Honor the temple that is your body.

We’ve been doing so much work emotionally and spiritually, it’s now time to get back to our bodies.

There’s an old saying, “You are what you eat,” and it’s incredibly true. We have to be aware of what we’re putting into our bodies, so that we can continue to make these machines run at maximum efficiency.

Yes, we need to think of our bodies as machines because that’s what they are.

The food we eat turns into fuel for our bodies to run on, and it make sense that if you’re putting crap into your body, it’s going to run like crap.

We need to rethink how we eat, and remember that fitness is 80% what we consume, and 20% actual exercise.

CHALLENGE:

For the next 8 days we’re going to begin to make healthier choices about what we’re eating.

We’re not going to go from 0 to 100 because that just doesn’t work, but we’re going to become more conscious about what we’re putting into our most prized possession, our bodies.

We’re going to remove the word diet from our vocabulary because diets tend to come in and out of trend, and have an ending. From here on out, we’re truly changing our lifestyles.

We’re going to start to cut back on the amount of animal products we consume, so things like meat and dairy should become less and less of our staples.

If you’re really up for the challenge then I would recommend trying to go vegetarian for the next 8 days.

EXAMPLE:

Instead of going for quick and easy, try to take some time out of your day to go grocery shopping and then prepare meals like lunch that you can grab for work that are healthier than what you may be consuming now.
Instead of eating a burger, try eating a salad.
Instead of drinking soda, try drinking water.
Instead of eating all your food, try eating 80% of your meal, and wait to see if you’re actually full.
Instead of drinking sugary and colored alcohol, try drinking clear booze and mix it with water and lime, have a dirty martini, or give it up.

Giving up alcohol will make you lose weight so much quicker than if you’re drinking.

Small changes will make huge differences. Very quickly, you’ll notice changes in your mood, energy level, and the way you sleep. Things like your skin and weight will take longer to see the effects, but I promise this is a science, and results will come if you stick to this challenge long term.

I know this may sound extreme, but this is meant to push you physically, mentally, and spiritually.

I was never a big meat eater, but I always said it would be impossible for me to give up chicken because I ate it so often. However, after educating myself on the true cost and effects that chicken has on our bodies, the environment, and the lack of laws surrounding animals in factory farms, I’ve vowed to never eat it, and all other meat, ever again.

I don’t miss it, I don’t crave it, and it actually grosses me out now. For the record, I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been, and have gained muscle.

The key to success for me was reprograming my brain to no longer equate vegetables to sides. I always felt like there had to be meat on my plate for it to be a complete meal, this just isn’t true, and there are countless resources that explain why we need to consume less meat.

I’ve written a piece discussing many of the reasons why I gave up meat, and it can be found here:

10 Reasons Why I'm Giving Up Meat

I was a vegan for 50 days, and had to stop when I was hiking the PCT out of survival, but the second I was off the trail, I realized how much my body hated meat and processed foods. It’s very interesting to give up meat, then go back to it because if you’re actually listening to your body, its incredibly apparent how much different you feel.

We know excuses are played out, and it’s time we gave ourselves the gift of not only feeling good, but actually feeling healthy.

Food should work for us, not against us, so let’s change our thoughts and habits, and make healthier decisions.