Diets Really Have No Place in a Fitness Lifestyle

Getting fit has nothing to do with going on a diet. In fact, I came up with an acronym for the 'diet' word and how it affects us:

D: Depressing
I: Illogical
E: Extreme
T: Taxing

How many times have you heard someone say they are on a diet? Diet trends are numerous and marketed ad nauseam. Diets may have a place in clinical scenarios but really not something for us regular people who may be sedentary or even active adults wanting to get back in shape.

Nutrition does play the largest role in our health and fitness. This doesn't mean restricting our calories by means of a fad diet is the way to a fitter body. It simply means eating better food for our goals. Actually not eating enough can work against us causing our body to hold onto fat stores.

Diets are also not lifetime sustainable because they can be too restrictive and remove important macronutrients from our daily food intake. We function best eating all macronutrients including lean proteins, healthy fats, and good carbohydrates. Any nutrition plan asking you to eliminate vital nutrients to reach your goals quickly should be a red flag. It may be tempting, but remember if something sounds too good to be true - it is.

Reducing fat and gaining muscle is not about eating less just eating right. Consuming nutrient-dense foods like vegetables, lean meats, whole grains, nuts, and seeds will enable you to reach your goals without feeling deprived. It does mean reviewing your current nutrition plan and changing up the food you eat.

Nutritious foods contain fewer calories allowing us the freedom to eat more and not feel guilty. When we start filling our plates with mostly vegetables and an appropriate portion of lean meat, counting calories can even be removed from the equation. Remember, no one ever got fat eating kale.

A healthy lifestyle is meant to be enjoyed and not to feel like a burden. Contrarily, diets can cause us to feel deprived and frustrated. Who enjoys drinking special shakes all day instead of eating real food? We are meant to cook, eat and enjoy real food. This is also called eating to live and loving every minute of it.

When we stop looking for quick fixes and forget about fad diets is when we can really be on our way to getting fit and healthy.

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I Allow For Moderation to Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle

Living a healthy lifestyle is not about restriction but allowing for moderation. It's not realistic to eliminate a favorite food forever from our diet. I consider my occasional splurges as treats and not even cheats. Because eating them in moderation is an enjoyable experience. It's called living a balanced healthy life.

I don't believe having a fresh baked brownie now and then is cheating on my fitness program. I follow a 90/10 rule consuming a wide variety of good carbs, lean proteins, and healthy fats 90% of the time. I allow for 10% indulgence like a glass of wine or dark chocolate. These small treats won't derail my efforts as many of us are taught to believe. It's what we do consistently that defines what our body looks like.

I will even apply the 80/20 rule eating healthy foods 80% of the time and allowing 20% for indulgence. This comes in handy when on vacation or during the holidays. I will not turn down a piece of my Mom's home-baked pie or biscuits with butter and honey ... are you kidding me?

I do feel indulgences need to be quality. I don't waste time on packaged process junk foods but will splurge on home baked goods made with real ingredients. I also enjoy a good burger, gourmet pizza, and frozen yogurt with toppings. When I treat myself, I still want to be in control of the quality of the food. I also don't believe in having a free ticket to binge on thousands of calories on splurge day. That is defeating the purpose of a splurge meal or day. If I want a burger and fries, I enjoy the meal and move on.

I don't plan a treat day either but listen to my cravings. I work hard, eat clean 80 to 90 percent of the time and know eating a slice of apple pie Ala mode is not going to break my fitness bank. I will savor every bite of my indulgence and eat slowly. I eat slowly anyway, but really take even more time when eating a treat.

Having treat meals are always a personal choice. Sometimes there are physiological and psychological issues to consider. Those suffering from emotional eating disorders may not be good candidates for treat meals and should be under the guidance of a physician. Also, newbie fitness adapters may not be able to manage treat meals just yet and succumb to past triggers and old behaviors. Medical issues like diabetes require food monitoring and certain treats may not be in their best interest.

I utilize treat meals for balance in my healthy lifestyle. Thinking we can sustain on boiled fish and broccoli is not realistic. I enjoy some sort of sweet treat or fun meal a couple of times weekly and still maintain a healthy body. It really comes down to how we apply treat meals. It's not a reward for being deprived all week or for completing a hard workout.

There is a place for eating healthy and allowing for treats in a healthy life. Living a healthy lifestyle shouldn't feel like a burden or deprivation. If that's the case, a review of your current nutrition plan is advisable. An unsustainable nutrition plan will cause many of us to return to unhealthy eating habits. Life is too short not to eat healthy and it's also too short not to enjoy some splurges along the way.

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How Fitness Can Be Lost With Two Little Words

How many times do we justify unhealthy choices using the 'it's only' intro? Whether it’s only five pounds more, a small bag of chips, or one missed workout, it's easy to keep going once we start. 

These two little words can be the start of losing our fitness. The occasional treat turns into daily choices leading us in the opposite direction of our fitness goals. The five pound gain turns into ten, two cookies are suddenly five, and several workouts somehow get missed. Two innocent words have suddenly derailed all our hard work. 

The 'it’s only' dilemma can happen at any time but appears to creep back into the picture once fitness results are achieved. What we thought wouldn't make a difference in our fitness has taken us back to an unhealthy lifestyle and body.

These two words are not as innocent as one might believe. Saying 'it's only' is only for those with a strong mental game who really mean it for one time.

Let’s look at the time it takes to break the cycle of sugar craving. This is approximately two weeks or twenty-one days. If a person is two days shy of that goal and decides to break the rules for its only one time, it could snowball into continued unhealthy eating. All that hard work down the drain. This is hypothetical but happens more often than not.

I am all about moderation but starting a healthy lifestyle requires structure and discipline. Success happens when we don't cave to thinking 'it's only' is acceptable. Why risk losing the accomplishments of several days/months of hard effort?

There's no denying two innocent words can take a person from success to digress in short order. Within a few weeks, we may stand in bewilderment wondering what happened. It happened because 'it’s only' became the tool used more consistently than healthy choices. 

Pay attention to that inner voice tempting you towards unhealthy food choices and skipped workouts. Be aware of friends and family who may sabotage your efforts with it's only for this one time. Besides, you deserve it, right? Wrong. What you deserve is making the best healthy choices for yourself.

Becoming aware of the two words (it's only) and how we use them to justify unhealthy choices is important to our fitness success. When we're able to identify the behavior, we can avoid setbacks in our fitness life. 

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Why I Focus on Eating Healthy Not Counting Calories

I stopped counting calories years ago. I simply made my focus eating healthy quality food each day. One of my favorite nutrition motivations is “no one has ever gotten fat eating too much kale.” I don't feel the need to keep track of my calories when I eat primarily nutrient-dense foods. The food I eat keeps me strong, healthy and feeling good and that's what matters. When your food is healthy, it promotes healthiness and appropriate body weight. 

I keep my refrigerator and pantry stocked with plenty of organic vegetables, fruits, yogurts, raw nuts, grains, and lean meats. I graze throughout the day eating small healthy meals every three hours. This keeps me satisfied and well-fueled for work and physical training. 

Maintaining a healthy body is about living a quality life. This means being concerned about the quality of food consumed. There's a big difference choosing to eat a fast food meal compared to an organic chicken breast with mixed greens. Healthy food is nutrient dense, fewer calories, and provides health benefits. It even looks like you're eating more when eating healthy because you are. 

This is a great example of why I don't bother counting calories. As long as I am eating meals like organic chicken and greens, the need and stress behind counting calories are pointless. I eat for health and listen to the cues of my body that tell me to fuel up.

I also apply a strategy when buying groceries. I shop the perimeter of the store and steer clear of the center aisles full of processed foods. Most grocery store setups are the same, produce to the right or left, dairy to the back and the meat counter on the opposite side. 

Part of my grocery shopping also means sticking to a grocery list. This allows me to stay on track and on the budget. I really enjoy the local farmer’s markets and shop those for organic produce as much as possible. I also love the organics at Costco.

I believe in keeping my food intake simple. Eating healthy gets a slam for being complicated and this is really untrue. How is eating chicken and vegetables complicated? The problem is not with the food but how we feel about making changes to our lifestyle. Am I right? 

Eating an organic apple and peanut butter is healthy food at its simple best. Not complicated at all and something we can all manage. Grilling or baking a chicken breast is another basic way to eat healthily. Nothing difficult in the process. Again, the issue is believing healthy eating is a burden or somehow doesn't taste good. 

If we could just get back to the basics of eating to live, eating real food, and not stressing about it so much. Our fast paced processed society is creating unhealthy overweight people. We have really strayed from how eating right and working hard was a normal part of living. 

Think about our ancestors, what they ate, how it was provided, and prepared. They worked hard physically growing crops, raising cattle and dairy all from their own land. It was freshly picked, cooked and consumed throughout the day. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner the way it should be. 

I realize many of us don't live on farms or even grow our own food. However, I do try to eat as close to farm to fork as I can. I eat to live and work hard for the food I eat. What I do count is quality when it comes to my calories and that works for me. 

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How I Maintain a Healthy Perspective About Fitness

I love eating healthy, being active and how I feel as a healthy woman. I adopted a healthy lifestyle years ago and never looked back. Today it's my state of being and natural existence.

My passion for health and fitness has become my occupation which is really a goal we should all have in life. When we do what we love, it really doesn't feel like work. It's a sharing and teaching of how I live my life. It feels awesome to be able to provide this gift to so many people.

I am realistic about health and fitness. I don't teach perfection but celebrate progress. Fitness is not about a restrictive lifestyle but a healthy balance of eating right 80 to 90 percent of the time and regular exercise.

I also don't believe in taking things to extremes where health would feel like a burden for me or anyone else. I encourage a strong and positive mental game and keeping health in perspective. When we enjoy our food intake and physical activity performed, it becomes a healthy happy life.

I am all about eating organic, non-GMO, and cooking at home. This allows me to be in control of what I'm eating and selective with cheat meals. Life and fitness are about balance and indulgence is part of the equation.

Being selective with splurges gives me the freedom to decide if my calories will go toward a favorite dessert or even an adult beverage. I certainly will not turn down a piece of my Mom's homemade lemon meringue pie. I also enjoy a nice glass of red wine during the week.

Workouts can be effective without being extreme and drawn out. I don't spend endless hours in the gym to maintain my body. I believe an effective workout can be completed in 60 minutes or less. I also feel my workouts are a healthy outlet and not a punishment for eating crappy. I make sure to get in 4-5 workouts per week with at least two recovery days. I would call my healthy lifestyle realistic, maintainable, and mentally positive.

I do my best to eat healthily and sometimes this means my food isn't always organic. Realistically, unless we're growing our own food in untainted soil, none of us are truly 100 percent organic consumers. We can get too complicated with food intake which is actually a problem with eating healthy today. As long as our focus is on doing the best we can, that is good enough.

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I Maintain a Fit Body Eating Lots of Carbs

To this day I dislike being called skinny. I have had my share of teasing as a kid and even into adulthood. Body shaming goes both ways in this life. What's important is loving yourself right where you are while working toward your goals. It wasn't until discovering how to build curves with resistance training that my life changed for the better.

I was blessed with my Dad's genetics and thankful, but it has been a challenge to put on weight including muscle. I am also constantly hungry and seem to burn up energy faster than the average person. I turn to healthy carbs to fuel my body and feel good throughout the day. I can feel lightheaded if I go too long without eating, especially carbs.

My metabolism seems to work faster than I can fuel it and it can be frustrating. Some say they can just look at food and gain 5lbs whereas if I look at food, my body says let's burn it up. I will not workout if I feel hungry and prefer to down a healthy meal before hitting the weights. I am definitely not a candidate for fasting to improve athletic performance or to reduce body fat.

I just so happen to be one of those people on the other side of the spectrum that works hard to gain weight. This doesn't mean I want to gain by eating lots of crap to achieve skinny fat. My goal is to pack on lean muscle mass by eating quality healthy carbs, lean proteins, and healthy fats.

Genetics do play a small role in our physical appearance, but we absolutely have the power to change things by what we eat and how we challenge our bodies. I work hard and eat to support my goals. I don't believe in diets nor do I teach that in my personal training practice.

Genetics may predispose us to obesity but that doesn't mean we are to accept it and not try to be a healthy person. The same goes for lean genetics like mine. We are all on this fitness journey together with differing body types and how they function. Regardless of our body makeup, it's important to put up a fight for what we want and not give up.

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Nutrition Plays the Largest Role in Achieving Fitness

What we eat plays the largest role in our health and fitness. Working out is a great compliment and necessary to create a balanced program. However, there are more hours outside the gym and in the kitchen making or breaking our fitness goals.

Eating right requires a fairly disciplined nutrition program consuming wholesome real food, mostly plants. This is not to say eating the occasional treat is off limits because that isn't realistic. Sticking to healthy eating 80 to 90% of the time is enough to maintain a fit and healthy body.

When eating right and exercise becomes a lifestyle, there is no stress or overthinking the process. We operate on auto-pilot doing what feel is natural and normal. We would feel weird eating crappy and suffer the consequences of not feeling good the next day.

Nutrient timing or eating superfoods every several hours is typical for those living a healthy lifestyle. There is not much thought in calorie counting or fear of eating too much but a focus on consuming quality nutrients. We take on an eat to live philosophy functioning at it's best without even realizing it. As long as the food is healthy, wholesome and nutrient-dense, we feel great eating it.

Keeping a food journal to start eating healthier can be a helpful tool. After awhile, you will find it's no longer required because you are simply living what you have learned.

Adopting healthy eating habits is a process so allow yourself to be a beginner. The goal is enjoying the process regardless of how long it takes. Results of eating right include feeling your best because our food is medicine, fuel, muscle building and stress relieving.

Eating healthy should be a simplistic and realistic way of living. Nutrition should never feel like a burden. It is really a fun adventure of change learning how to substitute unhealthy choices for healthier alternatives.

It is true we can't out exercise a crappy diet. Succumbing to food guilt and using exercise as a punishment is not the path to fix the issue. Learning how to eat right to achieve our fitness goals is the answer and there is never guilt connected to that.

Healthy food can also be considered preventative medicine. Eating wholesome food, mostly plants is shown to reduce inflammation, in turn reducing our risk of disease.

Want to feel better and improve your quality of life overall?  Start eating healthy. What we choose to eat and do daily is a choice. Our choices determine the type of life we want to live. Wishing for good health just doesn't happen, but when we apply the work is what creates positive change.

The effort to eat right becomes a habit which creates a healthy lifestyle. Eventually, you look back and don't even think about how hard it was but how great it feels now. Congratulations, you made it!

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More is Not Always Better to Achieve Your Fitness Goals

When it comes to fitness more isn't always better. Sometimes more exercise, supplementing more, and eating more protein can adversely affect our body. More is not better, better is better.

Getting fit and maintaining a healthy body is a simple process. It really doesn't require more fitness foods or grueling workouts to reach our goals. All it takes is a consistent effort of eating right and exercise. Quality over quantity.

Focused workouts utilizing differing energy systems of the body throughout the week is sufficient. What this means is mixing up cardio, weight training, core work and flexibility for a well-balanced program. Exercising at least 4-times per week is shown to maintain a healthy body according to research.

Active rest days are a great way to have fun when not performing a structured workout. Enjoy being active and healthy is the point.

Thinking about nutrition in a healthy way is also important. Eating more than is required of any macronutrient can backfire our good fitness intentions. Food is our fuel and muscle building tools. As long as we're keeping it healthy and eating lots of veggies, lean proteins and good fats we are on the right track. Eating more protein doesn't create more muscle. It is the symphony of eating healthy plus working our muscle stimulating lean mass gains.

We require a certain amount of each macronutrient and over-consumption of one can actually have adverse health effects, just as eliminating healthy foods can cause nutrient deficiencies. More is not better, better is better. Also, quality over quantity.

Spending hours in the gym thinking this is beneficial to your fitness is inaccurate. This is a perfect example of how many think more is better. Overtraining can have adverse effects on our body. No wonder a rapid state of burn-out is happening.

Over-use of joints and even muscle breakdown can occur when the body is overtrained. Overtraining syndrome is actually a thing and breaks down our immunities, prevents muscle growth, and puts unwanted stress on our body. Also, exercise addiction may occur for those feeling guilty eating off track and psychologically beating themselves up in the gym. Effective workouts are focused and effective taking no more than an hour to complete.

   

What it comes down to is being fitness smart and stop believing more is better. Embrace you are doing enough and enjoy the process of getting healthy.

Often times, basic, simple but challenging workouts provide the best results. We are able to maintain our bodies without overworking them to the point of burnout or injury.

Stay away from exercise gimmicks, fads, and nutrition myths. If it's too good to be true, it is. The only proven scientific claims to successful fitness are eating right and exercise. Fads and gimmicks are big money makers in the fitness industry. Do your homework.

The takeaway is simply to eat right, exercise consistently and enjoy a balanced life. This is true fitness and nothing more to it. More is not better, better is better.

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Getting Fit is an Incredible Opportunity

I read this motivation today and was instantly humbled and even more thankful for my health and fitness. This really puts fitness into perspective. Do we really have a right to complain about getting fit? There are so many who are unable to lift their body from a wheelchair.

Sometimes we can lose sight of what an incredible opportunity we have to get fit. Instead of looking at it as a burden, we should be spilling over with thankfulness for the opportunity.

Do you have a working body?  I do, and although I may have some medical limitations, I appreciate what I can do with what I have.

We live in a stressed up world and place much upon ourselves. We make life so busy that we're missing out on what is truly important. Health is a valuable gift we're supposed to take care of by what we do with our fitness.

Getting fit and healthy is a privilege just the same as growing older. If our mindset is not focused on the important stuff, we will live a life of chaos not to mention creating an unhealthy body.

Fitness goals require a positive attitude. Our body achieves what the mind believes. For example, instead of seeing meal prep as a burdensome task, be thankful for the health benefits you will receive from eating right.

The same goes for exercise. Is your life really so busy to not fit in a 30-minute workout? Really?! There are many who struggle just to walk. Try looking at your body as a beautiful gift and appreciate the awesome opportunity you have to get in shape.

It will be our mindset that carries us into the right way of thinking about getting fit. Our bodies will only go where our mind pushes us. Being able to exercise is truly something to be thankful for.

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Follow Your Own Fitness Path for Life Long Results

My daughter's 1st-grade teacher informed me she would always be a leader and not a follower. This still holds true 25-years later and such great advice. I think about her statement often and how it applies to health and fitness.

We all need to be leaders and not followers when it comes to our fitness and health. Following the path of someone else with differing goals just doesn't make sense. We are all unique in body, mind, and spirit. My goal isn't to be you and I hope this is true on your end.

I am a  skeptic when it comes to fitness miracles regardless of who is sharing the information. I refuse to follow the beliefs of others just because they heard it was the next best thing to sliced bread. Do you really think it's healthy to lose 20lbs in 5 days? That's craziness.

I feel the same way about exercise programs. I review fitness trends before agreeing with advertised claims of it being the newest and best workout ever.

What does impress me is solid research and leading myself with what works best for me nutritionally and physically. Everything else is just fluff until proven quality. Sure it takes work when you're a leader, but it's worth the time and effort. Don't you want to apply sound principles to your health and fitness program? There is so much crap out there that can actually hurt you and to not be aware of this fact is negligent.

Leaders also do not feel the need to compare. They are confident moving forward, regardless of how slow, with a tried and true fitness program.

Followers are more apt to give up and jump to the next new fitness trend hoping to achieve something from empty promises.

Leaders stand firm with dedication while followers get lost in the shuffle. Leaders will get lifelong results and followers will yo-yo through and typically end up right where they started or worse.

Science has already proven consistent healthy eating and regular exercise is the answer to good health. Leaders understand and accept this fact. Followers continue to struggle. They want fast and easy and desire the results worn by the leaders but are often unwilling to do the work.

It is so important to understand being a leader will be the success of your overall health and fitness. We all have differing things going on genetically, medically, and even emotionally. Accurate and successful fitness programs take specific and personal needs into consideration. This requires us not to compare our fitness to others and start directing our own path. Personal focus allows us to discover what works best for us.

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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.

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Fake Health Foods Lead to Fake Fitness

Health food and marketing is big business. Depending on the health food subject, this can stimulate a soapbox moment for me. We have been hit hard with no-fat, low-fat, no sugar, no calories, gluten free and now unhealthy organics are making headway.

Whatever current health food trend is happening, food companies are figuring out ways to dupe the consumer. Do you really believe organic Ruffles, Doritos and Cheese Puffs are healthy?  Really!?

Sadly, consumers believe them to be healthy and are loading grocery carts full of unhealthy organic food items. Chips are chips, organic or not and probably one of the worst things to put in your body. Other food items try to squeak by stating they are minimally processed, but processed is processed.

Store shelves are lined with convenient organic items and granted some may be fabulous, but most are not. The ingredients tell the real story for anything in a box, bag or wrapper. If you can't understand or pronounce what's on the ingredient label, you better believe it's a chemical sh*t storm.

Many fitness enthusiasts rely on protein and energy bars. Have you looked at those labels? Most are the same as eating a candy bar. Health bars are also available in organic versions but does it make them any better? Removing pesticides are great but what about all those additives, sugar, and salt?

When it comes to buying any food, rely on the ingredient label and look for understandable quality ingredients. Fewer ingredients are more when it comes to packaged products.

We need to become wise consumers and discontinue believing fake health food marketing schemes. Eating a bag of organic chips post workout isn't muscle recovery food. Reaching for that energy bar may not be the best choice, and forget the organic white pasta.

Real organic food is just that, real in its raw state. Sometimes organics can even look ugly with blemishes and it ripens quickly. We need to get back to and understand real and whole organic food is what will keep us healthy.

We obtain optimal fitness, improved athletic performance, fat loss and muscle gain when we feed our body the good stuff.  Just because the label says organic, fat-free, gluten-free or any "free" doesn't mean healthy.  Be a wise shopper and eat what you understand. Keep it real and Stay Healthy!

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Fitness is a Constant State of Change

Change is necessary, can be a challenge, and inevitable. Sometimes we have no control over change as with the aging process or certain illness. What we can control are changes making us healthier people. That means taking an honest look at our lifestyle. What are we eating and are we exercising? How do we implement all this change? 

Change is a big part of this journey of life. None of us are exempt from the constant changes needed to make our situation better. Did you know our bodies change at every level each day without our knowledge?  

Personally, I have undergone a lot of change in this life as an athlete. My healthy lifestyle enabled me to face many physical challenges. One of the toughest physical changes was rehabilitation from injury. It required perseverance not to give up, and acceptance of not being able to perform athletically as before. 

The inevitable change often difficult for me presently are the changes occurring with the aging process. No amount of exercise is going to stop hormonal shifts and other changes I have posted about going through menopause. This transition or "the change" in life is definitely proving to be a challenge.   

We are all aging each day and our bodies changing through the process. When I was younger I didn't think too much about it. Being over 50, I can get overwhelmed by the different way I feel in menopause. I am sure many of you can relate. 

Both men and women face the inevitable changes occurring with the aging process. Whether prostate issues for men or night sweats for women, it's a situation that can add frustration to life. 

I am open about everything health related. I feel issues, even those topics that may fall into the taboo to be discussed in public are fair game. In fact, I hope we can all agree that sensitive subjects relating to health need to be addressed and shared. Why? Many people are searching for answers or at least support to not feel alone in their experience. If Dr. Oz can discuss the perfect poop shape, vaginal dryness, and orgasms, then for crying out loud, I am surely going to talk about it. 

All change can feel difficult, or extremely fantastic depending on the situation. Adapting a healthy lifestyle through eating nutrient dense foods and regular exercise will bring about a healthy body. Feeling and functioning better can be experienced pretty quickly with these changes. Although the process can feel like a challenge, eventually the change will provide an overall healthy state of mind and wellbeing.  

Change occurring with injury or illness is harder to accept and embrace, at least in the beginning. I found that it takes hard work, lots of patience, and faith first and foremost. Also, the will to want to become healthier and better no matter what that looks like. Our life may be modified but our health can still be optimal. I discovered, the only disability that exists in life is the one existing in our mind. 

The inevitable change of aging is also an area which will require patience and acceptance. We're all becoming new people every day with all this change. We don't always need to feel great about the aging process but it is a transition we need to accept. I'm not saying to celebrate hot flashes and lowered libidos because this is no fun for anyone. Our body is making hormone adjustments our thinking brain hasn't caught up to yet. It's simply our time to cut ourselves some slack and embrace the journey.

The important thing is to change those things we can control to become healthier people and let go of the rest.   

  

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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!  

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Be well and Stay Healthy!

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