Starting to adopt a healthy lifestyle and achieve personal fitness goals can feel exciting and even easy in the beginning. We plug into our fitness pals, fit bits, get motivated eating healthy foods, excited about the new workouts and with smiles on our faces dive head first into what is absolutely fitness euphoria. It feels good to eat healthy, exercise and talk about it with our family and friends. Self motivation is at it's peak running on a full tank of gas and determination full throttle. We are on top of the world and nothing will stop us from reaching our goals, right?
The struggle is usually not in the starting but in the maintaining. We all need to start the process of getting healthy and we also need to continue creating healthy habits that eventually morph into a lifestyle. Week three of the start may not feel as good anymore or as exciting but going out with friends downing a few drinks and sopping up some bread sounds more appealing. Week four seems to be filled with obligations that are somehow more important than the promise we made to ourselves to get healthy. Week five starts a two week vacation that will not include anything healthy and focused around a food frenzy that will surely expand the waistline. In a short time, starting to eat rightand get healthy has taken a back seat and old patterns have returned. The struggle is real for many out there.
The processed food items make their way back into the pantry instead of the good carbohydrates that were there just a month ago. Healthy fats are replaced with saturated fake food products, pizza and burgers are the staple over lean proteins and vegetables, and water intake is at an all time low. Choices and behaviors like this happen all the time and if you are reading yourself between the lines, you are not alone. It can cause feelings of failure, frustration and discouragement with the "give up" attitude fighting to take over the mental game. None of us are immune to falling into poor eating habits and reasons to not exercise. It can start as simply as telling yourself "just this once" that develops into a week, month and even a year.
The only choice that can be made is telling ourselves to STOP doing the things that are bringing us back into unhealthy patterns. Somehow that motivation to START needs to come full circle again, and through whatever methods of accountability it takes. If you are unable to do it alone, hire a qualified personal trainer or find a workout partner. If you are sabotaged at home, start creating two separate meals to ensure that you are eating healthy. If too busy seems to be a problem, it is time to look at your priorities. The time is now to start achieving your fitness goals, but even more than that, learning how to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
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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
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Have you found “Motivation Mojo” when it comes to improving your health? It is truly up to us to find out what turns our switch on or off when it comes to fitness so that through this journey, we understand what we want and what we do not want. Let me ask what motivates you in the image below: left image, center image,right image, neither images, and why?
Stats: female, age 49 (almost 50), 2 vaginal births, 2 major surgeries (colon/double level cervical fusion), diagnosed early onset torticollis, wife, mother, grandmother
I am not going to wow you with a huge before and after weight loss story, or a long list of Ms. Bikini titles, but will share that my journey to health involves one of great physical and emotional adversity, and that taking care of my health, fitness, 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 of motivation such as “YOU CAN DO IT”, “FIND YOUR STRONG”, or “BE YOUR BEST HEALTHY YOU”. Regardless of what suits your motivational fancy when it comes to getting yourself going, the important thing is to “get yourself going.” I will not tell you it will be easy, because there are days when it will be straight up hard. Do not think that I do no struggle with the tough days of keeping it healthy…I do. I want to relate to you on a very personal level, but at the same time really stress the importance of living the healthiest life that you can because we only have one with no playbacks.
There has been so much controversy over the image of “health” which is why I opened with an interactive exercise of wanting to know your “mental game” when it comes to visual motivation. I did not add the famous “what’s your excuse” tag, although I am a “no excuses” trainer and coach. I do not accept that anyone is too busy to take care of their health, and that includes me. I am one busy gal and if I have 20 minutes to fit something in, then I do that. Exercise does not have to be some long, drawn out program lasting over one hour, and in fact studies have shown that the greatest benefit of exercise is achieved within the first 30 minutes and further, 45 minutes of focused fitness is sufficient to maintain a healthy body. Well, that sounds fabulous to me, and this year my goal is to keep my exercise sessions limited to 45 minutes and no more than 5 times per week.
This year, I would like all of you to find your own “Motivation Mojo”. Get out a piece of paper, and write down your active passions…fun things you like to do. It is time to get off the couch, dance your pants off inside, hike outside, play games with the kiddos and dogs…what is it that makes YOU happy and will ensure that you keep coming back for more. No more “exercise is a burden” stuff. Let’s turn that around and create a plan that gets you on the road to healthy and maintains that journey for a lifetime. Share your “Mojo” in the comment section and I look forward to reading and responding to all of your shares.
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I like that saying and it takes me back to when I was in junior high and high school.I did not always feel the best about myself, but there was always a special motivation that came from my physical education teachers and coaches.They made me feel accomplished, encouraged, and inspired me to do more and be more.It was at that young age that I wanted to be like them, to be able to offer to young people that feeling of inner strength, confidence and overall happiness.Presto...my goal in life was to be a P.E. teacher.Of course I could not climb into their bodies and become them but imagining being them was pretty awesome in my younger years.In my twists and turns of life, I am doing my passion on a broader spectrum than in a high school gym setting and I feel great about that.
The thing about life, mentors, and motivators is to understand the concept of guides, and yes to have goals.The goals belong to each of us however, and admiring someone for blessing our lives in a positive way is absolutely fabulous, and even being inspired to work in a field of enjoyment, well life does not get any better.The point I am getting to in this blog write is the importance of accepting the gift from a guide BUT having the ability to strive for our own goals and to achieve our own dreams. I am a guide and motivator for many people and I appreciate and am touched by all the wonderful feedback I receive on a daily basis. Now, I am going to get deeper here with you on this subject.I am a guide NOT a goal, and I am speaking more about the physical appearance of Darla and what that may mean to you, how it affects you, what it makes you think about, how it motivates or not, etc.
In my early competitive days, I admired Mia Finnegan and man did I want a body like hers.I followed all the nutrition plans and extreme workouts to make that happen...but I was not her.Why was I not good enough at that time?It probably did not help to be scrutinized and judged on a stage by people I did not know, who were ready with pen in hand to tear apart the body that I worked so hard to put together.It was at that time that I realized the politics that can and do exist in competition, but putting that aside, feelings of inadequacy and lack of confidence can break a person in such circumstances.My point again...I would never be Mia Finnegan and what a letdown, but also a light bulb moment of time to love ME for ME.So, I do understand when guides get skewed out of position and even placed on a pedestal, but you know what, we are all just people. I am no more special than you are, and doing what I do is a passion that I want to provide as a gift of motivation for you.
If you have noticed, I am cautious and conservative about posting self-images.When I do post "selfies", I want them to be meaningful, motivational, and touch a chord of inner strength within YOU that says...I CAN DO THIS.With all the society pressure of wanting to look like or be someone we are not, it is even more important for guides such as me to be clear in communication of how unhealthy that is.The purpose is to PLEASE ADAPT A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE, not to cause feelings of insecurity and discouragement.I know this is a "you can't please everyone" world and even what I am writing may come across as offensive to one and motivating to another.I am here to motivate and celebrate living a healthy life with you and that is what I will clearly communicate.
IN YOUR FACE MOTIVATION
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I am such a wimp when it comes to the cold or extreme heat and it calls for creative indoor workout preparation for the long winter months ahead. There is this motivational poster that says “There is no such thing as bad weather, just soft people”. Well pull up my socks and call me soft…because I am definitely not one to venture into the cold, sleet, snow, or hail for a walk or WOG (walk/jog). I am a fair weathered fitness gal and am happy to say that I may be soft on the inside, but my body tells a much different story on the outside without facing the weather extremes.
I believe it is just all preference of course when it comes to working out, and I
choose to exercise without battling the elements. Hats off to those who love all that stuff, and in a way it sounds really cool when I read workout stories that deal with extreme environments. This gal would literally freeze into some sort of ice crystal mess with aching ears, and numb hands and feet.
That is one COLD TURKEY!!!
This means preparing differing indoor workouts because I am all about muscle
confusion and keeping fitness fun. I am one to get bored doing the same thing too many times and having a plan always works best for accountability and will ensure that I am ready to go. I enjoy HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workouts and can write one of those up in a jiffy. HIITs are probably my favorite due to covering so many muscle groups very dynamically in a short period of time. I like to complete at least 30 minutes during a high intensity workout. Then there are my slower paced cardio, core and stretch days which I really like when my energy is not where it should be, or my muscles are sore and need to recover. Another fabulous workout that I love to create is a Pyramid, where I select four to five movements and start either at the bottom or top of the pyramid and work the reps up or down depending on how I want to begin. This type of workout makes me feel very accomplished, and I am pretty spent at the end. It can take me a good hour to get through a pyramid that has ten steps to it. I can’t leave out my circuit training, another great way I enjoy exercise, and utilizing my smith machine or free weights to complete a variety of strength moves that can be focused on all over body or body part selective.
The wonderful thing about exercise is making it my own, and doing the things that I enjoy. That is so important because if I did not like what I was doing, I would not be coming back for more that is for sure. The fact that exercise is part of my lifestyle feels good and it is a “want to” for me and although I do understand the importance for my health as a “have to”, I would not feel like ME if I did not challenge my body physically regardless of the health importance. It is such a gift to be able to exercise and that is how I look at it, and I am not going to let bringing in the cold stop me. I just adapt, change and create what will work for me during a time that I will miss being outside as much.
IN YOUR FACE MOTIVATION
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!
As promised, I am continuing my write about why I think “Simple is Healthy” and how I apply that to my life in all aspects.Of course, it is such a HUGE factor for me, and knew that I could not fit all I had to say in one piece being the chatter bug that I am, so had to break it up in a series of Blogs. If you read the first of the series, I covered my food and how keeping it Simple makes for healthier foods…an apple vs. some packaged product with fake apple substance in it for example…YUCK.I am dedicating this Blog to how I keep my workouts Simple and how that is absolutely HEALTHIER for me.
I am a down to earth, back to the basics, sticking to the foundation of exercise kind of gal.I do not need anything fancy to create a healthy body, and in fact enjoy the simplicity of an all over body weightprogram many times throughout the week.Also…my time…it is so important…please do not think that I spend hours in my studio pounding the weights to maintain my 48 year young self…..NOT.I keep that simple as well and dedicate one hour at least 5-6 days per week to get my Darla Sweat ON.That is it…if I am spending more time than that…what the heck am I doing and WHY for crying out loud.My body requires daily physical activity and healthy foods and feeling like I need to push my body to limits beyond requirements is unhealthy in my book.I consider working out a reward, a privilege and thankful that I can perform the exercises that I do with my new modified ME.I think when the balance of workout is tipped so far into an obsessive thought process, it can become a burden and a something I “have to do” instead of “I want to do it”.Think about this idea…maintaining healthy food intake so I do not have to work as hard or long in the gym…WHAT….YES, studies have shown that the body only requires a good focus of 30 minutes per day of QUALITY exercise to maintain a great physique.LIGHT BULB moment here and QUALITY workouts are a “want to” inclusion in my life to make exercise SIMPLE, and that is HEALTHY!So, if I remain consistent on my healthy food intake, I can shave down my gym time by at least 15 minutes and really complete what I have to do in 45minutes.WIN WIN…clicking of fitness gal trainer shoes…woo hoo.
There are so many ways to exercise the body, but think about the root of all exercise that stems from strength and stabilization…that is where I come from.If my strength and stabilization are not in order, I might as well forget having a healthy workout session and body for that matter.I am all about body balance, proper posture, positioning, form and technique, and positive and negative (concentric/eccentric) movements.Let’s say I have a postural deviation and need to work on my core strength, my simple focus will be on doing that, and progressing from there.I will not put my body at risk for injury by swinging this or that for hours on end, jumping here or there, and creating pain and suffering by performing movements that my body is just not ready for and may not be able execute properly even after I have come to my point of progressing forward.I feel like a “body whisperer” where I pay close attention to what my body says I can do and proceed with caution with those things that I should not be doing. I am not a “push through the pain” person or trainer…there is normal discomfort that comes from a workout and then there is that “not right” discomfort that should put a screeching halt on my workout and yours for that matter.
I can have a simple good exercise time with nothing but my body weight, a set of dumbbells and pull up bar…BINGO.I see squats, negative pull ups, overhead presses, bicep curls, triceps kickbacks, and core work in that program.Nothing fancy about what I do, just me executing simple controlled QUALITY moves for 30-60 minutes, getting a fabulous sweat on, and feeling accomplished when I am done.Getting back to the basics of exercise, and the base moves that ALL workouts stem from is the safest and simplest form of creating a healthy body for ME and has served me well for several years.I turn a deaf ear to the fads of fitness out there, especially if they are making unrealistic promises with risky movements that may send a once healthy body into a now I need rehab for an injury body.Keeping it simple, fun, QUALITY, and time efficient sums up my workouts to be HEALTHY and LIFETIME maintainable.That is what I am all about …Quality Life, Simple is Better, and Simple is definitely HEALTHY!
Enjoy my Stay Healthy recipe feature this month on SkinnyMs.com, a website dedicated to Health, Fitness and Success!
Coming soon…I have been asked to provide a review for Ellie, a new online fitness clothes brand and I am very excited to share my personal and professional opinion next month in addition to providing a special offer for you!
Thanks to all my Stay Healthy Fitness Facebook Followers who contributed to the Stay Healthy Fitness Grocery List and this was a fun interactive project. I have put your selections together and created a printable PDF list for you…HAPPY STAY HEALTHY SHOPPING!
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
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confusion and keeping fitness fun. I am one to get bored doing the same thing too many times and having a plan always works best for accountability and will ensure that I am ready to go. I enjoy HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workouts and can write one of those up in a jiffy. HIITs are probably my favorite due to covering so many muscle groups very dynamically in a short period of time. I like to complete at least 30 minutes during a high intensity workout. Then there are my slower paced cardio, core and stretch days which I really like when my energy is not where it should be, or my muscles are sore and need to recover. Another fabulous workout that I love to create is a Pyramid, where I select four to five movements and start either at the bottom or top of the pyramid and work the reps up or down depending on how I want to begin. This type of workout makes me feel very accomplished, and I am pretty spent at the end. It can take me a good hour to get through a pyramid that has ten steps to it. I can’t leave out my circuit training, another great way I enjoy exercise, and utilizing my smith machine or free weights to complete a variety of strength moves that can be focused on all over body or body part selective. 
