The Grass is Greener Where You Water It

Why do we worry about what is happening on the other side of the fence? The grass isn't greener over there like we might think. 

What we really need is a change in how we are viewing the scenery. Our attention requires an about face and eyeful of what's going on in our own yard and life. Our neighbor (anyone we compare our life) isn't any better than me or you physically or even materially. True health and happiness begin when we start greening up our own grass. If our focus is always on others, how can we love who we are and make the best of what we have?

Did you know comparison is the thief of joy? We will always be at different levels of health, looks, and financial status and that's just how the world works. The important thing is to make the best out of what we have, celebrate who we are at this moment, and work on becoming a better self than we were yesterday. I refuse to waste my time worrying about someone else’s grass and let the weeds infest mine.

I don't have the fanciest house, most expensive car, straightest teeth or legs but all that doesn't matter. Am I happy with my life and health? That's the question of importance. 

Being over 50, there are many body changes occurring and I have inherited a few wrinkles. Do I think about my youth and admire others who are beautiful, of course. This doesn't mean to be unhappy with myself because I don't look the way they do. Part of greening up my own grass is continuing to take care of my health and fitness. I see life as a beautiful gift and I respect it enough to make it last as long as I can. 

I am not saying it's not OK to dream about wanting something. Goals are about wants turned into action and this is fun to think about. What robs the very life out of a person is becoming jealous and bitter because Sally Sue or Jimmy Joe seem to have the best body, clothes, home, car, spouse, and the list can continue forever. 

When the grass is greener analogy gets in the way of seeing our life in a healthy way is when disenchantment and unhappiness develop. Our constant gaze into someone else’s yard is keeping us from taking care of ourselves. We are unable to become who we're meant to be physically and emotionally. 

The comparison of another is often skewed when looking at their outward life. What you see is not always what is truly lived. The irony of this whole thing is the physical view doesn't show unhappiness, debt, stress, or depression. All the fancy flare may only be a mask to hide unhealthiness that is not seen. 

When a change in our glasses takes place, our focus becomes clearer. We not only take better care of ourselves but many times it opens our eyes to the truth. We can finally see the weeds growing in the grass of that other yard. The best part is our attention turns to greening up the areas in our life creating healthier happier people.  

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Be well and Stay Healthy

Losing the Last Ten 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 on overdrive. A cortisol rush is the last thing our body needs when trying to lose the last ten pounds. Studies show chronic stress and cortisol release hinders our 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 we restrict too many calories, our 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. Our body knows what we'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 us motivated. 

The last ten pounds can be a challenge but also a learning opportunity. We can become frustrated and throw in the towel, or change our 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!

It is Never Too Late to Get Fit

Getting fit and healthy is not just for the twenty-somethings. It's never too late, circumstances never too bad, and we're never too old to become our best healthy self. Our minds can play negative tricks on us. We often believe our goals are unattainable. That simply isn't the truth. We need to change the thoughts about our life and body to begin the process of kicking out the mental clutter.

Beginning each day with a positive focus is essential. It will be a daily choice not to continue unhealthy patterns, believe past doubts and fears, or give in to self sabotage. This will be a time of inner strength development and purging all the crap that held you down for so long. It will be an emptying of the old self into the trash and an awakening of the new stronger you ready to make things happen.

Each day is a new opportunity to change. We possess the awesome ability to make decisions bringing us closer to our fitness goals. It's important to remain realistic and I recommend small changes to start. Examples of realistic goals would be losing 8 pounds in a month or registering to walk your first 5K.

Also helpful for fitness accountability is keeping a food journal. You will be able to honestly track your food intake and make appropriate changes to start eating healthier.

Use your journal to plan an exercise time on your calendar. You will not always feel like working out, but it will be important not to cancel on yourself. You are worthy of good health and a great life. The simple steps of eating right, exercising 3 to 4 times per week, maintaining a food journal, and keeping a positive attitude will provide the results you want.

This is not a quick fix so mentally prepare for a lifestyle change. The time will pass anyway so you might as well be working on health improvement. Fitness is also not about perfection but progress as we strive each day to be healthy.

Self pity will not be your friend nor an excuse to throw in the towel. There will be days when it feels really hard and you may even want to give up. Hold onto knowing you are stronger than any negative thoughts.


Getting fit is earned not given. Believing this goal can happen at any age or circumstance is half the battle. You're now armed with the motivation to do what it takes to achieve your goals.

Helpful Tips:

• Eat a wide variety of healthy foods that include lean proteins, good carbohydrates and healthy fats.
• Drink plenty of water throughout the day.
• Get to bed at a decent hour and try for 7-8 hours of sleep per night.
• Exercise 3-4 times per week to start and progress as you get stronger.
• Include weight resistance training 1-2 times per week to start.
• Keep a food journal for accountability ... be honest with yourself.
• Dump the junk food and replace with healthy food options.
• Pay attention to portion sizes and read food labels.
• Eat several small meals per day and do not allow yourself to feel hungry.
• Weigh in only one time per week, pay attention to how your clothes are fitting, and how you look naked. 
• Make time for prayer and positive self talk to keep up the motivation.
• Set realistic small goals to start like losing 10lbs or signing up to walk your first 5K. 
• Hire a qualified personal trainer for guidance and motivation if going it alone feels too overwhelming.

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Why Boundaries are an Important Part of Being Healthy

It took me many years to learn how to set boundaries and even what the heck that meant. Think of a boundary as a shield of protection around you providing health and happiness. Go deeper with the meaning and understand boundaries are an important part of self-love and not allowing others to treat you in an unhealthy way. 

When boundary setting is not demonstrated for us as children, it's usually a struggle to grasp as an adult. The sacrifice of self to the point of mistreatment by others can be the result if boundary setting is not put into place.  Boundaries make a clear statement of what is not acceptable or allowed in our life. When those lines are crossed, it's a painful process for the one that has been wronged.   Sometimes clear communication of the broken boundary can resolve the conflict. Other instances will require radical choices of removing ourselves from the situation altogether. The most uncomfortable part of a broken boundary is the trust once there before now replaced with doubt or fear.

I am all for doing whatever it takes to learn how to set boundaries: counseling, support groups, church guidance, etc. Once the art of boundary setting has been learned, it provides a self-confidence, strength, and overall feeling of worthiness never experienced before. It will seem as if life has begun in a truly healthy way for the first time. 

Once boundaries have been set, it's important to honor yourself by remaining true to those decisions. This means not allowing anyone or anything rob you of your shield of self-love. Even the best of boundary setter can backslide and be tempted into old patterns. This could mean trusting someone to the point of letting down a boundary. The old familiar result of anger, resentment, and hurt re-enters the picture. Along with being wronged is the personal shame felt for allowing it to happen in the first place. The feeling of failing ourselves can be overwhelming. 

Boundaries teach us how to respect ourselves enough to know how we want to be treated. It also dictates what is acceptable in our lives. Boundaries remove our doormat mentality and replace it with a security door of emotional ability to conquer any circumstance placed in its way.  

Emotional health is a large part of our physical health. Being able to set boundaries is an important part of being a healthy person. It's about setting limitations and expectations for your life. The journey of learning can be a tough one, but the positive result will be the ability to love yourself. 

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Be well and Stay Healthy

Achieving a Lean Body is Possible for Everyone

Achieving a lean and healthy body is possible for all of us. 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 achieve a lean body naturally by choosing a healthy lifestyle. The choices we make each day determine what our 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 our physique. If we're buying processed sugar filled food products then we will create an unhealthy body. It really is that simple but many of us refuse to change this basic part of living. The same goes for exercise. If you're not taking care of your body with a regular fitness program, it will let you know through injury or stiffness.

We can lean up naturally by purchasing healthy foods and eating at home most of the time. Our hard earned dollars will be well spent on healthy food instead of fake products. This way we know what and how much we're eating and at a cost saving. Eating healthy 80 percent of the time will result in reduced body fat and overall leaner look. Reducing alcohol consumption to no more than 1 to 2 times per week will make this happen even faster. Drinking plenty of water will also speed 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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Control Your Food Intake for Fitness Success

Getting fit and healthy takes a balance of eating right and exercise. Nutrition plays a primary role in the equation. Overeating is off the charts for a large percentage of the populous. Portions are out of control and people are literally biting off more than they can chew. Super-sized plates draped with enough food to feed an army are common in restaurants. I will refrain from my soapbox about the all you can eat buffet.

I love the famous quote "eat to live, don't live to eat" because this gold nugget of information is absolutely true. This is not saying indulging occasionally is not acceptable. Honestly, a treat in proper portion size is not going to break our fitness banks. However, stuffing our faces to the point of having to roll to the sofa in a food coma is an upsetting example of living to eat.

Calories people! What it comes down to is the basic science of chemistry and calories. When we eat too much, fat is stored. Eat too little, weight is lost. Eat just right and we maintain energy balance. Sounds like the "Three Little Bears" but you get the drift. The quality of calories is also important. We may eat junk food in very small portions and within an acceptable calorie range for our body, but our inside would be a hot mess. This is an example of a person who would be defined as skinny fat.

When calories from quality real food are consumed at the right portions for our body, then health is realized from the inside out. Remember, eating too many calories from healthy foods can also result in weight gain. In order to maintain energy balance, sticking to the right amount of calories is essential. The worry is not so much about vegetables because it would be difficult to get fat eating kale. Chomping down tons of oats, wheat pasta, brown rice, and yams is a whole other story.

Size does matter when it comes to any food we eat. Biting off more than we can chew is not good regardless if the calories are coming from healthy or unhealthy sources. Portion control is one of the old new secrets to achieving a healthy body. Nothing magic to shutting our mouths at the food trough when we feel satisfied.

Great takeaways: pay attention to portion size, don't go back for seconds, and listen to body signals of satiety.

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Be well and Stay Healthy!

             

I Want to Motivate You to Get Fit

Are you motivated to get fit? What does your fitness and nutrition program look like? What changes are you making to get closer to your fitness goals? The holidays are around the corner and probably the best time to adopt a healthy lifestyle. It will prepare you to make better food selections, reduce portion sizes and get in some workouts.

I am here to motivate you to adopt a healthy lifestyle by providing nutrition and exercise tips. Although I'm a guide and not a goal, it's nice to see what other fitness professionals are eating to maintain a lean and healthy body.

My typical daily food intake:

Meal 1: 
1-2 cups coffee
Organic whole grain toast with natural peanut butter and fruit spread.
Meal 2:
1/2 cup Greek plain yogurt with 1/2 cup organic blueberries or warmed apple, 1/4 cup flax meal. Mix and eat.
Meal 3:
Lean turkey and avocado sandwich on a thin bun with 1 slice Havarti cheese and basil pesto.
Meal 4:
Grilled fish (3-4oz), roasted assorted veggies
Meal 5:
1/2 cup cottage cheese or Hummus with Marys Gone Crackers
note: I strive to drink 1 gallon of water per day

My typical workouts:

My workouts are varied and limited to one hour 4-5 times per week. I find being over 50 my body requires more recovery time. My exercise programs may look like this in any given week:

Day 1: warm up, resistance training of large muscle groups (back, chest, legs), stretch
Day 2: cardio (1mile on ARC Trainer) core work and stretch
Day 3: warm up, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) for 30 minutes, stretch
Day 4: active rest day
Day 5: warm up, resistance training of 1 large muscle group (legs) combined with shoulders and arms, stretch
Day 6: warm up, high rep light weight or body weight training, stretch
Day 7: active rest day

Eating right and exercise is essential for a successful fitness program. Allow yourself to be a beginner and progress each day. Results aren't immediate and remaining realistic and positive through the journey is important.

Pay attention to your fitness level and be prepared to change it up when things start feeling easy. Variety in your workouts also prevents burnout. The body is very adaptable to routine exercise. Ensure muscle confusion by changing up your workout programs. This will not only fire up the muscle fibers in a different way but also bring a new mental outlook to your routine.

Most importantly is to have fun with your fitness. Enjoyable workouts and healthy foods keep you coming back for more. A positive mental game will promote an active lifestyle!

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Be well and Stay Healthy

Get Out of Your Own Way

Do you love baseball? Many times we're up at bat and before stepping on the plate, we have mentally struck out. We kick at the dirt in frustration for not hitting the ball out of the park or at least getting on base. And so it goes with life and fitness success we should be enjoying. If only the negative committee in our mind would sit down and shut up.

We often get in our own way when it comes to reaching our fitness goals. We're too busy coming up with reasons why fitness doesn't work for our lifestyle. Whether it stems from fear, frustration, laziness, or procrastination, our mind plays the biggest role in reaching and maintaining our fitness goals. 

There is no easy way to achieve success without hard work and lots of sweat. We all need to put in the effort to get where we want in life. My Dad always told me, “it is a tough world out there”. We don't need to make it harder on ourselves by playing negative mind games that keep us from creating a quality healthy lifestyle.

Negative Nancy or Ned will need to take a back seat so we can be successful with our efforts to reach our fitness goals. There will be frustration along the way which is all part of life and the journey to get healthy. Exercise will be challenging and eating healthy will not always be one hundred percent. This is called being human and balanced.

What matters is maintaining a positive mental focus and not allowing negative thoughts talk you out of doing what needs to be done. There is no amount of work, social life, family drama, laziness or whatever you allow to consume you that is more important than your health. Once this is realized, it will be easier to stay on track with consistent exercise and eating healthy. Excuses will no longer be an issue when fitness becomes a priority. You will finally be out of your own way and onto a new healthy you. Time to hit the ball out of the park and Stay Healthy!

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Be well and Stay Healthy

               

There are No Free Rides to Fitness

Nothing happens without putting in some effort.  Sorry, no free rides to fitness. The choice is ours to make and we must accept the consequences of that decision. We can either choose to be miserable and unhealthy or healthy and happy. Our body will represent our choices. The answer seems so simple but many of us resist being healthy tooth and nail. People somehow feel fitness is a burden that removes all the fun in life. I find this perplexing.

How is feeling sick, tired, and in pain all the time a fun daily existence? Does this make any logical sense? Why is offering up some time, sweat and eating healthy food looked upon as the worst thing ever? Let's wake up America and embrace loving our body with what needs to be done to turn this around.

Fitness happens when we make it a priority, feed our body the right stuff, and exercise a few times per week. It's not rocket science nor does it cost lots of money. There's also room for indulgence, rest, and play. The vicious rumors of fitness not being fun are myths. The quick fix marketing schemes blasted everywhere want you to believe these myths to get their hands on your hard-earned cash. Sadly, many consumers fall for the unregulated snake oil companies are serving up with a smile. Fitness isn't about quick anything but a lifestyle of consistent healthy habits.

Ready for the fitness secret that's not a secret? Get your backside to the gym and workout, eat some greens, grains, lean meat, and drink lots of water. This is the payment for health and fitness. It's not hard and actually enjoyable once you get your mind right. Also, if you want a cookie, eat a darn cookie. Health and fitness mean living a balanced life. Being fit is not a brutal life of diets and exercise punishment. On the contrary, it's working out and eating right because it makes us feel good and healthy.


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Be well and Stay Healthy