“Getting healthy isn’t just about losing weight. It’s not limited to adjusting our diet and hoping for good physical results. It’s about recalibrating our souls so that we want to change — spiritually, physically, and mentally. And the battle really is in all three areas.” -Lysa TerKeurst, Made to Crave: Satisfying Your Deepest Desire With God, Not Food
Lysa hit the nail on the head with that quote. This is not just a physical battle I have been fighting. It has been mentally and spiritually exhausting. For this week's post, I asked my cousin and best friend, Alli Gibson (also known as @agibbyruns on Instagram), to help me co-write this post. I wanted us to put together a list of tips and tricks we have used to help us overcome the unhealthy lifestyle we used to live and venture into something more worthwhile. Now, not all of these tips and tricks will apply to you. They might not even help you. But then again, they might. Alli and I both have enjoyed this challenging journey. We have overcome so much and speaking for both us, we live much healthier lives. I hope these tips and tricks either jump-start your journey to a healthier life or inspire you to continue yours.
Food
[Alli]
I always wanted to eat healthy foods, I just never craved
them. When I was really hungry, I wanted pizza or tacos or something that would
fill me up quickly. I didn't care if it would make me hungry again an hour
later or leave my stomach hurting the rest of the day. I just couldn't see how
healthy people could sit down and eat a salad when they were hungry. It didn't
seem like it would fill me up. So when I decided to lose weight, I made the
decision to learn all about healthy food and WHY they were healthy. I wanted to
know why they were so good for my body. So I researched. I sat on my bed,
notebook and pen in hand, and watched YouTube videos and read blogs, taking
notes of everything I was learning. I found some documentaries on Netflix and
was horrified by some of the things I learned about a few of my favorite foods.
Then, I learned how to grocery shop. I literally made it a sport. I would color
code my shopping lists, research food labels before I got to the store, and
budget my money so I wouldn't have to reject anything healthy just because it
was a little more expensive. I started to look at food as something God created
for my body. I wanted it to taste good, but I also wanted to know that it was
doing something good for my body. I started living by the rule of “The less
ingredients, the better it is for you.” I looked at labels and bought it if it
only had one or two ingredients listed. For example, the ingredients for my
peanut butter had to be “roasted peanuts.” Also, I wasn’t going to put things in
my body that I couldn't pronounce. If a word on the ingredients label couldn't
be recognized, then my body certainly wouldn't recognize it. I wasn't going to
let the food industry trick me into buying sugar and oil. I turned it into a
competition. I was determined to beat them at their game. However… I think that
my biggest victory in eating healthy was when I started following some health
accounts on Instagram, and I got a lot of ideas about what to buy at the
grocery store and fun combinations of healthy foods. It really has become a
hobby of mine to create new, healthy recipes and find fun ways to eat healthy
things.
[Macy]
Food has always been my go-to. I NEVER enjoyed healthy foods as much as I knew I should eat them. Why eat carrot sticks when you can have a greasy slice of pepperoni pizza? Am I right?! Well, the battle with food for me still continues today. I have a hard time with self-control so I choose to not put myself in those situations where I might be tempted by unhealthy food. Anyway, I put together a few tips that have helped me along the way.
1. Slowly cut unhealthy things out of your diet. I chose bread and sweets. Those two things are my biggest tempters, so I cut those things out completely. I have since slowly added them back into my diet but with much healthier alternatives. Alli's tempter was sweet tea. By just cutting out sweet tea, she dropped pounds easily. Which leads me to my next tip.
2. Don't deprive yourself. I eat what I want...in moderation of course. Obviously I don't crave the things I used to, but I definitely treat myself once in a while. You should do the same!
3. When grocery shopping...first, never go hungry and second, stay away from the middle aisles. DANGER ZONE! Stay along the perimeter of the grocery store. If you don't buy junk, you can't eat it. DUH!
4. Learn to say no. This was so hard for me at first, but once I learned to say no to junk food, it became second nature. Instead of saying, "I can't eat that," I would say, "I don't eat that."
5. Stop eating out...as much. Lots of benefits here. Although there are restaurants that have healthy choices, it is always a better idea to cook your own food. Obviously there are going to be times where you can't help it, but always try to be the chef. Not to mention, easier on the wallet.
6. Try new foods. You might surprise yourself. We both have!
7. Got a Pinterest account? Get one. Now. Seriously. TONS of excellent resources out there for you. Wonderful recipes for you to experiment with.
8. Eat breakfast. Every morning. Always. No excuses. Get something in that deprived body when you wake up. Make time for it. It will be worth it.
9. NEVER EVER EVER EVER skip a meal. Pretend as if your body is a car. Your car needs gas to run right? Well, your body needs food to run as well. They both are fuels. Use the fuels, people!
10. Don't diet. Make this a lifestyle change. Diets are stupid. They really are. You end up going right back to your old habits as soon as the diet has ended and you'll eventually pack the pounds right back on.
11. Lastly, do your research. I read blogs and articles all the time about food. I knew NOTHING about what kinds of healthy foods I should be eating when I started this journey, so what better way to find out than the trusty ole Internet itself.
Running/Exercise
[Alli]
This is kind of emotional for me to talk about (I know, so
lame) but I am still shocked that I am even having the opportunity to give tips
about running. In August, I couldn't even run for 2 whole minutes without
stopping. When I would run, (which was rare) I would set small goals like “run
for an entire song” or “run until I reach that mailbox.” Now, about 7 months later,
I can run a little over 3 miles without stopping. Oh, and it also FEELS GOOD TO
DO IT. Bryan (my boyfriend) really wanted me to start running, as a way to
spend time together. He runs cross country, so I was totally intimidated and
immediately refused to do it. But he made it a challenge, and I eventually
wanted to prove him wrong. He needed groceries, and CVS was about a mile down
the road. So off we went… After much huffing and puffing, we got to CVS and he
congratulated me on running my first mile without stopping. I was shocked,
because it didn't even seem that long. He had talked to me the entire way, and
I had no idea of how long I had actually run. I was so happy and proud and
surprised. So the next day, I went running with a friend, and was so excited to
show her how I could run an entire mile without stopping. Seriously, y’all. I
was SO excited. We ran our mile, and I expected us to walk a mile back to the
school. Nope. She expected us to run back. Which meant 2 miles in a row. I had a
mental freak out, told myself to shut up, and put one foot in front of the
other. And before I knew it, I had 2 miles under my belt. (Which was about to
start getting smaller!!!!!!) In the weeks after that, I ran a mile everyday and
started craving the feeling my legs had after a run. I researched good running
shoes, and purchased a pair of Brooks (Thanks, Mom!) which are apparently the
best in the business. They haven’t given me any trouble so far. I started
waking up at 6 am to run, and I really enjoyed the quiet time in the mornings,
especially when Bryan would get up and run with me. I would run a mile in the
morning, and a mile in the afternoon. 2 miles a day. As far as tips go, I would
suggest these:
1. It’s a mind thing. If you want to stop, it’s usually
because your mind is giving up, not your legs.
2. Run outside. Treadmills are for hamsters, and you will not
go as “far” on a treadmill. They are boring, and running outside is much more
visually rewarding!
3. Get some good running shoes. Go to a store that knows all about
running, get them to size you, and walk around to test them out. If you have
bad shoes, you’ll have bad feet, and you’ll give up. My shoes have seriously
made all the difference!
4. Set a goal. I would set a goal of “20 miles before November
1st” or something like that. I then I would cross of a mile every
time I ran. It was a big motivator!
5. Find a friend who loves it! Running buddies will push you
and keep you from being too bored. If you don’t like to talk while you run,
that’s ok! It’s still nice to have someone beside you, even if you've both got
headphones in.
6. Get cute (modest) running clothes! Don’t laugh at me. You
know it’s motivating.
7. Push yourself until you get over “the 3 mile hump.” Once
you can run 3 miles, it gets SO easy to add miles on.
8. Just get up and do it. Some days, running seems more
appealing than others. I have never gotten finished with a run and thought
“Man, I wish I hadn't done that.” I always, always, always feel better
afterwards.
9. Say prayers when it gets tough. I ran 3 straight miles the
other day, and I think I said 6 prayers. I was just thanking God over and over
for 2 strong legs and for a healthy heart and lungs so that I could finish that
run. I teared up at the last ½ mile because I just couldn't believe how much
strength my body has gained this past year and how God has continually blessed
me with health and discipline to get in the best shape I've ever been in.[Macy]
Well, Al about summed it all up. Seriously, all my exact thoughts. Here are a few tips about running I have:
1. Whatever you do, never I mean NEVER run in cotton. Never. Dry fit. You'll never look back.
2. Run with you heart, not your legs. Really. Yeah, you gotta have legs to run, I understand that, but if you don't have drive and fight within your heart, you won't go far.
3. I do not enjoy working out in the mornings like Alli does, so I chose to run in the afternoons after a long day of teaching. (This is where your question comes in, Kaylee :) ) I understand some people are in college and stay up into the wee hours of the night doing who knows what, so waking up at the crack of dawn to workout sounds inhumane. Find the best time for you and get into a routine. I love afternoon runs when the sun is just setting on campus. Absolutely breathtaking. It allows me time to reflect on my day and talk to God about the peaks and pits of it. Do what works for you.
4. Slow and steady wins the race. Every time.
5. Listen to your body. It's okay to rest. It's okay to take a day off. Don't over do it. (I'm preaching right to myself on this one!)
6. PRAY, PRAY, PRAY! Before you run, during your run, after your run. You won't regret it.
7. Just get out there and get moving. It will be over before you know it and knowing you did something active is somewhat empowering and overwhelming all wrapped into one. One of the best feelings though.
I hope these tips have been somewhat helpful for you. Fight for what you want. I love the quote, "If it doesn't challenge you, it won't change you." There isn't an easy button laying around, my friends. If this journey isn't hard for you, you're doing something wrong. Love what you do, and do what you love.
These results don't come for free people. (Wow, I just sounded EXACTLY like Jillian Michaels. Scary.) There are no secrets. There isn't a plan we are following. We work hard, and we train smart. So can you!
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So, I ask you, are you treating your body like a temple of God? If not, what are you "weighting" for?
Press on, my strong, capable friends, press on.
"Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God anything is possible."
Matthew 19:26
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