Activate Your Environment To Support Your Goals

It's a good idea to have some small things in your home to remind you that you need to train. Whenever I travel, I always wear a Jade Buddha amulet. This isn't just for good luck, this also reminds me to be peaceful. If something difficult happens, I tell myself to calm myself down. I also carry a small Buddha with me. Before any important decision, I meditate for twenty minutes to clear my mind.

I also take my Instant Health Massage Brush with me, and a skipping rope in case I can't find a place to run then I can find a small park to skip for half an hour. This means, I never have an excuse not to train. 

In my office I have a Jade Energy Stone and a  Wooden Star Palm Massager in front of my computer. When I work at the computer a lot, I stop and use this to massage my hands for a while.

These are all powerful things to remind myself to have a positive mental outlook and to keep training. These positive things I surround myself with, make me feel that I'm not even training, this is just my routine, this is part of my life.

Different things inspire different people, think about what inspires you. Can you see it every day? Small changes in our environment can help us to activate our health and fitness goals and make them real. Research has shown that even simple things like using a smaller plate helps us to eat less. 

If you're environment isn't positive then change it so it is.  Make sure that your environment is supporting and not hindering your goals.

Body Conditioning & Qigong Self-Massage - Metal Massage Brush

For many years, my on-line students have asked me to provide them with the metal brush they have seen me using in my book and DVDs. I have been reluctant to do this without seeing the student first because this metal brush is not like the bamboo brush, if used incorrectly, it can cause damage to the body.

The person who uses this brush needs to be trained correctly and train with responsibility. But now that many of my students have followed all of the training from my first DVD through to my fifteenth, I feel, if their body is telling them they are ready to use this brush, then they are.

This is a professional brush, only to be used by highly trained martial artists, fighters, Qigong masters. It is not suitable for anyone under the age of 18, pregnant women, old people or health seekers. The Instant Health bamboo massage brush is perfect for most people and they should continue to use this rather than change to this metal brush.  The bamboo brush is safe to use for all people.

I had this metal brush hand-made to my specific specifications. It was difficult to find someone who could make it for me, and I only have a limited number available. This is a very heavy metal brush, it weighs about 1.6 kg and has 108 metal rods. Shaolin Temple is carved in Chinese on the end of the brush. If used correctly, it will last a lifetime.

Safety Guidelines for Using The Metal Massage Brush

1) The brush needs to be cleaned with a soft cloth before use. 


2) The brush must never be used on the head, face or any other sensitive area.


3) Keep the brush in a private place away from children and adults.


4) Never share the brush with another person.


5) Never use this brush without doing Qigong first. 


6) Warm up with the bamboo brush first then move onto the metal brush.


7) Do not use this brush for body conditioning unless you have had direct training from a qualified master.


8) Only use this brush for self-massage after the Qigong Forms that I teach on my DVDs.


9) Your body should feel happy when you massage. Listen to your body. If something feels wrong or there is any pain, stop immediately. 


10) Exercise extreme caution. Remember, this brush has the potential to damage your internal organs. Make sure you know and understand what you are doing. If in doubt, seek advice from a qualified instructor. 

I teach five Qigong forms that can be used with this brush. They can be found on the following DVDs:
The Way of Qigong Volume 1,2, & 3
Qigong For Upper Body & Lower Body
And in my book:
Instant Health: The Shaolin Qigong Workout For Longevity 

I also teach Iron Shirt for advanced practioners.

Apart from Qigong Volume 1, all of the above give precise instructions as to how to do the Instant Health Massage. The instructions are the same for the bamboo brush and the metal brush. If you are using the metal brush, warm up with the bamboo brush first. The metal brush gives a deeper vibration to the bones.

I've also made this video to give more clarification on the different uses of the brushes. This is only for a guide and is not a teaching video. Please refer to my teaching DVDs and books for correct instructions on the self-massage.

The metal massage brush is available from my website.

Five Easy Toning Exercises you can Do Anywhere

Exercise is an important part of our lives. Staying in shape is one way to increase your life expectancy. Weight bearing exercises are important also for increasing muscle mass and bone density as you age.



Most of us have learned what to do when it comes to exercising. The problem is where and when to get the job done. With a busy lifestyle, making time for exercise is a challenge.



Weight bearing exercises aren’t just for bodybuilders. As you age, especially once you hit the

easy toning exercises

It Has to Be QUALITY

IF YOU ENJOY MY BLOG…DONATE A SHAKE TODAY!!!

Quality Food is a MUST

QUALITY life…WOW…doesn’t that sound absolutely FABULOUS...well of course and I really believe in that all the way around.  I am into quality relationships, quality healthy foods, quality splurge meals when I have them, quality time, a quality simple life, and YES…QUALITY moves during my workouts.  If it is not quality…forget it…I mean really.  I am not going to waste my time performing an exercise that will get me nowhere and in fact, would probably injure me in the process…A BIG NO THANKS. I am into QUALITY over quantity…maintaining my physique is not a competition of how much I can lift or rep…it is about creating and being the BEST ME with my quality exercise and with the new modified body that I have.   Society today is so caught up in fast this and fast that, competing with him or her….YUCK…I would love the whole world to get a good wallop on the head, slow down, and enjoy just BEING, enjoy the gift of moving their bodies for the health of that body and who the hell cares what he, she, or all the other somebody else’s are doing…being healthy is not a competition…it is a lifestyle…and a glorious one at that.  Quality has so much to do with that…if I did not live a quality life how could I be a quality person taking care of myself…I would be one of those rush in and out of the gym and maybe get it right…WRONG…NOT for this fitness girl.  What kind of example would I be setting for anyone, and especially those that I train/coach…YIKES?  It has to be QUALITY…it has to be GOOD FORM, TECHNIQUE…and everything that creates a MORE than great workout experience.  When it comes to my QUALITY workout, I concentrate on proper posture, always drawing my navel into my spine…this makes me wear my STRING (if you have followed my Blogs, you know that my String is my pretend connection from my sternum to the ceiling and ensures that I am standing in proper posture). 

Posture is key to Quality Exercise

I put my mind where the muscle is, think about that muscle moving through its range of motion (ROM), and the joint actions that are involved in the move…if I am performing a biceps curl for example…I will not be moving my shoulder joint, and definitely not swinging at the hips to get the weight up…OH MY…HURT MYSELF gosh.  Having a private studio is great because I definitely cringe going into public facilities where injuries are going to happen due to non-quality moves…this is a whole other story though…so back to my QUALITY workouts.  The point I am trying to bring home here, is that life is too short not to do things right….to be a quality person, eat quality foods, enjoy quality time with friends and family, and definitely perform QUALITY workouts…all these things done in a quality way…are truly a big part of happiness, success in health and a balanced life…and the QUALITY workouts…well…this 47 year young body says a BIG THANK YOU! Stay Healthy!

MOTIVATION OF THE DAY:  Quality Exercise Produces Quality Results

My Nutrition of the Day:

Meal 4

Coffee, one cup ~ splash of n/f creamer

1-Stay Healthy Harvest Protein Muffin

2-Post Workout Shake & ¼ pumpkin seeds

3-Four Egg whites on Thin Bun & Apple

4-Small sweet potato and ¼ cup N/F Plain Greek yogurt

5-Scratch Chicken Vegetable Soup

6-1 Tbsp peanut butter on Rice Cake

My Workout of the Day:

ARC Trainer for 20 minutes

HIIT Program (repeated 2 xs)

Move 1: Squat, Curl & Press
Targets: Quads, delts, glutes, biceps, & triceps.

Move 2: Walking lunge & Oblique twist with dumbbell/medicine ball
Targets: Quads, core/obliques

Move 3: Overhead Triceps Extensions
Targets: Triceps

Move 4: Low Rows
Targets: Back

Move 5: Medicine Ball/Dumbbell Pullover
Targets: Back, chest, shoulders, and abs

Move 6:  Pop Squats
Targets: glutes, thighs, and burns fat all over!!

 

Move 7: Calf Raise
Targets: Calves

Move 8: Seated Medicine Ball Twist
Targets: abs/obliques

Stay Healthy Harvest Protein Muffin..FABULOUS

Check out my Stay Healthy Harvest Protein Muffin Recipe perfect for the holidays or anytime…Newly Added to the In My Kitchen Page!!!

IF YOU ENJOYED MY BLOG, LIKE IT, LEAVE A COMMENT AND IF INSPIRED, DONATE A PROTEIN SHAKE! THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Stay Healthy!

Discovering the 31 Day Fat Loss Cure: The Secret to Losing Weight Fast

You know how a lot of fat loss programs are all about simple tips and tricks that all basically follow the same diet routine and boring work-out plan that don’t really work but instead are designed to make you purchase more and more of their “weight-loss” products to finally see noticeable results? There are loads of these programs out there today, marketing themselves to help you cut the fat and lose weight in a few weeks, a few days or in a year by simply following a diet or a

31 day fat loss cure

Weight Loss Myths: Don't Believe Them!

Where weight loss is concerned, there is a wealth of good as well as bad information out there. And when people are desperate to lose a few pounds, they will believe almost anything they hear, hoping for a quick fix! In this article, we will expose a few of the weight loss myths that can actually slow your progress instead of speeding it up!



Some people hold to the belief that there is a "Metabolic type," and that based on your genetics and family history, your diet should consist of a

weight loss myths

The 10 Best Power Packed Foods

What is the secret to a long and healthy life? It is in the food that we eat. As you well know, all foods are not created equal. Choosing and eating the right foods may help increase your life expectancy as well as the quality of your life.



Here are ten of the top power packed foods designed to give you energy, vitality and all around good health!



1. Beans – If they give you gas, take precautions before you eat them. Soaking them first can help. Beans of all kinds (kidney,

healthy foods

Building The Stamina Of Your Mind

I recently had a student who was a chess player. He came to study Shaolin with me for two weeks. He asked me if he needed stamina when he played chess, I said, yes, it would help him,  because when you play chess, you need to be steps ahead, working out your moves and your opponent's moves. This is the same as fighting but every teacher or coach knows that if their student don't have stamina then it doesn't matter how good they are, they can't use their skills.  This means, you have build your stamina. Through building your stamina you build the strength of your mind.

When you're tired, you can't show your weakness, you have to pretend that you still have stamina. If your opponent finds out then this is your weakness and he can beat you. Sometimes you have to learn how to hide your feelings, it's the same when you have an injury, you have to hide your injury. This is the same as a chess player who makes a bad move, he can't show it or give up, he has to hide.

The warrior fights to the end. The warrior is really competing with him or herself. His competitor is his teacher

When I taught this chess player, I made him do a lot of physical exercise; running, punches, squats, press ups. All training that had nothing to do with the mind. He wanted to give up but I pushed him. He trained with me every day for two weeks. Towards the end of his training, I made his training plan a little easier and suddenly he found out he strong he was. Everyday he trained, I would do just 25 minutes of Qigong to show him how to balance his Yin and Yang. I didn't want to do too much because I didn't want him to think. 

He told me that the Shaolin training gave him a lot of confidence and he felt  stronger when he played chess because he no  longer cared whether he won or lose, he only thought how to  make a strong move and how to conquer himself. If he made a mistake, it didn't matter, he just kept going, sometimes he could change the situation from bad to good but the most important thing was that he always gave his best.

Sign up to my newsletter for exclusive training tips only available to subscribers: 

Click here for more info on my training DVDs, books, and Zen meditation aids. 

If you like this article please share it by tweeting or sharing it on Facebook. 

How To Avoid The 3 Biggest Fat Loss Diet Mistakes

There is so much information on fat loss and more added everyday, yet most people continue to make the same diet mistakes all the time.I do not mean a small indulgence in a piece of cake, or missing a workout, I mean the big diet mistakes that basically guarantee failure in losing weight. Here are 3 of the biggest.



1.The negative attitude of sacrifice. Dieting does not mean giving up all the so called unhealthy foods, it just means eating less of them. The key, and the secret to a healthy

fat loss diet

10 Easily Achievable And Realistic Fat Loss Tips

Are you still counting calories and preparing perfectly proportioned meals and snacks everyday? Are you still weighing your food to achieve that perfect portion? No? Too hard to maintain? Well, here are 10 easily achievable and realistic fat loss tips that will make your weight loss or any health plan that much more manageable, and ultimately more successful.



1.Keep healthy snacks within sight. Keep that bowl of fruit on your kitchen table or some dried fruit on your office desk, so that

fat loss tips

Significant Fat Loss Tips for Significant Results: Tips That You May Not Even Have Considered

There are a lot of ways to lose weight. This goes without saying as there are hundreds upon hundreds of weight-loss programs, books, workout videos and endless lists of diet programs that all tackle different ways to cut the fats and lose weight efficiently and proficiently. There are loads of different tips that pool together and they have all become common knowledge for a lot of people. Examples are the routines to focus on protein and to eradicate carbohydrates from your meals or to keep

fat loss tips

Setbacks SUCK

IF YOU LIKE MY BLOG…DONATE A PROTEIN SHAKE;)

Setbacks Suck...but Hey...I make the BEST of IT

Well, I have to say that I do not like setbacks…and in fact they do SUCK.  Going through the pain of a setback from my injury is the hardest part…but also having to cut way down to doing nothing with my fitness program…big YUCK.  I am such an active person and giving in to what my body is telling me is definitely a mind vs. body fight, and I have to say that I do practice what I preach…and listen.  I would not push my clients through a setback in ways that would further aggravate an injury and I need to apply that to myself…is it hard…YES.  Always honest here…I am one of those can’t hold her down personality types usually, but the wiser Darla says…hold yourself down GIRL!!!  I have been through so much and I can tell you…IT IS NOT WORTH IT…meaning pushing myself through pain only to land flat on my ass for days…hell to the BIG NO THANKS. I also have a supportive hubby who keeps me accountable to that.  In fact, he makes me promise that I will not workout for however long it takes to get back on track and feeling close to 100%...MAN THAT IS A TOUGH ONE FOR ME…I have to admit, I hesitate to answer…lol…but you know what, I have gone most of my life without an accountability coach…so although hard…I appreciate it.  The athlete in me truly wants to do at least something…cardio at the minimum…but if I feel discomfort even in that movement…well…I need to STOP doing that.  I confess that it is so hard to shut this part of me down…meaning the athlete, but what I do enjoy during my recovery time is working with my clients and being a part of their efforts as I push them through their fitness programs.   In a way, this satisfies my urge to workout because I am still in the environment, actively involved by pushing them, and celebrating the accomplishment of the finish.   

Getting back to my inner turmoil when it comes to setbacks…I am a person just like you…and I do feel frustration, blah, yuck, maybe even a bit of anger about it…I say to myself…really Darla…still feeling like this today…ugh…another day of ice packs, TENS unit, ice packs, ice packs, ice packs…well you get the picture.  Not a fun time and in fact it gets in the way of my quality life functions…spending time with friends, family, hubby, etc…It is really a hard thing to enjoy something when my pain level is saying a BIG HELLO all the time.  These are times I have to take a deep breath and accept that it is what it is for the moment and still the BEST me in the circumstance.  What the heck Darla…really…how can you be the BEST you when you feel like shit (can I say that??) Oh well…I did…that is me.  The fact is…I CAN and I DO…is it anyone’s fault that I am having a flare up…NO…well, maybe mine if I tried a new exercise that caused the problem…so…the motto that I hold true to…Life is 10% What Happens to You and 90% How You Respond to It…is always whispering in my ear.   

LOVE THIS

My response is…I do not like this, but I am not going to be a crabby “B” to hubby, friends or family…I mean really…what would that do for me or anyone else.  I take this moment to reflect on things like…not repeating the movement that may have caused the flare up or how I can modify the move even more to protect myself…it seems like I will always be a test as I go Gal…meaning it works for the New Modified Me or it Doesn’t…and then stick to the routines that DO work.  Setbacks do suck, but they also teach me what my body can or can’t do, and although I sometimes feel sad about the things I can’t do and think to myself…really…this is going to kick my ass like that, I appreciate even more those things I can do that don’t set me back at all…and that my friends…is FABULOUS!!! Stay Healthy!

MOTIVATION FOR THE DAY:  Always Strive to Be the BEST Version of YOU

Workout of the Day:

ARC Trainer cardio segment 45 minutes (I have been on this routine for 2 days now)

Nutrition of the Day:

Crock Pot Chicken Ready for Meal 5

Coffee, one cup…fabulous

1-Pre-workout shake

2-Post-workout shake, ¼ cup pumpkin seeds

3-Peppered turkey breast with Avocado on a Thin Bun, Grapes

4-High Fiber Wrap with Almond Butter and Dried Cranberries

5-Crock Pot Chicken and Baked Butternut Squash

6-Two Protein Balls

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

Stay Healthy!