Monday, March 8, 2010

Perfectly Flawed! Be disciplined , but live a little too!



"I've done everything right, I've been completely perfect, and nothing is going my way or going right! What the hell!?" I hear this statement at least 3 times or more a month and it always breaks my heart. We live in such a "I WANT IT RIGHT NOW" world these days, that I think for ALL OF US, if we don't see results right freakin' away, we flip out! On top of that so many of us begin a diet or fitness program and expect all of our flaws and problems to melt away that week. We become so perfect that it becomes this huge stress on us, then suddenly we begin to hate trying to be so perfect, that we fail and quit! We think screw being so perfect, I'll just be fat, unhealthy, and happy! Its just soooooo much easier! I just can't be perfect!!!! Yet we walk around wondering why we still aren't happy?

I want it all. Perfect skin, perfect body, perfect teeth, perfect brain, perfect hair, perfect nails....yadayada!!! I am HUMAN! And perfection just seems so perfect right? For a long time my flaws mattered more to me than what I was doing right. I went so long trying to NEVER make a mistake, that I think I ended up making more mistakes than one person ever needs to make! I used to make diet and exercise this thing I HAD TO DO in order to be perfect or to ever come close to being perfect! I'd look in the mirror at my less than perfect skin, my terrible stretch marks from having two kids, scars from past surgeries, my out of control blood sugars, injecting needles of insulin into my body on a daily basis, and UGH just be so disappointed with everything about myself, that I'd just quit! That would lead to NOT taking care of myself at all. Not monitoring my blood sugars, not giving a crap what I ate, not working out, not monitoring my meds, blah blah blah I just let it all go! Boy didn't that get me far? I mean nothing better than walking around pissed off all the time and hating yourself. Its like a revolving door. Once you start one BAD habit, ten more seem to follow! Yet even though taking such bad care of myself made me feel terrible, it just always seemed even more terrible than taking care of myself and always have to be perfect. I always thought that once you start a diet and exercise program you have to follow it perfectly and never have any fun again! Just eat right and exercise and never screw up!

It wasn't until I changed my way of thinking and seeing myself as flawed, but so what, that I really started feeling better about me. It wasn't until I dedicated my life to living right, yet allowing myself some freedom now and then, that I actually started enjoying working out and eating right! And it took me a long ass time to realize that things take time. We are all a work in progress. I actually LOVE to workout now. I mean I look forward to it every day, but I'm also ok with the fact that every now and then there might be a day I can't workout! Its just gonna happen! And if I beat myself up over every time I can't workout, then the STRESS alone is gonna add 5 lbs to my body that week! Seriously folks, stress is a major problem for gaining weight! I also do my very best to eat right 7 days a week! BUT every now and then I'm gonna have a cheeseburger and I'm not gonna go home and hate myself for the rest of the month for being human! I'm not going to starve myself and hate my diet anymore, because I know it only leads to more weight gain. I've actually lost more weight by letting myself go now and then, then I ever did when I ate like a saint! I'm not perfect! I also don't look in the mirror anymore and hate my stretch marks. For Godsakes those marks are from my babies! My life changers, the best thing in the world, my two favorite people, everything to me scars, that came from my children! I don't need perfect skin, but I sure the heck need those two kiddos! And every now and then I'm gonna let my hair down and go have some drinks with the girls or my hubby and I'm gonna have a dang good time!!! Sure I might overindulge more than I need toAo, but I know dang good and well that come the next day I'm back on track and working my butt off!! I know I will be, why because I love taking care of myself now!! I love it!

Consistency is the key! No you can't eat bad 7 days a week, not exercise, drink alcohol every night, soak up in your stress, smoke cigarettes, and treat yourself bad day in and day out and expect to see results! You won't see any! And you'll just continue to walk around mad at the world every day! BUT if you give 95% of yourself to taking care of yourself and allow yourself 5% to chill and over indulge now and then, you'll get results! Trust me, you'll get results! If PAIN becomes a factor in the way we eat and workout, then we will always look at taking care of ourselves as painful! It shouldn't be painful to feel good! You've got to take the pain factor out. You've got to find your soul mate workout(you know the one you will really do and enjoy), you've got to eat healthy foods without starving yourself and allowing yourself some of your favorites now and then, and you've got to let your hair down and have some fun now and then! There is nothing wrong with being perfectly flawed! So don't make this months goals about striving for perfection! Make your goals and your day to day living about living a healthy and happy life, but accepting the fact that you are human! And that its OK to be human :)Discipline is so very important and you've got to have it. You've got to be focused and driven to lose weight and have great health. You just can't allow yourself to get so caught up in losing every last pound and being so healthy you are a rock wall of perfection, yet you can't remember the last time you smiled, that you end up hating taking care of yourself.

I'm flawed! I'll always be flawed. I'll always have things about myself I wish I could change or see some girl with the perfect body I want! I'll also continue to make stupid mistakes, but with every year, I seem to be finally learning from them, so thats gotta count for something right? LOL! I know who I am and what I want out of myself and I work hard to continue to grow and become who I know I can be. I have a long way to go, but with consistency on my side and my determination and love for my health, its a nice easy going ride that I enjoy. I don't stress anymore about being perfect and kick myself every time I slip a little! And neither should you. So make a list of all the things you want, changes you want to see in your body and health, exercises you know you will do, foods that are good for you that you know you will eat, plan out your workouts and your meals, but also plan in some fun...(you know a girls night out, date night with the hubby, birthday party, school gathering),...so you know that on THAT ONE DAY, you will throw stress out the window and just enjoy yourself, because starting the next day you are back to your consistent, steady, and fun pace! Be human and be good to yourself. Afterall if you are aren't good to you, why should anybody else be? There is nothing wrong with loving who you are and being confident in yourself to know that with a little time and effort you will feel as close to perfect as you've ever felt! And those little added flaws just make you who you are and add so much character! So please do all you can to stay perfectly flawed :)

Beachbody Coach Jen Mangum
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1 comment:

  1. Great post. I subscribe to your theory of being human and we should be allowed to live a little. Moderation is the key. Thanks!

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