Healthy Lifestyles #peptalk

Some of the lifestyle changes I made included chopping up every vegetable we buy on the day we buy them. So yesterday afternoon I spent it in the kitchen, chopping up vegetables and placing them in containers. Chris sat at the table, painting models, and watching a movie. I make more use of the vegetables than he does, however I can already see that I am influencing his food choices. For dinner last night, we had chicken breasts with nothing on them (they still managed to be tasty and moist), fresh carrots, and fresh corn on the cob. He chose to have wine with dinner, and I had water. Today, I'm not sure how he fared at work. I had carrots, celery, and hummus at lunch. Breakfast was plain oatmeal, my mid morning snack was yoghurt, and tonight we're having chicken lasagne. Since getting together, Chris has started to eat less red meat and pork. I don't eat either of those, and he did used to still eat them, but especially since getting the house, he's just mostly stopped buying red meat and pork. Our hearts are better off without them anyway. And he's never really been a bacon eater, so he doesn't seem upset about it.

One interesting side effect of my healthier choices in food has been the amount of bowel movements going on. They're more frequent, and I spend less time in the bathroom per visit. But I have also increased my water intake as well, and I know that's a factor. No dark yellow pee for this gal.

I've also been going to the gym more frequently. It's usually been once a week, if that, and super half assed about it. Now it's three times a week, and it's go go go pretty hard for forty-five minutes each time. I go after work since I work near the gym, and I feel that fory-five minutes is what I can do at the moment. If I go for too long and for too hard, I end up getting hives from the resulting sweat and heat. So I keep it at that and for now that's what I am capable of doing. I do have goals to lose about fifteen pounds. I don't have a scale, but I can see that I carry about that in extra weight, so that's about my goal. I'm not going to stress about it, however. I am currently in my healthy weight range, but I would prefer to lose a bit of fat and gain muscle. My medication can cause some weight gain due to the exhaustion it causes, so I'm hoping that by exercising, I fight the exhaustion, and thus lose some weight. We'll find out, I guess. I'd post pictures, but frankly, I'm doing this for me and no one else, and I don't need pictures to see when the changes start. I have two eyes and a very supportive boyfriend.

Everytime I tell Chris I'm on my way to the gym he cheers me on. When I told him I wanted to get back to being healthier, he wanted me to make sure I knew that he thinks I'm beautiful just the way I am and that I shouldn't be doing this for him. I told him I was doing it for me and we got all mushy and he told me how proud he was of me and is my number one cheerleader in this healthy lifestyle change.

Remember, folks, get you a partner who will cheer you on, lift you up, and tell you you're perfect the way you are. Find yourself a person who will encourage you in whatever task, goal, or journey you're embarking on. And if you don't have a person, be that person for you! Build yourself up! Tell yourself that you've got this, because ultimately, you do. You have the power to be your own number one cheerleader. Set your own goals, and strive toward them. Take can't out of the equation and be the change you want to see in yourself and in others. It starts with you.