STAND IN YOUR FITNESS TRUTH

Standing in our fitness truth can be a difficult thing and really something we would rather not face altogether.  Even as we stand in the mirror with our naked truth right in front of us, we can still be in denial of what is looking back at us.  We tell ourselves that we are working out all the time and for heaven’s sake “I have been eating healthy for one week” and still no results.  Therein is the beginning of the end, as the frustration of not accepting the truth behind our closed doors becomes our norm for fitness.

If we truly took responsibility for our fitness truth, there would be a healthier bunch of people running around. We continue to be dishonest with ourselves and not accept that we are not eating as healthy as we should, and the workouts may be minimal at best.  We may talk a good game in front of our friends, family, and even our trainer but within the deepest space of our private life, the truth remains a buried secret.  Lying to ourselves does nothing to make us healthy people, and as we continue to brag about all the healthy meals we are eating, our bodies are telling the true story of what is happening.  Barring a medical condition that is causing weight gain, the general populous is not being impacted by such illness. It is denial of the truth that is happening most of the time and until that is dealt with, obtaining a fit and healthy body just will not happen. 

I find that keeping an accountability fitness and food journal really helps with standing in our fitness truth.  The additional splurge meals, several nights of alcohol, late night snacking, a bite of this and that, and working out two times instead of four times during the week are just a few of the things that we find easy to deny when it comes to our fitness. For some reason those things get forgotten and the only thing remembered is that healthy grilled salmon and vegetables eaten several times during the week.  Further, if we do not write it down, it does not exist and therefore will not negatively impact all the positive efforts.  Who is anyone trying to kid with this type of thinking and behavior.

When we begin to stand in our fitness truth positive results from our efforts will be loud and clear through our bodies changing for the healthy best. This can be a tough subject to swallow and that is alright, because we all need to start somewhere and beginning with the truth in all relationships including the one with ourselves is the basis of all trust.  Do you trust yourself enough to stand in your own fitness truth? 

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My Don and Me

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Darla

LIFE CAN SUCK … WORKOUT ANYWAY!

Life is not meant to be easy-peasy and all wrapped in a pretty bow all the time.  The truth about life is that it can suck and be filled with very difficult emotional and even physical hardships.  I want to target the emotional junk in this blog that can weigh down our brains and bodies and cause us to retreat into a shell of self defeat.  When life hands us hard in the form of emotional upset stemming from relationship issues, problems with co-workers, or mistreatment from friends and even family just to name a few, it is important to not give up on you. Even the day-to-day emotional junk can feel overwhelming, and sometimes we can be our own worst enemy of creating needless emotional upset over something that was simply miscommunication. Emotional upset can hit us in the face every day and we can choose to handle it in a healthy or unhealthy way. What it comes down to is that we are responsible for our own mental health and happiness.

It seems the emotional crap that hurts the most is when it occurs in our very personal relationships with our spouses, significant others, dearest friends and family. That can be a very difficult thing as we struggle to maintain happy in a storm of anger, resentment, bitterness, and even vengeful feelings that can consume us to the point of not taking care of the skin we are living in.  Often times we walk around with unrealistic expectations of how things and life are supposed to be, or even how our spouses for example are supposed to act, and when things do not happen according to our own thought processes, the emotional upset begins to fester.  Before we know it, a full blown internal eruption of drama has taken over our being and created an unhealthy person that we ourselves find hard to recognize.  I understand it is difficult when we feel hurt, but it is also important to be able to recognize if the hurt is “real” or self-induced unrealistic expectations.  Further, in the midst of life sucking emotionally, it is still important to exercise anyway and not get lost in some victim pity party.  Studies have shown exercise to be one of the top contributors for stress reduction, decreased depression, and overall positive well-being. 

It would be wonderful if life had an “easy button” and all the things that created emotional yuck could be clicked away, but the closest thing we possess to make that happen is our response to what causes the upset.  We can choose to walk around with the “cold war” bitter attitude in our homes or get off our butts, choose to be positive and take out the feelings on a great workout.  We all have had our emotional buttons pushed in this life and it is truly about how we respond to the circumstance that makes us healthy or unhealthy. Having a healthy response to unhealthy situations takes learning and practice, but the reward is a healthier happier you and me. There is nothing worse than stewing inside and growing an emotional pimple until it bursts into ugliness when there are so many positive avenues to take care of the problem in a healthy way.  As I mentioned, a great workout, meditation, going for a walk, talking to God, or even looking into a counselor if necessary are all fabulous ways to deal with the emotional downs in life. 

Life can be looked at like a classroom and we are students learning through each experience, and hopefully gaining the ability through guidance and practice to respond to the lesson in a positive way.  There is no doubt that some days and nights will be filled with emotional hurt and it will be during those moments that our “mental strong” will be the motivator that keeps us moving in the right direction of health.  It does not matter what the issue is and how bad life sucks … WORK OUT ANYWAY!

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DARLA LEAL, FIT AT 50
Orange Photography 2014

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TRAIN SMARTER NOT HARDER

I like to make the most of my precious time and that means having a focused exercise program that fits into my schedule, and works best for my body.  I believe in quality not quantity, and using exercise movements that challenge me to change me, but do not hurt me.  It is not a fun place to be when exercise brings about injury and especially when that injury stops me from doing what I like to do.  I do not even like to feel a nagging pain that I know was caused from a certain move I should have avoided, but the push to want was greater than listening to what my body was telling me at the time. It is those types of constant and repetitive things that can bring about a chronic issue and I say no thank you to that. What it comes down to is training “smarter and not harder.”

I do not need to prove anything to anyone, and I do want to maintain a healthy body that not only looks good but feels good for the duration of my life. What that means is keeping my routine simple, smart, and effective to get the job done.  That is all that is required to keep my body healthy, happy, and feeling good overall.  Our bodies are fabulous machines that appreciate smart maintenance through movement and premium fuel for energy.  On the other side of that coin, a body that is in a constant state of extreme abuse will experience wear and tear, and eventual break down that does not feel good in the years to come. 

Smart training consists of challenging the anaerobic and aerobic systems, strength and endurance, stabilization and flexibility of our bodies. Simple programs can accomplish all of these goals and are necessary to create and maintain a healthy physique.  The challenge does not have to be gut wrenching, feel like death kind of stuff, but simply pushing our bodies above the physical limits of what is considered our “normal” status.  Standing would turn into brisk walking for 30 minutes for example, or WOGing (walk/jogging). Now combine that with body moves like squats, lunges, push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups and stretch program and a smartly balanced program has been achieved. 

When physical training is looked at simply and smarter, it does not feel so overwhelming.  When the “hard” is taken out of the equation, a whole different mental game can be applied and a more positive outlook of “I can do this” now enters the picture. The beauty about training smart is an easier time creating programs that best fit our bodies and provide the results that make us healthy people.  No competitions, except with being our best healthy self and better than the day before because we are experiencing the benefits of smart training. 

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REEL IN THE REASONS

Let's get down to the business of reasons and how they fit into our daily life and overall health and fitness.  Reasons are often used to avoid a workout or eat healthy meals and I think we can all agree on that. Can I go as far as to say they parallel excuses and guess what, we all can have them and often do. What amazes me is how often we think and want to be healthy, want the hot body, the glowing skin and quality life without pain, but come up with every reason in the book to not do what it takes to obtain the goals.  I say it is time to "reel in the reasons" and ask why they keep getting in the way of the thing we most want.  

On top of the reasons that pull us in the opposite direction of our goals is almost a rebellious attitude of "I can eat and do what I want" and still reach my goals.  A negative attitude, excuses, and rebel behavior is definitely not going to achieve a healthy body or mind for that matter. I like that saying that goes "If it were easy, everyone would be doing it" because it really zeros in on what it takes: EFFORT.  Effort becomes the driving physical force that puts the end to the reasons, and sets on fire the mindset of "I can and I will."

Why is the effort involved to live a healthy life considered a burden, and why are reasons used to avoid it.  This perplexes me as it takes effort to do most everything in this life: careers, ministries, events, vacations, chores, etc., and those things are performed without a hitch, but bring up the "health or fitness" word and one would think you were talking about scaling the largest mountain peak in the world or the plague. Life is too short to let the "reasons" get in the way of being our best self, and to believe that it is acceptable to convince ourselves otherwise is absolutely crazy. 

All the time spent coming up with reasons why not, we all could have done what should have been done already.   That is the honest truth about how time is so mismanaged and our bodies are suffering the consequences.  It is important to not give up what our minds are thinking about for ourselves and I am referring to health, fitness, and goals.  The reasons need to be reeled in, caught in the net, and tossed back as not large enough to get in the way.  






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PHOTO CREDIT: CHERI CHRISTINE PHOTOGRAPHY 2014

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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.

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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