Strong yet broken

I've been thinking about this for awhile now. Why do we run, train, and crossfit? To get strong. We are focusing on our bodies, making progress, and building muscles. But does this really make us strong? Just because we are able to lift, endure, and achieve is this where it really counts? What happens when we are injured and unable to train? Our muscles are still there. Our progress is still there. We are just sidelined. And we get depressed and even cry. We don't cry about the physical pain as much as the mental pain. So it's not really about the end result, it is more about the journey. The doctor says no weight bearing activity and it is like having the rug yanked out from under you. You're stuck. You can't go. You hurt from the pain, but even more so you hurt from the inside knowing you cannot keep on trekking right now. You can't get up at 4AM, put on your running shoes, and just go. Your freedom has been taken away. We have found that when we are running (crossfitting, training, dancing) it is those moments in our days that we are free. We begin to soar, we forget about our troubles and the irritants of life. We don't care about our bills or our jobs. Any arguments with our families simply fade to black. We are breathing, step after step, block after block, mile after mile until the air feels like bright beautiful crystals expanding into our lungs and overtaking our hearts. It hurts but it is a beautiful pain that leaves us clean and new again. It clears out all of the darkness that sometimes creeps in our lives and we are left energized and happy. We can shut off our racing thoughts and just be, just focus, just perform, just do it. So back to strength. If we are forced to sit on the sidelines and helplessly watch everyone else it is here that we must be able to dig deeper and find strength. Find mental toughness. Help our bodies recover by negotiations, effort, and never relenting. Constantly pushing forward no matter what little progress or encouragement we may or may not see. This is the tough place. This is the challenging place. This is the place where we find out what type of athletes we truly are. Strong, yet broken. And we will run again God willing. They say that the heart is just too far gone to save, but grace tells us another story. Where glory sends hopelessness away. Oh grace tells us another story. God willing we WILL rise up and be stronger than ever. ~ Paris girl

Unhealthy vegetables? Yup!

Normally I buy fresh produce and wash it off before preparing it.  However this was one of those horrible weeks for me.  My back went out and it exasperated my shin splints.  This in turn caused muscle strains and I was in a lot of pain.  So here I was at the grocery store attempting to buy food and meal plan for my dad who I'm taking care of this week.  I just wanted to stay home and die on my couch but after seeing that there was nothing at all in my parent's house to feed my dad that included fresh vegetables and fruits, I sucked it up and went to Fry's.  That was my first mistake.  I usually shop at Sprouts where there is at least a modicum of healthier choices.  So one of the recipes I wanted to serve called for corn.  And being sick and in pain, I decided to just pick up a can of corn instead of doing all of that work to boil fresh corn.  Being the label reader that I am, I saw that sugar was in the ingredient list.  It's probably been 5+ years since I've attempted to purchase canned veggies.  I was beyond shocked and totally horrified when I concluded my experiment.   Picking up every single can and brand of not only the corn, but every canned vegetable on the shelf and finding sugar in every one of them, I almost screamed out loud.  I'm sure people were eyeing me as they passed by only to see this crazy woman muttering "you've GOT to be kidding me" under her breath.  My face, I'm sure, went way beyond resting bitchy face and probably hit the "I'm gonna kill someone" face.  This is such bullshit!   It is so obvious that CORPORATE AMERICA is trying to fool the average consumer.  Let's face it, a lot of people don't feel they have time to read labels.  They are already overwhelmed in life with running around trying to get kids to school, get to their jobs, work out every now and then, and occasionally do something fun.  They're dealing with friends, parents, bosses, church, sports, house cleaning, and bills.  So why in heaven's name would they want to spend more time at the grocery store scrutinizing every single thing?  They just don't.  I used to be one of those people.  But then I almost died at the age of 43 and it woke me up.  That started my journey to trying to figure out how to eat and what to eat.  But don't let me try to change your mind about your own health if you don't want to.  You might be doing just fine eating the Standard American Diet.  But if you suffer from headaches, stomach aches, fatigue, mental confusion, weakened immune systems, or any other health issue it just might have to do with your diet.  Just a suggestion here.  I'm not a hater of those that want to eat fast food and sugar.  It is your own choice.  What does make me angry is that a lot of you are being fooled as to what healthy even is.  So even when you try to eat healthier, you're really missing the mark through no fault of your own.  You've been brainwashed by the media and you also might think that people who are not eating SAD (standard american diet) insert whatever here, vegan, Paleo, vegetarian etc are just extremists.

Wake up America and DON'T eat your vegetables.  Peace out and love to all!

Bon apre midi!
A bientot!

Love,
Paris girl