Start Eating Spinach!

Today I wanted to talk about spinach! As you can see from the picture above, spinach has so many health benefits. Spinach is also very high in iron. I am iron deficient, so I eat spinach all the time to make sure I am getting enough iron each day. Spinach is also super yummy! When I make spinach I first melt butter, then put some minced garlic on the pan. Then I add the spinach. You do have to add a lot of spinach because during the cooking, it shrinks down because they are so full of water. Sauté the spinach for 5-7 minutes. Then I add a little bit of salt and pepper and it tastes delicious. 

Protein!!!

So today I wanted to post about the amazingness of protein. First, if you are trying to build muscle or overall strength building, than protein is essential. There are many ways to get protein into your daily diet. Chicken, hard boiled eggs, almonds, tuna, turkey, fish and more! For example, I love having a hard boiled eggs. The egg white is jam packed with protein. Salt and pepper the egg, and you have a delicious snack. You can also make a peanut butter and banana sandwich which is super yummy and also packed with protein. Just make sure you don't get too crazy with peanut butter because there is high salt in most brands of peanut butter.

I have found my favorite way to get protein...shakes! Protein shakes can be sooooo delicious. It can be tricky with protein shakes because some do not taste that great. Try out some brands and see what you like. I have found that protein powder tastes the best because you can do a lot of different things with it. I do the following: a scoop of chocolate protein powder, about 5 ice cubes and about a cup of chocolate soy milk. It literally tastes like a Wendy's chocolate frosty. How amazing is that? You can get protein by having a chocolate shake! 

I am working on strengthening my arms. So after I get back from the gym I have a post workout shake. You can do a pre workout shake as well, but after is just my preference. 

You can also have a shake if you get that chocolate craving in the middle of the day instead of diving into cookies or cake. You get the chocolate your mind is craving and it fills you up for a super long time.

Go try a shake!

Hello!

Hello! My name is Jamie. I wanted to start this blog because I know how hard life can be. I've been through some negative times, that have made me even stronger today. You know how I got through those negative times? Fitness! I know that sounds kinda weird but I'll tell you why. It is one of the most natural and best stress relievers ever. Working out releases endorphins and is a natural painkiller. Fitness has a million other reasons for being positive for your body and mind, and that what this blog is going to be about. The following is an essay I wrote about the power of Fitness, take a look!

I believe in the power of fitness. A lot of people have a negative mindset on the thought of working out or going to the gym. It’s the “I don’t have time”, “I don’t want to pay a gym membership” …. the list goes on. Personally, I just don’t understand why fitness has such a negative connotation to it, because it is one of the biggest passions in my life. Not only does fitness have a copious amount of benefits physically and mentally… it simply just makes me feel amazing. Working out can literally change a person’s life and mindset on so much.  

            I personally struggle with generalized anxiety and depression. I go to regular therapy sessions, and take anti-depressants. I have found from personal experience that working out helps my anxiety and depression immensely. First, when doing physical activity, one’s brain releases the chemical called endorphins. These endorphins help the brain reduce your perception of pain and release a positive feeling in the body. Ever heard the saying “A runner’s high?” I have experienced this awesome feeling many times before and when I haven’t worked out on a given day, I crave this feeling. Working out is a natural form of medication for the brain.

Here is an example of exercise improving my mood. Over winter break my depression kicked in because of a lot of negative events that happened. The first few days back to campus from break was rough. After a long day of classes, I felt like I had so much weight on my shoulders. There was one thing on my mind… the gym. I got back from my last class changed into gym clothes and walked to the gym. I started walking on the treadmill, getting faster and faster with time. Soon I was jogging and the sweat started to form. The feeling of my heart starting to pound put a fire inside me to run even faster. My music was motivating me and it was like I was running away from the problems and stressors of the day to a happier place. Mentally a weight was taken off my shoulders. I then started lifting some weights and my mood had already skyrocketed since I walked into the gym. By the end of my workout I felt so accomplished, not only did I do something positive for my body, I instantly improved my mindset and energy level. It gave me the spike of energy and motivation to finish my day.

            I believe self-love is so important, and working out is self-love. Dedicating time out of the day for yourself, to better one’s health and well-being. With mental issues like depression and anxiety it is so easy to cover up in blankets, grab a bag of chips and bask in the sadness all day, trust me I’ve been there and I have only felt worse.  The result is feeling lazy, and sleepy because the body and mind are not active. I love this quote that shows self-love. “Fall in love with taking care of yourself. Mind. Body. Spirit.”

            In conclusion, I believe that fitness can change one’s life. It had made such a positive impact in my life. At this point, I couldn’t imagine my life without working out. How would I relieve all the crap in my life? Fitness is a happy place I can go to when I’m feeling sad, worried, confused and of course happy! Some people may think it’s a little strange when I say, “I love the feeling of pouring sweat!” But it’s my happy place and a part of my life I would never change.