Thursday 31 July 2014

The Liebster Award

So recently I got nominated for The Liebster Award. This German word means dearest, sweetest, kindest, beloved, lovely,valued, cute, endearing, welcome and sweetheart. This award was made to recognise new bloggers and welcome them to the blogosphere.

                                 

I got nominated by three amazing girls ElScarlett and Jess. Thank You! 


Rules

1. Thank the blog that nominated you and link them.
2. Post eleven facts about yourself.
3. Answer the eleven questions provided by the person who nominated you and then create an           eleven-question set for the next group of nominees.
4. Choose  people to nominate and link them in the post.
5. Let your nominees know they've been tagged - and no tag-backs!
6. Nominate blogs under 200 followers.

11 Facts About Me


  1. I'm going to be off to University in 2 years and I can't wait! 
  2. My eyesight is relatively good yet I'm still so clumsy. 
  3. I'm a Christian. 
  4. I love being around people who are positive and passionate.
  5. I hardly watch TV.
  6. I'm honestly really lazy, like sometimes I sit down in the shower. 
  7. I laugh a lot, even if your jokes suck like mine do.
  8. Jenny is my name, but Bball is my game.
  9. I'm nearly 6 feet tall. 
  10. I have two passports. 
  11. I wanna grow my hair out to a HUGE AFRO.. 

Questions I was nominated to answer (combo of 3)



Why I started blogging?
I wanted to reach out to people who were going through the same experiences as me ie. Health & Fitness.
What do you enjoy about blogging?

Talking to people with similar interests & people opening up and sharing.
Favourite food?
If I had to choose it'll be salmon. It tastes amazing & it's a superfood!
If you could travel anywhere in the world where would it be?
Anywhere in South America.
Fashion inspiration?
From anywhere & anyone. I'll wear anything that makes me stand out.
If you had three wishes what would you wish for?
World Peace, An end to Natural & Unatural Disasters & People to stop judging others.
Your perfect way to spend a day?
Having a laugh with friends or family.
Summer Essentials?
Water, Sunglasses & cute Summer clothes.
Favourite Historical figure?
Martin Luther King Jr. He didn't care what people thought & he took a bullet for it.
Favourite flavour of ice-cream?
Cookies n' Cream, you get the best of both worlds babyyy.
Do you have a bucket list?
No, but I do like to be spontaneous & do random things in the moment.

Nomination Time! 

Dun dun duuuuuuuun... 


I give you two weeks girlos!  + If you have a blog with under 200 followers, I nominate you too.

Questions for the nominees


If you had to change one thing about blogging what would it be?

What makes a good blog post? 

If you could eat one thing forever without gaining a pound, what would it be?

Do you have a style icon? 

What super power do you wish you had + why? 

What was the most recent thing that made you happy?

Mention sports you'd like to try? 

What would you change about society?

Three things that you are thankful for?

A book/movie/tv-show that made you question life?

One thing you'd like to do before you get old? 


Hope you all have a beautiful day! 

- Jennos Health 

Friday 25 July 2014

Healthy & Easy Summer Treats

It's pretty hot outside and don't we all love ice-cream and fro-yo's? They taste amazing but they are loaded with sugar! In this post I try to make it healthier while still tasting sweet! 


Recipe #1 Almond butter & banana ice-cream 

Ingredients:

1 chopped frozen banana, 1/4 cup of almond butter, 1/2 cup of 100% cocoa powder, 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract & cinnamon, water.

Blend banana with water then add rest of ingredients & freeze for about 20 mins (optional)
  • Add dark chocolate pieces/ nuts to make it crunchier!

Recipe #2 Frozen Yoghurt & Ice pops 



Fro-yo recipe: 

  1. Blend 1 cup of yoghurt, 1/3 cup of almond milk, 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract, handful of strawberries & blueberries.
  2. Pour into ice popsicle mold and freeze overnight or 6 hours.
  3. For easier removal, soak in warm water for a minute.

Ice pop recipe:

  1. Mash a handful of blueberries, squeeze 1 lemon & 2 cups of water, 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract &  honey in a bowl and mix.
  2. Pour into ice popsicle mold and freeze overnight or 6 hours.
  3. For easier removal, soak in warm water for a minute.
Hopefully this helps you out, be creative and try out fruits you've got!

"To read without reflecting is like eating without digesting" -Edmund Burke

                                                                       -Jen's Health


Sunday 20 July 2014

Why you aren't seeing the results



So you want to lose weight huh? So do a lot of people. They listen to what people tell them and do it but see no results. I was one of those people. I got fed up with the same number on the scale and decided to do my own research and not listening to the ridiculous advice I was given.


To lose 22 pounds in 3 months here is what I didn't do. 
  1. Just eat something because it was labelled healthy or nutritious. Any company can just slap on a buzz word to make their product more appealing. Call me crazy but I read the ingredients and if I didn't know what the ingredient was I sometimes didn't eat it because I didn't know what the heck it would do for my body. Makes sense though?                                            
  2. Eat  little throughout the day. It's like not watering a plant and expecting it to grow. The key to weight loss is a fast metabolism meaning eating clean more often to keep the ball rollin'.
  3. Strictly do cardio. Yes it worked, I burned calories during, but I didn't after. I found out that High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) burns more calories in a less amount of time also lifting weights continues to burn calories after working out, sweet right?
  4. Eat a low carb diet. If you want to lose weight you should eat complex carbs (brown pasta,rice, sweet potatoes) as well as work out. You need energy for a good workout so tell me why you should eat little/no carbs?! 
  5. Eat a little junk nearly everyday. This is debatable. For me I learned the hard way that it was the little things like having this chocolate bar or the bag of chips or that slice of pizza that would be a setback for eating healthier. I do eat junk, but I plan the days I want to, that way I know it won't be a setback and I won't feel guilty about it because I worked for it.
  6. Think drinks that we consume don't matter. Our bodies don't recognise drinking calories as nutrients so they don't make us full. You're better off to eat your calories than drink them! You'll feel more satisfied. I did.      
                            
Majority of the things I talked about are food related. That goes to show the importance of diet in weight-loss. You may not want to take my advice but I have found with my weight loss it is the little things that make a big difference! I know I'm cringing as I type this but it's the truth, otherwise I wouldn't be making this post! 

"One definition of insanity is: Doing the same thing again and again and expecting a different result."
                                                                                -Jen'shealth

Monday 14 July 2014

Family reunion vacation

This summer my relatives decided to plan a reunion in San Antonio, Texas. There was 22 of us in total coming from 3 various continents.The retreat ranged from thrilling roller coasters to a relaxing boat ride.

Arriving at Fiesta Texas!

At the Rainforest Cafe!

Being freaks at a shoot

Heading to the Water park at Six Flags
Time for the River walk at the "Alamo"

The River walk at the "Alamo"

Headed to the largest mall in Texas "The Galleria"


4th of July!

Florals on the Fourth 

Car selfie
Overall the reunion was a fantastic time for me because it was different. I learned a lot of things about myself and family from doing simple things like playing cards. It's important for our health to mix things up and spend quality time with positive people. By doing this we regenerate our happy hormones (endorphins) and it makes us happier. You might not be able to plan a retreat but remember "Simplicity is the ulimate sophistication" Making a phone call, writing a letter or sending a Facebook message is practically the same thing. Hope you enjoy the rest of your summer!

                                     "The love of a family is life's greatest blessing" -unknown



Sunday 13 July 2014

Smoothie Sunday recipe




Smoothies are beverages made up of blended fruits and vegetables. During my weight loss I drank a lot of them because they are:
  • Nutrient dense meaning high in nutritional value and low in calories.
  • Hydrating The base of the smoothies were either milk or yoghurt which have a high water content.
  • Quick and simple They can range from 2-10 minutes. They make the perfect on the go meal/snack, add raw oats to make you feel fuller.

 Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients

1 tablespoon of oats, banana, apple, ice, water,1/3 cup of yoghurt, strawberries

Method

  • Split the ingredients in half, strawberries in one.
  • Blend one half, then the other. 
  • Slowly pour the second half on top. VOILA! (the mix needs to be thick for it to work)
      
                       
 
Love this mason jar!
This post was inspired by Jenny from her health blog. If you enjoyed this post check out hers. 

          "One should eat to live, not live to eat" -Benjamin Franklin 



                                                                               -Jen'shealth


                   
                 



Sunday 6 July 2014

Weight loss motivation

How did you stay motivated to lose 22 pounds in 3 months? 

 I didn't. I was motivated for about 2 weeks then I wasn't bothered but it was determination that kept me "chasing" after my goal, (get it because I ran as cardio!)



Here are things that helped me stay on track (because I also sprinted!) 
  1. My environment. Thankfully I have a brother that gyms all day every day so he showed me a couple things and was also into healthier eating so I was able to help him out too. Win win situation! My parents didn't buy as much junk food also. I went shopping with my mom and chose things I wanted to try out. With school, I brought my own lunch too.  
  2. Changing up my workout and music playlist. My workouts ranged from Maximum Interval Training- Low impact eg. Insanity - Arm pedal exerciser. My playlist was upbeat but I had to constantly change it up so I wouldn't get use to it and try harder.
  3. Getting new workout equipment/clothes. Whether it be a yoga mat or new running leggings the fact I was investing in those things made me want to use it even more. 
  4. Following people who inspired me. Seeing people working out eg. joggers. I follow a lot of fitspirations on Instagram, Twitter, Youtube & PumpUp which is similar to IG except you post about health and fitness, you can create a workout also. I started a health and fitness group with friends which is really encouraging. We do weekly challenges and share tips and ideas. 
  5. Cringey Quotes. They helped me run faster and train harder because they were true.                                  
  6. Setting mini goals. Here is a picture of my weight loss motivation jar. It's pretty self explanatory but this helped because I walk past it every day and it reminds me of my goals and how far I've come, with weight loss we tend to forget that!  

"If you wait for the perfect conditions you'll never get anything done." -Ecclesiastes 11 vs 4

                                                                                         -Jen'shealth