I am the least athletic person I know, which usually makes exercise a little hard for me. I've been trying to find an exercise routine that "fits me," with little to no success, for my entire adult life. I've never been able to run (I'm currently wearing a size 34G bra). Swimming has always been my go-to as far as exercise goes, but Missoula, MT has exactly 4 pools all of which you have to pay a silly amount of money to swim in AND they are always crowded beyond capacity, so I had to find another way to get my blood flowing.
Mark runs, practices martial arts, boxing, kick-boxing, and even yoga. Although he will argue that he's not in good shape, the man is a pretty amazing athlete. He won't run for months and then one day he'll go on a thirty minute run like it's an every day occurrence. I am very jealous of his special abilities. I have gone on exactly 3 runs with Mark. I thought maybe if I just started doing it, I would learn to love it and running would get easier for me over time. I was wrong. I still don't like it, and it's still not easy. It's for some people, and maybe one day I will be able to enjoy a good run, but for right now, it's not for me.
As I've said, we joined Title Boxing Club and it is right up my ally. I never thought I would enjoy hitting a heavy bag so much in my life, but it is quite therapeutic! Currently, I can feel every muscle in my body. This workout is amazing. An hour-long, non-stop cardio, strength-training, boxing, kick-boxing, ab workout is kicking my big ole butt! And the really cool part is that I look forward to doing this workout. We're just doing it three times a week right now, but I'm already feeling like I can do it everyday.
My total weight-loss thus far is 10lbs, which is pretty good! It's been about a month since I started my juice fast, and I started working out right around the same time. I'm feeling a lot healthier, and it's a huge bonus to be able to see results on the scale. Friends are even telling me that they can tell I've lost weight! This is making me really happy, and making me want to go on even more.
Monday, February 18, 2013
Thursday, January 31, 2013
The jump-start to a smokin' hot bod.
So, I've started "juicing." This crazy thing is hitting America fast and strong. FINALLY people are realizing that health is, in fact, important. Green vegetables should be eaten everyday, mom was right! This is not my first time juicing, it's my third. But, it is the first time I understand what I'm doing.
I did a lot of research, and watched a lot of documentaries, and found the main problem: people aren't eating enough fruits and vegetables. Sounds simple, right? How are you going to tell a 52-year-old woman/man that he/she needs to eat more fruits and vegetables and expect that change to come easily? Show them.
I'm not 52, I'm 22. That being said, I feel that me being out of shape is worse than my elders being out of shape. I am young and should be taking advantage of that because I'm not going to be young forever. It is much easier for me to change my habits than it is someone 30 years my senior. It's hard, but not impossible, for anyone to change their habits. It's also necessary if you're like me and not taking in the right amount of nutrients in on a daily basis. I was raised in a mostly healthy family, yet the habits I picked up haven't kept me even close to "in-shape." The only exercise I got (other than my failed attempts at team sports) was swimming in the ocean, or being chased by my bully big brother. I didn't know that you were supposed exercise regularly. Sure, I was told to exercise, but no one ever explained to me why that was necessary.
I have now reached the point of no return. I am unhappy with my body, my eating habits, and my exercise. I have decided to change these things about myself. Here are some documentaries that helped me get motivated (all are available on Netflix instant):
"Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead" - If our bodies can heal themselves on the outside, why can't they heal themselves on the inside? They can! The main character in this story is on a bunch of medications for a variety of ailments that are directly caused by his obesity. He decides to have nothing but organic juiced fruits and vegetables for sixty days and the outcome is amazing. It's also interesting to hear him talk to Americans across the country about how the benefits of juicing can add years onto their lives and yet when asking them if they would do it, most of them said no.
"Hungry for Change" - Educated people talking about the dangers of not getting the right nutrients, and the amazing results when we take charge of our lives and make changes for the better. There are a few examples of men and women who were diagnosed with cancer and decided to try juicing as an alternative to modern medicine and the results are incredible. People are ridding their bodies of cancer just by getting the correct nutrients and healing their bodies from the inside out! I can't believe this isn't in the news.
"Forks Over Knives" - Knowing where your food comes from is just as important as knowing what it does to your body. This is an eye-opening documentary that directly points out why obesity is a problem in America today.
I've learned a lot over the past few weeks, and my conclusion is that I am going to change. In Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead, Joe Cross said, "I believe in moderation, not perfection." That's what I'm going for. I'm not cutting out meat, carbs, or sugar. I'm adding plants.
I am going to know where my meat comes from. I'm not an animal rights activist, but I don't believe that it is necessary to treat animals so poorly as most meat production plants in America do. I also don't want any of the chemicals that have been put into animals to then be put in my body. This stuff has been related to causing cancer, and people know this. So why do we keep putting it into our bodies? I'm going to be eating very little meat in comparison to what I normally do, and most of it is going to be lean. Mark (my man) and I have done research on the meat production in Montana, and we are pretty lucky to have a lot of sustainable farms that treat their animals well. This also includes milk and eggs. I had no idea the kind of insane stuff "farmers" can put a dairy cow through, or a chicken, but I will tell you that I'll have none of it. There are farms that spend the extra money and go the extra mile to put out good, healthy products, and that's what I'm spending my money on.
Carbs are not all bad! These crazy no-carb diets are not good for you. Carbs are what your body needs to get through a day. They key is taking in good carbs. Yes, there is such a thing. Dark, leafy greens! You can eat as much of these as you want, and they will keep you full longer, thus allowing you to not eat nearly as much as you would have. Beans and legumes are also good carbs. Eating fruits and vegetables will not only help your body back to health, but you won't be hungry all the time. I love bread. I am Italian, how could I not love bread? But, when I see what bread does to my body, it makes me not want to eat it unless it has a million whole grains in it. Eating white bread and pasta will make you feel very full at first, but in no time your body will be sending signals to your brain that you're hungry again. What happened was your body broke down all those bad carbs into sugar, storing in your body as fat.
Sugar is tricky. Like I said, I'm not cutting it out completely, but almost. Refined white sugar is not good for you at all, no matter how you look at it. I'm still going to have it occasionally, but there's no need for all that in my body. I know what it does to me...I get thunder thighs. Instead I'm using honey and fruits in things to sweeten them. ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS ARE BEING LINKED TO M.S.! People across the board are having MS symptoms and after cutting out the artificial sweeteners in their lives (diet sodas, splenda) the symptoms are disappearing. This is scary stuff. These foods are poisoning our bodies are these manufacturers are allowed to keep these on the markets. And absolutely stay away from anything with high fructose corn syrup. That's all chemicals. Nothing about that is real, and nothing about it is good for you.
Here's what I'm doing: I'm going to a plant-based diet. I'm having mostly green vegetables, all other vegetables, fruits, and some grains. I'm jump-starting my new eating regimen with a juice fast. Nothing but organic juiced fruits and vegetables, lots of water, and tea for ten days. This is a detox. The first few days are always the hardest, as your body is getting rid of toxin build up. But, after day three you start to feel good. Your energy level will go way up, your appetite will be satisfied with a glass of juice and some water, and you never thought that would happen! I'm on day three right now, and I'm feeling great. I worked out yesterday for a full hour, which I can honestly say I've never done. Mark and I joined Title Boxing Club and they have a "POWER HOUR" workout that is non-stop for a whole hour. I can feel every muscle in my body.
I feel great. I feel ready for this awesome change. I feel ready to look smokin' hot in a bikini this summer. I'm doing it! Stay with me as I track my progress, and get inspired just like I am.
I did a lot of research, and watched a lot of documentaries, and found the main problem: people aren't eating enough fruits and vegetables. Sounds simple, right? How are you going to tell a 52-year-old woman/man that he/she needs to eat more fruits and vegetables and expect that change to come easily? Show them.
I'm not 52, I'm 22. That being said, I feel that me being out of shape is worse than my elders being out of shape. I am young and should be taking advantage of that because I'm not going to be young forever. It is much easier for me to change my habits than it is someone 30 years my senior. It's hard, but not impossible, for anyone to change their habits. It's also necessary if you're like me and not taking in the right amount of nutrients in on a daily basis. I was raised in a mostly healthy family, yet the habits I picked up haven't kept me even close to "in-shape." The only exercise I got (other than my failed attempts at team sports) was swimming in the ocean, or being chased by my bully big brother. I didn't know that you were supposed exercise regularly. Sure, I was told to exercise, but no one ever explained to me why that was necessary.
I have now reached the point of no return. I am unhappy with my body, my eating habits, and my exercise. I have decided to change these things about myself. Here are some documentaries that helped me get motivated (all are available on Netflix instant):
"Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead" - If our bodies can heal themselves on the outside, why can't they heal themselves on the inside? They can! The main character in this story is on a bunch of medications for a variety of ailments that are directly caused by his obesity. He decides to have nothing but organic juiced fruits and vegetables for sixty days and the outcome is amazing. It's also interesting to hear him talk to Americans across the country about how the benefits of juicing can add years onto their lives and yet when asking them if they would do it, most of them said no.
"Hungry for Change" - Educated people talking about the dangers of not getting the right nutrients, and the amazing results when we take charge of our lives and make changes for the better. There are a few examples of men and women who were diagnosed with cancer and decided to try juicing as an alternative to modern medicine and the results are incredible. People are ridding their bodies of cancer just by getting the correct nutrients and healing their bodies from the inside out! I can't believe this isn't in the news.
"Forks Over Knives" - Knowing where your food comes from is just as important as knowing what it does to your body. This is an eye-opening documentary that directly points out why obesity is a problem in America today.
I've learned a lot over the past few weeks, and my conclusion is that I am going to change. In Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead, Joe Cross said, "I believe in moderation, not perfection." That's what I'm going for. I'm not cutting out meat, carbs, or sugar. I'm adding plants.
I am going to know where my meat comes from. I'm not an animal rights activist, but I don't believe that it is necessary to treat animals so poorly as most meat production plants in America do. I also don't want any of the chemicals that have been put into animals to then be put in my body. This stuff has been related to causing cancer, and people know this. So why do we keep putting it into our bodies? I'm going to be eating very little meat in comparison to what I normally do, and most of it is going to be lean. Mark (my man) and I have done research on the meat production in Montana, and we are pretty lucky to have a lot of sustainable farms that treat their animals well. This also includes milk and eggs. I had no idea the kind of insane stuff "farmers" can put a dairy cow through, or a chicken, but I will tell you that I'll have none of it. There are farms that spend the extra money and go the extra mile to put out good, healthy products, and that's what I'm spending my money on.
Carbs are not all bad! These crazy no-carb diets are not good for you. Carbs are what your body needs to get through a day. They key is taking in good carbs. Yes, there is such a thing. Dark, leafy greens! You can eat as much of these as you want, and they will keep you full longer, thus allowing you to not eat nearly as much as you would have. Beans and legumes are also good carbs. Eating fruits and vegetables will not only help your body back to health, but you won't be hungry all the time. I love bread. I am Italian, how could I not love bread? But, when I see what bread does to my body, it makes me not want to eat it unless it has a million whole grains in it. Eating white bread and pasta will make you feel very full at first, but in no time your body will be sending signals to your brain that you're hungry again. What happened was your body broke down all those bad carbs into sugar, storing in your body as fat.
Sugar is tricky. Like I said, I'm not cutting it out completely, but almost. Refined white sugar is not good for you at all, no matter how you look at it. I'm still going to have it occasionally, but there's no need for all that in my body. I know what it does to me...I get thunder thighs. Instead I'm using honey and fruits in things to sweeten them. ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS ARE BEING LINKED TO M.S.! People across the board are having MS symptoms and after cutting out the artificial sweeteners in their lives (diet sodas, splenda) the symptoms are disappearing. This is scary stuff. These foods are poisoning our bodies are these manufacturers are allowed to keep these on the markets. And absolutely stay away from anything with high fructose corn syrup. That's all chemicals. Nothing about that is real, and nothing about it is good for you.
Here's what I'm doing: I'm going to a plant-based diet. I'm having mostly green vegetables, all other vegetables, fruits, and some grains. I'm jump-starting my new eating regimen with a juice fast. Nothing but organic juiced fruits and vegetables, lots of water, and tea for ten days. This is a detox. The first few days are always the hardest, as your body is getting rid of toxin build up. But, after day three you start to feel good. Your energy level will go way up, your appetite will be satisfied with a glass of juice and some water, and you never thought that would happen! I'm on day three right now, and I'm feeling great. I worked out yesterday for a full hour, which I can honestly say I've never done. Mark and I joined Title Boxing Club and they have a "POWER HOUR" workout that is non-stop for a whole hour. I can feel every muscle in my body.
I feel great. I feel ready for this awesome change. I feel ready to look smokin' hot in a bikini this summer. I'm doing it! Stay with me as I track my progress, and get inspired just like I am.
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