The Cost of Living

What is the first thing that comes to mind…money…right?  Well, that is part of the “Cost of Living”.  I see this phrase in a whole new way as in the choices I make with my life.  What I choose to think, feel, how I act, respond, do or not do all determines my “Cost of Living”. 

Happiness comes at a price and so does stress and struggle.  I know that when I feel at my best and happy about how things are going, the cost for me is a great day, feel on top of the world, confident, and just all together fabulous…right?  Just as allowing some injustice that has been thrown my direction to take over my whole persona, well the cost would be stress, anxiety, and just an overwhelming YUCK feeling in my life bank. 

Sometimes, it is difficult to always pay the right cost all the time in life to receive the right result.  Look at how the “Cost of Living” affects health and I will speak personally here…If I choose to sit around and do nothing active, then the cost would be that my body receives no benefit of exercise, no positive endorphins to flood my system…and boy do I love that feeling, and really puts a damper in my routine.  Let me hit up my nutrition using the same analogy.  If I choose to eat processed crap, overload my system with sugar, and do not pay attention to what I put in my face, the cost would be not feeling well, probably constipated (YUCK), low energy, and really not feeling mentally good about ME. In both regards, my health would suffer at the cost of my not taking care of ME.

The mental game comes with the biggest cost as it really determines how each day will unfold, and overall how life is lived.  If I walk around with an “I can’t” attitude, the cost for me would be “I won’t” which eventually leads to never will, and I would suffer not only emotionally but physically.  Can you imagine what kind of life that would be for me…bitter, depressed, judgmental, wanting it but not willing to work for it…feeling the victim in life…now that is a heavy cost of living.  Looking at the flip side of having an “I can” attitude, the cost would be “I will” and “I did”.  Putting forth some energy (cost) to reap the benefit of a happy healthy life sounds like the type of journey I would and will want to continue for a lifetime.

That is ultimately what I am trying to get across with the “Cost of Living”…YES, it takes a conscious effort to want a healthy life and I do want this for ME.  It does cost me time, energy, some money, planning, and caring and I am not saying that it is always easy, but I can tell you that it has been worth it.  So I do put money in my health bank in the form of exercise, healthy food, water, quality ME time, time with God and many things that are invaluable…money can’t buy my health, but the things that I do for ME can and do provide me with a life that is full, healthy, and happy.  

IN YOUR FACE MOTIVATIONS 

 

Dedicated to My Mother ~ Happy Birthday

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 weekend and upcoming week!

 

Stay Healthy!

Darla;)

 

 

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Squat challenge and fun times beside our pool with no water!

Heat wave or what? That's what's happening at our place! Tomorrow is going to be another scorcher so thank you pool company for pushing our pool completion date to February 2013. Not! You won't get us down!!!! Here's one way we're keeping cool this summer!

Other than that, no major news here. Besides Oscars prep orientation and Xmas concert this week, we've been laying low. A few play date catch ups here and there, throw in our Burlesque fancy dress engagement party this weekend, my sister in law and I caught up today and got cracking with my outfit. I already have a corset style bodice so we thought a plain black tutu, fish net stockings etc....would do the trick! You know the drill. I lerrrrrv fancy dress up parties, we even have one in a few weeks and I'm dressing up as my all time favourite pop star/singer! Can't wait!!!!

Burlesque outfit in the making

Eating relatively well besides some laminations today, so I'm back to square one with my no sugar attempt. I really want to make this happen especially with our #Xmas25squats challenge kicking off on 1st December.

I am really excited and super happy with everyone's response and participation via Instagram, Facebook and my blog. I encourage those that aren't on Instagram to go create an account as its another awesome way of being connected to various people around the globe and sharing the same goal and simply using the hash tag and typing #Xmas25squats. You can see everyone who's giving squats a go! Remember a picture is worth a thousand words! I love it!!! 

Squat challenge

I have also encouraged those that wish to share their before and after shots over the 25 day challenge, as they are truly powerful testimonials. I don't believe in the scales, the tape measure is more accurate with cm's and inches lost as well as outfits you are trying to wear comfortably again. I'll be posting mine, so we can compare the difference between lazing on the couch vs clean eating, regular exercise PLUS 25 squats per day!!

Also for those Fit Yummy Mummy's participating in the 21 day holiday hottie challenge starting next Monday 3/12 this is just another way for us to encourage one another and add some extra butt lift ;-) leave me a comment if you will be taking part of the holiday hottie challenge and/or squat challenge. Alternatively on our Personal Journals at the club.

Any non-FYM's are also more than welcome to trial the Fit Yummy Mummy program as my link offers 50% off the fat loss ebook and includes 30 days free at Clubfym. It's a great try before you buy offer as I'm sure you won't be disappointed after seeing results within a couple of weeks. I am a monthly paying Clubfym member and for 24x7 support, various workout programs, meal planners, menu ideas and heaps more resources, $19.95 per month is a small price to pay for my health!

Breakfast

Toasted home made muesli with yogurt & strawberries

Morning snack

180 Nutrition coconut protein powder with yogurt & fruit

Lunch

Ham, cheese and tomatoe sandwiches

Afternoon snack

Watermelon

2 mini lamingtons (without jam)

Dinner

Pork & veal mini burgers (on bruschetta) served with long green beans and tomato cucumber salad

Looking forward to reading your comments and thanks so much for following me. It's my mission to share my tips/strategies/recommendations to a fit and healthy lifestyle! 

Xx Dani

True Freedom: You Already Have Everything You Need

Martial Arts is a way of being in life. It's very difficult in the beginning to make your practice into a habit and even when you've been doing it for many years, there can still be a struggle. But this is good because it shows your practice is constantly challenging you. The key to rising to the challenge is to make a strong commitment to your martial arts practice from the very beginning. This commitment automatically makes you practice, and any thoughts that go against your practice can be more easily dismissed.

In order to gain something you have to give up something. For example, you can't eat chocolate cake every day and lose weight. It's true that a martial artist does not have as much "freedom" as a non-martial artist because so much of your time is taken up with the practice. But what exactly is freedom?

Martial Arts helps us to be. If you can just be then you don't have so much desire for external things. If you can be, the Buddha says, all of your good qualities are already there. You don't need to try to do something to make yourself happy because your happiness will manifest by itself. This to me, is true freedom.

Shifu Yan Lei is a 34th generation fighting disciple form The Shaolin Temple in China, he offers a graded path in Qigong and Kung Fu:
http://www.shifuyanlei.co.uk/dvd_latest_release.html

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Monday motivation and some pool blues

Hey there my beautiful peeps, how are you all? Fab, I hope. Not here, well yes we are but a little shattered with our pool news this afternoon. Fencing still being approved by building permit crew so the pool mob who scheduled us in for completion this week has now pushed our date forward to the New Year! Whatevs, we have our clam pool shells, you won't wreck our pool parties here!!!

As shattering as our news was today, I've waited this long for the pool so whats another couple of months??? Like, especially over the hot sweltering heat, huh? Sob! sob!

On a more positive note, I have a few of you wanting to join this Xmas 25 per day squat challenge coming up on the 1st December. I am super excited to be bringing our 25 squats per day LIVE via Facebook and Instagram. Of course recapping here on my page. Please give me more feedback or if you are just happy with us posting our 25 squats per day. Make sure you follow me on Facebook and Instagram and use #Xmas25squats so I can follow you back as well.

For those of my Fit Yummy Mummy members and followers, I also look forward to our 21 day holiday hottie challenge which starts on the 3rd December. The extra squats is added incentive!

Breakfast
Fruit and yogurt

Fit Yummy Mummy workout completed!!! Best to get it out of the way first in the morning so I can get on with my day! My muscle awareness has been fab and I really need to be consistent with my workouts again, so I am not looking in the reflection and wondering why my muffin top has some how appeared from no where! Seriously, you are what you eat and I was making some poor food choices combined with no exercise and there you have it!

PWOS

Morning snack
Mini corn and parsley pikelets

Mini corn pikelets 

I just whizzed milk, egg, some flour, 1/2 tin of corn, S&P, parsley and made these little golden beauties with some olive oil. Sorry for the no quantity amount but here is a recipe I found for you on Kidspot.

Lunch
Chicken salad (went to the hair dressers for a quick highlight session) this was the only option I had from the cafe next door. I typically go prepared but today wasn't one of those days!

Chicken salad

Afternoon snack
180 Nutrition coconut protein powder

Dinner
Turkey burgers with long beans, feta and olives. Side egg and tomato salad

Kids healthy meals

Here's me and my new hair do, what do you think? I don't typically like going too light but it's summer and it blends better when my lovely greys come through.

Dark blonde hair

Over and out until next time.

Xx Dani

Bring on this sensational summer weather and let's do some SQUATS!!!

Hello everybody how are things? Just dandy here in fact we're super excited about our summer weather and our COMING SOON pool that we got the water pistols out!!!

I had a sleep in this morning, managed a workout since ? I can't remember when! so all in all, pretty thankful for my day. I love the fact that it only takes me 15 minutes to work out following the Fit Yummy Mummy fat loss system. As you know I am extremely time poor so this fits perfectly into my day. 

How do you keep fit and make sure it's regular? Due to fact that I don't go to any Bootcamp, or pay for a gym membership I myself need to motivate and encourage myself to do exercise. How about you? Can you workout by yourself or prefer to be surrounded by others for extra support. Either way, you're still working out so whatever works best! I say go for it!!! 

Food has been good beside the non frogurt style I make. Our kids deserved a treat today as they have less sugar than us (yes that's right, we're the ones at night on the couch eating chips and an entire block of chocolate, not them) so they miss out! So we bought a box of those chocolate coated icecreams with choc, peppermint & vanilla ice creams. Yum!

Tomorrow however they will have their frogurts and fruit ice pops which I have just finished preparing. Simple and fresh ingredients. Natural Greek yogurt, fresh fruit of your choice and (if using) honey. 

Frozen fruit FROGURTS

Breakfast

Spinach scrambled eggs

Morning snack

PWOS 180 Nutrition coconut protein drink

Lunch

Tuna salad

Afternoon snack

Cream cheese on corn thins and fruit

Dinner

Home made pizzas (Jamie Oliver I love you!) 

This was a mixture of Hawaiian and Australian (with egg) pizza, then I sprinkled a little bit of Europe AKA kalamata olives :-)

Okay, so you know I am always up for a challenge. The Fit Yummy Mummy 21 day hottie challenge kicks off next week 3/12, so I am pumped to be doing this with all my FYM girls and for those that want to join please click on my blog link. You get a special 50% off the ebook and 30 days FREE at Clubfym. What have you got to lose??? Ahhh yes, you're fat ;-))) promise, you will.

For my non FYM followers and especially on Instagram and Facebook, I'm thinking of running a "25 per day squat challenge". What do you think? Need your feedback as I need all the support I can get.

So what I'm thinking (and please add your ideas below in the comments) is we do 25 squats PER DAY. Doesn't matter what style eg: squat kicks, jump squats, or my Swiss ball squat.....

Wall squat with a Swiss Ball

We can spread the 25 squats throughout our day eg: we can do 10 when we're brushing our teeth or at school pick whilst waiting for our kiddo's  (just kidding) but you get the drift. Just fit it in whenever, throughout your day. Or you can do 5 sets straight away where you do 5 squats, rest for 30 seconds and then repeat until you've done all 25. What do you think?

Let's see if our tush gets a bit of a butt lift before Christmas.

I was hoping we could start Saturday 1st December and do our final 25 squats on Christmas Day?

Let me know your thoughts. I'm also going to try my hardest and cut back on added sugar. A mini sugar free challenge in my head.

We hope you're having a sensational weekend!!! Until we meet again.

Xx Dani

Renovations! Renovations! Ending soon!

I missed you last night, I had full intentions of writing but I was playing apprentice whilst Adrian was finalising our pool fence late last night. He is still working on it tonight before inspection tomorrow, so here is the latest view of our pool area....

I've been updating my personal Facebook page with the before and after shots, so for those that didn't see our beautiful courtyard (which is what I fell in love with the first time we went through this house!) here is our once upon a time courtyard....

We had some lovely times here and these pictures are also very dear to me, our courtyard steps. These are my professional photos of my 4th pregnancy with baby Zali.....

And Mietta last Christmas....

So goodbye our beautiful green and lush court yard and hello to our future pool deck area!!!!

I'll post more pics again but for now, just wanted to touch base and say g'day and if anyone needs someone to put up a glass pool fence, we are the professionals!! Adrian also did this down at our beach house in Lorne and I am now skilled with spigots, nuts, screws, alan keys and shifters!! Sheesh it's hard work but I think we did a pretty good job for 2 people that aren't skilled in building pool fences. Fingers crossed it gets approved in the morning.

All in all, a great clean eating day! No sugar, no chocolate for a change!

Breakfast
Pear and strawberry oats with pecan nuts

Morning snack
180 Nutrition coconut protein drink
1 apple

I met up with Celeste for brunch today and she also helped me out with my burlesque fancy dress outfit, so I look forward to sharing those pics with you in the next couple of weeks.

Lunch
Fold over chicken with pesto and sun dried tomatoes served with salad

Afternoon snack
Hummus, cherry tomatoes and crackers

Dinner
Thai chicken with vegetables and cherry tomatoes

Well my lovely people, I am very excited to announce another (mini) Fit Yummy Mummy Christmas challenge coming up. Please come and join me as all the fitness routines, resources, support groups etc.... are found there. I will be able to share some of my fitness experiences over the 21 days, however to gain FULL ACCESS and join me for this challenge, you will need to go to Clubfym to register and if you're not 100% sure, why not trial it for free right here on my blog link for 30 days.

Here is the notification at the club regarding the challenge, you in???



Looking forward to another Challenge?


Mark your calendar... 

December 3rd

Focus on your Holiday Fitness goals with the FUN 21 Day Holiday Hottie Transformation Challenge.

Registration Opens: Wednesday, November 28th.
Day One is Monday, December 3rd. Challenge is hosted here at ClubFYM.

No Need to WAIT to Burn Fat and Get An Even Better Body Back!

Have a wonderful night/day until we meet again.

Xx Dani

HAPPY FRIENDSGIVING!

My Daughter ~ My Friend

My daughter sent me a text to let me know she was having a “Friendsgiving” tonight and the more I looked at the words on my phone, the more I thought about the meaning of the words. My mind started reeling with ideas of how I would write about this and a quick call to my girl to get her insight was in order.  Well, my daughter and her friends have been meeting every Tuesday for girls dinner night, where they take turns preparing the meals, and enjoy a special sharing of their lives…talking, laughing, comparing stories, and eating the meal prepared with their own hands…no orders in…these gals are serious about their food, their lives, and their friendship. Sounds somewhat like “Sex in the City” gone REAL and how FABULOUS is that!

I think about that and am proud of the special bonds that my daughter has with these very special ladies…I have had the privilege to meet a few of them.  They celebrate their year anniversary of “Girls Dinner” night for Friendsgiving this year…HAPPY ANNIVERSARY LADIES!

My Daughter and Her Fabulous Friends

This struck me deeper than the words Thanksgiving this year, as spending time with those we love can and often times does include people that are not related by blood, but a deeper bond…a chosen bond.  A true friend is a rare gem and gift from God and to have more than one is even rarer.  Think about the sharing of food made with your own hands, laughter around a table, sharing stories of life and really listening and caring about the lives and feelings of others around that table…WOW…now that is a THANKSGIVING!

I am saddened by the many who struggle through the holiday filled with hurt, pain and overwhelmed with stress at the very thought of going through the motions with people, some family, some not…but honestly, none of us…yes, me included…are not immune to hurt from time to time, and during the holiday it can feel larger than life itself.  It is in those times, where a “Friendsgiving” would feel so good to be a part, to be able to share openly, honestly, and receive that in return, to relish in the aromas of food made with tender, loving hands, warm laughter and REAL moments of caring surrounding each and every person.  I wish this moment for every struggling person out there on this holiday…a very special “Friendsgiving”.

 

I was reminded of something from my daughter today as she shared her story of “Friendsgiving”… cherish the bonds of special friendship, take the time to stay in touch, to share a meal, a laugh, a cry…LIFE.  As I celebrate the holiday with family and friends this year, I will be thankful for my chosen bonds, those gems in my life that will hold my hand when I need it the most.  

Happy Thanksgiving and Friendsgiving Everyone!!!

Try my Crustless Sweet Potato Pie 

 

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 weekend and upcoming week!

 

Stay Healthy!

Darla;)

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