Learning to Fish

Learning to Fish

Lately a number of people have asked me to help them with understanding what to eat and meal planning, which is a little hilarious to me. We're talking about the girl who still has to gently say to herself occasionally, "You are not refrigerator; you were not made to store food." We're talking about the girl who who could eat a gyro, a Philly cheese steak, two bags of chips, and finish it off with two sodas. They're asking me for help? 

Nutrition is the area where I continue to research and tweak. There are so many plans, studies, fads, methods, and gurus out there that it can be very confusing. Trying to understand it all can frustrate you and keep you from moving forward. Over the course of the next few blogs, I will share with you what I have

learned thus far. I am in no way an expert, so if you are seeking expert advice please reach out to a dietitian or nutritionist. Notice that I didn't say personal trainer. Why? Because personal trainers are not certified to give nutrition information. Their study includes some nutrition information, but it does not certify them to prescribe nutrition plans. Now, don't take that as a rant against personal trainers because it's not; I've loved all of my personal trainers. I just caution you to seek an expert on nutrition if you are taking it that far.

Before sharing with you, I had to pray about the subject and ask God what I should say. I don't take this lightly because I understand the struggle. I still live the struggle in my own ways. What I am going to do is teach you how to fish. Not literally, of course. What I notice is that people don't go get information on their own. You take what someone tells you as truth without seeking out your own answers. Don't get me wrong, not everyone has a couple of hours a day to research this stuff, but you should know enough to decipher whether what you're being told is sound. That is my goal: equip you with the basics to help you succeed. Where you go from there is up to you.

Six Part Series:

1--Getting Started: assessing the "now," setting habits and getting equipped

2--Setting Direction: know your numbers, know the lingo, know where you're headed

3--Choices: evaluating your choices and making choices that work for your lifestyle

4--Gathering: how to grocery shop, tips on what to keep stocked, exploring the aisles

5--Meal Prep: how to make it fit your life, making the time, what to prep

6--Enjoying the Journey: rewarding behavior, tracking progress, setting new goals

Each part will be posted on Sunday, so remember to come back and check it out or just click to follow this blog. During that week, put the tips and guidance into action and post here in the comments to let me know how it's going or share your experiences with others. Get ready to be Fit4Life!

Fueled by Victory

The day God gave the Amorites up to Israel, Joshua spoke to God, with all Israel listening:  “Stop, Sun, over Gibeon; Halt, Moon, over Aijalon Valley.”  And Sun stopped, moon stood stock still until he defeated his enemies. ~Joshua 10:12-13

Consistent. Relentless. Tenacious.



Some people don't believe me when I tell them that my fitness journey has helped me grow into a stronger Christian and a stronger person (mentally, emotionally). It sounds crazy considering I have battled with weight all of my life. But God used the one area of my life that had always been a struggle to be my ministry. Amazing...my purpose is rooted in my struggle. The principles and lessons I learn on my fitness journey help me along the other paths in my life. Principles, with their lovely selves, can be applied to anyone and just about any situation.

The other morning I was facing a personal crisis and wanted to crawl into a ball and just give up. I went through the motions of getting dressed and getting everyone out the door, all while fighting against the "take me now" screaming in my head. I got in the car and looked in the rear view mirror. I looked at myself and I look defeated. Me? Not Fit Girl? And then I recalled mile eight of the 2012 St Jude Music City Half Marathon when my ankle was on fire, my calves were cramping, and my pace was slipping. I remember telling myself, "It's not over. Finish strong." My gait changed. I was no longer whimpering. The only option I gave myself was to finish, and do it well. So, I fixed my form, stopped the whimpering and still hit a PR. But it doesn't' stop there.

With legs cramping and energy low, I changed and made it to my flag football game. I played a full game--offense (center), defense (defensive end), and special teams!! My very first play I dropped the ball because my hands were cramping. From that point on I told myself, "If you're gonna play, then play hard." No one watching that game would know that less than an hour beforehand I had done a half marathon. 

What point am I trying to make?

April 28, 2012

When you go into battle, you go with the hope of victory fueling you forward. If you don't have that hope of victory, why are you even fighting? And being Christian the fire is even bigger because I know with surety that I will be victorious--if only for the glory of God. 

Victory. I cannot even describe what it feels like to someone who hasn't tasted it. But once you know victory in any area of your life, it spurs you forward to the next conquest, the next challenge. I imagine the Israelites felt that way as they defeated thirty plus (32??) nations on their quest to claim the Promised Land. Joshua was so sure of victory that he had the audacity to ask God to let the sun stand still so he could keep whooping tail. What?! Ooooo weee!! When you know the taste of victory,you are not easily defeated.

As you gear up for your workout or preparing your meals, or even just facing your life, ask yourself if you are fueled by the hope of victory. Is that illustrated by how you carry yourself and go through life? Or are you limply fighting, awaiting defeat? Be fueled by VICTORY!

Proudly Peculiar

I'm different. 

And no, I don't like the song; I'm just stating a fact. Not only am I a different person than I used to be, but I'm a little different than those closest to me. It makes life a little uncomfortable sometimes. There are times when it seems like I have more in common with my faraway Facebook and Instagram buddies than I do with those closest to me. It sucks not having a friend to meet me at Planet Fitness at 5am. It sucks not having anyone at the finish line cheering me on. It sucks...but it's made me stronger and I've grown to like working out and running alone. Not everyone understands my motivation. And that's okay. Until I traveled this road I didn't understand it either. I was reminded of my differentness recently when talking with two of my friends about my upcoming cruise. 

In ten days my family (basically, me and my three little boys) will be setting sail for the Bahamas. Am I looking forward to the relaxation, festivities, and food? Of  course! But I'm also going to stick as closely as I can to my plan. I've already printed out my workouts for the day and plan on checking the policy on bringing food on to the ship (who does that??) so that I can bring my protein powder, bars, and pre-workout powder. I already know that some of my allowable 12 beverages will be almond milk for mixing with my shakes in my shaker cup. 

I haven't always been this diligent. 

                                                  

Carnival Cruise Dec 2009

In 2009 when I cruised with my Mom and my aunts I didn't even bring sneakers. When they went to the sky deck to workout I walked around the track in my flip flops. I remember that I signed up for a yoga class and did it in my denim skort and flowery (non-activewear) tank top. Fitness was not a factor in my packing!

My second cruise was after I caught the fitness bug and completed a half marathon. That time around I packed workout clothes and actually worked out while on board. The only time I ever enjoyed running on a treadmill was onboard that cruise while looking out over the ocean. Talk about motivation! My eating on the cruise, however, was not the best.

Carnival Cruise 2011

This is cruise number three and I'm in the midst of training for another half marathon and finishing up Jamie Eason's LiveFit program from BodyBuilding.com. Since January I've been working my tail off and  seeing results, so I don't want to blow it for four days. I'm in phase 2 of the LiveFit program and will be in week three of my half marathon training--and it's only a ten week schedule so every run counts.  

Going on vacation does not mean you take a vacation from exercising. Exercise is not something that I do just for poops and giggles. I do this because  my body needs it, it makes me feel better, it makes me look better, and I like it. Do you take a vacation from eating? Do you take a vacation from smoking cigarettes? Do you take a vacation from breathing? 

It's okay if people look at you like you're peculiar when you do things differently. It's okay if they don't understand. Have grace with them, but keep on practicing healthy behaviors and doing what you need to do to stay the course. Once upon a time you didn't understand. My hope, my mission in life is that those around me grow to be as peculiar as I am when it comes to their health. It's my peculiarity that keeps my blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose in the "desirable" range. It's my peculiarity that allows me to switch between misses and juniors department versus the plus sizes. It's my peculiarity that has me steadily making progress while those around me have gained or stagnated. It's my peculiarity that inspires those around me to lead healthier lives. Being peculiar rocks ;P