Doing What I Can With What I Got is Good Enough

Life can have a way of making you feel not good enough. Whether from past circumstances or negative self-talk, it can really be a continual upsetting existence. If you let it...

I have struggled with the feelings of not being good enough to understand how destructive it can be to your confidence and well-being. I decided years ago this was no longer going to define me. It was probably one of my healthiest life-changing decisions.

Health and fitness require acceptance of who you are now in order to make the changes to become a better you. Your journey can't be about what everyone else is doing and worrying about what they're thinking. What matters is what you're doing to improve your life and how you feel about you. With me?

When it comes to fitness and especially workouts, I make them my own. I do what works best for my body and life. My About Me section explains why certain medical issues require modifications to some of my exercises. I worked through lots of emotional and physical stuff to an amazing place of acceptance of who I am.

Life is not meant for any of us to understand why things happen, but handling it the best you can when hard times come calling. Giving up and being angry would be easy but what good does that serve ... nothing.

In my case, accepting the new injured me and working hard on what I could do became the focus. Maintaining all my hard earned muscle took some creative program planning. I saw it as a positive challenge and not an obstacle. I had to discover through trial and error what worked best for me.

I am in tune and listen to what my body is telling me. There's a difference between exercise that feels good and not right. If anything twinges in the not right direction, I put on the brakes and immediately modify and do something else. I don't believe in pushing past something that will hurt my body and land me flat on my back or worse. I appreciate the gift of what I can do and will not fudge this up.

Do I miss certain things ... yes. I get so excited watching others perform what I used to do. I want to jump in and do it with them. That is just my inner athlete still alive and well. She is super cool, but my outer athlete is now the boss of what I can do now. That girl is still pretty tough.

Exercise is about being smart and creating a quality life. I understand the importance of feeling good and not accommodating chronic pain. My goal is to maintain lean mass while decreasing or eliminating discomfort. I know what it feels like to be in severe pain and how hard I have worked to achieve being pain-free.

My fitness journey is not about doing what others can do, but doing the best at what I can do. It's about acceptance of my body and the thoughts surrounding it that belong to me. I believe in adopting a healthy lifestyle to create a quality life. I walk and teach this motto daily. It's about doing what I can with what I got and that's good enough.

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Be well and Stay Healthy

             

Turn Your Brain Back On and Stop Mindless Eating

Mindless eating is ugly and what it does to your body is even worse. Many of us walk around with brains turned off and grab whatever food items are in our grazing path. No rhyme or reason but doing an auto-pilot action of putting something in your face.

You know the glazed over look watching TV and mowing through a whole bag of chips. How about the work break room goodies brought back to the desk as you plug away at your computer. Often times, we're not hungry, not thinking, and eating out of boredom or habit. This continued pattern isn't good for you or your expanding waistline.

What the heck is going on and why?  It's no wonder America is plagued with the highest obesity rate and enormous doctor bills for self-induced illness. Mindless eating is a topic that should be at the forefront of your eating habits. Each time you eat something is an opportunity to better your health and fitness. We have really dropped the ball not thinking before eating. Are you stressed, emotionally upset, bored, or whatever? Unhealthy food isn't the answer to make you feel better. 

Emotions can play a role in mindless eating and it's recommended to address these issues in a healthy way. There is no amount of tasty donuts or pizza fixing an emotional problem. What it will do is add fat to your body and another reason to be stressed. Why not look into professional help, go to a counselor, see a minister, or talk to a trusted friend.

Most of the time, mindless eating is done out of habit and convenience. If it's there, put it in your face and so on. We're the true 'Walking Dead' feasting on gross things doing gross things to your body. It's time to turn your brain back on and start breaking these unhealthy habits. Don't you agree?

Start the process of mindful eating by taking food and behavior inventory:

• Toss the junk food in the frig and pantry and replace it with healthy "real" food.  
• Get off your butt and start working out instead of sitting on it so much. 
• Stop blaming your spouse, significant other, friends or circumstances for mindless eating. 
• Just because someone in your home brings in crap food doesn't mean you have to eat it.  
• Start packing healthy snacks for work and stay out of the break room.
• Drink water if you feel the urge to eat without thinking.
• Ask yourself if what you're eating is helping or hurting your health.
• Be mindful of alcohol intake. Are you really having only one drink?
• Make a plan to eat healthily and stick to it.
• Keep a food journal and be honest with yourself.

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Be well and Stay Healthy

             

How to Lose Those Stubborn Last 10 Pounds

The last ten pounds can be a struggle. The scale stops budging and frustration has taken over. The stress of it all is putting the adrenal glands into overdrive. A cortisol rush is the last thing your body needs when trying to lose the last ten pounds. Studies show chronic stress can hinder your ability to lose weight.

Plateaus are normal for all of us living a healthy lifestyle. Many don't realize food intake and exercise programming require constant review and change. If the plan doesn't work, change the plan but never the goal. 

Remain positive and progressive with your fitness regardless of what the scale says. Many factors are at play when the body stops showing results. Usually, a simple review and program change are all that's required to gets things moving again. 

Things to consider: 

• Are you eating enough? The body knows when it's not getting enough fuel. If you restrict too many calories, your body will refuse to give up any fat stores. The body sees stored fat as energy necessary for life and exercise.  

• Are you being true to your nutrition program? Many fall back into unhealthy eating habits and are even in denial about it. Your body knows what you're eating and will respond with weight gain.  

• Are you exercising less? Reducing exercise will significantly affect your ability to lose weight. Energy out needs to be more than energy in to experience a caloric deficit resulting in weight loss. Take time to review your priorities and determine if exercise has taken a backseat. 

• Are you burned out? This is normal and happens to most of us living a healthy lifestyle. Adding variety to workout programs and healthy foods is important to keep you motivated. 

The last ten pounds can be a challenge but also a learning opportunity. You can become frustrated and throw in the towel, or change your strategy and get back on track.

It's important to take one day and one pound at a time. Feel proud of daily efforts taking you closer to your fitness goals. The last ten pounds will respond to what you're willing to do to be rid of it, or keep it. It still comes down to choices and changes.

Recharging the mental battery is a great way to stay motivated to keep going. You can do it!  

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Be well and Stay Healthy!

12 Things Not To Do If You Want to Get Fit

There are plenty of articles telling you how to get fit, but what about things you shouldn’t be doing to accomplish this goal? Healthy and fit individuals follow certain strategies to achieve results and maintain their bodies. What exactly are they not doing that you can learn from to get fit?

1. Procrastinate
Waiting wastes your time and negatively affects your health. If you want to get fit, it will take action starting now and not tomorrow. Fit individuals don’t wait around for things to happen, they make fitness results happen.

2. Make Excuses
Excuses don’t burn calories or improve your health. You want to improve your fitness but keep coming up with reasons not to do the work. Fit people understand the importance of their health and make it a priority.

3. Go on a Diet
Going on a diet only provides short-term results and lots of frustration. Weight loss may happen initially but returns, plus some, when the diet is over. Getting fit requires a nutrition lifestyle change and this means eating right, not eating less.

4. Bash Yourself
Negative self-talk and body shaming aren't beneficial to you or your fitness. You desire to look good but aren’t able to accept who you are now while working on the body you want. Getting healthy requires a positive attitude and self-acceptance every step of the fitness journey.

5. Avoid Making Health and Fitness a Priority
Not making fitness a priority is a big reason you’re not seeing results. You want to be fit but not willing to take the time to eat right, exercise, and get plenty of rest. There is always something more important than you. Fit individuals see the value of health improvement and make the time to live a healthy lifestyle.

6. Compare Your Progress
Your fitness results will differ from another. Constantly comparing your body and fitness program with your friend or whoever can lead to frustration, disappointment, and even quitting. Fit people focus on their own body, progress, and do what works best for them.

7. Get Fit for Others
Getting fit to please someone else is not really taking care of you for you. Others can disappoint you and even make you feel bad about fitness efforts. The reason to get fit and feel good is a decision fit people make for themselves for their own happiness and health.

8. Expect Instant Results
Fitness results take some time but you’re not willing to wait for realistic results. You continue to get upset and jump from program to program believing false guarantees. Fit individuals maintain a relaxed mindset, trust the process, and realize getting healthy is a consistent process that requires patience.

9. Focus on Slipups
You are more focused on slipups like eating a cookie instead of celebrating daily fitness efforts. You’re unable to accept slipups are part of the program. You put yourself through so much food guilt, enjoying a fit lifestyle can feel like a burden. Those who live a fit lifestyle understand it’s not perfect, do their best each day, focus on the positive, and enjoy cheat meals as part of a balanced healthy life.

10. Fear Trying New Things
Doubt and fear steal more dreams than failure ever will. You want to get fit but fear the gym environment, being around new people, and trying new things in general. This becomes your scapegoat or excuse for not getting involved in a fitness program. Fit people will try new things even if they feel scared or intimidated because they understand the health benefits gained are life-long compared to a temporary feeling.

11. Sabotage Your Program
Your fitness program is easily sabotaged by your own choices or the influence of others. Skipping workouts becomes more frequent, and eating healthy, not consistent. You started strong but are really not taking your fitness seriously. Those maintaining fit and healthy bodies keep their exercise appointments and eat healthy at least 80% of the time.

12. Give Up
If you stop now, what was it all for in the first place? You are unhappy about lots of things including not seeing results, exercise, and probably a restrictive diet. Instead of trying a better strategy, your choice is to return to unhealthy habits. Giving up is not respecting your body or your health. Fit people never give up and if something isn’t working, they keep trying until they find what does work.

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Be well and Stay Healthy

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Why Commitment Matters

What comes to your mind when you hear the word 'commitment'?

I think about commitment and how it not only matters in my marriage but also in my fitness and overall health.  They both take dedication and work, right?  Think about that: if you cheat on your marriage, it will not work…if you cheat on your health, it will not work…see what I mean. In order to maintain a happy, healthy relationship, it takes commitment, effort, and work on a consistent basis.  

In this journey of life, I have learned what I do and don't want. I certainly have found a gem in my husband and cherish our relationship as a top priority.  I feel the same way about my fitness. I realize my body is a precious gift worthy of my time and attention so I can live a healthy quality of life. 

Commitment is a word that I don't use lightly. It's a promise that I will maintain my relationship in a healthy way with my hubby and with myself. 

I don't need a special Hallmark day in my life to appreciate my honey and my health. Each day is an opportunity to make the right choices and do the right things.  I treat both my marriage and health with tender loving care, appreciation, time and attention. 

Commitment to the things that matter is important and believe me, there are plenty of 'busy things' in life that just don't matter. I like that motivational saying “when you are committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results”.  I believe in seeing positive results in my marriage and health. If I don't take the healthy steps to make that happen, that is on me. I have worked too hard and long in my life to not make the most of each day, and appreciate what good health and true love feels like.   

I am over 50 years young and it has taken half my life to reach the maturity of emotional, spiritual, and physical well-being that I understand today.  The road along the way was difficult as I am sure most of you can relate. Through patience, perseverance, and commitment to want more for me in every aspect of life, the journey was worth the results. 

The importance of commitment is also patience through the process as nothing happens overnight. There is no such thing as here today and gone tomorrow and rushing life usually gets us no-where. The point is to stay true to your commitments, appreciate the journey, and grow in positive ways through the struggles. 

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The effort is worth the results. Stay Healthy 💖

Achieving a Lean Body is Possible for Everyone

Achieving a lean and healthy body is possible for everyone. Do you believe that? We have the ability to do what it takes to make it happen. It doesn't cost lots of money, require anything special, not even a gym membership. We can reach our fitness goals by choosing a healthy lifestyle. Daily choices determine what your body will look and feel like.

Consistency with eating right, exercise, plenty of rest, water and decreased stress will help create the body we want. It starts with our grocery lists and foods we buy to maintain a healthy body. If you're consuming processed foods, lots of sugar, and an abundance of saturated fats, then you will most certainly not reach your fitness goals. Living a sedentary lifestyle absence of exercise also contributes to being unhealthy.

We tend to overcomplicate fitness. It really is as simple as food intake and exercise, but many of us refuse to change this basic part of living. As long as we are consistent with healthy habits, we will be healthy. I am referring to the majority of us not suffering from medical conditions out of our control. Still with me?

You can lean up naturally by purchasing healthy foods and eating at home most of the time. Being in control of your food purchases enables you to know what you're eating. You will also be pleasantly surprised with the amount of money saved from not dining out. Eating healthy 80 percent of the time will result in reduced body fat and being able to see muscle definition. Reducing alcohol consumption to no more than 1 to 2 times per week will make this happen even faster. Drinking plenty of water also speeds up the process.

No gym membership required to get up and move that body! You can even start burning extra calories by taking a brisk walk for 30 minutes several times per week. Add in a few push-ups, squats, crunches and stretching to create an at home program to build muscle. Achieving a lean body is not complicated or expensive. It's our daily choices and actions that control what we look like inside and out. We all have the ability, but the choice is always up to each of us.

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Be well and Stay Healthy