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11/27/2019 0 Comments To cheat or not to cheat? An important blog post I have been wanting to share for awhile and with Thanksgiving approaching it’s an ideal time to address a topic I get asked about a ton.
What about the infamous Treat, Cheat, “Carb up” meal(s)? Inquiring minds want to know, do I encourage people to come off their diet to occasionally indulge in one of these cheat type meals? Unfortunately, like most things in life, there is no perfect answer to this question that fits Everyone. At the end of the day, you have to know yourself. Normally, I would tell people to enjoy a meal, relax, life is too short; get right back on track the next day! Problem with this “one size fits all” approach? Not every one can get right back on the horse the next day. Eating, overeating in particular, can be a very emotional activity, it’s often not just satisfying a physiological demand. Many people I have worked with over the years have a very combustible relationship with food. They have had serious eating disorders of various kinds. Whether it’s bulimia, binge eating, whatever, I have seen it all. Some of these people cannot simply indulge in a “cheat” meal and get right back on track. No, unfortunately, these actions can serve as a trigger to send them spiraling back into their addictive, often negative, relationship with food. Many of you know in reading my posts that if I am not preparing for anything imminent where I have to achieve my best condition, I will once a week enjoy a treat meal with my husband. This is a special time to stop counting calories and enjoy a few treats. That being said, I know myself, good and bad. I know I can indulge and not hate myself in the morning. (Trust me, it wasn’t always this way!) I have struggled in my past to find this balance I have currently found. So, to make a long story short, my advice, know yourself! Be honest with yourself. Will this treat/cheat meal leave me in a better place or set me back in a way where the consequences will offset the positive, temporary enjoyment. Stress or emotional eating is a slippery slope and you must respect this if you have a history of abuse. This Thanksgiving, enjoy what you want to enjoy, eat what you feel like you want/need to eat; but most of all be Thankful you’re in a position to make these choices, many are not! Thanks for taking the time to read this, Amy Jo — in San Diego, California.
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10/10/2019 1 Comment Your feelings, Your motivation It seems to me that we talk an awful lot about how feel more than practically anything else. (Insert thousands of social media posts ugh!!) Good, bad, happy, sad, discouraged and a thousand other things. The various ways we feel is almost endless. Feelings are ever-changing, usually without notification. These feelings don't need our permission to fluctuate, they just do as they please for no specific reason. We have all experienced one day feeling great then only the next feeling tired and agitated. Then we ask ourselves "Why am I feeling this way?" We start announcing to anyone who will listen that we feel crappy, lethargic, irritated. The crazy thing is we talk an awful lot more about these negative feelings than positive ones.
If we wake up feeling pumped, motivated, excited, we rarely announce that out into the world, but if you're tired or discouraged you want to share it with everyone. I'm not perfect at this myself, but I have developed reminders and accountability in my life to keep quiet about the negative feelings more and talk about the positive ones. I find it's best to share your struggles with God in your prayer time, to ask for his help to make it through a day or a tough obstacle. But talking just to be talking when it won't solve anything or "help" you tough it out is WORTHLESS. Don't give feelings control over you. You can't wake up waiting to see how you feel to determine your excitement for the day. Choose joy, announce positive statements over your day or situation, your mindset is everything! Transforming lives from the inside out! -Amy Jo  WORKOUT 1 –
Hack Squat machine 10 x 3 Sets Low back extension with weight, squeeze Glutes 10 x 3 Sets Lying on the mat, ball hamstring curls 10 x 3 sets Barbell Hip Thrusts 3 second negatives 5 x 3 sets Outer thigh machine 10 x 3 sets DB Shoulder Press Seated 10 x 4 sets Cable side raises 10 x 3 sets Rear delts machine or DBs rear delts 10 x 3 sets WORKOUT 2 – Side to Side KB Squats x 3 Split lunge, back leg elevated on step 10 x 3 Pause barbell hip thrust (3-second pause) 10 x 3 sets DB Front squat 10 x 3 sets Barbell Step ups on a high box 10 x 3 sets Wide grip pull ups x AMRAP x 3 sets Plate loaded High Row Machine 10 x 3 sets Inverted Row using smith machine 10 x 3 sets WORKOUT 3 – Smith machine wide feet squats 8 x 3 sets Barbell glute bridge lying on floor 20 x 3 sets Frog pumps 50 x 3 sets Single leg on leg press 6 x 3 sets Chest press machine 6 x 3 sets Incline Barbell press 6 x 3 sets Push ups 30 x 2 sets Biceps & Glutes Day 1 – Barbell Bicep Curls 10 x 4 sets Machine Bicep Curls 8 x 4 sets Workout 4 - Leg raises using Decline Bench 20 x 3 sets Full crunches with weight 20 x 3 sets Bicycle crunches lying mat x 30 seconds x 3 sets Weighted Dips 10 x 3 sets Narrow Tricep Press using DB's or smith machine 8 x 3 sets Barbell Deep Sumo squat 10 x 3 sets Lateral band penguin squat walks forward 50 x 3 sets Kickbacks on cable machine 20 each x 3 sets Lateral band shuffles 20 steps each direction x 3 sets Reverse lunges off low step 20 total x 3 sets DB Romanian deadlift 10 x 3 sets  It’s frustrating when you miss a workout; either due to injury or just a long, stressful, day at work. You tend to want to throw in the towel. I have had a killer workout planned for the following morning, and then been awoken by my sick child who keeps me up all night. This is called LIFE! Luckily, we have one more trick to pull out, making solid nutrition choices. It’s powerful and 80% of reaching our goals anyway.
Sure, it’s easier said then done, but what other choice do we have? Obsess on missing your workout, turning to pity-party foods and feeling even worse the next morning. I’ve been there and trust me it’s not the most effective solution. The moment you find yourself in a situation that doesn’t allow your regular workout, tighten up the nutrition by lowering your carbs a little and find yourself much calmer, not backsliding at all. It actually happens to me often when I travel and lose my ‘home routine’. I’m sure several of you can relate. Maybe you need to pull out a motivational magazine/picture or a clean eating recipe to help the process. When we are prepared and take the positive approach to things happening that are out of our control, it’s then we can find a bit more balance to achieving true health. As always thanks for being apart of my journey and letting me be apart of yours! -AJ  The most effective way to influence your child is by setting the example, your children will follow your food and exercise habits. We need to be aware that what we say and do, regarding our health and happiness, is always influencing our family. If you want a healthy child, you need to be a healthy parent. Take walks, park far away when grocery shopping, get out of the house and away from the kitchen, get distracted together. However, there is the other side of this as well. Speaking positive things about your body so your child develops the same confidence is crucial. We live in a society of extremes, either your not making effort to be healthy at all or there's too much focus on it. Both can be detrimental to our families well being, since balance is key.
If your children see you eating your fruits and vegetables, being active, and limiting your TV time, there’s a good chance that they will do the same. These habits will also have the happy side effect of helping you maintain a healthy weight. Not to mention you'll be spending more time together! Here are a few top tips from helpguide.com that can help: What you eat
My family is healthier and happier when we take the time to invest in one another, and focus on what really matters. I have gotten a lot better at planning weekend getaways or daytrips that take us away from the everyday grind and the pile of dishes in the sink. Making memories and developing relationships should be made a priority, and not letting a "To-do list" be an excuse. Thanks for being apart of my journey and allowing me to take part in yours! -AJ |
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