Would you like Healthy Snack Ideas?

Would you like healthy snack ideas?

If you are like me then you are always looking for healthy snack ideas. As a personal trainer I have diligently sought out the tastiest healthy snacks for myself and clients.

The reason I am calling them snacks instead of meals, is because I find it more beneficial for my health and waistline to eat smaller portions. I prefer the healthy snacks to be as close to the way God created them as possible.

We all know fresh fruits and veggies are the healthiest snacks but may need ideas on ways to incorporate them. I like to make my own trail mix by adding raw nuts in a baggie with sea salt and some dried fruit for that salt and sweet mixture.Think small portions. Whatever you put in the bag you will most likley finish.

I also love chocolate and I have found a bar called Endangered species dark chocolate
that is sweetened with filtered beet sugar. I will either take a couple of squares along with some strawberries or some other fruit or add this to my trail mix.

Another healthy snack I enjoy is a called a larabar and the coconut cream pie has only 6 ingredients with no added sugar.Another one I love is kale chips. I make these myself. Take the kale,wash it and toss in a big mixing bowl with sea salt and olive oil then put on a baking sheet for around 15 minutes at 375. Play with time and temperature according to the way you like it..

My favorite healthy snacks are made with the a high powered blender. You can be creative and have fun. I use almond milk(unsweetened vanilla) as a base. Kale or spinach works really well for a green veggie. I usually ad a half of a frozen banana, 2 tablespoons of organic flaxseed, some berries,and a half of an avocado. I no longer use a nutri-bullet but this video will give you the basic idea.

Another great healthy snack idea I love is the Greens plus energy bars.When I had my health club these were a favorite with my clients. Another snack I enjoy is hummus with raw veggies. These are some of my favorite healthy snack ideas.

If you found any of these healthy snack ideas helpful please be sure to leave a comment. To your health!

Jenay Green

Simple Steps to Weight Loss

I know what your thinking, simple steps to weight loss does not exist! You might even say its crazy hard! As a personal trainer I have personally explored an endless number of ways to lose weight. I will share what has worked for me in my experiences.

I worked in my first health club at 19 and owned my own health club by the time I was 30. I have continued this journey ever since. I not only have wanted to maintain a healthy weight for myself, but have also loved helping others achieve their weight loss goals.

I can say that sometimes the more I would obsess about it the harder it would be. If restrictions are always on your mind it can put you in such a bad mood. I have found that the way I think about something plays a huge role on success or failure in that area.

So first of all you have to know that making simple steps to weight loss on a consistent basis will bring lasting results. Be thankful that you have the ability to walk and that you can make these changes.

5 simple steps to weight loss

1. Never starve. Eat for fuel and energy
2. Find ways to move more. Take the stairs, park far away at the store and play games with family
3. Add lean muscle mass. Push-ups/ squats using large muscle groups helps burn more fat
4.Add lean protein to your meals. Assists in building lean muscle and increasing metabolism for weight loss
5..Drink lots of water. A glass before each meal will help you feel more full.

I challenge you to apply these steps for 90 days and let me know where you are at that time. Remember to believe in yourself and know that you can do it. You are looking for lasting results and lifestyle changes to become a healthier and happier you! To your health!

If you have found any of these ideas helpful please leave a comment and share with your friends.

Jenay Green

Ways to Fit Exercise Into Your Busy Life

The answer I hear all to often when I ask someone how they have been doing is always the same: they say they’re busy. I know firsthand how true that is because I have a husband and four boys.The demands of every day is sometimes all I can handle. I also realize as a personal trainer the reality of how vital it is to fit exercise into my busy life. The older I get the more I need it.

I also know the importance of living an example for my kids and others to follow, so this becomes as much about my leadership as the effects on my health. With a routine of exercise first thing in the morning I am able to find ways to fit exercise into my busy life.

The thing to remember is consistency is the key to change. Even if you cannot get a 30-minute or an hour workout that is no reason to put it off altogether. Sometimes I just kill two birds with one stone or at least that’s what my grandmother always called it and this is a great way to fit exercise into your busy life.

Turn on some great music. I like praise and worship music, because it pumps my spirit at the same time and motivates me. Dance as you clean house. While you are brushing your teeth do squats or calf raises. While you are checking e-mails or sitting at desk, pull abs in and hold tight then let out and repeat. When you are watching TV use a treadmill or eliptical or stationary bike.

Even if you do not have these you can do push ups, squats, stationary lunges, wall sits or crunches. Take a brisk walk on your lunch break at work or at your kid’s sports practice. Make an afternoon walk a time to talk to your kids about their day or your husband or a friend. Fellowship and go walking hand in hand. I enjoy walking/running and praying. If you have training CDs for your job, listen while you walk or run. These are great ways to fit exercise into your busy life

Another great way to spend time with your kids is to play sports with them, ride bikes, and find activities that involve raising your heart rate. I will put on rollerblades at the same time and watch my little ones ride bikes. As everyone of us know that the benefits of exercise are endless, so are the fun ways to fit exercise into your busy life.. If there is a will there is a way.So instead of finding excuses not to exercise find fun ways to fit exercise into your busy life.

Let me know how you are able to implement some of these ideas by commenting below!

To Your Health,

Jenay Green

Getting Back on Track After the Holidays

Getting back on track after the holidays is not always easy and most of us are filling a bit stuffed! Sure it is great to feast for a season, but all seasons come to an end, or at least they should. Most of us get really excited about goals to get fit and healthy beginning a new year, but the discipline to follow through is another challenge.

Most of us love to eat, so it is not always easy to discipline ourselves to put down the Christmas goodies and turn back to the fruits and veggies! Joining a gym, a facebook group, or making resolutions are some of the ways we could motivate ourselves.

Even though we may know better,does not always mean we do what is right. In fact I used to not like salads or anything green. I disciplined myself over the years with lots of prayer and speaking those things over myself, hoping one day I would catch up to my confessions.

So I would choke down salads and say that I loved them and was so thankful for this great food that was bringing health to my mind and body. After some time making these confessions and trying all different types of salads I came to truly love salads. I prefer salads over a lot of things now and actually crave them. That is something I never thought I would be able to say.

Now don’t get me wrong I did not stop liking the unhealthy foods, but the more I eat the right things the less I crave the wrong foods. I like to call it, doing the dos! Then you will naturally find yourself having less of the unhealthy choices.If I say I can never eat sugar again it becomes the forbidden food that I cant stop thinking about and it takes up to much of my thought life.

What I have found helpful is that instead of making restrictions that I focus more on the health benefits of certain foods.I will google the health benefits of specific foods and then I will try different ways to include them in my daily diet. I also find that I am much more satisfied when I am eating nutrient rich foods as opposed to empty calories which never satisfy and make me more apt to overeat.

Every decision you make to choose the healthier foods brings you closer to health goals you desire. Not only do these decisions make an effect on you but can be the encouragement that others need to follow along and have better health themselves.

Please comment if this has been helpful in any way

Fun Ways to Get the Family Exercising

Now, some of us just do not like to exercise. The thought seems like a curse word sometimes. We also will come up with every reason in the world that we just can’t fit it in our schedules. Our modern day conveniences may be helpful with our time management but not so much our health. We need to move more and eat less! Sounds so simple, right?

I have found getting in a habit of regular exercise to be challenging even for me as a personal trainer. I used laugh with the trainers at the wellness center I owned when they would be running for miles on the treadmill. After working out with clients and teaching a class, I would say I do not run unless someone is chasing me. It was kind of a joke but there was some truth in it. As they all seemed to have exercise running through their veins, as if they were born loving it. It was not that way for me.

Now don’t get me wrong, I love how I feel after a great workout but talking myself into it is a different story. Now there was a time in my life where I was driven by vanity, I thank God that is not what drives me now. I honestly want to honor God by taking care of this body that he gave me and want to be as healthy as I can for my husband and children.

Knowing exercise is a major component of improving health, and I need to make it routine for me and my children. This has given me a different perspective. I have been determined to find fun ways to get the family exercising.

First of all, I call this time playing instead of exercise. Would you rather play or exercise? I would rather play and so would my kids. Also playing brings laughter which is another boost to your health. I also love to play outdoors in the sunshine which gives us the valuable vitamin d that we all need for great health.

Just get your heart rate up and create fun ways to get the family exercising. You can race with your kids. You can jump on the trampoline, ride bikes, throw the football or baseball. Get a soccer ball and or kick ball game going. Go for walks and spend time talking about your kids day, this is great family time.

Another fun way to get the family exercising is dancing. Get some of your families favorite tunes on a rainy or cold day and dance. The boys will also compete with push ups and pull ups as they love competition. Rollerblading is another fun activity we do as a family that is a great workout hidden in fun!

I would suggest setting the example as your family sees you exercise then they are more likely to follow by example, show them instead of telling them. They also value time with mom and dad so anything you do with them they will enjoy. A family that plays together stays together!

Jenay Green

Tips on Getting Kids to Eat Healthy

I know for me this is a big challenge with my 4 boys. Everywhere we go someone is handing them sugar or junk food. I am torn between the thoughts of letting them be kids and enjoy some of the junk while they are so active and they burn it as fast as they eat it.

Then I have the thought of I need to instill in them habits of eating healthy for the obvious giving them the best chance for great health now and in the future. As parents we want the best for our children and should groom them to succeed in every area of life which includes their health.

I have tried over the years to balance this out and figure out fun ways to encourage my kids to eat better and make those choices on their own. I found making it a game worked well for my family. I made chart and put all the kids names and leave spaces for them to check or put stickers.

This is displayed on the refrigerator in plain view for us all to see. You can be as creative with this as you like but I make it simple by letting them put a check with a pencil to indicate that they had met one of the requirements.

Then at the end of the week we count them all up and see who wins and have some kind of reward. You can also just decide before the game begins everyone who reaches a certain goal whether it be 8 to 10 checks a day will receive a reward at the end of the week.

I also have the rule that if you eat any sugary treats or drinks during the week you get a point deducted this really helps them with making better choices. I also make it easy for them by not having any of those temptations in our house during the week.

My boys are competitive and love games so this works really well in our house and is fun. My younger ones like the praise of telling them what a great job their doing and how big and strong they will be when eating their fruits and veggies. They all love to be praised and rewarded at any age so be creative and have fun! Please leave any comments about how this information has helped you. Thanks!