My Fitness Journey & Tips to Stay Motivated

It has been a great year for getting in shape! I have so much to motivate me and keep me going. The main thing--apart from being a very healthy me--is my trip to Hawaii this summer! It's my first time going there, and to my understanding, I will spend a lot of my time half-naked, soo...I need to look good half-naked.

Anyway, I put a lot of focus into cardio nowadays. From my experience, it's the best way (for me at least) to lose fat. That and eating right. I've spent the last 2-3 years on Weight Watchers, and it's taught me how to be mindful of portion size and calorie intake. And it works! It's now pretty much second nature to me so I'm fine doing it on my own. Toning is still a big part of my workouts as well, but my main priority is to lose fat in order to show the muscle. ;)

I can honestly say that the most challenging part of working out is remaining motivated to work out. I'm sure I'm not alone on that one! And what I've really gained out of all this is the mindset to keep pushing. I believe it when they say you work your mentality more than you work your body! Here are some things that have really helped me along the way:

• Work out in a public area. I purposely do not work out at home anymore. I have some equipment and videos, and could very well have a good workout at home, but here's my problem: I see Shawn T. (for those that don't know, he's the guy from the "Insanity" videos), and I see my couch. And the couch looks muuuuch more appealing. Lol! I know a lot of people that do great working out at home, but my house is too much of a distraction for me so it helps when I'm out and about. Plus, if I run around my neighborhood instead of running on a treadmill, the only way to get home is to run/walk back, so it motivates me to keep going!
• Workout with other people. Finding good, equally-motivated-if-not-more, people to work out with was THE BEST thing I could've done. I cannot workout by myself. I'll quit too soon. (Yeah--I'm working on that. Another mentality challenge.) I'm so lucky to have people to workout with, run with, to coach me...Sometimes it takes someone else telling you what to do to keep you moving. It also helps if those same people partake in the same healthy eating habits as you do. (Yes, I'm talking about you, Kristy. Weight Watchers Queen.)
• Commit to doing something you never done before. I donated $50 to participate in the Mud Run. Oh, trust me, I was gonna get my monies worth! The no-turning-back-now mentality will click in and you'll be working out/training like never before!
• Make other small commitments to improve your health or appearance. Working out and eating right aren't the only ways to look and feel beautiful. Studies show that taking care of your overall appearance will boost your mood and can serve as easy self-motivation. For instance, when I started taking better care of my skin, even wearing makeup a little bit more, or dressing up a little bit more, I felt more of the need to take care of the whole package! That motivated me to not just look great in clothes, but also in my own skin, which led to more efficient workouts and more conscious eating habits.

I'm proud to say that my focus on cardio is really paying off. My cholesterol is back to normal. My blood pressure is back to normal. I've participated in two 5k's since May--something I NEVER thought I would ever do! (Always been a sprinter, never a distance runner.) I feel better, look better, and the scale is loving me a little bit more. ;)

More posts on my workouts and meals to come! Until then...off to the gym.