Practicing Healthy Disciplines

Heb. 12:11 (NIV)

"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."

I just discovered the blog Cat's Belly Fat Cure and I enjoy that Cat features Bible verses on her blog. After reading the one above, I feel like I was meant to see that this week. For a couple reasons. 

1) Discipline - Exercise

I seriously SUCK at exercising recently. But I plan on attempting to get back into it because I know it's beneficial for both me and my health. I also want to try drinking green juice in the mornings, too. Maybe I'll buy some (no, I don't have a juicer on campus) and start drinking it over Thanksgiving break.  

2) Discipline - Vegan Lifestyle

As you all know, I've been struggling with this recently. I actually ate a non-vegan cupcake and then spent the entire night and next morning throwing up and in pain. So I think I learned my lesson, there. If for nothing else, I need to stick with it because I get sick otherwise!

I would like to feature snippets of each of the four comments I received from my post yesterday. I found them highly helpful (please click here if you would like to comment too!)

"I think you need to determine why you are "vegan" and what that means to you. Then live honestly in respect of your values - regardless of any label." - Heather 

I agree. Honestly, I went vegan as a way to lose weight and maintain my health - which I haven't been doing well recently because of all the sweets I've been baking/eating. Animal rights and environmental reasons were second to that. I think one reason why it's so hard right now is merely because I am in a college dorm right now and I don't have an easily accessible kitchen. Honestly though? I KNOW being vegan is way better for me. I just need to strive to stick with it. 

"I don't keep sweets in the house. Because if it's there I will eat it. If I have a craving for something bad enough then I'll go out and get it." - Shea

This is such a good plan! I honestly I have wanted to do this for so long, but I don't want to waste all my sweets by just tossing them in a trash. So...it's a dilemma. 

"I have personally found it extremely tiring to maintain being vegan 100% of the time. For me, I would rather eat a plant-based diet with very marginal amounts of dairy/honey, etc. and not worry about a title. I don't want a word to dictate my life and actions." - Jared

I also agree with this. I feel like it's the label that throw me off, because then I feel like I'm cheating.

"I force myself to wake up early (5:15am) to work out because I know it is the only time I can and will. It's hard to get in the routine at first, but then I just weigh the benefits. When I do get a work out in, it increases my water consumption and energy levels all day long. Increased water and hydration means I am not mindlessly snacking all day, but instead eating only when I am truly hungry. Also, working out encourages me to eat healthy. When I don't work out, I don't always eat healthy. So I have no advice for that. I would highly encourage you to get up early and work out... I know you probably don't want to hear that, but just think of all the great things that will come of it!!!" - Linz

Yeah.. I know the morning is the only time I will do it as well. It's just really challenging when I'm up until 1:30am working on school assignments and then plan on working out at 7am. Don't get me wrong, I honestly did this 5 times a week for a month or more at the beginning of the year. After that, I started to appreciate my sleep more than working out. But I agree, whenever I worked out, I drank more water and ate more healthfully. So I'm definitely going to try to get back into this routine. 

So, what is my goal here? My goal is to achieve my weight goal of 125 pounds. I was relatively close to it before, but I have recently gained weight back and now have a good 20 pounds to go. What I need is something to motivate me to get out of bed every morning.

What motivates you to work out?

Much love,