Healty and Fitness: exercise

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Balance, Life, and Vacation

On Vacation!

If you tuned into my last Blog, you may have figured out that I was going on vacation…well…I DID and had a blast…except for the nasty scrape and bruise to my bootie that I am still healing from …talk about a pain in the backside…YIKES…I will go more into that in a bit. Let me just tell you that I am a simple gal and when it comes to our boat trips, I pack light because we are usually in swim suits most of the time, don’t wear makeup…don’t need it and rarely wear it anyway, lots of sunscreen…non-stinging waterproof please, Burt’s Bees lip balm, and my MUST have leave in spray conditioner to get out the tangles from lots of swimming;)…Woo Hoo that is what I am talking about…simplicity as it’s vacation BEST.

When Friday came, I took my watch off and did not concern myself with what time it was for one full week…no time constraint, no schedules…AHHH…such a free feeling to do whatever I wanted, when I wanted without hurry, deadline, and just reading my body for eating times and sleeping…and of course enjoying quality time with hubby, boating fun and the great outdoors. It truly seems like life should be this simple, this stress free most of the time. I think it is important to MAKE IT HAPPEN…to schedule those down time moments to really appreciate what life is all about…it is definitely not about the GO GO GO, and DON’T STOP TILL YOU DROP life…NOT FOR ME.

One of our Coves

Deer Sighting!!!

Did I freak out knowing I was not going to be getting in my normal workouts…maybe at first and only for a second… this girl was ready to go. Actually, I was looking forward to giving my body a rest, plugging into some meditation, being creative with active rest, and truly taking in LIFE. Not that I do not do that on a daily basis, but sometimes, a deeper spending of time to appreciate everything around me is in order. Also, taking a vacation is a good way to prevent burn out by taking a break from the things that are done day in and day out. I come back with a renewed sense of being each time…I LOVE THAT.

Was I going to rebel and throw all my healthy philosophies out the window…of course NOT. Was I going to provide leniency to enjoy things that I typically would not partake in moderation…a BIG YES! Life is about balance, about living, about enjoying, about BEING REAL…that is who I am…REAL. Please do not think that I am some super fitness freak who spends hours in the gym working out, and only eating boiled chicken, steamed broccoli and egg whites…WRONG. Not to say that these items are not in my nutrition plan…but really…if you have seen my recipes, I am very much into great tasting food and lots of variety. Our cooler was full of prepared meals of Quinoa with sun dried tomatoes, lean turkey meats, marinated chicken, spinach salad…you get the picture. We did purchase some Organic Flax Meal Chips from Costco and I have to say…impressed with the quality. Important to intake a little salt when spending time in the heat in addition to lots of water…so a few chips here and there fueled this water girl.

OUR FAVORITE LAKE SHASTA COVE THIS YEAR!

Trail to Water slide

We launched at Lake Shasta, one of our favorite spots to putt around, swim, and create our own adventures. Each day, we did what we wanted and were active by taking in ½ to 1 mile swims each day, having pull up contests off the boat dive platform, and hiking around off shore. Now…getting to the bootie injury…a few minutes of fun for over a week of discomfort…next time I am bringing on the Charmin...lol. OK…we discovered a Natural Rock Water Slide that existed off one of the coves, and although a bit of a hike to get there…it was absolutely beautiful and tropical looking…so many pools surrounded by golden rocks…BREATHTAKING. The end of paradise trail revealed the Rock Water Slide…well, a swim across the natural pool and climb up the rocks using a knotted rope was the only way to reach the top of the slide ... I admit I was a bit nervous...it was a thrill for sure...but...the OH NO ...bump bump bump…scraped my bootie on the rocks.

Water slide! I was able to find this pic online

Accomplished, but man did it tear a half dollar size deep raspberry on my tailbone area…talk about not being able to sit down for a week…there you have it…this bootie will definitely be padded next time. I seemed to be the only one with the bootie problem as I asked others coming off the slide if they hurt their tailbone…no, no and no…hmmm…oh well. I did witness people hiking all the way, and deciding not to try the adventure, but all was good fun…always about the journey. My hubby went down about 3 times…I was happy with my one time adventure especially with my backside burning when it hit the water.

Coming back from vacation is always bitter sweet, but it does feel good to get home, sleep in my own bed, get my ground legs back, and return to my routine. I do return with a renewed sense of self as I shared earlier, feeling content, happy, and even more creatively sparked. I enjoy seeing my clients and firing up my oven for some healthy baking. The point I am trying to bring home is not how I burnt my bum on the water slide, but how important it is to take a step back, slow things down, get out of a rut, change things up, have some fun, and just be free for awhile, even if it is for a day, or even a week. I know that balance is important to my successful and happy life, helps to reduce stress, enables me to clear my head, and spend quality time not only with me but the best part…spending time with my partner, friend, and love of my life. Now that is FABULOUS in my Stay Healthy Book!

Me with my Fabulous Husband, Don...We Enjoy our Healthy Life

In Your Face MOTIVATIONS

Check out the In My Kitchen Page for my Stay Healthy Recipes

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!

Have a Fabulous Week!

Stay Healthy!

Darla:)

RECOVERY AND ME

Celebrating 48!!!!

MAN have I noticed a few things over this past year and as I near 50…front and center …I NEED MY RECOVERY TIME…and I better listen to what my body is telling me or … low energy, burn out, unmotivated…and all the things that fatigue can bring me…YUCK. YES, I have taken care of myself and try to be the BEST me every day…does that mean over-the-top grueling workouts…OH NO…no more for this girl. I do not need to be that intense athlete of my teens, 20-30s anymore…and I really do not want to. It is has developed muscle for me which is YAHOO good, but also some wear and tear…not so good.

I create programs that are intense but do not push beyond my limits…nope…not for this fitness girl. I mean…Why? ...What is the purpose…the point…really…do I need to lift enormous amounts of weight to put extreme pressure on my spine, joints, tissues, and grunt until I pop a hemorrhoid…YIKES… do I need to prove something to someone…NO, NO and NO. It is not my goal to further injure myself, or put myself at risk of re-injury. My goal is to take care of my body, nourish it with healthy foods, and REST when my body says…for goodness sakes Darla…lay the hell down already.

I must admit, sometimes, I do not listen to this voice and I pay the price. I will attempt a workout and my body just says…NOT HAPPENING GIRL! Ughhh…then I think about the demands I have placed on it over the past few days, coupled with a few days of not getting enough sleep and I clearly understand what my body needs. The point is, I can no longer ignore and push through these moments…I NEED to listen.

I understand that my physiological self is much younger than my age due to my healthy lifestyle, but what is fact… Darla on the cellular level is indeed 48…I am having all the hormonal and cellular changes that go with being 48...this part can suck…can’t change it…it is a fact. I also realize that I do not have to work out every single day, but NEED those recovery days here and there to ensure my body is able to respond and build in a healthy way. So am I saying that growing older is not a good thing…NO…it is a great honor, gift, and privilege every single moment of every day. What I am saying is that I need to modify how I treat my body and allow for more TLC during this fabulous stage of my life…it is a transition of my body which is a part of my life’s journey.

I will be human and say…YUCK…sometimes, especially on the hormonal changes…and I can go on and on about this one. I will also say that WOW…what kind of brick hit this house today…meaning my body definitely will scream for a day off. This is sometimes hard to accept… I will be truthful, but on the other hand, if I do not listen…I will feel like dog doo…so life is truly a balance of recovery, fitness, nutrition, spiritual being…and more RECOVERY. What works for me at this stage is paying close attention on my intake, and not working so hard on the output…I have fabulous workouts don’t get me wrong, but I am not in there trying to burn off calories of OMG…what did I do yesterday with my food intake. I cater my workouts on the energy level of that day… if I feel like a HIIT workout I do that, cardio and core on a Darla feels slow day…I do that, or back to the basics weight circuit that is controlled and methodical achieving a good burn on a day that says to take it easy with the plyometrics…that gets done.

So, I do not believe in abusing my body through a workout…never again…maybe a part of my past…but definitely not in my present or future. And although it has been difficult to accept that I need more recovery, I also have embraced that I NEED more recovery…my thinking about it has changed in a positive way…I do not have a guilt trip because I am not hitting the gym when my body says rest, and knowing that the rest is rebuilding ME to be my BEST recovered me…FABULOUS! The absolute best part…I feel so much stronger when I do my next workout and love coming back feeling better and stronger. When I look at RECOVERY like that, it is the healthiest gift I can give myself…so today…I RECOVER!

TIME FOR IN YOUR FACE MOTIVATIONS


LOVE MY RECOVERY!!!

Definitely on STRONG Darla day with modification

Check out this fabulous In Your Face MOTIVATION to eat healthy!

I dedicate this Blog to my fabulous daughter Hope who celebrates her 21st Birthday tomorrow!!! Happy Birthday and I am so very proud of you Babe! xoxo Mom

Mom and Daughter LOVE

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 look forward to responding!

Have a Fabulous Week!

Stay Healthy!

Darla:)

What I Can with What I Have Today

TIRED...that explains me today. Hubby and I had a weekend adventure and needless to say, I did not get home in time to get ample sleep...YIKES...that feeling of fog head meets some sort of workout in between my fabulous Monday clients...I MADE IT HAPPEN. YES...I brought to my game "what I could with what I have." Did I do a HIIT workout...Are you kidding me??? OH hell to the big NO WAY. First, I am a morning workout girl...NOT TODAY. I needed my Oats, I needed my coffee, I needed a mental miracle...lol. To top that off...the day is whirling by like the clock on Alice in Wonderland...I mean...SLOW DOWN already! Getting back to what I can with what I had...30 minute ARC trainer ride listening to my upbeat music and really not trying to beat any records as the time counted down...YES...I focused more than usual on "am I DONE yet???" Come on now...we all have these days...OK...getting back, I continued with 30 minutes of slow, methodical weight training focusing on back/chest/core and legs...WHEW...again, no rush...just thinking about my muscle as I was going through the motion and ensuring that the contractions were QUALITY!!! I have this saying...NOTHING GOOD HAPPENS FAST...(in the gym anyway)...lol. Have to have a sense of humor you know. OK...here we go, as promised, more time on My Blog and I am off to finish my day but wanted to leave you with some.......

IN YOUR FACE MOTIVATIONS

Believe this!!!

A Healthy Lifestyle takes Action

Faith, Persistence, and Patience

Right or Left?


ONE OF MY FAVORITES

Personal Share: Congratulations to my Fabulous Stepson, Jacob for graduating High school and soon to be leaving for Air Force Boot camp...Love You Honey!!!


Congrats Jacob, Love You...Proud Parents!

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 Week!

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!

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