Staying Health-Conscious in College

New city, new friends, new classes, new life. No parents, no busy work, no students there simply because they are required by law, no more 8am-3pm days of class without a break. Best of all? Total freedom.

There's no question about it; college is awesome. But as fun and rewarding as it can be, the college lifestyle can be devastating for your overall health. Everyone talks about the "freshman fifteen" but no one likes to talk about the 15 lb. weight gain that happens sophomore year...junior year...senior year...Over a 4 year degree, that means you could enter college weighing 125 lbs. and graduate weighing nearly 200!

Maintaining a balanced diet and exercise routine can help combat excessive weight gain in college. Here are some tools that will help you get your degree without packing on the pounds.

Nutrition Tips:

1. Always eat breakfast. Whether you scramble out of bed at 7:55 to get to your 8 am Chemistry Lab without time for food or just think your stomach doesn't wake up until noon, you need to eat something to get your metabolism going for the day. Aim for something with a balanced percentage of carbs, protein and fat. A great on-the-go breakfast is making your own trail mix. Mix 8 natural almonds, 1 cup of Kashi GoLean cereal, and 1/3 cup dried cranberries into a Ziploc bag. Even if you wake up late, you know you'll have something on hand to start your day off right.

2. Eat 5-6 small meals a day. Eating frequently will not only keep your metabolism at a steady rate, but it will prevent you from getting super hungry and eating everything in sight. It's easier to turn down that midnight pizza order when you feel full from throughout the day.

3. Pack snacks to take with you. Late night cram sessions in the library and dinner-time group project meetings may leave you craving fast food or stuck getting something out of a vending machine. Protein bars, nuts & dried fruit, and bags of whole grain cereal are just a few ideas of things that can easily fit into your purse or backpack.

4. Drink water. Don't let your body trick you into thinking you're hungry when you may actually just be thirsty. Drinking water helps keep you hydrated and full, especially when you are inbetween meals. Avoid empty calories from beverages that have no nutritional value such as sodas, alcohol and sugary juices.

5. Just because it contains the word "salad," that doesn't automatically mean its healthy. Dieters are naturally drawn to salad bars because it seems safe. However, dining hall salad bars are loaded with high-fat options including creamy dressings, bacon, cheese and butter-drenched croutons. Choose dark leafy green lettuce, load up on veggies, add 4 oz. of grilled lean meat, and serve oil-based viniagrette dressing on the side.

Fitness Tips:

1. Leave yourself enough time to walk or bike to class. You know you're going to have to sit through class, so be active while you can. Walking between classes will be a good stretch for your legs and give you enough of a mental break to help you go back into learning-mode for your next class.

2. Play intramural sports or get involved in group exercise classes at your campus gym. These are great ways to meet new friends and stay in shape at the same time.

3. Take your phone calls home outdoors...(or to a treadmill if it's too late at night.)strong> Between your parents, siblings, friends at other schools, etc., you're going to have several phone calls to make each week. Instead of sitting in your dorm room, head out for a walk while you catch up with friends and family. Every little bit helps!

4. Choose your electives wisely. Every degree program has a certain amount of free electives. Do you really need to sit through the History of Rock 'n' Roll? Try weight lifting, swimming or dance to get activity for class credit instead.

5. Watch out where you work. If you're biggest weakness is high-fat Mexican food, it's probably not a good idea to wait tables at On the Border. Or if you tend to snack when you're sitting around, a desk job may not be the best fit for you. Explore different opportunities, and try to find a job that won't leave you constantly inactive or tempted.

Remember, college is your first time out on your own. You are setting your personal habits for the rest of your life. Take this opportunity to get off to a fresh start that will benefit you for a lifetime!

September *SHAKEOLOGY* Challenge

Got plans for September? I have an idea - TAKE MY SEPTEMBER SHAKEOLOGY CHALLENGE! :)

Beachbody has a special offer right now that you don't want to miss. (Keep reading below for more info about Shakeology, but check out these cool bonuses first!) First of all, if you order Shakeology on Home Direct (meaning it ships automatically to you once a month), Beachbody will give you FREE shipping! You have the freedom to cancel whenever you wish...but once you taste it, I don't think you will!

ALSO, you can also get 2 *BONUS* Shakeology DVD workouts - a $30 value that you get absolutely free with your order of Shakeology!

So...for just $120, you will have your workout and one meal for everyday of the month paid for!

Now, I said $120 and you may have just been intimidated by the price. I understand. I'm not gonna lie - That was my initial reaction too. However, once I actually thought about it I realized that I would actually save money with Shakeology.

Here’s how...

The retail price for Shakeology is roughly $120 for a one month supply (30 servings at one serving per day). Shakeology is a meal replacement shake based on whole foods that can help you lose weight, feel energized, improve digestion and regularity, lower your cholesterol and detoxify your body. I have personally experienced these effects and have many people tell me that they have too. (Not to mention - it actually tastes REALLY good!) I look forward to my Shakeology every day because I know that I feel better and that I am healthier for it. You can choose between Greenberry and Chocolate flavors. (I've attached the nutrition information below for Greenberry...but the Chocolate nutritional values are very close to the ones below!)

To hear more success stories, check out www.shakeology.com. I don't doubt after reading this that you will want to try it...but you may still be asking, "Where does the 'save money' part come in?"

There are two BIG ways to save money with Shakeology so that YOU can finally get yours. One way to save is to do your purchasing using the huge coach discounts and the other way to save is the value of Shakeology as a meal replacement. I'm going to break both ways down for you so you can see how valuable these savings are in terms of saving you a good chunk of money.

Shakeology is a MEAL REPLACEMENT. You are going to spend money on your meals anyway. There is no way around that. Spend your money replacing just one meal per day with Shakeology, which typically is going to be more nutritious, have fewer calories, and honestly, more filling, than most "fast" foods. Shakeology is about $4 dollars per meal retail. When you consider that the typical fast food meal is around $6, the average Starbucks drink around $5, it seems that Shakeology is actually an inexpensive meal -- while you are getting far more nutrients that your body needs in far less calories. It is a WIN - WIN - WIN situation.

Not to mention.....free shipping and 2 FREE DVD workouts!

Create a FREE account on my Beachbody Products page at www.teambeachbody.com/chellemyers so that you can purchase Shakeology for yourself at retail price today and save using Shakeology as a meal replacement. (Plus, I have been experimenting for about 4 months now...I have many ideas for recipes and savings so make sure you take advantage of my free service to help YOU get the most out of your health and your purchases.)

P.S. This deal won't last forever, so be sure to act now! Message me on Facebook or email me at coach.chelle@gmail.com if you want more information.

Michelle's 60 Day Health & Fitness Challenge

Okay, here's the deal. There's rarely a day that goes by that I don't get a Facebook message or an email from someone in my life who wants my advice on fitness or nutrition. It makes sense - I pretty much make it known that when it comes to anything to do with health, I'm borderline obsessed.

I ALWAYS reply. Why? Because YOUR health is important to me too.

Here's what I find though: People are curious about fitness. They want to know my opinion on what I think they should do...but at the end of the day, 90% of the time, they don't have enough incentive to follow through and make a change.

That changes August 17.

I've decided to launch a 60-Day Health and Fitness Challenge for everyone in my life who wants to participate...but that's not all....

THERE ARE PRIZES. GOOD PRIZES - LIKE "YOU WANT TO WIN, I CAN DO ANYTHING FOR 60 DAYS" KIND OF PRIZES.

Here's what ALL participants have to do:

***You must decide that you are willing to make a commitment for 60 days. Basically - August 17 through October 17, you WILL exercise, eat healthy, get enough sleep, etc.***

From there, you have *THREE* options for ways to participate in the challenge.

1. Beachbody has just launched a new workout called INSANITY....high-intensity bootcamp style training workouts. It comes with 10 workout DVDs that are incredible AND a 60-day nutrition plan - full of recipes that are both healthy for you and easy to make! So 60 days...2 months of personal training and your own dietitian for less than $2 a day! Plus, you'll have me to guide you and motivate you EVERY step of the way. You can check it out and buy it from http://www.teambeachbody.com/chellemyers (Maybe it's been a while since you've worked out and you think INSANITY may be a little too much for you right now. Email me to ask about some of the other workouts Beachbody offers, and we can work to find one that will work for you.)

2. As a newly-certified NASM Personal Trainer, I can write you a 60-day workout plan. You and I will dialogue back and forth to see what types of exercise you prefer, and I will have a workout plan in your hands before the challenge begins on August 17. In order for you to pick this option, having a gym membership is preferred, but at the bare minimum, you must have access to weights and be willing to run or do some form of outdoor cardio. This option will cost you $50 - less than $1 a day!

3. Maybe it's not the workout part that you struggle with. Maybe it's the nutrition part. You will be in charge of your own workout - what you do, etc., but you and I will discuss your eatings likes/dislikes, and I will come up with a nutrition plan for you composed of 15 breakfast recipes, 15 lunch recipes, 15 dinner recipes and 15 snack recipes. This option will cost you $40 - less than 75 cents a recipe!

Decide ASAP which option will work best for you, then email me or message me to let me know what your commitment is. I'm SO excited to help you reach your goals. Don't let it stop with a desire to change - DO something about it, and let me help you!

If you have ANY questions about anything, email me at coach.chelle@gmail.com or send me a message on Facebook.

Favorite Products: Granulated Stevia Powder

Sugar, Splenda, Sweet & Low, Equal....there are so many sweeteners out there - but which one really is best for you? Here is one of my PERSONAL favorite products - and a special savings for my blog readers thanks to my friends at Jay Robb Enterprises, Inc.

Here is the info straight from Jay Robb's website!

STEVIA IS NOT A SWEETENER BUT...

Our new granulated Stevia powder is spoonable like sugar and dissolves almost instantly, even in cold beverages like fresh made lemonade. 200-300 times sweeter than sugar, Stevia creates an intense effect upon the taste buds without raising blood sugar levels. Research indicates that both diabetics and persons suffering from hypoglycemia may use Stevia.

"I use 1/2 to 1 tsp of the powder in my yogurt mix each day and it turns sour tasting yogurt into a creamy dessert that tastes like pudding. It also sweetens lemonade, limeade, orange juice, grapefruit juice, herb teas, regular iced and hot teas, and is also tasty in baked goods and other recipes including JayCookies and Macaroons."
—Jay Robb

Our Stevia comes in 10 oz jars that should last an individual 30-60 days. Stevia has been used in Japan since 1970 with no reports of any side effects. Stevia has been used around the world with no reports of any problems for over 40 years now. Stevia is heat stable to 392 degrees Fahrenheit so is great for baking.

Nutritional Information:

Serving Size: 1 scoop (scooper inside container)
Servings per container 113
Amount per serving:
Calories 10
Total Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0g
Sodium 0g
Total Carbohydrate 2.5g
Dietary Fiber 0g
Sugar Alcohol 2.5g
Protein 0g

Other Ingredients
Erythritol (a natural fiber from vegetables, fruits and grains)

Our ingredients contain No gluten, No msg, No casein, No artificial colors or flavors

Jay Robb's Stevia is a dietary supplement extracted from leaves of the Stevia plant.

Stevia Powder to Sugar Conversions

Use Stevia for baking and in drinks instead of sugar. Most people prefer the Stevia powder for drinks such as coffee, tea or blender drinks. It works great to even sweeten up a Jay Robb egg protein shake.

1 Jay Robb Stevia scooper = 1/2 tsp of Stevia powder
1/2 tsp of Stevia powder = 2 tsp sugar
3 tsp of Stevia powder = 1/4 cup of sugar
6 tsp of Stevia powder = 1/2 cup of sugar

Order as much as you want between now and July 2, and you can save 15% off - that's a serious deal! Either order online, or phone in your order using the information on the coupon above.

Enjoy, and thanks again JayRobb.com!

Recipe of the Week: Tangy BBQ Chicken

School's finally out, and summer is in full swing. With Independence Day right around the corner, invitations to backyard barbeques keep rolling in. Here is one of my favorite recipes for BBQ chicken that is a crowd pleaser...without being a diet buster! Enjoy!

Tangy BBQ Chicken(Serves 4)

You will need:

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 TBSP reduced sodium ketchup
3 TBSP cider vinegar
1 TBSP ready-made white horseradish
2 tsp Splenda brown sugar blend
1 garlic glove, finely chopped
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat your grill to medium.

2. Cut chicken breasts into halves.

3. In a small saucepan, combine ketchip, vinegar, horseradish, brown sugar, garlic and thyme. Mix well and bring to a boil over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until thickened. (Should take about 5 minutes.) Remove from heat, then stir in the pepper.

4. Brush the tops of the chicken pieces lightly with sauce. Place the chicken, sauce-side down, on the grill rack, and brush the other sides of the chicken lightly with the sauce.

5. Place the chicken about 3 inches from the heat, basting with remaining sauce and turning until no longer pink in the center. (Should take 5-7 minutes per side.)

6. Let the chicken stand 5 minutes before serving.

**Option, you can double the sauce recipe to serve the sauce on the side with the meat for an extra burst of BBQ flavor!**

Are You Truly Heart Smart?

If you've met me once, you probably know that I'm a health freak. Everything from fitness and nutrition to illness-prevention and medical research is a huge passion of mine. But even if you don't seek out health info like I do, there's no way you can miss the phrase "heart smart" in your normal life. Everything seems to have jumped on the heart smart bandwagon these days - Cheerios, almonds, aspirin, pedometers, treadmills, gym memberships...even WebMD (probably your family doctor's office) encourages your yearly check-ups as being heart smart.

I admit it - heart smart is a catchy phrase. It's only two syllables, it rhymes, it just rolls right off the tongue...but I also can't help but wonder - what does it really mean to be heart smart? Are there things that are heart smarter than others? Are all heart smart items created equal? Can being heart smart be faked?

As far as things of this world go, I'm not about to attempt the answers to those questions. However, my yearly Bible reading plan has had me in Psalms and I Kings this week, and it's had me thinking about the heart...and how God would define being "heart smart."

I Kings begins with the last days of David's life - the one referred to as "a man after God's own heart" (1 Samuel 13:14), which triggered my thought process. In his final charge to his son, Solomon, before his death, he proves this statement true. He challenges his son to show himself a man by keeping God's charge - "...to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His ordinances, and His testimonies...to act according to your wisdom...and show kindness" (I Kings 2:3;6-7).

Wow. I know carrying on the family business can sometimes be difficult for a son, especially if his father was so gifted at his craft - but can you imagine trying to fill a legacy like that? Plus, this wasn't just any family business. After his father's death, Solomon was now the king...of Israel...God's chosen people. Yikes.
Solomon wasn't incompetant. In fact, when Solomon was proclaimed king, I Kings 1:40 says that "the people were playing their flutes and rejoicing with great joy, so that the earth shook at their joy." And this was actually before David died. It would have been easy for Solomon to start his reign as king puffed up and full of himself.

But in humility mirroring his fathers, Solomon prayed this prayer:

Now, O Lord my God, You have made your servant king in place of my father David, yet I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. Your servant is in the midst of Your people which You have chosen, a great people who are too many to be numbered or counted. So give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?

Can you believe that "Wise King Solomon" compares himself to a child who cannot find his way? How incredible is it that the person who has more power than anyone else in the land doesn't refer to the people in his country as his people but as God's people? And what does he ask for of the Lord - more riches? Increased favor? No. He wants an understanding heart, which the Lord grants (I Kings 3:12, 4:29).

Confession time. When I first came to seminary, I didn't know anything. Let me re-phrase that...I thought I knew the Bible. I'd grown up with these stories. I'd been reading it daily since the 7th grade. But in my first few classes, I was introduced to words like hermeneutics, propitiation and disponsational premillenialism. It became obvious quickly that I had a lot to learn.

Over the past three years, I've studied more than I ever have in my life. I've taken classes in church history, interpreting Scripture, preparing Bible studies - and I actually have an opinion now about disponsational premillenialism (which we won't get into).

Most of you are probably thinking, "That's great." On one hand - yes, it is. I am so thankful for the lessons I've learned and the professors who have invested in me. However, there is a danger in "knowing" how to do things now. There have been moments when I've sat down to read the Bible and immediately began reminding myself of what was going on in that time period and who the author of the text is. Almost subconciously, I search the footnotes for commentary and additional background information.

And while there's nothing wrong with any of those things I just mentioned, there's a critical component missing:

I forgot to ask God to speak to me through His Word - to teach me what He wants me to learn.

It seems simple...but how else would we be able to read one book for our entire lives and learn something new each time we open it? Without the guidance of the Holy Spirit, trying to understand Scripture out of our human wisdom is pointless...but it's so easy to get caught up in our "knowledge" and forget the heart.

God is powerful enough to impart His wisdom, even if the world doesn't think that we are very smart. Look at the people he chose: Moses - a helpless Israelite baby in a basket; David - a shepherd; the disciples - an assortment of non-religious leaders who help occupations like fishermen and a tax collector; Paul - a persecutor of Christians...the list could go on. Bottom line - If God's in it, anything is possible. If we try to do anything on our own power, we are setting ourselves up for failure.

After Solomon built the temple, I Kings 8:10-11 says, "It happened that when the priests came from the holy place, the cloud [God's presence] filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord." God's presense was so strong that the ministers SAT DOWN. They didn't need to do their own ministry thing because God was doing His...and He will do that everytime if we just have tthe humility to get out of the way. Instead of trying to think about what we should do, we just need to follow after His heart...as closely and quickly as possible.

No, this doesn't mean that ministers should just sit down in church and wait for God to take and pulpit. But our gifts, abilities and aquired wisdom should be second to following God's heart. We don't read in Scripture about following God's brain. Infact, Scripture is pretty clear that's impossible since His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9). But His heart? We can incline our hearts towards His and truly seek to follow Him in all we do (Psalm 119:36).

I love the way Psalm 78:72 summarizes David's life. It says, "So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them with his skillful hands." David's wisdom didn't begin with his skills - it began with a heart of integrity to do His Father's business. That phrase has echosed in my brain this week - heart of integrity. Your heart - the center of your body's circulation, where everything must be pumped in and out - should focus on integrity...doing the right thing, even if no one is watching.

Today, I challenge you with the same question I've issued to myself: Am I truly heart smart?

Exercise of the Week: Sumo Squat

Have you ever seen a sumo match? These wrestlers may look funny (and flabby - I will spare you an actual picture), but they're actually powerhouses of strength and balance.

In the beginning of a match, the two opponents face off while performing a special type of squat in slow motion. Lifting one leg while leaning to the side, the wrestler uses his full weight and power to strike the mat. After repeating this move with the other leg, the wrestler then sinks down into a deep, wide-legged squat.

You'll probably never have to intimidate a competitor in the ring, but doing this sumo-inspired exercise will strengthen your inner and outer thighs. Best of all, there's no loincloth required! :) Good news for you...and anyone who works out near you!

How it's Done:

1. Stand with your feet as wide apart as possible while pointing your toes outward.

2. Lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor.

3. Hold for a beat, exhale, then press back up to starting position. Repeat.

4. Keep your shoulders directly over your hips at all times. For best results, don't lean forward or let your knees extend beyond your toes. Keep your abs drawn in and don't arch your back.

5. Extra challenge needed? Put a dumbbell in your hands and add some extra weight!