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Photo: Exercise Media Group

DARLA BENFIELD

THE FIT LIFE

By Katie Karp

“If you are truly an athlete, the drive to work hard and eat clean should not be a problem and can even be a motivating factor to achieve your goals.”

After sixteen years of training and three years of competing and placing in natural physique contests, international fitness trainer, model and certified WTF trainer and coach, Darla Benfield left behind figure competitions to pursue her goal of preparing athletes for show. With a clientele ranging from WTF athletes, to physique athletes to women committed to achieving personal goals, she works as a fitness instructor from her home-based studio, Fitness-4-You, in Placer County California. Darla has owned and operated her studio for fifteen years, but only began training clients on the international and competitive level nine years ago – a profession for which she is highly qualified, based on her impressive background.

Standing at five feet, seven inches, with an inseason weight of 123 lbs., and an offseason weight of 127, Darla competed in the 1995 Galaxy Competition, the 1998 Eliminator, and was placed as a finalist in the 1998 Galaxy competition. Since then, she has earned degrees in Biological Science and Natural Life Science, received her AFAA Personal Trainer certification, and received the status of a WTF Certified Trainer/Coach. Hoping to be able to “rehabilitate a client where pain is no longer an issue, or is greatly reduced so that they can pursue their goals more comfortably,” she is currently studying to become certified in specialized massage therapy. It is clear from Darla’s successes on stage and tireless commitment to helping her clientele achieve success that she follows her own philosophy: “Walk the Talk. Being a role model is key. I do not put my clients or athletes through anything I do not myself do physically or nutritionally.”

While time is the enemy of most figure competitors – an element that signals the winding down of careers – it’s certainly on Darla’s side. At 42 years old, she continues to realize more goals and carve out even greater successes as an international fitness trainer and gym owner. She maintains and rigorous fitness and diet regimen year-round, enabling herself to be consistently prepared for shows and shoots.

Darla’s diet schedule is meticulously planned: with five structured meals throughout the day. Meal one consists of oat, protein, flax and egg white pancakes with non-fat syrup. This is followed by non-fat, sugar-free yogurt mixed with non-fat cottage cheese and a few grapes. For meal three, she has one can of Albacore tuna mixed with non-fat mayonnaise on a rice cake or mixed green salad with grilled chicken breast and half an apple or a few raw carrots. Then, she’ll have a whey protein shake blended with ice. Her final meal is limited to two cups of lightly steamed vegetable and baked fish. Darla drinks one gallon of water to stay hydrated throughout the day, and drinks one cup of detox tea before bed with non-fat vanilla creamer.

Photo: Exercise Media Group

For as detailed as her diet is, Darla’s workout schedule appears to be ten times more so, with comprehensive routines slotted for each day of the week. She does an abdominal workout every other day and cardio every day for at least 30 minutes, focusing the remaining time on one body part. On rest days, she may do an easy, long, endurance cardio. Mondays, she works her legs through a combination of squats, wide stance squats, lunges, and Romanian dead lifts. On Tuesdays, she shifts her focus to her chest – with a mix of chest presses, push up, and dumbbell exercises. Shoulders are the focal point of Wednesday’s workout – targeted with a grouping of overhead presses, lateral raises, anterior raises, and posterior raises. Thursday, Darla works her back with pull-ups and chin –ups, one-arm rows, straight bar rows and low rows. On Friday, she trains her arms with a combination of bicep curls, concentrated curls, pull-up bar curls, triceps pushups, triceps overhead extensions, and triceps dips. Saturday’s focus is again the legs, this time utilizing low weights and high repetition, and is followed by an athlete-training day on Sunday, during which Darla completes such exercises and sprints, hurdles, and interval drills.

Darla is a drug-free competitor, trainer and coach who believes that you should achieve the best physique as you possibly can 100% naturally. “If you are truly an athlete, the drive to work hard and eat clean should not be a problem and can even be a motivating factor to achieve your goals.” Darla’s steadfast dedication to a drug-free, healthy lifestyle has been imperative in sculpting her success – and the lives of others. She explains: “I absolutely love to live and teach the Fit lifestyle.” With extraordinary drive and ambition, Darla proves to us all that goals are not only meant to be attained, but to also be surpassed.

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