Looking Past Rotten and Seeing Potential

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I See Potential!!!

Now that is an opener for you…I have to say that I absolutely love rotten fruit…well, not completely over the top rotten…but most definitely very over-ripe, brown tinged, fragrant sitting on my counter fruit.  What do I see???  I see potential…I see that with some blending and mixing that I can create wonderful healthy foods.  I look past the rotten and into the beautiful creation of OMG…this is over the top fabulous (one of my fav words) and so good for me.  YES…I even maintain a positive attitude about rotten fruit…do I toss it…NO WAY…it has potential…potential to become something better than before. This can apply to who I am as a person as well…when I was injured…did I toss in the towel…throw myself away….give-up…NO, NO, and again…NO. I saw potential with a little mixing and blending of different therapies and exercise, I DID become better than I was.  So, YES…do I go over the top about such things as rotten, over-ripe fruit…well...YES…that is ME.  I savor every small thing in life because they are truly the big things…and tonight…the rotten overripe fruit is the BIG thing that I am going to create something very special with. 

What Do You See?

 I also think…why throw away a perfect piece of rotten fruit…OH MY…what a waste of $$$$...and I am not about doing that.  In fact, as I have shared in the past, I am all about saving every penny I can, clipping that coupon, and the deals…RIGHT…who does not want a DEAL.  OK…off that save money by saving the rotten fruit soap box.  Getting back to what I am doing with two rotten bananas and pears…creating another version of my Stay Healthy Omega Muffin.  If you have been following me, you know my passion for creative Stay Healthy cooking and baking.  It is truly therapy for me.  After a long work day, I find it so much fun to make a B-line to the kitchen and let the juices flow…no pun intended…but in a way…YES.  Having a passion in life is so important with the balance of who I am….I truly enjoy working in my passion which to me is not really working.  My sharing of Stay Healthy recipes is also a way I can reach out and motivate people to please get healthy and Stay Healthy with the one life that we all have.  So…if that means saving rotten fruit and sharing what can be done to create healthy snacks…I will click on that video to do just that…share my passion for cooking, share the enjoyment of healthy baking, and showing the outcome of living this way….PRICELESS.  I hope that this Blog comes to mind the next time you have rotten overripe fruit on your counter…and can look past the blemishes and into the potential that something better can happen with a little blending and mixing.

Motivation of the Day: You Do Not Have to Get an “A” Everyday ~ a Great Client Share

Workout of the Day:

Cardio Time: 45 Minutes ARC Trainer

Ended with Ball Work for my Core/Stretch

Stay Healthy Omega Muffins

Nutrition of the Day:

Coffee, one cup

Stay Healthy Banana Omega Muffin

Post Workout Shake & ¼ cup raw pumpkin seeds

Egg Whites, palm of raw nuts, watermelon slice

Grilled Salmon

Stay Healthy Banana Pear Omega Muffin x 2 ~ fresh baked from the oven

Here to Motivate YOU!!!!

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Stay Healthy!

I Wear a String Everyday

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I Wear A String!!!

I absolutely LOVE my string…when I wear it, I feel strong, balanced, and sexy.  I would not go anywhere without it…I wear it all day long when I am at home or on the go.  It is so important for my everyday functions for work and play.  So….what the heck am I talking about…the String…really Darla…my string is my imaginary connection to the ceiling from my upper chest that maintains correct posture all the time.  My body just like all bodies is adaptable to the functions it performs.  If I were to sit all day slouched into my computer, standing with my shoulders slumped forward, driving all crooned into the dash board, or hunched over cardio equipment…YIKES…would I be in serious muscle dysfunction.  My anterior muscles of the chest, front deltoids (shoulders), neck muscles, and even core would become tight and adapt to that position…YUCK for the lungs as well…all crunched up and not able to deliver great oxygen supply to my body…OK..NO WAY. 

Do I have my String On?

  Also, do I want to be a person who stands humped over…OK...BIG NO…not healthy, not sexy, not ME.  Let’s talk about what would happen to my back muscles…overstretched & loose to accommodate the slump…Forget it people…NO WAY.  So, I prefer to pretend that my string is attached to the ceiling from my sternum area just like a puppet…walking, working, exercising, sitting, standing, driving all in perfect posture and to maintain great body balance & avoid muscle tissue dysfunction.   

Posture Check

This is not about being vain & cocky walking with my chest puffed out…certainly not about that…it is about beautiful posture.  I have talked with so many women especially who want to hide let’s say large breasts or small breasts so they adjust their posture to ensure that all is hidden…OK…on a soap box here…STOP DOING THAT!!!!  All bodies are genetically different and we need to embrace that, stop hiding, and LOVE who we are and please start wearing that FABULOUS STRING…get that chest out, walk proud, be confident, accept yourself…and feel on top of the world.  I have to admit when I first starting wearing my string it was a conscious effort of maintaining it all the time.  I had to constantly check myself and before long, it became automatic, and is now a part of what I do to maintain my 47 year young physique.  When I wear it I can feel my core contracted and strong, the ability to take large full breaths filling my tissues with fabulous oxygen, confidence and of course...I feel very tall…lol.  Such an important topic….posture… and now you know the secret behind my STRING…it is FABULOUS and part of my Stay Healthy Life and the BEST part…now you can wear one;)

Motivation of the Day: “The greatest mistake you can make in life is to continually be afraid you will make one.”

Workout of the Day: (neck is flared :/ so limited on the upper body this week)

ARC Trainer 45 min

Body Stuff:

Variety body weight legs

Squats/variety lunges/step ups: 20 reps each exercise x 4

Nutrition of the Day: (Enjoy the Video)

Coffee: Great one cup on an early morning

Protein Shake

Pumpkin Seeds & Home-made Protein cookie

Post- Workout Shake (watermelon)

Egg Salad on Thin bun

Grilled Chicken Breast Patty & Corn (Super YUM!!!)

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Stay Healthy!

I Love My Melons…OH YEAH!!!

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Love My Melon!

 Yes…I absolutely love my melons…juicy, firm, and with a good thump…PERFECT!!!  That was quite an opener….but now that I have your attention…I really do love my melons…WATERMELON specifically.  Now where did you think I was going with this…of course I do love my physical self…but I am talking about what I put in my face to maintain the person I am today.  I was doing some research for my Natural Muscle Magazine submission about…drum roll…Watermelon…and OH MY…I think I am going to eat the whole thing today....lol.  I am a fruit girl…along with so many other healthy foods…but today I am sharing my love for watermelon.  When I was a girl, my Mom would buy those huge watermelons, cut a round, put it on my plate…and how fun to sit outside on the porch enjoying such a juicy sweet treat and the best part…seeing how far I could spit the seeds…YES...I am young at heart…forever will be.  What a fabulous memory.  Fast forward to today…I still love watermelon and have discovered the many health benefits that my body receives when I eat my personal size slice or two or three…OK…you get the picture.  Did you know that watermelon aids in energy production and fat loss….WOW…studies show this.  This caught my immediate attention…fire up the blender for watermelon protein shakes…no kidding, my post workout shake today will contain this fabulous stay healthy fruit.  Watermelon is rich in B vitamins necessary for energy production and magnesium, not to mention electrolytes that help keep my body stable as I sweat my bootie off in my studio. The antioxidant value is impressive, especially lycopene which eats up free radicals (crap in our system) reducing the risk of many diseases…that is another RIGHT ON!!! Check this out…reduction in heart disease, colon cancer, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, and prostate cancer (listen up men out there).  Watermelon also contains a special amino acid that helps to remove ammonia from the body…so bring on the healthy PEE…YES… I go there! A fruit that naturally aids in energy production and fat loss, is fat free, high in water content, is sweet to eat, and everything that says Stay Healthy…OK…that is going to be in my face on a daily basis for awhile.  With wonderful fruit like this to eat…why turn to any fake burners, pills, powders for any quick expensive fix…THAT DOES NOT WORK…sorry, but true. Personally, I do not throw my money away on any fake promises, but fuel my body with the healthy foods necessary to keep my physique lean, strong, sexy and overall healthy….does that mean I will go and thump a few melons…YEP YEP YEP…and let me just share that I bought my melon for 97 cents.  Now, that is a bargain for my Stay Healthy Body….not hard to weigh that one out…expensive fake promise not proven to work non-food items or save a butt load of money proven studied health benefits through my melons…WELL that is NOT a hard choice….I CHOOSE MY MELONS!

Motivation of the Day:  Eating Healthy is Necessary for a Stay Healthy Life

My Workout of the Day:

My New Modified Me Smith Leg Press

Arc trainer: 20 minute Interval Training

BodyWork: repeated cycle 3x

Sand Bag kettle style swings 50 reps
Low rows 35lbs @ 30 reps
Modified pull ups on the smith bar 10-15 reps
Bicycles (ab work) 50 reps
Modified Smith Leg Press 50lbs @ 50 reps

My Nutrition of the Day:

(Watch the Video)                

Coffee, one cup

My Watermelon Side Dish!!!

1-Post-workout shake (watermelon)
2-Powered Up Oats
3-Shredded B/S chicken breast & ½ cup brown rice
4-Cherries & protein ball
5-Lean turkey burger wrapped in Lettuce
6-Protein Pudding

Watermelon Post Shake...YUM!

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Stay Healthy!

It’s All Chemistry to Me….

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Me and My Protein

It really is a fabulous relationship…chemistry is so important when it comes to that.  What is also important is breaking those relationship bonds…YIKES.  How can that be good at all…the chemistry I am talking about is the process of what food turns into when it hits my face…my relationship with food.  What it comes down to is the simplicity of the calorie and me.  Do I count them….NO…but eating my 5 to 6 meals per day in small portions keeps me in the ballpark of where I want to be every day.  The Law of Thermodynamics says this…whatever is not burned as energy is stored…that is it people.  It is truly that simple. So, when large portions of food are hanging over plates and made up of high calorie fat laden items….look out energy storage…when excess calories are consumed the body converts what is not used into FAT stored on the body…OH YUCK…some would like to get more colorful than the YUCK word.  Also….I hear stories about the snack grabs…going to the pantry and grabbing a handful of this and that…snack snack snack..and usually on CRAP…guess what…calories in the face not burned through physical activity add up…BIG TIME!  Look at this example…let’s say you take in 2000 calories per day but are only burning 1500 calories per day, that means an excess of 500 calories are left over which are placed in the fat storage body bank.  There are 3500 calories in one pound of fat, so on this course of eating, a person would gain one pound of fat every 7 days…that is 4lbs of fat per month.  Can you see how this adds up…can you see how this works.  So do I sit around eating out of boredom, without reason, and just because it takes good….Hell to the BIG NO.  If you look at the simple chemistry behind it, and realize every morsel placed in the face is a calorie ready to be converted to another form of energy in the body….that in itself can be the motivating factor to knock it off, and take control of the chemistry relationship with food.  I eat to live and not the other way around….I have shared this before.  I maintain a fabulous chemistry balance with my food in (energy) and energy out (the physical activity) which keeps me at a maintenance weight.  Now if I consumed too much over several days…guess what…I would gain…Not what I want to do.  I ensure that my food choices are not heavy calorie laden with lots of veggies, fruits, lean protein, and healthy fats.  In fact, I eat as many veggies and as much salad as I want at my last meal….over half my plate are the greens.  My lifestyle with eating this way is as natural as breathing so it is not hard for me, and is key to maintaining my physique.  I never plan to count calories ever again in my life…been there done that years ago…it is a pain in the bootie….however for newbies wanting to get a handle on food intake….I feel journaling it for awhile is great accountability until the Stay Healthy lifestyle is completely adapted.  The Food Administration just developed a new food pyramid guide…the dinner plate…and I love the simplicity of the visual… a long time coming and it covers my philosophy on food intake pretty well.  The point I am strongly making is that weight loss is not hard to understand when you grasp that it is all about Chemistry….one last look.

The New Dinner Plate..Check Out the Portions!

~Too many calories consumed to energy out – fat is stored, weight is gained ..YUCK

~Less calories consumed to energy out – energy is burned, no fat is stored, weight is lost…YEAH

~Same amount of calories consumed to energy out – no weight is lost, Maintenance…This is ME…so YEAH

So, yes it is all about the chemistry for me...YIKES..that was a tough one in college...but now it all makes perfect sense for my Stay Healthy Life;)

  

Motivation of the Day: It's Starts with the Person in the Mirror

 My Workout of the Day:

Arc Interval Training: 30 minutes...YIKES..I really had to motivate myself today...did a no/no &   went to bed too late..BUT..Stayed TRUE to my Workout...LESSON LEARNED..Bed on time tonight!

This was Tough Today!

Body Work: repeated cycle 4x

Hamstring Curls 25 lbs @ 25 reps

Leg Extensions 25 lbs @ 25 reps

Low Ab work, Leg Lifts on Bench 25 reps

Modified Triceps Extensions 10lbs on bar @ 25reps 

My Meal 2

Nutrition of the Day:

Coffee, one cup please (needed it BIG TIME)

1-Post Workout Shake (gotta have my prune juice in it..lol..love it)

2-Sweet Potato with plain non-fat yogurt topping

3-2 Protein Balls (Vanilla Whey, Flax, Cinnamon, Raisin) YUM!!!

4-Grilled white fish with lots of grilled veggies

5-Protein Pudding

My Sunday Night Spontaneous Splurge...It was FABULOUS!

Splurge Report: Hubby & I made a Margarita Pizza on a thin crust Boboli, used low fat Italian cheese blend, fresh basil, roma tomatoes, olive oil, and minced garlic (YUM)!!! I had 2 slices. Our dessert...Low fat butter pecan ice cream with chocolate grahm crackers.  We were out all day and instead of stopping at a pizza place, we made our own...It was a spontaneous unplanned splurge...I never plan as I shared before and everything is better when I make it myself!!! 

I am SERIOUS about Spreading the Stay Healthy Life!

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Stay Healthy!

I am a Negative Person…OH YEAH!!!!

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I Paid 97 cents for this FABULOUS Melon

Really I am…..what am I trying to say about myself…really Darla.  It is all positive…yep…this negative girl is positive about my negative self.  YIKES…But do I have your attention?  If you talk to my clients, they will surely tell you that I am a negative person too….even my hubby will let me know that.  I say YAHOO…love it.  What is all the negative hoopla that helps me be the person I am right here right now.  Well…I work my muscles using negative movements & it makes me a strong girl.  When I really want to focus & concentrate on feeling my muscles really firing, I work them slowly with the resistance.  For example, today I performed hamstring curls and instead of focusing the weights up, heels to the bootie (this is a positive move), I brought the weight up initially with a positive move, held at the top, and began to lower the weight slowly, breathing the whole time….the slower…the better…the muscles love it, and talk about burn baby burn…WOW…my backside already is feeling the fatigue.  This is another way I maintain the muscle I have worked so hard for….yes, remember I am in maintenance mode.  Being negative puts a different spin on my workouts, and I am constantly changing things up to confuse the heck out of myself…lol.  No, really, I love the feeling of controlling the weights during a negative move…it is a whole different program.  Being negative allows me to do so much with modification as well…so it is a win win for me.  If you have read my “About Me” and have been following my Blog…you are aware of my limitations and the modifications I need to implement to maintain my physical self.  What do I say about that…RIGHT ON!!!!  Another favorite negative move for me is my pull up.  I no longer pull against gravity (meaning a positive from the floor and up & over the bar) but I start from the top of the bar and slowly lower myself to an extension.  This is also a great way for a beginner to gain strength to build up the ability to do a full-on positive pull up.  Every exercise can be done in a negative way….so when I want to be a negative person….I will BRING IT…but it is really all POSITIVE…because that is who I am… a negatively positive person who Loves to share my fun self with you!

MOTIVATION OF THE DAY:  A POSITIVE ATTITUDE IS A CHOICE THAT WE MAKE EVERY DAY

My Workout of the Day:



My French Press Station



ARC Trainer for 20 Minutes (strength Interval)

Bodywork (repeated cycle 3x)

Leg Extensions 25lbs @ 25reps
Negative Ham Curls 25lbs @ 25reps
BOSU ABS 30 reps
Modified Smith Triceps Press 15lbs on bar @ 25 reps

My Nutrition of the Day:

Coffee, 1 ½ cups (oops)
1-Post Workout Shake (The Works!!!)
2-Egg Whites on Sprouted Bread (On a Kick)
3-Protein Ball & Fistful of Blueberries with splash of Vanilla Soy on top
4-Lean Burger Patty wrapped in lettuce (Watch the Video)
5-Protein Pudding (vanilla whey with banana…YUM)

Splurge Report: My Fabulous Friend & Client Meighan baked homemade cinnamon rolls with a cream cheese frosting & brought me a portion size one...how wonderfully delicious!!! Thanks Megs and worth the splurge...I ONLY EAT QUALITY!!!

Personal Memorial Day Share:  I conducted a Stay Healthy Fitness Bootcamp for models attending the Vista de Vintage fashion show and to support Courage to Be You!!! What a wonderful Stay Healthy time we had! I will be blogging about my bootcamps very soon;)

STAY HEALTHY FITNESS BOOTCAMP!!!

Post Workout Sweat is ON!!!!

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STAY HEALTHY!

Struggling ….OH POOH!

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Me and My Blogging Area

YES…I have days like these.  I am not some un-human human…that sounds funny.  Sometimes people think that I am some super human never struggling, never burned out, never unmotivated, never eat a cookie, never tired woman of a woman, super trainer…WRONG.  I mean really, really???  Let me just say for the record…I am struggling today.  In fact, it was hard to get up this morning and I thought…crap, am I coming down with a cold…a bit of a scratchy throat…and just BLAH…YES really BLAH.  I was motivated by hubby this morning to drag my bootie to the ARC trainer and I originally had it set for a 30 minute strength run...and what the heck was I thinking…one of the hardest programs on the thing…it was a love hate relationship with my ARC…and I stopped at the 20 minute mark.  YES…the damn thing defeated me, or did it?  Let me think…what I did was the BEST that I could with what I had today…so I was not defeated…but ACCOMPLISHED.  I did continue into an arm/core/stretch program for an additional 20 minutes.  This was not going to be the day for interval training…NO WAY.  I am having one of those days where everything seems a bit overwhelming, and I am working on a specific goal right now and part of me just wants to say…do I have to?  Why does there always have to be something to do...My personal share: I am an A1 personality type and sometimes this can get in the way of putting on the reigns and STOPPING…letting my brain take a breather, letting all the THINGS in life just be for awhile, but the biggest for me is the thoughts that continue to go through my head…this now, that next, then on to the next thing..and OMG I forgot about that, and on and on and on…OK Darla…STOP already.  It is this kind of thinking that can get in the way of living a healthy life.  It is this kind of thinking that does not allow acceptance of who I am at this moment in time….well…today I am recognizing that I am struggling with being tired, working on this specific goal, and utilizing my time wisely and efficiently.  Seeing me for who I am helps put my life into balance, perspective and even acceptance.  So, today I am tired and struggling …and THAT IS OK.  Taking it a bit further, I will still do the BEST that I can with what I can give today in all areas of my life.  I did my BEST workout…YES…it was my BEST given how I feel today. I will apply my BEST self in working on my goal today…and that is OK. If my body is yelling for a nap…then that is OK.  The things will be there for me when I wake up…but I remember that through it all, balance in exercise, eating healthy, emotional, and spiritual living is key for my happiness & health.  So, yes…I am just like you and I am sure you can relate to some of the things that I have shared…Do I feel like finding a fabulous hammock in the sunshine and rocking my cares away for the afternoon…OH YEAH…sounds good to me and why not the whole year…now that is stretching it…but I am sure you know what I am talking about.  Reeling myself back in… I do have a plan, I do have a goal…and by writing this Blog…I have just motivated myself to get my backside in gear and get to it.  The beautiful thing that I realize is I do not have to do it all today…I will take what is my priority and work on that the BEST I can with what I have to offer today….and that is OK…struggling, well…I feel better now.

MOTIVATION OF THE DAY: GIVE THE BEST THAT YOU HAVE ALL THE TIME

My Workout of the Day:

Arc Trainer strength mode 20 minutes

Bodywork repeated 3x
Low rows 30lbs @ 20 reps
Biceps curls 12lbs @ 15 reps
Modified smith triceps press 15lbs on bar @ 15 reps
Body Ball abs 20 reps

LONG STRETCH!!!!

My Meal 2

My Nutrition of the Day:

Coffee, gave me NO perk
1-Post-workout shake
2-Sweet potato & Egg Whites
3-Protein Balls (May issue Natural Muscle Magazine)
4-Grilled Veggies & Shredded Crock Chicken Breast
5-Protein Pudding

47 Years Young

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STAY HEALTHY!