Hi Deanna

This was my breakfast this morning.  

Well, plus a couple of cups of coffee and a protein shake, as per usual! ** protein is a must for me at every meal and coffee is unicorn magic! 

1 slice of Banana Bread topped with peanut butter from the Good Earth Coffeehouse in my building. 

And it was GOOD.  I ate most of it - just enough to satisfy me. It reminds me of Mom's baking. So yummy.

Shortly after, I thought, “I need to go work out today!”  But it wasn’t because I felt guilty, or felt the need to ‘burn off the calories,’ I just felt the urge to move, to exert myself, and to get that awesome feeling that follows a solid session with the iron.

Because, let’s be honest, I’m NOT jumping on a treadmill today—I’m hitting the weights, because that’s my happy place.

I'm sharing this with you for a few reasons.  

First, I'm not a perfect eater, and I don't ever want to portray myself as someone who always 'eats clean' and never indulges.  That would be both a blatant lie and incredibly unhelpful to my clients --you all don't need more of the same, unattainable, unsustainable garbage thrown at you.  
 

I'm practical and honest, and someone who is ALWAYS  searching for ways to make a healthiER, livable diet and lifestyle accessible to all those around me (well, at least those who are interested in making those changes, too).
 

Second, I don't exercise to earn or burn off my food.  I exercise to relieve stress and anxiety, to be strong, to build and maintain muscle, and because it just feels right for me.  
 

Strength training, sprinting and leisure walking all contribute to my quality of life.  Being physically active makes me feel more alive, more vital, and just generally calmer and happier--and it's those outcomes, more than any of the aesthetic outcomes, that matter most to me.  
 

It's also THOSE outcomes that I have the deepest, strongest desire for others to experience in their own lives as well, because I know that feeling better about one's body and in one's body make the biggest difference in a person's quality of life.  
 

Being physically strong and active can make the BIGGEST difference in a person's life--both in the short- and long-run.  It boosts our happy, feel-good hormones, helps our brains continue to grow and function optimally (seriously, go work out before a test or any harder mental task, and you'll feel the difference), helps us stand taller and feel stronger, and ultimately adds to our independence as we age.  
 

Truly, being able to get up from the floor without assistance, tie our own shoes, and get up off the toilet without needing help--all really BIG things, when you think about them.  
 

And those 'far-off' things aren't always super motivating in the short-term sense, but they're still important things to tuck into the back of your brain for those days when you wonder, 'why does it matter if I do those squats??'

I'll hop off my soapbox now ;)

Long story short, I'm heading to the apartment gym as soon as I hit 'send' here because I know lifting weights will feel good, will help me manage the stress and restlessness I feel creeping in today, and will add to my long-term strength development.  Every little bit counts!

The takeaways I hope I'm giving you are:

1.  Enjoy your treats without guilt.  

One way to do this is to eat only the things you REALLY enjoy, and to have just enough to satisfy your tastebuds, not binge on them.  It's the 'minimum effective dose' practice I've been using successfully for several years now that helps me enjoy treats without overdoing it OR feeling deprived. #moderation365 anyone? ;)

2.  Avoid equating exercise with 'earning or burning' off food. I wrote more about that here:

It's a sure-fire way to create a negative association with exercise and to miss out on all the OTHER huge benefits of being active and exercising.

3.  Get in those movement sessions that make YOU feel good.

I hit the IRON because that's my happy place.  Equally good are doing yoga, going for a walk, going to a spin or aerobics class, and a host of other activities that you might enjoy.  Especially during the long, cold winter months, it's important to get moving doing things that you enjoy and that make YOU feel really good.

I am so excited to be here in this space helping burned out dieters and over exercisers find peace with food and movement.

Let me know if this was helpful.

Deanna- banana-"bread"...

 x