LOVE THE HATERS

Yes I do.  I love my haters and I will share that typically those who are “hating” or critical of others really do desire to be loved.  There is something down deep inside of each of us that longs to be accepted and  feel good enough, and when hate comes to the surface it usually defines deep insecurities or unresolved issues within a person.  The ability to be motivated or happy by or for another is replaced with bitterness, jealousy, and to the point of “hating” a person for their accomplishments.  Because I realize that there are underlying factors involved with “hating”, I can look past comments and know that it is not about me when my haters come to calling.  Lately, I have received lots of negative comments, and especially when I share motivational posters that feature me in fitness wear or bathing suits.  If I allowed the negative posts I receive to negatively impair me as a person, I really do not have any business being an internet personality.  I have been in this industry for thirty years, and have read and heard my share of negative as well as the positive.

The only thing in this life I can control is me, and I let go of all the rest.  What I share with you comes with pure intention to motivate you to live a healthy life, and if that is not well received that is the chance I take, and the positive will always outweigh the negative in my opinion.  The recent “hating” on my body and boobs with a post focus/motivation  to live a healthy lifestyle, exercise, eat healthy,  or be happy with self is a clear demonstration of people that are not happy with “self” and feel the need to project and vent their frustrations.  The sad part about hating on the internet is the people acting out the behavior do not know the circumstances or life journey of the person they are criticizing.  Let’s use breast augmentation as an example in general and the possibility that the woman making this choice is doing so for cancer reconstructive purposes, or has been involved in an auto accident which has disfigured her breast, or to feel better about herself by gaining a more proportionate figure, or to regain fuller breasts post pregnancy of one or more births and breast feeding her blessings in life, and the list of reasons can go on and on.  I had a girlfriend who was out for a jog and an unleashed dog attacked her, leaped at her breast and pulled it off her chest, which took months of reconstructive repair.  We all need to realize, accept, and appreciate that personal choices belong to each person and that it does not make that person fake or a “bad” example.  In fact, it could be this person’s life story that can reach out and help others in similar situations.  It really comes down to if you do not have anything nice to say, do not say anything at all. 

Wouldn’t life be grand if all of us were pro-positive of each other, supportive, motivating and complimentary?  The sad truth is that life is not that way, and within this imperfect world we are imperfect people trying the best we can to deal with unfair issues in this life.  That is the point of it all to be happy, and become a better person each day through our journey.  That is not accomplished riding in the “hate” wagon of life.  So whether it is a new house, car, clothes, body, face or your life in general, haters will hate because you possess something they don’t.  Their inability to figure out how to obtain happiness within their own self and life can create a very upset and angry person who copes with frustration through “hating”.  They deal with personal feelings of inadequacy after comparing themselves with others by turning themselves on what they think is making them feel upset…Me, You, Us.

Understanding the psychology of people has helped me a great deal in my journey of life, and has enabled me to develop a “turtle shell” skin that shields me from the negative drama in life.  Also, knowing that there is a lot to be said and appreciated with that old saying “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me”.  I think it also comes down to maturity and realizing that life is too short and precious to not be surrounded by positive and to choose to be positive in life.  Loving my haters is a decision to persevere through adversity, and a choice to continue motivating no matter what the cost.  Also, I do wish for their health and happiness deep down and regardless of the negative, I get people talking and learning through the process.  That is a great thing! 

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!

StayHealthy!

Darla

HAPPINESS DOESN’T JUST HAPPEN

Wouldn’t it be nice to wave a magic wand, and all of life is just how we wanted it to be?  We are blessed with the gift of life but how we live it is up to us, and that takes effort and choices.  There are consequences, hard lessons learned and happiness along the way, but ultimately it is in our choices that create the life of happiness we all desire.  Sometimes we do not even know what we want or how to create this happiness, and wander around going through some sort of life motions that we learned from healthy or unhealthy example.  Choosing the right way to create a life of happiness is quite the goal, but like anything else that takes time and effort, it is worth the journey to get there. 

I have gone through the ups and downs of not being happy in this journey of life, and have held onto the hope that God has a greater plan than I can ever imagine. Life has not been what I thought it would be as I contemplate it, but I am thankful for the life lessons of each circumstance that created an opportunity for me to learn and grow in positive ways. It took a choice for me to go to counseling during tough emotional times, to go to physical therapy during horrific physical times, and to rough up my knees in prayer during doubtful spiritual times.  All the choices to become a better person were in search of a happiness that I wanted in my life and I have always been in pursuit of all methods of work to reach that goal.

The pursuit of happiness also includes being a healthy person.  I believe that the two go hand in hand.  When we feel our best physically, it is easier to handle the emotional rides of life.  Also, when our “mental game” is healthy and our responses to life’s circumstances are handled with maturity, clarity, and good intentions this enhances our state of being healthy and happy overall. Happiness is a goal just like being healthy is a goal, and both are lifetime achievements.  There is no end to being a happy and healthy person, and each day is our chance to make choices toward being both. 

Easter seemed like the perfect time to share how important it is to be happy and healthy, and to take this opportunity to let you know that it is possible and necessary in this life.  Happiness does not just happen, but will take a commitment of self-discovery, and not being afraid to peel the onion and take a look at what is keeping you from being happy or healthy. This took years of work in my life, and I am thankful for it.  I will share that it has not always been easy, and nothing worth anything is, right?  My wish for you this Easter is health and happiness and for you to know that each day is a gift that provides a step closer to reaching those goals.  

Have a very Happy Easter from My Family to Yours

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

YOU CAN DO IT, BUT WILL YOU?

What our health and happiness come down are choices.  I make a choice each day to eat healthy, exercise, and respond to life the best way I can as a Christian woman.  I am not perfect, do not claim to be, and my goals in life are about progress and never the “P” for perfection word.  I struggle with things just like you do, have had my share of crap in this journey of life, emotionally and physically, and I have come out the other side learning and growing in a positive direction.

I will always be a work in progress, and we are all that in this life.  I enjoy writing which is why I Blog and what better way to provide motivation than to share me with you.  You will either like me or not, and that is a choice as well.  Reading my Blog gives you a small glimpse of me, although I try to be thorough, it is not the same as developing a close “friend” relationship chatting up a topic of conversation.  As an internet personality, I have had and do get my share of “haters” as the net likes to call them, but also a great number of supporters, but through this process, my goal and intention is to reach out and get people thinking about their health, making CHOICES to change and adapt healthier ways of living, and ultimately a healthy lifestyle. 

I am a trainer and coach who is passionate about helping people, and I do walk the talk of my mission.  I do not accept excuses or reasons why health is not made a priority and that is not called being unreasonable, it is being truthful.  I am not talking about reasons such as an upcoming surgery, injury, or illness that has unfortunately put a person in a position of inability to exercise.  I have suffered that journey and understand the frustrations, and emotions of dealing with such a crisis.  I am addressing the everyday person walking around with so much created busyness that they “think” that they just can’t fit in an hour of exercise at least 3 days per week, or prepare healthy meals. 

YOU CAN DO IT….BUT WILL YOU?  That is the question of the Blog and each of us has a conscience controlled decision to make when it comes to taking care of our health in all aspects.  We choose to exercise, eat healthy, be happy, and let go of pointless drama that is out of our control.  We choose how we spend the precious minutes gifted to each of us daily, and how we respond to the situations of this life.  I motivate YOU with “YOU CAN DO IT” because you can, and this coming from one busy business woman, wife, mother, grandmother, who is basically fifty and experiencing the throws of menopausal symptoms and existing injuries.  There are times that I feel like I can’t do it, and that is the honest truth.  It is in those moments, that I have to dig deep inside me and pull out the strong, and hope that the motivation kicks in mid workout.  YES, I am just like you, but the choice of “WILL YOU” is always mine and yours. 

This is not about comparison of me to you, but a straight up calling you out on the carpet and asking “WILL YOU start a healthy lifestyle?” and if not, WHY?  I will tell you that YOU CAN DO IT, but it will take the action of YOU to make it happen.  If you feel this is coming on strong, then I have accomplished a goal of getting you to think, maybe even creating some feelings that have been stuffed inside yourself too long and it is time to cleanse that body emotionally and physically.  Are you angry, bitter, frustrated, unhappy, and using the “too busy” title or other reasons to not address those things.  If that is the case, time for some internal cleaning of house, and time to get healthy.  YOU CAN DO IT…BUT WILL YOU?

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

REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS

My last post dealt with my struggle through illness, and I must confess that at three weeks out, I am still dealing with residual upper respiratory issues and decreased energy.  My body definitely dictated my abilities and limitations and there was no way I was going to be able to return to high intensity workouts and my favorite HIIT routines have been taking a back seat for the moment.  This is all part of “realistic expectations” and although I may want something right now, it just is not going to happen.  Sadly, there is no such thing as here today and gone tomorrow, and patience is very important on our journey to health and fitness. I will share that it is frustrating though and it is OK to feel like that.  I am happy to be feeling better, working with my fabulous clients, and able to be social with family and friends.

My “Realistic Workouts” post illness started with no more than a six minute warm up, and basic large muscle movements like squats, lunges, pull-ups, light chest press, and core approximately ten reps and two sets for a total of thirty minutes.  Believe me, that was taxing enough and I was ready to stretch.  Today was my first twenty minute ARC trainer warm up and it felt pretty good, but I can still feel the lag on the energy.  It is so important to pay attention to what the body is saying, and it will scream when I have had enough. 

Realistic expectations involve creating plans that are reasonable, and obtainable.  Going into something with the wrong mindset, and with the expectation of achieving a goal that is impossible will cause feelings of discouragement, and often times the “give-up” decision is made before seeing any positive progress.  All effort toward weight loss and muscle gain is progress and it does not matter how long it takes, as long as the work is consistent and dedication to the program becomes a lifestyle.  Results happen when perseverance is put into place and healthy eating and consistent exercise is a lifestyle.  There is no magic pill that is going to create this lifestyle, but it is a wanting to be “REAL” about what it will take to obtain a healthy body and being patient through the process. We all want things to happen quicker than they do whether that be to look and feel healthier, have a better job, more money, new car or things, but the key is PATIENCE and REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS. 

Rushing into a seemingly healthier body using unhealthy means, making a quick job decision that does not feel good, or grabbing that credit card to satisfy the “things” itch are all unhealthy ways of obtaining our wants without patience, and not being “realistic” or healthy with our choices overall.  Unhealthy choices like these are the cause of “yo-yo” diet frustration and gaining back even more weight, create an unhappy personal and job life, and open the door to credit card debt that leaves a person stressed to the financial max.  I have this saying that goes “Nothing Good Happens Fast” as it relates to these topics, and it really can be applied to many things in life.  Taking care of ourselves is about a healthy lifestyle, and the choices we make each day that keep us progressing in a healthy direction.  We all have the ability to get healthy and become our BEST self at any age, and any circumstance.  It is keeping our “Realistic Expectations” front and center in our life to make that happen. 

Gearing up for my fabulous fifty in May!

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

BIT BY THE BUG

Last week proved to be the start of some sort of attack on my body that did not come quietly.  To say that I have been “bit by a bug” is really too nice of an explanation for the being hit by a train, elephant sitting on my chest, unable to breathe feeling I experienced.  Unproductive congestion and having to sleep reclined really sucks.  This past week I have had a date with antibiotics, menthol under the nose, head under the towel steams, and lots of food channel, HG TV, and rest.  I rarely get sick and so this took me by surprise, picked me up in the air and slammed me down to the ground.

I share this because there are times when a body should not be in the gym or even attempting to workout.  Not that I felt like lifting my body off the couch anyway, but even as I began to get better, my body was still in need of rest.  I am determined not to relapse and I am still dealing with residual congestion that is absolutely obnoxious.  Along with the congestive yuck came weight loss living off soup, crackers, and Popsicles and this body just does not look or perform at its’ best with a deficit.  This girl needed comfort food and hubby delivered with some of the best mac and cheese ever.  Illness requires different needs and care and I am a firm believer of listening to my body in all aspects. 

MY COMFORT FOOD

Another area that really hits hard during illness is frustration because I am not able to do the things that are in my routine.  I not only enjoy working out but interacting with my family and friends and this has really put a halt to all of that.  I am getting tired of hanging out on the couch coughing up non-productive phlegm balls.  In the scheme of life, I know that two weeks off is nothing, but when you are going through the process of illness, it feels like eternity.  I also think about how others have it much worse than I, and that brings any whining to a screeching halt.  I do have to give a big thanks to my husband who has taken the best care of me, and puts up with the occasional gripe session, not to mention having to listen to all this coughing. 

I will continue to rest and recover and return to work and the gym slowly.  It will be important to not overtax this already taxed body so that the healing process will continue.  There are times when exercise is not a good thing for the body as I shared earlier, and rest becoming the priority.  The “old” Darla would not have put too much thought into a relapse and placed the exercise importance over the rest, but thank goodness she is long gone, and an older and wiser gal is in the picture.  The overall point is taking the best care of us in this journey of life, and sometimes that means exercise has to take a back seat.

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!

StayHealthy!

Darla

COMMITMENT MATTERS

As Valentine’s Day is upon us tomorrow, I think about commitment and how it not only matters in my marriage but also in my fitness and overall health.  They both take dedication and work right?  Think about that: if you cheat on your marriage, it will not work…if you cheat on your health, it will not work…see what I mean.  In order to maintain a happy, healthy relationship, it takes commitment, effort and work on a daily and consistent basis.  

In this journey of life, I have learned what I do and do not want, and I certainly have found a gem in my husband and cherish our relationship as top priority.  I feel the same way about my fitness and realize that my life is a precious gift worthy of my time and attention to reduce the risk of illness and maintain a healthy quality of life.  Commitment is a word that I do not use lightly and is a promise that I will maintain my relationship in a healthy way with my hubby and with myself. 

Really, I do not need a special Hallmark day to tell me that, because every day is Valentine’s Day in my life with my honey and my health.  I treat both with tender loving care, appreciation, time and attention.  Commitment to the things that matter is important and believe me, there are plenty of “busy things” in life that just do not matter.  I like that motivational saying “when you are committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results”.  I believe in seeing positive results in my marriage and health and if I do not take the healthy action steps to make that happen, that is on me.  I have worked too hard and long in my life to not make the most of each day, and  appreciate what good health and true love feels like.   

I will be fifty soon, and it has taken half my lifetime to reach the maturity of emotional, spiritual and physical well-being that I understand today.  The bumpy road along the way was difficult, but through patience, perseverance, and commitment to want more for me in every aspect of life, the journey was meant to be and is always a “to be continued” story.  The importance of commitment is also patience through the process as nothing happens overnight.  There is no such thing as here today and gone tomorrow and rushing life to get no-where is certainly not on any page that I am writing.

I dedicate this Blog to the love of my life, my best friend, prayer partner, and greatest support I have ever known.  To my husband:  I love you “Forever and a Day” and every day is Valentine’s Day with you. 

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!

StayHealthy!

Darla

GOOD HEALTH DOES NOT CARE ABOUT BUSY

Society really needs to stop the glorification of busy, and I am not one who is going to listen and accept all the excuses of not having enough time to care about making health a priority in life.  Let me rephrase that, I may listen to the laundry list, but I will definitely provide the tough questions in response and offer that better time management choices and priorities need to be addressed.  So many people create too much “busy” in life that every second of every hour is consumed by work, overtime, functions, social, social, social, volunteer work,  more work, more functions and the “YES” list goes on and on.  How can anyone pull themselves out of such a drowning pool of stuff, and many times all those so called important things consuming every minute are not even necessary.  Further, many of the things that fill those precious seconds are ways to avoid or hide from just “being”.  What is wrong with society to feel guilty sitting still for an hour alone in a contemplative state, relaxing, meditating, or exercising.  Has it got so bad that avoidance of looking at ourselves is too scary, disappointing, and living in denial has become the “norm”? 

I am convinced that people think it is impressive to be over busy and brag about it ad nauseam like some sort of “busy” award should be given.  I hope this ruffles a few feathers and causes people to think about their “busy” in the whole big scheme of life.  I mean what is this so “busy” mentality that good health is kicked to the curb and illness is accepted, and further taking pharmaceuticals to take care of the illness and stress caused by the “busy” and that being accepted.  Can you tell I am on a “soap box” on this subject?  I have worked in the health industry for over 30 years, and am strongly stating that the tiresome laundry list of busy needs a good washing out.  I am not talking about busy that may come from handling a temporary crisis, but years of putting off a healthy lifestyle all for the glorification of meaningless busy.   

The hard truth is that good health does not care about busy, and all those things that are cluttering up our time, creating stress, and keeping us from a healthy lifestyle WILL bring the consequence of illness.  Maybe not today or even tomorrow, but all that procrastination of not taking care of YOU will rear its’ ugly head in the form of illness, obesity, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, joint and spinal issues, depression, and that list can go on and on as well.  It is the blow of illness that can rattle a person and finally cause a wake-up call to adapt a healthy lifestyle. Sadly, and many times at this point, permanent damage to body processes have already taken place, and the person that once was can never be again, to the extent of 100% recovery anyway.  It is at that point that the “things” in life become unimportant as the struggle to become healthy, and the regret of not taking care of oneself surfaces to the forefront of one’s life. 

We are all at a point of being able to prevent or greatly reduce illness, and I am and always will be a very candid health professional with you, my family, and all of my clients.  I can write all this to you and hope that you listen, but this is your journey and your decision.  I fear for those who choose to let this go in one ear and out the other, and if I have reached and shaken the limbs of others to start now to live a healthy lifestyle, then I have accomplished the goal I set out to with this write. 

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!

StayHealthy!

Darla