31 Days to a Better Body: Day 30 – Own It
When I began I had a list of 31 things I wanted to write about but as the days passed new ideas would pop up that I wanted to include in the series. Now I’m sitting here looking at the list of ideas that didn’t get included: sugar, carbohydrate timing, meal planning, protein, supersets and circuits….
As you know, I’m all about keeping things simple so I tried to keep the list focused on the basics. If you challenge your body by lifting heavy stuff regularly, moving a little more, sleeping, and nourishin your body with real food (The importance of real food nutrition cannot be overstated unless of course you don’t want to drive people crazy.) you will have a better body inside and out.
Now the most important part…
“Own It”
This has been key to maintaining my weight loss for over 3 years. It was also key to overcoming my excessive consumption of candy and cookies. It is key to working out consistently despite naturally gravitating towards more sendentary activities.
As a child, I was the kid who ate multiple bowls of sweetened cereal. (Cookie Crisp was my favorite.) In high school, I was the vegetarian whose staples included pasta and Little Debbies. In college, I was the student who lived off of bagels and cereal with the occasional salad. As a young newlywed, I was a mixture of my old habits, my husband’s habits, and things new things I picked up along the way. As time went on I found my path and today…
I am a person who nourishing my body with real food and exercises regularly. This is just what I do. It’s part of who I am.
This is not all that I am but it is part of who I am. It’s not my only identity but it is part of it. We all find indentity in certain things in our lives be it our job, our faith, our hobbies, our social circle, etc.
On the other side of the coin is “who I am not”. I’m not someone who regularly buys my family junk food. I’m also not someone who sits in front of the tv on a daily basis. I am not someone who eats candy.
When I started owning “this is who I am” and “this is who I am not” making beneficial choices became so. much. easier. Exercising is easier. Meal planning is easier. Go out to eat is easier. Grocery shopping is easier. When I pass the Hawaii sized end cap of King Hawaiian bread at the grocery story, I ask myself, “Who am I?”. I am no longer the girl who buys a loaf to eat all by herself.
“Owning it” didn’t make me perfect. I still eat junk food but it’s no longer on a consistent basis. I still spent more time on the internet than I probably should but it doesn’t consume me. Some weeks I’ll get in 4 or 5 workouts and other weeks it’s just 2 but it’s rare that a week goes by without any exercise.
I am many things. I’m a child of God, a wife, a mother, a friend, a trainer, a dreamer, and a “health nut”.
This is not to say I don’t have room for improvement. Goodness knows, I need to own being someone who gets enough sleep.
I know I’m preaching to the choir. In fact, to some of you this may sound silly and childish but for me it has been life changing.
Who are you? And who are you not?
Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn
Check out our family’s adventures at New School Nomads as we plan to take a year long road trip through the United States!
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This is my (almost) sane quest for insane health. Let's 
Way to finish strong! XOXO
Wise words, love it!!! <3
Great post! I think it often takes a while to figure out who we are and what works for us. And you are so right, once we do, we definitely need to own it! In all aspects of our lives…
This was a great series!
Thank you, Andrea. (I’m a little behind in responding…and in well…life.) 😉