Tips to Make The Second Half of 2018 Your Best!

Clean slate, yes, it's Sunday! Let today be a fresh start for YOU! You can make the 2nd half of 2018 your best! Today, shift your thoughts... focus on being thankful for the body that you have and set a new goal (or two) to ensure you are treating your body with care and respect! Write this goal down, put the goal as a reminder in your phone, and tell a friend- that is how you make your goals become reality! 

One new goal could be to increase the amount of high-quality protein that you include in your daily nutrition plan!  Protein is an essential food for repairing muscle tissue,  building and toning muscles, and for keeping you feeling full for longer. High protein snacks should be consumed after 30-45 minutes after workouts for maximum muscle building and repair benefits and should be consumed as a snacks during the day to fight cravings and help manage weight.

Here are some of our Dietitian, Kaeti Shurling's,  favorites:

• 1 hard-boiled egg- 8g

• 1/2 cup chickpeas- 18g

• 1/2 cup cashews- 16g

• 3 oz of tuna- 25g

Try out these great high protein snacks and start your healthy lifestyle with a delicious, higher protein nutrition plan!

Here is a high protein healthy popsicle to try this week! 

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup – strawberries

• 1 1/4 cup – coconut water

• 1 teaspoon – honey

• 4 teaspoon – chia seeds

• 1 1/2 cup pieces – mango

Directions:
Puree strawberries (fresh or frozen) with half of the coconut water in a blender or food processor. Taste the mixture and blend in honey to desired sweetness, if needed. Stir in 2 teaspoons of chia seeds. Set aside. Puree mango (fresh or frozen) with the other half of the coconut water in a blender or food processor. Taste the mixture and blend in honey to desired sweetness, if needed. Stir in the remaining 2 teaspoons of chia seeds. Alternately pour each fruit mixture (for a marbled look) into popsicle molds and freeze until set. Makes 10 (3 ounces) popsicles. If you have an Ice Pop Maker let it freeze for 45 minutes and then add wooden sticks so they stay in place better and the lid will come off easier.

Additionally, here is one of our favorite workouts you can try today! Add this workout to your week and then enjoy a high protein popsicle after! Let's do it, ladies! 

We hope that this second half of 2018 is your best! We believe in YOU! Let us know what your goals are for the second half of the year. We want to encourage you, as you prepare for a great rest of 2018! If you would like to schedule a 1-1 appointment for nutrition or personal training, you can purchase a package on our FREE app or website, or you can email us at transfitathens@gmail.com. 

If you have any questions, please email us at transfitathens@gmail.com. 

Blessings, 

Team TransFit

Healthy Gut = Healthy YOU!

So many great questions about probiotics this month. Gut health is one important part of whole body health. Did you know most diseases begin in the gut? 90% of our cells are bacteria cells and 10% are human cells. Thousands of species of bacteria all have different functions. Some of the bacteria digest foods, some produce different vitamins and hormones, some respond to medicines and infections, some control your blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and some control your risk for obesity or diabetes. These bacteria control almost every process in your body! 

Our brain and gut are connected through the enteric nervous system. The belly and brain are connected physically and biochemically. What does this really mean? The types of bacteria in our gut controls the way we think, behave, and feel.  Your gut health is vitally important in your transformation journey. 

Let's make a new goal this month to maintain a healthy balance of good and bad bacteria in the gut. There are many reasons how the delicate balance of a healthy gut is compromised. We eat diets of sugar, processed foods, and alcohol. We consume antibiotics and have too much stress. These areas create an imbalance causing the bad bacteria to shift from a single cell of yeast into a mycelial fungus. Thus, causing gut diseases and other problems in our bodies.

So what can we do to keep it balanced and try to regain gut health?

• Cutting back on sugar, processed foods, antibiotics, NSAIDS, steroids, and synthetic hormones

• Cut back on stress. Stress is harmful to our health and is actually the second cause of unbalanced gut flora. Take more deep breathes and use exercise to de-stress.

• Read food labels to decrease added sugar and processed foods

• Eat whole, live, raw foods

• Supplement with a quality probiotic (kombucha, supplement, fermented foods)

The colon (gut) has at least 500 different kinds of bacteria! One of the bacteria is the bifidobacteria making up the majority of the "good" bacteria that is in your gut. This good bacteria is benefited by the intake of probiotics.

Probiotics can help your digestive tract and help take up space in your stomach that could be taken over by a less healthful product or organism. Probiotics can be found in foods that have live and active cultures. A great source of probiotics is found in yogurt, kefir, Kombucha, and sauerkraut.

It is important to choose yogurt products that are made with milk from cows that eat organic food. Additionally, try to choose yogurt or kefir that does not have any added sugars, colors, or flavors that have been added by heat after that was fermented. The best way to know if you are choosing yogurt that has the probiotics you need is to see if it has the LAC seal, standing for Live and Active Cultures. We encourage you to add more probiotics into your diet and then help the probiotics by eating more fiber, too!

Fiber is important for overall health, but it is found that around 90% of Americans do not meet the recommendation for dietary fiber. Women should work to eat 25 grams per day and studies encourage you to have 40-50 grams of fiber, in order to have optimal gut health. Adding fiber and probiotics to your diet can help the number of probiotics in your colon, this will improve your health.

Here are some fiber-filled foods you can add to your diet! 

• Avocado- 1/2 cup serving size with 8 grams of fiber

• Raspberries- 1 cup serving size with 8 grams of fiber

• Lentils, cooked- 1 cup serving size with 15.6 grams of fiber

• Black beans, cooked- 1 cup serving size with 15 grams of fiber

In addition to your dietary needs, it is important to focus on your exercise, time spent resting, and the amount of sleep you get each night. As you know, exercise is such an important part of whole body health. Regular exercise can help you have a greater diversity of bacteria in your stomach. Also, we forget that rest is needed for whole body health. Stress can add to the amount of adrenalin your body gives off and therefore speeds up everything occurring in your body. As a result, adrenalin can cause your food to pass through too quickly and can lead to a negative impact on your stomach's health. Take time each day to check in with your exercise and rest balance. 

Here are some great recipes that will add in more probiotics and fiber to your meals! 

Flora-Flourishing Meal in a Jar

• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt

• 1/2 cup plain Kefir

• 1 teaspoon real maple syrup

• 2 tablespoons whole grain oats

• 1 tablespoon chia seeds

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus additional for sprinkling

• 1/2 cup frozen mixed berries

• 1 tablespoon sliced almonds or nut of choice

In a mason jar or bowl, combine yogurt, Kefir, syrup, oats, chia seeds, and ground cinnamon. Let stand 5 minutes.  Top with frozen mixed berries in jar or layer the mixture. Sprinkle with cinnamon and top with almonds. Refrigerate overnight or up to two days. 

Farro & Black Bean Salad

• 1 cup of farro, cooked according to package directions

• 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed

• 1/2 cup corn or edamame, (thawed if frozen)

• 1 roasted red bell pepper (from jar), diced

• 2 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced (about 3/4 teaspoon)

• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro or Italian parsley

• 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar

• 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir gently to combine! Enjoy! 

Try to add fiber and probiotics to your diet this week. You can do it! If you would like to meet with our nutrition consultant, Katie Woodall, or Registered Dietitian, Kaeti Shurling please email us at transfitathens@gmail.com to set up a 1-1, 30-minute session or 55-minute. This 1-1 session will allow you to talk about you specific nutrition, meal planning, give you new recipes to try, and a plan to succeed! Let's finish this week strong! Let us know if you have any questions! 

Blessings, 

Team TransFit 

Dive Into Grace This July!

DIVE

(v): To intentionally jump or plunge headfirst

July has officially arrived and we are ready to dive in! We lit the SPARK of whole body health and wellness in June and now let's dive deeper into nutrition, exercise, and scripture! I love the word INTENTIONALLY in the definition of DIVE. To keep moving forward this July in our goals and dreams, let's clean the slate starting today and dive in by intentionally doing one thing new for your body, mind, and spirit.

What is that one thing you CAN do this month? 

INTENTIONALLY: 

OPEN HIS WORD DAILY

DRINK ONE EXTRA GLASS OF WATER DAILY

MOVE YOUR BODY DAILY

EAT MORE GREENS DAILY

ENCOURAGE SOMEONE DAILY

TRY THE JULY ARM CHALLENGE DAILY

________________   DAILY (fill in your blank)

Write your one thing down, tell a friend, and stay accountable! Dive in deeper this month and challenge yourself to a new goal! We are excited to hear about it!  Remember, His grace is sufficient for us!! Release the past and reset for a new day! Let's dive into all that He has in store for us this month!

This month, we are challenging you to our Transform Your Arms in July- Push Up Challenge. Each person who completes this challenge will be put into our drawing for a MONTH of FREE sessions!!! Send us your calendar filled out each day and you could be the winner!! Commit to one thing a day- try doing push-ups daily and if not push-ups, then hold a plank for the number of seconds on the push-up challenge calendar! We hope that you will join us this month, as we transform our arms, our minds, and spirits for the summer! 

If you want more of a challenge, try doing the push-ups on a medicine ball! We believe in YOU!

We pray that this month you rest in His grace! This month, we are encouraging and challenging all clients and friends to join the TransFit Team, as we study the book of John together! What an amazing way for us to build community than going through the Word together! You can follow along as we read through the book of John this month! 

If you completed our June squat challenge- please email or text us with a picture of your completed calendar, so that you can be inserted in the drawing for a month of FREE sessions! 

We want to remind you that our studio will be OPEN on Monday ONLY and 1-1 appointments will be available all week; however, the studio WILL BE CLOSED Tuesday-Saturday due to the 4th of July! We hope that you will continue to live transformed on vacation!

Don't forget about our FREE workouts on the website and app, as well as workout videos on the website and YouTube, plus fun and healthy recipes to try for your 4th of July festivities! 

If you have any questions, please email us at transfitathens@gmail.com. 

Blessings, 

Team TransFit

July Client Spotlight- Jacelyn McCall

Sweet friends, 

Can you believe July is almost over?! Each of you have worked so hard this summer! This month, our theme was Freedom in HIM! True freedom in Him means never losing hope. God promises us peace, joy, and eternal life when we trust in Him. We hope that you were able to be encouraged by friends and family and that you made time for prayer and mediation this month.

 Today, we have the joy of introducing you to our amazing client spotlight, Jacelyn McCall. Jacelyn is embodies the true meaning of total body transformation. Yes, she has lost weight, inches, and over 10% body fat; however, when I think of Jacelyn I look at a women who is truly beautiful inside and outside. She plays tennis with a passion and in the studio has a vibrant energy that shines in her eyes. Total body, mind, and spirit transformation on the inside is why beautiful Jacelyn is our client spotlight this month. She has a bright fire that has been lit inside her! Congrats sweet lady! Thank you for giving your all and for inspiring all women that by giving your best one hour, one day at a time you can reach your goals! 

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I grew up in sports which kept me active and on the go. But as always life got busy.  After college, Nathan and I were actively running Smoothie King and exercise took a backseat. I kept gaining and then not changing my lifestyle. 

I decided to start focusing on myself and coined 2015 the "Summer of Jacelyn". I started to play tennis more and walk with friends, but I needed more.  So when TransFit opened, I thought that it was meant to be! In March last year I started scheduling times which I ABSOLUTELY need.  I try to go 3 times a week to Transformer, play tennis 2-3 times, get up for 5:30 Tuesday run group (which some of you know...I don't love early mornings), and walk for some girl time once a week.  

Committing myself to working out makes me want to eat well...which is always a struggle for me. I love that Katie Woodall told me to strive for 80%. If I have a bad day, I just reset the on the next. I use this with home and work life too! 

My goals are always water, nutrition and a little reflection time.  That keeps me moving forward toward a stronger body. And so does everyone at TransFit! I love that everyone supports and motivates each other.

I cherish people.  My greatest accomplishment to me is the number of amazing people that are in my life.  I couldn't ask for more amazing friends than who I have lucked into here in Athens.  They are definitely my "family" here, which means we love to get together to "eat, drink and be merry".

I can't live without Mexican food, so I have been trying healthier alternatives.  My fav right now is Spicy Fish Taco Bowls from Pinch of Yum.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3-4 tilapia filets (or other fish filet of your choice)
• 1-2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 cup fresh sweet corn kernels (sliced off the cob is the best)
• 1 red onion, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 can black beans
• cooked brown rice (I used about 2 cups)
• fresh cilantro, avocado, shredded cheese, sour cream, or pico de gallo for topping

Instructions:

1. Mix the spices together in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over both sides of the fish filets. (I like to season my fish a LOT, but just sprinkle on however much looks good to you.) Add salt and pepper to taste.

2. In a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat, heat a drizzle of olive oil. Add the garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes. Add the fish filets to the pan. Grill the fish on each side for several minutes, checking the middle for doneness (fish should be completely white and flake apart easily). Remove fish filets and set aside.

3. Add corn, red peppers, and onions to the pan with no additional oil. Heat over high heat for several minutes WITHOUT stirring to get a brown/black roasted look on the outside. Repeat for several minutes (stir, wait, stir, wait) until the peppers and onions are tender-crisp. Add the black beans and heat through.

4. Layer rice, corn/pepper mixture, and fish in a bowl - or mix everything together in the skillet. Top with any of the toppings listed above! 

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Jacelyn, we are so proud of you and your accomplishments! You inspire all of us! We are thankful for you and the impact you have had on the TransFit community. Ladies, let's recharge and refocus as we head into the last few days of July and the start of August! If you have any questions or would like to meet with one of our trainers or nutrition consultants, please email us at transfitathens@gmail.com. 

Blessings, 

Team TransFit

Living Transformed on Vacation-3 Tips from Katie Lord

I hope you all get to meet our precious new Personal Trainer, Katie Lord.  Katie is a bright light in the studio and has been training and encouraging our beautiful clients and loves teaching women of all ages about whole body health and wellness. Below are her 3 favorite tips for living transformed on vacation! 

Summer is definately here, which brings sunshine, pool parties, relaxation, and vacation!!! And for many of us, summer also means a deviation from our normal routine, making it feel a little more difficult to stay focused on our health and fitness goals. But, living transformed during the summer doesn't have to be difficult! You CAN continue to work towards your goals as you enjoy your summer. Here are a few tips that I have found helpful:

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1. Create a plan to stay active!

Whether you are here in town or on a trip, make a plan to stay active! Each week, plan out when you would like to workout, where, and what you would like to do - running, walking, swimming, hiking or a Transformer class! If you are traveling, pack workout clothes and shoes. Make time during your trip to go for a run, walk, or do a bodyweight workout. Include your family or friends and make it a fun activity to do together! If you need some workout ideas while on vacation, there are a lot of great workouts on the TransFit App and website.

2. Continue making healthy food choices!

Meal planning can be challenging when you are out of your normal routine or on vacation, but you can continue to make healthy food choices. Try your best to eat 5 small meals a day, including a good amount of protein, veggies, and fruit. Grilled veggies, watermelon, and smoothies are some of my favorite choices in the summer! Drink plenty of water, aiming for at least 64 oz! You can find sample meal plans on the TransFit website and tons of yummy summer recipes.  If you are on vacation, pack healthy snacks and a water bottle. Look for lean protein options and veggies at restaurants or when cooking meals for the family. Most importantly, give yourself GRACE! Progress not perfection and remember that moderation is key. 

3. Have fun and take time to rest!

Enjoy your summer! Spend time with friends and family, rest and recover.

According to American College of Sports Medicine, rest is key in regulating the body’s processes, including appetite and metabolism. Lack of sleep can throw these processes off balance, and can to overeating. Getting enough sleep,  seven to eight hours per night for adults, is  important for replenishing the body’s energy stores.  So please relax, refresh, and renew! Rest is critical for living transformed! 

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We hope that you are able to use these tips throughout your summer while on vacation! You can add in our July push-up challenge to your vacation, too! 

Come join Katie in sessions today and next week! We would love for any of our middle school girls to join Katie and our TransFit team for a week of Super Charged Middle School Girls sessions! Remember to sign up for sessions, at least 24 hours in advance!

If you have any questions, or set up a 1-1 to reset and refocus your specific goals please email us at transfitathens@gmail.com. 

Blessings, 

Team TransFit

Tips to Make This Second Half of 2017 Your Best!

Clean slate, yes, it's Monday!  7-17-17 this date must signify a fresh start for YOU! Let's make the 2nd half of 2017 be your best! Today, let's focus on being thankful for the body that you have and set new goals to ensure you are treating your body with care and respect!

One new goal could be to increase the amount of high quality protein that you include in your daily nutrition plan!  Protein is an essential food for repairing muscle tissue, and for keeping you feeling full for longer. High protein snacks should be consumed after 30-45 minutes after workouts for maximum muscle building and repair benefits, or should be consumed as a snack during the day to fight cravings and help manage weight.

Here are my top 4 favorites:

• 1 hard boiled egg- 8g
• 1/2 cup chickpeas- 18g
• 1/2 cup cashews- 16g
• 3 oz of tuna- 25g

Try out these great high protein snacks and start your healthy lifestyle with a delicious, higher protein nutrition plan!

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Here is a high protein healthy popsicle to try this week! 

Strawberry Mango Chai Popsicle

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup – strawberries
• 1 1/4 cup – coconut water
• 1 teaspoon – honey
• 4 teaspoon – chia seeds
• 1 1/2 cup pieces – mango

Directions:
Puree strawberries (fresh or frozen) with half of the coconut water in a blender or food processor. Taste the mixture and blend in honey to desired sweetness, if needed. Stir in 2 teaspoons of chia seeds. Set aside. Puree mango (fresh or frozen) with the other half of the coconut water in a blender or food processor. Taste the mixture and blend in honey to desired sweetness, if needed. Stir in the remaining 2 teaspoons of chia seeds. Alternately pour each fruit mixture (for a marbled look) into popsicle molds and freeze until set. Makes 10 (3 ounce) popsicles. If you have the Norpro Ice Pop Maker let it freeze for 45 minutes and then add my wooden sticks so they stay in place better and the lid will come off easier.

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We are excited to start our Super Charged Workout Week for middle school girls! Next week, July 24-28 we are offering a session from 3-4 PM on Monday, Wednesday, Friday for our sweet middle school girls! This session will be a kickoff to their school year and a way to recharge, reset, and refocus for the end of the summer ready to start a new school year! You can register for this session on our app HERE! Make sure to choose the Super Charged Workout- 5th through 8th grade girls sessions!

Throughout this session, we are going to focus on improving form while exercising, nutrition tips, learning about our beauty that is found in the Lord, the importance of positive thinking, and having endurance as we run the race the Lord has set before us! We are excited to have these girls in the studio! We hope that you can join us! 

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We hope that this second half of 2017 is your best! We believe in YOU! Let us know what your goals are for the second half of the year. We want to encourage you, as you prepare for a great rest of 2017! If you have any questions, please email us at transfitathens@gmail.com. 

Blessings, 

Team TransFit

Congrats to our June Squat Challenge Winner!

Friends, 

Wow- it's been such a great week in the studio! Let's be grateful that we can find freedom through exercise! We hope that you feel a new found sense of encouragement and peace this month. Enjoy each day and make the most of each hour just as you do in your TransFit workouts! Each month, we have challenged you to take on our monthly exercise challenge. June Squats, and now July push-ups! We want you to get into the habit of making exercise a daily habit! One little change in your day-to-day routine can lead to life long changes! Today, we are excited to share our June Squat Challenge Winner!

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Congratulations, Tessa Hall! 

Tessa has truly challenged herself to live transformed. Tessa did her squats each day and said she was using the foam roller to roll out those sore leg muscles! Transforming those legs by doing squats daily! Tessa is an inspiration to many! We are so proud of you and your daily commitment to your exercise goals! 

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We hope that each of you join us this month for our Freedom in Him- July Push-Up challenge! Let's transform those arms for the remaining weeks of summer!

If you have any questions, please email us at transfitathens@gmail.com.   We are looking forward to encouraging you in the studio this coming week! 

Blessings, 

Team TransFit

Happy July ☀️ SUMMER SIZZLER SALE 🎉

Sweet friends, 

July has officially arrived and this month our TransFit theme is Freedom in Him! True freedom in Him means never losing hope. God promises us peace, joy, and eternal life when we trust in him. Christ died for us, and that is how He provided us freedom that is found in HIM! Believe in this hope by getting encouragement from friends and family and making time for prayer and mediation this month.

Remember the book of Isaiah where chapter 26:3 says "You, Lord, give true peace and freedom to those who depend on you-when they trust in you." 

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This weekend we are offering YOU a JULY deal! You want to finish summer feeling your best; here is how! Today through Tuesday (July 4th), you can use our code SIZZLE for 15% off all sessions (Transformer, small group, 1-1,  or middle school sessions). You can use this code at checkout to receive your discount! Purchases will only be valid through the end of the summer (expire Aug 31st). As a special bonus, we are also offering our Unlimited Sessions Monthly package for $175! This package includes Transformer, Small group, and Yoga and will last the month of July! We are so excited about this deal and hope that you will join us to kick-start your JULY and finish the summer strong!  

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This month, we are challenging you to our Transform Your Arms in July- Push Up Challenge. Each person who completes this challenge will be put into our drawing for a MONTH of FREE sessions!!! Send us your calendar filled out each day and you could be the winner!! We hope that you will join us this month, as we transform our arms, our minds, and spirits for the summer! 

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We pray that this month you find complete freedom in Him! 

You can use our promo code: SIZZLE on all items (excluding merchandise). This will last until TUESDAY! So, go purchase your sessions NOW! 

If you completed our June squat challenge- please email or text us with a picture of your completed calendar, so that you can be inserted in the drawing for a month of FREE sessions! We want to remind you that our studio will be closed Monday and Tuesday for the Fourth of July! We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday morning! 

Blessings, 

Team TransFit