Eating and Performing Beautifully Strong

I love ToneItUp! The trainers are such an inspiration for me and have sparked my interest in becoming a personal trainer someday...possibly opening a gym somewhere down the road. This video makes me a little jealous right now...I am going through some serious running withdraw. I want to go for a run so badly, I miss just lacing up my running shoes, feeling my feet pounding the pavement, and just enjoying my run and clearing my head. No other workout compares to the feeling I get when I run (or the endorphin high I get afterwards), although kickboxing comes fairly close, but its a different type of workout.

Not running has really mentally set me back in my recovery from the eating disorder. I know that sometimes you have to take two steps back to take one step forward, but its incredibly difficult to see the big picture some days. It also doesn't help that the quality of food I have eaten in the last two weeks has gone downhill between my birthday and finals week. Needless to say I ate way too much pizza, breadsticks, ice cream, and restaurant food. My self-confidence and self-esteem has taken a hit and I am struggling with the weight that I have gain over the last two month and the fact that I will be in a swimsuit in 4 days and am incredibly uncomfortable with the idea. I am trying to focus on being proud of who and am and how my body is built. We are all created uniquely, nobody is alike, yet society tries to shape us and mold us into this unrealistic body. Personally, I struggle with the fact that I work so hard for this body, and don't feel like I am seeing a difference, or at least the promised results. The lies we are told through fashion and media about our bodies are a major factor in the amount of eating disorders in the United States.

So my goal right now is to learn to accept my body for the way it is. To not pay attention to the scale, the models, the actresses, but to take care of my body for my health and future. To learn to love me for me and to build a strong and healthy body so that I have the ability to accomplish things and achieve my goals and dreams instead of focusing on the perfect body and being super skinny.

How do you build a body that performs beautifully strong? Its starts with fueling your mind, whether or not you are willing to put aside your insecurities and limitations, whether you believe in yourself and can stay focused enough to push through anything. Next is fueling your body, not necessarily dieting (because this often leaves to tired and malnutritioned), but changing your eating habits to best fuel your body with food that is full of nutrition and substance to energize your body to the max. Finally its about keeping yourself active and working out to kick your metabolism into gear, whether you are walking everyday or competitively running, activity will increase your immune system and keep you more youthful and possibly even lengthen your life.

Stay tuned for some posts I am working on including healthy and amazing recipes (that I have personally tried!), a list of Super Foods, and the benefits of different types of workouts, including CrossFit and interval training.

On a side note, I need to find a swimsuit for this next week.