Let me just begin by saying that the impossible happened today: I did not shop. YES! Legasp... etc. It was unnecessary. After looking at the amount of clothes and such that I currently own and wear on a regular basis, I thought it best not to shop and browse in a crowded mall that I didn't want to go to with people I didn't want to surround myself with - the ones that had a single thought in their minds: GET THE BEST "THING" FOR AS CHEAP AS POSSIBLE.
I think that's the kind of deal that we want every time that we go shopping, unless we are one of the privileged.
This whole digression has a point, I swear. The point is that because I didn't go shopping, I did some other quite interesting things with my day. I read a ton about the difference between being 'fit', being 'healthy' and being 'toned'. Being fit, does not mean that you run around the block twenty times and are still not tired. What it means, is that IF there ever came a time in your life, where you HAD to run around the block twenty times, you COULD accomplish that. Hypothetical. In order to get to that stage, you must and should work out at least three times a week for a half hour, mostly doing cardio and lifting weights. (That's my take on it, of course a professional will use the term in a different way.) Now, if this is the category that you are happy being in, then... that's great! However, keep in mind, that gymming is still a part of the equation. Stamina isn't simply dropped into your lap from heaven, it comes from the right amount of exercise and the right kind of exercise. Being fit, quite literally means: can I fit into this shape/size?
Being healthy and being fit are what most people ought to strive for. Being healthy typically means organizing your food in a manner that treats your body right. Six to eight servings of fruits and veggies as well as the proper amounts of grains (about a cup a day of brown rice), some protein as obtained from meats, nuts and soy, and finally, dairy. What is a serving? The basic serving size for a single portion of fruits or vegetables is a 1/2 cup. One ought to consume at least 250 ml of yogurt a day, in order to attain the recommended daily intake. This means that fast food is out of the equation almost all of the time, a few days excepted. As long as all of the above criteria are met, one can see a reasonable amount of change in mood, personal relationships and self-esteem. Being healthy and being fit, does not guarantee you looking like Jessica Alba or like Jennifer Lopez or for the men, like David Beckham and the new Ryan Gosling. It is possible to be toned by working out a little outside of one's comfort zone, with free weights, etc. But, it is not altogether possible with striving to be fit and healthy.
What does guarantee this switch from simply a "feel-good" to a "feel-like-so-and-so" is a rigorous daily activity that consists of working out different muscles each day as well as a controlled diet that relies heavily on routine. I am en-route to being toned, but I'm still learning. The very first thing that I learnt is that it takes a crazy amount of time and patience with your body to figure out what it needs, when it needs it. Especially if you're trying not to become a celebrity of any sort, it's hard to find the motivation to work out every day or to attain a regularity in your diet. Moreover, it is hard to be in a "feel-good" zone, if what you are doing is consistently pumping weights and not doing what you love. There needs to be a balance. That's what I'm trying to find. Hence, the dancing and the jumping around like a maniac.
This was one of those days. It started off with a pizza for lunch and a very messed up sleeping schedule. Hopefully, I shall be back on track by tomorrow. I did, however, consume 5 servings of fruits and veggies... but, that's as far as the healthy aspect of my diet goes.
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