What Motivates Me

Leading a healthy lifestyle in this modern world of ours is a challenge. We have everything available to us to eliminate the need to walk from point A to point B. If not a car then a bus or train and if not an escalator then an elevator. We also have conveniences like shopping online, ordering takeout via phone, laundry machines, dishwashers, car washes, robotic gadgets to clean the floors, and even remote controlled blinds. Why lift more than a finger? Everything is just so easy! 

Food is everywhere, who has time to listen to the body's hunger signals when we are constantly forced to think about food? With restaurants, bakeries, fast food establishments, and food trucks on every street corner along with the bombardment of unhealthy food advertisements on TV, in magazines, billboards, and online, we are left to think about food ALL THE TIME. Lets not forget that this exposure sways our food desires and choices. I mean don't you want your mind to be blown away? I do!

With all of these forces working in opposition to my desire to be healthy and strong, I need some form of encouragement to help me make my desires louder and more powerful than the allure of unhealthy foods and convenience. That really is the first step to surviving in modern society. You have to want to be healthy and then you need to help yourself get motivated. 

What motivates me to eat well and be active:

- I happened to choose to become a Registered Dietitian. On this journey to becoming an RD, I am forced to read the latest research and take a closer look at the health problems faced by this country (how are they caused? What is the solution?). This helps keep me in check. Here's the thing though, you don't need to strive to become a health professional to be informed and care about major issues affecting those around you. A great place to start is healthfinder.gov (you can subscribe and have any updates go straight to your inbox). 

- I don't let the media hunt me down and be my only influencer. I search for what I want to influence me. Most likely you do too and this could be why you are visiting my blog! I look to other bloggers as well. Reading the hard facts on heart disease and obesity rates isn't always enough to keep me going, I need to be able to relate to someone. Here are two blogs that help me stay on track:

• The Lean Green Bean. This blog is run by Lindsay an RD2Be. I don't know her personally (although it sometimes feels like I do!) but she managed to graduate with a 4.0, runs a super successful blog, is always cooking up a storm, and works out most days of the week. She gives detailed insight into her workouts and if she can do it so can I! 
• EatReal. LiveWell. This blog is run by another RD2Be, Summer. Again, I don't know her personally and am often fooled into thinking that I do but her story is incredibly inspirational. She is a full time student, works full time as a hospital pharmacy tech, and lost and maintained over a hundred pounds! Wowza! 

- Call me an overachiever but I can't bare the thought of doing poorly on a test. Be it a chemistry exam at school, my driving test, or a blood work lab test at the doctors office. For whatever reason, doing poorly makes me feel embarrassed because I consider myself to be a capable and intelligent person and so if I am given the test this means that I should be able to do well. So to do well on a chemistry exam I need to study hard, to pass the driving test I need to practice, and to get good lab values on my blood work I need to eat well and exercise. So wanting to look good on paper is what motivates me to stay fit and maintain a healthy diet! 

- I love trying new things. This is something that my boyfriend knows very well about me and he happens to be the exact opposite. He is a creature of habit, someone who will happily eat and drink the same thing over and over if it's something that he likes. I, on the other hand, love to explore new things and am always excited to taste something new. Same thing goes for exercise. I want to have different experiences like going rock climbing, signing up for hot yoga, or taking a belly dancing class with a friend. My curiosity drives me to stay active. 

- One thing I realized is that eating well and exercising is it's own little monster. Once you start, you begin to see and feel the results and that is motivation enough. Why stop doing something that makes you feel AWESOME??!

What motivates you to eat well and shake your booty?