Eat right, geaux hard

Disclaimer: I’m no professional.

I live in a city that could be considered a “foodie” town. Baton Rouge boasts holes in the wall that you always want to revisit, the usual chain restaurants, Cajun cuisine galore, and I don’t think the culinary geniuses that invade LSU’s campus on any home game during the fall deserve to be left out.

Point blank: it’s hard to eat right here. I mean, Cane’s Chicken Fingers was founded here dammit. Instead of Starbucks on every corner, we have Cane’s drive thrus open until 3 a.m.

I have felt the gurgling deep down in my gut that occurs after you devour a Box Combo at 2:50 a.m. with your best friends at the Cane’s on Highland. I have woken up from a food coma after killing a Chimes Brunch. Hell to the yes I’ve gorged on jambalaya on game day leading to my quick demise and prayers for nap time as soon as possible.

What I have learned after a couple years’ worth of these experiences is that I no longer want that lifestyle. I never felt good. Eating is easy; eating is a necessity for survival. I’m pretty sure cavemen didn’t have a deep fryer, though.

So…I decided to get motivated and live the way that I knew was the best for MY body. Every body is different, as genetics dictates. You have to tailor any generic plan to work for you, not against you. Step one on the road to health was my diet. “Diet” has a negative connotation associated. I have never considered myself to be on a diet. I like eating whole foods, fruits, veggies, lean meats and nuts. I love drinking water. Here’s an example of my usual lunch:

My staples are a quick salad with spinach, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, red onions, lots of bell peppers and light balsalmic dressing or even just oil and vinegar; a turkey wrap on a whole wheat tortilla with hummus as spread; trail mix including plenty of pecans, peanuts, almonds, etc., with chocolate covered raisins (my vice); Greek yogurt of some sort; and a few other randoms depending upon how long my day is. I like to eat my lunch piece by piece versus as a whole. It helps my metabolism and I don’t feel “too full” at any point in time.

There are days that I get invited to lunch for work or don’t have time fix something like this. It’s all good though. Everything in moderation, I say. (As long as it’s not a Big Mac…that just doesn’t work.)

I love brussel sprouts too. I get made fun of frequently by my boyfriend for my love of them. He has a point, I guess, because I’m making them tonight.

Enough of that. The second step for a healthy lifestyle was for me to forget the intimidation factor of a gym. I finally got some courage and bought a membership. That was probably the best decision I’ve made in my collegiate career. Fun fact about me: I don’t particularly like the UREC. It’s always busy regardless of what time it is, there isn’t enough space or equipment, nagging, nagging, nagging. I do LOVE the Specialty and GroupX classes though. They rock.

This post isn’t a means of bragging about my progress or an attempt to get accolades. I want to share my journey just in case there is someone in the position that I was in a short 6 months ago. I needed personal motivation as well as external motivation. I found it over a period of time, and it’s certainly not at its peak. Always remember that being fit and being skinny are two completely different things. Being healthy and being skinny are also two completely different things. I’ll never be skinny. I’m a thick and “bodacious” woman (check number four on the list). I dig that about myself.

Always stay positive about progress and keep the negative thoughts at bay. Honestly, you’re more critical on yourself than 99% of the people around you. I’m saving the last 1% for your mean great aunts that probably (if they are anything like mine) yelled about you getting fat at age 10 to each other over straight bourbon. Classy shit.

I’m reaching goals and setting new ones each day. That’s my motivation. Oh, and the hopes that I’ll live an incredibly long and healthy life with the people I love.

Please disregard the bathroom selfie on the right. The left was my freshman year of college.

Please don’t hesitate to comment or ask questions. Remember the most important thing is how you feel at the end of each day.