....Was talking to a friend not too long ago about goals, to-do lists, dreams, life setbacks, etc. While we were analyzing and dissecting from all angles 

(and at one point, writing all scenarios out on paper) 

a quote I'd recently read popped into my mind.....

"Prayer is intended to be your first priority; 

not your last resort."

I promptly remembered that no matter what your current life's circumstances, talking with God about it often eliminates or decreases the amount of time we need to spend working on it. I am grateful for that truth and 

I need to check myself and ask,

 "Have I prayed about it as much as I've talked about it?" 

Because God is a muuuuuch better problem solver that I am!

Welcome Back!

The hiatus was unintentional, Friends......Life gets in the way sometimes. So on that note (while this morning has been non-hectic so far) I bring you a dose of encouragement. Should you be one of the many who deem the start of school/the fall your "new year," let's start off with a simple truth:

It will take four weeks for you to notice 

a change in your body/health. 

It will take eight weeks for your 

friends and family to notice. 

And it will take 12 weeks for the rest of the world. 

Give yourself 12 weeks.

Do. Not. Give. Up.

 

More on what is making us unhealthy, sick, and fat.....

Find the Hidden Sources of Sugar

Sugar is everywhere -here are Jillian Michael's tips on how to avoid it now.

Let's get something straight — stay far, far away from high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Seriously, this stuff really puts the "junk" in junk food! The people who make it have tried to claim it's the same as sugar, and while it's chemically similar, our bodies process it in different ways. HFCS is processed only by the liver, making it a greater contributor to obesity, diabetes, and more. It's the most abundant source of calories in a lot of foods out there and it's terrible for you because it boosts your fat-storing hormones. Look at your labels and you'll find HFCS in so many foods that line the shelves in our grocery stores. It's found in most soft drinks, processed foods, breads, candy, flavored yogurts, salad dressings, canned vegetables, and cereals. But just because high-fructose corn syrup is evil doesn't necessarily mean halos are hovering over other sugars. There's more sweet stuff out there that you need to avoid!
We still have far too much of the non-corn variety of sugar in our diets, and it's definitely not doing anything good for our health or our waistlines. The average American eats more than 30 teaspoons of sugar a day — that's more than 114 pounds of sugar a year!
While sugar is everywhere, you must do your best to eat it in extreme moderation. The World Health Organization recommends no more than 12 to 15 teaspoons a day, or 48 to 60 grams. Your best bet is to keep that amount as low as possible. Check your food labels — anything with "sugar" should obviously be avoided. However, sugar has many aliases. I'll give you a hint: Anything that ends in "-ose" is a sugar. See what I mean in the list below, and beware of these sweeteners in the foods you eat!
Aspartame
Dextrose
Evaporated cane juice
Fructose
Fruit juice concentrates
Galactose
Glucose
Honey
Invert corn syrup
Lactose
Malt
Maltose
Malt syrup
Maple syrup
Molasses
Rice syrup
Sacharin
Splenda
Sucralose
Sucrose
Now that you know what not to eat, there are some sweeteners that are okay to use, like organic maple syrup, Monk fruit, Nectresse, Stevia, and Truvia. The following are okay — but only in moderation: agave syrup, wild organic raw honey, and cane juice. Keep an eye on what you're consuming and limit yourself.

So funny/true!

If this doesn't make one think.....

Helpful Hints ...a time to recommit.

So......getting a lot of emails and phone calls about how to speed up the process in the gym. (I can tell spring is in the air when the minor look of panic spreads across faces at the mere thought of shorts and tank tops.)

Let's chat.

We must take an honest look at what's going on the kitchen...... and at the coffee bar.....and at the restaurants......basically, WHAT IT IS YOU CHOOSE TO EAT.  If you need a refresher, you can print this list out, laminate it, and place it on your fridge, your dashboard, your wallet.......just in case you forget.

1) Water. Half your body weight in ounces. Every. Single. Day.

2) Increase WHOLE FOODS - Foods that do not have an "ingredient list" on their packaging.  Better yet, how about NO PACKAGING???  New concept for you? That'd be step #1....... Also, this makes eating out much more challenging; just sayin'.

3)  Eliminate Processed Foods (yes, go through the pantry and TOSS it.)  Foods that have ingredient lists that are abundant are simply not going to be nutritious.  The simpler the better in those columns.  *This would assume you regularly read the back of your food packaging, yes?*

4) Have designated "time to eat" - breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner.  No eating in front of anything with a screen or it becomes mindless. We want to enjoy our food, eat slowly, and remember that eating is not part of our multitasking-obsessed society.

5) Sugar is just as harmful, (if not, worse) than fat. Don't kid yourself when you read No Fat or Fat Free on anything. If that's the case, they likely added sugar or artificial sugar to make it yummy. Sugar is e-v-i-l and will negate almost anything else you do!  Sugar is not just in sweets. Sugar is in EVERYTHING; that's why it tastes so good.  So, label reading should become 2nd nature. If the sugar content is above...say....10 grams per serving (for starters....it will go less as time goes on) it is a flat out NO.  (Ahem.....again, how do you know how much sugar is in food at a restaurant?  Exactly.)

6) Quit eating at least three hours before bedtime.  No big, heavy meals, no sweets, no salts. Nothing.  You do not need to go to bed on a full stomach. If you are hungry before bed, GOOD!  You can eat a big, healthy breakfast and feel great in the morning.  You should feel slight hunger at pillow time!

7) Get real about your beverages.  Folks, just because you don't chew it doesn't mean it's not full of empty, toxic, fattening calories.  MUCH of our problem is in our sodas (a total and absolute no-no in my book - especially "diet" sodas), coffees, juices, and excessive alcohol (today is St. Patty's day.....green beer.....blech....not for me, thanks.)  Please don't fall into the trap that you will replace a meal with a mondo Starbucks (Anthem, Big Foot, Forza, Coffeemate creamer in your travel mug, etc.)  And if you have that mindset, call me. I'll set ya straight :)

Start here, Friends.  And allow yourself the grace to be shocked, then sad, then deprived, then a bit testy. All part of the process of cleaning up from the inside out.  You wanna feel better, look better, have more energy, sleep soundly, and get rid of fat?  Here's how you start! It won't be easy but it will be worth it. You can do better when you know better, and now you know better :) I want you to succeed and I want to hear how you did.

"Bad habits in the kitchen waste all the time you just spent in the gym."

Next week - How to kick start your workouts and maximize your time!

It's not that complicated, Friends......

January. 

People are eager to make lifestyle changes, specifically regarding their health and/or appearance.  Problem is, most of them want an easy and quick way to accomplish that. After all, we are a society that has become addicted to the FAST, INSTANT, and IMMEDIATE answers.  That might work with technology but it does not work with the body or overall health and wellness.  We're not comfortable with the "process" of things. We are uneasy and agitated by baby-steps. We grow frustrated in hearing "this will be a journey...."  Don't know about you, but I'm not so sure our dependency on getting what we want in a jiffy is all positive.  (There's something to be said for staying in bed for a day, sipping on chicken soup, and reading from a paperback book, but that's another post.........)

So, when it comes to our desire for physical change, I have repeated it before and I'll say it again:
YOU GET FIT IN THE GYM; 

YOU LOSE WEIGHT IN THE KITCHEN. 

 You can do one without the other, but you will only get half the results.

In both the gym and the kitchen, you have to do three things:

1) Be Prepared  2) Be Committed  3) Be Intentional

Be prepared.  Have a plan for your workout, do shopping ahead of time, keep your workout shoes in your car and healthy snacks with you at all times.

Be committed. Look ahead six or eight weeks and pencil in your training. Say "no thanks" to a gift of goodies from a co-worker. When the computer screams "stay here!!" stand up and shout back "when I'm done with my workout." Eat that healthy snack not necessarily  because it's tastes good, 

but because it's good for you.

Be intentional. Don't just show up to your workouts; work h-a-r-d. Pay attention to your meals - are you feeling full? Then stop eating.  Finish your run, reps, time on the clock. It matters more how you finish than how you start. Stay out of the fridge/pantry/cupboard unless it's time for food!

Folks, if you have any other suggestions or tips for our fellow readers, please comment!!!! We learn best from those in the same boat, so SHARE your ideas and testimonies!!!

Looking forward to hearing all of your success stories..........

 in four months!!! :) :) :)