Don't be Scared...Be Smart!

Don't be SCARED! Be SMART!

I have never been a fan of the "scare-tactic" for anything...especially with food! It's not about being convinced fast food is going to kill you...it's about being educated on what can actually improve your health, enhance your appearance, increase your energy, and elevate your mood. 
Trust me, I would LOVE to convince everyone to stop eating crap..right NOW! (and there is enough info out there to throw at you to make you disgusted with most of the things we eat) But, it just doesn't work that way, and I understand that 100%.  I am human. I grew up eating Slim Jims and cheese sticks on a daily basis! My grandpa called me "the pepperoni kid"...because I was literally obsessed! I got Cheese-its as birthday presents up until I was about 25 years old. So it has been a gradual process for me...and honestly, that's the only way it is realistic for everyone to accomplish.

So here are a few of my favorite, AMAZING, yummy foods to incorporate/substitute into your daily routine to get you started...

Avocado:

Avocado is one of my favorite super foods! People have  misconception that if they are trying to lose weight, they shouldn't eat avocado because it is high in "fat". However, they are loaded with the exact kind of fat you need to lose weight! Healthy fats! (oleic acid, lutein, folate, vitamin E, monounsaturated fats and glutathione) These fats can help protect your body from heart disease, cancer, degenerative eye and brain diseases. They raise good cholesterol, and lower bad cholesterol. And here's the kicker...they help prevent belly fat but providing your body with the acids needed to burn fat!

So add some avocado to your meal... in a salad, with your eggs, in a wrap, sliced with your chicken! (I use it to mix in with my tuna instead of Mayo! It's delicious.) 

Blueberries:

Blueberries are amazing! I'll say it. They are so jam packed with disease fighting nutrients...they have the power to help prevent diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, stomach ulcers, etc. They are another food that can help lower your "bad" cholesterol as well.  They also contain a high amount of manganese, which assists in bone development. Being rich in antioxidants means that blueberries can actually increase brain power and improve memory.
So, snack on them, eat a bowl at breakfast. If you've never liked them, give them a shot...maybe mix them in a fruit smoothie! They are definitely worth adding to your routine.

Beef (Lean and grass-fed):

I hear this a lot from clients and friends on a "diet": "I don't eat red meat, it's too fattening."  Beef is excellent for you, as long as you are eating the right kind.  No hormones or steroids, no antibiotics, no "grain" diets. When you eat red meat that has been given the proper grass/plant diet, you are loading your body with proteins, nutrients and fats that will do so much good! (Omega-3's, vitamin B, K, E, calcium, etc.) And yes there is a difference in the nutrition between grain and grass fed. The nutrients come from their diet.  
Beef also contains zinc...which is greatly responsible for strengthening your immune system. 

So get creative...sick of steaks and burgers? Make a healthy, homemade taco meal...or mix in your beef with some brown rice, veggies and spices - eat it alone, or make burritos! 

Leafy Greens: 

      Veggies such as spinach, kale, arugula, Swiss chard... all these leafy greens are incredibly high in nutrients and vitamins! Stocked with vitamin C, thiamine (which is often added to 'energy' supplements - helps turn carbs and fat into energy), iron, magnesium, potassium, even some omega fatty acids for your hearth health - These lower cholesterol and blood pressure. They are an excellent source of calcium as well! You can never have too much of these vegetables...and they come in so many varieties, you can always be creative. Salads, (obviously), atop your chicken, diced up and added to rice, alone as a meal side...


So if you don't already eat these things...try to add them! Make small substitutions here and there.  
Now, this is not meant to tell you that if you begin eating these things you will magically begin to lose weight. (I have no idea what else you are eating over there!) ;)

But, the hope is that once you transition into healthier habits, you become addicted to the energy, the younger looking skin... the new-found ability to fight off a cold a bit easier! 

Then my hope is that you'll start looking for more healthy options...reading more books and blogs...educating yourself on what purposes the foods you eat actually serve! 

It is so worth it!

Remember,
Good choices lead to better ones!

<3
Renee
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As always, email me with any questions!!
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Redefining Motherhood

So I am sure some of you have seen some of my recent photos. I decided to do a fitness shoot a few months ago.  I had a few different reasons for wanting professional pics: Submissions to contests, branding for my athlete page, etc ,etc...and I wanted to include my son. 

Here is why:

There is a struggle many women face...mothers I should say.  We live in a very judgmental world, unfortunately, and let's face it...you will NEVER please everyone, and I TRULY hope that is not your goal! Nonetheless, we grow up with a certain set of beliefs about what it means to be a Mom.  I even hear it now from some younger friends or family members when they refer to others' lives or styles. "Oh, well she's a mom, so she doesn't care anymore." Or "Well, she's overweight, but she looks great for a mom!" 
It's true...we are held to a lower standard as moms. And it isn't in a negative way...and truly it usually works in our benefit. If we have a loving, well-behaved child, and manage to leave the house with a matching outfit and mascara on, people are pretty impressed. ;) 
However! It teaches girls to expect less of themselves when they become mothers.  If we believe our bodies are "ruined" after having children, we will just give up. Now, let me be clear...while I am referring to our appearance, my concern is not with the vanity aspect.  It is the trickle effect that happens because of that...how it then effects your confidence, your sense of identity, your health! 
There is sometimes this underlying judgment people have of "fit moms". Somehow believing we are more selfish than others...less "momish". There is nothing selfish about setting an example to take care of yourself! I believe I am doing my baby boy good by showing him that his mommy and daddy love exercise, and make it a priority! He learned to count by doing squats and jumping jacks with me...and I think that's pretty awesome! ;) I still spend the same amount of time teaching him and playing with him, cuddling and telling him how much I love him.  I just have less down-time. My "me" time is spent preparing meals, or working out...when it used to be having a glass of wine on the coach. (I still do that every once in a while, don't feel bad for me. :P)
It's a matter of valuing your life...no matter who you are, how many children you have, etc. Loving your life and taking care of it is so important for everyone in it.

So, now I want to share with you a story that also influenced this photo.  This was a conversation that made something click in my mind...something that made me 100% certain I needed my voice to be heard.

I was in line at Target, with my son in the cart. He was about 15 months old at the time. I was in gym clothes and sneaker (which I usually am). There was a girl in the line next to me, probably about 22 years old.  She said, "Is he YOUR son!?", with shock on her face. I replied, "Yes he is" and smiled. Her response, while flattering, left me thinking for days: "Wow, you look so great! You have such a nice body...I would NEVER guess you were a mom." 
Of course I smiled and said thank you, because she was paying me a compliment. But seconds later, I actually felt guilty for being flattered by that. Is it really that shocking to have a nice body and be a mom!? I felt bad for every girl in her 20's worrying about the day she will become pregnant and "never be the same".  I couldn't even count how many times I was told those EXACT words while I was pregnant! "Well, you'll never be the same...but it's worth it!"  And yes, if I was never the same again, of course it was worth it!! Being a mom, raising a child...all of it is incredible, and truly has nothing to do with whether or not you decide to be active and healthy! 
But why does that sentence have to be drilled into our minds those 9 months before you have a baby! Why are we brainwashed to believe it's not even worth trying!? It all just made me sad... If we give up on that, we give up on so much.  And I don't mean we need to strive to be on the cover of a magazine, or win bodybuilding competitions! I just believe we should all be striving to stay healthy, mind and body.  

It was hard to get back into a routine of working out, don't get me wrong.  I didn't want to take my son to a daycare, and my husband works horrendous hours! But he knew how important it was to me, and his support and flexibility made it possible. The first few months after having my son, I hardly exercised. I was overwhelmed, impatient, depressed, negative, and so anxious...I remember sitting on the couch after my son went to sleep one night and actually having a hard time remembering the last time I really laughed at anything. It was time to make a change. So instead of going to a doctor, I went to the gym... 5 days a week. I worked hard, I felt the beautiful effects of the endorphins, the dopamine, the seratonin (Sounds like I was taking drugs right? Honestly, it does feel like a high.) I started sleeping better, feeling energized and positive...noticing the sunny days and appreciating them instead of complaining about the rain.
My husband and I were ourselves again..joking, laughing, truly enjoying life together.  I was able to focus on how amazing my little boy was, instead of how overwhelmed I was by him, or how terrified I was of him getting sick or hurt. It's really amazing how much of a positive effect exercise has on your entire life.

So...in short, this photo, for me, represents the idea that we, Moms, can work on being better...physically, mentally - whatever we need to feel like US, to feel happy and confident...and it doesn't take away from motherhood...it adds to it! 

"Your children will become who you are...so be who you want them to be."

<3 Renee

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