Friday Funny: Need help remembering to exercise?

Friday Funny: Broiled Skinless Chicken Breast...it's what's for dinner!

Tasty TidBit Tuesday: Cherry Chia Juice

On the latest post of Tasty TidBit Tuesday I wrote about the health benefits of Tart Cherry Juice- but now I've started mixing 2 TBSP of Chia Seeds into my 6 oz of juice and I love it!

Chia Seeds (yes, like the Chia Pet!)  are an amazing SUPERFOOD! Why?

1. Helps regulate blood sugar- goodbye diabetes! 
2. Evidence shows it can help lower blood pressure
3. Has Anti-oxidants for cancer prevention
4. Has anti-inflammatory benefits
5. Assists in weight loss or weight stabilization since 2 TBSP has only 70 calories but is packed with 6g Fiber, 3g Protein and Omega 3 fatty acids!

 

My favorite brand is Navitas Chia Power- which I found at Whole Foods- but you can also purchase online or in other health food stores! 

Friday Funny: Cows and Pigs are best friends!

I laughed but I was also grossed out. Ugh! 

Happy Friday! 

Friday Funny: Which came first...the chicken or the egg?

I love eggs...this one should consider himself lucky ;-)

Tasty TidBit Tuesday: Tart Cherry Juice

One of my new favorite ways to wind down in the evening is with 6oz Tart Cherry Juice. I've been putting it in my wine glass so it's a little more fun and it tastes delicious!

I prefer the Tart Cherry Juice from Trader Joe's because it's not made from concentrate- just make sure you shake it before you pour, it will have some separation of the pulp.

 Why you should drink Cherry Juice too: 

• It has anti-inflammatory properties, studies show daily drinking can help tremendously with arthritis and that's also great for muscle recovery after exercise
• Contains a boatload of antioxidants- can we say cancer prevention?
• Regulates blood sugar levels- goodbye diabetes risk! 
• It also contains natural melatonin- which will help you doze off a little faster- which is why I drink it at night. 

What goes around, come around!

During my Daniel Fast in November- I tried to complete a different Random Act of Kindness (RAK) for each day I was on the fast. I was very successful in this and completed a total of 30 tasks for the 21 days I fasted!

I have been rewarded for my good deeds over the past 2 days when the lady in front of me at Target allowed me to use her 5% off coupon yesterday and then again today when the man in front of me at the drive through paid for my order.

It's the little things in life that mean the most!

Happy Saturday!

Friday Funny: Pilates?

A slice of pie (1/8 of a pie) contains approximately 300 calories and up to 30g of sugar! A medium or grande latte with 2% milk can contain 200-300 calories and up to another 30g of sugar depending on the flavor shots you choose! 

It would take about 2 hours of Pilates to burn off the calories consumed by that delicious snack! Not to mention the havoc it could reap on your blood sugar levels and hormones!

There's a little food for thought on your Friday! Happy Weekend! 

Friday Funny: You are what you eat!

But in all seriousness- it's not about being "skinny"- it's about being healthy! 

What did you do today that was good for you?

Happy Friday! 

"Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food." Hippocrates

Click the link and hit PLAY to watch a free screening of Food Matters. (only available for free until December 10th!)

This documentary exposes some of the issues behind our food and drug industries. It will change your life.

Tasty TidBit Tuesday: Garlic Cabbage "Steaks"

In my last Green Bean Delivery  bin (more on that later!), I received 2 heads of cabbage. Since the weather has cooled off a bit, I've been craving warm foods, so coleslaw didn't seem like the best thing to make with my cabbage and I'm not a huge sauerkraut fan. So I was so excited when I stumbled across this awesome and EASY recipe for Garlic Cabbage "Steaks"!

Ingredients: 

1 Large head of Cabbage- cut into 1" thick slices (from top to "root")

Olive Oil

3-4 Garlic cloves-  minced

Salt and Pepper

Non-stick cooking spray

Instructions: 

1. Preheat oven to 400* and spray non stick spray onto baking sheet

2. Rub minced garlic on both sides of each cabbage slice

3. Drizzle Olive Oil on both sides

4. Sprinkle with salt and pepper

5. Roast for 30 minutes, Flip and roast an additional 30 minutes or until outer ring of cabbage are caramelized 

Serve hot! YUM! 

Thankful for the Daniel Fast!

I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you to everyone who encouraged me while I completed my Daniel Fast. Your encouraging words on Facebook and in person, regarding my blog and my discoveries were uplifting, and I appreciate that God worked through you to help me find my path.

God is still revealing things to me even though I'm almost a week out from my last day of the fast. It's amazing how He works! 

I started my fast with a LONG list of To Do's that I wanted to complete each day of the fast, I was definitely not perfect in this aspect- however, I discovered that I really do enjoy a daily bible study and plan to continue this with a special Christmas bible study with my Table Group that starts December 1st.  Feel free to follow along with us, as I will blog about some of my favorite scriptures and Christmas events.

Happy Thanksgiving Eve to you! I hope you enjoy some family time and wonderful food tomorrow!

Daniel Fast Day #21: Where God guides, He provides! Last day of my fast!

Today is the last day of my fast! I'm going out with a bang and only consuming juices for the day. I'm truly amazed at how God has revealed some of my fears and stopped those thoughts in their tracks. I feel much more at peace with my relationships and decisions, this is making me excited and anxious to see where I go from here. The passage from my Ultimate Daniel Fast book today was about spreading the word and speaking of God's praises to bring others to him- which is why I decided to blog about this whole experience to begin with. I hope others will take a leap of faith in their lives and try something uncomfortable.

It's been a little nerve-racking putting myself out there like this. Our society has painted outspoken Christians unfairly, and no one wants to be ridiculed, yet here I am. On the other end of an amazing journey and knowing that I did not do this by myself. God was with me every step of the way. He is the one who brought me back to the Daniel Fast to reveal his plans and love for me and I'm ever so grateful that he did.

If anyone has any questions about the Daniel Fast or wants some guidance embarking on their own journey- please feel free to contact me! I would love to share the peace I feel with others.

Happy Thursday! And keep tuning in as I continue to bring you topics of health and wellness,
physically and spiritually!

Daniel Fast Day #20: Stop the glorification of busy!

Tomorrow is my last day on the fast! And I am so glad that I decided to take this on before the rush of the holidays. I have felt extra "busy" these past few weeks taking care of my extra assignments- but I also found clarity and that was exactly what I needed. I'm looking forward to moving into the holiday season with an open heart and my eyes wide open to the experiences of getting together with loved ones. 

It also seemed appropriate that the daily passage from my Ultimate Daniel Fast book was about being content. So much of my adult life so far has been spent "waiting for the other shoe to drop." It's always about taking the next step forward and I realized that this mentality and "busyness" that we create for ourselves is what truly prevents us from just being present in the moment. I plan to take things one day at a time, slow down and truly appreciate where I am. That doesn't mean you can't get excited about future potential but to accept yourself and your current situation for what it is today can be the determining factor in whether you choose happiness or not! 

Daniel Fast Day #19: Deliciously Vegan Recipe- Caramelized Tofu with Brusselsprouts and Brown Rice

I've never eaten tofu on purpose. I wasn't sure if it would suffice as a proper meat substitute in my meals- but I'm so glad that I found this recipe! Tofu is probably one reason, I've been able to survive my Daniel Fast so far! 

So here's my have tofu recipe so far!

Caramelized Tofu with Brusselsprouts and Brown Rice

• 1 block of extra firm tofu
• 3 TBSP brown sugar (optional) 
• 1 TBSP olive oil
• Dash Salt
• 1/3 cup pecans
• 2 cups (about 10 large) raw brussel sprouts- sliced
• 1/3 cup Raw Cilantro (optional)
• 3 cloves garlic (or more if you like it)
• **I omitted the brown sugar and cilantro and it was still delicious! 

Instructions: 

1. Slice tofu longways in 1/4 inch slices- then half so that they are skinny pieces
2. Heat oil and dash of salt in frying pan
3. Lightly brown tofu (about 5-6 minutes)
4. Add Pecans and Garlic (cook 3 more minutes)
5. Add Brown sugar (cook 2 more minutes) (optional)
6. Put tofu mixture aside in bowl and add cilantro- mix- (optional)
7. In same used pan cook sliced brussel sprouts until slightly softened on med/high heat- approx 5 minutes (may need to add a splash more oil here) 
8. Once the brusselsprouts were finished I used the same pan to reheat my precooked brown rice*
9. Place brown rice on plate and layer the brusselsprouts and tofu mix on top

*To cook brown rice
1 cup brown rice
2 cup vegetable or chicken broth
Bring water to a boil
Add rice and cover
Lower heat to simmer and keep covered
Allow to continue cooking for 30-40 minutes


Happy Tuesday! If you try it out- leave me a comment at the bottom- I'd love to know what you think!

Daniel Fast Day #18: The Daily Grind...

Everyone has certain tasks that just become part of their routine. You don't really question these tasks- they just have to be done.

As part of my Daniel Fast I challenged myself to include certain daily "tasks" that I wanted to accomplish.

My goals:
1. Read my Daniel Fast passage of the day from my Ultimate Daniel Fast Book and the recommended scriptures associated with it
2. Express Gratitude to a new person each day
3. Perform a Random Act of Kindness each day
4. Exercise for at least 30 minutes (outside of teaching classes)
5. Read a few pages from the book, "Blessed"- so that I would complete it by the end of the fast.
6. Journal and Blog about my experience

Some days these tasks were easy and they flew by- but other days- my "real world" to-do list was larger and more pressing and it pushed some of these "tasks" away. However, I haven't given up on any of those tasks yet- and as my fast comes to an end on Thursday, I plan to recommit to these tasks to see if I can make up some of the lost time. :-)

The task I've been the most successful on completing regularly is reading my Daniel Fast book and the daily Bible study scriptures associated with each day. But I strongly believe that my success in this is not of my own doing, but God, pushing me to stay close to Him. I certainly plan to make daily Bible study part of my everyday life and I encourage other Christians to do the same. Taking time for the Word, especially before the start of the day, will leave you with a better attitude and a kinder heart as you tackle your daily tasks.

Happy Monday!

Daniel Fast Day #17: I dreamed about coffee last night...

Saturday was the toughest day I've had so far with cravings. We spent the night in Richmond, Ky at Jordan's apartment on Friday since the band worked late recording at North Ridge Studio B (AKA Jordan's spare bedroom).  

I brought some of my food with me, however, lack of sleep and being out of my normal routine apparently wreaked havoc on me and I had terrible cravings for coffee and sweets all day on Saturday. I resisted but it was difficult! So difficult, in fact, that I actually dreamed that I drank a cup of coffee while on the Fast...

Happy Sunday to you! 

Daniel Fast Day #16: Need help with your meal planning?

I love organization. I mean, I dropped some cash for my super cute Erin Condren Life Planner!  It's helped me keep myself on track with all of the additional tasks I took on with my Daniel Fast, but it's also helped me plan my meals out for the week!

Another great resource I've found for organizing all the yummy recipes I've been making lately is Pepperplate! It's a website that allows you save all those yummy recipes you find online in one place! I've been using it for a while now, off and on, but more recently since I've been experimenting with some new Vegan options for the Daniel Fast.

My favorite part of Pepperplate, is that you can either copy and past the website  link on the import recipe page and it will copy all the ingredients and directions or you can manually add recipes that can't be imported by copy and pasting. This has been really helpful at the grocery store since I can access my saved recipes on my iPhone app- they have apps for multiple devices. Plus there's a cool feature that organizes your recipes into a meal plan for the week and it will pull the ingredients into a shopping list! Who doesn't need help meal planning and making a grocery list?!? 

I hope you'll check it out- it's free! And a great way to start cooking at home more. Home cooked food has additional vitamins that restaurant food does not- specifically "Vitamin L" which is food that's made with LOVE!

Happy Saturday! 

Daniel Fast Day #14 and #15: Less than one week left!

Yesterday was a busy day, but I managed to squeeze it all in- everything, except my daily blog post! So today is a two-fer!

I have 6 days left on my Daniel Fast. I'm not counting down because it's been miserable. I'm counting down because I can't wait to see how God uses the last few days of my fast to reveal more things in my heart.

I've already received guidance on relationships and situations in my life that I wasn't sure about.  I've learned to take control of the things that I can and to truly let go of the things that I can't. It's made me so much happier!



I usually start the day with my planner- writing out all of the tasks I need to accomplish. But yesterday, I allowed myself the freedom to push my planned events for the day to accompany a dear friend and coworker to the mall to see the craziness of the new H & M store opening at the mall. The line was SOOOO long that we only gawked at the insane amount of people in line and decided to get lunch instead. We had such a good talk (and healthy meal!) and it made me happy that I loosened up my scheduling reigns and squeezed in a little fun. Thank you, Joy, for a fabulous lunch yesterday and I hope that all my female readers can appreciate this quote.

Happy Friday!

Daniel Fast Day #13: Are you going through a tough time?

It's going to sound corny and a little cheesy but this is true. I have been passing through a very difficult season in my life. Some of the relationships in my life were changing, my goals were changing and I started looking a the bigger picture...then I freaked out. I tried to remind myself that we all have to go through hard times to learn something, but it wasn't until I ACTUALLY gave it up to God, that I started seeing things more clearly! Who knew it worked!?!





I decided to partake in the my Daniel Fast as a way of repentance for previously living my life away from God but also to draw nearer to Him and FINALLY listen to what He had to say. His plans for my life had to be better than what I as "planning" and certainly less painful- and that was the truth. I feel more in control the less control I have- if that makes any sense? But I was inspired to share this journey with you so that you may also seek peace and comfort in His arms if you are struggling. God Bless!

Daniel Fast Day #12: Miso Soup to the rescue!

After a long, but fun weekend my body is drained! I thought I was just sore and tired yesterday from completing my B. Silque™ training this weekend, but this morning I was feeling a bit under the weather so I'm home resting now after a morning of teaching classes. 

A dear friend and client at the studio (Hi Karen!) recommended Miso Soup and warm liquids all day to help me fight this ickiness. Karen is a Holistic Health Practitioner who specializes in Chinese Medicine at Meridian Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine, so I definitely trust her on this matter! 

Miso is a paste made from soybeans, salt and different grains that have been fermented. Miso Soup was used to treat those affected by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings! There are a TON of health benefits to consuming Miso, it contains all the amino acids required to make a complete protein for the body, strengthens the immune system (bring it on!) and protects the body against free radicals, just to name a few! 

I bought instant Miso soup packets this morning- but I found some really easy recipes for homemade Miso Soup on Vegan American Princess- that I can't wait to try next time! You can also purchase Miso HERE! 

Daniel Fast Day #11: Random of Act of Kindness- Holiday Mail for Heroes!

Did you know that the Red Cross mails donated, signed holiday cards to those military men and women stationed over seas? Since it's Veteran's Day- my random act of kindness for the day was sending a few of these signed Christmas cards to the Red Cross to be distributed!

If this is something you are interested in- be sure to check out the "rules" and details here:
Holiday Cards for Heroes - American Red Cross

Daniel Fast Day #11: Thankful for our Veterans!!

It's Veteran's Day and I love seeing the outpouring of love for our Veterans on Facebook. I have lots of family from many different branches of the military including grandfathers, my step-father, uncles and both of my brothers, who are still active. I hope they know that I appreciate them everyday, but that I appreciate their sacrifices even more on this day.







One of my favorite things to do is to thank veterans that I see out in public, that I don't know. This picture to the left is taken from an amazing experience my husband and I had when I was able to ride along with him on the Run for the Wall®.  One of our sleeping bags was lost on the highway so we stopped at a Walmart to purchase a new one and for Justin to purchase some flags to attached to our luggage rack. While we were in the parking lot attaching the flags, I saw a gentleman wearing a Vietnam War hat from 1967, I ran over to thank him for his service and say welcome home, and he started crying. This is the reason for the Run for the Wall®.

Happy Veteran's Day to all the Veterans!!

Daniel Fast Day #10: I love my job!

After an intense weekend of training with some of my favorite people, I can happily say that I Love My Job! This is not the first time I've realized this- it was just reaffirmed! 

I'm grateful that I have the opportunity to follow my passion, it makes the dreaded Monday not such a big deal. 

My only wish is that my "job" makes a difference in just one persons life.  

Happy Sunday all! 

Daniel Fast Day #9: I LOVE learning! I'm excited for my B. Silque™ training this weekend!

Since exercise is my passion and my livelihood, I LOVE learning, reading and hearing about it. I love watching documentaries about people overcoming amazing physical disabilities through exercise, changing their lives just by discovering that they can do something they didn't think they could and gaining confidence knowing that they are worthy of feeling good. Endorphins are awesome.




This weekend I'm super excited to complete my training in our B. Silque™ method at  B. You Fitness!  I'm also grateful that through a series of what seemed like random events at the time, I was connected with Stephanie who gave me an opportunity I was hoping for. I've been teaching BarreAmped classes for B. You Fitness (used to be name B. Barre Fitness) for over a year now- and I finally feel as though I found my calling. My gift of teaching has proved beneficial time and time again as our clients bodies and attitudes have changed. It's an amazing experience.


So now, I am extra grateful that Stephanie and Rashna have invited me to participate in their creation of B. Silque™!! I can't wait to see how our clients transform with this amazing method as well!

Daniel Fast Day #8: Did you MAKE time to EXERCISE today?

Exercise. It's a taboo word for some, but it's my passion and livelihood! I don't need to list all of the benefits of exercise (I'll leave that to the pretty little image I've added below!) Everyone knows that it's good for you and that we should all do it, but we don't!

As a trainer, I hear lots of "reasons" why people don't "have time" to exercise. They are legitimate reasons, however, it doesn't mean you are EXCUSED! We still have to do it-  it's like brushing your teeth, taking out the garbage or paying taxes. It has to be done.



As a nation, we have spent a lot of money raising "AWARENESS" of cancer, heart disease, diabetes and mental disorders. Now that we are aware,  can we please focus on making changes instead?






In an ideal world everyone would exercise for at least 30 minutes everyday- but 3-5 days/week is a good place to start. I've committed to daily exercise (outside of my normal activity levels of teaching and training) for everyday I'm on the Daniel Fast. I hope you will consider MAKING the time for it yourself, because I know plenty of people who are still hoping to FIND the time. Now, please, excuse me as I hop off my soapbox!

Daniel Fast Day #7: My cousin is amazing!

I was very productive today after a morning of teaching! My mind feels clear and my body has finally adjusted to the fasting diet changes! My pay it forward for the day was to hang out with this sleepy cutie while his momma (my beautiful, generous cousin) donated her super long hair to Pantene Beautiful Lengths program which makes wigs for cancer patients! She also raised $60 in donations to send to Wigs for Kids, which helps make wigs for cancer children. She's amazing and I'm grateful to have her in my life!

Daniel Fast Day #6: Pay it forward updates!

I've been holding up my promise of "Paying it forward" daily through my fast! Here's a recap so far!

Pre-fast: Bought coffee for the person behind me in line at Heine Bros Coffee.

Day #1: Wrote a positive review for a local business on Google.

Day #2: Gave 100% tip to our waiter at the restaurant in Indy.

Day #3: Took Jax on a long walk after being neglected all weekend and gathered up old clothes to donate.

Day #4: Baked my hubby his favorite cookies- Chocolate-Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies,  since I threw out all the sweets in the house! 

Day #5:  A client from the studio was going to buy 2 of my tank tops that no longer fit well- but I gave them to her instead.

Day #6: I offered to take a lady's cart to the cart corral because she was trying to load her 2 children up in the rain at Whole Foods today.

Daniel Fast Day #5: I tried "Oil-Pulling" today!

During my fast, I've decided to keep and open spirit and an open mind! Therefore, I decided to try something new today that I've heard about through my IIN® program....Oil-pulling! It's from Ayurvedic medicine, which has been around for thousands of years. There are a long list of potential health benefits including boosting the immune system- which is perfect for this cold/flu season!

If you are interested in learning more check out Oil-Pulling with Dr. Sarah Larsen!

And if you want to purchase some of the oil that I used and enjoyed this morning click HERE!


Happy Healthy Tuesday!

Daniel Fast Day #4: Did you gather for the WORD this weekend?

This weekend we started a new series called "Taking Time for Family" @ Northside Christian Church. We are in a great season for family time with Thanksgiving approaching. I love seeing all of the Thankful posts daily on my newsfeed! I especially love that the first few days are always people being thankful for their spouses, children and other family members. I'm a little bummed that I won't get to see all of my family members this Thanksgiving, but that's because we have SO many! It's a good problem to have.

My prayer for all of you today is that you take some time to be thankful for your families, big or small, blood relatives or "chosen" relatives, near or far and rejoice. Happy Monday!