Steps to a Clean Slate

I've always been a big fan of clean slates. Something about starting over just feels so refreshing. As a kid, I loved getting new school supplies, with crisp pages in a spiral, pens full of ink, and crayons with pointy tips. By the middle of the year, the popular crayons were all flat and smeared, my pens were nowhere to be found, and my spiral contained bent pages with the binding barely holding up.

Now that I'm 19, I feel that way about my grades, organizational skills, and finances. During syllabus week, I have everything written and planned out. A 4.0 is always the goal! But then you sleep through one quiz and suddenly everything falls apart. I get behind and life gets busy and things slip my mind and I need to wash my sheets and I need to do the dishes but I have to study and use my bent up spiral that I shoved in the bottom of my bag because I was running late and I need to go to the grocery store but I don't have time so I grab something that may or may not be edible from the kitchen counter and then I check my grades and my bank account and the numbers for each are the same...do the math...that's not a good number to see in a checking account. It's exhausting. It leaves me longing for a clean slate.

So last year at about this time, I had thoughts in my head about losing weight. Going on a diet was the number 1 new year's resolution for 2015, after all. I didn't necessarily make it a new year's resolution, considering I was eating cheesecake at my sister's birthday dinner in the middle of January. But that dinner is the first time I ever said out loud to my parents, "I'm going to lose 30 pounds this semester." It was my resolution to go to the recreation center 3 times a week, so when I got back to school, I did just that. All of a sudden, my mindset was changing. I got tired of picturing this different life where I could be thinner and happier and healthier, and I realized only I had the power to make it happen. I needed a clean slate.

Sitting in my dorm room on January 27, 2015 with my hand in a box of cheerios, I made one of the biggest changes that I will probably ever do in my life. I went to the hallway, threw out the cheerios, and then proceeded to clean out my mini fridge and my cabinets of everything that I knew wasn't healthy. The only problem was, I had no idea what to do after that.

If losing weight is the number 1 new year's resolution of this day and time, why are so many people failing? I'm sure there are a billion theories out there, but I want to share mine. As someone who has failed at diets in the past, but successfully lost weight and kept it off later on, I can relate to you. In more ways than that. And I know what it takes to make real changes that will enhance your life more than you can imagine.

First things first. I was overweight pretty much all of my life. And for the friends and family who will try to sugarcoat my size, I'll clear the air. My BMI was well into the overweight range, and even more so during my senior year of high school, and the beginning of college. It affected so much, and that's not an exaggeration. It caused me to sit on the bench during basketball games. I could shoot about 90% from the 3-point line, and if you know basketball at all, that's pretty freaking awesome. But I didn't have the speed or the agility to keep up with the other girls. It disabled me from fitting into cute clothes. I always wanted to have a good sense of style, but none of it looked right on me, so I stuck to jeans and t-shirts almost every single day. It was the cause of any self-esteem issues I ever had. It lowered my confidence and made me stand out in pictures with my tiny friends. Before prom during my junior year, I tried losing weight. I would kill myself to eat celery, and I complained every single day. I would choke down deli meat and mope as my friends continued to eat the same old stuff and never seem to gain a pound. I managed to drop a significant amount of weight back then, but it was just a crash diet. I gained it all back plus some that summer. I headed into my senior year at the heaviest I would ever be.

Now I wonder, what made the Paleo diet different? How was I able to stay motivated? How did I succeed when so many have failed before, including myself? How have I kept every bit of the weight off?  That's what I'm here to tell you. And I have decided to include a Bible verse with each point, so you might see that weight loss involves far more than just eating well. It requires focus, discipline, dependence, perseverance, and hope--all things that God can offer you through his word.

1. Quit using the phrase "going on a diet"
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
You're not going on a diet because diets have an end date. You no longer have an end date. When I started Paleo, people would ask me how long I was going to do it, and I would reply, forever. It seemed pretty crazy, but I knew if I gave it an end date, I would go back to eating like a regular American and gain everything back. You can't eat well for a specific amount of time and then throw in the towel. You will have not learned anything! The word diet is defined as "a selection of food", not "a fad that lasts 6 weeks." Your body does not belong to you, it belongs to God, and he calls us to treat our bodies as something special. When you realize how intricate and amazing the human body really is, understanding that God took the time to create you, why would you want to fill yourself with nothing of value? If you want to succeed you do not set an end date. Which bring us to number 2...

2. Set goals
Proverbs 21:5 The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.
Write them down. If you go in with a clear plan, you have a better shot than if you were to go in blindsided, just like Proverbs tells us. I still have the spiral that I scribbled out in Starbucks one day. It said "152 by June" and an end weight of "140." And I also wrote out the goals it would take me to get there. Depending on what your goals are will decide what you will have to do to get there. My goals at that time were losing weight, so I knew diet was number one and cardio workouts were number two. If your goal is to gain muscle, it'll need to be different. If you want to lose weight but you hate working out, you'll have to adjust calorie intake. This might all sound confusing right now, but that's why we have number 3...

3. RESEARCH
Proverbs 10:17 Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but he who rejects reproof leads others astray.
We have the world at our fingertips, and we use it for crap like watching 6 second videos of girls getting hit with shovels. And then people want to say they don't know how to be healthy. Guess what! Google is your best friend. There are a million people who have made their own websites, written their own blogs, and published books on weight-loss and healthy living. All you have to do is search for them. Stay away from anything that says "lose weight fast" or "how to have the perfect stomach in 3 weeks." Cling to things that say "clean eating" or "lifestyle changes." If you need help choosing the right diet for you, I suggest anything that seems difficult but doable. If it seems easy, it won't work. If it seems impossible, it won't work either. There's a happy medium. Though it might be an old school way to say it, Proverbs says to heed instruction as to not be led astray!

4. Take action
Matthew 5:30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.
Pick how you will eat! Whether it's a specific diet or just clean eating, you need to pick something solid that you can stick to. Remember, if you are already thin and looking to tone up, you'll need to be even stricter with your calorie intake. If you're extremely overweight, just a change in what you're eating will make a significant difference, and you won't have to count calories until later. BUT, It's not nearly enough to tell yourself or even other people that you're "on a diet." You have to actually begin. And that starts with getting rid of all the junk in your house. Clean out your fridge and pantry, but instead of throwing everything away, think about what you could donate to a food bank or to someone you know who is in need! Anything heavily processed, anything with an insane amount of sugar or sodium, white bread, soda, chips, cookies, whole milk...whatever your chosen diet does not allow, get it out. If it's there, you will eat it, I promise. You are just beginning, and you are not strong enough to say no when it's 11:00 pm and you have a sudden craving for goldfish. Consider the goldfish your right hand, like in Matthew. Is it causing you to stumble on your journey to reach your goals? Do yourself a favor now, and donate the goldfish to someone who is not dieting. It's less painful than cutting off your hand I bet.

5. Prioritize
Luke 12:34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
This is so important that I have a separate blog post just about setting priorities. If you ever want anything in your life to work, you have to make it a priority. Priority is defined as "a thing that is regarded as more important than another." So you'll need to make this lifestyle change a top priority. For some, that means giving up naps or TV. For others it'll be going out to eat less. For me, I had to adjust time management completely because I "treasured" fitness.

5. Support
Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.
This is so so so important. If you are the only person in your household or in your life that is attempting to be healthy, it will be that much harder than it already is. You have to get support, whether that means getting the whole family on board, having a workout buddy, or starting a competition at work, support will be the only thing that gets you through when it gets too hard. And it will get hard, trust me. If I hadn't met Kat Hill, a fellow Paleo-person and now best friend of mine, I'm not sure if I could've stuck to eating so strictly through the low points of this past year. And I definitely would've never started CrossFit! Thanks for being my iron, Kat!

6. Don't give up
Romans 5:3-5 More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame...
Please don't make excuses. Everyone and their dogs are busy. You are not too busy to put your health on the priority list. It's going to be so worth it. You have to get through the adversity to experience the beauty of accomplishment. It's more than just fitting into your old jeans. It's saving your life, improving your heart, and reducing your risk of all the terrible diseases out there. You have so many resources, including me. It is my passion to help people, specifically with the motivation to lose weight. I cannot help you lose weight, but I can help you get started and stay motivated, but it's up to you to decide if it's worth it. WHICH IT IS!

I hope you'll join me at the start of 2016 to making this year count in every area! This is your chance for a clean slate, and I'm not just talking about a new crayon box. I am beginning a performance based diet to improve my skill level in the gym while remaining fit and lean! It's never too late to get started, whether you're trying to get rid of that Freshman 15 or shape up for your retirement cruise. Your health is important to not only me, but your families. Make it important to yourself!

When's the Last Time I Washed These Sheets?

During the week before Thanksgiving, I realized how severe the sophomore slump really is. As I was heating up a half-pound of smoked ham in the microwave on a cool autumn evening, it hit me--I had been eating that ham for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for three days straight. It would be one thing if I had prepared some different side dishes to go with the ham. But I didn't. I just ate the ham by itself. 

It got worse. I was lying in bed later that night, reflecting on the sad amount of ham I had eaten for three days, when I thought about the last time I had washed my sheets. For the sake of my reputation, I will not disclose the amount of time it had been since I washed my sheets, but just know that my mother would be appalled and the general public would avoid me at all costs. I could lie and tell you that the next day, I decided to address my lack of cleanliness and wash my sheets, but I didn't. They still haven't been washed. That's how lazy sophomore students are. Or maybe it's just me...

Just when I thought things had hit rock bottom, the college station police taught me otherwise. It was a brisk Tuesday morning. Thanksgiving break was in sight, classes had been going well, and aside from my all ham diet and sleeping in my dead skin cells every night, life was as bright as the sun peering through my front windshield as a drove to work. Then, I realized the bright lights were actually red and blue police lights coming from a motorcycle cop. I pulled over, expecting the cop to soon realize he had made a mistake (since I was going 35 in a 35). He came to my window, and I greeted him, ever so politely. The stern officer asked if I knew how fast I was going, to which I happily answered, 35 mph. He said yes. But then informed me that I was in a 20 mph school zone. Now I have nothing against the men and women in law enforcement. But I do have something against elementary schools that still have their school zones up when it is 9 o'clock in the morning. Like come on, if the kids aren't there by now, they aren't coming. I was given a citation for my recklessness, and then went on my way. 

The college station police must have WANTED posters of my car because a few days later, I got a parking ticket outside of my second home: Starbucks. I'm a frequent customer at the Starbucks at NorthGate. I practically have reserved parking outside the building. I have been parking there almost every night since freshman year. Much to my dismay, when I left Starbucks on this particular night, I had a parking citation on my car. I thought surely it had been a mistake (just like the motorcycle officer pulling me over), but again, it was not. In the fine, fine, fine print on a sign that was hidden behind a massive sequoia tree, there was an indication that one could not park in that spot after 10 pm. And I had left at 10:15. I'm pretty sure they put up that sign at like 10:01. 

Alas, the semester is coming to a close. It has been full of new learning experiences for me and despite the issues with ham and cops, I've had a ton of fun. Oh school is going pretty well too. It looks like I might pull off that 4.0 after all. And all it cost me was my personal hygiene :) 

Unfortunately, eating well on the holidays is a joke. If you successfully stick to any sort of diet plan during these winter months, you are probably not human. It's been so hard to go back to eating well after the 607 types of casserole I had over Thanksgiving. And now Christmas is here....excuse me while I go hide under baggy clothes until January. Luckily, I'm still working out, so there is hope. 

Merry Christmas everybody! I'm gonna go eat some ham. 

When Life Gives You Lemons, Eat Them Because Food is Expensive

Wow, I can't believe the last time I blogged was in August... I also can't believe that I thought I had a busy freshman year. Lol. I wish I could return to the days where I had time to breathe and laugh and wait in long lines for coffee. I had no idea what sophomore year had in store.

Being a committed person is really difficult when you commit yourself to like 11 different things. You think you're on top of your life, but then you realize you have to start picking and choosing priorities. Last year, I could drop netflix and naps, but this year, there is nothing left to cut out except actual priorities like grocery shopping, eating, taking showers, and keeping in touch with friends. It's actually impossible to work 16.5 hours, take 14 hours of school, be an assistant director for a Freshman Leadership Organization, go to Crossfit, meal prep, have friends, maintain personal hygiene, clean your house, study outside of school, AND sleep. So of course the first thing to go is personal hygiene, which is the main reason I've been sporting the 2 day old ponytail far too often this semester. It's bad when your mom calls to ask if you've been flossing and your response is "mom I don't even have time to go to the store and buy the floss, much less actually use it." Really though, there are days where I wake up at 7:15, leave for work, and do not return back to my house until midnight. No one wants to floss after all of that. 

Keeping in touch with friends is another thing that has been slipping. Some days I don't answer my phone. In fact, I get so stressed sometimes that when my phone rings, I just throw it at the ground and walk away. I hope none of you take my rejection personally. I really love you all, but if I want time to shower, I can't talk on the phone. 

The next thing is the grocery store. I tried this crazy thing called budgeting. It's when you allot a certain amount of money to particular categories with the idea that you'll follow it and never go over budget. I allotted myself like $100 a month for groceries. HA. I have yet to go into the grocery store and spend less than like $80 at a time. Razor blades are freaking $20 for a package of 4. Pretty soon I will be shaving my legs with scissors. And the worst part about buying the food is then you have to cook it. Which is like another hour sucked away from the day. And then after you cook it, it runs out. Then, you have to go back to the grocery store, spend another ridiculous amount of money on things that are literally keeping you alive which takes up another hour from the week. But don't forget College Station traffic. It takes 30 minutes to get anywhere in this town of 50,000 other college students that also need to grocery shop. So there's more time you have to consider. And most of that is just sitting in traffic, which burns through gas faster than the Apollo 13. I swear College Station is responsible for global warming. 

Surprisingly, school has been going extremely well. I might be broke as a joke and smell rather rough on most days, but a 4.0 is looking like a possibility this semester. *knocks on wood*

Working at the writing center has brought me so much joy! It is awesome to enjoy showing up for your job and doing things that you're passionate about. I love my coworkers and bosses. 

Being an assistant director for MSC FISH is definitely the most rewarding aspect of sophomore year. We got our freshmen in late September, and they are perfect. I love them so much and am so excited about the trips and service projects that the year has in store!

Now, you guys might be wondering how dieting and working out have been going. Well don't worry, I haven't thrown in the towel. I've been going to CrossFit Aggieland and met some cool folks there. I started a nutrition challenge with them and participated in that for 5 weeks. I managed to lose 5 more pounds, but the goal was really just to keep toning up. I still eat mostly Paleo, but I've started to eat grains again, in moderation. It's honestly just too difficult to always meal prep. Sometimes I need an English Muffin or a tortilla for a taco. The best part is, it hasn't killed me. It feels normal to eat grains now. For a while I was scared to sway from Paleo in the least. I eat normal things every now and then too. Today I had pancakes. They were fantastic. ALSO, I'm participating in my first CrossFit competition this weekend! If I don't get last place, I'll let y'all know how I do.

I have become a huge believer in the 90% to 10% ratio. It works for pretty much everything. I eat healthy 90% of the time, but 10% of the time, I eat whatever I want because I'm done with the hard part of losing weight. There's no need to miss out on the enjoyable foods in life due to an extremely strict diet. 90% of the time, I say yes. I say yes to hanging out with people and helping people and putting others first. But 10% of the time, I say no. I take time for myself, I take a nap, or I skip a class. Taking that 10% is what keeps me going!

I really am enjoying sophomore year, despite my complaints about busy life. It has taken some adjustment, but it's part of growing up. Heck, if I can lose 45 pounds in 6 months, I can conquer this sophomore slump. 

P.S. I had to give up a shower to write this blog post. 

Shaking the Sophomore Slump

I'm not sure why everyone always says, "Wow I can't believe it's already *insert month here*." I mean we literally say that every month. It should be pretty easy to believe considering we (mostly) all have eyes and a calendar. Nonetheless, I CANNOT BELIEVE IT'S ALREADY AUGUST. Seriously, in May when I moved home after finishing up freshman year, I looked ahead at the 3 months I would be spending back in Horse Country, Texas, away from so many of my Texas A&M friends, and I thought it would surely be an eternity until I returned to College Station. But, alas, this is my final week where most of my meals are paid for and made for me, where I haven't had to worry about an on campus parking ticket, where my laundry is magically done for me, and where my sweet little puppy is always there to greet me when I walk in the front door. Oh I guess I should mention my family too. Yeah, they're here as well. Hehe, love y'all.

As much as I am looking forward to being back in college station and starting up classes again, leaving home is more bittersweet than I was expecting. I've had the pleasure of working at Texas Woman's University all summer, seeing high school friends, attending my hometown church, and recently starting CrossFit. I'll definitely miss the lovely folks that have surrounded me for these brutally hot summer months.

As far as weight loss goes, it's pretty much done! Wow, it's strange to type those words. I reached my goal weight about a month or 2 ago. At first, I wasn't really sure what to do. Do I keep trying to get thinner? Does this mean I can eat more? I was just wandering around. When you cross a finish line after such a long race, it can bring a sense of lost purpose when it ends. At first, I did try to lose more. I convinced myself that I could drop 10 more pounds, but it was soon very apparent that my body had found its equilibrium and it would be unhealthy to get much farther below that. But I didn't want to throw in the towel and gain it all back.

Then I learned that there is this awesome thing called MAINTAINING. It means the hardest part is over. So that's what I've been doing the past few weeks. I still eat Paleo about 95% of the time. I love it, really. My body rejects heavily processed foods or a lot of dairy. Seriously, I had some beef enchiladas the other night, and I thought my digestive system would never be the same. But I do enjoy having a splurge every now and then! It's fun to eat dessert some nights or to have a few bites of random things like mashed potatoes or bread. I had my first sandwich for the first time in 6 months. That was an exciting day. It's still a rarity, but I definitely love living a healthy life and still satisfying cravings every couple of weeks or so.

Now some of you may have noticed I mentioned CrossFit (gasp). Yes it's true, I am now not only part of the A&M cult, but the CrossFit cult as well. I tried to avoid it as much as I could, but Kat Hill, who has done Paleo with me these past 6 months, finally dragged me to a class about 2.5 weeks ago, and despite the blood, sweat, and tears (no exaggeration), I fell in love. I started attending regularly at Sanctum CrossFit in Prosper! It's been such an awesome new experience for me, and I have learned more than I thought possible in this short amount of time. It will be sad to say goodbye to my new friends and coaches, but I look forward to checking out CrossFit in Aggieland.

I'm also excited to be in a kinesiology running class this semester! It will be so much more entertaining than sitting in a desk taking notes. I'll be a writing consultant at the University Writing Center, as well as an Assistant Director for the Memorial Student Center Freshmen in Service and Hosting. I cannot wait to meet my freshmen and pour into their lives like my assistant directors did for me during my first year!

Thank you so much for all of your support and for reading my little blog. It's been 7 months of of weight loss but so much growth as a person. I don't feel like the same girl I was when I began college a year ago. I guess what everyone told me would happen came true! I am beyond thrilled to be a sophomore at the greatest university on Earth at 43 pounds lighter, a little bit wiser, a whole lot happier, and with hair that is 8 inches shorter.

So I guess the Freshman Fifteen didn't get the best of me after all. Let's hope I can say the same for the Sophomore Slump! Stay tuned...

Just a Little Pizza My Mind

I want to write about something a bit more serious today. This is something that has been weighing on my mind for a while. If you've read any of my previous posts, you'll know that I have been doing the Paleo diet (lifestyle) for quite some time--going on six months. In other posts I have discussed habits, priorities, working out, set backs, and a number of other topics all related to living active and healthy. What I have not discussed is the darker side of what can come with a goal to be thinner.

In January, I was 182 pounds. I was not thrilled with that number or the way my body looked, but I had a relatively great self esteem. There were days when I would change outfits 6 or more times to find something that I felt thinner in, but for the most part I felt okay about myself. To me, it was always more important to be a good person and have a nice personality than to be thin. By the end of February, I was 164 pounds. I was on top of the world at this point. In just a little over a month I had lost nearly 20 pounds from sticking to the Paleo diet and hitting the gym 5 days a week.

The next 10 pounds were much more difficult to get off. My body had adjusted to my diet, so I had to step up the intensity in the gym. I was still determined to reach my goal of 30 pounds lost by the end of the semester.

By the time I was headed home for summer, I was 150 pounds. I had dreamed of seeing that number since I was a sophomore in high school. I had reached a goal. I had defeated a huge struggle and accomplished something seemingly impossible.

Why wasn't I satisfied?

All of a sudden, 32 pounds lost felt like it wasn't enough. 140 became the new goal, and then 130, and then I noticed that I was obsessed with looking in the mirror and picking out my flaws. After that, I had thoughts of skipping meals to keep my caloric intake at less than 1200 in a day. Weighing myself once a week turned into weighing myself twice a day and fighting tears any time I gained a pound.

I was becoming addicted to losing weight and had made it my identity. And I was scared to death of gaining any weight and losing progress--scared to the point that I tracked every bite of food that I ingested.

In the past, I did not understand eating disorders, but after 6 months of losing weight, I have seen how addictions to looking a certain way can lead to eating disorders. I myself have not dealt with this to the point of calling it a disorder, but I have noticed that some of my thoughts would lean to those tendencies every now and then. And I am putting a stop to it.

There is a fine line between living a healthy lifestyle and being obsessed with outward appearance. I have been balancing on the fence between these two mindsets, and I am finally letting go of the unhealthy, negative thoughts I have put into my head in the past. Thanks to friends that constantly build me up and a God who reminds me that the state of my heart is infinitely more important than my body, I have been able to relax and enjoy life with having a scoop of ice cream every now and then (and being okay with it.) I will not let numbers on a scale have so much control of my happiness--because it will never bring true contentment.

I hope that this post can be one of encouragement to girls (or anyone) who struggles with body image. Life should not be about counting calories and picking out your not-so-toned body parts in the mirror. Take a deep breath, enjoy a slice of pizza every now and then, and remember that you are beautiful.

Just Call Me Miley Cyrus

For as long as I can remember, I have been a goal-oriented person. I am all about competition and winning and being able to claim a prize (whether there is a real prize or just the pride of knowing I won) at the end of the day. It was very black and white in my eyes. If my team's score was less than the opponent's, we lost. If my grade was an 89 instead of an A, I had failed.

I viewed my weight the same way. I have never been happy with the number on the scale. I can remember being in 3rd grade and weighing 80 pounds, knowing that most of my friends were around 60 pounds. I hated it. I remember when I first broke 100 pounds in the sixth grade, and I heard a girl complaining that she was fat because she was 75 pounds. I hated it. I have always wanted to lose weight, fit into smaller clothes, wear a two piece swimsuit...so many things that other people seemed to do so effortlessly. So when I started my journey to get fit this year, I had a number in mind: 140. I held that number out in front of me like it was a finish line I had to sprint to, and I couldn't slow down until I got there. It was all about the finish line. It was all about the number.

I weighed in at 141 pounds today. I have lost 41 pounds since I began on January 27th. I am one pound away from the number I set in my head so long ago. Back then, it seemed so far from reach. In my head, I would be happy when I reached my goal. When I got to my magic number, I would have succeeded, and then I could rest.

Today, I have reflected on the past 5 months. I have looked at my weight loss graph and remembered each step of the way: when I first started and I dropped 7 lbs. in a week, when I stalled for an entire month and thought I was incapable of any more progress, when I cheated and ate pizza over spring break, when I stopped fitting into old clothes and bought new ones, when I stopped fitting into those clothes and had to buy more new ones, when I looked in the mirror and was so proud of myself, the countless times I went to Chipotle, attempting to cook anything Paleo and then giving up and eating chicken, when I got the flu and couldn't workout for 4 days and I thought my life was over, when I began running and got up to 4 miles without stopping, when I could bicep curl 20 pounds with one arm, when I could dip my entire body weight with my triceps for the first time...There have been so many moments--so many moments along this journey that have brought me happiness, joy, and motivation to continue.

It started out as a race to get to the magic number. Today, I am 1 number away from finishing the race, but now I understand that it was never about finishing as fast as I could. In fact, there isn't a finish line after all. I haven't "won" and getting to 140 lbs. has not brought me ultimate happiness. This is just a check point. The entire journey is what has changed and molded me into a more positive, more driven, more passionate individual. Now, it doesn't have to be about the numbers any more. It is about devoting a huge part of my life to fitness and health. There are so many more check points to reach as I continue! A half marathon, a triathlon, a full marathon, a tough mudder...heck I still can't do a push up. There's always gonna be another mountain, I'm always gonna want to make it move...I guess Miley Cyrus is more poetic than we gave her credit for? But I'll get there. And I'll enjoy every minute of the journey. I was going to say the climb, but that's enough Miley for one day.

50 Thoughts You Have While Running

1. Gosh I can't wait to run today
2. Wow I'm way too tired to run today
3. I suppose I should probably run since I have that race coming up
4. This weather is fantastic, gonna get my tan on
5. I'm so glad I decided to get out and run, this is great
6. 4 miles here we go
7. Well it's a bit hotter than I anticipated
8. What am I gonna eat after this?
9. Better run faster cause the neighbors are out
10. There's that stupid wiener dog
11. Shut up before I kick you, wiener dog
12. Dang I better slow down, I'm not gonna make it at this pace
13. I hate Texas weather, I could suffocate in this humidity
14. IT'S ONLY BEEN HALF A MILE?
15. Oh shoot, this is my jam!
16. I COULD RUN FOREVER TO THIS SONG
17. I'M INVINCIBLE RIGHT NOW
18. *sings* I'M WALKING ON SUNSHINE WHHOOOAHH
19. Okay maybe I'll just do 3 miles
20. Yeah don't wanna be an overachiever
21. Or 2 miles
22. No, I'm not a quitter. I'm doing 3 miles
23. Or 2.5
24. NO YOU'VE ALREADY MADE IT THIS FAR
25. This car is going awfully slow
26. I hope it isn't a kidnapper
27. Is that a dead bird?
28. No it was just a dead frog
29. Wow they need to mow their lawn
30. Have I ever mowed a lawn?
31. Okay this car is definitely a kidnapper
32. *waves to car as they pass*
33. Whew, that was a close one
34. Oh, another dead frog
35. Ugh I hate this song, why is this on my playlist?
36. I need new music
37. Yeah if I add some new music, I'll run faster tomorrow
38. I MADE IT TO 2 MILES
39. I'm gonna stop now
40. No I can't, I have to do at least 3
41. I'm so tired though
42. I'm so hungry
43. Will chipotle still be open when I finish?
44. Run faster so you can make it to chipotle after
45. I need to walk, my legs are giving out
46. Tomorrow I'll be less sore
47. Okay yeah I'm definitely stopping, it's getting too dark
48. Wait, I'm 2 miles from home, I have to run back or I'll be stranded
49. *finishes 4 miles*
50. THAT WAS GREAT AND SO EASY, I COULD'VE GONE 4 MORE LOL CAN'T WAIT TO RUN AGAIN TOMORROW

You Are What You Eat: Part 2

The best way to eat healthy is to avoid fast food and heavily processed food at all costs. Foods that come in boxes with fun pictures and advertisements like, "Fat and Sugar Free!" may seem great at first. Then check the expiration date. If it doesn't expire for the next year, it is most likely made with chemicals that your body does not digest correctly. Check the ingredients as well. High fructose corn syrup, artificial ingredients, coloring of any sort...these are the kind of things you would make crafts out of. They are not want you want to be filling your body with. A lot of people might hear that and call it liberal hippie crap, but there is a reason that obesity is linked to fast food, sodas, and junk food. IT ISN'T REAL. That's why it's more expensive to eat healthy and fresh foods. Fresh food cannot be as widely distributed because it will go bad. Next time you go to the grocery store, take a look at some of the ingredients in packaged foods. If you ask me, the extra money for real food is well worth it!

Here is day 2 of my food log blog.

Tuesday, June 2nd:

Breakfast:
-1/2 glass of coffee sweetened with Stevia (all-natural sweetener)
-4 hard-boiled egg whites

Lunch:
-16 oz. pomegranate tea
-2 scoops vanilla Herbalife meal replacement
-2 tsp. cinnamon

Afternoon Snack:
-Outshine strawberry fruit bar
-bottle of water
-2 tbsp. natural almond butter

Dinner:
-6 oz. honey-lemon roasted chicken breast
-1/2 cup steamed broccoli and carrots

Evening Snack:
-2 tbsp. natural almond butter
-32 oz. lemon tea
-4 strawberries

**These posts are to help people achieve or begin a healthy lifestyle and lose weight in a nourishing way. This was not written to completely bash processed foods-- our way of life would not be sustainable without the wide distribution of processed and genetically modified foods. However, because we live in a country that has been blessed enough to give us options, we all have the option to eat processed foods or more natural choices. Choosing the natural foods is scientifically proven to produce better health and weight loss results in people who are striving to obtain such goals.

You Are What You Eat: Part 1

It has been requested of me to record and blog everything I eat for three days. I'm actually very excited to do this! I always record what I eat and drink everyday in my FitBit app. If you own a FitBit watch, you can do the same! If you aren't a FitBit owner, you can download myfitnesspal and log your food as well. It will tell you how many calories you are eating in a day and how many you have left in order to lose a certain amount of weight or maintain your weight. This is the best way to get an idea of how much you are actually eating. It's easy to forget high calorie drinks and snacks...they do count! Feel free to ask me any questions about these applications or about the food you see listed below.

Monday June 1st:

Breakfast:
-glass of water
-2 farm fresh, cage free eggs
-a handful of spinach leaves
-about 1/4 cup of white, organic mushrooms
(eggs, spinach, and mushrooms were prepared omelet style and cooked on stove over olive oil; seasoned with a pinch of salt)

Morning Snack:
-about 1/2 cup of red seedless grapes

Lunch:
-32 oz. diet lemonade from Chick-fil-a (water, real lemon juice, splenda)
-4 oz. 93% lean ground beef
-1/2 tbsp. chopped green peppers
-2 tbsp. white, organic mushrooms
(beef, peppers, and mushrooms were all tossed together in a pan and cooked on stove over olive oil; seasoned with a pinch of salt and tsp. of garlic)
-1 package of All Natural Wholly Guacamole Minis (100 calories)

Afternoon:
-water

Dinner (Olive Garden):
-2 glasses of unsweetened tea with lemon
-baked tilapia
-6 mini white shrimp
-a side of broccoli
-NO BREADSTICKS


I don't measure out my food. These are just approximations.**

The Big Three-O and Plat-O

May 4, 2015

Last week was entirely too crazy for one person to handle. Getting diagnosed with the flu was the last thing I needed as I headed into my last week of regular classes for freshman year. I missed three days of school, and missing one day of college is enough to put you into an insane asylum to deal with the stress. I was well past insane asylum and to the point where the mind just actually shuts down into a vegetable state after missing 4 quizzes, a test, a video project, having to write a 1200 word analytical paper, and doing regular online homework, all while barely being able to swallow anything larger than a pill. Luckily, my mom was able to come to the rescue and nurse me back to health. There's something magical about a hotel bed and a mother to tend to your every need. Thanks mom!

BUT, despite it all, I reached a personal goal--the original goal I had set out to accomplish this semester. After 13 weeks of Paleo, I hit a weight loss total of 30 pounds!!! Seeing that number on the scale was such an awesome feeling. This dream of mine seemed so distant when I began talking about it in January. At 30 pounds lighter, 5 notches down on my belt loop, and 4 dress sizes thinner, I am feeling better than ever! I am so excited to continue toning up and training this summer.

Success hasn't been a piece of cake (literally I haven't eaten cake in over 3 months), however. In last week's blog, I mentioned that there was a point in this journey where I had plateaued and not lost a single pound for 4 weeks. This is something that most people will experience during weight loss, strength training, or any training for that matter. At first, I was unsure at how to handle it. I thought I was incapable of losing any more weight, but with some adjustments I was able to surpass the obstacle and continue. Here are some tips for when you reach a plateau:

1. Change it Up
You've probably been doing the same workouts and eating the same foods for a while now. While these things have been working up until this point, it is very likely that your body is accustomed to these routines now and is ready for something new and more challenging. I had been lifting weights and doing the same order and rep amount for quite a while, and for cardio, I was alternating jump roping, biking, and plyometrics. At first, these things had been quite the workout. I would wake up very sore and tired, but after about 4-5 weeks, they were becoming easier, and my weight loss stopped completely. Once I began running long distance and changing up weight exercises, I dropped 10 more pounds like it was nothing. In a few more weeks, I will reach a plateau and begin changing up the exercises once again. Changing it up also keeps it exciting! Don't risk a burnout by doing the same thing everyday.

2. Don't Stress
This is the piece of advice I have the most difficult time following. Stress is literally good for NOTHING. It makes you feel awful, it can often prohibit you from being productive, and it has negative effects on the body. Your body needs you to chill out in order for positive change to occur. Keep in mind that the process is slow and difficult at times like this, but that perseverance produces the real winners.

3. Remember How Far You Have Come
This is another reason not to stress. You've already been making progress, so don't let a few slow weeks make you forget the accomplishments you've already made! During my 4 weeks of struggle, I had started to convince myself that I hadn't really done anything and maybe I had set goals too ridiculous to achieve. Luckily, I had taken progress pictures, and looking back at the "before" shots, it was easy to see the changes in myself. Even small progress is good progress!

So that's my two cents on plateaus! I'm sure I'll have to read this blog myself when I hit a stalling point in the next few weeks. I hope you're all doing well! May the Fourth be with you :)

4.0 in Napping and Netflix

April 26, 2015

     It has been just under 13 weeks since my Paleo journey began! The weeks have flown by. I cannot believe that my freshman year is coming to a close! Recently, I have had more people asking me about the Paleo diet and how it's possible to follow it with an on campus meal plan. While I could go into the details about what exactly I eat and how often I work out, I think it is more important to focus on a broader, more important change.
     First of all, it starts with you! So many times I used to look in the mirror and think about what I would like to change and how much I wish I could have what I consider my "dream body." The first change I had to make was my mindset. I quit looking in the mirror and thinking about changing. Instead I started doing it.
     It's not as simple as it sounds obviously. We've all convinced ourselves at one point or another that we were going to start eating healthy and working out and then we failed. Why? Well these answers may vary. But it's probably because we didn't make it our priority. It is very easy to cheat on a diet or skip the gym when it isn't up very high on a to-do list. Last semester, I went to the rec center about 3 times total because I had convinced myself that there just wasn't time. But then I took a look at where my time was actually spent. I took a lot of naps. A LOT of naps. I got a 4.0 in napping. I was president of the nap club. Also, I watched a lot of Netflix. I was somehow able to get through 5 seasons of Grey's Anatomy and 3 seasons of Scandal last semester, but there wasn't enough time for the gym?? That wasn't the case. I wasn't making time for the gym. It's funny how we can seemingly be the busiest people in the world, but when we make something a priority, all of a sudden there is plenty of time for it. We've all started dating someone new at one point or another and found ourselves squeezing in every little amount of free time to see them. There is time. I promise. It all just depends on how you choose to spend it. This semester, I've taken about 7 naps total. That's nothing compared to the 45 I probably had last semester. I have rearranged my priorities completely and seen the benefits that can come from it!
     The next piece of advice I would give is to have patience. A lot of people assume that my results have happened overnight because they don't know about the three grueling weeks I spent trying to learn how to survive without my favorite foods. They don't know that for 4 weeks in a row, I didn't lose a single pound, despite being in the gym 6 days a week and eating 1200 calories a day. They only see the overall positive results that 13 weeks have produced and not the actual roller coaster it has been. Getting started is the hardest part. Really it is. People won't notice weight loss at first. It takes about 4 weeks for you to notice change, 8 weeks for your friends and family, and 12 weeks for the rest of the world. This has proven extremely true in my case. It can be difficult to continue when results aren't evident to those around you, but in 3 months from the day you began, you will be so happy you did. Nothing worthwhile happens overnight!
     There are 2.5 weeks left in the semester. My goal was to be 30 pounds lighter by the end of it. Today, I reached a total loss of 28 pounds. This goal is right in reach, and I will obtain it. Set goals for yourself, make them a priority, and start DOING. 

"Hey Dad, Wanna do a Half Marathon?"

April 10, 2015

Well howdy y'all, it has been a while because what they didn't tell me about spring semester was that there is hardly a second to spare! Just got through another busy week packed with 3 tests and other shenanigans, but I made it out still breathing!
It's been a very exciting week for me as far as milestones, weigh loss, and training go. Recently, I have started running to the gym before and after workouts. It's only about a mile run, so there and back put me at 2 miles a day. Well, that was fun, but then I found a trail I really liked and started running there. Last weekend I ran about 11 miles total and absolutely loved the mental strength it caused. Nothing feels better than finishing a long run and knowing you survived....because in the moment it seems like you won't. I've really never liked to run, so this new found hobby is very shocking to me. I've watched my dad run and train for marathons since I was 9 years old, and I've always admired people like him with so much heart and determination. I used to tell myself that one day I would run a marathon. So....I'm starting with a half! Dad and I will be running the Dallas 13.1 this October! I'm pumped to continue training and pushing my body and to listen to all the wisdom my dad has gained over the years about shoes, icing your legs, where to put your keys so they aren't stabbing you in the arm...there's so much to think about.
Also, I am officially down 24 pounds and still going strong on Paleo! It's crazy to think that in January, I mentioned to my family that I was going to lose 30 pounds this semester. Back then it seemed like a pipe dream, but by some crazy means, it is actually becoming a reality.
Remember that the body is capable of more than we can imagine. It's up to our minds to believe it!

Dancing in the Dressing Room

March 24, 2015

Long time, no talk! I apologize for the blog silence over the past couple of weeks! Things have been a bit crazy. About two weeks ago I learned that liquids and computers do not mix, and therefore am typing now from my new Macbook (thanks dad)! Last week was also spring break, which I spent backpacking and camping through Arizona with many of my best friends. It was the trip of a lifetime, and the sites we saw were breathtaking and awe inspiring. Arizona will forever have a piece of my heart.

Arizona was amazing, but trying to eat paleo while camping was not. I won't be able to choke down a dried banana chip for a long time after consuming probably 100 of those throughout the trip. I have discovered a new love for natural jerky and egg white protein shakes, however.

Actual weight loss has been at a stall for me for about 3 weeks now. I seem to be floating around the same numbers, which at first was very frustrating for me. I felt like a failure and that everything I was doing wasn't paying off like it had in the beginning. But after comparing progress pictures, I have noticed that I am still getting leaner, which should be most important anyway. Since most of my clothes weren't fitting well anymore, my awesome parents took me shopping on Sunday where I was able to fit in MEDIUM sized clothing. For someone who has worn a large and XL for the last 3 years, this was a huge deal. I have never felt so confident in a dressing room. I was also able to purchase things that I used to think looked bad on me like jeggings and v-necks. My old way of thinking told me not to even bother trying those things on, but I did it anyway and I felt like a new person. I found so many things that I liked and that fit well, I just started piling clothes into my arms...(RIP to my parents' bank account). It was so exciting to look in the mirror and like the reflection. It reminded me of why I began paleo and that the scale number is not as important as the physical difference.

I returned to my room and put all my old, non-fitting clothes into a suitcase, and then packed them away at the back of my closet. The shopping trip was just what I needed as a boost to start the latter half of spring semester!

Tests, Stress, and No Underwear

March 9, 2015

Well, it’s actually a miracle that I didn't pull all my hair out after last week. I had two midterms that required more studying than one person should ever do in their lives. I spent about 14 total hours studying for my animal science lab midterm on Thursday night. Let me tell you, nothing will make you crazier than memorizing the yield grade reproductive percentages of a sire boar from Switzerland. Especially when you're a freaking English major. Seriously, I would've rather written a dissertation. The long hours had me craving coffee and I had about 4 cups in total for the week, along with 4 smoothies to save time by drinking those instead of sitting down for a meal. I only missed one workout on Monday, but even on the days that I made it to the gym, I felt very slow and unmotivated. In fact, I felt unmotivated about everything. Studying for those tests was the last thing I wanted to do, especially with the miserable weather—weather meant for nap taking, not walking to class. I felt gross in all aspects. The week was so bad, that I reached a student low point. I realized on Friday that I was on my last pair of clean underwear and I wouldn’t have time to do laundry before I left for my weekend road trip!! I had to make a run to the mall and buy new underwear and then swing by HEB to try and stock up on Paleo snacks for the weekend. I was a stressed mess. Looking in the mirror, I could tell that weighing in for the week was not going to be a pleasant experience. 

I was right. I gained two pounds, making it my first set back after nearly 6 weeks of Paleo. I was extremely upset with myself, so upset that I just wanted to run for about 300 miles and hope the two pounds would disappear again. I sat down and reevaluated what I needed to do differently this week, so as not to feel that way anymore. I decided to cut coffee and smoothies out completely, seeing as those things definitely had a lot to do with the weight gain. I’m also trying to stay on top of my school work so that stress doesn’t affect any progress. But at the end of the day, I have to understand that this is a slow process and that everyone experiences set backs at some point. I’m sure this won’t be my last, but it is just another reason to work harder and eventually reach my end goals.
      On a positive note, I got As on both of those exams. And I finally did laundry last night.

Why I Started Paleo

February 25, 2015

A lot of people have been asking me why and how I got started on Paleo. Well, it actually wasn’t the initial plan at all. It wasn’t a New Year’s Resolution or a big scheme to get fit. It started as me just making an effort to go to the gym. I told myself I would go 3 times a week. I got a workout buddy for Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Then I noticed that on the days I didn’t drink soda, I didn’t feel as bloated, so I decided to drink only water. And then I realized that going to the gym made me feel strong and confident, so I started going on Tuesdays and Thursdays as well. After that, I downloaded the myfitnesspal app and decided I would cut back on calories since I was working out so much. I didn’t want all the exercise to go to waste! 

This all happened in about the span of a week, right when the new semester had started. Unfortunately, at about this time, my anxiety skyrocketed. I was dealing with some things that were out of my control and stress seemed to be weighing heavily on me. I began thinking about all the things in my life that were out of my control, and the list seemed endless. But then I realized that there were so many things I could control, and one of those things was eating healthy. One of my best friends had been on Paleo as a senior in high school and dropped nearly 70 pounds over the course of 6 months. He had talked to me a lot about the diet, but I didn’t know everything about it yet. I was so tired of focusing on the things I couldn’t control, so I decided to start Paleo with full force and commitment. I didn’t even wait till the next day. I started right then on Tuesday, January 27. And I haven’t stopped since. 

I don’t say any of these things out of conceitedness, but rather with the hope that someone who reads this that may be dealing with anxiety or another hindering situation, might be inspired to focus on things that we all can change. There is not enough time in the world to be dragged down by negativity! :) 

***Being on the Paleo diet is not the key to happiness in any way. It is just something I am committed to and enjoy! This post is to encourage anyone and everyone to find something positive and tangible to focus on, instead of lingering on things that we cannot control. This can be through studying the Bible on a deeper level, learning something new, building friendships and relationships, or even something small like flossing before bed (just kidding, nobody does that.) (Hopefully my dentist doesn’t read this.)

The Embarrassing Gym Stories Saga: Part 1

March 2, 2015

Happy March everybody! I can’t believe it’s almost spring break. Which means summer is just around the corner. Which means…. SWIMSUITS. About this time of year, everybody is hitting the gym to try and get that summer bod. Everyone that fell off the New Year’s Resolution train is trying to hop back on for one more shot at getting in shape. We can’t hide under baggy pants and jackets for much longer! 

I’ve been going to the rec for a while now but just thought I’d share some stories with y’all, partly for entertainment, but also as encouragement for anyone who is nervous about going to the gym to realize it’s completely okay to not know what you are doing. 

First of all, I think I have been to the rec around 30-35 times this semester, and I don’t think I have made it out once without embarrassing myself in some way. The first day that I ran on the track, I forgot to look at the arrow that points which direction to run. So I ran the opposite way and then had to awkwardly turn around mid-run once I saw all the other trackers coming straight for me. 

I have forgotten which locker I put my stuff in 3 different times now. Last week, I forgot again and had to have a worker come unlock some for me until we could find it. After ten tries, we still couldn’t find my backpack, so I told the guy it must’ve been stolen. And then he asked if I was sure I put it in that section. Then I realized I had put my bag upstairs. 

Yesterday, I was focusing on shoulders for weight training. I headed over to the barbell section and a bunch of pretty buff guys were around me, all grabbing the super heavy ones. I didn’t want to seem weak, so I tried to grab a 100 lb. barbell for shoulder shrugs….but I couldn’t even lift it off the rack…so I tried to play it cool and just grab a different one, but everyone around definitely noticed. I left the section after that…

Another time, I sat down on the last stationary bike that was available. It was really crowded. The other 6 bikes were already taken. This particular section is on the 3rd floor and overlooks the entire weight room, so everyone down stairs can see you. Well I sat down, not noticing that the seat was actually broken. The seat slid off, along with myself. Two of the other bikers stopped pedaling and just looked at me. I grabbed my towel and quickly walked away. 

In the free weights section, there are many adjustable benches. You can make it flat, inclined, or sitting straight up. There was one that was in an upright position that I wanted flat so I bent down in front of about 20 people and tried adjusting the seat. I was struggling to get it to move, so I pushed it a little harder. It wasn’t moving. I gave it one final push and it slammed down, causing a loud metal noise that echoed throughout the weight room. Then a worker came up to me and said that particular seat wasn’t actually adjustable. 

So needless to say, I’m a bit clumsy. If I still have the courage to hit the gym, anyone should! For now, I’ll work on paying more attention and staying under the radar…but no promises. 

You Can Eat Right While On-the-Go??

February 26, 2015

Perhaps the hardest part of any diet is trying to eat right when you have a busy life. It’s so much easier to go through a drive through than to set time aside to cook each day. Or at least that’s what we have in our heads! There are some easy ways to make on-the-go eating healthier!

I’m a college freshman involved in a service organization that requires volunteer hours, has mandatory meetings, and social events. I also play intramural softball and go to the gym 6 days each week, and have to stay on top of my 5 classes, all while living on campus WITHOUT a kitchen. I understand busy. I don’t recall a time in my life where I wasn’t busy! One thing I do when I’m on the go is have a smoothie for dinner. Smoothie King offers some really great flavors that are sugar and dairy free. It’s one of my favorite things to get after a workout or just a stressful day. I also hate waking up in the morning, so I generally am rolling out of bed about 10 minutes before class begins. In these cases, I grab some cold fruit from my refrigerator. Some days it’ll be a handful of grapes, other days it’s a banana. It just depends on what I bought at the grocery store that week! Which brings me to another tip. PLAN AHEAD. Before you go to the grocery store, write down everything you will need for the week ahead. On Sundays, I always buy 3 bananas to eat on my way to West Campus on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. That way I won’t be tempted to walk to the Chick-fil-a across the street. Also, it is really fun to ride a bike and eat a banana at the same time. 

Meal prep!!!! I can’t stress this enough. If you know that Mondays and Tuesdays are extremely busy and you won’t have time to cook, make the meals on Sunday afternoon! Then put them in a container and refrigerate until those days. Another thing that I do is order food to go from a sit down restaurant. Last Sunday, I called Fish Daddy’s and ordered grilled tilapia, shrimp, and vegetables. They had it ready in 10 minutes, and it is only a few dollars more expensive than a Whataburger meal. Then I camped out on my futon and watched Netflix for two hours, but didn’t even have to feel guilty. What a win-win. 

Take food to go! If you get a giant plate at a restaurant, I promise that the food will still be good tomorrow (not responsible for cases where it isn’t). Get a to go box, put it in the fridge, and bring it to work for lunch the next day. Bringing your own food is guaranteed to be more healthy than swinging through McDonald’s on a lunch break. 

If you’re like me and you love to eat out, find out what places have a healthy option for you. Unfortunately, I have had to give up going to Cane’s (or Layne’s if you’re an Aggie), but I have found that I can still go to Smash Burger and get the Avocado Grilled Chicken Club which is life changing. Most of your favorite places will have healthier options, you just have to look into it. 

Yes, all of these things take a little planning and time, but anything worth pursuing should take effort! 

An Ode to Chipotle

February 23, 2015

Being on the Paleo diet has forced me to try new things. I pretty much hate all vegetables. Ask my mom. That’s always the food group that I skip over. But unfortunately, those are pretty necessary for any diet. I have found that I can choke down green beans, broccoli, carrots, and lettuce if I eat them at the same time as the meat in my meal. I literally put a green bean (or whatever the particular vegetable it is) on each bite of meat so that I can’t taste it but still get the nutrients I need from it. So that seems to be a winner for me!

Other things, not so much. I have always been obsessed with milk, but dairy is not Paleo friendly, so I had to give almond milk a try. Let me tell you, that pathetic excuse for a milk replacement cost me $3.50 for one gallon and has been rotting in my fridge since. I gave it one sip and then ran to the trashcan to rid my mouth of its tasteless blasphemy. Now that I think about it, I should’ve never trusted a liquid that supposedly comes from an almond. 

I also have gotten food poisoning TWICE from this place on campus that serves salads. It might be because I have terrible luck, or maybe the servers there don’t like me and are purposely poisoning me. Either way, I will be avoiding that place at all costs now. 

There is a long list of foods that are flat out disgusting including every kind of Paleo friendly coffee and tea I have tried from Starbucks. I have probably wasted about $20 there to try and find something enjoyable, but oh well. It’s all about trial and error. 

On the bright side, there are tons of things I have found that I like! Organic pecans are a life line. I also have a new love for kiwis, which I had never tried before. And putting guacamole on anything and everything is a necessity. AND if y’all thought I was obsessed with Chipotle before, you don’t even understand. I practically keep that place in business now. I go at least 3 times a week because it is so amazing and organic and I can actually eat almost everything they sell! See, Paleo can be fun. 

I Don't Even Like RC

February 22, 2015

Cravings hit me like a brick wall. I’ll be going on about my day when suddenly the intense smell of freshly baked cookies or pizza or queso will capture my senses. This is where the true dedication comes in (or the failure). Usually, I can tell myself that the temporary tastes of those foods are not as satisfying as a healthy and lean body, but sometimes it is very difficult to convince myself of that. The little devil on my shoulder will whisper, “you can have just a little! A little won’t matter because you’ve been eating so well today. You deserve it!” But what is a little? A little turns into a lot, and a lot turns into another failed attempt at dieting. That’s why it is important to think of Paleo not as a diet, but as a change in lifestyle. It is best to not give into even “a little” of the foods that will not nourish your body, because it is much easier to walk away if you haven’t tasted it yet. 

It gets really bad at times, though. At this point, I have started to crave things that I don’t even like that much! Just yesterday, I saw a commercial of a kid drinking an RC soda. I kept thinking to myself, man an RC sounds so good. And then I was like, what the heck? I hate RC hahaha. Luckily, cravings pass, especially if you go eat something else tasty! Finding things that you like to eat and are Paleo friendly is key. For me, I’ll have some grilled shrimp and sautéed vegetables or a hamburger patty with guacamole on top. A good meal takes care of cravings pretty well! 

Bacon is Good

February 18, 2015

Here’s a fun question to answer…. “Hey Shelby what kinda diet are you on? I know I’ve asked like three times, I just don’t get it.” To be honest, I didn’t get it at first either. I’ve been on dozens of Paleo sites trying to pinpoint exactly what this diet entails…or more accurately, what it doesn’t entail. It’s pretty simple, though, when you think about it this way: if the humans of the Paleolithic Era (a really long time ago, even before agriculture and chipotle (yeah I know, dark times)) didn’t have access to it, you can’t eat it or drink on the Paleo diet. The good news is that almost all meats are included in this. A DIET THAT LET’S YOU EAT RED MEAT? Yes. Jackpot. The bad news is that this does not include any dairy product, grain product, processed food, junk food, fast food, fake food, or really anything that brings you happiness. Just kidding. Well, actually I’m not kidding at all. Literally none of my favorite foods made the list of acceptable things according to the Paleo diet. Except bacon. Bacon is the saving grace. 

See the problem is, Americans aren’t the best at eating food for its true purpose: to fuel and energize us. Going out to eat is merely a social event. In fact, it’s very rare to spend more than a few hours with friends or family and not have food incorporated in some way. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it becomes a bad thing when the food everybody eats is doing nothing but sitting and rotting in the body. Food has lost its purpose of energizing us if it doesn’t have any nutrients. After 18, almost 19 years of living in a culture that practically idolizes food, I had to do some major mind adjustments in order to change my habits. Everything on the Paleo diet is meant to enrich the body in a positive way. When everything you are putting into yourself is being used to help make you function, it leaves no room for fats, sugars, and carbs to settle and cause weight gain. Therefore, weight is lost! It’s really awesome. And seeing physical results is far more awesome than the temporary tastes of my favorite foods. 

So next time someone asks me why I’m taking the bun and cheese off of my hamburger, or they joke about throwing my food into a bush for me to gather myself, I have no problem telling them why I’m eating this way. Paleo is not a diet, it is a change of lifestyle- one I plan to continue even after I reach my goal weight.

21 Days

February 17, 2015

It is now day 21 of Paleo which means…THE HABIT HAS BEEN FORMED. Yep, that’s what they say. It takes 21 days for habits to take root, and it all gets easier after that. I have experienced this in other areas of my life. Starting college was quite the transition and after the newness and excitement had worn off, homesickness settled in. I longed for my bed and my family and just to come home to a dinner waiting for me on the stove. But surely enough, after about 3 weeks to a month of college, I had gotten used to this way of life. If anything, it’s stranger to return home now than it is to be here in College Station. I went through similar circumstances when getting in shape for high school basketball. The beginning was always rough when season rolled around, and with coach Hodge’s practice hours, it’s a miracle I wasn’t having a daily mental breakdown. Oh wait…I actually was. But sticking to a schedule and forcing myself to get out of bed and go to the gym on those bitterly cold mornings developed a habit. Basketball practice became something automatic.
Likewise, transitioning from the typical diet of a college freshman to the diet of a Paleolithic hunter and gatherer has been quite the struggle. I went from having Chick-fil-a for lunch, burgers and fries for dinner, to a veggie egg-white omelet for breakfast and lean meats and assorted fruits throughout the day. It used to be a struggle for me to go a day without a Dr. Pepper, and now I drink water religiously. Seriously, at the beginning I felt like I was going to drown in all the water. Going out to eat with friends was extremely painful. I could taste all the foods I used to eat and crave them immensely. Chips and queso, pizza, cookies, ice cream, enchiladas, spaghetti, BREAD. I ached for those tastes again, but I fought the temptations like my life depended on it.
It’s hard. People ask me what my secret is behind the motivation and how I have been able to say no to the foods that surround me constantly, especially being on a college campus. Honestly, the secret is that there is no secret. We have been told our whole lives that the way to lose weight is to eat right and exercise. And that’s really all there is to it. There isn’t a magical process, and if you hear about someone losing weight without having to work hard, it’s probably too good to be true. Eating right and exercising is a HUGE discipline. At first, all of my thoughts revolved around what I couldn’t eat anymore, what I was missing out on, and how my hours in the gym could’ve been spent hanging out with friends or reading chapters in my textbooks. But at 16 pounds lighter and a shirt and pant size thinner, my thoughts have evolved into how much better I feel, the energy I have, and the progress I have made and will continue to make. Seriously, it’s crazy. My face that is normally broken out has cleared up, I have such a renewed mind, and all the exercise has released endorphins, making me generally happier. It is an incredible feeling to look in the mirror and see such significant results in only 21 days.
Don’t get me wrong, I still have tons of temptations. Just today I was tempted to eat the chocolate Hershey’s kisses that had been in my bag, taunting me since Valentine’s day. When I strongly debated eating just one, I thought of my goal to have reached a total weight loss of 20 pounds by the end of this week, and I decided to get rid of the temptation. I gave the entire entire bag to a classmate. Although I was strong in this example, there have been some slip ups, like the scoop of ice cream I had two weeks ago and the coke I had at the movies when I visited home. Slip ups are going to happen, but it is most important to correct those mistakes and focus on staying committed, rather than indulging in other negative areas.
So yeah, it is possible to eat right and exercise while living on a college campus. Luckily I have an awesome group of friends to support me and a best friend on the Paleo diet as well! I am so glad I persevered through those first 3 weeks because the benefits outweigh the challenges in every way. 21 days down, a lifetime of healthy living to go!