Blog: Looking Like Myself and Feeling Good

Looking like myself - what do I mean by that? Well, I have my genetics and my lifestyle of fitness and nutrition that creates - drum roll - me! 

I am not supposed to look like the girl in the magazine, the movies, or anywhere else for that matter.  Back in the day when I competed, did I look at magazines, other girls and think: I need to look like that, why is my body not responding the same way as hers, check out how tight her backside is, on and on? Yikes and big yuck. 

I am so happy to come full circle with knowledge, age (yes, it is fabulous), and wisdom.  I embrace who I am, what I look like and being the best me - not anyone else.  It would be such a stressful life to constantly compare myself to her, then her, and (oh my) her. Oh hell to the big no.  Life is too short to even think unrealistic thoughts, goals, and for crying out loud - I AM NOT HER, HER, OR EVEN HER. 

Did you know that all images in magazines are photo shopped to soften here, cut there, and create unreal images of girls, women, and men representing something that they are not?  I am not saying that they are not fit, although some probably are not in the greatest shape, but lines, bumps, blemishes, rolls, bootie, hips are quickly painted away with a few strokes of a computer. For crying out loud - you can get a Photoshopped 6-pack now. Really????  I am not saying I am anti-Photoshop, but if I look at a photo and struggle to recognize who it is and have to go to the credits, I say horrible - off that soap box.

Some of my older model images are slightly Photoshopped - not all, but some. And I have to say it is an art of knowing just how much and loved when some softness was needed.  Overall, I prefer the edgy real image that shows me, right here, right now, and those I embrace the most. ;) 

I really enjoy taking self portraits - no Photoshop - most without makeup, and posting them on the blog so that you can see me, at 47, after kids, injuries, surgeries and Staying Healthy with my lifestyle. 

It is important to want to be me and not someone else. That tells me that I accept, embrace, and honor who I am as Darla, the woman, wife, mother, trainer, daughter, sister, and friend. How could I even walk the shoes of helping people get healthy if I did not believe in this? 

I hear so often: I want to look like you and I smile, take it as a compliment and let them know that the goal is to look like them - their best self with the wonderful genetics they have. I am a mother with a beautiful daughter full of youth, smooth skin, and body that a 20-year-young woman should have and it feels like a reflection in the mirror: Me and that body 20 years ago. But that is the point: that was 20 years ago and all I can do and want for me is celebrate who I am today and for 47 years young, I am pretty darn happy with that. 

I embrace my fine lines earned from laughs, smiles, and a few frowns ...click to read more 

Motivation of the Day:  Don’t Compare Yourself to Others in Your Journey of Life…Let Your Life be Yours…and Live it to the Fullest!

My Workout of the Day:

• ARC Trainer: 30 minutes
• Body Stuff: (light today…a bit tired) 1 minute intervals
• Modified french press (repeated 4x in between legs)
• 1 set cross back step ups
• 1 set reverse lunges
• 1 set squat lateral lifts
• Stretch time

Read My Nutrition of the Day & Watch a Video

Also enjoy my complete personal blog here, where  I will be sharing my Stay Healthy Life with you through my example of what I do to maintain my health, physique, and being my best me at 47!!! I look forward to blogging for you. Stay tuned for recipes, articles, links, videos, and very personal shares!!

Stay Healthy!

Darla ;)