Why I CHOOSE to sell products

Yes, it's true.  I sell and endorse products.

First, just let me say, I would NEVER sell something or endorse something if I didn't love the product myself.  But if I can get a few dollars for sharing my love for a product, well, for me, that is a no brainer!!

When you really think about it, everyone endorses products to their friends and family and even people they meet in everyday life.  You are likely to tell your friends and family if you come across a product (make-up, perfume, restaurants, clothing etc. etc.) that you love.  And the clothes you wear, the restaurants and foods you eat, strangers in public can see your choices and make the assumption that you enjoy those products and may be influenced by your decisions.

Does that mean that I believe EVERYBODY and their dog should use them? Absolutely not, that is absurd.  If someone is already in the market for a certain product, then yep, I'll suggest they check out the products I love.  But I would NEVER, EVER, EVER say to anyone that any one product or exercise would be THE ONE to bring them health and happiness.

I am not trying to dupe anyone into buying something they have no desire to use. 

So what are some of the products I love??

BodyFX

TDF Iron Bombshells

NNW Healthy Whey

iherb.com (use code DDH552 at check out and receive a discount with your first order!)

As always, thanks for following my journey and let me know what you think in the comments below! :)



 

What is the best diet for weight loss?

It seems like everyone is always looking for the next big thing to lose weight quickly.

I know I've fallen for this type of garbage before.  But the problem with losing "weight" quickly is, it usually is not sustainable and if you are losing quickly you are losing BOTH muscle and fat. 

When starting a weight loss goal, we should really be concerned about  losing FAT, not just WEIGHT.  There is a difference.  You want to keep as much muscle as possible while losing weight.  Muscle helps boost your metabolism, gives your body a nice "tone", and helps you perform daily activities! ;)

So, how do we accomplish this??

FIRST...LIFT WEIGHTS!! And lift heavy.  What is lifting heavy?  It's different for each person and depends on the number of reps you are doing.  But BASICALLY, you should lift enough to fatigue your muscle by the end of the set. HERE is a good explanation. And HERE.

SECOND...figure out how many calories your body needs and go from there.  It realllllly does just boil down to calories in vs. calories out.  Figure your caloric needs HERE. 

Losing weight and getting healthy isn't a big race and I know we alllll want everything YESTERDAY, especially weight loss.  But if you want to keep that weight (FAT) off, you NEED to follow something that you can MAINTAIN FOREVER! If you drastically cut calories or a certain macro nutrient out of your diet you WILL NOT be able to maintain that the rest of your life without harming yourself and probably messing up your metabolism for quite awhile.  AND if you can't maintain a certain way of eating, what do you expect to happen when you QUIT eating that way? You WILL gain weight again.  The more restricted your diet is, the bigger the binge will be when you "go off" of it.

Here are some more links that go much more in depth that I have.  Let me know what you think!! I LOVE COMMENTS!! =D

http://impruvism.com/

http://gokaleo.com/

http://www.biolayne.com/

Thoughts

So, I know it's been quite awhile since I have been active on this page.  And quite honestly, it was because I felt like a fraud!

Here I am, trying to share my healthy life with the world and I get caught up in my disordered eating struggles.

How can I share and lead others to health if I can't follow those exact footsteps??  But after some reflection, I realized that it is so important to be REAL! Share 'my real' with everyone, because others have this same struggle! If I try to just cover it alllll up and pretend like, heeeyyy...look at me, I have it all perfectly going on, what does that help??

After all this blog is about my imperfect journey to finding my fit life, right? I mean, how truthful would it be if I didn't also share my struggles?!?

So, from now on...more truth, more light.... on the good and the bad! :)

You may be wondering how I have been doing.  Well, pretty darn good actually!

I'm working on changing my relationship with food and have decided that for now, nothing is off limits.  I will just eat in moderation and enjoy my food!  You could say I am loosely following an 'If It Fits Your Macros' approach to eating.  I have my caloric goal each day and inside that goal I have a goal for each macro group and work to be as close to those numbers each day as I can. And it has been working well for me.  I like tracking my food because if I don't it's very easy for me to under eat AND to over eat.  With this approach, I don't feel deprived of my favorite foods because I can work them in, in moderation.

And I believe that everything in life works amazingly well if we take the 'all things in moderation' approach!  I would love to hear YOUR thoughts and feedback in the comments below!! Have a great Friday! <3

 

My Truth, My Darkness, My Light

You are my lamp, O Lord; the Lord turns my darkness into light. 2 Samuel 22:29

You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light. Psalm 18:28

My name is Janell and I have problems with food.  I wouldn't call it a full-blown eating disorder but rather, disordered eating.

Not many people know because I did not want anyone to know.  I was afraid if people knew they would treat me differently, like I was weak or looking for attention.  Or people would just think, well, that is stupid and superficial.  But for the most part, I was afraid of telling anyone because if I told, then I would have to stop and giving up that control was too scary.  I LIKED having that control, the feeling I get when "I can control" my food.  But in actuality, food was controlling me.

The first time it happened was my senior year in high school.  I just didn't eat.  No breakfast, no lunch and only ate supper if I was around someone that would notice if I wasn't eating.  I tried many times to make myself throw up but couldn't ever do it.

After high school, my then boyfriend(now husband<3) and I moved in together and eventually I believed I had gotten over my eating issues.  But it showed up again before our wedding.  I wanted to lose those last 5-10 pounds and went on a very, very low calorie diet.  I had times at work that I would lose my vision.  It would just go black for about 30 seconds and I began to have small black dots floating around in my vision.  Again, I was able to overcome my issues and things were normal for quite a while.  Until I started to gain weight for no reason.  I was walking to and from work, exercising on my lunch break and hardly eating again and abusing laxatives, to the point that I was bleeding.  But I was gaining a ridiculous amount of weight, like 5 pounds OVERNIGHT.  I came across an article about hypothyroidism and I had pretty much every symptom they had listed.  I went and had a blood test and started on medication for it and started to feel better.

After that I had a pretty long time of more normal eating habits. I was determined to live healthy and set a good example for my daughter, I was determined to not pass this craziness on to her.  The low self-esteem was always around though.  I'd say I didn't have any more problems with food until after my son was born.

I was eating pretty well, still restricted but not as severe as I had in times past.  I instead exercised  A LOT.  Every lunch break I would run the stairs at work for 30 minutes, then after work I would come home and do P90X Plyo(1 hour), sometimes I would run with my friend after that and most days I would run at least a 5k with my husband when he got home from work.  I started trying again to make myself throw up but still couldn't do it.

I started to have problems with plantar fasciitis but kept running anyway.  I was fired from my job in July of 2011 and my husband and I decided that it would be best if I stayed home to care for our children.  All my free time was devoted to researching exercise and nutrition.  I started to lift weights and the plantar fasciitis had pretty much forced me to lessen my running.  I walked instead, anywhere from 2-10, sometimes 15 miles per day.  I was really searching myself at this time and I figured out and sorted through all my issues and realized a lot of things about myself.  I was learning how to live healthfully and I was feeling very healthy, strong and healed.

On July 13, 2012 my husband and I renewed our vows on our 10 year anniversary and that night I told him all about my past struggles and my realizations on why.  At that time I truly believed I had concurred this once and for all.  I felt amazing.  I was no longer worried about that stupid number on the scale, I NEVER weighed myself anymore.  I was feeling confident in myself and HEALTHY.  I wasn't wanting to just shrink away.  I wanted to be and was focusing on being truly healthy and strong.  I was eating well and lifting weights and doing some cardio and just LOVING LIFE.

I continued to read all I could about nutrition and exercise and kept coming across articles about gluten being bad for people with hypothyroidism.  So I decided to cut out the obvious gluten food, bread and pastas etc.  I felt really good!!  So I decided to stick to a mainly gluten free diet.  I would eat pizza with my family on Fridays but otherwise, no gluten.  Then around April or May I started to cut out oats too.  Then (sweet) potatoes, rice, quinoa, beans, fruits, carrots and onions!!  I started to obsess again.  I was truly afraid of eating any carbs other than lettuces/greens, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts and green beans.  Some days I would have a few berries after  my workout.  I started to feel exhausted, got frequent headaches and my workouts were suffering.  I would take my kids to the park and was just so exhausted I could barely keep up with them.  I felt like a zombie stumbling along behind them.  I was obsessing about my weight, every time I was in the bathroom, I weighed myself.  I measured my waist at least 10 times a day.  Every mirror I pasted I had to stop and harshly judge my appearance.  I slowly started to realize I needed to snap out of this and take the control back.  I decided to start to add back in some carbs but I was seriously afraid to.  I'd say, ok, tomorrow I will have some oats at breakfast.  I accomplished this like twice.  Most times I just couldn't do it.  I would plan to have an apple or carrots for a snack but once snack time came, I just couldn't do it.  I was terrified of a freaking apple!  It was just ridiculous!!

I had been invited to help as a chaperon on our church's youth mission trip.  I was scared of being able to eat/what I would have to eat while I was there.  I realized this trip had the potential to be very healing for me, if I would just let go and let God.  So I decided I would just go and throw myself at my food issues and face the fear.  BUT when the time came, I couldn't give up that control.  I brought my own breakfasts and lunches.  I DID add a piece of fruit to my lunches and I did eat the suppers(but couldn't eat any bread/buns).  But I was eating foods that I hadn't not eaten in a very long time.  I felt proud of that. 

While I was there, I couldn't obsessively measure or weigh myself.  It felt very freeing.

It is just amazing how God lines everything up.  While I was there I met two amazing young women.  God spoke to me through them and I was able to share my struggles with them.  I was so amazed at God's timing and plan.  I could have easily been put into another work group and not have become close to these girls, I could have decided to not go on the trip, I could have not been invited, I could have gone to another church, I could have kept my job...and on and on and on....but God had this planned for me.  His plans are perfect.

It had never occurred to me to give this struggle to God.  One of the nights on the mission trip, we wrote what was keeping us from God and we nailed that to a cross.  This was a very powerful experience for me.  I had SO. MANY. emotions going on.  I was relieved to give this to God but at the same time I was so mad that I am so weak.  But I realized that with God's help, I am strong.  I can't do this alone and even better, I DON'T HAVE TO!!

While we were on our mission trip I saw places of beauty and places that were dark.  I realized everyone has beauty and darkness.  If we don't shine the light on the darkness, it cannot improve.  All these times I tried to hide my darkness and nothing improved.  Bringing it to God and shining light on it has been incredibly powerful and freeing.  Through this I've realized I can help others by sharing my story.  I want to help others realize that ANY problem, ANY struggle, just give it to God and He will strengthen you, He will bring you through it. <3

Blitz, tabata, and oatmeal mush

I wanted to share a new type of training I'm going to try out along with my current workout routine.  It's called Blitz Training and it takes only 4 minutes per day!
My friend, Liana, implemented this with her current training and had some pretty impressive results.

Basically you pick 4 multi-joint movements and do intense bursts of exercise for 1 minute throughout your day, which is supposed to increase metabolism and fat loss!

I will be doing the following moves on my designated HIIT cardio days, which are twice per week ;)

decline pushups first thing in the morning for 1 minute
squat jumps in the mid morning for 1 minute
renegade rows with weights at lunch for 1 minute
box jumps in the early evening for 1 minute

I can't wait to start!!

I also wanted to share a quick Tabata workout that you can use for days you have no time to exercise OR (and this is what I do) you can add them to the end of your weight session to max everything out!

You will need an interval timer or a stop-watch!

You will do four moves, each move for 30 seconds with a 10 second break between moves for 2 circuits.
...feeling like a super star?? Increase the time to 60 seconds! ;)

Burpees 30 seconds
rest 10 seconds
jump lunges 30 seconds
rest 10 seconds
push ups 30 seconds
rest 10 seconds
jump squats 30 seconds
rest 10 seconds
REPEAT entire circuit again right away :)

AND because it's just delicious, I'm gonna share my "recipe" for oatmeal mush =D

For 1 serving:
1/3-1/2 cup dry old fashioned oats
1/2-1 scoop protein powder
1/2 -2 TBSP ground flax seed(DO NOT start with 2 TBSP right away if you are not used to eating)
1-2 TBSP peanut butter or almond butter or PB2
splash of unsweetened vanilla almond milk (just enough to make it easier to mix)
whatever add in you want:vanilla extract/cocoa/cinnamon/unsweetened coconut flakes etc. etc.
Stir to combine and enjoy! I almost always eat this for my "meal 2" ;)

So, let me hear it!!

Who has tried Blitz Training? And who will try it with me?!?
Are you a tabata fan?
Doesn't my oatmeal mush sound delicious?? HAHA ;)

 

A Challenge!

I have a challenge for you all!! 

 

When you find yourself getting stressed or upset about something in your life, whether it's getting stuck in traffic or having to shovel snow or getting fired from your job--whatever it is, change your focus from the negative to something positive. 
 Stuck in traffic?  Take the extra minutes and connect with the people in your car!  Really talk.  No one in the car with you?  OK, then use this downtime to meditate on something positive.  Use the delays in your life to sit quietly and reflect or plan or just to be still, trust me, it's amazing. :)  And really, unless you are driving someone to the hospital for a life or death situation, is it REALLY gonna matter if you are a bit late??? NO!  Think of the bigger picture people!! :)  If you have some task (snow shoveling)--personally, I LIKE to shovel ;)-- ahead of you and it's stressing you out, twist your focus to being thankful you are strong and able bodied enough to carry out the task.  And maybe you got fired from your job.  Yeah, that stinks and it hurts and it's scary.  But it CAN be positive if you let it.  Just be open to all the new things that will be introduced to your life.  If you are looking forward with a positive attitude, believe me, you are going to find so much more in your life to love. <3

So, what are you changing to a positive today? Feel free to share it in the comments section! :)
<3 <3
 

Hello out there!! Welcome to my first attempt at blogging :)  I recently had one of those moments when LIFE becomes really, really clear.  Don't get me wrong, I'm still pretty clueless, HA!  But every now and then I get a glimpse of something beautiful.  This blog is me trying to share what I love with anyone who will listen :)

So, the last few years have brought about A LOT of changes in my life.  I was fired from my job as an LPN. (I DID win my job back and went back only to decide that it just wasn't going to work....but that is another blog story entirely...I'll save that for a rainy day)

I am now a stay at home Mom and Wife and I don't think I could ever find a better job than this <3 But in this whole job loss/job winning back/job quitting process I've gotten to know myself...really, really well. I discovered a love for yoga and decided to pursue my certification to teach. I have also been really getting to know God and opening my heart and mind to what he is doing in my life.

When I stopped and concentrated on looking for signs of God in my life, I found Him everywhere. And at first I kept all this awesomeness to myself.  Why?  Because I was so worried that someone, somewhere would think badly of me.  Pretty stupid, I know.  But pretty much my whole life I have kept what I have been passionate about pretty quiet because I didn't want to be judged.  But the last few years have taught me that people are gonna judge me no matter what I do.  No matter how agreeable I am to EVERYONE, there will always be people who will judge me--whether I give my two cents or not!  So why not be judged for what I truly believe and am, than for what people speculate about me?  A point I believe that God has been trying to get through to me recently is, don't dim you light.  Be a light to this world for God and for your passion.  I have been told this by numerous people in the last few months.  First in my inner voice, second from a friend in The Sweaty Betties Network, and third from the youth at my  church during a performance.  So I finally listened to this idea and decided that I am going to push myself to stand behind what I love and not worry about the judgement of others.  This is my life and my light and I will let it shine!

 Thanks for following along with me on my journey! <3