12 Week Weight Loss Clinic Testimonial

The following is a testimonial from a participant in my 12 Week Weight Loss Clinic at Center Stage Cheer and Dance in Knoxville during the spring session in 2013 who lost 22 pounds during the program. Thank you Carolyn for your kind words.

My favorite quote from the survey I gave to Carolyn.

"I feel better than I have in a very long time. On all levels (physically, mentally, emotionally.)"

Exercise

"Jillian emphasized the importance of movement and weights for a lifestyle change. I felt guilty at first to take time to walk or work out. But the more I did, the better I felt. Activity fit very well into my routine once I allowed it to."

Diet

"Before this program, I would grab something very quickly to get through a couple of days. Although I “thought” I was making good food choices, I wasn’t. With Jillian’s coaching, I learned to read the label and ask myself how this food would affect my body."

Price 

"For me, $20.00 a week was a sacrifice. But it was worth it. I made a commitment to myself to make sure this happened. No regrets."

What techniques were especially helpful?

"Jillian’s coaching style. She is very knowledgeable. She teaches on our level."


What information did you learn that was most helpful?

"Portion sizes, need for protein, fiber and carbs. Importance of building muscle. The benefits of detoxing. Making a habit of thinking about what I was eating. Asking myself if the food was good for me is now a normal thing. The thought automatically pops in my head."

Would you recommend this program to a friend?

"Yes!"

Was Jillian easy to work with?

"Yes, very much so."

Was Jillian available for questions or comments after hours?

"Yes."

Results

"I am satisfied with the results. I lost 22 pounds in 12 weeks. I feel better than I have in a really long time. On all levels (physically, mentally, emotionally.) I also learned that I was worth taking care of myself. I always felt guilty of spending time and money on myself. I did not feel I was worth the effort. Before the program, if a parking space was available at a store, church or anywhere, I would not park in it. I felt I did not deserve such convenience. Now I park there if I choose. I find myself choosing to park farther away for the enjoyment of the walk. I think I will be able to maintain my weight loss."

Were your results realistic?

"Yes. I am losing a safe amount weekly. I realize losing 1 to 2 pounds a week is the best way to keep losing and maintain my weight loss. Due to a compromised immune system, I was unable to lose more than 5 pounds before this program. Then, I would quickly gain it back. This program has taught me so much. I am so glad I joined and stayed with it. I will miss seeing Jillian weekly."

Supersize Me Not

This post will give you some helpful tips on how to control your food portion sizes and inform you of healthy recommendations of portions.

First, let's address the elephant on the plate. In the last few decades, restaraunts have taken it upon themselves to increase our portion sizes sometimes doubling and tripling the caloric value. Even our drink containers and food packaging normally hold 2 or more of the recommended serving size. Living in such a fast paced society, convenience is of high importance to many. Here are some quick and easy to follow tips to help combat oversized portions.

When Eating Out:

Order the lunch version vs dinner as lunch portions are normally smaller

Split your meal with a friend

Request a to-go box and put half of your meal in it before you start eating

Order the small instead of the large

Order a single patty on a burger instead of double or triple

When Eating In:

Put snacks in a separate container or bowl to avoid overeating

Buy snacks in premeasured portions

Make a conscious effort to half your normal serving of condiments

Tips to Try Daily:

Increase intake of low calorie, high fiber fruits and vegetables

Increase water intake

Eat healthy snacks like dried fruit and nuts in between meals
Store excess food out of sight to discourage eating out of boredom



Suggested Portion Sizes:

CDC Healthy Eating Portion Size

Back to the Blog

I apologize to you all for my sabbatical from writing in this blog. I am hoping to get on a regular schedule of posting information that I am practicing and teaching to others. I will be beginning 12 Week Weight Loss Clinics in my area of East Tennessee in January. Some have asked me to do an online version of this program. If you are interested or if you have any topic suggestions or questions you would like to ask, please comment on here, e-mail at jillian.moss@facebok.com, or send me a personal message on facebook. I underestimated my reach and am pleasantly surprised at the number of visits I've had to this page. Thank you all for your interest and support!

Mealtime Prayer

Countless times in childhood, we prayed over meals 'that they may go to the nourishment of our bodies.' Can you imagine God as he then watched us devour a pack of processed hot dogs, irresponsibly sweetened 'treats', milk dairies that our bodies struggle to digest, and other artificially flavored, colored and preserved foods, among an endless list of unnatural 'edibles'? I believe I have been foolish with how I treat my 'temple of God'. Instead of living my way, praying and expecting, I should have been seeking wholesome foods that have already received and accepted the command to nourish human flesh. Only then would my body, mind, and spirit be able to flourish. For years, I ignorantly questioned why my health was so poor without dedicating any energy to investigate how my food consumption affected my health, despite the direct correlation one has to the other. It has taken me 24 years to begin understanding this concept. I have taken responsibility for my poor decisions and know that I cannot undo any of those meals.

Steps I am taking to show that I am serious about making a change are:
educating myself about wholesome, healthy foods and foods that are difficult or impossible to digest and are nutrient poor; recording eating habits to enlighten myself to any poor choices; applying what I've learned to my current and future food choices, educating others about what the food they choose is doing to their bodies; detoxifying my body of previously consumed toxic food and drinks; rehabilitating my body from the damage those toxic foods have done; investing in a home garden so that I can eat food I am confident is healthy and unprocessed.

As I continue on this journey to health, I am only further compelled to help others. It is not my position to judge you for your food or lifestyle choices, but I would like to enlighten you to the effects and consequences of said choices so that you may be able to make better decisions just as I have chosen. Also, I want to make your journey as easy as possible by making my realizations and research available. As always, consult a trusted physician who has similar goals for your health about diet changes.

Below is a link to Bible verses you can use to shape an informed opinion on what you should be consuming.
http://www.openbible.info/topics/food

Why am I?

Are you fulfilling your purpose in life? Do you even feel like you have purpose? I guarantee there is a reason you are in this world. If you have been consuming and surrounding yourself with unnatural things, you may feel disconnected from life, yourself, your family and friends. I know that I got to a point where I felt uncomfortable even being around the ones who love me most. I missed how easily a smile would come to my face in the past. I forgot how joyful life could be.

My new lifestyle has allowed me to be an openhearted, selfless person. Have the stresses of life vanished? NO! I have simply equipped myself with tools that allow me to cope with everyday life. I am still paying the same bills every month, facing the same mountain of student loan debt and surrounding myself with mostly the same folks I was before my change for the better. The difference is that now I can take deep breaths and feel secure that I will always have just what I need. I can also look past the cynical critics and those with evil intentions to see the hurt, disturbed child within them. Instead of being annoyed or disgusted with the words and actions of others, I am compelled to help them let go of their ill feelings toward me, others, and themselves so that they can experience true happiness as well.

So how does all of this help you? My hope is that you will draw strength from my positive energy and strive to inspire those around you to begin harboring positivity. A major part of becoming a happier you is changing what you feed your mind, body and soul. Picture a cuddly teddy bear. Its purpose is to be lovable and provide a sense of security and entertainment. If the teddy bear is filled with gravel and broken glass, it would no longer be huggable or safe. Over time, the bear's appearance will also begin to wear from the inside out showing evidence of being filled with something bad. However, if the same bear is filled with soft cotton, as intended, it will be able to serve its purpose and only need worry about natural wear.

In the same regard, if we fill our bodies with unnatural food that does not provide nourishment and inhibits natural functions, we cannot function properly, will fall vulnerable to disease, and will feel more intense pain emotionally and physically from the inflammation of our nerves. If we fill our minds with negative thoughts and selfish desires, we cannot support or care for ourselves, family or friends. If our soul is filled with anger and harboring past scorn, we will not be whole and will continue down a path of sorrow and pain.

Open your hearts and minds to this message and examine your life today. If you are not joyful and satisfied, you can be. You just have to allow yourself. If you don't know your purpose, start with taking care of yourself and feeding yourself only what it can use in a constructive, positive manner. Only then will you be able to see your true purpose in life no matter how big or small it may seem.

"It is never too late to be what we might have been." ~ George Eliot

Twice Baked Sweet Potato Recipe

There are many health benefits from sweet potatoes. I personally consider it a 'super food' due to its abundance of vitamins, especially vitamin A. At the end of this blog, I've included a link with nutritional facts about sweet potatoes. My favorite benefit from sweet potatoes are their anti-inflammatory effect. Sweet potatoes will help you ditch the ibuprofen, tylenol, aleve and other pain relievers, as well as their side effects.

Ingredients:

Sweet potato

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

Sea salt

Coconut Milk or almond milk

Honey

Cinnamon

Prep time~5-10 minutes

Cook time-1 hour 15 minutes

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Cover baking sheet with enough aluminum foil for potato.

3. Apply thin layer of EVOO and sprinkle with sea salt to flavor potato skin.

4. Pierce potato with fork making a dotted line lengthwise to allow consistent heating.

5. Bake for 1 hour.

6. Remove potato from oven and reduce oven heat to 375 degrees.

*CAUTION* Potato will be hot. Allow to cool if you cannot handle with care to avoid burns.

7. Cut potato in half lengthwise and scoop out contents into mixing bowl.

8. Add milk, spoonful of honey, cinnamon, and a dash of sea salt to taste. (Since potatoes vary in size, it is difficult to give exact measurements. You will want a smooth, not runny consistency.

9. Spoon mixture back into skins.

10. Cook additional 15 minutes.

11. Allow to cool and enjoy!

Feel free to leave comments and suggestions about your variations on this recipe.

Sweet Potato Health Benefits

Self Reality Check

Self Awareness is the first step to change. Reality checks can benefit everyone. Some people are lucky enough to have people they love take time to help them. If you haven't had that opportunity or if you did and ignored it, take a moment to answer these questions. I suggest writing the answers down physically on paper so you can focus on their substance.

Am I happy with my actions over the past week? Why or why not? How have I been treating my loved ones? How should I be treating them? Who am I making a priority in my life? How does that hurt me? How does that benefit me? Am I neglecting anyone in my life who needs me? Am I neglecting responsibilities I need to take care of? In the last week what did I spend my time doing? How did these things impact my life? What did I eat this past week? How did that hurt my body? How did that benefit my body? Where is my life heading if I continue as I have been? Do I respect myself? Would strangers meeting me for the first time think I treat myself with respect. Do I ever act in a way that is embarrassing? What kind of attention am I getting from strangers? Do I like this attention? Why or why not?

Finish this sentence: I wish I knew how to ____ less and ____ more.

Stop ignoring your feelings that something is wrong. Addressing these issues is the only way to fix them. Talk with someone you can trust to have your best interest in mind and brainstorm ways to make better decisions in your life. I'm always open to talk and help.