Be encouraged today.
Whatever has you feeling defeated
or feeling like you aren’t valuable
or good enough
or strong enough…
YOU are because HE is. Love y’all!
Be encouraged today.
When I haven’t planned ahead and supper time is in 15 minutes…
Confession: I haven’t done well this week with planning ahead for our family meal at supper. I could give you a dozen really good
reasonsexcuses, but none of them really matter.
reasonsexcuses, but none of them really matter.
Last night I called my husband at 5:00 and made him pick up a healthy take out option.
Today I was working on some business and realized that it was 5:15 and I had absolutely no plan for supper, no meat thawed out, no convenience foods in our fridge or freezer, and no grocery money or eating out money left in our envelopes (We are BIG on the Dave Ramsey Plan around here).
So I did what I frequently do when we don’t have enough time or enough money to have a really good meal prepared…I turned to a staple in our home… EGGS!
Eggs can be fixed many different ways. We eat them frequently and enjoy the protein that they offer as well as the nutritional benefits we get from eating the whole egg (Good article about that HERE).
Tonight I pulled out any veggies that I could find in our fridge already prepared, plus got out a bag of frozen spinach and a bag of frozen shortcut veggies.
(Are you familiar with this product? Super cheap and makes it really easy to add some extra flavor to dishes).
Within 15 minutes I had omelets made and we were all happy.
I’ve made dishes with eggs frequently over the last month. Usually I prepare about 4 eggs plus some liquid egg whites, then stuff them full of all the veggies and protein sources that I can round up and it feeds both my husband and myself.
Here are some of the variations we have made the past month:
Egg, veggie and pepperoni scramble served with two protein pancakes topped with natural PB.[/caption]
Omelet with turkey bacon plus spinach, tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, peppers, onions, celery and spices.
Eggs and egg whites scrambled with onions, spinach and feta cheese served with grilled pork tenderloin.
Veggie omelet with turkey bacon and oranges.
Leftover Ground Beef from the Hamburger lettuce wraps (Recipe HERE ) scrambled with an egg and spinach.
Eggs are affordable, easy to find anywhere, and full of good nutrition that will inch you closer to your fitness goals. Stuck in a dinner rut? Scramble up some, toss in whatever veggies you can find and whatever protein is available. Easy and delicious!
Braised Chicken with Tomatoes and Kale
For those of you that know me well, you know that I am NOT a fancy cook.
If a recipe calls for more than about 5 ingredients, typically I don’t make it.
If it involves fancy terms or kitchen tools, it’s not for me.
But I’m learning new techniques, new ingredients, and venturing out a bit in the cooking world.
One recipe that I tried lately that we LOVED was from several years ago in Cooking Light magazine. We adapted it a bit. Here’s our version:
Ingredients needed:
2 TB Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
4 Chicken Breasts
Salt and Pepper
a couple TB of flour (we used white, but whole wheat or almond would be ideal)Garlic- I use minced and probably added 2 TB
1 bunch of Kale or 1 bag kale, washed well
14.5 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
14.5 oz can low sodium chicken broth
2 TB Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
4 Chicken Breasts
Salt and Pepper
a couple TB of flour (we used white, but whole wheat or almond would be ideal)Garlic- I use minced and probably added 2 TB
1 bunch of Kale or 1 bag kale, washed well
14.5 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
14.5 oz can low sodium chicken broth
-Preheat Oven to 325.
1-In dutch oven (to be honest, I didn’t know what that was. I used a big glass pot that was oven safe) on Medium High heat, add a little of your olive oil.
2-Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
3-Put a little flour in a shallow dish and dredge your chicken through the flour. Repeat on both sides.
4-Cook around 2 minutes per side and remove from pan. Repeat steps 2-4 until you’ve done this process with all your chicken breasts.
5- Add in a little bit more olive oil and good your garlic around 20-30 seconds. Don’t let it burn. Add half of your kale and cook around 2-3 minutes, then add in the rest of the kale and cook 3 minutes.
6- Stir in tomatoes and chicken broth and then get that up to a boil.
7- Return your chicken to this big pot once it’s boiling.
8- Put the lid on your big pot and then put it in the oven (make sure your pot is oven safe first!) Cook at 325 degrees for 1 hr to 1 hr 15 minutes.
We LOVED this dish and I am NOT normally a fan of kale. We served it with a small bit of brown rice and a bunch of garden grown green beans. DELICIOUS!
The Sugar in Our Foods VIDEO LINK
Hello, all!
I led my first Wellness Workshop this week. It was a fun time of sharing tips and techniques that have worked for me, encouraging one another on our individual pursuit of wellness, and speaking worth and affirmation into those there.
One of the topics that I covered was SUGAR and how much is in the foods we eat each day. I’ve uploaded a video for you with this same information. It’s 10 minutes long but will be an EYE OPENER for you about the sugar that is in our food, and poisoning our bodies.
Click the link below to access it:
One month in…
Happy Saturday, friends!
Here we are, one month in to this journey together.
Sad to tell you this, but statistics say that around 70% of you have already thrown in the towel. Did you read that? 70% .
Take the numbers for our facebook group- We currently have 438 people who follow the Wellness Witness page.
If we use that number, then statistics say that around 306 of you have already given up. You’ve decided it’s just easier, more comfortable, and safer to just keep on living as you had been in the past.
But, I don’t think this is the case. I think that we are a group of people united for a greater cause then just fitting into a smaller pants size or wearing a bikini and looking good.
I believe that we are a group of believers committed to living a healthier lifestyle because it honors the giver of all good things.
I believe that we have decided to press on even when it’s difficult, due to our faith in knowing that the way we steward our health matters and that we are accountable for doing so.
I know in my heart that although there will be setbacks, that you CAN and you WILL change your life because you’re not walking through this thing alone.
You’ve joined our community and linked arms with people committed to the same goals. And more than that, you’re doing this in His strength. Not your own.
Last week one of my Momsanity coaches posted this picture.
I think this sums up the way that most of us live. (I can’t tell you how many HUNDREDS of times I’ve done this in the past). But one day it clicked for me…
I can get back on track towards my healthier lifestyle with the very next meal. So if I’ve had a meal full of bad choices, (or a day of them), or if I’ve neglected physical exercise for a while, I can get back on track RIGHT AWAY.
No more waiting until Monday. No more stuffing myself full of junk so that I can eat it all up and start fresh later. Your healthy lifestyle is going to be a series of choices that most of the time won’t be easy. But the more times we choose to persevere and get back on track, the easier it gets.
If you’re struggling with this concept, know that you are not alone. Know that we’re here for you and we’re cheering you on.
I encourage you to keep a notebook or journal of pictures and/or quotes that motivate you to persevere in difficulties. Here is one you can add to get you started:
“Our health–as a Believer in Christ–is so much more than what society says it to be. For us–it is about stewardship. It is about obedience and full submission, turning this gift of life and the tool (our bodies!) He uses to do His work, back to Him…If it’s been a while since you’ve asked God what He may want you to do in regards to your health, then I encourage you to do that. Just like the areas of parenting, marriage, finances, schooling etc–it will look different for each of us, but it’s our duty to ask, listen, and then obey…” Quote from: ”Discipline: The Glad Surrender” by Elisabeth Elliot.
Like Elisabeth wrote, it is our DUTY to ask God what He wants in regards to your health, to listen to what He says, and then to obey.
With Him, you CAN and you WILL!
Join us over on our Facebook page for daily encouragement and motivation.
Praying for each of you today!
"Getting Started with Weights" Workout
When I first started incorporating weights into my workouts, I didn’t know where to begin. I found a basic full body workout and then tweaked it to meet the equipment that I had, the time that was available, and the space in my home. For me, that means something that I could do in a confined space, something that used no more than a few sets of dumbbells, and something that I could complete in the family room while my kids were watching one television show. I no longer do this style of workout since I have started to incorporate more Metabolic Effect principles, but this is a GREAT starting point for those of you that want to begin working with weights, but have little experience.
I’ve included links with each exercise in case you aren’t sure how to correctly perform one of the moves. Please note, I am NOT a personal trainer, nor am I a licensed exercise instructor. This is simply what I found worked for me and has helped some friends that I have shared it with. Hope you enjoy!!
The “Getting Started with Weights” WorkoutThis is set up to be a three day/week workout with dumbbells. Perform each exercise back to back with as little rest as you can stand. Aim for two sets your first week and then after that try to add in a third set. I can usually complete three rounds of this within 30 minutes at the most.
*Monday and Wednesday Workout (Exactly the same both days)
*CLICK ON THE NAME OF THE EXERCISE TO BE TAKEN TO A WEBSITE TO WATCH A VIDEO TUTORIAL*
Squats with weights
Military Press (I do this seated on exercise ball or on table to engage the abs also)
Ab Work (Combination of moves to target upper, lower, transverse and obliques) For ideas, look on YouTube.
Friday workout: Mostly the same exercises as on Monday and Wednesday, but adding in more leg exercises.
Step-ups with hand weights and a shoulder press
Squat Jumps (if these are too difficult, just do a set of squats with dumbbells)
Jumping lunges (If these are too hard on your knees, simply do a Reverse lunge with dumbbells )
Saturday Workout:AB FOCUS plus interval day
(Do a mix of any type of ab exercises you can find. I usually get my ideas from YouTube or from Pinterest. Make sure you target all the abs, not just upper abs).
My favorite intervals are on the treadmill. I do 30 seconds going the absolute fastest I can go (my treadmill maxes out at a 10.0, but you can do whatever speed feels like your maximum), then recover. You can also do this on any other type of equipment, or outside. Some days in the backyard I’ll just do sprints. I’ll run as quick as I can from one side of the yard to the other, then walk back to my starting point. I repeat 8-10 times. This is a super fast cardio workout that keeps burning fat for up to 48 hours if you really push it hard during the intervals.
Here’s a quick video describing them:
This workout will get you started working with weights and will help you begin to change your strength and your body shape. As the weight you are working with gets easier, increase the amount of weight you are using. Use the Metabolic Effect Principle here- push as hard as you can until you can’t, then rest until you can.