For some reason I felt totally compelled to write down these thoughts I had today (while at the gym). I blame the Redbull. It even got my brain all revved up.
It’s my honest, no frills thoughts on health and fitness. Hopefully it resonates with someone out there.
*I couldn’t decide how to post this. So if the above image is blurry or hard to read, it’s all copied and pasted (and easy to read) below.
Thanks for reading my ramblings. Stay sweaty.
What I Realized….
What I realized about health and fitness is, it’s not about staring at pictures of perfect butts, six packs, jacked arms and muscular legs, and wishing your body would metamorphosis into something other than the genes and cells you were blessed with. It’s not about inspirational quotes overlaid on pics of someone flexing at the gym or in front of a mirror.
In fact, it’s actually not about looks or the superficial stuff at all. It’s about having a realization. An a-ha moment when you realize your body is an insanely remarkable well oiled machine, capable of incredible things when you just decide to take care of it and push it. An A-ha moment when you realize if you don’t use it, it rusts, it feels weird, it stops working properly, and then you tend to not like it that much. But then it’s not about punishing it, depriving it, and killing it to get back to it’s normal state. It’s about maintenance, making the small little baby step decisions every day, taking care of it to the best of your ability, and for heavens sakes…deciding to move it. In any way, shape or form.
I realized that it’s not about perfection, it’s about balance and acceptance. It’s about the days you just go for a long walk, the fruits, veggies, grains, and foods full of delicious awesomeness. It’s about eating these things so regularly, that your body craves them as much as it craves ice cream and brownies. But it’s also about letting yourself have a damn-full-fat-full-sugar-fully-delicious brownie, or a few slices of pizza, or massive burrito, or a fishbowl margarita with your friends, and not obsessing or beating yourself up because of it. It’s about accepting your body for what it is, and learning to stop viewing yours under a microscope. Realizing that a smile and self acceptance is better than a six pack and smell a fart face any day.
Then, it’s about deciding to get up, get out, and sweat. Yes sweat. Good, glorious, salty, soothing, sweat. It’s about learning to love sweat. Yes, a pile of sopping wet, smelly, drenched in sweat (or dirt and mud) clothes is a gorgeous thing. It’s about breathing, being, and realizing that you have been blessed with one body. One miraculous strong body with muscles that want to be used, loved, and appreciated.
It’s not about anything anyone writes, says, posts, or does. It’s all about you, and learning to listen to your body on the good days and the bad. When you are hurt, sick, or exhausted, learning to say I get it, we’re in this thing together, and get back on track. Then on the good days, learning to pat yourself on the back, and say great job today…then grabbing some chicken and broccoli to celebrate. Maybe with a little ice cream too.
The big thing I realized, is that it’s all different for everyone. And well, all of that rambling above, is the realization that sure helped me.