Diets don't work.

Diets don't work. Diet meaning that you spend a set amount of time to reach a goal of weight or inches. I say diets don't work and you are probably sitting there like, "Whit. Weren't you just going on and on about how much weight you lost during your challenge?" Well yes. Diets techincally speaking can have the capability to get you to your goal.

However, when you diet for say...three months then the rest of the year revert to your old habits you are actually doing more harm to your body and specifically your metabolism. That goal you were so excited to reach will be another shot in the distance.

For true results, for lasting results you have to try and make it a lifestyle; something you stick to for the year and all the years after that. I'm not saying  you have to exercise heavily six days a week or drink a gallon of water 365 days a year, I'm just saying when you can get into a habit of wanting to work out three to five days a week and add water and clean eating to your life, it's really hard to revert back to unhealthy living.

All you need is 20 to 30 minutes of good exercise a day. Perhaps a walk one day, lifting another, and high intensity cardio for a couple others. It is important to note that if you are trying to lose weight, 30 minutes on an elliptical or treadmill everyday won't give you those results you want. You have to add strength exercises in order to build muscle that can burn. Investing in a couple weights was my best decision yet.

When it comes to eating, it is important to hold yourself accountable, but it's also equally important to not be killing yourself by strictly sticking to something. When you do that, you put this pressure on yourself and end up resenting the eating plan and clean eating and when it's done, excitedly jump into your bag of chips.

It's okay to "cheat" (I hate that word, you aren't doing anything wrong) It's okay to treat yourself. A lifestyle is a lifestyle and you can always jump back in the next day. Never feel guilty. I will tell you though, once you really start eating clean and exercising regularly, it's incredibly hard to simply fall back into bad habits. It becomes an addiction, steaming veggies and doing ab workouts.

So toss your "quick diet plans" out the window and make a real change. If you need a boost get a Beachbody program to help you set the stage and do your research. Don't get sucked into fads. Do something that will last.

Changing Body Image and Insanity

Changing society's view of body image is so important. Campaigns like Aerie's no retouch and the slogan "you aren't fat, you have fat". are gaining headway in helping people understand how important it is that we are teaching people that our bodies don't define us, and we have the right to be happy and proud in our bodies no matter their shapes, marks, colors, etc. This also means we have the right to change them, or not change them.

I have been extremely focused on eating clean and exercise challenges this summer. (Obviously, this blog was created for this!). I finished the 21 Day Fix with pretty satisfying results. The other day someone looked at me and was like, "Why are you trying Insanity, you look great." A nice as this was, it really did irk me. Working out isn't just to lose weight. Though in my case, that is what I'm doing, I also do it because I love it and I personally want  to take care of my body.

We shouldn't be excluding women of all sizes in our media, it's not realistic and it's harming, however, shaming skinny women is doing the exact opposite of helping the cause. Instead of promoting skinny, we should be promoting healthy. A person can be thin as a stick and be the unhealthiest eater. That's not the point. Stop saying "oh you are so lucky, you can eat whatever you want and not gain weight". We are all built differently. This isn't news. It's also not hopeless, be happy with your body, and if you aren't you are allowed to change it without feeling shame. Just be smart, do research, don't get caught in the hype and pressure of it all. You can cheat, have off days, skip months at a time.

The great thing about this life is that we can pick up anytime. When I first started Beachbody programs I really really liked the quote, "if you are tired of starting over, stop quitting". I have always hated the word quit and I officially don't like this quote. You can quit. If you don't want something bad enough then, go ahead, do something else! If you can push through day after day because you genuinely like it, great for you!

Love your body enough to want to be safe in changing it to love it even more.

Every day of these challenges has been hard for me, I get discouraged, I get sad, I just want to feel good in pictures and the mirror, but I am loving the process, I am loving pushing my body and I'm also loving the mentality that if I quit, it's not the end of the world because my body is beautiful and the few moments I think that are enough to get me through.

I started Insanity this week with a low carb diet and I'm seriously loving the shit out of it. I love being sore, feeling like my insides are clean, and feeling excited for my next workout.