When You Start Stopping is When You Start Getting Older

I heard this today and was immediately inspired.  Think about how you feel when health and fitness aren't part of your life.  Stressed, sluggish, ill and feeling old, right?  When you start stopping is when you start getting older. I am talking on the cellular, emotional and physical level.

Fitness is the fountain of youth.  If we don't make time for it, we will eventually be making time for illness.  Our body ages daily, but there are things we can do to slow this process.  Studies link eating healthy and exercise to longevity.  I don't know about you, but I want to maintain the best body for life.

When we start stopping is the same as giving up.  We get so caught up in believing fitness is a difficult process.  We also become frustrated without instant results and begin shutting down.  The negatives seem to outweigh the positives in our minds and ultimately lead to unhealthy choices.

Colin Cook, Shark Attack Survivor

You may believe the inability to lose 3lbs this week is a tragedy but how does that compare to someone who has lost a leg and still pushing?  We all need to fight for our fitness.  This comes in different ways for each of us, but stopping is not an option. As long as we are taking positive steps toward our health goals, changes are happening.  Have faith in the unseen and hold onto daily progress. Strength comes from the inside out. Don't start getting old and crumpled, feeling sorry for yourself because you decided to quit.


Age is just a number but we also create how we feel at every age and circumstance.  Stop and suffer the consequences of aging more rapidly or continue and enjoy the vitality of youth.  Life is full of choices and we are ultimately responsible for the outcome that is within our control.

Quality Ingredients

I was recently contacted by Carve Bar to sample and review their product.  I am always happy to give a shout out for quality products committed to giving back. Carve has created PROJECT ONE to support avid surfer Colin Cook during his recovery from losing his leg in a shark attack.

Protein is added to quality ingredients you know

More on protein bars with my must read article: "Weird Ingredients in Protein Bars".  

"Protein bars are popular and claim to help you lose fat, gain muscle and improve workouts. Everyone seems to feel good eating one but have you ever wondered about those weird ingredients?   Most articles will tell you how to choose the right protein bar but leave out the gory details lurking beneath the wrapper."

If You're Going to Eat It, Buy the Right One

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When it Comes to Fitness, Live Beyond Your Dreams

Fitness needs to stop being a dream we think about and start being an action we put into practice.  There are so many factors getting in our way.  Negative thoughts and self-defeat are high on the list.  Using "too busy" as an excuse is another fitness barrier.  Frustration not seeing instant results can cause us to wrongly think it will never happen.

We need to live beyond our dreams and realize we all have the potential to achieve success.  Remaining positive in a negative world will be first on the agenda.  No more downing yourself before even trying.  "Busy" is a word used for people who really don't want it bad enough.  Lastly, there is no such thing as instant results.  Daily progress needs to become the focus.

Now, take action!  Start by making a plan and sticking to it.  Schedule your workouts, meal prep, stop eating fast food, and hanging out with negative people. You are responsible for your body and what it looks like.  You want it?  Go get it. This is called living beyond your dreams.  Nothing is going to happen until you make it happen.

Fitness is a permanent lifestyle change not something that magically occurs. Time to wake up and stop dreaming.  You can make healthy happen for you and that doesn't mean it will look like Peggy Sue or Dapper Dan.  This is your journey, your body and your fitness.  You will never look like anyone except your best healthy self when it's all said and done.  Are you ready to live beyond your dreams? Straight talk but all in fitness love!

I keep handing you the tools, motivation and awesome articles to help you achieve your goals.  Start reading these "Are You Eating for Muscle?" and "Are You Causing a Slowed Metabolism?"

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Be Well and Stay Healthy! Darla ~

Stop Over Complicating a Simple Process

The only hard thing about fitness is our negative thoughts.  We convince ourselves a disgusting diet is needed and endless hours of exercise are required. We go as far as considering it a burden and  a "cramp my lifestyle" occurrence. Instead of turning our nose up at the very thought of getting healthy, we need to stop over complicating a simple process.

Do you think people decades ago farming for a living to survive and working hard from sunrise to sunset worried about a diet?  They may have spent hours doing physical labor, but it was life and eating healthy.  Nothing complicated, just some sweat, and eating home cooking straight from the garden. Their bodies represented how they lived which unfortunately now is replaced by couch potato channel surfing and stuffing our faces with processed food.

Every nutrition source out there is going to tell you the same story about what is required.  No need to jump from diet to diet searching for some secret.  The problem is within our thoughts and unrealistic expectations.  You want to lose 20 pounds in a week and look like a fitness model.  Not going to happen.  We also want the process to be an easy quick fix requiring no workouts and drinking magic shakes while remaining on our sofas.  Wake up America!

Being fit and healthy is really simple.  Eat greens, grains, lean meats, healthy fats, drink lots of water and exercise at least 3 times per week.  Nothing hard about it and it's not a diet.  Why is this process considered boring, tasteless, and the end of fun in life?  Society and marketing have done a great job brainwashing people to believe a load of crap.

Eating a fresh organic crisp apple or perfectly grilled chicken breast are not what I call horrible.  Are you kidding me?  Remember eating celery stuffed with peanut butter?  Now that's a healthy treat full of flavor and fun.  Being fit will take tossing the food myths and getting real with your thoughts about health.  It will also require you to move your butt off the couch and into the gym.  Exercise is what you enjoy.  Love basketball?  Start playing.  Enjoy dancing?  Look into a Zumba class.  I like to use the kids jungle gyms at parks and play around on those doing pull-ups, step-ups, and triceps dips for example.  No more excuses or beliefs fitness is complicated and time to embrace the simplicity of the process. You can do it ... will you?  All in fitness love and Stay Healthy!

More great reads by yours truly "Parties, Food and Maintaining a Lean Body" and "Food Quality Not Calories is What Counts"

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There are No Free Rides to Fitness

Nothing happens without putting in some effort.  Sorry, no free rides to fitness. The choice is ours to make and we must accept the consequences of that decision.  We can either choose to be miserable and unhealthy or healthy and happy.  Our body will represent our choices.  The answer seems so simple but many fight being healthy tooth and nail.  People somehow feel it's a burden and ruins all the fun in life.  Really?!

How is feeling sick, tired, and in pain all the time a fun daily existence?  Doesn't sound like a party I want to attend.  Why is offering up some time, sweat and healthy food looked upon as the worst thing ever?  Let's wake up America and embrace loving our body with what needs to be done.

Fitness happens when we make it a priority, feed our body the right stuff, and exercise a few times per week.  It's not rocket science nor does it cost lots of money.  There's also room for indulgence, rest and play.  The vicious rumors of fitness not being fun are myths.  The quick fix marketing schemes blasted everywhere want you to believe these myths to get their hands on your hard earned cash.  Sadly, consumers fall for the unregulated snake oil companies are serving up with a smile.  Fitness isn't about quick anything but a lifestyle of consistent healthy habits.

Ready for the fitness secret not a secret?  Get your backside to the gym and workout, eat some greens, grains, lean meat, and drink lots of water.  This is the payment for health and fitness.  Not hard and actually enjoyable once you get your mind right.  Also, if you want a cookie, eat a darn cookie.  Being fit is not a brutal life of diets and exercise punishment.  On the contrary, it's working out and eating right because it makes us feel good and healthy.   Straight talk but all in fitness love. Be well and Stay Healthy!



Want more fitness info? Head on over and read some of my recent articles: "You Can Get Lean Eating Full Fat Foods"  and "6 Clean Eating Myths You Should Stop Believing".  You will definitley find something nutrition or fitness related that's on your mind.

More Helpful Reads!

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Darla Leal, Fit-over-50

Don't Fall for Fake Health Food

Health food marketing is big business and just so happens to put me on a ranting soap box.  We have been hit hard with "no fat, no sugar", gluten free and now unhealthy organics are making headway. Whatever current health food trend is happening, food companies are figuring out ways to sell, sell sell.  Come on now, organic Ruffles, Doritos and Cheese Puffs?  Really!?

Even worse, consumers believe them to be healthy and loading grocery carts full of unhealthy organic food items.  Chips are chips, organic or not and probably one of the worst things to put in your body.  Other food items try to squeak by stating they are minimally processed, but processed is processed.  Store shelves are lined with convenient organic items and granted some may be fabulous, but most are not.  The ingredients tell the real story for anything in a box, bag or wrapper.  If you can't understand or pronounce what's on the ingredient label, you better believe it's a chemical sh*t storm.

Many fitness enthusiasts rely on protein and energy bars.  Have you looked at those labels?  You just as well picked up a Snickers Bar.  Health bars are also available in organic versions now but does it make them any better?  Probably pesticide wise, but nutrients remain the same.  Rely on the ingredient label and look for understandable quality food.  Less ingredients is more when it comes to packaged products.

We can't fall for fake health food marketing schemes anymore.  Eating a bag of organic chips post workout isn't muscle recovery food.  Reaching for that energy bar may not be the best choice, and forget the organic pasta.  Real organic food is just that ... real in it's raw state.  Sometimes organics can even look ugly with blemishes and it ripens quickly.  We need to get back to and understand real and whole organic food is what will keep us healthy.  We obtain optimal fitness, improved athletic performance, fat loss and muscle gain when we feed our body the good stuff.  Just because the label says organic, fat free, gluten free or any "free" doesn't mean healthy.  Be a wise shopper and eat what you understand. Keep it real and Stay Healthy!

Don't miss reading my newly released articles "What Your Poo Says About You" written by Dr. Alison Chen, ND and "Food Quality Counts More than Calories".  The site is full or informative reads to help you with your fitness goals.

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Be well and Stay Healthy!

Karma Does Apply to Your Fitness

Karma basically means whatever you do will come back to you.  So, if you're doing good things, good things happen in return and vice versa. The whole reap what you sow philosophy.  I happen to believe in karma and it helps me let go of things out of my control when it comes to others.  The thing about karma is there are consequences to treating others and yourself badly.  It will eventually come back to bite you in the butt.  If you are avoiding your health, eating poorly, and living a sedentary lifestyle, well guess what? I call that karma fitness.

Being lied to for example sucks and speaks more about the person doing the action, but guess what ... karma.   Are you lying to yourself about your fitness and treating your body badly?  Are you stumbling for reasons, excuses and validation for your behavior?  Do you really want to eventually suffer the consequences of bad ju-ju all over your fitness?  We may not be able to control other people, but we can sure control our own karma when it comes to getting healthy.

You get what you give.  Your body wants to be treated well, fed right and exercised regularly.  You have a trusting relationship with your body and want that to remain intact.  Becoming self-absorbed by not providing the TLC your body is worthy of will do nothing but destroy a once healthy relationship.  Then there are the ugly consequences.  Your body will definitely let you know it's being treated like crap.  Increased stress, illness and obesity are just a few ways bad fitness karma will come calling.  It's time to get real with yourself and start doing the good your body needs and deserves.  Straight talk but all in fitness love!  Be well and Stay Healthy.

Are you reading my fitness and sport nutrition articles?  Grab some coffee or tea and head on over for new content "Milk Protein Found Superior for Muscle Growth" and "Why Studies Favor Eating Protein All Day Long" .  Take some time to peruse the site for other reads specific to your fitness goals.

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Darla Leal, Fit-over-50

Turn Your Brain Back On and Stop Mindless Eating

Mindless eating is ugly and what it does to your body is even worse.  We are

walking around with our brains turned off and grabbing whatever food items in our grazing path.  No rhyme or reason but doing an auto-pilot action of putting something in our face. You know the glazed over look watching TV and mowing through a whole bag of chips. How about the work break room crap we bring to our desks and continue back for more as we plug away at our computers. We're not hungry, not thinking but we're surely eating ... and it's not good.

What the heck is going on and why?  It's no wonder America is plagued with the highest obesity rate and enormous doctor bills for self-induced illness.  Mindless eating needs to stop and instead have enough self-respect to take care of our bodies.  Living to eat is not what life is all about but eating to live, and this does not include processed "fake" food.

Emotional eating can play a role in the whole mindless eating issue, and I would recommend getting to the bottom of what is going on internally.  There is no amount of tasty donuts or pizza fixing an emotional problem.  What it will do is add fat to your body and another reason to be stressed.  Seek out professional help, go to a counselor, see a minister or talk to a trusted friend.

Most of the time, mindless eating is done out of habit and convenience.  If it's there, put it in your face and so on.  We're the true "Walking Dead" existing in our zombie like state and feasting on gross things doing gross things to our body. It's time to turn your brain back on and break unhealthy habits.  

Start the process of mindful eating by doing food inventory.  Toss the junk food in the frig and pantry and replace it with healthy "real" food.   Get off your butt and start working out instead of sitting on it so much.  Stop blaming your spouse, significant other, friends or circumstances for mindless eating.  Just because someone in your home brings in crap food doesn't mean you have to eat it.  

We have choices and mindless eating is like being brain dead.  Wake the hell up and take responsibility for what you're doing.  Get your sh*t together and start thinking before eating.  Make a plan to eat healthy and stick to it.  Keep a food journal and be honest with yourself.  Turn your mindless into mindful eating and you will start down a path to a healthier you.  Straight talk but all in fitness love! Be well and Stay Healthy. 

Read my current articles on eating for the body you want and put the information into practice!

Achieve Your Best Body with Sports Nutrition

Eat Your Way to a Beach Ready Body

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Complaining? How's that Working for You...

We all complain from time to time and that's called life, but what about when it interferes with our fitness?  What good does it do to constantly complain, be unhappy and bring on a full "Debbie or Dave Downer" attitude without being willing to change the situation?  It's like a leaky faucet we watch drip all over the place, complain about it but refuse to fix the darn thing.  Too many people are complaining and not doing, and seriously, how's that working for you?

Complaints only go so far and then the radio gets turned off.  Who wants to continually listen to a self-bashing session when the outcome is always the same. Getting fit and maintaining a healthy body starts by stopping the complaints and getting to work on fixing the problem.  The extra fat on the gut or butt isn't going to disappear on it's own no matter how much complaining comes out of your mouth.   What will help is putting the negative energy (complaints) into positive action.

Start by ditching the complaints, accepting who you are right now and apply strategies to make you feel better about yourself.  Get serious about your fitness by keeping a food and exercise journal.  Use it to chart your feelings as well and if you have a complaint, write it in the journal and move on.  Stop dwelling on the "wah wah" and steer your attention toward eating healthier.  Instead of sitting on the couch downing beers after work, go for a walk for example.  You will be amazed how small changes will eventually provide big results.

Stop complaining about not having the time.  Really?  We are all busy and there is someone busier than you working out or prepping healthy food right now. What's in your pantry?  Is it filled with processed boxed foods and sugar cereal? What's going on in the refrigerator?  Is it filled with salami, beer and cheez whiz?  You get my point and I'm stressing to please clean-up the food because a large percentage of your fitness success is determined by what you put in your face consistently.  When is the last time you exercised?  Time to dust the fitness shoes off and get moving.  You will burn some extra calories and feel great for accomplishing a great workout.  Exercise is also linked to stress relief and increased self-esteem.  Be willing to do what it takes, stop complaining and you know that old saying "sh*t or get off the pot" well it truly applies here.  Straight talk but all in fitness love.  Be well and Stay Healthy!

Head on over and read my new articles "When BCAAs Help the Most" and "Are Energy Drinks a Safe Pre-Workout Choice?".  Take some time to look around my page and find articles specific to what you like.  It is important to feel motivated and informed!

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Darla Leal, Fit-over-50
Stay Healthy Fitness