( from Thea.Livewell on IG )
As you may know from a previous post, I am on this trek to lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle.
I know I've for sure gained some weight when my fiance noticed. LOL.
He did not notice when my hair went from this dark to...
...this light
In early October, a few friends and I drove up to Ventura to visit and surprise a friend who was just rediagnosed with ovarian cancer (a major f*ck you to cancer!). Of course, we took pictures. When my fiance saw them, he said, "Hey, did you gain some weight?"
That was totally a reality check for me. I knew I had been gaining weight, but once my boo notices, then dang, it has gotten out of hand.
I started my journey of losing weight. I started watching what I ate, but often fell off the bandwagon. I take Zumba classes about 3 - 5 days week. The difficult part was controlling what I ate when I got home from Zumba. I would eat double what I usually ate. I always felt shitty about myself afterwards.
I attended a case management conference in early October where Dr. Mark Hyman presented. He was an amazing speaker and I must shamelessly admit, my new doctor crush. LOL <3 Before I entered his workshop, I texted a friend something along the lines of "Here I go. Another boring workshop. Daydreaming time." I was proven wrong.
The lecture turned out to be phenomenal. He was inspiring, motivating and so freaking hilarious. There was never a dull moment.
From Dr. Hyman's talk, I took on a greater lesson. It is not just about losing weight. It's about being healthy all around, about being mindful of what we put into our bodies and knowing where our food comes from. I don't just want to look "good" but I also want to feel good and be healthy.
Dr. Hyman recommended a documentary he worked on called "Fed Up." I was really happy to find it on Netflix so definitely get on it if you can.
The film was really inspiring. It showed me how much bad stuff I put into my body including processed foods, sugar, and fat. "Reduced fat" means nothing really. It barely makes a change. And to alter food, it has to be processed. So an already processed food has to be reprocessed to be made healthier? It just does not sound right. He also talked about solutions to living healthier lives. Just being more conscious of what we put into our body is key.
One of the greatest takeaways is when he said, "Junk is still junk even if it is less junky."
I would be lying to myself if I were to say I am never going to eat processed foods again. Xxtra Hot Cheetos are my winter weakness but they are soooo bad for you. I eat a bag about 2x/mo. How about I just have them 1x/mo? I can deal with that. Eating less cookies, less chips, less things that were not naturally made to be such.
There was a woman in the film who said something along the lines of "If there is a food with an expiration date that exceeds my lifetime then I know it can't be good for me."
AHHH I just went on a long excited rant about health.
I am really looking forward to healthier lifestyle. Just like everyone says, it's not about deprivation but moderation. Also, getting active.
I am so happy my coworkers and I are on the same train. Six of us with Fitbits have started a challenge to get healthier and fitter!
I have the Fitbit Charge 2 which I named "Fitty Wap" after Fetty Wap. LOL. I know. I'm a goon.
( credit : www.macys.com )
So far, I am really digging it. The app allows me to track my water as well. Since it is a competition, it has motivated me to actually drink more water. I have met my water goal once. I know that does not seem like a lot, but I am the worst water drinker. A cup of coffee in the morning and water to take my meds at night. Zumba definitely helps me drink water.
ANYWAYS! I babbled throughout this whole post only because I am so excited about my life to come. Healthy living. Healthy me. Win win.
( credit : I can't remember. Sorry. Facebook? )
Xoxoxo
