Wanna Know How I'm Feeling? I'll Tell You How I'm Feeling!

Well...I'm supposed to let it all out. So, here goes!!! I FEEL......................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... GRRREEEAAATTTT!! The picture above describes how I feel quite perfectly. Actually, I'm naturally a happy person. So, if anything, eating healthier has made me happier. I feel more energized and lighter on my feet. ( I have lost several pounds so I guess I'm suppose to feel lighter on my feet, right? :-) ) I can definitely feel it emotionally and physically when I've eaten something that I shouldn't have. Thankfully I am doing that less and less! A lot of my family members have started the journey toward being healthier this year which is a huge motivation for me. The other motivation is reminding myself that I am responsible for my temple...the place where God dwells. I only get one body so I must honor it and God by being healthy!

And no, I'm not tired of Genghis yet. At this point, 43 days into it, I don't think I'll get tired of it. It's actually a relief for me to have one meal that I don't have to plan every day. So, when the contest is over I am likely going to miss going to Genghis everyday. My husband says it's like a little escape for me. Lol. I guess he's right. For the last 60 days I've been obligated to get away from the busyness of life for at least 45 min., eat healthy, and relax. It's been nice! 

My sponsors Premier Fitness and Clay's Fencing have been totally awesome in showing their support throughout the contest. I definitely couldn't have done it without them! 

So, everyone whose thinking about taking that first step towards getting healthy, I want to encourage you to do it. It is worth it! I mean, honestly, what do you have to lose? Nothing! But you have everything to gain. Don't do it for vanity but do it to be healthy! You'll be sooooo glad that you did! Much Love! xoxo

Music that motivates me to move!

I know everyone...or almost everyone...who works out usually has a playlist of songs that get them hype an motivated to move! I'm usually doing cardio during this playlist. Here's my list:

Playlist Title: INON (It's Now or Never)

About the Kingdom, by Canton Jones

Beatiful, by Canton Jones

Chasing After You, Vashawn Mitchell

G.O.D. Remix, by Canton Jones

He Turned It, Tye Tribbett

Holy Ghost Girl, by Canton Jones

I Hate U, by Mali Music

If He Did It Before, by Tye Tribbett

In Da Club, by Canton Jones

Lord You're Mighty, by Youthful Praise

Necessary Remix, Canton Jones

Praise Break, by Derrick Wright & Driven

Praise Break, by Norman Hutchins

Praise Break, by Gerald Scott & Co.

Praise Break (Live), by Chad Stevenson

Press in Your Presense, Shana Wilson

Take It Back, by Dorinda Clark

That Devil, by Canton Jones

When I Ride, Canton Jones

5 Seconds, Canton Jones

As you can see I like Canton Jones! If you like Christian music (I wish everyone did) I totally suggest trying Gospel or Gospel Rap when you work out...especially Canton Jones. It works! The Praise Breaks are awesome too!! They take me to church while I'm working out. :-)). 

Thanks again to Genghis Grill for this awesome Health Kwest and thank you for following me! For more info about Genghis Grill you can go to www.genghisgrill.com.

Also, thanks to my sponsors Premier Fitness and Clay's Fencing!

Forget the blue... Go for the Red...Diamond tea that is!

Huge shout out to Red Diamond tea for supporting the 2014 Genghis Grill Health Kwest! Check out their website: www.reddiamond.com.

Did you know tea actually has health benefits? 

Health Benefits of Tea: Green, Black, and White Tea

Tea is a name given to a lot of brews, but purists consider only green tea, black tea, white tea, oolong tea, and pu-erh tea the real thing. They are all derived from theCamellia sinensis plant, a shrub native to China and India, and contain unique antioxidants called flavonoids. The most potent of these, known as ECGC, may help against free radicals that can contribute to cancer, heart disease, and clogged arteries.

All these teas also have caffeine and theanine, which affect the brain and seem to heighten mental alertness.

The more processed the tea leaves, usually the less polyphenol content. Polyphenols include flavonoids. Oolong and black teas are oxidized or fermented, so they have lower concentrations of polyphenols than green tea; but their antioxidizing power is still high.

Here's what some studies have found about the potential health benefits of tea:

• Green tea: Made with steamed tea leaves, it has a high concentration of EGCG and has been widely studied. Green tea’s antioxidants may interfere with the growth of bladder, breast, lung, stomach, pancreatic, and colorectal cancers; prevent clogging of the arteries, burn fat, counteract oxidative stress on the brain, reduce risk of neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, reduce risk of stroke, and improve cholesterol levels.
• Black tea: Made with fermented tea leaves, black tea has the highest caffeine content and forms the basis for flavored teas like chai, along with some instant teas. Studies have shown that black tea may protect lungs from damage caused by exposure to cigarette smoke. It also may reduce the risk of stroke.
• White tea: Uncured and unfermented. One study showed that white tea has the most potent anticancer properties compared to more processed teas.
• Oolong tea: In an animal study, those given antioxidants from oolong tea were found to have lower bad cholesterol levels. One variety of oolong, Wuyi, is heavily marketed as a weight loss supplement, but science hasn’t backed the claims.
• Pu-erh tea: Made from fermented and aged leaves. Considered a black tea, its leaves are pressed into cakes. One animal study showed that animals given pu-erh had less weight gain and reduced LDL cholesterol.

Information retrieved from: http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/tea-types-and-their-health-benefits

 

Whole grains help you become whole and healthy

So, I'll be honest and admit that brown rice doesn't taste as good as white rice, but it is definitely better for you. 

THE MAIN BENEFITS OF WHOLE GRAINS

The benefits of whole grains most documented by repeated studies include:

• stroke risk reduced 30-36%
• type 2 diabetes risk reduced 21-30%
• heart disease risk reduced 25-28%
• better weight maintenance

Other benefits indicated by recent studies include:

• reduced risk of asthma
• healthier carotid arteries
• reduction of inflammatory disease risk
• lower risk of colorectal cancer
• healthier blood pressure levels
• less gum disease and tooth loss

This information was attained from: http://wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/what-are-the-health-benefits

Stress? What's that?

Maybe it's just a little too early in the competition but this contest hasn't really been that stressful for me. The reason could be because I'm just taking the Kwest one day at a time (except for tasks that require a little extra planning). I'm thankful to God for the peace and calmness that God allows me to have everyday regarding life in general including this khantest. 

If I ever feel a little anxious about the contest I just remind myself of the real reason why I'm doing the contest...to get healthy and live out God's complete purpose for my life. It's not about the money but it's about the mission! It's Now or Never...and I choose NOW! #INON

3 Things I Hope to Attain from the Health Kwest

I know their will be more then 3 things that I gain from this contest but the three things I hope to definitely gain are:

1.) My first goal is to have permanent, healthy eating habits. Eating out everyday and doing it successfully has shown me that you can eat out and still eat healthy. It has also shown me that there are things I can do at home to eat healthier and simplier. I've learned that simplier that it healthier a lot of times. I started making changes to my diet before the contest but I know that the contest will help solidify those habits. Atleast that's my hope.

2.) My second goal is for decreased chances of prominent diseases in my family such as diabetes, heart disease, and hyper tension. Many of my family members have at least one of the three mentioned diseases as many of them are over weight. Although looking great is a awesome, feeling great and being healthy is really my focus. I want to live a full life without the fear of developing these disease. For most people losing weight helps decrease the chances of getting these diseases so I'm hoping that is the case for me as well.

3.) My third goal is increased self-confidence. I don't have low self confidence but I will be nice to look in a mirror and be fully proud of the work that God has allowed me to put in and the results. 

Above is a picture of me at my largest weight and I pray to never be their ever again!! And Genghis Grill has made that even more possible. #genghisgrill #healthkwest #INON

I Have A Dream...Remixed

Well, it's day 11 and I'm excited to say I'm 8.2 pounds down since our official weigh-in and 12.7 pounds down since I started my weight-loss journey a few weeks before the contest started. I am so excited to see those numbers and know that I'm getting healthier and healthier by the day. So, before I head to spin class I want to share with you my "I Have A Dream...Remix" speech which is our social media task for today. 

DISCLAIMER: This speech has obviously been altered from Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech and is in no way meant to be disrespectful to him or what he stood for. Everything in RED is what I changed.

I Have a Dream Remix

By: Chantel Millin

Let us not wallow in the valley of obesity, I say to you today, my friends.

And so even though we face the difficulties of what to eat and when to work out today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the Khantestants dream.

I have a dream that one day my muscles will rise up and live out the true meaning of their creed: "To take up more of my body then fat does!"

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of a central location, the sons and daughters of the 4^th Annual Genghis Grill Health Kwest will sit down together and celebrate health living!

I have a dream that one day even the Genghis Grill in Tyler, a restaurant sweltering with the heat of the grill (if you’re too close), sweltering with the heat of the Asian Chili sauce, will be transformed into an oasis of people wanting to get healthy.

I have a dream that my school loans will one day decrease because of the Genghis Grill Health Kwest prize money and I will get closer to becoming an Officer with The Salvation Army…an organization that preaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ and meets the human need without discrimination.

I have a dream today!

With this faith, I will be able to hew out of the mountain of weakness a stone of willpower. With this faith, I will be able to transform the jiggling fat of my belly into a beautiful symphony of defined muscle. With this faith, we will be able to workout together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to Genghis Grill together, to stand up for HEALTHY together, knowing that we will be HEALTHY forever.

And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning:

My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.

Land where my fat will die, land of the Premier Fitness pride,

From every mountainside, let HEAL-THY ring!

And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.

And so let HEALTHY ring from the prodigious hilltops of Tyler, TX.

Let HEAL-THY ring from the mighty mountains of New York.

Let HEAL-THY ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.

Let HEAL-THY ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.

Let HEAL-THY ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.

But not only that:

Let HEAL-THY ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.

Let HEAL-THY ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.

Let HEAL-THY ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.

From every mountainside, let HEAL-THY ring.

And when this happens, and when we allow HEALTHY to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, big people and small people, tall or short, young or old, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the new Ghenghis Grill Health Kwest anthem:

                HEALTHY at last! HEALTHY at last!

                Thank God Almighty, we are HEALTHY at last!

5 Things I Looove About Genghis Grill

5 Things I Love About Genghis Grill

1.) Everything is fresh. Meat and veggies are fresh and packed with preservatives!
2.) Awesome wait staff. The waitstaff and cooks are Soooo awesome! It's like a family! A fun one! And   

sweet as you can see by the tulip I received when I walked in today.
3.) Enough options for a very broad audience. Even picky eaters can eat at Genghis Grill because their 

are so many options.
4.) Complete control over how your food taste, salt content, spiciness, etc. you can never complain 

about your bowl...because you made it! I love that! I feel like a real chef when I go to Genghis!
5.) For those who have no clue where to start, they can use the recipe cards. If you're anything like me, I don't always know which ingredients go well together. But Genghis anticipated people like me...so 

they made awesome recipe cards. Of course, after 60 days zi should be able to freestyle my bowl! 

BONUS: It's just out right fun! 
 

Today was day 2 and I must say it has been a pretty awesome day! Premier Fitness agreed to sponsor me with a 3 month membership to their gym. The gym is awesome! It's open 24/7, tons of classes, sauna, great equipment, very clean, and the staff is super nice. It is also a faith-based gym which makes me really happy! A few of my co-workers joined me at Genghis today which was awesome. Of course, they are all camera shy so I didn't get a picture but it was still fun! I meet more of the crew at GG and I must say, they are super nice and seemed to be excited about the Khantest. The Salvation Army's Chili Bowl is tonight so I will be working late. Good thing the gym is 24/7. Also, Racquet and Jog, a local fitness store, agreed to give me a sizeable discount on running shoes so I am looking forward to going to get those tomorrow! And a free shirt...and anyone whose from Tyler knows those shirts are kind of a big deal! :-) Anyway, off to work I go. Until next time... #genghisgrill #healthkwest #INON

Health Kwest: Day 1!

Day 1! I had my first meal of the 60 day challenge today. It was 593 calories which is pretty good. The managers and waitstaff were cool. I also restarted Insanity today so I'm really excited to finish that program and get my Insanity shirt. I also restarted my morning workouts. I actually had tons of energy all day which was great! I look forward to making various bowls everyday. Maybe they'll name one after me when I win! :-) A girl can dream right? Well, it's on to day 2! #INON #genghisgrill #healthquest

Official Weigh-In Completed

Well, I'm officially weighed in for the contest at 215 lbs. I was debating whether to weigh in yesterday or wait till Monday because I'm at Scrapbooking camp all weekend. Why does that matter? Well, camp is held at The Salvation Army's Camp Hoblitzelle in Midlothian/Waxahachie, Texas. It's a huge 300 acre camp with every sport imagineable. It's really beautiful!! The thing is: They serve three meals a day with snacks in between. There's also chips and candy bars readily available from 5am to after midnight. (Yes, we're hard core scrappers!) Anyway, I was considering waiting to weigh in because I knew I would be eating or offered really great (but not always super super healthy) food to eat in huge portions along with snacks, unlimited juices and soda. But in the end I decided to take advantage of starting early on the contest and just have the will power to limit myself this weekend. It's going well so far. I'll let you know how it goes at the end of the weekend. 

My plan was to get up and go walking this morning but it is just FAR too cold! So I'll try it again tomorrow morning. I'll mainly focus on watching what I eat this weekend. Talk to you soon!! 

8 Days Until It's GO TIME!

Hello Hello! Well, I am soooo pumped! I received an official phone call saying that I was chosen to be the representative for Genghis Grill in Tyler, TX for the 2014 4th Annual Health Kwest! I am so excited because I applied last year and wasn't chosen. As soon as I received the call I started screaming like those people you see on television who receive a really great phone call. LOL! Needless to say, my co-workers got a kick out of my reaction. 

Well, now I'm doing all sorts of research to see if there is anything I can do to prepare over the next week. So far I haven't found too much but I'll keep looking. I'll be sure and post a before picture soon so that you can follow my progress. 

I have had a few people ask what I'm so excited about the contest? Is it the possibility of winning $10,000? I mean, the money is a great incentive but more then that, I'm just excited to having 60 days of amazing motivation. I mean, where it could have taken me almost a year to lose this weight, I could potentially get it done in 60 days. Or at least get a lot closer to my goal a lot faster. I'm looking forward to living the rest of my life healthy and fulfilling God's destiny for my life! Thankfully I started the journey of changing my life style a couple weeks ago so mentally and ready for this! My theme for the year is INON (It's Now or Never). And I choose NOW! So, if you see those letters you'll know what it means. :-) 

I look forward to all of the new friends that I will make over the next couple months and I thank you in advance for all of your support! I pray that through this journey others will choose NOW! Talk to you soon!

P.S. Below are a few links that you can use to follow me on different social media platforms. I'm sure I'll have at least one more in a few days. :-)

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