Cutting "Carbs" From Your Life: An Alternative Look at the Benefits of Healthy Eating

My girlfriend is a health n...enthusiast. While many women inundate their guys inbox with requests of jewelry and clothing, my lady asks for whey protein and workout outfits. Though in no shape or form did I resemble Insanity fitness trainer Shaun T (though we all laugh at the Hip Hop Abs commercial), her dedication to improving and maintaining her body has motivated me to regain my form. Getting back in shape has not been a seamless transition, however; immediately I recognized I have work to do. Being healthy as an adult is more demanding than the early years; over time we create mental and physical obstacles that slow our pace to reach our goals. Work, children, time, and finances are just a few of the challenges that bring our physical renovation to a dead halt. The biggest hurdle of them all is the monster known as stubbornness; being pig-headed has worn me out worse than media did Derrick Rose. As I continually fight to improve my eating and workout habits, I've begun to learn that this same fight ironically applies to my life and career aspirations. The models for achieving good health also apply to relationships, entrepreneurship, and any other ship you want to get on: Name your goal, tame your temptation, and flame your fire (keep your motivation).

Working out can offer benefits that show
up in more ways than just obvious. 

There are different goals to achieve in health: Lower cholesterol, tone your body, eat clean, improve stamina, etc. As we grow interest in health, we set objectives that we want to accomplish. These objectives are ours and ours alone; working for others can serve as motivation but you feed yourself and lift in solitude. My first step in achieving health was setting goals. I wanted to define my midsection, lower my cholesterol and sodium (black problems jk), regain my basketball form, and slim down. I didn't want to look like The Rock, never wanted to host Biggest Loser, or enter a gauntlet. 

Once those goals were set, I began receiving education on alternatives to fatty foods and was given a meal plan to structure my eating. Now, we work to chip away at our achievements. Life provides similar circumstances. We search and scour for what provides happiness and plan how to obtain these elements. Others provide inspiration and at times set your on your path, but the work required to create a plan and put it in order can only start with self. In the day and age, we go few places without our GPS, Mapquest, or Google Maps. Why not provide direction to our life?

Setting a goal is certainly eye-opening, but completing that goal rarely occurs without dodging barriers that impede your path. Take relationships, for example: just when you find that girl you know does everything you could ever ask for in a mate, your eyes catch a hold of every chick with a big butt and a smile. Ladies, as you find Mr. Right, every man you WANTED to be Mr. Right magically finds your phone number or Facebook and tries to jump back in the game. Temptation is like roaches and Nate Robinson: they are HARD to get rid of. Ironically, temptation also lives among those who yearn to live healthy. Imagine: you are two pounds away from your target weight, you have been eating wonderful, and just as you become comfortable your friends invite you to a cookout. C'mon, man! While one burger doesn't destroy the movement (depending on your level of health, i.e. no beef burgers for vegans), it is just one example of the temptations found in trying to eat correctly. Dining out limits our chances to have a truly healthy meal, and the comfort of our couch can put a SERIOUS damper on working out. These traps must be dodged, however, to get to that beach body or to grab a hold of our health. We must equally keep ourselves out of harm's way in life to reduce the chances of falling to temptation. In combating temptation, it helps to limit people and environments that put you in the midst of your struggle, and keep your priorities/goals visible.

Search for momentoes that inspire you,
as this pic riled me up...sheesh.

In my quest for improving my health, I took a before picture (which will stay between me, Android, and the Lord Jesus himself). I use it as motivation to get my core "on point". Referring back to our journey/trip analogy, it is good to develop points of references and landmarks. These elements have been crucial in knowing where I'm at, and where I want to be. This translates well to other components of our life, as having visuals can enhance multiple facets including fashion, home renovation, budgeting, and more. In matters of law and business, it is common to hear the phrase, "Put it in writing". As you look to build yourself for the better, apply this technique to your lifestyle. If using for your career, notate your needs and check off as you go. 

In healthy eating, write down your meals; for exercise, track your improvement. Jotting down increases your motivation, and motivation increases your success. 

Success is something that many of us dream of, but often struggle with understanding how to achieve it. In my years as a writer, I've never doubted my talent but at times wondered was I taking the right path. Never in my wildest dreams did I figure eating better would add insight to accomplishing my larger goals. Had I known that sooner, I would have traded in my McDonald's bag a LONG time ago.

Ceddy P