Approaching 3,000 views!

WOW!  I am so excited that people are reading my blog!  Now I just need to make sure that I am on here more to update it :) 

So here is an update on my crazy life!

Things have been busy- and not necessarily all in a fantastic way!  It's the holiday season, so there are bound to be challenges that come up!  (Like my hubby's work truck breaking down...  like "ca-put it's done for and needs to be replaced" kind of breaking down...  nice timing!) It's been an overall challenging 2012 for us, but I keep telling myself that we are putting God in control and that He has a plan! (& that He won't give me more than I can handle- I repeat that one quite often!!) 

On the postitive side, Pat has stayed busy with work & my clients are the best clients in the world :) :)  I am seeing such amazing results with them, and their hard work & nutrition changes are making a huge difference!  Not only appearance-wise, but also in their overall energy and lifestyle!  I love hearing that they can fit into a smaller size, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE when they tell me that they are off of some med's and able to play ball with their kids or grandkid's!!  I want them to be happy & healthy & to enjoy their life!

FAITH:
We have been visiting High Street Baptist Church for the past few weeks & we are really enjoying it!  When you go somewhere that makes you want to be involved & gets people excited to serve and do His will, then it's a positive thing!  We are still praying about it, and trusting that God is guiding us where we need to be!  Trust is a major part of faith- and lately it's a huge part of our lives!  We are leaving it in God's hands as to where we get involved or what happens, but please pray for us!  I am excited/scared/worried all at the same time, and relying on FAITH & TRUST :)

FAMILY:
Family life is going well!  Here are a few pic's of the last few weeks- enjoy!

Elisabeth & I ran the Bass Pro 5k race last week- she ran almost the whole way, and I am SOOOO proud of her!  Overall time was 35:50, a big improvement from the 42 minutes last Thanksgiving!

Pat & Elisabeth, perfecting their handshake!  This was a fun evening of bowling :)

My handsome nephew spent the day with me last week & got to come to the gym!  He will be my little helper on days that I get to babysit :)

My daughter cheering at a middle school basketball game :)  Go Reed!!

Cheer competition last weekend! 

Holding her baby cousin before they performed!

OH YEAH!!  Champions!  'Jungle Cats' :)

My girl :)  Love her!!

FITNESS:

Like I mentioned above, my classes & personal training sessions are really going fantastic!  God has blessed me with some awesome clients!  They are working hard, trying to implement my nutrition suggestions, and getting some really good results!  

Send me a message at trainingbyjen@hotmail.com and we will chat :)

~Jen

26 Days of paleo, plus a few pics :)

Well, I've made it 26 days!   (October Nutrition Challenge - woohoo!  It's almost done!)  I've stuck to the plan about 98% of the time, and I'm feeling pretty good!  My workouts are definitely improving- today I beat my record for dead hang pull-up's (which is still too low to post my results & keep my chin up, but at least it's improving!) 

Here we go with the latest update in my crazy life :)



FAITH:
We've been visiting a new church the past few weeks, and it's good to see a different point of view and perspective from some amazing peep's!  The lessons have been applicable and the people are pretty amazing!  I'm just waiting to see what the 'Big Guy' has planned for our family :)  I have faith that God will lead us exactly where He wants us to go!

FAMILY:
We are getting ready to have a great family-filled weekend!  My sister, her new puppy, and her friend Jill are coming up to visit for the weekend!  Lot's of family get-together's will be occuring, including the baby dedication of Graysen this Sunday!  Here are a few pic's of the last week or so-

Spirit Week at Reed Academy!  This is after the dance :)

My little nerd :)  Today was another dress-up day for the middle school!  We also went and had a 'coffee breakfast' at her school bright & early!

This was from October 11th, at Bri & Drew's wedding - I LOVE this candid shot!!

Woohoo~!  It's complete!  This is a dresser that we sanded down & re-stained, and added new hardware.  It is like a brand new dresser now!  Re-furb'g furniture may be a new hobby of mine!

Yep, all A's!  We are super proud of my kiddo!

Obviously taken BEFORE the Cardinal's blew the series (note: we were still smiling!)

Pat built this frame - how amazing is he?!  The painting is from my sister, from Papua New Guinea!

FITNESS:
Like I mentioned at the beginning of this post, it's going pretty darn good!  I would love to say that I dropped oodle's of pounds & I am super cut with a 6 pack, but...  that hasn't quite happened yet! :)  However, I'm lifting much heavier and running is (I should say "was", until I hurt my foot- GRRR!) much better & easier!  My pull-up's are finally improving.  The dead-hang, not kipping or flailing legs versions :)  Although those are probably not-so-awkward-looking these days, too! 

Nutrition really ties into getting good results.  I know that we read it & see all of the funny pin's on pinterest, but it's really true.  They are both pieces of the health puzzle.  If you want to have definition and lose weight, you have to eat clean AND workout.  If you ask any one of the people in fitness magazines what their routine is to get those lean lines & cut ab's, it will include clean eating.  Start with small changes- you do not have to do paleo!  I like paleo because it's easy & cut-and-dry, and I will do it.  But do eat cleaner.  Cut out the processed foods.  If you eat clean 80% of the time, you will see changes.  For myself, it's probably not going to happen 100% :)  But if you choose to do it 100%, go for it!  Your results will be awesome!




Have a wonderful Friday! I'm off to ice down my foot again & then get this house cleaned up!
xoxo, Jen :)

Happy October!

It's fall, it's October, and it's day #2 of our nutrition challenge!  Exciting things all around :)

FAITH:
I've learned over the years to LISTEN...  pray, pray, pray, and make sure that you're listening to God's response!  He always responds (not always with what you want to hear!) and sometimes it is in the most subtle ways!  Seek knowledge & His will... Lately I have felt that there is going to be lots of changes coming ahead...  I've just prayed that God will guide us through whatever lies ahead!  I'm kind of a pain- I'm impatient, stubborn, and I like to have things my way :)  lol...  In life, that's not a good way to be!  So I'm working on being a little more easy going!  It helps that I have a very laid-back and easy-going husband to keep me calm (I've always said he is the 'calm' to my 'crazy'!!)

Proverbs 2 talks about making insight your priority- "searching for it like a prospector panning for gold, like an adventurer on a treasure hunt..." now that is intense!  You can read it all HERE!

Here are the first few verses:
2 ^1-5 Good friend, take to heart what I’m telling you;
collect my counsels and guard them with your life.
Tune your ears to the world of Wisdom;
set your heart on a life of Understanding.
That’s right—if you make Insight your priority,
and won’t take no for an answer,
Searching for it like a prospector panning for gold,
like an adventurer on a treasure hunt,
Believe me, before you know it Fear-of-God will be yours;
you’ll have come upon the Knowledge of God.

^6-8 And here’s why: God gives out Wisdom free,
is plainspoken in Knowledge and Understanding.
He’s a rich mine of Common Sense for those who live well,
a personal bodyguard to the candid and sincere.
He keeps his eye on all who live honestly,
and pays special attention to his loyally committed ones.

FAMILY:

We are all doing pretty well!  We ended up having Ryan over Saturday & Sunday, so we were able to enjoy LOTS of qt with the family!  Here are a few pics from my parents house over the weekend:

Elisabeth & Graysen!

Ryan & mom baking an apple crisp!

Dad teaching Elisabeth how to play the guitar!

More guitar lessons!

Fall is here!  The leaves are starting to change color & fall off the trees :)

Elisabeth & I spent some time shooting hoops over the weekend- here are a few 'action' shots that I took of her!  She is just now learning how to play- after years of me trying to get her to play, she finally has decided to learn a little bit about my favorite sport!

FITNESS:

Work is going well!  My clients are getting good results and I'm happy with their progress!  We started a 30-Day Nutrition Challenge yesterday- it's pretty similar to paleo, and I know that everyone will see results if they stick with it!  Last time that I did a challenge, I dropped 8 pounds & several inches in 30 days!  Depending on your fitness level, you may lose more or less, but the main thing is the changes that you will feel & see with your body!  Trust me, you will be excited on Halloween when you do your second set of measurements & pic's!

It's almost October...!!!

As I was talking to a client last night, I flipped over my scheduling book & realized that next week is OCTOBER!  Where has this year gone?!  I'm definitely looking forward to the positive changes that are ahead for our family!!

FAITH:
Have you ever felt a calling for something?  Then you (or at least "I") try to dismiss it...  only to realize that your hubby feels the same thing?  Sometimes there is no getting around it- you just have to listen to His plan for you!  

“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.”  (Jeremiah 29:11)

FAMILY:
Our family is doing better today!  Elisabeth & I have been battling allergies since last week- she missed a day and 1/2 of school, but is back at it today...  Ryan came over on Tuesday night and I got out of work early, so the four of us actually had a chance to hang out for a bit!  I'm looking forward to Sunday when he gets to stay longer- it's nice to have family time :)

FITNESS:
Work is going well, and my clients have been surpassing my expectations!  Great results are happening, and that is due to their hard work & dedication!
I'm starting an "October Nutrition Challenge" that is open to any & everyone- 30 days of a modified Paleo diet, and support through a Facebook group!  I think that it is a great plan for nutrition, and by taking the challenge with an awesome group of people it will be a lot more do-able for some of you!



Jen 

Happy Monday!

It's officially fall, and it's officially a Monday!  My life since last Friday has pretty much been a big allergy blur... Aside from the foggy head, we had a good weekend!  We went to see the new baseball movie with Clint Eastwood with my parents, and had an overall relaxing weekend.  Last night we went to a outdoor worship & bonfire and listened to recording artist Tyrus Morgan perform.  You guys should definitely check out his music!  Aside from being very talented, he was a genuinely nice guy.  Elisabeth got a chance to speak with him about music, since she's very interested in singing & performing, and he gave her some great pointers!  Check out his music here.

I went to the Reed girls basketball game to watch Elisabeth cheer today, but she was sick when I got there.  I think she's been unfortunate enough to inherit my allergies...  so she's going to be spending the evening relaxing (& medicated- hoping she can make it to school tomorrow!)  I'm going to head to the gym for bootcamp, and then head back home to relax before a busy day tomorrow!

FAITH:
Do you ever just feel like God is telling you something?  But then you second guess- is it Him telling you, or is it you wanting something?  We're kind of in that situation right now, so I'm praying!  So keep us in your prayers for this unspoken (for now!) prayer request.

FAMILY:
The family is doing well!  Work is busy, and Elisabeth is busy (& had a great progress report! YAY for good grades!!) 

FITNESS:
My clients have been doing such an amazing job this past week!  The two lovely ladies that I trained this morning both had great (but challenging!) workouts, and they are both making great strides & progress!  My classes are all doing well & rising to the challenging workouts!  You guys rock!!

My personal fitness is kind of foggy, like my brain :)  It's tough to get in a good workout when it's hard to breath (thank you allergies!) but I've been pushing through it.  Nutrition is not great either- my stomach is upset with the medications, so I am not eating enough... I'm hoping to not lose any progress that I've been making!  I just need a good frost to kill the ragweed, and I'll be right back on track :) (& back on the road- there is no way that I can get in a long run outdoors right now- boo!)


Have a great day friends!
Jen

New photos :)

Whew!  It's been a busy few weeks!  Here are a few pic's of what's been going on in my world!

I'll be gushing about my handsome little nephew every day, I'm sure :)  Here are a few of his adorable pictures from his 2 week photo shoot!  What a beautiful family- God is good!  (Photos are by Meg White Photography - she did an amazing job capturing their happiness on film!)

I have to say, the boots are about my favorite picture out of all of them!  Adorable!!

I'm back on track with healthy eating!  This was today's breakfast- egg, chicken, & sweet potato!  Healthy, filling, & yummy!

Many evenings are spent at football fields, watching my daughter cheer!  This pic was taken last week as the storms were blowing in- this cloud curled around and went as far as you could see!

We spent most of last weekend at my parents house- Pat worked on his trailer remodel, and we picked apples and enjoyed the outdoors (other than my allergies- boo!)

While it's still not anywhere near ready, it's definitely come a long way! 

Gotta show off my parents honey!  It's the best tasting honey around :)  I use it all the time- local raw honey is the best kind!

I'm so jealous of my moms flower bed- it had just been rained on so this isn't the best picture, but her flowers are all overflowing the beds this year!  All of the landscaping turned out great!!

This is Jake, my parents dog!  He is a sweet lab who is about 12 years old now! 

Happy September!

It's a very warm end-of-summer day here in Missouri!  97 degrees is a little warm compared to the 70's and 80's we had over the weekend!  I hope that you all had a fantastic Labor Day weekend!  We went out of town and enjoyed some time outdoors and on the river (& had lots of rain, courtesy of Hurricane Isaac coming through!


Here are a few pics from our weekend near Van Buren, MO:

FAITH:
Last night we sat down & had a family devotional.  It was nice to just have some quality family time with God & discussions!  We talked about how being close isn't the same as being fully invested.  You may be an excellent person that doesn't do anything bad, which is fantastic; however, if you haven't accepted Jesus & been saved, then you still won't go to heaven.  You can't get there by works, and this was a great topic to discuss with an 11 year old!

Today's verse on YouVersion is from Matthew-

"Jesus answered by quoting Deuteronomy: 'It takes more than bread to stay alive.  It takes a steady stream of words from God's mouth.'"  Matthew 4:4 (MSG)

FAMILY:
It's been a family filled weekend!  I spent Friday, Saturday & Sunday with Pat & some great friends.  Yesterday, Elisabeth came home & we went to my Grandma's for a fish fry with the family!  It was a great time, full of tasty food & good conversations!  Here are a few pics of Elisabeth & my nephew from yesterday (isn't he handsome?!)

FITNESS:



Other than the crazy amounts of food consumed over the weekend, my fitness & nutrition is going well! 
My classes are going great- we had a really good HIIT class this morning!  I think everyone thought it would be easy since it was all body weight- but it was definitely a challenge!

Have a wonderful day friends!
Jen :)

Drug-free athletes

Faith, Family, Fitness...

FAITH:
Sunday in church, our pastor @John316marshall talked about faith.  He referenced Matthew 21:20-22.  The message hit home with me (& probably the entire auditorium!)

Here are a few of my notes from Sunday that I think might speak to you as well:

• Faith in God gives us the power of God to accomplish the purposes of God.
• The problem stares at us from the mirror
• We never lose by trusting God's answers
• God always gives us what we ask for, or something better
• Is your faith in God, or is your faith in your faith - or only if He says yet?
• The best way to find God's will is to pray until the answer doesn't matter
• Ill-will is bad- it affects your prayer life and your anger will come out in a way you didn't intend it to

FAMILY:
Our family is busy, but life is good!  Elisabeth starts middle school cheerleading today (today is the first game!) so between school cheer, the track club that she joined, and competitive cheer, she is a busy gal!  Which makes us busy parents :)  Here is a pic I took before school today:

My nephew is the cutest baby ever :)  Here is a great shot that my brother & sister-in-law sent me where they caught a little smile!

And finally, I crack up watching our dog- he sits like a person!  I took this pic this morning while he was just chilling on the stairs, waiting for Elisabeth to walk back upstairs :)

FITNESS:



I have added in some really tough workouts lately, and I'm happy to say that my clients have stepped up to meet the challenge!  Yesterday's bootcamp was TOUGH!  Sprints, push-up's, squats, sit-up's, and ended with 100 burpees... and everyone rocked it! (some might have been cursing me at around burpee #50!  But they still finished!)  I'm seeing progress with everyone, and that's what counts!
My personal fitness is going well- last Saturday's run really bummed me out but I guess that's a normal part of running!  My daily workouts have been really good- I've noticed a big improvement!



Have a fantastic Tuesday everyone!  Be active, be healthy, and enjoy the day!!

Gym, Supplements, & Motivation... & meet Graysen!!

The weekend is over (& it was awesome!  more on that later...) and it's time to get in the gym!  


Things that are on my mind today:

1)  Just do it.

I've talked to so many people that tell me that they were afraid to try a class or afraid to do personal training.  Once they started it, they fell in love with it!  Losing inches, losing pounds, and gaining self-confidence are some of the key points that I hear from my clients!

So if you're thinking about a class - wanting to shed those pounds & fit into your jeans - talk to me.  We can come up with a strategy to help you get healthier!  I'm not a screamer (no Jillian Michaels yelling from me!) but I will motivate you to achieve your goals!  If you follow my plan, you will smash those goals!!  And I can give you the names of some clients to talk to for references if you would like!

2) Supplements.

I've been very on-the-fence about supplements.  I hear so many bad stories about scam companies promising to help you lose 50 pounds in a month...  I'm all about doing things the healthy & safe way.  That being said, I've been approached by a few different companies about representing their brands and promoting them to my clients.  After a lot of research (it's been a few months of Q&A~) and trying out their products, I'll soon be offering a complete line of vitamins & other health supplements- info to come soon!!

3)  Motivation.

I'll always try to motivate my clients.  You, as clients, are also motivating your peers!  You may not realize it, but as you tell them about your fitness plans and they watch your eating habits change and your body change, you are motivating them!  So keep it up!  WOOHOO :)

My nephew arrived safe & sound on Friday, weighing in at 8 pound's & 1 oz. and 20.25" :)  Baby, Mom, & Dad are all doing great!  And I'm so happy to say that after months of prayer, Graysen was born completely healthy.  God is so amazing!  The hole in his heart is completely gone, and he was a healthy weight (they thought he would be really small) and size!  God has big plans for this little guy, and I can't wait to spoil him rotten!!

Have a wonderful day!
Jen

It's July 1st! Happy Sunday!!

Happy Sunday!  


Faith:


I was wide awake at 7am today- not by choice (thank you Lola!  I love when the dogs don't understand that it's the weekend!) and opened up my online Bible.  I use the YouVersion app- it has lots of options!  You can pick different translations, reading plans, etc.  Today's reading was Proverbs 4, and I would recommend any and everyone to read it! (No Bible or phone/tablet handy?  No problem!!  Click here ---> Proverbs 4 NIV) 


It talks about getting wisdom at any cost, and avoiding the path of evil.  In today's world, that is very important both for us as adults & for us to teach our kids!   We need to work hard to learn and educate ourselves.  We will be able to make smart decisions and not have to rely on the input of other people in order to make a decision.  We have talked about this in my small group before- in reference to the Bible.  If we know the verses and their meanings, we will have that knowledge not only for our own lives but we will be able to help others when they need it.  The other part of this reading that touched me was to avoid the path of evil.  I know that it's hard to stay on the right path and not to get caught-up in worldly things.  Like many others, I've made mistakes in the past and started down that wrong path.  The good thing is that God forgives us!  He is amazing and despite the mistakes we make, He is always there waiting on us!  






Family:


This weekend has been a lot of Q.T. for me and the hubby!  It's nice to take the time to just BE...  yesterday we went to the farmer's market, and he got a lot of work done with the garden.  I got a lot of food prep and cooking done.  I even baked him a blackberry/blueberry crisp!  I haven't tried it, but I hear it's pretty tasty!   It's nice to just take a little time to just hang out- watch a movie, eat dinner, etc.  


I tried a new recipe this morning that I saw on Pinterest - I seriously LOVE this website!!  It's so addictive but you can find so many ideas for food, exercise, crafty stuff, etc.  This is the link to all of my boards: Jen's Pinterest boards :)  I made cinnamon roll waffles for Pat!  It's super easy & quick, and would be a good treat for the kids once in awhile! (totally not healthy, but Pat said they were tasty!  You can get the recipe here)

Cinnamon Roll waffles with cream cheese frosting

This afternoon we are heading out to my parents house- it's our Sunday tradition!  In the summer there is usually Cardinal's baseball on, and the rest of the year is split up between basketball and football (Pat is a Vikings fan!)

Fitness:

I went for a run this morning, twisting around my neighborhood and the back streets and ending up at the Y. I ran a mile there and did hill sprints.  That just equaled exhaustion!  And I twisted my knee, so it was a LONG walk home!  Word to the wise- take your phone with you when you run alone!  That way you don't have to hobble home :)  It's feeling better after ice & ibuprofen, but it just stinks getting older!  Between my foot burn yesterday (stepped in burning coals- melted the skin right off my left foot- OUCH!) and my knee today, I'm frustrated!  

I haven't had any food yet today...  it's time for some eggs & avocado!  I've had a few questions about supplements from friends & clients & FB friends- I don't always take them, but I try to listen to my body.  I may soon be selling a fabulous brand of supplements- news on that to come soon!  But right now I'm taking a multi-vitamin, probiotic, fish oil, and sometimes pre-workout energy and post-workout protein.  Today I'm home so I am eating my protein rather than drinking it.  (This is not fully Paleo- if you're following paleo 100% then you wouldn't be taking these.)

Have a blessed day with the ones you love!! Get some exercise in & your body will thank you!  

And if you're on Facebook, make sure you add me as a friend!  Jen's Facebook account!