Inspire.

      

That's all I've ever wanted to do. Whether spiritually, academically, physically, emotionally - I have felt the need to share what I've learned in hope that it would improve someone elses life. 

I found this quote on Pinterest tonight, and after that, my wheels started turning. 

                                

In all aspects of my life, I have tried to be the best I possibly can. I try (and it is always a work in progress) to prioritize my life by God, Family (including Clint and his family), School, & everything else.  I work very hard in school just to stay afloat, but still find the time to stay physically fit and live a healthy lifestyle. I maintain great relationships with the people I love. I try to get friends actively involved in fundraisers that benefit others, and I donate what I can to those in need. I obsessively check animal rescues and pray that those animals find forever homes. 

So if I died tomorrow, would I have left my mark in this world?? 

                    

I feel like I have, and let me tell you why. 

While looking through old pictures of myself, I realized that I have come a LONG ways in my fitness journey. What started out as a chore, has developed into a way of life. I now LOVE sharing advice with people, inspiring them to change their life, and ultimately, help them regain their LIFE. Being overweight and unhealthy is exhausting. You feel terrible. Your health is terrible. And someday, your doctor (Or P.A.) will yell at you. 

                                  

Just LOOK at my chubby cheeks. I'll admit, Little miss Haley looks adorable as a chubby tot, but me? Ugh. I definitely did NOT have abs then.. nor did I know what eating healthy was. I'm fairly certain I was hung over in the top picture also. Underage. Hungover. Lost. Way to go Jessie, way to go. 

One day, I just decided to change. Ya see, I had a scary doctors appointment that changed my life forever. I was 20 years old. I just started a new job, I transferred colleges, had no idea WHERE I was going in life, and now a health scare. This Doctor, bless her heart, was very blunt and told me I HAD to change my lifestyle around if I ever wanted to feel healthy again. So just like that, I did. When you're TERRIFIED that this lump you just found could be cancer, and these lumps are a consequence of your stress and DIET, working out and eating healthy was a no brainer. 

I started with at home work outs because I didn't know WHERE to begin. From there, I gave up alcohol COMPLETELY and started eating healthy. From there, I established fit clubs in my community to work out together. From there I started online coaching to help people with their nutrition and exercise. It became FUN to inspire & motivate people. 

  

I got my family involved. My mom was even losing weight doing a 10-min at home workout! I loved getting the updates from my family.  I would come home from work and have kids BEGGING to workout with me. Whether it was a simple family walk. 

                          

A 5 mile run while this feller biked. His red face is adorable. :) 

   

My summer bootcamp. 

    

My FAVORITE. Family push up contests. (OK. Megan won. There, I said it..)

   

                    

TOUGH races with my brother. (Tough Mudder) 

                   

Workouts with Hayl. Yes, She lasted all 48 minutes on that elliptical as I ran. 

And lastly, post workout seal stretches. 

Eventually, my family started working out on their own. My brother, Todd, challenges me to work harder and join races with him. I look forward to hearing updates from my sister, Holly, that her clothes are loose, or she is doing a race. I smile when I see Andrea pin healthy meals on Pinterest because she loves her junk food. I'm still working on JJ..... BUT, the biggest transformation of all has been miss Megan. She started her journey by losing 26 lbs on the 24 day challenge, and then after that - she did the rest on her own. 

                                 

After getting my family on board, friends started to join. I started getting text messages like this:

                                  

I have been so blessed to have the opportunity to help some friends obtain more self confidence, find more energy, and accomplish their fitness goals. I've also been able to help some get extra income by coaching others. My ultimate goal, after I graduate PA School, is to share my fitness and nutrition tips with patients by establishing a community program. 

In the meantime, pick up some weights. Lace up your shoes. And throw out the junk food. Start today! Get friends and family to join you, and pass the inspiration on. 

Imagine if we all inspired just ONE person each day, think about how quickly the world would change. <3 
       

Day 6: That number doesn't matter.

I'm sorry I haven't posted in a while. I will quickly recap for you. Today marked day 6. My bloated feeling disappeared by Day 5, and today I had SO much more energy! My morning 3 mile run was fantastic because of my energy level too! :) 

I was curious to see how I've been doing so far, so I jumped on the scale JUST to see. I know I'm not supposed to yet, BUT I couldn't resist. I feel so thin! I HAD to have lost something. I stepped up on my scale, the same scale I used to weigh in, and there it was. A number. A number that has gotten BIGGER since I started my challenge. I gained 2 lbs instead of losing any.

But you know what? I. Don't. Care. 

I hate the scale. The scale is a TERRILE determinant of my success on this cleanse. I've ate well, exercised every single day, and I feel phenomenal! First of all, muscle weighs more than fat. I can already tell that I've gained muscle, especially in my legs! So I don't care what that stupid number is, because it does not define me. I feel FAB. 

      

SECONDLY - I do not ever use the scale to show my progress. I use pictures (those will come day 10), and measurements (also coming day 10). The measurements will show if I lost any inches, and if I did gain inches, the pictures will show my muscle definition. :) Regardless, I still feel great. 

Third: Some people tell me "I only lost one poud." One pound is one pound. Thats one pound gone off your body forever. Do you know what one pound looks like?! 

                       

So are you still mad? Thats A LOT. 

Lastly, I just wanted to share WHY I do this cleanse. I don't  do it to look a certain way. I do it to FEEL a certain way. This is my oil change. Its something essential every 90 days so that my body is operating like a well oiled machine. If I am training for a half marathon, spending 12+ hours a day studying medicine, and having a social life on top of this, I want to FEEL my absolute best while doing it. In the end, I wont ever care what the scale says, what size my jeans are, or how many inches I actually lost. I just care that I have energy and I feel healthy. I have both of those, so in my book, I've already won this challenge. 

Day 3: Calories

Well, today was a long day. From the sounds of it, this semester is going to be rough! For instance, tomorrow I have class from 9AM-6PM NON. STOP. Does that give me an excuse to not work out? Absolutely not. By the time this blog is done, I'll probably be left with only 5 hours to sleep. In PA School you have to make sacrifices - and mine is sleep. This program may be grueling, but it's definitely worth it. In the weirdest way, I like my little busy life. My day was so busy, that I'm actually typing out this blog while my hair dries! 

      

[I know what you're thinking: why did she wash her hair tonight if she is running in the morning?! The answer: I use dry shampoo after my workouts. Saves me SO much time to get ready for class!]

Despite my schedule, I'm still able to follow my challenge meal plan. I haven't cheated once yet! In part because I don't want to let you down, and because I really want to prove to myself that I can do this entire 24 day challenge without cheating ONCE. 

One thing that keeps me on my toes when making healthy food choices is counting calories. I know theres 'diets' out there that have you obsess over counting calories - and I don't want you to do that. I'm introducing this topic because I think it's important for people to realize the nutritional value of their food choices. Couting calories is a good way to start. 

To begin, search a calorie calculator. Generally it's some sort of generator that you plug in your age, gender, height, weight, and how many times you work out per week. BE HONEST! After that, it'll give you a number or a range. That, my friend, is your calorie limit.

To monitor my daily meals, I use an app called My Fitness Pal. (Add me as a friend!! Jesolgat is my username). If you dont have a smartphone, you can also go directly to their website. You can manually enter your calorie limit, goals, etc. After that, you can log your food. Theres a neat scan option so you can scan a barcode of your products. I scan EVERYTHING I can to be exact : lettuce, carrots, etc. Everything else I manually enter. This app is neat because I can even log my workouts. 

Counting calories is a useful tool when people need a little bit extra help understanding what they are eating. When I first started, I quickly learned that anything I made had much fewer calories than anything premade and store bought. You'll start microwaving less and less, and meal planning more and more. :) 

Counting calories wasn't always a "thing". After the food industry made products loaded with things like sugar, people noticed rapid weight gain. To resolve this, calorie limits were set in place to help people. My hope (and my hope for you) is to never have to count a calorie again. To eat such healthy, clean, homemade meals, that counting calories is essentially useless! Our country is far from that goal though. 

Oh - and for your health and my sanity - give up all pop/soda/coke/whatever you call it. It is LITERALLY poison. Watch 'Food For Change.' I know I keep bringing up that documentary, but you'll quickly reassess what you put in your mouth. 

Wellllllll - I'm off to bed! If you want to try the workout I did today, I found them both on Pinterest. 

                                                                        

                                                               

Day 2: Treat yourself!

Hello, Hello! It's me, Jessie, with Day 2 updates. 

Let me just start off by saying that today I not only set my alarm for 6AM, but I woke up, AND ran 3 miles!! I was so proud of myself. I am not a morning person. Ask Clint and he will tell you that I'm a professional sleeper. My run today was great though. My energy was through the roof, and I'm so glad that I got my workout in before I had class all day. 

My meals were all prepared ahead of time so I didn't cheat at all. I didn't even have coffee. How many coffee drinkers out there? There's just something about that smell in the morning, holding a nice hot mug when its freezing cold out, and taking a sip of that delicious flavor. My mouth is literally watering while thinking about it!! With the challenge, you are supposed to avoid drinking coffee. Reason 1: it's acidic, and your cleansing. That could potentially hurt your guts. 2: Most people load it with cream, sugar, etc so your coffee because extremely unhealthy. 3. The caffeine in coffee results in a crash. With the challenge, I drink my Spark. I like to call it crack juice because I'm a productive ball of energy when I drink it. Its slow released caffeine so there isn't a crash, and it helps me focus in class. After the cleanse, I may have an occasional coffee. I literally love that taste! When it comes to needing energy, however, I go with my crack juice. :) 

Transitioning into this healthy lifestyle was and still is challenging for me. When I first started, I wrote down goals, and when I met those goals, I rewarded myself. If I worked out X times a week for Y amount of weeks, I would buy myself a new fitness shirt or shorts. If I did a competition like a 5K, Tough Mudder, or box competion (Crossfit), I'd get an entire fitness outfit. It became a fun game. As time went on, I began challenging myself more and more. I reward myself with sweets every now and then when I eat healthy, and I reward myself with fitness gear when I meet a fitness goal. 

If you're struggling committing to a healthier lifestyle, follow these steps :

1. WRITE your goal down! Ex: I want to lose 10 lbs by April 1st. I want to run a 5K by May 1st. I want to eat clean meals every day until April 1st. I want to work out 3 times a week until May 1st, then increase to 5. WHATEVER your goal, write it down, and put a DATE. 

2. Place your goals where you can SEE them. If its in your face, its hard to avoid.

3. Reward yourself. 

It makes fitness exciting and fun! :)

My latest fitness goal is to train for a half marathon. Clint actually made this HIS goal, but it sounded like so much fun so I took it too! WHEN I complete this training on May 3, 2014 I am buying myself a juicer!

                                

THAT is beets, carrots, apples, red peppers, oranges, lemons, & red cabbage - all juiced for a delicious snack. :) Had this one today, and it was delicious! 

Well, off to bed. Tommorrow is a 5:00AM wakeup call for a 5:30 date at the gym. 

Wake up call!

So here it is.. Day 1 of my 24 Day Challenge. 

I forgot how excited I got to do these things!! I woke up, threw on my tightest clothes for my before pictures and measurements, and laid out every product that I needed to take today. I previewed my before pictures, and thats when all of my excitement crashed and burned. 

                 

I thought to myself, "Wow Jess, you really let yourself go over the holidays.." Here you have it: a fluffier, exhausted version of myself.  After my self esteem was destroyed, I had to drink that fiber drink. I'm a texture person, and there is just no getting around this drink. Picture this: my scrunched up face, my plugged nose... Gulp one.. Gulp two.. Gulp three.. Phew, I didn't puke.. Day 1 Success. OK, Its not THAT bad. In fact, I love doing the cleanse portion of the challenge. Its so worth it. Whats not worth it is all that junk I devoured over break

In hindsight, I have no idea why I took a 4 week vacation from being healthy. I had a 4 week break from school for the holidays, and I literally stopped caring about myself for some unknown reason. I BARELY worked out, I didn't take any of the products I normally did, and I ate food that literally made me ILL. Yes. Physically ill. I was nauseous, tired, and had headaches almost every single day. It never occured to me that I was eating complete garbage for meals. Cookies, ohhhh the cookies! And take out food, ughh. I want to puke just thinking about it!

The last few days of my Christmas break, I decided to watch some Netflix. I clicked on "Hungry For Change" and in that moment, I realized SO much. It finally occured to me that what I was consuming was making me sick. After that, I watched "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead." Again- FLOORED. I hope everyone in the world watches these. I'm still speechless! Clint told me months ago to watch these, and I heard him, but never listened. I guess I should listen to him more often.. whoopsies. 

I hope more people have a similar wake up call like I did. Yeah, I only took a 4 week break, but those 4 weeks had physical effects on my body.

Today not only was the beginning of my 3rd semester in PA School, but it was also Day 1 of my 24 Day Challenge. I know I'll be successful because I planned AHEAD for this challenge. In fact, I have 2 other classmates/amazing friends that are joining me. We've meal prepped for the entire week, and even mapped out our workouts! We clearly aren't Type A.... ;) ANYHOW. Together we meal planned with clean, minimally processed, healthy food. This planning isn't ending in 24 days. Ohhh no! I'll be doing this forever I hope! 

If you're interested in learning how to meal plan, we first went and searched for recipes on Pinterest. Since we are away from home for about 9+ hours a day, we needed meals that could be prepared ahead of time, frozen, and cooked in a crockpot later. With the help of this handy dandy website: http://organizerbyday.blogspot.com/2013/11/20-crockpot-meals-under-20.html?m=1,  we successfully found meals that worked! We wrote out our grocery list, added any useful electronic coupons to our Kroger Card to save us money, and went to the store. After purchasing the entire produce section (but really....), we went home, prepared the meals, and stowed them in the freezer. 

For exercise: we are planning on doing a mix of running (prepping for half marathon!) and interval workouts. Oh yeah, and we have to work out at 6 in the morning because we have no other time. I keep reminding myself; "You've got to want it. It'll be worth it!" 

So there you have it: 3 insanely busy Physician Assistant students who are able to eat healthy and work out despite our hectic schedules.

Bored? Try todays circuit workout from http://dailyhiit.com:

50 seconds on, 10 seconds off

-walk out pushups

-jump lunge burpees

-dead lift row + bicep curl 

-4 mountain climbers + pushup 

We did 10 rounds for a total of 40 minutes! 

Before I go, I just wanted to close by saying that I'm working out and eating clean to FEEL a certain way, not to be some specific weight. I will probably be close to 138 lbs when I'm done with this challenge, but thats because its my proper metabolic weight. I've been that weight for years! My body, however, will FEEL better in 24 days. My fat will transform back into muscle, and I will have more energy. A scale is just a number. It wont ever define me. 

Are You Willing to Work For It?

I'm writing today's blog not for myself, but to inspire others to not make the same mistakes I've made. Let's be honest....the easiest way out of anything is just to avoid it, right? Well, that's not always the case and I'll tell you why.

You may have heard people over the course of time say they "have a strong PURPOSE" for whatever they're doing.  For the longest time, I thought this was the silliest thing I had heard. Sure, I thoroughly enjoyed what I did and the opportunities made available to me because of AdvoCare, but I didn't believe in that PURPOSE stuff I kept seeing all over Facebook. This morning as I finished drinking my Spark and prepped breakfast, Jessie was still sound asleep in bed so I checked on her and made sure she was tucked in tight. Then it hit me -- I was WRONG!  Now if you know me at all, you'll remember I don't often admit when I'm wrong, except to my beautiful sidekick just because she melts my heart.  I said it out loud while standing in the kitchen; loud enough my 5 year old nephew asked me, "Wrong about what, Uncle Clint?"  Oh, nothing buddy, just a major concern in life.....no big deal.

I had a PURPOSE all along!  Jessie and I have a very unique relationship; a relationship that takes hard work, dedication, a love bigger than Texas, and determination through the roof. See she and I aren't the average couple. We're both in our mid-/late-20s and in school full time, but we live 1,300 miles apart. We go to the end of the world for each other to make sure we see each other several times a year.  We both know there's not many couples out there than can do long distance, but we kick some serious tail at it.

As Jessie continues to sleep in this morning (I'm accustomed to it), I realize my PURPOSE is time with her.  You see, I have to take her back to the airport tomorrow afternoon so she can get back to school in Michigan. That's the part we hate the most, so what am I doing about it? Working. Working until I achieve my goal and see my PURPOSE grow more and more. If you noticed the word purpose in bold, all caps, and italics, it's because it is VERY important in life.  You can never have enough time with your loved ones, and being with mine makes me the wealthiest man in the world.

Measure wealth not by the things you have, but by the things you have for which you would not take money. – Anonymous