If you allow fear to rule your life, you will never make room for yourself to grow with each challenge placed in front of you. Yes you can be afraid to fail but don't let it overtake the idea of ever getting to where you want in life. I guess that is the deciding factor in making the decision to change your health for the better: The Fear of Failing.
Now, being the oldest child growing up with a younger sister who our parents gave full attention to, I kind of know what fearing failure is like. I felt I had to work harder for my dad to even realize I exist. It never seemed to work but I found that I am a lot smarter than I think I am. I'm also more capable because I spent time by myself which was lonely, but, I found that I'm good at a lot of things. Fear was only gonna keep me from bettering what I chose to do with my life. Yeah there can be fear of anything may it be failing, judgement, being penniless, etc. Well, if you work toward beating your fears, they aren't fears anymore but just something you overcame. Nothing will be able to crush your spirits or make you feel any lesser than an amazing version of yourself.
In my 24 years of life, I have been through a literal hell and back. Did that stop me? Nope. Sometimes I wonder why and I have been asked why I've never given up. Yesterday, I realized why. A lot had happened but, long story short, I found my reason for living. I'm doing everything right and just need to expand.
When something new comes along, most people just stop and weight their options. I figured out that I used to do that but not now. I jump into something head first. MIND OVER MATTER. That is what makes me different. Did I fear weight lifting and what people would think? No because I know what I have to do to improve myself. Has it changed people's view of me? No but it has given me ore respect from friends and even family. I even get respect from people I don't even know. Would I have even been given a second glance if I showed fear? I doubt anyone would even look my way. My confidence is through the roof now. I didn't give in to the fear of failing. Yeah the scale may be one failure on my part by the sight of someone else, but, I'm faithful in my practice and I do practice what I preach.
Don't let a weight gain, an F on a test, or a bad relationship ever get you done. They aren't failure but something you were meant to go through so that you could make a better choice towards what God truly wants for you out of life. Each day will bring you issues or problems to overcome. You can stand there and sulk in the bad choices or take the opportunities as a way to progress and learn. What will you decide to do? I may fear failing but I'm not gonna fear living my day with regret. MIND OVER MATTER and everyone has a powerful mind capable of making the right decisions. It's time to do it now. What's stopping you? Not fear. :) Get going!!
Saturday, February 28, 2015
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Lacking the Support to Continue Forward
When some people decide to make a change of any kind, they look to either loved ones or friends for support. When that support isn't there, most people give up and go back to their old ways. For some reason, I wasn't one of those people. I made changes for my life without telling or even consoling anyone. In my earlier posts i even mentioned that no one realized I was even losing weight until I was already 60 pounds down. I had changed my eating habits and went from being a bump on a log to an active person. The excess weight wasn't needed so it was burned off. I didn't need any type of support to keep me motivated. I was focused on getting healthy and wasn't worried what others around me thought.
This was mostly true until I started getting picked on and made fun of even by my own family. If it wasn't punching me in my stomach it was grabbing or poking it......my thighs as well. I was already self conscious and this made it worse for me. All I wanted to do was improve my chance of living a longer life. I cried several times, several nights and finally was reaching out for help/support. The jokes were getting to be a little too much. Some friends actually listened and didn't judge me while others blabbed my personal things to others. I had trust issues as well from losing so many people in my life that this made me keep even more to myself. When I decided I should go see a counselor to find some kind of way to cope with the emotional and mental pain, I got questions as to why I needed to go. It seemed pretty obvious to me but I guess my family was just dumbfounded as to what they were doing was actually affecting me. They still didn't care but it was something else for them to make fun of.
I truly didn't have support until i met my boyfriend in September of 2010 and once again when I found the site, myfitnesspal.com Otherwise, I would have been alone. My major support system currently is still my boyfriend plus I also get a lot of encouragement from my local Planet Fitness where I've gone to for almost 2 years come July. If you need that support to keep you motivated and focus, don't wait for it to find you. You have to locate what will help you on your journey and use it to your advantage. I knew right away that it wouldn't be my family so I first turned to friends. some have stuck through all of it with me while I've left several behind. I had no problem ending communication with them either. The negative needed to be dropped off of me like dead weight.
For someone to not have anyone to help them in a process of totally reshaping their life, I think I've done well. I now have the support I need. I just knew that I had to keep going to be able to find the people I needed to be in my life. God has helped test me with a lifetime of occurrences and I have passed each test. Never think that any set back is a set back. It's just a wall God has put up to see if you will climb it or give up and turn around. don't be the one to walk away. Grab the rope and heave yourself up and over anything God decides to put in your way. YOU CAN DO THIS!!
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Financial Burden
One of the first things people say when asked about their eating habits, that it costs too much to eat healthy. In one aspect, that's true. A healthy meal will cost you more money because it costs more to grow and produce fresh foods. Processed foods are easier to manufacture so companies can sell them for less. Does that make them any better for you though? No.
If you look at the bigger picture, the cheaper food can eventually lead to health problems if it is consumed enough. They are usually made with larger amounts of sodium or preservatives to keep the food items fresher longer. Some also have added sugar that increases the chances of diabetes. Excess sugar in the body may also lead to the accumulation of excess fat. Excess fat on the body can aid in the development of several illnesses or diseases. If a person would make one simple change at a time, be it one less soda a day or one less sweet treat a day, they can greatly decrease their risk of these health problems. Some see it easier to just buy the cheaper food, but, it may eventually have a direct affect on your health. If you spend the money now on healthier choices, you will save on medical expenses later on.
I have been working the same job for 5 years coming August. I make minimum wage in Louisiana. That is $7.25 an hour. I am only allowed to work 30 hours a week due to the College's budget. Now before I had this job, I relied on my father to purchase food for me. My family does not eat anywhere near as healthy as I do, so, my choices were limited. That made my weight loss slow in the beginning because i wasn't able to provide all of the healthier foods that I need to help my body work properly. Once I started working, it became a lot easier to buy what I needed. With limited income though, it was still hard to get all the nutrients I needed. This caused me to learn to eat by the serving size and to also focus on the nutritional facts on the backs of products. This is now second nature to me and I always watch for high sodium and high sugar content. Once you start to live this way and realize what you're eating actually contains, you can see how these foods affect your body.
Just because an item is cheap or costs less, doesn't make it any better. Same goes for all the "healthier" choices. Too much of anything is bad for you. Moderation is key. Weight is gained due to either inactivity, poor eating choices, over eating and being inactive, and even genetics. Don't let your family history or your blood line allow you to blame your unhealthy choices on anyone but yourself. It is different while you are growing up because your parents make those choices for you. Once you get older, you have the freedom to choose. I say, make it a healthy one to ensure a long life and better future.
If you look at the bigger picture, the cheaper food can eventually lead to health problems if it is consumed enough. They are usually made with larger amounts of sodium or preservatives to keep the food items fresher longer. Some also have added sugar that increases the chances of diabetes. Excess sugar in the body may also lead to the accumulation of excess fat. Excess fat on the body can aid in the development of several illnesses or diseases. If a person would make one simple change at a time, be it one less soda a day or one less sweet treat a day, they can greatly decrease their risk of these health problems. Some see it easier to just buy the cheaper food, but, it may eventually have a direct affect on your health. If you spend the money now on healthier choices, you will save on medical expenses later on.
I have been working the same job for 5 years coming August. I make minimum wage in Louisiana. That is $7.25 an hour. I am only allowed to work 30 hours a week due to the College's budget. Now before I had this job, I relied on my father to purchase food for me. My family does not eat anywhere near as healthy as I do, so, my choices were limited. That made my weight loss slow in the beginning because i wasn't able to provide all of the healthier foods that I need to help my body work properly. Once I started working, it became a lot easier to buy what I needed. With limited income though, it was still hard to get all the nutrients I needed. This caused me to learn to eat by the serving size and to also focus on the nutritional facts on the backs of products. This is now second nature to me and I always watch for high sodium and high sugar content. Once you start to live this way and realize what you're eating actually contains, you can see how these foods affect your body.
Just because an item is cheap or costs less, doesn't make it any better. Same goes for all the "healthier" choices. Too much of anything is bad for you. Moderation is key. Weight is gained due to either inactivity, poor eating choices, over eating and being inactive, and even genetics. Don't let your family history or your blood line allow you to blame your unhealthy choices on anyone but yourself. It is different while you are growing up because your parents make those choices for you. Once you get older, you have the freedom to choose. I say, make it a healthy one to ensure a long life and better future.
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Why Not?
I've been working on bettering my health and myself for almost 5 years now. Have I wanted to just call it quits and forget it all? Yeah I did but I had worked so hard, so why would I want to give up? For those who know me well enough, I don't have that in me. I'm not one to just give up on something. I work hard to get what I strive to do. I never let anything be good enough. I want it to be as I imagined it to be.
Several people, friends and not, have asked me why haven't I just stopped with every obstacle that's been thrown in front of me? God gives you obstacles to see how you will handle them. If you pass them up with ease, he gives you an even harder one to overcome.
There are several reasons why people do not stick to a workout regimen or a healthy diet.
-Money
-Health Problems
-Lack of support
-The scale
-Fear of what others think
-Fear of failing
-Unrealistic goals
-Comparing themselves to others
-Being told by others that they are doing it wrong
-Society adds pressure
-It is all overwhelming
-Money
-Health Problems
-Lack of support
-The scale
-Fear of what others think
-Fear of failing
-Unrealistic goals
-Comparing themselves to others
-Being told by others that they are doing it wrong
-Society adds pressure
-It is all overwhelming
-LOOSE SKIN
There are many more but these are the main ones I have faced and still face. I will be blogging on each one and showing how I didn't let these little issues become a big problem in my life. As you've read, I've had my fair share of tragedy to span a lifetime. If these haven't stopped me, why would it stop others?
That's what I want to figure out. I want to share how I've beaten the odds and am still fighting the daily fight. This won't be a blog to tell you how I've lost all the weight, or one to sugar coat the aspect of healthy living. It will be written as a way for others to understand that nothing in life comes easy, so why would your health be any different?
It's All Up to You Because It Is Your Life
When it comes to my body and overall health, I get real passionate about it. I am not one to take being told I'm doing something incorrectly as a helpful opinion. I do my research and have been working on myself for almost 5 years now. I'm no expert but I know what works for me.
There are several factors that keep people from making the choice to live differently. It isn't as easy as some people make it out to be. You see all these healthy eating blogs, workout blogs, recipe sites, etc. The average person can become overwhelmed by all the information and that's when the "quick fixes" or "fads" come into play. These eating habits, trends, and diets will give you results but as soon as you return to old habits, the weight comes back. People don't understand that it has to be a lifestyle change and a life long commitment. It's not just weight loss or getting the body you want. You need to focus on your health. If I worried just about a scale number or a size on a piece of clothing, I'd go crazy. I'm considered obese but really? If medical experts relied more on body composition than a person's body mass index, people would see that they'd need to lose fat. Not just "weight". That truly is all that weight loss is. You're burning fat off of your body. There's not much more to it.
For me, I'd rather weigh more and be muscular than weigh less and have excess fat on me. My objective is to burn the fat beneath the loose skin i have, tighten the loose skin up, and slowly gain lean mass as fat is lost. I do not have a weight or size in mind. I focus on healthy and aim for fit. That's what my goals are. No one has the same goals as you. You aren't them. There is a lot more to keep in mind than just being "skinny" or "muscular". Just because you think you should be one size, it may not be right for your body type. Do what you feel is right for you. Make realistic goals and keep them in mind. It's the only life you are given to live, so, why not make it a healthy one?
There are several factors that keep people from making the choice to live differently. It isn't as easy as some people make it out to be. You see all these healthy eating blogs, workout blogs, recipe sites, etc. The average person can become overwhelmed by all the information and that's when the "quick fixes" or "fads" come into play. These eating habits, trends, and diets will give you results but as soon as you return to old habits, the weight comes back. People don't understand that it has to be a lifestyle change and a life long commitment. It's not just weight loss or getting the body you want. You need to focus on your health. If I worried just about a scale number or a size on a piece of clothing, I'd go crazy. I'm considered obese but really? If medical experts relied more on body composition than a person's body mass index, people would see that they'd need to lose fat. Not just "weight". That truly is all that weight loss is. You're burning fat off of your body. There's not much more to it.
For me, I'd rather weigh more and be muscular than weigh less and have excess fat on me. My objective is to burn the fat beneath the loose skin i have, tighten the loose skin up, and slowly gain lean mass as fat is lost. I do not have a weight or size in mind. I focus on healthy and aim for fit. That's what my goals are. No one has the same goals as you. You aren't them. There is a lot more to keep in mind than just being "skinny" or "muscular". Just because you think you should be one size, it may not be right for your body type. Do what you feel is right for you. Make realistic goals and keep them in mind. It's the only life you are given to live, so, why not make it a healthy one?
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