Steel Cut Oats vs Rolled Oats

This is a question I get a lot: So What is the difference between steel cut oats and rolled oats?

They look different, rolled oats are easier to cook and softer but other than that there doesn't seem to be much of a difference between the two.

Of course nothing is as it appears. Here are the differences: Steel Cut Oats have fewer calories, 140 calories for 1/4 cup vs 160 calories for a 1/4 cup of rolled oats. Another difference is Steel Cut Oats have zero grams of sugar vs rolled oats that have 1 gram. Rolled oats have no saturated fat, while steel cut oats have .5 g. So there really isn't that much of a nutritional difference between the two either.

So Why are steel cut oats the preferred oat weight loss and weight management?

The difference is the way they are processed. Rolled oats are steamed, then rolled and then steamed again and then toasted says Andrew Well, MD. Steel cut oats are just coarsely chopped. So the lack of processing of the steel oats puts them lower on the Glycemic index. The Glycemic Index is a measurement that predicts how much a person's blood sugar level will spike after eating. The less spike the better! So it is better to eat food of a low Glycemic Index number. Concluding steel oats are a better option than rolled oats and this is why they are the chosen oat!

Do you see your body as a Temple or a Garbage Can?

"Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit within, whom you have from God? You are not your own, you were brought with a price. So glorify God in your body."

-1 Corinthians 6: 19-20

Did you ever realize that one of the seven deadly sins is gluttony. Gluttony is defined as the habitual greed of food expressed by an excess in eating. When we over eat we gain excess weight and there for it leads us into a trap of the enemy, the trap of obesity. 

Obesity-  a condition characterized by the excessive accumulation and storage of fat in the body
(Merriam Webster Dictionary) Obesity paralyzes people from believing in their self worth and abilities. It prevents them from living out their lives as healthy as they were designed to. It causes clogged arteries, heart disease, heart attacks, ulcers, breathing problems, thyroid gland problems, digestive problems, reproduction problems and ultimately takes lives before their time. 

In this day in age it is no wonder our society is faced with epidemics such as obesity, hording, greed, selfishness etc...It is what is pumped into our brains every day. You always need to be better, be faster, know more, be stronger, have more money, get more stuff, go on bigger vacations, get a bigger house and another car...More...More...MORE! It is never enough so it seems. So we not only think this way and accumulate STUFF we think this way emotionally and use food to fill a void and accumulate fat, we store up emotions and energy. We focus on the negative and not the positive on the lack and not the increase.We focus on what we don't have, who we are not and where we haven't been. 

This need for more has turned into a nation wide obsession with collecting stuff. We collect stuff we don't even need, stuff we will never use, things we forget about the moment we walk away. So what ends up happening is we store a bunch of junk. A lot of what we carry around is usually referred to as "baggage". (which never sounds like a good thing, so why do we want to carry it around?) Because we become comfortable with our baggage. It hides our scars and wounds and eventually over time comes to identify you. 

The epidemic of obesity is just another outpouring of this twisted thinking. The idea that we are determined by what is on the outside instead of by what we are on the inside,.. by how much we have instead of who we are. So many use food to fill this void of it never being enough. So we turn around and literally abuse our bodies. Feeding it poison and un necessary sugar and caffeine in huge quantities. It breaks my heart. Especially because it is all preventable. 

And it makes me think of the  bible verse, Do you not know your body is a temple? 

Your body , yes you, your body is a temple of the holy spirit. Your body is precious and amazing and does amazing things for you. My prayer for society is to see a shift in how we think about our bodies To have respect and care for what we put in them and how we treat them. To be grateful for what our bodies do for us day in day out. 

When you stop to think about it it is pretty amazing. So much going on at one time, organs working, your heart beating,blood pumping, your lungs breathing, your eyes blinking, your brain taking in info from the receptors throughout your body! It is so cool and something to appreciate and take care of! 

I just want to encourage people to be honest with themselves. And if they find they have an issue with over eating then it is time to face that and dig deep and uncover why. If you are skinny fat, where you may not look obese but you eat more junk than you need to and "get away" it...you need to look in the mirror too. 

This is what I was skinny fat...I ate nothing but junk and had this layer of fat that I could never get rid of. I was just as un healthy, and I was miserable. 

It is miserable not taking care of yourself and eating junk and not exercising. The effects are bad health, clogged arteries, no energy, low self esteem, a lack of confidence. What comes with eating right and exercising is a sense of freedom knowing you did the best you could and knowing what you put in your body and what you did for it was good. There is freedom in having energy and not being out of breath. There is freedom in good health. The freedom to be who God has called you to be. And in order to do this we need to be strong and healthy. We need to take care of our bodies and bring Glory to God for such an amazing creation!

Remember our bodies are a temple. How would you treat a temple? Would you fill it with junk and let it get all dirty?Or would you take care of it and make sure it was kept clean? Think of your body in the same way. It is a temple and it can do amazing things for you. Imagine if you treated you that way? Imagine if you treated your body like the temple it was, instead of like the garbage can it is not?

The Benefits of Grass Fed Beef

In this day and age with so many fad diets and pills it is hard to know what is good information and what is not. One topic that has been in the news as of the last few years is grass fed beef. Many people believe that meat is meat, and no matter what the cattle are the fed the quality of meat is the same. Unfortunately this just isn't true. Just like with our own bodies, we can not just eat junk and expect to get the right nutrients. We are what we eat and this goes for animal as well.

Cows were originally designed to eat grass to maintain their nutrition. As the agriculture business boomed farmers needed something that could fatten their cows,meet the growing demand while continuing to make money. Using grain feed became a new way farmers could meet all of their needs. The only issue is this: Do the grain fed cows carry the same nutrients and fat content?

The answer is no. Although there is still on going research what has been done shows that Grass Fed Beef has:

• Less total saturated fat

• More heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids (which can help prevent cancer)

• More conjugated linoleic acid, a type of fat that's thought to reduce heart disease and cancer risks

• More antioxidant vitamins, such as vitamin E
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Warped Thinking

 The truth is I have always been thin. The only times I have ever really gained a significant amount of weight was while I was pregnant. My experience with weight loss comes from gaining 60 lbs during my first pregnancy and 35 lbs during my second.

My issue isn't not being able to get rid of the baby weight. My issue isn't yo-yo dieting. My issue is loving and accepting my body for where it is, and finding a healthy way to maintain it.

I am not really sure what triggered my obsessive behavior with my body image. But somewhere in about seventh grade I became aware of my body. I started paying attention to how tall I was, how much I weighed, the shape of my head, the size of my nose, did I have any pimples, did I look like the girls in a magazine?

Also at this time I was already 5'6", the same height I am today. I was taller than most of my friends and I felt awkward in my body. Men started to look at me, but I didn't understand why and it made me embarrassed.I started to view myself differently. Instead of just taking in inventory I began to judge and criticize my body watching it change and feeling unsure of where that would lead to.

This is when I began my warped sense of thinking that I needed to workout in order to eat. Deep down I believe all along I knew this wasn't true but as my body changed and puberty set in I had made up my mind. I was on a mission. My life goal would be to not get fat. EVER! And controlling what I ate and how much I worked out would be the way to get there.

Now in reality my theory wasn't wrong. Eat well, exercise and live and active lifestyle and you will maintain your weight and your health. But that isn't how I was doing it. I was going to an extreme. I was trying to get away with skipping meals and eating junk food while working out super hard at least 2 times a day and expecting the results as if I were doing that and eating healthy. I wasn't eating to fuel my body. I was eating to fuel my emotions. I wasn't working out to reach fitness goals. I was simply working out to burn off my junk food binge from the night before and essentially to fuel my emotions.

I was on an emotional roller coaster. And this went on for years and years. When I got pregnant with my first born I was now faced with the changes my body would go through. I would have no choice but to put on weight. I didn't know if I could loose weight. I was scared to death about what pregnancy would do to my body and how that would effect my emotions.

My son in so many ways has changed me...and being pregnant with him was just the first thing he did for me. He was a blessing from the beginning no morning sickness, I felt energized and was able to work up to the day I gave birth. I constantly walked, played tennis, jogged and stayed active while pregnant with him. I began to learn to enjoy my growing body. I started to learn how to cook. I thought I was doing pretty well. Yet by the end of my pregnancy I had put on 60 lbs! I weighed 196 at my last doctors visit before his birth and looking back I can see that I still ate too much junk.

So after my son was born I was now on my first weight loss journey. I gave myself 18 months to get back to where I wanted to be. That ended up being a realistic goal. I was able to loose the weight within that time frame. I got about 2-3 pounds within my goal weight and then mentally something started to shift. My thinking reverted back and I was worrying again about how I would maintain this weight. I was picking myself apart for cellulite on the back of my thighs and the skin on my stomach not looking quite the same.

Now I had to get used to my post baby body...Nothing was where it had been before! You ladies who have had babies you know what I mean! It is hard to adjust to. And I Decided to do it the hard way. I beat myself up.

As time passed I started working out 2-3 times a day and never eating before I worked out. I was pushing myself so hard. I was teaching fitness classes and training clients on top of own workouts. I was constantly pushing myself yet I was never satisfied and actually started to put on a little weight.  I was so frustrated and tired. I had put so much pressure on myself about how I looked and my fitness, but could never reach my "goals". Yet in reality my nutrition was so awful, I wasn't doing what I really needed to do. My warped thinking had finally caught up to me and had the reverse effect on me. Not only had it caught up to me physically but for years I had trouble accepting my body for what it was and how it looked and accepting me for me. I was drained.

then I discovered I was pregnant with daughter. This pregnancy was nothing like the last one. I was constantly having morning, noon and night sickness. I was so tired. I couldn't keep up. I quit my job at the gym and had to stop for  a moment and re-evaluate some things. I uncovered what had been hiding there for all these years:I was on a vain chase for health and in fact wasn't healthy at all. This pregnancy I need to be more aware of what I put in my body and how I handled things. My daughter has totally come in my life and changed my perspective on things. Because now I have this other woman in my life...who I am molding from day 1. I will be her first role model. The one she learns from in the early years.

I began to wonder how my warped thinking would affect her. I knew I had to change. I knew I had to take a step back from fitness and find another reason to do it. A real reason to be in the field. I couldn't keep living for this vain, superficial thought I had in my head.

God is good and has really worked on me through Mia. Being pregnant with her I had to slow down and take naps. For the first time in years I stopped running! And when I was able to finally start thinking of doing anything physical I had to start with walking. I was so out of shape. But it was one of the best things for me. So I had to start over essentially and this time with limits as I was pregnant. So I stuck with walking and before you knew it was jogging a little. I only worked out for 30-45 mins tops and maintained this the whole pregnancy I ate A LOT better . No fast food or frozen Totino's pizza, I only gained 35 lbs!

This weight loss journey has been a lot different. I have become aware of my thinking and have decided to do something about it.  I know essentially change starts with the mind for any goal we wish to reach. So I am a work in progress. I am learning how to not eat what I "feel" like, but instead eat what I know is good for me and on my meal plan.

I am starting to appreciate my body for what it is and I this whole time I stick with 30 - 45 mins workouts a day and once in a while doubles, but its a cycle and I am in control. With help from my Beach Body Team I feel like I am finally gaining control of my health. And true health, not superficial on the top, skinny-fat healthy. But real health, muscles and a strong core. Lungs that can run for days. Starting a program and actually finishing it! ( I am about to finish 60 days of Piyo at the end of Jan!). It feels soo good to set goals and actually achieve them!

I am a work in progress, but I know God is steering the boat and it is going in a good direction. I now know that I eat to fuel my body. And when eating a clean diet it takes the worry and stress away from having to count calories! Also I now know that I don't need to exercise for hours on end. I just need to work hard for the time I am working! It feels so good to be free from that warped thinking!

Benefits of Lemon Water

I am an avid water drinker and to change things up once in a while I will add some lemon. I never really thought about the benefits of doing this until a few years ago when I discovered drinking lemon water upon waking up.I noticed it was also a suggestion to help aid in weight loss. So I began to wonder why lemons?

Lemons are packed full of nutrients such as Vitamin C, B Complex vitamins, calcium, iron magnesium, potassium and fiber. Lemons contain therapeutic properties. They  are also known for the antiseptic power and helps maintain your immune system, protecting you from most infections.
Lemons also play a role as a blood purifier.

There is one downfall to lemons and that is their acid property. They are so acidic that too much of straight lemon is not good for the enamel on your teeth. The best way to combat this is to dilute lemon with water, giving you lemon water! The best time of day to drink a glass of lemon water is upon waking up, and on top of that it is most beneficial if it is warm water.

Here is a list of the benefits you can gain by adding a glass of warm lemon water to your daily morning routine:


1. Lemon is an excellent and rich source of vitamin C, an essential nutrient that protects the body against immune system deficiencies

2. Lemons contain pectin fiber which is very beneficial for colon health and also serves as a powerful antibacterial

3. It balances maintain the pH levels in the body

4 .It aids digestion and encourages the production of bile

5. It is also a great source citric acid, potassium, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium

6. It helps prevent the growth and multiplication of pathogenic bacteria that cause infections and diseases

7. It helps reducing pain and inflammation in joints and knees as it dissolves uric acid

8. It helps cure the common cold

9. The potassium content in lemon helps nourish brain and nerve cells

10. It strengthens the liver by providing energy to the liver enzymes when they are too dilute

11.It helps balance the calcium and oxygen levels in the liver In case of a heart burn, taking a glass of concentrated lemon juice can give relief

12.It is of immense benefit to the skin and it prevents the formation of wrinkles and acne

13. It helps maintain the health of the eyes and helps fight against eye problems

14. Aids in the production of digestive juices

15. Lemon juice helps replenish body salts especially after a strenuous workout session

16. Having warm lemon juice early in the morning helps flush out toxins

Les Mills Combat Take 1

So I am about finished with my 60 days of Piyo...but today I just felt like I needed something different. So I decided I would jump ahead of schedule a little bit and try out a Les Mills Combat workout. Today  I tried the first workout 30 minute Kick Start. 

Excited to start!!!!

The workout was great, not a lot of impact but a ton of movement! I felt good cardio wise, but I felt very awkward putting together the combination moves! Sometimes that can be frustrating in the middle of a workout but it is good to keep in  mind, that by just challenging yourself to try something new you are burning major calories and the move is still effective! But muscle confusion is so important, so as silly as I felt I know I still got a killer workout in.

If you had any anger going into this workout, by the time it was over I am positive you would have punched all the anger out of yourself! This was a great stress relieving workout!

The moves were basic, but putting them together and then trying to add speed was difficult for me! I messed up a lot! But that is ok, this was only take 1 and there will be many other chances to learn the moves and perfect them!

Also I want to mention the kids had a blast kicking and punching along side of me. Of course by the warm up they had moved on, but that is ok, when the workout was over my son Tripp said, "that was fun!" And I had to totally agree!!

What a fun workout! 

So glad I tried something new today! I had a lot of fun, I challenged myself, I even failed at times, but I over came and I stayed strong until the end!! And that is was makes me feel like I accomplished something today!

If you want to learn more about this awesome program feel free to contact me!!