There are so many unknowns out there in the world. We don't know how long we are going to live...we don't know where the 'paths' we've chosen will lead...those are some of the bigger unknowns...there are also the small unknowns like what food is in the fridge and what will I create today and will my son eat it?! (Noah loves something one day and then it seems when I go out and buy an abundance of it, he decides that he doesn't want it anymore for a week or so!!! That being said, yesterday he ate half my plate of kale and at the grocery store asked for 'more kale'!!!! Not bad for a 20-month old!!!)...another unknown, does anyone really read this blog?!!
One thing that I feel I have control over is my fitness level. I make the choice almost every day to do something active. I don't work-out because I feel I 'have to'...I now work-out because I crave the way it makes me feel! Just like the satisfaction you get by eating healthy, fitness provides the same benefits! Of course I didn't just become a fitness-addict overnight! I used to dread my work-outs and think that I needed to own a gym membership to be 'fit'...I constantly compared myself and wondered what people thought of me. Becoming a mother changed everything. I think that I was changing before that but having Noah was my defining moment. I wanted to be all that I could be (my personal best) for him and for my husband. If I loved myself enough to take really good care of myself, then I could help others more. By believing in myself and being confident in who I am, I am paving the path and giving my children (well child right now...hopefully if it's God's Will, we'll add more to our family), the tools they need to build themselves up for success. I really think if you feel good about who you are, then anything is possible! Working out has given me the confidence to believe that I can and will achieve all of the dreams that I have and that's worth getting out my running shoes every day!!!
Last night was a terrible nights' sleep. Noah tossed and turned and cried and just wanted his 'mama'. I got out of bed finally at 5am completely exhausted and realized I had a sore throat. Oh no! I haven't felt sick in ages and it was such an awful feeling. SO I made a big pot of miso soup (yes, miso soup for breakfast...this was a first for me although I know people who do this on a regular basis because of miso's alkalizing effects and it just really is a great way to start your day). I must have peed 20 times after drinking a big bowl of miso soup, two glasses of water with lemon and two mugs of green tea! I also took a multi-vitamin and extra vitamin C. I went to work for a few hours and then told my hubby that I needed to stop at the gym on my way home. I just needed a 'me' moment and do you know what? Those 'me' moments not only benefit myself, but my entire family and everyone around me. Staff at work ask me where I get my energy from because I am a high-energy person...but it's really the fitness and nutritional lifestyles I lead that create and maintain my exceptionally high levels of energy!
I don't think that you need a gym membership to work-out. I usually run 3 times a week when the weather is nice and have a few weights at home. I will either do my own made-up, Jillian Michaels' inspired circuits or pop in one of her intense DVDS to get my sweat on! I feel like she is talking directly to me and I love the way she makes me push my body! Even when I am running outside by myself, I often imagine myself running with her beside me or Branden Brazier or someone who is both motivational and athletic (during the Olympics it was Roberto Luongo which Dan found hilarious), and I also see myself becoming stronger and faster. This pushes me when I am running. The other day I ran for 40 minutes, then I did work on the track (think stairs, sprints, walking lunges, butt kicks, high knees), and finished with a 30 minute run back home...and I am a VEGAN!!!! It goes to show that you really can do anything that you set your mind too! I feel so focused and driven to be my personal best and I really work-out because it clears my head (I think when I run for instance), gives me an abundance of energy, inspires me, prioritizes what's important, and helps me to be a better mother, wife and friend!
Dan and I share a rec-center pass that we got for Christmas (a gym membership was too pricey for us), so I used it and hit the gym. My work-out lasted one hour and the benefits are STILL noticeable. I came home energized, feeling healthy (without a sore throat), and ready to give everything to Noah and energy to make a delicious lunch for our family to eat. I have to work this afternoon again, and I know that I will be able to give the kids all the attention that they are looking for and be my happy-healthy self! I just feel great and that's something I wish for everyone! Everyone is deserving to feel good about who they are and I just wanted to share with you that fitness helps me to feel good!
The best advice I can give to working out, is to have fun with it and switch it up! Sometimes, I will take Noah for a bike ride and we'll just go and explore the neighborhood or we'll take him to the pool! Surfing is a wicked work-out too...basically anything that you are interested in, try! Everyone is at a different level of fitness, and every day brings a new day filled with potential and promise! Even a walk around your neighborhood will make you feel good and proud to be you! Seeing an elderly couple walking hand-in-hand (cute), some kids playing street hockey, a deer or cute dog walking by wagging his/her little tail!!! There is so much inspiration all around you!
I just wanted to share my passion of fitness with anyone who's interested! I feel like everyday I am growing and learning and taking steps towards being my personal best and I don't just mean physically! I feel the best on the inside!!! And to me, that's what counts the most! Feeling beautiful on the inside makes me feel so blessed and wonderful.
LOVE your blog
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