For a long time, I felt the same way, judged and annoyed by people who appeared to be health "nuts". My own insecurities made me feel they were snobbish if they offered me any advice. Comparing myself to someone who was in shape made me judge myself too. It's just not fun being around people who are in shape when you are not.
It went on this way for a long time. I pushed away people trying to help me and became discouraged with myself. If I did not have the body I wanted, I felt I must be lazy or unmotivated. I thought maybe it was bad genes or bad luck. Either way, I blamed myself for being overweight and unhealthy. This self loathing kept me in a repeating pattern of trying and failing, trying and failing.
Then I had my "Ah-ha moment". Ok, I think Oprah has the trademark on this phrase but she certainly didn't invent it. It is that moment when the proverbial clouds part and a moment of clarity comes that leads to a profound, and often life-changing, realization. My "Ah-ha moment" came while reading, "Your Best Body Now", by Tosca Reno. I realized being out of shape was NOT my fault. After all, no one taught me how to eat healthy (not my parents' fault, no one taught them either), the grocery stores are 90% filled with unhealthy foods, we are surrounded by effective marketing for unhealthy foods, and down-right deceptive labeling ploys by food companies trying to fool us into buying their unhealthy foods with words like "all- natural", "reduced- fat", etc, and the endless informercials selling us the fitness gimmick of the week (that don't work).
Realizing that being generally unhealthy was not my fault was extremely empowering. Once I stopped judging myself I felt liberated. This realization helped me ask for help and accept it gratefully when offered. No one could judge me anymore because I couldn't take it personally anymore... to me, we were all screwed up :). I also don't like being a victim, which is how it feels when you are not in control of what is hurting you. Not wanting to be a victim of poor health was a big motivator, among many, for me.
I hope that you are reading my blog because you have had, or are looking for, your "Ah-ha moment" when it comes to your health. Whether you have or have not, I hope at some point you will be asking yourself, "So where do I begin now that I have had my life changing realization?".
These are my recommendations for a healthy living "Ah-ha Moment" starter kit:
- "Your Best Body Now", by Tosca Reno (available at Barnes and Noble on-line or Amazon.com)
- a subscription to "Oxygen Magazine" ( www.oxygenmag.com )
- a subscription to "Clean Eating Magazine" (www.cleaneatingmag.com )
- three sets of dumb bells (light, medium, and heavier weight)
- pair of sneakers
"Your Best Body Now" is a great read and roadmap for the average person looking to be healthy. Reno provides a lot of great information for the lay-person on how to eat healthy and exercise at any age (no gimmicks here). The two magazines are to provide you with further clean eating and fitness information on a monthly basis to keep you motivated and trying new things throughout the year. Oxygen provides fitness routines and healthy meal ideas and Clean Eating is all about,well, eating clean including recipes and meal plans. The weights and sneakers you'll need for exercising :)
I wish you well on your health quest. I'd love to hear if you have other "starter kit" recommendations :)
I’m not
perfect…I’m just trying to figure out this whole health thing, just like you.
Thanks for letting me share my experiences with you J
Please consult your
doctor before beginning or changing your diet and exercise regimen.
No comments:
Post a Comment