Every new year comes with resolutions. The most common resolution is to lose weight or to join a gym to get healthier. It's also the most commonly broken resolution.
Now, I'm not a diet specialist or health guru or anything certified...but I feel like some people take it WAY too far and sometimes WAY too seriously. Being healthy is super important. Duh. But I don't think becoming healthy is that complicated, though if you have certain medical conditions and what not...maybe it is.
It ultimately boils down to burning MORE calories than you consume.
For example:
You eat 2,000ish calories, you'll wanna burn 3,000 to lose weight or 2,000 to stay at your current weight.
Simple. I can dig it.
Of course you want to factor in the food groups, like eating your fruits and veggies and your meats (or protein substitutes, for you Vegans and Vegetarians) and your grains an dairy and beans and all that good stuff that keep your body rockin' and rollin'.
It still seems pretty simple. Diggin' it.
You want to know why I think some people have such a hard time keeping it simple? We're lazy. It's so much more comfortable to sit around and eat what you want instead of making the effort to eat healthier and go work out for thirty minutes a day. Now, before someone tries to attack me and beat me upside the head for speaking my mind...I'm not perfect. Goodness, I am far from it. But I know that when I sit around and stuff my face with deliciously unhealthy foods...I don't feel so great about myself. However, eating a sliced up apple with some peanut butter instead of a donut or whatever and working out for about at least thirty minutes makes me feel awesome!
Want to know what else I think? Well, if you don't you probably stopped reading already.
Working out doesn't have to suck. You can dance, if you like to shake your booty. You can do yoga, if you need to get your Zen on. You can go walking or jogging around your neighborhood or a near by park, and if it's sunny...you're not only keeping your body healthy but you're helping your body produce vitamins. There's a work out for everyone.
Are you nay-saying? I counter that nay with a yay! My grandma, who HATES sweating, works out. She's no beach babe, but she is doing what she can at age 76 to keep up her health. And she is trooper. She's had open heart surgery, she takes like...a million medications (I'm being facetious, of course) but everyday she gets on her little bike pedal contraption and pedals away. BAM, your nay just got destroyed by my grandma.
So, if you're feeling the pressure because swim suit season is in a couple months or because you vow to fit in that one pair of jeans from years ago or you just wanna feel good about yourself...find something that works for you. You don't have to turn psycho health freak and give up all things delicious in the world just because you think that is what healthy looks like. Just be realistic with yourself. Start small. And keep it simple.
If you are a curvy woman, don't try and be like those super models or like that girl you know who's a size two. Realistically, if you became a size two...you'd probably be way awkwardly proportioned and it probably wouldn't look as good as you hope. I speak from experience, I'm not a size two preaching at curvy and normal sized ladies. If I was, I would give you my address so you could come beat me with a bat.
To sum it up:
1. Be realistic, make a real goal for yourself that you can achieve.
2. Start small. You don't have to lose 100 or 50 or 20 pounds at once to feel good. Before focusing on the weight, try subbing out some of those not so healthy choices with something better. Example: For dessert, try some fruit with some dark chocolate (healthy, chocolate-y and the dark chocolate increases endorphins which make you feel good!) and kick the candy bar to the curb. "The coliseum was not built in a day..." or some quote like that. And it's true. You won't be some goddess or god looking creature all of a sudden.
3. Make a routine...or a list...or whatever helps you remember. Tie a ribbon around your finger, if you want!
4. Have fun!!!! I know, I'm crazy with my suggestions. But try it. Dancing burns off so many calories. And it's fun. Even if you're rhythm impaired.
5. Do it for you, not for the hot guy or girl next door or whatever the reason may be. Do it for you.
6. Keep it simple.
Now, like I said....I'm not a dietitian or a licensed person or a personal trainer, etc. BUT, I'm a normal girl who has been through the ups and downs of weight struggle. And I have found that keeping it simple and doing fun work outs has been the most productive way for me to be healthy. So, even though these are my opinions...I don't think I'm that far off from truth. Heck, I may have just been the vessel of truth when it comes to becoming healthy.
Take that, weirdo diet commercials.
For an added bonus, why not make you smile a little with a funny comic I found!
p.s. I didn't make it nor do I take credit for it. I'm not that creative anyway. Enjoy it!
The Cost of Calories
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