"You are what you eat." That statement couldn't be more true if it was physically possible to see it. In actuality, you can see it. The proof is right in front of us every single day, depending on what we choose to put in our bodies with the food made readily available to us in shorter time than a clock can switch minutes. Push of a button lifestyles have become extremely convenient to a world who wants everything right here, RIGHT NOW. The problem is when something horrific happens because of the desire to have it immediately, the process to try to reverse it causes more stress, pain, agony, depression and sadness in our lives. So is it easier to have it right here, right now? Or is it better to work hard & be willing to patiently await the results that will come so we won't spend more time trying to reverse the damage we created to ourselves by being impatient? I'll take #2 please.
In working in the health and fitness industry for as long as I have, I have been through bouts of it all. Wanting results immediately, immersing myself in chronic cardio, eating just barely enough food to sustain brain and CNS (Central Nervous System) function, thinking it would work in my favor. I have gone through starving myself, creating a hostile environment mentally making it difficult to even be remotely available to anyone who may have needed me as a family member or friend. All this added up to a very unhappy, unhealthy and emotionally damaged individual. Its when I reached the point of realizing something was not working and I had to find out what it was. I had to make a complete 180* in order to move forward and away from the damage I was doing to myself.
The foods America consumes, on a regular basis, are completely unhealthy. A majority of people literally take on the form of what 'right here, right now' looks like and its not a pretty sight. McDonald's, Taco Bell, KFC, Burger King, Pizza Huts & Domino's are just a SHORT list that create the seriously obese and unhealthy America we live in today. YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT! Your body takes on the shape of the foods you put into it. If you consume greasy, fattening & sugary foods on a regular basis, your insides are absolutely disgusting and when it comes down to it, your outer physical appearance WILL eventually catch up with it. Becoming over weight is one issue, some people don't gain, but aging and color change of the skin, dry brittle hair & nails, rotted teeth and so on are all forms of physically displaying BAD EATING HABITS.
The part people struggle with the most when it comes to healthy eating, is the mental challenges it brings to constantly watch what you eat, be cautious of the calories you are eating and making sure you are staying on track with your workout routines. There are many excuses that come about & play significant roles when your friends all want to go out to eat, party & enjoy life, but you have to understand WHY it is you are doing what you do and know that you can go out with them, have fun or attend family functions and still make the RIGHT choices when it comes to your plate. You don't need to feel obligated to eat the way everyone else does. To make things easier on you, have an accountability partner. Have someone who is willing to do this with you, or someone who lives the lifestyle of being healthy & working out, be your guide. If you want to really FEEL good, make a change in your waistline or build more muscle and change your physical appearance, you HAVE to stick with it. You have to make smart choices and when you start to feel its too much, you need to talk to someone. Don't buy food you know will work against you. If something is in your cabinets, fridge or freezer that you keep going back to & debating on whether or not that "a little bit" won't hurt, think again! Get rid of whatever you see that would work against you immediately! Cheat meals ALL the time is not how it works. Ice Cream, buttery & sugar laden foods or alcohol are not to be a daily indulgence. This is a change that you have to take seriously and make the PERSONAL decision of what you REALLY WANT FOR YOU. It takes looking in the mirror, writing down your goals and making sure you have a plan that will work.
Food for life. These are the foods our bodies can actually absorb, utilize and nourish us the way we were created to live. Cavemen didn't have what we do. They ate off the 'fat of the land' and I must say, the life span they had may not have been long, but it certainly wasn't because of how they ate. They ate what the land provided, what the body can actually absorb and what we are meant to consume daily. Their nutrition was pure, clean and far from processed or loaded with hormones and sugar. Our bodies were NOT created to absorb processed foods which I actually call PLASTIC. We were made to absorb and utilize lean, clean, pure & natural foods. In order to get the body you want, gain your energy back and not feel sluggish all the time, become lean and super fit, your nutrition has to come first. Its 70% of what happens to your body no matter what anyone says. If you change the way you eat, and actually STICK WITH IT, you will learn to appreciate being healthy and realize you have given yourself LIFE again. Create balance in your life by NOT expecting overnight and immediate results. Work hard for what you want, don't settle for less and push through the obstacles you'll encounter with guidance, support and help from the right people who are immersed in doing it too. You will Thank yourself and your body will too.
