im on my health soapbox

so wow it's been quite some time now hasn't it? 

it's been a busy past little bit for me, but guess what...

its Thanksgiving break everyone!!

if you could see me now, you'd see me beaming from ear to ear because for the first time in a bit i dont have to worry about...

SCHOOL

ummm...yeah. that's about it. i still have to workout...umm...want to workout. 

YES.

i do want to workout.

GUYS.

i know, i know. i workout everyday because i run track.

and if you follow my insta you could say im probably a freak/"tool" about posting about working out and being in shape.

but how can i not when its seriously something i LOVE.

passions are incredible.

whether it's school, photography, hair, work, makeup, reading, biking, inventing, etc.

it's amazing to have something fill your life and give you pure joy.

so back to what i was saying before, im active everyday; running, lifting, doing abs, and eating healthy (well working on that last one).

"but des you have to workout everyday you run track"

 yes, i am a collegiate athlete so of course i have to workout, but working out everyday kind of turns it into a lifestyle rather than just a sport.

i have a passion for this beautiful sport yes, but i also feel one step off if i don't do some type of physical exercise each day. 

which brings me to a point that i am trying to make.

lets be honest, we are in college, it's so easy to just grab some food after a long day at the drive through or snag snacks in the cafeteria, buy the cheap unhealthy stuff at the store, or eat at the late hours of the night because we think we are invincible at this age. it's all because its CONVENIENT. 

i used to look in the mirror and think "wow, i really need to lose weight"

and a lot of you would say "desi. hell no."

because my lifestyle is just pure being active. 

but i would go into a clothing store and try on a tight top and see every bump on my body.

and you know what that would do, it would prevent me from buying the cute, tight fitted Nike tank top that i wanted so badly.

i remember once i tried on so many of my clothes and none of them fit right or looked good and i literally sat on the floor and cried because I felt disgusting.

that was a few weeks after school started in August. 

but a lot has happened since then that has really put life into perspective.

it's true, i struggled a bit with confidence in my body image.

but guess what, right now, i couldnt love myself more.

it starts with simple steps.

1. this is your God given body

love it with all you can, respect it in every way possible, and care for it because it's your body for crying out loud!

2. habits

how about you start with no eating out for 21 days, after all, doing something for 21 days straight becomes a habit.
going to the gym 3 days a week for starters is great as well.

might as well make good habits.

then make a goal to premake your meals (i promise you're not too busy, sundays are perfect days). Premaking meals gives you time throughout your weeks and you can also have something healthy waiting for you when you come home from a long day or better yet, a hard workout. 

3. research

do your research on what is good for you and what is not good for you.

 i promise you, you will not find a healthier meal unless it's homemade by yourself. at least you know what ingredients are being put into the food and you are feeding your body what you know it will love and refuel off of. 

also, know what you are putting into your body at certain times. Gatorade isnt a drink you can just have guys, it's really bad for you. its a recovery drink for a reason, you dont need to recover from a rough day in math with a Gatorade. im sorry, but that stuff is strictly for athletes, so go on and grab a bottled water if your thirsty.
also ps, coconut water is so good for you to hydrate off of but I personally think it tastes like puke but don't let my opinion ruin yours. my dad loves it and drinks it after he mountain bikes all the time!

4. combine working out AND eating right

i can tell you personally that working out makes me feel great, but combining that with eating well, WOW. i feel incredible. 

the phrase is so true "you are what you eat".

i remember i ate out a ton the time i felt like crap about myself, and the week i made my own meals and ate my own perfect portion sizes, i could see my mood change, my attitude brighten up, and i felt better about working out because i knew another aspect of my life was contributing to a healthier me.

5. workout plan

create a workout plan for yourself.

again this ties back to research. there is a website that i love to get abs off of and they also have good recipes. 

it's called: BiteSizedFitness

there are workouts on the site as well as different foods that you can eat, i love it and i am on there religiously i feel like haha.
i will say though that when you are lifting, make sure that you go with someone who knows what they are doing, it's pointless to lift if you dont have proper form, or a spotter, or someone who can show you how to do things properly. just a tip. I don't want you guys to get hurt!

6. be social

okay it's cool that you are getting into this fitness, working out, taking care of yourself thing, but dont be that person that would rather spend their Saturday nights late at the gym rather than on a date or with your friends or family.

remember who you support group is and be grateful for their presence in your life.

funny story though, because i was at the gym on a Saturday night once, only because i didn't do my work out earlier but this one girl was talking to a girl behind me and said "i'd so much rather be at the gym rather than be with my friends or family, is that weird?"

yeah, what?
literally her exact words. 

all i could think was "honey, your priorities, you need them back"

 seriously. its very healthy to be social.

7. goals

make goals for yourself. 

no one ever got somewhere just by going through the motions. have goals and the passion to reach those goals. i promise you the rewarding feeling you'll have is just pure bliss.

8. love

honestly, just continue to love the body you are given. 

 i know it'll be hard to get outta bed sometimes (especially when it's cold out) and get to the gym or go on your afternoon run. and sometimes you will eat out.

it's okay! you arent perfect, i mean i had Taco Bell the other day. 

just remember your goals and everything you've been working so hard on so you dont fall back into bad habits. we only like good habits around here. 

9. one not so important tip, but still saying it
my coach always says "you look good you race good"
he, of course, is referring to what you wear when we workout.
so he had more than enough pairs of spikes when he ran in college. Spikes are the shoes we wear when we race.
i was always stunned when he said how much he'd spend on shoes when i am content with my one pair for the whole season.
but he said that volleyball teams have nets, volleyballs, knee pads, etc.
soccer teams have their cleats.
sports have their equipment, and of course, as athletes we love our good-looking equipment.
so that's why he'd drop cash on all kinds of shoes.
if i workout everyday, then why not look cute when i workout?
if you look good, you feel good.
it's like a mental boost.
i love wearing cute workout clothes and i'm willing to spend more money on that than regular clothes because i'll be honest, i'm in workout clothes 90% of my week. I will create a post that tells ya where I get all my CHEAP workout clothes. you don't have to buy ALL Lulu Lemon or Nike, even though that would be bliss.
so i guess this last tip is important.

so maybe this was a lot to share, and i'm sure a lot of you didn't know that about me in the past, but guess what, im not ashamed of it, and i love working each day at something that makes me so happy. 

you will feel good and your body will thank you, trust me.