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February 2022 - Just Justice

Month: February 2022

Workouts /

My Fitness Journey

Hello lovely friends!!

Today I am going to share my fitness journey with you. I honestly don’t know anyone that doesn’t have even the slightest desire to improve their overall wellness. Two obvious areas that we are going to dive into today are, yes, our diet and exercise routine. No, I am not suggesting we all go on diets or train for a triathlon. Rather, I want us to talk about what foods we are fueling our bodies with and our fitness routine. Allow me to share my journey in these two areas. 

I felt led to share this picture of me during my freshman year of high school to just give you a reference of what I used to look like before my fitness journey. Yes, I recognize that I was not extremely overweight and I had some baby fat to shed. It makes me giggle, knowing my sister thought this was a great picture of me. After seeing this picture of myself, I didn’t focus on my weight but rather committed to getting fit. 

My first order of business was to look at my diet. When I refer to ‘diet’, I know the first thing you think of is crazy strict or the latest fad diet being shared in the media. No, whether you realize it or not, we are all on a diet every day. Your diet is what you are filling your body with or more importantly, fueling your body with. No joke, my sister and I still talk about how every day when we would come home from school we would down some hotdogs and ramen. I would pop a hot dog in the microwave every day. I’m sure my dad was just happy that we were supporting the pork industry. So, when you think of how you are fueling your body, does that make some of you cringe? This conversation isn’t to make you feel guilty but rather just be more aware and intentional of what you are eating. What would happen if you started asking yourself, ‘what am I going to ‘fuel’ my body with today?’ Rather than, ‘what am I going to ‘fill’ my body with?’ This would be huge! It was for me at least. I shared earlier that I have stomach and digestive issues. I was tired of feeling miserable and came to the realization that most of my issues stemmed from what I was filling my body with. Something had to change! I want to share a couple of things I started doing that made the biggest impact on my overall nutrition. I started listening to my body. I realized when I would eat fast food I would have to run to the bathroom about a million times a day. I knew I had to cut way down on my fast food consumption and gluten. 

As I have shared my love for cooking, this meant I had to consider all the things I was personally cooking and baking for myself. I started making small changes and incorporated healthier options. It’s all about baby steps. For example, I stopped using butter in most recipes and instead used olive oil. I substituted leaner proteins in place of fattier meats. I tried to cut down an enormous amount of carbs. Boy, oh boy, do I love me some carbs. Many dietitians have mentioned, “it’s 80% diet and 20% exercise.”

So, friends, I want to encourage you to make a shortlist or even choose only one healthy thing you will add to your diet or an unhealthy thing you will eliminate from your diet for one whole week. For me, I have an insane sweet tooth. I am going to try and limit my sugar intake!

Moving along to working out…something that I have realized many people struggle with is knowing what to do when they are at the gym. I used to prance around the gym accomplishing very little because I didn’t know where to start. I felt intimidated and didn’t have enough sense to ask for help. Can any of you relate? This is just silly! I want to encourage you to start researching and reaching out to the gym staff that is available to you. If you don’t feel comfortable asking, then start watching YouTube videos and educate yourself.

It wasn’t until my freshman year in college that I made working out a priority in my life. I started seeing a drastic change in my body when I would keep my heart rate at a certain level for a certain amount of time. My goal for every workout was to push myself so hard I felt drops of sweat running down my face. I know this might seem silly, but I am serious. I also think that sweating is so healthy for your body. Sweating is a detox for your body, and it also releases bad toxins. It’s time to start sweating, my friends. 

One of the biggest struggles I have felt along my fitness journey is not seeing changes. I know many of you can relate. Friends, we aren’t going to get abs overnight. Gosh, I wish. It all boils down to being patient with yourself but also being consistent in your workout routines. During the pandemic, as you all know, all the gyms were temporarily closed. At first, this derailed my workout routine. Obviously, no one knew how long this would last, so I was determined to do some physical activity even through the pandemic. I would grab my yoga mat, and google “10-minute HITT workout” or “5-minute ab workout.” Anything to move my body. Maybe this is where some of you can begin. Start small. Grab your yoga mat or a blanket and move your body. Or better yet, make a walking date with a friend. Put that date on your calendar each week.

It’s time to start making a difference in your lifestyle. Challenge yourself to take one food item out of your diet. Challenge yourself to do 50 squats a day. For the next two weeks leading up to spring break, this is exactly what I am going to do. 50 squats a day, and taking one item out of my diet. Let’s do it friends, who is with me?

Please share below if you are taking on this challenge with me!

 

Cooking/Recipes /

Honey Garlic Sriracha Salmon

Honey garlic sriracha salmon in the air fryer. 

(don’t worry you can make the same recipe in the oven)

Let me just say this sauce I am about to share with you might be one of my favorite things at the moment. I make this sauce maybe three or four times a week because it’s incredibly versatile. In this recipe, I use it as a glaze for the salmon, but it is delicious used as a salad dressing for a kale and quinoa bowl. So feel free to experiment with it. For example, this sauce is incredible on chicken, shrimp, or whatever you desire!

I just received an air fryer for Christmas, which I use at least once or twice a day. It’s safe to say I am a little obsessed. I used my air fryer for this particular salmon recipe, but of course, you can always use an oven. If you’re considering purchasing an air fryer, do it. It changed my life.

Ingredients: 

1 Filet of salmon (4-7 ounces) 

2 Tablespoons honey

2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar (can use any type of vinegar, I just love the taste)

1 Teaspoon of sriracha

2 Teaspoons of minced garlic

Juice of half a lemon (save the lemon for later)

Directions

  1. Preheat your air fryer or oven to 400 degrees. Whether using the air fryer or oven, I always use foil to place under my salmon. This creates an easy clean-up & holds in all the yummy juices.
  2. Add all the ingredients into a bowl for the sauce. I usually save the lemon and use it as a garnish in the end. 
  3. Lightly brush the salmon with half of the sauce. The additional sauce will be used later.
  4. Fold foil corners up to hold in all the juices.
  5. Place your salmon in the air fryer for 10 minutes. (well done) I like my salmon to be juicy, so 7-8 minutes is perfect for me. If using the oven, cook for 12-15 minutes.
  6. While the salmon is cooking. Heat the additional sauce in a small saucepan on medium/ medium-high heat. Let this simmer for 2-3 minutes. It should make a thick consistency. (The longer you leave it on the stove, the thicker it gets)
  7. Take your salmon out, pour your extra sauce on the salmon and enjoy!

 

Happy/ Mental Health /

Time To Rest

Hello lovely people!!

I can’t thank you all enough for your encouraging and supportive messages from my first official blog. Actually ‘encouraging and supportive’ is exactly what I hope we can all be for one another as we take this blog journey together!  

Before we jump into all the ‘fun’ stuff in my blog, I can’t ignore a word that keeps running through my mind as I ponder ideas for us to explore together… its ‘intentionality’. I know that doesn’t sound sexy or relevant but hear me out. In my first message, I shared a few different areas in my life that I have been working on for my overall well-being (fueling my body with healthy food, working out, and becoming my best self). Well, I have come to realize that intentionality is KEY to reaching these goals. If I am not intentional about creating new habits and priorities in my life there is no way I will see progress. I can ‘want’ all of these improvements but until I’m willing to push myself and be intentional, I would be setting myself up to fail. So, you will notice that intentionality will be weaved throughout all of my messages with you because it’s the secret sauce to our journey to bettering ourselves! 

Let’s move on to another often overlooked piece of our overall well-being, which is resting. I know what you’re thinking, “wow Justice how boring.” I promise you I will get to the mouth-watering food recipes and that bomb booty workout I know we all need. As of lately, this has been something I have been working on and felt led to share with all of you. We must rest our bodies and minds. When was the last time you have felt peace in your life? Well for some of you, you can’t remember! That is completely okay, and that is why I am here to remind you of how we can become intentional when it comes to making our rest a priority.  

First I want to start with the definition. According to the first Google search, “to get rest is by lying down, to cease from action, refrain from labor, be free from anxiety.” The list could go on and on. I have struggled with resting my mind over the past couple of years and I bet I’m not alone. I would say my upbringing might have a little to do with it. I grew up in a fifth-generation pig farming family. If you know me and my family we are ‘fast-paced’ people, we like to get things done fast and move on to the next task at hand. There is no waiting around in our family. That is just how we roll. For example, if we are driving to Florida for a vacation to rest we are only stopping if someone is about to throw up or die. We do not take breaks! This also means that I might be the most impatient person I know. I completely own that this is an unflattering trait of mine. I just need people to move faster. I have also accepted it and blame my parents a little. #kidding #iloveyoumomanddad

Truth be told, watching my father make his business into something so wonderful, he had to be consistently productive. My father honestly is just an incredible human being. (side note)

Now let’s talk about being productive, ladies and gents. Since I have been in college, I have almost had this obsession with being productive. I feel guilty if I lay around and watch a movie on the couch or if I sleep in. I want to encourage you that resting your brain and your body is so insanely healthy. We have to stop feeling bad about unplugging or taking breaks in our day. I also feel a little silly typing all these words because I am thinking “what if no one cares or can relate to me?” I hope that you can take something away from this. I have recently started this new morning routine where I wake up about 30 minutes before I normally do. I make my coffee, light a candle, wash my face, and open my bible. I start my day out by giving him the day before I even start mine. I know if I want a calm and meaningful day then I need to start my morning out that way! Your routine obviously might look different, but start being intentional about how you start your day. I promise it will pay off! Make a list of simple practices that you know calm you, pump you up, or ground you. Those little new routines will set the path for your day. I also want to mention that not every day will be perfect, we all have those days when we wake up late, freaking out about what we are going to wear. The most important thing is that we take time out of our day to rest our minds. Whether that be in the morning, lunchtime, or when you’re going to bed. Resting your mind can look like painting, going on a hike, or calling your mom. Let’s be intentional, our mind needs a second to pause and reset.

Speaking of carving out time to rest, do you ever feel like you don’t have enough hours in the day to accomplish all your tasks? Do you love crossing off tasks from your to-do list? There is nothing wrong with loving a daily agenda, but let’s start being mindful of those tasks. Are we implementing our well-being in our to-do lists? Something I have noticed is that many people love to be busy and to wear it as a badge of honor. That’s the American way, right? I have been pondering this, and I started to realize we are not made to be stressed and have anxiety like this all the time. We are made to be a light in other people’s lives. Life is truly a gift and often too short. Let’s all be intentional not to waste it away getting caught up in the stress and busyness of life. (which I am so guilty of) Starting college, a new job, or even living in a new city creates a lot of fears, uncertainties, and anxieties. In those moments of stress, just pause and shift gears. Do something that calms you down, brings you joy, or helps you unplug. You know yourself better than anyone, you likely know your stress triggers. More importantly, you know your stress relievers! I want to encourage you to take breaks from your work, your phone, and take more walks or dance around your house (aka party for one). Again, be intentional, it’s vital to your well-being. 

The other day I had so many instances where things kept going wrong, and I would tell myself “nope, I’m not going to let that annoy me because today is a great day!” Well, fast-forwarding, a million other annoying things kept occurring. I eventually just found my yoga mat and started doing an ab workout, to take my mind off of it. So, next time you find yourself wanting to punch someone in the face, grab your yoga mat instead! 

I got off the phone the other day with a friend, she was going on and on about how stressed she was and barely had time for anyone or anything. I can often relate to her, we all can. Being busy is not a bad thing, but it can start to get unhealthy if you aren’t taking time to sit down and talk with your brain. I know that might sound silly, but maybe we need to spend time with our brains more often. Unpack our thoughts and feelings. I am personally trying to be less ‘busy’ and instead focus on being productive. That shift in thinking allows me the space and freedom to weave intentional and healthy habits into my day. This is making such a difference!

As I wrap up this blog, I feel as though the biggest key to changing our lifestyle is being intentional with our goals and wants in our life. Whether that be lifting heavier weights, trying to make more friends, getting an A in a class, being a better daughter, or whatever that may look like for you. It all boils down to our intentionality. 

I would love to hear how you are going to incorporate healthy routines in your day-to-day life below in the comments. 

 

Happy/ Mental Health /

All About Just Justice

Hello lovely people! Welcome to my first official blog, ‘Just Justice’. I won’t lie, as I type this I find myself bursting with excitement mixed with a little trepidation. Of course, I’m excited to share the fun aspects of my life such as physically pushing myself in the gym, cooking the latest Tik Tok trends, or having a bomb self-care routine. For those of you who know me, know that I typically have no issues with sharing my life with others one on one or on social media platforms; which so many of us do these days. However, this feels different for a few reasons. I know I could share all the bright and shiny parts of my life but that’s not what I want out of this experience for me or you for that matter. Don’t worry there will be fun times of course, but I am on a personal quest to share specific areas of my life that I have been intently working on. 

Allow me to share the ‘why’ behind this blog. To be completely honest, I have found myself in the past couple of years longing for personal growth in certain areas of my life. I was not truly happy with where I was in my life. I knew there was more out there! I wanted to deepen my relationship with God, become physically stronger, and I longed for people in my life that challenged me and made me better. All of those things seemed so far off, and I had no idea how I could ever get there. Well, life is never perfect. There will always be little things that come our way, but I can proudly say I am accomplishing/ working towards all of those goals. 

I want to highlight some of the things in my life that I have truly seen my happiness grow in. The first thing is making foods that fuel my body. If you know me, you know that I might be running to the bathroom if we were out at a restaurant together. Which means most everything hurts my stomach. For years, I just put up with it and was in pain all the time, but recently I started truly fueling my body with good food. It’s no surprise I started feeling so much better. My goal is to encourage you to also eat foods that make you feel you’re best. 

Pushing along to our physical health… I hope to encourage you to start pushing yourself physically. Going to the gym might not be your thing, and that is okay. Everyone is into different things. I just want to encourage you to go on a walk every day or go play Just Dance. Okay, can we talk about how exhausting Just Dance is? I mean that is quite a workout! Besides the point, we need to be committed to moving our bodies every single day. I have felt the benefits of becoming physically stronger, and have felt the mental benefits as well. Being a college student means I have felt a lot of stress and anxiety over the past couple of years. I have realized that working out is such a wonderful stress reliever. Moving your body can help your mood as well. In my blog, I want to talk about realistic goals, wherever you are on your fitness journey. 

Okay, the last thing I want to mention are posts that encourage you, inspire you, make you a better person, and make you smile. I truthfully have seen that our mental health has a big role in our happiness and how we overall physically feel. I want my blogs to be genuine. I hope that sharing my thoughts/ journey will motivate and encourage you to also live your best life.

Now that you have a little understanding of what my goals and dreams are for this blog, I hope you are excited to come along on this journey with me. I want to walk away from this experience with transparency, self-growth, and hopefully making a few new friends along the way. I feel like most of us have the desire to become the best version of ourselves. I find it very important for us to remember that being our best self does not equal perfection. But rather putting the effort in to make small changes in our lifestyle. That is where I believe we will see the best results. I hope that as you take this journey with me, you will also start doing things that mentally, emotionally, and physically make you feel amazing.

Be kind to yourself

J