Differences.

The Difference.

There is a difference between the following terms:
Healthy
Unhealthy

Although it may seem obvious, so many people are completely lost.

Healthy is being mentally and physically happy. Fit. Content.

Achieving health is complicated and difficult, yet not a hard concept to understand.
You need to eat healthy foods. Fruits, veggies, lean meats...
You need to eat unhealthy foods in moderation. You shouldn't rule them out, but just keep them in moderation.
You need to move your body. Whatever way you choose to, move it. Go for a walk. Jump up and down. Join a gym. Jumping jacks + pushups. Online videos. Go for a run. Who knows? You do.
You need to be generally happy. But I am not getting into that here.

In my opinion, unhealthy can go in many different directions-- in terms of diet and exercise.

1. You are eating too much, and not working out.
To break it down, you are essentially intaking more calories then you are burning, turning those calories into fat. This will make you gain weight, slow down your metabolism, give you crappy sleep, harder breathing, and many other health complications.

2. You are eating too much, and not working out enough.
This is essentially the same as the previous one, except here you aren't working out enough and you are still eating too much. If you work out, but you still are eating a lot, nothing is going to happen. Essentially you will either gradually lose weight, maintain weight, are gradually gain weight. Depending. If you go for a 20 minute run then reward yourself with a chocolate bar, you are going to gain weight. For a person around 125-130 pounds, a 20 minute run will burn approximately 200 calories, more or less. A chocolate bar is going to be hitting upwards of 300 calories- 800 calories. Do the math.


3. You aren't eating enough and you aren't working out enough.
Depending on your body shape, this can go many ways. But in general, this is terrible. If you are not eating, you are not giving your body the nutrients it needs to function. You are going to be fatigued, unhealthy, and disrespecting your own body. If you are simply on a crash diet, diet, with no exercise, it will not work. Your body needs calories and such to process. Honestly: sometimes people who don't eat enough, GAIN weight. Your body won't be gaining any strength or endurance what-so-ever if you don't work out. Essentially your body is just trying to survive here.

4. You aren't eating enough and you are working out too much.
Again, with the unhealthy, disrespecting your body, etc., by not eating your body isn't getting the nutrients it requires to function. If you are working out too much along with not eating enough, I can almost guarantee that you will lose weight. But what is the point of being skinny if you have bags under your eyes and are too tired.
You will ALWAYS be tired, even if you sleep 10 hours. If you aren't eating enough and you are working out a lot, you are likely going to pass out often. You need calories to function.
Its like trying to run a car with barely any gas. It will try to run and function for a bit, and may break down a bit, but eventually will stop running.
You need food.

If you can learn to eat healthy, and if you can learn to exercise appropriately, you will see results. Healthy results.

I would rather be 150 pounds and exercising often, and eating healthy and feeling GREAT than be 100 pounds and eating junk food and being lazy.

Move your body. You will feel better. Feeling GOOD should be your ultimate goal. Looking good is just a bonus.

There is also a difference between being healthy and being anorexic.

I am SICK AND TIRED of people (no matter what body shape) looking at me or people with identical lifestyles of eating healthy, and thinking we are anorexic because we eat lettuce, drink milk, eat apples and blueberries. Because we eat things like quinoa and drink healthy smoothies. I am not anorexic just because I haven't eaten ice cream in over a week, because I am choosing to eat HEALTHY. That is not anorexia.

I hate when people say things like "Do you want to be a twig?". No. I do not. I want to feel good physically. To feel good physically I must eat and exercise. I am gaining weight currently. Muscle. I am losing fat slower than I am gaining muscle, but I am doing both. I do not want to be a twig.

Also, that is offensive to people who are "twigs". That is actually really offensive and I am about to be, but there are people at the gym that are probably 100 pounds, with barely any muscle. But they go to the gym. They work out. They are healthy.

Just because someone is skinny doesn't mean they are healthy. We all know that one person who can eat whatever and still be skinny. They are no healthier than the over weight person doing the same.

Back to my point. Anorexia has nothing to do with being healthy.

I hate when I hear somebody saying something like "You need an ice cream! You need a chocolate bar! You can use it!".

Oh, I can "use" taking years off my life, and I can "use" the day after feeling less energetic.

Let me tell you, let's say today I ate a chocolate bar, didn't drink enough water, had 2 ice creams and a handful of jelly beans. In addition, I had my usual healthy things I eat (apples, cereal, yogurt, etc). Tomorrow on my run, I would feel it. Hardcore. I can feel these unhealthy things in my body.

This is my lifestyle. No you don't have to eat healthy all of the time. But it certainly does help.

No, just because I will not eat that fried Mars Bar, or I don't want to skip my workout today, that doesn't mean I am anorexic. I am doing it for health purposes. It doesn't hurt to eat that mars bar or skip my workout, but actually no, it does in the long run.

How many times have you said to yourself "I really regretted that work out" and how many times have you said "I should've worked out" "I should've started this early".

Exactly.

So next time your friend or co-worker or family member or fellow member of society, chooses a head of broccoli over a hamburger, don't call them anorexic.

Thank you.

Holy Crap.

I finally have something!

Everybody has there "thing" whether it be drama, dance, football, etc. Everybody has a hobby. Fitness is mine! Ahh! Not that I didn't know this. But its just that I am so happy I discovered that I have a hobby. Instead of saying "Psychology!". Haha.

This is going to be somewhat a random post. Just updates and such.

The Half-Marathon is in 38 Days! I found a 4-week plan to really get me there! Considering its basically 5 weeks until the Halfie, this will help me. Heres the plan:

So excited :)

Okay. Dare I do it? Yes. I am going to look back at my workout goals for the summer (gulp).

-> I want to be able to do at least 5 regular pushups by the end of the summer

DONE. HOLY SHIT. YES :)

-> I want to reach 20lb bicep curls (I'm at 15, and REALLY CLOSE basically at 17.5 right now) and 25 (I am at 17.5lbs)  pound on triceps

Nope. I haven't really moved up too much. I am at 17.5 in Bicep curls. But I still use the 15lbs just because it helps. I have used the 20 lbs, and I do a little everyday, but not enough.

And I think I am going to forget my tricep goal. I will just move up to 20 lbs. I don't know why I made that goal. 

-> I want to reach 300 pounds for my .. what the fuck is it called, the leg pushy thinger. I am smart. Right now I am at 255 lbs.

YESSSs. I can do it. I don't do it everyday. But I can do it. I usually do 275 or 295. But I have done 300. 

-> I want to reach 100 pounds for individual legs in the leg curl ones (I am at I think 75/60 depending on the day)

Maybe I need to train more on this. I haven't moved up.

-> I want to run 13.1 miles. (A half marathon)

Sooon :). The most I have run now is 9.4 miles.

-> I want to ride my bike to kingston

I may have to forget this one... with my marathon training it might not be smart.

-> I want to go to bike to the beach and swim at least 5 times this summer

I am thinking I will do this one next week. I have thought of it every day. I haven't been to the beach AT ALL. :(

Also, I talked on Sunday about my 21 Day plan of eating. Yesterday was a KILLER. I had cravings all day and I felt tired. I don't think I had enough calories in me. I had enough.. but I wasn't used to it. I guess. I don't know. 

But I am adding 2 more things to my list:

- Popcorn 

- Chocolate

I keep eating Popcorn. I was eating some chocolate chips with my almonds and so I need to stop with the chocolate. I didn't originally put chocolate in there, because a little bit of dark chocolate isn't bad for you. But I have been eating more chocolate since I started this. So no more chocolate for me.

Popcorn... Okay. I am not ruling this one out. But I am only allowing myself 4 bags / week. By bags, I mean the 100-cal bags. I have already had 4 this week though. Two yesterday. Which is not good. Popcorn isn't "healthy" but it is an extremely healthier option as opposed to chips or other snack foods. Still not the best.

Also. I created my profile on bodybuilding.com. I spend way to much time on that website browsing the products. Check er' out. http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/sarahfloria/

Anyways. I better go do some online school now. 

I WILL NOT be a hypocrite today.

Today I finally decided. 21 Day challenge of not eating bread/muffins/bagels, cookies/crackers, ice cream, pudding and popsicles!

These are the foods that I keep eating that really aren't that great for me. So for 21 Days I am NOT going to eat them.

I hav---
OH MY GOD. Literally my mom just walked into my room and asked if I wanted to go to Dairy Queen. OMFG. I would've. But nooo. I can't. I'm not.

The reason why I am not is because I need to stop. I realized the one thing that is really holding me back is my eating. I generally eat healthy, other than those things that are listed above.

The reason why it is for 21 Days, is because I read somewhere that not eating bread/carbs for 21 days makes a huge difference. Thats not exactly what I am doing, but I feel like this 3 week plan is a good guideline.

It is going to be hard. I will try not to cheat. I already accidentally had 1 cracker today, because I forgot. But no. I am going to fucking do this hardcore.

Now, if you know my thoughts on health and fitness, you know that I am not one for "diets". Diets are dumb. You need to make a LIFESTYLE change. So, This isn't just for 21 days.

It is just a kickoff...

After the three weeks are up (which will be killer) I will not eat muffins/bagels, cookies/crackers, ice cream, pudding and popsicles every day of the week, except one day, which will be my "cheat day".

Because if you are a health guru at all, you know that you do need cheat days. Your lifestyle change will not work. I always say you should never "eliminate" something completely from your diet. But these foods aren't the healthiest. So I am going to give myself 1 cheat day a week to eat those foods.

After the three weeks I will eat bread though. Its just I am not eating bread to go with the carb thing. I am still eating carbs... just for three weeks I am taking a break from all of the bread as well, even though it can be healthy, I think a break would do my body good. A good "Cleanse".

I haven't decided yet, but I don't think I am going to "define" my cheat day. Like say, Sunday is my cheat day! Etc. Because if I say Sunday is my cheat day, and I go out for dinner with my friends on Friday and I want an ice cream, I can't have one. So I will just do whatever date feels best. If someday a friend offers me a cookie, well I guess thats my cheat day.

Although, I think all of my friends know my 1 rule. I don't count ANYTHING on Holidays. Easter, Halloween, Christmas, New Years, Birthdays. I will eat whatever. Which is why on easter I always eat ALL of my candy. Yea. Its bad. But I just say calories don't count on holidays.

Although I never count calories. I think at the moment I am probably only burning 100 calories more than I am consuming. Just from a rough estimate.

Some days I eat almost 3000 calories (which is bad) and others I eat probably around 1200. It totally depends on the day and my appetite. But I don't sweat it that much.

BUT ALL OF THESE FOODS ARE GOING DOWWWN.

Oh. That reminds me. Back in Grade 9ish, I quit soda. I just don't drink pop anymore. Since then, I've probably had like 10 pops.

I like never eat candy or chocolate. Chips I never eat. I eat popcorn. I didn't put that on my list though, because the popcorn I eat is in 100 calorie bags. I am not going to add any flavour shakes to it though.

But I am going to rock the next 3 weeks. Maybe.

Run run run

RUNNING.

I have achieved some major goals in the past 2 weeks. I am so happy!

Just 2-3 weeks ago, I got back out on the road. I ran 6 miles. I almost died. I ran another 6 miles after that, then just decided to go straight for the 8 miler. I DID IT. Then I ran 3 miles on the treadmill. Then, this Monday, I ran 8.5 miles. Today I ran 9 miles!

This is happening! I am so excited!

My only problem is... my pace is slow. But I don't actually think its THAT bad. I use a phone app for my running.. and I do take breaks in my runs, I can't just run straight, I might walk for 30 seconds or so. So this screws up my "pace".

I'd really like to have a pace no more than 5:41 but ideally, I'd like to be at 5:07 (per KM), although thats not very realistic. I start off fast, then I get slower as I run. Which makes sense, but then that means I need to pace myself and not start fast and get slow. Currently my pace is at around 6:30.

I don't know. Once I have officially ran 13 miles (I am hoping by the end of this month, fingers crossed) I will work on my pace. So I can do well in the halfie! :)

Just put it this way... at my pace, now, if I were to have run the halfie last year (the same event) I would've gotten 26th / 30. Which isn't very good... I'd say.

At the pace I want to get to, I would get 16th/ 30th.

Getting 1st in my Gender would be AWESOME though. I would need to have that 5:07 pace.

See. I have endurance, but not speed with endurance. I also have strength and speed, but not with endurance.

Ugh.

I know my goal should be to simply *Finish* but that is not good enough for me. MUST. DO. MORE! >:D

Anyways. Guess what else? In August, I am no longer using music on my outdoor runs. Yep. You heard it. 0 iPod. I feel I could do that now. But only when I am running by the water. If I am running down dundas or something I need music.

But for the half-marathon, they recommend you don't listen to music, and if you do, you can only use 1 ear.

That might throw off my pace. I run faster to music. I don't want to run the half marathon with any music... but... if it does throw off my pace, I will.

Anyways, that is all for now.

Not running until at least Friday. Because. I need rest. My legs are going "SARAH Y U KILL ME".

Yes.

I am back in business! I am running the same amount I was before I injured my leg. So it took me what... 2-3 weeks to recover after I was aloud to start running. But yeah, I used to run about 6-7 miles, (not on the treadmill). I ran 6.1 miles today. So I consider myself officially back in business. I am going to aim for 7 or 8 miles on Tuesday morning. I think. Hopefully its not REALLY hot out then. 

I just want to run everyday! But my legs need rest. So I am going to wait until Tuesday to run next. I ran 6.1 outside today, and 6 miles yesterday on the treadmill. 

This should probably be on my other blog. My fitness blog. But I'll just continue here.

A Half-Marathon is 13.1 miles. I can do it. I know I can. Its just a matter of getting there. I have... less than 2 months left. Let me count the days. 49 days. I can so do it. 

But I am oddly having issues getting back into my "zoned out running mode". What I mean by this, is running without thinking about running. Because when you run, while thinking about running, everything becomes harder to do. And its hard to not think "Run slower, run faster, bounce more, stop pounding your feet so hard, breathe through your nose, your shorts are riding up, I'm thirsty" etc. But occasionally I can just think of other things, then running becomes easier.

Oh, I did some 100m dashes. The lines were sorta still on the track at Moira. So I decided to try it out. I didn't really have that legit of a stopwatch. But I ran the fastest time around 12.2 seconds. I was looking at average times online.. average for a runner is about 12-13, but basically you need to be under 11 seconds if you want to be good. I think I am going to train a lot more with the 100 m dashes. Go over to the track at moira like a weirdo. I ran 4 laps and 3 dashes there today. So I guess that was interesting. 

On the flipsideeee.

I realized that since I joined the gym, I am 100% more confidant with my body. I don't even feel like I look THAT different. Yes, I have more muscles. I haven't lost that much fat. SHIT. That reminds me. Tomorrow is my weigh-in/Body fat % check. But I just feel more confidant.

Like, I am willing to wear less clothes. BAHA. Sounds good. No, but I don't care about the little things as much. If I was ever sitting in a chair and my stomach would get a little bit squished by my pants, I used to freak. Now I don't care. 

I just think that I have made a complete 360. But landing in a different spot. So not a 360. Whatever, you get what I am saying. 

I just don't care the way I look as much anymore because I know I am healthy. I used to be unhealthy (as I have written at least 10 blog posts... most are deleted, about this topic, I am not going to repeat it), but now I am. I am happier now than I was then. Also, I am 15-20 pounds heavier than I was then. 

Also, now I can do pushups. 

THIS IS IT. BUT I HAVE SO MANY MORE THOUGHTS.

I have considered quitting sugar. I have considered quitting candy. But I am not sure. or Having "Meatless mondays". But I go days without meat anyways. Don't worry.. I certainly get my protein. SOY+GREEKYOGURT+PROTEIN POWDER FTW. 

Okay. Now. Bye