Why Does It Have To Be A Diet?

Ok, quick update before I get into today's post:
Happy August!!! This week marks another start to "officially" training for my next half marathon! waaahoooo! This past Sunday, I dragged my run buddy out to go on our first training run. She obliged. Just a little. We ran the course to a previous 5k that we had completed a few months ago, which is relatively flat and a fast course -- an easy first run out. It was actually a beautiful morning & I was super proud of myself for dragging myself out of bed after being out late the night before with friends. Felt like my body was asleep when we started out, but it woke up very quickly.

My run buddy has been going through a lot of life issues recently and she was a little burnt out from running (say a prayer for her!) so the run was a little tough on her. It wasn't pretty, but we got it done. I have no doubt that it won't take her very long to get back to speed. It was awesome to be out there together again-- there is certainly something to be said that suffering with someone is better than suffering alone. bahaha. She also signed up at the cave, so I'm hoping she'll make a few classes in conjunction with lifting sessions with me & make her an official cave girl. Trying my best to walk that fine line between encouraging/motivational and annoying.

So.....today's blog is about something that's been bothering me for a while. The word: diet. How can one little word be so frustrating?
Diet:  1) The food and beverage a person or animal consumes 2)  A controlled regimen of food and drink, as to gain or lose weight or otherwise influence health.
Everywhere you look there's a new diet to loose weight: low-carb, paleo, caveman, Mediterranean, vegetarian....I'm exhausted just trying to name them all. I've been receiving quite a few comments on how I've been eating (which is the reason for this rant today - sorry, not sorry). I haven't been the most consistent on my eating habits the past few months with quite a few splurges (that's being generous) here and there, but when I am eating clean, I hear: "Are you on a diet? You are already skinny!" or "You're so skinny, you need to eat something!"

First of all, I am NOT skinny. I am fit. If I were just "skinny" I couldn't lift half the weight I do right now. Second, NO I am not on a diet. Unless there's a diet called, "don't eat crap all the time." I find it appalling that there seems to a stigma for those that care about what types of foods they put in their bodies and want to nourish it appropriately. If someone enjoys going to the gym everyday, they are called obsessed. If someone is training for their first marathon, they are called crazy. Obesity rates around the world are rising -- our fast food nation has truly taken over & is on cruise control - to the detriment of society. People are needing medical care and medication for issues that could disappear if only they took better care of themselves - but yet remain slaves to the medical system. Why?

I choose to invest in my health and well being. I am stronger, healthier and want to have a full long life and will do all the things I need to do in order to make that happen. No, I am not perfect. But everyday is a day that can use to invest in myself. I just had a biometric screening done for our health insurance and had my blood drawn for the first time. I was actually nervous about my results! Everything came back great, but it saddens me to know, that is not the case for most people. It saddens me even more that people accept it like it's their fate -- ok, I'll take this pill everyday for the rest of my life. Eat foods that are good for you, exercise, get rest and you will reap all those health benefits. I will take that formula any day, over a cocktail of medications produced in a lab. End rant.

Eat well. Move your body. Rest. Repeat. Carry on.