If we don't make time to workout and let the day get away from us, it's easier to say forget it. Other things become a priority and we tend to use being busy as an excuse to skip it. If we're high energy in the morning and missed that window to exercise, we can dread doing it in the afternoon.
I just so happen to prefer working out in the morning and understand the feeling of pushing through later. It sucks but doesn't mean to skip the workout. Discipline means doing what you need to do even when you don't feel like doing it. So, it's important to not let ourselves down and make it happen. We can only blame ourselves and will suffer the consequences of not taking care of our fitness business.
There will be times missing a workout can't be helped and that's acceptable. Honestly, this is a rare occasion. When busy things seem to take over our entire day leaving us without a sweat session is the norm. Fitness takes good planning, making time and not skipping a workout no matter what. Without a plan, it's just a wish, right? Without making the time, it's not going to happen, right?
We go through life making so many excuses on how we don't have time. Really? I love that quote "someone busier than you is working out right now" and it's the truth.
We must start owning our excuses and admit when fitness is something we don't want to do. Now that's the beginning of a revelation.
We should ask ourselves why we procrastinate or refuse to take care of our health? What's so burdensome about moving your body for a few minutes each day and eating healthy?
It's not about time at all, but your feelings toward working out and eating right. Honesty is always the best way to create change.
The truth of the matter is if something is important to you, it gets done. Everyone has time to hit up social functions, watch hours of TV and surf the web. When it comes to one hour of exercise, the busy button somehow gets turned on. Give the offer of meeting for a drink, and suddenly a burst of energy occurs.
Unfortunately an unhealthy epidemic is happening because too many people are refusing to take the time for health and fitness. Those who exercise and eat right on a consistent basis are in the minority. This really needs to change. Agreed?
If we continue to not make time for exercise, we will eventually be making time for illness. The same applies to eating right because we are what we eat. What we eat in private, we wear in public and our body certainly shows how we're living. This has become a horrible fact. Straight talk, but we need to start making the time!
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What works for me may not work for you. That's awesome! Why? Because we're all different people with differing strengths and weaknesses. Each of us should focus on the things we can do, and do our best not holding anything back.
Acceptance of who we are and celebrating our strengths is essential for health and fitness. I eliminate push-ups from my workout for example because they will aggravate my neck injury. Instead, I work hard on my chest press and it works for me.
It could be easy to sulk back into a corner and cry over my loss of certain athletic abilities, but what would that do for me? Nothing. Life has given me a great purpose and a strong will to fight for my fitness. I have good and bad days just like you. Over several years of training, I have come to really enjoy what I can do through exercise modification and creative program development. I do what works for me and it's fabulous.
It's important to never give up hope and know you can achieve great things. Work hard to reach your goals and do whatever it takes to get there. We all have the ability to find our strong and put it to work literally. It doesn't matter how long it takes because life and fitness are all about the journey. The important thing is to put aside fear and doubt, let go of a failure attitude, and embrace who you are right now.
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I dedicate this Blog to my beautiful Australian shepherd Roxie who passed away 2 weeks ago at 3 years young. She was diagnosed with a rare, advanced heart disease (DCM) for her breed and age. I dearly miss her and she was truly my love bug companion. Always cherished and remembered my sweet girl.
Discipline can feel like a negative word. Remember when we were disciplined as kids? It felt horrible at the time. However, if done out of love, discipline can provide structure and a healthy lifestyle. In fact, I would say I live a pretty disciplined life when it comes to health and fitness. Discipline has helped mold me into the woman I am today. Discipline has made the ranks of being a positive part of fitness success. It provides the drive to pursue my goals even on days where I don't feel like it. Without discipline, I think my life would be completely different. Without this structure, I wouldn't have the discipline to work out, eat the way I do, or take care of myself overall. Discipline includes keeping workout appointments with myself without excuses. Preparing meals ahead of time to stay accountable to eating right also takes discipline. Remaining true to fitness philosophies also takes a disciplined attitude. It could be easy to get off track, but a disciplined mind provides the strength to stay the course. Discipline takes on a whole new wow factor of this is a good thing for me. Maintaining fitness is our individual responsibility and the choices we make each day determine how that turns out for us. This is all about the discipline to do it and making fit happen. Sometimes there are bumps in the road, but it shouldn't sabotage our goals. It takes discipline to shake it off and get back to fitness business. If you happened to skip your morning workout, just push it to the afternoon or evening for example. Never throw in the towel and forget it. Being disciplined will help you find a way to be successful.
Enjoy a sample workout video!
Sample workout program
Set 1 � demo on video Negative pull-ups 5 reps x 4 sets Jump rope interval: 100 reps Set 2 Low rows 45lbs @ 25 reps Modified burpees @ 30 reps Set 3 Leg extensions 35lbs @ 25 reps Hamstring curls 25lbs @ 25 reps Lung back kick fronts @ 25 reps Set 4 Modified french press 10lbs on bar @ 25 reps Triceps push downs � 20lbs on cable @ 20 reps Jump rope interval � 50 reps
Sample Meal Plan Coffee (one cup with vanilla creamer)
Meal 1- Powered up steel cut oats Meal 2 � Post workout shake Meal 3 � Leftover spaghetti squash with lean turkey pasta sauce Meal 4 � Sweet potato with 2 energy bites Meal 5 � Grilled shrimp/chicken with steamed green beans/broccoli Meal 6 �Protein pudding
grilled shrimp
spaghetti squash
pasta sauce
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Exercise does not have to be extreme to be effective. When it comes to our health and fitness, it is not a competition, but a lifetime maintenance body program. There may be those who have certain goals and need to perform above the maintenance requirement, but in general creating a healthy ROCKIN body can be accomplished by moving it for 30 minutes at least five days per week. Most of us want to feel and look good in and out of clothes with a simple exercise routine that does not require leaping over tall buildings in single bounds and lifting hundreds of pounds of weight. I am not knocking those doing the leaping, heavy lifting, or extreme sports with this Blog, but addressing the norm demographic of everyday people who just want to get healthy and look healthy.
Studies have shown that 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity such as brisk walking is sufficient to maintain a healthy body, and spread over time throughout the week. It would be reduced to 75 hours per week if the exercise is vigorous like running or attending an aerobics class. Also recommended is weight resistance training two days per week, and although the guidelines are not quite as thorough with duration on this one, I personally keep my weight training sessions to no more than 45 minutes including my warm up and stretch time. What that means is if you move that body for 30 minutes five days per week while maintaining a healthy nutrition program, you will see results or maintain an already in shape physique. Everyone has 30 minutes to give to their health regardless of any excuse thrown down on the table. If health and fitness is a priority, the exercise will be a priority and that is the simple truth of it.
The best part about getting our sweat on for 30 minutes is making it our own. When we create physical activities that are enjoyable, that is what builds a lifestyle of physical activity. If the outdoors suits your fancy, lace up the tennis shoes or hiking boots and find some fun trails, and if using cardio equipment while watching a show or listening to music floats your boat, that works just as well. The heart muscle only understands the demands of exercise being placed on it, not what you are specifically doing if that is a question you are pondering. Sweat is sweat, a mile is a mile, and 30 minutes is 30 minutes and what you do to increase the heart rate at a moderate level for that amount of time is up to you. The point is to just MOVE IT!
It really comes down to getting back to the basics of exercise and keeping it simply fun, and a part of our everyday life. The latest trend of extreme this or that, no pain means no gain, or work until you bleed program will never become the maintenance body program that will carry us from where we are now into our elder years. There is much controversy with these types of programs and some are used to fit specific athletic goals, but not what the laymen person is looking for to get healthy and overall improve quality of life. I am trying to motivate everyone to just MOVE IT FOR 30 MINUTES as a start, and not get caught up in the hype of fad exercise movements that may look absolutely amazing, but are not the �only way� to achieve healthy results. There lies the confusion of interpretation that the only way to achieve a smoking hot body is to do this type of new trend or fad workout. Believing that there is only one way to achieve something creates a very boring world and variety is truly the �spice of life.�
Working in this industry for over 30 years, I have come to appreciate more and more the simplicity of health and fitness, and that it truly does not require as much time as one might think to be a healthy person. I never exceed a one hour block of time in my workouts and often I am reduced to the �move-it for 30-minute� program because it fits with my work schedule. As long as I challenge my body, it feels good, and I am focused on quality of movement, I am accomplished and start my day energized. Getting caught up in the stress of what we think exercise is according to the media scares many off with feelings of intimidation and inadequacy, and stopping people before they even start. Crap, some of the things I see scare me as well, but the thing to remember is not to believe everything you read or see, and stick to searching for what works for you. Keep it simple, don�t stress or sweat the small stuff, and all of us do have the time to just MOVE IT for 30 MINUTES.
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As promised, I am continuing my write about why I think �Simple is Healthy� and how I apply that to my life in all aspects.Of course, it is such a HUGE factor for me, and knew that I could not fit all I had to say in one piece being the chatter bug that I am, so had to break it up in a series of Blogs. If you read the first of the series, I covered my food and how keeping it Simple makes for healthier foods�an apple vs. some packaged product with fake apple substance in it for example�YUCK.I am dedicating this Blog to how I keep my workouts Simple and how that is absolutely HEALTHIER for me.
I am a down to earth, back to the basics, sticking to the foundation of exercise kind of gal.I do not need anything fancy to create a healthy body, and in fact enjoy the simplicity of an all over body weightprogram many times throughout the week.Also�my time�it is so important�please do not think that I spend hours in my studio pounding the weights to maintain my 48 year young self�..NOT.I keep that simple as well and dedicate one hour at least 5-6 days per week to get my Darla Sweat ON.That is it�if I am spending more time than that�what the heck am I doing and WHY for crying out loud.My body requires daily physical activity and healthy foods and feeling like I need to push my body to limits beyond requirements is unhealthy in my book.I consider working out a reward, a privilege and thankful that I can perform the exercises that I do with my new modified ME.I think when the balance of workout is tipped so far into an obsessive thought process, it can become a burden and a something I �have to do� instead of �I want to do it�.Think about this idea�maintaining healthy food intake so I do not have to work as hard or long in the gym�WHAT�.YES, studies have shown that the body only requires a good focus of 30 minutes per day of QUALITY exercise to maintain a great physique.LIGHT BULB moment here and QUALITY workouts are a �want to� inclusion in my life to make exercise SIMPLE, and that is HEALTHY!So, if I remain consistent on my healthy food intake, I can shave down my gym time by at least 15 minutes and really complete what I have to do in 45minutes.WIN WIN�clicking of fitness gal trainer shoes�woo hoo.
There are so many ways to exercise the body, but think about the root of all exercise that stems from strength and stabilization�that is where I come from.If my strength and stabilization are not in order, I might as well forget having a healthy workout session and body for that matter.I am all about body balance, proper posture, positioning, form and technique, and positive and negative (concentric/eccentric) movements.Let�s say I have a postural deviation and need to work on my core strength, my simple focus will be on doing that, and progressing from there.I will not put my body at risk for injury by swinging this or that for hours on end, jumping here or there, and creating pain and suffering by performing movements that my body is just not ready for and may not be able execute properly even after I have come to my point of progressing forward.I feel like a �body whisperer� where I pay close attention to what my body says I can do and proceed with caution with those things that I should not be doing. I am not a �push through the pain� person or trainer�there is normal discomfort that comes from a workout and then there is that �not right� discomfort that should put a screeching halt on my workout and yours for that matter.
I can have a simple good exercise time with nothing but my body weight, a set of dumbbells and pull up bar�BINGO.I see squats, negative pull ups, overhead presses, bicep curls, triceps kickbacks, and core work in that program.Nothing fancy about what I do, just me executing simple controlled QUALITY moves for 30-60 minutes, getting a fabulous sweat on, and feeling accomplished when I am done.Getting back to the basics of exercise, and the base moves that ALL workouts stem from is the safest and simplest form of creating a healthy body for ME and has served me well for several years.I turn a deaf ear to the fads of fitness out there, especially if they are making unrealistic promises with risky movements that may send a once healthy body into a now I need rehab for an injury body.Keeping it simple, fun, QUALITY, and time efficient sums up my workouts to be HEALTHY and LIFETIME maintainable.That is what I am all about �Quality Life, Simple is Better, and Simple is definitely HEALTHY!
Enjoy my Stay Healthy recipe feature this month on SkinnyMs.com, a website dedicated to Health, Fitness and Success!
Coming soon�I have been asked to provide a review for Ellie, a new online fitness clothes brand and I am very excited to share my personal and professional opinion next month in addition to providing a special offer for you!
Thanks to all my Stay Healthy Fitness Facebook Followers who contributed to the Stay Healthy Fitness Grocery List and this was a fun interactive project. I have put your selections together and created a printable PDF list for you�HAPPY STAY HEALTHY SHOPPING!
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
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