Family Meal Planning!

"How do I meal prep for my entire family?" --- this is something I hear OFTEN. I don't have children YET, but I am from a large family, and so I wanted to share some of my favorite tips. 

First things first, you don't have to prep all your meals in one day, but you do have to PLAN them. If you're frugal like me, and on a time crunch, you'll want something healthy, easy, and convenient. 

So where do we start? Check your pantry and freezer for anything you can use. That'll save you some money! If you're a coupon clipper like me, you can plan to use those as well. (Look back at previous posts about Meal Prepping on a budget for more details). 

Recipes are literally floating all around you, you just have to utilize them! I personally like crockpot meals, freezer meals, & quick 15 minute meals like skillet meals. Pick 5 meals for Monday - Friday (or 7 meals if you want to plan Saturday and Sunday in advanced too), and write them on the calendar. From there, create your grocery list & head to the store! You can either toss it all in the crockpot before work, make it ahead of time like me, or make it the night of - choose whatever works best for you and your family! 

After your store run, your kitchen may look something like this..... 

After the store, wash/cut the produce that can be used in snacks or lunches. Invest in containers that help keep produce fresh for longer! Wash apples, peaches, etc and toss them in the fruit crisper. Wash lettuce and put in salad spinner. Wash carrots and put in container for an easy snack. (These are just some examples)

Now, lunches. Don't over complicate it! There's endless combinations that are healthy, well balanced, ANNNND children friendly. I remember the middle school days... I wanted lunchables, but it was the last thing my parents would buy me. They were expensive and had ZERO nutritional value. Make lunches fun by creating DIY lunchables and offering the kiddos, or your husband, options! 

Here are some of my favorite things that alone can be used as a snack, or combined can create a meal:

- Boars head lunchmeat (deli section-still technically processed but doesn't contain nitrites.)

- Sargento cheese 

- Ezekiel tortillas 

- Mixed nuts

- Hummus

- Hard boiled eggs 

- Peanut butter (I love Justin's Peanut Butter! Comes in mini packets for lunches, or you can buy the tub and put it in separate containers. Dip carrots, celery, peanut butter, or crackers!)

- Nut Thins crackers 

- Fresh fruit (apples to dip in peanut butter, berries, banana, etc)

- Fresh Veggies 

- Lara Bars, Kind Bars, AdvoBars (my favs!!) 

Now, mix & match!

- Turkey, cheese stick, crackers, hummus, carrots, berries, and trail mix. 

-turkey wrap, string cheese, crackers, hummus, carrots, and hard boiled egg. 

- Turkey Wrap, carrots, berries, hard boiled egg. 

Other easy meals can be created using a rotisserie chicken and some imagination! Add some hot sauce to the chicken, or pizza sauce, and make a quesadilla! 

Add some taco seasoning or salsa & your favorite Tex Mex seasoning, and you have a taco salad! 

If you don't want to prepare dinners ahead of time, that's ok! Shred a rotisserie chicken and toss it in a crock pot with some chopped veggies & Soup Mix, and you have a delicious fall soup by dinner time. 

Marinate a pork tenderloin & throw it in a crockpot with red potatos, carrots, and onions. 6-8 hours on low, and your house will smell HEAVENLY! 

If crockpots aren't for you, Google skillet meals!  Super easy, and typically take 10-30mins. This is a Mexican skillet meal that I am obsessed with. 

This process isn't meant to be overwhelming, which is why my next challenge group is focusing on Families!!! So whether you're solo or you're a family of many, I would LOVE for you to join my challenge group. It will focus on meal planning for the week, eating clean, gaining energy, and becoming more active. 

How do you enroll? Message me or email me (jesolgat@gmail.com) and we will set up a time to talk details. Warning : I will ask many questions, but it is only so I can customize this for you/your family! You pick your recipes, and I will help you execute the plan. I am SO excited about this challenge - it's a first of its kind! :) once you learn this process, I PROMISE that your weeks will be more organized and less overwhelming. 

Have a blessed week! I'm logging off to eat some chicken & veggie soup while watching college football. <3 

In good health, 

Jessie 

A few of my favorite things! (Healthy Alternatives!)

The other day I was grocery shopping for my week, and I noticed the amount of people just grabbing jars and boxes without ever looking at a label. I picked up a few of the items and snagged a picture. 

Let's start with this "healthy", organic soup. The front of the box makes it look super healthy, right? I mean, only 90 calories? 

And then you look closer. 90 calories per 1/2 cup serving. Who only eats a 1/2 cup of soup?! Then sodium.. Holy mother of Pearl. 850mg * 2.5 servings in this box = 2125 mg sodium. Yikes! 

Next up, black beans! These cans look very similar, but the one on the left has no salt added. 1400mg sodium in 1 can of regular black beans..... Scared yet?

When I look at labels, I look at sodium, Sugar, and I quickly browse the ingredients list. I'm not going to get into the specifics of what you need to look for, but I'm going to share with you my healthier alternatives. 

If you want to learn more about food labels, try watching some documentaries.  Some of my favorites are "Hungry For Change", "Food, Inc", "Food Matters", & "Sugar coated". It'll change the way you eat. 

So what do I do? 

1. Buy fresh over canned. Rarely do I buy ANYTHING in a can. Veggies are fresh or frozen, and even my frozen veggies are plain frozen ones. Don't get the kind covered in cheese or flavoring. Fruits are ALWAYS fresh or sometimes I get the plain frozen berries. 

2. Black beans & Brown rice - I buy them in the bags and make them myself. It does take longer, but it's WAY healthier.

3. Pasta sauce? I make my own! 

No, I am not a distributor for Wildtree, but I stand behind their products 110%! They have healthy BBQ sauces, taco seasonings, fajita seasonings, spaghetti sauce blend, and bouillon bases. I use them every single week during my meal prep. My cupboard... :)

If you dont want to pay the money for Wildtree, some over the counter alternatives are Tony's salt free seasoning  (Again, make sure you get SALT FREE), and Mrs. Dash.  

4. Liquid Aminos instead of soy sauce. Click here  and you can actually sign up to get some free samples. 

5. Plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, butter, milk, or mayo. I just swap it out when I make things. My favorite is Chobani. I also use almond milk instead of regular milk in a lot of my recipes as well.

6. Save your money and your health, do not even buy a single pre-packages frozen meal... 

7. Noodles? Buy whole grain, or use spaghetti squash or make zoodles! (Zucchini noodles). Don't make this feel like a diet, you CAN still eat pasta, there's just healthier alternatives. :)

8. Bread & wraps-  I LOVE Ezekial brand. In frozen health food section. 

9. Drinks? My most consumed beverages are: A. Water B. Spark C. Rehydrate D. Plain black coffee. When you have energy & you FEEL good, you start to show it in your smile and the way you carry yourself. Don't be the girl on the left. The life sucking, exhausted, negative Nancy.

Looking at what you're drinking is very important. It's always the added ingredients that go unnoticed. The sugar in the sweet tea & juices, the crap in the creamer for your coffee, the energy drinks - don't even get me started. I did a lot of research to find healthy alternatives, and I chose to use the products that Doctors & pro athletes use. 

10. Your mindset. It's important to understand that the things I listed above should never make you feel like you're on a diet. IF you go out to eat or go to a party in which you consume something not so healthy, you shouldn't beat yourself up about it. I host challenge groups solely to teach others what they SHOULD eat, how to swap ingredients, and that this is a lifestyle change with the goals of eating 80% healthy, and 20% whatever. This is coming from a girl that just ate a cold slice of leftover pizza before I go running with my dog. #balance

Be strong. Be fierce. And continue to make small changes each day. Over time, BIG changes occur.

Happy Sunday, ya'll! Hope to see more of you joining the next round of our challenge group! 

Chicken & Quinoa Chipotle Jars

This one is SO delicious!! This recipe is nutritious, simple, and so filling! 

Ingredients:
- 1/2 c black beans
- 1 c quinoa
- 1 sweet potato 
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1/4 c cilantro
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 rotisserie chicken OR 2 chicken breasts, cooked
- Taco Seasoning
- Chipotle Seasoning

Directions 

1. Cook 1/2c raw black beans per package until done. If you used canned black beans, make sure you get low/no sodium! 
2. Add 1c quinoa, 2c water, and season to taste with taco seasoning. Cook per package, usually simmering 20-25mins. (Note: I use Wildtree because it's low sodium, but there's many options to make your own! You'll hear me say this over and over, I do not get paid to endorse Wildtree seasoning, its just healthy and I love it! Nor do I sell the product.) 
3. In a frying pan, cook 1c diced sweet potatoes in 1 tbsp coconut oil. Season to taste. I used chipotle seasoning!
4. When quinoa is done, add 2 tbsp lime juice and 1/4c chopped cilantro. Mix up, set aside.
5. Shred rotisserie chicken, or cook and shred chicken breast. I use rotisserie chicken because I make multiple meals out of it, like chicken Caesar salads (see next post)
6. Layer in a jar! I did sweet potatoes first, then chicken, black beans, and quinoa. You could top with salsa and a spoonful of greek yogurt instead of sour cream when you're ready to enjoy!

More yummy recipes in my Meal Prep Mania challenge group! 😍 You're always welcome to join us! 

Message or email me if you want to join us!

 

Message me on IG (@Jnferrell)

Email: Jesolgat@gmail.com 

In good health,
Jessie 

More on meal prep!

Hello, Hello! :) 


I am impressed with the feedback from the meal prep post! I will be the first to admit that I am not a professional meal prepper [yet] - BUT I do have the goal in mind. I eventually want to be the person that creates the pins on Pinterest instead of searching and saving millions of pins.

This week I'm going to cover 3 recipes that were pretty great Kroger deals! (links to recipes)
1. Baja Shrimp Salad
2. Roasted pork with butternut squash and apples
3. Amish cabbage skillet 

Baja Shrimp Salad

Shopping list:
- SeaPak popcorn shrimp (SALE $5.99 with $0.55 coupon = $5.44. $3.55 in savings!!)
DISCLAIMER: I understand that popcorn shrimp isn't the healthiest alternative, but I am not a fan of plain shrimp. Its like eating erasers.. yuck! 

-Simple Truth Power Pack lettuce ($3.99 with $1.00 coupon = $2.99 
More money saving tips: Get the large head of green leafy lettuce for $0.99, wash, cut, and dry! I was under time constraint so I spent the extra $2.00

- Red Onion $1.21

-Green Pepper $0.59

-Bolthouse Mango Chipotle Dressing 
I had this on hand, but its $3.48. Check out the ingredients! and only 40 calories a serving. DRESSING (and other condiments) are always hidden with crazy ingredients and tons of calories. Check labels!

- Black beans
I had them on hand, but I get the bag and make them myself. You can get a big bag of raw black beans for $1.00.

-Frozen corn
$1.00 with $0.40 coupon!

$17.35 Total - makes 10 salads total, so that's $1.75 a salad! 



In hindsight, due to the sodium content of the popcorn shrimp, I think I need to just get over the texture of shrimp. I'm never perfect.. I'm doing my best though!

Roasted Pork with butternut squash and apples

I didn't take pictures of this beauty, and I wish I would've! It tasted and smelled so delicious. Definitely a fall meal! Click the link at the beginning of the blog to see this picture! You won't regret it.

Shopping list:

- Pork Loin (SALE $1.49/lb! So I got 5 pounds for $7.09. Saving $12.00 on this meat! You better believed I got another one and put it in the freezer!)

- Brown Sugar ($2.49 with $0.75 off coupon = $1.74

-Butternut Squash (SALE $0.99/lb = $3.60 total)

- 3 Granny smith apples $2.61

- Onion $0.66

-I substituted chicken stock for my Wildree Chicken Bouillon. I also had cinnamon, olive oil, pepper, & flour on hand )

$15.70 Total - makes 10-12 meals, but we will just say 10 for mathematical purposes. :) $1.57/meal folks! 

Amish Cabbage Skillet 

This is another one that I didn't a picture of. It must have tasted wonderful, as my hubs accidentally took every single dish to the fire station with him. He said it tasted great! 

(Side note: there is nothing quite like Clint telling me he enjoys my home cooked meals, or thanking me for my hard meal prepping work. I have a very traditional view when it comes to marriage, and when he is happy and fed, that makes me happy! Don't get me wrong, he definitely does his fair share of cooking. He lets me sleep in and he cooks breakfast. I. LOVE. That. Marriage is a beautiful thing. I'm so grateful for this man in my life. OK - sorry for that rant. I guess food is a way to my heart, too!) 

Shopping list: 

- Cabbage $0.82 for a whole head, but only used half!

- Onion $0.66

- Diced Tomatoes $0.65

-Tomato Sauce $0.65

-Beef $3.99

$6.77 total!!! Made 3-4 meals. For math, we will say 3. $2.26 a meal! 


I think that next time I will add some brown rice and the whole head of cabbage so it makes 5-6 meals total.

Well there you have it! :) What holds YOU back from meal prepping? Or at least planning ahead and not necessarily preparing ahead? Look forward to hearing from you!!


In good health,

Jessie

Weekly meal prep - healthy & on a budget!

I often have people tell me that it is just too expensive to eat healthy. Now, I admit, I used to think this also. With a little planning and 1 day of work, you can have all your meals planned, cooked, and in containers, all while staying on a budget! 

My husband, Clint, works as a full time firefighter and fills his schedule with other part time gigs. He hops from 24 hour shift to 24 hour shift to provide for our family while I anxiously wait for the State of Texas to grant me a license to practice as a PA. In the meantime, I have a mortgage of student loans so I work as a nanny. We are ALWAYS on the road and we are trying to save money, so our meals travel with us. The process is quite simple. Check ads. Use coupons. Cook on Sundays. 

1. Look at Ads

Every week I get a big chunk of ads in the mail for Kroger, Aldi, HEB, and others. I briefly skim the ads to see what's on sale. I skip all of he "food-like-crap" (cereals, granola bars, premade meals) and stick to the basics. I focus mostly on meat, vegetables, and fruit. I also pay attention to household products like soap, detergents, toilet paper, etc. If I save more money in that area, then I have a bit more room with food. 

2. Coupons!

Yeah, I'm a 27 year old who avidly cuts coupons. I'm frugal. My sisters brought me to a coupon class a long time ago, but now they have online tutorials that break it down for people. I get the paper every Sunday and clip what I need. I also print from coupons.com.  I do throw a LOT of coupns away. I don't use cereal, or microwave meals, or any of that pre-made stuff. 

Stores like Kroger and HEB have electronic coupons. They link right to your shoppers card and are deducted when you buy the product. Yes, it's that simple. 

You can also search "Kroger coupon match ups" online and view a database that shows product sale price, which coupon to use, etc. Someone does all the work for us (and I wish I could personally hug them all for being a lifesaver!) 

Organizing clipped coupons is also important. You can't save money if you don't know what coupons you have! I have that little wallet sized holder with dividers. I categorized them based on what I buy "meats, eggs and dairy, condiments and spices, cleaning, laundry, hair care, etc." Search online for different methods to organize & find the one that best suits you! 

3. Rebates

Just recently I discovered yet another money saving ap called Ibotta. After my list is made, I look on the ap and see if there are any money back options for the things on my list. (https://ibotta.com/r/xtpadya) 

$27.50 lifetime earnings in 2 months. Not bad! 

4. Stock up. 

This week chicken was on sale at Kroger, so I stocked up and put some in the freezer. Last week ground beef and turkey were on sale so I stocked up. If frozen veggies are on sale (like this week private selections was 99 cents a bag when you buy 4) - STOCK UP! 

5. Meals 

Now where do I find the recipes to make? Simple: Pinterest. You can follow my recipe board if you'd like, but that's where 99% of my receipes are found! 

Typically whatever fruits and veggies are in season are cheaper. Kroger had bell peppers 99 cents each, so stuffed peppers were added to the menu.  Instead of buying prepackaged lettuce for salads that's around $3-4, I buy a large head of green leafy lettuce for 99 cents, wash and chop it up, and stick it in a salad spinner. Instead of buying the baby carrots, I buy a bulk bag and it's so much cheaper! For rice and beans, I buy them in bags and spent the extra time making them. They take longer, but they don't have all of the sodium the canned and instant beans/rice have! 

Now for the cooking. After I make my grocery haul, I start cooking. Just about any recipe can be cooked, separated and placed in the refrigerator. 

- Mediterranean Chicken Gyros 

(https://www.pinterest.com/pin/191754896611401042/) 

I had some WildTree Mediterranean seasoning, so that made this recipe super easy! I also had some Tzatziki seasoning on had. No, I don't sell Wildtree, but I'm obsessed with it! The seasonings simplify my life so much, and offer healthier alternatives to a lot of condiments and spices. After the chicken, I quickly sautéed some onions and peppers and placed it in a container with some chicken. I put the wrap in some aluminum foil and put it on top of the chicken/veggie mix. The Tzatziki topping was put in another tiny container, so the gyros can be assembled when we are ready to eat. 

- Stuffed bell peppers

 

Wildtree saving the day again! This recipe can be found on the Wildtree website. It's called "Simple skillet stuffed peppers." 

Voila!  

- Spaghetti squash recipe

http://www.iwashyoudry.com/2013/09/04/super-easy-crock-pot-spaghetti-squash-meatballs/

I typically make my own meatballs, but this week the meatballs were on sale and I had a coupon. I couldn't pass that up. I don't stress if my food isn't 100% clean. I just try to make 80% of the food myself, and 20% whatever. 

- Chicken, potatoes, and green beans

http://honeywerehealthy.blogspot.com/2014/07/healthy-meal-prep.html

Self explanatory. Very basic recipe. If sweet potatoes are cheaper, go with those. Shop what's on sale, and don't be afraid to change up a recipe to suit what you have in your home. 

-Jalapeno chicken with Spanish rice

http://www.plainchicken.com/2010/07/chicago-chicken.html?m=1#_a5y_p=1957444

Spanish rice: 

2 cups water. Bring to a boil. Add 1 cup brown rice. Add some chopped onions and peppers. I added some Wildree fajita seasoning. If I didn't have that, I'd add some chili powder, cayenne pepper, chicken or veggie bullion, etc. Use whatever you have on hand!

-Black bean and corn quesadilla with Spanish rice 

For this, I didn't have a recipe. I cooked black beans and smashed them to a paste. I smeared it on a tortilla with some corn and cheese, and cooked both sides in a pan. I cut into 4s and placed in tin foil. I used some of our leftover Spanish rice, and included a little salsa dish. (On sale at Kroger, coupon available too!) 

Black beans + brown rice = total protein - so you don't have to worry about the lack of meat in this recipe! 

-Tex mex bowls with Spanish rice

http://honeywerehealthy.blogspot.com/2012/11/tex-mex-to-go.html

I didn't have refried beans, and I didn't want the extra sodium. I had leftover black beans from the previous meal so I used those. 

-Dirty brown rice

http://mybodymykitchen.com/dirty-rice-turkey/

I used my ground beef and turkey in the two previous meals, but I had some sausage in the freezer so I used that. Slight modification, but it still tastes excellent. 

I'll be the first to admit, it takes some time to learn. Hang in there! Remember, this is a lifestyle change and may take a while to make all of the adjustments. I know people who eat completely organic and 100% clean, and I have nothing against that. It's just not for me. I have made gradual changes over the year to get where I am now, and maybe I'll have more changes in the future. If you eat poor choices based on convenience, then this might be something for you to try, too. 

Rekindling the fire.

Well, I'M BACK! The past 2.5 years were pretty wild. Started PA School, got engaged, got married, finished PA School, relocated to Texas, and passed my boards. Now as take a moment to breathe, I can't help but feel my heart being drawn to another calling.

All my life I have wanted to help inspire people. My goal has always been to impact 1 million people (indirectly) before I die. Whether it's encouraging someone to exercise, convincing someone to get that mammogram/colonoscopy, teaching someone to eat clean and meal prep, promoting community service, or showing someone the gracious heart of God, I just want to be apart of their journey. I'm not actually counting the people I impact, but I'm going to continue moving forward and hope that I'm remembered as an inspiration to many.

A friend of mine inspired me. (For privacy, we will just call her B). I remember sitting on the couch after I completed my boards and I was browsing social media. Someone commented on B's page saying she looked amazing, so I did as any FB user would do, I went to B's page. HOLY COW! B lost 80 pounds over the last year! I think the biggest transformation was in her spirit. She was SO happy and radiant! And that's when the fire was rekindled...

photo credit

Many of you know that I have my own health and wellness coaching and solutions business that allowed me to help people virtually all over the country. Many of you may also wonder why I haven't posted anything about it in quite some time. Especially during clinicals in PA School, I unfortunately had to take a break in order to focus my attention on school. I still used the products and continued working out, but I wasn't able to help coach others. Well, B inspired me to jump back in. Yes, there is an immense amount of fear that comes with starting again....Like: What will people think? Will they think I failed the first time? What if they think I'm just trying to be a sales person?  What if people doubt me? What if they think this is a gimmic?

photo credit

As all of these thoughts rushed into my head, I stopped for a moment, and remembered my goal, my team, my vision.

GOAL: To provide solutions for others, whether it be weight loss, energy, performance, wellness, or earning a plan B income.

MY TEAM: The best group of individuals that uplift, inspire, and motivate me daily. They encourage me to add value to my life, and their support and friendship is incredible.

MY VISION: There are 2 big problems in America: Health and Finances. PA School has left me with a mortgage in student loans. I have watched friends do incredible and often unbelievable things - including finding debt freedom, so that's where I'm going. There are others looking for help with their finances and health too, so with the same vision in mind, we can tackle this problem.

I know people probably think I'm absolutely crazy, and that my dreams are larger than life and unreachable. I promise you, that's where I'm headed. Someday I will inspire you with my debt free success story, and you'll think, "Wow. She did it."

photo credit

-Jessie

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 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. 

How bad do you want it?

I haven't been on here in a while - my apologies! I have been incredibly busy with school. Finals are approaching and then I have an entire month OFF. Yay! :)

Today I wanted to reach out and not only write for you, but write for me too. Sometimes writing is my form of therapy. If you know anything about PA School, you know we need all the therapy we can get!

A few years ago, I made the decision to change my life. I decided to stop drinking alcohol because it added no benefit to my life. I decided to eat healthier because little by little, I was killing myself with junk food. I stopped drinking pop (or soda as you may call it..) I eliminated some toxic "friends" that didn't support my change. I started working out.

These changes did not occur over time. I had cheat days, and I still do. After months of slowly transforming into the new ME - I realized something. I realized I was investing in my health, and my future, and by making these decisions, it added so much purpose and VALUE to my life. I know that might sounds crazy to you, but I dare you to try it. This is all you need to do.

1. Give up junk. Junk Food. Junk TV. Junk Friends. Slowly but surely, your junk attitude will go with it.
2. Replace it with HEALTHY food. Start being active! Go read a book, see a play, listen to new music, travel, pick up a Bible, GROW as a person. Surround yourself with new, like-minded, supportive people (unless you already have them. Then keep those ones close!) Change your cant's to CANS. Allow your life to change.

Again, those will happen over time. It helps having a supportive group of friends throughout this process as well. After I made the decision to change my life, I was introduced to a company that allowed me to be surrounded by amazing people. I do not for a minute think that this was by chance. I think it was a divine plan and the grace of God that I was introduced to these people. Every day they supported me to be a better me. I still, to this day, think that AdvoCare is a personal growth company disguised as a nutritional company. It makes helping others and reaching out so much more rewarding.

Maybe your journey doesn't involve PA School, or traveling. Maybe it doesn't involve AdvoCare, or working out. REGARDLESS of your journey in life, I hope to share a piece of information that can help. Whatever your goals, whether fitness related, school related, life related, WHATEVER, -

Success is determined by how bad you want it.

This is an important concept that I really need you to understand. I'm sure you've seen the YouTube video about wanting success as bad as you want to breathe, but do you get it? REALLY get it. It's a concept that even I have to remind myself.

In PA School, I have to force myself to study for hours and hours, regardless of how exhausted I am. In a class FULL of brilliant students, I constantly feel dumb, and for whatever reason, settled with the fact I wasn't as smart as some. Then it hit me. I got into this program for a reason. Now, in order to pass, I just have to want it. Work the over time until I get there.

Fitness wise, I had to push myself to the limits to change my body. Nutritionally, I had to give up everything I knew and start over. I had to read books on what to eat. Learn exercises that would transform my body. Hang out with people that would support me, and exercise WITH me. ANd most importantly- I had to shut up the little voice in my head that told me I couldn't do it.

Changing is a terrifying thing sometimes, but you have to WANT it. I think too many people are in the pre-contemplation stage.

Yeah, being a healthy weight would be nice, but you cannot give up the food you're all to accustomed to.

Having abs and strong arms is the definition of your dream body- but you dont have time to work out because you are watching a show to see which housewife is desperate.

Getting A's in school and doing well would be ideal, but for some reason you feel dumb, and feel like you don't deserve better than what you've been doing.

Getting a promotion at your job? EARNING what you are WORTH? That thought sounds like a DREAM. Well guess what, it's true. You can have those things because many of my friends do now. You just may be in the wrong area.

What I'm getting at is this: too many people think they want it, but they don't want to put in the work for it. And if they don't want it, it's typically because their negative thoughts or negative friends/family are holding them back.

Please - let go. It all starts with a decision.

 

 

After making those changes, I have learned so much about myself.

 

I'm a fighter. I'm resilient.

And I refuse to let anyone else get in the way of my happiness. 

 

Plan Meals!!

When I started my first 24 Day Challenge, I realized that on the cleanse phase, certain foods were highly recommended, while other foods should be avoided. For instance: consume dairy in moderation, but eat a lean protein, vegetable/fruit, and complex carbohydrate for lunch. This required planning on my behalf. 

      

All too often, I got in the habit of opening the fridge and grabbing whatever was quick and convenient for me, but that got me into trouble. I'm so glad that I ended up committing to this challenge because I'm now on my fourth cleanse, and I have meal planning down to a science. 

I'm not normally a food Nazi. In fact, I love to indulge on pizza or ice cream every now and then. Thats the problem with nutrition nowadays though. People don't understand that those treats cannot be consumed everyday, and when they are, they are problematic to your health. Once you start eating the right food, you'll notice a change in the way you feel. Its almost like the fog has been lifted from your head, and you have so much more ENERGY! 

So, how do I do this? On Sundays, I decide what I'm eating Monday - Sunday. I usually make a lot for dinner so that I can eat it for lunch the following day. I also drink an AdvoCare Meal Replacement Shake for breakfast every day (its super convenient, extremely healthy, and involes less planning). Once I have my menu created, I make a grocery list. I go and get all of my groceries for the week. All of the things that I need are usually within the perimiter of the store. The majority of my meals involve fruits, vegetables, and meats. 

A few tips: 

-Cook some lean meat (chicken, turkey, etc) once you return from the store, and stick it in a tupperware dish. You'll be able to use it for salads, wraps, etc. Thats like my "Go-To" meal. 

-Chop up some vegetables that you'd use for salad toppings, snacks, or sandwiches. I promise you - this will get you eating more veggies.

- Wash fruit and put it into a container. If fresh berries are as easily accessible as chips, you'll choose the healthier of the two. 

-Lastly, dont buy junk. If it isn't in your house, you can't eat it!

It does take some getting used to, and that is why I'm so glad I did my first 24 Day Challenge. It was kind of the stepping stone to a healthier me. Anyone can do this! Its just a matter of if you want to. 

Decisions now impact your life later.

I'm on my lunch break from school right now. I just spent my entire morning learning about the cardiovascular system and diseases associated with it. In fact, I'll spend my entire DAY (from 9-5) in the classroom learning about this topic. As I was sitting in class, I looked down at my notebook, and a specific portion of my notes stuck out more than ever:

     

 It then occurred to me that the title of our blog "Making a change now will forever change tomorrow" has a new meaning. Every decision we make now will later affect our life. The food we eat, the amount we exercise, and the things we drink all slowly cause changes inside our body. This is SO important for people to understand! Too many people think they don't need to worry about hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, etc until they are older, but this couldn't be further from the truth. 

       

So when you're lazy, FORCE yourself to go work out... Even if its just 30 minutes of power walking!

When you want junk food, pop, terrible energy drinks, alcohol, etc... remind yourself its not worth it!

Its ok to consume these things in moderation, but the sky high obesity rate is proof enough that many don't  know what moderation is. Please care about yourself enough to know you deserve a long, healthy life, and care about others enough to share this message. 

Fact or Fiction: vitamins just give you expensive urine

The answer: Both. It all depends on the quality of vitamins that you are using. 

Throughout my undergraduate career, I was told by some professors that vitamins give you expensive urine. The reason they said this was because most vitamins are created from inexpensive materials. The poor quality vitamins are not absorbed properly, so the majority of the vitamins gets eliminated as waste (urine). Some joke that vitamins do nothing but give you "expensive urine". 

At the same time I was learning this, I had a friend mention to me that he takes a multivitamin called Coreplex. That poor fella... I basically told him vitamins don't work, and I completely brushed him off. I also argued that I could obtain all of my nutrients and vitamins from my daily diet, and I did not need to supplement. 

          

Being the science nerd that I was, I decided to investigate. One of the first things I found about the Coreplex was this: About Coreplex. It explains that yes, most vitamins are not absorbed properly, but when you take a product that is HIGH QUALITY, it will be absorbed. At this point, I was almost convinced, but then I wondered 'What makes these products high quality?' I then found the SciMed board: SciMed Board. This is a group of doctors and experts that ensure the products are safe and effective. Lastly, I watched this video, and realized I could no longer obtain all the necessary vitamins and minerals from my diet: http://youtu.be/--EwDG2UBPo

        

    

After performing my research, I decided I would give the product a try. I started taking the MNS MAX 3. Its essentially a dump truck of nutrition. Its little packs that you take at certain times of the day. After a few days on MNS MAX 3, I realized I FELT different. I had more energy throughout the day, and I just felt HEALTHY! 

       

I cannot describe why the products work. I also cannot explain on a molecular level why we need them. All I can tell you is that I feel so great since using these, that I will never, ever go without them again. 

         

Before I go, please note: as a future healthcare provider, I need to emphasize the importance of consulting with your Health Care Provider before adding supplements into your daily regimen. Your Provider knows your past medical history, and their approval for the use of supplementation is extremely important to your health.