Inspire

Alright peeps, so I know you might roll your eyes a bit whenever I post another health related post. But please just hold up and hear me out. You see, health and fitness is something that I am very passionate about. It's not necessarily about having the greatest abs or the best legs in town, but more so it is about just being healthy. Being healthy for me, my family, and my friends. Being healthy so that I can inspire other people to live healthy lifestyles. No, I know that I cannot force anyone to trade the cheetos for some raw almonds, but hopefully by me BEING the example someone will make the decision to make healthier choices.

The trend of obesity is on the rise, and I am not okay with that. It's not about being a supermodel, but it's about being healthy. And let's all face it, if we are all obese that we aren't living as healthy as we could be living. Now, don't get all frazzled on me. I am not bashing ANYONE. What I am trying to do, is get us all to see just how important our health is. You see, the more "extra fluff" we have on our bodies, the harder our bodies have to work in order to function. And sometimes, it's not just what we can see on the outside that could be setting us up for a health crisis. Some of the foods we put in our bodies actually are causing blockages, plaque build-up, and other critical health issues inside our bodies.

This is alarming to me. It is enough to get my attention and cause me to want to take care of my body the best way I can. That is why I workout DAILY. That is why I eat clean DAILY. Do I have some ice cream or some chips every once in a while? Yes! Do I eat ice cream and chips everyday? No! I choose to make healthier choices, so that I can be healthy. I want to treat my body right. I want to show my children what it means to live a healthy lifestyle. And, I want be the encouragement and inspiration for someone else wanting to make the choice to live a healthy lifestyle.

If I can help you in making healthier choices and get you started in living a healthier lifestyle, please don't hesitate to reach out to me. Email me at jaclynturner1@beachbodycoach.com, message me on Facebook, reach out on Twitter, or comment below. I would love to help you in your health and fitness journey.

Grace & Peace, Jaclyn

After Church Pork Chops

Mmmmm. Doesn't that look so yummy? I mean, sure, I'm probably a bit bias on this since I was the one who actually cooked it. But still, doesn't it look yummy? And wait, it gets better! Not only does it taste good, but it is easy to cook, inexpensive, and wait for it.........HEALTHY! All of these descriptions make this dish a winner in my opinion. Ok, so I am sure you aren't wanting to just read my comments on it. You probably hopped over here for the recipe. So, here it goes:

After Church Pork Chops

4 lean, boneless pork chops
1 onion
Emeril Essence
Carrots
2 Sweet Potatoes

First, take your crockpot (yep, this alone makes this meal a winner) and butter it up. Next, take your onion and slice it up. Place the sliced onion in the bottom of the crockpot. Take your pork chops and place them in the crockpot on top of the sliced onion. Then, sprinkle the pork chops with Emeril Essence spice. Place carrots and cut up sweet potatoes on top of the pork chops. Pour about a 1/4 cup of water into the crockpot. Sprinkle with more Emeril Essence, salt, and pepper to taste. Cook on high for about 4-6 hours.

I call this dish, After Church Pork Chops, because I put it all together in the crockpot this morning right before heading off to church. By the time we made it back home from church and cooked some french style green beans to go with it, it was done. There is absolutely no need for condiments with the meat or butter for your sweet potatoes. All of this cooked together adds enough flavor. I think next time, I might opt for a bit of cinnamon. Hope you enjoy!

Food is Fuel, Not the Enemy

Let me start this post off by saying that I absolutely LOVE this picture! I have heard far too many times from people wanting to shed a few pounds that they are going on a "diet." In other words, by "diet" they mean starving themselves, depriving themselves, totally eliminating a food group. WRONG! (Can you hear the game show buzzer??)

I was one of these people at one time, but I know now that I was so wrong. Food is not the enemy. FOOD IS FUEL! My body needs food in order to function properly. I mean, the picture above gives the perfect example. We don't decide that we will not put gas or oil in our cars, and expect them to run efficiently. It could also be added that we don't put garbage and/or junk in our cars and expect them to run efficiently. No! We know that it takes the right gas and oil in order for our cars to perform at their best. So, why would we treat our bodies any differently?

Listen, I know you might be thinking, "Well, I did shed a few pounds by not eating such and such" or "I did lose some weight by only eating once a day." You may have had some pounds fall off, but did you know that after a while your body will start attacking your muscles? Yep, it's true. After a while of being deprived our bodies will begin to take away from or muscles, leaving our muscles weak. We need our muscles! So it's not just a few pounds of fat that is being lost, but some muscle too. I don't know about you, but I want to keep my muscles. (You know in case I get invited to the "gun show" or something. Just kidding.)

So, how do we make sure to fuel our bodies right all while trying to shed a few pounds? Easy. Eat. Yes, I told you to eat. Eating is not bad for us. It is when we overeat, under-eat, and/or eat the wrong things that we land ourselves into trouble.

1. Eat clean. Get a good balance of lean protein, whole grains, fresh fruits, and fresh vegetables daily. Limit your intake of high fatty foods. Steer clear of the packaged items, and opt for fresh. Switch over to whole grain items such as brown rice and whole wheat bread (read your labels, make sure it states 100%).

2. Make sure that you are not skipping meals. (This is important.) It is not just something your Mom told you as a kid. Each meal is important in order to fuel your body right. You need a good breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day. I am not a big breakfast food fan, so Shakeology is the perfect way for me to get what I need and not skip out on breakfast.

3. Eat every two hours. How cool is that? You can eat in between meals, and still be treating your body right! I do this. I eat constantly throughout the day. This will help keep your metabolism going. But make sure you are still eating the right things. Some of my favorite snacks are raw almonds, fresh fruit, apple slices with peanut butter, yogurt, & organic whole wheat crackers (when I want something salty).

4. Drink plenty of water. I cannot stress this enough! Water should be your best friend. Drink it all day! I like to add lemon to my water sometimes to add a little flavor to it. I make sure to keep my glass filled with water throughout the day.

5. Stay active! (You didn't think I was going to leave this out, did you?) Exercise is just as important as eating right. They go hand in hand. Find something that you enjoy, and do it! I am loving Insanity right now!

Grace & Peace, Jac

You Are Not Without Hope Beloved