My Lifestyle Routine: vitamins

**3 part series: click here for my eating and exercising routine**

I’m aim to find the positive in a negative situation. Sometimes it takes me stepping outside of my situation, reflecting, writing, and reading the Word to realize it is possible to find good inside the bad. Well I was really put to the test with a breakup after a little over 2 years together. See my article on that topic here.

Yes, there were several lessons learned and observations made (hindsight is 20-20 – isn’t that always the case), but I want to focus on one particular life changing aspect of the relationship that I will carry with me forever: the importance of eating better and working out.

Because I’m slim, I don’t broadcast information about my body since others tend to think “skinny people” don’t have a complex about their weight. But we’re all hung up on something physically about ourselves that we want to work on. During the winter of 2011, I was an unhappy 150+ pounds. (In high school and college my high metabolism kept me around 115-120lbs but it begin to slow down when I settled into my career in 2005). I know the actual number doesn’t mean much but the fact my size 6 pants were tight didn’t sit well with me. Not to mention the discomfort felt after teaching all day in pants that were pinching my belly! Plus I couldn’t fit ANY of the size 4 pants in my closet!! Though I tried, it was half-hearted, so I was having trouble working off the pounds even with my during-the-school-year-workout-schedule (which tends to be less rigorous since I have to focus more on work).

Currently, I fluctuate throughout the 140-pound-land and my 4s and 6s in the closet all fit just fine! Yay! This leads me to my lifestyle routine.

152lbs wasn’t a bad look from behind, but my stomach wasn’t pleasantly pleasing to my eyes.

Vitamins:

First, if you are thinking about taking medical grade vitamins, it’s worth speaking to your doctor. You can also do your own research if you want to. There are a lot of resources out there that can help you, but if you aren’t sure, speak to your physician. There are many options after all, and whilst nmn supplements work well for others, they may not be the choice for you. Or, they may be!

Eating healthier has been a focus and for the most part, I think I do a good job. I do like to take vitamins (among other reasons) to make up for what I don’t feel I get in my daily meals, however. You have to do your own research to find out what vitamins you should take, what agmatine dosage you need, etc. But here’s my list with descriptions:

Biotin – supports the health of the skin, nerves, digestive tract, metabolism, and cells. Biotin occurs naturally in many foods. Wheat germ, whole-grain cereals, whole wheat bread, eggs, dairy products, nuts, Swiss chard, salmon, and chicken are all sources of biotin. (Source: WebMD.com)

Fish Oil – reduces the risk of heart disease, possibly effective for menstrual pain (My cramps are very minimal in recent months due to my vitamin intake and work out routine!) Fish oil supplements are usually made from mackerel, herring, tuna, halibut, salmon, cod liver, whale blubber, or seal blubber. (Source: WebMD.com)

Garlic – used for building the immune system, for many conditions related to the heart and blood system, sinus congestion, fighting stress and fatigue. (Source: WebMD.com)

Super B-complex – Maintaining your energy level can help you feel your best. Nature Made Super B-Complex is a combination of essential B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, B-6, folic acid, biotin and pantothenic acid) that work together to help produce energy. (Source: NatureMade.com)

Viviscal – natural food supplement similar to creatine monohydrate which I’ve heard you can learn more about at xwerks, that has been scientifically developed to help care for and repair hair from within. It contains the exclusive AminoMar C™ Marine Complex that provides the essential proteins needed, Selenium, Biotin and Folic Acid, plus Grape Seed extract – a super anti-oxidant rich in polyphenols and 20 times more powerful than Vitamin E and 50 times stronger than Vitamin C, all to enhance and protect the natural health and beauty of damaged hair. (Source: Viviscal.com)

I’m around children all day, everyday and you can only imagine the germs that come with that lifestyle. Vitamins are just one way to improve my immune system while also keeping my body juiced up with the nutrients and energy it needs to keep up with my busy schedule.

*Update: as of fall 2013, I no longer take vitamins. I will take an occasional Vitamin C, but not the others. I may decide one day to pick the routine back up after more research but I think it was effecting my skin as discussed in this video.

Not your Cracklebarrel-embroidered-vest-wearing teacher, I know…but we too have skin under our clothes!

More food for thought (from Hey Fran Hey’s Facebook page):

“How many meals do you eat in a day? I used to eat once a day because I felt it kept me slim! So awful! I think most people assume the less you eat the less you will gain, but you’re actually doing the opposite. The less you eat the slower your metabolism, which results in weight gain. Print this chart as a reminder of a great eating schedule. And read this breakdown by Livestrong on the best way to eat, stay super healthy and even lose weight in the process: http://www.livestrong.com/article/455054-is-eating-small-meals-better-for-weight-loss”

My desire is to work toward something similar to this!

Feel free to share with me your lifestyle routine! Let’s keep one another motivated and encouraged to be healthier!

**3 part series: click here for my eating and exercising routine**