Author: Mary Kiningham

Writing from the Heart.

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I have joined a writing circle. Something I never thought about doing. I have thought it would be great to be a best selling novelist and write in front of an ocean front window. You know, like Diane Keaton in Something’s Gotta Give.

Today, I set up a little creativity table in our spare room. Something I always wanted but never bothered doing.  I made a cup of ginger tea, and I set my timer for 20 minutes and started drawing. I wanted to create an illustration that went with I wrote.

I started reading Writing from the Heart by Nancy Slonim Aronie. Her first assignment is to write one thing someone said to you a long time ago that still hurts. Again, I set my timer. This time for ten minutes and I started writing.

“No wonder you look sick your hair is parted on the wrong side.” Mom

I was probably 8 at the time. It always feel like I am eight at the time.

I imagine myself playing in the mirror with my hair venturing out to try new things. My Mom sees me and says, “No wonder you look sick your hair is parted on the wrong side.”

How has this shut me down? Has it made me self conscious of wearing my hair differently or wearing something I normally wouldn’t wear? Am I afraid to change because I might look worse or I might be noticed?

How many times have I done that to my kids? This is what therapy is made of.

Even to this day, I think of my hair when I see my Mom. She likes it better up. Who do you think you are with your hair long and flowing is what is playing in my head.

It is weird and amazing the power one sentence can have on your head,

At 64, it is time to get past so many things.

  • Wear your hair anyway you want.
  • Step into the world with confidence.
  • Go get a pedicure.
  • Buy a dress.
  • Wear your sneakers with everything.
  • Put on Red Lipstick. Boom!
  • Wear a headband maybe even with a knot in it.

Just writing all of this gives me a clarity, joy and happiness. I love my Mom and Fitness is my Fashion Statement!

What brings you clarity, joy and happiness? Set a timer,  and bring out the colored pencils, it can be very helpful.

Love,

Mary

A great lightweight skirt with pockets and a tank top worn with cute sneakers!

 

I am roasting a pasture raised chicken today!

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This week, I bought meat from a local farm, Snoep Winkle Farm. They are located in Branchville, NJ. I first learned about Snoep Winkle because they sell their eggs at Whole Foods.

They sell grass fed chickens, pork, beef, and lamb as well.

From Snoep Winkle Farm:

“The more we learned about the conventional methods by which most livestock are raised, the more convinced we became that we wanted our animals to be raised as God intended – eating grass as the basis of their diet.

We do not give our animals steroids, growth hormones, nor sub-therapeutic levels of antibiotics. Raising the animals on pasture is not only good for their diet, but is also the way they were intended to be raised. Their manure is directly applied to the fields by the animals themselves, thus fertilizing the pastures.”

I think it is so important to support our local farmers. It is critical for our health, our family’s well being and  the survival of the earth. Does that seem extreme? Maybe.

I know it is more expensive. If you pay attention to portion control and eat less. It all works out in the end.

Tom and I have been going to the farmer’s market every Sunday. I love to buy sheep yogurt and sheep cheese from Valley Shepherd Creamery in Long Valley, NJ.  It is so delicious! I buy 1/4 pound and that is our cheese for the week.

I love my little back yard garden this year. It is so nice to go out every morning to pick lettuce for a salad. Pretty soon, I will have tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, zucchini and cute little red potatoes! I have connected with other people who know more about it than I do. It is a wonderful community and we all learn from each other.

Do you have a garden? What do you like to grow?

Happy Gardening!

Love,

Mary

 

June

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I almost gave up wine again. I really enjoy my evening glass of wine. It was slowly starting to be more than one glass of wine. I have been working hard in the garden. I like to keep my wine in refrigerator this time of year. I would come in around 5pm, take a shower and then come down to make dinner. I would pour a glass of wine and start cooking. I would pour a little more in my glass to have with my dinner. You know how it goes. I do fine if I stick to one glass of wine. I have a friend who announced she is not drinking for the month of June. I thought I “should” give it up for the month too. You know what, I don’t want to. I have done it before and it is aggravating.

Instead, I am recommitted to just one glass of wine and I am drinking 2 jars of water before I have the glass of wine. I am hydrated and feel so much better and I don’t want the extra glass of wine.

Here is the June Challenge and I encourage you to do it with me. Drink at least half your body weight in water daily. I weigh 137lbs. I  need to drink 68 oz of water. I am drinking 2 jars of water before meals and before my morning coffee. Each jar holds 16oz of water. I am drinking 6 jars a day which is 96 oz of water which is even better. Instead of giving up something that I really enjoy I am adding something that I will benefit greatly from.

Would you like to join me in the June Challenge? It is always more fun with friends!

Are you looking for a new workout? This is a great time of year for OutdoorFit.  It is a full body workout which will keep you strong and flexible with great endurance at any age.

Elaine 81, doing step-ups off a rock with an 8 pound weight! Don’t worry, I can modify for any fitness level. You don’t need to keep up with Elaine!

Hope to see you soon.

Love,

Mary

Watercolor Painting by my friend Deb Sparling.

Grow Your own Salad.

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I love my simple vegetable garden. I planted lettuce, kale, arugula, tomatoes, cucumbers, a few herbs AND cute little organic red potatoes! I go outside every morning to pick lettuce, so I am all set for the day’s salads. It tastes so much better when you grow your own! I hope you have been inspired to plant a small garden, or maybe have a pot of basil on your kitchen window sill.

 

I am so glad that the April OutdoorFit Functional Fitness Challenge was to go outside everyday and work in the yard. Some days, I went out just to pull a few weeds. Other days I planted a vegetable garden, planted flowers and moved plants around. It was amazing how much I was able to get done!  A huge benefit from all of this has been connecting with my gardening friends! We text each other, send videos and share tips! I love that I have a community of people who love the earth and physical movement here in NJ.

Movement, going outside, eating fresh greens from your garden is very important for your health, well being and feeling fabulous!

Are you feeling fabulous?

Here are a few  fabulous tips.

  • Eat the best possible food that you can.
  • Hang out with Fit and Fabulous Energetic people.
  • Get a good night sleep.
  • Meditate daily.
  • Read a good book.
  • Drink lots of water.
  • Take high quality supplements.
  • Enjoy a glass of organic red wine!
  • Plant some lettuce.

Would you like my support to get you there?  Click here to learn more about my 90 Day Fit and Fabulous Program.

I have taken some time off.

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I have taken time off from the blog. I know I needed to post this the end of March. It doesn’t look good when you go to someone’s blog and they haven’t posted for two months. I have been busy!

April was a wonderful month in the garden. The April challenge was so gratifying. The Challenge was to go outside everyday and do something in the yard. There are so many health benefits even from just pulling a weed.  I am sorry I never posted. I was obsessed with being outside, weeding, planting, and mulching.

May’s challenge is to do three eight point planks, 3 anchored bridges and 2 extensions. It is a recovery month from all of April’s gardening.

Planking with Elena. It is always more fun with friends!

Of course, I am still out pulling weeds and new Blue Kazoo Spireas are coming Friday from Proven Winners! Happy Mother’s Day To Me! Have you been planting? Leave a comment and a photo. I would love to hear from you!

They will have pretty white flowers soon!

OutdoorFit in the Spring! Join us for a full body workout. It will energize and strengthen your body so you can enjoy the rest of your life.

See you soon!

Love,

Mary

 

 

Energize March

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I started the month off doing daily Burpees with a push-up. . . 10 of them. I really wanted it to work. A few days in, I started to feel my SI joint. It has been an issue in the past and I want to keep it there! I hate to give up but I thought I would put my ego aside and just change the challenge.

Today, I did mountain climbers with a close grip push-up. I am working on keeping the push-ups close grip.  They are harder but easier on the shoulders. I felt cranky about doing them. It was 20 degrees and windy outside this morning, but I did them anyway. It was amazing. I felt so great when I finished!

Joyful, Happy, Energetic, Enthusiastic, Vibrant and Confident.

It is amazing what 4 minutes of intense movement outside can do for you.

Would you like to start your day feeling energized, enthusiastic, and confident? Do mountain climbers with me. I have them all timed out for you. Does it seem too hard? Start with 4 rounds or do them off a bench.

Have you started making Fat Balls? I have one almost everyday. I had one this morning after the mountain climbers. They are packed with healthy fats!  I added a scoop of cacao powder to the basic recipe.  So Delicious!

Energize the month of March!

Love,

Mary

Bone Broth Workshop

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I went to a Bone Broth Workshop with a group of friends at Dutch Hill Homestead.

It was a wonderful night. Dutch Hill Homestead is a homesteading lifestyle company created by Ally Dwyer and Rob Stenger. All the magic happens in their beautiful home built in 1860. Ally and Rob set up rustic farm house tables with all the ingredients we needed to make broth. I was most impressed by the bowl of chicken feet! Ally said chicken feet make the best broth! We even had vintage aprons to put on while we chopped vegetables and prepared to make our broth. They also had samples of broths they had already made. We tasted 4 different types of bone broth, wild game, beef, poultry and vegetable. Ally and Rob had many different spices and herbs that we could add to the broth samples to personalize them.  I had the best time and came home with three different samples of broth.

“Chicken Feet makes the Best bone broth!”

Bone Broth is so good for you. It is excellent for your joints, your hair, skin, nails and your gut! It is a great use of leftover vegetables and bones. Ally and Rob emphasized how they are a no waste household.

I love knowing creative, energetic entrepreneurs that send you home with cute jars of bone broth!

Bone Broth will make you feel fabulous!

 

Keto Bacon Chocolate Chunk Cookies

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Oh my goodness!

Bacon Chocolate Chunk Cookies! (Basic recipe from Bulletproof Recipe Lab)

Keto Bacon Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Prep Time: 15 min.
Total Time: 45 min.
Makes: 16 delicious cookies

Ingredients: 

  • 2 cups cashew flour (I blend raw cashews in the vitamix.)
  • 3 tbsp. grass-fed  butter
  • 3 tbsp. Collagen Protein. (I like the Bulletproof Brand.
  • Stevia  (I put in a dropper of  organic stevia.)
  • 2 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 pastured egg
  • 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
  • A pinch of salt
  • 1/3 cup high quality, dark chocolate, chopped. (I use a dark chocolate bar and used half of it.)
  • 4 pieces of cooked chopped Nitrate-free Bacon

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350.  Line one baking tray with parchment paper.
  2. Add the cashew flour, collagen protein, salt and baking powder into a bowl.
  3. Pour the apple cider vinegar directly on top of the baking powder and allow it to react (it will go fizzy).
  4. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and stir to combine evenly.
  5. Taste the dough and adjust the sweetness if needed.
  6. Begin rolling the mixture into balls and place them onto the lined baking tray.
  7. Press the balls as flat as you like, they won’t rise much, so if you like them softer and chewier keep them quite full. However, if you like a crunchier cookie, press them quite flat using your hands to shape them.
  8. Place the cookies in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
  9. Remove from the oven when they’re ready and place the cookies on a wire cooling rack.
  10. Store in an airtight container when completely cooled.

Wendy’s 90 Days to Fit and Fabulous!

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This morning Wendy came over for bulletproof coffee. She had just finished the 90 day Fit and Fabulous Gold Program, and was ready for her final weigh in and measurements.  Wendy wasn’t overly concerned about her weight. Her main goal was  to lose her menopausal pooch. She was feeling a bit matronly and pudgy around the middle. Her beautiful clothes were getting tight.

BIG NEWS! She lost 2 inches off of her waist, and 1 inch off her hips! Wendy also lost 4 pounds.  She has easily changed her habits and is confident that this will be a life long program. Wendy has committed to almost daily meditation, and is feeling centered and grounded throughout her day.

 

It has been so great to work with Wendy. She started the program in good health. She was able to change a few habits and now her daily life is even better! Wendy is the youngster in my OutdoorFit program. She is certainly Fit and Fabulous…Aging Optional!

February is the perfect month to start the 90 Day Fit and Fabulous Gold Program. How would you like to feel 3 months from now?  Energetic? Lighter? Vibrant? Reach out let’s have a conversation to see if the program is right for you.

Wendy made me a Beautiful Wendy Cettina Design thank you scarf. The yarn is by Madeline Tosh. The color is Graphite and the pattern is Fractal Danger. How cool is that?

Elena has lost 11.4lbs and 2 inches off her waist!

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Elena started the 90 Day Fit and Fabulous Gold Program the end of October. She was concerned about starting during the Holidays . It turned out to be the perfect time. Elena was suffering from back pain when she saw me doing a founder on Facebook. We connected and she joined my Program and is down almost 12 pounds and 2 inches off of her waist. Elena’s back is strong and she is feeling so much better! She really didn’t think she was going to enjoy OutdoorFit especially in the winter. She said the workouts under the trees brings her joy and happiness! The Winter Warrior season is the Best!

I am enjoying the 30 day Challenges. I love the concept of the  4 minute workout. You can challenge yourself  and experience result in only 4 minutes! We finished our 100 day squat challenge today. The 30 day 8 point plank challenge was so effective that I am bringing it back in February. I am also energizing January with Mountain Climbers. 4 minutes! 8 Rounds! 20 seconds on 10 seconds off. Would you like to join in? Head over and like my Facebook Page. The Mountain Climber Fun is happening there!

Love,

Mary