Lets face it, “fish oil” just sounds nasty.

Fish can be stinky, and ingesting their “oil” sounds downright yuck…right?

Wrong. This is something that you need to do a double take on.

The American diet has moved SO far from what it was a hundred or two hundred years ago, and it’s even vastly different than diets in other countries in the world today. We consume a lot of crap. Our food has been so over processed and filled with fake ingredients our bodies are a hot mess most of the time. Now, that’s not to say that you need to freak out and go vegan…instead, take a deep breath and let’s look at some ways to get things back to where they should be.

Back to fish oil, our bodes need certain fatty acids to function optimally. There are different kinds of fats, some better (and some way worse) than others. Omega 3 specifically are ones that can be tough for the average american eater to get through their diet. In fact, a Harvard study has shown that Omega 3 deficiency is one of the top 10 causes of death in America today.

The other fatty acid that is worth mentioning is Omega 6’s, which aren’t bad, but the secret to health is found in the ratio between the 3 and the 6. A lot of health problems are linked to  an imbalance of omega-3 and omega-6 fats. Omega-6 fats aren’t necessarily bad for you but if they are consumed in large amounts without omega-3’s they cause inflammation which leads to chronic illness.

The biggest cause of omega-3 deficiency comes with the overconsumption of fried foods, fast foods and boxed foods that contain vegetables oils (soybean, canola, and corn oil) Which, maybe surprisingly, are found in a LOT of foods that we eat daily.

Fish oil (a leading source of Omega 3’s) has a host of benefits including the treatment of many health issues like: heart disease, ADHD, anxiety, depression, high cholesterol, inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis, alzheimer’s disease, eczema, diabetes, cancer, weakened immunity, autoimmune disease and macular degeneration…to name a few!

Increasing the amount of DHA/EPA omega 3’s in your diet can help to offset any of the following that may be caused by an imbalance of Omega 6 and Omega 3 in your diet

• Autoimmune Disease
• Asthma
• Obesity
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Type II Diabetes
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Look for a high quality fish oil that is minimally processed and contains properly sourced fish. 1,000mg a day is a good place to start.  Look for something that contains DHA/EPA as these are what can be tough to increase in your diet. Try putting them in your fridge or freezer to help with any aftertaste you may experience, this brand has not given me any problems at room temperature, however.

And now, that fish oil isn’t no nasty, eh? 🙂

Spaghetti squash pie.

The squash:

1 spaghetti squash cooked and scooped. (Cut in half and remove the seeds before, place cut sides down in a baking dish and pour a little water in your dish, I microwave mine for 10-15 min, scraping between sessions–but you can also bake it at 350 until the flesh is tender and can be scraped out easily)
Add one egg (or, to eliminate fat here, use the equivalent of an egg worth of Egg Beaters)

1/4 cup mozzarella (reduced fat if you’ve got it).

Season with garlic and Italian seasoning.

The Meat Sauce:

Brown 3 sweet Italian turkey links with casings removed.

Add in one jar marinara

The Pie:

Place squash mixture in 13×9 pan, top with meat sauce and 1 1/2 cup mozzarella. 

Bake at 350 until cheese is bubbly.

Makes 8 servings. Per serving: F 13 C 13 P 15 (these macros reflect using a whole egg and full fat cheese–you can reduce the fat by using Egg Beaters and low fat cheese)

I also made an apple carrot salad with shredded carrots and apples tossed in vinegar, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and a sprinkle of sugar substitute.

My kids all had seconds of both. 

So this could be a little deep. Just throwing that out there before I begin.

Do you have some little “secrets”? Not like straight up naughty skeletons in the closet, but things that maybe you’ve told yourself so many times that now it’s just part of your normal way of thinking?

Some examples:

• I could never run a marathon, I’m just not an athlete.
• I could never track my food or cut out x, y, z…I just don’t have the self control.
• My schedule would never allow for me to workout.
• I’ve had (insert your number) kids, my body will just look like it does now forever.

Anyone? Pretty sure most of us have thought, or convinced ourselves of one of the above at one point or another. I’m here to help remind you that Christ doesn’t want you to believe those silent, or maybe not so silent, “deals” you’ve made with yourself to justify why you can’t lead a healthier life.

Take this story in John 5: 5 “One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” 7“Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” 8Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” 9At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.”

Here is a story of a man who had justified in his mind that he was destined to be where and what he was already, and Jesus spoke truth and conviction to him. Once the man snapped out of his silent deal he’d made with himself, he was able to overcome his situation instantly.

Find someone that you can trust to hold you accountable, someone who is a believer and can support and encourage you to stay the course. (If you need someone who meets those criteria, message me) Let go of whatever it is that you’ve convinced yourself is the reason for your lack of action, and trust that God wants you to lead a healthy and joyful life.

Macronutrients.

• All calories are made up of 3 nutrients. Carbs, fat and protein. A lot of diets will give you a “calorie amount” but they do not go into the specifics of what, exactly, those calories should be comprised of.
• Eat nutrient has a different function.

• Carbs: provide energy for the body.
• Fat: are essential for the transport of certain, fat soluble, vitamins. They also are involved in hormone regulation, can be used as energy, and help with insulation and protection of our organs.
• Protein: the building blocks of the body. They help with overall function of body systems, and promote lean muscle tissue growth and recovery.

• For every gram of carbs, there are 4 calories.
• For every gram of fat, there are 9 calories.
• For every gram of protein, there are 4 calories.

Flexible dieting (this is the “diet” that SPELL clients are encouraged to follow) allows for any foods to be consumed, so long as they fall into your “macro” ranges. (There are lots of formulas and requirements that go into how to calculate just how many calories overall, and how many of eat macronutrient you would need. They take into consideration your age, body composition, activity level and goals. There are several websites that you can use, SPELL clients enjoy a customized macro breakdown with their health and fitness program)

• Increasing your total protein intake to between 0.8-1g protein/lb of bodyweight (or, if you are obese/overweight, set it to 0.8-1g protein/lb of goal or desired bodyweight) can help to boost your metabolism as protein is slightly thermogenic in the way it is digested, it also helps with appetite control as it generally takes longer to digest than simple carbohydrates do.
• Embracing the 80/20 rule. This says that 80% of what you eat should be whole, clean, nutrient dense foods. Things that are as close to their natural state as possible (Raw veggies, lean proteins, whole grains) should make up the majority of your diet. Then, when an occasion should arise where you are presented with a food that is more indulgent, you are going to be able to enjoy it with less guilt because you have been giving your body plenty of nutrients already.
• Water. Increasing your water intake can make massive improvements in just about every body system. Dehydration often will disguise itself as hunger before you will feel thirsty. And being a nation of coffee and soda drinkers, along with lots of sodium laden foods…most Americans are in a constant state of mild dehydration. **the pee test, your urine throughout the day should be a very pale yellow to almost clear vs dark. It should be fairly odorless as well. This is a good way to determine if you are well hydrated**

What are some other things that you feel help to keep you on track? Are there any other questions I can answer for you when it comes to nutrition or macros??

Leave me a comment or shoot me an email at SPELLFitnessJZ@gmail.com 🙂

Instead of constantly trying to fit ourselves into the box of “health and fitness” or “this diet or that”, what if we chose freedom? Freedom and grace? As daughters of the Risen King, we are granted that amazing gift. All too often I think that the chatter of the world clouds our view of that grace, and we get bogged down with how sub par we are compared to the world’s standards.

Truth is, you’re not. 

• The freedom comes when you stop evaluating yourself based on the number on the scale.
• The freedom comes when you view your fitness as a chance to strengthen the Living Temple you have been given.
• The freedom comes when you remove the notion that you can soothe emotional stress or pain with foods, and instead turn to your Father for his peace and guidance.
• The freedom comes when you realize that you have been given insurmountable amounts of grace…and that if you stumble along the way, it’s ok to get back up and keep going.
• The freedom that comes when food is fuel, not a crutch. You can enjoy anything, but it is not something that is consuming you with numbers and restrictions. Mindful, intentional eating of foods that fuel your body in healthy ways.

Don’t overcomplicate it. Eat foods that make you feel good (like healthy, not like numb). Fill your plate with energizing, cleansing foods that enhance your sense of life.

Move your body, in ways that you enjoy, and ways that challenge you. We are not called to be stagnant waters, we are called to be vibrant shining lights in a dark dark world.

Tune out the voices that tell you you are not enough. Not skinny enough, not smart enough, not strong enough, not pretty enough. YOU ARE ENOUGH. Period.

Your physical appearance should not consume you. This is a tough one for me personally, this is my business and I feel an unnecessary amount of pressure to “look the part” all the time. I need to remember that it is more than that, when I tell people all of what I’m writing in this post, I need to apply it to my own life as well. Yes, being strong and healthy and fit is a goal of mine, and I think that it is something that is good to try and achieve; I don’t want it to be my idol.

I pray that you found some comfort in this. It is a daily struggle for me to apply all of these to my life, but each day I embrace the grace I’ve been given and choose to worship Him in how I treat and think about my body.