I Use BOTOX…YEP YEP YEP

I use BOTOX

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YEP…the cat is out of the bag…I use BOTOX…OH MY Darla…really?  Yes, every 3 months I attend my standing appointments to maintain my 47 year young self…do I enjoy having it done…absolutely NOT…it is very uncomfortable…but I enjoy the results.  What the heck Darla…OK...let me break this down for you.  Do I see a cosmetic specialist to have this procedure done…a BIG NO…who do I see…My Neurologist.  YES…I have BOTOX injections to alleviate the pain, discomfort, and tension that come with having Torticollis or another name…Cervical Dystonia.  As I have shared in my bio, I have endured injury and along with that…early onset Torticollis, a genetic disorder that may have presented later in my life, but with trauma…oops here it is…early…YUCK…but out of my control.  It is one of those things that I MUST accept and love about myself.  At first, I was so embarrassed about it, because with the disorder comes cervical tremor…the late great Kathryn Hepburn also had the disorder.  I felt like one of those bobble dogs you see sitting on a car dash…lol…  I have to laugh at life and I am no longer hiding who I am and this is a part of me…so if I am a bit shaky sometimes and having a not so good day…oh well…goes with my program.  I have responded well to the BOTOX treatment, and can actually say that it is being used for a fabulous purpose.  Did you know that BOTOX is used to treat medical conditions such as cerebral palsy, migraines, back pain, excessive sweating, weak bladders, and enlarged prostate glands.  I have to honestly say that I could not sit there and have this stuff injected in my face or anywhere else for that matter just for fun thinking it might give me some youthful rewind…YUCK…and further remove my ability to have facial expression when I talk or laugh…OH, hell to the Big NO.  That is just how I feel however and not to offend.  Besides, when that huge needle is penetrating different layers of muscle to get to the root spasm…OMG…it hurts like no other…and to sit through several injections…well, again…no way to elective “I want to have no lines on my face” BOTOX… No, No, and again, No….and the stuff is outrageously expensive…I can’t believe that thousands of dollars are shelled out per treatment and if elective…that is out of pocket…a BIG NO way for this frugal girl.  I am so excited to share that BOTOX IS used for positive benefits such as treating my condition and many others…I experience relief with tremor, reduced pain, tension, and everything YUCK that goes along with Cervical Dystonia. 

Typical Injection Sites for My Cervical Dystonia

  

Relaxing on the Boat Last Week...Life Balance is Key!

 Of course, exercising in addition also provides a stress reducer and endorphin release that provides natural healing that keeps me calm, relaxed, and since Torticollis can be negatively affected by stress…It is important for me to exercise often…and I DO!!!  Why do I write about this…because I am REAL, and I AM who I AM… OPEN…and willing to share my life with you…wanting you to know that everything is possible with limitations and medical conditions.  This is actually the very first time that I have disclosed in depth regarding my Cervical Dystonia and I hope that it reaches many that suffer with the same condition and provides hope to not be ashamed or embarrassed.  Life is too short not to embrace each moment given…it truly is like that.  I take each moment and in that moment, I WILL be my BEST ME…I persevere through the storms and walk strong …do I have fears…who doesn’t…but my Hope, my Strength, and my Will always prevail.  WOW…deep stuff, so on the lighter side of my life…today is a very good day and I am into month 2 of my injections and I feel…whoop whoop FABULOUS!!!  This weeble wobble refuses to fall down.  Now off I go to kick my bootie on the ARC trainer for 60 minutes, then hit my modified weight routine…You See…My Life is Real Good!!!

Motivation of the Day:  The Only Limits on Your Life are Those That you Set Yourself

My Workout of the Day:

60 minute ARC trainer cardio day

Watch my Video…Modified Exercise in My Cage

My Nutrition of the Day:

My Spinach Salad tossed with EV Olive Oil & Balsamic

Coffee, one cup with n/f creamer

Pre-workout shake

Post-workout shake

Egg white salad on high fiber wrap

½ cup mixed beans with salsa, topped with n/f Greek Yogurt

Protein Balls (almond butter, whey, cinnamon, raisins)

Large Spinach salad & Grilled Salmon

1 Graham cracker with peanut butter

Personal Share:  Celebrating my 1^st Anniversary on September 15 married to my fabulous husband ~ My partner, my friend, my support, biggest fan, cheerleader, and My Forever and a Day Love ~ Thank you Babe for being such a wonderful man & I am happy to celebrate this day and look forward to years of Stay Healthy Happiness with YOU;)

Don & Darla Leal, Happily Married September 15, 2010

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STAY HEALTHY!

I Wear a String Everyday

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I Wear A String!!!

I absolutely LOVE my string…when I wear it, I feel strong, balanced, and sexy.  I would not go anywhere without it…I wear it all day long when I am at home or on the go.  It is so important for my everyday functions for work and play.  So….what the heck am I talking about…the String…really Darla…my string is my imaginary connection to the ceiling from my upper chest that maintains correct posture all the time.  My body just like all bodies is adaptable to the functions it performs.  If I were to sit all day slouched into my computer, standing with my shoulders slumped forward, driving all crooned into the dash board, or hunched over cardio equipment…YIKES…would I be in serious muscle dysfunction.  My anterior muscles of the chest, front deltoids (shoulders), neck muscles, and even core would become tight and adapt to that position…YUCK for the lungs as well…all crunched up and not able to deliver great oxygen supply to my body…OK..NO WAY. 

Do I have my String On?

  Also, do I want to be a person who stands humped over…OK...BIG NO…not healthy, not sexy, not ME.  Let’s talk about what would happen to my back muscles…overstretched & loose to accommodate the slump…Forget it people…NO WAY.  So, I prefer to pretend that my string is attached to the ceiling from my sternum area just like a puppet…walking, working, exercising, sitting, standing, driving all in perfect posture and to maintain great body balance & avoid muscle tissue dysfunction.   

Posture Check

This is not about being vain & cocky walking with my chest puffed out…certainly not about that…it is about beautiful posture.  I have talked with so many women especially who want to hide let’s say large breasts or small breasts so they adjust their posture to ensure that all is hidden…OK…on a soap box here…STOP DOING THAT!!!!  All bodies are genetically different and we need to embrace that, stop hiding, and LOVE who we are and please start wearing that FABULOUS STRING…get that chest out, walk proud, be confident, accept yourself…and feel on top of the world.  I have to admit when I first starting wearing my string it was a conscious effort of maintaining it all the time.  I had to constantly check myself and before long, it became automatic, and is now a part of what I do to maintain my 47 year young physique.  When I wear it I can feel my core contracted and strong, the ability to take large full breaths filling my tissues with fabulous oxygen, confidence and of course...I feel very tall…lol.  Such an important topic….posture… and now you know the secret behind my STRING…it is FABULOUS and part of my Stay Healthy Life and the BEST part…now you can wear one;)

Motivation of the Day: “The greatest mistake you can make in life is to continually be afraid you will make one.”

Workout of the Day: (neck is flared :/ so limited on the upper body this week)

ARC Trainer 45 min

Body Stuff:

Variety body weight legs

Squats/variety lunges/step ups: 20 reps each exercise x 4

Nutrition of the Day: (Enjoy the Video)

Coffee: Great one cup on an early morning

Protein Shake

Pumpkin Seeds & Home-made Protein cookie

Post- Workout Shake (watermelon)

Egg Salad on Thin bun

Grilled Chicken Breast Patty & Corn (Super YUM!!!)

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Stay Healthy!

Looking Like Myself ~

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Taken Last Weekend ~ Vacation

LOOKING LIKE MYSELF…what do I mean by that?  Well, I have my genetics and my lifestyle of fitness and nutrition that creates…drum roll…ME!  I am not supposed to look like the girl in the magazine, the movies, or anywhere else for that matter.  Back in the day when I competed, did I look at magazines, other girls and think…I need to look like that…why is my body not responding the same way as hers…check out how tight her backside is…on and on…YIKES...and BIG YUCK.  I am so happy to come full circle with knowledge, age (yes…it is fabulous), and wisdom.  I embrace who I am, what I look like…and being the BEST ME…not anyone else.  It would be such a stressful life to constantly compare myself to her, then her, and oh my…her…OH hell to the BIG NO.  Life is too short to even think unrealistic thoughts, goals, and for crying out loud….I AM NOT HER, HER, OR EVEN HER.  Did you know that ALL images in magazines are photo shopped to soften here, cut there, and create unreal images of girls, women, and men representing something that they are not.  I am not saying that they are not fit, although some probably are not in the greatest shape …BUT…lines, bumps, blemishes, rolls, bootie, hips are quickly painted away with a few strokes of a computer…for crying out loud…you can get a photo shopped 6-pack now…lol.  Really????  I am not saying I am anti-photo shop, but if I look at a photo and struggle to recognize who it is and have to go to the credits…I say…horrible…off that soap box.   

 Some of my older model images are slightly photo shopped…not all…but some…and I have to say it is an art of knowing just how much…and loved when some softness was needed.  Overall, I prefer the edgy REAL image that shows me, right here, right now…and those… I embrace the most;)  I really enjoy taking self portraits…no photo shop…most without makeup, and posting them on the blog so that you can see ME, at 47, after kids, injuries, surgeries…and Staying Healthy with my lifestyle. 

Love the NOT overdone photo shop

It is important to want to be ME and not someone else…that tells me that I accept, embrace, and honor who I am as Darla, the woman, wife, mother, trainer, daughter, sister, and friend…How could I even walk the shoes of helping people get healthy if I did not believe in this.  I hear so often…I want to look like you… and I smile, take it as a compliment…and let them know that the goal is to look like them…their BEST self with the wonderful genetics they have. I am a mother with a beautiful daughter full of youth, smooth skin, and body that a 20 year young woman should have and it feels like a reflection in the mirror…ME and that body 20 years ago…BUT that is the point….that was 20 years ago… and all I can do and want for me is celebrate who I am TODAY…and for 47 years young…I am pretty darn happy with that. 

Not Shopped

I embrace my fine lines earned from laughs, smiles, and a few frowns along the way and also the energy that I still maintain from taking care of myself…and say…YES YES YES.  I believe that aging is a privilege and an honor and although there is no such thing as the fountain of youth…the only way to keep this body and mind young is through living a healthy life…that means regular exercise, healthy foods, plenty of rest, and balance of work and play.  Also, living a healthy life and feeling youthful decreases my risk of illness…I want to do my best to live a good long life.  When it comes down to me and my mirror…there is acceptance and I look back and smile…YEP…the lines are there…I EARNED EVERY ONE!!!

 

THIS IS ME!!!!

Motivation of the Day:  Don’t Compare Yourself to Others in Your Journey of Life…Let Your Life be Yours…and Live it to the Fullest!

My Workout of the Day:

ARC Trainer: 30 minutes

Body Stuff: (light today…a bit tired) 1 minute intervals

Modified french press (repeated 4x in between legs)

1 set cross back step ups

1 set reverse lunges

1 set squat lateral lifts

STRETCH TIME

Meal 3

Nutrition of the Day:

Coffee, one cup

1-1 Chocolate Cherry Whey Protein Muffin

2-Post Workout Shake/ ¼ cup raw pumpkin seeds

3-Shredded Chicken & Spinach Wrap

4-Small potato topped with n/f Greek Yogurt

5-Ground Turkey Breast Burger & Grilled Corn

6-Watermelon/Protein Ball

Personal Share:  Hubby wanted to prepare a full course healthy meal for me, so last night on the menu was: Appetizer: Grilled Jumbo Shrimp marinated in an orange ginger sauce and Chicken Sausage Skewer ~ Main Dish: Grilled Salmon and Brussel Sprouts ~ Dessert: Grilled Peaches stuffed with Goat Cheese topped with crushed Raw Walnuts.  He paired the dinner with a light Muscat wine.  The meal was absolutely fabulous….and we created a small video of part of it…bloopers are fun.  Enjoy the images as well.

 

Stay Healthy!

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What a Vacation Adventure...OH MY!

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Our Magma Boat Grill for Marine Stay Healthy Cooking

I am not kidding…my vacation was full of adventure, storms, bears, and a few bumps and bruises…YIKES…but OH…did I have a BLAST.  Well…the last week in June and into the July 4^th weekend…a vacation on the water seemed absolutely perfect…escape the heat, enjoy swimming in beautiful Lake Shasta, and take in the majestic Glacier and surroundings.  We would stay on our boat, bring our Stay Healthy Foods, and try our new addition...a marine Grill to enjoy our fabulous foods.  I am a planner, so list in hand, creating the budget and down to every morsel we would stock in our cooler.  The excitement and anticipation of a week escape into the beauty of nature was over the top YAHOO…ready to GO!  My hubby paid attention to the weather forecast and attended to the mechanics of the boat and truck…thank goodness.  Let me tell you and can you believe this….drum roll…THUNDER STORMS were on the way…a tarp was packed with bungee cords just in case we had to batten down the hatches.  We were hoping for the forecast to change the closer the trip came…we both were not going to let anything like a forecast change our plans….Full Steam Ahead.  I pre-cooked Stay Healthy Omega Muffins, Whole Wheat Pasta with sundried tomatoes, basil, spice and olive oil, & boiled eggs.  I also included raw nuts, fruits, peanut and almond butter, plenty of veggies, fruits, yogurt, spinach salad, lean meats, graham crackers for a treat, & plenty of water.  We also purchased a small aged beef to break in the new Magma Grill.  It was truly one of those feel like a kid can’t sleep because we are leaving for someplace magical vacations.  The drive was fabulous…no clouds, great conversation, and we arrived at Lake Shasta ready to start our week of living on the boat.  Food on board, water, and us….life could not have been any better.  We launched the boat and found our cove for the night…now you have to imagine close quarters on a boat…and I look back now on how funny all this is…first thing… needing to drop anchor hubby quickly moves from the wheel to the front of the boat, but in the process foot connects with my jaw…YIKES…startled to feel a big foot in my face…but an ice is nice made it feel so much better.  Moving on to 4am...the forecast came true and the rain began to demand our “no stitch on” attention…there we were in the middle of the night, tarp in hand, bungee cords everywhere, balancing on the top of the boat  to batten down our home away from home. 

Tarp On, Thermals On...Ready to Weather the Storm

We could not get done fast enough and now in our thermals...YES…thermals and sweatshirts the end of June on beautiful Lake Shasta completely shut into our 24 foot boat.  We were very thankful for our prepared food because the new grill was now going to have to wait until the storm blew over.  We rocked, we talked, we ate, we napped and had truly quality time in our little shelter….this is where you know a relationship is a healthy one…teamwork and laughter through a crisis which turned out not to be…really.  It was still our vacation and we were going to make the best of what nature brought our way...and we did.  I was bummed that I could not be physically active as planned the first few days…but it was what it was…so there Darla.   So… foot in face, raging storm, playing balance without a stitch on in the middle of the night on top of a boat, tarp on, bungee cords securing our shelter and shut in this rocking tiny house….it could make for a funny movie…don’t you think.  Our adventure started on a Monday and the storm broke on Wednesday…we were able to un-tarp and poke our heads outside….IT WAS ON.  I brought my resistance bands and was able to do a little workout and swim like crazy. 

Mt Shasta after the Storm...BEAUTIFUL

It was like the Wizard of Oz going from black and white to color…all of a sudden everything was no longer grey but green and lush.  The water gleamed like emeralds and felt so refreshing!  Hubby and I grilled lean turkey burgers and corn, gourmet chicken sausages, thin bagels, and although quite horrible…boiled water for instant coffee…it grew on me.  We saw a black bear along the water and a brown bear during our tour of the Caverns.  Wildlife was everywhere and the beauty of the trees was breathtaking.  Now…imagine…we made the most of our Thursday because Friday was the drive back home.  Were we disappointed because things did not happen as we wanted them to….NO…it was an adventure…it was a journey….we worked together as a team and still had fun through every bump in the water.                                             

Grilled Aged Beef & Asparagus

Greek Yogurt Parfait!

     

Turkey Burger!!!

Thermals, Tarp, Instant Coffee, US...PRICELESS

We were thankful for things like our ready to go Stay Healthy food, our tarp that provided our shelter, and the warmth our thermals and cozy boat provided. Also, being a fit couple gave us the ability to be agile to batten down our hatches.  Life is a journey and this vacation is one that has so many fun stories that will be told over and over again….fabulous memories!  I hope you enjoyed the videos and images of my fabulous Shasta Vacation Adventure;)

Spinach Salad

Fabulous Shares from Our Shasta Adventure Vacation:

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