Holiday Survival Guide: Faith

December 24, 2018 in Nourished Body, Nourished Mind, Nourished Soul

Christmas Greetings to you!

Christmas truly is an amazing and beautiful time of year. Where we live, we have a cold, but sunny day. The prediction is that we will get a mountain of snow this week. One of my favorite parts of this beautiful white snow is that it reminds me of the fact that with only a single thought proclamation, Jesus completely covered our sins, just as the snow covered all the brown dirty ground.

So what does this have to do with Christmas? With all of the beauty and wonder that surrounds Christmas, it can also be the time of year when emotions are plentiful, sleep is short, gatherings are abundant, and expectations are high. In the midst of preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ our Savior, various thoughts can creep into the purest of minds. These thoughts can often form around unhealthy expectations, such as the desire for our children to be perfectly behaved at social gatherings, for our friends or spouses to give us the perfect gift, or for our bodies to magically transform to perfection because we approach New Year’s resolutions.

Holiday Survival Guide: Food

December 17, 2018 in Nourished Body

Nourish your body to have more energy and enjoyment of this Holiday season!

My sister and I were talking about how to make this Holiday Survival Guide Nutrition edition short and sweet, but applicable to our lives RIGHT NOW, amid the hustle, bustle, wrapping, and eating.

I’m still working off the rest of my baby weight (yes, he’s 17 months now), so one of my goals this December was to not put any weight back on. This no longer feels like a drag, but a positive challenge to see where I can be my healthiest.

This time of year makes it extra difficult because I LOVE FOOD and healthy, homemade treats, so I have to be extra careful to be intentional with my choices during a season that seems to revolve around food. BUT, the season doesn’t revolve around food or family, or even children, as many believe. Sure, we can make Christmas whatever we want, but historically, Christmas is the celebration of the life of one person, Jesus. When Jesus is my focus, my priorities line up and it gets a little easier to remain peaceful amidst the fullness of the season. I still very much enjoy the food, family, friends, and snowy days, but I can do all that with priorities in place.

The result of making good choices affects EVERYTHING and everyone around me. When I eat better, my mood is better, I’m physically healthier, and most notably, I have more energy, yes, even with a 17-month-old baby who STILL doesn’t sleep all through the night.

Let me share with you some Survival Guide strategies to help you to feel your best as this holiday season ends as we welcome in the New Year.

Holiday Survival Guide: Fitness

December 10, 2018 in Nourished Body

“So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was (…) expecting a child.” Luke 2: 4-5 (NIV)

And it came to pass in those days that mom got very crabby because she had missed her exercise class, again. And all because of Christmas and its insanely busy season! Mom was stressed out and everyone expected her to take care of everything. Mom decided to find some quiet time and turn to the 2000 years old reason for her oncoming nervous breakdown to find some inspiration. The following are her thoughts and discoveries as recorded in her personal notebook:

Dear journal,

Holy Spirit, will you help me discover your much-needed divine wisdom?

Blog Post_ Metabolism Slowing you down Banner size.png

5 Ways to Boost Your Metabolism NOW

August 08, 2018 in Nourished Body

Friends, I wanted to share with you one of my favorite excerpts from my Living Wellness for Growth Groups (pages 69-72) to help boost your metabolism this summer. Mindful eating is another favorite. If you're interested in reading the rest of the book, you can get your own copy here! Enjoy!

Week 2, Day 2: Metabolism

Years ago, when I first started talking about the metabolism, I used to describe it as a woodstove: throw a log on to get it started and then feed it before it burns out. Simple, right? In some regards, this does describe the importance of eating regularly throughout the day, rather than skipping meals and eating all at once. But your metabolism is so much more complex. Your metabolism is more like the inner workings of a city, controlling the flow of processes, hormones, and systems within your body.

What Is the Function of Your Metabolism?

The chemistry behind your metabolism is complicated. Think of your metabolism as the stoplights and law enforcement in a city, carefully regulating the flow of traffic to maintain peace, much like your body chemistry (metabolism) constantly regulating chemicals and hormones to maintain balance. According to an article from the Mayo Clinic staff (2014), your metabolism is responsible for breaking down, digesting, absorbing, transporting, and storing or burning the food you consume (calories). There are many moving parts in an efficient traffic flow and in a healthy metabolism. It’s easy to blame weight gain on a slow metabolism as a result of age or genetics, but in reality, the speed or rate that you burn calories has more to do with what you eat and how often you exercise. Your metabolism is a chemistry lab, not a drag race. Unless you have a metabolic disorder, weight gain is a result of consuming more and/or the wrong kind of calories than your body needs—usually because the calories we consume are void of nutritional value, causing you to eat more.

Holiday Survival Guide: Faith

Holiday Survival Guide: Food

Holiday Survival Guide: Fitness

5 Ways to Boost Your Metabolism NOW

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