healthy and beautiful

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...

Fitness involves more than how much weight is lost or reps in a set that can be accomplished.  Being a fit person involves discipline for each day, creates awareness, and instills conscious living. Fitness is a lifestyle and goes way beyond the physical.   Having the desire to obtain a quality life and following through on that goal really defines being healthy and fit, and when the focus remains in that direction, we set ourselves up for feeling and looking our best for life.  We put so much pressure on ourselves to squeeze into the tiniest jeans or boast the largest biceps, that we tend to forget how being fit is supposed to feel.  A fit and healthy body should be free or minimized of pain and many people do not realize just how good we are supposed to feel, and instead accept and accommodate pain on a daily basis.  A fit lifestyle includes physical exercise but not of the nature that will injure our bodies and create chronic setbacks, and eating healthy ...

For all the ladies who think you are going to lose your feminine looks by lifting weights, I am here to tell you that it is a myth.  We simply do not have enough testosterone naturally to produce extreme muscle mass.  We do benefit from a firm and tone look produced with weight resistance training and also taking into consideration genetics we were blessed with in combination with a healthy eating program. Our lean mass will provide more shape than anything else and does it show after years of commitment?  The answer is yes, however it will not be substantial enough for us to dash into a phone booth ready to jump out sporting our muscular superwoman outfit. What will be noticed about a committed weight training program are shapely arms, butt, legs and overall fit look and side benefits of feeling great about the compliments received for those attributes.  I have been lifting weights close to thirty years and do sport a lean muscular physique but do not consider mysel...

What our health and happiness come down are choices.  I make a choice each day to eat healthy, exercise, and respond to life the best way I can as a Christian woman.  I am not perfect, do not claim to be, and my goals in life are about progress and never the “P” for perfection word.  I struggle with things just like you do, have had my share of crap in this journey of life, emotionally and physically, and I have come out the other side learning and growing in a positive direction. I will always be a work in progress, and we are all that in this life.  I enjoy writing which is why I Blog and what better way to provide motivation than to share me with you.  You will either like me or not, and that is a choice as well.  Reading my Blog gives you a small glimpse of me, although I try to be thorough, it is not the same as developing a close “friend” relationship chatting up a topic of conversation.  As an internet personality, I have had and do get my share...

    "This really appealed to me in such a POSITIVE way. Life is about our journey, and the CHOICES that we make to become better people in ways that make sense to us. I think about the word "health" and what that really encompasses and it is not just a number on a scale but a combination of emotional, spiritual, physical and nutritional. I live my life the way I want to and some may like it and some may not, but it is MY LIFE, just as YOUR life belongs to YOU. We all have differing issues, possible medical problems and limitations, overwhelming life stresses, and those behind closed doors secrets that may greatly impact our life, and that we simply choose not to share with others. Those things belong to us, and sifting through and creating answers to our individual stories is what matters and doing so to become a healthier happier person in all areas of "health" is what counts. There is never a "one size fits all" answer to our fitness and nutrition...

Enjoying Maui last month I am such a wimp when it comes to the cold or extreme heat and it calls for creative indoor workout preparation for the long winter months ahead.  There is this motivational poster that says “There is no such thing as bad weather, just soft people”.  Well pull up my socks and call me soft…because I am definitely not one to venture into the cold, sleet, snow, or hail for a walk or WOG (walk/jog).  I am a fair weathered fitness gal and am happy to say that I may be soft on the inside, but my body tells a much different story on the outside without facing the weather extremes.   I believe it is just all preference of course when it comes to working out, and I choose to exercise without battling the elements.  Hats off to those who love all that stuff, and in a way it sounds really cool when I read workout stories that deal with extreme environments.  This gal would literally freeze into some sort of ice crystal mess with aching ears, a...

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 He...