Life Lessons: American Idol, Pizza and Squats by Becca
Corinne asked me to write a blog. I have been sitting here trying to think of what to say because I never find myself a person of great words, wisdom, or knowledge like many of our fellow PnPers.
There is one thing that breaks my heart and gets me all upset is when I see people give into temptations all around them, they give up on themselves, and they sabotage all their hard work … and yet for what? NOTHING. They end up not being happy with themselves in the long run anyway. I get frustrated because I can see the “old Becca” in them and I know they aren’t happy and I want them to be happy and get on the “road to health”.
I probably have said this a 100 times but anyone who knew me a year ago, you would just hear me complain that I am not losing weight fast enough, argue with the Queen Corrine about how hard it was and how I just can’t do it, give up myself. Or that I can’t eat this or that because I don’t like it. Heck, I don’t think some of it that I complained about that I even tried. Some days I ask myself “why didn’t she just give up on me?” Well she can’t change a person, she can only give direction, guidance and try to help you stir your life in the course that you need to be on. But we have to make these decisions, commitments for ourselves.
Through life lessons, I have learned there are few things in the world you can control. Things always come up that can derail us in one way or another way but we can still have control of a few things in life.
One thing that I can control is: my food. I decide what goes in my mouth, how much I put in there. I choose to spend the extra few minutes (not hours) to make my lunch, to pack my snacks, to make sure that I have the nutrition for the day that I am going to feel satisfied with.
Second thing, that I am control of: my exercise. I understand that there at times you can’t get in the whole program that you wanted too. But can you make a few adjustments during your day to move a little bit? Can you miss that TV program to make sure your workout is done? I plan it like it’s an important appointment each day. Would you miss an appointment with your doctor? Or something that meant something VERY important to you? Then why do you allow yourself to miss your workouts that could add health to your life – make you a healthier, stronger person
This is your life, your health. We all can blame our health problems on our childhood, family inherited diseases, or just life is too busy. I challenge all of you to take 5 minutes and look and see how you can adjust your time to be able to fit in that workout. What’s more important to you? Your health or to see who gets voted off American Idol this week.
I never thought of myself doing this a year ago. I know find myself emailing Corinne in a panic because I am going on a trip and I need to be able to keep exercising or getting to the gym before I stepped on a train to go back to Montana so that I had a good workout before I left. What did I skip to be able to do this? Lunch out with my co-workers. But in the end, I walked on that train feeling like my legs were dead weights (squats & lunges are killers); a healthy lunch & snacks packed in my cooler.
Do you think that honestly I WANT to go and spend an hour or longer at the gym and get all sweaty, stinky, walk out of there all bull-legged? Or do you think I really want to eat another piece of chicken when pizza sounds so much better? NO! Then why do I do it? I decided a few months ago that I wanted to be healthier, stronger and a happier person. I was tried of being the “complainer” and not the doer. So I decided that it was time for me to listen, to follow what the best have been doing and have the great results. Slowly I started to see the results on me, I am seeing my arms slowly get stronger, and I am seeing where I am trying new foods and enjoying them. I see myself an overall happier person. I am starting to REALLY love the new me but it took me taking control of the things I can control and making them work for me. Even when life keeps throwing me curve balls, I just keep trying to find ways to work around them. It’s our life.
Next time you are tempted by a cookie, candy bar, lunch out with the girls, an extra glass of wine, skipping a workout – ask yourself “what am I worth? Is it really worth it?”
It’s your time! Its time for you to take control of your life!