Today is sort of a rant. Okay, it’s a full on rant.
I will start with some simple proclamations about how I feel (yes, this is an opinionated piece) and I will come clean with how I act (yes, I am far, far from perfect and frankly, I like it that way) in a way to define ACCOUNTABILITY!
Proclamation: I am ALL about empowering oneself with optimal health.
Confession: I am imperfect and I struggle daily with making optimal choices whether it’s nutrition, exercise or mental health.
Proclamation: I absolutely love vegetables of almost every sort (except peas, no thank you, I will sit with them in my mouth for hours until I can find an escape to the bathroom to flush them, much like I did when I was 4).
Confession: I have days where it’s nearly impossible to choke back my mesclun mix and I would rather skip a meal than crunch on godforsaken celery sticks.
Proclamation: I would exercise vigorously every day if I had multiple available hours.
Confession: Some days my exercise consists of many activities, including: walks – many a day to the bathroom to wipe a 3 year old butt; stair climbing – to go back and get what I forgot on the first 14 trips; side lunges – in and out of my car to taxi older children to soccer practices; bicep curls – as I lift “The Big One” of coffee to caffeinate my long days; squats – as I pick up the umpteenth piece of trash or dirty clothing left behind……
Proclamation: I find the positive in life – every single day.
Confession: Those nearest and dearest to me have heard me yell, profanities and all, when every little thing of my day has just not gone smoothly. They claim that I have a face…you know, the “Momma Face”….the one that everyone scurries out of the room before they can feel the wrath of fury the Momma Face may laser onto them.
Why all of this?
Many of you that know me, you know I am all about making empowered lifestyle choices – and that I believe in optimal health. I believe adamantly that we have more control of our overall health than we will take ACCOUNTABILITY for.
The past few years I have become a sponge; educating myself so I may become the most empowered advocate for my own health (and that of my family).
I am also human; a creature of habit….and I still fall prey to inappropriate habits, or I succumb to emotional issues that remain from yesteryear – and subsequently, I make less than optimal lifestyle choices.
The difference in me, I have learned is ACCOUNTABILITY.
Let me get up on my pedestal and start my rant now……no more excuses!
Excuses……here are two of the most commonly repeated words I have seen in the past couple of days alone:
“I can’t!”
If I see, or hear, one more person say, “Oh, I can’t live without my carbs!” “Oh, I can’t run (or walk, or ski, or jump…..)!” “I can’t minimize the stress I feel right now!”
STOP! Right here, right now. Yes, the “Momma Face” is on.
Come on, give me a confession……it’s not the carbs you fear living without. It’s the truth that you will have to THINK about what you put in to your body for fuel. Carbs are good for you! COMPLEX carbohydrates that is! (Quick fact: It’s the simple carbs that add beyond our natural curves – by causing extreme surges in blood sugar levels, which also increases insulin release. This can elevate appetite and the risk of excess fat storage.)
CARBS……oh man, carbs are NOT the enemy my friends; nor are carbs the devil. Carbs are an essential part of our nutrition! You CAN pick better carbs! However, I would bet any money that you CAN also stand to add a few more of nature’s bounty into your fuel plan!
Unless you are physically in a wheelchair, you CAN run. Maybe you do not LIKE to run, but that does not mean you CAN’T run. Neither does it mean you should pick that as your source of exercise. The truth is you have not scheduled exercise into your daily routine, or you have yet to discover a form of exercise that you enjoy. Exercise is a two for one – it CAN help your waistline and it CAN reduce your stress!
Nutrition and exercise - just like anything else in our day to day lives, it is hard work. It is hard work because we live in a society that is molded around convenience – making our daily lives “easier”. Our food choices are loaded with “instant”, “fast”, “pre-packaged”, and “drive-thru” offerings. I find it ironic that our children, our marriages, our educations – none of these come with these labels on how to make them easier or quicker; they require a continual and constant effort throughout our lives. Yet, our very vehicles for living – our bodies – are put into auto-pilot and we wonder why we do not operate as intended (i.e. higher incidences of diabetes, heart disease and cancers).
Accountability. Come on, own up. You are worth it. Treat yourself the way you deserve to be treated! Empower yourself! Arm yourself with the facts and do not blame your less than optimal health on anyone but yourself. Take ACCOUNTABILITY for that wonderful and glorious curvy body of yours!
Start small.
Start by removing “can’t” from your vocabulary. You can fuel yourself better (add one new vegetable to your menu weekly; or decrease one processed food product weekly). You can find ten minutes of exercise (yes, that stair climbing counts)!
Just do it. Your life depends upon it and I do believe in you. <3
I believe in you too!!!
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