Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Progess, rather than Perfection

Maiah and Zeke
If you don't have a dog, volunteer at a shelter or walk with a friend who does.
They really do make great best friends! 

Whether you're browsing my site for a clean eating treat recipe or seeking out a health or wellness tip: thank you!  Thank you for taking the time to visit my site, and thank yourself for taking a moment to seek out material to further you on your journey to an active healthy lifestyle.

If you're looking for a healthy treat recipe, stay tuned for my Runner Bar post coming up soon: this seriously good energy bar has healthy carbs, fat and ample protein and is sweetened with goodies such as dates and a touch of maple syrup.

OK you caught me: I considered calling it a Fertility Bar, but that sounds disgusting and only for women.  This yummy bar has ingredients that may help with fertility, but whether you're hoping for a baby or looking to fuel your run, it is a healthy way to treat your body and provide energy and nourishment.  So check back soon for that post!

As you may know from previous posts, I struggle with fertility and some past disordered eating and am still on my journey accepting my miscarriage and trying to stay in a positive place to keep trying.  With tools such as prayer, community and yes, therapy, I feel like I'm on the right track.  There are so many ways to find acceptance with your body, and it is a little cheesy, but it is absolutely a journey.  I face setbacks all the time, but remind myself that the goal is progress, not perfection.  There is no perfect body, no perfect life: life is meant to be imperfect, and my huge focus is to be happy and confident with where I am this moment.

"I'm in [this] earth suit that we call a body, but it does not define me." This quote by Jessica Raymond make me laugh at first.  I had to go back to listen to the episode again (number 5 on her podcast, the Recovery Warrior Show).  At first I could only picture the scene from Men In Black referring to the "Edgar Suit" (if you don't know what I'm talking then here you go: the Edgar Suit Clip), but when I got serious and really absorbed what she was saying, it hit me.  This is so true: why do most people let their bodies define them?  Losing 5 pounds or having a slimmer waistline might give you a temporary confidence boost, but it won't change who you are.  And being happy with who you are--not just your physical self--is what I believe to be an important key to overall confidence, happiness and wellbeing.  Thanks for bearing with me as I get a little hippie on you (I am from Oregon, after all).  I would love your feedback if you'd like more of these style posts, but if all you want is recipes and more recipes, then I encourage you to click over and look through my previous posts!

I woke up early this morning to do a PiYo workout (more detailed review coming soon) and absolutely loved it.  I had to be mindful; at first I wanted to do a high intensity workout (or HIIT training as most people seem to call it) but when I forced myself to stop, take a moment for prayer, stretch, and then start a short 25 min PiYo lower body workout, I realized I am in love with the feeling of gentle exercise, too.  There's a time and place for a long run or intense sweat sesh, but it's not every day.  I'm giving up keeping my body in a constantly stressed state, and committing to working in more gentle yoga and Pilates into my routine.

I hope you too can find ways to relax and destress when you need it, and I don't mean just by zoning out in front of the TV.  Sit down and breathe for 20 minutes, doing nothing but sitting: no phone or writing or anything.  Then try 30.  (Warning: if you're an always on the go or perfectionist-type, this is hard).  Get up and walk your dog or with a partner.  Call a friend.  Listen to an inspiring podcast.  Stretch and move.  Clean, garden, bake: do something that inspires and relaxes you and fills you with confidence.

Check back for my next delicious recipe (here's a little preview for you) and do something good for your body today!

Runner Energy Bar
The Runner Bar: Unbelievably good!  

No comments:

Post a Comment