Oh hey January. Or what I like to call…holiday hangover month. I am not sure if I am more mentally or physically tired from all of the “too many’s.” Too many Christmas parties, too many holiday drinks, too many late nights and early mornings. Instead of taking this behavior and having regrets and thinking my mistakes make me who I am today, I actually do the exact opposite. I have no regrets. I loved every late night and fancy cocktail I consumed. It was a stream of holidays to remember. Now I get excited about how I can transform my body back to what I crave for it to be. A body that can run up the stairs without losing a breath. A body that enjoys the pull of every muscle as I lift my children easily in the air. A body that just feels good.
My goal of this blog is to transform HOW people view health. I want you to see that your body functions a certain way, so you need to focus on that instead of the numbers on the scale. If you would like to make goals for the New Year, this is what I recommend. Don’t aim for a certain amount of weight or inches to lose. That is not realistic or maintainable, and it does not teach you how to live a healthy life. Instead, make goals of ways you can be healthy every single day. Get excited about taking care of yourself. Don’t set standards and goals that are not maintainable. For example, this is how I live a life of health in the New Year:
- Move your body as often as you can…between 2-4 times a week. Keep a small range of numbers. If you start out high, it leads you to feel constant regret and defeat when you don’t reach that number. That will not encourage you to keep this positive behavior going. This is about maintaining. Also, find things you enjoy. Walk, run, hike, partake in a workout class. But don’t allow yourself to skip it too often. If you do it once, you will do it again, and continue to rationalize it until that number returns to zero times a week. Make it a part of your normal life. You need to build muscle, bone, and get your heart and lungs working. Also, don’t worry if you are terrible running up that hill or fall over in yoga class…the point is not to be perfect. The point is to challenge yourself. And you are not there to impress anyone but yourself…especially not that girl in the expensive work out gear.
- Once you start routinely working out, you will find that those processed, “artificial” foods will not be as satisfying. Foods are fuel, and if you provide your body with the right nutrition, your body will take it, utilize it as it should, and only make you feel better. If you work out, and then eat processed, nutrition-lacking foods, you will feel heavy and worn down, like your work out was cancelled out by your body struggling to rebuild with nothing. I prefer oatmeal with hemp, chia, and almond butter. Sandwiches piled high with avocado, tomato, greens, and possibly an egg. Within 30 minutes of exercise, I drink protein mixed with amazing grass powder. It boosts metabolism and satisfies me until my next meal. I do not consider calories. I choose nutrition packed foods that fill me up, and never weigh me down.
- Become best friends with your water bottle. I recommend buying a water bottle you love. One that you will proudly carry as an accessory. It is now a part of your life. Water is the basis to basically every bodily function, and helps you remove wastes and toxins. Drink…drink…drink. If you don’t like water, you should probably recognize that as an issue, because you have messed up a natural human need. I actually keep reusable water bottles in the fridge for me and my children. That way I can just grab it for them and me as we walk out the door. Make it easy on yourself. No excuses.
- Focus on gaining muscle, and not on losing weight. I really despise the words “fat” and “skinny.” What does that even represent? I know people that are skinny and are incredibly unhealthy and out of shape. I know people on the heavier side that are constantly working out and eating right. To me, weight depicts very little. Therefore, I encourage people to start looking at their body to find muscle, not fat. Enjoy getting stronger, therefore getting healthier every day. Find a work out that makes you want to go home and flex in the mirror. Once you work on making your body strong, your mind and heart will follow.
- Don’t diet. Don’t overeat. Don’t count calories. I am naturally an incredibly healthy eater. Not because I make myself, but after going through a period of cutting out sugar, diet coke, and all the foods filled with crap…I basically went through a detox. And now, guess how much of that stuff I crave…none of it! If an opportunity comes up to have a cookie or piece of cake, it doesn’t even taste that good to me. I encourage every one to cut the crap, and allow yourself to reset. Once your body learns sugar is out, it will no longer crave it like it once did. You need to get through an ugly period, but it is the best thing you could do for yourself. Then, just love food. Food is awesome, and it should not be a stress. I eat for flavor, for the experience, and to enjoy life. You are supposed to eat…just make sure everything on your plate is REAL.
- Finally, feel good about YOU. Is that corny? Is that too broad? Is that even realistic? I am just saying, give yourself a chance. Don’t give up on having a body you feel good in. If you are full of toxins and waste from many days of treating yourself badly, you are not living life to the fullest because you probably don’t feel that great. Start small and start realistically. You cannot change overnight, and don’t feel bad when you don’t. Just want a better life for yourself, and every day get excited that you are getting a little bit closer to a more healthy you. Just be happy you have this awesome body working hard for you every day, and it is yours to take for a ride. Make it a joyful one.
Strong mind. Strong heart. Strong body.
Val