well-being – Jenna Jamieson, Author

What will YOU do in 2016?

By Jenna Jamieson | January 7, 2016 | Comments 0 Comment

It is normal to set new goals and milestones at the beginning of the new year. You may want to lose weight, eat more fruits and veggies, go to church, save more money, write more on your blog (ME!) 😉 and so on. It can include anything you want to accomplish and do throughout the year. For me, one of my biggest goals is to publish a book I have been working on for almost two years. When it comes to health and well-being, there are many areas that you can focus on – social, emotional, environmental, spiritual, physical, and mental health.

Will you focus on your social health? This comprises your friends, family, and interactions with others. Will you sign up to be involved in new groups or events such as community development? Will you volunteer with local charity organizations? Will you be planning a wedding or other special event? Will you give selflessly to others through random acts of kindness? All of these things make you active in ensuring you have a happy, healthy, and successful social component within your life.

Will you focus on your emotional health? Do you handle stress and excitement appropriately? Do you balance the spectrum of all emotions in a healthy way? You may choose to work on emotional health by taking deep breaths when stressed, not “closeting” your feelings, listening to your heart and mind, and making decisions for yourself and how you feel rather than to please others.

Will you focus on your environmental health? This means that you foster a positive work and personal environment. Further, this includes preserving the water, air, and the land around you. Will you begin to recycle more this year? That includes less waste such as paper products including paper plates, napkins, and printing unnecessary documents. Will you reuse paper to prevent further waste in landfills? Will you reduce water bottle usage by using reusable plastic bottles to decrease landfill wastes? When you discuss land and air safety, this means you reduce harmful chemicals such as burning toxic wastes and disposing of chemicals in landfills.

Will you focus on your spiritual health? This requires that you “talk the talk and also walk the walk.” In other words, you have morals, values, and ethics that you follow to lead an honest life. Additionally, it means you encourage peace and harmonious relationships between yourself and others. You may mediate, read about your belief system, pray, or attend a religious organization.

Will you focus on your physical health? Will you exercise more this year? Will you join a gym or participate in group exercise classes? Are you training for a 5k, half marathon, or full marathon? This is probably one of my strengths when it comes to the six components of health. I regularly exercise, take walks, and go outside to be active. It helps me lower my stress level and makes me feel great. This is particularly important to reduce health diseases such as heart problems, obesity, diabetes, and other health concerns that can be created from being overweight.

Will you focus on your mental (aka intellectual) health? Will you improve your mood or attitude in 2016? Will you work to cope better with your stress, anxiety, depression, or self-confidence and self-image? Part of mental health is finding solutions to cope with your daily struggles. It may mean reaching out for help, recognizing that those around you care, or changing the demands of your life to reduce the mental stress you are facing.

It is very important to find a balance of the six components of health and well-being. Like me, you may find that you are strong in two to three of the six components. If that is the case, that’s fantastic! It means you can use 2016 as a way to focus on the ones that you are not as strong in. As for my book, it focuses on my mental/intellectual health, social health, and emotional health. Consider finding projects, activities, and events that will allow you to work on several components. For example, participating in group fitness classes will focus on your physical, social, and possibly spiritual and emotional well-being. Spiritual well-being through mediation or yoga, and emotional well-being to reduce stress. You can work to improve components that you struggle with to find a better balance to lead a healthier and happier 2016!

~jj

#ProjectKindnessBook

#AlwaysChooseKindness

Respect, Kindness, & Tolerance…this Christmas season!

By Jenna Jamieson | December 11, 2015 | Comments 0 Comment

I am finishing a book that I can’t wait to share with everyone because it revolves around helping others, kindness, and giving back. This has inspired me to share a post about respect, kindness, and tolerance which I think is especially important and critical to remember during the Christmas season. Christmas while fun is often a time of stress for many. It can be stressful to prepare for all the holiday festivities and parties, expensive to buy presents for everyone on your list, and it can be emotional or sad for those that have loved ones that are no longer here to celebrate with them.

As we move into this season of giving I hope we can also be mindful of those around us. While we may have different views, religious beliefs, and even traditions I hope that each person remembers to be respectful, kind, and tolerant of others. We don’t have to share the same views, go to the same church, or have the same traditions to be diplomatic, respectful, kind, and tolerant. That means we wish each other well and say, “Merry Christmas” to all.

This may seem like a simple post or even a “non health” related post, but in actuality it is a post that focuses on our spiritual, emotional, and social well-being. We accept others for who they are, we reach out to others to say “Merry Christmas” to include all, and we remember that different Christmas celebrations is what makes the world so beautiful.

So I challenge you to embrace each other through respect, kindness, and tolerance this Christmas season! Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night (and year)!

~jj

#ProjectKindnessBook

#AlwaysChooseKindness

Holidays…family, friends, and FOOD!

By Jenna Jamieson | November 19, 2015 | Comments 0 Comment

This is the weight-gaining, cookie-eating, mouth-stuffing time of the year! It’s the time of the year when people eat cookies, cupcakes, chips, dips, and other sugary and salty foods. It’s the time of the year when diets seem to be filled with more junk food than fruits and veggies. It’s the time of the year when there are parties, potlucks, and events. And, it’s the time of the year when health educators and counselors know what to expect come January when New Year’s resolutions come around!

I am getting ready to cook my “gluten free” Thanksgiving this weekend so that I can actually enjoy it! Otherwise the day of Thanksgiving I get stuck with meat and potatoes without all the other lovely sides that fill the Thanksgiving table (but are often filled with gluten)!

As a way to cut back on fat and to reduce the calories in my gluten free dishes I will be making roasted brussels sprouts and corn with a couple of slices of bacon rather than a corn casserole or corn pudding which are filled with heavy cream, cream soups, and other fattening additives. This is a great way to reduce fat and calories while still having great flavor. The bacon will provide flavor along with chili powder, but since the two bacon slices will be divided among 6 people the amount consumed is very little.

My homemade mashed potatoes will feature part cauliflower. That may sound awful to some, but I promise you won’t taste the cauliflower and it will save a ton of calories! I will also use potatoes, but I will combine them with cauliflower to reduce the calories and add some veggies. I will use reduced sodium, reduced fat cream cheese or greek yogurt to add creaminess to the potatoes.

I will not have bread since I will be making cornbread stuffing. I made cornbread with reduced fat milk and will make the stuffing using reduced sodium chicken broth. To save calories, it is great to consider how many “bready” sides or carbohydrate sides you will serve with your Thanksgiving dinner. Consider having stuffing or bread, pie or cake, with more sides filled with veggies or fruits (i.e. brussel sprouts, corn, green beans, cranberries, mixed fruit, sweet potatoes – healthier than regular potatoes).

If your family does a green bean casserole each year consider roasted green beans, grilled green beans (these are delicious!), or pan seared green beans to cut back on the creamy soups, butter, and fried onions that are all high in calories.

Remember to fill your plates with more veggies than “bready” items and when you go back for seconds fill up on the veggie sides rather than more stuffing, bread, pie, and other high calorie dishes. Oh, and take a quick walk before or after dinner so your food doesn’t sit in your stomach all day or all night. You will thank yourself later when your food has a chance to digest rather than sit and make you feel miserable all night! 🙂

Happy eating, enjoy spending time with your friends and family, and have fun making new memories that you will remember forever!

~jj

#ProjectKindnessBook

#AlwaysChooseKindness

Bacon?! Yes, please!

By Jenna Jamieson | October 28, 2015 | Comments 0 Comment

Who doesn’t love a great sweet or maybe bacon? Who was completely bummed by the new research that the World Health Organization aka WHO released this week about bacon, sausage, and hot dogs? I have to admit that this was information I already knew, but information I never really want to hear (or at least not see plastered across every media outlet known to planet Earth). I think everywhere I looked I saw articles, broadcasts, and posts reminding me of the harm of these foods. Depressing, right?! Or maybe not, maybe just news we needed to hear, be reminded of, and information to make us more well informed people about what we are shoving into our mouths each day (sometimes even me, on occasion)! 😉

On my list of nutrition improvements I continually have 1) Reduce sodium intake 2) Decrease sugary foods and 3) Increase naturally flavorful, non-processed foods (i.e. fruits and veggies, proteins in their most raw form). Salts and sugars are an ongoing health concern that can always be improved no matter where you are at on your fitness and health journey. Since the holidays are coming and Halloween is just around the corner it makes following these nutrition goals a bit difficult (even for me), but I have some tips that may just be the key to your nutrition success!

Remember that salts and sugars are often heavy additives in processed foods and of course in candy. It is important to think about how much salt and sugar is in your diet (cereal, candy bars, sandwiches, pizza, salads, etc) – most people eat three times or more servings of the recommended amount of daily sodium. That’s scary, especially considering heart disease and cardiovascular concerns are the number one killer.

To cut down on salt and sugars, consider eating more naturally sweet or salty foods that don’t have as much added to them for flavor. Fruits like watermelon, strawberries, apples, oranges, and pineapple which are naturally sweet are great choices. Decrease processed meats, chips, cheese, and other salty foods and consider eating foods that are in their more natural form such as chicken, fish, and other meats that you can control how much salt is added. For desserts, consider a dessert that has fruit in it or a dessert that has a fruit topping such as pudding or mousse with fruit. Further, when it comes to cakes, cookies, pies, tarts, and other sweets make them from scratch so you can control the additives, preservatives, and other ingredients such as sugar and sodium that are placed in the dessert. Sometimes you can make a less sweet cake, cheesecake, or tart and add fresh fruit that makes it less sugary, but still tastes delicious.

It may seem like a heartbreaker that bacon isn’t good for you and may cause cancer or that cookies like snickerdoodles are high in sugar, but it isn’t something we didn’t already know. After all, we don’t think fried cheese, pickles, and chicken are good for us, do we?! 😉 Like I say, everything in moderation. Life is too short not to enjoy the things we love (on occasion)! 😉

~jj

#ProjectKindnessBook

#AlwaysChooseKindness

Believe in yourself and you shall achieve!

By Jenna Jamieson | September 28, 2015 | Comments 0 Comment

It’s been a long time since I have had the chance to write, to inspire, to motivate, to share fitness advice, and engage with readers. I am excited to have the opportunity (and time) to make this a priority again. After all, helping others is a passion, a goal, and a dream.

I haven’t been conscientious about fitness, nutrition, health, and wellness my whole life. In fact, I actually didn’t care about it at all in high school and weighed about fifteen to twenty pounds more than I do now. I didn’t care about working out, taking rest breaks to clear my mind, or eating fruits and veggies. Once I graduated from high school and started college, I realized I needed a way to clear my mind and relieve stress. I also wanted to develop healthy habits that I would carry with me through life. That’s when I changed my life and started working out as my personal way of clearing my mind, de-stressing, and making my workout “me” time. I changed my life. I changed my future. I developed a workout schedule, nutrition habits, and maintained a routine that would fit my lifestyle.

During this time, I tried several different types of exercise and different workout schedules to figure out what I liked, what I didn’t like, and what I thought worked best for me. First, I started working out at my house. I would go on jogs outside each day or jump rope. It was an effective (and cheap) workout and made me feel better once I was done. Eventually I bought a treadmill and usually ran five to ten miles each day. I liked this because I could fit it in when it was convenient and I didn’t have to think about the weather. I stuck with that for a long time, probably a few years. I got bored with the treadmill and wanted a change in pace. I decided I would start going to a gym rather than working out at home. I started using the bike, elliptical, row machine, and occasionally the treadmill along with the weight machines. I got much more variety which was great.

Then, one day I started experiencing pain in my shins and ankles. I went to an athletic trainer and physical therapist to see what I had done that was causing me to feel pain. They said the machine use was causing rubbing on my joints so I started nine weeks of physical therapy to help loosen up my body, joints, and muscles. It started to help, but the physical therapists suggested lessening my machine use as that can often be hard on your joints. It was back to the thinking board. I decided to invest in fitness DVDs and workouts (which are very expensive I might add)! This allowed me to workout from home, let me do my workout whenever it fit into my schedule, made me be accountable, and forced me to use my own body weight during the workouts. I found that when I did workout at a gym it was easy to change my fitness days or routine. I could easily skip the stop at the gym causing me to rotate a workout day or two during the week. The fitness DVDs helped to fix that problem! I always had the DVDs at my fingertips and could do my workout at my convenience – no excuses!

So, you might be thinking she just rambled on and on about working out from home, working out from a gym, having sore joints, etc. The point being that sometimes fitness changes over time. Sometimes you are completely dedicated (like I am now) or completely not interested like I was in high school, BUT it is never too late to start making changes to lead a healthier lifestyle. Small changes, large changes, or just adding more changes that will help you sustain your lifestyle. You might start working out at your house, as I did, then change to a gym, and then end up back at your house, in a fitness club, or creating your own walking group, etc.

Regardless of what you choose is best for you, there are always resources and people that can help you achieve your fitness goals. You can find resources all over the web, there are cookbooks and exercise books everywhere, but one of the most important things you can do for yourself to further your health journey is believe in yourself. In life, whatever your goals are personally or professionally, you have to take your goals and believe in them, own them, have a strong passion for them, and make them part of you. That’s part of succeeding in fitness, health, nutrition, and wellness (and in life). Own up to what you put in your mouth, challenge yourself to a workout, and remember to focus on your goals. If you can do that, you can do about anything and that includes changing your health habits for the better.

~jj

#ProjectKindnessBook

#AlwaysChooseKindness

You’ll only regret the workouts you don’t do!

By Jenna Jamieson | June 1, 2015 | Comments 0 Comment

We all have days when we feel unmotivated, don’t want to workout, feel lazy, want to take a nap, or just want to do other things, but on those days it is important to still do some type of workout, whether it be a short one or long one, cardio or yoga, or a quick run. Sometimes thinking about my favorite person who inspires me such as an athlete is enough to motivate me! If you are having one of those days, think twice before you skip your workout and remember all the positives of a great workout, including the reasons below!

100 Reasons to Exercise Now (Courtesy of Pinterest)

Because it makes you feel confident
Because it helps you get stronger
Because exercise helps combat depression
Because you’ll feel proud of yourself
Because you have goals you want to reach
Because you’ll feel bad if you don’t
Because you want to move forward, not backward
Because it burns more calories than not working out
Because it improves your heart health
Because you want a great butt
Because it prevents diabetes
Because you want to be a good example to your kids
Because you want to feel good in your clothes
Because it reduces your risk of cancer
Because your body was made to move
Because you want to be an athlete
Because you want to look better
Because it lifts your mood
Because you want to stand taller
Because it reduces back pain
Because it feels good
Because it makes you feel accomplished
Because you spend most of your day on your butt
Because swimsuit season is always coming
Because strong is the new skinny
Because dieting only works so much
Because it strengthens your bones, too
Because it helps you lose weight
Because it allows you to eat more food
Because it’s the best way to spend “me” time
Because it helps you de-stress
Because it’s cheaper than therapy
Because you want a strong core
Because you want to take care for yourself
Because you take pride in your body
Because it strengthens your legs
Because it helps your clothes fit better
Because you want to push yourself
Because you are capable of more than you ever imagined
Because moving your body feels good
Because it keeps your mind sharp
Because it helps you beat belly bloat
Because it helps you sleep better at night
Because it gives you energy
Because you want to stay healthy as you age
Because you want to look younger
Because you want toned arms
Because it improves your balance
Because it burns off last night’s dessert
Because it boosts your immune system
Because sweat is sexy
Because you want to live longer
Because you want to get better at your game
Because you want to catch someone’s eye
Because exercisers earn more money
Because you’re more likely to eat better when you exercise
Because you want to shave time off your running pace
Because you want to breathe easier
Because you want to see the scale drop
Because exercise improves your sex life
Because you are worth it
Because being fit makes everything in life better
Because you promised yourself that you would
Because you deserve a better life
Because it’ll help you drink more water
Because you want to do real push-ups
Because it reduces your health care costs
Because you’ll miss fewer days of work
Because you want to create a new future for yourself
Because it’ll help you like what you see in the mirror
Because it makes clothing shopping more fun
Because you want to look and feel incredible
Because exercising can be fun
Because it’ll give your skin a glow
Because it’s a good way to spend time with your friends
Because it’ll help you prevent the middle-age spread
Because it reduces your blood pressure
Because you don’t want to let yourself go
Because you don’t want to squeeze into an airplane or rollercoaster seat
Because it strengthens your spirit
Because it’s a cheap way to entertain yourself
Because you’ll be able to reward yourself
Because you need a reason to wear those new workout clothes
Because you’re tired of being tired
Because not working out is not going to get you very far
Because it’s a great way to spend time outside
Because you made a commitment to yourself
Because you’re tired of starting over
Because there will always be another wedding, vacation or reunion
Because you’re not a quitter
Because it improves your cholesterol
Because it boosts your metabolism
Because it prevents age-related muscle loss
Because if you can do this, you can do anything
Because a fit body is a healthy body
Because it beats sitting on the couch
Because everyone has at least 10 minutes to spare
Because you want to be stronger than your excuses
Because not working out isn’t working out for you
Because the only workout you ever regret is the one you skip

Now, GO WORKOUT! You will feel much better once you do!

~jj

Workout + Brainstorming…

By Jenna Jamieson | May 21, 2015 | Comments 0 Comment

I have been preparing multiple activities and sessions for the upcoming school year to teach business classes to high school students. It is an exciting new program that will be launching in August, and while business and health don’t necessarily seem like they go together let me explain what I mean. I have found that I often do some of my best brainstorming about activities, innovative thinking, creative projects, and life lessons to incorporate into the classroom during my workout. Two areas that don’t seem to fit together –business and health–yet I am able to pull them together in such a way that I get inspiration from an unlikely place! That is why some days my workout actually becomes a brainstorming session!

So much of the time things are very structured, such as when we should do things and how they should be done, but often times life, health, business, etc is unpredictable and may change over time. (Not that structure is a bad thing, but sometimes you have to move with the pace or flow and adapt based on the scenario. You may gain knowledge and inspiration based on those changes.) In other words, sometimes sitting down each day after school to make lesson plans, working on lesson plans at home, or continuously using the same materials doesn’t always work or fit the situation. Instead you may have to use a different approach, such as employing your surroundings to get inspiration throughout the day from things, places, and people, that at times, don’t even seem to connect with the classroom. The same can be said about working out. You have to look to different people, places, and things for inspiration and motivation to keep you going. You have to be willing to vary your workouts, adapt to change (i.e. workout at a hotel, workout in between meetings due to business travel, etc), and find ways to gain meaning from your workout (brainstorming, critical thinking, etc). Pulling experiences from the day and brainstorming might be ways to capture new workout methods or may take your mind off the task at hand. You might pull your inspiration from customer service, clinical trails, pilot projects, research analysis, computer development and technology, accounting, and so on. The list is endless. Some or all of those experiences may be the topic of your brainstorming ideas during your workout or could provide ideas for new ways to workout.

With that, I say happy brainstorming during your workout! It will provide inspiration, motivation, and ideas that may improve all facets of your life!

~jj

Health notes to myself!

By Jenna Jamieson | May 12, 2015 | Comments 0 Comment

Today’s inspiration is something that I love to do so I do it often on post-it notes, calendars, and “to-do” lists. It seems kind of simple and probably somewhat silly to some, but it works for me and maybe it will work for you, too! I often write myself small health notes, reminders, and encouraging words to increase my motivation level, remind myself why it is important to exercise and eat healthy, and small things I can do to further improve my health.

Many of us have calendars at home and work, cellphones, notebooks for work and school, or other planners and organizers that we frequently use. I often have “to-do” lists (which the blog always seems to be on 😉 ) as well as grocery lists, calendars, etc where I write down health notes to myself. For example, I might write “Decrease sodium intake by eating less salty foods such as chips and cheese” or “Reduce eating sugary cereals in the morning and eat a brown grain cereal with fruits and raisins” to remind me of better and healthier choices I can make to improve my overall health. Further, I might write “Exercising and eating right help reduce heart disease” so that I recall why it is I exercise and strive to eat healthy each day. Lastly, on days when I feel tired, overwhelmed, or lack motivation to exercise, I might write myself a note that says “Keep going and relieve your stress with a great workout” so I know what I can do to rejuvenate and refresh myself at the end of the day.

These simple reminders can be posted at your desk, on your calendar, or like me on my “to-do” lists or grocery lists so that they are a reminder to make healthy choices. My suggestion (because it works well for me) is to place notes on things or in areas that you frequently look at, open, or see throughout the day so that it is a constant reminder to you. You can get creative and have fun with it by writing exercises to do such as “Run up and down the office stairs 3 times” or any other exercise that might help you achieve your health and fitness goals. The point of this is to have fun with your health, make your choices stick with you by recalling what you write down, and using notes to reiterate the importance of making healthy choices. After all, constant reiteration, reminders, and continual practice help ensure that you maintain a healthy and balanced lifestyle over time.

Happy writing (health notes) to yourself! It may seem silly or too easy, but give it a shot because it might just help!

~jj

Food cheat? Only in moderation!

By Jenna Jamieson | April 7, 2015 | Comments 0 Comment

Sorry for the short hiatus! I have no excuse…I wasn’t on vacation, I really wasn’t any busier than normal, and I actually have a lot of health inspiration so there is no reason for why I haven’t posted lately. 🙁 I hear people say all the time this is my cheat day, so I can eat whatever I want today, but for today only. Other times I hear people say it’s the weekend so I can eat what I want because I workout five days a week. I also frequently hear people say they have cheat meals where they can eat whatever they want. I think one important thing to remember is that while allowing yourself to enjoy all food groups and pleasures in life is great, it is still equally as important to exercise the idea of moderation AND considering the calories you are putting in your mouth. With that being said, rather than having a cheat weekend, cheat day, or cheat meal, consider having a partial cheat meal whereby you eat a dessert after dinner or you eat fish for dinner, but still have fries as a side or you have scrambled eggs with mushrooms and spinach and a few slices of bacon as a side.

It is important to recognize that moderation needs to be considered when it comes to health, wellness, nutrition, and exercising. My advice to people who want to enjoy some of the food luxuries in life, but still stay on a well-balanced diet is to consider eating cheat snacks or partial cheat meals. I recently had a salad for dinner with no meat and then decided after dinner I still wanted something else and preferably something sweet. I had a small cupcake after my salad and really found that it made more sense to have a salad and a small cupcake rather than a large unhealthy dinner followed by a large dessert. My salad was filled with lots of veggies and greens that were great for me and then the cupcake was just a hint of cheating that satisfied my sweet tooth. The best bet? Choose not to have a large piece of fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, and cornbread followed by a large piece of chocolate cake or have an all you can eat buffet followed by dessert. This is an overabundance of calories that ruin an entire day (or even week) for a person because of the large amount of calories that are being consumed in just one meal. Instead choose to pair the healthy with a small indulgence or treat that can accent the meal or be a small token of what you are craving rather than eating a large unhealthy meal and dessert.

That’s a wrap! Go enjoy a great salad and a cupcake or your dessert of choice (just don’t go overboard with a large dessert such as a carrot cake, or a brownie sundae with chocolate and caramel sauce and whipped cream. Enjoy your small cheats in moderation because I promise that you will feel better when you’re done, enjoy less calories, and won’t feel sick from over consumption!

~jj

Relax, Rest, & Recover!

By Jenna Jamieson | March 3, 2015 | Comments 0 Comment

We all like our recovery and rest days, right?! After all, recovery days are good for you, just like everything is (or can be) as long as it’s in moderation! It gives us a chance to rest our muscles and rejuvenate our bodies, but resting doesn’t mean or give you a pass to sit around and eat junk food! While it is great to have rest and recover days, it is also important to note that it is not an excuse to cram in the junk food and veg on the couch all day. It means that you might take a break from your cardio workouts, strength training routines, and heavy exercise regimes. On my rest days, I might enjoy a leisurely walk or do some extra stretching to help loosen up my body during my off days. You might consider a light yoga class to stretch out or a game in the park with your kids.

Each week, you should have at least 1 day to recover, but no more than 3 total days of recovery during the 7 day week. After all, you don’t want to be working out less than the days you are recovering/taking off. You should, and I do emphasize should, be making yourself workout at least more than half of the 7 day week, so workout at least 4 days or more if you can! On the flipside of that, please do remember that one full recovery day allows your body to rest and recover so that you are able to put forth your full potential, push yourself forward, and challenge yourself while still having enough energy to do so. If you are too sore or too tired from your previous workout days, you won’t be able to have a successful and challenging workout.

Just keep in the back of your mind that you should be working out more than half of the week so don’t take more than 3 days off during a single week period! Happy exercising with a day of rest or two to relax, rest, and recover! Just don’t take advantage of those days off by taking too many! 😉

~jj