I had a moment over the weekend when I remembered my car from my college days. Something during Sunday's sermon made me think of it. Wish I could remember what it was that sparked such a memory, but I know I had to chuckle when the thought of that car crossed my mind.
That car.
Oh, that dear, seafoam green Chevy Impala from some year in the 80's...bless its heart.
That car spent as much time not running/getting worked on as it did running. Maybe more so. When one thing would get fixed, another went awry.
Some things I never even attempted to get fixed due to the cost.
Things like the heater running 100% of the time.
That included summer, folks.
Summers in Indiana are more humid than in Georgia.
When I would travel the four hours from Fort Wayne to home, I would buy a bag of ice and put it under my legs to stay cool. I did what I had to do to get by...and, it never left me stranded on the side of the road; usually just in a parking lot somewhere. There is that. And, for this, I am truly grateful. I also kept a mom & pop garage up and running with all the repairs they did...we felt like family, seeing each other so often. They tried their best with what they had to work with in that car.
If Google had been around then (don't laugh), a picture of that car would have appeared when you searched for "lemon" images.
Not even kidding.
Well, that Chevy had one thing quirk that embarrassed me more than anything else.
Soon after I began driving it as "my" car, it decided that when I went to shut it off, it would continue to sputter, cough, and hiccup for awhile before one last "Achoo!".
I can laugh now, but back in the day...oh, the horror was a car doing such a thing, to a young, single lady trying to make her way through life.
I asked some questions. Got some opinions. Found an answer.
Believe it or not, it was an easy fix: premium gasoline.
It preferred a higher octane fuel.
It ran well on premium; not so well on regular.
Guess where I'm going with this...
A human body is just like my Impala...it runs its best on higher quality fuel.
There are differing levels of food quality out there for us to choose from in a grocery store/restaurant just like there are usually three grades of fuel to choose from at most fuel pumps.
We have to decide which one we want based on several factors that include cost, quality, and goals.
When I put the lower grade fuel in my Impala (nicknamed "The Beast" by my college friends, and rightly so), it acted up. It ran, but did not run well. There were all kinds of consequences to the choice of a lower quality fuel that I had to endure.
Likewise, I have found that my body operates accordingly to the quality of "fuel" with which I choose to fill it.
Was I living and breathing in the spring of 2013 when my weight had spiked back up to 180+ pounds? Yes.
Was I feeling good, and operating at my best? Not at all. Not even close.
The fuel I choose for my body is just as important as the fuel I needed to choose for "The Beast" back in the day for it not to totally embarrass me.
Our bodies are in need of a variety of clean, as close to its natural state as possible, food on a consistent basis in order to run in such a way to fight off some illnesses/colds/viruses and to operate at its best.
Feeling good, having sustainable energy, and being well are more important to me than any jean size ever will be.
My car told me, in no uncertain terms, which fuel it preferred. My body does the same.
Lately, I have consumed too many carbs...the good, the bad, and the ugly kinds. By choice. And, my body is responding according to my choices with increased tiredness, headaches, and sluggishness. I'm mending my ways, but still reaping the effects of my choices days later.
Clean eating is a choice I have made for my body. It is why I daily drink Shakeology. It makes my body run smoother, perform better, and helps my overall health.
It does not mean that I do not enjoy treats now and then. I will never give up bacon or pizza, but I will be wiser with my portions of them for my own good. I have taken on the challenge to not eat a food when my mind says, "I 'need' it", but to consume something because I want it as an occasional treat.
Our mentality toward food and about food has to be healthy.
Food is our fuel.
It is not therapy.
It is not there to give you a hug.
It is not something to empower.
It is not there to make you happy.
Food does not need you to “need” it.
It is simply fuel for your body like gasoline is for your vehicle.
My tastes have changed over time and my body craves healthier food now...higher octane fuel, one might say. A treat now and then will not undo my progress, but to get to my goals, I had to be very choosy when I began this journey to a healthier version of myself. I had to be dedicated to new choices. I had to look at food in a new way. I had to control my food choices instead of them controlling me. A mind over matter issue.
Accountability groups helped me tremendously with this in the beginning of my journey, and why I, still today, go to my coach's long running group when I find myself struggling in a certain area. This is also why I now run a monthly free group of my own. I want to help people look more intently at their relationship with food and food's relationship to one's overall health. I want to share my experiences and lessons learned the hard way with others so maybe their journey will be less bumpy than my own.
Maybe you're reading this and feeling as if you're running like my Impala did when on regular gasoline...slow to start, moody, and kind of embarrassingly awkward. Message me and let's talk. I'd enjoy nothing more than having you in my next free accountability group and seeing you thriving and feeling better than you have in years.
The Impala and I...well...we've both moved on in life.
Only one of us has improved with age...{smiley face}
That car.
Oh, that dear, seafoam green Chevy Impala from some year in the 80's...bless its heart.
That car spent as much time not running/getting worked on as it did running. Maybe more so. When one thing would get fixed, another went awry.
Some things I never even attempted to get fixed due to the cost.
Things like the heater running 100% of the time.
That included summer, folks.
Summers in Indiana are more humid than in Georgia.
When I would travel the four hours from Fort Wayne to home, I would buy a bag of ice and put it under my legs to stay cool. I did what I had to do to get by...and, it never left me stranded on the side of the road; usually just in a parking lot somewhere. There is that. And, for this, I am truly grateful. I also kept a mom & pop garage up and running with all the repairs they did...we felt like family, seeing each other so often. They tried their best with what they had to work with in that car.
If Google had been around then (don't laugh), a picture of that car would have appeared when you searched for "lemon" images.
Not even kidding.
Well, that Chevy had one thing quirk that embarrassed me more than anything else.
Soon after I began driving it as "my" car, it decided that when I went to shut it off, it would continue to sputter, cough, and hiccup for awhile before one last "Achoo!".
I can laugh now, but back in the day...oh, the horror was a car doing such a thing, to a young, single lady trying to make her way through life.
I asked some questions. Got some opinions. Found an answer.
Believe it or not, it was an easy fix: premium gasoline.
It preferred a higher octane fuel.
It ran well on premium; not so well on regular.
Guess where I'm going with this...
A human body is just like my Impala...it runs its best on higher quality fuel.
There are differing levels of food quality out there for us to choose from in a grocery store/restaurant just like there are usually three grades of fuel to choose from at most fuel pumps.
We have to decide which one we want based on several factors that include cost, quality, and goals.
When I put the lower grade fuel in my Impala (nicknamed "The Beast" by my college friends, and rightly so), it acted up. It ran, but did not run well. There were all kinds of consequences to the choice of a lower quality fuel that I had to endure.
Likewise, I have found that my body operates accordingly to the quality of "fuel" with which I choose to fill it.
Was I living and breathing in the spring of 2013 when my weight had spiked back up to 180+ pounds? Yes.
Was I feeling good, and operating at my best? Not at all. Not even close.
The fuel I choose for my body is just as important as the fuel I needed to choose for "The Beast" back in the day for it not to totally embarrass me.
Our bodies are in need of a variety of clean, as close to its natural state as possible, food on a consistent basis in order to run in such a way to fight off some illnesses/colds/viruses and to operate at its best.
Feeling good, having sustainable energy, and being well are more important to me than any jean size ever will be.
My car told me, in no uncertain terms, which fuel it preferred. My body does the same.
Lately, I have consumed too many carbs...the good, the bad, and the ugly kinds. By choice. And, my body is responding according to my choices with increased tiredness, headaches, and sluggishness. I'm mending my ways, but still reaping the effects of my choices days later.
Clean eating is a choice I have made for my body. It is why I daily drink Shakeology. It makes my body run smoother, perform better, and helps my overall health.
It does not mean that I do not enjoy treats now and then. I will never give up bacon or pizza, but I will be wiser with my portions of them for my own good. I have taken on the challenge to not eat a food when my mind says, "I 'need' it", but to consume something because I want it as an occasional treat.
Our mentality toward food and about food has to be healthy.
Food is our fuel.
It is not therapy.
It is not there to give you a hug.
It is not something to empower.
It is not there to make you happy.
Food does not need you to “need” it.
It is simply fuel for your body like gasoline is for your vehicle.
My tastes have changed over time and my body craves healthier food now...higher octane fuel, one might say. A treat now and then will not undo my progress, but to get to my goals, I had to be very choosy when I began this journey to a healthier version of myself. I had to be dedicated to new choices. I had to look at food in a new way. I had to control my food choices instead of them controlling me. A mind over matter issue.
Accountability groups helped me tremendously with this in the beginning of my journey, and why I, still today, go to my coach's long running group when I find myself struggling in a certain area. This is also why I now run a monthly free group of my own. I want to help people look more intently at their relationship with food and food's relationship to one's overall health. I want to share my experiences and lessons learned the hard way with others so maybe their journey will be less bumpy than my own.
Maybe you're reading this and feeling as if you're running like my Impala did when on regular gasoline...slow to start, moody, and kind of embarrassingly awkward. Message me and let's talk. I'd enjoy nothing more than having you in my next free accountability group and seeing you thriving and feeling better than you have in years.
The Impala and I...well...we've both moved on in life.
Only one of us has improved with age...{smiley face}
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