Entry #2. Choosing A Healthy Lifestyle.

When given the option-most Americans would choose to drink soda over water, grab a quick hamburger and fries from the nearest drive-thru instead of a preparing a nutritious meal and may pass up on offers to attend the gym or go for a run in exchange for hours on the couch or scrolling through social media. Now-a-days there is so much technology and distractions that is is much easier to become less active and overweight. Typical American diets exceed the recommended intake levels-for calories from solid fats and added sugars, refined grain, sodium and saturated fat. Foods that are contributed to the most weight gain include french fries, potato chips, sugar, red meats, processed foods, sweets/desserts and fried food. It is sad but sometimes it costs less to buy these kinds of junk foods; government support (i.e. food stamps) allows you to purchase this non-nutritional garbage as well. Even fast food places like Jack-in-the-Box accept food stamps. This just means the junk food is so easy to get your hands on and is filled with sugars and fats that make our taste buds go crazy and can even be addicting. Once eating poorly becomes a habit, it is very hard to break. Your body starts to crave the sugars, salt, fattiness and it becomes used to the unhealthy diet. Most people that consistently eat junk, wouldn't choose to eat a green vegetable, garden salad or a great piece of salmon. They don't typically care about the protein and nutritional value in the foods they are eating. It also slowly starts to build up on you, the weight will continue to increase and medical issues will arise.

At first, it is not an easy task to change your diet and lifestyle around. In fact, it will take months and months of getting used to and developing good eating habits. It takes a hell of a lot of self discipline and persistence. It is so easy to see a commercial on the TV for a nice greasy pizza and then think "Ehh, I'll just order a pizza today for lunch and start my diet tomorrow". You have to have the will power in you to choose something healthier. Eating clean doesn't mean you have to sit there and write a hugggggeeee list of all of the different things you must deprive yourself from. That will literally drive you crazy and make your goal impossible to achieve. Instead, it is important to make small changes. Maybe one week you decide "Okay, I'm going to give up drinking soda and every time I crave that refreshing drink, I grab a water instead". Then for that week or two weeks you work on not drinking soda and instead increasing your water intake. After the time period, it should be much easier to choose to drink water over the sugary caffeine beverage. Next, you can choice to give up fried/processed food and refrain from that as well as your continuous strive to eliminate soda. After a few weeks of choosing better foods over fried/processed you might choose to incorporate exercises. You may choose to walk around your community every other night of the week or go to the gym 2-3 times( Not, every day... that could be an overwhelming goal). The point is you must be gradual with you lifestyle changes. You don''t want to take on a huge load of goals and then not end up achieving any of them. And sometimes this can backfire and put someone into a depression that leads to even more unhealthy eating. 

Slowly changing eating and fitness habits can improve your health and happiness in life. At first, it may seem like a chore or a punishment to eat some carrots or run on the treadmill. But after awhile of consistency and good diet choices, eating clean will turn into a regular behavior you don't even have to think twice about. For me personally, I used to be about 65 pounds heavier. It took me a good 3 years to completely transform from my poor eating choices to craving fruits and vegetables. And WANTING to go to the gym. I encourage everyone to set goals and be persistent with them. It will be a long and challenging journey but you will thank yourself in the end. Choose that water bottle before you grab a coke. Read the nutrition label on the back of the foods you are eating. Push yourself out of your comfort zone and strive to be the strongest, fittest and healthiest version of yourself you can be!