It has to be GOOD ENOUGH

I AM GOOD ENOUGH!

In this world of extreme perfection and nothing being good enough, I say it has to be good enough…I will go farther than that and say IT IS GOOD ENOUGH…I mean really…YUCK…otherwise I would be such a miserable person always searching for something to fill some void I think I am missing.  You know what…I AM good enough.  I can recall a time in my life where I did struggle with the whole “not good enough” thing, always trying to please someone and giving so much consideration into what others thought of me…OMG…what a horrible way to be and so anxiety producing…just thinking back about it…I now laugh and am so thankful for being older, wiser, and so much better.  I guess it had to be a part of my journey of learning and maturing into the healthy woman I am today. 

Perfection and pleasing are tossed to the side, and just being the BEST version of ME each day is my goal.  I am not saying that I do not enjoy pleasing people with my cooking or something fabulous like that…I am talking about the warped thinking of “why did they not approve of this or that about me, or not like how I did something”…there is truly a difference.  Why did I even care???  WOW…talk about unhealthy thinking of the past.  What the heck does this have to do with maintaining my now 48 year young physique…I SAY EVERYTHING. 

It is my state of positive thinking and ACCEPTANCE of Darla, with all my imperfections and physical limitations that motivate me each day.  It is that “feel good” feeling that completely coats my spirit and provides an “AH HA” moment each day for me…I mean it can make me feel like a kid, not take things so serious, and free me to be ME…IT IS ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS!!!!  It is that whole not sweating the small stuff in life anymore and letting go of things I can’t control… YAHOOO …. YES…this is healthy, I feel healthy, I love how I take care of ME and I accept that about ME,  and it feels better than good.   I will go farther than good and say that it feels pretty darn GREAT! 

Starting the Weekend with this In Your Face Motivation!

Personal Goal:  OK everyone…I want to blog more and I am praying for more time to do this.  My goal is to MOTIVATE through my writing at least one time per week.  I have been utilizing my Stay Healthy Facebook because of its’ quick and easy download of this or that in seconds and I still plan to maintain that as long as FB does not continue to try and regulate business pages.  My passion and “want” is to channel the same feel of what I like to call “In Your Face” MOTIVATION posters here, along with helpful links, recipes, and exercise ideas.  I like that the Blog is individual and very personal…this is more down to earth and ME to MOTIVATE you.  So, even if I write a brief paragraph about my thoughts for the day or week, I am on board for that…how about you?

Check out my Stay Healthy Feature on pg 36 of  the June issue of Natural Muscle Magazine!

Stay Healthy Quinoa Chicken with Fresh Basil

Looking for an In Your Face MOTIVATION to move IDEA…I LOVE HIIT Workouts!

(My modifications...negative pullups for the pushups to protect my neck)

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.  Let me know if you LIKE this entry, I look forward to reading your comments, and I am always in the mood for a Protein Shake;)

Have a Fabulous Weekend!

Stay Healthy!

Darla   

 

A Hard Day

Blast off to Somewhere

I found this fabulous Motivational Poster that says “You are one workout away from a Good Mood”…this is so true!  Feels like a hard day, or hard week…all blending together as my fingers are trying to unwrap my feelings as I write this Blog.  I always like to say YES…I am human and have hard days, weeks, moments…just like you, I am not immune.  Sometimes I want to curl up in a human escape ball and ya know…blasting off to Hawaii sounds pretty good sometimes.  OH MY…what a share…well, why not…I mean really???  I have no fear of sharing who I am with you.  I am in and out of my workout writing this getting into that “Good Mood” coming from a great sweat.  It is my free therapy session where I process all the crap that can attempt to bring me down or create a hard day. As things come to my mind, I am near my computer for entry…that being said, back at it soon to return that will be for certain.

What the heck am I talking about…well, lots of things that have not been so fun…illness, a little surgery, and you know what can bother the most…being hit with the daily not so great communication or circumstances that can come from OMG…really…from them, or her, or him.  BIG YUCK…I am sure I am not sharing anything new…this screams…ARC TRAINER please and the other poster that I just found and absolutely LOVE…”God is STRONGER than my mood”…whew…Perfect for today and has been an “In My Face MOTIVATION” Screen Saver for me this week!

No…it is NOT my period or hormonal issues…although I must say that I do feel more anxious and edgy during that time…generally, I do not allow that to have any power over me though.  I am talking about living one day at a time, and just having, well…a hard day…I will not call it a bad day because I do not believe that days are bad…they are gifts.  I am happy to be here today…although hard…I am thankful. 

I am definitely a believer of a drama free life, not sweating the small stuff, letting go of those things I can’t control, and responding to life’s circumstances is 90% of the outcome.  Sometimes, depending on what the heck has hit me in the “funk” face determines how difficult it will be to not be sad, funky, down or whatever word best fits the scenario. I mean, if something continues to sneak into my mind and try to bug me…YUCK…it must have bothered me for some reason.  I will say to myself…I have let that go… so what the heck…maybe something triggered it…who knows…but the BEST I can do is be my absolute BEST through all situations…which I will also share…I AM NOT PERFECT…and so sometimes get this wrong.  I mean really, if I always get it right, then how am I learning?  Life is a learning journey and I will experience let downs, hard days, unfair circumstances, and unkind words …do I like this part…well, of course not.  Don’t we all want fairy tale days full of nothing but happy times, carefree living, sitting at nearby cafés sipping our favorite beverages while watching people stroll by…that warm fuzzy life that is perfect, picturesque, and stress free…OK…KNOCK KNOCK…time to wake up…this is not reality, and only a fairy tale perfect for travel brochures and romance novels.

What does sharing this have to do with living my healthy life…I think it still comes down to how I handle things.  Today feels like a hard day and the last couple months have been up and down a funky town ride, and I am going to grab onto that poster that I shared in the beginning…”I AM ONLY ONE WORKOUT AWAY FROM A GOOD MOOD”.  I release so much stress when I get my sweat on and achieve a feeling of strength that is greater than anything a hard day can give me.  Like I shared in my last Blog…my free therapy session…and when I am done with that hour, I seem to have a whole new perspective on things. My mood is definitely lifted in a positive direction, and I can think clearer, and make better choices for myself.   

So... Hard Day…Go Take a Hike!

Motivation of the Day:  You Are Only One Workout Away from a Good Mood

Workout of the Day:

ARC Trainer: Strength Mode, Level 6, 30 minutes (this kicked my literal Bootay)

Triceps/Biceps Interval

Cable push downs: 15lbs, 8reps, 5 sets

Tube kickbacks: (medium resistance): 8 reps, 5 sets

Interval of choice (one minute)

Biceps curls: 12lbs 8-10 reps, 5 sets

Interval

Nutrition of the Day:

1. Coffee with Sprouted Wheat Bread drizzled with honey

2. Post Workout Juice/Protein Shake Combo (The Works)

Stay Healthy Quinoa Chicken with Fresh Basil

3. Shredded Chicken Breast on Thin Bun with Avocado 

4. Juice/Protein Shake (The Works)

5. Quinoa Chicken with Fresh Basil

6. Peanut Butter Protein Balls

IF YOU ENJOYED MY BLOG, LIKE IT, LEAVE A COMMENT, AND IF INSPIRED TO SUPPORT STAY HEALTHY FITNESS WITH A SHAKE DONATION…I THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!

STAY HEALTHY!

"No Bunny Business"

I am a Woman of Faith

OK…another holiday that the stores are cramming with crap...YIKES and YUCK.  Am I a scrooge (oops…wrong holiday)...stick in the mud about Easter????  Well, of course not, far from that…and YES…when my kids were small and even adults…I would make baskets filled with goodies, hide Easter eggs, and had great fun dying eggs…and better yet…eating egg salad sandwiches…BOMB protein.

Easter just is not about the “Bunny Business” for me or shoving tons of candy in my face…A Big NO WAY…in fact, and get ready for a soap box moment here…there is too much capitalization on every single holiday telling the consumer to eat more junk, spend on junk, and the worst part…the meaning of the holiday is missed altogether…there…said it and further…how is this healthy…I think NOT…OK, now I am moving on.  YES, Easter has such a deep meaning as I celebrate my faith and well, sorry chocolate rabbit, although cute and full of calories, it takes the back seat. YES…I enjoy my spiritual life and have faith in the meaning of what it means to be a Christian.  Drum roll…YES…Darla is a Christian, believes in God, reads scripture, prays a lot, and believe me….there have been many times in my life where I know that my strength alone was not enough to get me through…I am talking about the belief in something greater than myself.  There was a time in my life when I was at that… OMG…can’t let anyone know that I am a Christian…what would they think, would they still like me, think I am weird, accept me? I am so happy to be beyond living my life according to what I thought others expected of me, accepted of me, never good enough, pleaser, pleaser, pleaser for everyone but myself…WOW…what was I thinking, and why did I care…it was all a part of my journey of learning…yes, I was once there. 

How refreshing to be living Darla’s life now, and I say something as fabulous as faith is meant to be shared, not hidden.  “Older, Wiser, Better” is what I say now, and this quote can definitely be applied to many areas of my life’s journey… that’s for sure. I know that we all want to believe in things we can see, feel, pull up a chair and have a conversation…but you know what…too easy…that is why it is called faith.  Does this put you off the person who is Darla…well, I will take that chance…this is who I am…the person that is here to MOTIVATE you with my life.  I do not walk in fear or shame of who I am, my beliefs, or my passions, otherwise I would be a hypocrite and that is NOT me.  What you see is what you get…that has always been my way and how I share with you…REAL…like me or not…now that is healthy!

Free Therapy...My Cardio

I look at it this way, life is about challenges that push and pull me in different directions and it is how I respond to those challenges that makes me a healthy girl and with God by my side, I feel strong, confident, and able to walk through any circumstance that comes my way.  Sometimes even a workout may seem tough and let me just share that my cardio is the perfect time to chat with God…pray and sweat and believe me I can cover quite a bit in this hour long conversation. Talk about a therapy session that is free and burns calories…a WIN WIN in my Stay Healthy book.  OK…are you thinking…OH MY…she is a “Jesus freak” off her rocker, Bible thumper, door to door sales evangelist, or how about… the new fitness evangelist…YIKES…are you kidding me??? I do not have to be any of those things because I live my life as an example of loving God, and if how I conduct myself says something to my family, friends, clients, online followers, etc…then that is inspiring and MOTIVATING.

Easter just seemed the perfect time to share this with you, and believe me, I try to live to honor God everyday in what I say, think, and do…I am human, make mistakes, fall, and I am humble enough to apologize when I am wrong.  Definitely far from perfect…as you know, I do not believe in that.  The difference is that I am my BEST as a faith driven woman.  Faith is what keeps me loving myself through how I treat my body, and deeper, how I am with my family, clients, and the extreme passion that I have to MOTIVATE people online to please live healthy lives…make it quality…One Body, One Life…MAKE THEM BOTH AMAZING is another one of my philosophies.  I hope everyone has a fabulous Easter day…will I have a chocolate rabbit…well maybe…and if I do, tradition says….bite the ears off first…at least that is what my daughter says.  I know I will be making my Stay Healthy Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls, recipe link below, and enjoying a healthier version for Easter brunch. Wrapping this up…what is important on this day and every day, is being the BEST version of me, otherwise…what the heck am I doing?  Stay Healthy!

Motivation of the Day: One Body, One Life…Make them both AMAZING

Newly Added to the In My Kitchen Stay Healthy Recipes: Stay Healthy Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls, Perfect for Easter brunch!

My Workout of the Day:

30min Arc Trainer

Pyramid Workout…LOVE THESE!

My Nutrition of the Day:

Stay Healthy Sweet Potato Chocolate Cake - Meal 1

1. 1 cup coffee, Stay Healthy Chocolate Sweet Potato Cake

2. Juice/Protein Shake Combo

3. Juice/Protein Shake Combo

4. ¼ cup raw pumpkin seeds/walnuts/cranberries

5. Stay Healthy Quinoa Chicken w/Sundried Tomatoes & Fresh Basil

6. 1 Scoop chocolate whey protein mixed with almond milk before bed

HAPPY EASTER!!!!

IF YOU ENJOYED MY BLOG, LIKE IT, LEAVE A COMMENT, AND IF INSPIRED TO SUPPORT STAY HEALTHY FITNESS WITH A SHAKE DONATION…I THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!

STAY HEALTHY!

MOTIVATION

I am MOTIVATED

Just like you, sometimes I struggle with this.  What keeps me going is how good I feel from where I was when I was injured.  I have worked too hard to fix myself to ever give up on me…that is MOTIVATION!   I have progressed to modified workouts instead of straight up physical therapy and believe me I still throw in a bit of the PT just to keep me honest.  As I have shared and you know how I feel…Life is too short not to be my BEST ME…so even on those days that feel hard and hand me a “I do not want to  attitude ”…I DO IT.  That inner voice talks pretty loud, and on those days, I truly feel like I am having an out of body experience going through my workout…but…the important thing is…I AM DOING IT.  

Off topic, but not really…I came down with the bronchial flu…a not so fabulous share from hubby that has set me back going on 2 weeks of no workouts…YUCK YUCK YUCK…I would love to say more about how frustrating this makes me feel.  Why do I share this…hmmm…well, I write what pops into my mind and I am relating this to motivation because I am motivated to get back on track once my energy is where it should be.  I am no super human and this past week has definitely proved that, but boy am I determined and motivated to get back to it.  You see, my lifestyle motivates me…I miss my workouts, even on the hard days.  There is a saying that goes…”You regret those things you do not do”…Well, I know that if I do not maintain my physical fitness, my body will suffer the consequences.

I Want a Long Healthy Happy Active Life with Hubby

I have so many motivators in my life…My Faith in God…this is HUGE…I have respect for this gift of life in this body and it is up to me to take the BEST care of ME always…One Life, One Chance, No Rewinds…WOW…this gives me goose bumps.  My fabulous husband motivates me to take care of ME, to be my BEST ME for him…crap, I want to feel sexy, alive, and all those things not only for myself, but for him.  We have a common goal of living a long, happy, healthy and active life together. My children motivate me…WOW…I have 4 now and I want to be my BEST for them, spending time, having laughs, watching their lives unfold as they journey into adulthood…they are already there…AMAZING!  My Grandchild and future grandchildren are motivators…how cool it will be to be a fit and trendy Grandma…I want that for them…I want to be able to sit, play and move around with ease and scoop them up in my arms with confidence and strength.  My parents and family motivate me…I want to be a healthy example for them, to enjoy the wisdom of my parents, and share in the lives of my siblings; My friends motivate me…you know in this life, seriously, true friendship is a rare gift and I cherish a couple that I can call my gems in life…a chosen sisterhood.

My clients and those I touch on a daily basis to live healthy lives motivate me. I receive emails of gratitude and celebrate success stories everyday…and you know what…I am just the voice to provide the MOTIVATION…truly it is each person that has to make a personal choice to change…and when this happens, that is exciting and MOTIVATING for me personally. Wrapping this up, I am a collector of motivational posters and sayings and I share this information on my Stay Healthy Facebook page on a daily basis.  I get so excited with a new find and how it moves me to be a better person and I think…if it speaks like this to me, then I am definitely going to share it.  I began a Pinterest account…OH MY…this is absolutely the BEST place to find motivational posters on every topic under the sun…no kidding…check out my board specific to MOTIVATIONS! 

This blog has been a bit everywhere in my life, but when it comes to Motivation, it is such a grand word, and even more than that, it is one to think about deeply.  So….does feeling sexy in my clothes MOTIVATE me…a big YES, but it goes much more beyond that and each day could bring a different motivator, but overall…I am Motivated to be a healthy person…and I am Motivated to Motivate…Can I say that…does that make sense…I hope so. 

My Workout of the Day:

Recovery Period:  Recovering for 2 weeks from the flu…not happy but necessary to prevent relapse

Stay Healthy Oatmeal Date Cookies...YUM!

My Nutrition of the Day:

Coffee, one cup with splash f/f vanilla creamer & Stay Healthy Harvest Muffin

Juice/Shake Combo

Juice/Shake Combo with Egg Whites

Lean Turkey Spaghetti Sauce with veggies served over Quinoa

2 Stay Healthy Oatmeal Date cookies

Click Here to Check out My Pinterest Account and GET MOTIVATED!

Motivation of the Day: I Will Do This for Me

Newly Added to the In My Kitchen Page on the Blog

 Stay Healthy Caramelized Onion Bella Pizza Recipe

IF YOU ENJOYED MY BLOG, LIKE IT, LEAVE A COMMENT, AND IF INSPIRED TO SUPPORT STAY HEALTHY FITNESS WITH A SHAKE DONATION…I THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!

STAY HEALTHY!

Pumping Up On the Juice

So far no signs of back acne, mood swings, or enlarged erogenous zones...LOL...Gotcha...I am talking about juicing people...veggies, fruits and all the healthy JUICE the body can handle. Ready to continue on this journey with me...I have been researching the whole concept of healing foods, juicing, organic vs. un-organic...always looking to improve, and put quality fuel in my body.  What got this whole ball rolling was watching three documentaries…Food Inc., Forks over Knives, and Food Matters…want to watch something that will open your eyes in a big way…well…this did it for me.  Just when I thought I was doing everything right, eating what I thought was “clean” foods…the buzz word for healthy stuff…I get blown out of my chair with the research documented on these shows.  Really, Really??? Well…what do I do with that…I start my own research on food and what to consume…digging into the whole organic reality and what is going on in this world…YUCK…did you know it is very political…sadly, but true.  I will leave it at that and let you do some exploring. 

Organic for ME

All I have to say is that I am just like you…always a work in progress and I also believe that I need to not only be knowledgeable but also able to share accurately…OMG…this has been interesting to say the least. Further, I think this is going to be a several part blog as the more I dig, the more complicated things become.  I will talk about the meats on another blog, but will quickly share that all meats that will fuel this 47 year young body will be free range organic from now on…so I will need to say goodbye to my $1.88lb chicken breast :/…unless a super duper organic sale comes up and then I will be stocking my freezer…you know me…wheel deal, coupon cherry picker;)  OK…back to  the juicing…I have a Vita Mix Blender and I am not going to expend further money purchasing a specialty juicer…I mean really…this thing would grind steel as it is…so I am good to go.  

My discovery on veggies is that they are a little more difficult to determine which to purchase organic. A fabulous Google search, believe it or not, provided an online link for the “Dirty Dozen” list of  fruits and vegetables always to purchase organic and a list of OK items to buy non-organic…YEAH.  Organic or not, I always wash my produce just to be sure as I have read stories on how cutting through the skin or rind can send YUCK bacteria right into the fruit.  Do I think I have done a horrible job maintaining my 47 year young self with the foods I have been eating so far…a BIG NO…making the choice to eat more organic is just an additional way for me to maintain ME even better…CLEANER if you will.  I have shared that Staying Healthy is a daily journey and never a destination and there is always progress to be made.  Well…that means in every aspect of my journey with living a quality Stay Healthy life.

What I am doing now is researching which vegetables and fruits work for certain conditions and everyday taking care of my body. For example…juicing the cucumbers daily for my skin and hair, ginger to alleviate menstrual cramps, and a variety of other veggies as powerful antioxidants to reduce the risk of many diseases and cancer…OK…strongly in on the juicing.  You know how I love my protein shakes as well, so I will mix it up by creating a juice/shake combo and it works for me.  Veggies, fruits, and seeds I like to keep on hand to juice it up…fresh spinach, cucumbers, celery, broccoli, blueberries, carrots, fresh parsley, ginger root, dried prunes, apples, oranges, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, and almonds.  You may be thinking…OMG…broccoli in a shake…but when I juice the veggies and fruits together, it takes on a whole new flavor and a healthy fresh goodness to the blend.   

The best part of all, no nutrient breakdown that comes with cooking the veggies…just raw blended goodness in a glass!  I am so excited about my new juicing adventure and it is fun to come up with new blends everyday…in the back of my mind is a sweet potato ginger root creation in the making.  Saying that I pump up on the juice is, YES..one of the new ways I maintain me...HEALTHY and happy to say that I will be a lifetime JUICER...the journey continues;) 

My Workout of the Day:

20 Minute ARC trainer

Light Dumbbell Body Circuit (5lb weights) & Negative Pull-up/Jack Interval

Neg pull-ups (7 reps)

Jumping Jacks (20 reps)

Squat to Military Press Alternate sides (20 reps per side)

Core punch fronts (50 reps)

Neg pull-ups (7 reps)

Jumping Jacks (20 reps)

Lunge back biceps curls (20 reps per side)

One leg squat with lateral raise (15 reps per side)

Neg pull-ups (7 reps)

Jumping Jacks (20 reps)

Alternating lateral squat with front raise (20 reps)

Walking lunges (20 reps)

Neg Pull-ups (7 reps)

Jumping Jacks (20 reps)

Wide stance squat with alternating Military press (20 reps)

Stationary lunge hold with Triceps kickbacks (20 reps per side)

Neg pull-ups (7 reps)

STRETCH TIME

My Daily Blend

Favorite Juice/Shake Combo (Makes 2):

I put this together in my Vita Mix Blender

¼ raw pumpkin seeds

Handful of fresh organic blueberries

2 stalks organic celery, washed

1 large organic broccoli flower

1 cup organic fresh baby spinach

½ organic apple, washed, no seeds

1 large organic tangerine or orange

3 dried prunes

¼ inch ginger root

Handful organic baby carrots

4 sprigs washed organic fresh parsley

2 heaping tablespoons N/F Greek Plain Yogurt

½ Scoop Vanilla Whey Protein Powder

¼ cup All Bran cereal

¼ to ½ cup Organic Vanilla Soy Milk

Ice and Blend…FABULOUS!

Enjoy My Stay Healthy Avocado Mousse for Two featured on the “In My Kitchen Page”

IF YOU ENJOYED MY BLOG, LIKE IT, LEAVE A COMMENT, AND IF INSPIRED TO SUPPORT STAY HEALTHY FITNESS WITH A SHAKE DONATION…THANK YOU SO MUCH!

STAY HEALTHY!