When I started this class, I thought I was healthy. After being a vegetarian for five years, being weary of gluten intake, and not drinking soda, I thought I was doing well. However, after beginning this class, I realized that I was unconsciously aware of my own bad habits. The final project for this class would be to improve my health, and create a plan to better it. Wait a minute … improve my health? It was then that I realized my health plan was nonexistent. As a student, a social butterfly, and a full time cosmetologist, my lifestyle became that of a busy bee. I had become over exercise, over indulgent, and yes, overweight.
I wanted to start improving my health immediately. I started my health plan by quitting cigarettes cold turkey. Smoking was a social (horrible) habit that I decided to ditch after starting this class. How great it was to be able to walk up stairs without feeling weezy. Eventually, I got back onto the elliptical (my machine of choice) and realized the same thing, I could breathe!
After I quit smoking, I felt so much better. So good in fact, that I realized the kind of person I wanted to be. I want to be a strong, healthy, vegetarian gal. I want to be a woman who fuels her body with things that it needs instead of poisoning it with pollutants.
I also realized that I was not eating right for my body. Although the switch to being a vegetarian and (almost) gluten free, really helped my health problems, I realized I wasn’t eating a balanced diet. I made a constant effort to eat a light and balanced breakfast, have small healthy snacks in between meals, 3 ounces of protein with 2 servings of vegetables for lunch and dinner, and water throughout the day. I have started to pay much closer attention to what foods I am eating, and which foods I can tolerate (dark greens and fruits) and those that I cannot (dairy and gluten). I love to cook, and I have started to find great recipes and creative ways to be healthy in the kitchen.
Since I have started this class, I have actively changed my lifestyle to provide my body with more exercise, healthier foods, and an adequate amount of rest. My plan is to continue to be active for two hours at least four to five times a week; doing cardio, weight training, and relaxation exercise. Among my favorite activities are; zumba, yoga, the elliptical, hiking, swimming, and lifting weights with my dad.
I plan on continuing my exercise program, and increasing my exercise as I get stronger so that I am able to start losing more weight. After I transfer to Arizona for college, I want to enroll in fitness and outdoor classes, so that I can stay active, and meet other students that enjoy being active in a fun environment as well. I also will go to the gym in my apartment complex, hike, and do other activities to accumulate my weekly exercise goals.
