Inspiration of the Day - 1/31/11



Today I dedicate this post in memory of a very special woman.  Today we celebrate your life and grieve your passing, but know that you are in a better place. 

From all those whose life you've touched and the love you shared with us, we appreciate you and love you.  And you will be greatly missed. 

As a reminder...cherish your loved ones and those that are close to you.  Treat everyday as it may be your last.  Life is unexpected and like leaves in the wind.  It's but a vapor in the grand scheme of things.

Rest in peace.

-LK 

Getting the Work In. Everyday.

     Good Morning!  I apologize for the tardiness of this post as the recent snowstorm prevent me from finding some time to write.  However, the snow has become my inspiration for this post, so it all works out in the end.

    I woke up last Thursday morning to find my car in cased in a little over a foot of snow on each side.  After an hour of shoveling heavy wet snow, I was still stuck due to the sheet of ice that was resting underneath my tires.  After dragging out a 50 pound bag of salt from the basement to carefully pour over the ice, I had my girlfriend take the wheel as I pushed from the bumper to finally free my car of its winter prison.  After all that I thought to myself, "Man that was a pretty good workout!"

   And it really was!  And it just goes to show that even if you literally and physically can't get to the gym, there are so many opportunities to make a workout out of your daily chores.  Just got back from the grocery store?  Well why don't you take one of the heaviest bags and carry it up and down the stairs about four or five times without stopping.  Or maybe you take that 5 gallon tub of ice cream you just bought on sale from BJ's and do 30 squats while holding it at your side like a briefcase.  With any luck, the ice cream might have melted by the time you catch your breath.




  The point is that there is always time to get in the WORK!  When we were young, snow days meant a free day to do whatever we wanted.  But the consequence of these "free days" never sunk in until we were still sitting in class a week before the 4th of July.  If you have weight loss goals, strength goals, or any other fitness related goals, days off can be a virus.  If you're O.K. with taking today off just because there's a little bit of snow on the ground, what's stopping you from taking tomorrow off because it's still just too cold outside?

   Don't let yourself off the hook!  A wasted day puts you one day behind your ultimate goal, and those days will add up.  Keep yourself honest and put in the work no matter what!

Inspiration of the Day - 1/28/11

We tend to make investments in everything but ourselves.  And we tend to commit to anything else but our own well being.  And I've always wondered, "Why is that?".  It's the hardest thing to commit to putting time into "us", but when it comes to other things and other people we invest by the pocket full.

A lot of people say that they are bad at or scared of making commitments.  Yet they buy a cell phone and commit to pay Verizon or AT&T for 2-4 years.  For TV watchers...they commit to showing up at 7 PM every Thursday to watch their favorite show, and will leave work early and rush home through traffic to make it on time.  For Mothers...they commit themselves wholly and selflessly to their children (and I commend them...Mothers, you are amazing!), but let themselves go in the process.  And everyday people make investment in retirement plans, stocks, bonds and foreign markets.  So making a commitment or an investment is not the issue.  It's something deeper then that.  Maybe not wanting to face the reality of how far they've let themselves go. 

Well...it's time for a change. 

Make a commitment today to:  read a book that interest you, write your thoughts out on paper to sort out your thoughts and/or make a plan of action; go start a fitness program whether at home or at your local gym, enjoy your favorite activity or hobby, spend some quiet time alone and breathe and meditate...focus on you, get in touch with the Creator...

Everyday, set some time aside for you.  Make an investment in yourself and expect an awesome return.  Not in a selfish light, but in a positive way that will benefit yourself and others around you.  Always remember...if you can not take care of and maintain self, how can you expect to take care of others?

-LK

Inspiration of the Day - 1/27/11



I wanted to do something quick, simple and to the point today and while on FaceBook I came across some really good inspirational quotes.  Thank you to all who posted them.  You donation is greatly appreciated.  And I hope you enjoy them as much as I did. 

"When life puts you to your knee's always remember that is the perfect position to pray."

"Life is about taking chances. So take them."

"Dance like no one is watching. LOVE like you never been hurt and live like there is no tomorrow..."

"Don't leave the person you love for the person you like, because the person you like will leave you for the person they love."

"Keep your heart open to dreams. For as long as there's dreams there's hope, for as long as there is hope there is joy in life."

"Never have regrets because at one point everything you did in life was exactly what you wanted."

"If you judge people, you have no time to love them."

Today let's focus on our mental and spiritual health.  I know we need all three (mental, physical and spiritual) to be complete, but these two aspects of our health are the most easily fogotten and neglected.

-LK

Inspiration of the Day - 1/26/11



Nothing in life is ever easy.  People want children...and during labor there is pain.  People want promotions at their jobs...and there are many late nights spent away from family and friends.  People want success in life...and there are hours, days, weeks and years of work that goes into achieving it.  It just does not happen overnight.

The effort we put into achieving the things we want builds our: character, perseverance, long suffering, patience and appreciation for the people who stuck by us during our building period.  

 And if something does come easy to you, take it with humbleness in your heart and humility in your soul or we may find ourselves lacking in other very important areas.

Continue to reach for the stars and if you do happen to fall back to Earth, tell everyone here (stuck on land)  how beautiful they were up close and reach for them again.

-LK

Changes

So, it's been awhile since I've last posted.  Life has brought me unexpected opportunities within the same field, but in a different direction.

I am currently working with LA Fitness in their training department.  So, I am limiting the role in which I am involved in my own venture and I am focusing on working at LA Fitness and strickly consulting with clients of L.Keys Fitness.

Consulting would include guidance for: diet/nutrition plans, fitness and exercise plans and sports nutrition supplement plans, among other things, based on the individual needs of the person I'm consulting with.

I will definitely be posting an Inspirational Quote of the Day now that time permits me.  And I want to encourage you to keep following your dreams and never give up no matter where life's road takes you.

-LK 

Magic Cookie Bars

I have to admit I have a very soft spot for Brownies - being the easiest to bake, these are one of my cherished desserts, especially when you need something quick and satisfying to uplift your mood or indulge your sweet tooth. Plus, they are a hit with my toddler too, though I try to restrict indulging her!

The Magic Cookie Bars, or Blondies, as I would call them, are a lovely variation from the traditional brownie recipe. It does not use any flour, just graham cracker crumbs, condensed milk and your favorite toppings. Plus, it is so versatile, you can easily swap toppings with your favorite ones, peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips, white chocolate, pecans, pistachios, almonds - throw in everything and you'll still end up with one perfect recipe!


Ingredients
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped nuts

Method
Heat oven to 350 degrees F (325 degrees for glass dish). Coat 13x9-inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Combine graham cracker crumbs and butter. Mix well with your fingers so everything is evenly buttered. Then press gently into bottom of prepared pan, evening out the layer with your palms.

Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over crumb mixture. Layer evenly with chocolate chips, coconut and nuts. Press down firmly with a fork.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Then take a serrated knife and cut into bars or diamonds.

The magical Blondies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days.

Related Recipes
Mango & Coconut Snack Cakes
Mocha Pistachio Brownies
Blueberry Orange & Sour Cream Cakes