NOTHING GOOD HAPPENS FAST

I have learned in life to take things a little slower, to be patient, a great listener, and to enjoy the moment.  All this rushing around can make my head spin, increase my stress levels, and I miss way too much of what is important in life.  I implement this philosophy in my workouts, food intake, work and play, in the bedroom, and I know I am missing some other categories, but I will share those as I am inspired. 

I like to share that “nothing good happens fast” with my clients if they try to rush a move and I usually get a chuckle, as the mind can go thinking about other things, but I always pull everyone back to the exercise, of course enjoying the humor right along with them in that brief instant…it is all about life and having fun with fitness. Now, think about an exercise and what the body needs and how benefited the muscles are by focused, slow, well executed contractions.  Before I lift a weight, I create a two part motion to the exercise by putting my mind on that muscle, slightly contracting that muscle, then executing the contraction of the muscle with the lift. 

This creates the best environment for muscle growth and reduces the chance of injury as I am not just throwing weights around without purpose.  It truly is about going about exercise with purpose and knowing that muscle growth is a slow process.   Remember…nothing good happens fast, so in this want for lean muscle on the body, patience is very important and “GOOD things come to those who wait”.

Moving on to my food intake and eating slowly.  If I have worked my butt off preparing a fabulous healthy meal, I am going to take my sweet time eating and savoring every bite of that work.  I will not be one of those gulping my food down remaining hungry because I did not allow my brain to register with my stomach that I am full.  This is an area where many do not realize that it takes at least 20 minutes for the brain to communicate satiety to the stomach, and sadly too large of portions are consumed because of eating too quickly.  This type of continued eating pattern is one of the many causes of obesity, in addition to the unhealthy processed products that are consumed as well.  Nothing good happens fast in the eating department, and in fact, the slower the better and for at least 20 minutes.  This gives me time to enjoy my food, have lengthy and meaningful conversation, and relax during my meal.

I also take things slower to reduce stress in my life.  I used to be a “yes” girl

as I have shared in the past plus having an A1 personality type.  I would busy myself so much, always say “yes” to everyone, and overload my calendar to the point where I had to be fast just to keep up with all of my commitments.  Let’s just say I needed a big crash in my life to bring that to a screeching halt.  I look back at all that and can say in a big way…nothing good happens fast, and all that madness can cause YUCK chemical release in the body to produce stress and anxiety, which of course can lead to illness, burn out, depression, and that whole “life feels bigger than me” overwhelm.  Fast forward to the new Darla taking life slow, breathing, calendaring according to what works for me, and living a healthy “balanced” life.  When life feels too fast, what is the point of that and I truly do not want to miss out on what life is gifting me. 

I am going to the bedroom because it is a part of life, health and fitness.  Now, when I talk about intimacy and sex, please realize that I am referencing within the bonds of marriage, but do not think I am sitting here judging people as that is not for me to do.  Now, the point I am trying to make with sex is again “nothing good happens fast.”  I am a woman of almost 50 and I am sure that my fellow gal readers out there will agree, that our bodies go through changes that can leave us feeling frustrated, and not understanding what the heck is going on.  This goes for men as well, and I am talking physically and emotionally.  The key to a happy healthy sex life is to take things slow, be patient, embrace the changes that are occurring and do the best with what we have.  Sometimes that means being very creative and how can that be a bad thing…right?  Instead of frustration and thinking things should happen fast, toss that thinking out the window and accept the new body that responds to slow, and know that the mind and body work together to produce fabulous results.

The wonderful thing about “Nothing Good Happens Fast” is that it can be applied to so many things in life as I shared above, and so much more.  I am a planner and a processor of thoughts, feelings, and life decisions.  The “nothing good happens fast” philosophy works well for me here as it slows me down to think before I jump, make a pro-con list if needed, hear feedback from my hubby, family or friends, and helps me to make decisions without fear.  If things are taken slowly, I feel better and more confident about the choices that I make.  The important thing is taking care of ME through a healthy mind and body process that works for me, and taking things slower just works. 

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IN YOUR FACE MOTIVATION

This one was FUNNY!!

BLOG DEDICATION:  I dedicate this Blog to my BEST friend, my biggest fan, cheerleader, and the one who helps me appreciate and take life at a slower pace...My Fabulous Husband who I wish a very Happy Anniversary next week.  I love you "Forever and a Day".

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 

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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Another Cycle….REALLY???

Motivation of the Day: Exercise is a Journey….NOT a destination…Enjoy the Ride!!!!

Fav Shot by GeneX..Today's Motivation

One thing about me is that I am very candid…in a positive way. Talk about personal shares…this one is definitely that, and I am sure many women who are my young almost 47 self can relate to a night like this. First, let me say….another CYCLE…a 2 for 1 deal in one month…REALLY? OK…this is simply NOT RIGHT. Last night was full of restlessness due to dreaded NIGHT SWEATS…OK..there it is…YUCK..a tossing and turning non-adventure of feeling like I have just stepped out of the washing machine…and ready for the high cycle in the dryer. After several dry cycles of getting up to towel off from my hormone shower, I gave up retreating back to bed…what was the point…at this point. This was a two cup of coffee morning as I am writing to you….such a weird scenario to be so tired but unable to sleep. Disturbed sleep is not on my number one list of LIKES. In fact, understanding the value of sleep for my body and recovery, I do not appreciate the uncontrollable “woman” things that go along with being 46…I guess feeling 20-something does not count in this circumstance. In fact, this issue screams Darla you are almost 50 and BAM…take that. Well, I may have to take that, but not without taking care of myself through the process. The number one way I handle this issue is to EXERCISE….it relieves the heightened anxiety that also comes with hormonal changes. Also, if I am going to sweat I might as well do that on my ARC trainer instead of wasting my good sheets…lol….have to laugh at life;) I do use transdermal (applied to the skin) natural hormonal creams that help somewhat with the side effects of hormonal YUCK. Getting back to the importance of exercise….I feel so much better pushing through a good workout when I have nights like this…especially after 2 cups of coffee…ZING. Why do I share this…because for those women reading this….I am just like you…not some super human fitness chick untouched by the normal cycles of female life changes. I am right there with you, and the BEST way I handle it: Exercise regularly, eat my fabulous Stay Healthy foods, drink plenty of water, take time to relax and not be overwhelmed with life…..have a bit of coffee…and WASH MY DAMN SHEETS…Again! Whoop Whoop…have a fabulous Frisky Friday;) To my Friday clients….BRING IT!


My Workout of the Day:
ARC trainer for a long time;) probably 50 minutes   (I NEEDED THIS!!!)


Core work and Stretch...AWE RELAX TIME ;)






My Nutrition of the Day:


Coffee, 2 cups please…ZING!




2 Protein Balls Please - Meal 3

 1-Pre-workout shake (1 piece of fruit, ice, whey)
2-Post –workout shake(Bring on everything)
3-Sweet Potato Fries & Love My Protein Balls (2 please)
4-Tuna mixed with mustard & 1 piece of fruit
5-Egg Scramble with spinach/garlic & Spinach Salad
6-Protein Pudding




MY STAY HEALTHY DINNER LAST NIGHT: BAKED SALMON & SOLE WITH FRESH GREEN BEANS TOSSED WITH EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL AND BLACK PEPPER….MADE THIS IN UNDER 20 MINUTES!

Steam Veggies (10min), Bake Fish @ 500 (10 min)...Dinner Time!

IF YOU ENJOYED THE POST, LIKE IT, LEAVE ME A COMMENT & STAY HEALTHY!

The BEST Motivation for a Successful Fitness Program

I was reading an article in MORE magazine and came across a small piece on what motivates you to exercise. The reason I bring up the piece, is that I agree highly with the content. According to MORE, the top reasons women over 40 exercise are to lose weight and protect their health.

Well........does that sound like FUN.....does that say......I want to do this because it is fun......or does this say that it is something I HAVE TO DO....like taking a mouthful of bitter medicine. I think the latter......how about you.

The lesser percentage of women surveyed stated that they exercised to improve their mood and reduce stress.....NOW....that sounds FABULOUS.....and you know what. The women who exercised for this reason remained true to their programs and exercised 30% more than those seeking to lose the weight and protect their health.

Now......you might think that losing weight would be motivational.....but let's say that you do not see the results you are looking for, and the I do not like myself, or I am not good enough feelings overwhelm you....then what....FRUSTRATION.....and then....GIVE UP. Let's chew up and spit out that animal and think about your fitness program differently.......

So.....take a minute to think about the immediate benefits of exercise....and focus on how you feel after you have finished exercising.... Positive endorphines (happy hormones) are released during exercise creating a positive mood and reducing stress. Being able to flow through your day more at ease and "feeling good" "feeling accomplished" "feeling on top of the world" are feelings that you will want to repeat again, and again, and again......and the long term benefit will be an improvement in the quality of your life and health.....and before you realize it....an adapted regular fitness program.

Now....take a minute to see what you can fit into your lifestyle....time/work/family/relationship. Also, in this thought process, think about what you like to do that is active and make that the core of your fitness......doing something you are passionate about will also keep you coming back for more.

I look forward to your comments and questions......


Stay Healthy
Darla