KEEP CALM AND PRAY

This morning I was reading the book of Proverbs in the bible

and something stuck out that I want to share.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

I have seen God be faithful to this promise in my life many times.

In the area of health and fitness, for instance, we can get extremely confused on what we should do. What is the best “diet”? What is the best exercise program? What food brands are best? The answers contradict each other. Who do I listen to? Every new fad claims to be the answer. Every topic seems to be debatable.

It is confusing and overwhelming!

Not only do I search to find the right way to keep me and my family healthy, but I am responsible to you as a health and fitness trainer! It is a HUGE responsibility that I don’t take lightly. I don’t want to be pulled in by the latest trends, I just want to give the best advise and true information.

This responsibility is bigger than me.

The GOOD NEWS is that I have a God who cares about even the smallest things in my life… and yours!

Invite Him into your meal planning.
Invite Him into your grocery shopping.
Invite Him into your cooking.
Invite Him into your workouts.
Invite Him into your muscle repair after your workout.
Invite Him into your energy.
Invite Him into your metabolism!!!
Invite Him into every part of your life!

HE WILL SHOW YOU THE WAY YOU SHOULD GO!

I hope you have a great, healthy, energetic day!

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LUNGE and LIFT Workout!

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WORKOUT AT HOME OR AT YOUR GYM!
This morning we did a circuit workout that challenged our

cardiovascular system and our strength!

THE WORKOUT:

Remember to warm-up & stretch 5 minutes before you begin.
Be sure to use good form with each exercise.
Be creative with the resistance… if you don’t have dumbbells, then use something from your home like a gallon of water!

1. Back Row w/Dumbbell – 30 sec.

2. LUNGE to the next exercise

3. Bench Dips – 30 sec.

4. LUNGE to the next exercise

5. Bicep Curl – 30 sec.

6. LUNGE to next exercise

7. Push-Ups – 30 sec.

8.LUNGE to next exercise

9.Squat Jumps – 30 sec.

10. LUNGE to next exercise

11. Up-Right Row w/Kettle Bell – 30 sec.

12. Sprint back to the beginning.

Repeat 3-4 times!

Be sure to feed your body what it needs after your workout for best results!

the PHOTOGRAPHERS

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Family Pizza-Bar Night

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Family Night
PIZZA BAR

It was so EASY, FUN and DELICIOUS!

We even pulled a life lesson from it:

The choices you make for your toppings will determine the taste of your pizza, much like the personal choices you make everyday will flavor the outcome of your future.

Thank You Jame!

This opened the door for some good, healthy conversational time with my kids!…

while enjoying our pizza 🙂

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Health & Fitness Vacation Nov. 2012

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The house was found at VRBO

Email me if you are interested!!!

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ZUCCHINI PIZZA

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ZUCCHINI PIZZA

I love pizza and am realizing that I can play around with it to kill the carbs and increase the nutrition. It’s like a DREAM… true HEALTHY PIZZA!

So here’s what I did.

1. Cut zucchini into about 1/4 in slices.

2. Put zucchini in a zip-lock bag with olive oil. Shake up really good.

3. Put the slices flat onto a pan… save your self clean-up time and lay down some foil first.

4. Broil for 2 minutes, flip, and then broil an addition 2 minutes.

5. Add your sauce, cheese, and another toppings you want.

6. Broil one more time for 2 min.

Watch the cheese and make sure it doesn’t burn.

Yummy!

I really enjoyed these with my KALE CHIPS.

My kids plate.

OK, so I didn’t fool them with the pizza. They were a little weirded out

– with good reason –

and ate the top off the pizza, leaving the zucchini for the trash 🙁

Oh well, I guess this will be MOM’S version!

Try it out and let me know what you think.

Did you get creative with your toppings?

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LEG EXERCISE – STABILITY BALL WORKOUT

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STABILITY BALL WORKOUT

This is a great exercise to add to LEG DAY.

Grab an stability ball and jump into this leg workout with me. It’s gentle on the knees and will make your hamstrings scream!

Don’t forget to warm-up and stretch before you begin.
If your muscles begin cramping, release– rub it– and rest the muscle unit feels better. Then you can begin again. If this happens, be encouraged that each time you perform this you are STRENGTHENING & CONDITIONING your legs, and that cramping will stop as you get stronger!

Now I’m doing this series using Tye4®! We can use the bungees to help balance and control the movements OR make it tons more challenging!! Check out the demo below ↓↓↓

FULL VIDEO WORKOUT ARE AVALIBLE IN THE 840WEST ONLINE COACHING GROUP!Join our Online Coaching Group ($10/month) and get more full workout videos, coaching, encouragement and a fun social online space to connect with others in this game to be more healthy and fit! Visit 840west.org for more info!!

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Tomato & Cucumber Salad

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Try This Refreshing,

Hot Summer Afternoon Snack:

Cut up cucumber and tomatoes…

lightly salt & pepper…

feta cheese…

olive oil.

QUICK, EASY & DELISH!

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Skateboard Pike Exercise Video

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My son got his first skateboard a few months ago and is having a blast on it. He is already trying to do tricks and give his mother a heart attack!

I do love watching him practice because of the core strength it takes to stay on the board.

So this got me thinking…could I use the skateboard as a piece of equipment for my girls that come train???

The answer: ABSOLUTELY!!!

I started playing around with it and came up with the SKATEBOARD PIKE. What a great exercise!
Total CORE, CHEST, and SHOULDER workout!

So grab a skateboard
– your son’s, husband’s, or neighbor’s –
and try it out!

Don’t forget to warm-up and stretch 5 minutes before you begin your workout.
WARNING: I do NOT recommend doing this if you have unstable shoulders.

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THE BEST “ITCH CREAM”… MOSQUITO BITES & BEE STINGS… PLANTAIN TINCTURE

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I am HIGHLY attractive ♥ to mosquitos and other biting bugs – how nice – so I went on a mission to find the BEST way to stop the scratching… and this is what I found …

PLANTAIN TINCTURE

the BEST “itch medicine” I have ever used.

And I made it from my back yard!!

Plantain is an herb, often thought of as an ugly, annoying weed that grows in almost everyone’s yard. After learning about this and using it, I promise you will change your opinion about it and want to harvest it! In North America, the Native Americans use plantain to heal bites of all kinds: snake bites, venomous creatures, rattle snake and even mad dogs bites. It is a “drawing herb” meaning that it pulls out toxins, infections and other foreign substances from the body.

I make this plantain tincture and keep it close to relieve the pain and itch from bee stings, insect and spider bites, poison ivy, and if ever needed, a snake bite. In the case of a snake bite, I would apply the tincture and then seek medical attention. This herb is known as “Nature’s Eraser” I have noticed when using it on mosquito bites and bee stings, it doesn’t just temporarily relieve the symptom, but it heals the spot! I love this stuff and hope you will try it.

A bunch of plantain leaves
A glass jar with a lid
Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
Cheesecloth or a clean, white T-shirt
Dark glass bottles for storage

MAKE IT!

1. Go explore your yard, or your neighbor’s if you keep yours in pristine condition 🙂

This is what it looks like.

The leaf is smooth and has veins on the underside.

2. Gather up a bunch of the leaves and then wash them.

3. Tear the leaves and make sure to bruise them.

I usually twist them tight, and then tear.

You can even crush them with the bottom of your jar.

4. Put the leaves in a jar that can be sealed.

5. Pour Organic Apple Cider Vinegar over the leaves

until they are covered.

6. Store in a cool, dark place for 2 weeks.

You will need to shake the jar once a day.

TWO WEEKS LATER…

Grab your tincture, a clean container,
and your cheesecloth or white t-shirt.

Put your cloth over the top of the jar to strain the leaves.

Now you can discard the leaves and you are left with an

AWESOME tincture!

I like to have a large storage container to keep the tincture stored in the refrigerator (should be labeled :)),

a smaller one to keep in the first aid kit,

and a purse size to have with me at all times.

Store in dark bottles to retain its potency for much longer period of time.

You can use a dropper to get it in to the smaller containers.

Try it out and let me know what you think!

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BENEFITS OF COCONUT OIL

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Coconut Oil has been described as the “Healthiest Oil On Earth”

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It is rich in

FIBER, VITAMINS, AND MINERALS!

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Here are some health benefits:

hair care
skin care
stress relief
maintaining cholesterol levels
weight loss
increased immunity
proper digestion & metabolism
relief from kidney problems
heart diseases
high blood pressure
diabetes
cancer
dental care
bone strength

Check out The Coconut Research Center for a list of various references on scientific research done on coconut oil.

google images

This is what Dr. Oz has to say about the

amazing benefits of coconut oil:

Diabetes This is one fat that diabetics can eat without fear. Not only does it not contribute to diabetes, but it helps regulate blood sugar, thus lessening the effects of the disease. Island people have consumed large amounts of coconut oil for many generations without ever encountering diabetes, but when they abandoned it for other foods and oils, the results were disastrous.

Weight Loss The connection between coconut oil and weight loss is interesting. Farmers in America discovered this early last century when they tried to fatten their cattle by feeding them coconut oil. Instead of gaining weight, their cattle lost weight! So again, this is not news. Do a simple Internet search such as “benefits of coconut oil” and you will get plenty of details.

Bone and Dental Health Coconut oil improves calcium and magnesium absorption in the body, which in turn is greatly beneficial to dental and bone health. The improved calcium absorption created by coconut oil use ceases tooth decay and aids in the development of strong teeth. The combined increased calcium and magnesium absorption are of great benefit to middle-aged women who may become afflicted with osteoporosis.

Coconut Oil: A Good Saturated Fat? You may ask, isn’t coconut oil a saturated fat? And aren’t saturated fats harmful? Yes, coconut oil consists of 90% saturated fats. But whether or not saturated fats are harmful depends on who you ask. Among mainstream nutritionists, the idea that saturated fats cause heart disease is an “absolute truth” that is never questioned. Those who question this belief, however, point out that mankind has been consuming mainly saturated fats – in the form of butter, lard, coconut oil, etc – for thousands of years, yet heart disease was rare before the 1920s. If anything, the rise of heart disease in recent decades may correspond to the increasing use of polyunsaturated vegetable oils like corn, safflower and canola, as well as margarine.

the BEST PLACE to buy COCONUT OIL is TROPICAL TRADITIONS!

Read more about
HANDCRAFTED VIRGIN COCONUT OIL
and
MASSED PRODUCED MACHINE MADE COCONUT OIL here.

People are using Coconut Oil for…

General Health & Wellness
Cooking
Pets & Animals
House Keeping
Hair Care

Skin Care

Check this out for recipes and tutorials!

google images

Check this out to learn more about the different types of Coconut Oils.

Consult you doctor before you try coconut oil for medical purposes.

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Ashley Benson Fitness

fitness for the modern body

KEEP CALM AND PRAY

LUNGE and LIFT Workout!

WORKOUT AT HOME OR AT YOUR GYM!
This morning we did a circuit workout that challenged our

Family Pizza-Bar Night

Health & Fitness Vacation Nov. 2012

ZUCCHINI PIZZA

LEG EXERCISE – STABILITY BALL WORKOUT

Tomato & Cucumber Salad

Skateboard Pike Exercise Video

THE BEST “ITCH CREAM”… MOSQUITO BITES & BEE STINGS… PLANTAIN TINCTURE

BENEFITS OF COCONUT OIL

WORKOUT AT HOME OR AT YOUR GYM!This morning we did a circuit workout that challenged our

WORKOUT AT HOME OR AT YOUR GYM!
This morning we did a circuit workout that challenged our