“I injured my foot a year or two ago and had to have surgery to remove one of my bones. After almost seven months of not being able to walk, I had put on weight and was struggling to get back to where I wanted to be. With my wedding just months away, I started to panic and become really frustrated by my new limitations. Then, my mother started training with Jessica and encouraged me to join her. I was a bit reluctant at first, since I had bad past experiences with personal trainers. However, Jessica was a breath of fresh air. It’s only been a few months and I’ve already noticed a difference in my endurance and even my weight. One of the best parts about Jessica is that she not only focuses on physical training, she also helps you set goals to keep you motivated, while helping you adopt healthy habits in your everyday life. Jessica’s workouts are never boring and she definitely tailors each one to your specific needs and goals. Whether you are a beginner or a fitness enthusiast, I highly suggest training with Jess!” ~ Julie D., Boston, MA
Monthly Archives: March 2015
The family that cooks together…
This month, as part of National Nutrition Month, I’m encouraging all of my readers, clients and friends to make clean eating a priority for your family. I swear, it doesn’t have to take that long, nutritious food can taste good, and your kids will eat it…
Recently, we had our nephews stay with us for a few days. Between long day trips to Legoland, I managed to plan some healthy meals and snacks, and had the boys help out. As it turns out, when kids have a chance to help choose and prepare foods, they are much more likely to try new things. Especially if they’re made to feel super important in the process:
Here, my nephew is helping me to make some homemade soup. Even while I was busy chopping veggies, I could trust his ability to pull off the cilantro leaves and he got to learn about what the heck cilantro is. You know, instead of the usual “I don’t like that green stuff” the second he sees it on his plate.
We also had some fun making funny faces out of our snacks. What an awesome way to get your kids to like rice cakes, right? And add some healthy protein and fruit into the mix.
At the end of the weekend, my youngest nephew was too tired to join me on my early morning shopping trip (which made for a much easier errand, let’s be honest). So, if taking your kids to the grocery store is too stressful or just not possible with your schedule, have them pick out one healthy food to try each week before you go, and find some way to incorporate that food into a weekly meal. Or, if you’re feeling brave, take them to the store and spend lots of time in the produce section. Have them pick out one new fruit or vegetable to try that week (and stay out of the cookie and cereal aisles!).
For more ideas about healthy kid’s meals, here’s a great resource I’ve recently stumbled upon:
http://www.superhealthykids.com/recipe-category/snacks/page//2
Make National Nutrition Month the kickoff to permanent, healthy family habits…and remember, have some fun along the way!
Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day the Healthier Way
Who doesn’t love a green beer every once and a while or a frozen, sugary treat? But, if you’re trying to lose weight and stick to a whole food diet, this may be the year to skip that tradition. Start off your day with a healthy smoothie instead, like the one featured here on www.thesylishone.com.
Kale has more benefits than we can count at only 33 calories per serving, including some protein and fiber, lots of folate and omega 3s, vitamins and phytonutrients. Kale has been linked to many positive outcomes: a healthy detox, longer life, fighting cancer, brain health, decreased depression, diabetes prevention and improved bone health. So this St. Patrick’s Day, forego the beer and sip on this…
*Note: Always check with your doctor before changing your diet if you have any chronic condition. Even good things should be consumed in moderation *
Jessica's Fitness 