Reasons or Excuses are Both the Same When it Comes to Getting Fit

Let's be honest about how reasons affect our overall health, fitness and daily lifestyle. Reasons are often used to avoid a workout or eat healthy meals, agreed? They are really the same as excuses that keep us from getting fit.  

We want the fit and healthy body but come up with every reason in the book to avoid doing the work to achieve the goal. Why? What continues to get in the way of the thing we most want?  


We almost have a rebellious attitude toward health and fitness. We convince ourselves we can achieve our goals even with unhealthy eating and exercise habits. A negative attitude, excuses, and rebel behavior is definitely not going to achieve a healthy body or mind. We really need to change our mind in order to change our body. 


If getting fit were easy, everyone would be doing it. Health and fitness require effort and planning. Why is there such an issue with working for our goals? Everything in life worthy of anything takes work. Health is a gift and fitness is the action and our responsibility to maintain it. 

Why is the effort to adopt a healthy life considered a burden, and why are reasons used to avoid it? Most of us work hard in our careers, strive for material things but disregard health and fitness. Without our health, we wouldn't be able to achieve even those material goals. Things are really turned around in this life.

When are health and fitness going to become the priority? It's not like we have to scale the largest mountain peak in the world. We simply need to love ourselves enough to take care of our body. Fitness is meant to better our life not to be a burden. It's time we stop using excuses to avoid what should be high on our important list. 

Life is too short to let reasons get in the way of being our best healthy self. Convincing ourselves otherwise is absolutely crazy. 

We waste so much time coming up with reasons to not get healthy. The workout or healthy meal could have been done already. Time has become so mismanaged and our bodies are suffering the consequences. We know what we want and it's important to not give into the reasons holding us back. You can achieve your goals but it will take losing all the excuses. Start doing something today your future self will thank you for. 

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How I Maintain a Healthy Perspective About Fitness

I love eating healthy, being active and how I feel as a healthy woman. I adopted a healthy lifestyle years ago and never looked back. Today it's my state of being and natural existence.

My passion for health and fitness has become my occupation which is really a goal we should all have in life. When we do what we love, it really doesn't feel like work. It's a sharing and teaching of how I live my life. It feels awesome to be able to provide this gift to so many people.

I am realistic about health and fitness. I don't teach perfection but celebrate progress. Fitness is not about a restrictive lifestyle but a healthy balance of eating right 80 to 90 percent of the time and regular exercise.

I also don't believe in taking things to extremes where health would feel like a burden for me or anyone else. I encourage a strong and positive mental game and keeping health in perspective. When we enjoy our food intake and physical activity performed, it becomes a healthy happy life.

I am all about eating organic, non-GMO, and cooking at home. This allows me to be in control of what I'm eating and selective with cheat meals. Life and fitness are about balance and indulgence is part of the equation.

Being selective with splurges gives me the freedom to decide if my calories will go toward a favorite dessert or even an adult beverage. I certainly will not turn down a piece of my Mom's homemade lemon meringue pie. I also enjoy a nice glass of red wine during the week.

Workouts can be effective without being extreme and drawn out. I don't spend endless hours in the gym to maintain my body. I believe an effective workout can be completed in 60 minutes or less. I also feel my workouts are a healthy outlet and not a punishment for eating crappy. I make sure to get in 4-5 workouts per week with at least two recovery days. I would call my healthy lifestyle realistic, maintainable, and mentally positive.

I do my best to eat healthily and sometimes this means my food isn't always organic. Realistically, unless we're growing our own food in untainted soil, none of us are truly 100 percent organic consumers. We can get too complicated with food intake which is actually a problem with eating healthy today. As long as our focus is on doing the best we can, that is good enough.

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Gimmicks Don't Represent or Create Lasting Fitness

Fitness gimmicks are a billion dollar industry causing frustration for consumers not seeing the results of their promises. The truth is nothing exists in a bottle or package to create lasting fitness. I am a strong advocate to debunk food and fitness myths and their false guarantees to deliver a perfect body in 10 days or less.

I can really get on a soapbox about this subject and sometimes do. Today seems fitting to fling a little soap around and clean up the fitness myth mess created by dishonest marketing in the fitness world.

Most of America wants to get fit fast and companies are not dumb in knowing how to market that dream at top dollar. Store shelves and online sites are crammed with millions of miracle fitness makers. As consumers, we are responding to those scams and making supplement companies very rich indeed.

You are the target group these billion dollar companies have placed their focus and promising fitness in a bottle of wonder. Next time you open your wallet to buy a gimmick guaranteed to melt fat overnight and create instant muscle mass, please realize this is a fairy tale. You can either waste your time and money or get serious about getting fit the right way.

Supplements and herbs aren't FDA regulated. Companies can put anything on their bottles to sell the product, and that is exactly what they do. I am a hard sale when it comes to supplements or gimmicks and I refuse to believe anything not backed up by science. Take a close look at the small writing on most unregulated fitness supplements and you will read the following: should be combined with a healthy eating and exercise program for results.

Stop right there! Guess what, if you just start eating right and exercising you would see results without buying an expensive bottle of quick fix hype.   Most of our nutrients can be obtained through eating a wide variety of healthy foods.

Some foods can naturally boost metabolism getting rid of the need for any unhealthy stimulant fat burners. Getting fit and staying healthy takes a lifestyle that can't be purchased at the store. You are the secret to your success! Myths are for fiction story books and fairy tales.

FITNESS MYTH

It would be nice to simply snap our fingers and make our bodies the way we want them, but that's not life or reality. It's time to face the truth of what it takes to achieve fitness and get off the gimmick-go-round.

Getting fit will take a commitment to eating right, consistent exercise, lots of water, and plenty of rest. This lifestyle will provide the results you're looking for guaranteed by your daily choices. Doesn't that sound like a much better investment of time and money?

Stay Healthy Fitness Tips:

Believing food and fitness myths cause setbacks to reaching your fitness goals.

Fitness gimmicks cause yo-yo dieting and inability to stick to a real program.

Fitness in a bottle can be harmful to your health since the ingredients are unregulated.

Learn how to get fit by eating real healthy food and exercising at least 3-4 times per week.

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Banana Oat Blender Muffins (Dairy, Gluten and Refined Sugar Free Options)

Muffins are a common breakfast or snack item around here.  I like how they can be quick and easy to make.  They are also easy to adapt to include variety of ingredients.  This recipe is definitely a simple one.  I like it more as a base and can be adapted with other spices, fruits, nuts or shredded vegetables. 

Ingredients

• 2 cups oats (regular or gluten free)
• 3 ripe bananas
• 1/4 cup grapeseed oil
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup organic greek or regular yogurt
• 3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 tablespoons flax seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• toppings or fillers: chocolate chips, blueberries, nuts, coconut, dried fruit, zucchini/carrots?

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and prepare muffin tray.
2. Combine all ingredients into blender except if you want whole pieces of nuts, fruits, etc.  Add those in after blending.
3. Blend until batter is smooth.
4. Add your additional fillers if desired and stir.
5. Pour into muffin tray 3/4 full.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.
7. Enjoy!

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Age is Just a Number Not a Definition of Our Fitness

Age is just a number. Some of us believe it holds a negative stigma as we get older. This is far from the truth and each day should be considered a gift and every age a celebration. Wear it proudly!

We are never too old to get fit and it really comes down to feeling our healthy best at every age. Honestly, I don't even think about my age unless someone makes a comment. Being fit and having a positive attitude makes me feel youthful and excited about living.

Each day is a new chance to make better choices physically, nutritionally, and mentally. How exciting is that! I like to start each day being thankful for the many blessings in my life. I have been through a tough journey and still standing, extremely happy, and going strong with my fitness.

Aging is really a state of mind. I refuse to get all hum-drum about getting older but focus on what I can do to improve my life through the aging process. What it comes down to is not my age but what I'm doing through the ages to make a positive difference.

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 the latter and enjoy the challenge of becoming stronger physically and mentally.

Sometimes aging holds a stigma of grandma wearing frumpy clothes shuffling along with hair always in a bun. Far from the truth speaking as a Nana. When not in the gym, I enjoy wearing trendy clothes, my hair down and even applying a little makeup. I do believe in less is more with makeup application. I prefer to wear a tinted moisturizer with sunscreen as my main makeup. Being fit at every age really allows us to feel good in our skin and confident about wearing what we want.

Older, wiser and definitely better is what comes with aging. It's an honor and privilege to live each day and being able to exercise is a gift. I believe in a quality life and in quality health. Eating healthy and exercise should be a natural extension of who we are as healthy people at every age. We also are more relaxed, don't sweat the small stuff and realize worry adds nothing to our day. Life is too short to entertain ugly mental stuff that doesn't nourish our soul in a positive way.

I will always be a strong motivator for all people and especially those over 50 who think getting fit is not possible. Becoming your best healthy self at every age is possible and it's a personal choice to make it happen.

Each of our journeys may differ but our goal to be fit and healthy a shared event. Life can be hard and it will be how we respond to every circumstance determining positive or negative growth.

When things feel hard is not the time to give up, eat like crap and not exercise. The result would only create an unhealthy and very unhappy person in the frump zone of life. Life is short and precious and not taking care of yourself is really wadding up your gift and throwing it on the floor.

Fighting for our fitness needs to happen at every age and regardless of our circumstances. Remember, age is just a number and doesn't define our fitness. What does define our fitness are the choices we make every day to adopt a healthy lifestyle.

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When It Comes to Fitness, We Get What We Give

Karma basically means whatever you do will come back to you. So, if you're doing good things, good things happen in return and vice versa. The whole reap what you sow philosophy.

I happen to believe in karma. It helps me let go of things out of my control when it comes to others. The thing about karma is there are consequences to treating others and yourself badly. It will eventually come back to bite you in the butt. If you're avoiding your health, eating poorly, and living a sedentary lifestyle, karma fitness will eventually come calling.

Being lied to for example sucks and speaks more about the person doing the action, but guess what ... karma. Let's apply this to our fitness.

Are you being honest with yourself about your fitness? Are you giving your body a healthy life? Do you make excuses for your behavior? Do you really want to eventually suffer the consequences of bad ju-ju all over your fitness?

We may not be able to control other people, but we can sure control our own karma when it comes to getting healthy.

You get what you give. Your body wants to be treated well, fed right and exercised regularly. You have a trusting relationship with your body and want that to remain intact.

Refusing to provide the TLC your body is worthy of will do nothing but destroy a once healthy relationship. Your body will definitely let you know it's being treated like crap. Increased stress, illness, and obesity are just a few ways bad fitness karma will come calling. It's time to get real with yourself and start doing the good your body needs and deserves. All in fitness love!

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I Maintain a Fit Body Eating Lots of Carbs

To this day I dislike being called skinny. I have had my share of teasing as a kid and even into adulthood. Body shaming goes both ways in this life. What's important is loving yourself right where you are while working toward your goals. It wasn't until discovering how to build curves with resistance training that my life changed for the better.

I was blessed with my Dad's genetics and thankful, but it has been a challenge to put on weight including muscle. I am also constantly hungry and seem to burn up energy faster than the average person. I turn to healthy carbs to fuel my body and feel good throughout the day. I can feel lightheaded if I go too long without eating, especially carbs.

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 body 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 am definitely not a candidate for fasting to improve athletic performance or to reduce body fat.

I just so happen to be one of those people on the other side of the spectrum that works hard to gain weight. This doesn't mean I want to gain by eating lots of crap to achieve skinny fat. My goal is to pack on lean muscle mass by eating quality healthy carbs, lean proteins, and healthy fats.

Genetics do play a small role in our physical appearance, but we absolutely have the power to change things by what we eat and how we challenge our bodies. I work hard and eat to support my goals. I don't believe in diets nor do I teach that in my personal training practice.

Genetics may predispose us to obesity but that doesn't mean we are to accept it and not try to be a healthy person. The same goes for lean genetics like mine. We are all on this fitness journey together with differing body types and how they function. Regardless of our body makeup, it's important to put up a fight for what we want and not give up.

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Nutrition Plays the Largest Role in Achieving Fitness

What we eat plays the largest role in our health and fitness. Working out is a great compliment and necessary to create a balanced program. However, there are more hours outside the gym and in the kitchen making or breaking our fitness goals.

Eating right requires a fairly disciplined nutrition program consuming wholesome real food, mostly plants. This is not to say eating the occasional treat is off limits because that isn't realistic. Sticking to healthy eating 80 to 90% of the time is enough to maintain a fit and healthy body.

When eating right and exercise becomes a lifestyle, there is no stress or overthinking the process. We operate on auto-pilot doing what feel is natural and normal. We would feel weird eating crappy and suffer the consequences of not feeling good the next day.

Nutrient timing or eating superfoods every several hours is typical for those living a healthy lifestyle. There is not much thought in calorie counting or fear of eating too much but a focus on consuming quality nutrients. We take on an eat to live philosophy functioning at it's best without even realizing it. As long as the food is healthy, wholesome and nutrient-dense, we feel great eating it.

Keeping a food journal to start eating healthier can be a helpful tool. After awhile, you will find it's no longer required because you are simply living what you have learned.

Adopting healthy eating habits is a process so allow yourself to be a beginner. The goal is enjoying the process regardless of how long it takes. Results of eating right include feeling your best because our food is medicine, fuel, muscle building and stress relieving.

Eating healthy should be a simplistic and realistic way of living. Nutrition should never feel like a burden. It is really a fun adventure of change learning how to substitute unhealthy choices for healthier alternatives.

It is true we can't out exercise a crappy diet. Succumbing to food guilt and using exercise as a punishment is not the path to fix the issue. Learning how to eat right to achieve our fitness goals is the answer and there is never guilt connected to that.

Healthy food can also be considered preventative medicine. Eating wholesome food, mostly plants is shown to reduce inflammation, in turn reducing our risk of disease.

Want to feel better and improve your quality of life overall?  Start eating healthy. What we choose to eat and do daily is a choice. Our choices determine the type of life we want to live. Wishing for good health just doesn't happen, but when we apply the work is what creates positive change.

The effort to eat right becomes a habit which creates a healthy lifestyle. Eventually, you look back and don't even think about how hard it was but how great it feels now. Congratulations, you made it!

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Pina Colada Chia Pudding Parfaits with Raspberries (Dairy, Gluten and Refine Sugar Free)

Chia seeds are a great source of fibre, calcium, omega-3 fatty acids, iron and manganese.  In other words, great brain and bone food :)  These parfaits are easy to make and make a great breakfast or snack.

Ingredients (serves 3-4)

• 1 1/4 cup coconut milk (I used canned)
• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• pinch sea salt
• 1/2-1 cup chopped pineapple
• 1/2-1 cup chopped raspberries
• shredded unsweetened coconut for topping

Directions

1. Make the chia pudding by adding coconut milk, chia, maple syrup, vanilla and sea salt into a bowl and stir to fully combine.  Let sit for set in the fridge for about 1 hour or overnight.  If possible stir once in between so the chia seeds don't stick together.
2. Layer parfaits with chia, pineapple, raspberries, repeat.  Sprinkle with coconut if desired.

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