Eating with Coach Jenn, 11971 Liberty Parkway, Vestavia Hills, AL (2025)

07/29/2021

MOTIVATION TIP #4

Tracking your progress

How many markers of progress are you tracking?

We all need to see & believe what we’re doing is working, right?

When we use only one measure of prepress, like a bodyweight-only scale, then on weeks we don’t see any change in that ONE area we get discouraged & believe what we’re doing isn’t working.

Think of your progress, your motivation, your goals as an elevator box held up by cables. If you only have ONE cable (like body weight) holding that box up & it breaks (weight doesn’t change) then your elevator goes crashing to the ground, along with your will to continue. It can be a devastating blow!

What if you had FIFTEEN cables holding up your box? Could you manage if one or two of them broke?

Let’s look at a few of the other markers you can use weekly to track improvement:

1. InBody (pictured) body composition scanner measures more than just weight, which can fluctuate daily due to H2o alone. It can tell if you’ve gained or lost H2o, bodyfat and/or muscle mass. It detects subtle shifts in composition whereas a scale cannot.
2. Energy. When the body learns to fuel properly, we find fatigue disappears & is replaced by a steady boost in energy.
3. Mood. Much of our mood is dictated by our gut health. As we get healthier, our mood becomes uplifted & calm.
4. Mental clarity. Do you know healthy foods improve cognition? Many clients report improved focus, clarity & memory just a couple of weeks in.
5. Digestion. Our overall health depends on ideal digestion. Are you less bloated, more “regular”? Has the heartburn diminished?

We may have weeks where the body doesn’t “appear” to be changing on the outside, but many things are improving behind the scenes that we won’t notice until we pay attention to them.

If we don’t monitor multiple markers of progress, our elevator may dangle by a thread killing our motivation to stick to our healthy choices.

Which markers are you tracking?
How often are you monitoring them?
Do they all have to do with physical appearance?

-Coach Jenn

07/28/2021

Mindset Matters!

It’s easy to get discouraged when we think about how far away from our goals we are, how we got to where we are and/or how much work we have left to do. Staying in the present moment is essential for not becoming overwhelmed and staying focused only on what we need to do today to get one step closer to where we want to be.

Rather than beating yourself up about the fact that you haven’t yet reached your goals, try adding on the word “yet” to your sentences.

For example:
• “I haven’t reached my weight goal yet.”
• “I haven’t run a marathon yet.”

Adding the word “yet” gives a sense of resilience. Where you are in life right now doesn’t necessarily dictate where you’ll be in 3 months, 6 months, or a year.

You may have also heard of a “Growth vs. Fixed mindset”.

People who have a growth mindset believe their talents can be developed through hard work. People with a fixed mindset believe their talents are innate gifts you either have or don’t have.

Research suggests that people with a growth mindset achieve more than those with a fixed mindset because they worry less about looking smart and put more energy into learning.

Exanple:
• Fixed: “I’ll never be good at following my nutrition plan on the weekend.”
• Growth: “In the past, when I’ve tried to stick to my nutrition plan on the weekends I didn’t have much success, but I’m working on it.”

What do you think – can you spot any ‘fixed mindset’ examples in yourself? How could you reframe your language towards a growth mindset and keep your thoughts positive?

Never underestimate the power of positive thought. It’s easy to “say” you can do anything you set your mind to, but the key is-do you believe it, and are you practicing it or sabotaging yourself with doubt?

Our minds are constantly giving our bodies signals. If we don’t believe we can-we won’t! If we believe we’ll get there-we will. It’s all just a matter of time. Keeping your mind in line & believing in yourself can perk you up enough to continue making healthy choices even when motivation is lacking.

-Coach Jenn

07/26/2021

How do I stay motivated?

Most of us feel SUPER motivated whenever we start something new — a new workout program, a new diet.

But inevitably we reach a point where it gets harder and harder to stay on track.

Accomplishing goals has very little to do with feeling motivated all the time. Motivation is an emotion like happiness or sadness, it will come and go throughout your wellness journey.

So if we can’t depend on motivation to be there, what can we do to ensure we remain consistent & focused long-term?

Over the next few days we’ll be posting ways to stay driven, even when willpower is lacking. Here’s our first tip:

1. Examine your “Why”

Your deep reasons for doing what you’re doing will keep you going even on the tough days.

If your why is only, “to get in shape,” it may not be enough to light a fire under you, but if your why is, “to not be in pain when I play with my grandkids anymore,” then that might be enough to keep you going!

How do you find the “right” motivating why? Start by asking why once, then follow that answer by asking why again, and so on until you’ve asked five times. When you reach that final why, you might be surprised at the answer!

Here’s a real-life example from one of our clients whose goal was to lose 25 pounds and run a half-Marathon:

Why do you want to accomplish this goal?

Because I want to get into shape & be healthy.

Why?

Because I’m done feeling tired & sluggish, my joints hurt & I want to feel good about myself again.

Why?

Because I feel ashamed taking photos with my kids & sometimes avoid social events with them where I’m not comfortable. I want to have confidence to do more things.

Why?

Because I want to set a good example for my kids to be healthy, I want to live a full life & not miss a single moment with them making memories.

You get the idea, right? Losing this weight and feeling better will affect her day-to-day life enjoyment, how she spends time with her children & will even influence her children’s outlook on health & wellness the rest of their lives.

Now that’s motivating, isn’t it? It’s your turn! What do you want to accomplish, and why?

06/22/2021

Should you trust your gut?

“Intuitive eating” is all the rage, but IS that the best thing for MOST of us?

If your body is telling you to eat every three hours, or you only have an appetite for high carb foods, should you really be letting your “gut” be your guide?

A HEALTHY body can be trusted to guide you towards what is best for it and away from what isn’t, but a body that is struggling may not lead you down the right path.

Our hunger, appetite and cravings are mostly driven by: gut health, habits, our metabolism, sleep and blood sugar/insulin.

A healthy metabolism can easily switch between burning glucose (carbs) or body fat (our “back-up” energy) for fuel.

Most of us are primarily “glucose-burners”, which means our bodies are living on glucose and no longer effective in using our body fat for fuel. This causes us to dependent on a constant stream of quick carb energy.

Ever wonder why you get HANGRY??

This inability to access our fat makes our blood sugar unstable, causing us to get light-headed, sleepy, shaky or irritable in between meals!

If we can’t access our own body fat, we are “metabolically unstable,” which means we are driven by hunger and cravings and an appetite for quick-burning carbohydrates, in our body’s attempt to regulate blood sugar.

Our bodies SHOULD be able to access our body fat. We SHOULD be able to skip a meal here or there using that body fat for energy. We SHOULD be able to control our cravings for snacks and wait for a more nutrient-rich meal.

A lifestyle of too many carbohydrates, coupled with high-stress, poor sleep quality and lack of exercise, will cause our bodies to send mixed signals.

Our gut is responsible for sending most signals to the brain. If our gut is in poor health due to less-than-best nutrition, stress, alcohol, or medications, it will not be able to send the signals that will lead to better health.

The GOOD news?
You CAN reset your metabolism!
You CAN improve gut health!
You CAN optimize signaling so that you can trust what your body asks for.

If you want to trust your gut…HEAL IT!

-Coach Jenn

06/15/2021

What are you feeding your mind?

A wholistic approach to health is not merely watching the food you eat but also becoming aware of what you spend your time doing, who you do it with and what thoughts you feed.

Who do you surround yourself with?
Do they add good to your life and encourage growth, or drain your energy and bring drama?

How much stress do you allow in your life?
Are you willing to distance yourself from anything (or one) that robs you of your peace?

Do you prioritize self-care?
Do you meditate, read, dance around the house or keep a gratitude journal?
Are you making time for things that bring you joy?

Do you ever let your mind just…STOP?

Your mental state can affect your health, can decide whether the cycle of distress continues or if healing begins.

Our body, mind and spirit are always watching, and they are waxing and waning depending on how you feed them.

Choose health, choose to feed the positive influences and activities in your life.

Choose to let go of those that weigh you down.

Choose to release old habits, dependencies and addictions of the mind.

IF you choose to feed on that which breeds positivity, love, laughter and joy…your body WILL thank you in return.

-Coach Jenn

05/20/2021

Food 4 Thought
(Brain food matters too!)

If we are what we eat…maybe we’re also what we THINK.

Have you ever had that moment when: you’ve been eating clean and you’re feeling good…and then someone brings in doughnuts to work? You strut by them all cocky, strong & motivated but then one of your hands whips out (without your permission) and grabs one-so you eat it. I mean, it’s THERE, and you deserve it. It’s just one…right?

Then…. that ONE doughnut flips on the raging-sugar-addict inside of you and turns into, “Well, I already blew it so I might as well have this cookie too..” followed by, “Well now I’ve REALLY messed up so might as well enjoy the whole day,” which turns into the dreaded “I’m going to start back next week!” downward spiral.

Before you knew it that one unassuming doughnut turned into a carb-crazed week-long binge that took weeks to recover from. Don’t lie-we’ve all done it!

What if our thoughts are addictive too?

They’re racing through our minds constantly, but it’s the ones we reach out & grab and give attention to that STICK. All it takes is feeding ONE little negative nagging thought about our faults, limitations or weaknesses, for it to take root and plant doubt in ourselves. But..it’s just ONE…right?

ONE thought can breed MORE negative thoughts which gang up to kill our confidence and begin to influence our outlook, behavior and even our choices. What if we choose to let the negative thoughts float on by and grab the ones that lift us up and inspire us?

What if we consciously focus our minds on the things we’re grateful for, our strengths, our wins?

Would we get even stronger? Would we have more confidence to live the life we want?

Would feeding ONE positive thought breed MORE positive thoughts? Would doing that more often eventually starve out the ones that hold us back from reaching farther?

If you believe you can’t, you’re right.
If you believe you can-you’re right.

Your strongest muscle is the MIND-use it wisely!

-Coach Jenn 🙏🏼

05/19/2021

Which car do you wanna drive?

A bright & shiny Ferrari…or a broke down jalopy that’s constantly in & out of the shop…costing you thousands or that even won’t run at all anymore and is stuck in park?

Most of us want the Ferrari, right? Question is: are we willing to put in the work to maintain a car like that? Have we earned the right to drive something that valuable?

Our body is the only vehicle we get in this life, and the good news is: we get to choose what we drive!

If we want to drive around in a fun, high-quality & valuable vehicle that can take us anywhere we want…we can’t just put any ol’ fuel & oil in it-we HAVE to be willing to buy the good stuff-to use premium product so it will run at optimum performance.

Our body works the same way! Our fuel dictates our own performance. If we want to use any ol’ fuel we like & the cheapest oil and mechanics we can find.. well, you get out what you put in and it’s highly unlikely any vehicle would be able to perform the way you want for long.

If we’re willing to feed our body the food it wants-the food it NEEDS to perform, and are willing to avoid the foods that gunk it up and cause problems, then it WILL thank us by healing, by getting stronger, by requiring less visits to the mechanic, by having more energy and a positive vibrant mood.

The body WANTS to be healthy. It WANTS to heal and operate at the highest level for you.

Are you willing to give it more of what it needs and less of what it doesn’t? Are you willing to maintain it, protect it and promote healing & repair?

We only get ONE vehicle in this life…and our choices determine if that vehicle’s a lemon we can’t depend on or one that gets us anywhere we want to be…in style.

Are you willing to earn a luxury vehicle?

Are you willing to get out the manual and learn what’s best for your own body? Are you willing to invest in the best parts? Are you willing to get help from the dealership if you need it?

What are you willing to drive?

(Pssst….Choose the Ferrari!)

05/10/2021

BUTTER COFFEE! ☕️
Have you ever tried it?

Did you know that fat is the only macronutrient that does not stimulate insulin release, and that when added to coffee it slows the absorption to keep it from triggering a fight-or-flight stress response?

Fat is an ESSENTIAL nutrient. It’s required to create every hormone in the body, helps you feel satiated to combat cravings and hunger, and is actually a powerful anti-inflammatory.

Start your morning out with frothy, foamy butter coffee and you’ll feel alert and energized, without the shakes, till lunch!

How to make it:
1 cup your favorite coffee
1 Tbsp Butter or Ghee
1 MCT Oil or Powder (optional)
1/2 Tsp Salt

BLEND, sip, enjoy!

Without blending, the oils sit on top and it’s not nearly as tasty. Blend and it froths up similar to a latte or cappuccino.

What is MCT oil? MCT stands for Medium Chained Triglycerides: fats that are immediately sent to the liver to be converted into energy and less likely to be stored as body fat. They’re also able to cross the blood-brain barrier, giving you an instant burst of mental energy, while stimulating fat-burn in the body as well.

What do you like in your coffee?

05/07/2021

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results, right? How many of us are willing to UNlearn OLD information in order to make space for something new?

It’s harder than you’d think! Our beliefs and habits are stuck to our identities like warts on a toad, and unless we’re willing to be wrong, willing to listen to others who challenge our core foundation, we will no longer we able to grow and adapt.

Do you know in the past few years Medicine has discovered a new muscle, and new organ??? Didn’t we all think we had the body structure pretty dang well figured out by now? Well, if science is still evolving.. why can’t we?

Can you think of something new you’ve learned that made an impact on your life that you would have never believed even 5 years ago? Drop it in the comments!

05/04/2021

“One-size-fits-all” nutrition doesn’t fit ANYBODY.

There are no two bodies alike on this Earth and therefore, there is not one “right” diet plan for every one of us.

This is why cookie-cutter “diets” just don’t work, and why people are constantly yo-yoing trying to fit themselves into a structure that isn’t right for them at all.

It’s when we find the plan that fits OUR current body, and is sustainable to OUR lifestyle that we can be consistent.

It’s when we learn to improve our habits and behaviors to align with our goals, that we achieve results.

It’s when we find a way to be held accountable for our progress so that we can’t slack off that we learn to STICK WITH IT....FOR LIFE.

Nutrition Coaching helps you...

Create a personalized plan
Set individual goals
Build goal-driven habits
Learn healthy eating behaviors

...all while holding you accountable to your commitments along the way.

Now, with EatLove customized meal-planning, grocery lists and delivery, the whole process is even more stress-free and enjoyable!

For more information on how you can partner with me, Coach Jenn, at Anytime Fitness in Liberty Park, and get those results you didn’t think were possible.. contact me at:

Jenn.burns@anytimefitness.com

Or find me on Facebook @
www.Facebook.com/Jenn.burns.94849

05/04/2021

“A goal without a plan is just a WISH!”

We all want RESULTS, right? But how many of us have developed the skill set of making GOALS to achieve those results? How many of us have actually made a plan to work towards those goals?

When done correctly, goal setting can help us achieve more while feeling happier and more confident along the way.

Follow these steps to creating your own purpose-driven PLAN to setting your own goals:

#1 SET BIG GOAL
Ask your self: what is the end result you’re looking for? Name it, write it down, dream BIG.

#2 WHY DO I WANT TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL?
Setting a purpose and asking the “why” has the highest rate of success in goal-setting. Achieving goals for a specific reason will be more fulfilling.

#3 WHAT OBSTACLES MIGHT I FACE?
Identifying pitfalls will keep you from giving up altogether when things get tough. What will you do when you hit these speed bumps?

#4 WHAT SUBGOALS DO I NEED TO MAKE?
By setting small weekly “subgoals”, or habits you need to have in place in order to reach your goal, you will be taking small bites of achievement instead of biting off more than you can chew. Each time a subgoal is accomplished and you check it off of your list, your confidence skyrockets that you are one step closer to your end result.

#5 ACCOUNTABILITY
It can be hard to light a fire under our own butts, so having an “accounta-bili-buddy” encourages you to stay on course, while cheering for your progress along the way. Success rates are much higher when we are held accountable for our commitment to ourselves!

**If you’re still in the “wish” phase when it comes to nutrition, and in need of an accountability partner to create a personalized plan for you and teach you the skills needed to stick to healthy habits for life…PM or Email Coach Jenn at Jenn.Burns@anytimefitness.com for a free NUTRITION COACHING consult.**

Healthy Happens...when partners come together.

Eating with Coach Jenn

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