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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Be well and Stay Healthy!

Darla Leal, Fit Over 50

The Cost of Living

What is the first thing that comes to mind…money…right?  Well, that is part of the “Cost of Living”.  I see this phrase in a whole new way as in the choices I make with my life.  What I choose to think, feel, how I act, respond, do or not do all determines my “Cost of Living”. 

Happiness comes at a price and so does stress and struggle.  I know that when I feel at my best and happy about how things are going, the cost for me is a great day, feel on top of the world, confident, and just all together fabulous…right?  Just as allowing some injustice that has been thrown my direction to take over my whole persona, well the cost would be stress, anxiety, and just an overwhelming YUCK feeling in my life bank. 

Sometimes, it is difficult to always pay the right cost all the time in life to receive the right result.  Look at how the “Cost of Living” affects health and I will speak personally here…If I choose to sit around and do nothing active, then the cost would be that my body receives no benefit of exercise, no positive endorphins to flood my system…and boy do I love that feeling, and really puts a damper in my routine.  Let me hit up my nutrition using the same analogy.  If I choose to eat processed crap, overload my system with sugar, and do not pay attention to what I put in my face, the cost would be not feeling well, probably constipated (YUCK), low energy, and really not feeling mentally good about ME. In both regards, my health would suffer at the cost of my not taking care of ME.

The mental game comes with the biggest cost as it really determines how each day will unfold, and overall how life is lived.  If I walk around with an “I can’t” attitude, the cost for me would be “I won’t” which eventually leads to never will, and I would suffer not only emotionally but physically.  Can you imagine what kind of life that would be for me…bitter, depressed, judgmental, wanting it but not willing to work for it…feeling the victim in life…now that is a heavy cost of living.  Looking at the flip side of having an “I can” attitude, the cost would be “I will” and “I did”.  Putting forth some energy (cost) to reap the benefit of a happy healthy life sounds like the type of journey I would and will want to continue for a lifetime.

That is ultimately what I am trying to get across with the “Cost of Living”…YES, it takes a conscious effort to want a healthy life and I do want this for ME.  It does cost me time, energy, some money, planning, and caring and I am not saying that it is always easy, but I can tell you that it has been worth it.  So I do put money in my health bank in the form of exercise, healthy food, water, quality ME time, time with God and many things that are invaluable…money can’t buy my health, but the things that I do for ME can and do provide me with a life that is full, healthy, and happy.  

IN YOUR FACE MOTIVATIONS 

 

Dedicated to My Mother ~ Happy Birthday

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Have a FABULOUS weekend and upcoming week!

 

Stay Healthy!

Darla;)

 

 

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A Hard Day

Blast off to Somewhere

I found this fabulous Motivational Poster that says “You are one workout away from a Good Mood”…this is so true!  Feels like a hard day, or hard week…all blending together as my fingers are trying to unwrap my feelings as I write this Blog.  I always like to say YES…I am human and have hard days, weeks, moments…just like you, I am not immune.  Sometimes I want to curl up in a human escape ball and ya know…blasting off to Hawaii sounds pretty good sometimes.  OH MY…what a share…well, why not…I mean really???  I have no fear of sharing who I am with you.  I am in and out of my workout writing this getting into that “Good Mood” coming from a great sweat.  It is my free therapy session where I process all the crap that can attempt to bring me down or create a hard day. As things come to my mind, I am near my computer for entry…that being said, back at it soon to return that will be for certain.

What the heck am I talking about…well, lots of things that have not been so fun…illness, a little surgery, and you know what can bother the most…being hit with the daily not so great communication or circumstances that can come from OMG…really…from them, or her, or him.  BIG YUCK…I am sure I am not sharing anything new…this screams…ARC TRAINER please and the other poster that I just found and absolutely LOVE…”God is STRONGER than my mood”…whew…Perfect for today and has been an “In My Face MOTIVATION” Screen Saver for me this week!

No…it is NOT my period or hormonal issues…although I must say that I do feel more anxious and edgy during that time…generally, I do not allow that to have any power over me though.  I am talking about living one day at a time, and just having, well…a hard day…I will not call it a bad day because I do not believe that days are bad…they are gifts.  I am happy to be here today…although hard…I am thankful. 

I am definitely a believer of a drama free life, not sweating the small stuff, letting go of those things I can’t control, and responding to life’s circumstances is 90% of the outcome.  Sometimes, depending on what the heck has hit me in the “funk” face determines how difficult it will be to not be sad, funky, down or whatever word best fits the scenario. I mean, if something continues to sneak into my mind and try to bug me…YUCK…it must have bothered me for some reason.  I will say to myself…I have let that go… so what the heck…maybe something triggered it…who knows…but the BEST I can do is be my absolute BEST through all situations…which I will also share…I AM NOT PERFECT…and so sometimes get this wrong.  I mean really, if I always get it right, then how am I learning?  Life is a learning journey and I will experience let downs, hard days, unfair circumstances, and unkind words …do I like this part…well, of course not.  Don’t we all want fairy tale days full of nothing but happy times, carefree living, sitting at nearby cafés sipping our favorite beverages while watching people stroll by…that warm fuzzy life that is perfect, picturesque, and stress free…OK…KNOCK KNOCK…time to wake up…this is not reality, and only a fairy tale perfect for travel brochures and romance novels.

What does sharing this have to do with living my healthy life…I think it still comes down to how I handle things.  Today feels like a hard day and the last couple months have been up and down a funky town ride, and I am going to grab onto that poster that I shared in the beginning…”I AM ONLY ONE WORKOUT AWAY FROM A GOOD MOOD”.  I release so much stress when I get my sweat on and achieve a feeling of strength that is greater than anything a hard day can give me.  Like I shared in my last Blog…my free therapy session…and when I am done with that hour, I seem to have a whole new perspective on things. My mood is definitely lifted in a positive direction, and I can think clearer, and make better choices for myself.   

So... Hard Day…Go Take a Hike!

Motivation of the Day:  You Are Only One Workout Away from a Good Mood

Workout of the Day:

ARC Trainer: Strength Mode, Level 6, 30 minutes (this kicked my literal Bootay)

Triceps/Biceps Interval

Cable push downs: 15lbs, 8reps, 5 sets

Tube kickbacks: (medium resistance): 8 reps, 5 sets

Interval of choice (one minute)

Biceps curls: 12lbs 8-10 reps, 5 sets

Interval

Nutrition of the Day:

1. Coffee with Sprouted Wheat Bread drizzled with honey

2. Post Workout Juice/Protein Shake Combo (The Works)

Stay Healthy Quinoa Chicken with Fresh Basil

3. Shredded Chicken Breast on Thin Bun with Avocado 

4. Juice/Protein Shake (The Works)

5. Quinoa Chicken with Fresh Basil

6. Peanut Butter Protein Balls

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STAY HEALTHY!