Step Two - Self Love (Don't Let The Title Fool You!)

There are days when I look in the mirror and don't like what I see. I start wishing I had a magic wand to eliminate the jiggle of my thighs or a miracle eraser that I could swipe across my tummy pooch to make it disappear.

Over the course of my lifetime, I've given my less than stellar body parts nicknames like "doughnut", "brisket thighs", and "jelly belly." Yep, self-deprecating humor at it's finest (or worst). I always figured that if I laughed it off or criticized it first, then I was in control...or so I thought.

It's painful when others say cruel things to us yet we accept that kind of garbage from our own selves. When you love someone you encourage them, believe in them, and give them all of the positive energy that you can. We do what we can to lift them up so they can reach their goals and try our best to not use hurtful words towards them. So why on earth wouldn't we treat ourselves the same way?

A lot of it stems from the idea that giving ourselves that kind of love is selfish. It's NOT. Loving yourself isn't about being frivolous and excessively indulgent; it's about treating yourself with respect, valuing one's health and longevity. As flawed as we may think they are, our bodies are pretty freakin' awesome.

The more respect you give yourself, the more your body and mind will respond favorably. Acceptance of your body doesn't mean that it can't be improved; it means that you accept it in it's current state, which can always be bettered. Love yourself enough to make positive changes and don't chastise yourself if you fall short. Part of self-love means not giving up on yourself.

Recognize how amazing you are, stop beating yourself up, and choose the thoughts you  have about yourself with care because you ARE listening. Give it a shot because you are totally worth it!

Happy Trails!

Valeka

Lessons vs. Mistakes

It is much easier at all times to prevent an evil than to rectify mistakes.- George Washington

All men may err; but he that keepeth not his folly, but repenteth, doeth well; but stubbornness cometh to great trouble. - Sophocles

This week, I was far more consistent with my work outs.  I managed to get in a zumba class, a 4 mile walk at Town Lake and multiple 30 minute trail walks.  It helped my energy level and my ability to handle some stressful situations that popped up during the week.  I'm moving more which is a step in the right direction BUT, I am still falling very short in the healthy eating department.  I keep repeating the same mistakes when it comes to what I eat.  I am aware that I am eating poorly and that ultimately the decisions I make will impact me later in life but I do it anyway.  I don't understand why we continually hurt ourselves with bad choices when we KNOW that it isn't the wisest thing for us.  If given the choice between a cupcake and a bowl of berries, I will pick the least healthy option just about every time.  I have always believed that mistakes are lessons in disguise and without them, there can be no progression in life.  So what does it mean when we willingly give in to the same set of circumstances and repeat the same mistake over and over again?  Does it mean that we are content with our current state of being?  Or does it mean that we are regressing because we are not doing anything to improve our life?  Something to consider and applicable to so many aspects of one's life.

Today's agenda includes a trip to the grocery store to buy some healthy eating options.  I'm hoping that will keep me from eating garbage because my selections at home will be healthier.  My plan is to go back to my mostly raw diet (although I detest the word "diet" and prefer to think of it as a "lifestyle").  I need to retrain my brain to seek out those foods instead of the fatty/salty/sugary things I have been eating.  One of the things that helped me tremendously in my previous weight-loss ventures was giving myself a day to eat whatever I wanted without guilt.  It allowed me the opportunity to have the things I really love and not feel that I was undoing all of the good I did for my body during the week.  It kept me from making some big mistakes.  I am trying to treat each of my meals as a lesson in making better choices for myself.  My hope is that by improving those decisions, I will also find it easier to make better choices in other parts of my life as well (i.e., the job situation).  I have to start with showing myself some tough love.  I know what I need to do to succeed and I need to keep myself from deviating from that mindset.  The last thing I want is to be one of those people that keeps running around in circles making the same screw ups but can't seem to figure out why things aren't changing.  My thought for myself (and for you) this week will be "learn the lesson, move on and do not repeat".  We can do it.

Happy Trails,

Valeka  

Road Tested - Sharkies

I have had several followers comment on how helpful my "Gear" blog was in helping them find the right products to use as a new runner/wogger.  That has led me to create a new weekly feature I like to call "Road Tested".  Each Wednesday, I will feature a new product or item I have tried and let you know how it worked out for me.  There may also be a few items thrown in that I am interested in or that seem like they would be very helpful to our workouts.  It may save you from spending money unnecessarily!

One of the things I love using when I run long distances are called Sharkies (http://www.sharkiesinc.com/home).  They are these awesome little fruit chews that are organic and filled with electrolytes, vitamin C and complex carbohydrates.  They are gluten-free, wheat-free and vegetarian if you have any special dietary requirements.  When running long distances, the body requires additional fuel to keep your muscles energized and these have worked really well for me.  I have tried several bars and gels but they tended to upset my stomach which is NOT something you want when running 10 miles with no bathroom in site!  I tried Sharkies by accident when I initially purchased the "kids" chews thinking they were a gummy candy shaped like one of my favorite animals.  The kids chews tasted surprisingly good and worked just fine for me when I took them along during a long run.  Give these a try during your next work out if you need a little energy boost! 

Happy Trails,
Valeka