I know the last time I posted I said we’d talk about food. Well, I’m getting
there. I do want to discuss that with you as I truly believe the hardest part
of this journey is in the Kitchen. This “food discussion” will
carry on throughout various posts as we travel this journey, kind of like when
you take a road trip. You stop here and there for food. Well, here and there
will be bits of food information for you to digest in small portions at a time.
Who wants to be overwhelmed by the Kitchen? Not Me!
My Mom, she gets really overwhelmed in the kitchen and with
cooking. She was really frustrating me when talking about food too! Yeah, I
know she can read this – she also already knows what I’m saying – so we’re
good. She’s one of my best friends. I’m blessed with an amazing family!
Recently, I believe she’s had a bit of a “change of heart” in
regards to the kitchen. I pray that I am correct. She told me,
“The hardest part for me has
always been the eating. I think that one of my biggest reasons for failure is I
jump in with both feet and become so overwhelmed I never accomplish any of it.
I figure the kitchen stuff which is my biggest obstacle is the first place I
need to start.”
Obviously, I believe her assessment is correct. I’ve watched her,
listened to her and I know what she said to be true. I also believe that
because she struggles so much with the kitchen that she makes every excuse in
the book not to be IN the kitchen. When you don’t like
or enjoy something or it feels too overwhelming how likely are you to do it?
I don’t enjoy shaving my legs, but it has to be done. How long can
I put it off before my husband says I’m scratching him or before it bothers
even me? It’s just a time consuming thing I wish I didn’t have to deal with. I
should be thankful I have shaving cream and razors, I’m sure some people don’t.
The truth of the matter is; it’s one of those things I put off. It’s okay if
you do it too, I won’t tell.
Let me give you another example: I don’t enjoy sharing with you
that I fell off the wagon. That life knocked me down so far I didn’t get back
up. That I know what to do and I have all the tools to do it with and to
succeed…but that I just didn’t. I’ve actually put it off for months! Then I
decided there has to be a lesson in all this, there has to be somebody out
there who needs to hear what I am saying and what is that old saying? “The truth shall set you
free”.
So as painful as it is and as vulnerable as it makes me feel – I
chose to open myself up to you, to show you behind the scenes. What really
happened to me and it’s not pretty. I don’t enjoy admitting to a 40 pound
weight gain. I don’t enjoy it at all!
However, it must be done. I want you to realize I truly am on this
very real journey with you, that you are not alone. That I do not say, “You got this!” or
“You can
do it!” simply because it feels like the right thing to say or the “practiced” thing
to say. I say,
“YES, YOU CAN!”
Because I truly believe it - for the both of us. I am as real as
the nose on your face. You won’t get “practiced lines” full of fluff from me. It
goes against my nature and I don’t operate that way.
Now, about that kitchen…
You know they say that losing weight is 70% Kitchen and 30% gym,
correct? I believe that to be true. If you eat all the wrong things that hour
in the gym is going to struggle to maintain you where you are and the
differences you see within yourself and your body will be lacking.
Don’t believe me?
Let me prove it. LOOK AT ME!
This didn’t happen because I ate healthy. This happened because I
hate junk! This happened because I stopped paying attention to what I was
eating and it was okay if every night was pizza night or I drank ½ a bottle of coffee
creamer a day (mixed with coffee of course). This is what happened when
I stopped treating food as fuel and just ate it to be eating it.
Then guess what, I struggled to keep exercising! That too became –
well, not fun anymore. The more I ate the less I worked and the less I worked
the more I ate. Vicious cycle! Trust me, if you are not putting the hours in,
in the kitchen your results will be lacking! You will feel like giving up and
eventually you just might. You have to become friends with your kitchen. It
won’t bite you. Take baby steps: small efforts repeated DAILY.
Drink more water. Eat more veggies. Eat less red meat. Eat less
sugar. Eat fruit vs drinking fruit juice. So many baby steps you can take in
the right direction.
You also need to VISUALIZE! You’ve heard me
mention this before. You have to visualize in the kitchen too and visualize how
the food you are consuming is fueling your body. I might have mentioned this
previously, but your body is the car. Which car is it?
The car barely maintained, oil rarely changed, tires nearly bald,
rust spots, dents, and a broken window?
Or the car maintained regularly, oil changed every 8,000 miles,
tires rotated, balanced and replaced as needed, washed, waxed and polished to
shine…
…loved?
Your food is the fuel that you use to maintain a well ran machine;
your body. The proper food keeps you full, helps your skin glow, helps with
weight loss, and gives you more energy, help you sleep and so much more! Most
importantly, a body fed properly is a body loved.
Make the kitchen a number 1 priority! If you don’t know what foods
you need to fuel your body – ask! If you need a meal plan to follow – ask!
Don’t be afraid to try new things! Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Just the
other day a member of my “free” group told me about something
called, Rock Sugar. I’d never heard of it! I had to do some
research.
You have to make the time and become knowledgeable about what you
are fulling your body with. You can give me the excuses, but if you truly want
change you won’t. If you have time to be sitting there watching T.V. (even
though you worked hard all day and are tired) or if you have the time to be
on Facebook – guess what? Yup, you have the time to be in the kitchen!
Know what else? If you have the time to be texting or messaging me
about how you don’t have the time – you’re wrong again. Stop whining and do
something about it. I will help you. I will give you advice as best I can. I
will not encourage or indulge in whining or flat excuses. If you need to text
me to walk you through some baby steps in your kitchen, do it! If you text me
to tell me you don’t have the time…I will find the loop hole in that excuse and
hand it back to you. I do want to be your friend…but I’m a real friend. I won’t
indulge or help you find excuses to fail.
YOU CAN DO THIS! We can do it
together, one baby step at a time. Here is a list of some baby steps you can
start with:
- Drink
a gallon of water a day.
- Eat
vegetables.
- Remove
junk; cakes, chips, creamer…
- Eat
small meals – portion control (21 day fix helps with this)
- Keep
a food journal and write down how you feel before and after – not just
what you ate.
- Eat
less bread and cheese.
- NO
POP or SODA!
- NO
BEER or ALCOHOL!
Start implementing these steps and you will start to feel and see
change. I’m here to keep you accountable and I’m not afraid to call you out.
I’m your friend and I want what is best for you. SO let’s do this! Let’s fight
back!
Let’s be over-comers and let no obstacles stand in our
way. What obstacles are you facing, tell me about them! Let me hold your
hand and walk this journey with you; it’s awful lonely and dark when you go it
alone.
“Lean on me, when you’re not strong and I’ll
help you carry on, lean on me”
Sincerely,
~Coach
Tonya~
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