I know a lot of people touch base on the whole "clean eating" thing, but I figured I might as well put my two cents in about it, as well. One can never have enough information on clean eating, in my opinion!
I've been eating clean for about 3-4 months now. My transition was rather abrupt, because with me it's "all or nothing". I have a hard time transitioning slowly, and it usually leads to me cheating far too much. So, I just quit everything cold turkey. Same way I quit cigarettes 2 years ago. But you have to do what's easiest and most comfortable for you, and that's just what worked for me.
My advice? Start slowly. If you can, or want to. Starting slowly gets you used to the transition, and most people find it easier to slowly work their way into clean eating. Most of the time, if you start slowly, you won't end up crashing and burning due to feeling limited. That was my biggest thing. I always felt like I "couldn't have" things.
Truth is, you can. Question is... do you really want it? Like, really, really want it. Yes, eating cookies, candy, chips, cereal (which is my weakness), cheese, etc.. is great, you will NOT see a change in your body if you continue eating those things. They taste delicious and it'd be perfect if we could eat them every day and not get fat. But, sadly, that is not the case. You will get fat. In places that you hate. The places that you long to get RID of fat. But how do you expect your body fat to decrease in those areas if you keep putting fat into your body at an extremely fast rate? Your body can't keep up with it. Which, in turn, makes your body sluggish, your weight rise. You get depressed, angry, anxiety, self conscious. You stop wearing clothes that fit you. You start wearing clothes that are baggy, that hide your rolls, your cellulite. You hate yourself. You look in the mirror and think, "Why can't I just be skinny? God, I am so ugly. Look at my love handles." You try and stay out of pictures. You untag yourself in pictures that make their way to Facebook. You stop getting ready, because who cares? You're fat anyway.
Honestly, I could keep going. Because that is exactly what I used to do. How I used to feel. What I used to think to myself.
I was depressed. I was unhappy. I hated myself. My body.
I knew I had to change. But how? Well, I'll tell you how. Eat clean, lift weights, and do cardio. I said cardio last, because that's just what it is, it's last. Do NOT make it your top priority. Cardio is supposed to be paired with lifting weights. It should never be your main exercise, ever.
Now I don't hate cardio. I love it, which is funny since I would have NEVER said that before. Ever. I really enjoy running now, and the stairmaster (my go-to cardio). But the reason I say not to make cardio everything is because if you want that "dream body". You know the one.. You look at them all the time. The bodies that are chiseled, toned, thin, healthy looking. Where their arms are defined, abs are noticeable, butt is nice and perky. In order to get like this you need to LIFT WEIGHTS. It is the ONLY way. Cardio will NOT get you there. And I absolutely HATE when people say that it will! Seriously, cardio will only thin you out. That is it. It won't tone your problem areas, no matter how far or how much you run. I'm sorry, but it's true.
Lifting weights is great for you, and I really wish that women were less afraid of the weight room. Who cares if huge bulky guys are everywhere? They aren't going to yell at you, or make you feel stupid because you're a girl lifting weights. Everyone is there for themselves, they are NOT paying attention to you. And if they are, it's because they're checking you out. And who doesn't love that?
But back to the topic. When you lift weights, and I mean heavy weights, your body is building muscle. What's so great about that, you ask? Everything! When you build muscle, your body is burning more calories all-together. Even at rest, you will be burning MORE calories. Because, like everyone says, muscle burns more than fat. Which means, you will see results faster. You will feel results, faster. Trust me, you WILL see a difference in yourself. But you can't lift measly weights, like 3-5lbs. No, go big or go home! You want to feel that burn, you want to feel like you're going to give up. But don't! Don't give up, ever. Finish the set, with proper form. If you can't finish a set with proper form, then go down to a little lighter of weight. But always push yourself! Your body is a lot stronger than you think. And the more you push yourself, the stronger you'll get!
I swear, I've become absolutely fascinated by bodies lately. Their capable of SO much more than we think.
Think about overweight people. Their bodies are able to withstand so much sugar, fat, and carbs. And they still are able to function! They may not function as great as they could be, but they are still functioning! If your body can withstand years of abuse and neglect, you can bet your butt that you can withstand some weight for a few minutes! Don't give up on yourself, your body doesn't!
Next post I'll talk more about my diet and what I do on a daily basis. It's not very exciting, but it's getting me to where I want to be!
And remember, treat your body right.. it's the only one you have!
- J.
