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.

Thanks for stopping by my Blog. 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 →

NO ONE BUT YOU CAN MAKE HEALTH HAPPEN

In this world of comparison and getting pissed off at her or him for seeming to accomplish everything, and then spewing “what’s your excuse” in our faces, it’s no wonder women and men alike are throwing up their arms in frustration and happily giving a bird salute attitude at achieving fitness goals.  

Put on the brakes here and look at what has happened.  Letting others control what is best for our health and fitness is out right wrong, and does nothing for us.  That being said, why are we allowing people or media so much control over our decision making to create a healthy, happy life when they have little to no concern or care for us?  Why so pissed about it?  What it comes down to is that no one but you can make health happen.  You know that saying that goes, “whether you do or you do not, you are right.”  Well, that is true and the choice to get healthy lies squarely on your shoulders.  There is no amount of jealousy, blaming others, or putting up defensive posture because others are doing what you are not willing, that will get you closer to your health and fitness goals. 

It does not matter how busy you are, I am, he or she is, because we all can say that we are too busy to carve out that very important exercise hour, and plan and prep healthy food time.  The “what’s your excuse” phrase does hit hard and can ruffle the feathers, especially when it comes from family and friends.  When it comes from the media, it is easier to be judgmental and hide behind our computers commenting on how cushy her or his life is and how they have the time to get it done.  I say bullshit to that and start accepting responsibility for our actions, stop comparing to others, and who gives a crap what anybody’s excuse is.  What is important are the excuses that we are making and why.  It is time to tune into self and let go of insignificant negative drama that weighs down our positive minds.  No one but you can make the choices to move past the excuses and the feelings that keep you from getting healthy. 

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.

Stay Healthy!

                                                                                DON'T MISS MY FREE UPDATES

Read More →

MOVE IT for 30 MINUTES

Exercise does not have to be extreme to be effective.  When it comes to our health and fitness, it is not a competition, but a lifetime maintenance body program.  There may be those who have certain goals and need to perform above the maintenance requirement, but in general creating a healthy ROCKIN body can be accomplished by moving it for 30 minutes at least five days per week.  Most of us want to feel and look good in and out of clothes with a simple exercise routine that does not require leaping over tall buildings in single bounds and lifting hundreds of pounds of weight.  I am not knocking those doing the leaping, heavy lifting, or extreme sports with this Blog, but addressing the norm demographic of everyday people who just want to get healthy and look healthy.

Studies have shown that 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity such as brisk walking is sufficient to maintain a healthy body, and spread over time throughout the week.  It would be reduced to 75 hours per week if the exercise is vigorous like running or attending an aerobics class.  Also recommended is weight resistance training two days per week, and although the guidelines are not quite as thorough with duration on this one, I personally keep my weight training sessions to no more than 45 minutes including my warm up and stretch time.  What that means is if you move that body for 30 minutes five days per week while maintaining a healthy nutrition program, you will see results or maintain an already in shape physique.  Everyone has 30 minutes to give to their health regardless of any excuse thrown down on the table.  If health and fitness is a priority, the exercise will be a priority and that is the simple truth of it. 

The best part about getting our sweat on for 30 minutes is making it our own.  When we create physical activities that are enjoyable, that is what builds a lifestyle of physical activity.  If the outdoors suits your fancy, lace up the tennis shoes or hiking boots and find some fun trails, and if using cardio equipment while watching a show or listening to music floats your boat, that works just as well.  The heart muscle only understands the demands of exercise being placed on it, not what you are specifically doing if that is a question you are pondering.  Sweat is sweat, a mile is a mile, and 30 minutes is 30 minutes and what you do to increase the heart rate at a moderate level for that amount of time is up to you.  The point is to just MOVE IT!

It really comes down to getting back to the basics of exercise and keeping it simply fun, and a part of our everyday life.  The latest trend of extreme this or that, no pain means no gain, or work until you bleed program will never become the maintenance body program that will carry us from where we are now into our elder years. There is much controversy with these types of programs and some are used to fit specific athletic goals, but not what the laymen person is looking for to get healthy and overall improve quality of life.  I am trying to motivate everyone to just MOVE IT FOR 30 MINUTES as a start, and not get caught up in the hype of fad exercise movements that may look absolutely amazing, but are not the “only way” to achieve healthy results.  There lies the confusion of interpretation that the only way to achieve a smoking hot body is to do this type of new trend or fad workout.  Believing that there is only one way to achieve something creates a very boring world and variety is truly the “spice of life.”

Working in this industry for over 30 years, I have come to appreciate more and more the simplicity of health and fitness, and that it truly does not require as much time as one might think to be a healthy person.  I never exceed a one hour block of time in my workouts and often I am reduced to the “move-it for 30-minute” program because it fits with my work schedule.  As long as I challenge my body, it feels good, and I am focused on quality of movement, I am accomplished and start my day energized.  Getting caught up in the stress of what we think exercise is according to the media scares many off with feelings of intimidation and inadequacy, and stopping people before they even start.  Crap, some of the things I see scare me as well, but the thing to remember is not to believe everything you read or see, and stick to searching for what works for you.  Keep it simple, don’t stress or sweat the small stuff, and all of us do have the time to just MOVE IT for 30 MINUTES.

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.  If you are inspired, LIKE my entry, leave a comment and I look forward to responding!

Read More →

THE FOOD JOURNAL DILEMMA

The dreaded food journal can be your best friend and accountability partner when it comes to implementing a healthy nutrition program.  I have heard it all when it comes to fitness and food journals and the love/hate relationship that keeping track of food intake can cause. The problem is really not the food journal, but it is the issue of not being honest with ourselves.  When life is going great and our program is on track, we gladly write down every healthy morsel placed in our face with a smile and will even share the exciting events that are producing the positive results.  

On the other side of that coin is the need to hide or even toss our journals to the curb as temptations to go “off plan” creep into the program.  It is almost as if we convince ourselves that being unhealthy is not happening if it is not written down in the journal.  Believe me, you can run but your body will not hide the consequences of unhealthy choices.  The fact is the food journal wants to know all the dirty little secrets whirling around in our heads: our thoughts, if we are having triggers, cycle approaching, crappy day, or anything else that may send us into an unhealthy eating pattern.  Often times using the food journal as an emotional outlet helps to resolve behaviors that may occur, and allows us to get back on track sooner than later.

Giving our food journal the stink eye for poor food choices is not where that stare should be placed.  Living a healthy lifestyle is a personal choice and responsibility that we all need to realize.  If our fitness programs are off track that is on each of us and we need to own the consequences of those choices.  Keeping secrets from our food journal does nothing to help in a positive way, and in fact will prevent us from reaching the goals of a healthy body.

We can come up with all kinds of reasons to not journal our food intake: pain in the ass, waste of time, it’s not working, controls me too much, refuse to feel micromanaged, and the list goes on.  The food journal needs to stop getting the bad rap for our poor food choices, and the fact that it is not working is about the dishonesty that is occurring when we cheat on the journals.  Studies have shown weight loss success and overall health improvement when food and fitness journals are in place.  It is our unwillingness to take our health seriously that prevents us from reaching our goals.  When we cheat on the food journal we only cheat ourselves and it is true “what we eat in private, we wear in public”. Also, we are walking bill boards of the type of life we live, healthy or unhealthy.

We have the choice to view the food journal as friend or foe, and that choice will determine how serious we want to reach our goals and live a healthy life.  If we view the food journal as a friend that will always be there and never let us down, the success rate of weight loss and overall health improvement would increase by a great margin.  I believe it is time to do what we can to be accountable to a healthy lifestyle and although it may be difficult to see the real stuff behind our choices when we journal, it is necessary to make the changes that will get us going in a healthy direction.  Friends should be able to offer constructive criticism and have it be accepted in a positive way without defensiveness.  The food journal is there to do that very thing: show you what has gone wrong, where you can improve, and ultimately help you make better choices for living a healthy lifestyle. 

Heather Agnew Photography

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.  If you are inspired, LIKE my entry, leave a comment and I look forward to responding!

Stay Healthy!

Darla

Read More →

SABOTAGE STEALS SUCCESS

Sabotage is a strong word to describe the behavior that can sneak into our life and steal the success that healthy eating and exercise has provided our bodies.  It can come in the form of our own thoughts, an unsupportive spouse, friend, and even co-workers. The important thing is to be on guard so that the forms of sabotage can be recognized and dealt with in a way that is healthy, and keeping us on track with our fitness goals. I am not addressing the occasional cheat meal or even day, I am talking about a chronic issue of falling into a trap of being swayed away from a healthy lifestyle, and allowing that to happen.

Living a healthy lifestyle takes mental strength and a loving commitment to maintain our best self through consistent healthy choices each day. Let’s address self-sabotage and how it can creep into our mind and try to convince that “just this once” or “just a few bites” can become part of the healthy plan.  The issue with this type of sabotage is that it does not stop at the “just once or a few bites”.  Often times, this mindset flows into several days, weeks, and even months, and before it is over, the weight loss achieved is back up to where it started, and possibly more than the initial weight. Convincing ourselves that eating crap on a regular basis is never a good thing for our bodies, and remaining on guard so that self-sabotage can be recognized and dealt with immediately is crucial to stay on track with our fitness and health goals. Keeping a daily fitness journal is a helpful accountability tool to keep us on track.

Another sabotage culprit is that wonderful person you live with until death do you part.  Love has nothing to do with sabotage of this type and the non-supportive spouse may not get the whole new health thing or does and is struggling with acceptance of your new healthy lifestyle.  There are many relationships like this and living a healthy lifestyle becomes difficult, as the processed foods and other temptations continue to hide in your pantry and refrigerator.  Sometimes, a spouse turned healthy and leaving the other behind can cause friction in the relationship as guilt trips occur over the change in lifestyle.  It is so important to realize that each person is ready when they are ready and force-feeding a new healthy lifestyle on your spouse will only drive a wedge in the relationship.  As the one wanting to live a healthy lifestyle, model by example, and when the cupcakes come calling, politely say “no thank you” and grab a yogurt and piece of fruit to eat along with your partner. Mental strength has to be on overtime in these circumstances as there will be a daily guarantee of temptation.  Keep that promise of creating your best healthy self and great positive attitude, and almost assuredly your spouse will eventually join you.  Patience will be your best friend here.

Sabotage among friends exists and it can be ugly.  Creating a healthy lifestyle will mean making hard choices and dismissing ourselves from possible temptations that will steal our accomplishments. Some friends may not understand that you no longer want to eat processed foods or drink alcohol all night long, and are happy to provide the peer pressure to get you to fold on your commitment to self.  A strong mental game is definitely a requirement and sometimes a request of support from your friend will be necessary.  A true friend will understand and come alongside of such an important decision and one that does not care will continue to sabotage your efforts. If you continue to hear that it is OK to let your hair down and relax with your program on a continual basis from a so-called friend, you may want to re-think the motives of this friend.  It is unfortunate, but jealousy does exist and can rear an ugly head during such times, and some may not be able accept that your body is changing in beautiful positive ways.  The important thing in this type of situation is to be true to you, regardless of what is said or pressure felt.  Going out can be limited to a glass of wine and water in addition to healthy food selection.  Continue to enjoy your life and implement the healthy choices and the rest will take care of itself.

It seems like there is no safe place for the healthy person to hide from the forms of sabotage and the workplace is no stranger to being involved.  Do you have a break-room filled with daily temptation, or that co-worker who always brings the donuts and gladly sets one on your desk? Put up the mental defense when it comes to accepting sabotage at work because you do have more control here.  Bringing a cooler filled with your healthy planned meals will keep your fingers off the bagels and cream cheese with a side of cookies.  Be stronger than the saboteur and say “thanks but no thanks” to the invitation of work indulgence eating.  If a strong mental game is not put into play, visiting the break-room can become a daily occurrence with the results showing up on the waist line, and a complete derail of the healthy lifestyle you want to implement.

Thanks for stopping by my Blog. Remember to subscribe and never miss a free update.

Read More →

HEALTHY AND FIT IS NOT ROCKET SCIENCE

When it comes to getting a healthy fit body, it is not about making it complicated, extreme, and it is far from a science project.  There are so many confusing messages hitting us square in the face about the “right” diet and the “right” fitness fad exercise program to create what we so long to become.  Even further, people rush in droves overspending on pills, powders, gimmicks, videos, extreme fitness programs, and anything that promises a smoking hot body in two weeks or less.  Sadder still, there is no consideration of the negative effects on the body when such choices are made.  It is the dive blind and hope for the best philosophy and that would scare the crap out of me.

Think about the word health and what that means to you personally. I live a life of health and fitness and teach it as a lifestyle of quality that includes eating healthy foods, exercise and stretch on a regular basis.  It is also important to reduce pain in our bodies, and stress in our lives overall.  Lastly, I touch on the areas of emotional and spiritual health and wrap health up in a balanced package of physical, nutritional, emotional and spiritual well-being. There is nothing blind about the correct approach to adopting a healthy lifestyle and achieving that smoking hot body.

We all have the potential to create our best healthy body, but fall short when we slip through the cracks of empty promises and seek out the quick fixes that are never guaranteed.  What is guaranteed and will provide the results of good health and fitness are our individual choices to live a healthy life each day. This process is not rocket science but getting back to the basics of simple living.  Eating healthy has become such a complicated subject of what to eat, when to eat, why to eat and the same is true with exercise as everyone preaches the “my way is the only way” agendas. 

Let’s consider how to make healthy simple and work for each of us.  I like to start by writing down healthy foods that I enjoy eating: lean chicken, fish, peaches, plums, raw nuts, fresh vegetables, yogurts, and chocolate for example. I do the same thing with my exercise programs: ARC trainer, HIIT programs, dancing, stretching, and weight training to name a few.  I keep my cooking simple and healthy using olive and coconut oils, lots of spices, and herbs.  I exercise for no more than an hour 4 to 5 times per week, and make it a goal to get plenty of rest.  There is nothing magic about what works for me and I create my healthy lifestyle around what I enjoy.  If the focus is on simple, healthy, and fun, the results of that lifestyle will be seen on the outside as well as the inside.

Adopting a physical healthy lifestyle is not extreme, is not meant to hurt our bodies but a gift of moving our bodies in a way to challenge and build a stronger self.  There has been some trial and error as I have walked through the types of exercises that work best for my body, that continue to challenge me, but eliminate or greatly reduce risk of injury.  I may try something and feel aggravation and not that good sore that occurs from a great workout, and that is my body’s way of telling me not to do that move.  I simply remove what does not work for me, and keep what does.  My workouts will not be your workouts, and I do not buy into that philosophy of there is only one right way. Life and health does not work like that and I say run from any fitness professional who preaches that agenda. 

The same goes with adopting a healthy eating routine.  There is never a “one-size-fit” all program, we all have different tastes, and I hope we are all steering clear of foods that upset our systems. Our bodies are wonderful machines that know exactly what to do with the food we consume, and honestly, we are all adults with common sense enough to know that if we continue to eat like crap, we will feel like crap, and our bodies will be wearing the consequences.  There are no pills, potions, or exercise programs that will take away the results of poor eating habits.  It is important to realize that although science is at work in our bodies every day, when it comes to adopting a healthy lifestyle, let’s leave the rocket science where it belongs and get real with keeping it simple.

Thanks for stopping by my Blog. Remember to subscribe below and never miss a free update. 

Be well and Stay Healthy

Read More →