Stress Can Be a Fitness Killer

I am not a fan of stress and how it can make me feel.  Unfortunately, stress is part of the life package deal with no opting out button.  Stress can become a chronic ugly thing with negative physical and emotional side effects.  Studies are also linking stress to hypertension, heart disease, and weight gain.  Who the heck wants a whole bunch of extra fat with the heart attack waiting to happen sign sitting on our stressed out shoulders?

So many of us are living in a constant state of stress whether from family problems, illness, financial strain, or unhappy marriages and are accepting it as our normal way of life.  Stress places wear and tear on our body as cortisol is leaking out of the adrenal glands in abundance and causing increased blood pressure and waistlines. Stress, straight up is a fitness killer.  I for one refuse to live in a constant state of stress and do implement healthy strategies to eliminate it from my life.

The way stress is handled is the answer to maintaining our health and fitness.  Some use stressful situations to make excuses to eat crappy, give up on themselves, and have a bitter resentful attitude about life.  This of course leads to all that "comfort food" over-eating, no exercise, and blaming everyone for self-induced problems.  Chronic stress behaviors like this lead to the ultimate fitness killer and eventual body riddled with illness and unhappiness. Stress can be either out of our control which we need to learn to let go, or fixable.

"Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we respond to it." I love this true statement and live this philosophy to reduce stress and maintain my fit and healthy life.  Learning to let go and remove stresses not within our control is important to healthy boundaries and improving the quality of our life.  Also, reviewing our priorities and eliminating things creating a "too busy" life will make for a happier, healthier you. Focusing on how to become a better you is the only thing that falls under the "fixable stress" category.  We tend to put undue stress on ourselves and from un-meaningful things in life.  Who cares what others are thinking, saying or even doing that may be about you?   Learning to let go, walk away from unimportant things, and picking up positive growth from the stresses in life will create a stronger, healthier person.

I enjoy a great workout when I feel stressed or anxious and use it as "cheap man's" therapy for self improvement.  God and I have pretty good talks during that time as well and usually within that sweaty hour, I have put the stress behind me and ready to move on with a positive day.  I also do not reach for  "junk" food to comfort me or fill some sort of empty void during times of stress.  I am a mindful eater and think before throwing just anything in my face.  My body, mind, and spirit are worthy of more than trash in the form of food or a bitter attitude.  I also like to deep breathe during my stretch time and contemplate everything about life.  I choose to be happy and healthy and that calls for action and choices to respond to stress in a healthy way.

Read my recent article "Is Stress and Cortisol Making You Fat"  on the about.com network for great information on how stress contributes to increased fat.

IS STRESS MAKING ME FAT?

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Stay Healthy!

Darla

I am Struggling with Orthorexia: a True Testimonial

After writing an article on the topic of Orthorexia Nervosa, an undiagnosed eating disorder where healthy eating is taken to an unhealthy extreme, and on the about.com network, I received an outpouring of emails from people struggling with the disorder or tendencies to the behavior.  I was deeply moved with the many thanks for addressing the issue and providing awareness of the Orthorexia condition.  Upon sharing the article on my Stay Healthy Fitness Facebook there was also quite a bit of backlash and reference to Orthorexia being "bullshit" and just another money making disorder for the doctors.  I did provide a follow-up blog as I do fall under the category of a "clean eater" but there is a difference in healthy eating and healthy obsessive eating.  I ended the blog write with this statement:

"Orthorexia is a mental health issue not a clean eating issue, although sparked by "pure" foods.  It is an issue that requires us to look past the food and into the mind of a struggling person."

With that I now want to introduce you to a struggling Orthorexic who has offered to share her story with privacy conditions and I have agreed to do so.  Her story is authentic and her struggle is real:

"I really appreciate your article on orthorexia. I have those tendencies, but I am not sure if I fall into the orthorexia category or anorexia category. I am 50 years old and mother of two children. I have a degree in advertising and passionate about the health and fitness field.  I do most of my work from home so I can spend time with my kids.  For the last 25 years, I have worked-out faithfully and followed a relatively healthy diet.  When I turned 38, however, things seemed to "fall apart". I began having joint problems and acne issues. My thyroid issues worsened. After some research, I eliminated gluten and found relief in my joints, but not my skin. After further research, I found the paleo diet. It helped somewhat with the thyroid issues. I now eat a diet free of all grains/soy/beans/sugar/potatoes and most dairy.  Basically, I eat eggs, meat, veggies, fruit, nuts, and fats. I tried AIP to clear my acne but it did not produce the desired results. My acne is worse and I lost about 15 pounds. (I am below 100 pounds.)  I am 5'1" tall. I am not quite sure how to pull myself out of this one but I am trying to. After "eating clean" for so long, it is a bit hard to add things back so that I can gain the much needed weight.  My weakness is anything chocolate, peanut butter and/or ice cream.  It is hard, but sometimes I have to give myself permission to indulge. I still have to work on the guilt afterwards. But baby steps...

I am currently seeing a naturopath for my under active thyroid.  He has been a God-send.  He is aware of my anorexia tendencies and intercepted what could have been a much more serious situation than I am in right now. He accepted me as a patient in the middle of a tailspin. The MD that I had been using for years decided to make a HUGE adjustment in my thyroid medication. The end results were not what he expected and told me to see a specialist. I chose to find a naturopath instead.  He is wonderful.  But sometimes, it is hard to stop the tailspin mid tailspin!  I have dealt with anorexia since I was 18 years old.  That is a whole other story that I hope to share someday in hopes of helping those in the same situation.  In the past, I just starved myself.  This time is different.  I am eating but I am eating so cleanly and never deviating--until recently.  Anorexia restricts food--plain and simple, no explanation needed when I refused food.  This time it feels like life is restricted. How do you try and explain that I eat good-for-me food not THAT?!  I am not saying that eating healthily is a bad thing.  But there needs to be balance.  Of course, if you have sensitivities, then stay clear of the trigger foods.  I have, through all this, found some sensitivities (gluten and soy) and I avoid them to the best of my ability.  But relaxing and enjoying a not-so-good-for-you treat is still a struggle.  I somehow feel that I have failed because I "gave in".  Shouldn't the important thing be that I am enjoying a rare treat with my children?  Believe me, they have noticed that I no longer share in the special times.  What kind of example am I setting for them?  I do not want them to think that it is all or nothing. They eat pretty healthily.  They now eat more fruits and vegetables and much less processed foods. Beyond that,  I am so uncomfortable in my own body because I finally was "able to see" how thin I was thanks to my husband hurting my feelings.  I thank God he was just plain honest even though it hurt.  My acne is embarrassing as well.  I never thought that I would be fighting acne at my age even with all the positives changes that I have made.  It is worse now than when I was in my teens.  

Thank you for addressing this issue and giving me awareness.  I hope to get myself back.  My dream is just to be healthy and be able to help others suffering like I do.  If you feel that my story can help someone, then please use it. I feel like we all go through things for a reason. If my story would bring awareness, I would feel blessed!" 

Sincerely,

An Orthorexic

READ THE ARTICLE

If you have not had the opportunity to read my article on "Orthorexia: Clean Eating Gone Wrong" , take a few moments to become aware of an issue that is more problematic than realized. I am thankful to this beautiful woman who reached out completely vulnerable sharing her life and struggle with orthorexic tendencies and I pray for her recovery.  I also hope that her story has touched you as it did me.  Orthorexia is definitely not "bullshit" and bringing this issue to the forefront is timely.  Awareness of the condition is important so that we may be able to help those who are struggling or at the very least understand the mentality of someone suffering with Orthorexia.  

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Stay Healthy!

Darla

I Maintain a Healthy Perspective About Fitness

I love being healthy, eating healthy and how I feel as a healthy woman.  I have been living this lifestyle most of my life and at 51 have a healthy handle of what being healthy means.  I teach health and fitness as my occupation and since it is my passion really do not consider it work.  There is something to be said about the existence of living a healthy lifestyle.  My clients know that I don't teach perfection, but progress and it is not a lifestyle of complete restriction, but a healthy balance of eating right 80 to 90 percent of the time and regular exercise.

I do not believe in taking things to extremes and making health feel like a burden for me or anyone else.  My mental game is what I want to address here and keeping health in perspective.  I am all about eating organic, non-GMO, and cooking at home to be in control of what I am eating 80 to 90 percent of the time.  I am human and will indulge in occasional adult beverages and will not turn down a slice of my Mom's lemon meringue pie. I enjoy partaking in my treats now and then and do so guilt free.  I also do not spend endless hours in the gym to maintain my physique and 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 5 workouts per week with two recovery days.  I would call my healthy lifestyle realistic, maintainable, and mentally positive.

I do the best I can to eat healthy and realize that I will not be GMO free. None of us will be able to accomplish this task unless we are growing our own foods, and even then, what is in the soil?  Is it truly GMO free?  Did a bird carry over tainted corn or other seeds into my garden?  What about pesticides flying over into my garden?  I would not be able to eat at all if I began over obsessing about my healthy foods and started eliminating essential nutrients because my focus was on purity and quality of food instead of what my body needs to function daily.  What if I began eliminating my Mom's pie and stopped going out with my husband and friends because I was afraid of the food?  This would not be healthy thinking or healthy living.

READ THE ORTHOREXIA ARTICLE

In addition to being a fitness trainer and coach, I am a freelance writer and Sports Nutrition Expert for the about.com network.  I recently researched and wrote an article on Orthorexia, an undiagnosed eating disorder that takes healthy eating to an unhealthy extreme.  I was surprised to see such negative comments and backlash exposing orthorexic behaviors.  It appears that the "meat" of the article was missed and a nerve was touched for those who are "clean" eaters.  I fall into the eating clean category and as I shared earlier, there is a difference between eating healthy and "obsessive" eating healthy.

The article was an exposure of the mental thinking surrounding eating clean or "pure" not that eating healthy is a bad thing ... that would be ludicrous.  Would you say that binging and purging, over-eating, anorexia, and exercise addiction are unhealthy and mentally and emotionally related?  I welcome knowledge as power on all subjects related to health and we should not be birds with our heads stuck in the sand avoiding up and coming issues surrounding the health and fitness industry.  When food phobia becomes so severe that it affects quality of life in an unhealthy way, I would agree it warrants time and attention.  Orthorexia is a mental health issue not a clean eating issue, although sparked by "pure" foods.  It is an issue that requires us to look past the food and into the mind of a struggling person.

The article posted on the about.com network is a very informative read on the subject of Orthorexia.  I hope that is can also be re-read with a more open mind.

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I Keep it Healthy

Stay Healthy!

Darla

My Journey through Menopause

My journey through menopause is more of an update since my "Mad at Menopause" article written a year ago.  Head on over and read that before diving in here to get the full story of my symptoms, frustrations and actions to resolve them.

Instead of being mad at menopause, I am now calling it a journey through menopause.  The drastic symptoms have softened thanks to research, talking with my doctors, and making treatment decisions that best fit my body.  As women we will all experience menopause and the havoc placed upon our bodies during this transition.  Menopause is part of life and health and not a subject to be hushed and brushed under the carpet.  There is no shame or embarrassment discussing anything that relates to health and fitness.  We have lived too long with our heads tucked between our tails and still thinking how dare we use the term "vagina" in public.  Come on now, we are all grown women and men for that matter and this is a `need to take care of issue` for women and the men who support them.

One year ago I was plagued with unbelievable hot flashes that tormented my days and nights, fatigue, irritability, foggy thinking, inability to sleep, vaginal dryness, numerous urinary tract infections, decreased libido, and complete frustration that consumed me. This is a brief description of what can be read in the above referenced article fully outlined in ugly detail.  I think menopause was at the forefront of every conversation I had with my husband back then and "thank you God" for such a supportive man.  It did not matter how physically fit I looked on the outside because my inside was so out of balance I did not feel confident sexually or as a woman.  This weighed on me heavily and I was desperate to fight menopause with all I had.

One year later and I am feeling fabulous.  I no longer take OTC herbal blends and decided to give bio-identical hormone therapy a try. I have been on the bio-identicals for 10-months now and the improvement in menopause symptoms is remarkable. In addition,  I have continued the low dose estrogen vaginal insert pill and very happy with the `plumped up` results.  I also use natural coconut oil and vitamin E suppositories regularly for internal vaginal moisturizing.  My hot flashes went away within 2-weeks of bio-identical therapy and as the months have gone by, I feel like my old self again.  Emotionally and physically my body feels like it has been brought back into hormonal balance and I am functioning at what I would call a normal level.

My confidence is renewed, my thinking is clear, and sex is great.  I am taking an additional herb that I will not disclose right now until I can provide fair feedback.  I will share that it has to do with increased vascular functioning.  My lifestyle of eating healthy and exercising regularly continues to help residual menopause symptoms.  The only thing remaining is irregular bleeding which is normal on or off bio-identical hormones.  I may go 3 months with no cycle and get that surprise period which can be light or heavy.

I do not know how long I will require trans dermal bio-identical hormone therapy but am happy that I made the decision to go this route for my body.  It has changed my frustrations into stress free days of going through the transition and I look forward to no longer having periods...sweet freedom. Sharing my journey through menopause is not only informative but to support you are not alone in the process.  However, we are all individuals needing to be our own health care advocates.  It is important to make the best choices for ourselves through research and doctor discussions.  If anything, be motivated there is hope to feeling better going through menopause and always be pro-active when it comes to your health.

Check out my article "Menopause: Fight Back with Food" on the About.com network for more great info on the subject.

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Dedicated to my Beautiful Husband

Stay Healthy!

Darla

Taking Control of Right Now

Right now is what I have to work with.  I have learned from past mistakes and hurts,  overcome injuries through hard work, and this has taught me to make the most of my "nows".  It has also shown me how to celebrate every moment in this life.

The road has been tough and sometimes still can be, but each day is about taking control of right now and becoming my best me.  Procrastination is a waste of life, body and soul and really a slap in our own faces when we don't take care of business.  Right now we have a choice to eat healthy, exercise and stop complaining about all the things wrong in our lives.  So many are caught up in all the negative stuff and can't see the forest through the trees. Instead of celebrating a pound lost, the happy event quickly becomes downgraded to "just a pound" and this has just ruined my day.

We are the products of our daily choices.  It is important to take control of "right now" and not allow another day to pass without making some great changes. Whether you are struggling with poor nutrition, sedentary lifestyle, stress, or a bad attitude there is no time like the present to take positive action.   Our lives become so habitual that change feels alien and impossible, but I say it is POSSIBLE.

Get out a piece of paper and journal changes you would like to see happen in your life.  Do you want to look better, feel better, and improve the quality of your life?  Create a plan to make that happen and that may mean going to a qualified counselor, personal trainer, or registered dietitian. Whatever needs to happen, only you can make it so.  Dependence on others to somehow create this magic transformation for you is a fairytale.  We are all responsible for our physical, spiritual and emotional health and any slacking manifests itself as illness, unhappiness and low self-esteem.

Time to take control of RIGHT NOW and Stay Healthy!

Read my latest article on the sportsnutrition.about.com network titled "Five Food Strategies You Can Do Right Now to Reach Your Fitness Goals" for some great ideas.

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I believe in Right Now

Eat Like a Fitness Expert to Achieve YOUR Best Body

I recently posted this motivation on my Stay Healthy Instagram and Facebook:

My Goal is to be my BEST ME, Fit Over 50

" I do take the time to read your feedback and comments left on motivation that I post and excited that you are striving to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Showing images of those who are dedicated to fitness to include myself are to encourage and inspire. I have also read feedback of a negative vain and I want to address that. I am going to get very personal with you and you can read more about me in my Blog if you choose. I am over 50, a fitness professional and freelance writer that works extremely long hours. My day does not end when I step out of my studio. I look the way I do because of the lifestyle I walk daily. I do not spend hours in the gym and in fact limit my workouts to one hour 5 days a week. I indulge on treats on occasion and eat incredible tasting healthy food. I am a woman of God and my faith helps me with inner strength and getting through each day. I am passionate about helping people get healthy and would love to hug everyone making this choice. I believe life is a gift and I am not here to be anyone else or look like anyone else. I am also not here to shame others for not looking like a fitness model. My goal is always to be my best me each day and in that I may fail but pick up and keep trying. My image is to show that it is not too late, no circumstance too hard, and even injury so severe to not be able to do something. You are working on being your best you and to use articles and images as inspiration or motivation. Getting angry and discouraged because you are not personally making the choices to change your body does nothing but fuel resentment and may even cause you to walk away from trying. I pray that your thoughts and feelings would be changed for the positive and your focus to become a better you starts with today. Fitness is a journey and we are all works in progress reaching for our best and never perfection. Embrace the now, love who you are now and start working on better tomorrow's. But today is what we have and narrowing that down more, this moment is the concern. What you are thinking, doing and how you are acting right now...is it creating a better, healthier you? Have a blessed Sunday and Stay Healthy!"

The responses to this post were incredible, touching, inspiring and some definitely put a knot in my throat. I am a woman of my word and answering the call to several requests of what I eat on a weekly basis and my workout routine. I will be begin with nutrition because I have found this to be the biggest struggle for people throughout my years of teaching health and fitness. 

I like to teach nutrition simply and focus on health.  There is nothing secret or costly about how to eat to obtain a fit body and too much complication has been placed on this topic.  It really is frustrating that so many suffer with food fears due to untruths floating around the media, in commercials and even TV shows. Getting back to the basics, taking a deep breathe, and releasing the stress surrounding food is the first item of business.  Once food is looked upon as our friend and not the enemy and cause of making us fat, can we embrace all the good things that food does for our body.

I am glad that I motivate and inspire you, but please understand that in this share, you are learning how to eat for your best body.  We are all works in progress, and I am far from perfect, but what I do is apply the best principles of healthy nutrition and fitness each day. That does not mean I am free from indulgence once in awhile.  If any fitness professional tells you indulgence never occurs that is a bold face lie and I will answer to that statement.  I have been in the fitness industry over 30 years and have had my share of burgers, fries, pizza and brownies.  I live a life of moderation and use a 90/10 percent eating strategy and sometimes 80/20 depending on the situation.  Eating healthy is also about balance and allowing for the occasional treat meal.

Moving on to what I eat typically during my work week.  I am a walk the talk trainer and adhere to what I teach my clients.  Results come when consistent healthy food intake and exercise are happening.  I eat a wide variety of healthy food from good carbohydrates, lean proteins, healthy fats and lots of water.  I can be a creature of habit and find myself eating the same meals everyday, except for dinner which is typically changed each night.  I believe in cooking at home being in control of what I put in my face and body.  I eat simply, never count calories, and if I am hungry I have gone too long without eating.  I space my meals every 2 1/2 to 3 hours and that works for me.  I use my palm as a guide for portion size and keep measuring cups handy for wet ingredients.

My typical daily nutritional intake looks like this:

Meal 1: Ozery Bakery Morning round with Coffee 

Meal 1: Option 2, Powered Up Oats with Coffee

1/2 cup steel cut oats
1/4 sliced banana
handful blueberries
handful walnuts









Meal 2: Open face peppered turkey and hummus

I enjoy this with a green smoothie
1 cup fresh pineapple chunks
large handful of power greens
(chard, kale, spinach), blend in water

Alpine Valley Organic Bread toasted
smear with organic hummus
top with peppered turkey











Meal 3: Sliced fruit with flax meal and yogurt

1 large nectarine or fruit of choice
I also like to use 1/2 cup blueberries
1/4 cup ground flax meal
1/2 cup Fage plain Greek yogurt
I like to top with a handful of raw unsalted mixed nuts
Stir and eat




Meal 3: Option 2, boiled eggs with sweet potatoes

1 full organic egg, 1 egg white mixed with mustard, sprinkle with paprika if desired
1/2 large sweet potato, cooked and cut in wedges

I like to dip my sweet potato in organic ketchup ... call me weird, but I have always been a ketchup kinda girl 





Meal 4: Grilled salmon and roasted veggies

Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, and red bell peppers drizzled in olive oil, and tossed with basil pesto and minced garlic. Roast in open pan at 450 for 30 to 35 minutes

season and grill salmon outdoors for 25 minutes






Other Meal 4 Options I enjoy:

Roasted Veggies and Egg

Healthy Grilled Pizza

Brussels and Baked Stuffed Pork

I enjoy a small snack before bed and that really varies between my mood.  I enjoy hummus or peanut butter on toast or if I have baked a healthy treat, I will have that.

For more meal ideas from my kitchen, visit my recipe page and also see my Sports Nutrition site on the About.com network.  I hope this information is helpful and provides a great foundation to simple and healthy meal ideas.

Enjoy my latest article on the About network ,"Natural Body Building: Eating for Goals" and guest written by Frank Gigante, Natural Competitive Bodybuilder and Lifestyle Coach.



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Darla Leal, Fit Over 50!

Stay Healthy!

Darla

How I Boost My Workouts

Are YOU Shocked?

I use a stimulant to boost my workout!  Are you shocked with that share?  If that was the only thing stated in this post, you may form an ugly opinion of me, and you still might but I will cough up the goods.  This substance is not found in supplement stores, is fairly inexpensive, and provides very effective metabolism boosting results.  Studies have given it rave reviews for not only helping with more efficient fat burning, but also reducing exercise induced muscle pain, improved mental focus, and reduced risk of disease.

Five Reasons to Drink Coffee for a Fit Body

Drum roll ... COFFEE!  I drink one and sometimes two cups of coffee per day prior to my workouts.  Two-cup days typically mean I feel sluggish and will need more of a boost to get me through the physical demands of my workout.  I must admit to enjoying my morning cup of Joe and it has become something that I look forward to mentally as well as physically.  I can feel my body and brain waking up within 30 minutes of drinking it and ready to start my day.  I understand the habit forming properties of caffeine which is why I do not partake in all-day binges of coffee. I will use it to push through a workout however and I do not drink anymore post training.

I am very caffeine sensitive and it does not take much for me to feel the edge which is why I have cut down to a half-calf coffee mix intake.  This seems to work best for me and after a hard workout it seems to eliminate any stimulant feeling that may come from my cup of Java. During my workouts, I do enjoy the caffeine rush that enhances my athletic performance.   I do not have health issues like hypertension or diagnosed heart problems where coffee would be contraindicated so I do partake in moderation.  The other health benefits from antioxidants within coffee are an added bonus.

Drinking coffee, minus all the cream and sugar is one of my secret weapons for maintaining a fit body.  Studies show that the fat burning effects last up to 3 hours after having caffeine so I create that window for my workout.  I would not venture into unsafe stimulant territory and do not support unhealthy ways to maintain my body.  Coffee on the other hand is probably the best natural and effective stimulant making it my pre-workout drink of choice.

Check out my latest article "Five Reasons to Drink Coffee for a Fit Body" on About.com for more great information on the subject.

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Stay Healthy!

Darla