Posts Tagged ‘HealthTips’

Sober February

The end of my Sober February Challenge has arrived and I couldn’t be happier. OK, I know your thinking that’s because I’m free to enjoy the occasional libation once again, and you wouldn’t be totally wrong there…but it goes way deeper!

I am also so totally stoked because for one; I love to crush a great goal, and two; this is literally the first time I think I have gone a whole month without one drink since I was likely 15 years old!!! As I write those words out it seems a little extreme … however, I would wager in this “wine’ O clock” and “Miller Time” generation, that’s not all that uncommon ;p

There was certainly a time in my life when I was drinking and partying far too regularly, and quite rowdily, and I make no bones about how grateful I am I found the worth in my health and quit that dead end game.

Nowadays, its more of a wine while I cook dinner or the odd weekend night over at a friends house cheersing and chatting with appys and great company until a bedtime of just after midnight if we’re feeling really wild ;p That being said though…I rarely went 5 days in a row without a alcoholic beverage and times like summer and the holidays find those off days fewer and farther between…

Enter this January when I was full speed ahead after Christmas.I was taking even more on my plate than ever, and had started putting on some extra weight, was feeling sluggish and  overwhelmed from dealing with some very tough family stuff ..and all of a sudden I realized that the holiday bevvy schedule didn’t seem to be slowing down like usual.

That’s when the Universe (in my belief.. as it often does), presented the right resource at precisely the right time!

I was looking around at the latest in personal development social media posts ( I do that a lot..totally addicted lol), and I stumbled upon James Swannick. He is a boisterous and highly motivating Aussie who has Youtubes, podcasts and posts about a number of things health and wealth related. The first thing that caught my eye was his blue-light blocking glasses aptly called Swannies …I was totally excited about these because I have done lots of researching about your circadian rhythm ( our natural sleep clock to over simplify) and how the blue light in the screens we look at all the time disrupt that.. I digress!! The next thing I spotted was that he is alcohol free, and he has tons of tips and information about living a fun filled and healthy life sans booze. As well, he runs a 30 Day No Alcohol Challenge!

What is that you say? Well, its actually a lot like what I do in my fitness and wellness biz. He runs a private group through Facebook where for a small but worthwhile investment, you can get support, be kept accountable and be privy to his top tips and info for staying alcohol free for 30 days…and beyond should you desire.

I loved the idea and jumped right in for the next round, which just perfectly coincided with with the newly trendy Sober February, as well as my next fitness group in which I adopted this sober theme also.

You see, I happen to know from experience in my business that we all know most of what we SHOULD do in order to reach our goals, (minus maybe a few helpful coach insights 😉 but putting it into practice consistently can feel down right impossible sometimes.. especially when it feels like life is running you ragged, throwing curve balls and perhaps giving you lemons! You may keep ending up back at square one, eating a bag of something “naughty” and taking those lemons and making lemonade with a shot of vodka in it (sound familiar?).

Accountability and support is the KEY to this! Being accountable to the group I was running plus James’s, really helped me navigate the times of attending events where I was the only one not drinking, or sitting with my emotions and exhaustion at the end of a long day or week.

I love to challenge myself to constantly evolve and be healthier and more in tune, so digging deeper and getting resourceful on what I really needed instead of this liquid band aid was just the soulwork I was looking for. Getting mindful about the relationship with that “evening wine to unwind”, or the “social-buffer beer” is a priceless piece of the self- work puzzle. Also noteworthy is taking a look at the other self soothing crutches, such as food or smoking! Many clients I have worked with who may not drink, mimic this behavior with things like simple carbs and cheesy “comfort foods” which release the same chemical responses in the brain as alcohol and drugs. We could all use to take a look at our vices 😉

Now by no means am I standing on a soapbox becoming a preacher on this topic, nor do I plan to quit alcohol entirely at this time (who knows how Ill feel in the future), but I wanted to put it out there how much this experience has opened my eyes and taught me so much about myself. I will be much more mindful about when I choose to have alcohol and how much, and strongly encourage everyone who has toyed with the idea of cutting back on liquor or substance to give this or any other format of abstaining for a period of time a try….guaranteed to be a very interesting and worthwhile self-realization and social investigation <3

I hope this peak into my experience with the 30 Day No Alcohol Challenge/Sober February has piqued your curiosity and maybe inspired you. Below I have compiled a small list of things I enjoyed soberly (and still do) and that aided me in reaching this goal

  • Meditating
  • Yoga morning and night
  • Fitness
  • Reading
  • Crafting
  • Playing games with friends/family
  • Being outdoors
  • Healthy snacks like grapes and cleansing green juice
  • Surrounding yourself with people on the same path (this works for fitness too..ask about my groups;)
  • Watching uplifting and motivational videos like James’s and being in his group
  • Being in tune with your spiritual/religious practice

Dalyce Clark- Your Holistic Lifestylist XO

Energy Boosting Almond Butter Cups

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img_9942Hello again and happy mid-November already!!

I cannot believe how fast time flies , and I know that’s something we all say, but I feel like the last year has been on fast forward. That must mean I’m having fun right??!

The truth is I am having a great year of fun and learning. There have been some downs, I try and turn them into an opportunity for growth (sometimes I have to REALLY try;), and a lot of ups! I have been in a wonderful supportive relationship for just over a year now with someone I have known since high school (thank you Tugo), as well as going back to school to fulfill another dream of mine, to become a Personal Trainer. YAY.

On the topic of learning I have also been researching more nutrition and going back to dig deeper into the info from my schooling in that area. I have been working to fine tune what really works for me right now, what I can do for my clients and what I want to do for people when I am finished adding the physical aspect to my credentials 🙂 One thing that has img_9904shaped this part of my journey is learning that I have Osteoarthritis in my hands…WHAT?!! I’m only in my early 30’s!!!! It is not normally a younger person’s ailment, however, I have been working in the beauty industry as a trades person doing nails, waxing etc for 15 years and have put a lot of repetitive stress on the joints and tendons in my rather small hands/wrists. This has been a hard pill to swallow as I love being part of this industry and it has supported me well for my adult life so far. Not to mention a new reality living with painful flair ups and restrictions on hobbies I enjoy.

Enter my schooling in wellness!! I am so grateful that I started following my passion for fitness and nutrition in the last 5 years and it is really helping me to find the best natural ways to heal myself and share those with others. So far I have been able to keep most of my pain and inflammation down with exercise, physio, TURMERIC (love) and other anti inflammatory foods as well as recently adopting a more Ketogenic/Paleo way of eating with little to no grains/sugar in it. The emphasis is on fueling your body with healthy fats and having low carbohydrates (turn into inflammation causing sugars) and moderate protein.

So far I am loving the results, and I am having a lot less issues with swelling in my joints as well as in my stomach. I also like that the protein is moderate, as I tend to have digestive difficulties when I overload on protein as I have experienced in the past like so many others do when trying to be lean and build muscle. The fats keep me full and happy and are really helping me balance out my hormones :):):)

I am a firm believer in individuality when it comes to nutrition. Not every way of eating is right for everyone so do your research and if you don’t feel healthy when eating a certain way..look at changing it. As well, I don’t put red tape on any foods (unless intolerant) 100% of the time, I allow myself freedom to enjoy family dinners that are “off my plan” once in awhile because I think some variety is good for you and stressing out about RULES isn’t 😉 80/20% I say!

Lastly, I personally feel I need to make a statement that this way of eating in my opinion should involve consciousness about sustainability and humane practices when choosing what animal products to eat, so I have linked two articles on these topics from Paleo Leap.

Links:

Affordable GrassFed

Paleo Sustainable

These Fat Bombs are full of healthy fats, energy, and can be hormone balancing (maca root) …they are great on the go, or for a healthy treat and are grain and sugar free!

Energy Boosting Almond Butter Cups

Recipe adapted from Pinterest…No link to the original ?

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 C Crunchy or smooth almond butter
  • 1/2 C Coconut oil
  •  4 Tbsp unsalted butter ( I go for grass-fed organic when I use dairy or meat) or cacao butter for a dairy free option
  •  1 Tbsp Organic cacao powder
  •  2 tsp Gelatinized maca root powder ( gelatinized maca is more bioavailable and is easier on the stomach) Caution with maca if high blood pressure or pregnant/breastfeeding
  •  Organic liquid stevia to taste ( I use 4 drops)
  • Pinch of Himalayan or Grey sea salt if you have thyroid issues and are concerned about possible fluoride traces in Himalayan pink salt

Directions

Melt butter and coconut oil in a double boiler (or fill the bottom of a pot and put another pot inside it to create your own double boiler), let cool slightly by removing from heat as soon as its melted. Add in almond butter stir until blended, then the rest of the ingredients and mix thoroughly.Pour mixture into molds or lined muffin tin and freeze at least 15-20 mins …devour one before it melts in your hand! MMmm.

Notes:

Keep these cold or they will melt!

This made me 9 in the muffin tin …depends on how much you pour into each …they are rich and I found they were plenty satisfying at that size 😉

XO Dalyce YOUR Holistic Lifestylist

Im Baaack with Macro Friendly Mexi Salad

Well well, apparenmexisaladtly when I said I was only going to post when I was really feeling it….that meant never! :/

I apologize for my absence, as it was not for lack of thought about posting but rather a scattered summer mind as well as schedule!!!

Anyway, it is time to put excuses aside and get back atter for this amazingly simple and deeeelicious go-to macro friendly meal of mine.

This is my signature salad (seems too good to call it that) and is old fave for me that has all the makings of a perfect cure to training meal boredom…( that is rainbowsaladif you love Mexican food…as I definitely dmexisalad2o 🙂

Don’t believe me? Check out its credentials ;p

  • Macro friendly
  • tastes like a cheat
  • fast to make ( and consume;)
  • Inexpensive
  • Ingredients that can be made/stored in bulk

Nuff said!

Macro Friendly Mexi Salad

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Spring greens mix
  • 4 oz Organic ground turkey
  • Preservative free taco spice ( 3 Tbsp to 1/3 cup water)
    Ingredients:
    1/2 cup chili powder
    1/4 cup onion powder
    2 tbsp. ground cumin
    2 tbsp. garlic powder
    1 tbsp. smoked paprika
    2 tbsp. kosher (or sea) salt
    1 tbsp. black pepper
    compliments of the The Country Cook
  • 1/4 cup Refried beans (I try and mostly use the organic ones by Pacific because they come in tetra packs instead of unhealthy aluminum cans)
  • 1 tbsp Bolthouse Farms cilantro avocado yogurt dressing (ranch works if you dont like cilantro (whats wrong with you!! jjk) ) Or sub in dairy free dressing and change the macros
  • 1/4 cup Salsa
  • 22 grams Sliced mushrooms
  • 30 grams Chopped red pepper
  • 15 g (approx 1/2 stalk) Green onion
  • 1/4 cucumber chopped
  • Optional – Sliced pickled jalapenos 1/4 cup , 15 g grated Paradise Island skim organic cheese ( both these are counted in the macro listing)

Directions

Saute mushrooms, onions, 1/2 of your peppers lightly. Add Ground turkey and cook until lightly browned. Add mexi spice and water boil then turn down and let simmer for 5- 10 mins (thickened up). Heat beans. Put salad mix in a bowl and toss with the other half of your peppers and the cucumber. Top with meat mix and beans, then the cheese. Finish with the dressing, salsa and jalapenos and be amazed…and delightfully full 🙂

Macros

Calories: 311

Protein: 34 g

Carbs: 19 g

Fat 11 g

Fiber: 6 g

Sugar: 5 g

Juice Pulp Muffins

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Happy Spring to you all!

Looking back I cant believe how fast time is flying by, and that it has been about 2 1/2  months since I last wrote here.

I have been a busy bee, like most of you out there…waking up from the hibernation phase of winter and starting new projects, education and intentions with the new energy of spring. That being stated, I didn’t deliberately take a hiatus from writing, but I realize now I was feeling a block in this area. 

I noticed when I started thinking of making a new post, that I was feeling resistance. I truly love writing and I also love the topics I write about on this blog, so I needed to dig deep to figure out what was going on. Here is what came up:

I don’t like doing what I am “supposed” to do! 

There, I said it! ; /

I am innately rebellious and like to go against the grain…even sometimes in spite of myself!  I came to the realization that I was looking at posting bi-weekly as a “job”, and the scheduled– ness of it coupled with the fact that I was comparing my writing to long and eloquently written works from well seasoned bloggers, was draining all the joy out of it for me.

So, what does this epiphany mean for me and my page??                                                     It means that I went to my journal and I wrote down what my new intention is this spring for my blog…and it goes like this:

I want to write what is authentic and inspiring to me, and that means writing when I am feeling those feelings and NOT on a schedule. But is this really “good business”? After all, the blogging powers that be are always hailing the importance of constantly putting out content to stay relevant…

Well, I think it would be more valuable to me and my blog followers to go by the old adage “quality over quantity”  and I think that the people who align with the same things I do will appreciate this approach over filler fluff, and I will always feel really good about what I put out.

Secondly, I have committed to not comparing my work or expression to the work of others and will write my feelings, recipes, points of view, and knowledge in my own voice and in however little or many words as comes naturally to me that day.                                        Only one sentence to go with a recipe?! So be it 🙂 2muffins

I hope you enjoyed this little “rant” or “declaration of my blogging independence”, and I hope it inspires you to set yourself free from old constraints, and to set new aligned intentions this season… Because Spring is for cleansing, and that isn’t just confined to your physical self.  

On that note, if you are planning to cleanse your body (liver is the organ of focus this season), here is one of my fave recipes for using up all that nutritious pulp left over from making your healthy green juices. Also check out my Spring Cleanse program to really get your body and mind cleared out and lightened up for summer 🙂

Blessed Be

Daly XO

Juice Pulp Muffins or Loaf

Ingredients:juicingveg


1 1/2 cups pulp from juicer or grated veg
1/2 cup apple sauce
1/2 cup honey or 1/2 cup coconut sugar
2 eggs, beaten or equivalent in egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups gluten free flour ie. Quinoa
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon                                                       pulp                                             1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup nuts, chopped
1/2 cup organic raisins (optional)

Directions:

1) Beat eggs then mix together with apple sauce and honey ( if using), vanilla and pulp
2) Sift dry ingredients and add to pulp mixture.
3) Add nuts and raisins last.
4) Bake in a greased or lined  9″ loaf pan or a muffin tin at 350F for 45 to 60 minutes1muffin

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