Where to even start? 2014 has already brought a ton of changes, mostly for the better.
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- To start things off, I am so happy to have become best friends with Abby from Yes To Yummy over the past year. I just returned home from an AMAZING trip with her! Besides the fact that she is a constant motivation for me to be creative in the kitchen, she is one of the most caring, loving, giving, and intelligent people I have ever met. I am blessed beyond belief to have her in my life. How awesome would it be if we could go to college together in the future!
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- A while back I posted about starting to count macros. Well... let's just say that's out the window now. Not that I think it couldn't have worked. But I tried it for about three weeks, and while I found it new and interesting, I also became enlightened. I have been counting calories for years. I am only 16! This... I'm sorry, but it is NO WAY to live.
I train hard. And honestly, I have little desire to ever eat something that I would consider processed, fake, or filled with man-made who knows what. So as long as I am eating healthy and pushing myself in the gym, why on earth do I need to count calories (at least at this time in my life)? I want to focus again on eating mindfully, and hopefully that will provide my mind and body with peace.
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This was taken back in December!
- This past year especially, I have cut way back on yoga. I almost say this with regret, because I love yoga and still hope to be able to teach one day. But right now, my heart is in weight lifting.
I have never been so thrilled to go to sleep, knowing that when I wake up I have an hour to myself... I have never been a competitive person with others, and power lifting/weight training is ALL about personal competition (which I love!)
I am proud to be able to SHAPE MY BODY the way I have always wanted it to look. It's a mental game for sure, but it is worth every tear and drop of sweat shed. Some teenage girls want makeup and boys...all I want is lifting gloves and a barbell across my back. It's fun to be the only girl in the weight room at times!
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HUGE thanks to the girls Carrie, Tara, and Staci for motivating me to lift heavy, eat more, and not be afraid of "getting bulky:" (because thats not gonna happen!!) I may not know you personally, but following your blog posts and advice make me feel as if your a friend. I really hope this doesn't make me sound like a giant creeper.
You've probably noticed my increase in lifting if you've been reading my Week of Workouts posts. I have for sure seen improvement since starting this past December when I got a gym membership. I plan to keep you guys updated with any other achievements I make fitness wise.
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- Speaking of weight training... I now have grown a butt. Six months of squats, deadlifts, and other heavy work has given me a behind that I never have had! Lol.
In celebration of my new butt, I have cleaned out my closet and gotten new pants... actually, new clothes!
Okay, well, maybe I was *forced* to do this because none of my clothes fit correctly anymore...
- I am still working on healing my gut, but am more lenient. I think this (getting rid of food stress) has helped ALOT.
I recently read a post on Marks Daily Apple that made a ton of sense. It talked about a study that was done that proved people's bodies will react differently to food according to how they think about the food. It makes sense! If I THINK my body will feel bad eating something, it probably will.
I still sprout my beans and such, but I am in cooperating more non sprouted beans and have had no nasty reactions. I also eat quality Greek yogurt a occasionally with (USUALLY) no awful side effects.
- I get to DRIVE legally soon! Lol. I get my drivers license in a month!!
What have you been up to lately?
Natalie
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