DESTROY YOUR INNER REBEL

We all can have a rebel that lives inside of us taunting and tempting us to turn to the dark side of unhealthy living.  It can even come in the form of outright discouragement from not seeing results right away and out of frustration stuffing our faces with crap because we think what’s the point? We can be our own worst enemy when it comes to putting ourselves down and throwing that adult temper tantrum that leads to nothing but making poor decisions and a negative “mental game”.  In comes resentment and anger at life, the choices we are making that should be working but not, and straight up “biotch” attitudes.  You have just met the inner rebel that seeks to destroy our efforts and take us down to the mental breaking point. 

I say, kick your rebel in the face and refuse to give in to the thoughts that will only give way to a domino effect of good things gone wrong.  Instead of listening to inner voices of temptation to jump ship with taking care of your health, slam immediately on the mental brakes and start writing down what you have been doing in a positive and negative way to take care of yourself.  This will require complete honesty about the food being eaten, alcohol being consumed, and exercise being done or avoided.  This is where we need to get real with our rebel self and in order to destroy the actions that occur from this other person.   Our mental game is at risk here and overall happiness with life and self.  If we lose control and throw in the towel, what good does that do anyone?  The battle is always with ourselves and how we handle that is again our responsibility.

I understand that not seeing results and working your ass off can feel so unfair when results in the mirror or on the scale are not being seen, but if you are completely honest with you, I am sure you will find that the rebel is allowed out to play way too much.  Becoming our best healthy self is about acceptance of this moment and what we are doing right now to change who we are physically, emotionally, and spiritually.  Being in denial about the rebel within will not allow for the best you to emerge and consistently be in control of your life choices.  Anger and bitterness over our circumstances resolves nothing, but being pro-active to get to the bottom of why the rebel is winning will provide the answers needed so that a change can be implemented.  

My Bare Faced Beauty Hope

November Challenge for the Ladies:  No Makeup November to support the true beauty of all women.  I am very proud to sponsor my daughter Hope on this campaign to reach out to women all round the world in an effort for them to realize their true beauty, enjoyment and acceptance of self.  Head on over to the No Makeup November page like I did, ditch the brushes and post your beautiful bare face! 

NO MAKEUP NOVEMBER PAGE

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Stay Healthy!

Darla

STOP PLAYING THE SCALE GAME

Who is guilty?  The scale game starts as innocent accountability of weight loss and then turns into a game of just how much we can get away with.  The fitness program is going great, the weight is coming off at a healthy rate and all of a sudden our thoughts turn to bringing unhealthy food items back into our lives at a more than moderation rate.  We challenge that scale and see how far we can push those numbers because we think there is leeway.  The purpose of obtaining a healthy weight is not to yo-yo back and forth, but to get serious about our health and maintain the lifestyle.  If the scale gets in the way of that, it is time to toss it, especially when the “scale game” derails our health and fitness goals and mental game.

 

 

 

 

We are not kidding anyone but ourselves when we play games with our efforts and what is that saying about what we are doing.  There is no half-way living a healthy life and the expectation of obtaining goals by not giving your best will show not only on the scale, but with how our clothes are fitting, and how we feel overall.  The scale game robs us of what we are trying to accomplish with our health and body, and thinking that it is a way to sneak in what we shouldn’t, well that is just wrong.  Yes, it will let us know that we have gained or lost, but when the purpose is to see how much more crap we can eat, or how much less we can exercise, then I would call that scale abuse. I am all for weighing one time per week for accountability and celebrating maintaining a healthy weight, or weight loss, but put my foot down against the scale game. 

 

Success will never come from games or lack of commitment to your goals.  The results will come from effort, a change in lifestyle, and choices with the food we eat and the exercise that we do on a consistent basis.  The scale has nothing to do with the choices, but will let us know about positive progress in a weight loss program.  It can be a friend or foe depending on how our mental game perceives it and how it is being used.  If the “scale game” is an active part of a health program then it really is not a health program.  It is time to stop the games, dump the scale if necessary, and get on with what we are trying to accomplish with our efforts. 

 

 

 

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Stay Healthy,

Darla

 

 

 

DON’T BE ASHAMED OF YOUR STORY

For some reason hiding behind our secrets seems to be the easy and almost normal thing to do while we are journeying through life.  Don’t be ashamed of your story because you just might inspire or help someone going through the same things.  All people will experience life with circumstances that may or may not be within our control, and what we are learning from these experiences helps to create who we are.  Why do we get so caught up in what people may think that hiding our true self along with our struggles for fear of rejection is more important than sharing who we are and what is happening within our life. Fear takes over our ability to own our life, robs us of our comfort level to share those things that are important, those things that we struggle with, what we may need help with, and sadly cuts off any chance of gaining a support system through difficult times.

In my lifetime, I have hidden my inability to set boundaries and allowed myself to be mistreated in early marital and boyfriend relationships. I have been a closet Christian, suffered alone with anxiety, hid my cervical dystonia condition, and in my competitive fitness hid behind a ripped body as being healthy.  I look back and can see that my fear of rejection kept me from being me.  During the time of my inability to set boundaries, I cared more about what people would think or say than my own health. I never wanted to be considered a failure. I am embarrassed to say that at one point, I did not confess to being a Christian, and just kept it between me and God.  I was so uneasy about having cervical dystonia and the embarrassment of the tremor that can accompany the condition that I did not feel normal and fearful of being the girl that gets pointed at with the whispers behind the back. Having anxiety in my life has sucked and thinking that others would not understand kept me from opening that box as well.

That was years ago, and my journey of accepting myself and sharing who I am really and truly has been such a relief and freeing experience, and has allowed me to help so many suffering the same ways that I have.  I am not saying that it has been an easy road, or something that happens overnight, and I am a firm believer in faith and a positive advocate for a great therapist to assist during difficult times.  Learning to love yourself and share your story is not only a healing process, but also opens the door for others to feel comfortable enough to step toward you for help.  When fear is set aside and being “real” with who we are replaces that chain around our soul, be ready for doors to open and contentment to flood your life. 

So many hide behind relationship problems, eating disorders, medical conditions, drug and alcohol addiction, money problems, and the list can go on, that enjoying what it feels like to truly be happy is impossible.  When we live fake lives with fake smiles, and are so overcome by shame, embarrassment or fear it is no wonder why so many people suffer with depression and stress.  Hiding behind lies does not provide healing and positive growth in our lives and until we learn how to share our stories with courage, we will not be able to be happy healthy people.  We are required to own what and who we are and to become a better person than yesterday.  That will take courage and taking that first step to sharing your story will not only open the window to self-healing but also open the door to inspiring others.   

Stay Healthy Fitness Happenings: Want to promote your business through low cost Ad Space or a fun Giveaway with Stay Healthy Fitness? Check out my pages for Ad Space or Host a Giveaway and I look forward to assisting you!

 

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Stay Healthy,

Darla

DARLA LEAL, FIT AT 50

IF THE GRASS IS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE, CHANGE YOUR GLASSES

Why do we get so caught up in what is happening on the other side of the fence?  The grass is not greener and to believe it is requires a change in how we are viewing the scenery.  In addition to changing our glasses to take in this new view, our attention requires a full turnabout and eyeful of what is going on in our own yard and life.  He or she is not any better than me or you physically or materially and it is important to realize that to green up our own grass, we need to start taking care of it. 

I am zeroing in on comparison being the thief of joy because that is the darn truth.  We will always be at different levels of health, looks, and financial status and that is just how the world works.  The important thing is to make the best out of what we have, celebrate who we are at this moment, and work on becoming a better self than we were yesterday. I refuse to waste my time worrying about someone else’s grass and let the weeds infest mine.

I do not have the fanciest house, the most expensive car or clothes, the straightest teeth or legs for that matter, but that is all a part of where I am in life and I am happy with that.  I will never have the butt of a twenty something, a few wrinkles have appeared on my 50+ face, and I have hardware in my neck and again, I accept who I am and can only work on taking care of the body that walks this earth.  I am not saying that it is not OK to dream about wanting something because that can be a goal and is fun to think about.  What robs the very life out of a person is becoming jealous and bitter because “Sally Sue or Jimmy Joe” seems to have the best body, clothes, home, car, spouse, and the list can continue forever. 

When the “grass is greener” analogy gets in the way of seeing our life in a healthy way is when disenchantment and unhappiness develops.  Our constant gaze into someone else’s yard is keeping us from taking care of ourselves and becoming who we are meant to be physically and emotionally.  Also, the view is always skewed when looking at the outward appearance of another and what you see is not always what is truly lived. That is the irony of this whole thing because the physical view does not show unhappiness, debt, stress, depression, and all that flare may only be a mask to hide unhealthiness that is not seen.  Now, when a change in our glasses takes place and our focus is turned to taking care of our self physically and emotionally, many times it opens our eyes to the truth and we can finally see the weeds growing in the grass of that other yard.  The best part is our attention will be on tending to our own grass and greening up the areas in our life that will create healthier happier people.  

I dedicate this Blog to my dog Oscar Boy who went to heaven on Monday night. He was a precious part of our family for seventeen years.  I will miss you dearly my Lil Old Man, RIP and I can only imagine you are running free playing with your brother Mayer now. Forever loved ~

My final moments with Oscar, I miss you today

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Me and Oscar a few months ago

Stay Healthy!
Darla

WANTING A HOT BODY IS NOT ALL ABOUT VANITY

I want a hot body and there is nothing wrong with that.  In fact, I believe that health and fitness play a large role in finding the fountain of youth and I am implementing that into maintaining my “hot body” philosophy.  I feel honored to have joined the 50+ club and that does not mean I am supposed to change in some way and enter into a doom and gloom frump sorority for women.  I believe that age is just a number and what I think in my mind is what I feel in my body and soul.  Health will always be my priority, but I am not going to lie and tell you that I do not want my body to look good in and out of my clothes.  There should be one of those “snarky e-cards” that states “I do not want a hot body…said no woman ever”. In fact, let me create that for you.

Being healthy and fit feels sexy, and when it is just me and the mirror, I like what I see and enjoy the confidence that goes along with that.  We are all our own worst critics and will always find something that can be improved and as long as that is kept under control, meaning it is not an obsessive thing, there is nothing wrong with wanting to work on achieving goals.  The point will always be for me to focus on being a better me than yesterday given my genetics and medical issues, and also acceptance of what I can do with this 50+ body.  I am getting older and feeling pretty frisky about being fifty.  The fact that I can still fit into the same size that I wore in high school is pretty exciting, and I am all about trendy and refuse to wear the “mom” jeans.  Wanting a hot body is not all about vanity, but about what feels good for myself, and quality of my life physically and emotionally.

Maintaining a hot body has so many health, self, and relationship benefits that I would be crazy not to stay plugged into this lifestyle.  I want to look good naked, feel good in clothes, and enjoy great sex with my hubby, which are all easier with a fit physique.  It really is the confidence gained that enables such a feeling of contentment and accomplishment.  The hot body is only the result of living the healthy lifestyle and what a great side effect to reflect outwardly.  There is a sense of pride that goes along with the fruits of my labor, and it really keeps me wanting for more.  Each sweaty workout session may be hard but even going through those motions, I feel awesome and sexy. Wanting a hot body is a motivation and keeps me plugged into having fun with what I can do next to keep improving. 

Stay Healthy Fitness Happenings: Want to promote your business through low cost Ad Space or a fun Giveaway with Stay Healthy Fitness? Check out my pages for Ad Space or Host a Giveaway and I look forward to assisting you!

 

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Darla and Don, Fit at 50+

Stay Healthy!

Darla

WORRY LESS AND SWEAT MORE

Sometimes we can get caught up in worrying about so much in this life, and even things that may never happen.  Worry is definitely a thief of our happiness and will dictate our attitude for the day.  It can become a chronic way of thinking and existing, and not only zaps our energy, but can be exhausting for those around us.  Whenever I feel a worry, I stop and think about the cause and ask myself if it is warranted.  Sometimes worry just does not make sense, and the root cause many times is fear or insecurity about something.  The “What If” this or that kind of worry when nothing definite has even revealed itself.  I found one of the best ways to beat up that kind of mentality is to sweat more.  I get my butt going and use that energy on a high energy workout like HIIT (high intensity interval training) or weight training.

Studies have shown that consistent exercise reduces stress and guess what, that includes the stress that comes from worry.  I use my workout sessions as “cheap man’s” therapy and also as my time to talk with God about what the heck is going on that is making me feel worrisome or anxious.  The more I work and sweat it through, the better I feel.  Most of the time I feel relief, calm, and energized all at the same time after a therapy sweat session.  I do not want to waste my time and energy dragging down my mental game and overall attitude on unnecessary worry.  Not only am I moving my body in a challenging way, but also relieving my mind of the clutter that is taking up precious space. 

The”worry less and sweat more” philosophy provides a healthier lifestyle and the ability to cope with the day to day obligations and responsibilities in life. I feel like I am missing out on something very important for me if I do not sweat it out. My day just feels off, not as accomplished and even tension filled because I did not get that bottled energy out. I like to face head on in the gym any feelings that are questionable as worry and I am not one to just ignore me and think everything is going to fix itself.  I am a doer and a sweater to help maintain a positive outlook, reduce stress and eliminate unnecessary worry.  I am all about not sweating the small stuff but using sweating more to worry less.  

Stay Healthy Fitness Happenings: Want to promote your business through low cost Ad Space or a fun Giveaway with Stay Healthy Fitness? Check out my pages for Ad Space or Host a Giveaway and I look forward to assisting you!

 

DON'T MISS MY FREE UPDATES

Thanks for stopping by my Blog, hope you enjoy the content, and if you have not become a follower yet, I would love to see your face on my friend's list, or if you want to receive my free updates, use the button at the right to select your feed preference. I look forward to responding to your comments and appreciate your shares.

FIT AT 50! 

Stay Healthy!

A Sweat More Worry Less Workout feels FABULOUS!

Darla