Organic

Last night while watching Food Inc. I was *finally* able to get the point across to my boyfriend on WHY eating organic is so important and why its good to know where your food comes from. I'm super excited that he is finally "figuring it out" and I can't wait till I get to sit down with him and make him watch Food Inc for himself.

But before I fell asleep I searched around online for some good information. Because me simply telling people to "eat better!" isn't going to cut it:)

This is from Care2.com and is their "Top 10 Eco-Friendly Reasons to Buy Organic Meat & Dairy" and explains some of the health benefits from going Organic.

Avoiding foods that contain HFCS (High-Fructose corn syrup) is also important when it comes to healthy eating. I know its hard, because pretty much everything has either HFCS or another form of CS in it, but I feel like avoiding it is so much more beneficial to your health.

I found a few different sites with lists that had brands/food that DON'T contain HFCS, but this one seemed to have the largest list. So if anyone knows of another site or products that aren't on this one then let me know!
highfructosehigh.com/no-hfcs/
Here is another blog that also has a good list of non-HFCS items:
georumination.blogspot.com

Yes, Organic food usually costs more. Personally I'm willing to pay more to know whats in my food, but I know most people are leery of that. Its just easier to look for the products with the lowest price not the least ingredients. But here is a link to some coupons that may help out the "cash-money" aspect:)
Coupons!

I also get a booklet of Organic coupons every few months from Mambo Sprouts which you get if you sign up for their mailing list.

The Food Inc. website has more info on what is in your food and what you can do about it. I suggest taking a look if all this is new to you:)

I just feel like people should know where their meat comes from and how unhealthy it really is to eat "mystery meat". I can't even put into words how sad it made me to learn about Kevin Kowalcyk, a 2 year old who died on August 11th, 2001 from E.coli O157:H7. How did Kevin get E.coli O157:H7? He ate meat that was contaminated with E.coli in July...and the meat wasn't recalled until August 27th, 2001...after Kevin had already died from the sickness. Kevin's story is just one of MANY, every year thousands of people get sick from food illnesses. Its time to people to become more aware and make a change.

If you would like to learn more about Kevin's story, here is a link to the Center for Foodborn Illness where it shares more of Kevin's story and his parent's fight against foodborn illness.

Please. I KNOW it can be hard to go completely organic and if you can't avoid HFCS right now, just PLEASE stop supporting the huge meat companies that are disrespecting the animals, workers and basically YOU by feeding you junk. Buy local. Know your farmer. Or if that isn't possible, go to whole foods or another organic food store. Make sure your meat is organic and you know where it comes from and what is in it. Sure, its more money and more work, but its worth it. Kevin's story should be enough to make you think.
So thats my challenge for the day, educate yourself and go organic.

With lots of love,
-J

Food Inc.

Its late and I'm pooped, but I just wanted to get out there that I really wish people would educate themselves on what they are eating.

More on this tomorrow.

:(

Working with a Trainer

From my intro you know I'm in the process of becoming a personal trainer. But I haven't always been interested in fitness...to be honest I took weightlifting in high school and hated it. So much. It was actually yoga that got me going to the gym everyday, which introduced me to Spinning then finally when I was living on base in 29 Palms is when I started loving weightlifting.

I know its hard to get started. The first week of actually kicking your own butt to get to the gym is what is the worst. But once you actually get there and starting working out it can only get better:)

But for those of you that aren't sure WHAT to do once you get to the gym, I do recommend either finding a trainer or doing some research online before to establish what your personal goals are and what you should do to get there.

Because while going to the gym, running a mile on the treadmill and then heading back home isn't going to cut it if your trying to gain muscle. I'm not saying its useless because it is better than nothing, but if your goal is to look like a body builder, you will need to establish a plan to work core and isolated muscles with a little cardio thrown it.

So working with someone who knows what they are talking about and are certified to show you the best program for YOU is what your first concern should be if you are new to the gym. Most gyms offer a free personal training session when you buy a gym package, but there is usually a cost after the first session. I'm not saying you need to buy a ton of sessions, some people could get 5 sessions to learn what works best for them and then can take it on their own from there.

And while I can answer some questions, its hard to build plans for people I can't physically work with! Plus before starting any workout plan you need to check in with your Doctor and make sure you don't have anything that could injure you or cause pain.

So get out there and DO SOMETHING:)

-J

Review/Love: Larabars

Over the last few weeks I have been crazy busy with school, traveling and just LIFE that I don't always feel like I can eat as "clean" as I would like to.

Like at the airport for one...it feels like everything is filled with junk or is insanely expensive and its hard to pre-plan what I'm going to feel like on a 4 hour flight.

I usually try to avoid meal replacement bars because of the huge list of ingredients. But lately they have seemed like the best easy option, so I had been looking around trying to find a good one with as little additives as possible. That is when I came across Larabar.

Oh Man.

I'm in love.

First off, they are not cheap. I got my first one from Walmart and it was about 1.25, then I hit up Kroger and while they had a much better selection, they were a little more expensive. More like 1.50-190 per bar. They are a little cheaper online, so I would suggest finding a flavor you like and then ordering it in a case online.

This morning I tried the Peanut Butter Cookie one and then just a little while ago I had the Cherry Pie. Both were what they sound like! PB Cookie was almost too cookie like for me. After a workout, I'm usually not craving a cookie. But for those of you that do, try it!

Cherry pie was a lot more cherry than pie. And I loveddd it.

I also picked up Tropical Fruit Tart, Coconut Cream Pie, Lemon Bar, and Apple Pie.

I can't wait to try them. My favorite part is I actually know what ALL the products listed on the side are, since I'm not a big fan of eating things that I can picture.
They are also gluten free, vegan, kosher, and contain no added sugar. So they are good for a lot of people.

I can't say enough about them:) So seriously, if you are looking for a good meal replacement bar/after workout bar/etc, I HIGHLY suggest Larabar!

Here are two links to the online stores that seemed to have the cheapest prices and best selection.
Lucky Vitamin
Got Body

And if you are looking to try them out in stores first I found them at Kroger and Walmart, My mom checked Target for me and didn't see them but it may vary by area.

Let me know if you have tried any other flavors or know of any other good bars!

-J

Introduction

Hi!

I guess I'll start out with an intro...I'm Jillian:) I'm 21 and a Exercise Science student in Michigan. I lived in California over the summer and loved it, so I'm hoping to head back out there after I graduate. My passion is health and fitness...and well...clothes. But my blog is mainly going to be about the health and fitness part because I feel like people need to be more educated about what they are eating and doing to their bodies. So even if my blog changes one persons perspective then that is great:)

So there is my little intro, feel free to ask me questions or give suggestions and I'll do my best to answer or help!