ice cream – Jenna Jamieson, Author

Ice cream before dinner…why, yes!

By Jenna Jamieson | June 21, 2017 | Comments 0 Comment

I found out at the beginning of June that I wouldn’t be teaching at CCHS next year because I don’t hold an endorsement that allows me to teach Webpage Design and Programming classes and those are two classes that will be offered next year. I’m not going to pretend that I wasn’t disappointed. I was disappointed. And, a lot. I live right by my high school and I drive past it almost every single day. To be honest, it just sucks (and sometimes you face these types of challenges on the way up the mountain of life). I loved my job, and more than anything I loved inspiring my students. I’m going to let my guard down a little bit more than normal in this post, and it will probably humanize me more to others and show you that life really is like climbing a mountain. Just when you think your hard work, dedication, and passion will pay off that may not actually be the case (at least, not at the time when you think it should be.) I poured my heart and soul into this last semester at CCHS (not to impress anyone), but because it’s part of my spirit. I love giving back and that’s just what I chose to do at the high school by volunteering at the robotics competition, judging the high school talent show, passing out pizza to the freshman class, chaperoning prom, coordinating a backpack drive, and attending the Multicultural Festival as well as participating in it by going to each table to learn more about other countries. It was certainly a fully-filled adventure that I had (and a learning experience, too)!

I am strong though, so I knew I could and would move on (and that’s just what I did.) I decided the evening I found out and the next to begin the process of cleaning out my classroom. I didn’t want to waste any time getting it done. After all, I had so much in my classroom from team building games I created, a Food Truck auctioning project we did, risk management games we played, and the like. But, one thing about cleaning my classroom was that it actually was a bit therapeutic. I decided to clean out my classroom and then as an adult I chose to drown myself in some delicious ice cream before dinner. Yes, you read that correctly. I wanted (and probably needed) something to make myself feel better about what would come next. That would be the ever so dreaded task of job searching. One of the things I think I might hate most in life. After all, I have 221 cover letters in my ‘Cover Letter’ folder on my jump drive and that isn’t even all of them. I have been searching for jobs in my life more than I would like to even think about. After all, my professional career is something I have dreamed about ever since I was a little adopted Indian girl. It is something I have always taken great pride in. And so, while my professional life certainly has been more like climbing a mountain, it has always taught me a lesson. That lesson is that somehow everything seems to work out and that’s something I can rest assured about even if it does mean moving on to something new and different. Remember, life isn’t easy, but it does provide lessons that we can learn from and carry with us through life.

Now that I have eaten my ice cream and packed up my classroom, it’s time to move on to what’s next. And, there is always going to be something next (when and where is TBD). So, now you can translate this into your own life’s adventures, the ups and the downs, and remember that moving on after disappointment is key to picking yourself back up and being better than you were before.

The cherry on top of my ice cream is that on my very last day one of my students from spring semester came up to talk to me. I told him that I wasn’t rehired and that I wouldn’t be back at CCHS next year. He said, “I’m going to miss seeing you next year.” He is one of those students that always said, “Hi, Mrs. Jamieson” in the hallways and always interacted with his teachers. As he walked away after I told him good luck at his SkillsUSA competition that was coming up he said, “I liked having you as a teacher, Mrs. Jamieson.”

~jj

#ProjectKindnessBook

#AlwaysChooseKindness

Yummy, yummy to my dessert tummy!

By Jenna Jamieson | September 2, 2014 | Comments 0 Comment

We all have a sweet tooth of some kind for some type of dessert. You may not be a cake eater, but you might like pies, cookies, cupcakes, ice cream, brownies, candy, or some other type of sweet indulgence. I often hear people say they have cut sugar from their diet and my first question is why?! The most common response is to lose weight for a specific event or occasion (i.e. wedding, swimsuit season, class reunion, etc). It really doesn’t make much sense to me because you lose the weight for the event or occasion and then gain it right back so it isn’t done to maintain a healthy weight and sustain it over time. Removing sugar from your diet as a “cleanse” or way to lose weight is almost like a punishment to yourself (and possibly others) because your mood changes, you crave sugar, and once the period of time, event, or occasion ends you tend to overindulge yourself with sugar until you feel sick and sometimes even guilty.

What’s my point or better yet what’s my solution? Build dessert into your meal and calorie count for the day. For example, if you know you will be eating dessert after dinner, base your total calories and portions for that meal prior to dessert. If you usually eat 650 calories at dinner, but know that you will be eating dessert cut your calories at dinner to 400 and then allow yourself a 250 calorie dessert. This helps reduce your portions prior to dessert so that you don’t over consume by adding an additional 250 calories to your typical 650 calorie dinner. If you don’t cut calories and portion out your meal to consider dessert, think about how many calories you would eat if you have your usual 650 calorie dinner and decide to add on a 250 calorie dessert. You would have a total of 900 calories for one meal, which is almost half of what a woman’s total daily caloric intake should be!

My final point? Be cognizant of how many calories you are putting in your mouth, be well informed about how many calories you SHOULD be eating based on your gender and age, and lastly remember that portion control is just as important as what you choose to put in your mouth! So eat nutritious and eat within boundaries! Below is a general calorie count for men and women based on age and activity level. Please realize it is a little bit different for every person based on their fitness level, health and medical history, etc. Also, remember that as we age our metabolism tends to slow down decreasing the amount of success we see in burning calories when we workout. In other words, as you age it may take more effort and a longer workout to burn the number of calories you once burned at a younger age. Don’t feel discouraged though, no matter what, if you are working out you are definitely doing your mind and body a favor and making me proud (because you are helping me change the dynamics and statistics in America which will take time to do)! Oh, and just so you got the moral out of the story: Don’t cut out sugar, enjoy a dessert on occasion, key words being on occasion! You will feel better, do much better, and see more success if you maintain your diet by eating in moderation rather than cutting food groups. That saying “everything in moderation” that you are always told and hear is actually true! 😉

GENDER

CALORIES (Moderately Active)

CALORIES (Active)

FEMALES

19-30 years old

31-50 years old

51+ years old

2,000 -2,200

1,800-2,000

1,600-1,800

2,400

2,200

2,000-2,200

MALES

19-30 years old

31-50 years old

51+ years old

2,400-2,600

2,200-2,400

2,000-2,200

2,800

2,600-2,800

2,400-2,600

(Courtesy of http://www.choosemyplate.gov)

~jj

A {healthy} routine…what foods do YOU feed your family?

By Jenna Jamieson | August 14, 2014 | Comments 0 Comment

Whether your family consists of kids, you’re a newly married couple, or you are a baby boomer near or in retirement, a great way to keep up with your health is by using those around you to keep you in check. It doesn’t mean that they hold you accountable for what you put in your mouth, but it might mean that the reason you serve healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables with meals is to be a mentor to inspire and provide an example to the people in your life (kids, sisters/brothers, cousins, spouse, etc). It means YOU care enough to help show those around you that through healthy eating and regular exercise you decrease your chances for diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.

Consider making health a daily family event or routine. For example, make dinner an occasion where you make a protein, carb, and vegetable side. You can help your kids learn about their food choices by placing foods in categories that are easy to understand such as “Go”, “Slow”, and “Whoa” which is used in school heath curriculum. For example, fruits and vegetables in their raw form are usually “Go” foods (eat most often, almost always) while canned fruits in light syrup or frozen vegetables would fall under “Slow” foods (eat less often, sometimes) because a lot of the nutritional value in these foods lessens once they are altered. Examples of “Whoa” foods (eat least often, once in awhile) might include donuts, cake, cookies, chips, and other foods that are high in sugar and sodium. Help teach those around you how to categorize their foods. Make this a fun activity for kids (or adults) by cutting out foods they love and asking them to place each picture under the correct category. This helps them learn while providing a great chart to hang on the refrigerator as a reminder. We all need a reminder every now and then and what better place than on the front of the refrigerator so you are constantly reminded every time you open it?! 😉 Once you understand the idea of categorizing individual foods such as breads, cheese, meats, pasta, etc. into “Go”, “Slow”, and “Whoa” you can take it a step further by combining food groups (as we often see when we make meals). For example, a bagel pizza or English muffin pizza made with low fat cheese or vegetable lasagna/pasta made with a red sauce would be considered “Go” meals while macaroni and cheese or pizza would fall into the “Slow” meals group and deep dish sausage pizza or fried chicken with gravy would fall into the “Slow” meals group.

Remember that your attitude toward food, nutrition, exercise, and fitness impacts your children, your spouse, and those around you so make sure you are the positive influence that helps them stay healthy! For example, take a 30 minute walk in the evenings with your spouse or take a family bike ride. Think of fun activities that allow you to make memories and are fun so that your children, spouse, and family have a positive experience as it relates to exercise. Making a positive association with exercise and healthy foods is very important, if not vital. This helps you, your children, your spouse, and family recognize the benefits of healthy eating and regular exercise while also making them feel like it is easy, fun, and stress-free. After all, remember that health starts with family and friends because children, friends, and family often echo the behavior of people they are surrounded by. Be the difference in your family and group of friends to show those around you how to make health a priority through regular exercise and healthy eating.

~jj

Simplicity might just be key!

By Jenna Jamieson | June 30, 2014 | Comments 0 Comment

One constant for most people is that their schedule is always filled, life is always busy, and there never seems to be enough time in the day to do everything on the “to do” list. People often want short, simple, and easy workouts and quick, healthy meals that keep us on track to maintain or reach our fitness goals. Why? Because spending time with family and friends is what most, if not all, of us want. We basically want the cake and to eat it too! Shocking, right? Well, obviously, not really. That is the majority, not the minority, so if you feel this way, you can rest assured that you are not alone. So, what can you do to still make the most of your day, save time, and not feel like your entire day is dedicated to health and wellness? Let’s face it, we are often so busy we don’t necessarily think about all the choices (or lack of) that we are making that impact our health.

My solution (and challenge to you) is to find several small and simple (key word is SIMPLE!) health oriented things that you can do that will help change the big picture over time, then incorporate those into your schedule. I will give you an example of some fitness and health choices that will assist you in creating a more simple, less overwhelming lifestyle.

First off, start with steps and walking. Grab a fitness tracker, a very basic one that counts steps is all you need. If you prefer a more fancier fitness watch/tracker, by all means, get what suits you best. It used to be that 10k a day was the fad and maybe it still is, but don’t stick with fad diets and exercises. Strive for what works, so get your count to 14k a day! Yes, that seems like a lot of steps, but think of walking to the bathroom, in the kitchen, at work, etc. And just in case you aren’t convinced that getting steps are great for you, walking helps with digestion, is great for your bones, and can improve your mood! You can do it and it really isn’t difficult. You may be surprised by how many you get!

Next, the fabulous 5: basic weights, lunges, crunches, squats, and push-ups. This will help build strength and tone your body. Do sets that work best for you. I suggest 3-5 sets of 10-15 reps depending on your lifestyle and fitness level. You can do these in the morning when you wake up, in the evening to de-stress, while you are outside, while you are watching television, etc and it takes a total of 15 to 20 minutes, if that.

The next one may be somewhat difficult for many, but it is important and will make the biggest difference on your waistline and energy level. Avoid baked goods. These are salty, sugary foods that provide little to no energy. While you avoid cookies, brownies, and cakes, turn to water. Drink at least a gallon of water a day to stay full, focused, and alert, aiding in keeping your energy level high. Also, turn to fruit and veggie smoothies that you make at home. Buy frozen fruits if you are rushed for time or buy fresh fruit and have it pre-cut and in containers so it is ready to be thrown in the blender in the morning or evening. (This doesn’t mean you can’t have ice cream, this specifically eliminates baked goods, BUT like I continually say, everything in moderation, so don’t go overboard with the ice cream!) 😉

That’s it…simple as that! 5 small and simple tips to incorporate into your busy schedule so that healthy choices are being made without even thinking about them! 1) 14k a day 2) Fabulous 5 exercises 3) No baked goods 4) Smoothies 5) 1 gallon of water per day. That’s it, an easy exercise and nutrition guide to fit into each day without a workout or a special diet.

~jj