Your Body Image and New Years Resolutions

You deserve to love yourself!

This is the time of year when all you hear is about all the different programs that promise to give you that perfect body for the summer.

So what is the perfect body?  In America our view is some anorexic woman who truly looks like a young boy.  But outside the US the ideal is a curvy woman who has given life to her children, who has loved and taken care of her household and husband.

Are we all trying to achieve something that isn’t natural for most of us?  In the US the average woman is a size 12-14, but the fitness and health industry wants you to be a size 0-4.  That’s a perfect market for them.  Think of all the frustration you feel as you try to work off what your body naturally wants to keep.

I too, have been at fault for falling for this ideal.  I even worked as an aerobic instructor to help me get there.  Exercise is a necessary ingredient for keeping fit. For attaining that “perfect” size it may work for some women, but often to a limited degree. Not every “ideal sized” woman you see is as healthy as you think. Now I will be the first to give credit to those who do eat perfect, who do work out every day, and who can focus on themselves 24/7.  They deserve our admiration.

But then, what about the others. I am thinking about the ones who have undergone countless surgeries for breast enhancement, and for thigh and stomach tucking.  Or those who will be having back surgeries, knee implants, or other medical procedures to fix problems created by all those hours over-working a body starved for nutrition.

Yes, as with all things there are risks. But is it worth risking your overall health and finances for society‘s artificial view of perfection? In the end who are you truly trying to impress?  The ladies at church?  The skinny girl next door?  The ladies at the pool? Do you really want to be a Barbie doll for some man who may be equally as shallow and hollow?

I believe this New Year we should start hearing a different message; a positive message about who we really are. Consider how you would feel if you said something positive about yourself when you look in the mirror every day for a week. Say something true and from the heart.  Yes, negative thoughts will come to mind. We have been programmed to think nothing but negative. Write down those negative feelings, and then why you have them. Then rip it up!

The only person in the world that matters first and foremost is you!  Just because the commercials say only skinny people get to have fun, only skinny people look good on TV, only skinny people have love and success…does not mean this is true. This is just a symptom of a sickness we have in our society.

Don’t you have friends who are what society would call overweight? Yeah, I am sure you do.  Do you look at them and see constant sadness?  Do they look miserable and ready to stuff their faces with regret? Those that don’t, well they have learned that one’s size doesn’t matter. What matters is what you think and feel about yourself.

I love my curves, I look at them and think of the times I spend with my children and husband helping out my friends and colleagues, my grades I'm achieving as I head back to college to get a degree I never had.  This is my life, and curves or not, I love who I am and what I continue to accomplish as a human being.

Everyone deserves happiness. If you think for one moment that someone else should determine your fate by how you look then you have fallen into Madison Avenue’s billion dollar trap designed to make us want something we don’t have.

So look into the mirror.  See your real self. Start with something simple like your eyes. Say something positive. Look deep into your soul and then say something uplifting about your inner spirit.  Then notice as you give yourself permission to be yourself how much better you feel inside!

Visit us again next week and continue to make your New Year’s resolution with us. Resolve to love being who you are, and appreciate your uniqueness. Understand that nature loves diversity. We are all different because that’s what truly makes this world beautiful!

Chinese Chicken Salad

Mixed Greens (This salad has spinach and green leaf mixed)
Fresh Bean Sprouts
Grilled chicken lightly seasoned or Tofu (see below for cooking suggestion)
Snow Peas (Cut or diced)
Red and Green peppers jillian sliced (can add yellow also for color and flavor)
Mandarin Oranges
Optional:  Wanton strips (see below) Not used in this photo

Dressing:  We use Asian Toasted Sesame dressing, just lightly drizzle on top of your salad

Cooked Tofu:
Cut into chunks and lightly fried with olive oil and Bragss Amino Acid

Wanton Strips:
Heat oil in pan
Cut wantons into long noodle like shapes
Drop 5 to 10 into pan and deep fat fry (we use vegetable oil)
Fry till lightly brown and then scoop out and dry on paper towels
Flavor with onion and garlic powder

(You can also find these strips in most grocery isles if you don't want to fry your own)

And that's it, an amazing way to enjoy your salad!

Berry Salad

Simple, easy, and delicious!

To be served Buffet Style

1 Large Bowl Spring Salad Mix (you can use your own green leaf mix if you prefer)
1 Large Bowl of Sliced Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries
1 Bowl of toasted or sweetened Pecans
Bolthouse Farms Extra Virgin Olive Oil Vinaigrette:  Raspberry Merlot


Toasted or Sweetened Pecans:
8-12 oz. of chopped pecans
Place Pecans in a hot pan with Non-fat Pam or a pad of butter
Stir frequently till almost toasted
Note:  The oils in the nuts will continue to cook as they cool, so remove from pan and place in bowl.
To Sweeten Pecans use 1 packet Truvia, sprinkle cinnamon and drizzle just a touch of honey. Mix well.

Protein:
Grilled Chicken or Salmon is excellent with this meal

Add ons:
A small helping of crumbled blue cheese blends beautiful with this mix

Chicken Coleslaw

3 to 4 oz. Cooked Chicken (lightly seasoned with your favorite seasoning), finely cubbed
1 TB. Light Miracle Whip
1 TB. Plain Chobani Yogurt
1/4 to 1 tsp. Vinegar (apple cider or rice wine)
1 packet of Truvia (sweeten to taste)
1/4 Apple, finely diced
1/4 C. Dried Cranberries or Fresh diced grapes
1 C. Coleslaw mix* (Dole is the best tasting)
*I like to make my own Coleslaw at home with red and green cabbage and slivered carrots

Blend in a bowl, best if served next day.

To make a balanced meal have 12 Kashi Crackers on the side or crumbled on top

Diet Tip:
*Another great meal to place in a Tupperware and eat around late afternoon.
*Triple the recipe and have as one of your 6 meals for the next 3 days!
*Try different seasonings, it changes the flavors
*Try different apples for a different flavor
*Too sweet, take out the cranberries or grapes and add 1/4 C. more apple

For your family:
Place this meal in a croissant or a potato roll, kids love it!
Take out the Chicken and just use it as a Coleslaw with Grilled Chicken on the side!

Very Berry Banana Crepes

Very Berry Banana Crepes

1/3 C. Oats (Raw)
1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 or full banana
3 Egg Whites
1/2 or full scoop vanilla protein powder
1 TB Kodiak pancake Mix

Blend in Magic Bullet or blender till smooth.  Add water about 1/4 cup and blend till smooth.

Spray non-stick fat free Pam on the pan.  (Remember, calories do add up, so just spray don't over coat)
Poor 1/2 of the recipe on heated pan and shake pan gently till batter covers the bottom.
Cook until both sides are nice and brown.


Berries:
You can use fresh berries and mash them up or my secret is a frozen berry mix.
Cook the berries in the microwave or a pan.  Add two packets of Truvia and vanilla to taste.
Poor onto cooked Crepes

Sweeten it up:
1.  You can drizzle Sugar Free Syrup over the top
2.  You can also add a small spoon full of sugar or fat free whip cream
3.  The trick to a great meal is seasonings, try nutmeg, cinnamon, ect in the batter or sprinkled on top.

Portable:
This is so perfect to help  you get those 6 meals in a day.  Freeze your Crepes in a Ziploc bag, in a separate bag place your berries and freeze them too.  Not only do they help keep your other food cold, but they are a great afternoon treat.

Work Out Mistakes

I have been guilty of all of these following fitness mistakes.  I live in the fitness world, every day I see the same person wanting better results from their workouts.  They never change their routines and they think cardio is the only answer to burning off those extra pounds.  This unfortunately wears down the body before it ever wears down the jean size.  

Now granted any movement is better than none. Here is a great article that illustrates this:

http://www.redbookmag.com/health-wellness/advice/workout-mistakes-to-avoid?src=soc_fcbks

How many of you caught the subject about Pilates being considered resistance?

Many people don't.  Take it from a Pilates instructor.  

My favorite part of my job is when I get a client who discovers the true joy of Pilates and how it can help transform your body into a leaner machine and help you reach your other fitness goals as well.

Dancers love Pilates because it enhances their balance, very vital for developing the grace and poise necessary to be a great dancer.

Runners love Pilates because it helps increase their lung capacity by building a stronger mind body connection and a stronger diaphragm. 

Men are often amazed at how the abs will build "inward"!  This leans the muscle and supports the vital organs and spine.  They are also amazed at how weak their inner thighs usually are before they start and the benefits to their pelvic girdle and hip joints as they tone their thighs.

Women will often feel their upper abdominal girdle tighten up first.  This not only feels great to the touch but really enhances that beautiful hour glass figure most of us want.  They also benefit by strengthening their lower pelvic girdle.  This not only helps support vital organs but aids in recovery from many female health issues.  

Injured clients start to understand how their body really works and that there are always variations they can use on any pose they have trouble performing.  

Unconditioned clients realize that no matter where they are in age, shape, or health that Pilates is a fantastic way to help them prevent injuries.  Many people feel the strength from Pilates helps them move forward to other classes they may never have had the nerve to try without feeling stronger where it counts the most.

Pilates is also amazing because you never have to do a single crunch to build your core.  In fact, as you will see in this blog site.  All you have to do is breathe correctly and you will feel your core work like never before.

Zumba: Oye- Salsa

One of my favorite Salsa's

I use this song to really get the heart rate up!

The Beginning

I have been wanting to achieve this goal for over 2 years now.  And after a lot of trial and error in my life I am finally here!  Welcome to Fitness4anybody!

I am excited to take you on a journey, one that if all my goals go according to plan will have me posting some of my amazing routines on line.

I am looking forward to some recipe exchanging, self motivation, body image support, a forum of questions and answers, ect.

I'm hoping that my past 17 years of experience and innovations will help motivate you to find new ways to achieve your goals, what ever they may be.

I am also hoping that you follow me on my journey.  I have an amazing lifetime dream I will tell you more about and I really am so excited to see if I can make it come true!

Happy Blogging my friends and keep your eyes open, Youtube vids are coming!!!

Namaste
JJ