Life at its Best: strength

Showing posts with label strength. Show all posts

Be proud of who you are and how much you have grown!

Copyright, 2018, Jackie Mart. For further information about this blog, or Optimum Wellness LLC, contact Jackie Mart at 712.790.5883 or Jackie@OptimumWellnessMN.com. As a holistic nutritionist and lifestyle coach, I will support you in taking steps to a healthier and happier you. My goal is to help you create an art of balance in your life. You will also learn how important balance between primary foods (relationships, physical activity, sleep, career and spirituality) and secondary foods (organic food and whole food) is.

www.OptimumWellnessMN.com

"Lessons keep getting harder until we learn from them."

I heard this quote and it really hit home. Sometimes we keep living the same horrendous day over and over and don't learn from our mistakes or make changes. I know my eating disorder was like that. I would starve myself the whole day, then binge and purge at night. Then repeat.

We get into habits that are hard to break. Both good and bad habits are ingrained and hardwired into our brains. Maybe for you it's dating the same type of guy or girl that treats you like crap, ordering more and more stuff you don't need online, avoiding telling you spouse how you really feel, show up to the job you hate every day, and so on...

The pain we endure will continue until we have fully learned our lesson. It will keep showing up in our lives until we stand up and have enough courage to break the cycle. All it takes is standing up for yourself TODAY and then doing the same the next day! I think the hardest part of showing up whole-heartedly in life is worrying about making the wrong decision or upsetting others. The only person you should be living for is yourself. Everything is between you and God or the Universe behind closed doors. If you are not proud of the person you are know you can change and live a completely different life than before! You are not cursed and are strong enough to break the cycle!! I believe in you! <3

Week 1- January 15th-20th	Week 2- January 22nd-27th
Monday- 20 Burpees	Monday-30 Toe Touch Abs
Tuesday- 30 Push-ups	Tuesday- 1 Minute Wall Sit
Wednesday- Eat a healthy, clean, colorful meal	Wednesday-Eat a healthy breakfast- without grains or sugar
Thursday-200 Jumping Jacks	Thursday- 20 Jump Squats
Friday- 1 Minute Plank	Friday-Mountain Climbers for 1 Minute
Saturday- 50 Bicycle Abs	Saturday- Workout with a friend

Join my challenge the last two weeks in January!

**Tag me in a Facebook Post (@Jackie Mart) each day once completed. Complete the full 2 week challenge and receive a FREE BURST TRAINING SESSION and a gift!

One of the best workouts you can do is interval training (HIIT). Here is a quick workout you can do at home in your basement, outside, hotel room or anywhere! No equipment is needed! My boot camps consist of this type of workout. It increases your Human Growth Hormone (HGH), spikes your heart rate and metabolism, so you burn fat for 48 hours after! Surge of energy anywhere, anytime!

Upcoming Boot camp Classes in the Park: (Please click on the link for more info and to RSVP)

Monday, July 24th: https://www.facebook.com/events/660737470778606

Monday, July 31st: https://www.facebook.com/events/1730310910600356

Copyright, 2017, Jackie Mart. For further information about this blog, or Optimum Wellness LLC, contact Jackie Mart at 712.790.5883 or Jackie@OptimumWellnessMN.com. As a holistic nutritionist and lifestyle coach, I will support you in taking steps to a healthier and happier you. My goal is to help you create an art of balance in your life. You will also learn how important balance between primary foods (relationships, physical activity, sleep, career and spirituality) and secondary foods (organic food and whole food) is.

www.OptimumWellnessMN.com

I've been focusing more on being strong and not skinny. This past year I've gained probably 10 pounds. I'm not sure because I stopped weighing myself. The scale does not control me anymore. Each day I work on my mindset and some days are definitely harder than others. I don't weigh 103 pounds anymore like in the other two photos. I was skinny then but wasn't happy.

Gaining weight is a mind game. My clothes are tighter and when the whole world has been focusing on losing weight I've been needing to gain weight. One thing I want to mention is that our bodies naturally fluctuate 5-7 pounds on any given day based on food and water intake, bloating, inflammation, hormones and etc. My takeaway today is this: Throw out the scale! Perfectionism can destroy you-both mentally and physically. Forgive yourself daily!

www.OptimumWellnessMN.com

Progress comes in all shapes, sizes, and forms. (Read one of my previous blog posts- Progress: Obedience) I'm not huge, nor do I want to be. My goal is to just eat healthy and stay active and lean! (Throughout my entire life!)

Small improvements can mean going up a few pounds with dumbbells or medicine balls (I documented my own progress below), adding more veggies or leafy greens to each meal, drinking water instead of soda, going from the couch to walking or running a 5K, or even avoiding emotional eating by calling a friend.

We all have our own idea of what healthy means to us. Be consistent and do what works for you! "Find YOUR Fit."- Kirk Dewindt

Copyright, 2016, Jackie Mart. For further information about this blog, or Optimum Wellness LLC, contact Jackie Mart at 712.790.5883 or Jackie@OptimumWellnessMN.com. As a holistic nutritionist and lifestyle coach, I will support you in taking steps to a healthier and happier you. My goal is to help you create an art of balance in your life. You will also learn how important balance between primary foods (relationships, physical activity, sleep, career and spirituality) and secondary foods (organic food and whole food) is.

www.optimumwellnessmn.com

The last few weeks have a been a little bit rough for my clients and myself. The full moon sometimes affects our emotions and brings things to the surface. As a life coach, I teach people how to manage and release these thoughts and emotions. We are so afraid to let people see when we are weak and admit when we don't have it all together. The deepest relationships happen when we let go of the facet of perfectionism. To let people see everything; be transparent; open up all surfaces of our soul... You don't always HAVE to be strong. Open up your heart to others, tear down your walls and let them in.

"We don’t always have to be strong to be strong. Sometimes our strength is expressed in being vulnerable. Sometimes we need to fall apart to regroup and stay on track. We all have days when we cannot push any harder, cannot hold back self-doubt, cannot stop focusing on fear, cannot be strong.

There are days when we cannot focus on being responsible. Occasionally, we don’t want to get out of our pajamas. Sometimes, we cry in front of people. We expose our tiredness, irritability or anger.

Those days are okay.

They are just okay.

Part of taking care of ourselves means we give ourselves permission to “fall apart” when we need to. We do not have to be perpetual towers of strength. We are strong. We have proven that. Our strength will continue if we allow ourselves the courage to feel scared, weak, and vulnerable when we need to experience those feelings."

-The Language of Letting Go by Melody Beattie

www.optimumwellnessmn.com

1. Wake up and choose to be happy. (Sometimes I struggle with this myself. March was not a great month for me. I've found out it helps to keep a gratitude journal daily. I use an app on my phone and write in it right before I go to sleep) Gratitude 365 App

2. Exercise. create a schedule each week. Stick to it. Ask your friend to join you. Try a new class. Get outside in the sunshine!

3. Eat. Healthy foods. Every 3 hours so you are not starving and end up binge eating at night when you get home from work. Eat clean, unprocessed foods that give you energy and fuel your body. Break the sugar addiction. There are people that can help! Ask.

4. Set Boundaries. Just because someone wants you to do something doesn't mean you have to do it. Think about how it makes you feel. Self love is about honoring yourself, listening to your body, and knowing what is best for you. It's not being selfish; there is a big difference!

5. Sleep. get 8 hours every night. I know I am an emotional wreck when I'm overly tired and life just seems so much harder! Try to go to sleep at 10:00 PM and wake up at 6:00 AM. Those hours are ideal and allow our body to repair itself both physically and psychologically.

6. Say Affirmations. Here are a few of mine. You can easily make up your own that are more prevalent to you.

"I listen to by body and its needs. I eat foods that are healthy and nourishing to my body and soul. I seek the perfect amount of food to keep my life force high."

"I love myself. I am happy, healthy, and whole."

"I forgive myself. I am made for more. ED (Eating Disorder) no longer rules my life."

"I am enough. I have enough. I do enough. I have everything I need in this moment."

7. Do what you love. You spend most of your life working. Make sure you love what you do! Find out what you life purpose is and roll with it! Your strengths and interests are key!

8. Rest. I've always been a go-getter, perfectionist, over-achiever. I need to constantly remind myself that it's okay to take breaks and do nothing. Life is all about BALANCE.

9. Use a Self Care Planner: http://kriscarr.com/wp-content/uploads/SelfCarePlanner.pdf

10. Fill your life with positive, encouraging people!

Please follow me on Facebook for more inspiration and tips. I have 3 powerful, positive pages:

Jackie Mart

Optimum Wellness LLC

Self Love Sisters

Copyright, 2015, Jackie Mart. For further information about this blog, or Optimum Wellness LLC, contact Jackie Mart at 712.790.5883 or Jackie@OptimumWellnessMN.com. As a holistic nutritionist and lifestyle coach, I will support you in taking steps to a healthier and happier you. My goal is to help you create an art of balance in your life. You will also learn how important balance between primary foods (relationships, physical activity, sleep, career and spirituality) and secondary foods (organic food and whole food) is.

www.optimumwellnessmn.com

This Girl Can celebrates the women who are doing their thing no matter how they do it, how they look or even how sweaty they get. They're here to inspire us to wiggle, jiggle, move and prove that judgement is a barrier that can be overcome! This post is in honor of Eating Disorder Awareness Week. Something I've struggled with in my own life. Enjoy the video and please share with others! We come in all shapes and sizes and any girl who works hard and emits self confidence is inspiring in my book! <3

Copyright, 2015, Jackie Mart. For further information about this blog, or Optimum Wellness LLC, contact Jackie Mart at 712.790.5883 or Jackie@OptimumWellnessMN.com. As a holistic nutritionist and lifestyle coach, I will support you in taking steps to a healthier and happier you. My goal is to help you create an art of balance in your life. You will also learn how important balance between primary foods (relationships, physical activity, sleep, career and spirituality) and secondary foods (organic food and whole food) is.

www.optimumwellnessmn.com

Last night at church the sermon was about choosing happiness and finding your life purpose- right up my alley! One of our purposes as Christians is to lead people to Christ. I just wanted to thank Michael White for taking a chance on me 4 years ago and inviting me to Eagle Brook Church - SLP. This is one of the reasons I am still alive today and able to help others! It just takes one person to start a movement and one small step in the right direction to change your whole life around!

Copyright, 2014, Jackie Mart. For further information about this blog, or Optimum Wellness LLC, contact Jackie Mart at 712.790.5883 or Jackie@OptimumWellnessMN.com. As a holistic nutrition and lifestyle coach, I will support you in taking steps to a healthier and happier you. My goal is to help you create an art of balance in your life. You will also learn how important balance between primary foods (relationships, physical activity, sleep, career and spirituality) and secondary foods (organic food and whole food) is.

www.optimumwellnessmn.com

No matter where you are in your current health journey REMEMBER THIS:

As I spend more and more time at the personal training studio here in Minneapolis I am discovering that self love comes in all shapes, sizes, and walks of life. I have never been around as many hard-working and strong men and women in my life! Every person that walks through the door has a story, a loss, a struggle, a challenge to overcome. I've been working out next to clients who give 110% each session! They empower me to hit harder, move faster, and push myself to my own limits!

"It is a haven for real people – with real goals – to come and feel no judgment, no insecurity, and no shame. It’s an energizing escape overflowing with positivity and humility. It’s a place filled with thoughtful trainers and teammates who value individuality, recognize unique needs, and help each other achieve goals and celebrate great results. The environment: No mirrors, just a focus on fitness." - Bodies By Burgoon

I also came across this blog post today. It is a positive and inspirational display of self-confidence, strength, accomplishment, and body lovin'! Please take the time to read it! She is a positive role model and reminds me of all the beautiful souls who train at Bodies By Burgoon!

http://imperfectlife.net/ilovemyuglybody/

www.optimumwellnessmn.com

Tried this today after I saw it on Facebook! You can make hard boiled eggs in the oven! Just preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake them for 30 minutes in a muffin tin. The eggs will peel easily!

I eat a lot of eggs throughout the week. Eat them plain with a little sea salt on top, add to your dark leafy green salads, make vegan mayo or egg salad, or deviled eggs! And remember this tip around Easter if you dye Easter eggs!

Eat the WHOLE egg and not just the whites to get the most nutrients! (Be sure to buy organic, vegetarian-fed, cage free eggs)

The Incredible Egg Health Benefits:

Weight management: The high-quality protein in eggs helps you to feel fuller longer and stay energized, which contributes to maintaining a healthy weight.

Muscle strength and muscle-loss prevention: Research indicates that high-quality protein may help active adults build muscle strength and help prevent muscle loss in middle-aged and aging adults.

Healthy pregnancy: Egg yolks are an excellent source of choline, an essential nutrient that contributes to fetal brain development and helps prevent birth defects. Two eggs provide about 250 milligrams of choline, or roughly half of the recommended daily intake for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

Brain function: Choline also aids the brain function of adults by maintaining the structure of brain cell membranes, and is a key component of the neuro-transmitter that helps relay messages from the brain through nerves to the muscles.

Eye health: Lutein and zeaxanthin, two antioxidants found in egg yolks, help prevent macular degeneration, a leading cause of age-related blindness. Though eggs contain a small amount of these two nutrients, research shows that the lutein from eggs may be more bioavailable than lutein from other food sources.

www.theincredibleedibleegg.org

Copyright, 2014, Jackie Mart. For further information about this blog, or Optimum Wellness LLC, contact Jackie Mart at 712.790.5883 or Jackie@OptimumWellnessMN.com. As a holistic nutrition and lifestyle coach, I will support you in taking steps to a healthier and happier you. My goal is to help you create an art of balance in your life. You will also learn how important balance between primary foods (relationships, physical activity, sleep, career and spirituality) and secondary foods (organic food and whole food) is.

www.optimumwellnessmn.com

Tonight I'm feeling inspired! Had a good day and realize I was put here for many reasons. I feel amazing when I am helping and listening to others! The best thing about working with clients is seeing the smile on their face once they step out of my office! Sometimes they come in and unload on me but I'm known for making people laugh! We all have strengths, you just need to find yours and share it! Strength is a dynamic word. Can be physical, mental, or emotional. Some synonyms for strength are: power, might, energy, force.

I encourage you to make a list of your strengths and do something every day to use them. No one likes failing, so instead of focusing on fixing your weaknesses, why not strengthen the attributes you already have mastered and teach them to others? In order to figure out what your strengths are, ask yourself these questions:

-What are you doing when "time flies by?"
-What do others say you do well?
-What do people come to you for advice for?
-What makes you happy and warms your heart?
-If you could do anything with your life and money was not a factor, what would you do?

Just some things to think about that will steer you in the right direction and your purpose in life!
:-)

Be Well!

Jackie

Copyright, 2013, Jackie Mart. For further information about this blog, or Optimum Wellness LLC, contact Jackie Mart at 712.790.5883 or Jackie@OptimumWellnessMN.com. As a holistic nutrition and lifestyle coach, I will support you in taking steps to a healthier and happier you. My goal is to help you create an art of balance in your life. You will also learn how important balance between primary foods (relationships, physical activity, sleep, career and spirituality) and secondary foods (organic food and whole food) is.

www.optimumwellnessmn.com

I came across this last week when I was doing some trail running in Minneapolis. Made me think about life and how we routinely come across obstacles in our paths. Whether big or small we make decisions on whether or not to: turn back around to avoid it and take a different path, ask someone to help us clear it away, jump over it for now until we encounter it again, or attack it head-on by ourselves. What do you typically do? It takes strength to attack problems on our own. Do you ask God for help or bring in the professionals? Sometimes all we need to do is ask for help and we can conquer whatever may stand in our way!

Copyright, 2013, Jackie Mart. For further information about this blog, or Optimum Wellness MN, contact Jackie Mart at 712.790.5883 or Jackie@OptimumWellnessMN.com. As a holistic nutrition and lifestyle coach, I will support you in taking steps to a healthier and happier you. My goal is to help you create an art of balance in your life. You will also learn how important balance between primary foods (relationships, physical activity, sleep, career and spirituality) and secondary foods (organic food and whole food) is.

www.optimumwellnessmn.com

A few weeks ago I was reading a story in my Success magazine about a Olympian that had a horrible childhood but still managed to excel despite all the negativity from her past. She had many struggles but this is what she kept telling herself, "I'm not going to be a person that gives up on myself."

Just because you are having a hard time doesn't mean you should give up. Ask for help! Some things we cannot handle alone. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness, it is a sign of strength and growth.

Every day I encounter people who have given up on themselves... these are the people that have no goals, have nothing to look forward to in life, give up on their health, complain about how much they don't like their life but don't do anything about it, work day in and day out in jobs they hate, have the same toxic relationships, or have the "I am going to die sometime" attitude so I'm going to eat whatever I want.... these people are "clutterers of the Earth." They take up space and do not realize how much potential they could have!! God has plans for each of our lives and many people do not accept the fact they were created for a purpose. We had a team training yesterday at work and I loved this quote my boss said she saw on a greeting card, "Nature never repeats herself and the possibilities of one human's soul will never be found in another." Nobody will ever be exactly like you and hold your same destiny!

I hope you are doing what you love in life and are continually working towards your God-given purpose!! If not get up, look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself you are worth it and deserve wonderful things and people in your life! :-D

Copyright, 2012, Jackie Mart. For further information about this blog, or Optimum Wellness MN, contact Jackie Mart at 712.790.5883 or jackieamart@hotmail.com.

As a holistic nutrition and lifestyle coach, I will support you in taking steps to a healthier and happier you. My goal is to help you create an art of balance in your life. You will also learn how important balance between primary foods (relationships, physical activity, sleep, career and spirituality) and secondary foods (organic food and whole food) is.

http://www.optimumwellnessmn.com/

I wanted to share this quote with you; it really hit home for me.

"You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, "I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along." . . . You must do the thing you think you cannot do."
-- Eleanor Roosevelt

Even if you are going through a horrible time in your life and think you can no longer find the strength to go on, recall all the other mountains you have conquered and things you have been afraid of. Change is tough; we tend to stick with the familiar. Achieving lasting change comes down to 20% information and 80% behavior! We hold ourselves back because of our beliefs and mindset. Change your mindset and change your life!

I recently started up my yoga practice again after a year off. I realized I stopped doing a lot of the things I loved when life was difficult. I bought a package at CorePower Yoga in Uptown and love it! One of my favorite classes is Hot Yoga Express since I attended the traditional hot yoga classes at Bikram Yoga in the past. It is a great break from my regular routine of biking and running! Keeps me focused!

The practice of yoga bestows upon the well disciplined student: a firm body, a steady mind, and a peaceful spirit. Yoga has many physical, mental, and spiritual benefits. Here are just a few:

Physical:

Strength-yoga postures tone every part of the body.

Endurance-regular dedicated practice increases the capacity to do work.

Flexibility- a youthful ease is maintained or reestablished through correct stretching

Posture-as tone and flexibility are balanced, a straight and effortless posture is achieved.

Increased energy-improved glandular functioning and deep relaxation leave one refreshed.

Health-a consistent and positive state of well being is experienced when the body and mind are balanced.

Mental:

Concentration-improved ability to concentrate on everyday issues.

Emotional stability- more balanced mental attitude.

Peace-inner peace and harmony; a sense of being "unruffled" even during times of stress.

Spiritual:

Wisdom-increases one's intellectual potential.

Freedom-give the soul a sense of lightness and freedom.

Integration-helps unite body, soul, and spirit.

CorePower Yoga offers a week for free on their website!! Take a chance and try it out!! :)

Life at its Best

Be Proud

Lessons to Learn

January Fitness Challenge

Burn Fat for 48 Hours

Flex Friday

Real Talk with Jackie

Small But Mighty

Vulnerability

10 Ways to Love Yourself

This Girl Can

Hope

Body Lovin'

Easy Way to Hard Boil Eggs

Strength

Barriers

Self Worth- How does yours rate?

Moving On

Benefits of Yoga

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