There's always something!

Everyday I go to the gym, I am surprised! Some people that go there think it is a social club, talking and chatting with anyone that will listen. While I am not against talking, in fact I do have a need for it most of the time, when I work out I am there to do just that! That is why I usually go early, between 6:30 and 7:30 am, with the older folks who want to get our workout done and go home to take a nap! And another thing, the older I get and the less money I have, the more important exercise is. Remember, exercise is a poor persons plastic surgery!

Church is a part of my exercise program!!

To some church might not be a part of your life and certainly you never thought of it as a part of an exercise program. But for me your emotional health affects your physical health! And my emotional health has always been enhanced when by going to church! When I go to the Bally (the gym I work out at), it does not seem to matter how much I lift or do cardio. If my mind and emotions are not positive and in sync, all the physical exercise I do not does not make me feel good. And for me going to church and believing in God are the main reasons my emotions are positive!! To feel in tip top shape physically you have to feel 100% emotionally, and for me that means church and God!

YES, exercise does enhance sex after 60!!

Once I turned 60, I thought my sexual activity would be greatly curtailed! The exercise that I do to lose weight will actually help, and in certain cases improved most facets of sexual activity, at least that is what most health professionals say! As I get older, exercise and diet have been a major factor in helping me lose weight and get toned. Naturally at 60. my body has to be trained slower and with less weight and less strenuous cardio workouts. But a very gratifying benefit I have found in taken better care of my body will greatly improved the sexual part of anyone's life, even us mature folks!
Now I have always had my friends tell me that this is the case with younger people, but I am here to tell you that my age is NOT a negative! Since sex is a normal part of life, I was always told that the older a person gets the less he or she would be able to, shall we say, come to bat? Ever wonder why older people seem to smile more? Have you noticed even the over 60 Hollywood crowd smiles more? I am pretty sure I have found the answer!!!

It's still there, just hiding!

Yes, it is true!! As we grow older and fatter, certain parts of our bodies go into hiding! On my quest to a thinner, more healthy body, I too have found body parts that I thought were lost! Since I have turned 60 and have also lost weight, I wanted to share what and how you might uncover some too!! First of all, my butt, which instead of being down behind my knees is right where it should be, right under my back, nice and tight and cozy! The following worked great for me to find and firm this one fat-covered part of this mature body!

First you get on all fours and raise one leg at a time behind you as high as you can. If you have good balance, you could also raise the same corresponding arm!! This additional action will not only burn a few more calories but also work on that other disappearing part of our mature bodies; the firm underarm that has become parachutes or bat wings!!! This is an exercise that works extremely well, but it not that hard. At this age I am or do not desire to build anything or bust my ass, I just want to be as firm as I can with minimum effort!

When can I have pizza?!

For me the pizza or junk food thing is MOSTLY over!! I do not deprive myself of stuff I use to eat all the time, just most of the time! When I go shopping I still walk down the cookie aisle, but just that, WALK on by!! I envision what my favorite cookies used to taste like, then tell myself - OK...that's enough, and walk on!! Sometime I even eat pizza!... the trick I use is to once I eat something, then I forget about that food for at least two months and get back to my exercise and diet routine!! This works for me! Although my mind stills acts and thinks like it, my body is slower and reacts differently to most foods! Foods that I used to be able to chow down and not have a second thought about how my body would be affected by it!!! Bottom line - if you do indulge, get back on your journey to a better you!

Healthy Garlic Chicken Recipe

A friend of mine sent this recipe to me. Sounds healthy and delicious.

If you have any recipes that you would like to send me, feel free to do so. Make sure they are HEALTHY!







Ingredients
4    skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1-1/4 pounds total)
    Salt and ground black pepper
1  tablespoon  olive oil or cooking oil
1-1/2  cups  sliced zucchini (1 medium)
3/4  cup  chopped green sweet pepper (1 medium)
1  medium  onion, sliced and separated into rings
2  cloves  garlic, minced
1/8  teaspoon  ground black pepper
1/4  cup  water
1  10.75-ounce can  condensed tomato soup
2  cups  hot cooked couscous*
1/2  cup  crumbled feta cheese (2 ounces)
    Lemon wedges
Directions
1. Sprinkle chicken with salt and black pepper. In a 12-inch skillet cook chicken in hot oil over medium heat for 12 to 15 minutes or until internal temperature of chicken registers 170F on an instant-read thermometer, turning once. Remove chicken from skillet; keep warm.
2. Add zucchini, sweet pepper, onion, garlic, and the 1/8 teaspoon black pepper to skillet. Add the water; reduce heat. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, stirring once or twice. Stir in soup. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes more, stirring once.
3. To serve, divide couscous among dinner plates. Place chicken on couscous. Spoon vegetable mixture over chicken and couscous. Sprinkle with feta cheese and serve with lemon wedges. Makes 4 servings.
4. *Note: For 2 cups cooked couscous, in a 1-quart saucepan bring 1 cup water and a dash of salt to boiling. Stir in 2/3 cup quick-cooking couscous. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4 servings
Calories401,
Total Fat (g)10,
Saturated Fat (g)4,
Monounsaturated Fat (g)4,
Polyunsaturated Fat (g)1,
Cholesterol (mg)99,
Sodium (mg)827,
Carbohydrate (g)36,
Total Sugar (g)9,
Fiber (g)4,
Protein (g)41,
Vitamin C (DV%)50,
Calcium (DV%)14,
Iron (DV%)12,
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

If you hit a bump in the road, take another path

One of the things I have learned about trying to lose weight and stay in shape is that it is a full time job! If one day you go off track, jumping back on is essential. Staying moving is very important, and I don' mean getting up to forage in the fridge! A bump in the road for me is sometimes not wanting to excersise or eating foods that I know I should not. Whatever your "bump" is, the most important thing is that you find a way around it to get to your goal!!