SIMPLE IS HEALTHY

Balance of Life, part 3

When it comes to Simple is Healthy, I have come to appreciate a balance of work, rest, play and pray.  I used to be a “YES” person with A1 personality type that first, could not say “NO” and second, the “busier the better”.  Always seeming to not be good enough, never satisfied, and always striving for that something that often times I did not understand “WHY”.  Can you relate to that?  I think it stems from feeling unappreciated in my early years, or just not feeling accomplished...going “Darla Deep” here.  Fast forwarding to the Darla of today that has shed that ugly skin…YEAH!!!!

Life’s journey has definitely taught me to love myself in every way and to accept that life is about enjoying it.  Think about that concept…I ENJOY MY LIFE.   I definitely do not want to breathe my last breathe with any regrets, and missing out on the important stuff in life, the real meaningful things that money just does not buy.   This is not to say that I am not goal oriented, strive to be the BEST me at what I do and provide that for my family and clients…I would be a hypocrite if I did or said that…this girl is definitely not lazy.   I am letting you know that my life has come full circle to finding that peace and balance with everything and I no longer run around like a chicken with my head cut off with a go-go-go , do- do- do mentality, and to the point of being so exhausted that my eyes are burning.  It is really OK NOT to be busy all the time, to enjoy some time to be still, to appreciate life and think about all the things in my life that are so wonderful.  Older, wiser, better…I stole that from my hubby and it is so true with my life at this point.  

Contentment is a GREAT word to describe where I am in life.  I love that quote that says “I may not have the best of everything but I make the BEST of everything that I have” and that is really true for me.  I am a no frills kind of gal who does not need to keep up with the Jones’, wear designer clothes or be concerned about that, I enjoy a bargain, getting my hands dirty in the garden, and in the kitchen.  I try to live life with gusto and appreciate the moment…something I took for granted years ago…being so busy being busy and going through the motions that the meaning of the moment was missed.  The “Older, Wiser, Better” Darla of today inhales every moment of every minute and I know that I smile and laugh a lot.  What a fabulous simple healthy difference living life with balance makes and provides such peace and happiness most of the time. 

Maintaining a balanced life with my workouts, nutrition, rest, play and pray is the secret to having a healthy lifestyle for me.  I am no longer hard on myself if I miss a workout or get off track once in awhile on my nutrition plan.  Life has a way of showing me exactly where I need to be, and what I need to be doing and sometimes, my body says…Darla the workout is not happening today…but that nap you need…go for it.  I am a more relaxed person who is very in tune to my body, and listens carefully to my energy levels, any aggravations and responds accordingly.   I can recall feeling guilty taking a nap years ago, like I needed to be doing something all the time and I am so glad that I do not have that mindset anymore. I have nothing to prove to anyone, and maintaining a healthy ME is what matters and of course loving God, hubby, family, friends and taking care of my fabulous clients.  Living life with balance of everything allows for deep breathing, relaxation, and really a release of all the stress and worry that we often bring on ourselves.  Exercise is my “cheap man’s” therapy, and so, yes I have a session at least 5 days per week for a good hour.  Moving on to my passion for cooking which is not only therapeutic for me but also provides my daily “REAL FOOD” intake that keeps me healthy.  Rest is also a big part of my balanced life and I try to get a good night sleep in addition to the occasional nap.  Lastly, my time with self, God and family rounds out the rest of ME that keeps me healthy and living simply. 

In Your Face MOTIVATIONS

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Stay Healthy~ Darla

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SIMPLE IS HEALTHY

Simple is Healthy ~ Workouts Part 2

As promised, I am continuing my write about why I think “Simple is Healthy” and how I apply that to my life in all aspects.  Of course, it is such a HUGE factor for me, and knew that I could not fit all I had to say in one piece being the chatter bug that I am, so had to break it up in a series of Blogs. If you read the first of the series, I covered my food and how keeping it Simple makes for healthier foods…an apple vs. some packaged product with fake apple substance in it for example…YUCK.  I am dedicating this Blog to how I keep my workouts Simple and how that is absolutely HEALTHIER for me. 

I am a down to earth, back to the basics, sticking to the foundation of exercise kind of gal.  I do not need anything fancy to create a healthy body, and in fact enjoy the simplicity of an all over body weight   program many times throughout the week.  Also…my time…it is so important…please do not think that I spend hours in my studio pounding the weights to maintain my 48 year young self…..NOT.  I keep that simple as well and dedicate one hour at least 5-6 days per week to get my Darla Sweat ON.  That is it…if I am spending more time than that…what the heck am I doing and WHY for crying out loud.  My body requires daily physical activity and healthy foods and feeling like I need to push my body to limits beyond requirements is unhealthy in my book.  I consider working out a reward, a privilege and thankful that I can perform the exercises that I do with my new modified ME.  I think when the balance of workout is tipped so far into an obsessive thought process, it can become a burden and a something I “have to do” instead of “I want to do it”.   Think about this idea…maintaining healthy food intake so I do not have to work as hard or long in the gym…WHAT….YES, studies have shown that the body only requires a good focus of 30 minutes per day of QUALITY exercise to maintain a great physique.  LIGHT BULB moment here and QUALITY workouts are a “want to” inclusion in my life to make exercise SIMPLE, and that is HEALTHY!  So, if I remain consistent on my healthy food intake, I can shave down my gym time by at least 15 minutes and really complete what I have to do in 45minutes.  WIN WIN…clicking of fitness gal trainer shoes…woo hoo.

There are so many ways to exercise the body, but think about the root of all exercise that stems from strength and stabilization…that is where I come from.  If my strength and stabilization are not in order, I might as well forget having a healthy workout session and body for that matter.  I am all about body balance, proper posture, positioning, form and technique, and positive and negative (concentric/eccentric) movements.  Let’s say I have a postural deviation and need to work on my core strength, my simple focus will be on doing that, and progressing from there.  I will not put my body at risk for injury by swinging this or that for hours on end, jumping here or there, and creating pain and suffering by performing movements that my body is just not ready for and may not be able execute properly even after I have come to my point of progressing forward.  I feel like a “body whisperer” where I pay close attention to what my body says I can do and proceed with caution with those things that I should not be doing. I am not a “push through the pain” person or trainer…there is normal discomfort that comes from a workout and then there is that “not right” discomfort that should put a screeching halt on my workout and yours for that matter.   

I can have a simple good exercise time with nothing but my body weight, a set of dumbbells and pull up bar…BINGO.  I see squats, negative pull ups, overhead presses, bicep curls, triceps kickbacks, and core work in that program.  Nothing fancy about what I do, just me executing simple controlled QUALITY moves for 30-60 minutes, getting a fabulous sweat on, and feeling accomplished when I am done.  Getting back to the basics of exercise, and the base moves that ALL workouts stem from is the safest and simplest form of creating a healthy body for ME and has served me well for several years.  I turn a deaf ear to the fads of fitness out there, especially if they are making unrealistic promises with risky movements that may send a once healthy body into a now I need rehab for an injury body.  Keeping it simple, fun, QUALITY, and time efficient sums up my workouts to be HEALTHY and LIFETIME maintainable.  That is what I am all about …Quality Life, Simple is Better, and Simple is definitely HEALTHY!

Enjoy my Stay Healthy recipe feature this month on SkinnyMs.com, a website dedicated to Health, Fitness and Success! 

Stay Healthy Crock pot Chicken & Brown Rice on Skinny Ms

 

In Your Face MOTIVATIONS

Coming soon…I have been asked to provide a review for Ellie, a new online fitness clothes brand and I am very excited to share my personal and professional opinion next month in addition to providing a special offer for you!

Thanks to all my Stay Healthy Fitness Facebook Followers who contributed to the Stay Healthy Fitness Grocery List and this was a fun interactive project.  I have put your selections together and created a printable PDF list for you…HAPPY STAY HEALTHY SHOPPING! 

CLICK THE GROCERY BAG ON MY HOME PAGE

Mardi Gra Fun with Hubby day before Super Bowl

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

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