Fitness

Ok. We're getting serious.

I spoke with three different people tonight who were all about fitness and getting me in shape for this pageant. Now that I have people depending on me other than myself, there's no turning back. It's time to go for the gold, give it all I've got, and stop eating chocolate. Dun dun dun.

January 1st marks 90 days until I leave for the pageant ... convenient with the new year, eh? Although I really don't prefer to start my super ridiculously healthy lifestyle until Monday, I've gotta go the distance. I've got to kick it up a notch. I've got to train my body to be healthy and fit, and I've got to teach my body to like it! Luckily, this has been done to my body before, and although my 4 weeks of eating whatever I wanted was bad, it is undo-able in a matter of ways ... and manner of ways that is about to begin January 1st!

This is what I've learned so far:
1. Eat small small small small meals every 2.5 hours to keep your metabolism in check. By doing this you are training your body to remember that it will be fed and keep it away from "starvation mode." When you don't eat regularly your body is always wondering when it is going to get its next meal, and as a precaution it holds on to the food you put into it just in case. When you teach your body that it is ALWAYS going to be fed every 2.5 hours or so, it starts to expect food more regularly, and will therefore "let go" of the food you put into it rather than storing it. However, this is only if you eat small meals. If you eat huge meals every 2.5 hours it is obviously going to end up storing much of those meals. Think of it as if your stomach has a mind all of its own! Just teach it how to act. It's like potty training. Kind of. Errr, OK it's nothing like potty training.

2. Protein in the morning. Protein in the evening. Protein before and after workouts. Protein is your friend.

3. Fruits before 2:00pm. Never after.

4. Water. Water water water water water. A gallon a day.

5. Interval cardio in the morning will burn a higher amount of fat than in the afternoon. And now that I'm typing this I'm wondering why he said that to me ... I should probably ask and clarify for you. *Taking mental note now.*

6. Believe in yourself. Do it for you body, for your attitude, for your fit and healthy lifestyle. Don't call it a "diet," that's a nasty word that society has come to associate with punishment. A healthy lifestyle isn't punishment, it's WONDERFUL, and it makes you feel so so good!! You just have to teach your body how to get used to it. When it's used to eating crap, it has to ween itself off! Give it time and STAY MOTIVATED. Eye on the prize girls and boys. YOU CAN DO THIS.