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Hi, I’m Andrew Raymond.

I used to think that I lived my life in a healthy way and always considered myself fit. And I believe that if you asked any of my family or friends they would probably echo my thoughts and tell you the same thing. I was an active distance runner and swimmer, competing throughout my childhood and teenage years and was in great shape, as are most high school athletes. Then when I went to college I gave up swimming and just kept running, but quickly lost motivation and eventually stopped running as well. Even though I wasn’t doing any physical activity any more, I kept the same diet and quickly realized that I was not really healthy, and I definitely wasn’t fit anymore.

“I was not really healthy, and I definitely wasn’t fit anymore.”

I tried to keep up with the running, but without a team or reason to train, I always felt like I didn’t have the time or motivation to stick with it on a consistent schedule. After college, I started working full time and obviously, as most of you can relate to, you don’t get more free time when you start a full-time job. After being out of college and working in the real world for a couple years, I was in the worst shape of my life. I could barely go out and run a couple miles without stopping and I had added about 10 inches around my waist. Something had to change.

This was my real introduction to the world of health and fitness. It was the start of my journey to getting into better shape and feeling better about myself again. I had no idea about all of the interesting information and the great people in this world of health and fitness, that I would learn about when I made this decision. This turned out to be a complete lifestyle change for me and sparked a new interest and passion to finding what it ACTUALLY means to be healthy and fit.

“I was in the worst shape of my life…. something had to change.”

After a lot of time spent researching, learning, and consuming everything I could by reading every health book I could get my hands on, using “Dr. Google” to find helpful reputable websites, countless hours listening to podcasts (my favorite being The Model Health Show with Shawn Stevenson), and establishing a good workout routine that produced results and fit into my life, I have finally gotten to a place where I actually feel good about my body again. But not only do I feel good about my body, I also feel better about every aspect of my life and I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in.

“I have finally gotten to a place where I actually feel good”

I became very passionate about learning as much as I could and sharing as much information to as many people as I could. So I decided to follow that passion and become a health coach. I then enrolled at The Institute of Transformational Nutrition to be a Certified Transformational Nutrition Coach (ongoing) so that I can continue to grow my knowledge and have the credentials to back it up. I want my clients to be confident that I truly care about their health and want to do everything I can to help them reach their goals.

Now It’s Your Turn!

Now, I want to help you! I will help take you from where you are, and guide you to where you want to be, by providing you valuable information and support. I firmly believe that you already have everything you need inside of you to create the life you want to live, and I’m here to help you access that.

My style of coaching is unique in that I practice a method of coaching called Transformational Nutrition, which redefines nutrition as “anything that feeds you – physically, mentally, and spiritually.” It’s the only coaching method that focuses on all three areas of healthy living which allows you to transform your health and your life at the same time.

Go ahead and take a look at the various coaching programs I offer. Then you can book your free discovery session for us to get to know each other, discuss your goals, and work together to decide on the best coaching program for you. I look forward to working with you.


Wishing you health,

Andrew Raymond
A. Raymond Health Coaching

Disclaimer
The information on this website is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. Andrew Raymond encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional. The entire contents of this website are based upon the opinions of Andrew Raymond, unless otherwise noted.

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Water Is Life


“Water is life’s matter and matrix, mother and medium. There is no life without water.”

– Albert Szent-Gyorgyi

Have you ever woken up with a headache, feeling groggy, or maybe a little hungry? Chances are you have, and you probably thought that you needed to get something to eat, but in reality you probably should have grabbed a glass of water.

Photo by Alexander Dummer on Pexels.com

Drinking a glass of water as soon as you wake up should be as much a part of your morning routine as brushing your teeth. There are so many benefits to consuming more water throughout the day, and a really great way to start is by drinking a glass as soon as you roll out of bed.

Think about it, after you wake up in the morning, when was the last time you had anything to drink? Assuming you had a full recommended 8 hours of sleep, and ate dinner a few hours before you went to bed, you are at about 10-12 hours since your last glass of anything. And if you decided to have a glass of wine or maybe a beer with your dinner, those both have chemicals that actually assist to dehydrate your body and so you are looking at even more time since you have hydrated your body appropriately.

Water And Our Bodies

  • Makes up about 60% of our total body composition, and accounts for about 75% of our brain and muscle tissues
  • Assists in flushing toxins and waste from our system
  • Helps regulate our internal body temperature
  • Lubricates our joints
  • Helps absorb essential nutrients from our food

According to a study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, only 22% of adults reported drinking 8 cups of water or more a day, while 36% reported to only drink 1-3 cups, and there were 7% that reported they do not drink any water during the course of a day. These numbers were shocking to me! With all the benefits of consuming the appropriate amount of water, and especially how easy is it to incorporate into your every day to day life, the only explanation I can come up with is that people just aren’t informed. The ones that are not drinking enough water just don’t know or understand how important it is so they end up taking it for granted.

The normal recommended amount of water to drink is 8 cups a day. Another method you can use is to take your weight and divide it by 2, and that is how many ounces you should drink a day. While these are both good methods and great starting points, you will need to pay attention to how you feel and listen to your body. Your urine should be a very light yellow. If it is too clear you are drinking too much, and if it is dark yellow you are not drinking enough. Drinking water is so simple and is something you can do RIGHT NOW to start improving your health and get yourself one step closer to feeling like the best version of yourself.

Photo by Daria Shevtsova on Pexels.com

How To Get More Water In Your Life

  • Drink a glass as soon as you wake up
  • Eat more fruits and vegetables (some consist up to 90% water)
  • Drink a glass of water before every meal
  • Drink beverages you enjoy (water with lemon, carbonated water, avoid high sugar beverages)
  • Buy yourself a nice aluminum or glass water bottle to carry around with you wherever you go
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One of the first things you should do to start consuming more water is to drink a glass as soon as you wake up. Drinking a glass of water as soon as you wake up should be as much a part of your morning routine as brushing your teeth. There are so many benefits to consuming more water throughout the day, and a really great way to start is by drinking a glass as soon as you roll out of bed.

Think about it, after you wake up in the morning, when was the last time you had anything to drink? Assuming you had a full recommended 8 hours of sleep, and ate dinner a few hours before you went to bed, you are at about 10-12 hours since your last glass of anything. And if you decided to have a glass of wine or maybe a beer with your dinner, those both have chemicals that actually assist to dehydrate your body and so you are looking at even more time since you have hydrated your body appropriately.

Another great strategy is to drink a glass before every meal. Make a conscious effort to finish an entire glass before you start eating anything. This has the additional benefit of actually helping the food you are about to consume sit better in your stomach and absorb more of the nutrients from them. It also helps you feel a little more full, stopping you from over consuming during your meal.

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Speaking of your meals, you should also try and include some fruits and definitely a ton of vegetable with every meal. Fruits and vegetable mostly consist of water. Some of them range from 85-90% water. This is a perfect way to get more water into your diet.

Vegetables & Fruit With 85-90% Water

    Vegetables

  • Cucumbers
  • Celery
  • Zucchini
  • Tomatoes
  • Bell Peppers
  • Cabbage
  • Cauliflower

    Fruit

  • Grapefruit
  • Watermelon
  • Strawberries
  • Cantaloupe
  • Peaches
  • Blackberries
  • Pineapples

Finally, in order to get more water into your diet you are going to have to find a way that you actually enjoy. I personally love water and it is very refreshing to me, but some people can’t sit there and just drink water all day, and I understand. Sometimes I want some flavor in my life too! Now when I say flavor, I am not suggesting you go and grab a soda or even some orange juice. Soda and fruit juices are filled with added sugars and you are just going to end up negating the positive effects of trying to consume more water by loading your body up with all that added sugar. Some drinks that I have found quite delicious that have some extra flavor are carbonated waters (Lacroix, Bubly, San Pellegrino) or even just adding some fresh squeezed lemon juice to your glass is always a simple solution. Just find water that works for you.

Once you find your drink of choice, it would be a good idea to get yourself a nice water bottle to carry around with you. I recommend buying an aluminum or glass water bottle to avoid the BPA that can reside in plastic bottles. And yes, even the plastic bottles that say they are BPA free are still going to have the chemical released, especially if you leave your water bottle in the sun for too long and expose it to high temperatures. Aluminum and glass is the way to go.

Stay Hydrated My Friends

I hope you found something useful here, and that you were able to take at least one thing away from it. It is important that we stay informed and especially with something so simple as drinking more water. Please share this with your friends and family members and make sure they are informed as well.

I would also appreciate it if you would like this page and go ahead and follow me on my website by entering your email address below, so you can keep receiving more great information.

Thank you,

Andrew Raymond
A. Raymond Health Coaching

References

U.S. National Library of Medicine: Behaviors and Attitudes Associated With Low Drinking Water Intake Among US Adults, Food Attitudes and Behaviors Survey
U.S. Geological Survey Water Properties: The Water In You
WebMD: 6 Reasons To Drink Water
SF Gate: List of Fruits & Vegetable With a High Water Content

Easy Homemade Guacamole To Spice Up Your Taco Tuesday….. Or Any Day

Everyone loves a good side of guac, and it’s the perfect addition to your Taco Tuesday. Guacamole is also a really good way to get those magic fruits we call Avocados into your diet. Avocados are a perfect, delicious source of those essential healthy fats and has nearly zero sugar. They also have great benefits for your brain, having the highest concentration of brain protecting antioxidants of any fruit or vegetable.

So the next time you are making tacos, just grab a few extra ingredients and while you are browning that beef or slow cooking those carnitas, whip up some of this guacamole. I promise, if you are anything like me, you will never make tacos without it again.

Enjoy!

Andrew Raymond
A. Raymond Health Coaching

Prep: 10 min
Total: 10 min
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

  • 3 Large Avocados
  • 1 Roma Tomato
  • 1 Jalapeño
  • 1/4 Large Red Onion
  • 3 Garlic Cloves
  • 1 Lime
  • 1 Tbls Chopped Cilantro
  • 1/4 Tsp Cumin
  • Salt

Directions:

  1. Grab a medium size bowl, cutting board, and your favorite knife.

  2. Start by small dicing the tomato and jalapeño after removing the seeds and core from each. Leave some of the jalapeño seeds if you want it to be spicier.

  3. Then go ahead finely chop the red onion and cilantro.

  4. Mince the garlic cloves.

  5. Add your tomatoes, jalapeños, red onion, cilantro, and garlic to the bowl.

  6. Cut the lime in half and start with only juicing half of the lime into the bowl.

  7. Add the cumin (this gives it that extra southwest punch) and a few pinches of salt.

  8. Cut the avocados in half and core them (save the pit for later). Then scoop the creamy avocado out of the peel and into the bowl. (click the link at the bottom of this post to buy the avocado peeler I use, it’s worth the extra bang for the little buck).

  9. Use a large spoon to mix everything together until it is a creamy texture (I prefer mine to be a little clumpy personally, but it’s your call)

  10. Then add more salt and lime juice to your liking, it’s your guacamole, so make it taste the way you want.

  11. Now you can either serve it immediately, or take the pit from the avocado you saved earlier and place it in the middle of the guacamole (the pit helps slow down the oxidation process and keeps the guacamole from browning too fast) and set the bowl in the refrigerator to cool until serving.

  12. Enjoy your homemade guacamole!

Avocado Peeler

Click here to buy the Avocado Peeler from Amazon.

The link above will direct you to Amazon to purchase the exact avocado peeler that I use. Trust me, this tool takes all the awkwardness out of peeling and pitting avocados and it makes you look like you have been doing it all your life.

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15 min Homemade Salsa… And It Tastes Better Than The Jar In Your Refrigerator

Prep: 15 min
Total: 15 min
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

  • 4-5 Roma Tomatoes
  • 1-2 Jalapeños
  • 1/2 Small Sweet Onion
  • 1/2 of a Lime’s Juice
  • 2 Garlic Cloves
  • 1/4 Cup Cilantro
  • 1/2 Tbls Cumin
  • Salt

Directions:

  1. Roast the tomatoes and jalapeño on a grill or gas stove top until blackened all around. They will look burnt, but this is the key to getting that smoky authentic Mexican flavor in your salsa, which is the main goal here. Now go ahead and set those in the freezer until cool enough to cut.
  1. While those are cooling, grab a bowl to mix everything in and begin preparing the rest of the ingredients.
  1. Grate the onion directly into the bowl. Grating the onion releases more of the naturally sweet liquid in the onion, which is perfect for a salsa.
  1. Juice half of a lime. I just squeeze it directly into the bowl, but if you have a fancy tool that does it for you, by all means, go for it. You can also add in more juice from the other half later if you’re into that.
  1. Mince the garlic. I recommend using a garlic press if you have it. This piggybacks off of the onion tip. The garlic press releases more of the juices in the garlic.
  1. Finely chop the cilantro. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want a mouthful of cilantro when eating my salsa. I just want the flavor of the cilantro, so we finely chop it.
  1. Grab the tomatoes and jalapeño out of the freezer; they should be cool enough to cut now.
  1. Dice the tomatoes and try to get as much of the juices as possible. Also, the skin will probably want to fall off while you are cutting the tomatoes but make sure to chop it up and throw it in the bowl. Remember, that’s what has the smoky flavor you want.
  1. Dice the jalapeño. I prefer dicing the jalapeño as small as possible, nobody wants a big hunk of jalapeño. As for the seeds, throw them out if you want a mild salsa, throw them all in if you want a spicy salsa, and put in half if you want a medium spicy salsa. Genius how that works.
  1. Then add about 1/2 a tablespoon of cumin. Add a little more or a little less, it will be all right.
  1. Finally, add the salt. Be generous with it, tomatoes can take a lot of salt because they are so sweet.
  1. Now stir it all together and enjoy.

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