This is me about two years ago, and
is a good representation of where I was up until about a year ago. In no way
did I think I was out of shape or anything at the time, but I always was
striving to be better. For me, the more in shape I am the better I feel about
myself, and the more confidence I have. So, for a few years now, I have been on
a never ending journey towards greater health and well-being, in attempt to be
the best version of myself. It started focused mainly on exercise, then
branched into nutrition, and is now expanding into spiritual/emotional/social
well-being as well.
Here I am today. Pretty big
difference huh? I am so happy with how far I’ve come and how I truly have
transformed into an even better me! It’s safe to say I’m in far better shape
than I even was in in high school. How did I do this? I will share just the basics…as
this blog eventually will contain all the details.
Part One: Exercise
I
have always been active. I was a three sport captain in High School, and danced
most of my life as well. When I finished my dance career and stopped playing
sports, I had to learn how to keep active with a college lifestyle. At first,
it was me and the elliptical, best friends forever. However, I soon noticed,
that for a half hour a day wasn’t exactly cutting it. So, I gathered up all of
my courage and wandered into the weight section (aka where all the guys are)
and implemented strength training into my program every other day.
Ladies, you need to lift weights!
It gives you all of the toning you ever wanted, stops all the jiggling, and
boosts your metabolism. I have been using Chalene Johnson’s “Chalean Extreme”,
for a weight training regimen for years now. I highly recommend it! (More on
why Chalene is my hero in another post).
To summarize, as I left the classic
activities of high school, the importance of exercise at least 5 days a week
became super significant. Why not work that body whenever you can, however you
can? Today, I try fitting a workout in everyday, so that if something comes up
and I need a break, it’s not a big deal. It will make you feel better and more
energized, guaranteed. For a very long time, I have been alternating days of
kickboxing through Chalene Johnson’s “Turbo Fire” and lifting with “Chalene
Extreme”, throwing abs in wherever I can of course. Just recently, I have
discovered Bikram yoga, and am doing a little trial period to see how I
maintain my results with a different combination involving more Bikram! The key
is…make a commitment to yourself to be dedicated to a regular workout schedule.
What’s the best way to do this? Find something you absolutely love to do!
Part Two: Diet
Back to my first year of college, I
was doing all of this exercise, but nothing much was really changing. I started
to realize that having huge portions at the dining hall with a few cookies at
every meal was not happening. It probably didn’t help that until about half way
through my freshman year, I hated fruits and vegetables (my palate was a late
bloomer). My main food groups were meat, dairy, carbs, and chocolate.
Somewhere I read that how in shape
you are depends 25% on exercise and 75% on diet. This really spoke to me, and
ever since I have been working to make better choices. It started out by
limiting the sweets, cheeses, pastas, refined grains etc. Then I got to a point
where I really was limiting my grains and barely ever having dessert, focusing
more on fruit and yogurt for snacks. The more research I did, the more I cut
out processed foods and things heavy in butter and sugar. I found I made a lot
of progress with fewer grains…but it was challenging for me. I love carbs! Enter
“Forks Over Knives”, the documentary that forever changed my life. This film covers the benefits of a whole
foods, plant based diet, and links meat, dairy, and processed foods to all
sorts of chronic ailments, from obesity to cancer. I’m the type of person who,
when presented with that kind of information, cannot help but be seriously
affected by it. Four days later I was completely plant-based and have been for
the past seven and a half months. Eating light and whole foods has made me feel
absolutely amazing, and the best part…now that I have cut out meat and dairy
(two huge sources of saturated fat) I CAN EAT MORE WHOLE GRAINS AND CARBS! This
change is what really has brought my health to a peak. Thanks to this diet, I
am fueled 100% by great nutrients and have more energy and stamina than ever
before (more to come on this too!).
Part Three: Spirituality/Emotional
health
With all of the health blogs I
read, I began to become more in tune with my spiritual and emotional
well-being. I began learning from the teachings of Deepak Chopra and really
started to focus on relaxation and positivity. I am currently in the midst of
trying to establish a regular meditation practice, and always am trying to have
a positive outlook on life.
Ok, so that’s the background to
this whole blog in a nutshell! In the past few years I have learned so much and
am living a much better life because of it. By reading this blog, I hope you
realize you can do this too! You can
become the best version of yourself. I’m excited to share all the random
information in my head, and to continue learning and growing more!
Be Well.
Love, Julie
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