healthy and beautiful

My journey through menopause is more of an update of my "Mad at Menopause"  blog post.  Head on over and read that before diving in here to get the full story of my symptoms, frustrations, and actions to resolve them. Instead of being mad at menopause, I'm now calling it a journey through menopause. The drastic symptoms have softened thanks to research, talking with my doctors, and making treatment decisions that best fit my body. As women, we will all experience menopause and the havoc placed upon our bodies during this transition. Menopause is part of life and health and not a subject to be hushed and brushed under the carpet. There is no shame or embarrassment discussing anything that relates to health and fitness . We have lived too long with our heads tucked between our tails and still thinking how dare we use the term "vagina" in public. Come on now, we're all grown women and men for that matter and this is an important issue for women and the men wh...

It's Good Enough When it comes to fitness and especially my workouts, I make them my own.  If you have read my About Me  section, you're aware of my medical issues requiring modification to certain exercises. I do what I can with what I got and it's  good enough . I can recall feeling defeated after my injuries and especially during neuro-rehab when I couldn't even lift my head off an exercise ball. Tears of pain and frustration would flood over those appointments, and almost to the point of giving up. I would pray every night for things to be different and wake up the same. What an ugly place to be, but there I was years ago. I became so determined to fight, and I did. Fast forward to now and I'm in a much better place physically, mentally and spiritually . Going through tough times builds a tough inner and outer shell. The point of life is not to understand everything that happens to us, but handling it the best we can when hard knocks on the door. Giving up and ...

I Eat For Goals I recently posted this motivation on my Instagram and Facebook : " I do take the time to read your comments left on my motivational posts and excited you're striving to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Showing images of those dedicated to fitness including myself are to encourage and inspire.  I receive both positive and negative feedback all part of being an online personality. I'm going to get very personal with you and you can read more about me on my Blog if you choose. I'm over 50, a fitness professional and freelance writer  who  works extremely long hours. My day doesn't end when I step out of my studio. I look the way I do because of the lifestyle I walk daily. I don't spend hours in the gym. I limit my workouts to one-hour sessions 4 to 5 days per week. I indulge on treats on occasion and eat incredible tasting healthy food. I am a woman of God and my faith helps me with inner strength and getting through each day. I am passionate about hel...

To this day I dislike the "skinny" word and believe me, I have had my share of teasing until I discovered how to build curves with resistance training.  I have my Dad's genetics and I am thankful, but it has been a challenge to put on muscle.  I am also constantly hungry and burn up energy like crazy so if I do not eat lots of carbs, I would not feel good and in fact, light headed.  My metabolism seems to work faster than I can fuel it and it can be frustrating.  Some say they can just look at food and gain 5lbs whereas if I look at food, my metabolism says let's burn it up.  I will not workout if I feel hungry and prefer to down a healthy meal before hitting the weights. I just so happen to be one of those people on the other side of the spectrum that works hard to put weight on and fattening up with crap to be "skinny fat" is not what I am looking for. My goal is to pack on lean muscle mass and that is done eating quality healthy carbs, lean proteins, and...

Age is just a number and I wear 51 proudly. Actually, I do not even think about it unless someone makes a comment.  Inside I feel youthful, energized and can still do the splits.  I recognize my limitations and focus on what I can do to the best of my ability.  Each day is a new chance to make better choices physically, nutritionally , and mentally.  I give time to reflection and am thankful for the many blessings God has given me.  I have been through a tough journey in life and today I am still smiling, extremely happy, and going strong with my fitness. It really comes down to a state of mind and I refuse to get all "hum-drum" about getting older and instead focus on what I can do to improve my life through the aging process .  Age is never the deal but it is what I am doing through the ages that counts.  I can sit around like a bump on a log, depressed, and seeing my life as half over or embrace that my life is more than half full.  I choose t...

Yes,  I am a cheater of fabulous quality splurges and I like to re-define the term as a "treat meal".  I do not believe that having a fresh baked brownie now and then is cheating on my fitness program.  I eat healthy the majority of the time and follow a 90/10 rule where I consume a wide variety of good carbs , lean proteins and healthy fats 90% of the time and allowing 10% for indulgences like a glass of wine or chocolate . I will even apply the 80/20 rule where I eat healthy foods 80% of the time and allowing 20% to splurge on foods not on my typical menu.  This comes in handy when on vacation or during the holidays.  It is realistic to want things that are considered "bad" and I am not immune to those cravings.  I will not turn down a piece of my Mom's home baked pie or biscuits with butter and honey ... are you kidding me? Pizza is a Coveted Cheat Meal When I do partake in something nutritionally naughty it has to be quality.  I will not be div...

Life does not promise easy, fair, fun, happiness, or even health.  In fact, life is hard and guess what, work is required and never an option.  It is up to each one of us to create the lifestyle that we live and this is not going to be found in a jar, pill, powder, or shake.  If popping a “fit pill” was the answer to all things magical and provided the body of our dreams inside and out, then I definitely would not need to write this blog.  The facts are in and they have been for decades that the way to obtain a fit physique is through consistent healthy food intake, regular exercise, plenty of rest, water, and balance of life.  The “want it now” society tries every side-step method to achieve what can only be done through sweat producing work.  There is not a pill or shake that is going to teach a person how to shop and select healthy foods for life and they will surely not sprout legs and exercise so that we consume the activity benefits.  What usuall...