I Don't Fall for Food or Fitness Myths

Food and fitness myths have grown to an excessive number and causing extreme confusion in the health and fitness arena.  I am a firm believer of debunking all food and fitness myths and their false promises to deliver the perfect body in 10 days or less.  I can really get on a soap box about this subject and sometimes do.  Today seems fitting to fling a little soap around and clean up the "myth mess" created by untrue marketing in the fitness world.

Understand that most of America wants to get fit fast and companies are not dumb in knowing how to market that dream at top dollar.  Store shelves and online sites are crammed with millions of  miracle fitness makers and responding to those are the same amount of consumers.  Add that figure up and you have a several billion dollar industry all focused around you getting fit with a bottle of wonder.  Every time you step up to purchase some blend promising fat to melt off your body, create six-pack abs, build bulging muscles, or drop 7 sizes, please stop and realize those guarantees are myths.  There is nothing in that bottle or bag that is going to provide a fit body.  Supplements and herbal blends are not FDA regulated and promoters can put anything on their bottles to sell the product, and that is exactly what they do.  I do not walk the talk of teaching or selling gimmicks to achieve fitness which is the reason you will never see any endorsements for them on my Blog.  Take a close look at the small writing on most unregulated fitness supplements and you will see "should be combined with a healthy eating and exercise program for results."

Stop right there!  Guess what, if you just starting eating right and exercising you would see results without buying an expensive bottle of "quick fix" hype.   Most all our nutrients can be obtained through eating a wide variety of healthy foods.   Some foods can naturally boost metabolism getting rid of the need for any unhealthy stimulant fat burners.  Getting fit and staying healthy takes a lifestyle that can't be purchased at the store.  You are the secret to your success!  Myths are for fiction story books and fairy tales.

FITNESS MYTH

It would be nice to be able to snap our fingers and make our bodies the way we want them, but that is not life or reality.  It is time to face the truth of what it takes to achieve health and a fit body and get off the "gimmick-go-round" taking you in circles and going no-where.  Getting fit will take a commitment to eating right, consistent exercise, lots of water, and plenty of rest.  Living this lifestyle will provide the results you are looking for and you are the one who can guarantee that by your daily choices.  That sounds like a much better investment of time and money.

Take a look at my latest article on the about.com network and titled, "Eat Clean Food Myths Debunked."  for a few of the latest trends debunked through research.

Eat Clean Food Myths ... READ THE ARTICLE

Stay Healthy Fitness Tip: 

Believing food and fitness myths cause setbacks to reaching your fitness goals.

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Darla Leal, Fit Over 50

Doing What I Can with what I Got is Good Enough

When it comes to fitness and especially my workouts, I make them my own.  If you have read my "About Me" section,  you are aware of my medical issues requiring modification to certain exercises.  I do what I can with what I got and it is good enough.  I can recall feeling defeated after my injuries and especially during neuro-rehab when I could not even lift my head off an exercise ball. Tears of pain and frustration would flood over those appointments, and almost to the point of giving up.  I would pray every night for things to be different and wake up the same.  Ughhh ... what an ugly place to be, but there I was years ago.  I became so determined to fight, and I did.

Fast forward to now and I am in a much better place physically, mentally and spiritually. Going though tough times builds a tough inner and outer shell. The point of life is not to understand everything that happens to us, but handling it the best we can when "hard" knocks on the door.   Giving up would be easy and so would being angry but what good does that serve ... nothing.  Acceptance of me and what I can do became the focus.  Becoming my best at what I could do to maintain the body I worked so hard for took some creative program planning, but I am all about trial and error and finding what works.

I am in tune and listen to what my body is telling me and there is a difference between a "feel good" sore and this does not feel right sore.  If anything twinges in the "not right" direction, I put on the brakes and immediately modify and do something else.  I do not believe in pushing past something that will hurt my body and land me flat on my back or worse.  I appreciate the gift of what I can do and will not "fudge" this up.  Do I miss certain things ... yes, and I get so excited watching others perform what I used to do and want to jump in and do it with them.  That is just my inner athlete still alive and well, but my outer athlete will dictate what I can do now.  Exercise is about being smart and creating a quality life.  So many do not realize how good they are supposed to feel and accommodate pain day after day.  I am determined to increase my lean mass while decreasing or eliminating pain.  I know what it feels like to be in severe pain and how hard I have worked to achieve being pain free.

My fitness journey is not about doing what others can do, but doing the best at what I can do.  It is about acceptance of my body and the thoughts surrounding it that belong to me.  I believe in adopting a healthy lifestyle to create a quality life which is one of my motto's I teach daily.  It is about doing what I can with what I got and that is good enough.

Thanks for stopping by my blog and head on over to the about network and read my latest article "Holding Water? Herbal Diuretics Can Help."  We all struggle with feeling bloated and puffy from water retention.  The worst part is not being able to fit in our clothes, right?

Reduce Water Bloat with Herbs ... READ THE ARTICLE

Stay Healthy Fitness Tip:  IT'S GOOD ENOUGH

Strive to be your best you each day and do what you can with what you got!

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Thanks for Reading and Stay Healthy!

Healthy is How You Respond to Life

Being healthy is many things but I feel the biggest player in life is how we respond to it.  We are all hit with situations every day in our marriages, workplace, family or friend drama, getting bad news and right down to the priority of taking care of our body.  It will be in the responses to life's circumstances that creates a healthier, happier, and many times stronger person.

Being healthy encompasses not only the physical and nutritional, but also includes the emotional and spiritual.  If any one of those dominoes are out of place, health is just not complete.  When a problem arises, we can choose to brood about it or problem solve in a healthy way.  Many times issues are out of our control and really, the only thing fixable or controllable is you and me.  We are not responsible for the actions or behavior of others, but what we do have is the actions and behaviors of ourselves.

Life can be made to feel complicated and depressing or carefree and happier simply by how we respond to situations.   The same principle should be applied to how we take care of our body.  Do we nourish it well, exercise it enough, and provide adequate rest for it?   What are your actions telling your body and how is it responding to you?  Are you getting great healthy feedback or receiving messges of fatigue, illness, overweight, depressed, and stressed out?

Our body is a good indicator of how we are living life.  A healthy lifestyle reflects itself from the inside out and if we are doing a great job with eating right, working out, and emotional and spiritual happiness then our body will feel pretty amazing as a whole.  If we choose not to listen to our body indicators to get our act together, guess what?  We will be hit with weight gain, stress, illness, and usually being pissed off at the world for our problems.  It is up to each of us to listen to what our body, mind and spirit is telling us and take appropriate action. It will be the responses in life that create our health.

Lots of exciting health and fitness articles prepared and ready for you to read on my sports nutrition page with the about.com network.  Head on over and check out my Landing Page with my recent release on "Should I Take Stimulant Based Fat Burners?".

Read Great Articles!

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Darla Leal, Fit over 50!
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Age is Never the Deal...It's What I am Doing Through the Ages

Age is just a number and I wear 51 proudly. Actually, I do not even think about it unless someone makes a comment.  Inside I feel youthful, energized and can still do the splits.  I recognize my limitations and focus on what I can do to the best of my ability.  Each day is a new chance to make better choices physically, nutritionally, and mentally.  I give time to reflection and am thankful for the many blessings God has given me.  I have been through a tough journey in life and today I am still smiling, extremely happy, and going strong with my fitness.

It really comes down to a state of mind and I refuse to get all "hum-drum" about getting older and instead focus on what I can do to improve my life through the aging process.  Age is never the deal but it is what I am doing through the ages that counts.  I can sit around like a bump on a log, depressed, and seeing my life as half over or embrace that my life is more than half full.  I choose the latter and enjoy the challenge of becoming stronger physically and mentally.

Sometimes aging holds a stigma of "grandma/pa" wearing frumpy clothes with huggable large hips and hair always in a bun. I am not describing this to be offensive and I have to laugh because I am a "Nana" always wearing my hair up because I am either sweating my literal ass off in the gym or teaching clients.  When I am not on the job, I enjoy wearing trendy clothes, letting down my long hair, and adding a bit of makeup.  I do believe in less is more in the makeup application department.  In fact, I do not use foundation at all and prefer a tinted moisturizer with a sunscreen to protect my skin.  I am all about "dump-the-frump" and will never fall into wearing the "Mom's jeans" category.  I am who I am and part of being a fit over 50 woman is being able to wear what I want.

Older, wiser and definitely better is what comes with aging.  It is an honor and privilege to live each day and I refuse to let the gift of life down by not giving the best of me in return.  I believe in a quality life and in quality health.  Eating healthy and exercise are a natural part of who I am and I would feel absolutely out of sorts without it.  I steer clear of drama and try to keep stress to a minimum.  Life is too short to entertain ugly mental stuff that does not nourish my soul in a positive way.

Getting Fit Over 50 IS POSSIBLE!

I will always be a strong motivator for all people and especially those over 50 who think getting fit is not possible.  I am here to say being your best healthy and fit self IS POSSIBLE.  Life hands us all bowls of cherries and it will be how we respond to those cirumstances that will create a stronger, and healthier person.  It is not the time to give up, eat like crap and not exercise because there is some sort of belief that it will solve something.  The result of that behavior is an unhealthy and very unhappy person winding up in the "frump" zone.  Life is short and precious and not taking care of yourself is really wadding up your gift and throwing it on the floor.  It is time to stop wasting time and fight for your fitness regardless of your age or circumstance.  Remember, age is never a deal so stop focusing on the number as if it defines you and start putting in the effort of adopting a healthy lifestyle.  Now, that is what counts!

Enjoy my latest article "Not Losing Fat? These Not So Obvious Reasons Could Be the Culprit" on the about.com network.  I would love to read your feedback by posting a comment below and if you feel comfortable sharing areas in your life the article may have touched on.  We are all works in progress!

Not Losing Fat? Read the Article

Stay Healthy!

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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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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