Catching up!

It's been a crazy few months & I have totally slacked on this blog because...  we are expecting in July!  I've been really sick & tired (& did I mention SICK?!!) but I'm finally starting to feel a little bit better!  I will be 16 weeks on Thursday- time is moving pretty quickly!  We are all super excited!  

Here are a few of our pictures from December that we used to announce this awesome news!  (Photos by the amazing Jennifer Snider!)

Our next ultrasound is in February, so we may know whether it's a boy or a girl in less than a month!  I'm excited either way!  

Fitness & nutrition...  Fitness has stayed pretty great.  I've definitely listened to my body & slowed down when I needed to, but I've kept up pretty well!  Nutrition is a different story...  I had to quit paleo for now- I've had a big aversion to meats and I've been so sick that I pretty much just eat what I can stomach!  Luckily I still love fruits & some veggies, but I had to quit feeling guilty about the grains :)  (I had a blueberry muffin for breakfast!)  I haven't gained any weight yet (actually I've lost, but I had the stomach flu over the weekend so that didn't help) but at my last appointment the baby was doing fabulous!

I'll try to post more often (& a few belly shots!) 

Diets Diets Diets...

I really don't like the word 'DIET' - to me, it just sounds like something horrible!  People often ask me about the best diet for weight loss, the best diet for muscle building, the best diet for blah blah blah...  honestly, most of those fad diets WILL work.  Temporarily. Very temporarily.  And then, you are probably going to be worse off then when you started in the first place!  I know that my clients don't like to hear this so I doubt if you will either, but slow & steady is the way to go.  A healthy, balanced nutrition plan (or 'diet' if you must call it that!) combined with exercise is the best way to achieve your goals.  Your results will happen, and they will not be short-term (unless you decide to go back to your bad habits, then they will not last!)

There are many healthy ways to go about it, but find a way that works with you & your lifestyle.  It needs to be something that you can make into a lifestyle, not a 2 week starvation diet!

I generally (I say 'generally' because yes, I eat cake sometimes!  And that is just fine!!) follow a plan that is something like this (Remember, this is just what works for me.  You need to find something that works for you, but it needs to include healthy eating & exercise!):

Exercise: hard core!  Heavy weights 3x per week at least.  Cardio about every time I work out.  I usually take 1-2 days to rest each week.

Nutrition: Semi-Paleo.  I go through spurts where I am hard-core-Whole30-Paleo-no-cheating Jen.  And other spurts where I focus on 'mostly paleo' nutrition.  Meaning: I focus on lean proteins, veggies, fruits, nuts, and more fruits :)  But I will allow a few cheats.  My cheats don't usually involve dairy, that is one thing that I've learned that my stomach doesn't love!  But, if it's a birthday I will eat a piece of cake!  And on Thanksgiving, I'll be eating some stuffing :-)
Another thing that I am very consistent with is supplements.  I'm super picky about which ones I take, and I've tried LOTS of different brands!  

My main point is to avoid the fad diets!  Look for a long-term solution, not a quick fix!

It's Apple Season :)

It's that time of the year again in the Ozarks- Apple Season :)  Last weekend we spent the afternoon at my parents house picking apples and making some goodies!

 

 

 

 

This is a HUGE bucket full of apples!  I brought home 2 overflowing Walmart bags, and there are still many more left!

 

 

 

 

Elisabeth & Grandma put together some Apple Crisp desserts (YUMMY!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

And at home that evening, Elisabeth & I made some crock-pot apple oatmeal.  It was delicious, and oh-so-easy!  Just get it ready & cook it on low overnight, and breakfast is ready in the morning (& BONUS!! -your kitchen will smell delicious!!!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have some good apple recipes?  Email them to me at trainingbyjen@hotmail.com

 

If I end up making it, I will feature you in a future blog post with your recipe!

 

Happy Wednesday :)

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! 

Friday Friday Friday :) :) :)

TGIF!!!  And Happy Friday morning to everyone!  

I'm home from the last day of an amazing bootcamp session, and it was a fabulous workout!  Lunges with a curl, dips, side-to-side hop kicks, donkey kicks, handstand hold, and box jumps!!  Ooooo-la-la, feel the burn :)  I also had my first personal training session with a new client- I am so excited about working with her!  We have many of the same values, and I think that she is going to have some amazing results!

Yesterday was a busy day, and it ended with my daughter's 6th grade orientation.  Everything went well, and her nerves eased up a little bit once she realized where her classes were & met a few people :)  She got signed up for Girls on Track (awesome program!) and pep club, so she's settling in just fine!  

Here she is before we left:

FAITH:

The unspoken prayer request is still there- so please keep us in your prayers!

I was talking about obeying God with my daughter yesterday, and how He is always there for us.  I told her the story of how I started this blog (if you haven't read post #1, you should!) and she was pretty amazed.  I think it's important to be honest and up-front with our children.  They know more about the world then a lot of parents realize, and if they have someone to talk to and confide in then it may help avert future problems.  Listen to your kids, and have conversations with them about what's going on in their world.  Teach them to have hope in God!

Today's verse of the day on YouVersion is from Isaiah.  

Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
-Isaiah 40:30, 31

FAMILY:

Our family is busy busy busy!  As I was signing my daughter up for more activities at the orientation, I realized how crazy it must have been for my parents (there were 3 of us kids!  I'm overwhelmed with just Elisabeth's activities!  Once Ryan is more active, we'll have his activities also- kudos to you busy parents!)  We are going to have stuff after school and in the evenings pretty much every day, between her cheer, track, and school stuff, and my job!  I DO love that she is active and involved with stuff :)  

This is our last weekend before school starts, and the weather is going to be nice!  I'm looking forward to some relaxation and being outdoors!

FITNESS:

Like I mentioned above, it's been a great fitness day so far!  I'm so proud of my bootcamp clients- today was the last day of a 4-week session, and everyone did SUCH a great job!  I've changed up the workouts, and they vary each day, but everyone has pushed through each workout!  I'm seeing changes in strength & body comp, and I'm excited!!

I have a new session beginning next week, and it's going to be another good one!  I have most of the workouts pre-planned, and they are GOOD!!  Bootcamp & HIIT are going to be amazing this session!  I also have several new personal training clients starting next week, and I'm excited to guide them through the sessions to reach their goals!

Other than the cookie dough yesterday (!) I did pretty well with my nutrition- Dinner last night was tasty!  (Thanks to my hubby!  He had dinner ready when I got home last night!)  Grilled chicken, grilled zucchini slices, and sweet potatoes!

I went to the grocery store & picked up some more healthy snacks- I'm planning on getting prepared for next week over the weekend!  My schedule is going to be pretty crazy for the next 4 weeks, so I wanted to make sure I had plenty of portable snacks since I won't be home as often!

I'll leave you with this verse- a good one!!

Have a great Friday!
Jen

Busy day for this lady!

My baby starts middle school next week!  We have her orientation tonight, and I'm just still in shock that the time has flown by so quickly!!  Wish us luck as we get everything ready over the next week :)

I had an awesome training session with Ashlee this morning- this chick has me laughing the whole time, and I really look forward to our sessions!  She is also making some good progress!  I have more training's and a  bootcamp class later today, followed by the orientation!

FAITH & FAMILY:
I'm combining the two again today, because they are both on my mind!  I can't really blog about it right now, but we have an important day today...  I have faith that God will lead us in the right direction with everything that's been going on!

FITNESS:
I had a fantastical 3.1 mile run this morning!!  The weather was cooler, I ran a tiny bit quicker than last time, and I ran a new route!  All in all, it was a success :)  I rushed back and went to work!  My fitness routine is going well- I just need to get on the ball with my eating.  I have not been doing a fantastical job with my nutrition.  Boo!  However, today has been a good day!  I just finished a lunch of eggs & sweet potatoes :)  I'm out of salad stuff or I would have had some greens along with it!  (Breakfast was a protein bar in the jeep on the way to work, lol, and snack at 10:30 was 2 boiled eggs...  lots of eggs today!)

Say a little prayer for us today- lots on my brain and I'm trying to remain less-stressed (notice I didn't say not-stressed...  it's just not happening today!)

Happy Thursday!
Jen

TGIF!

It's been a busy week!  I just got home from a great 5:30am bootcamp class.  Can I just say that my clients rock?!?!!  It's been a few weeks (or months!) of really hot & humid temperature's!  Everyone has pushed through the workouts & I'm seeing some great results!  I'll post a short workout later today for anyone to try!  The workout, like all of my classes, are able to be modified for all ages and fitness levels!


FAITH:
I picked a good devotional to be reading because it's definitely been applicable to the events of this past week!  (I'm sure that God had a hand in leading me to pick this one!)  If you haven't been reading my posts, it is entitled Teaching Tolerance and it's on the YouVersion site.  


Today's verse:
"Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ." -Ephesians 4:15


The devo series talks about having a loving attitude towards those who are different from you.  With all of the craziness that erupted with Chic-Fil-A this past week, I think that this is important to reiterate.  

Yes, I am a Christian.  No, I'm not a hater of anyone.  No matter what my views are on something, God says to be loving.  It saddened me to see all of the hate (on both sides of the matter) that was going on.  To me, this was about your First Amendment rights.  He had the right to say what he believes about marriage, just as anyone else has that same right.  He wasn't hateful, spiteful, etc and he didn't say anything to that matter.  The media took it and ran with it.  But that's the beauty of America, we all have the right to our opinions.  So be sure that you are being a good example.  Hatred & unkind words will not lead others to know Christ.  Be a kind-hearted and loving example of what a Christian is!!  Speak the truth in love


FAMILY:
I've had a great week with Elisabeth!  It's so good to have her back home :)  And I can't believe that school starts in a few weeks- BOO!!  Yesterday, we tackled her closet.  This was a huge task, as every time we have her clean her room, I think that she dumps everything in her closet.  I started by having her take everything out of the closet.  As she saw the huge mess that developed in her room, I think she understood why we needed to get it all organized!  After about 3 hours of sorting & tossing out old stuff, we now have a semi-organized closet!  WOOHOO!!

I love that she still has all of her stuffed animals :)

This side will need a little more organizing, but at least all of these clothes still fit :)

Today we are making a trip to the library to get some books.  She loves reading!  We also have to swing by her new school to pick up an info packet.  Pat is finishing up a tile job and working on bid's.  

FITNESS:

Like I mentioned earlier, my bootcamper's and personal training clients are really progressing well!  We've been doing some tougher workouts and they are all trooper's!  Today we did a circuit of strength training, and then went running.  Tough, but awesome!

I posted last night (from my phone!  I'm still figuring out this technology stuff, but it worked- YAY!) about running.  I'm following a half-marathon training plan, just to have a plan of attack for my runs.  No, I'm not going to do a race :)  But I'm running (ie- jogging!) Tues/Thur/Sat or Sun.  Yesterday I ran while listening to an audio book and the time just flew by!  "Thanks!" to the Olympics and the iPod commercial creators for that great idea!  If anyone has a great audio book app, please let me know!  

Nutrition- things are still going well.  I read a great article about the 80/20 rule (Thanks to my Twitter friend @PaleoPrimalPost - follow him for some great Paleo articles & info!) and it helped me out a little bit with my guilt :)  I've been struggling with not going 100% in.  I don't feel like I need to at this point, and this kind of helped me out a little bit!  I'm still eating clean for the most part, but I did have a pb&j sandwich and a greek yogurt yesterday.  SO not paleo.  But my guilt is subsiding- LOL!!  Don't get me wrong, there are times that I feel like I NEED to go at it 100%- just a feeling that my body needs that detox.  When I'm at that point, I go for a Whole30.  If you're feeling that way (need to increase your energy levels, lose some weight, clean up your eating, etc.) I suggest that you check out the book "It Starts With Food" - it's awesome & full of very useful info.  Even if you're not interested in a Whole30, I suggest you read the book for the knowledge!!  It can help you plan out healthier meals & snack options for yourself & your family.

Have a HAPPY FRIDAY everyone!  Get your workouts in & make smart food choices!  If you ever have any questions on fitness, or anything else on this blog, send me a comment or a message (trainingbyjen@hotmail.com) and I'll respond as soon as possible!!

~Jen

Purple Jalapeno Poppers :)

So the hubby picked up some purple jalapeno's and we needed to use them before they went bad!  He is a big fan of jalapeno's (& all things spicy!) so I decided to make some bacon-wrapped poppers for him!

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees

Get your ingredients ready (cream cheese, jalapeno's, and bacon!)

Cut the tops off, & slice your peppers lengthwise.  Scoop out the insides so that your jalapeno is hollow.

Once you get them all scooped out, get your cream cheese ready & slice your bacon into 1/3's

(You will get messy!)

Fill up the pepper's with cream cheese, you may have to use your fingers!

Wrap a piece of the bacon that you previously cut around each jalapeno and secure it with a toothpick

Make sure that you put them on a pan that will allow the bacon grease to drain out.

Bake for 25 minutes

And enjoy!

(Taste tested by Pat- and approved!!!)

PS- not a Paleo recipe!  If you replaced the cream cheese with something else (I have no clue what would work well, sorry!) it could be!

Wednesday July 18th

This morning's bootcamp class rocked!  I am definitely feeling the workouts lately- I'm glad that I decided to step up the intensity of the classes (& my personal effort is much better now that I'm eating right!)  I am so proud of the progress that everyone is making!  


I had a protein shake on the way home from the gym, and then had 2 eggs with avocado for breakfast.  And black coffee!  All of the plants & the garden are happy & watered- it's going to be another really hot day.  It sounds like the rest of the week is going to be above 100 degrees this week.  I'm praying for rain, as I'm sure many local farmer's are.  They said on the news this morning that this is the worst drought in the past 50 years.  Yikes.  That doesn't lead to good things for our local food, crops, animals, and not to mention the economic effects that it will have...


FAITH:
I'm on day two of the "Experiencing God's Renewal" reading plan.  Today the devotional talked about the heart.  Not only is it the key to physical life, but also to our spiritual life.  The Bible says to guard our hearts.  


Proverbs 4:23
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it




And this is one of my favorite verses-

FAMILY:


Pat has a hard job.  It's physically exhausting, and that just wears you down!  I went to help at one of his jobs yesterday, and although I wasn't much help (LOL!) I was out there in the sun & the heat.  It was hard work, and I had the easy job!  Although I have a physical job, at least we have fans in the gym to keep air circulating.  He was up in the air, in the sun, building a deck.  (and baking in the sunshine!)  The homeowner has been awesome and has been taking care of the guys- which is awesome!  She brings them water, snacks, & popsicles!  So remember to take care of those that are out there working in the elements.  At the very least, tell them "THANK YOU!" (think of the building industry, parks workers, etc.)


"Thanks, babe, for your hard work!  Your clients appreciate it, and so do I!  I love you!"- From me to my hubby :)




FITNESS:


I already mentioned our awesome workout this morning- seriously, I'm beaming with pride in my clients!  And last night was a good one also!  I'm really trying to push my fitness level.  My goals are to get toned & to be happy with my body!  I definitely put in the gym time, and I'm really working on cleaning up my diet.  I'm doing pretty well, so I'm excited to see the changes!


And you know that I love fruit- well, the watermelon right now is sweet & AWESOME!!!  Here is a 'watermelon pie' LOL :)

I have new personal training clients starting up soon, and that always gets me pumped up!  They are each so different and have different goals, so it keeps it challenging for me!  I can't wait to see them progress!!


I'll try to post some new recipes soon!  Have a great Wednesday everyone :)

Jen's fitness tips... #FITNESS

I've been asked several times what my 'top fitness tips' are...  that is a tricky question!  So here is my answer (this is the short version- just send me a message if you would like more info!)






1) Fitness & nutrition go hand-in-hand.  Without one, the other isn't getting the full benefits & neither are you!  I have had so many clients that come to the gym & kill the workouts 3x per week, but when it comes time for fit testing, their results aren't what they want.  I immediately know that their nutrition sucks (sorry, but that's a good description of it!)  If you are going to work hard & put in the effort (& lots of you get up early & are literally losing sleep to do this!) then make sure that you're eating right!  


I've had several mentions of Paleo & Whole30 on this blog, because that is what works for me personally.  The main thing I would suggest to get started is cleaner eating.  You have to start somewhere, and I would say the first thing is to ditch the soda/energy drink/etc. and replace them with water.  And NO MORE fast food!  Read labels- if you can't pronounce it, don't put it in your body!  And don't wait to start later.  Start immediately :)  Right now!  (If you're like me, you have to go all-in or it won't work.  In that case, don't start gradually.  Figure out what changes need to be made that can be a lifelong change, and just do it!  The first few weeks are tough, but after that you are set!)


2) WORKOUT.  When I say 'workout', I don't mean go for a leisurely walk & call it good.  Sweat.  Get that heart rate up. Put in effort & you will be amazed at the changes you will see in your body!  I offer personal training & I have group bootcamp classes.  The motivation from working with a personal trainer or working out with a group is awesome!  You are held accountable & you will get better results verses working out alone.  I see lots of people that go to (insert gym name here) and hop on the elliptical or treadmill for 20 minutes while leisurely reading a fitness magazine and then leave.  No offense, but you won't be seeing dramatic body composition changes from this routine!  Make your workouts count- if you need assistance, that's what personal trainers & fitness professionals are for!


3) PREPARATION.  Now that we've briefly discussed what to eat & what to do, I would suggest being prepared.  


*Plan your workouts into your day just like you would plan any other appointment.  Block that time off on your phone/calendar, and don't negotiate that set time frame!  If you have 30 minutes during lunch that you can dedicate to fitness, then do it!  Have your weights, shoes, & clothes ready the night before.  Or leave them at work :)  
*Food prep...  you have to have healthy choices on hand in order to avoid the vending machine temptation :)  Here is my plan- I cook chicken & boil eggs over the weekend & keep them in the fridge.  I keep spinach & lettuce on hand, along with whatever fruits & veggies I have from the garden/farmer's market/grocery store.  For fruits & veggies- I wash & slice them when I get them.  By having them on-hand & ready to go, I have no excuse not to eat them.  (And I'm the master of excuses!!)  AND don't buy it if you shouldn't eat it.  And if you shouldn't eat it, then chances are that your kiddos shouldn't eat it either.  They will survive without their sugar cereal & donuts- your health & their health is worth it!  So just don't buy it!


Other tips:


The slow cooker is your friend!  If you know that you're going to have a busy day, toss stuff in the crock in the morning & VOILA!  You have dinner ready that evening!  For us, it is really handy for those times that Pat works late, I have evening clients, & E has cheer practice.  No last minute scramble for dinner, and no frustration that leads to chinese or pizza carry-out!


Water- always have it with you!  In the car, in the store, at work, around the house- carry a water bottle!  If you happen to be out & about & run out of water, I know that in my area you can go by the gas station & get a large cup of ice water for $0.25 :)  No excuses!


Listen to your body- and make sure that you're really hungry before eating!  Make sure that you're protein intake is high enough & that will keep you filled up longer :)  (Increase protein, and decrease sugar & grains)




I could go on & on...  but my main point is to make your health a priority!  When you're putting in the effort to be in better shape & working on good nutrition, if effects your whole life!  You will have more energy for your job, for your family, and you will increase your confidence!  Start making positive changes today!


Jen Ostergren
Personal Trainer

Beef Stuffed Zucchini #NUTRITION

I tried out a new recipe last night!  We made a zucchini last week, so I decided to try stuffing it with whatever I could find in the fridge :)

I started with ground beef- maybe 1/2 pound or so.  Brown it :)

Cut off the ends of your zucchini & slice it lengthwise.  Scoop out the inside with a spoon (save them for later- it's yummy in lots of different recipes!)

I tossed onion, carrots, & garlic in the food processor- add whatever you have on hand!  It's a good (sneaky!) way to get the kids to eat their veggies!

Blend it all together & toss it in with the cooking meat for a little while

Once the beef is cooked, stuff it in & on your zucchini!  For my hubby's, I also added some cheese we had from the Farmer's Market (garlic goat cheese & mozz - he approved!!)

Add some tomato/pasta/whatever-sauce-you-have on top.  Again, the hubby likes cheese so his side got some parmesan lovin' :)  Toss it in the oven at 400 degrees for 45 minutes.  You might want to check it around 30 minutes- it will depend on how thick you left the zuc when you scooped it out!

And VOILA!  Dinner is served!  This is not a great photo, but it tasted yummy!  Easy, healthy (and paleo is you leave out the cheese & watch the sauce's ingredients!)

Sample meals... #NUTRITION

I have been getting questions about what I eat on a regular basis...  well, some days are better than others if you want me to be honest!  Overall my goal is to eat clean!






So here is today's "menu"-


Breakfast:
3 scrambled eggs with 1/4 avocado
Coffee


Lunch:
Tuna with Paleo Mayo & a hard boiled egg
Peach
Banana coconut flour muffin


Dinner:
I'm going to make 'stuffed zucchini' boats- 
Cut it in half lengthwise, stuff with seasoned ground beef- and whatever else I decide to try mixed in!
Side of sweet potatoes!


I drink lots of water throughout the day, and some days are better than others...  If I'm short on ideas or just don't feel like cooking, I throw together a quick salad- having protein already prep'd (chicken, fish, boiled eggs, etc.) is key to this!  Toss together spinach, lettuce, & protein - and voila :)  Instant healthy meal!

Mustard seeds... July 9th, 2012

July 9th


What a great weekend!  I was glad to see some rain, and we got to spend time with friends on Saturday evening, and my family on Sunday afternoon.  ('Baby Boy Scott' was pretty active- poor Charith is going to have some rib pain for the next month if this keeps up!)  We ended it with a movie (Spiderman!) with my parents last night, then came home & made stuffed pepper's from our garden.  Aside from missing the kiddos, it was a good summer weekend!


FAITH:
Have you ever really thought about the size of a mustard seed?  This popped into my head today when I was thinking & praying about what to write about, so maybe God wants this to reach out to someone!  


In Matthew, it says, "Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?' He said to them, 'Because of your little faith. For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you." (Matthew 17:19-20) and then again in Luke, it says, "'The apostles said to the Lord, 'Increase our faith!' The Lord replied. 'If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you." (Luke 17:5-6)


In the verse, Jesus has given the disciples the ability to heal but they didn't have the faith in Him to do it.  They were afraid to cast out the demon because it was too hard for them- but if they had just relied on Jesus & had faith in him, it would have been no problem!  Nothing is too difficult for God!  


This is applicable in my life, and probably in your life too.  I know that there are some days that I wake up and look at all of the complications and road blocks that are in my path and I think 'there is no way that this is going to all work out, why even try?'  But if I take a second (and a few deep breaths!!) and think about it, I know that God doesn't give us more than we can handle.  I can surely have enough faith in Him to amount to the size of a mustard seed!  No matter what gets thrown my way, I know that somehow -with a tiny amount of faith- that it will all be ok :)


And just because I'm a dork, I had to see how big a mustard seed really was- here you go!  I used a pen for comparison, so you can see just how tiny it is! This is container of mustard seeds, and if you look closely you can see a single seed to the right of the pen!

FAMILY:

I already mentioned that we spent time with my family yesterday!  Mom, Dad, Bryan, Charith, Pat, and me - lunch at my parents house like we usually do on Sunday afternoons!  We watched some Cardinal's baseball on the tube, and apparently quit watching too early because they somehow pulled off a "W" after we left!  

I have had several friends mention that they love how my family still gets together all of the time & how they wished that their family did the same thing.  I think that I sometimes forget how fortunate that I am to have my family close by and the fact that we all get along :)  My sister lives in Texas, but she is fortunately able to come home pretty often!  I can't imagine it being any other way- my entire family has played a huge part in raising my daughter, and I think that is awesome!  When I lived away from here, I was fortunate to have a close family there also, but living back here was something that I really wanted once I had my daughter.  I think that it's a great place to raise a family!  No matter where you live, make family a priority!  It's so easy to get wrapped up in the world and work, but you have to make time for your family.  Because before you know it, those babies are growing up!

FITNESS:

Bootcamp was pretty awesome this morning!  I've stepped up the pace and changed up the workouts lately, and everyone is doing well!  I told someone this morning to be proud!  Change takes time, but remember that you're A) doing something healthy for yourself, and B) You're doing it!  While others are still in bed or being lazy, be PROUD of the fact that you are pushing yourself and you are doing it!!!!  This morning we did an outdoor running circuit, and then a short indoor circuit.  Everyone did great!  I love the fact that we can be outside in the summer!

After class this morning, I came home & have been busy!  I made some paleo banana muffins & I have kale chips in the dehydrator.  It's my first time to use the dehydrator so we'll see how that goes!  I seem to burn any kind of chips that I attempt to make in the oven so I thought I would give this a shot!

Kale is dehydrating!  Seasoned with olive oil & seasoned salt

Banana Paleo muffins- with dark chocolate :)

Have a great Monday- make it a good week!  Pray, have some faith, enjoy your family, and be healthy!  Make smart food choices & exercise every day :)

Jen