Let me begin this post by specifying that I am not a nutritionist. I have never been trained as a personal trainer. I am not trying to be either. Nor am I the fittest or skinniest one in the bunch and have cellulite on my legs. I am just a girl trying to be as healthy as possible mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically.
Okay. Now let's get talking. Let me give you a little background so you get a feel for where I am coming from. I remember being in second grade, sitting on the side of my friend's pool, and pinching my "fat" rolls on my belly. I thought I was fat at eight years old. I grew up in Orange County, California so the need to look a certain way was ingrained in my soul at a very young age. No one had to say anything. The sights and sounds of Southern California beckoned a girl to be blond, tan, and thin. I got the first part but failed miserably at the second two; or, at least I thought I did.
I have always been an active person. My parents were active. My dad was an athlete throughout his young life and continued to workout as I grew up. He and my mom worked out at the gym regularly, they ran 5k's and 10K's and played tennis and racquetball. My mom was a health-nut (which I loathed) and I remember both of them being on a diet or two.
With that being said, health and activity was normal for me. I grew up outside. I played, ran, climbed trees, and held my own with the boys. I have always been competitive and aware of my physicality. I have also tried countless diets and exercise regimes. I have starved myself to get to a certain weight and fallen for the next great diet trick. I have felt the sting when the number on the scale didn't move. I have been hangry and felt like everyone was staring at my cellulite. I have been there.
"You are fearfully and wonderfully made." (Psalm 139:14)
"You created my inmost being." (Psalm 139:14)
"You are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 2:10)
Because I have been there, I have learned that all that stuff, all that starving and striving doesn't work. Health and wellness doesn't come with a magic pill or a special drink. It doesn't come through starving yourself or working out for hours on end. It comes when you realize you are worth it.
Once I realized my health was worth it and that I was created for more, I could take hold of my health. People ask me a lot what I do to stay healthy. I always start by telling them this: you cannot start until you are mentally ready. If you aren't mentally in the game, you will fail. Health and wellness all starts in the head. How you talk to yourself matters. The words you say in your head are your guide. They will either propel you into something better or bury you in a pit of failure. Get your head in the game first and everything else will follow.
The next thing I learned is that I can never be on a diet. Ever. Tell me I'm on a diet and watch me eat all the Oreos. I learned how to change the way I eat. I don't deny myself foods. I know what makes me feel good from the inside out so I work from there. I know I like veggies more than fruit so I don't force myself to eat apples when I would rather have mushrooms (I'm weird, I know.). I know processed foods aren't good for me, so I stay away. Carbohydrates like to bloat me, so I eat more protein than carbs. I utilize the information available to me and take things from programs like Whole30 and Paleo to guide me. I am also keenly aware of my weaknesses. This is why you won't find Doritos in my pantry. I will eat the entire bag. I make things easy and accessible or I will never follow through. Fruit and veggies are out and easy to grab in the fridge. I make sure I plan our meals (especially dinner) for the week. I found a pattern and routine in my eating that works for me and my schedule. If a recipe calls for a million things or wonky ingredients, I don't make it. If it isn't easy, I won't stick with it.
Exercise goes right along with eating right. Getting my food intake under control is about 80% of the battle. The other 20% is held by our nemesis: working out. I have ebbed and flowed in the area of exercise. I've been fully committed, partially committed, a absolutely over it. I do know, however, working out for me is as much a mental game as it is a physical one. Some days I have to talk myself into getting off the couch. Other days, I cannot wait to get there. I am very competitive with myself and I do like to sweat. I adore my "gym family" and look forward to them pushing me. I don't force myself to work out a certain amount of days. I don't guilt myself into going. I just go. I found what I like to do at the gym and I do it. Sometimes I leave drenched in sweat. Other-times, I am barely out of breath. I just know that I feel better after I workout and I want that more than sitting on my behind. I equate working out with sex: I never regret doing it after its over (Heeheehee).
The last thing I have learned is that health and wellness cannot thrive until I fill my soul. This component has been a little tricky over the years. It's difficult to set time aside for a quiet moment with God when you are raising small ones. I knew I needed it; my soul craved this. But it took me until about two years ago to get into a healthy and consistent rhythm. While I LOVE Bible studies and devotionals, I have found that what feeds my soul most is researching and really digging in deep in the Scriptures. So, that's what I do. I find a topic or a book of the Bible and I dig in. I don't give myself a time limit on when I have to finish. I don't give myself a guilt trip if I miss a day. I do what I can when I can knowing that filling my spirit matters to my health.
So, there you have it. Health and wellness is a full body experience and it's different for everyone. You have to find your groove and stay in your lane. This is YOUR journey. There is no room for comparison. What she does next to you does not pertain to you. Don't start anything new until your head is in the game and you are ready to fight for your betterment. And, don't ever forget that you are worth it. You were created for a purpose on purpose. You are valuable. Your health matters because you matter. That should be reason enough to get started.
"Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture." Psalm 100:3
Love & Blessings,
Meg
For those curious, here's what a day looks like for me:
Coffee, water, and hard-boiled egg while I am getting the boys off to school
Do my Bible time after I get the kids off to school
workout in the morning (This varies from long walks to hardcore workouts. I walk my community, workout at my gym, and do workouts at home that I found on Pinterest)
I usually have a protein shake after my workout. I stick with plant-based ones making sure they do not have any soy. If it's the weekend, I may make an egg with sweet potato hash (just grate sweet potatoes and cook them in a cast iron skillet) and some veggies topped with avocado
Lunch is usually a salad or a bunch of veggies with some kind of meat (chicken salad that I make with avocado instead of mayo, salami, or something similar)
Dinner is typically a protein and some kind of veggie. If I do a carb, I use noodles made from legumes or rice. We also eat rice and potatoes. I typically plan my dinners for an entire week using Pinterest, my Paleo cookbook, and Pioneer Woman recipes. And let me say this, my boys eat what my husband and I eat. They always have. I know what they don't like, so I don't usually put that in the mix. But I don't have time to be making five different meals. Most of our dinners consist of five ingredients or less. Sheet pan dinners and rice are a fave on busy weeknights (pick a meat, cut up some veggies, throw it in the oven. Get a rice cooker and it will save your life. Best $14 I ever spent).
I drink a TON of water. I usually drink a bottle of water in the morning when I wake up to start my day.
Okay. Now let's get talking. Let me give you a little background so you get a feel for where I am coming from. I remember being in second grade, sitting on the side of my friend's pool, and pinching my "fat" rolls on my belly. I thought I was fat at eight years old. I grew up in Orange County, California so the need to look a certain way was ingrained in my soul at a very young age. No one had to say anything. The sights and sounds of Southern California beckoned a girl to be blond, tan, and thin. I got the first part but failed miserably at the second two; or, at least I thought I did.
I have always been an active person. My parents were active. My dad was an athlete throughout his young life and continued to workout as I grew up. He and my mom worked out at the gym regularly, they ran 5k's and 10K's and played tennis and racquetball. My mom was a health-nut (which I loathed) and I remember both of them being on a diet or two.
With that being said, health and activity was normal for me. I grew up outside. I played, ran, climbed trees, and held my own with the boys. I have always been competitive and aware of my physicality. I have also tried countless diets and exercise regimes. I have starved myself to get to a certain weight and fallen for the next great diet trick. I have felt the sting when the number on the scale didn't move. I have been hangry and felt like everyone was staring at my cellulite. I have been there.
"You are fearfully and wonderfully made." (Psalm 139:14)
"You created my inmost being." (Psalm 139:14)
"You are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 2:10)
Because I have been there, I have learned that all that stuff, all that starving and striving doesn't work. Health and wellness doesn't come with a magic pill or a special drink. It doesn't come through starving yourself or working out for hours on end. It comes when you realize you are worth it.
Once I realized my health was worth it and that I was created for more, I could take hold of my health. People ask me a lot what I do to stay healthy. I always start by telling them this: you cannot start until you are mentally ready. If you aren't mentally in the game, you will fail. Health and wellness all starts in the head. How you talk to yourself matters. The words you say in your head are your guide. They will either propel you into something better or bury you in a pit of failure. Get your head in the game first and everything else will follow.
The next thing I learned is that I can never be on a diet. Ever. Tell me I'm on a diet and watch me eat all the Oreos. I learned how to change the way I eat. I don't deny myself foods. I know what makes me feel good from the inside out so I work from there. I know I like veggies more than fruit so I don't force myself to eat apples when I would rather have mushrooms (I'm weird, I know.). I know processed foods aren't good for me, so I stay away. Carbohydrates like to bloat me, so I eat more protein than carbs. I utilize the information available to me and take things from programs like Whole30 and Paleo to guide me. I am also keenly aware of my weaknesses. This is why you won't find Doritos in my pantry. I will eat the entire bag. I make things easy and accessible or I will never follow through. Fruit and veggies are out and easy to grab in the fridge. I make sure I plan our meals (especially dinner) for the week. I found a pattern and routine in my eating that works for me and my schedule. If a recipe calls for a million things or wonky ingredients, I don't make it. If it isn't easy, I won't stick with it.
Exercise goes right along with eating right. Getting my food intake under control is about 80% of the battle. The other 20% is held by our nemesis: working out. I have ebbed and flowed in the area of exercise. I've been fully committed, partially committed, a absolutely over it. I do know, however, working out for me is as much a mental game as it is a physical one. Some days I have to talk myself into getting off the couch. Other days, I cannot wait to get there. I am very competitive with myself and I do like to sweat. I adore my "gym family" and look forward to them pushing me. I don't force myself to work out a certain amount of days. I don't guilt myself into going. I just go. I found what I like to do at the gym and I do it. Sometimes I leave drenched in sweat. Other-times, I am barely out of breath. I just know that I feel better after I workout and I want that more than sitting on my behind. I equate working out with sex: I never regret doing it after its over (Heeheehee).
The last thing I have learned is that health and wellness cannot thrive until I fill my soul. This component has been a little tricky over the years. It's difficult to set time aside for a quiet moment with God when you are raising small ones. I knew I needed it; my soul craved this. But it took me until about two years ago to get into a healthy and consistent rhythm. While I LOVE Bible studies and devotionals, I have found that what feeds my soul most is researching and really digging in deep in the Scriptures. So, that's what I do. I find a topic or a book of the Bible and I dig in. I don't give myself a time limit on when I have to finish. I don't give myself a guilt trip if I miss a day. I do what I can when I can knowing that filling my spirit matters to my health.
So, there you have it. Health and wellness is a full body experience and it's different for everyone. You have to find your groove and stay in your lane. This is YOUR journey. There is no room for comparison. What she does next to you does not pertain to you. Don't start anything new until your head is in the game and you are ready to fight for your betterment. And, don't ever forget that you are worth it. You were created for a purpose on purpose. You are valuable. Your health matters because you matter. That should be reason enough to get started.
"Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture." Psalm 100:3
Love & Blessings,
Meg
For those curious, here's what a day looks like for me:
Coffee, water, and hard-boiled egg while I am getting the boys off to school
Do my Bible time after I get the kids off to school
workout in the morning (This varies from long walks to hardcore workouts. I walk my community, workout at my gym, and do workouts at home that I found on Pinterest)
I usually have a protein shake after my workout. I stick with plant-based ones making sure they do not have any soy. If it's the weekend, I may make an egg with sweet potato hash (just grate sweet potatoes and cook them in a cast iron skillet) and some veggies topped with avocado
Lunch is usually a salad or a bunch of veggies with some kind of meat (chicken salad that I make with avocado instead of mayo, salami, or something similar)
Dinner is typically a protein and some kind of veggie. If I do a carb, I use noodles made from legumes or rice. We also eat rice and potatoes. I typically plan my dinners for an entire week using Pinterest, my Paleo cookbook, and Pioneer Woman recipes. And let me say this, my boys eat what my husband and I eat. They always have. I know what they don't like, so I don't usually put that in the mix. But I don't have time to be making five different meals. Most of our dinners consist of five ingredients or less. Sheet pan dinners and rice are a fave on busy weeknights (pick a meat, cut up some veggies, throw it in the oven. Get a rice cooker and it will save your life. Best $14 I ever spent).
I drink a TON of water. I usually drink a bottle of water in the morning when I wake up to start my day.
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