new year new me

I feel like a lot has changed in the last two months, and in several ways many things have. I started going to QC Crossfit in mid November and from the first day I've never looked back. I knew I'd love it, but at the time it was really just to get me in shape for me 30miler in March. Now, I don't know that I'll ever be able to leave! I felt like I had a head start when joining the gym since I had been reading and dabbling in crossfit for a year, not to mention being a certified personal trainer. But in the last two months at this gym I've learned more about fitness, nutrition, and my body than I have in probably the last 8 years! I feel more empowered, not just to change my life, but to help others get inspired to change theirs as well. This past month Shannan joined the gym with me and I couldn't be happier. I knew she'd like it after the initial dragging by the hair to get her in there. And I think I was right. Now we have something else to discuss at home and we have a solid partner to push each other both at the gym and at home. I'm as strong now as I've been since Olympic lifting in high school, and I've also managed to pack on about 8 pounds of muscle since joining!

Recently I've also become aware of the serious food crisis that's happening in our country. We as a nation have become lazy in that everything we need is now at our fingertips and we no longer have to think about the origins of the products we use... including food. The above trailer from the movie Food Inc. is probably one of the most important documentaries of the decade in my opinion. It's an in depth look at how as the quality of our food goes down so does the quality of our health, our environment, and our workforce. Please take time to watch this movie and then to contemplate if you want to continue eating the way you do, shopping the way you shop, and cooking the way you cook. I can almost guarantee this movie will affect you on some level.

As for me I'm making a choice to eat healthier and eat more locally. We in the Quad Cities have an amazing opportunity to buy from local producers of meat, eggs, fruits, veggies, and more by visiting the local farmers market in downtown Davenport. It's one of the best in the Midwest and it's right at our fingertips, so why not support local growers and your community, get some local wholesome food, and lessen your environmental impact while you're at it? I know this isn't for everybody, but if enough people get on board we can start taking a chunk of money out of the pockets of these billion dollar corporations who have hijacked the quality of our food and are impoverishing those people that they employ. Remember that we as consumers ultimately decide what direction businesses go in, and if we don't change our buying habits now, things are only going to get worse.