Gerry Brooks Has Some Very Relatable Workout Advice

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Gyms are reopening, and even though there are restrictions, it is like post-Christmas, into-the-New-Year-goal-setting, fit-getting time all over again. If you had made gains on the original New Year's health goals, there's a good chance Coronavirus has some kind of impact on that. Even for me, yes me, the die-hard college athlete. I didn't have a gym to go to either. My new squat max I had hit the week before leaving campus? Lol I'm back way down at least 20 pounds. Eating changed a lot, too. Shopping is harder, home meals differ from dining hall meals, and for some people, there are just not exercise or food options or motivation during lockdowns and closures. 

Things are changing. 

School was a mess for everyone everywhere, but never fear, Gerry Brooks is still here shining his common sense, humor, and wisdom over the web like usual.

This video I watched last week was not about school, but it was oh, so relatable to anyone who hits the gym. I highly suggest giving it a watch, but here's my recap on it:

You could be all trendy and fix your oatmeal in a jar to stick in the fridge to grab and go the next morning, but I am all about the oatmeal cookies. Cream cheese icing? There's your dairy, too.

And bernaners. The ultimate athlete food. Or a "bernaner split", that's how I do it, too, every night. "That gives you energy and a sweet treat." MY MOTTO



As for clothing, "I can't afford the Lululemons and the Fabletics, so I usually just wear a university shirt." SAME. Shoot, I couldn't even pronounce Lululemon until my professor (a man) told me how this semester. And Go Mocs.



Oh, and it might have a peanut butter stain on it, but that's okay because it's healthy peanut butter.
--Yeah, I'm kinda messy and have stains on my clothes, too...but they have good stories?



All these athletes are putting tape on, but it's very expensive (yeah, I had an injury this winter, and they couldn't give me tape to help me because it was too expensive. College athletics...it's not all people tend to hype it up to be; we struggle, too.) so you can use painter's tape so you look like you know what you're doing.
--I will admit my aunt and I wrapped my legs in tape when I was maybe five. But that was to try to rip all my hair off, but funny story anyways.

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We see two types of coaches: the ones that feel bad for clients so they don't want to push them too hard, and the others who are trying to get them to lose weight. Both can be annoying so to get them off your case, carry around a tube of M&Ms, and when they come near you, shake it and fake a puff and breath deeply like "I can't talk," and they leave. Then again with the sweet treat!
--So, I'm going to be a personal trainer/coach soon, but I'm going to do my best not to be annoying! But I do have an inhaler, and it does work to not talk after you take a puff! You have to let it settle for a minute. Somehow people always try to talk to me at this time...same with Mom and my mouthwash. Some nodding and "mmhhm"s suffice.



To wrap up our hitting the gym message from GB, make sure you're eating something healthy, wearing something appropriate, and have something to get them coaches away!
(I'll make that last part more like do whatcha gotta do to get yourself through! The greatest wealth is health. Don't neglect that.)

Life-Giving Energy

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I started out this day drained even though there were good things ahead. I had a lot to do before a wedding, grocery shopping, and work, but I ended up having a lot more time than I expected, so I took a devotion that I had gotten in an email out on the back deck. It was such a beautiful day that really helped set my mind and heart on a better track. God's Word has an amazing way of doing that.

I get the emails and follow on social media The Daniel Plan, because it is just so encouraging to living a healthy life for the glory of the Lord. This week's email was titled "Life Giving Energy" and that devotion was just what I needed! I have also been wanting to get my own health habits better, especially now that school is out, it's summer, and I'll be going away for school again next year, and running collegiality! I've always gone up and down with my health with a huge issue this time last year, so right now is a perfect time for God to really help me get it together. It's one of those inner motivations that you know can't come from anywhere else!

The opening verse was Genesis 1:29, "God said to them, 'I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of the earth and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food." Since the very beginning of time, God created the world for us to live in and live off of. He gives us all that we need. You think nature is good now? Imagine when it was perfect, and we were in perfect peace with it and God. Because of our own sins, trying to take things into our own hands (life and food), we are never fully satisfied, and our relationship with God isn't perfect (but that's why we get grace). To enjoy nature is to enjoy the simplest form of God's blessings.

This is why when you eat healthy, real food, you start to crave it more and more. It's satisfying. You feel good and good about it. Same with God. The more time you spend with Him, the more you want to and the more you learn. Just like with sin or any bad habit, with food, you have to take out the bad and replace it with good. You can't just get rid of something. It's always a struggle, but struggle is necessary to change, and it's necessary to grow closer to God. If everything was easy, we wouldn't need Him.

Change is a big fear of mine, and I have so many little habits. I like routine and comfort. But to better myself physically and mentally, I have to try new things. To be of better use to God, I have to go outside of my comfort zone, go new places, do new things, talk to new people, do things that I don't really want to but know that He is telling me to. One of the best things to keep me going is to remember that God has been faithful to give me success, safety, and joy in the past, and He will surely do it again.

I also have a hard time doing things just for me; I always want others to benefit too, so if I was going to do something to help myself just for me, I would usually put it off. To counter this, I remember that God knows our hearts and rewards accordingly. I need to take care of myself in order to take care of others. He wants me to be my best so that He can use me more and more.

"How abundant are the good things that You have stored up for those who fear You!" Psalm 31:19
He always provides! We don't have to worry. As long as we put in the effort to follow God's plans, He will fill in the blanks (or change things when we mess up because He's in charge anyways).

So now I am even more motivated to get and keep myself healthier! For myself, for God, for my family, for Chattanooga, to be a positive influence on all those that see me. I can't pour from an empty cup.
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So about this day ahead that I mentioned earlier! Turns out it could've been way different, but work is disorganized, so I never totally know until it happens.
I went to a friend's wedding at 2, and it was so great! I don't know how I am going to make it through my own wedding. The past few I've been to I almost cry thinking of walking down the isle with my dad. He has my heart already. I didn't get to go to the reception later that day, but I ran in the store real quick, grabbed something to eat at home, and went right back out the door to work. It was supposed to be at Mayo Garden Center in Knoxville. Long story short, the schedule got changed, no one told me, I was totally unprepared to take everything down there by myself, a relatively new employee was by herself in the shop on a hot Saturday night...you see many things wrong here?? So I stayed and worked the night shift with her. That was another little way God was at work. I got to help someone out, and we had a great time. That's one of the best things about my job; I get to connect with people.

Finally, there were some holidays today! National dog mom's day and national babysitter's day, and I am both! Two more things that give me joy, those kiddos and my doggo.

Thank God Almighty, We're Free at Last!

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During the last week of school, Morristown lost a great young man.  His name was Matt Seals.  He was adopted and had struggled with serious health problems all his life, but until it really got bad, you would never have known by just meeting him; he was such a trooper!  Matt had a great attitude and was so kind and sweet, always smiling.  I'd never known anyone to have anything bad to say about him.  Above are pictures from middle school when he ran cross country for East Ridge.  He also played many other sports when he was younger until his eyesight got too weak.  He was a great athlete, too!  In the bottom picture is us with our top 3 plaques at the conference meet.  Middle school was when we got to know each other quite well, texting almost daily and having great fun.  In high school, his health started to deteriorate quickly, and they moved him from East to West, and eventually, he was put on homebound.  Everyone's hearts were broken to hear the news of his passing.  Before his burial service, we held a Trojan Train of students from both high schools, leaving school at 1:30 to go to the graveside service to show our love and support.  Sadly, not everyone who personally knew him got to attend, but some who didn't even know him did.  I thought that it would be great to start off this post dedicated to someone who I truly respect and believe that his spirit will encourage people for a long time!  It is calming to know that Matt is no longer suffering, but is joyfully worshipping The Lord in heaven!

This is the summer life I have grown up with every year!  A couple visit at times, and one has been added to our group (Magan's husband Austin), but the core of this "family" has been together since before the kids came along.  Magan is behind the camera in this photo, and Austin is in the back center.  Her brother Preston, who is two years out of high school now, is in front with the hat.  He treats me like a sister, and I am so thankful to have him here for me!  Jack and Jody, their mom and dad are the two sitting one on the other's lap.  My mom is next to them and Patty next to her.  Erika is Patty's daughter, to the right of her.  Will is the one behind Erika, who is her new man for now.  I approve of him so far!  My Dad is in the bright trunks on the left side.  Patty and Jody are sisters, so this family sticks together all the time, and we have always been included.  My Dad and Patty were great friends most of their lives.

The going got windy for sure during that last bit til school was out!  Knowing that the end was near was what kept me going.

I thought this was really cute, short, and sweet.  With God, we can make it through anything and everything!

I love summer because I get to pleasure read!  Unfortunately, I have to do summer reading for school, too, but it doesn't take up my entire summer.  I had started Catching Fire on Christmas break (or maybe before even?) and finally got to where I could continue!  I hadn't gotten far yet, but boy was it intense!  I'm not much into fiction books, but this trilogy has kept me on my toes so far! 

How often do you see an entire house picked up and moved?

Mom had to run by her office at school to pick up some things that were left for her, and while I waited in the car, someone else pulled in.  Apparently they were too lazy to walk across the parking lot and had to park two feet away from the door.

I made muffins!  These actually started out as the Martha White made with whole grain blueberry muffin mix, but I added some bananas and oatmeal, too.  They came out so much better!  Super moist and satisfying as well!  In these fancy, no mess muffin cups, I also thought that they looked too cute.

I just love this picture!  Frisco is such a loving dog, always wanting attention.  Even though he smells bad, Mom actually loves on him sometimes, like this day when she let him jump up halfway on her lap.  To be as wild as he is, he's actually very photogenic!

I was reading a story one night in one of the many magazines I get (not sure if it was World Vision or Decision) about the conflicts between the Hutu and Tutsis of Rwanda.  We had learned a lot about these ethnic battles in one of the best classes I have taken, AP Human Geography.  The teacher, Coach Morgan, is one of the best teachers I've ever had, too!  He knew his stuff and was always willing to help us and go into great detail to tell us what we needed to know and help us understand.

I just have to share the joys of cool whip (at least in a picture).  Whenever I plop some out to have with a dessert, I think of the little girl in Despicable Me who says about her stuffed animal, "It's so fluffy I'm gonna die!"  That's how I feel about cool whip.

Poor Frisco freaks out whenever he gets in a car because he thinks he's going to the vet.  In this case, he was correct.  He pants up a storm back there.

He also freaks out so much that he refuses to walk to or from any doors or vehicles, so I have to pick him up and carry him back and forth.  This is not an easy task!  Yes, I'm strong, but he's not a lightweight pooch!

I love fresh fruits and vegetables, but my neighbor is no longer having a garden at his mom's house where they always gave me tons of fresh things all summer.  I decided to plant some seeds out of some plants that I had gotten from the store (apricot, apple, cucumber), but by now, almost a month later, nothing has happened, and I believe that was a failure.  At least I tried!

I had to take a selfie because I really loved my bun and my outfit.  I was on my no-running time after state track for 10 days, so I went to the Jeff City Community Center for a long swim and then time on the cross ramp.  While I was on that, I worked on my summer reading on one of the books,

Ethan Frome, that I found for free on iBooks on my iPod touch.

This photo was in a Tennessee Magazine my mom got in the mail that she showed me as she was flipping through.  I love pumpkins and squash, so I totally need this in my backyard!

Pumpkin Spice Cream of Wheat

Ever heard of Cream of Wheat?  Many think that this is an old people, yucky food.  I disagree!  I love the creaminess and unlimited flavors you can create!  I make it often for breakfast, lunch, snacks, and even a side with dinner.

 

This one I made for a pre-church breakfast Sunday morning.  I use the whole wheat version that doesn't come with flavor already mixed in, so I can mix my own.  The liquid I use is Silk Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk, because it gives things like oatmeal and cream of wheat a slightly sweeter flavor while adding just the right amount of creaminess.  I added some canned pumpkin, vanilla extract, pie spice, nutmeg, ginger, and cinnamon, topping it off with some pumpkin seeds!

 

I try to find any creative way to use pumpkin that I can, especially during the fall and winter seasons!  It also has many health benefits!