Getting a positive body image, the healthy way

Body image. For most young women, this is difficult. With the media creating impossible beauty standards, women (and men) are feeling the need to fit into a size 0 box of contemporary "beauty" or "perfection."

I've fallen into this trap just like everyone else, and it's taken a while to realize that I want to be fit and healthy--for myself--not to meet a social ideal.

For the last year or so I've had the mentality that I can eat whatever I want in large quantities and it won't have any consequence on my body, size, or overall health. Because of this blind ignorance I have gained 25 pounds since starting college two years ago. I'm 5'7" and a size 6, so no I am not fat, but I'm also not where I want to be with my weight, and I'm not healthy.

I went to the gym a couple of weeks ago and felt horrible after. I thought I was having a heart attack. I'm 20 years old. I shouldn't feel this way. This was the turning point on fitness. I decided that I never wanted to feel that lethargic and pathetically out of shape again in my life. My mom is in better shape than me, and she's 40 years older than I am. Do the math.

Last night my mom was saying things to me about my diet that I didn't want to hear. Basically, what I eat will have consequences on my body. This was the turning point on my diet. Gone are the days of cheesy roll ups at Taco Bell, or baskets of mozzarella sticks, or french fries, and generally eating bread and cheese in some form at every meal. I feel my body saying "STOP THE MADNESS I CANNOT PROCESS THIS FOOD ANYMORE" and it's time for me to listen. This is the only body I'll ever have, and it's time for me to start really taking care of it.

This morning I woke up craving the gym. I've been visiting my parents for a week now and haven't been going to the gym like I was back in Wooster. So I got my workout gear on and headed to town. I went through my workout routine, adding a few things in to make up for the last week of lethargy. After I left, I went to the local GNC to pick up some supplements to help get the lean body I'm looking for.

 The small container in the front is a pre-workout supplement that helps create lean muscles and gives your body the energy and motivation necessary to get a good workout in. It is mixed in the blender bottle and consumed 15-20 minutes before you begin your workout. I'm looking forward to trying it out tomorrow.

The larger container is a post workout powder designed especially for women. It also helps to create lean muscles by building them back after you use them working out. It also boosts your metabolism and converts fat to energy, replaces electrolytes to keep your body hydrated, and promotes overall health and wellbeing. It can be mixed with almost any cold beverage and consumed 15-20 minutes after working out. Today, I mixed it up in a superfood smoothie...

This superfood smoothie consists of frozen raspberries, 1/2 of a banana, ice, greek yogurt, non fat milk, and two scoops of the post workout powder. It was delicious and filling! 

I'm looking forward to starting a healthier life that will make me better overall. I'll blog about my exercises and my food from the day as I go, and I'm so excited to share my journey with anyone who will listen. 

xoxo

gracie