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SATISFACTION

Watermelons are BACK!!! YEAH

What a fabulous word…YES…I would have to say that I am content with a lot of things. I do not have to look for approval or contentment outside of myself, worrying about the whole “I am not good enough” thing. Maybe, when I was younger and not older and wiser like today, I would run around trying to please everyone, and put my own feelings aside and even to a non boundary fault…YUCK YUCK…and OH did I say YUCK. This journey I call life has blessed me with many discoveries of positive growth and has opened my eyes to seeing all that I have gone through as part of that process. If you have read my bio, you can understand a bit of what I am talking about.

I want to really dig deeper into my satisfaction though as it relates to my fitness and maintaining ME at 48. YES…I am serious about my health, maintain a good quality of life, and the outer shell benefits of that…of course…LOVE it. I would not be truthful with you if I did not admit that. The point I am trying to make is that I am content…I do not need to look further , to look better, to be thinner, to be leaner, to be more muscular…I am truly content with my work and maintenance feels over the top satisfying . I can and do get satisfaction each day as I live being the BEST me with all my limitations…I am GOOD.

I have been around the block to hear and see so many people who are not happy even when they reach their goals and even living their goals…meaning a healthy lifestyle…it is still not enough. It saddens me because that is a deeper issue…the one that haunts within, the one that may creep in from the past or be caused by the past or even the present. Let me tell you being a positive advocate for counseling, therapy, and woman of strong faith …this would be the time to visit that part of life…to see what the heck is going on to cause such unhappiness and nonacceptance of self. Been there, done that, and greatly appreciative of all that I have learned and having God on my side through the process…HIP HIP HOORAY, HEALED, and Happily Ever After Content!

Daughters are Fabulous

I look at myself and NO…no longer that 20 something that I see in both my daughter and stepdaughter…absolute peaches and cream skin beauties they are…WOW…I marvel in that for them. But that is how it is supposed to be…48 comes with love lines, and battle scars that I have earned from my journey of life, having children, surgeries, and the overall aging process…I mean really…am I supposed to look 20 something... A BIG NO…I am being real here…seriously…and I will not undergo any process on my face to take away the privilege and honor of being ME. Will I do my BEST to be my BEST…of course…I am trendy, not frumpy, and love to feel sexy. Being healthy satisfies all those things for me and that is who I want to be…ME.

I believe in the word “enough”, and when it comes to my fitness…it is good enough. Satisfaction applies to so many things in my life…the contentment of being healthy is just a part of Darla…I do not believe that the grass is greener on the other side, wanting to outdo the “Jones’” , and that more is better. I do believe in the saying “I may not have the best of everything but I make the BEST of everything I have”, that less is more, enjoying the simple things, in not sweating the small stuff, and in daily miracles. It is important for me to feel satisfaction, contentment, and value every moment...If I did not do that…I do not think that life would make sense. You may see Darla, the fitness expert, but let me introduce you to Darla, the satisfied person.

IN YOUR FACE MOTIVATIONS


GREAT MOTIVATION TO MOVE IDEA

Stay Healthy Quinoa Chicken with Sun dried Tomato & Fresh Basil

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Have a Fabulous Week!

Stay Healthy!

Darla:)

TAKING A BREAK FROM FITNESS

TAKING A BREAK

I am walking away from fitness!!! Yes…you heard me… and I am going to enjoy every moment of this week off. Just like anything else done day in and day out, stepping back and away for a short time and taking a break from what I do daily can rejuvenate my body, mind, and provide a fresh stronger ME when I return…like going on a little vacation from your job and coming back feeling like…YES…I can tackle the world.

There are times that my body feels tired, burned out, and there are days that I, the trainer need to be pushed through a workout…thanks BABE for that! I also listen to things like…why is my hamstring staying sore and not recovering well, my sleep not the best, and just mentally in need of a break. YUCK…really…but you know being healthy is not only about how many days I can spend in the gym to push through that hour workout. Life is truly a balance of the physical, mental, nutritional, and spiritual and if one is out of balance…there is no balance. Taking a mental and spiritual break is what I am talking about for 7 days…fun active quiet time of doing whatever I feel, whenever I feel…even if that means hanging out under a tree and watching the leaves move through the breeze…you know the things that we all think about doing…but never do…I AM DOING IT!

Also, I am no longer that 20 something athlete who could leap over “small” buildings in a single bound and go go go it seemed without every really taking a break. This “Older, Wiser, Better” fitness gal is really in tune to her body and I have put some thought into taking this break. Am I going to throw all my philosophies out the window during this week…of course not! What I am going to concentrate on is having fun, still being active but in a different way. My nutrition will be maintained as I always have…that is a lifestyle that to me feels like breathing and I look forward to my healthy meals and enjoy how I feel overall when I eat healthy.

I will tell you that YES…I will struggle and have withdrawals from my norm workouts…maybe even a little anxious about doing this...this is really stepping out of my comfort zone. On the other hand, I am looking forward to a not so structured time of active rest, one that is not planned and methodically put together, but a spontaneous adventure of let’s say hiking, swimming, playing outside (I am a kid at heart), and things like that. So, I am taking a break from my norm, but still planning to be a moving girl…I am not just going to sit on my tush, eating crap, and call that quality rest…NOT.

I AM GOING TO HAVE FUN! Life is about balance and listening to the call of rest, relaxation, and just being in the moment of who I am outside the gym. I have reprogrammed my thinking to know that this will be good for my body and the rejuvenation fabulous for strength and muscle gains. I am not going to freak out or feel guilty as the “old” Darla did for living life outside my normal day to day…I mean really. Thank goodness, I am no longer that chickie. I know that my body will not turn into a marshmallow, become cellulite ridden, and my muscle disappear into nothing…really…come on now…NO WAY. It would take me at least 3 weeks of inactivity as an extremely fit exerciser to start a decline in my fitness level, and muscle memory lasts for months…so this chick is covered and “Good to Go” for this 7 day rest adventure.

I do know that I will appreciate being in the moment as I frolic about in the water, being outdoors around beautiful scenery and just laying on my back under the stars taking in the wonders of everything that is life…FABULOUS! I will feel my body resting, recharging so to speak, and know that when I return to my programmed workouts, it will be with even a stronger and more positive MENTAL and PHYSICAL game. Guilt Free Fun…HERE I COME!!!

IN YOUR FACE MOTIVATIONS


My Nutrition of the Day plus 2 more snacks


Newly Added to My Stay Healthy Kitchen Recipes

LOVE THIS WORKOUT

Have a Fabulous Week!

Stay Healthy!

Darla:)

ACCOMPLISHED!

Such a fantastic word…I love feeling accomplished…can you relate? When it comes to a workout and it is on a day where I am feeling unmotivated and I kick it into gear and do it…ACCOMPLISHED. I can also feel this way after cleaning the bathrooms…YUCK…but it has to be done. I can have such an overwhelming AWWWW feeling inside after I have completed something on my long “to do” list…or even my short one. It is like falling back on the couch and saying to myself…well done Darla…I do not need to look for anyone’s approval to feel this way. It is my inner contentment, and love for self that I long to satisfy…and make God happy with what I do of course.

Believe me…I see so many people get caught up in the race of competing with others, comparing to others, wanting to be like others…that they are missing out on their own accomplishments…great or small...why oh why I say…and I further say STOP already. I have got on my soap box a few times about the whole comparison subject and probably will touch on it again and again…it is that important. Life is really too short to live someone else's dream, to try to walk their walk…crap…who really knows what goes on behind the closed doors of anyone’s walk. I mean really…the only walk that is known for sure…is mine and yours…right? I am not going to waste my swagger trying to be someone else, or constantly compare and think I do not match up…heck would never feel ACCOMPLISHED if this were the case. Instead, I will focus my energy on the things I know that I have control over in my life, work on my goals of having a balanced healthy life, and strive for my own feeling of accomplishment.

Sometimes it takes years to understand this…believe me…I have had to walk a journey of life learning just like you. Today as my laundry lies in piles around me, my ARC trainer calls my name for a ride and as I juggle my domestic engineering chores and prepare for my upcoming week…I WILL FEEL ACCOMPLISHED. Feeling accomplished does not have to be some news making event, or something off the charts WOW…it is the small every day things that are done on a daily basis that give me that feeling of accomplishment…my workout, a call to a friend, time with God, laundry, cleaning the house, creating a new recipe, eating clean for the day, got my water intake in for the day…you see…anything goes…it is the things that are done day in and day out on a consistent basis that bring accomplishment and create this life that I call HEALTHY!

IN YOUR FACE MOTIVATIONS


My Workout Today with Modifications(NO pushups or dips for Me)

Remember to stop by my Stay Healthy Recipe Page!

Have a Fabulous Week!

Stay Healthy!

Darla:)

RECOVERY AND ME

Celebrating 48!!!!

MAN have I noticed a few things over this past year and as I near 50…front and center …I NEED MY RECOVERY TIME…and I better listen to what my body is telling me or … low energy, burn out, unmotivated…and all the things that fatigue can bring me…YUCK. YES, I have taken care of myself and try to be the BEST me every day…does that mean over-the-top grueling workouts…OH NO…no more for this girl. I do not need to be that intense athlete of my teens, 20-30s anymore…and I really do not want to. It is has developed muscle for me which is YAHOO good, but also some wear and tear…not so good.

I create programs that are intense but do not push beyond my limits…nope…not for this fitness girl. I mean…Why? ...What is the purpose…the point…really…do I need to lift enormous amounts of weight to put extreme pressure on my spine, joints, tissues, and grunt until I pop a hemorrhoid…YIKES… do I need to prove something to someone…NO, NO and NO. It is not my goal to further injure myself, or put myself at risk of re-injury. My goal is to take care of my body, nourish it with healthy foods, and REST when my body says…for goodness sakes Darla…lay the hell down already.

I must admit, sometimes, I do not listen to this voice and I pay the price. I will attempt a workout and my body just says…NOT HAPPENING GIRL! Ughhh…then I think about the demands I have placed on it over the past few days, coupled with a few days of not getting enough sleep and I clearly understand what my body needs. The point is, I can no longer ignore and push through these moments…I NEED to listen.

I understand that my physiological self is much younger than my age due to my healthy lifestyle, but what is fact… Darla on the cellular level is indeed 48…I am having all the hormonal and cellular changes that go with being 48...this part can suck…can’t change it…it is a fact. I also realize that I do not have to work out every single day, but NEED those recovery days here and there to ensure my body is able to respond and build in a healthy way. So am I saying that growing older is not a good thing…NO…it is a great honor, gift, and privilege every single moment of every day. What I am saying is that I need to modify how I treat my body and allow for more TLC during this fabulous stage of my life…it is a transition of my body which is a part of my life’s journey.

I will be human and say…YUCK…sometimes, especially on the hormonal changes…and I can go on and on about this one. I will also say that WOW…what kind of brick hit this house today…meaning my body definitely will scream for a day off. This is sometimes hard to accept… I will be truthful, but on the other hand, if I do not listen…I will feel like dog doo…so life is truly a balance of recovery, fitness, nutrition, spiritual being…and more RECOVERY. What works for me at this stage is paying close attention on my intake, and not working so hard on the output…I have fabulous workouts don’t get me wrong, but I am not in there trying to burn off calories of OMG…what did I do yesterday with my food intake. I cater my workouts on the energy level of that day… if I feel like a HIIT workout I do that, cardio and core on a Darla feels slow day…I do that, or back to the basics weight circuit that is controlled and methodical achieving a good burn on a day that says to take it easy with the plyometrics…that gets done.

So, I do not believe in abusing my body through a workout…never again…maybe a part of my past…but definitely not in my present or future. And although it has been difficult to accept that I need more recovery, I also have embraced that I NEED more recovery…my thinking about it has changed in a positive way…I do not have a guilt trip because I am not hitting the gym when my body says rest, and knowing that the rest is rebuilding ME to be my BEST recovered me…FABULOUS! The absolute best part…I feel so much stronger when I do my next workout and love coming back feeling better and stronger. When I look at RECOVERY like that, it is the healthiest gift I can give myself…so today…I RECOVER!

TIME FOR IN YOUR FACE MOTIVATIONS


LOVE MY RECOVERY!!!

Definitely on STRONG Darla day with modification

Check out this fabulous In Your Face MOTIVATION to eat healthy!

I dedicate this Blog to my fabulous daughter Hope who celebrates her 21st Birthday tomorrow!!! Happy Birthday and I am so very proud of you Babe! xoxo Mom

Mom and Daughter LOVE

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 look forward to responding!

Have a Fabulous Week!

Stay Healthy!

Darla:)