PHYSICAL ACTIVITY with a PURPOSE: HOLLAND HUNDRED - Team Zambia

I've been learning a whole lot lately about bringing the kingdom of heaven to earth - and I believe God's on the move in our world to bring restoration and healing. I have the honor of being part of two organizations who've combined forces to bring that concept into reality. My church, en gedi, has partnered with the Macatawa Cycling Club's Holland Hundred event this year to raise money for clean water wells in Zambia, Africa.

For every $3,500 raised, we can dig a well that will service up to 2,000 individuals.

DID YOU KNOW...

* Life expectancy in Zambia, Africa has decreased from age 45 in 1996 to just over 30 today.

* One in four individuals in Zambia is HIV+

* Zambia has the highest number of orphans in the world with over half a million country-wide (more than double the population of Grand Rapids).

* Only 28% of people in Zambia have access to clean water.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Ride for Team Zambia in the 34th annual Holland Hundred Bicycle Tour, July 19! Anyone from expert to novice cyclists is invited to join others from en gedi church who will ride to increase awareness of the issues facing Zambia as well as raise funds for clean water wells. Riders will receive a free "Thirst" t-shirt and will help raise money for wells through gaining donations for each mile ridden or through flat donations.

BIKING TOUR INFO

* This is not a bike RACE - simply a ride/tour.

* Riders leave between 7 and 10am from the parking lot of Smallenburg Park (near Holland Municipal Stadium) at 379 Fairbanks Ave.

* Scenic highlights include rolling farmlands and orchards, the winery in Fennville, beautiful lakeshores, majestic overlooks and the quaint shops and restaurants of Saugatuck.

* Routes are 18, 36, 67 or 100 miles.

* Rest stops offer a variety of free nutritious snacks and drinks.

* Free pancake breakfast is provided at East Saugatuck rest stop.

* Helmets are required! Extra helmets, bikes and burleys are available - let me know of your need or if you have equipment to share.

INTERESTED?

Contact me today to pick up your Donation Form! I have packets filled with Zambia Clean Water Wells information as well as Appreciation Gifts, including coupons for discounts at a Zeeland diner and an awesome photography package with Steven F. Fox Photography .

As an encouragement to participate, Valeo / Personal Training will cover 1/2 the $25 registration fee when you sign up!

Encourage your family, friends, coworkers to donate $1 per mile (or more or less!) and be a part of opening the doors to new levels of hope - together we can help meet an incredible significant and basic need - clean water.

SUMMERTIME TASTES GOOD.

Salmon with Summer Tomato Salsa

40 Minutes to Prepare and Cook

Ingredients
4 (4 ounce) fillets salmon, skin removed

1 cup chopped fresh tomato

1/2 avocado, chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp olive oil

1/2 cup cooked corn kernels

1/4 cup minced red onion1

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

salt and pepper, to taste

1 lime, cut in wedges

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Combine all ingredients (except salmon fillets and lime) in small bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

3. Bake salmon for 15-20 minutes, or until cooked thoroughly. (or GRILL!)

4. Serve salmon surrounded by the salsa and lime wedges. Can serve salmon either hot or cool --

Serving cool salmon with salsa is a great summer recipe; just refrigerate until cool.

Makes (4) 4-oz fillets

Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 4
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 253.5
Total Fat: 9.9 g
Cholesterol: 75.9 mg
Sodium: 187.9 mg
Total Carbs: 11.2 g
Dietary Fiber: 3.0 g
Protein: 30.6 g

Shared from www.sparkpeople.com

RIDE OF THEIR LIVES - Lake Macatawa Triathlon

The Lake Macatawa Triathlon was another awesome event this year! We had warm temps, not-too-frigid waters and lots of cheering faces the entire morning. I was paired up with Haleigh (this was her 5th time doing the race!) :), Elizabeth was paired up with Paige and Tiff, Mike and Emma were paired with Logan.

The swim was a 1/2 mile in Lake Mac, starting at Dunton Park boat launch. We pulled the kids in an inflatable kayak, spending most of our time keeping the kids entertained and making sure their curiousity of the water didn't make them take an unexpected dip in. :)

After the swim, parents and volunteers moved the kids from the kayak to the Trek trailors, attached behind our bikes. With helmets strapped on, safety belts adjusted and snacks securely in place (Mike's only request was that Logan share his snacks on the ride) ;) we ventured off towards the rolling hills of Lakeshore Drive. Arguably the most grueling part of the race, the 22.8 mile course was a windy but strong and steady ride back to the transistion area to prepare for the run.

The 4.8 mile run took us through the neighborhood surrounding Dunton Park - our favorite parts were not only all the cheering fans encouraging us along the way but also the water hoses they sprayed at us with refreshing agua from Lake Michigan! Felt so good!

One of the neatest parts of the event for me was the end when I was able to take Haleigh out of her trailor and we ran hand-in-hand across the finish line. Elizabeth also was able to take Paige out and carry her across. It was definitely a photo-finish and the girls laughed and shrieked at the excitement surrounding us.

Thanks, Brian Stauffer, for another great event and all the hard work you put into it! We had a blast!

LAKE MACATAWA TRIATHLON - come 'n watch!

I'll be participating in the Lake Mac Triathlon on Saturday (June 7th) at Dunton Park. Brian Stauffer has once again headed up the RIDE OF THEIR LIVES event and we've got 7 people doing the Chariot Division - check out a fun picture video from my race from last year HERE!! :)

I'm bummed I won't be partnering with Kamrie again, but am excited to have another little special-needs girl who I'll be pulling in a kayak during the swim portion (1/2 mile), pulling in a nifty Trek trailor on the bike (22.8 miles) and pushing in the same trailor on the run (4.8 miles). My good friend, Elizabeth, will also be doing the whole race with me - I'm thankful to have her by my side!

Ultimate Fitness and Health is also sponsoring a Relay Team: "Ultimately For The Kids" - made up of my Roomie Tiffany (swim), Boyfriend Mike (bike) and Friend/Coworker Emma (run). They'll be with an adorable and vibrant lil' guy Logan - so fun!

The route begins at the Boat Launch and we'll be biking a turn-around route North --> South on Lakeshore Drive, then running through the neighborhood surrounding Dunton Park - the race begins at 7:30am with the swim in (chilly!) Lake Mac and I assume...ummm...HOPE I'll be finished at least by 10:30am-ish. :)

If you're in the area, feel free to stop by and check it out. I'd love to see you and will probably (ok...desperatly) need the encouragement and cheering faces!

I'm looking forward to a fun and beautiful morning - Look for an update with pictures on my Blog after the race! :)

GROCERY STORE TIPS

Going to the grocery store: It's something you do all the time - but do you ever think about revising your routine? Click on this link for a video from HealthiNation that highlights some important tips to remember when shopping for food - keep this information in mind next time you hit the store and you'll be sure to bring fulfilling, healthy and nutritious food into your fridge, freezer and cupboards.

Afterall, what goes into your home goes into your body - and it starts with what you fill your grocery cart with!

For those of you who consider yourself Meijer-ites, Healthy Living has never been easier! Meijer has done a fabulous job of noting healthy options in the store (olive green "Healthy Living" signs posted on the aisle walls) - and keep your eyes out for the recipe card stands surrounding the produce and meat sections. I've taken a few and have found them delicious and easy to make - great for real-world, healthy dinners. Click on this link to check out their website - extremely informative and helpful - on it you'll find healthy recipes, strategies, featured products and even weekly shopping lists. This is an excellent example of a store who cares about its consumers - and makes good choices obvious in their store.

For more in-depth Nutrition Information or for a Grocery Store Tour, contact me to set up a consult!

Happy Shopping!

SNEAKY SNEAKY!

Sedentary Job? Aim for 3 to 5 minutes of mental re-grouping or physical activity for every hour at work - and feel the difference!

Here are a few tips to sneak movement into your day. You'll not only feel more alert (for those afternoons when 3pm feels like 3am!), the increased blood flow will send more oxygen and other nutrients to your cells (including brain cells!), your nerves in the muscles will be activated and you'll just plain feel better. Who said exercise had to be structured, set-aside time?! Do double-duty and get a bit in at the office!

* Forget the boardroom, hold walking meetings.
* Hand-deliver mail, memos and faxes.
* Chat face-to-face instead of by e-mail or phone.
* Use a bathroom on the other side of the building or another floor.
* Have a lot of phone time? Buy a cordless and move around while talking.
* Jumping Jacks - simple, quick and pumps you up.
* Switch hands with whatever you're doing to activate your non-dominant side.
* Sit on a Stability Ball instead of a desk chair - all-day core activation!
* Push-Ups with your hands on your desk.
* Bodyweight squats when waiting for the copier to finish.
* Massage your head and shoulders. Find trigger points of tension in the shoulders and base of the skull. Hold pressure for 6-10 seconds. Don’t forget your face and jaw.
* Go to the staircase and walk or jog 2 or 3 up/down flights.
* Concentrate on your posture - chest up, shoulders back, neck relaxed. You'll open up your airways (bad posture alone can give your brain up to 30% less blood and oxygen).
* Do some stretches (back/front, side/side) and focus on your deep breathing (in through the nose, out through the mouth).

Any other tips you've done or think are good ideas? Leave a comment - inspire each other!

A FRESH APPROACH TO NUTRITION AND YOUR HEALTH

Do you ever feel like the world is bombarding you with the ‘latest and greatest’ diet or nutrition idea? Look in any magazine, newspaper, TV commercial, or listen to any given conversation between two people (especially women!) talking about eating – what feelings and words are you left with?

Guilt. Control. Out of Control. Portion Control. Eliminate. Bad Foods. Carbs. Calories. Fat. Restrictions….the negativity and obsession goes on. No wonder we give up.

Jill Tanis, Certified Holistic Health Counselor is out to change that! I got a chance to attend (along with some of you!) her Nutrition Class on Tuesday night, held at Harbor Health and Massage. Her talk was filled with fresh, revolutionary ideas for the way we think…and therefore, the way we eat. Below are her take-home points, sure to leave you changed. Thanks for the wisdom and inspiration, Jill!

1. Pay attention – be aware! Stop looking outside yourself for answers. As Jill says, “Your body is brilliant!” Aches, pains, cravings – these are all your body’s signals to get your attention. Listen! Ask yourself good questions – When do you eat? Where do you eat? How do you eat? Be open to the signals your body is giving you. You will gain confidence and be more in touch with yourself. This begins the process of trusting yourself around food, no longer living in fear of getting out of control.

2. Get to Know Yourself – we are all individuals. Respect where you are and where you have come from – and know what works for others may not work for you! Everything from our gender, our jobs, which climate we live in - all affect the nutrition you need and what is considered “good” for you.

3. Crowd It Out – this is my favorite point. Instead of restriction, think ABUNDANCE! Don’t focus on what you can’t have – think of all you can have! Instead of taking things out of your diet, add stuff in – and have fun with it! Keep adding one or two new things at a time and your body will naturally crowd out the foods it does not need. Start with more water…maybe add a veggie to lunch, then a protein to breakfast…This works!

4. Primary vs. Secondary Food – no, she’s not talking about Carbs or Protein or Fat or Macro vs. Micro Nutrients.

Secondary Foods = food that comes on your plate.
Primary Foods = non-food things that feed you on a deeper level. How are your relationships with significant others, family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, yourself – feeding you? Are you being nourished with the things that fill you up from the inside-out – a hug, hot bath, walk in nature, an enjoyable bout of exercise, time spent with others or in solitude…what sustains you and gives you the feeling of more? It is the void or unbalance of these Primary Foods that leads us to fill ourselves with Secondary Foods.

Bottom line? Fill yourself up on Primary Foods – let this be your focus – and you may just find yourself naturally choosing more whole-food, healthy nutrition to nourish your body. Don’t beat yourself up! As Jill reminds us, a defeatist attitude will get you nowhere! Those who succeed in getting where they want to be are those who celebrate themselves and the positive steps they are taking towards health.

**For more information or to set up an Initial Consult to further discuss how to nourish yourself healthfully, check out: http://www.jilltanis.com/