Guest Post: Healthy Living by DesaRay Goff

 

Me and my little sister :).

 So honored doesn't begin to describe how I felt when my beautiful sister asked me to guest - write for her blog. I am a typical little sister: I adore my older siblings, because I can see the brilliance that most of the world doesn't take time to appreciate.

As I sit here, writing between sets at the gym, I have to take time to tell y'all that I have always had a weight problem. I carry my weight well, meaning most people are surprised when I utter the secret numbers, but you have always seen the chunk on me. In high school Mom and I would do hours of aerobic and walking tapes. The years that followed have been filled with extremes and yo - yo diets, despite the fact that I actually know quite a bit about proper nutrition and working out. I have even been a fitness trainer previously...

Presently my amazing boyfriend and I are members of the same gym. Both of us have a history of being overweight and mistreating ourselves nutritionally. I have recently begun to love me for who I am despite how I look. My gym motivation? Health. Forget looking like a size 2 anorexic model. I want to be able to play with my niece and nephew and not feel winded. I want to know that I can climb that hill if I choose.

All that being said, I take for granted what I know about healthy eating and often forget that not everyone has seen nutritionists for the last 20 years or so due to a chronic illness. All this to say that Ray and I work out together and encourage each other to eat well. He did not grow up with the same knowledge that I did, and I have had fun introducing the idea of fruit as a dessert to satiate a sweet tooth. I give him tips on how to use machines at the gym, and he pushes me to challenge myself. I'm the personality that does the bare minimum at the gym, though I encourage others to do more. Ray doesn't let that slide. Ever. Talk about relationship building! We have been together 5 months now and the gym and nutrition have caused a great deal of arguments due to one or the other of us being lazy or wanting junk. You have not seen wrath until you have told me to put down the French fries. My loving boyfriend is motivated by a desire for me to be healthy that often comes out in a not - so - loving manner. Tact is not his strong suit, so I have had to adjust how I process what is said as he works on his tone and wording.

Despite the frustration, nothing makes me happier than looking over at my guy on the next machine and him pausing to give me a thumbs up followed by his fist pumping in the air to cheer me on! Here's to a healthy lifestyle! 

The healthy and happy couple!

Ray and DesaRay hanging out at the San Antonio Farmer's Market making healthy choices.

Thanks Y'all :)

    Where has July gone? Oh Lordy August is right around the corner which means that my last semester in grad school is about to start. Also, with July coming to close I am closer to celebrating my one year post op anniversary. Nearly eight months ago I was lying on an operating table with the hope of having a normal active life. My recovery has presented me with a few hurdles but for the most part has been great. Having a cadaver ACL transplant was the best decision for me. I feel healthy, strong, and so very grateful. I want to thank a few people who have helped me along the road to recovery.

+Steven Larizza best husband and nurse ever! Thank you for all that you do every day.  

+Shawntee DesaRay Goff your smile and words of comfort were always appreciated. The snuggles were an added bonus.

+Lindsay Fedele my person who listened to my ranting & raving at all hours of the day & night.

Mama I got my crazy from you as well as my dogged determination to keep on fighting. Thank you for putting up with me.

Daddy thank you for supplying me with amazing books and enduring my endless chatter about Lord Byron.

    Recovery is easier with a support team that can pick you up when you face plant due to muscle fatigue. Who has helped you out during a difficult time in your life?

Some People get Botox I get Synvisc-One

    It is that time of year again and no Santa is not on his way. The time has come my friends for me to receive another Synvisc injection in my left knee. The first injection helped me so much that I didn't notice the wonders of Synvisc until it wore off. Two weeks ago I noticed a sharp pain in my knee especially when I would walk on hard surfaces or in any standing yoga poses. While boxing at the gym it hit me like a foul ball to the face. Seven and a half months have passed since my last injection which I should get every six months. Synvisc alleviated all my swelling and 90% of pain that I would experience while working out. Due to the small amount of arthritis that developed in my left knee the injections are a necessity.  

   
    To help people with their first injection I have some handy tips. Bring someone with you to hold your hand or tell corny jokes while the needle is inserted into your knee joint. Ask any questions or present any concerns before the procedure. Freaking out before the ice is applied to your knee will make for an awkward visit. Have your favorite treat on hand after the procedure and be prepared to sit on your buns for 48 hours. Staying off my feet for two days is hard for me and not fun at all. However, I have access to Netflix and a husband who doesn't mind helping me out with cooking and other domestic chores. How do y'all handle stressful medical procedures?

Having a Plank Party

Lunch consisted of a ham wrap and Kombucha.

    I am having a great time training my friends for the tae kwon do world open mainly because I get to think up new tortures for them every day. This morning I was reading through the Busy Bod blog written by a hot yoga chick I follow on Instagram(@busybodyogi). She came up with the July Abs Challenge which featured a wonderful plank workout. So I dropped down and went through the seven exercises and found out my abs need some work. I am definitely making my students do all 7 plank variations tomorrow.

    For some reason caramel has been on my brain all day but I am too lazy to drive to the store and get some. I just happened to have all the ingredients to make it at home so caramel totally happened today and I don't plan on sharing. I had a salad today so that means I can eat all the caramel right? Maybe I will just eat half today and finish it off tomorrow.

So beautiful

  

Spicy Burgers and Boxing

    
    Last Saturday I decided to step back into a boxing ring. For the past few weeks I have been training a good friend of mine who wants to compete for a spot in the World Open of tae kwon do. As I would leave from each training session I would wonder how it would feel to punch a bag again, to spar someone in the ring, and hear the bell go off for another round. My friend and his father built their gym from the ground up and it is amazing. Every time I walk in, it feels like coming home. For a good chunk of my life kickboxing and tae kwon do were all I thought about. So last Saturday I put on a pair of gloves and did 12 rounds of bag work 3 minutes per round. It is Monday evening and I am still a little sore. It was totally worth it. I wore my ACL brace and felt in control and strong with no pain in my knee. The patella itself stayed put even when I would pivot with a right cross. Cadaver ACL's are where it's at. I plan on only doing bag work and mitts twice a week to give my leg plenty of time to rest between each session. Gotta be careful kids! 

  Tonight's meal was very easy to make and contained chorizo which makes my heart happy. Must be a Texas thing but I like to use chorizo in several dishes. I made hamburger patties of half chorizo and half beef. After they were done cooking I plated each burger with green beans and a simple salad of greens and tomatoes. This dish was so filling and very delicious. I find it to be quite an accomplishment when I can get dinner on the table in 30 minutes or less. Winning!

Sports Medicine South Carolina | Synvisc One Injection

Sweet and Spicy Chicken

    Being tired from lack of sleep and a little heartbroken I needed dinner to be simple and quick. My husband is pretty easy to please when it comes to food which helps when I don't feel like cooking. Scrambled eggs and bacon for dinner will make him happy. With the help of Juli from PaleOmg I found a great recipe that will please even my grumpy self. I used her sweet and sexy chicken wing recipe and substituted chicken tenders. The sauce has some bite to it so I put a little extra honey which left a nice spice that wasn't overwhelming.

     Good ol' podunk HEB in Odessa has surprised me once again by carrying Live Kombucha Soda. This stuff is usually only found at the Natural Grocers store in Midland and in major cities of course. The major highlight of my day was definitely the kombucha soda.

Superbowl Snack: Sweet and Sexy Wings

 

Ingredients

• 24 chicken wings
• ⅓ cup raw honey
• ½ cup coconut aminos
• ½ cup red wine
• 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. Mix all your sauce ingredients together in a large bowl..
3. Place chicken wings on a cookie sheet that has been covered with aluminum foil.
4. Pour sauce over your wings, leaving ¼ of it still in the bowl.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning once half way through.
6. Add wings directly into your leftover sauce and toss them to coat.
7. Then serve those guests of yours!!

The finished product with a side salad.

Stirring the spicy sauce for the chicken tenders.

I'm not frazzled just hungry.

The yummy ingredients sans honey which had already been put back into the cabinet.

My startling find at HEB!

My little sister watching me cook.