Kara

Team CTC!

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A few weeks ago, I was contacted by Michelle Myers, the Owner of Cross Training Couture, and asked if I wanted to be a member of #teamCTC (A group of women that would help represent the CTC brand). I had to consider it for about .2 seconds until I enthusiastically responded “Are you kidding me?!?! YES!!!”.

 If you’ve followed this site for long, you know how much I love Cross Training Couture for several reasons:

-This company is based on Biblical Principles and creates products that get Scriptural Truths out to the public
-This company believes in MODESTY.
-This company creates SERIOUSLY cute fitness gear.
-This
company prays over every tank that is sold, not only for the person
wearing it, but also that seeds of the Gospel will be planted in the
hearts of all those who see it.

-I whole-heatedly support  the calling and ministry of the company’s founder, Michelle Myers. She has a heart for Jesus, for leadership, and for fitness. (a woman after my own heart).
-Their tanks are affordable and well made.

Because of these reasons, I have chosen to use Cross Training Couture products for my two giveaways since Wellness Witness started.  I chose to purchase their tanks as my prizes for the contests because I loved what the company stood for,  and I wanted to support them (never having a clue that I would be part of #teamCTC one day.)

And for some crazy reason, Michelle Myers actually knows who I am, and has seen what God is doing through each of you and Wellness Witness, and asked me to be a part of Team CTC. How cool is that?!?!?! God is so very, very good to me.(Ps. 37:4 He continues giving me the desires of my heart when I honor Him).

What this means for you is not really anything different than what you’ve seen from me up to this point. I’ll still share posts and pictures of me wearing CTC gear, just like I have been. BUT,  I’ll also be able to give away more Cross Training Couture tanks to readers in the future, so you’ll see more giveaways coming up.I’ll also get to submit a few short videos and pictures for use by Cross Training Couture each month, which will help get the Wellness Witness ministry out to more people.

It’s a Win/Win, right?!

There is a new tank coming out THIS WEDNESDAY (tomorrow!) that you are going to LOVE. Head over to www.crosstrainingcouture.com to purchase yours! 🙂 There are exciting things coming up in the future for Cross Training Couture and I can’t wait to see what all God does through this company! Once the link to purchase the tanks is up, I’ll share it with you on my instagram page and on the Wellness Witness Facebook page.

Monday Morning Motivation…ENOUGH!

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Each Monday over on the Wellness Witness Facebook Page, I try to post a short video for you of something God has been teaching me. It is my prayer that this helps you to focus on your week on things that matter right from the start.

Today’s video was a bit longer, so I’m also uploading it for you to view here. I speak on being “ENOUGH” in this one, as I’m struggling with sending my daughter off to 1st grade this morning. I hope that it speaks to you and reminds you that YOU ARE ENOUGH exactly as you are, friend.


Click the link below to see the video:
http://youtu.be/s53qFaF6TNs

If you’re reading this post through your email, then you’ll need to go over to the site to view the video.

Praying for each of you that read this today that you will be filled with knowing that you are ENOUGH because you are HIS.

Praying for you and cheering you on!

Sharing our Successes….Meet Julie!!!!

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I first “met” Julie from her amazing facebook page: The Fit Mom Revolution.

I was so inspired by her daily posts that her page quickly became one of my favorites. I emailed her last week to ask permission to share her story with y’all, and thankfully, she agreed! I know you’re going to be inspired by her journey. Here’s Julie!

——————————–

For
the bulk of my adult life, I was heavy, achy, and less than healthy.  I
carried an extra 70 pounds on my body.  As I’ve shared my journey with
thousands of women over the last several years, I’ve learned that we are
all so similar.  Maybe you can relate to some or all of what I share
here.  
I spent many years…
…dodging
the camera. There are a lot of reasons I didn’t want my picture taken;
some of them are superficial. But the main reason was because I didn’t
want to see myself as others saw me. I was overweight and close to
obese. I was not ready to face that true reality.
…dodging
social events. I was so worried that someone who had not seen me in a
while would notice I had put on weight. Or what if no one noticed that I
had lost a few? Or, even worse, what if someone did notice I had
lost a few pounds; then people would know I was trying to change my
body and I would have one more opportunity to fail.
…dodging
certain conversations. There always seemed to be the one person would
bring up diet and exercise casually in a group setting, and I
immediately felt ‘less than.’  The only thing I felt I could contribute
would be the times I tried and failed to change my body.  And who wants
to listen to Debbie Downer all night?
…being
sneaky. I was the classic drive-thru queen and had perfected dumping
the trash in a gas station on the way to carpool line. See, in front of
everyone, I could be the perfect dieter, but I didn’t have enough
willpower to avoid the smell of fries. If I ate the “naughty” foods when
no one was around, then no one saw me stumble and fall, or even worse,
fail.
…missing
out. I was tired, grumpy, and anti-social. I know I missed making
connections with my husband and kids, simply because I wasn’t engaged in
life in general.  And (hello!) it was difficult just to keep up with
them.  I was counting down nap time for the kids, not because I needed a
break, but because I needed a nap, too.
I
am so thankful to have a friend who introduced me to eating and
exercising to lose fat.  It’s different than dieting, which was a huge
relief to me.  When you try and fail time and again, it gets harder and
harder to diet.  But eating for fat loss is different in that it kept my
cravings away, kept my energy up, and allowed me to see success.  
The
biggest change was that I was able to get my emotional eating under
control.  Because I was feeding my body great foods, I wasn’t dealing
with the normal cravings that came with dieting.  So this gave me some
time to looking to the mental attachments I had with food and make
adjustments.  It feels pretty amazing to have a stressful day, deal with
an upsetting event, or struggle with a scenario and NOT feel the need
to dive into a pint of ice cream or a heavy pour of vino.  I have coping
skills in place that allow me to keep on trucking past the drive thru
and skip the order of fries.  Getting the emotional binges out of my way
is what has allowed me to keep the 70 pounds off.  It has allowed me to
see past food and deal with what was really driving me to eat.  It has
allowed me to no longer feel attached to food, and it’s a great
sensation.
After
experiencing the changes in my body and mind, I became determined to
help other women with their struggles.  Becoming a trainer certified in
fat loss exercise and nutrition, I opened my own fitness studio and have
helped hundreds of women get healthy, feel, better, and break emotional
ties with food.  Wanting to expand my reach and help even more, I
started the Fit Mom Revolution, an online community to support women
(mostly moms) who are sick of the diet cycle and need a way out.  I help
moms expand their resources, which allows them to keep up with their
kids and partners, get better sleep, and feel less guilty about taking
care of themselves.  It’s a win for the whole family!
Thank
you for taking the time to read a little about me.  If you are
interested, I have a free gift for you.  It’s 5 steps to recover from a
food binge; simply to grab your copy.  
Feel free to stop by the Fit Mom Revolution page on Facebook and say, “Hi!”
  I’d love to meet you!

Wellness Witness Workout #5

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Here’s another workout for you to try. The only equipment you need is a
set of moderate hand weights/dumb bells (heavier=better).

*Remember, the style of workout is called REST BASED TRAINING. That
means you will push until you can’t keep going, and then you rest until
you’re ready to start back. You should be breathless, have burning
muscles, and be hot.
*Attempt these exercises at your own risk. Wellness Witness is not
liable for any injuries sustained while attempting these workouts.

(If you aren’t sure how to do any of these moves you can find videos on YouTube)

Workout #5:
WARM UP WELL BEFORE BEGINNING!

You will need a step/stool/wall for this workout. 

Set 1: (Each move is 30 seconds)
Repeat set 3 times
Squat with a curl, stand, overhead press
Mountain climbers using wall (hands on wall/stool/step)
Wide leg squat, then curl each foot back to kick behind you
Push-Ups on the wall

Set 2: (each move is 30 seconds)
Repeat set 3 times
Step-ups with a bicep curl
Wall push-ups with a kick through to each side
Split Squat Left leg
Split Squat Right leg
Tricep Dips on Wall

Set 3: (Each move is 30 seconds)
Only do this set 1 time through
Plank- alternate raising opposite leg and arm out straight
Plank hold
Bridges with weight on hips
Bridge hold with pulse
Push-ups
Bicycle Crunches

Be sure to stretch well when finished.

Each move should be completed as quickly as you can while keeping good form. Use weights heavy enough that this workout is CHALLENGING and that you are having to stop and rest some, especially the second and third time through the sets.

An Update… RevWell Training Begins!

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For those that have been following along for a while, you have read a lot about my dream of enrolling in Revelation Wellness Instructor Training and how God delivered it right to me.

For those just joining us here at Wellness Witness, here’s the abbreviated version:

Thirteen months ago I first heard about Revelation Wellness and began to pray
about if it was something I was called towards. I had never heard of fitness and faith being combined in such an effective, Christ centered way and I remember weeping as I watched their intro video.

Eight months ago, I was
burdened over knowing it was something I was called towards,  but had no
idea how It could ever be possible. I followed the advice that Alisa Keeton gave and asked a few people to begin praying for direction and that IF it was the right plan for me to follow, that doors would be thrown wide open. (I didn’t tell them what I was praying about, just that I had something I felt called to do)
 Five months ago God threw open the doors and prepared the way for me to begin this journey and on Sunday night, we began. 
  

Our first class “meeting” was led by Alisa Keeton, the founder of Revelation Wellness, and she used our hour together to cast the vision for what we are embarking on. Throughout the time she was speaking I was frantically writing notes, but also wiping away tears and shouting “amen” and “yes!”.

Her words echo in my heart and I feel a call rising up that I cannot silence. And I’m connecting with other people with the same desires, the same calling, the same passions to see people be set FREE. Amazing.

Last night we met for our first Monday night session, and I got to meet the other 36 brave souls that have enrolled in this class, as well as several of our instructors and the Rev Core team.

I cannot
put into words the anticipation I have and how many prayers have led up
to this point.
I’ll try to keep you updated weekly on how things are going and on what all we are learning. It’s sure to be an amazing journey, and will not be without challenges and spiritual attacks. Pray for each of us and for our families. Pray for those we are going to one day serve and that God will reveal to each of us exactly what He wants us to do and how we are being equipped for His purposes.

I’m ready to see God move and ready to be training so I can
join in on the work He is already doing.

#sendmeillgo #lovegreaterthanfear #revwelltrain

A great snack option…

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One of my favorites snacks to have on hand at all times: NUTS!

I like many varieties and types, but my two top favorites are Almonds and Cashews. We buy these unsalted and in large quantities and then I divide them out into small serving sized containers when I meal prep on Sundays. I keep them stashed in my car, my purse and in my desk.

Some people are afraid to have nuts as a regular part of their diet due to the high fat content.

Here are a few statistics that may help change your mind:

*The Journal of Obesity said that those that eat nuts at least two times per week are 30% LESS LIKELY to gain weight compared to those that don’t eat nuts!

*In a recent study, dieters who ate 2 oz of almonds a day lost 6″ from their waist over 24 weeks. This is 50% MORE than dieters eating the same number of calories and no almonds.

*Replacing 127 calories worth of carbs with nuts each day will DECREASE the risk of heart disease by 30%. (127 cals of a carb would be the equivalent of 14 baked Lays potato chips).

*People who eat nuts feel fuller 1.5 hrs longer on average than those eating fat free foods (ex: rice cakes)

*The best way to eat nuts is when you pair them with a low sugar fruit and also drink a lot of water. The water will expand the fiber and help you feel fuller for longer.

Nuts are relatively inexpensive, and if you buy the natural, unsalted, unflavored ones, they’re almost in their natural state so you can feel good about not having a lot of additives.

Although they are good for you, you still can’t eat them to excess. A good rule of thumb would be 2 servings per day and then see how your body does with them. If you’re also having nut butters, you won’t want to have as many servings of nuts. As always, monitor your individual body and see how you feel and then adjust from there.

Have a great week!!!!