Merry Christine

Well…………the inevitable has happened. It took a lilttle longer this time because I workout mostly in a small gym in a very small town, but, today, once again, I got cornered by a “pipsqueak with a monkey on her back personal trainer. She started coming in a couple of months ago and I just KNEW, she was going to get in my face at some point, so I just stay on the other side of the floor. I guess she tried to tell my 70 year old mother she was doing something wrong (after I left the floor and was in the aerobics room”) and my mother told her “Thanks, but my daughter trains me”. So she walk over to me and started in on me. After I told her to leave me alone……….she walked away and called me a “fucking bitch” Wow……………..I don’t know anymore……..maybe I am a “fucking bitch”.

Here is my issue with personal trainers getting up in peoples business on the floor. They don’t know the person, their past, their physical issues, injuries, yet they feel it is their duty to “help” someone if they think they are doing it wrong. Sometimes…………you just need to mind your own business and leave people alone. Especially if they don’t want your help. And boyeeeeeee……..to approach the persons trainer and tell them they are wrong? I am pretty sure that is crossing the line. Nuff said on that.

I have an addiction. I am addicted to Kale Chips! A friend at my gym, Raphael told me his favorite thing to make for watching a movie is Kale Chips. So I tried it and wow are they good! Here is how I make them;

First, you can use green or purple kale (I use both), clean and dry them thoroughly. Place them in a large bowl. I usually use walnut oil for this, so I take about a tablespoon of walnut oil and with my hands, I toss and toss and toss the kale until every single piece is shiny with the oil. Then I add some “Redmonds” mineral salt, and toss some more until the salt is all over the kale. Now, for flavor (if you wish), so far I have used a masala spice mix, chili powder, and a Greek spice mix. Sprinkle and toss like the salt. Now I take my dehydrator. I have one with varied temperatures, so I put mine on 185. Place the kale evenly over the grates and turn it on for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. When they are done they are crispy and sooooooo delicious. For myself, this is the best snack I have ever had.

Now, I know there are people out there that are salt sensitive, and if this is the case just eliminate the salt. I like the “Redmonds” mineral salt because it actually has minerals in it. I imagine you could use the “Mrs. Dash” spices. In fact I think I’ll try that.

Winter months are sooooooo hard for most people, and this is the time when most people put on weight, even though New Years resolutions are most always “loose some weight”. But hey, it is mid winter. This is the time when comfort food is mostly desired. So we need to look at alternatives to the nostalgic comfort foods to stay on track. It sure aint easy, but keep your head up, stay strong, and don’t fall for weakness.

I haven’t posted Kahlil Gibran quotes for a while, so let me see if I can find some good ones…..

“The strong grows in solitude where the weak withers away”

“Courage, which is the sixth sense, finds the shortest way to triumph”

“I never met a conceited man whom I did not find inwardly embarrassed”"

“Some who are too scrupulous to steal your possessions nevertheless see no wrong in tampering with your thoughts”

“Your confidence in the people, and your doubt about them, are closely related to your self-confidence and your self doubt”……………….OUCH

Every night I do my cardio I pick a good movie. I like climbing on my stepmill to end my day. A few more flights to climb ends the day in a perfect way. I don’t even bother to try figuring myself out but, I love running in the woods in the morning before daylight, and I love climbing my stepmill with the lights out in my “playroom” with a good movie on.

So tonight I picked “Buck” It turns out it is a documentary about the Horse Whisperer, Buck Brannaman. I am sure anyone that is into horses knows of this man. Robert Redford played him in the movie Horse Whisperer. He endured a horrible childhood, and now, he has such a blessed life. Horses were a large part of why. They taught him patience most of all. As I am watching this program, I could so relate to it, for I have learned to be more patient because of my horses. They truly are a reflection of the handler. I try not to say “owner” because I like to think of them as thier own. I only help them have a better existence. And for that they give me the pleasure of love, and then the honor of them allowing me on their backs.

When I am with my horses I learn more about myself then with humans, for the horses do not hide thier feelings. If I show anger, they respond with aggresion. If I feel scared, they show fear. And, when I have calmness and love, oh how they show love, and most of all trust.

Anyway, I just felt inspired to put that in words.

Interestingly, when it comes to thier diet, they each have different needs just like humans. My mothers horse is a Quarter Horse. They are like sprinters on a track field. Stocky and fast. He does just fine on some alfalfa hay, ground flax, and some multi vitamin grain. I have two horses. My Percheron is a gigantic Draft Horse. He is around 2000 lbs. He has a very slow metabolism though. So he eats as much alfalfa as the Quarter horse, ground flax, some multivitamin grain, but he gets a strong hoof supplement. He has gigantic hooves that hold up that 2000 lbs. My Thoughrobred is a race horse. They have an extremely high metabolism, so even at the age of 24, he eats twice the amount of alfalfa, twice the amount of multivitamin grain and flax, joint and tendon supplement, AND a lot of olive oil.

I am not obsessed with the feeding, its just that from knowing my horses, I see how they perform and how they look and with the diets I have them on they seem to be fine. The one thing they never get, ……….sugar. Horses can get Cushing’s disease, which is sort of the equivalent to type two diabetes. I know this because I had a beautiful Arabian that got it…….lack of exercise and too much sugar in her diet. I felt aweful, for my ignorance sent her to her grave. From that I learned a huge lesson.

I bring this up because we humans have the same problem, on a larger scale. But we are responsible for ourselves, so when it happens to us humans…..well……only person to blame is? And all of us are different. Different genetics, childhoods, and lifestyles, so no ONE diet can work for everyone. We must be mindful of that. And most of all, I wish “trainers” would be more mindful of that. But since most of them are not, it is up to the individual to evaluate themselves and be sure to let a trainer know if its not working for you. Don’t ever let them make you feel badly if you feel a diet they gave you is not working. Ask them for something different. If they don’t want to help, move on.