chocolate once in a while)

So in honor of Gina,

I am putting my favorite 

Protein Muffin Recipes on myblog.

There are quite a few recipes out there,

and variations:

A Banana Muffin HERE

An Oatmeal Muffin at Fit Foodie Finds
A Chocolate Mug Muffin at Sparks Recipe by April

and
this guy, Michael, showed me on his YouTube video-
he adds protein powder in his-



They all have some great recipes

but this one is MY favorite.

Janet's Protein Pumpkin Muffin

(the bowl on the right)

1/2 Cup of organic pumpkin (mix it up a little)

1/4 Cup of egg whites 

2 Tablespoons of Wheat Flour

2 Tablespoons of artificial sweetener (I use Stevia)

1/2 Teaspoon of baking powder

1/2 Teaspoon of vanilla

sprinkle some cinnamon,

or  pumpkin spice

Chocolate Muffin

(the bowl on the left)

ADD 1-1 1/2 Tablespoons of Chocolate powder (dark)

omit: cinnamon and/or pumpkin spice

Mix all together and put in a bowl or mug-

microwave for 5+ minutes

depending on your microwave.

Pop it out and enjoy!

You may notice that the pumpkin muffin may become spotted after a couple of days,
while in the refrigerator,
but don't keep it in there for much longer than that-
remember that there are NO preservatives
so eat it with a few days of making it!

I usually eat it as a snack,
either after breakfast or between lunch and dinner.
I have also been known to eat it for dinner if I have "strayed" from my eating plan during the day-
add (low-fat) greek yogurt, fruit and chia-
roughly about 230 calories plain,
250 calories w/chocolate
and approximately 7/8 grams of protein
and
approximately 12/14 grams of carbohydrates.

YUM!

Hope you enjoy your healthy treat!

Got a good recipe to share?
Let me know if you try one of the other recipes!

Remember,
you are what you eat!