IN WITH THE COLD

Enjoying Maui last month

I am such a wimp when it comes to the cold or extreme heat and it calls for creative indoor workout preparation for the long winter months ahead.  There is this motivational poster that says �There is no such thing as bad weather, just soft people�.  Well pull up my socks and call me soft�because I am definitely not one to venture into the cold, sleet, snow, or hail for a walk or WOG (walk/jog).  I am a fair weathered fitness gal and am happy to say that I may be soft on the inside, but my body tells a much different story on the outside without facing the weather extremes.

 

I believe it is just all preference of course when it comes to working out, and I

choose to exercise without battling the elements.  Hats off to those who love all that stuff, and in a way it sounds really cool when I read workout stories that deal with extreme environments.  This gal would literally freeze into some sort of ice crystal mess with aching ears, and numb hands and feet. 

That is one COLD TURKEY!!!

 

 

This means preparing differing indoor workouts because I am all about muscle

confusion and keeping fitness fun.  I am one to get bored doing the same thing too many times and having a plan always works best for accountability and will ensure that I am ready to go.  I enjoy HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workouts and can write one of those up in a jiffy.  HIITs are probably my favorite due to covering so many muscle groups very dynamically in a short period of time.  I like to complete at least 30 minutes during a high intensity workout.  Then there are my slower paced cardio, core and stretch days which I really like when my energy is not where it should be, or my muscles are sore and need to recover.  Another fabulous workout that I love to create is a Pyramid, where I select four to five movements and start either at the bottom or top of the pyramid and work the reps up or down depending on how I want to  begin.  This type of workout makes me feel very accomplished, and I am pretty spent at the end.  It can take me a good hour to get through a pyramid that has ten steps to it.  I can�t leave out my circuit training, another great way I enjoy exercise, and utilizing my smith machine or free weights to complete a variety of strength moves that can be focused on all over body or body part selective. 

 

The wonderful thing about exercise is making it my own, and doing the things that I enjoy.  That is so important because if I did not like what I was doing, I would not be coming back for more that is for sure.  The fact that exercise is part of my lifestyle feels good and it is a �want to� for me and although I do understand the importance for my health as a �have to�, I would not feel like ME if I did not challenge my body physically regardless of the health importance.  It is such a gift to be able to exercise and that is how I look at it, and I am not going to let bringing in the cold stop me.  I just adapt, change and create what will work for me during a time that I will miss being outside as much. 

IN YOUR FACE MOTIVATION

 

 

 

Thanks for stopping by my Blog, hope you enjoy the content, and if you have not become a follower yet, I would love to see your face on my friend's list.  If you are inspired, LIKE my entry, leave a comment and I look forward to responding!

Stay Healthy~

Darla

SIMPLE IS HEALTHY

Simple is Healthy ~ Workouts Part 2

As promised, I am continuing my write about why I think �Simple is Healthy� and how I apply that to my life in all aspects.  Of course, it is such a HUGE factor for me, and knew that I could not fit all I had to say in one piece being the chatter bug that I am, so had to break it up in a series of Blogs. If you read the first of the series, I covered my food and how keeping it Simple makes for healthier foods�an apple vs. some packaged product with fake apple substance in it for example�YUCK.  I am dedicating this Blog to how I keep my workouts Simple and how that is absolutely HEALTHIER for me. 

I am a down to earth, back to the basics, sticking to the foundation of exercise kind of gal.  I do not need anything fancy to create a healthy body, and in fact enjoy the simplicity of an all over body weight   program many times throughout the week.  Also�my time�it is so important�please do not think that I spend hours in my studio pounding the weights to maintain my 48 year young self�..NOT.  I keep that simple as well and dedicate one hour at least 5-6 days per week to get my Darla Sweat ON.  That is it�if I am spending more time than that�what the heck am I doing and WHY for crying out loud.  My body requires daily physical activity and healthy foods and feeling like I need to push my body to limits beyond requirements is unhealthy in my book.  I consider working out a reward, a privilege and thankful that I can perform the exercises that I do with my new modified ME.  I think when the balance of workout is tipped so far into an obsessive thought process, it can become a burden and a something I �have to do� instead of �I want to do it�.   Think about this idea�maintaining healthy food intake so I do not have to work as hard or long in the gym�WHAT�.YES, studies have shown that the body only requires a good focus of 30 minutes per day of QUALITY exercise to maintain a great physique.  LIGHT BULB moment here and QUALITY workouts are a �want to� inclusion in my life to make exercise SIMPLE, and that is HEALTHY!  So, if I remain consistent on my healthy food intake, I can shave down my gym time by at least 15 minutes and really complete what I have to do in 45minutes.  WIN WIN�clicking of fitness gal trainer shoes�woo hoo.

There are so many ways to exercise the body, but think about the root of all exercise that stems from strength and stabilization�that is where I come from.  If my strength and stabilization are not in order, I might as well forget having a healthy workout session and body for that matter.  I am all about body balance, proper posture, positioning, form and technique, and positive and negative (concentric/eccentric) movements.  Let�s say I have a postural deviation and need to work on my core strength, my simple focus will be on doing that, and progressing from there.  I will not put my body at risk for injury by swinging this or that for hours on end, jumping here or there, and creating pain and suffering by performing movements that my body is just not ready for and may not be able execute properly even after I have come to my point of progressing forward.  I feel like a �body whisperer� where I pay close attention to what my body says I can do and proceed with caution with those things that I should not be doing. I am not a �push through the pain� person or trainer�there is normal discomfort that comes from a workout and then there is that �not right� discomfort that should put a screeching halt on my workout and yours for that matter.   

I can have a simple good exercise time with nothing but my body weight, a set of dumbbells and pull up bar�BINGO.  I see squats, negative pull ups, overhead presses, bicep curls, triceps kickbacks, and core work in that program.  Nothing fancy about what I do, just me executing simple controlled QUALITY moves for 30-60 minutes, getting a fabulous sweat on, and feeling accomplished when I am done.  Getting back to the basics of exercise, and the base moves that ALL workouts stem from is the safest and simplest form of creating a healthy body for ME and has served me well for several years.  I turn a deaf ear to the fads of fitness out there, especially if they are making unrealistic promises with risky movements that may send a once healthy body into a now I need rehab for an injury body.  Keeping it simple, fun, QUALITY, and time efficient sums up my workouts to be HEALTHY and LIFETIME maintainable.  That is what I am all about �Quality Life, Simple is Better, and Simple is definitely HEALTHY!

Enjoy my Stay Healthy recipe feature this month on SkinnyMs.com, a website dedicated to Health, Fitness and Success! 

Stay Healthy Crock pot Chicken & Brown Rice on Skinny Ms

 

In Your Face MOTIVATIONS

Coming soon�I have been asked to provide a review for Ellie, a new online fitness clothes brand and I am very excited to share my personal and professional opinion next month in addition to providing a special offer for you!

Thanks to all my Stay Healthy Fitness Facebook Followers who contributed to the Stay Healthy Fitness Grocery List and this was a fun interactive project.  I have put your selections together and created a printable PDF list for you�HAPPY STAY HEALTHY SHOPPING! 

CLICK THE GROCERY BAG ON MY HOME PAGE

Mardi Gra Fun with Hubby day before Super Bowl

Thanks for stopping by my Blog, hope you enjoy the content, and if you have not become a follower yet, I would love to see your face on my friend's list.  If you are inspired, LIKE my entry, leave a comment and I look forward to responding! 

Stay Healthy~ Darla

Receive My Stay Healthy Nutrition Guide as a Free Gift and Thank you when you donate to Stay Healthy Fitness...

Simple is Healthy

Simple is Healthy!

Simple is Healthy ~ Food, Part 1

YES�I have lots to say about keeping it simple and being such a chatter box, and trying not to jump too hard on the soap box, I knew this was going to become a series of SIMPLE.  I came across a quote that struck me �90% of people avoided obesity and diabetes long before anyone knew what a calorie was let alone counted them�let�s make �healthy� healthy again� and it ended with the word�SIMPLE.

WOW, I thought on that and realized just how dynamic and powerful this statement was to me and how true it is for my life.  As a child, my parents modeled living from the land in our back yard and boy do I ever remember how my weekends were spent�pulling weeds from the garden.  Talk about a bitter sweet chore as a child�dirty hands, dirty knees, blisters�and the smell of tomato leaves so strong it could choke you�anyone relate?  Fruit trees adorned our backyard, and my Dad was a master grafter trying to create the perfect blend of fabulous fruit flavors.  I could walk in the garden and pluck a vine ripe tomato or enjoy an apple from one of our many trees�Simple.  What I am trying to say by sharing a small glimpse into my childhood is that food should be simple, and for me�simple is healthy.  Part one of this Blog, I will be covering food and what simple means for my Stay Healthy Life and as it relates to what and how I eat. 

I enjoy food in its� true, SIMPLE form to this day and believe that the simpler the food, the healthier the food.  If it comes in a box, with a label full of words that I can�t understand, and the ingredient list takes up the entire side of the product, this is not a simple food�it is a bunch of mixed up crap in a box that sits on a shelf and has a shelf life longer than me.  That is what I am talking about, and am I going to put this in my body...A BIG NO on that.  Now, toss me an organic Fuji apple, and this is one happy girl ready to enjoy Simple Real Food, full of nutrients that my body needs.  Keeping food simple eliminates all stress of what I should be eating�how fabulous is that.  Once food becomes complicated, stress over the how much, what, and when  to eat enters the picture�ok�a small soap box�and thanks to agencies that will go un-named, media, marketing, blah blah blah�this world has gone crazy with complicated food and empty promises of pseudo health in a box that has greatly increased illness in this country.  Bringing food back to simple keeps me healthy and I am sure all of America would be healthier too. 

Simple means fresh, simple means I can pick the item up and smell it, and inspect it for the best pick of the produce.  Simple means one ingredient, I can usually eat the item at purchase, and if I am hungry for example, I will enjoy an organic piece of fruit during my drive.  When this concept is truly grasped, it eliminates all questions like�what did she/he eat to look like that? What did they do?  What diet was used�YUCK�diet is a dirty word in my book.  Keeping my food simple is how I maintain ME.  There is no secret this or that and I am hopeful that one day, everyone will wake up and realize this.  A few other foods that I include in my simple line up are organic boneless skinless chicken breasts, wild caught fish, grains, nuts, seeds, strained organic Greek yogurt, and cage free organic eggs�now, check this list in addition to what I shared earlier.  I am eating foods that are from the earth, as fresh as possible when I purchase organic, not processed in a factory and stuffed in a box. 

I enjoy the colors, aromas, textures, and flavors of simple foods and when I combine them into a salad�WOW�simple at its� very BEST!  Of course some of my food items come in bottles and containers such as my Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Vinegars, Honeys, Nut Butters, Quinoa, Brown Rice, Greek Yogurt, Almond Milk, etc�but I research to ensure that they are minimally and organically processed, minimal ingredients and simple stored form.  NOW�this is the thing about eating my simple food�if I do not eat it raw or blend for a green smoothie, I am in the kitchen slicing, dicing, and cooking up a SIMPLE and HEALTHY meal that surpasses any complicated junk- in- a- box non-food item that is being passed off as �good for your health� food. 

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

I enjoy a stress free simple eating life that allows me to enjoy lots of healthy foods throughout the day.  I do not keep a food journal, count calories, grams, ounces, etc�I SIMPLY eat to live.  My body tells me when to eat and that is usually every 2 � hours and I eat to satiety, not to feel uncomfortable.  It is amazing how much MORE food I can eat when it is simply healthy�my large salads for example�OH MY�they seem to get bigger instead of smaller with every bite.  One of my favorite simple veggies right now are brussel sprouts�.I roast these in the oven with EVOO and spices and OH MY�these nutrient packed baby cabbages are filling. 

So�.I will continue to keep my food SIMPLE�it is my LIFESTYLE�and I am happy to know that I am making �healthy� healthy again! Stay Healthy ~

 

 

 

 

Thanks for stopping by my Blog, hope you enjoy the content, and if you have not become a follower yet, I would love to see your face on my friend's list.  If you are inspired, LIKE my entry, leave a comment and I look forward to responding! 

 

Stay Healthy~ Darla

 

 

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GREAT EXPECTATIONS

Happy New Year!

I live with expectations for myself, and push the word of anticipation of something to happen into making it happen.  Truly, I am responsible for my own expectations and waiting around just does not make sense.  The problem with expectations, and I have been guilty in years gone way past of this BIG NO NO�creating �unrealistic expectations��you know�the kind that we create in our heads that say, and I will use �he� for this example, is going to surprise me with flowers, dinner, dancing and when �he� shows up offering nothing but his cute self ready to tune in to some sports event on TV, a 3-alarm fire goes off in our heads, feelings of anger and OMG�how could he let me down like that�and guess what�the night is ruined�WHY�Did he do anything�NO.  What did I do � well, I created this unrealistic expectation in my own mind�HOW CRAZY IS THAT.  Can you relate�been there and done that maybe? Or still doing that?  I stopped thinking in �Cinderella Land� through my journey of life many years ago, and have realized that it is I who needs to be clear in my communication of my wants, needs, etc.  It is a fact, that people will let me down in this life and instead of having unrealistic expectations of this truth, I have accepted, grown in positive ways, and now have Great Expectations for ME that I control. 

YES�I know, what does this have to do with maintaining my health, physique, and all things living a Stay Healthy life?  Having clear expectations for ME is a huge part of my healthy life and I do not expect anyone to create things for me.  I am responsible for my health, my workouts, what I put in my face, and how I treat others.  When it comes to my health, I have great expectation of remaining a healthy person through what I eat and how I work my body.  OK�am I saying I do not enjoy the anticipation of receiving something from hubby, or my kids�well of course not, BUT,  I consider that to be an extra blessing or something unexpected that is treasured.  I do not go around thinking he or they should do this or that for me�that would be a back pedal into an ugly scenario of self created drama.  No way for this fitness chick.  Life is so much simpler and REAL with genuine expectations for my life, day, and moment ...you get the picture.  Kicking �Cinderella� to the curb years ago was one of the best things I have ever done for Darla.

Some of my expectations have had to take a detour due to injury and that was a letdown, but not a self inflicted unrealistic expectation.  I have picked myself up, dusted my knees off from being on the ground praying so much, and with strength bigger than I, I am here to tell you that I still have GREAT EXPECTATIONS for ME.  In fact, part of my expectations involve YOU, and my passion to In Your Face MOTIVATE  each and every one of YOU to adapt healthy lives.  Living with self expectation has taken me to a satisfied place of acceptance, and more�I have plans for this New Modified Me and sometimes as with my earlier detour, I may not be in control of all my expectations, but I am going to do my very BEST to make each plan I have for ME happen.  As I shared earlier, having expectations is not only about clear communication within ME, but also to those in my life.  I do my best to offer clear communication of my expectations for ME, my family, friends, and clients.  In my opinion, success comes from Great Expectations and clear communication�they really go hand in hand. If I desire something, then it is up to me to communicate that, to take the action necessary, and if I fail in that area, that is on ME. 

IN YOUR FACE MOTIVATIONS

 

Me and My Fabulous Daughter over the Holidays

Thanks for stopping by my Blog, hope you enjoy the content, and if you have not become a follower yet, I would love to see your face on my friend's list.  If you are inspired, LIKE my entry, leave a comment and I look forward to responding! 

Happy New Year and Stay Healthy~ Darla :)

Receive My Stay Healthy Nutrition Guide as a Free Gift and Thank you when you donate to Stay Healthy Fitness...