It’s the beginning of 2015 and it’s about that time that everyone starts making their New Year’s Resolutions. I have always been a fan of people making resolutions because whether it lasts 3 months or 3 days, it’s still an effort to make a change for the better. This year I decided that my NYR would revolve around conquering at least 12 more books from GoodReads 100 Books to Read Before You Die, learning to speak Spanish, attempting to keep a journal, and maintaining my current workout/health routine.
… and there it is. The ever daunting resolution about health & diet.
Every year I promised myself that I would be in the best shape of my life and every year I have fallen short… very short. It wasn’t until August of last year that I legitimately made a true effort and saw real change in my body. But I will say that it took months before I saw any real significant changes. On top of a consistent workout plan, I had to change the way I thought about food. If you follow me on Instagram, you are well aware that the only thing I love more than my Maltipoo Rooney, is food.
But despite my family having to hear me complain about how much I want a cheeseburger every other day or how sore I am, I can finally say that I am happy with my health and mentality about fitness. So I am here to share what I have learned. I am not a fitness trainer by any means, but I am whole lot like the average 20-something year old girl so if it works for me, there’s a good chance it may work for you! Here are my 5 tips so maybe your resolution can make the transition to lifestyle!
Tip #1: Change The Way You Look at Food
This was was the hardest for me, so that’s why I am making it my first tip. I love food and I am the kind of person that associates happy events with food. Date? Food. Birthday? Food. Celebration? Drinks… but then food. So a large part of me felt like if I changed the way that I ate, I would be missing out on the festivities. However, I’ve learned that in order to truly become healthy (and happy) you have to start associating events with the people you spend it with and the memories you make. Start to look at food as a way to sustain your body and not as a delicious treat. Don’t get me wrong, I still eat the yummy food, but instead of a breakfast taco for breakfast, I’ll have an apple and some oatmeal instead.
This is one of my favorite breakfasts on Sunday morning for my cheat meals: Croque Madame from Bakery Lorraine!
Tip #2: Have A Plan
Just like any other endeavor, you have to have a plan. Fitness and health is about so much more than just cutting out chips at lunch. It’s about understanding how your body works and what exercise can do for you. I recommend creating a schedule for your workouts. I tend to work out based on the areas of desire, but if you’re not experienced enough to create a workout plan, I recommend finding one online that will do the work for you. My workout partner/best friend Amber and I are currently conquering Kayla Itsines’ BBG #1 and love it! But feel free to do some research, make sure you have all the right equipment, and find a workout and diet plan that fits your goals.
Tip #3: Learn to Work Out Alone
This is a hard one because almost all workout articles tell you to find a workout buddy. “Find a workout partner!” or “Having a partner will help you stay on task!” but I have learned that when you rely on having a partner, you tend to lose momentum whenever they aren’t available. I learned this the hard way over Christmas break. Although I think it is extremely helpful to have a workout partner, learning to workout alone will help you maintain your workout fitness schedule!
Tip #4: Make Time, Not Excuses
I find that the best time to workout is in the morning. So for me, that means waking up at 6:00 am to make it to the gym on time. For others it may be at night after work. Either way, FIND TIME! The most common excuse I hear for not exercising is the lack of time, but dedicating 1 hour a day to fitness is only ~4% of your day. You have time. No excuses. You don’t even need to buy a gym membership, there are plenty of exercises that can be done at home or in a park.
Tip #5: DO IT FOR YOUR HEALTH!
The best thing I noticed in 2014 was the shift of perceiving girls as dainty damsels to strong women. With ads from Under Armour displaying ballerina Misty Copeland and supermodel Gisele Bundchen as incredible athletes, girls are starting to understand that they should train to be “fit” and not “skinny”. My best advice making a resolution last, is treat it like it’s NOT a resolution, but as a lifestyle change. Don’t eat so you’ll be skinny in 6 weeks; eat for your health. It may take months or even years to get to where you want to be, but know that it’s a process and a journey. Learn to find the beauty in how strong and amazing your body truly is. I can’t wait to see how far I can push myself this year. Bring it, 2015!
Side Note: A lot of girls always ask me what I keep in my gym bag, so I made a little list of everything I actually keep in there and what it’s for!
- IPhone Arm Band
- Headphones
- Headband
- Water… TONS OF WATER
- Extra Cotton tank for post-workout
- Extra pair of socks
- Workout Gloves
- Fitness journal- tracks goals, workouts, diet plan, etc.
- C4 Pre-workout (I don’t use this much, it’s only when i’m dead-tired)
- Body Spray
- Soy Protein Powder (not pictured)