ENJOYING MY COFFEE BREAK

Charging the Hormones!

The warm mug cupped in my hand as the aroma drifts into my face, a sip here and there as I take in a morning peaceful moment all cuddled on the sofa with my feet tucked under myself…awww…sounds like a hallmark moment, or commercial that will definitely sell coffee…lol…but I am going to bring this to an abrupt HALT.  OK…rewind to a few months ago when I woke to have my usual cup of coffee with splash of non-fat French vanilla creamer…ON MY…yes…can’t do coffee straight up, and to my unsettling surprise…REJECTED…OH MY…OH WHY.  I do not know if you have ever experienced this, but all of a sudden I needed a coffee break…I mean a break from coffee…sniff sniff.  Believe me I tried for two mornings in a row, and the same result…blahhhh…YUCK. 

I was even feeling dragged down by the coffee and not perked up as usual…although I only drink half/calf anyway…but still…my body just was not feeling the love for the coffee.  I do take a few sips from my hubby’s mug just to test drive and although OK…it is not driving me to grab my own mug down and pour a cup.  Hmmmm….OK…I have been taking a break for at least 2 months now and I must say, I feel less tension, some weight loss (which I definitely do not need), and the added benefit of no stains on the pearly whites …at least for awhile.  I am not saying I am giving up coffee…maybe it is the hot summer months that has put the kibosh on my morning time with my warm cup. 

Studies show many health benefits in coffee and my one cup intake per day satisfied that…but now I will just have to make do with the rest of my healthy meals.  I have to admit that when my body responded well to the caffeine…meaning OK…this girl is ready to workout…I enjoyed that.  But truly, it got to where it felt like this backfired, and I no longer felt a surge of energy from the small amount of stimulant in a half/calf cup.  So…this made it easier to give up for awhile and I must say that I am enjoying my coffee break. 

When I feel a lack of energy now, I will not blame it on…man…I did not have my coffee…I can truly say…OK Darla…not enough rest, more recovery after that hard workout is needed, and the biggie as an almost 50 year young woman…HORMONE changes…YUCK.  Yes, hormones have much to do with how peri-menopausal and menopausal women feel.  I am definitely riding the peri journey right now and doing lots of research as my own health advocate.   I will say that I am so happy that watermelon season is here and I am eating pumpkin seeds like no other. 

I am not a woman who requires a JOLT to workout, so coffee on hold is OK in that area.  I hear so many people say OH MY…I just don’t have the energy to workout without my caffeine or energy drink fix…really????  OK…why does anyone need to be dependent on something to function through a workout…this is not healthy.  I can understand the occasional…man do I need a cup of coffee this morning, but when it becomes a dependence to function…not for this girl.  I do look forward to when my body says OK…YAHOO…loving coffee but for now… I will enjoy my coffee break;)

IN YOUR FACE MOTIVATIONS

 

HAVE YOU BAKED THEM YET

MY FAVORITE PROTEIN COOKIE RIGHT NOW

MY FAMILY...I am the goofy one in the middle

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:)

My One Cup Mornings…..

Motivation of the Day: Start with a Plan and Make it Happen!!!

I used to be a no-coffee please girl. I actually disliked the taste, the smell and everything about it….especially the whole caffeine addiction issue. I remember tasting my parent’s coffee one day and oh my YUCK…they drank it straight up. It was one morning when I was 30-something that I met a friend at a coffee shop and shared a whole new experience. Maybe it was the social aspect but the coffee took on a whole new fragrance and taste. Of course, my lightweight self sweetened it with a bit of the no-no fake sugar that I no longer use. I remember having to jet home for some cardio or serious clean my house functional fitness due to the jitters. I felt as if I had energy for days…YIKES. Fast forward to today, I enjoy a fabulous cup of coffee in the morning, but I have to confess it is half calf…so still call me a lightweight. I listen to what my body communicates when it comes to caffeine levels and a pick-me-up is just fine with me. I do not care for the crawl the wall heighten the anxiety that caffeine can contribute to my sensitive system. I do confess on the other hand, that I do take advantage of the kick-start to my cardio program after a cup. There is so much controversy when it comes to coffee…is it GOOD for you…or NOT. Well, studies have shown that coffee drinkers are less likely to have type 2 diabetes, Parkinson's disease, dementia, and have fewer cases of certain cancers, heart rhythm problems, and strokes due to the antioxidants & minerals contained in coffee. The drawback is the caffeine…an addictive stimulant….Caffeine can raise blood pressure, as well as blood levels of the fight-or-flight chemical epinephrine (also called adrenaline), so certain medical conditions should shy clear. I will not be one of those to make a whole pot to get through my day…YUCK. I believe it is that kind of habit that would be unhealthy….I would not like to feel the caffeine withdrawal coming off that kind of intake. Just to let you know that reducing caffeine intake does come with side effects like HEADACHE & breast tenderness….YIKES. After researching all about the benefits of coffee and the drawbacks….I am pretty happy to continue my one-cup morning ritual. One cup of coffee, please……off to do my cardio;)




ARC LOVE!!!

 My Workout of The Day:  


Long Cardio and Core & Stretch















My Nutrition of The Day:
Coffee, one cup please


1-Powered up steel cut oats      

Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti....YUM!!!!


2-Fabulous Protein Shake(Mango/orange/yogurt/vanilla whey/ice)
3-Brown rice with albacore tuna
4-Spaghetti Squash with lean turkey pasta sauce…YUM!!!!
5-Protein Pudding






 






MY DINNER LAST NIGHT:


I MADE THIS IN 20 MINUTES!!! EGG WHITES, 1 WHOLE EGG, FRESH SPINACH, CHOPPED GREEN BELL PEPPER, CHOPPED ONION, MINCED GARLIC….SCRAMBLED ALL TOGETHER…TOPPED WITH 1 SLICE LIGHT SWISS (2.5G FAT) & AVOCADO




Egg White Scramble with Veggies...Simple & Stay Healthy Good!

THANKS FOR READING! IF YOU ENJOYED THE CONTENT, LIKE IT, AND LET ME KNOW BY LEAVING A COMMENT.
 
STAY HEALTHY!!!!!!

Is There A Link Between Coffee And High Blood Pressure?

It's no surprise to my friends and family that I pride
myself on living a healthy lifestyle. This is why, I
suppose only half-joking, that they refer to my Grande
coffee from Starbucks as my "vice."

A friend recently told me to "watch out," while at Starbucks
the other day as I drank my coffee because her doctor told
her that coffee can contribute to high blood pressure, or
hypertension.

Watch out? My friend was telling me this quite literally,
as she was exhaling cigarette smoke. Did her doctor mention
that this behavior is far more a contributor to high
blood pressure?

Did the doctor actually state that more than anything, my
friend's overindulgence in food, smoking and sometimes
alcohol largely caused her hypertension but she only heard
"coffee?" Hard to know but I was curious, why did the
doctor even list coffee as a contributor?

To date, there is no definitive evidence that coffee leads
to the development of high blood pressure.

Some studies have shown that drinking coffee does raise
one's blood pressure slightly, but only temporarily. In
fact, these same studies have shown that over time, this
slight increase in blood pressure is reduced.

Researchers are starting to notice that the reason coffee is
so often associated with the actual contributors to
hypertension (cigarettes, and obesity) is because many
people tend to combine drinking coffee with these bad
behaviors.

Does this mean that coffee causes hypertention? No - it is
not coffee's fault that some people cannot drink a cup of
coffee without partnering it with cigarettes and/or over
eating.

While I'm always excited to read about amazing results from
people who've given up coffee and reduced their blood
pressure, I'm even more interested in knowing what other bad
behaviors where dropped when these people gave up coffee.

I believe moderation truly is the key as far as coffee (and
well, everything) is concerned. I like my coffee and will
continue to drink my occasional cup until proven otherwise.