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Encouragement: Let's End October with Fall Colors!

10/27/2017

Fall marks the end of the summer sunshine, but not the end of beauty. In fact, fall has some of the most beautiful colors of any season. That's how it is in our lives, the fall of our lives can be the most colorful and full. It's up to us. We must decide whether we will just be a dead leaf falling from the tree of life or if we will instead be a colorful leaf floating gently down to earth.

"The airplane stays up because it doesn't have the time to fall."
- Orville Wright -

Keep yourself so busy that you don't have time to fall into depression or inactivity. You will be healthier both mentally and physically.

"The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling,
but in rising every time we fall."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson -

We will make mistakes, but if we pull ourselves up and go again, we will eventually succeed. At least when we make mistakes and fall, we are doing something. Doing something and failing is better than dong nothing and being successful at it.

“Life is like riding a bicycle: you don't fall off unless you stop pedaling.”
- Claude Pepper -

Keep pedaling! As long as we don't give up and quit we are still living. Sometimes the road is uphill but it is also downhill at times, too. If you can pedal the uphill, you'll said through the downhill. The key is don't stop...keep moving, keep doing, keep pedaling.

"Remembering that
I'll be dead soon
is the most important tool
I've ever encountered,
to help me make the big choices in life.
Because almost everything, all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure,
these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important.
- Steve Jobs -

None of us will escape this world alive, except with God, of course. Remembering these valuable words of Steve Jobs will help you to keep living, not just existing. If we can live a life void of all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure, we will truly live the life we were meant to live. It's never too late, don't wait until you receive a death sentence to start to live.

"We all fall off the wagon.
It's only one day; it's not the rest of your life.
Pick yourself up and go again."
- Nikki Sixx -

Get out and enjoy the October of your life! The fall of your life! The beautiful season that you are in. Go for long walks and enjoy the beautiful colors.

Do you love the fall colors? Do you live where you have a full blown fall with all the changing leaves and cooler weather? What do you have planned for the fall of your life? Are you living it to the fullest?

XOXO

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Product Review: Truffle Spread With Cocoa - What an indulgence!

10/20/2017

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Anyone who knows me knows I try to eat healthy all the time. However, I do enjoy an indulgence on occasion.

Also, anyone who knows me knows my favorite stores that I like to buy food from. Earth Fare is becoming one of my top five choices very quickly.

Earth Fare's "Truffle Spread with Cocoa" is absolutely an indulgence worth the taste and every last calorie it contains. it tastes better than any butters (peanut, almond, cashew, hazelnut, etc.) or any butter with cocoa (you know the one - lol) - this is one combination of less than desireable ingredients for the healthnut that is unbelieveably yummy. If you are going to cheat on your diet - this is the one cheat to choose.

I love this stuff!

Here's a bit of information on it:

Serving Size - 2 Tablespoons (38g)
Calories per Serving - 220
Calories from Fat per Serving - 130
Major ingredients - Sugar (I know, please don't preach to me, LOL); Vegetable Oil (Sunflower, Coconut, Mixed Tocopkerols - again, please no preaching, LOL); Cocoa Powder - (Yea! A good one!); Whey Powder (Milk); Vanilla Extract
Palm Oil Free - YEA! Good!
Product of Canada
GMO Free
2g of Protein (a plus); 21g Carbs (a minus);1% Sodium (a plus); 0% Cholesteral (a plus); 2g Fiber (a plus); 18g Sugars (a minus); 2% Calcium (a plus) and 10% Iron (a plus).

(As you can see a mixed bag of pluses and minuses regarding healthful ingredients and nutrition. But don't eat this for health, eat this once in a while as a treat only...it is so good.)

Cost - $6.00 (I got mine on sale for 99 cents - look for their sales) If you love chocolate and have a sweet tooth this is the once in while treat for you. Just don't indulge too often as you can see, it's not a health food. Also, if you are counting calories, it will wreck that quickly if you lose control. However, it is so good, I do indulge from time to time but only a tablespoon or two and not all the time.

Do you have a sweet tooth? Do you crave chocolate sometimes? Have you ever tried Truffle Spreads? What is an indulgence that you go to when you need a treat? How do you control yourself while trying to enjoy an indulgence and still lose weight or maintain weight? HELP, some of us need all the help we can get in this area.

XOXO

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SPECIAL: Happy 2nd Birthday to On Fire and Over 50!

10/13/2017

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Happy Birthday to
On Fire and Over 50!

We are celebrating our second birthday!

🎂🎂

Two wonderful years of writing blogs and meeting new people.
I love what I do and I hope you love it, too.

This past year has been a great one for On Fire. More people are reading On Fire and the feedback is wonderful. Over this past year, I think my writing has improved in many ways. The most important way is that I have provided blogs on topics you need and want, and have asked for. It thrills me to know that I have helped someone with an issue, problem, or life stage. The only way I know what you need is when you tell me. Tell me your issues, share your thoughts with me, let me know what you want and need. Thank you for your input.

(I want to celebrate with some humor and share a gift with you, so hang with me till the end! 🙂)

The humor, hoping this will give you a few laughs and also encouragement.

"If I had to live my life again, I'd make the same mistakes, only sooner."
- Tallulah Bankhead -

"If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn't be able to sit for a month."
- Theodore Roosevelt -

"Happiness is having a large loving, caring, close-knit family
in another city."
- George Burns -

"Smoking kills.
If you're killed, you've lost a very important part of your life."
- Brooke Shields -

"Older people shouldn't eat health food,
they need all the preservatives they can get."
- Robert Orben -

Now that I've made you laugh (hopefully), here's my little gift to you:

Every year in September, my family and I go to the beach. Since the children have left home that means just me and my hubby. I love going to the beach this time of year. It's quiet and laid back, few people younger than us are at the beach as school is back in session. It's just a nice time to go. I love swimming and walking the beach and cooking fish that my husband catches. It's the best week ever.

In the picture above, of me at the beach, you will notice two things right away. The first thing is I am not in the picture of me at the beach from three years ago and the second thing is I am in the picture from this past week.

Now to explain. Three years ago I refused to allow my photo to be taken at the beach. I was over weight and out of shape. I was not happy and I felt awful. I closed my eyes to the fact that I had let my health deteriorate and I had gained so much weight that I looked terrible no matter what I wore. So, every picture of the beach in the past is of everything and everyone - except me. You will not find a picture of me at the beach during that time of my life.

This year was different. Two years ago I took my life back. I cleared it of the negatives that were dragging me down and went back to taking care of myself. Before moving to North Carolina, I always worked out, ate right, and had a positive outlook on life – even when faced with problems or negatives. A few years after moving here, something changed. For one thing I went through the empty nest syndrome and the other was menopause. They both hit me simultaneously. I also experienced serious health issues concerning my husband, daughter, and parents on both sides. All this amidst squabbling within our extended families.

I pulled myself inward when I couldn't find support in my limited community. It was me and God and for some reason my faith was failing. I felt alone. Then about three years ago, I got tired of it. I spent a year analyzing and evaluating my life and decided to change it. To return to my “roots” of health and happiness. It took a full year to get my mind in the right place. I had to work through various issues and find resolve. Once it was done, I was a new woman and ready to hit the road running.

Today, I am healthy and happy. I love life again, and my faith is restored, not only in God, but also my fellow man. I have lost weight, exercise everyday, eat healthy, and have plans for the future. Health issues are still there concerning some of my family members, but I can handle them now.

The gift of knowing that you can do anything you set your mind to,
if you want it bad enough.
Health issues may come and go,
happiness may fade,
faith may be tested,
but anyone can come out the other side of depression or pain
a better person - happier, healthier and stronger than ever.
I am proof.

*********************
The following helped me a great deal once I learned the true meaning of it. Read this and apply it, it is helpful in healing and creating the life you want:

(NOTE: Christian or not, this is good advice for everyone. This is taken from the King James Version of the Holy Bible, but you don't have to be a Christian to realize that this advice is lifesaving.)

“...whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report: if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
Philippians 4:8

In other words, do not let yourself be dragged into negativity. Even in the worst of times, think on the positive. Think on things that lift you up. When you are up, you can help others be lifted up also.

“...in respect of want;
for I have learned,
in whatsoever state I am,
(therewith) to be content.”
Philippians 4:11

In other words, we may want our circumstances to be different than they are, in reality they may never change. We should, however, be content in whatsoever state or circumstance we are in and focus on the positive as much as possible.

And finally, the one statement that I repeat over and over to myself as I go through this unpredictable, changing, and challenging life:

“I can do all things
through Christ
who strengthens me.”
Philippians 4:13

I am Christian, so I take this statement for it's face value, but if you are not a Christian it still applies. In all things that you do or find yourself involved with, turn to the thing that gives you strength, peace, and hope. Whatsoever or whosoever it may be, draw strength from that.

Now go out into world
a strong,
over 50
with hope and happiness
for your on fire life!

Are you ready to make a change? Are you seeking to improve yourself? Do you have a story of healing or re-inventing yourself that you want to share with the rest of us? Remember, we can draw strength from each other and help each other if we share our experiences and thoughts.

XOXO

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Health: The YMCA vs the Other Gyms - What works for you?

10/6/2017

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Throughout my life I have gone to a gym (AKA Fitness Center)
to workout in an effort to manage my weight and stay healthy with a few breaks that I now regret. I have used a variety of types of fitness centers and overall, as of today I prefer the YMCA to the rest of them.

Over the years I have used:

1. Regular Private Membership Co-Ed Fitness Centers - these are privately owned and operated, and as such have various rules based on the values of the owners. For the most part, women and men can dress in anything to workout - many times this means short shorts where a woman's butt cheeks are visible, sports bras with bare coverage, muscle shirts that leave nothing to the imagination on a man's body, and well, you get the picture. Also, bad language may or may not be allowed depending on the owner's feelings on such. Trust me, it's hard to concentrate on a good workout with all the temptation around you. (As with other facilities, there are "exceptional" exceptions.)

2. Franchise Co-Ed Fitness Centers - a little better, at least they "try" to have and "attempt" to enforce rules on dress, behavior, and language. The problem is they don't do a good job as they don't want to lose paying customers. So, you will still be faced with the various levels of "nudity", "obscene" language, and bad behavior. (As with other facilities, there are "exceptional" exceptions.)

3. Franchise Women Only Fitness Centers These are almost a thing of the past. I have belonged to a few of these over the years (Lady Fitness, Curves, etc.) and found them to be a good choice for me for the most part. The majority of women at these centers are serious about their workouts and not there to attract attention to themselves or find a "date". It's motivating to workout with other women serious about their workouts. The cost was also quite reasonable compared to franchise or private membership co-ed fitness centers. However, with a few exceptions the women's only fitness center (gym) is disappearing.

4 YMCA - The YMCA at one time was segregated (when I first attended one): men had the YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association) and women had the YWCA (Young Women's Christian Association). Slowly the YMCA emerged as a co-ed Christian Fitness Center focused on physical, mental, and spiritual fitness of men and women alike.
While it was morphing into the present day co-ed fitness center, it went through a rough time. Membership dropped drastically as people were joining private and franchise gyms. The YMCA became known as the low-end fitness center and struggled to gain members. Fees went up in an effort to stay afloat.
Today (at least the ones I have used) the YMCA is booming. Membership is growing, cost is very reasonable, equipment is excellent, they have knowledgeable staff (and friendly), and a code of conduct in place. I never hear bad language, men and women are required to wear appropriate exercise clothing that covers private parts of the body (both male and female), facilities are clean, and they are fun.
I love my YMCA. There are three in my area that I go to depending on where my daily errands take me and the weather. (Some have indoor walking tracks, some don't). I can go and relax while I workout hard. Almost all of them have swimming pools, saunas (wet and dry), hot whirlpools, free lockers, and racket ball courts. They also provide (at least mine do) a "personal coach" for six weeks to work with you one-on-one and then for four weeks at a time as needed in the future. All for free!
I prefer the YMCA over other fitness centers because I am serious about my workouts. It's hard to concentrate when faced with young (and old, too) women and men with butts, breasts, and bare stomachs hanging out in an attempt to attract the attention of the opposite sex. I also appreciate that I never hear cussing, vulgar, or aggressive language.

This is my own preference, if it is also yours then I suggest checking out your local YMCA. If it is not to your liking, try one at another location.

In some cases, your health insurance may pay for your membership fees to a fitness center. In my state the "Silver Sneakers" program works with insurance companies and as a result, many seniors (age 60 plus) go to the YMCA for free.

It's worth checking out!

Do you workout at home or do you also workout at a fitness center? If you workout at a fitness center, do you use a private, franchise, women's only, or a YMCA? Why do you workout where you do? What is the most important thing to you when choosing a fitness center?

XOXO

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Encouragement: Let's End October with Fall Colors!

Product Review: Truffle Spread With Cocoa - What an indulgence!

SPECIAL: Happy 2nd Birthday to On Fire and Over 50!

Health: The YMCA vs the Other Gyms - What works for you?

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Encouragement: Let's End October with Fall Colors!

Product Review: Truffle Spread With Cocoa - What an indulgence!

SPECIAL: Happy 2nd Birthday to On Fire and Over 50!

Health: The YMCA vs the Other Gyms - What works for you?

My mission​

Archives

Categories

About

Blog

Contact

My mission