Devotion {Don’t Get Comfortable}

“Don’t get Fat and Sassy”

One of my favorite football players and speakers is Kirk Cousins.

{Photo Source HERE}

He played quarterback for Michigan State University, and is now playing in the NFL for the Washington Red Skins. But the reason I like Kirk is not for his talent, although he is very talented, but I respect his integrity as an athlete and as a Christian. He stands up for his beliefs and raises the bar for all athletes. He exemplifies how to respond to success in all facets of life. One saying that I particularly like from Cousins is “DON’T GET FAT AND SASSY”. He was being interviewed about a game where he didn’t play as well as he usually does. His response was that he got ‘fat and sassy’, and needed to readjust his thinking {as well as the other players on the team}. MSU was in a winning streak, and then they lost to a team that they were expected to beat. We do this too! In life, we get so comfortable in our routines and habits that sometimes we go on “auto-pilot” and don’t give the right attention or effort into what we’re doing. I realize I get “Fat and Sassy” in a lot of aspects of my life. In my relationships, I just assume things will workout with minimal effort. In my faith, I forget to put God first, and  at work I can get caught up on a successful lesson plan, and then let another one flop. When we’re successful we seem to think it will last and that we can just “coast” through. Same with eating right and working out! How often do we stick to something almost religiously, and then give ourselves a “cheat day”? Personally, I can’t do cheat days because they almost always turn into cheat weeks!

Success is like a ride on a wild bull. When you’re on top, it’s exciting, you’re in the moment and living on the adrenaline and thrill of it…but the fall can be devastating. It maims many. This is what happens when we believe that success is man made. Cousins is known for glorifying God with his success. Because of his faith, he has also been persecuted. People lay in wait for him to “screw up”. Much like Tim Tebow. In our politically correct society, it is hard for people to understand why these athletes would talk so much about their religion. Tebow made waves by writing Bible verses under his eyes, talking about Jesus, and praying publicly. People even call his prayer pose “Tebowing”.

  

{Photo Source HERE }                                 {Photo Source HERE }

In our society today, we make excuses for athletes that smack talk, do drugs, or shoot themselves in the leg at a night club (Plaxico Burress), but turn a critical eye towards those who live boldly for their faith. What’s the deal?! I think it’s because it challenges people. Seeing others live out their faith so boldly and passionately can make people feel like something is missing from their own lives. This means that instead of looking in our own hearts and making sure we’re not “fat and sassy”, we criticize.Human nature is infamous for knocking others down to make ourselves feel better.

Personally, I can’t even count how many times people have said to me “Oh, you workout? Must be nice to have the time”, in attempt to make me feel guilty for putting energy into improving myself. Or “Oh you’re obsessed with CroffFit.” NO. I’m a very passionate person. I’m passionate about everything I do! Don’t try to distort my passion into something dark.

The truth is that when your passionate about something, you’re always going to find friction with people. Many people don’t realize that Jesus was controversial. The religious leaders of His time hated Him. Jesus even tells the disciples “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.” John 15:18. How do we deal with that? With rejection and hurtful comments? We LOVE. Even when we are slandered. Jesus kept silent and loved the Pharisees when they persecuted Him. He never told ‘white lies’ to avoid being disliked. He knew that He would be rejected by many, but that’s the beauty, that God gives us free will. We can choose Him. He doesn’t force us into a relationship with Him. His grace is always there for us. And it makes it that much of a stronger bond when we do choose Him. But Choosing Him means standing firm in the faith. It means not always being the popular one, it means being persecuted…Just like Tebow and Cousins. But our purpose isn’t to gain a following of people on earth who think we’re great. Our purpose is to live with passion, for the one who created us, and to know Him.

So I’ll end this devotion with my favorite Bible Verse:

“…we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, ⁴ and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.” Romans 5:4

{Photo Credit HERE}

The ‘Power’ of Food

Good Eats

Photo Credit HERE

The more I eat REAL food, the better I feel. I know I’m not alone on this one. On my journey to strong, I have come to banish counting calories, scales, and the obsession with dress sizes. When your intention changes from being “skinny” to being STRONG, you appreciate food more, and your body. I have a new respect for food. Everything I consume, I think of what it’s doing for my body, after all “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”  Hippocrates.  I think we can get so wrapped up in counting calories and the whole ‘calorie-in-calorie-out’ mentality that we forget how God intended food to be used…to sustain us and give us strength.

I have been a calorie counter for years. But now I focus on portion control and quality of food over quantity. It’s so refreshing to look forward to eating fresh avocado, or using organic coconut oil and not have to worry about if I’m over my calorie limit for the day! Understanding the benefits of healthy fats and how they work in your body is very important. That being said, I’m on a quest to make the healthiest protein bar possible. I’m always on the go, so I need something that is going to give me energy without a sugar or caffeine crash. I also need protein to keep up with my workout regime and active lifestyle.

Raspberry Chocolate Power Bites {No Bake}

Ingredients: Serves a Bakers Dozen…{I ate a few in the process…too good to wait!}

1/4 Cup Fresh Raspberries

1/2 Cup Halved Walnuts- mashed

1/4 Cup Coconut Flour {great source of plant fiber}

1/4 Cup Chocolate Powdered Peanut Butter {I use Just Good Stuff Organic Powder}

1 tbs Coconut Oil  {Coconut Oil is my new fav. Read more about the benefits of Coconut oil HERE}

Coating Ingredients:

1/4 Cup Flaxmeal

1/4 Cup Organic Stevia

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients together except for the coating.

If you have a food processor, this would be much easier. But since I am an unpampered chief…I used my Oster on the go blender. {See..cooking doesn’t have to be fancy schmancy. Mix it means mix it…doesn’t matter how it’s done.}

Next, I put it into a bowl, spooned it out, rolled it into a ball, and then I dipped it into a bowl of stevia, and then rolled it into a bowl of flaxmeal to give it that “faux-powedered sugar” appeal.

Put it in the fridge to harden for up to 2-3 hours.

Results: YUM

Chocolate Peanut Butter Power Bites {No Bake}

Ingredients: makes about 2 dozen

4 Cups Chocolate Whey Protein

1/4 Cup Coconut Flour

1/3 Cup Powdered Peanut Butter {Organic, Just Good Stuff}

1/3 Cup Sliced Organic, Raw Almonds

1 tbs Coconut Oil

Coating: 1/3 Cup Flaxmeal 1/4 {ish} Cup Organic Stevia

Directions: Mix together all the ingredients except for the coating.

Coating: in two separate bowls, one with flaxmeal, and one with stevia, roll the balls.

Place in fridge to let harden for 2-3 hours.

RESULTS: Ah-Ma-Zing!

{This has BOTH the chocolate and the raspberry, you can see the raspberry has a “raspberry” color.}

Power Pet Treats {bites would sound bad here…don’t ya think!}

Our four legged friends often get the short end of the stick when it comes to nutrition. But if you have a dog like mine, you realize that dogs are just as sensitive to all this processed food as we are. Again, God intended them to eat food that HE created. So I decided to show them some Paleo love too!

Ingredients:

2 Sweet Potatoes

1/2 Cup Peanut Butter {I used USDA organic peanut butter…ingredients: peanuts and sea salt, and organic cane sugar}

1/4 Cup Coconut Flour

1 Egg

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Steam, peel, and then mash the sweet potatoes.

Mix all your ingredients together. Scoop out desired bite sizes and bake for 10 minutes {or until golden brown}.

RESULT: Happy Dogs. I ate them too actually… They are really good. I think if you added some stevia or salt…either way, it would make a good “people treat” too. I actually had to put them away because I kept “tasting” them.

Happy Pups

More is….MORE

When you feel like giving up…give it all you’ve got.

Photo Credit HERE 

You’ve heard the saying “less is more”, but sometimes, more is just, well, more.

The only way to get better at something is to do it MORE. This is true in all facets of life. But wanting something and actually working for it are two different things. And sometimes we need to recognize that saying “YES” to one thing, means saying “NO” to another. For example…Saying YES to a gym membership means saying NO to shopping {Fair trade! I hate shopping!}. And saying “Yes” to following Jesus, means saying “NO” to being a jerk! {Jesus is Love. And that’s the TRUTH}.

Here are a few things I want MORE of, and how I plan to achieve it.

• Jesus {Practice being more like Jesus. Give Kindness whenever I can…and even when I “can’t”}
• My Family and Friends {Invest in them MORE. Open my ears and LISTEN to them.}
• CrossFit {Practice and go to class MORE. Stop telling myself I “can’t”. }
• Education {Learn more to teach more}
• Peanut Butter {oH yUm}

Ok, the last one, really not such a good idea. But you get the picture.

Photo Credit HERE

One thing I definitely ALWAYS want more of is AVOCADO! So here’s my new summer salad Recipe:

Summer Salad

Serves 8

4 Cups Spring Mix Lettuce

1/2 Cup Cherry Tomatoes {One big fist full}

1 Head Broccoli, chopped

4 Diced Avocados

1/4 Cup Sundried Zesty Tomatoes

1/2 Cup Cracked Pepper Sliced Almonds

Dressing: Lite Sesame Ginger

I brought this salad to a dinner party and it went over very well. I think in large part because I put MORE avocado in it than usual. I added chicken to it to complete a meal, but others ate it as a side.

After I ate WAY too many Paleo Bites, I realized the BEST Protein Bite is the incredible, edible egg! I have a dozen hardboiled in my fridge at all times. This has saved me from many ravenous episodes. 🙂

What about you? What’s your go-to snack?

My Steps to Strong

Step 1: Keep the Faith

The one thing that has always been consistent in my life is my faith. I know with all my heart that it is God who has gone before me, and led me into circumstances that have made me who I am today…and the person I hope to become.I love this quote

“God loves me just the way I am, But He also loves me too much to leave me that way.”

Each day that I am given is a gift. Jesus said that the greatest gifts on this earth is to… “abide in faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13  God is love. I want to reflect that to everyone…even the people I DON’T always get along with….Jesus was loving to those who slandered Him, spit on Him, and eventually Crucified Him. My patience pales in comparison. Jesus is strong. And if God is for me, who can be against me? Also, Jesus wasn’t just mentally and spiritually strong, He was also physically strong. He was a carpenter, He engaged in manual labor most of His life. For decades people have shaped the image of Christ into what they want Him to be, but Jesus does not fit into a box. Read HERE for a great article on the true image of Christ.

 

Step 2: Strengthen Your Relationships

You will fall in life. But who is there for you when you do? Are you there for them? Refocusing on who is a priority in your life is important. Some people may just be unhealthy to be around, and that’s O.K. You can love them from a far {or tolerate them from afar} but you don’t have to be best friends with everyone. Look around you, who do you love? Don’t let a day slip by without letting them know. and also…If you want a good friend, you have to be one first. Sometimes that’s hard to recognize when we get caught up in the busyness of life.

Step 3: Find What Moves You…Literally

For me, I LOVE CrossFit. It’s such an amazing sport. You challenge yourself daily.

I love setting goals. My CrossFit goals are:

1. Figure out Double Unders

2. Kipling Pullups

3. Muscle ups

4. Work on Olympic Lifting

5. Focus on Form.

One thing I’ve really noticed about CrossFit, is that you shouldn’t try to figure it out on your own.

One of the first steps to joining a CrossFit gym is taking a Fundamentals Course. You need it. Don’t skimp. CrossFit is NOT throwing weights around. It’s physics, it’s form, it’s challenging. I personally know I won’t challenge myself like this on my own.

It’s quality coaching and the atmosphere of other CrossFitters who make CrossFit amazing.

Step 4: Nutrition

If you feed your body with junk, it will perform like junk.

Eat Real Food. Eat Protein, Veggies, and Fruit. Avoid processed foods.

Nutrition Goal: Embrace my inner chief.

I love quest bars, but I wanted to see if I could make my own Protein Bites. Here are my results:

Paleo Baked Protein Bites

Paleo No-Bake Protein Bites

Baked Paleo Protein Bites

Dry Ingredients:

3 Scoops Iso Define Chocolate Protein Powder {any whey protein powder will work}

1/4 Cup Coconut Flour

1/4 Cup Powdered Peanut Butter {PB2}

1/4 Cup Flax Seeds

1/4 Cup Raw Shredded Almonds

4 packets of Organic Stevia

Wet Ingredients:

2 Eggs

2 Mashed Bananas

2tbs Organic Honey

Instructions: Mix all together in a bowl. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and cook for 18-20 minutes.

Result:  Yum! Tastes amazing fresh out of the oven, or after refrigerating.

{Nutrition facts added up by me and entered HERE }

NO-BAKE Protein Bites {Paleo}

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Steal Cut Oats

1/2 C PB2 {mixed with 1/4 c water}

1/2 C Chocolate Powdered Peanut butter {mixed with 1/4 c water}

1/4 C coconut flour

1/4 C Sliced raw almonds

1 tbs Honey

8 packs Stevia

4 Scoops of Whey Protein {chocolate}

Directions: Mix it all together. {I use a spoon. yea, I know, so cultured in the arts of culinary…} Roll into balls. Put in fridge for at least 3-4 hours.

{Nutrition Facts to come. }

So here are my “baby steps” to fitness. What about you? Do you keep track of your goals?

What are your top fitness goals?

Modestly Speaking

I have a bad case of Verbal Vomit …

Have you ever found yourself in mid conversation and you have that voice in the back of your mind that says,”Don’t say it, don’t you dare!” and before you know it, it has rolled off your tongue like turpentine. Not necessarily like Miranda Lambert’s White Liar, but you just can’t keep your thoughts to yourself! Sometimes this is a good thing…sometimes, not.so.much.

I’m an open book, and you never have to guess what’s on my mind. I have a bad case of verbal vomit…often known as “foot-in-the-mouthtitis”. This has gotten me into trouble more times than I can count.

example:

Me: Oh, you are just all baby!

Client: Yea, I know. I’m trying to lose it.

Situation: I thought she was pregnant still…she delivered 3 weeks prior. All of you mothers out there want to kill me now, I know. I meant for it to be a compliment. She was a really adorable pregnant girl…the kind where it looks like they just smuggled a beach ball under their shirt. Needless to say, the next 2 hours of her hair appointment was really awkward. {she did forgive me…eventually….}

Proverbs 13:3 says “Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin”.

My other favorite is: “For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” Luke 6:45

This is a lesson I keep struggling with. I have this poster up in my classroom as soon as kids enter. I think it’s a good reminder, daily.

Holding your tongue takes a lot of self control. I realized this when I was in CrossFit class the other day…I talk too much. I like to justify “why” I can’t do something, when I need to just drop the ego, listen, and DO IT. I came across this  poster on Pinterest and wanted to share it. After my foundations course at CrossFit Lake Effect, I definitely agree with this poster!

These are my goals:

• Think MORE, Speak LESS
• Let my Actions SHOW…{our actions already speak louder than words, I know I need to SHOW love, not impatience, frustration, and selfishness…oh man, easier said than done!!!!}

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him,and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

Food for Thought

We also need to be deliberate about what we EAT. I really like the Paleo diet. Or I like to think of it as “The Maker’s Diet”. I think that God created food, and it’s best to eat it in the ways in which He intended it to be eaten. I love fresh fruits and veggies, and I’m realizing that all my years as a reluctant cook was quite silly, because if you focus on eating food closest to its  purest form, cooking is super easy!

I made Paleo Banana Pancakes for Breakfast this Morning {flour free}

THREE INGREDIENTS {can’t get easier than that}

1 Ripe Banana

2 Eggs

2 tbs Pure Maple Syrup (or Raw Honey)

Mush it all up!

Fry it up like a pancake.

So YUM, and very filling. only about 200 cal. Great way to start the morning.

I’ll leave you with this to “Chew” on… I’ve been thinking about modesty lately too: What it means to have Humility, and high standards…to be set a apart.

Be Extraordinary

Oxymoron

The word itself implies that one who is extraordinary would be….extra ordinary, or extremely ordinary. It’s a contradiction based on the true meaning of the word; something that is exquisite or unique.

I like to think of it this way….I’m an ordinary person, but I have a little something extra. I’m extraordinary {meanwhile you’re thinking, “You’re conceited!”}

We are all extraordinary in some way or another. You have a talent, a gift, something no one else has. You are ordinary in the fact that you are human, you will fail at things, but how you choose to respond to that failure is what makes you extraordinary. Do you get back up and keep at it, or do you fold like a deck of cards? I think this quote embodies the human condition perfectly: Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure- Marianne Williamson. (Read the full POEM)

*Photo Credit HERE 

I’m trying CrossFit at CrossFit Lake Effect  and I can’t say that I do the sport any justice at this point. It’s hard. I get nervous before each training just wondering if I can keep up or not. And you know what, sometimes I can’t. And sometimes I can’t do things (like a double under) because I psych myself out. And somethings I’m just not strong enough to do (proper push ups, pull ups, rings) But here’s the true test of my character…do I give up and say “my body just can’t do that” (like I did with the French language “my tongue just doesn’t work like that!”) or do I give it my all and get back up and try again {option B is the correct choice!} It’s all about your priorities. At this point in my life my priority is being true to myself. What’s that mean? NOT GETTING COMFORTABLE.

Don’t Get Comfortable {Devotion}

Just like in working out, our faith life needs to be uncomfortable too. Whenever we feel comfortable with something, it means we’ve gone stagnant. For example, if I can lift  35 lbs on a barbel at first, I might be sore. But the more I do it, the more use to it I become. If I don’t increase my weight, I won’t build any new muscle. I’ll be comfortable, but ineffective. My mom always said, “You gotta grow, or you gotta go.” She is so inspirational. She is 50 years and just embarking on a new career as a Real Estate Agent, she has been super successful too. She is also a Spin and Pilates instructor, as well as a successful owner of a hair salon(35 years).

She has been a spiritual leader in my life too, a living example of Proverbs 31. Whenever I would complain or call her crying, she would always say…”What did Jesus tell you about this situation?” It was not the answer I wanted. I wanted her to validate my emotional state of mind, but she was always right. If I stopped and prayed about it, I wouldn’t be nearly as upset. I find myself thinking about these sayings now when I’m upset:

Free Download of Saying HERE

Our human nature wants us to stay “comfortable”, it wants us to be ordinary. But God tells us we are His handiwork (Ephesians 2:10) and that he created us to SHINE. Each and everyone of us has a different purpose; we have different talents, abilities, and perspectives. When we realize that, we can break the cycle of comparing ourselves to others and STOP being so hard on ourselves when we don’t feel that we “measure up”. We can also recognize that having differing opinions is a good thing (except for on this). I see things completely different than Ryan sees things, but if we saw things the same, I don’t think we’d be together.

For example: When I was in my Psych class in college, we looked at these pictures…

What do you see in the first one? In the second?

With this prompt (we only did one at a time) students engaged in a heated  debate when asked what this picture was….

For #1: Some said, “Duck” and some said, “Rabbit”.

#2: Some said, “The profile of a young woman.” and others said, “An old woman”.

Who was right? {someone must always be right!} The answer: BOTH

These are perspective drawings, designed to portray more than one image. Look again, tilt your head if you need to. Can you see both in each drawing?

Sometimes we are right, and so are others. Sometimes it’s hard to admit that. Especially when you’re a 3/4th grade(s) teacher and your students are right…when you tell them their wrong…then they correct you…Again, you have the choice to be prideful in this moment and make some outlandish remark/excuse, or you can get uncomfortable. I just smile and say “Silly teacher! You are so smart (billy, or suzy…)”. Give others the credit they deserve too…even if you aren’t sure, or you disagree. When you stop looking at your own knowledge for the answers, open your mind, and learn from others….that is growth.

God designed us to live in a community with one another. I am amazed everyday at the people I get to met, and the wisdom I glean from them. You truly can learn something new everyday if you simply pay attention.

This post was a bit of a stream of consciousness, but it was from the heart. I hope you liked it and gleaned some insights yourself. I know I put the link to the Poem by Marianne Williamson above, but this poem is so beautiful, that I want to put the whole thing on here…Pay Attention, I’m trying to entice you to read it.

Our Greatest Fear —Marianne Williamson

it is our light not our darkness that most frightens us

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous,
talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world.

There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other

people won’t feel insecure around you.

We were born to make manifest the glory of
God that is within us.

It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine,
we unconsciously give other people
permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear,
Our presence automatically liberates others.

—Marianne Williamson

Keep Shining. And when you feel your light is dim, pray, and know that God will shine through you, even at your weakest.

-Ashley

Read. Run. Eat

Have you heard of Rich Froning?

 

photo credit: http://malecelebbio.com/gallery/2013/03/Rich-Froning-Jr-12.jpg

I have been on a reading kick lately, but I’ve found that my passion for literary works is waning, and I’m more interested in biographies and memoirs. It was serendipitous that I am getting into CrossFit and the male face of CrossFit comes out with a memoir…and then, it just so happens that I felt God put it on my heart to only read about things that are honoring to God….and guess what?! Froning’s book has a Christian focus. Double Score! I snagged an ebook copy HERE. I have the NOOK app on my iPad, but I found that I can download the FREE CBDreader app from christianbook.com. I really liked that I was supporting a Christian bookstore too. Bn.com does not have the ebook yet. So If you are impatient like me, get the ebook at christianbook.com and download the free CBDreader app and you’ll be in like flynn.

I thought this was really cool too, watch a typical workout for Rich Froning HERE.

I love working out and challenging myself. It gives me an incredible boost of self esteem to know that I gave something my all. Right now I know I have a long road ahead of myself to get fit enough to fully complete CrossFit WODs the way they are meant to be done. But I am really excited to see where my journey will take me.

At times I feel guilty for being so dedicated to working out. So I hope this memoir gives me a good perspective on Faith and Fitness. I’ll keep ya updated 😉

Run

Today I went on a 4 mile run. It was way too hot. I ran by the lake and it literally looked the like beach was one giant ant hill.

 

But I was still glad that I did it. I was putting it off for TOO long.

I used a new playlist that I wanted to share with you. I thought it was a good one:

“Run it” Playlist

Song:                    Artist:

Radioactive          Imagine Dragons

Light Em Up        Fall Out Boy

Sail                         AWOLNATION

Blurred Lines       feat. T.I. & Pharrell

I’m Down               The Almost

Raise The Banner      Audio Adrenaline

More of You             Goo Goo Dolls

Slow it Down          Goo Goo Dolls

What a Mystery      Josh Wilson

 

I know it’s a bit of a mix up between secular and Christian music, but It’s upbeat and really gets you motivated. I ran super fast up hills to the first four songs, and then at a moderate, contemplative pace for the rest. I think it’s a keeper for a fast run.

Food

 

Tonight’s dinner was gluten free breaded chicken and veggies in parmesan cheese! So YUM

 

Here’s what I did:

I took 1 gallon sized zip lock bag and put in the following-

1/2 cup Glutino bread crumbs

1/2 tbs Slap Ya Mamma

1/4 tbs Morton’s MSG Free Garlic Salt

1/2 tbs Cilantro

Put it in the bag and shake. It can’t get easier than that!

This mix was enough for 4 chicken breasts (2 for us for tonight, and 2 for leftovers tomorrow).

 

Bake for 35 minutes at 375 degrees.

Then I simply steamed the veggies in the microwave in a bowl with a little water and a paper towel over it. DON’T buy steamer bags, WASTE of money. This works even better.

Then I sprinkled some low fat parmesan cheese and sea salt on the veggies. So easy. Took 45 minutes to make if you include prep time. But I actually got my ab workout in while it was baking, so totally hands off, easy peasy, lemon squeezy.

I’m thinking Glutino Breadcrumbs will become a staple in my kitchen

For desert we had FROZEN GRAPES!! {Caution…once you pop, you can’t stop!}

 

If you try this – just know that they don’t 100% fully freeze. They take a couple hours too. But It’s my new summer treat! I shared it with my nieces {4 and 6 years old} over the week and convinced them it was their “treat” for the day! I love that they totally bought it and LOVED it! They were really excited about it too. So fun to pass on a passion for healthy eating! ❤

Shop the Perimeter

Getting Restocked.

If you don’t make a plan, you plan to fail {I am so turning into my mother…}

Last week I practically survived on baby carrots, Spinach Protein shakes, grapefruit, and quest bars.

Although, it’s healthier than other “on the go” food choices, I really missed cooking in the kitchen. So it was time to get stocked up.

 

I love to grocery shop. I consider it prosaic..I love reading food labels, and seeing what’s in season, or if there are any new products out. I spend more money on food than anything else. I buy my clothes at Goodwill, and my food at top quality. It’s worth the trade off. I’m sure you’ve heard of this, but I usually focus on shopping the perimeter of the store when looking for healthy choices. I could never understand why people buy “flavored” items…when you could just eat the real thing (ex: strawberry fruit snacks….Just eat Strawberries people!)

I had to go to a couple stores today to find my beloved Ezekiel Bread…But it’s the only bread I’ll eat. It’s made from sprouts and seeds.

 AND it’s the only “bread” that won’t upset my IBS.

I think you should always try something new too, so tonight I’m going to make “Chicken Sausage”

I will eat it sans bread of course, But Ryan will eat em’ just like they are hot dogs.

Then I got into the great protein debate…..I LOVE GNC, and I’ve been using their protein powder for a long time. But it does get pricey.

The ISO-DEFINE tastes amazing, is 150 cal, 4.5g fat, 2g sugar, 9g carbs and 20g protein. It’s also $50 and have 20 serving sizes. Making it $2.50/ shake.

The Designer Whey has 100 cal, 2g fat, 2g sugar, 6g carbs, and 18g protein. It was $21 and 28 servings….making it .75 cents per protein shake….

and the winner was….

What Protein Powder do you use? I use it everyday, so it really matters to me that I’m putting the best into my body. But at the same time…money matters too. I am joining Lake Effect Crossfit soon, so I need to watch my pennies! With every decision we make, saying YES to one thing, means saying NO to another. So I’am going to be a “frugal foodie” from now on. My main mantra is that you need to eat food. Real food. In the form that GOD made it. So, lets just pray that fruits and veggies remain affordable!

Because this is my attempt to grow my own food:

Let’s just say that if I had to grow my own food…I’d be dead by now! I seriously eat at least a 1lb bag of veggies/ day….three jalapeños and a few green tomatoes would not even last me past breakfast! God Bless Farmers!!!

I also heard the other day, “Fruit is God’s desert”. I LOVE FRUIT. I do eat it like desert, because it is full of carbs and sugar. I know a lot of people like to go “bananas” with fruit, and claim that it’s a “free food”, but I actually gained MORE weight juicing fruits and eating them in large quantities. So like anything, balance is key. My new favorite is putting grapes in the freezer! They’re like popsicle bites! So good!

I also LOVE 80 cal vanilla greek yogurt with PB2 and fresh fruit. {it’s a taste of heaven on earth!}

And I will leave you with this little tid-bit for inspiration. I had a friend once tell me that “eating it the most intimate thing we do.” This is so true {think about it for a sec…it effects every cell in our bodies, and it can control how we feel} This being said, you can’t have a good workout without proper fuel. Eat to live. Not Live to eat. Food is power, use it wisely!

Love at First WOD

Love at First WOD

Here I go…blogging too much again! But this couldn’t wait until tomorrow.

 

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I took a HUGE step for me and went out of my comfort zone. I finally went to a CrossFit gym! (applause on putting my grown up pants on would be nice!) I have talked a lot about CrossFit inspired workouts, and about my goals of actually doing REAL CrossFit. Well, it TOTALLY lived up to the hype! I was happy to have my friend Angela there too. She was great, cheering me on. That’s one thing that really stood out to me…it was so encouraging. When I usually go to a typical gym, people don’t talk to each other. I mean, when was the last time you went to a spin class and the chick next to you said, “Wow, you really worked that hill. Good job!”  Um, never. Even my  own mother is a spin instructor, and you know what she says to me?!?! “You’re goin’ down!”. Ok, my family’s a bit competitive…I’ll save that for another time.

So here’s a quick look at my first impression of Lake Effect CrossFit

• It was welcoming. When you’re new to an intimidating sport like CrossFit, this is key!
• It was professional. The trainer knows his stuff! With every move he explained what we were doing, how, and why.
• It was encouraging. Not only was the trainer encouraging, but so were the other athletes! (ok- they were athletes…not me…)
• It was challenging. Oh man. That’s an understatement.
• It was flexible- there were a variety of  class times I could choose from .
• The trainer was able to adjust the workout to my fitness level.
• It was clean.
• They have top quality equipment.
• Friendly. Any gym that has a dog hanging around is a great gym. Dogs can inherently tell if you’re a good person or not…if everyone was like a dog, the world would be a much better place…but again, I digress…

My Personal fitness goals with CrossFit:

• Gain strength
• Improve Everyday
• Be able to do more than hang on the bar…actually be able to do pull ups
• Understand my body better
• Push myself further than I ever imagined I could!
• Grow my baby muscles!

Nutrition is important to fulfill my goals. So tonight when I got home I made myself a Chocolate Spinach Protein Shake. Yum. (Also ate the “ugly loaf” from last nights dinner)

Like my old school ice cube tray? Yup, pretty sweet…

Simple Ingredients:

1 Scoop Chocolate Protein Powder

2 fist fulls of spinach

1 cup ice cubes

1 pack stevia

Result: HAPPY. HAPPY. HAPPY. A great treat to feed my muscles at the end of a hard day’s work.

BEST way to end the day…Puppy love.

Love that they think carrots are a treat!

Your turn! Have you tried a CrossFit gym? 

Every Day is a New Beginning

Random pic….but I’m loving summer and what the sun/pool is doing to my hair. I’m an accidental blonde, but I’ll take it. Thank you Mr. Sunshine. 🙂

I notice that I have been blogging way too much lately. But what else am I supposed to do while the Irrigation Guy fixes my sprinklers?

Tonight is a big event at the YMCA promoting the new CrossFit gym. I asked the hubs if I could join and got a big fat “NO”….So, I researched to see if there were any other gyms that would let you pay as you go instead of signing a contract. I found  one that is a stone’s throw from my house. I can’t believe I am  JUST finding out about it. Anyways, unlike the Y, they have the first class FREE! So, um, yes, sign me up! I can’t wait to learn proper form from a professional. I have tried to youtube things like “clean and press”, “turkish getups”, and more…but since this type of workout is totally new to me, I need someone telling me if I’m doing it right.

Devotions

*Reading from Romans 7

“The Bible is meant to be our Daily Bread, not our Desert…”  I can’t recall where I read this, but it stuck out to me. If we’re being honest, how many times do we only acknowledge God on Sundays and Holidays? Or when our lives are good?

Or what about when we hear about a tragedy and thank God that it’s not us? Didn’t that last one sound awful?! I’m looking at my own heart today and realizing how greedy and self focused I am. Apostle Paul recognized it in his heart too when he wrote,

We know that (God’s law) is spiritual; but I am unspiritual… I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do….I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry  it out…(Romans 7:15-19)

Can you relate? You want to start each day by setting yourself apart. You might say, “Today I’m going to _________.” But you you don’t.  You miss your goal. Maybe you want to show love to an “enemy”, for God tells us to love our enemies (a lot easier said than done at times). Maybe you want to be more patient? kind hearted? Bold? Everyone has something they want to do to better themselves. It’s in our nature. It’s also in our nature to self sabotage.

For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do – this I keep on doing….So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s laws; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. what a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God- through Jesus Christ out Lord! (Romans 7:19-25)

What is sin? What is evil? Well, I’m no theologian, but I’ll tell you what I think it is – Anything that separates us from God. That might look different to a lot of people. What blesses one may hinder another. This reminds me of a conversation I had with a girlfriend of mine yesterday. She said “Hey a friend of mine loves this site called bodyrocktv.com, you should check it out.” Now, I know a lot of people who like that site, and I think it’s awesome that they share free workouts and advice. HOWEVER, for me, it is a stumbling block. I start to compare myself to their images, and then it creates poor body image for me. I am not saying it’s “bad” or “evil”, but in my own walk with God, I feel that it is not helpful for me and my relationship with Christ. It makes me compare myself, and fills me with self doubt…God wants me to look to Him to find my identity, not others. I do follow a lot of great bloggers who I feel are modest and encourage healthy body image. But sometimes I’ll come across stuff and I feel that God tells me “not for you”.

I need to listen to that “gut feeling”; that’s how I follow God. He is not an auditory voice in my ear, but a feeling in my heart and my gut. I need to listen to that in order to do what is “good” and to keep myself from doing what  my self seeking human nature wants to do (For example, I WANT to sleep in, eat Oreos, and read all day….but that would do no one any good- especially myself). Paul got it. He knew that he didn’t have the strength or the wisdom by himself to what is good. Our nature will always be self seeking.

Think of a time when you’ve helped someone….Is it really what you wanted to do? Do you ever really want to workout? It’s painful! I’ve had people say to me, “Why are you doing that (helping, serving, etc), what do they do for you?” Or “You’re crazy, why do you give your time, you don’t get anything in return…” But the truth is that I get far more in return than I give.

My heart is so full, and I feel an unnatural sense of joy when I serve others. It is inconvenient…I would rather sleep in on a Sunday than help out at church. If you say you wouldn’t, I would think you were a lair. Deep down I know that I have these selfish desires. But giving and serving is the same as working out. It’s a muscle you build, and over time it gets easier. You think of yourself less, and others more.

But it’s not something I can do on my own. I need to pray that God will give me His eyes to see His people. Because sometimes people just down right make me MAD, and I want to be rude back, and I want to say that last word, and I want to give dirty looks….but I know that since Christ lives in me, that I need to let that selfish side my my heart die. And when someone cuts me off, or says something hurtful….I need to be Jesus to them. I need to have grace, and mercy, and forgiveness. A man once asked Jesus how many times he should forgive his neighbor…the man asked if 7 times was enough….Jesus responded “7 times 77.” which doesn’t literally mean 539 times, but continually, unconditionally. God doesn’t tell us that he will only forgive us “x” amount of times. Thank God! (Now there is something to be said for letting people use you, which is different, you can forgive someone and still decide that they do not need to be a part of your life. Some people are just toxic for us to be around).

I think my point is this: Each day is a new beginning. Each day is a gift, and each day we have the choice to either rely on God and do good, or rely on our selves and give in to our natural self seeking desires. I share this with you NOT because I’m “GOOD”, but because I struggle too. Daily, I struggle, and daily it reminds me that I need to rely on Jesus for my self esteem, and how I treat people…even what I blog about.

Here’s a great video from the Skit Guys that I think relates to this post:

God’s Chisel Remastered Video

Here’s another video….This is why I blog about God and am not afraid to stand up for what I believe in:

God’s Not Dead