Exercise Will Get You Nowhere

March 21, 2017April 7, 2018 Rachel KingLeave a comment

Exercise will get you nowhere…without the proper nutrition. Sounds crazy, right? I mean, if you are spending an hour a day in the gym up to five days a week, or you run five miles every single day, you should be able to see at least some change without having to give up the fried food diet…don’t you think?

Not so much.

Various studies have shown that changing an individual’s training or exercise session without altering their diet plan at all did almost nothing to change their body composition. Also, there was less than a 2% fat loss overall total.

Think about how much it costs to hire a personal trainer. Even if you aren’t willing to fork out the money for a trainer, a gym membership can get pricey as well. If you aren’t utilizing the proper nutrition techniques to accompany your exercise routine, basically you are shelling out money AND time for something that will leave you disappointed, angry, frustrated, and mad at your trainer.

But it isn’t their fault at all.

Please don’t get me wrong. Exercise is still absolutely critical when it comes to feeling better, looking better, and performing to your best ability. It helps your energy levels so that you feel like going on trips with your spouse or so that you can keep up and play with your children. Exercise IS important.

My point is that exercise ALONE will get you nowhere. You need to implement not only a solid exercise routine, but also a sound nutritional program. Research has shown that participants that combined effective nutritional strategies with the same training plans mentioned above had almost a 10-fold increase in effectiveness than training with no nutritional program in place.

The results don’t lie. You cannot cheat the system. You cannot make shortcuts. NOTHING is as effective as solid nutrition and proper exercise.

One last note: If your trainer is not encouraging you to seek out nutritional advice, that is a problem. It is almost as if they are giving you a brand new car without the keys. You will continue to stay in the same place because you do not have all of the pieces to move forward.

Clean Eating · Fiber · Fitness · Macronutrients · Meal Planning · Meal Prepping · Metabolism · Nutrition · Self Care · working professionals

The “F” Word

March 15, 2017April 7, 2018 Rachel KingLeave a comment

Yes, FIBER. The dreaded “F” word that none of us are entirely fond of, are we?

BUT, fiber is something that many of us know we need, but yet we really have no idea how much (or how little) we are consuming on a daily basis. Eating a high-fiber diet has many health benefits including lowered blood pressure, controlled blood sugar levels, constipation prevention, and improved cholesterol levels. It also plays a huge role in reaching and maintaining a healthy weight.

So what is the daily recommended amount of fiber?

That depends on several factors, but for the most part, it is recommended that men over the age of 19 should strive for 38 grams per day, while women over the same age should aim to consume at least 25 grams of fiber per day.

So how can you add more fiber to your diet?

Fiber is already in many of the foods we eat, such as fruits, peas, beans, and whole grains. Some of my favorite fibrous foods are blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, apples, almonds, brown rice, black beans, and chickpeas! Fiber is a form of carbohydrates, so it can be easily located on a nutrition label under the “Dietary Fiber” section. It is just as important to track fiber as it is to track protein, carbohydrates, and fats in your food log, especially if you are engaging in carb cycling and/or intermittent fasting (as we do in the Rapid Results Fat Burner Program!).

Adding too much fiber too quickly can cause pain and discomfort in the stomach, so if you are used to a diet that is relatively low in fiber, just be sure to increase the amount of fiber in small amounts daily so that your stomach can adjust accordingly.

While high-fiber diets help aid in digestion, it is also important to note that our bodies need enough fluid to properly process the fiber. Be sure to drink an adequate amount of water daily (minimum half your body weight in ounces each day) in conjunction with high-fiber foods.

What are some of your favorites high-fiber foods? Even better, what recipes do you make that can be incorporated into a high-fiber diet?

Bridal · Faith · Happiness · Journey · Life · Marriage · Self Care · Success · Uncategorized · Wedding

Worth the Wait

January 31, 2017February 1, 2017 Rachel KingLeave a comment

I can’t believe it’s been a year. It seriously seems like just yesterday! Almost one year ago, on February 6, 2016, on a hiking trip by a waterfall in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, Jordan asked me to be his wife. I honestly don’t remember everything he said that day because I was too busy smiling and nodding and happy-crying.

I had waited a long time for him. I had honestly reached a point in my life that I had given up on finding a husband. I had finally given everything over to God and told Him that I was content and at peace with it, but if He had other plans, then I would gladly follow. Only a few short weeks passed by, and then I met Jordan.

I had been on some terrible dates before I met him. I had also been on dates where everything “should” be right. You know, where the guy has a great job, nice house, goes to church, treats you well…but you just aren’t feeling it. I would get so discouraged when my family or friends would ask how my dates had gone because I never had good news. I felt like something was wrong with me. Eventually, though, I realized (after lots and lots of prayer), that you just can’t force those things. If a relationship doesn’t come from God and God is not in it, OF COURSE it won’t feel right. God is trying to tell you something when a date (or relationship!) doesn’t go as well as you hoped – He isn’t in it, and that man is not the one for you. I truly learned patience through this process. I learned to trust God and I learned to trust HIS timing.

I feel that so many young ladies settle. They settle for the one they “should” be with according to material matters. They never wait and find the one that was MEANT for them. The one that God made especially for them.

If you are still waiting on your meant-to-be, I encourage you to keep waiting. He’s out there. God has a plan for both of your lives, so the decisions you may make trying to force something that isn’t right will affect not only you, but the man God made for you. I’ll share with you the verse that I clung tightly to during my waiting period.

“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” – Psalm 37:4.

Cling to Jesus during this time. Wrap yourself with His love, stay in His Word, and surround yourself with His people. Your time will come soon enough. Right now, delight yourself in Him, and He will hold true to His promise to you. Your meant-to-be will come and you will KNOW beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is from the Lord. I did. And I am so glad I waited.

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Bridal · Faith · Happiness · Journey · Life · Marriage · Reflection · Wedding

How’s the Married Life?

September 27, 2016 Rachel KingLeave a comment

“So how’s the married life?”

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I wish I could count the number of times I’ve been asked that question over the past two weeks. Each and every time, I smile and say “It’s wonderful! I couldn’t be happier!”

…but then, I am almost always met with the words “Enjoy it while it lasts.”

How discouraging, especially for a newlywed. I have waited twenty-eight years for this. I actually had to wait twenty-six years just to meet the man God made for me. Why put a damper on my excitement?

Better yet, why does it have to be this way? Why does the happiness have to end? Why do couples have to grow stagnant and forget why they fell in love with each other in the first place?

IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY.

Maybe – just maybe – it goes deeper than that. Maybe couples forget their first true love instead, Jesus. Once they forget to put Jesus in the center of their relationship, everything begins to fall flat. Now, I understand that Jordan and I will hit rough times. I understand that we will get angry with each other and disappoint one another. But I never, ever want to enter into the place of constant bickering and misery that I see so many couples in today. I want to continue to date him. I want to continue to love him more each day. Most importantly, I want to continue to grow together in Christ.

Dear friends, I encourage you that if you are in that stagnant stage, do not grow bitter and spread your unhappiness to others. I ask that you examine your heart and have a real discussion with your spouse to make things right. Marriage is meant to be a beautiful thing. It is a true gift from God, and a gift that I do not intend to take lightly. It may have taken twenty-eight years of patience, but from this point on, the smile I wore on my wedding day never has to leave again.

“Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” – Mark 10:9

Fitness · Gut Health · Heath · Immunity · Just Thrive · Life · Nutrition · Probiotics · Self Care · Skincare

Probiotics: All Health or All Hype?

August 18, 2016August 19, 2016 Rachel King1 Comment

Just Thrive has provided product for this review. No monetary compensation was provided. All thoughts and opinion are my own.

Just Thrive

As someone who has battled digestive issues for the past few years, I am always a little skeptical when it comes to new “miracle” products. I have tried several probiotics in the past and, for the most part, I’ve been left feeling disappointed and discouraged. When I was offered a sample of Just Thrive probiotic, I had high hopes since all of the reviews I’d read were full of positive feedback, but the twinge of caution remained in the back of my mind.

I have been taking Just Thrive for one full week now, and I can already tell a huge difference. Not only have my digestive issues improved, but I have also seen a difference in my skin. I have had keratosis pilaris on the upper part of my arms since I was child and have tried every over-the-counter cream on the market to clear it up to no avail. I have also cut out dairy and gluten from my diet, which helped to lessen the redness to an extent, but not completely. In just one week, I have noticed a drastic change in the appearance of arms. The redness has reduced significantly.

As an added bonus, I have noticed my immune system is stronger than before. I have a pretty resilient immune system already from eating clean and incorporating Shakeology into my daily diet. But, I do still get the occasional “summer cold.” Last week, I felt as if I was coming down with one, but I was able to fight it off even though others were sick around me.

I am now a firm believer in Just Thrive and will continue to take it daily. I have also been reading great reviews on how this product has helped acid reflux sufferers, and I cannot wait to have my fiancé try it out, too! If you’re looking for a high quality probiotic to include into your routine, definitely give Just Thrive a try!

Big Hair · confidence · Fashion · Friday Favorites · Haircare · Self Care · Style · Summer · Transformation · working professionals

The Higher the Hair, the Closer to Heaven!

July 8, 2016 Rachel KingLeave a comment

This edition of Friday Favorites is all about the hair!

As I was doing a little grocery shopping in Publix Wednesday afternoon, a random woman followed me down an aisle and chased after me, specifically to tell me she loved my hair and find out how I was able to so much volume, even at the end of the day. So today, I want to share with you my top three hair care products for maximum volume!

Big Sexy Hair Root Pump Plus – I spray this right at the roots while my hair is still damp, just before drying my hair. It gives my hair just the right about of “lift.”
Spornette Teasing Brush – My hairstylist introduced me to this style of teasing brush, and it has been a life changer! It can be used to tease the hair at the crown, but it can also be used to smooth the down without pulling out the tease.
Kenra Volume Spray – This stuff is amazing! It only takes a small amount, and it holds hair in place up to 24 hours with no stiffness or sticky residue. Use this after you have teased your hair to finish your style.

And that’s it! Feel free to post any questions or share some of your favorite hair care products in the comments below!