Let's talk about creative energy, or rather the lack there of. For instance, I'm pretty sure that I had something rather interesting to say 15 minutes ago but since then 1 million and 1 other extremely important things have happened. Such is the life of a mom of 4. Any mom actually, but I speak for myself (disclaimer numero uno).
Case and point. In the last 15 minutes I have:
Tried to console a very distraught 4 year old little girl about a broken crayon which her 8 year old very artistic brother absolutely had to have because it was "Imperial Blue" and the exact shade he needed to finish his bird drawing and "NO!" another shade of blue from the enormous bucket of crayons wouldn't do and excuse me please but it in fact is not a crayon but a pastel! ..............................
Stopped 3 times to put on baby doll clothes. On the same baby doll.
Tried to reason with a dramatic 6 year old over why it's not the end of the world when someone touches him, looks at him, breathes on him.
Prepared myself for yet another night of over reactive drama and whining about how grosssssss dinner is before they even know what it is.
Tried to take a picture or two of for mentioned dinner when the house we moved into several months ago does not have ONE SINGLE north facing window, or any decent window for food photography for that matter. (note to self, look for new house immediately. post note, be in complete denial that the housing market is yet again rising faster than my strategic abilities allow.)
Exaggerating? Who me? NO. Not this time my friends, not this time. Life as a mom, end of story.
Again, I'm pretty sure I had something very creative or mildly interesting to say in regards to this post 15 minutes ago but alas, you will forgive me as my creativity has been sucked away over the years and replaced with the cutest of cute, adorable, little, needy monsters.
What's the opposite of boring? These super cute snack containers from Planet Box. I. heart. their lunch boxes and so when they offered to send me one of their brand new sectioned snack boxes,
"The Shuttle" with a perfect little dipping container I was waiting by the window for the UPS guy.
This little snack container was much roomier than I imagined and perfect for my portioned, 5 a day small meals. As you can see it held my 'second' lunch quite nicely and I won't even mention the fact that my dear husband swiped it from me the next morning. I did get a nice text message around lunch time about how fantastic my zucchini rolls were. Cudos.
I love Planet Boxes sleek and convenient design and that the magnets were interchangeable. My boys loved this alien one and when mommy wants to take it to work I simply take the magnets off or I can switch them out for one of their other cute magnets. These cute space guys ended up on our fridge.
Several different sizes to choose form with eco-conscience design and cute carriers. I love it!
Back to School Time Already! Time to get a sturdy lunch box that will last through the year!
Planet Box sent me these items, all opinions are my own.
Inspiration. It's a big word. It can mean so many different things to different people. It can be a person, a place or a state of mind. What exactly does it mean to you? What do you aspire to be? To do? To become? We all have different goals, hopes, dreams and on the flip side, distractions, obstacles and difficulties. What is your inspiration? Your aspiration?
When you were a child maybe you dreamed of being picked first to play on the kickball (or tether ball in my case) team. Maybe you wanted to be popular. Be fastest, strongest, have the coolest clothes. Maybe you hoped for unity in your family, peace in your life, consistency and security. Not to be picked on. To have a best friend. Did someone inspire you to want to become a dancer, a teacher, a writer, a rock star ;)
Now that you are an adult your aspirations and goals most likely have changed. Maybe the are simpler, maybe they are more complex. Do you hope to pay off debt? Save for retirement? Be a more fit and healthier you. It's funny the things we worried about as a child, a teenager and young adult as apposed to what we worry about and dream of now. The things we took for granted then and what we hold near and dear now.
I suppose I took health and fitness for granted when I was a teenager. Well, more like I had no clue what being healthy and fit was at all. I thought that if I ate a can of Chef Boy R D (is that how you spell it?) for lunch and that was all I ate that day then I was golden. All that mattered to me was not hitting 120lbs which was not healthy for my 5' 7" frame. {I had a boyfriend in the Marines who jokingly called me fat}
Then I started having kids..... and kept having them ;} I had my first son at age 19 and after that, the weight came off pretty easily. I actually had time to go to the gym and looking back I was in pretty good shape even though I weighed closer to 150lbs instead of 120 and at the time thought I was fat. Looking back I was actually in great shape, again with the taking things for granted.
Fast forward 18 years later....... wow, 18 years... and tack on another 25-30 lbs. and a whole lot less energy and spunk and I have come to a point in my life where I am in desperation to get back into shape. To get into the very best shape of my life. That is my goal.
I need it.
Feeling good about myself again and being healthy for my kids is my inspiration. My drive. It keeps me sane.
What inspires me? My children's energy. My very energetic and triathlon loving younger sister, Rachel, my new group of friends doing the "Drop a Dress Size in 30 Days" program with me on Facebook. Going to Nordstrom Rack and trying on cute clothes and then refusing to buy them until I can look good in them. Boy am I saving money! ;}
What inspires me to actually get off my butt and work out? Well comfortable and cute work out clothes totally help! You've gotta look cute while working out right? Right!
Albion's super cute tennis clothing reminds me that I've been telling myself for 2 years now that
I want to start playing again!
And their swim suits? ADORABLE!
Lucky you, Albion Fit is giving away a $50 Gift Certificate to
one lucky Simply Healthy Family fan!
Wooop!
To enter: Only available to residents of the U.S. (sorry to my peeps abroad) Can not have won an Albion Fit give away in the last 6 months.
Please visit Albion Fit and tell me what your favorite piece is.
Also, Albion Fit is offering $20 off any purchase of $50 or more for Simply Healthy Family readers! Just use the code: simplyhealthy20 at checkout.
I am excited to announce my first giveaway and of course all in fitness fun...YEAH! I have always been a clip the hair back girl forever until my friends at a Girl and Her Band got in touch to try their product. I am sporting the Forever In Blue Jeans band and I will share...I AM CONVERTED TO A BAND GIRL! I was able to wear the band the whole day without it slipping out of place during my workout and throughout the rest of my evening...I had to give it the full go. Anyway, after wearing it and being happy to have a band that sticks, is comfortable, and keeps my hair back without having to wear a clip and spray, I was happy to want to share it with you. So, I am offering a GIVEAWAY for a HEADBAND of YOUR CHOICE and BIG thanks to my new fab friends at a Girl and Her Band for the opportunity. Now to get to the GIVEAWAY RULES:
3. Leave a comment on THIS BLOG POST sharingthe most awesome place you plan to sport your new Head Band.
4. Winner will be randomly selected and chosen on July 17th by noon!
5. All entries MUST be submitted by Tuesday, July 16th at midnight in order to be counted.
6. Winner will receive a Girl and Her Band Headband of your choice.
Optional rule: wear your new headband with a smile and let everyone know that you plan to live a Stay Healthy LIFESTYLE! Well...I want YOU to enjoy that healthy lifestyle at the very least :)
Have fun and I look forward to selecting a WINNER next week. Good luck and Stay Healthy! Darla
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 I look forward to responding!
Stay Healthy~ Darla
- See more at: http://stayhealthyfitness.blogspot.com/#sthash.RA7566LU.dpuf
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 I look forward to responding!
Stay Healthy~ Darla
- See more at: http://stayhealthyfitness.blogspot.com/#sthash.RA7566LU.dpuf
It's been a long week. I just finished Day 6 of my Extreme workout program and I feel AMAZING! Tired and sore but also stronger and better. Even something as simple as bending down and putting in a load of laundry I could actually feel my shoulder and back muscles working. They do actually exist. Who knew? One day I might even find my ABS!
Independence Day was a fun day spent with my sister and her cute family. My 4 little nieces came over and we all swam and BBQ'd and then swam some more. Then we had a banana split party complete with cherries, star sprinkles, chopped walnuts, strawberries, chocolate fudge and of course lots of whip cream. I only had a couple of bites...... mostly banana, honestly.
Anyhooo, since I've been working out I've found myself hungry all of the time. Literally starving. I've been lifting weights and doing interval training and so my body is building lots of lean muscle which really revs up your metabolism. Good thing I planned ahead and had lots of healthy foods around like hummus and crudites, cottage cheese and fruit, nuts and lean cheeses and chicken and broccoli.
I have found myself craving meat for the very first time ever, well except for when I was pregnant with baby #2. I still don't really like to sit and eat a big pile of meat however and would rather incorporate a small amount of it into my meals so it's more balanced with veggies and good carbs.
Summer Supper!
The finer you grate cabbage, the sweeter it is. I used bagged cabbage this time which isn't nearly as sweet. Serve with baked sweet potato fries tossed very lightly with corn starch and flour.
These sloppy joe's really hit the spot and the husband and kids loved them! The sauce was really the key and they tasted just like the original deal. Just a small amount of lean ground beef added that beef flavor instead of just tasting like beans, which I love but get bored with them sometimes.
These are really and truly a perfect weeknight meal, so stinking simple!
1 (15.5-ounce) can low-sodium red beans, rinsed, drained, and divided
4 (2-ounce) whole-wheat sandwich rolls, split and toasted
4 (1/4-inch-thick) red onion slices, separated into rings
shredded cabbage to top on sandwich
Putting it all together:
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, salt, black pepper, and beef to pan; cook 5 minutes or until meat is browned and vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally to crumble beef.
Add carrot, chili powder, sugar, oregano, and red pepper; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook 10 minutes or until thickened and carrot is tender, stirring occasionally.
Partially mash 1 cup beans with a fork or potato masher. Add mashed beans and remaining whole beans to pan; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Spoon 1 cup bean mixture onto bottom half of each roll; top each serving with 1 red onion slice, shredded cabbage and top half of roll.
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 Healthy
gram of protein, carbohydrate and fat I put in my face, in addition to the supplements taken at spaced out intervals throughout my day, and the intense workouts all tucked neatly into my very organized trainer binder.Whew…I think about that now and remember how strict, stressed, and really undernourished I was during that time.My body fat was not at a healthy level for a woman, I was not having a cycle and my hormones where so out of whack that it took months for my body to get back on track when I made the decision to discontinue treating my body that way.Now…am I saying that competing is a bad thing…NO…I am not saying that and I applaud everyone’s goals for health and fitness, but what I am sharing is that it did not work for me for an extended period of time.Further, this was not a life-long sustainable way of health for my body, mind and spirit.I just wanted to make that clear before any backlash hit my page.What I am sharing about this time in my life is that I did over-think health, but I was not really thinking about health per se as my goals were to look a certain way and not considering feeling a certain way.Fast forward to many healthy years later…
I do not over-think my healthy lifestyle and teach quality over quantity, simplicity over difficult, and enjoyment over feeling overwhelmed.I designed a very easy nutrition guide for my clients that I use myself and have received rave reviews, as well as fabulous results that are life-time maintainable. I never want healthy to feel like a burden to me or my clients. I do believe in a health plan and structure when it comes to food prep and having food ready to go for the week, but that is the only effort required for a healthy lifestyle, alongside a consistent exercise program. I put in the time to cook my food and enjoy what I cook.I no longer count calories, keep a journal, although this can be helpful when first beginning a program, and simply eat healthy food throughout my day without calorie restriction….AMEN. I believe in keeping food to their simplest form and eating it raw or close to raw if possible, and I am talking mostly about my fruits and vegetables here.Of course, I crock pot chicken like no other, boil a boat load of organic eggs, crock pot large amounts of brown rice and steal cut oats every week.This has become my habit or healthy eating life and feels as natural as breathing to me now.I will also share that I do splurge in moderation, although I prefer to cook/bake my splurges because to me there is nothing better than a home-made cookie, pie, or brownie warm from the oven.Also, I do not like how overly sweet, salted or incorrect fat saturated purchased desserts can be and prefer to control that part of my splurge intake.So, the point I am driving home about my nutrition and how I think about it…is that I DON’T OVERTHINK IT…I eat to live and keep all kinds of healthy REAL food in my refrigerator and pantry and ENJOY my food.I realize that my body needs all kinds of fabulous nutrients and I have no worry about eating anything healthy that will fuel my body in a great way.If it is healthy, I eat it…that is how simple I keep it.
Turning to my fitness program or exercise, I have come full circle with that as well.I used to keep a journal years ago of my programs, weights that I lifted, gains, reps, intensity, duration, type, frequency, rest periods…OH MY.Again, I am not insisting that doing this for anyone else is a bad thing, but for me, it became mechanical and going through the power intense motions of pushing my body to the limits without regard for ME.This was years ago, and I now treat my body with more TLC and exercise to maintain a healthy body…that is now my goal.The journey with my exercise has taken on a whole new meaning as I dedicate my programs to taking the BEST care of my body with the limitations that I have and do what works well for my body without aggravation, or flaring this or that up.I no longer keep a journal but now enjoy workouts that I feel like doing on a specific day, and avoiding sore muscle areas, along with listening to my body if it needs a rest…I rest.The body needs to move for health and my focus is to move my body for health, to maintain the muscle that I do have, stretch to ensure range of motion through my joints, and perform cardio enough to work my aerobic system.I really enjoy my workouts and keep them fresh all the time with lots of variety…today was taking my puppy for a long walk/jog and utilizing park benches for step ups and squats along the way.I go with what works, I do what it fun and don’t over-think it.If I perform 15 squats instead of 20…so what…it is better than no squats.That is what I am talking about…doing the BEST I can with what I have and enjoying the journey.
I can say that not over-thinking healthy has provided a much healthier and
happier lifestyle for me.I believe if healthy feels like a burden, something is not being done right.The beautiful thing about living a healthy lifestyle the right way and not over-thinking it, is that it does feel good, makes my body feel strong, provides a confidence and happiness that is awesome, and overall allows me to be my BEST healthy ME.Wow…what a journey and I like it!
IN YOUR FACE MOTIVATION
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 I look forward to responding!
Stay Healthy~ Darla
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Day 1 of holding myself accountable. Day 1 of no more excuses. Day 1 to the new me. I'm excited and a little nervous I'll screw it up. Today I'm doing pretty good, I had my vegan chocolate Shakeology for breakfast which is pretty yummy and really hits the spot. I blend it up with almond milk and ice so it's more of a shake which I need to cool me off here in July in Phoenix. Even first thing in the morning it's hot, damn hot. I've had my coffee because there's just no way around that for me. I did have almond/coconut milk in it instead of my usual half and half. I've had a big glass of water, I plan on keeping a big glass of water next to me at all times, with a straw, you drink more with a straw.
However, it's 12:37 p.m. and I haven't worked out yet. I'm soooo not a morning person and I always find 47 other things that I 'need' to do in the mornings like making out a grocery list and weekly menu while sipping on my coffee. I need to work on that.
I did take my measurements which wasn't pretty. At all. It will be good to see the changes in my body as the weeks go by though and seeing those numbers were a huge eye opener! This is a 90 day challenge I'm doing with 8 other ladies and run by my long time blogging buddy Jennifer at The Fit Housewife, she's amazing!
So, here's what I'll be eating this week. It's important to have a healthy meal plan so there is no last minute "I guess we'll have to order a pizza" nights. I work 3 days this week, one day until 9:30p.m. So I have to accommodate for that.
Breakfasts:
Mostly Shakeology On my days off from work, veggie scrambled eggs On Saturday:
I've purged my pantry of my trigger foods, really only potato chips and stocked it with plenty of healthy foods and have made healthy grab and go snacks like my banana sunflower cookies from my previous post.
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