Hallmark Bodies Fitness

09/21/2025

Store them like you bought them to keep in the freshness for the longest.

09/17/2025

My clients over the years that wanted to lose weight or just get healthier more often than not made it more difficult for themselves than it had to be. I always encourage people by telling them that... "I can help you physically, but the real work will be between your ears." Check out this blog I found that breaks it down and simplifies that problem.

Is Your Brain Sabotaging Your Health? (And What to Do About It)
Have you ever ignored an obvious fix because it felt “too easy”? Or chased a complicated solution because it sounded smarter? You’re not alone—your brain is wired that way.

Research suggests that people naturally prefer simple explanations, but often dismiss simple health fixes as “not enough” while overcomplicating straightforward solutions.

In a major review on the simplicity principle, cognitive scientists explained how our brains balance two forces: a bias toward simplicity (Occam’s razor) and the need to fit evidence. This principle runs deep—it influences how we see the world, categorize information, reason, and even make health choices.

For example, people often delay doctor visits because they assume fatigue must stem from complex deficiencies rather than obvious issues like poor sleep. Or they obsess over small financial details while ignoring the big habits draining their wallet.

The review highlights how our brains tend to lean on simplicity to conserve energy, but sometimes overshoot—either oversimplifying complex problems or, paradoxically, pursuing overly complex answers that seem more credible.

The scientists note that simplicity works because it usually helps us generalize better and requires less mental effort.

However, when it comes to health, this bias can backfire: we often skip proven strategies like walking more, eating vegetables, or getting enough sleep—because they seem too basic to be effective.

The lesson? Don’t confuse “simple” with “ineffective.” In fact, the most successful health behaviors thrive on clarity and simplicity.

Next time you’re tempted to dismiss a small step—like drinking more water, getting 7 hours of sleep, or adding a serving of vegetables—remember: your brain may try to trick you, but the simplest answers often make the biggest difference.

09/10/2025

Instant Health Boost

Some of you have heard me talk about the medicinal properties of honey, and how good it is for your health. Well, as an endorsement to what I've been promoting, below is an excerpt from one of Arnold's (yeah, that guy!) newsletters. Check out what he had to say about honey and how it can play a part in your fitness training as well as overall health.

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Military Tested, Muscle Approved

When your training pushes you to the limit, recovery becomes just as important as performance. But instead of overthinking what your body needs, a simple, natural food could help keep you stronger and less fatigued.

New research suggests that honey may reduce muscle inflammation after overtraining, helping you recover faster.

Researchers investigated the effects of different carbohydrates on managing muscle-related inflammation in military graduates undergoing intense overtraining.

Participants who supplemented with honey showed significantly lower levels of inflammation-related biomarkers compared to those who did not.

Researchers believe the benefits stem from honey’s high antioxidant content and natural anti-inflammatory properties. Honey contains flavonoids and phenolic acids, compounds known to reduce oxidative stress and help control inflammation. Additionally, honey's carbohydrate content may contribute to glycogen replenishment, supporting faster muscle recovery.

If you’re performing high-intensity workouts, adding a spoonful of honey post-workout—either directly, in yogurt, or a shake—could support your body’s recovery. But, keep your expectations realistic: honey isn't going to eliminate muscle soreness or turn you into a recovery machine overnight. Think of it as one tool in your recovery toolkit alongside proper sleep, nutrition, and smart training periodization.

And remember, if you're constantly feeling exhausted or weak, honey won't fix poor programming — that's a signal to reassess your training program.

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Spoken by a person who knows a little bit about how the body works, and employes a team of people that collaborate the tried-and-true results as well as researching new and better solutions to living a healthy lifestyle.

Keep watching and I'll uncover more "living healthy" gems on this site from experts in their fields.

Oh, and if you need any local honey, just go to https://hallmark-bodies.square.site/ to see what we have that's different, and how we can get it to you.

Remember ... Be positive, but test negative! Mark

09/03/2025

Greetings health-conscious people!! As you may have heard, Teresa and I opened a booth with local honey for sale at the 1st Monday Trade Day Market in Canton. Last weekend we got rained out all day Saturday, and now we have an abundance of honey left. Which is good news for you!

If you couldn't make it to Canton last weekend, or you live too far away, and you would like to get some honey, then you don't want to miss this deal! Today only, September 3rd, you can order from our website the sweet taste of honey from several distinct types of local and not so local honey farms at a discount and ... delivered to you free of charge. (delivery subject to within our delivery area)

Go to this website https://www.bit.ly/hallmarkhoney, or click the picture below, and check out all the options you have for decreasing allergies and increasing your health through the power of pure natural organic sweetness! With your order today, you can take advantage of my online discount, and I have also waived the local delivery fee.

If you happen to be going to the Chamber of Rowlett, Make A Connection meeting on Thursday morning, I can deliver your order to you there at the meeting if you prefer. Just enter the Rowlett Chamber address of 4418 Main St when you choose "DELIVER".

Of course, you can also choose "PICKUP" if you happen to be passing through Plano and prefer to stop by. Even if you don't want or need any honey right now, check out the site and bookmark it for future reference. You owe it to yourself, and your health.
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One of the defining features of wildflower honey is its varied and complex flavor. Unlike other types of honey that may have a more uniform taste, wildflower honey can have a rich and diverse flavor profile. This is because bees collect nectar from a wide range of wildflowers, which contributes to t...

08/26/2025

Can Exercise Eliminate Your Next Headache?

We’ve all experienced the type of headache that makes it impossible to do anything. But here's something that might surprise you: the solution doesn’t necessarily require a medicine cabinet.

Aerobic exercise can reduce headache frequency and intensity.

This wasn't just another small study—it was a comprehensive clinical practice guideline that analyzed 60 studies involving 2,493 migraine patients. The researchers divided participants into two main groups: those with episodic migraines (fewer than 15 headache days per month) and chronic migraines (15 or more days per month). They measured headache frequency, pain intensity, attack duration, and quality of life before and after various techniques to help them feel better.

Moderate-intensity exercise — such as cardio or yoga — performed about three times per week made a significant difference.

The researchers believe these benefits stem from how exercise improves blood flow, reduces inflammation, modulates pain pathways, and enhances stress resilience—all factors involved in migraine development and intensity. Some forms of movement, like yoga, may also support nervous system regulation and reduce tension.

Start with 20 to 30 minutes of walking, cycling, or a beginner yoga class a few times per week. Track how your symptoms respond to see if it works for you.

08/24/2025

Let's talk mealtime for a minute. One of the most powerful nutrients we might neglect as we age is "protein". Not by design, it's just that most of us don't eat a big juicy steak everyday, which is what we've been told is the only way to get protein. But meat isn't the only good protein. (as you can see in the graphic I found that spells it out) You should strive to add one of these proteins each meal. Doesn't matter if you're a 3 meal or 2 meal-a-day kinda person. Protein helps you feel full sooner so you don't overeat, and protein fuels your muscles so you can keep on doing the things you like to do. Check it out, copy and save it for reference.

08/18/2025

Did you know that honey is the only type of sugar that can prevent cavities and actually improves your tooth health instead of harming it? It's true! Most types of sugar feed bad bacteria that cause tooth decay and bad breath. However, honey is VERY different!

Just one teaspoon a day of local honey is the best and easiest way to not only help with oral health but can increase your overall health in many other ways!

Honey naturally contains anti-microbial compounds that kill harmful bacteria in the mouth and body and allow good oral bacteria to flourish. In fact, many hunter-gatherer tribes around the world that consume large amounts of honey have been found to have very good oral health and ZERO cavities despite their frequent honey consumption.

Not only that, but honey has dozens of health benefits in the body including helping your body produce nitric oxide, which improves blood flow for a healthy heart. ( And a big benefit for older men ... if you know what I mean!) Just make sure when choosing honey to choose local when possible and always raw. You want to avoid mass produced honey that came from China which is often fraudulently cut with high fructose corn syrup to make it cheaper.

Speaking of local honey ... my wife and I have started selling Local Honey at 1st Monday Canton Trade (https://www.firstmondaycanton.com/). Our honey comes from Greenville and Lindale. See us the first of each month and get a healthy alternative to your diet!

08/11/2025

It only takes one good reason for people to get started on their fitness journey. You don't have to train in a gym, or run marathons. You just need a passionate "why" to achieve tiny wins along the way to your goal with a timeframe in mind. Sometimes getting healthy isn't even for you, but for someone else. It's never too late to get started. Check out this commercial I came across and then comment below with your "why". (tissue alert)

"Take Care of Yourself Produced by DocMorris of Germany. The short video follows a man who is deciding to do just that ... take care of himself.Please share ...

07/31/2025

Rediscovering Life in a Different Venue

Greetings one and all!! As some of you may know, I stepped away from the fitness gig for a while to work on another business venture with my wife. Her dream ever since she was a kid has been to own a donut shop! Chance would have it that my insurance agent, Jack Dear knew about a Southern Maid Donut shop in Garland where the then Owners were retiring after 32 years in the biz. My entrepreneurial spirit kicked in and saw an existing business with decent margins ready for a new Owner to take the reins. Yes, it was a far cry from the health and wellness I was teaching just months prior, to baking and marketing donuts to the very people I advised against eating them for years. I, prior to this, would eat a donut only once or twice a year at a business function or event. Even though I had never baked anything, and the shop desperately needed a facelift or remodeling (it was founded in 1974, and it hadn’t been updated since!), we made a 3-year plan and took the leap!

And here it is 3 years later! We learned a lot about the brick-and-mortar business world, which I had never been part of even after owning or being a partner in 3 prior businesses. We were challenged to learn how to bake, cook and decorate donuts and we had fun creating tasty original treats that you don’t see in other donut shops. We were also challenged with the sudden change in lifestyle, getting up in the middle of the night to go to work, putting in 12-to-13-hour days, 7 days a week, and trying to go to bed while it’s still daylight. We were challenged with being anti-social because we were too tired to attend events and the gathering of friends at a restaurant. But all of that was worth it when we saw the people’s faces light up after receiving the donuts and treats that we created! We were supported by the local and surrounding communities, loyal customers and people from around town that heard we had the best kolaches and Apple Fritters “on the planet”! Our hearts were warmed as we gave back to the community by giving our overages each day to non-profits, daycares, homeless shelters, food banks, city facilities, school district departments, local churches, Fire stations and Police precincts. We supported our local Chamber, sponsored community events and purchased supplies from local vendors. All in all, it was a good experience, but retirement so far has been a much more relaxed experience!

That being said (and I thank you for reading this far), I have a renewed spirit and itch to get back to being healthy and well again. During my 3-year stint in the donut biz, my habits changed drastically, and I did not heed my own advice of exercising at least 3 times a week. Matter of fact, I only exercised 3 times in 3 years! But during that time, I got a better insight into what I wanted to do with Hallmark Bodies. I am going back to my roots of encouraging people to relax and to live a healthy lifestyle with … no rules, no restrictions, just good habits for life! I have decided that instead of doing one-on-one sessions a couple times a week with a few people or gathering several people in a room doing HIIT exercises, that I would be of better service to you if I would impart to you the insights that I have come to learn while not exercising. Don’t get me wrong, I still think exercising is a key part of staying healthy and well, but it is only one part. Sanity, diet, stress management are also parts of living a healthy lifestyle and I will be giving you ways to stay healthy without resorting to endless exercise and restricted diets. On this site you will be hearing from me and others that know more than me, backed by science and real-life experiences on simple ways to maintain or change the way you look and feel. Not everything will work or even be something you might need, but there will be something from time to time that will resonate with you and your struggle, whatever that may be. Case in point … first lesson …

Creating Fitness Clients One Donut at a Time! Some of you may have heard that tag line coined by my friend Michael Gallops when I quit selling health and wellness and started selling donuts. You may have also heard of what I was calling the Donut Diet! (it’s a real thing that I made up) One thing I learned about myself when I started creating these tasty treats is that I really do like eating donuts. (I know, it surprised me too!) Not all donuts, but some varieties became a staple for me during the past 3 years. And, during that time where I was eating a couple of donuts a day, I dropped 15 pounds from when I started and have maintained that deficit! Not because I was exercising and eating chicken and rice three times a day. Matter of fact, completely the opposite. No, it was what I had been saying for years to my fitness Clients that wanted to lose weight … a lifestyle change is what reduces weight gain.

So, the moral of this long story is, and contrary to conventional wisdom … DONUTS DO NOT MAKE YOU FAT! The "quantity" and "frequency" that you indulge in donuts could make you fat when coupled with a sedentary lifestyle. So run, don’t drive to your nearest donut shop and tell them “Hallmark Bodies said it’s ok for me to have a donut today, guilt free.” You’ll feel better about yourself, you’ll go forward with confidence and feel you must make good choices for the rest of your day! That is a lifestyle shift you can do. Be healthy but enjoy yourself along the way!

Check back again soon. I'll have more sensible tips on how to enjoy a healthy lifestyle with no rules, no restrictions, simply good habits for life!

01/14/2025

Check out this week's Get Fit Newsletter!

You’ll skip the drive thru line on your way to work. You’ll refuse to get fast food with co-workers at lunch. You’ll boycott the vending machine in the mid-afternoon. And you won’t even think about having dessert after dinner.

01/01/2025

Have you seen this week's Get Fit Newsletter? Click the link below and check it out. Subscribe inside to get weekly tips and delicious recipes on diet and exercise to help you get and/or maintain a healthy lifestyle. (emails are not sold or shared with outside entities)

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Happy New Year! Before you move forward to set new resolutions for 2025, let’s take a moment to look back and reflect on your results in 2024. 


11/27/2024

Your Focus this Season

This time of year, is filled with special foods. From decorated cookies to mashed potatoes, it’s one food event after another. For most of us it becomes more about food than anything else…and you wonder why you gain weight.

This year shift your focus from food to the things that really matter most to you. The season will mean more to you and you’ll look and feel your best.