Ultimate Workout Playlist (60 Songs)

I'm a huge proponent of using music in your workouts to help get you going.  Even on my most low energy, depressed days, when I'm literally dragging myself to the gym or park with a head full of self-talk like, "Just WALK for 15 minutes- you don't have to run or lift weights." If, when I get there, I put my ipod on, after a few minutes, I can't help but start running or working out harder.  Like music magic.

Lyrics, tempo, beat, and rhythm get me in the mood to work out.  I like booty-shakin' music, R&B, Christian Pop, and a little rock-n-roll.  Below are the top 60 songs currently on my "Work Out" Playlist.

To get me moving or start the workout I love to hear "Good Morning" by Mandisa & Toby Mac.

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When it's time to lift heavy weights on squats, "Sober" by Pink is great because it's a little slower (which is how I like to do squats, and I feel like it makes me dig deep).

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In the groove and feeling good?

"Starships" by Nicki Minaj

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"Only Girl in the World" by Rihanna

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"Raise Your Glass" by Pink

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"S&M" by Rihanna

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"Life in the Fast Lane" by The Eagles

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"Lose Yourself" by Eminem

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"I Gotta Feeling" by The Black Eyed Peas

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If you're working out some emotional stuff, going through a heartbreak, or life is just generally shitty, here are a few songs to give you some encouragement.

"Stronger" by Kelly Clarkson

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 "Fighter" by Christina Aguilera

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"Perfect" by Pink

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"Overcomer" by Mandisa (I added the lyrics to the whole song because it's so perfect.)

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Ready to cool down and stretch?  "You & I" by Lada GaGa starts with a great slower tempo.

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"Where is the Love" by Black Eyed Peas

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Let's share.  What are your favorite songs to workout to?  

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Tasty Fruit & Veggie Protein Smoothies

When I did the Jamie Eason 12-week trainer, one thing she recommended was drinking a protein shake within 30 minutes of working out to aid in muscle growth and recovery.  I do this pretty religiously, making my shake as soon as I get home or ordering one at the gym if I'm not coming straight home after my workout.  Protein is essential for muscle development and recovery, but you can get the adequate amount from whole foods, like meat, fish, beans, egg whites, nuts, and milk too.

I'm usually a protein powder plus water and a few ice cubes kind of girl, but lately I've been trying more fresh fruit and veggie smoothies (with protein powder).  The other day, I added about 6 ounces of Odwalla Superfood drink to my protein powder and it tasted so good.  Although Odwalla is made with all natural ingredients, the calorie content and sugar is high, so I'd use it sparingly.  Mixed frozen bagged fruit is usually what I use.

Since I don't like a huge shake (it feels so daunting- like a chore to chug down), I make just a regular sized glass or mason jar size.  

I add about a scoop and a half of my protein powder (30 grams of protein) as opposed to the recommended 3 scoops (60 grams) because I don't think I can process that much protein at once, nor do I need it.  I'm currently using Amplified Wheybolic Extreme 60 and I like it because it has amino acids (great for muscle growth and energy).  I have the chocolate powder too and just blend it with water and a few ice cubes and it's pretty good.

The best results I've seen working out were when I was adding BCAA (branched chain amino acids- Amino Fuel) to my diet.  The BCAAs are among the nine essential amino acids for humans, accounting for 35% of the essential amino acids in muscle proteins and 40% of the preformed amino acids.  It's easy to do- I add 3 tablespoons of the liquid right into my water bottle when I work out.  It tastes like orange juice, so it's like drinking citrus water.  But, if I don't put the Amino Fuel into my water, I just add it to my shake.  

Chia Seeds are another ingredient in my diet (they are full of omega-3 and fiber) and go in my protein pancakes or oatmeal, but I'll also add a teaspoon to my shake.  I've gotten hooked on mango lately and this Bolthouse Farms mango drink is good (but again, sugary- sweetened with fruit- so use sparingly).  

I'll also add about two big hand-fulls of spinach (the pre-washed bagged kind) to the mix.  I feel good knowing I'm getting my greens in. 

I tried adding two small carrots to a smoothie and have to admit, I didn't love it.  It wasn't terrible, but I don't think I'll do that again.  

I think the point is to just experiment to see what you like, what combinations taste best to you and what other nutritious things you can add to your shake.  After looking at the nutrition on the prepared drinks, I'll probably just stick to my bagged frozen fruit.  

Are you a smoothie person? 

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Time to Get Movin' Again // Cardio & Bike Riding

Whenever I've let exercise slip to the back burner, when I start back up, I like to add in several sessions of hard cardio to get my heart pumping again.  This week, I've been doing 50 minutes at a time in the gym: 20 minutes on the treadmill at level 4 (a brisk walk), then 30 minutes on the stair climber at level 60-70.  I make sure to bring my ipod or a magazine to keep me company for that amount of time.  I also cover the clock on the machine so I'm not aware of how slowly the time passes and just check periodically.  It feels so great when you're done and in the following days as you can feel your body responding, getting lighter and stronger.

Last week, my 3 year-old son got a bigger bike with training wheels, which prompted me to bust out my bike. I haven't ridden in years!  But as soon as I got back on, I remembered how much I like it.  Now, I want to ride my bike everyday.

Not to mention, it's great exercise and always a good idea to get out of your exercise rut and try something new.  I put my gears on a hard setting that makes me work for each pedal and then ride around the neighborhood.  I'm a little scared to try the bike trails in our park for fear of getting run over by the more experienced, fast riders.  Bike riding can be challenging, but it's mostly fun and a great way to get exercise outside of the gym! 

Have a great weekend!  Take care of YOU!

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Having a Relationship with Myself

Just ME

If I did not have a GREAT relationship with myself, I would be a complete mess.  This is just not a physical existence for me, but a very deep spiritual bond with God, and being truly content with me and my life.  The healthy lifestyle that I maintain comes from how I treat myself, how I allow others to treat me, how that is perceived, how I grow from my journey, continually being enlightened by both positive and negative experiences, setting healthy boundaries, and wrapping all that up into how I respond to life’s circumstances. 

 

As I have journeyed through this life, I have suffered physically and emotionally and would not be honest if I did not say that I have felt the sting of both from time to time even now.  The difference in the now is my past experiences have been a life education on how to love myself enough to see things and handle things in a healthy way, and navigate through boundaries that I now have to take

care of me.  A great example would be a person that has hurt me emotionally through an insensitive act or words.  I have realized that this has nothing to do with me or who I am as a person, but all about the offender not knowing how to be sensitive or compassionate in that moment.  Would it hurt…well of course but the important thing is realizing the behavior is not my fault, and even more important is responding to it in the healthiest way possible.  The best part about life is learning through the experiences, being enlightened by what is acceptable and not acceptable, not reliving the unacceptable, and “the knowing” of what is wanted and not wanted.  Looking at all things this way has created a healthy perspective of circumstances and a clear understanding  that God wants me to learn something from the situation and possibly create a circumstance that I will be able to help others going through a similar experience in the future.   Emotional growth has not been an overnight learning method of how to handle things, but a cultivation of experiences, over time that has developed my emotional self and created a bit of thicker skin as well in a positive way. 

Having a relationship with me also includes my physical day to day actions.  Believe me, there are days where I need to be In Your Face MOTIVATED to get my bootie moving to workout.  I feel very comfortable eating healthy a very high percentage of the time, but as I get older, I find that the workouts are my more difficult area and because of that, I have become wiser with my workouts.  This has become an enlightenment experience for me as well as some days I will be gang busters and full of pep in my step, and other days…OH MY…throw a towel over my ARC trainer monitor and beep when it is over.  I have also fine tuned my fitness training using what works for my body to reduce/avoid the chance of aggravation.  Nothing is worse than aggravating an injury during a workout and spending days rehabilitating something that could have been prevented.  My relationship with my physical health is all about HEALTH and feeling great, not so much on how great I will look on the outside.  Although, I do appreciate that my outward appearance is a reflection of living a healthy life.  I also want to add that I do not feel looking healthy to be a “vain or ego” thing and that it is OK to enjoy the “physical look” of living a healthy lifestyle.  Many people get so caught up in “acceptance”, and I think that is healthy to a point…but not to be taken to an unhealthy one.  No one should accept being in an unhealthy state of life in my opinion...how can that be a happy place or something to accept? 

Both the emotional and physical parts of my “self” relationship have taken years

to fine tune and develop, and still nothing in life is great all the time.  Life is not perfect or even easy, and in fact it is all the challenges, bumps in the road, hard work, and experiences that sand down the roughness of our inner and outer shells into smooth, beautiful gems.   Through it all, I have learned to not give up, be patient, and above all to know that I am worthy of great things, and I have definitely learned not to settle for anything less.  Life is too short to not want to be healthy physically and emotionally and the BEST place to start and maintain all that is within ME. 

IN YOUR FACE MOTIVATION

Me with My Fabulous Kids

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Stay Healthy~ 

Darla 

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Jamie Eason Meatloaf Muffins

When I'm looking for something healthy and high in protein that I can eat over and over to help lean out, (fitness model) Jamie Eason's meatloaf muffins fit the bill.  I made them for dinner, then had them for the next several lunches and dinners until they were gone.  A serving size is 1 or 2 for me, depending on how hungry I am and what I'm having with it. This recipe makes 12.

Ingredients

*Quaker Oats - Quick 1 Minute - Dry, 1 cup 
egg white, fresh, 3 large (I used All Whites)
Onions, raw, 1 cup, chopped 
Celery, raw, 1 cup, diced (I didn't have any celery, but used a red bell pepper instead)
*Jenni-O Extra Lean Ground Turkey Breast, 2.5 lbs (I mixed that and Laura's lean beef)
*Ground cumin, 0.5 tsp 
*Herb - Thyme, Dried Ground (1 tsp), 1 gram 
*Mustard Yellow, Emirel's Mellow Yellow (1tsp/5g), 2 tsp 
*Black pepper (spice) 2 tsp 
*Chipotle pepper, ground, 2 tsp (I omitted this and used salt-free seasoning)
Salt, 1 tsp 
Garlic powder, 2 tbsp (remove) (I used 3 fresh cloves)

- I also added a couple dashes of Worcestershire Sauce

I chopped the onion, red pepper and garlic.

And then combined all the ingredients into a large mixing bowl.  Using my hands, I portioned the mixture into 12 large meatballs. 

Bake at 350 for about 35 minutes or so.  I reheat them in the microwave for about a minute. 

For this dinner I steamed up some broccoli and asparagus as a side veggie.  I like a little ketchup on the side too.  I like how the red pepper looks in the meatballs, I'll probably add green or yellow next time also.

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Still

As you know, life is full of ebbs and flows.  Although I always exercise at least semi-regularly, there are times when I'm super dedicated and work out intensely and there are times when other things demand my attention and there just aren't enough hours or energy in the day.  At those times, I may let exercise slip, but I pay for it and don't feel as good.

I've had a lot going on with work, relationships, my dad's illness, my son starting pre-school, my blog, and on and on.  We all have struggles so I know you can relate.  When things are extra stressful in my life, exercise helps me cope.  And I've been doing a lot of that lately.  Getting really good and sweaty and fighting wars in my mind.  Cursing cancer and feeling blessed for the experience of love.  I'm also trying to add in periods of rest.  Stillness.  Time to just

sit

and

be

still.

via

Time to listen to my heart.  Time to share my thankfulness and blessings with God.  And time to listen for HIS guidance.  I don't know why it's so hard to just take these moments for myself, but I know they are necessary.  I find that right after dropping my son off at school, just sitting alone in my car for a few quiet moments can help ground me and prepare me for the day.  But it's not enough.  There needs to be more time to turn off the constant slew of thoughts, fear, worry, anxiousness, sadness.

I set out some goals for myself for 2013 and they have been really challenged.  I'm "renewing my vows" :) to myself right now.  I feel like if I don't examine my life and what's important and how I want to live, then I will just be on the wheel, going nowhere.  In the stillness, answers come.  Through exercise and getting stronger answers come.

I'm wishing moments of peace and stillness for you too.  Have a beautiful day. 

via

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MADE IN THE GYM, MAINTAINED IN THE KITCHEN

It does not matter how much I exercise, if I do not put healthy foods in my body, I will not be healthy.  It is really that simple.  Outside of my workouts, I maintain my body mostly with healthy food intake.  An hour of exercise at least five days per week is sufficient for me, and allows for great recovery and rest for my body.  How I feed my body is the maintenance work that takes place all day long, until I hit the sheets for sleep.  Even then, it is important to eat healthy food that promotes sleep as well. 

Yes, I build my body in the gym and prior to that ensure that my body is ready to go with the proper fuel to get me through my workout.  I purposely create a space on my client calendar where I am the client for a workout.  I give myself one hour of bodywork time and that is enough.  If my hunger bell rings just before my scheduled time, I will slam an apple or a few pieces of watermelon, and if over the top hunger hits, there is no way I am missing what my body is telling me…GO EAT.  It happens sometimes and I will not allow my metabolism to be thrown out of whack over one workout.   Most of the time though, a small piece of fruit and water will allow me to push forward and I fuel directly after my workout.  I have become quite the strategic eater and workout gal with my career as a personal trainer and coach.  

The maintenance work is always on call and important for a healthy body.  Like I shared earlier, there is no amount of exercise that will create a healthy body without the healthy food.  Some get caught up in a vicious exercise punishment cycle of I got to work that “shit” off or starvation mode the following day.  That creates a negative thought process about working out instead of looking at it as a gift for the body.  Before any backlash, I need to clarify that exercise is great and important for the body even if unhealthy food is being eaten, so please do not think I am saying not to exercise if your nutrition is not dialed in yet. The human body was made to be active and move, not remain stagnant and sedentary for hours on end.  So any steps taken to create a healthy body with exercise are POSITIVE steps. I understand that beginning and adapting a healthy lifestyle can be a struggle in the food department and if exercise is the first thing on the agenda to incorporate…that is great. 

What I am saying, and I will use my personal life as an example, is that my body is at its’ healthy best when I am simultaneously eating healthy and exercising consistently.  It is a LIFESTYLE of building and maintaining that has been fine tuned over the years.  It does take years to develop muscle, maintain that muscle and fuel the body in ways to keep that muscle.  Without healthy food and not eating, I would lose all the hard work made in the gym, and that is just not going to happen, besides…I LOVE to eat!

My main maintenance foods consist of lean proteins, antioxidants, healthy fats, and fiber.  Examples would be boneless skinless chicken breast, lean ground turkey, eggs, yogurt, nuts, seeds, oats, all types of greens and vegetables along with fresh fruits, and healthy oils.  I prefer to purchase all my healthy food products organic, humanely and sustainably raised, and non-GMO (genetically modified organism).  If I am on track at least 90% of the time with my healthy food intake for maintenance, I feel pretty good enjoying my occasional treats.  I do not deny myself if I want to enjoy a cookie, brownie, pie, frozen yogurt, etc. as long as the dessert or “cheat meal” is quality.  There is no way I am downing a packaged processed non food item for a “treat meal”…did you catch how I changed that up?  The indulgence would have to be home baked or gourmet, all natural quality ingredients and provide over the top fabulous flavors in my mouth.  

Overall, the combination of work in the gym, maintenance with the food, plenty of rest, and balance of life with work and play is what makes up healthy ME.  I do not believe in calorie restriction, over exercising my body to risk physical injury, or overworking myself to unmanageable stress levels.  Life is about being healthy and the work in the gym and maintenance with the food is just a part, but very important part, of the success of living a healthy life, feeling my best, and enjoying the results of living this way. 

IN YOUR FACE MOTIVATION

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Be well and Stay Healthy

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