One of my new addictions is pinterest. Although I admit I spend too much time on this site at times, it is inspiring and motivating to make life style changes and dream big! Something I want to change for myself this year is to stay ACTIVE in my goals. A perfect example would be to dream about killer abs & to "feel skinny." The solution? DO cardio. ENGAGE your core. TRY pilates or yoga And...STOP putting the same CRAP in your mouth that makes you BLOAT!It's all about staying fit and healthy...and being active in your life.
Fit is the new skinny.Health on the inside is more important than the looks from the outside. Lets face it, when you see a beautiful tall and skinny woman, you think to yourself: "this girl must work her ass off to have a shape like that, or she eats extremely healthy (or never eats)." And for all you men out there, I know that you get competitive with your fitness too-especially in the gym. Some men might look like they bench 200 pounds daily. Not always. Some people are blessed with a high metabolism or certain figure, meaning they can eat anything, or have a flat stomach without ever having to run or do a core work out in their life! Instead of envying these people (which is hard to do at times I know), we need to focus on our own physical bodies and our own inner health. Lets think about what we do to our bodies when we eat or exercise.
Being mentally aware of what we are eating is key to a healthy inner body. If you can't pronounce an ingredient, DON'T EAT IT!!! Eat whole foods....the less ingredients the better. I try to stick to the 5 ingredient or less rule. You also need to follow your own hunger, not the clock (a goal of mine actually). I believe that it is important to eat in small portions and to eat often in order to keep your metabolism going...but if you aren't hungry for an entire meal...don't eat the whole plate!
We also need to reflect and think about how and when we use our energy to stay active or not. I'm tired of hearing people say they want to lose weight, or have toned arms and do NOTHING about it. Get your butt off the couch and get moving!! We have a choice to have a fit body, eat healthfully, and create balance to maintain a healthy life style. We need to remember to start from the inside first; work on your mind (are you doubting yourself or are you motivated to make a lifestyle change and go to the gym?), your eating habits (are you indulging constantly, or are you treating yourself with small portions?), and how you engage in exercise. This is what makes you healthy- it's all about balancing and maintaining a constant fuel for life.
MIND OVER MATTER: If you tell yourself you can't run a mile, then you won't. If you tell yourself that you can go out of your comfort zone and try the new kickboxing class, then you will succeed. It's all in your head, your body can do anything, it's your choice what you do with it.
Here's a new work out prayer I came up with inspired by a pinterest runner's prayer:
Work out by my side;
live in my heart and stay active through the ride;
give me strength to keep going,
but challenge me so my body will be showing
my true health, which is pure and fit
so I will never say the words "I cant,"
but rather say, "I will never quit."
Amen,
Tiffany
The lesson of this all? You can change, as long as you are willing to accept that this ride isn't going to be easy, it will be tough and long, but not impossible. This is a daily change, not a fab diet, it's a way of life. Take a seat on your health rollercoaster, and make it your own. I hope you learn how to take each moment and opportunity as it comes and create a life you love. There will be highs of happiness, accomplishments, flying emotions, but there will also be lows when you make a mistake, or find something too challenging. However, with dedication and hard work...you will gain the greatest gift of life: a TRULY healthy person, not a fraud. Not only will you look the part, but you will FEEL the part.
Since it's a new year, I decided that a detox would be appropriate because I need to learn what does or doesn't agree with my body. The whole living website has been my health bible to say the least. Here is a link to get your healthy life back on track! =) Whole living action plan.
