Suffering from Seasonal Allergies?

Did you know Omega 3's are a natural way to fight against seasonal allergies?

It's true! If you suffer from seasonal allergies (like I am currently dealing with), up your dose of Omega 3's as a natural way of upping your body's defense. In addition to taking your Core Omega 3's (which you can get from me or your Beachbody coach), great food sources of Omega 3's include: raw nuts, cold water fish, flaxseeds, and grass-fed beef.

 

 

 

 

 

How to Pack a Healthy Lunch

It's that time of year again – teachers and students are heading back to school, fall is in the air, and we’re gearing up for some of our all-time favorite holidays! That also means that our days are getting shorter and we are BUSY – scrambling to get ready each day! While it may be easier to eat out at lunch or hand the kids lunch money, it’s not the best option for your health (or your wallet)!

Adequate nutrition is important at every stage in life, but it is essential to a child’s development. What you and your child eat for lunch sets the tone for how well you can think, perform, and feel as well as the energy you have throughout the day.

Keep it Balanced
Experts recommend including some lean protein along with carbohydrates to keep your body fueled throughout the day. When shopping at the grocery store for lunch items, purchase processed foods and prepackaged products sparingly. Those items are the easiest way to overload on carbohydrates, preservatives, sugar and sodium. Instead, try these options:

1. Lean Protein
Lean turkey meat, white chicken meat, and tuna are all great sources of lean protein. Vegetarian options include nuts and natural nut butters. Just be careful with portion control, as these tend to be higher in calories and fat, and avoid pairing them with sugar-filled jams and jellies.

2. Complex Carbohydrates
Complex carbohydrates keep your blood sugar at a stable level because they take longer to digest, which means that your energy levels won’t spike and drop. Skip the white bread and stick to whole grain or multi-grain breads and wraps.

3. Skip the Dessert – Pack Fruit!
Fruits contain natural fiber, which keeps your belly fuller longer (and an added bonus – they are sweet!) Instead of dessert, try packing a piece of whole fruit (for older children and adults) or sliced fruit for smaller children. Grapes, berries, kiwis, apples, bananas, oranges, cherries, peaches, and mangos are all great options. (Note: when toting whole fruits like oranges, I like to seal them in a small air-tight container so that the flavors of the fruits don’t permeate the rest of the items in my bag).

4. Need a Crunch? Replace Chips with Veggies
Vegetables not only add color to your lunchbox, they also add tons of vitamins and minerals! Easy go-to options are sliced carrots, cucumbers, bell peppers, cauliflower, grape tomatoes, and broccoli. Instead of ranch dressing, add hummus for dipping.

5. Drink Water
Skip the vending machine – most of these beverages are high in processed sugar, calories, and artificial ingredients (yes, even diet soda is bad for you!) Stick to plain water to hydrate. For additional flavor, try adding fruit such as sliced strawberries, kiwis, oranges, lemons, limes, or blueberries. You can even freeze them in ice cube trays for fun, frozen, colorful drinks!

If you HAVE to have juice, try and purchase 100 percent fruit juice boxes (anything less than 100% means the rest is sugar!) Pop them in the freezer the night before and not only will they stay cold, but they’ll double as a way to keep the other items in your lunch bag cold until lunchtime.

6. Snack Time
Snacks are so important for those times between meals and when hunger strikes in the afternoon. Instead of hitting the vending machine or office snack drawer, pack an extra snack or two to get through the day. Some of my favorite snacks include mixed nuts, apple slices with natural nut butter, organic yogurt, grapes, and healthy snack bars (such as Larabars, which only have a few all-natural ingredients, Quest Bars, or P90X Protein Bars)

One Last Trick
When packing a salad, I place the salad in a larger container and the dressing in a smaller container. At lunchtime, I pour the dressing into the larger container, seal tightly, and shake. This keeps my salad from getting soggy and evenly distributes the dressing!

Bible Verse of the Week

Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."

Don't give into the cliché saying of "just follow your heart, go wherever your heart leads you." YOU must instruct your heart and inform it with TRUTH... God's truth! Don't let an uninformed or misunderstood heart guide you... it'll lead you to sin most every time!

Why Your Scale Won't Budge

 

I often get this question: "Rachel - I workout every day, I'm eating healthy, why haven't I lost a single pound?" My first response... "how are your measurements?"

You've probably heard that muscle weighs more than fat, but I think that a picture speaks volumes. This is a picture of muscle compared to fat - see how much tighter, smaller, and leaner the muscle is?


 

The same works with your body! That's why measurements are a much better indicator of where you are getting with your fitness - they help make sure that you are losing inches, getting smaller, and getting tighter.  So the scale is fine, it can be part of how you track your progress, but you've GOT to be measuring those inches as well!

If your scale isn't budging AND your measurements aren't changing, then here are a few things to check.

#1 - You're Eating Too Many Bad Calories.
Not all calories are created equal. Yes, there is some truth to calories in, calories out, but the TYPE of calories you eat also matters. 150 calories of ice cream is going to affect your body very differently than 150 calories of salad. It's just the truth.

Did you know diet foods can also be bad for you? I know it's tempting to fall into the trap of purchasing foods that claim to help dieters, but many of these 'diet' foods have been highly processed and contain potentially harmful chemicals and artificial sweeteners that can actually confuse your hormones and promote fat storage. Processed carbs do not belong in a fat loss diet. Blood sugar and insulin levels respond the same way to all processed carbs, whether you're eating Special K or a Twinkie!

The best diet strategy is to stick with real, fresh, whole foods and steer clear of anything fake or processed.

#2 - You're Not Getting Enough Sleep
Sleep patterns have a significant impact on  your hormone levels, and hormones are a big factor when it comes to losing fat. Be sure to get a full eight hours of sleep at night to boost your fitness results.

#3 - You're Doing Too Much Cardio
Yes, cardio is good. Yes, you need to be doing it. But, if you're doing hours of steady-state cardio, it's going to end up working against your fat-loss efforts. Too much cardio promotes the release of stress hormones in your body, which counteracts your ability to lose fat. Contact me about designing your ideal exercise routine for maximum fat loss.

#4 - You're Not Eating Enough Calories
Be careful with this one, as it only happens in cases of severe calorie restriction. When you're trying to drop a few pounds by eating next to nothing, it actually counteracts your efforts. There is a base number of calories that your body needs to function, and when it doesn't get these calories, it can actually begin storing the food you are eating as fat! If you are restricting your calories and aren't seeing results, check with your doctor or nutritionist to make sure you are eating enough.

#5 - You Have an Undiagnosed Medical Condition
If you are eating like a saint (you've checked your portions) and are working out like a champ (your heart rate is up) and you still aren't seeing any results, you may have an undiagnosed medical condition (such as hypothyroidism, Cushing's syndrome, PCOS, etc).  Some medications can also cause weight gain. If you know you're doing everything you possibly can and you still aren't seeing results, it's probably time to schedule an appointment with a medical professional.

No matter where you are in your fitness journey, I'm here to help you reach your fitness and fat loss goals. Email me today to get started on a fitness program that will quickly and permanently transform your body.

Don't wait another week, another day, or even another hour to take action. I'm here now, and I'm ready and excited to see you through your goals. Let's do this!

Bible Verse of the Week

Jeremiah 29:11 "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'"

In this verse, Jeremiah is writing to a group of people in captivity to let them know that although they’re not where they would have expected and not where they would have asked God to place them, God has not forgotten them. He still has a plan for their lives. Even though He may not remove you from an uncomfortable situation immediately, He has a perfect plan! Trusting His plan this week.