“There’s a difference between interest and commitment. When you’re interested in doing something, you do it only when it’s convenient. When you’re committed to something, you accept no excuses; only results.”  ~Kenneth Blanchard

UPDATED: 6/22/14

As I took a step towards the Publix scale, I was already regretting what I was about to see. As I stepped onto the scale my eyes widened as the hand of the scale made a massive leap towards 250 lbs. “This can’t be,” I said to myself as I began to panic hysterically on the inside. When I began to gain weight I had always told myself that I can never ever reach 250 lbs. I gave a sigh of relief when the scale stopped at 243 lbs. Depressed; I stepped off the scale and walked out of the store without even buying any groceries.

How could this happen? I always had an interest in being fit. From as early as I can remember, I was always active. I was the little girl outside playing football with the boys while the other girls of the neighborhood sat on the trunks of their parents’ cars and watched. I joined a cheerleading team at age 9, and I quickly fell in love with it. So much so that I cheered all throughout grade school. I was in the best shape of my life. Everyone warned me about the “freshman 15” which I managed escape my freshman year of college without gaining. But no one had ever mentioned the “sophomore 20” which managed to turn into the “senior 40”.

That’s it! This was the last straw for me. By this point I was sick a lot, my skin was changing, and, not to mention, I was having asthma attacks. I hadn’t had an attack since middle school. I began to hate going shopping, something I absolutely loved to do, because I couldn’t stand the way clothes fit. I was angry, and little things would upset or depress me. This wasn’t me at all. I had become a stranger to myself.

So why did I decide to GET FIT? Because I love me! I wanted to get back to being me and doing the things I enjoyed. I made a commitment to lose weight and get in shape. Now I’m down 38 lbs 50lbs and counting!

I’m no fitness guru, but I hope my story inspires you! Make the commitment to GET FIT! Drop the excuses and watch the pounds drop as well!

Sincerely Yours,

ImNoFitnessGuru
Fit Chick Behavior

My sister asked me maybe a few weeks ago to assist her with changing her eating habits. This is something I’m passionate about, so I was eager to share. After a few minutes of going on and on about eating clean, she stopped me and asked: “What is eating clean”?  I paused with a look of confusion; as I often do when I’m asked a question that I feel has an obvious answer. I get so caught up in the technical gibberish that I often forget that this is my lifestyle. After all the researching and studying that I do this lifestyle is embedded in me. This is not common knowledge to the average person. So I’m dedicating this blog to the normal person… This one is for you!

I’m sure that if you have even been remotely conscious of your eating habits in the past, you have heard of the term “eating clean”. Everywhere you turn trainers, nutritionist, health coaches, even social media fitness enthusiast alike speak of “eating clean”. Anytime someone asks questions regarding my lifestyle I’m quit to throw around the term. I never really thought about the fact that some people have no clue what I mean when I use the term “eating clean”.

What is “Eating Clean”?

Eating clean is sort of the new term for eating healthy. It’s about eating food either in its natural form/state or as close it its natural state/form as possible. There is also an emphasis on knowing where your food comes from, but I won’t get into that is this blog (stay tuned).

The basics of eating clean are simple (at least to me they are). Here are 5 tips that I hope will help you understand “eating clean”.

1.      Read the labels
Many consumers get duped by tricky wording on the front of the package such as “all natural flavors”. Take time to read the nutritional facts and the ingridents on the back label. Personally, I try to avoid eating any product that has artificial ingridients such as Red dye #5 or pirodoxine hydrochloride. Clearly those aren`t “all natural flavors”.

2.      Avoid processed foods
I like to call processed foods a convenient inconvenience. They are typically sold ready to eat and have everlasting expiration dates. They are high in sodium, fats, and added sugars and extremely low in nutrients. While making life easier now, they are linked to long term health issues.

3.      Cook at home
Not only is cooking at home a wallet friendly option, it’s healthier. It’s also the best way to keep track of what you are consuming. Though healthy options are seemingly becoming more popular at restaurants, the truth is the preparation process is still unknown. You can never really know what’s in your food unless you purchase and cook it yourself.

4.      Drink plenty of water
Your body can easily confuse thirst with hunger. Drinking ample water will not only keep you hydrated but aid in preventing those hasty trips to the vending machine.

5.      Preparation, preparation, preparation is key
I’m not one to meal prep; however, I am always prepared. Packing my food for the day helps me stay on track. Be mindful of what you have planned for that day and pack your food and snacks accordingly.

I hope you enjoyed reading this post just as much as I enjoyed writing it. Take some time to leave feedback in the comments below, and feel free to share this post with your family and friends.

Peace Love & Fitness,
Fit Chick Behavior