My perspective on (some of the) short- and long-term benefits of a healthy lifestyle :-)

Buenos dias!

I'm sitting here eating my breakfast and I am feeling determined to get it right from now it (I mean in terms of nutrition and timing [every 3 hours] and portion control). It seems that I always say this to myself : 'this time I'm going to get it right" but that really is my goal. Only with a proper nutrition will I ever see the results I desire: less body fat and maintain or increase my muscle mass (maybe add more to my glutes ;-) With less body fat, not only will I see the defined abs (close to a six-pack), but I'll achieve a more defined physique all over. Also with added muscle, my metabolism will continue running high and I'll have more energy through out the day!

These are  only short-term benefits I see with a lifestyle of proper nutriton and weight training and I love it! It is not easy to carry it out, but I really DO NOT see myself living any other way. I enjoy the planning process, the meal preparation, feeling energized and hydrated the whole day. I love the  feeling I get when I lift weights and when my body tells me, "I can't, I'm getting tired, I wanna stop..." and suddenly I get an instant rush of energy and strength and I hear my body say, "Babe, you got this! You can do it. Three more reps, push it out. Go, go, go!" And when I am done, I tell myself each time: "I knew it. I did it. It was one workout to being the best me."

Furthermore, a healthy lifestyle gives me more peace of mind and warms a loving heart. Let's not forget that emotional and spiritual health are an extremely important piece of the puzzle. With more appreciation to myself and life, I am able to appreciate those around me, especially the closest to me, Bret, my family and friends.

I also have to add that it takes me a shorter time to fall as sleep and I am a much better sleeper. With enough sleep I am able to focus and have a clear mind through out the day. Yes, there are times (many!) when I do stress and panic, like everyone does, but I deal with it much better that I did before. I can calm myself down and take care of business one thing at a time so I don't get too overwhelmed or paralyzed to get anything done. Something of which I so struggled with before!

To see the long-term benefits are also my motivation to maintaining this lifestyle. As a result of more muscle mass I will slow down the aging process-- my long term goal. Studies have shown it that increased physical activity slows down the aging process. But I actually hit another topic I'd like to talk about; just a side note....I love biology so here I go....So, how does the aging process really occur? It has a lot to do at the cellular level. The telomeres in our cells are like these little 'caps' at the end of our chromosomes (DNA strands) that prevent them from 'fraying' each time our cells divide. As time goes by (years and years), we experience more and more cell division and our telomeres get shorter and shorter. How do you know, shorter telomeres means youthfulness? When the telomeres of, say, a 65-year old are looked at and compared to a 25-year old's the telomeres of the young person's telomeres are significantly longer! Another thing I just leaned: "Eventually, the telomeres become too short to allow cell replication, the cell stops dividing and eventually dies," (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jay-williams-phd/telomeres-_b_837862.html).

With proper and healthy nutrition I will stay healthy and be the healthiest I can be. My body is my temple, the only one God gave me. It is up to me to take care of it and treat it like the masterpiece God created, just alike any other wonder in nature. I must admit though, that taking care of my body is no longer so much about me...What do I mean by that? Well, the older I get, more frequently than not, I think about the legacy I want to leave behind: a child.  I want this little seed (my child) to grow in the healthiest environment as possible, begining in my womb, of course. Watching what goes into my body through my mouth and even skin is important to me because this body is going to be the home of my baby for 9 months. And since I plan to breastfeed (absolutely NO formula for my baby!) making sure I get the best and high quality nutrition is key and will not be compromised. My biological clock is beginning to tick and I realize that what I do today: my activism, my education, taking care of the planet-- being eco-conscious, and any contributions I am able to give are to make this world a better one-- a better one for my future child.

This is  along blog, ha! I guess this reasoning goes to show that although the short-term benefits of a healthy lifestyle are awesome for you inside and out, there is much more later. The key is to maintain it and to be consistent. Take it one day at a time and enjoy the process. This is my life and I'm going to live it to the fullest!

Love,

Bea

Not living up to my nutrition standards :(

I have not lived up to my nutrition standards these past few weeks. Although I have been eating clean most of the times and not indulging like I used to, I have not had the cleanest diet that will help me achieve my personal goals. I've been eating too many carbs and sweets, more than I should. This is beginning to really bother me because I seem to be farther and farther from what I want -- which is really defined abs.

I know what I need to do. I need to eat less soy and less sugar. I will need to replace my everyday soy protein with  buy vegetable, rice or hemp protein. To save money, I will still have my protein shake every other day. Gradually I cut out soy yogurt, but I need to STOP drinking soy milk. I will also need to cut out the agave syrup!

 These days my nutrition has really not only been focused on eating for energy, but also for health. What I mean is that I am trying my best to not eat processed foods! I am getting in the habit of always reading the ingredient list on any processed food I am tempted to buy. If it has too much stuff I don't even know what it is, much less pronounce, I will not NOT buy it.

I must admit though, that many times I am not conscious of this and I end of eating processed stuff. This tends to happen most at work. At work I tend to eat what is already there (at a meeting, or lunch) and usually it does not have a label that I can read, and it automatically goes in my mouth. I think, "I work out hard. My metabolism will burn it fast!" But that is not good. Eating processed and high fat food a title here and there does not help me reach my goals. There I go, again, giving in to temptation. Even though I thought I was controlling that, I find that it is beginning to control me...

I need to set some clear and realistic goals for myself. I need to stick with it! It is up to me! Tomorrow is another day.

Love,

Bea