FIND YOUR FAITH AND LOSE YOUR FEAR

I used to live a life full of fear. Fear of failure, fear of success, fear or life, and ultimately fear of God's calling on my life. Those fears held me captive for a significant portion of my life and they were effecting my well being. My fear of failure kept me from taking chances which resulted in me missing out on opportunities, which fed into my fear of success. Yes, like everybody else I wanted to be successful, but in my heart I questioned whether or not I could handle it. I reached a point in my life where I was very unhappy, and depressed. I was overweight, lacking confidence, and suffered from very low self esteem. I felt I was close to hitting rock bottom so I did what I had always been taught to do during hard times; I PRAYED! I prayed everyday asking God for answers, and direction. Time went by and nothing changed, so after a while I started to question my faith and everything I'd believed in my entire life. That's when I recieved some of the best advice I'd ever gotten in my life. I was up one Sunday morning and decided to watch one of those televised church services. I can't remember which one but the message that morning was about "Silencing yourself internally". The said that most of us can't hear God talking talking to us because we don't know how to be quiet. Not physically quiet but internally. Cleansing your thoughts of all things and finding a sense of calm and peace. It's at that point you've become silent,  and it's at that you can hear God loud and clear. Well to make an already long story a little shorter, I finally heard God and I've been following his path ever since. Yes I've gotten off track a few times but I always make my way back to righteous path. I no longer live in fear because I've allowed God to take control of my life and steer me in the direction he wishes me to good. My faith now overpowers my fear. So find your FAITH and lose your FEAR!

Simple Things ...

Small things can make a BIG difference when your health is concerned...

Meet David Drummond

Meet the male winner of Bravo Bodies free training giveaway David "Decypha" Drummond. David has prepared a short bio, so take the time to read up on David's past and present fitness journey, and what he expects to gain from this lifestyle change.

30 years old

6'4 1/2

326 lbs

26.8% body fat

David Drummond from Lexington, Ky. Ive worked out for the last couple of years at least 2-3 days a week, developed more tone and definition but wasnt fully happy with the results! Eventually I decided to work on my "bravo bodie" to hopefully get the results I've been wanting! My goals for the six month training are developing a healthier lifestyle, losing weight and getting fit.

Meet Lori Shupp Braswell

Bravo Bodies recently did a giveaway which offered one male and one female the opportunity to win 6 months of free training. At this time I'd like to introduce you all to our female winner Mrs. Lori Shupp Braswell. Lori prepared a personal bio, so take the time to get to know a little about her. 

 43 years old 

 5'6 

284 lbs  

49% body fat

I’m a 43 year old married mother of two elementary-aged children and I work outside the home.  Growing up I wasn’t overweight because I was active, but when I reached my adult life, I began to struggle with my weight as my activity level progressively began to lessen the older I got. After giving birth to two children, my weight increased each year.  When my husband was diagnosed with Early Onset Parkinson’s 3 ½ years ago, it devastated both of us and many activities that we did enjoy such as going to the park and walking, stopped almost completely.  Though my husband’s doctor recommended exercise to limber his stiffened muscles, we both felt overwhelmed with all the information out there on diet and exercise.  Now since getting this wonderful opportunity to work with Mike George from Bravo Bodies, I have hope in getting myself fit and strong.  My hope is that my opportunity will also benefit my husband by giving him information and the resources to begin exercising and eating healthfully as well.  I am also excited to show my children a better way of life through exercise and eating properly, but also show them that it’s never too late to create possibilities for yourself.  My goal is, of course, to lose weight and feel better, but it’s also to gain strength, flexibility and stamina to do the things that I need to do for myself and my family and to help my family enjoy a fuller and more active life together. 

This Week in Bravo Bodies

Another week of hard work, sweating, and my clients cursing me out in their heads. As much as they may hate the work aspect of it, they most certainly enjoy the progress they experience; and being able to be a major part of these people's lifestyle change and happiness gives me a sense of satisfaction that money never could. I mean how many people can say that they change people's lives everyday?

BOOZE BOOST-The Health Benefits of alcohol

I know what you're thinking; alcohol, healthy?

Yes, generally speaking alcohol has had a bad rep—drink too much, and you can damage your liver, pack on pounds, and put strain on your heart. But a growing body of research shows that if you intake just the right amount—one serving a day for women, two for men—you’ll actually see some serious health benefits, says registered dietician Nicolette Pace, president of NutriSource, Inc. So, raise your glasses in a toast to these 5 reasons that it's okay,to well, raise your glasses!

1.You'll Boost Your Heart Health


It turns out you really can drink to your heart’s content. People who drink alcohol in moderation are up to 25 percent less likely to develop heart disease (which kills about one million Americans a year) than those who drink no alcohol at all, according to a recent study published in the British Medical Journal. Why? Alcohol has anti-inflammatory properties, thinning your blood, increasing your levels of HDL (good) cholesterol, and breaking up LDL (bad) cholesterol.

2.You'll Prevent Strokes

Think strokes were your parents’ problem? Think again: People younger than 55 currently make up about 19 percent of all stroke patients—up almost 50 percent from 1993, according to a new study published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Luckily, by improving blood and oxygen flow and preventing blood clots that can block arteries to you brain, moderate alcohol consumption can reduce your risk of stroke, according to a recent study published in the journal Stroke.

3.You'll Beat the Common Cold

Your favorite libation can cut down the cold virus. People who have one to two drinks a day have an 65 percent greater resistance to the cold than do those who shun the sauce, according to research published in the American Journal of Public Health. Researchers believe that alcohol’s anti-inflammatory effect may suppress the production of mucus while limiting the replication of cold viruses.

You'll Cut Your Risk of Diabetes

Have one to two drinks of alcohol a day and you’ll reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 36 percent, according to research from the Harvard School of Public Health. Alcohol works its magic by promoting insulin secretion and helping glucose get inside cells, fueling their activity and reducing the amount of sugar in the bloodstream. Lowering your blood glucose levels can also lower your risk of developing the disease, which, according to the American Diabetes Association, affects 11.8 percent and 10.8 percent of men and women ages 20 and older, respectively.

5.You'll Slim Down

A recent study published in The Archives of Internal Medicine found that women who have one or two drinks a day are less likely to gain weight than those who abstain. The key lies in alcohol’s role in insulin secretion and blood sugar regulation. What’s more, your body requires a whole lot of energy to process alcohol, which can actually get your metabolism humming, Pace says. Your body wants to store excess glucose (or sugar) in your blood as fat, so if you keep your blood sugar in check, you can prevent packing on energy reserves around your waist. All alcohol contains seven calories per gram, so the mixes are what really make the caloric difference: Pace recommends using seltzer, tea, coffee, or natural fruit essences.

Cheers!

High Protein Fish!

THE RUN DOWN ON SOME HIGH PROTEIN SEAFOOD OPTIONS:



SALMON (6 oz)
-248 calories
-37g  protein
-10g  fat
TUNA (6.5oz)
-194 calories
-43g protein
-1g fat

SWORDFISH (6oz)
-206 calories
-34g protein
-7g fat

TILAPIA (6 oz)
-163 calories
-34g protein
-3g fat

CATFISH (6 oz)
-230 calories
-26g protein
-13g fat