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Friday, January 2, 2015

"Healthier Eating" our way of life

Yes, after reading about clean eating and such I really knew I was more of  "healthier eater" mommy and that was ok, I'm honestly a very simple cook and it has taken a while to get my kids and husband on board so I keep it easy, simple and use repetitive meals, it has become our way of life.

I share my grocery list in my healthier eating groups and I think some are surprise at how simple it is.

OK lots of personal experiences has taught me the important of what we put into our bodies and importants of nutrient dense foods. We are blessed to not have any serious food allergies in our home, a little mild tummy aches with dairy so we limited that, but its not off limits and my gallbladder does better without fried or heavy foods other than that we are good

Nutrition should be looked at as fuel for your body, everything you put into your body must to be broken down for the body to use and the more simple the food-fuel the less your body has to work to break it down and this directly relates to the body’s ability to utilize the fuel properly. Food -Fuel is broken down into proteins, fats, carbohydrates, sugars, minerals and vitamins.

Having a balance of these nutrients is the key for proper bodily and digestive function and this time of year we are bombarded with commercials, signs, products and posts that draw you in with a promise of quick results from fad diets and programs, some by cutting out food groups, calories, pills, teas and so forth. Before you and your family start hacking out food items, detoxing while drinking tea and such, take a quick inventory of your current health situation and your heath goals for this year, do you think you need to cut out major foods groups such as dairy, grain, meat etc. or if you need to focus on cleaner less processed foods?
Try keeping the ingredients in your food to 10 items or less 5 being ideal.

Let’s talk about Clean Eating and what that means to us today, it could be all or nothing where meat is concerned, all or nothing with organic items, all or nothing with grain and wheat.

The true answer for our family, Clean Eating is actually our version of “Healthier Eating” our mission over the last few years has been cutting out overly processed, pesticide, antibiotic filled dairy and meat products along with meats containing nitrates and fillers, in addition to cutting out high fat, high sugar foods and drinks. We think of it as eating and shopping from the parameter of the store. We have become a steady 80-20 family, meaning we eat 80% healthy "Clean" and the other 20% we don't stress about when we've eaten out or had a pizza night. It's choosing wisely those 20% moments and getting back to the 80% right away. If you get off one meal the day isn't ruined, if you get off a week don't discount the month, stay focused and wake up every day to do better than the last. And yes you do control over that no matter budget, household size and demographics.

So whatever “Clean Eating” means to you right now we highly recommend doing an overhaul of your pantry, refrigerator and freezer this is a great way to clean out your external environment before or as you continue to clean up your internal one, encouraging your body to function property, breaking down the fuel for proper recovery, repair and restoration of your digestive system, liver and increased metabolism, along with increased energy in addition to better skin and sleep
If you would like more information or to join our 4 Day Healthier Eating  group via a private on-line group, where we introduce meal planning ideas, recipes, shopping lists, along with daily support, motivation and accountability just email joyforfitness@gmail.com or message me on Facebook @ www.fb.com/joybracerofitness  and I’ll send you more details.

 I have all new recipes for 2015

In the Private group you’ll experience:

1.       Ideas about healthier eating

2.       Healthier eating on a budget

3.       Turning the idea from diet to lifestyle

4.       Feel great, look great and maybe lose some weight

5.       I’ll introduce you to some of my favorite items including incorporating my most nutritionally dense item in my kitchen into your daily routine

6.       Stay motivated even on the down days

7.       Community of individuals trying to get on a healthier path

8.       You’ll hear and see some of my favorite get moving tips

9.       Clean home ideas “Clutter inhibits productivity and growth”

10.   That small changes everyday leads to lasting results and you and your family are worth those lasting results.
 
You're invited to join me or share your best healthy tips in the comments below.
JoyForFitness - Glorifying God through Faith, Family, Fitness and Food


Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Finding the Joy again...the Real Me!

I'm sitting here thinking about this and I shared this picture on IG the other day, but I keep reading it over and over because I want it to sink in that I am in fact living a life that I love, that I can be a good stay at home mom, wife and also know that it's ok to have my passion and career that it's ok to be me.


The road God has me and my family on right now is amazing, yes at times it is stressful because there is a lot of work involved, but also rewarding because the work that is involved, it is our work our future and our dreams. I'll admit it is not easy and its not always fun to feel alone on a long road. I feel as if I need to share more about our year about what's in my head its deep and it gets personal but its real and I know I haven't been real in a long time. So here goes:

Yes, I love being a wife and a mom ok I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it and our family time is sacred always has been even when we've been criticized for it we still made it our priority. sometimes I say I'm safer in my bubble, and my dad said to me the other day be careful, that's a dangerous place to be.

I would be lost without my best friend and husband by my side, he is there with every step or sometimes leap I make. He is everything to me and he knows and understands that I have something inside of me that always strives to go, do and be more than I am today. It's not that I'm unhappy its the opposite. I'm so happy I can't stop, I want to see what is around the next turn and up the next mountain. He gets me completely, that its never about the money, status or recognition its about me following the little fire that started in my heart so many years ago, the time when I thought I wasn't anything special.


Yes, to think back to look around and think more than once "I have nothing that makes me stand out I'm not talented in that area or gifted to speak with eloquence" actually I got told I think and process differently due to my dyslexia that I misunderstand people more often than not leaving me to feel less than others, thinking it must be my "thinking" that is the problem. Let me state that there is nothing wrong with my thinking. I'm very aware of what people say and think about me and it actually has made me more aware of others sensitivities and insecurities. I'm not saying I'm always the nicest or least judgmental person but that's between me and God and I'm working on that.
What I am trying to say is sometimes the people that think they know you the best no nothing about the real you, what makes you tick and what makes you cry and praise God, but the negative buttons to press they know every last one of those.

Stand in a room and ask people what they think you are good at, your talents, your gifts...I did that with the closest people in my life and they couldn't come up with one thing...ouch! Then one says "you encourage people" but we will never support that part of you and what you do, we don't need that. I was crushed in my old age a grown adult crushed that I am not seen as anything special or bring anything of worth to my own family. True story, but then I took that to prayer and I am a child of God and that alone makes me special and a treasure. I don't need to prove it to anyone here on earth.

I know when I wake up that if I follow my heart and it falls directly in line with the Word of God than I am who I am and I am where I need to be and I'm feeling more and more like me again although sometimes a bit lonely because I have had to purge friendships that did not glorify and edify my testimony.

Now, if I was asked by the women in the mirror what makes her special, her gifts and talents. I would say to her "you love life and although you might see the world through rose colored glasses sometimes ,that's ok; you are looking at the world in all of its splendor and it's possibilities, that this is a world in need of less judgment and more of Jesus, but you can't share Jesus without being who you are and you've been hiding. What makes you, is the person that reaches others through their health, their fitness, their need to feel better even when they don't see it, you are good at planting seeds of the what if and the life of tomorrow and all it can bring. You are the girl that gets up and goes when needed, the one that will give until there isn't much left of you.

Jesus created me, Joy to be just that not a martyr but an up-lifter and encourager to accept people where they are but not to leave them there, to accept and encourage yes thought living a healthier life a life of passion and mission that you aren't created to live unhappy, unhealthy and tired of the everyday. NO you where created to rejoice to raise your voice to praise the one who created you and created this world for us to live in and be a part of.

I know we all are created in His image but with different gifts, talents and characters my prayer is for you and me this year is to not look at someone else's mission or calling as not important. It might not be yours, you might not understand one bit of it, but if it's aligned with God's word please stop and pray for both the person and the mission to be blessed. For this is what the true body of Christ does for one another, we lift each other and our callings in prayer.


I'm grateful to be broken, to feel less than normal and alone but to finally feel His hand start to lift me up again, I have asked God to be real in my life again and this year I feel so alive that I'm scared and excited to see what next year brings.
 
 "Be still and know that I am God" I am being still because I trust my God.
Happy New Year 2015 Friends!

Joy
Glorifying God through Faith, Family, Fitness  

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Are you lost in the everyday? I'll help you find the real you

Did you know that I thought I would join as a coach and help all my healthy fitness friends and then reality hits and I had to ask myself "is that who you want to help" I mean of course if you need help I'm here but no! I want to support & encourage YOU! 
I'm honesty really here to motivate and support the tired, worn-out, doesn't like the gym, enjoys the pizza and fries and just sometimes stops in the middle of a hectic crazy day still in yoga pants first thought "what is yoga anyway?" And then thinks what if...yes, I want you to think "what if I gave myself 30 minutes ok 60 minutes"  I'll give you time for a shower too. 
How would I feel, how would it change my marriage, my energy, my confidence the possibilities to find you again are endless but only if you choose to give yourself the value that you're worth it. 
Now are you ready to finally invest in your own health to be the person He created you to be? 

It starts with trusting and I'm inviting you to trust me to lead you to an amazing new you in 2015   Email or message me today 


Sunday, November 23, 2014

How God works & trusting "everything will be alright"

God is moving so fast for us right now.
I'll share that this is the time I usually say up my husband  "I'm done" I have heard rejections, criticism and flat out failed this month, but I feel amazing and excited and for that that I know We are on the right path. 
Today in church our pastor spoke about being aligned with God and it spoke to me, to be aligned is to have Him be your center and therefore that creates the right balance in your entire life.

Imagine a gear our of alignment: can you hear the grinding, the screeching noices and feel the friction, the gear is non-efficient and will eventually become brittle and brake. 
So many individuals are living out of alignment both physical ally and spiritually and don't know how to or don't believe that they ever can get back on track. 
We want  to be the ones that offers solutions to get your life realigned 

 I feel our mission is to help others align their lives in the best way possible trusting God and taking care of His temple, our bodies.

 "Team Align" helping others align their health, nutrition & fitness according to His plan and design.