I am a Cheater and I am Just Fine with That

DO YOU LIKE MY BLOG…DONATE A PROTEIN SHAKE!!!

YES...I AM A CHEATER

Yes, I am a cheater and that is just fine with me.  YIKES Darla, what the heck are you blogging now…well…not talking relationship…well maybe.  I am talking about my relationship with food to maintain my 47 year young self.  I thought Halloween was the perfect time to talk about this subject…being a cheater that is.  This fun, candy laden day is filled with tons of sugar and fat contributing candy bars, treats, cupcakes, cookies…and OMG…really…OH MY…steer clear of the grocery store right now.  In fact, I sit here blogging this 3 days before “trick or treat” time and I still have not purchased my candy to hand out.  Why???  Well, I or hubby need not be tempted by the bags lurking about and this type of food just does not live in our house anyway. Does that mean I never eat candy…well…of course I absolutely have a treat now and then.  If any fitness professional says they never do this…well…I will not go there…as this Blog is about how I maintain ME.  Moving on to the treats…do I have them…on occasion I will indulge.  Let me just share that I maintain a “clean” nutritional food intake almost daily…what the heck is “clean”…that word is thrown around so much in the health world, fitness industry, and is quite the food BUZZ word.  Well…I certainly do not run my food through the quick wash and dry cycle…of course I have a sense of humor about almost everything.   

My clean foods consist of boneless skinless chicken breast, lean turkey and ground lean turkey, salmon, white fish, raw walnuts and almonds, pumpkin seeds, sweet potatoes, Greek yogurt, whey protein, eggs, greens, lots of veggies and fruits, beans, oats, flax meal, peanut and almond butter, 100% high pulp prune juice, light soy milk…and I know I may be leaving a few things out…but I hope you get what I am trying to say here.  Drum roll…YES…I will indulge and have a quality splurge now and then.   

Love this COLD..REFRESHING!

OH…and my favorite “not on my clean list” candy is York Peppermint Patties…cold…YUMMM…refreshing.  YES…I know what you are thinking…really Darla…a YORK…the candy that says lo-cal on the wrapper…well…YES…it does, but I am a mint and chocolate gal and one of these in the refrigerator and served cold…absolutely REFRESHING.  I am just not into the nougat, extra chewy stuff…sorry…NOT ME.  OK…shared my candy…moving on to what I mean by my QUALITY SPLURGE...first…I never plan a cheat meal…but when the urge strikes me and I want a brownie, piece of pie or cookie…I WILL NOT go and get a packaged product…YUCK…that is a big waste of my calories.  My splurge has to be quality and baked with lots of TLC…just like my Mom made for me when I was growing up.    

My Annual Quality Splurge ~ Apple Dumpling

An example is my annual trip to Apple Hill where fresh baked apple dumplings are served with a warm cider sauce and ala mode for me PLEASE…Now that is what I am talking about. YES…I have a quality splurge and still maintain my physique just fine.  You see, everything in moderation…life is all about balance and not deprivation to the point of not enjoying LIFE.  This is unhealthy in my opinion.  I tell my clients that if they are wanting a cookie, dreaming about a cookie, thinking about it all the time…GO EAT THE COOKIE…but make it quality, not processed, go out for it,  DO NOT bring anything back home, be done with it and get back on the “clean” food track tomorrow.  I live the same philosophy as I teach my clients otherwise I would be a hypocrite…and that is NOT me.  I am real, enjoy LIFE, and have a quality splurge now and then.  The beauty about living such a healthy lifestyle is that I really appreciate the tastes, textures and overall experience of a fresh baked piece of pie, brownie, etc…it can be heavenly…and in that moment…IT IS.  I am not going to beat myself up over having my apple dumpling or whatever quality splurge I may be in the mood for either…I mean really…Why???  The world will not end, my body will not change, and I will still be fit Darla tomorrow…maybe a bit carbohydrate loaded…and full of energy for a great workout the next day ;)  The point I am trying to make is that I am a CHEATER…rarely…but I AM.  Life is too short to get so caught up in things like perfection, which does NOT exist by the way, that good times like having an apple dumpling in a beautiful setting are missed…NOT FOR THIS FITNESS CHICKIE…I AM A CHEATER…and I am just fine with that.

Love My Hamstring Curls

My Workout of the Day:

20 minute ARC trainer for cardio

Interval Training Cycle:

Each exercise performed for 1 minute and cycle repeated until 30 minute program was complete

Hamstring Curls @ 25lbs

Leg Extensions @ 25lbs

Jump Rope

Negative Pull ups

Split Lunge Jumps

Body Ball Abs

Step Ups (alternate leg)

Low Rows @ 30lbs

MY PROTEIN BALL SAMPLER ~ MY POWER SNACK

Nutrition of the Day:

Still enjoy my one cup in the morning

1-Pre-workout shake…lighter side

2-Post-workout shake (the works)

3-One Whole Egg, 4 Egg whites mixed with mustard & 1 tsp Olive Oil Mayo, ¼ cup pumpkin seeds

4-PB2 plus 1tsp peanut butter mixed with water on 100% whole wheat thin bun

6-Fresh Broccoli tomato soup with n/f ricotta cheese (this was so good!!!)

7-Two Protein Balls before bed made with almond butter

ME TO MOTIVATE YOU

IF YOU ENJOYED MY BLOG, LIKE IT, LEAVE A COMMENT, AND IF INSPIRED…DONATE A PROTEIN SHAKE!

Stay Healthy!

Total Wellness through Strength Training (REPRINT)

(Reprinted from Albuquerque Journal FIT Magazine, "Total Wellness through Strength Training" by Lori Dotson, March 13, 2011,

http://www.abqjournalfit.com/2011/03/13/total-wellness-through-strength-training/)


Fatigued? Muscles ache? Feeling blue? The prescription may not be in a pill but in your local health club. Regular strength training has been shown to reduce the risk of back pain, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, insomnia and, yes, even depression. Not to mention the fact that it makes you look and feel great! With one in three Americans now classified as obese, the U.S. is in a health care crisis. Obesity not only increases the risk of heart disease but has also been linked to many cancers. While doctors are quick to prescribe a fat loss pill, they should be quicker to prescribe a comprehensive exercise program that includes both strength training and aerobic exercises.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommends that all individuals, especially the elderly, engage in a regular program of strength training. Studies in the elderly have shown that improved strength reduces the risk of death from all causes, including heart disease. Furthermore, it provides the elderly with independence — that ability to carry out “activities of daily living” without assistance, improving the quality of life for many older Americans. Of course, the benefits of strength training are not limited to older adults. All Americans, especially those less likely to pick up a weight — like women — can see significant improvements in overall health through a regular training program.

Strength training increases your lean muscle mass, which increases your resting metabolic rate — the amount of calories you burn when you’re doing absolutely nothing — leading to greater weight loss than can be achieved through aerobic training alone. Wouldn’t it be nice to burn more calories all of the time and not just when you’re sweating it out in Zumba class? Plus strength training has been shown to improve cardiovascular health and increase bone density, reducing the risk of osteoporosis.

Denise Nannemann of Rio Rancho has been working with personal trainer Christiana Brown at Snap Fitness on Unser at McMahon for the past four months. She started with Christiana to lose weight but is also excited about her improved balance and strength. “Now I am able to do things around the house that I haven’t been able to do for years.” She is also sleeping better because she has less joint pain.

All exercise programs, including strength training, should incorporate the PROS — progression, regularity, overload, and specificity. Progression simply means that you need to gradually increase your weights and the complexity of your workouts in order to see further gains. Regularity means that you must make it a priority, preferably two to three times per week, because sporadic efforts can do more harm than good. When a muscle is overloaded, or subjected to workloads above what it’s used to, it adapts by becoming stronger. Finally, many muscular aches and pains are caused by muscular imbalances; thus, specificity requires that emphasis be placed on strengthening the specific muscle groups that need it most in order to bring your body back into balance.

Norm Hanson has been working with personal trainer Travis Hayes at Snap Fitness on Academy at Tramway for about 18 months. In that time, Norm has lowered his cholesterol by 80 points and lost 15 pounds, but even more remarkable, he has lost three pant sizes due to his increased lean muscle mass.

So how does one get started? First, you should have a formal fitness assessment to ensure that you are healthy enough to begin a training program, to properly design the program, and to have a baseline against which to gauge your progress. Snap Fitness provides a free assessment with a personal trainer every three months. If you are older and have been sedentary most of your life or if you have a heart condition or suffer from diabetes, it may be necessary to obtain your physician’s consent. Early strength training focuses on core stability and balance. Common exercises include squats, lunges, push-ups, and planks. As you progress, stability balls, resistance bands, and medicine balls can be incorporated into these exercises. More advanced workouts might involve kettlebells, free weights, and the Bosu ball. The TRX suspension device is also a fun way to work on your core strength and muscular balance. And resistance machines can target specific muscle groups. A strength training workout no longer needs to be thought of as a boring regimen of sets and reps — there are a multitude of ways to workout.

Training has never been so much fun! And the improvements in emotional well-being — positive outlook, increased energy, and more restful sleep — are now widely documented. So what are you waiting for? The time for total body wellness is now!

~Lori Dotson, CPT, PES, CPFT, BA, MS
President and Trainer, DotsoFit, LLC

How To Balance Your Yin And Yang For Mind And Body Health

When you watch my Qigong DVDs, I always start with a warm up, stretching or some physical training then I do the Qigong form. The reason I start this way is not only because this is the professional way but also because I've found many Western people believe Qigong is light training or very focused training, they believe it's about using the mind in a thinking way to control the body.

All exercise has internal and external, it's just we can't see it. For example, if you are running ten miles but at the beginning your pace is too fast then you won't be able to do ten miles. You need to understand how to pace yourself. This is the internal part of your training.

The Yin and Yang needs to be balanced and this is a combination of Qigong and physical exercise. When a person does personal training with me and I start with a warm up and stretching then the five basic stances, they find it hard.  A recent student who had been working with my DVDs, realised he was only using 20% of the strength he was supposed to be using for Qigong.  This is because he had a mistaken belief that Qigong was soft training. I told him, the training is not difficult, it's your body that is not strong yet.

Some fighters want to learn Qigong with me but they feel everything is too slow. They don't have the patience to learn it. I tell them, if you can't close your eyes and sit for five minutes to clean your mind, I guarantee you can never become a champion because you don't know how to calm yourself. Your body, mind and heart is not working together.

I am different from most Shaolin Masters because I don't just teach forms. I use my heart to find a way to help people achieve their health, fitness, martial art or fighting goals.

If you want to fight, Shaolin only give you a good foundation, you have to change and use modern techniques. If you think I'm wrong then you can research any kind of fight, K1 or UFC. Can you find any Shaolin traditional martial artists fighting there?

The world has changed. This is why I teach my fighters a fusion of traditional Shaolin with modern fighting techniques.

If you want to make your body healthy then you need a routine and a proper balance. For fighters, I recommend when they finish their training they do Qigong for half an hour.

If you are working with my DVDs and feel they are too hard this doesn't mean my DVDs are too hard, it means you are not strong enough yet and you need to build up your strength. Don't underestimate yourself.

You don't need to follow everything exactly. Learn from my DVDs then swop things around to make your own training programme that suits you and your lifestyle. 

For more information please visit http://www.shifuyanlei.co.uk/

And remember to sign to the mailing list for exclusive training tips and offers only available to subscribers. 

The Shaolin Way To Train Mixed Martial Arts - Part Three

Every morning, I get up and train. My students see me do the same thing, year by year by year. It’s only when they go in the ring and fight that they understand why I do the same thing every year, every day. The simple things are the most useful but they take time and effort to master.

For example, I train my left leg to be fast and sharp. It’s not very powerful but it's fast. My right leg is very heavy and I use my left leg to attack, to break my opponents plan, any time I have the opportunity. I use my right leg to do the round house kick. If I get them with this kick then I know I will knock them out. I practice many years just for this one kick. I know I can do this kick from any angle, close or long distance. I have confidence because I've done this kick so many times.

I'm not very tall but I'm quite heavy. My opponent is always taller than me so they have a longer reach than me. This is why I need good body conditioning. I don’t have as much opportunity as them to punch and kick. I practice a lot of body conditioning so I know that my body can take their kick and punch.  When I get close to them, I can use my kick to finish this fight.

The important thing is you have to know yourself and know your body. Everyone is different. My technique wouldn’t work for you. Do you know what would? What do you want to do? Build up your punch or your kick? What are you good at? What are you bad at? How do you hide the things you're no good at? How do you use your good things? No-one can teach you. You need to find this out for yourself. You have to become your own teacher and teach yourself.

If you love martial arts then you need to be humble and lonely and simple. Try to make simple things not simple . Try to make lonely life not lonely. Try to make hard training easy. Once you have this kind of thinking you can become a good fighter because you have truly  conquered yourself.

Related DVDs:
Fighting Punches and Kicks Volume 1 & 2
Shaolin Bootcamp Volume 1 & 2
Shaolin Workout Volume 1, 2, 3
Kung Fu Ch'an 
If you like this blog please share by clicking on the links below.

Four Foods Associated with Increased Weight Loss

Short post today because I am going to go get lost in the woods with my dogs...

These four foods/food types are associated with increased weight loss:

1. Green Tea
2. Milk
3. Fiber
4. Protein

However, please read my earlier blog post of the dangers of a chronic high-protein diet, and always follow the recommended macronutrient intakes: 45-65% of calories from carbohydrates, 15-30% from protein, and 10-30% from fat. And choose the best foods in each category, such as polyunsaturated fats over saturated fats.

~Lori Dotson, CPT, PES, CPFT, BA, MS
President, DotsoFit, LLC

Sometimes You Just Need a Pacer

I am a Pacer!!!

IF YOU LIKE MY BLOG…DONATE A PROTEIN SHAKE TODAY!

I love this title…created by my fabulous client Jennifer.  So many things come to mind when I think about Jennifer…fighter, athlete, determined, accomplished, motivational, inspirational, and a strong woman who has beat cancer and celebrated 5 years cancer free this year.  Jennifer contacted me to be her accountability coach and help her get back on track with her overall health program and let me tell you…I was over the top honored to accept the role.  She was a woman of my peers being a registered dietitian and working in the fitness industry herself for many years.  I was able to share my Stay Healthy Food Guide with her which she was very impressed by the simplicity of the presentation…this was a fabulous compliment for me coming from Jennifer. Let me tell you, Jennifer and I made a good team armed with the best of the best nutritional knowledge and information which was used to get her caloric intake back on track, and to gradually boost her metabolism into letting go of pounds that had accumulated over the years battling the preventative cancer medications that she had no control over. We worked together to create a fine balance of the nutrition that was needed to sustain the demands of her activity.  

 I was so excited every time Jennifer contacted me to share that she finished a walk. This is BIG stuff and each day seemed to progress in a positive energy direction.  I learned so much working with Jennifer and what she has gone through as a cancer survivor, the medications involved, the negative impact on the body and really….how it makes a person feel…like an out of body experience…this is my body but it does not do what I want it to.  The energy levels can be completely depleted and each day a guessing game of…will I be in bed today…or YEAH…I have energy for my walk. This type of up down roller coaster ride becomes a cycle of frustration for many and especially extreme athletes such as Jennifer.   I admire Jennifer for all her accomplishments and am so proud to have been and continue to be a part of her journey of healing through cancer.   

Jennifer celebrates her 60^th birthday tomorrow and so much more…Jennifer has reached and exceeded her fitness goals AND during the continuance of her medications…we both are celebrating this victory together BIG TIME!!!  Jennifer continues her walk/jogs, eating healthy, involvement in running events and health conferences, and supports events for the fight against breast cancer.  She is one busy, beautiful lady who is a walking example that overcoming obstacles are things that indeed make us stronger.  Jennifer lives the Stay Healthy life every day and is a role model for all people…as her Pacer…I am very MOTIVATED…Trainer Pride and Hugs…HAPPY 60^TH BIRTHDAY Jennifer!!!

My Email Response to Jennifer (you will understand why I posted this here after reading her story):

Hi Jennifer,

First…let me congratulate you on all your successes, and the Biggest Win…Surviving Cancer.  Life takes us through journeys we do not always understand and fighters we must be to continue to be the BEST we can with the limitations handed to us.  I again applaud your determination & motivation to do just that.  I also understand the frustrations of not being or feeling “who you once where” as I also suffered an injury in 2008 and it strips the very soul from an athlete.  Most important however, is taking what seems to be such an unfair journey and becoming even stronger, better, & wiser from the experience.  Acceptance of the NEW athlete that you are and will always be.  Does it take work and perseverance…a BIG YES…but I am reading that you have an inner strength that will carry you through.  The beautiful thing about our bodies is that we can work them in ways that are not as demanding, get fabulous results, with reduced risk of the negative side effects that always seem to rear their ugly heads if “old workout” philosophies are implemented.  A balance needs to be created that enables you to feel accomplished with your fitness, but at the same time preserves the quality of your life. I would love to meet with you for a consultation and YES…that is the first step when selecting the BEST fitness expert for you.  Thank you for sharing your story, getting in touch, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Jennifer last month at a Health Conference

Jennifer Today!

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 2011

Sometimes You Just Need a Pacer

Here’s my story. It made all the difference in the world to have Darla by my side!

I am a registered dietitian, an aerobics instructor, and a marathon runner. I have had an active and healthy lifestyle for decades.

I am also a breast cancer survivor of 5 years and am currently finishing up a five year course of therapy which helps to prevent recurrence. One of the major side effects of this medicine for me has been fatigue. Enough fatigue that I had to stop running. Enough fatigue that I have spent a LOT of time resting on the couch.

Jennifer Persevering

Over the last five years, I have watched my formerly strong and active self become soft and tired. What’s more, I have watched my cholesterol increase to an unhealthy level – first time I ever had to worry about such a thing. 

I certainly did not have surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, just to die of a heart attack! 

And, in spite of my training and lifestyle, I could not seem to help myself.

In April 2011, I went on line to research personal trainers in the Sacramento area. You all know how Google works, what comes up is what comes up, and that evening, Darla was the only trainer that popped up on the screen.

This is the message I sent to her….

Hi Darla

I found your Web site by chance through Google; I am not a referral.

I was an aerobics instructor when aerobics first came on the scene in the early 80's and taught aerobics for about 15 years.

I have also been a runner since 1983 - my last marathon was in 2000 and my last half marathon was in October 2008.

I am a registered dietitian. I retired from the California Department of Education in health education in 2009.

I will be 60 years old in October. I am a breast cancer survivor, beginning my last year of a five-year follow up hormonal treatment.

The major side effect of my follow-up treatment for cancer is fatigue. Each year that passes I have become more tired.  I have to be fairly careful about how much I work out or I have to spend the next day or so resting on the couch. I have learned the hard way that I can no longer "muscle" my way through a workout - mind over matter is not an option these days.  It is very frustrating, but it is what it is.

The other side effect is losing muscle and gaining fat. Although I weigh approximately as much as I did when I was diagnosed in 2006, my body composition is decidedly different. I was running about 25 - 30 miles a week at the time of diagnosis.  Now I can amble (17 minute miles) about 15 - 18 miles a week. What's more, if I try to cut calories much below 1800 calories a day (and I have tried), my fatigue increases and I become a screaming maniac. : - ) and, a lower calorie intake seems not to make a bit of difference to the amount I weigh.

Where do you come in?

I noticed that one of your services is Limited Physical/Injury. Believe me, it is not a lack of motivation or self discipline that is keeping me from being as active as I want to be, but I think I might find it helpful to work with someone to help me do the best I CAN do, whatever it may be.

I'm told that when I stop taking the medication, I still start feeling more like my "old" self again - be able to get out of first gear. For my last year on the medication, I would like to be in the best place I can be, so when I get off the medication, I have the most momentum possible.

What I think would be useful would be a consultation and, more importantly, follow up appointments at least once a month maybe?

What do you think?

Darla sent a loving, supportive e-mail back, and we began our journey together! My focus was always to get healthier – not simply to lose weight or get stronger.

I really appreciated Darla’s Stay Healthy Fitness Food Choice Eating Guide, which we discussed at my initial assessment. I could see that this simple plan focused on getting the very best nutrition. As a dietitian, I am often skeptical about food plans, but I was happy to see that this plan was based on current research.  In fact, I suggested that Darla should publish this plan in a book!

Even with my background in healthy eating, Darla’s eating plan helped me focus my food choices.  Because my calorie intake was lower than I was used to, I needed to get the best nutrition out of each and every little calorie.

My sustained work with Darla was more her supporting me with visits every two weeks, rather than her educating me. I kept a food diary (and I do to this day – every day) and she reviewed my daily intake.  There was not much emphasis put on building muscles or increasing aerobic capacity, because that was just not possible. Instead, bi-weekly monitoring of my activity simply helped me refine and improve what I was able to do – walk.

Fast forward six months.  Gradually, very gradually, I began to lose some weight. Because I was accountable to Darla through my food records, I focused on eating the very best I could, and remarkably, I was able to lower my calorie level without the physical meltdowns I had experienced on my own.

Gradually, slowly, I began to add a few more minutes of walking to my daily walk and pick up the pace a bit. The overall fatigue has not gone away, but I made activity a priority to the extent that I gave up some of my volunteer activities so that I would have energy to walk.

Now I am 30+ pounds lighter and my recent cholesterol measurement showed a 70 mg drop! I couldn’t ask for a better result!!

Right now, I have decreased my visits to Darla to once a month. I have developed good habits and I do not need the bi-weekly accountability check. For the future, Darla and I are looking forward to the time when I’m off the medication and the side effects have been minimized. At that time, we will start on some minimal strength work – while the weight I lost was mostly fat, it turns out I have lost serious muscle in the past five years.

For me, it was all about Darla being my “pacer.” Pacer is a word that occurs in the world of running. When you are running in a long event – like the marathon – you often ask someone to help you out as a “pacer.” Near the end of the run, your pacer joins you fresh as a daisy while you are ready to curl up in a ball by the curb. When I ran my marathons and my pacer joined me at mile 20, I always felt that I could now stop thinking and just put one foot ahead of the other. The important decisions would now be made by my pacer.

This is exactly how it worked for Darla and me. Darla took over the thinking and I just did what I was supposed to, until I could do it on my own.  Success!!

Sometimes you just need a pacer.

Jennifer Before                                                                         Jennifer Today

4-26-11, 157lbs                                                       Follow-up 9-13-11, 130lbs

BMI 25.5, BF 26.7%                                          BMI:21, BF 21.1%, Lost 10 more lbs

Jennifer continues to maintain herself through Stay Healthy nutrition, walks, walk jogs on her great days and I look forward to our... to be continued..  journey together as we transition to the next level of health & fitness goals...never a destination, but always a journey. 

  Congrats Jennifer...You are one FABULOUS WOMAN!!! 

IF YOU ENJOYED MY BLOG, LIKE IT, LEAVE A COMMENT AND IF INSPIRED, DONATE A SHAKE TODAY! Pink to represent my Supporting the fight Against Breast Cancer!

Stay Healthy!