Our Daily Choices Define Our Fitness

Being fit is not a temporary condition but fills our entire day and life. The motivation to get in shape may have initiated with bikini season or an event. The fitness results, however, should be life long.

Unfortunately many settle back into old unhealthy habits, but that's not the way fitness is supposed to work. We are living not realizing life is the event we are getting fit for.

I approach my fit lifestyle with a plan. My energy is highest in the morning, so I schedule my workouts accordingly. Starting my day with exercise enables me to feel great for the remainder of my 24/7 fitness shift.

The workout is not the only part of staying lean and muscular. Planning my nutrition plays a major role in maintaining my body. I have lots of healthy food ready to go and follow a 90/10 nutrition plan. I may relax some on the weekend shifting down to 80/20 allowing for a few treats. I also drink plenty of water and consider it an essential nutrient.

Fitness doesn't end at the workout but includes the 23-hours after sweating your butt off. Working out daily and turning around eating crappy on the regular isn't the definition of being fit. What we choose to eat, hours of sleep and even our stress levels determine our fitness.

When fitness becomes a habit, the healthy behavior is done without thought and going through the motions come naturally. Being fit is not a pretend or fake lifestyle. Your body always knows the truth of your actions. In fact, those who are closest to you will know exactly how you're living and if it represents health and fitness.

The choices we make throughout the day determine our fitness. When we adopt a fit lifestyle, it just feels normal. We don't think, we just do and it feels right. We are living our best life and feeling great about it. Our body represents the life we choose to live and what we do today affects today but also all our tomorrows.

Thanks for stopping by my Blog. Don't forget to subscribe and never miss a free update!

Be well and Stay Healthy

             

Read More →

Why Do We Complicate Fitness?

The only hard thing about fitness is negative thoughts about the process. We convince ourselves a boring diet is needed and endless hours of exercise are required. We go as far as considering it a burden and a cramp in our lifestyle. Instead of turning our nose up at the very thought of getting healthy, maybe rethinking the process is all that's needed.

Do you think people decades ago farming for a living to survive working from sunrise to sunset worried about a diet? They may have spent hours doing physical labor, but it was a lifestyle and eating healthy was part of it. Nothing complicated, just some sweat, and eating home cooking straight from the garden. Their bodies represented how they lived. Unfortunately, this has been replaced by couch potato channel surfing, stuffing our faces with processed food and diets that don't work.

Getting fit doesn't take a miracle diet and certainly isn't a secret to accomplishing the goal. The problem is within our thoughts and unrealistic expectations. You want to lose 20 pounds in a week and look like a fitness model. Not going to happen. We also want the process to be an easy quick fix requiring no workouts and drinking magic shakes while remaining on our sofas. Wake up America!

Being fit and healthy is really simple. Eat greens, grains, lean meats, healthy fats, drink lots of water and exercise at least 3 times per week. Nothing hard about it and it's not a diet. Why is this process considered boring, tasteless, and the end of fun in life? Society and marketing have done a great job brainwashing people to believe a load of crap.

Eating a fresh organic crisp apple or perfectly grilled chicken breast are not what I call horrible. Are you kidding me?  Remember eating celery stuffed with peanut butter? Now that's a healthy treat full of flavor and fun. Being fit will take tossing the food myths and getting real with your thoughts about health. It will also require you to move your butt off the couch and into the gym. Exercise is what you enjoy. Love basketball? Start playing. Enjoy dancing?  Look into a Zumba class. I like to use the jungle gyms at parks and play around on those doing pull-ups, step-ups, and triceps dips for example. No more excuses or belief that fitness is complicated. It's time we all embrace the simplicity of the process and have fun on the journey.

Thanks for stopping by my Blog and don't forget to subscribe and never miss a free update!

Be well and Stay Healthy!

             

Read More →

Losing the Last Ten Pounds

The last ten pounds can be a struggle. The scale stops budging and frustration has taken over. The stress of it all is putting the adrenal glands on overdrive. A cortisol rush is the last thing our body needs when trying to lose the last ten pounds. Studies show chronic stress and cortisol release hinders our ability to lose weight.

Plateaus are normal for all of us living a healthy lifestyle. Many don't realize food intake and exercise programming require constant review and change. If the plan doesn't work, change the plan but never the goal. 

Remain positive and progressive with your fitness regardless of what the scale says. Many factors are at play when the body stops showing results. Usually, a simple review and program change are all that's required to gets things moving again. 

Things to consider: 

• Are you eating enough? The body knows when it's not getting enough fuel. If we restrict too many calories, our body will refuse to give up any fat stores. The body sees stored fat as energy necessary for life and exercise.  

• Are you being true to your nutrition program? Many fall back into unhealthy eating habits and are even in denial about it. Our body knows what we're eating and will respond with weight gain.  

• Are you exercising less? Reducing exercise will significantly affect your ability to lose weight. Energy out needs to be more than energy in to experience a caloric deficit resulting in weight loss. Take time to review your priorities and determine if exercise has taken a backseat. 

• Are you burned out? This is normal and happens to most of us living a healthy lifestyle. Adding variety to workout programs and healthy foods is important to keep us motivated. 

The last ten pounds can be a challenge but also a learning opportunity. We can become frustrated and throw in the towel, or change our strategy and get back on track. It's important to take one day and one pound at a time. Feel proud of daily efforts taking you closer to your fitness goals. The last ten pounds will respond to what you're willing to do to be rid of it, or keep it. It still comes down to choices and changes.

Recharging the mental battery is a great way to stay motivated to keep going. You can do it!  

Thanks for stopping by my Blog. Don't forget to subscribe and never miss a free update. 

Be well and Stay Healthy!

Read More →

Achieving a Lean Body is Possible for Everyone

Achieving a lean and healthy body is possible for all of us. We have the ability to do what it takes to make it happen. It doesn't cost lots of money, require anything special, not even a gym membership. We can achieve a lean body naturally by choosing a healthy lifestyle. The choices we make each day determine what our body will look and feel like.

Consistency with eating right, exercise, plenty of rest, water and decreased stress will help create the body we want. It starts with our grocery lists and foods we buy to maintain our physique. If we're buying processed sugar filled food products then we will create an unhealthy body. It really is that simple but many of us refuse to change this basic part of living. The same goes for exercise. If you're not taking care of your body with a regular fitness program, it will let you know through injury or stiffness.

We can lean up naturally by purchasing healthy foods and eating at home most of the time. Our hard earned dollars will be well spent on healthy food instead of fake products. This way we know what and how much we're eating and at a cost saving. Eating healthy 80 percent of the time will result in reduced body fat and overall leaner look. Reducing alcohol consumption to no more than 1 to 2 times per week will make this happen even faster. Drinking plenty of water will also speed up the process.

No gym membership required to get up and move that body! You can even start burning extra calories by taking a brisk walk for 30 minutes several times per week. Add in a few push-ups, squats, crunches and stretching to create an at home program to build muscle. Achieving a lean body is not complicated or expensive. It's our daily choices and actions that control what we look like inside and out. We all have the ability, but the choice is always up to each of us.

Thanks for stopping by my Blog. Don't forget to subscribe and never miss a free update.
           

Be well and Stay Healthy

Read More →

I Want to Motivate You to Get Fit

Are you motivated to get fit? What does your fitness and nutrition program look like? What changes are you making to get closer to your fitness goals? The holidays are around the corner and probably the best time to adopt a healthy lifestyle. It will prepare you to make better food selections, reduce portion sizes and get in some workouts.

I am here to motivate you to adopt a healthy lifestyle by providing nutrition and exercise tips. Although I'm a guide and not a goal, it's nice to see what other fitness professionals are eating to maintain a lean and healthy body.

My typical daily food intake:

Meal 1: 
1-2 cups coffee
Organic whole grain toast with natural peanut butter and fruit spread.
Meal 2:
1/2 cup Greek plain yogurt with 1/2 cup organic blueberries or warmed apple, 1/4 cup flax meal. Mix and eat.
Meal 3:
Lean turkey and avocado sandwich on a thin bun with 1 slice Havarti cheese and basil pesto.
Meal 4:
Grilled fish (3-4oz), roasted assorted veggies
Meal 5:
1/2 cup cottage cheese or Hummus with Marys Gone Crackers
note: I strive to drink 1 gallon of water per day

My typical workouts:

My workouts are varied and limited to one hour 4-5 times per week. I find being over 50 my body requires more recovery time. My exercise programs may look like this in any given week:

Day 1: warm up, resistance training of large muscle groups (back, chest, legs), stretch
Day 2: cardio (1mile on ARC Trainer) core work and stretch
Day 3: warm up, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) for 30 minutes, stretch
Day 4: active rest day
Day 5: warm up, resistance training of 1 large muscle group (legs) combined with shoulders and arms, stretch
Day 6: warm up, high rep light weight or body weight training, stretch
Day 7: active rest day

Eating right and exercise is essential for a successful fitness program. Allow yourself to be a beginner and progress each day. Results aren't immediate and remaining realistic and positive through the journey is important.

Pay attention to your fitness level and be prepared to change it up when things start feeling easy. Variety in your workouts also prevents burnout. The body is very adaptable to routine exercise. Ensure muscle confusion by changing up your workout programs. This will not only fire up the muscle fibers in a different way but also bring a new mental outlook to your routine.

Most importantly is to have fun with your fitness. Enjoyable workouts and healthy foods keep you coming back for more. A positive mental game will promote an active lifestyle!

Thanks for stopping by my Blog. Don't forget to subscribe and never miss a free update.

Be well and Stay Healthy

Read More →

There are No Free Rides to Fitness

Nothing happens without putting in some effort.  Sorry, no free rides to fitness. The choice is ours to make and we must accept the consequences of that decision. We can either choose to be miserable and unhealthy or healthy and happy. Our body will represent our choices. The answer seems so simple but many of us resist being healthy tooth and nail. People somehow feel fitness is a burden that removes all the fun in life. I find this perplexing.

How is feeling sick, tired, and in pain all the time a fun daily existence? Does this make any logical sense? Why is offering up some time, sweat and eating healthy food looked upon as the worst thing ever? Let's wake up America and embrace loving our body with what needs to be done to turn this around.

Fitness happens when we make it a priority, feed our body the right stuff, and exercise a few times per week. It's not rocket science nor does it cost lots of money. There's also room for indulgence, rest, and play. The vicious rumors of fitness not being fun are myths. The quick fix marketing schemes blasted everywhere want you to believe these myths to get their hands on your hard-earned cash. Sadly, many consumers fall for the unregulated snake oil companies are serving up with a smile. Fitness isn't about quick anything but a lifestyle of consistent healthy habits.

Ready for the fitness secret that's not a secret? Get your backside to the gym and workout, eat some greens, grains, lean meat, and drink lots of water. This is the payment for health and fitness. It's not hard and actually enjoyable once you get your mind right. Also, if you want a cookie, eat a darn cookie. Health and fitness mean living a balanced life. Being fit is not a brutal life of diets and exercise punishment. On the contrary, it's working out and eating right because it makes us feel good and healthy.


Thanks for stopping by my Blog. Don't forget to subscribe and never miss a free update!

Be well and Stay Healthy

     

Read More →

Train Smarter not Harder

I like to make the most of my precious time. This means having a focused exercise program that fits into my schedule and works best for my body.

I believe in quality and not quantity when it comes to workouts. I perform exercises that challenge me but without risk of injury. It's not a fun place to be when exercise causes an injury. Especially when it stops me from doing what I like to do. 

I don't even like to feel a nagging pain caused by a certain exercise I should have avoided. I kick myself when my drive to perform gets in the way of listening to what my body is telling me at the time. It's those types of constant and repetitive things that can bring about a chronic issue. I say no thank you to that. What it comes down to is training smarter and not harder.

I don't need to prove anything to anyone with my fitness. I do want to maintain a healthy body that not only looks good but feels great for the rest of my life. What that means is keeping my routine simple, smart, and effective to get the job done. This is all I do to keep my body healthy, happy, and feeling good overall. 

Our bodies are fabulous machines that appreciate smart maintenance through quality movement and premium fuel for energy. A body that's in a constant state of overtraining using poor exercise technique will experience wear and tear. Eventually, this type of work will break down and create a body that doesn't feel good in the years to come. 

Smart training consists of challenging the anaerobic and aerobic systems, strength and endurance, stabilization and flexibility of our bodies. Simple programs can accomplish all of these goals and are necessary to create and maintain a healthy physique. 

The challenge doesn't have to be gut-wrenching feel like death kind of stuff. We simply need to push our bodies above the physical limits of what is considered our normal status.  Standing would turn into brisk walking for 30-minutes for example, or WOGing (walk/jogging). Combine that with resistance training and a stretch program to create a smartly balanced fitness program.   

When physical training is looked at simply and smarter, it doesn't feel so overwhelming. When the hard is taken out of the equation, a whole different mental game can be applied. A positive outlook of “I can do this” now enters the picture. 

Training smart makes creating exercise programs an easier process to best fit our bodies. It also gives us the results that make us healthy people. The goal is always to become our best healthy self each day. Wanting to accomplish this goal feels good when we apply smart training methods. 

Thanks for stopping by my Blog. Don't forget to subscribe and never miss a free update.

Be well and Stay Healthy

Read More →

Take Fitness on Vacation

Just because we go on vacation doesn't mean we should toss fitness out the window. It's important to keep up some physical activity and healthy eating during vacay. What if we're enjoying an extended month vacation? Eating completely off track and halting our workouts would result in fat gain, some muscle atrophy and feeling like crap.


We would not be happy with ourselves especially if fitness is our lifestyle. Besides, we're not taking a vacation from our health and fitness. Time off means stepping away from our daily work routine. It's a time to relax, forget about time clocks, and breathe in some freedom from everyday stress.

Vacations are not for the purpose of binge eating and moving like a sloth. When did this thought process start happening? It appears vacay has become an unhealthy food planning extravaganza.

I'm not saying to snub indulgences. That's unrealistic and by all means, we should all enjoy our choice favorites. What shouldn't happen is a complete drop the ball on healthy food intake.

My push-ups split with swim interval

The same goes for exercise, especially on extended vacations. If time away is only for the weekend, skipping the workouts would not be such a big deal. However, ten days or longer should include some fun physical activity.

I recently returned from a boating vacation and was able to balance indulgence, workouts, and healthy food intake. I made sure to swim a lot and use the boat creatively for exercise. I also planned healthy meals grilled on the boat.

Cheers!

My indulgences included bloody marys, brownies, and barbecued chips. Since I was active, on vacation and eating in proper portion sizes, I didn't even give a thought to eating off track. This is what I'm talking about with balance, fitness, and vacation.

Enjoy your time, but maintain your healthy lifestyle. Drop to the 80/20 rule to allow for indulgences. Refuse to give into mindless food frenzies. It does take a choice and looking at vacay with a fresh healthy mindset. Going on a trip? Remember to take your fitness on vacation.



A few more exercise and healthy foods typical of our boat vacations:

Pull-ups/swim interval

Core work/swim interval

Grilled Salmon

Filet Mignon

                                                                                                                  

                                      
Can a hair test determine our fitness along with foods and supplements best for our body? Read my recent article on this popular subject.

What Does a Hair Sample Say About My Fitness

Are you living well or Very well? Check out my Sports Nutrition page on the network and start implementing a healthy lifestyle!

Thanks for stopping by my Blog and don't forget to subscribe below and never miss a free update:

             DON'T MISS MY FREE UPDATES

Nothing Better than Morning Coffee on the Boat

Read More →

Find Your Motivation Mojo

Have you found Motivation Mojo when it comes to improving your health? Finding our motivation is an important step when it comes to fitness so we enjoy the journey. 

Let me ask what motivates you in the image below: the left image, center image, the right image, neither images and why?

I'm not going to wow you with a huge before and after weight loss story, or a long list of bikini titles. I will share my journey to health involves one of great physical and emotional adversity. Also, taking care of my health and being a woman of faith has been a huge factor in the woman you see in the above images. 

Some may not be motivated by visual images and respond more to the written word: YOU CAN DO IT, FIND YOUR STRONG, or BE YOUR BEST HEALTHY YOU for example. Regardless of what suits your motivational fancy when it comes to fitness, the important thing is to just get yourself going.  

I will not tell you it will be easy because there are days when it will be straight up hard. I'm speaking from personal experience. We all struggle with tough days of keeping it healthy.  I'm relating to you on a very personal level. At the same time, I want to stress the importance of living the healthiest life you can. We only have one life with no playbacks. 

There has been so much controversy over the image of health. This is why I opened with an interactive exercise of wanting to know your mental game when it comes to visual motivation. I didn't add the famous “what’s your excuse” tag, although I am a no excuses trainer and coach. I don't accept that anyone is too busy to take care of their health, and that includes me. 

Being a very busy woman and if the day only allows a 20-minute workout then I do that. Exercise doesn't have to be some long duration program lasting over an hour. In fact, studies have shown the greatest benefit of exercise is achieved within the first 30-minutes. Also, 45-minutes of focused exercise is sufficient to maintain a healthy body. I adhere to this philosophy and keep my exercise sessions limited to 45-minutes and no more than 5 times per week. 

How do you find your Motivation Mojo?  Get out a piece of paper and write down your active passions … fun things you like to do. It's time to get off the couch, dance your pants off in the living room, go hiking, play games with the kiddos and dogs. What is it that makes you happy and will ensure you keep coming back for more?  No more exercise is a burden stuff. Let’s turn that around and create a plan you can maintain for a lifetime.  Share your Mojo in the comment section and I look forward to reading and responding to all of your shares. 

Thanks for stopping by my Blog, and don't forget to subscribe and never miss a free update!

 

Be well and Stay Healthy

                                                                          

Read More →

FITNESS NEWS FLASH … WORK REQUIRED AND NEVER OPTIONAL

Life does not promise easy, fair, fun, happiness, or even health.  In fact, life is hard and guess what, work is required and never an option.  It is up to each one of us to create the lifestyle that we live and this is not going to be found in a jar, pill, powder, or shake.  If popping a “fit pill” was the answer to all things magical and provided the body of our dreams inside and out, then I definitely would not need to write this blog.  The facts are in and they have been for decades that the way to obtain a fit physique is through consistent healthy food intake, regular exercise, plenty of rest, water, and balance of life. 

The “want it now” society tries every side-step method to achieve what can only be done through sweat producing work.  There is not a pill or shake that is going to teach a person how to shop and select healthy foods for life and they will surely not sprout legs and exercise so that we consume the activity benefits.  What usually does occur with quick fix programs is possibly some weight loss due to very low calorie diets and bodies that are running on empty experiencing negative side effects like dizziness, blood sugar and pressure issues, and nutrient deficiencies just to name a few.  Frustration and discouragement typically follow as the program just does not feel good and studies have shown that any weight lost is put back on plus more. 

Work goes with life, supplying our needs and wants.  We want things so we work for them, and the same is true of our health.  Health comes at the price of time, energy, and simply eating healthy food.  The work is challenging and that is a great thing because it does change us, makes us stronger and better able to enjoy our body and life overall.   We can no longer think that tricking health through gimmicks and potions is acceptable.  That would be comparable to owning the golden goose and not having to put in our eight to five for a living.  We are no strangers to what work feels like and it can be rewarding and provide an overwhelming feeling of accomplishment.  The results of hard work are being able to achieve and have what we want and desire in life, and is never optional.  If having a healthy fit body is the desire, put in the work and see what happens.   

Darla Leal, Fit at 50

Thanks for stopping by my Blog, hope you enjoy the content, and if you have not become a follower yet, I would love to see your face on my friend's list, or if you want to receive my free updates, use the button below to select your feed preference. I look forward to responding to your comments and appreciate your shares.

             DON'T MISS MY FREE UPDATES

Read More →