Inspired and Strong, Author at Inspired & Strong | Making the Best of Every Day with Stacy

I have had over four years of Adventures with Gram. When I started taking care of her in February 2016 after my grandfather passed, I didn’t know how long she would last. I also didn’t know that 90% of our conversations would take place in the bathroom! But here I am. Another Friday night …in the bathroom with Gram.

My husband and our friends are outside sitting by the pool enjoying a beautiful night, good friendship, and some adult beverages. And here I am …in the bathroom with Gram. And it’s fine. But then I ask myself “is it?” Is this where I am supposed to be? Is there where I pictured myself being …in the bathroom with Gram? Of course not, but this is where I am and this is my journey. Sabai Sabai

In the bathroom with Gram is where I am more often than I imagined. Sometimes I get down about missing certain things because I am in the bathroom with Gram, but then I try to remind myself it’s kind of like being a mom and having to put the kiddos to bed. You may miss out on what’s going on in your living room, but sometimes you have amazing, special experiences on your own when you are tucking them in tight.

Some of my favorite conversations are in the bathroom with Gram. A lot of times she repeats the same phrases. Most of the time I hear “take me behind the barn and shoot me” or “I look like death warmed over… two times” or “starość nie jest radością” which is Polish and she tells me it means “it’s hell getting old”. The formal translation means “old age is not joy”. She will talk about how she misses my grandpa. She talks about how she’s a burden and to just put her away. She tells me not to let her sit around and eat candy all day. She is really funny sometimes especially when she cracks herself up. She talks about how I am spending too much time with her and how I need to get back out to my husband. I am thankful that she is considerate of me. Of course, it’s not like she is setting any speed records but she tries. So, I spend my time in the bathroom with Gram, enjoying our conversations and hoping my ice doesn’t melt by the time I get back to my drink.

In Travel Junkie

Yes WoMan

August 8, 2020 No Comments

Although I have never seen it, there is a movie called “Yes Man” starring Jim Carrey (2008). There have been a few people over the years who have made reference to it saying I was a Yes Woman just like Carl in the movie because I would always say Yes. Anyone who knows me, knows I have a hard time saying no, and I do not like missing out on things. Therefore, I say Yes to almost everything. Because I have said Yes to weddings, birthdays, and family occasions, I have seen beautiful parts of the United States and the world. I must say I have really enjoyed most of the experiences, and I am glad I am a Yes Woman!

I’ve always loved traveling. Being a teacher allowed me to have a lot of time off, but not necessarily a lot of money to do the traveling. So, I chose to give up a lot of “stuff” that way I could say Yes to the next big trip. If traveling is your passion, then you do what you have to do to make it happen.

Because I am a Yes Woman, I have had amazing road trips across the United States and beautiful Mexican, European and Caribbean vacations for which I am so grateful. As you read this blog, you will see many fun Adventures with Gram and some great trips without her.

Being a Yes Woman sometimes can get you in trouble. At times saying Yes can be overwhelming, tiring, and stressful, I am learning that I don’t have to say Yes to everything. I am learning to value my time and to evaluate opportunities before saying Yes. I am learning to say no and to have time to recover and relax. I am getting better at it 🙂 Although it is overwhelming, tiring, and exhausting, saying Yes to becoming Gram’s caregiver has been one of the most inspiring and amazing experiences I have had.

Being a caregiver has thrown a curve ball into my traveling game, but I do what I have to do to continue to make it happen. I am also beyond blessed that I found a Yes Man who loves traveling and loves Gram as much as I do. One of the best things I have said Yes to was to his proposal made to me in Chicago on his 50^th birthday. So far, we have been to six countries and 15 states together. Whatever arrangements need to be made to continue our adventures, we make them. As caregivers, we know in order to be the best caregivers, it is extremely important to take care of ourselves first. We know that getting a break makes all the difference in the world.

Over the past few years, I have learned that life changes on a dime so make the best of every day. The thing is, life is short and we only get one shot. Take the time off and take that trip with your friends or loved ones. Having and making memories is so much better than having “stuff”. So, take a chance and be a Yes WoMan!

In Fitness and Nutrition

Eat Better and Move Better

August 8, 2020 2 Comments

One of our favorite books is by Dr. Greg Wells, called “The Ripple Effect…Sleep Better, Eat Better, Move Better, Think Better.” Although we have been eating relatively healthy for years, we continue to learn how to eat better and move better.

As you read in Life Changes, I started CrossFit in October 2016. At CrossFit Meadville, I learned the importance of food as fuel. I learned how to eat to build muscle and lose weight. I went from 129 pounds and 19.6% body fat to 119 and 15.8% body fat in just 16 weeks. Although my body got smaller, I looked bigger because I was leaner.

My husband and I met while we were at a Boot Camp at a CrossFit gym in Fort Myers. Together, we enjoy working out and eating better in order to feel better. It is more of our lifestyle than a “diet”. We realize that most of the work for keeping our bodies fit is done in the kitchen. Although I am not a fitness or nutrition expert, I do enjoy learning how to be healthy and many people have asked me what I eat. Therefore, I am creating this Fitness and Nutrition corner to share the meals we eat and some of the movements we do.

The workouts are meant to be quick (15 minutes or so) and can be modified in reps or weight. Maybe these workouts will motivate you to start a fitness journey. I love CrossFit but you may love running or high-intensity workouts. The important thing is finding something you enjoy doing. It can be walking, running, weightlifting, biking, etc. Find something you can get passionate about and do it often. I will post Weekly Wednesday Workouts. I will also post videos on YouTube that show you each movement and some modifications you can make.

Getting your body moving is key to a happy and healthy lifestyle. According to Dr. Greg Wells, in order to eat better and move better, going for a walk outside for just 15 minutes a day can do wonders for your mind, body, and spirit. But if you really want to make a difference in your overall health, you may want to look at what you are putting into your body. Eating fried and processed food can lead to bloating and lack of motivation. We believe in eating a lean protein, a healthy fat, and the right carb at each meal. We try to eat at home as much as possible, and we try to make good decisions when we are out to eat. We strive for making those good decisions 85-90% of the time.

We learned you have a “window” after you workout of about three hours. Within that window, you want to eat high energy carbs like rice, pasta, quinoa, bananas, oatmeal, potatoes, and bread. Your body needs these carbs to refuel. The rest of the day, you will want to focus on the low energy carbs like veggies and fruit. Lean proteins include turkey, chicken, fish, bison, plain non-fat Greek yogurt, low-fat cottage cheese, tofu, lean beef, seafood, and eggs/egg whites. You want to look for meats with a fat content of 10 grams or less. Healthy fats include avocados, olive oil, flaxseed oil, nuts, nut butters, ground flaxseed, and dark chocolate. Salmon and tuna can be both your fat and protein.

It may sound a bit complicated but as you sit down for each meal just ask yourself, “Do I have a lean protein? Do I have a healthy fat? Do I have a carb?” For example, a meal for dinner would be salmon and 2-3 cups of broccoli and cauliflower made with olive oil and sprinkled with seasoning and ground flaxseed. There are tons of ideas out there. A lot of times, we just get on Ecosia (a search engine you can add to Safari or Chrome…for every search it plants trees!) and find a recipe we want to try.

The meals I post on Friday Fixin’s are going to be pretty easy and simple. The key is to enjoy the food you eat and to eat a variety of food. We buy the food we want to eat. If you buy chips, donuts, and other snacks, then that is what you will eat. Yes, those foods are delicious but, maybe they shouldn’t be staples in your pantry. We buy wild-caught fish and seafood. We use Nature Seasons on almost everything. Just remember you won’t be able to keep up with healthy eating if you are eating the same thing over and over and it tastes like cardboard 🙂 So, mix it up! This isn’t a “recipe” blog so the pictures of the meals aren’t going to win any award presentations, but I will do my best to help you with measurements and proportions. A lot of times, we just make it up and throw what we have in the refrigerator into our meals.

Needless to say, I hope you enjoy this Fitness and Nutrition corner, and I hope we can learn from each other to eat better, move better, and get 1% better every day as Dr. Wells suggests.