Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Lifestyle Changes

Hellooo blog world! Let me start off by apologizing for my lack of presence on my fitness social media lately. Between the stress of college applications and the holidays, this girl has been chuggin' away. For example, as of right now at 9:42 PM on Sunday night, I sound like a 70 year old smoker due to a lovely sinus infection, as I am setting my alarm for 5:00 AM to start off my lovely day filled with school, internship, work, and a workout. On top of that, I am anxiously awaiting the dozen of college decisions that are to come in the next few weeks *insert panic attack here*.
current obsession to keep me sane

Sigh...

Besides my insanely busy life, I have (for the most part) kept up with my fitness goals. However, I am human, and I did unfortunately take a week off of cardio due to busyness, which then led to treachery when I forced myself to get back at it a week later. And, 2 weeks after that, I injured my right IT band, which prevented me from partaking in some of my favorite leg day exercises. Because why? Sh** happens. Now it is March, and I am pushing myself to jump-start my summer body (more lean) after my hibernation/food-coma months of winter. I have set huge goals for my graduation date and beginning of college, and no body is going to get in my way.

Now...why are we here today?

Grace Miller, one of my childhood best friends, recently reminded me of why I do what I do. This young lady has made what I love to call the all-famous "lifestyle change", and I couldn't be more proud. In the past few weeks, I've been asked a lot about what diet I am on or why I lift 6 days a week. Many people think this is just a phase in my life, and that once I am in college, this will all just fly out the window. Let me just warn you right now that this is NOT the case, nor will it ever be the case. I am not working my butt off, spending hundreds on food and supplements for it to all go down the drain in college. Even my parents call me crazy for the things I do, but I know that fitness and health has become such an integrated part of my life; so much so, that I plan to minor in exercise science or health along with my pre-law major so that I can be a personal trainer someday in the near future. Okay, angry rant over. Continuing...

Back to the point: many of my days come down to me being surrounded with all of these men and women that have the whole "New Years Resolutions" mentality, or the whole "I'll workout until I'm skinny" crap. No. You don't stop working out when you're "skinny". The fact that SO many people actually believe this is depressing. In the past few months, even though I'm only 17, I have talked to numerous adults and teens that have asked me about my journey (mainly since I work at the gym) and they all seem very inspired by what I have to say. & this is exactly what I want to do with my life - inspire people. So if I can start now as a high schooler, why not continue?

Lifestyle changes. Make them happen. Super antioxidant teas and "30 days to abs" will not get you the results you want. Yeah, it requires a whole lot of work, time, and dedication. But I can promise you that you will have zero regrets. Do I miss those fudge rounds and Lucky Charms? Of course. But do I miss the feeling that they gave me as I shoved 4 serving sizes down my throat? Absolutely not. Which is exactly why I could not be any happier with how I have turned my life around. The more people I can convince to do this, the better. And yes -- I know that healthy food and a gym are deterred by money; trust me, I know because I am responsible for buying all of my own food and gym stuff. But then I remind myself of how much money would be wasted on the junk and health problems in the future, along with the major lack of self confidence, which is where the justification for a healthy lifestyle kicks in.
latest meal prep includes chicken, rice, greek yogurt, soymilk, veggies, and a hint of dark choco

So next time you are listening to one of your friends rave about this new slim pill or TV diet, stop and think twice about trying it. Instead, consider revamping your entire way of living. Trust me, you will be more successful in the end.

*I am in no way shaming the fad-diets or diet programs; I do truly believe that a select few work and contribute to a healthy lifestyle; however, I much too often see many that promote a "21 day diet" which brings people down the wrong path. I know, because I've tried for myself.

That's all for now.
current goal swimsuit for the summer 

what would a blog post be without a current selfie? courtesy of a friend's house of course ;)

Ta ta. 

Lyndsey 

Sunday, January 4, 2015

New Year, Forever New You

With the hustle and bustle of the holidays coming to an end, I feel this topic is perfect for those of you who may have the whole "new year, new me" mentality. I mean, let's be honest here though, first: we bust our butts at the gym for the entire month of January, and by the time February rolls around, laziness kicks in and then there's "always next year".

We. Must. Stop. This.
And yes, it's possible.

Introducing...
the difference between a diet and a lifestyle

Movies, TV shows, magazines, they all emphasize and highlight "24 day juice cleanses" or 2-week workout plans to a better booty. This is one primary reason why I despise the media. They sexisize (is that a word?) the idea of losing weight in such a confined amount of time, yet they never fill you in on where to go after you're done with their plan. Crazy, right? So because of these fads, girls (and perhaps boys, too) have these warped mentalities that it's possible to lose 20 pounds in a week. And they try it out, absolutely hating it because these diets require you to survive off of carrots and green smoothies. No body ever tells these people that this way is hell, and falling for it will lead to distress and major health problems in the long run. Perhaps I am overexaggerating a bit, but seriously - it's a shame how the idea of a healthy lifestyle is pummeled by the media's portrayal of "fit".
Prime example, OK magazine.

Alright, this isn't gonna be a rant about the media, I promise. However, the media does fuel this topic. I once was a victim of the "new year, new me" spiel, and as most people, I failed. I ate my fruits and veggies for a few weeks, and fell back into old habits. Why? Because lifelong habits can't simply be broken by the turn of a new year. A habit of healthy eating and exercise takes WEEKS, or even months to become a second nature to some people. Like me, now, for example: the gym isn't a chore - it's built in to my schedule on a daily basis because I know it's something that must be done and that I enjoy doing. Or my meal-prepping on Sunday's; it's not a chore when I know it's beneficial and worthwhile.

*Disclaimer: I am NOT hating on the "newbies" at the gym in any way. I think it is absolutely fantastic that people are making an effort to get in shape. However, I just believe it's sad when these people lose motivation after a month of seeing only little changes. Change takes time - it doesn't just happen over night. 
Back to my point...
People should be utlizing the beginning of a new year to change their lifestyle, not just their current diet or exercise habits. Yeah, I learned this the hard way. But hey, we all gotta start somewhere. 

So here's my message to you: make a plan, and stick with it. But do me a favor, and don't make your plan impossible. If you've never done cardio before, don't make your cardio goal an hour each night. Believe me, you will hate yourself. You really want to aim for a lifestyle of healthiness, not just a month or two of it. Once you create small, baby-step habits, things will come easily for you, and a healthy lifestyle will commence. 
If you want a slice of pizza bigger than your hand, go for it. It's a lifestyle, not a diet.

As I've said before, I was never a healthy kid. I shoved fudge rolls down my throat and watched endless hours of Disney channel like it was my job (which, in a way, it was). After moving to Burlington, VT, yes, the healthiest city in America, I changed my ways around and look at me now. Yeah, I'm not some skinny little twig, nor do I intend to be. However, I feel freaking great, and that's all I need. When we go to restaurants, mac and cheese isn't my first choice. At birthday parties, 5 pieces of cake doesn't even cross my mind. Because of my lifestyle, I have forced my own mentality to be healthy. So, it's completely possible. 
Yeah, it takes time. It takes dedication. And, to be honest, it may take some tears.
But it is so worth it. 

Rant complete. 
Enjoy some random photos now. 
 First meal prep of the year ft. my sister
 Selfie because leg day, yah. 
 
So train ya stems, kiddos. 

Until next time...
Lynds