8 small steps to clean eating!

Thinking about trying this whole Eating Clean thing, but not entirely ready to jump in with both feet?  Maybe you’ve realized that making a change from your current eating habits might not be a bad idea, but where do you start?! Recognizing that what you’re doing now isn’t working is a great first step! The good news is eating clean isn’t a “diet.” It’s a lifestyle and a new way of eating, and it isn’t going away anytime soon.  Follow these “Baby Steps to Eating Clean,” and you’ll be well on your way to a healthier you in no time!

1. Drink More Water: Drinking water is a vital part of eating clean, but start small if you’re not normally a water only type of person.  If you tend to drink coffee or soda, start by replacing just one of those a day with water.

 

2. Get Rid Of Fake Foods Gradually: Don’t try to clean out your entire pantry all at once.  Start by getting rid of just a few items at a time, and replacing them with healthier alternatives, such as replacing refined breads and pastas made from white flour with ones made from whole grains.

 

 

3. Trick Your Tastebuds: If you’ve been eating foods with lots of salt, sugar, and other additives for years, it can be hard to adjust to the more subtle flavors of whole foods. I found that mixing some of the old with the new worked for me in some cases. For example, to get used to eating brown rice instead of white I started by mixing the two together.  I gradually decreased the amount of white rice until eventually I adapted to eating just the brown rice.

 

 

4. Eat More Fruits & Veggies: If you know you don’t eat enough fruits & vegetables, start adding them in gradually to your daily diet. Eat a piece of fruit with breakfast and lunch, and add a portion of vegetables to your dinner or sneak them into your smoothies.

 

5. Focus On A Few Favorite Foods: If you love your meat and protein, start simple by purchasing meat that comes from grass-fed cattle or eggs from pasture-raised chickens.  If you’re a produce lover, start buying organic fruits & veggies.

 

6. Shop The Perimeter: Most whole, natural foods are found on the outside aisles of the grocery store.  Try to avoid buying too many items from the center of the store.  That’s where you’ll encounter more processed and packaged foods.  Better yet, shop your local farmer’s market for more natural, whole food choices!

7. Read Labels: This is a simple way to determine how “clean” a food truly is. A natural food (such as an apple) has no label, while a bag of chips has a label with a ton of ingredients that you probably can’t pronounce.  If you’re not ready to completely give up processed foods, start by studying the labels and choosing foods that contain the fewest and simplest ingredients.  Try to avoid hydrogenated oils, artificial flavors or colors, preservatives, high amounts of fat or sodium, and added sugar.

 

8. Cook At Home: This is an easy way to start eating more whole foods and save money in the process.  Restaurants and fast food places rely on highly processed foods to create their meals.  When you cook your own food, you have control over the ingredients going in your dish.  People who cook tend to eat more healthfully and weigh less than those who don’t.  This doesn’t mean you have to become a master chef overnight.  Start by learning a few meals with simple ingredients.

What is Coaching?

So I have had a few people ask me "What is that coaching thing you're doing?" ...Some people probably think I'm just on Facebook ALL the time. My close friends and family know that I'm passionate about helping others learn how to get fit and eat healthy. They know what a HUGE difference Beachbody has made in my life. But what is it that we REALLY do as coaches?


If you know me personally you know I’m not a fitness instructor, nor am I a nutritionist. Beachbody coaching to me, means that I love people and have a genuine desire to help them improve their quality of life. I do this by being an encourager and someone to cheer my challengers/customers on to reach whatever goals they have set for themselves. I push them through obstacles and celebrate their achievements. I’m here to create transformations and solutions for people. If you’ve never experienced the “magic” of Beachbody it has a way of infusing this positive energy into your life and who am I not to share that with others? I’m a big believer that things happen for a reason and that I was meant to do THIS.


But I know most people like to test the water before jumping all in. So, my team is offering a free, one week "What is Coaching?" group to answer these questions:


 ->> What does a coach actually do?
 ->> How much time does it take to be a coach?
 ->> Is there training available?
 ->> What kind of person makes a great coach?
 ->> What kind of income can I make and how?


If you want the answers to those questions and more, then join in the ZERO obligation "What is coaching?" group on Facebook. For seven days, I'll be sharing with you what it takes to be successful, and how you can CHOOSE your level of commitment based on your personal goals.
 The group is FREE to join....you just tell me you want in, and you are in! BOOM!! We kick off on Monday, August 25th! Just comment below and I'll add you to the group....simple as that!

Insanity week 4

Yesterday was Week 4 Day 2 of Insanity! I can't believe we are already almost halfway done! Craziness! I just wanted to tell ya'll a few things about my journey so far.

Number 1- I haven't lost ANY WEIGHT! Now for most people they would give up throw in the towel and say well this isn't working. And let me tell you the old Jessi definitely would have done that! I would've never made it past week 2 because I never stuck with anything!! But one thing I've learned since I started coaching is that the scale is the WORST way to determine your progress.I've also learned that results take time!!

Number 2- Even though I haven't lost any weight, my clothes are fitting looser and I have a ton of energy. I haven't measured but I'm sure I've lost inches! Especially in my legs and bootay! Also, I have made it through the warm up twice without stopping. And if you have ever done this workout you know how difficult that can be! So even though that stupid scale hasn't moved I KNOW it is working! I feel stronger! I can do almost all of the pushups and I can tell a difference in my endurance!

Number 3- Last year when I did insanity, the same thing happened. The scale didn't budge during month 1. I was getting VERY discouraged but I kept pushing play. When I hit month 2, the weight literally started MELTING OFF! So just like last time i'm going to continue to push play and trust the process! This program worked for me last year and got me into the best shape of my life and I know it will do it again!

Number 4- I have GOT TO get my diet in check! I don't know what has been up lately but I have NOT been eating as clean as I should be! Way too many cheat meals! I've got to snap out of it and get back to the basics! Its funny, I don't have a hard time working out! I can do that most days with no problem. I enjoy it! Its trying to not eat everything in sight during the other 23 hours of the day that is soooo hard for me!

So yea, this is what is going on with my journey so far! Keep checking in I will be posting updates!

Homemade Baby Food

 



 

One thing that I really wanted to do other than breastfeeding is to make my own baby food. I feel very passionate about what goes into my body, why not be just as passionate or even more about what goes into my tiny babies body!

 

When I received my baby bullet as a gift at one of my baby showers I was SO excited! And then when she got old enough for me to actually start using it I was even more excited!!

 

The first thing I gave her was sweet potatoes and she LOVED them!! Still one of her favorites to this day! And since then we have tried so many different things!! I've made green beans, carrots, bananas, green peas, yellow squash, zucchini squash, pears, peaches, sweet potatoes, creamed corn and applesauce so far. And she has pretty much like everything.

 

Every couple of weeks I spend an hour or two in the kitchen prepping her baby food I make it in batches and freeze it so I can just grab it and thaw it out and its ready! It makes life so much easier!

 

Today was prep day! I spent about 2 hours in the kitchen cooking and preparing her food. I pour it into ice cube trays and freeze it that way then after they are frozen I put them in their own Ziploc bags! 1 cube in the ice cube tray is about one serving of baby food! Its so simple!

 

I love what the baby bullet book says "Babies typically triple their weight in the first year. So, if we are what we eat, its OUR job to make sure our babys food is fresh and healthy."

 

I taste everything I have made and let me just say I have tasted jarred baby food before EWW so gross! But what I make taste good! I would eat it and that makes me happy! To know that what I am giving my daughter is exactly the same thing I would eat and it is healthy makes me happy!

 

Did you know that jarred baby food has a shelf life of up to 3 years? WHAT???? You wouldn't feed your baby a 3 year old banana, so why is it ok to feed your baby a 3 year old banana baby food? How fresh can a banana be that's been sitting on a shelf for 3 years? I feel strongly that homemade baby food is more nutritious than commercially prepared baby food because it is fresher and much less processed.

 

Even when jarred food is labeled both preservative free and organic, the reason it CAN have a shelf life of 3 years is because its been heated to such an enormous degree that no bacteria can survive in it. But guess what- not all vitamins and minerals can survive that kind of heat either!

 

The bottom line is, jarred food is convenience food. And just as we shouldn't eat every meal from a drive thru or box, I feel its not healthy for my baby to consume processed, packaged baby foods more than on a rare occasion. In my opinion, I believe that jarred baby food should be an exception, not the norm for feeding your baby.

 

My goal is to raise her to enjoy REAL FOOD! Not the processed, fake JUNK that is in most grocery stores today! I want to raise her to be healthy and happy and I believe this is a great start!


Here are just a few pictures from my baby food making adventure! :) Enjoy!

 

 



Shakeology and Breastfeeding

I wanted to address a topic that I get asked about often..."Is it okay to drink Shakeology while nursing?"

 

Many new mothers are interested in losing the baby weight, but are worried about things passing through to their milk. I had done research and found Shakeology to be amazing (and healthy) tool for weight loss but I'll admit that I was a little hesitant about drinking it at first. Finally, I did a little research online and found mostly what the bag says...that it's fine but recommended to speak to your doctor before supplementing while nursing. I showed the nutrition label to my daughter's pediatrician. She was impressed with all that was included in Shakeology and gave me the go-ahead!

From what I read, most doctors give Shakeology a BIG thumbs up...come on, have you SEEN the ingredients list?! :) From what I read of doctors saying no it was mostly for liability reasons.


The thing about Shakeology is it's ALL NATURAL...no chemicals, preservatives or colorings! There is HIGH QUALITY isolate protein, vitamins, minerals, prebiotics, probiotics, digestive enzymes, super-greens, super-fruits and so much more. Over 70 of the most nutritious foods in the world!! It certainly is potent nutrition but better then most anything else you could be eating! Including fast food, which is loaded with chemicals and preservatives. And so are many other foods that many nursing mothers eat/drink without a second thought.


Shakeology is an INCREDIBLE tool for weight loss. This is because the body is truly nourished and is able to heal from damage we've caused it over the years. Other wonderful benefits include gaining energy, correcting digestion, curbing your appetite for junk/sweets, lowering cholesterol, better mental clarity, to feel full, and so much more. What new mother doesn't want more ENERGY and MENTAL CLARITY? Drinking Shakeology also helps people to get more fruits & vegetables into the diet as you find your favorite recipes that incorporate them.


The main benefits that I have personally seen by substituting one meal per day with Shakeology have been:

• Weight loss
• More energy for working out and my day
• Better mental clarity
• An amazing feeling over overall health
• Appetite satisfied (keeps me full for hours!)
• It takes care of my cravings for junk ...and... 
• Helps motivate me to eat healthier for the rest of the day. It's seriously the best boost every time I drink it! I felt a difference the first time I tried it and I feel a difference every day.

One of my customers  had the same question about nursing and Shakeology. Once her doctor gave her the go-ahead to follow a weight loss plan she tried many things but it wasn't until she started Shakeology when she says the pounds start melting off. To this day it has helped her lose 40 pounds!! She is thrilled that she made the decision to take the beachbody challenge!

My recommendation:
First speak with your pediatrician and clear it with them. Then, start off the first couple days with a half serving (one half scoop or packet). This will help your own body adjust to the burst of nutrition and also to see if baby has any reactions. After the first couple days, if things continue to go well, begin replacing one meal a day with the full scoop (very filling!) And take advantage of Shakeology's 30 day money back guarantee to make sure it's something that will be of great value in your own life. Most people find it be a great blessing and tool to reach their goals...and it tastes AMAZING! (Particularly the chocolate flavor.)

 

(7 months old and never been sick)

My struggle with emotional eating

This blog post is going to be a very hard one for me to write. I'm getting ready to bare my soul to you all. I've been trying to write this blog for a couple of days and I keep deleting it. My hope is by me sharing my struggles that I can help just one woman who is struggling with the same thing!

 

One thing I have struggled with basically my whole life is emotional eating! I eat when I'm happy, I  eat when I'm sad, I eat when I'm bored, I eat when I'm mad, I eat when I'm frustrated, and I could go on and on and on. I know that this is a common struggle among women. The question is why?  What is it about our lives that we run to food for comfort?

Not only am I openly admitting to you that I'm an emotional eater I'm going to go even further. I hide it from everyone around me. Let me take you back to 2009. A year after we got married Chris had been actively trying to loose weight. After we got married, he had reached his heaviest weight and had decided he had had enough. So he joined a gym and slowly started changing his eating habits. He did very, very well! I was very proud of him! So when your husband or wife decides they are going to start eating healthy and exercising it kind of makes you examine your own life and what you may need to change as well. Well it did for me anyway. So I decided that I would start cutting back and exercising as well. I would last two weeks max and that would be it! I would go out and BINGE on oreos and or sonic or mcdonalds.... the list goes on. The only thing is, I hid all of this from Chris. I hid this from him because I was embarrassed. I was embarrassed that I couldn't stick to my goals. I was embarrassed that I couldn't be the fit, active, healthy wife he deserved. So in the end, I just quit trying all together! But he kept pushing towards his goals! He loved the way his body felt as he got healthier, I guess I just didn't want it bad enough yet.

Fast forward to January 2012, we had been in Greenville for almost a year and I was continuing on my destructive path. I'm not sure if I was depressed because I missed home or if it was because I was working night shift and I felt like I was sleeping my life away, or maybe it was a combination of it all but I was so unhealthy. I was sick all the time, I hated myself. I hated the person I saw in the mirror. I actually avoided mirrors as much as possible. None of my clothes fit. I was smiling on the outside, but DYING on the inside. I thought to myself if I hated myself this much there is absolutely NO WAY Chris could love me and think I was sexy. I mean look at him he is in the best shape of his life while I'm over here the biggest and most unhealthy I've ever been. Now of course he did love me. He loved me WAY more than I loved myself! But because I was so unhappy with me, I projected those feelings onto him. I would start arguments for no reason. I wouldn't even want him to see me naked.  I realized something had to change, or I was going to ruin my marriage on top of ruining myself. And because I love that man so much and because he DID still think I was beautiful even though I didn't feel it, I decided enough was enough and this time was going to be different. He agreed to help me!

 

This time was going to be different I knew that if I was going to stick with it, I couldn't completely overhaul my life. I was going to have to take baby steps, so I did. I started choosing healthier options. I was a sweet tea-aholic, I was addicted to it, so I cut that out. I also started turning down the cakes and cookies and ice cream etc that is all too prevalent at the hospital, especially on night shift. I also decided to start walking. And Chris walked with me. Then we started jogging, then we started running. Not that I ever ran for miles but we would run from one light pole to another light pole then walk to the next light pole, etc. And slowly I began to see my body change. My skin a new glow. I felt better about myself, because I knew I was trying. And slowly my jeans got a little looser. My shirts got a little looser. I was finally doing it. Now I would love to tell you that, bam that was it and it has been all flowers and sunshine from that moment on. Well guess what, it wasn't!

I did good for the most part but I still struggled with emotional eating. And because I was doing so well on the outside, I continued to hide it from Chris. And this is where it gets sad. I knew that if I used my debit card he would see where I had been so he would know what I was doing. So instead, he had a container full of pocket change, I would go through it and find all the quarters until I had enough to buy a hamburger and fries at mcdonalds or sonic. Or I would go buy a pack of oreos and eat half the box in one sitting. And I would hide the rest of it somewhere in the house where he wouldn't find it.... It was miserable. Why couldn't I break the cycle?

Fast forward again to  November of 2012, I was approached by a fellow classmate of Chris' Liz Horne to take part in her online fitness accountability group. She explained that I would need to commit to a beachbody program of my choice and commit to drinking shakeology daily. I was like what the heck is shakeology.LOL She sent me a video about it and I decided maybe this was what I needed. I know I had Chris to help keep me accountable, but its different, he sees me naked, and he is a man. Men don't go through the same struggles as women do when it comes to weight loss. So I agreed to be a part of her challenge group and I decided to do brazil butt lift!

Now once again I would LOVE to tell you that it was all sunshine and rainbows, but it wasn't. I still had a million struggles that I went through. I made up a million excuses. I worked 12 hour night shifts, that was my biggest excuse. And I'm going to tell you another little secret, I did not LOVE shakeology the first time I tried it! Actually I didn't like it at all haha! But I kept playing with it until I found a recipe that loved!! And now I can't go a day without it! But even though I had all of those excuses, I also had other women in that challenge group that had some of the same struggles and they were there routing for me!! I knew that I wasn't alone! And THAT is why I knew this time I was going to succeed!!

And then in February of 2013, I became a beachbody coach, I decided that it was time for me to pay it forward and help other women become happy and healthy with themselves. Because for the first time in a lonngggg time I was starting to love myself again! But guess what even though I became a coach, I still struggle. I still hide food, I still find spare quarters to feed my food addiction. Now I will admit it has gotten a LOT better. It's not a weekly thing anymore. Its more like a monthly thing. Sometimes I go months without a slip up. I'm getting stronger everyday.

 I know that I can overcome this.  I also know I am not alone. If you are like me a struggle with the emotional side of food please reach out to me! If there is one thing I have learned over the years it is TOGETHER WE ARE BETTER!

 

 

Let it GO

I get an email every morning from Proverbs 31 ministries with a devotion for the day. This was the verse for today. 

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old.  Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." - Isaiah 43:18-19



 

If you know or even have walked passed any child under the age of 6 in the last couple of months you have heard them singing the catchy tune "Let it go" from the movie Frozen. In it two sisters struggle in their relationship with each other and finding acceptance.

At one point in the movie Elsa, the older sister, sings these words:

 "Let it go, let it go
Can't hold it back anymore
Let it go, let it go
Turn away and slam the door
I don't care what they're going to say
Let the storm rage on"

Think about it...... Let it go....


LET GO of the past that you cant undo.

LET GO of the messed up view you have of yourself. That is NOT the way our savior views you!

Let it go.... Maybe God has been asking you to let something or someone go.

LET GO of the mistakes.... HE has forgiven you... it is time to forgive yourself!!

LET GO of the all consuming anger..... He has it all in his hands.

LET GO of the excuses.... Jesus wants YOU to LIVE a happy fulfilling life!!


So what exactly is the definition of letting it go?

Letting it go is giving up what is beyond your control to embrace what you CAN change!!

That right there!! Those words will preach!! Why are you holding onto all of this stuff when you have NO CONTROL over it??

In Isaiah 43:18-19 God spoke through the prophet Isaiah and said "Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old.  Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."

The people were holding so tightly to what had happened to them in the past that they missed the new wonderful things God wanted to show them!!

God is speaking the same warning and truth to us today!! We cannot control what has happened in our past, but we can, however, focus on what He is doing in our lives TODAY!

We can't control negative people, but we can choose positivity for ourselves!!

Letting go of things isn't easy. Holding on to that anger, fear, frustration, hurt, is our natural response. But with JESUS all things are possible. Lean on him and HE will help you let it go.