Warrior's Wednesday

Definition of Warrior

1. 

fighter: somebody who takes part in or is experienced in warfare

2. 

somebody in conflict: somebody who takes part in a struggle or conflict

NOUN

Synonyms: soldier, fighter, combatant, trooper

 

It's Wednesday and maybe you want to rest after going strong Monday & Tuesday, I hope you did, or may be you want to use it as another slacking day! Well don't!

 

Instead, go on what I now call WARRIOR MODE!
 

 

I prefer Warrior to the common beast mode. Why Warrior? Because Warriors have dignity, they have honor, they have passion, they have skills and endurance that make them admirable!

 

In your fitness journey you are not fighting anyone but yourself. Now imagine that you are in a fight like this one below! But you are not fighting anyone but You. You are fighting the person that gave you excuses after excuses. The one that gave up when she could keep pushing! The person that whined and complained when she could shut up and get to work!!!

 

You have to get your mind right if you plan on lasting and winning!

 

Warrior Wednesday might as well be Winner's Wednesday! Because you are in this to win!

 

So today

1) Get your mind right and believe that you can do it and if you have a strong faith in yourself just use the little faith you got because all you need is a little bit of faith. The more you go at it the more your will grow confident.

 

2) Commit to it! Why? Why not? What have you gain by going half way, cheating on too many meals, making too many excuses? Come on! Commit and take it one day at a time

 

3)Never Give Up! You are in you are in! Quitting and Giving up are not an option. ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!!

 

Now, stick around our Facebook page, share it with your friends and become an ambassador of Healthy Can Be Done!

 

Welcome Warrior! Welcome to the Tribe of Winners. Welcome to Tribe Healthy!!!

 

~N'nako~

 

March Challenge Mind Body & Soul Challenge: My Review

This is my first draft of my review...I will polish it later but if you want to read now...by all means ...


In the course of the month of March I have committed to reading a book.

I selected Living Oprah by Robyn Okrant. The book was available at the Dollar Store and even though I never heard of Robyn Okrant till then, I needed to pick a book for the month and for just $1.00 the price and the timing were perfect! I bought and started the book after the first week of march and completed it on the 23rd.
The book was very funny and very pleasant. The only thing I didn't like is the use of random cursed words at about 6-10 occasions throughout the book. I do not use cursed words and was disappointed to see them used in a book.  I love books and expect them to offer me intellectual satisfaction at many level.
I am glad she didn't use cursed words more than she did. Beside this aspect of the book I found myself laughing out loud at many occasions.  Since part of our March Challenge was to do something new each week, the book offered some interesting things that I intend on practicing and they were references to other books that I certainly intend on checking out.

In the course of the month I tried some new things from food to simple activities.
One of them was food from a local café called Dipped Fresh when the weirdest thing is, the mother of the owner has been a member on my Facebook page for quite a while.

I visited a couple of weeks ago a Surf Shop and enquired about things such as Stand Up Paddling and skateboarding. I am very opened to try both especially SUP! I bought myself a bracelet there that I love wearing now. It makes me feel cool and beachy ha ha ha!

I have been consistent with my workouts doing 2 sometimes 3 shorts workouts sessions within the same day and including some toning through weight lifting and resistance training.

Not eating after 7pm has been a challenge on some days but when I did I stuck to light snacks or meals.
My raw days were Thursdays and some Thursdays were hard as my husband would make Chili. They were days when I was eating more like 80 % raw instead of 100%. But in the course of the month my intake of fresh raw food and smoothies has been very consistent.

My attitude this month has been pretty good! I kept my gratitude journal most days and it helped me refocus on those days when I had a slump. I appreciate that when I most needed someone who is a member of my Facebook page would send me an encouraging text message expressing her appreciation for the page and the content I share and it would boost me in more ways than she could have imagined.

Overall the challenge and administrating the page have kept me focused and accountable.

I personally prefer doing a Mind Body & Soul Challenge  versus a physical challenge because just focusing on working out alone is not enough to keep me healthy overall. As a mother of 4 young ones, I am aware that my mind needs stimulation and positive focus to help me appreciate any physical efforts I put in. People say that working out will make you happy and it's very true but there are times when you are done working out and given your best and something happen in the course of the day that can make you feel so frustrate and sad and building the habit of reading, consciously learning new things, pampering myself  ect always help me in ways working out alone can't!

Did you do the March Challenge? If yes how did you benefit from it? Please join us for our April Challenge!

Brown Sugar and Raw Honey Scrub

The Raw Honey and Brown Sugar Scrub.

I am a strong believer in using kitchen ingredients to pamper and treat myself.

The Raw Honey & Brown Sugar Scrub is excellent for your face, as a body scrub and for  rough areas on your body, such as elbows, knees and feet. For a wonderful scrub that you can use once or twice per week, here is all that you need to do:

Ingredients:

• Raw honey: The use of raw honey gently exfoliates the skin and stimulates circulation without causing irritation and dryness. Raw honey is a humectant which has the quality of attracting and retaining moisture, so it balances the skin moisture to give a soft glowing complexion. Another one of the amazing raw honey benefits for skin is its protection against sunburns.
• Brown Sugar: Exfoliating the skin with a brown sugar scrub cleans and tightens pores giving the skin a more even uniform appearance; pores look smaller, skin tone more even. It can also diminish the damage to the skin caused by acne and other skin conditions. Using a brown sugar scrub improves your skin's ability to retain its natural moisture balance.
• Oil such as Olive Oil, Almond Oil, Tea tree oil or other body oil I add a few drops to make the paste more manageable.
• Essential Oil (optional) Scented oils such as lavender, eucalyptus and others, should never be used directly on skin so make sure to mix to oil or lotion prior to using.
• Wash Cloth

Directions:

• Mix 1 TBSP Raw Honey to 1 TBSP of Brown Sugar Add drops of  oil geared. If prone to   acne, some oils will help with controlling it . Consider peppermint, tea tree or rosemary for example.
•  Apply the mixture to a clean face in upward circular motions for 3-5 minutes. Take your damp warm wash cloth and gently wipe the mixture off of your face. Repeat until the scrub is completely removed. Follow with a cool water rinse. Tone. Moisturize.

Oh my Goodness, your face is going to faithfully thank you for this one. Your skin is going to feel extremely smooth as the facial removes excess oil and dead skin cells through exfoliation.
If dealing with acne  this scrub works overtime to relieve you from it
 And really, who doesn't want healthy, smooth, hydrated skin?

I try to do this facial scrub at least two times per week. I love this scrub because it's inexpensive and works wonders. Give it a try before you spend your money on chemical peels, commercial facial scrubs, etc.
Check more Pampering articles by entering pampering or self care in the search box.

Thanks for reading and please join us on Facebook we would love to meet you there!

MARCH CHALLENGE: MIND BODY & SOUL CHALLENGE.

              THE HEALTHY CAN BE DONE MARCH CHALLENGE:

    MIND BODY & SOUL CHALLENGE

This is for all our Facebook friends and those of you who come across this link please join us on Facebook. If you can not join us on Facebook, you can still join in the fun and leave comments here on the blog! I hope to hear from you!


STARTING ATTITUDE THIS MONTH:
 NO COMPLAINING, NO WHINING, WORK FOR IT, TAKE MASSIVE ACTIONS.
 WEIGH YOURSELF ON YOUR SCALE ONCE AND PUT ITAWAY FOR THE REST OF THE CHALLENGE.

MARCH PROMISE: Take Massive Actions and Raise your Commitment to your Health in every areas of your life. Health emotionally, financially, mentally, physically and so on...

I- HAVE ONE RAW DAY PER WEEK  OR AT LEAST A MEATLESS DAY PER WEEK.
Avoir un jour dans la semaine ou vous ne mangerez ques des crudités ou a la rigueur un jour ou vous ne consommerez pas de viands.

II-ONE SMOOTHIE/JUICE A DAY & NO HEAVY MEALS AFTER 7 PM.
Boire un smoothie ou un jus frais par jour et pas de repas lourds après 19h.

III- WORKOUT 20-30 MINUTES 6 TIMES A WEEK IF YOU ARE JUST  BEGINNING.
                          DO TWO A DAYS 4 TIMES A WEEK IF YOU ARE MORE ADVANCED
                          DO WEIGHT/RESISTANCE TRAINING 2-3X A WEEK REGARDLESS OF YOUR LEVEL.
Vous exerciser 20-30 minutes 6 jours dans la semaine si vous etes debutants.
Faire 2 activites sportives dans la meme journee, 4 jours de la semaine si vous etes deja actifs.
Faire de la musculation 2-3 fois par semaien quelques soit votre niveau athletic.

IV- STRETCH 5 DAYS A WEEK FOR 15 MINUTES.
Consacrer 15 minutes, 5 fois dans la semaine, a vous etirer.

V-READ ONE BOOK THIS MONTH. TWO OR MORE IF YOU ARE AN ACTIVE READER.
Lire un livre ce mois ci. Si vous pouvez lire 2 a 3 livres faite le.

VI- DO SOMETHING NEW ONCE A WEEK. Try new volunteering activities, a new family activity, a new sport, check a new type of restaurant with healthy option, visit a new attraction, whatever it is do something that is out of your ordinary activities.
Faire une activite nouvelle une fois par semaine.

VII- COMMIT TO RESTING, PAMPERING YOURSELF ONCE A WEEK. It can be 2 hours to yourself once a week or 10 minutes daily.
Consacrer un jour de la semaine a se ressourcer, reposser et se poupouner!

SELECT A REWARD TO TREAT YOURSELF AFTER COMPLETING THE CHALLENGE. It could be a new pair of running shoes, new athletic gears or new outfits, it could be a small getaway or a new electronic gadget but no food related.

ONCE YOU HAVE SELECTED YOUR BOOK, YOUR REWARD, SHARE YOUR CHOICE WITH US TO INSPIRE OTHERS.

CHECK IN OFTEN TO LET US KNOW HOW YOU ARE DOING. It will help you in celebrating your efforts, keeping yourself accountable and motivating others to actions!

CHECK THE FEBRUARY CHALLENGE IF YOU WANT TO ADD MORE TO THIS ONE.

* In case you wonder why I don't have the typical physical challenge that most Facebook Fitness pages offer here's my reasons.
1)Many people are already following fitness pages and I don't want to add a physical challenge that would lead them to over commit and sabotage their focus.
2) There's more to our well being than being able to do 100 push ups or burpees or 2 minutes wall sit up! Our overall wellness is more important to me.
3) I prefer to be myself and not copy others, to each one his/her strengths and creating physical challenges is not my thing at this point in time.

Thanks for joining us in this challenge!

                                      HAVE  A VERY BLESSED MONTH OF MARCH!
I PRAISE GOD FOR KEEPING YOU AND ALLOWING YOU TO MAKE IT THIS FAR AND I WISH YOU AN OUTSTANDING MARCH 2013!!!

 

How to be more mindful & healthier February Challenge

Hi,
This is a Mind Body & Soul challenge that I shared on our facebook page. Please join us on Facebook for more daily tips & inspiration.
The reason behind this challenge is that there is more to successful weight loss than just exercising and eating right. Paying more attention to our minds & souls would prevent emotional eating for example and give us more awareness about the quality of our lives. It's my prayer that living with more awareness will increase the desire to live better and make smart choices that would lead us cloer to our goals. Join in the challenge. Let us know what part speaks the most to you and see you on Facebook!

~Mind Body & Soul February Challenge~

Eat a healthy breakfast every day no skipping
Eat one salad a day
... Juice or make one smoothie a day
Set your table and dine solo or with your family. Turn the TV off, play some nice music as you so desire but eat peacefully 3-5 times a week or the whole week if you can. Have one meal a day where you are enjoying your food mindfully.
Exercise 5 times a week. Even when you are short on time commit, to short exercise videos or play some music and dance with all you got.
Commit 10 minutes a day to stretching your body.
Pamper yourself twice a week or more. There are many fun homemade spa treatments you can treat yourself to. Give yourself a facial or foot massage at least 2X a week.
Have a couple of hours to yourself once a week. A whole day is ideal but I am a wife & a mother of 4, I know it's not that easy to do.
Take 10-20 minutes to meditate/relax daily.
READ 20 minutes at leat 5X a week. Pick a book & READ! Read to your young child 20 minutes 5X a week.
Turn your daily commute, or daily chores into an eductational time by playing audio books or motivational messages.
Watch less TV.
Go to bed early. 10:30 pm is still my biggest challenge :-)
Keep a gratitude journal this month and write daily 10 things you are grateful for.
Say thank you more. Write Thank You Note, give appreciation gifts just because, contact people who have been a blessing to you and say THANK YOU.
Do a random act of kindness every single day this month.
When someone talks to you, focus on them not your phone or whatever.
Remove chaos & distractions the best you can.
Simplify your life. ( Take time to examine what you are still doing that no longer works for you and stop it).
PRACTICE MORE TO BE IN THE MOMENT.
Kick start your Spring cleaning and commit 20 minutes 3X a week to decluttering or reorganizing a space that needs your attention.
Listen don't just hear, look don't just glance or vaguely see.
Research & study something new to you. Be curious & learn on purpose.
Listen better to others and.... to yourself...
Keep a journal this month & see how well you are doing in this Mind Body & Soul challenge.
 

A word of inspiration: Happy 2013 Happy New Year

It's almost 2012  2013Yeaaah!!!

Note from the editor November 30th 2012.
I am doing a little updating on this article as we actually end 2012. When I wrote this article I didn't know that my hardest challenges were going to face me and that life would slap me in a face like never before. I gave birth to my 4th child in January 2012, it was my 4th C-section and the most complicated one. Not only things didn't go as planned for me, but our baby girl spent our whole 4 day stay in the NICU. Having had all my children by my sides right after birth, the nicu experience was quite traumatic.

Something I overheard while visiting our baby one night brought things into perspective  as I was feeling sad & confused! There was one mother who was a nurse at the hospital and her son was fighting for his life. One of her nurse friends said that she never had the experiences of having her kids in the maternity room because for some reasons all her babies end up in nicu. This one was her 3rd son. The sad thing is, when we were leaving the hospital that day with our baby girl, her son was making the complicated trip to a bigger hospital. The very hospital where the doctors told us we might be transferred to within minutes of our baby's birth. God intervened and our baby girl made fast progress that surprised both the nurses and the doctors. It was a blessing to finally come home because this was my hardest experience but I am well too aware that other mothers have endured worst.

I look back at my own words below...I was grateful then but I AM EVEN MORE GRATEFUL NOW.
The amazing thing is that 2012 started with hope of a new child, took a crazy twist right in the middle of January but have I grown in ways I didn't see coming. I am so different in many ways. Gratitude is my lifestyle, simplicity is my priority....I have learned to appreciate even more than ever, every single blessing no matter how small. I have become more disciplined, more persistent, more compassionate, more open, more patient, more confident in myself, and more in LOVE with LIFE.
I am learning since January 2012 to be truer to myself, to let go of things that just do not matter. I am more real and more at peace with myself...It's like I am seeing the rainbow after the tornado...

I meant all the words I wrote back then and I mean them even more today. Some of my success this year: losing all the baby weight with 9 months. I weight less now than I did before I got pregnant. I am no longer afraid of pushing myself.
I have met more wonderful people this year. The one that were not that wonderful didn't bother me much because they had their contribution to offer in making me better person.

I want to believe that I have made a point to bless more people this year than I did before. Thanks to the internet I am now using facebook as an instrument to impact more people. I am bravely crawling out of my comfort zone just so that the lessons I have learned in my pains can bring victory to others. I have seen my ashes turned into beauty in the hands of the God that I serve and love even more.

I hope you won't mind this little addition to the rest of the article. I just wanted to keep it real and I hope something I added today ministers to someone in a very special way.

Enjoy this article and all the many others. Please join us on our facebook page and be BLESSED beyond measure! ~~~~NB aka Goodhealthdiva!

~~~~~~
First published December 28, 2011 12:09 pm

As this year comes to a close I wanted to share a simple word of encouragement with you and offer you some food for thoughts. 



                  I wanted to congratulate the survivor in you.


I wanted to take a moment to Thank God for watching over you, for keeping you, and for strengthening you.


You see, if you made it till this point, if you are alive reading this, no matter the quality of your life and the quality of your health at this very moment...there's a survivor in you and if you do believe in God, there's a God that has faithfully watched over you.


You might not have been granted all the things you wished for in 2011 2012. You might not have achieved all the things you wished to achieve and you might even have suffered some setbacks, some losses and some disappointments... but...regardless of it all...you made it to the end of the year and you've survived!


You've survived through the pains that seemed unbearable, physical or emotional or both.
You've survived through the days you probably thought you could not "take it any more" whatever the " it" was.
You've survived through any discouragement you might have felt in the course of the year.


You might have buried a loved one or more this year. You might have endured some tragic losses. You might have lost a job, a home, a friend or a partner etc. If you had such pains this year, I am sorry you had to go through that.


I want to

• cheer you through the last days of 2011 2012,
• offer you hope for 2012  2013 and
• encourage you to not give up and be resilient.

You made it through 2011 2012, you can flourish in 2012 2013.


A year has obviously many ups and down. 365 days that are full of unknown and surprises. 365 days of events we can't always prevent nor control. 365 days of having to make the best of any situation, check our attitude and have the wisdom and determination to see ashes turned into beauty.


A year is not all about the 'bad things" like what I listed above...A year can and does have many pretty & pleasant moments as well. This year 2011 2012 you might have reached a special goal, bought your first home, landed that job you dreamed about, met some remarkable people, launched a promising business, lost some or all the pounds you wanted to lose etc.


Has 2011 2012 been a great year for you? However insignificant some  'small blessings' might be to some of you, I am hopeful that you have had some very good days this year. Maybe not as much as you wanted but there has to have been some good days in your life in 2011 2012.


This year might have seen many of your dreams come true or you might even have had experiences that totally surpassed your expectations.


Like my friend M-G  who had some experiences in the past 2 months that surpassed her expectations for 2011.

 She traveled for her first time to Paris and London and to Egypt. The pictures speak for themselves, she is an excited woman.


What's most special about her is that she's the kind of person who always find a way to see the glass half- full. She makes herself happy. Believe me she had her fair share of trials in life and had survived a lot, but looking at her  now, you see a woman who knows how to make the best of her life! 

She has survived a lot,but with her great attitude she's not just surving, she's thriving! She's an inspiration to me and I hope that the pictures I am sharing with you trigger something special in you...




In Egypt:
Alexandria

In Cairo

 In Europe:
 London

 Paris

Paris Le Sacre Coeur

Notre Dame de Paris

If you feel like you had more bad days than good days this year, I pray that 2012  2013 be better for you. I want to encourage you to look back and be grateful for the smallest things because there's always something to be grateful about and gratitude seems to be a multiplier of good things.

The more grateful we are, even for the smallest things, the better our lives get.

If you feel like you had more good days than bad days this year 2011 2012, I rejoice with you and pray that God's favor continues to rest on you and that you be used to be a blessing to others.


No matter what the year 2011  2012 has been to you I am thankful that you have survived or even thrived! 
Yes... You are still here, and this is worth being grateful for.  

Be grateful because many people started 2011   2012 alive and did not make it to the end of it. Be grateful because some people might have gone through some of the same trials you went through and failed to overcome like you did.




Be grateful because you might have been spared a lot of troubles that others might have endured this year. There is always something to be grateful for so, as you enter 2012 2013, have an attitude of gratitude.

May you be abundantly blessed in 2012 2013 as you remain grateful and hopeful for the best.









Get your saddle ready and prepare for your next ride and the adventures of 2012 2013! May 2012  2013 be your best year yet!

I did not get to travel overseas like my friend M-G but I have been blessed and inspired by her adventures and by mine! (smiles)


I am thankful for you all and the way blogging and meeting all of you have enriched my life. Blogging has been an adventure in itself, and meeting people from all over the globe has been a true delight. I never would have guessed that I could travel the world through blogging. Thank YOU!


What are some of your best memories of 2011 2012? What are you most looking forward to in 2012 2013?


N'na

LET'S TALK HAIR: Natural Hair Journey: African Naturals' founder hair journey

Hello hello helloooo!!!
I know it's been a moment since I wrote a post, especially about natural hair, but here I am!

My Hair Talk today is with my sweet sister Z.from Namibia who is the founder of the facebook page African Naturals. If you are familiar with on her page you should know for yourself that she is an awesome person and offers an awesome page.
If you haven't please, get the chance to acquaint yourself with African Naturals & come by the Healthy can be done!Natural Fit Life page to let us know that you visited (LIKEd) African Naturals and how much you enjoyed it.

Z. from African Naturals is also a fan of our facebook page Healthy can be done!Natural Fit Life and it would be a pleasure to have you on both pages. She takes care not just of her hair but of her body as well and that's why we are tag teaming here!(smiles)

Okay enough with the introductions, let's jump in the conversation & for pictures you got to meet us on fb! I guarantee you you will enjoy the pictures on both pages. Hope to see you there once you are done here!

Before we jump into the conversation here some facts about Namibia.


The capital is called Windhoek, it's in Southern Africa between Angola & South Africa.
Angola was colonized by Portugal and speak portuguese, but like South Africa, Namibia speaks Afrikaan. Namibia is near the Atlanttic Ocean.

Now that you know where Z. lives let's find more about her hair journey & healthy lifestyle!

 

How long have you been natural?

I’ve been natural for a year and half now

What made you decide to be natural?

My daughter asked me why she hasn’t got beautiful hair and that she wanted long flowing hair,when I tried to explain that she has beautiful hair, she asked if we have beautiful hair why do I put weaves in then…lol! So the next day I removed my weaves and cut my hair, have enjoyed every moment of my hair journey since and my daughter is loving her hair!

What frustrations did you have to overcome in your hair journey?

Accepting my hair texture and learning to style my hair, it was awkward and there were times I wondered what I had gotten myself into, but then I’d braid my hair in a protective style and feel better afterward.

What do you believe to be the most rewarding thing about natural hair?

The styles I can do, the thickness of my hair and becoming so much more confident!

How do you maintain your hair healthy?

I wash my hair once a week with detangling shampoo, deep condition every two weeks and use olive and coconut oil to moisturize my tresses. I also believe in eating right and drinking lots of water.

How do you maintain a healthy lifestyle?

I exercise 3 times a week, eat fruit every single day, do yoga every morning and drink plenty of water. I have to set an example to my children as they’re growing.

What advice would you give someone who is considering going natural?

Just do it!lol! Being natural is such a rewarding experience. You learn, you grow, your hair grows J

You started a facebook page about natural hair, when did you start the page and what made you decide to start one?

Gosh, most ideas come when you least expect it. I was chatting to a friend and we started sharing hair regimens and art as well as a million other things and I thought, wait…this would be nice if many people could share ideas with us as well and vice versa. I started the page end of last year.

From your experience do you feel like there’s an age group that’s more open to natural hair?

In Namibia, you can find naturals from 3 years up to 70…all age groups are open to it.

Do you think that it will get adopted more widely on the continent of Africa or do you think that it will take a while for women all over the continent to widely embrace it?

Well, with the whole world gearing up for natural hair, it has taken the world by storm,but you will always find those who are not too keen about it..

When people complain about natural hair what’s the most frequent complaints you hear and what advice do you offer them?

So far I haven’t heard complaints J

                                                                          ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well... short & sweet right? Didn't you enjoy her answers? I liked how her daughter inspired her to go natural, that was funny what she said about weaved. I also appreciate how by living a healthy lifestyle she is setting an example for her children now. I enjoyed how she said " you learn, your grow, your hair grows" because that's exactly how it is with any healthy change we make. We learn in the process & we grow a lot through it!
What about you what did you get from this interview?Was there anything in particular that Z. said here that inspired you?

Either you are into natural hair or healthy living or both, please LIKE us on facebook, share your posts with us. I love pictures so any pictures of your hairstyles or healthy meals or whatever inspiring thing you have in store please share. Let me know if your would like to be featured here or on facebook. You are also welcome to join our fitness support group Natural Fit Life on facebook.

Last but not least, catch us on twitter, pinterest @ N'nako Healthy can be done!, Follow this blog if you are new and above all, make healthy choices for your hair & for your body. You are unique & valuable and worth so much, so do what's trully best for you! I wish you well and hope to hear from you! Hugs & Blessings~ Your girl,NB!