I'm much healthier now than I was a year ago. Even a few months ago! But I'm no where near as healthy and strong as I have been in the past and or as consistent as I know I can be. As for many, tough times gave me an opportunity to create poor eating habits and virtually non-existant exercise routines. You get into your later twenties and fool yourself into thinking that work and the rest of your life take priority over all else and that there's no room for taking care of yourself. It's easy to counsel friends and family on how to fuel their own fire so that they can care for others even better, yet somehow you don't apply that thinking to yourself.
Then one day, it sinks in a little differently and you call yourself on your bull-...oh-neeeee... and remember that all of this "healthy" talk should just be a part of your regular day. Parking further away from the grovery store entrance, biking to work, commiting to fitness events, and meal-prepping slowly build up into this persona that you want to be a part of. Your workplace Secret Santa buys you a sweatband and anti-odour balls for your gym bang (I'm not even insulted!) and you know that people now see you as "that" girl. The person who cares about her body, not for vanity (though the feels you get when you're proud of your carved statue-body are unlike any other) but for being able to take part in sporting events with friends and living longer and happier; for looking forward to some day keeping up to your youngens and having people mistake you for 15 years your junior.
I take to Instagram for inspiration or ideas when I need a motivational boost (especially at 5:30 a.m. when I'm deciding if I should roll out of bed...). Erica's account is definitely up there as one of the first ones I scan through to gain perspective. It sounds awful, but when you see someone who has been so successful suffer through the same struggles, you feel empowered and humbled at the same time. Strong enough to make the right decisions and modest enough to know that you always have more in the tank to push forward. (Like my gal Adele over there in that pic - YOU GET IT, GIRL!)
The last few months, I've been doing crossfit about 4-6 times/week and running 5 times/week (which will resume once my foot stress fracture is all healed!); I've been following the Zone diet to control the balance of my meals and track my food. My Fitness Pal is my best bud, and I'm very honest with my entries, though they're not always the best choices. I need to work on portion control and managing craving for indulgent treats (I've toyed with the donut hole Wednesday idea more than once...).
This DietBet may be a turning point. It may not be. But either way, it'll be a cool new thing to try and understand more about what works for me. #LetsGetItLetsGo!