Finding Your Ultimate Health and Fitness Expert

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A Guest Post By Jennifer Kwasny

Who can you trust to get you into shape? You want to be healthy, fit, and toned. You want to love your body, and have the energy of a child. You want to be able to set goals, and push yourself physically to reach them. So, who do you listen to?  Which expert on health and nutrition do you turn to? Which diet book do you buy of the thousands that line the shelves of your local bookstore, not to mention the plethora of e-books available online?

Many people search for the answer to fitness. They are willing to try diet pills, the latest trendy workout infomercial blaring from their television sets, and diets that do not provide their bodies with adequate nutrition. They quickly become discouraged, and regain their impulse to achieve a fit and healthy lifestyle only when the next commercial for “two minute abs” comes on.

Innately, our bodies each carry a perfect design. It is when we stop listening to our internal mechanism that works to promote health through physical activity and proper nutrition that we lose our love for ourselves. Through lethargy and the consumption of “non-foods” and “dead” foods (think boxed foods that do not expire), we move in the opposite direction of optimal health.

Should you adhere to Madonna’s eating plan and attend the same yoga studio she frequents because you like her toned arms and legs? Should you try vegetarianism because you hear about the radiant skin you achieve as a result of the diet? Should you try the Master Cleanse and avoid food completely?

How Do You Know Who Is Right?

I would like to share my experience as a figure competitor. I have been a gymnast, a boxer, and a queen of cardio equipment. It was years ago that I began resistance training, and I fell in love with the way my body adapted to carry greater muscle mass on my frame. I decided that I would compete in the National Physique Committee’s competitions in 2009.

A synopsis of what I found when preparing to compete – everyone is an expert on competition training, dieting, and what judges are looking for. What did I finally determine, which allowed me to love myself?

It was that I, and only I, am my own expert!

Only I can figure out what I need to eat to fuel my body. And only I can determine what type of physical activity allows me to feel amazing. Did I make quite a few mistakes listening to competition preparation gurus that designed plans with the intention of assisting future competitors that needed guidelines? I’ll let you guess.

I am currently sponsored by CrossFit Tucson (www.crossfittucson.com), an affiliate facility of the CrossFit training program designed by Greg Glassman. My workouts range from three to fifteen minutes long, daily, and incorporate Olympic lifts, gymnastic movement, and bursts of intensity. Can everyone use CrossFit workouts? Yes! Should they, because they hear about the effectiveness and amazing results? You decide.

Finally, I Learned To Listen

I turned inward and listened to my body for the first time last year. My workouts felt perfect. I learned to eat correctly. How did I find the perfect combination of diet and exercise? I had to fail by experimenting with plans designed by others, which led me to search within myself to find what was right for me. I had the answers inside of me, and you have them too.

Take some time to quiet your mind. Are you overeating? Are you feeling light and full of energy after a meal? Is your body displaying signs of fat storage? Ask your body, which is full of wisdom, for the answers. Do what brings you joy, and what moves you toward optimal health and performance. I promise – you are the expert on you, and it is just that simple.

Using Fitness To Connect

Does yoga peak your interest? How about learning to dance? Do you like the way you feel when you ride a bike? Have you been to a spinning class? Is there a basketball court at your local gym? Physical activities that are fun and rewarding will not only enhance your health, they will leave you feeling connected to your source (aka God or higher power). CrossFit, to me, is entirely spiritual. I feel a profound sense of inspiration and guidance when I push myself through an intense CrossFit session. Afterward, I turn inward and thank God for allowing me to become such an elite demonstration of athleticism.

I feel that I am fulfilling my life purpose, and pushing myself through the workouts show me how to push myself in other areas of life. How can you enhance your spirituality? Simply participate in an activity that contributes to your happiness! You will feel grateful for the daily adventures you manifest in your life through meeting new people, reaching personal fitness goals, and adding years onto your lifespan to enjoy.

I have written my own book on health and fitness, which exists only inside of me, and contains the answers to all of my questions. I trust you possess the ability to do the same.

Jennifer Kwasny is a Juvenile Probation Officer and a National Physique Committee Figure Competitor sponsored by CrossFit Tucson, which is owned by SWAT Fitness innovators Ron and Jana Holland. Jennifer believes in using sports and physical activity to promote self-esteem and positive peer relationships among children, especially at-risk youth. She also leads of  a group of professionals that volunteer their time and talent in community outreach projects with the purpose of raising consciousness and uplifting society as a whole. Jennifer is a self-proclaimed “bookworm” and loves self-enrichment literature in addition to integrating in Tucson’s largely spiritual and socially-conscious culture.

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