My newest venture in life involves becoming a healthier version of myself. This is the first of three posts detailing this journey.
I've been working hard in each domain - physically, mentally and emotionally - to take small steps each week with the goal of heath and well being. To me, being healthy means taking steps to ensure the body, mind and those around you are experiencing life honestly.
To experience the body honestly, the first step is hardest of all. To accept and be okay with my body has always been a struggle. I've never looked in the mirror and been okay with what I've seen. Sometimes I avoid the mirror all together. It's okay to want to reach goals as far as weight loss and fitness go, but more importantly, to accept my body for what it is first and foremost. I've taken a different approach to how I eat. As a child, we had the rule that in order to leave the table, you must clear the plate. This mentality has been deeply ingrained in the way I approach eating. I also tend to eat without experiencing the food, whether it's because I'm in a hurry, preoccupied with another task, or just being social. Instead, my new focus has been on tasting the food and making eating a full sensory experience - not only how does the food taste, but what does it smell like? What's the texture? Temperature? Is it sweet? Sour? Savory? Sweet? On top of this philosophy, I've been paying more attention to quantity and ingredients. Keeping a journal of the food I eat each day is not as hard as it may sound and it's a great way to stay honest. Ingredient-wise, I've made steps to replace small calorie adders with healthier alternatives - olive oil instead of butter, greek yogurt instead of sour cream, whole grain brown rice instead of white. The second aspect of having a healthy body is fitness. I've always gone back and forth with exercise regimens. I'll be super on top of it for as long as a few months, but something always "comes up" and derails my routine. Excuses are always the downfall. I've transformed the way I deal with exercise by building it in to my daily routine and made sure the people around me know about it to keep me accountable, instead of being something I try to fit in at the end of the day (assuming I'm still awake!).
So far, my journey to a healthy body has been challenging, but I've never attacked this goal with so much rigor and integrity. I am committed to staying honest and being okay with the way I look. I feel good about what nutrients I give my body and listen when my brain tells me I'm full. It's okay not to eat it all - what's important is to feel satisfied in a way that will keep me satisfied for longer. Education is key and I've been reading articles everyday dealing with healthy eating recipes, tips and tricks. It also doesn't hurt to have others on my side, supporting me in my journey!
