Starting up a brand new day...

Today is wonderful...

For a short period of time we will be having some warm weather. I encourage you to get out and enjoy it. Go for a walk. Have you ever tried some of the local hiking spots? There's Wompatuck, hundreds of trails into the wild. There's top of the world in Hull/Hingham, which overlooks the water and has tons of wild life. But my favorite is Norris Reservation, directly across the street from the Norwell Post Office. The reasons I like this simple hiking spot is because it's close to where I live, plenty of dogs visit, it's free, and it's a little over 2 miles with some slightly challenging hills to climb.

If you can commit to walking 2 miles a day, you may be on your way to increased energy. Our bodies were not meant to lead sedentary lives. It is through good nutrition, hydration and exercise that we keep our bodies fueled and ready for action. Our energy does not come from drinking sugar filled drinks like redbull and rockstar. Sugar in large quantities does not represent good healthy eating habits. When you eat clean, like raw vegetables, proteins from nuts and lean meats, you may notice and energy difference for the better. When you combine this with light exercise, your overall health might improve.

A supplemental diet program called slimplicity is what I use for my clients when they need a jump start to their weight loss. With the slimplicity program, the requirement to exercise is to walk 5 miles a day. Walking 5 miles a day could take anyone more than an hour, probably 1.5 hours or a little more. If you don't have time, take a 2 mile walk, try some jumping jacks and push ups. Also, you can look up body weight exercises on YouTube.com for many different exercises and options for working out. Most importantly, find time for yourself and make it a priority, to eat clean and exercise, because this is what may help you in your overall health and your quality of life may reach a new level.

Keep smiling, it helps.

Your friend in health,

Sarah A. Servant

Breaking bad habits

Addictions are bad...everything should be done in moderation, you ever hear that before?

I believe we all have things in life that we struggle with. These trials in triumph are what build our character, in failure are what teach us how to treat one another. Many struggle with weight loss, many with food addictions, or addictions to anything. Addiction is what keeps us from fulfilling our destinies to seek truth in why we even exist.

I believe that I exist to help people, to show them how to stop their addictions to bad things, and focus on moderation. For example, you may have an addiction to come home after a long days work and crash on the couch for 3 hours worth of television. Television is a bad addiction, and is brainwashing. I think the television is a big distraction, that keeps most people from reaching their full potential and possibly even their destiny. If you decided to break away from that negative addiction and fill it with something moderately such as exercise, you would truly see a difference in your mental focus, your strength, your stamina and overall health. Our bodies were made to exercise, and most of us truly lose sight of this.

When I graduated personal training school almost 2 years ago, I weighed 167 lbs, I watched a lot more television with my husband Chip and did not really grasp the regular routine of exercising. This morning I stepped on the scale and am down to 150 lbs. I'm psyched, and although I have a little more to lose and some muscle to gain, my strength, my stamina, and my overall health is phenomenal compared to what it was. I am currently attending the School of Ministry in Rockland, at Calvary Chapel, and everyone here has had a major cold since the start of the school year. I have yet to get sick, I felt a little run down at times, but something minor that a little rest and some good nutrition would solve.

I hope you are all staying well out there in the big bad world of addictions and illness. Drop me an message, let me know what you are struggling with and I will try and help you figure out a way to replace it with something good in moderation.


Yours in health,

Sarah A. Servant

When you go into battle in your own land against an enemy who is oppressing you, sound a blast on the trumpets. Then you will be remembered by the LORD your God and rescued from your enemies. Numbers 10:8-10

Rain, Rain...go away

I can hear the rain making tiny dents in the roof above me.

The rain is both beautiful and tormenting. It is essential to life, yet, who wants to go out in it and get soaked. Especially when it is FREEZING out!!! I enjoy a rainy day if I can relax and get things done at home, but go out in it forget it!

I think if it's truly cold out, I would prefer the snow. You don't get soaked in the snow as much as you would in torrential down pours, which it is doing right now. The forecast for this weekend is wet, wet...and wetter, cold, cold...and colder. It's just a reminder that the winter is approaching.

I just received a wonderful gift from a friend of mine. It's a book called "Love Dare" and is a 40 day journal and action-dare book on how to act, react and treat your spouse. I'm only on day two. I have never heard of this book until now, but I highly recommend it to anyone who is married. It teaches you the bases of love and kindness and challenges you to hold your tongue when things are not the way you want them to be.

Today I am teaching English all day. I feel a slight cold being combated by the two R's=rest and reliv. My nutrition shake keeps me in good health while I have a broken down weak immune system. Working with pre school children, who's immune systems are very weak is a tough challenge for a broken immune system in an adult. I have not fully been sick as of yet, however, I am extremely lucky and smart about what I chose to put in my body.

Yesterday was a not so good day, a path of self destruction. I know I am a trainer, and need to eat well, yet I am realistic. I don't always eat the best, as I was raised in an italian restaraunt and at one point we served ice cream. Not to mention that a doughnut shop that we started was right next door...

So this was the menu yesterday, and I have used up my one bad day for the week: breakfast sandwich, 2 slices of pizza, icecream two tacos, and a banana...way bad. This morning I felt terrible, as though I was not winning the battle to fight these germs. I woke up early today and prepared my meal plan of a spinach egg white wrap, tuna sandwich, salad, banana, kiwi, apple, three nutrition shakes and a green tea on the way to school. I don't feel great, but it's going to take at least 24 hours before I let go of half the toxins I put in yesterday. So wish me luck, I am still beating the odds of not getting sick from the pre schoolers germs!

To all, have a happy and healthy day, bundle up and if you eat bad, only allow yourself one day a week.

Your friend in health,

Sarah A. Servant

Sunshine Day..

Beautiful sun is shinning, however, I am not warm!

Today is beautiful outside, only you would not really know it unless you were standing in front of the fire place, peering out through the window at the perfect sunny sky. It's cold up here in New England! This weather we are subjected to is a reminder for me to dig out the freezing cold gear, hats, mittens, my big puffy jacket etc...

A friend of mine recently told me that her brother moved to "warm all the time" Arizona. That he called her simply to inform her that this year was going to be record cold weather for us in New England. Oh boy, just another reason to bust out the jump rope or jumping jacks after my morning shower. I believe that I look forward to nothing, when I wake up and hug the covers, hiding my face from that slight bitter spot of breezy coldness that fills the room. My husband is gentle enough to get the fire roaring for me in these cold times. I tend not to get into the shower until I know I can stand in front of the fire place to stay warm for at least 5 minutes. He sometimes provides me with a warm towel fresh from the dryer, although he wastes energy, I do appreciate his kindness.

The studio is open now. I haven't had to turn on the heat yet, however, this time may be coming. As soon as my clients walk in the door, they start working, and as a result they forget about the cold weather for a minute or 10. If you are stuck out in the cold somewhere this winter, with no way of getting warm, I suggest you do some jumping jacks or anything that you know will help your blood pump faster generating warmth. I wish you all well staying warm this winter solstice, and never forget to bundle up.

-Sarah A. Servant
CEO-Strength Training Concepts