Achieve Fitness One Day at a Time

Believing anything happens quickly is not realistic. Fitness is a process of small changes creating large results over time.  No magic wand to instantly provide a chiseled physique or bikini body.  We may want that, but not how it works.  Quick fix thoughts only set us up for frustration and failure.



Achieve fitness one day at a time.  Biceps don't suddenly appear after your first day in the gym.  What does occur when you apply fitness daily is progress.  The muscle will show up but let it work, grow and build.  It's like a fine wine or great simmering stew.  The journey will be rewarding but patience is required.

One of the worst things you could do is to jump into a fad diet or take unregulated fat burning supplements thinking this is the answer.  Read the small print on any of these psuedo fitness deals.  "Best results when accompanied with a healthy diet and exercise program" is what you'll find.  All that needs to happen is to follow the small print which is the best advice on those bottles. In fact, any results achieved comes from implementing a healthy nutrition plan and exercise.  You're the one doing the work, not what's in those bottles.

Fitness done daily will take time and effort but the lifelong results are the reward. It's also a journey and not a destination.  There's no need to feel rushed or stressed about getting fit.  It's really a simple process often over-complicated. Find healthy foods and exercise you enjoy and this is what keeps you coming back for more.

Avoid jumping ahead in your mind to what you want now and focus on today. What are you doing today to reach your fitness goals?  Did you workout, eat healthy and get plenty of rest?  Awesome!  Celebrate your daily achievements.  Write them down if it helps.  Stay positive even when things aren't showing up as fast as you think they should.




We're all different in how our bodies respond to change.  Comparing to friends or people we see at the gym is the thief of joy.  We're not here to be or look like someone else.  Our job is to become our best healthy self through daily choices. Who cares if your friend lost 5lbs and you didn't reach that mark. Fitness is not about who is faster at achieving results.

The goal is getting fit and loving ourselves through the process.  The days are going to pass anyway so focus on adopting a healthy lifestyle the right way. Today is what we have, tomorrow isn't promised and yesterday is gone.  Be in the now with your fitness and you'll get there one day at a time. Be well and Stay Healthy!

Are you living well or Verywell?  Read my articles and others to help you achieve your fitness goals the right way!

Read My Article on Verywell Health

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Darla Leal, Fit-over-50

Fitness Goals Are Meant to Be Maintained

Reaching your fitness goals is an accomplishment to be praised.  Are you maintaining them is the question?  Fitness is not meant to be a temporary fix to get into a bikini or attend a wedding.  It's a lifestyle of health and wellness.  Sure, you will rock that suit and look good in those pictures but is that all fitness means?



True fitness success is when you live it daily.  Healthy foods are being consumed consistently and exercise is part of your normal routine.  In fact, getting off track for too long will make you feel like crap.  Fitness becomes a priority and excuses no longer get in the way.  You refuse to return to being overweight, sick and nearly dead.  You get the point.

I've seen too many people succeed at reaching goal weights, reduced body fat and improved health and throw it all away.  The belief system we can get away with returning to a few old habits snowballs.  The purpose of dumping old ways is to learn and keep new and healthier methods.  This is lacking and maintaining our health is suffering.

We need to focus not only on reaching our fitness goals but keeping them for life. Life is the event we are getting in shape for not bikini season.  Forget the clothes and stand naked in front of your mirror.  This will let you know if you're doing a great job of maintaining your fitness. I'm not talking about body and skin changes naturally occurring with aging.  We all know the difference and also if we're not living a healthy life.





We show outwardly how we live inwardly.  Not recording in your food journal thinking your body doesn't know is craziness.  Your body keeps the most accurate record of what you're eating and drinking.   Reaching fitness goals is possible because you have done it and maybe more than once.  Instead of having to repeat getting back and shape, why not just stay in shape.  Real talk all in fitness love.  Be well and Stay Healthy!

About.com has launched it's stand alone Health Page - Verywell!

"Think of us as your friend who also happens to be a doctor. Or personal trainer. Or dietitian. Verywell is your source for reliable, understandable information on hundreds of health and wellness topics that always keeps the reasons you come to us in mind.

Know more. Feel better."

Darla Leal, Stay Healthy

Enjoy my Sports Nutrition articles at Verywell and start reaching and maintaining your fitness goals for life!

Read My Articles at Verywell

Stop Accommodating Unhealthy In Your Life

We know when we feel off, not right, and unhealthy.  This can be physically or emotionally.  Yet, we continue to accommodate and even accept the situation. Our body and mind can only take so much before it breaks.  Sometimes we don't even realize this is happening until we are lying face down in our own hopelessness.


Other times, we are very aware of what's happening and we tough it out day after day. Another scenario where the body will take you down eventually.  We can't out-fight a crappy mental or physical game.  Stress is a killer and maintaining an unhealthy lifestyle is just as bad.

How often do you take inventory of your life?  Are you accommodating joint pain and illness from eating unhealthy foods leading to being overweight?  Are life's circumstances so stressful to the point of causing depression and anxiety? What's going on at home in your personal relationships?  Is your home a peaceful sanctuary or a war zone?  How about the job? Are you happy and doing what you've always envisioned or burdened by the thought?

We are meant to live a happy, healthy life.  The unfortunate truth is we choose to accommodate unhealthy. We eat and drink things we shouldn't, become couch potatoes and drown in our own self pity.  Isn't it time we stop accommodating unhealthy and start fixing the problem?  If you don't know where to begin, ask for help.  No shame or stigma about needing assistance sometimes.  We've all been there.  Society puts "shaming" on every human topic ad nauseam. If seeking help from a professional gets you on the right track, then go for it.  I suggest an expert in the area of your struggle.

If you want to adopt a healthy lifestyle, consult with a qualified personal trainer, nutritionist, or registered dietition.  Making a doctor's appointment to discuss your stress and seeing a licensed counselor or therapist may be helpful. Check out your local church and talk to a pastor.  If the marriage is suffering, sometimes all you need is a little help from a licensed marriage and family counselor.  You have choices!

What it boils down to is changing your life for the better.  It requires recognition of the problem and a willingness to fix it.  There is nothing healthy about accommodating unhealthy.  You can either sit and wallow where you are, or put on your "fix-it" attitude.  Straight talk in fitness love!  Stay Healthy~

Read some of my other published articles for helpful information on nutrition and fitness:

Are You Eating for Muscle?

You Can Get Lean Eating Full-Fat Foods

Thanks for stopping by my Blog and don't forget to subscribe below and never miss a free update:

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Be Well and Stay Healthy ~ Darla 

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?"

READ EVEN MORE!

Thanks for stopping by my Blog and don't forget to subscribe below and never miss a free update:

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Be Well and Stay Healthy! Darla ~