When I was exercising this week, I was thinking about what lit a fire in me to make working out and nutrition such a big part of my life.  I have, for the most part, been mindful of my mind and body, but sometimes life gets busy and we don’t care for ourselves as much or as good as we should. In high school, I played tennis during the fall and considered what I put in my mouth occasionally, but the less than healthy lunch options were something I ate too frequently without much thought.  Once I got home from school, I usually ate a snack which often consisted of unhealthy microwave foods such as pizza rolls, bagel bites, or hot pockets.  While I may not have been fat, my eating choices weren’t nutritious and I was heading down the wrong road. Believe it or not, I actually weighed about 20 pounds more when I was in high school than I do now.  I was not considered overweight or obese, but I wasn’t exactly in shape either.

So what sparked the change?  It’s quite simple and can be said in one sentence: I didn’t want to become a statistic.  I was getting ready to enter college and didn’t want to gain the “Freshman 15.”  For those who are not familiar, this is the extra 15 pounds college freshman tend to put on when they go off to college because of dorm food, cooking for themselves, and eating out with their friends in between classes, on weekends, and frequently when drinking.  Further, the change in schedule and the new college lifestyle typically contributes to poor food choices and irregular workouts.  That wasn’t the only thing that spurred the change within me.  While I was not overweight or obese, I was not in shape and that bothered me.  At 18 years old, I was not fat, but more than anything I was not in shape.  I could run several miles and I could play tennis, but I wasn’t in shape and I wanted to change that.  I wanted to get in shape and not become a statistic.  Statistics that are heard and read all the time such as increased risk for heart disease and stroke, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or even Type II diabetes.

I was bound and determined not to become a statistic.  In fact, I still am.  I  refuse to allow myself to become a statistic that defines, determines, or tells me my choices are killing me.  You should consider the same thing and what impact it has on your body (i.e. eating junk food, smoking, texting and driving, etc.).  Choices that I can control are choices I will continue to try to sway in my favor to make me be in shape and stay in shape!  Like me, use statistics and negative health facts (i.e. Freshman 15) to spur your own health goals.  How did I go about making the changes I needed to get in shape and stay in shape to keep from gaining the “Freshman 15”?  I made nutrition, exercise, and wellness my way of life.  This was not a temporary fad or diet, but a permanent lifestyle change.

Now, I don’t eat overly processed foods as much as possible, my diet consists heavily of fruits and vegetables, and I eat scheduled meals that include diverse foods (spinach, sweet potatoes, broccoli, carrots, hummus, grilled chicken, etc).  It doesn’t mean I do not splurge and eat cookies or ice cream or some of my favorite foods such as Pad Thai or pizza, but I eat these foods in moderation and my pizza is homemade and loaded with veggies! 🙂

I wrote this long blog that either bored you to death or hopefully inspired you from beginning to end to make fitness, working out, nutrition, and wellness a way of life!  A life changing decision that you choose to embark on to make yourself a better you!

~jj