I am Super-human!

So in preparation to write this post I have been studiously paying attention to the events taking place in my life this past month. I am prepping for a mountain race that I have been wanting to do for about 8 years and just haven't signed up for due to various reasons...excuses. On Tuesday, I had planned my last tough training, hill climbing run, up Table Rock and thought it might be a perfect place to get some blog info from. Well...as it turns out, I was right but not in the ways I had imagined.

As you've noticed, we have had some cooler weather and rainy conditions.  As we set out Tuesday morning the temperature was quite crisp. We saw many pockets of beautiful low hanging clouds over the mountains and rivers as well as frost tipped grain fields. The drive was beautiful as the early morning sun peeked over the mountains to greet us good morning.

Upon entering Victor we could see white stuff on the mountain tops. Holy cow! Remember all the rain we got, well that meant snow for the high places. We began to wonder what kind of adventures were waiting for us. Driving down the washboard road to the trail head we could see just how far down the snowline really was and figured we would most likely run into it. Excitement rising!

We parked next to a vehicle that was covered in awesome frost designs and felt a little giddy that we were headed up the mountain in 34 degree weather in JULY and excited to experience the cool morning as we climbed. It didn't take long before we ran into the signs of snow on the broad leafed mountain flowers
and we knew we were in for more awesomeness than we had planned for.

The mountain flowers are still in bloom in an array of reds, purples, yellows and white, while the green popped off the mountain sides...especially in the snow. The flowers were courageously showing their beauty as they hung low under their heavy loads. Up closer to the top on the flat lands the snow became more prevalent and near the top was about 3 inches we got to climb up and maneuver through to complete our trek.

Once on top we took a few pictures and hoped the Tetons would come out from hiding behind the clouds and reveal their amazingness. Alas, the weather was too cold and with numb hands and toes we decided to head down knowing our trek up was reward enough. After making our way down the snowy slopes and starting on the Huckleberry trail, we looked back and for a brief moment saw the  Tetons reveal themselves just long enough to take a picture. Icing on the cake baby!

Now came the scramble down where we got to practice hopping over rocks, steep descends, creek crossings and crazy foot placement. Yes, we stopped to smell the flowers or at least take pictures of them and enjoy beautiful things as we saw them. We met some cool peeps on the trail as well, which, unknown to us, would soon come in handy.

As we were walking at one point on the trail and talking about great things, probably solving the worlds problems, it happened. That moment you don't anticipate where everything happens so quickly and yet so slowly, the world gets foggy and you are now laying on the ground, writhing in pain. Remember the Awesome adventure part I talked about earlier, well this wasn't what I expected. In the fog of trying to right myself from rolling my ankle and not fall off the trail I felt my ankle move and the instant searing pain that comes with it. I knew I was hurt! How about that adventure now?!

I won't go into all the details because this is a family friendly blog and I may have let some poopy words escape my mouth while intense pain surged through my body . I wondered how I was going to get off the mountain, hoping to not pass out or throw up and grateful for the man and young girl I knew would soon be coming upon us. I was also grateful  for ibuprofen, Rena my hiking buddy who carried my pack, that I didn't fall further from the trail than I did and the man who wrapped my foot so I could eventually hike out.

The hiking out was a little ouchy but still fun once the initial pain passed and as I got to know my new friend Brett and his niece Talia. We found out we have many things in common and other serendipitous things. We enjoyed the beauty of the trail and in helping each other and building relationships, which tempered the pain and made the adventure worth it.

So cold temps, snow covered flowers, hiding Tetons, rocks, rivers, rolled ankles (no break), hiking out, fried pickles, safe return home and crutches...made for an Awesome day of adventure. Nope, it didn't go as planned and I won't be running my race but my day wasn't ruined. I had a tough half hour with lots of pain but it was a small moment in many wonderful hours, and, it could have been worse. Someone today also said to me, in a loving manner, that it was good for her to see that I am not invincible, which made me more relateable. (did I just make that word up, its not in my spell check?)  Yep, I am Super Human!  I thought about this statement and how I will respond to my injury and find the positive in it and how to relate to others better because of it, although right now, I am still not too happy about it.

My point is this: an bad incident or moment in a day doesn't make a bad day and a bad day doesn't make a bad life. We all get to experience the unexpected and feel pain that wasn't part of the plan. We writhe around and try not to pass out and see what the next steps are. Remember we are not invincible and to accept assistance from those on the trail of life. You never know where these relationships may lead you or how you may change a life for the better through your experience.  You have a choice in how the adventure ends! Will you let a moment of ouch in a wonderful day ruin your day? Or your life?

If you need assistance in getting back on track after a "spill,"  give the trainers at Health and Fitness Academy a holler and let us assist you with getting back on the trail and enjoying the journey.

Until Next time,
Go BE Great!

Jennifer Saunders
BS, ACE Certified Personal Trainer
ButtinGear, Reiki Energy Therapy
Intuitive Life Coach

The Change Challenge

Changing it up….

There are a lot of reasons to make changes in our lives. Some of us make changes every day, we are comfortable with change.  We accept the fact that some changes stick better than others. We accept the fact that if one strategy doesn’t work, there are other options to try. Other personalities struggle with change. These types of people have a much longer planning stage than most. They might not make as many changes in their lifetime, but when they do, they are lifelong.

How can you make sure that you are ready for change? I want you to ask yourself four questions.

Why?

How?

How will I?

I can…I will!!

The Why, is very important. Many people in our history have tried to make changes for others and failed because there was nothing attached to the change that benefits the person doing the work. This is a fast way to get nowhere. Do you want to become more well read, make more money, lose weight, or live a happier life? Be really honest about your why, your why makes the most difference.

The How, is going to take some research. I want you to make a list of the steps it will take from start to finish.  The bigger the life change, the bigger the list usually. Only when you write down, in your own words, what it is going to take to make this change can you build yourself a successful plan.

Now this is your personal plan. Go back through your How list and either accept the steps it is going to take, or make adjustments for those steps you know are going to be more difficult for you. Adjustments can be made in many different ways. Breaking big steps down into smaller more manageable steps can help you with the more difficult aspects of change. Accepting the fact that there are things you are not willing to do and looking for alternatives to those “impossible” requirements. Lastly, find help for those phases of change that are going to be the most difficult. Bring family and friends on board who can help shore you up during the most intimidating moments, build your network.

Finally, I can….I will!! Research has shown that when athletes use more mental imagery skills before their training, their game strategies, mental toughness, self-confidence, and motivational attitudes all seemed to develop in accordance with their new learnt skills. (Monroe-Chandler et al 2007) This means it is time to picture your results, find a quest place every day to meditate. Visualize the reaching of your goals and the outcome will become more real.

Time for this month’s challenge

This month I want to challenge you to the 1.5 mile cooper test.

 You will need to Run/Jog/Walk for 1.5 miles then use the following scale to find out how your cardiovascular fitness is looking. If you find yourself in the bottom 20%, you can used the steps I blogged earlier to help you improve on that score.

If you find yourself needing further help, don't forget that the trainers at MV Health and Fitness Academy are always here to help. You can contact me at ghouston@mvhospital.net or call 208.557.2823. 

Remember, do not be scared of big changes, you will never regret it.

Cooking Matters

Cooking Matters

            I recently turned my focus toward making cooking a priority in my life. I have never been a great cook nor thought I had the patience for it. I can be very detailed, organized, planned and regimented in just about every aspect of my life, except for cooking. When I am hungry, I want it now, I don’t want to take the time to make a gourmet meal. If you couldn’t tell by that statement, I struggle with an “all or nothing mindset” as some of you may be able to relate. I have to remind myself regularly that cooking at home and controlling my health doesn’t have to end up like a chef’s gourmet meal. Cooking at home is cooking at home, no matter how fancy it ends up and it is important in a healthy lifestyle so now I am on my own journey of finding my rhythm with cooking.

            I had the opportunity to attend a lecture last week titled “Cooking Matters”. It was a motivation to dig deeper into this journey I already set myself on. Cooking matters because we can control what goes in our bodies, we can create memories with our family by cooking together, we can be rewarded with a great tasting meal when we are done with our efforts, and we can share our love of food with others such as our family and friends.

            Although I haven’t ventured very far into the cooking world yet, I did attempt a new recipe the other day that I thought sounded healthy and tasty. They turned out “interesting” but they grew on me quickly and believe it may be a regular healthier option for cookies that I enjoy so much. Today, I thought I’d share that recipe with you.

From www.getfitnowpt.com

           

Dark Chocolate Chip Protein Cookie Recipe

            Ingredients

Flax seeds, Chia seeds, Banana, Dark    

Chocolate Chips, PB2, Protein Powder

            Directions

            Preheat oven to 350

            In a large mixing bowl add 2 scoops of vanilla protein powder (you can use vegan protein powder to make these cookies vegan) and 1 scoop of PB2.

            If you don’t have PB2 available, you can use all natural peanut butter.

            Mash the banana, PB2 and protein powder until creamy.

            Mix in: ¼ cup of ground flax seeds and 2 tsp of chia seeds.

            Mix in: 2 tbps of dark chocolate chips

            Grease a baking sheet with cooking spray.

            Drop 1 ½ tbsp sized drops onto the baking pan. The cookies will not rise, so spread them out into a circular shape.

            Bake 7-9 minutes or until cookies are firm.

            Edges should be golden brown.

           

Nutrition (per cookie):

Calories:          90

Fat:                  3.5g

Potassium:       123g

Carbs:              10g

Fiber:               3g

Sugar:              5.5g

Protein:            8g

What is your favorite recipe right now? Or a new one you want to try? I would love to hear from everyone about their recipes and love for cooking! Please tell me on Facebook or feel free to email me!

Stay tuned for more adventures in my world of cooking!

Until next time!

Hayley Earley, BS, CSCS, Pn1

hearley@mvhospital.net

Keep Yourself Motivated in 5 Simple Steps

When you wake up in the morning, is your first thought “I cannot wait to get to the gym today to do my strength training!” Although this might be the case on some days, it is not likely that you feel this way every single day. Do you know the secret to continuously staying motivated? No? Neither do I, but I do have some key tips to help you stay motivated. Here are my top 5 tips for staying motivated to continue strength training!

#1: Set Goals

In order to stay motivated you need to have a reason to be motivated; therefore, you need goals. Set a short term goal that is measureable and can be achieved within a reasonable amount of time. Once you have reached your first goal, set another goal. Keep goal setting until you achieve your long term goal. Always having a goal makes it so you always have something to work towards. Some examples of short term goals could be: strength training three times a week, increasing your bench press weight by 10 pounds, or getting at least 7 hours of sleep at least 5 days a week. Any goal that can be attained within a reasonable amount of time and can be measured can help you to stay motivated!

#2: Record and Track Your Progress

We all have to start somewhere, but how can you know how far you have come if you don’t have any record of where you started? Pick some statistics of yourself to keep track of, and reevaluate consistently so you can have proof of your progress. Pictures, measurements, body composition, and/or strength testing are great options for statistics to measure to help show you how far you have come. 

#3: Listen to Music

Music can easily change your mood. Finding a plethora of songs that motivate you and putting them into one playlist can really boost your desire to strength train when those songs start playing. On days you are not feeling like doing your strength training workout, turn on your playlist and drive to the gym. You will likely find that by the time you arrive, your music will have motivated you to get into the gym and get your workout done.

#4: Make Your Workouts Non-Negotiable

You might be busy but just like everyone else; you have to make the time to strength train. Pencil your workouts into your schedule and make them as non-negotiable as going to work, dropping your kids off to school, or going to a meeting, making dinner, or etc. Having a no excuse attitude about completing your strength training workouts, because they are non-negotiable, will help you to be motivated to get your workouts done rather than procrastinate them.

#5: Show Up No Matter What

Whether you want to strength train or not on any given training day, show up to the gym anyway. Once you are there, you will find it easier to get and stay motivated. From home, it will be harder to muster up the motivation. If you wait until you are motivated to go to the gym to strength train, it might not ever happen, and you might not ever become consistent. We know that consistency is key, so show up no matter what. Even if you don’t get your whole strength training workout in, some is better than none.

There are many other ways for you to get and stay motivated, but if you try out these 5 tips for a few weeks, you will likely find that you have increased motivation!

Go for consistency and have a purpose for your training. Remember to show up and do your best. Bring your music for some extra motivation. Remember, if your workouts are non-negotiable, they will get done! Good luck!

Guata' Trip!

Can you see the people?

So I just returned from an Amazing trip to Guatemala, where I was privileged to serve the beautiful people who live in the dump of Guatemala City. One of the best parts, and there are many best parts, was getting to share the experience with my baby sister Ashley.

Overlooking a portion of the dump

My eyes were opened to intense poverty and crazy meager living circumstances. My heart was opened to the power of love that can take down barriers of all kinds and bring hope and restoration to those who are desperately in need.

Yep...they sent girls!

I worked with sister and an amazing team to give eye glasses to those in need so they could work with their hands or read if they knew how. Their gratitude was overwhelming at such a simple thing. After receiving their glasses we prayed with them if they wanted and my heart was touched by their simple desires to just want to stay alive, or go to school, to have their husbands come home, to stay out of the gangsand for their family members to be healthy.

We got to build a “house” of basically 4x4ish (kinda) posts and corrugated steel, which was basically tin foil on crack. Blessedly, this community within the last month had had concrete poured for sidewalks and in their homes. It did make it tricky to dig holes thru though, but we got it done.  In the process of digging those holes we built something even better…a relationship with the macho Guatemalan builder man who basically looked at us and said, “you brought me women?! Are the men coming back?” It was a Great day in so many ways and I love my new builder friend.

Our handsome Guatemalan boys

Some of our group taught English camps, we handed out food, put on a women’s conference, played soccer on the concrete playground with the kids, took 65 kids whose parents are gang members to an amusement park and more. Our goal was to let these sweet people know they are loved and to give them some dignity, even if only for a day and pray they could feel it deep enough to carry it forward with them and take it into their families and community.

One of my special moments was sitting in the women’s conference with my sister. We had just come from a former gang members house and heard his humbling and touching story and were excited to now be with these women, many of who prostitute themselves out to the dump truck drivers so they can get the best picks of the garbage from the trucks.

Women's Conference

We stood in the back of the room and listened as they praised and worshipped through song with our new friends Jerry and Freddy. Not knowing Spanish, I couldn’t understand a thing they were saying, yet I felt it to my core and quickly found my eyes and nose watering and had to literally control myself from full on sobbing.  I leaned over and asked our wonderful  interpreter Gabby what they were singing. As she spoke… I knew what I was feeling.  In song I felt the words “You are strong,” “You are Powerful,”  “You are Invincible,” “There’s No one like You!”  “I raise my hands even when I don’t have strength, even when I have many problems.  I raise my hands when I feel You come into my life; I start to feel Your fire inside me.  All problems go away and You give me new strength. Everything is possible when I raise my hands to You!”  Holy Cow…no wonder I felt such power and conviction to my core!  These women have near to nothing and yet they have everything and they sang it in a way I will never forget.

Tita

I think one of the most profound things I heard while I was gone was a statement from an amazing lady named Tita. Her life’s experiences would make most of us take cover and hide in fear, yet she has risen from them and does wonderful things to bring hope, love and opportunity to the people in La Limonada who are in the gangs. While speaking to us one night she said this, “It’s not the poverty that is the problem, it’s the persecution.” Whoa! I was struck by those words and the truth they rang in my ears.

As I am home and now sitting down for the 10^th time to write this blog, I am constantly reflecting on my trip and how it touched and changed my life. I am also pondering how to bring it back home and I think it looks something like this.

We may not live in little tin houses, make our living from the dumps or have to do desperate things in order to just survive or wonder where our next meal is coming from or if we can feed our kids. Yes, we all have tough moments where these thoughts may come to mind, I acknowledge this, but hopefully not like I saw.  However, we still have our “stuff” that makes us feel different, unwanted, unloved, unworthy and disconnected.

For some people this may be being overweight and unhealthy, some may experience this through the color of their skin or gender preference, some may feel it through the amount of money they make or don’t make, others through a disability (different ability), it may come from a family line or action of a family member, divorce, making a mistake and so so much more.

The question to ask is, “Am I persecuting or helping to prosper?”  Are you assisting to help restore dignity to yourself and others and improve self-love?  Do you love yourself enough to really assist another or are you helping/persecuting others in order to make myself look and feel better?

You don’t have to go to another country to find people who could use assistance, although I would recommend it. Look inside your homes, families, neighborhoods and church groups.  Look inside yourself!  We need each other right here, right now. So many are looking for acceptance and love…just the way they are. Just the way you are.  Stop persecuting others…and yourself.  Be kind to others…and yourself.

So, whether you are poor, rich, overweight, unhealthy, live in a tin house or a mansion, white or colored, gay or straight, full ability or different ability, got all your marbles or not playin with a full deck, or whatever your “thing” is…know you are Not alone. You may feel like you are flying solo but you are never alone. You are cared for and loved.  There are places and tools to assist you in regaining self-love and feeling connection. Personally, I believe God made you and me and He don’t make no junk!

Sharing our left over food! 

Now, how to wrap up as there is so much to say?  I guess by saying thank you God and thank you Guatemala for the reminder that people are beautiful no matter their situation or circumstances and that we have the same stuff right here at home just in a different shell. Be Kind! Prosper! Be understanding! Know you are loved! You Are Not Your Stuff! Remember we don’t have all the answers! Most of all…Love…it breaks down walls, inside and outside of us!

Oh, and thanks Ashley for sharing this amazing journey with me!

Until Next Time…Go BE Great!

Jennifer Saunders

B.S., Ace Certified Personal Trainer,

Reiki Energy, Life coach, ButtinGear

Lover of Life!

Why should you exercise in the A.M.?

The early bird gets the Burn….

I am not an early bird; my natural tendency this time of year is to listen to the birds through my open window more than greet them with a smile and my running shoes. However, in my 10 years’ worth of experience in the Health and Fitness field, my clients that get up with the sun have a higher rate of success towards their fitness goals. This does not mean that they present to me at their first session with a natural alarm clock in their head that will not allow them to sleep past 6am. Most have to learn to love the morning through the formation of consistent habits that lead the way to their end goals.

Here are just a few examples of reasons to sweat with the sunrise;

90% of consistent exercisers do it in the morning

 Morning workouts help you stick to it!! By getting your exercise in before the distractions of your day you are far less likely to “skip it” or get side tracked by other people and responsibilities.

Morning exercise cuts Cravings

In the course of a Brigham Young University study, 18 normal-weighted and 17 clinically obese women were followed for two full days. On the first day, they exercised for 45 minutes, walking briskly on a treadmill, and then looked at 240 photographs, 120 of which were food (the other 120 were a control: flowers). The researchers then tracked the women's food intake and activity level for the rest of the day. On the second day, one week later, the women were shown the images without the workout. Again their food and exercise choices were tracked. Researchers found that both the obese women and the women at a healthy weight had a lower brain response to the images of food and moved around more following the 45 minute morning workout.

Early exercise can jump start your brain

 Raising your heart rate earlier in the day gets the blood flowing to your brain, as well as you muscular system. This gives you more energy for problem solving, memory, and movement for the rest of the day.

So set that alarm clock 30 minutes earlier and catch that worm…

Early bird BURN (Equipment needed-Stopwatch)

Run/Walk 5 minutes

Body weight squats-25

Walking Lunges-30

Body weight squats-25

Run/Walk 10 minutes

Body weight squats-25

Walking Lunges-30

Body weight squats-25

Run/Walk 15 minutes

Body weight squats-25

Walking Lunges-30

Body weight squats-25

Run/Walk 10 minutes

Body weight squats-25

Walking Lunges-30

Body weight squats-25

Run/Walk 5 minutes

Body weight squats-25

Walking Lunges-30

Body weight squats-25

Make your day the best one yet! and don't forget about the "breaking out of the box" workouts HFA is offering every Monday night at 6:30pm. For more information email ghouston@mvhospital.net

Are your “Why’s” stronger than your “Why Not’s”?

Oh how true that is! We have been given the wonderful gift of choice! Choices lead to actions and actions lead to results. Sometimes those results are desired and sometimes they are not. Have you found yourself in a situation of undesirable results lately? Maybe you are one to reach your desired results. Either way, have you asked yourself “why”?

Although I typically discuss health, nutrition and fitness, which is primarily what I will do today, the topic of choices, actions, results, and why’s can be applied to any aspect of your life.

Hence, I introduce to you, the “5 Why’s.

First ask yourself, “Why do I want to accomplish this?”

Then, whatever answer you come up with, ask yourself “Why” to that. Then continue to repeat this process until you have asked yourself “Why” 5 times.

Here is an example from Precision Nutrition’s lean eating program:

            I want to lose fat.

1.      Why do I want to lose fat?

a.       Because I want to fit into a smaller size pair of jeans.

2.      But why do I want to fit into a smaller size pair of jeans?

a.       Because when I am wearing smaller jeans, I think I’ll look better.

3.      But why do I want to look better?

a.       Because when I look good, I feel better about myself.

4.      But why do I want to feel better about myself?

a.       Because when I feel better about myself I am more assertive and confident.

5.      But why do I want to be more assertive and confident?

a.       Because when I am more assertive and confident, I am in control and better able to get what I want out of life.

For this person, losing fat really meant being in charge of their life. That’s a crucial insight: This tells us that they aren’t just looking for a smaller pair of jeans. They also want to feel a certain way at the end of the process. And that's what's really important to them. The jeans are merely a way to get there.

That sure is a lot of insight for just a few questions.

Digging deeper and understanding “Why” you really want something will help you determine the driving factors that will keep you committed to your actions giving you what you want.

For those that find themselves in the desired results category, I congratulate you! You have dug deep enough, found your reason “Why” and it was strong enough to overcome any of the “Why Not’s” that came up (because you know they did!).

As for those that find themselves in the undesirable results category, I congratulate you! You now have the opportunity to learn from past decisions, actions and results, create and explore a deeper “Why” and run headfirst after your desires!

Best of luck in your future Why’s and Why Not’s!

If the Team at the Health & Fitness Academy can be of assistance in anyway, please feel free to contact us at 208-557-2823!

Until next time,

Hayley Jones, BS, CSCS, Pn1

hjones@mvhospital.net