You have been struggling to lose weight; You feel like you have tried everything, but the weight just won’t come off. You could be struggling to lose weight due to a hormone imbalance because, according to research, imbalanced hormones and weight gain can go hand in hand.
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What is the Link Between Imbalanced Hormones and Weight Gain?
Several hormones can impact your weight:
Leptin, Glucagon-like Peptide, and Cholecystokinin are hormones that help you feel full.
Ghrelin, Cortisol, Peptide YY, and Neuropeptide Y hormones increase appetites.
Both too much estrogen and too little estrogen can cause weight gain. Not enough estrogen can cause weight gain around the middle area of the body.
When these hormones are balanced, your body tells you that you are hungry when you need food, and tells you that you are full when your body has all the nutrients and calories it needs for the time being.
When these hormones are out of balance, your appetite could increase and your metabolism could slow, causing weight gain. This is how Imbalanced Hormones and weight gain are linked.
What Can Cause Imbalanced Hormones and Weight Gain?
Excessive stress, poor gut health, thyroid disorders, PCOS, diabetes, menstruation, menopause, and medications can contribute to hormone imbalance and weight gain. Fortunately, our diets can help bring our hormones back in balance.
Can Diet Effect Hormone Imbalance and Help with Weight Loss?
A poor diet can contribute to hormone imbalance. Inversely, a healthy diet can help rebalance your hormones, improve your gut health, and help kick-start your metabolism again.
You will be in good hands with Lacey Dunn. She is a dietitian who specialized in weight management and physique enhancement as well as thyroid disorder, PCOS, adrenal dysfunction, hormone imbalance, and metabolic resistance. Her book will cover what you need to know to transform our health!
Lacey Dunn also developed a supplement for hormone imbalance called Hormonal Harmony. You can check out her supplements here. BTW, you can get 10% off your Nourish Well purchase when you use my coupon code, LACYNGOMSRDN.
Nootropics are any substances that enhanced brain function, memory, and our ability to learn. So, nootropics for sleep are supplements that enhance the sleep signaling function of the brain. Moreover, lack of sleep can cause poor memory and decrease our ability to learn, which is another way sleep supplements act as nootropics.
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Many supplements claim to help with sleep, but which nootropics for sleep are the best?
Magical Sleep is one of the best nootropics for sleep
One of the most well-known sleep-enhancing ingredients in Magical sleep is Melatonin. Substantial evidence shows that melatonin supplements help with sleep (1).
L-theanine is another active ingredient in Magical Sleep. L-theanine, which is found naturally in green tea, has been shown to have a relaxing effect (2, 3)
Other active ingredients include Magnesium Bisglycinate, Valerian root, and GABA.
Studies show that having adequate levels of magnesium is important when it comes to sleep quality; yet, according to the World Health Organization, 75% of Americans are not getting enough Magnesium.
According to multiple reviews of several studies, Valerian root appears to significantly improve sleep quality (4, 5).
GABA is a neurotransmitter in our body, but we can also take GABA in supplement form. Although more research is needed, some research suggests that GABA may help soothe our brains before sleep by reducing stress and anxiety and enhancing our moods (6, 7, 8).
Nootropics for Sleep Should be Third Party Tested
Magical Sleep
Whether you are taking nootropics for sleep or any supplement, you should check to see if the product is third-party tested. Nourish Well states on their website that they are third-party tested. The exact statement is:
Our products are gluten free, dairy free, and soy free- made in the USA in a third-party tested, cGMP, NSF, UL, FDA certified facility.
Bonus: The Supplement was Developed by a Registered Dietitian
With years of education required to become a registered dietitian, Registered dietitians are considered the top experts in human nutrition. So when you find a supplement that has been developed by a registered dietitian, you should take notice.
This product contains ingredients that, according to evidence, promotes sleep.
It is third-party tested.
It was developed by a registered dietitian.
You can read more about Magical Sleep or Purchase this nootropic for sleep on the Nourish Wells website. If you use my coupon code, LACYNGOMSRDN, you can get 10% off.
Stress Defender is a supplement designed by Nourish Well to help relieve stress, but does it actually work? What does the research say? Below is a Stress Defender Review based on this dietitian’s research.
This site contains affiliate links (See full disclosure here.)
Stress Defender
Supplements VS. Food
Studies show that both food and supplements can significantly affect all aspects so of our health. However, I am pickier when it comes to evaluating the evidence on supplements vs the evidence on foods.
If I know a certain food is generally healthy, even if the evidence is promising but lacking, I will still recommend the food. Even if it doesn’t do what a small study suggests, if it is still healthy, then eating it helps regardless.
On the other hand, supplements can get expensive and sometimes have negative interactions with medications. Moreover, if you take more than recommended, then you can experience adverse reactions.
With that being said, if I recommend a supplement in a review, like in this Stress Defender Review, then that means that enough research suggests that the supplement does what it says it does.
Remember to always talk with your doctor before taking supplements.
Stress Defender Review of the Ingredients
According to the label, Stress Defender contains five active ingredients:
Ashwagandha
Holy Basil
L-theanine
Magnolia Bark extract
Eleuthero Root Extract
All of these ingredients can help with stress based on research. Let’s take a quick look at the research on each ingredient.
Multiple research articles indicate that Ashwagandha may improve symptoms of stress, anxiety, and bipolar disorder (1, 2).
Bonus! Preliminary studies show that Ashwagandha may improve VO2max in athletes and non-athletes; therefore it may aid in athletic performance (3).
Holy Basil
Multiple studies, including a review of 24 total studies, found that Holy Basil helped reduce symptoms of stress (4, 5, 6, 7, 8).
In fact, in the review of 24 studies, all 24 studies showed that Holy Basil significantly reduced symptoms of stress.
L-theanine
Based on research, L-Theanine may help calm the brain without making you feel drowsy (9).
Magnolia Bark Extract
Studies, including a gold standard double-blinded placebo study, have shown that Magnolia Bark reduced anxiety levels and improve our mood (10, 11).
Studies also show that Magnolia Bark could help lower cortisol levels (12). Cortisol is the stress hormone in our bodies.
In an animal study, Magnolia Bark improved serotonin levels and had an anti-depressant effect. Serotonin is known as our happy hormone (13).
Eleuthero Root Extract
Of all the supplements, I found the least research on Eleuthero Root extract and its effects on stress. I found one study, however, that suggested that Eleuthero Root Extract may help improve energy levels and endurance in male athletes (14).
Improvements in energy levels can indirectly affect our mood and stress levels. All of us have probably experienced the effects fatigue can have on our mood and stress levels. For this reason, I can see how Eleuthera Root was included in combination with the other ingredients.
Other Reasons I Recommend Stress Defender
You want to make sure the supplements you choose are 3rd party tested- meaning that the supplement has been verified that it has the ingredients that it says it does. Stress Defender is a product made by the brand Nourish Well. On the Nourish Well website, you can find a statement saying that their products are 3rd party tested. The full statement is below:
Our products are gluten free, dairy free, and soy free- made in the USA in a third-party tested, cGMP, NSF, UL, FDA certified facility.
The product was developed by a registered dietitian. Registered dietitians are the crown jewel of nutrition professionals. To become a licensed registered dietitian, you must go through years of education.
To be exact all registered dietitians must:
Complete a bachelor’s Degree at a college accredited by the Commission of Accreditation of Dietetic Education.
Complete 1200 hours of a competitive internship
Pass the CDR Exam
By 2024, all registered dietitians must have a Master’s Degree as well (Many, like the creator of these supplements, already do)
So when I see that a nutrition product was made by a dietitian, I take notice!
Stress Defender Review Verdict: Do I Recommend it?
Research shows that the ingredients in Stress Defender may significantly help reduce stress. The product is third-party tested and developed by a registered dietitian.
My verdict is yes, Stress Defender is a good option for those looking for stress-relieving supplements. However, you should always talk with your doctor before starting any supplements. Right now you can get 10% off when you use my coupon code: LACYNGOMSRDN.
The short answer is yes! Christian Mindfulness can improve your health! Hi, my name is Lacy Ngo. I am a registered dietitian who specialized in Christian mindfulness and nutrition. In fact, I lost 50 pounds and dramatically improved my mood, outlook on life, and health with the help of Christian Mindfulness. Keep reading to find out how Christian Mindfulness can help you as well…
Christian Mindfulness as a Way to Cope with Stress
You want the weight to be lifted off your shoulders, but you just don’t know how. We certainly don’t like the way stress and worry make us feel, but stress and worry can do more than just make us feel lousy. Stress can harm our health. Stress can increase the risk of chronic diseases and mood disorders and can promote weight gain and wreak havoc on our immune systems.
We can’t live a completely stress-free life, so, how do we fight against the negative effects of stress? Turns out that learning how to cope with stress is the key.
Christian Mindfulness is one of the best techniques I have found when it comes to coping with the stressors of life.
In the following sections, we will discuss:
How stress impacts our health
How mindfulness reduces feelings of stress
How Christian Mindfulness can improve our health
How Does Stress Impact Our Health?
Stress Can Cause Poor Gut Health
Our gut and brain are directly connected by the vagus nerve; so, what happens in the brain can affect what is happening in the stomach. Think about when you are nervous. What is one of the first symptoms you experience? Is it butterflies in your stomach? Those butterflies occur because your brain is telling your stomach something is wrong and your stomach reacts. This is an instant reaction to an emotion your brain is experiencing.
Long-term, your gut can take a hit when your brain keeps telling your gut you are in distress. Chronic stress increases inflammation in your body, including your gut. This can cause a multitude of conditions like an increased risk of heart disease, mood disorders, autoimmune diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases (1)
Stress Can Promote Weight Gain
When we are in a state of chronic stress our bodies will have elevated cortisol levels. Elevated cortisol levels lead to an increase in appetite and according to research, can cause weight gain (2,3).
Remember that stress can increase chronic inflammation and harm the gut. Both of these scenarios also hinder weight loss goals and possibly promote weight gain.
Based on what we have discussed above, you may be able to predict why stress increases your risk of chronic diseases. Poor gut health, excessive weight gain, and chronic inflammation can significantly increase your risk of all sorts of conditions like:
Heart disease
Mood disorders like depression and anxiety
Autoimmune Diseases
Some Cancers
Seasonal Allergies and Asthma
Frequent colds and flu
Neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s Disease
Joint pain
Diabetes
So, in a nutshell, stress can cause poor gut health, increase inflammation, and cause weight gain. All of these conditions can increase your risk of chronic diseases.
How Does Christian Mindfulness Help Reduce Stress?
Fortunately, God has given us the tools to help us cope with stress. These tools have always been available to us. We just need to slow down to notice these stress-relieving gifts!
Slowing down is the key to mindfulness. Mindfulness is about being present in the moment. The past is done. The future hasn’t happened yet. All you have is the present. When we focus on the present AND focus on God around us in the present moment, something amazing happens…
Our worries seem to drift away.
Think about it. What do we spend most of our time worrying about? I’m willing to guess, that we spend most of our time worrying about something that has already happened or something that could happen in the future. If we stop letting the past and future consume us, we get to notice the beauty in God’s world in the present moment.
When we focus on listening to the whispers of God in the present moment, then we also tend to make better choices that will eventually positively affect our future.
From Stressed to Joyful
It was a busy afternoon for my family. I had just enough time to drop my child off at choir practice before I had to head to a meeting. But when I got to her practice, the teachers hadn’t arrived yet. I could feel my stress begin to rise. I kept glancing at my watch, to see just how late it was getting. Finally, I looked at my daughter. She was twirling in the big open choir room.
It was at that moment that I realized that looking at my watch didn’t help me get to my meeting any faster. At that moment, I couldn’t do anything but wait for my daughter’s teacher to arrive. Worry and stress weren’t going to get me to the meeting in time, so I stopped glancing at my watch and started twirling with my daughter.
I said a prayer, thanking God for that moment, and I was overcome with joy. I would have missed out on that joy if I hadn’t stopped to notice the gift that God had right in front of me.
This is the power of mindfulness.
Christian Mindfulness is So much More…
Christian Mindfulness is about stopping to smell the roses AND remembering who gave you the roses.
Faith-based mindfulness is about praying and being present with God everywhere you go. When you pray before you call a friend, eat a meal, go into a grocery store, or scroll social media, you are more likely to remember what God taught us- to love our neighbors as ourselves.
When we take the time to pray before…well… everything, we tend to make better choices. We also get to see God at work in our lives because we take the time to notice. I have experienced so many more amazing goose-bump-God-moments simply because I took the time to listen for God’s guidance and notice God at work.
Christian mindfulness is about resting in the knowledge that God is with you, guiding you, and helping you. You can give your worries to God because God will never abandon you. Praying before eating, talking, or entering a store, reminds you of these truths, which can bring you comfort.
I want to share a little bit of my transformation story with you. My hope is that my story encourages you to add more Christian mindfulness into your own life. I challenge you to try it and watch what happens. You may just find yourself completely and utterly amazed!
Before I incorporated this Christian mindfulness way of living, I was struggling.
I naturally have a type A perfectionist, worrier personality, and my mind, body, and soul started feeling the effects of this way of living. Before changing my approach to living, I frequently caught colds and cases of the flu. I had asthma and severe allergies, and I was experiencing feelings of sadness I just couldn’t shake.
But then I started trying to listen to God and notice the gifts of God where ever I went. I noticed the flowers growing us through the sidewalks and the smiles on the faces of the people I loved.
When I went to the grocery store, I mindfully selected the food that came from God’s earth and took the time to truly appreciate these foods.
Because I am a dietitian, I had knowledge of what different foods could do for our bodies but before mindfulness I didn’t let that knowledge sink in, so to speak.
When I started pausing and praying before I made food choices and before I ate, I began to truly appreciate just how miraculous God’s gift of food was. God gave us substances that could promote a healthy gut, support the immune system, reduce the risk of chronic diseases and cancer, and could even reduce the risk of developing mood disorders. Miraculously, these amazing substances grow right out of the ground of God’s earth!
God has provided us with foods that don’t just help us survive but actually thrive!
Once I slowed down and listened to God when I made life choices and even food choices, joy spilled out of me.
My mood improved exponentially, and my seasonal allergies and asthma improved as well. (Did you know that certain foods can help improve asthma and seasonal allergy symptoms?).
Before I changed my approach to life, I would catch colds frequently. Now I rarely get colds. I even lost 50 pounds while still enjoying my food.
How is All of This Possible?
Christian mindfulness helped me:
Reduce my stress levels
Make more loving and positive choices
Choose and crave foods from God’s earth that promote a healthy mind, body, and soul
All three of these completely transformed my health and outlook on life!
Perhaps you have struggled for years to feel happier, improve your health, or lose weight. You have tried countless diets, programs, and strategies, but all have fallen short. Something was always missing. You needed something more. To truly transform, you must address all of you-your mind, body, and spirit. This is the only way to experience drastic lasting change. This 18-week program address all of it! This program provides the exact steps that, based on scientific research, produce the most dramatic health and weight loss success.
What is included:
The 18-week journey: This journey will provide small, simple challenges each week to produce the biggest impact on your health, mood, and life.
The Mindful Journal: This journal helps you keep a record of what is really important when it comes to wellness and weight loss.
Easy meal plan ideas that can be tweaked to your preferences and lifestyle.
The exact steps that, based on scientific research, produce the most dramatic health and weight loss success.
About Lacy Ngo, MS, RDN
Lacy Ngo is nationally recognized as the top expert in faith-based mindfulness and evidence-based nutrition. Ngo is sharing her secret tips and tricks with readers on how to get into shape not only physically but mentally as well. Ngo has been featured on Eat This, Not That!, Byrdie, The Healthy, Fitbit.com, Parade, and many more…
Many people become discouraged when they follow a strict diet and don’t see results. Ngo experienced this frustration firsthand, even as a registered dietitian. “My life revolved around weight loss, yet my weight continued to go up and down,” she said. “Eventually I let go of my obsession and discovered a whole new approach to life and health. I nourished my body, soul, and mind with mood-enhancing food and behaviors, and I experienced miraculous results I never achieved before.”
If you want to experience a day like you have never experienced before, try incorporating Christian Mindfulness techniques throughout your whole day!
For those of you who are new to my website, welcome! My name is Lacy Ngo. I am a registered dietitian who specializes in Christian Mindfulness and Nutrition.
Based on my own experiences as well as scientific research, I believe Christian Mindfulness can transform your day…your week…your year…your life. Christian mindfulness can transform all of you- your mind, body, and soul.
Let’s take look at a day filled with Christian Mindfulness Moments…
But first might I make a suggestion…
After reading this blog post, take a moment to ponder how a day filled with Christian Mindfulness could impact you. How would your day, your outlook on life, and your behaviors look different?
The Morning Run
My eyes opened. I could see soothing darkness all around me. I could feel the covers nestled around my body. I was warm, but I could tell that the air was cool beyond the covers. It was time to get up for my morning run, but first I smiled as I told God good morning.
“Thank you, God, for this soft bed and these cozy covers. Thank you for my cool house on this warm August day.” I prayed. After I prayed, I sat up and placed my feet on the soft carpet, and once again I was thankful for the softness of the carpet upon my feet. I brushed my teeth. I pulled a handle and miraculously clean cool water poured out of the faucet. Again, I thanked God for clean water and for the great mind that invented plumbing.
I put on my shoes and walk to the front door. I opened it, and a breeze instantly hit my face. My hair lightly danced around my neck. It felt wonderful. I looked up. The dark sky sparkled with twinkling stars. I prayed again as I began my jog. I marveled at the night sky and the breeze. It was peaceful outside, but not quiet. The cicada serenaded me with their continuous song, and the crickets joined in from time to time. My feet hit the pavement like a drum beat. I listened to the song of the early morning as I ran.
I returned from my run, refreshed and thankful for God’s first few gifts of the day.
Eating in God’s Presence
My stomach growled. It was telling me my body needed food. I prayed, thanking God for the signals our body gives us, telling us what we need to flourish. I needed to make a snack decision so I thought for a moment about what miraculous foods I had in my fridge. I grabbed a bowl and a handful of blueberries. I dropped them in the bowl and they ever so slightly bounced as they hit the glass. I picked up one blueberry and examined it. It was hard to believe this little sweet ball grew on a plant- nature’s candy. I wondered what the first person who discovered blueberries thought about this little marvel. When they took that first bite, were they overjoyed with excitement that they had found something so sweet growing in nature?
Then I thought about the power the blueberries possess. The dietitian in me thought about how a study found that when people ate blueberries every day for 90 days, their memories improved. Wow! God gave us these little sweet memory balls! Again, another miracle from God. I thanked God and took in the knowledge that God was with me right then as I ate. I took a bite. The blueberry burst in my mouth as I bit down. Sweet liquid delighted my tastebuds. Thank you, God.
Christian Mindfulness while Driving: Is That a Thing?
I was in a hurry. I felt anxious. At that moment, I was sitting at a light, and I was growing more and more impatient. The light turned green. My foot hit the gas a little harder than it needed to. My heavy foot was pointless because soon after I picked up a little speed I had to pump the brakes again at the next light. Ugh! I thought.
Tapping on the steering wheel in frustration isn’t helping me get all my errands done any faster. Watching the light doesn’t make it turn green any faster. I have to be in the car for a while no matter what I do, so why not embrace it?
So, at the next light, I prayed. I thanked God for that moment- the quiet time I was getting to spend in the car with Him. Then, I looked outside at a bright sky filled with puffy clouds. I decided to roll down my window so that I could feel the breeze.
I asked God to help me show kindness to others at my next destination (i.e. the grocery store), and I thought about the ladies who work there. They are God’s creation-my sisters. I get to see more of God’s creation soon! Love for the people at the grocery store suddenly washed over me. I was excited to see them.
Mindful Reading: A Few Minutes of Reading Can Change Your Life
It was the end of the day. It was time to rest my mind in God’s presence. I picked up the book, In the Presence of Jesus: A 40-day Guide to the Intimacy with God you Always Wanted.
The words of the book felt like a warm hug from Jesus. The calm swept over me.
The day was just as busy as always, yet I was filled with joy and peace. Although God had always been with me, now that I was focusing on Christian mindfulness, I was more fully noticing God all around me.
I actually saw God and God’s miracles throughout the day- in the little things AND the big things.
I finished reading and snuggled into my blanket. Then, I talked to God until I drifted off to sleep.
My mindfully beautiful day was complete. I rested, so that, God willing, I could wake up to embrace another miraculous day.
The Transformative Power of Christian Mindfulness
This Christian Mindfulness approach to life is absolutely transformative. It certainly transformed my life. Thanks to Christian Mindfulness, my health, behaviors, and outlook on life have profoundly improved. My prayer is that Christian mindfulness can help you as well.
So, if you want to:
Notice those goose-bump God moments more often
Find peace and comfort for your soul in a chaotic world
Have more joy and patience
Have a love-filled heart that is ready to spread joy and love to others
In the Presence of Jesusis an easy-to-follow, step-by-step daily guide that will help you truly understand in your heart what your head knows- that God is present in your everyday life. God’s comfort, love, and guidance are with you all the time.
You can learn more about this beautiful devotional written by Paul Bane and Matt Litton, here.
Lacy Ngo is nationally recognized as one of the top experts in faith-based mindfulness and evidence-based nutrition.
Ngo shares her secret tips and tricks with readers on how to get into shape not only physically but mentally as well in her Christian Mindfulness and Nutrition book, 18 Weeks to a Healthier, Happier, More Purposeful Life. Ngo has been featured on Eat This, Not That!, Byrdie, The Healthy, Fitbit.com, Parade, and many more…
Many people become discouraged when they follow a strict diet and don’t see results. Ngo experienced this frustration firsthand, even as a registered dietitian. “My life revolved around weight loss, yet my weight continued to go up and down,” she said. “Eventually I let go of my obsession and discovered a whole new approach to life and health. I nourished my body, soul, and mind with mood-enhancing food and behaviors, and I experienced miraculous results I never achieved before.”
One of the top Christian weight loss programs was developed by Lacy Ngo, a dietitian nationally recognized as a top expert in faith-based mindfulness and evidence-based nutrition. She shares the exact steps that, based on science, produce the most dramatic health and weight loss success in her book, 18 Weeks to a Healthier, Happier, More Purposeful Life. This book is like nothing you have ever seen before. It combines faith and science. Both are crucial when it comes to producing real change because real change involves the mind, body, and spirit.
Lacy Ngo wrote this book after losing 50 pounds. She lost those 50 pounds AFTER she stopped weight obsessing and started focusing on faith-based mindfulness and nutrition.
What Makes this Program Different from all The Other Christian Weight Loss Programs?
This special book combines Christian Faith with evidence-based nutrition to uplift, encourage, and inspire change…
Put a stop to weight obsessing and start enjoying food.
Discover the peace that occurs when you eat your meals mindfully aware of God’s presence.
Learn how to easily incorporate nourishing foods (foods that feed the mind, body, and soul) into your daily life and learn what foods do according to science-based research.
Experience the awe of God’s presence in your daily life and catch sight of more “goose-bump” moments that leave you saying, “Wow! That was God!”
Improve your mood, stress, and anxiety; decrease “brain fog;” and reduce the risk and/or symptoms of chronic diseases, autoimmune disease, neurodegenerative diseases, asthma, and even seasonal allergies.
Manifest “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” in your daily encounters (Galatians 5:22-23)
In other words, you will discover how faith-based mindfulness and nutrition can help you live a happier, healthier, more purposeful life!
About the Author
Lacy Ngo is a registered dietitian with a master’s degree in Human Nutrition and one of THE top experts in Christian Mindfulness and Nutrition. Over the years, Ngo has worked as a nutrition instructor at Winthrop University and a nutrition columnist for the Rock Hill City Paper. Ngo has been quoted/featured in Parade Magazine, The Healthy (a wellness site of Reader’s Digest), VeryWell, and Eat This, Not That!,
A Note From the Author
Thanks to Faith-based mindfulness and nutrition, I went from being weight obsessed to healthy and happy in my own body. Ironically, I lost 50 pounds AFTER I stopped focusing on weight. But more importantly, I noticed God’s presence more throughout my day after I began incorporating the lessons I learned from mindful eating into my daily life. Faith-based mindfulness changed my life: my health, mood, relationship with God, and actions towards others. How does this happen, and I NOT share all the knowledge I have gained with others? What if this way of living and eating can have a similar impact on others…on You!
So if you are..
Tired of feeling deprived
Tired of mustering up enough willpower to follow all the food rules
Tired of living for “cheat” days
Tired of doing all of this and still feeling like you aren’t making any progress
Tired of feeling tired, overwhelmed, and stressed
And
if you long to…
Feel healthier and happier
Feel like you are living a fulfilling life
Feel God’s presence and have awe-inspiring experiences
Then maybe it is time to…
Try this easy-to-follow 18-week program. Each week, you will add one simple, yet incredibly helpful actionable steps to your day. Do these steps and see your mind, body, and soul transform.
Do you ever feel like you are getting signs God is speaking to you? Maybe it’s a coincidence that just keeps occurring over and over. Or maybe you pray and then someone comes along and answers your exact prayer. Perhaps you read a Bible verse that speaks to the exact thing you were struggling with, questioning, or discussing. It’s as if God finds a way to actually speak to you through the Bible…
This story is written by Lacy Ngo, a dietitian nationally recognized as a top expert in faith-based mindfulness and evidence-based nutrition. She shares even more inspiring stories as well as the exact steps that, based on science, produce the most dramatic health and weight loss success in her book, 18 Weeks to a Healthier, Happier, More Purposeful Life. This book is like nothing you have ever seen before. It combines faith and science. Both are crucial when it comes to producing real change because real change involves the mind, body, and spirit.
This site contains affiliate links (See full disclosure here.)
This is a story about one of those times when God appears to speak through the Bible in a way that seems too amazing to be a coincidence. What do you think? Did God speak in this story?
Signs God is Speaking to You: An Inspiring Story
“Time to get up,” I whispered.
“I don’t want to!!!” my son moaned. “Why do I have to go work on that house again?” He continued to whine.
My thirteen-year-old had been helping pain a family in need with his youth group. He had enjoyed being with his friends and working on the house the day before, but at that moment all he wanted to do was continue to sleep.
“Yes, we need to go. Jesus says that when you do things for others it’s as if you are doing it for him” I found myself saying.
“Fine,” he reluctantly replied as he rolled out of bed.
After he was dressed, he walked into the living room and plopped on the couch. He sleepily rubbed his eyes and moaned again, “Why do I need to do this?”
Again my thoughts went to one of my favorite verses about service, “Because the Bible tells us that when you do good for others, you are doing it for Jesus too” I paraphrased. “You know we have about 5 minutes until we have to leave. Let’s quickly read our next devotional entry. We forgot to read it last night, and we are already behind.”
I opened the book to the one we were on and read. The passage for the day was…
The Verse that Spoke Loudly
Jesus said, “I was without clothes, and you gave me something to wear…I tell you the truth, anything you did for even the least of my people here, you did for me.”
After I finished reading, I looked up. Hilt was staring at me with narrowed suspicious eyes, “Did you read that one on purpose?” he questioned.
It wasn’t until he questioned me that I even notice that the Bible verse I had just read was the one I had been paraphrasing all morning!
I could feel my mouth dropping open and my eyes widening.
“Woah!” I exclaimed, “No, I didn’t plan this!”
Hilt didn’t say another word about how sleepy he was. He got up and walked to the car so that I could drive him to the house. He was ready to help his brothers, sisters, and Jesus.
You or your child have developed a passion for soccer. You (or your child) want to be the best soccer player you can be. Maybe you are on a soccer team but you want more. You are wondering if private soccer training and making diet changes could help you improve your playing.
This site contains affiliate links (See full disclosure here.)
As a dietitian and soccer mom, I can tell you that private soccer training and diet can help improve your soccer performance by leaps and bounds.
In the next sections, we will discuss how both private soccer training and diet can impact your soccer playing performance.
Private Soccer Training
The 10,000 rule is a well-known training rule. This rule states that the most successful soccer players put in 10,000 hours. Ten thousand hours averages out to about 20 hours a week for 10 years.
A travel soccer player in the United States usually has around 3 to 4 practices per week. Those practices last about 1 to 2 hours. They will also often have 1 to 2 games per weekend. Based on these numbers, a travel soccer player will practice at a minimum of 4 and a half hours to a max of 11 hours per week if they don’t do anything extra.
These numbers don’t meet the 10,000 rule. In fact, it may be hard to meet that rule and focus on other important areas of life like school and homework.
Still, if you want to get closer to this number, you do have a couple of options:
Practice on Your Own
Practicing on your own is the cheapest and most convenient option. You can fit ball skill drills into your schedule whenever you have spare time…and it’s free!
Start Private Soccer Training
Private soccer training has its own set of benefits. You have guidance from a professional so you get more bang for the buck so to speak. The private soccer trainer knows the exercises that will produce the best results.
Some people also do better and work harder when they have a coach pushing them, motivating them, and encouraging them. When training on your own, it is easier to get bored and just go through the motions instead of pushing yourself.
Finding a good trainer is also extremely important. My son currently does private soccer training with Optimist Training. If you live in Rock Hill, South Carolina, Fort Mill, South Carolina, or the surrounding area, I recommend checking out Optimist Training. The trainer, Billy, is a member of the United States Soccer Federation. He played NCAA division 1 soccer and has coached for 30 years. He also happens to have a passionate personality and is great at inspiring and motivating kids.
Practice on your Own and Do Private Soccer Training
This is also a great option because you get the best of both worlds. With this option, you might mostly practice on your own and do private soccer training for a short period of time or for maybe only one day a month. If you choose this option, the trainer can give you homework to do on your own. This is a more budget-friendly way to get help through private soccer training.
Practice with Friends
Practice doesn’t feel like practice when you do it with friends. Get a few friends together and play a pick-up game of soccer. Remember to make time for fun!
The Best Diet for Soccer Players
Training will only take you so far. Nutrition plays a huge role in promoting optimal soccer performance.
Did you know that in one study, athletes who changed their diet saw improvements in their speed in as little as four days? This is just one example of how food can influence athletic performance.
Nutrition for Youth Soccer will show you how nutrition can help you transform on the soccer field. You will also find out what foods you need to eat before a game for optimal athletic performance, learn what foods will help you make quick game-changing decisions on the pitch, and learn what foods to eat through the week to promote peak fitness and endurance.
