Don’t Over-think Healthy

Do you ever find yourself getting caught up in over-thinking healthy and what it takes to live healthy?  In my journey of living a healthy lifestyle, I have found that over-thinking can lead to feelings of inadequacy of not doing things right, and getting so overwhelmed that it turns into something that is not enjoyed.  Living a healthy lifestyle should be about simplicity, enjoyment, fun, balance, and all those fabulous things in life that make life worth the ride. 

                                                                     

I come from a background of extreme athlete, competition, and counting every

Getting Back to Healthy

gram of protein, carbohydrate and fat I put in my face, in addition to the supplements taken at spaced out intervals throughout my day, and the intense workouts all tucked neatly into my very organized trainer binder.  Whew…I think about that now and remember how strict, stressed, and really undernourished I was during that time.  My body fat was not at a healthy level for a woman, I was not having a cycle and my hormones where so out of whack that it took months for my body to get back on track when I made the decision to discontinue treating my body that way.  Now…am I saying that competing is a bad thing…NO…I am not saying that and I applaud everyone’s goals for health and fitness, but what I am sharing is that it did not work for me for an extended period of time.  Further, this was not a life-long sustainable way of health for my body, mind and spirit.  I just wanted to make that clear before any backlash hit my page.  What I am sharing about this time in my life is that I did over-think health, but I was not really thinking about health per se as my goals were to look a certain way and not considering feeling a certain way.  Fast forward to many healthy years later…

I do not over-think my healthy lifestyle and teach quality over quantity, simplicity over difficult, and enjoyment over feeling overwhelmed.  I designed a very easy nutrition guide for my clients that I use myself and have received rave reviews, as well as fabulous results that are life-time maintainable. I never want healthy to feel like a burden to me or my clients.  I do believe in a health plan and structure when it comes to food prep and having food ready to go for the week, but that is the only effort required for a healthy lifestyle, alongside a consistent exercise program.   I put in the time to cook my food and enjoy what I cook.  I no longer count calories, keep a journal, although this can be helpful when first beginning a program, and simply eat healthy food throughout my day without calorie restriction….AMEN.   I believe in keeping food to their simplest form and eating it raw or close to raw if possible, and I am talking mostly about my fruits and vegetables here.  Of course, I crock pot chicken like no other, boil a boat load of organic eggs, crock pot large amounts of brown rice and steal cut oats every week.  This has become my habit or healthy eating life and feels as natural as breathing to me now.  I will also share that I do splurge in moderation, although I prefer to cook/bake my splurges because to me there is nothing better than a home-made cookie, pie, or brownie warm from the oven.  Also, I do not like how overly sweet, salted or incorrect fat saturated purchased desserts can be and prefer to control that part of my splurge intake.  So, the point I am driving home about my nutrition and how I think about it…is that I DON’T OVERTHINK IT…I eat to live and keep all kinds of healthy REAL food in my refrigerator and pantry and ENJOY my food.  I realize that my body needs all kinds of fabulous nutrients and I have no worry about eating anything healthy that will fuel my body in a great way.  If it is healthy, I eat it…that is how simple I keep it.  

Turning to my fitness program or exercise, I have come full circle with that as well.  I used to keep a journal years ago of my programs, weights that I lifted, gains, reps, intensity, duration, type, frequency, rest periods…OH MY.  Again, I am not insisting that doing this for anyone else is a bad thing, but for me, it became mechanical and going through the power intense motions of pushing my body to the limits without regard for ME.  This was years ago, and I now treat my body with more TLC and exercise to maintain a healthy body…that is now my goal.  The journey with my exercise has taken on a whole new meaning as I dedicate my programs to taking the BEST care of my body with the limitations that I have and do what works well for my body without aggravation, or flaring this or that up.  I no longer keep a journal but now enjoy workouts that I feel like doing on a specific day, and avoiding sore muscle areas, along with listening to my body if it needs a rest…I rest.  The body needs to move for health and my focus is to move my body for health, to maintain the muscle that I do have, stretch to ensure range of motion through my joints, and perform cardio enough to work my aerobic system.  I really enjoy my workouts and keep them fresh all the time with lots of variety…today was taking my puppy for a long walk/jog and utilizing park benches for step ups and squats along the way.  I go with what works, I do what it fun and don’t over-think it.  If I perform 15 squats instead of 20…so what…it is better than no squats.  That is what I am talking about…doing the BEST I can with what I have and enjoying the journey.

I can say that not over-thinking healthy has provided a much healthier and

happier lifestyle for me.  I believe if healthy feels like a burden, something is not being done right.  The beautiful thing about living a healthy lifestyle the right way and not over-thinking it,  is that it does feel good, makes my body feel strong, provides a confidence and happiness that is awesome, and overall allows me to be my BEST healthy ME.  Wow…what a journey and I like it!

IN YOUR FACE MOTIVATION

 

 

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! 

Stay Healthy~ Darla 

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Current Arthritis Medications

One of the biggest misconceptions of arthritis is that it is a problem in elderly people. This is completely untrue. Osteoarthritis is highly present in female seniors. Most sufferers on average are forty seven years old. Cases of arthritis are mostly reported between the ages of twenty to fifty years old. Children have also been diagnosed with arthritis.
Second to heart disease arthritis tops the list as a very serious disorder. The problem with it is it can grow worse over time. The disabling affects can cause a loss of mobility, anxiety and depression. The condition can cause lots of stress to family members and can become extremely costly. It is incurable but its symptoms can be alleviated by pain medication and lifestyle changes.

Treating arthritis has come a long way thanks to innovative techniques and scientific research. Just 50 years ago most patients would have been bedbound with their symptoms but now symptoms can be managed effectively with medication.

When it comes to medication for arthritis, no one size fits all. There are differing types of arthritis and so different types of medication need to be prescribed.

Medication for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Painkillers are often used to reduce the pain of rheumatoid arthritis and the most commonly prescribed are paracetamol and codeine.

Anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen or naproxen can be prescribed to relieve painful, swollen joints; these are traditional non-steriodal anti-inflammatories or you may wish to try coxibs such as celecoxib or etoricoxib which act as a painkiller as well as anti-inflammatory. These drugs have been found to be very effective but there are side-effects associated with them which include stomach problems.

If traditional anti-inflammatories don't work then corticosteroids may be prescribed which can either be given orally or as an injection. The corticosteroids are used only on a short-term basis because of the associated side effects but they are proven to be very effective in reducing swelling and stiffness of joints.
If the RA has been caught at an early stage then disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs can not only help to ease symptoms but also to slow down the progression of the disease. These can sometimes be taken in conjunction with biological treatments which is the latest form of treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. Biological treatments prevent certain chemicals from sending signals to your immune system which tells them to attack the lining of your joints.

Medications for Osteoarthritis

Treatment for osteoarthritis can be the same as treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, with painkillers providing some relief and anti-inflammatories helping to reduce the swelling. Some anti-inflammatories are available as a cream or ointment which can be applied directly onto the joints affected.

Capsaicin cream may be prescribed which again is applied directly to the joints and works to block the nerves which send messages to pain receptors.

Severe osteoarthritis may benefit from intra-articular injections in which medicine such as corticosteroid is injected directly into affected joints.

As with all medication, some people may find that certain medicines work best for them whilst others don't. Your GP will have full access to your medical history and is best placed to decide which course of treatment could prove effective for you.


Struggling With Stairs Doesnt Have To Be An Issue If You Take Advantage of The Range of Stairlifts From Brooks. Established In 1972 They Offer A Safe and Effective Way of Moving From One Flooor To Another.

Featured images:

•  License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://resources.acornstairlifts.com/images/articles/Arthritis-Medications.jpg

5 Exercises That Aren't Worth Your Time

"Any exercise is better than no exercise" is an urban legend that most of us have mistaken for truth. The fact is that some common exercises are completely ineffective and not worth doing. Plus, many of them aren't all that fun to do either. If you've been torturing yourself with waste-of-time workouts, give yourself a much-needed break. These are five exercises that simply are not worth your time.

Crunches

Many people with muffin tops folding over their jeans have bought into the myth that doing hundreds of crunches will tighten their tummy. After all, it makes your stomach muscles burn like crazy, so it must be doing something. However, crunches are perhaps the most overrated form of exercise that actually do very little for your figure. If you want to lose the fat, you need to do cardio to burn the calories. And if you want muscle tone and definition, activities like swimming, dancing, and tennis are better for you. Not only are they safer and less likely to cause back and neck problems, but they more effectively work your core as well. Crunches don't do a lot because they isolate your abs instead of working your core as a whole. Crunches are a waste of time - swap them out for something else.

Running Stairs

First of all, you need to find a large stairwell for it to be effective. It's not worth finding one because running stairs is hard on your lower body and is terrible for your back and knees. Plus, you get the same benefits from normal running.

The Superman

This is the move where you lay flat on your tummy and lift your arms and legs off the ground. Any benefits that this move promises are of microscopic proportions since the range of motion is so small. You are more likely to throw out your back than accomplish anything meaningful with this move.

Wall-Sits

This exercise from purgatory should be removed from your workout regiment. They won't help you lose weight, and the muscular gains are miniscule. The only thing this move is good for is time-outs for naughty kids.

Seated Leg Extensions

Your knees were never meant to handle the strain of raising heavy weights around your ankles. The risk of injuring your knees with this exercise is so high that it is simply not worth doing. If you want to strengthen your legs, lunges and squats are better and safer choices.
Not all exercises are created equal. Some are downright dangerous. If you want a workout that is safe and effective, nothing beats good old-fashioned walking or jogging. If you want a little more muscle resistance, you could try swimming or biking. As a basic rule-of-thumb, natural movements are generally safe while clumsy, forced movements can cause more problems than they are worth. The problem with these five exercises is that they are so commonly used that people automatically assume that they are good. When it comes to your health, don't buy into urban legends. Do what is right for your body.

This post was written by Brian S., writer for the National Council on Strength and Fitness. As a graduate from Rollins College, Brian's resourceful nature and diverse interests make him an excellent writer.

Pain Relief For Arthritis Of The Foot

There are 4 different types of arthritis that affect the feet. They are:

• Osteoarthritis.
• Rheumatoid arthritis.
• Traumatic arthritis.
• Gout.

The 4 Types of Arthritis Explained

Osteoarthritis is brought about through wear and tear of the joints, and tends to manifest itself in 40 to 50-year-olds. It can be experienced earlier in life, although instances are quite rare. This often occurs following a traumatic injury.

Rheumatoid arthritis is what is known as systemic arthritis. This is because it manifests itself in several joints in both the hands, feet, arms and legs. Where arthritis only affects one or 2 joints, then the likelihood is that it is not rheumatoid arthritis.

Traumatic arthritis is so called many because it occurs after a serious injury has taken place; for example, a broken bone. This type of arthritis is similar in nature, and is responsive to the same treatments as for osteoarthritis.

Gout is not like arthritis in the traditional sense in that it is wear and tear of the joints. It is often brought about through poor diet. You will know you have it if you wake up with severe, acute pain in the joint of your big toe. It is extremely painful but it can be cured through diet.
It is possible to reduce the pain of arthritis at home. Whilst this is not a permanent solution (the pain will often return once the treatment stops) it can offer temporary relief. There are 3 stages involved.

Stage one - Reducing Any Inflammation
There are several treatments can be used to reduce arthritic inflammation. They are:

• The use of ice. This treatment (which can be administered at home), involves the application of ice to the joint or joints in question. You should apply an ice pack to the affected areas, for between 15 and 20 minutes, twice each day.

• Non steroid anti-inflammatory drugs. These are usually referred to as NSAIDs, a typical example being ibuprofen. Whilst these are available over-the-counter. You should consult your doctor in the first place before taking.

• Injecting a steroid solution. If the pain does not recede, then you should consult your doctor and ask all about having a steroid injection, such as Cortazone.

• Orthotics - you can buy a rigid pair of Orthotics over the counter at most pharmacies. These can help to alleviate the stress that you put your foot under and helped to reduce the pain.

Addressing the Cause of your Arthritis
The solutions listed above are by nature temporary. However, they can become permanent if you successfully address the cause of your arthritis. Here are 3 courses of action that you can consider taking to address the cause.

Weight Loss - arthritis can be brought about through obesity. By reducing your weight, you will be reducing the amount of stress that you subject your joints to.

Made to Measure Orthotics - off-the-shelf Orthotics may not address the problem, unless they are a perfect fit. You may need to consider having them custom-made, although these will obviously cost more.

Stretching exercises - stretching exercises can be very useful in helping to work the plantar fascia on the sole of your foot, your calves, your hamstrings, and your Achilles tendon.

Jody is a health care professional and currently works for The Arthritic Association. A charity setup how help provide natural, drug free pain relief for sufferers of arthritis.

Day 1 & 2 - No sugar (added) & squat challenge

I have been a little busy lately. Here's a clue......

"I need a good knight to help a good cause." 

Please help me reach Sir Richard Branson for my Ride To Conquer Cancer. Click on this Facebook picture so we can reach 1 million likes and #askRichard to come ride with us, or in actual fact just give his support to this amazing event we are about to embark on.

#richardbranson will you come ride with the Vision Crusaders?

Even these Castle Knights were keen to ask Richard

Castle Knights at Kryal Castle

Okay enough with my personal challenge, how are you going with our sugar free and squat challenge? Please ensure to leave comments here, our Facebook group page and Instagram for added support throughout the day. Here's how I have been these last 2 days;


Day 1 

Jeepers, I buckled on my first day! I did great all day until we caught up with some friends and there was a lovely lemon slice that was just saying, just take one bite. C'mon! What's one bite! So what did I do? I took one bite!

Oh well tomorrow is another day.

The rest of the evening, I was good with a bowl of fruit salad and yogurt.

Completed 50 squats - regular body weight.

Day 2 

Woo hoo no SUGAR (added) all day. So happy today and I made sure I prepped our meals today and didn't face any temptation. It's all about food preparation as we were stocked up with plenty of snacks and lunch at Kryal Castle. 

Day of (squat) rest 

Breakfast

Vanilla and pear porridge served with fresh fruit

Vanilla pear porridge (with no "added" sugar)

We had such a fun day at Kryal Castle and we have a jam packed 2 weeks of school holidays planned.

Kryal Castle

Pretty cool with the dragon greeting us at the entrance after walking over the bridge and the girls loved the maze.

Before leaving I managed to get another shot with the Castle Knights holding up the #richardbransonproject sign. It's amazing how supportive everyone is being. I love it!

Kryal Castle Knights 

Do you think Sir Richard Branson will come ride with me?

XxDani 

Weight loss transformation tuesday with Justine Switalla

Let me introduce you to someone that is a;

• International and national presenter
• Author of 3 weightloss Ebooks
• Writer
• Oxygen Magazine Brand Ambassador
• Radio Host
• Multi time covergirl
• Fitness Professional
• BodyScience Sponsored Athlete

Justine is simply gorgeous and I wanted to share a different transformation with you today. Sports models need to work out as much as we do. Here is Justines 7 week bikini body transformation 

1. How old are you and please can you share your health and fitness journey to date?

I am a 33 year old kiwi girl who is trying to crack the big time in Australia. I have always been into fitness and played sport my whole life so life getting into the fitness industry felt like the right thing to do back in 2004.

Since I made that decision I have never looked back, I have gone from strength to strength and can honestly say that I love every day of my life. Inspiring and educating people in health and well being is the best job in the world and I feel blessed everyday.

I am a proud BodyScience sponsored athlete with lots of strings to my bow and over the years I have progressed into a lot of different areas of the industry. I am in the Les Mills Asia Pacific presenting team for RPM and CXworx and I have competed at the highest level as a sports model in Australia and New Zealand. I have graced the cover of fitness magazines and have had many publications in magazines such as Oxygen, Fatloss, Ultrafit, NZ Fitness...the list goes on!

I have hosted events and have a weekly radio health and fitness show on SEN. I also film my own You tube videos for my you tube channel, speaking to people is easy for me, I feel I have a great way of connecting with people and am able to get the best out of them.

The future looks very bright for me and with my drive and ambition I just know that I am on the tip of the iceberg of the things I can achieve and the lives I can change.

  

2. What types of foods did you used to eat as a kid and young adult? What's changed since then?

Oh wow!!! I used to be the worst eater, I would only eat anything in potato form and I ate no veggies what so ever. I used to eat all kinds of cheesy pastas, I loved steak and my fave meal was hot chips. Never had much of a sweet tooth but loved my white carbs. Now I eat whole range of foods and try to eat as many veggies and fruits as possible. I like to eat clean and live by the 80/20 rule. I am fairly strict Monday to Friday then I relax more on the weekends and allow myself a few treats. An idea of a typical day would be:

• 6am Protein/Berry smoothie or oats
• 9am Veggie Omelette
• 12pm Chicken Wrap (mountain bread) with Salad/Avocado
• 3pm Almonds and a protein shake
• 6pm Some form of Chicken with Veggies and or Salad
• 9pm Protein shake or Low carb Protein Bar

I will also eat a banana each day around my training.

3.  Do you play any sports or what sports do you like watching?

I used to play a lot of sport growing up, I played netball, tennis, touch rugby and I loved to dance. I don't really have the time to play sport anymore although I do miss it, especially the social aspect. I like to watch most sports but growing up in NZ has made me passionate about rugby so that would be my favourite game to watch.

4.  What are your interests, passion and what makes you smile?

I love to train and feel good about myself, I really enjoy the benefits that come with living a healthy lifestyle. I really enjoy spending time with my friends and loved ones, I feel that they keep  me grounded and humble as they know the real me and really support what I do. My favorite thing to do is to spend time with my man, I absolutely adore him and he makes me happy in so many ways. We laugh a lot together and I feel this is so important in todays world, laughter is the best. I try not to take life too serioulsly and am always up for some fun and a good laugh. I love to travel and meet new people, people really intrigue me and I love to speak to people from all walks of life.

5.  What was the catalyst that sparked your lifestyle change? 

I needed direction as I was feeling very lost before my first Sports model comp in 2008. I was stuck in a

rut and was heading down the wrong path afer a break up. I made a decision to change and I have

never looked back!

6. What are some of your dreams/goals you hope to achieve over the next 12 months?

I have so many things happening in my life over the next 12 months, the biggest one being that I am going to be a mum. I am due to have a baby on Jan 8th 2014 and couldn’t be more happy. I am so up for this next stage of my life and my partner and I are beside ourselves with excitement. I aim to be have a healthy pregnancy and then post baby I want to obviously get myself back into tip top shape and prove that if I can do it then all the other mummy’s out there can do it to. On top of this I am designing a 10 week online ‘live lean’ program with my business partner that is due out in Sept so I am super excited for this to start.

7. What tips would you like to share with my readers about your transformation?
To me it is all about a decision and then backing yourself 100%, it is not going to be easy and there will be days where it all seems too much but you have to hang in there and keep going. The biggest thing is to make sure that you are kind to yourself and reward yourself as you go along, don’t focus on the big picture so much but on the journey as you go along achieving new things each day/week.

* * * 

Thank you so much Justine for sharing your amazing transformation and life story with us. I look forward to following your new baby journey and for others that are interested you can follow Justine here;

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/JustineSwitalla.Official
Justine's 7 week bikini program
Instagram: @justine_switalla
Twitter: @justineswitalla

Anyone who would like to share their healthy new lifestyle, can do so here.

XxDani 

How to Warm Up Properly Before Working Out

Before we workout, we always want to warm up, and I’ve talked to you a little bit about the importance of warming up, but I had a lot of guys followed up to that article and ask, well, how do you warm up? So we’re going to jump into that today. Before we do, go ahead and click the like button down below, it the article is helpful so I know to make more, and subscribe so they come directly to you. So you know the importance of warming up, and there are two warm ups that we want to do when going to the gym.

General Warm Ups

The first is just a general warm up, and the second is a specific workout. So we’re going to talk about the general workout first, and the general warm up is just to get our body temperature up. It’s to tell our body, hey, get ready man, we’re about to work out, some pain’s coming your way, and we’re going to prep for that so you’re not hurt. It’s sort of raising your temperature level, getting fluids running through your joints, so that you’re less likely to hurt yourself.

This is an area where I see a lot of people focus on the specific activity instead of the outcome. Taking this specific example, they say, what do I need to do? Do I need to run for 5 minutes? Do I need to run for 10 minutes?

No, you want the outcome, which is having you warmed up. That’s what we’re shooting for here, so it’s not the specific tactic; it’s where we end up at.

So, working backwards from there, what I’m going to say is that the goal of the general warm-up is for you to have a light sweat going. You don’t need to be drenched; you just need to have a light sweat going.

Getting a Light Sweat Going

So whatever it takes for you to get a light sweat going, that’s a good indicator that you are kind of warmed up where you can move on to lift and do your specific warm-ups. Here’s what I do for some of my general warm-ups. If I’m actually at the gym, I’ll run on the treadmill, for five to ten minutes, maybe 5.5. It really varies. I’ll run until I feel my body temperature up and have a light sweat going. That’s my body’s way of saying, "Hey, alright, I’m ready to bring it on, let’s do this!"

Specific Warm Ups

Once you’ve done your general warm-up, now it’s time to move on to the specific warm up. The specific warm up is where we don’t have to do it for every exercise, but you do it for the big compound lifts or squats, bench presses, those types of exercises.

The point of the specific warm up is to literally target the muscles that you’re about to work, and let them know that there’s some pain coming their way. The goal being to help prevent you from getting injured, so you can stay longer in the gym and work out and reach your goals.

What I do when I’m doing a specific warm up is, start with the bar first, because it’s a good warm up to focus on form; form is a skill, and skills are improved with practice. So you start with just the bar, no weight- that’s really more of a mental warm up more than anything. Then you can slap on some weight.

Now, how much weight do you put on? It’s really going to vary depending on what you’re lifting. I always start with light weight, and I’ll do two to three sets. Two to three sets, this is really some tactical stuff. The goal of the specific warm up is to get a pump going. We’re already warmed up, we’ve got a slight sweat going, now we want to get a pump going, to let the muscles know we’re going to lift. Generally, you can achieve that in two to three sets. As far as the reps, it can really vary depending on the weight you’ve put on. I try to focus on, again, form and going through the motion and getting blood to the muscles. I wouldn’t put on so much weight that it’s really draining from your strength, and you’re taking away from your fitness training. That’s a little too much. You don’t want it so light that you could throw the bar and catch it if you’re doing bench presses.

You want a happy medium, and it’s just about finding that. Those are the parameters and hopefully that should be enough for you to start and go to the gym and work on. Don’t go and expect that you’re going to have this perfectly the first day, that’s not the goal. The goal is to start, use those parameters and find a good workout set that works for you. Just start there, use those as your guidelines, and if it helps, you can report your notes in your workout log, because you should be using one of those to track your overall weight. Good luck in your fitness endeavors.