women

The Power of Community: Why Being A Mean Girl is SO Last Year

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So, I am not going to lie, it's 5:39pm and my deadline is 7pm TODAY and clearly I have been putting this one off because... well...camp. I usually plan ahead what I am going to write about because you know, after all- special people such as you are taking time out of your busy life to read what I have to say so I at least owe you that to plan what I am going to share.  But, today again (because we aren't lying to one another) I had no idea what I was going to write about until I opened up my blank document and the thoughts started to flow.  Granted, two hours and twenty minutes before kickoff of preseason game #2 and an hour before my house was filled with all of the lovely ladies that I am lucky enough to do this crazy world of football with.  And that is when it hit me; I am going to write about the power of community and why it is so last year to be mean, judgmental, and quite frankly appear “too good” for the other women that are living this NFL life WITH us.

Ok, I am going to put this out there: there is hands down NOTHING more intimidating than the first day you roll up to your significant others training camp and look around at all of the insanely gorgeous women. If you are anything like me; my first day coming to Rico’s camp three years ago, I truly started to wonder how the heck I was going to make friends, let alone fit in. There are so many stereotypes of what a “WAG” is supposed to be; how we are supposed to act, dress, look, etc and prior to getting to know anyone- I believed what I had heard.  I believed that everyone would be stuck up, I believed that everyone would have more money than they knew what to do with it, I believed that this industry could quite frankly have the potential to change me for the worse and I was scared.

Obviously, I was SO wrong. I have met some of the most amazing women and I truly don't know where I would be in this crazy world without them. Rico and I have been fortunate enough to be with the Falcons for three years so I would say that I now am one of the women who could potentially be intimidating to someone new to the game.  Having said that, I promised myself three years ago that if we were lucky enough to be here for a length of time, I would do my absolute best to make others feel welcome- in whatever way that I could.

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All I can say is this; take the chance and reach out, introduce yourself to somebody new or invite everyone over for pizza and wine to watch the game when the guys play out of town.  You don't have to become "besties", but the truth is that we can all use someone to do football season with and being a mean girl is so last year.

3 verses to remember while our men are away!

By: Jacqui Butler

Keep these verses in a safe place to reference during training camp, preseason and beyond!

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer" -Romans 12:12

This is my favorite verse for this season of our lives because it covers all the bases! Maintaining a positive outlook for our men is imperative. Our patience when the conversations are short or when frustration sets in is huge. Above all -Prayer, Prayer, Prayer! -is needed, faithfully covering their bodies, minds and spirits.

"Each of you should use whatever gift you have to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms." -1 Peter 4:10

As a busy wife and mom, sometimes it feels like I serve others all day long! But this verse reminds me to REALLY serve them; it pushes me to make sure I’m remembering to personally demonstrate things like faith and forgiveness every day. Whether you have children or don’t, whatever you’re doing, whatever your talents are, God can use it to encourage someone, inspire them or at the very least spark curiosity about God’s hand on their lives!

"The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down." -Proverbs 14:1

This is a reminder that you have such POWER!! There is power in your actions, attitudes, and your words. Make sure you are building up your men, building up your children, and don’t forget to build up yourself!

Hot & Healthy? One mother's position on why "breasts is best"

It seems as though in this day and age, you can’t do anything without offending someone. When I first found out I was going to have a baby I knew for a fact that I wanted to breast feed. I had my heart set on it and was lucky to not have any complications. I understand it’s every woman’s choice and I whole heartedly support whatever a woman decides.  However, I believe that a lot of new moms and even older generations aren’t as informed as one could be.  If it’s not for you that’s okay but don’t make those who choose to do so feel uncomfortable. If you don't want to see it, don't look. Normalize Breastfeeding!Most men and women see breasts as sexual but my sweet 8 month old baby sees them as food. Why can’t they be both? Before bottle feeding and formula was created, women used wet nurses; women who breastfed another’s child. It was completely normal to breastfeed your child any and everywhere and it was even normal to pay someone else to breastfeed for you. When formula was created the advertising created to downplayed the amazing benefits of breastfeeding. Why? They did exactly what they were supposed to do-- worry mothers into thinking that breast milk wasn’t sufficient in attempts to make money.  All of the early formula advertising I could find stated in some form, “the closest thing to mother’s milk.” My only question is: if their goal was to be as close to mother’s milk as could be, how could breast feeding not be what’s best!? My goal in this article is to not bash one decision or the other but, to simply inform (in my opinion) all soon to be mothers and even the general public about breastfeeding.  It is one of the most natural things that you can do for your baby and for most mothers, producing milk begins the second you give birth. As I said in the beginning, I was blessed to not have complications with breastfeeding. If I had, I would have obviously used formula and I even chose to supplement with my son.  Breastfeeding is hard work and can be very scary for new moms. You can’t tell how much or how little they eat every time because you can’t physically measure it. But, as long as they’re gaining weight and having regular bowels then the doctor says to rest assure that they are doing just fine. Breastfeeding is so much more than just feeding your baby. It is basically giving them a head start in life, making them less susceptible to a long list of illnesses as well as allergies, obesity and SIDS. Researchers have done studies to show the positive correlation between breastfeeding and cognitive development. There are even linked health benefits for mom! Breastfeeding helps with postpartum issues for instance, helping your uterus contract after birth, postpartum depression and lowering stress levels. It has also been discovered that it may help reduce your risk of ovarian and breast cancer. In addition to all the physical and mental benefits for my baby and myself, it is an incredible bonding experience that I could never replace. I am more than just a food source. I am her pacifier when she’s scared or in pain, her comfort when she’s cranky or doesn’t feel good.  I am the one she looks for when she doesn’t know what she wants. It’s a beautiful bond that I will only get to experience for a small amount of time. Please don’t make me feel bad for it. Please don't ask me to go to the bathroom or to the car, if it truly offends you, you don't have to look. If my baby needs to eat, I am going to feed her. I’m not doing it to offend you or to show off my breasts. Please remember...It’s not about you, it’s about her.

What's your Type?

body-type-calculator-2 There's a reason all of our bodies don’t look like those of Victoria Secret models. Its not because we don’t eat clean enough or train like olympic athletes. In fact, two people can eat the exact same very-healthy diet and follow the same exercise regimen, but have very different physiques. The reason this is true is because the makeup of our bodies are uniquely different.

Do you know what type of body you have? Im not referring to whether you look like a coke bottle or if you’re top-heavy; I’m referring to a pre-determined combination of your bone structure, bone density and musculature. Aside from other things, this helps determine the degree and the rate at which your body can lose/gain both fat and muscle. This is known as your Body Type, or Somatype. There are three distinctive Body types, but experts believe many people are a combination of two. In fact, it is ideal that you move away from the black and white, cookie cutter definition of your body type into a grey area that is a more fitting combination of two body types. With exercise and nutrition, this is possible.

The three body types are known as Ectomorph, Mesomorph, and Endomorph. While none of the three are “better” than another, each type has its own traits that presents its own benefits, needs and challenges for achieving a desired look through diet and exercise. The different body types are simply a starting point of what your body is and what you can do with it. Although you can’t change the framework, you can manipulate the muscles and fat on top of your skeleton to change your appearance. Learning which body type you have can really help you navigate your way through the gym, and the kitchen! You can stop spending countless hours in the gym with little progress, and start seeing the results that you deserve. Below you will find a short description of each body type along with valuable nutrition and training tips!

  • ECTOMORPH

An ectomorph is our “hardgainer.”  She’s our typical skinny friend who finds it hard to gain weight (not fair, I know! ). She has long thin limbs with stringy muscles and her shoulders tend to be thin with little width. Her fast metabolism causes her body to burns up calories very quickly.

gisele** Training Tips ** * Needs to consume a lot amount of calories in order to gain weight. High carbohydrate tolerance * Workouts should be short and intense focusing on big muscle groups. * Supplements are recommended for gaining muscle and gaining weight * Eat before bed to prevent muscle catabolism during the night. * Long duration cardio not recommended (unless you’re going for the very fragile look). * Responds best to a diet consisting of 55% carbs, 25% protein, and 20% fat.

  • MESOMORPH

A mesomorph is our naturally athletic-looking friend. It doesn’t take much for people to assume she “played a sport”, which she probably has! She has a larger bone structure, larger muscles and she’s naturally strong. Although she finds it easy to lose weight, she also can pack on the pounds quickly.

beyonce** Training Tips** * Needs to watch calorie intake to minimize fat gain. * Workouts need to combine weight training at various intensities and cardio for optimal results. * typically respond best to a mixed diet, consisting of balanced carbs 40%, 30% protein, and 30% fat.

  • ENDOMORPH The endomorph is our voluptuous friend. She gains fat very easily and typically has a shorter build with thick arms and legs. Her strong leg muscles are a huge plus in the gym!

New York Premiere of HBO's Girls at the NYU Skirball Center Featuring: Amy Schumer Where: New York, NY, United States When: 09 Jan 2013 Credit: Kyle Blair/WENN.com

** Training Tips ** * Endomorphs must always train cardio as well as weights * Supplements are not usually necessary as she builds muscle easily; high protein and fat diet is sufficient. * Most carb sensitive: benefits more from lower carb diets, with carbs being properly timed (for example, after workouts) * Typically respond best to 25% carbs, 35% protein, and 40% fat.

 

 

FAQ

- Can I change my body type?

Again, your body type is just a starting point. It basically just tells you which training and diet path to take.. Whether you can stay skinny without exercise or can gain a pound just thinking about Macaroni and cheese (kidding), depends a lot on your body type. . You cannot change your body type in the sense that our endomorph friend will always have a greater tendency to put on weight compared to our ectomorph friend. However, our endomorph can change her body in the sense that she is not destined to being overweight, as long as she makes the extra effort with regards to nutrition and exercise. In the same way, an ectomorph will have to put in much more effort into adding size to her frame.

 

BODY TYPES IN THE NFL 

Our Endomorphs in the NFL are our Linemen, who line up in the trenches. On offense, their main objective is to protect the QB, as well as create pathways for the football to be carried, by blocking their opponents. Their large size comes in handy, as they take up plenty of space which makes it hard for defenders to pass through. On defense, their job is to get to the QB and help break down the offensive play. lineman Our Mesomorphs in the NFL generally include:

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Some linemen Tight Ends Defensive Ends Linebackers QB's Running Backs We can argue that they are our most well-rounded players on the field. Their size allows them to be very physical and powerful, but also fast and agile. Our Ectomorphs in the NFL include but are not limited to, our Receivers and Safeties. They're generally very lean and very fast runners! ectoWRSince they line up in the backfield, they're away from the line of scrimmage where much of the pushing and shoving happens, making extra body weight unnecessary.

 

 

 

 

The beauty is not the perfect body, the beauty is that no one is perfect.

"For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made..... " " My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth" - Psalm 139

XO- Anjelica