My motivation.

It was about 10 minutes in when all I wanted to do was quit. I have about a million other things I could be doing. My mind was so clouded that I was inches away from giving up and calling it quits. 

But something stopped me. My WHY stopped me. It gave me power when I thought I had none. My WHY is stronger than all my excuses and allows me to push though those doubts.

My advice- Find your WHY and remind yourself daily of it.  Pull from it when you are ready to give up and make it stronger than your excuses. 

Progress not Perfection.

I always tell my challengers you will have bumps in the road, you won't be perfect. What matters is that you are progressing. What matters is that you are trying your best, working hard, staying dedicated and embracing the journey. 

This is MY progression. I have worked hard and stayed focused on my goal because that is what I truly want. I'm not trying to be perfect. I'm trying to be better than I was before. Now I am happier, more confident and feel better than I EVER did, even before my pregnancies. 

💙 I made the choice to push myself everyday. To put one foot in front of the other and go for it regardless if I was "perfect" or not.

💙 I wanted to feel better about myself because in order for me to be a good mom and wife, I had to put myself first.

💙 I started reading personal development books even though people around me thought they were pointless. They helped me just as much a exercising. I'm stronger because of them. 

💙 I decided to be an advocate. I wanted to share my journey with the hopes it would help inspire others. I decided to ASK other women if they wanted the help and support I know I needed and wished someone had reached out to me. 

This is my progression. Mind, body and soul I have changed leaps and bounds from where I was a year ago. 

This life is YOUR CHOICE. You get to choose what to do from here. No one can stop you once you put your mind to it. Don't worry if you aren't perfect, no one is, YOU are enough right now to start your journey. 

💙I'll be here for you when you need someone to help support you. This is what I love and Id love to help you on your journey. Feel free to message me💙

Remember it all starts by taking that first step. Don't worry about tomorrow- only today. 

Meal Planning Tip #1

One of the best things I've ever learned from meal planning is to buy in bulk and individually package single servings. 

I can't even tell you how often Id go into the pantry and grab a few nuts here or there and before long the entire bag would be GONE! I thought a little snacking wouldn't be a big deal but it is. It adds up- all those little one or two pieces can snowball into huge oversized portions and uncontrollable cravings.

I found a way to eliminate that. 

I buy in bulk. It's so much cheaper than buying packages. You can control how much you want and you don't pay the high prices for the company to package it. 

As soon as you get home package individual servings for each day. I know that I can have 10 almonds or 15 pecan halves so that is what I put into the baggies. (To save money I use little containers OR I reuse the plastic baggies if the contents are dry!)

By doing this I can just quickly grab out a bag and eat it. No thinking or counting out how many. When you are hungry the last thing you want to do is wait any longer than you have to. Right?!? Portion out ahead of time and that will be gone! 

This also helps another issue many people, myself included, struggle with. Cravings and the will to stop eating once you have started. For me I would pick at something every time I opened the pantry door. If a package was open it was fair game. By having individual packages it helped my mind to not have a big bag of open nuts or whatever. It created a mindset where I knew once the bag was empty my eating that food was over for the day. The individual bags totally relieved me of overeating. 

Having the correct portion sizes also helps to speed up the cooking and preparing process. Just grab what you need, throw it in a bowl and you are good to go. No fussing with measuring cups or counting. Just put it together and EAT!!

I hope this little meal planning tip has helped you! If you have a different system feel free to share it below!! 

Saturday Run!

I always used to wonder what runners would eat before heading out for a long distance run. It seems silly but what you eat before plays a HUGE roll in how you feel during a run. 

Here is what I found works for me!

-2 scoops of E&E in 8oz water

-1/2 banana

- 1 piece of whole grain toast with 1T almond butter (Justine's in my favorite brand by far!)

I eat/drink this an HOUR before my run. This helps my body to start digesting it so I don't have that heavy feeling. The e&e is an energy and endurance formula that is all natural so it gives you a natural high that helps you push throughout your ️workout. It tastes like lemonade almost and has been a great addition to my pre workout snack! I don't over load on water which is why it's so important to drink at LEAST half your body weight in ounce of water the day before.  

Now to just wait.... At 7 I'll be starting my 6 mile run :) 

"The more I run the more I love my body. Not because it's perfect, far from it, but because with every mile it is proving to me that I am capable of more than I ever thought possible."

Saturday morning run DONE in record time-- under an hour for 6 miles! 

And I feel amazing ❤️

When I started running I can remember thinking there was so way I could run 3 miles let alone 6! I could barely run 3/4 of a mile back then. I can't believe how much my endurance and strength have picked up allowing me to go further than I ever thought possible. 

Bottom line is: don't give up just because you are a beginner. Don't compare your 1st chapter to someone else's 10th chapter. Put your blinders on and keep pushing for your goals. It is possible to reach them! 

Why do I workout?

There are so many reasons why I love to workout. It is a miracle I didn't start exercising earlier in my life. I never saw it as a priority or that I really needed it. Now I know I was wrong. 

Here are a few things it does for me...

Working out gives me freedom from all the stressors in my life.

Working out gives me time for myself, to grow stronger mentally and physically. 

Working out makes me happy. 

Those are my main reasonings why I love exercising. Doing the at home DVDs and running help clear my mind and gives me a sense of peace and pride in my body. 

I'm not doing this for anyone else or to be skinny or to show off or to put anyone down by my accomplishments. 

I'm doing this to be strong, happy and confident in myself. 

Every woman deserves that.

Beachbody FAST...

How much time does it take to workout, shower, look presentable AND have a nutritious breakfast?

Well it took me 1 hour and 16 minutes from start to finish!!! (Even with 3 kids )

Here's how I did it:
Woke up, drank E&E, pushed play on a Max 30 workout, exercised for the FULL 30 minutes, got the kids breakfast, jumped in the shower, got out- searched for clothes (because I never lay them out the night before), got dressed, did my hair and makeup, got the kids dressed and diapers changed, made my chocolate peanut butter Shakeology and...

**BAM** IM DONE!

My morning in a nutshell smile emoticon

It's not a joke when they say it's FAST and EFFICIENT for BUSY people 

As always>> Id love to help you- I'm just a message away 

Join me.

Are you EXCITED for tomorrow?! 

Do you love getting out of bed in the morning knowing what the day has in store for you? 

I can stay without a doubt that I love what I do. Being able to help other women feel comfortable in their own skin fills my heart like no other. 

That is only one of the things I do.

I also help women find themselves again. I help give stay at home moms a sense of purpose outside the home. A chance to earn an income to support their families. 

I help working moms start their journey toward being able to quit their job to stay home with their kids. I help them not feel upset about having to leave their babies everyday. 

I offer hope to one day live the life you've always wanted. 

Are you happy? Do you want any of the things I mentioned above? 

I'm going to mentor 10 women who want the opportunity. I will help you learn this business, teach you everything I know and get you all the trainings you will ever need. 

You just need to be brave and have the courage to reach out to me. We can chat about coaching and then you can decide what is best for you. 

Message or email me at jaclyncrowellfitness@gmail.com for more information :)

Healthy Chicken Salad

This afternoon was a scramble to find the food I wanted. Sometimes I just can't stick to my meal plan so I pull from other days or swap out items for others. It works out in the long run but many times it leaves me hungry which can be scary. I tend to binge eat when I get too hungry which is the main reason I love meal plans!

Anyways... I decided to make a classic that I love- Chicken Salad. Here's the issue with chicken salad though, it's normally loaded with mayonnaise. Not really awesome for my clean eating lifestyle. So I decided to recreate it! The result came out great and I'm guessing tomorrow it will be even better after the flavors have had the time to blend. Here is the recipe :)

***Healthy Chicken Salad***

2 chicken breasts (seasoned with salt and pepper and baked until done)

1/4 cup plain greek yogurt

1/4 cup chopped red pepper

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/8 cup chopped celery

1tsp. garlic powder

1/2tsp. Paprika 

Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Shred the chicken into small bite sized pieces. You could also chop it! Place Ina big mixing bowl.

2. Add the yogurt and mix until chicken is evenly coated.

3. Add the remaining ingredients. Mix to combine.

I ate mine with some sliced avocado which was great!!! 

Serve cold and store in refrigerator. 

Other variations:

Omit the red pepper and add 1/8 cup dried cranberries and 1/8 cup chopped walnuts (you can up these amounts to your liking!) 

While I was waiting for the chicken to bake I munched on some sugar snap peas to keep the hunger at bay! They worked like a charm ;) 

Have a happy Monday!!! 

#TransformationTUESDAY

Today I am saying GOODBYE to my old mom butt! 

Yes I know-- kinda weird to be talking about in public but UGH! I hated having absolutely no butt. It was like I lost weight in all the places Id like to keep a little cushion! Anyways it wasn't until I started Max 30 and running longer distances that I felt like I was starting to build some muscle back there. 

One step at a time, one workout, one run-- I am changing for the better :) 

Want to join in on my next challenge group!? Message me or drop your email below :)

Why hello February 💜

Would you be willing to give me 30 minutes a day to feel healthier and happier in just 21 DAYS!? 

I know it's the middle of winter and the cold has sunk in BUT in just a hot minute summer will be here. Why not take this time to get comfortable in your skin so come spring/summer you will have the confidence to rock any outfit you choose! 

I am offering this group to ONLY 5 women who want to work with me from the comfort of their own home. 

Here's what you won't do:

-go out in the snow/cold

-feel alone or unsupported

OR

-be confused on what to do

Together we will build the perfect schedule that works with YOUR LIFE. You will get 30 minute workouts, we will create easy doable meal plans, and you will have access to 1:1 coaching from ME! 

Everything you need to succeed is right here. 

Comment below or message me for more information!