‘Embrace and love your body. It is the most important thing you’ll ever own’.
I’ve been through stages of, ‘I feel too skinny!!!’ to ‘OMG I have a pudge! I’m getting fat!’. We’ve all been through it and in fact I have a good story to tell very soon about that. In the meantime, the other day, I stepped on the scale for the first time in about a year and realized I am 10 lbs heavier than what I was when I first moved to LA in March 2011. [Now granted, I was not healthy back then, I was definitely depressed, confused and skipping way too many meals.]
But guess what, I am okay with the weight gain. But I also know that I may not be okay with gaining another 20-30 lbs by doing what I was doing the whole year, and that was eating whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted with no regards to what I was putting into my body. It took a minute for me to realize that the bad stuff that I was eating was reflecting back into my work, my attitude and actions. Your body is your temple..
I no longer eat Fast Food and I try to stay away from processed food (It seemed to be draining my energy). I am also a great Smoothie maker so I start my morning off right with a smoothie that contains strawberries, bananas, flaxseed and protein shake or juice spinach and apples together. Egg whites and more fruits and vegetables for lunch and chicken and broccoli and carrots for dinner. I have about two good days were I eat whatever I want but it’s gotten to the point where the bad stuff is ick!
Exercise has become a very important part of my day (Thanks Rihanna for providing the Soundtrack while I’m on the treadmill). Before I had every excuse in the book as to why I couldn’t get in the gym. [i.e. Too Busy. Don’t want to sweat my hair out! I just don’t have time right now..] but I’ve realized how critical exercise or at least staying very active is to my overall health. Even when I hang out with friends, we try to plan fun things that involve a good workout like Biking on the beach or ‘dancing in heels‘ to keep the adrenaline going.
I have to thank Jeanette Jenkins for all the health tips (and a little training) to get me together before the Summer. But what I realized most was that staying slim really wasn’t as important to me as being healthy and living right. I’m on a new path..
Shirt via GymneticsFitness.com
P.S. This may sound disgusting, but I have to add, a good colonic every now and again don’t hurt nobody.
Hi, I'm Necole!
thank you so much for making this blog about treating your body right Necole, because I have recently started getting back into eating healthy and working out/staying active 3 weeks ago and I feel phenomenal, my body is looking great already and I have lots of energy…I stopped working out and eating healthy because of stress from school, and losing my job, then not having a job and having to leave school because of it, I felt like everything was crumbling beneath me and mind you I am 22 years old and I support myself, not knowing how I was gonna pay my bills, staying up late nights crying alot and just eating when I was stressed, my over state of mind and physical being was a mess…I am now back in school(pursuing my career), I have a great job and I now work out 4 to 5 times a week doing lots of cardio and circuit training (using my own body weight) and some boxing, and dancing in hells (super fun!) so thank you necole this is very motivational and inspiring for me as a black woman
Thank you for this post. I’m trying to get myself mentally right to start eating right too meaning no processed food, fast food, etc. I have to get it together but great article.
Wow, I’ve always thought you were the perfect body frame. But I think that’s normal for people who are thin, they [well not all, but a majority] do tend to eat whatever whenever they want at any time of the day and in their mind they feel like “well i’m slim so it’s not going to do that much damage to me, I can afford these lbs and workout later”. Which is why i’m glad you wrote this, because it’s not all about just being skinny and being able to eat whatever you want, you’re letting us know that apart of eating whatever we want, we have to make sure we get the right DIET and EXERCISE in our lives as if it is a 9-5!
I’m really inspired but this post, although I don’t have the money to go out and get bulks of healthy groceries each month; because we all know how expensive healthy food can cost. I am willing to start fresh new tomorrow and WILL try to treat my body like a Temple as you used it. I WILL workout more, so that my energy isn’t winded during the middle of the day. I wish the fitness program was in the Tri-State area though lol.
Thanks Necole Stay Beautiful, Healthy & Successful!
LaTroy W.
Nice article 🙂
Timing is everything. I just did a blog that went live today on my website about the same exact thing. I put myself on a 14 day no meat diet and yesterday was my day 14. I’ve lost a lot of weight although I was already thin. Weight loss was not my purpose. Health gain was. And I can’t say enough how GREAT I feel. I’ve never had so much energy. I’ve never smiled so much. And people have actually NOTICED which not only felt great to hear but felt even better hearing that seeing my happiness and results motivated them to want to become healthy.
You’ve always been an inspiration Nicole and seeing that you posted this blog at the same time as I did makes me feel like I’m doing something right. So thank you.
Congrats on eating and living a healthy lifestyle! What we eat and how we think/behave also plays a HUGE role in how we look and feel. I, too, have been trying to change aspects of my lifestyle…getting enough rest/sleep, drinking enough water, decreasing carbs and sugars, being stress free, and regular exercise! I am proud to say that I have lost 38 pounds (and counting!) since December 26, 2011 and I am looking better than I have in about 10 years!
very well said. 🙂
AwesomeNESS, I love stories like this what people don’t understand is we are what we eat…I myself try to get in at least 4 workouts a week, if not I find an alternative getting off 2 subway stops away and walking, taking the stairs…Working hard on establishing a better food regimen a work in progress with that… Thanks Necole for sharing. Be good to your Body folks!
Yea, I try to work out as much as possible, 3-5 days a week. I am young and have gained a little weight since having a child, however working out is one thing that a lot of black women don’t do that we need to start doing regularly. I am still trying to get my eating under control. I have my good days and bad days but I’ll reach my goal sooner or later. I have already lost 15 pounds & counting.
I feel the same way. The best thing to do is to enjoy what you eat without overindulging yourself. You can eat cake just don’t eat the whole cake lol