A September to Remember

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It’s 8:15 on a Friday night and I’m sitting here writing this new blog! Why?! Because today FLEW by and I wanted to share some things will all you wonderful people on this first day of September. Who’s ready to make this a September to Remember?!

As much as I wish summer would last another month, I’m working on embracing a new month and all the exciting things that are going to happen. Lots of changes happen this time of year as we transition from summer to fall, some people get back into routines with kids and school, and even our bodies go through changes (so if you’re feeling “off” just know that’s normal 😉 ) I think it’s the perfect time to sit down and write down a new game plan, new goals, and figure out what you’re going to focus on and let go of. I even did that today. ha. I cleaned out some drawers in my dresser and just threw stuff away. Oh man that felt so good. lol

Anyway, at the beginning of every month I also sit down and write out my goals for the month ahead. You can’t get anywhere if you don’t set goals!! Goals give you DIRECTION, PURPOSE, and FOCUS. You are significantly more likely to achieve your goals if you write them down. The % goes up if you share them with someone. That’s why I also have my clients and coaches send me their goals every month. Plus, there’s a sense of accountability with it.

So here are some tips on setting these goals. Use the SMART acronym.

S- specific (as detailed as possible!)

M- measurable (how will you know if you achieved it?)

A- attainable (is this reasonable for you?)

R- relevant (why is this important to me right now?)

T- time bound (set a date by when you want to accomplish it)

Write those things down and post them where you can see them DAILY. The will serve as good reminders on the days you feel like quitting.

A few things I do with mine: I have two categories for my goals- business and personal. Business, of course, is anything business related. Personal includes my fitness, personal development, self care, and just life things I’m working on. (If you’re in a relationship maybe you want to add that category but I don’t have that haha). I also add affirmations and my mission statement at the bottom of the sheet so when I look at it I am constantly reminded WHY I am in the business of helping people get healthy and fit while also working on my own health and fitness journey. This time I even added personal development books I want to read this month.

I once read a book called “Write It Down, Make It Happen.” There ya have it. Write stuff down; make it happen. Get those things OUT of your head and ON to your paper.

September is going to be a huge month for my team and also my own fitness. SO many changes coming but oh man I am excited!!! As always, if you need support on your own journey, please reach out. I am always here and eager to help you create a healthy, fulfilling life!! And I want YOU to have a September to Remember!!

 

XOXO,

J

What Happened in Just 3 Days!

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Detoxes. Cleanses. To do them? Or not to do them? Some people say the body naturally detoxes itself so we don’t need them. That’s true to an extent, but when done in a healthy way, without harsh supplements or restriction, I believe detoxes are very good. I’ve done many different programs over the years. I’m definitely not a fan of juice cleanses. EEK, yes I just said that. I felt awful when I did it and the thing with juicing is you lose a lot of important ingredients that are found in the skin and pulp. Plus, the nutrients from juice absorb into your system so fast it can be too much.

My favorite is the 3 Day Refresh! LOVE this system. Just finished my second one yesterday! I did one in April and now July. Both times my goal was to cut my cravings, cleanse my digestive system, and get back on track. And that is exactly what it did 🙂 I didn’t weigh myself this time, but I did lose 1/2 inch around my waist and each leg. I can tell I lost inflammation and I just FEEL BETTER from the inside out!!! Plus, my skin has FINALLY cleared up. I had been breaking out bad for the first time in years, and now it’s going away. yay!

Here’s what I love about the Refresh:

  • no pills
  • yummy plant based shakes
  • you get to eat REAL FOOD!!!
  • don’t feel deprived
  • you don’t have to run to the bathroom 😉 It’s very gentle.
  • it’s super easy to follow

Day 1: I felt great. Good energy. But by the end of the day was WIPED. Not sure if it was related to this. The first time I did the Refresh I didn’t have the fatigue.

Day 2: Super tired all day and had a MASSIVE headache.  All I could do was take a walk. But again, this might have been stress too. Or maybe it was my body getting rid of the sugar I had been eating. HA!

Day 3: Headache was gone and I felt really energized and GOOD!!!! Another thing I noticed was that my bowel movements were a LOT better during this!

Day 4: (today!) Migraine but it could be related to my time of the month. Who knows?! I miss those vanilla fresh shakes. lol. They are so good!!!!! Bowels have been AWESOME today though.

A couple of the gals I coach did it with me and they each lose 4 and 5 lbs and inches too!! If this sounds like something you’d like to try, just email me and I’ll help you 🙂 I have a private support group on FB for it too. I found it’s a LOT easier to do with a support group and to hear from others who have done it in the past!

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So what now?! Now my goal is to eat as close to the Refresh as possible for as long as I can. I don’t have the same shakes that come with the Refresh, but I still have my shakeology and a plan to continue to eat clean! I don’t know about you, but I do much better with a plan to follow rather than winging what I eat. It works for me.

Questions about the Refresh or anything else fitness and nutrition? Just email me and I’ll get back to you!

~ Janae

Raw and Real

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On cloud 9 one day…. in bed ALL day with a migraine the next… that’s the nature of Lyme disease. It’s so unpredictable. If anything, this journey is teaching me to GO WITH THE FLOW and surrender, embrace the process. The only thing we have is RIGHT NOW, the present moment.

But before I go that far, let me take a step back. I had a follow up appointment last Friday, December 30th, and my doctor treated some more infections that were settling in my neck and shoulders. That explained the constant neck and shoulder pain I was having for over a week prior. Those who have Lyme experience different symptoms but many similar too… where they feel those symptoms can be different from person to person. For me, it all settles in my neck, shoulders, upper back, and the back of the head. After my appointment though, I felt great over the weekend! I was even able to spend New Year’s Eve with my family away from home! Good times, even if I did eat and drink things I “shouldn’t” have. 🙂

Monday was my “cloud 9” day. I felt AMAZING, like Wonder Woman, even after being sleep deprived over the weekend! I was stoked, like SUPER excited. I had a whole day without pain, tons of energy, worked out PLUS did lots of yoga, and even had the energy to do my makeup. I started getting a headache before bed and woke up with an even worse headache. I was scheduled to teach yoga that morning and felt I shouldn’t teach, but I also didn’t want to let down my students. So… I pushed through it. BAD IDEA. When I got home my headache intensified so bad I had to lie down. MEGA MIGRAINE.

Nausea, weakness, and such intense pain all I could do was lie there with the ice pack on my head and the heating pad over my stomach to keep me warm. And not move an inch. I tried to get up a couple times because I hadn’t eaten, but I felt so nauseous I had to switch ice packs and stumble back to bed. And that’s where I stayed til after 3:00 pm.

This picture above is a peak into my day. What I experienced was my first Herx. That’s short for Herxheimer Reaction. Basically what a Herx is is the release of endotoxins from the bacteria that causes Lyme. How bad your Herx is depends on the amount of toxins being released at one time. The more Lyme bacteria being killed, the worse the Herx. Flu-like symptoms are very normal, but symptoms also range from headaches, migraines, joint pain, fatigue, and other things.

People with Lyme have a lot of inflammation in the body. It is very important to have good nutrition so the body doesn’t create MORE inflammation. The core diet for Lyme is to eliminate dairy, guten, and sugar. I just started the Whole30 again this week for that very reason. For my body to heal, I need to be careful what foods I put into it.

I will continue to drink my shakeology during this time, because it helps me get the nutrients I need to heal and help my body recover. It also helps keep inflammation down, and I am positive that is why many of my symptoms aren’t worse. This is just my story. Everyone might be different.

Whatever journey you are on, embrace it. Take it ONE day at a time, but please, NEVER GIVE UP! There is always hope, always a way. You are stronger than you think. Give yourself grace when you need it, and push when the time calls for it. Honor and love yourself through it. Tell your friends and family how much they mean to you. One small word, text, message, or phone call can make their day. I hope we are never “too busy” to tell those we love how much we care. It might make all the difference in their life.

Sending much love today! Thanks for following my journey! XOXO~ Janae

The FACTS on Shakeology

As a certified Holistic Health Coach, Personal Trainer, Fitness Coach, and Yoga Teacher, nutrition is one of my biggest passions. After suffering for years myself with various health issues, especially a lot of digestive ones, nutrition has played a key part in my getting healthy (and feeling crummy!). When I coach my clients with their health & fitness goals, nutrition is the most challenging aspect. There is so much information out there, people are confused! What is healthy, what isn’t. Majority of people just aren’t educated enough to make wise choices. My goal is to educate on WHY Shakeology is so important to include in your diet plan, whatever diet plan you choose.

Whatever your goal is: losing weight, gaining lean muscle, more energy, reducing fatigue, improving sleep, reducing cravings, reducing cholesterol and blood pressure, or improving the digestive system- it really comes down to the food and drink we put into our mouths. It’s not just about the number of calories; it’s MORE about the QUALITY of those calories.

There is no ONE diet that meets everyone’s needs (Paleo, Vegan, Keto, etc), but one thing I believe, along with other nutritionists and coaches- Shakeology can and should be included. Why? Because it’s THAT good!

 

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So, WHAT IS SHAKEOLOGY?

It is a whole food based powder that contains over 70 different vitamins, minerals, superfoods, probiotics, enzymes, antioxidants, and adaptogens. It contains the right balance of protein, healthy carbs, and fats to help your body actually absorb all the nutrients. And, unlike most powders found in stores, nothing is lost in the process of making it. All the enzymes are still intact. It is a complete meal in itself.

There is NOTHING artificial in it! NOTHING!!! It is soy free, gluten free, and theres’a a vegan option. The regular option uses 100% whey isolate, which is so pure, I know many people who are dairy intolerant can use it (it really depends on the person though). The Beachbody team of scientists travel the world to find the HIGHEST quality of ingredients! They choose farms that don’t use chemicals or pesticides.

The regular formula comes in vanilla, chocolate, cafe latte, greenberry, and strawberry. The vegan option comes in chocolate and tropical strawberry. There aren’t a million flavors because they’d have to add artificial ingredients to make flavors like peanut butter or birthday cake. Calories per serving range from 130-170, depending on the flavor. They contain 16-17 g of protein, but the other ingredients are so pure that your body can actually absorb more of this than other protein shakes because those don’t have all the necessary ingredients your body  needs to absorb it.

WHY DO I DRINK IT?

I started drinking it to see if it would help my digestive issues. After suffering for SO long and not finding something that would help, I was on the last straw. Pretty much, I was desperate. I had heard about shakeology but thought it was “too expensive.” Then one day I honestly just opened my heart and mind and decided to give it a try. Within 3 days my digestion was running better, and every day since, it has gotten better and better.

I had been searching for years to find a GOOD clean powder that didn’t have artificial ingredients in it and made me feel good. Because of my food allergies, I have a very sensitive stomach. Shakeology  relieved my constipation and started to relieve my stomach cramps, gas, and bloat! My energy started to increase, my skin cleared up, and even my hair and nails started to grow. I had random messages from friends saying, “You look so happy!! And your skin is GLOWING!!” This was huge for me because all my life I had struggled with acne and bad skin.

The quality of our food is declining, along with the nutritional value. So people think you can get all the nutrients you need if you just eat food alone. No. You can’t. You would need to consume about 27,000 calories a day of CLEAN, whole food to do that (from Seay Stanford, a well known nutritionist). You can all those nutrients in one shake. It can serve as a meal replacement and your daily vitamins.

If you’re not a breakfast eater or have a crazy busy schedule, this is even more important for you. And it will keep you going all day, or prevent that afternoon crash you might get.

Benefits you might receive from drinking Shakeology:

reduced cravings

 better mood

improved digestion and regularity

clearer skin

better sleep

increased energy

weight loss

lower cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar

What If I Can’t Afford It?

How often do you spend $4 on a Caribou or Starbucks drink? Yes, we all do that. Or on a fast food burger maybe. At a discount, you can get Shakeology for LESS THAN $4/day!!! Actually, it comes to $3.53/day. Really. I don’t know anywhere else you can get that healthy of a meal that also contains all your vitamins and minerals, for that price. Is your health worth it? It is to me. Without our health, we can’t truly enjoy life. We miss out on SO much! I have experienced this for YEARS!!!

I am also a sufferer of Lyme Disease, a recent diagnosis. If I hadn’t been drinking my Shakeology so consistently, my digestive issues would be worse, I’d have MORE fatigue and sore joints than I do now.

If you say you can’t afford it, I really encourage you to re-evaluate your budget. We seem to have money for the things that are a priority for us. And all too often, people waste money on things that are not needed. If our health goes downhill, we can’t enjoy those things anyway! And personally, paying for Shakeology has SAVED me money, because I don’t get colds or the flu, and it saves on my food bill so I don’t have to buy everything separately that’s in this one shake.

If you’d like to order, check out my website: http://www.beachbodycoach.com/kellja88

BUT, if you want to get the discount, enroll as a Coach. You don’t have to coach anyone unless you want to (those opportunities are AMAZING), but it will give you the discount so you can SAVE!!  *ask me for details!* email: kellogg.janae@gmail.com.

TIPS ON CREATING YOUR SHAKES:

There are SO many recipes out there. My favorite ways are to blend in a blender with ice, water, and a little unsweetened cashew or almond milk. I add extracts like almond, caramel, maple, coconut, or orange. Sometimes I add cinnamon or even a little frozen banana. Thick and creamy or “icy”, they taste just like an ice cream shake, but without any junk or sugar. YUMMM.

I have researched and researched the quality of these shakes, so I don’t take it lightly when I say how good they are. There is NO OTHER SHAKE on the market like these! If you’d like more info, please send me an email. If you’d like to chat about a personal meal plan or workout program, send an email.

I also run accountability groups every month to help you reach your goals and give you the support, motivation, and tools you need to succeed.

My clients have reported fewer cravings, inches and weight lost, less joint pain, improves digestion, more energy, and overall just feeling GOOD again! I’ve had past clients from personal training come to me because they have hit a plateau, and through the Beachbody workout programs and adding the shakes into their diet, they’ve broken through and lost as much as 9+ pounds in a month. Results vary depending on the person and the work you put in.

Give it a try. What have you got to lose? Just think about everything you might GAIN by giving it a shot. I was resistant at first, but one small choice to try it changed my life.

I’m always here for you. Please don’t hesitate to reach out. Much love, health, & happiness ~ Janae