Friday, November 27, 2009

Pre New Year's Resolution

So I've decided to set my New Year's resolution early. I figure I should start it as soon as possible to make it count.
So many times I've said I'd eat healthy and work out on a regular basis. Time and time again I would buy the healthy food, eat them for a week and then get lazy and eat something junky, thinking, oh well next week I'll do better. I'd try and I'd fail every time. I'd also be good and go to the gym for a couple of weeks, and then something would come up, or I'd find some excuse to where I no longer exercised or went to the gym for a while. Continuously I would tell myself the next week, or after a certain day I would be better.
Well, I decided to analyze my ways and figure out what I was doing wrong. I had talked to a good friend in the past, he told me it's about a change in lifestyle. It's not a temporary diet, it's a lifestyle. He's very healthy, he eats all the right foods continuously, not just for a short period; he works out on a daily basis and even when he is sick he never finds an excuse. It's become his way of life, and he feels better and more energized. After talking to him, and making fun of his way of life for a while, I've decided he is right. I've decided to stop with the "next time", "well, next week", "I'll do better when..." phrases, I'm just going to change my lifestyle.
So how am I going to do this? Well, I'm changing my eating habits. I've developed a plan. I'm going to eat more vegetables on a daily basis, more fruits, more whole grains, more skim dairy, and less fats and sugars. Everyday, I have to eat some kind of vegetable (carrots, cellary, lettuce, bell peppers, cucumbers etc.,). Now, I'm not a fan of vegetables, but Kerrie makes this fabulous dip for them. I think that if I can just eat the vegetables with the dip, eventually I'll like vegetables by themself and won't need the dip anymore.
I also have to eat at least one serving of fruits everyday, at least an apple, a banana, an orange, something. I also have to have at least some kind of whole grain everyday, which more than likely be cherrios in the morning and a sandwhich on whole grain bread. I'm also going to have a glass of milk a day, and some cheese, cottage cheese or yogurt everyday.
What about those uncontrollable cravings I have? I always get a sweet tooth at night, and usually I would just eat some cookies, or find some kind of sweet, fat snack. Well, I've decided that when I get that sweet tooth, instead of eating my normal snack, I will eat some kind of fruit. I think it might help my sweet tooth and would be a more healthy choice. If I get the craving for chips or something fatty, I'll eat vegetables instead. I'm changing these eating habits that I've noticed, that prevent me from achieving the energy level I want and need, as well as the physical attributes.

So I have the healthy eating part down a little bit, now about the working out. So I've decided I need to do some kind of work out everyday (except for Sundays). A lot of times I run out of time during the day to go to the gym because I'm so busy, and I know my schedule isn't going to be changing soon. So, for the rest of the semester, I'll continue going to my aerobics class that I have Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Every other day, I'll go to the gym for an hour or so. If I can't make it to the gym, I have to take 30 minutes at home and do a work out video I have.
To keep track of this, I'm going to keep a chart. Everyday I work out I'll put a sticker on the chart for that day. Hopefully that will motivate me.

So that is my plan so far. It can still be adjusted, but for now, it sounds pretty good to me. Changing my lifestyle, it feels good.

Monday, November 2, 2009

The best thing about being in your 20's

Overall, life is good. I often have struggles, but looking around me, looking at what I've accomplished, looking at where I am and where I am going, life is great. I absolutely love this point in my life. In the perfect position right now, I'm in a place where I can do anything I want. I have nothing to tie me down. This is the time in my life where I can do things that I may not ever have the chance of doing again.

This is the time to take all opportunities that come along, don't make regrets, make experiences and learn. Right now I am doing everything I want to do. This is my time, and I am so thankful that I have it. I'm doing what I want and not making excuses. There is no excuse to be made, the decision is mine. I have the power and authority, no one else can control me and my situation. I'm in control and I love it.

I enjoy being single, I enjoy right now not having the responsibility of kids. I enjoy not being tied down to a career right now. All I have is school and my 2 jobs that I love but am not tied down to. I could get up and just move half way across the country right now if I wanted to. I'm graduating in May and I'll have even more freedom to do what I want. This is the best time of my life right now, these are the days I make the most of and the best of. These are the days I will always remember and will have no regrets. It's all a learning experience and I'm loving every minute of it.

Above everything else though, I think what is best about this time in my life, is I know who I am and I love who I am. It makes all the difference when you've done your self discovery and have found out that you are an amazing person and you come to love yourself. You come to see yourself as Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ see you, and you know where you belong. I think after figuring out who you are, everything just seems better and you become more appreciative and open. Your eyes are opened with your heart and you understand better. You end up loving your life more. I think that is the best thing about being in your 20's. At least for me.