It's All Mental!

This is proof that achieving a small goal (even though it may not seem small  at the time) like getting through a workout when you're completely exhausted and lacking motivation is all in  your mindset. This is what my mind got me through tonight as I prepared to go to the gym. The only  thing that got me there, got me going, kept me going and made me complete my entire workout were my  thoughts!

I was at home and waited all day until I finally decided I needed to head to the gym. I was tired, my body was sore and aching from yesterdays  workout  and  I  told  myself  if  I  went  to  the gym I  could  at least stretch first and  if  I felt good  enough I  could  workout. When I  got there I decided  that  I would  do at least one  of  four rounds  of  my CrossFit style workout.  After I completed  the first round  I  convinced myself  I could  go for at least one  more.  I  beat my previous round time on  my  second round so I told myself I would  do  just one  more  round.  After I  did  the third round  I told myself  I could  at least  finish  the fourth round  even if  it  was  slow,  as  long as  I finished  it. I  knew  I  also  had  a  1.5 mile run  planned  out after these  4 rounds  (which I  was  planning  I would  just skip  if  I did  the  4  rounds).  After finishing  all rounds  with  dramatically improved  timing  from  this  same  workout  last week  I decided I would  at least walk  1.5  miles.
I  got on  the treadmill  and  walked  a quarter  mile.  I  told  myself I  could  run  at least a  half  a mile.  I  wanted to  give  up  so  bad  throughout  my entire  workout  but  I  didn't once I ran  a  half  a  mile  I  decided to slow  the speed  and  at least  run  another quarter mile.  Once I  got to  a  three  quarters of a mile I knew I was halfway. I saw  America's  Next  Ninja  on  TV and  this  girl  was competing. Watching her kick ass and  do  her best made me feel  like I  could  definitely  push  through this  short  run  of  another three quarters  of  a mile. I  watched  her dominate the obstacle course and the last half  of my run  felt like  nothing  and  it was  over before  I knew it.
This  all  may sound  so  repetitive  and silly but  honestly  it's  the only way  I  got  through my workout.  Had I not talked and walked myself  through  it with thoughts and  words  I  would  have  easily just given up. What I felt my  body couldn't do  tonight  was  all  in  my head.  I  also  feel way better now  than I did  before I got to the gym!
I'm proud of  myself and  I feel accomplished. This will be a reminder to me for days in the future  when I am feeling like this  again!



Last week total round  time  = 23min:53sec
Tonight total round time  = 17min:54sec
Difference  =  5min:59sec

For my run, last week I did the elliptical  and  1.5 miles took  me 26min:10sec
Tonight I ran on the treadmill and  1.5 miles  took  me 17min:30sec

Be consistent, believe in  yourself, keep progressing and getting faster and stronger!

Eliminating The Junk!

There is one goal that is so important to me that I haven't committed 100% to accomplishing just yet. That is removing  all processed foods from  my  diet. I  have made this a priority off and  on over the last two years. I feel  like it's so easy for people  to just believe  what the food companies  are telling us and  just ignore  the raw facts. The ingredients that are used to create processed foods  are  chemicals that our bodies weren't designed  to  digest  and  they contain no  nutritional value whatsoever. As a nation, we  are over-feeding  ourselves these chemically engineered foods and  starving our cells  of beneficial nutrients  by doing so. These products are designed  to look  and  taste good, keep you craving  more, while being able to sit on a shelf for months and even years.  In order for a food to be able to  do  that many un-natural chemicals  and  preservatives are  added in. Try saving a  piece of  fruit or  a vegetable for the same amount of time as  a boxed, bagged or canned  food. There  is no way it  would last even  a month. When you consume these foods  your  are ingesting  toxins  which lead to weight gain,  health problems,  disease  and  eventually death.
I think the best thing anyone can do is  educate themselves. Research  documentaries,  scientific studies  and articles  explaining  the  negative effects processed foods have on our bodies.

A  few tips I  have  for anyone  trying  to  eat a diet free of processed  foods...
1. Eat foods  as close to nature  as possible. 
2. Buy your groceries weekly and  stay away from  the center  isles.
3. Choose fresh or frozen produce instead of  canned.
4. Read labels, the less ingredients the better. If you can't pronounce it, it's not natural.
5. Google natural, homemade  alternatives to your favorite processed food items.

For example,  I really like coffee creamer but after I researched the ingredients labeled on my sugar free Coffee-Mate creamer I was disgusted!  I couldn't easily pronounce 99% of the ingredients on the label. Instead, I started using half and half with a teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa powder and stevia for a chocolaty flavor or I will add a  tablespoon or two of  my favorite  protein  powder.

To learn more about each ingredient, click on the ingredient. 

It will open an article in a new window.

 





Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil = Completely unnatural man-made fats created through the partial hydrogenation process cause dysfunction and chaos in your body on a cellular level, and studies have linked trans-fats to health problems ranging from obesity and diabetes to reproductive problems and heart disease. The genetically engineered (GE) variety planted on over 90 percent of US soy acres is Roundup Ready engineered to survive being doused with otherwise lethal amounts of Monsanto's Roundup herbicide (glyphosate). GE soybeans have been found to contain residue levels as high as 17 mg/kg, and malformations in frog and chicken embryos have occurred at just over 2 mg/kg.
Dipotassium Phosphate = Dipotassium Phosphate can act as a skin and eye irritant along with causing vomiting and diarrhea if consumed directly in quantities. Inhaling Dipotassium Phosphate can irritate the lungs and can cause distressed breathing.
Disodium Phosphate = Disodium phosphate is used primarily as a food additive for stabilization, emulsification and phosphate fortification. It can also be used for industrial purposes as a corrosion inhibitor, as a pesticide ingredient and in industrial and other cleaning products. Although it's safe in the form in which it's added to food products, disodium phosphate in its pure form can sometimes be toxic on contact or if ingested.
Mono- And Diglycerides = They promote inflammation and obesity; raise LDL, or bad, cholesterol levels; and lower HDL, or good, cholesterol levels. Made up in part of fatty acids, mono- and diglycerides may contain trans fats, either when manufactured in a lab or, if they come from an animal or vegetable source, when exposed to heat for processing into packaged and prepared foods.
Artificial Flavors = Artificial flavors have no nutritional value. Over consumption can cause obesity, high blood sugar and cholesterol. Those who are on strict diets may note that artificial flavors sometimes contain animal products, like glycerin and may also contain alcohol.
Carrageenan = Given its effect on gastrointestinal inflammation, Cornucopia urges anyone suffering from gastrointestinal symptoms (irritable bowel syndrome/IBS, spastic colon, inflammatory bowel disease, chronic diarrhea, etc.) to consider completely eliminating carrageenan from the diet to determine if carrageenan was a factor in causing the symptoms.

Conclusion: All along I have known  that these ingredients "weren't  good  for me"  but I  didn't  take the time to look into each  ingredient and  research their effects on  the body. In my opinion, it's not fair to myself to  NOT research it. At least now  I know what the consequences are if I do decide to choose flavor and  addiction  over my health. Now that  I  have  seen the truth  I  will  be much  more  conscious  when  purchasing foods  in  a  jar, can, bag  or box. If I can't pronounce  it easily and if  I  have  to  google the  ingredient,  I  don't want  it in  my body!