Week 2 wrap-up of 31 Days of Mindfulness and Meatless October….Day 14….

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Mindful Minute

Take the keys and drive into your future, don’t sit back and wait for others to give you permission

Today’s mindful minute reflective thought relates to taking charge of what happens to you in life and the choices you make for yourself. Getting and staying fit is a lifelong journey and a choice or decision you have to make, you don’t need anyone else’s permission to do it. So hop into the driver’s seat of your life and make the necessary choices today that will allow you to lead a happy and healthy life tomorrow.

During your mindful mobility yoga practice today, consider the unhealthy habits that you need to change in your life, and make a mental note of how you can change each one. Don’t expect to change everything at once,  but choose one task at a time and address it one day at a time and before long you will be well on your way to making healthy lifestyle choices that will carry you into the years to come.

Again, if you are keeping a journal during this journey, the outcomes of this exercise may be something you also want to jot down for future reference.

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Mindful Mobility WOD

Today as you did yesterday, you will complete a minimum of 30 minutes of cardio and at least 1 Round (or as many as your body needs) of the Sun Salutation A sequence as prehab before and/or after your other resistance training or athletic activities today.

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Meatless Meal of the Day (MOD)

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Today’s featured Meatless MOD is one of my personal Oatmeal Breakfast Bowl Mash-ups (ie.throw it all in a bowl and “mash” it up)

Ingredient List:

  • 20g rolled oats
  • 3 to 4 ounces Silk unsweetened vanilla almond milk or filtered water (personal preference)
  • Half scoop (20g) Garden of Life Raw Fit plant-based protein powder
  • ½ or 1 whole banana
  • 1 Tbsp(15g) Greenwise all-natural cashew butter
  • ¼ container (25g) Silk dairy-free, nut-free vanilla yogurt
  • A dash of ground cinnamon

Nutrition Facts (The Macros):

Serving Size: 1 bowl  

Calories: 387

Carbs: 53 grams

Fat: 12 grams

Protein: 21 grams

Sugar: 21 grams

Sodium: 84 mg

 

This concludes Day 3 of 31 Days of Mindfulness and Meatless October Challenge…see you on Day 4.

Until next time ~ I AM CANDICE MARIA ~

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So today I am celebrating 35 years of life, and will be spending the entire month of October doing all of the awesome fit and fun things I love the most!

So to continue a list from a previous post from about 3 years ago with a countdown to the 32nd celebration of the day of my birth, here is a continuation of that list with now 35 additional things I have learned and fallen in love with about my life to date. Once again in no particular order, but just as they came to mind over the course of the past few days:

#35 – No net…live as if there’s no turning back, no do-overs, no safety net to catch you when you fall. Travel light!

#34 – Discretion is a decision. The world only knows what you decide to tell them…Surrender to Silence. People will always think they know you when they really don’t

#33 – Hold your mule…in the stillness of life…love happens. Wait for it. Pray for it. Be still and know that it’s happening.

#32 – It’s okay to let go

#31 – Not everyone will understand you, but those that matter will, and will cherish what you have to offer

#30 – Love yourself first, it’s not selfish.

#29 – Consciousness is your friend, think before you act

#28 – Fitness is the fountain of youth

#27 – Be present, let people know that you care

#26 – Failure is never an option, but a choice

#25 – Plan for success and believe in your plan

#24 – Take chances, put your neck in the noose of life

#23 – Food is for physiological nourishment, not mental pleasure, practice santosha

#22 – Ask questions, answer questions, nothing’s off limits for debate or change

#21 – Be fearless

#20 – Take the road less traveled

#19 – Be outstanding

#18 – Root to Rise

#17 – Follow your dreams, they know the path to your true happiness

#16 – Dare to dream, and dream BIG!

#15 – Keep growing. Keep living!

#14 – Be transparent, live out loud

#13 – Live such an fascinating life, that it’s open book worthy

#12 – Reach your goals, but take time to listen to the goals of others

#11 – Be a light…enlightenment is a gift

#10 – Shock yourself, then go out and shock the world

#9 – Do any and everything you ever thought about doing

#8 – Never let anyone tell you what you can’t do

#7 – Can’t is not a word in my vocabulary, it’s meaningless

#6 – Eat breakfast

#5 – Move everyday. Moving heals. Sitting kills.

#4 – Become obsessed with you, there’s only one, love it to pieces

#3 – Take the keys and drive into your future, don’t sit back and wait for others to give you permission

#2 – Love people for who and what they are, and don’t be afraid to leave them where you found them, you only control you, love and protect that!

#1 – Pray every day!

As the days and the weeks roll by, I am certain there will be more that comes to mind. However I won’t spoil God’s timing and save those for the next celebration of my birth year post, and I will try not to let 3 years fly by without an update….. This past year has been a year of some pretty big and exciting milestones, so I can only imagine what Chapter 35 has in store as I travel into yet another year of life. So, until next time. … #LoveGod … #LoveYourself in order to #LoveOthers

~ I AM CANDICE MARIA ~ and this is ~ CANDICE MARIA’S FIT LIFE ~

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  • *LATE POST*

Ask me no questions, I will tell you no lies about the goals I am chasing on this day….lol! No in all seriousness, I am officially 11 weeks away from my first competition in almost 2 years. After a 2 year break from the stage, I’m back at it again with a new focus, a new coach, and a new team…only God knows what’s in store for me in 2017!

Stay tuned…week by week prep progress videos are next….

Competition Prep Update | 11 Weeks Out | Vlog

10 Weeks Out | Progress Check-in | Vlog

Up next a quick weekly update regarding my second week of competition prep and whatever else is on my mind on a Friday morning at 5am. I am currently 10 weeks away from the stage…feedback from my coach after sending in today’s progress pictures was that everything looks good and on track to be ready for the show in May. Also, it has been decided that we are going to double up on this show and try a crossover category and do figure and bikini….so stay tuned.

9 Weeks Out | Progress Update & Gym Life Rants | Vlog

The following is my 9 weeks out from competition update and progress report! Plus random gym and fit life rants while stuck in traffic accompanied by the charm of Southern living! Enjoy…

8 Weeks Out | Figure Bikini Prep Update Pt.1 & 2 | Vlogs

Sneak peek into my countdown back to the stage….8 weeks out headed to posing practice plus a few progress pics.

and

7 Weeks Out | Figure-Bikini Prep | Vlog

Progress updates…countdown to the stage…7 more weeks! Lucky 7! LOL! Just a general update on where I am and where I feel I am headed with my prep, what I am anticipating after this week and waiting to find out what adjustments will be made with my nutrition among other aspects of the process!

Figure-Bikini Prep Vlog | 3 Weeks Out Update

This is it folks….the final 21 days until showtime have begun! Progress pictures and posing practice every week, plus upcoming nutrition changes..I’ve been MIA for a bit between week 7 and this week  due to work and school demands, so I am praying I can hold it all together by May 1st when the semester ends and I can take a break from the stresses of grad school at least and focus 110% on my prep for the show!

This is also the last weekly update video…the next vlogs in the next blog post will feature the final 24 hours leading up to showtime….Thanks for watching and until next time…

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…I AM CANDICE MARIA

“Started from the bottom,  now we are here.” ~ Drake

I began composing this blog about a month ago,  and finally decided to publish it going into the season of giving thanks, I am grateful for this trip I am on.

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It has become more and more evident that my lifestyle has changed more than just my physical appearance and the responses I get from others. It has changed my outlook on life.

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Simple everyday decisions are life changing actions that lead to so many milestones at 30 something years of life with more to come!

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Just the simple act of shopping for clothes just a few months ago during my competition prep brought tears to my eyes.
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So when I finally decided to break down and go shopping, I was mortified by disbelief that I had managed to drop approximately 2.5 dress sizes during the beginning of my competition season.
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In choosing what to try on was such a proud moment. Not having to switch out sizes because the size I thought I could wear was too small, but in fact too big for my newly discovered frame.

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When size 10’s became 8’s, and 8’s became 6’s, and even 6’s became 4’s, I knew at that point, I was living a dream, and was in the best shape of my life.

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NANBF Figure Athlete - 2014

Never in my life have I been that slim built,  lean athletic girl. You know the track sprinting,  glee club, popular, cartwheeling cheerleader type.

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8th grade Basketball to 1st Figure Competition at 31

Nope, I was that shy, nerdy, kid on the chunky side of life, you know the one that the teachers loved, but the other students laughed at. My how the tables have turned!

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Childhood Days - The Chunky Side of Life

I’m still that nerdy, shy kid on the inside,  but on the exterior,  I’m a lean mean roaring muscle machine and I’m not done roaring yet, in fact I’m just getting started! To be continued. … I AM CANDICE MARIA

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Building Season

#AestheticallyAthletic #ActionFigure

The simplest of things motivate and carry me through my day! I tell myself all the time fitness is a faith walk. Its walking out  everything you believe in, living it out every single day!

One of my coworkers at the gym is currently doing a personal Bible study. What’s beautiful is that  each morning over the past several days, when I’m dragging my exhausted body in the gym to work out at the whee hours of the morning before my day gets hectic, I’m met by the following inspirational verses on our break room message board! I just started noticing them at random one day! Thanks Austin! So sweet of you to share the faith so openly, let’s me know I truly have angels among me in this process!

I am a firm believer that God always sends a messenger when you’re on the path to your destiny,  not saying the journey will be perfect or easy, but He always sends protection and encouragement to carry you through! Think about the context of #FootPrints poem!

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Footprints in the Sand - The Journey

These message board posts are God’s footprints carrying me through, giving me strength to keep pushing forward! Blessed to be a Blessing!  Read and Be Encouraged!  I will be adding more as he continues to share each day, so stay tuned!

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Be still and Know

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“Your body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit, take care of it Well”

~ I AM CANDICE MARIA ~

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