So my thoughts today drifted toward those people all of us know. The person who totally has their shit together. The person you admire because they are whip-smart, highly organized, manage money well, always dependable and on time. This person has a highly successful career as well as being personable and outgoing. However, for whatever reason, the only area of life they donât seem willing to ( or confident enough to ) attack is their personal health. The one thing that really should be the most important because your healthy body will keep you here longer to enjoy all of the areas of life that you excel in. Imagine âhaving it allâ but being reminded every time you see your naked self getting out of the shower that you donât put in the effort to be confident with your body. This sadness affects you everyday. I know very few, SO very few, people who feel good about their physical appearance. I have two family members whom have complained of being overweight for almost 20 years! I mean, thatâs a long time to be miserable because you donât want to make the lifestyle changes that are necessary. How awful is that? Wasting 20 years being bummed out and feeling embarrassed by your size. If you could feel lifted up by seeing a healthy body every morning wouldnât that set the tone for a great day? Instead of âoh, my tummy is getting Biggggâ you could say âahhh that felt great to get some exercise in before my day even startsâ! âMy legs look strongâ. âMy head is clearâ. âThese skinny jeans fit great.â Trust me. Confidence soars if you check your fitness off of your to-do list BEFORE giving your time to anyone else. It is really not a huge shift to set out ( or even sleep in ) your workout clothes and set the alarm to allow you enough time to exercise for at least 20 minutes. The payoff is enormous! Many work days I only grab 20-30 minutes of blood pumping cardio right when I get up. Seriously. Itâs enough to wake me up and feel accomplished for the day. Iâve been able to keep this habit going for more than 8 years. It really takes so little time out of your day. I see 30 minutes as my personal âsweet spotâ as itâs enough to feel great and kick it in to high gear without leaving me wiped out for the rest of the day. Then, if I get the opportunity to do something active after work I see it as a bonus round. Itâs much better than having the feeling that I NEED to workout later looming over me all day long. This way itâs all enjoyable. Winning aaannnddd thinning! I feel so much for those who can sell a multi million dollar home, advertise and promote anything like a genius and even create a major corporation from the ground up but they cannot seem to get up a little earlier to improve everything in their lives! One word. Prioritize. You absolutely CAN be fit and confident. And you certainly SHOULD put your fitness first everyday. Please know that you are #1 and take care of yourself. Donât create stress or anxiety or doubt yourself. Just find your groove. It feels amazing! You will enjoy everything and everyone in your life so much more. Your food is important! The other major piece of the puzzle is your eating habits. I can tell you from my own life experience that mindlessly eating too much âhealthy foodsâ will not do you any favors. It may actually make you frustrated because you could be gaining weight from oversized portions or just starving through the day only to load up at night- when you donât need the energy fuel- so it gets stored in the trunk ( your ass ). I have lived a high animal protein/ low carb lifestyle years ago. I do not recommend it! Maybe your body will tighten up but the suffering- colitis, constipation, low energy, irritability, brain fog, bad skin and contributing to pollution and animal suffering for vanity⌠Thatâs the worst Iâve ever felt in my life. I looked pretty good but I felt like shit all of the time. The food prep for a meat heavy diet is a bitch as well. I can tell you that shifting to plant based eating is the easiest food prep! Iâm not stressed about food spoiling. A portion of carbs is simply a piece of fruit or half a baked yam. Protein is a precut square of tempeh or tofu or a Beyond Meat Beast Burger or a scoop of raw plant protein powder. Snacks are raw veggies and raw nuts. I put everything on a pile of greens when Iâm home. Omigosh so easy! As long as your not stuffing yourself and relying on bread and pasta or peanut butter you wonât have to worry to much about your weight. I fluctuate 5-7 pounds and itâs usually creeping up if we are eating out a lot and drinking wine. Even the seemingly healthiest veggie options at a restaurant can be covered in oil and salt. So dining out should be minimal for your health. Always keep a piece of fruit and a portion of raw nuts with you running errands if your day runs long. But also know that hunger isnât an emergency either. I had a major fear of being hungry because I thought that I would overeat. Sometimes you may eat a little more but usually youâll be fine. If youâre thinking about another helping just get up and busy yourself for a minute. Fold laundry, take the dog outside to tinkle. You will probably forget about the food. And youâll be eating in another hour or two anyway! Thereâs no need to rush. My purpose is to be a guide with my experience. Meal plans, easy recipes, quick tips for making life as simple and satisfying as possible while your health improves. Vegan is where itâs at my friend.
