Tag: fitness

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What Matters Most?

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What Matters Most

What matters most to you, today, right now?

 

There are a lot of things that matter to a lot of people right now.

But forget other people, what matters most to you?

 

what matters most?
Treating your body right never tasted so good! AXIO increases your desire to eat and feel better, provides focus, clarity and energy.

Step down from everything going on around you right now and dig deep. What do you want for your future, for your body, your mind, your health?

I specially want you to try to figure out right now, what is it that actually matters to you today. Get specific. And then try to imagine your future self. Will it still matter?

For me, my health 
has always 
mattered.

 

I not only like to feel good, but I also like the peace of mind that my good healthy habits provides me. Also, at 40 I can honestly say I feel like 18. I have no health problems, am happy with my weight, and have 5 children with zero health problems as well.

In all honestly, I can say that I can do whatever I want to do without aches, pains, low energy, headaches, fatigue, or lack of motivation.

What matters now, doesn’t matter at all, if you are not healthy enough to make what matters today, your reality tomorrow.

EVALUATE WHAT MATTER MOST 

If you decided that your family, your job, your pet, your adventures, sports, hobbies . . . you name it . . . matter most, let’s look at them from another perspective.

Imagine how (insert what matters here) this thing would look in perspective of bad health. What if you were unable to walk without stopping every few seconds to take a breath? Maybe you already struggle with severe fatigue so much so that you can barely drive. What happens when you are too heavy to run and play with your children? What if you have a bad heart and don’t live to see your children get married? If you cannot enjoy your family and your hobbies because your health is bad, what comes first now?

Maybe you aren’t there yet. You might be young, thin, able to drink two gallons of coffee and feel great. Maybe you even go to the gym, but stop by McDonalds on your way home. You could even think that you don’t need to exercise because you’re already thin and feel okay, so why waste your time? (Looks can be deceiving, don’t forget about your heart.)

Whatever it is that you want in life, your health should be at the very top of your list of what matters today. Because if you are not healthy, you cannot function at peak performance. If you cannot function at peak performance, you cannot be your best you for those you care about. You will not be able to handle what matters most, if you do not make your health your priority.

 

EXCUSES ARE LOUSY JUSTIFICATIONS

 

“I’d rather enjoy my life and eat whatever I feel like eating.”

“I’m too tired to exercise after a long day of work. I’d rather just go home and relax!”

“One day I’ll do it, I’m just too busy right now.” 

“I’ll wait until my kids are grown and then I’ll take care of my health.”

What are your excuses for putting off your health? Do you truly think you are enjoying life when you repeat  these excuses to yourself?

If you have used (or do use) any of the above excuses,  maybe you are chuckling quietly to yourself right now. Because it sounds familiar.

what matters mostThe excuse mentality 
is all fine and dandy 
until it isn't.

Excuses pile on top of each other like little believable lies that we tell ourselves on a daily basis. I catch myself doing it, too. We are all culprits of excuses. But don’t forget that, until you acknowledge your excuses and see them for what they really are – lies – you won’t really be able to give priority to what really matters today.

Excuses are illusions of the mind and can be changed simply by making the decision to make something different happen.

 

CHANGE YOUR MENTALITY. CHANGE WHAT MATTERS

The need to do nothing and have it all, mentality is great, in theory, until you dissect it and see what it truly is.

You think you’re doing yourself a favor by doing what you want and eating how you want. It’s fun. It feels good. You’re an adult. There’s nobody

what matters most Until you have hit that 200 plus pound mark and find it hard to breathe, bend over and tie your shoes, get in and out of the car, run with your kids, sleep without snoring, etc. Does that really sound like fun? Now you have high blood pressure, heart disease, you hurt everywhere, and have weight issues that are going to take years to set straight.

Sure you can do it, and I believe in you if you are there now! Until you are no longer in this world, it is never too late to make your health matter today.

Nobody intentionally decides to gain weight, have health problems, live half their life in a doctors office, and chug bottles of pills daily. But this is the result of not putting your health first. The result of not making your health what matters to you, today. And this is the result of over half the American citizens today.

It is so sad.

OWN IT

There are natural consequences to every choice we make in life, whether wise or unwise.
what matters most
If you choose to disrespect your own mental, spiritual and physical health, understand that you cannot blame anybody, but yourself, for the outcome of your decision.
It is time FOR YOU to take control of your health today.
At 40 years old, I am just now at a point where I am seeing the results of my healthy choices. I am beyond  grateful for my past healthy decisions. At this phase in my life, I am seeing  people suffering from not making their health matter today. I know people my age that are suffering with life-threatening disease. As a result of their poor choices, they have lost their ability to work (and play) at peak performance.
People are throwing away half their life 
by not making their health 
matter today.
Don’t allow another day to go by where you are another victim of this way of living. Own your body, respect it and take care of it!

GET UNCOMFORTABLE

I don’t care if you are 16 or 61, ~ if you want to change your life and make better choices, your health should matter today! It is time to make a change.

what matters most
The number one thing you have to face is change. Change can be
uncomfortable.

But what would you rather have? The discomfort of making a couple changes for the better? Or the discomfort of your body crying out by way of aching joints, tooth decay, headaches, too much weight, disease, etc.?

 

MY PURPOSE

Sabra

My purpose in writing this is to bring you to awareness of how important your health is and why it should matter. I want to help you begin your health journey and your lifestyle change.

I know that it isn’t easy, but keep in mind that nothing good ever came easy.

 

ENJOYING LIFE

What matters mostWe simply cannot enjoy life if we are not taking care of our health.  Heartburn, headaches, low energy, aches and pains, and a host of common ailments that the majority of the population carry around with them as baggage, is not enjoying life. 

True enjoyment comes from feeling and looking the best that you can feel and look so that you have no limits in setting goals, accomplishing them and celebrating your successes.

 

 

BEGINNERS RESOURCES

If you are new to your health journey and really do not know how to put your health first, or where to start, read my Beginners Guide to Healthy Living! I break it down into baby steps for newbs. 🙂

 

And if you need help grocery shopping for healthy food, read my article, How to Grocery Shop for Healthy Food. It really isn’t as complicated as you’d think.

 

 

 

 

 

If you have never been to a gym and are scared, worried, intimidated or don’t know what to expect, read, Beginners Guide to Weight Lifting and Gym Life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

So now that you’ve thoroughly thought through what matters to you today, what do you want tomorrow, five years from now, ten years from now?

What change are you going to make right now? What are you going to do to get uncomfortable starting right now?

Please feel free to comment below, contact me on social media and follow me here! Tell me what matters to you and how you are going to make your health a priority!

I love hearing from my readers. 🙂 I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life.

 

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Five Ways to Stay Fit at Home

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5 Ways to Stay Fit at Home

There are plenty of ways to stay fit at home, but here I am going to dig a little deeper to the how of it!

You might be asking yourself, can I really be successful at staying fit when I’m working out at home?

The answer is, yes. Let me show you. It is indeed possible. I did it for 6 years, alone, as a mom of 5, and without more than a couple sets of dumbbells, a yoga mat and portable pull-up bar. Annnnd bands. Gotta have bands.

If there were ever a time when home workouts were abundant, now is the time. They are literally everywhere!

The Coronavirus gave plenty of people a great opportunity to give in to desired excuses.  For some, it provided motivation to start making up all sorts of weird and interesting workouts. For others, it was a convenient excuse to quit working out altogether.

What is it that makes a home workout work vs. not though? Is it the actual workout or is it something deeper?

I have already talked about working out from home in my article,  Working out at Home.  I point out a very specific thing that you must have if you are going to work out at home. (For suggested home DVD workouts, please visit that article).

One must be self-motivated and have a strong drive to be self-committed if you are going to succeed at staying fit at home. 

Working out at home is easier now than ever. Resources are at our fingertips. You don’t even need equipment. What you do need is motivation. Commitment. People, and it never hurt anyone to have a little extra frill to accompany that home workout. A little extra energy, perhaps? Maybe a new pair of shoes or outfit?

So let’s dive right in.

stay fit at home

STAY FIT AT HOME TIP 1

People.

When we are working out at home, it helps to have people to look up to. I am going to name three of my favorites here.

One is vegan IFBB Pro League competitor, Nimai Delgado. I will let you explore more about him on your own, but he inspires and motivates me nutritionally and physically. On his Instagram page, he has several short at home workouts and great vegan meal suggestions.

Another is Jim Gurtner, a vegan bodybuilder/powerlifter. I will be including an interview I had with him soon, so please keep a look out for that in the near future! He also has a book that covers everything from plant based recipes, muscle building techniques that I promise you, you’ve never heard of before, and so much more.

The last I will mention here is a female that I follow on Instagram.  Alexia Clark has a lot of great at-home workouts that she came up with during the COVID pandemic that are simple, they work, and you don’t need any equipment. Plus, she’s just positive, cute and fun.

All of these people are great people to have in your pocket when you’re looking for people to inspire you while stuck at home.

stay fit at home

STAY FIT AT HOME TIP 2

Motivation.

At times, motivation can be a tough one. How do you get motivated, where can you go for motivation? This isn’t always an easy fix.

Sometimes motivation just isn’t there and you have to go straight to the core and dig up that raw inner strength. We all have it. It just likes to hide deep, deep down.

The number one thing that I find that motivates me is how I feel. And when I don’t feel good, I get cranky. The more I work out, the better I feel, the happier I am, the stronger I feel, and the more motivated I become. You have to get on a regular schedule and get past those first 3 weeks before you start to really feel that natural motivation. Until then, you’ve got to dig deep and harness your inner will power and just do the do!

Another motivating thing for me (and this is going to sound weird) is a treat. I sound like a puppy now, but I love my energy drink and protein shake, and want it all the time, but I only allow myself to have it when I work out. So I pre-mix it, stick it in the fridge, and have it there in the morning to grab and go. It’s like my own personal dangling carrot in the a.m.!

Axio by LifeVantage ~Specially formulated to give energy to your mind, not just your body.

Everybody finds motivation in his or her own way. It can be weird or common or simple or complicated, it is your choice and you have to decide what motivates you. If it is a picture, a song, a role model, a pair of shoes, a pet, a child, a family member’s health issue, (or your own perhaps,) or your own inner will power that drives you, use it, focus, and push yourself to keep your eye on the goal. Daily.

For help with how to set lasting goals, check out Six Steps to Setting Goals that Last, here!

This woman is total motivation for me. If at 70 years old she can accomplish this, then I can at 40 and so can you.

Joan MacDonald from Ontario, Canada

STAY FIT AT HOME TIP 3 

Regularity.

It is easier to work out at home when you are on a regular set schedule and also when you have great sleep. Your energy level is going to be best in the morning, and will be much higher on a regular schedule.

It takes a few weeks to get on a routine schedule, but our bodies thrive on regularity. Once you settle on a schedule, your body will begin to do a lot of the pushing for you. For example, I wake up at 5:30 every morning on my own without an alarm. (I always set one anyway, in case!) My body knows it’s time to get up and move. I also find that when I skip a workout or two, my legs become crampy and whiney and I can’t be still. So I have to go workout in order to appease my body’s demands. I will admit though, this does not usually happen when I am not on a set, daily program.

Axio

STAY FIT AT HOME TIP 4

Energy.

I don’t know about you, but when I can’t go to the gym, I find that I tend to be less energetic. There’s just something about the lights, the sounds, and the energy in the building that hypes my personal energy level to the next level.

Energy is necessary when you’re about to hit the weights (or weight-less routine), whether it is in a gym or at home.

Working out produces energy naturally. The more you do it, the more energy you will have. That being said, sometimes a little boost is just what we need. As I mentioned earlier, I love my energy drink, and the reason I like it, is because it is formulated to give energy to your mind, not just your body. And since I am a 5:30am girl, I appreciate that brain wake up in the a.m.!

The best part about this particular drink is that it is not a caffeinated, high-energy, pre-workout type of drink. It just basically clears away the brain fog and gives just enough of a boost that you feel awake, not jittery. It’s plant based. Gluten free. All natural. No sugar . . . And I love it! If you want to try it out, go here! If you’re visual, here’s a cool vid all about how it works, what it’s made out of, and all the fun facts! (FYI – my favorite flavor is grape).

STAY FIT AT HOME TIP 5

Ask questions.

If you do not know where to begin, what to wear, how to hold your body, what to eat, what to drink, how long to work out, how far to push your body, when to work out, etc., etc., ask questions. The more you ask, the more googling you do, and the more “networking” you do, the better you become at the task at hand.

Learn. Practice. Set goals, and believe. Working out at home is just as doable and possible, and can be just as rewarding, as working out in a gym.

It is not the gym that makes you successful in your fitness journey, it is your mindset. 

 

Please feel free to comment below, contact me on social media and follow me here! I love hearing from my readers. 🙂 I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life.

Definitely hit me up or email me and let’s chat!

 

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Boost Immunity at Home: 8 Secrets to Staying Healthy

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A great way to boost immunity at home is by thinking ahead before you or your family start to get sick. Below are 8 techniques that work for us, and I figured I’d pass them along to you!

 

Right now more than anything, we need our immune systems strong and ready to rock and roll!

So let’s get right into it! Here are 8 things that you can do (at home!) that will boost your immune system and help fight off sickness.

NUTRITION 

Diet is an extremely powerful tool in fighting diseases and boosting our immune system.

As soon as flu season hits, there are three things I do with my diet to boost my family’s immune system.

Cut out all sugar (but keep fruit!)

White blood cells are what fights disease. Sugar kills white blood cells. Math isn’t my strong point, so I’ll let you do the math here.

More fresh fruit and veggies

I increase my green juicing and fresh fruit and veggie intake.

“There are sufficient vitamins and minerals in the food that we grow to supply all of modern man’s needs.” ~ Agatha M. Thrash, M.D.
Preventive Medicine

I eat a variety of colors to make sure I’m getting efficient vitamins and minerals, but especially things that are naturally high in Vitamin C. (Citrus, kale, broccoli, kiwi, bell pepper, strawberries, pineapple, etc,)

boost immunity at home

Emergen-C or Airborne

Boost your defenses at home with a little C.

Maybe not the “healthiest” of supplements, but it is (usually) easy to get my hands on and my kids like it, so we use it and it works. If I even get the tiniest whiff of somebody getting sick, we drink an Emergen-C packet 1-2 times a day, and often it (a common cold) blows over without hanging out for too long.

However! Right now, I have not been able to find vitamin C, Airborne, or Emergen-C anywhere! so here is another way to accomplish the same thing. (Just slightly a little more complicated).

Increase your whole grains, nuts and seeds, (these are high in zinc), and eat more citrus fruits and raw veggies! Juicing is the best way to get large quantities in a smaller amount. (List of some things high in vitamin C above).

boost immunity at home

EXERCISE TO BOOST YOUR IMMUNITY AT HOME

Get your peaches moving!

“As exercise is increased, degenerative diseases of all kinds are decreased, life span is extended, various minor infections such as colds are reduced . . .” Agatha M. Thrash, M.D. Preventive Medicine

When you exercise, you’re breathing deeper and this helps to flush out your lungs and helps make you more resistant to respiratory infections. Do this outside and it is a win-win!

Exercise also increases white blood cells. Remember earlier how I said white blood cells are our disease fighters?

Exercise balances out our hormones. Including stress hormones. Stress makes us more susceptible to disease. So exercising brings us to a better, balanced state.

From my personal experience, the more working out I’ve done on a regular basis, the less I’ve gotten sick. #facts!

boost immunity at home

FRESH AIR

Fresh air actually helps strengthen our immune systems. Deep breathing helps purify the blood and increases oxygen to various parts of the body. You don’t have to spend your entire day outside, just 10-20 minutes is all you need. (Of course more won’t kill ya).

boost immunity at home

WATER

Water cleans out the internal ick. If you leave the ick inside, the likelihood of getting sick is higher. Get it out, drink at least 8-12 glasses of water a day!

A little trick I have done that works is, if I start to feel a little off I drink one 8oz glass of water every 10 minutes for an hour. Weird, I know. The toilet becomes your hangout spot and you feel super bloated. But, it actually works. It’s called flushing out your system.

boost immunity at home

REST

Boost immunity at home with simply by getting proper sleep. Sleep is essential to keeping your immune system strong and healthy. As soon as you start going for late nights, disrupted sleep schedules, and then over sleeping, you’re creating the perfect playground for viruses and bad things to have a party. Lack of sleep also effects recovery time.

Sleep at least 7-9 hours.

boost immunity at home

SUNSHINE

Sunlight kills germs and strengthens the immune system, too. It also heals. A little bit goes a long ways, so don’t stress about not having time to lay out on the beach for hours. 10 minutes is all you need.

boost immunity at home boost immunity at home

MODERATION 

Less is more . . . errr . . . unless it’s not enough.

Think small(er) size. Especially if you’re inside and sitting a lot more than usual.

Portion control is a big deal and even bigger when fighting disease. Over eating, eating frequently and eating late at night does no good for strengthening your immune system. Quite the opposite, in fact.

This applies to all things ~ too much sleep, too little sleep, too much sun, too little sun, etc., etc., is not healthy or good for building a strong immune system.

Be moderate with your work, your diet, your exercise, your inactivity, your thoughts. Stay balanced. Stay strong.

 

boost immunity at home

MEDITATION

Meditation brings balance to the body’s system and reduces stress and anxiety. It is like a massage to the soul, and is good for our emotions. When our emotions are out of whack our body tenses up and everything just isn’t balanced.

Fear is very palpable right now. Constant talk about what is going on around us  is causing a lot of fear and tension for millions of people. Fear and tension increases weakness. Now is not the time to feed weakness in any way.

Our mental health is the beginning to our physical and emotional health. Now more than ever we need to find positive things to focus on, minimize our time obsessing over the news, limit our conversation of negativity and increase positive conversation patterns. The less fear we allow into our minds, the stronger our bodies will be.

I wish the best of health on all of you and would love to hear what tips and tricks you do, to strengthen your immune system! I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life.

Definitely hit me up or email me and let’s chat! Seriously. We’ve got nothing better to do, right? (Said no mom of 5 doing remote-schooling ever). Haha

Until next time! 🙂

 

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Beginners Guide to Weight Lifting and Gym Life

This post  may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclaimer for more info.

 

If you’ve never been in a gym before, it can be very intimidating! Here are a few simple steps to boost your confidence before you walk through the doors into new territory!

Fat burn

If you have been in the gym for awhile, but never had anybody help you with some basics, you might find something here for you, too!

I know how daunting it is to walk into a large gym of seasoned gym rats and trainers, and know nothing.

I remember how overwhelmed I felt and how stupid I felt when I couldn’t figure out what some of the machines were for, how to use them, or how to adjust them to fit me. And just like middle school, you feel like you should already know and don’t want to appear dumb, so instead of asking someone for help, you skip that machine as if it weren’t leg day, and pretend it’s arm day and use something a little simpler. I’ve been that girl.

I’ve also been that one that did one set of arms, half a set of legs, some abs, and then something else, totally not knowing what body part I was working, just to keep moving and make it appear as though I had a plan and knew what I was doing. Been that girl, too.

But if you’re a newb, you might not even know a thing other than, you want to get in shape and a gym seems a good place to start!

Well, let’s get to work then!

 

TAKE THE TRAINING SESSION

First things first, when you sign up for a membership, sign up for a free session with a trainer.

Yes, the free sessions are an attempt to get you to sign up for training, and if you want a trainer, do it! But if you don’t want to pay for a trainer, sign up and show up, for that first couple of introductory classes anyway, just to have somebody that knows the gym and equipment to show you how to use the equipment with proper form. It makes all the difference in the world when you know your way around the gym and equipment.

 

WEAR PROPER CLOTHING

To some of you, this may seem like a duh. And if you don’t need this tip, skip right along, grasshopper. But, if you’re already insecure about going where you’ve never been, you don’t want to stick out like a sore thumb.

When you sign up for a gym membership, find out what the dress code is!

This way, you don’t get embarrassed when you walk in the door with a (sports bra and flip flops?) and get approached by the big guy and sent home.

Don’t go to the gym in any sort of jeans or stiff, loose, clothing. You will need clothes that allow you to get into awkward positions and move freely without lumps and bumps to work around. Good form is a must for safety. Your form is more likely to be compromised when wearing uncomfortable clothing,  just by trying to get away from the discomfort.

 

beginners guide to weight lifting

SHOES

When buying shoes, ask the person in the shoe Dept for “training shoes”. Running, walking, casual, and training shoes, are all different. It does make a difference!

 

 

beginners guide to weight lifting

LOUD NOISES AND SLAMMING WEIGHTS

Loud grunting, no matter male or female, is not attractive, and in some gyms not even permitted. There’s no need to be obnoxious. It won’t bring the sort of attention you’re looking for. When you’re pushing or lifting heavy weight and an audible exhale of relief slips from your lips, this is different (and fine). You will know what I mean once you get there. You’ll see (hear) both.

Slamming or dropping weights is also a no. It ruins the equipment, again draws unnecessary attention, and in general is just rude and unattractive. You’re also more likely to hurt yourself, or those around you, if you do this. You may even get asked to leave, depending on what gym you’re at.

 

FORM AND SAFETY 

If you don’t have a trainer or a friend who is knowledgeable on what good form is, do yourself a huge favor and Google how to have proper form when using gym equipment and weights!

I am not going to be the one to give you those tutorials here, but study this before you start.

Proper form is for your safety!

Trust me, depending on how bad your form is, you can (and will) injure yourself, possibly for life, if you do not understand proper form and technique.

This is also another good reason to sign up for training for the first month or so, especially if you’ve never in your life worked with machines and weights.

 

SLOW DOWN

Faster is not better. Along with good form comes good lifting technique. This includes a slow, steady pace of up and down, or push and pull, at the same, steady, speed. Again, a trainer can explain this. But as a general rule of thumb, when lifting, you want a 2-0-2, steady rhythm and speed when doing your reps.

Count slowly 1, 2, 0(here you’re at the “top” of your move) 1 , 2.

When you’re throwing your weight around recklessly (with speed), you’re out of control and more susceptible to injury. You’re also not giving your muscles the proper training of endurance and load to grow adequately and evenly.

Building muscle means loading your muscle properly, and strengthening is done with endurance by gradually loading on more weight as you get stronger over time. This happens after about 2-6 weeks, depending on your fitness level in the beginning.

 

LIGHTEN UP

Heavier weight isn’t always better, especially for a beginner! When you are starting off, start light. Don’t worry about what others think about you. At the beginning you need light weight, – sometimes even no weight – with high reps. Once you’ve mastered this with good form, you can then increase your weight and lower your reps. (All of this in more detail later). Again, this will be 2-6 weeks from starting, depending on your fitness level at the beginning.

 

CARDIO MACHINES 

As I keep saying, good form is necessary, not only for injury prevention, but also for gaining results.

There are a lot of cardio machines and options. All of them need to be used with proper form, but I am going to point out just two common machines that are used a lot and very often with bad form.

Treadmill:

The treadmill has a button that will change the incline. This will change your position from walking on a flat surface to up a hill. It can be slight or very steep, depending on what you want. When you use this button, never hold onto the handlebars to hold your weight so that you can lean back while walking. This is terrible form and potentially dangerous. If you increase the incline, you should always walk on the treadmill exactly the way you’d walk up a hill with no handles, leaning forward. If this is too hard, don’t use an incline until you have the leg strength and cardiac endurance to walk up a hill at a steady pace. 

Stairmaster:

The stairmaster is one of my favorite’s. It also has handles for safety reasons. But they aren’t there to lighten the load. It is better and safer, to keep your speed slow, rather than speed it up and hold on in an unnatural position. Walk up the stairs the same way you would if you were walking up real stairs: standing in an upright position. Never lean (hunched) down while supporting your upper body weight on your elbows, forearms or hands.

If you are too tired to stand upright with good form, slow down, take a break or stop for the day. 

CLEAN UP AND PUT AWAY WEIGHTS

Finally, wipe down and clean up your area before you leave to go to a new machine or location. It is rude and inconsiderate and just gross, to leave your sweat behind for the person that comes after you.

Always put away your weights.

ALWAYS.

Everybody is at a different level in their fitness and have different goals and workouts. Some move quickly and are on a timed workout that requires moving from one place to another in a timely fashion. Having to work around someone else’s weights, or re-rack someone else’s weights before they can do their set, slows them down and is just very irritating and also inconsiderate.

Also, if you are a large man and using heavy weight, a nice little lady coming behind you that does not have the strength that you have, cannot use that machine because she is unable to rack those weights. Always think of others when you are moving from one machine or location to another.

SHOULD YOU LOSE WEIGHT BEFORE JOINING A GYM? 

Losing weight before joining a gym is absolutely not necessary!

A gym is for all body types, on all fitness levels, and for people that have all sorts of goals. It is a great place to start, no matter your fitness level.

You do not need to lose weight to walk into a gym, just like you don’t need to be saved before walking into a church, or be healthy before going to a doctor.

Check out several gyms before making a decision as to which one is for you. There are just about as many gyms as there are personality types, so take your time.

weight management

 

If you have any other questions, I’m here to help! Hit me up on any of the social media platforms you enjoy the most. I’m on (almost) all of them. . .  Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest ,Linkedin, and balance8life.

 

 

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Why is the Vegan Diet one of the Best Diets?

 

Why is the Vegan Diet one of the Best Diets?

There are all sorts of diets that claim many, many things. So why is the vegan diet one of the best diets for you?

Many fad diets do what they claim. The problem with fad diets is, they’re not balanced and are very unhealthy and cannot be maintained. For example, many weight loss “diets” are labeled “the 30-day diet”, etc.

So, what happens after you’ve followed one of these fad diets for 30-60 days, got results, but the diet has timed out? Where do you go after that? This is where people often end up gaining back their weight and feeling defeated. They don’t know what to do after the diet ends.

My goal is to help you find a balanced diet that lasts for life, maintaining your results, and makes you feel amazing!

The vegan diet is, not only healthy for life, but also balanced and can provide you with all the nutrients your body requires, to be healthy.

One of the reasons the vegan diet is one of the best, is because you can reach any goals on this diet, and do it healthfully.

Bodybuilding, powerlifting, weight loss, weight gain, muscle building, and competitions can be done on a vegan diet. Also, pre-wedding body contouring, modeling, pregnancy and breastfeeding are also attainable on a vegan diet. Simply maintaining a healthy, normal, weight, can be achieved on a vegan diet.

The vegan diet is not an extreme diet that cuts out or adds anything in access to gain quick results. It is a diet that puts the balance in your daily menu and can help you gain results at a healthy pace.

As I talked about in, What is a Vegan, I briefly went over ways to grocery shop, the importance of reading labels, and gave a list of what to eat. But I didn’t say why it was such a good diet.

Vegan eating cuts out all animal products, which immediately cuts out the disease that is so prevalent in meat and dairy products.

There’s no guaranteed way to prevent or cure diseases. There are, however, ways we can prevent and cure common diseases, and the vegan lifestyle is that.

Some diseases that can be prevented and/or cured on a vegan diet. To name a few: diabetes, heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, menstrual difficulties, UTI, bowl irritability, heart burn, obesity, bad breath, acne, fatigue, and high cholesterol, etc.

The vegan lifestyle is the ideal way to be in the best place you can be, to maintain optimal health.

I have been a vegan for 39 years. For me, the benefits have really become apparent once I hit my 30’s. I have aged slower, started my period later as a teen, I never had acne,  and don’t have stretch marks from my pregnancies. I’ve never had heartburn, digestion problems, food poisoning, kidney stones, weight problems, and have never been on medication. I also have a lot of energy and and sleep great.

Unfortunately, I did inherit high cholesterol, but by cleaning up my dairy intake and adding cardio to my workouts, I haven’t had to be on medicine. (I say “clean up my dairy intake” because I did start eating dairy for a short amount of time).

The trick to being a healthy vegan is to maintain balance in what foods you put on your plate and how much you eat. 

I have known vegans who eat large amounts of fried foods, sugars, simple carbs, and very little to no rabbit food, that have struggles with their health.

Raw foods are very important for a balanced diet, regardless of dietary preference. You can be unhealthy on a vegan diet just as any other diets, so maintaining that balance between fresh and cooked foods, less sugar, more veggies and fruits, and less pre-packaged foods, is very important.

A balanced, vegan diet consists of:

  • Nuts and seeds (healthy fats)
  • Veggies (calcium, vitamins and minerals)
  • Fruits (healthy sugars)
  • Legumes (protein)
  • and whole grains (fiber, protein).

These foods offer way more than what I stated in the parentheses, but that just gives you an idea of what these foods offer.

I hope this helps, if you have questions, please ask!

And of course as always, please enjoy my blog by sharing it with your friends and family! If you have any questions, please reach out to me! I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life.

 

 

 

 

 

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Balance Happens When We Let Go

 

Balance Happens When We Let Go

 

Have you ever tried to balance on one foot while holding onto a chair? Are you truly balancing? Balance doesn’t happen until we let go. I didn’t say balancing means you will never fall or that it is perfect the first time. But balance can’t be learned while holding onto a chair and never letting go.

Every day, we are subconsciously, and consciously, fed with things that are either overly perfect, or dramatically devastating. When comparing real every day life to either of these, real life becomes very weighty, and starts feeling out of control. It’s difficult to maintain balance in our minds! 

The things we have to do, the lists we have to check off, and the deadlines we have to make, are physically easy to see, to touch, and to organize. But what about our inner peace, our minds?

Blogging about health and fitness keeps my mind focused on my own health and fitness. It makes my weakness super, glaringly clear, and in my face, all the time.

I know how to juggle mom life, follow a routine, change it up when I get board, workout at home, eat healthy, and drink plenty of water. I know how to make sure I am getting the right amount of sunlight for my vitamin-D and fresh air to calm my soul. I know how to meditate and “clear my mind of the clutter”, but. . .

. . . knowing, and doing are two different things!

It also reminds me that, no matter what I say, or what I do, real life is real life. It is easy to skip things when nobody is watching. But it’s also not that hard for me to do the do. What is hard for me though, is chillin’. (My boyfriend told me this yesterday).

I’ve had a rough past 5-6 weeks. I’ll just be honest. Even doing the do has been more difficult than usual for me . . .  the mind clutter has been hefty! 

The lack of balance between work and play.

That’s my problem.

Yesterday my boyfriend freed me of my chores and motherly duties and told me to go do something for me.

I decided to go hiking, but I was really upset when I walked out in nature and couldn’t quiet my mind. I needed to meditate, clear my mind, and let go of the tension, but it just would not happen. I ended up driving home early, frustrated and disappointed.

When I walked in the door, the house smelled glorious. Dinner had been made, the floor had been vacuumed and the dishes had been done. There wasn’t anything that I had to do. Suddenly, all the tension left, and clarity came. I thought how strange it was that it happened at home, once I returned. Not in the woods, not on my drive, not while I was alone.

Balance happens when we let go.

I expected and tried to create balance at a certain time, in a certain place, and in a specific way. When it didn’t happen, I thought, well this isn’t working. The fact that I was upset that it didn’t work made it even more frustrating. But when I got home and quit trying, it happened.

Now I’m not saying to quit trying. I’m saying, let go. Let go of the crutch that keeps you from gaining that strength, that inner peace, that center focus. We have to let go of what we lean on, of what we are holding onto that is keeping us back, before we can grow stronger in the next phase of our life, of our strength…

BALANCE

 

Please enjoy my blog by sharing it with your friends and family! You (and they) can explore balance8life anywhere! I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life.

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Working out at Home

Working out at Home

Working out at home is how I got started, but I’ma let you know right now, that it is a 100% self-motivated and self-commitment sort of undertaking. If you’re down for that, keep reading! This is how I did it for 6 years, alone, with 5 kids.

Always remember:   #MomLife happens!

I started my fitness commitment when I was 30, a couple years after I had my last kiddo. I didn’t have a single clue what was about to happen. I didn’t have money or time for a gym membership. (I lived in the boonies, 45 minutes from the nearest gym). But I was determined to get this baby-body back to a pre-baby body. I knew it would have to take crazy self motivation, because I didn’t have fellow gym goers to creep on me, or a partner to support me, and I definitely had the excuse of crying babies in diapers to keep me down.

In this situation, it’s easy to say, “I’ll wait until they grow up.” But trust me, it doesn’t get easier. Waiting for the perfect time will keep you on wait for life. 

I had one set of 3Lb dumbbells and I invested in a yoga ball and a yoga mat. I didn’t know how to use them or what to do with them, and I didn’t have anybody to ask.

My routine was lame and looking back now, I definitely didn’t know what I was doing.

Starting, committing, and figuring it out as you go is all some of us can do.

I want to share with you some of what I did that got me to where I am now.

1. DECIDE AND START

I knew for a fact that I had to start somewhere. So I decided to go for it. I’d been in a gym a time or two and knew a few basic things, so I started with what I did know. I set 30 minutes aside every day, to do something.

I did curls, (sat on the yoga ball and bounced?) Used my yoga mat and did a few crunches, turned around and did pushups, and did a few squats.

2. FIND A FRIEND

I lived too far away to have friends pop in and join me, so I called one.

My friend Jon ended up being the toughest, most consistent, motivating, and hard to hide from, kind of friend. We committed to getting in shape together, 2,000 miles apart from each other, and report (over phone) on the daily!

You don’t have to have a buddy at your side. Someone to check in with and be accountable to is all it takes, whether that’s a phone call, snail mail, a text, or someone personally there with you. Anything can work!

3. RESEARCH

I decided my butt was way too flat, so I started researching what I could do from home, and I discovered Leandro Carvalho’s Brazil Butt Lift and lucky for me I had a birthday coming up and requested it for my birthday.

Today, with so many things available online, within minutes, you can find all sorts of workouts for free, or that are worth paying for. Just do your research and try something! It’s all about trial and error.

The above mentioned workout works wonders, by the way, and I have actually since found it on eBay and Amazon for a very low price!

4. COMMITMENT 

I received Brazil Butt Lift from my sister as a birthday gift, and whoa! It hurt. And it’s easy to quit when you’re at home with nobody watching; when the pain is real! It hurt so, so, so bad! I had never done anything so intense in my entire life! I quit after… 3 days?

2 weeks later, after I could finally walk again, I decided to give it another go, and I stuck with it. Pushed through the pain, and within 8 weeks I saw a 2 inch increase in my butt and a 2 inch decrease in my waist!

Results don’t happen if you don’t commit. Commitment and consistency is key to seeing results, whether you’re alone at home or at a class at a gym!

5. SCHEDULING

If you’re a mom at home with a kid, or a bunch of kids, it takes scheduling to actually make things possible! Fortunately, I already had my kids on a very regular nap schedule, so I was able to pop in the DVD and go for it at nap time. If your kids aren’t on a regular schedule, boss up and tell them it’s mommy time. Mom’s can’t be their very best if they don’t take care of themselves!

After doing this for several months, the kids learned that this was a routine. I talked to them and explained that they needed to stay out of the area while I worked out because I didn’t want them to get hurt. But they watched and sometimes joined in.

This is where actions speak so loudly! None of my kids have ever seen me skip a workout for more than a day or so, (unless, of course, the times I’ve had a broken bone or hurt myself). When I miss more than one day, they begin asking me why. It’s a habit and it means something to them that I do it! They actually don’t like it when I miss for too long. It’s become a routine which in turn equals security and “knowing what to expect from mom”. Kids like it when their parents take care of themselves.

6. LOVE AND WILL POWER

Love yourself! Some days are a real struggle. Some days are easy. I was so over the top committed to this workout plan, that I was determined to let nothing get in the way. On days when I wasn’t feeling so into it, I put the DVD in and put on my workout clothes before I was actually ready to do the do. Just the sound of the music and the pictures of those nice booties really motivated me enough to get my butt in gear. (And of course, knowing that Jon would be calling me to get a report gave me that extra boost!)

It really is simply deciding whether or not it is important to you. If it is, you will find the time to do it, and figure out how to do it.

Working out at home is a lot easier now than it was even back when I started. The options and abundance of workouts online, free or paid, are endless.

I personally loved the Brazil Butt Lift because it was focused on the booty, plus, it worked my full body. But I have also done Insanity, P90X, Hip-Hop Abs, T-25, and plenty of others. I did these interchangeably for 6 years. Some of these use more equipment than others. I’d start with Brazil Butt Lift ’cause it comes with the bands you need and the only thing extra you need is a mat. I got mine at T.J. Maxx for $9.00!

When you’re a stay-at home mom, (or dad), I highly suggest and recommend doing a DVD program because they teach proper form to those of us who know nothing abut working out. And they usually come with a calendar and a meal plan. They’re simple, and you can fit the work out in to your own schedule.

Just remember that sleeping in happens. Set backs happen. Cramps happen. Losing motivation happens. Perfection, on the other hand, happens in tiny increments, for a second or two, but it’s never something that is reached and maintained on a steady basis. It’s that “do and do again” kind of thing. Accepting when it is, and accepting when it isn’t, and understanding that it isn’t going to be a place that you get to and get to park yourself at. It’s an on-going process of riding life.

As Dory says:  "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming."

If you have any other questions on how to work out from home, I’d love to hear from you! You can message me anywhere you’d like. I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life, so wherever you like to communicate best, you can reach me!

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How to Get Gains When Gains are Hard to Get

 

 

How to Get Gains When Gains are Hard to Get

 

Have you ever wondered how to get gains when gains are hard to get? Do you go to the gym and no matter how hard you try you just can’t get the gains that you want?

My dad is 6”4’ and 135-40Lbs. He’s like, super skinny. My brothers are also both thin (not as tall) but have had a difficult time getting gains in the gym. It has been extremely frustrating. I have watched them work hard on their fitness goals and gain little. Since I’ve been a trainer, they’ve come to me several times for help and I aways had the same answer, “Hmm…I don’t know”.

Sooo . . . I decided to do a ton of research and find out why, exactly, skinny peeps can’t seem to gain bulk like they want to!

I think I figured it out. *Big grin*

Some people are just skinny and envied (or judged) by many, but our bodies are all unique and so are our genetics. Sometimes, no matter how hard these skinny people try, they just can’t see muscle growth in the gym, or if they do, it’s very minimal.

The questions is always  . . .

. . . how come I just can’t achieve my goals in the gym!?

First of all, it is important to understand your body type and genetics before you get too frustrated in the gym.

If your father and his father, or mother, or several relatives in your direct family, are tall, thin and almost unhealthy looking, it could be more than just the fact that they’re starving themselves or malnourished.

They could be an Ectomorph alien.  Okay maybe not an alien, but . . .

There are three different body types: ectomorph, endomorph and mesomorph.

Today I’m just going to talk about the ectomorph.

This body type is long and lean, has a hard time gaining muscle (and fat), and has a fast metabolism. When you have the ectomorph body type your nutrition and fitness program have to be very deliberate and focused on your goals.

I am going to break this down for you into 4 groups:

  • Nutrition
  • Training
  • Rest
  • Supplements

 

1. NUTRITION:

For the ectomorph, it can be super tempting to eat whatever you want, whenever you want, as much as you want and as often as you want, in hopes of maybe seeing something. But let me tell you a little secret; that’s not a good idea.

Understanding carbohydrates is important because ectomorphs need a LOT of complex carbs, which are different from simple carbs.

 

Complex carbs are dense, packed with nutrients and keep you full longer, which is what you need.

SIMPLE CARBS

Simple carbs are very low in nutrients, and trick the brain into thinking you’re full before you’ve actually received much nutrients at all. Therefore, you’re not actually “feeding” your body anything more than a feeling, annnd stuff that can make you sick. (Artery-clogging fat, diabetes-boosting sugar, etc., etc.) And just because you aren’t carrying around a tire in the mid-section doesn’t mean you’re healthy.

Here’s an example of what a simple carb looks like: A slice of angel cake will definitely take away your hunger fast. But your calorie content is 129 per slice, with 256% sodium, 15 grams of sugar, potassium 1%, fiber 0%, (empty) carbs 9%, protein 3 grams, calcium 4%, and all your vitamins and minerals are listed at 0%.

All body types need to stay away from simple carbs, but especially the ectomorph. These evil little carbs should never enter your mouths!

 

Simple carbs are:

  • White (table) sugar
  • Corn syrup
  • Candy
  • Ice cream
  • Cake
  • All baked goods with white flour
  • Bread with white flour (you should eat a lot of 100% whole wheat/grain bread!)
  • Pasta made with white flour
  • (Most) packaged cereals
  • ALL sodas
  • etc.

COMPLEX CARBS

 

Now a sample of a complex carb: Vegan lentil casserole. This will also fill you up fast, but it will keep you full longer because complex carbs take longer to digest.

It has 240.1 calories in one serving, which is fine because, watch where all of your nutrients are coming from: Potassium 566 mg, 9.9 grams of fiber, 29.8 grams (complex) carbs, 15.5% protein, vitamins A, B-6 & B-12, C & D range from 3-30%, 16% calcium, plus 12 other minerals that run between 6-50%. This is power packed with all sorts of bone and muscle building material that will actually feed your body more than just a good feeling for an hour.

The denser your food and the more healthy complex carbs, the less you have to eat to maintain “fullness” and total nutrients, and as a result, the healthier you will be, and the easier it will be to gain bulk.

Complex carbs are:

  • Fruit
  • Veggies
  • Whole Grains (All grains that are not white)
  • Legumes (beans)
  • etc. (read on for more examples below)

Nutrition after workout:

Within the first 3-20 minutes after working out, you should have a protein shake. Homemade is best.

I personally have tried a lot of protein powders over the course of about 9 years. Since I’m vegan I really tried to stick with vegan protein powders, but I struggled, so I tried whey, too. But I noticed the whey proteins left a nasty sweet (not a pleasant sweet) coating in my mouth and the back of my throat for hours. So I switched back to vegan protein. I finally found one that I absolutely love. The texture isn’t grainy and the flavor is delicious. The brand is Love & Peas and it is sugar free, vegan certified, and allergen free. You can buy it here!

 

Here is a list of foods you need to make sure you’re eating regularly:

Add these to your shakes*:

  • Berries
  • Honey
  • Almond milk
  • Coconut milk
  • Avocado
  • Nuts
  • Seeds (hemp and flax are my fave)
  • Coconut oil
  • Moringa powder
  • Peanut or other nut butters

Add these to your meals:

 

  • (All of the above listed for shakes can also be added to meals if you’re not into shakes)
  • Bagels (fix them with some vegan butter or vegan cream cheese)
  • 100% whole wheat/grain bread
  • Homemade granola (recipe coming soon!)
  • BEANS AND BROWN RICE – all day every day!
  • Vegan butter (my fave is the Smart Balance brand, if you’re adventurous, there are great homemade butter options as well.)
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Quinoa
  • Nuts
  • Olive oil
  • Dried fruits
  • Pumpkin seeds (these and the following 3 items are filled with plant-based BCAA’s which ectomorphs need more than any other body type.)
  • Cashews
  • Buckwheat
  • Brown rice

Items to eat small amounts of: 

*update: I have had some questions in regards to why  I listed “salad” (below) as a food not to eat. I have re-worded this for clarity. This article was written specifically for people who are trying to bulk up and put on fat and muscle. This is not a generalized suggestion of all body types and weight loss or gain goals. It is a targeted article for thin body types who want to gain weight and have a difficult time doing so. Please feel free to reach out to me with any more questions! Links to contact me are at the end of this article. 

  • Celery
  • Popcorn
  • Salads
  • Soups
  • Watermelon
  • etc.

Note: It’s not that these things (above listed foods) are bad for you, in fact, they are very good; they’re just not very dense, so they don’t add to the bulking process. If you want to eat these items, eat them as a side with your meal, in addition to your other denser foods.

Track calories

I hate tracking calories, and don’t typically recommend it, but when you’re trying to add on muscle (and fat) you need to watch your calorie intake and eat higher calorie foods.

How many meals should you eat?

3 meals a day are best, with 2 shakes before the last meal of the day. These can be with your meals, or before or after breakfast and again before or after lunch. Keep your third meal smaller and make sure it is your lowest calorie meal, and never go to bed full! 

Even though you are trying to gain weight, you still need at least 3 hours between the last time you eat and when you go to bed.

2. TRAINING

Compound weight training is a must for ectomorphs! Also, you should spend less time in the gym than you might think:

45 minutes is all you need to have a great workout! Train heavy and hard 5 days a week. Stay away from any type of cardio based workouts.

 

Cardio is good for everybody, and is how we keep our heart healthy and strong. For the ectomorph looking to build muscle and gain weight, definitely leave that out for now, unless you specifically need it for other reasons. If that’s the case, you just have to realize that weight gain will be nearly impossible to attain. (Sorry).

3. REST

 

Get sleep and lots of it. Ectomorphs need their sleep! This is when your body is building the muscle that you broke down in the gym. 8-9 hours of sleep is ideal for muscle building.

For more on rest, go read my article The Rest in Your Story! 

4. SUPPLEMENTS

 

  • Homemade shakes with protein powder, nuts, oats, seeds, coconut oil, nut butters, nut milk, avocado, banana, etc. Naturally calorie dense foods with higher healthy fat content.
  • Moringa powder has 92 nutrients and 46 antioxidants and no additional supplements are needed when consuming moringa daily. Moringa is natural and there are no side effects it can be taken while on medication and is 100% safe. Add the powder to your shakes, mix it in a glass or water or get capsules to swallow, whatever way you prefer, it’s available. Right now I am using (this) by Micro Ingredients. In shakes, you can’t really taste it but alone it is a bit much.
  • BCAA’s. The Branched-chain amino acids – Luecine, isoleucine and valine – are essential. They differ from the other amino acids because they can be used for energy directly in the muscle without having to go to the liver to be broken down during exercise.
    • Lucas Guimaraes-Ferreira L, Coordinator of the Muscle Physiology and Human Performance Research Group and Bachelor in Physical Education and Sports, MSc and PhD in Human Physiology, says: “It has been suggested that ingesting BCAA’s before and/or during long duration activity may help the late fatigue, but studies have not strongly supported this theory. However the BCAAs, especially leucine may play a critical role in recovering from exercise by preventing muscle breakdown.”
  • Plant-based sources of BCAAs include: pumpkin seeds, buckwheat, brown rice and cashews. You can also choose a plant-based protein supplement that contains BCAAs, such as Vega Sport® Premium Protein, which has 5 grams of BCAAs per scoop. I have tried some Vega Sport proteins and they weren’t my favorite. I just use cashew milk for my shakes, add my fave protein powder, toss in raw unsalted pumpkin seeds and a fourth cup of quick oats to my shakes. And then eat beans and rice. This does the trick.
  • Creatine powder helps your muscles produce energy during heavy lifting (which is what you need as an ectomorph) and helps with muscle gain, enhances strength and improves performance. This one is my favorite and it is pretty inexpensive.

My brother lives with me, and he is very thin when he isn’t working out and eating right. He wanted to start working out with my boyfriend and I, so I did this research specifically for him. I made a meal plan and started making him shakes to take to work. He has followed this training and nutritional plan now for over a month and has gained almost 10 pounds. It is working!

I hope this helps, I’d love to hear your story, see your before and after pics, and answer your questions! You can message me anywhere you’d like. I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life, so wherever you like to communicate best, you can reach me!

*Bulking and muscle building protein shake recipe

 

 

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8 Best Protein Sources for Vegans

 

protein sources for vegans

8 Best Protein Sources for Vegans

 

Protein sources for vegans can be easier to find than most people would think.

When I tell people that I am a vegan, the first thing they seem to freak out about is protein; can you even get protein on a vegan diet? Sure you can! In this article, I’m going to show you the 8 best protein sources for vegans. 

Most people equate health and defined muscles to a large intake of protein. It is also common for people to think they aren’t getting enough protein. 

 

First, lets look at protein. How important is it, really? And do you have to have an abundance of it to be healthy? Is “enough” difficult to come by, and can you get enough, or can you even get any protein if you are a vegan?

 

The short answer is, protein is important, but not in abundance. And yes, you can get more than enough protein on a vegan diet. 

The average American consumes too much protein already. Add a liquid, high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet, and you could be in serious trouble. 

 

protein sources for vegansA high protein diet is toxic to our bodies.

 

 

 

 

Doctor Agatha M. Thrash, M.D. of Preventive Medicine, and founder of Uchee Pines Natural Health Lifestyle Institute, states that,“A high protein diet puts a tax on the liver, breaks down protein tissues, triggers a loss of calcium from bones, and leaves toxic residues which must be eliminated. Before elimination of these toxic residues, however, the body is often damaged so that it is more susceptible to a variety of diseases, including cancer and arthritis.” 

So how do we know when we’re getting too much or not enough protein?

 

Well, the dietary reference intake for protein is 0.8 grams per kilograms of body weight per day (USDA, 2010). When expressed as a percentage of total calories, the recommendation is that 10-35% of an individual’s daily calories should come from protein. 

Here is an example: 200 pounds is 90.7 kilograms. That is approximately 73 grams of protein needed for one single day. A meal that includes a bowl of beans (15gr protein) and brown rice (7grams), a side salad with spinach and quinoa (5 grams) and a few walnuts (4 grams), equals to an approximate amount of 31 grams of complete protein. This is a single meal. You only need that less than three times in your day to get more than enough protein for one day.* 

Protein, in its purest form and within the boundaries of a balanced diet, is important.  Hair and nails are mostly made of protein. Your body uses protein to build and repair tissues. Protein gives you muscle mass, makes enzymes, hormones, and other body chemicals. It also is an important building block of bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood.

PROTEIN NEED BY ACTIVITY LEVEL:

Activity Level  

No exercise:

Type of Exercise

N/A

Protein Needs (g/kg body weight)

0.8 to 1.2

Light to Moderate

Cardiovascular

Resistance

1.2 to 1.6

1.5 to 2.0

Moderate to Vigerous

Cardiovascular

Resistance

1.5 to 2.0

1.7 to 2.2

But a little bit goes a long way. 

As a fitness professional and a vegan, plus a gym rat, I have done years of studies, research and training to witness and experience first-hand, that meat is not necessary, needed or even healthy, for appropriate protein intake.  

It is easy to get protein. Period. You don’t need as much as you think, nor is it as difficult to come by on a vegan diet, as one would assume. There is protein in almost everything, especially in legume, nut, seed and grain related foods. Accumulated over a day, it is likely to consume more than you thought, and more than your body requires. 

Where do you get adequate protein on a vegan diet? 

 

There are many foods that offer proteins, complete, and incomplete here are my top 8 picks.

 

 

Tofu ~ 27 grams of complete protein

1. Soy is a great source of protein for vegans

Soy products such as tofu, tempeh, and Edamame are among the richest sources of protein in a vegan diet with 27 grams of protein in one 14oz block of tofu. In Edamame there are 18 grams of protein in 1 single cup.  

Soy is also a complete protein, which means that it provides all the essential amino acids that our body does not produce on its own, making it essential to acquire them from your diet.

 

 

 

protein sources for vegans
Lentils ~ 24 grams of protein

2. Lentils are a great source of protein for vegans

Lentils combined with a whole grain, (making this a “complete” protein) provides the same quality protein as meat, with 24 grams per 1 cup (cooked).

 

 

 

protein sources for vegans
Quinoa ~ 4.4 grams of complete protein

3. Quinoa is a great source of protein for vegans

Quinoa is also a complete protein source, with 4.4 grams of protein per half a cup cooked. It can be used as a hot cereal, in salads, in casseroles, used in place of rice, and much more. Pinterest has tons of great recipes using quinoa! 

 

 

 

protein sources for vegans
Whole wheat ~ 16 grams of protein

4. 100% whole wheat is a great source of protein for vegans

Wheat has 16 grams of protein per 1 cup. 

In one slice of 100% whole grain bread, there is approximately 3.6 grams of protein per one slice of bread, depending, of course, on the size. Make that a sandwich and you’ve got about 7 grams.

A couple other grains that I often use are millet, which contains 6.1 g per cup and oats, containing 5.9 grams per cup.

 

 

 

Guava fruit ~ 4.2 grams of protein

5. Guava fruit is a great source of protein for vegans

Protein is mostly found in grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. But, some fruits also contain protein, guava being one of the highest, with 4.2 grams per one cup.

Other fruits that offer protein are Apricots (2.2 grams per cup), kiwi (2.1 grams per cup), blackberries (2 grams per cup), oranges (1.7 grams per cup), and bananas (1.3 grams per cup sliced).

 

 

 

Hemp seeds ~ 9 grams of protein

6. Hemp seeds are a great source of protein for vegans

This is one seed considered to be a superfood, containing 9 grams of protein per ounce (about a tablespoon). 

These seeds are a complete source of protein as well, delivering all nine essential amino acids. 

Hemp is high in potassium and magnesium, which are minerals that can help reduce muscle cramping. Perfect for those of us who work out regularly! (I toss these little babies in my shakes allll the time!)

 

 

 

Peas ~ 8.5 grams of protein

7. Peas are a great source of protein for vegans

Green peas contain 8.5 grams of protein per 1 cup. 

In addition to protein, peas are great sources of vitamins, and soluble as well as insoluble fiber.

 

 

 

Mung beans ~ 14 grams of protein

8. Mung beans are a great source of protein for vegans

1 cup of cooked mung beans has 14 grams or protein. 

These beans also have several healthy antioxidants, also have anti-inflammatory properties, are known to lower high cholesterol, thought to aid in reducing high blood pressure, as well as lower blood sugar levels and many, many more amazing health benefits worth their consideration in a balanced, vegan diet. 

BONUS. . . I couldn’t leave out Pumpkin seeds with 8.5 grams of protein per 1 ounce. (Plus BCAA’s! – I put a handful of theses in my shakes, too. Can’t even’t taste them.

So as you can see, protein is abundant in non-meat foods! I only listed 8 foods, but this list could be miles long, so I picked my faves and ones that are on the higher scale, but if you want more, shoot me an email here! I’m also on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, so wherever it is you like to hang out the most, follow and comment, ask and engage! I love talking about this stuff. 

 

*The amount of protein in vegan meal mentioned above depends on types of legume eaten, and amount of each serving consumed.

If you have comments or questions on this topic, or anything else, reach out! I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life, so wherever you like to hang, you can reach me!

 

Posted on

Consistency Killed the Fat

 

 Ropes 

Consistency Killed the Fat

 

Consistency is the key to success. Whether you are new to a healthy lifestyle or have been doing it for years; Consistency is how we achieve lasting results.

Sometimes it’s just not easy.

Consistency means: steadfast adherence to the same principles, course, form, etc.

Like I already talked about in my articles, How to Set Goals that Last and Six Steps to Setting Goals that Last, there are steps we have to take in order to reach goals. But just like walking, if you take one step forward and another step backwards then you don’t really reach your goals very quickly, or ever.

This is where consistency comes in. Now when I say consistency, I don’t mean consistently stepping through all your changes one after another. I mean staying consistent with the change you just made. As you take those steps towards your end goal, make each one stick before you go to the next. Once you see you are consistent with that one, add the next change, the next piece in finding balance in your life everyday.

Your goals should be realistic which will boost your ability to be consistent.

If you are 300 pounds and your goal is to be 100 pounds, your realistic “baby step”goal, should be to lose 5 or 10 pounds (first). When your goals are realistic, you get to see obvious, consistent improvement and can celebrate your successes a lot quicker, reaching one small goal at a time.

Consistency depends on solid promises.

Never make a promise to yourself, or anybody else, that you cannot keep. In Six Steps to Setting Goals that Last, the 5th step is TALK ABOUT IT. Talking about it makes you want to continue those good habits so that you don’t disappoint anyone, but we all have moments where we fail. Owning those moments and promising to do better, for yourself, is also important. Consistency isn’t always immediate, it’s a mindset; begin with consistency in your mind and when you miss it don’t lose that mindset, reset and keep pushing.

Once you have decided what you’re going to do, talking about your plans reinforces them and motivates you to take action.  It also creates strength within you to do it again. This gets stronger and stronger every time you do what you said you were going to do.

I’ve seen this recently. My brother and I have been listening to a lot of podcasts about how to change the habits you do on a daily basis. He is a car salesman and the hours are long. Going to the gym can be a struggle. 

My boyfriend and I just recently started going to the gym at 5am. Since Andrew works with my brother, and there just isn’t any better time to hit the weights, I told him he needed to get in the gym with us. Which, to say the least, was the last thing he wanted to do. Sleep or gym? I think we would all want to choose sleep. 

Eventually, my bro did start coming, but he missed a day after his first day, went again, missed another couple days, but kept at it. Now he’s a regular 5am gym rat… who’da thunk?

My point is, he did miss a few days, but he stayed consistent in his mindset and he regularly told people at work that he was doing it, plus he posted every morning on Snapchat that he was. So he had the combined mental consistency, the “talk” and his actions followed. (Plus, he had us, which helped!) 

 

Woman exercising

If you are in the beginning stages of a change in lifestyle, and you SKIP one single day, at this moment, you’re weakening your mental strength.

Sometimes we miss a day because of unavoidable circumstances. Make sure that you are consistent in your thoughts, not just your actions. If you miss a day keep telling yourself “I am doing this thing every day”.

Once you allow yourself to miss a second day during your new habit forming stage, unless you have extremely strong will power, this is a potential set up for a third day, and the rest of your days to come.

Decide, commit, and don’t go back.

Consistency and lazy can’t be friends.

Change sucks. It hurts. It’s difficult. It takes energy. It takes dedication. You have to force yourself to put one baby step in front of another. Once you look back at how those little steps brought you to the top of the mountain, … ain’t nobody ever regretted the pain it took to see the view!

Bad days happen, but consistently push past them.

Get up. Move on. Keep up the momentum! Don’t let one off day ruin your progress and keep you down. Consistency requires you to get up, push past the pain, accept that you’re not perfect, and repeat the times that you did well before.

Focus on the positive. We all have bad days. Life happens. The trick is to accept that life will get in the way sometimes. Recognize when it was really life and when it was a decision to find an excuse not to keep going. I talk about how to turn excuses into positive results in Quit the Routine Start an Excuse.

Set a two-week no break rule to solidify your consistency.

If you are about to take that first baby step, and you’ve done everything you need to set yourself up for the change, make a two-week-no-break rule. Get into the habit of your new decision and change. This way, you’re well on your way and when you take a day off or miss a day, you’re more likely to get back on it than if you take a day off two days in.

If you consistently want it, you’ll consistently go get it.  

Period.

 

The title of this article is “Consistency Killed the Fat”, and I realize that I have mostly been talking about fitness, but, I am talking about any change!

If you are wanting to lose, or gain, weight, eat better, change your entire eating habits in a drastic way, drink more water, etc., any healthy lifestyle habit requires baby steps, and consistency for long-term results. It is very important to stick with it and stay consistent even when you don’t see a change. Change takes time. Without consistent persistence, change won’t happen.

 

Food in blue bowl

Keep it consistently exciting by changing it up. 

Boredom can ruin a great routine. Sometimes we have to break away from the routine, and find something to spice it up. If you’re tired of the gym and finding it difficult to keep going, get involved in something outdoors, or join a class in another location. There are options; Google and Pinterest are great places to find ideas!

Follow balance8lifedotcom, ’cause I am consistently here to motivate! 

I’m here to help! I post something new every Wednesday. Doing things alone, making a change of any kind, takes a lot of work, so finding that someone that can help keep you focused is so invaluable. For quick on-the-go motivation, tips, and reminders, follow balance8life on Instagram here!

No matter where you are in your health-journey, keep up the good work! You’ve got this! I would love to hear from you! You can comment below, or, if you want to follow me on social media, come on over! I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life.